Mbauers here. Here's my Halfling Evangelist Cleric of Desna. He wanders around Ustalav (probably primarily Varno) providing food and spiritual aid to the commoners. I need to add a few things including typing up his full background. Anyway, here's my gold roll:
x 10 = 160 gp
So I'm assuming this is a no, but how do you feel about templets..because playing an ogerkin seems like fun...edited do to realization that this game is lv 1..maybe next time.
Well, I figure I'll give this a shot. I've always wanted to play Carrion Crown, but I've never really gotten into PbP. I think this might change my mind about it.
Half-Elf Wizard
(Varisian)
Deity: Desna and Nethys.
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Gold = 90 gold.
Health = 6 HP.
STR = 12
DEX = 16
CON = 14
INT = 16
WIS = 10
CHA = 13
Height: 6'
Weight: 140 LB
Special: Arcane Bond (Raven), Arcane School (Illusion [Shadow]), Cantrips, Scribe Scroll
Languages: Common, Elven, Draconic, Gnome, Varisian.
Skills: Knowledge (Arcana, Dungeoneering, Planes), Spellcraft, Stealth.
Feats: Arcane Strike
Traits: Teacher's Pet, Classically Schooled
Armor: N/A
Weapons: Dagger, Light Crossbow (50), Quarterstaff
Equipment: Spellbook, Backpack, Bedroll, Rope (hemp), Grappling Hook, Thieves' Tools, Rations (5), The Book of Magic.
Spells: Silent Image, Color Spray, Shadow Weapon, Vanish, Magic Missile, Magic Weapon.
Wealth: 10 gold
This of course meant how to steal things from under people's unsuspecting noses when they reached a town. Unlike most of the children he used the few cantrips that the old woman had taught him to assist him in his theft rather than just what he could do with his body. This was all well and good for many years of his life, until a year before he reached adulthood. It was then that Kyras spied a man of wealth in the streets of town, at the time he had no idea how important that man was, or how powerful he was. In Kyras' mind, he was just another mark. Unfortunately for the young Half-Elf, he was anything but. The Professor easily saw through his illusions and caught him red-handed with just a few pieces of gold. When confronted about his actions Kyras spoke honestly, explaining that theft was how he and his family survived most of the time. Fortune telling and trading only got someone so far.
Intrigued by the young man's honesty in the face of danger, or a carefully crafted lie executed perfectly, Lorrimor insisted that Kyras attend the lecture he was about to present. The Professor had hoped that it would show the young man other avenues of thinking, and at least get him off the streets for a little while. The Half-Elf stood at the back of the lecture hall, surrounded by people that were older, wiser, and more educated than him. He grew uncomfortable quickly in their presence, and many of the topics that Lorrimor presented went over his head quickly. Once he started discussing Magic however, Kyras perked right up and became quickly engrossed in the lecture. Whenever the Professor posed a question, he would try to answer it correctly. Every time Lorrimor was answering questions, he came up with at least two or three to ask the man. Sadly, Magic was only a small part of the lecture that Lorrimor was giving and eventually it segued back into academics that were too advanced for Kyras to grasp. That did not stop the young half-elf from devoting his full attention to the Professor, despite not understanding a word.
After the lecture, and after people stopped asking Lorrimor questions, the Professor approached Kyras again. The two discussed more about the Arcane, and of its mysteries, and what little Kyras understood of it. He wanted to learn more, and the Professor was happy to indulge him. For the few days that the caravan was in town Kyras visited the Professor every day to learn from him. Once he had to depart with his family and leave the Professor behind, he promised that he would stay in contact with the man and attend the lectures if they were ever in the same city again.
The encounter with the professor changed the Half-Elf, he became more curious about knowledge. Of course, he only really knew one good way of acquiring what he wanted, and that was theft. Every time they visited a town he would attempt to steal, pickpocket, and otherwise acquire bits and pieces of magical lore and tomes on the subject. He greedily hoarded every scrap he was able to acquire and he soon had a small library in the caravan.
Kyras was even able to keep in contact with the Professor over the years, sending messages back and forth between the two. On the rare occasions that they were in the same city Kyras proved true to his word and managed to attend every single one of them. Even when it was located in areas where he was not wanted. The Half-Elf grew attached to the Professor, the man that had opened his eyes to more than he could have seen just with the seers in the caravan. On the fateful day that he received the final letter from Lorrimor, he was devastated. He quickly packed all of his things, all of his worldly possessions, into a ragged backpack. Kyras bid farewell to his mother, to his caravan, to his family. He explained that he had to abide by the Professor's final wish for him, for he had done so much for him over the years. With that, he departed for Ustalav.
I know it's not much, but its what I came up with for my character. I'll flesh it out more as I go along.
I wanted to let you know straight up that I have GMed the entirety of this campaign. While I may know the twists and turns, I hope you don't think I'm going to metagame. I'm not planning to berate you for changing anything up-- because, lord knows, I changed almost everything in the Carrion Crown books. I think that a well-run adventure path is a lot like a play, and based on the people playing and the person running, it can be very very different. At most, it helps me zero in on making a character who fits very well into the setting. If that's not cool with you, that's fine by me.
The boy is small and pale, young. His hair is so blonde it's almost white. He walks along the roadside with a meandering pace, too interested in the grass and sky to focus and quicken his step. His clothing is fitted and in fashion, suggesting his family is affluent enough to afford the personal attention of a tailor, but well worn, belying that he treasured them. He walks instead of riding, saying even more, and stops to watch a cat stretch on a nearby porch step and smiles. His sudden stop forces a rider behind him to rein his horse, cantering around him and throwing an insult with a threat of violence. By his face, the boy is bewildered and apologetic, offering a sincere sorry that the rider ignores wholly. With the encounter over, he stands, alone, at the road. He touches the corner of parchment he has folded in his pocket, as if to make sure it wasn't lost, and begins to walk again.
In the summer of 4710, the respected occultist Professor Lorrimor was contacted by Dr. Beaurigmand Trice, the founder of the Havenguard Lunatic Asylum, about the existence of a strange boy whose uncontrolled, furious emotions conjured up devouring fire and strange ghosts. When Lorrimor arrived, he found the boy-- older than he'd thought, an adolescent of maybe fourteen years-- in a state of powerful grief and could barely communicate with him, both due to the searing flame that began to snake across the oft-charred asylum cell walls and his inconsolable anger and sorrow. It was only due to Lorrimor’s insistence—as well as his fascination with the boy’s power—that kept Lorrimor returning to the cell, day after day to speak to the boy to help him control the horrible fire that welled up inside of him.
The boy, named Walter, told him that his father had been a powerful man in Caliphas, but he had not been a noble-- though, he tried unendingly to be appointed as one. His mother was sick when he was born, and he was small, and weak, and according to what she had told him, she did not know if he would live. But he yet survived. He remembered his childhood as being full of sound, though he lived it alone-- attributed to what he knew now were strange whispers and voices he heard in the silence between sounds. When he was just a child, he had summoned the fire for the first time when he had cut himself on the hand with a knife, and in his anger and confusion, he summoned what he could only describe as the ‘heart of fire.’ When his parents discovered him standing alone in a circle of flame, they knew that if his gift was discovered, his entire family’s reputation could be annihilated. His mother sought to keep him hidden, but his father, paranoid and power-hungry, had sought to have him destroyed. For many years, the only reason he drew breath was that he was under the constant protection of his weary mother. Even the boy knew that he had a gift that others did not throughout his childhood as he heard voices at night when no one was there, and often knew things he should not have, saw movement when there was none, felt heat boil from his fingertips that could melt wax. But, time grew long, and his father’s ambition grew impatient.When the boy came across her body one morning, still and cold in her sheets, he knew that his father had had his mother killed, and fled his home to the unfamiliar streets to avoid being killed himself. He had been found, luckily, and saved by a kind soul and given to the Pathfinders here, where they would not kill him for his gift. When Lorrimor asked him why he cried now every day, why he pounded at the walls and howled every night, and asked if it was his mother’s death that pained him so, he shook his head and told him that if it was just that easy—he was enraged with hatred for himself, because even though his father had thrown him aside and killed his mother, he could still not bear to bring himself to take revenge and destroy his father by revealing himself to the world.
When the boy’s fire died down, Lorrimor took him in. The boy was bewildered by the world, confused by life outside his estate, and introverted beyond measure—traits that Lorrimor saw that he had felt once, himself, and in others. He helped him learn to control his power, to keep hidden the heart of fire, to learn to accept and keep in check the emotions he felt and the voices that sometimes raged in his head, the feeling of company in an empty room that he felt. When Lorrimor had finished his study of the boy, they parted, Lorrimor returning to his home and the boy coming to live in a new one in the city of Lepidstadt. It was only a short time later that the invitation to the Professor’s funeral arrived at the boy’s home—a funeral that he plans to attend out of respect.
Walter Bresrin Vheist
Male human oracle 1
LG Medium humanoid (human, Varisian)
Init +6 Senses vision 30 ft.; Perception +5
-Defense---------------------------------
AC 12, touch 12, flat-footed 10
hp 9 (1d8+1)
Fort[b] +1, [b]Ref +2, Will +3
-Offense---------------------------------
Spd 30 ft.
Melee unarmed strike +0 (1d3)
Special Attacks touch of flame (1d6) 6/day
Spells Known (CL 1st, +4 concentration)
0 – light, mending, guidance, resistance
1 – bless, cure light wounds, protection from evil
Mystery flames
-Statistics------------------------------
Str 11, Dex 14, Con 13, Int 15, Wis 12, Cha 17 (15+2)
Base Atk +0; CMB +0; CMD 12
Feats Improved Initiative, Cosmopolitan
Skills Acrobatics +6, Climb, Intimidate, Perform, Diplomacy +8, Heal, Knowledge (history) +6, Knowledge (arcana)* +6, Knowledge (planes) +6, Knowledge (religion) +6, Perception* +5, Profession, Sense Motive, Spellcraft +6
Languages Common, Varisian, Elven, Osiriani, Draconic
Gear ~*Gear is especially unimportant to me at this juncture-- I think most of what this character would realistically have, he would get for free out of the CRB, so I'll roll it when it won't clutter up my post.
Special Abilities oracle’s curse (haunted), revelation (touch of flame)
Trait Ustalavic Noble (+1 diplomacy, know (nobility) +100gp)
Walter is Varisian. I find it really weird that the entirety of Ustalav's feel is so different from the other Varisians living along the coast of--well-- Varisia, but his ethnicity's pretty much the odd "white Varisian" we see in all of the art for Ustalav in places like Rule of Fear.
My time zone is US Mountain Time. I keep hours that fluctuate wildly depending on my work, but I have a lot of free time.
I took Perception with Cosmopolitan because I have played in sessions where it was the only skill rolled and it was awful for the people who did not have it.
I found a good trait-- Ustalavic Noble (hooray, archives of nethys. )
My player's guide trait is going to be... I may take Making Good on Promises (+2 vs fear) with the fluff of Inspired by Greatness, if that's okay? +1 caster level to a spell that I can cast right now is one of the worst traits I've ever seen, barring a force missile mage character. If that's not okay, I'll just suck it up and have bless at +1 caster level.
Basically, I've always really liked the "psychic" horror flick motifs from movies like Carrie and I was kind of disappointed when it didn't come together in the Carrion Crown AP. I plan on playing this character's abilities less like casting spells and more like, touch hand to temple, nose bleed, spells come out. Oracle seemed the most interesting to me because of the haunted mystery giving me abilities that mimicked telekinesis, the flames mystery giving me abilities that mimicked pyrokinesis-- all without the annoying fluff of having to be related to a red dragon or a fire elemental. I also definitely need the character to be a young person, since if he was older it might seem like he was "trained" or "in control" and that's not quite the feeling I'm trying to evoke.
Let me know what you think.
Good evening all.
My apologies; when I got home from work this afternoon I got asked to participate in a radio interview at short notice so had to drop everything to prepare--including any ideas of writing more character feedback. Thanks for your patience so far; I have a full day tomorrow so may not get to anything else until tomorrow night.
Thanks!
Man, you are so fired. :)
Oh, thanks, Stormroven. So nice of you to be supportive, Stormroven. Stormroven is such a nice guy.
:) Low blow... giving away my secret alternate EEEEvil identity.
Here is my Mwangi witch, Adwa Namandi. All information is also on the profile.
Adwa
Male human (Mwangi) witch 1
N Medium humanoid (Human)
Init +0 Senses Perception +4
DEFENSE
AC 10, touch 10, flat-footed 10
hp 9
Fort +4, Ref +0, Will +4
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee Quarterstaff -1 (1d6-1)
SPELL INFO
Slots per day:
Level 1 (DC 16) - 3
Level 0 (DC 15) - 3
Hexes (DC 15)
Healing 1d8+1
Misfortune
Scar
STATISTICS
Str 8, Dex 10, Con 14, Int 20, Wis 14, Cha 10
Base Atk +0; CMB -1; CMD 9
Abilities Cantrips, Hex, Witch Patron (Plague), Witch's Familiar (Snapping Turtle) [Alertness, empathic link, improved evasion, share spells, store spells]
Feats Alertness, Extra Hex x2
Skills Heal +6, Knowledge (Arcana) +9, Knowledge (history) +9, Knowledge (nature) +9, Knowledge (planes) +9, Linguistics +10, Spellcraft +9, Use Magic Device +4
Traits Cosmopolitan [+1 Linguistics], Subject of Study [+1 Damage vs undead]
Languages Common, Polyglot, Druidic, Sylvan, Elven, Dwarven, Giant
SQ
Load 0-26lbs, 27-53lbs, 54-80lbs (Current Load - 9lbs)
Gear Quarterstaff, Traveler's Outfit, Yemi (Familiar)
80 gp
0 XP
APPEARANCE
Height - 5'8"
Weight - 142 lbs
Hair Color - Black
Eye Color - Brown
A thin, limber man, Adwa is rather fit for his age. He has the appearance of a retired hunter, although a bit leaner.
HISTORY
Knowledge is key. That is one thing the professor and I both agreed upon.
The professor was a strange man. When he arrived, I was one of the few in our tribe that could communicate with him, being one whom the ancestors had passed the conqueror tounge to. And so we talked. He came to my tribe looking to learn about our dealings with what he called the undead. To us, they are just our fellow tribesmen contributing as they can beyond life. However, the professor would look at them with such fear. It was as if these were strangers or monsters.
I taught him the way of life that we had known for so long. Any chance for knowledge was our obsession, so I had hoped this would be a fair trade. He learned of the way that our elders would pass their wisdom and knowledge to the rest of the tribe. As the years reached their end, they would remember less and less. This showed how much of their knowledge they had given away. Any knowledge that the elder could not pass, he would keep and share from beyond death. If need be, we could commune with the ancestors and learn from them.
I showed him the "undead" of our tribe. Among them were a woman who passed in childbirth, a young hunter who was slain of a stray arrow, and my own father. That is when I saw that the professor understood. He know how much dedication each of us must have to the tribe. "Even in death, the tribe must come first," he said. There was no more fear in his eyes.
I told him of the last elder to pass, one of our shaman. My brother Oyo and I were to be the new shamans of our tribes. Our elder taught us not only the methods of healing, but also the tounge of the wild. Our duties were to be split, Oyo would handle the animals and the trees and the skies. I would deal with our people, alive and dead. Luckily, we were in a favorable time withe our tribe. We had a shaman who still lived and the spirits claimed many years for him. We asked the professor to show us the world. His eyes shone at the request.
We left the tribe and found Sargava. From there, it was months before our arrival by ship. We had found Absalom. The professor told us of the rich history of the city, of its founder, and the world around it. Oyo and I feasted on the banquet of knowledge. We were taken to a small part of the city where the professor taught. There we stayed with him to learn more. We learned of the elves and their tongue of the trees. The dwarves taught us to speak like the mountains. There was so much to be learned, but Oyo and I never backed away. It would do our tribe good.
Oyo moved away from the professor's teachings. He had found a new means of learning. Rather than staying with the professor's tomes, he would read the world. He joined the Pathfinders and seemed very content since then. I trusted his judgement and wished him well. Meanwhile, the professor was preparing to travel again. Ustalav was where he was headed. He explained that he visited our tribe to learn of the "undead" to better understand and handle them. That is when I learned of the horrors that he feared. These were not risen to continue their lives for the sake of others. Most, it seemed, were brought against their will or even of their own wishes. Not only that, but most would be destructive even to the point of taking other lives. I asked to learn more of these abonominations. The professor taught me means of handling these twisted servants if ever I were to face them.
"Ustalav," the professor said, "is filled with these creatures." He was returning in hopes of dealing with them in his own fashion. He also told me of his home in the country. He had gone for so long, he needed to return. I understood completely. "I'll be back in one year," he told me. Upon his return, we would return to my people and I would give them my new knowledge. I waited for him. A few weeks ago, a letter arrived. The professor had joined my ancestors. According to the professor's teaching, tradition states that the dead here are buried and returned to the earth. I was called to visit him once more before this happened. I would not let him pass alone. I left a note for Oyo, took my funds for our return trip, and booked passage to Ustalav.
Also, a few quick rolls.
I aged him to middle age without any mechanical changes. If this is a problem, please let me know.
I've had a couple PbPs suddenly end, and find myself looking for just one more to jump into each day...
Respectfully submitting a dwarven ranger for your consideration - details within this character's profile page.
Alright, Aleksandyr is ready to go. Give him a look over when you have the time and go ahead and critique me if you don't mind. I picked up Rule of Fear which is a really good reference guide if you want to learn about Ustalav so I could fit the character better into the setting with the direction I wanted to take.
I made the changes I needed to to Walter's statblock, fixed my mistakes and made up an alias.
Just wish that the only blonde men in the avatar directory weren't either a) children or b) stone-jawed with a five o'clock shadow. I'll stick with the kid.
You need a party of 4-5 for a decent PbP. 4 is optimal, 6 is too many.
A single encounter can take days. More posters = more delays.
I GM 2 PbPs here. My party of 4 moves along slowly. My party of 5 is glacial.
x 10 = 180 gp
All right. I'm here, it's after 11pm, and India is very slowly winning the cricket on TV. Let's see what I can get through before I fall asleep and drool all over my keyboard. ; )
On the topic of crafting ammunition for gunslingers, I'm happy to suspend my original ban on mundane crafting. Go for your life. The class is built to craft its own weapons and ammunition, so changing that would make too much of a difference to whatever balance the class currently has. So consider that a done deal--gunslingers may craft their own ammunition.
My jury is still out on crafting firearms themselves, but if I end up with a gunslinger in the party we can work out the details then.
Let me know if anyone has any objections.
###
Also, would it be okay to make a character older (middle aged) without taking any of the bonuses or penalties? I just want it for role-play reasons.
No problem with this really. I figure there are two reasons to play someone past their 'prime'; either because the mechanical changes are of benefit to the class, or for roleplaying reasons. Sometimes they coincide. Sometimes they don't. In the latter case, I prefer to have someone older for roleplaying reasons, so go for your life. : )
###
(Incidentally, India has now won the cricket for anyone following along at home.)
I have an idea for a character and a back story, but I'm not sure I'll be able to connect it to the game world just by using the AP Player's Guide. If I were to write out the story would you (and by "you" I mean anyone reading this) be willing to help me tie the elements of my story into the proper regions and organizations of the game world?There are a few ways you could ground yourself in the setting, chief among them being:
- buy a copy of the Inner Sea World Guide;
- buy a copy of Rule of Fear (only useful for the Carrion Crown campaign, but much more in-depth); or
- visit the Pathfinder Wiki and trawl the pages.
I'm sure you will receive plenty of help from the people on the boards as well. : )
###
(Hmm. I have switched over to watching Stealth. I am not sure this is a good idea.)
I have three character ideas in mind but one of the races is from the dragon empires gazateer. Do you have this book?
Yep, sure do! Nagaji and their other friends from the Gazetteer are all good.
I am currently playing in this game in real life and we just finished book one. I promise I won't meta game but I figured I'd let you know and if you have a problem with it I understand.
Nah, it's all good. I'd be happy to have your application(s)!
###
*Leaves*
Bye! Sorry to see you go.
###
Having taken craft (bows) in order to be able to make arrows later in the game, I was wondering if I could also use my starting cash to attempt to make some arrows and a composite long bow, using the crafting rules. I know we won't do any in game crafting, but I like the idea of actually rolling the dice for some of my starting gear and maybe managing to get my hands on a decent bow. What are your thoughts?
Why not? I'm actually starting to think my opposition to crafting may be ill-considered. What does everyone else think?
###
So I'm assuming this is a no, but how do you feel about templets..because playing an ogerkin seems like fun...edited do to realization that this game is lv 1..maybe next time.
You're right about ogrekin, but I'm not averse to templates as a rule. I would review each on a case-by-case basis though.
###
I wanted to let you know straight up that I have GMed the entirety of this campaign. While I may know the twists and turns, I hope you don't think I'm going to metagame. I'm not planning to berate you for changing anything up-- because, lord knows, I changed almost everything in the Carrion Crown books. I think that a well-run adventure path is a lot like a play, and based on the people playing and the person running, it can be very very different. At most, it helps me zero in on making a character who fits very well into the setting. If that's not cool with you, that's fine by me.
Nah, we're cool. Carry on! : )
###
(Still watching Stealth. I understand it was shot in the Blue Mountains, a wilderness area here in Australia. And they just blew up a bunch of trees. What did they have against those poor defenceless trees...?)
You need a party of 4-5 for a decent PbP. 4 is optimal, 6 is too many.
A single encounter can take days. More posters = more delays.
I GM 2 PbPs here. My party of 4 moves along slowly. My party of 5 is glacial.
Thanks for the heads up. For combat encounters I plan to move along at the rate of one round a day regardless of people posting or not (which I mentioned in my original post), so that should help. Whether it helps enough, we will see. I also plan on simplifying combat encounters where I can.
As for the pace of storytelling, while PbP does give everyone a greater opportunity to participate in discussions, I'm also okay with moving things along when I think they've run their course.
My thought with six players was also that we had a built-in buffer in case people dropped out, which--it seems--happens relatively regularly.
Having said that, it will pretty much be a case of 'suck it and see', I think. Does anyone else have any thoughts or experience to share about having more than four players?
###
That cuts the numbers some
Sorry, what do you mean?
###
Stealth now being over, I shall try to console myself with an episode of Cheers. Yep. That's how I roll. I am just that awesome.
This is Darksmokepuncher and it looks like I've changed my mind and here present Braeden Alucard: Fetchling Bard (Archivist). You can find a tentative build in Braeden's profile. Your thoughts and advice are greatly appreciated.
** spoiler omitted **
Howdy!
To answer your specific question of whether Braeden is 'Ustalavic' enough, he seems fine. I'd like to see more of what Ustalav means to Braeden after his experiences in Egorian. Also, what happened to the noble who 'bought' him? Who was it, and what influence does he/she have in Caliphas?
I'd be interested in hearing more about the relationship between Braeden and his Lore Master as well; after all, I can't imagine that Braeden--being essentially little more than chattel--would be allowed to just walk out. Unless there is some significant positive relationship between the two that I'm missing.
So essentially, it all seems okay; I'd just like to hear more detail.
That make sense?
Wealth roll 5d6x10=210
** spoiler omitted **
Sounds cool so far...I will wait for more background before making any further comment. : )
Here is my Aasimar Paladin for your review. She is pretty much complete.
Thank for your submission. No questions or commentary, save to say that if anyone wants to read through the background on Udaya's profile page, and emulate the way it's presented, I'd be a happy camper. I feel I have a good grasp of Udaya's background, her motivations, her likely reactions to things I might throw her way, and how her rules mesh with her background.
In short, thank you very much stormraven for writing a clear background that gives me a great understanding of who your character is. I really appreciate it.
Here is my submission, I hope you like her....
Thanks!
I see lots about events in Ta'Mara's history in your submission, but not so much about who she is today, and what motivates her. Can you perhaps expand on who she is, what she does, what she likes, and what she wants? The kinds of things that might tell me about her as a character and how she'd work with others in the party. That would be a great help. : )
And I would like to introduce Vandrill Ag'Roe - a Magus of the Kensai archetype.
Vandril Ag'roe's Character Sheet
A good natured soul looking to find his place in the world and prove himself to his deceased father, a cleric of Nethys -- he works himself to the bone in his home city of Kyonin to acquire enough wealth to travel to the Immortal Principality when a turn of luck comes his way to get him to the lands of his supposed ancestors. Now, after making the trip, he's excited to work and, hopefully, reclaim his family history his father always spoke of, and avenge him.
First, let's just clear up a little bit of confusion about the character's name; I see Vandril (one 'l') and Vandrill (two 'l's) in different places. Also Ag'roe and Ar'goe for his surname. For now I will assume it is Vandrill Ag'roe.
I also love the idea of a cestus-wielding magus. Very cool, should make things mechanically interesting.
I have one niggling question about Vandrill's history, but it's only minor; if Vandrill's work as a mercenary was primarily aimed at allowing him to get enough money together to go to Ustalav, how does the summons in a will change his finances? In other words, if he couldn't afford to go before the summons, why could he afford to go afterwards?
Because if you try hard enough, a samurai fits in every setting.
Nobutaka Iyori's Character Sheet
A shamed Ronin seeks a new life, and his new life is rescued by the late Professor. Not even able to give the man thanks Nobutaka continues to wander the land until he hears the nears of the Professor's passing. Unable to fill a debt, does he not suffer enough already? He set's out to pay his respects, and thank the man he owes his life too.
Looks good, although like with our friend Rose Springdawn I would appreciate a bit of creativity as to how Nobutaka made it to the Inner Sea; James Jacobs has said repeatedly that the journey by sea from Minkai to the Inner Sea is more dangerous that going straight over the Crown of the World--he hasn't mentioned how or why, just that it is.
One thought I had after I gave some feedback for Rose is that given Goka is a major port, presumably it has an open (and relatively safe) trade route with somewhere in Casmaron. On that assumption, it may well be possible for low-level characters to head from the Dragon Empires to the Inner Sea that way--via Vudra or the Padishah Empire or some such.
A small detail, but one I am curious about nonetheless. : )
Hope that has helped some of you who were waiting for me to get to you! More to come tomorrow, starting with Aleksandyr; I don't think I've missed anyone, but if I have, let me know. Sadly, it's now 1am and I have to get up for work in 3½ hours. You might hear more from me then. : )
I don't know that you've actually missed me (or if you simply haven't gotten to me yet), but I'd love to hear your thoughts on Karrik.
Also, regarding the group size and game pace. In my experience here (take that for what it's worth), a game's pace really has more to do with the players and the dm's expectations and posting habits than it necessarily does the amount of players. Granted it's naturally going to take a bit longer for more players to post actions, responses, or thoughts on any given scenario, but that's to be expected. A motivated DM combined with engaged players who are able to post frequently enough can keep a game moving at a comfortable pace.
I've been a part of slow-death games and break-neck speed ones.
Also, Cheers = thumbs-up. But I'm a thirty-something Yank who grew up catching re-runs of it every night. (Do Australians even call Americans 'Yanks'? Heck, do folks from England even really call us 'Yanks'? Or is that just an American stereotype?)
I don't know that you've actually missed me (or if you simply haven't gotten to me yet), but I'd love to hear your thoughts on Karrik.
Also, regarding the group size and game pace. In my experience here (take that for what it's worth), a game's pace really has more to do with the players and the dm's expectations and posting habits than it necessarily does the amount of players. Granted it's naturally going to take a bit longer for more players to post actions, responses, or thoughts on any given scenario, but that's to be expected. A motivated DM combined with engaged players who are able to post frequently enough can keep a game moving at a comfortable pace.
I've been a part of slow-death games and break-neck speed ones.
One thing that makes some games just spin out and die is lack of focus. It's good for the PCs to roleplay but it's very, very important for the PCs to move it along. The PCs have to know the importance of stopping what they're doing and kicking down the door to the next room, so to speak. The more PCs there are, the more likely it is the campaign might lose focus. This is true for real-life games, so I'm absolutely certain it's going to be true for any kind of game.
I don't know that you've actually missed me (or if you simply haven't gotten to me yet), but I'd love to hear your thoughts on Karrik.
Also, regarding the group size and game pace. In my experience here (take that for what it's worth), a game's pace really has more to do with the players and the dm's expectations and posting habits than it necessarily does the amount of players. Granted it's naturally going to take a bit longer for more players to post actions, responses, or thoughts on any given scenario, but that's to be expected. A motivated DM combined with engaged players who are able to post frequently enough can keep a game moving at a comfortable pace.
I've been a part of slow-death games and break-neck speed ones.
Haven't got to you yet. I am going in the same order as on the Campaign Info tab, which puts Karrik 6th in line. : )
As for your question about 'Yanks', as a term it does get used a bit, but not so much that you'd hear it every day. I have one friend who spent a lot of time in the army and he calls you guys 'seppos', after 'Septic Tank', rhyming slang for 'Yank'. So it depends on who you know and what their life experience has been. By the way, after Cheers I moved on to The IT Crowd and then the excitement of Senate Question Time. : )
Thanks for your thoughts on pacing too, I appreciate it. : )
And I think I've now overdrawn on my emoticon budget for the day. Best get some sleep!
One thing that makes some games just spin out and die is lack of focus. It's good for the PCs to roleplay but it's very, very important for the PCs to move it along. The PCs have to know the importance of stopping what they're doing and kicking down the door to the next room, so to speak. The more PCs there are, the more likely it is the campaign might lose focus. This is true for real-life games, so I'm absolutely certain it's going to be true for any kind of game.I don't know that you've actually missed me (or if you simply haven't gotten to me yet), but I'd love to hear your thoughts on Karrik.
Also, regarding the group size and game pace. In my experience here (take that for what it's worth), a game's pace really has more to do with the players and the dm's expectations and posting habits than it necessarily does the amount of players. Granted it's naturally going to take a bit longer for more players to post actions, responses, or thoughts on any given scenario, but that's to be expected. A motivated DM combined with engaged players who are able to post frequently enough can keep a game moving at a comfortable pace.
I've been a part of slow-death games and break-neck speed ones.
That's probably a good point. It seems self-evident having read it, so it's probably a very good point. Thanks! I will keep it in mind.
(No emoticons this time.)
So I still can't decide between choosing the Feather subdomain or being a worshiper of Pharasma for my inquisitor proposal. Is there any compromise available? If not, I will figure something out. It's just that I find it very difficult to determine a reason why a worshiper of Erastil would be intent on doing some slaying in Ustalav.
Wait, did Ice Titan just tell us to stop roleplaying?
Just kidding. :D (i'm an over-emoticon-er, too)
Wait, did Ice Titan just tell us to stop roleplaying?
Just kidding. :D (i'm an over-emoticon-er, too)
Roleplaying can be good, but it's often wise to remember not to chew the scenery. Say what you need to, respond what you need to, move on. Use the new stimulus in each scenario to provide yourself with new material. Play your cards at the right time and it'll feel cohesive and it'll gel the narrative.
If I ever had to tell my players to stop roleplaying, I would probably be sent to a mental asylum for accusing them of being dopplegangers.
Don't forget me! :-)
It's been a busy week for me so I still need to type up my full background and choose my equipment, a few skills, etc (and I'm going to put the dice rolling information in my profile for ease of use).
But other than that, most of Lem is ready for your inspection in my profile.
Aye, Garador's not listed yet on the [Campaign Info] tab either.
In short, thank you very much stormraven for writing a clear background that gives me a great understanding of who your character is. I really appreciate it.
Thanks!
I'm actually starting to think my opposition to crafting may be ill-considered. What does everyone else think?
Oof. I don't know anything about this set of adventures so I guess the first question I would ask is... will the characters have enough 'downtime' to craft their own weapons, armor, baskets, jars of Marmite, etc.? I'm in favor of players (myself included) spending points on skills that fit the flavor of the character even if those skills get under-utilized. Having said that, there are players who see a 'wasted point' as just that. If you could let us know how much available 'crafting time' we might have then each player can decide for him/herself whether to spend points on craft skills... either for flavor or gambling that there will be time for them to put those skills to good use.
Alternatively, if there isn't a time crunch in the adventure, you can periodically Fast Forward (as characters level or whatnot) and say that all crafting occurred behind the scenes.
Does anyone else have any thoughts or experience to share about having more than four players?
I agree with Eben and Titan. It all comes down to a few key factors in my opinion:
1. The DM has to set the pace, manage the clock, and forward (or Fast Forward) the plot as needed.2. The Players have to focus and keep the plot rolling along
3. The Players themselves are a big factor
To me, the choice of players is key. A 6 pack of 'light RP' players throwing short bits of dramatic RP into the mix can keep a game very engaging and 'alive' while moving the story along at a good pace. Conversely, a foursome with a Diva or a Showboat can slow progress to a crawl. In my experience, finding the right mix of players and maintaining control of the pace are vital.
Roleplaying can be good, but it's often wise to remember not to chew the scenery.
LOL! The Al Pacino School of RP Overacting and Scenery Shredding. :)
I entirely agree. Players need to bear in mind that not every scene should have a highly charged impact on their characters' emotions and few scenes need to be wrung for every ounce of emotional angst. Yes, we know your character has 'daddy issues' but he doesn't need to burst into tears or have a long-winded inner monologue every time he passes a father and son walking down the street.
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And I would like to introduce Vandrill Ag'Roe - a Magus of the Kensai archetype.
Vandril Ag'roe's Character Sheet
A good natured soul looking to find his place in the world and prove himself to his deceased father, a cleric of Nethys -- he works himself to the bone in his home city of Kyonin to acquire enough wealth to travel to the Immortal Principality when a turn of luck comes his way to get him to the lands of his supposed ancestors. Now, after making the trip, he's excited to work and, hopefully, reclaim his family history his father always spoke of, and avenge him.
First, let's just clear up a little bit of confusion about the character's name; I see Vandril (one 'l') and Vandrill (two 'l's) in different places. Also Ag'roe and Ar'goe for his surname. For now I will assume it is Vandrill Ag'roe.
I also love the idea of a cestus-wielding magus. Very cool, should make things mechanically interesting.
I have one niggling question about Vandrill's history, but it's only minor; if Vandrill's work as a mercenary was primarily aimed at allowing him to get enough money together to go to Ustalav, how does the summons in a will change his finances? In other words, if he couldn't afford to go before the summons, why could he afford to go afterwards?
DOH! I forgot that I had edited the last bit because I had the same thought - I just forgot to copy it from Word to the Story within my character sheet.
The three men that attacked the Professor actually had Bounties that he was able to cash in to provide the funds needed. He was spending a few weeks to tie up loose ends within the city itself when the Summons came - he took it as a sign so he left without question!
Also, it is for sure "Vandrill Ag'roe". I just mistakenly left one of the L's out of his name for the Link. I'm glad you liked the concept behind him!
So I still can't decide between choosing the Feather subdomain or being a worshiper of Pharasma for my inquisitor proposal. Is there any compromise available? If not, I will figure something out. It's just that I find it very difficult to determine a reason why a worshiper of Erastil would be intent on doing some slaying in Ustalav.
The short answer is yes, we can find a compromise. Before I look at detail though I'd like to hear what it is you want from your animal companion. If you just want one for flavour and don't want or expect it to have any material impact on the game, then you could simply take a few ranks in Handle Animal and have an animal friend from day 1.
If on the other hand you want to enjoy the mechanical benefits of an animal companion as well as the flavour benefits, then you will need to give something up to get something.
As a worshipper of Pharasma, you don't have access to the Feather subdomain--presuming we can resolve the animal companion issue, which of Pharasma's domains, subdomains and inquisitions would you choose for your character?
Also: if you're willing, I think a whippoorwill would be a more characterful choice of animal companion than an owl for a worshipper of Pharasma. Let me know what you think. (I am not sure what the whippoorwill would be 'equivalent to'--might be an owl anyway!--and am happy to take advice.)
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Roleplaying can be good, but it's often wise to remember not to chew the scenery.
Heh! I can see the headlines now:
ADVENTURERS FAIL TO PREVENT APOCALYPSE; FOUND MASTICATING LOCAL WILDERNESS
(For more, see p. 7. Also in this issue: How To Tell When It's Time To Level, a guide to self-discovery to help you reach your potential. And: Dragon Hoards: Risks and Benefits, a handy list of pros and cons to tracking that dragon to its lair and slaying it. All in this month's issue of The Complete Adventurer!)
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Don't forget me! :-)
I haven't! Don't worry. : )
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Aye, Garador's not listed yet on the [Campaign Info] tab either.
Yep, got it in hand. I will update it later today. My only issue is that it keeps malfunctioning on me and dumping me back to the front page, or the page that I was most recently perusing in another tab. So I don't update it often, but today seems like a good time to do so. : )
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I don't know anything about this set of adventures so I guess the first question I would ask is... will the characters have enough 'downtime' to craft their own weapons, armor, baskets, jars of Marmite, etc.? I'm in favor of players (myself included) spending points on skills that fit the flavor of the character even if those skills get under-utilized. Having said that, there are players who see a 'wasted point' as just that. If you could let us know how much available 'crafting time' we might have then each player can decide for him/herself whether to spend points on craft skills... either for flavor or gambling that there will be time for them to put those skills to good use.
Alternatively, if there isn't a time crunch in the adventure, you can periodically Fast Forward (as characters level or whatnot) and say that all crafting occurred behind the scenes.
I haven't read all the adventures in detail yet either (long story, but I do intend to rectify that before we begin play), but my initial impression is that after somewhere around chapter 2-3, time will be tight for the remainder of the campaign. Perhaps Ice Titan can chime in with his/her own thoughts about it, having GMed through the campaign?
It's probably worth noting that it's only mundane crafting that bothers me. It takes an awful long time to create a masterwork weapon, for example. Not to mention that the idea of someone smithing a precision weapon on the road with little more than a campfire just sounds odd.
Buying that masterwork weapon off the shelf and then imbuing it with magic using Craft Magic Arms and Armor and the spells at your disposal? Go for your life.
Magical crafting makes some sense to me as an activity for adventurers on the road. Mundane crafting (beyond the simple stuff like creating arrows, or quarterstaves et cetera) does not. I can accept handwaving the search for the ingredients for arrows. I find it more difficult to accept the handwaving of a proper smithy to create a masterwork rapier.
Does that make sense, or am I completely loopy and too obsessed with making it all work in my head?
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This is Darksmokepuncher and it looks like I've changed my mind and here present Braeden Alucard: Fetchling Bard (Archivist). You can find a tentative build in Braeden's profile. Your thoughts and advice are greatly appreciated.
** spoiler omitted **
Howdy!
To answer your specific question of whether Braeden is 'Ustalavic' enough, he seems fine. I'd like to see more of what Ustalav means to Braeden after his experiences in Egorian. Also, what happened to the noble who 'bought' him? Who was it, and what influence does he/she have in Caliphas?
I'd be interested in hearing more about the relationship between Braeden and his Lore Master as well; after all, I can't imagine that Braeden--being essentially little more than chattel--would be allowed to just walk out. Unless there is some significant positive relationship between the two that I'm missing.
So essentially, it all seems okay; I'd just like to hear more detail.
That make sense?
This makes sense. I will add those details, and possibly a few more now that the juices are flowing. I also put a Qinngong monk together for fun. I'll submit him too. Maybe.
So I still can't decide between choosing the Feather subdomain or being a worshiper of Pharasma for my inquisitor proposal. Is there any compromise available? If not, I will figure something out. It's just that I find it very difficult to determine a reason why a worshiper of Erastil would be intent on doing some slaying in Ustalav.The short answer is yes, we can find a compromise. Before I look at detail though I'd like to hear what it is you want from your animal companion. If you just want one for flavour and don't want or expect it to have any material impact on the game, then you could simply take a few ranks in Handle Animal and have an animal friend from day 1.
If on the other hand you want to enjoy the mechanical benefits of an animal companion as well as the flavour benefits, then you will need to give something up to get something.
As a worshipper of Pharasma, you don't have access to the Feather subdomain--presuming we can resolve the animal companion issue, which of Pharasma's domains, subdomains and inquisitions would you choose for your character?
Also: if you're willing, I think a whippoorwill would be a more characterful choice of animal companion than an owl for a worshipper of Pharasma. Let me know what you think. (I am not sure what the whippoorwill would be 'equivalent to'--might be an owl anyway!--and am happy to take advice.)
My character would be using the companion as a scout mostly. However, he would not be opposed to using it in combat. The reason I'm so intent on Feather is both due to the animal companion and the modified spell list. Now if I can manage an animal buddy without a specific domain, that's great, but I'm trying to avoid a 1 HD squishy pal. The companion and my character are not strangers to fighting together and a simple animal would not be favorable.
I chose the owl because it has flight which makes for a great scout. Also, the owl is a symbol and harbinger of death in many cultures. I think this goes hand in hand with Pharasma.
As for what I would take as a Pharasman inquisitor, I had my eye on Souls Subdomain or Valor Inquisition. Souls would offer protection form undead with the modified spells for Pharasma. Spellkiller would help in defeating necromancers and other blashphemers of her teachings by providing an inquisitor who is fearless in the face of the undead.
Does that make sense, or am I completely loopy and too obsessed with making it all work in my head?
Well, it does make sense AND you might also be completely loopy. :D
The idea of forging anything without a proper forge does ping against my sense of 'realism' as well. If this set of adventures has us spending downtime in a town with a smithy... OK, craft away. But 'campfire crafting' seems like a stretch to me - at least in regards to forged weapons.
I haven't read all the adventures in detail yet either (long story, but I do intend to rectify that before we begin play), but my initial impression is that after somewhere around chapter 2-3, time will be tight for the remainder of the campaign. Perhaps Ice Titan can chime in with his/her own thoughts about it, having GMed through the campaign?
Campaign Info tab has been updated! : )
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So I still can't decide between choosing the Feather subdomain or being a worshiper of Pharasma for my inquisitor proposal. Is there any compromise available?The short answer is yes, we can find a compromise. Before I look at detail though I'd like to hear what it is you want from your animal companion.
...
As a worshipper of Pharasma, you don't have access to the Feather subdomain--presuming we can resolve the animal companion issue, which of Pharasma's domains, subdomains and inquisitions would you choose for your character?
...
Also: if you're willing, I think a whippoorwill would be a more characterful choice of animal companion than an owl for a worshipper of Pharasma.
My character would be using the companion as a scout mostly. However, he would not be opposed to using it in combat. The reason I'm so intent on Feather is both due to the animal companion and the modified spell list. Now if I can manage an animal buddy without a specific domain, that's great, but I'm trying to avoid a 1 HD squishy pal. The companion and my character are not strangers to fighting together and a simple animal would not be favorable.
I chose the owl because it has flight which makes for a great scout. Also, the owl is a symbol and harbinger of death in many cultures. I think this goes hand in hand with Pharasma.
As for what I would take as a Pharasman inquisitor, I had my eye on Souls Subdomain or Valor Inquisition. Souls would offer protection form undead with the modified spells for Pharasma. Spellkiller would help in defeating necromancers and other blashphemers of her teachings by providing an inquisitor who is fearless in the face of the undead.
Ah, nifty.
On owls vs. whippoorwills:
The bird most identified with Pharasma is the whippoorwill, a psychopomp for the transition between life and death.
Which is why I thought it might be appropriate. : )
Let me look into modifications to the Souls subdomain and Valor/Spellkiller Inquisitions that might get you what you want, and I'll be back with some thoughts this evening (small children at home permitting).
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Lastly, thanks to everyone for contributing to the debate on crafting; I understand my own objections a lot more now and will be back with an updated house rule within a day or so. The short of it is that I'm inclined to leave crafting rules intact but also retain veto power over whether or not you can craft certain items without access to specialised equipment and materials. I am unlikely, however, to insert down-time into the adventure, so plan accordingly.
Hope that has helped some of you who were waiting for me to get to you! More to come tomorrow, starting with Aleksandyr; I don't think I've missed anyone, but if I have, let me know. Sadly, it's now 1am and I have to get up for work in 3½ hours. You might hear more from me then. : )
It has occurred to me that I did miss Salis Clement, but as he still appears to be Level 5 I figured there was work yet to be done to make him fit into the campaign's starting level. If I don't hear from him by the weekend (even "I'm still here!" will be fine) I'll move him to the Possible Applicants list.
I just checked out the Campaign Info page. Just to fill in one of the ???'s...
UU is a Paladin of Sarenrae.
Also, Rajuna Two-Fangs is LN not N.
I just checked out the Campaign Info page. Just to fill in one of the ???'s...
UU is a Paladin of Sarenrae.Also, Rajuna Two-Fangs is LN not N.
Thanks! Will adjust later tonight.
No worries. I was offering the info in case you wanted all your t's crossed and your i's dotted.
Aleksandyr is Varisian. Reading into Ustalav, I went with that ethnicity for him as he is a native and the land was settled by the Varisian people a long time ago.
Cynarion, I noticed on the other tab that I'm one of the few without an actual alias. Would you prefer that I put me together for you to review? Or is that single post sufficient for now?