Also well done one Topaz. Bards are freaking awesome and freedom fighters are always fun to read about!
@DAA - Yes while it's basically impossible when starting character creation to not think about mechanics, I would encourage you to look at fluff as the driving force behind your character's reason to be, and then at that point think about what fun you can have with the mechanics. Trust me, fun will be had with mechanics. But I know from personal experience that if mechanics are the main focus, you would be much better off playing a video game than a tabletop RPG :P
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Mechanically, I've never built a character that was this much based on luck. I'm not sure how strong he'll be mechanically, but hey, I'm here for the plot. I'm not even sure that gunslinger and bard will even mix that well. I'm thinking five levels total in mysterious stranger, and everything else archaeologist bard. My only thing I'm trying to make work from a role-playing point of view is the mysterious stranger adding charisma to damage. I'm thinking that when I activate that ability, Sevas will say something that just seriously damages their morale, that makes the wound so unbearable that it hurts them even more.
Look at you. Pathetic. You're bleeding out all over the place, and you hope to stand against us? I haven't even gotten started yet...
Or
Fool! This isn't even my final form!
Sorry. I had to throw the second one in as a joke. I couldn't help it.
Okay, here's a revised version. Getting kinda long, but I get the sense that you don't mind long if it's interesting!
Hello, I’m Topaz. Well, that’s the name I go by when I’m singing in the bars. My real name? I don’t normally share that with strangers, but I’ll let you in on the secret: I was born Mida Ranald.
My parents worked in the factories in Flint. My ma still does. My da might too, for all I know. Haven’t seen him since Ma threw him out for coming home one too many times with someone else’s perfume on him. That was when I was, what, eight? Thereabouts. Ma (her name’s Rina Ranald – she stopped using Da’s name after she kicked him out) raised me and my older brother Sallo by herself after that. Sallo went into the factories too. Sallo married up– he married the foreman’s daughter! Ma’s getting awful old for factory work, but she keeps saying she doesn’t know what she’d do with herself if she stopped working. Sallo keeps trying to get her to quit and move in with him.
Me? I wasn’t much good at factory work. Got bored too easily. Lucky for me, someone heard me singing around home one day and told me I should try my luck working the bars down at the docks. So I did. Found out I liked it, and I seem to have more than the usual knack for it. Music sometimes does stuff to folks, y’know? Makes ‘em feel good, or bad, or pay attention, or not pay attention, depending what you want. I ain’t getting rich, but I keep body and soul together singing and telling tales and stuff like that to keep folks entertained. I like working at the Bell and Frog best – they’re the best tippers in town and the bouncers are really good about keeping the troublemakers off you. The Ship’s Wheel is the worst. Don’t go there if you don’t have to. Beer’s weak and the clientele are mostly thugs and lowlifes.
But, that’s where I first saw ‘em – the women, girls, sometimes boys too, that get shoved in by someone lookin’ to sell their services. Awful. Got a chance to talk to one of them once for a few when no one was looking, and they’re slaves, all of ‘em, being sold off to whoever wants them – for whatever they want to use ‘em for. I may not know much, but Ma taught me right from wrong and that’s wrong. I started trying to slip ‘em a little cash or help when I could. And *that’s* how I met Pella.
See, one night when I was working at the Ship’s Wheel because I couldn’t get a better gig, there was this girl. Couldn’t have been more than 15. Couple of the thugs had hold of her and were keeping a real close eye. I heard them talking about how they were going to sell her that night. They had an appointment with one of the brothel keepers. Pretty high-class one too, as Flint goes, anyway. She looked so scared.
Now, one thing I’ve learned is that the right song can make people seem, well, invisible. I’ve never been sure if it’s just that everyone’s paying so much attention to the music, or if the person actually does turn invisible, but I know that if I get the song just right, I can choose which person that is. So that night, I decided I was going to give that girl a chance to get out of there. Everything started fine. I started my song, and sure enough, before long that girl had vanished. I gave what I hoped was a subtle but clear head wave to get her to leave. I couldn’t see her any more than anyone else could, but I guess she did get out, because when the song ended she still wasn’t there. The two thugs got furious and ran out the door, but as far as I know they didn’t find her.
When I took my next break, I stepped outside for some air. (Flint air is a mess, but it’s better than the stench of bad beer and its aftermath inside, and at least down by the docks you get a breeze.) A woman stepped out beside me. “Nice move,” she said. I stiffened. She’d noticed? What was she going to do? “I think some of my friends would like you.” She stuck out her hand. “Name’s Pella. If you want to do more than just get one girl out, come meet me in the back room of the Copper Barrel tomorrow night.”
And that was where I met the Whispers.
The Whispers? Haven’t heard of us? Good, that’s how we like it. We’re folks that don’t like slavers, and do what we can to drive ‘em off and help slaves get free. Sometimes that means getting into places and letting folks loose. Sometimes it means a well-timed bribe, or bonk on the head. Sometimes it means playing nice with someone while someone else unlocks a door. I’m usually on the distracting side more than the head-bonking side; the music and tale-telling helps with that. People also like to talk to you when they’ve had a bit to drink. Good way to learn what’s going on out of sight, y’know?
Pella’s the one in charge of the Whispers around here. We mostly work at night, for obvious reasons, but sometimes there’s stuff that needs doing in the daytime. People to bribe, locations to scout, that kind of thing. Mostly we try to get to people before they get sold, but we can’t keep up with all of them. So once in a while we do a rescue mission. That’s where I got in the most trouble.
We were trying to get into one of the really high-class brothels in the rich side of town. We’d heard that despite the elegant looks of the place, they treated people especially badly and we knew three new girls had been taken there. It turned out that our scouts didn’t get as many details on the security as they should have, and the back windows were a lot tighter than we expected them to be. And the guards were wide awake. I got caught and hauled off to jail. Figured that was the end of me.
But then while I was sitting there, one of the prison guards, a big man who his buddies called Puck, came to my cell late one night. It was pitch black and I couldn’t see him, but I heard him say, “Get over here, you.” I wasn’t interested in picking a fight with a pile of muscle, so I did. He leaned down and murmured, “What’s louder than a shout?”
I was shocked – that’s a Whispers passphrase! I pulled myself together and answered, “A whisper in the right ear.” I heard a clink in the lock. “Thought so. Jax is taking a piss. Go now while you can.”
Didn’t know we had folks on the inside like that, but boy was I glad to learn it. I expect Jax and Puck took a beating when I wasn’t there in the morning, but I never heard more about it. Pella must’ve known – she didn’t seem at all surprised when I showed back up singing the next night. Guess the officers didn’t think it was worth chasing me down, but I must technically be a wanted fugitive. Bit of a point of pride in the Whispers if you got free after getting caught, but not so much that you got caught in the first place!
I’ve been more careful since then, mostly sticking to the distraction work and less of the direct rescuing (though I do what I can). We’ve become enough of a thorn in the side of the slave dealers that a couple of smaller brothels have had to shut down. One of Pella’s friends, another woman called Ree, started up a school to help some of the kids who got rescued get some learning and eventually find jobs. The slavers can’t really go after her given that slavery is, after all, illegal – however much the officers of the law don’t care for our way of fighting against it – and they couldn’t publicly complain about someone trying to help people who escaped it! But we keep an eye on her all the same to make sure they don’t.
Hear tell there are other groups of Whispers in other parts of Flint, and other places too. Maybe even in Thane – don’t like those folks but I guess even some of them are willing to do what’s right. Don’t know about Breica. They may be too uptight to do the kinds of things we do, but maybe not. Never been there.
Ma keeps telling me I should come home and settle down. She says Sallo’s done so well she’s sure he could set me up with a proper life instead of “singing for my supper” all the time. I’m sure if she knew what I was doing with the Whispers she’d be even more upset. Sure, it can be dangerous, but – it means something, and I’m not quitting now.
Thanks for the compliments, all! I'm enjoying reading the other ideas too. Some creative folks here.
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GM, how do you feel about characters having pre existing relationships? I would imagine in sevas' line of work there's a possibility he would have come across topaz at some point. Not that he would know about the Whispers or her bard abilities, but if he had seen her before he would at least remember her name.
I played a tabletop rpg once where it was based on comic books and you would make your hero, and then you would have to come up with at least one past adventure you had with another players character. That way, at the beginning of the game, everyone at least knew one or two other characters and would have some knowledge of the others. It was actually a lot fun and helped the role-playing along quite a bit. I could see that working for this game really well if you wanted. I could already think of two different scenarios where Sevas would have encountered Topaz or Draegar.
Hey hey!
I love Zeitgeist and Steampunk and your world takes all the best elements of it and throws in some other cool things!
So, I’ve put together a rough concept for a Berivian Veteran. He’ll probably be your straight fighter – sword and shield style and function as the party’s front-line if selected. I wanted to create someone with a redemption arc, because I -love- redemption arcs, and someone who was flawed and is worked to keep those flaws at bay (in Jonas’ case – it is his alcoholism/temper).
Happy to take any suggestions and adjust as you see fit!
JONAS GRAY (nee. St. Croix), Hero of Winter's Peak
Jonas St. Croix was not a good man. The son of a low-ranking noble in Weald, Jonas was, to put it kindly, a little s~%+. His father had been a knight of some reknown and his mother the daughter of a minor baron. There was no love between his parents – it was a business transaction more than anything else. And Jonas, the first born, was expected to take up the rulership of his father’s lands when he came of age. His youth was spent training with Erevon Vale, a retired instructor from Alamor who Jonas’ father had hired to instill some discipline in his rowdy son.
It had the opposite effect – Jonas instead rebelled even more. He used the training he had to become a bully, terrorizing kids his age and whenever he was threatened with punishment he would sneer with all the snobbery of the upper-class he was born into and utter a defiant, “We will see what my father has to say about that!” As Jonas grew older, his temper worsened. His mother wanted little to do with him – instead opting to baby his younger sister and his father was often absent.
Left to his own devices, Jonas only grew worse as he grew older. As he progressed from childhood to adulthood he turned to drink, to gambling, and to whoring. His temper grew shorter every day as the drink took hold of him. Until, finally (and deservedly) his world came crashing down. Late one night in a drunken stupor, Jonas killed a man. When he regained his senses he found himself in jail. The verdict was swift – as even the magistrate knew of Jonas’ temper that often led to violence – and there were more than enough witnesses to put the blame squarely at his feet.
All through the trial, Jonas maintained an air of indignation – defiant in the face of his crime, confident his status as a noble would get him off scot-free for the death of a mere commoner. Imagine his surprise when he was found guilty and suddenly had to deal with the weight of what he had done. His father chose to wipe his hands clean of his son, disowning him, and leaving him to rot in prison. His surname was stripped of him as well – and his surname was thenceforth “Gray”, a name of no colour or worth.
Having lost his entire life and faced with the prospect of execution, Jonas was finally forced to realize just how awful he had become. His surprise was even greater when his teacher, Erevon Vale, was the only one who spoke for him. While Erevon had seen the worst of Jonas – he believed the young man still had much to offer and petitioned the magistrate for leniency. Erevon’s status as a former soldier and as a distinguished graduate of Oswall Academy was well known – and after several hours of conversation, the magistrate agreed to Erevon’s suggestion.
And so at the young age of 21, Jonas was sent to war. War never changes – but the people who fight in it do.
And so, Jonas emerged from the Berivian War a changed man. In the war he found the family he always needed, brothers and sisters in arms that fought alongside him in the Crimson Shields. A unit so nicknamed for their place on the front-line – their shields were always the bloodiest by the end of the day, both with that of their opponents and their own. The Shields tended to have a low survival rate – and were often sent to soften up tougher foes before the mounted cavalry came charging in and Jonas lost many a sibling-in-arms before the war’s end.
But emerged a hero for his actions in a skirmish at the Battle of Winter’s Peak. Where, beset on all sides by encroaching troops and the bitter cold of winter itself, Jonas managed to hold a key chokepoint through the mountain pass after his commander fell, with naught but a hundred men and women. As the war drew to a close – the government of Alamor saw his redemption as a way to drive recruitment to their armies, touting Jonas as someone who was able to turn his life around with strict military discipline, fighting now for the honor of Almor.
And while the country publicizes Jonas’ redemption arc, inwardly the soldier still harbors a tremendous amount of guilt. Both for the brothers-and-sisters he saw fall next to him in the war, and for the man he killed when he was young. He has shunned drink, not wishing to return to his old ways, though his dreams are often fitful and his craving for a bottle to calm his mind is deep. Seeking peace at the bottom of a bottle is all Jonas wishes he could do – and it is the one thing he refuses to.
@Steven_Evil - Being here for the plot is the reason you should be here! As far as mechanical strength, I tend to balance things around the strength of the party. So being a powergamer will get you nowhere anyways :)
Hahahaha, FOOL! That takes me back to season 1 of Yu-gi-oh hahaha
@Saxikath - Long is good! I'm heading out the door right now but I'll get a response up shortly.
@Steven_Evil - Pre-existing relationships are not only allowed, but encouraged! However that may be something we will work in more permanently after character creation. I don't want to tie together some characters so strongly that it's impossible to pick one and not the other.
I agree that the fluffy stuff is what matters. What you mentioned is what I typically do. I wanted something odd and was wanting to make sure the mechanics would let me do that.
Can you give me a bit more about the daily lives of the Skive's?
@Saxikath - Nice, good additions! Many more connections and tie ins, well done. I may have more questions later but for now I'm good. Don't let that stop you from brainstorming stuff though ;)
@A Real Human Being (ARHB) - Ah ha! You ninja'd me!
Redemption arcs definitely have some room in this setting. Perhaps you may also be interested in the rising drug epidemic.
Hmm, I like what you have. You misspell Almor a few times but I'll look beyond that :P
FYI Weald was a city built as a fortress to protect against and wage war against the neighboring ternocks. A highly militarized city. Which I think only works better with your backstory!
Hmm you definitely hit on most of the things I'm looking for. Detailed backstory, named NPCs, a dash of creative liberty, and some character desires. A bit of follow up:
What are some of his thoughts on the state of the colonies? Religion, technology, skyseers, ternocks, Skives? The formless? By no means have to answer all of that, but think about how he would think about some of these issues. With the proximity and relationship to the ternocks territory he has likely run into them at least a few times.
Also, the question I love throwing at everybody: His drive. However this may be a special case as you seem to imply that right now that's actually something he's struggling with, finding purpose. So I suppose a more meta version of the question: out of character, thinking in a way that your character wouldn't necessarily know, what are some goals or opportunities that might light a fire under his ass?
@DAA - Did you read through the section on Skive? Do you have any specific questions?
They're a loose association of clans that are so anti-authoritarian they're basically anarchists. They're mostly based around raiding and pillaging, and believe in trial by combat for most issue resolvement and rites of passage. The fact their society functions on a large scale baffles foreign government experts.
They love to feast, fight, and f!*$. They value trophies taken from slain enemies as well as intricate tattoos that tell the story of their lives.
Sure! Really quick write up as Im on the move right now, but here you go!
Jonas' Personality:
Jonas sees technology as a tool, nothing more and nothing less. It is the same with magic and the skyseers. Both both are unreliable at best and chaotic at worse. Neither is a good substitute for a strong arm and a sharp blade.
Religion, however, is a completely different ballgame. He has seen enough to know that there must be some divinity out there - but after fighting in the war he just doesn't think they care. He saw too many good men and women cut down before their time - and for what? A bit of land?
He's not the sort of person to tell other people what to believe, but he, himself, has no use for religion - finding many of the tenets of it hypocritical. No benevolent god would ever let something like the formless exist, anyhow. He was at the battle that saw the arrival of the formless and the very sight of them still haunts his dreams.
The Skives he has a healthy respect for - they are great warriors, though he finds their rituals a bit savage, barbaric, and uncouth. It is a bit of his nobility still bleeding into his personality - but men should be more civilized than they are. That is not to say he would shun them - strength in battle is always an admirable trait but, by the stars, can't they bathe once in a while?
Ternocks, though? Those are just beasts pretending at being men. It's one thing to be a man who has embraced the wild like the Skives are - but it's something else to be something wild trying to claim they are civilized. His feelings aren't as strong as hate but enough that he would not weep to see one lying bloodied at his feet.
As a former noble - though a minor one - Jonas is plenty familiar with the territorialism of nobility and his time in the war has made him equally as familiar with the ongoing conflict with the colonies. He knows enough to know that there is no one right person, things aren't black and white, but Almor has gave him a second chance - and for that he will be loyal to them first
As for his drive - he is still seeking redemption. While Almor considers his crimes forgiven after his service in the war, Jonas does not. He has a lot to make up for - he seeks to honor the memories of his fallen brethren and also to make up for the life he took when he was younger. Unfortunately, Jonas also feels that life is priceless - whatever deed he may do must be something great enough for him to make up for the life he owes.
He is still searching for his greater purpose but believes that purpose will be tied from a desire to make up for his sins.
@ARHB - Nice follow up! I only have one more question for now:
How is his relationship with his family currently, after all the fallout?
When I have enough characters I'm happy with. More ambiguous but I'll be big on communication. I expect that once we have a decent pool of applicants I'll give a harder deadline, maybe about 3-5 days, to give others a last shot to throw their hat in the ring before I make my selection.
I don't expect it to take terribly long. In depth long form homebrew recruitments like this tend to draw high-quality players like moths to a flame, as can be seen already :)
His father probably detests him (possible antagonist). Even though Jonas is disowned there's enough knowledge about who Jonas' father is.
Even though he is a "hero" his father absolutely remembers who Jonas was and Jonas remains an embarrassment to his legacy.
His mother was so distant that he never felt much for her one way or another. I think he would reconcile with his mother if given the chance but his father is dead to him.
More interesting is his sister - I think since she was so young she never knew the "old" Jonas and he probably wrote her letters during the war. Whether or not those letters were delivered to her is another story. I imagine her 10-12 years younger. Probably around 10 when he went off to war and is in her teenage years now.
He, of course, being nobility at one point has plenty of cousins and other distant family members that may either align with his father and see him as a blight on the family name - or see his service as a worthy redemption.
Are we alive?..Paizo please...
@ARHB - Good follow up!
@Everyone - Unfortunately I may have to keep this recruitment open kind of long due to all the site issues. I already know a number of people who basically aren't checking the site at all until the all clear is given.
Yes, I'm in no mad rush -- the site issues are kind of maddening, but more time means more opportunities for interesting characters.
I am all for creating connections between characters once we know for sure who's in. I could imagine that any character that's spent time in Flint could have come across Topaz performing (except maybe Jonas, if he avoids places with alcohol, and she's probably busked on the street too so he might have run across her that way).
I am eager to see people's characters get fleshed out. This feels like a game I'd want to read along with even if I don't end up getting picked!
Apparently we are back once again.
My friend and I came up with a great way to figure out desires for characters. Define one tangible goal you can objectively measure the success of, such as overthrowing a regime or rescuing a loved one. Then define one abstract goal that's more conceptual, such as gaining a sense of belonging or feeling pride in ones self. Food for thought :)
As mentioned in the original post, my weekend availability is pretty random. This weekend I should be fairly available.
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After reading through your player's guide (awesome work both in the text and artwork) and the other posts, I've thought about the following character. Let me know if it is interesting and fitting enough:
"You know this book won't help you, right?" The question was made by two voices simultaneously. The first was of a thin man, clearly a warrior, with long black hair in a ponytail and a goatee; and the second was of a pregnant woman in her thirties wearing a green and gold dress. "Lord Osfarth is here with his daughter, Lady Alanna. She is actually pretty... and young." Esdras turned a page but gave his sister little attention.
"Look at her, Esdras... don't be so rude!" Urged a younger man also in the room, with wild red hair and a big nose, also a warrior. "Ow, you fool... look at her! Even at this stage of pregnancy she is still quite a seeing. I wish I was the one responsible for that full belly..." Red Hair was interrupted by Goatee with a stern look. "Shut up! For f+$!'s sake, shut up you bastard!"
"Esdras... please, give it a try. Lady Alanna is jovial. I'm sure she will be able to bring joy to your life." Once more there was no response from Esdras, just the sound of another page from his book.
Red Hair grinned wickedly. "Jovial, I like that word... I like it a lot! Give it a try, Esdras, at least try her jovial side or..." Red was once more interrupted by Goatee who crossed the room and punched him.
Esdras closed his book and finally turned towards his sister Shut up you two... I can't think straight... he thought before addressing her "Sister, I'm sorry, but despite believing that Lady Alanna is indeed a cheerful woman, she can't help me... no one can. Please, tell them I'm sick and I shall remain in my room."
Knowing it was futile to argue, Lady Isabela left the room with tears forming in her eyes, for she missed her brother and seeing him at that state was a martyrdom. During the whole time she did not paid any attention to the other two men in the room, for Goatee had five black arrows piercing his chest and back and Red's throat was completely sliced. Both men were long dead, trapped inside Esdras sword along with an unknown number of other fallen warriors. To this point, Esdras was the only capable of seeing them and it was his missing to set them free. "Them". Esdras wasn't actually sure if he wasn't trapped as well or if he was simply insane like many others veteran soldiers of the war.
___________
Esdras Albriech Martalen II was born and raised in the city of Treviri, the first son and heir of Haltius Martalen I, the present governor of the same city. As the first son of a noble, Esdras was groomed for the day he would take his father's place, learning the ways of the sword, the letters and how to navigate through the endless schemes and bickering among the noble houses. Esdras was not his father's only son, however, having both an younger brother and sister, twins. Despite this, there was never a doubt about Esdras rights and future, for the young man proved himself above the expectations in all matters.
When Esdras was old enough, he joined the army under the command of Duke Ethel. Unfortunately for him, the Berivian War erupted a couple months later. Despite his mother's pleadings, Esdras went to war... and this decision proved to be his father's greatest regrets. After the war was over, Esdras returned home as a war hero, even if a completely changed man... his former self buried among the countless others who perished.
Dead were the charming heir, the caring brother, the passionate bachelor. What came home was merely a husk. His younger brother was declared the official heir... Lady Catherine Romana, to whom he was betrothed was lost to another man... his mother died with depression. Everything was gone, everything except that strange sword.
During the Berivian War, when Esdras was already fighting for 3 years, he found himself in a grand melee with little hope of surviving. Surrounded by enemies and with few comrades by his side, Esdras was disarmed and at the mercy of a thanish soldier when another man was killed besides him, releasing his sword midair. Esdras grabbed the sword and slew his enemy... by the end of that battle, Esdras was the sole survivor. Then the visions and voices began... and never stopped.
The idea behind Esdras is that he found a cursed sword that imprisons the souls of its former owners. Knowing about it and fearing the same destiny, Esdras would be looking for a way to free everyone trapped within, or, at least, free himself from this burden. Meanwhile, he has to live with an unique form of schizophrenia, having to double check if someone new the meets is actually there or is simply another soul trapped inside the sword and trying to exert their will over him. To reflect this, I'd be looking for low values of Wisdom and Charisma, so despite being a war veteran, he would for sure not be a leader.
Crunch-wise, I'm thinking about a high class urbanite human (hopefully without the hatred racial trait) occultist with the battle host archetype. I'm not sure if you are familiar with the occult classes, but this specific class/archetype would work much like a fighter with a couple magic tricks linked to his sword. I'm intending to use this class mostly because of fluff, but if you are against it I think I could work with a fighter or ranger.
PS.: English is not my first language, so please forgive an eventual mistake.
I think for my character concept the tangible and intangible goals are pretty obvious, but just to make sure they are clear-
Tangible: Bring down the oppressive and exploitative society of Thane.
Intangible: Learn more about Ettunium and whether it can bridge the gap between magic and technology. Also, find out why he isn't dead, and how exposure to Ettenium might have changed him.
@Sir Longears - Thanks for the compliments! Right now I'm going to sleep and don't have time to read through all that in depth, but I will get to it in the morning :)
@Doomed Hero - Indeed they are, but I appreciate the clear articulation of them!
@Sir Longears - Wow, what a compelling read. Definitely caught my interest.
It's very easy to substitute out racial abilities, you can basically choose whatever alternate racial traits you want based on RP and change them out. I'm not particularly familiar with the occult classes, but you're right that the flavor works really well with the veteran theme. I will most likely allow it.
English isn't your first language? I wouldn't have guessed that at all.
Ok so this is what I'm thinking right now: Awesome backstory, very intriguing and a very clever way to mix a class archetype into the setting with a character theme. However I want to know what has happened in more recent years. The war ended 7 years ago; what has Esdras been doing in that time? Is he entirely focused on his sword? Do his goals revolve around that, wanting not only the tangible freedom from the curse as well as the conceptual freedom from this burden?
Also keep in mind the Berivian War lasted 29 years. If he was there at the start of the war, he would likely be at least 50 years old. Which is totally fine, but just keep that in mind!
What is his father doing? How has he taken the loss of his wife, and the symbolic loss of his eldest son? Are there still any NPCs around from the ear that Esdras knew, friendly or hostile? What other notable NPCs are in his life right now, or is he just that distant?
As for goals, you have a very clearly defined goal in freeing himself (and hopefully others) from the cursed sword. Does he have any other goals? If he's concerned about the well being of the other souls, is he a compassionate person that would be opposed to oppression and slavery? Does he feel the drive for freedom and started resenting the expectations and burdens of the church and government? Basically, does he have any goals exterior to the sword? Or is that his sole object of obsession right now?
Also I'd love to help flesh out some of the NPCs trapped within the sword. That opens up an entirely new avenue for intrigue that I love!
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@Sir Longears - Wow, what a compelling read. Definitely caught my interest.
It's very easy to substitute out racial abilities, you can basically choose whatever alternate racial traits you want based on RP and change them out. I'm not particularly familiar with the occult classes, but you're right that the flavor works really well with the veteran theme. I will most likely allow it.
I'm glad to hear that. This particular build would look like a magus but with the spells more focused towards self-buffing than damage. I particularly like it because I'm not really into the idea of a competent fighter knowing spells out of the blue, but with the sword being the 'source' of it, makes it quite interesting. My idea is to fluff every spell in a way that one of the souls trapped inside is actually affecting the real world. For an example, the lead blades spell could be a big fighter swinging the sword at the same time as Esdras attacks, and a comprehend languages could be someone who knows the language kind of translating for him.
Ok so this is what I'm thinking right now: Awesome backstory, very intriguing and a very clever way to mix a class archetype into the setting with a character theme. However I want to know what has happened in more recent years. The war ended 7 years ago; what has Esdras been doing in that time? Is he entirely focused on his sword? Do his goals revolve around that, wanting not only the tangible freedom from the curse as well as the conceptual freedom from this burden?
My initial writings were actually just a pitch of my idea. I'll expand the background a lot on the following days.
Also keep in mind the Berivian War lasted 29 years. If he was there at the start of the war, he would likely be at least 50 years old. Which is totally fine, but just keep that in mind!
Wasn't it 19 years? From your Player's Guide it says the war started in 869 and ended in 888. This way, entering the war at 14, he would be around 40 at the present day.
What is his father doing? How has he taken the loss of his wife, and the symbolic loss of his eldest son? Are there still any NPCs around from the ear that Esdras knew, friendly or hostile? What other notable NPCs are in his life right now, or is he just that distant?
As for goals, you have a very clearly defined goal in freeing himself (and hopefully others) from the cursed sword. Does he have any other goals? If he's concerned about the well being of the other souls, is he a compassionate person that would be opposed to oppression and slavery? Does he feel the drive for freedom and started resenting the expectations and burdens of the church and government? Basically, does he have any goals exterior to the sword? Or is that his sole object of obsession right now?
I haven't thought about all these points, but I'll work on them.
Also I'd love to help flesh out some of the NPCs trapped within the sword. That opens up an entirely new avenue for intrigue that I love!
This is the beauty about this idea. The potential of NPCs popping in his head are endless, since the sword could have hundreds of souls inside. I'll be working on some of them but you are more than welcome to help me or even creating anyone you seem interesting.
I'm glad to hear that. This particular build would look like a magus but with the spells more focused towards self-buffing than damage. I particularly like it because I'm not really into the idea of a competent fighter knowing spells out of the blue, but with the sword being the 'source' of it, makes it quite interesting. My idea is to fluff every spell in a way that one of the souls trapped inside is actually affecting the real world. For an example, the lead blades spell could be a big fighter swinging the sword at the same time as Esdras attacks, and a comprehend languages could be someone who knows the language kind of translating for him.
Very cool! I always love when magical effects have a reason and a description beyond "it's magic".
My initial writings were actually just a pitch of my idea. I'll expand the background a lot on the following days.
Sounds great, I'm looking forward to it!
Wasn't it 19 years? From your Player's Guide it says the war started in 869 and ended in 888. This way, entering the war at 14, he would be around 40 at the present day.
Ah yes I can see how that's confusing. So in 869 all of the rest of the areas got officially involved in the way, but in 858 the fighting started between Brieca and Thane. Keep in mind there's no problem with coming into the war while it's already happening.
I haven't thought about all these points, but I'll work on them.
Sounds good! And don't feel like you need to formally answer all of those questions. Just some food for thought to flesh out what he's doing in more recent times :)
This is the beauty about this idea. The potential of NPCs popping in his head are endless, since the sword could have hundreds of souls inside. I'll be working on some of them but you are more than welcome to help me or even creating anyone you seem interesting.
Yes it's rather exciting. The potential is limited only by our imagination. It actually reminds me a bit of a character I created for another game, Nathanial Torken, who has actual voices and personalities in his head that can take over.
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Ok, here is what I've came so far:
When Esdras was old enough, he joined the army under the command of Duke Ethel. Unfortunately for him, Almor entered the Berivian War a couple months later. Despite his mother's pleadings, Esdras went to war by his father’s will... and this decision proved to be his father's greatest regrets. After the war was over, Esdras returned home as a war hero, even if a completely changed man... his former self buried among the countless others who perished besides him.
Dead were the charming heir, the caring brother, the passionate bachelor. What came home was merely a husk. His younger brother was declared the official heir... Lady Catherine Romana, to whom he was betrothed was lost to another man... his mother died with depression a month later. Everything was gone, everything except that strange sword.
During the Berivian War, when Esdras was already fighting for 3 years, he found himself in a grand melee with little hope of surviving. Surrounded by enemies and with few comrades by his side, Esdras was disarmed and at the mercy of a thanish soldier when another man was killed besides him, releasing his sword midair. Esdras grabbed the sword and slew his enemy... by the end of that battle, Esdras was the sole survivor. Then the visions and voices began... and never stopped.
In the beginning, Esdras thought he was going insane, not something unheard before specially for veterans of the war. Then, when he was unable to ignore the voices and the visions, he was told the bitter truth: He was cursed. In his hands was the Sword of Arcos, a cursed blade that trapped inside it everyone that used it to kill another men. Being the one possessing the sword, Esdras was able to view and hear some former owners of the blade and knew that one day he would also be trapped within. None of the other souls knew how to break the curse, but many were still hopeful.
Cursed or not, Esdras still had his duty as a soldier, so he kept fighting for the remaining of the war, for while he needed to fight, he needed not to think about his future. But when the time allowed, the sword would bring him deeper into the darkness. By the end of the war, Esdras was captured by Thanese soldiers and locked into a cell for ransom. He remained in prison for 5 months along with a woman with whom he felt in love. Her name was Tatja. For the whole time, she managed to help him keep his sanity… just for him to discover when he was released that Tatja was another soul trapped inside the sword.
The Sword of Arcos became his life and his obsession. There was no more war for him to fight, so he was forced to sit and think about his future… and about Tatja. He was home but now that he had time to think, he discovered he had little time to spare with mundane stuff. The remaining of his life was just an instant if compared to the endless years he would spend inside the sword. He needed an answer… so he sought it. He learnt as much as he could about the sword, trying to reach the countless souls trapped within for clues about its origin. So far, even after 7 years, he managed to find no clue about how to free himself and the others… but he will remain looking for it.
Gerard A. Martalen IV Esdras’s brother, Gerard is the actual governor of Treviri, despite his title being honorary until Esdras is able to ‘recover from his illness’. In the past, the brothers were inseparable but since his return, their relationship has soured. Despite Esdras stating that he has no wish to take back the title of governor, his father denies Gerard the official nomination, claiming that he was not prepared for it like Esdras was, even if the last 7 years proved that Gerard is a more than capable man for the job. This impasse shows how much his father still favors Esdras in detriment of Gerard, something that enrages him.
Haltius T. Martalen I Esdras’s father, Haltius I was the former governor of Treviri, now with 82 years old. Always a stern but just governor and father, Esdras always admired his father and the sentiment was reciprocal, for Esdras was his father’s greatest pride. Nowadays, however, their relationship is distant to say the least. Haltius blames himself for Esdras’s traumas and for the death of his wife. However, he also loathes his presence, for in his mind, the son he raised would be strong enough to let any ‘ghosts’ of the war behind and step forward to take what was his birthright.
Isabela A. M. Nonarg Esdras’s sister, Isabela is the only member of his family that Esdras still has a good relationship. She doesn’t see him as how he is now, but instead remembers dearly of how he was. In her mind, Esdras is still the same man, perhaps lost and in need of help. Along the years she has learnt to reach him, even if briefly, which gave her hope.
Raul B. Nonarg Esdras’s brother in law and Isabela’s husband is an extremely jealous man and openly criticizes the time that Isabela spends with her brother, no matter how nonsensical this attitude is. More recently, Raul has been suggesting that Esdras is actually sick and insists that such illness, probably caught during the wars, is harmful to the baby Isabela is carrying.
Jaidev Basu The son of a priest of Azgaar, Jaidev was a bandit and rapist that lived before the Sepatarion. Despite his father’s teachings, Jaidev disdained his faith and costumes and eventually murdered his father before joining a gang of highwayman. During his short life, Jaidev robbed and murdered countless men and women, taking pleasure in torturing and raping woman as long as they endured. Jaidev is small but strong with wild red hair and a large aquiline nose. He got the Sword from the corpse of a soldier he and another four of his gang attacked and died when he was almost beheaded by the blunt axe of an executioner.
Tatja Niskanen The only daughter of an old knight of Volistein in Thane, Tatja was raised to be the perfect wife for a lord, even she only dreamt to be the son her father did not had. Even if reluctant, her father eventually taught her how to use a sword after constant requests from her part. Tatja has a common beauty but her smile is utterly charming. Her brown hair is slightly curvy and she has freckles. The Sword originally belonged to her father, but she grabbed it to defend him from a Skive attack. She killed herself with poison after she was trapped in the basement of her home, unwilling to withstand what the Skive would do to her.
Vazrik Karmirarj An unusual shaman from Alo Caelora, Vazrik was both the shaman and the chieftain of his tribe, something unheard before and after his death. A skyseer, Vazrik led the Red Bears into an unprecedented position among their kin, with prophecies regarding him as the one who would live forever. Vazrik is bald with a long grey beard and blue eyes and despite being tall and strong, he shows signs if poor nourishment and dehydration. Vazrik took the Sword from the hands of his son, after he acquired it in a raid to the west. On the same night, Vazrik abandoned his tribe and tried to climb the Mount Huyth, intending to hide the sword from the world. He died in a cave a couple weeks later without food or water, still clutching the sword in his hands.
Heyo, I'm a little late to the party, so I was just wanted to check and see if more applications were still welcome? I don't see a post saying you're done, but you do have a lot of awfully neat characters...
Reading the player's guide, I was thinking of creating a Skive Drunken Brute Barbarian with the Spirit Medium feat and taking the Spirit Totem Rage Power chain. Essentially they'd claim that their own personal guardian spirits told them to venture down into more civilised lands and play the role of heavy.
The actual reality would be that the character was, at least initially, the run away daughter of a noble house in Almor who didn't like various things, and who decides the life of the Skives, full of freedom, was more for her. She used her natural size and good health to pull of a surprisingly good impersonation of her father's old bodyguard. Of course, it's not perfect...and her family is looking for her.
If that works in your world (I'm afraid I've only had a chance to skim some of the sections) and you're still recruiting, I'll write up a proper concept.
@Sir Longears - Wow, great read! Fleshed out quite a bit! The only question I have right now: How aware is Esdras of the origin of the sword of Acros?
@JonGarrett - Not late to the party at all!
Hmm, interesting. Clashing a few different worlds together. Yeah hit the drawing board and let me know what you come up with!
@Everybody - Recruitment is still open to new applicants, please feel free to apply! I will make an obvious post once recruitment is closed.
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Elliouse Vermillion Bastard daughter of Sir Arnwold Vermillion of Bole, known to most as the Knight of Arrows a master Archer and a stalwart defender of Almors' western borders married a homely cousin to the current King Veryl when he was younger. In doing so her father was given the post of being an escort for the Kings' ambassador to Brecia.
This was the duty he was given. In that time Elliouses mother a handmaiden in the manor he and his charge stayed at became amorous and had a fleeting relationship. In the end, he and this woman parted ways as he was a Knight and had a woman waiting at home. 6 months after his parting the handmaiden known as Karmen had Elliouse, whom she named after Arnwolds mother. She raised Elliouse for a few years before they made a year-long trek to her father's house and showed her lover the fruit of there union.
Well, the next 2 years were tumultuous as her stepmother Drusilla often fought with her mother and her. Her siblings thought her a welcoming beauty and a fun loving girl despite her stepmothers' hatred she seemed to get along with them. Her father was ambivalent as he taught his bastard child the way of the bow and forest. She studied hard and found the forest to be her real home. Even after her mother left seeking life elsewhere as she was no longer welcome in Bole or Brecia. Elli, as she was going by now, wasn't sure herself.
Eventually, she learned that other citizens were unsure of her or thought her a lesser. Not because of her skin but because of the sour words her Step Mother spewed. Still, she remained a guest at her fathers' house.
When she found out people were using old trails through the wooded lands on the border, she watched them and waited. These brave people were seeking to free themselves from the shackles given to them and try to escape even if that meant having to slip past the Almoran, knights and to the old abandoned fishing village. As she followed she noted bandits and other nefarious people, and dangerous wild beasts threatened them and she acted. Like her father had taught her she let her bow talk sending arrow after arrow into the threats of these people guiding them through her homeland listening to there woes and lamentations of not only Almor, but Brecia. She drove on getting them to the ship before she would return on foot to her fathers hunting cabin and then on to his estate. There she was scolded for showing up to functions or meals dressed in her hunting attire, but she would ender it and continue on.
When her father passed after her step mother had dided, her Step Brother Melaird began to change things. A more cunning man and less patient he made big moves. He began to focus on firearms. He was casting aside his fathers reknown to try and make himself the best sharpshooter in Almor. As for her other siblings, Thom was sent to the capital to learn to be a more proper soilder under some lord he did not know, her sisters Anniya and Rosilend were pressed to be married off. Elli too was to be married off to some fourth son of a seaside town in Ra'an. Elli not pleased confronted her brother and only got his stern warning that to go against him was to go against house Vermillion. So she begrungingly accepted.
At least that is what she wanted her brother to think. Having taught herself the fundamentals and through practice the 22 year old slipped away in the night with all her gear no longer a Noble daughter but a woman who owuld be self made. Her family would persue her by any means as she had turned her back on them and broken treaties. Still she would make it she kknew she would her mother and father had taught her well she would survive!
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@Sir Longears - Wow, great read! Fleshed out quite a bit! The only question I have right now: How aware is Esdras of the origin of the sword of Acros?
Well, I think he could know most of it, since it would add to his sense of despair: Knowing that the sword has no purpose anymore would mean that the original creator probably did not thought about a way to destroy it. However, he could know a lot less if you desire.
At the very least, he would obviously know that it traps souls and its name. The way I see it, since the sword is ancient, created for a battle no one remembers, there would be little sense for him to find books and stuff mentioning it in Yundal, so his 'research' would be much more inwards... as an example, he would discover that a specific individual trapped within has another bit of information, but for him to reach such soul, he would have to do something very special in return, probably meaningful for such individual.
The way I've pictured the sword, the trapped souls live in a dark and misty realm. When the sword has no current owner, the souls cannot leave this realm and don't even notice the real word. However, when it has a new owner, a 'window' opens in this realm and it is up to a trapped soul no notice it. This would explain why he can reach only a couple souls. As the ages progress, many such souls would then become dormant, being necessary some external stimulus for it to awaken... as an example, a former samurai-like owner who died under a blossomed cherry tree would awake if Esdras finds himself under a similar tree.
What do you think?
@Critzible - Hmm, so a bastard child of an Almoran military man. So what exactly is she wanting out of life? Freedom? To show up her family? To escape Almor?
@Sir Longears - Hmm, I like the amount of information you had present in your previous post underneath the spoiler. It gives an overview of its purpose so he would generally know about its origins, but no more details than that. And that would have been something he gleamed from the souls talking about previous owners talking to them about the origin. As years passed the story became more and more diluted.
Yes, I really like the flavor and imagery that presents. I have no more questions for you, at least for now. Let me know if you come up with anything else!
Alright let's update where the recruitment status is.
Character Concepts (aka applied characters)
Doomed Hero - Draegar
Steven_Evil - Sevas Deraika
Saxikath - Topaz
A Real Human Being - Jonas (Gray) St. Croix
Sir Longears - Esdras Martalen
Critzible - Elliouse Vermillion
Interest
Decimus Observet
Vitaliano da Riva
Deaths Adorable Apprentice
Helikon
Nickadeamous
TheSilverDreamer
JonGarrett
Recruitment is still open. I hope to hear more from those who have expressed interest as well as any others who may find this game interesting!
Planning to do so this evening, as time and energy allows.
...turns out doing 12 days straight and having a manic night involving car break-ins, alcoholic guests and other, less suitable problems can disrupt your creative flow. Who knew?
D: please take care of yourself. Recruitment should remain open for at least a week so don't worry too much.
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I have another idea kind of an Escaped Skive Slave who wields the powers of his people via Song and Fury. Thinking a Skald/Bloodrager build based on a Skive escaped slave seeking to remain free who has no issue craving his way through any who oppose his wish. He isn't evil just a self-proclaimed freedom fighter. Be it his own or others.
thats if we can post two possible characters
Skalds definitely work well in the setting. Sounds like an interesting concept!
I have no qualms about posting multiple characters, post away!
Decimus Observet here, presenting Dayananda Kher. A noble, a scholar, and a man who needs answers.
I've made a few assumptions, the most obvious being my choice of Hindi-seaking naming conventions for Briecans. If another is more suitable, please let me know.
1) Where were they born?
Theveste, to a venerable clan long-steeped in both religious and scientific studies.
2) Who are their parents?
Balshastri Kher, a greatly respected historian, and Rani Golwalkar, highly positioned in the Azgaar clergy. Balshatri is a genial sort, Rani much more driven and politically savvy.
2a) Are they still alive? Are there any other guardians/close family members?
Dayananda's parents are both still alive and well.
His older brother Jawaharlal has entered clerical training, and has distanced himself somewhat from Dayananda and Kanchi and their father, though keeps much more in contact with their mother. He is quietly ambitious.
His older sister Kanchi is a researcher in a prestigious university, focusing on studies of ettunium. She is a diligent worker and steadfast friend, if somewhat unimaginative.
3) What were they doing before now?
Dayananda has always been fascinated by numerous topics, and devoured knowledge, not least alchemy, natural philosophy, and history. Astronomy and religious studies both held appeal to him, and he was heartened by the great overlap in the fields' understanding of the planets and was drawn most closely to the Sage aspect of Azgaar. His first round of university studies were almost complete and he would then make a final decision on his future path.
3a) Why leave it all?
A few weeks before his final thesis was due, Dayananda had a revelation. He would not contribute anything substantial, make no great discoveries, were he to remain in Theveste. Perhaps not even in Briece, and the end might come with mankind still ignorant! Out of respect to his family, he would complete his thesis, though his mind and heart were already starting to roam.
3b) What did they leave behind?
Dayananda has at the very least interrupted his own potentially flourishing career in either academia, government, or the church. By departing Brieca, there are some who will use this, however flimsily, to challenge family members. Rani and Jawaharlal in particular are the most likely to feel put out or annoyed, despite Dayananda's assurances before he departed.
4) What does your character want?
Fundamentally, Dayananda wants to understand. He wants to push the boundaries of knowledge. Why is the ring the way it is? What are the Formless, and why did they appear? He believes that he must go out into the world to find the answers to these questions and more besides.
Tangible goal: Definitively discover the answer to one of the 'big questions' looming over the inner ring.
Abstract goal: To feel vindication in taking this chance.
These two goals might overlap - or they might not. Dayananda's priorities might well change.
Urbanite Human (High Class) but Dayananda has led something of a sheltered life.
I'm looking to take Comprehensive Education (4 RP) and Focused Study (4 RP) instead of all of the Urbanite traits besides Urbanite (1 RP) itself.
Investigator with the Empiricist and Natural Philosopher archetypes.
Eschatologist theme.
Crushing End of the Earth (Theme Feat)
All comments welcome.
@Decimus Observet - Nice, glad you came up with a concept!
Some assumptions are fine, that's good in fact! I do want you guys to have some creative liberties. Ah I see you payed attention to the language choices. Yes Kellish, the language of Brieca, will be based off of Hindi. However this is mostly for dialect and translation purposes. Their proper nouns tend to follow the same conventions as the ancient Greeks (which you can see based on the city names), although this rule tends to be a lot looser when it comes to names.
P.S. Be careful with a new alias if you haven't fully decided on a name yet. Once you post 10 times with it you can no longer change the name.
Ah, so very much a Briecan philosopher in the full sense of the word, but he takes it a step further and believes exploration is necessary to gather more information to find the truth of various mysteries. Definitely a character that couldn't fit into any other setting easily, which is something I like to see.
So what does Dayananda think of all the controversies about the church? Since The Separation interpreting the will of Azgaar has become much more arbitrary and complex, and has lead to much infighting. What did the prophecy mean about the ring of mountains? Did it actually mean it can't be physically broken? Or was it saying it can't be crossed by any means other than foot? Would flying machines be acceptable? What about bypassing by teleportation if it became possible? Or is what happened to Thane during the Terrible Lapse a warning from Azgaar? And what about the outside controversies, such as critics claiming that the prophecies are fabricated to justify controlling trade routes in order to funnel money into the church? And what about their divine powers, which only come as being part of the church as opposed to being an outside devotee of Azgaar? And what about the acts of terror being committed in the name of the church, despite their denial of any affiliation?
As you can see, there's a lot going on with the church, so if you're jumping headfirst down the Briecan eschatological route there's a lot of things to chew on. Don't feel obligated to answer every question, I'm just looking for a general overview of how he thinks about the controversies surrounding the church.
@Everybody - There's a little additional information about the church here that's not in the player's guide if you're interested. Also as a reminder recruitment is still open to anybody!
I know that the Paizo boards have been very poor lately, and a lot of people aren't checking as often or aren't getting notifications. Please make sure you check your private messages, as I have sent messages to a number of you.
Sorry I missed your message! Just responded to it.
@DM Omen: Cheers for the feedback!
To clarify, is my naming convention fine in Brieca? Or would it suit better to have a Briecan noble line be named more akin to Greeks? I'll leave posting from the alias until I hear back from you on this.
Dayananda has many opinions on many subjects, though much more often from an abstract philosophical view than a pragmatic one.
On the controversies:
What did the prophecy mean about the ring of mountains? What did the prophecy mean about the ring of mountains? Did it actually mean it can't be physically broken? Or was it saying it can't be crossed by any means other than foot? Would flying machines be acceptable? What about bypassing by teleportation if it became possible?
"The divination warned of a terrible tragedy should the Yundalite Mountains ever be broken."
Dayananda wonders about this. If the mountains were invulnerable, then a warning would be unnecessary so a danger there surely is. Taken literally, it means that the mountains could be shattered. Perhaps using enormous amounts of ettunium, or an even more powerful substance. But he believes that is too simplistic. Whatever the reason, he reckons, the ban must be enforced unless he sees divine word to the contrary. Of all the things that the near-silent gods could have spoken of, one spoke of this. That said, he does wonder about the details of the hearing of the prophecy, and wonders if there were other details to it.
The notion of there being deception involved, divine or mortal, is an ugly one that he has been loath to consider for more than a shuddering moment. For now.
Or is what happened to Thane during the Terrible Lapse a warning from Azgaar?
Dayananda is not so certain of this. He has some bias against Thane's capabilities and understanding of the world, and he would not put it past naysayers to blame Azgaar for their own failures. He does not ignore the possibility, but he thinks it incredibly unlikely.
And what about the outside controversies, such as critics claiming that the prophecies are fabricated to justify controlling trade routes in order to funnel money into the church?
Likely, nonsense. The divine has spoken. The only questions are accuracy of reception, accuracy of interpretation, and effectiveness of response. So far, the church has gone well by the ring by taking on this duty.
And what about their divine powers, which only come as being part of the church as opposed to being an outside devotee of Azgaar?
Perhaps these outsiders are insufficiently devout. Or perhaps they have powers, just more subtle.
And what about the acts of terror being committed in the name of the church, despite their denial of any affiliation?
There are failings in all men. Many seek divine word to defend their ill deeds. But also, it is an easy way to decry the church and Brieca. So, Dayananda will keep a watchful eye open for evidence of such deeds, but not buy into hearsay and rumour.
@Saxikath - No worries, responded!
@Decimus Observet - The naming convention works fine as long as you don't flavor your house as an ancient one that has been around for centuries. Old Breica was more monolithic, but in the past few centuries or so they've gathered a little more diversity of heritage. Not as much as the other nations, but more than they previously had.
I like the responses! Definitely gives me more insight into your character and how he would interact with the setting. Thanks!
That actually works. His parents' families could be relative "newblood" which might drive his mother and brother's political ambitions.
@Decimus Observet - Perfect, go with that!
@Steven_Evil - Glad to hear it!
@Everybody - Alright I think we're getting to the point where the timeline for recruitment should be a bit more tangible. Let's say...around the end of next week? Perhaps by Friday or so. If anybody has issue with this please let me know.
A week on Friday sounds good, I might have woken up by then.
Sounds good! I may or may not throw in a second concept before then!
You mentioned you wanted us to check with stuff that's more recent - would you allow me to use a Butchering Axe? It's essentially an oversized Exotic weapon you need 19 strength to wield, so there's a chance I could only actually fight with it while raging. Of course, it also does 3d6 damage compared to the Great Axe's 2d6.
It's not essential to the character, but it is fun, and since it has a strength minimum and requires a feat to use...