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The town of Sandpoint needs you!
I've always had a soft spot in my heart for Sandpoint. It's where the Pathfinder journey, and my journey with Pathfinder, began. After picking up Sandpoint: Light of the Lost Coast by James Jacobs, I was reminded of all the character packed into this town, and how for all my reading about it I'd never really played there. So, that is what I'd like to invite you to do with me. Experience where it all began, and see just how much adventure we can find.
That explains the setting and main title, now about that subscript. Well, every adventure has to start somewhere, and our adventure starts with goblins. I decided to use Burnt Offerings, the beginning of the Rise of the Runelords AP, as the skeleton for the adventure, and that excellent introduction starts with a goblin attack. As I was looking over it and other resources I could draw on for a Sandpoint focused adventure, I was struck by just how ubiqitous the little menaces are. They're in Rise of the Runelords, Jade Regent, and Beginner Box. They even have five modules telling the story from their perspective. Clearly, someone needs to happen to them, and that someone is you.
If this appeals, please continue reading for information on character creation, what I'm looking for, and a bit about me.
Character Creation
Starting level: 1
Starting wealth: Standard
Ability Score: 20 point buy (Anything higher than 18 or lower than 8 will get extra scrutiny.)
Hit Points: Full to start then half dice plus con. (After having a player roll 1 two levels in a row, I decided to abandon rolling for hp.)
Alignment: Non-evil
Classes: Any Paizo or those presented in Spheres of Power and Spheres of Might by Drop Dead Studios.
Races: Any Paizo (More unusual races will require a better story and can expert NPCs to notice)
Traits: 2, one of which is your campaign trait and should come from the Rise of the Runelords Player Guide, Jade Regent Player Guide, or Varisia. This trait explains why your character is in Sandpoint, whether native or newcomer. You must incorporate this in your character's backstory.
Background Skills: Yes (If the game lasts long enough, we may use the downtime system rules.)
Resources allowed: Any Paizo. Also Spheres of Power and Spheres of Might by Drop Dead Studios.
What I'm looking for
Friends to tell a story with. Ultimately that is what games like pathfinder are about, having fun together. You as a player are just as responsible for making the game a success as me, the GM. This isn't a game you can win. Winning is everybody having a good time.
As for posting, I am looking for players who can post twice a day monday through friday. Times kills games. If we are to avoid the fate of most pbp adventures, we need to move. I will be posting in the morning and evening, probably not quite 12 hours apart but that's kind of the intention. We should be able to get through 2 rounds of combat a day. Weekends are tbd depending on the players chosen, so make sure to mention if you would or would not want to post on weekends.
Combat will often be theater of the mind, but we may use maps if there's a convenient file available that works for our current situation. Maps will handled through google if used, so that is something to consider.
Gameplay is set to begin on the 10th with final selection of players being the friday before. I reserve the right to close recruitment early, with a 24 hour notice, if there is enough interest sooner.
Initial submission does not need to be a fully stated out character sheet, just tell me the story of your character and their campaign trait. Crunch is easy. Fluff is hard.
I highly recommend looking that these guides for pbp games. They're old, but excellent.
Guide to pbp
Advanced pbp guide
About Me
I've been DMing Pathfinder adventures on and off for a number of years. Mostly with university friends, and mostly in campaigns that start as adventure paths and quickly become something else entirely. My pbp experience is fairly limited, and while I think I've got the mechanics down, don't hesitate to let me know if I'm missing something.
I've seen advice to address the content rating of my games. Mature is probably the best descriptor. Neither Pathfinder nor I are well suited for grimdark, but death by ogre simply isn't very PG. So consider this fair warning. A few other things that have surprised players in previous games. Treasure is seldom found in neat stacks of 1000gp and stores rarely carry full-plate mithril armor. NPCs are people too, and react badly to fireballs. And perhaps mostly importantly, characters die. It's a dangerous world out there, and those riches lie unclaimed for a reason. I do not try to kill characters, but have yet to run a game in which characters have not died. Especially at the early levels we will be playing in, death will almost certainly come for some of you. If that happens, simply roll up a new character and continue smiting.
Hey Red-handed, definitely interested in this. I have been playing with PF almost exclusively the last 3 years and have yet to experience Sandpoint. As I have been looking at RotRL and Jade Regent campaigns, I've become very interested in exploring more about the area.
I'll have to give some thought to who I would bring forward. I've been trying to move away from Int based characters recently as I basically played 4 back-to-back skill monkeys.
I'm a stay-at-home dad so I often have time to post during the day when the kids are sleeping, eating, or having their TV time. Nights are not an issue, though posts would probably be late EST.
I'll think on this and try to post an idea or two tomorrow.
dropping a dot. definitely interested
im lately looking for a game that doesnt drop or fail... the unfortunate risks of online games.
I tend to play Charisma based and Intelligence based characters, usually spellcasters
i usually check in or post every day or so.
as for what im thinking of playing this time? Promethean Alchemist. Suboptimal, yes. But i like the homunculus companion and will be acting more or less as a support with a melee companion.
Dotting for interest, for sure! Love me some Varisia.
Not sure what I'll play yet. GM, will we be starting with a fresh slate in Sandpoint and assuming the other APs haven't taken place? Trying to gauge if Ameiko and other NPCs are still around before determining what character to create.
Dotting for interest. Twice a day posting is good.
I'm mostly interested in characters and story, and how those intertwine - I find that meaningful interactions - friendly, sad, difficult or familiar - make for a fully realised game where personalities can shine. I've played a lot of games over PbP in the past 6 or so years, and the most memorable are the ones where the characters change, grow, bond, quibble, fight, sacrifice and sometimes lose.
I'm in two RotRL games at the moment, and one is strictly Spheres. In both those games my characters are strangers to Sandpoint, this time around I'm thinking someone more woven into the town.
Not sure what class, I'll check the campaign trait options and build around that.
@DM Red-Handed: I'd like to play a reflavored Samurai with the Yojimbo archetype as a Varisian Human caravan guard/bodyguard. Is that acceptable? I would take this trait:
You recently hired on to Sandru’s caravan to serve as a guard, but the job, while it paid well, gave you little chance to scratch the adventuring itch, since the caravan never really ventured into dangerous territory. You understand why Sandru avoided the more dangerous routes, of course, but that didn’t help assuage your urge to seek adventure. You’ve just told Sandru that you’re quitting the job in order to try your hand at adventuring— he seemed to understand, and even gave you some good tips on how best to survive potential challenges. You gain a +1 trait bonus on Survival checks, and Survival becomes a class skill for you.
Thanks for the link, OSW.
Right now I'm debating playing either a spiritualist with the zeitgeist binder arcehtype, or Shalelu's younger sister, an elf cleric of Sarenrae with the blossoming light archetype. GM, any preferences for which one I should choose?
I’m relatively new to pbp but definitely not to Parhfinder! If you’ll have me I would love to explore Sandpoint in a long form story!
It’a not an optimized archetype in the least but I was looking at the Card Caster Magus, for the pure fun of it. He’ll be a part of a caravan of wandering Varisians and while many absolutely can tell someone’s fortune with a Harrow, he certainly can’t; but he’s learned a few arcane tricks that fool the average person.
Campaign trait would be Friend of the Family
Hey red-handed I'd love to join in. Been playing pathfinder for about five years now and pbp for only a year of that after college, I'll definitely be able to post twice a day as I prefer faster games and usually post on weekends. I work as a theatre stage hand so my schedule is somewhat all over the place but even at work I can usually post via cell phone though it wont be as long.
I tend to play melee characters but have been trying to do something different recently and have an idea for an intrigue oracle possibly with the best friend (Amiko) trait, or the city born trait.
GM, will we be starting with a fresh slate in Sandpoint and assuming the other APs haven't taken place? Trying to gauge if Ameiko and other NPCs are still around before determining what character to create.
Good question. Yes, we will be using Sandpoint as it is at the start of Runelords. Neither that AP, nor any others, have happened yet. Ameiko, and her family, are very much around.
@DM Red-Handed: I'd like to play a reflavored Samurai with the Yojimbo archetype as a Varisian Human caravan guard/bodyguard. Is that acceptable?
That'd be fine. Good choice on the trait. Remember that a Samurai, or Cavalier, is more than just a fighter with more skill points. They are dedicated to something, so keep that in mind while making the character.
Also, thank you I wasn't aware of the spheres wiki. Anyone interested, feel free to take a look.
GM, any preferences for which one I should choose?
Nope, either sounds fine. Zeitgeist seems interesting. I'm not too familiar with the occult classes, so if you choose that I'll be relying on to give me a head's up on anything pertinent. If you choose the later, I'll need to come up with a reason why Shalelu isn't with you all the time, but that's my worry not yours.
@SamuraiNitta, Fenris105, dkwickman
No objections to the concepts.
so here's fenris' character, Tamia a beastbrood Tiefling Intrigue oracle of Calistria. Her full background is in her profile. I adapted her from a RotR game she didn't get in so let me know if I missed anything.
Cool, I'll go zeitgeist then! Will have character stats and backstory ready to go in the next day or two.
@DM Red Handed, so with the Card Caster archetype, I know that RAW spell combat does not work with ranged weapon as spell combat requires a melee weapon.
Totally fine with it if you rule in favor of RAW! Just want to know before hand so I can allocate stats and maybe pick up another archetype to offset the loss of spell combat with a ranged weapon.
I have an idea brewing now, but I've been at the in-laws this weekend and dealing with traveling today. I am thinking a Halfling Warpriest of Sarenrae with the Sandpoint Faithful trait. I will flesh this out more tonight when I get back home.
I've always wanted to try a Spheres character, but I've never had the chance. I don't know the specifics yet, but I'll go with some sort of big axe wielding front-liner. I like the idea of playing a kid (ie. 18 years old or equivalent, not an actual child) who grew up in a logging village and has never really left until coming to the city with his family for the festival. He's bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, innocent and naive. Hasn't yet had time to get used to his full grown strength so he's a little clumsy, but when it comes to chopping down trees or goblins he's right at home.
For a character like this there isn't much background in the sense of "he did this, then he did this, etc", but I think there's a lot to build on with regard to motivations and goals in life. Someone this innocent would go through a lot of character growth throughout the course of his adventures, which would be fun to see.
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Hey, here is my character concept. I'm going with a ratfolk investigator and the City Born trait.
Farguz grew up in the city of Magnimar. Farguz was born into a small warren within the city. It didn't take long till his aptitude with numbers got him work in the markets. He excelled at making sure the merchant he was employed under never got swindled. After a while Farguz joined a trade insurance company as an examiner. He applied the same due diligence he had learned in the markets to making sure the company never lost a dime to fraud. He found himself heading to sandpoint to investigate the losses of a caravan.
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By the way, if people haven't seen it,
here is a BEAUTIFUL picture of Sandpoint
Dotting for interest!
I'm considering redoing a character or another I had that was in a game that died...
Just Curious: Do you use Hero Points or Varient Multi-classing?
Very tempting!
If Ameiko Kaijitsu bought the Rusty Dragon for the prestige or the free drinks, but is getting a bit bored with it, her younger brother Fuyuki (CG Male Human Blacksmith (Iron Chef)) is all in on it - he always wanted to be a chef and bartender, and putting in work for his sister allows him to fulfill that dream. He's particularly interested in fusion cuisine - Tian and Varisian, obviously, but foreigners can almost always get a free meal at the Dragon if they'll tell Fuyuki about the cuisines of their homeland. Lately, he's gotten interested in what was under his nose this whole time - goblin cuisine! He knows relations aren't that great between the human and goblin populations in the area, but maybe that's nothing that frog on a stick served in a nice Varisian jerk blend and some Minkai sesame oil can't solve.
(Full stats if I decide I can commit the time, but probably not too different from a human version of this pregen, focusing on support with a bit of melee.)
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I just had an idea where I suspect your reaction will be EITHER "that sounds quite cool" OR "Not only no but heck no". So I thought I'd pass it by you before proceeding.
A goblin PC. As a youngster, he was one of the few survivors when his tribe caught the attention of some Adventurers and were all slain. One of the adventurers decided to NOT kill the still innocent Goblin and raised it as their own.
Haven't given it much more thought than that. Almost certainly has at least some disguise and bluff skills to explain why he isn't killed on sight :-).
@DM Red Handed, so with the Card Caster archetype, I know that RAW spell combat does not work with ranged weapon as spell combat requires a melee weapon.
Totally fine with it if you rule in favor of RAW! Just want to know before hand so I can allocate stats and maybe pick up another archetype to offset the loss of spell combat with a ranged weapon.
Don't see that being a problem, but give me some time to mull it over.
Just Curious: Do you use Hero Points or Varient Multi-classing?
No. Good question though.
@pauljathome That sounds cool, but no. ;) Let's not muddy the genocidal waters too early. Thanks for sharing the picture. Seeing that as a double-spread is what really planted the idea for this. I want to play there!
OK,
I'm going to try this idea:
Aleksara
Female 1/2elf Bard (Archeologist)
Trait:Outsider (Lore Seeker)
Having come from Magnimar to investigate the remains of the Thassilonian artifact called the 'Old Light,' Aleksara also has a secondary (personal and secret) mission to find any possible family that might still live in the area. She believes she was born in Sandpoint, and that her pregnant mother was exiled to Magnimar after a dalliance with some charismatic elf of Varisia that passed through the area. Her mother died when she was young, and she was adopted quickly by a loving family of Pathfinders, who always dragged her along on all their explorations of Thassilon's lost ruins and treasures.
She carries an old but functional Katana as her main weapon, a last remnant of a forgotten past handed down in her family to her she managed to learn to use.
My plan at the moment is to eventually take the Eldritch Heritage (Oni-blooded) feats as she grows in power.
Okay, here's Igmutanka. Crunch is not done, and I have no idea what class I'm going to pick, but it will be a martial class for sure (so basically I'm trying to decide between Conscript, Sentinel, Striker or a core class adapted to SoM talents).
My name is Igmutanka, son of Tschieyanno, and I’m a Shoanti from the Lyrune-Quah. Or I was, once.
I was born in a small settlement in our ancestral territory, the Cinderlands. My father was one of the chieftain’s closest warriors, and so we were an important family in the village. We were as happy as we could be, though it all changed when Napayshni,our chieftain (or the Guardian of the Night, as we call him), got married.
At first, everything was fine, Shadi seemed a good wife and woman. But as time went by and fire-water started to take its toll on the Guardian, she began to put her eyes on other men, and she put them on the most cruel, envious and vile men of them all: Tahoma the Cutthroat. For many moons, they were both developing their plan. They poisoned other villagers’ minds, slandering the Guardian’s name and convincing them that their once proud and brave chieftain was now just a useless old drunk. On a night of new moon, they set everything in motion – such was their cowardice, that they feared our Mother-Totem would witness it.
They killed the Guardian and his family. They killed his warriors and everyone that supported Napayshni or didn’t believe Shadi’s lies. My father was among the first fallen. At the time, I was already thirteen, so I was old enough to realise what would happen to me. I had to flee. I only took the first weapon I could find with me. Nobody noticed, and I fled through the night till I fell exhausted. My last thought before fading was about my parents and the treachery suffered that night.
I wandered the Varisian lands for about a whole year. I didn’t want to go to other Shoanti settlements, in case Tahoma had informants there, so I tried to live off the land and looked for places to stay inhabited by Varisians. Most of them, though, were either too small or too reluctant to put their trust on a Shoanti. Guide, hunter, trader or bandit, all these jobs I had to do to survive.
While I was around the Sandpoint area, I heard about some Shoanti brothers who were living there. I directed my steps to Sandpoint, then, to see if some warm welcome was waiting for me. I guess I could say that, in my four years here in Sandpoint, I’ve had both my share of stick and of carrot.
Ameiko: A somewhat friendly woman, sometimes she might even let him sleep in the floor for free. Igmutanka knows he can bring anything that he hunts to her tavern and he will be given nice coin in exchange, and a hand with unloading barrels or whatever is also well received and paid. Ameiko seems good-looking and nice, and Igmutanka is not immune to women’s charms…
Sheriff Hemlock: Not unfriendly, not at all, just a bit… weird. Igmutanka has never understood why Belor changed his surname and abandoned everything Shoanti, though he is too intimidated by the man to ask, neither him nor his brother Garridan. Plus, as he pretends to apply for the city watch, he doesn’t want to offend his future boss.
Kendra Deverin: Igmutanka should have nothing but gratefulness to Kendra - she has allowed him to stay, work and live here in Sandpoint, much more than he could say from some other majors in other places. She’s been kind, friendly and willing to help. He feels, however, that she still treats him as a foreigner, even after four years here. It might just be that Igmutanka is still a teenager and he still believes he knows it all.
Shalelu Andosana: Even though Igmutanka wants to enter the watch to prove his worth, because he wants to help and because he needs acceptance, what his heart really wants is to be like Shalelu. Shalelu is a free spirit, a helper of the village under her own rules, living in the wilderness and fighting the town’s enemies. Shalelu is cool, capable and sexy. Shalelu is a dream…
Garridan Viskalai: Igmutanka can understand Garridan better than Belor, though he is still a bit too respectful. At the White Deer he knows he could find shelter and nourishment if really needed, but he doesn’t want to play that card unless there’s no other chance.
Ilsoari: Now, if Igmutanka thinks any other guy in town is weird, Ilsoari would be the king of weirdos. Thanks to Kendra, Igmutanka has stayed regularly at Turandarok. He has never seen the basement, though, and has many different and strange ideas about what can be down there. All in all, Ilsoari seems correct and polite, but Igmutanka will feel much better when he has his own place to stay.
Tanka (for short) arrived here in Sandpoint about four years ago. He’s been treated mostly well, or at least better than in any other place he’d been before, and he’s been doing small jobs here and there to get his daily meal and sometimes his night shelter.
Tanka is turning 18 in a few days, and he’s waiting to be considered an adult to apply for the City Watch, a position that would allow him a small payroll and some consideration among Sandpointers. He is actually quite in need of some approval and acceptance, something that dates back to the “affair” five years ago when he had to flee his homeland. A matter, on the other hand, that seems very far away… not forgotten, but gotten over. Tanka won’t hear again of Shadi and Tahoma. Never ever. I swear. Right? ;)
Tanka has had to deal with supplying his own food from a young age, and is used to getting by with a few dry meat dice a day, which doesn’t mean he doesn’t like a good meal when he can afford it. On the other hand, he is sometimes quite reluctant to ask for help, due to having been exposed to treachery and scorn more than a few times. Some would say that he’s a bit shy when social situations arise, and that wouldn’t be totally false.
Storywise, Tanka longs to be a hero, even if it’s in a reduced area. He wants a place to call home, somewhere he can stay, greet his neighbours everyday, and feel good knowing he can keep them away from harm. Ah, Shalelu…
Tanka's Campaign Trait is Childhood Crush.
Now, about me, I have to say that I am not English native speaker, that I live in Europe so my posting time could not totally agree with yours, and that I'm able to check the forums several times a day but maybe the second daily post would have to be through cell phone (which usually means less words). Those things needed to be said if I wanted to be honest to you.
That'd be fine. Good choice on the trait. Remember that a Samurai, or Cavalier, is more than just a fighter with more skill points. They are dedicated to something, so keep that in mind while making the character.
Yes, the character will be dedicated to protecting his/her ward, whoever that might be at the time...his/her personal dedication is not to fail, to be a protector and to live up to his/her calling.
Can I take the Order of the Guard? It is usually a cavalier order, but is spot on for this character...
The edicts of the Order of the guard sum up the character's dedication...
Igmutanka (see above) will be a Spheres Rogue (Canny Scoundrel/Scout).
Still working on crunch, but here is my character's backstory:
Lydia Deverin is the niece of Sandpoint's mayor Kendra Deverin. She was just a young girl when her father, Wade, was brutally murdered by the serial killer Chopper. Her uncle Gaven took her in and helped raise her, setting her up as an apprentice at Two Knight Brewery. Both her father and uncle were devout followers of Abadar, and Lydia picked up the faith as well. She developed a strong love of her hometown and a fervent desire to keep it safe from any others who would cause it harm. But she also harbored a deep-set anger towards the man who took her father from her, a quiet, simmering rage that lurks just beneath the calm facade she projects towards others.
It was that combination of civic devotion and secret anger that awakened her psychic potential. One day, a glowing spiritual being manifested before her, a conglomeration of the collective subconscious of Sandpoint itself. It embodied the many secrets of the town waiting to be discovered, as well as righteous indignation against any who would threaten its citizens. Lydia dubbed it the Light of the Lost Coast, after Sandpoint's moniker, and invited it to share her consciousness with her. Together, they would root out the hidden dangers that lurked in the shadows. Together, they would save their city.
This is OSW's submission, Teminkar Tavuus, human Samurai (Yojimbo).
When Sandru offered Teminkar a job as a caravan guard, the young Tavuus saw this as a way out of his past, and a way to a better future. His family, the Tavuus clan, scattered on the outskirts of Sandpoint's farming belt own a reputation for petty larceny, are mostly drunks or worse and by most Sandpoint citizen's universal experience are all mean-spirited and, by the clan's own estimation, faultless - its always "someone else's fault." Teminkar couldn't be more different. Somehow, by his exploration of Sandpoint's lanes, alleys, taverns, markets and docks, the young lad formed a different view of life. Perhaps it was always in his nature, or perhaps a spark of intelligence or emotional maturity lacking in his kin, Teminkar found the world a dangerous place to be sure, but also a place of honor, and light and compacts between kindred souls, bonds of friendship.
Sandru could see the glint of promise in Teminkar's soul, and took the young lad under his wing, finding the boy a teacher in the way of the eastern blade, showing him how to survive the cold nights and long days of boredom and constant travel on the mercantile road. Always the boy impressed the caravanner with his personal sense of honor, the way he challenged himself to be more than he currently was, and his faultless dedication to protecting those weaker than himself, in stark contrast to his family of ne'erdowells and thuggish bullies.
For now, Teminkar has disowned his family, try as they might to entice him with wheedling promises or cajole him with empty threats. His sights are set higher, to a greater purpose, no longer a mere bodyguard, but an honorable protector...
Still have to choose a trait and purchase equipment. Speaking of which:
x 10 = 210 gold.
Here is Fane Nulvshanti (samuranitta’s submission). If you rule in favor of RAW with spell combat and ranged weapons I’ll take the Kendal archetype as well and replace Precise Shot with Weapon Fineese.
"Whats that mon ami? You want to have a nice chat while we play this card game? Alright I'll bite.
The name is Fane Nulvshanti, harrow-reader and fortune teller extraordinaire. Seeing as to the rumors I've heard about you, lets be honest with another oui?
I was born to the best people in the world, have you ever come across a traveling caravan of Varisian? Oh, mon ami, you will never find a more loving and expecting group of strangers. And it is to those people that I was born, to Dimitri and Petra Nulvshanti.
Oh the party we had, we were just the happiest family, traveling the world together with the entire caravan. All good things must come to an end though. Why are you looking at me like that. Oh, mon ami, they aren’t dead! They are very much alive and very much just as happy as they always were.
No mon ami, I got bored. To be honest I just wanted to get out, see the world, maybe make a little bit more coin on the side. I still keep in touch with my parents, in fact that’s what I’m doing here in Sandpoint. You see, an old friend of the caravan died recently, Madame Mvashti, you know her? Eh that’s fine. Either way, I promised my parents that I’d watch out for her daughter Koya.
Now it helps that I’ve been hearing a lot about this Bunyip Gang, here in town. You must have heard of them, oui? Heard they been giving Varisians a bad name if you know what I mean.
What’s that in my pocket? Nothing to worry about mon ami, just my harrow deck; I told you I’m a fortune teller. Will I tell your fortune right now? Well would you look at that, I won again, better luck next time mon ami; see you around."
Fane has a sharp face and long brown hair that he keeps tied up in a scarf around his head, tradition Varisian headwear. He has intense brown eyes that seem to scan a person up and down, reading them.
While he may not look like much in combat, Fane can quickly show his enemies that a razor sharp card thrown at just the right angle and power can be just as deadly as the starknife strapped to his belt.
An easy-going personality, Fane makes quick friends, but often has ulterior motives to making such relationships. A firm believer that having people who believe in you is better than pushing people away, Fane seeks out friends and the pleasures that the world has to offer.
Fane learned how to perform harrow readings from his mother and father, but never could quite tap into the divine power needed to make a reading of his own. But he studied people enough to learn to tell them what he wants, all of his readings are fake but he knows enough arcane magic to make it look real, to those tha aren’t looking too hard that is.
I would be interested is playing, I am fairly new to both Pathfinder and PbP, I was burnt out on 3.5 before pathfinder launched and didn't give it much of a thought till I came to the Forums looking for non PF games, now that I have taken a look I like the world that Paizo has built.
I have a druid I built for RotRL but didn't make the game he would enjoy exploring Sandpoint.
Here is Flynser Barshire, the halfling warpriest of Sarenrae. More background in the profile.
I’ll have a fleshed out backstory and character made by today.
Now, about me, I have to say that I am not English native speaker, that I live in Europe so my posting time could not totally agree with yours, and that I'm able to check the forums several times a day but maybe the second daily post would have to be through cell phone (which usually means less words). Those things needed to be said if I wanted to be honest to you.
Honesty works for me, as does posting from cell phone. Especially in combat, not every post needs to be very long. Since English is a second language, good choice going with a Shoanti character. Any quirks in your writing will fit in nicely with the character.
NPC relations was a good touch.
One heads up, since you're looking at using a spheres character, I expect you to be the rules expert there.
@He'sDeadJim
I like it. Archeologist with Lore Seeker is an excellent thematic choice for Sandpoint.
@Oceanshieldwolf
I like it. Sandpoint native who's recently returned after seeing the world a bit. hooks for foils and friends in the community.
@Brainiac
I like it, especially connecting the phantom's emotion to the runewell.
@Fane Nulvshanti
Hi Gambit. ^_^
@Jagael
All the way for Kelesh? Interesting. How did word Sandpoint reach them. The lost coast is a distant dreary place compared to the empire.
@dkwickman
Looking forward to it.
@Grimaldi Redhand
A druid coming to perform at the theater, now that's interesting.
Can I take the Order of the Guard? It is usually a cavalier order, but is spot on for this character...
Forgot to actually answer the question. Yes, that order would be fine.
Looking at the interactive map, Qadira to Riddleport is about 2,000 miles. The crusades from France to Israel traveled about 2000-2500 miles, the English traveled even farther. A pilgrimage of that length didn't seem too unreasonable, but I can change some things if you think it's a bit crazy for the setting (after all, medieval pilgrims didn't need to worry about kobolds, trolls, and direrats along the way).
EDIT: Rereading your question I realized I left out why Sandpoint. I doubt that Sandpoint was necessarily on their itinerary at the start, but as they traveled through Avistan, it seems the cathedral would have come up in conversation as they visited the holy sites of Sarenrae along the route.
Looks like a good time, and I'm always game for some Spheres action. I already had a spheres incanter that I really enjoyed playing from a Shattered Star game that had to stop from attrition, so I leveled him down and tweaked the background to fit with the listed campaign options. Let me know if you have any questions.
x 10 = 130
Ivan is a noble of House Kaddren from Magnimar… at least he was, before becoming exiled. The young man has a fondness for comfort and is a skilled magician, who discovered how easy it was to cheat at cards when you could manipulate time. Unfortunately, his penchant for cheating his way into the easy life caught up to him, and his cheating was discovered. His name saved him from any severe punishment, but it was the last thing it did for him. No longer welcome or recognized by his family after that debacle, Ivan took whatever he had and left. Hoping to go someplace that doesn’t know about his downfall, he hit the road, and it took him to Sandpoint. This rinky backwater town isn’t much, but hopefully he can make a name for himself here away from his exile.
Ivan Kaddren
Male human incanter 1
CG Medium humanoid (human)
Init +2; Senses Perception +1
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Defense
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AC 12, touch 12, flat-footed 10 (+2 Dex)
hp 8 (1d6+2)
Fort +1, Ref +3, Will +2
Weaknesses aligned combatant, energy focus, magical signs, somatic casting, somatic casting, verbal casting
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Offense
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Speed 50 ft., fast 10 ft.
Melee destructive blast -1 touch (1d4)
Incanter Spell-Like Abilities (CL 1st; concentration +5)
. . 3/day—slowing touch
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Statistics
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Str 8, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 18
Base Atk +0; CMB -1; CMD 11
Feats Extra Magic Talent, Extra Magic Talent
Traits affable, city born - magnimar
Skills Acrobatics +2 (+10 to jump), Bluff +5, Diplomacy +10 (+12 to gather information.), Intimidate +5, Knowledge (local) +6, Knowledge (nobility) +6, Linguistics +6, Perception +1
Languages Common, Kelish, Thassilonian, Varisian
SQ augment healing, agile feet (7/day), casting, cleric domains (liberation, travel), crystal blast, destructive blast, easy focus, extended range, haste, liberation (1 rounds/day), ranged teleport, ranged time, shift time, slow, specializations (cleric domain, cleric domain, sphere specialization [time]), teleport
Other Gear 130 gp
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Special Abilities
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Agile Feet (7/day) (Su) For 1 rd, you ignore difficult terrain.
Aligned Combatant (Good) Your destructive blast deals full damage only to creatures of your opposed alignment
Casting (CL 1, MSB +1, MSD 12, Concentration +5, DC 14) You can cast sphere effects.
Destruction: Crystal Blast Destructive Blast deals piercing damage (d4's) and can entangle target
Destruction: Destructive Blast 1d4 Ranged or melee touch attack deals 1d4 damage
Destruction: Extended Range Increase the range of your destructive blast
Easy Focus Maintaining a sphere effect takes a move action instead of a standard action
Energy Focus (Crystal) You may only make a destructive blast of a single energy type
Fast (10 feet) (Su) You gain a +10 bonus to your base movement speed
Incanter Domain (Liberation) Granted Powers: You are a spirit of freedom and a staunch foe against all who would enslave and oppress.
Incanter Domain (Travel) Granted Powers: You are an explorer and find enlightenment in the simple joy of travel, be it by foot or conveyance or magic. Increase your base speed by 10 feet.
Liberation (1 rounds/day) (Su) Act as if you had freedom of movement for 1 rounds/day.
Magical Signs Your use of magic is obvious to all observers
Slowing Touch (1 round, 3/day) (Sp) Touch attack staggers target
Somatic Casting You must have at least 1 hand free to use magic, and may be susceptible to ASF
Somatic Casting You must have at least 1 hand free to use magic, and may be susceptible to ASF
Time: Augment Healing Custom talent
Time: Haste Target can make an extra attack during a full attack
Time: Ranged Time Use alter time abilities at range
Time: Shift Time Target can "borrow" an action against their next turn
Time: Slow (DC 15) Target becomes staggered
Verbal Casting You must be able to speak aloud to use magic, and may be susceptible to ASF
Warp: Ranged Teleport Teleport other targets within Close range
Warp: Teleport You can teleport yourself as a standard action
Ok so I've made the actual character, unfortunately I didn't have the time to actually write a full backstory. Here he is though.
Traits and Backstory coming soon.
BTW: He's the Alias I'm posting as
EDIT: In terms of traits, I'm still a little stuck. I've thought about maybe the humble beginnings, which is a Varisian regional trait, just because I haven't found very good options for Butoka in terms of traits explaining why he's in Sandpoint, so some help would be greatly appreciated.
EDIT: also
@DM Red-Handed
Hahaha, sometimes the best characters already exist, gotta draw from somewhere.
So rarely do we get a chance to play with spheres of power/might, I had to try something different. I've decided to attempt a non-magical healer and buffer/debuffer, using the Doctor archetype for the Scholar. I don't have any crunch specifics yet, but he'll start with the rescued (Shalelu Andosana) campaign trait. I'm interested in seeing a nonmagical twist on the role usually filled by a cleric, and I know it'll be fun to roleplay.
Brom Arrano grew up in his father’s successful alchemy shop in Magnimar, Arrano’s Elixirs. He was always fascinated by the way his father could mix a few different herbs, dusts, or fungi together to create something entirely new and useful. As a child, he spent all his free time in the shop, watching his father work and talking to the customers. Growing up, he began to go along with his mother on her trips outside the city to gather the various ingredients for his father’s concoctions. It was another fascinating world to him; there was so much to learn, and his quick mind absorbed everything.
All was well in his young life until one day he and his mother were picking mushrooms in a birch grove just a few miles outside the city and were beset by a large rabid wolf. Thinking quickly, he threw a handful of spores into the face of the beast, causing it to stop its attack and begin sneezing fitfully. It was only temporary though, and as they were running away to the safety of the city walls the animal soon returned to the hunt and quickly gained on them. They thought it was all over and had turned to try defending themselves when a single arrow flew out of the woods to the side, putting the sick animal down for good. Panting heavily, leaning on each other for support, they saw a slender elf woman come out of the woods to the side of the road and casually pull the arrow from the wolf’s chest, clean blood off the arrowhead and put it back in her quiver. It was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.
That’s how he met Shalelu Andosana; running for his life and being saved at the last moment. Since then he has made an attempt to get closer to her, but was rebuffed. As soon as he was able, he took to the roads; travelling with caravans not as a guard, but as a healer. It was an opportunity not just to expand his horizons and learn from new experiences, but to give back a little, save other travelers as he’d once been saved. He’s only recently arrived in Sandpoint, passing through on his way home to Magnimar.
@Butoka - perhaps check the Jade Regent traits - with a slight twist I could see Best Customer, Best Friend, Caravan Guard, Childhood Crush, Foreign Tongued, Foster child, Friend of the Family, Hero Worship, Rescued or Student Survivalist all work for you...
Are we allowed to create our own Martial Tradition? Always following "common sense" and the authors' advices, of course. I was thinking about something the likes of:
Knife Fighter
-Rogue Weapon Training
-Unarmored Training
-Fencing Sphere
-Choice between a Fencing talent or the Dual Wielding Sphere
More or less.
x10= 140g
Exactly as the average states, so ok.
Ok, purchased equipment relevant to former profession as caravan guard and chose the Cynical Ear trait to reflect growing up with a bunch of heavy scumbags.
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*10=150 GP
Right, below average, however I don't need to spend as much on armor due to my Archetype, so this works out... Except for the Katana :P that is still extremely expensive.
Also, Just a quick question regarding the Tengu swordtrained trait:
Would this grant me proficiency with all blares, or just those in say- the fighter weapon group "heavy blades"
aldori dueling sword, ankus, bastard sword, chakram, cutlass, double chicken saber, double walking stick katana, elven curve blade, estoc, falcata, falchion, flambard, great terbutje, greatsword, katana, khopesh, klar, longsword, nine-ring broadsword, nodachi, rhoka sword, sawtooth sabre, scimitar, scythe, seven-branched sword, shotel, sickle-sword, split-blade sword, switchscythe, temple sword, terbutje, two-bladed sword
Blades, Light
bayonet, broken-bak seax, butterfly knife, butterfly sword, chakram, dagger, deer horn knife, dogslicer, drow razor, dueling dagger, gladius, hunga munga, kama, katar, kerambit, kukri, machete, madu (leather/steel), manople, pata, quadrens, rapier, sanpkhang, sawtooth sabre, scizore, short sword, sica, sickle, spiral rapier, starknife, sword cane, swordbreaker dagger, wakizashi, war razor
I mean, the trait gives me a huge Variety of weapons to pick from, but I'd like to know my limits, haha