The Orona Colonies (Inactive)

Game Master Medvejonok

Looking for 4 players for a Play By Post game in a homebrew setting.

Players will take on the roles of characters in the young colonies on the continent of Orona, recently settled by the mostly human island nation of Veda. The continent's previous civilizations collapsed nearly a thousand years ago after nature went on a rampage. Brave colonists are attempting to retake the land, unsure of many of the challenges that will face them. Will give special consideration to a good scholar/archaeologist character concept who will then get a say in what other characters are selected.

More information about the setting here: overview of setting.

Be ready to communicate. If I have to put in work hounding you about getting ready for the campaign or posting regularly, I will get grumpy. I will of course be available to answer questions and help people prepare.

We will use Discord to post, chat, and roll.

Character Creation:

Disruptive players will be replaced - I don’t like putting up with difficult people, and I don’t like making good players put up with difficult people.

Will make final choice of players by the 31st of Dec 2018.

To apply, post link to proposed character here with a concisely written backstory. Extra points to players whose backstory does not involve the tragic loss of their family. Extra extra points to players whose backstory demonstrates they are a 1st level character who does not have heaps of experience fighting their way through the hoards that brought about the above tragic loss of their family.

Dot. Going investigator (empiricist). LG and seeking to bring civilization back to the wilderness...in an orderly fashion and with all receipts certified

Dotting. I may take you up on that archeologist offer as well.

Just a quick clarification regarding my intentions to use Discord. The reason I want to do that is so I can post pictures of the layout of encounters, NPCs, and other graphics that might enhance the experience.

If all that can be done over the campaign forums here, and someone would be kind enough to explain how, then we can go that way.

Your world looks extremely interesting after a glance over, could one potentially play as a distant relative (or even descendant) of Aeluald Alel, or even of Hypea? I think, depending on your plans, he could be looking into what exactly happened those years ago, or trying to find proof of a connection to Hypea (or Aeluald). Do you have any thoughts on this? If this would be improbable, I have a couple other ideas.

Your world looks extremely interesting after a glance over, could one potentially play as a distant relative (or even descendant) of Aeluald Alel, or even of Hypea? I think, depending on your plans, he could be looking into what exactly happened those years ago, or trying to find proof of a connection to Hypea (or Aeluald). Do you have any thoughts on this? If this would be improbable, I have a couple other ideas.

Hey rorek55. That could make for an interesting story. If descended of Hypea, how did your ancestors wind up in the upstart island nation of Veda before all the madness began? Or did they end up somewhere even more exotic? Did they escape during or before the catastrophe for that matter?

Being a decendent of the Ved family (Aluald or Alel) would make them a noble in the current nation of Veda. They have officially distanced themselves from the colonies, so that would make it near impossible for a Ved scion to be involved in this enterprise.

While I appreciate the eager responses of players wanting to take on the scholar/archaeologist role, said scholar will need the right blend of support/muscle on their journey ;)

I wasnt set in stone on the idea, it was just one that popped into my mind as I read over the setting.

I haven't thought too much about how the ancestor got to the island, possibly a bastard, some hidden child, or a grandchild (unsure if that is applicable, it doesn't quite seem likely) maybe there was someone that foresaw the catastrophe and so took him away, maybe he just got lucky and was in some ship or on some expedition when the catastrophe happened. But I think before would be best, that way there is still the question of what happened exactly.

If he is a descendant of Hypea, I'm not quite sure which would be more in line with how you think things would have happened for it to come about.

And if you like this idea, he certainly doesn't have to be the scholar/archeologist. He could just be looking for the opportunity to find out for sure if he is connected to the "ancient" line.

Matter of fact, if I go with this idea I think I'll likely make him an Imperious or Vestige bloodline sorcerer, I feel that's thematic or... maybe, if we prefer a darker Avenue, a demonic or devilish bloodline.

Just a quick clarification regarding my intentions to use Discord. The reason I want to do that is so I can post pictures of the layout of encounters, NPCs, and other graphics that might enhance the experience.

If all that can be done over the campaign forums here, and someone would be kind enough to explain how, then we can go that way.

I post pictures/links all the time. No reason you can't do that here. You just use the URL tag. {URL=HTTP://Picture URL/Picture.JPG}Picture Description{/URL} (But replace the curly ques with brackets).

For example :

The massive platinum dragon raises up in the air, making the ground shudder for miles around. It's massive wings unfurl, and block out the sun as it roars in annoyance at the humans gathered off in the near distance.

I do maps in Google Drive, putting them in as images, and then add more on top, to layer them. This lets me put a map down, cover up sections with black objects then put a transparent square over the whole map, and then finally paste in tokens for the NPCs. (See the campaigns on my profile and take a look at the maps, especially the 'maze of the elements' on my #1 game I'm running, it has 4 massive maps, and tokens for all the PCs and NPCs involved.

Thanks mdt, I may end up doing that.

Looking for 4 players for a Play By Post game in a homebrew setting.

Players will take on the roles of characters in the young colonies on the continent of Orona, recently settled by the mostly human island nation of Veda. The continent's previous civilizations collapsed nearly a thousand years ago after nature went on a rampage. Brave colonists are attempting to retake the land, unsure of many of the challenges that will face them. Will give special consideration to a good scholar/archaeologist character concept who will then get a say in what other characters are selected.

More information about the setting here: overview of setting.

Be ready to communicate. If I have to put in work hounding you about getting ready for the campaign or posting regularly, I will get grumpy. I will of course be available to answer questions and help people prepare.

We will use Discord to post, chat, and roll.

Character Creation:** spoiler omitted **

Disruptive players will be replaced - I don’t like putting up with difficult people, and I don’t like making...

=(

Interested in this. Haven't read the full document yet. I have a thing for druids atm. Would a druid wanting to find out why the nature apocalypse happened and help ensure it isn't triggered again be an appropriate character?

Are traits a thing? If so, how do they work in this setting?

Interested in this. Haven't read the full document yet. I have a thing for druids atm. Would a druid wanting to find out why the nature apocalypse happened and help ensure it isn't triggered again be an appropriate character?

Yup, definitely.

Are traits a thing? If so, how do they work in this setting?

Yes, two traits apiece. Obviously no campaign or location specific traits will fit.

Extra extra points to players whose backstory demonstrates they are a 1st level character who does not have heaps of experience fighting their way through the hoards that brought about the above tragic loss of their family.

This alone makes me want to apply. All to often the amount of lvl 1 middle-aged veterans of countless battles that somehow reached the AP's starting location from their homeland that's literally on the other side of the planet is plain depressing.

That aside, are we using background skills?

Have read through it all now. Would definitely like my druid to be part of the Agermancy institution. Sent to help the new settlements prosper. Just a novice druid.

Have read through it all now. Would definitely like my druid to be part of the Agermancy institution. Sent to help the new settlements prosper. Just a novice druid.

:) I'm happy that caught you attention.

That aside, are we using background skills?

Mmmm, we probably should, shouldn't we.

This seems like a super cool idea - I love the whole colonization aspect and it is a really intriguing setting.

I was wondering if I could receive some more information about the Institute Arcana in Rhaley. Just off the top of my head, I was thinking about maybe a young Archivist bard sent from the Institute to Orona to collect and gather information about the mostly unexplored contient - in particular the uniqueness of a “magic-made” continent.

I was wondering if I could receive some more information about the Institute Arcana in Rhaley. Just off the top of my head, I was thinking about maybe a young Archivist bard sent from the Institute to Orona to collect and gather information about the mostly unexplored contient - in particular the uniqueness of a “magic-made” continent.

The Institute Arcana in Rhaley gets funding from the Vedan state, which has a very insular approach. The state is not fond of the colonization efforts, though they make no open moves to oppose them.

Further, the institute's board is run by some very traditionally minded old wizards.

So I'm not saying that a young archivist bard would find it impossible to get the Institute's official sanction on something like this, but it would certainly be a lot easier to go with another organization.

The Blue Lantern Society, publishers of the bi-weekly Blue Lantern, would love something like this, not to mention they're more fond of freewheeling bards than the traditionalists at the IA.

Or, feel free to pitch an idea for an organization of your own devising. I do so enjoy a little player participation in world crafting.

I wasnt set in stone on the idea, it was just one that popped into my mind as I read over the setting.

I haven't thought too much about how the ancestor got to the island, possibly a bastard, some hidden child, or a grandchild (unsure if that is applicable, it doesn't quite seem likely) maybe there was someone that foresaw the catastrophe and so took him away, maybe he just got lucky and was in some ship or on some expedition when the catastrophe happened. But I think before would be best, that way there is still the question of what happened exactly.

If he is a descendant of Hypea, I'm not quite sure which would be more in line with how you think things would have happened for it to come about.

And if you like this idea, he certainly doesn't have to be the scholar/archeologist. He could just be looking for the opportunity to find out for sure if he is connected to the "ancient" line.

Matter of fact, if I go with this idea I think I'll likely make him an Imperious or Vestige bloodline sorcerer, I feel that's thematic or... maybe, if we prefer a darker Avenue, a demonic or devilish bloodline.

The ideas and possibilities are already bubbling in my mind. I like it.

=(

?

The Institute Arcana in Rhaley gets funding from the Vedan state, which has a very insular approach. The state is not fond of the colonization efforts, though they make no open moves to oppose them.

Further, the institute's board is run by some very traditionally minded old wizards.

So I'm not saying that a young archivist bard would find it impossible to get the Institute's official sanction on something like this, but it would certainly be a lot easier to go with another organization.

The Blue Lantern Society, publishers of the bi-weekly Blue Lantern, would love something like this, not to mention they're more fond of freewheeling bards than the traditionalists at the IA.

Or, feel free to pitch an idea for an organization of your own devising. I do so enjoy a little player participation in world crafting.

Awesome! Thank you for the response - I like the idea of the Blue Lanterns and I think it better fits the concept I’m brewing in my head. I’m conceptualizing a new recruit to the organization who is naive and desperate for his big break, so he volunteers himself to go to Orona to do some “on the ground” research. Perhaps the Blue Lanterns do not even really have a vested interest in his success, but perhaps they’ll be surprised!

I’d love anymore information about the Blue Lanterns that you have!

I’d love anymore information about the Blue Lanterns that you have!

Information I have? Or information I make up on the spot? ;)

The Blue Lantern Society was formed officially in the year 754 of the New Vedan Calendar, though its roots go back at least a half dozen decades before that: storytellers, lorekeepers, bards, poets, and all manner of free spirited, lore loving people would gather informally under the blueish light of Alas when full, to tell tales, drink lightly, and dance to songs of old glories.

If ever there were a publication that embodied the bard's zeal for remembering greatness and inspiring the imaginations of its readers, the Blue Lantern was it.

But even the love child of bards, conceived under the light of the Blue Moon, is subject to fossilization over time. As the adventurous, romantic founders of the Blue Lantern Society grew old and passed, in swept entrepreneurs eager to capitalize on The Blue Lantern's reputation and ability to sell editions.

One would hardly recognize the Society today. Gone are most of the free spirits, replaced by hard nosed business men eager to publish and republish formats that sell, as well as to squeeze all the money they can out of their formidable library in Rhaley.

Can a young, adventurous, independent initiate make a name for himself in a society like this, or will he be forever butting heads with supervisors seeking to stifle his creativity?

I have an idea for a Halfling Hunter who is full of zeal and exploration. Not sure if I want her to be a mainlanders or and islander. Either way I want them to have some interesting fun.

The other idea I have is a bloodrager or barbarian type that is running from his past to the island to make sure he isnt followed and can still smash and bash his way through whatever comes his way.(ie barbarian therapy)

Medevjonok. Before I get to into the reasoning for a descendant of Hypea being on the island, couple of questions for you.

1. Would you rather the reason my characters ancestors managed to escape the catastrophe, be shrouded in mystery and you fill in the backstory as the game goes (more work on your parts but the idea intrigues me, perhaps with collaboration with me, or purely for you to have fun with.)

2. Or my character know how his ancestors avoided the event on the mainland, and merely be seeking evidence of his lineage and knowledge of what exactly happened?

If 2, then I have several more questions, but I'll hold off on them until the above is answered.

Neither will change a whole lot about the character personally, just exact motivational drivers and same minor characteristics.

Though I could come up with something for scenario #1, I'm quite curious to hear your ideas for #2.

Do please ask your questions for number two.

Just asking about your opinions I would say that the only difference between the two ideas I asked about would be whether or not my character would know how his ancestor managed to survive, in 1, he is still looking for the same things as in the 2nd option, but he also wouldn't know how they got to the island.

1. Would a bastard child be plausible from Hypea lineage? If so, would there have been anyone to even hide it away or would it have been accepted?

2. Would there have been anyone that foresaw the catastrophe, and so secreted away a child just in time.

3. Could someone in the line have made a pact with demons/devils? And So been spared from the catastrophe.

1. Bastards are either indispensable to the royal line, or unacceptable. To make oneself indispensable, one works very closely with the throne providing valuable, often unsavory services: an assassin, spy, military commander, or royal mage. To be anything else, a bastard makes oneself a great liability to the crown.

2. The catastrophe was not like a nuclear bomb, so there might have been time to react after the fact, though most Oronans thought to fight for survival, and few common people had access to well supplied ships that could make a 2,000 mile journey by sea to Veda.
The dwarves (and other subterranean races) burrowed deeper, cutting themselves off from outside trade.
The primary elf population retreated into the feyfolds, also into deep isolation, though some few small pockets of elves somehow managed to scrape by.
Other islands exist, closer tot he continent. Some pockets of humanity may have scraped by on such islands for a time before establishing contact with the Vedans.
Some, by pure luck, were on Veda for their own reasons when catastrophe struck
And yes, it is entirely possible someone may have foreseen that something was about to go horribly wrong.

3. Oh yes, in fact there was a lot of that. Many small groups of orcs, elves, and humans made such pacts. Given their history, such a pact would be considered especially shocking and heinous for a descendant of the Hypean line who were so renowned for fighting pact making demons. Though there are many types of patrons who might have sheltered small populations, and not all of them evil.

I think I'll do a mix of truths/half truths. 1000 years is a long time and rumors legends and other things can distort things. Also, I'm assuming that a descendant of the line of Hypea would keep it rather Quiet about it to most if not all people?

A thousand years is a long time to make any kind of fuss about it for that matter. How many descendants are there of Genghis Khan? Charlemagne? Henry VIII? Aristotle? Even if only one descendant of Hypea survived the disaster, that one has had a thousand years to multiply and mingle with the population of Veda. Half the population of Veda could conceivably share that ancestor by now.

That's true, mostly it was for setting up a background, and the like, though it's just as likely that the line died out or the like as it was to have spread alot.

This certianly looks interesting- I'll give an application a go, should have one up later today. Thinking a rogue (scout) halfling girl who's used to and prefers the wilder edges of the new colonies, challenging herself with adventuring further inland than most, only recently being mature enough to do so successfully. She's helped keep up defenses around wherever she lives, and always hopes to find something cool/interesting, like a waterfall, ruin, or wild animal. Probably chaotic good to reflect her youthful positivity and rough & tumble frontier mindset. Living in a colony at the fringes of civilization tends to make civilization's demands all the more chafing, yaknow?

Hello ChloePech.

More interesting ideas!

Perhaps she is one of the outriders of Riverhall? Riverhall is a prosperous farming community with good livestock and a soil that favors orchards that grow famously deliscious apples and pears.

The community, which has a sizeable halfling population, founded the outriders mainly to protect their roaming herds, but they also played a key role in the recent goblinoid wars. No wonder goblinoids have come to hate horses and dogs so.

More interesting ideas!

Oh that's perfect! Let me know anything important about the outriders that comes up, but that sounds awesome!!!

Medvejonok wrote:

More interesting ideas!

Oh that's perfect! Let me know anything important about the outriders that comes up, but that sounds awesome!!!

Well, the halfling outriders have housed their clans together in and around Riverhill, the unsurprisingly named large hill near Riverhall. From grand and lavish buroughs, like that owned by councilman Fernon Brightboughs, down to the humblest little tunneled abode, all homes in Riverhill are at the very least sturdy and comfortable.

The people of Riverhall go all out for harvest festivals each year, traditionally having an outrider parade then.

Their ranks even hood a few elves, migrants from nearby nomadic tribes.

Any thoughts on a half orc bloodrager seeking too flee to this island

Any thoughts on a half orc bloodrager seeking too flee to this island

Setting wise, we're looking to run this game mainly on the large continent where people from the island are beginning colonization.

Orc blood no longer carries quite the taboo it did a milenia ago, but many still remember how their race first arose through pacts with a cabal of arch demons who conquered much of the continent.

Will post a bit more when I get home from work

Full blooded orcs heading to Veda after Emperor Hypeathean's Purge? Nope, not gonna let them in. Even with their demonic mutations purged, the memory of their war was too fresh - orcs were the civilized world's boogeymen.

Half-orcs did begin appearing. War is war, after all, especially when you've got demon-mutated creatures doing what they will with their victims. Some of these victims made it to Veda before birthing their half-breed offspring. Some managed to find a life in Veda.

Far more orcs (and half orcs) remained behind, and due to Hypeathean's curse, fled the light, burrowing under mountains.

A few tribes managed to re-adapt to the light by breeding with humans, and though most of them were wiped out in the madness that spilled across the continent during the Catastrophe, some of these light dwelling half-orcs colonized islands South of Prosper Bay.

Thanks to historians and diviners, the Vedans have been aware of these scattered island tribes, and contact has already been initiated with them. It is not far fetched for an expedition to take on such fearsome and hardy creatures.

So out of curiosity, since I didnt see it in rhe campaign info, whats the nature of the party gonna be exactly? I mean I take it its some sort of expedition/exploratory force, but if theres any more info I'd love to have it to help make my character's backstory cohese with the campaign better.

It's going to begin with an expedition to explore some recently discovered ruins.

From there, I want to give the group choices.

You can continue on trying to grow a chapter of whatever organization sponsors the expedition, or you can look for other possibilities. Hunt bandits, scout out resources and land for expansion of the colonies, delve into the lairs of fearsome beasts, maybe eventually found your own settlement...

There are going to lot's of choices, and I'll do my best to work with where you guys head with those choices.

Hey, I made the character, all things subject to change of course. Unchained Rogue Knifemaster/Scout with a whole lot of ambition and excitement and a whole lot of youthful foolishness.

Let me know whatchya think, if you have anything you'd change or like to see answered :)

=(

Still wanting to play that elf arcanist?

Hey, I made the character, all things subject to change of course. Unchained Rogue Knifemaster/Scout with a whole lot of ambition and excitement and a whole lot of youthful foolishness.

** spoiler omitted **

Let me know whatchya think, if you have anything you'd change or like to see answered :)

Looks good. She's going to have challenges with 5 str, but that's your call. I like the description of her family situation.

Looks good. She's going to have challenges with 5 str, but that's your call.

Hey, whats more fun than a major weakness *that doesn't render you actually useless* that's prime material for insecurities and banter?

Okay Have an Idea for an islander Half-Orc persued by her people due to her unique family tree (She is Salamander Blooded). Her Sisters (All empowered where raised to become Shamans, Sorcerors, Summoners or Witches for the tribe (As they live near a Volcano[if possible]) She, however, has escaped as she doesn't wish to lose her warrior spirit.

Fueled by glorious flames of freedom(her rage) she has managed to avoid her captors and finally get off the island!

[See her with a Trident,Flachion, Javelins, with Cestus and Daggers. AS being on an island is well versed in fishing]

HHHdxSMH wrote:

=(

Still wanting to play that elf arcanist?

Yes I would unless you need something else.

Are occult classes allowed? Aside from sorcerer, I had an idea for an occultist