And so begins another adventure...
How debutante.
How crocodilian!
How squamously dapper?
I'm not witty.
Oh, hi. We're posting!
Now that everyone has checked in here, I’m going to be making the other campaign inactive to clear our campaign tabs. If anyone wants to snag anything while it’s still there, and move it here, go for it. I’ll wait until tomorrow or the next day to do so.
This seems like a campaign where a Skald could add value. I think Croquelle will be a War Drummer and Fated Champion. She won't grant Teamwork feats but she'll buff her martial buddies in other ways (especially if they use STR to attack).
@The Trifecta: For all the new characters, I would like a small paragraph about their Legacy Item and its ties to the old characters.
For example, Galatea's Legacy Item is Setsuna's old Ring of Invisibility. Jeevika wore it during the Treerazer War, but during the final battle with Treerazer himself, Jeeves' shield hand (where the item rested) was badly damaged and nearly destroyed. As such, for years, the ring was thought forever lost in the Tanglebriar. Thankfully, it was very recently recovered by one of House Kailani's most loyal allies.
@Jaya: I believe your Legacy Item was a Ring of Wizardry I. Is that correct? I couldn't find anything about it on your character sheet.
Aurealia's bracers probably come from Eugeni, Argor or William Lightstaff. Perhaps Shalelu had one of them make the bracers as gift for her adopted daughter upon graduating from William's academy. What's the name of the school again?
As things are unfolding in the conclusion of Absalom...I’m forseeing some changes to Argor’s Future and this games past. Heh
Argor could win her back in time potentially, as Gianluca said. She's not exactly thinking clearly at the moment.
As a heads up, my current plans for Argor are for him to have participated in Shattered Star, to have helped Jeevika with a certain anti-Runelord activity or two, to have worked on some magical academic work with Eugeni, and to presently be the Vice Primarch of Absalom (a position literally invented just for him).
I’ve been kicking my idea around, and mechanically there will be no change, but background wise he felt a bit of a stretch for a legacy character. So, instead, I’m going to play Cai’nan Blakros, Argor’s son who indeed did become lost in the Mwangi Expanse, But has since returned, after adopting a connection to nature and learning the Druidic arts from the shaman of the tribe who saved him.
I can only imagine Argor's reaction when his long lost son suddenly returns home not only as a fullcaster but also with a big T-Rex in tow.
Jelani, thanks for suggesting Skald (even though I didn't go with the Teamwork-sharing archetype, in part because some of the crunch has a very courtly feel). I'd read it (and half-way built a character) before but hadn't remembered much. It's a more interesting class than I'd realized.
It's a bit out of the price range for a legacy item, but I'm curious anyway: How exactly does a War Drum of Savagery work?
- What's the action to start playing it? And to continue playing it?
- Can allies decline the effect (like they could a Raging Song)? Or would they need to save against it if they wanted to? (I suspect being an ally needs to be mutual, and so one can at any moment elect to not be included in 'ally' for a particular person or effect.)
At any rate, I think my item will be a +1 courageous, furious, adamantine greatclub, with the head-end molded like the learing ogre-moon-face of Haggakal the ogre god whose areas of concern (I just learned) include "inbreeding". ;0)
It will have been a prize captured from a ogre priest-chieftain boss, when Shalelu led the Black Arrows finally cleared them out...and it's now Croquelle's prized drumstick.
EDIT
Draft crunch in profile.
Yeah, no problem.
I think I'm pretty much ready to go whenever.
Just a bit of fluff to finish, but otherwise this is the alias. Maybe a little tweaking.
Might not want to go all in on Courageous on the weapon... Unless of course CDL wants to house rule it back in :-)
And yeah, it was a Ring of Wizardry I.
The ring itself has been passed down parent to child (or grandchild when there was no one of sufficient worth) for generations long before it made it to Auronee and then to Jaya. Aside from the Farwyn crest, it bears a miniature arcane mark along the band from each of her ancestors that have born it.
Cai’nan’s Item is a suit of +1 Glammered Wild Green Dragonhide Fullplate.
Upon his return from being lost in the Expanse, Argor was relieved and jubilant at his sons return, as were his younger siblings Abasi, Bethania, and Lana. Argor was also exhaled to see that his son had finally become capable in magic during his exile.
However, the honeymoon period of his return soon faded, and Argor again began pushing his heir to embrace arcane arts. The rift soon grew once more, and Cai’nan declared he was setting out again. His siblings convinced him to keep to safer shores, and told him of William’s enterprise in Varisia. Cai’nan decided to head there. However, before he left, his father attempted to make amends with his son. He apologized for his behavior, and presented him with a suit of armor suitable for the best of the archdruids in the world.
The two spoke at some length on the docks, and managed to even part ways on good terms, though it was accepted by both that the two would never see eye to eye.
Generally trying to not appear flashy, or even as a noble, Cai’nan usually keeps the armor in mundane appearances, basic travelers clothes or leathers with a hood and cloak.
@Aurealia: I don't recall the Lightstaff-Silva School ever getting a formal name. Lana simply called it the School.
In Aurealia's background, you might want to amend "with (Thron) and (Gyr) in her pack" to be just "with Croquelle in her pack" instead.
Finally, you can't take Strong Wings and Windy Escape as spells. Strong Wings is a racial spell for Strix, and Windy Escape is a racial spell for Sylphs. Racial spells are exclusive to a certain race.
@Croquelle: The text says "If the drummer plays the war drums of savagery as part of a bardic performance...", so starting and continuing to play the drums would happen simultaneously with the same actions as starting and maintaining the bardic performance.
Allies can just decline the effect. No save necessary.
@Cai’nan: You need to add some feats to Rexy. Going by your choice in armor for them, you'll want to take Light Armor Proficiency and Medium Armor Proficiency. Otherwise, Rexy will be taking a massive armor penalty check to their attack rolls.
Cwethan, thanks for that link.
CDL, (per Cwethan's link) looks like Courageous has been nerfed. Your call about is you're keeping the old wording or the new but (as suggested) it'll effect whether or not I take it!
EDIT: also
For the Drum, using it as part of a Bardic Performance seems clear, I agree...but it can be used by non-Bards (or, presumably, by Bards who aren't using rounds of performance). In that case, is it still a Free action to keep playing it, as it would be during a Bardic Performance?
When war drums of savagery are beaten rhythmically during battle, all of the drummer’s allies within 60 feet of the drums who can hear the pounding gain the effects of the rage spell. This effect lasts for as long as the drummer continues to play, but once the drumming stops, the effect can’t begin again for 1 day.
Also, I'm thinking about taking the Master Performer feat, which includes "Kitharodian Academy 15 TPA" in the requirements. How do you want to play that requirement in this campaign?
Thanks!
Yeah, I was just editing the background when I saw these posts. It had several ghosts of earlier drafts copy pasted in with it. Should be fixed now.
Re spells: Lame, but whatever. I'll take them off my list and take my 70gp back.
While folks are picking spells, Croquelle wouldn't object if someone wants to take Enlarge Person!
I know that, but it takes a whole round to cast. Buy me a wand.
Edit: Speaking of which, are we allowed to buy partially charged wands?
Yeah, I had those on my paper build and forgot to move the feats to the alias. Fixed.
@Aurealia: Regarding buying partially charged wands, sure. Paizo does that all the time in their APs.
@Croquelle: I'll have to think about Courageous. While I don't always agree with Paizo's nerfs, this one I can somewhat understand; at higher levels, the bonuses become pretty crazy for a +1 weapon ability. For now, might I recommend Heartseeker instead?
Since the drums are magical and bardic performance is the only offered guidelines for actions, we'll say that a free action to keep playing them.
Let me think about Master Performer as well.
In that case, Gyr, I can buy a partially charged wand of Enlarge Person and you can either give me some gold for it, or I'll get this one and you buy another one when it runs out.
CDL - Can I take aspect of the beast at some point?
@Thron: Will you be using a weapon of some sort? I don't see anything listed in Cai'nan's profile.
@Jelani: Sure. Skinwalkers technically have a form of lycanthropy.
Haven’t decided on what yet, but most likely until I can wild shape.
CDL Thanks for considering how you want to handle Courageous and Master Performer (which I wouldn't take until ~5th level at any rate). Thanks for suggesting Heartseaker too, and for ruling on how the Drum would work. I think a weapon is likely my Legacy item. It might just end up as a +2 furious adamantine greatclubdrumstick.
After reading the drum more carefully, it doesn't do much for a Skald mechanically...but I still feel like a magic drum (likely captured from some ogres or whatnot) *could* be an awesome Legacy item. Do you have any suggestions for one (perhaps something custom)?
Jelani, great, I'm still figuring out my purchases--partly dependent on me settling on what my Legacy item is--but I will put at least 75 toward the wand (for 5 charges)...and will hopefully have more available.
Cool, I'll throw another 300 GP on it.
Can you make wands out of range personal spells?
I'm reasonably sure you can't.
Sorry! Yes, but you still can't cast it on others. I was thinking of potions. You can't make potions of personal spells.
Okay, that's what I thought. I was thinking of using them on myself anyway.
@Croquelle: I'd probably go with the drumstick. None of Paizo's existing drums seem to be worth the gold besides the Drums of Haste, which are too expensive to be a Legacy Item. Perhaps we could reskin another existing instrument as a set of drums, but I honestly don't know of any worth the money.
@Aurealia: Kallie would be correct. Besides spell level, there's no restrictions on what spells wands can hold; if memory serves, back when he was a Bloodrager, Eugeni actually had a Wand of Shield.
@Everyone: I'm basically ready to start whenever. Before proceeding, we just need Jaya and Kallie to be adjusted to Level 2.
We'll start with a quick (relatively speaking for PbP), plot-relevant prologue to get a feel for the characters and then jump straight into the AP. Book 1 will largely mirror Rise's Burnt Offerings: a mostly self-contained adventure that offers the new PCs a chance to coming into their own as individuals. Unlike Paizo's trailer, the Rise/Absalom characters will still be around for Book 1; they'll just be busy dealing with certain matters more suited to their level of power.
Given their starting strength, mighty Legacy Items, and sheer numbers, the Legacy crew will be more than capable of handling the problems plaguing Roderick's Cove...
Probably gonna go with a scimitar and the matching Masterwork Green Dragonhide Heavy Shield to my armor (though it isn’t enchanted). Made gear adjustments to the alias.
Also: lurking in Legacy roll20. Just gave CDL GM status there.
Oh, for posterity:
I'll just post the character guidelines here. Once again, credit to Thron for providing the basis from either the original Legacies or Rise.
Starting Level: Level 2. Return of the Runelords covers Levels 1-20, so starting at Level 2 a little early likely won't unbalance anything.
Stats: 20 Point Buy.
Classes: All Paizo classes, archetypes, and books are allowed. No Third Party material.
HP: Max HP for Level 1. Half + 1 for every Level afterward. This standard applies for PCs and any class feature companions they might have.
Drawbacks: I will be allowing Drawbacks.
Traits: Two with one being a campaign trait from the Return of the Runelords Player's Guide. With a drawback, you have the potential for three traits total.
Wealth: 1,000 gp plus a Legacy Item up to 25,000 gp (e.g. Galatea's Ring of Invisibility).
Background Skills
Legacy: Similar to the first Legacies, I would also like each new character to have a connection to a prior PC (e.g. Zoli, Jeeves, Argor) or major NPC (e.g. Auronee, Elthariel).
Don't worry too much about healing. Similar to Placidus from Apollonia, Galatea will be accompanying the group.
Hey y'all,
I'm heads down writing today and tomorrow, but ready to start on Thursday.
Looking forward to it!
The prologue has been posted. Until it ends, I'll allow everyone to keep tweaking their character builds.
@Aurealia and Croquelle: While your starting entry is written to cover both Andosana sisters, you two aren't necessarily in the same party like Kallie, Jaya, and Cai’nan. Feel free to stick together or do your own thing.
@Kallie, Jaya, and Cai’nan: That said, if you three want to split up, that's fine as well; you only arrived in Roderic’s Cove as a group.
Before I post, Jaya: how open have you been about being Auronee’s daughter?
For my part, Cai’nan usually introduces himself along the lines of ”Cai’nan. Just Cai’nan.”
Not that he’s ashamed of his lineage, he just avoids the drama associated with it, and his general distaste for his father’s treatment of him over the years is hard to shake.
So, very few people even know he’s a Blakros. Even fewer know his father is Argor Constantine. William likely knows and respects this.
By the way, I think Croquelle's given name is probably Roquelle...but she's gotten the nickname Croquelle (as well as just Croc) in town, and she wears it proudly. Elders or more respectable folks might not use the "C".
While she often walks through town in half-elven form, she feels most physically comfortable in her scaleheart shape, so she spends much of her home leisure in it...and when she gives performances, they're often under the name Croquelle, and in full skinwalker form.
EDIT
Dunno if you need it, but I'm very happy to have Croq be a friend of Audrahni, as they're both somewhat misfit elves (and it sounds like Audrahni likes to dance, so presumably likes music).
I imagined 'Elle to be Aurealia's personal nickname for Croquelle, like something only she and maybe also Shalelu say. I'm also imagining Aurealia as the older sister.
She can be older. Elle is going to be fun loving, charming (I hope), a bit distractible, and not the fastest on the uptake.
Oh, and her sound aspires to be some Golarion equivalent of Led Zeppelin, The Stones, Queen, Aerosmith...and as close to Hendrix as one can get by just playing the drums and singing.
She'll have operatic mood swings befitting all the above, but mostly doesn't take things too seriously.
I'm still figuring Aurealia out. Her resemblance to a vampire has me leaning towards her being a jaded goth-type who's bored with everything in Roderick's Cove and really wants to become one of the next Sihedron Heroes. But at the same time, she would never disrespect mother by leaving town without her blessing. This little outing is one of her attempts to prove to Shalelu that she (and by extension Croquelle) are ready for the Real World where all the monsters and stuff are.
I just realized...Cai’nan is the only Male in the group. Hahaha! The pressure is real...
Pretty much the same as in the previous campaign. She uses her last name, but we're pretty far from Absalom and Oppara, and Auronee kept a relatively low profile in Kaer Maga. She certainly doesn't go around explaining her parentage unless someone asks, or she's decided to explain the whole 'experimented on as a toddler' thing.
I think I just found THE CANONICAL IMAGE OF CAI'NAN'S T-REX (as an animated gif, no less!!)