GM Lorenzo's Curse of the Crimson Throne Adventure Path (Inactive)

Game Master Lawrence Smith 2

This Tagline Template offers a basic setup for your own PC's PbP tagline, providing vital information at a glance. Please, modify/adapt it to your own PC's crucial needs.

Please ensure you have an updated stat block associated with your PC and any companions or familiars.
For those using Hero Lab, it's quite simple.
Under the "File" tab, select "Output Hero Statblock." In the pop-up menu, select the "BBCode" tab and click on the "Copy" button.
In your PC's Paizo profile, click on the "Edit My Profile" button. Then paste it into the "About [Your PC's Name]" block near the bottom of the page.

Got some questions? Post them here in the Discussion thread.

When you're ready, use this thread to introduce your PC to the GM and to the party. Once we've settled on the PCs in the party, you can make an in-character introduction in the Gameplay thread.

Some Basic Rules of Engagement (ROE):
OOC Text: When mistakes are made or clarifications are necessary, just let us know in the Discussion thread. Let's keep the ooc text in the Gameplay thread to a minimum.
Conditions/Effects: Regarding penalties or bonuses/buffs/debuffs from conditions/effects, please, players, indicate any bonuses/penalties to attacks, damage, etc separately--to remind the GM and other players.
For example, [dice=Attack, Power Attack, Inspire Courage, Fatigued]d20-1+1-2; d8+2+1-2[/ dice].
Animal Companion/Mount/Familiar/Eidolon: Please create a separate alias for it, especially if it will act on its own. Also indicate its Perception and Initiative modifier, as well as your own, on Slide 2.
Initiative: Animal Companions/Mounts/Familiars/Eidolons will have their own Initiative results, unless the PC is mounted on the creature. They can act independently or you can opt to have you and your companion act at the same time on the lower of the two Initiative results. The one with the higher result will be considered delayed, but not flat-footed. (If mounted, the mount acts on the PC's initiative.)
Miss Chance: I prefer to roll miss chances as the GM; if you roll it, please use a d100, where a "miss" is less than or equal to the percentage chance.

We'll play the AP in campaign mode, with PCs of your own creation, and awarding Chronicles to official PFS characters when we complete the relevant portions of each chapter. (Which means it doesn't always coincide with the completion of a chapter--it's often sooner.)

We'll start with level-1 PCs. To create PCs, let's use the 20-point buy system, 500gp starting funds, 1 feat, and 2 traits, as in PFS Organized Play.

However, you're not otherwise limited to the usual restrictions on PFS character generation. Additionally, each PC can select a 1 campaign trait from the Curse of the Crimson Throne Player's Guide.

Paizo updated the Player's Guide in its blog, including incorporating classes and such that weren't around at the time of the AP's original publication. Make sure you take a look at this link.

I'd like to suggest each of you create two-three character concepts for yourselves, and we have fun creating a party from among your candidates. Imagine yourselves sponsoring a number of young adventurers and participating in a selection committee to determine who makes the cut.

I'll reserve the privilege of hitting the golden buzzer, if there's a superb standout. ;-)

Here!

GM, how in-depth do you want the selection of character concepts we submit to be? Race, class, Campaign Trait? Just a small character bio for each? A couple of sentences about the basic concept?

*edit* I ask just because I'd rather not have to build a full character for each idea when only one will see actual play :)

Here!

Is the campaign trait that we select one of the two we can pick for a character, or will we have three traits total?

Cover the basics and enough character info to let us know what role the PC would play on the team and maybe what his or her campaign hook would be.

A paragraph ought to suffice, but feel free to embellish as much as you'd like.

As the prospective candidates present themselves, the panel of recruiters can ask them questions.

You'll have three traits total, one of which must be a campaign trait.

Present!

I plan on reworking on of my PFS characters for this AP (a halfling duelist). More details to come!

In no particular order...

Lilianna - Campaign Trait: Love Lost/Widowed - Party Face/Skill Monkey/Support
Lillianna runs a daycare in the poorest part of Korvosa. Her dedication to her job is rivaled only by her sense of reason and compassion for others. She has a big heart and is full of confidence, and since she lost her husband at the hand of Gaedren's lackeys, she has felt both a need for revenge and a longing sense to want to offer her hard work to give back to the city - anything to keep the crimelord from causing another tragedy like the one she endured.
She's able to swindle and usually gets what she wants. Misdirects, but does it for good reason, and not for personal gain... Usually. Great with people.

Darwin - Campaign Trait: Drug Addict/Personal Addiction - Divine Caster
Darwin was a member of the Kovorsan Guard until he fell in with the wrong crowd, got addicted to Shiver, and was promptly found out. That was a few years ago now, and Darwin swears he's clean, and misses being able to fight crime.
That said, Darwin thinks that all of the bad in Korvosa is actually somehow good. There's a balance to it. Well, mostly, if we're not talking aout Gaedren. Dawin's self-aware of his naivety, but can't help himself. It isn't clear if he's still addicted to Shiver or not. He wasn't always like this, and feels like as if he's a shell of himself. He often feels depersonalized and disconnected from his surroundings.

Sora - Campaign Trait: Unhappy Child/Tortured - Arcane Caster/Debuffer
A child caught in the slave trade. Carries a deck of Harrow cards that she constantly plays with. Dimunitive and child-like. Speaks softly and creepily. Has a pet centipede. Pale skin, black hair, big, soul-stealing opaque eyes. Very manipulative. Projects her anger creatively. Is looking for connections with the right people, but most fear her based solely on her appearance. Has lost most hope of ever finding her parents, but will stop at nothing to get back at the man who started all of this.

Note, DM, that my third choice leans on the use of a Harrow Deck. There's a blog post re: how dice rolls shouldn't substitute harrow decks, but John Compton also mentioned maybe they should for online play. Given this isn't strict PFS, I'll leave that decision up to you. I do own a deck physically, but I'm happy to build that PC without the Harrow gimmick if it comes to it.

There are lots of classes, archetypes, feats, and traits built around the Harrow Deck. I encourage you guys to consider them.

A digital die roll when drawing a card is perfectly fine, as long as the GM knows what numbers you've assigned to each card.

I'm here.

Since this is non PFS rules does that open up the litany of races available?

Yeah, but no storm giants, please. ;-)

What do you have in mind?

I've always had a urge to play an aasimar but only if I can think of an interesting concept.

I'm home today so I can put some time into reading the players' guide and gaining some direction.

Aasimar Hellknight! Order of the Nail.

Aasimar Gray Maiden!

Sable Company mercenary.

Korvosan Guard.

All have Korvosa tie-ins.

My first choice:

Kradel Blastforge: Dwarven Wizard or Arcanist Earth Summoner

Missing Son or Daughter: The missing child is your own son or daughter, a niece or nephew, or a child you were charged with protecting. The child was abducted during a trip to the market or other daily event. Your stubbornness and long hours spent searching for rumors grant you a +1 trait bonus on Will saves.

Kradel isn't a native of Korvosa, but instead a regular merchant who travels to the city frequently with a troupe of Dwarves from Janderhoff. On one of many trips to the city Kradel finally started bringing his eldest son, teaching him the family business. The trip proved disastrous though when his son disappeared without a trace.

Second choice:

Waggi: Ulfen Storm Walker Ranger (Archery)

Addicted Friend: The addict is a friend or lover who might or might not have survived the overdose. Your research into the drug scene and local politics has given you a respectable education in street knowledge. You gain a +1 trait bonus on Knowledge (local) checks, and Knowledge (local) is a class skill for you.

Waggi is a man from the Northlands, an Ulfen. Growing up on the sea raiding the Varisian coast on his Uncle's ship, at least until his Uncle fell hard for Shiver. The man lost his will to sail and plunder and now Waggi is stuck in Korvosa trying to break the man of his habit, or at least getting some Ulfen justice for the affront.

Third choice:

Dunno yet.

*EDIT*
Starting gold 150gp, not 500gp.

Also, I'd have no fun--or interest--running a campaign with evil PCs, so please limit yourselves to non-evil alignments.

I purposely didn't specify a class for any of my concepts because I wanted to build a personality and have the class and race form around it, but let me know if you need that too and I'll think a little harder about it. The party role is something I see as flexible, seeing as something like 'Arcane Caster' is such a broad category. No real preference on which class to play. Definitely wouldn't go with an evil alignment. Definitely want to make something I couldn't normally make in PFS.

First Choice:

Gery Thylley: (Halfling Fighter [Duelist])
Campaign Trait: Love Lost/Widowed

Gery is my first selection. While he is currently a PFS character I am going to rework him for this game.

Gery was one of a myriad of slaves who escaped from Cheliax who settled into Korvosa, aided by [insert name here] who taught him the finer arts of swordplay. Managing to lay low near the Grey District he found a fellow halfling slave. They eventually grew close and then became lovers. His happiness came to an end after her murder.

Second Choice:

Jyrrar Rivurder: (Male Oread Monk)
Campaign Trait: Addicted Friend: Did not survive the overdose.

Another PFS rework.

Jyrrar found himself in Korvosa for an extended time as he lacked the funding to keep travelling. Deciding to explore this fascinating (to him) city he encountered [insert name here] who he developed an enduring friendship. Sadly (s)he had her own faults and soon died of an overdose.

Third Choice:

Pending....

These concepts are good beginnings, and they can be fleshed out as your muse tickles your proverbial fancy.

The Player's Guide has some good stuff that should help get the creative juices flowing.

Once everyone's shared their two-three concepts, then we can move to the next step.

With an eye toward building a solid team, we'll 'interview' the candidates (exchanging ideas). The intent would be to have fun and inspire one another, maybe suggest an additional bit of backstory, maybe a different trait or feat, maybe an archetype suitable for the concept, or maybe even another class entirely.

Then we can take turns voting for our favorite(s) among each player's concepts.

In addition to the Harrow stuff, this would be a great AP to consider the various Urban archetypes many of the classes have. Ultimate Intrigue has some great stuff for this one two, not least of all the Vigilante class.

Okay, concepts in no particular order of preference...

Salomae Amsel (Human Sleuth Investigator; Love Lost - Orphaned)
Independent investigator, Sal makes her living by taking on cases that the Korvosan Guard deems as too minor or too much hassle to bother with. Though she never had the benefit of a formal education what she lacks in book smarts she makes up for with her quick reflexes and natural wits. While she might not always completely toe the line of the law during the course of her work, she’s careful to stay in the Korvosan Guard’s good graces by working with them as an ‘independent consultant’ when necessary.

Sal had to grow up fast the day she was called to identify the body of her father, found dead in an alley early one morning after he’d never returned home from his job down at the docks. Though kind at heart, she’s been forced to develop a hard, no-nonsense attitude when it comes to tracking down the information she seeks and dealing with recalcitrant individuals. She hopes to one day track down her father’s murderer, though what she’ll do once she finds them is a question she still doesn’t really have an answer for.

Soliana of the Rose (Half-Elf Hospitaler Paladin; Unhappy Childhood - Religious)
Soliana splits much of her time between the Sanctuary of Shelyn in Korvosa’s North Point district and working as a healer out in the city’s poorer districts and wards. Though Sarenrae’s worshippers have a larger presence in the city it was Shelyn whose call the half-elf heard and answered several years ago, when a chance encounter on the streets led her to visit the Eternal Rose’s temple for the first time. As one of ‘Lamm’s Lambs’ at the time, that visit almost cost her her life as Gaedren Lamm was much more interested in his charges cutting purses and picking pockets than gaining spiritual enlightenment.

But life is better now...or at least it was, for a while. She’d escaped Lamm and become one of Shelyn’s faithful, having demonstrated a surprising amount of resiliency as well as a talent for healing magics. And yet the older she grows the more restless she becomes as she increasingly yearns for answers as to her parentage (she’d heard the whispers of the elf Perishial Kalissreavil and how he and the males of his entourage had supposedly sired the bulk of the city’s half-elves themselves) and wonders if there isn’t something more she can do for her city and the people who live there.

Briana Kaddren (Changeling Streets Oracle; Missing Child - Missing Sibling)
Unlike many of Korvosa’s orphans who either wind up in orphanages or find themselves roped into gangs and other unsavory organizations in the name of survival, Briana and her twin sister Bella had survived just fine on their own. They made quite the pair, the sisters with the mismatched eyes who largely kept to themselves and made their home in a ramshackle old shack up in the Shingles. Due to their unusual eye coloration and reclusive manner, rumors abounded and depending on the day the twins could be anything from god-cursed to the victims of Acadamae experimentation to runaway circus performers.

A second, more persistent, rumor had it that one or both girls had unusual powers, able to conjure things from thin air and speak to the city’s vermin. Unbeknownst to either sister it was this rumor that began to draw attention of a much more dangerous, sinister sort and then, one day, Bella didn’t return home from her trip to the local markets. Though quiet and shy to an almost painful degree, Briana’s love for her twin is stronger than any anxiety and so now she searches the city for any sign of her sister, calling upon the strange powers within her and her connection to the pulse of the city itself to help.

Josie Fizzwicket (Gnome Tinkerer Alchemist; Drug Addict - Personal Addiction)
Josie had come to Korvosa all the way from Brastlewark to join the Acadamae. Nevermind the fact that she’d never really thought that conjuration was particularly interesting - after all, what satisfaction is there in conjuring something from thin air when you can build something with your own two hands? And nevermind that she’d never actually had any formal magical training as such; alchemy was close enough, right? Right! She’d had a major breakthrough with her specially modified design for clockwork familiars and knew that Korvosa’s Acadamae would be just the place to continue her work - better facilities, access to better materials, and think of the marketing opportunities!

But Josie hadn’t been in the city a week before she tried her first hit of shiver, encouraged by a fellow gnome that she’d met in a tavern one evening and gone home with. She’d been assured that the dreams were ‘totally frazzin’ and, well, Josie’d never been one to shy away from experimentation. Soon one hit at a time became two, two became three, and before she knew it she’d nearly killed herself with the stuff *and* managed to miss her appointment with the Acadamae staff! Incensed and outraged by this turn of events, the enterprising gnome immediately redirected her efforts from clockwork mass-production to bringing down Gaedren Lamm’s drug-peddling operation. And she's totally not addicted to the stuff. Maybe.
______________

I came up with four concepts to roughly represent the four 'standard' party roles (melee/tank, skill, arcane, divine) but also tried to vary the classes and archetype ideas to allow for some flexibility (alchemists can also be skill, hospitaler paladins make good healers, investigators can fight pretty well, a street oracle can make a fair scout). Hopefully at least one of these ideas will strike someone's fancy :)

Lots of interesting candidates so far.

Looks like Massee and Eric are each planning to put forth another character concept.

Socalwarhammer mentioned in the Gameplay thread that he'd like to play an archaeologist bard. He may have more to add to that and provide another concept or two.

We look forward to hearing from RowynStarr.

No need to rush this.

Ok. I think I have some ideas for character selection. Awhile back, I'd made a couple of characters for submissions into the AP recruitment threads on here and I'd like to submit those characters with re-tooled backstories along with a third character idea completely made from scratch. I'm not going to make them PFS characters, since with the first two, I'd have to make a copy of an alias with name re-spellings to fit on my Organized Play profile.

Dragas the Barbarian (Male Human Shoanti Barbarian; Love Lost-All Alone) Growing up in the Sun Clan tribe, Dragas became known for two-things: his physical prowess as a warrior and the respect it earned him from his clan and a headstrong stubborness that bred contempt that matched the respect for his martial skills. When the tribe met to trade with a travelling merchant caravan passing through the Cinderlands, Dragas met Ketza, daughter of a textile merchant named Erygle. A mutual attraction blossomed quickly between the pair, but the time to get to know one another was both brief and forbidden by both bigotry and tribal traditions. In secret, Dragas gave Ketza a silver band engraved with a crescent moon that had been passed down to him from his grandmother as a gift to remember their brief time together. But love comes with a heavy price and for Dragas, it came in a bitter rift with his parents when they discovered the loss of the family heirloom. Angry at his son's bequeathing of the ring to an outsider and stunned at the potential ramifications of going against tribal traditions, Dragas's father Reved confronted his son in a rage. The two came to blows and afterwards, Dragas was banished by his father until he returned with his grandmother's ring.

Dragas set out for Erygle and Ketza's home in Korvosa not to find and return the ring, but to instead to find Ketza and to start a new life with her in it. The reunion at a nearby market square was bittersweet. While Ketza was happy to see him, she refused to elope for fear of being disowned from her own family. Dragas stormed away to the nearest tavern to drown his sorrows in hard liquor. When the young man awoke, he found himself in a dank, dismal cell, accused by the Korvosan City Guard of Ketza's murder. If not for the tavern barkeep, two stable-boys and a serving girl providing him an alibi, Dragas would have swung from the city battlements. Upon being freed, Dragas tried to retrieve the ring from Ketza's family, only to be angrily rebuffed by her grieving father with threat of imprisonment that they had no such ring, nor was it found on Ketza when her body was discovered in an alleyway by the Korvosan City Watch. Through, inquiries mule-headed stubbornness (and an unfortunate street thug's broken leg), Dragas found the ring for sale. While lacking the funds to buy it back, Dragas come away with the name of the man who'd sold it to the merchant. The man whom Dragas now held responsible for Ketza's murder: Gaedren Lamb.

Fryle Anscoggin-(Male Human Sorcerer; Drug Addict; Personal Addiction) The son of a Numerian wizard and scholar, Fryle first came to Korvosa to study at the Acadamae as a student. While not an exceptional scholar, Fryle managed to do well in his basic studies, but his areas of passion were the application of magic to the newly discovered technology that had fallen from the stars in his homeland (Korvosa was a place he could accomplish such studies without drawing the attention of the Technic League) and the study of dreams and portents. What Fryle was looking for was a breakthrough in the weave of magic for a key that would not only allow for someone to not only self-consciously access the realm of dreams through the Astral Plane without the use of a portal, but to be able to apply arcane as well as divine magic to those within a dream state that would affect them as though they were awake in the normal world.

When Fryle had read through every topic the Acadamae library had on the subject of dream walking, he turned to experimentation as a way of enhancing his dreams in order to find a way to enter the world of dreams the same way that hags could in order to induce nightmares within their victims. His experimentation turned to the use of shiver, believing that as long as he used it within a controlled environment that the drug would not have adverse or ill effects upon himself and his dream trials. Sadly, the young man became addicted to shiver. His experiments and studies slowed and then stopped completely as the addiction to a firm hold on Fryle. His need for the drug caused Fryle to also become careless an after an accident in one of the school labs that led to a fellow student being mained and badly burned, Fryle was expelled from the Acadamae. At the lows of addition, the sorcerer sought treatment and went through a painful detoxification period. Having fallen in love with Korvosa since his first day as a former Acadamae student, Fryle set out to clean up the shiver problem on the city's streets but with more potent drug problems such as pesh and with shiver being a poor man's narcotic, his idealistic crusade to get shiver off the streets has fallen on deaf ears. With no one listen, Fryle has decided that if no one else will fight this menace to society, he'll do it by removing it from the streets one shiver dealer at a time. And he knows the name of one man who deals in the narcotic and who supplied him with the toxic concoction: Gaedren Lamb.

Nameless-(Dustwalker Graveslinger[Gunslinger Archetype]; Framed-Family Honor) With gray skin, this gaunt and lean-looking man looks much older than what he actually is. It's hard to tell by his features if he's human, half-elf, or maybe a little bit of both. All that he remembers of his short childhood was being found in the graveyard of the temple of Pharasma by a kindly acolyte of the faith, Brother Sagal who took him in and raised him as his ward. While initially accepting of the teachings of Pharasma, Nameless (his given name is unknown save for a select few), felt an affinity for death, respecting its cycle with natural life and abhorring those who would pervert it for power and gain.

During Nameless's formative years, Father Sagal became involved in an investigation into a string of grave robberies in Korvosa. Asked to meet a contact who had information behind the string of thefts, Father Sagal went to an arranged meeting place near the docks only to discover the contact dead behind a stevedore's shack with a dagger stuck between his ribs. While most people vouched for Father Sagal's character, one witnesses testimony proved convincing enough to hold the priest. Discovering the witnesses identity, Nameless confronted him and coerced him into giving up the person behind the murder and subsequent framing of Father Sagal: Gaedren Lamb. But Nameless didn't know that Gaedren's eyes were watching this confrontation. By the time Nameless had told what he'd discovered to the city watch, the perjuring witness had been silenced. Although freed, Father Sagal was expelled from the Temple of Pharasma and spent the last few years of his life in destitute as a street priest.

Setting out to discover more of himself, Nameless's travels brought him to Alkenstar and he begin to learn the practice of gunsmithing and trained in the proper use of firearms. While learning how to use them effectively against the living, Nameless slowly began to discover that his use in this new form of weaponry seemed especially effective against the abominations of the undead. During this time, Nameless received word that Father Sagal was dying and returned to Korvosa to say his goodbyes and to lay the man who'd been a father figure to him to rest. Alone and hardened, Nameless now seeks to administer justice that is long overdue to Gaedren Lamb.

Really digging all the concepts people are coming up with :D

Viggo (no last name)- Human Archaeologist [Unhappy Childhood- tortured]

Viggo was born to a family of fruit merchants who lived just outside of Korvosa on small farm. His family was hardworking, honest and in Korvosa that also meant poor. As was his family's practice each day the children would accompany their parents to the merchant stands which formed in long rows along the main road into the city. It was here that other merchants and locals came to purchase their agricultural supplies. This was also the place the darker elements of Korvosan society came to ply their trades and seek victims. Viggo was just another one of these hapless victims. At the age of ten while his parents were conducting business Viggo wander off... only a few yards from this mother's gaze... never to be seen again.

Taken as one of Gaedren Lamm's "pupils" the next three years exposed Viggo to the dark underside of Korvosa as he was forced to become a beggar, a look-out and at times a cut-purse. During these years Viggo lived in almost constant fear and dread. Not of being caught by the authorities- of Gaedren and his brutal treatment of those who failed him. Just after his thirteenth birthday Viggo's luck ran out and a failed 'rolling a drunk' resulted in two of Viggo's comrades being killed by a potential victim- a drunk but extremely skilled duelist armed with a hidden sword. Viggo who had been the team's lookout was the only survivor. In a fit of rage Gaedren beat him nearly to death and left him to die in a dank alley. It was at this time he was discovered by a member of the Pathfinder Society- a chronicler who first paid a team of local healers to nurse the boy back to health (which took several months) and then offered to take him back home. Viggo didn't want to go and begged the Pathfinder for a chance to be something more than a thief or a farmer. So after writing a letter to his parents, in which his benefactor explained Viggo's state of good health and the grand apprenticeship in which Viggo had been enrolled- his mentor began the intense process of training Viggo in the skills of a professional adventurer. "An expert in the location, excavation and post-recovery examination of rare antiquities and arcane collectibles"- is what his mentor called Viggo at his graduation as he formally presented him to the assembled group of senior Pathfinders. Now, a year later, Viggo is ready to set off on his own and make an name for himself... and if his path should ever cross with Gaedren or his child-snatching minions... he has sworn to put a knife into their bellies!

I think the two concepts I provided are it.

And to be honest I'm very much favoring the summoning fellow. I've made some alterations to him (crunch wise) and am continuing to develop him further (fluff wise).

He has morphed from an arcane caster focused on summoning into a divine version: Herald Caller of Torag (cleric archetype) as it fit more with what I wanted to be able to do and not do. I figured I'd mention it since he would be able to provide healing and divine support vs the arcane side of things. This archeytpe is a squishier cleric version, so a bit along the lines of 'cloistered cleric'... light armor and no shield.

Waggi remains the same. An Ulfen sailor stuck in the city and eager to make his fortune.

If we're done introducing our candidates, let's take a look at what sort of team we'd have if we go with everyone's preferred option.

Massee: Kradel Blastforge, a dwarf cleric, a Herald Caller of Torag, from the nearby Sky Citadel of Janderhoff.
Campaign Trait: Missing Son or Daughter. Kradel is a merchant, whose eldest son disappeared without a trace during a visit to Korvosa. Kradel will do almost anything to find him.

Socalwarhammer: Viggo, a human bard archaeologist from a small farm outside Korvosa.
Campaign Trait: Unhappy Childhood (Tortured). Abducted by Gaedren Lamm when he was only ten, the crime boss nearly beat him to death when he was only thirteen, and left him for dead. Rescued by a Pathfinder, who trained him for a year, he's ready for adventure--and possibly revenge. (His starting age should be 15+1d6, according to Table 7-1 Random Starting Ages, CRB, p. 169)

Eric: Gery Thylley, a halfling fighter duelist, a runaway slave who settled in the Grey District of Korvosa, instructed in the art of fencing by the person who helped him escape from bondage.
Campaign Trait: Love Lost/Widowed. He's been heartbroken since the murder of his lover.

If anyone else has a definite preference, please let us know.

Of my three, my preference is Sora, who will either be a Cartomancer Witch or slightly reworked to be a Vigilante Warlock.

Edit: Now I'm totally overthinking it. GM, please give me another day or so on this.

No problem, Red. Take your time.

If we're done introducing our candidates, let's take a look at what sort of team we'd have if we go with everyone's preferred option.

Massee: Kradel Blastforge, a dwarf cleric, a Herald Caller of Torag, from the nearby Sky Citadel of Janderhoff.
Campaign Trait: Missing Son or Daughter. Kradel is a merchant, whose eldest son disappeared without a trace during a visit to Korvosa. Kradel will do almost anything to find him.

Socalwarhammer: Viggo, a human bard archaeologist from a small farm outside Korvosa.
Campaign Trait: Unhappy Childhood (Tortured). Abducted by Gaedren Lamm when he was only ten, the crime boss nearly beat him to death when he was only thirteen, and left him for dead. Rescued by a Pathfinder, who trained him for a year, he's ready for adventure--and possibly revenge. (His starting age should be 15+1d6, according to Table 7-1 Random Starting Ages, CRB, p. 169)

Eric: Gery Thylley, a halfling fighter duelist, a runaway slave who settled in the Grey District of Korvosa, instructed in the art of fencing by the person who helped him escape from bondage.
Campaign Trait: Love Lost/Widowed. He's been heartbroken since the murder of his lover.

If anyone else has a definite preference, please let us know.

Just to be clear- Viggo is 20 years old. His apprenticeship took 5 years and it has been year since his formal graduation.

Got it.

As of right now I have no strong or particular preference from among my four concept submissions so I'm happy to hear from others as to which one(s) they would like to see me play or think might pair well (for good or for ill) with their own character.

Oh and while I think my class ideas are largely set, the particulars such as archetype/mystery/etc. are flexible.

I've seen you play oracles (Corona) and alchemists (Soddy Daisy). Have you tried playing an Investigator before?

Not pushing you in any particular direction, but I really like your concept for Salomae Amsel (Human Sleuth Investigator; Love Lost - Orphaned).

There's potential for some redundancy with Socalwarhammer's and Eric's preferred candidates, but we don't know much about their builds yet.

I've played a few paladins, one pure paladin (too boring for me) and a paladin-bard that I like.

I actually played a Steel Hound (gun-user) investigator in my home game of Mummy's Mask and really enjoyed it but I've not played one in PbP yet.

It's funny you say that though, since Sal's concept was the first one that I wrote up. It was also probably the easiest for me to write up.

So okay, we'll narrow it down to either Sal or Soliana :)

If someone else really has their heart set on an investigator, rogue or similar type of character I would be willing to run a level one character who has 2 chronicles under his belt.

Eru'Tept- Warpriest of Selket [Missing Son/Daughter]

Eru'Tept is from Wati, the half-city, known more for its ruins than its people. Eru, as he is known by his friends, grew up in the shadow of the many evils which have and continue to plague this region. Like many members of his family, Eru channeled his faith into action and joined a rather small band of Selket's faithful in its two-fold mission: to protect the rest of the faithful dead and rid the lands of the curses of necromancy and the undead. As such, he has picked up a few tricks regarding the exploration of local tombs and pyramids.

When not adventuring, Eru is known to volunteer as a healer at his local temple and enjoys the company of his friends and can be found at a variety of taverns and theaters throughout the area of the 'Three-Cities'.

Two months ago, Eru's duties as a healer were put to the test when a Varisian merchant was discovered to be afflicted with a rare wasting disease- which neither natural or divine magic could abate.
A month later, the merchant, Viranian Darrmil died, but before he passed he asked Eru to take his body home to Korvosa. Eru's friendship with the man and his sense of duty have led him to Korvosa... only to discover that Viranian's teenage daughter had also been abducted by and unknown person. Eru, has sworn not to return home until he can find the man's daughter - so that Viranian's soul may rest in peace.

With 6 players having some role/skill overlap is inevitable but since I've got multiple options that appeal where most of the rest of you only have one (or one really strong preference from among a couple) then I'm happy to switch mine up a little so there's not too much overlap.

I'd have to retool her background a little bit but I could also see Sal's concept working as a Constable cavalier. Or I could play Soli.

I'll still go with my Human Cartomancer Witch, after much deliberation, only a little less tragic. She still endured a childhood of slavery but was able to escape her captors, likely owing to her unusual ability to read peoples' futures. It really freaked people out. So much so that Sora manipulated one of Gaedren's henchman into releasing her, and the child went into hiding. She spent a few years on the streets, scrounging up what she could until a family took her in. It was short lived, as her new foster parents turned out to only want use their fostering to receive government stipends, all of which they'd spend at the local casino, rather than treating her as one of their own.

As a result, Sora moved between families frequently. Years past, and she grew more and more attuned with her ability to read cards, and at the age of seventeen, she eventually started her own business, Planar Predictions.

Sora is less emo-girl now, and is actually a flirty fortune teller doing alright for herself, though she hasn't forgotten her past. I much prefer this style of roleplay personally vs. having to maintain an edgier sort. Definitely want to ensure I'm playing a character I enjoy RPing if this is a multi-year adventure, and when I compare playing super serious Serge to entitled, bratty valley girl Tiffany, I find it's easier for me to come up with posts for the latter.

Her being a fortune teller will fit in well with when I pick up the Soothsayer hex, and with her having harrow cards. Her combat role will be primarily support, slinging cards to buff friends and debuff foes once she's Level 3. I want to take the Hedge Witch archetype as well so that she has a backup healing role if our cleric is ever in the thick of things, just looking to justify her having that without it being too minmax. :)

Definitely want to ensure I'm playing a character I enjoy RPing if this is a multi-year adventure

This is key. Have fun with your character and with the other members of the party.

If anyone is thinking about playing an antisocial, narcissistic jerk...

Please don't. :-)

But.. I wasn't planning on speaking or interacting! Gah major rewrite coming.

I kid of course. I don't have his personality down completely yet, but I'm thinking... of being... A Dwarf that is a bit afraid of physical confrontation and contact.

I also may be tweaking the backstory a bit. He's evolved over the last couple days.

I've made some slight story line changes to Kradel lately and will be writing them up for a larger background post in due time. For now though I wanted to let the dice decide exactly how old, tall, and fat this guy is.

Age, trained class: 40 + 7d6 ⇒ 40 + (3, 2, 2, 3, 1, 4, 3) = 58

Height (inches), Male: 45 + 2d4 ⇒ 45 + (1, 3) = 49

Weight (pounds), Male: 150 + 28 = 178

Huh, a slight bit younger and thinner than I imagined. But his frame is very slight for a Dwarf.

A good frame for a portrait of a herald caller, I say.

Please read through him. There are quite a few things going on. My biggest question would be: Would this feat affect the summoning of things with the earth subtype since I am earth domain?

Sacred Summons: The minions of your divine patrons stand ready to answer your call. Prerequisites: Aura class feature, ability to cast summon monster. Benefit: When using summon monster to summon creatures whose alignment subtype or subtypes exactly match your aura, you may cast the spell as a standard action instead of with a casting time of 1 round.

I haven't researched that myself, and I'd appreciate your help scouring official resources and the inter-webs to discover the answer(s) to your question.

The first potential problem appears to be that Sacred Summons is tied to alignment and aura.

Your domain and subtype don't automatically satisfy that requirement--though they might.

Torag is lawful good, so that's the aura you'd have.

Yup I'll be helping you look up stuff. I just wanted to be sure everything worked as I think it does before we start in case its not what I think and would like to sub it out.

As far as the question of alignment on summons:

When you use a summoning spell to summon a creature with an alignment or elemental subtype, it is a spell of that type. Creatures on Table 10–1 marked with an “*” are summoned with the celestial template, if you are good, and the fiendish template, if you are evil. If you are neutral, you may choose which template to apply to the creature. Creatures marked with an “*” always have an alignment that matches yours, regardless of their usual alignment. Summoning these creatures makes the summoning spell's type match your alignment.

Looking through the summon's lists, all the animals and vermin seem to have the *, while the elementals do not. Nor of course do the other outsides as they already have their own alignments.

So it sounds like we've for sure got the following:

Massee - Kradel Blastforge (Herald Caller cleric)
GM Red - Sora (Cartomancer witch)
Eric - Gery Thylley (Dueliest fighter)
Socalwarhammer - Viggo (Archaeologist bard)

(I know Viggo was likely Socal's first choice and to be honest, I think he might be able to fit into the campaign better than Eru'Tept.)

Just leaving me and RowynStarr to select our PCs. Personally, of the concepts he put forth, I like Dragas the best.

GM Lorenzo finds Sal and Soli the most interesting of my potential concepts. RowynStarr is sitting here with me right now and he thinks Briana and Josie have potential to be intriguing and/or entertaining. Any thoughts from anyone else?

Well, Lady Ladile. I have decided to go all in with a rogue or alchemist. So as of this point forward Viggo will be a Unchained Rogue (Underground Chemist) or Crypt Breaker Alchemist if that makes your choices a little easier. Either way I want to tinker with rogue skills and/or alchemy.

I guess I thought about it and in the long run the Rogue will be a better trap monkey than the Bard. So that is my final choice!

Nevermind my last post. I will keep Viggo as an Archaeologist Bard. Just FAQ'd something that won't work with the Rogue as I was envisioning it.

As much as I personally have a vendetta vs gnomes (I don't know why, I just do. Blame Mr Peppers.) I think Josie's character concept will be fun, no matter her class. A drugged out crazy gnome is the kind of character I can get into :)

As far as RowynStarr's choices presented: I really like the interactions that'll be available with a Shoanti in Korvosa, not to mention what happens when you put an angry barbarian in a lawful city.

I've never personally been a fan of guns in DnD, totally throws off my vibe. The sorcerer would be my second choice of the three.

I have always believed you should play whatever class you want and don't worry too much about party balance here. That will work itself out in the end. That said, like Kradel, I also like the Josie's concept as well and I think it would be a good one. RowynStarr's Shoanti intrigues me as well. Having a gunslinger would also be a neat choice here.

Larry-

Do you want us to ninja dot with our characters?

Viggo is ready to go.

We're still waiting for a couple of folks to indicate their preferences.