This has not closed since I do not have two tables yet, but posting certainly seems to have dwindled... Everyone still alright out there?
I'm still about, and I think that our group could make an excursion to Osirion work, though I think that some of the coordination would take place in a discussion thread for the table rather than here.
Yes, sorry. Haven't quite been certain how our planning is coming across to you. Let me just sum up where we are right now.
Team: Tam (Ironchef), Zorblag (Armiger), Ryke (Scholar)
Barebones Backstory: All part of the same military unit; after they left the service the trio began adventuring to survive.
Basic Plan: Travel to Osirion sometime between 4709-4714AR to try their luck at tomb raiding or whatever other fortunes the land has to offer.
How much more do you want/need on our end?
We've got the what, and are closing in on a "When", but I'm looking for a description and personality... What made them join the military? Conscripted? Sentenced? Volunteered? Who were they before their unit? Were they anyone before they joined? Did they enjoy it?
You'e got the framework, but where's the color?
I'm still around, just not on Sunday. :D Wondering if my potential partner has vanished, though... I might be able to bring my brother in to replace if needed...
Hullo!
I would be the aforementioned brother. Though, having just been made aware of this recruitment thread, I don't have much in the way of ideas just yet.
Though I can say that in general, I have an attraction to the unusual, and I like machines, dragons, and the occasional horrible monstrosity. I'll need to get a feel for what the other potential players are like, though... maybe read through all the post backlog...
Oh, and I guess I should do this;
16
11
17
14
13
14
…
Well, those are some good rolls. I'll have to think of what to do with a stat spread that nice.
Considering we're well over the date this would have closed, lets keep this open somewhat indefinitely— until I have tables up and running.
Yeah, given the current state of things I'm not surprised recruitment is slow.
Okay, looks like you're more fond of Kichiro, so I'll try to think of something that would synergize well there.
I do have a couple questions, both for Almonihah and the GM.
for GM:
Since Almonihah is using Spheres of Power, is it mandatory for me to use it as well? Or could I use base Pathfinder classes too? I can work either way, but knowing helps, and having more options can be interesting.
For Almonihah:
What kind of relationship do you think we'd be aiming for? Actual blood relatives could be complicated, just as I have a tendency to want to play unusual races, but could probably be workable with some unusual family trees. Alternatively, it could be more of a 'mutual outcasts, family of choice' kind of thing. Either way, it might be wise to establish some reason why Kichiro won't attack his partner, either due to strong emotional connection or something else entirely, just to keep that from being *too* much of an issue.
Actually, that's what I've got now. Thinking more.
Since Almonihah is using Spheres of Power, is it mandatory for me to use it as well? Or could I use base Pathfinder classes too? I can work either way, but knowing helps, and having more options can be interesting.
I'd prefer that you use one of the Spheres systems, either Might or Power, yes. Part of the intent is to help me get used to an alternate system and give some love to the fans who like it/have it and haven't been able to play it.
We could do childhood friends instead of family, or if you decide to play something particularly weird (and the GM was okay with it) even go for something like "You were the baby dragon that Kichiro stumbled upon near the ruins" or something. :D
@Lost Voice - I've been chatting with oyzar about us making a pairing, especially as we've tried to do this before in another game that fell apart. He'd asked about Path of War and you said you could work with it as long as both parties were using it - I want to make sure that that possibility still stands!
Yorick! Lovely to see you!
Yes, the possibility is still up and available. What'cha thinking?
Hmm, looking through the Spheres rules... I haven't really used them much before, though I do find them interesting and have wanted to try them out for a while.
The mad scientist in me is intrigued by the Technician class. We could even maybe get a good technology/magic contrast going with it, if we wanted to.
Of course, that would require permission to be, at time, ridiculously anachronistic. Though the Technician's features are specifically set up so that their inventions tend to fall apart just as soon as they stop maintaining them, keeping them from triggering any major societal upheavals.
Class aside, who are they to Kichiro?
That is something I'm still thinking about.
I don't think I'll do anything too strange, so either a relative or a longtime friend, most likely. We might want to talk about personalities and how they could mesh. A voice of reason to balance out the temptations of the hunger curse? Or an experimentalist who's secretly dying to see how it actually works, only to hold back for fear of hurting their companion? A bit of both?
I might actually want to go as being a brother (or perhaps a half-brother, depending on what our family situation is going to look like), so as to have a strong connection to explain why we went to such extents for Kichiro.
I also need to settle on a name, I guess, just to make talking about this easier.
@YoricksRequiem: You should roll for stats to see what we can do.
With two initiators, healing might be a bit of a problem, though polymath or knight disciple could solve that since either could use wands (or extracts for a polymath).
I like the idea of a princess and protector. Three ideas spring to mind:
First is something to do with the monarchy in Taldor. Perhaps Stavian III is overthrown by revolutionaries and we'll try to survive and deal with the aftermath?
Second idea is a daughter of the murdered king of Korvosa Eodred Arabasti II. This could be an alternative path to the Curse of the Crimson throne adventure path.
Third is the final daughter of Rogarvia in Brevoy. We try to escape the coup by Surtova or try to take back the throne.
I'm sure there are many more ideas I haven't touched upon. If any of these particularly appeal to you, or you have any other you like better, let me know :).
Personality-wise, I'm thinking Kichiro is a pretty gregarious, friendly sort who's horrified by his new hunger... and even more horrified by the fact that he's tempted by the power it promises. I'm thinking he was kind of secretly a little sore that <insert character name> was more talented than him (because of the better pre-hunger stats), and now that he's suddenly the stronger one he's realizing how much that was eating at him and he hates realizing that about himself. So now he's torn between the fact that he wants to meet and help new people now that he's strong enough to travel and help people... and the fact that he feels he's now a dangerous monster that shouldn't be anywhere near people.
Either relative or longtime friend can definitely work. They need to know and trust each other, and at some point we'll probably want to work out a mechanical way that your character can help Kichiro not give in to the worst of his hunger.
Yorick! Lovely to see you!
Thanks! it is great to be back
@YoricksRequiem: You should roll for stats to see what we can do.
Yeah, let's see here!
- 1 = 8
- 1 = 13
- 1 = 13
- 2 = 12
- 1 = 9
- 3 = 13
Woof, a whopping 8 point buy. Let's make a deal with the devil.
- 2 = 15
- 1 = 10
- 2 = 13
- 2 = 14
- 2 = 13
- 1 = 13
That's much better!
With two initiators, healing might be a bit of a problem, though polymath or knight disciple could solve that since either could use wands (or extracts for a polymath).
Yeah, I had toyed with the idea of the Path of War Medic, but it's pretty singularly focused on healing and I think that would be less useful in a two-player game. I think a Polymath Investigator would just have a ton more versatility and utility. I was also sort of eyeing a Gunsmoke Mystic, for magic shooty-shooty, but I'm definitely leaning towards Sherlock Princess.
First is something to do with the monarchy in Taldor. Perhaps Stavian III is overthrown by revolutionaries and we'll try to survive and deal with the aftermath?
Second idea is a daughter of the murdered king of Korvosa Eodred Arabasti II. This could be an alternative path to the Curse of the Crimson throne adventure path.
Third is the final daughter of Rogarvia in Brevoy. We try to escape the coup by Surtova or try to take back the throne.
These are all cool ideas, I especially have a soft spot for Curse of the Crimson Throne since it was the first AP I played. I actually like the idea of opening with us being outside of the kingdom on some kind of quest/errand, and getting home to find how much things have degraded, and trying to figure out what happened / fix things. It would give a new perspective on the kingdom as a whole for her, maybe unrooting cults, seeing crime & people struggling, etc.
Hmm, I think I probably will go with being Kichiro's brother, actually. It does feel like the best way to work things.
Satoshi (there, name decided!) Might be a bit of a contrast, quick of mind and hand, but almost completely lacking in any magical talent, which could in turn be a bit of a sore spot for him now that Kichiro has altogether too much magic, not to mention it usually being a strong point for kitsune. Highly talented in other ways, and leaning on the power of machines, traps, and cunning in a world where the intelligent are usually wizards, probably still a bit socially awkward just due to being so drastically different from the norm for his kind.
I was noting that he could dabble in Alchemy, in pursuit of a chemical solution for Kichiro's problem. Actually curing it might take something well beyond the typical practitioner's abilities, but perhaps a simpler formula could at least suppress the cravings for a while.
What do you think of the 3 different plots I outlined The Lost Voice? Any that you want or don't want to run in particular? If you have no preference I'm fine continuing to develop the korvosa plot.
What is starting gold? I'm wondering if I can afford a banded mail, or would have to settle for something a bit less expensive...
Looks like we're going with a Warder (Sworn Protector, Zweihander) and a Investigator (Polymath), should be an interesting pairing. Investigators can use wands of CLW and eventually share extracts, but things might be risky until we're able to get either of those options.
What do you think of the 3 different plots I outlined The Lost Voice? Any that you want or don't want to run in particular? If you have no preference I'm fine continuing to develop the korvosa plot.
What is starting gold? I'm wondering if I can afford a banded mail, or would have to settle for something a bit less expensive...
Looks like we're going with a Warder (Sworn Protector, Zweihander) and a Investigator (Polymath), should be an interesting pairing. Investigators can use wands of CLW and eventually share extracts, but things might be risky until we're able to get either of those options.
Go with the plot that you're most comfortable with. Gold can be max, since there may be a lot of uncertainty.
That does sound like a fun pairing for us. :) Having some kind of potion to help surpress the cravings could be interesting--perhaps it could be an early goal for us to develop such a thing?
The fastest solution would simply be to say that a properly prepared Panacea formula could cure an onset of the Hunger (without actually curing the underlying corruption, merely the symptom). But if we wanted to make it more complicated it certainly could be (even just saying that 'properly prepared' meant beating a DC 30 craft check instead of the basic DC 20 one).
It would also make decent (dramatic) sense to instead have the task of locating or discovering the recipe for a concoction that would work be our first quest, or maybe have it require some hard-to-get ingredients to discourage using it too freely. Or both.
Of course, actually fixing the corruption would be a much longer-term and more daunting task.
Soo... do we want to discuss how to go about starting this? Make concrete stat blocks and share them? Just feeling like we're a little stalled and should decide on what the next step is.
Yeah, I think we have a concept down now, if Lost Voice is good with it.
Yeah, I think we have a concept down now, if Lost Voice is good with it.
(half?)siblings that have made a Bargain, set in Tian Xia who found something in ruins that has drastically affected them, set out to find something that can change their circumstances...
I'm good with it.
Ozyar, Yorick: Reading through CoCT now...
Just a thought, but seeing as Yorick has agreed for their character to take a Bargain, what race were you considering?
We were both thinking to be human. Did you have something specific in mind? I could perhaps go tiefling if that would help somehow?
We're almost finished with mechanics, but still got some ways to go for backstory and hooks.
All right! I guess now we wait for you to say it's time for working on crunch/specifics?
Ozyar, Yorick: Reading through CoCT now...
Neat! I definitely don't think we need to follow it closely, but I'm using the premise as a jumping off point. I think we have our crunch ready, just still toying with some different backstory things.
I could perhaps go tiefling if that would help somehow?
We're almost finished with mechanics, but still got some ways to go for backstory and hooks.
I'd need the backstory to be able to progress further for right now. Don't worry so much about race yet, maybe?
All right! I guess now we wait for you to say it's time for working on crunch/specifics?
Go for it. I've got enough to start from.
Well we've decided on a family name and I've got most of Kichiro's stats built out now. :D
Still working on my crunch, but a good chunk is finished.
Kids been having trouble sleeping, so I've been kinda too wasted to do too much creative work, but we've been slowly working on compiling and integrating our backstories.
There, stats and stuff should be done now. Maybe start talking about how we want to get started?
Maybe start talking about how we want to get started?
All I recall is something about being on the border of the Forest of Spirits(North? South?) finding some ruins, and getting cursed. A bargain followed, and...?
Did they go back to their family? Did they have family? Where did they live?
I'm thinking something along the lines of:
*Got cursed/corrupted/whatever that was in the ruins, Satoshi stabalized the situation through some quick thinking, and they went home to their village near the border between Minkai and the Forest of Spirits
*About a week or so after, Kichiro was out gathering wood, stumbled across a weakened kami... and was suddenly overwhelmed by a terrible hunger. Next thing he knew he'd ripped it open and eaten its liver-equivalent.
*He ran back, told Satoshi, and now they've gone on the run into Minkai, knowing the kami will be hunting Kichiro, hoping to find some cure for his condition and some way (short of dying) to make reparations to the kami.
Sound good?
Sounds good to start. We might want to decide just *what* happened in those ruins, in at least some general terms. Though leaving it vague could almost be more fun.
Satoshi at this point has already been practicing alchemy and gotten decent at a fair number of crafts. Probably wasn't indispensable, but he might be missed. In fact, we might want to discuss for a moment if our village/town/fest of family is likely to send anyone looking for us. Then again, kitsune can be wanderers, and the Forest of Spirits is far from safe. It might not be long before we're assumed dead, or simply gone.
Hmmm... for what happened in the ruins, I'm thinking something along the lines of, Kichiro charged ahead, he found some chamber with ancient carvings, touched one, and then the next thing he knew he was writhing in pain on the floor, his body warping and twisting. Satoshi found him, dragged him out, and did something (Hurriedly brewed a potion with ingredients he 'happened' to find in the ruins?) that seemed to make him better. Kichiro couldn't really remember what had caused him to be in the state Satoshi found him in, but when everything seemed okay for a couple days he figured it was over.
Until, of course, the Hunger struck.
Now he's *very* well aware something's wrong with him, of course, but I'd like to keep some of the specifics vague (things to discover over the campaign).
Also, his witchmark is that his tail splits in two a third of the way down its length, with the two 'halves' being unequal in length. No matter what form he turns into it has a split tail like this (his Unnatural Transformaion), even if the form normally wouldn't have a tail.
As for what actually happened to Kichiro while he was out... well, I want to not know exactly what it was, but I do have a few ideas:
*A powerful Qlippoth that slipped out of the battles in Tianjing in the ancient past only to be sealed by the kami when it reached the Forest of Spirits
*A mighty Protean that was captured by an ancient sorcerer, long since driven to violent insanity by its long captivity in the too-orderly material plane
*A powerful and evil kitsune sorcerer, bound in the distant past by the kami in vengeance for the evils he wrought upon them
Of course, it could be something else, too, those are just some thoughts.
I also like the idea that searching for a cure for Kichiro leads the two brothers to get involved in thwarting some plot that threatens Minkai or Tian Xia in general. Perhaps then there could even be a point at which they find a way to possibly cure Kichiro... only to realize that doing so would leave him too weak to help stop whatever this evil plot is.
Speaking of Minkai, what would you say to this being Minkai shortly after the end of the Jade Regent adventure path? Ameiko has just been installed as Empress, but there are still many of the oni and evil people that had been in the employ of the Jade Regent lurking about, and the nation as a whole is in an unsettled state, unsure of their untried sovereign.
Sounds interesting. Satoshi might be inwardly wondering just *why* there conveniently happened to be just the right rare plants nearby, and also wondering where the flash of inspiration to brew them into an elixir to save Kichiro came from. Perhaps it wouldn't be coincidental...
Still, Satoshi probably won't be as big of a plot driver as Kichiro, at least at the beginning. As things progress, the nature of his approach might start having effects in that he may well uncover the secrets of steam power and gunpowder, but still be hampered by the tendency for his inventions to fall apart if they don't receive constant maintenance. It might be interesting to tie some story of flavor elements into these intentional class mechanics; perhaps Satoshi is unknowingly playing host to, or blessed by, some minor spirit/kami/deity of technology of some sort?
There is also the matter that for being from a magical race of shapeshifters, Satoshi is a bit embarrassed that the basic shapeshifting is all he's got; he can't even make the most basic of spells (dancing lights), usually available to kitsune half his age... and yet the pseudo-magic of alchemy comes naturally to him. This could be tied into something as well.
Alright then. What was the name (or meaning of the name) of where the two of you lived, before this occurred?
Hmmmm... a name... how about the village of Kenkami? A little village of maybe 75 people along the Spirit Road, about a day's travel from the Minkai border. The heart of the village is a small inn/tea house that caters to travelers along the Spirit Road. Sound good?
「神の県」, I presume— because the initial translation was... well, "crude" was putting it lightly. My language nerdery aside, Kichiro, Satoshi, Let's start this.
Yorick? Oyzar?
Honestly I just played around with a name generator until I got something that didn't get any hits on a Google search, I didn't think to try translating it. XD