Black Tom's Abomination Vaults

Game Master Black Tom

It has been a while (eight years I think) since I last ran a game but I recently picked up the Pathfinder 2e Core Rulebook and thought I’d get into the game again. I am going to try to run the Abomination Vaults and learn the game as I go along, so I am looking for a bunch of friendly players to share that experience with me. It doesn’t matter if you are new to the edition like me or if you have played it a lot. If you have read or played the adventure before it has never been an issue before.

I am kind of an old-school hack’n’slash DM, not heavy into role-playing, but I try to keep the pace of the game up and aspire to a light-hearted but deadly game. My most redeeming quality as a DM is that I always try to be civil and I have in the past been blessed with some really stellar players, so a few of my games ran for quite a long time. (You can check my post history for my play style).

I am not looking for any elaborate backgrounds or anything, but I am hoping for players who are in it for the long haul. If there happens to be anyone still around that has played with me and liked it, you will get preferential treatment. I strongly suspect that there will be a need for replacements along the line, so if you are interested, please don’t give up if you are not selected in the first place.

Because I just started PF 2e, I would much prefer that you create your characters using the Core Rulebook only (and of course the AP Player’s Guide). I may expand my use of materials later, but I need to master the basics first.

You will be expected to post at least once a day on weekdays, and that is what I commit to too. If you don’t post in 24 hours, I will let any other player take your action for you (or do it myself if it feels obvious). If I hear nothing from you in a week, I’ll assume that you left the game and find a replacement.

Character creation should be quite straightforward, but I’d like to know if you are a native to Otari or why you happen to be there. You will all know Wrin of course, but feel free to invent connections to other NPCs or PCs. You don’t need a fully developed character to apply, just a concept. We can work out the details later.

I'll keep recruitment open at least until Sunday August 15th, but I may accept characters before that. I am looking for a party of four to start with.

Hey Black Tom. You're doing what I was considering doing: running Abomination Vaults as a means of getting to know the PF2 rules as I went. I'd be interested in playing in your game as a way of learning what to do (and perhaps not do) myself when I finally get around to running it. At present, I've only flipped through the AP and made a list of all the monster stat blocks I'd need (I make a document of statblocks with Paizo-board-friendly macros embedded so I can simply cut-and-paste when I run the adventures). I haven't given the AP a read-through yet, so keeping player and character knowledge separate should not be an issue (yet).

I'd probably go with a human cleric or swashbuckler for my PC.

Hey, Black Tom. I remember you!

And I've been hoping someone would run Abomination Vaults!

Are you looking for full character submissions? Or only expressions of interest?

I am also an old (old, old, old)-school gamer with a fond love of old-fashioned dungeon delving. I also don't fade away, as I've been running games here for years. I'd be in it for the long haul!

Welcome back Tom.

I would be interested in playing Abomination Vaults.
I was considering running it for my DMs; but we chose AoEW instead.

EDIT: I am currently playing in 2 AoA (Fighter and Cleric), Malevolence (Investigator) and Extinction's Curse (Wizard); so I will stay away from those classes.

Time to research! And, thank you for running!

An old-school dungeon crawl sounds fun. I'd be very interested.

I'm interested. Thinking of playing a dwarf "security consultant;" a rogue with the thief racket and the detective background. They'd be in Otari at the request of a merchant who wants to reduce their susceptibility to robbery, and will have just finished when the AP starts.

Hey guys, thanks for the interest. I think John hit the spot with the level of detail I am looking for in submissions. Since it is going to be tricky to choose, it would be nice to hear about your character concepts. I'll leave the recruitment open for the week as promised but I am glad to have you all, even if I can't promise anything yet.

I would love to join you on this. I am just getting into 2e myself - a couple short scenarios under my belt, but still much to learn. How about I bring a goblin sorcerer who doubles as the cook, keeping the party fed by frying up whatever deep dark delicacies we may find? He could also be a gnome, but I think goblins have become more mainstream in 2e, so it could be fun to try it out.

Hello. I'm also very much interested. :)
Haven't played a PbP for a long time, but I have some experience with PF2e.

This is my (tentative) character submission:

Name: Roderick Crestreaver

Bio:
Roderick works at the local bookstore under Morlibint and shares his love for books and fiction, he learned the secrets of the arcane arts with the old bookstore owner. He also is an acquittance of Wrin Sivinxi who shares with Roderick a passion for the unusual and the occult. Roderick often tries to meet up with the elven tiefling whenever he finds a strange reference to some rare occult secret in the books he sells.

Character Sheet:
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After having read the Player's Guide, I think that I would like to go with one of my favorite pairs:Tindertwig and Dirtbag!

I have had them in a few PbP over the years, but, alas, those games ended as some PbP are wont to do.

I will convert them to PF2e, if you are intrigued by them. There is not a Toad Animal Companion, so thinking Dirtbag may be a Crocodile...lol.

Concept:
Tindertwig is a Goblin Ranger newly arrived in Otari. He has been curious about the smaller ruins in the Otari hinterlands but has never quite built up the courage to check out the creepy lighthouse called Gauntlight.
His go-to for information about where to explore come from Lardus Longsaddle, who is getting a bit exhausted by the countless visits from the Goblin and his crocodile...lol.
Background: Ruin Delver

Welcome back old friend. Interested. I’ll blow the dust off my PF2 book and see what that inspires

I didn't know you back then, but welcome back!

I'd like to apply as well. I'm currently running a weekly game of AV over Discord, so I do have prior knowledge, but I'm very good at keeping player and character knowledge separate. We're about 4 sessions from the end of book 1. Also, I have no problem discussing my experience running it with you whether you pick me or not!

I've been itching to play a Fighter. I'm thinking sword and board. A young Human (always subject to change before the finished product) who grew up going to the Roseguard Museum at least once a month to look up to their idols. Because of this, they have dreams of grandeur and has always wanted to visit the Gauntlight. A few of their friends went near it with them once, but were spooked away by floating balls of light. Every so often they would try again without their friends, who had been too scared to go back, and came back with tales every time. Once they hear Wrin has been asking about the Gauntlight, they would likely to be the first to show up, sword polished up and shield and armor well taken care of.
Background: Fogfen Tale-Teller
Name: terrible with names. I'll come up with something.

Hi there!

So I've got a half-baked idea for a half-orc swashbuckler, who tried making a name for himself in Absalom as "The Urgir Kid," passing off as some badass from Belkzen. He then proceeded to attract the attention of some actual tough guys from the motherland. Rather than stick around and risk embarrassment or disembowelment, he fled to Otari and tried to lay low there. Of course I'm figuring it won't be that simple...

Vragzen "Brah" Braagnuath is an oddity even among the orcs of the Burning Sun Orc Tribe. Cultured and soft spoken compared to most orcs Brah prefers to use his head to out think his opponent. His current interest is tinkering with alchemy to and studying fleshwarping. He is currently in Otari to visit the Dawnflower Library to further his studies

Vragzen "Brah" Braagnuath
Class: Investigator(Alchemical Sciences)
Background: Eldritch Anatomist

In all my years of gaming, one of the few character classes I've never run is the alchemist. If it seems a good fit, Black Tom, I'd like to run a human alchemist bomber descendant of Vol Ranjani of the Roseguard. He's come to find out more about this illustrious ancestor's fate and to try to emulate her heroism and dash, though he's no swordsman himself.

If an alchemist doesn't work I've also thought about running a fetchling cleric of the Cosmic Caravan who wants to change people's opinion about the night, shadow and darkness.

I have an ysoki(ratfolk) ranger I've made for Abomination Vaults, so I'll throw my hat in the ring.

charactersheet

Here is scranford's first Pathfinder 2 character. I feel I didn't really give PF2 a chance when it came out, and have been playing almost exclusively 5E, but wanted to give it a chance and what better way to learn.

Gil is from a small halfling village that was raided by a group of Goblins. He was captured and forced to work the mines for almost 20 years. He does not know if any of his family or friends survived.

A new arrival to the mines, an old human monk trained him how to defend himself with both his bare hands and simple implements... and before he died how to embrace the Ki within his soul.

During a battle between his Goblin Captors and a group of Kobolds Gil was able to make his escape. He swore then and there to never take the light of the sun for granted again, and began his worship of The Dawn Flower. His travels led him to Otari, and he is eager to see the temple of Sarenrae here.

I'll clean up the avatar profile if selected.

Here's the crunch for the alchemist I mentioned above. I'm thinking of having him take the witch archetype at some point.

Well, I know I said I'd keep recruitment open until Sunday, but it looks like the thread is rather buried by now, and I am happy with the submissions I have gotten so far, so here goes. I have to say that it was a tough decision but I have picked a party of four. The rest of you are very welcome if and when a further spot opens up.

Not all heroes are named yet but I'd like to welcome the following players to the discussion thread (in no particular order):

Tarondor
Dorian 'Grey'
John Woodford
Lord of Rust.

Alright, got a promotion!

I just got home from work. In a few hours, I'll have a character up and ready to go. Thanks for the opportunity!

Have fun!

Thanks, Tom!

Yep. Have Fun. Gil will be waiting in the wings if needed.

If you still have room for this, I am interested in joining. I was thinking of a Druid. If I am able to join, I'll post the more detailed information about the character.

Right now I am going to run with four but it is possible that we'll add a player or that someone drops out. I will reopen this thread if so.