She is going through a bit of a 'goth' stage, dark eyeliner and dark clothing, beloved of the moon and all. But the image has her lip pierced. Should I ignore that, or should I include it in the description?
Rock on!
I don’t think you need to worry about the pierced lip i in the avatar image ;)
Sounds good, so Gubble knows Naomi and Guthlag due to interactions when he is in town for errands or travelling. He's personable and chatty (and short) so easy enough to remember him :)
One point. It is Gubble, with a U.
My bad John!
@RH Guthlag would definitely seek out any druids. But what he's really looking for is the specific druid circle that his master was a part of.
@RH Guthlag would definitely seek out any druids. But what he's really looking for is the specific druid circle that his master was a part of.
GM - Obermind, would Naomi's mother (or Noami) have any bits of information for Guthlag?
PM sent RH ;)
Here's Elgrin. As I wrote his backstory instead of being a Rondelero and eventually gaining Paladin levels, he became a Paladin trained in the art of Rondelero. His Rondelero is still a work in progress and will eventually express itself through Rondelero Swashbuckler levels later on.
HA! Now that's a lengthy name. I'm surprised it let you put all that in there. That's pretty cool.
I'll try not to throw out: "Hey, The Artist Formerly Known as Prince. What are you doing?". Otherwise, there may be all kinds of crazy questions that I can't answer. :P
Hey! Maybe you can open for The Accursed! :D
I thought of TAFKAP as I was entering his name :D
Here's Elgrin. As I wrote his backstory instead of being a Rondelero and eventually gaining Paladin levels, he became a Paladin trained in the art of Rondelero. His Rondelero is still a work in progress and will eventually express itself through Rondelero Swashbuckler levels later on.
I like it Elgrin. Nice writeup!
Just please tell me you will not use Community Minded to rage cycle :/
And a question - if the plan is going Celestial Bloodline, shouldn’t your Skill Focus be on Heal?
I have decided to open Gameplay to get the creative juices going!
Those who already know Gubble were most likely invited directly by him to meet him at the inn (I will let you to sort that out among yourselves). Those who do not, are hopefully interested/curious about his job posting ;)
Feel free to throw some initial posts, introduce your character, whatever you may feel like.
"I like it Elgrin. Nice writeup!"
Thanks
"Just please tell me you will not use Community Minded to rage cycle :/"
Nope I'll just rage once a combat typically one or two rounds, have Community MInded kick in and will cure the fatigue after with LOH. Won't Rage again for the duration of that combat. Basically getting some extra rounds out of a limited rage pool.
And a question - if the plan is going Celestial Bloodline, shouldn’t your Skill Focus be on Heal?
No. I need Skill Focus Survival for the Orc Bloodline which I'll access through the Eldritch Heritage feat. Mechanics will stay the same, however, I'm flavoring the bloodline as the Blood of Heroes/Old Blood.
BloodRager:
"If the bloodrager takes levels in another class that grants a bloodline, the bloodlines must be the same type, even if that means that the bloodline of one of the classes must change. Subject to GM discretion, the bloodrager can change his former bloodline to make them conform."
His Orc Bloodline is not granted by levels in a CLASS. Its from a feat granting him an additional bloodline
Eldritch Heritage
You are descended from a long line of sorcerers, and some portion of their power flows in your veins.
Prerequisites: Cha 13, Skill Focus with the class skill of bloodline selected for this feat (see below), character level 3rd.
Benefit: Select one sorcerer bloodline. You must have Skill focus in the class skill that bloodline grants to a sorcerer at 1st level (for example, Heal for the celestial bloodline). This bloodline cannot be a bloodline you already have. You gain the first-level bloodline power for the selected bloodline. For purposes of using that power, treat your sorcerer level as equal to your character level – 2, even if you have levels in sorcerer. You do not gain any of the other bloodline abilities.
Elgrin, will you be offended if I ask you why you are taking the Orcish bloodline? What do you feel it adds to your character, apart from the mechanical benefits? Because if it is only the mechanical benefit, I am willing to work with you in finding another way to attain it, more appropriate to your character.
The whole purpose of going through the Eldritch Heritage feat line Orc Bloodline is it's capstone at 17th lvl lololololol (I can't believe I'm delusional enough to plan a character build from 1-20....I obviously have difficulty learning from past experiences on these boards)
Power of Giants (Sp): At 15th level, you may grow to Large size as a standard action. At this size you gain a +6 size bonus to Strength, a –2 penalty to Dexterity, a +4 size bonus to Constitution, and a +4 natural armor bonus. You may return to your normal size as a standard action. You may remain in this size for up to 1 minute per character level per day; this duration does not need to be consecutive, but it must be used in 1 minute increments.
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The purpose of this is to become Large so he has a chance of Bullrushing opponents with his Shield Bash. Bullrushes only work vs opponents one size larger, 2 sizes with his Snowstrider trait.
The combat style he's going for is shield bashing/bullrushing villains out of melee range but close enough for him to attack with his Sharding Falcata.
Late game CMDs are crazy vs Huge and Gargantuan creatures so I don't know if this style will be effective or not. But I want to at least try. And to do that it'll be necessary to find a way to increase Elgrin's size
Orc Bloodline: Touch of Rage (Sp): At 1st level, you can touch a creature as a standard action, giving it a morale bonus on attack rolls, damage rolls, and Will saving throws equal to 1/2 your sorcerer level (minimum 1) for 1 round. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier.
is also gained with the Eldritch Heritage feat line. It's only made somewhat usable by Community Minded. But only barely
He'll have to activate it as a Standard action (not being able to attack that round) and with COmmunity minded he'll benefit from it for the next 2 rounds.
It's not a great power because of its Standard action activation. I'd truly prefer access to one of the Orc Bloodline feats instead or if it was a swift action with a 1/4 lvl morale bonus.
I'm not sure how useful it's going to end up being.
Truly the reason for the Orc bloodline is its 17th lvl capstone power
And I just want to reiterate. For this character, I see the flavor or this bloodline that of Ancient Heroes or maybe even the blood of Avenging Archons. Mechanically it's the Orc Bloodline, but flavor-wise definitely not
Man I love your thoroughness. If it didn't exhaust me just thinking about it, that's how I would love to do things. :P
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I manage to only plan a level or two (but rarely even two) ahead. Which is usually while my characters are a bit of a mess, but having different play styles is great and I know without a doubt it has never Ever tamepred with your characters being characters.
Hope that came out right. I am tired. Mainly was saying, Wabbit was one of my favorites.
Guthlag has been updated significantly. I'll put the finishing touches on tomorrow most likely.
Going to finish up before posting in gameplay if that's ok.
And I just want to reiterate. For this character, I see the flavor or this bloodline that of Ancient Heroes or maybe even the blood of Avenging Archons. Mechanically it's the Orc Bloodline, but flavor-wise definitely not
But herein lies my question - if your flavor is that of Ancient Heroes, or maybe the blood of Avenging Archons, why not choose a more thematically appropriate bloodline? I can see several which apply - Celestial, Destined, Imperious, Martyred?
Because otherwise, you do realize Grotaag will most likely smell the orc blood in you, and you may catch his attention ;)
Guthlag has been updated significantly. I'll put the finishing touches on tomorrow most likely.
Going to finish up before posting in gameplay if that's ok.
Thanks for the update Guthlag - I like the added background and motivation details. And no hurries - like I said today will be a busier day for me anyway.
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Shame on you! :D
Note: Feel free to post at your leisure, except for the arrival at the inn to meet Gubble. I will have a post regarding that one later on.
But herein lies my question - if your flavor is that of Ancient Heroes, or maybe the blood of Avenging Archons, why not choose a more thematically appropriate bloodline? I can see several which apply - Celestial, Destined, Imperious, Martyred?
Because otherwise, you do realize Grotaag will most likely smell the orc blood in you, and you may catch his attention ;)
While I might prefer the flavor of Destined or Imperious, mechanically those bloodlines do not accomplish what I need or desire in this build which is the capstone increase in size.
"Because if it is only the mechanical benefit, I am willing to work with you in finding another way to attain it, more appropriate to your character."
I'm going with this bloodline for the mechanical benefit. If you have other ideas on how he can gain the size increase provided by the Power of Giants ability, I'm all ears.
I have NO problem with adjusting flavor to suit character concepts while retaining the original game mechanics. It sounds like you have a different opinion on this.
I'd prefer for the bloodline to be reflavored in one of the ways I suggested. If reflavoring is not palatable to you. I will make due with the flavor as is.
Wednesday, July 20, 2016
Hello and welcome, friend! We here at Sandermane Archives are pleased to offer the most thorough genealogical services in all of—oh, you're a sorcerer.
No, no! Don't say anything. You're screaming it loudly enough already, from that tacky dragon tattoo to the gaudy "gold" embroidery on your robe. Who even wears a robe in the summer? I just want one month to go by without seeing one of you deadbeats in here!
Let me guess? You know a few fire spells, some scales on your tuckus, and you daddy's cousin's great-aunt claims she spent a sweaty summer night with Mengkare. And now you want me to dig up some proof of their salacious interspecies gambol so you can embrace your destiny or claim your family fortune or settle a drunken bet?
Well you know what? You're paying up front! I'm tired of getting stiffed when you lot find out there's not a drop of dragon blood in your veins, and storm out in a huff!
Oh, what's that? You say "Mom had a tail, so grandma must've been a dragon!" Pssht! Dragons are a half-step down from gods, and you're about three square meals better than a goblin. And I know you know that; that's why you want me to tell you you're really half-dragon. But a dragon wants to make babies with you about as much as you want to make babies with your rose bush! Sure, there might be a few weirdoes out there, but that takes some pretty low self-esteem or a legendary quantity of whiskey!
Oh, but you're so sure you're the exception, are you? Ha, I say! Ha! Remember when I said they were close to gods? They change all the rules. Make 'em funny. They don't need carnal relations to leave their mark on the world. Maybe your grandpappy was a loyal servant for some wyrm, and just picked up a little taint to his blood hanging around so much—happens to kobolds all the time! Or maybe your great aunt helped slay an ancient wyrm. Or was standing too close when someone else did. Maybe your mom built her farm over the grave of some long-dead dragon's hoard. There was a lass in here last Rova, we figured out she wound up a sorcerer because her alchemist dad got addicted to dragon's blood! Never met a dragon his whole life; just bought the blood from a shifty-eyed dwarf, then his daughter winds up with claws and spells and a hankering for rubies.
Wouldn't have happened in my day.
Illustrations by Francesco Di Pastena, Hannah Kennedy, and Lance Red
It's not all bad. So you can't order your dragon grandma to lay waste to your enemies or claim some legendary pile of gold. Most folk can't! But see dragons impact everything they brush up against, not just people. They leave knowledge and magic and treasure wherever they go, and weirder bits, too. Dragons change the way the world works, and if you study them, you can too! There are these eccentrics in Katapesh can draw out dragon magic by worshipping dragons like gods—even turn into dragons, from what I hear! And Druma has these witches, they learn their magic by gathering up hoards of gold, no spooky deals with the powers-that-be required. Heck, we got a gladiator in this city who claims she learned to fight from a linnorm, and to see the way she tears open anyone that hits her, you'd believe it. You think you're limited without dragon blood, but the truth of the whole deal is that you're never limited just by your blood.
That's why being a genealogist is better than being well-bred!
Of course, you're still limited by your gold. Secrets don't come cheap, whether they're family indiscretions or secret techniques to tame a drake. One advantage to the many, many egotistical sorcerers who walk through those doors and hire me to peek into draconic history is that I have become quite the tidy expert of the subject—Probably the foremost in this city, at any rate—and I just happen to keep a copy all of my notes in this conveniently portable little folio. It's certainly a good deal cheaper—and less disappointing—than paying me to plot out your family tree on the off chance you have some scaly kin lurking around.
And look at the bright side: If you buy the folio, you never have to grapple with the existential dread that comes with discovering you're descended from a kobold.
Crystal Frasier
Developer
While that blog post dealt with the Dragon Bloodline it gives ideas of various ways the bloodlines can be gained. Bloodlines are weird things. An Aasimar could have an Infernal Bloodline.
It could be the Elgrin's ancestor's mortal enemy was an order of Orc AntiPaladins. And through a lifetime of battles against them the taint of Orc Blood permeated his Blood. Or hell....maybe his ancient ancestor was an Orc Paladin in the Army of Light and through many generations the Orc Blood has been thinned out to the point where there is no visible trace in Elgrin's appearance as he grows in power the Blood manifests in great strength and other abilities.
Mechanically the abilities of the Orc Bloodline are what this build needs. I'd prefer reflavoring. If that's not on the table I'll find justification for it as is.
And if Guthlag sniffs me out...Fine. That's a connection to another party member.
I am fine with morning. Best to form an amazing group of adventurers first thing in the morning so we have plenty of time to get on the road and do Adventure things
I just finished reading Guthlags backstory:
"Part of Guthlag also wants to return to Nel Toth one day, when he's stronger, although he's not sure exactly what he would want to do there. Would he try to massacre everyone he could find? Or would he instead seek to become their leader, attempting to change their society? He needs to develope a before making such a decision."
Maybe time around a Human Paladin whose blood bears not the taint, but the blessing of an Orc-Hero ancestor, will help Guthlag develop that stronger moral compass.
My best character Wabbit became that because of his strong connection to his cousin Cleo. If Elgrin has the blood of a famous Orc Paladin, that would provide roots for a possible deeper connection with Guthlag.
Elgrin already has a backstory hook with Jalros. Providing another story-hook, character tie-in to another party member, Guthlag can only be a good thing.
I have a master plan of what I want to accomplish and how to do that mechanically with my builds. But how a character's personality and story/backstory develops is not planned. It develops as I start writing them and it can take me to unexpected places.
So while completely unplanned, I am perfectly content to be connected to an Orc Paladin-Hero from the Army of Light, and have that blood running through Elgrin's veins.
I'm going with this bloodline for the mechanical benefit.
Ok, understood. This conversation could drag for a long time, so let us focus on the game. Feel free to reflavor it as you prefer, as long as it means your blood is ‘tainted’ somehow by some sort of orc ancestry. I think it makes sense - I am ok with reflavoring, but I am not ok with completely changing the nature of an ability or feature, to make it fit a character build.
The rage of your ancestors burns within you, and the taint of savage orc blood flows through your veins. Your anger is never far from the surface, giving you strength and driving you to seek greater power.
Emphasis mine, as I find it relevant. The reasons why ‘the taint of savage orc blood flows through your veins’ can be flavored almost at will, but the taint is there. It is an integral part of your orc bloodline, and if you do not want to have such ‘taint’, you should not select this bloodline. If it makes things easier, let us call it a DM ruling.
Now, what exactly the ‘taint’ is, or what significance it may have is something which may come up during the game, or not. In any case, and since Elgrin’s past is not well known to him anyway, anything is possible ;)
Oh, Naomi's backstory is done if anyone wants to take a peak.
Read it. And I like it ;)
@Everyone: I am seeing some great introductory posts!
I am fine with morning. Best to form an amazing group of adventurers first thing in the morning so we have plenty of time to get on the road and do Adventure things
Am actually planning for it to happen around, or after dinner time (apologies for not clarifying that with the opening post), for secret plot DM reasons…. MUAHAHAHAH!!!
I will give Guthlag a chance to chime in also, and I will push us forward later today.
I am fine with morning. Best to form an amazing group of adventurers first thing in the morning so we have plenty of time to get on the road and do Adventure thingsAm actually planning for it to happen around, or after dinner time (apologies for not clarifying that with the opening post), for secret plot DM reasons…. MUAHAHAHAH!!!Just remember breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
So, if Naomi did deliveries for her mother, would she know where Gubble lives? Early morning to late afternoon is a long time to sit in a tavern... Hmm, unless she starts to play the lute for tips.
If Gubble is fine with Naomi knowing where he lives, I am also fine with it ;)
Fair enough - there goes Naomi striking out on her own :)
Lol! "Bubble Gumdrop".
I don't think Jalros is there. Well, to be honest, I don't have any idea what tavern he's in. Just some random one. I guess it could be the Starving Stirge. I could possibly see him not really catching the name of the place. It's possible.
All is sorted - Guthlag has chimed in, and I just posted to move us ahead to the juicy part ;)
Did we ever figure out the connection between Naomi's mother and Fangor's druid circle, if any?
Also, just realized that we're using present tense.
I think this is more of the personality Naomi is accustomed to seeing out of Gubble. Pleasant but more business like, which makes sense since he was visiting her mother for purchases.
Also Obermind, I love that you gave us a menu!!
Well you gotta have a menu if you are to decide what to eat! ;)
FINALLY going home tomorrow. Wife, kids, dog, and a real computer (order of importance). Packing tonight, flying a lot tomorrow, so please Gubble some more Obermind.
By midweek I might be back to normal. As normal as I get at least. :)
Have a safe trip back home John!
I have already 'Gubbled' some ;)
Sorry this took so long to answer, I was thinking about it. This is the info GM gave me in a PMNaomi's mother (and perhaps Naomi also) would not know the location of the Druid circle, apart from its possible general location (somewhere to the North of Fairhill).
But she would know the circle is led in their worship of Narrah by Illarda, the Priestess of the Moon, an elven druidess.
I think Gabriella would have told him that she had heard of a druid circle north of Fairhill, and that it was lead by an elf named Illarda.
But she probably would have left off the fact that the same druidess was a priestess of Narrah, the moon goddess. This is information that Naomi may/will reveal in time, once they get to know each other.
Is that ok?
Ok no problem. This is more or less the same info Guthlag already has. He does know that Narrah is the patron of the circle.
He smiles then for real, not the showy expression he gave to Gubble earlier, but a wide, toothy smile that crinkles the scars on his cheeks and brings fire into his eyes. He flashes those eyes at Naomi quietly, and then orders a huge plate of food with no meat and a mug of plain water."No food Mister?" - Ilia asks again, just to make sure - "Mebbe some bread or eggs?"
Just leaving this here.
My bad :P
Fortunately Alec is there to solve the issue ;)
No problem. He does have an accent that makes him hard to understand.
Are the forums completely dragging for anyone else today?