Welcome to Xielan Island, and congratulations on securing one of 64 spots in the thirty-first decennial Ruby Phoenix Tournament!
I will have a slew of questions to get us ready, but I wanted to take a moment for you all to say hi, compare notes, and begin making some determinations about how you might have come together as a team!
Consider thematic niches, common motivations, shared dispositions, sponsors, origins, strengths, weaknesses, and quirks. As promised, I have lists (from the Fists of the Ruby Phoenix Player Guide) to facilitate this discussion. But if you have something of your own to advance, then we can begin there before I post the lists.
Hello everyone.
Kind of surprised at selection, still glad to be accepted of course
I will make a profile tonight, and start considering all the possibilities.
Oh, also HAPPY DANCE!!!!! WOOHOO!!!
Thank you for having me.
A few thoughts:
1) @John Gs: You once asked about changing Ai Lua's spells to minimize overlap with Jonovan. I don't *think* that will be necessary. In the first round or two of combat, Ai Lua can focus on buffs (Haste, Good Hope) and Jonovan on crowd control.
2) @Hitome Murakami: The morale bonus from Warrior of the Holy Light overlaps a lot with the Bard's Good Hope. Although, Holy Light provides a morale AC bonus which Good Hope does not. You might consider switching back to Paladin spellcasting. I can tell you that Ai Lua and Jonovan would both greatly appreciate Bestow Grace.
3) Is there any PC whose sponsor wouldn't mind hiring a humble Sorcerer to support their candidate? :D
There is also the topic of Jonovan's somewhat unorthodox combat methods, which will be brought up in-character. However, I will also list them here, as it might be good to think about how your character will respond:
4) This is the big one: Jonovan will offer to Dominate your character and give a single command: Act as you normally would. The reasoning behind this is that if we ever face another spellcaster who mind controls your character, it would then boil down to an opposed Cha check, and Jonovan has reasonably high Cha. Additionally, the normal method of protecting against Domination (Protection from Evil) isn't reliable. Unlike adventuring, in tournament matches, most of your enemies may not be evil. Your character SHOULD NOT accept this unless she (every other PC is female) absolutely trusts Jonovan not to abuse it.
5) Jonovan has Greater Invis. This is great for adventuring, less so for tournament fights, where it presumably prevents you from making Combat Performance Checks. Think about whether your PC wants Jonovan to cast Greater Invis on her, on a regular basis.
6) Jonovan's favorite adventuring trick is to loan his teammates each a Cracked Gamboge Nodule which protects against Stinking Cloud, and then casting (Persisted) Stinking Cloud. Again, great for adventuring, but in a tournament fight, the cloud provides total concealment, so the crowd presumably won't be able to see anything. Most probably, Jonovan will reserve this for tough fights. But the PCs will discuss this IC on when and where to use it.
Blade of the Heavens reporting for duty!
Thank you for having me.
A few thoughts:
2) @Hitome Murakami: The morale bonus from Warrior of the Holy Light overlaps a lot with the Bard's Good Hope. Although, Holy Light provides a morale AC bonus which Good Hope does not. You might consider switching back to Paladin spellcasting. I can tell you that Ai Lua and Jonovan would both greatly appreciate Bestow Grace.
I'd rather not. While there might be some overlap with saving throws, attack rolls, and weapon damage rolls, the lesser restoration effect isn't one that's easy to come by, and Hitome being a source of divine light has become a major part of her concept, and spellcasting doesn't suit her as much as a growing font of divine power.
Additionally the benefit gaining extra uses of Lay on Hands with this archetype also helps Hitome fill the role of healer in a pinch, but is equally versatile in that if the healing isn't needed, she can use Holy Light a lot more times per day that anyone can prepare Good Hope.
That's fine. =)
I wouldn't worry too much about healing. At this level, Wands of CLW are the usual method of HP recovery.
Which reminds me: Do we want a party fund to pay for Wands of CLW?
While Holy Light's Lesser Restoration is nice, from the text, it only works once per day for each of us. Which seems insufficient if any of us suffer serious ability damage.
@GM: Are there clerical services we can use in between fights? Or should we invest in a wand of lesser restoration?
Lay on hands is far more efficient than a wand in the middle of combat when we don't have a channeler (especially for healing myself as a swift action as opposed to a move action to draw a wand and a standard action to use it).
I'm more concerned with healing to keep people alive mid combat than after the fact healing in between fights with a setting that has set down/recovery time.
Good morning,
Healing is probably our main weakness at the moment. Lua has funds left over, enough for a wand, of clw, and since we don't have a dedicated healer, I am going to shift out a spell or two to get a few cures. To be a secondary healer like Hitome. A just in case situation, since bards have limited spells.
I don't think she gets lesser restoration.
Greater invisibility is an amazing spell, but the spectacle is only slightly less important to Lua than the victory. So unless there is a This is the only way moment, she'd rather now.
Dominating is brilliant, but yes will take complete trust. As we are weaving our stories together more we can see if they are at that point or not. After Poly's lists of lists.
My thoughts on the domination thing...
Player perspective this makes sense and sound tactics
Character perspective... not a chance in hell Noro would allow such a tactic. She has been through enough crap where she did not have control. No matter how beneficial, she will never willingly give up control.
In any event, healing will have to be worked out by all the finger wiggles and prayer types. Just tell Noro who dies first.
Lay on hands is far more efficient than a wand in the middle of combat when we don't have a channeler (especially for healing myself as a swift action as opposed to a move action to draw a wand and a standard action to use it).
Keep in mind that for tournament fights, Audiences don't like magical healing mid-combat. So ask Jonovan to drop a smokescreen or something.
My thoughts on the domination thing...
Player perspective this makes sense and sound tactics
Character perspective... not a chance in hell Noro would allow such a tactic. She has been through enough crap where she did not have control. No matter how beneficial, she will never willingly give up control.
Of course, Jonovan will respect everyone's choice. But do consider if there is anything Jonovan can do (or not do) to earn Noro's trust.
Of course, Jonovan will respect everyone's choice. But do consider if there is anything Jonovan can do (or not do) to earn Noro's trust.My thoughts on the domination thing...
Player perspective this makes sense and sound tactics
Character perspective... not a chance in hell Noro would allow such a tactic. She has been through enough crap where she did not have control. No matter how beneficial, she will never willingly give up control.
That would really take some doing, probably not in the time frame of a single adventure.
Not sure if you reviewed the back story, but I am pretty sure the reason is in there
In any event, Noro does not have a sponsor, she would either join with another or try and "pirate" her way in. Maybe using her position on the pirate council as a bit of leverage
I'm excited to see the flurry of chatter in here. These four characters seemed to me to be among those that would draw the most out of the material in the module, with some interesting, complementary abilities. Two arcane casters, two devout warriors, three unarmed fighters, two Avistani folk, and two Tian natives. I anticipate some definite personality clashes.
I also saw that several of you had previously been (or are currently) in campaigns together:
And I'm obviously currently playing in campaigns with almost everyone who applied.
Only JeminiZero is new!
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Backstories
I do strongly encourage you to review each other's backstories if you haven't had a chance. Even if your PCs don't know everything about each other's pasts, they'd be aware of broad strokes behaviors, triggers, quirks, etc.
I'll give an example: I'm currently playing in a game of Fists of the Ruby Phoneix (the 2E sequel that John Gs started in, the 32nd decennial tournament), where some of the members of the team competed on different teams in the previous decade. (You might run into them walking around.) They knew of each others' previous records and had fought each other previously before joining this new team. But during the qualifying round, one of them learned a dark secret about another that has since been sworn to secrecy in that PC's bid for a redemption arc.
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Sponsorship
I want to find a sponsor for the team as a whole. There are some movers and shakers in Gokan society who would love to sponsor a team. So if I get a sense of how this motley crew came together--what sorts of deeds they accomplished individually or together to earn the attention of someone with both deep pockets and deep connections--I can offer a recommendation.
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Healing
The Church of Abadar is very involved in the Ruby Phoenix Tournament, as one of its chief sponsors. While she was alive, Hao Jin was a devout follower of Abadar, and her vault of treasures was an attempt to amass her own sort of First Vault: a collection of items she seemed most perfect or wondrous in all the world. Fearful that her collection would fall into the wrongs hands or simply be lost to history, Hao Jin left strict instructions that were she not to set foot within the temple for 10 years and a day, the Temple of Abadar would organize a competition for items from her Vault. It took centuries--and many thwarted assassination attempts--but in 6891 IC (4391 AR), a recordkeeper at Goka's Grand Bank of Abadar informed the archbanker that a decade and a day had passed since the Ruby Phoenix had last visited the temple. The conditions of her will had been met.
On the 10-year anniversary of that occasion, the first Ruby Phoenix Tournament was held, overseen by Goka's Abadaran clergy and an lifetime-appointed Emissary of Abadar. Every ten years since, the winning team--or solo combatant--has been permitted to choose a single item from the Vault as a prize for their victory.
Goka is also a city with a vibrant culture of gambling, and so the Church sees to it that the gambling is well-regulated.
All that to say--yeah, there are a lot of Abadaran clerics who will be present at the Ruby Phoenix Tournament.
In addition, one of the five elders governing the village of New Harbor (the primary settlement of Xielan Island, where the tournament will be held) is a cleric of Kofusachi. Clerics of other faiths may also be hired on, either as individual team doctors or employees of local establishments. Finally, the Temple of the Rose Shell is an ancient temple dedicated to Shelyn and protected by a small order of ascetic clerics.
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Now for a few lists! Please remember that these are not intended to be exhaustive in any way, but rather a starting place to encourage some ideas:
Although competence within the ring is important for a worldwide fighting tournament, so too is the ability to promote oneself outside of it. Many of the most beloved teams who compete in the Ruby Phoenix Tournament—or at least the most memorable—focus on their team “image” or brand almost as much as honing their muscles and minds.
Fighting teams typically consist of individuals who share commonalities either in upbringing, motivation, or tactics. You and your fellow players can use the following lists to hand-pick your team’s theme, fighting styles, quirks, and so on. These lists are not intended to be prescriptive. Rather, use them to generate ideas and come up with fun thematic connections.
TEAM THEMES
This is your team’s thematic niche, specialty, or motif. You and your teammates are all...
MOTIVATIONS
This is your team’s reason for entering the Ruby Phoenix Tournament in the first place. Your team has joined the tournament to...
PERSONALITIES
This is a shared personality type or general disposition you and your allies have in common. You and your teammates are all generally...
SPONSORS
This is your team’s general source of income, which covered the travel expenses for the prequalifier on Bonmu and the tournament on Goka. Your team’s sponsorship money comes from...
ORIGINS
This is your team’s shared homeland, place of origin, or region where you all met. You and your teammates all met in or share some affinity with...
STRENGTHS
This is your team’s specialty in combat—your time-proven strategy, default tactics, or modus operandi. You and your teammates all...
WEAKNESSES
This is your team’s flaw or shortcoming in combat, which perceptive opponents might use against you. Your team has...
QUIRK
This is your team’s flaw or shortcoming in combat, which perceptive opponents might use against you. You and your teammates...
It's also possible that the whole team doesn't share these, but that even one or two of you do. Greater cohesion will be better, but feel free to use this to flesh out individual characters as well rather than feeling like you have to be in lock-step with each other.
Those are LISTS.
Lua the showman would happily work on themes. She also would tirelessly work toward gathering a team. So if any of the others were attempting to draw sponsors, especially if they were participating in practice bouts. Which Lua would be doing of course. Drawing crowds, showing off, entertaining and proving herself.
Meaning she could be recruiting.
I will work on the rest soon.
Hmm... theme is hard. Something about diverse and driven.
Eccentric, Managery (dragon, angel, pirate, and not-assassin), Oddballs, Oddities, Outsiders.
Combined with our focus on our goal, winning, driven, hungry, other words, losing train of thought, sigh.
Or focus on looks, three of the group have charisma values 18 or higher. I don't see a description of Noro, her low charisma might be her nature more than appearance... though with her past assault, leaning into some kind of theme linked somewhat to attractiveness might not be a good idea.
Just babbling out ideas.
Our motivations are not that different. Winning by itself is what we want
: for redemption, for fame, for recognition as unique, and to just get better.
Shared personality traits are hard, we seem divergent here. Even in alignment, LG, CG, CN, and... hey what is Jonovan's?
I am assuming since none of us share a past that we meet in Tian Xia. I think it makes more sense we all are searching for a team in some way or another, but we could always simply be looking for a sponsor knowing they would recruit enough to fill a team.
Strength... variety? We have brutality and grace, showmanship, intimidation, and violence, all combined with a host of spells and abilities.
Weaknesses... "fear of the color green or a fear of people who wear capes" Yes, has to be one of these... no BOTH of these. Green capes. Evil Green Capes. Sigh, okay, not green capes. Maybe Cohesion? I doubt any sponsor would just let their reputation ride on four people who have never trained together AT ALL. But that might not mean we have been together long enough to trust/gel with each other much yet.
Even in alignment, LG, CG, CN, and... hey what is Jonovan's?
Somewhere between NG and TN. I have him pegged at NG for now. (Near the top of his crunch sheet)
Weaknesses... "fear of the color green or a fear of people who wear capes" Yes, has to be one of these... no BOTH of these. Green capes. Evil Green Capes. Sigh, okay, not green capes. Maybe Cohesion? I doubt any sponsor would just let their reputation ride on four people who have never trained together AT ALL. But that might not mean we have been together long enough to trust/gel with each other much yet.
Actually, our weakness is pretty clear: We have NO trapfinder. We also don't have a primary healer.
Noro probably has the hardest background to integrate with the rest of us. She is an outlaw. (At least I think pirates are outlaws, they are bandits at sea right? Hitome probably has a kill-on-sight policy for bandits.) We are mostly law abiding. She is out pillaging and plundering at sea, the rest of us are landlubbers. In the most likely scenario where we meet, she would have attacked a passenger ship carrying the rest of us, resulting in death on one side.
Given all this, the best idea I could come up with, where we meet without killing each other, was this hackneyed contrived plot: We were on different ships sailing along happily, suddenly got caught in an ocean wide mega-storm, washed up ashore on some mysterious island. Banded together to survive various challenges. Eventually escaped. That way we don't know she's a pirate.
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You don't need a trapfinder. Nor do you need a primary healer.
I also don't think it's necessary to be so prescriptive about either a paladin or a pirate's behavior. That's a lot of assumptions. I've got a neutral evil pirate in a game of Skull & Shackles right now whose crew has never gone pillaging. They've mostly come into deadly conflict with other pirates.
Both Noro and Hitome strike me as both being focused on personal honor.
Beyond their respective backstories not supporting inevitable kill on sight conflict, Shizuru and Tsukiyo's edicts and anathema (as much as an enlightened paladin wouldn't be beholden to them) are:
Edicts practice with a weapon every day, honor your ancestors, protect nature and society from corruption and destruction; provide aid and counsel without judgment to those who seek help, help the dead find their rest, amplify or help speak for the powerless and demonized
Anathema abandon a companion in need, dishonor yourself, parlay with truce breakers, separate lovers; harm another out of envy, force aid on those who do not want it, inflict harmful mental effects on others as punishment
The island survival notion is interesting (though as you noted, admittedly hackneyed and contrived). If the others want to roll with it, then cool.
Agreed. Paladin doesn't always mean "Stop Evil doer...in the name of the law!". Not even close. Those would be very one dimensional interpretations of a Pirate or a Paladin for that matter.
I agree that eccentricity (or at least being intriguingly unique), and self development are a common element. We all seem to be striving to become better, whether it be for family name, escaping past demons, fulfilling destiny. or simply being the "best there is at what I do".
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So I think I have an idea for a sponsor. A Bard. A collector of tales of legendary warriors, not satisfied to simply learn and retell stories, but bring them to fruition. Someone with the means to have agents searching far and wide, hearing tales of those whose prowess in battle seem far beyond mortal limits, Legends in the making.
The inspiration was Shakespeare's introductions in "A Knight's Tale", with a touch of Bateatus from Spartacus. The daughter of a fallen samurai house turned pirate lord, a mysterious underworld figure of myth who claims to be anything but, a supernatural warrior surrounded by whispers of divinity, a dragonblooded warrior of humble origins, already painting her history in blood across the arena sands.
These are the elements of tales that would be told for centuries, and as the one to bring them to the people, to guide these legends to unfold before the eyes of an adoring public, he would become a legend as well.
So the idea is part talent scout, part hype man, part fanboy maybe even driven by a vision/prophecy. Having deliberately sought out the four of us after hearing whispers of each and manipulating events to bring us together.
Someone who searches for living myths to acknowledge and witness them as their stories unfold, rather than hear of them in the future. Who wouldn't want to go back in time and witness a legend become a legend? With enough resources you can do the next best thing, gather legends to have them unfold in front of him.
I've got a neutral evil pirate in a game of Skull & Shackles right now whose crew has never gone pillaging. They've mostly come into deadly conflict with other pirates.
What? Pirates who don't pillage and plunder? What is this? One Piece? =P
But really, if all you do is fight other Pirates, you're probably a Pirate Hunter.
@Noro: Let's hear it first hand then. What has she done up to now? (Because I'm not familiar with Skulls and Shackles) And where might she have met the other PCs?
I agree that eccentricity (or at least being intriguingly unique), and self development are a common element.
Yes, I've been trying to come up with common Strengths, Weakness, etc, but the character builds are so fundamentally different that I can't think of anything that applies across the board (other than above mentioned Trapfinding and Healing).
The inspiration was Shakespeare's introductions in "A Knight's Tale", with a touch of Bateatus from Spartacus. The daughter of a fallen samurai house turned pirate lord, a mysterious underworld figure of myth who claims to be anything but, a supernatural warrior surrounded by whispers of divinity, a dragonblooded warrior of humble origins, already painting her history in blood across the arena sands.
I'm not sure about this. Jonovan is desperately trying to get out of the Boogeyman's shadow. He will most likely refuse anybody who comes looking for him, thinking he is the Boogeyman, even if that person is offering something positive, like sponsorship.
I'm not saying the Bard idea won't work. But the Bard shouldn't approach Jonovan on the basis he is the long lost Boogeyman. Use some other reason. Maybe because of his work as the Clay-Mage. He has certainly vanquished a nasty monster or 2 in his mercenary work.
He wouldn't. He'd know that no matter what that would secretly be part of the draw (whispers among the audience), but pitch it as a way to make his own legend and be the triumph in the "Tale of two Wicks"
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Our skull and shackles crew were all Good-ish aligned. The adventure path, if I remember correctly, never has any specific encounters against innocents. Except maybe one in the beginning where you are essentially forced into it.
It was a blast. One of my favorites.
I do like the sponsor idea. Building a legend would appeal very much to Lua. It has a very movie opening feel, the sponsor travelling, seeking, each of us out where ever we are to offer us the position. If long term shaping is on the table (time travel or divine intervention or 1000 other things), the sponsor could be disguised throughout time, prodding us to where we are. Who was the one who first offered Lua a fight in an arena. Which monk at the temple suggested training Hitome as a warrior. Who said Oh that sounds like a WONDERFUL name to Jonovon's mother in a moment of indecision. The deckhand that 'discovered' the stow away exactly when it would lead Noro to be abandoned at Port Peril.
As for Lua, while she would love to be courted by several sponsors, to be able to review the other team members or help choose them, her desire to be in the game outshines everything else. I'd imagine there are LOTS of warriors/gladiators/mages so on wanting to get a seat in the games, trying to catch the eye of a sponsor.
I see all the lists as fluff, not mechanics. So lack of divine spells is a true mechanical weakness, capes, cohesion, bitter feuds, lack of trust, conflicting gods, would be weaknesses for mostly roleplaying. Though if we did pick green capes, I am sure there would be an entire team of green cape people.
Though if we did pick green capes, I am sure there would be an entire team of green cape people.
Hey, some people solve their phobias with see Australia's spider season
FIREBALLS are Very flamboyant. Lua approves! And capes almost NEVER survive them. So win win.
Quirks... hmmm, still thinking.
Oh, Lua has an even feat I'm considering to switch out, her one that lets her treat evangelist as a favored class. I was thinking with another perform combat feat, or something fame related (renown like) or maybe even leadership, potentially given them out of combat support.
I go back and forth about whether I like the thought of it is us four striving to get through with all these other better prepared teams or that we have groupies! Jonovan's flippant goal made reality :)
Just babbling as normal.
So welcome thoughts and advice.
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Also please accept any and all of my suggestions/thoughts/babblings are just that. They are never meant to push anyone into a path they would rather not have their character on.
This is a wonderful amazing fantasy world. Anything is possible. Lua would prefer a legend but can accept a recruitment that can come in any fashion though behind the scenes she has been working tirelessly toward. But that is her.
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@Noro: Let's hear it first hand then. What has she done up to now? (Because I'm not familiar with Skulls and Shackles) And where might she have met the other
It will take a bit of delving back into old threads in Noro's exploits.
After she left home by stowing away on a ship, she landed in Port Peril. She was forcibly removed from the ship since she was discovered as a stowaway and despite her attempts to join the crew, her temper tended to really get her into trouble, and fights.
Once in Port Peril, she got mixed up in fight clubs and shady bare knuckle pit fights. That would have worked out fine, until she got Shanghai'd onto the wormwood.
Long story short here, at the right time she took part in a mutiny and ended up as a crew on her own ship, though now hunted by the captain of the wormwood.
After a dispute, she ended up captain of the ship. Now named the Malevolent Grace.
She led the the ship and crew in the free captain's regatta and won a seat on the pirate council, though some did not like that.
She has been since tested many times by jealous captains that seek her position.
The rest is a bit fuzzy right now until I dig through old notes to get details.
The one story that I do recall, one that still gets told.
Shortly after winning the regatta, a hrpup of pirates wanted to test her, and her crew's mettle. They sent some sort of huge sea troll to attack, while they stood by to watch.
The mage of her crew surrounded to ship in an obscuring mist. There were screams and sounds of battle. Then things went silent for a few seconds. Then breaking from the mist, the troll fell to the pier with Noro riding it, her fist clutching its giant nose ring, she gave it a twist unleashing wails of pain from the troll. She granted the troll mercy and from that point on, the troll has remained a friend to Noro and her crew.
She has experience fighting for an audience having bloodied her fists in fighting pits for many years. This tournament, will be unlike anything she ever experienced before.
How long ago was it that she fought in the pits? I was just thinking there is the potential that Lua and Noro could have met at one point that way. I think I have her having her first fight around 15 and now she's in her mid twenties, so there is plenty of time to work with there.
How long ago was it that she fought in the pits? I was just thinking there is the potential that Lua and Noro could have met at one point that way. I think I have her having her first fight around 15 and now she's in her mid twenties, so there is plenty of time to work with there.
I have noro fighting for the Sczarni in Sandpoint when she was about 17 or 18 then port Peril in her early 20's she got Shanghai'd when she was about 22 and she is around 27 now
Depends on where Lam Ai Lua spent time at.
Heck there might have been some interaction and when Noro found out about the Ruby Phoenix Tournament, she woul have sought out Lam and they sailed there together, if she was ok sailing with pirates and occasionally plundering a merchant ship once in a while during the trip.
As for plundering, Noro does not try and kill or sink ships, she rather force surrender and take cargo then send them on their way.
Eventually she hopes to have a reputation so that when they see her flag, they simply strike their colors and surrender without bloodshed.
How about this? 5 to 7 years ago Lam Ai Lua had been a gladiator for about 3 to 5 years, so especially since she worshipped Desna, she could be traveling. Learning how other cultures fight, how various crowds respond.
So in Port Peril, in a pit several layers under a dive bar, surrounded by a roaring crowd way too close, sweltering claustrophobia, violence searing the very air, two women face off. One is Noro Karuri, a bare-knuckle brawler, the favorite of the port, with MANY wins under her belt. And a slip of a girl, Tien, but with a confidence most are eager to see broken.
The battle is brutal but surprising. The wafer-thin girl puts up a very entertaining fight, weaving around the brawler, drawing the crowd into it, though in the end, Noro's fist batters the young woman into submission.
But Hells it was a fight. And the celebration after is even more so, no ill feelings from the loser, she grins from ear to ear drinking just as heavily, indulging almost as much, and somehow the two competitors become friends.
Lua tells her ALL about the phoenix tournament in a few years, which Lua is striving to become a part of. She spends a few weeks in the port, fighting several bouts, never again verses Noro, but she attends all of Noro's fights as well.
Then Lua leaves, and they don't see each other again until they both are competing for notice for a sponsor.
Does that seem okay? Something to change?
Our skull and shackles crew were all Good-ish aligned. The adventure path, if I remember correctly, never has any specific encounters against innocents. Except maybe one in the beginning where you are essentially forced into it.
From the sounds of it, the Skulls and Shackles AP was designed to be compatible with good/neutral parties, by mostly having you fight evil pirates and their hirelings. And maybe random wild monsters.
I do like the sponsor idea. Building a legend would appeal very much to Lua. It has a very movie opening feel, the sponsor travelling, seeking, each of us out where ever we are to offer us the position. If long term shaping is on the table (time travel or divine intervention or 1000 other things), the sponsor could be disguised throughout time, prodding us to where we are. Who was the one who first offered Lua a fight in an arena. Which monk at the temple suggested training Hitome as a warrior. Who said Oh that sounds like a WONDERFUL name to Jonovon's mother in a moment of indecision. The deckhand that 'discovered' the stow away exactly when it would lead Noro to be abandoned at Port Peril.
While I'm not opposed to some deific-like entity prodding us along our destiny, it does raise the question: Why are they doing this? You'd expect them to have some earth-shaking goal. And "so that we win the Ruby Phoenix Tournament" doesn't sound like a satisfactory answer.
As for plundering, Noro does not try and kill or sink ships, she rather force surrender and take cargo then send them on their way.
So walk us through a typical encounter: You find a merchant ship, what do you shout to them?
And if they outright refuse (maybe because they have a bunch of mid/high-level adventurers on-board who will defend them), then what happens?
If it is any inspiration, the Dread Pirate Roberts relies on a fearsome reputation to encourage quick surrender. But that only works because the first Dread Pirate Roberts slaughtered anybody who did not surrender, to build this reputation.
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I think my encouragement to find inter-party links may have caused us to go a little too deep into the weeds here. Yes, it's good to figure out how you all met and became allies, but a full inquisition of each other's backstories shouldn't be necessary. Literature and life alike are rife with companions who don't always get along or even like each other.
If it becomes relevant or would make for an interesting flashback during the tournament, Noro can write about a time she captured a vessel during her days of piracy.
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But if the team does decide to have a deep-seeded hatred of green capes, your rivals will all wear green gapes.
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A good bardic-type sponsor would be one Lady Xhai Zhia, one of the rising patrons of the Gokan art scene. Despite being young herself, she has helped to launch the careers of over three dozen prominent artisans, performers, and writers in various fields of artistic achievement. She very much appreciates the flashy. She could easily be convinced the drama of a decennial fighting competition has as much artistic value as the best Gokan opera--and certainly as much potential for making money.
There are a few other types of sponsors if that doesn't sound like someone you would vibe with, but she's who struck me most from what you have said so far.
In any case, leave the "why are they doing this?" questions to me.
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One thing I will say is that the Shackles is a fantastic region for people from Avistan and Tian Xia to have interacted. There's plenty of reason for someone trying to get from one continent to the other to get swept off near the western coast of Garund instead, whether because they sailed too close to the Eye of Abendego or came searching for a seafaring adventure.
I also have some other potential characters to insert into your respective backstories. Just to raise the emotional stakes of certain encounters. So if you already have in mind an NPC ally or rival that could make an appearance, just let me know.
She sounds great for Lua.
So based on that the sponsor would be be approached by us, and not the other way around? If so we would need to decide how we met. As I stated with Noro, Lua would have travelled for several years early in her career, so easily could have met any of you.
And if we all wanted to get into the tournament we all would to have been on the look out for teammates. Not sure if this is the case, but in my mind, in the months/year before the competition there would be lots of little matches to draw the eye of sponsors and teammates.
If we didn't want to know each other before, we could simply have met/fought in something like those and decided to work together.
If you want to be discovered instead of seeking, Lua is happy to do so, just let me know.
But if the team does decide to have a deep-seeded hatred of green capes, your rivals will all wear green capes.
Wait... what if our team had a deep and profound hatred of people who gift us with gold, platinum and expensive gems for no apparent reason? =D
A good bardic-type sponsor would be one Lady Xhai Zhia, one of the rising patrons of the Gokan art scene. Despite being young herself, she has helped to launch the careers of over three dozen prominent artisans, performers, and writers in various fields of artistic achievement. She very much appreciates the flashy. She could easily be convinced the drama of a decennial fighting competition has as much artistic value as the best Gokan opera--and certainly as much potential for making money.
As a mercenary, Jonovan tries to keep an open mind about potential sponsors. Lady Xhai Zhia sounds fine to me. If she has not hired Jonovan as a mercenary before, then he might have been recommended to her by another former employer.
I also have some other potential characters to insert into your respective backstories. Just to raise the emotional stakes of certain encounters. So if you already have in mind an NPC ally or rival that could make an appearance, just let me know.
Working off the Dread Pirate Roberts angle, I've given Jonovan a friend. Let me know if it is too meme-ish.
There would definitely have been numerous martial competitions, especially around Tian Xia, for people trying to develop their reputations. It's also quite possible that you achieved the notice of Lady Xhai Zhia through other non-martial feats.
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For Jonovan, if we can just do a name-switcheroo, even a spoonerism, I'm fine with an Inigo Montoya type and a Dread Pirate Roberts type in the background. I doubt that they will become plot relevant in this module.
For Jonovan, if we can just do a name-switcheroo, even a spoonerism, I'm fine with an Inigo Montoya type and a Dread Pirate Roberts type in the background. I doubt that they will become plot relevant in this module.
And done.
I really don't have any nice allies or rivals in mind. But based on one of the stories I posted, Noro does have a slightly advanced Scrag Troll on her crew named Lumpy.
Also Noro is also known as "The Iron Maiden"
I do like the bard sponsor idea
"Its Her." the raven-haired young woman whispered, low, and hesitant, eyes focused on the steaks of violet bobbing through the crowd. Lua's rival is someone that makes her feel Small, or shaken, for whatever reason. A reason Lua doesn't truly understand. A fellow gladiator, not mean, just smugly teasing her for every mistake. Something she might take as friendly banter if it came from anyone other than Her.
If that is okay?
The Iron Maiden is a lovely title.
The Blade of the Heavens, Hitome Murakami
The Clay-Mage, Jonovan Wick
The Iron Maiden, Noro Kasuri, ruler of the Island of Empty EYes
The Red Petal Sharp Against the Moonlight, Lam Ai Lua
Sponsored by Lady Xhai Zhia, collecting and developing the tales of a group of legendary warriors.
Goals:
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It seems like it might be about time to think of a team name!
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I suggest: Blade & Petal, Maiden & Mage
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That almost has the cadence of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy!
Tinker, tailor, soldier, sailor, rich man, poor man, beggar man, thief,
Or what about a cowboy, policeman, jailer, engine driver, or a pirate chief?
Or what about a ploughman or a keeper at the zoo,
Or what about a circus man who lets the people through?
Or the man who takes the pennies on the roundabouts and swings,
Or the man who plays the organ or the other man who sings?
Or what about the rabbit man with rabbits in his pockets
And what about a rocket man who's always making rockets?
Oh it's such a lot of things there are and such a lot to be
That there's always lots of cherries on my little cherry tree.
Yes, that A. A. Milne.
I am good with that name! (I do like it) and the reference (three kids meant a LOT of Pooh).
I do like it a little more without the first &, but am fine either way.
That almost has the cadence of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy!
I actually did have Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy in mind when I wrote that. I'm surprised someone managed to figure it out!
I do like it a little more without the first &, but am fine either way.
The Blade and Petal are somewhat interchangeable. If you don't want the '&'s, there was an alternative in my head which went: Petal Blade Maiden Mage
I was trying to get a simple name that captures each member similar to the team names in RWBY, but the letters just don't seem to mesh to form a simple and catchy word.
HJNL
BPMM
MWKL
all just don't seem to come together into a single word
Exact spelling not important rather go by sound
While I'm not sure exactly where the Lam fits in for Lam Ai Lua's name, she was introduced as Ai (surname) Lua (given name), so you have the potential instead for MAWK or KWAM.
BMMP also has a certain sound to it.
Of course I leave final decisions to the team ^_^
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So how are we feeling at this point about the state of prep? Should we move this over to gameplay and get properly started?
Some of you may be getting PMs from me in the coming days with additional individual questions or recommendations, but it's nothing that has to be decided immediately.
BMMP could be
Team Bump
KWAM could be team Kwami which now sound like its from miraculous ladybug
Oh, I had looked up Tian-Dan names the generator gave me Ai Lua, which I loved. But I hadn't realized Ai Lua was her given name only. So she needed a surname, so I ran the generator until I found one that I thought worked well with Ai Lua.
So a mistake at the initial introduction and a fix, as long as you are okay with it.
It occurs to me we also could go with a descriptive team name. Maybe something like: Three Amazons 'n' One Sorcerer (TANOS).
So how are we feeling at this point about the state of prep? Should we move this over to gameplay and get properly started?
I think the big question which we have not collectively resolved is: How did we all meet each other and agree to form a team?
If we did NOT all meet prior to this, and were invited by the sponsor, I think we can start with the first meeting with the sponsor. (Of course, 2 PCs could have met each other prior to this, without having met all the others, as decided between them).
@Lam Ai Lua: I recall that in the recruitment thread, Ai Lua's father mysteriously disappeared. We are now at a level where you can attempt to find someone via magic (Scrying, Divination, Sending, Commune, Contact Other Planes). And even if Ai Lua can't cast these herself, she should be able to hire a caster to do so. (In fact Jonovan could cast Scrying, Contact Other Planes or Sending if I shift some gold around to get the necessary spells into his book). So consider whether Ai Lua would try this, and why or why not (and whether Jonovan was involved).
Yes, very good. We have a tentatively canonical meeting/combat between Ai Lua and Noro some years back in the fighting pits of the Shackles. Have the rest of you had occasion to meet each other yet, or should we begin with Lady Xhai Zhia bringing you together in Goka?
I'd like to keep the mystery of the father. SO our characters could have had this conversation one traveling night time, in the caravan Jonovan was guarding, say while Ai Lua was headed back to Tien. He might have even attempted to help her find answers with his magic, whatever method he feels best, either cause she paid him in her latest prize money or her epic tale of woe made him want to help :)
But it failed, for whatever reason. Death, opposing magic, Screaming otherwordly gerbils pouring from a dimensional rift EVERY time he turned scrying eyes toward the father figure, or simple bad rolls.
It would give them a meeting before recruitment by Lady Zhia. Which I do like.
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Gerbils. Definitely gerbils. Possibly dire gerbils.
Dire Gerbils! Good addition. :)