GM KoolKobold’s Rise of the Runelords (PF1)

Game Master KoolKobold

Sandpoint is often considered a hotspot for adventurer activity, due to its close proximity to ancient ruins and troublesome goblin tribes. However, when forces threaten the safety of Sandpoint and its citizens-and eventually the safety of Varisia itself-will a ragtag group of locals have what it takes to face the threats of legend and myth?

Note about the GM: This will be my first PbP campaign I’ve run, and 2nd campaign I’ve run overall. If you are not fond of the idea of playing with a semi newbie GM that is completely fine.

What I expect:
-Posting at least once a day if you can help it. If for some reason you are going to be away for a time, let me know.
-No RPing in discussion, and let’s keep OOC talk out of gameplay as much as possible.
-Let’s cooperate, and if any issues arrise, let’s handle them as maturely and professionaly as possible.
-This game is all about fun!

Looking for a balanced team of 5 players, containing one of each of the following: Martial, Arcane, Divine, Skill and Wild Card. Recruitment will close on August 22nd midnight Central Time.

If you have any questions, all you have to do is ask.

One question: Maybe I just missed it above, but is this going to be First or Second edition Pathfinder?

One question: Maybe I just missed it above, but is this going to be First or Second edition Pathfinder?

Should be PF1, in the title.

Yes, it’s PF1. I’m not fully caught up to run a PF2 game yet.

* slaps his forehead * Aye. Sorry, I'm blind sometimes. lol
In any event, I'm going to start working on a submission, a Wizard of some sort, unsure on the School right now.

I'm not sure if it's always the case but, with Elephant in the Room... does Weapon Focus apply to an entire Fighter weapon group?

And, do you enjoy maps? Some builds I'm thinking of might be dependent upon positioning, flanking, reach, etc...

Also, Good Luck with your first PbP game!

I'm not sure if it's always the case but, with Elephant in the Room... does Weapon Focus apply to an entire Fighter weapon group?

And, do you enjoy maps? Some builds I'm thinking of might be dependent upon positioning, flanking, reach, etc...

Also, Good Luck with your first PbP game!

Forgot to mention, but we will be using Google Slides for maps. And yes, with Elephant in the Room Weapon Focus applies to the entire weapon group (for example, instead of Weapon Focus greataxe it’s Weapon Focus axes, or Weapon Focus hammers instead of Weapon Focus warhammer)

RotRL tops the list of APs I *dearly* want to complete! I've gotten to roughly book 3 with my IRL group before we stopped due to the GM moving.

If you're okay with that, I'm totally okay with a 'newbie' GM.

RotRL tops the list of APs I *dearly* want to complete! I've gotten to roughly book 3 with my IRL group before we stopped due to the GM moving.

If you're okay with that, I'm totally okay with a 'newbie' GM.

More than alright with that!

Forgot to mention, for the RPing part-no fourth wall breaking or meta humor.

Always wanted to give Runelords a try, and I've been itching to get back into PbP for a while now. Seems like a perfect opportunity!

I'm planning to submit a rogue skillmonkey.

Are you okay with mechanical options from the various player companion and campaign setting books? I can link to Archives of Nethys if necessary.

Are you okay with mechanical options from the various player companion and campaign setting books? I can link to Archives of Nethys if necessary.

I am, as long as they aren’t tied with the Occult system. Anything in particular you were thinking about?

I'm leaning towards some sort of Desnan, possibly a flying blade swashbuckler. If so, I would probably take a few of the starknife feats and a Desnan trait(s).

Hello.

I'm considering apping, possibly with a character from a recent ROTRL game that ended unexpectedly very early on.

I'm struggling to reconcile your restriction on background building that PCs must be from/born in Sandpoint and have an NPC relationship in town with several of the Campaign traits which make explicit that you are from out of town and/or are fairly new/have limited contacts. For example "Friend of the Family" has you arriving from living itinerantly with the Sczarni, and your only Sandpoint contact is "ruthless thug" Jubrayl Vhiski, explicitly described as friend of the family, so not someone you know well. A plot hook is there, yes, but not a relationship, per se. For another example, Giantslayer, you are supposed to be from a village that was destroyed that obviously can't be Sandpoint (though of course you might have a relative in Sandpoint). And of course the idea is many people may be coming to town as pilgrims to the Swallowtail Festival.

How do you want folks to work with the traits where they may contradict your own requirements and restrictions?

For what it's worth, I will fully admit that one of the characters I'm considering apping with, from the previous ROTRL game, is not originally from Sandpoint, and the attraction for her WAS that absolutely no one knew her. She wanted to leave her past behind, and the focus was on building connections with the PCs who would become her new "found family." This was actually working really well in the previous game, and she was getting very involved with building connections with new people---whereas already knowing someone friendly might have actually prevented her from trying to reach out to the PCs and other major NPCs for connections. I say this not to push back at your requirements (I'll either app with a character that meets them or not app at all) but just offer as food for thought. Thanks.

Hello.

I'm considering apping, possibly with a character from a recent ROTRL game that ended unexpectedly very early on.

I'm struggling to reconcile your restriction on background building that PCs must be from/born in Sandpoint and have an NPC relationship in town with several of the Campaign traits which make explicit that you are from out of town and/or are fairly new/have limited contacts. For example "Friend of the Family" has you arriving from living itinerantly with the Sczarni, and your only Sandpoint contact is "ruthless thug" Jubrayl Vhiski, explicitly described as friend of the family, so not someone you know well. A plot hook is there, yes, but not a relationship, per se. For another example, Giantslayer, you are supposed to be from a village that was destroyed that obviously can't be Sandpoint (though of course you might have a relative in Sandpoint). And of course the idea is many people may be coming to town as pilgrims to the Swallowtail Festival.

How do you want folks to work with the traits where they may contradict your own requirements and restrictions?

For what it's worth, I will fully admit that one of the characters I'm considering apping with, from the previous ROTRL game, is not originally from Sandpoint, and the attraction for her WAS that absolutely no one knew her. She wanted to leave her past behind, and the focus was on building connections with the PCs who would become her new "found family." This was actually working really well in the previous game, and she was getting very involved with building connections with new people---whereas already knowing someone friendly might have actually prevented her from trying to reach out to the PCs and other major NPCs for connections. I say this not to push back at your requirements (I'll either app with a character that meets them or not app at all) but just offer as food for thought. Thanks.

That can be answered in that, if you really don’t want your character to be from Sandpoint, you can have it be that they have relatives in Sandpoint that they haven’t seen in a while (perhaps since they were a child?) The main thing I’d like for the characters is that if they’re not from Sandpoint, then they at the very least have a friend, family member, or business partner who resides in Sandpoint.

Giving each player an NPC is a fantastic idea. Interested!

Question that relies on the fact that I've played the first couple of books before:

That can be answered in that, if you really don’t want your character to be from Sandpoint, you can have it be that they have relatives in Sandpoint that they haven’t seen in a while (perhaps since they were a child?) The main thing I’d like for the characters is that if they’re not from Sandpoint, then they at the very least have a friend, family member, or business partner who resides in Sandpoint.

I get that, but what I would like to know is if a campaign trait does not make that likely, do we not take the trait, or are you okay with refluffing the trait to make it work?

Hmm..I am thinking a kind of odd job sort of person. Hauls stuff, does whatever grunt work is needed, also willing to do morally flexible stuff. I am thinking ranger who will get a small but vicious dog to kill vermin.

Dot

Question that relies on the fact that I've played the first couple of books before:

** spoiler omitted **

That will be a no, however I have no problem with characters knowing NPCs from the book either by them being a friend or by hearing of them. I’d prefer the NPC you make to be original.

I get that, but what I would like to know is if a campaign trait does not make that likely, do we not take the trait, or are you okay with refluffing the trait to make it work?

Refluffing is fine.

KoolKolbold, thanks for offering to GM this essential Pathfinder campaign.

I plan on submitting an aasimar paladin (virtuous bravo) of Shelyn, one of Mayor Deverin's nephews.

I'm tempted to submit Juriya as a joke....

Joking aside. Good luck with your recruitment, Kobold!

Alright. Submitting Basil Kettering, CG Elven Magus, for consideration :-)

KoolKolbold, I'd like to submit Darius Deverin, aasimar paladin of Shelyn, 4th of the Deverin Sons.

He's a feinting rogue, for that extra +1d6. Hopefully not a fainting rogue :) Elephant in the Room helps, thank you!

He'll be more capable at uRogue Lvl 3 (character level 4?), when he gets +Dex to damage.

Planning on multi-classing into Fighter relatively early, for whip proficiency. He should come fully "online" as they say by Lvl 6 (+5 BAB, with Improved Whip Mastery).

With an emphasis on RP and character development, this should be fine?

Depending on how the party looks at that time, I can go more Rogue or Fighter as needed.

Submitting Marcan Velder, NG Unchained Rogue, for your consideration. (Still have a few gold to spend, as well as one trait and one skill point.)

Crunch and fluff are in the profile.

I'm not super familiar with the PF setting, and not especially set on any specific locale for Marcan's backstory; Magnimar seemed like a big enough city to have a underground to be fleeing from, but I'm open to changing that if there's somewhere else that'd be more interesting.

Tengu!!! Yws please

Since I'm here, I might as well ask a dumb question in case anyone wants the opportunity: would a Medium Castellan Cavalier be okay? They get Animal Companions instead of mounts. I probably won't be signing up, though, but there's a small chance I will and I've always wanted to try a Cavalier.

Since I'm here, I might as well ask a dumb question in case anyone wants the opportunity: would a Medium Castellan Cavalier be okay? They get Animal Companions instead of mounts. I probably won't be signing up, though, but there's a small chance I will and I've always wanted to try a Cavalier.

Yes, cavalier archtypes that remove the mount are available.

Tengu!!! Yws please

An underrated race imo, they’re so cool!

** spoiler omitted **...

Want to say, Agile Maneuvers is not a feat with Elephant in the Room, same with Weapon Focus. So replace Agile Maneuvers with the updated Deft Maneuvers feat.

Speaking of which, here's the website for Elephant in the Room rules.

Also, as for the half orc in Sandpoint, his name is Gorvi

I'm not super familiar with the PF setting, and not especially set on any specific locale for Marcan's backstory; Magnimar seemed like a big enough city to have a underground to be fleeing from, but I'm open to changing that if there's somewhere else that'd be more interesting.

If you want a story of someone with criminal background, Riddleport would be a more fitting location, as it's a city rife with criminals.

Noted, and updated in the backstory. Thanks!

Going to dot in on this. I have a character I will try and re-vamp for this one. Assuming I don't change the idea, the character will be going wizard/oracle into Mystic Theurge.

I've always wanted to play Rise. Out of curiosity, which player's guide do you suggest? Original? Anniversary? Both?

Thanks.

I've always wanted to play Rise. Out of curiosity, which player's guide do you suggest? Original? Anniversary? Both?

Thanks.

Anniversary, as that’s the version we’ll be running.

Djack Nymball wrote:

** spoiler omitted **...

Want to say, Agile Maneuvers is not a feat with Elephant in the Room, same with Weapon Focus. So replace Agile Maneuvers with the updated Deft Maneuvers feat.

My bad, I messed something up in HeroLab. Will fix.

I can rework his stats and build to match what's required, but personally I'd rather wait until I know who's chosen. It gets very tiring reworking a character for every single attempt to not even be considered. If you like his backstory and want to know more, then just let me know.

I've now had two RotRL games fall apart on me in recent memory, so I'm very tempted here. One of those characters almost fits these build rules as-is, if the variant tiefling heritages were on the table, but without them I'll have to rethink her build and where I want it to go a bit. The other one was written for 2e and would need to be rebuilt from the ground up. Either way I'll for sure be keeping an eye on the thread, see if there's any roles that particularly need filling that I can tweak one of them into.

Critzibles Idea, he will have to be tweaked

Ok, first draft of Furnok of Ferd. No doubt it will need tweaking

I can rework his stats and build to match what's required, but personally I'd rather wait until I know who's chosen. It gets very tiring reworking a character for every single attempt to not even be considered. If you like his backstory and want to know more, then just let me know.

I've now had two RotRL games fall apart on me in recent memory, so I'm very tempted here. One of those characters almost fits these build rules as-is, if the variant tiefling heritages were on the table, but without them I'll have to rethink her build and where I want it to go a bit. The other one was written for 2e and would need to be rebuilt from the ground up. Either way I'll for sure be keeping an eye on the thread, see if there's any roles that particularly need filling that I can tweak one of them into.

Totally fine to wait and see more recruitments come in to figure out what role you want to play. If it’s any consideration, most of the submissions so far have been rogues, a couple martial in paladin and ranger, and two arcane (one magus and one who is currently making a wizard).

If need be I do have an Inquisitor who can be helpful in healing and be roguish

This is the inquisitor

Alright, Critzible, you want to replace your tengu swordmaster with the tiefling inquisitor for submission?

Hmm, I only ever got halfway through Rise of the Runelords myself, and I could probably repurpose my tengu metal oracle idea...

I'm submitting Wyssal here as my application. She's a Halfling Duel-Cursed Oracle with the Time Mystery and Powerless Prophecy / Covetous curses.

She's much more a caster than melee Oracle, intended to cover buffing. debuffing, and healing, with some battlefield control thrown in.

The character sheet is in her profile. It's complete but probably needs to be edited before it's all tidy and error free. I also still need to finish Wyssal's background. A question before I do the background though, is using a named NPC as the character's Sandpoint connection alright?

If yes, I'll go with Wyssal being Bethana Corwin's niece, down from Riddleport. If no, I'll come up with something else involving some family in town.

@Wyssal, Yes, being a relative of a minor NPC in Sandpoint is alright.

So, major update for everyone: You can be related to any NPC in Sandpoint outside of the following: the Kaijitsus, the Scarnettis, Brodert Quink, or Father Zantus. Even then I would like your character backgrounds to include a new NPC.

Hi @GM KoolKobold, is there a hard deadline (I may have missed it) and when do you think we'd begin (whomever is chosen)?

Just want to make sure to update background and create an alias/profile.

Much thanks!

Deadline as stated in the 1st post is August 22nd at midnight, Central Time. I’ll decide on who gets in the following day, and we’ll begin either immediately or after that weekend.

Dang, you caught me! I reread and deleted.

So, major update for everyone: You can be related to any NPC in Sandpoint outside of the following: the Kaijitsus, the Scarnettis, Brodert Quink, or Father Zantus. Even then I would like your character backgrounds to include a new NPC.

Adding on for clarification, your character can be a friend or employer (or in Zantus’s case, acoltye; in Quink’s case, apprentice or fellow Thassilon researcher), just not a relative. Any other Sandpoint NPC is fair game to be a relative.