Phew. I'm better. Been better since yesterday, actually, but work's been really exhausting. I'll see if I can manage to get back into things today.
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Hey guys. I'm having some pretty violent stomach troubles, I won't be posting today since I'm pretty groggy due to it. With some luck it'll get better tomorrow.
Once Tanel bursts into the room, Agon briefly turns around to give him a nod. "You survived," his baritone booms, "good. We need to make certain this shrine doesn't cause anymore harm. If we destroy it and cleanse the area with salt water it should be fine." The actually important business stated, the giant monk turns towards the Paladin. "My name is Agon," he states as he puts his bow away once again. "I'll go get some water if you two take care of the shrine and the girl. I run fast."
Agon abruptly steps to the side as the knight from before suddenly rushes to the girl's aid, a slightly bewildered look in his brown eyes. His look of confusion continues as he stares at the priest who just ordered him something. He feels a brief push of compelling force against his mind, but shakes it off with little difficulty. Rather than respond and waste words, he once again pulls three arrows from his quiver and lets them loose upon the would-be manipulator.
Even before the knife-wielding maniac gets a chance to finish that word of surprise an arrow whistles through the air, aimed right at his foul head as Agon continually, but slowly, moves forward and barrages the man with a volley of arrows!
Initiative:
"Sloppy!" Agon exclaims as one of the gnoll's strikes misses him by about a foot of length, but when the scream sounds his eyes widen. What a fool he is! He gathers his inner energies to heighten his awareness of those attackers around him, breathing in deeply as he begins to get a feeling for those around him while also shifting his legs in order to gain that vital burst of speed that may be needed! And then, he suddenly dashes right towards the direction of the scream, potentially risking life and limb as he brashly attempts to escape his attackers.
The monk twists around one of the hooded gnolls' strikes, demonstrating his mastery with a bow -- even as he weaves to the side to avoid their swords' cutting edges, he unleashes time and time again more and more arrows at his opponents, not once slowing down.
"I preferred the gnolls," Agon comments to Tanel as he takes a step to the side, trying to clear a path for Justahl. He is assuming that the shining bright knight is on their side rather than the gnolls' -- while appearances may be deceiving, right now it seems like the most sensible option, considering he is charging straight at the would-be assassin behind them. His eyes widen for a moment as he realizes the actual size of the group rushing towards them, but this doesn't keep him from reflexively reaching for yet another arrow, and soon another volley of deadly projectiles flies towards these hooded aggressors as his fingers are surrounded by the light-blue mist once again.
Flurry 1
Damage
Flurry 2
Damage
As the gnolls come closer and closer, Agon unleashes arrow after arrow into their bestial hides, a myriad of deadly missiles raining at them!
Heh, sounds like fun! The dreaded levels for the Zen Monk are actually levels 1 and 2. They don't get to use Wisdom for ranged attacks yet, provoke attacks of opportunities for shooting and DON'T have the regular flurry of blows, stunning fist, etc. So essentially they suck at melee (well, mostly -- no flurry, medium BAB, etc.), shooting, and everything else since they will usually take Strength and Wisdom as their highest stats. To be worth anything in combat, they'd have to take some two-handed weapon and use that to attack. And that's not very Zen-Archery.
I'd strongly suggest Grease, Glitterdust and Haste. You don't need Darkvision if you can use Alter Self. Intensify Spell isn't worth it yet, I don't think. If you want to go the Evocation route ... hmm. Well, if it was Save or Die/Suffer Damage spells, I'd suggest Bouncing Spell. Lingering Spell might be nice -- consider throwing a Fireball that stays until the next round, doing damage to anyone who enters its area of effect AND provides cover for those behind it.
The giant monk remains where he is, already pulling another arrow back on the taut bowstring. "Get your bearings, they'll be upon us in a moment." Powerful muscles pull back further and further until the string is almost ready to snap before he unleashes the first of many arrows at the gnolls charging down the stairs.
Haste should give a Flurry guy another attack, too, right? Eeexcellent. @Khaladon You can always use the Pathfinder SRD to check pretty much anything:
According to the rogue entry, it should be two Rogue Talents. The third is gained at level 6. @Tanel You're Irish? Awesome, always wanted to visit good old Ireland. I'm from Austria, myself.
Flurry 2 Flurry 3 Flurry 4 Flurry 5
I really like this game so far! (Even with coffee-shops and advertisement mages ...) By the way, downrightamazed -- I'm using Hero Lab to keep track of arrow use as well currently, but I'm wondering if it's really necessary that I do what with Handy Haversacks and Efficient Quivers and all. In theory I could buy like 500 arrows and carry them around with me at all times.
A frustrated growl escapes Agon's throat as he stumbles to the side, surprised that the gnoll was able to react so quickly -- or perhaps standing around in the rain, followed up by the short but intense run had exhausted him more than he thought. "Looks like we'll have to take care of this one first," the giant grumbles as he pulls the huge bow from his shoulder with his left hand while simultaneously reading an arrow with the other. Only a moment later, the first arrow flies right at its target!
A Zen-Archer is pretty much destined to suck the first few levels, so I avoided that particular pitfall myself. I'm tempted to take a couple Fighter levels at some point. Zen-Archer 15, Weapon Master 5 would be pretty badass.
Agon's brow furrows; clearly the Gnoll is a threat, but his words indicate that one even greater may be past these stairs. So, rather than go for his bow, the tall monk practically leaps forward! Index- and middlefinger streched out from his fist, he attempts to strike a very specific spot at the left side of the gnoll's stomach, employing the dangerous Scorpion Style technique taught at his monastery in order to render the monster's left leg useless for awhile.
The monk stares at the shopkeeper in confusion, still somewhat mystified by these so-called coffeeshops, but quickly regains his purpose. Rather than reply to the surprised owner of the place they were just about to invade, he dashes right after Tanel.
Agon glances back to the halberd-wielder. "I choose the path right in front of me," the monk notes with a strange certainty to his voice. As he reaches for the door, he stares at the symbol plainly visible upon it with distaste. "Lamashtu, goddess of monsters. Those who look for villainy will find it here, no doubt." He opens the door, his firm gaze kept right ahead as he adds: "My name is Agon."
The giant stares at Tanel briefly, his expression one of dismay. "Don't spout nonsense," he grumbles in a deep baritone that fits him well. His eyes dart around until he finds the owl again, and with quick and decisive steps, stepping through the small rain-puddles with a grace that belies his size, the archer moves towards that particular house. Agon is a man who knows to trust his gut, and right now it's saying that he might as well continue to follow that bird's lead.
I adjusted Agon's skills again -- Hero Lab doesn't include the Knowledges by default, even the Class Skill ones, so I forgot about it. And looking at the map, the main part of Gorene doesn't have much in the way of lakes or anything, so a particular aptitude for Swim doesn't make any sense anyway. I also got rid of Fly (how'd he acquire that? Dunno what I was thinking). Instead, I put 1 dot in each Knowledge History and Religion. This is the last time I'm changing anything. Sorry 'bout that again.
The question is, will you really need two of them? 3 per day for a Lesser Rod. If we were to split that up, it'd be 1500gp each. I'm not seeing any spell on your list worth extending that isn't Mage Armor, unless you want to use it to get Shield for 12 rather than 6 rounds, but that sounds like a bit of a waste. Though we'd have to buy that later, I'm pretty spent and can't really afford to get rid of any of my magic items. I'm sure Karthan wouldn't have much trouble convincing Agon of the merits of buying one -- he certainly won't come up with the idea himself. But seeing as he's very wise, he should realize the wisdom of making such a purchase quickly. Heh.
Agon's eyes follow the owl with a curious expression; he knows at least enough to be able to tell that such birds are usually found in forests, not in cities. It takes a brief moment before the Goremean notices what exactly he is seeing as his gaze wanders from the bird to the man the animal is circling above. A heartbeat passes and the monk's eyes widen as he comes to a sudden, terrible realization, stifling a surprised gasp. His reflexes are faster than any conscious reaction, though, and before Agon's righteous anger can even flare at this cruel sight, he is already breaking into a full run straight ahead towards the perpetrator. For a moment he considers going for his bow as he runs, but we could say what this vile creature may do to her if startled and he would rather not cause harm to an innocent by acting rashly. Instead, however, he concentrates on the movement of his legs, pushing himself beyond the barriers of an ordinary human and becoming a veritable blur as he speeds right towards the offending, little man.
Vital Strike is useless to me; I use Flurry of Blows with a bow, after all. I want to not move and do full attacks in combat. And Agon doesn't have Use Magic Device, nor would he be pretty good with it if he did since he isn't that charismatic. However, in that first round, he can inflict 4d8+48 damage if all attacks hit and he expends a Ki point for an additional attack. Sure, 8d6+48 damage is nicer, but I don't really see him as a 'buff myself with magic wands before I start shooting' person. An extend spell rod might work! Though by the point we get that, Bracers of Armor+4 may already be within reach. We'll see. :)
By the way -- Survival is Wisdom-based, not Dex-based, Kelne. Also, Karthan -- Agon totally wouldn't mind the occasional Mage Armor spell cast on him when we get into tussles. ;)
The giant monk Agon stood right there at the docks, arms crossed in front of his chest, as the rain dripped down his unprotected, shaven head and from there to his rock-like chin. His monk robe was utterly soaked, clinging tight to his huge frame. Eyebrows furrowed, he stared at the ship that so many had been talking about, a grim expression on his face as he inspects the thing; he had heard rumors as soon as it landed, but had arrived long after the passengers had disembarked. Still, the Goremean felt that he should have a look at this ship for himself. His thoughts drifted back towards not so very long ago, to the time that had lead to his being here today. After the tragic fall of his home monastery, the archer had been forced into a dire state indeed, with no money and only the equipment he had had on him at the time -- which, admittedly, was impressive from a magical perspective, but he wasn't willing to part with any of these precious items. Agon, too, had arrived here as a stowaway, loathe of being driven to such a dishonorable act he had revealed himself to the Captain the following day and, since the man had been a little afraid of the grumpy but very powerful-looking Agon, had then served as another hand on deck. Scrubbing decks, to be more precise. After they arrived in Stormfare the Captain had even paid him for his hard work, a kindness Agon had been very grateful for. Since then he had spent his days here in the city, waiting for an opportune moment to present itself. He has actually aided the city guard a few times since he has arrived, accepting small rewards to pay for the very spartan room he was renting. His mind snapped back to reality when, close-by, a seagull cawed and he briefly reprimanded himself for being unfocused, for dwelling on the past when actions in the here and now were what mattered. He had come to know and appreciate that bit of wisdom, imparted early on by his teachers.
Well then! I adjusted his Skills and Languages (opted for Dwarven and Elvish).
I'm at work, so I can't read extensively (and will post when I'm back home), but what language is the local one for where you placed Agon? I left a language slot open. I may also switch out his rank(s) in Ride for Linguistics. In restrospect, Monks on horses aren't a very prominent mental image for me.
For something really special, I'd recommend a bound/sealed Nightmare!
Looks like most of us are pretty good at noticing things ... and hiding. Well, except Tanel.
They're just screwing around a bit before the game starts. And Agon's keen eyes see all!
Mine is, too. The only thing that's missing in my profile is the remaining gold, that's not included automatically from what I can see at a quick glance -- I can post that later, don't have access to Hero Lab right now.
I assume it'll have all sorts of 'mounted combat' flying options, right? It's probably not a base class, though, considering a flying mount is pretty damn badass -- not to mention powerful. Unless you're a Mage or, say, a Zen Archer (yay giant-sized self image!) you won't have much of a chance hitting those guys while they can just drop things from above.
By the way, once we start the IC threads, I believe an opening post containing links to all the character's profiles might be helpful. I don't think you'll still be able to edit this one.
To make things easier for me to track, I'll remove my RSS subscription to this thread now.
I wouldn't mind having a look at the class, myself.
Agon's arrows will strike true. And stuff. Thank you for your consideration, I'll make certain to be an active participant indeed.
Well. I wish everyone good luck, then! (Though I hope Agon gets picked, of course! He needs to exact rightful retribution on those evil monks, after all.)
Yo! Thanks for the extra info, that helped a lot. Here's the final piece of info regarding Agon! I purposely didn't name either the monastery or the High Monk, as I figured you might already have a couple of places where those evil undead monks reside in mind. I hope this history fits (or can be made to fit) with your ideas for them. :) Description The monk Agon is a giant of a man, tall-limbed and clearly strong as an ox; an image completed by the clear-cut distinctive features of his face: a powerful jaw, an almost beak-like nose and bushy, black eyebrows that are usually pulled together in a perpetual frown. His clothes look somewhat exotic, a short green robe with a yellow rim worn over woolen, brown pants. His feet are covered not by shoes or boots but rather by straps of cloth, carefully bandaged up to protect his soles. He wears no sort of armor, and seems to carry only one single weapon on his person. This weapon, however, is quite impressive on its own merit: a longbow far larger than most of its kind, apparently made to fit the giant monk perfectly, as its obviously heavy frame and the intricate carvings along its handle indicate the work of a master craftsman. Personality Agon is rather withdrawn, but has a strong desire to help others. He can be brusque and somewhat grumpy, but can be relied upon like the powerful rock he often appears to be. The loss of his brothers still weighs heavily upon him and while he knows that vengeance is a petty and cruel thing, he cannot help but feel a righteous angers towards those who infiltrated and ultimately destroyed his home monastery. History: Agon grew up in a monastery of monks who sought to express perfection through the martial discipline of archery. A very orderly, disciplined life, but a good one. While he often stood out due to his size and was easily picked upon due to his kind nature leading to a scrap or three, he was happy for the most part. Over the years he grew up into one of their best young warrior monks, and was well in his way to becoming a master himself one day. Until, that is, a great tragedy struck. Amongst the travelers the monastery gave shelter to, and the students from other monasteries they occasionally took in to further their training, were those who had evil designs for the place and set about corrupting them so they could be used as a weapon. Far too late they were discovered, and more than half of the members of the monastery had been secretly inducted, either seduced or ensorcelled by the dark power these intruders wielded. It was the High Monk who, accompanied by Agon himself, confronted their leader -- only to meet a grisly demise when their true horror revealed itself: undead agents of the Black Dragonflight, intent on using this monastery as a stronghold and powerful resource to strengthen their forces. The High Monk sacrificed himself to allow Agon the moment he needed to take flight, throwing himself off of the walls of the monastery in order to at least have a remote chance of survival. And survive he did, swearing that one day these once sacred walls would be redeemed as he fled away into the night, to seek allies who would make good use of his strong arm to fight this evil.
I'll roll mine, then.
Stats added to Agon's profile. I'll add background and personality tomorrow. Still tired from New Year's celebration.
You do 4d6 drop lowest for the 7th.
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