Albion, The Eye's page

Rolling to build the sheet:

1d4 => 4

So lucky! Congrats on the 4!

My character would probably look something like:

Once a soldier for hire, Reknar has seen others buried for bad causes and worse commanders. He learned early that orders are cheap, and loyalty is usually spent by people who don’t pay the cost.

He came to Kintargo as muscle, nothing more - but stayed when he saw how tightly the city was strangled, and how many people were pretending not to notice. He doesn’t call himself a hero, or even a rebel - just someone watching more closely this time.

Reknar lends his voice and steel when it seems useful, offering blunt advice, battlefield songs, and the occasional reality check when passion outruns sense. He doesn’t believe in people yet - but he knows revolutions need more than fire. They need survivors. And watching from the sidelines has its own price...

Museings on Skald archetype:

Don't forget to roll that d4 ;)

Let us go full bard!

:D

Hmmmm, a Bard and a Skald, both melee and Str based - that should be interesting.

1d4 ⇒ 3

I am rolling right away, and suggest everyone should do the same - otherwise it feels like people are using filler posts to preview and wait for a better 1d4 dice result. Just saying ;)

Interested!

I am really feeling a good old grumbling ex-army half-orc mercenary, 'maybe' turned revolutionary. Maybe because of a friend, or the right cause? He’s seen enough bad orders to know when to start thinking about giving his own. A bit of an ass and cynical by nature, he’s still the first one to offer "wise words" (or a harsh reality check) when the stakes are high.

Mechanically he's a Melee/Support Bard using a longspear, with potential martial dips later for more punch. If they get too close, he’s not above drawing a morningstar and going to town. He doesn't shy away from a fight, but he's experienced enough to consider the odds and try to cool things down if needed (Perform: Oratory for that Sense Motive and Diplomacy). He's seen some crap, and knows fire in your loins is not always enough to win a war.

Natural Born Leader Trait maybe.

Agreed, I have no more than two or three adjectives for mine :P

Garrick Stonehand: Entitled, spoiled.

Elira Nettles: Quiet, watchful, and suspicious.

Bram Underbough : Stubborn, practical, and loyal.

Mara Fenwick: Curious and unsettlingly cheerful.

My PCs are defined - a Noble, a Slave, a Dwarven herder and an Astrologe.
For 0 level characters that’ll do ;)

HERE they are! :D

Garrick Stonehand – Noble

Elira Nettles – Slave

Bram Underbough – Dwarven herder

Mara Fenwick – Astrologer

I would be interested.

This sounds like a possibly interesting idea. Is the plan for it to be a 1-1 game with the DM and one player?

It's a good idea, but I would suggest starting modestly and expanding.

100% agreed on this.

I think this could be an interesting experiment.

Maybe adding some possible restrictions, like 'this next round can only use characters created with Core and APG' or 'this round only 3PP from so and so' - that might add an interesting twist. Or now only Fighters, now only Rogues. Along those lines.

Another thing which could be interesting is making the 'arena' a dynamic one. Maybe one round it is a group of players vs. another, next round players vs monster A, B or C, next round it is actually level 7 of Rappan Athuk, then goblin street attack in Rise of the Runelords, then final boss in the prison for Carrion Crown. Stuff like that, to introduce variability and challenges with multiple dimensions (maybe puzzles, environmental hazards, social challenges, etc), making them tactically more interesting.

It seems we eventually managed some interest, but alas I have unfortunately moved on from the Paizo forums for now. They do not seem currently conducive to the kind of games I am interested in.

So I will grab this opportunity to wish you all a Happy 2026 and many great games!

Just noticed the detail about the dedicated hour. I cannot commit to it unfortunately. Best of luck with the game!

Is it ok to submit a character without a Background? Or with just a one-liner? Like 'Tessai is a haunted Paladin, looking for redemption fighting in the Worldwound" - or would that immediately get me disqualified? :)

No more applicants!!!

I think we have 15!!!

Was that a no? :)

Is it ok to submit a character without a Background? Or with just a one-liner? Like 'Tessai is a haunted Paladin, looking for redemption fighting in the Worldwound" - or would that immediately get me disqualified? :)

Helgash is still around!

Just in case ;)

Ah but he is Divine Inspired and I see you have Olga.

https://legacy.aonprd.com/unchained/skillsAndOptions/skillUnlocks.html

Helgash is still around!
Just in case ;)

You might have :)

I have tried this before, but why not try again?

I’m considering running a very lightweight, old-school BX/OSE dungeon-delving game - something intentionally small-scope, deadly, and straightforward. Think classic exploration at least for starters (it may evolve later), no sweeping AP plots, no epic character arcs, no multi-page monologues. Just you, a torch, a 10-foot pole, and something in the dark that definitely wants to eat you.

--

I want to start extremely simple, with very “on the nose” adventure hooks such as:

“You’ve been hired by Lord X to clear out the abandoned moathouse. It’s noon. You stand before the rotting drawbridge. What do you do?”

“For years you’ve heard rumors of the haunted caves. Today you finally found the entrance - and it’s staring back at you.”

The idea is to run short, focused expeditions. When one wraps, you resupply, gossip in town, hire help, maybe roll up a new character if yours met an untimely end - and then head right back into whatever’s next. Loose connective tissue, episodic structure, and no novel-length backstories.

System & Rules

BX/OSE, rules-as-written, no optional rules and no houserules (at least at start).
Minimal narrative overhead - some flavor is great, but the goal is to keep the tempo brisk and focus on player choices, resource management, exploration, and survival.

Tone & Expectations

This is old-school play.
- Death is on the table. Low-level characters are fragile; torches matter; combat isn’t always the best option.
- Player skill > character skill. Observation, caution, clever approaches, and mapping matter.
- Treasure = XP. Finding loot is more valuable than killing things.

Posting Rate

I’d ask for players who can check in at least once a day, or at minimum keep up a consistent posting rhythm. If life happens, just communicate.

Where the Game Will Actually Run

Although I'm posting the interest check here, I won’t be running the game on the Paizo forums. Nothing against the place (I have been playing here for ages, and many great games happen here) - but the tools I prefer (non-previewable dice rolls, integrated maps, better formatting) aren’t supported.

If this ever becomes a thing, I’ll share the link with selected players via PM before we begin.

So… Interested?

Let me know if there would be a quorum for this kind of game, and how tied down are you to the Paizo forums.

Albion I think it would be completely ridiculous if a hunter/trapper didn't know how to use a short bow. That will be in class via your background.

As Crom intended sir!

If by any chance Crisischild does not submit his Hunter with a dog, I will throw my hat in the ring with Krezen, the orphaned half-orc child of unknown parentage, raised on the outskirts of Pebble Mill by a kindly herbalist and her farmer husband until their passing.

Since then, he has lived alone amid the woods and hills, trapping and trading furs for the few supplies he cannot gather himself. Most townsfolk whisper uneasily at his approach, yet a few quietly speak of times he’s guided them home safely or scared off prowling beasts in the dark.

did not add much in the way of equipment, since I am not sure how we are going to handle it :) Was going to give him a shortbow, but discovered Experts do not know how to use bows :O

Here is the Alias for Billybrainpan.

ability scores
Str 18
Dex 12
Con 14
Int 14
Wis 16
Cha 11

she works as the village blacksmith and a priest of Abarin within the craftsman's hall.

i've got her layed out as an adept right now but I'm curious about a few things before finalizing.

For class adjustments i'm wondering if I can have proficiency with the Warhammer (Abarin's favored weapon). Ultimately she will be more of a warrior priest type. If we are going to advance much in our NPC class it'd be nice to tweak a little more in that direction but if not it probably makes sense as her starting point.

finally are we using background skills and or traits?

Yes, Core only races and Non-unchained classes. We won't be doing traits (unless I give them as a flair to the NPC class) or elephant in the room, or background skills.

I know I have seen a few racial mods on some of the descriptions so far. I am thinking on what I am wanting to do with those. I know I saw Lodric take a human racial variant. I do like the tie in with the backstory. It also isn't a min/max switch. With a classic dungeon campaign there are going to be poisons that will make that -2 not so fun. That being said, I am not stamping the seal of approval on anything as of yet outside of me loving these classes.

For now, plan 100% core only.

So I believe no traits, no background skills, and core only content. So also not Warpriest in the future I assume?

And thank you for the reply DM Ashlar, that sounds great!
I’ve also seen some people starting with 20 in some Ability scores. Are you allowing it, or limiting to 18 max after racial adjustments? 20 feels pretty brutal for a commoner :P

Everyone Wow, these are all amazing. I am really enjoying where this group could go. Shadowed Keep for sure, but I am really seeing the characters as who they are beforehand. And how they will be when they... if they return.

Hey DM Ashlar, I think I would want my character to be a strong and bright young man, working perhaps as an apprentice smith (maybe with his father or brother?), in the hopes of one day mastering 'The Riddle of Steel' ;)

But most importantly I wanted to ask you about the ruleset you are planning to use. I understand it will be PF1e, but will you be placing any limitations on stuff like Traits and Feats? Spoiler alert - I hope you do as I am personally looking for a 'Core only' PF1 game as much as possible.

Let me know! That way we can align expectations.

Some rolling.

4d6 ⇒ (3, 2, 5, 6) = 16 14
4d6 ⇒ (4, 5, 5, 6) = 20 16
4d6 ⇒ (2, 6, 6, 4) = 18 16
4d6 ⇒ (2, 1, 4, 1) = 8 7
4d6 ⇒ (3, 1, 5, 5) = 14 13
4d6 ⇒ (6, 5, 5, 5) = 21 16

Pretty good!
I will probably build something really simple. You never know if your level 1 character will survive anyway ;)

Definitely a LOT of interest, and a big pool to choose from.
So I will drop off from this one and make room for others.
Wish you a great game!

I am not sure what to run with here - if it was Core only, the decision would be easier. Otherwise... I will probably go with an Half-Orc Str based melee Magus or Bard :D

4d6 ⇒ (6, 6, 6, 6) = 24 18
4d6 ⇒ (6, 2, 5, 6) = 19 17
4d6 ⇒ (4, 2, 5, 4) = 15 13
4d6 ⇒ (4, 3, 6, 3) = 16 13
4d6 ⇒ (6, 2, 2, 3) = 13 11
4d6 ⇒ (4, 6, 2, 3) = 15 13

Holy moly…

More than fair.

Come on OSW, amazing adventures have nothing to do with class options, character builds, feats or traits. It is all a matter of DM and players. That is all. Now just admit you are interested ;)

Albion, The Eye wrote:

True to old-school, if the dice gods are unforgiving, maybe your character dies in the first encounter. We toast to him/her and build another, MAYBE better one :D

Ahhh. Such cheerful thoughts. :D

The world is a dark and foreboding place!

True to old-school, if the dice gods are unforgiving, maybe your character dies in the first encounter. We toast to him/her and build another, MAYBE better one :D

Albion, The Eye wrote:

Definitely interested :)

Hopefully you keep it as close to Core as possible.

Since PF places way more emphasis on ability scores than older systems, I would personally prefer a point buy.

But if you prefer to go with rolling for ability scores, I would suggest an external die roller, so people cannot preview their results. Keeping it fair for all. As Crom intended.

An easy rule:

First post in thread must roll for all stats. No questions, interest, dot. Lose priority on choosing if you don’t follow rule.

Simple and perfect - love it. You mean in the recruitment thread, right?

Grumbaki wrote:

Albion, The Eye wrote:

Definitely interested :)

Hopefully you keep it as close to Core as possible.

Since PF places way more emphasis on ability scores than older systems, I would personally prefer a point buy.

But if you prefer to go with rolling for ability scores, I would suggest an external die roller, so people cannot preview their results. Keeping it fair for all. As Crom intended.

An easy rule:

First post in thread must roll for all stats. No questions, interest, dot. Lose priority on choosing if you don’t follow rule.

I like that. Fair.

Will definitely use that when I post the recruitment.

Solid!

Definitely interested :)

Hopefully you keep it as close to Core as possible.

Since PF places way more emphasis on ability scores than older systems, I would personally prefer a point buy.

But if you prefer to go with rolling for ability scores, I would suggest an external die roller, so people cannot preview their results. Keeping it fair for all. As Crom intended.

So no werewolves stalking the jungles, or vampires conspiring in the shadows? :)

@Albion:

Questions are always welcome, so, yes, it's ok, and before I say anything else, welcome to PF2!

Your question is a very good one, and somewhat tricky to answer. Partially, what I mean by 'players having greater narrative control' is large-scale. Rather than me saying "You are all in the town of Otari and you have to explore the Abomination Vaults." (which, by the way, is very fun), this will instead be 'Where do you want to go? What sorts of stories do you want to explore?'

Does the group want Steampunk in Alkenstar?
Frankenstein-like horror in Ustalav?
Baddie of the week investigation in Absalom?
Underwater adventures near Tian Xia?

And there are zillions more examples I could toss out. It could be harder on me, to be sure, than using an AP, but that's also exciting to me. I love Paizo's APs (most of them at least), but I want to see what I - and the group - come up with on our own.

However, it's also more granular and, for lack of a better word, intimate. To use your example, say the rogue who wants to one day run a Thieves' Guild says that he wants to get information from a contact at a tavern.

I might very well say something like "Awesome. Tell us about the tavern and your contact," which lets the player add more to the story that I could build off of, and so could others.

And, yes, I am stealing ideas from Daggerheart for this game. They do a good job of showcasing ways to make narrative matter as much as

Thanks a lot for adding a few more words to it GM-Lia, it gave me a very clear image of what is the plan.

I love the first half, but unfortunately I am not a big fan of the second, in which we detail the tavern and the contact. My preference would be that actually getting a contact might constitute an adventure or side-trek itself, discovering what tavern in town is the best for finding such contacts could be another, etc. The narrative part in which I detail - 'my contact is one-eyed Joe, a toothless, greasy man, deadly with a dagger and with a constant sneer on his face. He usually hangs out at the Broken Pot tavern, as befits a lowly street thug of the Guild' - for me feels more like telling a story than playing the game. Just a matter of personal preference is all :)

I do think you have a great vision though, and feel like the game will be very entertaining for those seeking a more narrative experience. Wish you a great one! And I will for sure poke my head in every once in a while ;)

Hi GM-Lia, I am very curious about this game for a couple of reasons - OSW speaks highly of you, and also I have been really trying to get into PF2e without much success so far.

But I do have a lot of trepidation regarding the nature of the game and its scope - I have read also through the interest thread, and the premise sounds really fun. A sandbox, brave adventurers exploring the world and finding new challenges with a lot of player agency. It sounds perfect.

But I do have some questions, if that is ok :)

Would you mind elaborating a little bit more on what 'players having a larger element of narrative control' means? I love the notion that characters have goals in their humble lives starting out at level 1 - one wants to be a soldier, the other wants to avenge her Mother, yet one other wants to lead the Thieve's Guild. So they search for ways to accomplish their goals. They provide details on the guild, how their mother died, and where they want to be a soldier and why - broad strokes upon which the DM can build. Is this the gist of it?

Yep, I should have him finished soon.
Busy weekend with family as usual ;)

Albion, The Eye wrote:

Hytogg wrote:

That's what I chose as well. should we be kin? rivals?

Not really a choice from my end, or I would avoid duplication :/

It seems we will then have a Dwarf Thief and an Elf F/M/T.

So I think I will go Halfling just to be different, though Halflings cannot see in the dark, so you’ll have to do the scouting in your own.

Make yer Halfling of Stoutish stock Albion - gains 60ft infravision :)

Aha, perfect! Thanks BD.

That's what I chose as well. should we be kin? rivals?

Not really a choice from my end, or I would avoid duplication :/

It seems we will then have a Dwarf Thief and an Elf F/M/T.

So I think I will go Halfling just to be different, though Halflings cannot see in the dark, so you’ll have to do the scouting in your own.

@Albion. According to the PHB, page 11, Wisdom table 1. With wisdom 5 or below,"Here or lower the character can only be a thief." Not sure why. It doesn't say anything about Int or Wis is the pages for the Fighter class. ?? Actually, on the Intelligence Table 1 on page 10, it says at 5 or below you can only be a fighter. ??

I was going to go Magic-User/Cleric/Thief. But it doesn't give that as an option for multi-class. As Magic-User/Cleric I'm limited to level 5 Cleric and Level 6 Magic-User. Then it's time to retire since I can't gain any level from there.

I think you are absolutely correct. Guess a Dwarf Thief it will be ;)

Thank you for the invite Spazmodeus!

4d6 ⇒ (2, 6, 4, 5) = 17 Str 15
4d6 ⇒ (1, 4, 3, 2) = 10 Int 9
4d6 ⇒ (1, 2, 1, 1) = 5 Wis 4 Ouch
4d6 ⇒ (4, 4, 5, 2) = 15 Dex 13
4d6 ⇒ (2, 4, 3, 4) = 13 Con 11
4d6 ⇒ (5, 3, 6, 5) = 19 Cha 16

Looks like a Charismatic Fighter of some sort.
Maybe a Dwarf Thief. Or Fighter/Thief.

Let’s go!

Cavalier is broken, so my vote would be for no UA personally.

And I would also suggest rolling somewhere else not on the Paizo boards, so all is on the up and up. Somewhere where people cannot preview their rolls and cheat ;)

Ah man Spazmodeus... This is perfect.

Definitely interested! Hopefully no UA, just PHB, DMG and MM?

So is it stats down the line?
It does not seem people are adhering to that except GM_Drake:)

I had commented on that…