Images of the night's revelry flash in your mind; good loud music, flirty wenches of questionable morals, and numerous (countless?) glasses of rum, ale and wine. The last thing you remember were plates full of sausages and meats being brought out to loud cheers and greedy grabbing.
It was truly a night worthy of the Pirate capital of the Shackles.
Those happy remembrances are immediately replaced by a pounding headache. You must still be drunk, as the floor beneath you is swaying at regular intervals. As you lick your dry lips, the taste of the wine is replaced by an ashy, unpleasant flavor.
Cracking open your eyes, you discover that you are in a ship's interior. You see others around you slowly coming to. You recognize some of the faces from the Formidably Maid the night before, and all of them appear worse for the wear. Looking around, you quickly realize that you've been stripped of all your belongings, with nothing more than the clothes on your back. No weapons. No magical components.
Nothing.
Lifting your head, you see a tall, skinny man in a long coat and breeches and boots. He wears a dark beard braided down his chest and his mouth gleams with gold teeth as he snarls cruelly at the lot of you. Six other burly men stand around him, all armed with saps.
His voice rings out in a shout as the whip in his other hand cracks out above your heads. "Still abed with the sun over the yardarm?! On your feet, you filthy swabs! Get up on deck and report for duty before Cap'n Harrigan flays your flesh into sausage skins and has Fishguts fry ye up for breakfast!"
You are on a boat. Against your will. And this man, standing above you, is apparently your new superior.
Your pirate career is off to a dramatically different start than you anticipated.
First to post is the first to wake. Welcome to the high seas!
If you haven't yet finished creating your character, please do so using the criteria listed below.
CHARACTER CREATION
Players will start at 1st level.
20-point ability buy
Max HP for your class
2 traits - one MUST be a campaign trait
Average gold for your class.
Please insert the following in the Class/Levels field of your profile (updated with your information, of course):
F Halfling NG Bard L1|AC16 T14 FF13|HP9/9|F+1 R+5 W+2(+4)|Init+3|Perc+5
I’m interested in running one more PbP adventure here on the Paizo boards. I’m intrigued by the Skulls & Shackles AP and think it could work really well in this format. However, it requires a TON of random rolls and checks.
Thusly, I’d like to get 4-5 players who are familiar with the AP - perhaps they started in games that died or have just heard about the basics of the early “grind” - and are willing and able to shoulder some of the daily burden. Namely, rolling for all the day’s activities, understanding when they were successful and when they failed, and posting a full day’s action in one post.
Familiarity with the AP isn’t required to apply - I’ll share what rolls need to happen each day, the associated actions and the results of certain DCs.
Additionally, this requires a pretty loyal posting rate to pull off. One to two posts per day on weekdays would be mandatory.
If that sounds like something you might be interested in, you’re encouraged to apply!
Optional Variant - Co-GM’ing:
Additionally, I might be interested in trying out a co-gm game. I’ve never played in one, and if there’s someone who’s interested in taking over some of the NPCs and run combat if I get busy, that could actually be pretty nifty. PM me if you’re interested in taking on that task, rather than posting in-thread.
CHARACTER SUBMISSION
1. Come up with a character concept (obviously). This includes your background (this can be basic - I don't need a novel if you don't already have one), race, class, appearance and reason for being in Port Peril. You don't need to have a completed stat block to apply.
2. Share how often you can post. I'm asking for a minimum of one-two posts per 24 hours (on weekdays).
3. Share how familiar you are with the AP - and be honest. Having prior knowledge of the plot isn't going to keep you from getting in, but it does help me get a sense of what my players know going into the game.
4. Share what you hope to contribute to the game mechanically - both in battles and out of them.
CHARACTER CREATION
The following is posted for information only - you don't need to have a completed stat block to apply. In the interest of expediency (and my sanity) no exceptions will be made to the rules posted. Sorry.
Players will start at 1st level.
I’m not huge on alignments, and this game allows for some flexibility. You just need to be reasonably ok with pirate activity and play well with others.
20-point ability buy
Max HP for your class -2 traits - one MUST be a campaign trait
Core races preferred. May be willing to look at some more exotic races if the flavor is right.
All Paizo-created classes are allowed, excluding samurai, cavaliers and summoners. You should also probably not play as a Paladin. Though I would be interested to see the concept.
LET THE APPLICATIONS COMMENCE!
If you have any questions about the requirements or anything else not included here, please let me know.
Korvosa, the Jewel of Varisia, has long sparkled on Varisia’s southern shore. Established 300 years ago by Cheliax at the height of that empire’s expansion, the city now commands its own destiny. A line of Korvosan kings and queens emerged to rule the city, establishing an infamous seat power—the Crimson Throne. Rulers have sat upon the Crimson Throne for more than a century, and the city has flourished. Yet the monarchy always seems on the brink of disaster. The Crimson Throne is not a prize to be won—it is a curse. No monarch of Korvosa has died of old age, and none have produced an heir while ruling. Even though King Eodred II controls Korvosa more fully than any previous monarch, that control remains tenuous, and many secretly count the days until their latest king falls to what they call the Curse of the Crimson Throne.
The curse has acted once again - the king is dying, and all seem powerless to stop the sickness that has gripped him. The young queen, his wife, is spoken of in spits and crude epithets, and many fear that his death and her rise will spell the misfortune of many. It is the castle's worst-kept secret that Queen Ileosa despises "this backwater colony," and Korvosa returns her hatred ounce for ounce
But for many, there is one who is the subject of far greater hatred: Gaedren Lamm, a king of a worse sort. He rules a tin kingdom built upon the ruin and misfortune of others. Many of Korvosa's lower classes have felt the pain he brings. Some were orphans under his care, but many more are parents or family of those who've gone missing only to be found dead in some alley or those who gave in to the effects of Shiver and other vices the crooked man peddles.
But his widespread terror and pain may be nearing an end as fate - or some other force - tries to bring five strangers together to put an end to the tyranny.
Arianna:
It's been four months - to the day - since your brother's execution. The sadness you feel has dulled slightly, replaced by much stronger feelings of anger, frustration and growing hopelessness. All leads have lead nowhere. All inquiries have been shut down. All you have for all of your investigations is a name: Gaedran Lamm. It is a name infamous and feared, but for all his renown, no one seems to know - or to be willing to - disclose his whereabouts.
As you go about getting ready for the day, you spot something wrong your Harrow Deck - it's not drastic, but something looks a little off from what you're used to seeing. Looking closer, you clearly see that the top card is not from your deck. Picking it up, you see a message scrawled on the back of the card - it is The Joke card.
Peering around your room you see no sign of entry or intruders; there seems no explanation for how the card arrived there.
Gyllan:
It is late afternoon and you've found yourself in your usual haunt, Jeggare’s Jug, or as the locals call it, Jeggy's Jug. It's a small pub, but it's near your flat and is far less unruly than the Sticky Mermaid - you haven't feared for your life even once while drinking here.
The tavern is relatively empty as you arrive, and as you approach the bar, a portly woman greets you. "Welcome back, Gyl," she says, smiling warmly. This is Emma Eckhart, she owns the tavern with her husband Jason. "You're a bit early, aren't ya? Got a shot here ready for ya - don't know how you drink that pepper whiskey. Too prickly for my taste." She pours your customary drink and slides it across the bar to you.
You take a seat at the bar, but before you're able to even take a sip you fell a small tug on your cloak. Turning, you see a small child - no older than 10 - peering up at with wide green eyes. Her arm is extended and it seems she wants you take something from it.
As soon as you take it, she turns and runs off without a word. Looking at the object, you see that it is a harrowing card - the Big Sky card. Turning it over, you see a message scrawled on the card.
Durriken:
You awake in the back room of the bowyer's shop, your hand instinctively reaching for your throat. It's been four years, but you still remember the pain. You dream of it. You wake with it. But the pain isn't alone - it is accompanied by a name: Lamm. It is a constant whisper, a prayer almost. He nearly killed you and his own painful death can't come soon enough.
As you begin to dress for the day, you notice a card folded in half around the string of one of your bows. You suppose the bowyer left you a note, but when you look at it, you see that it is a Harrowing card - The Avalanche. Flipping it over, you see a scrawled message.
Fingers:
It has been a long, tedious day at the locksmith's shop. Your master, eager to hand more work off to you, has been grilling you for weeks, giving you challenges and tests to prove your abilities. Your fingers are tight and curled in pain. You just need a drink.
And so you head into The Sticky Mermaid in Old Korvosa. It's an unwholesome place with terribly unruly patrons, but if you keep your head down you can usually be left well enough alone. Plus, it's been shut down for a couple of weeks now (the guards often grow weary of breaking up the bar fights and have it shut down) - usually when the place reopens, there are free rounds for the tavern's faithful.
When you walk in, the bar is already growing crowded - it seems the rumored promise of free alcohol was spreading. You find your way to a corner of the bar and manage to get the barmaid's attention. The busty, incredibly unattractive woman approaches with a bottle of the house spirits and an acceptably clean mug. She pours a fair amount in and slides it over with a curt "On the house. One only." She looks at you closer for a moment before saying, "Hey, ain't you that Mitchell fella? 'Sposed to hand you this when you came in." She reaches into her bodice and fiddles for a minute before retrieving a small envelope, which she throws onto the bar before heading to care for another patron.
Opening the envelope you find a single object inside, a harrowing card - The Rabbit Prince - with a message scrawled on the back.
Corso:
You wake on the floor of your sister's room. Her arm dangling over your head brings a smile to your face. You may be sore from sleeping on the hard floor, but at least she didn't go out last night for her fix.
Sitting up, you rub your eyes and stretch. You look at your sister - she is sleeping peacefully, and naturally - before standing to get your boots and head down for some breakfast. As you reach down for your boots, you notice a small, white something in your left one. Reaching in to draw it out you discover that it is a Harrowing card - the Unicorn - with a message scrawled on the back.
The Message I know what Gaedren has done to you. He has wronged me as well. I know where he dwells, yet cannot strike at him. Come to my home at 3 Lancet Street at sunset. Others like you will be there. Gaedren must face his fate, and justice must be done.
And so it begins! We'll fast-forward to sundown and the scheduled meeting time. First to post is the first to arrive.
For the last couple of years, the small town of Sandpoint has managed to largely live in peace. Sheriff Belor Hemlock has built up the town’s defenses and the people live in relative security.
However, goblin activity is on the rise of late; the Licktoad goblins of the Brinestump marsh have become unusually aggressive. The reason for this uncharacteristic bravery is clear: somehow they have armed themselves with a shocking supply of fireworks. Several merchant caravans and travelers have been attacked so far, and according to the victims, the damage caused by the horses panicking at the sight and sound of the fireworks has been almost as bad as the goblin attacks themselves. With the last few attacks resulting in severe injuries to three travelers, the problem has escalated from an annoyance to a threat. Because the attacks have not yet inconvenienced Magnimar, the City of Monuments has not done anything to help.
Sheriff Hemlock has restored Sandpoint’s old “goblin bounty” after years of inactivity to try to encourage adventurer types to seek out and kill goblins. The town of Sandpoint will pay 10 gp for every relatively fresh pair of goblin ears delivered to the town hall. An additional reward of 300 gp will be given to the group who can bring in the head of the Licktoads’ leader, Chief Gutwad.
It's an old cliché that every story starts in a tavern, but in Sandpoint, the Rusty Dragon is one of the most popular places, so it’s more than natural that some stories should start there.
Its proprietor, Ameiko Kaijitsu, last surviving member of the founding Kaijitsu family, is one of the most popular and beloved personalities in Sandpoint. Many seek out the Rusy Dragon just to hear her music or to eat the spicy and exotic food she serves.
And so, cliché or not, on this morning, the 4th of Rova, 4711, five people whose destinies are about to entwine, find themselves, each for reasons of his or her own, in the Rusy Dragon at the same time...
If you haven't yet finished creating your character, please do so using the criteria listed below.
CHARACTER CREATION
The following is posted for information only - you don't need to have a completed stat block to apply. In the interest of expediency (and my sanity) no exceptions will be made to the rules posted. Sorry.
Players will start at 1st level.
20-point ability buy. No score may be lower than 8 after racial adjustments.
Max HP for your class
2 traits - one MUST be a campaign trait
Max starting gold for your class
Please insert the following in the Class/Levels field of your profile (updated with your information, of course):
F Halfling NG Bard L1|AC16 T14 FF13|HP9/9|F+1 R+5 W+2(+4)|Init+3|Perc+5
I'm not sure how I'm going to handle maps and other files yet. I'm thinking either Google Drive or Dropbox - any other good solutions you've seen on the boards here?
"Tyranny and anarchy are never far apart." - Jeremy Bentham
Welcome to the recruitment thread for the undeniably amazing Curse of the Crimson Throne AP.
CHARACTER SUBMISSION
I've been stalking the boards for a bit and I've seen both extensive and barebones submission requirements; I hope my submission standards are agreeable. My goal is to have folks provide enough information for me to make an informed choice for the party's makeup without burdening applicants too much.
Come up with a character concept (obviously). This includes your background (this can be basic - I don't need a novel if you don't already have one), race, class, appearance and reason for being in Korvosa. You don't need to have a completed stat block to apply.
Share how often you can post. As I've seen on RPOL, slow-posting games die quick deaths. I'm asking for a minimum of one-post per 24 hours.
Share how familiar you are with the AP - and be honest. Having prior knowledge of the plot isn't going to keep you from getting in, but it does help me get a sense of what my players know going into the game.
Share what you hope to contribute to the game mechanically - both in battles and out of them.
Provide an in-character response to the following "scenario." This is designed to give me a sense of your voice as a player and your personality as a character. Your response will have no bearing on the story or future implications for your character.
The Scenario:
The Shoreline Drinkhall is filled with patrons quietly drinking and eating. The mood in the room is heavy - there is no music, no laughing and the conversations, what few there are, are conducted in whispers.
The quiet scene is abruptly interrupted by the door bursting open by a bruised, bloodied halfling. "Help...please...help..." he wheezes before collapsing on the threshold. A moment later, a woman wearing dark leather armor and carrying an exotic-looking hooked club comes into view through the still-open door. She looks down at the halfling with a satisfied smile.
CHARACTER CREATION
The following is posted for information only - you don't need to have a completed stat block to apply. In the interest of expediency (and my sanity) no exceptions will be made to the rules posted. Sorry.
Players will start at 1st level.
Any non-evil alignment is allowed, but if you choose Chaotic Neutral, please provide a little note about what that alignment means to you in your application. Also, if you play as LG, please don't be TOO obnoxious. :)
20-point ability buy. No score may be lower than 8 after racial adjustments.
Max HP for your class
2 traits - one MUST be a campaign trait
Max starting gold for your class
Core races only, please (sorry)
Paizo-created classes only. No samurai, cavaliers or summoners. Gunslingers are allowed (and encouraged), but we will be playing in an emerging firearms setting. Your gun will be a coveted prize by your foes (and potentially your allies), and when fired will likely make you a primary target during combat.
Some Things You Should Know:
I like interesting characters more than highly optimized ones.
A balanced party is important to me.
I err on the sides of fun, creativity and narrative.
I am the GM. You are the players. We exist in harmony. I am going to try to kill you, yes, but only for the good of the story. I ask for your respect and promise to give you mine.
I don't mind low stats, but there will be penalties for having an ability score lower than 10 - don't let that dissuade you from having an 8, just be prepared.
LET THE APPLICATIONS COMMENCE!
I look forward to seeing what this community comes up with - I expected big things, Paizo.com! Please let me know if you have any questions.
If you haven't yet finished creating your character, please do so using the criteria listed below.
Character Creation]
-Players will start at 1st level.
-Any non-evil alignment is allowed
-20-point ability buy
-Max HP for your class
-2 traits - one MUST be a campaign trait
-Max starting gold for your class
-Core races only
-All Paizo-created classes are allowed
I've noticed in some other games that players will put some stats (AC, saving rolls, Initiative, etc.) below their name. I have no idea how to do that, but it'd be really helpful - can someone share how that's done?
Also, I'm not sure how I'm going to handle maps and other files yet. I'm thinking either Google Drive or Dropbox - any other good solutions you've seen on the boards here?
Finally, how would the group here prefer to handle initiative? I've found that individual initiative gets a little hairy when it comes to PbP games, but I'm not sure I've found a better solution. Again, any suggestions based on prior experience?
Welcome to the recruitment thread for a new Jade Regent AP Play-By-Post adventure.
CHARACTER SUBMISSION
I've been stalking the boards for a bit and I've seen both extensive and barebones submission requirements. I hope my submission standards are acceptable. My goal is to provide enough information to make a solid choice for the party without burdening the applicants too much.
1. Come up with a character concept (obviously). This includes your background (this can be basic - I don't need a novel if you don't already have one), race, class, appearance and reason for being in Sandpoint. You don't need to have a completed stat block to apply.
2. Share how often you can post. As I've seen on RPOL, slow-posting games die quick deaths. I'm asking for a minimum of one-post per 24 hours.
3. Share how familiar you are with the AP - and be honest. Having prior knowledge of the plot isn't going to keep you from getting in, but it does help me get a sense of what my players know going into the game.
4. Share what you hope to contribute to the game mechanically - both in battles and out of them.
5. Provide an in-character response to the following "scenario." This is designed to give me a sense of your voice as a player and your personality as a character. Your response will have no bearing on the story or future implications for your character.
The Scenario
The Rusty Dragon is filled with patrons gleefully drinking, eating and conversing. A visiting Varisian bard is one corner, singing a crude song about a Hellknight and halfling sailor, while in the corner across the room, a game of liar's dice is being played by several rough-looking characters. Suddenly, a large, tattooed thug stands from the game and bellows, "Ya filthy cheat! You think you can just smile at me and take my gold? I don' think so!" He lifts his accused from his seat - a slight Varisian male seemingly less than half his size.
The bard stops playing immediately and points at the scene. "Someone, help my brother from that brute!"
CHARACTER CREATION
The following is posted for information only - you don't need to have a completed stat block to apply. In the interest of expediency (and my sanity) no exceptions will be made to the rules posted. Sorry.
-Players will start at 1st level.
-Any non-evil alignment is allowed, but if you choose Chaotic Neutral, please provide a little note about what that alignment means to you in your application. Also, if you play as LG, please don't be TOO obnoxious. :)
-20-point ability buy
-Max HP for your class
-2 traits - one MUST be a campaign trait
-Max starting gold for your class
-Core races only, please (sorry)
-All Paizo-created classes are allowed, including Gunslingers (we will be using the emerging firearms rules, though, so tread carefully)
LET THE APPLICATIONS COMMENCE!
I look forward to seeing what this community comes up with - I expected big things, Paizo.com! Please let me know if you have any questions.
Cheers,
GM Cello
A (Very) Little About Me:
Hello!
I'm new to the boards here. I recently moved for work and lost my gaming group. I am saddened by this development, but I'm eager to fill that real-life-gaming void with you, my new virtual table-top peers.
I've played a little PbP over on RPOL, but I'm excited to join the community here at Paizo.
I'm a rules-light GM - that is to say, if you're creative or roleplay well, the dice or mechanics don't make the final decision on your fate.
You've earned 10 bonus XP for your character for clicking this incredibly uninteresting spoiler.
