I think everyone except Nils is feeling the anger of the dice gods. I am going to need to have an online priest perform a blessing over my account in order to purge the bad juju! :)
Personally I think a smaller group tends to make a PbP move better, since you are waiting on less people to make their regular posts. If all four are fairly active it can actually be quite speedy compared to larger groups. I can honestly adapt the encounters to suit a smaller party as needed, and if that helps make things like combat move along a little speedier then all the better. I do also have some tricks I've picked up over the years that helps PbP combat a little bit. I didn't really look into how your GM was doing it before, but I'll scan back and see if something else might have helped there. Ship vs Ship combat becomes more of a thing later on, and it may have been that the previous GM decided to "hand wave" some of that off. I think it definitely adds a cool element to the AP and it would be a shame to avoid it all together, but its a balancing act of keeping everyone engaged while providing a good action sequence. The problem with the initial system in the AP is you had one or two people heavily involved and everyone else was sitting around waiting for it to be over. This deserves a bit of looking into... If the other players are good with it, and everyone is good with a post or two a day, I think this would be enjoyable. I'll wait to see what some of the others say and will do a bit of research in the meantime.
Number one, there are two sides to every debate, and in this case there are more than that, since the VO team has the side of the OP, the GM, the attending VA, and the players. Needless to say the side represented here on this post does not contain the whole of the facts and circumstances surrounding this. But since these boards are not the place for such things, I will not go into them. Number two, it is considered very poor form to name people in your posts by their real names, and I would appreciate the OP consider this in the future. As others have mentioned, the OP is perfectly within his right to raise his concerns to the RVC and OPC. Thank you
Victor looks the woman up and down, unsure of why one such as herself would make such a request of a group of non-officers. Surely there were better figures with more authority to present her needs to. But, she was the king's sister, and thus was to be treated with the utmost respect. Clearing his throat he says, "Begging your pardon m'Lady, but we are under strict orders that none are to board the Coaltongue until after His Majesty's arrival. Surely you can understand. Perhaps one of us can call over some refreshments for you while you await the start of the ceremony?"
Eager to be done with the place, the party moves back through the upper halls until they reach the latrine where they made their initial entrance. Climbing back down into the filth was a foul prospect, but the secret entrance was likely their best route of escape, hoping to avoid conflict with the scores of orcs and ogres that were seen from above. Once in the sewage room, they make their way back down the tunnel to the entrance leading out into the barren moat area. Surprisingly the orcs that were present in the area when they entered are nowhere to be seen. Loud shouts begin erupting from further along in the courtyard, and the definite sound of battle can be heard from that direction. Using his magical cloak, the god-being Jaghal quickly soars into the air to get a better look at the situation as the rest of the group make their way out of the tunnel and up the side of the moat wall. From high above, Jaghal easily makes out what can only be described as a grand melee. Orcs, ogres, ogrekin, and giants are all gathered in the main courtyard, and no clear battle lines seem to be drawn. Giants swing massive clubs through the air, crushing and hammering into orcs and ogres, while the smaller creatures hack and tear at the giant's legs and each other. One thing is for sure to the little gnome, there will be no clear winner to this fight. Circling back towards the group, the gnome relays the information and suggests that now is the time to make a break for it. The party travels back towards the Esk, where the barge is still moored. Signaling to the crew, the group quickly boards and prepares for the long journey back up the river. The trip is mostly uneventful, with the downtime a welcome change from the pace that had been set for them since they first left Trunau. Several days later they reach their disembarkation point, and the captain and crew wish them each a fond farewell. Shortly thereafter, the party finds themselves back within the walls of Trunau, with much of the rebuilding complete and the city in much better shape than when they left it, nearly three weeks ago. As news of their arrival spreads, the party is greeted by friends, family, and strangers alike. The entire town turns out to welcome the heroes home, and many hours pass before the seemingly endless supply of free drinks begins to lessen. The heroes each turn in for the night, some needing the help of others to make it home, but all thankful for the rest and relaxation coming their way that they have well-earned. After several days of rest, the party is summoned to the council chambers where Halgra and Silvermane await to speak with them in private. Over the next few hours the heroes report what they have discovered and experienced since their departure, and recount the details of their mission to Redlake. Most disturbing to the council is the news that this Storm Tyrant is gathering an army of giants. It is no secret that this army would threaten not only Belkzen (and the town of Trunau), but also the other human nations bordering the huge mountain range, including Lastwall, Molthune, Nidal, Nirmathas, and Varisia. Halgra and Silvermane both seem to greatly favor the idea of the heroes should encourage them to travel to the valley to try to stop this Tyrant before he can assemble his army, thus preventing untold bloodshed and destruction across western Avistan. Fortunately, the group found a map to this “valley of giants” among the dowry of the hill giant chieftain Grenseldek in Redlake Fort. The group also produces the two halves of the geode, showing the city leaders what can only be some sort of map. Agrit Staginsdar immediately recognizes the strange map for what it is, a path to the secret location of the tomb of Nargrym Steelhand. Adventurers and treasure seekers have long sought the tomb, as according to dwarven custom, Nargrym was laid to rest with his armor, weapons, and riches, including the magical steel hand that allowed the hero to wield the giants’ own weapons against them. Nargrym Steelhand was a famed giantslayer from the dwarven Sky Citadel of Janderhoff in Varisia. He slew many giants to defend Janderhoff’s mining interests in the Mindspin Mountains, even the fire giant Gunderoth, called Dwarfskinner, who scorched the living flesh from nearly 30 dwarven miners. But though Nargrym’s legend remains strong, the circumstances surrounding his death were grim and mysterious. After Gunderoth’s defeat, Nargrym’s own squire and kinsman, Lokmorr Edergun, cravenly stabbed Nargrym in the back out of spite and jealousy. Lokmorr took credit for slaying the giant himself, claiming it had killed Nargrym, and was heralded as a hero. But a priest of Torag named Byrim Forgepride discovered Lokmorr’s crime and confronted the kinslayer about his betrayal and deception. Believing he might still pull off his ruse, Lokmorr turned upon the priest and slew him as well. Although Lokmorr tried again to cover up his dark deeds, he was unsuccessful, and the ruling council of Janderhoff branded his forehead with the mark of the betrayer, struck his family name from the dwarven histories, and sentenced Lokmorr to be trapped alive in the tomb of the hero he had murdered. According to the map, the tomb lies on the way to the giants’ valley, and if it still exists, recovering such a cache would prove
The human eyes his fellows cautiously, not really knowing what to expect from his first real assignment. It seemed simple enough, be on the lookout for trouble and prevent it if at all possible. But so many people...it was a lot to take in. As the large man in the hat and the smaller man traded jibes, he kept his eye on the sea of bodies before them, wondering who in this morass of people might be up to no good. His relatively normal size and stature did not warrant the immediate attention garnered by that of the giant woman or man with the hat, but his attire set him apart from the throng of people passing by, all utilitarian in nature and compiled to serve a singular purpose, threat elimination. His hand drifted down to the steel rapier at his hip, fingers crossing the familiar hilt with an almost comforting gesture. He watched the impossibly tall woman head off to a nearby building as the gnome and Inspector vanished into the tangle of onlookers. He considered the scene for a moment, determined to put his best foot forward and do the RNC proud. Closing his eyes and drawing inward on his training from the church, he mutters a quick syllable before releasing the energy of his spell as his senses penetrate the crowd around him, sensing...probing for an answer.
Ears of the City:
The target of this spell sees and hears a stream of past scenes and pieces of conversations related to local people and events. The flashes are so brief that it is impossible to identify individual people or places, but when the target concentrates on a particular topic or individual, she can piece together a coherent narrative told in a multitude of changing voices in her mind. Each round for the duration of the spell, the target can attempt a Diplomacy check to gather information as though she had spent 1d4 hours talking to local people. Since the information gathering doesn't involve actual interaction with people, only observation, the target can use her Perception skill instead of her Diplomacy skill. While thus concentrating, the target is effectively blind and deaf.
They are also really good about throwing in tracers and tracking to almost everything they do. They are pretty notorious in the IT community. We block them outright on our content filters.
For those interested in Pathfinder Society Organized Play, definitely check Facebook for Pathfinder groups. There is likely a group set up in your area on Facebook, and that is a great place to start! There is also a main group dedicated to Pathfinder Society play right here!
I continue to be amazed by the amount of people who have nothing better to do than complain about a PDF download that is not time limited. Folks, take a chill, do whatever you would have been doing today had the sale not happened. Give Paizo some time to adjust to the massive popularity of the bundle and be understanding about it. Come back later and check, and if that fails, check back after that. Its like your lives somehow hang on the fact that you can't download an RPG you never had in the first place. First world problems...
Personally, I always slide 100% charity for any Humble Bundle I participate in, and I'm sure others do as well. However, using these numbers seems legit, as many probably don't bother to mess with the sliders. However, $350k doesn't go a long way in large scale IT, and some of the suggestions for massive infrastructure overhauls to facilitate faster delivery of the PDFs would constitute a huge investment in both equipment and the programming needed to change how the systems work. I just spun up a rather small scale virtual environment to act as a backup site for a tiny company in comparison to Paizo and we spent well over $300k on the project. The point is, people shouldn't be so quick to judge how much Paizo should be spending to give them their downloads ASAP. Sadly, this is the age we are living in, the Gimme Now Age.
The problem with your statement is that it is against their policy to distribute electronic PDFs without a watermark. This is how they protect their own intellectual property from pirating, and is something that they are completely within their right to do. If you don't like it, and are so impatient that you cannot manage to wait a few days to get your download, request a refund from Humble Bundle and move along. You'll make it easier for the other 30,000+ people trying to get their copies. The simple fact is, if you aren't happy, you have options. So either join the rest of the folks patiently waiting for their copies to be available, or get your money back and take your complaints somewhere else. Paizo has stated they are doing what they can to get things moving faster, but the incessant whining and complaining is neither helpful or constructive to the process.
#1 - Your length of time in IT does not make you an expert when it comes to how Paizo does business or how their web solution is set up. Remember, they are doing this FOR CHARITY. Does it make sense for them to spend tons of money ramping up their online services for something that they are making very little actual revenue on? No. I've been in IT for 26 years and I know I'm out of my element when it comes to how someone like Paizo handles their web presence. IT does not make you an expert. You could have spent 30 years changing printer toner for all we know. :) #2 - If you have actually been in IT for 30 years, and are currently employed as IT, then I find it hard to believe that you do not have access to check the website while you are at work. Personally, I've been in IT for nearly the same length of time and can tell you first hand that I have all the time in the world during the day to check the site and download as needed. That is one of the many benefits of being in IT! Duh! #3 - Being in IT for 30 years means you are 48+, and should have a little more patience by now. If not, shame on you. And if you have an actual blog and twitter feed that anyone follows and are just not getting around to checking out Pathfinder, well sir, I question the impact of your negative tweets, because you are obviously not in touch with the RPG community as a whole.
I purchased a few of the soundpacks last year after GenCon and was not sorry for doing so. I really like the product. Now to get everything else? Wonderful! I will probably still make purchases, because I support this kind of thing with gaming. Kind of like why I continue to pay for all of the Hero Labs additions even though its offered for free to VOs. :) Thanks Mike, Erik, Benjamin, and everyone else looking out for us!
I see you're using the Background Skills option, but you didn't include the "less mechanically critical" Knowledge skills (engineering, nobility, history) in the list. Is it possible you would reconsider this, or add Lore as an option? Having non-critical but flavorful Knowledges easier to access helps, in my opinion, to inject more flavor into a character. I considered adding Lore, but it is so specific. I'd be open to the idea of the less mechanically sound Knowledge skills as background skills if you can work it into your background to where it makes sense. I would not include Knowledge - Engineering into this for very specific reasons of my own. History and Nobility however, are feasible.
Maybe, it largely depends on what other games I wind up in. I'll be completely honest and tell you to save yourself the time. #1 - I want players that want to be in the game, not use it as an "option".
Grand Absalom, city of the Starstone, and the hub of the Inner Sea. Beneath the daily hustle and bustle of everyday life lives a web of intrigue and power that touches nearly every citizen of this great city in some way or another. Guilds war with each other in the shadows, each one fighting for the right to control the lucrative coastal smuggling and trade opportunities that the city’s great port represents. Factions plot against one another to control the many aspects of life in Avistan, and send agents forth to carry out their private agendas. Mighty forces buried beneath layers of lies and illusion secretly control positions of power to further their own needs, acting as puppet masters in some grand game. And on the surface, a dizzying array of commoners, merchants, tradesmen, and adventurers, all looking to somehow make a living for themselves and rise to greater things. Buried deep beneath these many layers of power lies an even greater force, a threat that could shake the very foundation of Golarion itself. A great hunger stirs somewhere in the darkness, and agents come forth to serve the call of the Master that Sleeps. Around every corner lies a potential enemy, and behind every handshake lurks the possibility of betrayal. In this dark time, a group of heroes emerge from obscurity. From all aspects of life and every corner of Golarion they come. Honed by a trial by fire and forced to act against an ancient enemy, it is they who are the true hope for civilization. But will they be able to stop the ticking clock of fate? Campaign Information:
This is a homebrew campaign set in the Pathfinder world of Golarion. It will be loosely based on some material in print but will be a custom campaign for the most part. The goal is to have a good combination of all of the aspects of RPGs that make them great. There will be a good mix of roleplaying and combat opportunities, with plenty of side plots, quests, and sandbox elements to keep things interesting. In the end, the outcome of where the game goes will rest strongly on the decisions and actions of the party, and while there is an underlying story involved, they are free to act however they see fit in respect to that story. I will strive to give the game a true feeling of an old school tabletop game. If you were a fan of Greyhawk and the works of Gary Gygax, David Sutherland, Tom Moldvay, and David Cook then you should find this campaign a welcome and familiar setting. While Golarion is not Greyhawk, my goal is to incorporate the feel of the old settings into the game as much as possible. You will encounter situations that require difficult choices, and those choices will impact the game. You will encounter items or creatures that will test you, make you question yourselves, and put you in situations where there may be no wholly good outcome. You will gain access to incredible power, but with it will come incredible consequences. Character Creation:
Attributes: 20 point buy, no stat can be lower than 10 before racial modifications. Classes: Anything Paizo will be allowed, this includes Advanced Class Guide classes and those from Pathfinder Unchained. See my notes in the House Rules section for additional information related to specific classes. Gunslingers are permitted but the setting is Emerging Guns only. Only “Early” firearms will be available, and never as loot. Psionic classes from Ultimate Psionics will be allowed. Path of War will not be allowed. 3rd Party Prestige classes may be allowed but will need to be approved on a case by case basis. If you have a character idea that depends on 3rd party material make sure you run it by me prior to being accepted, making 7th level, and realizing I’m not going to allow it. Archtypes: Most archtypes will be permitted. Master Summoner and Synthesist Summoner are not permitted. Archtypes that grant animal companions are not permitted. Archtypes that grant access to firearms are not permitted. Races: All Core races are allowed without restriction. All other Paizo races may be considered acceptable on a case by case basis. I will not tell you prior to me selecting characters if your race is ok. If you have a doubt, it’s probably not ok. Any non-Core race with an RP cost of 11 or more will be a +1 level adjustment race, meaning while the party is level 2, you will get to spend an additional level at 1, always remaining 1 level behind the group. Psionic races will not be allowed. Alignment: All good, and all neutral alignments allowed, with the exception of Chaotic Neutral. Due to the elements of the storyline this alignment comes into conflict with some of the ideals and goals of key NPCs and elements of the game. This is meant to be a heroic adventure and should be composed of characters who adhere to such. True Neutral characters will be considered on a case by case basis, mainly based on background. Traits: Two traits of your choice, which must come from sources other than Adventure Paths. One trait must be racial or society based. No drawbacks allowed for additional traits. Faction: Characters will be allowed, and encouraged, to choose a faction to work for. Factions bring with them specific benefits as well as requirements. You will be asked, or even required, to complete tasks for your faction during the course of your career. Some of these will be simple, others might place you in difficult situations. Working for a faction has several benefits, including the ability to earn Fame and Prestige that can be used to purchase goods and services from your faction. The available factions for this game include; Arcanamirium, Bellflower Network, Bloodstone Swords, Eagle Knights, Green Faith, Kitharodian Academy, Lantern Bearers, Lion Blades, Mendev Crusaders, Ninth Battalion, and Pathfinder Society. It is suggested that if you wish to play as a member of a faction that you have access to the Pathfinder Faction Guide. There are specific details and services of each faction in this guide and it would be considered an important resource to be able to turn to. Those characters who do not wish to belong to a faction will not be required to do so, but you can potentially miss out on favors, loot, and services that others will be able to make use of. Background Skills: In addition to a character’s usual compliment of skills, each character will get 2 skill points per level to spend on background skills. These skills must somehow be explained in the character background and represent life before adventuring. Skills qualifying for Background Skills include; Any Craft, Any Profession, Any Performance, Appraise, Handle Animal, Sleight of Hand. Hit Points: Hit points will be gained at each level equal to ½ class HD +1. You will receive maximum HP for first level. Starting Gold: 150gp plus your choice of a masterwork weapon (with a price limit of 375gp), 1st level wand with 25 charges, or a combination of 350gp worth of 1st level potions and scrolls. If you select scrolls, they must be from spells you have access to, meaning no wizards getting a bunch of free spells not in their spellbooks. How you acquired these additional items should be explained in your background. Character Background: This is a critical piece of the selection process. I am looking for players who are both creative and articulate. Your background should include what led you to Absalom to seek out the life of an adventurer, some information about your upbringing, and details explaining how you came to have the characteristics you have today (traits, feats, etc.). Each background also should include the following; one close friend, one unknown friend, one known enemy, one unknown enemy, and one contact within your faction should you choose one. Please include an appropriate amount of detail for each. If you are not selecting a faction, also include one contact in Absalom for your character if you do not originate from there. Some of these NPCs will make an impact during the game, so consider this part carefully. House Rules:
I will be borrowing from a wide selection of source material for the campaign, but for the most part all mechanics decisions will be based on RAW (Rules as Written) within the Pathfinder system. Exceptions or additional information include: Pathfinder Unchained Classes: Rogues, Monks, and Barbarians can be Core or Pathfinder Unchained versions. For Rogues, I strongly suggest Pathfinder Unchained, as it removes a lot of feat tax and gives the class several new and very useful abilities. Barbarians: Rage cycling is not permitted. No feats or items that make a character immune to fatigue will be permitted. All once per rage abilities should be read as “once per combat, while under the effects of rage”. Fighters: All fighters get 2 additional skill points per level which must be spent in either Climb, Swim, Survival, or Perception. All fighters gain the Combat Stamina feat for free at first level. See below for details on Stamina. Oracle: No Legalistic curse allowed. Your curse must truly be prohibitive to your character. Paladins: Paladins are allowed to worship any good deity, not just those who are one step within their alignment. Monks: No vows are allowed. Summoners: Summoners must utilize the Pathfinder Unchained rules for the class. Multiclassing and Variant Multiclassing: Multiclassing is allowed, however dipping in several classes is discouraged. The Variant Multiclassing rules from Pathfinder Unchained are available for use. You are expected to have a copy of this material if you wish to use this feature. Stamina, Stamina Pool, and Combat Tricks: These features and feats from Pathfinder Unchained are allowed for this campaign. Signature Skill Feat: This feat and the associated bonuses detailed in Pathfinder Unchained are allowed and used in this campaign. Critical Hits and Misses: A natural 1 represents a critical miss. These rolls are then confirmed by a second attack roll. If the second roll is also a miss the character fumbles the attack, which can mean any number of things based on the situation. Critical hits that confirm with a second natural 20 are considered massive critical hits and will be resolved using my own system, and usually result in very bad things for the creature hit. Evil Spellcasting: Casting any spell with the evil descriptor is considered an evil act. Repeated evil acts will cause alignment shifts. If your alignment is ever evil, the character will be removed from the game. Clerics worshipping a good-aligned deity may not cast any spell with the evil descriptor. Downtime: During specific periods of the game there will be downtime. During these periods the downtime rules from Ultimate Campaign will be used as needed to represent character activity. Personal holdings are also permitted and can be developed during this downtime. Crafting and Magic Item Creation: These functions are allowed within the campaign, used as downtime activities. All created items must first meet GM approval. If I feel something might imbalance the game I will not permit its creation. Player and Posting Requirements:
- You must be a daily poster. Preference will be made for those who show higher activity on the boards and a history of PbP activity. I will strive to always keep the game moving and expect players who will do the same. I am usually online during the day and post mostly in that window of time between 6am and 6pm EST, so that is when my most active hours will be. Obviously things happen, so I do understand that at times you might be unable to post, or I also might be otherwise detained. If that happens in the case of a player, I will allow a reasonable amount of time before GMPC'ing you along. I’d like to shoot for at least 2-3 posts per day from my players, depending on the situation. If the group manages to keep up with me and posts more than that, I will be extremely happy. - If a player fails to post within a reasonable amount of time without notifying the group that they will be unavailable (generally this time is 3 days, not including weekend days) they will be moved to inactive status, removed from the active game, and replaced with another applicant. I am taking this one seriously folks and I won't let an inactive player ruin it for everyone else. So understand what you are committing to before you apply. If you will be away a few days, let the group know and give us some standard marching orders for while you are away. The game will go on, but at least others won't be waiting for you. I will look through your past aliases. If I find that you make a habit of vanishing without a trace from games you will not be considered for this campaign. - You must be willing to ROLE play, not just ROLL play. The GM feeds off of the players, so a good group of role-players helps the game take on a life of its own. You don't have to fill every post with three paragraphs describing how you took your morning coffee, but you should be able to write well and play your character well. If I find all you do is post "I follow Bob, my sword ready" and post a lot of "Gug gug, I'm a barbarian" (unless you are Gug the Barbarian) type stuff, you will be summarily removed from the campaign, tied to a hippogriff, and flown over a field of elven archers for target practice. Sometimes one line responses are all that are required for a situation, but if that becomes your only method of posting I will be unhappy. I will be looking over the past posting habits of any candidate for the game before making my selections, so if you are regularly guilty of this you might as well save yourself some time. Application Guidelines - Read Carefully:
- A complete character stat block, hidden in your post in this thread using the spoiler tag. If you want to create an alias for the character prior to selection that is fine as well, but you must also post the character submission in this thread as well. If you do not know how to use this tag click on the button below "Submit Post" of your reply that says How to format your text. For a PbP game you should be familiar with all of these tags anyway. - A character background, hidden in your post in this thread using the spoiler tag. This is going to help show me who can really play up a goblin for what they really are. Be creative! I can tell you right now that this piece is what will get you picked over someone else. The more effort you put into this, the more I will want you at the virtual table. - A brief note of your posting habits or schedule, hidden in your post in this thread using the spoiler tag. If you are more available or likely to post on specific days or at specific times, let me know. Your posting habits here on the forums will be checked. Your post quality will be examined. And I will probably even look at some of your other characters to get an idea for how you interact with other players and carry yourself in a group. Hopefully this will allow me to provide the best players with the best companions. A win/win for everyone. - A note as to what role you see as your character's main focus. Roles include: melee, ranged, skills, divine, and arcane. Obviously some characters fit several roles, so I am only asking for your focus. I’m putting this out about 30 days before I am going to be ready to kick this one off, so recruitment will last for a good deal of time. Right now my target date to end recruitment is May 16th, but this could be shortened or lengthened based on applications. I will choose characters one at a time, and will be making selections based on a reasonable party makeup if at all possible. This means that ideally from the list of candidates there will be two melee focused characters, one ranged focused character, one skill focused character, one divine focused character, and one arcane focused character. Once characters have been chosen I will gather the party and spend a few days ironing out background details with them before we start. If you have any questions not covered in the information above please feel free to let me know. If you ask me a question that has already been answered in the details above I’m going to assume you can’t read, which will be bad for your chances of making the game. :) About Me: I've been gaming for over 30 years, having started as a much younger man with the original D&D Basic set. Yes, back when Elf was a class. Crazy isn't it? Since those times I've played and GM'ed in more games and campaigns than I could ever count. I've ran AD&D, 2nd Ed AD&D, 3.5 and 4e, Pathfinder, Gurps, Palladium, Mutants and Masterminds, Star Wars, etc. and so on. I am the Venture Captain of Kentucky for the Pathfinder Society Organized Play campaign. Because of this my weekends are usually full and you won't catch me online much. If you go to GenCon, let me know. I love getting together and playing with folks from online games. If you play Pathfinder Society it would be my pleasure to run you through a hard mode of the Waking Rune and splat your character to death! :)
The Guard often have to deal with very different social classes: the desperate poor, the working poor, middle class citizens, middle class outsiders, wealthy citizens, wealthy outsiders, the nobility and the magocracy. Which two social classes is the PC most comfortable with, and why? Which two social classes are they least comfortable with, and why? Classes Most Comfortable With: Desperate Poor, Working Poor: Tino grew up in a land where the poor were pressed into servitude and slavery. He has seen the injustice forced upon those considered "lower class" and the struggle that each day of existence brings to those people. He has lived among people who own only the clothes on their backs and has seen repression in many ugly forms. Those people are also the ones with whom "home and hearth" are the most important things in their lives. Family means everything to them and that is one of the base tenants of Erastil. Classes Least Comfortable With: Wealthy Outsiders, Wealthy Citizens: Wealth usually leads to greed and the desire for more things. People of this class generally look down upon those who are less fortunate, even going so far as to elicit servitude from the less fortunate. Wealthy people can corrupt a system of law or government quicker than oil in a well. These people generally do not appreciate the blessings set before them and their lives are often spent in the pursuit of more material gain. Wealthy Outsiders in particular can be a problem because they do not have invested feelings towards a specific society and can cause far more harm than the citizens of that society. Caveat: Everyone is different, and to judge someone solely on their station or class is unjust. While Tino might have surface feelings towards specific classes of people he also understands that there are desperate poor who have no regard for the lives of others and wealthy citizens and outsiders who are very altruistic and giving with their own good fortune. Because Tino holds to the belief of Redemption he strongly feels that even those who have slighted their fellow man deserve a chance to make amends. He is slow to judge someone based on their upbringing or faith and always willing to try to guide them along a better path.
Envisioned Party Role: Tino is a walking lie detector. With several class abilities and spells to help highlight this, and a very good sense motive skill, he is adept at seeking out the truth in a situation. His social skills also are fairly good, which means he can aid the party in touchy situations where diplomacy is required. He is a fairly good tracker and in an environment where the party is potentially hunting down criminals he can do a lot to assist by helping find the criminal in question. He has a well rounded set of knowledge skills which are specifically tailored to help identify enemies, however he can mostly use those to aid in research, pairing with a character that has a sharper, and more trained, mind. His smattering of other skills helps him in situations where he can assist other specialists in their duties, always willing to lend a hand to further the goals of the group. Envisioned Combat Role: Tino is best as a combatant focused on a single target. His background in hunting larger targets has left with him a specific set of skills, namely his ability to study targets and his teamwork skills that encourage flanking with party members. While he uses light, low damage, weapons, his situational modifiers (studied target, sneak attack, precise strike, merciful weapons, and bane) can lead to sizable attacks when paired up with another melee combatant. His enforcer ability also gives him some solid debuffing power when faced against an enemy vulnerable to such attacks. He has solid ranged skills though not as ranged focused as I had originally designed. Basically he can serve many roles in combat, depending on the situation. Complications: Tino believes everyone can be saved, and every soul is worth saving. He will almost always attempt to deal non-lethal damage to opponents, and offer them quarter. This can lead to double-crossing by enemies who are able to skirt around his ability to ascertain the truth of someone's words. He has a kind soul and will sometimes easily be duped by the downtrodden and less fortunate. I've had a great time coming up with this character and I hope those who are looking upon him will enjoy reading what I have put together. I think he'd be an excellent fit in a game such as this and a load of fun to play. And to Castor, love the Jim Butcher quotes. Harry is the epitome of the kind of character I could see in this setting! "Reporting for duty, Sir!"
I'm very very late to the party, but I don't keep the closest eye on recruitment threads these days. I saw the premise behind this game and I think it sounds like an excellent change of pace! So, I'd like to throw my hat into the ring with Tino. Background, appearance, and mannerisms are in the spoilers in his profile. I'm not sure where this submission falls, since I'm not on the list yet, so I'll fall somewhere in the "Anyone got a pen?" or "Waiting on you, Captain!" statements. :)
Stumped by the idea of little winged children decimating hundreds of devils, or how the devils even got there, Adakos develops a blank look on his face, the whole scope of this discussion beyond his ability to process. "So what about the dragons? Did they eat those children or not?" he blurts out, not really putting the pieces together. He scans the fog when the voice suddenly emerges, not sure if there is something else about to pop out of the mists. What have I gotten myself into? I need a drink. Damn skippy...
Ripnugget calls forth the survivors of the attack, looking for answers. "Yous, skinny, come heres!" he shouts, pointing at one of the rather timid goblins. It was a well known fact that the Bird Cruncher tribe as a whole were rather cowardly, and had no interest in the upcoming battle. They preferred to hide in their holes and avoid the humans entirely. "Yous not deads, you defend your tribe? the chief asks, waving at the remaining two goblins from the tribe behind the skinny goblin. The goblin in question nods his head rapidly, his ears flopping about wildly. Behind him, unseen, the other Bird Crunchers look to each other and then begin to shake their heads, outing the skinny goblin. Ripnugget, seeing the response from the other goblins, shouts, "Yous did gud! Go backs with yous gobs, me has asks for these." and points at the party of hero goblins. As the skinny goblin turns to quickly shuffle away, Ripnugget flicks out a sharp looking knife from out of nowhere and drives it into the goblin's back, "Yous is path.., pather..., pethic, yous BAD GOB!" he bellows, watching the goblin's lifeless body fall to the floor. "Anyones elses wants to runs from longshanks? Anyones elses not want fight?" he roars, staring at the other Bird Crunchers, one with a suddenly moist loincloth and a visible puddle forming at its feet. Whipping his head back to the group, Ripnugget continues shouting, "Next times yous pick for speshul mission, yous better not brings back sorry tree gobs! Needs moar gobs den tree!" He leaps up from his wobble-throne and storms out of the room, leaving the group alone. Over his shoulder he calls out as he exits, "Yous all be here come sun wakie times. Moar plans for yous!" The two remaining Bird Crunchers are escorted out of the room by a pair of guards, likely on at least a month of latrine duty.
I could see that. Or the longsword working like a small 2h sword.
Yep, Bart is actually on the other side of the paladin, so he won't actually get hit by this one. A first for Torch! No friendly fire! :)
Welcome Nuz! One request for everyone, please set your posting profile to include the tagline similar to how Beeg/Gretcha/Torch have done. This helps me tremendously when it comes to combat situations. Being able to quickly scroll back and see saves, initiative, etc. makes my life a lot easier. The format they are all using is clean and easy to read. You should be able to peek at their character profiles to see where this goes.
I wanted to throw an update with some additional options available to my little green delights. Must eat the longshanks! Goblin Feats:
Big Fire (Combat)
Combat Buffoonery (Combat)
Foolhardy Fighting (Combat)
Freak Out (Combat)
Inexplicable Survivor (Combat)
Splashing Embers (Combat)
Dog-Sniff-Hate
Goblin Traits:
Attention Deficit
Dumb Nose
Just Say No!
Yes, sir! Right away, Sir!
Balloon Headed
Pustular
Goblin Bravery
Bouncy
Goblin Alternate Racial Traits:
Magic Panic
Sticks and Stones
Goblin Class Archtypes: The Firebug - Goblin Rogue Archtype
A firebug has the following class features. Flint and Steel (Ex): A firebug’s sneak attack deals fire damage, and a firebug must wield a piece of steel or a steel weapon in one hand and an alchemically-prepared wedge of flint in the other in order to deal sneak attack damage. A firebug can prepare such a flint wedge with 1 hour of work. Wielded as an improvised weapon, the wedge deals damage equivalent to a dagger. Against an opponent denied its Dexterity bonus to AC, a firebug may simply ignite the creature as a standard action, dealing his sneak attack damage normally. Whether ignited or damaged normally, a creature that takes fire damage from a firebug’s sneak attack must succeed on a Reflex saving throw with a DC equal to the damage dealt or catch fire. This ability alters sneak attack. Burned (Ex): A firebug gains fire resistance and a bonus on Craft (alchemy) skill checks equal to half his rogue level (minimum 1). This ability replaces trapfinding. Pyromaniacal Glee (Ex): At 3rd level, the DCs for any spell-like ability that the firebug gains from the minor magic or major magic rogue talents are increased by +1, as long as that spell-like ability has the fire descriptor. This bonus increases to +2 at 9th level, and to +3 at 15th level. Additionally, the firebug may use such spell-like abilities one additional time per day each. This ability replaces trap sense.
Greetings to one and all! I've recently returned from an extended absence from PbP and am opening recruitment for an upcoming Play by Post game of the recently released Giantslayer Adventure Path. For old grognards like me this is a flashback to the early days of gaming, with direct roots in the old "Against the Giants" series of modules published originally in the late 1970's. It is because of that old "dungeon crawl" feeling that I have been looking forward to this AP since it was announced. A feeling I hope to capture once more in this game. I will be shaping and modifying parts of this AP to give that "old school" feel and sense of danger. So, if you are a fan of playing only "by the book", this one will not be for you! Expect to be surprised, challenged, thrown for a loop, beaten up with rocks, stabbed, pounded, chewed on, you name it. I will challenge you not only with the mechanics of the game but also with role-playing situations. Every choice you make will have an impact. For everyone still interested, I invite you to sit a spell, and listen to a tale... Adventure Background:
Deep in the Mindspin Mountains, a storm giant warlord known as the Storm Tyrant has seized control of a cloud castle and an Orb of Dragonkind, and is gathering an army of giants from across western Avistan—first to bring the orc hordes of Belkzen under his banner, then to conquer the neighboring realms. Heroes defending the human town of Trunau from an orc raid discover that the attack is just a precursor to the Storm Tyrant’s larger plans. Working their way through an abandoned border fort, an ancient giant temple, the tomb of an undead frost giant, and an elite fire giant training facility beneath a dormant volcano, the heroes eventually take the fight to the Storm Tyrant himself inside his flying fortress. Can the giant army be defeated before it can conquer the human lands of the Inner Sea, or will all of Avistan bow down in fealty to the Storm Tyrant? And so we begin! Character Creation:
- All Core sources are allowed. By core I mean a hard back book printed by Paizo. Anything beyond Core Rules you are allowed to submit as well, but there will be a bit more scrutiny on these applications. I will allow Ultimate Psionics as a consideration, but the idea is going to need to wow me. - Standard races are preferred, but others will be considered. I'm not overly fond of the strange races, but I'll give it consideration. No custom races allowed. Because of the proximity to Belkzen there is a bit of leeway when it comes to the more exotic races, but once again I prefer the classics. - Core classes preferred. I will entertain your ideas for other classes, but see "How Not to Get Picked" below for details. - 25 point buy for stats. You are going to need them. Now, having said that, I would highly advise against min/maxing your stats. Not only could it hurt you, but the GM will see through your shenanigans and will likely not consider you. - Starting gold of 150gp for all characters. - GM's privilege: This is something I have done in many campaigns in the past. Once I have picked the group I will make a second pass through each character and on a one on one basis decide an extra boon for each of them. It could be a free feat, it could be a trait, it could be a special item or weapon, who knows? This will always somehow tie back to your background in some way. But it won't always be obvious. Extra incentive for writing a good character concept and story. However, if you stick a vorpal sword into your background hoping to gain it for your character, I will stick it into the application and behead it. The GM sees through all monkey business! - Good Alignment preferred. I'm not hung up on Lawful vs. Chaotic. If you want to play Chaotic Neutral you will have to convince me why you shouldn't be spending time in a padded cell instead of adventuring. Obviously we are dealing with an area of Golarion where the "human" inhabitants are in a daily fight with the evil orcs of Belkzen, so let's try to keep our intentions good and pure! - Max HP at level one. After that it will be player's choice of a GM roll or half HD +1. - One Giantslayer campaign trait and one other trait. I will allow one drawback in exchange for an additional trait, but there needs to be a justified reason for it in your character background and it needs to be something that is tangible to play. Picking something that gives you no drawback isn't a drawback. - Players may select a faction to belong to. I will use this for additional plot hooks and possible side activities. I will also allow fame and prestige awards from those factions based on your character's actions. - Crafting will be allowed, but closely monitored. If I feel you are taking advantage I will pull you aside and slap you with a pickled herring until you step in line. Applicants are expected to agree and adhere to the following:
- You must be a daily poster. Preference will be made for those who show higher activity on the boards and a history of PbP activity. I will strive to always keep the game moving and expect players who will do the same. I am usually online during the day and post mostly in that window of time between 6am and 6pm EST, so that is when my most active hours will be. Obviously things happen, so I do understand that at times you might be unable to post, or I also might be otherwise detained. If that happens in the case of a player, I will allow a reasonable amount of time before GMPC'ing you along. - If a player fails to post within a reasonable amount of time without notifying the group that they will be unavailable they will be moved to inactive status, removed from the active game, and replaced with another applicant. I am taking this one seriously folks and I won't let an inactive player ruin it for everyone else. So understand what you are committing to before you apply. If you will be away a few days, let the group know and give us some standard marching orders for while you are away. The game will go on, but at least others won't be waiting for you. - You must be willing to ROLE play, not just ROLL play. The GM feeds off of the players, so a good group of role-players helps the game take on a life of its own. You don't have to fill every post with three paragraphs describing how you took your morning coffee, but you should be able to write well and play your character well. If I find all you do is post "I follow Bob, my sword ready" and post a lot of "Gug gug, I'm a barbarian" (unless you are Gug the Barbarian) type stuff, you will be summarily removed from the campaign, tied to a hippogriff, and flown over a field of elven archers for target practice. Your Application should include the following:
- A complete character stat block, hidden in you post using the spoiler tag or posted as an in-character alias account. If you do not know how to use this tag click on the button below "Submit Post" of your reply that says How to format your text. For a PbP game you should be familiar with all of these tags anyway. - A character background. This will allow me to RP with your character a little better, understand their motives, and even tailor hints or dialogue to them specifically. I will look upon those characters with a detailed background more favorably than those with two lines of "I was born, my parents were killed, I was an orphan, I want to kill things for revenge". Be creative! I can tell you right now that this piece is what will get you picked over someone else. The more effort you put into this, the more I will want you at the virtual table. - A brief note of your posting habits or schedule. If you are more available or likely to post on specific days or at specific times, let me know. Your posting habits here on the forums will be checked. Your post quality will be examined. And I will probably even look at some of your other characters to get an idea for how you interact with other players and carry yourself in a group. Hopefully this will allow me to provide the best players with the best companions. A win/win for everyone. How to get picked:
1. Write a great background
How not to get picked:
1. Submit a character outside of my creation criteria
I have several returning players from a Kingmaker game that will be given preference in this application process, so while I am selecting from a field of applicants, some slots are pretty much already in the bag. That's it! I look forward to seeing what the responses are and to finding that special group of folks who will be the brave heroes that Golarion needs to battle off the hordes of Belkzen! Recruitment will last until 3/2/15. If I am blown away by amazing characters that I want to snatch up I reserve the right to end this recruitment early. It's good to be the king! About Me: I've been gaming for over 30 years, having started as a much younger man with the original D&D Basic set. Yes, back when Elf was a class. Crazy isn't it? Since those times I've played and GM'ed in more games and campaigns than I could ever count. I've ran AD&D, 2nd Ed AD&D, 3.5 and 4e, Pathfinder, Gurps, Palladium, Mutants and Masterminds, Star Wars, etc. and so on. I am the Venture Captain of Kentucky for the Pathfinder Society Organized Play campaign. Because of this my weekends are usually full and you won't catch me online much. If you go to GenCon, let me know. I love getting together and playing with folks from online games. If you play Pathfinder Society it would be my pleasure to run you through a hard mode of the Waking Rune and splat your character to death! :)
Ruke contemplates the woman's response for a moment, unsure how to continue. Surely no one within the family has been so slack as to get caught with their hands in the offering plate. But then again, her tone shows a fair bit of familiarity. Honestly Ruke, you can't keep track of them all you know! Gather yourself and stop standing there like a goon. "Mistress, Sera is it, I assure you that no cove of my blood heaved a cough in this city to be sure. More likely some bottle head who got into his cups and was going upon the dub. My family are but entertainers, not nappers." With that he produces his card and quickly flashes it before stuffing it back into his pouch. "So it would seem we all have one, maybe we should start a club?"
|
Pathfinder Society GM. Starfinder Society GM. 124 posts (4,343 including aliases). No reviews. 1 list. No wishlists. 34 Organized Play characters. 14 aliases. 