IU, eh? That's my neck of the woods (or used to be, I live in China for now).
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EndlessForms: I guess what I was asking is if it is possible for certain NPCs to become regular fixtures of the game, or if you prefer to let them fall by the wayside once their arc or contribution to the story has been finished? As far as paladins go... I think that in many ways the consensus on what constitutes a lawful good alignment has evolved a lot over the years, but the reputation of paladins has failed to evolve with it. They got a bad rep early on, and now when people think of paladins, they immediately associate them with the LG of the 80s and 90s eras. Rigid, uncompromising, black and white world view. These are the negative aspects that are generally associated with paladins, but there's nothing in their current write-up that actually makes these necessary. The writing of paladins can allow them to be fairly pragmatic (level-headed even!) in their pursuit of good and justice, we just need more people to start playing them that way. Usually followers of Ragathiel give me pause, but I would love to see Fen in action
Curious: will there be, with player encouragement through roleplay, a chance to develop the presence of NPCs in this game, or do you prefer to keep most of the dialogue between PCs? I've seen GMs that go both ways, some feeling that a lot of roleplay with NPCs fleshes out the world, and others preferring not to take the spotlight off the PCs (or that one player and an NPC interacting too much is essentially roleplay masturbation).
Right on. That's just one I like to make sure of early on. I've got a couple of other hex-related questions, but since they only impact future selections, I'll hold off on asking until I see whether I make the cut (fingers crossed!)
Gear all finished. Sadly, I could not afford a water clock. Also, Mr. EndlessForms, I had a question regarding your ruling on stacking the Evil Eye hex. Can I use it to debuff multiple stats on a single foe at once, or am I limited to having only one instance of Evil Eye on a given foe at a time. For example, could I hit them with Evil Eye to give them -2 to attack rolls, then the following round use it to give the same foe -2 to AC?
Alright then, I'll take a crack at Dherisan stepping into Sandpoint... Spoiler: The sound of mirth fills Sandpoint's streets. The laughter of children, the cheers of a crowd, the bawdy chorus of a tavern song - they drift through the air as a willowy half-elf steps smoothly through the wonderful chaos of it all, smiling, but seemingly detached from the revelries of the festival. His utilitarian and somewhat worn clothes mark him as a man of the road, and the strange fetishes and bizarre-smelling pouches fixed to his belt mark him as a magician. He carries a long, gnarled walking stick, and his brisk stride does not seem to bother the sleeping owl perched on top of the staff.
"You're going to miss the festival, you know." The remarks toward the owl, who merely regards him with one large yellow eye before going back to sleep. "Well don't expect me to brief you on the whole affair tomorrow," the half-elf shrugs. He continues his aimless journey through the celebrating throngs, waiting for something to really catch his interest (he does plan to stay a few days, after all, so there is no hurry to resupply now) when his nostrils twitch unconsciously. The smell of... fish? Yes, a delectable scent of salmon is wafting from a nearby tavern. "The Rusty Dragon? Charmingly rustic, I suppose." He makes his way towards the door of the tavern, stopping along the way to admire the newly built cathedral. It's laughable, really, building such an enduring moment to a goddess as flighty and ephemeral as Desna. He wonders if she would appreciate it or find it amusing? But that is the way of Desna, is it not? To let everyone find their faith in their own way. To Dherisan, she is the roads and stars in the sky by which he finds his way. To these people, maybe something else. He press two fingers to his lips and offers a short salute to the structure before nearly being bowled over by a group of young boys chasing a ball painted to be the head of a goblin. Dherisan sighs. The sight of children at play is always heartwarming, and he's sure that thoughts of violence are far from their minds, but he wonders if that goblin-headed ball is conditioning them to the prejudices they are sure to display in years to come. Well, worries for another today. For now, he tries in vain to shake his owl awake before huffing and stepping into the Rusty Dragon.
Submitting Dherisan, a leftover from an old Runelords game I had to drop out of early. All information is in his profile, crunch and flavor. Hedge witch, intended to fill mostly a support function in the party with buffs and non-lethal debuffs. He's a natural mediator, and prefers finding nonviolent resolutions to most problems if at all possible. I was wondering though if it was really super-essential for us to have one of the campaign traits? I worked Friends and Enemies into there because it's the only one that meshes, like, at all with his backstory, but he WAS made specifically for this campaign, and I can't see how he'd ever actually use the swag he's entitled to. As currently written, he is not a resident of Sandpoint, because he's been living as a bit of a nomad for years, but he visits regularly. I can change that if being an actual resident is going to be important to the campaign I don't really do Pathfinder play, so I'm not in this for it. I'm applying because I'd love to get further into the campaign, as well as another chance to play this character, especially with a GM who says they emphasize role playing.
Well, the firewall gets kind of pissy about certain sites. This looks like one of the sites that is "sometimes blocked" in an illogical and entirely unpredictable fashion.
Having some issues on my end. It seems that the Great Firewall is blocking whatever site you're using. I think I'm going to go ahead and bow out of the game.
Do we have a timeframe yet as to when we will be underway? The anticipation has been excruciating!
Dherisan, hedge witch, checking in. I sent you a PM about a slightly tweaked background. Let me know if I need to make anymore changes.
Alright, here's my character, Dherisan. A witch with the Hedge Witch archtype. Should serve as a passable healer (though he's no cleric) as well as offer solid support and battliefield control. He's set up to perform well in social interactions outside of combat, and has high modifiers for knowledge in nature and arcana. He's definitely a good guy, motivated first and foremost by his desire to help people, so if someone is in trouble, that's really all the hook he'll need. He's also fairly far-sighted, though, and won't be rushing into situations recklessly or kicking down doors, prefering to think things through and figure out what will be the best in the long term. He believes strongly in the value of life, and while he recognizes that sometimes killing is necessary, he abhors needless death. He's willing to take a life in combat, but isn't thrilled about the idea of slaying a helpless foe. Currently, he's built on what seems to be the standard on these boards - 20 point buy, average starting wealth, 2 traits. If any of that isn't okay, please let me know. His statistics are all in his profile, his background is given below. I've left the nature of his witch patron intentionally vague so that you can do as much or as little with it as you like. Please let me know if you require anything else from me. History: Dherisan was born to a Varisian caravan, the son of a young woman of their clan and an enigmatic traveler who passed through their camp one evening. He knows nothing of his father, not even a name, and his memories of his mother are few. When he was very young, she was overtaken by the wanderlust that overtakes so many half-elves, and not even the nomadic lifestyle of the Varisians could suite her any longer.
Dherisan was left be raised by the community, but this was basically the case for the other children of the caravan, and the only real difference in Dherisan's upbringing was eating or sleeping in a different tent or wagon each night. He was well cared for, and had positive outlook and a tendency to see thing in the long-term that helped him adjust rather quickly. He learned what he could from who could teach him, and it turned out that what he had a talent for magic and divination. The youth had two mentors, in fact: an old Harrower who had long been with the clan, and a Shoanti druid who had been adopted into the caravan some years ago. Dherisan learned from them both, seeing little difference in the druid's oneness with the world and the interpretive insights of the seeress. Between this unique outlook on magic and a hodgepodge of instructional styles, Dherisan soon developed his own methodology to the art. It was not long after his skills began to mature that Dherisan had a vivid dream. To this day, he cannot remember the details, but he can't shake the feeling that it was important. When he woke, he found an odd owl with black and white speckled feathers perched before him. He was immediately reminded of a star-filled sky, and had never seen a bird of such coloration before. Dherisan knew immediately that it was no normal beast, and drove it out of camp, unsure of its purpose. however, over the next several days, he saw the owl lingering at the edge of camp, and when he slept, he had visions. Every night Dherisan saw the sky. Vivid images of stars racing through the great void above him, brilliant motes of light, of snapping jaws, distant howling, the chittering of a thousand crickets, and all of it basking beneath the light of a full round moon. Every time he woke, he saw the owl at the edge of camp, watching him. He grew paranoid at first, then he started to get curious. What were these visions? Where did this owl come from? Eventually, he decided he needed answers. He left camp the night of the next full moon. His memories are hazy, but he knew he was searching for the owl, and that he has not returned to his caravan since that evening. He began traveling, the owl at his side. He named the creature Orin, and in his dreams it whispered to him. The visions were gone, replaced with knowledge. In his dreams, Dherisan refined his craft, learning the deeper mysteries of magic, as well as supernatural abilities that neither of his mentors had ever possessed. He learned to open his eyes, waiting and watching as he traveled Varisia. Dherisan became a bridge between the peoples of the wilds, his open-mindedness making him a natural mediator. Over the course of his travels, he became increasingly active and restless at dusk, and feels most alive at night. He has grown accustomed to drifting from place to place, lodging with whatever Varisian Caravan, Shoanti tribe, or small village will have him. Above all, he likes to observe and understand people, believing that each living thing holds within it immessurable portential. With the Swallowtail Festival coming up, Dherisna has set his sights on Sandpoint, eager to become a part of the chaotic whirl of the crowd, to meet people from various parts of Varisia, and to kick back for a few days and give his heels a rest from the road.
Game seems to have started a little prematurely. I'm going to go ahead and bow out of this one.
Submitting Dherisan Shiarzik, a hedge witch raised by Varisians. I've left a few details in his backstory deliberately vague in case you wanted to play with any of it in the story of the campaign. For the most part a generally good-natured character who helps people when and where he can, and is studying ancient Thassilon to try and better understand the nature of his witch patron. Appearance, backstory, and personality are all detailed on the alias profile, but I can put them here if you'd prefer.
Now that I start to update my character for the house rules, I'm starting to get what everyone was fussing about. Sorry but there are just too many of them. Going to have to bow out.
Tracing another symbol in the air, Dherisan gestures towards Abraham as he yellow flashes once more. He mutters some unintelligible incantation under his breath, and bequeaths the forces of fate to grant the man their favor.
Hey, name's Drew, 27 years old. I'm originally from Indiana, USA, but I've spent the last year and a half teaching English in Tianjin, China, and will probably be hear for another year and a half before I start looking for gigs in Southeast Asia. Because of that, I'm probably on a different schedule than everyone but Nathaniel. I studied English in university, originally because I wanted to be a writer, but as I grew more intrigued with the study of the language itself, and not just its application, I started leaning towards education. I've been interested in tabletops RPGS ever since I bought the 2nd edition monster manual when I was 11, but wasn't actually able to find a play group until halfway through high school. Since then, D&D (and later Pathfinder) have been my chief vehicle for gaming, but I like to table in other games, particularly Shadowrun and Cold Steel Reign. I'm in the office all day today, and it's karaoke night at the local expat pub, but I've got tomorrow off, so I'll work on getting everything with my character sorted out then.
Ill equipped to stop a wagon, Dherisan begins scanning the area around the potential catastrophe, looking for other ways he might mitigate damage - people in its path, something he might use to create a barrier, anyway he might influence the outcome without involving himself with the wagon directly. Spoiler: Perception:
Look forward to playing with everyone. Sorry I've been scarce. My wifi adapter has been on the fritz.
"Not my strong suit," Dherisan confesses as he glances with concern towards the oncoming wagon. He takes a step back and raises a brow as Nathaniel begins to transform. "Nathaniel!" he shouts as he begins tracing a symbol in the air, "I'll offer whatever support I can with magic!" Light plays across Dherisan's yellow eye, making it appear to glow briefly as he whispers a short incantation and presses he thumb against his forhead, finishing with a gesture towards Nathaniel. After finishing the odd little ritual, he rushes behind the other half-elf, waiting for whatever may come.
"I did," Dherisan states simply as his eyes begin scanning the streets.
Dherisan appears bemused as Nathaniel conjures a pony out of the air. His fox's eyes go wide as it hides behind its master, and Dherisan cannot stifle a chuckle. "Well, don't think it's like this all the time - I'm sure in a few days Sandpoint will seem much more familiar to your home village. My name is Dherisan, by the way - a traveler of Varisia's wild places, and an occasional visitor to it's village. Where do you come from? It's possible I've been there while re-supplying?"
Shrugging, Dherisan hands the vendor three copper coins, figuring a single penny isn't worth the fuss. "Appreciated," he responds curtly as he breaks a piece off of the cake and tosses it to Ember, eating the larger portion himself. "Do you see what your rudeness has costs us, Ember?" Dherisan mutters as he makes his way towards the Rusty Dragon. The fox seems not to hear, though, as it is busily scarfing down it's food.
The crowd parts at the sound of an eager, high-pitched barking, and a strangely colored fox comes trotting merrily through the streets of Sandpoint. It has ash-grey fur with rust colored "socks," and is certainly not shy around the people here. It dashes towards a man peddling funnel-cakes, intent on claiming a treat. "Ember!" A harsh admonition cuts through the air as a willowy half-elf pushes his way through the wake of festival goers, his silver hair trailing out behind him as long strides bring him towards the fox. He wears utilitarian robes of muted, earthen tones, and looks as if he has not slept in a proper bed in weeks. His most striking feature, though, is his eyes, each one a different color. His left eye is a vibrant green not uncommon to those of elven ancestry, but his right is vivid yellow with a cat-like pupil. The fox halts abruptly as it meets the dual-colored glare of its master, ears flattening behind its head. "We've just arrived in town and already you're harassing the locals," the half-elf chastises. Ember gives a manipulatively sorrowful look, appearing more contrite than any animal has a right to be. [b]"You remember your manners," the traveler practically hisses before turning to the shocked peddler. "My apologies," he offers, "He is a bit over-excitable after spending so long in the wilds." His expression softens as the scent of fried bread wafts under his nostrils, and he tosses the man a coin. "I have learned to trust his nose, though. I don't suppose you could recommend a place for lodging?"
Submitting a Hedge Witch from an older game. Just need to buy gear and he'll be all finished. Just to clarify, we get 3 traits total? One campaign trait and two others? Here's his backstory, and I've left one or two of the details vague in case you want to play with them as a GM. Backstory: Dherisan was born to a Varisian caravan, the son of a young woman of their clan and an enigmatic traveler who passed through their camp one evening. He knows nothing of his father, not even a name, and his memories of his mother are few. When he was very young, she was overtaken by the wanderlust that overtakes so many half-elves, and not even the nomadic lifestyle of the Varisians could suite her any longer.
Dherisan was left be raised by the community, but this was basically the case for the other children of the caravan, and the only real difference in Dherisan's upbringing was eating or sleeping in a different tent or wagon each night. He was well cared for, and had positive outlook and a tendency to see thing in the long-term that helped him adjust rather quickly. He learned what he could from who could teach him, and it turned out that what he had a talent for magic and divination. The youth had two mentors, in fact: an old Harrower who had long been with the clan, and a Shoanti druid who had been adopted into the caravan some years ago. Dherisan learned from them both, seeing little difference in the druid's oneness with the world and the interpretive insights of the seeress. Between this unique outlook on magic and a hodgepodge of instructional styles, Dherisan soon developed his own methodology to the art. It was not long after his skills began to mature that Dherisan had a vivid dream. To this day, he cannot remember the details, but he can't shake the feeling that it was important. When he woke, he found an odd fox with ash-grey fur sitting before him. He knew immediately that it was no normal beast, and drove it out of camp, unsure of its purpose. however, over the next several days, he saw the fox lingering at the edge of camp, and when he slept, he had visions. Every night Dherisan saw events or people of which he'd never heard. Vivid images of giants building massive monuments or wizards fighting in titanic arcane duels. Every time he woke, he saw the fox at the edge of camp, watching him. He grew paranoid at first, then he started to get curious. What were these visions? Where did this fox come from? Eventually, he decided he needed answers. He left camp one night in a stupor. His memories are hazy, but he knew he was searching for the fox, and that he has not returned to his caravan since that evening. He began traveling, the fox at his side. He named the creature Ember because of the scorched appearance of its fur, and in his dreams it whispered to him. The visions were gone, replaced with knowledge. In his dreams, Dherisan refined his craft, learning the deeper mysteries of magic, as well as supernatural abilities that neither of his mentors had ever possessed. He learned to open his eyes, waiting and watching as he traveled Varisia. Dherisan became a bridge between the peoples of the wilds, his open-mindedness making him a natural mediator. Furthermore, in the course of hearing various folk tales and legends, he realized that his dreams were of of old Thassilon, an empire built by giants and ruled by mages, and now wonders how his own magic - and Ember, might be tied to this ancient empire. He has taken to studying the ruins and histories of Varisia, hoping to find a clue as to where these dreams come from or why he has them. With the Swallowtail Festival coming up in Sandpoint and his supplies running low, he's determined that this might be a good time to stop by for a week or so and inspect their famous Old Light.
Ringtail! What's this weird west game you mention? I loooove westerns, and I'd be eager to hear more about the setting, whatever it might be. In fact, I'd been working on a western in which to set a few short pieces of fiction (that hasn't been working so well, though), but Ansruath has now got me wondering if it might serve as a campaign setting. It's got a general history to it so far, seeking to blend elements of pulp westerns and byzantine dark fantasy. So far, the general feel is a western wasteland, the post-apocalyptic remnants of an advanced steampunk civilization that blew itself up when they started trying to mix magic with their technology. It's got cowboy/knights and vampires (nosferatu-style, like a creepy undertaker) and Cymerien-style barbarians in place of Indians. Think there's any merit to a setting like that?
Well, Ringtail, if you find yourself in need of players, I'd be happy to hop into one of your games (though likely not more than that, because I feel like I've already been neglecting CC). As far as the races in your game, Ansruath, they sound pretty spiffing to me. How do you invision the shapeshifters? If they turn into an animal, I don't imagine that Beast Form I once per day would be too unbalancing, especially if they're required to take a specific form (like the 3rd edition Hengeyokai). If they're like lycanthropes and shift into a hybrid form, granting them a couple of natural attacks in an alternate shape would be mechanically simple, and the cosmetics could be handled however you want. Alternatively, maybe you could consider giving them a "rounds per day" spent in an alternate form. Would that be applicable to racial abilities? I know we haven't seen a precedent for it yet.
I've heard it said that UC did a lot to help the rogue as well, but thus far my reading of the feats presented there has been pretty cursory.
If I said I wasn't at least going to give it a try, it would be a lie, but it's a little early to say anything more than that, I think. Frankly, PvP has always been one of my favorite parts of MMOs, ESPECIALLY when it happens outside of designated battle areas. That being said, the announcement makes me a little nervous. It seems like a pretty ambitious undertaking, especially given that there's a new company being created (by Paizo) for the project. I just hope that it doesn't pull too much away from the PFRPG. The hint that the two will be tied together sounds like it could far too easily make a commitment to the MMO necessary to fully comprehend future products, which as much as I hate to admit it, I could see Paizo doing, given the myriad of sourcebooks they draw on in other supplements (off-hand, I know that Carrion Crown requires Bestiary 2 to run as written). Thus far, it hasn't been problematic, because most products warranted purchase on their own merits, but if Paizo takes the same philosophy with an entirely new medium... I dunno, it's just a lot to ask. It's a little early to make such predictions with any kind of certainty, though. I'm also a little sad to hear about the kingdom-building elements that will apparently being in the game. Pathfinder to me has always been about making the PCs the stars, and it seems like an MMO translation ought to focus on characters over kingdoms.
Dherisan' brow furrows in worry as he sees Ansruth collapse, and he is only mildly comforted by the hasty reaction of Gorgoron and Lleneth. He hisses softly as he locks eyes with the beast nearest the fallen warrior, trying to concentrate through Ember's frantic yelping.
"He did. The goblin's I've met in my travels often use them as watch-dogs, so we must be close, and I doubt their masters are far off. It would behoove us to drop them before they can give away our position. Also, the sound they make when agitated is rather annoying, and I'd just as soon not have it piercing my ears." He thinks carefully as he readies his crossbow." Careful, though," the witch adds. Most of them carry some rather unpleasant diseases."
"Very well then, let's see to their wounds and bind them. I've no skill with rope, but perhaps someone more practiced could tie a knot that they could work free of in a day?"
"I believe in preserving life when and where I can. In Sandpoint, that goblin's death was a foregone conclusion, whether by our hands, the hands of a mob, or by execution following a trial. I offered the greatest mercy I knew in the circumstances, but this is not the same situation. In any case, we'll need to bind them quickly, and decide what to do with them afterwards."
"The sleeping ones won't stay down for long," Dherisan cautions. [b]"They'll start waking up in a few more moments, so one way or another, something needs to be done about them. As he speaks, he steps towards one of the slumbering goblins and draws his staff, ready to strike should he need to do so.
[ooc]Dherisan casts a slumber hex on the fleeing goblin. DC 14[/dice[
Round 3. Initiative 18 Dherisan repeats his hex against another conscious goblin.
Oh! I remember two others, if you don't mind the main characters being cats. The Book of Night with Moon, and it's sequel, To Visit the Queen.
The Princess Bride, by William Goldman, is pretty brilliant (and nothing like the movie). I don't know if you're set on fantasy, but if you aren't, William Gibson's "Neuromancer" is also very good.
Waving his hand, Dherisan allows the sand to fly out towards the goblins, the individual grains looking for a place over their eyes. Crooking one finger sharply, the witch issues a low hiss, assaulting the mind of another one of the creatures.
"Quite a few of them, aren't there?" Dherisan's hand slips into a leather pouch at his belt and he produces a handful sand. Making a fist, he begins a soft chant as he trains his eyes on the rear of the goblins' forces.
Character creation is 20 point buy with 500 gp and two traits (run them by me if they aren't from the APG, though). The party is currently 2nd level, which means you are too, but they haven't hit any juicy caches yet, thus the decreased wealth (it's coming though, don't worry). To keep you on par with the rest of the group, the only magic items you may purchase at creation are disposable items such as wands, potions, scrolls, and arrows. Masterwork items are okay. Available source material is the Core Rulebook and the APG. Content from UM and UC will usually be allowed in, just check with me first. For the most part I'm only barring options that blatantly defy the flavor of the campaign (like a saurian shaman). All core classes and classes from the APG are allowed, as well as the Magus. No gunslingers, samurai, ninjas, or samurai. Established house rules are in the campaign info section. As far as other books, just run it by me first. PF books only, plox. I'd also encourage you to read the Carrion Crown Player's guide to get a feel for what's going on, however, I'm not requiring new characters to have a connection to Petros Lorrimer. Rather, you need some reason for coming to Ravengro, and you'll be traveling there with a small entourage of NPCs being lead by an affluent noble from Caliphas who's come to pay his respects to the late Professor. It can be just about any reason you want, as long as your character is the type to allow himself to get wrapped up in crazy events. If you like, it certainly could be a connection to Professor Lorrimer (the common thread to the rest of the PCs). You might be a scholar interested in the old prison near town, rumored to be direly haunted, or perhaps you're a friend or associate of another PC (you'd have to work that out with them) or of one of the NPCs you're traveling with. EDIT: Cool beans, Alyoma. If you'd both like to try, I don't see any reason we couldn't accomodate two new PCs (especially since we're also missing a thiefish character, though that's a lighter priority). In fact, I had already been in the process of tweaking the adventure for 6 PCs, and I'd hate to have to scrap the extra challenges I've been working in.
Master Summoner, IIRC, can use its multiple summon monster spells at a time alongside its eidolon. Which is, of course, ungodly awesome. It's cool, yeah, but if I'm reading it right, the Master Summoner may only have one summon spell active unless they dismiss their eidelon, in which case they can cast more.
The party that's currently active is... Inquisitor (Gorgoron). He's using a firearms-based archetype we're trying out for this game, and he's mostly a detective and a ranged combatant. He'll be able to help with healing, but it's doubtful he could carry the group in that respect. We're still early the game, but I foresee him functioning as a jack-of-all trades within the group in addition to the premier ranged fighter. Barbarian (Ansruth). He's our bruiser. Has a big sword, and he hits people with it. Again, we haven't seen to much combat yet, but it looks like he's going to be our front line. Summoner. She's got the master summoner archtype, so even though her eidelon is pretty nasty right now, it's not going to stay that way for long. She's our primary arcanist, and will probably be getting a lot minions later on. Very good for the group's action economy. Ranger. Wilderness character and our secondary meleer. I'm still not certain on the direction he's going to be taking, but again, most of the PCs are as yet untested.
So I hate to invade Ringtail's discussion page for inter-game purposes, but we've just lost a couple of guys in the Carrion Crown game I've been running, and we desperately need someone, anyone, who can heal. I thought I'd check here to see if Alyoma had changed her mind about the game, or to see of Lleneth would be interested? |