This is Esmerelda Proust, a Witch. She is not one of these new age witches with their tie-dye shirts and mirrored globes in the front yard, nor is she one of those southern witches with the mask and the oogie boogie.
No, she is the green skinned daughter of Black Agnes herself. Local legend says that she keeps company with flying monkeys, that she steals babes from their cribs and has even been known to run naked under the occasional full moon.
She makes paladins nervous and gives the Pharasmin Penitence conniptions.
She needs equipment based on her level which I will buy if you are interested. She will not change significantly either way, still a green widow changeling who's hair comes alive to strangle the wicked.
I roleplay her pretty strongly, drawing out circles, muttering in tongues and speaking in riddles. She couches everything in spirits and the occult, from the reason the milk curdled overnight to why the village midwife has become wanton.
She's been in two Ravenloft campaigns that never seem to make it past the first month or two, so she may be cursed. I'll leave it up to you.
Esme dresses in fine clothing which has been out of fashion for at least fifty years, if not longer. She wears a long black dress which reaches down to her ankles over black leather boots, well treated and with sensible heels. Fine black lace covers the button-up bodice of the dress as well as the wrists, which are tucked into soft black leather gloves. She bears no weapon and only sometimes wears a tall, pointed hat.
Her emerald green skin and huge mass of soft black hair compete for her most distinguishing feature. Her skin is not the olive of the half-orc or goblin, but rather a true emerald green, the color of grass in summer or the feathers of a mwangi parrot. Her hair falls to her ankles while billowing around her as though she wore a cloak. Despite paying it little mind, she rarely steps or sits on it.
Esme is a melee character despite being a witch. Her magic will focus on debuffs and her combat on grappling.
Esme rises from her seat and takes shelter under an overhang next to Donovan. With Olivia gone, she speaks loud enough for Donovan and anyone near him to hear. She does not speak loud enough for the townspeople to hear.
Drawing herself up, the anger in her eyes is clear as her hair fans out behind her, almost doubling in mass.
"Sir Donovan, I say to you exactly what I said to Sir Boote. I do not know how I could possibly be clearer. It is not that you, or Sir Boote, can not understand me, it is that you do not choose to."
Sensing her mistress's mood, Ariadne desperately looks for the threat, confused that only her friends are present. Esme reaches one hand up to pet the familiar, her nails now nearly four inches long and thick like claws. Visibly trying to bottle her anger, Esme continues.
"Look at Ylva and Ariadne if you doubt my words. Ask Rannveig, who's senses give her the same warning that the Dead give me. Ask Old Magda where her soul went as her body danced to the will of one beside the Prophet of Bones."
Pharasma's name seems to give Esme strength to calm herself somewhat. The death of the Last Azlantean reminds her that whether or not a warning is given, it is the messenger who is blamed in the end. Her nails recede and Ariadne calms.
"This town, this village, this....place....is thinning. It is not what it seems. There is a power here big enough that the wolf and its mistress sense it and they know, as do I, that it's attention is focused on us. I asked Sir Boote to open his eye, that one given to him by his god to read the hearts of men. Sir Boote did not believe my warning and was more interested in a halfling chit and offering his services to the Mayor."
"So, Sir Donovan, I tell you, I cannot be more clear than I have been. We have entered a glammer, occupied by a malevolent presence that watches us. Would you also like to offer your services to those in charge here? Do your thoughts run to more than dalliance or will you be slipping away like the halfling and the rogue?"
Her tirade finished, Esme's eyes drift to the crowd who left and those remaining in the square. Mother, where does my road lie from here? Do I remain and watch, passive? Do I follow the fat man or the halfling girl to protect the paladin?
Reaching into her belt pouch, Esme draws her bones - still blackened from the fire. The seven finger bones, their runes etched by a scared twelve year old, weigh heavily in her hand.
"What is it going to be Sir Donovan? Do you listen to the witch or choose not to understand?"
Some quick points:
1. I had not thought Esme's conversation with Artegal was loud enough for others to hear. I'll roll with Donovan hearing it, but Esme would not have spoken with Olivia in earshot.
2. I've tried to think of a word other than "Rogue" to call Dmitrio but no other word really feels right. Esme is referring to his character, not his class.
Esme looks down at Artegal appraisingly, one eyebrow raised. "By all means, Sir Boote."
Scanning the crowd, Esme absentmindedly taps her lower lip with one long, black nail. Kneeling to pet Ariadne, she again looks at Artegal, her emerald eyes flashing. "Did I so drastically misread your character Sir Boote? I tell you that a dead spirit gives me warning and you would dismiss it after a few moments of glancing around, lest it bring you embarrassment? Tell me Sir Boote, is it dead spirits you don't believe in? Or is it witches?"
Turning from the halfling, Esme finds an empty bench and takes a seat, her back ramrod stiff. Watching the crowd carefully, she absentmindedly strokes Ariadne's black fur. "Yes dear, I know you sense it, so does the wolf. Keep your eyes open lest we become entangled in this web."
Esme keeps an eye on the short man but isn't really interested in pickpockets. Still, if he leaves the immediate area, Ariadne will follow.
Seems awfully difficult to me. We've always done it in a cone with the understanding that the more you were trying to take in, the less you actually got. For example:
I detect evil on that crowd = well they seem to be a mix, noone really good, but then noone really evil either.
I detect evil on the ten men in the bar as I walk in the front door = the one in the back corner is pretty evil. The ones at the next table seem henchmen as they're auras are much lower than his. (Paladins/Cleric/Inquisitors have auras equal to their level)
I detect evil on these two normal men = The one on the left is faintly evil, either he did something nasty in the past or is actively planning something soon. The other is actively radiating evil. Either he is evil all of the time, or he has an evil scheme in progress right now.
We played:
You have to physically see them to detect them - not through walls
They had to be predominantly evil and have done something evil recently
Being mean/nasty, vengeful didn't count as evil. It needed to be Evil.
You can't detect evil in the dark without ultravision.
And sometimes the paladin would get a "spidey sense" tingle on the back of the neck that something was nearby. This was done so that he wasn't walking around every round saying, "I'm still concentrating on detecting evil." Plus, spidey sense is just cool.
Play it however you want.
Ravenloft Raw:
Spoiler:
By Ravenloft RAW however - Detect Evil doesn't work at all despite the PCs thinking it does. Answers are given either randomly or deliberately in such a way as to make the most trouble for the PCs.
"I understand what you are asking, but let us proceed with caution. I am not the sort of person to confront people because their hearts are not in the right place. Judgement is not easily handed out if all of the facts are not understood. Right and wrong are greater and more complicated than good and evil."
As they rise, Esme looks askance at Artegal, "You shock me Sir Boote, most definitely do you shock me. Are you saying that you believe Evil lies in the hearts of men? Nay, few mortal hearts are able to comprehend Evil, must less harbor it. The best they can do is what you call 'Right and Wrong.' Pettiness, greed, lust or jealousy are not Evil even though one might commit murder in their name. No, Sir Boote, that is not what assails us this night. We are besieged by True Evil Sir Boote, that which corrodes the soul until there is nothing left but a remnant, a black cloud of hate and destruction."
Esme falls in beside Artegal as he begins circling, using her detect magic to scan the crowd and the spaces between them.
Now that I've salvaged the message, I see that it wasn't even a misunderstanding. I had posted that Esme was "nervous" and "worried" and he based his writing on that, which makes sense to me. That's why I wanted to reread what I had posted.
I'm sorry, this has all been my mistake. 8(
As to Detect Evil, I'm not sure how it works RAW but I know how it works in Ravenloft - but that's really for Bluedove to share if she wants to. Esme thinks however that priests and paladins just look at something and know if they are good or evil. She also thinks that they then frequently either misinterpret the results or lie about them.
She does absolutely believe they have the ability to do it however.
The spoiler button is definitely broken but I thought it was just on my machine. I went to the page source file and retrieved the message. This is how it read:
Walking up to the halfling, she speaks, "Nathaniel Artegal Boote, attend me, for the time of your testing is upon us. Tonight we learn the cost of mettle!"
Pulling him aside, Esme takes a knee, better to speak to him alone.
[spoiler]Esme's mind races with conflicting emotions, played out in nervous fingers grasping her dress, lips pursed in worry and her eyes flashing in excitement.
"A warning has been given Sir Boote, and we must act upon it before this place doth fade into naught. The dead do speak, Sir Boote, to me and through me to you. This place is thinning they warn, unraveling at the fringes. Open your eyes Sir Boote, and speak to me, speak to me of evil."
So saying, Esme mutters, "Deschide mi ochii ca s'ar putea discerne scaunul tău de domnie." Turning her head with one eye squinted, she peers at the populace, searching for magical auras.
[ooc]Esme casts Detect Magic - duration: concentration up to 2 minutes - which she uses to watch the populace. She makes certain to watch above their heads and in the shadows between them.
I'm not certain if I should say something or let a misunderstanding ride. I don't always explain what I'm thinking and only write the "in-character" portion and that can get confusing. I guess the alternative is to use more OOC, and while I don't mind, I don't know what your preferences are.
Anyway, Esme is not/was not afraid. Based on what Bluedove said, Ariadne was afraid and I felt that would leach through their "empathic bond" as fear in Esme's mind. Once Esme allowed Ariadne to come to her side, she was no longer afraid and so stopped radiating that fear to Esme. By the time Esme reached Boote, everything was normal.
I probably could have written it more clearly. I've never been clear on exactly what an "empathic bond" is supposed to be, but I've always kind of assumed that they feel each other's emotions. I was therefore trying to imagine what it would be like to feel exogenous fear - would you recognize it as such or would you think it your own?
Anyway, no worries. My character in the other PBP I play not only speaks only in rhyme, but uses norse kennings as well. I've sometimes had to translate what she says in spoilers. Esme is much easier to write, and I hope, to read. If you'd like Esme to be less cryptic or for me to use more /ooc, please let me know.
"I can speak no more clearly than I am now, Sir Boote. This place is not as it seems and that which is within grows thin, giving way to that which is not.
Tell me Sir Boote, you do see the nature of men's souls, do you not?Evil walks this night and I call upon you to find it, lest we fall unwitting to our unseen foe. Open your inner eye and observe, as I search the same for the space between that which you see and that which is."
Esme's fingers twine in her skirts, nervously grasping the fabric without realizing it. What is this uncertainty in the air, almost panic. Is the village fading already and this the chill of the grave I feel? Am I not made of sterner stuff that the warning of a half dead woman should chill me so to the bone? Nay, this shall not stand for I am no chit of a girl to run crying to a strong man with every bluster of the wind.
Even after her inner-dialogue however, she calls for Ariadne, and the panic subsides almost instantly once the familiar has joined her. The young monkey tries to hand her the violin, startling her as she had forgotten asking for it. "Oh! Well this hardly seems the time. And yet, what better time to play than as reality unfolds around us. Still, she slings it onto her back by the case's strap.
Reaching the dance, she abandons Donovan, immediately heading for Artegal. A strong man is no doubt a comfort in strange towns after dark. This lunacy calls for a different breed of man however. One more versed in the spaces between.
Walking up to the halfling, she speaks, "Nathaniel Artegal Boote, attend me, for the time of your testing is upon us. Tonight we learn the cost of mettle!"
Pulling him aside, Esme takes a knee, better to speak to him alone.
Spoiler:
Esme's mind races with conflicting emotions, played out in nervous fingers grasping her dress, lips pursed in worry and her eyes flashing in excitement.
"A warning has been given Sir Boote, and we must act upon it before this place doth fade into naught. The dead do speak, Sir Boote, to me and through me to you. This place is thinning they warn, unraveling at the fringes. Open your eyes Sir Boote, and speak to me, speak to me of evil."
So saying, Esme mutters, [b]"Deschide-mi ochii ca s-ar putea discerne scaunul tău de domnie. Turning her head with one eye squinted, she peers at the populace, searching for magical auras.
Esme casts Detect Magic (duration: concentration up to 2 minutes) which she uses to watch the populace. She makes certain to watch above their heads and in the shadows between them.
Ariadne is about 2-1/2' tall. She has a 30' climb rate, +5 perception and +11 stealth. She has a 5 Int but a 12 Wis so she's about as smart as a child but with good sense. Unless running errands, she stays as close to Esme as possible while remaining out of view. In town, this usually means on rooftops and so if Esme had wanted her in the inn, Ariadne would have needed to come to the window to be let in.
I should also say that Ariadne will grow quickly and by the time I hit 5th level should be over 3-1/2 feet tall since I'll be able to take Improved Familiar at that point. She's a young flying monkey and her wings just haven't grown enough for lift yet.
Esme follows behind Donovan, happy to let him part the crowd. Remembering the earlier warning, she keeps a careful eye out for anything unusual. Ariadne is following on the roofs above her.
Well, I hope not to be gone for extended periods of time. I had a stress breakdown right before we started and so was late to the campaign. Medical school is a nightmare of studying as hard as you can, freaking out when you don't do well on an exam and then trying to recover for the next one so you can pass the course.
I have to make a 70 on my final to pass Pathology and we are dismissed if we don't pass it. Expect to see me freaking out in about 4 weeks. If I pass the test I should get better after about a week. If I don't...well, expect me to keep freaking out for the foreseeable future.
PS: If someone ever asks you if you want to go to medical school, the correct answer is, "NO!"
PPS: I'd rather someone NPC Esme than everyone wait on me, if I am late. She only fights when angry and goes straight for the bad guy with her hair flying all around her.
I was under the impression Sophia had left and only Rannveig was present. Reading back however, I see that it was Olivia who left. That's fine. Esme is distracted and spooky stories will simply add to her myth.
Esme reaches out for the candles with a nod of thanks. "Doamnă de tronuri, dă-mi flacăra ta."
As the first candle springs alight, Esme moves towards one of the five symbols. Softening the bottom of another candle in the flame, she places it in the center of the smaller circle. Repeating the incantation and placement four more times, Old Magda is soon surrounded in soft golden light.
"The old woman is exhausted though her soul still abides within her frame. Sophia, please attend."
Once joined by the woman, Esme takes one long nailed finger and dips it into the beer before spreading the liquid on Magda's lips. Repeating the motion, the liquid slowly trickles into the old woman's mouth, to which she reflexively swallows.
"Please repeat this until the glass is empty. Go not too fast less she choke, yet the glass should be empty within the quarter hour.
Rising to her feet and looking at Donovan, Esme warns, "We should find the others. Night is coming and this...place...grows thin, fraying around the edges. Watch yourself lest you become lost in the fringes. Quickly now, this old woman will be fine and we've little time to waste."
I am a medical student and study about 14 hours a day. I post at variable times depending on when I can get a break. Sometimes, usually right before tests, I may miss a day or even two when I'm too worried to leave my textbooks.
As Donovan leaves to find the candle, Esme rummages through her packs. Pushing the bed against the wall, she draws this in the middle of the floor with practiced, sure strokes.
While she's drawing, the shadowy puddle of her hair on the floor seems to stretch out. Creeping out toward the bed with the old woman, the dark strands merge with the darkness beneath before sliding across the bedclothes and slipping under the old woman.
The body slowly rises from the bed, floating toward Esme, kneeling on the floorboards. As the last of the chalk circle joins, the old woman settles in the center. The shadowy tendrils of hair withdraw into the greater shadow cast by the witch as she looks up to see if Donovan has returned.
On hearing Donovan's voice, Esme calmly replies, "The old woman collapsed in the street so I brought her here. I hope the girl has gone for the woman's family as she is not able to move on her own currently. Would you please bring me a glass of beer from downstairs. I also need a blue candle if there is one handy although it is not critical. A yellow or white one would do in a pinch."
Interesting fact - Sweden did a study to find out exactly which "energy drink" relieved dehydration most effectively. They included all of the standards - gatorade, powerade, etc) and in the end the answer turned out to be....Beer.
Esme is updated. She purchased a healing kit, an antidote kit, a surgeon's kit and components for a couple of alchemical items - nothing big. She also left herself some spending money, which she had not really done earlier.
I have not updated my equipment yet. I had a busy day at school. I was also interested in which characters worship which deities and which are formal members of the clergy.
Esme worships Pharasmin Penitence. Other Pharasma worshipers most likely consider them to be fundamentalists and are either embarrassed by them or worried that they might go crazy and "inquisition" everyone or something. If you think Southern Baptist or Middle Ages Rome, you'd not be too far off.
I'm confused about Boote and if his position is ceremonial as a guard or clerical as a priest. I was planning on finding out in game unless he wants it different.
I also get the impression that Ninefingers is a cleric of some form. Right now, Esme considers him a naer-do-well with Dimitrio so I also planned to find out in game what type of priest he is.
This seemed the best way to get past Esme's hating of priest with minimal fuss. Even if they are clerics/priests - once she realizes that they aren't the kind she is familiar with, she'll calm down about it.
I am going to go through Esme's search. If she encounters anything, she will stop at that point despite my narrative continuing. I am going to use heal as Esme is searching for medical problems.
Esme gently lays the old woman down on her bed. Turning her onto her side, Esme checks her back carefully for disturbance in her clothing that might indicate a wound beneath. Heal: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7
Satisfied that the woman bears no obvious wounds on her back, Esme does the same for her front, also looking to see if the woman's belt or other attachments are too tight. If she cannot fit two fingers under the belt easily, she will remove it. Halfway down the body, Esme stops at the wrists, feeling for temperature and the thread of life. Heal: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19 At the same time, she examines the fingers, to see if they are limp or rigid, indicating their being wrapped around the bars of Geryon's Cell on the Third level of Hell. Knowledge Religion: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22
As she works her way down the body, Esme removes the woman's shoes and presses her thumb into the woman's skin, above the ankle looking for fluid which would mean a natural problem with the heart. If she finds such, she will need to do something drastic with the bed, so I'll wait on that. Heal: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24
Lastly, Esme leans in close, sniffing the woman's breath lightly before taking the bedside candle and leaning in. Peering into the woman's eyes transversely, she tries to catch a glimpse of the edge of the woman's soul where it attaches to the canal of Burkhardt. Concerned that the woman's soul may already be stolen, she checks the other eye as well. Knowledge Arcane: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13
If all checks are negative, Esme will wrap the woman in a blanket if her skin is cold or will ask for water and a rag if her skin is overly hot. It the woman with Esme leaves, Esme will work much faster, using her hair to perform many of these tasks.
Esme will stay with Rannveig or alone, whichever she prefers. She took some of the finger food and put it in her pouch, saving it for later as she would not eat without proper table manners. But then, she doesn't really like to eat in front of others regardless.
Standing to the side alone in front of the Outfitters, Esme is mulling over Olivia in her mind.
"A bright sun for such a dark past, if what she says is true. She speaks of romantic fairy tales but treats neither her 'mother' nor her 'brother' with fondness. This light seems ill-fated. Finding what it burns for fuel should be entertaining...and gratifying.
Her musings are interrupted by a small figure in a black shawl that drops down from the roof beside her. Kneeling down, she whispers into its ear after which the 2' tall monkey scampers back up the building and heads off toward the inn.
Perception rolls from earlier: 1d20 ⇒ 10
She only heard brief bits of the conversation, taking them in the most negative light. She really does not like Olivia and is looking for a reason for her to be the villain.
Esme has sent Ariadne after her violin although she has not decided if she will play tonight. Once her familiar returns, Esme plans to stay with the group until something else presents itself. Ariadne will shadow Olivia however, being careful to stick to the rooftops out of sight.
I'm a bit confused on gold/shopping. Maybe I've fallen behind. I spent 600 gold on her equipment when I made her and the list is very detailed, perhaps overly so.
Do we have additional funds? If so, I'm making more alchemy as I said before. Poor Samantha is having to carry 5 lbs of cauldron, so I have to use it or she gets upset.
As to being suspicious/afraid/hostile towards Esme, I'm okay with any of it. I went with the provision stated in the Recruitment thread that the character needs to be able to bond with the group. You will be able to count on Esme but she is a wicked witch and I don't expect every character to be okay with that. I hope that no one kills her but I would not be upset if other party members try to thwart her.
Right now she's Chaotic Good. We'll see what alignment she is in a few months. I'm looking forward to it. 8)
Naturally, PCs decide what PCs believe. If I were setting numbers for NPCs, I'd have them roll Knowledge:Arcane rolls. Something like:
DC 10: Someone with green skin is probably a half-orc of some kind
DC 15: Spell/potions/curses can change your appearance, perhaps she is one of those
DC 20: She does not appear to be under any magical affects, so it must be something permanent
DC 25: She's probably a Green Hag/some other kind of monster
DC 30: Hags mate with humans producing changelings, maybe she's one of those
DC 35: She is a changeling, specifically a Green Widow, the daughter of a green hag. She is good at lying to men and has claws.
Naturally, this is modified in places where people don't have half orcs or magic is frowned on, etc.
If she is chased out of town or they try to lynch her, I will deal with it.
Esme takes Dimitrio at face value as this is what she expects from him. Having already made up her mind about him, she doesn't look deeper.
I realize I should have said in my earlier post, but Esme's two spells were only cantrips - Resistance and Prestidigitation.
Esme looks relieved when Rannveig enters but mistakes the girl's anxiety to be about the men at the table. She also notices the interplay between the halflings and lifts one arched brow.
Esme withdraws from table as the proprietress begins to smoke. Taking a seat between, but well behind, Nicu and Donovan. She mutters a phrase under her breath, "Doamnă păstra'mi ca I s'ar putea respira." after which she seems to actually breath a little easier.
Emboldened by her success, she tries another, "Mama, trimiteţi'mi de parfum de ceva dulce." Her attitude seems to perk up as the five foot area around her slowly takes on the faint aroma of candy.
Quite pleased with herself, she looks back toward the table, her expression immediately becoming crestfallen again. After brief consideration, she sits up straight, squares her shoulders and fixes an expression of rapt attention on her face. She sits like this throughout Lady Azura's conversation before once again becoming lost in thought. As the children come downstairs, she works with her smile, trying different arrangements on until finally settling on one that feels almost right, although it doesn't touch the eyes.
Her hand raised to tap his shoulder, Esme sighs as Nicu steps inside the tavern and the door swings closed behind him. Taking a moment to catch her breath, lost from chasing after the young half elf, her glance finds the children playing in the square and her lips purse in disapproval again.
"Sweets and play are all well for children but must be earned by hard work. None of these look to have worked a day, what with all of them being so plump. Surprising that they haven't got apples stuck in their mouths and mud on their little hooves."
Straightening her dress, the young woman lowers her head and pushing open the door, enters the tavern.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Inside the tavern, Esme peers at the patrons, her eyes having difficulty adjusting to the dim light. Seeing the three men at a table she carefully picks her way across the barroom floor as if fearful of treading on a serpent.
Esme's pointed hat nearly brushes the ceiling and the young woman ducts reflexively, scrunching her shoulders uncomfortably. Her full-sleeved, long black dress looks overly warm for the room and it's lace and stitching contrasts the simple peasant attire of the locals. Nearing the table, dark-green lips purse in consternation while she decides which of the three men to address.
Master Dimitrio, it is with surprise that I greet you on this..."fine"... morning. I'd expected you to already be relishing the local company in a hay bin somewhere. I have had my things placed in the room across from yours at the inn. Please do try to keep the...giggling...down to a reasonable level tonight.
A glance toward the dwarf and his brimming flask of mead stirs the beginnings of a protest before the sight of the cigar sends her into a paroxysm of coughing. Holding on to the edge of the table, she gets her balance before meeting the gaze of Master Constine.
"Sir, I beg of you, please aid me before I faint. Where is the young woman Rannveig. You have not left her in any danger by chance, have you?" It's hard to tell if she is serious here, for while the prospect of danger in this town seems ridiculously remote, young Esme does seem sincrere. "If you could direct me to where you last saw her, I will go check on her...just for the sake of safety of course."
No worries about the pursuers. I figured they might try to follow if we tripped into the mist which would give you a group from this world to stir up trouble for Esme and the group in Ravenloft. I also thought it would give you a vehicle for exposing her secrets to the villagers or other PCs. I wrote them in to give you a resource - not as something I expect to be fulfilled.
Black Aliss was a Hag and hags, especially green hags, can change their shape, which is how they mate. When the changeling is older, she usually finds an urge to wander into the wilderness where she will meet her mother and take her place in the coven. Changelings definitely become hags at some point in their future although I do not know exactly when that transition takes place. This is where hags come from, except Black Anisses, which are extraplanar.
That's how it usually happens, but doesn't have to be how it always happens, especially in Ravenloft.
I made Black Aliss a more complicated figure, rather than simply a monster. Black Aliss had to have started as a changeling herself and when she changed shape to mate, she fell in love with the man she met, Coim. When he joined the church in shame, she tried to turn over a new leaf and rejoin society, wanting to raise her daughter the way she may have been raised, before receiving her call. However, in the tradition of gothic horror stories the world over, Aliss' past came back to haunt her in the form of Coim and a wooden stake, showing that even if monsters try to reform, fate is against them.
So yes, Aliss was a monster, a woman with a broken heart and a loving mother all at the same time. In much the same vein, Esme is a collection of contradictions. She is a young woman who wants a bright future, as all young people do. She can not reach this future however as she is mired in the past, and worse, it's her mother's and not even her own.
Esme is young right now and in her "changeling" phase. She will have all kinds of adventures and these will color how she sees the world. In fine Ravenloft tradition however, I've no doubt that she is eventually fated to become the same kind of monster her mother was, probably for the same reasons and will probably make similar mistakes. That's how gothic horror works.
I recommend you roll initiative for all of us and while I do like to roll for myself, I don't mind if you do it. I usually roll for myself when I state what my actions are, and if my actions get pre-empted for some reason, the roll does not take place or they are modified to the nearest substitute.
I am mostly a roleplayer and so am fairly loose on combat, etc.
Esme is a grappler and so moves in to grapple with her hair. If it is a really dangerous foe, she will cast shocking grasp through her hair while grappling. Once she has her foe held, she will rake with her claws and again, if the foe is particularly dangerous, she continues to shocking grasp. Esme doesn't like to fight and so goes all out when she does, going through all of her spells as quickly as possible. She does not think of combat as something that you plan to do again later that day. This is also why she doesn't really pick her spells each morning and simply takes shocking grasp in all of her slots unless realizing she might need something else.
I have updated Esme and reposted her character sheets here. I welcome everyone to use them and have tried to include everything you might need to know. My alias information is not updated right now as I've been working on Esme for four hours and I need to get some other things done.
Page 1: Esme's main sheet with all the basics
Page 2: Esme's spellbook and Ariadne's stats
Page 3: Esme's gear and Samantha's stats
Page 4: Esme's history growing up in Ulastav
Please feel free to link your character history to any aspect of hers.
Here is a ten minute character history to get to know Esme
Spoiler:
Esme's appearance.
While a very striking young woman, few observers remember more than an emerald green face surrounded by a bilious cloud of black hair. Esme matches the classic image of the "wicked witch" perfectly - green skin, black dress and tall pointed hat. While her features are beautiful, her alien appearance, exacting manner and incredibly obsolete fashion sense make her seem rather plain. She is tall and wiry thin, to the point of it actually being her sole unattractive physical feature. Perhaps compensating for her frame, Esme's hair seems to have a life of its own, normally falling to her calves but billowing out to darken half a room when riled.
Five background and concept elements important to Esme.
1. Esme is a changeling. Her mother was a green hag named "Black Aliss." She does not know the identity of her father, but as a hag, this does not bother her. Her mother was as evil as the stories made her out to be, although whether that was her choice, her nature as a hag or a result of how she was usually treated is up to debate. If someone is treated as a monster long enough, they tend to become one.
2. Esme follows the faith of Pharasmin Penitence and is extremely religious. This causes her a great deal of anguish as she hunts their inquisitors at every opportunity. More information on the religion can be found here. In a nutshell, they are Pathfinders version of the church during the Salem witch trials.
3. Esme thinks of herself as irrevocably damned by birth. She has very archaic views of good/evil and considers herself as the latter. She works diligently to erase her mother's sins while committing them herself.
4. Esme is currently on the run from the Penitence and is in Varissia until things quiet down. She killed one of their highest inquisitors, Witchhunter General Coim a year ago and then another 3 witchhunters and their men escaping Ulastav. For all her prim and proper manners, Esme is ruthlessly bloody when fighting and prefers to fight rather than run.
5. Esme is not very good at keeping a low profile and is failing to do so while in Varissia. She met a group of adventurers while hunting a werewolf, only to find that it was a young woman and not a beast. She has been spending time with them lately but fears that they will turn on her once they learn of her heritage.
Two goals that are important to Esme.
1. Esme fights to avenge her mother. She finds it very difficult to separate inquisitors of the Penitence from other clergy and so tends to treat all of them badly. Once the time is right, she plans to return to Ulastav and continue her battle.
2. Esme tries to save young women who find themselves in distress because of who they are rather than what they've done. She always takes the side of the underdog, particularly against religious authorities.
Two secrets about Esme, one that she knows, and one that he not yet aware of.
1. Esme is a patricide, and therefore truly damned within her religion, as Witchhunter General Coim was her father. He met and fell in love with Aliss in his youth and when he later found out exactly who she was, joined the church in shame. He would later use his relationship with her to track and capture her, burning her at the stake and cementing his place within the church hierarchy. She does not know any of this.
2. Esme is a changeling, a witch and a murderess. She desperately tries to hide that last fact by pretending that she only fights in self defense. This is not technically correct, for while the men she has killed would have begun the fight if given the chance, she did not give them that chance.
Four people that are tied to Esme, three are friends and one is an enemy.
1. Esme's familiar is Ariadne, a young black monkey that wears a black and red shawl. Aside from it's striking intelligence, it has the barest stubs of wings hidden under its shawl, foreshadowing it's future. It will mature once Esme reaches fifth level and is able to acquire the Improved Familiar feat. Ariadne has a bit of a mischievous/malicious streak and tends to cause trouble which Esme has to pay for.
2. Samantha is Esme's riding dog although she does not ride it. It is the only animal that seems willing to suffer her presence and so the two have a very close relationship. Esme does not allow it to enter combat despite it's being trained to do so and has taught it to flee whenever violence begins.
3. Esme met Rannveig when a group of adventurers hunter her as a werewolf. She is fiercely protective of the young woman and has set out to protect her from the local villagers. Having never had a friend, Esme has difficulty relating to Rannveig despite their being close to the same age.
4. Witchhunter Captain Samuels is currently pursuing Esme with a band of men and is at most a day or two behind her. He is a good hearted man and deeply believes in the justness of his quest. While willing to capture Esme, he is leery of her and will kill her if capture is not safe, knowing that she is destined for the stake, dead or alive.
Three memories, mannerisms or quirks Esme possess.
1. Esme sometimes forgets herself, especially when startled, and uses her animated hair as extra hands. She does not like to do this as she fears it reveals her nature and tries to make excuses when it happens.
2. Esme speaks very formally and is quite the prude. She walks a sometimes weaving line between being a proto-feminist and Victorian-era attitudes about men and women. She expects men to open doors, provide sustenance and behave as gentlemen while simultaneously demanding the right to do everything herself. Needless to say, her demands on the road can be difficult regarding privacy and her tongue can be sharp if a man goes shirtless or intrudes upon her ablutions.
3. Lastly, Esme is a good person at heart but has trouble showing it. With a Chaotic Good outlook, she usually comes down on the right side of an issue, although rarely the prudent one. She has never had companions and so doesn't realize that she actually makes a good friend when the chips are down. She might be a more pleasant person if she saw herself as a young woman and not the daughter of a monster and a damned sinner herself.
I appreciate the understanding. It might be best that the group get an arcane caster as Esme is a witch/magus - i.e. a melee character. I have updated her level, etc and am working on her gear now. I will upload everything in an hour or so and post a little bit about her personality and all. I hope that you all like her.
I apologize for not getting this message until today. I have been sick and am just getting my wits about me today. If you still have space for me, I will catch up ASAP.
I will be playing Esmerelda Proust, better known as "Black Esme". Her mother, the hag Black Aliss, terrorized the countryside for the last century or more before being burned at the stake a few years ago. The local citizenry assume Esme to be walking in her mother's footsteps and her running war with the Church lends credence to this belief.
Thank you for the invitation and I hope I have checked in on time.
Esme
PS: IRL, I am a 2nd year medical student at St. George's University SOM. Unfortunately for me, I am far more creative than smart but I do my best to muddle through. I have been a Ravenloft fan since the original module came out my senior year in high school. I am 46, married and as I am male, I don't roleplay romance in games. Sure, I'm not a female IRL, but then, I don't think my mother would like being referred to as a "Hag" either. 8)
Esme's character sheet can be found here. I will be updating it today.
I am a long standing Ravenloft fan and would love to play, just click on the avatar. I've got a character ready to go that I could level up/down if you are interested. Her backstory is written for Golarion, but I think you can see where she is Ravenloft worthy.
Which domain would you want to play in?
You can find Esme's character sheet here. It's only two pages and has first level stats and a second page character history.
As to converting 2nd Ed, I probably wouldn't try to convert anything. I'd just replace with whatever I wanted that was similar. In the end, maidens are helpless, ghosts are creepy and ghouls are icky no matter where you go in Ravenloft or what system you use.
The young woman sat ramrod straight in the wood chair before the fire in Professor Lorrimor's sitting room. The room buzzed around her, not only because of her odd dress, but because, just perhaps, some recognized her, or at least had heard of her.
It wasn't that the dress was poorly made, nor that it had the cut of a peasant girl's best, for it was neither. Nor was it the long skirts, coming to a stop just inches above the ground to reveal black boots with only a slight heel. It couldn't have been the lace at the neck and wrists, for while black was an odd color for lace, it contrasted well with the black leather gloves, worn indoors despite the warm night. The black hat with its long veil was also appropriate, considering the setting.
What bothered some in the crowd was the style, out of fashion for well over fifty years now. Hopefully, with Shelyn's blessing, this was one style that would never raise its prudish head again.
A bespectacled man, a banker or perhaps a solicitor, approached the diminutive figure carefully, and with obvious trepidation. Almost in spite of itself, the noise of the crowd died immediately, as each guest strained to overhear the conversation.
Responding to the gentleman's unheard question, the young woman replied, "Yes, I am Esmerelda Proust, although I most assuredly do not appreciate being referred to as 'Black Esme.'
With his back to the room, the gentleman's discreet voice eluded his wider audience, though it clearly reached his intended one unhindered.
"Yes, I will tell you of how I met Professor Lorrimor, despite the inappropriateness of the request. I was called here you see, specifically and by name, to return the kindness of a man who meant so much to me.
I met professor Lorrimor in the village of Vische. The trials so prevalent today had just begun then. Whole Counties turned out whenever a stake was raised and kindling gathered. The Age of Unreason he called it, and told me once that his soul despaired of life itself at the thought of what one man might do to another."
The gentleman quickly leaned back, his next question having been met with more than a little indignation. Her chin tilted upward as the short girl stared him full in the face, her green skin glowing in the lamplight and her mismatched eyes flashing anger.
"No, sirrah! I was not there to 'watch' the burning. I was but twelve that night, when the crowd, eager for a spectacle, lit those flames. It was my own mamman upon that stake. You may be certain sir, that no scream passed her lips, and mine was not the only face streaming tears. Black Aliss stared him down throughout the entire proceedings, the coward Witchhunter Coim, a sleek rodent who made his name on the carrion of innocent girls and village midwives.
Responding to another question, "Yes, it was the Professor who rescued me that night, his gentle hands helping me from beneath the wagon under which I hid while they burned my mamman. I stayed with him a year, pretending to be his daughter, although I'd say none was fooled by the charade. At the end of that year I thanked him, but went upon my way, for my mother's soul did not rest easy and her ghost called to me, not for vengeance, but justice!"
The young woman leaned back into her chair as the gentleman before her wrung his hands in worry. Wearily, she replied, "No, good sir, you have naught to fear from me, nor the ghost of my mamman. I understand the need for your questions. I came to pay homage to the man who saved my life and who's soul I saved in return. You need fear no harm from me sir, at least, not for tonight."
Black Esme was made for a Ravenloft campaign which only met once. She is a favorite of mine and I've worked her down to first level. You can find her complete character sheet, two illustrations and her complete character history here.
Esme is a melee witch that I plan to multi-class with magus. She is fierce and independent but with a good heart. Having recently laid some ghosts to rest, like all young women, she is ready to strike out on her own, to find a place in life out from under her infamous mother's name.
If selected, I will update her spells and equipment, expanding her character sheet by two pages and another three illustrations. I wish you the best in choosing your players and understand how difficult it is to choose from so many good submissions.
Good to see you again Jonas. I'm really sorry that campaign fell apart as well since I initially came to pbp to play Ravenloft.
My character is Athena Giovanni and she can be found here.
I wanted to get her in early rather than waiting until the last minute when she's complete like I usually do. I will flesh out her back story more if you are interested. If she doesn't work for you, I'll make another character.
Athena's crime is Consorting with Dark Powers although they also threw in Blasphemy and Heresy.
Spoiler:
Athena's mother Ariadne was a famous singer/actress on the stages of Talingarde and the toast of the town. Her vanity and hunger for young men knew no bounds and both were to eventually be her downfall. Her taste in men grew more and more refined as the years wore on until earthly beauty was no longer enough for her. Half elves, elves and fey kept her satisfied until she met Dmitri, a inhumanly handsome man and a devil from Hell.
The signs of her mother's sin didn't show until Athena hit puberty, after which her mother's life came crashing down. Afraid to disappear from the public eye but terrified that someone might find out, she drove away the servants and locked her daughter in their quarters behind the manor.
Throngs of people lined the street before her manor when the news of her daughter's death became known. She went into mourning for a full six months before making a heroic recovery and returning to the stage. For two years she kept up the charade of normalcy while the fear, stress, loneliness and hatred of her daughter drove her first to drink and then to more exotic drugs.
Athena was fifteen when her mother collapsed on stage, her mental instability now plain for all to see. The opera house where she was performing made a great show of caring for the Diva of Tavingarde and sent a doctor to stay with her until she regained consciousness. It was not long after that her missing daughter was found.
Ariadne left Branderscar Prison and was burned at the stake yesterday. Athena's trial took somewhat longer.
While innocent of wrongdoing, the sin of her birth was clearly visible in her small fangs, horns and tail. Despite being as physically beautiful as her mother, her presence terrified and disrupted the court, throwing the entire secular judicial system into an uproar.
In the end, much to the relief of the King, the church stepped in. Unconcerned about the specifics of her crime, they decreed she was to face the same fate as her mother, burned just that morning. In mercy, she was given three days in Branderscar to prepare her soul.
10 minute background
Spoiler:
5 Background Details
1. She is a tiefling, the daughter of a famed diva and her infernal lover
2. She has been imprisoned for over two years by her mother who tried to hide her. She was freed from that imprisonment only to be dragged to court and sentenced to death
3. She is as beautiful as her mother, though her devilish features are extremely disconcerting
4. She was a brilliant student but two and a half years of captivity have made her fall behind children her age
5. Her captivity has made her physically weak as she is never allowed outside to exercise.
Two Goals for Athena
1. She hates the judge who tried her, the church who condemned her, the King who rules such an "evil" city and the god who inspires this mindless hatred.
2. While currently in despair, I plan to evolve her understanding of the town and the bigger picture until she eventually blames everyone in authority and determines to take over the town herself that Justice might be done.
Two Secrets
1. She knows that her father was a devil and that her mother was aware of this too. Her mother had tried to drive her away and had even once hired kidnappers but each time Athena mysteriously wound up back at home, playing as if nothing had been wrong.
2. The church of Asmodeus and the powers of Hell have plans for Athena and have been following her life until now. Ariadne's encounter with Dmitri was not a chance encounter.
Four People Tied to Athena
1. Her father - Dmitri was rewarded for his conquest, becoming a lesser noble in Hell's hierarchy. While no longer specifically involved in this particular plot, it was his first real mission and he would be very angry if someone screwed it up.
2. Her current "handler" - Verithrex is a moderately ranked devil and while this is not his first job on the mortal plane, it definitely is his biggest. He will make certain nothing too drastic happens to Athena, though he will avoid intervening personally if at all possible.
3. Her mortal contact - Sister Cassandra Ribisi was born on the same day as Athena, albeit to human parents. Her whole life has been spent in training for the day when she would make contact with Athena, guiding her to her destiny. The church of Asmodeus has put a lot of effort into raising Cassandra and she understands that she must become Athena's best friend, or die trying.
4. Her mother - Ariadne's spirit is not going to rest peacefully. Her ghost rose from the ashes, still warm from the flames that consumed her, on the very night of her death. Confined to the execution yard in front of the courthouse, she is exploring the limits of her haunting to see if she can get revenge on those that have wronged her. This includes the townsfolk, the court, the church and especially her daughter.
Three Memories, Mannerisms or Quirks
1. Athena remembers her youth and her mother as the toast of the town. She was eight when she was first allowed to attend a performance at the opera. Her mother performed the role of Marie Villanova, a varisian dancer and mystic. Marie and her lover Antoine each die at the hands of the others tribe during a blood feud. Athena has always wanted to be a gypsy and enjoys reading romance novels.
2. Athena's tail sometimes seems to have a mind of its own. She kept everything in her quarters beyond the reach of it's swinging but once out in public, she will forget about it, knocking over any loose, probably breakable, objects.
3. Athena has become claustrophobic from her confinement. The long, lonely days have also made her unaccustomed to keeping any kind of schedule. Time gets away from her unless she is specifically reminded that she has a deadline.
I have been interested in this AP for quite some time. I have two questions for a character concept I am working on.
Spoiler:
I am envisioning a character who killed another to take their place within the church hierarchy. I noticed in another post online that the Church and the Knightly Orders always refer to as a "brotherhood". Would it be reasonable to write a character history revolving around their only taking males or humans?
Spoiler:
I am also throwing around other ideas. Rather than playing Neutral as balanced between the forces of Law and those of Chaos, I'd be interested in playing it as "it's all about ME." I don't care if I have to follow the Law or break it, as long as I come out ahead."
Is that acceptable or is that how you see Chaotic Evil?
I am a huge Ravenloft fanatic and initially came to these boards looking for a Ravenloft or Carrion Crown game. I have DM'd in Ravenloft extensively and can really bring colorful characters to the table if chosen.
I would really prefer a Pathfinder game but could go back to older rules if I had to. The original Ravenloft was AD&D (2nd edition) and the ruleset had gotten pretty complex by the time the module came out. It ws never 1st edition (boxed set) DnD. Ravenloft has editions for AD&D, 3.0 and 3.5 and the kargatane may have upgraded it to Pathfinder, I haven't checked. Either way, a 3.5 to 3.75 jump is pretty easy to make.
Either way though, it's all the same to me. I just want to play Ravenloft. Here is a character I made for a recently defunct Ravenloft and I would either make a similar wizard or a warrior type cleric when you open your recruiting thread.
I was supposed to have internet for this leg of my trip to the States but it has not materialized. I will not have internet until the 14th. My apologies. I will be back and can post then.
I hope I have gotten my submission in on time. I saw that you posted as I was transferring everything onto the boards from Word. By the time I had finished, it had been 15 minutes since your post.
Stay safe on your travels and I look forward to your decision come Friday. I am more than willing to work with you so that Lavinia fits your vision of the world as well as my vision of her character.
A pale moon only dimly illuminated the menhirs of the Spiral Cromlech. A low gray slab leaned drunkenly in the center of the clearing, one corner dug deep into the fertile soil, it’s opposite number pointing towards the heavens. The young elf girl chained to the slab struggled futilely, her breath coming in choked gasps around a leather gag.
The shadows of the giant monoliths lengthened as the moon set, together seeming to reach out with creeping fingers toward the girl. By the time the shambling figures, half man and half fish, entered the circle, she was barely conscious, exhausted from her struggles and unable to get sufficient breath around the leather strap. Her eyes snapped open however when the first webbed hand caressed her thigh. Looking around the circle at the narrow heads with bulging eyes, the scream that started deep in her throat would continue well after she was found the next morning.
Months later, her husband would return from far Caliphas, bearing a tiny babe in his arms. The result of a bitter miracle, Doctor Trice had saved her, freeing her from her mother’s womb as the elven woman clawed out her own throat. Born two whole months prematurely, the grip of her right hand was exceptionally weak as she clutched the lapel of her father’s coat. Absent-mindedly stroking her fine red hair, he decided to name her Lavinia, after his bride, spirited from their bed on her wedding night.
The University of Leipstadt
Spoiler:
Lavinia leaned against the low table in the very back of the hall, trying to avoid Professor Lorrimor’s gaze from across the room. Her enthusiasm for the visiting professor’s lecture on aether transference had cooled rapidly just minutes after he took the podium. Sighing in resignation, she wondered if he’d come just to see her. Someone had certainly pointed her out to him as his eyes followed her no matter where she went.
Hurrying out during intermission, she headed for the Brazen Skull, hoping to find at least some solace in a mug of cheap ale. The empty tavern was peaceful for once, with all the students at the lecture auditorium. Kaysia gave her a wondering look but kept wisely silent while delivering a watered ale, on the house. The place would be packed in an hour, drunken students alternately singing or fighting until the early hours of the morning. No matter how drunk or rowdy the place became however, there was always one table in the back, occupied by a young elven girl, that no one approached.
It was well after three in the morning when she left the Skull for home. While not drunk, she certainly was exhausted and so picked her way carefully down the cobblestone streets. Alerted by the sound of low voices from the alley ahead, she allowed her vision to shift into the other spectrum. All color drained from the world around her as objects in the darkness sprang into view. Sticking her head around the corner, she spied a man at the far end, hiding in the darkness.
Another man approached the mouth of the alleyway at the far end, seemingly unaware of the figure lurking in wait. A curse almost escaped her lips when the world around her suddenly slowed, coming almost to a standstill between breaths. She lept into the alley as everything around her slowly resumed motion. Running swiftly to the far end, her book satchel slammed into the knifeman’s head just as he rose to attack his victim. Relieved, she decided to bless her heritage just this once, thankful for the preternatural sense of danger she sometimes received. Her relief was short lived however as she looked up, her eyes meeting those of Professor Lorrimor, the would-be victim.
Appearance
Spoiler:
Lavinia is a pale elf with some notable differences. Like all of her kind, her pupils are large and prominent. In the dark however, they gain a pearly sheen, like oil on a rainy street, as her eyes shift into the darkvision spectrum.
Additionally, she radiates a detectable aura of "otherness" that makes others, both people and animals, uncomfortable. While hard to pin down, it has something to do with her movements, and how they always seem to begin before their evident stimulus. He hand will already be moving before the glass falls from the table or she will step to the side right before a carriage comes barreling through.
Mechanism
Spoiler:
Lavinia has the alternate racial abilities of Elven Darkvision and Lightbringer. This gives her darkvision with the same penalties as a drow, but then removes those penalties with Lightbringer. I use this to represent her unnatural heritage and is responsible for the sheen of her eyes.
Lavinia also has a +8 to initiative, which I am representing as a form of "danger sense". She does not necessarily move faster than everyone else, she simply gets a split second head start when something is about to happen.
I would really like to take one of the Oracle curses to represent her heritage and have it grow as she levels. I think that this, more than anything, would illustrate her alien nature. I looked at both the dark tapestry oracle and the aberrant sorcerer, but my vision (as evidenced by the character picture) was a wizard studying forbidden lore in the library, and so I stuck with it.
Personality
Spoiler:
There is something wrong with Lavinia, and she knows it. Hearing about her from a collegue, Doctor Lorrimor came to Leipstadt to study her but found her distant and unreceptive. Tired of unwelcome attention, she refused his offer, despite saving him from a thug in an alleyway.
Lavinia is distant and finds it very difficult to get to know other people. Too many people have pulled away from her in fright upon discovering her oddities and she does not wish to be hurt again.
Why Chaotic Neutral
Spoiler:
Lavinia has begun to hear voices when all is quiet around her. Unable to tell whether these voices are merely her conscience, her better judgement, or some outside influence, she has been afraid of them. As she withdraws further from other people however, she has begun to pay the voices more heed.
The masters of the Dark Tapestry pursue an unknown agenda through an unfathomable plan designed by alien minds. Lavinia is sometimes led to perform actions which she does not understand, but does anyway. As the voices become louder, this behavior will become more pronounced.
I would prefer not to be an alternate player as I am very excited about Carrion Crown and want to experience the entire AP from beginning to end. I understand that you can only take so many players at one time and will wish everyone you take the best. If I am not accepted into this AP, I will wait until another Carrion Crown begins and then apply for it.
Best of luck to everyone who applies. There are many talented writers on these boards and so you can't really go wrong when choosing players.
I want to check in and am now in the States. I've been looking at crunch to make certain my concept will work.
Current Concept: Gun Mage
Spoiler:
I am currently trying to recreate the Gun Mage from Iron Kingdoms in Pathfinder as an Andoran agent in Ustalav. This character is a down to earth, people's champion type. Without ties to the major players in the area, he works directly for the people.
My inspiration is virtually every Andoran soldier picture in pathfinder - the blue uniform, the eagle imagery, etc. I've found some other pictures out there that are interesting, so I'm not completely set right now.
I'm bouncing back and forth between the Wizard archtype "Spellslinger", the Magus archtype "Myrmidarch", an Eldritch Knight PrC or abandoning the gun and going Arcane Archer. I'm also looking at possible Inquisitors, but that is pretty much last in line.
I have been avoiding the non-magical paths of rogue, ninja, fighter or gunslinger because I think I'll be happier with a caster.
Please let me know if you are interested in working guns into the campaign or if I should try a different concept or make the concept around bows/crossbows.
What I want in a DM
Spoiler:
I hope that the game I join will share its focus between roleplaying and mechanics - incorporating both rather than sacrificing one or the other. I also would like to have a DM that accepts my ideas for where I'd like to take the character while staying true to their own vision of the world.
What I want in a game
Spoiler:
At risk of sounding too black and white, it seems to me that a game that falters and dies due to lack of interest is worse than one that never got started. I want the game to continue, even if I am not a part of it for whatever reason. Everyone involved, both the players and the DM, put a lot of themselves into every character they make, every encounter they run and every game they join. I want to see that hope and faith in our shared hobby rewarded for all involved.
What I want in other players
Spoiler:
The other players in the games I am currently playing bring exactly what I want to the table - the same love of the game that I have. They are passionate about their characters and I like that their passion helps craft the world that I get to play in. Pen and Paper Roleplaying is not about mechanics, grinding levels or doing repetitive quests - it is about working together to craft a shared vision greater than that crafted by any single individual.
I will have more information tomorrow, hopefully a complete character "sketch." Thank you for the opportunity to apply to your game - the Carrion Crown AP is exactly what brought me to the boards and I appreciate you running it.
