There was no original recruitment for this campaign, it was started among friends and two of them had to bow due to personal reasons, therefore emphasis on backstory wasn't high as we were not battling 20 other people for a spot.. In my eyes a proper build, adhereing closely to what we've asked for will trump any backstories involved.. My vote will go to the 2 characters built to make the group solid, not one with a great backstory, but insists on being melee.
Just wanted to wrap this up. My opinion is not absolute. It's just an opinion. There are many "right" answers. You seem to enjoy mechanical diversity. That is rad!
If mechanics is what you enjoy the most then celebrate that! I find it fun to find meaning in numbers and crunch. Maybe you enjoy the narrative aspect as well. I don't want to assume anything about you in particular.
Mechanics are awesome. I did enjoy looking at yours. In my humble opinion, I also think stories are interesting too. Storytelling has been long and enjoyable for people. It's an old thing. It's in film, Books, D&D, Theatre, Video Games, Music, and word of mouth.
D&D combines both, it is theoretical and artistic! Its wonderful!
I do have a Reign of Winter campaign that I am dming, and there is one slot to fill. If you are interested, I will hook you up as a commitment to my apology.
Now, if your thinking party composition wise for Reign Of Winter, you would have to go for a divine caster. ;)
If you decide to join, I am humbled by your decision. Because, time on this earth is valuable and limited. If my players are willing to spend their time, I want to make the best experience and seek constant improvement.
If you don't, no worries. You still have my respect.
The reason that none of the original players had a backstory is because the was no original recruitment for this game. All of the players involved started out in a WotW campaign, and we decided that to offset the evil that we would run a WotR, so yes the backstories on the original characters is very small or even nonexistent, but that is because I know these people from several other games and I have an idea of how they roleplay. The reason I want a more detailed backstory from the applicants is because I don't know any of you, or have examples of your ropleplay.
Also, I will point out that while WerePox makes suggestion I will be making the final call and I judge based mainly on backstory rather than crunch. This is a personal preference just as WerePox has his own. That being said I wish you the best of luck with finding a game for your duo as they do seem interesting.
Gotcha, did not have the context. That's cool! I totally understand. I was invited to my first play by post by a friend. My apologies if anyone was offended.
Don't need to write a novel on the other extreme. Small backstories can be great, minimalism can be great.
There's a balancing act. Also, party composition is a thing. That was not what what I was concerned about though. The roleplaying part was my only concern.
Alright... now looking at the gameplay thread.. I would not be really interested. It's due to the minimalism really. Its full of minimalism even on a minimalist's standpoint. I mean... my character's backstory has more content then all three current characters combined in this iteration. At least one of you has no backstory to speak of. There is literally no backstory, not even a single sentence. Which surely shows what the focus is. You guys might be excellent players mechanically.... But..... roleplaying is huge part of what makes a game... Sure! Less is more can work. But, It's like putting salt into a dish. All, I will taste is too much salt here. Maybe entirely just salt.
I will be applying with this character with another character. This character was built for Wrath Of Righteous at level 1 at 20 point buy. So I will have to change the stats for level 3. Also... 25 point buy. Probably need to add more backstory as well.
Theres a catch though.....
The concept is a Halfling paladin, Ferick, marries a Tiefling magus, Amaymon Filia. The Wrath Of Righteous campaign is their Honeymoon.
Amaymon Filia is played by another player.
Hope that interests you.
HD for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Level:10 + 2d10 ⇒ 10 + (2, 1) = 13Alright, so I will take PFS+1
10+7+7=24
Ferick takes 1 level of Unbreakable fighter at first level and then goes straight paladin. His mythic tiers are going to be guardian.
Would you be fine if we took a 3rd trait because of the attached drawback?
I agree with everything you are saying except for this.
Maxwell Lion Heart wrote:
"Variety is key, hence the reason I'm not playing a Good, or Lawful character."
I don't think avoiding the Lawful good alignment is the problem. Any alignment can lack variety. Evil characters that are just evil for evil's sake are pretty redundant.
A neutral alignment could be like the Ents in Lord Of The Rings. That is the classic true neutral alignment.
Being a alignment does not equate logically or creatively to me as lacking variety. Alignment is so broad in scope that so many different types of characters can fit into each alignment., I do not think that the alignment mechanic works as complete criterion for determining morality .
Philosophers have been working on that for a long time.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Insightful stuff!
Unless your determining your character's alignment first, then making your character's story. I could see some difficulty in that for any alignment. I do it the other way around usually.
Please make sure to check out my other stuff. I play in Leinthan's Second Darkness campaign as a Zen archer Monk who essentially has a imaginary freind that taught him to be a monk. Exploring themes of what really mental illness means. Also, I play a Female Samsaran Oracle bard chef that is in a Jade Regent campaign. She is out to make the perfect 5 course meal including dessert. That character is exploring themes of perfection.
We got a bit too ambitious with the backstory, so we will not complete it on time. The twist is that Amaymon Filia is Oxcross. Ferick does not know that though. What ties them together is how dark their pasts are. Maybe their love for each other is the only way to come to terms with their horrific pasts. Ferick's goal during the campaign is going to be redeeming his wife as well as all the obstacles the adventure has to offer.
I wanted to take a risk with this character. Our characters, Ferick and Amaymon are tied together. They both have to make the cut in order to make the chemistry and concept work
I thought the whole married aspect would bring a whole different element to themes of what love really means. There are many ways it could go. Honestly, this the darkest character I have made so far. But, I wanted a lighter tone as well. A little honey moon adventure!
There are alot of great characters. Everyone pat yourself's on the back. I am excited to hear the results whatever they be.
Ferick was born to slave halfling parents in Cheliax. He was owned by a powerful noble family known as the Renaulds. The Renaulds were a fearsome family who owned their property with a iron fist. Many halflings were brutally murdered just so they can show their intimidation. They were rich enough to replace their losses, but the halfling were an important part of Renauld's workforce. If the halfling truly rebelled the Renauld's would lose their economic growth in Cheliax society. Some of the Renaulds acted out of fear and some acted out of pure cruelty. Clearly the institution of slavery brought out evil in their masters.
Ferick's mother, Alena, was lucky enough to be able to learn to read. She secretly taught Ferick how to read in common and halfling. Unfortunately for Ferick, there was not much education he could get. For the Renaulds did not want their slaves to be educated. His father, Tilian, was known as the fool in the circles of the Renaulds. He was whipped so many times for disobedience, but he was no fool. Tilian had a strong will and the greatest words that Ferick ever heard besides the words from his mom. "Orders are worth following, young one, know the rules so you can break them properly." Ferick made the best out of the cruelty.
When a young Renauld boy stuck a page in his face to make fun of his lack of reading, he read the page outloud to spite the Renauld boy. Terrible consequences came afterward as his father was flayed alive right before his eyes. Tillian's last words to Ferick are imprinted in his mind, "Find better rules to follow... my son. You deserve so much more than this."
The horror did not stop. Ferick was labeled as the new fool by the Renaulds. He was the representation of his father's misdeeds. They whipped him, worked him, and tried to break his spirit. The gauntlet was thrown down, but Ferick grew out of misery as a strong human being. He long endured the torment as a way to remember his father. His mother snapped at him for this, but in way even she understood. Alena knew that if Ferick followed the same path as his father, He would be in a early grave.
To save her son, Alena brought her son to local tavern. There she found a Human Cleric of Sarenrae named Darenten Thorn. After much pleading Darenten took Ferick away to save his life. Alena knew that she soon was going to suffer same fate as Tillian, at least Ferick will never see her flayed alive.
Background-Out of The Frying Pan And Into The Fire:
Ferick would never see his family again. While he overcame great obstacles, he was riddled with mental and physical scars. He was not even close to adulthood yet, but the situation called for him to be more mature. Darenten Thorn took him under his wing and introduced him to 3 Rangers: Zarn, Tomund, and Lany. They were all fervent and devoted worshipers of Sarenrae. The group accepted him with open arms, despite anything that could render him excluded. Ferick was ready to believe anything at this point. Even an ideal that was impossible or unrealistic would fit well in his mind. He needed some sort of escapism from the evils of slavery. He learned of the god of Sarenrae from Darenten Thorn. It was hard to believe at first that evil could be redeemed, but that sparked his curosity to learn more. Darenten Thorn let him borrow his holy text. Ferick was delighted that finally he could read something, his mother's efforts bore fruit.
He soon prayed alongside them bearing the codes and tenants of Sarenrae. Rules that were more fulfilling compared to the rules from the Renaulds. Darenten Thorn was well built man, a hero in Ferick's eyes. Darenten taught him how to wield a blade. When they started Darenten told him these words: "I have to be frank with you Ferick. After teach I you the basics, you are going to have develop your own style given your size. But... I have no doubt that you will become a great warrior. You might have the best perspective in the world. If the time comes when you have to cut a man down, you will cut him down to your size." Ferick would spar daily with his companions. He finally had some friends, he grew more sociable and confident.
A person might call Ferick's journey a bitter beginning to a better end, but the bitterness of life would return in so much worse of a way.
Darenten's journey had a purpose that Ferick did not know about. They were tracking a horrible demon named Oxcross across the land. When they heard of recent sighting of this notorious demon, they finally told Ferick. "The Renaulds were indeed cruel to you Ferick, but demons are much worse. That is why we are after this demon. Sarenrae has a different mission for you then maybe you intended. We must solve each problem one at a time. This is the first of our problems."
They finally tracked the creature down in a jungle. They were informed that he had some kind of lair in a cave. Unfortunately for Ferick, they were now the group being hunted down. They were not hunters anymore. instead they were prey. Lany was on watch and let out a scream as he disappeared in the night. No doubt he was taken by the Demon. In the morning, they found his body hanging on a spear with a note written in his blood.
"I was actually merciful to your friend here, if you continue to pester me, I will not be so merciful. If you want to indulge my cravings then please continue."
Despite the warning they continued towards the cave. The demon then attacked during the day rather then the night. They expected another night attack and were caught by surprise. Oxcross managed to grab Ferick and take him away. Ferick was horrifyed for he knew he would suffer a fate worse then death. Oxcross's lair was covered in skeleton's and other unidentifiable remains. Ferick was restrained by chains once more.
"I told them I would not be merciful." Oxcross bites into his shoulder. The pain erupts in Ferick as he screams in pain. " I do not want to kill you, oh no, not yet. Look like you have endured alot with scars like those." Oxcross inspects his body. "Endurance is key here my friend." He stabs a dagger into Ferick's hand. Ferick screams and yells, "You sick bastard." Oxcross gives a sadistic laugh. "You humor me well." He continues to laugh and stabs Ferick's other hand with a dagger.
"ARGHHHHH, you bastard!!!"
Background-A Hero Has Arisen:
It has been two weeks of torture for Ferick at the hands of Oxcross. His flesh is ripe with new wounds. However, Oxcross has kept him alive, but only for the purpose of torturing him more. Ferick is fed very little. He is shocked that he has returned to chains. Something he has very much tried to avoid at this point.
This day was unlike the previous days... Oxcross departed for a brief amount of time. The minutes felt like hours for Ferick as he is on the ground blindfolded with no knowledge of what is going to happen next. Soon, He hears hear Oxcross walk into the cave with another unidentified person. "I have brought a guest, a friend of yours I would presume."
Ferick hears the chain clasp on the person and a splash of water for the person to rouse from something. "Whats going on I can't see anything." Ferick realizes it is his friend Zarn. "Zarn! Don't worry it's going to be alright."
"Ferick is that you? I though you were dead? Arghhh!" Ferick hears the stabbing of flesh.
Oxcross says with delight. "I will be even more merciful! Now only one of you will it make it out of this place. But you must tell your other friend to die."
Zarn and Ferick have never really seen Oxcross or what his lair looks like, but they infer as much as they can from their other senses. Zarn gets rather sick after a week or so of torture.
Zarn speaks, " I am sorry my friend, you deserve to die. I do not! I do not!"
"Excellent! Excellent! See how your friend clearly betrayed you. I will let him go now."
Zarn and Ferick hear the sharpening of a blade. Zarn screams, "What!"
"My promise was a promise. You will not make it out alive though. This is me being merciful. One last feeling of pain for you."
Ferick hears a blade stab right through Zarn's chest. He hears him drop to the floor dead.
Ferick speaks with tears in his eyes, "Kill me."
"What did I just hear?"
Ferick says again, "Kill me."
"Louder!"
"I have been in chains for long enough. I was born a slave, my dad flayed alive right before my eyes. Truly, you are chaining me, returning me to where I have been before. But what you don't realize is that my masters were chaining themselves as you are with yourself. You do your worst, but I will tell you that there is something much better out there."
For a moment things get quite, Ferick hears Oxcross dragging the body of his friend Zarn away out of the lair. Strangely, a week passes without Oxcross returning. Ferick's wounds have been deeply infected and he his dying of hunger and thirst. He hears Oxcross return after so long. Ferick feels a brush of Oxcross's hand on his face.
Oxcross screams, "Curtains for you!" Ferick feels the sharp blade into his stomach.
Ferick blacks out.
Traits and Drawback:
Racial Traits:
Low Blow: Some halflings train extensively in the art of attacking larger creatures. Halflings with this racial trait gain a +1 bonus on critical confirmation rolls against opponents larger than themselves. This racial trait replaces keen senses.
Fleet of Foot: Some halflings are quicker than their kin but less cautious. Halflings with this racial trait move at normal speed and have a base speed of 30 feet. This racial trait replaces slow speed and sure-footed.
Weapon Familiarity: Halflings are proficient with slings and treat any weapon with the word “halfling” in its name as a martial weapon.
Halfling Luck: Halflings receive a +1 racial bonus on all saving throws.
Fearless: Halflings receive a +2 racial bonus on all saving throws against fear. This bonus stacks with the bonus granted by halfling luck.
Campaign Trait:
Exposed to Awfulness: Once per day when you fail a saving throw against an effect created by a demon that would kill or physically incapacitate you, you can immediately reroll that saving throw as a free action. You must take the second result, even if it is worse. Associated Mythic Path: Guardian.
Faith Trait:
Honest:You gain a +1 trait bonus on Diplomacy checks. This bonus increases to +2 when the Diplomacy check is made to influence those who are already friendly or helpful toward you.
Religion Trait:
Patient Optimist: You gain a +2 trait bonus on Diplomacy checks to influence hostile or unfriendly creatures, and if you fail at such an attempt, you may retry it once.
Drawback:
Attached (Amaymon Filia): Whenever the object of your attachment is either threatened, in danger, or in someone else’s possession, you take a –1 penalty on Will saves and a –2 penalty on saves against fear effects. If the person or object to which you’re attached is ever lost, killed, or destroyed, exchange this drawback for the Doubt drawback.
Character Advancement:
1 Unbreakable Fighter Level, the rest Paladin Levels, and Mythic Guardian path.
Ferick returns the grip with a tight grip of his own on her hand as she leads him. "What has peaked your curiosity my dear?" As Ferick is lead on Ferick speaks to the people they bump into. "My Apologies. Just two love birds on our way. Please excuse, us. Don't worry this is normal love play at heart. Good luck at courting one of his daughters. My wife courted me, believe it or not! Delighted to be here. What a blessing to be bumped into you good sir! Hello Miss! Passing on your right! Watch out! Fine day to you! Powering through here. I am impressed by your blade. Keep it sharp! Pardon us!"
Background Part 2: Out of The Frying Pan And Into The Fire
Ferick would never see his family again. While he overcame great obstacles, he was riddled with mental and physical scars. He was not even close to adulthood yet, but the situation called for him to be more mature. Darenten Thorn took him under his wing and introduced him to 3 Rangers: Zarn, Tomund, and Lany. They were all fervent and devoted worshipers of Sarenrae. The group accepted him with open arms, despite anything that could render him excluded. Ferick was ready to believe anything at this point. Even an ideal that was impossible or unrealistic would fit well in his mind. He needed some sort of escapism from the evils of slavery. He learned of the god of Sarenrae from Darenten Thorn. It was hard to believe at first that evil could be redeemed, but that sparked his curosity to learn more. Darenten Thorn let him borrow his holy text. Ferick was delighted that finally he could read something, his mother's efforts bore fruit.
He soon prayed alongside them bearing the codes and tenants of Sarenrae. Rules that were more fulfilling compared to the rules from the Renaulds. Darenten Thorn was well built man, a hero in Ferick's eyes. Darenten taught him how to wield a blade. When they started Darenten told him these words: "I have to be frank with you Ferick. After teach I you the basics, you are going to have develop your own style given your size. But... I have no doubt that you will become a great warrior. You might have the best perspective in the world. If the time comes when you have to cut a man down, you will cut him down to your size." Ferick would spar daily with his companions. He finally had some friends, he grew more sociable and confident.
A person might call Ferick's journey a bitter beginning to a better end, but the bitterness of life would return in so much worse of a way.
Darenten's journey had a purpose that Ferick did not know about. They were tracking a horrible demon named Oxcross across the land. When they heard of recent sighting of this notorious demon, they finally told Ferick. "The Renaulds were indeed cruel to you Ferick, but demons are much worse. That is why we are after this demon. Sarenrae has a different mission for you then maybe you intended. We must solve each problem one at a time. This is the first of our problems."
They finally tracked the creature down in a jungle. They were informed that he had some kind of lair in a cave. Unfortunately for Ferick, they were now the group being hunted down. They were not hunters anymore. instead they were prey. Lany was on watch and let out a scream as he disappeared in the night. No doubt he was taken by the Demon. In the morning, they found his body hanging on a spear with a note written in his blood.
"I was actually merciful to your friend here, if you continue to pester me, I will not be so merciful. If you want to indulge my cravings then please continue."
Despite the warning they continued towards the cave. The demon then attacked during the day rather then the night. They expected another night attack and were caught by surprise. Oxcross managed to grab Ferick and take him away. Ferick was horrifyed for he knew he would suffer a fate worse then death. Oxcross's lair was covered in skeleton's and other unidentifiable remains. Ferick was restrained by chains once more.
"I told them I would not be merciful." Oxcross bites into his shoulder. The pain erupts in Ferick as he screams in pain. " I do not want to kill you, oh no, not yet. Look like you have endured alot with scars like those." Oxcross inspects his body. "Endurance is key here my friend." He stabs a dagger into Ferick's hand. Ferick screams and yells, "You sick bastard." Oxcross gives a sadistic laugh. "You humor me well." He continues to laugh and stabs Ferick's other hand with a dagger.
Ferick moves with stride through the spectacle. He surely admires everything around him so far, but he is carrying drinks to have a little toast to his lovely wife. "I have brought drinks my dear." He smiles up at her, having to raise his head up to do so. This might be a strange sight for someone to call these two, man and wife. Love had no reason in Ferick's heart, only passion. She had much more reasoning than he had anyway in his whole life. "Let us toast to this wonderful event."
Dm Nightbringer, would you be fine if Ferick and Amaymon took the attached drawback for each other? Would you allow a additional trait for the drawback?
Pretty dark. Part 2 of the backstory will get a little more on the lighter side of things... hopefully...
Background Part 1:
Ferick was born to slave halfling parents in Cheliax. He was owned by a powerful noble family known as the Renaulds. The Renaulds were a fearsome family who owned their property with a iron fist. Many halflings were brutally murdered just so they can show their intimidation. They were rich enough to replace their losses, but the halfling were an important part of Renauld's workforce. If the halfling truly rebelled the Renauld's would lose their economic growth in Cheliax society. Some of the Renaulds acted out of fear and some acted out of pure cruelty. Clearly the institution of slavery brought out evil in their masters.
Ferick's mother, Alena, was lucky enough to be able to learn to read. She secretly taught Ferick how to read in common and halfling. Unfortunately for Ferick, there was not much education he could get. For the Renaulds did not want their slaves to be educated. His father, Tilian, was known as the fool in the circles of the Renaulds. He was whipped so many times for disobedience, but he was no fool. Tilian had a strong will and the greatest words that Ferick ever heard besides the words from his mom. "Orders are worth following, young one, know the rules so you can break them properly." Ferick made the best out of the cruelty.
When a young Renauld boy stuck a page in his face to make fun of his lack of reading, he read the page outloud to spite the Renauld boy. Terrible consequences came afterward as his father was flayed alive right before his eyes. Tillian's last words to Ferick are imprinted in his mind, "Find better rules to follow... my son. You deserve so much more than this."
The horror did not stop. Ferick was labeled as the new fool by the Renaulds. He was the representation of his father's misdeeds. They whipped him, worked him, and tried to break his spirit. The gauntlet was thrown down, but Ferick grew out of misery as a strong halfling. He long endured the torment as a way to remember his father. His mother snapped at him for this, but in way even she understood. Alena knew that if Ferick followed the same path as his father, He would be in a early grave.
To save her son, Alena brought her son to local tavern. There she found a human cleric of Sarenrae named Darenten Thorn. After much pleading Darenten took Ferick away to save his life. Alena knew that she soon was going to suffer same fate as Tillian, at least Ferick will never see her flayed alive.
Mechanically, This character will take one unbreakable fighter level, then take the rest of his levels in paladin. He is going to be a sword and board halfling paladin.
