Sapphire ignores the pain in her shoulder and shours a word of power
spells used: Greater invisibility, displacement, Force hook charge, storm step, blur x2, shield x2, shocking grasp
Valex, hope all goes well for you and your family moving in :) Melo... Is rugby a massive thing for NZ? O.o In every way shape and form!! It's the equivalent of football in the UK to the English, it's what everyone at work talks about! Long story short I've been to a few games because I was invited to corporate boxes, but I'm not really in to rugby or football so I'll watch the highlights so I have things to talk about at the office ;)
Konrad: no problem at all, I'll shoot you a PM next time I run a campaign :)
Aurora breathes a sigh of relief, eyes wearily turning to Conna, wary of her turning her own arcane might on the party. With no immediate threat, she nods almost imperceptibly and a smile creeps back on to her lips. I'm sure we can work out an agreeable truce, plenty of land to go around for everyone and all that! Besides, I think a period of time with each community looking to themselves to rebuild and decide on a sustainable future would be advantageous to all beings of reason who share these Varisian lands
Aurora nods at Lym That took all of us together, even with his quick demise let us not forget he was a powerful foe and fortune was on our side. Her eyes twinkle despite the dark shadows underneath them Though that being said, I've always had the idea in mind that one makes their own luck, with Desna smiling on you from time to time!
Ah but is it a dread gazebo?!
"I think that's a grand idea, lass. Once we get this place cleaned out, we'll have ta give that a shot," he nods. Aurora smiles Now that brings to mind a visit to Katapesh some years ago. I was visiting Weneschia Elvanna, no relation, a wonderfully talented second story artist who had a nasty habit of only stealing from other thieves. Some called her brash or elitist, out to prove she was the cat's whiskers, but I suspect she did it because it was easy. After all, who does a thief go to if they have their ill gotten gains stolen?! She smiles and glances around at each of you, a bemused expression on her face But I digress, I wanted Wenny to steal back an artifact for me, one that had been taken from the private museum in Kelesh who had hired me. The artifact was a petrified hand, purported to be that of some Osirion demi-god or other, left dust in its wake wherever it went. Anyway, I ended up having to present it back to the museum with a horde of Katepeshian jackal soldiers yapping at my heels. I dropped it in to the hands of the waiting curator, the man had a dreadful taste in music, Qadiran dirges would you believe? In any case I left him and his museum guards to tidy up the whole mess. Quite satisfying really and I earned this little trinket for my troubles... She rolls up the sleeve of her dainty, tattooed arm to reveal an intricately decorated gold arm clasp encircling her elbow. Why bring this up now? As Tomaru notes, I feel we ought to drop Mokmurian's head in Conna's lap and see what she wants to do with it, she'll have more of a head for stone giant politics than the lot of us put together, and she owes us...
Dolbey returns with a rake-thin man at his heels, homespun clothes hanging from his gaunt frame. He nods at you as he sweeps his long, braided hair back over his shoulders, resting a polearm with a curved metal blade against his chest. Ladies and gentlemen, may I present 'Wolf', our intrepid, nay fearless scout of the desert sands... able to survive for a week on a single drop of water, who can navigate blindfolded by smelling the stars, who wrestles giant sand bears for fun... Wolf sighs and looks at you all, then back to Dolbey I've told you before Dol, there's no such thing as sand bears, the sand sharks ate them all... Dolbey's mouth opens in mock horror, before he doffs his hat to Wolf. Safe travels friend, and you as well, may the gods or whatever is left of them smile upon you and your journey, and bring you all back safely when your task is done. He moves away a few paces so as to not crowd you as you get your things together. So anyone been in a desert before? enquires Wolf I'm not seeing much in the way of waterskins...
Daniel checks over the cryo pod he was found in, but it's state is similar to the others, the built-in locker has been removed by a powered tool of some kind and there is nothing of value left in the pod. Clara picks over the crates, but finds mostly empty ration wrappers and water containers. Konrad finds a handful of k-bars and water pouches that are unused, hidden under an upturned crate. He also spots a utility belt with a flashlight and radio holstered in the pouches... As he reaches forward, something moves in the shadows... ...sniffing and turning its head to and fro, a humanoid shape lurches towards you from where the pile of bodies is. The poor light doesn't allow you to get much of look, but his hair is matted and he is covered in grime. Long strips of ripped cryosuits hang from his body. He stops and regards you, whispering constantly under his breath Trapped, been trapped, been long, long, time is long, long trap...
First off thank you Eric for your feedback, as Black Dow noted: absolutely invaluable :) You are right about the lack of background information being notable, my initial idea I think was problematic. Despite the intent being to allow for newer players to just 'dive in', at least some background info is definitely needed to allow you the those points of reference as you suggested. It's a great idea to assist the PCs with making them 3d :) So let's start by answering some of those questions to set the scene better. I'll say as a caveat that I'm shooting from the hip so some of this might not hold up under close scrutiny, but it should help to set the scene a bit better. Timeline recent events:
Short range, intra-system personal spaceships are expensive but there are plenty around.
The Sol (home system) is pretty safe, it's well-patrolled and well-developed. SolSys is the government entity that looks after the 'inner colonies' as they're called. There are colonies out as far as Jupiter's moons, though currently the few way stations further out are resource limited compared to the inner systems, due to scarcity of solar power reaching out that far. Most colonies are set up under domes to protect against radiation, and terraforming happens under the domes, which are expanded every year.
Crime and piracy do exist, but it would be rare for a Goliath to be attacked as they're well-defended due to the heavy investment the owners make in them. Transit-wise, it's cheaper to freeze a passenger then ship them on a short-range ship to one of the departure points, so you could all have left different colonies and been placed on the same Goliath for the trip. The cryo-units are independently powered so can be transferred between ships. Humanity remains humanity, there is no panacea brought about by the advance of technology, the system-wide economy is still a capitalist structure, with the exception of some few colonies that are attempting to go it on their own, but it is difficult to be self-sustaining. Medical technology has advanced markedly, but people still die of old age, disease and 'misadventure'. Each inner colony has nominal authority but tithes to SolSys to cover law enforcement and administration. In an effort to encourage the spread of humanity between the stars, the outer colonies are currently not beholden to SolSys, so those wishing to make their own fortunes and carve out their own piece of sky tend to head there. Unfortunately the same holds true of criminals and other ne'er-do-wells who seek a new life away from their old. Additionally it has become a 'thing' for Sol criminals to be sentenced to indentured servitude in the outer colonies. In a nutshell, think Wild West...IN SPACE!!! Or the exile of British criminals/colonisation of Australia...IN SPACE!!! As per Black Dow's idea for Konrad's backstory, if you want your character to come from 'Geno station, orbiting Io, the renowned holiday destination for discerning scientists' then go for it! I'm accepting of you adding to the universe's lore, there's something of a good feel to the idea that you are helping to flesh out a universe that others will later play in (pending all goes well with the adventure :) As potentially the most important note...there are no psychotic and/or religious extremist/Cenobite/sanity-challenged groups known to exist at present, so no nasty Reavers to be quaking in your boots about ;) So there's your starter for 10 and I hope that gives a bit more depth. Keep those questions coming where you have curiosity about how something works, and between us we can fill out the back story :) I'll post these in the other campaign as well so they have more to go on!
The first thing you become aware of is the dull ache in your chest as lungs that haven't drawn breath in months are suddenly forced to life. You feel the full-body throb of your heart lurching and struggling to push the blood around your body once more. You're waking from stasis... As the grey-blackness of your vision clears a little, you're hit by the odours of damp metal and spilled oil, mingled with the acrid biting stench of the cryogenic liquids you've been depending on since you went in to suspended animation. Finally what's colloqially known amongst frequent travellers as the 'defrost cycle' completes, and you realise that it's still dark, the usual welcoming lights of a rejuvenation bay are dark. In fact, red flickers at the edge of your vision and as your hearing returns you realise things aren't all right, an emergency beacon of some sort is repeating over and over. Erik/Jedediah/Konrad:
Red flashes strobe across the canopy of the pod as it hinges open. Eyes blinking to adjust in the dim light, you can see a the walls and ceiling are made of dark metal, with the conduits and ventilation systems familiar enough to guess you are in a small cargo bay inside a freight hauler. There is a large airlock across from you with the inner doors closed and scraps of twisted metal jutting from between the joined doors.
Leaving the pod you almost mis-step as you realise your pod is suspended a couple of feet from the floor by a cargo hook. You can see 3 other chambers in a similar situation to yours, with shapes also clambering out, though the pod nearest the airlock seems to have stuck partway open. You can just make out a shape within.
Clara:
You press your hands against the canopy of the pod, the hydraulics protest with a whining noise but finally seem to relent and the lid swings open slightly before shuddering to a grinding halt with a loud bang as the stench of burned circuits fills the pod. The lid is open perhaps two inches, but refuses to budge any further no matter how much pressure you apply. You can hear movement outside the pod, dark shapes flit across the shrouded canopy...
For those that can't listen to sound right now...: Computer voice from loudspeaker: ...<SIRENS>..."Warning! Warning! This area is decompressing, evacuate to a pressurised area immediately."
I'm posting from the future! GMT +12 to be exact ;p
Around crunch... I've thought better of the whole 'let's create your character as you play!' concept, it's a one-shot adventure so good to know where you stand and what you can do before boot hits deck and all that. CharGen is still simple... pick a starting package, pick some skills, pick some perks and you're done. Nice and easy :) First gameplay post is written up and waiting in the wings, I'll post it as soon as you've all make your chargen crunch selections and posted them here! Any questions let me know! Oh and if the chargen turns in to a trainwreck then I'm going to claim this game is still in beta ;) In truth I trust you all to work with me and focus on telling a great story, we can do that whilst glossing over any rules discrepancies etc :)
OK thanks for your submissions all, recruitment is now closed. Final roster is here:
I never expected this to get so many entries, so thank you all for your interest :) I'll make my decision within 24 hours and post it up here.
Welcome to the recruitment thread for 'Towards the abyss', a sci-fi adventure using the Pathfinder rules. Wait...sci-fi?!
Pathfinder...IN SPACE!!!!?
OK, so... why!?
Right, so what's the setting then?
In a nutshell, mankind has reached outside the solar system to distant stars, driven by a lack or real estate on earth. Whilst there are colonies and space-stations in our solar system, there are also new (within the last couple of decades) outposts in other systems. Interstellar travel is slow but not terribly so. Transit is via 'sleeper ships' with the passengers in suspended animation, but the trip between systems only takes a few years due to *commences handwaving of actual physics involved* ;p DO also note he setting and adventure may feature content towards the more adult end of the spectrum (horror and complex situations where there might not be one right answer) so please be aware of this before signing up. How do we create characters!?
WAIT! Please read on before you close this tab! New players: Relax! No need to number crunch or learn dozens of rules before play, we'll start 'in media res' and you can feel free to ask questions about the mechanics as each situation comes up.
There are still a bunch of choices to make when generating your character which will guide what they're good at as the adventure develops. What you can expect from me
I try to update at least once a day and manage that most of the time :) I'm fair and open-minded, my mailbox is always open if you have questions either about rules or the game! My expectations of you
Once per day posting please (I reserve the right to boot you if you don't post for a week without telling me in advance!) Respect your fellow players and GM by contributing to the collaborative story rather than being disruptive for the sake of it :) Character creation:
So, your character submission should consist of the following: Name: Pick anything human you like Virtue: One word, something your character is proud of being (courageous, clever, ambitious, witty) Vice: One word, something your character is secretly ashamed of being (cowardly, angry, unforgiving, dismissive) Five questions for you to answer in character: Why did you need to board a bulk transport so quickly, taking only a single holdall with you? What are the three most important items in the holdall? If you came across men intimidating a woman and her child and extorting her for her ration card, what would you do? When under pressure and faced with a complicated problem, how do you react? What was the last thing going through your head before you went in to cryosleep? No need to create an alias, just post your submission in a spoiler :)
I am looking for FOUR players, and to start with I'll pick the four with the most evocative answers that give me a great picture of your character. If you do miss out then don't forget if things go well I'll be running this again! No idea how popular this will be, but if there's enough demand I'd also consider running two tables. If there's enough interest where selection has to be made I'll do that next Friday 3rd March at noon GMT, with the aim to have the first gameplay post up Sunday noon. Feel free to ask questions as I'm bound to have forgotten things!
Sapphire speaks a word, and for a moment the air is still, then the lightning arcing across her blade erupts in to spidered strands that play upon the ceiling and floor, casting the room in alien shadows. Spinning in place impossibly fast, her blade dips and whirls, stabbing and slicing the apparition even as it tries to dance away from her.
spells: 3rd - displacement, force hook charge, storm step, vampiric touch 2nd - bladed dash, bladed dash, blur, blur, mirror image 1st — burning hands, shield, shield, shocking grasp, shocking grasp,
He doesn't need any more encouragement !
Valex's caution proves insightful, even with the dim light from the faerie fire, he is able to discern several small and suspicious openings in the mosaic that have corresponding marks against the opposite wall, definitely some form of mechanical trap. Crouching down he is able to point out three areas on the floor between the stone door and the plinth holding the bowl that will likely trigger the trap. The surface of the stone itself is rough to Lilith's delicate touch, but the mosaic itself seems made of polished glass so smooth it seems to be flawless. The geometric shapes represent the classic elements, they are presented as a circle scribed across the whole wall, to the far end of the corridor and back again. Whilst the traditional 'water dominating fire, fire dominating air etcetera' motif is well known to you, there also appear to be lesser known elements represented; 'mud', 'lava', 'dust' and 'steam'. Lilith's spell causes the shapes to glow very faintly with divination magic. Lenneth's spell reveals runic script written on the wall near the bowl. Though some of the words used in the script are a little... 'strange' you put it down to the changes in language since this place must have been built so long ago.[/ooc]
Why is it wherever we go Del, you're falling at the feet of strange women!? Sapphire darts forward, blade flashing at the closest of the animated wooden statues.
Ah thanks Flynn :) It wasn't too bad in Dunedin at all to be honest, I actually slept through it. I saw some pics of the roads up near Canterbury where bridges and roads have massive cracks in them, so there's quite some damage up there. For us, we just had the mother of all rain storms, but all in all things are fine :)
Not much can be seen underneath the thin white cotton of the hooded robe worn by the woman as she walks down the sidewalk. Oversize black sunglasses and stylish blue headphones almost distract from her odd skin tone, and the voluminous folds of the robe conceal the figure-hugging black club-wear bodysuit that clings to her like spray paint. Seeming to stare only at the pavement in front of her, she still deftly avoids the throng of people on the pavement as the mass of humanity surges around her. Pausing for a moment in the shadow of a phonebooth, the chaos of the city streets is juxtaposed with the soaring, melodic ambient beats resonating through her headphones. A far cry from the... what did they call it?... 'Progressive House' she was still spinning a few hours ago for the clubgoers still standing after so many hours. Sometimes she wondered whether they knew her name because of her mixing skills, or the legend that she didn't sleep. She grinned, legacy of an alien physiology, she only needed a couple of hours rest but now was not the time. She needed sustenance and entertainment. She was eager to catch up on the local and global news and discover whether there has been any more sightings of new gifted, and what those in NYC were up to. SHIELD had yet to really do more than put a roof over her head, and she wanted to be ready, clued up and full of information, for when they finally did come calling and asking her to do something. Stepping around a large group of businessmen engrossed in their conversations about whatever 'stock options' were, she heads for her regular news stand to grab a paper, when raised voices from the nearby ice cream parlor drew her attention. Hot heads on a hot day, I expect they ran out of that frozen milk they seem to enjoy.... Glancing over she sees a woman she thinks she recognises from the SHIELD lab. Margaret? Madrigal? Sensing the potential for trouble, she glides over and takes a closer look, twisting to avoid a bike messenger that seems to have appeared from nowhere as he moves past her at speed.
Nodding at Lym's suggestion, Aurora braves a quick smile in the wizard's direction before turning her attention back to the scarf. I once met a halfling lass with a propensity for violence matched only by her love of ale, she claimed to have near twenty blades on her at any given time! Noting Thordak's response she smiles Astonishing I know! I questioned her on it the one time, and out they all came, from scabbards and boots, at knape of neck and up sleeves. Even one from behind her belt buckle would you believe! I counted up to eighteen and raised an eyebrow, she just smiled and reached up to her hairpin, her auburn hair tumbled down around her shoulders and made many raise their tankards in appreciation, but none stepped forward to try their charms, as that silver and crystal haircomb unfolded in to the wickedest looking dagger I'd ever seen! Her eyes go wide at the recollection and she chuckles. And I know what you'll ask me next Master Ironheart never fear! she ploughs on through the conversation, supplying the dwarf's part to relieve him of the burden somewhat ...what about the last blade, her twentieth? Well she told me a lady's got to have some secrets to keep up her mystique! She grins and then turns to the rest of the group. Now, if we've managed to Storval Stairs, I should think we might press on once we've had a chance to rest and regain the travel magic we employed to get here. Unless we can do another stage of the journey before needing time to replenish our energies? She glances at Lym and Tomaru, smiling politely.
Argh, 3rd laptop to die on me this year! *rages* Apparently the motherboard has filed a restraining order against the hard drive's partition table *sighs* Should be able to borrow one tomo :s
Aurora stares up miserably at the Hound Archon, not even mustering a reply. As Thordak hurriedly approaches her, her gaze fixates on him like a drowning man's would on land. Her small hand reach out to grasp his sleeves, the intricate script tattoos encircling her body writhe in agitation like smoke from a greenwood fire. Master Ironheart, that poor man... I accidentally caught him with my spell... she stares imploringly in to Thordak's eyes I didn't see him... I just reacted to the giants... she buries her head in her hands and leans against the dwarf, her small body wracked with sobs.
Del, take a look at the loot spreadsheet as is up to date aside from the most recent spoils, and should show any gear we have spare as I try to keep tabs on who has what!
Midnight swoops down to land across from Kraven, tilting her head to the side. Analysis of our long-range telemetry and archival database led me to believe you were taller... she shrugs and waits for the rest of her team to arrive as she quickly scans the area for additional threats and hazards.
That's it, smile and nod, keep moving like you know where you're going and you have every right to be walking there Lucetta deftly maneuvers the others through the graveyard, for all the world looking like they are there to visit the professor's grave. So... if we get asked about this, we're here to pay our respects to the professor which for those of you not used to bending the truth, we kind of are because we're carrying out his wishes... After pausing at the grave for a respectful while, Lucetta points off deeper in to the graveyard and now, I your companion, who you want to keep happy, has just expressed her desire to take more of a look around, because I love old graveyards, and like to look at all the headstones and mausoleums etcetera etcetera. as the group nears the mausoleum with the gargoyles, Lucetta runs off ahead making excited noises, for all the world looking like she's just found something amazing. She breaks out some parchment and starts sketching even as the others catch up. ...and so this is a good reason for us to hang about here for a while, and I'm going to give this place the once over and make sure there's nothing nasty waiting for us when we try to open the door She circles the mausoleum looking at the walls, roof, door and lock, practiced eyes searching for needles, triggers, markings, anything that could signify a trap or alarm.
Eyes still fixed on the sword, Sapphire answers softly Yes Corum... it's the sword... not the cold iron blade Elleross, the black blade from Logrivich's tower... I'm sorry for shouting like that, it was such a shock, it seemed to burst in to my head like a flood. Images and sounds and memories not my own... She stands, more composed now I think I've blocked it out somewhat, I can feel it there, pressing... she picks up a cup and pours some water, sipping it and visibly relaxing again. She accepts the blade as Elleross offers it to her, strapping the sword belt back on in a practiced, almost ritualistic manner. Readying herself, she grasps the hilt of the dark-metal blade and draws it forth, taking care to point it at the floor. Her head tilts backwards and forwards as she frowns in concentration What?... the last word is directed at the sword as she stares with suspicion etched across her face. After a moment her eyes widen in surprise and she grins, before abruptly looking serious again ..no, no I wasn't laughing. I'll introduce you... yes, just like you asked.. she turns to the assembled group, glancing at Del and whispering so everyone can hear You said it Del, this isn't the strangest situation we've ever been in, but I do rank it up there... she glances at the sword Yes ok she clears her throat dramatically Dear friends, I have the pleasure to introduce... she pauses and gets her words in the correct order "Requiem of Winter, Dusk's lament, Edge of night, the song of fallen snow..." she falters and stares at the sword again ok I've decided, I can't even pronounce your proper name, I'm not even sure humanoids are capable of making the right sounds... she considers it for a heartbeat, then nods to herself I think... I think I'll call you 'Snowfall' her head jerks back as if she's been struck, and she glares full force at the blade Now let's get this straight from the start, talkative you might be, and yes I'm very impressed with how many foes you have slain, you are sure to be very useful in the tasks we have set before us, but... and it's a big one... swords need to be wielded, and if you shout at me like that again i'll leave you in your scabbard to rust... she waits for a moment, before nodding with satisfaction and sheathing the weapon once more. Glancing back up her gaze flicks between the others present. She shrugs Sorry, I think this is going to take some getting used to...
Aneira nods as Djebelle comes on board and approaches her. Completely understandable, think nothing of it Djebelle. she eyes the human woman and then shrugs For what it's worth I agree with you, walking up to Kara and acting like she expected me too certainly got me nowhere and was completely the behaviour she expected from an Alliance intelligent agent... she maintains her gaze for a few seconds, leaving her comment hanging there for a moment before raising a hand to point at the chip in Djebelle's hand I'm happy to take a look... she sits cross-legged on one of the couches and hooks up her slicing gear to the chip, giving it her full attention. Computers GYY = 3 successes, 1 advantage, 1 Triumph The complexity of the chip's encryption is akin to an ancient puzzlebox, layers of data looping around and intertwining with traps to delete the data contents or even create a code feedback loop to damage an unwary slicer's gear. Looking at it from this perspective greets Aneira with nothing but a plascrete wall, no way to break through. So she cheats. The others see nothing more than a look of stern concentration as the devaronian woman's fingers fly across the keys, but on the screen she shifts the scan matrix of her deck to see how the data is flowing, not where it's going to or coming from. Streams if incandescent alphanumerics scroll across her screen looking like her machine has crashed, yet... there! Eyes widening in glee, she sees the moment where one piece of code passes information to another as it finishes its subroutine, running a self-check to ensure it hadn't been changed. Aneira sets to work. Five minutes later she has crafted a jury-rigged program that slides in between the security code snippets, transparently passing code to and fro as it simply waits and learns. Aneira checks her work and for the first time in a quarter of an hour, glances back up at Djebelle. I think I might have something... She waits for the woman to come over, then slides the screen around with a smile on her face. At Djebelle's blank look she glances back and sees the screen still full of random code. Ah sorry! She reaches over and types a final command, the code responding like it was a living creature, pulsating with segments shifting, mutating and finally fading away completely to reveal a folder structure with the data files all finally visible. The screen is left showing a single box with the message 'Display files Y/N?'. Aneira gestures with a sweep of her hand It's your data, feel free to borrow my gear if you want to take it somewhere more private
Aneira makes no attempt to be subtle as she approaches Kara. She sits down and nods at the Chiss. Hello Kara Savyn, Lieutenant, formerly 3rd Commando... Her orange eyes are watchful as she sits in as unthreatening a posture as she can muster. So you won't know me, but I do know you, or at least as much of you as fits in to a couple of hours slicing Imperial databases and reading Alliance reports... She watches as Kara's hands move methodically over the gun parts, gleaming trigger mechanism snapping in to the blaster housing. This was an important undertaking for the Alliance and you had ample opportunity to sabotage the retrieval of the starfighters, more than that, if you were a spy you could have done so and still maintained your cover She follows the gun barrel as it slides in to the receiver with a click. You are a shrewd woman, with talent that we could use, if you wanted to put it to use for a cause that is The stock kaleidoscopes in to the handle, locking in place with a twist. This has been more words than I usually speak in an entire conversation, I'll leave you in peace if you'd prefer... The question hangs in the air as the energy chamber is slammed home and the charging handle depressed, the whine as the power cells energise confirming the blaster is fully functional once more. The gun lies on the table, pointed straight at Aneira. She ignores it and waits for an answer...
Farasha, perceptive as she is despite being woken in the middle of a nice dream, notes Arlena hovering at the doorway. Sidling back some away from the main focus of the group in the tent, she sticks an arm out and grabs the tiefling's sleeve, gently pulling her in to the tent to stand behind her. She leans back and whispers You I trust, I saw your soul when we first met, and you've done nothing to prove me wrong yet! After all if you're accompanying us on our daring secret mission, you shouldn't be missing out on whatever's going on here... She flicks her hair behind her ears and winks at Arlena.
There is silence over the intercom as 5's words hang in the air, before Valkyr's voice murmurs from the speakers once more ...I am female. And in possession of these 'wiles'... *beat* ...I just prefer the company of things with long barrels and power packs...
The confrontation with Ravel is what stays with me, when you start to get answers as to exactly who, and what, you were/are! An outstanding game end to end, I've not met it's like in all the years since :s
Hi GM, you might be pleased to discover my google of 'Shackled City players guide' led me here in my search for more information about the setting :) Great to have such an in depth resource available :D
What kind of player you are? I've been RPing for 20 years, but PbP'ing for only a couple. I've found the medium is absolutely great for communal storytelling, and that's the aspect of roleplaying I enjoy the most, where everyone is contributing to weave an exciting, dramatic story. Rather than creating a character I want to play then shopping for campaigns, if a game inspires me I create a character based on the inspiration I get from reading the recruitment post. I try to make them flawed, slight twists to the usual concepts and having histories with plenty of plot hooks. I believe pace and momentum is very important to a PbP game, and so continued commitment from players and GM is paramount to succeeding with a long-term campaign. What is your favourite campaign setting? Birthright has a special place in my heart. Horribly unbalanced from a mechanical perspective, but as one of the spiritual ancestors of Kingmaker (at least I like to think so!) it was one of the first settings to deal with characters both adventuring and ruling their domains. Have you ever played or read partially or completely the Shackled City before? Heard of it but never read or played it before. What made you decide to apply? After confirming one of my other games has drifted to a halt, I wanted to look at the options available in the recruitment thread. Your introduction was gripping and I like the idea of creating a group as a teamwork exercise. I also saw several players applying that I know have a nose for a good campaign (you know who you are!). Plus, having read your GM expectations, I wanted nothing more than to steal them to use myself. That kind of sold the whole package :)
Eyes blinking furiously to adjust to the change in light levels, Valkyr brings up her blaster and triggers a salvo of bolts at the guard...
Despite the snap shot, Valkyr's trained mind and razor sharp reflexes leave her weapon pointed dead on, point blank, and the burst of bolts tears through the unfortunate guard, who hadn't even time to raise his own weapon Even as the thug's body tumbles to the ground, Val scoops up his blaster and kicks the manual override lever on the big gun's rotary platform. Get to the 'hopper!!! she shouts at the others The lithe selonian grabs the blaster turret and strains, and it begins to rotate in place, rotary bearings squealing with displeasure. Once the weapon is pointing back at the workshop doors, she places an appreciative hand on the oversize barrel. It's a shame our time together is so short, I'd have loved to have gotten to know you better... she strokes the weapon fondly, before grabbing hold of the aiming handles and wrestling the weapon to point at the stonework of the palace above the open door. You might not be powered, but you do have one shot left in your capacitors... Glancing backwards to ensure everyone else is out of range, she holds her breath and pulls the trigger. There is a sensation of pressure, then the crackling sizzle of ozone as a gigantic bolt of emerald energy blazes forth from the gun emplacement, hammering in to the palace wall and causing the outside to crack with a ear-shattering . Almost as if moving in slow motion, the shattered stone sloughs off the roof and cascades in an avalanche down across the doorway, blocking any chance of pursuit through the doors. Valkyr nods in satisfaction even as she gets coated in a wave of stone dust, turning and sprinting towards the ship and praying that Rae has had time to warm it up for an immediate getaway.
:O Elleross! I am somewhat shamed by your declaration >.< Please consider all past compliments about your memory palace posts to heretofore be doubled in magnitude!
Thanks for the awards GM :) Loved the bit about the 'fake Oni attack', that mama-san is on to something there, we'll have started a whole new annual tradition now :p
Mallis and Lachen's easy camaraderie seems to have quieted the girls, Valex's shout for help has revealed the location of the group to those above. Melo's nose wrinkles in disgust at the overwhelming stench of dead flesh and decay there is down here.
Lenneth and Indigo avoid her concealed web spell easily despite their vision being impaired, holding their breaths they listen intently, and manage to catch the sound of something scraping along the floor somewhere nearby... the sound continues, now slightly fainter... it seems to be moving away...
The Hippogriff plunges down in to the darkness of the trench in front of Lilith, where she heard her companions shout out. Those below hear the flurry of beating wings, then the ground shakes from an impact of some sort and there is a piercing bird-like cry from somewhere very nearby, followed by silence. Lilith feels her connection with the creature vanish. There is a sound akin to something heavy striking the floor down in the trench right by the group, it's probably the rope Lilith was talking about...
Thanks for the great observation Monica, that's a wonderfully positive thing to say :) Also, that's the first time I'd seen that link, I was laughing all the way through :D
Hi :) Offering my item up for critique, I've already gotten some pointers from reading the reviews on other items here (should have alphabetised the spell requirements!) so this thread has already helped! Thanks in advance for any feedback :) * Snowfall
When used to successfully strike a creature, as a swift action the wielder can expend a memorized spell or spell per day slot to have that creature sheathed in a layer of frost, causing them to become entangled for a number of rounds equal to the level of spell used to activate this ability. A creature immune to cold damage is immune to this effect. The wielder has Fire Resistance 5 whilst holding the sword, as the weapon hungrily drinks in the warmth around it, the hilt always ice-cold to the touch. Creatures native to the Plane of Fire, with the Fire Creature template or vulnerability to cold have a particular dislike of this weapon, and where possible will always choose to target the wielder with their attacks over any other opponent. Construction
Well done all, some great items made the top 32, well earned places all :)
Well done Paizo for continuing to show transparency where possible about the whole process, successful or not I've learned a whole lot again this season about game and item design both from a real world 'deadline/crunch' and a 'fluff/what makes an item superstar?' perspective :) I'm GMT +12 here in NZ and about to go to sleep, when I wake up (presuming no overnight company apocalypse as I'm on call!) the decisions will have been made and posted :s All the best to everyone who's still in the running, and mecha thanks to those in the community who toiled over the 'items seen' spreadsheet so we know who that is! Right then... night night! *crosses fingers*
Just popping in here to say thanks PA for setting up this thread and the doc. Also thanks to KC and all of the other contributors as well :) I'm sure your efforts save many of us from stress-related injuries as otherwise we'd be waiting to see our items come up on screen for voting on! You guys are awesome :D
As Euron reaches out, blue-white energy arcs between him and the crystal sliver, and a steady stream of light begins to grow in the pillar, slowly spreading outwards and upwards. The energy glows around an outline of the keep itself, etched in to the rock and surrounded by eldritch runes. There is a pressure in the air, the runes around the room exerting a pull. Dark ribbons of cold void snake from the arcane patterns throughout the underground, seeking the living to nourish them, coiling around Ashleigh as she stands mute in the chamber with you, lashing the back of Mallis' neck as he desperately tries to get the last of the climbers down from the ladder and out of Flynn's path as the halfling barges the frightened people aside. Multiple tendrils reach out to Tabitha as she grips Shayliss' hand with desperate strength, as her baby comes and she screams in terror as a tendril drops down towards them, a wave of fatigue washes over everyone as energy starts to be pulled from your bodies... ...and yet, the tendrils of black/blue energy turn away, withdrawing as the darker and thicker connections between Euron and the pillar become more and more solid. Euron's very visage starts to become suffused with a white-gold glow as he opens his power fully as a conduit between the realms, flooding the device with as much power as it can take... ...and yet, there is something wrong, the outline of the keep only glows underneath, the power is building but there is nowhere for it to go, the pressure builds as the very air becomes charged, hair stands on end and the runes glow like hurricane lanterns. Something is blocking the flow! ...there is strange, primal scream of laughter from above, that could only have come from Lives. A huge follows, and stones fall from the ceiling to be swallowed by the darkness in the pit, there are the faint echoing thuids of something large moving across the hall's flagstones and out of the keep, and suddenly the blockage is gone... ...bright light bursts everywhere, and power explodes upwards throughout the stone keep, blue-white energy cracks the stone, forcing a path up the walls and through the ceilings, smothering the very bones of the castle in energy, sheathing it in a glittering curtain of lightning and stars, all played out in the outline before you on the pillar above Euron's glowing form. The light reaches the top of the tower, far above where Mallis used to sit on lookout, higher even than Skyfall's perch, up to the highest point of where the tallest tower used to be, and hanging there for a heartbeat... ...and then whiteness, love, hope, reassurance all wash through you as the nebulous power joins your perceptions to each other as you feel-sense-see the effect that the energy erupting outwards is having. The blast scything through the hordes of undead surrounding the hill, zombies crumple to the grass on which they stood, skeletons turn to dust and blow away on the divine wind, larger reanimated creatures slowly keel over and are gone at last to their final rest, their necromancer masters fallen writhing to the floor and clutching to their heads as the power of light scours their minds of black thoughts... ...just outside the keep amid a pile of broken zombies, arm jammed in the eye-socket of his last giant foe, in his last moments of consciousness, Lives feels the presence of his friends, and the pain of his wounds drifts away as he closes his eyes and lets go, secure that he bought the community enough time to survive...and then he's gone... ...the blanket of white fades slowly, and your consciousness returns to your own bodies. You feel simultaneously energised and yet tired to the bone. The runes in the chamber are only faintly glowing now, but even in the dim light, you can see Euron's body lying before the pillar, a serene final smile etched upon his usually so serious features... He...he saved us all...and we...we thought nothing but ill of him! Ashleigh sobs, crying inconsolably. There is a sudden wail, a cry of need, the sound of a newborn baby entering the world. Whisper, who moments ago was bowing her head in thanks to Euron, lifts her head and moves swiftly towards the corridor where Shayliss lies. The earth suddenly shakes, and the ceiling above you sounds like it is about to split, cracks appear across the stone, floor, walls and ceiling. On the great pillar, the outline of the keep is fading, but its clear to see what runes there were signifying the tower and first floor have just gone dark. There is an ominous groaning noise as more dust cascades down from the roof. Flynn is covered in a deluge of grey dust as something up above the stone chimney where the ladder led collapses, and several chunks of smaller stones arrive in a deluge of masonry, giving just enough warning for him to get out of the way before two huge blocks smash down and fill the small chute, closing it off. The power seems to have been too much for the old structure, the stone is crumbling, there is likely not much time before the whole place collapses in on itself...
Lucetta smiles as she watches Albrέkt move to the captain to reward him for his service to the knot, and as soon as the wretched warrior summons his powers to harm the man, Lucetta is already speaking words of power and blowing a kiss with each hand towards the captain and his crew.
Hearing the cackling from above and seeing the rain of magic, Lucetta frowns. Throwing her hands to the sides and placing one gently against some rigging, she suddenly rises upwards at a rapid pace.
Lucetta steels herself for whatever she'll find at the top of the mast.
Welcome to our merry band of ne'er do wells!
Sapphire swears as the enemies flood in to the room, breaking in to a sprint and thanking her stars that she has swapped her blade for one of cold iron only a few minutes ago.
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