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Kikala, are you fine with using your forum picture as your token or do you have something else that you'd like me to have a go at converting for use? Yep, I'm fine with the forum picture, which was one of two tengu icons available (grumble). Please note I've not landed on a name yet - Kikala sounds to much like this old commercial (sound on) in my mind, so I'm probably changing it before the edit window closes. Good luck with the prep, GM - sounds like a lot!
My main issue with the Stamina is that it "eats" the Con-HP, leaving you with a very small actual health pool that makes you dependent on Stamina. I'd be more eager to try if the HP pool was the larger part and Stamina a kind of "tacked-on buffer". Thank you for articulating this. This bothered me too but I couldn't ever really figure out exactly why. I like Mordred's suggestion. Well, Granny is starting to take shape. Apparently she was an Ulfen Raider in her youth. Neat! My bird looks forward to meeting Granny :) Rik'Tik is update with new and improved stats and a new skill (Lore: Scouting). He has 18 Str and Dex now, so he could go melee or ranged as needs require. Only thing left to add is a bonus background from AV, which I'll tack on later. Nice character!
@Chicken: Interesting background all the way. Chamidu is also a highly appropriate choice for spoiler reasons. OK, excellent! And yes, the Osprey Club would absolutely use that particular belief regarding healing to their benefit. That said, though, Yinyasmera strikes me as very much of a quid-pro-quo sort. Not necessarily out of any sort of innate goodness or decency, mind, but because it keeps things smooth and trouble-free if everyone gets something out of the arrangement (though, naturally, the Osprey Club gets more on its end). So with that in mind, how would your flock benefit? I mean, you mention that there's some payment being given, but money isn't a major concern either. I had envisioned that the Osprey Club pays, just very little. It is not an equal relationship by any means, and by and large the tengu don't care very much that it is. But maybe there is something else there, I'll think on this some more. Also, you are aware that there's a tengu in Otari, right? The owner/proprietor of Crow's Casks, to be specific. How does the flock get on (or not) with her? She's utterly absorbed in her passion of inventing new types of booze (and collecting existing types, too, she doesn't discriminate). No, I wasn't aware! That's excellent. I'll think on what this means for my tengu clan, but my first thought is that the clan views their "city" brethren with polite bemusement/befuddlement and vice/versa. I feel bad for the proprietor; she's probably constantly explaining how she's not related to weirdos that live in the woods. Considering logging in general, does the flock have problems with it? It's the key industry in Otari, with three of its foremost families deeply involved in it and most likely anyone who isn't fishing to earn their living logging instead. So that could easily brew up into a nasty conflict there. But if it's more "leave this tree alone," and the flock is willing to otherwise ignore--(or even work with in some way, such as providing their healing or acting as logger guides/guards--Otari's loggers, that could lead to a much less antagonistic relationship. This is a great question and one I'll give some more thought on. I had envisioned they are only concerned with "their" tree, not the rest of them. I like the idea of them being involved in some way with logging, will think on this some more. Thanks for some really good feedback and questions - this all takes this PC to some really nice places!
Re: stamina/resolve, this is basically the same ruleset as with Starfinder as I recall it, so I've got some experience with it. It is fine in my opinion. It has been a moment since that game ended and I don't have the best memory, so there is that caveat. I played a mystic with cure spells (for hp) and very rarely used them, because fights often didn't get to the point where they were needed. Our player with the ability to bolster stamina in combat, however, was much more active on that front. I didn't find that the system changed much in terms of description. In the end things were still described in terms of hits with all the attendant gore, etc. So, in that game at least, there was little RP difference. Re: bookkeeping, there is more to keep track of, but I didn't feel as if it was honorous in any way. (and as an aside, like rdknight I also rarely play pet classes because dear gods no, the bookkeeping, the bookeeping...) Stamina/resolve did make things feel a little more "gamey" to me, for lack of a better word, as most fights kind of went pewpewpew, stop and take a breather, rinse and repeat. I'm pretty neutral on the idea, and am fine adopting stamina / resolve (or not).
With that out of the way, I'm actually interested to see what sort of background a fighter built around that would have. Well, it is less fighter and more fanatical family of tengus that live in the swamps/cliffs/forests nearby to Otari; they guard a local sacred tree from loggers and are both animist and worshippers of Chamidu (which is why this flock ended up near Otari to begin with - their ancestors stopped here in their search for the Kalpavendi). As worshippers of Chamidu, they can't refuse to treat an illness, something the local thief's guild has glommed onto, turning that relationship into a cheap source of healing. Though their avian nature can be offputting, the tengu family is little concerned with money, and through their relationship with the local guild, many of the poorer townsfolk now use them for medical services. I plan on leaning into their avian nature quite a bit, and as the family is shaping up to be pretty animist/totemic in my mind, may go barbarian over fighter. I absolutely loved the 1st ed. Inquisitor, but there's no analogous class in 2e. Yes! This is a total bummer IMO, and a role that needs to be filled. From looking at forum questions and answers, the consensus seems to be that non magical healing is quite good in 2e. It is mostly limited to out of combat use though. It just takes the skill investment in medicine and perhaps a couple of skill feats. In combat healing is mostly magic. Yeah, it seems like it would be limited to one in-combat heal per person per day, if I'm understanding things correctly? At least in the early going. So, potions for emergencies then... That said, there's no reason you should feel like you're obliged to handle healing. My Rogue will have lots of skill boosts and will be trained in medicine. I might be feat starved, not sure, but I could handle some of the healing as well. I don't feel obliged at all - it fits my backstory quite nicely (as it is shaping up in my head at least)!
Neat character concepts. Thanks for the input, rdknight. I've got a concept kicking around in my head that will heal and frontline, but I just need to work the mechanics out. I've been looking at the warpriest and may go that route, but man, it just leaves me cold a bit. Druid would actually work wonderfully, but the frontline druid archetype seems to be the wildshape one, and 2e doesn't have natural spell for some reason, which makes healing and frontlining an either/or proposition, which I am not wild about either. How would folks feel about a fighter or barbarian with the field medic background and medic archetype? Would that offer enough healing to keep us on our feet?
Hi everyone, nice to see y'all again :) Mordred, thanks for letting us camp out here in discussion for a bit. Sam, thanks for running this game. 14
I don't know much about 2e, but this seems doable! So we have: * rdknight: rogue (possibly)
I'm not familiar with 2e enough to understand what all these classes do. What do you think we're missing in terms of roles? Perhaps a healer? Maybe a frontliner? What roles duplicate well? Like, is it a good idea to have two textbooks, or two frontliners, or more than one healer?
Happy holidays, everyone!
and Darwin is, well, Darwin. What does this mean? Merely that Darwin is far removed from the rest of the cities, or something else? I had to look up funnelwebs, never heard of them before. Wild. We have black widows here, which I've thankfully never been bitten by - they love avocado trees and we find them in the ones in our backyard. Here, it is black widows, mountain lions (which will attack you if they feel threatened - happens on occasion to early morning hikers and joggers in the more remote areas), and rattlesnakes, who sun themselves on concrete and get aggressive during mating season - a student on our campus stepped on one last summer; it thankfully didn't bite her. Stingrays are in our bay, so it behooves swimmers to shuffle their feet when getting in the water as they lay in the sand in the bay's calmer waters. And there's an occasional shark citing, though bites are very rare. I think I'd like to see Australia's Northwest. I suspect it is more remote than the most remote stretches of the American West, which still have a decent amount of traffic on the main roads, even I-70, which is the highway I was referring to earlier. It’s said to be one of the most desolate stretch of highway on the Interstate system. For more than 100 miles, from Green River to Salina, you won't find a single gas pump, soda machine or toilet. One hundred and six consecutive miles of no towns. Or exits for that matter. Once you start there’s no legal way to turn around. I-70 in Utah is one of the few roadways that doesn’t actually pass through any major cities. In the whole America’s interstate highway system there is no longer stretch of blacktop without services than the one between Green River on the east and Salina on the west right here in Utah. This stretch of I-70 and east through the Colorado river gorge is one of the most stunning drives in the US - highly recommend to anyone if they ever get the chance.
Thank you, we're on the mend. So I don't think anyone has any cold iron. Our working theory is that Vorkstag is a skin stealer and has been mistaken for the Beast, IIRC?
Hi there! I'm back in town and digging through things. I'd like to participate but I'm going to need a few days to get caught up on work and games. I think I'll go with a straight fighter. Former failed Red Maiden (just out of training when the events of CotCT happen). Looking for a new start and a bit of coin/self worth.
Hope it was a nice visit, GM!
I built my PC out as an Aberrant Mind sorcerer last night. Will build him out as a Warlock and see if I like the build better and will have something final very soon.
Stuff about Eldritch Blast. Thanks for clarifying, and that makes a lot of sense for why people go the pew pew route and for the design intent behind it.
Oh, OK - I'm sorry, I thought you were playing a sorcerer, Jereru. I'll wait until I hear what you land on. My concept is pretty open in terms of class so I'm not too invested in having to play anything, and I'd prefer not to step on anyone's toes that already has a defined concept. The main things I'm going for are: mad scientist's apprentice turned monster trope (can be achieved with the reborn lineage), investigator type (can be achieved with skills), and preferably mechanics that enable being "helpful" for lack of a better word. (EDIT: I should note that the 5e bard leaves me cold for some reason, so I probably won't be going that route) You make a good point about the cards. I interpreted some of the cards reflecting on my PC's former master rather than the PC himself. I could always flip the rage card around in some way. Aeshuura, I hear you. Our university starts up next week as well, and I think things will be extra bananas this year. Question: Why is Eldritch Blast a trap?
Oh, please don't change your concept on my account, mishima! I've played a bit of 5e martial types so I'm hoping that the basic concepts come back quickly and that the warlock won't be too much of an adjustment!
Are there rules for the Artificer online? I haven't seen it show up on an SRDs. I thought of going beserker barb but we have one and I don't want to step on Xune's toes. Second skin is certainly an option - thanks for suggesting this! I'll think some more on that and if there's nothing on the Artificer I can access, I'll probably end up going Reborn Tome Warlock with Second Skin.
OK, I've thought through some things and read a bit from the new Ravenloft book, and the PC is coming together. I'll get some crunch and an alias up very soon. Background Tax collector: Corruption; honesty in an otherwise corrupt government or organization The Doctor was a severe man, but honest. Given to fits of pique and rage, he'd withdraw into the upper reaches of his demesne for days at a time, perhaps weeks. These were the darkest times, for I would have to manage the household staff, guessing at what my mercurial master would most want. Still, we could have all been treated much worse - the Lords and Ladies of Borca are cruel folk, and those of us not so lucky to be born into their world can suffer greatly for their diversions. I consider myself lucky to be part of the Doctor's household, for he cared little of the games of his family, and had no stomach of cruelty for cruelty's sake. Homeland Dictator: All that is wrong with government and leadership; those who rule through fear and violence Borca's tenement filled city, Levkarest, is for better or worse my home. I know its stinking streets, dark and dangerous, like I know my own mother's callousness. Which is to say, too well. Class Philanthropist: Charity and giving on a grand scale; those who use wealth to fight evil and sickness The Doctor was a good man in his own way. While others cared little for what hides in Levkarest's shadows, he cared a great deal. Hours upon hours upon days upon days were spent uncovering - and ending, the silent threats of Levkarest. In the end, it was one of those threats - that I assume - got him. I awoke, barely alive, on the operating table in his hidden basement, the Doctor gone, the rest of the household's staff dead. And so I look for my disappeared master, the man who gave me focus and saved my life. I wish I could say I'm a good man.
Dark Gift Donjon: Isolation and imprisonment; being constrained by the rigidity of one’s own thoughts or beliefs I awoke on the operating table myself and not myself. My body appears to have been stitched back together, long scars covering my arms, torso, and neck. Whispers crowd my mind, sometimes loud and clear, often hissing, syllibent, in the back of my head. Something is stuck inside me.
Flaw Beast: Great rage or passion; something bestial or malevolent hiding in plain sight or lurking just below the surface The whispers overtake me, especially in stressful or dangerous situations. i remember little; the rage grabs hold and won't let go. Ideal Ghost: The looming past; the return of an old enemy or the discovery of a secret buried long ago
Man, that stretch from Bodega Bay to Jenner is one of the most beautiful drives in the entire country. And Spud Point Crab Company is phenomenal. I'm tempted to submit just so my PC could hang out there :) Thinking of either a wood kineticist (legal) pot farmer or a pyrokineticist fire fighter on leave after miraculously surviving a fire inland (and picking up their abilities on the way). --- Its tempting but I wouldn't want to be going into direct competition with Ameiko, I like her too much for that. You could always be a former employee who has branched out on her own with Ameiko's blessing. Can't speak for how things are in northern California, but here in San Diego the craft brewing industry is very supportive and collaborative.
OK, taking a page from djpika and using their method for rolls here. Suits: (1)swords, (2)stars, (3)coins, (4)glyphs Background
Tax collector: Corruption; honesty in an otherwise corrupt government or organization Class
Dictator: All that is wrong with government and leadership; those who rule through fear and violence Homeland
Philanthropist: Charity and giving on a grand scale; those who use wealth to fight evil and sickness Dark Gift
Donjon: Isolation and imprisonment; being constrained by the rigidity of one’s own thoughts or beliefs Flaw
Beast: Great rage or passion; something bestial or malevolent hiding in plain sight or lurking just below the surface Ideal
Ghost: The looming past; the return of an old enemy or the discovery of a secret buried long ago OK, just got the 5E Ravenloft book in, going to look it over tonight to put these things into some context.
Sounds good! Using the
Hi everyone! Thanks for putting this together, Aeshuura. I've got the 5e rulebook but it has been awhile since I've looked at it. I have a character concept - alchemist's/scientist's/occultist's apprentice, barely into adulthood, taken from a life in the streets and given purpose by his master, who is a cold and (slightly) unstable person, as I'd imagine delving into the darkness of Ravenloft would be wont to do. The assistant would have spent years doing unglamourous work like grave robbing, assisting with research, etc., and may have step over the line of the right side of law at his master's direction (for the greater good of course). The master may or may not still be around as needed by the campaign and Aeshuura. Class could be pretty much anything but I prefer classes that are either melee or force multipliers/facilitators.
I'd have interest as well. I'm not too familiar with 5e, but love the Ravenloft setting.
Thank you for your consideration, GM Mowque and happy gaming to you and your selected player!
I've been plugging away at my submission, the Brevic Skald Talia Khavortorov. I've still got a bit of work to do with part of her background vignette ("Act II"). However, the character concepts are all complete (see "Character Concepts"). I also need to choose two rage powers and buy some equipment, but the majority of her crunch is done. So, she's about 90% there but with the deadline approaching I wanted to get something in. Apologies, character design takes me a long time. About Me:
I'm also a librarian, a special collections librarian/archivist at a state university in California. Nice to meet someone else in the profession! I generally post from work, so 8 - 5 PT.
I enjoy writing but generally adapt my posting style to the expectations and pace of the game I'm in. All things considered, I like posting styles like in this game (my PC is Lolo Aelo), rather than shorter posts, and in perusing your games I think my style and I are a good fit. I will be out of town for a week in September and have friends and family visiting for a couple of weeks in October, so if accepted to your game, I would be slower/no posting during those times. I hope to finish the Act II bit today or tomorrow, but work is a bit heavy at the moment. Thank you for the consideration. Please let me know if you have any questions!
Hello GM Mowque! I'm interested in applying and have a concept percolating. Quick question: A Skald seems to fit the subject and place of the game. Of course, the class is a force multiplier. Since there is a crew involved, would class abilities like raging song come into play?You will, probably, have a steady set of various NPCs about you at most times, yes. OK, great! I'll be submitting a Brevic skald then, a once noblewoman approaching middle age whose life path has been a long and winding road leading her to Asleifar after fleeing her homeland and some time spent in the River Kingdoms. She finds the Ulfen people agree with her temperament and feels a journey to Vallenhall a deed worthy of a Saga, especially as it would include the legendary Kristtór Hallmundur himself.
Hello GM Mowque! I'm interested in applying and have a concept percolating. Quick question: A Skald seems to fit the subject and place of the game. Of course, the class is a force multiplier. Since there is a crew involved, would class abilities like raging song come into play?
Congrats to those selected! Have fun!
I don't think I'm going to get my application done in time. Good luck everyone - this looks like a fun game!
FC- maybe you’ll lose in eye in play and can build towards a one-eyed diviner who used to stop bandits, lol. Haha, I nearly saw this exact thing happen organically on these boards. Very minor Kingmaker spoilers:
I was part of a Kingmaker PBP game that lasted a few years on this site. Our first encounter, we needed to fight off bandits at the trading post, and our elven wizard took a critical hit - an arrow to the eye that killed him instantly. The fight went really badly - only two of our PCs survived, with my PC captured and our swashbuckler scoundrel retreating along the road back to Brevoy, where he ran into the replacement PCs, including the replacement PC for the dead wizard. Our GM vanished about that time, and the dead wizard's player put up a notice for a replacement GM, and the game was picked up by a GM that ran it for four or so years after that.
In talking while the new GM took over, our wizard's player - who had grown fond of the wizard, even in the short time that he'd been played - talked to the GM and they decided the wizard didn't die. He'd merely lingered on death's door and after my PC and Oleg and Svetlana were freed from the bandits, the wizard's remaining eye fluttered open, and soon after sporting an eyepatch, our So in a way, I guess I've played Janzipur-adjacent at least! Good luck everyone!
Oh yeah the detective bard works great with this game's opening concept. Investigator makes a lot of sense too. Sounds good to me. EDIT: Diviner wizard too. I'm not redoing my submission but I've long wanted to play a diviner based off of a very minor character from the Greyhawk setting, a one-eyed former bandit named Janzipur who served on the watch of one of the kingdoms bordering the Bandit Kingdoms, IIRC.
That's a cool idea, RHMG Animator, and one I'll be looking at implementing the next time I run something. Thanks for passing it on! Good luck everyone with the recruitment.
@Fighting Chicken -- That sounds great! Ok, I'll move forward with this concept then. Like TarkXT, I'd like to take Leadership as a 7th level feat to mechanically reflect her cult. I'd also like to spend her some of her starting equipment on a cult hideout. Would it be best to use the GP values in Ultimate Campaign for various rooms and assemble the hideout from those rooms? I'm not so interested in running the downtime rules in their totality, though that would be an option if you'd prefer.
Dotting for interest. I'm not familiar with the setting, but this sounds very cool. I'm thinking of a pyrokinectist cult leader who considers herself the vessel of a reborn/reincarnated Avacyn (or a vessel for its power). A real fire and brimstone type, who is intending to burn the evil right out of Innistrad. GM, do you think there's space for a concept like this in the game?
Please don't withdraw on the condition that there can only be one halfling! Your submission is great and it is very likely IMO that the GM will like your submission more than mine (or hopefully, if they like them both, will rethink the one non-human restriction :)
You did that? That's excellent! Agreed! Very, very cool!
Submitting Sorala Barleyes, halfling barbarian. Sorala carries the spark of her great grandfather, Nedrukk Barleyes within her. Ned was a titan mauler of some renown. Depending on the needs of the party, Sorala could progress straight barbarian or take levels at skald at either level 3 or level 5, if utility and buffing was needed. Sorala Barleyes: Sorala, Barbarian (titan mauler)
CG female halfling barbarian (titan mauler) 1 Init +3; Senses Perception +7 -------------
AC 18, Touch 14, Flat footed 15, (10 +4 armor +3 dex +1 size) (+1 vs. larger creatures; +1 vs. giants)
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Spd 30 ft
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Str 14 Dex 16 Con 14 Int 12 Wis 13 Cha 12 BAB +1, CMB +2 CMD 15 FFCMD 12 Feats: Power Attack (level 1) Traits: Giant Slayer (campaign; +1 bluff, sense motive, perception, attack, and AC vs. giants), Indomitable Faith (faith; +1 will) Skills 8 (4 base + 2 background + 1 int +1 favored class)
Languages Common, Halfling, Giant SQ: Rage 6 rounds/day, Big Game Hunter (+1 attack and AC vs. creatures larger than PC), small size, halfling luck (+1 to all saves), fey thoughts (sense motive and survival are class skills), weapon familiarity, keen senses -------------
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Lucern Hammer (15 gp, 6#), Javelins (2; 1 gp, 1#), Leather Lamellar Armor (60 gp, 12.5#), Barbarian’s Kit (9 gp, 26#)
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Total load: 46.5# with kit, 20.5# without -------------
14 gp --------------
Item 186 GP 14 Total -------------
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When Sorala Barleyes would fall into ear-splitting, teeth-gnashing, floor-pounding tantrums, usually because of some perceived unfairness (no third breakfast? The horror!), her mother and father would shake their heads awestruck at the little being’s outbursts. How had two such mild-mannered halflings, he a cobbler, she a washerwoman, well-liked, earnest and dependable, created a child with such a finely-tuned sense of injustice, such a wellspring of rage? Sorala’s grandfather knew. Little Sorala carried within her the spark of her great-grandfather, Nedrukk Barleyes, a halfling of giant stature in his time: a titan mauler. Sorala’s mother clucked, her brow furrowed. ”Now don’t you go filling our little girl’s head with that nonsense.” Sorala’s grandfather, Nedrukk Barleyes Jr., smiled and sat back on his stool, chewing on his pipe and eyeing the girl kicking her legs against the floor, her wails ringing around their tidy home. And then he set about doing just what his daughter forbade. While Sorala’s parents worked, her grandfather trained her in the ways of fighting, especially fighting those larger than herself - skills that he himself had learned from his father, before his father’s gruesome demise at the Battle of Bloodrun Mesa, which resulted in the boy respecting his mother’s wishes and letting those skills lie dormant while he grew into a cobbler and raised his own family in Sandpoint. So they worked on weaponsplay and defensive postures, and more importantly, Sorala’s grandfather nurtured the girl’s sense of injustice, and fed her the deeds and tales of her grandfather and the other great halfling titan maulers, which she soaked up like a tomato plant takes in the sun. Sorala grew strong and athletic, and her sense of injustice served her well. When the Clairemont girl was bullied to near mental collapse, Sorala bloodied the noses of three bullies twice her size, and the youngest Clairmont was troubled no more. When the late unpleasantness gripped the town, Sorala baked dinner for the exhausted watch, and helped remove old Chopper’s birds from the buildings he’d carved them upon, carvings now viewed as harbingers of madness, rather than artistic blessings from an old eccentric. And when, years later, Sorala’s grandfather lay on his deathbed, wracked with the coughing sickness, he beckoned his granddaughter close. She was a fine fighter, and her temper and sense of justice had given her the upper hand in local scrapes and social situations. The last skills she needed were patience and discipline. Ned pulled Sorala to his side and whispered, ”You will one day save Sandpoint, I can feel it in my old bones. Tap your rage and keep your moral compass pointed towards doing right. I’ll not be able to teach you any more, but you can learn more from Sheriff Hemlock. He’s agreed to give you a job at the militia, should you accept it. Treat him with respect, follow his directions, and don’t be afraid to use your talents when they are needed.” And so that is what Sorala Barleyes did. =============
Titan Mauler: Sorala has been trained in the fighting ways of her great-grandfather, Nedrukk Barleyes, a giantslayer of some renown, and a hero that gave his life at Bloodrun Mesa. She is a cunning fighter who knows how to bloody the noses of those bigger than her, and can tap into her anger to great effect, pushing her body to its limits in a fight. This is represented mechanically by her Giantslayer campaign trait and Titan Mauler Barbarian archetype. Lore Keeper: Sorala knows the tales of the great titan maulers by heart, and has taken to other tales as well. She retains knowledge well, whether it is stories of myth and legend or local histories. Lately, she’s taken to orating some of her favorites, though not for audiences - yet. This is represented mechanically by ranks in Lore (Giants) and Lore (Sandpoint), and if I progress her as a skald at some point, by ranks in Perform (Oratory) (and the skald class of course). A Finely Tuned Sense of Injustice: Nothing brings Sorala’s temper to the forefront than something intrinsically unfair. The rich taking advantage of the poor, the strong bullying the weak, and similar displays have earned Sorala a bit of a reputation as a hothead - though one with moral clarity. She tends to side on the side of right, even if it means overlooking some policy and procedure - much to the continued frustration of Sheriff Hemlock. Mechanically, this is represented by Sorala’s CG alignment. =============
Marmie Barleyes, Sorala’s mother: A washerwoman who works for the Kajitsus, Marmie is earnest and hard-working, and doesn’t approve of Sorala’s life choices, though she has resigned herself to them. Nedrukk Barleyes III, Sorala’s father: The preeminent cobbler in Sandpoint, Nedrukk provides a valuable service to the community, and is honest as the summer day is long. He is secretly very proud of his daughter following in the footsteps of the first Ned, though he’d never admit it to Marmie. Nellie Barleyes, Sorala’s younger sister: A couple of years her junior, Nellie is quiet and contemplative, and rarely acts without thinking things through from many angles (and thinking on things way too long from Sorala’s perspective). Nellie and Sorala are very close, and Sorala is very protective of her sibling.
Fighting chicken- a halfling barbarian settled in Sandpoint might be difficult to explain, but I’ll be very curious to see how you try if you decide to go that route. Well, I've decided to go this route so I'm glad it has piqued your curiosity :) I'm working on the backstory and hope to have something up this weekend.
Fighting chicken- if you want to go with a Skald I’d prefer that you were already a trained watchman (with a level in a martial class) and you’re currently being trained as a Skald (probably by a shoanti or ulfen relative). As for a fighter finding a spellbook, that’s fine but you should be getting at least a little bit of help with figuring out how to use it (from Ilsoari Gandethus, or some other wizard in town). Also, EK is a solid option but if you want to be a fighter who’s just dabbling with magic there is an archetype for that (child of Acavna and Amaznen). Right on, thanks for explaining your reasonings and for the suggestions. I was thinking similarly about the skald in that the PC would be trained in lore and minor magics from a relative, likely shoanti, so I'm glad that seems like something you'd be on board with. I'd likely take that first level in barbarian or cavalier - they both have nice "skaldish" aspects to some of their class abilities. I'm also kicking around an idea for a halfling barbarian titan mauler, b/c that sounds like fun. Of course, that PC would lose a lot of utility that a skald or a fighter/wizard or fighter "wizard" would possess, and utility may be welcome depending on the final makeup of the party.
Dotting for interest. I have a real soft-spot for skalds. Would they fit in the "exception" class category that you've outlined above, as they are also almost martials? If not, no big deal - I could multiclass after level 1. Also thinking about a fighter that found a spellbook on a corpse in the wilds (or just found the spellbook) and is learning magic slowly and painfully from the book. They'd multiclass after 1st level into wizard and eventually EK. Or go iron caster.
I hope everything goes OK for you and yours DM Trawets. I've had trouble coming up with a PC that I'm happy with, so I'm going to bow out. Good gaming everyone.
Hey Hrothdane! Looking forward to gaming with you here!
Hi everyone! I'm excited to try out BitD. Thanks for the invite, Sarah the GM.
I also can handle mature themes handled maturely. This is a good baseline for my preference but am happy to make things lighter/fade to black depending on other comfort levels. Witih that out the way, the first thing you need to do is decide what sort of character you want to play. There's so much here that looks intriguing. In Pathfinder, I generally enjoy playing melee types or 3/4 caster support types (skald is probably my favorite class). I'm not sure how exactly that translates to BitD, but I think I'd enjoy a cutter, leech, spider, or whisper. You also need to decide as a group what sort of crew you want to be, which affects the sorts of jobs you will take and the reputation you will build. In BitD, your crew is like an extra character sheet that tracks the story of your group. Even if your PCs die or retrire and get rplaced, the crew will carry on. Like the individual roles, these all sound like a lot of fun. I think I'd lean towards assassins, cult, shadows, and smugglers, but bravos and hawkers sound great too! Question: Once we choose our crew, is that decision set in stone? Can crews change focus over time?
Very intriguing concept. I'm thinking of either a Spirit Whisperer going for the fighter slot or an Arcane Warden going for the fighter and/or bard slot.
Oooh CotCT, nice! Dotting for interest. I like skilled characters, so probably will apply with one of those.
Hi All! I'm really pleased to be part of the selections. I've really enjoyed reading folks' submissions and backgrounds. Dungeon Madam, thanks for the selection. You had a ton of really awesome options to choose from, and I appreciate the care and consideration that went into your recruitment pitch and the discussion that happened in the recruitment itself.
She/her for Kata, he/him for me. As for boundaries, I don't think Kata will be pushing many. She's at heart a sympathetic and old soul. Kata's player is fine with PG-13 to R games. I'd prefer that cruelty to children and the vulnerable be vague rather than explicit, but understand its purpose if if it drives the story (not so much for pure titillation). I agree with Briar/Hrothdane about fantasy being a great vehicle for catharsis. Writing/cooperative gaming too. Dungeon Madame, your take on alignment sounds great. I've got Kata N at the moment, but I'm not sure that's where she'll land.
Kata is local to Diamond Lake, and in addition to working with the Pharasmans/Jadisians, she sings from time to time at the The Emporium or another suitable venue (I just chose The Emporium b/c I found it in the setting description). She likely knows Broccan the best. Depending on his age, she may have even assisted with his father's funeral (though if she did, she would have been too young to sing/orate at it, and would have assisted in a more mundane logistical capacity). Kata's father also died in one of Smenk's mines, so she'd have a lot of sympathy towards Broccan because of that. She'd know who Rosella is, but as Rosella grew up out of town a bit and works for the mines in a capacity that includes violence, Kata might in general avoid Rosella. If Briar is a local, or moved to Diamond Lake for her work, Kata would know her. If Briar works at the same establishment, they'd probably know each other very well. If Briar's fathers were murdered in Diamond Lake, then like Broccan above, depending on the timing Kata could have provided assistance to Briar during her time of grieving.
I need to get an alias set up and will do so today. I've still got some mechanical bits to figure out (apologies, it takes me forever to build PCs). I have some build questions, Dungeon Madame: I still need to pick a feat. I'm considering down the Eldritch Heritage (Arcane) feat line. Two related questions: * If I went this direction, I'd like to take the Figment familiar archtype and refluff it as a songbird/least psychopomp of Pharasma. Would this refluff and non-core archetype be OK? This would also help turn a five-feat chain into a four-feat chain, as I wouldn't have to take Improved Familiar to get an actual psychopomp; the songbird "psychopomp" would suffice. * I need to take Skill Focus, which is kind of a feat tax IMO. Could I trade Dirty Fighting for Skill Focus (religion)? I don't see dirty fighting coming into play much for Kata, and she's not going to pursue any of the feats that come further down the line from it. This would also allow her to focus remaining feats in other areas, which she'll need to do as a caster bard (Spell penetration and greater, Spell focus and greater, and probably a lot more). I asked about Spheres in the recruitment but I don't think it is really intuitive about how they'd work with the Dirge Bard archetype, so I don't think I'll go in that direction. So I'll be theming Kata's spells around enchantments, necromancy, and healing/status relief. I'll be trading out grease for something more appropriate. Suggestions are welcome!
I have to admint, I'm torn between being jealous of your imagination and being scared of it. Leanint towrads jealousy ;) Thank you! That PC has appeared in two WotW games and is currently in a Ruins of Azlant game (in a much less evil representation). She's so much fun to play, and designing her was a blast, but by and far the most fun was coming up with silly Elnora titles and plotlines, like: Elnora fought Andoran spies in The Threat of Freedom, watched with pride as her older brother became a sacrifice to Asmodeus in The Liar in the Pyre (a willing sacrifice it should be noted - Fiero's works were children's books, after all)... I don't think you have anything to be jealous of though. I really like Lucia. She's so deliciously opportunistic, and getting in over her head is a wonderful hook that I'd be thrilled to have were I the GM (which I'm glad I'm not - there's too many great submissions to choose from). If Lucia and Kata were to meet each other, I imagine Kata would be terrified. So much so, she probably worked Lucia's father's funeral for free :)
This is incredibly cool. Thank you for sharing! I think I've got some purchases to make for my daughter...
Awesome! Feel free to grab a few titles from Tatienne's background if ever needed. I also have an academic background grounded in writing (english, library science, currently an archivist at a university). These interests often show up in my PCs. Write what you know, eh? :) You know, Briar, I've been yearned for a quick resource of books that my characters could/would read. I made up two titles for Elvina but it's not the same as having something universal to pull from. Something one character could quote and another character could recognize. Or maybe a common print of something in certain cultures/householdsThat's a solid idea. Some sort of pop culture to help tie people together In total agreement. What a great idea. ...the GM joked that there was a bad romance novel written by Harrison Cambell. This has since become a whole thing, complete with in-character debates about which of Cambell's 20+ books is the best. Harrison Cambell was even written into the storyline as an NPC! This is so fantastic. I have another PC, a carriage driver with dreams of being a knight, that only reads Penny Dreadfuls. He's been ordered by the local lord to expand his horizons as part of the conditions for an eventual knightood. I think Harrison Cambell will be his next mind-expanding read :) I always thought it would be fun to compile a library of titles and authors about all the various knowledges and lores, that granted circumstance bonuses or penalties to checks based on the quality of the author's work. What an awesome idea. My mind is spinning with possibilities. Thank you for sharing!
As someone who plays a lot of bards, I'd say limiting the result to no more than 5 above the DC is both fair considering your intentions behind the change and also within the "feel" of a bard to me. The broader your knowledge, the less deep it is. Bardic knowledge in 2E works similarly iirc Another often bard-player - and bard submitter for this game - chiming in with agreement!
What a delightful character! I quite enjoy your writing style, for what it's worth. Thank you! I had a lot of fun creating Kata. I usually start character design with a question. Sometimes it is based off of literary tropes (What would a mad scientists' apprentice be like, if that mad scientist was also a surrogate father-figure prone to fits of melancholy and absolutely no ability to express love or possessing parenting skills, but with a great faculty for knowledge and the general demeanor of a tough college professor?), sometimes the question is silly (What would a Chelish shut-in grow up to be if their whole exposure to the world came through the diet of the devilish writings the acclaimed children's author Fiero Thrune, and his well-regarded - and endless - literature series, Elnora the Diabolic Explorer?). In Kata's case, the question was prompted by your recruitment's character trait. What would a heroic character, who's formative experience was the disappearance of her best friend in the Whispering Cairn and its resultant trauma, turn out to be? Once I linked that question to the dirge bard, the rest fell together fairly easily. I can tell you know this installment pretty well, and Kata's backstory slots very neatly into things. I'm vaguely familiar with the installment. I have a general understanding of the plot arc, and remember reading about Diamond Lake and loving it when I was a kid clutching my Dungeon and Dragon magazines, but the details are fuzzy and largely lost to time. I combed through your recruitment for NPCs and setting pieces that could be used as hooks and inserted them into the story with some educated guesses as to what they look like. I envision Diamond Lake a lot like an even dirtier and soot-covered Deadwood, so a lot of Kata's creation was trying to ground someone with a beautiful talent (her voice) in that space, and to figure out how she could somewhat thrive within it. This recruitment was really well put-together and this has been immensely helpful for me to figure out Kata's relationship to Diamond Lake. She's probably one of the church's few public faces, though—they're generally known as, well, kind of insular cultists focused more on protecting graves than helping mourners. Can I ask what you meant about Kata loving every minute of the funeral for her friend? It reads as sinister, but maybe that's not what you meant. I had the most trouble reconciling Kata's generally comforting personality with Wee Jas, so I leaned really heavily into the Pharasman aspect of the god. I'm not sure how well this actually jives with what you've got envisioned, so if selected I'd certainly want to smooth this out. I'm envisioning the schism manifesting in Kata being one of the few devout Pharasmans in town. The Jadisians tolerate Kata, and maybe even like her, because she takes on an aspect of the god (funerary rights, sympathy for the living) that they have no interest in taking part in. I want to be mindful of your time and so as long as I'm close enough in the concept to your vision, from my perspective this is nothing that needs to be figured out at this point in a recruitment thread (unless you want to, of course). As for the bit about Kata enjoying the funeral, I'm glad that line was impactful. I wanted it to come across as surprising and conflicting to previous paragraph, and I wanted it to be a little unclear. I may have been a little too unclear though :). It isn't exactly intended to be sinister. This is Kata's first brush with grief on a personal level and mourning as a community process (Kata's father passed previously, but she was just a baby and didn't experience the grief associated with his passing that she would have as an older child or adult). As the sole witness to Caith's disappearance, Kata also was traumatized by the event, and this personal trauma combined with the collective grief/mourning/trauma of the community, the newness of the feelings to Kata, and the spectacle of it all left an indelible and lasting impression on the girl. She'd never admit it, and has certainly never explored her feelings about the funeral in a way that would allow for this analysis, but her enjoyment of the spectacle, the community's reaction to Caith's disappearance (so unusual Diamond Lake!), and the outpouring of grief (and healing!) so viscerally present was what was I was getting at. The funeral, being such an outsized event happening and triggering feelings and sights Kata had never seen before is what makes her later association with the church inevitable. Also, religious bards are always just such neat concepts. Especially in the case of Wee Jas, who is probably my favorite D&D god. A LN goddess of death, love and vanity? That's such a fun, weird assortment. I LOVE bards (and skalds) - they are so much fun and can be taken in so many directions. I rarely play religious characters, so I'm excited, if selected, to explore this PC. I'm totally in agreement with on Wee Jas. What an awesome deity. One other build consideration I should mention: It occured to me as I was writing this that a sphere casting bard would really suit Kata, as I could theme her magic better than with Vancian casting (aside: why did I give her the grease spell? I'll be swapping that spell out). If she was a spherecaster, she'd likely focus on healing, mind, and maybe death and light spheres. I'm not sure how any of this would play with the Dirge Bard, however, so it may not even be mechanically feasible. I want to be mindful of your time, so like the Pharasman/Jadisian connection, this is nothing I feel needs to be hashed out in recruitment, but if selected, it is a possibility I'd like to raise. Thank you for the consideration! You've run a great recruitment!
Presenting Kata Coszma, local eligist and assistant to the Pharasman/Wee Jas church. Kata's current work and facility with the grieving stretches back to a childhood misfortune where her best friend disappeared in the Whispering Cairn. Kata's mother recently died and Kata sees signs of her everywhere. She has to get out of Diamond Lake, lest her grief consume her. Crunch:
human female bard 1 (dirge bard)
N medium human Init +2; Senses Perception +3 -------------
AC 15 , Touch 12, Flat footed 13, (10 +3 armor +2 dex)
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Spd 30 ft
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Str 14 Dex 14 Con 12 Int 14 Wis 8 Cha 18
Feats:
Traits:
Skills 12 (6 base + 1 human + 2 background + 2 int + 1 favored class) Climb +6 (1 ranks, 3 class, 2 str)
Languages Common, Necrill, Varisian SQ: Bonus Feat; Skilled; Favored Class (1 skill); Bardic knowledge, Bardic performance (8 rounds); Trapfinding -------------
0 (4; ∞/day; DC 14) - Daze, Detect Magic, Ghost Sound, Light
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Longspear (5 gp; 9#), Sling (-;-), MW drums (50 gp, 1#), studded leather armor (25 gp, 20#), dagger (2 gp; 1#), MW thief's tools
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Light load: 58# Medium Load: 59-116# Heavy Load: 117-175#
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117.9 gp Fluff:
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Kata clambered the rubble, grey streaks of dirt covering her hands and dress. Climbing was the most fun! Standing atop her pile of cairn stones, wind blew gently past Kata’s cheek, rustling the girl’s curly black hair and resonant with the Cairn’s phenomena - strange gusts of wind, improbable in the tomb’s chilly damp air, which sounded, vaguely, like whispers in a long dead and forgotten tongue. A shiver crawled up Kata’s back and Kata smiled, a crook-toothed grin lost in the cairn’s dim light. Climbing was not the most fun. ”Caith!” Kata yelled, her voice rebounding into the darkness. ”Did you hear that one? I think it said, I’m going to EAT YOU UP!” Further in the tomb, a small mote of light appeared above Caith’s head, silhouetting the girl, who’s voice echoed back to Kata, disembodied. ”Look at you, Ka! Queen of the mountaintop!” Kata beamed - Caith was the girls’ leader: smart, athletic, and naturally gifted with sorcery. Any praise from her was to be relished and held close and nursed, like the kiss of a butterfly’s wings. Kata yelled something back - something unimportant and lost to the fog of memory - and Caith’s silhouette, backlit by her bauble of warm light, moved further into the winding cairn, the girl’s shadow spilling along the tomb walls as she went, stretched and fluttering, a cloud of shifting black shapes. Kata turned her attention to one of the old traps nearby - she thought of them as puzzles - and the girl went to work by her candle’s light, putting the rusted metal and stone parts back together as best she could figure. Minutes passed, and the desiccated form of the trap began to take shape - a claw that would rise from the floor, intended to snare the unwary. ”Caith! Look at this! I--” Another gust of wind blew by Kata, the whispers with it more forceful, almost hungry in their delivery. Kata’s candle’s flame flickered in the wind, winking out for a second, and the cairn plunged into darkness. Kata blinked, another shiver dragged its way across her back and up her neck. Caith’s light was gone. ”Caith… Caith?” The light - and the girl attached to it - disappeared and snuffed from existence. This was the last time anyone visited the Whispering Cairn. =============
Death and beginnings: Unfortunately, in Diamond Lake, funerals are as common as weddings. Perhaps the miner’s lung ends your life before your grandchildren grow. Or a cave-in, if you're even more unlucky. Maybe you get stabbed in a dark alley over a debt or an insult. Whatever the case, death in old age is something to be celebrated. Every other death is a cause for mourning. The search party never found Caith, not even a trace of the girl. It was if, like one of those whispers that bedevil the Whispering Cairn, she was just gone, confined to memories in an instant. Even by Diamond Lake’s standards, Caith’s disappearance was a shocking event. The community publicly grieved, in the churches, in the streets, in the taverns. Most everyone turned out for the funeral procession, an empty coffin carried by hundreds of black-clad mourners through the streets, with singing, wailing, and praying spontaneously erupting, like waves crashing on a beach. If Kata were to be honest with herself, she loved every moment of it. Pharasman: To supplement her mother’s income, Kata went to work for the local temple of Pharasma. She started by assisting with the logistics of funerary services, cleaning the temple, and other mundane tasks, but as the years have gone by, her role has grown. Kata has charisma that the local priesthood, well-intentioned as it is, generally lacks. As such, Kata’s often called upon to counsel the grieving left behind, and to assist with funerary rights. She’s also studied with the Pharasman priests, and while not a member of the clergy, Kata has a good grounding in Phasman theology and its concerns, and a facility for minor magics. Elegist: If Diamond Lake had a soundtrack, it would consist of hacking coughs and grim curses spoken in gravelly, tired, and often inebriated tones. Kata’s voice is - without a doubt - the finest in town. She uses this gift to great effect in funerary services; she can hit high notes when called for in hymns, and can carry a poem across a crowd, often hushed into awed silence by her words. To have her speak an elegy or sing a hymn at a funeral is considered a great honor, and the Pharasmans have encouraged this gift. Kata supplements her income by singing at The Emporium, and can even quiet the crowds there from time to time. Smenk: Kata’s father died in a mining accident when Kata was a baby. The circumstances of his passing were due to negligence on the part of the mine’s owner, Balabar Smenk, who never faced any comeuppance for his complicity. Kata’s mother has preached patience and karma, but as the years have gone by and Smenk has grown more powerful, Kata’s hatred for the man has coalesced into her own diamond of sorts. It lurks within her, indestructible and enduring. Alone: Kata’s mother recently died, strangely of the Miner’s Lung, even though she worked her whole life as a domestic. Outside of the Pharasmans, Kata has little social contact these days. Worse still, her mother’s presence lingers over the town like a fluttering moth, constant reminders of her life bringing waves of unwelcome grief crashing down on Kata. The eligist has decided to leave Diamond Lake by any means necessary, and is only waiting for an opportunity to present itself, legal or otherwise. ==============
Kata has a patience that comes with dealing with those grieving. She is an attentive and active listener, and generally approaches situations from a point of empathy and kindness. Like her goddess, Kata has a fondness and sympathy for the grieving, elders, the cursed, expectant mothers, and the newly born. Also like her goddess, roused to anger, her fury is absolute and tempestuous, like the crescendo of a symphony of drums. Kata has a great appreciation for birds, and would never willingly harm one. ==============
A bard and a skald? And other build considerations: While they may seem somewhat overlapping in purpose, Kata’s bard can supplement a court poet skald quite well. The dirge bard’s performances, especially inspire courage, can assist melee types differently and in a complimentary way to the skald’s shared rage powers, while the skald’s performance boosts Kata’s spell DCs, which combined with high charisma and (eventually) spell focus, will narrow the gap between a mid-caster and a full caster. Kata’s spell selection will focus on enchantments and necromancy which will focus on debuffing and SOS effects, and can affect the living and the undead, so she can focus in short bursts like a full caster. Kata will also provide support and buffing to melee types via performance, spells, and occasionally mixing it up herself with her longspear. She’ll be good at identifying undead, and at later levels her human FCB will allow her to take various masterpieces, helping to further facilitate utility in and out of combat. With her campaign trait, Kata will make a competent trapfinder. |
