GM Euan - Kindara I's page

“Now if I could just learn to cook as well as she does.” With a genuine nod of appreciation to his mother, he helps himself to another plate of food.

Mom laughs, "Anything for this supper oh? We should do this more often, but there never seems to be the time does there? Maybe if you all spend a little more time in Crim, and less traveling.”

She moves for a different argument instead. ”I still think that if citizenship is that important, it should be automatic for all. Having more social privileges simply because I could afford to spend two years at a desk is, frankly, ridiculous.” She takes a drink of wine and smiles, pleased with herself. ”Perhaps I can use that vote to say everyone gets to vote.”

Dad shakes his head, disagreeing as usual. ”I like that it’s limited to those who have served, for the most part.” he glances at your mother, whom you know is not a citizen. ”There’s something about the rigors of training, easy for you I’m sure, but not so for everyone. And service.” You know service is a big deal for dad. And he does drone on a bit about the importance of giving back - especially if you have more.

The very idea that you gave up two years of your lives, in order to help others in Crim, is significant to him. Being able to see others with empathy, is vital to a strong civilization. And he drills on it a bit until mom puts a hand on his arm. ”I am going on again aren’t I?” He laughs and steps off the soapbox - taking another bite of supper to keep his mouth occupied.

Family sticks together, and sometimes even harmoniously.

Though you each delayed Crim citizenship as you pursued your own lives, mom and dad kept at you until, eventually, you relented. ”Fine.” you all agreed over the dinner table on the festival of Sif (link) dad’s favored cult. It was February 8th of 998, and you each decided to join the service, and obtain your citizenship - for your parents.

Here it is, two years later, and you’re having a celebratory supper with the whole family. Mom and dad are beaming. It’s March 1, 1000, and a cold late-winter rain is heavy outside, though the large house is warm and cozy.

”Your father and I are very pleased.” Mom serves potato and onion wrapped in dough and sautéed, to each of you - her signature dish from the north. Dad follows it up with his own speech about how important citizenship is. ”It’s not just the protection it offers, you also get to petition the council, and even vote on a seat. Heady stuff!”

Much of the last two years, contrary to what the bright and friendly posters all claim, was spent in dull drudgery. Bureaucratic work, pushing paper around, spending time on guard duty - which mostly involves being bored at attention. It’s a skill like any other, but once you’ve drilled enough, you have the fortitude to survive it. Still, you have finished your tours of duty - you are citizens. And, you have also earned an important adult medal - Citizen of Crim - to add to your collections.

I mean sure, you would have earned, and even made your own, medals from time to time as children. But like adolescence, you sloughed off all that kid stuff and are now citizens - with all that entails and the respect that naturally comes with it. You are older than most who go for citizenship, perhaps with a medal or two of your own rattling around, but this is one that you pin on your chest with pride!

Congratulations citizens.

Please feel free to introduce yourselves, though of course you’ve all known each other for more than twenty years now. Still, as players this is your first real look! So describe yourself and say hello. Maybe a description, and one secret your family would know that wouldn’t otherwise be common knowledge.

Welcome to GM Euan’s First Kindara Campaign!

Do not worry what the others are playing as it doesn’t matter. If we have all halfling bards, we’ll make it work, and likely have a lot of fun along the way - as long as you’re not all the same archetype of course. Build what you want to play, er, for the most part (see below).

We will be using Roll20 (link) for the mapping, Paizo (link) for gameplay, and Slack (link) for some out of character discussions. There will also be a spreadsheet in Google Drive (link) for tracking treasure, time, your notes on people, and whatever else makes sense. The world is being organized using Scabard (link).

I want a brisk game, so please carefully consider your commitment. I hope to post twice a day, and more often as needed, though I try to post at the pace of play (which means, slower). I hope you will each post once a day, pending interactions and the like of course. If you haven’t posted for 24 hours, I will DMPC you, have you delay, or otherwise fall behind.

This is a lot. I’m asking for 10-15 minutes of your day, every day, for the next few years. It is a serious commitment - so consider it carefully. I hope that the time will be spent with a smile, for the most part anyway, over those years.

The campaign begins on Wednesday, March 1, 1000. Strangely enough, Kindara uses the Gregorian calendar. Imagine that. Gregory got around.

Please create your character following the standard Pathfinder rules (version 1) point buy system (link) using a 25 point buy (tool). The idea is to give you a little more flexibility, not to encourage min-maxing. No stats over 18 or below 8 after racial mods. We’ll do Hit Points in the old Pathfinder Society style - maximum at first level, average +1 for all subsequent levels (so Fighters start with 10, and gain 6 at each level for example). We’re not using mythic, variant multi-classing rules, or any third party rules such as gestalt or spheres of power. I do not want to limit your alignment too much, but no evil folks rattling around please.

You’ll start with two traits (link). I’m considering custom traits for the campaign, but I’m not there yet, so don’t plan for it. If it does happen, it’ll be a third trait - it won’t take the place of the other two you select. Also, they’ll be most likely tailored to your specific background and character, not a pool from which you can choose. If you’re not sure if a given trait translates to Kindara, let me know - lots of ways to make it work. Drawbacks do not provide an additional trait, but you can help yourself.

You’ll each start with 200gp in your pocket, thanks in part to a successful event in your recent past. It is your choice as to what the event is of course. Be creative and in keeping with your character.

I am open to most Paizo sources. As a general rule, if it’s not approved by the Pathfinder Society, I won’t approve it either, but there are exceptions (like crafting) so feel free to ask. I prefer not using ‘isolated’ sources (like material sourced only from an AP), but I will review on a case by case basis. Also, I know there are other sites with Pathfinder rules, but please try to link to the Archives of Nethys (link) whenever possible in your references.

No gunslingers or other ‘tech’ themes. Sorry. I like my fantasy fantastic and firearms throw me off a bit. Please no summoners and no very unbalanced builds. You should build well, but someone who’s only good at one thing, will spend a lot of time waiting as the others play. This isn’t a competition. You will be working as a team, and will only succeed as a group.

Limit your race to the core book though alternate race traits are probably fine (but again, if you want something obscure - ask and we’ll talk about it). Make sure you check the Kindara notes regarding races (link) for slightly more nuance. Lastly, nothing from the Occult Adventures please.

Please write a description (what do people see when they look at you?) along with a semi-public background (what would someone with a Knowledge, Local DC 15 (link) know about you?). Please also write a detailed background that’s private to you and me. Speak about what’s essential to your character, goals you may have, people you may know, and a memory of something important to you. The detailed background need not be long (and I prefer it not to be). 6-8 short paragraphs are sufficient in most cases (history x2, essentials, goals, people, memory). Obviously we’ll work together on this as this is a new world to you. This is an opportunity to help place you in it.

PLEASE pay attention to your background and description. I am far more interested in who you are than what you are. Build a character that is interesting and capable of solving problems. Please do not build a min-max barbarian beat-stick (which isn’t to say no barbarians, just make it colorful!). You won't have much fun in this game. It isn't that you won't be fighting obviously, just avoid the one-dimensional character.

Please try not to build around ‘save or suck’ spells and effects. For the most part, until late in the game anyway, I’ll avoid the same (though with Hero points in play I feel a little less restrained). We’re here to have a good time and push our characters to succeed - but putting every big-bad in the campaign to sleep, for example, is counter to everyone having fun. So build well, but be mindful of overall balance.

I like the sort of output layout that Herolab produces, but any reasonable character sheet structure is fine. If you want to send me PDF updates once a level to keep your details private, that’s fine too. The goal is for me to be able to check your abilities easily if I need to.

I do request though that you include - either at the top or bottom of your document or somewhere else equally handy - a quick cut-and-paste combat section. Ideally it’ll have your most common combat combination(s). If I need to GMPC you in battle for any reason I’ll use what’s there, modified by the situation of course, or delay you. I’ll try not to use up any limited resources. If there are no combinations, I’ll delay you in most cases especially at higher levels where it all gets more complicated. I do not want to play your character.

I’m sure you will have questions I have not answered. For more information please see the Campaign tab. There is a lot of useful stuff there on what I’m looking for in terms of tone, some discussion of die rolling, etiquette, crafting, and more to let you know what sort of campaign I plan to run. It might help to answer some questions you may have and is an important read. Though similar to my past campaigns, there are always differences, so at least give it a skim (for example we’re going to try ABP here so crafting is even more important).

Finally, out of respect for Paizo, and the age of players and possible readers, I keep my campaigns PG 13 for the most part. Please do the same. If we tread into waters that make you uncomfortable for any reason, please let me know and we’ll change course. We’re here to have fun. This is a safe space.

Feel free to coordinate with the other players, but I prefer you do as much of that in character as you can - there will be opportunities in the Gameplay thread and I won’t expect your final characters right away. Naturally, you have some prior relationships with the other characters, so feel free to have those conversations out of character to save time.