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Hedwick - I just wanted to re-state my withdrawal from consideration in case my last post gets lost in the shuffle as you deliberate. Good luck to all ye Rebels!
I'm going to retract my submission of Jacomo; just not satisfied with him from a fluff standpoint and can't seem to make him feel right. Apologies for the late withdrawal, and good luck to all those who remain!
... I love your concept for the variant point-buy, but that whole 'deferred payoff' thing looks overly complicated (and suspiciously Asmodean) for a simple brawler, so he'll be going for the 20-point buy, straight-shooting simpleton that he is (I mean that affectionately). I hate to be a buzzkill, especially for a bon vivant such as Abelard, but Hedwick amended the creation guidelines to require the variant point buy in a later post. Does a pie remain that lacks an Asmodean's finger firmly inserted within?
Also, Peet, I now wish I'd presented Jacomo's background as a scene with a narrator rather than a 3rd person omniscient summary; Dustwalker's is very engaging to read. Live and learn ;)
...I recently started playing a thri-kreen juggler in a Dark Sun game. Nice! I've always liked me some Dark Sun; I may keep an eye on your gameplay thread. FYI juggling uses sleight-of-hand which is a background skill. I see you have it but it is listed in adventuring skills. Thanks for pointing that out - I'm still a little new to the background skills variant.
The Tick in the Barrel submitting Jacomo Pagliacci, tragic fool; re-using alias from a short-lived game. Please let me know any questions or suggestions you have, Hedwick, and thank you for your consideration!
Five Things to Know:
What he can do: Jacomo is a professional street performer specializing in juggling, tumbling, sleight of hand, and buffoonery, all of which have been blended into his knife-fighting technique to great effect. Who he is: Jacomo is an angry, broken widower bent on vengeance against the Church of Asmodeus. Personality: Methodical, precise, pragmatic, and driven, though recent events have filled him with an anger that he struggles to contain. He has become fixated on his hatred for the Church of Asmodeus and the government that supports it, for when he loses focus on these his feeelings of shame, regret, and loss threaten to overwhelm him; so long as he’s blaming others he can avoid considering his own responsibility in the loss of his family. He tends to judge others by their actions but himself by his intentions, and adopts a bit of a “do as I say, not as I do” attitude. If lawful evil alignment is allowed, he believes that his actions are justified so long as directed against Asmodeans, blind to the fact that he is slowly becoming the thing that he hates. Appearance: Pale skinned and possessed of a slim, lanky frame. When not performing he dresses in simple travelers’ clothing; his professional outfit is chequered harlequin’s garb with a bright maroon cloak, his face painted white with black eyelids and upper lip, accented with red circles which describe the arc of a ball in motion. When not performing his air is one of melancholy, though his demeanor becomes one of grim determination when pursuing a task at hand. Reason for being in Kintargo: Native born and bred.
Four People in His Life:
Mentor: Axius Guida, an accomplished actor and jongleur. In his prime he was an acclaimed performer in Kintargo before a political scandal ruined his reputation and career; he has spent his waning years leading a troupe of street performers called The Red Mummers. Friend: Decundus Canaglia, aka “Canny Decks,” a childhood friend of dubious character and employ. While Jacomo only dabbled in the criminal lifestyle, Decundus made it his life’s pursuit. Despite their clashing philosophies the two have remained fast friends, and it was to Decundus that Jacomo turned for help in honing his knife fighting skills. Enemy: Mercius Malvagio, Asmodean church official. The man who promised Jacomo that he would be considered for entrance into the church’s ranks in exchange for his infant son; though Mercius is unaware of it, Jacomo now plans to kill him. Acquaintance: Relia Vraji, an ancient Varisian soothsayer and wise woman. Introduced many years ago by Axius, she became interested in young Jacomo after reading his harrow, and has kept tabs on him ever since. While he is respectful of her due to his mentor’s obvious faith in her abilities, Jacomo remains dubious she possesses any real powers of prophecy. Three Memories:
Moment that changed him: First seeing the Red Mummers perform. Moment that impacted him: Being informed that he hadn’t been accepted into the church’s ranks, and his wife’s subsequent suicide. Moment that sticks with him: The first time he danced with his wife Ballaria. Two Goals:
Goal #1: To be armed and alone with Mercius Malvagio, so he may revenge himself upon him. Goal #2: To overthrow the Church of Asmodeus, in the (probably mistaken) belief that this will provide catharsis to his suffering. One Thing That Gets Him Out of Bed:
It used to be the enjoyment of his craft and to provide for his family; now it is to enact vengeance for their fates. * (Possibly Far Too Wordy) Background:
This is much, much longer a background than I normally submit, especially for a first level character; I may have gotten a bit carried away. I blame your 5/4/3/2/1 questions, they really got me digging into and fleshing out my concept. If it’s too wall-of-texty, I’ve included a briefer summary in the next spoiler down. Born one of four siblings to devout but impoverished parents in Kintargo, Jacomo spent his early childhood begging on the streets and watching as one by one his brother and sisters fell ill and perished. As he grew older he and his comrade Decundus became involved in petty crime on the city docks, but a close brush with the law and a stern scolding from his parents scared young Jacomo straight; shortly thereafter both his parents succumbed to sickness as well. He fended for himself as a beggar until one day he witnessed a performance of the Red Mummers, a small troupe of street performers who engaged in marvelous feats of acrobatics; when they began juggling knives between them Jacomo was transfixed. The precision and control displayed amazed him, and he knew then and there that he wanted to have that kind of discipline and skill. He approached the group and begged for an apprenticeship which the group’s leader, Axius Guida, granted. Like most apprenticeships Jacomo’s involved several hard years assisting the Red Mummers with menial tasks before he began to be trained in earnest. It was during this time that he first met the Varisian fortune teller Relia Vraji; Axius brought him to her for a harrow reading, and in his cards she saw “a metamorphosis into both butterfly and wasp - but the risk of being drawn like a moth into the flame.” Axius took this as a very promising fortune and began Jacomo’s proper training immediately afterwards. After Jacomo’s first performance, in which he excelled, the Mummers went to celebrate at a bar frequented by artists and performers. It was there that he first met his wife, Ballaria Sarta. She danced with the acrobats and jongleurs with a grace that put them all to shame, save for Jacomo; he knew then and there that he wanted her as his wife. Their courtship was brief, his sincerity and wit quickly winning Ballaria over, and they were soon married. Jacomo enjoyed married life, and though poor they scraped by with him working with the Red Mummers and her as a seamstress. After a time Ballaria became with child, and Jacomo knew then and there that if he was to provide a secure future for his family he would need help. He had always maintained his faith in Asmodeus, tithing to the church even as a beggar, and it was to that exemplary institution he turned. Inquiries led to a referral to Mercius Malvagio, a ranking official within the church. Mercius informed him that in exchange for a fee he would make sure Jacomo received consideration for recruitment into a new force the church was assembling to be made up of men and women skilled at stealth and combat; it would be dangerous, but the position would pay a sum of over a thousand gold a year. Pleased by this development, Jacomo sought out Canny Decks and began re-training the knife skills he’d once used in his disreputable youth, blending the discipline and precision of his performance art into that of his knifework to great effect. Ballaria gave birth to a healthy baby boy, and that same night Mercius came to their home and informed them that the time had come for him to submit a candidate for the discussed position. ”Those who demonstrate the proper talents and qualities will be chosen,” he told them, then produced a contract for Jacomo - he would be Mercius’s candidate for the price of one thousand gold. Jacomo despaired that the sum was beyond their ability to pay, but promised that once he secured the position he would repay Mercius out of his wages. While sympathetic to their plight, Mercius required payment up front; if they could not afford to pay in coin, perhaps something else of value might be exchanged? ”I see you have a new child, born this very night; hardly enough time to grow attached. I will take him instead.” Ballaria balked at the offer, but Jacomo was not so hasty to dismiss it; a high price, to be sure, but he was confident his skills at blade and shadow would earn him a place in service to Asmodeus. They would then have the wealth and security to raise any number of children, rather than risk raising their current son in their impoverished state; surely the church was better equipped to see to their son’s future than they. Reluctant and teary-eyed, Ballaria agreed, and Mercius praised their wisdom as they amended and signed the agreement. Gathering up the child and making his leave, the priest gave instructions on where and when Jacomo should appear for his interview. Jacomo was put through a series of tests at which he excelled, and he also brought along all his tax records detailing his lifelong tithing to the church, including the contract with Mercius for his son, to show his dedication to the faith. He left feeling supremely confident in his performance, and remained so when he was summoned to Mercius’s presence a few days later, right until the man informed him of his failure. His mind reeled at the shock. ”Your talents are top notch,” Mercius stated, ”it’s your qualities which exempted you: low birth, employment under a known dissenter, questionable profession - I mean,” here the priest gave a chuckle, ”you are quite literally a clown.” Mercius smiled sympathetically. ”Still, you garnered some praise and attention, and it’s rare anyone is selected their first time around. Work on your qualities, Jacomo, and in a few years’ time you may have a real chance at selection.” Jacomo stared blankly at Mercius, and he knew then and there that the priest had known that he wouldn’t be chosen. ”Where is my son?” Mercius’s brow furrowed in annoyance. ”He’s not your child anymore, so quite frankly it’s none of your business; however the fact is I don’t know where the child is, but with a new lord-mayor taking office I assume sacrifices were needed to ensure a successful transition of power. Now if you’ll excuse yourself, I have a rather busy day. These gentlemen will show you out.” With a wave of his hand, two church guards appeared and escorted the dumbfounded man out to the street. Jacomo returned home seething with resentment, and he raged against Mercius, the church, and the lord-mayor. ”They refused me! The liars! Malvagio all but promised that I’d receive the commission when he knew all along I had not a chance! Liars and betrayers!” Ballaria simply stared at him as he raged, silent tears running down her face. ”And our child!” Jacomo’s voice changed to a harsh whisper, his eyes unable to meet those of his wife. ”Our child, sent as sacrifice for the new lord-mayor...” He collapsed into a chair, unable to process it all. Ballaria stared at him for a while longer, then left for their bedchamber without a word. Finally the onset of evening roused Jacomo from his catatonia, and when he looked after his wife he found her hanging from the bedchamber rafter. The flood of anguish, shame, anger, and self-loathing at the sight was too much for Jacomo to bear, and something inside him broke. He realized that the rules and laws he’d followed his whole life were rigged against him, indeed that the intent of the whole system was to defeat him, to keep him poor and helpless. The rage inside of him turned cold, and he knew then and there that he would do everything within his power to see the Church of Asmodeus and all it supported brought to ruin.
Background Precis:
Jacomo was born in Kintargo to a devout but impoverished family, all of whom died before he reached adulthood. As a young boy he was briefly employed in dockside criminal activity, a profession his life-long friend Decundus chose to pursue. Jacomo begged for coin until he was inspired by the juggling and acrobatics of the street performance troupe the Red Mummers, whose leader, Axius Guida, agreed to take him on as an apprentice. He learned the discipline and skills necessary to become a performer himself, and met and married the seamstress and dancer Ballaria Sarta. When she became pregnant he decided he had no wish to raise a family poor, as his had been, and so sought employment with the Church of Asmodeus, where he learned they would be accepting those skilled at stealth and combat into their ranks. He brushed up on his knife skills and was given the opportunity to be considered for the position by Mercius Malvagio in exchange for a fee; when unable to pay the sum, he instead agreed to give up his and Ballaria’s first born. Jacomo failed to get the job, and learned that Malvagio had known all along that he’d had little chance of employment. Upon the news that their plans had failed and that their son had likely been used as sacrifice for the new lord-mayor, Ballaria hung herself in despair. His life ruined, Jacomo has vowed to do everything within his power to see the Church of Asmodeus and all it supported brought to ruin. Inspirations: I'd be a liar if I didn't point out Lord Valentine's Castle, which I read long ago and instilled in young me the belief that juggling is inherently super cool (one I quickly learned was far from universal.) I'm enamored of the idea of the tragic comedian, as well as the 'man of peace turned to violence' trope in general. I picture his outfit being similar to Dottore in construction, but with a red hooded cloak rather than the hat/mask, and a black and white harlequin checker pattern. Music: I Started a Joke/Bee Gees, Still I'm Sad/The Yardbirds, Cirkus/King Crimson, Death of a Clown/The Kinks.
"Let's." Jacomo follows the others' lead to the dungeon.
The clown frowns and nods. "I see. These men can be no greater challenge than was their master; let us pay unto them the wages of their tyranny."
"Guards and prisoners? Why are the latter so disposed?" Jacomo walks as he talks, following the party back towards the dungeons. "Are they guilty of some crime? Or are these dungeons merely a larder for the Chimera, and the guards his butlers?"
"If that is your wish, Igmutanka, we can return." Jacomo follows Igmutanka's lead.
"I shall be more than happy to turn back if that is your wish, though I would prefer to do so after we have determined whether anything can be gleaned from the rooms open to us," Jacomo whispers. He then steps into the larger and slightly nicer room to have a look. Behind the Scene:
Jacomo bows to Igmutanka and gestures at the stairs, then follows after him.
Jacomo nods again and assaults the door, focusing his attacks around the lock (and presumably bolting mechanism) and then the hinges in an attempt to remove the door quickly and completely rather than chop a man-sized hole through it. Well this is quite tiresome. Twice now in recent memory - that seemingly being the only kind in my possession - I have been stymied by a simple locked door. Perhaps I shall apply myself to the study of locksmithing at my earliest opportunity, so as to save myself from such troubles in the future! Behind the Scene:
(Whispering) -Have you got any means of opening this?- he says signaling the door. Jacomo unslings his polearm and nods at it before giving a shrug.
"Of course! My apologies, I quite forget that it is there." Jacomo concentrates for a moment and the flaming stone becomes visible. He plucks it from the air and slips it into his shirt. "Onwards, good Hunter." Jacomo falls in step behind Igmutanka as they creep deeper into the keep. Behind the Scene:
A good point; I'd quite forgotten about the lighting issue - that's what I get for not acquiring darkvision. Nate, are any of the rooms or passages lit? If not, Jacomo will either have to trail behind Igmutanka by 50' or so (the dim light radius of the effect is 40') or join the non-stealth party, leaving poor Igmutanka to explore alone...
"As you say." Jacomo gives a short bow to White Knight II, then takes several steps in the indicated direction before slowing his pace so Igmutanka may join him. The game begins, sir Knight. Let us see where your direction takes us...
Perhaps Jacomo became a clown because he was constantly walking into things and falling down anyways...
Jacomo shrugs. "I may not entirely know who or what I am, sir Knight, but I am certainly no metallurgist. I do have a fair weight of gold crowns, however, if you care to test that particular theory. Since your Pawn is able to keep the monster sedated, I would prefer to search the premises." Jacomo notes Igmutanka's stealthy stance as they proceed from the Throne Room. "Shall we stay together for protection, or separate ourselves so as to hasten the search? I would gamble that this Chimera serves no greater master, and it seems an unlikely sort to suffer servants. Also, a band is only as stealthy as it's loudest member." Jacomo inclines his head towards the hunter. "Perhaps Igmutanka and I should proceed one way in stealth whilst you proceed another in more direct fashion?" Behind the Scene:
Jacomo joins the others for the search. "Were I this creature, I would keep that which could kill me in some far-off aerie rather than my own pantry. Perchance we shall find this 'Key,' however."
Doth not the root force through the stone? Jacomo, apparently disinterested in the riddle of the Chimera's death, attends to the thrones. He looks them over in detail, tracing their carvings with a fingertip and becoming lost in thought. Did once I perform before seats such as these, to the merriment of a king and his queen? I know not. Behind the Scene:
"I have no qualms talking with this "Chimera", nor any killing it, to be sure; I will not torture the cursed beast. It did not recognize any of us, and I will not inflict such gross misfortune upon it simply due to my own."
Round 6 / Reaction Jacomo has his his attention focused on the enemy at hand... Behind the Scene:
That was indeed my intended meaning; Jacomo is as likely to kill it as not. Ari moves behind Rin and attempts to cast cute light wounds on his blurry companion. I just wanted to get this on record before you possibly correct it; I think cute light wounds may be my new favorite spell.
Adjusted Rolls: Acrobatics = 17 Thrown dagger +1 to hit = 28 Thrown dagger +1 damage = 12
ROUND 6 / Block 1 "I am afraid my capacity for violence is not so precise, sir Knight!" Jacomo tumbles around the fiendish boar to flank with White Knight II, attacking it with his dagger toss while threatening it with his polearm. Behind the Scene: Standard: attack action, thrown dagger +1; Move: moves 30' to flank, using Acrobatics to move through 4 threatened squares; Swift: none; Free: speaking.
My apologies, but I moved the dire boar on the map when attempting to move Jacomo; I moved it back to where I believe it should be, though it may have also been directly adjacent to WKII.
ROUND 4? 5? / Initiative Block 1 One beast summons another! Jacomo does his best to tumble safely away from his adversaries and stops just out of the Chimera's reach, then throws his dagger at it to wound it once again. Whatever strange spin the juggler puts on his weapon causes it to ricochet back towards him off of the Chimera's hide. Plucking it out of the air, he returns it to his juggling act. Behind the Scene: Standard: attack with thrown dagger +1; Move: move 20' using Acrobatics to avoid provoking AoOs; Swift: none; Free: none.
As I understand it we're currently in Round 3, first initiative block. If I'm mistaken and we're in Round 4, please let me know.
ROUND 3 / Initiative Block 1 (24) "You dare defend that insolent whelp?!?" the creatures bellows, "then you shall all die!" So be it, monster. Jacomo moves under the flying creature, keeping his two weapons airborn in the process, then throws his dagger up at it's belly. Behind the Scene: Standard: attack w/thrown dagger +1; Move: 20' or 25' forward under the Chimera - unsure of it's size on map; Swift: none; [/b]Free:[/b] none.
for
ROUND 2 / Initiative Block 1 (24) Jacomo moves to continue to protect Rin but, heeding White Knight II's warning and seeing the effects of the dragon's head for himself, he stands ahead and to her side, both to present a less appealing target for the dragon's acid and so as not to block the lightning-tossing woman's line of fire. He continues to juggle his polearm and dagger, ready to strike at the creature if need be. Behind the Scene: Standard: readying an action, see below; Movement: moves 10' forward per map; Swift: none; Free: none.
Readied Action: will again ready an action to attack the Chimera if it attacks him/Rin or seems like it's going to; effectively he'll attack if it advances towards them at all. for
Jacomo somersaults across the floor to stand between Rin and the master of the keep, his polearm and one of his daggers somehow flying up into the air in the process. Both items come back down where he now stands; he alternates between bumping the shaft of lucerne hammer to keep it spinning in midair in front of him and catching and tossing the dagger back up into the air in a deceptively smooth one-handed juggling act. "My apologies at our intrusion, but I cannot allow you to harm the Lady. As for the mephit..." Jacomo trails off and gives a shrug. Behind the Scene: Standard: Readying an attack action (see below); Movement: Moves 20' to be adjacent to Rin, between her and the Chimera, using if only for effect; Swift: None; Free: Draws dagger +1 and lucerne hammer +1, silvered with Quick Draw, speaks.
Jacomo will ready an attack action to throw his dagger +1 at the Chimera if it appears it's going to attack himself or Rin from within 30', preferably from a distance of 15' if possible (in the case of it closing for melee). He will make use of Deadly Aim.
"I am however, prepared for the quick remedy of harm, should it befall any of us." Ah, not just a Priest, but a Doctor as well! And so now all the roles for the players in our troupe seem apparent, but are by no means proven - the brave Knight, the meddlesome Squire, the noble Hunter, the Lady ingenue, the helpful Priest, and the tragic Fool. But will there prove to be a Charlatan among us? At sound of the booming voice, Jacomo leans out from behind White Knight II and squints into the darkness to no avail as his companions address whatever lays inside. That certainly sounds as the voice of some strange beast! The drama commences - let it not be a tragedy, lest my heart be strained to breaking. Ariok steps beside him and calls forth a bright light, and at it's edge Jacomo sees the creature in the throne room beyond. How did such a thing come to be? Frightening and pathetic, ridiculous and lethal, all combined in the coarsest possible way; equal parts comedy and tragedy. In the face of such cruelty, should I scream? Laugh? Weep?
Jacomo follows the group into the castle, being sure to keep behind White Knight II and Pawn XVIII - an easy task, as they seemed comfortable taking the lead. Eager even. Where are you leading us, sir Knight? And why is your companion so determined to distract us? He looks around the room while keeping on eye on the pair, following a short distance behind them unless reason for an alternate course is presented. "If your wish is to announce our arrival, Pawn, perhaps you could do so more formally. A man in my profession lives or dies by his reputation, after all." Behind the Scene: just in case.
"Is it not customary to shun the bodies of the dead in times of plague? Though I must admit my ignorance to any plague that leaves naught but bones of it's victims, and stacked too neatly are these to be the result of more corpulent corpses long since rotted away; I concede the point, sir Knight." "Ah! The Hunter returns."
Jacomo kneels and carefully picks through the bone pile for a moment, pulling out a humanoid skull. He holds it level with his face, gazing into it's empty sockets. "Alas, poor... townsfolk! I knew them not, sir Knight; fellows of infinite jest, women of most excellent fancy, I am sure." He stands, gently placing the skull onto the top of the pile. "While I believe I may be accustomed to mocking death, and possibly even inflicting it, I possess no skill in discerning it's method after the fact. It seems that beasts of burden and masters both lie here before us; perhaps a sickness?" Jacomo looks around the courtyard. "Where now is the noble Igmutanka? He has the seeming and attire of one accustomed to the hunt; perhaps he could provide some insight from the disposition of these remains."
Jacomo walks over to the heap of bones for a casual inspection. Behind the Scene:
"I shall trust your judgement in the matter, sir Knight." Though not your motive. "I am as clueless as any, Igmutanka. All seems in good order; perhaps it is a holy day, with a festival or celebration elsewhere...? It does seem strange, but then very little about our situation seems normal. M'lady - a moment, if I may, before we proceed." Jacomo opens his pack and pokes about inside, temporarily removing several wooden cases of varying size before drawing out a small box made of pressed wood. The lid has a chipped painting depicting a young boy juggling rings. Jacomo flips the simple catch of the lid and opens it, revealing an interior broken up into small partitioned spaces which contain a variety of stones and gems, including one that seems to be aflame! He plucks these from the case and tosses them into the air above his head in quick succession: one, two, three, four... nine in total. Rather than being the start of some routine or falling to the ground, they hang in the air and begin to revolve in strange orbits about his head and shoulders. With a snap of his fingers they all suddenly disappear, and you swear his clothes get a little brighter at the same time. He then packs the boxes away and reshoulders his pack. "My apologies; I would like to make as good an impression as possible on the master of this keep." Or castle. Behind the Scene: After all his ioun stones are active, Jacomo activates his western star to render all his stones invisible and make use of the disguise self effect to brush up the appearance of his garb (Disguise take 10 = 22 to notice he's just a threadbare well-armed clown disguised as a regular well-armed clown.)
What sorcery is this? Jacomo freezes in place facing Rin, still as a statue for the space of three breaths, then slowly begins to turn his head to take in his new surroundings before focusing his attention on White Knight II. Is this the book's doing, or the Knight's - or both? While we all may seem strange to one another, he and his companion are the strangest to me by far... and if this is a game, who better to send than playing pieces? I grow to dislike this situation.
Nah, I'd like to keep Perform: Act for the pantomime. I just find it odd that they basically chose to include a completely separate skill in the description of another.
Jacomo shrugs at the green fellow's words. "I have no desire to spend the remainder of my days here, but I am not yet bored by our environs. Perhaps you could try the door, if egress is your wish?" Our circumstances are quite puzzling, and possibly a puzzle - either way, something to distract from this dismal mood which threatens to swallow me. The clown unshoulders the fine leather backpack which had been partially obscured by his cape and sets it down on the table nearest him, the last on the right. "Yes, sir Knight, parties and places, roles and marks - six of one and a half dozen of the other. Though you may do your companion a disservice; if he was not intended to use a desk, in whatever manner befits him, surely he would not have been provided one? Perhaps we should all sit while you read from the sole property at our common disposal - 'The Castle, the Key, and the Chimera.' It sounds a wondrous fable, undoubtedly as nourishing to the intellect as it is instructive to the morals." As the stoic figure of the knight begins to read aloud, Jacomo steps to the desk adjacent to his own and slides out the chair, inclining his head to Rin. "M'lady?"
Nate - Please take a look at the Perform skills when you get a chance. I took both Act and Comedy to cover physical comedy/clown stuff - pratfalls, exaggerated facial expressions, general "slapstick". I have no interest in verbal/witty comedy, i.e. jokes. Do I actually need Perform: Comedy for this, or can physical comedy be covered by Perform: Act and Acrobatics? I'd love to have an extra skill point per level to reallocate, even if it's just to a different Perform skill, like Dance.
Vision returns to Jacomo as the sensation of a cold hard floor spreads across his back. He blinks slowly, staring up at the ceiling, waiting for some thought of action or purpose to come to him. My heart is heavy, but I know not why. Has something happened? Has someone died? Surely in a moment I shall remember… As he continues to stare at the ceiling, he continues to fail to remember… anything. What is this? What has happened to me? I am Jacomo Pagliacci… and that is all. He hears the voices of others next to him, speaking in a language he understands but with strange accents he does not recognize. Jacomo slowly turns his head to the right as he begins to listen, seeing a motley group of… people?.. who all seem to share his amnesiac state. One of them appears to possess angelic blood, while another is an earth mephit. An aasimar and an earth mephit… How do I know this? The creatures and places that fill my mind seem impossible, yet I know them to be real. The strangely dressed aasimar walks over and looks down at him from a face full of scars. "This one seems to be alive. Perhaps he can shed some light on this?" Alas, I cannot. He listens to the pawn’s bluster and the knight’s proposal, followed by the young woman's declaration. Jacomo sits up cross-legged, resting his hands on his knees, empty and palms-up. He makes no move to adjust the polearm slung over his shoulder on a simple strap of leather, nor any of the daggers that hang at his belt. His face is painted a bright white, with his upper eyelids and upper lip a matte black, and is further decorated with five bright red circles of identical size – one on each side of his face on his lower cheeks near his jaw, one over each eye and cheekbone, and one high in the middle of his forehead. His clothes are of chequered patterns which reflect the colors on his face, as is the lining of his hooded red cape and of his boots - thigh-high black leather affairs folded over below each knee – though the colors of his garb are worn and faded. He then stands in a single fluid motion, keeping his hands open and palms-out at his sides, and bows to the room. ”Apologies; I am Jacomo Pagliacci, mummer and acrobat. Beyond this, I know nothing of myself. I too agree with your proposal, sir Knight.”
If I'm interested in possibly taking the Sound Striker bard archetype as well, is that something I need to declare now? It meshes with Juggler, and doesn't replace any abilities until Bard 3; I'm not sure I'm too keen on inspire competence or suggestion, and am warming to the idea of literally hurling invective at enemies.
If the problem is waiting for player saves can't the DM roll the save? I've seen that here before and no one seems o mind it. An excellent point. Nate, if you'd rather have to look up some bonuses than wait hours or days for a roll, then just rolling a character's save for them would require exactly the same amount of effort. As long as you don't list the DC the save is rolled against, the player can then choose to activate any save-related abilities with minimum metagaming in their next post. True, they'll know that they already failed the save, but that's something I for one am okay with.
I'm a fan of both, though I may be a bit biased. As for the alternate saving throw system, the ability to boost/reroll saves as an immediate action before the result is determined hasn't come up before in use; it's a difficult mechanic to account for and keep player choice involved. I have a few ideas, but they're all based on keeping the spirit of the ability but not the actual effect. I will note that it doesn't require that you give the players an enemy's saves any more than an attack roll requires you to give an enemy's AC. Though maybe some DMs do this in PbP? (This would be music to my ears, actually; I've found that one of the most annoying things throughout my many years of DnD/Pathfinder has been the exhausting "meta-game" of keeping track of die rolls to figure out each enemy's AC in every combat encounter ever fought.) In the end I'm fine with either system for both mechanics, though I'd greatly prefer the block initiative if possible; unless we get down to some serious PvP action, I think it just makes everyone's life easier. Especially as we get higher in level and keep building a greater variety of action options for our characters, contingency posts about actions due to initiative order will become much more difficult - I feel that this is the main cause of getting stuck waiting around for a slow poster with high initiative.
Hi there - I'm an American on EST, can check the forums from work and do short posts on my breaks, but more meaty posts have to wait 'til the evening. I'm currently involved in several PbP games; this will be my fourth as a player and I run one other. Only one of these has a daily posting rate, so for the rest I generally try to post every other day if progression of action allows; I shouldn't have too many problems juggling them (ba-dum ching!) I'm looking forward to what promises to be a slightly stranger game than a standard fantasy set-up. Like Igmutanka, I'm also a big fan of the living chess piece concept - good stuff! The basic concept for Lorenzo has been in the back of my mind for years, and I figured this might be a good way to take him out for a spin and breathe some life into him.
basic crunch & fluff, hopefully right on the line... |
