So, it turns out I can’t count – I blame it on the travel that has wrecked my sleeping patterns. I rolled a 7 (Kipply) and a 14, which I thought was Katarina but turns out to be Colt. My mistake. So I’ve now done three.
@leinathan: I confess I'm not entirely sure what you're looking for here. If you need more than this, I am happy to write it.
Kipply:
Gus and Kipply have worked together with the Guard for a while now, due to having unusual skills that are much in demand. Gus has a great deal of respect for Kipply’s abilities as an alchemist, which far surpass his own dabblings. (He has in return offered some of what he knows of herb-lore, which is little enough.) He also greatly respects Kipply’s abilities as a surgeon, but is becoming uneasily aware that the ratling has little in the way of care for those he stitches up (or much care for anyone beside himself, for that matter). However, if Gus has a fault, it’s a determination to see the best in people, especially if they are on the fringes of human society (as he is himself). He is naturally good-natured anyway, so this is more of a strength being overplayed. He is not the lecturing kind, and does his best to be on good terms with everyone he can, so he has not made an issue of their very clear difference in values.
The way Gus sees it, if he can set a good example of care and concern for others, then maybe Kipply will follow it, and maybe he won’t. Gus isn’t a paladin, although he has been deeply influenced by one. It’s not his place to tell other people how to live.
Gus has also heard rumours that Kipply works for the more unsavoury members of society, and that he deals in drugs. He is however keenly aware of human prejudice against ratfolk and other non-humans, and is therefore inclined to dismiss this as unfounded. If it turns out that Kipply is involved in the drugs trade, and Gus finds out, it’s not entirely clear what would happen. Memories of Durthu's overdose are still quite fresh in Gus's mind.
He does however regard Kipply as a friend (regardless of whether the feeling is mutual – that’s simply not relevant to the half-orc), and if the ratfolk should come to him seeking help, Gus would give it without hesitation – although he might ask some penetrating questions about how Kipply ended up in trouble.
Kat:
Gus isn’t entirely sure what Kat thinks of the practice of having various ‘civilians’ occasionally seconded to Guard squads – that is, he has some suspicions about what she thinks, but Kat is/was professional enough to keep such thoughts to herself. It helps that Gus has been genuinely useful in situations where the things that go bump in the night have refused to stay under the bed. It also helps that (unlike most wizards) he can handle himself in a fight, although small-unit tactics took him a while to get used to: on two occasions, it was only a well-placed arrow, and a cry of “Watch your six, dummy!” (or at least, a word that Gus chose to hear as ‘dummy’) that prevented him coming down with a bad case of knife-between-the-shoulder-blades.
Gus genuinely respected Kat’s brother, seeing him as one of the utterly incorruptible Captains in the Guard, and always enjoyed working with the man. For his part, Pit seemed to have no issues with working with a half-orc, which is more than can be said for some of the Guard (another reason for Gus’s occasional selective deafness). Gus was genuinely grieved to hear of his death (the half-orc wasn’t part of that mission, which was supposed to be ‘routine’). He has been uncertain as to how to offer those condolences to Kat, although she has approached him in his role as apothecary, seeking some draughts to help her sleep. (She came into his shop wearing her best I-do-NOT-want-to-talk-about-it face, which he was wise enough to respect.)
Colt:
Bargsfjord (Colt’s mentor) was very good friends with Durthu (Gus’s late mentor), which is natural enough since both were magic-users who were not affiliated with the Academae. If Bargsfjord knows the reasons as to why Durthu left the Academae, he has kept it to himself.
Gus and Colt have therefore known one another for a while. Circumstance may have brought them into one another’s orbit, but it is their shared values that have made them into good friends: both of them have a care for others. Gus has often noted evidence of Colt’s good heart and kind temperament.
They also share a concern that Korvosa’s law is stifling, rather than promoting, justice. Neither of them has taken many strides towards doing much about this, but there is an unspoken agreement between them that upholding the spirit of the law is far more important than the strict letter. If they must skirt the system to help others, so be it.
Gus has been working for the Guard for some time now, and he likes to think that his positive stories about making a difference were part of what convinced Colt to volunteer to assist in the recent difficulties.
Gus himself is under no illusions that the Guard can occasionally be more interested in keeping the peace than in standing up for a good cause, but in his view the Guard does far more good than it does harm, and it keeps the streets safe for the most part. Colt might be rather more sceptical, possibly even seeing the Guard as part of the problem, although Gus isn’t really sure about this. Their friendship is based in a large part on what they don’t talk about, as well as what they do discuss.
And you're right: Gus isn't a 'typical' adventurer, in that he'd never decide that exploring (say) Rappan Athuk or the Emerald Spire Superdungeon, or going out and mapping the Greenbelt, would be a fun thing to do for the hell of it. But he does like to be helpful (the Affable trait), and he has a particular set of skills, both martial and mystical, that mean he's well placed to assist people with difficult/unusual problems. (as an aside, if you're familiar with the adventures of another wizarding detective, Harry Dresden, a lot of his problems adventures start from the desire to be helpful - and once he's far enough in to realise the dangers, he doesn't back out because "if not me, then who?" Gus isn't based directly on him - much sunnier outlook, for one thing - but there's a certain amount of inspiration there)
And to answer your second question, what excites me about this character is playing someone who isn't a 'natural' adventurer but who is willing to make a difference - and has the skillset to do so - when the adventure comes to his hometown and menaces people he cares about. If he thinks the cause is right, he won't back down no matter how deep the rabbit hole goes.
Applying with this character (details in the profile). I think the background and description answer the various questions you've posed, but let me know if you need more detail.
I've also included some NPCs as potential adversaries or plot hooks, feel free to adapt or disregard.
Gus chews thoughtfully on a stick of chalk (it keeps his tusks white) before rinsing his dry mouth out with a swig of water from his canteen, ignoring the odd looks this might attract from those around him. He looks at the rest of the group around him: Suru, clad in local garb and the only one clearly at ease in this heat; Sturm and Z'ael, whose idea this was; and Morana and Brennan, conferring together. He hasn't had much opportunity to talk with Brennan, but he trusts Morana - and any friend of hers...
He wonders why he is doing this; the architecture itself is distinctive but not his particular interest, and he's never been into riches. Actually, that's not quite true, he corrects himself automatically - as a Paladin, he's never been into riches. Joining his companions on this task, though, seemed somehow right - is this what Ragathiel sent him here for? If so, this is not a simple treasure hunt expedition: the Empyreal Lord has a habit of putting him in danger. It's one of the many things Gus appreciates about his Patron. Best, then, to be wary.
At the call, Gus looks up, and murmurs: "Well, that's us: Sturm, Z'ael, this was your idea - and Sturm, the name was your suggestion; I vote one of you should represent us."
Gus is only half paying attention to Suru's words, and misses the blush completely: he suddenly realises that Z'ael - doubtless bored with the conversation on weaponry - has wandered off.
With Suru's assistance, he tracks the gnome and is relieved to find him unharmed, and pleased to meet the mystery benefactor: "Neat trick with that armour - don't s'pose it's somethin' you could teach? Pretty hot havin' to wear mine all the time... Name's Gus, by the way. This here is Z'ael and this lad is Suru. Suru'd just offered his services as a guide when they became needed to find my friend here - mighty useful timing!"
Loot: If Z'ael is fine with keeping track, that works for me. My only worry is that Sturm ends up using his own gold to pay for scrolls that are used on the rest of us - first level spells are ok, but if we end up needing Restoration/Cure disease it could get expensive fast. Do we want to set up a fund for party scrolls?
Gus closes his eyes and shakes his head, before holding up a hand. "OK, new word: 'I' - no more o' this 'Suru this', 'Suru that' Please? I'm only a simple half-breed and I'm easily confused. If'n you can manage that, we got a deal." The paladin smiles to take any sting out of the words.
"Nice sword, by the way; but if you wear it like that, it'll trip you whenever you go runnin'. Try it with the scabbard ridin' up along your back - you don't so much draw the sword out as push the scabbard away from it." Gus shows the 'lad' how his own is set up. "There you go, kiddo. You can thank me first time we have to run away from somethin'." Another smile.
Morana:
Sounds reasonable. How much of the background do we know? Do you want to do an introduction, or just assume that we now know you?
LOOT:
How do we want to manage this? Some groups keep track strictly of who has been given what and make sure that everyone has the same money's worth of stuff. I'm open to that method as long as I don't have to do the chart (I didn't take up RPGs to become an accountant). If we go with this method, the 200 gp gets split 33 gp each with 2 gp left over. If Brennan (or whoever) wants to take the 2 gp, I'm not fussed - it helps establish character straight off.
However, I prefer having a single group pool from which we try to allocate loot equally, but on a who needs what basis - Gus doesn't need metamagic rods, for example so if we find one it should go to someone who does (magic armour, on the other hand...). So in that instance, the 200 gp could be spent on any gear that we don't yet have but think we might need (tents, survival gear), and maybe a mule to carry it; and hang on to the rest until we find something else we need. Alternatively, we could get some basic potions/scrolls; when you first start out, there are never enough CLWs to go round when you really need them (at least in my experience!)... A potion of endure elements might not be a bad idea, in case someone gets a really sucky series of dice rolls.
I'm open to other ideas - what does everyone else think?
I have the trapfinder trait. No languages other than Common, Orc and Gnoll.
So... Z'ael and Sturm got to know each other on the journey to Osirion; Z'ael bumped into Gus, who was here a while before and had acquired the services of 'Suru' as a guide. The idea of Brennan taking paid service as a bodyguard to one of Suru's clients makes sense, maybe they've formed a working relationship. Morana - it depends on how soon you want us to know about your abilities, but it strikes me that Z'ael could easily get overcurious and find trouble in an isolated ruin; Morana is there reading the Ancient Osiriani glyphs and helps him out.
Brennan - do you have any thoughts on how your character came to be with this group and we came to be with you? Also - any thoughts on a group name?
Suru(bi) - happy to role-play it out; either in the discussion thread or agree that they haven't happened and will crop up in game. Obviously depends on how long the group has been together before our adventure starts.
"Suru, huh? Nice an' easy to remember. Much better than 'this one' - let's agree to use your name, ok?" Gus smiles at the lad. "Have you met the rest of us yet? This is Z'ael *whispers* he'll walk into you from time to time, but don't pay it no mind, it ain't personal. So, are you a local to this town? Or are you one o' them dune wand'rers?"
To a gnome, 6' 4" @ 280 lbs puts you squarely in the realm of support structures like columns and walls.
That made me chuckle - my other half just gave me an odd look
Sturm Harrensonn wrote:
... implied death motif in the Grim Prospectors - i.e. a grim prospect, rather than prospecting
I hadn't thought of that, it's a good spot. Gus doesn't like to think of himself as grim, but he's aware he can look pretty intimidating so the name wouldn't put his nose (snout?) too out of joint.
OK... DM: as I understand it, we're already a group that has done some stuff together (hence additional the lump sum you mentioned) - background is written on that basis.
Gus has been in Wati for some time now, on the order of his Patron, the Empyreal Lord Ragathiel. So far, nothing significant has come to light but he is sure that whatever he has been sent here for will come to light eventually; in the meantime he waits and explores the area.
He met Z'ael when the gnome literally bumped into him (Gus is still wondering how this happened: at 6 ft. 4 inches and 280 pounds or so, he's not exactly inconspicuous). He is drawn to Z'ael's happy-go-lucky and open nature, but is aware bad things can often happen to such unsuspicious types. Gus intends to ensure that bad things do not happen to his new friend. He also appreciates the fact that Z'ael's reaction on bumping into him was to chatter away, rather than recoil or run off.
As a half-orc, particularly in Osirion, Gus is aware that he has a perpetual 'outsider' status ('a half-orc from an outlaw tribe who claims to be a Paladin - come on, who does he think he's kidding!'); he is therefore more aware of those on the margins. Perhaps that's how he came to the attention of Morana and Sturm: the half-elf orphan waif and the dwarf in exile from his homeland as he tries to follow a deity who is foreign to his own people. Or maybe he came to their attention: those on the margins of society can often be drawn to one another.
Brennan - I'm assuming your character will be as discussed As for Brennan, well - it's a cliché to say that "opposites attract" and in this case it would be palpably untrue. Perhaps Gus sees something of how he used to be in the human knife-master? If so, he's not telling. Or maybe by staying close to the rogue he hopes to minimise the damage inflicted on others. Again, if so, he won't be saying.
Lacking any local knowledge, or an understanding of the hot desert conditions, Gus was relieved when one of the guides offered their services; although he was bemused by their manner of speaking. " 'This one?' What, as opposed to 'that one?' Wouldn't it be easier to jus' y'know, use your name? Call me Gus. What's yours?"
Surubi - not sure whether at this stage you're still disguising as a boy?
I'm happy with pretty much any of the names suggested (although Grim Prospectors is a bit, well, grim, and I don't know how many of the group are actually in it for the money!) - I have one more to offer(going back to my suggestion of slightly derogatory names):
Spoiler:
The Misbegots
It wasn't a name they chose - it was an epithet attached to them by others: the 'adventurers' that no other party would accept.
a dwarf in exile from his own people, drawn to a goddess outside their pantheon;
a gnome considered to be child-like and reckless even by the standards of that fey race;
a half-elf orphan waif whose 'imaginary friend' was ... somewhat less than imaginary;
a half-orc from an outlaw tribe who claimed to be a paladin;
a foul-mouthed human brute who'd cut your thumbs off as soon as look at you - much less try and talk to you (Brennan - taking you at your word here!);
a local girl (boy?) on the run from something s/he wouldn't discuss.
Disregarding the scorn of their peers - perhaps even drawn together by it - they formed a group that proved to be surprisingly effective. Things they were hired to guard stayed guarded; things they were hired to find got found; things they were hired to investigate were discovered.
With the passing of time, their name would come to mean a group to be reckoned with...
Most groups don't choose their name (unless they're a rock band) - it's given them by others (e.g. Desert Rats, Untouchables, Cavaliers & Roundheads, Redcoats, Yankees, Limeys). Some famous names even started off as insults
So... Maybe a slightly derogatory name? Given by others who don't think we're good enough, that we then grow into and adopt?
Gus smiles easily at Z'ael's discomfort: "It's alright, I ain't easily offended - and you're right, many folk that hide their names do so from bad motives. In my case, I took a new name 'cos the old one didn't suit me no more: it belonged to my old life, not my new life. I'd be happy to help you: I'm here in service to m'Lord Ragathiel, but until somethin' comes up for my attention, I have time to spare. Now, why don't you show me that store where they sell sensible clothes for this here hot weather..."
As long as you all find a way to decide to be a group before the AP begins, how long before doesn't matter much to me.
Understood, thanks
The 6 ft. 4 inch half-orc looks down bemusedly at the gnome that has just walked into him, and chuckles; a deep, rumbling sound. "Have to say, there ain't many that accuse me o' bein' the silent type, er -Z'ael, is it? Call me Gus; it ain't 'zackly my real name, but it's what I go by. I'm real pleased to meet you, I was just wanderin' 'round same as you, tryin' to get a feel for the place - mostly what I'm feelin' is hot, though - I might have to change into somethin' more like what you're wearin' - pretty smart of you t'adopt the local garb straight off. So tell me, what brings you t'these parts?"
Odea - interesting concept! Half-orcs aren't usually the subject of 'crushes' so I'm intrigued...
However, Gus is all too aware that the fate of most paladins is an early death and an unmarked grave; he's definitely not looking for complications like romance - plus his past makes him reluctant to be vulnerable to anyone. It would therefore be unrequited. Could make for some great RP though.
Z'ael - like the character! I could do with some happy-go-lucky rubbing off on me too; but aren't we supposed to know each other already? I may have misunderstood this.
