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You recognize the city, maybe. Maybe it's the mist that's making everything look strange. It's all around. A wall of sickly yellow fog, tumbling through the alley’s canyon of crumbling, gray brick walls like some jaundiced flash flood. Ahead, the unfamiliar alley splits, curving to the left and right. Behind, from the silent swell of mist, emanates the sound of footsteps—slow, but somehow keeping pace with the careening, hungry wave.
Alright everyone! Please finish up crunch and alias, and report in here. Once everyone is ready, we'll decide when to start gameplay. The bell tolls for the witch's daughter,
The bell tolls for the forgotten,
The bell tolls for love lost,
The stars are right. This is a recruitment thread for the latest adventure path. If you are reading this, I assume you find the prospect of Lovecraftian horror mixed with Pathfinder heroics appealing. If you're not sure, I recommend the Strange Aeons Player's Guide. In fact, even if you are sure, I recommend you read it; because this campaign is a little different. Why you might ask, well if you'd read the guide you'd know, but just to make sure we are all on the same page. Your character doesn't know who they are. The only memories that remain are but vague hints and gut feelings—hardly clear recollections. A PC may recall only bits of an early childhood in a merchant family, while another might remember being born in Oppara, but nothing else. So, keep this in mind when making your character. Although they had a past that led them here, neither they nor anyone else knows what that past is, yet. There are; however, three things that do remain with you. A feeling of kinship with your fellow amnesiacs, a vague sense of servitude, and a dread feeling of dark deeds committed. For character creation and playing, I refer you to the excellent DoomHeroes' Guide to Play By Post gaming and Painlord's Advanced Play-by-Post Play. Please review these even if you are familiar with them. Character Creation:
20 point buy. Scores lower than 8 and higher than 18, after modifiers, are not forbidden, but won't help your chances. Party balance is important and I'm not a fan of characters that overshadow the rest of the party or trivialize challenges. All Paizo material or anything from Legendary Games Gothic line, subject to review, is fair game. If you'd like to know what LG offers that might fit your concept, shoot me a pm so I can give you relevant highlights. Remember that the setting is initially in Ustalav and the campaign tone is heroic horror.
Gameplay:
Posting is twice a day during the week. Weekend posting is not guaranteed. It may happen, or not. I make no promises. I am in the Central Time Zone US and will be posting in the morning and evening. If there is a conversation happening that requires a single line response, I may even pop in during lunch. I am looking for players who can do the same. So, this game will move faster than some. Please be sure you can handle a schedule like that, especially if you are the kind who likes interparty banter. Along with this, there may be times where I don't have time for a long post that gives a A+ description of everything, only a rough skeleton. Please bear with me if that is the case and I extend the same courtesy to you. In regards to absences, they happen. If you are on holiday, give us a heads up and then don't worry about it. Combat will take place in theater-of-the-mind, no maps, or maps on google drive as resources and time allow. Due to the somewhat tricky nature of pbp combat, I will provide a summary of what occurred each round and reserve the right to alter character actions in order to keep things running smoothly. Such as when one character's actions negate the actions of another character. When two character's actions are in dispute, the character with higher initiative is given preference. Don't worry about posting in order, but feel free to include an alternative action if you're not sure the first choice will work. Recruitment is open from now until I have a group of candidates I like. 24 hour notice will be given before closing and all characters will be considered equally. From the one submitted two minutes from posting this because you've been dying to play and have your spiritualist fully stated out, to the rough sketch submitted at the deadline because you only just saw the thread. Even though your character doesn't know who they are, you do. Give me some idea of who that is, but don't worry about writing a three page essay. If it turns out the character you had in mind and the character who ends up existing in the game don't quite match, that's fine. If you have a question about your submission, feel free to ask. I give no preference to alias vs post submissions. Player count will be between 3-6. Thanks for taking a look and let's how long our minds last. 
Was just looking and noticed the bundle sale has passed $1,000,000 and 60,000! Congratulations Paizo!
As said, pages have been loading very slowly, or not loading at all. This is making it difficult to do pbp games here. I haven't experienced it with any other site, so I assume it is something here. Anything I can do on my end to improve performance? What is the root cause?
The discussion forum is now open for discussions.
"Welcome to Sandpoint! Please stop to see yourself as we see you!" Those were the first words to greet you as you entered the town of Sandpoint. Painted in white on a sign made of rough board with a small metal mirror nailed above them. The sign is usually the only guard for the wooden bridge which crosses the Turandarok river into the southern side of town. Though occasionally someone is fishing from the bridge, or children are diving from it, despite the warnings of the parents. What was once a larger-than-normal Varisian camp site in the shadow of an ancient ruined tower has become the Lost Coast's largest town. Nestled among the cliffs where the Turnadarok meets the Varisian Gulf in a natural harbor some 50 miles northeast of Magnimar. Though nominally beholden to the larger city, those living in Sandpoint and the surrounding farms handle their own affairs. Aside from the occasional goblin, there usually isn't much to worry about. The area is currently in that strange spot of too big yet too small, too distant and yet too close for larger and more deadly troubles to come their way. It's a nice place, combining the vigor and ambition of Magnimar's Chelaxian merchants with the welcoming and unhurried pace of the native Varisian nomads. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Today is a special day. After five years, the new cathedral is finished and ready to be dedicated during this year's Swallowtail festival. Residents and travelers have all gathered for the celebrations. That the locals inn will be providing a free lunch, and that there will be no market fees certain hasn't hurt. The turnout for the opening speeches is quite respectable, and the four keynote speakers each deliver short but well-received welcomes to the festival. Mayor Deverin's friendly attitude and excitement prove contagious as she welcomes visitors to town and jokes about how even Larz Rovanky, the local tanner (and notorious workaholic) managed to tear himself away from the tannery to attend, much to everyone's amusement (except Larz's). Sheriff Belor Hemlock brings the crowd down a bit with his dour mood, his reminder to be safe around the evening's bonfire, and his request for a moment of silence to remember those who lost their lives in the fire that claimed the town's previous church several years ago. The next speaker is scheduled to be local nobleman Lonjiku Kaijitsu, but a sudden illness has prevented him from attending the ceremony. Sandpoint's own showman Cyrdak Drokkus is more than up to the challenge ofbringing the crowd's mood back up with his rousing anecdotes. He delivers a not-completely-irreverent recap ofthe long process the town went through to finance and construct the new cathedral. He throws in a bit of self-promotion at the end, as is his wont, inviting everyone to stop by the Sandpoint Theater the following evening to check out his new production of "The Harpy's Curse," revealing that the lead role of Avis era the harpy queen will be played by none other than the famous Magnimarian diva Allishanda! Finally, Father Zantus steps up to give a short speech thanking everyone for coming before declaring the Swallowtail Festival underway.
This is a private game Five years after a tragic fire and spate of brutal murders, the people of Sandpoint eagerly anticipate the Swallowtail Festival to commemorate the consecration of the town’s new temple. Characters:
Level 1
Max hp for level 1 HP gain upon leveling TBD whether averaged or rolling 20 point buy
150gp for all classes 2 Traits, 1 strongly encouraged to be campaign. All traits must be incorporated into the character's backstory/personality. No custom races All paizo classes, archetypes, races, etc allowed, so long as they fit the character and don't unbalance the party. Background skills from unchained are recommended. For those who don't have the book, you get 2 bonus skill ranks (per level) that can only be used in the following skills: Appraise, Artistry, Craft, Handle Animal, Knowledge (Engineering, Geography, History, Nobility), Linguistics, Lore, Perform, Profession, Sleight of Hand. Use these to help flesh your character out. Players: There will be changes to the Adventure Path. That's the nature of role-playing games. I tweak this, you save instead of slay, and pretty soon our campaign doesn't look quite like anyone else's. Don't fight it, embrace it. Content in my games tends to run a bit mature in places, especially in a game like Runelords where you face ancient and monstrous evil. I don't try to be shocking or gratuitous, but entrails are spilled, people get naked, and the terrible things that can happen to the helpless don't always take place conveniently off-screen. This isn't to everyone's taste, and I wanted to let you know. I will DMPC your character if the party is waiting on you, generally this will be after ~24hrs, but it will really be a more a matter of feel once we're familiar with everyone's posting schedule. This usually only occurs in combat, and role-playing someone else's character is awkward. Speaking of which... PbP has some... quirks. On the one hand it's much easier to be in character and get some serious role-playing done. You have time to really think about what to do. On the other, turns are often a day long, with posting order and character actions tumbling all over each other. So, at the end of each round of combat I will be posting a summary of the official version of what happened, and reserve the right to change character actions so everything goes smoothly. This works quite well, and the changes are usually on the order of, 'Slew goblin z instead of y because [Other Character] killed y first.' So, when you post your action, feel free to give me some alternative actions or what he wants to accomplish in the fight. i.e '[charname] is going to take out the bodyguards first. Or [charname] will heal rather than attack if someone goes down. If a conversation starts up between a single character and a npc, we will probably continue it in spoilers rather than holding up the whole party while you harmlessly flirt with the bar-maid. Same goes for 'small talk' conversations within the party. These are one of the most enjoyable parts of role-playing, and so I want to encourage them, but an ongoing dispute over who is the worst cook probably isn't going to drastically change anything, unlike, say, a conversation about whether we kill the prisoner or not. That does need to be resolved before moving on, and don't feel the need to rush it. If it takes a week to figure out what to do with the BBEG, that is OK. I plan to have traps, poisons, diseases, puzzles, etc to further enhance the game beyond "I kill all the things!" There will be different ways to accomplish an "encounter", be it by combat, diplomacy, intrigue, sneaking, etc. There will be time for crafting, professions, artistry, and performances Metagaming, spoiling the game, harassing players, and verbal abuse are all serious. Please play respectfully. I will eject players that are jerks. Also, 'It's what my character would do!' is usually not a good enough reason for disruptive behavior. Posting expectation is 1/day. If possible, more posting is good, especially in combat, the bane of many pbps, where all you really need to type one or two sentences and enter a dice sequence. However, if you can't post for a couple days, I understand. Though a head's up is always nice, I won't kill you off just because you got sick or had a test. Likewise, if there is an usually long silence on my end, don't panic, role-play. Final thing, The world in the game will continue on without you, but the game itself will not. Your character does nothing if you don't type it. Your character feels nothing if you don't type it. When possible, don't give us, your fellow cast members, 'Charge Goblin in L4, power attack with longsword.' or 'I flirt with deh w3nch.' I recommend these two guides for ideas. Doomedhero's guide and Building a better Doomedhero
Hear me Locust! I will unmake you. I will turn your wasteland into a paradise. I will lead your scorned children to heaven. I will burn your body and from the ashes grow a garden of such beauty and goodness that all who see it will be restored. I will name it Deskari so that in time your very name is one with life, joy, and love. I will take everything that you are and make it holy! Lord of the Verdant Waste
Home: The material plane Alignment: Lawful good Temples: Former temples of evil faiths. Wastelands. Ruins. Holy Symbol: Portfolio: Wastelands
Worshipers:
Domains: Fire, Good, Law, Plant
Favored Weapon: Bastard Sword Tuoni is a not properly a deity, rather a mortal risen to the heights of mythic power. The scion of Ragathiel and a tiefling paladin devoted to his service, Tuoni’s nature and heritage are an important part of who he is. From his father’s side he gained a heritage of iron, fire, and vengeance, but also fertility, honor, and leadership. From his mother, mortality, the fury of the abyss, and a desire to create new life. Raised by his mother and adoptive father, Tuoni was taught early, and firmly, the importance of discipline and self-mastery, and the need for order. For some it might be enough to simply follow their heart, but for him, and his mother, righteousness was a code found in the sacred texts of good divinities. If the heart cannot be trusted, something else must guide it. This reliance on external codes, and the identity of his parents, made becoming a paladin a natural choice that he trained for from early on. Having spent many of his formative years in Lastwall, Tuoni identifies strongly with that crusader tradition and bears the shield and sword mark of Vigil proudly. During the fifth crusade, particularly with the reclamation of the city of Drezen, Tuoni became an beacon to many, and organized his followers to best help in the restoration and defense of the city. As he grew in power, he found that his most devoted were able to draw not just inspiration, but real, tangible, power from him in an manner not unlike how he did from his father. This humbling, and exhilarating, power would have great effect on the path he would take. The attention demanded by being a good leader caused him to notice, really notice, the tortured landscape. He heard stories from crusaders whose ancestors had once called this land home. Of temples desecrated and herds that had once provided sustenance turned into undead abominations. And through all this, in the middle of a war for the soul of a world, children were born. New life was made, and the only horizon for those children to see was a hellscape from a lunatic’s nightmares. This would not be tolerated. The hordes of the Abyss would pay for this crime and the land would be restored. More than restored, it would be made good. An important part of the Verdant Waste’s faith is the belief that all sentient beings have the ability, and right, to determine their destiny, and so is popular among those who have decided to reject their heritage. Though many of these are individualists who favor the flexibility of chaos, this is not the case for all. Some desire to change, or recognize the validity of arguments in favor of it, but lack, or feel they lack, the ability to do so one their own, and seek a firm structure to build their new lives around. These are often individuals who have failed to achieve their goal previously, or for whom it is an ongoing struggle, such as pit-born tieflings who must continually master their fiendish heritage. Others simply recognize the strength that comes from being part of a united community. Marks of Justice and other magically binding oaths are popular among the faithful. Though there is some variation, all require the bearer to be truthful and uphold the noblest crusader ideals. X has a fondness for bees, particularly honeybees. As creatures which work together to enrich and benefit all around them, they represent the ideal X strives towards. They turn hollow trees and rock clefts into astounding and beautiful homes full of multitudes working together. From this reclaimed home, they go forth, promoting growth and turning nectar into a delicious and nourishing food. Though generally unaggressive, bees are willing to give their all in defense of their hive, and their sting is painful and lasting. Bees are also the source of X’s prefered libation, mead. There is an element of pugnaciousness in the choice as well. As insects tend to be favored by gods of chaos or evil. As much of Tuoni’s limited time as a quasi-deity has been spent trying to reclaim the world-wound and restore natural order there, he works with many that would seem uncomfortable fits. As beings connected to nature, azatas, fey, and druids are are frequent presences in project camps. Seeking to right the wrongs done, he has sought out beings who lived, or are descended from those who lived, in Sarkoris prior to the wound. Just as important, Tuoni seeks to make the land itself whole. Proper placement of forests, water-courses, plant and animals species. are all considered before taking action. It is not enough to know what was here, though that often provides an excellent blue-print to work from, it needs to be the right choice. Commandments:
A thousand strikes cleave the mountain
Relations with other religions: Tuoni is the son of the empyreal lord Ragathiel, and so grandson of Dispater and Feronia. He has good relations with his father, rising to power as a paladin in his service. Ascension to near equal status, choosing a different focus, and granting spells to his own worshipers has complicated the relationship. Currently neither are exactly sure how to proceed and have been seeking advice from older deities. A quite religious mortal, X is endeavoring to cultivate relationships with a wide array of divinities, most notably Iomedae and the gods of the crusade, whose servants he has fought alongside, Pharasma, who he feels everyone should be on good terms with, and his paternal grandmother Feronia, with whom he shares many interests. Cayden Cailean’s advice has been sought in regards to the proper fermentation of honey and as a fellow mortal who gained divine power unintentionally. Overtures have been made to Erecura, Dispater’s current wife as a first step in trying to resolve what is, for Tuoni, a troublingly unsettled relationship with his grandfather.
Holidays: Holidays form an important part of the growing faith as they bring a community together. They are also favored by X himself as opportunities to honor other deities or events worthy of praise, and engage in revelry. X and his followers specifically honor the first day of spring, both as a celebration of new life and to frustrate Deskari’s cultists, and the other equinox and solstices as important markers in the cycle of life.
After another lengthy hiatus, my long running Kingmaker group was ready, sort of maybe, to assault the thistle palace of Queen Rhoswen from Realm of the Fellnight Queen. The module has been incorporated as the next major event after Varnhold Vanishing. After hastily raising a small army from the kingdom, and raising/hiring/bribing a force of Nomen centaurs, the party assaulted to breach between worlds. Driving the invaders back, the party sprinted forth to take the fight directly to the queen while the army held the portal. After the druid scouted the palace in air elemental form, the party rigged a system of ropes to get everyone, centaur fighter and tiger animal companion included, to the room. Using ropes to leap over the side and swing onto the third floor balcony, our heroes scattered the few guards and charged into the throne room. The fight perhaps a minute, but left three of the party members, the human bard king of our realm, halfling druid, and centaur fighter, dead and the druid's animal companion a tiger trapped in a canary's body. The mountain lion monk took five shadow evocation fireballs and a baleful polymorph without a scratch. That cat has saves for days. Situation now. The queen is dead, but so is most of the party. The palace has not been cleared, and the portal to golarion, about ten feet diameter, is being contested by two armies of many hundreds. What should our monk do? He can't take the bodies or gear with him. We're not sure how intact some of the bodies are anyway. The druid took between 40-81 fire damage after dying. Bard took 41 after dying. Fighter is pretty intact. Also, what state is the throne room in? Most of it took 50d6 fire damage, equivalent of 7.5 seconds of full immersion in lava.
Yep, just what it says. Correia did a post in response to an article about racism at gencon and gaming in general, and suggested the author should take look at Pathfinder's Iconics.
It was all going so well. Despite goblin attacks and bandit ambushes, you found the ruin. Therin noticed it first, a hidden door, a secret passage, and a room untouched for ages. There wasn't much there, no traps or ominous warnings, just a strange brass sphere lying near the wall, like an incense burner someone had knocked over and forgotten to set upright. Pavo picked it up... and nothing happened. A bauble then. Something worth coins to the right person, but nothing more. As everyone entered the room, the room itself demanded your attention. Symbols and equations of gold dance over lines of silver that join sapphire spheres and ruby stars. All against a black that held all the colors of the sky. And then, like hearing darkness, or seeing a smell, you sense a door, so old it is almost new, opening, and the world disappears into madness. For a moment, an eternity, or perhaps both, there is only chaos, and a grey presence, standing at the threshold of everything. As you pass through, it takes note, and a universe of solemn skulls watches on. Your senses return to shouts of confusion and the sound of claws on stone. You stand upon a raised circular platform of some kind. The darkness of a foggy, moonless night is lit by a single torch. A shabby man and muscular ghoul appear to have have been struggling over some object the creature holds in its claws. Each has a companion standing a pace behind, seconds to duel or witnesses perhaps? The man's a hold the torch in his left hand and a sword in his right. Four sets of eyes gaze at you in astonishment. The two who were contesting focus their attention on Athene, and in unison shout a word in a language you don't recognize. The second ghoul leaps toward her, claws scrabbling on her armor, but failing to find purchase, while the contending one moves to tear into Therin, one claw finding its way beneath his armor. The ragged man just stands there, eyes bulging while his companion looks on uncertainly. DM:
Athene:
You feel a tearing sensation in your mind, like someone was trying to rip it open an peer inside. You manage to shake it off, you think, but are sure it came from the shabby man. DC20 Perception: Right before the world goes mad, you're pretty sure you see Staveon bump into Pavo.
Alrighty people. First thing I'd like is for everyone to look over each other's character sheets, and finalize your own if you haven't. If you notice something odd, pm the person about it. It may be an oversight, or I may have given permission for it. It was suggested that there be two groups to start that are brought together by what brought you here. What do people think? I'd prefer everyone to start together, but if a majority prefer another option, we'll do that. I am a very democratic tyrannical overlord. ^_^ You're point of departure will be from an Azlanti ruin in the River Kingdoms. This won't have much affect on the game, but just so you know where you're coming from.
There is a special kind of madness, a clarity rather, so far past sanity that the presence of an in- makes little difference.
I am seeking 1-6 adventurers willing to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations. Why 1-6? Because I have had great experiences with all the numbers in that range, and don't know how many will be interested, as this may be a rather unusual campaign. What is the campaign? Well... Belief is a thirst, a void that wants to be filled. Our world is... thirsty. We believed, and saw nothing. Perhaps plants are better. Yes. Plants in a desert, with just enough water to live. And so they adapt, learning to draw moisture from the very air, sucking in every drop of water. But now, the dam is breached, the glass is cracked and we are drowning. Neither we, nor the water knows what will happen now. This campaign is one that's been rattling around in my head for a very long time. I blame a childhood in the outdoors and a love for the game King's Bounty. Quite simply, the world is cool. It would be even cooler if you could fight monsters in it. Last year some wonderful folks were kind enough to muck around in it for a bit, and it helped things shake down nicely. Our heroes start off in Golarion, as ordinary as adventures ever are. In the process of doing what adventures do best, invading subterranean homes and ruthlessly slaughtering the inhabitants, they come across a Azlanti relic. It could be an artifact, it could simply be a key with an odd metaphysical attunement. Whatever it is, it actives, and our party is swept of to parts unknown. Where they are and what they intend to do about it is something they will have decide for themselves. As players though, I imagine you'd like a bit more than that. Very well, the answer is Earth, sort of. Those familiar with the books of S.M Stirling will notice my ruthless pillaging of his work. For those who aren't, don't worry, I make that disclaimer so fellow fans won't think I'm trying to hide my plagiarism. To said fans, it's inspired by, not an adaptation. So, here we go. Several decades ago, as of the campaign's start, technology, on earth, stopped working. More specifically electronics and heat engines, like guns and explosives, stopped working for us, and magic started creeping in. Preposterous, of course, but please indulge me. Anything that turns modern North America into pseudo-medieval high fantasy is going to be, and things involving the Outer Gods tend to ignore reason. As you might imagine, the transition was rough, most everyone died, quite horrifically more often than not. Some called it the Change. Some number survived, humans really are quite good at that, and went about the business of establishing nations and discovering the true purpose of plowshares, committing genocide when your local deity isn't looking. What happened next? Well, the poor soul, from whose journal the above passages where taken, had it right, enough for us to use as analogy anyway. The glass had been cracked. Not a lot, but enough, and the things which exist in the dark corners of the material plane noticed. Why is it always the dark things that notice? Well, when your system is essentially a jar with the lid glued on, no one knows why Azathoth does these things, we don't even know if it knows, it gets shuffled to the back room for someone to look at when they have time. And there it sits, collecting dust, while the bacteria inside slowly change, and get used to thinking they've always been sealed in the dark, alone. Then the jar gets cracked, and the rats start investigating, and maybe the rats start fighting over which rat gets the jar, and maybe in their scuffle the rats knock the jar off the table, and the glass shatters. Bad luck for our poor bacteria eh? And so it was with earth. Different groups started reaching out, and things answered. At first it was small, so that you could explain it away if you wanted to. Then, one thing decided to give its group a bit more, and so to keep the balance other things started giving their their groups a bit more. Then the fighting began, and as the fighting got more intense, each side kept uping the ante until finally, the jar burst. Some call that the Awakening. I call it terrifying. I mean really, one minute you're doing your best to stick your sword through the other fellow's guts, and, fair's fair, he's trying to do the same to you. Then suddenly he's turned into some bloody demon, and the priest next to you, well enough fellow as priests go, starts glowing, speaking in tongues, and lops of the demon's head with a flaming sword. Well I tell you what, I buggered out, and buggered fast. How long has magic been fully present when our heroes arrive? Long enough for people to be familiar with it's existence, short enough for it to still be very mysterious. So, what's in it for you, and your character?
For your character? A world where magic is fresh and new! Weapons and other artifacts like you've never seen! Tales that no one at home would believe! Character Guidelines:
Character level: 3 20 point buy Any race (Note that many races do not exist where you are going. The farther from human you look, the stronger the reactions, for good or ill.) All classes, even the maligned summoner. Gunslingers can work too, information on request. All Paizo material is fair game. 3PP on approval. Two traits. Party balance is not required. If we end up with a party of all bards, that's fine. Mechanics at the price of character is frowned on. If you pick the reactionary trait, it should fit your character. If what fits gives you no advantage whatsoever, go with it and I'll see to it that things work out. Dwarven oracles of stone work! Important Your character must be from Golarion, or at least that solar system. No earthlings for now. The party starts together and has worked together, at least a little, when the action starts. Witches, Wizards, and Alchemists are going to be at a disadvantage-ish. Scrolls are rare, relative to Golarion standards, so learning a spell can become a not insignificant quest of it's own. Witches have it easier than wizards, as there are more of them and each one's familiar is a potential source of spells. This isn't to discourage anyone from wizards, just don't want anyone to be surprised when there isn't Ye Olde Magick Shop with a pile of scrolls handy. However, magic is still experimental here, and some of the pre-change learning has magical applications. This means wizards spells can start functioning a little differently than their sorcerous counterparts. Physics + magic = Fwoosh! Chemistry + Alchemy = Mwahahaha! Typically neglected skills will be useful. Profession(Farmer), Knowledge(Engineering) and others will help gain quests and rewards you would otherwise be ignorant of. Knowledge(Nobility) is always useful for determining rank and not getting executed for a gross breach of protocol. Full character work up is not required. It's nice, as it gives me a better idea of the character, but don't feel obligated to calculate every save or slot every skill. Do give me backstory/fluff. I like reading it, and feel leery of characters without it. If you know the crunch but are having a hard time with fluff, I have Ultimate Campaign, which has superb background generating tables, which are also available online, just ask and its power will be yours. If I like you, but feel the fluff is lacking, I will offer some possibilities to mull over. I do this because first, I enjoy using books I've purchased, and second, I find that the more you know about your character, the more enjoyable the experience for everyone. Posting Shedule Lately I've been posting once a day, but been able to post twice if the situation calls for it. If the posts are short and easy, generally that means combat, then I will aim for twice a day. This helps things move along quickly. If they are longer, or more difficult, as role-playing posts often are, it may drop to 1, or even less. Writing up in-depth reactions and descriptions can be time-consuming, especially if I hadn't considered it before. I've been blind-sided by players enough to know that sooner or later something will happen that I'll just need a while to mull over. Also, there are some days, in which I may be unable to post, regardless of in game happenings. A very important disclaimer I wish to add. I am a college student with classes and work. Though I do not anticipate dramatic changes in my posting ability, capstone/internship/finals are finally over, it's happened far too often in the last year for me not to warn you. If it comes to it, I'll deputize someone as co-dm in order to keep things rolling. I would like the same from you. Tell me how often you are usually able to post, and how often disappearances tend to occur. If you have never done PbP, don't worry, just give your best guess, and don't worry about being overwhelmed. I prefer players able to post once a day, or more. If you generally can, but are semi-regularly are unable to post, say every other thursday and friday, that's okay. If you anticipate not being able to post, give an idea of what your characters immediate goals, likely actions, etc. are. I will not punish your character for player difficulties. Also, I will not let the party languish while some are away. Once a majority of players have posted, I will move things forward at the next regular posting time. This should help us avoid the quagmire that so often dooms PbP games. Weekends are open. If we all end up posting 4 times on Saturday, great! If no one posts until Monday, that's fine too. I will try, and sometimes fail, to make the posts descriptive and interesting, and hope you will do the same. If you only have time to post a single sentence, or don't think there is anything more to be written, I understand and would rather have a short post than none at all. However, this is a written game of make-believe. Think about the books you enjoy reading, and try to write posts like that. What is your character thinking? What are they doing? Are the fidling with a string as they talk? What are they thinking, to themselves, about the other character's actions? If you don't put in down in text, it doesn't exist. Also, please interact with one another. The game is not me and you, and me and him, and me and her. It's all of us together. Thank you for your time, and hopefully we get a wonderful crew together.
I'm very excited to see our new psychopomp. I'm hoping there will be something in the ancient gods on how the different gods concerned with death/souls, particularly Anubis, interact with Pharasma and/or the Boneyard.
Drunken Dog
Inside is mostly empty, a few workers from this isle's mills and the staff getting things ready for the night crowd. A prettily normal Chelaxian woman, sitting at a corner table with a flamboyant Varisian dancer. That must be Jeminda, Aurelia's niece, who you are here to meet, though you don't remember anything about the Sczarni being involved.
Once introductions are finished, Jeminda explains the situation. It's like this. Some weeks ago I was going over some of the tax records for the outer towns. We always double check the records before opening a new volume. And I noticed there weren't any entries for Ravenmoor. Noting the blank looks, It's a village, if you can call it that, about halfway up the Lampblack river. It's closer to Riddleport than anything else, but it's ours. Anyway, I asked around to be sure, but there weren't current records for them anywhere, probably got dropped when someone was switching books. I asked my brother-in-law to see what the situation was up there and collect what was owed. Last I heard from him was Galduria. Everything was fine and he was making good time. That was nearly a month ago. Even if the weather was bad he should be back in Magnimar, but I haven't heard anything. I'm worried something has happened to him, maybe even the village. That's what I'd like you to do. Trace his steps, go to Ravenmoor, and find out what happened to him and the taxes. The way things stand now I could lose my job if this gets out before everything is fixed, so please don't tell anyone about it.
Welcome all. Feel free to use this thread how you will. One thing I'd like your help on is giving the party a bit of background. How did you come together? What sort of job was it? What is one thing the other characters know about your character, that the players don't?
Thanks for meeting me here. I'm in a bit of a bind, and hear you're the ones to talk to... Jeminda Anikee, junior treasury clerk. Greetings fellow denizens! As the title suggests, I am preparing to run Feast of Ravenmoor. Let me tell you a bit about the adventure and the heroes I'm looking for. Far in the Varisian hinterlands lies the entirely forgettable village of Ravenmoor. In fact, forgetability is the root of Ms Anikee's problem. It appears that Magnimar, Ravenmoor's titular sovereign, has, by an error in bookkeeping, neglected to send a tax collector for the last 15 years! Sending her brother-in-law to fetch the missing revenue, Jeminda hoped to fix the problem before bringing it to her superior's attention. Unfortunately our would-be tax collector has failed to return, and now someone needs to find out what has happened to him, and the gold. The modest means of our quest giver, and the adventure's themes of mystery and horror, mean I'm looking for heroes a bit on the ordinary side. This is a job for a group of competent Magnimarians who've done some freelance work as a team for the city before. Someone the minions of governance would trust to take care of something like this, and felt they could afford to pay. Qlippoth-spawn tiefling synthesist summoners with a penchant for kleptomania and revolution should probably look elsewhere. Character Guidelines: 15 point buy
Looking for 2-4 players, with recruitment to end when we have enough characters that fit the bill. I will make sure to give a 24 hour notice before ending recruitment. A friend of mine is already recruited for the game, so at minimum the party will be three. Thanks for checking out the thread, and I looking forward to gaming with you.
This is just as it sounds. I love Paizo's monsters, particularly the outsiders, particularly the evil ones. Each has been given something new, a twist, that makes them recognizable but distinct from previous incarnations. I feel desire to proclaim my love for them throughout the boards and want you to do the same. What do you think of the evil they represent? How do you see them represented in real-life. Let's start with the big three: Demons, Devils, and Daemons. Devils: A classic. Legions of evil marching in lock-step with their gestapo boots. Advancement, order, and civilization without conscience or mercy. Souls are fuel for the infernal economy.
Demons: Another classic. Slavering hordes of sin. Whim, passion, and self at the expense of all. Souls mean growth.
Daemons: Oblivion. Nihilism made flesh. No twist here because these guys are uniquely Pathfinder. Lone, even when in groups, tortured souls filled with hate and despair. Not rage, not anger. Hate. The pure poisonous thing that ultimately, regards of it's original target, encompasses all that exists.
Daemons nicely lead into the 'lesser' outsiders. Kytons, Divs, Asura, Oni, Rakshasa, Qlippoth, and Demodand. Kytons: Right up there with Daemons for pure scary. I hear they draw a lot from the Hellraiser franchise, which I cannot verify and have no intention of gaining the information necessary for confirmation. Perfection through alteration and extremes. To me, these share some connections with Daemons, as the kytons seem to have a deep-seated unhappiness with themselves. Serious body-image issues. Rather than go full apocalypse, kytons try to forcibly make themselves perfect through external means. Kind of the opposite of Irori.
Divs: These are an interesting one. They're like Daemons, but more focused. Daemons want the end of everything, more specifically life, particularly intelligent life. Divs don't really have a problem with life or existence as a whole, just mortals. Or rather, intelligent mortals and their works, particularly humans and others who bind genies. Also unlike daemons, Divs weren't originally mortal, these are corrupted elementals. To me, Divs are the world/universe in sociopath ex-significant other mode. 'Don't need me anymore?! I'll show you! I'll burn your house! Steal your car! Kill Mittens! And then, and then I'm coming for you!' Asura: Asuras are to the gods what Divs are to mortals. Bad Karma coming to bite you and everything you ever loved. Interestingly, at least this is my reading, Asuras don't really have a problem with mortals per-se. Rather, we're 'Mittens'. The pet/creation of gods that Asuras know they are fond of and so target us to get at them. Oni: Greed. I love these guys. In some ways an antithesis to Daemons and Kytons, or at least coming at it from a different direction. Former guardian spirits that got fed up with being on the outside, they've crashed the party and are going to drink all the beer, crank the volume up all the way, and you had better love them or else. Seriously, these guys just want to be human. They represent an evil stemming from being unsatisfied. They want to be something else, and are willing to break the rules and trample over other people to get there, or at least get as close as they can. Deep down though, they know they don't belong and are ashamed of their forms. Rakshasa: These guys understand the Oni's desires, but come at it from the mortal side. They loved mortal life, way too much. Life/existence on another plane isn't good enough. They want to live as mortals forever, experiencing the best life has to offer, and screw what the universe thinks. Qlippoth: The original denizens of the abyss, qlippoth are the most inhuman/cosmic evil. Wriggling things from the deep that have been displaced, and are mighty unhappy about it. They are evil, by nature and also because they want the end of all mortal life, but are so alien that the only thing we can understand is they want us dead. Personally I think the Great Old Ones are Qlippoth that have decided the best way to rid the material plane of mortal life is to move to said plane. You take our homes, we'll just move into yours. I like these guys a lot too. Demodand: The only evil outsider I'm ambivalent towards. Creations of the titans, these guys live in the abyss, but aren't demons or qlippoth. I like that they are there, they made a good addition to the ecosystem, a type of parasite as it were, but don't do much for me personally. So guys, those are some of my thoughts. How about you? How do you see these outsiders and why do you love them?
It was all going so well. The site had been cleared, an artifact discovered, and examination was commencing. And then, like hearing darkness, or seeing a smell, you sense a door, so old it is almost new, opening, and the world disappears into madness. For a moment, an eternity, or perhaps both, there is only chaos, and a grey presence, standing at the threshold of everything. As you pass through, it takes note. Smelling candles, and hearing weeping, your senses return, to a scene from a bad Andoran opera, or terrible reality. You are in a bowl of some kind. The ground slops steeply upwards from the relatively flat center where you stand. A stone building of some kind stands on one side of the lip. Black candles burn at the points of a summoning circle which surrounds you. Five young women, girls really, lie bound at the edge, eyes wide with terror. You almost do not notice the corpse near them, throat cut and bloody knife still in hand. Behind them, perhaps twenty feet from you, stands a man, naked save for his many tattoos. Eyes wary, but without a hint of fear, he gestures at the maidens and shouts... something in a vile tongue.
Greetings one and all! Thank you for joining me on this experiment. I cannot promise perfection, only a willing heart. Now, some questions people have asked. Wealth - Use the character creation guidelines, 3000gp, for equipping your character. Use common sense and if something seems cheesy, don't take it. Also, no custom items. Although it might make sense to start with less, my experience is adventures tend to carry their entire personal fortunes on their persons at all times. Strange folk. HP - Roll or average, your choice. If you have already rolled, keep what you got. If you took average intially and would like to roll, please post here. Location - You are all arriving from Golarion to Earth. We will begin in media res. Party - I would like some of you to know each other before things start. You may decide for yourselves, but my suggestion is Beylinda, Thomdril, Gethric, and E-terah be a party to begin. Pathfinders, Beylinda, often hire local talent, Thomdril, and expertise, Gethric and E-terah, to assist in their investigations. And as we know, not all expeditions return... River will join you some time, hopefully shortly, after your arrive. Annie is near the Worldwound, and demons should learn not to play with the fabric of reality. Voice any and all questions and concerns.
There is a special kind of madness, a clarity rather, so far past sanity that the presance of an in- makes little difference. My collegue Trisha agrees, though to be fair she had a turmultious relationship with a recorder, so take that how you will. I am seeking 1-6 adventurers willing to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations. Why 1-6? Because I have had great experiences with all the numbers in that range, and don't know how many will be interested, as this may be a rather unusual campaign. What is the campaign? Well... Belief is a thrist, a void that wants to be filled. Our world is... thristy. We believed, and saw nothing. Perhaps plants are better. Yes. Plants in a desert, with just enough water to live. And so they adapt, learning to draw moisture from the very air, sucking in every drop of water. But now, the dam is breached, the glass is cracked and we are drowning. Neither we, nor the water knows what will happen now. This campaign is one that's been rattling around in my head for a very long time. I blame a childhood in the outdoors and a love for the game King's Bounty. Quite simply, the world is cool. It would be even cooler if you could fight monsters in it. Our heroes start off in Golarion, as ordinary as adventures ever are. In the process of doing what adventures do best, invading subterranean homes and ruthlessly slaughtering the inhabitants, they come across something... It could be an artifact, it could simply be a door an odd metaphysical attunement. Whatever it is, it actives, and our party is swept of to parts unknown. Where they are and what they intend to do about it is something they will have decide for themselves. As players though, I imagine you'd like a bit more than that. Very well, the answer is Earth, sort of. Those familiar with the books of S.M Stirling will notice my ruthless pillaging of his work. For those who aren't, don't worry, I make that disclaimer so fellow fans won't think I'm trying to hide my plagiarism. So, here we go. Several decades ago, as of the campaign's start, technology, on earth, stopped working. More specifically electronics and heat engines, like guns and explosives, stopped working for us, and magic started creeping in. Preposterous, of course, but please indulge me. Anything that turns modern North America into pseudo-medieval high fantasy is going to be, and things involving the Outer Gods tend to ignore reason. As you might imagine, the transition was rough, most everyone died, quite horrifically more often than not. Some called it the Change. Some number survived, humans really are quite good at that, and went about the business of establishing nations and discovering the true purpose of plowshares, committing genocide when your local deity isn't looking. What happened next? Well, the poor soul, from whose journal the above passages where taken, had it right, enough for us to use as analogy anyway. The glass had been cracked. Not a lot, but enough, and the things which exist in the dark corners of the material plane noticed. Why is it always the dark things that notice? Well, when your system is essentially a jar with the lid glued on, no one knows why Azathoth does these things, we don't even know if it knows, it gets shuffled to the back room for someone to look at when they have time. And there it sits, collecting dust, while the bacteria inside slowly change, and get used to thinking they've always been sealed in the dark, alone. Then the jar gets cracked, and the rats start investigating, and maybe the rats start fighting over which rat gets the jar, and maybe in their scuffle the rats knock the jar off the table, and the glass shatters. Bad luck for our poor bacteria eh? And so it was with earth. Different groups started reaching out, and things answered. At first it was small, so that you could explain it away if you wanted to. Then, one thing decided to give its group a bit more, and so to keep the balance other things started giving their their groups a bit more. Then the fighting began, and as the fighting got more intense, each side kept uping the ante until finally, the jar burst. Some call that the Awakening. I call it terrifying. I mean really, one minute you're doing your best to stick your sword through the other fellow's guts, and, fair's fair, he's trying to do the same to you. Then suddenly he's turned into some bloody demon, and the priest next to you, well enough fellow as priests go, starts glowing, speaking in tongues, and lops of the demon's head with a flaming sword. Well I tell you what, I buggered out, and buggered fast. How long has magic been fully present when our heroes arrive? Long enough for people to be familiar with it's existence, short enough for it to still be very mysterious. So, what's in it for you, and your character?
For your character? A world where magic is fresh and new! Weapons and other artifacts like you've never seen! Tales that no one at home would believe! The Crunch:
Character level: 3 20 point buy Any race (Note that many races do not exist where you are going. The farther from human you look, the stronger the reactions, for good or ill.) All classes, even the maligned summoner. Gunslingers work too, information on request. All Paizo material is fair game. 3PP on approval. Two traits. Party balance is not required. If we end up with a party of all bards, that's fine.
Witches, Wizards, and Alchemists are going to be at a disadvantage-ish. Scrolls are extremely rare, relative to Golarion standards, so learning a spell can become a not insignificant quest of it's own. Witches have it easier than wizards, as there are more of them and each one's familiar is a potential source of spells. This isn't to discourage anyone from wizards, just don't want anyone to be surprised. However, magic is new here, and some of the pre-change learning has magical applications. Don't be surprised if your wizard spells start functioning a little differently than their sorcerous counterparts. Physics + magic = Fwoosh! Chemistry + Alchemy = Mwahahaha! Typically neglected skills will be useful. Profession(Farmer), Knowledge(Engineering) and others will help gain quests and rewards you would otherwise be ignorant of. Knowledge(Nobility) is always useful for determining rank and not getting executed for a gross breach of protocol. Full character work up is not required. It's nice, as it gives me a better idea of the character, but don't feel obligated to calculate every save or slot every skill. Do give me backstory/fluff. I like reading it, and feel leery of characters without it. If you know the crunch but are having a hard time with fluff, I just purchased Ultimate Campaign, which has superb background generating tables, just ask and its power will be yours. If I like you, but feel the fluff is lacking, I will offer. (Now that I have the power to easily determine the number of siblings you had, your birth order, parent's professions and current status, as well as why you became your class and your romantic history. I fully intend to use it!) Players! In the games I play in, I typically check/post twice a day, sometimes three times. For this, my posting times will likely vary. If the posts are short and easy, combat, then I will try to keep to the 2-3. If they are longer, or more difficult, as role-playing posts often are, it may drop to 1, or even less. Though I intend to avoid that, and will use my idle time, work, to think of responses and probable next steps, to keep to the more active schedule, no guarantees though. Also, there are some days, usually not frequent, in which I may be unable to post, regardless of in game happenings, such as today. I did not expect to be posting this, as today was my family's ritual celebration of the life cycle of Gallus gallus domesticus. A most holy day in which the revered birds are turned into something resembling food. For those who have never helped this noble creature fulfill its purpose, it's messy. Also squishy. I would like the same from you. Tell me how often you are usually able to post, and how often disappearances occur. If you have never done PbP, don't worry, just give your best guess, and don't worry about being overwhelmed. I like new players. I prefer players able to post twice a day, it isn't that hard to spend 30 seconds telling me, 'Scorching ray to the thing by the closed door by the fighter.' before work, is it? If you're worried about your semi-regular days of 'Hmm, this place doesn't have internet.' Fear not, I understand and will not punish your character for player difficulties. Also, I will not let the party languish while the wizard is AFK. Once 2/3 of players have posted, I will move things forward at the next regular posting time of morning or evening. This should help us avoid the quagmire that so often dooms PbP games. Weekends are open. If we all end up posting 4 times on Saturday, great! If no one posts until Monday, that's fine too. Thank you for your time, and hopefully we get a wonderful crew together.
So, tomorrow at 3pm MST, my group will be doing a short session to wrap up the events of book three. Vordakai has been defeated and now it's to the really interesting, and, for me, difficult part: role-playing. I've been thinking about what to do, but would be very interested in the community's thoughts on various matters. 1) What happens to Varnhold now? The player's kingdom is several, 3-4, hexes away from Varnhold territory, so how will things be handled. Someone will have to lead now that Varn is gone, but who? Who will be chosen to administer the area, essentially run a barony, until the two areas can be fully joined? How does the PC baron heal the rift between settler and Noman? Skinning people tends to leave bitter wounds after all. I appreciate suggestions and links to old discussions. 2) Being adopted into the Nomens. The party fighter started out as a half-orc that was later reincarnated into a centaur, still female. Like many female half-orcs, Tzelvek had issues with her race and gender, particularly as she was raised as a slave, the daughter of a human slave, in an orc tribe. Now, she finds herself larger, stronger, and more, in her mind, attractive. Even better, she doesn't look anything like an orc. A devote worshiper of Desna, finding the matriarchal tribe with it's Desna worshiping chiefess was, in her mind, a sign from the goddess. She has found her people. As a lvl 7 fighter, who has rescued Xamanthe and defeated Vordakai, the Nomans as almost as eager to have her join as she is. That she has a natural strength and constitution of 22, rolled an eighteen and a 17, and no other stat is below 13, doesn't hurt either. Tzelvek is one bad-ass babe. Now, part of her being adopted as an adult is choosing/being-chosen-as a mate. Don't worry, the player has been heavily involved, no forcing anything on anyone here. I like Dudemeister's Kankerata Run and will likely be running a variant of that. But what else? How will she impress the men, and which harem will she join. I have the Nomen as polygamous. It makes sense. 3) Considering that Tzelvek used to be the Baroness of the realm, gratefully and enthusiastically retiring from the post to become general when a new ruler stepped forward, and may be chosen by Aecora, the chiefess', husband, it is likely that the Nomens will become a very integral part of the kingdom. As Tzelvek isn't one to let people she cares about, and she adores the Nomens, be un-involved. She's already salivating, in IC and OOC, at the thought of centaur archers and outfitting the an entire battalion of female heavy centaur-cavalry that she can led into battle. How will this change things, for humans and centaurs alike?
Alright everyone. Anything left to discuss?
In the kingdom of Talingarde, many crimes may send you to Branderscar Prison, but the sentence has but one meaning. You are wicked and irredeemable. Each of you received the same greeting when you arrived. You were held down by rough hands and branded upon the arm with a runic F. The mark signifies ‘forsaken’ and the painful scar is indelible proof that each of you has betrayed the great and eternal love of Mitra and his chosen mortal vassals. Condemned, you face at best a life of
You have all been chained together in the same communal cell dressed in nothing but filthy, tattered rags. Manhandled and mistreated, any finery you once possessed is either ruined or long lost. No special treatment has been given any prisoner – male or female, commoner or noble – all of the forsaken are bound and imprisoned together. Your feet
Escape seems hopeless. You have all been well searched and every attempt to conceal anything on your person has failed. And if you could somehow slip your bonds and fly out of this prison, where would you go? Who from your former life would want anything to do with the forsaken? Despised, alone and shackled - all that you can do now is await your doom. For each of you, your old life is over. For each of you, hope is a fading memory. For each of you, justice will be fairly meted. And who can blame fair Talingarde after what each of you has done?
Greetings all! I've decided to take the plunge and try running a full party pbp. What campaign will it be? Well, the choice is yours. Before we get to that, I figure it's fair to give you some background on myself. I've been DMing and playing Pathfinder for over a year now. University is the first time I've had to actually play the game. Previously, in the bygone era of 3rd, I purchased a number of books, almost everything Scarred Lands to tell the truth, and dreamed of seeing these heroes and monsters come to life. As a result of much armchair gaming, and now some real gaming, I have a decent grasp of the rules. It's not perfect by any means though, so don't hesitate to correct me if I'm mistaken. However, rules come secondary to fun and reasonable. If the rules don't say you can do something, or more rarely, say you can't do something, and we think that's silly, ignore/modify 'til we like it. That's me. Now, lets get to the campaign bit. I'm interested in giving people a chance to play in something a bit different from the standard adventure path. Don't get me wrong, I love Paizo's APs. They are great. Sometimes though, you just want to try something different. To that end, I'm posting a number of different possibilities and picking based on the responses. So, without further ado, here are our five contestants.
1) Scarred Lands. It's number one because I love it and have a huge bias towards it. This is the setting that made me fall in love with role-playing games. Baldur's gate and 2nd edition may have started the process, but these sucked me in and consumed most of my teenage thoughts. For those of you who don't know, Scarred Lands was/is a campaign setting developed for 3rd/d20 edition. The first book, Creature Collection I, actually came out before the 3.0 Monster Manuel. There is plenty of information available for those interested. Wiki Other wiki However, the most defining aspect of the setting is the Divine War, an apocalyptic battle between the gods and the titans. The gods won, but the scars of the conflict are everywhere and it changed the landscape dramatically. Seriously, a god's sword missed and created a canyon miles long. The war was over a century ago and the scattered people are only now beginning to truly recover. This leads to the other defining characteristic of the world. The gods are everything. Not just real, but intimately involved in everyday life, and all are respected. Even the city of paladins maintains shrines to the evil deities, attended by LG paladins. Why, because disrespecting a god, any god, is a really bad idea. Diss the goddess of healing and snap! No more healing for you, even if you are a cleric of another deity. This involvement in mechanical terms is expressed by the ability of any character to pray and receive a boon from that deity, even if they primarily worship another. I like this. Like any good setting, Scarred Lands lends itself to many, many different campaign types. I have a couple ideas that I will provide on request. To those who remember, I say rise up! This is your chance! Choose this option if you love the scarred lands, or are interested in a setting where the gods matter, only the fittest survive, and the world has a distinct flavor.
2) Rappan Athuk.
3) Way of the Wicked.
4) Emberverse.
On March 17, 1998 technology turns off. Electronics and heat engines, including guns, stop working. What happens then? Short answer, almost everyone dies. Story takes place in the north-western United States, mostly the Willamette valley of Oregon. Survivors band together and several groups emerge from the chaos. Alliances are made, wars fought, but ultimately, that is for the books. Check them out. I wanted to do a campaign inspired by the books for a couple of reason. 1. Post-apocalypse and the return of magic is cool. 2. This is connected with 3, but I like the idea of a dark age america. Just sounds nifty 3. I think a campaign set in real-world geography would be amazing. I've traveled over a good share of the US, and other parts of the world, and there is no campaign setting ever made that can match the richness of what reality offers. Imagine being able to see exactly what the land your characters are journeying through looks like. The great plains full of centaur herds. Dragons lairing atop Mt. Shasta. And lizard folk thriving in the bayous. It's going to be amazing! Of the four, this one is probably the one I'd like to do the most. However, it will require a lot more work than the others, which means posting will be slower, probably, at least at first. Also, I'm not sure how many people are interested in a homebrew. More information available upon request. Choose this option if you really want to venture into the unknown or have always wanted to play in the real world. Quest to reclaim the cathedral of Notre Dame anyone?
5) This is whatever you want. Any adventure path, module, or idea you've wanted to try but never been able to. Mainly presented so that if there is a solid group of players who've been wanting to play a particular AP but haven't been able, say Second Darkness, the option is open. I've got just about everything, so ask away. RotRL Anniversary is pretty sweet by the way.
Submission guidelines! This is important!
What I'm really looking at here are players. Post which options you'd be interested in and why. If you want to pitch a character concept for a particular option, that's fine. You can even vote for more than one. Give me some background on your play style and experiences. What are you looking for in the game. If you are new to pathfinder or pbp, don't feel intimidated or like you don't have a shot. Post anyway. I posted so many ideas because I am interested in seeing any and all of them come to life, and because it can be frustrating when someone says "Anything you want!" Without giving at least some suggestions. But really, I like all of them. I'd even have great fun doing a Beginner Box game. More specific mechanical stuff:
Any class/race/archetype is valid, depending on the campaign setting. No Oracles for Scarred Lands, but otherwise mostly likely yeah. Posting rate will be unknown. I'm running two solo games at the moment and capstone course could suddenly consume my life. For now, I'll try to stick to at least one post per day, and would like the same from you. If someone is holding things up, I'll GMPC them.
Situation: Party has trapped the soul of the unique pit fiend Liebdaga from The Infernal Syndrome of the Council of Thieves adventure path. What now? Background: Party picked up two 10,000 gp rubies from the temple of Orcus in the excellent Tomb of Abysthor module. Rather innocently, I mentioned that one of the books in the high priest's room detailed a ritual for trapping a outsider's soul within a gem. Sorceress and rogue, two person campaign, both got excited and haven't let go of the gems or book. After meandering from one situation to another, our players rescued a hellknight and brought her back to cheliax, thus segueing into the Infernal Syndrome. While in the dungeon, party allied with the succubus cleric. Succubus dominated the medusa sorceress that was encountered near the end. Now, enter our big bad. The weakened, but still minor hell noble Liebdaga the pit fiend. Party breaks the cage while Succubus, who had the amulet of the twin, waits anxiously. Cage is destroyed and in the round the party has to act before Liebdaga is free, medusa uses her gaze attack, and the pit fiend fails his save. Hmm, well that was anti-climatic. Party, including the succubus and her medusa play toy, decide dismember the statue then undo the effect. Sorceress readies the ritual, pit fiend is restored to himself only to find his limbs missing and a succubus being very friendly with him. Death ensues and the ritual captures the soul. Now, the ritual in the books gives various suggestions for using a captured soul: using it as spell focus to modify the effects, intelligent item starting points, etc. So, my question for you all is what should this thing do? What happens when you cast a spell through a noble pit fiend? P.S. Party now also has celestial with the broken soul template. Same as above, what's it do?
Situation: Party has trapped the soul of the unique pit fiend Liebdaga from The Infernal Syndrome of the Council of Thieves adventure path. What now? Background: Party picked up two 10,000 gp rubies from the temple of Orcus in the excellent Tomb of Abysthor module. Rather innocently, I mentioned that one of the books in the high priest's room detailed a ritual for trapping a outsider's soul within a gem. Sorceress and rogue, two person campaign, both got excited and haven't let go of the gems or book. After meandering from one situation to another, our players rescued a hellknight and brought her back to cheliax, thus segueing into the Infernal Syndrome. While in the dungeon, party allied with the succubus cleric. Succubus dominated the medusa sorceress that was encountered near the end. Now, enter our big bad. The weakened, but still minor hell noble Liebdaga the pit fiend. Party breaks the cage while Succubus, who had the amulet of the twin, waits anxiously. Cage is destroyed and in the round the party has to act before Liebdaga is free, medusa uses her gaze attack, and the pit fiend fails his save. Hmm, well that was anti-climatic. Party, including the succubus and her medusa play toy, decide dismember the statue then undo the effect. Sorceress readies the ritual, pit fiend is restored to himself only to find his limbs missing and a succubus being very friendly with him. Death ensues and the ritual captures the soul. Now, the ritual in the books gives various suggestions for using a captured soul: using it as spell focus to modify the effects, intelligent item starting points, etc. So, my question for you all is what should this thing do? What happens when you cast a soul through a noble pit fiend? P.S. Party now also has celestial with the broken soul template. Same as above, what's it do?
1 Arodus 4712
As you walk along the road, something catches at the corner of your eye. Off the road, perhaps 50 feet from where you stand, you see a trio of goblins putting a torch to a wooden tube of some kind.
24th Calistril, 4710 The weather continue much as it has since the storm several days ago. Cold and cloudy with almost half a foot of snow on ground. Occasionally the wind will pick up, or brief flurry of snow will drift down, but mostly it's just cold, calm, and lonely. You continue east, as you have since crossing the massive stone bridge that spans the Sellen. The great swamp/forest that locals call the Narlmarshes to your right for past five days. Now that you think about it, the storm hit right after you crossed. Maybe those stone Wyverns weren't welcoming you, maybe they were warning you to turn back? Regardless, the brown log walls of the fort up ahead beckon you on, promising a warm bed, hot food, and gods be good, a bath. Dassah wouldn't mind that either. The thought of seeing your dearest friend again speeds your steps. Your 'condition', as your parents put it, and clothing protect you from the cold, though being forced to finally wear boots and a coat strikes you as somehow perverse. It hasn't risen above freezing since the snow came! It wouldn't be so bad if you didn't have to tuck in your tail, but the cold nips it worse than anything, and you have yet to find a tailor with 'tail-mits'. Poor Dassah has it worse though, there isn't a snake alive meant to slither through snow, so the tent at night, which are dreadfully long here, is the only time you've had together. You can now see the fort in all it's, well, if not glory, at least better-than-nothingness. Oh let's be honest. It looks like something soldiers would make. A book of wooden palisade ten feet high, with twenty foot towers at each corner. The gate is currently open, and as your round the corner you see a man and woman at the entrance ready to greet you, though the genuine warmth of their smiles is tempered by a pair of ready crossbows resting on a nearby barrel, and the wood-ax the man is leaning on. You notice that while ready for winter, they bundled up anymore than you are! Greetings stranger! The man calls out gruffly, in a rather accented Taldane Where are from and what takes out from there in the middle of winter? The woman smiles and gestures toward the squarish building on the opposite side of the small compound. Indeed, come in and tell us your story. Pardon the bows, but there's been trouble around here and couldn't be sure you weren't a part of it.
Let's get the details finalized and out of the way so you can start a' rambalin'. Create your character sheet, select two traits(One campaign and another one), and fill in any details you desire on the background. Once the background is finished, I'll look through my deck of Plot Twist and Plot Twist: Background cards one of each that fits with what you've told me. Sound good?
Greetings My Lady! Let's finalize everything and get to building you a kingdom. Eleanor's background doesn't make a charter of exploration very sensible. So, would you mind buying your kingdom? The currency is the skulls of your enemies, or more precisely the head of the stag lord presented to Restov. Thoughts? Also, if you would rather play witch, that is fine too. Summoner does have a number of advantages for soloing though. Why do you prefer master summoner to regular? Anyway, create your character sheet and let's fill out the background on how your character finds herself at Oleg's, as that seems a good place to start. Also choose another character trait, you've already chosen bastard. Once the background is finished, I look through my deck of Plot Twist and Plot Twist: Background cards for one of each that fit with what you've told me. Sound good?
Inspired by DM Jelani, and those other brave souls who have posted something like this before, I'm dipping my toes in the PnP DMing pond with a solo campaign. The twist? You pick the campaign, style, and level. I have access to all the adventure paths, from the original Rise of the Runelords up to Shatterd Star and the Anniversary Edition(Hurray for big packages!), many of the modules, just say the one you are thinking of, and am open to that odd idea you've been wanting to try but never had the chance, clandestine servant of Desna operating in Nidal anyone? As for crunch stuff, tell me what you want. 1st level commoner to 10th level Summoner/5 tier mythic(When the playtest comes out.) What matters is your idea. If I like it, and you like me, then let's give it a go. Minimum number of posts is likewise flexible. I'm a university student with a busy schedule, but plenty of net access during the day. So if it's a few days between posts, I won't cry. If it's many posts a day, I'll try to keep up. Campaign hints:
If you're a bit indecisive, or are suspicious of unrestrained freedom and those who offer it, here are my thoughts(Not binding in anyway).
I like Paizo products and firmly believe that they provide a good base to improvise from, so pick an adventure path or module.
Jade Regent(Party of NPCs all ready to go! Plus epic globe spanning quest with a lost empress and expanded caravan options.) Shattered Star(It's new!) Rise of the Runelords(It's Classic and New, plus the anniversary is just full of goodness. Also goblins.) Second Darkness(It's got Drow, and none of this sissy woe-is-me crap. These are demon worshipping B@d@$$3$ bringing about the apocalypse. Everyone else on the boards will be jealous because they haven't played it.) I'm going to stop now otherwise this entire thread will turn into me salivating over the APs. Sufficient to say, I recommend them all. Module recommendations(Because how long do this PbP games usually last anyway.)
The only other modules I know much about are Carnival of Tears and Realm of the Fellnight Queen. Both of which I consider to be lost pieces of the greatness that is Kingmaker. I also some fun third party stuff.
Warning! I do not recommend this option under pain of violent gratuitous PC deaths! Introducing!! RAPPAN ATHUK and THE SLUMBERING TZAR! Pathfinder Edition Also, Greg Vaughan is a sadist. Crunch Hints:
Character: Levels 1-5. These are what I am most comfortable with, plus low level adventures are fun. At least I think so. For attributes, using 15-20 point buy is good. Monsters and classes are designed with this sort of power in mind. Also, since this is just you. Don't feel bad about playing a lower power of 15 instead of the usual 20-25. Be a normal person fighting the darkness. Rolling, any number of ways, is fine too. Races: NPCs will react to you in large part based on what you are. A lone goblin in sandpoint is likely to be shot before having a chance to explain himself. While a human, depending on the type of human and current locations, can go pretty much anywhere anytime. Classes: Any. Yes, even the maligned summoner and gunslinger. The more versatile a class is, the more survivable it will be as you won't have a party watching your back. However, NPC friend and hirelings can make up for this. Also, it can be fun to rely on your own talents, and dropping challenging foes with a single sneak attack is very satisfying. Since encounters will be designed with a single player in mind rather than a whole party, this will actually be possible. Posting: Once a day is good, it keeps both of us involved. When it comes to combat, try for multiple times a day. Combat posts are usually pretty short and uncomplicated, so let's make the fights quick and the RP long. I've been DMing and playing Pathfinder for about a year now. University is the first time I've had to actually play the game. Previously, in the bygone era of 3rd, I purchased a number of books, almost everything Scarred Lands to tell the truth, and dreamed of seeing these heroes and monsters come to life. As a result of much armchair gaming, and now some real gaming, I have a decent grasp of the rules. It's not perfect by any means though, so don't hesitate to correct me if I'm mistaken. However, rules come secondary to fun and reasonable. If the rules say you can do something, but I think it's a problem, I'll let you know and we'll come to a decision. That should be less of an issue here since overshadowing other party members won't, probably, be an issue. However, if the rules don't say you can do something, or more rarely, say you can't do something, and we both think that's silly, ignore/modify 'til we like it. The desire for doing a solo PbP is threefold. First, I want to improve my role-playing skills. I feel that this is perhaps my weakest area as a GM and doing a solo game will require more and better RP from me. I'm running two groups right now and the players in both are great at turning random rolls and brief scene descriptions into something more, and I want to enhance that by making the NPCs they constantly interact with more alive and unique. Second, there are stories that I want to see told. My friends and I are university students, so there is only so much time to play, and so much time before we depart, and it isn't enough to experience all of the cool adventures out there. Hopefully this will let me, and someone else, experience more of them. Third, I've wanted to play a normal 1st level commoner, possibly with the young template, up against the horrors of a world meant for heroes and who eventually becomes one himself, and no one has offered that game to me, so instead I offer that chance to you. (Actually that's kind of how I got into DMing in the first place. If no one invites you to D&D, invite them to you.) *Edit. For submissions, post the campaign(AP, Module, Homebrew), character(Class/Race), and level(Character level, Point-buy/General power level you'd like.) you would like to play. How much or how little you describe each up to you, but at least those three and a paragraph of background on your character and their place in the campaign.
I shall preface this with several disclaimers.
disclaimers:
1. I know what the reincarnate table says, including that glorious, glorious 1%.
2. There any many compelling reasons why reincarnate only includes humanoids. 3. I chose to ignore the advice of experience game-designers in favor of my own whims, despite points one and two. 4. The players agreed with my madness and have found it hilarious. 5. The players are all first-timers, to pathfinder and PnP RPGs. I am have never been a player, and have only been DMing for the last nine months or so. Having somewhat explained myself for the probable, "This is MADNESS!" and "Fool!" I would like to get some outside thoughts on what to do next. The Situation
Visiting a druid acquaintance located in the Seer-spring gardens of Magnimar, the party beseeched him to once again raise one of the party. After an impressive diplomacy check, and some grumbling about interfering with the proper course of nature, the druid agreed, and the ritual began.... The players waiting with baited breathe, I rolled in the 3.0 reincarnate table. It seemed suitable druidic. The result: Wolverine! The players' response: 'Yay! Wait, that lacks hands....' The Question
I look forward to your thoughts, advice, and comments. P.S. I find reincarnate to be one of the finest tools of role-playing fun and DM shenanigans available, ever since my first experience with the spell, which resulted in the male fetchling sorcerer becoming a female drow noble.
Here begins our attempt at preserving our story. A tale of novice DM and Players, attempting to create a kingdom of our own. Tzelvek: Half-orc Fighter. Daughter of a Steel Eater smith and human slave.
More to posted when time allows. Creating the thread now so player(s) can start working on their own sections.
Apologies if this seems dumb, or had already been answered. I did look up the rules, but still slightly confused. My question is: Do spell trigger items, wands, use the caster level of the item or the user? I ask because I have been told they use item level, usually the minimum caster level needed to cast the spell. However, to me wands seem to be a convenient way of not carrying a multitude of scrolls for spells that you will be casting frequently. You need the spell to make the item and you need the spell to cast the item, like a scroll. So help me out, and have mercy on someone new to the game.
To preface, apologies if there is a thread like this already. I didn't notice one, but thought I would add a disclaimer just in case. Perhaps it is just my group, I doubt this, but some of our party's favorite moments came from random encounters. So, I started this thread as a place for us to share those moments spawn inside jokes, boutes of sniggering, and shouts of Huzzah!(These can come from anything, not just Random Encounters.) The stories make a bit more sense if you know the players, so here we go.
Cast:
Me: GM, no experience GMing and a grand total of five PnP RPG gaming sessions. I am learned in rule theory, but not practice.
Nozomu(Noz): Player, halfing-monk, has participated in four PnP sessions. Knows the player-centric rules better than I do. Keziah(K): Player, half-orc-fighter, heard rumors of D&D, thinks it would be fun to kill things. Angela: Player, half-elf-druid, wonders if D&D is like Zelda? A slim woman and a half-orc approach the gates of the Stag Lord's fort, leading a string horses. As the watchmen challenge them, the half-orc displays a silver pendant and demands entrance. Following orders, the guards demand the pass-word. There follows from the half-orc an explosion of expletives, threats of what Kessel is going to do to the poor guard, and insults to the manhood of a person who hides from a pair women behind a wall. (Intimidate check to open the gate and pass the buck to one of the bosses: Success) In the commotion a halfing silently slips over the rear wall of the fort. As the lieutenants and general bandits gather in the courtyard to see just what is going on, the one bandit on watch wise enough to actually keep a lookout swears loudly and calls down, "TROLLS! FOUR @#$# TROLLS!" As four of the creatures emerge from the wood, howling for blood... But how this come about? To explain, let us go back to the beginning... After slaying the bandits at Oleg's, the three companions enters their first hex to begin exploring. All was well, until I discovered, like many of you, that the Stolen Lands: Random Encounters Table was designed to reduce characters to gibbering blobs of terror when asked to enter the wilderness. I rolled four trolls. Yes, 'tis true that horrible things can happen to you. Not wishing to inflict untimely death, for K and A this was their first time playing. I asked for perception checks. The druid rolled very high and spotted the trolls before they saw her.
Now this was not the last time the party would encounter these trolls. Sometime later, I once again rolled for a random encounter and got trolls. Intrigued, I rolled for numbers. Again, four. The encounter with the players went much as before, though with Noz giving me slightly suspicious glances. After exploring most of what lay between Oleg's and the Stag Lord's, I once again rolled for trolls, though this time I forgo numbers for simply saying that once again they spotted the family of trolls. This time obviously following their trail. Having learned about the Stag Lord from Kessel and her bandits, the players hit upon an ingenious idea...
The party then gathered their own horses, the horses they retrieved from the bandits, and two they purchased from Oleg and set off for the fort... Upon hearing the look-outs cry, the half-orc rushes to the open gate shouting "You(Gesturing at Auchs)! Get up here and help me hold the gate. No don't close it. Those things will be over the wall in seconds if we do. Let's try to keep 'em bottled up here. The rest of you lot get ready to shoot! Keep us alive Princess(directed to Angela's character)! And somebody get us some fire. Lots of it! Since this sounded like a good idea, and the newcomer was voleentering to stand in front. The bandits thought questions of 'are they really one of us' could wait until after the immediate threat of being eaten had past. The hillside proved little more than a speedbump to the trolls, but enough that the one became isolated when other three stopped to tear
Due to poorer rolls, the second troll to enter the gate was barely injured in the first round, while the troll's rend put Auch down for the count. The other troll had gained the wall by this point, and things were looking grim, until the Stag Lord shot two very impressive sneak attacks into the gate troll, putting it into the negatives and cementing his status as awesome. K then used her secret weapon. A gallon cask of Alchemist's fire! Specially ordered in Restov after the second encounter with the trolls. It was to be the parties defense against 'Big Momma'. As the actual K is a shot-putter, she and I guesstimated throwing a gallon verses pint. It did for the wall troll nicely, though it also ignited the fort, severely burned a bandit, injured K, and almost finished off poor Auch. 'Princess' rushed forward to save the poor man, Auchs, from burning to death, while K grabbed another cask, just ale this time, from her horse and 'negotiated' with Momma. Here we see a fine example of half-orc brute squad negotiating techniques.
A few more things happened, like killing the Stag Lord. Turns out the halfling monk is more like a crazyed fire ninja. Just waiting to cu-de-grace you in your sleep with alchemist's fire. |
