Magpie's page

Hi

I was thinking of running a 'companion campaign' to the Shackled City campaign I'm already running as a PBP on the Paizo boards.

It would be set in Sasserine (a Port which is mentioned in the first Adventure Path but not detailed) which I fleshed out for the ongoing campaign and don't want to stop using. I was thinking of running it concurrently with my other campaign with events in one perhaps impacting on the other. It would have a more 'political' theme and would suit players that like interaction with words as much as weapons.

I'm posting to gauge interest with an eye to starting towards the end of January.

Perhaps the best thing to do is check out the 'Flamifur's Shackled City thread and then post if you are interested.

Waterday, 15th Day of Flocktime. Common Year (CY) 591

The crossing of Jeklea Bay was kind, despite being pursued on two occasions by Scarlet Brotherhood Slavers and once seeing a Kraken surface only a mile or two away. The Captain, Hezerad Olmek, and crew of 'The Cutter' have become, if not friends, at least firm aquaintances.

As you step down the gangplank onto the Dockside at Sasserine, blinking through the heat haze and already soaked in sweat, you recall the words Olmek said earlier as the ship waited for the tide to turn and bring it into port:

'First thing to remember is the heat. If you think it's hot now just wait until you get in amongst those 'orrid trees. It saps the life out of you. Drink plenty of water and you'll be alright. Don't were all that metalwork in the jungle, you'll broil inside. In the highland you may be alright, it's cooler there, but elsewhere you'll cook for sure!'

'Second, don't have anything to do with the Natives. They paint themselves with mud and eat anyone they come across - even old folks. The brotherhood use them as slaves but they have special powers an' all.'

'Never sleep on the ground in them forests- there's things in there bigger 'ran a tower, with 'eds full of knives and they like nothing better than to dice up those that are snoozing on the ground. Climb a tree and wedge yourself in.'

'Final thing - join up with one of those huge sugar convoys that travel to Cauldron. They've been doing it for years, know all the tricks, all the places to stop and they even know how to deal with most of the those toothy buggers I mentioned just now. Find the Sasserine Plantation offices and they should sign you up !'

Now he is looking down on you from the fo'c'sle of The Cutter with a toothy grin on his salt tanned face.

'Could you do me a favour ? I ain't been up to the big C in a while. Would ya look up an old friend of mine and buy him a drink from me ? He's Gryffon Malek and last time I saw him he was barkeep in the Tipped Tankard. In fact, he'd be a good guy for you lot to get to know - he knows people who know people, if you get what I mean. Useful for work...'

'Drink hard, fight hard and BE LUCKY !!' With this he gives a comic salute and turns away from the side of the ship, barking orders at the deckhands offloading cargo and other gear.

You stand on the basalt docks of Sasserine, your few possessions at your feet, your clothing wet with sweat and your final destination, the City of Cauldron, over one hundred steaming jungle miles away.

Ok guys. What would you like to know and what do you want to do first ?

In a dim but richly appointed hall in the City of the Lady of Pain a large man in a shapeless hat and voluminous purple cloak sat at a gaming table slowly putting his pieces into play. There were three, each a tiny figurine: a young man made of quartz carved wearing tattered robes, a middle-aged but beautiful woman made from amethyst and the model of an older man whose face was lined with care and grim understanding, chiselled from a dark granite.

'Too Few,' he whispered to himself through his long, grey moustache, 'but justice must be served.'

A large, powerful hand, gauntleted in Dragon skin slapped down upon the cloaked shoulder of the seated man making the armoured plate the player wore benath his cloak rasp dully.

'Another contest ? And you didn't invite me ?!' Cried the newcomer, but with good humour. His face and head were covered with a mass of red hair and beard and her was hugely muscled. 'I have a piece, yet to be tested. I'll let you use it.'

He leant forward and placed the figure of a dragon, moulded by heat out of obsidian, next to the seated man's pieces. 'Ahhh yes, he will be a fine competitor - look who's here!"

The hall was suddenly full of the smell of ozone as a tall man with copper coloured skin and covered in shimmering chainmail marched up to the side of the table.

'You would do me great honour if you would allow my piece to enter the fray."

The player assented with a grim smile and a new miniature was placed upon the surface. It was made of milky white crystal and depicted a man in armour, armed with a sword and in the dimness of the hall the figurine glowed with a pale blue light.

The red-haired giant frowned. 'You'll taunt his opponent with this one.'

'No, I'll challenge him,' said the newcomer pleasantly. 'There is a difference.'

Here's the Sources for Character Creation:

Core Rules/SRD
Alternate Class features from Players Handbook 2
Complete Warrior, Divine, Arcane, Adventurer
Races of Destiny, Wild, Stone
Spell Compendium

28 point buy character generation. 125gp starting cash.

Anything else run it buy me first.
Few 'No Nos' from the off:
- The campaign works best with a party of Heroes out to do good so Evil alignments just ain't gonna work.
- No races with Level adjustments (Can't wait till 4th Ed makes this obsolete).

Create a character profile and post it using it. Once we've 'done the math' I'll post some campaign overview and history info and we can look at backgrounds.

Just to give you a taste (if you weren't aware already) the campaign is set in or around the City of Cauldron which is built in a extinct volcano in a sub-tropical jungle.

When we do background you'll get a free background trait which will have minor positive and negative effects.

My advice would be to try and create a balanced party but err on the side of creating characters you want to play. I'll try and cope with any issues a weirdly built party may throw up.

I have been playing in a couple of PBP games over the past few weeks which I'm really enjoying (Thanks Mevers and The Last Rogue)and I'm now thinking of running Shackled City (or at least the first part of it to begin with).

I'll be setting it in Greyhawk and I'm looking for 4-6 players. It would probably be a good starting game for anyone thinkling of trying a PBP for the first time so we can all learn together, but a couple of 'old hands' wouldn't go amiss.

I'll be using the point buy system and Invisible Castle for dice rolling. I haven't yet come up with a definitive list of what supplements can and can't be used so just let me know whether you want in and when I've got enough Players I'll start a discussion thread and cover character generation on that.

I'm based in the UK so some of my posting times may be a little weird but I'm sure thst won't be a problem.

Post if you're interested.

I appreciate this subject is 'done to death' elsewhere on these messageboards but I am now quite concerned as to where my Shipping confirmation email and PDF access are for my ongoing pathfinder sucscription. My account is still showing pending and I know there is nothing wrong with my card as other orders have gone through in the meantime.

Having had no posts from anyone saying they are still waiting on the other threads and having been told all should be sorted out several days ago I'm assuming that there may be a reason other than code problems behind the delay with my transaction.

I'm not angry or upset, I'm just thinking that something else has gone wrong, and I'm starting this thread because I've had no reply (yet) to my email.