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If you guys want to build a little momentum before the game starts, I'd suggest discussing everybody's roles in the party, as well as plans for character progression. Finally, if any of you share campaign traits, it might be interesting to integrate a bit of shared backstory. It's up to you! I'll be checking in online every so often over the weekend to try and answer any question
If you guys want to build a little momentum before the game starts, I'd suggest discussing everybody's roles in the party, as well as plans for character progression. Finally, you all come into this campaign as a pre-established adventuring party. You should discuss how long you've traveled together and how well you know one another. Also, give your party a name. :)
In the town of Torch, the settlement's namesake, a tower of violet flame, has gone out. The only clue to its disappearance is a newly discovered cave excavated nearby. Are the heroes bold enough to unearth the the otherworldly secrets that sleep beneath the city and reignite the fire of Torch? Or will their first foray into Numeria's ancient mysteries be their last? ----------------------- Expectations
----------------------- Game Style
----------------------- Level: 1 Ability Scores: 20 point buy Alignment: Non-evil Races: Anything official. Classes: Anything Paizo, all archetypes available. HP: Max at first, then 1/2+1 Traits: 2 traits, one must be a campaign trait. Starting Gold: Average ----------------------- To apply you need a completed stat block, a completed back-story, and a description of the characters appearance and personality. I am recruiting four to five players. I'm looking for good writing and characters that will mesh well together. Numerous grammar and spelling mistakes will disqualify you. Posting history will be taken into account. Recruitment will be open for a week (until June 14th midnight EST). Good luck and thanks for applying! :)
In the bustling city of Wati, the Church of Pharasma is holding a lottery allowing explorers to delve the tombs of the city's vast necropolis in search of Osirion's lost glories. In the course of investigating dusty tombs and fighting their ancient guardians and devious traps, the heroes will embroil themselves in a plot that could shake the pillars of this ancient kingdom, and perhaps, all of Golarion. ----------------------- Expectations
----------------------- Game Style
----------------------- Level: 1 Ability Scores: 20 point buy Alignment: Non-evil Races: Anything official. The weirder it is, the better your story should be. Alternate racial traits and heritages are fine. No Fiendish Heritage, you can be a Demon-Spawn or Asura-Spawn or whatever without the feat, no abilities of the d100 table. Classes: Anything Paizo, all archetypes available. HP: Max at first, then 1/2+1 Traits: 2 traits, one must be a campaign trait. Starting Gold: Average ----------------------- To apply you need a completed stat block, a completed back-story, and a description of the characters appearance and personality. I am recruiting four to five players. I'm looking for good writing and characters that will mesh well together. Numerous grammar and spelling mistakes will disqualify you. Posting history will be taken into account. Recruitment will be open for a week (until June 14th midnight EST). Good luck and thanks for applying! :)
I'm getting that itch to start a new game. I want to take a look at some of the APs that get less play on the forums or are relatively new, so recruitment threads are pretty competitive. Some of the campaigns I'm looking at are Council of Thieves, Legacy of Fire, Serpent's Skull, Mummy's Mask, Iron Gods, and Giantslayer. If you want to play in one of these games, let me know here! After a little while, I'll take the campaign that seems to be getting the most interest and set up a recruitment page. Let me know what you want! 
Winter Court at Kyuden Hida is usually a tense, dour affair. While the Yasuki host most guests at the Razor of the Dawn castle, Kyuden Hida is the heart of Crab-Crane relations. Daidoji diplomats honor Hida Kisada's court with their presence, and the winter is spent "eating breakfast two ri north of the mouth of hell" as Kisada's karo puts it. Often, Crabs who haven't been off the Wall in months are given leave to relax at court and more socially adept, lowland samurai are brought in to help them adjust. At its best, this buddy system means the Wall samurai shows the clan's might around court and the lowlander tempers him with gentility. More often, the result is a paranoid, trash-mouthed killer stuck with a rookie village-watcher who doesn't know where anything in the castle really is. After a few weeks, they part and settle on opposite sides of the castle from other Clans, who know they must have done something wrong to get such a lousy diplomatic post. But this year, all that promises to change. Hiruma Kage, the genteel warrior-poet and daimyo of the Hiruma, turned twenty-seven in the month of the Monkey. Having no siblings, no spouse and no heir, if Kage were to die, the Hiruma family noble line would effectively end. Since the average life span of a Crab berserker is rarely past thirty, Kisada demanded Kage choose a bride. Kage had in mind Doji Rumiko, with whom he had exchanged haiku the previous summer, but when they met, he found her a sincere, wealthy courtier who was mostly good at getting talented friends to write letters in her stead. Annoyed, he continued his search through the Matsu and Ikoma, and wound up far to the north, where, to everyone's surprise, he fell deeply in love. As an acting daimyo, Kage has the unique leeway to marry whom he wishes. Isawa Mutsuye, a seventeen-year-old cousin of Shiba Ujimitsu, qualified. She was from a traditional, wealthy background, attractive, educated, devout, interested in history, and best of all, she impressed him even when they went walking alone. Kage returned to the Crane lands carrying her fan. After the Crane lodged complaints against him for "implicitly" agreeing to marry Rumiko, Kage told them just what else they could imply and where they could lodge it. Furious, the Crane withdrew their nakodo (go-between), forcing Kage to rely upon a Scorpion to be the neutral messenger as he arranged to bring his chosen bride to Crab lands for their marriage. The wedding of a family daimyo is never small news, and a large retinue of Phoenix, and delegates of Lion, Scorpion and Unicorn are taking advantage of the court to talk business face-to-mempo with Hida Kisada. Shosuro Ayumi:
Surely a courtier as talented as yourself doesn't belong in the Crab Court. You would only do that if you had no better options. Unfortunately, your daimyo considered it a practical location to distance yourself from the murder of you sister. He even assured you he that other members of your clan have stayed in Crab lands before. One even enjoyed it. His name was Nanimaru, and it was three generations ago: practically yesterday! Your daimyo promises he'll write. Isawa Katsuko:
Eager to finally study with the Kuni, you leapt at the chance to join Asako Wataru's entourage to Kyuden Hida for Winter Court. Unfortunately, your daimyo expects you to do more than simply study. You are a rising star within the Clan. Isawa himself speaks to you, on occasion. You must represent the Phoenix well, and that begins with the presence of a Lion yojimbo for the length of your stay. Also, why don't you keep an eye out for a nice man? Wataru-san is sanctioned to allow any Phoenix marriages, after all. Shinjo Nagasawa:
As a teaching liaison between the Hiruma and Shinjo, you are actually already stationed at Kyuden Hida. Currently, you are accompanying Shinjo O-Shimo to meet with the rest of the Unicorn contingent, led by your acquaintance Ide Toshimitsu.
Hida Yuo:
You are a Crab. Your place is on the Wall. At least, it was. Somebody must have mentioned that you had some social skills, because now you've been ordered to attend Winter Court. This has Kaiu Takakana written all over it. Kuni Daigo:
As a Witch Hunter, your job is to track down and destroy any trace of Jigoku. Which makes your current assignment to Winter Court odd. Surely there are better opportunities for your talents.
Akodo Takaji:
Thanks to your service to Matsu Kenichi, you find yourself attending Winter Court in Kyuden Hida. His wife is here to negotiate a number of political marriages and as a gesture of good faith with the Phoenix, you are assigned to serve as yojimbo to a scholar of some distinction, Isawa Katsuko. Surely this is what your ancestors intended for a warrior like you. Carved with lightning by Osano-wo from the stone of a single mountain, the dread fortress of Kyuden Hida looms before you. Located atop a high stone escarpment, the castle’s masonry blends seamlessly with the rugged landscape, its walls hewn from pure granite reaching into the living rock of the land beneath. There is nothing subtle about Kyuden Hida, no gardens surround the walls, no paintings adorn its state rooms. It is the mightiest fortification in Rokugan. In more than a thousand years, no Rokugani had ever dared to assault Kyuden Hida, and when fortress was in view of the Battle of the Cresting Wave not so much as a single arrow hit its walls. A cold, dry wind howls mercilessly from the north, tussling hair and pulling at loose kimonos. The bushi know that it is the sort of wind that can burn the skin, but the Fortunes are good: at least it does not blow from the south. Massive iron gates stand open, with an honor guard of twenty heavy Hida infantry. Perhaps most imposing of all is the skull. Over twenty feet long and lined with rows of jagged teeth, a fully-armored Unicorn bushi could ride his mount through it and complain of the ease of the task. It once belonged to the Oni Lord known simply as "The Maw". Cleansed and purified by the Kuni shugenja, it stands as a symbol of the Crab's strength. To the that dwell in the Shadowlands to the south it serves as a simple threat: "Challenge the sons and daughters of Hida and face oblivion." Your parties are escorted to the lower gatehouse, where a servant fetches a rotund Crab, keeping warm in his heavy armor. Somewhat rustically, he is chewing on a stalk of wheat. He bows low and addresses the entirety of the assembled Great Clan entourages. "I am Kaiu Takakana, karo of this castle. That makes me responsible for keeping this court secure. It also makes me responsible for the entire right flank of the Kaiu Wall. If you have any idea what that means, you will not interrupt me unless your need is that great. We have more than three thousand bushi stationed here, so rest assured that if an Oni attacks, we can keep casualties down to less than half your number. That count does not include whenever a bunch of pony samurai whose sole purpose here is to get drunk and chase kimonos start playing with their swords in public. If such a thing were to happen, I'd have to keep your katanas safely locked away from such miscreants." He turns and leads the group under the gatehouse, his voice carrying easily. This is a man used to leading on the battlefield. The skull of the Maw hangs ominously above you. "If you ever hear a rapidly clanging bell or see a red flare explode outside, do not panic. Gather those you care about and march in a quick but orderly fashion to your room and bar the door. Open it for no one, not even me or Kisada-sama, until you see the green flare. If the flare does not come, stay in that room until spring. If you see a blue flare, which, I should point out, we have never had to launch in the last one thousand years, please line up your loved ones in an orderly fashion and look beneath your futon for a sandalwood case. Inside are three parts of a naginata and a set of instructions. Assemble this naginata. Take a position by the door where there is room enough to swing. Then behead your loved ones, because you don't want them here for what happens next." A couple of shocked gasps brings a lop-sided smile to the karo's scarred face. "So relax and enjoy your Winter Court." You find yourself in the parade grounds of Kyuden Hida. Heimin servants immediately begin unpacking luggage and dressing down mounts. A slight Yasuki woman stands in the middle of the crowds, dictating orders to a number of younger courtiers. What do you do?
Hello all! We need to come with reasons for everyone to be at Winter Court in Kyuden Hida.
Hello and konbanwa! This is the recruitment thread for my mini-campaign, titled "Mirror, Mirror". Theme:
Mirror, Mirror is a horror-themed adventure. The theme is "when you look for secrets, be ready for what you find." Knowledge gives the heroes a chance -- but they will not survive the court without wits, resolve, and skill. Setting Considerations:
It is set in the early 1120's, in the midst of the Lion-Crane War and directly before the Scorpion Coup. The PCs (for a to be determined reason) are sent to Winter Court in Kyuden Hida, the dread fortress of the Crab Clan.
The main clans represented in this adventure would be in order of prevalence: Crab, Phoenix, Lion, Scorpion, and Unicorn. The Mantis are not yet a major clan and the relationship between Crane and Crab are strained by a diplomatic snafu and the latter's burgeoning friendship with the Lion. The enigmatic Dragon are on the opposite end of the empire and rarely send diplomats so far south. Crab, Phoenix, Lion, Scorpion, and Unicorn samurai will make the most sense here. Crane, Dragon, and Minor Clan samurai require a special reason to be present at Kyuden Hida's Winter Court. Ronin and Brotherhood monks even more so. Character Creation:
Players should follow the guidelines of the Core rulebook of Legend of the Five Rings 4th Edition in the creation of their characters, with a few caveats.
1. Characters begin with 205 XP to spend. Ideally, this will place you into the 3rd Insight Rank. 2. A character's skill rank cannot exceed their current Insight Rank +3. 3. A reason for the party to know one another will be developed post character creation. Glory and Status ranks will be determined there. Finally, I heartily recommend the use of L5RCM in the construction of characters. It is easy to download and use, just be sure to download the data packs for the Core Rulebook and any splash book you might want to use. Sample Character:
There was some push-back regarding the use of pre-built characters for this game, but I will post one here regardless. This is what I expect in an L5R character. Feel free to use the format. If you are interested in playing a pre-built character let me know.
NAME: Daidoji Kame
FIRE 4 (Agility 4; Reflexes 4
INITIATIVE 7k4
Health/Wounds x2 Healthy (+0) 17
TECHNIQUES The Force of Honor: Bonus of your Honor Rank minus 4 to your Wounds at each Wound Rank. Additionally, you get +1k0 to all attack rolls while in Attack Stance. The Shield of Faith: When you perform Guard Manuever, the benefits last for an additional Round. Additionally, the Armor TN bonus of the Guard Maneuver is increased by 5. The Way of the Phoenix: When spending a Void Point to gain +1k1 on a roll, you may instead spend 2 Void Points to gain +2k2. You may Guard as a free action, but your target only adds +5 to his Armor TN instead of +10. ADVANTAGES Multiple Schools, Strength of the Earth, Balance DISADVANTAGES Idealistic, Obligation: Isawa Ryoji (major obligation) SKILLS
EQUIPMENT
Think not that you are in the wrong place. Ask why it could be right.
Your Family You would never speak ill of your honored mother and father. Your Shiba mother died giving birth to you; there was no shugenja present. For years, your father tried to pretend she was still there. "What would your mother say?" he would ask, and remind you that at the end of your life you will see her in Jigoku and have to account for your actions. You listened for your mother, and prayed to her, and she was in your thoughts when you swore to serve the Clan at your gempukku. You begged your father for an entire summer to let you become a bushi, because it was the most noble profession. Then you went to the Daidoji school and found out differently. The daimyo hid his face like a Scorpion. They taught that honor would drive you...but the first time you saw action, you were told that because you were outnumbered, you would trap honorable opponents in a pitch-filled gorge and shoot the survivors. When it was over, you requested a transfer out. Your mother would not approve of such a school; perhaps her own would be better. Then You Found the Tao At the Shiba school, your sensei started you with a blank scroll. "Write down everything you know," she said. You thought it was some kind of trick, and wrote that down. "Not what you think," she smiled, "what you know." And with that, your education began again. "This scroll is blank," she said. "See its potential. It can contain anything, mean anything, and at the same time, it is only paper. You have writing on you, but that does not mean you cannot be blank if you must." Truly Shinsei was the wisest man in history. No bushi can find his true strength without understanding Void. When you were asked to guard Inquisitor Isawa Ryoji, you knew that this was your calling: protecting the man who searched for evil in the heart of Rokugan. It is humbling to be in the presence of one so blessed by the elements. He has assured you often of the rightness of your duty. It shames you to admit it, but you feel pride in that praise. You have been called upon to defend your charge from oni and maho—as well as ronin and other magistrates who do not appreciate his position—and you must admit an enjoyment of your skills out of place with your humble position. The other bushi in his service—Kitsu Kikuzo and Hiruma Yasuji—have proven loyal and far more capable than you. Though they claim not to care for the Tao, it is obvious in their confidence that they feel it inside. Ide Masafumi, the smooth, graceful emissary who joined you after Ryoji saved his family from a maho-tsukai, was tragically unfamiliar with the way of the Fortunes when you met, but you have spent long hours together trying for a better understanding of the universe. You were a little nervous when Ryoji said the maho expert Yogo Sumiko would be traveling with you...not that you listen to rumors, but Scorpion are widely said to be treacherous. Fortunately, your fears were unfounded, but you sensed something unresolved in her chi before you left for training. Perhaps when you meet again this winter, you can help her find peace. Your Assignment People have said you're "innocent," and that at Winter Court you'll see "the real way of the world," You're not sure what they mean, but it sounds great. You want to see the world. You want to become wiser. Everyone else is so much more sure of themselves. There is so much to learn before you are truly worthy of the trust placed in you. Though the Crab court is a little intimidating, you are pleased to be among so many Phoenixes. Surely they have much to teach, and the famed honesty of the Crab will make certain this winter court has no
Ide Masafumi: At first you were overwhelmed by this well-traveled man who was so very sure of himself. Without an understanding of The Way, he should have been wracked with confusion and guilt. Hopefully, your conversations have done him some small bit of good. It shames you that twice you have had impure thoughts about him. But he is married now, and you find that you are truly glad for his happiness. Hiruma Yasuji: You don't understand what drives him. He has no family, doesn't know his daimyo, doesn't study the Tao, and expects death in his duty. But still, he keeps going. He doesn't look for deeper meaning and he kills the unrighteous with frightening fury. Yet he doesn't seem to be a bad person. You must meditate on this further. Isawa Ryoji: It is humbling to have been entrusted with his care. While his personal arrogance is a little off-putting, it is not for you to judge his character, but support his mission. Besides, Isawa Tadaka and many others who have studied the Celestial Order far longer than you speak highly of him. They are wise. Kitsu Kikuzo: When you first met, he judged you on the color of your kimono, not the strength of your character, and he actually said Shintao and bushido were mutually exclusive. You were scared while debating him, but it turned into a comparison of Akodo's and Shinsei's teachings, and you learned that there were many more values that you shared than that divided you. While the shortsightedness of his family has marred him, his soul is in the right place. He'll do fine. Yogo Sumiko: She's the daughter your father wishes he had. Even born into the Yogo family, she somehow manages to maintain all the womanly virtues. You wish you could be as demure and polite, but you are a samurai-ko, and your training is not for the court.
Yasuki Kurako: Well...you'd never, um, mention it, but it's surprising that Kisada-sama trusts a Yasuki to run his court. Sensei always said they were treacherous commoners who sold out samurai like double-dealing criminals. Shiba Noboru: Bodyguard of Hiruma Kage's intended bride. He was several years ahead of you at the Shiba school.
Kesshin ("Determination") is the name of your katana. It is 337 years old, and has been banged up and re-polished by Kakita
Kan-on ("Gratitude") is its companion. It is in much better shape, and its hilt-pins are arranged to be used right-handed. Bakushinchi ("Core of the Explosion") is the yari your Daidoji sensei gave to you. It has ray-skin handle wraps; you prefer it not slide around in your grip. I won't put a date on the start of the campaign yet, but I'd expect sometime next week. Let's see how many characters we get first. I'll try and answer any questions here!
Hello and konnichiwa! Anybody else out here play the L5R rpg? I'm looking to get a mini-campaign started. I'll add more details as I find players.
Guilty. You are a lawbreaker – the worst of the worst. Too dangerous to live amongst the good people of Talingarde, they dragged you in chains before a magistrate and condemned you. They sent you to the worst prison in the land and there they forever marked you. They held you down and branded you with a runic F. You are forsaken. You won’t be at Branderscar Prison for long. Branderscar is only a holding pen. In three days – the king's justice comes. In three days – everything ends. What a pity. If only there was a way out of this stinking rat-hole. If only there was a way to escape. If only… No. No one has ever escaped from Branderscar Prison. This is where your story ends. Sort of. Hello! I'm GM Olmek and I'm looking for two players to add to an existing Way of the Wicked campaign. Way of the Wicked is an adventure path from Fire Mountain games where you play a group of evil characters, sentenced to death by the self-righteous and "noble", but you're given a chance to escape your fate and take up arms under a force serving the Prince of Hell, to fight back against the nation that has wronged you, to burn it to cinders and reforge a new order from amidst the ashes of their glory. For a variety of reasons, three of the original six recruits for this game had to drop out in the middle of a prison break-out, leaving the party in a bit of a pinch. Here is who we have: - Alicia d'Kouzra, a front-line sword & shield fighter - Professor James Moriarti, a mastermind investigator, the party's brains and skill monkey - Maena Ashtoreth, a cleric of Belial, the party's face and healer Here is what we want: - an arcane spellcaster - some sort of stealthy assassin type - a character that can buff the party while filling another role Other types of characters won't really be considered. Sorry. =/ Character Creation Guidelines: -Begin at level 1
The alignment restriction comes with good reason. Evil games can, in the wrong hands, very quickly devolve into sociopathic power fantasy. I've no interest in running a game of murderhobos, serial rapists, and brooding loners. Your characters are not to be sociopaths who stab first and ask questions never because they're too busy going off to find someone else to stab. I'm looking for principled villains with a goal, the foresight to see it through without doing idiotic things to ruin that goal, and motivation. The best villains are those who have a reason for it, and while not everyone needs some kind of tragic backstory, something as simple as "worships Asmodeus but has always had to do it in the shadows" is still infinitely more interesting than "because he likes killing people". You don't need to have a deep code of honour, but you do need to behave and work in a group. And most importantly, you have to be smart enough to follow orders. The last caveat comes from experience. With that being said, I do run a bit of a mature game. Cursing, sexual themes, and torture have all come up and my players are comfortable with that. Nothing will be blatantly pornographic, but if these things offend you, this isn't the game for you. The campaign so far can be found here. Crime Traits:
Each character chooses one heinous crime that has earned them a place in Branderscar Prison. Each crime grants a different benefit, similar to a trait. You may have committed many crimes during your lifetime, but this is the crime that finally got you branded and condemned.
Besides simply choosing a crime, you should also consider how the crime was done. Was this a well planned criminal enterprise or a crime of passion? Did you do it alone or did you have accomplices? Was this the first time you did this crime or are you a repeat offender? Answering these questions will help flesh out your character’s background. Your character actually perpetrated this crime. You may have done it for what seemed like noble reasons. You may have gotten entangled in this criminal enterprise unwillingly. But there is no doubt that you are guilty. You have not been sentenced to the worse prison in Talingarde unjustly. You are here because you deserve to be. Arson
Attempted Murder
Blasphemy
Consorting with the Dark Powers (Witchcraft)
Desecration
Desertion
Dueling unto Death
Extortion
Forgery
Fraud
Grave Robbery
Heresy
High Theft
High Treason
Kidnapping
Murder
Piracy
Sedition
Slave-Taking
Slave Trading
Recruitment will last roughly a week from today, or until my players and I have found enough worthy applicants. I'll keep the page updated and will check in to answer any questions. Good luck!
If you guys want to build a little momentum before the game starts, I'd suggest discussing everybody's roles in the party, as well as plans for character progression.
Congratulations on getting into the game, guys. Please dot here and the first game play post will be up by tomorrow night.
If you guys want to build a little momentum before the game starts, I'd suggest discussing everybody's roles in the party, as well as plans for character progression. Finally, if any of you share campaign traits, it might be interesting to integrate a bit of shared backstory. It's up to you! I'll be checking in online every so often over the weekend to try and answer any questions.
Tales are told throughout Golarion of shadowy figures that lurk in dark corners—stories recounted at children’s bedsides feature bestial creatures that come out only when the moon is right, and fireside legends speak of otherworldly beings beyond reckoning, whose very existence is more than the human mind can bear to know. These are the legends that explain where the blood of the family cow went, and why clerics spend so much time ensuring the proper Pharasmin rites are observed at gravesites throughout the Inner Sea. One can write them off as simple, scary stories in Absalom or Westcrown, but in Ustalav, everyone knows the truth of the things that go bump in the night. In the Carrion Crown Adventure Path, the horrors of the night become undeniably real as the you undertake a journey that will decide the future of a nation. Halloween is coming up, guys. Let's play something spooky. :D ----------------------- Expectations
----------------------- Game Style
House Rules
----------------------- Level: 1 Ability Scores: 20 point buy Alignment: Non-evil Races: Anything official. The weirder it is, the better your story should be. Alternate racial traits and heritages are fine. No Fiendish Heritage, you can be a Demon-Spawn or Asura-Spawn or whatever without the feat, no abilities of the d100 table. Classes: Anything Paizo, all archetypes available. HP: Max at first, then 1/2+1 Traits: 2 traits, one must be a campaign trait. Starting Gold: Max No third party anything! Characters should be built with the theme of gothic horror in mind. Characters that seem out of place will be at a disadvantage. ----------------------- To apply you need a completed alias, including complete statistical crunch, a completed 10-Minute Background, one paragraph of appearance description and one paragraph about their personality. I am recruiting five players. I'm looking for good writing and characters that will mesh well together. Numerous grammar and spelling mistakes will disqualify you. Posting history will be taken into account. Recruitment will be open for a week (until September 30th midnight EST). Good luck and thanks for applying!
Hello all and welcome to the Zeitgeist discussion thread. To get us started, I'd like everybody to talk a little bit about the role they intend for their character to fill in the party, both in and out of combat. Hopefully, it will help everybody be on the same page when you'll inevitably need to split up. Second, there was some talk about perhaps blending some backgrounds so that the characters will start with pre-existing backgrounds. Of course, getting to know each other on the fly of a harrowing mission makes for interesting conflicts with good potential for drama or humor. I'll leave the decisions up to you!
Congratulations! Please report in! The initial game post will be up by tomorrow, hopefully.
Steam and soot darken the skies above the city of Flint, and winds sweeping across its majestic harbor blow the choking products of industrial forges into the fey rain forests that dot its knife-toothed mountains. Since the earliest ages when the people of Risur founded this city, they feared the capricious beings that hid in those fog-shrouded peaks, but now as the march of progress and the demands of national defense turn Flint into a garden for artifice and technology, the old faiths and rituals that kept the lurkers of the woods at bay are being abandoned. The Unseen Court, the Great Hunt, and the many spirits of the land long ago conquered by Risur’s kings no longer receive tribute, but they cannot enter these new cities of steam and steel to demand their tithe. The impoverished workers who huddle in factory slums fear monsters of a different breed, shadowy children of this new urban labyrinth. Even their modern religions have no defenses against these fiends. Times are turning. The skyseers – Risur’s folk prophets since their homeland’s birth – witness omens in the starry wheels of heaven, and they warn that a new age is nigh. But what they cannot foresee, hidden beyond the steam and soot of the night sky, is the face of this coming era, the spirit of the age. The zeitgeist.
Introduction Welcome my recruitment for the Zeitgeist: The Gears of Revolution. This is a critically acclaimed AP designed by ENworld Publishing. In this adventure, your characters serve in the Royal Homeland Constabulary of the nation of Risur, protecting the country and its citizens from foreign threats lurking within its borders. During missions of espionage and assassination, your duty will be to root out hostile spies and pursue international conspiracies. As you learn more of your homeland’s own secrets, however, your loyalties may be tested, may even be turned, and you may find that it is you whose hand controls the gears of the turning age. Before we get into the details of the campaign, I would like to lay out my expectations. In Zeitgeist, you have the chance to play an unusual sort of character. You will play as a group of burgeoning agents in service of Risur -- someone who will rise from being a novice and inexperienced agent into becoming one of the worlds greatest influences and possible saviors of this age. Here is what I envision from my players: I am looking for a lawful neutral, lawful good, lawful evil, neutral or neutral good characters with an appreciation for order: This is not the campaign for chaotic evil players looking to betray the other players, loners or free-spirited vagabonds. Those campaigns exist elsewhere and if they are what you are looking for, perhaps you are in the wrong place. This is a campaign about being part of an organization that works in the shadows for the greater good. Think of the James Bonds, Jack Ryans, Sidney Bristows, and MacGyvers. This is what I expect. That said, while you are morally neutral, what I am not looking for is a bunch of murderous-lawless types looking to indulge dark fantasies. I am looking for characters with interesting backstories, who would mesh well together. Characters should be three-dimensional with personality, desires, and flaws. Disagreement between characters should be a natural occurrence based on strongly-held beliefs and philosophies, although they shouldn't derail the game. Knowledge of the Zeitgeist setting is assumed and should be worked into the character. Mechanically, this will be point-buy with 25 points. I strongly disfavor stat dumps, especially Charisma, without appropriate story justification. I also disfavor gimmicky characters. One bonus Theme Feat must be selected at character creation from the Zeitgeist Adventure Path Players Guide and does not count against your total number of feats. Considerably more effort should be on the personality, and a character sheet is merely encouraged. Anything legal in Pathfinder Society is allowed, I will also allow the psychic classes (but not races) from Dreamscarred Press. All races found in the Advanced Race Guide are allowed, but I have a bit of a bias towards humans and will likely pick only a few non-humans. Tieflings and Aasimar however hold a unique place in this campaign and I will not consider them as non-humans during my selection process, however the variant heritages are not allowed. I will also post an example of ”The Ten Minute Background”. You are not required to use it during submission, but I have found it is exceptionally useful in creating a character with depth and flavor and I would highly recommend it. This will be my second real campaign as a DM in a pbp and you can see an example of my current campaign here: Throne of Night: Dark Frontiers. I have played D&D/Pathfinder for twelve years, primarily as the DM for my group of friends. I am relatively new to DMing PbP games, but I've found the style to be a wonderful new way to play. Players who make it into this campaign will be expected to post once every 48-hours, and I will uphold that same posting activity. Some days there will be more posts than others, but this campaign will be run at a leisurely pace. If you do not post once within 48 hours during combat, actions will be taken for you. I reserve the right to eject from the campaign anyone who has not posted in 72 hours without prior warning of absence. I expect players to engross themselves in the role-playing element and contribute interestingly to the story. I also favor longer posts with detail and emphasis on the growth of the characters. For maps, I use Roll20, an interactive map tool. I am a brewer by profession which requires me to travel occasionally, but it has yet to affect my ability to post consistently. I will be taking applications until Wednesday, 8/20/14. I have not decided how many players I will be taking, but the total will be between 4 and 6, depending on the exact needs of the party. As a warning, I also tend to select players over the course of the application period. If you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer them. If you don't have a posting history, I'm still happy to consider you, but I may ask for a writing sample. EDIT: I created a second thread because I thought the thread title wasn't descriptive enough. THIS IS THE OFFICIAL RECRUITMENT THREAD. Introduction to the Zeitgeist Setting:
Humans and the Great Nations.
Humans rule three of the five great nations of the region. Their ascendance in the past two thousand years toppled a mighty high elf empire and has provoked belief in doomsday millennialism among many dwarves. The campaign begins in Risur (pg 15), and every PC should have a strong loyalty to the nation, even if the character does not hail from there. High Elves, Aasimar, and the Great Malice.
Tieflings, Technology, and Dead Magic.
Dwarves, Doomsday, and Nihilism.
Savages, Primitives, and Peace.
Piety and the Planes.
The Astral Plane, Limbo, and Far Realm exist only as postulations, and there are countless other theories on the nature of reality. No one in this world has ever traveled to these planes, and the few beings that are summoned through the veil are only visitors, returning as soon as the spell that called them ends. Those interested in the setting’s metaphysics should read the section on The World (pg 24 of the Players Guide). Heroic Themes.
Example of the Ten Minute Background:
This concept is borrowed from Celeador's Zeitgeist game. I really like the way it fleshes out a character. This is an example of a past submission he did for a skull and shackles campaign and I think it's an excellent example of a "Ten Minute Background". While it’s not required to be as long, I appreciate a lot of plot hooks and room for growth as a character.
Five background and concept elements important to John Rawkins. 1) John Rawkins is a sailor who was recently discharged from the Andoran Navy due to a terrible injury. Six months ago his ship the Righteous Eagle was led into a trap by the notorious Shackles vessel Carrion's Maw. During the ensuring battle, Petty Officer Rawkins was part of a boarding party, that along with First Lieutenant Steele was lured aboard the Carrion's Maw. Once on board, the trap was revealed and the boarders were surrounded by a full company of mercenaries. Outmatched and cut off from the Righteous Eagle Petty Officer Rawkins was left behind while the Righteous Eagle was forced to retreat, or risk being sunk. During the battle, John took a spear to the side, falling overboard. As he floated in the water, his blood slowly seeped out into the sea, and he was viciously attacked by a jigsaw shark. By the time he was recovered and his mates got him onto the surgeon’s table, there was nothing that could be done. In a haze of ether John felt the dull pain of the surgeon’s saw and the heat of the soldering iron. When he awoke two days later, his left leg was gone from just below the knee, and in its place was a crudely fitted cap. In remembrance of his lost friend's and ruined leg, John wears a Jigsaw Shark's tooth on a throng around his neck. It is the very same tooth that that the surgeon dug out of his leg following the battle.
Two goals that are important to John. 1)
Two secrets about John, one that he knows, and one that he not yet aware of. 1) John is married and has a three year old daughter. In the weeks following the release of the slaves aboard Taskmasters Pride John fell in love with one of the released concubines. Though it is extremely frowned upon within Andoran for a liberator to become romantically involved with the liberated slave, he couldn’t help but love her. It was for this reason that he is currently traveling to Eledar. Though he hates Cheliax and their puppet states for their continuing support of slavery, he was recently offered a job to help build ships for the Sargava navy.It kills him inside to work against the ideals that he believes in, but he sees few options and he has a family to provide for.
Four people that are tied to John, three are friends and one is an enemy. 1) Alima Rawkins: Former pleasure slave aboard the Taskmasters Pride and wife of John Rawkins. Alima is Osirion in descent with dusky skin and black hair. She currently lives in the Andoran fishing village of Souston where she raises her and John’s daughter, Farah.
Three memories, mannerisms or quirks John possess. 1)John keeps a moleskin journal within his Sea bag. During free time he writes letters home to his wife and daughter. He misses them terribly and will never forget the day that he set sail to Eledar, and the last kiss he gave Alima. He uses a lock of her hair as a bookmark for his journal.
Character Creation:
Ability Scores: Ability Scores will be a 25 point buy. I strongly disfavor stat dumps, especially Charisma, without appropriate story justification.
Races: All races found in the Advanced Race Guide are allowed, but I have a bit of a bias towards humans and will likely pick only a few non-humans. Tieflings and Aasimar however hold a unique place in this campaign and I will not consider them as non-humans during my selection process, however the variant heritages are not allowed. Classes: All classes from the PHB, APG, UC and UM are allowed, as well as all Archetypes and the Psionic Classes from Dreamscarred Press. However if you plan to play something extremely unusual such as a Ninja, Samurai or a Psionic character, an amazing backstory should be presented. All classes are permitted except the Anti-Paladin. A few classes require some special consideration below.
Skills: A good balance of skills is recommended and there will be frequent encounters where a good use of skills can affect combat or negate it completely. Also, as members of the R.H.C. you will be expected to be able to search crime scenes, gather information, interview witnesses, track suspects, and pilot naval ships. A party with well balanced skills is essential. Feats: Each character gains one bonus Theme Feat selected at character creation from the Zeitgeist Adventure Path Players Guide. This feat does not count against your total number of feats. Equipment: Each character starts with average wealth per level. Unlike adventurers however, one of the perks of being an agent of the R.H.C. is that your character will receive frequent stipends and allowances for material and equipment upgrades. The downside however is that your character will be required to hand over seized evidence obtained during the course of an investigation. PCs who are part of the R.H.C. do not get to keep anything they recover on their missions. They get a salary, and anything they “looted” they can keep if they pay for it from their salary. As constables of Risur, your characters have a slightly different relationship with treasure than typical Pathfinder adventurers. At lower ranks (levels 1–8) you receive a combination of salary and official stipend to fulfill your duties, and the Constabulary’s resources and connections let you easily purchase or requisition the tools you need for your missions. Likewise, you can easily trade in items you no longer need, which can be used by other constables or local police. When you recover rare magic, treasure, or other valuables, you are expected to hand it over to higher authorities, who will make proper use of it. If desired, you can use your salary or stipend to acquire these items for yourself, assuming you file the proper paperwork and your request is deemed warranted. You can turn in any functioning item to the R.H.C. for its full value. This allows you to keep yourself equipped with the best material available, or at least the best that government bureaucracy thinks you can be trusted with. Whenever the party acquires any sort of treasure in the course of a mission, you will be expected to hand it over to your superiors, which should keep you at the expected power for your level. If you recover something you want for yourself, you can spend money to requisition it, though that may take some time. There is always some leeway, and constables are allowed to hold onto loot for a reasonable period of time. If you defeat a foe with a magic sword, and his weapon would aid you in your immediate investigation, you can hold onto it for a few days, but you’re expected to turn it in. An alternative, of course, is to hold onto items and not report them to the RHC. This is illegal, and would likely be grounds for dismissal. Such pecuniary misdeeds are expected of common police, but the R.H.C. is held to higher standards. If you attempt to sell such an item, you cannot take advantage of the R.H.C.’s favorable rates, and must use the normal values (50% of base value). Be careful, though, because prison is not kind to former law officers who turn to crime. HP: Max to start. At each level you roll for hit points, however you may use Hero Points and the retrain option will be allowed from Ultimate Campaign Hero Points: All PCs start with 1 Hero point and gain 1 Hero Point each time they level up. The maximum number of Hero Points a PC can have at a time is 3. Hero Point feats and spells are allowed. You can use 1 Hero Point to do any of the following actions. You can only use 1 Hero Point per turn for these actions.
[/b]Finishing Details:[/b] As normal except that chaotic evil, neutral evil, chaotic neutral and chaotic good alignments are not allowed. Every character must be lawful neutral, lawful evil, lawful good, neutral or neutral good. Of those five alignments, lawful neutral is definitely the preferred choice. Further, every character must choose a Theme Feat. This feat should be central to your characters development and it is one of the reasons why you were screened by the Royal Homeland Constabulary as possible candidates. The link to the Zeitgeist Player's Guide is HERE Good luck to all who apply!
Steam and soot darken the skies above the city of Flint, and winds sweeping across its majestic harbor blow the choking products of industrial forges into the fey rain forests that dot its knife-toothed mountains. Since the earliest ages when the people of Risur founded this city, they feared the capricious beings that hid in those fog-shrouded peaks, but now as the march of progress and the demands of national defense turn Flint into a garden for artifice and technology, the old faiths and rituals that kept the lurkers of the woods at bay are being abandoned. The Unseen Court, the Great Hunt, and the many spirits of the land long ago conquered by Risur’s kings no longer receive tribute, but they cannot enter these new cities of steam and steel to demand their tithe. The impoverished workers who huddle in factory slums fear monsters of a different breed, shadowy children of this new urban labyrinth. Even their modern religions have no defenses against these fiends. Times are turning. The skyseers – Risur’s folk prophets since their homeland’s birth – witness omens in the starry wheels of heaven, and they warn that a new age is nigh. But what they cannot foresee, hidden beyond the steam and soot of the night sky, is the face of this coming era, the spirit of the age. The zeitgeist. Introduction Welcome my recruitment for the Zeitgeist: The Gears of Revolution. This is a critically acclaimed AP designed by ENworld Publishing. In this adventure, your characters serve in the Royal Homeland Constabulary of the nation of Risur, protecting the country and its citizens from foreign threats lurking within its borders. During missions of espionage and assassination, your duty will be to root out hostile spies and pursue international conspiracies. As you learn more of your homeland’s own secrets, however, your loyalties may be tested, may even be turned, and you may find that it is you whose hand controls the gears of the turning age. Before we get into the details of the campaign, I would like to lay out my expectations. In Zeitgeist, you have the chance to play an unusual sort of character. You will play as a group of burgeoning agents in service of Risur -- someone who will rise from being a novice and inexperienced agent into becoming one of the worlds greatest influences and possible saviors of this age. Here is what I envision from my players: I am looking for a lawful neutral, lawful good, lawful evil, neutral or neutral good characters with an appreciation for order: This is not the campaign for chaotic evil players looking to betray the other players, loners or free-spirited vagabonds. Those campaigns exist elsewhere and if they are what you are looking for, perhaps you are in the wrong place. This is a campaign about being part of an organization that works in the shadows for the greater good. Think of the James Bonds, Jack Ryans, Sidney Bristows, and MacGyvers. This is what I expect. That said, while you are morally neutral, what I am not looking for is a bunch of murderous-lawless types looking to indulge dark fantasies. I am looking for characters with interesting backstories, who would mesh well together. Characters should be three-dimensional with personality, desires, and flaws. Disagreement between characters should be a natural occurrence based on strongly-held beliefs and philosophies, although they shouldn't derail the game. Knowledge of the Zeitgeist setting is assumed and should be worked into the character. Mechanically, this will be point-buy with 25 points. I strongly disfavor stat dumps, especially Charisma, without appropriate story justification. I also disfavor gimmicky characters. One bonus Theme Feat must be selected at character creation from the Zeitgeist Adventure Path Players Guide and does not count against your total number of feats. Considerably more effort should be on the personality, and a character sheet is merely encouraged. Anything legal in Pathfinder Society is allowed, I will also allow the psychic classes (but not races) from Dreamscarred Press. All races found in the Advanced Race Guide are allowed, but I have a bit of a bias towards humans and will likely pick only a few non-humans. Tieflings and Aasimar however hold a unique place in this campaign and I will not consider them as non-humans during my selection process, however the variant heritages are not allowed. I will also post an example of ”The Ten Minute Background”. You are not required to use it during submission, but I have found it is exceptionally useful in creating a character with depth and flavor and I would highly recommend it. This will be my second real campaign as a DM in a pbp and you can see an example of my current campaign here: Throne of Night: Dark Frontiers. I have played D&D/Pathfinder for twelve years, primarily as the DM for my group of friends. I am relatively new to DMing PbP games, but I've found the style to be a wonderful new way to play. Players who make it into this campaign will be expected to post once every 48-hours, and I will uphold that same posting activity. Some days there will be more posts than others, but this campaign will be run at a leisurely pace. If you do not post once within 48 hours during combat, actions will be taken for you. I reserve the right to eject from the campaign anyone who has not posted in 72 hours without prior warning of absence. I expect players to engross themselves in the role-playing element and contribute interestingly to the story. I also favor longer posts with detail and emphasis on the growth of the characters. For maps, I use Roll20, an interactive map tool. I am a brewer by profession which requires me to travel occasionally, but it has yet to affect my ability to post consistently. I will be taking applications until Wednesday, 8/20/14. I have not decided how many players I will be taking, but the total will be between 4 and 6, depending on the exact needs of the party. As a warning, I also tend to select players over the course of the application period. If you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer them. If you don't have a posting history, I'm still happy to consider you, but I may ask for a writing sample. Introduction to Zeitgeist:
Humans and the Great Nations.
Humans rule three of the five great nations of the region. Their ascendance in the past two thousand years toppled a mighty high elf empire and has provoked belief in doomsday millennialism among many dwarves. The campaign begins in Risur (pg 15), and every PC should have a strong loyalty to the nation, even if the character does not hail from there. High Elves, Aasimar, and the Great Malice.
Tieflings, Technology, and Dead Magic.
Dwarves, Doomsday, and Nihilism.
Savages, Primitives, and Peace.
Piety and the Planes.
The Astral Plane, Limbo, and Far Realm exist only as postulations, and there are countless other theories on the nature of reality. No one in this world has ever traveled to these planes, and the few beings that are summoned through the veil are only visitors, returning as soon as the spell that called them ends. Those interested in the setting’s metaphysics should read the section on The World (pg 24 of the Players Guide). Heroic Themes.
Example of the Ten Minute Background:
This concept is borrowed from Celeador's Zeitgeist game. I really like the way it fleshes out a character. This is an example of a past submission he did for a skull and shackles campaign and I think it's an excellent example of a "Ten Minute Background". While it’s not required to be as long, I appreciate a lot of plot hooks and room for growth as a character.
Five background and concept elements important to John Rawkins. 1) John Rawkins is a sailor who was recently discharged from the Andoran Navy due to a terrible injury. Six months ago his ship the Righteous Eagle was led into a trap by the notorious Shackles vessel Carrion's Maw. During the ensuring battle, Petty Officer Rawkins was part of a boarding party, that along with First Lieutenant Steele was lured aboard the Carrion's Maw. Once on board, the trap was revealed and the boarders were surrounded by a full company of mercenaries. Outmatched and cut off from the Righteous Eagle Petty Officer Rawkins was left behind while the Righteous Eagle was forced to retreat, or risk being sunk. During the battle, John took a spear to the side, falling overboard. As he floated in the water, his blood slowly seeped out into the sea, and he was viciously attacked by a jigsaw shark. By the time he was recovered and his mates got him onto the surgeon’s table, there was nothing that could be done. In a haze of ether John felt the dull pain of the surgeon’s saw and the heat of the soldering iron. When he awoke two days later, his left leg was gone from just below the knee, and in its place was a crudely fitted cap. In remembrance of his lost friend's and ruined leg, John wears a Jigsaw Shark's tooth on a throng around his neck. It is the very same tooth that that the surgeon dug out of his leg following the battle.
Two goals that are important to John. 1)
Two secrets about John, one that he knows, and one that he not yet aware of. 1) John is married and has a three year old daughter. In the weeks following the release of the slaves aboard Taskmasters Pride John fell in love with one of the released concubines. Though it is extremely frowned upon within Andoran for a liberator to become romantically involved with the liberated slave, he couldn’t help but love her. It was for this reason that he is currently traveling to Eledar. Though he hates Cheliax and their puppet states for their continuing support of slavery, he was recently offered a job to help build ships for the Sargava navy.It kills him inside to work against the ideals that he believes in, but he sees few options and he has a family to provide for.
Four people that are tied to John, three are friends and one is an enemy. 1) Alima Rawkins: Former pleasure slave aboard the Taskmasters Pride and wife of John Rawkins. Alima is Osirion in descent with dusky skin and black hair. She currently lives in the Andoran fishing village of Souston where she raises her and John’s daughter, Farah.
Three memories, mannerisms or quirks John possess. 1)John keeps a moleskin journal within his Sea bag. During free time he writes letters home to his wife and daughter. He misses them terribly and will never forget the day that he set sail to Eledar, and the last kiss he gave Alima. He uses a lock of her hair as a bookmark for his journal.
Character Creation:
Ability Scores: Ability Scores will be a 25 point buy. I strongly disfavor stat dumps, especially Charisma, without appropriate story justification.
Races: All races found in the Advanced Race Guide are allowed, but I have a bit of a bias towards humans and will likely pick only a few non-humans. Tieflings and Aasimar however hold a unique place in this campaign and I will not consider them as non-humans during my selection process, however the variant heritages are not allowed. Classes: All classes from the PHB, APG, UC and UM are allowed, as well as all Archetypes and the Psionic Classes from Dreamscarred Press. However if you plan to play something extremely unusual such as a Ninja, Samurai or a Psionic character, an amazing backstory should be presented. All classes are permitted except the Anti-Paladin. A few classes require some special consideration below. [list] Skills: A good balance of skills is recommended and there will be frequent encounters where a good use of skills can affect combat or negate it completely. Also, as members of the R.H.C. you will be expected to be able to search crime scenes, gather information, interview witnesses, track suspects, and pilot naval ships. A party with well balanced skills is essential. Feats: Each character gains one bonus Theme Feat selected at character creation from the Zeitgest Adventure Path Players Guide. This feat does not count against your total number of feats. Equipment: Each character starts with average wealth per level. Unlike adventurers however, one of the perks of being an agent of the R.H.C. is that your character will receive frequent stipends and allowances for material and equipment upgrades. The downside however is that your character will be required to hand over seized evidence obtained during the course of an investigation. PCs who are part of the R.H.C. do not get to keep anything they recover on their missions. They get a salary, and anything they “looted” they can keep if they pay for it from their salary. As constables of Risur, your characters have a slightly different relationship with treasure than typical Pathfinder adventurers. At lower ranks (levels 1–8) you receive a combination of salary and official stipend to fulfill your duties, and the Constabulary’s resources and connections let you easily purchase or requisition the tools you need for your missions. Likewise, you can easily trade in items you no longer need, which can be used by other constables or local police. When you recover rare magic, treasure, or other valuables, you are expected to hand it over to higher authorities, who will make proper use of it. If desired, you can use your salary or stipend to acquire these items for yourself, assuming you file the proper paperwork and your request is deemed warranted. You can turn in any functioning item to the R.H.C. for its full value. This allows you to keep yourself equipped with the best material available, or at least the best that government bureaucracy thinks you can be trusted with. Whenever the party acquires any sort of treasure in the course of a mission, you will be expected to hand it over to your superiors, which should keep you at the expected power for your level. If you recover something you want for yourself, you can spend money to requisition it, though that may take some time. There is always some leeway, and constables are allowed to hold onto loot for a reasonable period of time. If you defeat a foe with a magic sword, and his weapon would aid you in your immediate investigation, you can hold onto it for a few days, but you’re expected to turn it in. An alternative, of course, is to hold onto items and not report them to the RHC. This is illegal, and would likely be grounds for dismissal. Such pecuniary misdeeds are expected of common police, but the R.H.C. is held to higher standards. If you attempt to sell such an item, you cannot take advantage of the R.H.C.’s favorable rates, and must use the normal values (50% of base value). Be careful, though, because prison is not kind to former law officers who turn to crime. HP: Max to start. At each level you roll for hit points, however you may use Hero Points and the retrain option will be allowed from Ultimate Campaign Hero Points: All PCs start with 1 Hero point and gain 1 Hero Point each time they level up. The maximum number of Hero Points a PC can have at a time is 3. Hero Point feats and spells are allowed. You can use 1 Hero Point to do any of the following actions. You can only use 1 Hero Point per turn for these actions.
Finishing Details: As normal except that chaotic evil, neutral evil, chaotic neutral and chaotic good alignments are not allowed. Every character must be lawful neutral, lawful evil, lawful good, neutral or neutral good. Of those five alignments, lawful neutral is definitely the preferred choice. Further, every character must choose a Theme Feat. This feat should be central to your characters development and it is one of the reasons why you were screened by the Royal Homeland Constabulary as possible candidates. Good luck to all who apply! 
Congratulations all and welcome to the game! Please check in here. I'll have some questions for everybody in a bit.
"Torag, old below sky and stone, hearth and shield of our endless days!" A curious chant reverberates out into the cool air of Summermount, a bustling metropolis of humanity nestled amongst shaded valleys and snow-topped peaks. It came from the meadhall of clan Tharnhammer, oldest and most respected of the descendants of Dammerhall, where the greatest gathering of stone-folk in a generation had come to celebrate the passing of Magnar Tharnhammer, eldest son of the Tharnhammer line. "We, thy sons and daughters all, our loyal voices raise!" Under the eyes of a massive granite statue of Grundinnar, dwarven god of friendship and loyalty, hundreds of dwarves feasted and drank to the memory of the late dwarf patriarch. Although a lord in name only, the body of Magnar gave the impression of the king his bloodline deserved. Clad in ironshale stoneplate polished to a near mirror finish and gripping the haft of a mithril axe, his grey beard caught the light of a high window, shining as if it had been dipped in silver. "Return your child, Magnar of the Tharnhammers, to the stone!" The feast was spectacular. Six huge aurochs had been roasting for hours, turning slowly on wooden spits while kitchen boys basted them with butter and herbs until the meat crackled and spit. Tables had been placed in the middle of the hall, piled high with sweetgrass and strawberries and fresh-baked barley bread. There was a thick soup of barley and venison, snails in honey and garlic, trout fresh from the river baked in clay, sweetbreads, baked apples fragrant with cinnamon, and, of course, beer. Rich, dark, and thick, dozens of kegs were stacked
"Shall he e'er in mem'ry treasured be, tho' we roam the whole world o'er!" Among the celebrants, a lone dwarven man sits with mixed emotions. He is sad to see his oldest friend return to the stone, though they had grown apart as of late. Doled Quartzoath, clad in a gold silk robe with white accents, sat amongst the wealthy elite, surrounded by laughing, drinking, and story-telling, though he participated in none of it. The golden key of his faith hung around his neck marked him as an outsider. He had long ago given up the trappings of tradition to follow a human god: Abadar, the lord of cities, law, and wealth. "Then forward ever, dear Torag, o'er our hearts unrivaled reign!" Doled sings the old songs though; he remembers them by heart. While influences from the outside have turned him towards a faith with a better future, Doled remains a dwarf. He reached into one of his voluminous sleeves, and produced a scroll bearing the rune of Tharnhammer. He grimaced, recalling the words of his friend Magnar. He needed to find worthy men and women; dwarves strong, sturdy, and wise enough to return their people from the brink. Dwarves worthy of building a nation. Hands trembling, he rose from his seat and walked into the din, searching for... something. He wasn't sure for what exactly, but there might never be more dwarves in one place in his lifetime. Surely, there were some of Tharnhammer blood worthy of reclaiming that most precious jewel of dwarven kind; the ancient city of Dammerhall. "Onward ever, old Torag! All hail to thee, Father of Creation!"
I have a desire to GM a PbP game and the role-playing possibilities of Fire Mountain Games' "Throne of Night" seems really intriguing. For those of you that don't know, this is a 3rd-party campaign that amounts to Kingmaker in the Underdark. I've decided that I would like to run a group of all dwarves or all drow. For the drow, you would be septuplets, exiled from your house and left to die in the Underdark. For the dwarves, you would be family as well; the remnants of a dying royal bloodline questing to find your ancestral homeland. I think it sounds amazing and I was wondering if people would be interested in playing it. If you are, please include if you'd rather play dwarves (good guys) or drow (bad guys).
Cap'n Fox Shadows' Skull & Shackles This is the intro post for my continuation of ShadowyFox's Skull & Shackles campaign. Unfortunately, Paizo is taking their sweet time to switch control to me, so I'm just making a new thread. I put the link first in case we need to reference something posted there. Go ahead and check in, folks. I'll get the first post up shortly! |
