Those who seek adventure do NOT find themselves in the small and sensible village of Wicken. They do NOT follow the barely used trail which winds through the nearby woods. They do NOT enter the Priory of Saint Alman at the end of such trail. And they especially do NOT ask the eccentric but kindly Father Gromwell to take them on as a disciple.
If you were looking for adventure, you obviously made all the wrong choices, because you DID do all of the above. Maybe it wasn't your fault, maybe your parents sent you here to keep you out of trouble, or maybe you're even hiding from something. No matter the reason, your life now consists of an endless cycle of morning prayers, simple breakfasts, afternoon lessons, evening chores, and late dinners. At least the only threat is monotony.
Or is it? Recently, the surrounding forest has become suspiciously quiet and strange lights have appeared between the trees at night. What's worse, as the winter picks up a storm seems to be brewing, and a bad one at that. Although scores of worshipers handily managed the priory in years past, the few of you here now can barely keep the place from falling into dilapidation. Father Gromwell refuses to worry as he loses himself in his favorite obsession - creating hauntingly beautiful paintings of angels leading men to paradise...
What this is: A brief foray into gothic horror and paranoia. I'm running a modified version of the short adventure Retribution by Creighton Broadhurst. It won't last much longer than a level, but it'll be jam-packed with opportunities for roleplaying. If all goes well, I might even consider continuing the game for those who so desire.
Who I am: I love to write for fun but I also hate writing for fun. In real life, I've GM'd one session of Pathfinder, one session of CoC, and one session of Starfinder. I started an online campaign long ago and it crashed and burned, so I'm starting up again with something short, sweet, and psychologically painful.
What I want: You will play the other (4-6) members of the faithful (or perhaps even unfaithful) at the Priory of Saint Alman.
- 1st level, max HP, 20 point buy, 100 gold, background skills, 2 traits (1 campaign).
- Core Races would be most realistic in such a small town setting, but I will allow Uncommon Races as well.
- Any class might find some reason to end up at the Priory, but those religiously inclined should worship Mother Grace, below.
- Alignment does not exist in this game - only your actions.
Alman Preacher: You spent many hours in the Priory of St. Alman, absorbing Father Gromwell’s religious stories that filled your head and heart with dreams of Heaven and Paradise. You gain a +2 bonus on Knowledge (religion) and Perform (oratory) checks, and both are class skills for you.
Ciderwright: Wicken’s copious crop of apples always appeared in late summer or early autumn, and you became an expert at climbing the orchards to retrieve the choicest fruit. Working under the guidance of the local brewer, Tully Redmane, you also mastered the art of cider-making. You gain a +2 bonus on Climb and Profession (brewer) checks, and both are class skills for you.
Grog’s Snarer: You spent many hours with Wild Grog, Wicken’s local poacher, learning how to set snares and trap game. Game was plentiful in Wicken, the foul air of the city unable to grasp at its forest and meadows. You gain a +2 bonus on Craft (traps) and Stealth checks and both are class skills for you.
Grog’s Spotter: Your keen eyes aided Wild Grog, Wicken’s local poacher, especially at night when hunting rabbits. Grog was a great story teller, and you spent happy hours listening to his stories of heroism and dragons. You gain a +2 bonus on Perception and Perform (oratory) checks, and both are class skills for you.
Grog’s Trapper: You spent a lot of time with Wild Grog, Wicken’s local poacher, who tracked with dogs and his pet pig, Olive. You have happy memories of the wild-haired giant of a man, laughing as he bagged rabbits and told wild stories of adventure at the campfire. You gain a +2 bonus on Survival and Profession (trapper) checks, and both are class skills for you.
Wicken Farmer: You grew up and worked on a farm in Wicken. The land was fertile, the water clean, and the harvests were invariably good. Your farm thrived and, in time, became yours. You gain a +2 bonus on Handle Animal and Profession (farmer) checks, and both are class skills for you.
Wicken Shepherd: Your family farmed sheep on the hills above Wicken. Life could be tough, especially in the winters, but it was rewarding. You gain a +2 bonus on Handle Animal and Survival checks, and both of these skills are class skills for you.
Alignment: Lawful Good
Domains: Community, Law, Nobility, Repose
Symbol: A mother holding a child and a distaff
Garb: Black robes trimmed in silver with red collar and accents, silver and red mitre and ceremonial distaff
Favored Weapon: Light mace
Form of Worship and Holidays: Minor services in the form of multiple times for prayer or meditation are daily in cathedrals and churches throughout the city with longer, formal services held every Sunday (all-day affairs) and Wodesday (evening services). The High Holy Days are all considered sacred to Mother Grace and hold services accordingly, and seemingly every other day in the calendar is designated as a feast day for one or more of her saints.
Note: Mother Grace's faithful can be divided into three, hugely different sects. Father Gromwell currently follows and teaches the Beatific Quest. Although you find it hard to believe, you've heard he was once a member of the Rule of Order and an especially unforgiving disciplinarian at that.
The Beatific Quest: This aspect of the worship of Mother Grace is lawful good in alignment. It follows her teaching that knowledge is all, that mistakes of history cannot be repeated with proper study and prudent thought, and that only through awakening the desire to know will the world be pure and advance.
The Rule of Order: Lawful neutral in alignment, the Rule of Order focuses on the words of the Mother of All when teaching infants and the ignorant — that fairness is only good when firmness is behind it, a clenched fist in a velvet glove. Order and discipline are paramount. This aspect of the Mother’s worship is the most rigid; it follows set laws and ranks and patterns of worship established centuries ago and still clung to with dogged attention to detail. It is as inclined to use the weapons of the wicked to destroy them and preaches that the only thing that truly matters in a chaotic world is the preservation of the status quo.
The Fair Fist: Of lawful evil, this sect preaches that only order can bring the world out of the darkness of anarchy, and only those who worship the Mother Grace are the truly enlightened capable of bringing about this order. This aspect of the goddess focuses entirely upon scare mongering of the teachings of the Holy Mother — that unless properly educated as to the dangers of the present age, the world will fall into absolute chaos. Missionaries, bigots, and fear-mongers, the Fair Fist (one of this sect’s many names) believes in worshiping Mother Grace and nothing else (all other religions being blasphemous) and historically is the group behind most of the Mother’s crusading activities. They wish only to extend order in the Mother’s name (whether the world wishes it or not).