The midday sun, never particularly warming during these cold winter months, is fully obscured by the thick clouds, preventing the normally beautiful Aria Park from being quite so welcoming as it often is. Of course, the weather is not the only disruption to the air of the park, as raised voices echo through the air, all directed at the large building that sits before the Park.
Once a place of culture, art, and delight, the Kintargo Opera House's exterior seems somehow colder than ever before. It is a lifeless place now, a corpse that symbolizes all that Kintargo has lost. For as long as the Victocora family has been in charge of the Opera House they always ensured it was open to the public, even when performances weren't taking place. But alas, all things change, and now the Opera House has become High Inquisitor Lord-Mayor Paracount Barzillai Thrune’s home away from home. Ever since the previous Lord-Mayor’s flight from the city - something many have doubts about - and Barzillai was appointed her replacement by the Queen herself, the people of Kintargo have become increasingly upset at the martial law and his frankly bizarre proclamations.
It is for this reason that, despite the chill in the air, dozens have assembled outside the facade of the Opera House in protest of the recently arrived Lord-Mayor and his policies.
”Open the Opera House again!” ”Free Kintargo!” ”Stability from unity, order from strength!” ”Kintargo belongs to her people! We have the right to elect our own mayor!” ”Let us drink tea!” ”Where’s Lord-Mayor Bainilus? We demand to hear from her!” ”The guilds demand a return to the taxes they’ve always paid!” ”Greedy bastard, taking our Opera House as a home!” ”We’re true Cheliaxians here! Hail to the Queen!” ”This stupid war is in the southeast! The Revolution isn’t an excuse to oppress us!” ”Go back to Egorian!”
Of course, not all of those assembled are here to protest against Thrune's heavy-handedness in this new imposition of martial law, however - a handful are present to counter-protest against the first group, though whether they do so because of true belief or in the hopes of being spared any punishment that is forthcoming is a difficult question to answer.
Fortunately, thanks to some industrious protesters, there are six or so bright-burning braziers, keeping the chill from the crowd - or at least mitigating the worst of it. Each one is the center of a cluster of densely packed Kintargans, though many more are forced to huddle in between the much-needed heat.
Even they, however, aren't as misfortunate as the dottari - the city guards - who are guarding the Opera House’s doors and perimeter, all dressed in their signature black-and-red armor... and nowhere near enough layers to fully protect them from the cold air. Despite their best efforts to remain disciplined, a great many take the occasional chance to rub their gauntleted hands together, or to otherwise try to move and keep their blood flowing.
By contrast, an unfortunately ugly woman who stands at the doors, a polearm firmly gripped in one hand, shows no signs of feeling even slightly cold, simply gazing disdainfully at the crowd. She clearly does not want to be here... or perhaps she would just rather the protesters not be here. Whatever the case, she remains completely still, showing no signs of movement other than the occasional sweep of the crowd with her gaze - there is something almost unearthly about that disregard for the weather. Perhaps that is why no one seems to be wiling to harangue her directly, despite the fact that she's the most obvious face of Thrune's new regime.
Knowledge (local) DC 10:
That is Nox, Barzillai’s favored bodyguard and, some whisper, a half-devil - though that is likely simply malicious gossip.
Despite all these signs of governmental authority, the Lord-Mayor himself is nowhere to be seen, and hasn't been all day, despite the fact that the outcry on what no Kintargan wants to admit is now effectively his front lawn. Moreover, although the doors to the Opera remain tightly shut, more and more people are already drifting into the protest as bells across the city - save for the infamous bells atop the Temple of Asmodeus - ring out the hour of noon. Surely Barzillai can’t ignore the protest for much longer…
I’ll let you all decide how you’ve ended up in Aria Park, and whether or not you’ve arrived alone or with a companion. There's a sort of pseudo-subsystem that the demonstration has rules for, and it's described in more detail in the spoiler below.
Protest Mechanics:
So, the protest is divided into rounds, each one equivalent to an hour. Each of you can choose to make one of several actions per round, but to be completely clear: you may roleplay with one another in between the actions you've taken. This would represent time spent together in between performing your actions for the hour. The actions are the following:
Listen for Rumors: Anyone wandering the crowd can listen for rumors and learn more about what’s going on in Kintargo’s new political landscape. The character must succeed at a DC 15 Diplomacy check to gather information or a DC 15 Perception check to overhear something of note.
Pilfer: Criminal-minded characters can use the large gathering to line their pockets, lifting purses or goods from the street vendors by succeeding at DC 20 Sleight of Hand checks. There may be significant penalties for failure here.
Rabble Rouse: Persuasive characters may want to better organize the protest by attempting a Diplomacy or Perform check. Success means your character gets a (cumulative) bonus to Charisma checks for the next 24 hours, as well as a distinct benefit come the end of the protest.
Silence Undesirable Elements: With five distinct factions among the protesters, the message delivered is a jumbled mess. Characters can try to silence or outshout elements of the crowd they disagree with. To silence a group, a PC must succeed at a DC 15 Bluff or Intimidate check—with a successful roll, that group’s message is silenced or oppressed for the duration of the protest. Only one group can be silenced at a time, and no more than four of the five groups can be silenced.
Factions at the Protest: Kintargo partisans, who are thoroughly anti-Thrune; democracy advocates, who are upset that Barzillai was appointed rather than legally elected; economic interests, who are mostly infuriated at the taxes and such - these are the guilds’ representatives, mostly; would-be rioters, who want to turn the protest into a Galtan-style revolutionary bloodbath; and Chelish loyalists, whose interests are probably pretty obvious.
Watch the Crowd: The PCs can simply choose to watch the crowd for anything unusual. A PC who does so can attempt a Perception or Sense Motive check. This could give you interesting information about what’s going on in the protest itself.
Finally, if any of you want to do something else, let me know, and I’ll try to figure out how to handle it.
Hello and welcome, rebels-to-be! So, now our journey in the fine city of Kintargo is beginning, we should probably do a little discussion about what's going on, whose characters might know each other, etc.
I'm not quite prepared for the first IC post, but it should be happening later today. In the meantime, welcome!
Huh. Also, it seems I ended up choosing all female PCs. That wasn't at all deliberate, but it's an interesting fact!
... I don't have anything else to say, but please ask questions if you'd like!
Kintargo suffers under the iron-shod heel of the newest Lord-Mayor, a tyrant imported from Egorian. Eastern Cheliax burns as the Iomedaean Glorious Revolution erupts against the Thrice-Damned House of Thrune in a crusade against Hell and its influence on Golarion.
Lord-Mayor Barzillai Thrune has come to Kintargo, and with him he has brought martial law. His predecessor has disappeared, many buildings burned to the ground soon after his arrival, he has shut down the most beloved Kintargo Opera House to claim it as his own base of operations, and (most appallingly) he has made several Proclamations that have the full force of law - even regulating what times one can take one’s tea! He must be stopped.
A century ago, during the Chelish Civil War, the Silver Ravens fought for Kintargo and Ravounel as a whole, to protect and aid the innocent. Unfortunately, they failed, and the city has labored under the weight of Infernal Cheliax ever since. Now, whispers of that old organization spread anew, and it is time once more for argent wings to spread.
Hello, forumites! It has been just over two years since last I posted using this alias, and nearly four since I started my first ever recruitment thread on these forums.
After my last Hell’s Rebels campaign went on indefinite hiatus because of a variety of factors, I moved on with my life - both here and elsewhere. I’ve been running twocampaigns since before I dropped my first, but there’s something that still calls to me from Hell’s Bright Shadows. See what I did there? Eh? Eh? … Well I thought it was clever.
So, I am going to restart this process. I’m going to kick up a new Hell’s Rebels campaign, and do so with the lessons I’ve learned in the two years since I stopped my first one.
Character Creation Rules:
Attributes: 20 point buy.
Races Ancestries: Core races are fine. Tieflings and tengu are acceptable as well. Other planestouched are a harder sell, and beyond those, I’d need to have a very interesting background. Take note of the Player’s Guide’s suggestions as well.
Alignment: No evil, and lawful neutral will be looked at dubiously. Lawful good is entirely fine - so don’t be afraid to do that. You’re rebelling against a lawful evil society, so keep your reasons for doing so in mind.
Classes: Beyond the Player’s Guide’s recommendations, all summoners must be unchained. Rogues, monks, and barbarians may, should the player want. Ninja and samurai aren’t really suited to this AP, and are thus banned. Gunslingers are a “maybe” - not only will I need to adjust loot properly to deal with them, you should keep in mind that a lot of the early combats may provoke negative attention from Barzillai’s regime, and gunfire is quite obvious. Finally, there will be no 3PP.
Skills: We will be using background skills.
Feats: We’ll be using Elephant in the Room, but this is my first time doing so, so have patience with me.
Money: Max at first level.
Hit Points: Max at first level, then half your HD+1+Con modifier for every subsequent level.
Traits: Two traits, one of which must be a campaign trait. You can take a drawback for an additional trait.
Backstories: I don’t want a full novella, but give me at least a couple paragraphs and plot hooks, please. Also, address why you have your traits - a lot of the mechanically favored ones could use some explanation to tie into your story. If you take a drawback for an additional trait, make sure to tell me why your character has that trait and flaw as well.
Religions/Deities: Beyond the recommendations in the Player’s Guide, note that I probably won’t be accepting submissions who worship Abadar, whom I don’t particularly like I feel doesn’t typically permit rebellion in the way the Silver Ravens must, despite the Player’s Guide entry on him. Furthermore, Nocticula as the Redeemer Queen is expressly permitted here, as she will have risen by the time of the AP. Furthermore, note that other than Shelyn, worshippers of all good deities are either outlawed (most gods) or pushed largely underground (Iomedae). Likewise, the worship of Calistria is outlawed.
Special Rules:
We will be using the rebellion subsystem as described in the Player’s Guide, which will mean we’ll be doing a fair amount of downtime - opportunities to RP or get your own projects going, etc.
Level ups will be handled by milestone.
City statisticsdo play a role in the AP. I will be using them to some degree or another, though it may not be to its fullest extent.
At the start of the game, your characters will be attending a protest outside of the Kintargo Opera House. Please consider the reason you have for attending the protest - the list of examples in the Player’s Guide is reproduced here for convenience.
Reasons to Protest:
Hell’s Rebels Player’s Guide, p. 9 wrote:
Looking for Trouble: You may or may not approve or disapprove of the way Lord-Mayor Thrune has handled the situation, but the thing that interests you the most about the protest is the fact that there’ll be a nice big crowd of people there. And that means you’ll have a chance to not only pilfer a few coins from unsuspecting pockets, but perhaps do a little something more! Kintargo could use a bit more public disobedience these days, after all! You gain a +2 bonus on all Bluff and Sleight of Hand checks made during the protest itself.
Looking for Your Idol: As a city built on arts and performances, it’s no surprise that many of the most famous entertainers and performers to come out of Cheliax rose to prominence in the city of Kintargo. Since Barzillai Thrune took over the city, though, Kintargo’s atmosphere has grown increasingly oppressive, and not just because the new lord-mayor closed down the opera house to make it his home. With a curfew now in place and guards patrolling the streets in greater numbers than ever before, catching a glimpse of a favorite idol has become difficult at best. In your case, you’ve long admired a specific famous Kintargan. This person’s been conspicuously absent from the public eye over the past week, so when you heard a rumor that the object of your infatuation (or perhaps obsession) might be in attendance at the Aria Park protest, you made a point of attending. You realize that this rumor is most likely a false one, but what if it’s not? You can’t miss the chance to see your idol in person! You gain a +2 bonus on all Perception and Sense Motive checks made during the protest itself.
Meeting a Contact: The Silver Ravens have long fascinated you. You might just agree with their politics for a free Kintargo, or perhaps you admire their spirit. Maybe you just like the idea of a secret society. You might know someone who was supposedly in the Silver Ravens; that someone might even be a parent, sibling, or lover. When House Thrune established martial law a week ago, though, the Silver Ravens went dark. Rumors that their leaders have all been captured or killed circulate, and no sign of the rank-and-file members can be found. Certainly, your friend or family member has gone missing. You’re starting to worry, and hope to find
out what happened to the group. After doing a bit of research, you were contacted by a friend of a friend of a friend who claimed to know something about the Silver Ravens. You don’t know who this contact is or even his name, but you do know that he’s a human man, and that he’s arranged to meet with you at the Aria Park protest. You’ll know him because he’ll be wearing one black leather glove on his right hand and no glove at all on the left. You gain a +2 bonus on all Perception and Sense Motive checks made during the protest itself.
Staying up on Current Events: Public protests are a great place to gather inspiration and information alike, more so from those who are being protested against than from the protesters themselves. You’re heading to the Aria Park protest primarily to watch people, but also to make sure you stay up to date on current events. Things have a way of happening at politically charged public gatherings, after all, and you’d kick yourself if you missed the protest and something big happened. Beyond listening for rumors, it might be an interesting opportunity for you to rabble-rouse a bit, either by making a performance or simply using diplomacy to sway or guide the crowd’s frustration and anger. You gain a +2 bonus on all Diplomacy and Perform checks made during the protest itself.
Tagging Along: You hadn’t planned on going to the protest. Maybe crowds bother you, or you worry that it might get out of hand, or perhaps you’re just not political. But when you found out a close friend (one of the other PCs works best for this friend) was planning on going, you reluctantly agreed to come along, if only to make sure your friend stays out of trouble. You aren’t as interested in joining the protests as you are keeping alert for anything that might escalate the protest into something more. Someone has to watch out for your friend, and who better to do that than you? You gain a +2 bonus on all Perception and initiative checks made during the protest itself.
To Protest the Government: Thrune’s takeover of Kintargo is just that—a takeover. Despite the government’s claims that the new lord-mayor will only remain as long as the rebellions of the Glorious Reclamation to the distant southeast continue, you fear that Barzillai Thrune and martial law might be here to stay. The time is right to strike a blow against the oppression and to make the voice of the city heard, for if Kintargo’s citizens simply roll over and accept their new lives, restoring the city to its people will become nearly impossible. You’re planning on attending the Aria Park protest specifically because it’s the largest and most organized protest yet, and if there’s any chance to make your voice heard, it’s now! You gain a +2 bonus on all Bluff and Intimidate checks made during the protest itself.
Please check out my current campaigns for examples of my posting style and how I handle combat.
Posting Expectations: At least 1/day on weekdays. I generally can’t post on weekends, but can occasionally make one on Sundays. If you’re busy or RL otherwise happens, tell me and your fellow players if at all possible.
Recruitment will close on Thursday, the 18th of December, 2024, and decisions will be made on the 19th.
As an additional warning: I am doing a lot better in my life than I was when I first started my first recruitment way back in 2020. However, I may become swamped with work or burnt out, and that could mean having to stop the game. I don't think that will happen, especially with my relatively low posting compared to how I was at the time, but I want to be as transparent as I can. I will absolutely let everyone know if that's coming, as well.
Finally, good luck, and I hope to see some great rebels!
Greetings, forumites of the roleplaying bent! It’s (unfortunately, in many ways) that time again. The Journey of a Thousand Miles has lost some of its heroes once more, and I need a couple more adventurers to fill out our ranks.
Our current party follows:
Torrra Voliokerdam, Dwarf Geokineticist
Andochtuir Half-Elf Fighter/Alchemist (Surgeon/Vivisectionist)
Hirabashi Yuto Human Samurai (Yojimbo) of the Order of the Warrior
As you may notice, that means we have a total of zero (0) casters. Therefore, those are the sorts of characters I’m looking most for, though we are also lacking in a skill-focused sort of character, so there’s that as well.
Character Creation Rules:
Starting Level: 6th
Attributes: 25 point buy
Classes: No 3PP. Summoners must be unchained, all others may be either or. You can submit ninja, because it’s especially thematic, though I will allow rogues to retrain to ninja once we get to Tian Xia.
Alignments: I will make frowny faces at evil characters, and look over chaotic neutral characters carefully.
Hit Points: Max at first level, then half your HD+1 for each level afterwards.
Wealth: 16,000 gp - note that I may reject any single purchases that cost more than half of this.
Skills: We do use the Background Skills variant rule from Unchained.
Traits: Two traits, one of which can be a campaign trait, but doesn’t need to be, since we’re a ways into the campaign and a lot of the Sandpoint-focused traits make no sense any more.
Campaign Trait Notes: There are a couple of campaign traits that make even less sense than the others. Specifically, the Younger Sibling trait for either Ameiko or Sandru aren’t available. Foreign-Tongued (Ameiko) allows you to learn Minkaian rather than Tien.
Formatting for Character Sheets: Make sure I can find all of your stats and such, please, and be willing to point them out/make adjustments if I can’t.
Backstories:
Give me a few plot hooks, a reason why your characters are adventuring, and some sense of who they are/why they are that way. You don’t need to give me a novella, a few paragraphs will be enough.
Currently, the party is attacking Ravenscraeg, a small holdfast a couple days south of Kalsgard in the Land of the Linnorm Kings. Ever since arriving in the Land of the Linnorm Kings, they have been hunted and harried by an organization that they have since identified as the Frozen Shadows - a motley collection of Tien, tengu, Ulfen, Varki, and Varisian criminals who are the puppet masters of a trade guild known as the Rimerunners.
There are a few obvious ways you could get involved in this expedition. The party is planning to withdraw and regroup from their current attack, so it’s possible they might head all the way back to Kalsgard to resupply and recover, allowing them to recruit some folks.
Alternately, your characters may have their own grudges against the Frozen Shadows, and have tracked them to their base in Ravenscraeg, allowing their arrival sooner rather than later. Two people of note (to the AP) have disappeared recently - the infamously independent guide Ulf Gormundr and his Varki friend, the tracker Uksahkka. If you want, your characters could have ties to them, too.
It’s also possible that your characters have been themselves captured/abducted by the Frozen Shadows. Usually this would be because they’ve crossed the Rimerunners guild or otherwise offended them, but it could also be due to them poking their noses where they don’t belong.
You might also be one of the caravan’s guards/other workers who have been here (behind the scenes) for the whole journey or who joined up with them in Kalsgard. It all comes down to your preferences.
Subsystems:
We aren’t using the caravan or romance rules from the AP.
Redemption mechanics may show up, but probably won’t.
Given where we are and where the next adventure takes us, I may use the sanity mechanics from Horror Adventures, depending on how people feel about them.
Level Ups are handled by Milestone.
I expect posts once a day per weekday and (ideally) once over the entire weekend, though I am more flexible on the latter. I also understand that life gets busy, but make sure to let me know if you’ll be away/unable to post for awhile.
If you have any questions, feel free to ask!
Recruitment closes on the 9th of August at 12 PM EDT.
Greetings, fellow role-players, and welcome to my humble recruitment thread for a game ongoing. As you might guess, one of my players has unfortunately had to bow out, and now I seek once more a brave and righteous warrior to join in the fight against the demons of the Worldwound.
My current players are as follows:
Elliot the Red Heron, Emberkin Aasimar Magus (Bladebound/Hexcrafter), who has the Riftwarden Apprentice trait.
Merixia, Hellspwan Tiefling Cleric of Ragathiel, who has the Touched by Divinity trait.
Thesius Monteblanc, Half-Elf Bard (Archeologist), who has the Chance Encounter trait.
Verene Tanaquil, Human Diviner, who also has the Riftwarden Orphan trait.
For thematic reasons, we're looking for a character who worships Iomedae, as none of our current crew do, and our previous PC did.
Character Creation:
Level: 3 - No mythic ranks yet, the players haven't gotten there.
Attributes: 25-point buy
Races/Ancestries: Core are all accepted, of course, as are planestouched. Others need more explanation as to why they're up fighting the Worldwound - a vanara, for instance, is going to be a really hard sell, but a changeling will be significantly less difficult.
Alignment: Really just looking for good here. Lawful Good worshippers of Iomedae get some significant favor, as I mentioned above.
Classes: Paizo only. Unchained is optional for rogues, monks, and barbarians, but mandatory for summoners. Paladins and clerics of good deities are especially thematic.
Money: 3000 gp, as is standard. Don't spend more than a fourth of it on any one item.
Hit Points: Take max at first level, and half+1 at every subsequent level.
Traits: Two traits, one of which must be a campaign trait. Do note that if you share any of the above traits, you'll want to check to see what that means in the Player's Guide, because they do have provisions for that sort of thing.
Skills: I do use the Background Skills rule from Unchained.
Formatting on Character Sheets: Please ensure that your stats are easily available to me. If I cannot find something, I’ll let you know, but if I do, I’d like you to change it so that I can more easily find it - that is, don’t just point it out to me.
Backstories: Okay, I admit it, I’m a sucker for longer and more detailed backstories. That said, I cannot afford to read a dozen-odd novels in detail for your submissions. If you want, you can write a longer, more detailed backstory, so long as you give me a summary that’s at most ten paragraphs long. That said, your character is in Kenabres, about three days after the demons attacked. Tell me where they were when it happened and how they survived. Since then, they've been on demon and cultist-haunted streets, and I'd like you to share how they've been surviving there - have they been shepherding other survivors? On the edge of starvation? Lose any family? Natives to Mendev and Kenabres are slightly favored.
Subsystems:
As implied by my statements above, Mythic Rules will be in effect. I’m going into these mostly blind, but I don’t want to adjust the encounters to non-mythic standards, because I fear I’ll mess it up even more than I otherwise will.
Redemption, as described in both the Player’s Guide and Champions of Purity, may or may not be in effect. I don’t always like systems to define how characters change, but given the emphasis on redemption in the AP, I am firmly considering it.
Level ups will be done by milestone (in a similar way to mythic tiers, I guess). Tracking XP is a chore, and combat is less quick and easy in PbP.
Recruitment will end on the 13th of January 2022 at 12 PM GMT -5. I reserve the right to reduce that, if I get a lot of attention, however - I won't go shorter than a week from today, though.
Greetings, fellow roleplayers! The Journey of a Thousand Miles is not without its risks, and unfortunately a couple of my players have had to drop out of play, and I find myself in need of some other brave adventurers. I’m looking for one or two characters to complement these fine folks:
Attributes: 25 point buy
Races/Ancestries: All core are welcome. Most Tian Xia associated races are also welcome - tengu, samsarans, and kitsune in particular. Planestouched will be considered, but generally uncommon creatures outside of that are less likely to be accepted.
Classes: No 3PP - sorry. Summoners must be unchained, all others may be chained or unchained. Rogues and ninja are equally welcome, and if you start as a rogue, you may later retrain to be a ninja, if you’re so inclined. Likewise cavaliers and samurai, but as we already have a samurai, they’re less likely to be chosen. Keep in mind the current party composition when choosing this.
Starting Level: 3rd
Hit Points: You get max at first level, then half your hit die+1 for each level afterwards. I find this removes some of the swingy nature of early combat.
Wealth: 3000 GP
Skills: I do use the Background Skills variant rule from Unchained. Traits: Two traits, one of which may be a campaign trait, but does not have to be.
Campaign Trait Notes: There are a couple campaign traits that are inappropriate for the current state of affairs. Specifically, Younger Sibling for Ameiko or Sandru would not make sense in the current game state. Foreign-Tongued (Ameiko) allows you to take Minkaian rather than Tien.
Formatting for character sheets: Please ensure that your stats are easily available to me. If I cannot find something, I’ll let you know, but if I do, I’d like you to change it so that I can more easily find it - that is, don’t just point it out to me.
Backstory: Give me a story, with hooks and such! I don’t need a novella (but it wouldn’t be bad to have one), but I want at least a few paragraphs that let me know who your character is, and why they’re adventuring, etc. See below for more specifics.
Subsystems:
We aren’t using the caravan or romance rules from the AP. I’ve only heard bad things about the former, and the latter feels arbitrary and forced to me. That is not to say your characters can’t romance NPCs, just that they won’t do it using the mechanical system.
Redemption mechanics, though unlikely to come up, are open - sparing enemies might help you in the long run!
I may use the sanity mechanics from Horror Adventures later on in the AP, but that’s a long ways off.
Level Ups will be handled by Milestone - I don’t like having to track XP.
The party is currently at the ruined village of Brinewall in the northernmost reaches of Varisia, brought there by a letter they found in a swamp to the south of Sandpoint.
I have a couple ideas as to how your characters might be introduced: Firstly, your character was there all along in the caravan. This would be the answer if you want to have a campaign trait that ties you to one of the NPCs. Now they step in to take on the village of Brinewall. Alternatively, your character is present in Brinewall for other reasons - Ulfen characters in particular have a written-in reason to be present, but others can be brought there for their own reasons. This has many more possibilities, so we can chat about them either in the thread or via PM if you want to take this route.
Recruitment closes at 12 PM GMT-5 on the 6th of September.
The Cathedral of St. Clydwell stands proud in the late summer sun, its stained glass windows reflecting beautifully across the plaza that shares its name. Throughout the plaza, there are hundreds, if not over a thousand people in various states of martial preparedness. Men and women in full plate armor bearing heavy weaponry rub shoulders with scouts armed with bows and crossbows. Clerics, especially Iomedaeans, walk throughout the crowds, resplendent in their full regalia - which, of course, incorporates their armor and weapons.
For it is Armasse, one of the holy days of Iomedae’s church, and thus of the Mendevian Crusade and Kenabres as a whole. On this day, it is traditional for the Church of Iomedae to teach and practice martial skills - something especially critical this close to the Worldwound, where demonic hordes lurk.
Everyone is dressed in warm clothing, to ward off the bitter chill of the north - something that most agree is far favorable to the possibility of Abyss-tainted weather blowing in from the west. For that reason, braziers burn in strategic places across Clydwell Plaza, and people huddle around them, chatting away.
Nevertheless, despite both the chill in the air and the grim reminders of the dangers to the west, Kenabres is gripped in a celebratory mood. After all, it’s a festive day! Many of the civilians, especially the youth, treat the martial training as more a game than something that will save their lives.
At the foot of the Cathedral, a group of priests and priestesses have assembled. Of these, two men stand together near the center of the steps. One, an elderly Garundi, wears a troubled frown, while the other, a (younger-looking) half-elf of Taldan stock gestures at him for calm. Both wear fine steel armor and tabards marked with Iomedae’s sword.
Knowledge (local) DC 10 or Elyda:
The Garundi man is Lord Hulrun Shappok, ruler of Kenabres and fanatic witch-hunter. Though he has become more moderate in recent times, he remains something of a paranoiac about demons and infiltrators.
The half-elf is the head priest of St. Clydwell’s Cathedral, Second Sword Knight Eterrrius Sunnestier. A veteran crusader, he’s a tremendously influential figure in Kenabres, possibly outstripping even Hulrun in his impact on the people of the city.
Conversations fill the air from one end of the plaza to the other.
Elliot:
As Elliot arrives at Clydwell Plaza, he sees his mentor, the elven wizard and Riftwarden Aravashnial is walking around with one of the other Riftwardens, a human youth whom he recognizes by sight, but not by name. The two are in deep discussion with one another, doubtlessly discussing some sort of arcane minutiae.
As is often the case for Elliot, he finds himself catching sideways glances from all manner of festival-goers. His unique appearance, even for an aasimar, brings him plenty of attention, often of the female variety, but sometimes of the male. Sometimes, it’s even with amorous intent! Usually, however, they simply gaze upon him with awe. His reputation of being a literal fire starter has been somewhat eroded in recent years, but the strange looks remain - possibly even more focused than previously.
There are, of course exceptions - as the two women that pass by him this very moment demonstrate. They are heading away from the plaza, and the older is complaining to the younger.
”I’m telling you, Klarah, you’re too good for him. Maizah swears that he’s a moron, and he barely bathes!” ”Mother, your friend is hardly reliable. Maizah slept with a con artist once, and thinks that it gives her some sort of supernatural feel for people.” ”You’re not sleeping with him, are you, because-“ The two pass away into the noises of the crowd.
Verene:
In Clydwell Plaza, Verene finds that the stuffy masses of people are much the same wherever one is - though she is not herself religious, and Armasse is dedicated to Iomedae (in the Age of Lost Omens, anyways), it is good to see the people happy, especially since they are so close to the Worldwound.
”Out of my way, you!” A portly gentleman snaps grumpily at her, brushing past. The middle-aged noble is dressed in fine clothing, with the small rapier at his hip a mild gesture of acknowledgement of Armasse’s martial traditions. His companion, a servant by the look of them, bows their head apologetically.
”You see why I hate dealing with crowds, Aren, don’t you?” The nobleman says, his tone still waspish.
”Yes, sir.” There’s a slight air of exasperation to the reply.
”Are you listening to me, Aren?” ”Yes, sir.” ”Do you know -“ The pair pass out of earshot, though Verene thinks she hears another ”Yes, sir.” in the distance.
If you pass a Knowledge (local) DC 18 check, you may look at the spoiler below
Spoiler:
That was one Horgus Gwerm, a nobleman of some infamy in Kenabres. He is, as Verene has just experienced, rather infamously unpleasant, as well as a penny-pincher, and something of a recluse. It’s a bit surprising to see him out at Armasse, actually. She thinks there might’ve been some sort of tragedy about him and his family, but doesn’t know enough to say.
Elyda:
As an exceptionally attractive young woman, Elyda is used to being the center of attention. As a formal servant of the Inheritor, she is used to being highly respected by Kenabrens. As an aasimar, she is far too used to the element of awe that filters into most interactions she has.
So it is today, as she helps Fourth Sword Knight Loskar Truesteel, a young dwarf cleric, to run civilians through training drills with weaponry. The majority of their students are young men who are trying to not obviously gawk at Elyda as they train, and most of their attention is focused on her, rather than on Fourth Sword Knight Truesteel, something that the other cleric seems good-naturedly exasperated by.
After several accidents occur as the youths drop their training weapons, accidentally smack one another in the midst of sparring, and one receives a telling blow to the stomach, Fourth Sword Knight Truesteel takes her aside.
”Off with you, young inquisitor. I’ll get this lot finished up. You go and enjoy the festival.” He grins at her, the teeth glinting through his finely braided blonde beard.
Merixia:
If being a tiefling in Cheliax is bad, and being a slave in Cheliax is abhorrent, being a tiefling in Mendev is somewhere in between. Not only does Merixia have to deal with the ignorant fearing her for her fiendish background, she has to deal with the slightly less ignorant assuming she’s a demon-descended tiefling - one of the pitborn - and therefore asking insensitive questions that don’t even apply to her. If she has to hear ”What does it feel like, being connected to the Abyss?” just one more time…
Furthermore, as the priestess of an empyreal lord who is barely known outside of dedicated religious scholarship or churches, Merixia has had to deal with more rude and confrontational lay crusaders than anyone should have to. They almost seem to think she’s the real enemy - especially Hulrun’s witch-hunters, who came to warn her they’d be watching her when she first arrived in Kenabres.
As it happens, just as she passes into the plaza, a haughty Taldan noble and priest of Iomedae by the name of Darian Kastner aggressively approaches her, reproaching her for claiming to follow the General of Vengeance, and warning her that she should know that his cousin is a paladin of the same, so he knows…
Fortunately, before she has to deal with him herself, an annoyed-looking paladin of Iomedae drags him away to deal with some other (hopefully menial) task. The half-orc woman waves Merixia away, mouthing an apology: ”Sorry, his minder got lost.”
Thesius:
As the young half-elf archeologist arrives in Clydwell Plaza, he cannot help but be struck by the magnificent edifice that is St. Clydwell’s Cathedral. It’s obviously of Chelish style, of course, which would have made it somewhat out of place in Mendev a century ago, but nowadays it’s the norm. Tragic, certainly, but perhaps unavoidable.
Even as the thought occurs to him, though, Thesius hears a conversation between a Kellid man and woman, spoken in Hallit.
”-ster Vorek is here. He’s already been talking about revitalizing our people, getting back into the old ways, but with a new focus.” The woman says.
”You think that’s possible?” Her companion asks, bitterly. ”The crusaders are all around - especially that bastard Hulrun and his fanatics.” ”Well, Vorek says he’s willing to spend time working with the high priest - not the ‘lord’ of this city. If Hulrun knows what’s good for him-”
The two drift away into the crowd, their conversation fading from even his keen senses.
All five of these disparate individuals spy a stall where a young tiefling woman is selling fine sculptures made from the stone that is dug out of Truestone Quarry to the east. As they watch, she passes a statue somewhat surreptitiously to a customer.
Perception DC 20 - Tiefling Sculptor:
The statue depicts an erotically charged scene of two succubi embracing and sharing a passionate kiss. While this isn’t illegal, per se, it is rather alarming to most Kenabrens. However, if Lord Hulrun or one of his adherents were to find out about this, the fact that she is a tiefling combined with her choice of artistic subject practically guarantees that she’d be destined for execution. Quite probably within a week - Hulrun isn’t usually one for patience when there’s a risk of demonic incursion about.
In the other direction, another young woman, this one human, with a bow on her shoulder stands near to one of the braziers, holding her hands over it to absorb the heat. She’s keeping an eye out for something, but seems relaxed enough.
So, I ask that you react to your spoilered bits, then go meet up with at least one other PC, whether you go to the sculptor or the archer.
Welcome to Kenabres, Mendev, and the Worldwound, legends-to-be! This is where we'll be doing most of our OOC discussions. I have a bit of a laundry list of things to clear up before we start up on the game.
First, and foremost among them - I ask that you add your status line to your posts - the area where I've got the link to our geographic maps. I'm pretty sure most of you have that already, but I want to make sure it's clear.
Second - these are questions for Verene and Elliot. Namely, that both of you are specialized in not only divination, but Foresight in particular. I don't overly mind the overlap, which is why I was willing to choose both of you, but I do want ask whether you two are alright with the overlap. If not, let's discuss how to fix it.
The other question is that for Riftwarden Orphans, if there are repeats, it recommends/commands that those who share the trait be siblings. Now, it's definitely possible that Elliot and Verene's parents are the same people, what with him being an aasimar and humans being quite capable of producing those. That said, she's fourteen years his senior, which means that if this is so, her parents would have to survive until she was at least 14. This would, of course, impact Verene's backstory - rather more than it would impact Elliot's.
Elliot, I recommend that you switch Skald out for Hallit in your languages.
Verene, I wanted to ask you about your stats - there're a few places where you treat your Dex bonus as though it's one less than it would otherwise be - I suspect as a result of switching from being middle-aged and losing the penalty? But I thought we should look into that.
Thesius, a couple things - I generally run without counting ammunition, especially if the party's been in a settlement where you could buy more recently. When I judge it appropriate, usually after a while outside of such a place, I start counting down as your theoretical reserves run low. In light of this, you probably want to reassess your spells known. Also, you have a free language unassigned - I'd like you to assign it.
Elyda, Merixia, I... don't have a whole lot to ask you two.
For everyone, though, I encourage you to discuss whether your characters have met or if they're just meeting for the first time, etc.
It is 4713 by Absalom Reckoning, and it has been one hundred and seven years since the Worldwound opened and destroyed Sarkoris. The demons have been relatively quiet for the past six years, when the Fourth Mendevian Crusade ended, but the people of Kenabraes remain wary at the insistence of one Hulrun Shappok, an inquisitor of Iomedae.
However, today is Armasse, once a celebration of the dead god Aroden, now embraced by Iomedae’s faithful, of whom there are many in Kenabres. Though it focuses on training the people to fight, Armasse remains a festival, and the city is filled already with festive cheer.
Unfortunately, the demons of the Worldwound do not remain silent forever, and already they plan to strike at the Mendevin forces and ultimately consume Golarion. The world needs more than heroes - it needs legends. Fortunately, there may yet be those able to ascend to such heights.
Greetings, all! It’s me again, hoping that I’ll be able to pick up a whole new AP for you all to enjoy. This time, as the thread implies, it’ll be Wrath of the Righteous - in part because I’ve always wanted to play it, and can’t seem to find someone willing to run it, but also in anticipation of the video game’s forthcoming release.
Like my pasttwo recruitments, I’m looking for 5-6 players who are able to post 1/day on weekdays, and at least once during the weekends.
Character Creation:
Attributes: 25-point buy. You’re going to be mythic heroes. Stat like it!
Races/Ancestries (I like the 2e term, myself): Core peoples are welcome, of course. Tieflings and Aasimar are both very much thematic in this AP. I’m willing to consider other Uncommon and Rare on a case-by-case basis.
Alignment: Good alignments are strongly favored. Those whose characters are neutral should ideally intend for them to grow into good alignment as the game goes on. I may - may - consider evil characters who want to change their ways. I do not guarantee this, and those who want to create them should be ready to switch them to neutral at my request.
Classes: Paizo classes, no 3PP, and Summoners are restricted to unchained only. Gunslingers are disfavored, because then I have to figure out how to put guns into a gun-free AP if I take one. Rogues, monks, and barbarians can be either chained or unchained. Paladins and clerics of good deities are especially thematic.
Money: Max gold for first level.
Hit Points: Max for first level, half plus one for each level following.
Traits: Two traits, one of which must be from the campaign traits for the AP. Note that each of the campaign traits has an associated mythic path.
Skills: I will, as before, be using the background skill variant rule from Unchained. I like that it allows for more flavorful characters.
Formatting for character sheets: Please ensure that your stats are easily available to me. If I cannot find something, I’ll let you know, but if I do, I’d like you to change it so that I can more easily find it - that is, don’t just point it out to me.
Backstories: Okay, I admit it, I’m a sucker for longer and more detailed backstories. That said, I cannot afford to read a dozen-odd novels in detail for your submissions. If you want, you can write a longer, more detailed backstory, so long as you give me a summary that’s at most ten paragraphs long.
Subsystems:
As implied by my statements with regards to traits, Mythic Rules will be in effect. I’m going into these mostly blind, but I don’t want to adjust the encounters to non-mythic standards, because I fear I’ll mess it up even more than I otherwise will.
Redemption, as described in both the Player’s Guide and Champions of Purity, may or may not be in effect. I don’t always like systems to define how characters change, but given the emphasis on redemption in the AP, I am firmly considering it.
Level ups will be done by milestone (in a similar way to mythic tiers, I guess). Tracking XP is a chore, and combat is less quick and easy in PbP.
Woof. Alright, to quote myself from last year:
“Me, late last year” wrote:
I will expect at least one post a day from my players, and if ever I cannot keep up with that, I will adjust my expectations for the players accordingly - I cannot ask you to post more often than myself, after all! I’m in GMT-5 as a timezone, so I will normally post around midday in that timezone.
Also, I am not as terribly familiar with the rules minutiae as many players here on the message boards. I would appreciate any help people would like to offer. Please don’t take advantage of my lack of knowledge - I’m trusting you guys not to do so!
To be as transparent as I can, I have sometimes burned out whilst running a game. That may happen whilst I am running this one. If such a thing happens, I will let the players know, and try to help them look for another GM to replace me, if I am able.
If this happens - which I suspect it will - I will be running a total of three games. I have been posting quite a lot in my other two games, and taking on a third will reduce my speed in all three - but I stand by my commitment to one post a day, or to adjust my requests to what I can manage.
I’m feeling much better than I was six months ago, when I posted about burning out, especially since I haven’t felt any of it in my other two games. This means I’m more willing to take this burden on. That being said, I’m currently at mostly loose ends thanks to personal circumstances - I expect this will change in the future, before the game comes to a conclusion. So, uh, my situation may change.
Recruitment will close at noon GMT-5, on Tuesday, June 29th. I may be willing to push it back a few hours if there are some people very close to submitting.
Even in the early morning, Sarenrae has blessed the town of Sandpoint with her potent presence, beating down upon the heads of those who have already begun their workday. The air is muggy, almost needing to be chewed before breathing, and even those whose jobs aren’t physically laborious are already finding themselves drenched in sweat on this unwholesomely hot late summer day.
The oppressive heat, however, is not the only concern the people of Sandpoint need worry themselves about. Though it has been four years since they were last a threat, the goblins of the Lost Coast have once again grown bold, as the last four caravans from Magnimar have reported. Specifically, the Licktoad goblins of Brinestump Marsh have been attacking merchants and travelers making their way between Magnimar and Sandpoint proper.
As a result, Sheriff Hemlock has (with the input of Shalelu Andosana) reopened the bounty on goblin ears - at 10 gp per ear, this is highly lucrative for any wishing to brave their territory. Further, the head of the Licktoads’ chieftain Gutwad will fetch a bounty of 300 gold pieces from the town of Sandpoint. For all this, new adventurers are necessary - fortunately for Sandpoint, it has potential heroes to spare.
Seishin of the Wheel:
Seishin is up and about shortly after sunrise, making his way through the daily tasks of living in Sandpoint. When he visits Sandpoint Savories, home to the best pastries in town, however, the young woman behind the counter looks very much distraught. One of the twin daughters of Alma Avertin, who owns the place, Seishin can’t quite tell whether she’s Arika or Aneka.
The young woman looks up as Seishin enters, and the priest can practically see the idea flaring in her mind. ”You’re… you’re Seishin, yeah? You… you know how to fight, yeah? Um…”
She hesitates before words rush out of her lips like blood from a wound. ”Arika’s missing, and mother doesn’t know, but she went out with an adventuring band to kill goblins in Brinestump, and I think mother will die if she doesn’t come back, and it’s my fault that she managed to go in the first place, so please will you look for her?”
Well, at least he can be certain of which twin this is now.
Torra Voliokerdam:
Torra is unsurprisingly active early in the morning, despite the heat. She awakens in her father’s home on Tower Street and prepares for the day. Surprisingly, Volioker is waiting for her when she finally emerges from her room. ”Mornin’ Torra. I ‘xpect you’ll hear this soon, but I wanted t’ let you know - Shalelu’s back from wherever her feet have taken her this past week.” He grins, clearly happy to share the news with his daughter. ”If you want t’see her, I think she’s at the Rusty Dragon.”
For her part, Torra knows that Shalelu has been busy hunting down rumors that Ripnugget, the chief of the Thistletop goblins who had invaded Sandpoint four years prior, was somehow still around after the Heroes of Sandpoint had slain him shortly after the goblin attack. Maybe she should go ask her mentor what she’d been up to?
Don’t feel the need to ape Volioker’s accent. I have no idea what I’m doing with it, to be honest.
Hana Tenko:
Hana awakens early enough in the morning before going about her daily routine to prepare for the day. Before she leaves her Church Street home, however, she hears voices from outside her window.
”- should send someone to look for them. It’s been a week.” This voice she recognizes as Father Zantus, the primary priest of Sandpoint.
”I know, Father, but Shalelu only just returned last night. Besides, they may still be hunting goblins out there. It’s not like there’s any lack of them…” This voice she doesn’t immediately recognize, though the accent sounds vaguely Shoanti.
”Does the Sheriff share your assessment, Cregan?” Father Zantus’ voice is fading into the distance, even with the relative quiet of this uncommonly hot day.
”Not… exactly, Father. You’d have to ask him. All I’m saying is that I don’t think the guard can afford to go out into Brinestump to look for adventurers. Maybe another group will go. That I’d be willing to help in any way I can…” The voices trail away.
Well, if there’s anywhere to get more information on what’s going on, it’s at the Rusty Dragon…
Hirabashi Yuto:
It is dark, and warm. Safe, secure, even serene, a comforting embrace. Then, a voice, distant. ”Come.” A face emerges, a dread helmed death’s-head, a grinning skull with no reason to laugh. ”Come!” The voice echoes from between its gaping teeth. A claw shreds through the warm dark, reaching, grasping. ”COME!
Hirabashi Yuto snaps awake, drenched in sweat as the skeletal nightmare lingers in the dark corners of his mind. Before he can fully process what has happened, he hears a knock on his door.
”Yuto? Are you alright?” Koya Mvashti, his adoptive mother, asks from outside. ”Can I come in?”
Teruko Kaijitsu:
For the first time in weeks, Teruko’s father is silent when she first awakens. Oddly, rather than relief, this only provokes apprehension in the young woman, who has a sense that some great change is about to come down upon her.
After getting ready for the day (her deceased father still unnervingly silent), Teruko exits her room, only to find Velarie Neserin, one of the two remaining servants in this empty home of memories, waiting politely for her.
”Miss Teruko, good morning.” The steward of the manor greets her, though Teruko can see the faint sheen of sweat on her forehead, indicating she’s already been working at least somewhat in the dreadful heat of the morning. ”Miss Ameiko sent word that she’d like you to visit her today.” Teruko’s older sister had all but abandoned the manor even before their father died, and has made only occasional visits since, usually when looking in on Teruko.
Velarie looks around, as though to keep what she’s about to say a secret. ”I think it may have to do with the recent bounty on goblins. I know you wouldn’t go out into that dreadful swamp, but I suppose she’s afraid you might hold a grudge over the events of four years ago.”
Shockingly, Lonjiku doesn’t even respond to that, a near direct allusion to his death. What is going on here?
And here we go. Please keep replies in spoilers until you arrive at the Rusty Dragon.
Welcome, one and all, to a journey unlike anyone in Sandpoint has ever seen. This'll be the place we discuss OOC things and whatnot. While I intend to open the IC thread today or tomorrow, I did want to take some time to check in with you all about comfort levels, how your characters know one another, and so on.
Teruko, for instance, has said she wishes to explore the arc of a daughter escaping an abusive parent - namely, Lonjiku, who still lives in her head. I wanted to know what people were looking for there, and how it would be best handled.
Hana and Teruko are both closely associated with Ameiko, while Torra and Seishin are close to Shalelu - do they know each other? Are they close to one another?
It is 4711 AR and it has been almost a decade since the events of the Late Unpleasantness in Sandpoint, and four years since the attacks by goblins, giants, and a dragon during Karzoug’s attempted takeover of Varisia.
Since those times, though, Sandpoint has known relative peace - peace that has already been shattered as goblins from the Brinestump Marsh have recently been attacking more caravans and travelers on the road to Magnimar than usual. Someone needs to take care of the pests, and figure out why they’ve been so emboldened.
Meanwhile, in distant Tian Xia, a Regent assumes the throne of the Empire of Minkai, and darkness gathers…
Hello everyone! I'm a roleplayer of over a decade and a GM for another game on the boards. I have (perhaps foolishly) decided to start running a second game here on the boards. This time I’m going to be running Jade Regent: The Journey of a Thousand Miles. Or something like that. Anyways, this time around, I’m looking for 3 or 4 players, with potentially 5 if I can’t make a choice of only four.
Character Creation:
Attributes: 25-point buy, because I like epic heroes.
Races/Ancestries (I like the 2e term, myself): Core (of course) and most Tian-flavored races are favored. Which is to say, samsarans, kitsune, tengu, or wayangs (to a degree). Nagaji are not terribly favored, being fairly uncommon in Avistan, if not unheard of. Other races, barring a few very intuitive exceptions, are all under consideration.
Alignment: Any non-evil alignment.
Classes: Paizo classes, no 3PP, and Summoners are restricted to unchained only. Gunslingers are disfavored, because then I have to figure out how to put guns into a gun-free AP if I take one. Rogues, monks, and barbarians can be either chained or unchained. Samurai and ninja are, of course, encouraged.
Money: Max gold for first level.
Hit Points: Max for first level, half plus one for each level following.
Traits: Two traits, one of which must be a campaign trait. The traits from Varisia, Birthplace of Legends are permitted, but Foreign-Tongued (Ameiko) lets you learn Minkaian rather than Tien. If you are desperate for flavor, you can take a drawback, but I’m disinclined to let someone add another trait for that.
Skills: I will be using the background skill variant rule from Unchained. I like that it allows for more flavorful characters.
Formatting for character sheets: Please ensure that your stats are easily available to me. If I cannot find something, I’ll let you know, but if I do, I’d like you to change it so that I can more easily find it - that is, don’t just point it out to me.
Backstories: Don’t write a novel, but I want at least few paragraphs of your character’s history. A novella’s fine, though, no, no it is not, I’m resisting the temptation. Anyways, so long as you keep it reasonably concise, the more hooks you put into it, the better for me. Do note that this is an AP about a looooong journey, so character hooks in Sandpoint or most of Varisia are unlikely to be relevant for long. I tend to favor interesting backstories over optimized characters, so keep that in mind. For those that have access to them, I recommend using Sandpoint, Light of the Lost Coast and/or Rise of the Runelords Anniversary Edition to look into Sandpoint itself.
Subsystems:
No caravan or romance rules from the AP. I’ve only heard bad things about the former, and the latter feels arbitrary and forced to me. That is not to say your characters can’t romance NPCs, just that they won’t do it using the mechanical system.
Redemption mechanics, though unlikely to come up, are open - sparing enemies might help you in the long run!
I may use the sanity mechanics from Horror Adventures later on in the AP, but that’s a long ways off.
Level Ups will be handled by Milestone - I don’t like having to track XP.
“Me, late last year” wrote:
I will expect at least one post a day from my players, and if ever I cannot keep up with that, I will adjust my expectations for the players accordingly - I cannot ask you to post more often than myself, after all! I’m in GMT-5 as a timezone, so I will normally post around midday in that timezone.
Also, I am not as terribly familiar with the rules minutiae as many players here on the message boards. I would appreciate any help people would like to offer. Please don’t take advantage of my lack of knowledge - I’m trusting you guys not to do so!
To be as transparent as I can, I have sometimes burned out whilst running a game. That may happen whilst I am running this one. If such a thing happens, I will let the players know, and try to help them look for another GM to replace me, if I am able.
These things remain mostly true - I have more confidence in my GMing ability and ability to stay interested, but at the same time, taking on a second game means more potential for burnout. That said, I am reasonably confident in my ability to do this - otherwise I wouldn't be opening a new game.
As the subject says - at the time of Wake of the Watcher's release, the AP used skum and their half-breed spawn to take the roles of the Deep Ones in their Shadow over Innsmouth homage. Since that time, there have been statistics released for both Deep Ones and their Hybrid kin. I'm curious, has anyone changed the statistics to use those creatures rather than the skum and their kindred?
The noonday sun filters through grey clouds, casting a grey light over the chill day in Kintargo’s Aria Park. The cold does not overly seem to matter to many, however, as a large crowd has gathered in the park, right before the centuries-old Kintargo Opera House.
Once a place of culture, art, and delight, its exterior seems somehow colder than ever before. It is a lifeless place now, a corpse that symbolizes all that Kintargo has lost. For as long as the Victocora family has been in charge of the Opera House they always ensured it was open to the public. But alas, all things change, and now the Opera House has become High Inquisitor Lord-Mayor Paracount Barzillai Thrune’s home away from home. Ever since the previous Lord-Mayor’s flight from the city - something many have doubts about - and Barzillai was appointed her replacement, the people of Kintargo have become increasingly upset at the martial law and his frankly bizarre proclamations.
It is for this reason that so many are willing to brave the near-freezing, grey tinged weather to raise their voices about… well, about anything they want to complain about.
”Open the Opera House again!” ”Free Kintargo!” ”Stability, unity, and order!” ”Kintargo belongs to her people, not the House of Thrune!” ”All hail the Lord-Mayor!” ”Let us drink tea!” ”Where’s Lord-Mayor Bainilus? I bet you had her killed!” ”The guilds demand a return to prior taxation!” ”Greedy bastards, taking our Opera House!” ”Disband the CCG!”
Knowledge (Local) DC 5:
The CCG, or Chelish Citizens Group, is a new militia that Lord-Mayor Thrune has recently recognized. They’re mostly made up of radical humans that have thrown their full support behind House Thrune. They don’t have any real official backing - no supplies or armaments from the government, for instance - but Barzillai has indicated approval of their motives and activities in general. General opinion on them is… mixed, to say the least.
The protesters’ various slogans ring out over the square before the Opera House, steam emitting from many mouths. While their passion is admirable, it is clear that there is no real unified voice in the crowd. Some are protesting that Kintargo is being ruled by a Thrune’s direct hand, and wish for local rule. Others are upset at the increased taxes and changed business policies under Barzillai. A third group seems most upset that Barzillai wasn’t elected legally, but appointed by the Chelaxian government. The fourth group seems to be there solely to shout random inflammatory slogans in the hopes of escalating the situation. The final group - small minority - is made up of loyalists to Cheliax, who spend most of their time shouting down the other groups.
However, there is no sign of the Lord-Mayor himself. Instead, a dozen dottari guards stand before the firmly closed door of the Opera House, all dressed in their signature black and red armor. Several of the poor fools have bluish lips from the chill, but most remain stoic in face of the inclement weather.
Standing with them is a singularly ugly woman grasping a glaive with the blade pointed upwards and its butt firmly against the ground. She is Nox, Barzillai’s bodyguard, and she stares fiercely at the still-gathering crowd of protesters, clearly finding this duty unpleasant.
Lady Jessibel Aulamaxa, Vantine Roubanis, the noble priestess Lady Aisling Talbot, Third Sword Knight of Iomedae, Lord Alexius Vashnarstill, and Nyxra Illphukiir all find themselves in close proximity to a brazier that some considerate individual has set up to fight off the cold - luckily, they seem to be some of the only ones nearby, as the crowd continues to shout and roil.
I’ll let you all decide how you ended up there, whether together or alone. Feel free to do some RP with one another (or a handy NPC) before we get started on the following bits.
The Protest Mechanics:
So, the protest is divided into rounds, each one equivalent to an hour. Each of you can choose to make one of several actions per round. The AP recommends that we roll Initiative for this, but I think so long as you guys don't double post on your actions, it should be fine. The actions are the following:
Listen for Rumors: Anyone wandering the crowd can listen for rumors and learn more about what’s going on in Kintargo’s new political landscape. The character must succeed at a DC 15 Diplomacy check to gather information or a DC 15 Perception check to overhear something of note.
Pilfer: Criminal-minded characters can use the large gathering to line their pockets, lifting purses or goods from the street vendors by succeeding at DC 20 Sleight of Hand checks. There may be significant penalties for failure here.
Rabble Rouse:Persuasive characters may want to better organize the protest by attempting a Diplomacy or Perform check. Success means your character gets a (cumulative) bonus to Charisma checks for the next 24 hours, as well as possible future benefits.
Silence Undesirable Elements: With five distinct factions among the protesters, the message delivered is a jumbled mess. Characters can try to silence or outshout elements of the crowd they disagree with. To silence a group, a PC must succeed at a DC 15 Bluff or Intimidate check—with a successful roll, that group’s message is silenced or oppressed for the duration of the protest. Only one group can be silenced at a time, and no more than four of the five groups can be silenced. There are, as mentioned above, five factions: Kintargo partisans, who are thoroughly anti-Thrune, democracy advocates, who are upset that Barzillai was appointed rather than legally elected, economic interests, who are mostly infuriated at the taxes and such, anarchists, who want to turn the protest into a Galtan-style bloodbath riot, and Chelish loyalists, whose interests are probably pretty obvious.
Watch the Crowd: The PCs can simply choose to watch the crowd for anything unusual. A PC who does so can attempt a Perception or Sense Motive check. This could give you interesting information about what’s going on in the protest itself.
Finally, if any of you want to do something else, let me know, and I’ll try to figure out how to handle it.
Welcome, welcome, welcome. This'll be our discussion thread for our little venture in rebellion. First things first - I'd like each of you to get a sense of whether your PCs know each other, and if so, how. I also want to discuss a couple other things about the game that are pertinent to a few characters more explicitly than others, so we'll get to that in time.
The year is 4715 AR, and in Kintargo, a new lord-mayor has arrived to take control of the restless city in the name of House Thrune. Barzillai Thrune, himself a member of that Thrice-Damned House, has arrived to restore and maintain order by the will of the monarchy and the Church of Asmodeus. As soon as he arrived, however, he placed seven decrees about the city.
Barzillai Thrune wrote:
By the order of High Inquisitor Paracount Lord-Mayor Barzillai Thrune, the following proclamations shall be put into law.
Proclamation the First: All slayers of city pests (here defined as doves, mice, and ravens) who present said pests to the dottari shall be awarded with a bounty of one copper piece.
Proclamation the Second: All places of public business must display in a position of prominence within the first room accessible from the building’s primary entrance a portrait of Her Infernal Majestrix Queen Abrogail II. Said portrait must measure no less than 11 by 17 inches.
Proclamation the Third: Anyone who captures, alive and unharmed, a feral dog of a weight exceeding 50 pounds is to be rewarded with a payment of 2 silver pieces upon transfer of the dog to the dottari. Such noble guardian creatures should find homes worthy of their kind!
Proclamation the Fourth: The right to wear fine embroidered clothing in public is hereafter proscribed to anyone other than agents of House Thrune or the Holy Church of Asmodeus. Exceptions can be awarded or purchased at the city’s discretion...
The list goes on, and on, each proclamation more absurd than the one before it, seemingly arbitrary and somewhat cruel. The freedom-loving people of Kintargo have already begun to agitate against their new lord-mayor, while in the east a group of zealous Iomedaean knights have launched a crusade against Cheliax itself.
Some few Kintargans remember the city's century-old heroes - the Silver Ravens, and they believe that the Silver Ravens must rise once more. In Aria Park, it is said that there will be a protest against the unjust rules of the new lord-mayor, and many in the city flock to the park at the appointed time.
Greetings all! I'm a role-player of more than a decade and a somewhat experienced GM. As the name of the thread and my chosen alias implies, I’m looking to run the Hell’s Rebels AP from the beginning to the end.
Ideally, I want 4-5 players, but if I have too many good options, I’ll choose up to six.
Character Creation Rules:
Attributes: 25-point buy, because I like epic heroes.
Races/Ancestries (I like the 2e term, myself): Most are acceptable. I’ll let you know if you’re considering submitting one that doesn’t fit. Use your common sense, and you should be fine.
Alignment: Any non-evil alignment. Note that lawful neutral or lawful good characters should have good reasons for being willing to lead rebels against the nominally legitimate government. Lawful good characters will be easier to sell me on than lawful neutral ones.
Classes: Paizo classes, no 3PP, and no Synthesist Summoners. Unchained Summoners will be favored over their normal counterparts.
Money: Max gold for first level.
Hit Points: Max for first level, average for each level following.
Traits: One campaign, one other. No drawbacks, please, I don’t need the excess of mechanical considerations.
Skills: I will be using the background skill variant rule from Unchained. I like that it allows for more flavorful characters.
Formatting for character sheets: Please ensure that your stats are easily available to me. If I cannot find something, I’ll let you know, but if I do, I’d like you to change it so that I can more easily find it.
Backstories: While I don’t want a novel, I do appreciate backstories and will weigh in favor of those who have interesting ones over mechanically optimized characters. I’m more invested in a fun story than grindy mechanics, though both have their place.
Final Note: Don't forget to give your characters a "reason to protest!" It's separate from the campaign trait.
On subsystems:
I will likely be using the rebellion rules provided in the Hell’s Rebels Player’s Guide. I may also use subsystems from Ultimate Intrigue, once I remind myself of the specifics. I may use some other subsystems from places like Occult Adventures or Ultimate Combat, but those remain to be seen.
I will expect at least one post a day from my players, and if ever I cannot keep up with that, I will adjust my expectations for the players accordingly - I cannot ask you to post more often than myself, after all! I’m in GMT-5 as a timezone, so I will normally post around midday in that timezone.
Also, I am not as terribly familiar with the rules minutiae as many players here on the message boards. I would appreciate any help people would like to offer. Please don’t take advantage of my lack of knowledge - I’m trusting you guys not to do so!
To be as transparent as I can, I have sometimes burned out whilst running a game. That may happen whilst I am running this one. If such a thing happens, I will let the players know, and try to help them look for another GM to replace me, if I am able.
As for when submissions will end, I will say 5 January 2021, with possible extension to later that week if there's too much interest but not as many submissions. This is to allow for holidays and the like. Thanks in advance for any submissions and interest!
