Tam Hale's page

Yeah, becareful to follow those judicial rules closely. My uncle-in-law was a probate judge who got ousted recently cause he let himself get informal with the rules in regards to dealing with the headaches of getting anything done through bueacracy's redtape. There are people watching who would love to see anyone in power get thrown under the bus for not obeying every little nuiance of the rules.

It's one of those situations were it's some of Column A, some of Column B. They are looking for something that really catches the attention, shows off what you're capable of creatively, but at the same time it needs to be something that adventurers would generally like to own. A clunky or obscure item that is very creative but doesn't have many practical applications for your average adventurer is going to have points against it. The same is true of the inverse, a very functional item that a character would use all the time but it's as bland as waterlogged toast.

You have to strike a balance.

This year is already different from last year as they have announced the topics of each round a head of time. Its just the nitty-gritty that has yet to be revealed. If it is anything like 2010, they won't give you the specifics for the next round until the day the previous round's work has been handed in but as you already have a broad understanding of the next round's topic, you can begin work before hand with a few ideas, just be prepared for a possible twist.

A thing to keep in mind that the judges and other Paizo employees have stated over and over: this isn't just a fun competition to see who is the best designer, this is in essence a JOB INTERVIEW. They want to see how you can perform under tight deadlines and difficult requirements cause if you're not prepared for that once you've won the whole shabang, you're gonna waste alot of time and money for Paizo if you can't produce your module (or other freelance assignments they offer you) when and how they need it.

Gavgoyle wrote:

Dammit, there go the hopes for 'Tickle-Me-Troglodyte'!

I had an pre-order in for one of those, too.

That begs the question: does it come with authentic stench action whenever you tickle it?

Now I'm glad I never submitted one of my alternate items for the 2009 edition of RPG Superstar: Mort's Infinite Atlas. It was book that could contain an unlimited number of maps, drew new maps of anything the bearer witnesses first-hand, could copy all the map(s) from any other atlas/paper it came into physical contact with, and rotated the maps on its pages based on the bearer's orientation with true north.

It would of fallen in more than a few Auto-reject piles.

This year, we're actually going to require you use someone else's Round 4 location in your Round 3 villain entry. Should be a sufficient curveball for all those people looking at past contests for clues about upcoming twists.

If you guys are able to do that, you could make a killing in the dinosaur safari hunt business!

Just call him Neil "The Duke" Spicer.

And an addendum to my previous post: As Neil said while they have listed the general assignment this year, they have not disclosed the particular rules for each round which could include things like you have to use an archetype from someone's Round 2 entry in your Round 3 villain, etc.

Gregg was referring to the fact that, on the RPGS main page (which is actually still for 2010), the row for the first round was bolded and the "Round Begins" field said "Yesterday, XX:YY PM", which I assume was some sort of date error.

Yeah, probably just a code artifact leftover from last year's competition or something got misplaced with them working on the page for this year.

gregg carrier wrote:

I'm just wondering why it opened yesterday but the submission due date is 10 months ago :P

Still, let us rock.

Wait...does this mean RPG Superstar 2011 has started? Can someone direct me to the page with the details? All I can find on this site is the 2010 info.

Thanks!

It hasn't started yet but if it follows with the previous years, Paizo will start taking submissions around the first week of December up through the first of January. Sean and the others were just giving us a heads up that its coming soon so everyone can get to work on their entries ahead of time.

NOTE: A good way to tell when it has started is the RPG Superstar 2011 logo/link will show up near the top of the left hand menu.

Tam takes an interest in Caelin's supposed flying lizard of the albino persuasion. She squints as she scans the distance looking for it before looking back toward the lightning struck tree and finally Caelin, "What flying lizard? You think it would be good to eat?"

Perception: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (3) + 0 = 3

Stalker growls in anger at the mites and their centipede pets surround the campsite. He bounds over the snoring Tam though making sure to use her chest as a spring-board as he circles around the to the rear of the centipede attacking Constance, snapping his tooth-filled maw in aggression toward the vermin.

Tam awakes with a start from the sounds of combat and having her chest nearly caved in by her surly companion. She puts a strong grip on her earth breaker as she stands up. The young woman quickly surveys the ongoing battle before seeing the runty blue mites standing back to attack from a distance. She hefts the earth breaker up and starts for the nearest pair just northwest where she was sleeping, "So who is first to meet your ancestors?"

Perception 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (14) + 0 = 14

Tam walks her still recovering mare for a bit as the party heads out of the trading post. The young woman scans the horizon quietly before giving Stalker a look of inquiry. She glaces to the others, "Maybe this Bokken can give us insight on the lay of the land? A place to start at least."

Catching up and posting in a moment. Sorry for the lack of posts for the last couple days. Been busy-busy at work and far from my normal workday in front of the computer screen.

I was killing some time with Photoshop earlier and decided to make an alternate version of Oleg's Trading Post if it had to be enlarged for bigger groups. Alternate Oleg's. For future use if anyone in here decides to run a Kingmaker game.

Tam turns from the board to join in the drinking as she follows a few of the others toward the ale, "I hope they have the strong stuff. Keeps the blood warm." Her brow scrunches up once more in thought at a few stray words from Ilya. Her thoughts bubble to a head before they spew forth from her mouth, "Don't think a criminal cares much if they are in the way of the just or not, even if they ask them to move out of the way all polite-like. Isn't that the point of being a criminal?"

Tam grunts in greetings to Oleg as the trader welcomes them to his home. After the wolf carcasses are sold and small talk out of the way, she joins a few of the others by the bounty board. Tam reads each bounty slowly, mouthing some of the words aloud, especially tatzlwyrm. "That sounds interesting. A worthy hunt," she ponders aloud as she points at the tatzlwyrm bounty.

Perception: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (9) + 0 = 9

Tam prods a dead wolf carcass with the tip of her boot before assessing the ongoing skinning effort. Since it seems to be in good hands for the time, she starts to check over her mare's wounds. The wolf had really tore into the poor horse. A worried frown creases her lips as she looks toward the others, "Bold wolves to attack such a large group. Must of been a hard winter. Hunger and the smell of fresh blood might bring other predators." Tam nods in agreement with Erian's point about moving onward to Oleg's as she bends down and picks up a pair of the untouched carcasses. She slings them over a shoulder with ease and holds her limping mount's reins with her free hand.

Tam grunts as she hefts her spear high and stabs it down at the wolf ravaging her downed mare, "Your hide will make a good cloak." Stalker, meanwhile, hisses at the wolf fighting him and darts forward to attempt to take a mouth-sized chunk from its throat.

Attack with Spear: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23
Damage with Spear: 1d8 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12
Stalker's Bite Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19
Stalker's Bite Damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

Ride check vs Fall Damage: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20

Tam spurs her mount toward the wolves coming in from the southwest, spear held ready as she and Stalker charge toward the canids.

Rolls as needed.

Attack with Spear: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20
Damage with Spear: 1d8 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8
Ride Check: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7
Stalker's Bite Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13
Stalker's Bite Damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

Angus Skulkhiem wrote:

I will post as often as I can today, but there are still thousands of us without powere here in the philadelphia area...so it might be more difficult. Sorry

Wait...what have I missed? What's wrong in Philadelphia?

Looks like a powerful storm went through that area several days ago and put 10k+ people out of power. According to a google search and article dated June 21st.

Tam looks around in mild surprise as the others notice the wolf pack moving in from all sides. All these strange people and their strange words are dulling her senses as she unclasps her spear and readies for combat. She clicks her tongue to her eidolon and motions toward the nearest wolf, "Stalker, kill."

Forgot my eidolon's init.

Initiative for Stalker: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8

Initiative: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 1 = 12

Tam is mounted next to Caelin. Her Eidolon, Stalker, is trailing her horse.

I guess I'll have to search for an avatar that looks more "Ulfen" before even I start thinking that I am a dwarf also lol

Heh. I was about to make the same mistake before I took a moment to check out your character profile. Hard to ignore a sigpic even though they shouldn't matter much.

And if anyone hasn't figured it out, Tam takes everything literal. So be careful if you're gambling and say "I'm on fire!" You might just get a barrel of water dumped on you.

Tam tilts her head, looking at the palm and back of Caelin's hand in consideration before she tentatively extends her own toward it, "I am known as Tam, daughter of Hale son of Yorin. Caelin O'Hern, I am missing no hands, why would I need for more?"

Tam squeezes her knees gently against the ribs of her painted mare, urging the horse forward from the far back of the party while her companion, a panther-shaped creature of blue-silver fur and teeth, keeps pace beside the nervous pack-animals. She had remained quiet over the last few days of travel, her ineptitude at dealing with other intelligent beings made her keep her distant from their conversations and interactions. She had even slept in the stables at the Crossing, more at home with the beasts than the comforts of the inn.

Tam gazes down toward the wooden palisades of Oleg's as her grimey brow scrunches up in puzzlement. She turns her head toward the man called Caelin, who reminded her somewhat of her own late father in his Ulfen-descended features, and speaks in a completely serious tone "I do not think this place has a door knob."

Rumor: 1d10 ⇒ 4

Perception: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (2) + 0 = 2

Sorry about the tardiness, crazy last few days at work. Sheet should now be completely finished and I'll get to posting in the ICC thread.

Tam, Ride is a barbarian class skill. Your hide armor hinders your spellcasting. Source for Spirit of the Stones trait? What kind of horse? How many trail rations?

Skill: Yeah, I just forgot that when I added it as my Favored Class bonus at the last minute.

Hide armor and Spellcasting: While Hide Armor is considered medium armor and thus would mess with my spellcasting, I was gonna purchase a Hide Shirt (from the Rise of the Runelords and Curse of the Crimson Throne Player Guides) which is considered light armor. They are pretty much identical but the Shirt is alot more expensive. Summoners can cast with no penalty in light armor. Pathfinder SRD Armor listings.

Trait: Spirit in the Stone is from the Legacy of Fire Player's Guide. Pathfinder SRD link for it.

Horse/Rations: I wasn't done with gear and most of the bottom sections of my sheet. Just quickly listed things late last night before going to bed. I'll clarify shortly when I get a chance to work on it again.

Character sheet done for the most part. Just need to finish up gear then work on the background/appearance part.