One question to start considering is how we all became a party. In reading the campaign info we start the campaign as a party. My current backstory is about what happened in my tribe that led me to leave them to explore the world. The part I want to discuss with those in the group is how we met so our stories start to weave together.
I know that it might be too early to have this discussion but I wanted to throw it out there for everyone. We wont have a ton of time to work up that part of the story.
Agreed. We do have plenty of time for that, and since we don't necessarily have our full team yet, we should probably wait on a back-story. Once we do have the full team, we could always use the random relationship with fellow adventurers table.
Rachele Ambrosi is a lover, no wedding bells as yet. The nobleman (name is a place-holder, feel free to replace it as necessary) I imagined as a small-time landowner and political leader (maybe a councilman or something) in the area (any small town will do, I only said Durvan because you mentioned it was the most developed).
I imagined him as a NE light brown-skinned human (compared to Warren's dark brown), sporting a masculine mustache, wearing glasses. His parents were foreign peasants who died during a bandit raid, so he and his older brother and sister were cast out into the streets when he was only seven. Not as strong as his brother or as smart as his sister, the boy signed on with the guild. After being groomed for over a decade as a spy for the guild, learning the niceties of court without anyone ever really seeing him, he caught word of a young nobleman (the real Lord Devadas of house Mishra) coming from his parents' home country (so they probably looked similar). Overcome with jealousy, the boy rode hard up the road, sneaked into his sleeping quarters, and murdered him. Assuming the identity of Devadas, he came into town and used the nobleman's money to buy up property and amass influence to the point of becoming the chair of the Merchants' Guild all the while maintaining his ties with the thieves' guild.
All of this is, of course, open to adjustment on your part!
Edit: another note on appearance, if branding is a punishment for theft in your world, he definitely has a brand...
Hmmmm...looks like you might be lacking some magical ability....I would be interested in joining the group as either a mage or cleric...or perhaps both...lol. Let me take a look and see what I can come up with!
Agreed, my bard is a solid arcane caster, and the ranger will have some divine, but we're desperately in need of a full divine caster...
@Krokkin: super cool! Very barbaric! There's a really cool racial archetype for catfolk monks called Nimble Guardian. At level 7 (so it'd be a ways off for this campaign), you can beast shape for 2 ki points into any feline (your character, I imagine, would choose a black panther). I like your barbarian better, though, and multiclassing isn't great, especially given how many levels you'd need to get that ability. Just thought I'd share!
@Smoosh: sorry to see you go! I was looking forward to role-playing with a rogue, bards and rogues tend to get along nicely.
I finished out Warren's backstory:
Backstory:
Warren Motter grew up on a small farm near a growing town in Durvan with his parents Sonny and Ros and older sister Caitlin. His family gained favor with Erastil, as the animals on the farm began to prosper (thanks in no small part to Warren's gift with them and their predators). So much so that Sonny Motter was recruited by the Merchant's Guild of that town. When he learned he'd be paying dues without getting much in return, Sonny turned them down, opting to simply continue selling his stock independently.
Unfortunately, the Guild was doing rather poorly at the time, so it used its underworld connections to kidnap Warren and Caitlin in an effort to pressure Sonny into joining.
A local hero, both in the military and in sports, named Megaira the Ungiving led a squad to rescue them only a few days in. It was long enough, however for Caitlin and Warren to learn the identity of the leader of this criminal organization was a nobleman called Devadas of House Mishra. When Warren told Megaira, she manipulated him into ousting the nobleman in court, humiliating him and stripping the honor from House Mishra. Even after he'd learned what she'd done, he held her no ill will, because he would likely have done it anyway, if she'd just asked.
Many people were freed from the influence of this nobleman, including Rachele Ambrosi, another of the underground's blackmail prisoners. Warren and Rachele bonded over their shared experience and love of animals and music. Their love for each other only grew during Warren's struggle to find employment in town and through his time with the militia where he continued to master any one "marketable skill."
Throughout all these experiences, two things grew steadfast in the young man. First, Warren continued honing his musical ability, there was no voice in this small town equal to his, and his orphica and the piano at the local tavern were symbols of merriment and happiness because of him. And second, the friends and family he made along the way know him to be immovably loyal to them.
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Str 12, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 9, Wis 9, Cha 16
Base Atk +2; CMB +3; CMD 17
Feats Arcane Strike, Dodge, Lingering Performance[APG]
Traits militia veteran (any town or village), patient optimist, poverty-stricken
Skills Diplomacy +3 (+1 vs. Creatures that threaten, accuse, or challenge you and haven't apologized, +5 to influence hostile or unfriendly creatures), Knowledge (arcana) +6, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +0, Knowledge (engineering) +0, Knowledge (geography) +0, Knowledge (history) +6, Knowledge (local) +0, Knowledge (nature) +0, Knowledge (nobility) +0, Knowledge (planes) +6, Knowledge (religion) +4, Perception +5, Perform (keyboard instruments) +9, Perform (sing) +9, Sense Motive +9 (+7 vs. Creatures that threaten, accuse, or challenge you and haven't apologized), Survival +0
Languages Common
SQ animal friend, bardic knowledge +1, pride, summon nature's ally, versatile performance (sing)
Combat Gear scroll of blistering invective, glitterdust, invisibility, mirror image, path of glory, silence, tongues; Other Gear mwk chain shirt, mwk buckler, mwk elysian bronze heavy crossbow, mwk rapier, backpack, belt pouch, knife, utility (0.5 lb), mirror, mule, Basic maps (major landmarks only), bedroll, flint and steel, hemp rope (50 ft.), ink, inkpen, journal, mess kit, Orphica, pack saddle, pot, soap, torch, torch, trail rations, trail rations, waterskin, 922 gp, 1 sp
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Special Abilities:
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Animal Friend (Snake) +4 to Handle Animal vs. chosen kind, start as indifferent & won't attack.
Arcane Strike As a swift action, add +1 damage, +1 per 5 caster levels and your weapons are treated as magic for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
Bardic Knowledge +1 (Ex) Add +1 to all knowledge skill checks.
Bardic Performance (standard action, 11 rounds/day) Your performances can create magical effects.
Lingering Performance Bardic Performances last 2 rds after you stop concentrating.
Pride -2 to diplomacy and sense motive vs. those who threaten, accuse, or challenge you, until they apologize
Summon Nature's Ally Add summon spells to your bard spell list.
Versatile Performance (Singing) +9 (Ex) You may substitute the final value of your Perform: Sing skill for Bluff or Sense Motive checks
Viswall Vargasa
Male half-elf rogue 1
CG Medium humanoid (elf, human)
Init +3; Senses low-light vision; Perception +8
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Defense
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AC 15, touch 13, flat-footed 12 (+2 armor, +3 Dex)
hp 9 (1d8+1)
Fort +0, Ref +5, Will +2; +2 vs. enchantments
Immune sleep
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Offense
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Speed 30 ft.
Melee rapier +3 (1d6+1/18-20)
Ranged light crossbow +3 (1d8/19-20)
Special Attacks sneak attack +1d6
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Statistics
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Str 13, Dex 17, Con 11, Int 12, Wis 15, Cha 10
Base Atk +0; CMB +1; CMD 14
Feats Skill Focus (Stealth), Weapon Finesse
Traits freedom fighter
Skills Acrobatics +7, Disable Device +8, Escape Artist +7, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +5, Knowledge (local) +5, Perception +8, Sense Motive +6, Sleight of Hand +7, Stealth +11; Racial Modifiers +2 Perception
Languages Common, Draconic, Elven
SQ elf blood, trapfinding +1
Combat Gear caltrops; Other Gear leather armor, light crossbow with 10 bolts, rapier, backpack, belt pouch, flint and steel, grappling hook, hemp rope (50 ft.), piton (2), thieves' tools, pony, bedroll, mirror, pack saddle, soap, waterskin, 6 sp, 9 cp
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Special Abilities
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Elf Blood Half-elves count as both elves and humans for any effect related to race.
Elven Immunities - Sleep You are immune to magic sleep effects.
Low-Light Vision See twice as far as a human in dim light, distinguishing color and detail.
Sneak Attack +1d6 Attacks deal extra dam if flank foe or if foe is flat-footed.
Trapfinding +1 Gain a bonus to find or disable traps, including magical ones.
--------------------
Viswall Vargasa was born to a traveling tradeswoman during an extended visit to house Vargasa, a highly prominent family among the nobility of the elves. The Nobility was put in an odd place, because while half-breeds were frowned upon, this boy would be the last heir of house Vargasa as his father, Maracel Vargasa, was an only child with no marriage prospects.
The patriarch of the family ultimately allowed the marriage to take place. Unfortunately, the union was short as Viswall's mother died giving birth to his younger sister Ivona.
This was to the great delight of his father. Maracel spent most of his time with his children, and when he found that his son had the same agility and natural ability as himself, he took great pride in training him in the art of fencing.
The circumstances of Viswall and Ivona's parentage were no secret in the area, however, and they learned quickly that once the boy came of age, they would no longer be welcome outside of the Vargasa house. So rather than try to do the impossible, Viswall, or V as he came to be known, and Ivona took to the visitors. They were often found in the company of tradespeople, explorers, and outcasts. One such outcast, Gisila, a half-elf like them, but matronly in age, would hold V's pointed ears with stories of her travels and adventures. Of all her stories, those about her humble beginnings as a slave and the freedom fighters who liberated her struck him deepest and he told his father as much.
So it came as no surprise to Maracel when V decided to do house Vargasa proud by becoming a Pathfinder of the Liberty's Edge faction, finally putting his fencing training to good use.
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Okay I have a half-elf rogue made (but untested). Didn't have a chance to make a profile, and I don't have the stat block in front of me (weapon finesse, rapier, bow), but I'll post it later.
backstory:
Viswall Vargasa was born to a traveling tradeswoman during an extended visit to house Vargasa, a highly prominent family among the nobility of the elves. The Nobility was put in an odd place, because while half-breeds were frowned upon, this boy would be the last heir of house Vargasa as his father, Maracel Vargasa, was an only child with no marriage prospects.
The patriarch of the family ultimately allowed the marriage to take place. Unfortunately, the union was short as Viswall's mother died giving birth to his younger sister Ivona.
This was to the great delight of his father. Maracel spent most of his time with his children, and when he found that his son had the same agility and natural ability as himself, he took great pride in training him in the art of fencing.
The circumstances of Viswall and Ivona's parentage were no secret in the area, however, and they learned quickly that once the boy came of age, they would no longer be welcome outside of the Vargasa house. So rather than try to do the impossible, Viswall, or V as he came to be known, and Ivona took to the visitors. They were often found in the company of tradespeople, explorers, and outcasts. One such outcast, Gisila, a half-elf like them, but matronly in age, would hold V's pointed ears with stories of her travels and adventures. Of all her stories, those about her humble beginnings as a slave and the freedom fighters who liberated her struck him deepest and he told his father as much.
So it came as no surprise to Maracel when V decided to do house Vargasa proud by becoming a Pathfinder of the Liberty's Edge faction, finally putting his fencing training to good use.
Description:
Viswall has long chestnut locks and fair skin like his mother had, but the bright amber eyes found in all the male elves of House Vargasa. He stands at an average height in full leathers and a steel pauldron adorned with the blue & white waves of his family's crest. The hilt of his elegant rapier matches with its blue & white striped handle and wavy guard.
Dotting with a question: How strict is your "core only" philosophy when it comes to classes? I've got a human ninja I think would be great for this AP.
Making progress with my character. I'm thinking my ninja would have lost his sight sooner than just "clouded eyes" would make him, but he wouldn't have been born blind.
This way, he gets the same penalties to sensory perception as Clouded Eyes except he has
Blindsight:
Blindsight
Some creatures possess blindsight, the extraordinary ability to use a non-visual sense (or a combination senses) to operate effectively without vision. Such senses may include sensitivity to vibrations, acute scent, keen hearing, or echolocation. This makes invisibility and concealment (even magical darkness) irrelevant to the creature (though it still can't see ethereal creatures). This ability operates out to a range specified in the creature description.
Blindsight never allows a creature to distinguish color or visual contrast. A creature cannot read with blindsight.
Blindsight does not subject a creature to gaze attacks (even though darkvision does).
Blinding attacks do not penalize creatures that use blindsight.
Deafening attacks thwart blindsight if it relies on hearing.
Blindsight works underwater but not in a vacuum.
Blindsight negates displacement and blur effects.
with the keen hearing he developed during his training and in the past decade or so that he's been blind.
I'm posting a general idea (don't have time for the build) of my character. (I'm one of the two spots taken, btw)
I'm going to be playing a Fetchling Ninja (insert groan here), he'll be a good straight man to all the silliness. He was quite no-nonsense as a young adult, and he's only gotten harder from there.
His assassinations would be famous, though he would not be (he's good at what he does).
GM, I was thinking about the handicap: could I have him be completely blind rather than just partially, but has made up for it with a more acute sense of hearing. Not sure if that would change things for the Foggy Eyed thing, but I was thinking that he would take a hit to things like reading and whatnot for a lesser detriment to perception? Thoughts?
Round 3
Sera (14/14): Heals Mael 6
Mael (7/14): Satire Performance
Aiden (10/23): Attacks Taldo Greatsword:1d20 + 8 - 1 ⇒ (17) + 8 - 1 = 24 hits him for Damage:2d6 + 6 ⇒ (4, 2) + 6 = 12
Rory (6/25): Climbs:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10 up the ledge, and fires on Adrien Composite Bow, DA:1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10 and misses.
Taldo (21/21):
Infuriated by Mael's song, the man cries in a gruff voice, [b]"We'll see about that! As he whips around, drops off the wagon and brings his large sword down on the tanner, largely in a single practiced motion 12 dmg. Aiden uses this opportunity to hop off the wagon, climb up the ledge to the north, and fire a shot over the assailant's head.
Oh, I already put you on the boat with the rest, but if you want to swim, by all means. :) And PS, I was giving you a minute to enact any other plan besides "get boarded and try to convince them you're kustenwache"...I seem to remember a different plan
Order: Vivi, Angi, K(black), K (white), K (green), Celeste, Grey, K(gold), K(blue), Gruen
Grey, don't forget the kick rules with modern firearms: whatever the damage bonus is, if your strength bonus is less than that, you take the difference as a penalty to your attack roll. That being said, you'd have hit him anyway ;)
Grey hits his target just like he was somehow certain he would. The black officer winces as his shoulder begins to bleed.
The gold officer turns from having shot Gruen, and fires at Grey
Wealth:4d6 ⇒ (5, 1, 2, 6) = 14 x 10 + 500 = 640 gp
I have an idea for his backstory, but I'm not sure how the legal system works.
The idea was that his father was a lower-class worker who stole a good bit of wealth from his boss over time. One day, a fellow worker found out about it, and was going to turn him in, so my character took the money and turned himself in instead. How would he be punished for such a crime?
Dotting, quick question what is the religious atmosphere in this campaign? I'm thinking Inquisitor/Ranger maybe an older drow who is charged by the church to hunt down and kill any abomination that sneaks past the Maw. If there's no church to speak of, it can be a personal philosophical belief. Alias to follow.
EDIT: Make that the order of the seal (I don't have the data for Penitent on HeroLab); in which case, his character could easily be coming under the Church Business hook. If anyone else is using that hook, I'd be happy to be part of the same caravan.
Also, I have an idea about how the Mount thing would work. The zebra would be its own mount, with all the bonuses and the like applying to itself, as if it was constantly mounted. We could also do away with it altogether, but I just wanted to run that by you.
Quick question, and I realize answering it may be a ways off, but as far as cavalier orders go, are the sun, moon, spear, and hearth the only ones available? If so, what are the stats for choosing them? If not, which ones are available?
Until then, I'm going to work Zophio Zamburu as a Cavalier of the Order of the Penitent. Basically looking for a character who's a former criminal, whose skills were called upon in exchange for his freedom. He's come to Rondel after having fulfilled his purpose and been forthwith professionally disposed of (aka they're done with him so he gets a BS assignment in a no-name town. Similar to the ex-military hook).
Also, to answer the survey:
Plot: 5
Difficulty: 3
RP: 2
Optimization: 2
SoD: 5
Combat: 3
Serious: 3
Hey, thanks! I should have something worked up by 8 this morning (EDT) (I work night shifts), but if not, I'll just bow out. I don't want to hold you up.
I'm not entirely clear on what to do with the stat rolls. Add the top three together? And what are people doing to adjust their rolls afterward, and why?
What's the environment around the city like? I've got a jungle druid I'd like to try out, but I can change the archetype to suit the environment if need be. I would go urban, but a big part of her character background is that she's an avatar of nature (hand of Gozreh) type thing, so...
I have an idea for a female half-elf chirurgeon/armored hulk.
Idea:
Tamina was training to be her tribe's medicinewoman. Her education was stopped short when an army of raiders from cheliax were met in her tribe's forest by the Mercenary League outpost in Mecridi. The raiders wiped out her tribe, Tamina surviving only thanks to the armor of a fallen Mecridite.
Tamina escaped to Mecridi where she learned how to use such armor more effectively while simultaneously keeping to the teachings of her mentor to learn the art of healing by alchemy. She did much of her learning and training in the field as these skirmishes lasted a long while.
Once they had been brought to a decisive end, and Tamina's usefulness as an aid in battle had run its course, the people of Mecridi began to pay more attention to her lack of faith in the Prophecies of Kalistrade. Before long it became apparent that she was no longer welcome, and she couldn't honestly say the feeling wasn't mutual. So she packed up what little she had and left to find a new home.
This journey brings her to Sandpoint, as she thinks with so many different kinds of people about, she'll fit in nicely and if not: she'll try her hand on another land via the port.
Hey, yeah, I'm totally on-board with new GMs. I agree with what everyone's saying about adventure paths being more straight-forward. However, if you wanted to go homebrew (you don't have to come up with new rules by the way), you could have a lot more of a relaxed time, and tell your own story (not to mention you have a lot more elbow room with NPCs and plot twists, etc. which will help take up the slack of being new to GMing). Plus it's cheaper to come up with your own story.
Anyway, if you wanted to do that I have a few ideas you could run, just lemme know (I'd also like to play them, but no obligation).
Whatever you decide to do, please keep me in the loop, I'm looking for a relaxed and fun game!
The following idea infers we can do alternate heritages for tieflings; if we can't let me know, not a big deal.
I'm thinking about a Tiefling (Hungerseed) Inquisitor of Asmodeus.
Idea:
Shauldrek is the son of an atamahuta oni, but he only has one head so he's assymetrical. This makes him appear misshapen, a characteristic which brings on disdain from the children around him. After giving in to his trickster heritage, he is driven from the town where he was being raised. He is soon taken under the wing of his birth father, Hachiro. His father trained him as an inquisitor of Asmodeus, and as such he learned to worship his god through the enslavement of all the enemies of the Church of the Lord of Darkness.
Inevitably this lead to the enslavement and/or death of the occasional citizen of Talingarde. After a battle which claimed the life of his father, Shauldrek finds himself rubbing elbows with others who've been wronged by this people. Shauldrek grins, This should be fun.
At work right now, I'll have the alias ready later today.
@ Pyros & Oceanshield: I figured Charon or some version of a true neutral god of death would be present wherever, good to know Venkelvore is still in it! Still working on the alias.
Sounds great! Whoever leads, I'd like to play as their shady spiritual advisor. Bongub, a goblin and Oracle of Bones, with dreams of replacing Venklevore as the Goblin God of the Grave (Hierophant Mythic Hero). The logic is, as a young goblin, he was thrown into a crypt and forgotten. Here he saw the power of the dead, and realized that the dead were not all evil, and could--in fact--do good. This conflicts with the goblin worship of Venkelvore and so he was cast out for this thought process. For ascension, I'm thinking he's approached by Charon and is granted the power to work his way to be his emissary among the Goblins (i.e. "I'm the god of death for most creatures, you can be a minor deity under me for the goblins, but only if you prove yourself").
