Here's the official thread for discussing the game.
Happy post-Thanksgiving (day one) to all!
Of course we'll be eating leftovers for a few days AND are making our usual turkey frame soup which wall also leave leftovers but... it's freezable!
Greetings and salutations, fellow adventurers!
Let's go find the drama.
There we go.
I'd like everyone to describe what they did in the Last War. This goes for Amnesiac characters as well. Also, tell me why you're in Sharn (some of you already did this, but this is the time to embellish your answer). Also, tell me how long you've been in Sharn, and how you all met.
What year is it now? The Last War ended in 996 YK, correct?
998 YK The campaign begins. . . .
According to the ECS.
Hmmm.. I think i've gone over the what happened before and how I got to Sharn. Will wait on a few others before I force my appearance on the group. :)
Escher is eight years old. Though technically born in cyre, he was shipped off the Sharn and spent the rest of his days here. He was a bodyguard to the Ir'Tonn family until recently. He never fought in the war.
Anybody who travelled in higher stations may have run across me guarding my master Thiago. Especially people interested in the arts.
Thiago also supported expeditions, so people might have met him if they were involved in this. Or applied to be involved.
Thiago also had factories in the lower parts of the cities, so they may have run across Escher on a trip below.
Kaine Riston is a Sword Saint, a small order of warrior monks. They combine the discipline and mental focus of monks with the martial skills of weapon masters. Sword Saints specialize in a single weapon, hyper-focusing their skills with it. Even so, they are still competent fighters with other martial weapons as well as unarmed attacks.
During the Last War, Kaine served as a marine officer in the Brelish navy. Towards the end of the war, and immediately thereafter, he was covertly assigned to finding a connection with the pirate activity rampant in the area and the Lhazaar princes. King Boranel ir’Wynarn and the Brelish navy are highly suspicious that such a connection exists, but, so far, no definitive proof has been uncovered.
Of course, currently, Kaine is completely unaware of any of this. His “arrival” in Sharn two months ago, and the circumstances of his condition, may be related to his mission. Only time will tell.
Hey guys, I wanted to ask if one or two of you would be willing to construct a history together?
Like a joint employer, a joint leisure activity, or even a friendship because we were in the war together?
:-)
@Usgar, I always like these things! Below will be a description of the path of my character, maybe you will like something. So.
@EltonJ, my character fought on the side of Breland. But he was not on the front line, but rather something like a commissar in the army. Beren was engaged in investigations of desertion, unauthorized looting, theft of army property, etc. He was almost never on the front line, so it's not to say that such a person could have great popularity among 'real soldiers'... Now Beren is a private detective at Sharn. He served for some time in the city guard, but circumstances turned against him. Too much integrity (partly an attempt to start life anew with a clean slate and a as "good man") led to the fact that he was almost executed for a bribe that he did not take. In the end, the case did not come to court, but he ended up on the street. Penniless, but still with his principles.
@Usgar, if some of this can be mixed with your character's biography, I will be glad! The same applies to the rest of the players.
PS @EltonJ, I think I missed the information, what is the starting amount for the purchase?
___
‘Eκάτη
PS @EltonJ, I think I missed the information, what is the starting amount for the purchase?___
‘Eκάτη
Sorry, you get the full amount of gold when you start. Sounds fair, doesn't it?
Brainstorming about connections. Just putting out possibilities and hoping to spark ideas and further conversations.
Everybody: Even just passing, Escher is visually distinctive. You'd remember him if you've ever seen him.
Beren: Perhaps when you were in the guard, there was an investigation. Something like a break-in at our home. I expect that somebody higher up was officially handling the case and both of us were set to watch the perimeter. You noticed something, but your superior didn't consider your concerns worthwhile. Escher would have said something, but then go silent if admonished.
Kaine: You could have been hired by my master as temporary added security for some event. Some problem happened and we both had to deal with it. If we ended up talking, Escher would point out that waking up with no memory but full skills is very much like the experiences of all warforged. But he did hope that you recall what you lost.
Lia (1): My master might have visited Pylas Talear for diplomatic or trade issues, and I would have accompanied him as bodyguard. At one function, you might have noticed me off to the side paying attention to the musicians. If you asked, he said he was memorizing the performance, as he quite enjoys Aerenali music. He might even has asked if you could translate a passage in celestial. He knows elven, but not celestial.
Lia (2): I suspect that most of the Aerenali clergy have negative opinions on warforged. They would be either artificial souls or stolen souls and they have no connection to any ancestors. So it will be interesting to find out how we interact and what your views are. I'm okay if there are some issues as we get to know each other.
Usgar: I'm having a hard time figuring out where we might have met. In the past couple of weeks, Escher has been checking out the postings for adventurer-type jobs. You might have seen him there or tried for the same opportunities. Or you just might have a connection to somebody else and we meet as the group forms.
Oh, Kaine and Usgar could meet at a support group for amnesiacs! "Hello, my name is... umm... er..."
Escher,
I like both those ideas. When Lia sees you she will remember you from that visit. She may also struggle for a while with the ramifications of being a soul in a manufactured body until realizing there's nothing odd about you. :)
Escher,
I like both those ideas. When Lia sees you she will remember you from that visit. She may also struggle for a while with the ramifications of being a soul in a manufactured body until realizing there's nothing odd about you. :)
Well, there is something odd about him. Most Warforged can't manipulate ectoplasm. And there is still the issue of not having ancestors to guide the ne race. Of course, they are also potentially immortal...
Well, any non elf is imperfect. :)
Escher, I support it! That's how we'll get to know each other.
Oh, Kaine and Usgar could meet at a support group for amnesiacs! "Hello, my name is... umm... er..."
:-D
Hey Escher,
I like the idea that we met just recently while seeking a new position or job that provides some level of adventure!
Escher, I support it! That's how we'll get to know each other.
Hey Beren,
When Usgar arrived he was essentially homeless. Maybe our paths crossed on the street after you had lost everything.-
Usgar lived in the Eldeen Reaches and was part of a small shifter community of Gorebrutes, those shifters which are loud and aggressive even for their kind. These shifters even are more likely to threaten violence than most other shifter individuals … maybe that is because of their connection to the Wereboars of the past.
During the war no side was left untouched and thus Usgar was forced to leave his village with a band of other shifters to fight as mercenaries in Cyre! Usgar was on a mission in the north of Cyre, exactly where today the Mournland touches against the Cyre River coming off of Scions Sound when the mourning hit!! Nobody knows what exactly happened to Usgar but he was gone for almost two weeks before he was found by fellow shifters that helped him return to his home village.
The amnesia that Usgar suffered from the magical force that hit him, gave Usgar the powers associated with his arcane bloodline and everyone also saw the extraordinary rage that flowed through him. All the uncertainty forced Usgar to eventually leave his home only months after he arrived in the Eldeen Reaches because he had to escape the unbearable environment where everyone believed to know Usgar although he did not know himself anymore.
Usgar still feels an anger inside of him because the loss of his memories and that is sometimes hard to control but that is also paired with an uncontrollable lust to travel and seek something beyond his reach. But Usgar also was clearly advised that beyond his community he has to control himself because the past crusade of the silver flame makes it especially important for him to not constantly escalate situations so that that those that are still feeling uneasy among shifters don’t continue the prosecution of his race instead of chasing real lycanthropes.
Although he has no clue about religion, something inside of him feels that the Traveler is pushing him onwards … where to he does not know but he always remains ready for the journey yet to come! One of these journeys also led him to Sharn a couple of months ago. He had heard a lot about Sharn … and there was something special about this city. He was initially homeless and effectively lived on the street but his brute muscles helped me to find employment as an enforcer or bodyguard. Recently, he has been seeking a more adventurous task and is actively looking for new opportunities.
Good enough for a background. :)
Keith always asks what player characters did during the Last War. I thought I'd better follow suit.
Usgar, great! I assume that it was some kind of casual acquaintance. We met a couple of times on the streets, got used to each other and so on. But perhaps our characters have never even speak... for now.
Usgar, great! I assume that it was some kind of casual acquaintance. We met a couple of times on the streets, got used to each other and so on. But perhaps our characters have never even speak... for now.
Sounds good!! ;-)
Hi, All. Lost track of this over Thanksgiving and my subsequent illness. Will pull myself together quickly.
I think Escher's idea works best for Kaine's acquaintance with him.
For Karsh'e (or more simply Karsh) the war hardly existed. His village was a quiet backwater in the Shadow Marches. News of the great battles was more like mythical legends, less real even than the Gatekeepers' centuries old tales of Vvaraak and the battles with the daelkyr.
"My family told me to go to Sharn." There would be opportunities in such a great city, overflowing with people of all lands and races.
In the nine months that Karsh has been in Sharn, he has not been able to take great advantage of his opportunities. He's scraped a living in the lower fringes of society rotating through a variety of odd jobs: cook, laborer, stilt-walker, tale-teller. Still his needs are not great, and he is satisfied, or perhaps it has never occurred to him to be discontent.
Perhaps you've seen Karsh about town, a young, very, but not quite human-looking halforc in dusty ragged clothing, and a decent leather vest. He has unusually long flowing locks of hair. He'd be sweating over a skillet on a small fire in the entrance to an alley or a corner of the market square. Or he might be carrying lumber, water, or packages. Or he might be striding boldly through the street on stilts, followed by a pack of children, and teaching them the trick of it. Or possibly you may have found him in the market, an alleyway, or near the gates of the city telling tales embellished with sounds and crude props.
Beren, and possibly Kaine, may have had a use for Karsh as a contact, or minor operative. He has no criminal inclinations himself, but doesn't judge others. Courier, lookout, distraction are all tasks that he would take on. If he says he'll do something he's mostly dependable.
Usgar, I had a look at your spoilered background. I'd already determined in my mind that Karsh came to Breland through the Eldeen Reaches, and that he's also only been in Sharn for a number of months. Very possible that we met on the road.
Escher and Lia are from an entirely different social caste. Perhaps you needed a porter, or passed an idle momnet in the market listening to a tale.
Great! Karsh'e and Usgar could definitely have this connection. Thanks
What’s your alignment by the way?
I’m just thinking if CN for Usgar is too extreme.
Straight up neutral for Karsh, I think. He and I will find out for sure as the story unfolds.
So far, so good.
Escher is neutral good. But he's unlikely to make a big deal until people start getting actively evil. Mere self-interest is okay.
Well. We can start at any time. :)
Let us go!
I'm pausing a bit to give Lia a chance to speak up. If she doesn't post tonight, I'll go.
Hi everyone, I am in favor of setting up macros for rolling initiative, perception, sense motive etc where all our modifiers are in and the game can speed up as the GM make these rolls.
What do you think?
Works for me. When I GM live, I have a spreadsheet where I can roll any skill for all players, noting the highest and any 20's or 1's.
I can set up a google docs page.
I just created a Google slides Link with the macros I think would be useful for the GM.
I already filled out Usgar. :-)
I noticed. Good work.
I entered mine as well. You should put this link on the campaign tab so we can find it easily when we level.
Done! Reminds me I need to add a 'bot me' section with common rolls on my online character...
Done.
I'll add 'bot me' sometime next week. A ton of work now.
And I'm added. Escher had no problem being the front line. It's a tank's job.
I just created a Google slides Link with the macros I think would be useful for the GM.
I already filled out Usgar. :-)
Seems like we all filled out the slides.
GM, ready for your convenience! :-)
I just created a Google slides Link with the macros I think would be useful for the GM.
I already filled out Usgar. :-)
Seems like we all filled out the slides.
GM, ready for your convenience! :-)
I bookmarked them.
She has mithril plating (D&D spells it mithral for some reason). Goblins are in chain shirts. All three are armed with broadswords/longswords.
Because one walks carefully near a sleeping dragon. The Tolkien estate is rich and litigious.
Okay, does anyone need to be a "bot?"
Hi GM, I think I do not understand.
You have not indicated that anybody is up and there is not combat map so I do not think that anyone believed that they have to act. ;-)
We also lost the initiative. I was waiting for a bad guy action.
Hi GM, I think I do not understand.
You have not indicated that anybody is up and there is not combat map so I do not think that anyone believed that they have to act. ;-)
Right, I was thinking that someone got the initiative over Cutter;. I'll put up a combat action map later today. I think I have one made for my other Eberron game. I'll also put the initiative order on the map.
Would you like it on the slides? Or would you like to download it from my google drive?