|
We'll start our game this week online. Our group is:
Ancrym - Shoanti Barbarian(Shadde-Quah): had to leave his tribe after his father's attempt to take over the leadership of his tribe failed. Serves as Town Deputy under Sheriff Hemlock
Mestrard - Shoanti Cleric of Pharasma(Shoan-Quah): came to Sandpoint shortly after the Latest Unpleasantness and helped building the new cathedral (I made the Stone Circle the central sanctum of Desna and inserted a shrine of Pharasma in the eastern part). Friend of Ancrym, introduced him to Sheriff Hemlock
Ocura al Tenerat - Halfling Barbarian: Has been marked by Pharasma and follows a seven-year quest to receive a prophecy by her godess.
Emyralda - Varisian Bard : She is part of a Varisian tribe which comes to Sanpoint to take part in the Swallowtail Festival
Perriyon - strongheart halfling wizard: he stems from a Magnimar Merchant family with connections to the Kaijitsus; has given up his study of the arcane arts and his family was glad that he has finally become reasonable and urged him to travel to Sandpoint and learn the "real" life at the Sandpoint Glassworks.
Arathis Selvenor - Chelaxian Dragonfire Adept: stems from Magnimar; his quite unique powers are a heritage from ancient times; he thinks his family got imprinted by an old statue of a black dragon but this is only a part of the truth which is somehow connected to Xanderghul and Cyrusian (I have to figure this out yet 'cause I've some plans for part 6 of RotRL with this storyline - should he survive, that is)
and last but not least:
Dorian Zurisatro - Chelaxian(?) Factotum: stems from Magnimar, but moved to Sandpoint and is now one of the students at Turandarok University; is dreaming of a life as a renowned Pathfinder; might get in contact to Eando Kline soon
We're playing a gestalt campaign with 7 PCs (only 4 of which will be playing at any given time, with 3 DMs switching off from adventure to adventure). So far we've only run the first portion (up to the Glassworks) with regular 1st level PCs - next it's the Catacombs of Wrath as 1st level gestalt PCs! Our party is as follows:
Human Monk // Rogue
Human Warlock // Rogue (wants to be a shadowdancer)
Halfling Evoker // Ninja (another ranged sneak attacker type)
Dwarf Barbarian // Druid
Dwarf Barbarian // Dragon Shaman
Human Duskblade // Cleric
and I myself am a human Evoker // Cleric of Serenrae. Things should get pretty crazy before long!
well I ran our first sesion last week, and plan on running our second session tomorrow... so far we have 3 players (and three characters) and we may have a 4th player joining us in a couple of weeks.
the party so far consists of:
Aksunna Rolfsdotter, Female Dwarven Rogue.
Harald Redbeard, Male Dwarven Fighter.
and
Rary (no relation), Male Human (varisian) Wizard.
|
my group consists of
male human Shoanti Fighter
female human (Varisian) Barbarian
male human(Chelexian) Hexblade
male elven Warmage
male human (Shoanti)Fighter
male elf Cleric of Erastil
simple group, but only allowed standard PH races & most of the classes out of the WOTC 3.5 books but the players went with mainly PH classes.
|
well, i finally get to sit back and play, so what we tentatively have scheduled for game day (probably not until the end of Dec, at the earliest)
Human Cleric of Desna/Bard...playing up the gypsy angle
Orc barbarian/Orc Paragon...walking greataxe with an int of 6
Human (or halfling) Rogue....pickpocket and trapfinder...probably will have a pixie cohort at some point
Joon-Yah Bone-Tossah (me) Goblin druid with Chompy, the wolf. Focusing on healing and having a mean big wolf to eat things.
Undecided...probably something silly, arcanist or crafting...likely trying to make an artificer without actually taking that class
should be interesting, to say the least, and will be run by one of my post proficient character-building-gamers...so the modifications will run deep and likely cause much grief.
i can hardly wait.
-the hamster
My goup will start next tuesday:
-Chaine, male human beguiler (varisian)
-Mordar, male human rogue (varisian)
-Restlin, male human duskblade (shoanti with fey heritage)
-Iason, male human cleric (chelaxian)
Now I only have 3 players so I am letting them be Gesalt,
The Players
A elven Paladin/ Ninja (complete Adventurer) trying to add the kensi or darkstaker inquisitor (CW?) –goal to drive out all evil
A dwarf Cleric of Torag /Sorcerer- Wanting to build an army of worshipers, remove the evil that his greedy uncle gave to his family name, and become a master black smith.
A Varsian and Shoanti mutt Psion / fighter- wishing to become a master of the star blade, a man that is about to cross the line of insanity who goals in life are to kill as many goblins as he can before finding his Spartan inspired perfect death. Whith some mother issue that he works out by beening a man slut... should be intresting
Joon-Yah Bone-Tossah (me) Goblin druid with Chompy, the wolf. Focusing on healing and having a mean big wolf to eat things.
Why a wolf instead of a goblin dog?
Will Joon-Yah be from one of the five local tribes (or possibly the now-extinct Bonegrinder tribe)?
I had decided to drop the story into the Judges' Guild Wilderlands setting, so the party reflects the cultures and religions of that setting. We have a horde of elves:
Valiana, a virginal Elven priestess of Artemis. Beautiful and aloof, she is skeptical of the less-reputable members of the party.
Morfeo, a cadaverous Dark Elf. Clad in robes of midnight black (with ominous glyphs tackily picked out in rhinestones), he is a scythe-wielding necromancer.
Lash, another Dark Elf. His sorcerous powers are enhanced by his obvious draconic heritage.
Mira Lindelea, yet another Elven maiden. She hails from the Bright Courts of the Blessed Isle, where she trained as a bard. She serves as the party's "face", a role that is desperately needed.
Finally, there is Dryia Leaf, a (human!) druid with an affinity for wolves. She brings along her animal companion, a wolf imaginatively named Wolf, and her pet: A large and ill-tempered housecat named Urchin.
So far, Urchin has scored two kills on goblins. He is one mean cat.
|
I have,
1. Shoanti Barbarian, part of the tribe that according to legends are the ones that have the task to protect the world from the ancient ones.
2. A elf necromancer, who doesn't know that he actually is the reincarnation of the son of the God of undead before he became a God. He has a devourer hunting for his soul.
3. A varisian rogue, who doesn't know that she is actually the runelord of wrath, everytime she gets killed her memories get wiped and her contingency spell forms a new identity.
4. An Aasimar Cleric of the god of magic, she is tasked with the mission that her ancester was tasked with, to stop the re introduction of sin magic. Also doesn't know this yet
5. A varisian monk, still working on the background story for this one.
RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8
|
Just started tonight.
Suvan, Cleric 1 of Shelyn
Larissa, Ranger 1, so far has been using a trident against goblins (I've been describing her stabbing goblins like mucking a barn with a pitchfork)
Larsen Dogoode, Spellstalker 1
and (new player) Mryssa, Battle sorcerer 1. Fights with Rapier and grease spell.
Amazingly enough, all human, except Mryssa, she's Human (Dragonblood)
|
|
Well we started last week and I just finished off a second session late at night. We've just gotten to the point where the party have found out that Ameiko has dissapeared.
Here is what we have.
Deivon Valdamar - Chelexian/Varisian Rogue 1 (Aiming for Master Thrower)
Glorli Gimdol - Dwarf Fighter 1 (Going to multiclass as a Cleric of Torag and then enter Battlesmith)
Tammer Ford - Chelexian Bardic Sage 1 (Aim's to multiclass as a Swashbuckler, be a Pathfinder and find an Indy Hat as he's in no way shape or form based on a certain Archeologist)
Emyralda Mvashti - Varisian Battledancer 1 (Wants to have fun and be a dancer)
Esmerelda Mvashti - Varisian Cleric of Desna 1 (Plans to go for Spherewalker and make sure the destinies of the party and mostly her twin are interesting and of her making)
It's a fun group with lots of roleplaying. They've all invested greatly in Sandpoint and the NPC's especially Ameiko. In fact the player of Deivon got moaned at for heading to a houseparty at 11pm and stopping the group chasing off to the glassworks to rescue their favourite tavern owner. Guess they'll have to wait till next time. :)
Lessee here, I'm starting this campaign in about two weeks. This is the most recent list of info on my players' concepts:
Relic: Warforged Cleric of Iomadae [LG]. Originally created as a soldier in ancient Thassilon, he was damaged to the point of being inert ever since. A cleric found his body in some Thassilonian ruins and, believing him to be an elaborate statue, plastered over him and placed him in his temple to Iomadae where he subconsciously learned the teachings of the church. Almost by accident, he was resuscitated through a casting of some mass cure spell (perhaps during the Recent Unpleasantness). He awoke with a glaive in his hand that he was strangely comfortable wielding, and an unusual, damaged, etching of a seven pointed star on his hand.
Sylon: A shoanti Barbarian [CN?](possible multi-classed rogue) from the Shadde-Quah (Axe Clan) specializing in extended rage abilities. Sylon is a rebuild from a very old campaign (1st ed. i think), the epitome of the adventurer, Sylon would try anything, anytime, anywhere for fame and fortune. Hopefully the tribal element of this race will not be lost on my brother who is playing him.
"Twin Elven Brothers": No names as of yet, they are Scout [CG](multi-classed with ranger) and Factotum [CG]. Having fled their woodland city for "unknown" reasons, they traveled south towards Sandpoint with the intention of, ironically, doing pretty much exactly what Shalelu is doing there now. They each must also be in line of sight of one another at all times or risk being shaken (a special flaw designed for them, should make cover interesting...)
"Varisian Escapee": A Varisian Necromancer [NG](Specifically no undead! His idea) Captured by Chelish Devil-Binder outcasts attempting to recreate a powerful, ancient magic (once again, strange irony in this group), they experimented, killing most of his caravan. He, however, survived their ordeals and became uncannily powerful because of it. A sympathetic Varisian working with the Chelaxians decided that the best blow dealt to them would be to take away what they sought. Thus, he was given his Varisian Tatoo to further his potency, enabling him to escape.
???: The character I know the least about: Duskling Totemist (I'm ok with this, he's not an optimizer) No story as of yet, which kinda hurts, but after reading RotR #2, I noticed something I may use if it doesn't come up in further issues. There are some pamphlets given as treasure from Justice Ironbriar's Possessions about a forgotten school of magic known as the Alchymyc. This doesn't seem important enough in the AP to be referring to the sin magic, so I'm assuming that it is not intended to be integral. Therefore, I may make it into a book that reveals the nature of Incarnum to the PCs as this character may also be rather unique.
Developing the uniqueness of these characters is important to me and the campaign on the whole. I previously posted a thread on Player's Reward Points where PCs could add little custom flourishes to their characters. In these examples, I've come up with some ideas for rewards, such as Relic becoming a legacy item (the warforged armor can be enchanted just like any other piece of armor, he'll have the same penalties and challenges to overcome, and I'll dole out abilities in accordance with the level of knowledge on Thassilon within the party), The Varisian Necromancer will gain some very slight undead-like traits, akin to those given by the Dread Necromancer class (i think) I'm still working on other specifics for the other characters, but these are my current thoughts.
I have:
Human Male: Shoanti (Hawk Clan): Fighter - Specializing in speared combat (stole the Long Spear as a double weapon idea from one of the other boards here, thanks!)
Human Male: Varisian : Warblade - He is an apprentice of the Sheriffs brother working as a blacksmith as he hones his martial skills.
Human Male: Chelish : Wizard - Sin wizard of Envy (Specializing in Abjuration) from a big wealthy family, though he is jaded as he feels his brothers (A paladin and a cleric of Iomedae) are given better treatment and are more well liked then himself. He does care about his younger sister though.
Doppleganger (Posing as a human male): No class currently, he's progressing via the Doppleganger level progression listed in Races of Destiny - He was born in sandpoint to one of the workers at the Pixies Kitten. It's commonly thought that the old midwife that cursed the mother and her unborn child and thus the doppleganger was born. He normally wears a mask that covers his face and works as a bouncer for the Pixies kitten, and has an understanding with the Sheriff that tolerates his presence so long as he doesn't get into mischief.
|
Just started this campaign last weekend. We have 4 players, and they're off to a good start.
Grog the Cleaver - Shoanti Human Exile, a Ranger with a burning hatred for his former people, who hunts them whenever possible. In the next session or two, it will be interesting to see how he relates to the various Shoanti in Sandpoint, especially Sheriff Hemlock, who has also (though less violently) largely renounced his heritage.
Sutne - Varisian Cleric of Desna. He's a wanderer who passed by to see the Swallowtail Festival. Again, we have some interesting possibilities, as he sees himself as 'just passing through,' and will not be amenable to joining a formal party. On the other hand, as long as they're going to places that are both interesting and new...
Vanitas - Varisian Sorcerer. He was raised in the family tradition of spirit reading - basically a scam - and was rather amazed when he started being able to do real magic. A highly unusual spell choice to complement this background, and we're seeing a different type of sorcerer. He was largely taking the front lines during the battle with the goblins, as his mage armor made him the best armored member of the party (no one wore armor to the Festival, of course.)
Teddy Meadowwalker - Halfling Rogue. A last minute addition, and we're still working on his background (oops). We know he has a voracious appetite, and a love for food. When the goblins began stuffing Ameiko's salmon in their mouths, then he got mad, and defended the salmon vigorously.
It promises to be an interesting campaign.
Drew Garrett
Relic: Warforged Cleric of Iomadae [LG]. Originally created as a soldier in ancient Thassilon, he was damaged to the point of being inert ever since. A cleric found his body in some Thassilonian ruins and, believing him to be an elaborate statue, plastered over him and placed him in his temple to Iomadae where he subconsciously learned the teachings of the church. Almost by accident, he was resuscitated through a casting of some mass cure spell (perhaps during the Recent Unpleasantness). He awoke with a glaive in his hand that he was strangely comfortable wielding, and an unusual, damaged, etching of a seven pointed star on his hand.
Great!!! I really love this background! :D
|
My group is not one to plan ahead very far; we are starting our game in less than a week, and none of them have backstories, only one has a name, several haven't completely settled on a character, and one has yet to even read the Player's Guide. The group, which will likely only be finalized the night the game begins (if I'm lucky), so far looks something like this...
LG human (Chelaxian) fighter
NG human (Varisian) cleric of Desna
NG kobold druid
Levanter, CG air genasi (Chelaxian) swashbuckler
CG human (Varisian) bard
CG litorian swordsage
CN human (Varisian) cleric of Calistria
...However, knowing them, I fully expect them to change their minds and morph into a herd of yakfolk necromancers and warlocks five minutes before the first session.
Grog the Cleaver - Shoanti Human Exile, a Ranger with a burning hatred for his former people, who hunts them whenever possible. In the next session or two, it will be interesting to see how he relates to the various Shoanti in Sandpoint, especially Sheriff Hemlock, who has also (though less violently) largely renounced his heritage.
Drew Garrett
Looks like the last Sheriff fell pray to the Chopper, this one might fall prey to the Cleaver. At least after he levels up a bit. Otherwise Belor will slap him silly.
I like the food-defending halfling. Sounds like someone who has read a lot of Tolkien and is playing up the Hobbit food-love.
Personally, I'd just love to play with someone who could roleplay like Pippin (from the movies, that actor is awesome...and I forgot his name)
Then again, properly speaking, Pippin wasn't a hobbit. He was a kender.
Got 6 players, just started playing today so I'm looking forward to getting this into full swing.
Galstak, male Shoanti Barbarian from the Shriikirri-Quah tribe.
Mandraiv Leagallow, male Varisian bard and womanizer extraordinaire.
Seoni Windwalker, female Varisian paladin unsure of which faith she follows (Iomedae or Desna) and who plans on going for the Gray Guard PrC from Complete Scoundrel.
Helak Belzak, male dwarven cleric of Torag with racial substitute levels from Races of Stone.
Lyceus Falco, male Korvosan fighter, scion of a wealthy merchant family.
Kaliya Estol, female Varisian sorcerer and curious wanderer.
Do you think it's way too easy for 6 PCs to run through this? Should I boost the difficulty of the encounters?
Alex Y, I admit I think its interesting to see Jerk especially go from Barbarian type to Cloistered Cleric...thats just funny. Especially considering that hes still got the same attitude.
I'm reading up on the journal now, looks like another for me to keep track of. Nice work!
The 'Redhammer!' chanting shrunken head is a nice touch, btw.
Nice to know some people still know the classics too...unless Father Aesop got him name elsewhere.
Just started a game last night, and wrapped it up after Aldern took 'em on a boar hunt. Our party consists of:
Jabber: Gnome beguiler 1. A tourist in Varisia from the fey realm, he's extremely wide-eyed and not at all familiar with human customs. Hopes to update the Seelie Court's Guide to Golarion entry on Varisia from "Mostly Harmless". Has already completed seven of his list of "500 Things to do in Varisia Before You Die". Sticks close to Evangeline for protection.
Daisy Moonblossom: Human (Varisian) cleric of Desna 1. Short. Spunky. Cute. Thick as a large print edition of the complete works of Charles Dickens. Her pink studded leather, short skirt and wide-eyed delight at the world around her are turning heads - especially that of Lord Aldern Foxglove. Increasingly unsure of whether coming to Sandpoint was a good idea, what with the Murdermaw and Sandpoint Devil and goblin attacks.
Evangeline Covenant: Hellbred (Chelish) knight 1. Mephistopheles has a devil set aside for her. She's trying to do some deed of great good so as to fulfill the escape clause in the contract her parents made when she was a baby to sell her soul in the first place, but is having a hard time coming up with one good enough. Quiet and loyal, her hair and eyes glow red-hot when she enters combat.
Mizelli: Human (Varisian) ranger 1. Mizelli literally fell off the wagon about a year ago, and has since lived in the wilderness, regressing into a near-feral state. She's deadly with starknives but barely understands human interaction - only enough to know that she's direly envious of Daisy's popularity. Has become fast friends with Amieko.
Sulik Sky-Eyes: Human (Shoanti) wu-jen 1. The spirits talk to Sulik. They tell him of how his people used to rule Varisia before the Chelaxian conquest. They tell him of how his family was given a reservation on a tiny little island capable of supporting nothing but mud peppers and boggards. He knows for himself what happened to his family. And he's very bitter about it.
Niccolo Sarkolberti: Human (Chelish) rogue 1. Deceased. A rude racist, sexist, homophobic bully, Niccolo Sarkolberti had strong opinions and wanted everyone to know about it. Unfortunately, his loud mouth attracted more attention from the goblins than he probably would have liked (see the RotRL Obituaries thread).
|
|
We've been having a blast in Sandpoint. Our group is normally five people, two of them usually share the dm responsibility. Lately, two of our players have had conflicting timing so we gather to find we have three people who normally appear and often one of the two others will show. Burnt Offerings showed up with perfect timing, before one of those sessions that we only have three people but we really wanted to play something. I get to dm, for the first time in ~ 10 years, and one of our typical dms gets to play, so we're all pleased.
I read through the goblin attacks while the two players made their characters. 32-point stat buy. I asked them to stick with races from the PHB, though any bizarre classes are available. They both opted to play humans.
Verri - human (Varisian) female rogue - Verri was raised on a farm outside of Sandpoint, she is visiting her aunt in town and attending the festival. She has been in and around Sandpoint for much of her life, so she has some knowledge of the local rumors and background.
Jen - human (Chelaxian) female soulknife - Jen is a tailor / seamstress from Magnimar. She came to Sandpoint hoping to make some profit based on her knowledge of current fashions in Magnimar. She has a job at a local shop and her own place in town, maybe rented.
The goblin attacks were fun. Having only two PCs is obviously going to be a problem, but toward the beginning they are enjoying the challenge. I used Valeros to help during the initial battle, but I wanted to let them make the decisions about how much help they recruit and how they handle the need for magic.
At the glassworks, they immediately wandered down to Tsuto and woke him in his room. Tsuto talked them into escorting him to the mayor to answer questions about Ameiko, but when he got upstairs he bolted to his goblin buddies. It was an epic battle, but Tsuto escaped. After the battle, they found their way to the Catacombs of Wrath. The first fight with the single sin spawn convinced them to recruit more help, so they returned to town and found two more adventurers who are willing to help explore the catacombs (Seoni and Kyra). The quasit escaped, but otherwise the characters are pretty happy with their progress and their status as Sandpoint's local heroes.
After the Catacombs, the PCs and Valeros are 2nd level with Seoni and Kyra still at 1st. I hope to keep the focus on the player characters by
a) alternating some other NPC adventurers (or player characters depending on attendance), keeping the NPC's at a slightly lower level than the PCs
b) making specific levelling choices for the NPCs, to keep them from being super effective. The players aren't really min-maxers anyway, so this shouldn't be too necessary...I just need to curb my own tendancies to optimize.
So once again Paizo rocks. We're having loads of fun with the AP, keep up the great work.
Lots of different group compositions here, neat stuff for ideas too. Was wondering, though, my group is made up of 6 players; do you think the encounters need to be upped from now or should I let them plow through the first parts and see how that goes? Any tips or hints from any other 6-player-group DMs?
3. A varisian rogue, who doesn't know that she is actually the runelord of wrath, everytime she gets killed her memories get wiped and her contingency spell forms a new identity.
This is really cool, I love DMs who put their players really "into" the story, I'd love to see how this turns out.
OK, after a few "Oops, I took this class instead of this one" rebuilds, we've just raided Thistletop, killed all of the goblins on top, and retreated to level up. I have:
* Abseth Tanrov, LN Chelaxian (from Korvosa) Knight 3, using Siegfried von Damaske (link) as inspiration.
* Oriseus, Elf Scout 4... basically, a ranged-combat fiend. He's just short of taking Improved Skirmish and maxing his ranks in Tumble, so he can tumble 20 feet each round and put holes in people with pin-point accuracy.
* Wesh, a Varisian Spirit Shaman 3 (this actually worked a lot better than I thought, it's a good class). Our tactical thinker and party 'face' if not leader.
* Cada, a Shoanti female Wizard 4 who's doing a lot of item-crafting at the moment, and rapidly slipping down the alignment ladder into neutrality.
They're working really well together, and I can see Skinsaw Murders being a Hell (haha) of a lot of fun.
|
|
Human male Bard 2
Halfling male wizard/cleric of ST.Cuthbert
Human male ranger/cleric of St.Cuthbert
Human male cleric/paladin of St. Cuthbert
Human Female warmage/favored soul of St. Cuthbert
Left from Sasserine on a three hour tour and landed on this new land three months before the campaign started.
Just got done with the boar hunt. My players thought Aldern was part of the goblin problem, after the hunt he was nothing more than the inquistive noble. I should have got an Oscar.
I can only assume you are running Varisia as a part of Oerth? Homebrew?
Let us know. I'm sure there are some folks that would be very curious about a DM admixing Varisia into a homebrew or current setting of use.
Though you might want to prepare for some foul being called for not running Pathfinder in the Pathfinder Setting, Golarion. Granted we have some time to wait before the actual Campaign setting comes out, but we have plenty of Pathfinder AP goodness to keep us, and our players busy in the detailed section (read: Varisia) for now.
Our crew is,
Del, a changeling rogue
Sylph, a tiefling bard
Mil, an elven wizard, and
Valkyrie, an aasimar cleric of Desna
So far, the wizard has taken up the fighter's role.
|
|
Well, my group still hasn't started, which makes me sad, but at least we have characters! Not really much backstory yet, which is also sad, but my group usually lets bits and pieces fall in during play. Suffice to say, we aren't heavy roleplayers.
????? Varisian Sorceror-Player says he's grabbing normal and greater dispel, and an efficient blasting spell at each spell level he can. Defense where applicable.
Traven(?), Chelaxian Cleric of Sarenrae-A Korvosan priest who is very intimidating. Sort of an in your face Lawful Good. Not sure on spell selection yet.
????? Human Bard-Bits of healing, protection, and blasting, not sure if he's going for ranged or melee combat yet. He's probably going to end up with at least one crafting feat, probably two, as he likes his toys.
Arvas Lirail, Elven Fighter-My DMPC. Follower of Desna and Cayden Cailean in equal measure. Could end up pure fighter, possibly branch into wizard and spellsword, focusing on battlefield control magic. Maybe pick up Craft Magic Arms and Armor.
|
|
SteinEiche Dülfurgé (Dwarf Monk 1) - Dulfürgé (dwarfs keep their family names before their given names) was a Janderhoff orphan. This meant that he spent most of his formative years doing base manual labor in the deepest, most dangerous corridors of the mines. He learned many hand-to-hand and grappling techniques in those narrow, dark passages, simply to stay in one piece. After many years of this, the tiny Janderhoff carpenter's guild finally found him, and told him of his father's and his grandfather's legacy as a carpenter, and now Dulfürgé would be a carpenter, as well. Dulfürgé said "Screw you", took his father's axe, and went to make his own way. Several months ago, he came to Sandpoint - starving, ragged, and penniless. He's been working as a lumberjack for the Scarnettis ever since, until he figures out what to do next.
Ustek, Chosen of Erastil (Elf Cleric 1, Animal and Plant domains) - Ustek is Forlorn, his parents dying not long after the evacuation of Celwynvian. He was found and fostered by a Shoanti family, who named him. In the second or third generation of his childhood, his latest "parents" decided to give up the nomadic ways of their people, and moved into the lowlands for a life of ranching. Ustek came with them - here he began hearing the call of Erastil. When he reached maturity, his family told him they loved him, but it was time to get a job. Erastil welcomed his newest hunter. Now Ustek travels a circuit near and around Sandpoint (which he has watched from its bloody beginnings), helping farmers and homesteaders (and the occasional penniless dwarf from Janderhoff) in his capacity as a servant of the God of Farming, Hunting, and Family. His circuit "coincidentally" took him through Sandpoint for the Swallowtail Festival this year.
Mohan of the ??? Tribe (Half-Elf Barbarian 1) - Mohan is the unhappy child of an Elven mother and a deadbeat, absent human father. His half-human nature was a source of much tension within his mother's family, and a resemblance to his father led to mutual resentment between mother and child. Running away from home at a young age, he made his way to the Storval Plateau, where he was found by the ??? Tribe of the Shoanti. His mother's siblings would visit occasionally, teaching him some civilized ways. Thus, even though he loves and is accepted by his tribe, he is still torn between two worlds. He is in Sandpoint because the Swallowtail Festival is a fine opportunity to trade with the soft southerners, and put his elven education to use for the good of his tribe.
Ruskin (Gnomish Rogue 1) - Ruskin (gnomish surnames are kept secret from outsiders) is a young cobbler on his Gnomespringa. Gnomespringa is a gnomish rite of passage where they are encouraged to travel the wider world to learn tolerance for those who are different and to be proven that the gnomish way of life is obviously the best. He's seen quite a few things and has recently been traveling along with a band of friendly Varisians. They've invited him to come see some "Swallowtail Festival". As a Desnan and a young man on Gnomespringa, Ruskin feels that it his DUTY to party down in Sandpoint.
|
|
My family began RotRL last night and made it through the first two goblin fights. Ages of players are 36, 11, 10, 8, and 7. Me and my wife began playing DnD with all four of the children about two years ago so while they are not "old"-pros, they are coming on nicely. So far this has been our best role-playing (as opposed to roll playing). I may post character journals as the game progresses.
I allowed the characters both a bonus feat (from the players guide) and a bonus knowledge, craft or profession skill. Abilities were rolled (4d6, drop one) and I must say that I saw some of the best ability rolls rolled naturally that I have evers seen.
Characters are as follows:
Beliona Akemi Pax
Chelaxian. A female greatsword fighter with knowledge: history. Her father (a scholar in Magnimar) sent her to Sandpoint to take notes on the area and talk with Brodert Quink.
Tereza A'Cacia
Varisian. A female archer fighter with knowledge:nature. She was in Sandpoint to deliver skins and furs to Larz Rovanky and stayed on for the Swallow-tail festival.
Aurora Accalia
Chelaxian. A female wizard with lots of knowledge skills and craft:cooking. A prodigy child of enormous intellect, Aurora was taken to Magnimar at the age of six to train with a Master wizard. Her parents were killed by Chopper. Now she is moving back to Sandpoint wanting to find a job as a cook and eventually open her own restaurant.
Amak
Halfling Rogue with knowledge: local. Orphaned at a young age, Amak was raised in the Turandurok Academy. He fell in with the Scrazni for a time but when Hemlock caught him lifting a ladies purse, he was given an ultimatum - find a job or leave town. He currently works at the Goblin Squash Stables and sleeps on the loft there.
Brother Eldad
An Aasimar cleric of Erastil. Raised in Nybor after his parents and sister were killed (reportedly) while journeying to Windsong Abbey. Recently he heard his sister Nualia was still alive and living in Sandpoint. He is in Sandpoint as a representative of his church for the festival and was quite dissapointed when he learned his sister had actually died in a fire six years previously.
In a spur of the moment decision last night, my dad and his best friend rolled up gestalt characters. We're about halfway through "Burnt Offerings". They're close to third level and about to rescue Sayuri (Ameiko's new name!).
Klar (CN male Shoanti barbarian 1/ranger 1/druid 2): Klar's father picks up his new son, and steps out of his tent, right onto his klar. "Dammit, klar!" And so, Dammit Klar was born. On a quest to discover is spirit quest and then do his spirit quest, Klar cam to Sandpoint with nothing except a love for animals and his friend Hawk, the hawk. After he saw the slaughter of Sanpoint's stray dog population at the hands of vicious goblins, he's vowed revenge against them. Shalelu and him have bonded over this. And he drank Norah's Tank Water. Basically, he's 'that guy!'
Gonzo Jakkidepp (CG male Varisian rogue 1/bard 2/ swashbuckler 1): A man about town, a burgeoning rockstar, a boy too pretty for his own good, a hero. All these things desrcibes Gonzo but he is none of them are Gonzo. Looks like Johnny Depp, plays mandolin like Hendrix (if Hendrix played mandolin, I'm sure it would be great) and is smoother than a fine scotch, Gonzo is in love with Sayuri and loves being loved by the town.
I may add a heal bot as necesary.
|
|
Yay! I finally have a group I can post.
Aranor - Chelaxian Human Sorcerer.
-Aranor took Infernal Heritage, Infernal Howl feats from PHBII which I think are appropriate for a Chelaxian. He is good but internally fighting with the demonic influence of his people. He also took Spell Shield which is a special ability from Dungeonscape that allows him to reduce damage taken by expending spell slots when he takes damage this ability replaces the ability to obtain a familiar.
Mal Lorilain - Varisian Human Rogue.
-Mal has taken Combat Expertise, Improved Feint, and City Born (Riddleport) he has a +8 to Bluff at lvl 1 and can use that bluff to get sneak attacks.
Rowan - Chelaxian Human Cleric of Sarenrae.
-Rowan is our undead killer. He took Improved Turning and the Sun and Glory domains. He asked if he could take the Radiant Servant of Pelor prestiege class since Sarenrae is a sun deity and I think that is appropriate.
Rydel Cevial - Varisian Human Fighter.
-Rydel fights with a bastard sword that he obtained from the dead hobgoblin chief who was responsible for the slaughter of his village.
We are in the middle of the first encounter now (we're playing by post on RolePlayOnLine (RPoL). You can follow along HERE.
After the 2nd part of The Skinsaw Murders and the death of Lel, the party's rogue/sorcerer, the following five adventurerers search for the reason behind those grim murders.
Ankrym of the Shundar Quah Clan (CG male human [Shoanti] duskblade 5) is an experienced warrior of the Spirewalkers. He and his hunting group chased a dragon from the Storval Plateau to the Wisperwood. The scaly evil was guilty of horrific crimes against the people of the Shoanti and in the final battle many of the brave dragon hunters were slain. Just four of them survived only to be butchered by a pack of ghoules in the northern Whisperwood. Ankrym was paralyzed and fell into the Foxglove river. Somehow he didn't drown but awoke near the Misgivings. In hope to find a warming fire he knocked and entered.
Bregaron Rockshoulder (N male dwarf ranger 5) is a former acolyte of the Order of the Anvil - an order of dwarven paladins devoted to Torag. After accidentially murdering his twin brother he left civilization for the wilds of the Mindspin Mountains. He lost faith in gods as a whole and believes in the forces of nature. After a priest of Torag told him about a cruel murderer hiding near Sandpoint he returned to the civilized lands to punish the half-orc who was also responsible for the death of his brother, at least to a certain degree. [the player was absent during the whole adventure and his character will be leveled up for the next session he takes part in.
"Ingrimsch" Balendil Ironfist of the Shimmerbeard Clan (NG male dwarf cleric 6) a devote worshiper of Torag, he was sent to Sandpoint to bring justice to a cruel murderer. He assured the help of a certain ranger and travelled into human lands and finally Sandpoint.
Philomena Silversickle (NG female elf fighter 5) is a "young" mercenary travelling one decade through human lands - the last part of her apprenticeship - offering her services as sword or chain fighter for hire. She was payed by two cursed thieves to protect them on their way to Sandpoint.
Rossana Glonna Rubenstein (CN female gnome beguiler 6) is the only but spoiled daughter of her father a famous jeweler from Magnimar. Her mother died in an accident during a boat trip and her father kept her in a golden cage since then. She helped a thief fleeing Rubenstein Manor with a precious necklace escaping her "prison" as well. She hasn't helped the halfling because she is such a goog gnome, but she is obsessed with gold and rubbies especially together in one piece of jewelry. The beggar cursed her as well, forcing her to bring the necklace to Sandpoint.
I'm hoping to run this in January. Since I'll only have 3 PCs, I'm starting them at 2nd level. If things get tough I'll have an NPC join them.
Laceo - Human Ranger 2, hoping to pursue the Suel Arcanamach PRC which I thought would fit well as something from the Thassilonian empire.
Anton - Human Cleric 2, worships Desna and is there to assist with the opening ceremony.
Shendar - Elf Rogue 1/Wizard 1, he is hoping to pursue the bladesinger PRC.
I am running a game online at ENWorld. It is my first game GMing since ... 1993. Wow, it actually took me a few seconds to work out just how long it had been. 14 years ago (when I was 18). The game is on encounter 3, and I have been blessed with an excellent group of players (so far). They post frequently, and are good roleplayers. The characters are:
Jokad The Reaver, Shoanti Human, Shadde Quah - Axe Clan Barbarian, Level 1.
- He grew restless and wanted to travel the world, joining a merchant caravan much to the disdain of his elders. They were beset by foes, and he and his companions were injured. He has been helping the temple to repay for their healing, and was at the festival as a final step to repaying the debt he felt he owed (Father Zantus didn't expect anything in return for his aid, but the big man came in useful)
Danth Brinfield, favored of Sarenae, Human, Cleric, Level 1
- The young Danth hails from the city of Magnimar. As an orphan whose parents died of disease, Danth was lucky enough to find a place for himself within the church of Sarenae. Indeed, some believed him favored of the goddess, due to his unusual flame red hair. His potential was quickly recognized, and soon enough he found himself a place among the clerics of the church, slowly learning the ways of the Dawnflower. Sent to Sandpoint as a representative of his church. Has already mashed a few goblins down to size.
Mandraiv the hermit, free spirit of Desna, Human, Cleric, Level 1, 55 years old
- When someone proposed a 55 year old character I just loved it. Mandraiv the wise, known to most folk in Sandpoint as Mandraiv the hermit, has lived a full life. He once spent a great deal of time traveling up and down the coast with a band of performers serving as their wiseman and seer when the need arose. However, his traveling days have come to an end. Though his heart still beats with wanderlust, his creaking old bones tell him perhaps it is time to retire. The player plays him brilliantly. Holding back in battle, aiding the others, using his local knowledge.
Kael Saern, Human, Sorcerer, Level 1
- Our sorceror is a strange one. Kael Saern has a pleasant look about him, which may be due to his catlike amber eyes, dusky varisian complextion, or easy smile that is usually upon his face that is framed by dark auburn locks that hanf loosely about his neck and shoulders. Not a glamourous start. He was travelling alone when his horse died, and he is in Sandpoint to try and earn enough silver to buy a new horse to pull his cart.
Jovik, Human, Rogue, Level 1.
- A mischievious lad, the son of a local fisherman Kylic Magnix. Jovik would have grown up a fisherman like his father, but an inquisitive nature and a lack of respect for the rules lead to a very different life. The local gossip mongers used to wonder wether this stout refugee family of obvious Magnimar ancestry didn't have some Varisian in them. He is known to the local guards and has already fled a fight when he saw them approaching. He killed 2 goblins in the first fight, and some people are starting to look at him differently. He ran home, picked up his gear, and has decided to use the turmoil to start the new life he craved for so long.
|
|
Here's the RotRL group the kids at school and one of the other teachers came up with (Cut, because it's a little long):
Lucied Slade- Halfling Bard
“Music is magic. And no one makes magic like I do.”
Lucied grew up entertaining and pilfering in the shadier pubs, taverns, and back alleys of Magnimar. He comes from a long line of rogues and adventurers, and for generations his relatives have been members of The Pathfinders, a tradition he is a part of. Lucied is seemingly carefree and independent by nature, although he is deadly serious when working and very loyal to those few close friends he has. Around people he does not know very well he acts friendly but quietly studies them to see if they can be trusted. Lucied makes many jokes- mostly bad ones- that only he finds funny.
Haseo- Shoanti Cleric of Sarenrae
“You’ve sinned. Let me show you the light.”
Haseo is a wandering priest in service of the Everlight, Sarenrae, and he takes his duties very seriously. He makes every attempt to aid those in need, heal the injured, and to get those who have erred to change their ways. Wise beyond his years, he recognizes quickly the difference between those who are wanting to find redemption and those who are incorrigible. Despite his young age, many of the latter have felt the lethal bite of his scimitar. In the last few years Haseo has discovered that he has the blood of a gold dragon coursing through his veins, and he’s devoted some time to unlocking the power his draconic heritage comes with.
Haseo is very serious, finding very little in life to laugh at. This is not to say that he is without joy, but those times he allows himself to relax and smile are few and far between. It is only when he visits his family in Magnimar that he experiences true joy away from his service to Sarenrae.
Rauno Willendor- Varisian Ranger
“I strike with a whisper, and my adversaries never see what hit them.”
Rauno’s parents were rangers who served Erastil. His grandparents were. Their parents were as well. In fact, Rauno’s family has served Old Deadeye for seven generations. Rauno proudly carries on this tradition.
There was a time when Rauno was full of mirth, always with a friendly thing to say and a warm smile. That was until two years ago when he and a his ranger company, including his father and older sister, were ambushed by a band of ogres in the foothills of the Fogscar Mountains. The ogres slaughtered the rangers, and those that weren’t taken away to be used as food were left to be picked at by goblin scavengers. The site of the encounter was discovered by a wandering half-elf monk named Thamior, but by the time he arrived only Rauno remained alive. For a little over a year Rauno studied the martial arts with Thamior, learning the ways of silent warfare, and at the same time recovering from the emotional pain of losing his friends and family. They parted ways in Sandpoint, where Rauno once again took up the mantle of a ranger. It was there the now austere Raunor met Haseo, and the two have been serving to protect the citizens of the town and its surrounding lands since.
Laurl Nailo- Elf Rogue
“Keep the mead cold and the party hot. I have some work to do. Be back in twenty minutes.”
Laurl grew up on the rough streets of Magnimar fending for herself. She was abandoned by her parents for reasons unknown, and her earliest memories are of spending many sleepless nights fending for herself in The Gentle Touch Orphange. The children there were taught by the elderly human female who ran The Gentle Touch, Ms. Faegahn, to subtle arts of thievery. Those who failed in their daily “tasks” (which included all sorts of small pickpocket and burglary jobs) were severely punished. Thirty years ago she escaped from Faegahn and made her own way on the streets, taking what she needed to in order to survive. Laurl learned to love her freedom and find joy in everything that she did during this time. A decade ago she fell in with a group of female thieves known as the Seventh Story Girls. At first they seemed benign, and Laurl enjoyed taking part in “adventures” with them. Taking just a little from the fabulously rich seemed like a minor crime, and she only kept what she needed to live off of. But one night eight years ago one of the Seventh Story Girls, a half-elf named Eudice, murdered a sleeping human child during a job that Laurl had accompanied her on. Horrified and fearing for her life, Laurl betrayed the Seventh Story Girls, reported Eudice to the authorities, and fled Magnimar.
Laurl traveled for a few years in the small villages and towns outside of Magnimar, trying to forgive herself for her part, as she felt, in the murder. Along the way she met a reformed rogue and priest of Sarenrae who taught her that the best way to make up for the young life that was taken was to devote her talents to doing good. She is still a rogue, but she uses her craft to right wrongs and help those in need.
Branwyn Saskiir– Elf Swashbuckler
“I’m sure you can handle the brawl without me. It would be a tragedy to spill a drop of this merlot.”
Raised in the lap of luxury, the oldest male heir to a family of spice traders in Korvosa, Branwyn grew bored early on with the life of the wealthy. He craved adventure, but other than fencing lessons from some of the best swordsmen to be found, Branwyn was not allowed to leave Karvosa under the threat of being disowned. Eventually the need for escape grew greater than what Branwyn imagined was an empty threat and, late one night, disguised as a commoner and carrying only the thinblade given to him by his father, Branwyn set sail as a deckhand on the privateer ship Ebon Kraken. For two years he sailed on board the Kraken until he finally decided to return to the land when the ship docked in Magnimar. He spent another year wandering the countryside until, five weeks ago, he arrived in Sandpoint. Branwyn has joined a fledgling adventuring company as a sellsword, hoping to find more of the excitement he craves with them.
Branwyn is vain and arrogant, but underneath he has a great deal of respect for those who honestly enjoy life and living. His tastes run to the expensive as he cannot escape his upbringing entirely.
Aurora Anastacia- Elf Wizard
“You have been outwitted and outdone. And you really thought you stood a chance. How sad for you.”
Aurora is the only daughter of Dwalimar Anastacia, a talented elf wizard whose tower sits along the coast of the Varisian Gulf between Sandpoint and Magnimar. She was raised from an early by Dwalimar to value the power that comes from serious study and dedication to knowledge. Aurora also leanred from her father the ways of arcane magic, at which she excelled. Fourteen months ago Dwalimar sent Aurora away from the tower so that she could supplement her education with real world experiences. As far as Aurora is concerned, this is her chance to get out from under her father’s shadow and make a reputation as a wizard and a scholar for herself.
Aurora seeks very serious most of the time, and views adventuring as her chance to gain knowledge she couldn’t get from her father. She’s also beginning to love the thrill of adventure and will often rush a little too recklessly into battle.
sadly, ive only got 2 players for my group
A Chelexian Male Cleric
and a Shoanti Male Monk
wish i had another player or two.
i will supplement the group with various NPCs from time to time
I feel really lucky, seeing how many of you have such small groups... I've finally finagled a new group together after taking a burnout-break for the past year, and now have a whopping seven players! - two veterans, my sister, her friend and his brother, and two newbies who've played old school AD&D but never had exposure to 3rd edition till now. We started out a couple sessions with some warm-up encounters to get everyone into the feel of things, and then had our first official Rise of the Runelords session last Sunday. This is what they came up with...
Pomari, human Fighter from Magnimar, Varisian mix, former pit fighter, focused w/Bastard Sword.
Toren, human Ranger, Shoanti from up north with a hate for goblinoids.
Tarsus, human Warlock, pure blood Chelaxian fleeing financial woes in the far south Chelish homelands.
Whistle, female gnome Rogue, peppy and too curious for her own good, w/aqua eyes and bright magenta hair.
Duum lin'Gartun, dwarf Artificer, explorer and engineer, interested in Thassilonian artifacts.
Anthius and Polonius, human Paladin and Cleric, respectively - twin albinos sent from church of Sarenrae to observe dedication of new church in Sandpoint.
They look to pack quite a punch, with both the fighter and the ranger having 18 strengths, and the paladin not far behind with a 17. I multiplied the goblins in the Sandpoint attack by 2 and 2.5 for each encounter, and they still waded through them w/ no serious problems. One gobbo got a critical hit on the Warlock but since he has a reasonable Con and the Toughness feat, even a 7 hp crit hit didn't put him down. I'm going to have to be careful to tailor some encounters to give them enough XP to split and to present some sort of challenge. My only concern is that they lack a true wizard or sorcerer, which may cause gaps in their skills down the road, although the Artificer may be able to overcome much of that. Time'll tell....
|
|
Borramus Daganor Flamehamer (aka "Gruk:" as in "Cha 6"), LG dwarven fighter
Harmattan, Human Druid (going to Wizard then Arcane Hierophant)
Kaltuzal, Human (Chelaxian) CN Warlock
Galstak, Human (Shoanti) Bard (going to Barbarian)
Kravex, LG Half-Orc Paladin of Torag
Dair Caldrin, CN Halfling Rogue (going to Cleric of Desna)
Lots of humans, as I use a house rule giving humans 4 more creation points than other races (otherwise, they are just played too seldom; our other group has 3 elves plus an aasimar). Base 30 creation points, with each character getting a bonus feat drawn from a list including the Varisian regional feats, as well as a few minor feats from different "official" sources.
So far they breezed through the Festival fights...
|
|
My group has just finished the The Skinsaw Murders and is preparing to begin Hook Mountain Massacre. The Party at this time consists of the following:
Draxas (CG male Tiefling Fighter 1/Warlock 5) is a reformed bully from the other players' younger days. He doesn't speak of the event that caused him to change, but it is known to be somehow related to the Late Unpleasantness in general and the death of Father Tobyn in particular. Since coming back to Sandpoint, he has discovered that his abilities may have ties to the fey of Bloodsworn Vale. (the player took the feat Fey Heritage from the Compleat Mage with the intent of progressing up that tree and is looking to take the prestige class Enlightened Spirit from the same book)
Ein (LG male Elf Champion 7 [Desna] ) is one of the Forlorn. He grew up an orphan at Turandarok Academy and it was in the school's legendary basement that he discovered the sacred relic that would change his young life and mark him as Desna's Champion. (the Champion is a class that the player discovered somewhere online. It can best be described as the D&D version of DC Comics Captain Marvel [Shazam!]. I'm looking forward to introducing a Dark Champion of Rovagug later on [Black Adam]. )
Gwyneth (N female Varisian Cleric 7 [Desna] ), the proverbial mother hen of the group, usually has a kind word and a song to spare for those in need. So it has been something of a shock to her companions that she is developing a decidedly cold-blooded personality as a result of their adventures together. (the player stunned me with the descision to take on the Snake Shen prestige class rather than Spherewalker and has been playing her character's personality to show this upcoming transformation.)
Malik (NG male Shoanti Barbarian 1/Fighter 4/Warblade 1/Bloodstorm Blade 1), like Ein, also grew up at Turandarok Academy. Standing at an impressive 6'6" and weighing 280 lbs., it's hard to believe that he was considered by many of his classmates to be "something of a runt" when he was younger.
Revvin (NG male Draconic [Chelish] Rogue 4/Spymaster 1/Vigilante 1) has always been something of an enigma to his friends.But his sense of justice has ever been a strong one and, as such, does what he can to see to it that the guilty do not go unpunished for their crimes.
Running along with them is my replacement for the elf ranger Shalelu, Shareise (NG female Half elf Scout 4/Duskblade 2/Panther Shen 1), half-sister of Gwyneth. Reise (as she prefers to be called), has an intense dislike of elves (she has even gone so far as to have her ears bobbed so that she can look more human) that stems from the sense of betrayal and abandonment she feels due to never having known her father.
I start running next weekend. Our Age of Worms DM decided he wanted to take a break, so I'm on deck. Characters are still under construction, as we only agreed on the theme earlier this week. And I'm still working on the house rules. O_o
Anyway, I'm allowing Arcana Evolved classes, although we're going to stick with the standard 3.5 magic system.
Everyone is going to belong to the same order of knights for some cohesiveness.
So far, we have:
A Human Champion of Freedom who worships Desna
A Dwarven Ritual Warrior
A Human Warmain who wants to do some Bardic Music somehow
A Human Mageblade
A Human Cleric, I think he's leaning towards Iomedae
Hopefully, I'll have more details to post soon, or were going to have trouble come game time on the 9th. ;^)