Hi all,
I'd like to wrangle up five players to jump in to a Darkmoon Vale campaign PBP. This would be a PF Beta rules affair, starting out with Hollow's Last Hope, and onwards from there into Crown of the Kobold King. If we get that far, I'll be happy to continue GMing further adventures in the Andoren region. I'll be new at GMing PBP, but I've done a lot of lurking around these boards (wonderful examples and inspirations abound!) and have run face to face games since the early 1980s (The red Basic edition was my induction to all things D&D).
Some preliminary details (always subject to change):
-PF Beta rules (we'll use Jason B's Design Focus rules updates for things like Barbarian Rage, Paladins, etc.)
-1st level PCs
-20 point stat buy
-Average gold (not max)
-Max 1st level hit points (standard rules)
-I'll make combat maps using Maptool and host them on Flickr.
-To keep things moving, I'll handle some die rolls for the PCs using Invisible Castle (Saves, Initiative, passive skill checks, etc.).
-Players will handle their own active die rolls using Invisible Castle (Attack/Damage, most skill checks, etc.).
-If interested, please include a 2-3 sentence character concept in your post. This isn't a binding contract, it just helps get the creative juices flowing.
-Recruitment will remain open for 2 days. After closing recruitment, I'll pick five players via random draw. Only five. (I don't want to get in over my head).
-Feel free to use details from the PFCS, Guide to Darkmoon Vale, or other Golarion-friendly sources in conceptualizing characters.
Those are my thoughts at present, but I've likely forgotten to mention something. So please feel free to make comments and ask questions. Thanks for checking this out!
-Dave
Great! I'm curious about how the Pathfinder Beta plays myself...
I don't have the Guide to Darkmoon Vale, but I have a few other sources to draw upon :)
Are you using Traits (from the Second Darkness Player's Guide, and probably to be included in the next version of the Pathfinder RPG)?
...
As for character... I'm mostly a cooperative player who wants to have fun rather than try to take over things.
I'd like to play a CN Half Elven Bard from Riddleport who has fled the city in order to avoid paying an outrageously large gambling debt (deity: Cayden Cailean, of course). He will be a happy-go-lucky character who mostly likes to help others unless it involves a great deal of risk or physical effort (not a party-destroying CN character).
Greetings! I'm interested in joining your game and I've got a couple of ideas.
I was thinking I could play a halfling cleric of Sarenrae with the Fire and Healing Domain, an elven sorceror with the celestial bloodline, or a good old fashioned dwarf fighter. I'm pretty jazzed to try all of the reworked classes in the beta edition so I have no particular preference what I play at this point.
I'm up for another PBP. I have a druid in a PF RORL game so I like to try a ranger perhapse halfling or gnome.
Great! I'm happy to see some interest. I'll keep a list of names of those who have replied:
1. bref_weapon
2. Aaron Whitley
3. MythrilDragon
bref-weapon, as for your question about Traits, I would be open to using them. The only problem I see is that as of right now, they are only described in the Second Darkness player's guide. Since that is not a free product, it's not fair to assume that all players will have access to it. I think I'll probably wait until the players have been determined, and then we can discuss it and see what the majority want to do.
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Well, I'm really, really bad at saying 'no', so I'd throw my name into the hat.
I DM three games on here, and play in more than I can count. I almost always play casters, but I don't have to.
I see that we have a potential small ranger, a half-elf bard, and (a halfling cleric, elven sorcerer, or dwarf fighter).
I haven't read the module, but I skimmed it just now to get a sense of what kinds of religion and industry (the two most important aspects, i would argue) are present in the town, and I have a couple of ideas from there.
If Aaron doesn't play a cleric, I may create a NG human cleric of Iomedae, frustrated at her own impotence in healing the sick, but torn between staying and helping how she can, or possibly deserting the sick to find a cure.
Alternatively, I could take that same role, and go full steam ahead into Paladin of Iomedae, taking it up a few notches from the previous concept into full-blown holy warrior.
Or, I'm also interested in playing a LN Half-orc rogue, a tough currently employed by some of the bigs in the lumber consortium. Lots of workers are getting sick, which is cutting productivity way down. He's got no personal stake in the matter, but his superiors have charged him with helping to find a cure.
Lots for you to work with there; feel free to tailor exactly how much IC knowledge I should have. Choosing a character with some major ties to the town gives plenty of opportunities for motivation.
Cheers!
Right now I am leaning towards playing the dwarf fighter. My idea for him is that he is a lawful good fighter with a great deal of interest and pride in his family history. He's come north looking for information and leads on a distant relative who his family seems to have little knowledge of. The last lead he got was from an old diary that made mention of an enclave of dwarves living in or around Darkmoon Vale and so he has come to the area hoping to find more information.
I could certainly see a Gnome druid and a Gnome ranger working together!
Here's Dustwind, still working on his story. Not sure if I'll play him or the cleric/paladin, yet. I better wait to see if I'm even chosen for the game!
...and Morova is coming along...
Hey, more people, great! Let's break down the roster of potentials so far.
1. bref_weapon
2. Aaron Whitley
3. MythrilDragon
4. xdahnx
5. Kevin Mack
Y'know, um...this post has been up a whole day now, and the five of you have come up with some great ideas already, and you seem like good players...
Ah, screw it, I'm leaning towards just closing recruitment right now and rolling with the five of you. Anybody have any objection to that?
Just one other point to raise:
Can everyone commit to about one post every weekday, and maybe one post on weekends as well? (Should have included that question in my first post, sorry.)
So what do you guys say? We got a party?
I would like to play as well, if there is still room.
Just moved to a new state and have been dying to get back into a game. Would like to play a halfling rogue/monk or elven fighter (archer). I'm unfamiliar with the setting, but willing to learn it.
For the halfling rogue/monk (LN) concept: Former apprentice to a well respected guide and scout, Telos is now out to make his own name as an explorer and guide. Can't turn down a chance to visit and map a new locale or undertake some grand expedition. Expedition is part of his philosophy.
For the elven archer (CG) concept: Mercenary archer from a free company that split up after a bad contract. Frustrated at a lack of any real battle experience, Telos is looking to make his name and eventually pull together his own company of sell swords.
Please, let me know if either of these would fit well with the prospective party. Thanks.
Jason
Assuming we don't actually start until after Thanksgiving then I shouldn't have a problem with the one post a day and one post a weekend rule (I'll be at my parents house the entire weekend hunting with no internet access). I'll work on putting my dwarf fighter together tonight and hopefully have him up and going by tomorrow.
I will be traveling to the in-laws for part of Thanksgiving. Otherwise, I can commit to a post per day & perhaps on the weekends.
Time to start piecing together my Bard...
Sure, I understand there are holidays, vacations, illnesses. I'm sure I'll be limited in posting myself over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. I was referring more to general everyday life. We can work with the exceptions, although advance notice is always appreciated.
I would like to play as well, if there is still room.
Ack, Telos, you're too late by literally five minutes. As you may have seen in the interim, I closed my recruitment and accepted the five players who got in ahead of you. I would be most happy to consider you the first alternate though, should any of those others decline the offer.
Depending on how the group shakes out, I can change my character from Bard to Rogue. Backstory will largely remain the same... Riddleport, gambling debts, and all of that.
Yep still up for it, I can usually get a post a day, but I will warn you I work about 60hrs a week and will be moving cross state in January so I might miss few days here and there. I have NP with the DM making actions for my character if I go AWOL for a day or two. I havent had time to flesh out a chracter yet (busy nights at work, and sick kids, but I should have something worked up for you soon. I am leaning towards a Halfling Ranger right now unless somebody wants to tie in backgrounds together. Or if we need more spell power I can always go Halfling Wizard....Hmmmm
Okay I've been looking things over and I see we have one bard, one fighter and one druid so Xdahnx I leave it up to you. If you play the rouge I play a ranger so we have more fighting power. If you play the cleric or paladin I play a wizard to boost our access to the arcane. Either way I still think I am going to be a Halfling.
Good deal, looks like things are coming along with your characters. Please keep in mind as you work on backgrounds that Falcon's Hollow is a rough-and-tumble, backwoods town that exists pretty much solely to support the lumber industry out of Darkmoon Wood. A couple of you have come up with really good reasons to be in the area, but everybody needs one in their backstory ultimately. You could be a native of Falcon's Hollow, or a newcomer.
I take it you would be using Jasons Pathfinder update for animal companions as well?
That's correct.
This afternoon, I hope to be able to post some specific comments for each player about the character ideas presented so far.
O.K. Thorgrim Stormbrow of Clan Hammerhelm is up and ready to go.
Quick bio: Thorgrim is a clean cut, prim, and proper kind of dwarf having come from a well respected family and clan of dwarves. Being the eighth son and the eighth person to bear his name in his family, and a member of the eighth oldest clan, Thorgrim believes that he has certain expectations to live up to and attempts his best to do so.
He has a great deal of pride in his family name and history and is out searching for information on the one ancestor that his family has no records of. The information he has pieced together says that the long lost uncle was a part of an enclave in or around what is now the Darkmoon Vale. Though Thorgrim is no starry-eyed youth and fully understands how dark the world can be he does have a somewhat romantic view of his life, his family, and ancestors.
Here is my Halfling if only in name and character templet at this time.
Okay, all, here are my thoughts so far on character concepts and backgrounds.
bref_weapon: It's fine with me whether you want to take Worthel in the direction of either bard or rogue (I suppose it depends on whether xdahnx decides to play a rogue). In either case, the background is apparently similar, he's a man on the run. Riddleport is a long way from Falcon's Hollow, though. Is there a specific reason why he has ended up in the logging town, as opposed to somewhere else?
Aaron Whitley: I'm happy with Thorgrim's story. It makes perfect sense that a dwarf with possible ties to the old settlements in Droskar's Crag would wish to come and explore the area. Most likely, he'd be staying at Jak'a'napes, the only real inn in Falcon's Hollow. Of course, all the action happends at The Sitting Duck tavern, so hopefully he hangs out there too.
Mythril Dragon: Rew is a fine looking halfling ranger or wizard! And...that's about all there is to say so far. I am interested in whether he is a traveller or a native of Falcon's Hollow.
xdahnx: Great backstory ideas for Duskwind and Morova. You could go either way here, and I'll be happy. Looks like Mythril Dragon is waiting for your decision to make his, so it's on you to decide. From the standpoint of party balance, it looks like you might choose Morova, but you should go with whatever seems most fun to you.
Kevin Mack: Looking forward to seeing your gnome druid! Any backgrohnd thoughts so far?
Been working on some of the character stuff. If I play the ranger I of course will be more the archer type. If I go the other route I think I am going to switch to sorcerer instead of wizard. Either the celestial or the draconic bloodline. Not sure witch. Background ideas are still floating around in my head..waiting to see which way I go. The ranger I think will be from out of town hired by the lumber traders to scout the area for trouble while the workers are doing thier job. The sorcerer im thinking will be a native of the surrounding area but not from the town directly. Im toying with the idea that his family is from some wiggedout cult and becasue of his powers they see him as a choosen one. He however is smarter than that and is fleeing thier opressive lifestyle and unobtainable expectations.
Well this is her so far still have to do the AC (Not sure if it should be wolf or a cat) and her background is a bit bare but I'm going to read the guide to Darkmoore vale for some ideas.
Still working on the stats, but I'll write a bit more about background.
I'm most familiar with Varisia through the Pathfinder Adventure Paths, so that's why I picked Riddleport.
I'll say that his gambling debt was sufficiently large enough that Worthel needed to jump on the first boat out of town. (Staying elsewhere in Varisia or close to Varisia would have been a dangerous prospect.) He took to life on the seas, swearing himself to honest work after his gambling spree in Riddleport. His carefree wandering from ship to ship eventually took him to Darkmoon Vale.
(I will modify his skill set to reflect some knowledge of a sailor's life.)
So why Falcon's Hollow? The last boat he took came up the River Foam. Having swindled another boatsman in a game of dice, and not being a terribly hard worker, the captain kicked him off the boat & left him at the docks.
Other background...
Worthel's story keeps changing. One version of his past involves being raised by songbirds in the Mierani forest. Another involves a romantic tale of forbidden love between a Korvosan Hellknight and an Elven princess. The most likely story that Worthel tells about himself is that he grew up in an orphanage in Magnimar, taught himself to read, and dreamed of becoming a great hero like those sung about in ancient ballads.
His own misadventures reflect a life forever dreaming about fairy tales (and making a bundle on long-shot gambling wagers), which inevitably result in terrible failures in reality.
All, since we have a full group, let's go ahead and abandon this thread, and take the fun over to the PBP Discussion forum...
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I would be really happy playing either character.
Dustwind will be a rough, lumber consortium tough.
Morova will be a pious, hardworking, desperate clergy member.
Either one will change the overall feel of the party I think; Dustwind will mesh better with our bard and the rough and tumble halfling, while Morova will certainly resonate better with the dwarf and the druid.
I'm actually leaning toward Dustwind, but if we don't think it's working out, I can always swap them! Does anyone else have a preference? I didn't write a backstory yet, because I don't want to invest as much in a character I don't pick!
I would be really happy playing either character.
Dustwind will be a rough, lumber consortium tough.
Morova will be a pious, hardworking, desperate clergy member.
Either one will change the overall feel of the party I think; Dustwind will mesh better with our bard and the rough and tumble halfling, while Morova will certainly resonate better with the dwarf and the druid.
I'm actually leaning toward Dustwind, but if we don't think it's working out, I can always swap them! Does anyone else have a preference? I didn't write a backstory yet, because I don't want to invest as much in a character I don't pick!
I myself would prefer playing a Bard ;)
Anyway, time to go over to the discussion thread.