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Dear fellow Paizo fans,
I am startling a Ptolus campaign. Ptolus is a metropolis designed by the one and only Monte Cook. It is a setting for urban adventures and dungeon crawls. If you are interested, please download the “Ptolus Player’s Guide” from drivethrurpg or rpgnow. It is a free PDF and I believe you will find it an entertaining read.
The game specifics are as follows:
Start Date: 2/20/2009
Number of players: 6
Rules system: Pathfinder Beta
Classes and Races: Base classes and races as described in the Player’s Handbook and the Ptolus Player’s Guide.
Starting level: 1
Character stats: Roll 4d6, drop the lowest die. Repeat 7 times and use the best 6 scores for stats. Arrange as desired.
Dice rolling: honor system
Starting Gold: Maximum for character type
Required minimum character background:
1. Location of birth
2. Location you currently consider “home”
3. Why you are in Ptolus
4. Names and brief descriptions for 2 close friends or family members
Posting schedule: Please be able to post at least 2 times per week
The ground rules:
1. Heroes only need apply. No evil characters will be accepted into the campaign.
2. Please keep the atmosphere PG-13.
3. Please maintain a reasonable moral high ground. PCs are not expected to be paragons of virtue, but activities such as slaughtering innocents, torturing prisoners or just general reveling in the suffering of others are not acceptable in my campaign. This is not a moral judgment, nor do I believe that people who role-play dark themes are bad people, but it is not appropriate for my campaign.
4. You may cut loose a little, though. Some times the unarmed bad guy does need to be punched in the face. Some times the rouge just can’t resist the temptation to steal a purse from a wealthy merchant. These are acceptable behaviors in moderation.
5. Please play a character who is willing to cooperate with others in the party.
6. This will be a role-play heavy, combat light campaign. This does not mean you need to write a dissertation for each post. Combat is always awkward in a play-by-post format, so there will be less of it than you might expect for a face-to-face game. Experience points will be based on story accomplishments.
7. Expect about 75% urban adventure.
8. The quality of your role-playing will not be judged based on grammar, spelling, punctuation or general language usage. I understand that not everyone here is a native English-speaker. That said, please make your best effort to communicate clearly.
9. Some handouts will be provided, but visual aids will be minimal. I just don’t know how to make and link maps so until I figure it out, I want you to be fully aware that visual aids will be scarce.
10. I am going to be using a lot of published Ptolus material. If you are familiar with Ptolus and have read “DM-only” information, please let me know. I expect we can work something out. You are still welcome in the campaign as long as your OOC knowledge does not impede anyone else’s fun.
11. Role-play and skill tasks can be accomplished in one of two ways: dice or text. For example, if you PC is gathering information, you may roll a gather information check or you may write-out and role-play the process of questioning three tavern-goers. Either method is acceptable.
My pledge to the players:
1. If you are generous enough with your time to contribute to the game, I promise to be open-minded and flexible in allowing you to play the character you want to play as long as you do not violate rules 1 and 3.
2. I understand that your character is a unique individual with his/her own goals, motivations, dreams and ideas.
3. I will not, under any circumstances, include a “DM PC” in the party. Your characters are the heroes and the focal point of the story.
4. Please feel free to explore the City. It is an interesting place with lots of organizations and PCs. I will listen to your interests and adjust the campaign accordingly.
If you have had the patience to read all of this and are still interested, please respond to this post. Also, please include answers to the following questions:
1. Where do you fall on a scale of 1 to 5, on sandbox vs. directed play? (A ‘1’ indicates that you prefer entirely sandbox play where your character does whatever he/she pleases on your whims and ‘5’ indicates that you want to follow a well defined, set in advance adventure path.)
2. Which of the following ridiculously exaggerated statements best applies to you?
a. I am Sun Tzu, master of the art of war. I want to direct every aspect of combat.
b. I want to role-play every aspect of my character’s day including meals, haggling with merchants for rope and iron spikes, and my morning shower.
c. I am a spy-master and must have constant intrigue. I want to look over my shoulder, never know who my friends are and always be ready for the next betrayal.
d. My intelligence is 25 and I need to constantly be challenged with increasingly difficult mental puzzles and riddles.
e. I just want to kill things and take their stuff.
3. Anything else you’d like for me to consider.
Thanks for considering my Ptolus campaign. If I haven’t scared off everyone, please respond to this post and I will collect six players to start the game.
I'm very tempted. I played in a Ptolus play-by-post that died an untimely death, and it would be interesting to revive that character (a reluctant cleric who was being pressured into redeeming the family name by the ghost of his great-grandfather, a disgraced Knight of the Veil).
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I'm very tempted. I played in a Ptolus play-by-post that died an untimely death, and it would be interesting to revive that character (a reluctant cleric who was being pressured into redeeming the family name by the ghost of his great-grandfather, a disgraced Knight of the Veil).
Sounds interesting. I Kind of like the Keepers of the Veil. Give it some thought and let me know.
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I have to admit, I'm intrigued by the prospect of this game.
On sandbox vs plot-driven, I'd fall around a 3.5 or a 4; I love plots, but I also love subplots I can develop and build on myself or in cooperation with other players/the GM.
If I had to pick from the others... I'd go with Sun Tzu, but honestly, I love all those elements at some time or other. Mindless killing and subtle intrigues are both good times.
I'll download the Ptolus PG tonight and see what I think of the idea, and maybe come back and pitch a character concept.
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I'm interested. Especially because it is PF Beta.
I'll download the guide and let you know since I have no knowledge of Plotus.
As for your questions I tend to play characters with some secret or two in their background, I tend to play spellcasters and I tend towards the spymaster/intrigue line.
Cheers
If you have had the patience to read all of this and are still interested, please respond to this post. Also, please include answers to the following questions:
1. Where do you fall on a scale of 1 to 5, on sandbox vs. directed play? (A ‘1’ indicates that you prefer entirely sandbox play where your character does whatever he/she pleases on your whims and ‘5’ indicates that you want to follow a well defined, set in advance adventure path.)
2. Which of the following ridiculously exaggerated statements best applies to you?
a. I am Sun Tzu, master of the art of war. I want to direct every aspect of combat.
b. I want to role-play every aspect of my character’s day including meals, haggling with merchants for rope and iron spikes, and my morning shower.
c. I am a spy-master and must have constant intrigue. I want to look over my shoulder, never know who my friends are and always be ready for the next betrayal.
d. My intelligence is 25 and I need to constantly be challenged with increasingly difficult mental puzzles and riddles.
e. I just want to kill things and take their stuff.3. Anything else you’d like for me to consider.
1. Probably around a 4. The story is the most important part of RPGs for me - I dont mind the "wander around finding mischief" approach providing it leads to a good story, however I think a structured adventure path usually achieves a better story.
2. c
3. I'd be interested in playing a rogue. I have no experience with Ptolus, other than just briefly skimming through the player's guide. At first read I was thinking he would be a chaotic good agent of the conciliators - working as their "eyes and ears" in the more unsavory areas of town. He'd be high charisma/wisdom with more disguise/bluff/local knowledge focus rather than combat focussed. The guy who knows everything that's going on - useful to the church, despite his reckless lack of regard for laws when it suits him. (He'd think nothing about breaking in somewhere to poke around if he suspected something evil was afoot.
I'll mull over some more background thoughts - let me know if it sounds useable.
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Right I have skimmed through the Guide and so this is just the first draft character idea.
I'd like to play an ex-Imperial soldier, a warrior, probably a ranger, that saw his friends killed in horrific fashion and lost his rag with the officer that sent them in. Now he is adrift in the city looking for work hopefully from one of his family, friends or contacts.
Living in the UK so its time to crash. I'll catch up with this sometime tomorrow.
Cheers
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3. I'd be interested in playing a rogue. I have no experience with Ptolus, other than just briefly skimming through the player's guide. At first read I was thinking he would be a chaotic good agent of the conciliators - working as their "eyes and ears" in the more unsavory areas of town. He'd be high charisma/wisdom with more disguise/bluff/local knowledge focus rather than combat focussed. The guy who knows everything that's going on - useful to the church, despite his reckless lack of regard for laws when it suits him. (He'd think nothing about breaking in somewhere to poke around if he suspected...
No experience necessary. I love the idea. Consider yourself in.
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Right I have skimmed through the Guide and so this is just the first draft character idea.
I'd like to play an ex-Imperial soldier, a warrior, probably a ranger, that saw his friends killed in horrific fashion and lost his rag with the officer that sent them in. Now he is adrift in the city looking for work hopefully from one of his family, friends or contacts.
Living in the UK so its time to crash. I'll catch up with this sometime tomorrow.
Cheers
That sounds like a great character. A little imperial animosity will make things interesting.
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Please count me in as well. I haven't had the chance to look over the Ptolus guid, but I'll do that as soon as possible, look over the current PC roster, and pick something interesting.
You'll find the Ptolus Player's Guide interesting. There should be lots of tidbits in there to spark your imagination.
To all: That's four players. I have two more openings.
I'm interested. I have the Ptolus book and I've read some of it, but 1) it isn't where I'm living now and I can't access it day to day and 2) I don't remember anything but a general sense, the book is too darn big. You have a sense of how I play already, I think, from David's Scarred Lands game or from checking out the Unity of Rings: Planescape PBP thread.
As far as characters, I think the Knights of the Pale (?) were pretty cool but I'm already kind of playing a warrior/leader guy so maybe I'll try thinking of something else (assuming there's still room).
Rogue is underway - stats weren't quite what I was hoping for, but then they never are are they(14, 13, 12, 11, 11, 9)?
I keep switching around my background, so I havent posted that yet. At this stage, I'm thinking that he grew up as an orphan and was rescued from a life in the Warrens by the church of Lothian. They trained him attempting to turn him into a paladin (where he learnt to use his longsword), but he really didnt have the mentality for it and frequently absconded to the much-more-exciting streets when he was supposed to be studying religion, swordplay and other more knightly pursuits.
He's currently renting a small but clean apartment somewhere near the coast in midtown between the docks and warrens. He'll have a couple of friends from that area: a fellow lodger who is a member of the town watch and a street urchin who lives in the warrens. He'll also have a contact within the conciliators - an ex-tutor who relies on Aerian to keep abreast of news and rumours from "the rough end of town". He recognises Aerian as a good sort, even though he doesnt have the discipline or respect for authority that was required to be a paladin.
Aerian has a couple of aliases or disguises he uses as necessary. One a beggar who lives on the streets, the other a trader who is frequently "out of town on business".
He doesnt like real violence. In general he tries hiding first, talking his way out second, running away third, fighting with his sap fourth and reluctantly using his hidden daggers if absolutely necessary. If push comes to shove though, he isnt afraid of a fight if the enemy is beyond negotiation...
The whole character idea is still forming, so let me know if there's anything which either isnt going to fit or which you think I should expand on (I'll suggest more info about the NPC contacts shortly).
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No spellcasters yet at all, so maybe I should go the druid route.
EDIT: Here's my boring but perfectly servicable stats:
13, 12, 12, 15, 12, 13
EDIT again: This makes me want to go half-orc, just to shake the numbers up a bit.
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Here are my stat rolls: 13 17 12 14 17 6 18 Looks like we have a potential cleric, rogue, fighter and druid in the making - how about a sorcerer? My initial thoughts are of a young apprentice plucked off the streets for his as-yet-undiscovered and raw talent to work for a wizard or alchemist. The PG does have a lot of great info - I'll spend some time reviewing that today.
Regarding the first initial questions, I fall between a 2 and 4 depending on the game itself. I'm happy with more directed games and happy with less directed games, but the extremes are not my cuppa.
Question 2: Definitely not b and d, but definitely sometimes a, c, and e. A good mix of those three, but not to the extremes, is more my preference.
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Here are my stat rolls: 13 17 12 14 17 6 18Those are some nice rolls, man.
It's the first time I've used invisiblecastle ... beginner's luck maybe? Yes, it's almost difficult to decide what to do with them ;-)
O.K., I'll give it a shot. :-)
My character will be named Zilroy Specterbane. His family has lived in Ptolus since the time of his great-grandfather (the famous -- and later scandalous -- Sir Zathanias Specterbane). Now he is the last of that name and a twice-failed businessman (a delivery company and a tavern). His wife has thrown him out of the family home. And to top it all off, he's being tormented by the unquiet spirit of his great-grandfather to restore glory to the family name. His exploits as a "delver" have been unsuccessful to date, though.
With regards to your questions:
1) 3.5
2) Not "b" or "d"! (Especially not "d" in a play-by-post game; puzzles and traps tend to slow an already-slow game down to a crawl.)
3) Have you run a play-by-post game before? They take a lot of determination and a willingness to push the action along. I hope you've got that. :-)
First draft of the character. There's a background forming behind the numbers - some of which is probably visible in my character sheet choices already - but it's still a work in progress. I'll get more done on it tonight, I think.
Here he is, Yarag.
I'm going to spoiler most of this guy, DM, so that the party can gradually get to know him.
Cheers
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Please count me in as well. I haven't had the chance to look over the Ptolus guid, but I'll do that as soon as possible, look over the current PC roster, and pick something interesting.
You'll find the Ptolus Player's Guide interesting. There should be lots of tidbits in there to spark your imagination.
To all: That's four players. I have two more openings.
Oooh! Oooh! I think I'm #6!
I am a complete Ptolus know-it-NONE. I'll get the PG PDF this morning and submit a character for approval shortly!!
Here is the initial draft of Hintal, gnomish elemental sorcerer currently employed at an alchemy shop somewhere in Ptolus. I need to work on starting equipment and some background, but so far, this is what I have.
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I'm interested. I have the Ptolus book and I've read some of it, but 1) it isn't where I'm living now and I can't access it day to day and 2) I don't remember anything but a general sense, the book is too darn big. You have a sense of how I play already, I think, from David's Scarred Lands game or from checking out the Unity of Rings: Planescape PBP thread.
As far as characters, I think the Knights of the Pale (?) were pretty cool but I'm already kind of playing a warrior/leader guy so maybe I'll try thinking of something else (assuming there's still room).
James, you'd be more than welcome.
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O.K., I'll give it a shot. :-)
My character will be named Zilroy Specterbane. His family has lived in Ptolus since the time of his great-grandfather (the famous -- and later scandalous -- Sir Zathanias Specterbane). Now he is the last of that name and a twice-failed businessman (a delivery company and a tavern). His wife has thrown him out of the family home. And to top it all off, he's being tormented by the unquiet spirit of his great-grandfather to restore glory to the family name. His exploits as a "delver" have been unsuccessful to date, though.
With regards to your questions:
1) 3.52) Not "b" or "d"! (Especially not "d" in a play-by-post game; puzzles and traps tend to slow an already-slow game down to a crawl.)
3) Have you run a play-by-post game before? They take a lot of determination and a willingness to push the action along. I hope you've got that. :-)
Glad to have you aboard. This will be my first pbp. Please don't hesitate to offer feedback.
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Please count me in as well. I haven't had the chance to look over the Ptolus guid, but I'll do that as soon as possible, look over the current PC roster, and pick something interesting.
You'll find the Ptolus Player's Guide interesting. There should be lots of tidbits in there to spark your imagination.
To all: That's four players. I have two more openings.
Oooh! Oooh! I think I'm #6!
I am a complete Ptolus know-it-NONE. I'll get the PG PDF this morning and submit a character for approval shortly!!
You're in and glad to have you.
Ok, that actually makes eight players, which is fine. I figured I'd end up with eight which is why I asked for six =) Thanks for giving me a chance and keep working on those characters.
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Looks like you have eight people interested by my reckoning.
hogarth
shisumo
myself
steve geddes
sleepy
james keegan
tiger dave
dryder
So I am more than happy to act as an alternate, mainly because I have four active pbp characters already and so these guys probably will give you greater attention.
I'll keep the draft of Yarag handy just in case a couple of the others drop out. How does that sound?
Cheers
NINJA'D BY 12 MINUTES! Right I'll keep building Yarag then.
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My idea for my pc: Keeping in mind its more roleplay-heavy a campaign...
Always dreaming of the stories his mother told him when he was even younger, he dreams of the saints of the past and hopes to one day join the Knights of the Pale and become a Knight himself.
Whenever he manages to escape the clutches of the Pale Dogs, he goes begging in the streets, to get some food for his mother, and his three sisters, of whose one is older than he.
Whenever time permids (and more and more often even if not) he sneaks around the Bladechapel in Oldtown, just to be kind of "near his heroes".
So, if you approve, I plan on starting as a rogue, taking the Knight of the Pale PrCl one day...
More to come...
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Looks like you have eight people interested by my reckoning.
hogarth
shisumo
myself
steve geddes
sleepy
james keegan
tiger dave
dryderSo I am more than happy to act as an alternate, mainly because I have four active pbp characters already and so these guys probably will give you greater attention.
I'll keep the draft of Yarag handy just in case a couple of the others drop out. How does that sound?
Cheers
NINJA'D BY 12 MINUTES! Right I'll keep building Yarag then.
That is entirely up to you, but you are welcome in the game.
Thanks.
Right no more messing about, I've half built the fighter, I'll finish him and his background over the the day or so.
Cheers
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My idea for my pc: Keeping in mind its more roleplay-heavy a campaign...
** spoiler omitted **
More to come...
I like it.
With all of that said, I'm looking forward to having you as part of the campaign. You'll be able to provide valuable feedback based on your unique perspective.
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Let me explain the expectations.
I'm glad to hear that most of you were partial to option 'c - spymaster'. The campaign is going to focus mainly on intrigue and urban investigations, with considerable interaction with the various NPCs and organizations. Healthy amounts of item 'e' will also be thrown in. Expect almost non-existent 'b' and 'd', that is major combat tactics and puzzles. It just doesn't seem particularly workable in a PbP.
Also, for the sand box to directed path scale, I plan on keeping the campaign at around a '4'.
With all of that said, I'm going to open the "JollyRoger Ptolus Campaign" Discussion thread on the "Play-by-Post" discussion forum. We can continue with character development there.
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... and then there were seven.
Jolly - I am going to be dropping out. I think I have a great character, with a great concept. Ptolus sounds like it would be a wonderful place to play, and I am quite interested. Unfortunately, I don't think I am going to be able to participate.
Thank you for the opportunity and have a smashing time! Best of luck.
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... and then there were seven.
Jolly - I am going to be dropping out. I think I have a great character, with a great concept. Ptolus sounds like it would be a wonderful place to play, and I am quite interested. Unfortunately, I don't think I am going to be able to participate.
Thank you for the opportunity and have a smashing time! Best of luck.
OK, if something changes let me know.