So, in honor of Paizo becoming the newest sponsor of Monte Cook's awesome new project, dungeonaday.com, I'm going to go ahead and pull the trigger on something I've been mulling over for a little while. Let's try to run this thing as a PbP. This will be a little different than some games, though, so please read the following carefully before replying. I don't want to see anybody posting here saying "I'd like to play if you still have room..." because that will only tell me you didn't read the rest of this. Okay then...
First things first. This is essentially a giant dungeon crawl. Granted, it's Monte's dungeon crawl, which means its chock full of secrets, factions, history, and all sorts of coolness. But still...if you don't like spending a lot of time in the dungeon, this won't be your game.
Second thing...I'd like the focus of the game to be on exploration, not combat. Oh, there will be combat aplenty. But, that's where I foresee the problems. This game will bog down in this format, I fear, if it turns into one long fight after another. So, my intent is to turn it instead into one short fight after another. I'm still mulling ideas over in my head on exactly how to do this, but I'd like players who are willing to allow me to change things up on the fly with various house rules and experimentation. Some of the things I'm considering...combat without battle maps, allowing taking 10 on attack rolls in lieu of rolling, abolishing the 5' step, and maybe monkeying around with initiative. Other things will surely come up as well, and I'd welcome players who want to help me with this experiment. So, in some regards, this game will be kind of a big PbP combat playtest.
Simulationists need not apply. This is an old-school dungeon, and I mean that in the best possible way. If you worry a lot about where the monsters go to the bathroom, you're going to hate this. If you've been around the hobby awhile, and you have fond memories of places like the Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth and White Plume Mountain (or you wish you did), you're the target audience.
I'm really going to want people in on this who can post regularly. This will work best if we can keep it moving.
By this point, people will want to know the ruleset. I could go with 3.5 or PF Beta, feel free to express your preference, if you have one.
Okay, assuming I haven't scared everyone away...this game is not first come first served. I'll say it again, this game is not first come first served. Recruitment stays open for 48 hours. If I get 4-6 people wanting to play, we're good to go. Less than that, and I guess it won't happen. But if there are more than 6 who are interested, I will pick six. What's the criteria? Glad you asked.
If you want to play, your price of admission is one character concept. Not a novella, just a paragraph or two. Give me race and class, a physical description, a personality, a very basic background. (Note that the game takes place in a generic campaign world, not Golarion...you can make up the details as you like.) I'll select up to six players based on this piece of writing, after the 48 hours have passed.
I hope we can get this thing off the ground! In return for your efforts, I'll do my best to give you a great game.
Now, who wants to go crawling in the dungeon?
The Half Orc Cleric Zoft liartij
Pronounced: "Zoh-fe-te lueeah-ra-teee-jae" which means Soft Hearted.
Many Years ago, a half orc was drop off at a Temple of (god yet to be decided) He was an orphan of a mother who could not bring up this child, yet could not let it just die. He was raised by clerics to believe in certain things. He was brought up to be soft spoken, but since he was also naturally stronger then the Humans that where bringing him up, he found his place as physical labor, toiling many hours to easy the physical burden of his adopted family. Naturally when he grew up, he was a strong man, yet very soft spoken. He’s rarely angered by the actions of others, yet, with his upbringing he will not stand to see innocents harmed. He came to love the clerics as his family and saw them as his only family. Thus when he came of age he too choice to work for the betterment of his religion. Become a wondering cleric of (god to be determined). At the same time since he was brought up in place where stories and legends are told regularly. He revels in the telling of stories. Where ever he can command and audience he will tell a tale of some great dead he has heard of.
This Half orc upon first glance seems just like the rest, except, he seems to smile a little bit more. You thought you saw him smelling some flowers earlier, but that couldn’t be right. He is neatly kept; hair is kept short and controlled. Growing up with respectable clerics has brought out some of the better things in him. He’s still a physically domineering figure, since he took on most of the physical labor in this cloister. When he walks he walks with a kind of self respect that doesn’t come off as arrogant. Even when people cross the street to avoid this half-orc (because less face it, he’s still a half-orc) it doses not seem to phase him from helping others where and when he can. Doing this his whole life is what earned him his name of Soft Heart. He has a light skin that has a more of a tan to it, from being in the sun many year, but still has the jet black hair.
I can go into more if you like  I have some ideas of where I would like to take this Character. 3.5 or PF is fine with me. I have much more experience with 3.5, but using the PF would be a great time I believe. I’m online all the time and have been looking for a game like this that posts on regular bases. Let me know. I hope I get in 
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I have a PbP that may be about to die, so I'll gve this a shot.
Daeker the barbarian belonged to the Gianti tribe, a group of Dwarves living on the Soken Mountains. As a fairly isolated area, they really didn't develop beyod primitive settlements and strong ancestor worship. The barbaric tribes worship of ancestors and the realm of the dead eventually spawned the idea that the real world actually exists after death, and this realm is merely a transitory state. Unfortunately, to get there you have to die in glorious battle, and not just vainly throwing yourself at dragons and such.
The broad shouldered dwarf searches the realms for an opportunity to prove himself worthy to his ancestors, hoping for the sign that they're happy enough for him to die in battle so he can pass beyond the dreaming and into the realm of the living. His black beard bristles with grease and jangels with an assortment of wooden beading and bones he ties into it, each inscribed with the name of an ancestor already passed into the realm of the living. He wields his greatsword with skill, but cannot control the joyful emotions that overcome him in battle, where he loses focus on anything but going for the kill. His clan kilt and sporren are worn with pride, and he has no tolerance for anyone disparaging either his clan or his ancestors.
I'd prefer Pathfinder beta rules but will run with whatever you decide. Also happy to run with your rules mods, though there are going to betimes when taking 10 means even your best fighters are going to miss. Guess you've got that covered though.
Cheers
I am currently PBP'ing White Plume Mountain as well as Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth and am absolutely loving it. So I definitely want to participate in Dungeonday, if old-school goodness is what Mr. Cook is going for.
Here is the cleric Sevegny Veilstar, who I am using in two other games here on Paizo, one of which just began last week then stalled. I hope you don't mind. She has a somewhat unusual story. The idea is to fill the party's obligatory healer spot with something other than a boy scout.
Background:
Sevegny (a human) began life as the child of a wealthy city merchant and his mistress. Though she was materially well taken care of, as a bastard she had to suffer the moral prejudices of a generally unsympathetic community.
By the time she had come of age she had been drawn to the worship of the goddess of lust and trickery. She found the free morality of Calistria's teachings liberating. To her it was a torch that she used to dispel the hypocrisies made her ashamed of herself.
She was a priestess and temple prostitute for a few years until she struck a temple patron for hurting a young postulant. She left the church when they sided with the patron, who not coincidentally was a major contributor.
Sevegny took a lover, a mercenary named Drago. For a year she accompanied him on his adventures and learned from him the skills of violence and deception.
Since then Sevegny has been wandering the realm, fighting for coin and fame. And loving, for much the same.
Sevegny is a seductive young beauty with a fiery temper. She has been a part of an adventuring party before, and has learned respect and patience for fellow companions.
Have you thought about running this on Maptools or a similar virtual tabletop?
I like Maptools, and it's probably what I will use to create battle maps, if any are to made for a particular encounter.
However, my schedule doesn't really allow me to set aside a block of hours at a time for gaming. It's better for me to jump in here and there and post on the message board. So, PbP works best for me, rather than trying to assemble a group for a virtual face-to-face game.
I'd prefer Pathfinder beta rules but will run with whatever you decide. Also happy to run with your rules mods, though there are going to betimes when taking 10 means even your best fighters are going to miss. Guess you've got that covered though.
Cheers
Thanks for this feedback, Wrath. I want to point out that, if we use a 'Take 10' house rule for attack rolls, it would be an option. That is to say, you could choose to either roll the dice or take 10 with any given attack. So, if it seems that you have a clear advantage between your attack bonus and the enemy's AC, you could take 10 and guarantee a hit every time (at the expense of the possibility of a critical, of course). And, of course, the enemies will also have that option as well. ;) The point is to try to create combat scenarios that are fast and gritty...especially when fighting mooks.
I'll keep a running list of potential players and their character proposals.
1. joegeek - Half-Orc Cleric
2. Wrath - Dwarf Barbarian
3. JZ - Human Cleric
Keep 'em coming!
Hey all, I thought I'd share Monte's Top Ten Tenets of dungeon design. It might give you a little more insight into his intentions for this project.
1. Things get more dangerous as you go deeper.
2. Treasure and other rewards are based on challenges overcome, not PC level.
3. There's a happy medium that embraces both realism and fun.
4. The dungeon is dynamic and huge--there's no clearing out the dungeon.
5. The player characters are not the first adventurers to explore this place, and they won't be the last.
6. Although there are many entrances, and many ways to get from level to level, this dungeon is being presented so that the PCs are unlikely to get ahead of the design.
7. The rules exist to facilitate the dungeon, not the other way around.
8. Magic gets stronger the deeper you go.
9. Food is fairly abundant in the dungeon.
10. Every level or sublevel has its own unique character.
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Heya Mal, going to pull out of this one I'm afraid. While I like the concept I'm really keen to play the AP's rather than other adventures.
I've just applied for a Second Darkness game so if that one gets up and running (my first one looks to have died) then I'm all set at 4 characters (which is my upper limit).
Thanks anyway,
Cheers
Wrath, no problem. Thanks for letting me know!
Well, I'm interested. Mind if I retrofit a character from a pbp that sadly died very fast. So, Dwarven Rogue, eventually going into Diviner and, if you allow it, the Unseen Seer prc from Complete Mage.
Background:
Cut to one year later. Rurik has learned plenty of things. Unfortunately, they were all things like archery or lockpicking, and not things like cantrips. When his father found out he was paying that much for his son to learn nothing, he was enraged. Tuition was cut, and Rurik was cast out of the clan. He wandered around for a few years when he heard about the Dungeon of Doom . Then, he decided. He was either going to become powerful enough that his father would have to welcome him back into the clan, or he would die trying.
Updated:
1. joegeek - Half-Orc Cleric
2. JZ - Human Cleric
3. Davi the Eccentric - Dwarf Rogue
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RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16
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Two of the Play-by-post campaigns I was playing in have gone belly-up, and I've just taken over the reins of a third, so I'm certainly eager to find another campaign to play in, if there's still room.
I'm not particular about the type of character, but I've been slowly processing through some of the Complete X base classes I've found interesting. (The two characters hung into limbo were an Archivist and a Spellthief). So, whatever the party needs. (Maybe a Factotem?)
On the other hand, I've realized recently that I've never played a Wizard since 3rd Edition came out, and that might fit in with the "classic" vibe of a huge dungeon complex.
Born to a poor substinance farming couple in the wilds, Bahrothe is of questionable heritage. His family was generally looked upon others as cursed, wicked, and vile.
Given to a wizard as a young boy, Bahrothe showed exponential growth as the only apprentice that his Master ever trained. The growth in magical talents, particularly evocations, was something that his Master would have expected from an elf, or a celestial...but certainly not from a human child. Long before his sixteenth birthday, Bahrothe proved himself as something of a prodigy when it came to drawing the forces of nature and pure energy into his desired shape. Whether it was a needle of flame to ignite a spiders web, or a fork of lightning that one would expect from the Gods themselves, Bahrothe was beyond capable in all things magic. Upon his twentieth birthday, his Master released him from service...
Of note is his particular dislike of the undead. Bahrothe sees them as alien to the natural order of things and goes to all lengths to see them destroyed. Whereas he views no other things in life as a matter of law and order...the repugnancy of undeath is so great within Bahrothe that it has become something of an obsession to destroy the undead wherever they are found.
Two of the Play-by-post campaigns I was playing in have gone belly-up, and I've just taken over the reins of a third, so I'm certainly eager to find another campaign to play in, if there's still room.
I'm not particular about the type of character, but I've been slowly processing through some of the Complete X base classes I've found interesting. (The two characters hung into limbo were an Archivist and a Spellthief). So, whatever the party needs. (Maybe a Factotem?)
On the other hand, I've realized recently that I've never played a Wizard since 3rd Edition came out, and that might fit in with the "classic" vibe of a huge dungeon complex.
Hi Chris,
I'll need to ask you to choose a character race and class, and write up a description to be considered. Please check out the first post. Thanks!
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Arodwumm the Outcast is a dwarf and a necromancer. His lust for magic and power is balanced by the need to stay alive and survive in a world where he is not appreciated.
His views on life, and death, are uncomfortable to some listeners. But his banishment for experiments on the dead and the dying, his way of hanging around the infirmary looking for work, and the smells from his hovel did not seem so bad to the outcast.
Next to his dirty grey skin, the only thing more precious is his friend, Warty the Toad.
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RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16
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Sure thing. I'll pitch two options.
Character 1: Tori, Illumian wizard
A lass desperate to believe the hype
It was only five dozen years ago that an Illumian enclave founded a citadel on an island, well off the major shipping lanes. They brought with them enough hireling thralls and serfs to maintain their commune, so that the Illumians themselves could devote their time to contemplation and research.
Tori was born to a simple fisherfolk family, unremarkable except for her keen intellect and iron self-discipline. When she reached her twelfth year, though, her sigils manifested, and the Illumian masters took her to their citadel for study.
She resented the way the masters showed disdain for her low-born family and how they dismissed her own abilities.
- "The slaveling began her training much too late," they would mutter.
- "At least her father has sense enough to throw back any fish too small or weak. Why should we not do the same with her?"
- More dire: "She, or rather it, is clearly the product of some illicit experiment. A careful vivisection might reveal the true cause of her sigils."
While in tutorials, Tori joined a cell of "practical arts" students, who took every opportunity to learn survival skills and esoteric lore that might prove useful in treasure-hunting. As soon as she completed her apprenticeship as a wizard and earned her own spellbook (and incidentally her freedom), she departed the island and made her way here.
That esoteric lore was gleaned from legend after legend of the riches that wait to be plundered in crypts and dungeons like this one. If those legends are right, and if Tori can keep her wits about her, she can win enough gold to buy her family's release.
The second option would be a recycling of one of the characters I'd written up for another Play-by-post:
Character 2: Brother Seamus underfolk Spell Thief.
An ambassador from a place where the sun is but a legend
"What's a Talwanite? Isn't that the same as those Underfolk?" asked the bald-pated man, the one with scars running down both his arms.
His companion leaned back in the booth and blew a smoke ring. "So, let's say that there was a ship of humans, kidnapped by pirates and sold to ghouls, to serve as slaves and food animals.
"And let's say that, a decade later, the ghouls get wiped out by something that leaves the humans unharmed. But they're still in the deep lands, and they have no idea how to get back, other than a less-than-helpful 'up'."
"All right. Assuming all that, they still need food, and shelter from the things that live down there."
"Right. So, they form a society based along the lines of a religious chapterhouse dedicated to, say, the goddess of travel, or, hey, Talwan, the god of strength and liberation. Not everybody's a cleric, of course, but everybody's a worshipper. And let's say it's been stable for 300 years.
"They don't call themselves Underfolk. They call themselves the Society of Talwan, or Talwanites."
Seamus appears to be an albino human, with white hair --cut close in some sort of a tonsure-- white skin, and pink eyes. He wears travelers' clothes: sturdy but unremarkable, in undyed browns and grays. He has difficulty in direct sunlight, and often wears a woolen hood, raised up over his head.
He's searching for something, something that the elders down below have divined to be wrong. Something to investigate, and perhaps to repair.
So, here's who we have showing interest so far...
1. joegeek - Half-Orc Cleric
2. JZ - Human Cleric
3. Davi the Eccentric - Dwarf Rogue
4. flynnster - Human Sorcerer or Wizard
5. French Wolf - Dwarf Necromancer
6. Chris Mortika - Illumian Wizard OR Underfolk Spellthief
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I would like to throw my hat into the ring. I'm curious about Monte's project, and would love to see how it turns out (without having to pay the monthly subscriber fee) :)
Kellith, Human Fighter
Like so many others, Kellith grew up on the streets of the capital. He barely remembered his mother. She had died or left when he was a small child, his only remembrance of her, the head of a rag doll he kept in a secret pocket. His childhood was a series of cold nights with a hungry belly followed by sweltering days trying to steal the next meal or avoid the gangs of older children.
Upon entering adolescence he sprouted up like bamboo and soon even the town guards were thinking twice about bothering him. Having few options, he took a job as a bodyguard and enforcer for a small-time "entrepreneur" who paid him poorly, but at least offered him steady pay and a place to sleep where he didn't have to chase off the rats at night. Eventually his boss asked him to kill an older man in cold blood, and Kellith refused. Knowing what kind of response his actions would bring, he fled the capital, but not before killing two thugs his former employer sent after him.
Since then he has been finding occasional employ as a caravan guard in the outer provinces, but in these tough times even that has been difficult. He is searching for a way to break out of poverty and finally do something that might make his mother proud.
Since we have two clerics in the ring, I'm going to creat a Gnome Druid. I should have it done bythe end of the night to throw some more flavor into the mix. I'm going to make her with PF so it will take me a little longer then with 3.5 since i'm not as familure with it.
Gnome Druid Uran Jan - Keeper of the Devin
Uran is about the happiest creature you’ll ever meet. She was partially raised by Wood elf Druids when one day, when she was very young, she wondered into their camp. The brought her as one of their own, teaching her everything about being a druid. The only problem was her lack of focus. They assumed that is how such a young one found her way to their camp. She would explore and ask question about everything. Nothing ever seem to bring her down. When one day, she wondered off from the camp to explore things beyond just a patch of woods. On her first adventure she stumbled upon a fierce wolf, having never really been afraid of wolves she walked right up and gave the wolf a big hug and kissed it on the nose. So confused and confounded by this the wolf began to follow Uran, and when she began to get into trouble that was just a little over her head, he would jump in and help her out. Now they are two of a kind, following, asking and find out new things wherever they go.
Uran Jan has the greenest eyes you have ever seen, and they are rarely closed. When she’s awake, she is trying to find out new things.
I'll throw my hat into this.
Marcus Thayd Human Paladin. Holy warrior is a name he has been called. One typically thinks of people in shining armor and stuck up chins preaching about how good their diety is. Marcus's faith is different. He has always felt the call to do something but the caller has been without form. Marcus prays to no gods he meditates upon virtue, honor, and goodness then acts accordingly.
Marcus appears in used armor and a tattered cloak. His weapons are old but sharp and well oiled. He has the look of a woodsman more than a knight.
Marcus spends most days hunting for food which he brings to hungry people. When not hunting, he finds himself walking among people. He has a habit of sitting and listening to anybody. He sees the best way to convince another that the virtuous path is best is by living that way; lead by example.
Basically he's a paladin without a diety. For a rule set, I would prefer pathfinder over 3.5.
Lyria was facinated by magic tricks and the sort ever since she was a child. A wandering mage, who slept at her family's inn, saw the child's affinity for magic, and taught her her first spell, Ghost Sound. Falling in love with the wandering mage and disappointed at living at the small village where she was born, she ran away from her home when she was 16 in order to try to be accepted into a wizard academy, and win the mage's respect and love.
The wizards at the academy, after watching Lyria's skill accepted her and she began studying. Lyria's fast temper and an incident at the academy including fire, a fellow student and charm person quickly got her the nickname of "Flamedancer". Although Lyria liked the academy, her teachers, who acknowledged her skills, weren't impressed by her temper and "unorderness" (as they called it), and after a few unheeded warnings expelled her after about two years of studying. Unable to go home because of her stubborness and pride, she started selling her wizard services at a small remote town.
After a while, a couple of travellers offered her to join them to clear a nearby mine of kobolds, which she agreed to. The mission was unsuccessful, and both of her comerades were killed during it (A gnomish rogue died tripping a trap, and a paladin was overwhelmed by a few zombies). Lyria was the sole survivor. These incidents convinced Lyria that the world is a very chaotic place, with nothing certain. These convictions changed her behaviour gradually and made it even more extreme, as she now believes that she is the only one who can carve a way for herself in history.
Okay, time's up guys! I'm going to close the character submission process, and look carefully over the ideas you've provided.
I should announce the six players later today or tomorrow, at the latest.
Thanks to you all for your interest! :D
Good luck, everyone.
Yep, best of luck.
Hi all, the moment is at hand!
Here are the six players I decided to go with:
joegeek as Uran Jan, Gnome Druid
JZ as Sevegny Veilstar, Human Cleric
Davi the Eccentric as Rurik Ungart, Dwarf Rogue
Branding Opportunity as Kellith, Human Fighter
Graynore as Marcus Thayd, Human Paladin
Badslacker as Lyria Flamedancer, Human Wizard
Everybody else, please be aware that you are all eligible as alternates, so keep an eye on this thread, just in case anybody changes their mind. Sorry if you didn't make it, but it's nothing personal. I made my decisions based on party balance and just my own personal preferences regarding the characters as presented. Thanks to everyone for taking an interest.
Now, for those who are in, please head over to the Discussion Thread to start working on character sheets.
Thanks again everyone!