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Erick was always a mild young man who lived with his parents and younger brother on the outskirts of town. His brother was constantly being picked on by a group of older boys, as Erick always found out about as his brother would return home scuffed up and dirty.
One day while coming back from picking up a new set of horseshoes from the blacksmith Erick saw a small group circling something. Not thinking much of it he continued to walk, that is until he hears his younger brother calling for help. Violently he shoves his way through the small crowd to find three boys beating on him. Without a second thought Erick grabs one of the boys and slams him to the ground by the color of his shirt. Twisting his hands he begins to choke the boy with one hand as he pins him to the ground. Out of the corner of his eyes he sees the crowd quickly begin to disperse. Coming to his senses Erick looks down to see the boy unconscious and nearly dead. His hands begin to shake as he quickly stands and grabs his brother and runs home.
Getting home he explains to his father what happened, who quickly becomes angered as he always had in the past. Erick's father balls up a fist and begins to beat Erick over and over again, causing him to fall to the ground, breaking one of the chairs.
Finally having enough Erick grabs the chair leg and swings it around, catching his mother in the head, as she was trying to pull his father off of him and calm him down. Laying on the floor was his mother, bleeding and bruised as she gasped for breath. Flying into a fit of rage Erick leaps at his father and quickly pins the large man to the ground. Using the chair leg Erick pushes it against his throat as his father silently begins to beg for his life. Erick does not relent, even as his brother tries to pull him off. Erick swats his brother away as he stands from his fallen father, once again his hands shake. Tears flow freely from his eyes down his cheeks as he begins to laugh. These were not tears of mourn or sorrow but rather tears of relief and happiness. Things suddenly became quite clear to Erick as he stared at his hands. He actually enjoyed this. Taking a persons life and feeling it slip away with his own hands.
Looking back and forth to his mother and father Erick realizes one thing. This was all his younger brothers fault. As the guards arrive at the house to investigate the unconscious boy from earlier they find Erick kneeling over his younger brothers body. Both hands over his throat and a smile on his face. Whispers throughout town quickly spread naming him Erick the Strangler.
I have an interest in returning, if it pleases you.
@Erick: sounds good. Looks like either NE or CE. How'd he feel about furthering the cause of Asmodeus? A sensational triple homicide would definitely get him in Brandescar Prison. ;-)
@GM-Gathrix: a good start. How'd your character feel about working for Asmodeus? Also, while the religious elite are smite-first Paladin types, the average townsperson is a genuinely nice individual who knows nothing of other religions. If you're a convincing type who worships anyone but Mitra, you'd definitely be silenced. ;-)
@Zogg: slavery is illegal in Talingarde (as is every other vice), so that backstory element may need a little tweaking. As one of the only Goblins left in the country, he'd definitely end up in Brandescar Prison, though. ;-)
@Ekkehardt: I enjoyed the character last time, so you're definitely in the running. ;-)
HEY EVERYONE! My name is Tryvin, and met me tell you, my day has been some bull s&@#. So I wake up and get ready for the morning like normal, right? I work at this butcher shop. I turn in twenty-three minutes early because I am a loyal employee and I get to work. The first four or so hours of my workday are completely normal. I gave Mrs. Morris a discount in a lamb because it was her birthday, and maybe I took some extra time on my lunch break because I was helping little Timmy with his homework but other than that I followed company policy TO THE LETTER. I even got some extra meat for the locker when we ran out of veal.
So of course you can imagine my surprise when maybe three hours after my lunchbreak that my boss comes in and starts yelling at me and he's like "holy s$@+ what the f*#& have you done" and I'm like "what" and he's like "Mrs. Morris' son Timmy is gone and she said the last place anyone saw here and with you and so the guard came in and THEN THEY SAW TIMMY STRUNG UP ON A MEAT HOOK."
I explained to him that we were out of veal and how I had to take care of it and I thought he'd be impressed with my initiative and all that but no. Apparently taking my job seriously makes me a "monster" and I need to "rot in hell" and I'm like "dude chill out he tasted almost exactly like veal I checked before I put him with the rest" but apparently my boss was some kind of gourmet all this time because he thinks those things are completely different.
And I'm like "fine I can get another job anyway" but then the city guard says I'm "a threat to all decent and civilized creatures" and I get sent to jail and so here I am.
Mechanically, he will be a Witch. His main function will be buff and debuff. He'll take the misfortune and cackle hexes early on, and the "Cook People" Major hex, which allows him to basically turn bodies into pretty respectable buffing items.
He will be taking the "plague" patron, which means he will also be an undead creator, and he'll make pretty substantial use of those spells to keep the minions flowing. He will also likely become a lich once he can.
Also, let me just say that, while he likely comes off as Chaotic Evil, the reason I think he's Neutral Evil is because he is perfectly happy to be in a team and is not hostile to authority. He will not be a threat to his allies and friends and is happy to team up with the Church of Asmodeus if it means he gets to do his thing.
However, if you don't think he's sane enough, I would be willing to submit something else instead.
Edit: Also, will melee touch attacks be covered under weapon finesse? I ask because it's a gm-to-gm thing and it will make a big difference in his stats.
Asmodeus is fine. If silenced you mean other than solitary than maybe my unsettling aura was enough to warrant the treatment.
@Tryvin: he definitely sounds CE, but it also appears to be an insanity that doesn't prevent him from living a fairly normal life. That's fine. :-)
@GM-Gathrix: you wouldn't be in solitary confinement due to the set-up of the AP's opening, but you'd definitely be prevented from speaking to others. :-)
Well, I've got half of my idea done. Don't have the files I need to build the character properly, but I've got a good basic idea down. Right now, their crime is Sedition (and I'm glad to have Bluff as a Class Skill... XD It feels like it'll be useful). The current build is a Charisma-focused Incanter, probably with the following spheres:
Destruction
Protection
-Armored Magic
Warp (<- This is part of the backstory. She's still in jail because she WANTS to be, and is planning on flaunting the Kingdom by proving she can walk straight out anytime she wants. Needless to say, though, that plan's going to get interrupted...)
Drawbacks:
Magical Signs (Magical markings on her dark skin that glow)
Somatic Casting x2
Might trade the Incanter's Bonus Feat for another Talent. Not sure yet.
@Rednal: having the Warp sphere will make certain parts of the AP very interesting. ;-)
EDIT: @Tryvin: melee touch attacks always benefit from Weapon Finesse. As the CRB states (pg 182), they're considered unarmed strikes - which are considered to be light weapons.
I'll try to avoid abusing it too badly. XD Mostly, I just want her to be good at getting away from danger, since I feel like she's going to be preeeeetty squishy overall.
Marvin Fenster was no stranger to the court house. He had, in fact, been working as a clerk for the chief justice for the last four years. Time spent learning the layout, monitoring schedules and earning the trust and friendship of the various clerks, guards and cleaning staff. The very same people who stood staring, mouths agape, as Marvin was dragged away from Chief Justice Larien's chambers, with his hands dripping blood and a smug smile on his face.
It's true, Marvin did not quite finish the plan as he intended, but he was satisfied with the results. After years of planning to avenge his wife's death everything had fallen into place. Larien had called Marvin to his office late one night, to prepare some final documents for the next day's trial. The guards nodded as the simple clerk carried his stack of documents into the office. Minutes ticked by, slowly, the elderly man sitting just across the desk, completely unbothered by the fact that not so long ago he had sent a wonderful woman to an early grave. Finally, his opportunity came; the old man needed some kind of legal reference. As Marvin set the heavy tome down, he stood next to the object of his loathing, savoring the moment. Milky white eyes behind thick lenses looked at him, confused, before widening in shock as Marvin's hands locked tight around the old man's throat. It was in that moment that the plan went awry. Fingers, clenched in victory suddenly lengthened, and sharpened, biting into the wrinkled skin. Surprised, Marvin released the man who gasped for air while the younger man stood staring at his own hands, twisted into bright crimson claws. Smiling, Marvin pounced and began to carve as his victim screamed in horror and pain. Ragged cuts formed Asmodeus's pentagram across the justice's chest, the very same symbol that condemned Lara Fenster almost a decade ago.
And so, as Marvin was marched in chains to Branderscar Prison, he went happily, knowing that even if the wounds were healed, the pain and fear would linger on.
@Marvin: take a look at Spheres of Power. The Alteration sphere can get you at-will claws, and converting a Sorcerer to the system is very simple. There's an Online Wiki if you want to check it out. If you'd rather stick to traditional casting, I can probably work something out, but it would be a higher-level ability. The backstory's good, by the way. :-)
Sphere casting sounds interesting, but I don't have the book. Based on the Alteration sphere, it looks like a lot of what I would want (partial/total draconic transformation for melee, plus themed side spellcasting). Is there a spheres of power class that would do that concept better instead of going sorcerer/dragon disciple? It looks like the classes aren't on the wiki page.
My immediate thought is the Shifter. It's a nature-themed class with at-will shapeshifting from Level One. d8 hit die, 3/4 BAB, WIS-based mid-caster (equivalent to sixth-level casting).
And I just noticed that one is actually on the wiki. I'll read up on it after dinner :D
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What I have is an Infernal Changling. Born of a witch and her demonic lover, she was born to raise Hell. After her mother's burning at the stake, she became a resident of several orphanages growing up, getting kicked out of each one as she terrorized the other youngsters. Eventually when she was kicked out, things only got worse, manipulating others into acts of crime for her, ranging from mostly cases of theft to eventually cold-blooded murder, with bouts of pyromania. It was only an eventuality that she'd find herself looked away.
While I like Spheres of Power a lot, unfortunately I'm not very accustomed to using it very much nor own the materials. Combat and general party work will consist with her debuffing and field control. If she survives being that low level minion to be that BBEW, she'll look like this picture
Hmmm, Battle Scion is speaking to me.
I've got to ask though, your thoughts on the Nightblade class?
@NenkotaMoon: Sounds good. Spheres of Power doesn't work quite as well with prepared casters anyway. I'm amused that you picked the iconic Malefactor as your character pic. ;-)
EDIT: @Spazmodeus: Path of Shadows is on my to-buy list thanks to the EZG review, but I hadn't realized it was on the SRD. I'll think about it but won't make any promises.
I'm seeing an abundance of casters and lack of muscle. I wonder if that will be a problem?
Maybe. Maybe not. Who knows?
At the very least, I feel like we'd do well to have an Antipaladin on the team. XD I need someone to hide behind.
That's the great thing about this AP: the plot is very open ended and allows for multiple ways to succeed. Plus, the Leadership Feat is legal and has multiple, less-overpowered options such as creating your own criminal organization. :-)
I think the biggest problem with Leadership is people forgetting that the cohort is an NPC - so the GM makes it and decides how effective it's truly going to be. XD It's not meant to be a player-customized thing.
Precisely. There are also two variant Leadership options available. One gives you a base with a healer, scholar, and item crafter on staff. The other gives you an organization under your command.
The shifter looks fantastic for what I'm looking to make. I just have a few questions since my spheres of power experience is basically nonexistant.
1. By selecting the Dragon Transformation talent, do you get all of the listed features of the form, or do you get 1+1/5levels as traits? It looks like you get all the listed features, and then add 1 or more traits that have been unlocked, but I wanted to check that I'm reading it right.
Dragon Transformation
You may grant the form of a dragon with your shapeshift. The target gains a head, 4 legs with all the benefits of being a quadruped,a 40 ft move speed and a tail. The target gains a +2 natural armor bonus which increases by 1 per 5 caster levels, Darkvision 60 ft, a bite attack (Primary, 1d6, 1d4 small) and a breath weapon. This breath weapon is either a 60 ft line or a 30 ft cone, and deals either fire, electricity, acid, or cold damage as chosen at the time it is gained. The breath weapon deals 1d8 damage per 2 caster levels, and allows a Reflex save for half damage. The target must wait at least 1d4 rounds between uses of their breath weapon. A target may only possess one breath weapon at a time.
In addition, you may grant the following traits to your forms:
A breath weapon, as that given by the dragon base form.
Double the size of a breath weapon (must possess a breath weapon to gain this trait).
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2. It looks like it's possible to turn into a large dragon at level 1 using this system? Alteration sphere + Dragon Transormation + Size Change? I'm probably not going to do this since there's other aspects I want to explore (more casty stuff to mix in), but that sounds like a pretty crazy jump at level 1.
3. Can claws be added to legs? Seems kind of silly to need to add arms to a quadruped dragon just to have claws and a bite.
As it stands, I'm leaning towards a shifter, with side focuses in destruction (fire) and maybe mind spheres. Thanks for the tip!
Hmm... hey, GM, should I take the Personal Warp drawback for the Warp Sphere? If my character can only warp herself, that would probably cut down on a lot of its potential for breaking things.
How long have you been playing Pathfinder?
Been playing for a couple of years now I think, although I didn't entirely keep track as to when I truly started. A friend had a homebrew game that included a number of pathfinder rules, and from there, I jumped to the system and things went on from there.
What are your rules knowledge and optimization skills like?
I'm probably an intermediate level rules person. I know a couple of people that are a bit more savvy than I am, so I'll ask them over IRC if I'm stuck, but I'm pretty sorted on most rulings. As for optimization skills, its certainly something I can do, but its also something I really dislike doing, because it sucks the joy out of the game for everyone. Generally, I'll try and make a character that can handle various situations in a variety of different ways, and then go from there.
Are you experienced with the PbP format?
Yes, mostly because living in New Zealand, PbP is just the most practical way for me to play a game. I'd say I'm very experienced with it.
If you are, but your game/s ended early, what happened?
Games technically only "end" when the GM vanishes / loses interest but you can have contributing factors such as players not meshing well or being inactive themselves. Of course, sometimes real life happens and everyone is pretty understanding, especially if they have had a great time.
What kind of combat/social balance do you like?
I like both really. I find it slightly more difficult to directly roleplay as well as I would like in combat, but it is a large part of the game, and who doesn't like running a PC through some challenging combat. Social balance is likewise nice because it gives you alternative ways at solving a problem, and (imo) slightly better roleplay. Having both aspects allow various types of characters to feel like they can contribute in a meaningful manner.
Do you have previous experience with the WotW AP?
Yes, I entered a PbP WotW. I got selected, the GM rolled up the prison introduction, and then said he wanted to put things on hold till after Xmas/New Year (this was 2014). We paused, and then the GM never game back :( So while I technically have previous experience with the AP, its really limited to the introduction scene.
Anyway as far as concept ideas go, I'm probably looking at something creepy like an Arcanist Necromancer, or even an Alchemist. That said, I'm still reflecting on what would lend itself to a really awesome backstory, so I'm keeping my options open at this early stage.
How long have you been playing Pathfinder?
I have been Pathfinder for I would venture to guess around 5-6 years. I have been playing D&D and it various versons (except no 4 or 5E versions) for about 20 or so years.
What are your rules knowledge and optimization skills like?
I can super OMG optimize if I feel the need is necessary, but I prefer to build a balanced character. hat way there is always a way for me to contribute to any situation presented to me.
Are you experienced with the PbP format?
Very. I have a handful of PFS guys, that I have in various games currently. I also have a few alias I use for non-PFS games or to use as NPCs in any games I chose to run here on the boards.
If you are, but your game/s ended early, what happened?
Some games died to the GM going *poof*. Some games died to TPK. Some games died due to the progress being too slow to keep up momentum. I am in game that has been going for a couple years, and the GM and all the players are very relaxed with the pace so it is not so time sensitive.
What kind of combat/social balance do you like?
I prefer a mix, both social, combat, stealth, chases, etc. Variety is a good thing. But it is also up to the GM, not every GM is great at all aspects. Some GM's excel at combat, where others are great at story arcs, and others are good at puzzles/traps/etc. As long as all people involved (GM/players) are having a good time, that that is all that really matters.
Do you have previous experience with the WotW AP?
I escaped the first room, fought the first wave of enemies and then the game fizzled.
What would I prefer for this game?
I would prefer this game to be fun for whomever is chosen :)
Maybe. Maybe not. Who knows?
At the very least, I feel like we'd do well to have an Antipaladin on the team. XD I need someone to hide behind.
I may be able to assist with the martial side of the party.
Okay, I've had some time to think on my character concept. If you're not a fan of occult characters, that's fine. I'll do something else. This is not a fully fleshed out background, just a concept. Hope that's fine for now.
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From the time she was born, her mother viewed her as a gift from her god. To everyone else, she was an abomination...something to be feared...devil-tainted. Her mother didn't care. Together with a select few friends, they began grooming her for her ascension to her 'father's' side, keeping her cloistered from the world outside and only teaching her what she'd need to know to help her father rule Talingarde someday.
Then, on her day of majority, her mother handed the reigns of their renegade religion over to her. Thrilled, she made plans; expand the ranks of the worshipers, begin opposing Mitra more overtly, and of course, a place of worship more suited to the Lord of Hell.
In an abandoned chapel to Mitra, the first and last meeting of the Second Temple of our Lord of Hell occurred. She took the pulpit and, just as she began to speak, the foes of her lord crashed through the doors. As the inquisitors chained her and led her away, her thoughts raced from fear to despair to some sort of hope. "This is just a test. My father won't abandon me!" Now, though, branded and chained in the depths of Branderscar, she's not sure if Asmodeus wants her freed or dead by his side. Either way is fine with her.
= = = = = = = = = =
I'm not yet sure which class would be best, but I'm certainly thinking a tiefling if I can pull it off for race. Perhaps a warpriest or inquisitor, to give the party some muscle? Either way, Willa is delusional and genuinely believes she's Asmodeus's daughter. Her crime is the desecration of a chapel to Mitra, complete with foul ceremonies to the deity's worst foe. Truth be told, she never had any authority to run a cult, but she ran with her mother's ideas.
Sound reasonable, or too far-fetched? I can certainly make changes.
All right, here's Celestine's background. At the start, I'm mainly looking to have a good spread of damage, party buffs, and movement via personal teleport. Most notably, one of her talents gives her what's basically a Bag of Holding without the Bag - veeeeeeery good for smuggling things and hiding them from nosy do-gooders.
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"Justice? Honor? Your words are as worthless as the ideals you claim to serve. You would have all of Talingarde bow down to your master, and all the people obey your decrees, without the freedom to choose for themselves what path to follow."
"The only difference between us is that I don't lie about it."
There are many crimes in Talingarde - some people murder others, some people burn buildings to the ground, and some dig up graves for experiments. To Celestine, these crimes are nothing more than the pathetic excesses of common rabble, and she has no admiration for madmen or petty criminals.
Her focus is on nothing less than overthrowing the monarchy and re-instituting Talingarde's historical ties to Asmodeus himself. The best way to describe Celestine's normal behavior is "Practical Evil". She has exactly no problems with pretending to be good, and she doesn't go out of her way to commit crimes just because it's possible to commit them. She generally doesn't backstab her companions, either, on the theory that they're more useful to have around as meat shields.
(Besides, Asmodeus has... problems... with people who break their word. Sneaking in clauses to give yourself an advantage is one thing - encouraged, even - but not violating the actual, literal wording of agreements.)
Ability-wise, Celestine is a powerful Incanter, albeit one with a few specific drawbacks. Her abilities have only just begun to grow, but she's already started putting them to good use, and the basics are as follows:
The art of [Destruction] has given her a blast of force she can toss around all day. While not especially strong just yet, it's something she always has access to, and that's got some value of its own.
As part of her connections with the infernal realms, Celestine also has some command of [Fate], which allows her to bless allies and support their efforts. She's been known to use this from the middle of a group, helping drastically improve their efforts.
She also has some degree of talent with [Protection], warding herself and her allies from harm. It's true that defense is often associated with goodly people... but people who think that haven't seen the endless fortresses of Hell. This is Celestine's practical nature coming to the fore again - allies who are protected are better able to accomplish their shared goals, and she cares more about succeeding in the first place than how that success is achieved.
Finally, she has the ability to [Warp] herself around, teleporting straight past obstacles in her way. As if that weren't enough, she also possesses an extradimensional storage space that can be used to hide objects where nobody can find them, making her a naturally outstanding smuggler. This is the ability she's kept hidden - the kingdom is unaware that Celestine could simply disappear from the prison at essentially any time she wanted, and indeed, she allowed herself to be captured for the very purpose of escaping and proving that the Kingdom isn't as monolithic as it likes to pretend. Of course, even she couldn't have predicted what was about to happen at Branderscar Prison, nor how it would throw her own plans into disarray...
The power she has doesn't come without its price. Misara's skin has two distinct tones, with the darker side representing the corruption of her infernal ties, and strange runes glow on this skin when she uses magic. She also needs to use her hands to focus the magic energy, and has difficulty casting without doing so, though she is capable of spending added time and effort to cast without shaping the power when she really needs to.
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Magic Talents: 6
2 for Casting Class
2 from Base Incanter
1 from Incanter Bonus Feat
1 from Sphere-Specific Drawback
Spheres:
-Destruction
-Fate
-Protection
--Armored Magic
-Warp
--Extradimensional Storage
Drawbacks: (3)
Magical Signs (Magical markings on her dark skin that glow)
Somatic Casting x2
Sphere-specific Drawback:
-Warp (Personal Warp)
Sphere Pool: (7)
5 Ability
1 Level
1 Drawback
How long have you been playing Pathfinder?
Roughly 3 years, give or take a few months.
What are your rules knowledge and optimization skills like?
I know most of the rules by heart, but I still have to look up a few of the more complex rules every now and then (mostly regarding what does and does not provoke attacks of opportunity.) As for optimization, I'd say I'm fairly average. I can make some very optimized characters, but I have a tendency to go with flavor over power. I've got an enduring fascination with multiclassing and prestige classes that often make my characters suboptimal but interesting.
Are you experienced with the PbP format?
I have some experience with PBP, mostly as a player with a brief and slightly discouraging stint as a GM. Unfortunately, most of the games I've been a part of have gone under, or else I've had to stop due to the dread beast "Real Life" interfering.
If you are, but your game/s ended early, what happened?
Often, the GMs simply vanish into the ether, never to be seen again until you find them happily GMing another game a few months later. Then again, players dropping out and generally losing interest have sunk more than a few games.
What kind of combat/social balance do you like?
I'm more of a roleplayer than a rollplayer, but too long without a good combat can really drag on me. I'd say I'm about 60/40, in favor of social stuff.
Do you have previous experience with the WotW AP?
Vaguely. I was selected to be in a campaign, but had to pull out shortly after because of Real Life punching me in the jaw. I've broken out of my cell, but haven't seen anything outside of the prison itself.
As for character concept, I'm considering a Kobold spellcaster (probably a sorcerer or summoner) of some sort whose tribe was wiped out by worshipers of Mitra. I don't have any experience with the Spheres of Power system, though. Would you allow Words of Power? It's official Paizo, but pretty much never used so I thought I'd ask.
@Marvin Fenster: When you shapeshift, you choose a form and a number of traits. With Dragon Transformation + Size Change, you could turn into a Large dragon with all the listed features. It's powerful, but there are built-in limitations. While you can do this at-will, it costs your Move Action as long as you keep it up (non-Shifters lose their Standard Action), so you're basically permanently staggered. Alternately, you can spend a spell point (of which you only have a few) to keep it up sans concentration for 1min. To answer your other question, claws can be put on arms or legs. I'll also mention that the "draconic claws" aspect of your backstory can be done with just the base Alteration Sphere ability: Blank form and spend your trait on claws.
The Spheres of Power system gives low-level casters a bit of a power boost, but it also lacks the game-breaking high-level abilities. If an optimized Wizard is Tier 1, and a Fighter is Tier 5, a spherecaster falls in the Tier 3 range.
@Rednal: it won't matter if you take the drawback or not (and I'm pretty sure you meant Personal Warp instead of Limited Warp) as teleporting more than one additional person always costs a spell point. Your backstory's fine, by the way.
@Keres Miyaro/Gilthanis: looking forward to seeing your concepts
@Shub-Niggurath's cousin Al: nice to meet you. I haven't tried Wordcasting yet but have looked into it before and found the system interesting. I'm fine with it for this campaign.
@GM Aest: your backstory's fine, and I have no problem with your being a Tiefling. They're a very thematic race for this AP.
Hm? Ah, right. XD Point is, her teleporting is meant to be personal for now (and having three drawbacks gives a nice boost to the eventual size of her spell point pool, which is my main motivation here).
I've played around a bit with Wordcasting. I feel like it needs more support in order to be a properly flexible system, but it's pretty good at summoning and hilarious if you're good at creatively using Lock Ward. XD
Character Concept
I mourn for them. The people who wander the streets without care of what they have lost. Make no mistake, Talingarde is a rotten place, though not in the ways you would expect. A land without choices, a land without true morality, a land without free will. That is Talingarde. That is the festering wound that needs to be cleansed.
I certainly didn't fall out of the womb a villain. It took years of choices to lead me down this path, to discover my calling. To free this land from god and king, to bring free will back to the people. I will do whatever it takes to get there. I will dirty my soul a thousand times if I must. I mourn too, for those I must harm or vanquish on my way, but never will I let my ambition be thwarted. Talingarde does not need a hero to save it, it needs a villain to show it what is missing, what is lost, what must be found.
Or so I thought. But now I ruminate here in this prison cell and realize I was a fool. One man cannot do what must be done alone, attempting to kill a king gets you captured before you truly lift a finger. And if I had succeeded? What then? Another would replace him and all would continue as it is. I need to go further. There are those who would wish this Kingdom ended, this I know, and if I can escape from this place I will dirty myself again, I will use them, I will consort with the devils if I must, I will see my purpose through.
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So yes, my character is more of an anti-hero than a true villain, but he is nonetheless a person who hates Mitra and the royal family and is willing to do terrible things in the name of progress and purpose. He is an honourable sort all in all, but that honour has its limits. He is a steadfast friend who in the heat of the moment would die for a friend, though his last thoughts would likely rue his failure in his quest. His end game is simply to remove gods and nobles from the equation, though he doesn't think too deeply about how he can actually accomplish it. I could easily see his path being affected by the events of the game, twisting him in new and interesting ways. Perhaps falling further from his noble purpose.
Yeah, I really like the way shifter works for making a blended shapeshifter. He'll be able to smoothly transition from human to dragon and all the stages in between pretty easily, and as he gains levels he'll be able to expand his magical prowess as well. It seems really cool.
@Rednal: I concur
@The Pale King: sounds good
@Marvin Fenster: the other classes are equally awesome. :-)
How long have you been playing Pathfinder?
Since 2010 or so; I discovered PbP more recently - a couple of summers ago - and haven't looked back.
What are your rules knowledge and optimization skills like?
I've played too many rules variants, and am too old, to claim omniscience of all the Pathfinder rules; but I am DM in two games on these boards and I get by without embarrassing myself too much.
I'm not really into ultra-optimisation; if something less optimal would make better roleplay, I tend to go with that (within reason: I want my character to be effective and contribute to the game, after all).
Are you experienced with the PbP format?
Been on these boards about 18 months, currently in 9 active PbP games (2 of which I'm DMing); so yes, I'd say I am experienced.
If you are, but your game/s ended early, what happened?
DM disappeared, or dropped the game.
What kind of combat/social balance do you like?
For PbP, I like significant and continuous roleplaying, with combat being less frequent but meaningful. I'm completely OK with some fights being hand-waved if it keeps things moving; combat can really slow posting down. That said, we're here to roll dice too, not just interact dramatically with the surroundings.
Do you have previous experience with the WotW AP?
Yes; this character was accepted into a game where the DM disappeared on us; I volunteered to take over as DM so she had to go (I don't do DMPCs).
That campaign is still running (well into book 2), but I can separate player and character knowledge.
CHARACTER CONCEPT
This character is going to break bad; if Breaking Bad's pitch was "Mr Chips into Scarface" then my pitch is along the lines of "Harry Potter into Voldemort" - golden student arrested for researching forbidden stuff on Asmodeus, found guilty of consorting with dark powers and vows revenge.
She's going to start off quite sweet, but quickly descend into evil. This AP covers the full 20 levels, so there'll be plenty of time to plumb the depths of depravity...
Mechanically, she's an Int-based Incanter who specialises in summoning.
BACKGROUND
Hecate sits - slumps, rather - in her chair; her manacled hands are fastened securely behind her back, and her head rests on the table in front of her. She hasn't slept since her arrest. She knows why they won't let her sleep - she's not to regain her powers. Stupid. They're so scared of her. She doesn't mean them any harm. She just wants to go back to her dormitory. She has exams to revise for...
Her interrogator, sitting opposite her, looks well-rested and neat; she feels dishevelled by comparison. She is dishevelled. Gently, the inquisitor reaches out, lifting up her face to look him in the eyes. "So, Miss Reeve. We'd just got to the point where you forsook all decency and delved into forbidden studies. We have your notes, by the way; and I should point out that the mere fact they're written in - in that language is a serious crime in itself."
Infernal. It's called Infernal. WHY are you so AFRAID of it?! It's just knowledge! That's all I was after!
Hecate remains silent. No point in saying anything, now.
Her interrogator flips through his notes. "Miss Reeve. My, my, my. What a busy life you've led. Top of your classes, scholarship student to the Academy - you know how generous that was, don't you? Normally only the sons of the nobility get the chance to study the arcane arts."
Yes, and this 'mere commoner' outstripped them all! I even managed to find time for my other studies, too - the ones you're too afraid to even mention.
Hecate feels a brief glow of pride, but still says nothing.
Her interrogator frowns. "But, despite all that, it wasn't enough was it? You wanted more - you wanted the forbidden knowledge, the dangerous texts. Not only that, you delved into ways and means of casting that are not permitted - blood magics. Such things are banned for a reason, Miss Reeve. They are not safe. They can cause great harm to the caster. Magic is to be respected, to be channelled safely."
Ha, yes - wizards need expensive components and verbal incantations and spellbooks - I managed to find ways around that; I should be for my research!
Still, Hecate remains silent.
The inquisitor gives a deep sigh. "I understand, Miss Reeve; really, I do; some of it, anyway. You were in the Academy: a place that values knowledge; and yet some knowledge was deliberately being ignored. What harm in curiosity, you are doubtless thinking, yes? Well it stopped being curiosity when you made a pact with that devil. Oh yes, we know about that - it's all in your notes. Tell me, Miss Reeve, what did it offer? Eternal life? Riches? Power?"
"Appreciation." The word bursts out from her lips, despite herself. Yes, appreciation - she needed someone who knew what she had done, the lengths she'd gone to: piecing together the Infernal language from mere fragmentary scraps, teaching herself; the letters she had forged to get access to the forbidden archive; the fact that she had put together - from first principles, no less - a new casting tradition that dispensed with the need for components, for spellbooks: you simply channel the raw magic directly through your own body. Yes, there are a few drawbacks, but oh, the ecstasy of it all! So when she'd finally drawn the pentagram in her own blood and something had answered her call - and been so very, very flattering - of course she had been gratified! Who would not have been?!
Her interrogator looks almost infinitely sad. "And so you admit your crimes. The worst of crimes: consorting with the dark powers. Miss Reeve - Hecate - you have a choice to make, now." He puts a piece of paper in front of her. "You can sign this confession, and we will deal with you fairly and in private. Or, you can refuse and we will put you on trial. We have enough evidence to convict. What will that do to your family, Hecate? Or are you so utterly beyond redemption that you no longer care?"
A pause. "I believe in you, Hecate. I refuse to believe that such a promising student could so forsake their humanity as to be beyond the reach of Mitra. Prove to me that you care for others; spare your family this suffering. Sign the confession and return to Mitra's light."
Hecate is silent. She doesn't think that what she did was wrong; the full extent of the trouble that she is in has not fully sunk in, even now. Her family! So proud, so very proud of her; the scholarship student who was clever enough to make it into the Academy! What shame and disgrace will fall on them?
A solitary tear runs down the girl's cheek and she nods. She is sorry to have caused this trouble. She didn't mean to. Maybe if she repents obviously enough, they'll let her back in to the Academy. With a deep, shuddering sigh, she picks up the pen and signs the confession. It lists no more than the truth of what she did, after all.
The inquisitor sighs too, deeply; almost painfully. "Miss Hecate Reeve, you have admitted to your guilt in consorting with the dark powers. There is only one penalty for that: death by burning at the stake." He looks straight into her eyes. "I am sorry. I wish it were otherwise. But the devil you have bound yourself to can come into this realm through you - the only way to sever that link is with your death. I truly, truly, regret this. But may Mitra have mercy on your soul."
Hecate sits, frozen, disbelieving. But - but she said she's sorry! It's a howl, a snarl, a cry, all at once - she lunges at her interrogator, but the chains hold her fast and she slumps again, her head falling against the table. "No, no, no, no...."
She barely even feels the guards lifting her up and dragging her away to her fate. But by all the gods - by Asmodeus's black heart - she will be revenged on them. She will be revenged on them ...
open disclaimer:I am the guilty, guilty, guilty GM who left poor Keres among others high and dry two christmases ago. I won't bore you with details of my RL hardships, but, rather than being away from the boards a few days or weeks, it wound up being something like ten months, whereupon I promptly did not inform anyone I had finally returned... um, hi Keres... sorry, really.
So yes, I'm that guy and obviously I own the WotW AP. Between those two things, you may wish to disqualify me from applying, but if by any chance both these things may be forgiven, I've been playing PF for something like a decade, mostly tabletop but I have adequate experience with PBP. I prefer RP intense gaming, though combat and other game mechanic challenges are definitely good things.
Also, I have made use of 3pp materials and have no qualms there.
Anyway, I'll look for your 'yay/nay' before I take up any more space here, but I do hope you'll consider my personal and public shame punishment enough.
@Hectate Reeve: looks good. Can you elaborate on the summoning focus? It's the one aspect of SoP that borders on overpowered if you set your mind to it - like Paizo's Master Summoner.
@Toodles or summat: public apologies are always good. Also, real life always comes before gaming. As long as the issue's in the past, you're fine.
excellent, thank you
this is a character I've spun out a few times and only been able to play once briefly. The concept may be a touch ambitious for a starting character, but I'm sure you'll tell me if I need to tone her down.
Ardra's rise in fame and status seemed to have no limits until her private farm received a surprise visit from the king's clerk along with an entire regiment as an honor guard for the king wished to gift the land to her, a tax free estate. But when the clerk arrived, train in tow, he found the entire compound abandoned as though every hand had had simply vanished in the middle of their chores. Upon investigation, he found gardens and green houses full of every edible imaginable, but upon checking the stockyards, abattoirs, and smoke houses, the clerk began vomiting uncontrollably at one horror after the next. Hundreds of horse stalls housing not horses but humanoids, mostly humans, wild-eyed, naked and filthy, their teeth broken out and tongues removed (he would later find evidence that the tongues had been ground and used to make a sort of potted meat). Where the veal pens should have been, he found children and halflings bound to the floor, tubes attached to bladders forced down their throats so they could be force fed. He discovered sausage and bologna obviously made from the meat and organs of sentient species, and on and on...
Once he reported to the king that in all likelihood the Lady Ardra had fed him, his family, vassals and retainers and anyone who'd ever been to her establishment on the meat of sapient humanoids he was incensed and disgusted. He voided her titles, had all records of her visits to the palace destroyed, sent out proclamations announcing her crimes and immediately signed warrants for hers and all people associated with either the restaurant or farm's arrest.
*translation=infant's cheeks
@Hectate Reeve: looks good. Can you elaborate on the summoning focus? It's the one aspect of SoP that borders on overpowered if you set your mind to it - like Paizo's Master Summoner.
I agree that conjuration could be game-breaking; I'm not interested in breaking the game. That's one of the reasons I didn't go Thaumaturge with the Master of Cosmos feat... level 3 companion at level 1(!)
I'm taking the basic conjuration talent, but the current plan is to only have 1 companion to start with who'll be set up for combat (plans for this are still vague: if there's anything you regard as overpowered, let me know so I can avoid it). Later, if the group needs it, I might add another companion who'll have Tiny size, flight and stealth talents to fill the rogue/scout slot.
I would like to go for the Advanced talents which mimic planar binding, but that's something to discuss at a later point, assuming I get picked.
I'm still thinking on other possible spheres I might go for - I'm definitely not putting all my eggs in the conjuration basket.
In terms of Drawbacks, I'm taking Draining Casting and Addictive Magic; plus possibly Somatic Casting (Hecate wouldn't know what to do with a suit of armour if she tripped over one).
Ah, Way of the Wicked. Always I come back to you, like a moth to the flame. I've been burned before, but still, you call to me, and I must attempt it once again!
Not fixing what ain't broken, here are the standard questions folks have been answering.
How long have you been playing Pathfinder?
I got started with D&D in earnest just around the time that the transition to 3.5 first happened. When Pathfinder went into beta way my weekly real life game converted from 3.5 on the fly almost right away. We had some weird hiccups getting that figured out, let me tell you - but once we did, we never looked back. I've played all kinds of tabletop RPGs, from 4th edition to GURPS to Amber Diceless, but I never stray too far from my preciou- er, my favorite system.
What are your rules knowledge and optimization skills like?
Two related questions here.
Knowledge: Extensive. As mentioned above, I've been playing this for a while, and I'm extremely familiar with the game's workings. I'm not going to claim I'm not occasionally stymied by something (turns out there's a lot of rules, guys), but it's exceptionally rare that I can't either figure out an answer to a given question.
Optimization: Again, pretty thorough, but I usually don't opt for it too hard. I'm generally more inclined to find the best trait or feat to make the character concept work than the one that'll make my numbers explode upward the best. That said, I do try to get the best bang for my buck, and usually manage to come up with something that both fits what I'm trying to do and doesn't suck mechanically.
Are you experienced with the PbP format?
Yup. Quite a bit. I had to quit most of my games a while ago as my life got overrun when I went back to school full time, but I'm all graj-ee-ated and back to being a regular working joe, so I have the time for this stuff once again. This is one of the first games I'm putting up interest in now that I'm trying to get back in the groove, actually (Like I said, Way of the Wicked calls to me). Regardless, I've been around the PbP block a few times, and I know the drill pretty well.
On a related note, I tend to prefer a fairly casual posting rate - something like at least once every 48 hours. I can usually keep up a once-a-day or so rate, but I keep pretty odd hours, and too much more than that often starts to leave me behind.
If you are, but your game(s) ended early, what happened?
Several of them I dropped from due to the aforementioned life circumstances, and naturally, others have died due to the GM falling away, or players slowly losing interest, that kind of thing. Once or twice, I admit, I've been one of the players slowing things down, but usually I manage to pay a decent level of attention.
What kind of combat/social balance do you like?
Generally speaking, I lean harder towards the social. I really like character interaction and background, and dialogue is my jam. My degree is in Theatre, if that tells you anything.
In PbPs especially, I like to leave things combat light. It has its place, obviously - you can't make an omelette, etc. - but a combat takes up So Much in a play-by-post that you can end up fighting the same group of jerks for a month. My personal inclination is to have fewer fights whenever we can get away with it.
All that said, ultimately, this is in many senses a game that is largely about the combat, and there's nothing wrong with pulverizing everyone in your way. I just know that when I run things, I tend to pull back a little on wandering monsters.
Do you have previous experience with the WotW AP?
I do, sadly. I've briefly been in two different WotW games on these very boards (at the same time, actually!), both of which I was forced to drop out of because of the school thing. I just now took a quick glance at the posts for those, actually, and looks like both of them almost immediately also suffered from a disappearing GM, killing them entirely. Weird.
Anyway, I've played the very early stages of the path, and a miniscule chunk later on, as I joined that game mid-campaign. What little I've learned about the ongoing plot, I'm confident I can keep separate from my actual gameplay. For your reference, though, my specific experience in a nutshell:
In the mid-campaign game, we were on the hunt for the Horn (in the 5th-level range), but all I did was help get out of the city and ingratiate ourselves with some boggards before I had to drop out.
And then, to break the formula slightly...
My Gaming Philosophy
I'm in this for the stories. If I can help weave something I wouldn't mind reading in a novel, or seeing up on the screen, then I've met my goal. Overall, I think this is a strength, but it does tend to get me in trouble sometimes when I do something that's just plain not tactically sound because I think it makes sense for the character or will make for a kickass moment.
When it comes to villainous games, I admit that I might run a little on the squeamish side. Since I'm chiming in here, I obviously find something appealing about us all playing murderous evil monsters, but I do balk some at graphic descriptions of torture, rape, and the like. We're gonna be up to some terrible things, but if we delve too deep, I can see myself having some issues finding the words to describe the more awful things and probably get real quiet real fast.
Your Character Concept?
Part confidence man, part ladies' man, and part black-hearted backstabbing...uh, man. May I present:
He was a bastard of a minor noble house, the product of his mother's dalliance with a passing elf in her youth. While not completely removed from the family, he was treated with little affection, his slightly pointed ears an ever-present reminder of the shame he brought to the Gale family. But still, he lived within the noble household, and grew used to luxuries in his life.
When first sent off to school, he was mocked and pushed around for his elven heritage. That same elven heritage caused him to grow slower than his classmates, and so had little defense against the larger, human children. But soon enough, with the aid of a quick wit and venomous tongue, he discovered a talent for ferreting out just enough family secrets to hold his tormentors in line. Within a short time, he ruled his school, without ever having to learn to throw a punch.
For a while, this served him well, until by the most unlucky of circumstances, he fell afoul of true peril. When Sholano was twelve, he had punished one of his classmates from a more prominent noble house for a crack about his father by spreading a rumor that his family was in league with devils. It was mere days after that the decree came down from the palace, declaring the beginning of the Asmodean purges. The rumor was investigated far more thoroughly than Sholano had ever anticipated, and the Mitran church became involved. When the truth was discovered, the Mitrans and Markadian the Fourth began to put political pressure on House Gale, and the heads of the family took action - disowning Sholano as the bastard child he was.
Stunned, suddenly on the street with nothing left to his name, Sholano scrabbled to survive. He found, much to his surprise, that the political games he had played in school were of far less value on the streets. He needed to rethink his tactics. Armed with a combination of natural charm and practiced guile, he managed to skate by on the kindness of strangers for a time, gliding from inn to inn picking up useful stories and even more useful information, until he eventually earned a reputation in the city's underside as a reliable information broker. He took care to remain just dangerous enough that no one wanted to get on his bad side, but likewise remain a low enough threat that no one needed to put him down. He still had the same vindictive streak that got in his way back in school, and although he was more subtle about indulging it, more than a few who thought they could strongarm the young half-elf found themselves turned in for a crime they didn't commit, or stranded dockside without a penny to their name.
All of this was leading to a goal, of course. Sholano may have excelled at the criminal's life, and indeed, he came to love the thrill of it, but he was far from willing to let his expulsion from the lap of luxury go unpunished. Although he hadn't worked out just how yet, he intended to revenge himself on the Mitran church for getting him cast out. Along the way, he wouldn't mind bringing a bit of retribution to the family that hadn't bothered to fight for him as well. Faster than he would have liked, though, the city's authorities caught on to his games, and he was forced to flee Talingarde.
Out in the wide world, he came to the conclusion that a reputation was not always a good thing. Yes, it brought people to you, but as he'd just learned, it wasn't always the sort of people you wanted to find you. With this in mind, he set about picking up another new set of tactics. He wandered the countryside for a time, visiting different countries and towns, learning of their ways. Everywhere he went, he shed his old name and personality like others would a cloak, putting on a new one just as easily. As he learned the craft, he began to leave behind him an increasing trail of missing riches and ill-planned investments, amassing the stake he would need to re-establish himself into Talingarde's elite. In the right circles, he even earned a bit of a reputation again, although very few indeed knew his real identity. Most simply called him the Pretender.
When he considered his skills honed enough, and his fortune great enough, he worked his way back to Talingarde, and lazed about for a few years, intending to gauge the political situation before beginning to make his play to enact his revenge. He pulled the occasional swindle, mostly just to keep his hand in, and built up an array of wandering personae around the island, just to have someone to escape into if he needed.
He got careless, though. Running a simple con on a merchant called Treblefast, he underestimated the man and ran afoul of the authorities - but not before hiding a rather tidy sum of gold with contacts outside the island. The blasted Mitran justice system managed to uncover a number of his past crimes, and even his true identity. With all these offenses thrown at his feet, they sent him to Branderscar, to his great horror. So far, he'd always managed to bribe or bamboozle his way out of every petty jail he'd found himself in, but Branderscar was a different animal. Not to mention the brand!
But he'd be damned if he would simply give up. There were too many thrills yet to be had, and Mitra still had some comeuppance coming to him, him and his self-righteous clergy. Oh yes, he'd find a way out of here, and when he did...
Well. Then he'd find out how to trick a god.
Further details await in the linked profile, if you're after them. This is the same character I've run in previous WotW games, and at this point, he's just champing at the bit to get out of my head and cheat some people out of their stuff again. All the stats and whatnot are, of course, subject to change based on how you run your character creation, but the background, description, character hooks and all should work just fine. If you like, the numbers are there to give a basic rundown of how the character would strive to work mechanically.
@Toodles or summat: The background's perfectly acceptable as long as you have a good Profession(cook) bonus. ;-)
@Hectate: Glad to hear it. :-)
@Sholano Gale: sounds good
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Update
The following people have completed all the phases up to this point
Ekkehardt
Rednal
Erick the Strangler
NenkotaMoon
Marvin Fenster
Hectate Reeve
The following people have given me character concepts but no pictures
GM Aest
GM-Gathrix
Tryvin the Blood Artist
The Pale King
Toodles or summat
Sholano Gale, Silver-Tongued Scoundrel
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There's still plenty of time, but those listed here are currently at the top of my list.
The following people have given me character concepts but no pictures
Sholano Gale, Silver-Tongued Scoundrel
Whoop, sorry, forgot that completely.
Here you go. It's a pretty iconic picture, so you'll probably recognize the hero it usually depicts - but think about it. What if he wasn't the good guy? What if he just convinced everyone he was?
(Also, add slightly pointy ears to the equation.)
I missed a picture? I'm so sorry, I picked one out and everything. This is what I'll most likely use.
@Zogg: slavery is illegal in Talingarde (as is every other vice), so that backstory element may need a little tweaking. As one of the only Goblins left in the country, he'd definitely end up in Brandescar Prison, though. ;-)
That makes it even better then. He was sent to the country form somewhere slavery is legal, and that even added to his other crimes. I mean hes not the smartest goblin so he wouldn't have cared about the local laws and only what he was told to do. What do you think?
Otherwise he could have been hired to just kidnap the noble. That would work too. Also I don't see Zogg on the list. Did I miss part of the application?
Picture Like this with a velociraptor.
@Viscount: You're good to go now. :-)
@GM Aest: I REALLY like that picture. She's very pretty. You're good to go now. :-)
@Zogg: I'd been waiting for a revised/explained backstory. You're good now. Being sent from elsewhere works better and is perfectly acceptable. Your story is actually pretty similar to my wife's character. ;-)
O great and powerful dictator!
I've got a decent concept for a battle scion but was wondering if you'd had a chance to look over the nightblade?