|
Sounds cool, do you have a link?Although I didn't make my players choose a group alignment or single unifying background, I was able to fit them all together into the Pioneer backstory and used that as a prologue for my PbP game. We're just wrapping up this portion now and it went great! Fabulous introduction and gave the party members some much needed opportunities for interaction before they set off for Oleg's, as well as a credible reason for being selected for the task.
Thank you for the idea!
http://rpol.net/game.cgi?gi=42288
|
What exactly are the Bloodstone Swords? Sounds interesting, but I couldn't find any information on them besides "look into the Faction Guide". : (
"Bloodstone Swords
The River Kingdoms are rife with temporary causes,f lash-in-the-pan territorial conf licts, and leaders
who temporarily have more money than warriors
to back them up. As such, the area is a prime breeding
ground and destination for mercenary groups of all
persuasions. The Bloodstone Swords are well known not
only for their battle prowess, but also for their benevolent
treatment of the noncombatants they move among. As
such, they are highly sought after by settlements who
seek protection but don’t want to risk becoming the
target of those they hire."
|
What exactly are the Bloodstone Swords? Sounds interesting, but I couldn't find any information on them besides "look into the Faction Guide". : ("Bloodstone Swords
The River Kingdoms are rife with temporary causes,
f lash-in-the-pan territorial conf licts, and leaders
who temporarily have more money than warriors
to back them up. As such, the area is a prime breeding
ground and destination for mercenary groups of all
persuasions. The Bloodstone Swords are well known not
only for their battle prowess, but also for their benevolent
treatment of the noncombatants they move among. As
such, they are highly sought after by settlements who
seek protection but don’t want to risk becoming the
target of those they hire."
You're right, that would be a perfect fit for PCs with the Soldiers Origin.
What exactly are the Bloodstone Swords? Sounds interesting, but I couldn't find any information on them besides "look into the Faction Guide". : ("Bloodstone Swords
The River Kingdoms are rife with temporary causes,
f lash-in-the-pan territorial conf licts, and leaders
who temporarily have more money than warriors
to back them up. As such, the area is a prime breeding
ground and destination for mercenary groups of all
persuasions. The Bloodstone Swords are well known not
only for their battle prowess, but also for their benevolent
treatment of the noncombatants they move among. As
such, they are highly sought after by settlements who
seek protection but don’t want to risk becoming the
target of those they hire."
Hey, thank you! Sounds really interesting!
|
|
Very cool PbP Count Buggula, I'm really enjoying reading it (but that just might be because I love seeing things I create being used by other GMs).
Sounds like you've got a fun group of players.
Thanks! Glad you're enjoying it. I've got a pretty good group of roleplayers, and creative writing was my passion long before I got into D&D, so we've got a good thing going.
I had to finally break out the first Kingmaker book last night to finish my post. They're off! I'll wrap up the prologue chapter as soon as they head out of town and start a new Chapter 1: The Stolen Lands!
|
|
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
It's been nearly six years since I wrote this stuff.
Here's an alternative Chaotic Good origin that has better links to Brevoy.
The Rebels
Chaotic Good
History: You're a member of a rebel cell that has longed chafed under Issia's iron rule of Brevoy. You've done little to overthrow the tyrant Noleski Surtova, besides sew dissent and rouse rabble. Tonight though you're going to do something real to get those Issians to stand up and listen.
Rebellious Mind-Set: You gain a +2 bonus on saves to resist charm and compulsion effects, furthermore you may treat Diplomacy or Intimidate as a class skill.
Recommended Races, Ethnicities: Human (Brevan, Iobarian, Varisian, Taldan, Ulfen), Half-Orc, Half-Elf, Halfling, Gnome.
Core: Barbarian, Bard, Cleric, Druid, Fighter, Ranger, Rogue, Sorcerer, Wizard.
Classes
Base: Alchemist, Oracle, Vigilante, Witch
Hybrid: Arcanist, Bloodrager, Brawler, Hunter, Shaman, Skald, Slayer, Swashbuckler, Warpriest
Occult: Kineticist, Medium, Mesmerist, Spiritualist
GM Opening Encounter:
You are gathered together in Restov. The local Bank of Abadar is closing up and a wagon is being loaded with the day's takings. As tempting a prize as that is for the cause you aren't here for that. While the guards are distracted your goal is to sneak into the Vault, and take the bank's copies of the deeds to some Issian holdings in Rostland territories. You're going to take your lands back, one way or another.
Getting into the Bank shouldn't be two difficult while the guards are distracted the PCs can attempt a DC 15 Stealth check to get into the bank. Give them a bonus for entering at dusk, and if they fail a DC 12 Bluff check might get the PCs past the guards.
(Otherwise they can come back later using climbing equipment to get in through the stained glass dome).Once the PCs are in they need only search the Bank a successful DC 12 Perception check can get them to the right lock-box. It will take a DC 25 Disable Device, or DC 30 Strength check to open the lock-box. The characters can take 20, and use Aid Another on these checks. There is an alarm (CL 5) spell on the lockboxes which can be disabled with a successful DC 26 Disable Device check. Once the PCs are successful they can seek to make their getaway with the deeds. They have a contact who they need to take the deeds to. If the alarm is triggered have nearby guards give chase (use urban chase card rules if you want to spice things up).
If the PCs want to loot the bank, you can let them, there is 250 gp easily accessible in the bank.
Once the PCs make their getaway. They should take the deeds to their contact. Calling himself the Secret Sword, he has a hideout in the basement of a local pub named The Quiet Night Inn. Upon handing over the deeds the masked man thanks the PCs for their ingenuity. At this point there is a crash from above: The bar is being raided by Issian Soldiers.
"Dammit, it sounds like you weren't as careful as you thought. You've been followed. Get out of here, lay low. I'll be in touch." The Secret Sword races up the stairs to meet the soldiers head on.
The Secret Sword Human Swashbuckler (Mysterious Avenger) 5
Issian Soldiers (x6) Human Warrior 1The players can either sneak or fight their way out.
Days later, as the party holes up in a safe-house. There is a knock on the safehouse door.
"Let me in," the familiar voice of The Secret Sword on the other side of the door. You lost track of him after the raid.
The Secret Sword assures the party he was not followed, and a DC 10 Perception check verifies he is alone. Once the PCs open the door, the Secret Sword comes inside and says:
"Listen, you've done an amazing thing by stealing these deeds from under those Issian bastard's noses. But we weren't counting on Gargoyle surveillance. You've been spotted, and they have your descriptions. It's not safe for you to be in Brevoy."
At this point let the players exclaim and respond.
"Hold friends. You've done a great service to Rostland, and Rostland repays its debts," at which point the Secret Sword takes off his mask. Revealing the face of Javoci Ladovka, a Sword Lord of Brevoy.
"One of these deeds you took was in fact the Exploration Rights to a tract of land South East of Restov. It's called appropriately enough, the Stolen Lands. As a Sword Lord of Brevoy, I have both the right and privilege to imbue you all with the right to explore and colonize those lands. Technically you'll be outside Brevoy's lawful borders and can not be pursued for your crimes here."
Ladovca smiles.
"So in order to throw off suspicion myself and a few other Brevic nobles are sending forth "adventuring parties", on a mission of exploration to the South. Play your cards right and we might be able to build an alliance that could throw off Issian rule once and for all. What say you?"
After this give the PCs some horses, wagons and supplies and send them forth on the road to Oleg's, the Stolen Land awaits and a kingdom built by rebels is in the cards.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
That's a nice intro, and it dovetails well into the politics between the new nation and the happenings within Brevoy.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
That's a nice intro, and it dovetails well into the politics between the new nation and the happenings within Brevoy.
Indeed, I really like this idea a lot, regardless of whether or not you use party alignment/background it does a great job of setting up the AP.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Just wanted to say I ran a variation of the bank heist for my campaign opening today. Worked like a charm and got the party a good taste of the politics involved. Party was tasked with retrieving the deeds and bringing them back to the rightful owner. Of course the party soon figured out that they didn't know if the person hiring them actually was a rightful owner, or just someone who wanted to destroy the original deeds. Once they opened the box they found a letter with the deeds that indicated House Surtova was blackmailing the possessors of the fake deeds. This only added to their consternation over who to give the deeds to.
All in all worked great and lead to some interesting decisions by the party. Don't think they've figured out how valuable the charter is yet though.