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So, a while back I tried to run a CoT PbP, and it failed due to me not having the time to expend on it. I had several great players, and I regret that the game died, but my second child was very young, I wasn't getting much sleep, and I underestimated the amount of prep time it would take.
I also hated CoT (the AP itself), but that was a secondary concern.
Now, 6 months or so later, my daughter is sleeping through the night. I am no longer dog tired every day, and I have the time to spend on GMing properly.
But...
I really don't want to start an AP, because to get through a whole AP will doubtless take several years. Golarion's a big, fun place, and I'm finding that the idea of a homebrew game rather appeals to me.
So, with that said, here's the recruitment thread.
A few thoughts/guidelines:
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* Posting once per weekday, at minimum, would be greatly appreciated. I am sensitive to people getting burnt out, though, and I am resolved to not become burnt out myself this time. Weekends are the exception to this. I probably won't post much on weekends, and I don't expect you to. If you do, great, and if I do, great. Vacations and whatnot happen, no big deal there.
* I am seriously only selecting 4 people. I will ask for email addresses from those selected, and will offer mine.
* I am biased toward fairly vanilla, normal characters. I'm not limiting material - make whatever you want, although the only 3PP stuff allowed will be SGG material. When I'm selecting players, though, I'm most likely (51% likely, if you must know :-p) to select a classic party (Think Fighter/Rogue/Wizard/Cleric) if I can. I might select a different party makeup, but my point here is, if you want to play a gunslinger or an alchemist with a tumor familiar, you're going to have to sell me on it in your background. Don't in any way plan on taking Antagonize from UM. Those of you who know me from elsewhere know that it is dead to me. Dead, I say. Fighters will get nice things in my game, but those things won't be mind control.
* Characters will be built on a 20 point buy, no dumping below 8. I tell you this for planning reasons, because:
* In this thread, please only submit a character concept, the more detailed the better. No need to make a profile, yet. If I select your concept, we'll move the character generation process into an OOC thread.
* Characters can be from anywhere, as long as you're willing to work with me on how you got to Nirmathas, where our story will begin.
* The party will start off as members of The Glade, a well-established and tight-knit community of free peoples living in the Southern Fangwood. The Glade consists of all manner of individuals, from outlaws to rugged woodsmen to entertainers and even a few practitioners of magic of various kinds. It is a communal group not unlike the Merry Men of the Robin Hood legend, but larger (200 or so people) and decidedly less illegal. The Glade is currently led by Fyrwyn Dern, a woman in her late thirties who is renowned for her kindness and wisdom, but who speaks little of her past. Elections are held every other year, and Fyrwyn has recently been re-elected for a second term, running unopposed. She is nearly universally beloved among the members of The Glade. The community largely lives off the land, and they are welcome to do so - this is, after all, Nirmathas.
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If you've read this far, thanks. I look forward to seeing what ideas people come up with, or if anyone even applies. I don't know how non-AP games actually do around here. If anyone has any questions, feel free.
Let's have fun!
J
Interested. It just happens to be bed time so I'll have to get more detailed when I come home from work tomorrow.
I have an idea for a scout master type ranger who teaches little boys how to survive in the woods. But anyway I'll detail that later.
Alright, I've got a concept for a character I've wanted to try out for a couple of weeks.
Aldorel Fae'Dareth is an elven Magus with the Bladebound archetype. He was born to a noble family in Cheliax, and was raised as a strict elven traditionalist. His entire family is comprised of devout followers of Calistria, and they have a long tradition of blending spellcraft and swordplay.
In his younger years, Aldorel's life looked like it would be promising, but after the Thrune ascendancy, things become difficult for many non-humans in Cheliax, and his family was displaced to Isger, where he spent most of his young adult life. This did little to quell his pride, though, and he continued his training as he fostered a bitter streak towards the ruling constituency.
In recent years, Aldorel has mastered the fundamentals of his craft, and he was soon to inherit his family's blackblade, a rapier named "Spitenail" in honor of Calistria. Unfortunately, a few weeks ago, his manor was broken into to, his father severely wounded, and several valuables taken, the sword among them. With his father in recovery, it falls to Aldorel to retrieve this weapon, and once he has done so, it shall be his.
He has tracked the thieves to Nirmathas, and in his time there, he sees nothing but potential in the country. Without the chains of the Chelaxian empire or neighboring Molthune, there is a vacuum of power, and a need for leadership, and he wonders if this might be a role he might fill. They are currently only musings, but as heir to his family's estate, Aldoral is now toying with the notion of moving his family here once he has retrieved Spitenail and laying the foundations for a new legacy in the Fae'Dareth name.
Aldorel is a prideful and ambitious elven traditionalist, and tends to cling to antiquated elven ideologies. He possesses a sense of superiority that can be grating at times, though he always shows proper respect to those he feels have earned it. He prides himself on his wit and his style, and is a bit of a fop and a cad. He endeavors to present a face of cynicism, but he can be roused to support the right cause with uncharacteristic fervor, usually when it involves defending the honor or position of his family, the elven race, or Calistria. He knows how to nurse a grudge, and never lets a slight pass, though the nature of his retaliation is always proportionate to the insult given. He likes to challenge himself, and has a taste for high adventure, especially when it takes him to exotic locals or ancient places.
I'd really like to play Aldorel as a Magus, but he could be reworked into a Rogue or Bard fairly easily, and possibly even an Inquisitor of Calistria.
As far as posting, I am on GMT +8, but I should be able to get in 1 post per day no problem. 2 or 3 posts is far more likely if the thread is active. The sole exception might be between June 18th and June 26th, when my family will be visiting. Not that I won't be posting (becuase seriously, how hard is it to sit in front of a computer for 5 minutes?), it'll just probably be much closer to 1 per day at that time.
Also interested in playing a vanilla build for the long hall. I'm not particular to any one class although I seem to play Clerics (Support), best, but will play whatever is needed to fill out the party.
Another friend of mine, Qi, is also interested. I emailed him and he'll be posting shortly. He enjoys playing Wizards, but I'm sure he'll play what is needed.
Weekdays I can do with most weekends.
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I am very interested. I initially looked at a fighter with the archer archetype or a rogue with the scout/sniper archetypes, then I looked at the zen archer. I am usually against monks, but I think this is a great archetype for just such a setting and it replaces much of the easterny feel/abilities that I find out of place in western based fantasy.
Giope, one of hundreds of orphans left in the wake of the Goblinblood wars, was taken by the Sisters of the Golden Erinyes. Too young to remember much about his family, he grew up under the unyielding discipline of the Asmodean devil worshippers. He strived for perfection, for only through flawless action could any of the young wards escape the brutal punishments meted out by the cruel sisters. For ten years he was ruthlessly trained, watching others casually discarded when they failed.
At age 15, their obligation fulfilled, the sisters gave him his papers and discharged him from the monastery to make his own way. Giope wandered for weeks, doing odd jobs and constantly looking for work. He was saddened by all of the poverty and hardship throughout Isger and made his way to Molthune hoping to find steady work on the trade routes. Along the way, he kept hearing rumors of free people living farther north in a new country, Nirmathas.
Giope kept trudging north until he reached the Fangwood. There he met up with and joined the free company of The Glade. Learning the ways of the woodsmen, he began learning to hunt with the bow. Drawn to the bow, he bent his will to mastering the weapon. An island of calm in the chaos of the free peoples, he marvels at their happiness, goodwill and love of personal freedom.
I work graveyard and have plenty of time to post once, twice or thrice daily five to six days a week. I hope this concept fits into your world.
Synopsis: Ryarg is a bear shaman (druid) dwarf, with an obvious fondness for bears. He is a bit of a hermit, maker of fine fruit wines, friendly, though extremely shy and insular. He normally prefers to be left alone.
Personality: Ryarg bears many of the emotional scars burned into his psyche during his upbringing in Lee Vale. He is slow to trust, and insular among people he does not know. This can come across as gruff and unfriendly. He bears deep scars across his face from the claws of a large bear he was unable to pacify in the early days of his learning. Unlike many of his kin, Ryarg takes care of his appearance, keeping his coarse hair combed (it usually rests on his shoulders in loose waves) and his beard trimmed unusually short for a dwarf. He owns very little, other than his weapons and armour, everything he possesses can easily fit into his leather backpack, save the waterskin on his hip. He does not give into the racial stereotype of the drinking and carousing dwarf, preferring time in solitary meditation to wild partying. If he does drink, it is usually to partake of one of the vintages of wild fruit wines, for which he is famous around The Glade.
History: For centuries, the Gravemaker clan has been among the lowest of the low in the dwarven town of Lee Vale – not outcasts by any means, just not respected. The clan’s history is filled with mediocre blacksmiths, unexceptional stonemasons, unlucky prospectors, and soldiers who never made it past their second year of service before meeting a grisly end. The one vocation the family found any success in was gravedigging, leaving them the butt of many dwarven jokes and snide remarks. Polite society shunned them, and they were never prosperous. Despite all that, they were decent, honest, hard-working dwarves, content with their station in society, yet ever fearful of that station falling even further than it already had. The status quo could have continued for many centuries to come, if not for Ryarg.
Ryarg was never right, a fact which renewed any and all of the derisive chatter about the Gravemaker clan. The town of Lee Vale, deep within the Mindspun Mountains, was built within the base of a mountain, and overlooks a steep mountain valley complete with a babbling stream and verdant trees and grasses. Most of the town residents looked on the Vale as an acceptable source of clean water, fresh fruits and game, and a place to grow a smattering of crops if necessary (dwarven farmers being in much the same social situation as Gravemakers, very few dwarves took up this line of work). Ryarg saw this natural wonder as much more than a source of water; where the other dwarves saw beauty in gold, gems, and well-carved stone, Ryarg saw it in the interplay of dew drops on a spider’s web, the song of a mountain thrush, and the lazy meanderings of autumn leaves on a shining pool.
Ryarg was identified at an early age as having excellent potential as a priest of Torag, albeit a grumpy one, but the emphasis on warfare and other traditional dwarven ideals was too much for the young rebel. It was quite a shock to the elder priests when their new young charge began to ask about nature worship instead. Agreed, some rare few priests had embraced the realm of natural caverns over dwarf-made, but that could be understood. No, Ryarg was looking for worship of the trees and animals of the surface world, like an elf. Ryarg quickly went from the first real hope of the Gravemaker clan for a contributing member of society, to the worst laughing-stock ever. Throughout the town, word quickly spread of the dwarf who wished he was an elf, and the ale houses rang with laughter at the expense of the Gravemaker clan like it never had before. The Clan elders felt they had little choice but to kick Ryarg out on his can and banish him from ever returning to Lee Vale.
Ryarg soon found that it would be impossible for him to remain within the confines of Lee Vale, so off he went across the Mindspun Mountains to the east, arriving in Nirmathas. Here, he found paradise. Only a few years after the country gained its independence from Molthune, he found vast tracks of unbroken wilderness to call his home. He began to study the animals, the plants, and weather, taking a special interest in the mighty grizzly bear. Such a powerful beast, strong and brave, yet tender with its family and protective to the death. As his druidic powers began to manifest, Ryarg found that his normal inability to relate to any living creature did not apply so much with bears, that bears would not attack him and would tolerate his presence. One bear cub in particular seemed to like him, playing with Ryarg like he was a member of the family, and Ryarg eagerly watched this young ursine grow up. When Ryarg finally decided it was time to move on, the bear cub followed him, and would not be dissuaded. By this time, Ryarg had learned the secret of speaking with animals, and the bear cub pledged his loyalty to Ryarg, the first living being to ever want to be with Ryarg for purely selfless reasons. Ryarg named him Bern, and the two began to travel.
They had not traveled far when they arrived at a unique human settlement, The Glade. Here, Ryarg and Bern found total acceptance, and a place to call home.
I'd like to play a rogue. Milo, a young gnome, was taken in to the Glade as a youngling of 15 years old. That was 8 years ago. He has been unwilling to discuss where he came from, and what happened, but it was traumatic and involved a large city. Since then he has normalized socially, and balances an innate tendency towards mischief and pranks with respect for his community. Clever and resourceful, he wants to seek out an adventure that allows him to see the world, and perhaps confront his past.
Here's a character I've been kicking about a bit. Sure you are leaning towards more vanilla characters, but I thought I'd give my summoner a try.
Krol's backstory:
Krolmnite Underhill's life started out different than most. His entire family have had deep connections into arcane magic and his father was a spellcaster who focused on conjuration whilst his mother was a sorcerer with the celestial bloodline.
He was being trained to be a wizard as he appeared to have the magical nack as most gnomes, but he appeared to have some spells that developed naturally, yet these were not sorcerer so they assumed he was just starting with a greater connection to magic than than his parents, but little did they know he was going to be something greater.
Later he woke up in the middle of the night, feeling a strange urge calling to him. It was calling for help but he did not understand it. Being a gnome he acted on impulse and left right away.
He found the location in a cave where a evil wizard was forcing a Azata to stay in a circle. The man wanted Krol's family to be killed by this creature, but it refused, yet if it tried to leave it would die. Seeing this as the perfect oppitunity he searched for a answer. First he created a greased area beneith the spellcaster, making him slip up and knock into the candels, knocking them over which lit the grease on fire and burned the wizard. As he struggled about Krol used acid splash to melt down the corners of a book case and have it fall down on the man, crushing the evil wizard and dispelling the circle.
The azata was free and being happy he sees Krolmnite. It was a Lillend Azata with beautiful wings and a long tail instead of legs. She then said to him the following words in common:
"For saving my life I will bestow upon you a great gift. I now bind you to the soul of my unborn child." she pulls him close and as the way to seal the deal a kiss is made.
As Krol arrived home his parents found out where he was and he told them all what happened, apart from the azata's promise. In a few weeks he felt a similar call as the voice echoed inside his mind and she taught him to concentrait and that night, he mastered the ability and brought into existance the azata's child he named Nefi. His parents were shocked to find this strange and naked female outsider with lizard-like body parts. The creature spoke perfect common and explained it's birth into existance was only made last night, despite her appearance of an adult.
They noticed that Krol could indeed alter his Eidolon's form and that he would have more access as he grew older and so they set him out on his path to learn more about the world. He doesn't know exactly how powerful this Eidolon can get, but he hopes to one day rediscover this Azata to thank her and show how much he has helped raised her child, but to also help save others as he did this outsider who would've been forced to become his assassin has he not heard the call.
Krol's Appearance:
Krol's appearence is an almost unearthly beauty and being as charismatic as he is he is also able to get along with almost anyone he comes across, unfortunately due to this he is far too trusting, however his pet, Nefi, always has his back. He has short blond hair and what appears to be flawless skin and deep green eyes.
Eidolon's Appearance:
Nefi appears like a azata which has a beautiful female body combined with scaled and lizard-like arms, legs and neck area. Her hands appear to be claws and though she appears human, her teeth have fangs which she can bite with. The tail for the moment just keeps her momentum and she often wears a simple robe to cover up the humanoid nakedness as unlike her realm, people frown upon nudity in this world.
ideas to help with his backstory in your campaign:
Since he's a traveller and I've made his home vauge it can be anywhere so a suggestion is that he was raised in the capital of Ustalav, Caliphas arriving in Nirmanthus, Tamran so port to port, coincidently capital to capital. Also he would have other reasons to hide her strange appearance being how supersticious Ustalavians are.
This Eidolon is not going to be one of those silly builds with 6 arms and weapons in every hand, she's going to have no weapons. Funnily enough when making this character I realised this Eidolon hiding under the robe made me think of Fallout 2 where you could get a deathclaw companion who hid in a cloak and even vault city let you in with him, not knowing what he really was.
Since he's travelling the world perhaps he ends up in The Glade due to interest in wanting to go somewhere, where he and his companion would be least likely to be noticed and hope to find a job or two that can get them coin on their travels whilst he gains power and by extension, his Eidolon too.
Would've added more info about a reason of being in The Glade, however I can't find it on The Inner Sea Guide's Gazesetter so I assume it's homebrewed location.
Anyway, here he is for your consideration.
Interested. It just happens to be bed time so I'll have to get more detailed when I come home from work tomorrow.
I have an idea for a scout master type ranger who teaches little boys how to survive in the woods. But anyway I'll detail that later.
As promised.
Class: CG Human Ranger (Guide)
Name: Telias Markan
Telias markan has always been a man of the woods, though his bookish personality and timid personality might leave others to believe that he's a scholarly bookworm he prefers to do his work in the great outdoors where he has spent much of his life.
His desire to study the great outdoors came when he was a young boy and waas attacked by a black bear. He was saved thanks to a passing hunter who knew a trick to ward off even an angry bear with hot spices and itching powder. Both he and the bear were unharmed. Amazed even at that young age by the knowledge the ranger displayed he sought to learn all he could not jsut from the ranger but from all the men of the woods including the druids and other wilderness folk.
It was some years later when he decided to put that knowledge to some practical use. He was 13 years old when his younger brother went missing in the woods. It was days before they found him again having barely managed to escape an attack by a giant mantis. His legs were broken beyond use adn he nearly died of dehydration.
It was then that he realized that if his borhter simply knew how to handle himself in the woods he would have seen the creature that ambushed him and more importantly if he knew how to mend his legs he would still be walking to this day. He decided at that point that the knowledge and skills that rangers used the women and children of the villages must know. So he went on a crusade of teaching where he went from village to village teaching children and those willing to learn what he knew of the woods. More than that he seeks knowledge as well as shares it spending weeks to months alone in the woods to learn all he could about a single family of squirrels or the habits of a certain ornery bear.
He'd then take that gathered knowledge and share it with the local village so they can coexist with said animals in peace. This has earned him soemthign of a mixed reputation among the villages he visits. Some respect his knowedge and appreciate the help that he brings. Others resent his meddling thinking that they were doing jsut fine without him. Some are amazed by his "magic" and suspect he might be a witch. What's more is that he writes and draws everythin including his observations and conclusions. Ultimately he is a wandering naturalist learnin everything he can of the natural world to the benefit adn fascination of his community.
He's had little to no love interests in his life but the fleeting occasional dalliance that ended as soon as he left. His brother married and has a child and his parents are still alive in the town he grew up in. He has a home not far from his brothers that him and his wife help take care of when he's away that's filled mostly with books of stuff he's collected or written over the years.
Telias himself is a tall gaunt man in his late 20's with long brown hair tied behind him. He has a scholarly bent to hsi speech and mannerisms but the mud on his boots and tan of his skin suggests a hardworking man of the outdoors but the large bow and sword he carries suggest that he's used to conflict and even how to deal with it.
Thanks for submitting him, overfiend. Yes, The Glade is a wholly made-up organization.
Thought so. I had my inner sea guide book just to check and a map of netire of golarian just to look up somewhere that's realistic. I knew Molthune would've been realtistic however I read how there is a real hatred between the two of them as Molthune make continued assults, claiming Nirmathus their's and I swear I read somewhere (cannot remember where in the book) that most who are from Molthune are seen as spies or an advanced squad to build up followers or something. Not to mention Molthune have a strong milituristic view so Krol would've been brought up by warriors and most likely be a fighter or something.
Gives me the idea to make a pint-sized fighter who has the same planning for battle as Scrappy Doo.
I would like to present a CG Half-Orc Fighter with the Two-Weapon Warrior archetype using and Orc Double Axe.
Ragar "Two-Fisted" Coughlin was born in the Hold of Belkzen. He is the bastard son of a fierce warlord who planted his seed in several ensalved females captured in raids to the south. He was spirited away by his mother, Mirra Coughlin when a successfull campaign of Nirmanthas Rangers rescued the prisoners that were taken from the Northern reaches of the Southern Fangwood. Most of the prisoners, including the mother of Ragar took up with the Glade because they simply had no family left in their original homeland.
Ragar grew up amongst the citizens of the Glade, and he received extensive training in two-weapon fighting by the rangers and fighters of the Glade, but he still holds his Orc Double Axe near and dear to his heart as a reminder of his origins and a desire to avenge the treatment of his mother at some time when he is ready...
I'm probably in too many games in various states of play to add this one, which is a damn shame, being as how much Chi and Gwen get on...
Have fun and much success with your new game. I'm really just so tempted to throw something in to.
Presenting Tom of Redfield,
Tom was born and raised in the village of Redfield in northern Nirmathas.
Tom had always been a tad odd. Folks said he had some of the old Whatley blood in him, but never where his father could here. Truth was the strange traits of that side of the family were strong in Tom.
When his mother caught him staring one too many time at the black places between the stars the family knew something needed to be done.
the family had once sold some land to a priest of Neyths who tried to settle in their small town. She ultimately moved away but the family kept in touch. They sent Tom to meet her in the city of Tamran.
Tom's studies under the priest progressed quickly, but it was soon clear that Tom would never wear the mask of nethys. So the priestess called in a favor and Tom was apprenticed to a mage of her acquaintance.
The apprenticeship was short and unpleasant. The mage was an unsuitable teacher for Tom. Demanding and with very strong views on magic. He taught Tom enough for him to survive and then sent him into the world to "wipe that damned smile off his face."
Tom caught the coach to glade simply because it was about to leave as he walked up. He has found the village much to his liking. He enjoys the forest and the local ale. A few of the eligible young people of the settlement have begun to cast eyes at him though he has yet to really notice.
As I said on another thread to Jeremiziah, I'll have Krol drop out of this game as at the moment I am a little swamped with so many games and give the oppitunity to anyone else who has the time.
There we go, should make decision making a little easier. :)
Did like the idea of Nirmathas though, but still I can find another place to put him in when I have the time.
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Thanks, Aron!
Alright, I'm going to kick us off a few hours early, because it doesn't look like there's going to be any more applicants, and I don't really need any more, anyway.
Great applications from everyone, and I certainly thank you for applying. If anyone cares to leave me an email address on this thread, I'll keep you in mind should I ever need an alternate.
With that said, will the following people please join me in the OOC Discussion Area:
Nazard playing Ryarg, the Bear Shaman
Filios playing Ragar, the Fighter
Tark playing Telias the Ranger
Poor Wandering One playing Tom of Redfield the Wizard
Again, many thanks, and best of luck to everyone on your journeys!