Reviews are on my list for tonight when I get some idle time on the couch - but till then...
Eben: yep - go ahead and swap out scimitar for longsword.
Halfhand: reskinning of spells is fine as long as they don't mechanically change.
I'll work over your suggestions on motive and see if I can refine mine... I was just going to have the bad fairies steal your spellbook ;)
Bastagar: doing a little bit of shillelagh research and I've found something quite intriguing. This is actually a school of 'Oirish stick foitin'... with a most gloriously named subset known as Rince an Bhata Uisce Bheatha... otherwise known as the 'whiskey stick dance'.
So I would be happy for your to take a Shillelagh as a finessable weapon (with mechanical effects as per club).
Ha! That's brilliant. I actually have a shillelagh at home I bought in Blarney (although the varnish is flaking off, which either belies its origins in a cheap souvenir shop or is a result of the various holes and dents in my bedroom from twirling it around a little too enthusiastically.. :P) Either way, I've always had a soft spot for them, and they can really pack a wallop. I'm really excited to take one, cheers!
It also lets me play up an aversion to iron of all kinds rather than just cold iron, which should be cool. In fact if I do opt for a metal weapon I think I will make it cold iron, and handle it with with the reverence a fey creature would have to.
I'll wait eagerly for that goodie-bag before finishing my equipment.
Goodie bags are...good.
Hmmm... Twigs, I have a feeling Olaf's weapons will make your character a tad uncomfortable, then ;-)
Love that the fey group are talking tactics already... we of The Taighean Dubha will likely be less... subtle... nei?
Regards build notes DMVoV what was your thoughts on Skane's battered body penalties (Young head on Middle aged shoulders) - as I hopefully qualified for 25pt build am happy to take the hit for the flavour...
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Always talking, thats the problem with them Fey.
The longer talking talking talking, the more the chance for misunderstanding, something avoided when you just hit the other fellow in the face with an axe and make your thoughts really clear.
Skane - feel free to take middle aged penalties / bonuses.
Goodie bags are coming... but this is my chance to give something back by way of framing them into and around your own backstories, so I've got twelve of them to put together ;)
Just to give a taste - here's one of the items finding it's way into Skane's bag:
Daldowie's Blend: this coarse blended tabac is famed in Taldor for it's strong taste and soothing properties - many believe that it's cut with flayleaf, though that's been denied by the plantation's owner Bogle. It does leave one light headed a while though...
And another from Elghund's stash:
Kalsgard Rock: a soft and crumbly sweet that comes in paper wrapped sticks and is flavored with strong peppermint. With a strength of flavor that belies it's delicate form, the rock helps keep one focused during monotonous tasks.
Niiice.
(puffs on pipa)
"God skita!"
DMVoV: Was actually just thinking of taking the physical penalties for Middle Age - not sure he warrants an increase in mental bonuses?
(yup I like taking the hard road :)
Wow... those are awesome grab- bag goodies.
VoV, how long til re game goes live? (I may want ro take a shot at writing some verses.)
I'll be aiming for getting started hopefully Monday Aus time - so you've a coupla days.
I'll be working down the list doing reviews and grab bags as I go.
Hilde: - character sheet looks good and you hit all the marks for the bonus bits.
Sidhe's Whistle: this wooden carved whistle is delicate and light, and seems to make no noise when blown. However it can be heard by those that are fey-touched within a range of up to 300 feet, and sounds like faint laughter on the breeze.
Honey of the Heather: this sweet honey is savored by minor wind spirits of the aos si. By calling to them and offering the honey as payment you can bind their service to deliver a message.
Bastagar: - sheet looks good to me and you hit the markers for the bonuses.
Bone Bag: one of the items Bastagar lifted without knowing it's purpose, it is a small black leather bag that has a half dozen vertebrae from animals within it. All vertebrae bear a horizontal nick from when they were used as sacrifices to a dark god. The residual magics have faded... but animals still hold an unnatural aversion to it.
Cold Iron Saucepan: with black wooden handle carved of bog pine. Can be used as an improvised weapon.
Caerb: - profile looks good, and ye hit for the bonuses.
Bread of the Unseelie: one of the last remnants of your time in Nithveil is a small bun wrapped in wax paper. It does not spoil as it is from beyond, and is enticing to those not of two worlds.
Flinted Knife: a fragile blade of flint that is anathema to those of fey blood. The handle is wrapped in calf's leather tanned brown.
Kelgar: - all looks good, and you hit for everything bar the grab bag. Did you write up a poem / skaldic tale? - or are you happy to give that a miss?
Olaf: - You've got Skill Focus Nature, but no skill rank in the skill? Apart from that it looks ok.
Star's Heart: this pendant of dense rock has proven useful to you. For some reason it seems to grow cold when lies are told... though it is not foolproof.
Iron Clasp: this pig iron clasp holds your cloak corners together. It bears a sigil which you do not know the source of.
Ulfen team gets their goodies tomorrow :)
Thanks for the bag. Nothing like a good piece of fairie cake.
Making a few tweaks so there is not so much overlap with Bastergas,As he is more thiefy and capricious, I am switching out my Patron from the Lantern King, for Ng the Hooded, patron of seasons, mysteries, and wanderers. It a better, darker fit. I will write up a short-ish start-up tale that gets Cearb from Losthome to our starting village, with Ng alluding (vaguely) that if he finds Hilde, she will be the key to return to Nithveil.
*Edit: I think the boots for now, maybe the cap at later levels once he gains a reputation.
Cearb: Boots it is then :)
Skane: - you can take the physical only stat change for your creaking knees if you really want to. Did you still want to think on Additional Traits? - I'd be happy to work with for a custom one?
Sgian-dubh: this small knife has served you well for plenty a meal. Set with a cairngorm hilt and blade of fire folded steel, for some reason whenever you call to use it on spoiled meat - the blade is blunt.
Daldowie's Blend: this coarse blended tabac is famed in Taldor for it's strong taste and soothing properties - many believe that it's cut with flayleaf, though that's been denied by the plantation's owner Bogle. It does leave one light headed a while though...
Kelgar: - all looks good, and you hit for everything bar the grab bag. Did you write up a poem / skaldic tale? - or are you happy to give that a miss?
Skaldic tales?
Bah, we dwarves dinnae need no elite-arative verse in our tales. We tell'm true fer what th'are, with no confusin' word twistin' to embellish the deeds of some drunken Ulfen shield-chewer.
Damn lads, there ah done did it n' used a'kenning!
Kelgar tugs on his soft red nightcap knitted by Brundir's deft hands as he heads into his tent for the night, giving Cearb's own "red cap" a long, curious look before grumbling something to himself.
Kló's page is nearing completion. Just ironing out gear.
Just for clarification, Cearb is not a redcap yet (so does not wear such an article of clothing), despite his Avatar. So he shouldn't yet have any stigma attached with that....he will be working (or knifing) his way toward that....and eyeing that nice nightcap as good starting material...;-)
Reskinning spells is a good idea. I'm thinking through how Kló's spellcasting will look/sound, as well.
So, Taighean Dubha (Ulfen team), do we want to talk through skills?
Cheers DMVoV - grab bag looks canny :)Profile is rumbling along... comments welcommen
Aye you know me and traits lol... never have enough... and love me a bespoke trait
As for the physical penalties - yeah will take them in isolation (Skäne's hardly a wise and learned soul lol) - perhaps until he can find himself a læknir góður (good healer) who can ease his worn body...
@Kló... skills... aye...
Survival - tae find em
Perception - tae spot the em
Intimidate - tae scare the ba$tards
Appraise - tae get the worth o' their swag
Job done :)
I see I'm gonna be taking 'be in character' lessons from you guys. :)
Kló's skills:
Heal
Knowledge: Nature
Perception
Swim
Survival
Though i won't be keeping swim maxed, and if our Oracle is taking Heal, i could shift that to something more useful.
DMVoV
Would you permit the use of both the Scramaseax as a weapon and Berserkr Iron as a weapon material choice? Both are from the Northlands Sourcebook...
My logic behind them was the Scramaseax is the shield wall butchers weapon of choice.
Berserkr Iron would be mundane weapons from long dead members of Ulfen Guard of Taldor...
Reskinning spells is a good idea. I'm thinking through how Kló's spellcasting will look/sound, as well.
As am I! I'm always amazed at how few spells sorcerers get, however. It's always a little disheartening when I remember :P
Just for clarification, Cearb is not a redcap yet
I suspect Bastagar might be able to smell your heriatage on you, but I'm not certain what he'd make of it.
GM VoV, I spent the last of my wealth on a little poison and a few odds and ends. I hope that's okay with you. I felt more true to my concept with empty pockets.
One can smell a lot when they are around Cearb...not much of it good.
Is it OK if I purchase Annalisa a guard dog?
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Like an Elk Hound?
Yes, an Elkhound would be perfect. Or a Buhund, or Lundehund.
Yes, an Elkhound would be perfect.
Reckon we have one o' them already - although his bites probably worse than his bark ;)
Annalisa - sure, go ahead and purchase a guard dog if you like.
Thanks DM VoV, is there any special gear I'll need for him or anything I need to keep track of like HP etc.?
I'm naming him Hundur, which is Icelandic for "dog". It's a statement of her personality, not laziness.
On the topic of the handaxe - I don't see any harm in letting you have proficiency for that.
Most kind of you. Thanks!
So, Taighean Dubha (Ulfen team), do we want to talk through skills?
Sure. Rikka's got:
BluffCraft: Tattoo
K: Arcana
Perception
Spellcraft
I intend to spread her points around a bit as she levels up. There aren't many Knowledge skills for sorcerers but I'm very likely to take ranks in a couple of those regardless as well as a mishmash of other skills.
Oh, and Rikka's character sheet is done.
I'm going to be busy until this afternoon, but after that, I should have time to get my character profile set up. Sorry for the delay.
Oof. Nevermind on me getting the skennings done this weekend. Oh well, I'll do without a grab-bag, even if they look fun. I just wont' have time to do it justice.
On the plus side, I've gotten Kló's character sheet and gear pretty much finished out.
As for skills for the Black House, my plan is to use some ranks as I level to gain some flexibility as well. I have a lack of access to knowledge skills, too. Nature is the most useful, though I'll probaly drop a rank or two into Geography as we progress.
Are we fine with the general redundancy we have in some of oru skills (Survial and KNowledge: Nature being two of them)? They seem appropriate conceptually, it just might leave us with some gaps in terms of skills we can bring to bear.
I'm okay with that, in general, though... as our MO seems to be: 1) encounter problem 2) apply enough muscle to overwhelm it 3) Profit.
Once we have Halla's details, I'll do one more look at my char sheet.
Depending on the character concept, I generally find I don't have enough skill ranks to distribute or I have too many to know what to do with. With Halla, I'm in the latter camp, so she could fill some of the party gap in Knowledge skills; she doesn't have an Int bonus, but they're class skills so she gets the +3. I believe we have Arcana and Nature covered.
Depending on the character concept, I generally find I don't have enough skill ranks to distribute or I have too many to know what to do with.
I'm very surprised to find myself in the former camp, thanks to prestige class requirements and 4 sorcerer levels. My skills are going to have to take some very careful planning (and I have to invest pretty heavily in knowledge arcana and escape artist. Blergh.)
L2 Stealth +12, Disable Device +8 Escape Artist +8, Knowledge (arcana) +6, Climb +6
L3 Stealth +13, Disable Device +9, Escape Artist +9, Knowledge (arcana) +7, Acrobatics +8
L4 Stealth +14, Disguise +7, Disable Device +10, Escape Artist +10, Knowledge (arcana) +8
L5 Stealth +15, Disable Device +11, Knowledge (arcana) +9, Acrobatics +10
Whew, PRC requirements are rough. I get maybe four skill points that aren't tied down meeting those, and they are only a virtue of favoured class points that would be better spent on HP (in italics). So even with the bonus skill points, my Acrobatics and Bluff skills aren't going to progress for a while, but they will be Bastagar's cornerstone skills and they have a pretty decent number at the moment. I'll also have Kn: Arcana, Nature and Geography, and beyond that a fair bit of overlap with Caerb as far as roguey skills go. I'll be skipping Spellcraft and some of the more down to earth knowledge skills, and probably not investing in fly either (though I do want some of the polymorph magics. What kind of fairie doesn't change his shape?)
I just wanted to type this out somewhere, I've been scratching my head for a while.
All right, for skills, I'm leaning toward Diplomacy, Knowledge (geography, history & local) & Sense Motive.
If I put a rank in Heal, she'd only have a +5 vs. Klo's +7 due to his better Wis. Anyone think any other Knowledge skills might be more useful? Diplomacy will probably see little use with a party more inclined to attack first and not bother asking questions, but there's usually an occasion or two in an AP that you're better off talking than fighting. Whether the rest of the party will agree to let her try to talk rather than fight is an open question, though.
It's a rare campaign when you can fight your way out of every situation... particularly when dealing with nominally friendly NPCs. As another CHA-using character, I'm in favor of bringing social skills to this party and not bashing everyone over the head.
I like your Knowledge skill choices as well. Later on, I think we'll want to get the full range of Knowledge skills that let us ID the strengths and weaknesses of the opposition. But I think that isn't a great need at the moment particularly when we are trying to cover the 'basics' at 1st level.
Game time upon the morrow, am I wrong? I'm excited to get this show on the road.
Annalisa - nothing to track unless you want to use the dog as a combat entity. If you're just after a companion / guard dog then lets keep it simple.
Skane - scramaseax yes, beserkr iron no.
Game time tomorrow is the base goal, depending on how I do tonight I might even get the first post up before I go to sleep... but no promises.
Oh, i think, as one of the few party members with the stats and skills to gather a few social as well as a few additional knowledge skills, she's making excellent use of those ranks.
My commentary was more about the skill capabilities of most of the group.
And I'm happy to be the party's Heal-skill guy.
Klo - profile looks good. You hit for everything except the grab bag.
Elghund - looks good to me, and you hit all the markers except the inherited item.
Well-worn Polishing Rag: this square of what was once decent cloth has long lost any softness and grown threadbare... yet it is still yours and forms part of your ritual.
Kalsgard Rock: a soft and crumbly sweet that comes in paper wrapped sticks and is flavored with strong peppermint. With a strength of flavor that belies it's delicate form, the rock helps keep one focused during monotonous tasks.
Cool and cool. Getting excited. :)
Rikka - looks good to me, and you hit up for everything.
Hag's Hair: when kicked out of your home by Zarzanna, you found a few of her hairs in your belongings. Knowing that they retained part of her essence you have kept them... but you aren't sure why.
Rune Bag: etched by your own hand and gathered in a small leather bag are an array of runic tokens. Echoing that which is etched on your skin... they give you comfort and you've begun to learn to read them.
Annalisa - you could probably optimize your stats point buy a little if you wanted to? taking a point off Cha and Wis wouldn't change your statline, but would let you bump up to a 16 Strength.
Wolf-hide Collar: though not attractive, you made this collar for Hundur yourself. He seems quite taken with it and is eager to please.
Handwraps: after one too many scraped palms bludgeoning people with things that weren't made for bludgeoning, you've taken to wrapping leather thongs around your palms... helps you get a better grip.
Halla - obviously waiting for profile, but no rush. I know you've been swamped and had a sick kid recently Joana, so get to it when you're able.
Fun useless fact:
Combined total of the Fey group: 16,306 posts
Combined total of the Ulfen group: 53,493 posts
And your DM weighs in at 15,780 posts
I'm pretty much finished with Hilde, or at least I will be tomorrow.
I have updated Hilde's character sheet. I had to to update diplomacy, bluff and intimidate and give her a second sheet for equipment. I've provided pictures for the honey and the whistle. It should now be complete.
It can be found at the same place here.
Hilde - nice :)
Didn't manage the first post today (past midnight now and I'm in need of sleep) - but I am on track to kick things off tomorrow.
Joana - I know Halla might still be a WIP, but I'm guessing there'll be a few days of the get to know you style of back and forth before any steel flies in anger... or then again *looks at Skane and Elghund*
That's a lot of posts. I'm a relatively new poster with less than a hundred. I am a medical student and school starts again for me tomorrow so I'm glad I've finished the character sheets and everything. These are the last ones I'm going to be able to do. I will probably check the thread twice a day at 5 pm and 10 pm and post whenever it's appropriate.
I was not able to afford a horse of any kind while still wearing armor. Even then, I am only wearing chainmail because I strongly felt that an elven knight really needed a long bow. RP over stats.
Hilde's main skill is diplomacy even though she is fairly intimidating without meaning to be. She speaks aklo (fey) and sylvan as her primary languages but is fairly fluent in common. She speaks Skaldi very formally and it is obviously tutor taught.
I'd like to share a few of her more noticeable traits. You would notice these by spending an evening around the campfire with her though they may not immediately make their way into posts.
- This is the first time she's left the Grungir Forest and the Fey Court. She is very excited to experience her father's world although her mother is a little nervous about letting her go.
- She is very proud of being half-mortal and will sing the praises of mortals given much of a chance. Her ability to wear armor and use steel weapons represents this. She cares for them meticulously as a gnome smith was brought to court specifically to make them for her.
- As much as she likes being different, she has been sheltered from bullying or ill-will regarding her parentage. It was an unspoken rule at court that this wasn't mentioned lest you anger the Queen.
- She does not worship deities per se. She is a paladin of all that is good in nature and the fey. Her morality is probably closest to a Desna worshipper.
- She gets excited really easily and speaks approvingly about most things. She seems quite cheerful and is rarely negative.
- Her greatest treasure is the penon that rides on the end of her lance. It was a gift from her mother and comes from the First Kingdom. It is green and depicts a white stag surrounded by leaves and stars.
- Her favorite memory is the time she rode with the Wild Hunt. She feels a special kinship for the White Stag and honors it.
- She is extremely superstitious, to a point where she doesn't even notice it. She throws spilled salt over her shoulder, only walks around the sunward sides of trees and follows almost every folk tale you can imagine. Additionally, every decision she makes is decided by signs and portents - birds in flight, leaves on the ground and the direction of the wind.
Additionally, there are aspects of her character which you can probably assume based on her background or the nature of fey in general. Whether these are true or not about her will be revealed in time. Please reveal others if you are aware of them.
- Fey can be extremely deceitful but cannot directly lie.
- Fey are defined by their name and their position. They are surprisingly hierarchical.
- Debts are absolutely not to be incurred. Gifts must be returned in true equal value.
- Fey cannot enter a private residence unless invited. Invitation is assumed in all public buildings, even if privately owned.
- Members of the Court of Twilight are very easily offended and duels are very common.
- It is extremely dangerous to accept food or drink from fey.
- Fey have no concept of time, living in a perpetual now.
- Fey have very confusing motivations and their stances are impossible to predict.
Lastly, I need to know if I have previous experience with Bastagar and Twigs. Whether you have been at court or are even notorious, please let me know what I would know of you.
Thanks!