Assistant Chief Inspector Stover Delft of the Royal Homeland Constabulary leaned forward onto his desk and glanced over the sheaves of paper arrayed in front of him, pausing occasionally to discharge a stream of tobacco juice into his spittoon. Turning a page and squinting in the dim gaslight he began to scan the contents of a personnel application and its attached background investigation. "Pity that Constable Chambers had to get himself consumed by a gelatinous cube," he mused to himself, "and on his second assignment, no less." This was most inconvenient considering that he needed Unit 11 at full effectiveness for the R.N.S. Coaltongue's christening ceremony and voyage. And Constable Narelys’s resignation a week ago had not helped matters either. No, with the King personally attending the event it would not do to have any unnecessary margins of error. "Now if only I can find individuals with the wherewithal to be a bit more cautious should they find themselves in the sewer system...."
I'm looking to recruit two or three players to fill out a new play-by-email group for the Zeitgeist: The Gears of Revolution adventure path by ENWorld publishing. This game takes place against the backdrop of a world in transition, where industrial might is beginning to displace the old way of things, for better or for ill. Your character will be an agent of the Royal Homeland Constabulary of Risur, tasked with maintaining national security against threats ranging from foreign assassins and spell-wielding criminals to supernatural monsters. Over the course of the campaign you'll find yourself enmeshed in the workings of an international conspiracy, trying to unravel a plot hundreds of years in the making. It will be up to you and your squad to foil these sinister designs, though you may find your own convictions sorely tested in the process....
I'll be taking character applications for one week (through the 6th). Having an entire character sheet filled out right away isn't necessary, but do include the basic information of your race, class, party role, and theme feat (see pg. 5 of the ZG player's guide, link below) as well as two or three paragraphs on your character's personality and background. Make sure to describe why they joined the RHC. Do be aware that the group is currently lacking both a frontline combatant/meatshield and an arcane/utility caster, so extra consideration will be given to characters that fill those roles. We're also lacking in female characters.
I’m new to play by email in general and I don’t have very stringent expectations. That being said, I still think that one to two solid paragraphs per general post is a reasonable minimum and that combat posts include some trimming beyond “I hit him with a gnome.” Without the same time constraints for response that are part of real time roleplaying you should be able to put some more effort in.
For more information about the world of Zeitgeist and relevant player information, you can consult the official Zeitgeist Player's Guide. Specific character creation guidelines such as permitted races, sourcebooks, etc. can be found in my appropriately named Character Creation Guidelines document. If you have any questions that you cannot find an answer to in either of these two documents, feel free to post them or PM me.
So that your character creation process is better informed, here is the unit's current roster, including their Zeitgeist theme feats.
Kizzmer, Male Tiefling Rogue - Docker's Jant
Janusz Kolej, Male Human Fighter (Archer archetype) - Yerasol Veteran
???, Male Aasimar Oracle of Lore - Spirit Medium
Downloading the documents at the moment, but this seems like a perfect match for Porter (Gunslinger) here. Let me read through the Player's Guide and Creation Guidelines, and I'll update the character accordingly.
Since there are no updates for a couple of days, I have to ask - will this fly? I'd really like to try Zeitgest campaign, and I'm hoping that the current "slowdown" is only due to holidays...
I'd been hoping that I'd be able to net some more replies, but maybe people here aren't that interested in a pbem. I'll try posting the ad in a couple other places to see if I can't get a few more bites. But I intend to make this work, one way or another.
I may be up for this - meatshield is about my speed. A question first:
How will you be dealing with the emails? Using Yahoo Groups, for instance?
Hmm. The Gunsmith theme feat (The Man With Two Guns Is God) is looking interesting. The more I think about it, the more I like the fighter/gunslinger idea.
I'm thinking of a tiefling fighter/gunslinger, a hard-drinking, hard-hitting woman who would be the meatshield of the party, with the aforementioned theme feat. More detail to come, if this idea is all right?
Darn you, Kris! You seem to find the most interesting games to play in, and then drag (invite) me into them.
And there is need for a "utility spellcaster," no less. How convenient that that's my favorite party slot to play. :-)
GM, please consider this my official expression of interest. I'll do some reading, and have you a solid character sketch by Monday.
Regards,
J.
OK, last post before I get some sleep:
female tiefling fighter 1 CG
Appearance (pending closer evaluation of her equipment):
With dusky skin, flowing black hair and eyes the color of burnished gold, Aziel has the kind of sultry good looks that would turn heads - if they weren't accompanied by razor-sharp teeth, the curling horns of a goat, and a long, sinuous tail. Aziel seems to take people's double-take at her in stride. Her smoky voice is generally tinged with sarcasm, but she's deadly serious about her weapons, as is evident by their immaculate state. She bears a scimitar and a pistol as well as a dagger in either boot.
Background:
Born in Beaumont to simple farmers, Aziel had to work hard to fight her way up the ranks when she volunteered to join the army of Danor. That made it hurt all the more when she was forced to flee the country after a deadly accident involving a superior officer during a brawl. To avoid being court-martialed, she fled to Risur, where she took up the only profession she knew: that of a soldier.
Personality:
As is typical of Danorans, Aziel is passionate and fond of good food, good wine and good company. Unfortunately, she can't afford the first two, and the fear most feel for tieflings outside of Danor denies her the latter. Somewhat embittered by her circumstances, Aziel nevertheless has a dark sense of humor that allows her to be philosophical about it all. Hard-drinking in her weaker moments, she feels guilty about what happened to her superior officer during the fateful brawl, and seeks to make amends in her own way. Forever tinkering with her gun, her curiosity and willingness to take risks has singed her more than once, but never badly enough for her to take the lesson to heart... or perhaps she's simply too stubborn.
Edit: Yay! DM, i.jason is awesome. A boon to any game. If karlprosek also shows up, you will have a duo of EPIC PBEM ROLEPLAYING MASTERY.
I may be up for this - meatshield is about my speed. A question first:
How will you be dealing with the emails? Using Yahoo Groups, for instance?
I'd just been planning on using an email chain through my gmail account for the general narrative thread and further prompts, information, and requests for clarification emailed directly to relevant players. As I've said, I'm new to this and only have a little bit of observation of another pbem to go off of. Are there any particular advantages to using a groups setup?
And the character concept sounds quite acceptable. Thanks for the interest!
YG is just a convenient spot to archive messages and files pertaining to the game. If you send emails to the group, they're automatically sent to everyone playing and archived at the same time, and people can go back and reread the story. Also, you can post your creation documents and images of the characters and maps and whatever. I run my pbems off YG in combination with a website (just because I like using websites - they aren't really necessary when running a pbem) and regular email PMs for notices only some players get, and while the new NEO interface is annoying compared to the old interface, I haven't found anything else online that's as useful for pbems.
I can send you a link to my groups if you're curious?
A couple of real quick questions for you, GM:
1)To clarify - pistols/one-handed firearms are simple weapons in this campaign?
2)Just how common are those types of firearms in this setting? I've read the player's guide, but I'm not entirely sure if every thug in an alley has a gun or not. I ask, because how often we expect to encounter guns would affect my spell selection.
Thanks!
J.
I can send you a link to my groups if you're curious?
Sure, I'd like to take a look. Send me the link in a pm.
1)To clarify - pistols/one-handed firearms are simple weapons in this campaign?
That's how I worked it out. It took some interpretation, considering that they released their player's guide before Ultimate Combat and were merely hoping that the released rules would mesh with what they'd written, which was not quite the case. It seemed that they intended for pistols to generally be accessible fire-and-drop weapons for basic users and I adjusted the prices to be less insanely cost-prohibitive to anyone looking at the Man With Two Guns feat. There may be some official revision/clarification with the forthcoming expanded player's guide (which I should be receiving by the end of the month, barring general kickstarter delays), but we can jump that hurdle when we get to it.
2)Just how common are those types of firearms in this setting? I've read the player's guide, but I'm not entirely sure if every thug in an alley has a gun or not. I ask, because how often we expect to encounter guns would affect my spell selection.
From glancing through the first few adventures, I would generally classify them as "uncommon." They're more the provenance of specialized military units, independent enthusiasts, and "professionals" of various stripes than common thugs. Progression-wise, they make occasional appearances early on, but will become relatively more common as the campaign continues and opponents become tougher.
I'm still interested, but I may not post for a couple days, as I'm switching internet over this weekend (losing it later today) and won't have it back until probably Monday afternoon/evening.
Noted. The original deadline would've covered this, but I'll hold out an extra day or two just in case something goes wrong for you during the switchover.
And on the earlier note of revisions, while looking through the ENWorld forums, it appears that they're looking at switching Aasimars for the more thematically-appropriate Samsarans (though opting to call them Devas to avoid confusion with the setting's goddess Srasama). I'm a bit ambivalent on the subject, so I'm open to players using either Aasimar or Samsaran mechanics.
The Aasimars as described in this setting are basically 4E Devas, without the purple.
I'll have a character concept posted here sometime in the next 10-12 hours, max.
OK, I have two character ideas that would likely work, and I'm having a bit of trouble choosing between the two, so I thought I'd go ahead and post them both, and let you decide which works best.
Male Human Inquisitor 1 LG (Martial Scientist)
Appearance:
An earnest, open-faced young man, very rarely caught wearing anything but the official uniform of the RHC - brass polished 'till it glows, leather belts and harnesses well-oiled, boots shined, all issued equipment maintained to parade-ground standard - Kameron is the RHC recruiting poster come to life. In excellent physical shape, Kam isn't some hulking brute, but the uniform sits well on his broad shoulders and tall, tapered frame. His brown hair is cut very close (a legacy of his time at the war academy), and his green eyes seem to take in everything, even as they echo his friendly smile.
Background:
Kameron's father was in the RHC, as was his father before him. Prior to the forming of the RHC, D'Costas served in the Army of Risur for generations. It was considered a family duty. The D'Costa family being a (very) minor noble line, with no property to speak of, still, duty to country is a bedrock value to them. When Kameron was 14, his father discovered a plot that involved members of the RHC. He managed to break up the plot, but doing so cost him his life. Two weeks later, Kameron was off to the war academy. He graduated six months ago, having successfully defended his thesis on the efficacy of unorthodox intelligence gathering methods in thwarting sabotage attempts. Six weeks after graduation, Kameron reported to the RHC recruiting station.
Personality:
Kameron is very much a cooler-headed D'Artagnan. He has joined the RHC eagerly, as something he's been expected (and excited) to do since he was first old enough to understand the stories he heard at his father's knee. He is an earnest young man - friendly, but a bit stubborn - good student, loyal (to a fault), and attentive to his duties. While he does dress like a martinet, he isn't quite the bright-eyed, single-minded rookie he appears. His father's death hit him hard, and he intends to keep his eyes open for plots against (and within) the RHC. The fact that his father died at the hands of a fellow RHC member (or so Kameron suspects, from having read his father's journals) has imprinted on the young man the lesson that false faces are everywhere, and may even be necessary to keep one alive.
Female (High)Elf Wizard 1 NG (Vekeshi Mystic)
Appearance:
Jaelynn could be considered beautiful, if she put more effort into her appearance. As it is, she is still a lovely-looking young elf woman, despite her long auburn hair being somewhat unkempt (when not pulled back into an expedient pony-tail) her clothing (despite clearly being made from high-quality, custom-tailored fabrics) is somewhat frumpy, as if she just threw it on before leaving the house (or, perhaps, slept in them). While her equipment is also of good quality, it's almost as if she brought it with her as an afterthought. Her smile is just a little crooked, her nose just a little too straight, and her beautiful eyes just a bit too close together for her to be an object of every man's desire - and that's just fine with her. In fact, she takes pains to make sure her hair stays auburn, and her features just a little too rough - as looking like a High Elf would bring her *far* too much unwanted male attention. She's happy to be distrusted as a regular wood elf.
Background:
"Rescued" from the enclave of a Danoran noble during the Second Yerasol War (about 110 years ago), Jaelynn was smuggled to the estate of a minor noble family in Risur, where she was raised in secret by the wood-elf caretaker of the family's ancestral hunting lands, and his hedge-wizard wife (this was done at the command of the human lord - he hoped to use Jaelynn as a bargaining chip for his family one day). Things did not go as planned. Despite their very best attempts to keep her heritage a secret, the day Jaelynn came "of age," two High Elves appeared on her "parents'" doorstep. They said nothing, as the High Elves took her back "home" to an enclave in Elfaivar. While there, she was bethrothed to a young High Elf man, and allowed to study the ways of magic (as her "mother" had begun teaching her before). She also passed the tests to become a Vekeshi Mystic. But Jaelynn did not enjoy life as a revered High Elf princess, and so she fled the enclave and her fiancee, the night before her wedding. She got exactly 200 yards into the forest before she was caught and returned to the enclave. Still, her willingness to risk death rather than live a life of luxury and worship drew the attention of some powerful folks, and she was allowed to "suspend" her marriage for a decade. During that time, it was determined, she would return to Risur, on a mission to gain intellingence in this new (it's only 40-something years old), upstart organization, the Royal Homeland Constabulary.
Her connections in both nations worked together (one side unknowingly) to ensure her application to the RHC was approved. Both her wood-elf parents and her "friends" in the enclave were gratified the day she earned her badge. But the Vekeshi Mystics were unaware that Jaelynn means to use their own philosophy against them. She intends to use the next ten years to build up enough strength to remain in Risur, a free woman, loyal to her adopted homeland.
Personality:
Jaelynn is an incredibly smart woman, and she believes that, given enough time, she can learn, research, or puzzle out the answer to any problem or question. While friendly and helpful by nature, she is always working out some problem or another in her head (often more than one at a time), and can seem somewhat distracted or inattentive. She seems to pay little attention to her appearance, but in fact, this is a deliberate falsehood on her part. While she is relatively confident that the RHC knows she is a High Elf (not least because she was caught in the effects of a sleep spell during training one day), no one has "outed" her yet. She doesn't plan to deny her heritage if she is ever confronted about it, but the longer she can hold that day off, the better, she thinks. Jaelynn is almost obsessed with magic and its myriad uses. Even to the point that the more modern firearms and steam-powered contraptions that everyone seems so enthused with don't have any real draw for her, other than as abstract knowledge to be learned. Collecting knowledge (and thus, power) is one of Jaelynn's driving missions in life. Living well while she does so is another. She *is* a true convert to the Vekeshi philosophy, after all. She is also fiercely loyal to Risur, even (perhaps especially) after having been exposed to other cultures.
I'm interested and have a couple of concepts that could work.
Background: Antor grew up in the Central district of Flint, the youngest child of a pair of Pardwright University professors. He's an odd blend of both his parents, his engineering professor mother and his Classics professor (and would-be professional poet) father- glib and charismatic but with a sharp analytical mind. His older brother joined the military as a naval engineer and his older sister is following in their parents' footsteps as a graduate student with an eye on a professorship in the Primordial department.
Antor has always been interested in machines, tinkering with gadgets and making things up from scratch, and he breezed through the University engineering program. So it was something of a surprise when he joined the RHC instead of going to work for an engineering firm in the city. His reasoning is that he doesn't want to spend all day drafting designs when he could be building with his own hands and interacting directly with his creations. Antor decided that joining the constabulary was the best way to put his designs to work while still giving him time to tinker in his own workshop (really, his mother's university workshop, but he barely recognizes the distinction).
Personality: Antor is always trying to make things better. When he was 4 he took apart his rocking horse and put wheels on the legs so he could scoot around the house. His University thesis was on utilizing engineering and mathematical principles to maximize resource allocation to Flint's needy population. As a rookie he doesn't have much say in policy, but he's already thought of ways to improve the training and on-boarding of new recruits.
Luckily, he is canny enough to know that most strangers don't appreciate a constant stream of suggestions. It's only with his friends and family that he's a never ending font of suggested tweaks and improvements. Lucky them.
He presents as an average, if bookish, sort. He's friendly and outgoing, always willing to stand his round at the pub, and extraordinarily well read. Your average engineer hasn't memorized the collected works of famous poets, nor does the average poet know how to calculate the shear point of a length of metal.
Background: Enald is a Navy veteran of the Yersaol islands. From a long line of sailors and fishermen, he has always had an intuitive connection to wind and wave, sea and storm. So when his country called, he joined the Navy even though he was just a teenager.
While primarily a sailor, and a spellcaster and navigator at that, every veteran saw close action at one time or another, and he has seen friends die from arrows and bullets, swords and spears, even fever and rot. When the war ended he came back and found that even though the connection was still there, he just couldn't go back to his father's fishing boat. And after what he'd seen he didn't want to make a career of the military, so he joined the Constabulary.
Personality: Enald joined the Navy at a young age and saw some bad things. He doesn't like to talk about his time in the islands, so that means he doesn't like to talk about a large chunk of his formative years. He'll talk about his childhood in Flint, about inconsequential things or his friends or family, but he goes out of his way not to answer questions about his recent past.
He has a shared bond with other veterans, one that is frequently unspoken though still felt. He tends to be quiet around strangers and can come off as intense and very serious. Around friends, family, or other people he trusts he can be funny and sarcastic, though still reticent to talk about his Navy experience.
When it comes to talking about the ocean, though, En can be positively verbose. He understands water and wind at a level most people can't comprehend; when he describes weather and ocean conditions he can sound like a man describing a lover's skin or a child's laugh. He spends as much time as possible near the ocean. Usually this is in Bosum Strand, where he spends his time on the docks rather than in the pubs, but when he can swing an invitation to the private beaches in North Shore he always takes the opportunity.
Just a reminder to Porter and any lurkers that may be out there, today is the last day for character submissions. I'll make my decisions a day or two later. Since the Oracle's player got back in contact with me, it looks like I'll be adding two players to the group. Looks like I'm going to have to make some tough choices here. Thanks again to everyone that showed interest. =D
Okay, so I've caved and I'll be taking three characters instead of just two: Aziel Charbonneau, Jaelynn Mystarys, and Antor Saren (you can thank Rotolutundro for this change of mind). If each of you could pm me your email, I'll give you invites to the google drive folder, introduce you to the other three players, and get the last of the pre-game details hashed out.
Woohoo! *confetti* PM on the way!