@Jurann smoke stick 20gp .5lbs, acid flask 10gp 1lbs, might be good. I don't recall the prices but holy water or a scroll might be affordable.
@Ken good point about nature/ dungeoneering. I'll see what I can do to rearrange some of mine.
Now that almost a week has passed and all of you have a clear concept and a role in the party, and some of you have a near complete character, I have decided to go along and provide some feedback to try help you complete them all and make them more interesting for the campaign.
I have also decided to set a time to have your character completed: Wednesday 20th 23:59 GMT+0. The next day I will make a last review to your characters and perform a final decision for the 7.
Anyway, I have to thank you all for taking the challenge of creating together a party from scratch and building up very interesting characters tied up to a predesigned campaign.
Along with your grandfather, I will probably give you another mentor, Shensen Teseril, a wanderer elven woman that studied for a time in a monastery. She might have sprung in the last years your desire to look for your own way into enlightenment out of the strict teachings of past traditions. Perhaps Ikkyu Sojun does not like her focus.
Your connection with Serenrae’s church lacks definition past the mutual interest on destroying undead. And I have trouble to see the motivations of your character to help Cauldron past the opportunity of testing himself to become more powerful in combat. Perhaps some connections with other city relevant NPC’s and main campaign plots would help.
What is Ryan’s age? Did you place a post with the names/duties of your parents I fail now to find or I am crossing my mind with other player’s character? Things seem rather complete in your side, but just in case you want to spice it up I suggest looking for some mystery, conflict or personal quest for your character.
How would you feel about me profiting some existing NPCs in the campaign for the names you tossed in your background? Instead of Master Alronel, the person taking you to the orphanage would be Ruphus Laro, a human third in command in the Church of St. Cuthbert hierarchy. And instead of Tristan, your weapons training mentor, and champion of the church, would be Aleck Tercival, paladin of Abadar.
Taken note of your answers. I would only add... what is Maxim’s story with love and such affairs? Has he had any experience on that? Any interest on it? Also, can you foresee any potential enemy or friend from his past?
The gang’s band could be the Alleybashers. And I will hand you the name of a companion in the guard: Skylar Krewis. He is a loyal and brave young man, he is a fair-minded and understanding soldier that after a brief but fruitful adventuring experience, started his new career to settle down and marry in Cauldron. Your story seems well rounded and your character profile complete. If any, I would perhaps ask about his relationship with faith and religion, but I would be happy as well if you prefer things to develop organically.
As for spells, at level 1 let me suggest saving finale instead of the ear-piercing spell which is easily replaced by the level 0 cantrip daze at low levels.
In case you like trying out stats alternatives, how would you come to a ranged built from your character? (no need, just guessing as I feel you like those creative exercises)
Lore (Lava Tube) seems as a valid option to me.
I would like to know more about your family, as it seems you were all together when the slaving thing happened. How was it the family is so conventional for a half-orc? How did they manage to stay together, product of true love? Also, were your parents both half-orcs? If not, how did they manage about the racial differences?
Despite you have done a great effort on your background and connecting with your companions, I do not see major hooks with relevant campaign NPCs, nor mysteries or strong motivators to follow the adventure, past perhaps gaining reputation and helping with the disappearances. If you want to spend more time in the character I advise to look something on that side. I foresee your character issues though as some interesting ‘causing fear’ towards Cauldron citizens.
What is Ryan’s age? Did you place a post with the names/duties of your parents I fail now to find or I am crossing my mind with other player’s character? Things seem rather complete in your side, but just in case you want to spice it up I suggest looking for some mystery, conflict or personal quest for your character.
Sorry, the facts you were looking for are partly in my background blurbs and partly deduction - sorry about that also in my background blurb.
Ryan is 18 years old, having been taken to the Church of St Cuthbert when he was 12 yrs of age 6 years ago.
Father is Eric Taskerhill, Mother TBD( will get that squared away this evening)
Eric has charge of overseeing the day to day business for several of the Taskerhill holdings, mainly mining works. His oldest brother is Aerin age 20, and younger sister Anelia age 16. I haven't fleshed them out anymore than to state they had grown up learning the family business which is expected of the first born son much as the 2nd born would has his duty to the church.
I have no problem what so ever bringing the NPC's in that you want for certain positions and will add them to the rewrite later this evening for those pieces.
I will look at an additional personal quest, but as for why he would choose to work to save Cauldron, his family has been Cauldron part and parcel, to loose Cauldron would be to loose his own self.
I like fluff/ details thanks for the names. I was looking at the character background guide you linked and it gives some advice on religion in the pc's background I'll play around with it.
That is a very nice spell for first level.
Bards make great archers especially at higher levels, if the party gets some frontline help at the merge I might go in that direction so it is something I had thought about. Let me think about it.
Mmmm. Love... Think a young Maxim may have held a candle for one of the delve's maidens, but it was most likely unrequited as his parents ensured he was too busy for distractions and the maiden in question was likely too busy in her clan vocation for such distractions. If pushed to come up with a particular beau, then he perhaps fawned over one of the statuesque shield maids of Clan Splintershield? A paladin or some other charismatic warrior?
Since arriving in Cauldron he's likely been involved in some trifling dalliances (and paid for them in silver... or copper if business was slow!) but love is not something he seeks. Though he does wonder on the fate of that shield maid now and again when in his cups.
Potential foes or friends from his past..? Guess his deserted family likely hold him in contempt... or at least see him as a shameful and bringing dishonour to their name. Should be meet with any members of his kin again, they could prove to be hostile or ill-intentioned.
As a further (potential) twist "Snaphånce" is the surname that Maxim has adopted. His family/clan name is Fulgrentforge... (something he and his Uncle have kept secret since his arrival in Cauldron)...
As for friend, the obvious one would be Hackbus Wyrdbore - the eccentric gnome gunsmith, and mentor to Maxim. The pistol he wields bears Hackbus' makers mark on its handle.
I will look at the players guide and see if anything jumps out at me for your backgrounds. Off the top of my head either one of you (or both) could have attended the bluecrater academy and knew the gnome that disappeared.
You may have absolutely no interest in this and I am just throwing it out there on the in case you wanted to try a different direction.
alternitively a member of the town could have been involved with your rescue maybe the paladin who resides at St. Cuthberts.
Lore (Lava Tube) seems as a valid option to me.
I would like to know more about your family, as it seems you were all together when the slaving thing happened. How was it the family is so conventional for a half-orc? How did they manage to stay together, product of true love? Also, were your parents both half-orcs? If not, how did they manage about the racial differences?Despite you have done a great effort on your background and connecting with your companions, I do not see major hooks with relevant campaign NPCs, nor mysteries or strong motivators to follow the adventure, past perhaps gaining reputation and helping with the disappearances. If you want to spend more time in the character I advise to look something on that side. I foresee your character issues though as some interesting ‘causing fear’ towards Cauldron citizens.
Those are fair points. I'll have to make some background details for that. My idea was that Juraan was orphaned when he was so young, say 8 years old, that most of his concrete memories are a blur by time he is an adult. And, effectively, Cauldron is the only home he remembers.
But, you're quite right. There are a few loose ends in Juraan's personally history. Even if he himself is dimly aware of them at best. They would still have an unconscious impact on his personality and character.
Just off the top, the sort of things I'm thinking of for Juraan's familial past:
• Parents were both half-orcs
• Union was romance, not forced or arranged
• Father was a (low level) fighter
• Mother was a (low level) bard
• His sister was barely old enough to walk when killed by gnolls
• Family lived in old abandoned mines in South West Katapesh
• Made a passable living on gemstones there
• Caught by Gnoll slavers from White Canyon en route to Solku on businss
I have to confess I didn't have a close look through the list of prominent PCs until just now. But since he lives in Cauldron it only makes sense he knows more of them than just in passing.
Ideas for ties to promienent NPCs:
• Aeberrin Vanderboren: probably gave Vanderboren family money, goods, or services toward the Orphanage Gretchyn raised him in.
• Gretchyn for sure! She is like his Mum. Juraan would be very attached to her. He would go spare if she was harmed!
• Ike Iverson: casually acquainted, since Wee Jas is probably the only deity that would interest Juraan (Wee Jas has the magic domain too, like Nethys, right?)
• Skie Alderson: Juraan would take to her as a source of cool information (like about the Lava Tube). Maybe doing odd jobs in exchange for some of her knowledge? Could consider her a chum (even if his eyes give her the creeps). If she disappears, Juraan would want to help find her.
• Terseon Skellerang: probably arrested Juraan a few times ("Sigh. Him again! The half-orc who acts like a toddler some days.")
• Weer the alchesit: the source of generous pay packets. Sometimes.
He has a pathological sense of duty to help his friends. So, I think Gretchyn and Skie would be strong ties for that reason alone.
Would any of them make good story hooks to tie him strongly to Cauldron?
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Good point! If Juraan liked Jasper Drundlesput and found out about his disappearance he'd want to be right in there helping him (or is he a she?).
Now I have a radical suggestion for Juraan, Have you considered changing your race to gnome? They have some pretty good alternative racial traits darkvision and pyromaniac come to mind (Fire bloodline?). This could give you a couple of hooks and town members you could be related to. I know this a reach but a gnome could very easily have the same volatile chaotic personality as your half orc, Without the normal halforc cheese (I've never met one with out fates favored and sacred tattoo). I suggest this to give you some easy hooks and when ever I read about your PC's personality I see a feisty little gnome.
You may have absolutely no interest in this and I am just throwing it out there on the in case you wanted to try a different direction.alternatively a member of the town could have been involved with your rescue maybe the paladin who resides at St. Cuthberts.
Interesting suggestions, but I think I'll stay with Juraan as a half-orc. I'm not averse to gnomes, especially lava gnomes. But I've got Juraan fixed in my mind as a feisty half-orc.
But the idea of his being found by some St. Cuthbert types makes more sense than what I have. I can fit that one in pretty easy.
That's the word I was looking for!
I wast rewrote his backstory to be less happy-clappy and not as nice. But at the same time, I didn't want him to be like Rick with a silent "P" (ha-ha). I've got a bit of fixation for words, see?
Anyway, I'll try to alter the story a bit so he's more feisty, not constantly furious.
I think I had way, way, way too much coffee today, if anyone's wondering about the length of those last two posts! :O
Lol too funny Juraan, I'm needing caffeine I do believe.
My cat just jumped on the keyboard and whiped all i´ve written....
-Jasper Drundlesput was the only one who disappeared besides the dwarves 10 years ago right?
Along with your grandfather, I will probably give you another mentor, Shensen Teseril, a wanderer elven woman that studied for a time in a monastery. She might have sprung in the last years your desire to look for your own way into enlightenment out of the strict teachings of past traditions. Perhaps Ikkyu Sojun does not like her focus.Your connection with Serenrae’s church lacks definition past the mutual interest on destroying undead. And I have trouble to see the motivations of your character to help Cauldron past the opportunity of testing himself to become more powerful in combat. Perhaps some connections with other city relevant NPC’s and main campaign plots would help.
The Sojun family being members of the order of the silver dream was just convenient. I was inspired by countless eastern movies taking place in a roadside inn^^ It´s not a necessity though.
I would be fine with them only being on the martial side a bit, living in a secluded place and all. Shensen could have just wandered by, seen Ikkyu and decided to begin to teach him everytime she visited again, slowly drawing him in and nurturing his interest in the spiritual world.Just let me know what´s to your liking and convenient for plot and story hooks there.
I actually see the character as strongly spiritual, not necessarily religious in the sense of a cleric though. I´ll add some more lines on that and some ties to the other PCs and NPC´s in the city now.
Updated the character sheet.
Now inlcudes extended backstory, relations to several PC´s as well as people in the city.
Only PC Ikkyu has not directly met (on his sheet at least) is Juraan.
Have to see if Juraan planned something there or not.
Check it out and give me your opinion please!
Awesome how this is all coming together^^
@Ken(Ikkyu)I'll give it the once over tomorrow have a couple of things I need to do then going to bed.
Updated the character sheet.
Now inlcudes extended backstory, relations to several PC´s as well as people in the city.
Only PC Ikkyu has not directly met (on his sheet at least) is Juraan.
Have to see if Juraan planned something there or not.Check it out and give me your opinion please!
Awesome how this is all coming together^^
Hi Ayaki/Ikkyu:
I did put in wee bit in my story about Juraan having met Ikkyu. Ikkyu asked Juraan for directions, Juraan told him what he wanted to know and wandered off. And remembered Ikkyu's name too, although he usually doesn't remember the names of people he's met. It's all I could think of.
If you can come up with another way Juraan and Ikkyu could've let, please do. Mine's probably not the best. I was trying to tie in Juraan with all the PC's AND shorten the back story too.
I also overlooked both his pre-Cauldron family (deceased) and missed tying him in with the notable NPCs in Cauldron. Oh well, that's what editing is all about!
@Juraan: Now that you say it i remember that^^ Sorry for forgetting it!
Ayaki was my first avatar here for a Skull & Shackles game that busted in the first half of the book. I´m just using that avatar untill this game is confirmed. Don´t like to have so many somehow, since you can´t delete them etc. That´s also why names are so important to me, can´t be changed after 10 posts....
Having met on the streets before is fine i think. Cauldron is surely small enough for that and your character should stand out a bit.
We can be indirectly linked through the others, but you should somehow have a relation to at least one other character i think.
I have two suggestions there:
-You could have worked for some criminals and know Dandarrion from those days, when he was one too.
-Ryan visited the Lantern Street Oprhany one day, perhaps you remember that and sought him out later, hoping to work for him or his family. Perhaps you even do, check with him.
I feel in your story swing some things you don´t quite express that strong, like Juraans possible wish for a stable family and friends as well as recognition and approval by society, because of him being an orphan, a half-orc and a sorcerer (unlike a wizard). Perhaps that could be a bit more stressed and a good key for him to cooperate with others and protect Cauldron. Or ami mistaken there?
Hi all!
I revised my backstory a bit again. I hope it does a passable job of addressing his personal history before becoming an orphan in Caldron. I've tried linking him to a few notable NPCs too. The ending probably isn't the best there is, but I hope it's adequate.
Feel free to comment on it!
"Come back here, you little freak!" the wounded gnoll slaver bellows over the din of battle. "We di'in spare you for fun, Runt! Freak shows in Katapesh will pay a good money for you! You won' escape `cause prissy Andorrans attacked! Come here! NOW! You little turd!" As the gnoll nears, his eyes open in astonishment. The air becomes thick as honey. A child's hands flow into view, with manacles that slough into the gnoll's jaw. Blood and teeth ooze out like tree sap. The gnoll flows slowly the ground. The manacles repeatedly flow in and out of the dead gnoll's skull, leaving a bloodied pulp. A glowing key appears and unlocks the child's manacles. Everything fades to comforting warm darkness. Followed by a sharp jolt of light, shattering the darkness like a stone shattering crystal. Again.
Juraan wakes from his dream, his small knife in hand, feeling fresh cuts to his flesh. He sighs. He often scars himself ritually in his sleep. Cleaning his newest cuts, he knows they are not painful. Friends dying; now THAT is pain! Happened all too often during the Filth Plague. Juraan is thankful the plague spared Ærdric. They were inseparable as soon as Ærdric appeared in the orphanage. When other boys tormented Ærdric, Juraan always charged in. "Like an enraged boar", Maarm always said. With a wry grin, he remembers the bewildered young noble who saw the aftermath of one of his tussles. Whatever happened to him, anyway? Juraan shrugs. Probably some rich or holy type by now.
Juraan sometimes dreams of his parents, Thirtisk and Mat'thon, and his younger sister, Shigaz. His parents were devoted to each other, as well as their children. His dreams about them often. Too often he remembers the gnoll raiders killing his parents and sister for sport and making him watch. His strong emotions and other foibles start there, and he knows it.
Once clean, Juraan leaves the communal hovel of Minuta's boarding house. It is all he can afford. Rumours of disfigured thieves keeps his few possessions safe there. It really only happened once, but rumours are cheaper than locks and keys. If not at MInuta's, Juraan stays at the Lord Mayor's guest house. Which is what he calls the local prison. He has spectacular tantrums when people bother him about his appearance.
Many city guards know him by name from his scuffles at the Tipped Tankard. Including the captain of the Cauldron town guard, Terseon Skellerang. He knows Juraan is not evil at heart. He wishes that scrappy half-orc could control his temper. He has arcane talents that can take him far, if he chooses. Maybe that one guard, Dandarrion, can talk sense into him. Those two get along well enough.
Juraan wanders near the Cusp of Sunrise, to see if someone will come and offer him work. Then Gretchyn spots him. Despite her age, she appears in front of Juraan in a heartbeat. "SO! Avoiding me after cutting yourself up? AGAIN?! Don't you ever get tired of that, Silly Boy?" Gretchyn, the diminutive halfling headmistress of the Red Lantern Orphanage, is one of two people who can never provoke an angry reaction from Juraan. She is his mother in his eyes. He even calls her "Maarm", although nobody else dares to call her that. "Yrsh. S'rry Maarm" Juraan mumbles. He gives her some money for her orphanage. The same orphanage Juraan grew up in. After some of Cauldron's wilderness guards carried Juraan into Cauldron. A young boy, delirious with hunger and exhaustion. Juraan himself cannot remember how he got anywhere near Cauldron from far away Katapesh.
Juraan continues waiting for work to come to him, like so many jobless do. What will it be today? Threatening debtors for the Alleybashers again? He can browbeat people with words just as easily as goons using fists. He prefers less dubious work, though. Weer does pay Juraan well if he has alchemical work for him. Weer is a bit of a cranky old fart, though. Skie Alderson, likeable and learned gnome, sometimes has paid work for Juraan, but she usually pays Juraan with knowledge. He likes knowledge. Her knowledge of Cauldron's Lava tunnels remind him of living with his family in a long forgotten mine. She was scared out of her wits the first time they met, but she warmed up to him. Eventually.
If nobody gives him work today, Juraan will have a cheap meal and pint at the Slippery Eel. Locals there seldom mock him about his appearance. Except that fat git a few nights ago. He thrashed Juraan in body, but not in spirit. A gruff dwarf there seemed amused afterwards. Gave Juraan a steak to help his eye heal and bought him a dram of expensive booze. A real treat! The steak would have tasted better later if was cooked, though. Juraan wishes he could repay the dwarf for that kindness.
Juraan is soon approached by an unusually shy and robust young fellow, introducing himself as Ikkyu, asking for directions. At least he was polite enough not to raise his eyebrows at Juraan's appearance. He carries on after Juraan gave him directions. Ikkyu's name sticks in his mind, for some reason. Juraan hums a disjointed tune and reflects on his past as he watches the people of Cauldron walk on by. His knowledge of his own ancestry is muddled. One ancestor had dragon blood. Another was an earth genie; a Shaitan. Soon after entering Gretchyn's orphanage, Juraan's dreams about black dragons and Shaitan began. His dreams prompted him to study the Terran and Draconic languages at the Bluecrater Academy. As well as alchemy.
His light green skin, vestigial tusks and pointed ears mark him as a half-orc. His eyes and hair are his striking features. He has crocodilian eyes. Irises too large for eye whites and slits for pupils. Each eye is brightly streaked and coloured. Like gem stones. His right eye is lapis lazuli blue and the right is bright jade green. His thick hair glistens black, like obsidian, with random streaks of bright blue and green matching the colours of his eyes.
It is an amazing stroke of luck that young Juraan lives in Cauldron. Or fate? Who knows? He knows now he is a sorcerer in the making. He knows he can achieve great things. If only he could contain his bad temper. It keeps him poor. On the other hand, he uses the same intensity to defend his friends. If trouble comes his way … if trouble comes his way … IF TROUBLE COMES HIS WAY!!
Juraan stands abruptly. His mind a maelstrom of sudden realization… "When trouble appears? When bad things look for ME? I never look for things! Things look for me! And those things do me and my friends no good!" Then he snaps his fingers.
"Ha! Why didn't I think of THAT before? I need to LOOK. Not WAIT!" Juraan says aloud with a sudden snap of his fingers. He does not know, or care, how many people are gawking at him. He steps lively now, giddy with awareness. "That's it! I have to LOOK to achieve great things!"He half-runs, half-walks to see if he can find Dandarrion. He knows how to look for fun! "Maybe he can teach me a thing or two about that! I'll even buy HIM a pint for a change!"
Morning All - in work and already spent from my early morning gym beasting... Will try and chip in on everyone's posts from last night (the curse of being in Scotland and on a different timezone to most of you!)
Loving the building work we're all doing :)
Okay part of the problem is both of your PC's aren't from the area and it is hard to see why you would care about it.
I would like you to think (I'm not saying make any changes right now) how you could build your PC if you were born in Cauldron. If this is hard to do you are probably not playing the right class or race.
Now I don't think either of you have to make drastic changes (and change your class), here are some suggestions to help better integrate your PC's into the AP.
Juraan it would help if you would change your parents to 2 half orcs that worked as guards for one of the local Nobel families (I'd suggest Taskerhill, you and Ryan could know each other since childhood and/or there could be a rivalry between you and Annah Taskerhill). Both your parents died from the plague and you were put up in the orphanage (Thats when your bad dreams started to manifest and you began scarring your body). Because of your Abilities you were invited to study at the Bluecrater where you met Dandariaon. (this works better for fitting into the city rather then always getting arrested, Also, it has been my experience that cops usually don't trust befriend people they arrest. I see you two being drawn together as two outsiders) You can still be feisty just not aggressive. As you began looking for work and struggled you could find odd jobs working for Maxim.
Ikkyu Yours is a bit trickier because of your class and one to mentor you in the town. Have you considered playing a dwarf? you could have been trained by dwarven monks and tie your background to Maxims. You were his body guard as he traveled to the city and took up adventuring [Cauldron’s adventurer trait], leading to a rivalry between you and Annah Taskerhill.
Now you probably want to stay human, I would have you be born in cauldron, perhaps one of the illegitimate children of a priest of St. Cuthbert. Your mother raised you alone but died in the filth fever plague. Your Gramdfather came a took you out of town teaching you his monkish ways along with Shensen Teseril. They felt your training was complete and it was time for you to learn on your own. You return the city of your birth and become an adventurer to test your self [Cauldron’s adventurer trait], leading to a rivalry between you and Annah Taskerhill (maybe you have fallen in love with her and she did not return the same feeling). You could also have looked for your father the temple and met Ryan that way, and again in the warehouse.
Just some thoughts,
Wow dwarf is really the race i want to play least personaly^^
That would be a considerable change to the whole character, story and build.
I added a lot to the background yesterday and actually think those are all pretty good reasons to defend and help Cauldron.
When Cauldron goes down, for whatever reasons, the Lucky Monkey would have no more business.
Also Ikkyu now has a lot of ties to the city, what gives him plenty of other personal reasons to help out there and be personaly invested.
-he knew the gnome.
-Kristof is his friend and he knew the high priests from spending a lot of time in the temple. Now Kristof is in charge, will he vanish too?
-His family kinda keeps the shrine of Desna. When shrine keepers in the city vanish, who says that´s not gonna spread?
-he wants Cauldron to be a safe place, so he can open an inn there. That´s a very good long term motivation, especially if things should screw up over the span of the campaign and it would get more dangerous outside of the city perhaps, he would even have more reason to do this to bring his grandfather, brother and sister to safety!
Also i kinda planned to play him as a secret admirer of Annah Taskerhill.
If others feel Ikkyu is so hard to fit in - what i don´t really - i could scrap the monk idea and get back to UC barbarian.
That would be:
-UC barbarian
-human
-lucky monkey employee trait
-dream haunted trait
-associated with the striders
How about that?
If others feel Ikkyu is so hard to fit in - what i don´t really - i could scrap the monk idea and get back to UC barbarian.
That would be:
-UC barbarian
-human
-lucky monkey employee trait
-dream haunted trait
-associated with the stridersHow about that?
I was just throwing out ideas I don't think you need to change your PC.
I think the monk is fine and you have put a lot of work into you background. I was just giving an example to find ways to attach you to the city more. I like your idea of being a secret admirer of Annah. You could keep you background intact and make your tie to Annah stronger by using the Adventure backgound trait?
Unfortunately you might have the same problems with the barbarian background and I don't think it is necessary to change at this point.
I could use the Cauldron’s adventurer trait instead of martial manuscript and tie that into the story, if the GM is fine with that.
Not a bad die actually. A 350gp wand with mage armor might also be a good help.
@Ken PMd you.
Also just because you are from the lucky monkey doesn't mean you have to take the trait.
That´s another possibility^^
I´ll fit that in later!
Think we need to remember that (as I touched on above with Ryan) is that our PCs don't have to closely tied to each other. Semi-familiar faces in the crowd; acquaintances of acquaintances etc work just as well.
I actually like the fact that the Gate group lack an out-an-out meatshield, but can all switch hit and step up if needbe. Pretty different (although I'll likely eat my words when the first encounter runs through us like a hot curry)
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Good point Dow, we shouldn't struggle to connect our PCs. What we need to make clear is our motivation to defend the city.
Juraan: it would help if you would change your parents to two half orcs that worked as guards for one of the local Nobel families (I'd suggest Taskerhill, you and Ryan could know each other since childhood and/or there could be a rivalry between you and Annah Taskerhill). Both your parents died from the plague and you were put up in the orphanage. That's when your bad dreams started to manifest and you began scarring your body. Because of your Abilities you were invited to study at the Bluecrater where you met Dandariaon. This works better for fitting into the city rather then always getting arrested, Also, it has been my experience that cops usually don't trust befriend people they arrest. I see you two being drawn together as two outsiders. You can still be feisty just not aggressive. As you began looking for work and struggled you could find odd jobs working for Maxim.
:
Thanks for those suggestions. It got me to thinking (… when I regained consciousness … ). The bit about coming from Katapesh is a real stretch. A huge stretch, actually. So that can go. I'll rewrite things along the other lines you suggest. All things considered, that should make my story way, way shorter. I am a bit of a perfectionist and get carried away at times.
I know cops usually don't get along with their "regular customers." But I have met a few career criminals who are on a friendly first name basis with the cops that arrest them often. Maybe that's just a Vancouver thing, though.
Anyway… I'll rewrite/reduce that story.
Thanks for the input!
Mother – Selli, works cleaning floors at the Bluecrater Academy. He sacrificed much to raise Dandarion with a proper education. This include book learning as well as regular church attendance at Pelor’s temple.
Father – Marcus, deceased, guardsman who was murdered by the traitor Triel.
Town Guard Dandarion has been a member of the guard for approximately 3 years. While he is under worked and underpaid he enjoys the comradery and rough and tumble humor of the guard as well as the feeling of pride associated with keeping the city safe. Although recently he craves something a little more fulfilling. One of his favorite parts of the job is getting to meet new people as he patrols and mans the gates. One of his companions of note is Skylar Krewis. Who turned out to be loyal and brave young man, he is a fair-minded and understanding soldier who had a brief but fruitful adventuring experience. Skylar started a new career with the Town Guard looking to settle down and marry in Cauldron.
Bluecrater Academy – As a youth Dandarrion could often be found here with his nose in a book. While he was not officially a student here most of the staff and students know him. (There may be some resentment from the students and/or staff towards his unofficial status.)
Alleybashers – The gang of toughs Dandarion used to run with. He has had the occasional run in with them over the years but nothing to dramatic.
The Taskerhill Family - [Dandarrion’s fathers family, after being disowned he changed his family name to Brokenhill] Dandarrion has had virtually no interaction with the Taskerhills save for the infrequent missive from his grandmother. More recently he has developed a relationship with his cousin Ryan, a local cleric about his age.
Ryan Taskerhill – Cousin and Cleric of St. Cuthbert. Recent friend of Dandarrion. They met three years ago and have had an occasion to go out and share a pint now and again.
Maxim Snapchance – Dwarf shop owner whom Dandarrion met when he investigated attempted break-ins at Maxim’s Shop.
Jurann A feisty half orc sorcerer that Dandarrion has encountered on many occasions usually involving a fight o some sort. In spite of this Dandarrion has a soft spot for volatile half orc and can be often found sharing a drink with him.
Ikkyu Ikkyu and Dandarrion met when the guard cleared out some undead from a wharehouse. They have had infrequent interactions since then.
====================================
RELIGION
====================================
Deity: Pelor (Sarenrae)
Dandarrion rarely finds time for regular worship but always makes a special effort on feast days and holidays. He always enjoys watching the reenactments of the battle between the Dawnflower and the god Rovagug during the Sunwrought Festival. He carries a copy of the religious text The Birth of Light and Truth and often reflects upon the tales told there in, as he enjoys its emphasis on redemption and overcoming trials.
@Dandarrion: Some wee tweaks for your above flavour :) Maxim works for Garthûn Imports and is the nephew of the Patriarch of the merchant company Adrick Garthûn himself. The old dwarf is well known for his meteoric rise in the mercantile power ranks, and his company provides exotic liquors, tobaccos, sweets and seafood to those with deep pockets and a taste for the expensive and unusual.
While Maxim is his ward, the young (in dwarven terms) gun-mage tends to handle delivery of shipments outside of Cauldron's walls and day-to-day protection of his Uncle's interests.
When the break-ins were investigated most likely Maxim was asked to oversee co-operation with the Guard.
On a general note - I'm pretty much there with Maxim. Have tweaked his surname with the introduction of a diacritic ring above the "a" thus: Snaphånce. Makes it a little more "dwarven" looking I reckon :)
I've also added a wee intro story - all my characters either have a descriptive passage or small vignette that hopefully offer a taste of how I'll play them and their personality. I've put Maxim's in his profile under the title "Riding Shotgun" should anyone care for some light reading :)
Thanks Maxim (Dow), I'll make the adjustments. Also, how are you making the diacritic ring above the "a"?
Hi all! Revised backstory. Again.
I think I've got everything covered this time:
• local boy now, and therefore loyal to Cauldron
• he's the only one from his family to survive the filth plague
• he's intensely loyal to Gretchyn, and goes there often to lend a hand
• he studied at the academy, but been out of work
• too tetchy and spirited to be a city guard
• story hook at the end for at lease one disappearance
Comments/proofreading welcomed!
Juraan sighs as he looks at his newest cuts. Small knife in hand. He often scars himself ritually. Cleaning his newest cuts, he knows they are not painful. Family or friends dying; now THAT is pain! That happened all too often during the Filth Plague. That plague killed his family and most of his friends.
Juraan scars himself ritually to remember his half-orc father, Thirtisk, and Mat'thon, his mother. And his little sister, Shigaz. His parents were devoted to each other, as well as their children. Thirtisk and Mat'thon were local half-orc guards working in well-heeled households. Then the Filth Plague came. Juraan survived, and was raised in the Red Lantern Orphanage. Juraan was always intensely emotional after his family's death. If any of the bigger boys tormented his friends, he always charged in, "… like an enraged boar …", Maarm always said.
Juraan leaves the communal hovel of Minuta's boarding house. It is all he can afford, lacking steady work. He was talented enough to be asked to study at the Bluecrater academy. He has a knack for alchemy, and readily took to learning the Terran and Draconic languages. He does have sorcery in his blood. He dimly remembers Thirtisk and Mat'thon telling him about some of their own ancestors. One with draconic blood and another had Shaitan blood.
Juraan wanders near the Cusp of Sunrise, to see if someone will come and offer him work for the day. Then Gretchyn spots him. Despite her age, she appears in front of Juraan in a heartbeat. "SO! Avoiding me after cutting yourself up? AGAIN?! Don't you ever get tired of that, Silly Boy?" Gretchyn, the aging halfling headmistress of the Red Lantern Orphanage, is one person who can never provoke an angry reaction from Juraan. She is his mother in his eyes, and he is intensely loyal to her. He even calls her "Maarm". Something she only tolerates from Juraan. "Yrsh. S'rry Maarm" Juraan mumbles. He gives her some star coins for her orphanage.
Juraan sticks out like a sore thumb amid other jobless waiting for work. He is a half-orc with light green skin, vestigial tusks and pointed ears. His eyes and hair are his truly striking features, though. He has crocodilian eyes. Irises too large for eye whites and slits for pupils. Each eye is brightly streaked and coloured. Like gem stones. His right eye is lapis lazuli blue and the right is bright jade green. His thick hair glistens black, like obsidian, with random streaks of bright blue and green matching the colours of his eyes.
What work can he get today? Threatening debtors for the Alleybashers again? He can browbeat people with words just as easily as goons can with their fists. He prefers less dubious work, though. Weer, a cranky old fart, pays Juraan well if he has any alchemical work for him. Skie Alderson, the likeable gnome, sometimes has work for Juraan. Sometimes for money. Other times with knowledge.
As loyal and attached to Cauldron as any local, Juraan knows he is too much of a maverick to work as a city guard. Unlike his friend, Dandarrion. They both have very strong personalities, and get along quite well. Juraan, though, is much less gregarious and much more prone to anger.
If nobody gives him work today, Juraan will help Gretchyn at the orphanage again. Followed by a cheap meal and pint at the Slippery Eel. Locals there seldom mock him about his appearance. Except one fat git a few nights ago. A gruff dwarf there was amused by the resulting dust-up. He gave Juraan a steak to help his eye heal and bought him a dram! The steak would have tasted better later if was cooked, though. Juraan wishes he could repay the dwarf for that.
Juraan is soon approached by an markedly shy and robust young fellow, introducing himself as Ikkyu, asking for directions. He carries on after Juraan gave him the directions he wants. Ikkyu's name sticks in his mind. Mostly because the stranger did not remark on Juraan's appearance.
Juraan sees one of the local nobles, Ryan Taskerhill, walking by. He remembers Ryan visiting the orphanage and seeing the chaotic aftermath of his vigorous defence of Ærdric. And the bewilderment on Ryan's face. Juraan and Ærdric were inseparable almost as soon as Ærdric came to the orphanage, unable to speak. Until the day Ryan Taskerhill visited.
Juraan realizes with a bit of a start, that he has not seen Ærdric today. Where is he? That worries Juraan. Ærdric is always there by now. Predictable as clockwork. Unlike Juraan. He should look for Ærdric and make sure his friend is well. Just then, he sees Dandarrion. He calls out to Dandarrion and walks toward him. Maybe Dandarrion can help him find Ærdric.
Thanks Maxim (Dow), I'll make the adjustments. Also, how are you making the diacritic ring above the "a"?
The wonders of the inter webs... and copy & paste lol.
@Juraan: Love it mate. Has its dark moments but also its bright ones... as befits the character.
@ Black Dow: thanks!
Dropping the gnoll and dream bits did make it less dark (and shorter too)
I think you've got it now, I like how you tied your friend to the recent disappearances. I also have a better understanding of your attachment to Gretchyn and the orphanage.
Ha! I think I can handle that.
@ Game Ranger: I use EBoN for generating a lot of random names as needed. For that reason, I made a text file of all the non-standard Latin letters it can use. There's lots more, but EBoN can't seem to use any with an ASCII code higher than 255. But anyway, if you want to cut and paste a few funky letters, here's the list I use:
À à - "A" with a grave accent
Á á - "A" with an acute accent
 â - "A" with a circumflex
à ã - "A" with a tilde (Portuguese)
Ä ä - "A" with a diaeresis
Å å - "A" with a ring above (Scandinavian)
Æ æ - ligature 'AE'
Ç ç - "C" with a cedilla (French)
È è - "E" with a grave accent
É é - "E" with an acute accent
Ê ê - "E" with a circumflex
Ë ë - "E" with a diaeresis
Ì ì - "I" with a grave accent
Í í - "I" with an acute accent
Î î - "I" with a circumflex
Ï ï - "I" with a diaeresis
Ð ð - letter Eth ('th' Old English)
Ñ ñ - "N" with a tilde (Spanish)
Ò ò - "O" with a grave accent
Ó ó - "O" with an acute accent
Ô ô - "O" with a circumflex
Õ õ - "O" with a tilde
Ö ö - "O" with a diaeresis
Ø ø - "O" with a stroke (Scandinavian)
Ù ù - "U" with a grave accent
Ú ú - "U" with an acute accent
Û û - "U" with a circumflex
Ü ü - "U" with a diaeresis
Ý ý - "Y" with an acute accent
Þ þ - letter Thorn ('th' Old English)
ß - Eszett (German, lower case only)
ÿ - "Y" with a diaeresis (lower case only)
To write that ring on the a you probably need to install some skandinavion keyboard layout. Not a big deal i think^^
@Gaming Ranger: When you´re frequently in the Shrine of Pelor, that actually opens other interaction possibilities for our characters.
-While cleaning out the undead back then we could have noticed each others "passion" there, and if it was a simple comment.
-Ikkyu befriended one of the priests of Sarenrae and hangs out there every now and then. Should have seen each other there.
Need to take a look at the rest and also rewrite Annah Taskerhill more into my story, but im a bit busy right now. Will do later or tomorrow.
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Thanks Juraan that makes it a lot easier! Can't wait to make a Dwarf or a Viking now!
Ken like the idea of us having met at the Shrine of Pelor and developing a friendship there. I'll work that in.
Ken how does this sound:
Ikkyu Ikkyu and Dandarrion first met when the guard cleared out some undead from a warehouse. They later met again at the Shrine of Pelor where they developed a friendship over their debates on religion and philosophy.
Sounds good!
When adopting the Cauldron adventurer background to have been in the Stormblades and met Annah Taskerhill, i would probably need some GM input.
When adopting the Cauldron adventurer background to have been in the Stormblades and met Annah Taskerhill, i would probably need some GM input.
Perhaps the Stormblades seemed interested in you being a Lucky Monkey heir able to adventure with them. Maybe you followed them full of admiration in Annah, but you never felt to fit in their style. Perhaps you got enraged by a minor discussion about loot after feeling during months Annah does not have the same feelings towards you, or maybe you had a strong discussion with another Stormblades member whom felt jealous for her relationship with you.
The exercise made me realize how feat intensive ranged builds can be.
I want to preface this by say I don’t build many ranged PCs. My first instinct was to dump Str but after doing a little research realized this wasn’t a good idea. So here is how I do this PCs Stat array:
S: 14 D: 18 C: 12 I: 10 W: 8 CH: 14
I was tempted to dump Wis a little more and bump CH or go with Dex 17 and con 14 but felt it was more important for a ranged PC to have that extra +1 to hit at early levels considering all the penalties they can accrue. Just my thoughts. Str is 14 to get damage on arrows and so he wouldn’t have to take weapon finesse and burn another feat (or three to get dex to damage).
Allright, i added that to the story as well as meeting Dandarrion in the Church of Sarenrae. Feels really rounded out now somehow.
@Gaming Ranger:
Ranged builds normaly stay out of melee combat or try to. There are later feats to not get AoO´s anymore when using ranged weapons in melee.
12 STR should be enough for a bard i think. You get additional damage from inspire courage, you can have arcane strike, then deadly aim, weapon enchantments, heroism, what all stacks.
The usual feats would be:
-point blank shot +1/+1
-precise shot (+4)
-deadly aim -1/+2 scaling
-rapid shot -2 +1 attack on full attack
-manyshot +1 attack on full attack
-clustered shots - beats DR
-arcane strike +damage
Spell and Ability Boni:
-inspire courage +1/+1
-heroism +2
Have been traveling back home today after the girls tournament. But the changes seem to be tying together well.
Thank you to Maxim and Juraan for the ideas on how to create the oddball characters, simple and effective, the type of thing that is easily over thought.
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I like it Ken and I'll second what Ryan(CharlesJ) said I think the little changes (and not so little) made today are tying together well.
@Dow(Maxim) I really like your DC 5 Knowledge local check spoiler in Maxim's alias bar.
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I hope I have Juraan ready to go. I've updated the latest backstory and other bits on his profile. I made some tweaks that I hope are more thematic and useful to the party.
• Replaced Chain Fighting racial trait with City Raised
• Moved a skill point from Intimidate to know (local), so that is +9 now
• Without skill points: Bluff +4 and Intimidate +5
• Armed him with a longsword; not useless in melee as your average sorcerer, therefore
• Got him a kerambit for ritual self-scarring (useless in combat, really)
• Equipped him with two acid flasks; could come in handy (thanks for the suggestion, Gaming Ranger)
• Proofread and edited some things in the backstory and personality bits
Hopefully that all works in well with everyone else's characters. For story lines and skills.
Juraan sighs as he looks at his newest cuts. Small knife in hand. He often scars himself ritually. Cleaning his newest cuts, he knows they are not painful. Family or friends dying; now THAT is pain! That happened all too often during the Filth Plague. That plague killed his family and most of his friends.
Juraan scars himself ritually to remember his half-orc father, Thirtisk, and Mat'thon, his mother. And his little sister, Shigaz. His parents were devoted to each other, as well as their children. Thirtisk and Mat'thon were local half-orc guards working in well-heeled households. Then the Filth Plague came. Juraan survived, and was raised in the Red Lantern Orphanage. Juraan was always intensely emotional after his family's death. If any of the bigger boys tormented his friends, he always charged in, "… like an enraged boar …", Maarm always said.
Juraan leaves the communal hovel of Minuta's boarding house. It is all he can afford, lacking steady work. He was talented enough to be asked to study at the Bluecrater academy. He has a knack for alchemy, and readily took to learning the Terran and Draconic languages. He does have sorcery in his blood. He dimly remembers Thirtisk and Mat'thon telling him about some of their own ancestors. One with draconic blood and another had Shaitan blood.
Juraan wanders near the Cusp of Sunrise, to see if someone will come and offer him work for the day. Then Gretchyn spots him. Despite her age, she appears in front of Juraan in a heartbeat. "SO! Avoiding me after cutting yourself up? AGAIN?! Don't you ever get tired of that, Silly Boy?" Gretchyn, the aging halfling headmistress of the Red Lantern Orphanage, is one person who can never provoke an angry reaction from Juraan. She is his mother in his eyes, and he is intensely loyal to her. He even calls her "Maarm". Something she only tolerates from Juraan. "Yrsh. S'rry Maarm" Juraan mumbles. He gives her some star coins for her orphanage.
Juraan sticks out like a sore thumb amid other jobless waiting for work. He is a half-orc with light green skin, vestigial tusks and pointed ears. His eyes and hair are his truly striking features, though. He has crocodilian eyes. Irises too large for eye whites and slits for pupils. Each eye is brightly streaked and coloured. Like gem stones. His right eye is lapis lazuli blue and the left is bright jade green. His thick hair glistens black, like obsidian, with random streaks of bright blue and green matching the colours of his eyes.
What work can he get today? Threatening debtors for the Alleybashers again? He can browbeat people with words just as easily as goons can with their fists. He prefers less dubious work, though. Weer, a cranky old fart, pays Juraan well if he has any alchemical work for him. Skie Alderson, the likeable gnome, sometimes has work for Juraan. Sometimes for money. Other times for knowledge.
As loyal and attached to Cauldron as any local, Juraan knows he is too much of a maverick to work as a city guard. Unlike his friend, Dandarrion. They both have very strong personalities, and get along quite well. Juraan, though, is much less gregarious and much more prone to anger.
If nobody gives him work today, Juraan will help Gretchyn at the orphanage again. Followed by a cheap meal and pint at the Slippery Eel. Locals there seldom mock him about his appearance. Except one fat git a few nights ago. A gruff dwarf there was amused by the resulting dust-up. He gave Juraan a steak to help his eye heal and bought him a dram! The steak would have tasted better later if was cooked, though. Juraan wishes he could repay the dwarf for that.
Juraan is soon approached by an markedly shy and robust young fellow, introducing himself as Ikkyu, asking for directions. He carries on after Juraan gave him the directions he wants. Ikkyu's name sticks in his mind. Mostly because the stranger did not remark on Juraan's appearance.
Juraan sees one of the local nobles, Ryan Taskerhill, walking by. He remembers Ryan visiting the orphanage and seeing the chaotic aftermath of his vigorous defence of Ærdric. And the bewilderment on Ryan's face. Juraan and Ærdric were inseparable almost as soon as Ærdric came to the orphanage, unable to speak. Until the day Ryan Taskerhill visited.
Juraan realizes with a bit of a start, that he has not seen Ærdric today. Where is he? That worries Juraan. Ærdric is always there by now. Predictable as clockwork. Unlike Juraan. He should look for Ærdric and make sure his friend is well. Just then, he sees Dandarrion. He calls out to Dandarrion and walks toward him. Maybe Dandarrion can help him find Ærdric.
Let me know if there are any holes in this backstory. I think I've got them patched up after making him a local. It's still a bit on the long side, I know. But getting rid of the Gnoll/Katapesh thing helped shorten the backstory somewhat.
And thanks for all your hard work on the Google Doc of the Shackled City guide. Very well done!
@ Dow your riding shotgun intro reminds me of the Joe Abercrombie book Red Country, fantasy mixed with a gritty western vibe. Nice.
@ all I will be on the road today and not posting much until this evening
@ Dow your riding shotgun intro reminds me of the Joe Abercrombie book Red Country, fantasy mixed with a gritty western vibe. Nice.
@ all I will be on the road today and not posting much until this evening
Thanks GR. Exactly the vibe as was looking for - and you can imagine with my alias that I'm a major fan of Lord Grimdark :)
Joe Abercrombie is pretty cool! Didn´t read Red Country yet though, only the First Law series. Currently reading more scifi somehow.
@Juraan:
-good call on the skills. +9 kn:local is pretty impressive. bluff and intimidate should be enough on level 1 in most cases. Many people tend to overdo that.
-if either you or BD´s Maxim would take burning hands, that could be a good thing too, additionaly to the acid flasks.
-on low levels, the level 0 attack spells are pretty good, especially since they are touch attacks. You should get a +1 damage on acid splash too i think, so that would make for 1d4+1 on a touch attack.
YOu have a very interesting way of building that sorcerer, it´s so different from how i would do that^^
I would have a higher CON and lower INT, probably higher DEX and CHA too if possible. Then on level 1 perhaps even take point blank shot with such a build, since you will likely want to take some targeted spells like acid darts etc later on and acid splash would get +1 to hit and be 1d4+2 damage.
Acid ray as a spell like ability should actually profit from the +1 damage too and would profit from point blank shot as well.
That would make for a lot of level 1 close ranged power^^
@ Ayaki/Ikkyu:
Thanks for that. It just occurred to me that with the Beggar AP trait, and using the City Raised Half-Orc racial trait, he would have a really good knowledge (local) skill. More thematic, and more useful to the party as well.
I avoid dump stats if I can. You're sort of stuck with it if it's a class that has two key stats instead of one. I like having skills, so I use higher INT for classes like sorcerers who get few skill points per level. I would have taken the Skilled racial trait instead of Sacred Tattoo, for even more skill points. But I had to make up for the -2 WILL penalty for Crossbloods somehow.
I didn't know the acid ray could benefit from the +1 acid spell benefit. I'll check into that. I know Acid Splash will benefit, and he can use that cantrip as much as he likes.
I also chose colour spray for first level because it's one of those unsung awesome spells at lower levels. Up to level 3 it's very useful!
My CUNNING PLAN is to get a collection of spells that each do one type of elemental damage. The not-acid spells I can then cast as doing more acid damage. Otherwise, I'll have opposition with acid resistance covered.