The sleepy town of Karpad in shadow-haunted Nidal has long been overseen by the Boroi family, and until a few weeks ago, the citizens under Baron Stepan Boroi's rule have lived uneventful lives of relative peace. Recently, however, the outbreak of a virulent and fatal disease and a number of mysterious disappearances have left the people of Karpad paranoid and fearful. Even Baron Stepan has been acting strangely, and now the tenuous balance of racial tensions between Karpad's human and fetchling populations stands on the verge of collapsing into total anarchy. Can the PCs uncover the root of Karpad's problems and put an end to the deadly virus, the terrifying disappearances, and the miasma of fear and distrust that threatens to overwhelm the region?
I'm opening recruitment for the module The Midnight Mirror by Sam Zeitlin. This is a 4th level adventure which should take around 7 months to complete. This will be the third game I’m GMing on these boards, and if I continue to enjoy the experience I will likely run another module afterwards.
We play this game with words, and I try to select mine with care. I don’t expect phenomenal prose, but I hope that you will put some effort into making your posts fun and easy to read. I will do my best to create an atmospheric and immersive game with elements of horror and investigation. Please plan to post daily, an average of 6 times per week or more. I also like using discord and will have an (optional) server for the game
GMing is already hard enough, and I will not make it harder for myself by doing unnecessary work for you. It’s up to you to manage a loot inventory if you want loot. You have the power to scroll back through the game and find that old post which gives you a key clue. You control your own destiny, you shiny sparkling thing
Shoving is encouraged. Specifically, I’m using shoving to refer to posting actions rather than talking about doing something. Here is a good example. There seems to be a tendency to post “Should we see what’s behind the door?” Rather than “Gork opens the door.” As a GM, I am looking for definitive actions so I can respond appropriately
I would like to murder you
17 Point Buy - Don’t spend it all on one stat
Level 4
Partial Gestalt: Level 1 and level 4 are gestalt levels. You are a gestalt character for those 2 levels. Level 2 and 3 are normal levels, meaning you only advance 1 set of class features. You can multiclass however you want. For example, you could be a Fighter/Wizard gestalt at level 1, a Rogue at level 2 and 3, and a Fighter/Warpriest at level 4. Be clear about what you’re doing
Allowed Classes: All Core, All Unchained, All Hybrid, Alchemist, Inquisitor, Magus, Oracle, Shifter, Witch
Races: I suggest you choose Core but if the concept works a lot better with something else then go for it. Gnomes are prohibited within 200ft of my game, and I’m not about to flaunt the law just for you
6k GP
2 traits - you can take a drawback but you won’t get a 3rd trait <3
Please put your crunch in a standard format. Here is an example under the character sheet spoiler
Firearm rework - I tried out my own firearm rules last game and liked them. I’ve made a few more tweaks, however, so these are not exactly the same as last time
Drawing a two handed weapon is a standard rather than move action, reduced to move with quickdraw
Background skills are in effect
Fractional Bonuses are in effect (add up fractional BaB/Saves then round)
Elephant in the room feat taxes are in effect
In addition to a Character Sheet and a Background, I encourage you to respond to the below prompt in character, perhaps narrating your thoughts or interacting with other applicants who may be in the recruitment thread. I’m planning to pick four players based mostly on 1) player vibes and 2) character concept. Planning to keep things open for 10-14 days unless demand says otherwise.
The Lady Tiborose seeks adventurers of even temper and clever disposition, who must conduct themselves with a display of good breeding and perfect equanimity, to perform an errand of a simple but important nature...
The page of fresh vellum, skinned with care and stretched to a fine translucent sheet, goes on to detail how interested parties might inquire inside. It has been fastened to the front gate of the Nidalese embassy in Magnimar by a spiked chain. Inside the embassy, a front room has been cleared of any torture instruments, or whatever else is normally there, and set sparingly with a table and a few chairs. A well dressed woman with scars running like tears down the sides of her face welcomes you, quickly assuring you that she’s not the ‘High Lady Tibrose,’ who will only see you if you complete an application to satisfaction. She offers one to you with a faint sneer.
I, the undersigned, do with clear head and unconstrained body submit myself to your remanding gaze. For my own edification, I will meekly defer to your better judgement while under your employ, save in any matter which requires small matters of professional consideration beneath your notice. With one fingerprick of pain, I will make my mark below, and thus vouchsafe that this document contains no lies.
1. What do you fear most? When did you fail to overcome fear?
2. Have you any experience whatever in working with highborn and noble individuals of exquisite refinement and discerning taste?
3. Will you be able to supply even a single reputable reference who might recommend you to me, and thereby obviate the need for rude introduction?
4. What past adventures have you completed? Only list those worth the time it takes me to read them.
5. Have you ever located a missing person? Was she alive?
6. Are there any in Magnimar or the surrounding acreage who will miss you if you suffer an untimely demise?
With unflinching hand, I sign my name
_____________________________
And make my mark
_______
1. I fear most the word “saught”.
Also: being murdered.
Hell yes!
Valdear here from your Feast of Ravenmoor campaign. I really enjoyed that one, and would love to be in another of your games. I'll get a character made up.
What I am thinking....
Race: Human
Partial Gestalt:
Lvl 1: Zealot Vigilante
Dedicated to a single deity, the zealot hunts the enemies of his faith in secret, often because his religion is outlawed or persecuted in the region
Lvl 4: Enlightened Paladin...or Virtuous Bravo... of Desna
The vigilante is perfect for having a disguise where the paladin lives a secret life in Nidal. This is someone who has a life within Karpad, which nobody questions. While also having a secret role as part of the the Whispered Song.
Hello, hello, this one sounds interesting :)
I am considering an Half-Orc Dex based Investigator or Magus, Gestalt 1 Swashbuckler Inspired Blade, Gestalt 2... Brawler maybe :D
WIP for profile. Character concept is leaning heavily into someone who has a reason to fight, care about the village, and who can adventure without their home life collapsing.
Galessa is a shepherd born and raised in Karpad. Her husband is a Fetchling shepherd, also native to the village. Together, with their teenage son, they are quietly part of the Whispered Song, Desna's clandestine network operating within Nidal.
Their shepherding gives them an innocuous reason to travel outside Karpad. They carry messages and occasionally assist in moving goods through the countryside, while keeping an eye on roads, travelers, and events that might be of interest to the network.
Neither of them thinks of themselves as great heroes. They are simply two people doing what they can to protect their home and their faith.
When the outbreak of disease struck their home, her husband left to reach out to their Desnan contacts for assistance. He...never returned. She has no idea if he is alive or dead, and she does not have any way to contact him. All she can do is pray that he is alive and that help will come. In the meantime, this is her home and she is determined to do whatever she can to protect it.
Of her family, there is Galessa and her husband, both who are in their mid thirties. They have a son who is sixteen going on seventeen, and a thirteen year old daughter. Between the four of them, they have always been able to manage their flock without too much difficulty. Their children have grown up helping with the sheep, giving their parents the freedom to balance their responsibilities as members of the Desnan network with their roles within the village. It is simply the way their family has always lived.
1. What do you fear most? When did you fail to overcome fear?
* She fears that her husband is dead, or worse, was captured by the authorities. And that she will either never know. Even worse, she fears that being discovered will put their children in danger.
* She has not overcome that fear. She has simply learned that dwelling on what she cannot know will accomplish nothing. For now, she focuses on what she can do.
2. Have you any experience whatever in working with highborn and noble individuals of exquisite refinement and discerning taste?
* No. She is a shepherd through and through. However, as a local, she has interacted with with Baron Stepan Boroi's household, local merchants, ranchers, travelers, and people passing through Karpad.
3. Will you be able to supply even a single reputable reference who might recommend you to me, and thereby obviate the need for rude introduction?
* Yes. She is well known in Karpad as trustworthy, reliable, and self-sufficient. The Baron’s household, local merchants, ranchers, and other residents of the village can attest to her character. She has also earned a reputation for protecting her flock and herself from dangers in the wilderness.
4. What past adventures have you completed? Only list those worth the time it takes me to read them.
* Several seasons ago, cattle rustlers stole much of her flock. She, her husband, and their teenage son tracked the thieves and recovered what they could.
* On another occasion, a pack of wolves repeatedly harried her flock. She eventually confronted them alone and killed the pack's alpha with her knife.
5. Have you ever located a missing person? Was she alive?
* A few years back, the tanner's daughter went missing. The entire village went out to search for her. Galessa and her husband brought the girl back. She was traumatized by the experience, and refuses to say what had happened. The two said that they deferred to her wishes on not saying what occurred. It led to near endless speculation in town.
6. Are there any in Magnimar or the surrounding acreage who will miss you if you suffer an untimely demise?
* Magnimar? No. In Karpad? Yes. She is a well respected member of her community. However, should she fall protecting her village, she will be remembered fondly by those who lost her.
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Hell yes!
Valdear here from your Feast of Ravenmoor campaign. I really enjoyed that one, and would love to be in another of your games. I'll get a character made up.
Good to see you Valdear! You’re welcome to re-use Valdear for this adventure. After all, he did just return to Magnimar
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Since it seems like there’s interest in characters from Nidal, I will consider the possibility of an alternate hook that doesn’t take place in Magnimar. The module assumes the PCs are initially hired by Lady Tibrose, who lives somewhere far from the small town of Karpad. It’s possible that all the PCs would need to meet up in Magnimar together after being hired at the same time, or for some of them to be Lady Tibroses agents/retainers already in Nidal ready to meet the other PCs who come from Magnimar. I’ll have to think about this more
I’d be more than happy to play as Valdear. I had a blast playing him in the last campaign. Or to have Galessa as written above. Whichever you feel works best for this campaign. (I enjoy making characters so time was well spent making her regardless)
From your last post though, it seems that Valdear might fit in this better?
I'll be applying fully later. I'm just making this easier to get to.