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Post by mafoon on Jan 12, 2011 15:09:51 GMT
Matt (thats me) and Ryan are going to write a pathfinder(aka 3.75) adventure based in a world on the brink of war (maybe world war) with the PCs playing a vital role in who sides with who. So far thats all we know for certain until we get together and write it but who would be interested, we'll welcome all players from well experienced to never played before. Not sure when and where we'll be doing it but we'll decide that when its ready to play. Aiming to have it ready to play before the end of Feb. If you are interested we want to know what sort of things you want to be doing, don't want to right a political role-play adventure when you'd rather be looting and taking advantage of the chaos of war. If you become a regular player we'd like you to buy the core rulebook eventually; also If you have any feel free to bring and use any 3.5 books as well (its compatible and we'll also be using some to write bits of it; parts of some books like the complete champion need our approval first cos they can be very unbalanced).
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Mouse
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Simon, Lord of Reserved Swedes and Lesser Top Hats
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Post by Mouse on Jan 12, 2011 21:43:49 GMT
Depending on when (as in weekday) it runs I would play this if I could get a spot.
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Post by Deth Monkee on Jan 12, 2011 22:20:19 GMT
I would also be interested, but it does depend on the day.
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Post by mafoon on Jan 17, 2011 15:13:06 GMT
The story is coming together nicely now, the out come of the war will revolve around the PCs actions as infiltrators to enemy lands. it would be cool if you could write character backgrounds here on the thread . They need to have some way to link into recieving orders from the general, whether mercs, soldiers, concerned patriots etc... so that the adventure starts when the party of infiltrators is formed and assigned their first task. We'll be making characters the first session and doing a bit of the adventure but if you'd like to make your character before hand we're usiong the point buy system page 15 of the core rulebook with 25 points starting at lvl 3. If you would like a pdf copy of any of the pathfinder books e.g. core rulebook, advanced players guide etc... email me at mafoon@hotmail.co.uk and i can send it to you. To help write backgrounds i'll breifly describe the geography and polictical sitiuation. The PCs home nation is the northern section of the main continent which is about 1/3 the surface of the planet the rest being large open seas littered with tiny islands most of which are uncharted. War is still a living memory (40 years agao) and the populace still decimated only just in the thounsands (being mainly human, elf and half elf with smatterings of other races). A peace treaty has been in effect since the last war but tensions rise again as ambitious new leaders come to power. The wild highlands remain unclaimed and un wanted, while the mountains remain solidly in the hands of the dawrf miners. Your arable home lands produce enough food to sustain a populace and trade with the isalnd nations and the reclusive dwarfs. For unkown reasons (although there are many theorises) metals and other precious minerals are only found along the equator, which is also where an antimagic field (also of unkown sorce) exists.
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Post by mafoon on Jan 17, 2011 16:05:27 GMT
Here are some supplementary mechanics for this campaign. Anti-magic fields will have a different effect from that described in the core rules etc in that it will have a diminishing effect on caster lvl and items as you approach the equator. e.g. if your caster lvl is 7 and your in a -3 field you can still cast your highest lvl spell but with an effective caster lvl of 4. (There are traits and feats to compensate for this). The way magic items are affected is a bit more complicated which i can go into in more detail on our first session (there are also new magic properties you can add to an item to help it function correctly in an anti-magic field). (don't worry its easy to get the hang of once you know it) We're using the traits in the back of the advanced players guide (start with two) so here are our campaign traits of which you may choose one but don't have to- One with the field: You were raised around magic in the anti-magic field and know how to compensate for its dampening effects. Ignore the first -1 to effective caster lvl from anti-magic effects. Sea Dog: Born at sea and raised by sailors you can relate to all those that share such a life style on a personal level. NPCs that spend a lot of time at sea have a starting attitude two steps friendlier toward you than normal once engaged in conversation. Dormant Magic: Having lived in the anti-magic field all your life your innate magic abilities where never realized or nurtured. Upon leaving the anti-magic field for the first time you realize your magic potential. (You may not take this trait if your first class lvl has a caster lvl.) This trait grants the same ability as the rogue Major Magic talent using total lvl as caster lvl. DC 11+charisma modifier (if positive).
Feat- Resiliant magic: Requirments- caster level 1 You are practised at casting in anti-magic effects Benefit: You can ignore the first -2 to effective caster level from an anti-magic effect, this has no effect on magic items. Special:you can gain this feat multiply times, its effects stack.
Stay tuned, I'll be posting Ryan's forward tonight or tomorrow
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Mouse
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Simon, Lord of Reserved Swedes and Lesser Top Hats
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Post by Mouse on Jan 18, 2011 1:52:09 GMT
Background Story of Markus Kurush Chaotic Evil Sorcerer.
Death first came into Markus’ life when he was ten years old. It wasn’t glorious or very dramatic. Certainly not something that would be written about in history books. It was just some deranged wizard who figured it would increase the size of his squad of undead servants to attack the nearby village. It would, but he would later be stopped by some do-gooder hero type. The event was special for Markus, however.
Markus had on the day went up on the roof of the little house he and his parents lived in. His parents had many times warned him not to go up on the roof as it would hurt him if he fell down but he had ignored them. He always ignored other people, if he hadn’t it would probably have been better for him. It would probably have been better for humanity if he had died that day.
Monsters, skeletons, zombies and ghouls swept in on the town. They set fire to the houses, killed the inhabitants dragged their bodies to the wizard to be raised. The villagers were screaming, the streets were covered in blood, body parts were flying and the people ran in panic. But not Markus. He just stood there, on the roof, looking down on his parents while they were being eaten by a pack of zombies. His mother, with her head already ripped off laying a few feet away from the rest of her body and his father, still screaming as the zombies started to rip out his insides with their hands and Markus thought in that moment that he had never seen anything as beautiful in his entire life.
Markus fled from the ruins of his former home and moved to a larger city. He studied hard and soon managed to be taken in as the apprentice to a wizard. His new master was kind and wise and soon saw that the boy’s natural talent with magic was not something that the books had taught him but rather that he was aligned with the weave as a sorcerer, and not a wizard such as himself. Normally the boy would have been reassigned at that moment but there was something about Markus’ passion that convinced his master to let him stay and try to teach him best as he could. Markus’ would be eternally grateful for that decision and he still was, even as he after three years of studies stabbed the kind wizard in his sleep. Markus had not even bothered to wipe the blood off his face before he raised his former master as a zombie. His new creation just stood there, awaiting orders to fulfil its new purpose in the world as Markus felt so happy, so euphoric he wanted to laugh for a month straight through. This had to be the true essence of power and the key, he thought, to eternal life.
Markus decide to stay in his masters’ house the following time. He had many books about magic that interested him but few of them were about subjects that fascinated him the most. Not until he tried to reach for one on the third shelf from the floor and fell into the book collection and broke through into a hidden stash behind it. It was unlikely that his master had kept a collection of these books to use them. He knew the teacher better than that, he was far too cowardice to ever try his hand on necromancy. It is more likely that he kept them as a part of a collection on forbidden arts but no matter Markus was glad that he had found them. He skimmed through the books to find what he was looking for and soon found it. In the most evil of the books he read. “The Lich” it described in detail not only what it was but also how to become one. Markus smiled as he stashed the book in his backpack. Now all he needed was to find a war of a decent size...
Although he was aware a peace treaty had been signed and kept for 40 years he knew that war is always a possibility. He gathered what the new leaders were like. People commonly said that good intentions paved the way to hell but he knew better, ambition did.
Being a very charming young man it was not difficult to impress the army with what little tricks of magic he knew. He also spoke well using fine words of comradeship, patriotism and the glory of battle. He spoke with a crooked tongue but it still impressed the recruiters. Markus was only interested in death and so far this seemed to be the best path to take. It didn’t take long until he was assigned to a special unit where he could utilize his abilities to the maximum, infiltration fit Markus better than most tasks. He never had fancied himself a battle magician. He knew whatever people he might be given this assignment with would see his methods and aspirations morally awkward but he never saw it as a problem. If they did not like it, he would just kill them, no one can outrun death. Not in the long run.
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Post by holloway on Jan 18, 2011 8:14:40 GMT
Peytr August, Neutral Evil Rogue
Son of a soldier, Peytr was drilled like any recruit even before he could walk. An early grave for his father left Peytr to lead his own life, and he became a partner in a local butchers.
His Keen mind for languages got him work with a local lord as a translator, which later led to extensive training and a widening of his job role.
Disassociating himself from the lord during a small political scandal, and selling his share of the butchery, Peytr kept low to avoid the fallout. Fate is a cruel bitch however, and an easy lift landed him in a cell. Given the choice between service or the noose, he went for following his father's old footsteps.
[I'm likely to modify this and extend at some point in the near future]
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Post by Deth Monkee on Jan 18, 2011 9:54:34 GMT
Cadwgan ap Emrys, Neutral Good Oracle.
Cadwgan came from a long line of soldiers, but his family had fallen on hard times, after the disgrace of his grandfather. His father said that the grandfather had defected in the middle of battle, fortunately the side he joined was still defeated. Cadwgan's family lived in the slums of a large city. The only thing they had of any worth was the family ancestral armour, which they went to great pains to keep hidden.
Because of his granfather's disgrace, his father couldn't get work as a soldier, nor could Cadwgan get the training he needed to become one. Also, as followers of [Iomedae, or equivalent], they could not find work that satisfied their beliefs. So Cadwgan's father decided to train Cadwgan from the age of 8, using a sledgehammer as a makeshift weapon.
When Cadwgan was 14, and training with the sledgehammer, visions suddenly came into his mind. Visions of armies marching in the sunlight, and battle on the fields. But also images of the darker side of war came, towns being looted, bodies burning, raping and killing. With these images came these words "War is coming. Protect those who cannot protect themselves." Then the visions were gone. Cadwgan was somehow not surprised to see the sledgehammer he had been holding had became a warhammer, with the symbol of [Iomedae, or equivalent] engraved on the head.
His father, who was watching this from a distance, could see that Cadwgan had been called by [Iomedae, or equivalent]. When Cadwgan entered the house, he saw the family armour laid out on the table, and his father standing behind it with tears in his eyes. He helped his son don the armour. When this was finished, his father gave Cadwgan all the coins they had, embraced him, and whispered, "Make us proud, son."
Cadwgan left his home for the last time, in search of battle.
(I know how to pronounce my name, don't worry.)
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Dudeicuf
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Post by Dudeicuf on Jan 18, 2011 13:37:04 GMT
Sir Kavor of Braye, True Neutral Cavalier
Located on the edge of the wild highlands is the vast Braye Estate. Owned, run and led by Lord Harold Braye. Situated in such a remote location has it’s dangers; harsh weather, poor crops, the occasional group of bandits. Yet, because of the conditions, the Braye nobility and their soldiers are known to be strong and hardy.
21 years ago, a terrible storm was passing across the Moors and forests of the Braye estate. After the storm had finished, the lady Braye was out on a walk, inspecting wall on the edge of the estate for damage. Bandits could’ve easily got across during the storm. While riding along with an armed guard, she hear the sound of a crying baby. After following the sound, she found a young half-orc, no more than a year old. Of course she wouldn’t just leave it there to die, so she took it back to to the keep with her.
Lord Braye was not too ecstatic about the baby, he didn’t want anyone to think there was orcish blood in his family but never the less, he saw the potential in the child. Orcs are fearsome warriors and having some of the blood in his knights could prove valuable. He decided to name the young Orc Kavor. Kavor wasn’t brought up as the Lords son, but he wasn’t treated as a worker. He played with top knight’s children, learnt with them, grew up with, but he was never one of them. He always considered Lady Braye his mother though, and she would regularly visit him and teach him of the Braye heritage.
When he was big enough, he went into military training. At first, he trained to be a squire, along with he peers, the top Knight’s sons. They didn’t like him, not only did they see themselves as pure nobility and superior because of being pure human, but they hated his greater strength and size. He excelled in the training, and eventually they moved on to foot soldier training. Again, he excelled, his peers tried to sabotage his success. They would ambush him at night and try and beat him up, hide his equipment, steal his rations. It didn’t work.
Kavor knew that all it would take for him to be banished was him injuring one of the Knight’s sons. He knew he didn’t belong. He fought back, not with violence, but by anticipating their attacks, by keeping watch of his equipment and by befriending the Keep’s chefs. He was very competitive with the humans, he would always try and out do them. It was his little way at getting back at them. He grew stronger and stronger, and as they entered their knightly training, he towered above the humans. He had to ride one of the massive work horses as there was no warhorses large enough to support him and he grew a strong connection with his horse, a stallion named Syver.
Lord Braye received word that General Valyn was trying to group together a team to do some dangerous work and would he have any good soldiers he could send. The Lord decided to put Kavor and his 7 peers to a test. He didn’t tell them what for, but he held a jousting tournament, a tree felling competition, wrestling matches and tested the connections they had with their horses. Unsurprising to the Lord, Kavor won each one. There was an outcry from the Knights and their sons. They claimed he shouldn’t have been allowed to compete due to his strength, that he was a brute, that he shouldn’t have ever been allowed to live.
The Lord ignored them all. He bestowed the prize to Kavor. He knighted him Sir Kavor of Braye, and told him of a quest to help the general, that he should ride under the banner of the Braye estate and make the Lord proud. He was given a custom suite of Braye Family armour, a Braye emblem shield, lance and sword. Kavor refused the sword, he said to Lord Braye 'I am as much part of your family as I am part Orc, please allow me to use my ancestral weapon, please may I wield a mighty axe', the Lord was surprised but agreed. Lady Braye gave Kavor some money to keep him fed and sheltered during his journey and he left, finally feeling accepted by the Lord.
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Post by mafoon on Jan 18, 2011 13:43:50 GMT
A Letter from the messenger Dimbrick to his wife Sikelle-
To my dearest Sikelle, I write to you with a heavy heart, for the content of what I’m set to deliver frightens me, it details the plans of general Valyn and a revert to war is inevitable! He sent small groups of adventurers out to the dwarven mines of Hareth Dun, the forests of Falbar in the anti magic field and about to send another to the farmers of Eltar. He plans to convince the residents of Eltar to divert resources they currently tribute to Fort Constance to our war effort instead! This is in violation of the peace treaty! Eltar is part of Gazra not Gilliard! The arable land was to be shared equally among us to help rebuild, when they find out, I dread to think what will happen. But alas this is not even the worst of the news, the worst part is the group of hacks he is sending, I have had the displeasure of dealing with a few of these myself in the past and while there are a few reliable names I recognize, others I cannot say the same about. Remember Greshek the half-orc that tore the muscle in my hand just because I looked at him funny; he was sent to the mines, this is meant to be diplomacy right? At least he may finally get what he deserves, I always did like that about the dwarfs there, they understand that orcs are no better than animals and half orcs are almost as feral. Ah But the group of adventures going to Eltar, I just despair. Honestly i really don't know where the general finds these people. One goes by the name of Markus Kurush, I suspect even thats a lie; he's got them hanging off every word he says, even general Valyn. Petry August is supposed to be some kind of thief only their to avoid a short drop quick stop. Cadwgan appears to be some sort of divine sear or oracle that apparently foretold the coming of war, more like gave the general the idea i reckon. I heard rumors of a half-orc knight called Kavor, if you can believe it, thats to join this "elite" task force. The other two I've yet to meet or hear of but no doubt they will be misfits or undesirables too. I worry that this job is about to get a lot more dangerous and so i send you my love and ask that you pray for me.
As always destroy the letter when your finished, it would be a fate worse than death if this fell into the wrong hands and they thought i was a spie. XX
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Mouse
Frequent Member
Simon, Lord of Reserved Swedes and Lesser Top Hats
Posts: 154
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Post by Mouse on Jan 19, 2011 15:07:26 GMT
((So I figure some of the party have met then? I'm excited to start so I figure we could do some forum RP until you've got everything ready to play?))
Markus glanced at his newly met comrades. The half-orc with the steed and the banner had to be some sort of knight. If he could figure out what the banner stood for he would find where he was from. Markus disliked knights, they had values, they spoke highly of honour and chivalry. Half-orcs on the other hand... He had always heard they would lose themselves in battle. Perhaps he had to utilize that feature of his race to be able to influence the proud warrior. "Yes, he thought, as he saw the axe he was wielding. You are not fully human after all..."
Peytr seemed to be an easier kind of character. It was as clear as if written in a book what he was interested in. At the moment Markus was low on that resource however, so he would have to wait. He frowned, he had never himself found any pleasure in money. It always seemed to be the means to an end and there were so many more interesting means...
The third one was tricky... a holy priest like him? He always thought they deserved the most painful of deaths for their self-righteousness. This one was young though, at just fourteen he whould be easy to influence. After all it was with priests as with everyone else. Markus could only see one side of the coin, but there was sure to be another and the holier the one side, the darker the other...
But the mask had to come on again: "So gentlemen (he put on his best of smiles) for king and country eh?"
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Post by mafoon on Jan 19, 2011 20:17:48 GMT
good idea introductory forum rp, i'm not sure where you are atm becuase i haven't seen the start of the adventure (its still with ryan) but its safe to say your waiting for your final orders to arive and your other companions near the border of Gazra (your in Gilliard).
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Post by Deth Monkee on Jan 20, 2011 11:29:01 GMT
Cadwgan was sat polishing his warhammer as the magician spoke. He smiled back at Kurush, while thinking "I doubt very much that you are here for king and country." None of his new companions could be trusted yet, and Cadwgan suspected that he never would grow to trust them.
There didn't seem like much to Peytr August. He was obviously here to avoid the noose, and will probably find an opportunity to desert us. However, there was a chance, being the son of a soldier, that he could find some discipline on this mission. That was doubtful.
The other two people were more worthy of Cadwgan's interest. He was surprised to see that the knght of Brae was half-orcish. Despite this, he seemed to act like any other knight. It was worrying that Sir Kavor had not been in a proper battle as of yet. Cadwgan was unsure whether the knight could keep control of his instincts in a fight.
The magician was certainly cause for concern. Cadwgan had seen evidence at the camp that he was manipulative, and so assumed that Kurush would try to manipulate his companions here as well. To what ends, Cadwgan didn't have an idea. The half-orc would probably be persuaded to join Kurush's cause, whatever that may be. Cadwgan would have to persuade Sir Kavor that that would be a bad idea.
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Dudeicuf
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Post by Dudeicuf on Jan 20, 2011 15:19:45 GMT
Kavor rode into the camp slightly nervous. He had never really ventured far from the Braye estate, let alone out of the Highlands and to be this far away, everything seemed slightly alien. Then there were the looks. On his journey here he had kept his helmet on to avoid the worst of it, still, it seemed hard when the helmet had been adjusted to accommodate his rather large tusks. And his armour, although Braye knight's armour, painted a noble blue and silver, crested with the Braye Standard, was not entirely standard. Part of his right arm was bare, partly to allow for the the movement of his arm and partly to show the tribal tattoo he was found with as a baby. People gave him looks of confusion, disgust, fear and occasionally jealousy. Never the less, it was his calling to complete the quest and he rode on. Upon reaching his destination, he saw 3 others waiting there. They all seemed to be human. "Oh joy" he thought "More arrogant humans to try and challenge my heritage, make fun of me, dismiss my nobility and knighthood. Oh well, I'll show them, they will see how capable I am" Skulking off in to the side was a man called Peytr. Kavor didn't think much of him. He didn't look honourable, he didn't look capable. He seemed to Kavor like the sort of person who would let everyone take the blame but steal all the glory, in or out of battle. Well, if he can keep up with Syver and my axe he'll prove something worthy. Then there was Cadwgan. A child. What was someone who ought to be training as a squire, or at most, a foot soldier, doing in plate armour, albeit old and unused. And what was he doing wielding a hammer suitable for the likes of Kavor. How odd. He may at least be able to survive battle but can he keep up the pace of of it? Unlikely. Markus just gave Kavor a look. It wasn't one he was used to. It seemed menacing, like he had plans for Kavor but he couldn't place what they were. From the little he gave away, Kavor got the impression that chivalry and righteousness were not on the top of his list. "Watch out for that one, he may cause trouble and I may have to end up clearing it up" Kavor whispered to Syver. Kavor dismounted, removed his helmet and unbolted the gauntlet remaining on his right hand, putting them into the saddlebags on Syver. As he walked past Markus, he glanced down and said "Yes, it would Seem so...' then he tried to find the soldier in charge of their 'squad' to find out what their orders were.
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Post by holloway on Jan 20, 2011 17:28:20 GMT
Peytr rubbed his recently unshackled wrists as he silently observed the entrance of the mounted knight. This future companion was a ridiculous mix of ferocity and honour - a half-orc with a broken moral compass that always pointed to gallantry and respect. A quick adjustment of his scarf helped Peytr conceal his Elven ears and fair facial structure - no need for that kind of confrontation just yet. Although there was always tension between the two races, he felt his Elven heritage should only be overtly shown if it helped facilitate his occupation.
Upon hearing the mock-knight's whispered exchange with his steed Peytr also turned his attention to the withdrawn human, noting after a few seconds contemplation that perhaps the half-orc is more insightful than traditional Elven views generally keep. This human's tongue kept steadier than the green monstrosity's however, and instead his eyes did all the work.
An ego shone through as the man spoke his patriotic piece after mentally strip searching everyone with his swift glances. Peytr wondered if it could be something he could use against him in the future sometime, but dismissed the idea as quickly as it had come. He had promised himself he was going to enjoy this trip playing soldiers even if his companions were children, green (in more sense than one) or otherwise probable awkward obstacles to deal with.
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