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Post by Drozgul on Apr 30, 2010 22:29:01 GMT -5
As the Chalice of Purity is returned to the Temple of Helm, an appeased chaplain sends you well fed and bandaged on your way back home to the bustling city of Grisholm. Home again and healing, the payment covers your late dues, with a little to spare for a luxury or two. Though admittedly the ruins may have left the team reluctant to accept a job so quickly again, the guild has fulfilled its promise to provide work to the wayward sons of Osiria.
Osiria has been a green, pastured, and lush countryside for generations, save a few savage regions on its reaching edges. Its varied peoples have always given grace to the Lady of Osiria, so that she may provide the peace and prosperity promised. However, as she ages, and her time on the throne grows short, her kingdom has no heir, and many of Lady Elise’s cities have taken to propping up mercenary guilds, and other venture artists who have resolved to marshaling the land on their own. While the good queen does not approve of these groups, she has yet to find these well grown organizations to be guilty of anything but holding up occasional caravan protection and additional men-at-arms. It’s the people’s rumoring that leads her to believe that they fund their enterprises with tomb-raiding and other nefarious schemes, as well as the possibility of overthrowing the throne itself to leave it empty.
A guild of sorts like the one your group belongs to may be simple enough to stumble upon, but to identify or convict of anything but good has been on the verge of impossible, and so they continue to operate. These shared bands as such are kept in great secret, and recruit as part of their works of business. Yours as it happens is known as the Sandsteele Mount. Its rules are fairly simple; Dues are to be paid on time, any public mention of yours or any members' affiliation in such a guild is forbidden (and its price is exile), and should a writ be accepted to undertake a task it is expected to be carried out by its holder, in a timely fashion, lest the guild simply forget about your existence.
To remain “boarders” of the *ahem* program, dues at the beginning of each month are expected to be paid on time, cumulative with promotion from within, and fines may be issued due to lateness, short pay, damaged goods, missing items on loan, and even lack of cleanliness at times. Lodgings are exquisite, transportation is usually offered but rarely needed except for long journeys, and exotic foods are provided all as comfort from your monthly deposit. The rest of the money is typically used to erase your trail properly during your term within its ranks for your protection, and also after your term, for its own protection and mobility.
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Post by Drozgul on Apr 30, 2010 22:50:03 GMT -5
Yes, this means you have remained members of this guild for at least your last level of experience (probably the last few months or so). Up until and including your quest for the Chalice, you should build your background so far upon your membership, embellishing your experience as a group as best you can to decide what you've seen, and what your goals are or may be from there.
This is meant as a helping tool, not as a hindrance, and keep in mind you have plenty of time. This update is a reminder that we are on a one month countdown to begin, and I should hope to see some posting soon as to what is happening with these characters.
Please use this thread as the place for game info (hopefully even Mr. Landis will rejoin at least this page for that purpose). I would like first to see some character backgrounds, and a mini sheet that includes your name, race, class, attributes using the 32 point buy system (DMG), passive skill scores (spot, listen), feats, and while you do not need to list your gear, please use the DMG's starting "loot" for above first level to purchase what you have. I believe its on pg. 135, something like $200,000 worth to start, but please check to be sure.
A short character background can be singular, but more importantly a party inclusive one for this past level may be best. If you find you cannot build at least a few months together as a team of experienced adventurers (probably professionals), re-roll your stuff and don't whine, lest I start making restrictions of an unfriendly nature.
Also, you MUST decide before we begin how you would like to handle your hit point maximum. I may be generous to you, if you do not take advantage of me, HOWEVER, I find it to be only fair that if you wish to have the very best of all the cream of the crop, that I will be forced to challenge you accordingly. Choose wisely.
The same goes for gear selections, and tremendously obvious power building of characters. I'm not saying you can't, I'm saying I want to know, and I will be on the lookout for it, in order to run this game with the best information and tools I can. My suggestion, no matter how you may hate it, is to build together. You do not have to take this suggestion with anything at all EXCEPT your last few months' background together. Just trying to help.
Can't wait!
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Post by Drozgul on May 21, 2010 10:00:22 GMT -5
Update has been posted, please re-read the previous two posts of this thread for subtle changes that were necessary due to a 12 level gap that was surpassed before the start of the game.
Come Sunday ready to discuss some please, it will help me and you brainstorm.
Congratulations, may the gods over Osiria have mercy on you, and/or your respective souls.
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Fenix
Journeyman
Who in the hell do you think I am?
Posts: 162
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Post by Fenix on May 25, 2010 22:43:02 GMT -5
Here is a question for you, I was wondering about something that you had said the other week. You mentioned that if we wrote events or places in our history that those item would be in the game right?
If so I was wondering if you only would like us to name those people/places and let you have the rest of creativity.
I only ask due to have a war in my characters history and some other things that would be world know things (if you say so). Wanted your feed back before I started putting the background down.
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Post by Drozgul on May 26, 2010 4:06:56 GMT -5
First part of that that is important, be vague on locations, and time periods, such as; "the war was grueling in the near West! But hey, that's nearly ancient history now."
In other words, let me be specific about exactly where and when, but if you'd like to name a few names, that's fine. As time goes on, places can be renamed, or even conquered, so if I truly don't want something where you placed it, I will do something to it.
Aside of that, it may be important to think about how your characters age. For instance, you are a half celestial, another is a minotaur, and a third still is a DRAGON! So time may not be so easy to place (I also myself have no idea how each of those age and what concept of time they have due to it.
If you say Plinkin, the stable boy was the kid you grew up with in Farhaven, and together you stole your first horses from an invading army encampment, then so be it...these are small things. However, it may be important to know that that army knew exactly who stole their horses but were outnumbered the following morning and mostly imprisoned. This many years later, prisoners of war have been traded or bailed or set free, and a grudge is easily still held as the men no longer have a war to fight in, lest they be sentenced to death.
This being said, it might make you and your boyhood friend wanted men, and my guess is, since you never mentioned you were in Farhaven recently and only just heard the news of the prisoner release, it will come to your attention one way or another that Plinkin was utterly publicly humiliated before being destroyed in the far southern city of Gourhakk, where simple thievery is nigh tolerated.
That was just an example, but I WANT you to be vague, and not specific. If you were to tell me all of the above, there are very few blanks left for me to play with story-wise. Also, I really only want a brief history of events that have taken place during your time as a group together. Anything before that, if of too great of importance, could very easily be terrible news for you and your party.
An example of the above might be as follows: 12 years ago the war was still raging as our Emperor gave the command to finally sent his own bodyguards, the most elite of men, into battle in hopes of finishing the war, of course knowing if they failed his empire would be lost forever anyway. Myself, and three others were known as the Right Hand of Wei Cho Peng, and as such were known across many countries for our unparalleled skills on the field of battle. That was of course, until that fateful day. Our Empire's banner fell, and as we few who survived stormed home to save our Master, he had been hung out for the carrion birds as a warning of the power Eventyde beheld. We were powerless, and branded with our master's emblem. the only memory we had. We took to earning money by taking on challenging arena combatants who wished to be the next to defeat a Hand of Peng.
Great story-telling, but sorry, that leaves not really much room for me to stuff anything else in there.
Be vague, leave plenty of open fodder, and look into the aging of your characters. Also, aside of role in the party (such as tank, striker, and so on) think about your roles as things like rank, or task. For instance, your changeling may be know as reconnaissance, and your paladin as the party's tactician, something along those lines. Jobs, or assignments that remind you that each one is necessary to your survival, or properly fine-tuned teamwork.
You may even use one particular encounter as an example from the dungeon you just raided for the Chalice; create the encounter, and devise some well aimed group devices to leave your mark on the situation, running yourselves through one such example might show you right off who needs to buddy up more and who needs to get out of your shadow.
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Post by Drozgul on May 26, 2010 12:17:50 GMT -5
So, just as a heads up, Minotaurs in D&D are not only rare, but are monstrous in nature. There are few homes for such a race, seldom welcoming hearths, and rarely accepting inns or arms that have room for a monster. You may have in the past sought respite among the blind, or perhaps a monastery could give sanctuary here and there, as these are very intricate cases.
You have chosen the difficult path, however, I see in your post a lot of ease and grace that I don't recall the fantasy world of D&D to allow. This isn't to make it hard on you, the choice was yours and I gladly allow it, but that by no means says I intended to make it simple. You must find a way to get along in this world, to have somehow been able to work with this guild, and the party involved, and all without getting yourself killed on shear appearance. Especially considering you travel with a Paladin, even though his favor with the people is still likely to gain you none. You are essentially Frankenstein's Monster to the public eye.
The challenge is still available should you wish it, and there is plenty of time to change your mind also. Nothing is impossible, some things, like this are just much more complicated. Hell, most humans still BARELY CONSIDER tolerating Half-Orcs in most places.
Simplicity in disguise is one option, anonymity and ground-lings or hirelings is another. There are plenty of ways to make this work, I'll leave it up to you and your party. Admittedly, it is going to be far easier for the dragon in this campaign to gain acceptance, if for no other reason because he can appear as a human or elf.
A possible addendum to this can be that you yourself are not allied to this guild, and that you serve the party itself somehow. This would mean you gain no material benefits whatsoever from the contracts the party agrees to, nor would you typically have any say in the contracts taken, as they are typically offered once, and then if refused are assigned to someone else, lowering the reputation within the guild as slackers.
Even though I am certain this last possibility is probably the least tempting, it still is one. The party then could choose to give a cut of gold to you, could choose to hand over magical items, you get the idea. Again, all up to the four of you.
The only way I would have ever considered making this easy on anyone, was if you all played humans of a Neutral Good alignment.
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Post by Drozgul on May 26, 2010 13:09:12 GMT -5
Also, in addition to my previous post, allow me to give some clarification. This will be my first limitation, for simplicity's sake.
Please, get a copy of the Savage Species book, and as for Alanna, I believe you have the Races of Eberron. Everything you need is there. Please do not stray from it. No Hit Die adjusting (Rob, I recall you asking), just keep it simple. You are what you are, if you need to grab more class levels, play a different race, or just make it half-dragon.
Savage Species/Races of Eberron specifics are as follows:
Savage Species: Silver Dragon, pg. 22: Dragon; Very Young, Size: Med, Hit Dice: 10, Level Adjust +4, Starting ECL: 14, Skill Points for Base Creature: (6+ Int mod) x 13.
Half-Celestial, pg. 17: Outsider, Hit Dice: 1 (No adjustment for Human), Level Adjustment: +4, Starting ECL: 4, Skill Points for Base Creature: (8+ Int mod) x HD.
Minotaur, pg. 12: Monstrous Humanoid, Hit Dice: 6, Level Adjust +2, Starting ECL: 8, Skill Points of Base Creature: (2+ Int mod) x 9.
Races of Eberron: Changeling, pg 41: Base Race, All adjustments by class.
I have a ridiculous amount of source material for odd races as above, titles including "Bastards and Bloodlines: a guide to Half-breeds", "Dragonomicon", "Races of the Dragon", "Monster" (Which includes a variant on the Minotaur), "Guidebook to the Planetouched".
Also, feel free to ask for or browse my collection via PDF for all sorts of classes, prestige classes, special equipment, and other things.
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Post by rjrock85 on May 26, 2010 14:56:15 GMT -5
I'm not in this campaign but I'd like to correct something Droz, D&D minotaurs come in both male and female varieties and they live in tribes. Monster Manual IV pgs 100-101: Ecology and Society of the Greathorn Minotaur (an offshoot of the Minotaur race).
I have a feeling that your drawing your minotaur lore from Chad and Second Edition. Just saying. You are the DM, so your lore is your lore.
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Post by Drozgul on May 26, 2010 14:58:07 GMT -5
So it is World of Warcraft Minotaurs?
Super incredi-lame!
I have up until Monster Manual 3, can you e-mail me a copy of the exerpt? And then I will go up and modify my earlier post.
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Post by rjrock85 on May 27, 2010 14:39:07 GMT -5
One good thing is that they don't have the peace loving native American-like society. And they aren't based off of the Tauren they are based off of Dragon Lance Minotaurs which existed far longer than WoW has.
Unfortunately I don't have the Monster Manual IV in pdf.
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Post by Drozgul on May 28, 2010 5:28:55 GMT -5
I shall have to come visit then. The society itself will not be as important, as I have no intention of being even remotely near a settlement of its sort, but its good just to know.
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rlandis
Journeyman
FOR THE EMPIRE!
Posts: 224
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Post by rlandis on May 28, 2010 8:42:50 GMT -5
Yeah, I was always under the impression the Mino's followed the Dragon Lance Lore, in it they were a Roman like Society. Tomarrow when I come over, I'll check the lore myself. I have the character done and such, I HAD the manual on pdf, but comp had to be reformated.
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rlandis
Journeyman
FOR THE EMPIRE!
Posts: 224
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Post by rlandis on May 28, 2010 8:56:24 GMT -5
Oh Another note, as I said, I have the char done by the book. (i had the Pdf for Savage species) I went off the gold for a level 7 fighter. Since I didn't pack any magic items either I went for the full hit dice. I hate power building, so that was the only cheesy thing I did. I have a total of 150 or something like that for HP. I tried to be as simple as can be, I never go over board with that stuff, I can honestly say I'm too ignorant to break a char. I'll have Rock look my char over to make sure I did the stuff right. I KNOW I will have to do my skills over, I forget to put into account the additional points needed in taking skills my class doesn't give. But besides that, I stuck to the book.
But yeah back to the lore thing, just like any other dnd game, you can make the mino lore to be what ever you want. I don't mind playing the Frankenstein monster, that won't bother me. Heh. I just wrote a short little story off the lore I knew and that was Dragon Lance novels. I have a feeling your minos in this world are a bit more like the Greek Myths where they are the monsters guarding the Labyrinths. Either or, I have no problem with what the lore/story makes my char to be in the eyes of others, such tension between PC and NPC does cause for some interesting Rp Events.
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Post by Drozgul on May 29, 2010 1:06:28 GMT -5
Actually with some middle ground deliberation, I think it may be best for me to try to squeeze SOME sort of encounter at least out of this Sunday. Mostly because our minotaur has only a few sessions with us, and will either need to be taken over (not likely) or possibly replaced, I will leave this note here for ALL to see, if you would like to apply as a new fourth that I can filter in somehow in a few months, please use a private message to do so.
Also, this is a bit of a heads up to the current roster, if after these few first sessions you have no interest in adding a fourth after Mr. Landis must leave us, again make note by private message please.
In light of my want for an encounter of some sort, I would like my current players to give me some insight as to what sort of encounter they would like as a short game introduction for Sunday.
Of course I will be trying to come up with some ideas of my own, in case I see none, or even just in case we have time to do more that I predict.
It is my goal to get as much accomplished in one sitting as possible, because unlike other games, we cannot play til we drop, we have an exact window, with little to no elbow room.
I will try to keep you on task as much as I hope you will me.
Seeya Sunday, bring your stuff!
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rlandis
Journeyman
FOR THE EMPIRE!
Posts: 224
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Post by rlandis on Jun 1, 2010 9:10:00 GMT -5
The Mino's thoughts on the group.
"The thing, I don't know if I can fully trust a creature that can assume any form. . . Her steel rings true and she hasn't been two faced to myself. . . As long as she fights with honor I can respect her gifts."
"The Lizard boy. Heh, I could break him in two, but I fear his breath. . . He is quick, and I will never under estimate a dragon, no matter how small.. . . But I wonder if his heart is in the right place."
"Heh, our Golden Boy, with his wings. Not bad, I hold a strong respect for a creatue such as he. But I don't know if he will ever see the world the same as we mortal creatures. May the gods have mercy on him, and his enemies."
"I enjoy these creatures. They are smaller then myself, but show equal skill on the battle field. . . I will always respect them for they do not see me as a monster, as well they saved my hide at the Ruins. Be-damned that chalice. . . May we all fight and die with honor!"
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