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[D&D 4e] Rescue at Rivenroar OOC
psolms
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
Rescue at Rivenroar
Here comes another sweet, sweet play by post adventure. I will be running the Scales of War adventure path: Rescue at Rivenroar. Will I continue afterwars with the adventure path? Probably, I guess it depends on the interest. Anyways, standard stuff: Mythweavers for sheets, Invisible Castle for rolls.
Map of the area:
Roll a character, post 'em up. Lets get this party started.
Deadline for submissions will be 11:59PM (GMT-7:00: Mountain Time) April 30 (Thursday).
The party will be 1 leader, 1 defender, 1 controller, 2 strikers. If there's enough interest, I might let a second leader join the team. We'll see.
My rules for characters:
-be awesome
-22 point buy/100gp
-monster races will be allowed if you can convince me that they will fit in
-bonus points for inter-personal histories (ie. classic straight man/funny man bit, brothers, etc)
-bonus points for interesting characters
-only 2 character submissions per user. hopefully this allows us to have more, better characters to choose from.
-please post the number of pbp games you are currently in.
-be awesome
The Party:
Alecthar playing Jadir, Eladrin Warlord
hermenegilde playing Aneril Farstrider, Elf Druid (sidenote: can you please change the name of your character sheet? jarkon shieldbane is not who i want... :P)
likethesearchengine playing Taniel, Halfling Sorcerer (for short (get it? short?) im gonna call you google)
stratslinger playing Thor'inn, Dwarf Cleric
Raddue playing Dolth Thral, Dwarf Fighter
VanityPants playing Liam, Human Rogue
The Game
Here comes another sweet, sweet play by post adventure. I will be running the Scales of War adventure path: Rescue at Rivenroar. Will I continue afterwars with the adventure path? Probably, I guess it depends on the interest. Anyways, standard stuff: Mythweavers for sheets, Invisible Castle for rolls.
Map of the area:
Roll a character, post 'em up. Lets get this party started.
Deadline for submissions will be 11:59PM (GMT-7:00: Mountain Time) April 30 (Thursday).
The party will be 1 leader, 1 defender, 1 controller, 2 strikers. If there's enough interest, I might let a second leader join the team. We'll see.
My rules for characters:
-be awesome
-22 point buy/100gp
-monster races will be allowed if you can convince me that they will fit in
-bonus points for inter-personal histories (ie. classic straight man/funny man bit, brothers, etc)
-bonus points for interesting characters
-only 2 character submissions per user. hopefully this allows us to have more, better characters to choose from.
-please post the number of pbp games you are currently in.
-be awesome
The Party:
Alecthar playing Jadir, Eladrin Warlord
hermenegilde playing Aneril Farstrider, Elf Druid (sidenote: can you please change the name of your character sheet? jarkon shieldbane is not who i want... :P)
likethesearchengine playing Taniel, Halfling Sorcerer (for short (get it? short?) im gonna call you google)
stratslinger playing Thor'inn, Dwarf Cleric
Raddue playing Dolth Thral, Dwarf Fighter
VanityPants playing Liam, Human Rogue
The Game
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Posts
Question: Will you be using scales of war background stuff, or PHB2 background stuff, or no background stuff?
and the game will be quite newbie friendly. im a newbie dm, so thats good, i guess.
Aneril Farstrider, Elf Predatory Druid
BACKGROUND LINKED WITH likethesearchengine's Taniel, Gnome Sorcerer for free AWESOMENESS
Demeron Rockfall of the Goliath tribe, Barbarian
BACKGROUND LINKED WITH likethesearchengine's Tok Rockfall, Warden for free AWESOMENESS SQUARED
I'm currently in 1 Battlestar Galactica game, 1 Star Wars saga game, 1 Godlike game and 1 Twilight Imperium game.
Edit : PICK ME. I AM AWESOME
Current PbP games: 0.
Current games/total PbP games=0.
Edit: Here's a Bard, I'll work on a second character later.
I am currently in 1 other PbP game.
http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=116406
Appearance
A young female dwarf with dirty brown braided hair. She looks upon the world with a sullen and taciturn expression. She wears simple leather garments with little adornment save the odd feather or fringe of fur. A blue tattoo across her face makes her dark eyes appear deeper and more hollowed than her age suggests they should be. She carries a simple short spear strapped to her back and a carved totem hangs at her side. The totem is made from dark wood wrapped with brown fur and is adorned with a number of animal claws hanging from thongs of leather.
Her spirit companion takes the form of a giant spectral bear, but only those who see her in combat will ever witness it.
Story
The spirits of the earth speak to Kilana through her dreams. Following her initial calling dream she abandoned her old life, left her home and travelled out into the wilderness for a year. How did she have any other choice? When she returned from her spirit quest she had forged a deep connection with the primal spirits of the world and been granted their protection as she serves their unfathomable agendas. She is now driven from place to place serving the cause of the spirits as they guide her. Her initial uprooting from her homestead and her wandering life style have both made it hard for her to trust and open up to others and yet to treasure what relationships she does manage to form with her travelling companions when she does let her guard down.
Currently the spirits of the land decree that she be in the Elsir Vale and she has long since given up expecting to be given any reason why. For now she is merely happy to have found a group of adventuring companions whom she can truly call friends, although at the back of her mind is the constant fear that at any moment she may be called upon by her unseen masters to see to another task and have to abandon them.
With such internal conflict, party unity is a key need to Kilana. She will not be happy unless everyone is getting along well together least she fears the split of the group. This results in her effectively playing the Mother despite her young age.
Choose Your Own Chat 1 Choose Your Own Chat 2 Choose Your Own Chat 3
http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=122001
Not currently in any PbP games. Also a 4e noob (just recently started playing again after a LONG hiatus)
Appearance:
Reddish skin and hair. Balding (serious receding hairline!), remaining hair and thick beard is braided.
He has a puckered facial scar running from the edge of his left eye to his jawline - very visible because his beard doesn't grow over it. He tends to rub this scar idly when deep in thought.
His worn chainmail is modestly adorned with symbols of his god, his hammer bears the mark or Moradin on its "business end".
Story:
Tho'rinn is one of a handful of survivors from his clan. Shortly after he had come of age (roughly 30 years ago), a horde of Orcs overcame the defenses of his clan's mountain fortress and killed the clan off, nearly to the last dwarf. Tho'rinn bravely defended a bare handful of dwarven children, and led them to safety. His entire family was lost.
Tho'rinn spent much of the next 10 years in a nearby human frontier town, providing as well as he could for the children, teaching them the ways of Moradin, and doing his best to raise them. He worked odd jobs in the town, ranging from merchant guard to smith's assistant to barkeep.
The children, each in turn, came of age and went off to find their own destinies. A couple stayed in the town, while others went in search of distant family in other Dwarven strongholds. Not long after the last went on her way, Tho'rinn was visited by a vision of Moradin. In this vision, he was told he must travel the world, helping those in need and spreading the word of Moradin wherever he could.
That mission has carried him through the last 20 years.
Character sheet coming; its done, but I need to myth-weavers it.
The character is deliberately not a typical shaman (or adventurer, really), as the quick fiction in spoilers should indicate. I'll elaborate more on history and character later (and how he works in a group!), and maybe tie in with another character app if someone makes a character not directly competing for the same `leader' spot!
"I can still see the gleam that was in your eye when you found it, you know."
From the shadows on the rooftops above, the level voice floated down to reach the startled young thief. He looked up to spot his unwanted guest, but could see nothing. "And what a find it was.", continued the eerie voice, now much, much closer than before.
The young thief span to face his assailant, and saw a diminutive figure standing quite close by, alongside the wall of the town hall. "Back off, or I'll skewer you!", he warned the dark stranger, as he drew his short sword, prepared to defend himself.
Emerging from the shadow was an unarmed, well-dressed gnome of modest bearing; certainly not someone who should be lurking in an alleyway, which in a more experienced thief might have been cause for alarm, but alas, this was a young thief. More notable to him was the vague recollection of having met this gnome before...
The gnome smiled just a little as he continued. "Ah, you remember me a little, perhaps? Let me remind you. Three weeks ago, while you were going about your vocation, you stole my coin pouch when you bumped into me outside the tavern in Erinsvale, acting in the guise of a drunkard...and what a find you made."
As he watched the stranger carefully, the young thief's eyes were drawn to the object being revealed by the disturbing gnome; a small, but ornate object that gleamed in the reflected moonlight, revealing glimpses of inhumanly contorted faces.
"Unfortunately for you, the item that you found was a fake. A ruse, designed to lead us to a bigger rat, and for your part in finding that rat I thank you."
The young thief's face went pale as the realization of what he had done sank in; that the icon his `associates' had been so interested in was not the item which they had just paid two hundred genuine gold pieces to possess. He also recalled their reputation, and their association with the vicious tiefling enforcer known only as Justice.
In the same level tones, the gnome continued. "I suspect that even now, certain parties within this town have been dispatched to mete out their own brand of...justice. An inescapable fate, I suspect, for one in your position."
Twitching a little at the returning rush of fear, the desperate young thief shouted at the gnome. "What do you want from me? Are you going to help me? What did I do to you that was so wrong?"
The gnome looked affronted, then resigned, as the small icon he held began to glow softly in the dim moonlight; the contorted faces appearing to move just a little, The young thief felt the air move behind him, but somehow couldn't bring himself to turn and look.
"I have no quarrel with you. As much as I can, I will help you.", said the gnome in earnest.
Two dark, ephemeral shapes detached themselves from the shadows, stalking towards their apparent prey. Feline in shape, they defied all reasonable description - instead, words like `sharp', `hungry' and `dominant' crept into the forefront of the young thief's mind, much to his regret. As worrying as they were, neither put the same chill down his spine as the presence that he felt looming behind him.
The panic urge cutting in, the young thief slashed out with his short sword at the closest of the shapes, but to no effect; his blade slipped through their forms uselessly, leaving him exposed to their counter attack.
The claws of these vengeful spirits cut deep, and if only he hadn't stumbled, perhaps that may he may have got away. Perhaps he may have been able to explain the situation to his associates, or even just run away - but this was not the young thief's fate on this dark and sinister night.
As the writhing, thundering darkness enveloped him, the young thief heard the gnome's final words.
"In the next life, Gessel, I really do hope that we can be friends."
Anyone want to get together and come up with a common background? Thinking about rolling a Dwarf Fighter.
Background:
Grigg spent more than a decade in servitude to the cult, forced to worship Vecna and put through rigorous martial and arcane training. His fellow young prisoners were treated as harshly as him, and some died, only to be resurrected as undead monstrosities. Grigg was given special attention by the leader of the cultists, a sorcerer and necromancer, who recognized his innate arcane talent. He taught Grigg the power of magic, and punished him harshly when Grigg showed resentment or anger. Grigg only dreamed of escaping this nightmarish prison, but it seemed impossible. The guards watched too closely, and too many of his fellow prisoners could not be trusted, as informing on the other boys was often rewarded by the cultists. Grigg could only wait, hardening his heart and his resolve.
Eventually, the monastery was assaulted by a band of brave adventurers, and almost all the cultists died, although the leader managed to escape. When Grigg's cell door opened, he saw one of the adventurers stride in, seemingly surrounded by an aura of beaming light. This adventurer was a cleric of Ioun, and Grigg immediately became attached to him, wanting only to follow the man who had saved him. The prisoners were brought back to a nearby city, and Grigg followed the cleric to a temple of Ioun. As they approached the altar, Grigg knelt down and made a vow to track down and slaughter any followers of Vecna he could find. The cleric looked at him in surprise, and cautioned him against making such a dangerous oath. Grigg narrowed his eyes, thought of his father, and of the cultist leader, and said he would never break his promise. The cleric sadly nodded, then brought the priests in the temple together to invest divine power into Grigg. The cleric hoped that teaching him about Ioun would temper Grigg's rage, and give him some measure of inner peace. Grigg simply wanted the power to have his vengeance. After days of prayer and training, the priests outfitted him in holy vestments, then sent him out into the world to begin his hunt.
I'm not in any PbP games at the moment, and I'll probably post a Warden character in a bit.
EDIT: Here's Lucar, a Goliath Warden.
Background:
During a particularly violent thunderstorm, Lucar was wandering across the mountainside, enjoying the fury of nature surrounding him, when he came across a massive ram blocking his path. The ram pawed the ground ominously, and Lucar grinned as he stretched into a running pose. As they charged towards each other, a blast of lightning seemed to streak towards the ram, and when they collided Lucar went flying back down the path, bruised and bloody. He shakily rose again, staring down the ram, then charged towards it again. Once again Lucar was thrown back, and as he struggled to rise again, he heard a chuckling noise that rumbled like thunder. He looked up and saw the ram start to glow, the rain around it forming a bright halo. Lucar heard a whisper in his head say, "You are foolish, yet brave and strong. You are worthy." Recognizing that this was a great spirit of the mountain, Lucar lay on the ground in supplication. The ram spirit trotted over to him, and as his muzzle touched Lucar's head, the goliath felt a surge of power flow through him. The earth beneath him spoke to him, knitting his wounds together as the thunderclouds exploded in celebration above him. This spirit taught him of the warden's path of protection, giving him the strength of the earth and sky. When he was finished, the spirit urged Lucar to explore the world and fight to protect the splendor of nature everywhere. Lucar obeyed, shifting into his new found form of a thunder ram, leaping from rock to rock down the mountain's slope and heading out into the unknown.
I got a little carried away with the background:
Darix, however, prefers not to think of his childhood as being marred by his missing father, but rather as a valuable lesson in self-reliance. Neither did he want for family. There was his mother, of course, and his gregarious Uncle Benedic, Aunt Alys and their children, his cousins and playmates. And in those times when he felt alone, when he envied his cousins the most, he would gaze into the night sky and the purple-tinged light of his birth star would comfort him. He didn't care what everybody said. For him, Caiphon would be lucky.
Despite his determination to turn his fate around, bad luck seemed to cling to Darix. As he grew up, he enjoyed playing games of sport with his friends, but what his friends most enjoyed was laughing at the results of Darix's incredible misfortune. He had accidentally smashed more windows, upset more carts, and upended more stalls than a wind storm that blew through town during market time. Darix looked on every mishap, however, as an opportunity--a story he could relate to uproarious laughter at family dinner, Uncle Benedic pounding the table as he guffawed and his mother shaking her head and smiling softly.
One of Darix's accidents put a hole in the roof of one Giacomo Gnosticus, who, upon seeing the damage, chuckled and remarked that he had intended to install what he called a "telescope" in that very spot. Giacomo, an avid astronomer, took delight in demonstrating various arcane devices for peering into the depths of the night sky and machines that allowed him to hear the strange, atonal noises that echoed in the void. Something about the sounds from between the stars was immediately familiar to Darix, and he was soon as dedicated a student of the cosmos as Giacomo. The two would often observe the mysterious firmament late into the night, and as Darix grew older this would often culminate in a trip to the tavern, where the half-elf would marvel at the gnome's ability to drink people twice his size under the table.
One night as the two friends were walking home (a little unsteadily) they found Giacomo's door smashed open. Before the gnome could urge his companion to summon the guard, Darix hefted a piece of the broken door and rushed into the house. He immediately tripped on debris, falling flat, and was quickly and brutally subdued by the robbers.
With the crumpled body of Giacomo prone beside him and ropes digging into his skin, Darix was, for once, unable to see the bright side of things. He raised his eyes and saw his birth star winking down at him through a hole in the gnome's ceiling. Spurred on by his humiliation and rage, he swore an oath to Caiphon. If the star would see fit to turn his luck around, he would do whatever it asked in return.
It's unclear exactly what happened next. When interrogated, the thieves gibbered about being hunted down dark streets by a figure that walked in shadows, hurling sickly violet streaks of eldritch fire. The only other witness, Darix Nadir, had no clear recollection of what had happened, save this: a triumphant and dissonant melody that twisted through his brain in the moment after he swore himself to Caiphon.
Flush with newfound power, Darix took up a career as a bounty hunter, tracking down criminals and putting down dangerous beasts. He was relieved that his gnomish friend was only wounded, but his happiness was tainted by a strangle feeling of foreboding. Caiphon had answered his call but had yet to name its price. He now knew that a powerful consciousness lurked behind the stars, and worried that perhaps it was not as benevolent as it seemed.
I'm really interested in coming up with a character for this! I've never played a PbP game before, but I'm in a Maptools game right now and I'd like to play something in addition to that, since it only meets once a week.
Anyway, Raddue: I'd definitely be interested in coming up with a common background! Shoot me a PM if you wanna come up with something, I was thinking of making a Human Wizard or maybe even an Eladrin Wizard, I'm sure we could work out a cool story.
http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=122092
Vengar Lightbringer (Human paladin)
Vengar's background heavily involves the first war against the Red hand, and may have a couple wrong bits of info about it. I'm also open to tying in personal histories.
"My name is Vengar. Vengar Lightbringer. I am the sword that annihilates evil!"
History:
On the day Vengar was born, a massive flight of dragons flew over his hometown of Brindol, causing his parents to wonder if this was a sign of his future. It turned how to be true, with little Vengar's fascination with dragons, and the growing up Vengar becoming devoted to Bahamut. His parents supported him, as the Lightbringer family had always been a family of adventurers. Vengar's mother was a cleric of Pelor, and his father a brilliant military leader. As he grew up, he trained with both, hoping to eventually became a paladin of Bahamut.
When Vengar was ten years old, the Lightbringer family received its newest addition, a baby girl named Meristia. Unlike the rest of her family, she became close with the arcane arts.
Unfortunately, Vengar's dreams of becoming a paladin had to be put on hold, because when war broke out with the armies of the Red Hand, the Elsir Vale needed everyone who could pick up a sword to fight, including the sixteen year old Vengar. He fought alongside his parents against the hobgoblins hordes, where his closeness to the power of Bahamut began to manifest. After a couple years of fighting, he and his parents were instrumental in the final victory over the hobgoblins, and with peace returning, Vengar left to begin his training.
After a few years of dedicated training, Vengar became ordained as a Paladin of Bahamut, and began his journeys of seeking out evil and annihilating it. He kept touch and often visited his hometown, and celebrated the good times with his family and friends. While he was away for awhile, the trouble began again in Brindol, and the instant Vengar heard he rushed home, ready to defeat all those who threatened it.
Auspicious Birth: You substitute your highest ability score for constitution to determine your initial hit points
Appearance
Vengar appears to be a young man in his mid-twenties. He stands around a bit more than six feet and has a muscular but lean build. His most striking feature is his hair, which after the stress of war has made it completely white.
Personality
Vengar was much more enthusatic in his childhood, however years of war have sobered him. He is a man of honor, always a guardian of the oppressed and most especially children. His caring for children stems from his duties to protect his sister during the war, and often while entering any town he takes a visit to the local orphange to play with the kids make sure the place has plenty of money to take care of the children.
Personality Traits:
Things were going absolutely swimmingly until Jephramir decided that, apparently, he would rather be the wastrel son, left the army, took up painting and dancing or some nonsense, and then solidified his position by running off with some slip of a human girl. Jardir was understandably chagrined, not only was he beaten at his own game, he was also now in the unenviable position of being, by default, the second son. The soldier.
It was odd, but Jardir seemed ideally suited to his new life. His sharp mind and powerful body had never given him much advantage in living as a rake, and while agile movement might be well thought of in a dance, it seemed put to much better use evading his enemies. Jardir acclimated quickly to his new calling, and found he enjoyed it immensely. Leading men, outsmarting foes, he lived for victory, and his prowess in battle gave him a reputation for excellence that attracted the best and brightest to units he commanded. It wasn't long before the dishonor his older brother had brought upon the family was forgotten, blotted out by Jardir's accomplishments.
Naturally, it couldn't last. Following another successful campaign, Jardir received word from home that his eldest brother was gone. Returning to his brother's estate, he found it in utter disrepair. The family coffers were bare, the lands that were theirs were largely bankrupt and nearly in ruins. Jaeradin was, apparently, a student of the arcane, and his studies had been expensive.
Jardir spent 6 years returning the family's holdings to profitability, repairing both the estates and his family's good name. Some nights he lay awake, astonished by the fact that the son who had decided on a profligate lifestyle was apparently the only son who had successfully learned about things like duty and honor. Determined to remind his elder brothers of their responsibilities, Jardir left his estate in good hands and set off from the Feywild into the world, seeking Jephramir and Jaeradin.
Noble Scion - +2 History
Oh, and I'm currently in 1 PbP.
Battle.net
However, I am in two PbPs at the moment, so I'll understand if you ask me to beg off
Inquisitor77: Rius, you are Sisyphus and melee Wizard is your boulder
Tube: This must be what it felt like to be an Iraqi when Saddam was killed
Bookish Stickers - Mrs. Rius' Etsy shop with bumper stickers and vinyl decals.
I'm running a Drow Star Pact Warlock in an IRL game, and knowing what you were working with to pull all this together into a coherent story, I wanted to comment on how much I enjoyed this backstory.
If it turns out that Vengar and Darix are in the party, I like the juxtaposition of having characters who had an auspicious and an inauspicious birth, respectively.
And thanks, Torgo!
Defender: Dolth Thral, Dwarf Battlerager Fighter
Background:
Liam started causing trouble for Dolth five years ago starting with petty crime but eventually working his way into a large criminal organization located in Hammerfall Forts. No matter what Dolth did, Liam was always able to evade capture by a combination of cunning and incredible acrobatic ability.
Things started to turn around when Liam came forward on his own accord and offered to be Dolth's informant within the guild of thieves. Using tips from Liam, Dolth was able to stop several shipments of arms, equipment and drugs from entering the forts of Hammerfall before he was ordered to cease his investigation. Enraged, Dolth did no such thing and continued to bring in members of the guild for their crimes.
Tiring of Dolth's meddling the Captain of the Guard sold out Liam to the enemy, effectively putting a death mark on the young boy's head. Not content to just take down the informant, the Captain also branded Dolth a traitor and had him exiled from the Hammerfall Forts.
Having lost the only home he ever had and the place he had given over 25 years of service, Dolth is a wanderer and his constant companion is Liam. The two of them can't quite say why they put up with the other since their quarrels and bickering are constant but the two can always be seen propping the other one up when times get tough.
Personality Traits:
Mannerisms and Appearance:
And just for the record: I am not in any PhB games at the moment.
TO TAKE IT OT THE LIMIT.
White FC: 0819 3350 1787
The town of Livington is a small, peaceful town that has rarely seen any of the horrors of war. It was a town of mixed races who looked beyond their differences as they worked to prosper. One day that peacefulness was shattered with cultists of Veneca rushed into the town and attacked the local orphanage, taking with them seven children, 3 boys and 4 girls. Although the cultists were occasionally trouble, they had never done anything like this before. The townspeople were afraid of another attack and the local guards weren't trained nor equipped to be split up to defend both the town and rescue the children.
Darix Nadir was in a nearby town bringing in a local thief to the guard station when he overheard a converstaion between the guard captain and a citizen about the kidnappings. With his job of bringing in the thief complete, he inquired about the situation and the captain informed him of what happened. With a new task ahead of him, Darix headed out to Livington.
Vengar Lightbringer was passing through Livington and when he went to pay his usual visit to the orphanage, he heard of what happened. Vengar immediately went to talking with the townspeople to learn more about the cultists and their location.
Grig had heard of a nearby cave that the cultists of Veneca used as a hideout. When he arrived in the town nearby he heard of the kidnapping that took place and went on the hunt.
During the three's investigations, they were pointed towards the guard station for more information, where the three met. Realizing they all had the same mission of taking down the cultists and rescuing the children, the three headed towards the cultist cave.
The cultists of Veneca were no match for the three working together. Vengar and Grig were at the front, slicing and smashing down all who stood against them as Darix blasted from the rear. At the rear of the cave stood the cultist leader, with a little girl tied down to an altar and the rest of the children tied up sitting against the wall. Seeing the intruders, the leader immediately sent a bolt of fire toward the heroes, but they were able to get out of the way in time. Darix immediately sent a streak of his eldrich fire in return toward the leader to get him away from the altar. Vengar and Grig rushed forward and with a swing of a sword and a maul the leader was off to meet with the Raven Queen. The children were quickly untied and the heroes led them home.
With the children safe the town held a celebration in honor of the three heroes. Deciding to stick together, the three left Livington the next day to continue their journeys.
Just outside the tiny village of Uttingley, the three heroes are approached by a gangly young lad, running down the road to meet them. "Sirs, please stop in the village ahead, I've been promised a gold piece all to myself if you'll do it, please say you will!"
Darix looked to his companions shiftily; this sounded very much like a poorly-planned trap, but Vengar's humanity came to the fore and he responded for the trio. "Very well, boy. Be sure that you spend that money wisely."
As the boy dashed off, Grigg called out "Hey, kid, who is it paying you, and how did they know we were coming?"
The boy shouted back as he ran off, "Some gnome, I didn't get his name! Thanks! See you soon!"
---
As the three adventurers approached the village, they saw a gnome emerge from one of the huts with a smile on his face, waving them over.
"Please gentlemen, come inside; I've asked this wonderfully obliging family to provide some refreshments for you on your trip. Perhaps you'll also humour me and share a little of your time?"
The gnome seemed harmless enough; he was clearly unarmed, and the villagers didn't appear overly concerned about his presence. His deep red hair showing some streaks of grey, the gnome was a relatively unusual sight in these troubled times. Clearly not a resident of this village, he was dressed in very fine clothing; his leather vest embroidered with a host of bright patterns. His smile was certainly genuine, though his slightly over-large and an unnerving touch to his gaze.
Speaking for the group, Vengar nodded. "We won't refuse this hospitality, gnome. Thank you."
---
Once inside and settled, the gnome gestures to the hut's owners for them to grant the group some privacy; no doubt because of the sum offered, they were happy to do so.
"Gentlemen, my name is Ibiddanon Rierax, though my friends - and I do hope that you will be among that number - know me as Bidd. If I may jump ahead here, and cut to the chase, I have a proposition of sorts for you. I wish to join you on your quest."
Eyes narrowed, the paladin Lightbringer responds readily. "Quest? We are on no quest, gnome."
"If I may beg to differ, my lord, you are, though I understand that this may not yet be apparent to you. May I continue, please?"
Nodding his assent, Vengar allows the odd little gnome to say his peace.
"Lord Lightbringer, you are from a line of powerful warriors; the culmination of generations of bravery, valor and integrity. The world was built on souls like yours, and your ancestors have great hopes for you. Try as you might, can you truly understand and comprehend the constant fear and regret that stalks the common man, or have you always aspired to something more?"
His steady gaze shifting to the rangy half-elf, the gnome continues. "Lord Nadir, I understand that you were an astrologer not so very long ago, is this not so? Yet here you now stand, the Champion of Caiphon, killing for a living." The gnome pauses, no approval or disapproval in his voice, but simply a statement of truth. "Do you feel that this decision is entirely your own?"
Before Darix can interject, Bidd gestures with his hand that he wishes to continue talking, and shifts his gaze to Grigg, the servant of Ioun.
"And you, Lord Grigg, you must surely understand your special place in this world. A pure gem of power, burning so brightly that the gods themselves must take note of your nature. Your spirit was too strong for one of them, yet still, here you stand, in service of a being greater than yourself - a mortal life is not enough for you, is that not so?"
"Now at this point, you may well wish to ask - and I do appreciate that you are allowing me the opportunity to answer that unspoken question..", he says, making that same hand gesture to indicate that he is not yet done, "...you may well ask, who is this gnome that talks of destiny? What about this fellow before you draws you to him? And surely, these are reasonable questions."
Reaching into a pouch on his belt, he pulls out a small stone of unusual type, carved in most disturbing fashion. It appears to be a precious gemstone, but has rather serious imperfections in the form of black streaks running through its heart, and crude, unearthly carvings of faces covering much of the original scoring. He presents the gem to Grigg for inspection.
"Perhaps you may recognise this marking, sir?", suggests the gnome, pointing to a small portion of the crude carving on the gem's surface. "It is obscured slightly by...other forces, but its origin is clear."
"This was, once, a stone of great power; a tribute to the great lord Ioun, the master of knowledge and learning. Such a stone, in its purest form, would be beyond mortal value, and were it left to mortals, pure it would be. Sadly this stone has been corrupted to such a degree that its destruction and the reapplication of its arcane potency would surely corrupt the purpose of any item so produced...but to certain parties, including the parties that caused this corruption, this would be a source of great power."
"Those parties are on the move, good sirs, and it is my burden to know that only a very few people, touched by forces greater than simple folk, can halt their progress. I ken that you are those people, and can only hope that you can rise to the task ahead."
Hesitating a moment before his final revelation, the gnome looks uncertain, but carries on through that uncertainty. "My lords, I know of these parties and their corruption because, for a time, I was one of them. In my defence, I knew little better; I was young and foolish, and didn't appreciate the wonderful world in which we are granted sanctuary. I can assure that I do understand that now, and as a token of my good will, and my belief in your true nature, I would wish to entrust the custody of this corrupted gem to you"
Breaking past his reluctance, Bidd proffers the corrupted tribute to Ioun's glory to Grigg, the gnome looking him in the eye knowingly, but also contritely. "It is my firm belief that a pure gem can never be completely corrupted."
Letting go of the gem at last, he addresses the three adventurers once more.
"Gentlemen, can you now see the strings of fate that bind you together? That forces beyond your control have brought us to this point, and that a grand and perilous future stands before us?"
The gnome falls silent, his entirety tense as he awaits the considered response of his audience.
Above is a spiel to get my gnome shaman in on the Jebu/Saurfang/Omega love triangle.
CONTROLLERS
===========
Aneril Farstrider, Elf Druid
LEADERS
=======
Kris Kriselvenson, Half-Elf Bard
Kilana, Dwarf Shaman
Thor'inn, Dwarf Cleric
Bidd Rierax, Gnome Shaman
Jadir, Eladrin Warlord
STRIKERS
========
Demeron Rockfall, Goliath Barbarian
Grigg, Human Avenger
Darix Nadir, Half-Elf Warlock
DEFENDERS
=========
Lucar, Goliath Warden
Vengar Lightbringer, Human Paladin
Dolth Thral, Dwarf Fighter
apparantly everyone wants to be a leader.
Battle.net
I'm currently in 0 games.
Shayla - Goliath Barbarian
From the notes of Ferkham Shalo, lore seeker:
Second Adventurer meeting tonight. Adventurer thesis progressing well. Led to this one by D'rek down at the Swallows Tail. She's not hard to spot. Goliath, one of the few I've met, Damn near may be the tallest though. Grey skin with jet black patches. She is covered in scars from head to toe as far as I can tell. Good god, it looks like she's been wrestling bears all of her life. Most pronounced scar is crosses her left eye daigonally. Blue Eyes, Black hair that is short and spiked. Odd, I thought goliath females wore thier hair long traditionally. Going to head over to her table. Transcript to follow.
Background
From the notes of Ferkham Shalo, lore seeker:
Shayla - Writing a book on adventurers, are ya? Well, I don't know of much help I can be. I only just started adventuring recently.
Ferkham - Well, just start from the beginning, where are you from?
Shayla - From a small tribe of goiliath in the mountains north of here. I grew up like any other I guess, I just.. had.. well.. a problem. Well according to the tribe head, that is.
Ferkham - What sort of problem?
Shayla - I.. well.. I would play alittle to rough with the others. Would lose my temper. Didn't make me very popular. I had trouble finding a proper role in the tribe. Well, one day we got a dwarf trader come through the pass. One of his gaurds decided he wanted to find out if I was "Worth the climb". He got alittle touchy. So I broke his arm. The other couple of guards piled on but I was so furious, I just layed out one than the other. The head of the tribe was about to have me punished, maybe even exiled, but the trader just laughed. "Girl, I know a place were that anger prolem of yours could be put to good use if you like"
The drunk seated behind Shayla then stumbled out of his chair hitting Shayla and nearly spilling his drink on her.
Shayla - WATCH IT!
Shayla - Anyway, that was how I was brought into Pit Fighting. The tribe wasn't too sad to see me go honestly, and I couldn't think of much of a reason to stay. I loved it. I got to fight all the time. Beasts, people, groups.. anything. It was great to have people cheer when you beat things to a pulp instead of being chided. I got trained in all sorts of weapons, and even learned how to better focus my anger. I won some, lost some, made alittle gold but it was great, Well, until I started getting deeper into just how the whole deal was run. One day, One of the ring masters asked me to throw a fight. Well, that just isn't gonna happen. So he threw out a weapon to my opponent in what was supposed to be an unarmed fight. Thats how I got this. She points to the scar on her face. I lost that fight. Well, at that point I was marked as someone who whouldn't play the game. I just wanted to fight, but that wasn't good enough I guess. So I said to hell with it. Well, I had been from town to town alot and had heard the stories of adventurers in the taverns. Sounded pretty good, heard adventurers could always use someone that can handle themselves in a fight. Heard it could pay well AND just like the arena, if you did great things you could get some recognition. So here I am. She points over to her gear an weapon sitting in the corner.
Personality
From the notes of Ferkham Shalo, lore seeker:
Ferkham - Very interesting so tell me.. what
Ferkham is cut off as the drunk from the table behind attempts to return to his seat. The drunk trips and as he flails about to regain his balace, slams his tankard into Shayla's head. Shayla's lets out a noise that can only be described as a roar, stands and punches the man square in the jaw. The man's friends immediately jump in, turning over thier table. Shayla screams "Bring it on, *some curse in dwarven I think*" She slams the first man headfirst into her table. The second however, pulls the sword from his side. Shayla is clearly angered more by this. "Couldn't just fight it out huh?" Shayla immediately rushes for her weapon. The barkeep shouts "Oh hell, KORDEN!" A minotaur burst out from the door behind the bar. He immediately grabs Shayla and rushes her out the door, throwing her to the ground. Her gear soon follows with a thud. The barkeep comes out and says, "That's it Shayla, I told you after the last time that I'd toss ya!" "*another curse, not sure what language this time* you Zeb! I was leavin' anyway"
Ferkham walks out of the bar
Shayla - Like I said... anger issues.. I just can't turn down a fight.
William of the Vinnland (Billy) – Human Bard
[Two women of a small town walk towards the local tavern]
Young Woman – Oh, I can’t wait to see him. I can’t believe the great William of the Vinnland has come back to his hometown after all this time.
Older Woman – I remember when he was just a boy. Have you seen him now? Sweet lord! Those long black locks of his. Not too tall and very fit for one as traveled as he is. Performers often age before their time you know. Not Billy, kept himself up well, he has.
Young Woman – I know! Very distinguished! I love his dark eyes myself. I wonder if he’ll remember me from when we played as children.
Older Woman – Well good luck to you. A handsome man is hard to find these days.
Background
[The show begins. The small tavern is packed. A young man beings to sing as he strums his lute]
I’ll spin a tale for you tonight. Of a boy who found himself in quite a plight….
At only sixteen he longed for fame. To sing and make for himself a name….
His prayer was answered, or so it seemed. A goddess of song appeared with a shine that beamed.
For the cost of his soul and a signed contract. She would give him the talent that he so desperately lacked….
For 10 years, she said, you will be the best. But at the end of that time to Elysium’s rest…
you will go and sing on the mountain’s high. Making even the angels sigh…
He signed and pledged to the shining muse. Only to find it was all a ruse…
A devil instead. Now shed of her shell. And now he was doomed to eternity in hell…
But he made up plan that may save his skin. He set out to the city and said goodbye to his kin…
He played with a fervor and fortune he gained. For ten years he traveled and garnered his fame…
Then the day finally came. so quickly, so soon. In fire the devil appeared when the sun reached high noon…
But he’d hired great mages and priests with his all of his wealth. In hopes that their spellcraft would keep up his health…
A curse upon you! This day you will rue. Your talent will be hated by everyone but you…
And I will still find you. Your soul will be mine. At my side will your wailing be heard for all time….
But the curse was resisted by the man’s iron will. But he feared that the devil would be back for the kill…
So he hid his great talent in small towns and dives. Never again in great concerts, but at least still alive…
And that is how I’ve come to play for you this day, my home and my respite I could not……….
[Suddenly the singer is hit by a thrown tankard]
[Cheers arise from the crowd for the thrower as cat calls and boos fill the air]
Personality
[Behind the stage, the tavern owners talks to the distraught singer]
Kendal – Damnit, Billy. What the hell was that? I’ve heard animals slaughtered with more dignified sounds.
[Billy’s eyes glaze over abit then come back into focus]
Billy – I don’t know what you mean Kendal. That was probably one of my best performances in months.
Kendal – Billy. Are you sure that devil didn’t well.. do something to you?
Billy – No! I was protected by powerful magics at the time.
Kendal – Still… you can’t deny that crowd’s reaction.
Billy – Yes, I’ve noticed a lot of that recently *billy ponders for a bit*
Billy – I think the world has come under a deep darkness Kendal. People are so downtrodden by the threat of evil beasts and foul plots, that they can no longer hear the beauty of music. Something must be done. In my travels I’ve learned abit about adventuring. I think it’s time I applied my talent in a more meaningful fashion. Help those who are helping those in need you know? It will be perfect! They can help me defeat the demon if she should find me again as well. I’ll leave tomorrow! I apologize that I must cancel tomorrow night’s show.
[As Billy leave’s Kendal lets out a sigh of relief]
I plan to really flavor out all of my abilities for this character. Going to play it legit tactically. But most of the flavor will be based around the bard’s horrible horrible singing.
Character the First - Tantis, Deva Invoker of Ioun (Covenant of Wrath) - Controller
It is common for Devas to hear whisperings from their past lives within their heads, but for Tantis, his past lives never have anything good to say. As of late, these words from the past have been ominous warnings of impending doom. Along with these messages is a constant need for him to break the cycle. Tantis believes that there is something that can only be done in this life, something mysterious that his past lives have been fighting against.
Naturally, his past lives aren't forthcoming with details, typical for any Deva. Tantis bides his time adventuring, keeping a watchful eye on the world around him. This has led to a strange sort of paranoia because after all, one who seeks evil can't help but see it everywhere. He has vowed to stop this terrible evil, knowing that the only way he can do it is to prevent his own reincarnation.
And there are only two ways to stop that reincarnation - relentless arcane study or achieving immortality...
And Character the Second - Liayn Savindri, Eladrin Swordmage (Aegis of Shielding) - Defender
Or at least he ought to be. Years ago, he made a living thanks to a winning streak at several underground battle rings. The thing is, he was cheating. Where his opponents stuck to their steel, Liayn frequently added subtle hints of his arcane prowess to the battle, ensuring miraculous comebacks and inspiring feats of strength. This would have all gone on quite nicely had he not leaked his secret while talking up a lady elf between battles. That woman turned out to be his next opponent. He barely escaped the rage of the other combatants with his life.
Since then, he's had a knack for escaping sticky situations all the while with the knowledge that if he sets foot near another ring, he may not be so lucky. Altogether, he's made his way through about 38 near-death experiences (that tussle with the orc mercenaries doesn't count) and has a bit of a reputation for cheating death.
All he wants out of life is to keep death a step behind him. He wouldn't say no to unimaginable wealth or supreme arcane power though.
I'm not in a single online game at the moment, and for that matter this would be my first one ever.
I've run two games of 4e and a one-off adventure or two, but I've never actually played in a 4e game before, something I am eagerly looking to correct.
Liam has a background story that is closely intertwined with Dolth Thral's (Raddue's character).
(Striker) Liam: Human, Rogue (Artful Dodger)
Character Background:
Liam left his home town at an early age, having no real ties to bind him there; he took to a life of travelling. He had his father’s thirst for adventure, but none of the guidance in where to put it, and so he found his thrills in the wrong places: Scaling rooftops, loosening coin purses, playing confidence games. Liam lived his life this way, without ever really having a home to fall back on, at least not until he reached Hammerfall Forts at the age of twenty-one.
In Hammerfall Forts, Liam met what he’d been looking for: a challenge. He found this challenge in a man of the city guard, a Dwarf named Dolth Thral. Dolth was a guard who always seemed hot on his trails, just a hairs breadth away from catching his foot as he leapt away. Liam still travelled some, but he kept returning to Hammerfall Forts, always eager to push the boundaries. He eventually settled in to what he thought was the local thieving guild there, as a way of not stepping on any toes.
He soon realized that all was not well with this guild, and a larger organization was pulling strings. He didn’t like the violence they used, they were keen on muggings and killing during robberies, things that Liam thought himself far above. His uneasy truce with Dolth began there, at first just being a whisper in the ear, telling Dolth the names of thieves who let themselves get carried away.
Liam became an informant, finding himself doing more work spying on these other thieves than doing any stealing these days. Dolth and Liam were finally closing in, uneasy partners, when the table was flipped over on them. The Captain of the Guards was in league with the guild, and the town was turned on the two as quick as the wind blows.
Liam was marked and word was spread – he had a price on his head and he was forced to flee the town. He didn’t flee alone, though – Dolth had been exiled, branded a liar and a menace to the town for getting too close to the truth. The two met at the outskirts of the village, uneasy, angry, and more than a little ashamed at not having seen this coming. A brash youth with an eye for treasure and an angry, militant dwarf – who would have ever thought that they’d be the ones they could trust when the chips were down?
Mannerism's and Appearance:
He has a fair complexion, his skin slightly pale, his hair a copper brown color and his eyes a hazel green. He keeps his face clean shaven and his hair just short enough to stay out of his eyes.
Personality Traits:
He's trying to turn to a new life, but the glimmer of treasure can still distract him.
Edit: Forgot to add, I'm not in any PbP games.
Tok Rockfall, Goliath Warden (MC Warlord)
Personality Traits"
In more civilized settings, he is somewhat ill at ease. He tends to retreat into himself, which unfortunately gives off the impression that he is glowering at everyone and everything.
Outside of towns and cities, he tends to ignore the trivialities which annoy him in other places. He likes to go off somewhat on his own and enjoy the natural surroundings, whatever they may be.
Tok strongly believes in protecting nature, and he will act to prevent its wholesale destruction, but he also believes it is a proper use of the mother to have dwarves burrow into rock or for humans to build upon the plains.
Lastly, Tok isn't exactly fond of Goliaths.
He wears thick hides, belted and strapped together for defense. His blade is a simple yet effective longsword that he earned from the dwarves, bearing the emblem of the Deepgem Clan, but his shield is still a thick mass of tree limbs, lashed together with care into a formidable aegis. He wears thick gauntlets of hardy leather as well. He carries a huge, heavy brown-grey cloak that he acquired in the northern wastes, good against weather and cold.
When Tok is deep in though or concerned, he runs his fingers down the deep scars on his skull. When anxious or impatient, Tok shifts his weight slowly from foot to foot, his version of pacing.
Tok, however, was no dunce. He was in tune with a different level of nature than the rest of his tribe - not unusual for a Goliath, but essentially unknown to the Rockfalls. He felt the primal power of the earth through his bare feet, and the unrestrained freedom of the wind as it whistled past his skull. These sensations were not mere understanding - the elements themselves melded and flowed through his soul. The natural connection there tempered any impetuousness he might have had, but gave him stamina and strength beyond his peers at the yearly trials.
The only Goliath in the tribe who he had any sort of real relationship with was his younger brother, Demeron. Dem still perhaps didn't understand Tok, but he saw in his brother an excellence and resolve that no one else was willing to find. The two were close enough during their adolescence.
During his Rites (the Trial to become an adult, where a youth must stalk the wilds for his destiny), Tok was given a unique quest:
"If you must follow Nature with your mind and not your heart, then go. Listen to her, and find your destiny. If you return, you must be well prepared to prove your worth as a Goliath of the Rockfall clan.
Die well, my son, if you can manage that at least."
Tok started walking, armed with nothing but his blade, a crude, improvised shield made from lashed tree limbs, and the thick hides across his broad shoulders... and didn't stop. He had been told to pursue the first opportunity provided to him as ruthlessly as the panther stalks its prey, and so he did. He walked his way out of the Elsir Vale and to a new life.
After a few days of walking, he noticed a hawk, hanging in the wind far above him, gliding with ease, but not outpacing him. He walked for several hours more, with this hawk shadowing him every step. Suddenly, as if understanding that his attention was well and truly focused, the hawk soared lower and dashed ahead. Tok rushed to follow, coming to find the bird circling over a copse of trees ahead. As he watched, the hawk let out a piercing cry and dove at incredible speed. It snatched a rodent from out of the underbrush and took to the sky again, coming back toward Tok, who was watching the creature's majesty with satisfaction.
Upon reaching his location, it soared lower, and let the field mouse drop from its claws. The mouse, to Tok's utter surprise, immediately scampered away - the hawk had not killed its prey! Looking back up in surprise, he saw the hawk once again circling the copse of trees. His father's words echoed in his head: "If you must follow Nature, let her guide you..." Tok did not believe that this was any coincidence, so he making headway again.
He tried to reason out what the message was. Clearly, he would investigate the copse ahead. But what would he find there, and what was the message he was supposed to understand? Why would a hawk have let the mouse live? To hone its skill, despite not requiring food? Tok was skeptical that any real any wild animal would do such a thing... but clearly this animal was not just an average bird. With these thoughts in his mind, he came past an obscuring wall of brush and found a group of dwarves tending their wagon. One was particularly rotund, with a shield as round as he and a large hammer at his belt, and sporting a long blond braided beard. The other blond was clean shaven, except for a magnificent moustache, and he carried a wicked looking sword. The third dwarf was wiry and had a huge unkempt beard of flaming red hair, wearing chainmail and carrying a simple hammer.
On a whim, he unlimbered his shield and blade, and asked, "So, Dwarves, do you have something to teach me?"
Utterly startled, the three dwarves jumped. The red bearded one's eyes narrowed, as he cracked back, "Perhaps to mind your own business, Goliath!"
The large one advanced on him as the other two drew their weapons. Tok took the initiative to leap forward and backhand the dwark across his blond beard, knocking him flying through the air to land in a heap. The clean-shaven one howled in outrage and charged forward, but the red haired dwarf stopped them both in mid-stride, by falling to ground, shouting with laughter.
They watched, dumbfounded, as he chortled, chuckled, howled, and guffawed whilst rolling around, until he stood, still snickering, and walked over to the slumped form of the bigger dwarf.
"He knocked him cold!" he managed to wheeze out. "A blow like that deserves an introduction!"
"Well, Goliath, I am Erik, sometimes known as the Red or even the Swift for some reason. It must be my incredibly large brain. The stout one you've already met is named Olaf, and the fierce one you were about to meet is named Baleog. If you tell us what you are looking for, we can tell you if we have anything to "teach" you yet."
Baleog relaxed immediately, showing trust in the judgment of his leader, and Erik dumped out a flagon of ale into Olaf's face to rouse him.
Tok considered and spoke, "I am exiled from my people to seek my destiny. Apparently, it diverges from theirs."
Erik grinned. "Well, I like you, Goliath. We're wanderers as well, though we are heading back to the frozen north to rejoin our clan. You're welcome to wander with us for a while, if you'd like. I don't know if I have any cosmic truths in my rucksack, but it must beat wandering alone. Shall I go on calling you 'Goliath'?
"What? Oh, no, my name is Tok..."
Olaf, still groggy and smelling strongly of alcohol, grumbled, "What kind of stupid name is Tok?"
Baleog laughed, and yelled, "Well, we can't all have as fitting names as you, Olaf the oaf!"
Erik got the wagon team started moving again while Olaf and Baleog began to yell loudly. Bemused, Tok followed along.
Since then, Erik has tutored Tok in the ways of tactical prowess (explaining the multiclass to warlord), and Tok has continued to become more in tune with nature. He lived with the Deepgem Dwarf Clan for a year or two, learning about the nature of stone before yearning to go back out into the nature of his youth. Bidding farewell to his friend and mentor, Erik, he left to continue his search.
Eventually, his wandering led him back to the Elsir Vale, and he began to make his way across the wide plains of the area. One day, preparing to strike camp and leave the small stand of trees which had served as his home for the night, he saw a Goliath striding across the field - with the markings of the Rockfall clan! Tok stared, never having expected to see someone from his tribes so far from home - past the borders of the human-lands, many days from where he had once lived! As he stared, an old recognition clicked.
"Dem?" he breathed, in utter confusion. Finding his voice, he shouted, "Demeron!?"
Init +0 HP / Bloodied Healing Surge ( used /)
AC 19 Fort 15 Reflex 13 Will 13 Speed 6
Str 18 (+4) Con 18 (+4) Dex 10 (+0) Int 12 (+1) Wis 12 (+1) Cha 8 (-1)
[OOC='Second Wind']Second Wind
Encounter
Spend a healing surge and add +2 to all defenses, con mod to AC.[/OOC], [OOC='Warden's Grasp']Warden's Grasp
Primal, At-will, Immediate Reaction, Range 5
An enemy marked by you makes an attack not including you.
Effect: Slide the target one square. The target is slowed and cannot shift until the end of its turn.[/OOC], [OOC='Thorn Strike']Thorn Strike
Std, At-Will, Primal, Melee 2, Str. vs. AC
Hit: 1W +Strmod, and pull the target 1 square.
+7 Attack, 1d8+4 dam
[/OOC], [OOC='Thunder Ram Assault']Thunder Ram Assault
Standard, Encounter, Thunder, Melee, Str v AC
Hit: 1W +StrMod damage, push the target conmod squares, and make a secondary attack.
Secondary: Blast 3, Str. vs. Fort., each creature in blast
Hit: 1d6 thunder damager, and push the target 1 square.
+7 Attack, 1d8+4 dam
[/OOC], [OOC='Form of Winters Herald']Form of Winters Herald
Minor, Daily: Assume the form of Winter's herald until the end of the encounters. +1AC, resist 5 cold. Moving burst 2 squares are difficult terrain for enemies. [/OOC], [OOC='Warden's Fury']Warden's Fury
Str v. Fort, At-will, Melee, Imm Interrupt, Primal
An enemy marked by you makes an attack not including you:
Hit: 1 W +StrMod, and the target grants combat advantage until the end of your next turn.
+7 Attack, 1d8+4 dam[/OOC], [OOC='Strength of Stone']Strength of Stone
Std; Melee, At-will, Primal, Str vs. AC
Hit:1W + StrMod damage, and gain temporary hitpoints equal to conmod
+7 Attack, 1d8+4 dam
[/OOC], [OOC='Stone's Endurance']Stone's Endurance
Encounter, Minor
Gain resist 5 all until the end of your next turn.[/OOC], [OOC='Form of Winter's Herald Attack']Form of Winter's Herald Attack
Std, Cold, Polymorph, Encounter, Close burst 1, Str v AC
Hit: 1W+Strmod cold damage to each enemy in burst. Target is immobilized (Save ends)
Miss: Half damage, immob until end of your next turn.
+7 Attack, 1d8+4 dam
[/OOC], [OOC='Inspiring Word']Inspiring Word
Minor, Daily:
Target can spend a healing surge and regain an additional 1d6 hp. (+1d6 every 5 levels)[/OOC]
Notes
Taniel, Halfling Wild Sorcerer (MC Bard) Depending on Arcane Power (waiting for it to come, I've ordered it), I may request to make some changes. I won't change the Wild/chaos class feature, though.
Personality Traits"
Taniel has an eye for exceptionally attractive women, tending normally to show interest in halflings and gnomes, but it is not completely unheard of for him to turn his attentions on smaller variants of humans and half-elves. Elves of any sort don't escape his notice, but have been entirely uninterested thus far. He puts it down to the scar.
Taniel is also motivated by coin. He won't do more than bend his morality in pursuit of it, but he figures it is a fair reward for favors and good deeds. He thinks gambling is a losing proposition but he likes to, despite himself, find out how far he can get on a meager 5 gold pieces.
Taniel ventured down from the hills and into the forests to try to survive. There he met another outcast, Aneril Farstrider. He and Aneril got along well from the start. Taniel enjoyed the elf's sense of humor and love for life. For a time, they traveled together, and Taniel learned how to get by in the forest on his own.
Not content to live forever in the forest as Aneril was, Taniel began to visit the nearby large city of (Note to DM: I can make up a name, or if you have a geography in mind, I will pick one near the Elsir Vale).
Two things happened to change Taniel's life. First, he began to understand that the 'accidents' around him were within his power to influence, and he began to feel a trickle of the raging torrent of arcane energy locked in his soul. He began focusing much of his free time to learning to bend the energy to his will.
Sadly (or happily, depending on your perspective), that wasn't very much: On a visit to the city Taniel also met the woman with whom he would fall in love. She was, appropriately enough, a gnome who had grown up alone in a charitable hospice. He was enthralled with her exotic features, her voice, and her music - her music was his delight - she played the lute and did it well. She played in upscale taverns by commission, and Taniel only happened to hear her playing and singing as he passed by. Instantly, he was smitten, and he decided he had to meet her. Moments later, he realized this was a bold plan, considering he still felt to be a smooth-footed adolescent (despite having just graduated into full adulthood, and having admirably hairy, callused feet, thanks!). He cleaned himself up and spent all that he had saved to look presentable enough to have a chance to meet her - and he did. Their meeting was awkward, both of them reclusive by nature: her name was Tira, and she was a humble artist, accepting a compliment from a watcher without knowing what to really say, and he was a nervous pup, trying to impress and yet not seem too forthright. Despite this, something did manage to catch her eye. Long story short, they began to spend a lot of early mornings and late nights together - she began to teach him to play the pan-pipes, and it was Taniel's greatest desire only to learn to accompany her nigh-flawless skill.
Taniel went back to Aneril to talk and explore from time to time, but eventually managed to convince him to come and try living in the city, using the argument that a human city would be a different experience than an elven one. Aneril came, heavy with skepticism, but was not wholly discontent to stay a while.
For Taniel and Tira, it ended in tragedy: one night some city guards overindulged at one of her performances. One thought to have one of the serving girls for his own, but a local tough fancied her his property instead. A fight broke out, and in the violence, Taniel found himself landing bodily in the alley outside. A fire broke out, and Taniel rushed back in to find Tira. He was struck by a falling timber and knocked unconscious - earning his facial scar. When he awoke, he found he had been dragged clear, but no one had seen Tira since. Investigating the still-warm ashes of the tavern, he found her lute, mangled and badly burned. He didn't give her up for months, but in time he faced the reality of her death.
In his grief, Taniel went to Aneril and confessed his poor judgment: cities were cesspools where the worst of all creatures congregated and he wanted out. Aneril was more than glad to leave, and the two took to the countryside again. The two began very slowly moving across the countryside and into the Elsir Vale. From time to time, one of them (normally Taniel) will want to enter a town for news, socialization, or supplies. Both of them spend their own time apart, for up to weeks on end sometimes. Taniel assumes that Aneril visits those of his own kind, but he doesn't know for sure.
In the years since then, he has had the usable wood from her precious lute incorporated into a set of pan-pipes, and has studied them hard... but not as hard as learning to channel his inner potential. He is resolved that when the time comes, he will never again be weak enough to fail as he did on the night that his (perceived) inadequacy cost Tira her life. When his emotions run high, he also channels some of that arcane flow into his music. He has managed to gain a modest and anonymous reputation in the region as 'the piper in the deepwood,' as travelers, explorers, and sometimes farmers hear him play in the dusky woods. He never plays in the inns or taverns that he visits, though he has developed the skill to do so.
His attitudes have changed in the years since the fire. He pursues women from time to time, and though he enjoys himself, he doesn't get too involved. He retains a lingering dislike and distrust of his own kind, particularly older halflings or other traditionalists. He also bears a burning anger towards humans in authority roles like the city guards. He understands that the actions of a few may not represent the many, but he cannot help from getting his hackles up when in too close proximity to them. He has also seen enough bullying and other abuses to have formed an independent and unfavorable opinion .of the various 'protectors' of the towns and villages he had visited. He has grown to be unconcerned by his lack of education, preferring to rely on his inner strength and intuition.
In the end, he is waiting. There is change in the air; the city is becoming darker, and the timbre of the raging arcane river in his soul has become tinged... as if there is some uncertainty on the horizon, altering the flow. His period of mourning has receded (though he is quite certain it will never truly end), and he is ready to begin the next chapter of his life.
Taniel and Aneril have both decided recently to visit the next town they come across - Taniel for what warmth he can glean from the fire and the presence of others, and Aneril for his own reasons, whatever they may be.
Init +4 HP /24 Bloodied 12 Healing Surge 6 ( used /7)
AC 14 Fort 11 Reflex 14 Will 16 Speed 6
Str 10 (+0) Con 12 (+1) Dex 18 (+4) Int 8 (-1) Wis 12 (+1) Cha 18 (+4)
[OOC='Acid Orb']Acid Orb
Std, Range 20, Cha vs. Ref, At-Will, Implement, One Creature, Acid
1d10+ChaMod+DexMod damage
+4 attack, 1d10+8 damage[/OOC], [OOC='Bedeviling Burst']Bedeviling Burst
Std, clost burst 3, Cha vs will, Encounter, Impl, One or two in burst, Psychic
1d10 + ChaMod and slide the target Dexmod
+4, 1d10+8[/OOC], [OOC='Second Chance']Second Chance
Force a hit against you to be rerolled.[/OOC], [OOC='Second Wind']Second Wind
Use healing surge and gain +2 to all defenses[/OOC], [OOC='Chaos Bolt']Chaos Bolt
Std, Range 10, Cha vs. Will, At-will, Impl, One Creature, Psychic
Hit: 1d10 +ChaMod
Wild magic: If attack roll was even, make another attack: Cha vs. Will
1d6 psychic damage, on an even number, make a new attack. One creature per use of power.
+4 attack, 1d10+8 damage
[/OOC], [OOC='Dazzling Ray']Dazzling Ray
Std, Range 10, Cha vs Will, Daily, Impl, One creature
6d6+ChaMod damage. On an even attack roll, target takes penalty to attack roll against you = to Dexmod (save ends).
Miss: Half Damage
+4, 6d6+8 dam[/OOC], [OOC='Majestic Word']Majestic Word
Minor, Daily, Ally within 5
Healing surge +chamod[/OOC]
Notes
PbP games = a big, fat, 0. Not for lack of trying recently, though.
Goddamn.. And you see the blasting rod? It’s there to shove fireballs made of godhate up zombie rectums. Oh yes. This man’s seen things, dark things - and then he made them explode. Remember that time when your sweet old grandma passed away and everyone was sad for a while and then a few days after the funeral, you woke up and found her chewing your leg? For you, hopping around the bedroom, trying to bash your dead grandma’s brains in with a chair leg was the worst day of your life. For this guy that’s just Tuesday.
But he’s not just a man of violence. Under that waxed leather overcoat, and the suit of chainmail, and the leather undercoat, and the linen shirt and a few layers of gruff exterior there lies a sensitive, intelligent man. Somewhere. The chicks dig him, too.
He came to Brindol to find a cute girl he saved from bandits a few months ago, only to find that she gave him the wrong address. And town name. Women! He’s spent the last week in a tavern, drinking and secretly hoping for something bad to happen. His wishes are about to come true.
Nine out of ten interrobangs agree that this guy is pretty sweet. Am currently in zero games.
Arkady Rossovich
http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=117739
Background:
Scales of War background: Street Urchin
Benefit: You add Intimidate and Streetwise to your class skill list, and you gain a +1 bonus to Intimidate and Streetwise checks.
Personality:
He is easy to anger, and lashes out at other's if pushed too far. If angered by someone he see's as an enemy he can fly into an unthinking rage with the sole intent of killing his target.
Appearance:
only in one game right now.
For your consideration, my Striker Ravik Jerad, Human Rogue.
I'm a bit long winded, but I hope you enjoy Ravik's background.
Background:
Ravik thought that he had developed the perfect crime, and so his modus operandi was always the same. Upon arriving at a new settlement, he would ply the beggar trade for a few days, maybe a couple of weeks - however long it took to get the information he was looking for. When word would inevitably come of a local noble or a wealthy merchant requiring mercenary work, dungeon delving or the rescue of some cherished person or property, Ravik would get cleaned up and take the job.
In such a dangerous region as the Elsir Vale, desperation is abundant - and desperate men can be far too trusting. And clearly, no sane man would take on deadly work for free. A professional mercenary would surely need an advance payment for equipment repair (from his last successful job), travel expenses, a lavish meal and a good night's rest to prepare for the grueling work ahead. And so it would typically happen that Ravik would receive - if he was particularly convincing or if the employer was particularly gullible - up to a third of the reward for a hazardous task in advance, only to skip town instead of undertaking it.
The reasons the con was so consistently successful are twofold. First, the sort of tasks Ravik was commissioned to perform weren't easy. With little expectation of immediate results, Ravik was able to leisurely plan his escape and cover his tracks, arriving in the next town as a harmless, nameless panhandler. Second, the danger inherent to the chore made death of the hire a distinct possibility, were he to have actually followed through. Thus, if the man Lord So-and-so hired to retrieve a family heirloom from the monster-infested keep never came back, it didn't exactly come as a surprise.
Before Ravik developed his "perfect con", he was your typical yegg; a second-story man taking risks not because he liked it, but because the money was good and it was easier than earning an honest living. He was, to be frank, a drain on society and a public nuisance. Despite the innovation of his most recent crimes, a nuisance was all he was destined to be. It wasn't until his arrest in Brindol that Ravik's path changed.
Ravik had just pulled off a particularly lucrative scam in the city of Dennovar when things began to fall apart. A less-than-intelligent lackey of Lord Sakrath had provided Ravik with an advance of 100 gold on some decidedly messy work to be completed promptly. Of course, rather than finish the job (or even start it), Ravik made haste to the city of Brindol to spend the gold before starting on a new con.
Where Ravik went wrong was in underestimating the reach of Lord Sakrath and the degree to which the Lord was personally invested in the completion of the errand. When days went by and Sakrath's task was not completed, Sakrath paid a professional to see it through and determine what had happened to the previous agent. Of course, there was no sign of Ravik. Sakrath, a cynical man with no conception of frugality - nor any need for it - immediately put out feelers in the settlements surrounding Dennovar. Within a matter of days, Ravik's dirty secret had been revealed to an enemy with wealth and power beyond which Ravik could reasonably fight or even flee from.
Word of Ravik's downfall came to his ears quickly and in the form of blunt trauma. Indeed, when Ravik was beaten awake - after what had been, up until that point, a very enjoyable bender - it was abundantly clear that his crimes had caught up with him. With a couple of broken fingers, a bloodied face and several bruised ribs, Ravik was placed in lockup. Lord Sakrath, whose influence (with a good deal of gold backing it) easily extended in full capacity to Brindol, leisurely plotted the con man's punishment.
It didn't take long for a situation to present itself that would either teach Ravik a suitably entertaining lesson or, alternatively, result in his gruesome death. A group of monsters recently attacked the city of Brindol, kidnapping several townspeople and causing extended panic. Of course, a call for heroes went out, and many able-bodied and virtuous individuals answered the call. The only thing missing was a man, potentially expendable, with a certain set of skills that would surely be required when raiding any hostile stronghold.
* * *
A group has been hired to rescue the captured citizens of Brindol, and with them walks a low-born but ingratiating man. He has no personal ties to the group and is part of no adventuring company - truly, he may just be a desperate soul in search of final rest. He is wrapped in dark gray and green colors suitable for blending in to many environments. He is unshaven and covered with a dozen or so nearly-healed cuts and bruises; on his left hand he wears a swath of cloth binding the broken index and middle fingers together. A well-used but masterfully made crossbow is slung over his left shoulder and a long-bladed dagger is sheathed at his waist. With his eyes trained forward he says little, his face set with an expression of grim determination.
Also, I would be more than willing to continue on with the adventure path. Scales of War sounds like a blast.
We're getting more competition. Gotta ramp up the awesomeness of Vengar
After listening to the Bidd's words and thinking for a couple moments, Vengar quietly replied,
"The common man...his regret and fear...I understand it. I was once a common man...well more of a boy. I was sixteen when the Red Hand armies rose to wage their war against the Elsir Vale...and my home of Brindol. I picked up the sword and fought alongside my father Darian and my mother Faina against those hordes...to protect my home, my friends, and to grant my little sister Meristia a future where she can learn more of her arcane arts. That's why every day, every moment I aspire to be something more.
I was born under a hopeful sign, a flight of dragons passing over on the day of my birth. I am not a man of superstition or blind faith. I am a man of reason. When I was growing up, something about dragons was just...inspiring to me. When I began to feel this power inside me, I began to acknowledge that Bahamut would be my guide, and I would be his warrior on this world to cleanse it of the tight grip of darkness and evil. I am a guardian of the common man and woman. I shall take their hands and bring it into the enlightenment and salvation that is a just and moral civilization...a society where all free and treated equally whether human, elf, gnome, a follower of Bahamut or Ioun. "
Vengar looks over at the gem for a moment and begins again,
"I know not of how such a gem can become corrupt, but perhaps it can be cleansed. Just as I cleanse the world of darkness and despair, just as I redeem those who have fallen into darkness and show them the light of justice, perhaps this gem can shine once again."
____ <---- This is the limit. Please take something to it. Where are the exploding goblins? Why isn't anyone riding a broadsword as a snowboard into a dragon's face? Why isn't anyone riding an exploding goblin into a dragon's face?
GIVE ME BLOOD AND TITS.
EXPLODING TITS.