Lost Chronicles of Odam: The Piece That Doesn't Fit
"The Elf-Father said,
'Let there be light so that mine children may see;
let there be light to warm the hearts of all Good Peoples;
let there be light so that the lurkers in the darkness are exposed'.
The Elf-Father was a fool."
— Tariath'il'Catos, traitor to the elven Ark Drin.
Introduction:
This is recruiting for a 4e Dungeons and Dragons game for a party of three to five people. Anyone can apply, regardless of experience, blah, blah. There are a few spots reserved for if certain people decide to take them, but I doubt they're interested. If you're not involved in another play by post game, please note that with your application.
That all said, this game has a little bit of history behind it. A long time ago, Horseshoe ran a little game called...
Though I want to take a chance to go through and neaten things up, we'll be basing things roughly on that world. Something that needs to be noted is that the campaign previous was a very collaborative effort. Everything was permitted, more or less; and there is some burden on the players to help and create the world that they are adventuring in. This is no less true this time around.
The Particulars:Standard setup. This is a play by post game. Character sheets can go on Mythweavers or Orokos or whatever you prefer to have them on, really, so long as I have access to it. Rolls can all be made on Invisible Castle or Orokos or wherever. I'll be looking for a post a day minimum, and I'll try to update as frequently as I can, but I make no promises.
Party Order: Whatever the heck you feel like, folks.
I'm looking for some second level characters, and I'll only look at the first two submissions that you make - so choose wisely. The only thing that I should probably note is that I have a preference for the more humanoid races; humans, elves and gnomes, sure. Less likely to pick monstrous races, but if you want to submit one, go ahead anyway.
Submission should include:
- A link to the sheet (Myth Weavers or Orokos)
- The character's name.
- A picture of your character - optional, for creating a token. If you don't post one I reserve the right to pick the silliest one I can find.
- Personality traits, mannerisms and appearances. This can be as long or short as you like.
- Your availability to post in the fourms (frequent? infrequent?) and what games you're playing or running in here.
Note about alignment: man, I don't care about alignment.
http://forums.penny-arcade.com/showthread.php?t=39918 here's the first IC thread (it's a fun read [totally not because i played a he hur hur])
http://forums.penny-arcade.com/showthread.php?t=39484 there's the first OOC
There's no deadline or anything right now for submitting sheets, though I'll set one soonish.
With this all said, click the banner up there, do some preliminary reading, and I hope to see some sheets soon.
I'm sure I'll remember some other things to edit in here soon. Like...
Submitted Characters
Posts
Edit: Gonna be gnomes since the slate is mostly blank.
i would like to do this thing or at least help out
how it would go is GM would introduce a scene and through our own posts and just playing the game we would make references to things, places, whatever, and it would be the wikiteers' jobs to go in and make those pages and then elaborate on it. the best thing i can recommend is just read the wiki, as odd as it is, and accept that there are HUGE gaps because we didn't get more than a small piece (the piece our characters interacted with directly, more or less) defined.
it's still very much a blank slate.
http://forums.penny-arcade.com/showthread.php?t=39484 there's the first OOC
Arc is one of those 'certain players' that has a spot reserved. And speaking of - if you're looking to play Tyr again, Arc, we'll have some background stuff to discuss. I'd certainly love to have you, though, even if fantasy isn't really your show anymore. :P
The old threads are probably a very good read to get a feel for how things are going to go down, so I'll throw a link to them in the OP.
you can get with me in a PM or on irc or wherever is best for you
Storytime
"I DON'T CARE IF IT'S THE HELM-REGENT'S FINEST ROBES BLOCKING THAT GRATE, YOU'LL GET BACK DOWN THERE AND UNCLOG IT!" The clang of the metal hatch served to punctuate the Drainlord's command, but Dhorn wasn't listening. Lifting the mess of his arm from beneath him he tested the fingers on that arm. Only a couple of fractures, probably. He had a stronger left anyway.
Spitting a bloody tooth onto the water slicked stones, the young dwarf rubbed his smooth chin. The grate in question would be easy to reach if he got to it before things really started to overflow. Easier to set some secondary channels into it to force the blockage through. Of course, that would flood at least a quarter of the tradeyard, but he could find an empty drainoff to shelter in. It's not like the drainlord would break both his arms. Dhorn was the best rat he had.
~~~
The chuckling stream quietly reclaimed the silence that had fallen after the clanking march of the troupe had ceased. One of the armoured dwarves, his angular helm catching what little light there was in the cavern, motioned silently. Advancing to the lip of a steep drop with another, less ostentatiously armoured dwarf, the rest of the squad huddled in the dark and the cold. A conversation started back up.
"But 'e says we've all got thuh same oba- thuh same abor-"
"Oppurtuni'es" Baerk corrected his brother. "Ain't like the ol' times, ennyone can 'old an office these days. They got 'lections fer it and all, you seen 'em."
"Yeah. Lections." Bayurn nodded thoroughly in agreement with his sibling.
Dhorn rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Look, we may have been raised under the grate, but that don't mean we're stupid. But you think some peak merchant's gonna want a drain rat like us in charge? Nah. He'll take his business and 'is vote to where the coin is. The greybeards 'ad the power in your nan's stories, they 'ave it now. Just cus they ain't stampin' clan names on everythin', don't mean everyone's got a fair shot alluva sudden."
The trio stopped whispering suddenly at another silent gesture. "Teglaig" captain Silvain's summon echoed with contempt. Dhorn's teeth ground beneath his helm as he advanced to the lip's edge.
"By Urrak's estimation this stream ends simply in a porous runoff. But I need to know if it's part of a passage to the cliffs. Get the ropes ready".
With the thick rope fastened around him, Dhorn made sure Bayurn had a good grip of it before easing himself over the lip of rock. The darkness whistled ominously below him, but before he could descend a sharp tug snatched his attention back upwards. The captain's helm was a silhouette above him, but the man's voice was clear as day and calm as darkness. "They open our fathers halls to dogs like you, and you repay them with conspiracy? You never deserved that armour, you beardless rat."
A rush of air. A splash. Something hard and broken underneath.
Dhorn's eyes flicked open in the murky water. Chasing panic from his mind, he took quick inventory. Left arm numb, right arm burning, a few ribs cracked clean but his head wasn't too bad. Legs... stuck. Twisted under a dislodged boulder, the armour pressed painfully into his shins. Damn that Bayurn, too thick to keep a sodding secret. Fumbling clumsily at the plates of his armour, his right leg wrenched free. Or was it Baerk? Smart enough to know he'll get a reward, dumb enough to go to Silvain for it. Pounding against the boulder, that treacherous panic creeping into his lungs again, the dwarf tore his foot free, the twisted plates clinging viciously to his bleeding leg. Bursting through the surface and paddling over to the edge of the underground lake, Dhorn dragged himself onto the shore. Right he thought time to see if Silvain was right about that passage.
Background
Appearance
Personality
Not sure if you wanted anything as extensive as this. Drenchpeak is based around the idea that a fortress has expanded to the extent where it needs a ridiculous amount of power to keep it going, so it's harnessing the torrential rain of the peaks (so I figured this would be in the Greywall mountains near the sea) for hydroelectricity. Dwarven society itself is shifting into something similar to the industrial revolution, with huge city populations that need to be controlled as a workforce, hence the 'democracy' supposedly replacing the clan system.
Added a theme because I wasn't sure if you wanted them. Isn't essential to the character though, so it can go if you like.
In these two pbps
They tried to bury us. They didn't know that we were seeds. 2018 Midterms. Get your shit together.
Still looking for an image.
Appearance:
His dress is that of a Skyknight squire; black tabard emblazoned with a gryphon, light shirt underneath and cloth breeches. His feet are clad in thick boots, well scuffed from climbing and clambering around the hull of his Ark. All of his clothing is second or third hand, since he has no family to finance a proper set of equipment.
Personality:
Background:
His days at the orphanage weren't bad days, overall. The old man was something of a harsh taskmaster, though, and his golden eyes didn't win him any friends amongst the other children; they were all jealous of his assumed destiny as part of Cam-Ithel's clergy. He got in quite a few scraps during those days, and got rather good at running from fights when he could and defending himself when he couldn't. It was during one of these flights from his fellow orphans that Varis took flight. Literally.
In what was otherwise a routine leap over a bulkhead and into the larder hold of the Ark was preempted by Varis soaring upward toward a hatch in the main deck of the ship. Unfortunately, that hatch was closed and Varis spent the next hour dangling from it before someone with the proper tools was finally summoned to open the hatch and rescue him.
Understandably, a golden eyed orphan boy flying through a crowded area gets quite a bit of attention. By the end of the day, he had been removed from the orphanage and placed in the care of clergy, who were then tasked with figuring out exactly what the boy's abilities portended. Though there were a number of different takes on the situation, swinging wildly from "the second coming of Cam-Ithel" to "a magic-using abomination that must be expunged from the Ark for the safety of all on board", eventually something of a consensus was reached and Varis found himself a rather young squire of the order of Skyknights.
Being a squire, it turned out, was a lot like being an orphan. Someone else decided what you wore, what you ate, where you slept and how you spent your days. The only real difference as far as Varis could tell was that instead of crawling around the underbelly of the Ark and wrestling with various mechanical contrivances, he was crawling around the upper reaches of the Ark and wrestling with other squires. At least here his golden eyes weren't an issue, though his talent for flight has led to many a bout of jealousy from his fellow squires.
Abilities:
What the knighthood fails to understand is that you have to back Varis into a corner in order to get him to really shine. From his early encounters with jealous orphans, he learned to defend himself in a rather unknightly fashion; by braining anyone who gets too close with his crowbar. Indeed, when he is in his element (surrounded, crowbar in hand), Varis is a terror to behold. Hooking, dragging, blocking and smashing, he fights with his chosen implement as though it were an extra limb that he happened to be born separate from. Though it may not be a lance or a longsword, anyone on the receiving end of his attacks with it would be hard pressed to play down its effectiveness. Unfortunately, swinging a crowbar from gryphon-back is somewhat looked down upon, leaving Varis to heft his shield and lance in an ongoing vain attempt to be a proper knight.
The skills from his former life have stuck with him, even though the skyknights have stopped just short of beating them out of him. He can still pick locks and manipulate mechanisms, and he has even developed a knack for alchemy.
Mechanics:
I picture Crane's Wings as him awkwardly flying at someone and smashing into them, while Five Storms is just him lashing out with the crowbar in an arc trying to smash anything that gets in its way.
He's really not a terribly kung fu monk. More of an experienced brawler with some slightly supernatural characteristics and a primary weapon that doubles as a tool.
Right now, I'm in;
Worldship
Sharn Noir
Though the unfortunate truth is that Sharn Noir hasn't updated in quite some time.
They tried to bury us. They didn't know that we were seeds. 2018 Midterms. Get your shit together.
Haven't really put much thought to it. I'll tentatively say that no, there's no restriction of race/class combo. If you've got an argument otherwise though I'd be more than happy to hear it. :P
Summary:
Torbera Frostfoe, level 2
Dwarf, Invoker
Background: Recent Life - Spreading the Word (+2 to Religion)
FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 10, Con 16, Dex 10, Int 11, Wis 20, Cha 8.
STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 10, Con 14, Dex 10, Int 11, Wis 18, Cha 8.
AC: 18 Fort: 16 Reflex: 13 Will: 18
HP: 30 Surges: 9 Surge Value: 7
TRAINED SKILLS
Religion +8
UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics, Arcana +1, Bluff, Diplomacy, Dungeoneering +8, Endurance +5, Heal +6, History +1, Insight +6, Intimidate, Nature +6, Perception +6, Stealth, Streetwise, Thievery, Athletics
FEATS
Invoker: Ritual Caster
Level 1: Dwarven Weapon Training
Level 2: Implement Expertise (Axe)
POWERS
Invoker encounter 1: Thunder of Judgment
Invoker daily 1: Invocation of Ice and Fire
Invoker utility 2: Wall of Light
ITEMS
Ritual Book, Frost Fury Execution axe +1, Chainmail of Resistance +1, Amulet of Protection +1
RITUALS
Hand of Fate, Amanuensis
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Background:
Torbera's parents were members of the resistance. Her mother a cleric who suppressed her magical abilities to heal behind her work in the hospital. Her father a paladin, passing himself off as warlord or knight to those who would suspect anything. It was with great joy they welcomed into the world, and great sorrow. Torbera's gift was not so easy to hide. Any sort of challenge or sport would soon find her glowing with a power no fancy words could hide. So they did what they could, they gave her to the scholars. Within the walls of the library things were calm.
That is until Borallon arrived. He was a haughty young noble, keen on getting his way, with a "taste" for helpless scholars. His eye soon found Torbera. It was after closing when he came. Deep in the library he pinned her against the wall, his large axe and armor set aside. No need to use those on a scholar afterall. If only he had known. It was around noon the next day when they found him. His skull a smoking ruin, his armor and axe gone. All that was left was a note.
"Én awkened. Az elnyomás véget ér. Civilizáció nem maradhat anélkül, hogy a hatalom az istenek. Az istenek fog jönni az Ön számára. Eljövök érted. Május Nagy Forge táplálkozik gyermekeink többé, mert tele lesz a színültig a saját holttestét."
-Torbera Frostfoe
Dwarven:
She has been on the run since then, taking out those that would oppress her kind when she can, fleeing when she cannot. The axe she took from Borallon is still with her, a momento of her awakening. All who will listen are told of the power of the gods and civilizations need to heed them.
Appearance & Mannerisms:
Most of the time Torbera is as happy and helpfull as anyone you could hope to meet. All to happy to preach to those who will listen she does not however go around spouting her gospel willy nilly. Well aware of some areas following such rules as her home did, she keeps her faith under wraps until she is comfortable revealing it. The true terror is revealed when her way of life is threatened. Although she has a particular affinity for divine magic, she will protect anyone using any sort of magic for good, and slay those that use it for evil. They are the reason her kind became oppressed in the first place.
Theme:
Surprise Strike Outlaw Attack
You follow up on the advantage granted by a surprised or
distracted enemy to strike a crippling blow.
Encounter F Martial
No Action Special
Trigger: When using a basic attack or an at-will weapon attack
power, you hit an enemy that is granting combat advantage
to you.
Effect: The enemy is dazed until the end of your next turn.
Picture:
Summary:
Misty Wildtongue, level 2
Gnome, Warlock
Build: Deceptive Warlock
Eldritch Blast: Eldritch Blast Charisma
Eldritch Pact: Fey Pact
Background: Gnome - Fomorian Captivity (Stealth class skill)
FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 10, Con 11, Dex 10, Int 16, Wis 8, Cha 20.
STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 10, Con 11, Dex 10, Int 14, Wis 8, Cha 18.
AC: 17 Fort: 12 Reflex: 16 Will: 18
HP: 28 Surges: 6 Surge Value: 7
TRAINED SKILLS
Stealth +8, Streetwise +11, Bluff +11, Arcana +11
UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +1, Diplomacy +6, Dungeoneering, Endurance +1, Heal, History +4, Insight, Intimidate +6, Nature, Perception, Religion +4, Thievery +1, Athletics +1
FEATS
Level 1: Improved Misty Step
Level 2: Rod Expertise
POWERS
Eldritch Blast: Eldritch Blast
Warlock encounter 1: Witchfire
Warlock daily 1: Curse of the Dark Dream
Warlock utility 2: Assassin's Bane
ITEMS
Rod of Corruption +1, Repulsion Leather Armor +1, Amulet of Protection +1, Sickle
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Background:
Misty got this burning ambition whilst under the thumb of the Formorians. Cruel ugly creatures, they never treated her or the other gnomes very well at all. So when a fey spirit came to Misty offering her the power to break free she took the deal without asking too many silly questions about eternal souls and whatnot. It was with great glee that she slew her captors. Being bad never felt so good.
Now that she is back in "proper" gnomish society, she uses her small bit of fame to gain access to every bit of info she can that will help her grow stronger. For example, the training one of the druids provided her on animals. Since then a small black cat has slinked alongside her, providing distraction when she is being sneaky. No name has been given to the animal yet, but she'll think of something.
Mannerisms & Appearance:
Misty gets along with anyone she thinks can help her gain power. Anyone who tries to take her power gets burned. Anyone who insults gnomes or goodness forbid The Honored Dead is burned again. Every now and they you might catch her whispering to herself. Pay this no mind, as she does not enjoy her conversations with the fey being interrupted.
Theme:
Distracting Attack Animal Master Attack
At your command, your animal friend darts forward to bite,
rake, or peck at your foe.
Encounter F Martial
Minor Action Close burst 5
Requirement: Your animal minion must be within 5 squares
of you.
Target: One enemy in the burst
Effect: You gain combat advantage against the target until the
end of your turn.
Cat Level 1 Minion Skirmisher
Tiny natural beast XP 25
HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. Initiative +6
AC 15, Fortitude 10, Reflex 14, Will 11 Perception +1
Speed 7 Low-light vision
Traits
Cat’s Stealth
While within 10 squares of the cat, the cat’s master can move
up to half his or her speed without incurring the –5 penalty to
Stealth checks for moving more than 2 squares.
Skills Athletics +2, Stealth +9
Str 4 (–3) Dex 19 (+4) Wis 12 (+1)
Con 11 (+0) Int 2 (–4) Cha 11 (+0)
Alignment unaligned Languages —
Summary
Background: Gladiator (+2 to intimidate)
FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 16, Con 12, Dex 18, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10.
AC: 17 Fort: 15 Reflex: 18 Will: 12
HP: 29 Surges: 7 Surge Value: 7
TRAINED SKILLS
Stealth +10, Acrobatics +10 Athletics +9, Perception +6, Intimidate +8, Thievery +10, Streetwise +6
UNTRAINED SKILLS
Endurance +2. All Else +1.
FEATS
Rogue: Wrist Blade Proficiency
Level 1: Light Blade Expertise
Human: Improved Initiative
POWERS
Piercing Strike
Ripose Strike
Easy Target
Torturing Strike
Heroic Effort
Tumble
Equipment: Wrist Blades, Leather armor.
Appearence
Background
Personality
They tried to bury us. They didn't know that we were seeds. 2018 Midterms. Get your shit together.
Background:
Description:
Image:
Mannerisms and Personality:
General Build Information:
Centered Breath Monk (Striker)
Centered Flurry of Blows
Unarmed Combatant
Unarmored Defense
Improved Monk Unarmed Strike
Pointed Step Style
Half-Orc Resilience
Furious Assault
Dancing Cobra
Five Storms
Drunken Monkey
Fighting Fury
Masterful Spiral
Swift Charge
up to you whether or not you want to stick to that though
Are we going to try to represent those mechanically in the 4E version?
Because I think playing a gun-dude could be kind of interesting. Definitely a departure for me.
They tried to bury us. They didn't know that we were seeds. 2018 Midterms. Get your shit together.
Think we'll just run with a reflavoured Hand Crossbow for a pistol. I'm not opposed to working with homebrew content, though, so if you have a suggestion you'd like to try out we can give it a try and see what works.
Why is this relevant? Well, the setting of Zeitgeist is steampunk, and has some rules regarding the use and inclusion of firearms. I recommend taking a look (under their free Intro package on the main page).
Just my two cents.
Dichondrial Solvanstai
Image
Appearance
He prefers to wear rather well tailored and fashionable clothing, preferring dark rich colors like purple, green and black. Being left handed he keeps a rapier on his right hip, and on his left hip dangles a crowbar given to him by his father.
Personality
He is currently obsessed with exploring the world believing that there are so many more new things he can learn that cannot be taught on a Ark. Now he is determined to learn new ways to advance his skills, or learn completely new talents.
Background
As he grew older Dichondrial and his friends had taken a common childhood game of “assassin” and altered it. During days of rest they would select an area of the Ark they hadn’t been to before and would each head there at dawn. Once everyone was ready they would split apart from eachother and done a disguise that the other hadn’t seen before. For the rest of the day they were to stay in that area of the ship and search out the other members of the group. The only way to eliminate someone was to sneak up behind them and either tap them in the ribs with the flat blade of a dagger or for double points put a garrotte around the person neck, without pulling back of course. This game taught each of them how to be quick, stealthy, observant and honed their abilities to blend into any social setting as well working on their improvisational skills.
Eventually Dichondrial grew bored on the Ark, sure he there were still many things he could learn from there but they were all the same things he could learn on any Ark, instead he wanted to explore the rest of the world to learn things outside of common elven practice and the best way to do that was to become an adventurer. Yet there would be no challenge for him if he left knowing that his fathers wealth would always be there to help him out, so he told his father of his plans and how the only thing he would ever accept from his father would be a bed to sleep in whenever he came to visit.
So with his fathers blessing Dichondrial left the Ark with only a some basic adventuring equipment, an alchemical set, and his trusty crowbar.
I'm going to set a deadline on any incoming sheets on Tuesday, July 19th at 11:59 pm - the minute before my birthday is over. Very much liking the ones I've seen so far, though. I'll throw together a list of the sheets and links and all that into the OP.
Lot of strikers all up in here. :P
one of my great failures it was... somehow i managed to fuck up a campaign that was intended to create and run itself
hylian, i am stoked that you are bringing this idea back to life because i was ill-equipped to do so
i am very tempted to play, but i think if i applied to play it, i would be inviting some sort of cosmic disappointment
also i found some of my notes for the old game, the sort of vague outline stuff that i'd hoped players would fill in
so... spoilers.
on the other races that were not playable at the time:
on the eladrin in particular:
on the feywild in particular:
i had a few specific ideas but mostly tried to keep it in broad strokes so as not to interfere too much
for example i had a wierd idea for the dragonborn that i might only share with hylian