The End of the World - a D&D 4e Adventure Armageddon was coming. Everybody knew it. Every sign, every star portended it. Every psychic foresaw it. Every experiment verified it. The gods above and the spirits of the dead below confirmed it. It was coming, and soon. Within two years, some said. Some scoffed at that. “Maybe someday, but never so soon.”, they said. Others denied it entirely, denied it with a mad fervor born of desperation. Some accepted it as part of a great, natural cycle. Others accepted it as a righteous judgment on a fallen world. Madness was everywhere, and spreading. Most, though, just wanted to know how to survive it.
The dwarves began sealing themselves in their great underground fortresses, each warded by a million million interlocking runes. Proof against anything, they believed. The Grand Coven of Pel sacrificed a thousand children to conjure a great gleaming dome over their city. Rumors say the childrens’ parents offered them willingly. Ester, the fey city, tore itself from the ground and floated into the clouds, while the island of Gnosis, home of the Grand Temple of Ioun, sank beneath the waves. Bodies washed ashore on the nearby coast for days. Whether something went wrong, who can say?
Strange, terrible rumors are everywhere. A village disappeared, or just its inhabitants. A distant town is overrun by cannibals, or else turned cannibal itself. A vast herd of steppe elk invaded a city in the south, goring and trampling everyone in sight before stampeding en masse into the river to drown. A sudden peace developed between two Houses that had been feuding for generations, each suddenly concerned with other things. War broke out between ancient allies over a dusty, forgotten relic rumored to command protective powers.
The Circle Wood fossilized overnight, every branch, every leaf turned hard as stone. The Palace of the Bey of Niidur was engulfed in an opaque mist, with just the Bey, his viziers, and his thousand wives inside. Those brave few who venture into the mist invariably stumble out days later, having encountered nothing at all within the dense fog. The Council of Minds announced a grand stratagem for saving their city of Nouia, but what it was will remain a mystery. The Cult of Rebirth seized the council and burned them on a great pyre as enemies of the Holy Apocalypse.
Here, in the vast human city of Tobruk, skepticism reigns. The Congress of Merchants issues regular proclamations that even if some great “disturbance” is coming, it’s not imminent and there are plans in place to ensure that the city’s inhabitants are protected in any case. The dwarves to the north are paying for grain with nearly its weight in silver, and the Congress is thrilled to accommodate them. Ships heavy with wheat and oats set out nearly every hour. The Midsummer Festival is entering its sixth week now, the Congress having announced its continuation yet again. Food and drink are free and abundant, and games with prizes of gold and silver are held nearly every night. Even the Cult seems to join in, singing songs of jubilation around their bonfires each dusk. Every night the city is consumed in a desperate frenzy of feasting and music and debauchery.
Every day the End of Days draws nearer.
This is a 4e D&D adventure in a setting based loosely on a setting from another roleplaying system. You don’t need any knowledge of that setting to get along fine here, though, as it’s mostly going to be a Points of Light type setting in its particulars (deities, races, etc.).
I’m looking for a party of 4-6 players, as follows:
Level 3, standard point buy, standard level 3 equipment and gold. (I.e. – a level 2, 3, and 4 magic item, and 520 gp)
PHB 1-3 + Eberron classes and races only.
No essentials, no themes. Other non-setting specific supplements (the “Power” books, dragon magazine) should be fine as a source for supplementary material (powers, feats, etc.).
Everybody gets Versatile Expertise for free.
I'm not really concerned about alignment, and I'm not going to make it a requirement that you even list it. I think everybody can and should play their characters with more complexity than just "good" or "evil" (and that's usually what happens anyway, whatever people write on their sheets). So long as you can manufacture a reason for your character to work with the group and keep the adventure moving forward, his heart of hearts can be as dark and twisted as you like.
Post in this thread with: a link to your character on orokos or myth-weavers; a picture; and a paragraph about appearance/mannerisms. Background will be up to you to develop and reveal IC, as you learn more about the setting.
One or two submissions per player.
This will be Play by Post, but if it’s feasible, I’d like to arrange periodic ‘game nights’ where we can knock out a bunch of material over a couple hours with everyone on-line (if it doesn’t work out like that, then it’ll just be standard PbP and I’ll expect roughly one post per day from each player).
I’m looking to start next week at the earliest, assuming sufficient interest. And assuming I can figure out Maptools before then.
Full disclosure: I’m a relatively inexperienced DM, and have never tried to run a game online. There is a better than even chance that the campaign will end in a hilarious TPK.
Glorious Team!
Korren - Warlord
@SkyCaptain
Metzger - Paladin
@The Muffin Man
Aspen - Warden
@wildwood
Unkirk - Fighter
@jcpillars
Mazda - Wizard
@Aegis
Kaz - Rogue
@razorwired
Glorious Bench!
Dolo - Artificer (Anialos)
Jahl - Battlemind (Grog)
Saren -Monk (Z0re)
Damakos - Avenger (Anon the Felon)
I'll also contact people from the bench in the inevitable case of people disappearing during the campaign. If you're going to be away from the game for more than a couple of days, drop me a note. If someone disappears for more than, say, 5 days with no word, a piano will be dropped on their characters head. Gotta keep things moving. The end of the world waits for no man.
Posts
Gonna throw together something now.
Character Summary
Korren, level 3
Human, Warlord
Archer Warlord Optional Choice: Standard Warlord Armor Features
Warlord: Battlefront Leader
Commanding Presence: Bravura Presence
Versatile Expertise: Versatile Expertise (Spear)
Versatile Expertise: Versatile Expertise (Polearm)
Human Power Selection: Bonus At-Will Power
Background: Occupation - Mariner (Acrobatics class skill)
FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 16, Con 10, Dex 15, Int 12, Wis 15, Cha 9.
STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 14, Con 10, Dex 15, Int 12, Wis 15, Cha 9.
AC: 20 Fort: 16 Reflex: 16 Will: 15
HP: 32 Surges: 7 Surge Value: 8
TRAINED SKILLS
Intimidate +5, History +7, Athletics +6, Endurance +3, Heal +8, Acrobatics +5
UNTRAINED SKILLS
Arcana +2, Bluff, Diplomacy, Dungeoneering +3, Insight +3, Nature +3, Perception +3, Religion +2, Stealth, Streetwise, Thievery
FEATS
Human: Battle Awareness
Level 1: Battering Shield
Level 2: Polearm Momentum
Feat User Choice: Versatile Expertise
POWERS
Bonus At-Will Power: Opening Shove
Warlord at-will 1: Direct the Strike
Warlord at-will 1: Wolf Pack Tactics
Warlord encounter 1: Tactician's Invitation
Warlord daily 1: Create a Target
Warlord utility 2: Inspiring Fortitude
Warlord encounter 3: Flattening Charge
ITEMS
Adventurer's Kit, Identification Papers with Portrait, Jousting Shield Heavy Shield (heroic tier), Magic Chainmail +1, The Kraken's Fang +1, Floating Lantern (heroic tier), Journeybreads (20), Woodwind
====== Copy to Clipboard and Press the Import Button on the Summary Tab ======
Appearance & Mannerisms
Token
Currently DMing: None
Characters
[5e] Dural Melairkyn - AC 18 | HP 40 | Melee +5/1d8+3 | Spell +4/DC 12
Summary:
Dolo M. Gearmender, level 3
Warforged, Artificer
Build: Battlesmith Artificer
Versatile Expertise: Versatile Expertise (Spear)
Versatile Expertise: Versatile Expertise (Staff)
Background: Found Religion Among Others (+2 to Arcana)
FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 12, Con 16, Dex 10, Int 18, Wis 11, Cha 8.
STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 10, Con 14, Dex 10, Int 18, Wis 11, Cha 8.
AC: 18 Fort: 17 Reflex: 17 Will: 15
HP: 38 Surges: 9 Surge Value: 9
TRAINED SKILLS
Arcana +13, History +10, Dungeoneering +6, Perception +6, Heal +6
UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +1, Bluff, Diplomacy, Endurance +6, Insight +1, Intimidate +2, Nature +1, Religion +5, Stealth +1, Streetwise, Thievery +1, Athletics +2
FEATS
Artificer: Ritual Caster
Level 1: Master Crafter
Level 2: Potent Restorables
Feat User Choice: Versatile Expertise
POWERS
Artificer at-will 1: Magic Weapon
Artificer at-will 1: Static Shock
Healing Infusion: Healing Infusion: Resistive Formula
Artificer encounter 1: Burning Weapons
Artificer daily 1: Life-Tapping Darts
Artificer utility 2: Restorative Infusion
Artificer encounter 3: Lightning Sphere
ITEMS
Ritual Book, Defensive Staff +1, Distance Javelin +1, Healer's Brooch +1, Runic Leather Armor +1
RITUALS
Brew Potion, Disenchant Magic Item, Enchant Magic Item, Make Whole
====== Copy to Clipboard and Press the Import Button on the Summary Tab ======
Appearance & Mannerisms:
Picture:
Mazda, Forgotten Illusionist
Old enough to at least be your grandfather, if not further up your geneology, Mazda appears as a doddering old man with darkened, olive skin and a healthy growth of thin white hair covering his head and concealing his chin and neck. Not an overly tall man, if a tad bit bulky, he normally is found wandering about staring at whatever oddity might catch his attention at any given moment though concealing a sharp, keen intellect always aware of his surroundings even if not displayed as such directly. This detached personality even seems to present itself when his or another's life is on the line, his actions seeming to 'coincidentally' assisting in hampering the efforts of foes and monsters, though almost never directly harming them. Congenial when corralled long enough to draw a conversation from him, Mazda also displays a gentle side to him around children and those in need, often spontaneously creating amusing figments and pyrotechnics to lighten the mood and cheer up those needing some laughter in their life.
Currently DMing: None
Characters
[5e] Dural Melairkyn - AC 18 | HP 40 | Melee +5/1d8+3 | Spell +4/DC 12
you had me at "apocalyptic" and i haven't played a 4e pbp in months!
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Sorry, I should have been more explicit. PHB 1-3 + Eberron races and classes only. Other non-setting specific supplements are ok as a source for powers, feats, and items, but Race + Class needs to come from those 4 books. Thanks!
Post above edited.
Looks good!
Or any monster races for that mater.
I'll probably have up a Half-Orc Monk or a Changeling Barbarian later.
IIRC Minotaurs are phb3, so probably yes?
Might be interested, but if you want people to be online at the same time, I'm probably a no go.
Will keep an eye on this though
Minotaurs yep! (PHB 3)
@Z0re
Hobgoblins nope! (Horcs and changelings are fine though)
@deadonthestreet
geh.. nnnn.. yes? But you're pushing me out of my comfort zone. Consequences could be dire.
@Grog
Don't let that be the only thing that stops you. "game night" is aspirational, not any kind of requirement. You're "over there" then?
Or 'over here' as we like to call it.
If it's not a requirement I may put something up. For now I think I'll lurk
Campaign question: I have a desire to play an evil character (think more like heartless, perhaps some kind of evil soul slaying paladin?), is that a good/bad idea?
edit: In fact, I'mma put that in the OP. Thanks!
edit again: I'll add the stipulation that it's incumbent on the "evil" character to find a reason why he's working with a bunch of "goods" and maintain the peace, rather than the other way around. E.g. - don't create a situation where the other characters have to stand around watching you eat babies or something.
Picture
Appearance/mannerisms
Summary
Saren, level 3
Half-Orc, Monk
Monastic Tradition: Stone Fist
Versatile Expertise: Versatile Expertise (Unarmed)
Versatile Expertise: Versatile Expertise (Ki Focuses)
FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 18, Con 13, Dex 18, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 8.
STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 16, Con 13, Dex 16, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 8.
AC: 20 Fort: 17 Reflex: 17 Will: 14
HP: 35 Surges: 8 Surge Value: 8
TRAINED SKILLS
Stealth +10, Athletics +10, Perception +6, Thievery +10
UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +6, Arcana +1, Bluff, Diplomacy, Dungeoneering +1, Endurance +4, Heal +1, History +1, Insight +1, Intimidate +2, Nature +1, Religion +1, Streetwise
FEATS
Feat User Choice: Versatile Expertise
Level 1: Unarmored Agility
Level 2: Superior Implement Training (Accurate Ki Focus)
POWERS
Monk at-will 1: Five Storms
Monk at-will 1: Dragon's Tail
Monk encounter 1: Drunken Monkey
Monk daily 1: Spinning Leopard Maneuver
Monk utility 2: Fighting Fury
Monk encounter 3: Eternal Mountain
ITEMS
Monk Unarmed Strike, Elusive Action Ki Focus +1, Amulet of Mental Resolve +1, Stoneskin Cloth Armor (Basic Clothing) +1, Acrobat Boots (heroic tier)
====== Copy to Clipboard and Press the Import Button on the Summary Tab ======
Leaders
Korren - Warlord (SkyCaptain)
Dolo - Artificer (Anialos)
Defenders
Controllers
Mazda - Wizard (Aegis)
Strikers
Saren -Monk (Z0re)
Archon of the chained-one, keeper of the abyss.
http://4e.orokos.com/sheets/3368
Appearance:
Usually sparsely clad, Damakos wears strips of leather and tattered rags about his form. Unknown to many, the leather bits incorporated into his garb look to be well tended and crafted. In fact, they are the tattered flesh of each of his sacrifices. His grey skin is perpetually stained red from the elbow down, for he was a torturer in his youth for the cult, and the blood of that deed is infused into his skin.
Minor Background info:
He is with the party simply out of necessity. After "liberating" the remaining members of the Cult of Tharizdun of their mortal bonds, all in the name of his lord, he ventures out of the darkest corners of the city. Hoping to discover what this Armageddon is, and how he may use it as a weapon to help Tharizdun.
Damakos has simple goals, free the souls of the unworthy. Those who aid him in this venture, even if they do so unwittingly are in no threat of his culling blade. Damakos prays each night that the coming doom will unleash such a torrent of spiritual power that his lord will be able to shatter the chains, and bring the final force of the abyss to the mortal plane. If his life becomes forfeit in the process, it matters not. Damakos knows that his lord will care for him and he will cleave his way though the nine hells. Drinking the blood of those who made his first breaths of existence filled with pain and agony.
This character will be really fun. Five parts crazy, three parts rational, and 2 parts sociopath.
if i send someone the details of my character will they be a pal and make the sheet for me?
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If you just need a sheet online, you can use myth-weavers to make one. I've used it before and it's pretty handy. Or you can PM me the stuff and I can run it through the character builder (I just have a not quite up to date version of the offline builder). Either way.
i got it figured out now, i sadly just can't delete that post (hurray new forum system)
thanks though!
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But just to clarify, Versatile Expertise is +1 to a weapon and implement of my choice? (My version of CB doesn't have it, so I had to houserule it in, so it's kind of sloppy).
Also in a hilarious twist of fate, the only good picture I could find that wasn't WoW-related and wasn't BLONDE for my damned dude was...from the PA forums!
Great.
Fantastic. The forum chokes on its' own cock (surprise!), eats my post, and then spits out 3 posts with 3 separate reply buttons, and I can't even get it to post the right one.
Fuck this new forum so hard right now.
So basically I lost my big-ass background/mannerisms. So if anyone cares that much, I'll edit them in later.
http://4e.orokos.com/sheets/3371
Summary
====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
Traugot Metzger, level 3
Half-Elf, Paladin
Build: Protecting Paladin
FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 16, Con 16, Dex 8, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 16.
STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 16, Con 14, Dex 8, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 14.
AC: 21 Fort: 16 Reflex: 14 Will: 16
HP: 48 Surges: 13 Surge Value: 12
TRAINED SKILLS
Religion +6, Endurance +7, Intimidate +9, Diplomacy +11
UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics -2, Arcana +1, Bluff +4, Dungeoneering +2, Heal +2, History +1, Insight +4, Nature +2, Perception +2, Stealth -2, Streetwise +4, Thievery -2, Athletics +2
FEATS
Level 1: Healing Hands
Level 2: Toughness
Feat User Choice: Versatile Expertise - Heavy Blade, Holy Symbol
POWERS
Dilettante: Earth Shield Strike
Lay on Hands: Lay on Hands
Paladin at-will 1: Forbidding Strike
Paladin at-will 1: Virtuous Strike
Paladin encounter 1: Dazzling Flare
Paladin daily 1: Blood of the Mighty
Paladin utility 2: Endure Pain
Paladin encounter 3: Hold Fast
ITEMS
Vigilant Blade Longsword +1, Stoneborn Plate Armor +1, Holy Symbol, Adventurer's Kit, Sunrod (4), Badge of the Berserker +1, Light Shield, Journeybreads (10), Holy Water (level 1) (3), Alchemist's Fire (level 1) (5), Fine Clothing
My CB is acting up too, and I figured implements weren't really all that important for me.
http://4e.orokos.com/sheets/3372
Portrait
Physical Description
Of course, this is assuming one meets Kaz and not Belle Carter, Murlo Stonecutter, or any other of the half dozen regular personas the Rogue adopts regularly, and countless other one shot faces he's used for various jobs about the city.
Personality Description/Background
Since then the young Rogue has dabbled in this and that. False facing his way into clergies, noble gatherings, and garrisons is still Kaz's favorite game. But the Changeling's lust for variety in his life soon brought him to more direct means of liberating wealth from the rich and powerful. At age 19 he would have had quite the reputation as a sneak thief, if he didn't know that reputations were the kind of thing that got thieves killed.
Kaz hasn't had the opportunity to meet another Changeling, at least one that revealed himself. He's heard that usually his people try to find their one true place. He believes this to be a tremendous waste of a great gift. After all, why settle for being a merchant forever when he can be a courtier, dockhand, barkeep, and student within the span of a week?
Everything Kaz does he sees as a great game. And every face he wears is just his invitation to play. He tends to adopt roles for as long as they're fun and then move onto the next thing. Lately, though, he has been wondering what the point of all his gallivanting is. He still finds all the confidence games, sneak thievery and pick pocketing fun, but while Belle has her customers and Murlo always gets the curtious nod when he walks into the counting house, Kaz has started to wonder what it would be like to have people to praise his less conventional works.
No problem!
@The Muffin Man @Razorwired
Awesome, thanks!
@Anon the Felon
Frowning so hard at your character right now.
But who am I to judge? This is where I nod sagely and say in a neutral tone, "Well, you've certainly chosen an interesting role-playing challenge for yourself." I'm willing to indulge you, but remember it'll be incumbent on you to convince the rest of the party to accept you. I.e. - to accept the extra-planar psychopath that wears human flesh and is permanently soaked in blood. If there is a problem, it'll be you that gets written out of the story, not them, and faster than you can say deus ex machina.
Also the extra-planar origin would need to go. Tieflings are born blood-drenched and screaming, but only in the same sense that the rest of us are. (well except for the warforged, I suppose) Planar shenanigans are sort of implied in the armageddon thing, and I don't need anyone piping up with, "Well, back when I lived in the Abyss, blah blah blah.." You can be special, but not that special.
It's not that I don't like him. He's interesting. If he had a TV show I would watch it. Or a game show. And like I said, I'm willing to give it a try with that one stipulation. It's just tricky to play a character like that without derailing the group. Doesn't mean it can't be done, though.
Granted, it might get adjusted once the group is revealed and everything starts getting organized. But the general feel of "soul collector" will always remain. Think classic Chaotic Neutral, he's along for the ride, but is a deviant, and will just as quickly kill a man as talk to him.
That might come up, by the way ;-)
Or whatever.