The new forums will be named Coin Return (based on the most recent vote)! You can check on the status and timeline of the transition to the new forums here.
The Guiding Principles and New Rules document is now in effect.
[D&D 4E] Shackled City (Table Talk Thread)
simonwolf
i can feel a differencetoday, a differenceRegistered User regular
i can feel a differencetoday, a differenceRegistered User regular
Shackled City
The city of Cauldron has been at peace and disaster-free for so many years - but why, now, has the quiet been shattered? There is something rotten deep in the heart of the city. Who can be trusted to cut it away?
I've been wanting to run a 4th edition game for a while, so here goes nothing. I am an entirely new DM to this edition, but I have run 3rd edition campaigns before. This campaign is based of a 3rd Edition adventure path, but there'll be changes throughout - though it would be nice if you didn't go spoiling the adventure for yourselves.
I'm going to be accepting a party of five characters in the standard configuration, i.e. two Strikers and one each of Controller, Defender and Leader.
GAME INFORMATION
This will be a PbP game, with the usual one post per day minimum.
We'll be using Mythweavers for character sheets and Invisible Castle for dice rolls.
Any 4th Edition Wizards published content is fine by me, including materials from the D&D magazines.
Your starting level will be 1. Standard rules for character creation, 22 point buy, 100 starting gold to buy stuff.
All races are allowable, but there might be some in-game issues if you choose a monstrous race. PM me if you're particularly interested in one, we'll see what can be done.
Character submissions must include a link to a Myth-Weavers character sheet, a character background and character traits.
WORLD INFORMATION
Recruitment will be open for one week, until April the 9th at 11pm JST.
Updated clarifications:
FURTHER INFORMATION ON CAULDRON:
There is a local farming base near Cauldron, mostly to the eastern side of the volcano - although there are smaller, less production-intensive farms to the northern and southern side (and jeez, they make you pay for it), the majority of the home harvest is grown on the east.
Cauldron, and the surrounding forests and mountains, sit in a relatively temperate clime - think Germany, in terms of climate. They experience all four seasons, although winter isn't generally freezing cold - rather, winter is a flood season in Cauldron, due to the higher amount of rain overwhelming the lake's natural drainage. Although, it has been a decade since the last major flood.
CHARACTER SUBMISSIONS:
You're allowed to post multiple character sheets.
I'll be accepting background choices from both Scales of War and PHB2, as long as I can see them fitting the character.
Some people have asked what I define as a "monstrous race". Here are the races from the back of the Monster Manual that I am not allowing:
- Gnolls.
- Goblins.
- Hobgoblins.
- Kobolds.
- Minotaurs.
- Orcs.
- Goddamn Bugbears.
Anyone posting a Bugbear will be automatically disqualified from the choosing process until they apologise for being such a terrible, terrible person.
The city of Cauldron has been at peace and disaster-free for so many years - but why, now, has the quiet been shattered? There is something rotten deep in the heart of the city. Who can be trusted to cut it away?
I've been wanting to run a 4th edition game for a while, so here goes nothing. I am an entirely new DM to this edition, but I have run 3rd edition campaigns before. This campaign is based of a 3rd Edition adventure path, but there'll be changes throughout - though it would be nice if you didn't go spoiling the adventure for yourselves.
I'm going to be accepting a party of five characters in the standard configuration, i.e. two Strikers and one each of Controller, Defender and Leader.
GAME INFORMATION
This will be a PbP game, with the usual one post per day minimum.
We'll be using Mythweavers for character sheets and Invisible Castle for dice rolls.
Any 4th Edition Wizards published content is fine by me, including materials from the D&D magazines.
Your starting level will be 1. Standard rules for character creation, 22 point buy, 100 starting gold to buy stuff.
All races are allowable, but there might be some in-game issues if you choose a monstrous race. PM me if you're particularly interested in one, we'll see what can be done.
Character submissions must include a link to a Myth-Weavers character sheet, a character background and character traits.
WORLD INFORMATION
Map of Cauldron:
The city of Cauldron is going to be the main hub of the campaign. The town's buildings, tightly packed and built from volcanic rock, line the inner bowl of a nameless, dormant volcano. Cobblestone roads form concentric circles around a small lake of cold water, which fills the volcano's basin. Although the town's sewage seeps into the lake, local clerics purify the water for the citizens in exchange for charitable donations to their temples.
A 50-foot-tall fortified wall of black malachite encircles the city, tracing the outer rim of the volcano. Four roads descend the out walls of the volcano, becoming major thoroughfares that lead to other towns and distant realms. The districts nearer the rim of the city tend to be occupied by upper class families and elite merchants. The closer one gets to the centre of town (and closer to the pungeant odours of the lake), the shoddier the construction and the more dangerous the dark alleys.
Most people get around Cauldron on foot, although the town has its share of wagons and carriages, most of them owned by merchants and nobles.
Cauldron itself is situated in the vicinity of the main road that connects the two ends of the region, making it a major trading hub and fortress. The volcano itself forms part of a small mountain chain that breaks apart the massive Cenovis Forest.
The city itself has a quiet history, never having been involved in a major war or conflict. It was founded several hundred years ago by a group of dwarves and humans who sought to create a safehaven for travellers on the trade roads. Since then, the population has grown considerably - its population has members of all the major races in the world, although the humans and dwarves make a considerable majority.
Recently, however, the quiet of the city has been shattered. A series of kidnappings have seen more than thirty people from Cauldron disappear without a trace. Paranoid, more and more people are seen travelling in groups or staying until the early hours at the Drunken Morkoth Inn, or the Tipped Tankard Tavern. Without any clues to go on, the people are beginning to fear that the criminals may never be caught.
The city of Cauldron is going to be the main hub of the campaign. The town's buildings, tightly packed and built from volcanic rock, line the inner bowl of a nameless, dormant volcano. Cobblestone roads form concentric circles around a small lake of cold water, which fills the volcano's basin. Although the town's sewage seeps into the lake, local clerics purify the water for the citizens in exchange for charitable donations to their temples.
A 50-foot-tall fortified wall of black malachite encircles the city, tracing the outer rim of the volcano. Four roads descend the out walls of the volcano, becoming major thoroughfares that lead to other towns and distant realms. The districts nearer the rim of the city tend to be occupied by upper class families and elite merchants. The closer one gets to the centre of town (and closer to the pungeant odours of the lake), the shoddier the construction and the more dangerous the dark alleys.
Most people get around Cauldron on foot, although the town has its share of wagons and carriages, most of them owned by merchants and nobles.
Cauldron itself is situated in the vicinity of the main road that connects the two ends of the region, making it a major trading hub and fortress. The volcano itself forms part of a small mountain chain that breaks apart the massive Cenovis Forest.
The city itself has a quiet history, never having been involved in a major war or conflict. It was founded several hundred years ago by a group of dwarves and humans who sought to create a safehaven for travellers on the trade roads. Since then, the population has grown considerably - its population has members of all the major races in the world, although the humans and dwarves make a considerable majority.
Recently, however, the quiet of the city has been shattered. A series of kidnappings have seen more than thirty people from Cauldron disappear without a trace. Paranoid, more and more people are seen travelling in groups or staying until the early hours at the Drunken Morkoth Inn, or the Tipped Tankard Tavern. Without any clues to go on, the people are beginning to fear that the criminals may never be caught.
If you have any other questions relating to the world, feel free to ask. I just don't particularly enjoy doing an information-dump unless people are going to find it useful.
Recruitment will be open for one week, until April the 9th at 11pm JST.
Updated clarifications:
FURTHER INFORMATION ON CAULDRON:
There is a local farming base near Cauldron, mostly to the eastern side of the volcano - although there are smaller, less production-intensive farms to the northern and southern side (and jeez, they make you pay for it), the majority of the home harvest is grown on the east.
Cauldron, and the surrounding forests and mountains, sit in a relatively temperate clime - think Germany, in terms of climate. They experience all four seasons, although winter isn't generally freezing cold - rather, winter is a flood season in Cauldron, due to the higher amount of rain overwhelming the lake's natural drainage. Although, it has been a decade since the last major flood.
CHARACTER SUBMISSIONS:
You're allowed to post multiple character sheets.
I'll be accepting background choices from both Scales of War and PHB2, as long as I can see them fitting the character.
Some people have asked what I define as a "monstrous race". Here are the races from the back of the Monster Manual that I am not allowing:
- Gnolls.
- Goblins.
- Hobgoblins.
- Kobolds.
- Minotaurs.
- Orcs.
- Goddamn Bugbears.
Anyone posting a Bugbear will be automatically disqualified from the choosing process until they apologise for being such a terrible, terrible person.
simonwolf on
0
Posts
Alead, Deva Invoker.
Background:
Alead, never one to pay attention to the rumours and slanders of the city, hadn't heard about the disappearances until that morning. Now, he stood on the street and watched the knots of people hurry past, suspicion and fear etched on their faces, and wondered at his own blindness.
The voices that sang to him in the depths of his mind were united in their message.
It is time... it is time... time now... it is time... time... time... It Is Time.
Alead watched the crowd impassively. Something would present itself. The patterns would eventually be resolved.
Appearance and Mannerisms:
Alead always seems to be listening to a conversation just out of earshot. He can seem aloof and distant, but is capable of great warmth toward the worthy and his rage can be terrifying.
Ugarth Rol, Half-Orc Ranger
Background:
"You're a useless complication. I curse the day you were dropped in my lap."
The unwanted son of a forced coupling, Ugarth had been tolerated --barely-- by his maternal grandfather. He had been fed, more or less, and sheltered from the worst of the weather, and that was it. He had learned quickly that he was safest out of the house and off the streets. The sewers and ancient warrens beneath Cauldron became his home. He would skulk through them, tracking rats and beetles to their nests, tailing smugglers to their hidey-holes and cultists to their shrines, and then he'd fade away into the darkness. What people did with their time wasn't his problem. He just wanted the practice.
In time, Ugarth's grandfather had died, un-mourned by anyone, and Ugarth had set out to see the world. He'd gone far enough to realize some simple truths (people were trouble everywhere, one town looks much like the next) before getting bored and heading home. Upon his return, Cauldron was different. There was a tension in the city. Things were stirring in the sewers... creatures from the lower levels were coming up farther toward the light, visiting places they should be afraid to visit. Ugarth, for all that he didn't care about people, was concerned for his city.
Appearance and Mannerisms:
In conversation, Ugarth is often silent. He has little enthusiasm for debate or discourse, and will stand with his arms crossed, waiting for something more interesting to happen. He is naturally antipathetic towards other intelligent creatures, but shows a certain amount of kindness toward the abandoned and lonely. His solution to a problem is usually to hit the problem as hard as possible as quickly as possible, back off, reassess, and repeat.
Teifling Warlord
Despite being obviously down on his luck at the moment, Taelen looks nearly happy. He has a singularly uncharacteristic (for a Teifling) good humor. He's kind to everyone he meets, of all races, and does his best to overcome the stereotypes associated with Teiflings.
Taelen was abandoned by his parents as a very young child, and grew up on the streets of a smallish city far from Cauldron. He learned quickly of the hatred and fear that characterized humans' attitudes toward Teiflings. Without another option, but being a large and strong guy, Taelen joined his city's guard, where he was lucky to meet the Chief of the Guard, who cared less that Taelen was a Teifling and more that he was able and willing to learn. Taelen studied under the Chief for years, learning all he could about battle tactics and the skills of leadership. He played a crucial role in defending his city against a local goblin uprising.
Finding that he had learned all he could in the small city, Taelen left to strike out in the world, adventure with others of similar persuasions and hone his tactical and leadership abilities. He has traveled since then, sometimes alone and sometimes in the company of others, until arriving recently in Cauldron.
Upon arriving, Taelen heard of the recent spate of kidnappings and decided to stay for a while in what was otherwise supposed to be only a waypoint. He thinks maybe he can help and learn here in this city...
PSN: SAW776
Dorin Elinanor, Half Elf Bard
Background:
Appearance and Mannerisms:
If there's not enough detail anywhere, let me know and I'll fix it.
Edit: All done.
Lyre, Eighth Lotus, Eladrin Rogue
Init +5 HP 22/22 Bloodied 11 Healing Surge 5 (0 used /6)
AC 17 Fort 12 Reflex 17 Will 11 Speed 6
Str 14 (+2) Con 10 (+0) Dex 20 (+5) Int 13 (+1) Wis 8 (-1) Cha 10 (+0)
'Riposte Strike', 'Fey Step', 'Handspring Assault', 'Deft Strike', 'Torturous Strike'
Notes
Personality Traits:
Lyre is molded after the archetypal assassin. His personality is collected, cautious, exacting and efficient. He has a knack for cutting through deception and has no fear of confrontation. His world view is cynical and dark, and though he works to even the scales towards equity, he does so more out of a personal sense of satisfaction derived from his notions of justice than any hope for a better day.
Background:
Lyre's birth name is a long-forgotten relic of the past. What precious little does exist ties him to an otherwise unremarkable upbringing in a fair Eladrin community. Lyre, however, found himself possessed of a hard edge. Where others in his position might long for knowledge or thirst for companionship, Lyre was unable to ignore the stark reality of the world it often seemed only he was capable of witnessing. He found buried lies behind every closed door, deceit eager to spring from carefully sealed lips. The world was harsh, ugly and brutal beneath a thin veneer of civility.
The process was slow, but terrifyingly sure. A casual conversation with a stranger at a library led to the promise of easy money for nothing but observing a corrupt banker. Over months, observation turned to study and a simple job transformed into a personal grudge as the banker's dealings became increasingly brazen and cruel. When his employer ended Lyre's assignment without warning, he was unable to let the banker's foul deeds fade from his mind. The next day, before the unwitting fool opened for the day's work, Lyre found him in his place of business and slit his throat. The man was left to bleed out on the fine wood floor of his own lobby, and that was the day Lyre lost his birth name.
Two days later, in hiding, Lyre found himself face-to-face with his former employer. He had been tracked, he was told, because he was unrefined, clumsy and ignorant, but these things could be remedied. He could become something fierce, something more than simply another fool waiting for the day he would be left in ruin at the hands of the corrupt and wicked. They would mold him into an example of the finest assassins the world had ever known. With little in the way of choice (and little to argue against the one made for him), Lyre was whisked away to the Sect of Vaurom, trained in the arts of death and exposed to the secrets and mysteries known only to those of his order.
Years passed, and lives with them, but assassins make fast enemies. When a pair of upstart thieves' guilds began to make operation within Cauldron prohibitively difficult, Lyre's chapter was deactivated. Without a clear purpose for the time being but to wait the turf war out, Lyre has turned to the prospect of adventuring in order to feed himself and ensure that his skills not go untested.
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.
Background:
After serving the city watch for a time, Nadarr found it to be lacking purpose. He returned to his 'home' - the temple, and enlisted in The Order of the Paladins of Bahamut. He spent many years in active service to the paladins, until one day, during his daily prayers, he had a vision.
He saw a lush green feild, filled with his kinsmen. A large Platinum Dragon breathed upon them, and they were scattered, and the land burnt. Only he remained in the feild with the platinum dragon. He then saw 7 trees, all different types, begin to grow around him. This is where the vision ended.
Nadarr went to the high priest and related the story of his dream. The first part was clear to the priest - it represented the dragonborn people being spread across the land. He could not identify what the 7 trees meant, but he knew that this young dragonborn had a greater purpose. He released the paladin from active service, with only the order to "find and obey the call of the Great Platinum Dragon".
With no active orders, Nadarr drifted for a time. He helped various townspeople and merchants with small tasks. He befriended a few individuals who seemed to have the call of a greater destiny upon them. Since the kidnappings begun, he has offered his services as part-time escort/bodyguard. Knowing that the wicked only prey on those who are afraid of them, he walks the streets at night with confidence.
Personality:
He is not all about duty, however. He enjoys the company of his friends, and relishes the good times they have.
Appearance:
Stasi, Doppleganger Bard
background:
She had also used her ability to hide or even disappear from trouble. She has seen and lived so many different lives, even if only for a year or two each. It was from those lives that she brought out concepts for her songs and poems- from tragic love songs to tales of great bravery in the face of danger, she could always captivate her audience.
mannerisms, appearance:
Deep down, she just wants to be accepted- this is why she naturally gravitates towards the spotlight of singing, dancing and acting. It is her way of feeling a sense of belonging.
Upon being knocked unconcious, she will revert to her 'normal' form (though, not when sleeping). Because of this, she knows that she has to tell her companions about her true nature, preferably before she is knocked out and it is revealed accidentally.
CB info as mythweavers is not updated fully:
Stasi, level 1
Doppelganger, Bard
Bardic Virtue: Virtue of Cunning
FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 8, Con 11, Dex 10, Int 16, Wis 10, Cha 20.
Starting Ability Scores
Str 8, Con 11, Dex 10, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 18.
AC: 15 Fort: 10 Reflex: 14 Will: 17
HP: 23 Surges: 7 Surge Value: 5
TRAINED SKILLS
Arcana, Insight, Perception, Bluff, Streetwise.
FEATS
1: Ritual Caster
1: Improved Majestic Word
POWERS
1, At-Will: Misdirected Mark
1, At-Will: Vicious Mockery
1, Encounter: Blunder
1, Daily: Stirring Shout
ITEMS
Ritual Book, Adventurer's Kit, Leather Armor, Longsword, Harp (30gp remaining)
====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&DI Character Builder ======
i would happily play either of these characters
You've purchased chainmail, which is heavy. You need to click off the "heavy" box so that your Int or dex isn't added to your AC.
Background:
With the season of new births, the village has suddenly found itself hard pressed for food. Kekur left voluntarily, as his home was safe for the time being. Now, he travels on a sort of goalless pilgrimage. He is quiet and contemplative, his face stolidly blank at most times--even during battle.
Blublo Phillippei
Gnome Warlord
Background:
The result was the Noble Gnomes ('Gnoble Gnomes'?) of Phillippei, a band of questing cavaliers modeled after their interpretation of the knights' code. Many Gnomes who take the calling do so out of amusement and need for excitement; they follow the code like the rules of a game, willing to bow out once justice loses its freshness.
Blublo Phillippei is one such knight (gnight?), born into a long line of short-serving Noble Gnomes. He has taken the cause under the impression it will reveal to him a greater sense of purpose in his life. He is stoic but friendly, aiming to keep anyone he serves in high spirits. Blublo holds himself to ideals he doesn't inherently feel and mimics the motivations of heroes he doesn't fully understand, which invisibly troubles him at times. He is determined to smite the wicked and help the weak and let the meaning of it all sort itself out later.
Traits/Mannerisms:
Blublo has the round, knobby gnomish face one might expect to see upon an old man or simply a gnome. His small mouth is surrounded by a long handlebar mustache and goatee of dark fir green. The armor he wears consists of a banded mail chest, faulds, gauntlets and greaves made from what appears to be laminated straps of wood. Atop his head sits a round blue felt cap with a short tassel.
He is stoic but friendly, aiming to keep anyone he serves in high spirits. Blublo holds himself to ideals he doesn't inherently feel and mimics the motivations of heroes he doesn't fully understand, which invisibly troubles him at times. He is determined to smite the wicked and help the weak and let the meaning of it all sort itself out later.
Alfons Deemer
Halfling Cleric
Kreel
Goliath Avenger
Background:
"For ever action, a reaction. For every transgression... Vengence."
Kreel surged forward, but was too late. The scimitar cut through his pet cleanly, and his dark eyes swelled as he stared upon the motionless form. He was only dimly aware of the muttered chanting of the cultists, so when sleep claimed him he thanked the darkness for its arrival.
When Kreel awoke, he was alone. Alone and laid out upon a flat rock upon an open plain. His equipment, what little he owned, was with him. As was a simple stone representation of a raven's wing, etched with the words he had heard uttered by the cult's leader. In the pocket of his cloak was a list of names in Dwarven, as well as a long list of transgressions. Looking about, Kreel pocketed the list and set off.
Time passed, and now his travels bring him to the Cauldron.
Appearance/Mannerisms
Above Kreel's dead black eyes is a series of boney protrusions, adding to the intimidating nature of his stare. As the Avenger of the Raven Queen, Kreel has been known to use this stare to search out information on those on whom he seeks vengence .
Some form of Paladin coming later this evening/tomorrow, or a Wizard. Maybe both, seeing as to how Utsa has two up.
Sheet
Info:
Personality: Arrogant and headstrong. Acts without thinking. Has a tendency to view himself as the key component in any venture, regardless of his actual role. Has a serious pyromaniac streak and an extremely aggressive personality; in any conflict his first action will either be to set something on fire or threaten (very loudly!) to do so. Of his positive traits, he's incredibly confident in his own abilities and decisions he's made, rarely ever second-guessing himself; extremely determined when he sets himself to a task; and is reliable in dealing with others, assuming you can nail him down to an agreement in the first place.
Abilities: While possessed with the typical innate, almost reflexive skill with wild magic typical of Sorcerers, Yuriel is even more skilled with fire-based magic. Non-fire magic requires some minor effort of will to control, whereas when conjuring fire he is quite capable of doing so practically as an afterthought and purely at-will.
Appearance: Yuriel's clothing is plain, dark cloth and completely without decoration; just pants and a tunic (no robes for this one). It is able to withstand some amount of fire, but is not actually fireproof.
Yuriel himself is quite wiry, looking a tad emaciated. He has the markings typical to Genasi criss-crossing his skin in an abstract pattern. Interestingly enough, he is bald. Overall, nothing stands out about his physical appearance.
Of course, all of this is secondary to the fact that, whether a quirk of his Firesoul manifestation, his mastery over chaotic fire magic, or some combination thereof, Yuriel is CONSTANTLY WREATHED IN FLAME. This is most noticable on his head, where in place of hair he has a much brighter corona of flame emanating from his skull. Oddly, this flame isn't particularly hot most of the time and not readily able to burn things... usually.
Side note: It's not just for show. As a representation of Yuriel's constantly-on-fire status, he has an Everburning Torch.
BACKGROUND EDIT: Taking Born Under A Bad Sign, which... kinda fits, but kinda doesn't; closest match I could get from Scales, though.
And it gives me 8 more HP (lets me swap CON for another stat when determining HP; in this case, CHA)
Nice touch.
If there's a spot, I can cook up a character this evening.
Edit:
Arathel - Eladrin Ranger
Personality:
Lacking his parents' knack for craftsmanship or running a humble store in Cauldron, his weaknesses for gambling and quick money have him on the lookout for the next get-rich-quick scheme around town. Generous with friends when times are good, usually looking for a quick loan when times are lean. Not the best judge of character; he needs to learn caution with his social circle and his wallet. His optimism and gregariousness frequently combine with a habit of misspeaking to get him into trouble.
Mannerisms/Appearance:
A plain-looking and plain-spoken Eladrin. Currently wearing modest garb after betting the last shirt on his back, with a pair of used longswords which have clearly seen better days.
Carries his pair of "lucky" red dice at all times and is quick to bring them out when coins are around.
Didn't have a chance to draw a portrait last night. If anything on there is woefully incorrect, let me know. I just used the WotC character builder and copied it over to myth-weavers.
I'll be sure to follow it though.
It was a freak accident during a trip to a nearby town that ultimately changed the course of Maelias' destiny. A spooked horse trampled Maelias, crushing his legs. His family decided it would be more "merciful" to leave him in the town, where at least he could beg to earn a living.
Driven by desperation, and possessed of a keener intellect than his family had ever given him credit for, Maelias dragged his crippled form from city to city across the land, certain that somewhere a way to remedy his condition existed. Finally, his search ended in Cauldron, where he found forgotten texts that mentioned malevolent beings of flame and shadow, with possession of enough power to restore his broken body.
In a ceremony lit by a full moon, Maelias called forth an Infernal and wrenched his power from him in a battle of wills. Now restored, Maelias spends his time in Cauldron exploring his new power, and ruminating on the Infernal's final cackling taunt: "Your victory matters not! Cauldron will undoubtedly be your grave, and my power will be returned to me ere long."
Battle.net
Havon Thayer, Human Rogue
Havon has lived his entire life within the city of Cauldron. Born to a moderate family who own "The Black Barrel" a general store about halfway from the center lake. Havon had a normal childhood and was expected to eventually take over the family business. However at the age of ten a group of thieves broke into the store late in the night and threaten his parents with death should they not unlock the money safe. Hidden from the thieves Havon sneaked up behind the leader, stole his dagger, and back stabbed him, killing him instantly. Havon had saved his family and found his very first dagger which he keeps to this day, he also grew a dislike of thieves due to this. After this event Havon became greatly interested in Daggers and practiced constantly getting training from traveling showmen in Acrobatics and Knife throwing. Daggers became Havon's weapon of choice and he soon started carrying daggers with him at all times including when he slept.
At 18 he began offering his skills to those who would pay, primarily the city guard when they needed someone who had knew the many secrets of the inner city. He worked with a few small adventuring groups also but these were often short term and he rarely made much of a connection with his partners unless he noticed a dagger kept in their belongings.
Now at the age of 20 Havon still lives in Cauldron hoping for a big break and is tempted to leave the city for a fresh start. However he's heard word of recent kidnappings and decided to stay to see if this is the chance he's looking for. Havon still keeps in touch with his parents who still own the store and his younger sister who is currently training to become a member of the Paladin order which is resident in Cauldron. While Havon's parents are concerned of the dangers of his profession and much rather have him run the store they still care greatly for him. His relationship with his sister is a bit more tenuous as she assumes Havon to share the characteristics of the more dastardly rogues in the city however they still visit each other and Havon hopes to work with her once her training is done to prove his integrity.
Appearance
Havon is a tall lanky human with light tan skin and bright long brown hair which is in a well kept ponytail. He tends to have a smooth charming face provided he is a good mood and the foundations of a goatee cover his chin. He wears a tight leather outfit intended to provide ease of movement which is covered with daggers primarily around his belt.
Personality
To say Havon is obsessed with Daggers is a slight understatement. Not only are they the only weapons he will use his entire body seems to be covered with them, including sheaths connected to his forearms and at least two kept in a hidden compartment in one of his boots. He is very protective of his daggers and doesn't allow anyone else to use them. Some rumors also exist that Havon has stolen daggers he's taken interest in from his own companions and will accept work just to get an unique dagger.
Despite what some would call insanity Havon keeps himself presentable and appears as a kind dashing rogue with a knack for throwing daggers and Acrobatics to those not aware of his...'quirks'. He enjoys life and adventure and does his best to keep a sense of humor during his work.
He was at the end of his rope, half-dead in a gutter during a rainstorm when--as he'll tell anyone who'll listen--Avandra herself stepped on him, held out her hand, and pulled him back onto his feet. He swears the dirty old coin on a chain around his neck was a gift from the Goddess of Luck and Change herself, a promise to change his life if he'd fight for her people.
Whether or not one believes him, it's clear that Quinn has gained some kind of incredible, divine power, much to the chagrin of paladins-in-training all over the city. The "beggar knight" has begun going around busting up gang activity and fighting to retake the slums from criminals, refusing shelter or food (although he is quick to remind others that he is a representative of Avandra, and that they may not have made an offering for the sake of their luck recently). Quinn is the textbook definition of the word "scrawny", and his suit of chainmail seems to have been somehow cobbled together from other suits of chainmail.
Quinn is the very definition of a gentle soul to those outside the criminal element, however, and is also known for a weakness for drink.
(My Thoughts)
Ethos, Deva Warlock
Ethos views this monstrous bargain he's made as an act of revolution--he sees himself as unfairly imprisoned, and that the Ethos that originally agreed to be imprisoned by Ioun in this form was someone different who unfairly bartered with the life of someone who had not yet been born. He tries to convince other deva of the correctness of his actions, and given time, may even build up a minor following.
In battle, Ethos is terrifying to fight, as he throws himself wholeheartedly into the fray--with his pact with the Far Realm, he sees death in combat as a quicker way to gain escape from his "prison". His pact with the Far Realm, however, does not mean that he does not value mortal friends and the material world--he knows there is a world beyond that of the deva, and tries not to seem aloof (something that does not come naturally to a deva).
Farrago, Deva Rogue
He holds few grudges, and loves friends dearly--but is ready and willing to rip off everyone else.
It's a free-for-all at the moment, I assure you.
Clarification for everyone: You're definitely allowed to post more than one character.
AC 18 Fort 14 Reflex 12 Will 13 Speed 5
Str 14 (+2) Con 16 (+3) Dex 10 (+0) Int 13 (+1) Wis 14 (+2) Cha 14 (+2)
Second Wind
Divine Challenge
Lay on Hands
Bolstering Strike
Valiant Strike
Reaping Strike
Divine Mettle
Divine Strength
Piercing Strike
Paladin's Judgement
Background and Personality
Unable to lie, annoyingly honest and frank about his opinions about the current situation. Willing to fight any foe or overcome any challenge to end injustice. Always prepared to fight and to die for what is right. Never far away from his armor and greatsword. Very rarely will you see Azulan enjoying the mirth and merriment of others. Constantly looking for the next villain to defeat or the next commoner to help. Doesn't care for the constant bickering amongst various races. Grew up with humans, elves and dwarves, and learned all he could from them. Wishes to travel the lands and shine the light of Bahamut on the dark places and peoples of the world.
Appearance
Unusually tall and stocky for a Half-Elf. Generally accounted for by his constant training as a child. Darker skin than usual and a black head of hair make for an unassuming yet intimidating visage. Very little is known about him, and he likes to keep it that way. Carries a holy symbol crafted by his father, and a greatsword forged by the dwarven friends he grew up with as a child. Constantly mussed appearance shows little regard for personal appearance, as his focus is constantly shifting to more substantive endeavors. If there is one thing that sticks out about his appearance, it is his back, showing an elvish mark for each creature slain in service of Bahamut. There are not many now, but the road ahead shows promise of adventure.
Azulan Saul Tigh
On that note, I went and made a sorcerer. Because they look damn fun. Also, gnome with fun backstory!
Pock Wrilyn, Gnome Sorcerer
Background
Personality
Mannerisms/Appearance
Rool Alston, Gnome Rogue
Rool wandered into Cauldron as a young gnome following the death of his parents. He stumbled around the city until he found himself taken in by a group of street urchins who taught him how to survive in the city. Charming and quick of wit he always seemed to find his way out of whatever trouble he was in at the moment.
After a few years in the city, Rool got a little too bold and tried lifting the purse off of a merchant's guard. Thinking fast he managed to make it look as though he were just testing the guard and as a reward managed to get the guard to teach him how to handle a rapier. Following the lessons, the guard handed Rool an old rapier that he no longer needed, and Rool has been carrying it ever since, meticulously caring for it over the intervening 30 odd years.
Following the incident with the guard, Rool took it upon himself to become the protector of street urchins in Cauldron. He has never felt so much at home as when he is interacting with the children of the street, the same type of people that helped to shape his character. As a result of the prolonged interaction with primarily children, Rool has an easy laugh and a demeanor that tends to put people at ease, even as he is plying his trade, stealing from passers by in order to provide for the children he has taken under his care.
Everything was going well. Rool was enjoying his life and his role of helping orphaned children get by in the world. Then a few of his group went missing. He grabbed the sword given to him by the merchant guard many years ago, along with a small crossbow he had successfully lifted from a distracted city guard one day in a fit of insanity, and set out to find the missing children.
Personality -
Rool keeps the demeanor of a human child. Like most of his race he enjoys tricks and, because of his extended time spent with the children of the city, he thinks that any reaction to his games other than laughter, and maybe chagrin, is offensive. He spent quite a while dreaming up how to play these tricks, and he dislikes when the targets do not enjoy what he planned.
Appearance -
Very short, not even 3 and a half feet tall, Rool maintains the youthful look of the children he spends his life caring for. He wears patchy leather that appears to have been put together from scraps found on the street, and for good reason. He has cared for the rapier given to him almost obsessively. Because of this, when it is unsheathed, it looks as though some poor warrior's child found his father's sword and decided to play soldier whenever Rool deems combat necessary.
I'd love to get a character in for this, but it's a little late to start drafting one. I'll work on it tomorrorw, hopefully.
http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=117739
Background:
Scales of War character background: Street urchin
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 thesole intent of killing his target.
He can also be very cool and collected at times. This unfortunately for others is when he is at his most crafty in devising ways in which he can satiate his desire to kill.
Appearance:
And my inspiration and his name-sake:
Rhade Ypsilanti
http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=116174
Background:
Scales of War background: Crusading Zealot
Personality:
While in combat he considers each of his actions carefully, and uses his charismatic demeanor to boost the morale of any of his allies.
Appearance:
It is, terribly so. And every game is play by post though I suppose I can't blame anyone for that.
If I wasn't on JST, I'd be tempted to try and run a MapTools game.
Also:
If people want to use the Scales of War backgrounds for their characters, that's cool with me. Bonus points for the choice actually being in-character.
EDIT:
You can also use the PHB2 method of making backgrounds.
Not to say that the Scales of War backgrounds aren't diverse, but they don't cover everything
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.
That's the Scales of War backgrounds in case anyone couldn't find them.
Edit: Also a quick question, what's the diameter of Cauldron?
Background
Shazrah was inducted into teaching other youngsters of the cabal, enjoying it greatly. As he taught he found himself growing stronger as well, learning from his students even as they learned from him. One day he started getting odd arcane dreams, seeing the Elders conversing with Illithids. Confronting someone about his disturbing dreams, it was revealed to him that the cabal was attempting to help the Illithids reenslave the Githyanki and Githzerai. Enranged and frightened of what would happen, Shazrah fled the cabal, travelling hundreds of miles away.
He finally settled down in Cauldron, hoping that the large city is enough to help hide himself from the cabal and its masters.
Though he will seem loyal to anyone who can earn some trust, Shazrah has no qualms with abandoning supposed allies if it seems like they are attempting to deliver him back to his old cabal, or worse, directly to the Illithid. His terror of those beings is quite easy to spot when he stiffens as any of his Gith brethren pass by.
Battle.net
My note about montrous races was mainly to dissuade people from choosing goblins and the like as their PC - I did not think there would be much fun in playing encounter after encounter of "the guard cry 'kidnapper!' and charge the goblin and his ne'er-do-well allies!"
I'm the kind of guy who made sure not to get a single dark side point in Kotor. I'm working on a "Born among Humans" background Drow with the redemptions and the mendings of the ways and the whatnots.
Battle.net