The PbP game I was in before it dissolved was a ToEE game for 4E, we didn't get too far so I don't really know any spoilers. When I get access to my home computer I'll toss up an application.
As a Living Greyhawk player for the better part of seven years, and someone who is familiar with the setting without being familiar with the specific module, it might be fun to contribute a character to the selection process. I've never done a successful PbP though, they tend to fall apart after a short while.
Long before the coming of humanity, Verbobonc was an elven settlement, a small but impressive river town filled with tall, thin towers, narrow walkways and delicate wood and ceramic statuary. The local elves shared their lives and livelihood with the good gnomes of the Kron Hills, banding together to battle off threats from the north and east. Verbobonc, then, was a military town, aligned with the gray elves of Enstad, though a political entity unto itself. The surrounding hillocks still hold relics of those ancient days, slowly crumbling rowers of unsurpassed beauty, troves of buried arrowheads and still-useful armor, and even, it is said, the elven Old Places, sacred refuges hidden in the magical folds of the world.
As civilized humans entered the Flanaess and most elves receded into the woodlands, Verbobonc gained importance as a trade port on the Velverdyva River. At this time, many elves quit Verbobonc, leaving the town to the gnomes and the new arrivals. Thus began a new period in the history of the region, in which the two races worked together to improve and grow Verbobonc into a state of its own, not beholden to any greater power. At the dawn of the first century CY, the two primary races of Verbobonc encircled their home with walls, and constructed hundreds of new buildings, mixing a distinctly gnome architecture with the existing elven structures. In this spirit was the slogan "Earth and Stone, Man and Gnome" carved above the city's north gate, a motto and approach to life that endures to this day.
Currently, Verbobonc is a power on the Flanaess, and serves as a neutral meeting location between all of the surrounding nations, a trading hub for importing and exporting items from across the Flanaess, and the main port for travellers to embark from. The city maintains its own military, for the safety of the people and the securing of their walls against any hostile force. None of the human nations dare try and absorb Verbobonc, as they know it would lead to conflict with the other nations. In times past humanoid armies would come up out of the Pomarj and need to be repelled, but even those incursions have become few and far between.
The city has become a massive metropolis that has been divided into several districts. The districts are arrayed around a massive central cathedral. In times of old a multitude of gods were worshiped at the cathedral, the chief of which was St. Cuthbert of the Cudgel. Most of those old deities have now faded into memory, and the cathedral has become more of a museum than a place of worship, with other, smaller temples cropping up around it that are dedicated to the newer deities.
Across the city from the temples lies the Market District, in the center of which is a massive wooden post. Noone knows where the gigantic piece of wood came from, but it is at least 10 feet in diameter, and over 20 feet tall. Adorning the post you will find all manner of notes, maps, requests, poems, wishlists and anything else that someone might feel fit to scribble down on a piece of parchment. The Town Crier, as the post has come to be affectionately known, draws a significant crowd every day as people come to see what new tidbits have been added to it, what has been used to attach those tidbits to the post (current strangest entrant: a human finger bone), and how high the note has been added.
As a Living Greyhawk player for the better part of seven years, and someone who is familiar with the setting without being familiar with the specific module, it might be fun to contribute a character to the selection process. I've never done a successful PbP though, they tend to fall apart after a short while.
I'm hoping to keep this one going as long as there are people that want to post in it. The campaign arc is certainly long enough to keep us busy for quite a while.
Navem is on the shorter side of his people, and is fairly thick with muscle. His skin is dark, with barest tint of green. This and his mouthful of jagged teeth give away his heritage. Unless clearly at rest, he is almost always clad in his armor and always has his weapons close at hand. His hands are criss-crossed with scars from constant training. His eyes are emerald green and seem to flash with their own inner fire. He either looks orcishly serious or disdainfully amused, depending on the situation. His hair is short, and a deep dark brown.
"Navem, Navem thinks that those things are puny and no match him."
Navem Gnollcleaver was from the terrible Summer of the Greenskin, a time when Orcs, goblins and their ilk swarmed over the land, raiding and pillaging with abandon. A combined force of men, dwarves, and elves worked to root out raiders, many lost but the monsters were forced to flee back to their mountains and caves. Prisoners were taken on both sides and scattered across the land. Of note was the Orc Tribe Cleaver, whom after capture, proved reasonable and became allied with the fair-skinned armies. Eventually, they were accepted comrades and loved ones of their allies. A generation of half-orcs were the result of this union.
Navem’s father, Brakark Gnollcleaver, was a champion of the tribe, fierce in battle and a stern leader. He took a human swordswoman as his wife, finding her to be as dedicated to the art of war as he. They raised their child in both the worlds of Orc and human, with the knowledge of how to fight his only constant. Navem took from his tribe Kord’s love of battle and glory, and from his human lineage the desire to drive himself to greatness. While Navem lives for battle, he also a boisterous celebrator, believing a life not lived to it’s fullest is one not worth living, and that one must be ready greet the Raven Queen at any time, with a weapon in one’s hand and a smile on one’s lips.
Hooray!
Matev on
"Go down, kick ass, and set yourselves up as gods, that's our Prime Directive!"
At some point previously, this changeling suffered some kind of traumatic event that led to amnesia and a continuous dissociative state. The long and short of it is that he/she no longer knows who she actually is, and her only sense of identity comes from the different personalities that she has cultivated since then. The main thread that ties all of her identities together is the need to be competent at everything. This has led zir to become the ultimate dilettante, good at everything but an expert at nothing. The only thing zie is an expert at is lying, and zie uses this in order to cover up any holes in zir identities.
Each one of zir identities represents a different personality with its own set of skills, mannerisms, and quirks. Whenever zie wants to use a certain skill, zie shifts into the relevant identity in order to "get into character." While zie has many different identities, there are a few that zie uses most often. zie is unaware of the existence of the other personalities on a conscious level, but because zie shifts to the relevant ones at the appropriate time it is clear that some underlying psyche still exists. Here is a brief sampling of some of zir preferred identities:
Buck is a half-elf ranger who spits a lot and somehow always has a piece of straw in his mouth. His backcountry accent betrays the fact that he's more half than elf, but that doesn't stop him from boasting about his ability to navigate and survive in wildernesses of all kinds. In fact, bragging is probably his favorite activity, as you'll inevitably notice if you're ever around him when he makes a shot with his longbow. His longbow's name is "The Fat Lady," because "When she sings, it's over."
Vedula of the Lorespeaker clan is a Dragonborn wizard from a very well respected clan that somehow no one has ever heard of. He is far from a bookworm, however. He takes pride in his diplomatic abilities (among others), as well as his knowledge of history and the arcane arts. He uses his "old money" demeanor to impress and cow others, and he considers snarking clueless ingrates to be his personal hobby.
Thriz Nurak is a shy dwarven rogue whose loyalty and competence are seemingly unending. She quietly stammers out insightful tips from her seemingly expansive knowledge about traps, dungeons, dungeon architecture, architecture, and picking locks. She mostly keeps to herself, eager to use her skills when they are relevant and beaming whenever she is able demonstrate her usefulness to others.
Notes:
Obviously, there is a lot of flexibly to this character, as I can totally remake the different personas depending on who the other characters. I believe in integrating the rules-y aspects of a character and the roleplaying aspects of the character as much as possible. After grabbing Bardic Knowledge and maybe one Bluff-related feat, I see this character taking lots of different multiclass feats, one for each one of zir personas. There are some places left unfilled on my character sheet (weapns and gear, mainly) so that I can fill that in later when I have a better sense of what personas the character is going to focus on.
By the way, you might have noticed that none of these personas is a Bard. That was definitely intentional - I like the idea that no one, even zir, actually knows zir true class, in addition to everything else. Instead, zir form would depend on what was needed for combat. I will be picking powers that zie can at least somewhat disguise as something else (i.e. no singing songs of glory).
The one concern that I have is that zie would often be transforming around other people (i.e. everyone would know zie was a changeling). I think this could be very interesting roleplay wise - I could see zir being unable to use certain skills if zie isn't in the right character. Alternatively, I think zie would often have to bluff zir way out of it - "Oh, a powerful illusionist cast a spell on me that makes me appear to change forms sometimes..." etc.
Dermond's parents don't have the best view of other species, so he grew up being told stereotypes and lies about other species. As a result, he's kinda gnomophobic, but I'm sure if he spent time around one he'd learn they're just normal people like everyone else
Shadwell was once part of a temple of Bahamut, but there was always friction. Not that it was his fault. The rest of them simply didn't take their cause seriously enough. 'To be constantly vigilant against evil, and oppose it on all fronts', was that not one of the prime ideals of the Platinum Dragon? Shadwell drifted away from the rest of the organisation under mutterings over 'over zealousness' but he knew he was the one in the right. Evil never rests and never gives any quarter so neither should the forces of good. He has drifted from town to town, sometimes alone, sometimes accompanied by those who will see the righteousness of his cause, always on the hunt for the next den of evil to be cleansed in the name of The Dragon.
In battle he rarely gets his own hands dirty, but as he raises his dragon headed staff and calls out rebukes in the name Bahamut, there can be no denying the radiant fury that rains down upon his enemies in response to his summons.
He has heard of the ToEE and the rumours of horrors lurking within once more. He sighs to himself as he packs his bags and heads off. "Why does the structure even still stand?" he asks no one in particular, "nobody ever does a thorough enough job..."
Ivan grew up in an independent farming village on the outskirts of Welkwood. He was a bright boy, and before long, became the town’s health professional; caring for wife, kids, and offering his services to the rest of the townsfolk. Ivan was in his mid 20s when rumors of the temple began to spread. His village worried, but went on with their lives, finding comfort in Pelor, the close-knit community, and in the belief that good will triumph.
In 568 CY, a devastating plague hit Ivan’s village and persisted for the next year and a half. Ivan was one of the very few herbalists around and struggled day and night to care for the villagers as they died off. They cursed the gods and blamed all the conflict in the land with their dying breaths. No matter what Ivan tried, he could not find a cure for the sickness. This led him to craft a mask and protective clothing, suspecting the disease might be airborne. Alas, he seemed to be the only one unaffected. The other herbalists in town grew ill, and before long, Ivan was left alone to go from home to home collecting the dead in a wheelbarrow to dump into a mass grave. His family did not survive.
Pelor’s promises of mercy, compassion, bounty, and kindness now sickened Ivan and if there had been any survivors, they would’ve described him as gone slightly mad. He burned the town temple to the ground and ran off into the Kron Hills in solitude. With no human (or otherwise) contact and in his fragile state of mind, Ivan shed his knowledge of the physical and chemical medicines and gave himself completely to the inevitability of death in nature, becoming a disciple of the Raven Queen.
Over a decade later he returned, traveling to Verbabonc as a nobody, in a cloak made of stitched together hide to keep him warm in the winters and adorning the same beaked mask he wore during the plague. Despite keeping his past to himself and dressing like a freak, Ivan is not difficult to talk to. Hearing news of the temple’s evil on the rise again, Ivan feels an urge to avenge his village. He’s very aware that his emotions are irrational, but will on occasion justify it as “keeping the balance” or simply continuing the process of nature by acting as his victim’s natural predator.
Portrait:
Still working on this.
Appearance:
Ivan is tall and lanky. Not a particularly muscular build, but he can handle himself. Dirty blonde unkempt hair with light blue eyes. Since training himself in the druidic arts, his eyes have been gradually turning darker and more a shade of brown. Though he typically takes his mask off while in town, he travels with it on. Having spent a decade in solitude he doesn't yearn for social interaction, but won't turn down a conversation should someone start talking. He's nice, but emotionally detached in most cases. As his religion dictates, he does not pity
I used the new online CB, and it doesn't export powers to Orokos...? Anyway, here they are:
At Wills: Piercing Strike, Acrobatic Strike
Encounter: Dazing Strike
Daily: Blinding Barrage
Background:
This is all because the wrong mark came along. Vicril had his act down perfectly: Pretend to be a poor clod asking for the change of anyone passing by, then hold them to knife point for "a little extra." It was crude, but it worked for a young thief that had not bothered to ply his trade beyond farces.
"So some guy overdressed for this part of Mitrik comes strolling by. He gives me this glance, like he knows my game, but I never seen him before. So he keeps walking, and turns down an alley - goading me. He follow quickly and work the tip of my knife against the small of his back. He says 'You ever think of living a better life?' And I go, 'Doesn't get much better than this, with my casted lot.'
The fella actually turns around, and pushes my knife offa him - damn mages. Or maybe he's a cleric and his God likes him today. 'No one with actual money walks these streets,' he says. 'You even make a silver?' His attitude is about to give him a few more holes ta' breath outta, but I can't bring my arm forward. 'I have an offer for you. An offer that pays in terms of gold. I'll give you some equipment, and you need to head to Verbonc. You can leave at any time, but you won't get the pile of gold that awaits you.'"
Poor Vicril. He had no idea what he was getting into.
Portrait:
Appearance:
Vicril is usually seen in his disguise to make him look like a homeless man (or woman, depending on the part of the city). He uses ash to darken his skin and look dirty, as well as cover any distinguishing facial features.
However, now dressed for adventure, Vicril is clad in leather armor, a "bandolier" of shurikens running along the front from waist to shoulder. He has dark brown hair, currently secured in a short ponytail, and dark green eyes. He seems to be content with the average appearance of his bodily structure, using it to his advantage when he needs to be innocuous.
Uh, wow, I guess I forgot to save my character when I made the final changes, cause I was lacking the alignment and powers. I've updated it with those, although I still haven't put the gear in.
Edit: I also threw in a couple notes about a) why I didn't list a Bard persona and what I'm gonna do with that and b) the dangers of shapeshifting around other people and what my character'll do about that.
real_pochacco on
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Sir FabulousMalevolent Squid GodRegistered Userregular
edited April 2011
I'd like to sign up for this but I'm going away for three months soon and I don't think it would be fair to be accepted and then leave right after.
Born in the Valley of the Mage, Zalana had lived what most people would consider to be a fairly boring life. She spent years doing nothing but tending her small area of forest along with the other wilden in the area. Not being very bright, she was content to be amongst her fellows and do her job as best she could. She was happy.
Recently, however, aberrant incursions sharply increased and her and the other wilden in the area had to band together and work to drive the invaders away. This was scary at first, but, over time, she became fairly good at it. Eventually they were able to restore the balance in the Valley, but the news from abroad wasn’t as good. Rumors that things were as bad or worse in nearby lands seriously upset the community. It was fine to maintain their small area, but if all the surrounding areas fell, they wouldn’t be able to hold out long. Singly, or in groups, the Valley wilden were sent out to investigate the various rumors and lend what aid they could. One such rumor was a temple that was rumored to be a den of aberrants. Zalana was chosen to investigate.
Scared and alone, Zalana left the comforting surrounds of her home and people and venture beyond the Valley’s boundaries for the first time. She almost turned back, but the knowledge the rest of the wilden were counting on her to do what was needed kept her moving. She’d always tried to do her best, she wasn’t going to stop now!
skarsol on
why are you smelling it?
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El SkidThe frozen white northRegistered Userregular
edited April 2011
Orokos doesnt work with the online CB, only the offline one.
Boisterous and daring, Koranor constantly seeks out challenges and obstacles just to see if he can overcome them. He is by turns outspoken to the point of brashness and reserved bordering on standoffish. This is characterised by the contrast between his penchant for launching himself into tasks for the hell of it and his avoidance of situations that showcase his lack of knowledge about the world beyond his home mountains. His psychological dichotomy manifests itself again in his worldview; he is both a stolidly practical person, having grown up with scarce resources and the constant need to earn his every victory, and also a philosophical soul, deeply concerned about the balance of nature and the elements in the world. He does not care for deities in general but it does not bother him that others view them as important, and tends to feel the same way about the trappings of civilisation in general.
Mannerisms and Appearance:
Broad-shouldered and muscular within the increased proportions of a goliath; clearly used to hard physical labour. Light grey skin, with dark, slate coloured patches and streaks all over his body. Numerous bone protusions all over his upper body. Bony ridge over his eyes makes him appear to be permanently frowning slightly. Completely bald, though many of the slate-like streaks on his cranium run forward to back. Whenever standing, shows a wide, ready stance. Curiously, he sticks his chin out while holding weapons and holds his sword and shield higher and wider than is customary.
He wears hide-like armour that looks as if it was made from the scales of a creature more rock than flesh, various tones of grey and black mixed along the coarse surface. If his armour is rock-like, however, his shield is almost certainly simply a slab of stone. It is broadly diamond-shaped from the front and must be monstrously heavy, consisting of a sheer mass of granite broken only by the iron rings set into it as holds. His longsword, meanwhile, at least incorporates metal into its construction. The core of the blade is tempered steel, but the edges and tip are a reflective mineral of some sort, perhaps glassy obsidian. The visual effect is that of a blade within a blade, and when sheathed, the sheath itself also being crafted from something akin to basalt, the sword occasionally makes soft scratching noises when moved.
Background:
Koranor Koloss was born to a goliath tribe already long since "lightlost" - having had great difficulty surviving and being accepted on the surface, they had ventured into the deep mountains of Lortmil. Like most of his generation, Koranor had never so much as seen the sun by the time he left the tribe. His concept of society was based almost as much upon the relationship his kin fostered with the dwarves who shared the mountain range with them as it was upon his own tribe. As a result, he identifies strongly with dwarves in general, and believes that life underground is as natural as, if not more than, life on the surface.
Life within the tribe was hard but honest; they aided the dwarves in their mining efforts and only occasionally traded with others. Contests of strength and courage were the main source of entertainment, and though Koranor always excelled, he found himself drawn more and more to the shamans and other proponents of the natural powers. Learning from wardens among both his own kind and the nearby dwarves, the young goliath had been desperately eager to venture forth from the mountains and make his name as a daring hero - bringing glory to him and his kin alike.
Yet, as the years passed, Koranor was never quite able to make that trip to the great world beyond. A warden of his great strength and understanding of the elements, earth and stone in particular, was always needed by both the tribe and its dwarven allies. Time brought its mellowing influence to bear on the once impulsive goliath, and he began to think that his place of honour was using his skills to aid the tribe and its friends, for good. In recent months, however, Koranor has once again felt the stirring of need for adventure in the world. This time he did not yearn to leave his tribe not to prove his own courage and prowess, but rather he reluctantly realised that the elements themselves were speaking to him in the deepest core of his instincts, and that he would be needed beyond the mountains of Lortmil.
So it was that Koranor began his journey to the Viscounty of Verbobonc, led by his interpretation of the will of the elements and the natural world itself.
I've never played ToEE or anything like it, but I'm definitely excited about playing something made by Gary Gygax himself.
Turanos on
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El SkidThe frozen white northRegistered Userregular
edited April 2011
Paela, Halfling Sorceress (note that a lvl 1 at-will [Blazing Starfall] is not currently displaying on the sheet)
Character Portrait
Character appearance and background:
Working with raw chaos magic has led to Paela being slightly...eccentric. Although she frequently behaves normally, Paela tends to make people uneasy. She says things at just the wrong (or occasionally right) time, and her eyes don't quite focus on the same thing. She also tends to handle primordial chaos and toss it around like it is a ball; this tends to horrify people for some reason, when they figure out what the putty in her hands is. She is obviously a very gifted mage, and does try to help people with her magic... It's just that chaos magic tends to produce some rather interesting results, even when it helps people out.
Her home town of Verbobonc has been beset by occasional plagues of strange animals, from flying squirrels complete with feathers, to snakes that seem to have heads on both ends (which ended up being more of a problem for the snakes then anyone else, really). She was also able to do much good- once she cured a man with a disease that was thought to be incurable! She also saved a baby from a half-wolf-half-slime that had appeared from gods-only-knew-where... Good thing she was around to save the day!
Although people generally recognized that her heart was in the right place, she has been...encouraged to find a better use for her powers- Or at least to find a different place to use them- after a particularly nasty incident that culminated in some fog that started pouring from her windows. It seemed to turn people purple. So some people got upset, even though it was almost certainly not permanent (as Paela pointed out).
And so it is time for Paela to move on and find something new and worthy to do with her powers... Taking her staff and bedroll, she left her house and made for the center of town in search of adventure, or at least a new place to live where she could play with raw chaos in peace.
Oh, and I'm currently playing in a 4e A Point of Light campaign on these boards, so you know I'll post consistently, and can see for yourself what kind of contribution I can make.
Quick Synopsis, because dealing with D&D files is goosery:
El Skid, it looks like Orokos is having a hard time with Paela's character sheet. Would you please post the character summary here so that we can see her powers? Thanks.
Sure thing!
At wills: Blazing Starfall (+5 vs reflex, 1d4+8 damage in an area 1 burst within 10 squares) and Chaos Bolt (+5 vs will, 1d10+8 damage, half the time get secondary attacks when it hits, which trigger secondary attacks if they hit half the time...)
Encounter: Bedevilling Burst (+5 vs will, 1d10+8 damage vs enemies in a close burst)
Daily: Chromatic Orb (+5 vs reflex, 3d10+8 damage with random bonus effect)
Dex/Cha stat focus
So basically a consistant-damage AoE build- she attacks vs reflex or will, so almost always hits, and does small amounts of variable damage with a large static kicker, so very steady. She also has wild magic, which means she gets some random bonuses/resistances at the beginning of every fight.
Overall, really excited to get a chance to try her out- let me know if you have any more questions!
Orokos doesnt work with the online CB, only the offline one.
It worked just fine with it a month ago.
susan had issues with it and asked Infidel (who created/upkeeps orokos), and that was his answer... The dnd4e files are different between the two, now at least.
Quinn is a friendly half-elven devotee of "the cudgel." Relatively tall for a half-elf, he sports a number of scars on his neck and arms, which he generally seeks to cover with his simply adorned chain and clothing. The symbol of St. Cuthbert is displayed on his shield, and on his tunic. He often wears a well-fitted helm, and keeps short golden-red beard. His eyes are grey, but bright. He walks with a slight limp, and keeps his hands gauntleted or gloved at almost all times.
Personality Traits
When asked about his past, he deflects the conversation away adeptly, usually with a ready joke or trenchant observation. He fidgets noticeably when in the presence of injustice or rulebreaking, though seems to have a relaxed attitude when compared to some of his brothers and sisters of the faith. He seems to know a great deal about the underbelly of Verbabonc and Veluna, but refuses to answer questions about why, answering only that "it doesn't matter now."
Background
Born outside of Gradsul, near the Darkwood, in the Kingdom of Keoland, Quinn was rarely accepted by the superstitious folk around him. When he was young his parents disappeared while he was taking produce to the city for sale. The Darkwatch searched for some time, but could not find evidence of their disappearance. On his own, Quinn found a thick black ichor under his parent's bed. When he brought this to the attention of the local Darkwatch patrol, they immediately confiscated his home, and proceeded to burn it to the ground, before marching into the forest and telling him to get to the safety of the city. With no money, and few possessions, he made money by singing or telling elven stories and songs to passersby on the street (taught to him by his father). The beggars guild, seeing him as competition, soon drove him out of the city, and he wandered north for a number of years, selling stories for food and singing for copper in small inns. His road took him out of the Sheldomar valley, and into the Archclericy of Veluna.
This area was much more tolerant of half-elves, and he realized that Verbabonc was his best chance of making a living, after a few sleepless nights in the rain for lack of money. Being a large and prosperous city, he thought he could eke out a niche without stepping on anyone's toes. He began singing in a small tavern, but fell on hard times when a number of large mercenaries found him "unpleasant" and proceeded to beat him senseless after a show one evening, breaking his hand, leg and arm in the process. These injuries never healed properly, as he was almost destitute. Seeing no other choice, he began begging on the street for money, and telling stories to a hard-off populace that saw little reason to help. Eventually, some of the more unsavory members of the local beggar's guild accosted him, dragged him into a quiet alley and began beating, cutting and stabbing at him. He tried to fend them off and cry for help, but his life was ebbing away. He lost conciousness from shock, but just before this happened, he heard the cries of his attackers and the crunch of bone. Many days later, he woke with a fair amount of pain, but with less so in his hand, and a feeling that his bones at least had healed. He was in a temple, dedicated to St. Cuthbert. The man who saved him was an elderly paladin of the cudgel, who noticed his attack and resolved to help. Anatole VonNosard was his name, and he was a veteran of many campaigns in Geoff (against the giants), against the machinations of Rary in the bright lands, and most notably, against the scourge, Iuz, who still controlled much of the Flanaess. Quinn had a significant number of scars, but he was mostly healed, after an extended stay at a mostly defunct temple in verbabonc, tended by this last, lone paladin. He explained that Quinn's attackers were badly hurt, and should not be in any condition to perform any further evil upon others for the rest of their days. Quinn was very appreciative, and asked Anatole if there was anything he could do to repay him. Anatole thought for a moment, and said "if there were one thing, it would be to remember what you went through, and ensure that such a fate is not shared by others if it is in your power to do so." Since then, Quinn has taken up vows and joined the church, with a grounding in practicality and perhaps less fervent dedication to law than some followers, but a dedication towards helping the downtrodden and defeating evil, whatever it's form.
You might find me in the Inn you are at, possibly following you and your friends. You won't know until I introduce myself.
A human in a cloak walks up to you and says, "I am searching for some strong adventurers to help my find my sister that was kidnapped."
RP in the recruitment thread? Nice!
Otinan would probably pause for a second, then turn around. "You'd be better off asking someone else, human." he would say, "I wouldn't trust myself to get her home safely." He has a heart though, and would stop the man before he could walk away. "Wait. I know the pain of losing a family member all too well, and I believe I could help you."
He would step back, letting the man return to where he stood before. "If my friends could escort your daughter to safety, I'm sure I could have a chat with the men who took her." He might grow a small sadistic smile after saying this, although the man wouldn't be able to see it. Most of his face is obscured to hide his origins in the Fey. "I'm sure we'd get along just fine."
Alright everyone, submissions are now closed. I want to thank everyone that applied ahead of time, and I want to apologize ahead of time for not getting to pick everyone.
I'll be reviewing the submissions and making my decision probably by this time tomorrow, and I'll post here with the results.
He would step back, letting the man return to where he stood before. "If my friends could escort your daughter to safety, I'm sure I could have a chat with the men who took her." He might grow a small sadistic smile after saying this, although the man wouldn't be able to see it. Most of his face is obscured to hide his origins in the Fey. "I'm sure we'd get along just fine."
"I'd like that very much, thank you." *Flashes you a grin, with eyes still hidden under locks of hair*
Alfonse_Palanso on
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El SkidThe frozen white northRegistered Userregular
Buck pauses for a moment and sets down his beer uncharacteristically, looking the man up and down from underneath his own long, heavy cloak, scanning his face quickly, grabbing every clue he can in order to read the man's intentions.
Insight check! I think that this character does a lot of Insight checks to try to gain information about what people want to hear. I think the changeling quickly assess the rogue and figures that if the problem was something mundane like a rival gang the man would be able to handle it. Somewhere I'm betting the changeling doesn't trust this man and wants the social finesse and the arcane skills of Vedula Lorespeaker. Of course, all this would be influenced by the results of the Insight check.
Vedula shifts his body suddenly, standing up straight - if Alfonse is particularly observant, he may notice the fact that there are suddenly purpleish scaly hands where Buck's strong, worn fleshy human hands were only a moment ago. He lifts the cloak off his head and reveals his fierce, deep purple dragonborn visage. Vedula grins at the man with a clever, haughty look, a perpetual sneer that Vedula uses to put people off the balance, to gain a foothold over them.
Somewhere buried deep in zir mind, a little voice wonders... "Why would I change here, in this tavern? Why would I risk it?
Is it something about this man's story?
I wish... I wish I knew. I--"
"Lost your sister, have you? Well, I certainly can't see why anyone would have any reason to meddle with you or yours..." Vedula trails off, watching the rogue's reaction intensely.
He then quickly lightens his voice before the man can get too angry. "Who do you think is responsible?" he fires off several questions in rapid succession, watching the man's facial expressions and body language with each question. "Why do you need outside help in the first place? And why do you think I can help?"
Alright folks. I'm not one for a ton of fanfare when it comes to breaking bad news to some, and good news to others, so I'll just get down to it. Congratulations to those that were selected. To those that were not, I thank you for taking interest in my game, and look forward to gaming with you at some point in the future.
The characters selected for this running of the Temple of Elemental Evil are:
Once again, I thank everyone for your awesome submissions, and for making the last 24 hours of my life more stressful than most, and am sorry that I couldn't pick everyone at once.
So this thread will now officially become the OOC thread. Those of you selected, please complete any outstanding areas of your sheets and be on the lookout for a PM from me with some additional information.
IC post will be up either today (Sunday, April 10, 2011) or tomorrow (Monday, April 11, 2011), and we'll get rolling.
Posts
All will submit to Illianthar! *crack of thunder*
Signature Updated
Verbobonc
Long before the coming of humanity, Verbobonc was an elven settlement, a small but impressive river town filled with tall, thin towers, narrow walkways and delicate wood and ceramic statuary. The local elves shared their lives and livelihood with the good gnomes of the Kron Hills, banding together to battle off threats from the north and east. Verbobonc, then, was a military town, aligned with the gray elves of Enstad, though a political entity unto itself. The surrounding hillocks still hold relics of those ancient days, slowly crumbling rowers of unsurpassed beauty, troves of buried arrowheads and still-useful armor, and even, it is said, the elven Old Places, sacred refuges hidden in the magical folds of the world.
As civilized humans entered the Flanaess and most elves receded into the woodlands, Verbobonc gained importance as a trade port on the Velverdyva River. At this time, many elves quit Verbobonc, leaving the town to the gnomes and the new arrivals. Thus began a new period in the history of the region, in which the two races worked together to improve and grow Verbobonc into a state of its own, not beholden to any greater power. At the dawn of the first century CY, the two primary races of Verbobonc encircled their home with walls, and constructed hundreds of new buildings, mixing a distinctly gnome architecture with the existing elven structures. In this spirit was the slogan "Earth and Stone, Man and Gnome" carved above the city's north gate, a motto and approach to life that endures to this day.
Currently, Verbobonc is a power on the Flanaess, and serves as a neutral meeting location between all of the surrounding nations, a trading hub for importing and exporting items from across the Flanaess, and the main port for travellers to embark from. The city maintains its own military, for the safety of the people and the securing of their walls against any hostile force. None of the human nations dare try and absorb Verbobonc, as they know it would lead to conflict with the other nations. In times past humanoid armies would come up out of the Pomarj and need to be repelled, but even those incursions have become few and far between.
The city has become a massive metropolis that has been divided into several districts. The districts are arrayed around a massive central cathedral. In times of old a multitude of gods were worshiped at the cathedral, the chief of which was St. Cuthbert of the Cudgel. Most of those old deities have now faded into memory, and the cathedral has become more of a museum than a place of worship, with other, smaller temples cropping up around it that are dedicated to the newer deities.
Across the city from the temples lies the Market District, in the center of which is a massive wooden post. Noone knows where the gigantic piece of wood came from, but it is at least 10 feet in diameter, and over 20 feet tall. Adorning the post you will find all manner of notes, maps, requests, poems, wishlists and anything else that someone might feel fit to scribble down on a piece of parchment. The Town Crier, as the post has come to be affectionately known, draws a significant crowd every day as people come to see what new tidbits have been added to it, what has been used to attach those tidbits to the post (current strangest entrant: a human finger bone), and how high the note has been added.
I'm hoping to keep this one going as long as there are people that want to post in it. The campaign arc is certainly long enough to keep us busy for quite a while.
Navem Gnollcleaver, Half Orc Fighter
Appearance:
Portrait:
Background:
Navem Gnollcleaver was from the terrible Summer of the Greenskin, a time when Orcs, goblins and their ilk swarmed over the land, raiding and pillaging with abandon. A combined force of men, dwarves, and elves worked to root out raiders, many lost but the monsters were forced to flee back to their mountains and caves. Prisoners were taken on both sides and scattered across the land. Of note was the Orc Tribe Cleaver, whom after capture, proved reasonable and became allied with the fair-skinned armies. Eventually, they were accepted comrades and loved ones of their allies. A generation of half-orcs were the result of this union.
Navem’s father, Brakark Gnollcleaver, was a champion of the tribe, fierce in battle and a stern leader. He took a human swordswoman as his wife, finding her to be as dedicated to the art of war as he. They raised their child in both the worlds of Orc and human, with the knowledge of how to fight his only constant. Navem took from his tribe Kord’s love of battle and glory, and from his human lineage the desire to drive himself to greatness. While Navem lives for battle, he also a boisterous celebrator, believing a life not lived to it’s fullest is one not worth living, and that one must be ready greet the Raven Queen at any time, with a weapon in one’s hand and a smile on one’s lips.
Hooray!
Background:
Each one of zir identities represents a different personality with its own set of skills, mannerisms, and quirks. Whenever zie wants to use a certain skill, zie shifts into the relevant identity in order to "get into character." While zie has many different identities, there are a few that zie uses most often. zie is unaware of the existence of the other personalities on a conscious level, but because zie shifts to the relevant ones at the appropriate time it is clear that some underlying psyche still exists. Here is a brief sampling of some of zir preferred identities:
Buck is a half-elf ranger who spits a lot and somehow always has a piece of straw in his mouth. His backcountry accent betrays the fact that he's more half than elf, but that doesn't stop him from boasting about his ability to navigate and survive in wildernesses of all kinds. In fact, bragging is probably his favorite activity, as you'll inevitably notice if you're ever around him when he makes a shot with his longbow. His longbow's name is "The Fat Lady," because "When she sings, it's over."
Vedula of the Lorespeaker clan is a Dragonborn wizard from a very well respected clan that somehow no one has ever heard of. He is far from a bookworm, however. He takes pride in his diplomatic abilities (among others), as well as his knowledge of history and the arcane arts. He uses his "old money" demeanor to impress and cow others, and he considers snarking clueless ingrates to be his personal hobby.
Thriz Nurak is a shy dwarven rogue whose loyalty and competence are seemingly unending. She quietly stammers out insightful tips from her seemingly expansive knowledge about traps, dungeons, dungeon architecture, architecture, and picking locks. She mostly keeps to herself, eager to use her skills when they are relevant and beaming whenever she is able demonstrate her usefulness to others.
Notes:
By the way, you might have noticed that none of these personas is a Bard. That was definitely intentional - I like the idea that no one, even zir, actually knows zir true class, in addition to everything else. Instead, zir form would depend on what was needed for combat. I will be picking powers that zie can at least somewhat disguise as something else (i.e. no singing songs of glory).
The one concern that I have is that zie would often be transforming around other people (i.e. everyone would know zie was a changeling). I think this could be very interesting roleplay wise - I could see zir being unable to use certain skills if zie isn't in the right character. Alternatively, I think zie would often have to bluff zir way out of it - "Oh, a powerful illusionist cast a spell on me that makes me appear to change forms sometimes..." etc.
"Constant Vigilance!"
Shadwell was once part of a temple of Bahamut, but there was always friction. Not that it was his fault. The rest of them simply didn't take their cause seriously enough. 'To be constantly vigilant against evil, and oppose it on all fronts', was that not one of the prime ideals of the Platinum Dragon? Shadwell drifted away from the rest of the organisation under mutterings over 'over zealousness' but he knew he was the one in the right. Evil never rests and never gives any quarter so neither should the forces of good. He has drifted from town to town, sometimes alone, sometimes accompanied by those who will see the righteousness of his cause, always on the hunt for the next den of evil to be cleansed in the name of The Dragon.
In battle he rarely gets his own hands dirty, but as he raises his dragon headed staff and calls out rebukes in the name Bahamut, there can be no denying the radiant fury that rains down upon his enemies in response to his summons.
He has heard of the ToEE and the rumours of horrors lurking within once more. He sighs to himself as he packs his bags and heads off. "Why does the structure even still stand?" he asks no one in particular, "nobody ever does a thorough enough job..."
Background:
In 568 CY, a devastating plague hit Ivan’s village and persisted for the next year and a half. Ivan was one of the very few herbalists around and struggled day and night to care for the villagers as they died off. They cursed the gods and blamed all the conflict in the land with their dying breaths. No matter what Ivan tried, he could not find a cure for the sickness. This led him to craft a mask and protective clothing, suspecting the disease might be airborne. Alas, he seemed to be the only one unaffected. The other herbalists in town grew ill, and before long, Ivan was left alone to go from home to home collecting the dead in a wheelbarrow to dump into a mass grave. His family did not survive.
Pelor’s promises of mercy, compassion, bounty, and kindness now sickened Ivan and if there had been any survivors, they would’ve described him as gone slightly mad. He burned the town temple to the ground and ran off into the Kron Hills in solitude. With no human (or otherwise) contact and in his fragile state of mind, Ivan shed his knowledge of the physical and chemical medicines and gave himself completely to the inevitability of death in nature, becoming a disciple of the Raven Queen.
Over a decade later he returned, traveling to Verbabonc as a nobody, in a cloak made of stitched together hide to keep him warm in the winters and adorning the same beaked mask he wore during the plague. Despite keeping his past to himself and dressing like a freak, Ivan is not difficult to talk to. Hearing news of the temple’s evil on the rise again, Ivan feels an urge to avenge his village. He’s very aware that his emotions are irrational, but will on occasion justify it as “keeping the balance” or simply continuing the process of nature by acting as his victim’s natural predator.
Portrait:
Still working on this.
Appearance:
My Steam
Powers:
At Wills: Piercing Strike, Acrobatic Strike
Encounter: Dazing Strike
Daily: Blinding Barrage
Background:
"So some guy overdressed for this part of Mitrik comes strolling by. He gives me this glance, like he knows my game, but I never seen him before. So he keeps walking, and turns down an alley - goading me. He follow quickly and work the tip of my knife against the small of his back. He says 'You ever think of living a better life?' And I go, 'Doesn't get much better than this, with my casted lot.'
The fella actually turns around, and pushes my knife offa him - damn mages. Or maybe he's a cleric and his God likes him today. 'No one with actual money walks these streets,' he says. 'You even make a silver?' His attitude is about to give him a few more holes ta' breath outta, but I can't bring my arm forward. 'I have an offer for you. An offer that pays in terms of gold. I'll give you some equipment, and you need to head to Verbonc. You can leave at any time, but you won't get the pile of gold that awaits you.'"
Poor Vicril. He had no idea what he was getting into.
Portrait:
Appearance:
However, now dressed for adventure, Vicril is clad in leather armor, a "bandolier" of shurikens running along the front from waist to shoulder. He has dark brown hair, currently secured in a short ponytail, and dark green eyes. He seems to be content with the average appearance of his bodily structure, using it to his advantage when he needs to be innocuous.
Here's the up to date list of submissions:
Striker
Admus Demonbane, Halfling Pursuing Avenger
Saraph Amarantos: Tiefling Warlock
Valesti Hurlsbaatt, Dwarven Ranger
Vicril Droverson, Human Rogue
Leader
Havrakhad the Mad, Kalashtar Cleric
Kigil Ortooz: Kenku Artificer
Relic, the Warforged Runepriest
Vedula Lorespeaker/Buck/Thriz Nurak the Changeling Bard
Defender
Dermond Fleischild, Human Fighter
Faergus Winterkin, Dragonborn Paladin
Navem Gnollcleaver, Half Orc Fighter
Controller
Ivan Tristbann, Human Swarm Druid
Otinan Arborshade, Eladrin Wizard
Shadwell - Human Invoker of Bahamut
Tavaros Kahlir, Tiefling Psion
Edit: I also threw in a couple notes about a) why I didn't list a Bard persona and what I'm gonna do with that and b) the dangers of shapeshifting around other people and what my character'll do about that.
Switch Friend Code: SW-1406-1275-7906
Sheet all updated and such.
Background:
Recently, however, aberrant incursions sharply increased and her and the other wilden in the area had to band together and work to drive the invaders away. This was scary at first, but, over time, she became fairly good at it. Eventually they were able to restore the balance in the Valley, but the news from abroad wasn’t as good. Rumors that things were as bad or worse in nearby lands seriously upset the community. It was fine to maintain their small area, but if all the surrounding areas fell, they wouldn’t be able to hold out long. Singly, or in groups, the Valley wilden were sent out to investigate the various rumors and lend what aid they could. One such rumor was a temple that was rumored to be a den of aberrants. Zalana was chosen to investigate.
Scared and alone, Zalana left the comforting surrounds of her home and people and venture beyond the Valley’s boundaries for the first time. She almost turned back, but the knowledge the rest of the wilden were counting on her to do what was needed kept her moving. She’d always tried to do her best, she wasn’t going to stop now!
HotFL gives you an option between an extra at-will or heroic action.
Unless the party size is an issue, you could always increase it to 6 to include one more person...
Portrait:
Personality Traits:
Mannerisms and Appearance:
He wears hide-like armour that looks as if it was made from the scales of a creature more rock than flesh, various tones of grey and black mixed along the coarse surface. If his armour is rock-like, however, his shield is almost certainly simply a slab of stone. It is broadly diamond-shaped from the front and must be monstrously heavy, consisting of a sheer mass of granite broken only by the iron rings set into it as holds. His longsword, meanwhile, at least incorporates metal into its construction. The core of the blade is tempered steel, but the edges and tip are a reflective mineral of some sort, perhaps glassy obsidian. The visual effect is that of a blade within a blade, and when sheathed, the sheath itself also being crafted from something akin to basalt, the sword occasionally makes soft scratching noises when moved.
Background:
Life within the tribe was hard but honest; they aided the dwarves in their mining efforts and only occasionally traded with others. Contests of strength and courage were the main source of entertainment, and though Koranor always excelled, he found himself drawn more and more to the shamans and other proponents of the natural powers. Learning from wardens among both his own kind and the nearby dwarves, the young goliath had been desperately eager to venture forth from the mountains and make his name as a daring hero - bringing glory to him and his kin alike.
Yet, as the years passed, Koranor was never quite able to make that trip to the great world beyond. A warden of his great strength and understanding of the elements, earth and stone in particular, was always needed by both the tribe and its dwarven allies. Time brought its mellowing influence to bear on the once impulsive goliath, and he began to think that his place of honour was using his skills to aid the tribe and its friends, for good. In recent months, however, Koranor has once again felt the stirring of need for adventure in the world. This time he did not yearn to leave his tribe not to prove his own courage and prowess, but rather he reluctantly realised that the elements themselves were speaking to him in the deepest core of his instincts, and that he would be needed beyond the mountains of Lortmil.
So it was that Koranor began his journey to the Viscounty of Verbobonc, led by his interpretation of the will of the elements and the natural world itself.
I've never played ToEE or anything like it, but I'm definitely excited about playing something made by Gary Gygax himself.
Character Portrait
Character appearance and background:
Her home town of Verbobonc has been beset by occasional plagues of strange animals, from flying squirrels complete with feathers, to snakes that seem to have heads on both ends (which ended up being more of a problem for the snakes then anyone else, really). She was also able to do much good- once she cured a man with a disease that was thought to be incurable! She also saved a baby from a half-wolf-half-slime that had appeared from gods-only-knew-where... Good thing she was around to save the day!
Although people generally recognized that her heart was in the right place, she has been...encouraged to find a better use for her powers- Or at least to find a different place to use them- after a particularly nasty incident that culminated in some fog that started pouring from her windows. It seemed to turn people purple. So some people got upset, even though it was almost certainly not permanent (as Paela pointed out).
And so it is time for Paela to move on and find something new and worthy to do with her powers... Taking her staff and bedroll, she left her house and made for the center of town in search of adventure, or at least a new place to live where she could play with raw chaos in peace.
About Me:
Quick Synopsis, because dealing with D&D files is goosery:
It worked just fine with it a month ago.
susan had issues with it and asked Infidel (who created/upkeeps orokos), and that was his answer... The dnd4e files are different between the two, now at least.
Portrait:
Mannerisms and Appearance:
Personality Traits
Background
This area was much more tolerant of half-elves, and he realized that Verbabonc was his best chance of making a living, after a few sleepless nights in the rain for lack of money. Being a large and prosperous city, he thought he could eke out a niche without stepping on anyone's toes. He began singing in a small tavern, but fell on hard times when a number of large mercenaries found him "unpleasant" and proceeded to beat him senseless after a show one evening, breaking his hand, leg and arm in the process. These injuries never healed properly, as he was almost destitute. Seeing no other choice, he began begging on the street for money, and telling stories to a hard-off populace that saw little reason to help. Eventually, some of the more unsavory members of the local beggar's guild accosted him, dragged him into a quiet alley and began beating, cutting and stabbing at him. He tried to fend them off and cry for help, but his life was ebbing away. He lost conciousness from shock, but just before this happened, he heard the cries of his attackers and the crunch of bone. Many days later, he woke with a fair amount of pain, but with less so in his hand, and a feeling that his bones at least had healed. He was in a temple, dedicated to St. Cuthbert. The man who saved him was an elderly paladin of the cudgel, who noticed his attack and resolved to help. Anatole VonNosard was his name, and he was a veteran of many campaigns in Geoff (against the giants), against the machinations of Rary in the bright lands, and most notably, against the scourge, Iuz, who still controlled much of the Flanaess. Quinn had a significant number of scars, but he was mostly healed, after an extended stay at a mostly defunct temple in verbabonc, tended by this last, lone paladin. He explained that Quinn's attackers were badly hurt, and should not be in any condition to perform any further evil upon others for the rest of their days. Quinn was very appreciative, and asked Anatole if there was anything he could do to repay him. Anatole thought for a moment, and said "if there were one thing, it would be to remember what you went through, and ensure that such a fate is not shared by others if it is in your power to do so." Since then, Quinn has taken up vows and joined the church, with a grounding in practicality and perhaps less fervent dedication to law than some followers, but a dedication towards helping the downtrodden and defeating evil, whatever it's form.
A human in a cloak walks up to you and says, "I am searching for some strong adventurers to help my find my sister that was kidnapped."
Alfonse Palanso- Human Rogue
Portrait:
Mannerisms and Appearance:
Personality Traits
Background
RP in the recruitment thread? Nice!
Otinan would probably pause for a second, then turn around. "You'd be better off asking someone else, human." he would say, "I wouldn't trust myself to get her home safely." He has a heart though, and would stop the man before he could walk away. "Wait. I know the pain of losing a family member all too well, and I believe I could help you."
He would step back, letting the man return to where he stood before. "If my friends could escort your daughter to safety, I'm sure I could have a chat with the men who took her." He might grow a small sadistic smile after saying this, although the man wouldn't be able to see it. Most of his face is obscured to hide his origins in the Fey. "I'm sure we'd get along just fine."
I'll be reviewing the submissions and making my decision probably by this time tomorrow, and I'll post here with the results.
Here is the final list of submissions:
Striker
Alfonse Palanso, Human Rogue
Admus Demonbane, Halfling Pursuing Avenger
Paela, Halfling Sorceress
Saraph Amarantos: Tiefling Warlock
Valesti Hurlsbaatt, Dwarven Ranger
Vicril Droverson, Human Rogue
Leader
Havrakhad the Mad, Kalashtar Cleric
Kigil Ortooz: Kenku Artificer
Quinn Aldurath, Half-elven "Paladin" of St. Cuthbert
Relic, the Warforged Runepriest
Vedula Lorespeaker/Buck/Thriz Nurak the Changeling Bard
Defender
Dermond Fleischild, Human Fighter
Faergus Winterkin, Dragonborn Paladin
Koranor Koloss, Goliath Warden
Navem Gnollcleaver, Half Orc Fighter
Zalana, Wilden Battlemind
Controller
Ivan Tristbann, Human Swarm Druid
Otinan Arborshade, Eladrin Wizard
Shadwell - Human Invoker of Bahamut
Tavaros Kahlir, Tiefling Psion
"I'd like that very much, thank you." *Flashes you a grin, with eyes still hidden under locks of hair*
Aye! Good luck to all!
Vedula shifts his body suddenly, standing up straight - if Alfonse is particularly observant, he may notice the fact that there are suddenly purpleish scaly hands where Buck's strong, worn fleshy human hands were only a moment ago. He lifts the cloak off his head and reveals his fierce, deep purple dragonborn visage. Vedula grins at the man with a clever, haughty look, a perpetual sneer that Vedula uses to put people off the balance, to gain a foothold over them.
"Why would I change here, in this tavern? Why would I risk it?
Is it something about this man's story?
I wish... I wish I knew. I--"
"Lost your sister, have you? Well, I certainly can't see why anyone would have any reason to meddle with you or yours..." Vedula trails off, watching the rogue's reaction intensely.
He then quickly lightens his voice before the man can get too angry. "Who do you think is responsible?" he fires off several questions in rapid succession, watching the man's facial expressions and body language with each question. "Why do you need outside help in the first place? And why do you think I can help?"
The characters selected for this running of the Temple of Elemental Evil are:
Striker: (Alfonse_Palanso) Alfonse Palanso, Human Rogue
Striker: (Reynolds) Valesti Hurlsbaatt, Dwarven Ranger
Defender: (3seed) Faergus Winterkin, Dragonborn Paladin
Controller: (Bp1580) Otinan Arborshade, Eladrin Wizard
Leader: (Litejedi) Quinn Aldurath, Half-elven "Paladin" of St. Cuthbert
Once again, I thank everyone for your awesome submissions, and for making the last 24 hours of my life more stressful than most, and am sorry that I couldn't pick everyone at once.
So this thread will now officially become the OOC thread. Those of you selected, please complete any outstanding areas of your sheets and be on the lookout for a PM from me with some additional information.
IC post will be up either today (Sunday, April 10, 2011) or tomorrow (Monday, April 11, 2011), and we'll get rolling.