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[PbP] [OOC] 13th Age - Where is The Gold?

CarnarvonCarnarvon Registered User regular
edited September 2016 in Critical Failures
SWEET INTRODUCTION

The world is in shambles; The heroes lost, and the Icons are barely holding on. The unconsecrated dead rise within hours of passing. Orcs fight demons in the street as the poor and the weak sell themselves to vampires for protection.

Desperate imperials seek aid of the Lich King as The Diabolist flies through the night sky, spreading corruption and chaos. First Triumph has been reclaimed by Abyss, while the Crusader has invaded the Cathedral. The Elf Queen is dead and the Dwarf King has her head on a pike.

The seat of the Empire, Axis, is overrun by the Orc Lord, though they are beaten back, for a time, by the High Druid. With his system of magical wards destroyed, the Archmage spirited away the Emperor, and has not been seen since. The Three would now be The Four, as the Elf Queen's death released The Green, but The Prince has added the dragon to his own hoard.

The world may be ending, and death may come soon to all, but there is one question that all men ask. Where is The Gold?

WHERE YOU COME IN

It's been five years since the Gold has gone missing, five years of ceaseless invasion from the Abyss, the Orc Lord, the Three, and the High Druid. You're staying at Wilson's Risk, a refugee camp smack-dab in the middle of a graveyard and war memorial. Surrounded by undead clad in arms and armor, your camp is buffered from the demons and orcs that lay seige to Axis.

PEOPLE ARE GOING TO COMPARE THIS TO THE WALKING DEAD, BUT I'VE NEVER WATCHED THE SHOW


The camp is about 300 strong, including 50 able to hold their own in a fight, and 100 too young, too old, or too sick to defend themselves. Food reserves are believed to be enough to hold off starvation for another year, but half rations of potatoes, beans, and hot cereal is enough to drive anyone mad in a few months.

IMPORTANT PEOPLE


Danis (Half Orc), son of the late Wilson, and de facto leader of the camp. He rules with an iron smile, forceful to get done what needs to be done, but with enough tact to not worsen morale.

Belit (Halfling), alchemist and healer of the camp. He greatly prefers to be left alone, but does his duties with a forced kindness that most find offputting, but preferable to dying of dysentary.

Ko'oor (Elf), militia captain and keeper of the peace. Gruff and sour, she's more Dwarf than Elf (careful not to say that to her face).

Billy (Human), procurer of rare items (which is everything in this day and age). The only person who's left the camp by himself and made it back alive, and he's done it a hundred times.

While everyone at Wilson's Risk wears many hats, you four are often Ko'oor's first pick for search parties and taking down any undead that wander too far towards camp. You may not get along, but you all know each other at least by reputation.

CHACTER CREATION

Level one, point buy as detailed in the book, all core races and classes as well as 13 True Ways and multiclassing. No restrictions on Icons, feel free to be besties with the Lich King or the Diabolist. We'll also be skipping alignment in this game.

Gods and the afterlife: People don't believe in the gods so much as a karmic philosophy and reincarnation. Kindness, generosity, duty, and honor lead to Good Karma (knowns as The Divine), ensuring that death will result in an pleasant afterlife. Failure to live a virtuous life means you a doomed to reincarnate and try again. Most believe that the truly vile are turned to Demons as a punishment, and their appearance in the world signals its end (and they may be right).

Rather than gods (Zeus, Anubis), most people follow philosphies and philosophers like Nietchze, Confucious, or the Proverbs of Solomon and Sirach.

Looking for 3-4 players. Looking to will choose posse a week from today, will start soon after.

Post any questions below.

Carnarvon on
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Posts

  • Grunt's GhostsGrunt's Ghosts Registered User regular
    I might roll a Fighter/Paladin multiclass for this. Not sure if I want to go Crusader or Priestess as my main Icon...

  • BrodyBrody The Watch The First ShoreRegistered User regular
    edited September 2016
    I'm thinking fighter/sorc, OUT "the black dragon is/was training me to kill the prince of shadows."

    Brody on
    "I will write your name in the ruin of them. I will paint you across history in the color of their blood."

    The Monster Baru Cormorant - Seth Dickinson

    Steam: Korvalain
  • astrobstrdastrobstrd So full of mercy... Registered User regular
    edited September 2016
    Here's my submission. Let me know if you need anything else or have any questions.

    Asuzan of the Cloistered City

    89xffzu924mh.jpg

    Class: The Occultist
    Race: Aasimar/Holy One
    Level: 1

    Str. 8
    Con. 14
    Dex. 12
    Int. 18 (+2 Class bonus)
    Wis. 16 (+2 Race bonus)
    Cha. 10

    AC: 14
    PD: 12
    MD: 15
    HP: 24/24
    Recoveries: 8/8

    OUT: My angelic father shared the words of creation that he knew with me as an infant, and whispered the secrets of destruction to my shadow.

    Backgrounds:
    Trained by Blue Sorcerers - 4
    Escaped the fabled Cloistered City of The Three- 4

    Relationship Dice
    The Priestess +1 - The Priestess knows of the coming of a new Occultist and generally favors Asuzan, as she seems to strive to do good in this harsh new world.
    The Three ~2 - The Blue considers Asuzan a loose asset and aims to to reign her back under her control.

    Class and Race Abilities
    Racial Ability:

    Halo - Once per battle as a free action, gain +2 to all defenses until the battle ends or you are hit with an attack.

    Class Abilities:

    Arcane Implements - Asuzan can bend wands and staves to her will.

    Delayed Magical Healing - Magical healing effects Asuzan one turn after it is applied. This does not include rallying or using recoveries during a quick rest.

    Focus - As a standard action that acts as a ranged spell, Asuzan can gather Focus. Occultist spells require the use of focus.

    Rebuke - Asuzan knows the rebuke spell and can cast it at-will.

    Class Talents:

    Brain-Melting Secrets: When you hit with a spell attack, one target of the attack can't attack you during its next turn this battle unless you are the only nearby enemy. Adventurer Feat: Any type of spell damage qualifies, not just psychic.

    Otherworld Shadow - Your shadow haunts you. Once per day, as an interrupt action, negate all damage and effects from an enemy's attacks against you that turn as your shadow absorbs them. It works against multi-attacks and multiple attacks from mooks that are part of the same mob.

    Unwinding the Soul - When you cast a spell and roll a natural 11+ with the attack, you can "unwind" the target as a free action, making it vulnerable to your attacks until the end of the battle. You may only have one enemy at a time unwound

    Warp Flesh - When you target a creature with a spell that targets MD and the target's MD is higher than their PD, the attack targets PD instead and the damage changes to force.

    Spells: 4 per day from The Occultist spell list.

    Backstory
    Asuzan was born to a human mother and an angelic father. Her mother died in delivery and her father was prohibited from staying on in the mortal realm. As a parting gift to the baby, he whispered the words he knew of the secrets of creation in her ear. He also set her shadow as her guardian, giving it the words of destruction.

    Asuzan was a peculiar child that flustered the aunt left with raising her. Reality seemed off around her and she made the people of Concord feel unsettled as she passed. Her aunt found relief in a traveling sorcerer who recognized the talents of the girl and offered to take her to a school for magically gifted youngsters. This school turned out to be a front for the corrupt sorcerers of The Blue. Asuzan proved hard to corrupt and The Three decided to put her into an oubliette to contain her power until they could figure out a way to properly harness it. The Cloistered City is a shadow-plane that exists in desolation in the same space as Drakkenhall. Asuzan has not revealed how she escaped, but the forces of the world are now coming to know that an Occultist walks the world again. The Three seek to reclaim her and The Priestess provides succor where she can to a young woman that is a shining beacon in a near-destroyed world.

    astrobstrd on
    Selling the Scream Podcast: https://anchor.fm/jeremy-donaldson
  • admanbadmanb unionize your workplace Seattle, WARegistered User regular
    I'm interested. Thinking a Bard.

  • Grunt's GhostsGrunt's Ghosts Registered User regular
    Geth roll 6#4d6k3

    6#4d6k3 6 # 11 [4d6k3=[6, 3, 2], 1] 14 [4d6k3=[6, 4, 4], 2] 10 [4d6k3=[6, 2, 2], 1] 18 [4d6k3=[6, 6, 6], 6] 14 [4d6k3=[6, 5, 3], 1] 14 [4d6k3=[6, 4, 4], 1]

  • BrodyBrody The Watch The First ShoreRegistered User regular
    Are we doing Point Buy, or rolls?

    "I will write your name in the ruin of them. I will paint you across history in the color of their blood."

    The Monster Baru Cormorant - Seth Dickinson

    Steam: Korvalain
  • admanbadmanb unionize your workplace Seattle, WARegistered User regular
    edited September 2016
    Carnarvon wrote: »
    Level one, point buy as detailed in the book, all core races and classes as well as 13 True Ways and multiclassing. No restrictions on Icons, feel free to be besties with the Lich King or the Diabolist. We'll also be skipping alignment in this game.

    admanb on
  • Grunt's GhostsGrunt's Ghosts Registered User regular
    Grr... I had some nice rolls too.

  • BrodyBrody The Watch The First ShoreRegistered User regular
    Gunbjorn, the Knight of Shadows
    1st Level Human/Sorcerer

    Str 16 (+3(+1)) Con 16 (+3(+1)) Dex 12 (+1(+1)) Int 8 (-1(+1)) Wis 10 (0(+1)) Cha 16 (+3(+1))

    AC 17
    PD 15
    MD 11

    HP 33
    Recoveries 9
    Initiative +2
    Recovery Roll 1d8 +3

    Icon Relationships:

    Prince of Shadows -1, The Prince doesn't necessarily know who or what is stirring up trouble, but he's definitely looking for Gunbjorn.
    The Three ~2, As a pawn of the Black, Gunbjorn doesn't care for the ministrations he's received, but still benefits from occasional support.


    Background:
    Cutpurse 2
    Blunt Assassin 3
    Magical Experiment 3


    OUT: A weapon created by the Black, to hunt the Prince of Shadows.

    Melee attack (Tomahawk, D6?+3):
    Attack: +4 vs AC

    Ranged attack (Tomahawk, D6?+3):
    Attack: +2 vs AC

    Human Racial Power:
    Roll Init twice and choose the result you want

    Class Feature: Extra Tough (9 Recoveries instead of 8), Threatening (Penalty to disengage checks), Access to Wizardry, Dancing Lights, Gather Power.

    Class Talents: Tough As Iron, Chromatic Destroyer Heritage, Spell Fist

    Feats: Toughness (Bonus HP = to 1/2 class baseline), Spell Fist (Bonus CON damage on missed spells)

    Powers/Spells: Carve an opening, Grim Intent, Breath of the White, Lightning Fork

    Backstory
    Born to a Drakkenhall prostitute, Gunbjorn learned early on that nothing was ever handed to you. You had to take it, either through cunning or force. As a younger child, he developed the skills common to all Drakkenhall street urchins, taking what he needed to survive through cunning. But as he grew older, it became more and more apparent that force was a perfectly viable option, being a fairly large human. Not that he ever picked that way as a first option.

    It was this knack for skulking in such a large frame that eventually drew the attention of the Black, who had come to a desire to train an operative to quell the Prince of Shadows’ growing strength, and if possible, kill the Prince himself. For although the Black had not let this be known, the Prince had stolen something very dear to him. And so in order to catch a mouse, the Black began looking for the perfect cat. And when he had found his cat, he trained him to be the biggest, meanest cat on the street, because the Princes minions were far from defenseless cut-purses.

    Playing on the humans already large solid frame, the Black built a Fist. A spell fist, a mailed fist, a get in there and mess things up fist. With occult rituals, and a splash of the dragon’s blood, Gunbjorn was given new tools with which to pursue his target.

    Now Gunbjorn has been released into the wild, angry at the Black for the pain and suffering he had endured, but still compelled to seek out agents of Shadow Prince wherever he travels, leaving hideouts and refuges burning in his wake.

    At least until he got himself caught in this hellhole of existence.

    "I will write your name in the ruin of them. I will paint you across history in the color of their blood."

    The Monster Baru Cormorant - Seth Dickinson

    Steam: Korvalain
  • CarnarvonCarnarvon Registered User regular
    edited September 2016
    @astrobstrd So, how do you reconcile being the child of an angel when there isn't an established cosmology? Was you father an escaped soul, perhaps drawn down by some magic, or were you part of a great prophecy? Also, you haven't set any goals or personality for your character; that would be helpful for me.

    @Brody Looks good. You might want to rethink your OUT seeing as we've already got a trained operative of The Three in the party. It doesn't have to be related to your backstory as The Hand of The Black, it could have more to do with your character as a person, perhaps? Or how others relate to him.

    Carnarvon on
  • BrodyBrody The Watch The First ShoreRegistered User regular
    Ah, I was hoping the play between the various sometimes unaligned colors would make it work. I'll have to work on it some more when I'm done with work.

    "I will write your name in the ruin of them. I will paint you across history in the color of their blood."

    The Monster Baru Cormorant - Seth Dickinson

    Steam: Korvalain
  • BrodyBrody The Watch The First ShoreRegistered User regular
    Maybe swap the values on the Prince of Shadows and The Three, and change my OUT to "The Prince of Shadows knows I'm coming"?

    "I will write your name in the ruin of them. I will paint you across history in the color of their blood."

    The Monster Baru Cormorant - Seth Dickinson

    Steam: Korvalain
  • astrobstrdastrobstrd So full of mercy... Registered User regular
    edited September 2016
    Carnarvon wrote: »
    @astrobstrd So, how do you reconcile being the child of an angel when there isn't an established cosmology? Was you father an escaped soul, perhaps drawn down by some magic, or were you part of a great prophecy? Also, you haven't set any goals or personality for your character; that would be helpful for me.

    Perhaps her father could have been an extraplanar being and not necessarily an angel? Instead of words of creation, he could have opened her mind to alien perspectives unknown to those in the Dragon Empire and empowered her shadow with similar eldritch insights. Asuzan's goals are to do as much good as she can in a failing world and to evade the machinations of The Three. She seems to be driven by guilt over what she had to do to escape the Cloistered City; she has a strict code of morality and did something to violate that to secure her escape. Asuzan is reserved, but friendly. She often says the wrong thing at the wrong time and has an alien, off-putting manner. This has as much to do with her seclusion in the Cloistered City as with her role as The Occultist.

    astrobstrd on
    Selling the Scream Podcast: https://anchor.fm/jeremy-donaldson
  • CarnarvonCarnarvon Registered User regular
    edited September 2016
    Extraplanar as in extraterrestrial? So her father was an Old One who sired an heir, and left her with strange powers from another world. Everyone around her thinks she's weird, but she was probably raised being told she's the daughter of an angel; driving her to be a paragon of good to live up to her father. Sounds neat to me!

    Does she appear fully human, or are there some vestigial wings, halo, or other features?

    To clarify, I'm not trying to convince you away from Aasimar. The book gives practically zero fluff on the race, and I want to be on the same page with you.

    Carnarvon on
  • ToxTox I kill threads he/himRegistered User regular
    Could probably bring in my Death Priest, I think. Just need to tweak Icons and maaaaybe race.

    How well would a character with a negative relationship with the Lich King play out in this area/game? I may just go conflicted for everything, that's always fun.

    Twitter! | Dilige, et quod vis fac
  • CarnarvonCarnarvon Registered User regular
    Tox wrote: »
    Could probably bring in my Death Priest, I think. Just need to tweak Icons and maaaaybe race.

    How well would a character with a negative relationship with the Lich King play out in this area/game? I may just go conflicted for everything, that's always fun.

    As a death priest? You'd find allies in most good icons who dislike enslavement of the dead, and there'd be a ton of necromancers who think that desperate times call for desperate measures.

  • ToxTox I kill threads he/himRegistered User regular
    Yeah specifically MC Necromancer/Cleric.

    So, with the Elf Queen dead, is there any value to having a positive relationship with her? Or would that just effectively be a negative relationship wit the Dwarf King?

    Twitter! | Dilige, et quod vis fac
  • admanbadmanb unionize your workplace Seattle, WARegistered User regular
    edited September 2016
    A'ras of the Court

    Base stats:
    Class: Bard
    Race: High Elf
    Level: 1

    Str: 8
    Con: 12
    Dex: 16 (+2 Class bonus)
    Int: 14
    Wis: 10
    Cha: 18 (+2 Race bonus)

    Initiative: 4
    AC: 14
    PD: 12
    MD: 14
    HP: 24
    Recoveries: 8/8 (1D8+1)

    Story:
    OUT: The Elf Queen sang me the song of her death

    Backgrounds:
    I sang to the scheming and corrupt nobles of the elven court, and they wept - +5
    My mother taught me the lore of the elves in song, because someone must remember it - +5

    Relationships:
    Elf Queen: +3 - As a favored musician and historian of the Queen's Court I was taught much. Some I doesn't even realize I was taught.
    Dwarf King: -1 - Whatever the Dwarf King was seeking when he killed the Queen, he didn't find it.

    Weapons and skills:
    Melee attack (Shortsword):
    +4 vs. AC, 1D6+3

    Ranged attack (Shortbow):
    +4 vs. AC, 1D6+3

    Racial Power:
    Highblood Teleport

    Once per battle as a move action, place yourself in a nearby location you can see.

    Talents:
    Spellsinger
    You can choose an extra bardic song or bard spell at the highest level you know.

    Storyteller
    Once per scene when one of your allies rolls relationship dice for an icon, you can roleplay a one or two sentence story (usually related to the icon, but perhaps otherwise pivotal) that allows them to reroll the relationship check if they don't like the first result.

    Loremaster
    Take two additional points of backgrounds. You can use these additional points to raise a background that has something to do with history, bardic lore, or magical knowledge up to the usually impossible rating of +6.

    Take a single point of relationship with an icon. Add the point to a relationship you already have up to your normal maximum, or start a new one—positive, conflicted, or negative.

    Battle Cries:
    Pull It Together!
    Stay Strong!

    Spells/Songs:
    Song of Spilt Blood
    Battle Chant - Adventurer Feat
    Soundburst

    admanb on
  • admanbadmanb unionize your workplace Seattle, WARegistered User regular
    Not sure of a name yet. @Carnarvon do you have a preferred style for Elf names?

  • CarnarvonCarnarvon Registered User regular
    IIRC "There is always an Elf Queen" is written in the book. Positive Elf Queen would mean that elves in general would consider you an ally in their plight, rather than a bystander. Most people assume that a new Queen will (or has) be appointed, but currently you're trapped in a graveyard.

    Why the dwarves killed the Queen has not been elucidated, but you can assume that most dwarves respect the King's actions through a benefit of the doubt, and generally dislike elves and elf-lovers through association.

  • CarnarvonCarnarvon Registered User regular
    admanb wrote: »
    Not sure of a name yet. @Carnarvon do you have a preferred style for Elf names?

    https://mobile.twitter.com/AwfulFantasy/status/595364160587730945

  • astrobstrdastrobstrd So full of mercy... Registered User regular
    Carnarvon wrote: »
    Extraplanar as in extraterrestrial? So her father was an Old One who sired an heir, and left her with strange powers from another world. Everyone around her thinks she's weird, but she was probably raised being told she's the daughter of an angel; driving her to be a paragon of good to live up to her father. Sounds neat to me!

    Does she appear fully human, or are there some vestigial wings, halo, or other features?

    To clarify, I'm not trying to convince you away from Aasimar. The book gives practically zero fluff on the race, and I want to be on the same page with you.

    She has porcelain skin and golden eyes.

    Selling the Scream Podcast: https://anchor.fm/jeremy-donaldson
  • AustinP0027AustinP0027 Registered User regular
    edited September 2016
    I'm posting this here as a reserve character. Grunt has first dibs on the fourth slot, so if he posts a char, I'll obviously back out.


    Faren Wanderer
    Class: The Ranger
    Race: Human
    Level: 1

    Str. 10 (+0)
    Con. 14 (+2)
    Dex. 18 (+4) (16 +2 Class Bonus)
    Int. 10 (+0)
    Wis. 16 (+3) (14 +2 Race bonus)
    Cha. 10 (+0)

    Initiative - +5

    AC: 18
    PD: 14
    MD: 11
    HP: 27/27
    Recoveries: 8/8

    OUT: I know a secret that would topple the Dwarf King, but I have no idea which secret it is

    Backgrounds:
    Tracker - 5
    Trained by Wood Elves - 3


    Relationship Dice
    The Elf Queen +1 - The Elf Queen gave her consent for a human to be trained by the Wood Elves
    The Dwarf King ~2 - Years of living with Elves have marked me as an elf friend, and at odds with the Dwarves

    Class and Race Abilities
    Racial Ability:

    Quick to Fight (Racial Power) - At the start of each battle, roll initiative twice and choose the result you want.

    Class Abilities:

    Melee Attack (Shortsword 1d6)
    +5 vs AC, 1d6

    Ranged Attack (Longbow 1d8+4)
    +5 vs AC, 1d8 + 4



    Class Talents:

    Archery - Once per battle, reroll one of your missed ranged attacks.
    Feat - Your Archery rerolls gain a +2 attack bonus and the attack’s crit range expands by 1.

    First Strike - The first time you attack an enemy during a battle, your crit range for that attack expands by 2 (usually to 18+). A mob of mooks counts as a single enemy.


    Ranger’s Pet - Octavius, Hawk. Feat - Your pet gains a third ability
    Agile: You gain a +2 bonus to Dexterity skill checks.

    Flight: Flies as well as an overly cerebral hawk, which might in fact be precisely correct. It doesn’t fly that often and usually sticks with you, but it can do so when its other abilities allow.

    Scout: Once per day, your familiar can separate itself from you and make a reconnaissance run of an area or location, and it may even manage that feat unseen (easy skill check for the environment to get your familiar to scout unseen). (all)

    Backstory
    Faren's childhood ended when he was 6. His parents were destitute, and had packed the few belongings they had remaining into their cart and headed out. The edge of the forest was where the bandits struck, not bothering to threaten the group, only to start killing. It was only as they were closing in on Faren that he noticed their number suddenly dwindling. When the last remaining bandit approached him, he had taken only two steps before he fell, an arrow in his back.

    The Wood Elves hadn't taken lightly to Humans killing on their turf. They provided Faren with supplies and offered to take him to the nearest settlement. Death had changed the boy, however, and he begged them to take him with them. They denied him, and left, but he followed them, whether sheer luck or some blessing of nature allowing him to stumble into their camp. Taking the fact that he found them as a sign, they took him back. The process of approvals were extensive, a human living with Elves wasn't typically allowed, but when facing the Elf Queen for his final approval, an eyas flittered down and landed on his arm. The Elf Queen, impressed that the Hawks would accept a human willingly, granted her permission.

    Faren, and his hawk Octavius, grew up in constant training amongst the Wood Elves. His human nature left him at a natural disadvantage but after time, he grew to mimic the Elves and become a skilled tracker and scout. Eventually, he returned to human lands to take work as a scout, but his time with the Elves had left him as an oddity of the world, a Human who behaved like an Elf. His skill kept him in demand, but he didn't fit with his own race. His views and ideals had been shaped by the Elves and in his mind, he was more Elf than Human.

    AustinP0027 on
  • ToxTox I kill threads he/himRegistered User regular
    Also @Carnarvon don't know if you've seen or not but we have a general
    13th Age Thread

    Pointing it out specifically for alternate rules for Icon Dice/Points

    Twitter! | Dilige, et quod vis fac
  • CarnarvonCarnarvon Registered User regular
    OUT: I was personally trained as a Ranger by the lead Ranger of the Wood Elves

    Your one unique thing is that you are a ranger, in a group of rangers?

  • AustinP0027AustinP0027 Registered User regular
    Yeah after finishing my background, that OUT is crap so I'll rewrite that.

  • ToxTox I kill threads he/himRegistered User regular
    Bard, Sorc, Occultist?

    Sounds like I'll be rolling tank. Although @Carnarvon I'd recommend letting Austin in also, I've found 5 to be a sweet spot for party size.

    Twitter! | Dilige, et quod vis fac
  • BrodyBrody The Watch The First ShoreRegistered User regular
    Well, i think the idea is he will pick however many characters he feels comfortable with, selecting those that build the party he finds most interesting.

    "I will write your name in the ruin of them. I will paint you across history in the color of their blood."

    The Monster Baru Cormorant - Seth Dickinson

    Steam: Korvalain
  • admanbadmanb unionize your workplace Seattle, WARegistered User regular
    Does that happen today? :)

  • CarnarvonCarnarvon Registered User regular
    End of the day.

  • CarnarvonCarnarvon Registered User regular
    @admanb @astrobstrd @Brody @AustinP0027

    You've survived the apocalypse. Now the war has begun.

  • CarnarvonCarnarvon Registered User regular
    YOU ARE IN WILSON'S RISK, going about your daily routine. You see many children running about, orphans from the war and the young who will never know the world as it once was. The cook's tent is busy to bursting, as a pack of halflings daisy-train provisions to and from the stocks. Tonight is the Autumn Harvest, and the the camp bustles with rumors Billy having procured a wild boar, supposedly the size of a caravan. Some say the feast is an extravagance that the camp can ill-afford, but Danis was resolute. "The old ways must be upheld," the half-orc said sternly, "or they will be forgotten".

    THE SKY IS CLEAR AND THE SUN HANGS BRIGHTLY
    , for once. Following weeks of storms, mudslides, and collapsing tents, even the most dark-hearted of the camp are in good spirits. The soothsayers and superstitious call it an omen, that the heavens shine down on in grace from the outer darkness. Others take it for what it is-good weather-and go about their preparations.

    FOR ONCE THERE IS MUSIC IN THE AIR
    , and not the wailing of the dead or howling of wolves. A bard and her band, recent additions to the camp, sit in the center of camp. Their elven songs ring out amongst the living, bolstering and mending the soul.
    "THE WALLS ARE TALL AND THE GATES ARE SHUT," you hear Mo'oor bellow out to Belit, who can do nothing but be suspicious in auspicious times. "I only ask you to be thorough!" shouts back the halfling as he pushes up his goggles. "Thorough my ass" says the elf as she storms into her tent, jerking the flap shut so hard it cracks in the cool night air. "I'll trust you to be thorough when you learn to control yourself" the halfling says to no-one in particular.

    THE NIGHT HAS FALLEN AND THE FEAST HAS BEGUN. Pumpkins of every shape and size decorate the center of camp. You see Billy sitting at the end of a long table, surrounded by children. "Once you hollow them out, take your knife like so..." the smuggler says to his doting audience as he carves a face into one of the many gourds. "...and you get this! Hah-ha!" Billy says as he reveals a gruesome visage, backlit by a candle, causing the children to scream playfully and scurry about. Danis takes one of the vacant seats near Billy. "You've outdone yourself, we can't thank you enough" Danis says sincerely, leaning onto the wooden table. A sparkle appears in Billy's eye, "You haven't seen anything yet".

    .
    .
    .


    Now that we have an established party, the four of you should get together and decide if and how you know each other and the other NPCs in the camp. The setting is largely made up on the spot, so you'll have a good deal of freedom deciding the world and history of the camp.

    I'll put up an [IC] thread once every has their relationships fleshed out a bit.

  • admanbadmanb unionize your workplace Seattle, WARegistered User regular
    I see A'ras as very friendly and curious. He's tried to sit down and have a conversation with nearly everyone in camp, with varying degrees of effectiveness. he asks a lot of questions -- partially because he had a fairly sheltered upbringing, and partially because of his background as a historian. On some level I think he feels he has to remember everything, because he doesn't think anyone else will. The thing that's most likely to push people away from him is that his very apparent privilege -- he was born and raised to be a powerful member of court, and he lived in that court until driven away by the death of his queen.

    The one person in camp I doubt he's spent much time around is Mo'oor. She's similar yet unfamiliar enough to him to make him uncomfortable. She likely sees him as a noble fop and doesn't mind that she dodged his attention.

    Recently I think he's been hanging around the bard a lot: teaching her his high elven court songs, and learning her pop music in return. He never misses a chance to expand his repertoire.

    My question to the other players would be: how have you handled A'ras' probing questions about your past, and did you have a song to teach him?

  • AustinP0027AustinP0027 Registered User regular
    Faren would be a bit more reserved. That doesn't mean unfriendly, just think of him as appearing a little anti-social at first. From the outside, he's the stereotypical ranger in anything you've read/seen, stand off-ish, secluded. However, if someone directly engages him, he's open to conversing, though he probably strays from wanting to be a part of a large group. One on one he can get comfortable, small groups he can participate, large groups he would stray to the edges and make excuses to leave

    Faren would probably operate pretty well with Danis and Ko'oor being similarly strategically minded. Tracking/Scout requiring caution and finesse, which ties into what Danis and especially Ko'oor would be looking for.

    A'ras( @admanb ), Faren would answer your questions with terse honestly. Short answers, but wouldn't lie or avoid the question. He would know songs of the wood elves, given his upbringing, but he wouldn't share them. That would be something very personal to him, and would require a very strong relationship. For you, how would A'ras treat Faren given his upbringing (spent all his time with Elves, but is a human)?

    Gunbjorn( @Brody ) , How do you behave in the camp? From your backstory, I'm envisioning a gruff beast of a man, but likely one who leans towards destruction. Faren would likely disagree with Gunbjorn's approach, but I'd like to understand personality further.

    Asuzan( @astrobstrd ), I believe Faren would treat you as a mystery to be solved, but one he approaches with the caution and care as he would tracking a skittish deer. He is intrigued by you and what you represent, but he wouldn't indicate that in any way that you could overtly tell. There would likely be little things here and there that you could pick up on that would give hints that he is curious, but it would be few and far between, and he certinaly would never pry.

  • BrodyBrody The Watch The First ShoreRegistered User regular
    I feel like Gunbjorn was sort of aimlessly travelling through the region when it all went to hell. Once the Black finished generally destroying his life, and instilling a burning hatred for the Prince of Shadows, he just kind of tossed Gunbjorn out on his own.

    As such, Gunbjorn has scoured any sort of thieves guild presence from the city/camp. This lets (K)Mo'oor trust him, at least as far as she feels she can predict him, but I assume she doesn't really care for the way he handled it. Danis probably has a similar view, especially as they both have something of an air of authority. Gunbjorn tends to ask things in a way that makes it clear its not really a question, and his physicality tends to add a certain weight to his "requests." Its not necessarily just bullying, but is driven by the knowledge that he could and would beat just about anyone in a fight.

    In response to A'ras probing, Gunbjorn has presented his life as a general path from street urchin/cutpurse to thug. He realizes no one is going to buy a more "legitimate" backstory, so its easier to just own the most generic portion of his path. He knows a couple of Drakkenhall drinking songs, but whether or not those are new to A'ras...

    I don't know that, other than the thieves guild situation (probably shortly before things fell apart), Gunbjorn has ever actually visited violence on the camp members, but he does like to maintain a reputation. Just sort of a posturing, "bluffing" style of interaction that makes him seem predictable. Everyone assumes they can rely on him to do what needs to be done to win a fight, which makes him a strong ally, and a scary adversary.

    "I will write your name in the ruin of them. I will paint you across history in the color of their blood."

    The Monster Baru Cormorant - Seth Dickinson

    Steam: Korvalain
  • astrobstrdastrobstrd So full of mercy... Registered User regular
    Asuzan has interacted at some point with everyone in the camp; her tendency to say the wrong thing has made close relationships difficult (she likely would be the one to call Ko'oor more dwarf than elf), but it is easy for people to tell that she means well. She is curious about what is needed for the camp to survive and has tried to contribute as much as she can. Though lacking in a lot of the survival skills needed in this harsh new world, people that she aids notice that things just seem to almost miraculously fall into place for them. She is sociable, but still values her time alone, and people know little of what to think when she spends lengthy minutes in deep one-sided conversations with her own shadow.

    To A'ras's ( @admanb ) questions: Asuzan would be open to a point. Growing up near the Elven Court makes her less apprehensive about courtiers than those raised outside of the Elf Queen's sphere of influence. The only songs she seems to know are those that were in favor 15 years ago. She would gladly share information about her lineage, time in Concord, and her training among Blue Sorcerers, but would be extremely reticent about questions dealing with her years of seclusion and how she escaped. "It's not much of a story..." she would lie with a pained expression.

    With Faren ( @AustinP0027 ) she would be surprisingly at ease. Perhaps it is their shared nature growing up as outsiders and the early loss of their parents? As with A'ras, some information would be offered up easily, but a large chunk of her life story is left out of the telling.

    Gunbjorn ( @Brody ) would present a bit of a challenge for Asuzan. His demeanor and her lack of conversational skill would make interactions rare, but Asuzan can recognize someone else who has been marked by the machinations of The Three. Asuzan offers to help him with tasks around the camp, but mostly stays quiet around him.

    Selling the Scream Podcast: https://anchor.fm/jeremy-donaldson
  • admanbadmanb unionize your workplace Seattle, WARegistered User regular
    @AustinP0027 well... A'ras would treat Faren the same way he would treat a wood elf, but that's the same way he would treat a human, a halfling, or even a high elf that wasn't a visitor at the court. It's not arrogance (though it could certainly present that way) he just has no context for those interactions.

    At some point I think A'ras told a story from wood elf history and Faren, who was probably taught by one of the characters in the story or something, said "no that's not how it happened." A'ras wouldn't argue, but he also wouldn't know how to handle that. He would've gone silent as Faren told the real story and then wandered off as soon as it seemed polite (it wasn't) to do so.

    @Brody I initially wanted to say that A'ras wouldn't buy your "thug" story, given that he's seen what you can do, but now I think it's funnier if that's just how he imagines modern crime in Drakkenhall.

    And A'ras was thrilled to learn your drinking songs -- though I'm not sure how thrilled you'll be with his interpretation.

    @astrobstrd "you've been to court!?" was A'ras' response when you revealed that tidbit. He would've spent the next <however long it took until you escaped> trying to connect over bits of gossip and court stories. He'd settle down after that, but would continue to be a little too excited to talk to you.

    He definitely remembers what was popular 15 years ago and would've played one for you. Hopefully that dredges up good memories rather then bad!

    Oh -- A'ras plays a violin.

  • AustinP0027AustinP0027 Registered User regular
    edited September 2016
    @Brody Faren would respect Gunbjorn's strength, but not his approach. His approach to showing the confidence in his strength/abilities would be counter to show Faren shows it. Faren deals in actions and results, not knowledge of that those results could be achieved. When Gunbjorn accomplishes things, Faren shows respect/appreciation. When he implies that his strength means something, Faren would quietly disapprove.

    @astrobstrd I'd like to build off that more. Given the curiosity on Faren's side, and the ease on Asuzan's side, I envision a bit of extra comfort between the two of them possibly leading them to tentatively end up around each other a little more. I don't mean that in a romantic sense, but instead in the sense of two people who seem to not want to be overly engaged in large crowds/situations, but find a small sense of peace in being around an individual who has a similar social approach. Of the three, I would see Faren possibly trusting Asuzan the most, and he would defer to playing a "guide" type role for her. Taking the mystery idea further, he possibly senses that there is more to her than the information she is sharing, and has taken it upon himself to help her find whatever she might be seeking. Again, a guide type role, not a protector.

    That actually leads to another personality item, as I think of it. Faren would assume each individual has the needed skills to survive. If they prove differently, then he would build that into his planning to accommodate, but he wouldn't be the type to step in and teach them all that much, treat them like a lesser party member, or try to play a protector role. He would attempt to ensure the survival of the group by using each person's known skill set into any plans, but he also believes in nature's survival of the fittest. He isn't likely to sacrifice himself for someone who has put themselves in a terrible position. He will offer help where he can, but I'd say it likely would be limited to attempt to preplan for places where someone wasn't as skilled as opposed to throwing himself into danger if something goes wrong.

    @admanb I think Faren wouldn't have a specific way he interacted with A'ras then. He doesn't engage people readily enough that he would notice the awkwardness of the situation, but he also wouldn't be blind to how A'ras seemed a bit out of place in the current context. Instead, per the personality addendum above, he'd likely just treat it as a general attempt at understand what A'ras could and couldn't do for planning purposes, and at the surface, he would assume a skill set focused more around storytelling.

    AustinP0027 on
  • CarnarvonCarnarvon Registered User regular
    Looking good so far! I'll likely be posting the [IC] either tonight or tomorrow afternoon.

    It should be noted that the four of you have had at least a little contact with Mo'oor and Danis, as you're four of maybe ten-fifteen people who can really handle themselves. There's plenty of city guards and retired soldiers, but they aren't 'adventurers' (Mo'oor, Billy, and Belit have actual class levels, plus ~40 level 1 warriors). You've definitely been outside the walls on more than one occasion at the behest of Danis (camp leader) to look for supplies/survivors, or Mo'oor (militia leader) to kill roaming undead. Belit and Billy mostly keep to themselves, but may have asked for your help in the past. It's also possible that you're a new arrival to the camp and don't know anyone well.

  • BrodyBrody The Watch The First ShoreRegistered User regular
    edited September 2016
    Yeah, I don't want my character to become overbearing, but when reading the Sorcerer description of "You decide whether your high Charisma represents a forceful personality or a winning personality," I felt that a "forceful personality" definitely fit the character better. So kind of a sense of danger when interacting with him, and a sort of arrogant, 'when I tell people to do things, they just do them' attitude. He still likes to hang out and drink, and he will probably cheat you out of all of your money if you try gambling against him.

    I guess the thought is, if he is haggling, or trying to acquire information, he just says, "This is what its worth, this is what I'm paying, goodbye." And it usually works because he looks imposing.

    Brody on
    "I will write your name in the ruin of them. I will paint you across history in the color of their blood."

    The Monster Baru Cormorant - Seth Dickinson

    Steam: Korvalain
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