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Author Topic: Paths to Glory - Game has started! Check the PbP Forum now!  (Read 15183 times)

Enkhidu

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« Reply #45 on: March 10, 2006, 10:15:37 AM »
This is just about perfect, as the pseudo frontier is where I set my last game in this setting (and was where I was leaning toward starting anyway). I'll dig my crude maps out this weekend and see if I can scan them in and post them up for Monday.

As for naming conventions, maybe it would be best to look at it in terms of cultural models. Note that I'm not expecting anyone to abide by these guidelines - please feel free to name your PC whatever you want. These are merely suggestions on sound and feel:

* The Old Empire (which lies in the south and east, near the sea) has a very Italian feel to it. Picture city-state era Italy, with a heavy Moorish influence (which comes from south of the Divide). The Medici's would be right at home there.

* To the north of the Old Empire lie a series of small kingdoms with germano-gallic overtones (circa the fall of Rome). Most of these kingdoms ranged in size from Luxembourg to Belgium, and were very fractured. The largest of the kingdoms was about the size of Ohio (and was the first to fall to the current Emporer in a bloody fight). For naming people from here, look to here for real world examples of good names (look for the portion titled "Early Germanic Names from Primary Sources").

* Faris (the largest of the Southern kingdoms in the west) is related to the Old Empire in that they have a common root, but while the Old Empire grew into a rather Byzantine society, Faris became rooted in tradition. Farisians usually have names that sound vaguely Spanish in origin. Some good examples can be found here.

* The five kingdoms of the NW are much smaller than Faris, and as a result fell to the Empire's conquest much more quickly than the Farisians did. However, their people have so far proven much more difficult to govern: while the high kings are now either dead or converted, the petty kings, eolderman, and eorls have pretty much done as they will. The Marshalls in charge of these ares quickly came to realize that even the former high kings had very little power, but that the people - if left basically alone and occassionally told (forcefully) to pay their taxes - weren't much trouble. At this point, most of of five kingdoms still operates as it did under the old rulership, though the roadways and bridges are considered sacrosanct, and the Marshalls have more than once struck against eorls or thanes who've set tolls on those ways. Here are a few names that I picture fitting.

* Goblins are, for lack of a better term, quite like the stereotypical american indian. They are tribal, superstitious (and yet very ritualistic), and regarded as savage due to their war parties. They are not as a group evil. However, the different tribes fued constantly among themselves, and who knows what goblin tribes lie further west in the unknown? Goblin names tend to be descriptive in nature or animal oriented.
 

Elidia

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« Reply #46 on: March 10, 2006, 02:20:39 PM »
I see myself as a monk of the Children of Rao, who has become so enthralled at the idea of reaching perfection that she has developed a slightly snooty outlook about the lesser beings that surround her. She "loves" them of course, because they are all Rao's children... but she sees herself as an older sister putting up with the antics of the youngers.

Perhaps she can be a cousin to Willpax's character, who others are trying to "convince" to leave the church and resume her place in the nobility by marrying her off to a lord who wants the easiest way to gain the land that she's first in line to inherit. She had avoided bloodshed in the war by running off to join the church and becoming a monk, the local version of joining the nunnery. Say she was 12 when this happened at the beginning or mid-point of the war and 11 years have passed, leaving her a 23 year old who doesn't have much experience out there in the world, but is utterly convinced that she can change social problems through her force of will and shining example of perfection.

Are we agreed to be from Faris? I'll name myself as soon as I get the answer to that.
"suppose you're thinkin' about a plate o' shrimp. Suddenly someone'll say, like, plate, or shrimp, or plate o' shrimp out of the blue, no explanation. No point in lookin' for one, either. It's all part of a cosmic unconciousness."

Megamieuwsel

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« Reply #47 on: March 10, 2006, 03:17:08 PM »
More questions :
Starting Gold and Hitpoints : Both max? DM doles 'em out? going with board's dice-roller?

Trying to create my character , y'know...

Megamieuwsel

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« Reply #48 on: March 10, 2006, 04:28:16 PM »
Also:
For those who want to join the "da Silva"-family ;
I need at least the following in order to write up the mutual concept-background:

-Physical appearance
-Traits(The obvious ones at least)
-Class(es) - In case of multi-class , mention starting-class.
-Character-name.

My character-name will be Ramirez da Silva*

*)Working-name ; can be changed if desired

willpax

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« Reply #49 on: March 10, 2006, 05:56:56 PM »
In keeping with the theme, I'll go with Ferro da Silva as my given name. Ferro has some inborn magical talent (an infrequent trait that isn't really seen as a good thing, so is usually kept quiet). Mostly, Ferro spent his time sneaking around the family castle, as he was fairly certain he would not be destined for leadership; while in hiding, he has developed his magical talents a bit more (translation: rogue 1/sorceror 1, with some ranks in knowledge:nobility).

How's this sound, M: dad was a rather prolific man with quite a number of children; he outlived (the less charitable would say "wore out") four different wives (and several concubines, if the rumors are true), and each produced between two and six offspring. Family dynamics were, to say the least, complicated. We were the offspring of wife #3, and never had any expectation of anything more than a modest holding when we came of age.

The da Silva family is known for jet black hair (or whatever); given the family tradition, that trait is fairly common in Faris.

My children have been pestering me incessantly over the 1 1/2 hours it has taken me to do this, so I'll end here and try to add more later.
Cherish those who seek the truth, but beware of those who find it. (Voltaire)

Ottomsoh the Elderly

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« Reply #50 on: March 10, 2006, 06:27:47 PM »
First, the point-buy chart:
Code: [Select]
9: 1 point
10: 2 points
11: 3 points
12: 4 points
13: 5 points
14: 6 points
15: 8 points
16: 10 points
17: 13 points
18: 16 points


Now, my character. It'll be a WIP for now, of course.
Ashen Leaves, Goblin Druid 2
[sblock]
1. Buying points:
[sblock]Str 4 pts = 12-2=10
Dex 6 pts = 14+2=16
Con 4 pts = 12
Int 6 pts = 14
Wis 8 pts = 15
Cha 6 pts = 14-2=12
Racial adjustments: -2 Strength, +2 Dexterity, -2 Charisma.[/sblock]
2. Setting skill ranks:
[sblock]30 skill points, 24 at first level and 6 at second.
+4 size bonus to Hide, +4 racial bonus to Ride and Move Silently
Class skills are:[sblock]
Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str)
Weird that they don't have knowledge geography.[/sblock]
Concentration 5 ranks
Handle Animal 5 ranks
Knowledge (nature) 5 ranks
Ride 5 ranks
Survival 3 ranks
Spellcraft 3 ranks
Swim 1 rank
Craft (alchemy) 1 rank
Knowledge (geography) 1.0 ranks (even though it's cross-class, it would be weird for a landless druid to ignore the lay of the lands he traveled...)
[/sblock]
3. Choosing a feat:
Mounted Combat, naturally :)

All that may still be changed, of course.
[/sblock]
 

willpax

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« Reply #51 on: March 10, 2006, 10:41:44 PM »
If I can get these spoiler tags right, I'll post the first draft of Ferro da Silva, rogue 1/ sorceror 1, vengeful former (human) noble.

Stats[sblock]
Str (2 pts): 10 (0)
Dex (10 pts): 16 (+3)
Con (4 pts): 12 (+1)
Int (10 pts): 16 (+3)
Wis (2 pts): 10 (0)
Cha (6 pts): 14 (+2)[/sblock]

Skills[sblock]
Ranks: 48 first level rogue + 5 for level in sorceror (class skills accounted for)

Balance (1 rank +3 stat): 4
Bluff (2 ranks + 2 stat): 4
Climb (4 ranks + 0 stat): 4
Concentration (2 ranks +1 stat): 3
Craft trap (1 rank + 3 stat): 4
Decipher (2 ranks + 3 stat): 5
Disable device (4 ranks + 3 stat): 7
Disguise (1 rank +2 stat): 3
Escape artist (1 rank + 3 stat): 4
Forgery (1 rank + 3 stat): 4
Hide (4 ranks + 3 stat): 7
Jump (2 ranks + 0 stat): 2
Knowedge: nobility (1 rank + 3 stat): 4
Listen (2 ranks + 0 stat): 2
Move silent (4 ranks + 3 stat + 2 familiar): 9
Open lock (4 ranks + 3 stat): 7
Search (1 rank +3 stat): 4
Sense motive (2 ranks + 0 stat): 2
Sleight of hand: (4 ranks + 3 stat): 7
Spot (2 ranks + 0 stat): 2
Swim (2 ranks + 0 stat): 2
tumble (4 ranks + 3 stat): 7
[/sblock]

Feats and abilities: [sblock]
Sneak attack +1d6
trap finding
familiar (a black cat named Cid)
feat (human): point blank shot
feat (1st level): precise shot
Spells known (0): mage hand, ghost sound, message, open/close
Spells known (1): color spray, silent image [/sblock]
Cherish those who seek the truth, but beware of those who find it. (Voltaire)

Megamieuwsel

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« Reply #52 on: March 11, 2006, 03:51:47 AM »
First the stats for Ramirez , Rogue1/Fighter1:
As you can see : Going the Scout-way

Stats:[sblock]Str   : 16
Dex : 15
Con : 10
Int   : 14
Wis  : 10
Cha : 14[/sblock]
Skills:[sblock]Balance-4 ranks
Bluff-4ranks
Climb-4ranks
Disable Device-4ranks
Escape Artist-4ranks
Hide-4ranks
Knowledge Nature(woodlands)-4ranks
Listen-4ranks
Move Silently-4ranks
Search-4ranks
Spot-4ranks
Survival-4ranks
Tumble-5ranks
Use Rope-5ranks[/sblock]
Feats:[sblock]Sneak-attack : 1d6 (Rogue)
Alertness (1st level)
Ambidexterity (Human)
Two-Weapon Fighting(Fighter 1st-lvl)[/sblock]

Ottomsoh the Elderly

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« Reply #53 on: March 12, 2006, 01:21:14 PM »
Let's recapitulate:

Characters so far:
  • Megamieuwsel: Ramirez da Silva, human rogue/fighter
  • Mirth: ?, goblin cleric or paladin
  • Roudi: Julian Fairhair, human bard
  • Ottomsoh the Elderly: Ashen Leaves, goblin druid
  • willpax: Ferro da Silva, human rogue/sorcerer
  • Elidia: ?, human monk
  • the ultimate nullifier: Xamot the Strange, human fighter/wizard
Suggested character ties so far:
  • Mega's and willpax characters are brothers.
  • Roudi's character worked for them.
  • Elidia's character is a cousin to the da Silva brothers.
Since we have three exilees (four if Elidia's character is included) trying to hide in the Frontier, my own character's tie is obvious, the Silva bros used the services of Ashen Leaves to find a safe place to hide and to discover safe trails to nearby communities where various necessities can be found.

If Mirth's character's a goblin, he can be from the same tribe as Ashen Leaves, maybe even a friend or relative.
 

Guest (Deleted)

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« Reply #54 on: March 12, 2006, 02:33:12 PM »
Guys, once Enkindu starts a blog page for this I'm going to merge this thread into the comment thread for that blog - afterwards I'll apply the markers to this thread for Out of character as needed then close this forum.

Megamieuwsel

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« Reply #55 on: March 12, 2006, 04:25:52 PM »
Cool.

Now the following :
Will ; Don't you think it a tad unlikely , the twins' entire carreer-achievement took place , before their home was run over and nothing worth mentioning was achieved in the time between that "happening" and the start of the adventure?

Just a rough sketch , I had in mind:
Quote

Both , albeit for different reasons , practised their "Rogue"-skills , when still under the somewhat slacking supervision of their father.(Sometimes , it's a boon , not beying "the apple of daddies eye"...) ; Ferro to hide his innate magical nature and Ramirez out of a sense of "I'm not gonna be tha King , so might as well get me some Life-Experience and fun".
Ramirez , lacking his brother's magical incling , leaned more toward the physical parts of City-life , as well as spending some quality-time in the surrounding forrests.

When the Ancestral Castle fell to the hands of the Empire and Julian , their buddy on many a nightly "adventure" downtown , Managed to drag them out of it through a secret passage , he discovered some time ago(See : Nightly "adventures" downtown...) , both brothers decided the days of frolicking and fun were over. Were they to ever make a chance of regaining their ancestral heritage , they'd better make sure their skills would match their challenges.

For Ferro this came naturally ; Without the overbearing eye of the parents and their disapproval of "Untamed Arcana" he was free to unleash his innate powers , so long oppressed and develop them with the help of the few tomes , he managed to snatch from the castle'library , during their flight.

Ramirez , on the other hand , had no such "special gift" , which set him apart from his brother ; They were identical in appearnce 'till then : Slender ,not too tall and both gifted with the raven-black hair and ice-blue eyes , so typical for the Da Silva-family.
"Where the brain is lacking , the muscle must make good" and thus Ramirez , already the stronger of the two , came to find himself training swords and combat-techniques , when Ferro's "tricks" weren't enough.
His early-on interest for the woodlands and what lives in it , more than once saved them from a foe , stronger than even the meanest band of brigands ; Hunger&Thirst. The boy had developped a keen eye for what's edible and what's not from an early age.

And then there's Julian.
Good 'Ole Julian Fairhair , with his golden voice and unmatched knowledge of the old castles hidden pathways. A pal from early on , since he was about the same age as the twins , he was the one that sparked their innate curiousity for the weird and unknown. Not to mention , his voice more than once managed to get them a hot meal and a soft bed when they were wandering the lands since the occupation.

And then there's the odd nugget in this company ; Ashen Leaves.
As handsome(physically) the three lads from the Da Silva-castle are , as "out of place" this one looks. But looks are decieving ; The goblin may not meet the beaty-standards , humans set , he's got an inner beauty of his own.
The human lads better keep this in mind , for it's the little (even for the twins) goblin that offered them shelter in the wilds , when the Emperor's men were still combing the lands for survivors of the old houses.
It's during this time , Ramirez honed a few pieces of knowledge of the woodlands , he was interested in and Ferro found the inner peace to forge his mind into a lethal weapon , if so desired.

There are times ,however , the twins wonder about the relatives they lost out of sight , like their li'l cousin Elidia , who devoted her life to the Church. Would she have made it? Would the Emperor let her sancted status prevail over the more mundane (and frankly speaking : rather miniscule) threat of her claim to nobillity?


If you peeps could give a tad more info on what you want to have included about your characters , I could make a more cohesive total out of this.

el-remmen

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« Reply #56 on: March 12, 2006, 06:43:36 PM »
Are we assuming that we are starting with everyone having met already? Or will some of it happen in-game?

Just because some info about my PC would not be readily available until it was revealed later.

Oh, and he is called "Xamot the Strange"
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Ottomsoh the Elderly

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« Reply #57 on: March 12, 2006, 07:09:30 PM »
Seems fine to me, Megamiewsel, though I couldn't resist editting it a bit. :p

   Both Da Silva brothers, albeit for different reasons, practiced their roguish skills when still under the somewhat slacking supervision of their father; Ferro to hide his innate magical nature and Ramirez by sheer indulgence, knowing he could afford to be the family's black sheep since he wouldn't inherit the throne.

Ferro, the firstborn, was destined to be the next Lord and learned mostly the arts of managing a small kingdom and intriguing with other nobles. He was also naturally gifted for sorcery, to the dismay of the parents, afraid that their bloodline could have one day to end because of a superstitious mob -- a truly undignified end for an old ruling family!

Ramirez, with more time and freedom, got more physical excercizes. He sparred and fenced with the family's armsmaster, he climbed walls and trees, he played in the woods with young commoners (especially female ones, once he was old enough, for another kind of games), he joined his father in hunting parties, and so on. As a result, despite being the cadet, he was stronger than his big brother.

Except for this difference in musculature, they were identical in appearance: Slender, not too tall, and both gifted with the raven-black hair and ice-blue eyes, typical of the Da Silva family.

Both brothers enjoyed spending their nights with their old friend Julian Fairhair in the seedy places of the city. Julian played his instruments and sang in taverns and inns to make a little money by the side and to help the boisterous nobles wooing wenches and barmaids. Julian himself, being a castrati, saw these expeditions as a way to live by proxie what had been forever denied to him. When they were at the castle, Julian, being an apprentice bard, knew all sorts of tall tales and epic songs and constantly learned new ones. He knew a world that was bigger than life, richer, stranger, more beautiful; a world of heroes, monsters, desperate efforts, uncovered mysteries, and glorious rewards. A world that he shared with the young nobles, giving them a taste for the unknown and for audacity.

When the Ancestral Castle fell to the hands of the Empire, Julian managed to lead them through secret passages and dark, cramped alleys away from imperial troops. But after this disaster, the brothers knew their days of frolicking and fun were over. Were they to ever make a chance of regaining their ancestral heritage, they'd better make sure their skills would match their challenges.

For Ferro this came naturally once fred from the overbearing scrutiny of the parents and their disapproval of "Untamed Arcana." He was free to channel his long-repressed innate powers and experiment with them, developping them with the help of a few tomes he managed to snatch from the castle library during their flight.

Ramirez, on the other hand, lacking that "special gift," had to perfect his swordsmanship. "When the mind is lacking, it's up to the muscle", thought Ramirez, a choice that was natural for him as he had always been more athletic than his elder. He already knew how to fight fair, he learned to fight dirty as well -- and teached these tricks to his brother, as Ferro's own tricks were, afterall, less reliable as long as he would not master more his gift.

His early-on interest for the woodlands and what lives in it saved them more than once from foes stronger than even the meanest band of brigands: Hunger and Thirst. The boy had developped a keen eye for what's edible and what's not from an early age.

Julian still accompanied them. When the boys were in communities, between two expeditions in the relative safety of the forest, it was more often than not Julian's beautiful voice and charming words that managed to get the small team hot meals and warm beds.

It's on their way to a small village they found an unlikely friend astride a large grey wolf: a goblin named Ashen Leaves that proposed them to guide them through the woods and to find them safe havens hidden deeper in the forest than most men dare to go. Ashen Leaves wanted "a human face" to deal with the nearby communities without suffering too much from prejudice, while the humans needed a guide and safe shelter.

Ashen Leaves shown them a small grotto in the forest that was turned into a simple and functional home. Well camouflaged, near a spring and several wild fruit trees, it was perfect if a bit cramped when everybody was there.

Cinders, the goblin's wolf, often brought back meatier diner than the roots, nuts, and berries that could be gathered. "Like a cat offers dead mice to his master, my wolf brings me rabbits and partridges. And sometimes dead mice, too, when game becomes scarce."

During this time Ramirez honed a few pieces of knowledge of the woodlands he was interested in, and Ferro found the inner peace to forge his mind into a lethal weapon if so desired.

Alright. Now, TUN, Elidia, and Mirth, your ideas to bring your characters in the Great Scheme of Things?


Quote from: the ultimate nullifier
Are we assuming that we are starting with everyone having met already? Or will some of it happen in-game?

Just because some info about my PC would not be readily available until it was revealed later.

Oh, and he is called "Xamot the Strange"


As far as I have understood it, we've all already met.
 

willpax

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« Reply #58 on: March 12, 2006, 07:30:47 PM »
I like what's been written so far; I will probably tweak my skill choices to show more training in nobility and stewardship (but not too much--Ferro wasn't the best student for such things).

Thanks for the write ups, M and Ottomsoh.
Cherish those who seek the truth, but beware of those who find it. (Voltaire)

el-remmen

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« Reply #59 on: March 12, 2006, 07:50:57 PM »
I was thinking I could be linked up with both Elidia's character and the noble brothers.

What if Xamot (real name unknown) was the slightly deformed son of a servant in the Da Silva household (he has that scaley purple discoloration on one side of his face and neck - don't know what that is called) and because of superstition (or prejudice or both) he was sent off as an infant to a monastary - and his mother was nursing maid for the one of the noble brothers (depending on which is closer to his age) - perhaps she acted as a kind of surrogate mother to one or both of them as they grew up - and when the house fell she begged them to seek out her son, just to make sure he was okay and had grown up alright.

I am imagining this monastary as being a secluded place on the border of the frontier - so if that doesn't work we can change it.

In the meantime, the boy (my character) had fled the monastary seeking his own path to enlightenment (perhaps he left with a traveling wizard acting as his page and apprentice).  However, a few years later he returned having broken from his master and being down on his luck and not very successful at his attempts to help people (esp. b/c of his awkward and sometimes abrasive ways - i.e. low charisma) and so nearly starving he came back to the monastary where Eledia's character who was his only real friend snuck him food and the like.

When the others arrive at the monastary, the monks in charge would have claimed that he long ago left, but Eledia's character could have informed the other PCs of the truth and led them to Xamot's hiding spot.

I am just throwing ideas out there.
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