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Eberron: Age of Worms (Pathfinder) - Full

Started by TheKhan, February 10, 2012, 01:02:01 PM

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TheKhan

Eberron: Age of Worms


Home is where the heart is. Whoever said that clearly didn't come from Diamond Lake. Perched on the edge of the Whisper Woods, sludge from the copper, iron and tin mines now fills the lake after 102 years of war, an excellent metaphor for the corruption of this place's soul. Almost all of the thousand strong members of this community wish to leave, but do not have the wealth to do so. So when a letter comes,  addressed to you by the local sage, Allustan, asking you to meet him at the abandoned mine overseer's office, an hour out of town, for a proposal that could lead to the discovery of lost treasure within the cairns of the woods, you jump at it. Anything to escape this wretched hive...

PC 1: Garrett Cartwright - Human Fighter- Shihong
PC 2: Osara Achærruš - Elf Sorcerer - Brandon
PC 3: Acanthus Hollyhock - Half-Elf Witch - Katina Tarask
PC 4: Corina Brightsmith - Human Cleric - Muse
PC 5:
PC 6:

Character Selections: I will take 5 to 6 characters on a modified first-come-first-served basis. The way I'm going to pick is by looking at the role each character fills. This campaign was designed assuming that party undertaking it is fairly balanced. I will only take characters with a completed character sheet and background, although I suggest you hold off on backgrounds until we know which area the adventure begins in. If I feel that a submitted character is not a good fit for the other characters in the party either in their role or in their background I will say so and why. You are free to modify an existing character for resubmission or create a new character until the adventure begins.

System: Pathfinder
Experience: 200 EXP (level 1)
Gold: 300 Galifers (GP)
Piazo books: All Pathfinder
WotC books: All Eberron. Tome of Magic and the 3.5 splat books, Draconimacon, Liber Mortis, Lords of Madness, Fiendish Codexes, Heroes of Horror & Battle and Spell Compendium. Anything included in Keith Baker's Dragonshards are also fair game. Other 3.5 will be considered provisionally, but there's just so much of it.
3rd Party books: Dreamscarred Press' Psionics Unleased and Psionics Expanded.
Classes: No Gunslinger. Any other Pathfinder classes are okay (including Psionics). The  Binder, Shadowcaster and Truenamer from Tome of magic are also allowed.
Races: Core (human, dwarf, elf, gnome, half-elf, half-orc, halfling), Eberron (changeling, kalashtar, shifter, warforged), goblin, hobgoblin, kobold, kenku. See house rules for racial updates to Pathfinder for non-core races.
Alignment: Non-Evil, Good preferred
Build: 25 point buy

House Rules:

Goblins and Hobgoblins: While the Dhakaani have not ruled for millennia, their martial culture has left an indelible imprint upon all goblinoids of Khorvaire. These races treat regular and heavy flails a simple weapons. Goblins change their racial modifiers to -2 Str, +4 Dex.

Kobolds: Change racial adjustments to -2 Str, +2 Dex, +2 Int

Changelings and Kalashtar: These races gain +2 to one ability score of the player's choice at character creation.

Shifters: Shifters have the following changes-

+2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom, –2 Charisma: Shifters are agile and perceptive, but also bestial.

Shifting (Su): A shifter can tap into his lycanthropic heritage to gain short bursts of physical power. Each shifter has one of ten shifter traits—characteristics that manifest themselves when a character is shifting. Each shifter trait typically provides a +2 bonus to one of the character’s physical ability scores (Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution) and grants some other advantage as well. Shifter traits are described in the following section.

Shifting is a free action and can last for a number of rounds equal to 4 + the shifter’s Constitution modifier. Temporary increases to Constitution such as those gained from bear's endurance do not increase the total number of rounds that a shifter can maintain shifting per day. A shifter can take feats to improve this ability. These shifter feats are described in Eberron Campaign Setting and Races of Eberron.

Every shifter feat a character takes increases the duration of his shifting by 2 rounds. So, a character with two shifter feats can shift for a number of rounds equal to 8 (instead of 4) + the shifter’s Con modifier.

Shifting, though related to and developed from lycanthropy, is neither an affliction nor a curse. It is not passed on by bite or claw attacks, and a shifter can’t be cured—shifting is a natural ability for the race.

Shifter traits themselves remain unchanged.

Warforged:
Ability modifiers become +2 Con, +2 Int, -2 Wis. Warforged are tough and swift learners,  but their quick maturation often means they lack common sense.

Initiative: I use a version of initiative where everyone roles Init, but then the first person to post each round acts at the highest Init rolled, the second at the next highest and so on. I find this speeds up combat considerably.

Shadowcaster:
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=110616&highlight=Pathfinder+Shadowcaster+%5BP.E.A.C.H.%5D

Truenamer:
http://paizo.com/paizo/messageboards/paizoPublishing/pathfinder/pathfinderRPG/conversions/pathfinderTruenamer&page=1

Additionally, the DC for speaking a creature's Truename is equal to 15+creature's CR+creature's Cha modifier

Ershin

Just thought I'd express interest in this, especially due to the mention of both Psionics being a thing which is permitted and the Eberron setting (which I'm admittedly a little rusty on, so research is currently ongoing to make an adequate background). As you're asking those interested in where they'd like to start, may I put a vote down for Aundair?

Katina Tarask

Interested, though I'd have to see the details.  My vote is for not-Shadow Marches.

Callie Del Noire


TheKhan

#4
I can certainly provide more details, although I cannot give exact background information until I know which region we will begin in. If you. Want some vague info, you can look it up in the Age of Worms Overloaded document.

info moved to the first post

Brandon

#5
Im also very interested in the game. Age of worms is one of those that Ive never had the pleasure to play

Ill have to hold off on any detailed character ideas till I know more about the setting. I am a complete Ebberon newb, only knowing about the Eldeen reaches so anything could be fine. Im thinking of a sorcerer with high social skills might be in order
Brandon: What makes him tick? - My on's and off's - My open games thread - My Away Thread
Limits: I do not, under any circumstances play out scenes involving M/M, non-con, or toilet play

TheKhan

#6
That's okay Brandon. There will be options for more cloistered individuals that have less worldly knowledge so you don't have to bone up on everything.

Given the general preferences and familiarity, I'm going to go with Aundair as our starting point. You will begin in the town of Diamond Lake, north of Fairhaven on the edge of the Whispering Woods. More details to come in the morning.

Callie Del Noire

considering a human mage type from Sharn.. but I'm too bushed to do one up right now.

Muse

*Bows*  Well again, Khan.  :) 

I would be very excited to participate in this game if you'll have me.  :)

I have a number of concept's I could put forwards.  Could you please give me an idea of which of these would be most desirable? 

(Oh, and will you be bringing in the Artificer?) 

Arslan (CG Shifter Male Wilder 2)
--Arslan is born to a clan of shifter's--most of them with the Cliffwalk ability--who lived in high mountains for most of their history.  Immigrating to Sharn over a century ago, they found that they had a better head for heights than even the denizens of the City of Towers.  They gained reliable--though rarely gainful--employment crafting and maintaining the highest towers in the city. 
--A burly man with psionic abilties as well as shifting, Arslan was born without the Cliffwalk gift, but instead discovered that his ability to survive falls--and other forms of damage--was augmented by his phrenic gifts.  Where his father's generation had gone to war if they wished for a more prosperous life, he determined to make his fortune as an adventurer.  After saving for several years, he purchased a chain shirt, a crossbow, and a variety of climber's tools, with which he set out in search of adventure.  More an extreme explorer than a combatant, Arlsan is equaly able as a sniper and a knfie fighter, who grows truly devastating when shifting.  Slowly he is developing his phrenic abilities towards the day when they will be a true danger to his foes. 

Corina ap'Orien:  (Human Female cleric of Dol'Arrah): 
--A dragonmarked member of the House of Passage, Corina used to serve her house as a messenger, using Dol'arrah's gifts to deliver messages into perilous places.  In recent years, she has had a falling out with her house as it's polotics threatened to alienate her from her goddess, and she now seeks to do Dol'arrah's work as a sort of knight-errant for the church. 

Bishop or Rook:  I would gladly bring either of these warforged fighters to the table.  Bishop is a sniper, Rook a front line type with a bastard sword.  They're both rather cheerful by the standards of their newborn race. 

I'm not sure what his name is but my last concept is also a WAr Forged, this one an artificer with a fighter level.  All three war forged concepts gained their first levels at the end fo the Last War. 
A link for all of us who ever had a shouting match with our muse: http://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius.html

How to set this Muse ablaze (O/Os)

When the little angel won't appear no matter how many plum blossoms you swirl:  https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=135346.msg16474321#msg16474321 (Major update 5/10/2023)

TheKhan

#9
Everyone: just a heads up while I finish fleshing out he background... Diamond Lake is real small town Aundair, and a mining town too bout. It is unlikelt foreigners or adventures would be there without good reason. Now, we can come up with those reasons, but I want to make everyone alive to the fact you will most likely be playing villagers trying to find find their fortune to get out of the town.

Muse: Corina would be a good fit, a wandering cleric is exactly the type to end up in Diamond Lake.

I would like to bring in the Artificer somehow, but I's still debating how is best. I'm thinking of just replacing craft reserve with the alchemist's bombs.

Muse

Quote from: TheKhan on February 11, 2012, 07:01:54 AM
Muse: Corina would be a good fit, a wandering cleric is exactly the type to end up in Diamond Lake.

I would like to bring in the Artificer somehow, but I's still debating how is best. I'm thinking of just replacing craft reserve with the alchemist's bombs.

That would be awesome!  I'll try to make you one of each.  ;)  (As in, Cornia and an artificer.) 
A link for all of us who ever had a shouting match with our muse: http://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius.html

How to set this Muse ablaze (O/Os)

When the little angel won't appear no matter how many plum blossoms you swirl:  https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=135346.msg16474321#msg16474321 (Major update 5/10/2023)

TheKhan

#11
Everyone: I've updated my initial post with the plot hook and the mechanical details. If you want to get started with your characters, feel free, although I do have a few more updates still coming later today to flesh out diamond lake a little bit more.

Muse: Sounds good. I'd definately focus on Corina though. You need a cleric in this adventure path. You don't need an artificer.

Edit: Here is a map of Diamond Lake.

Crovonovin

Color me interested!  I've whipped up a character for your perusal.  Let me know if I've left anything out!

[Garrett Cartwright] - Ranged Fighter

TheKhan

Awesome looking character Shihong! Garrett will be great to take along.

Muse

Name: Corina Brightsmith
Alingment: LG
Class: Cleric
Race: Human

History:  It's been four generations since the Brightsmith family has had silver to work. 

14 +2   Strength
10 +0   Dexterity
14 +2   Constitution
10 +0   Intelegence
16 +3   Wisdom
16 +3   Charisma

HP   13

AC   15   (Scale +5)

+4   Fortitude
+0   Reflex
+5   Will

+0 Base Attack
+2 Melee
+0 Ranged
+2 CMB
12 CMD

Dagger
d4+2   Damage
19-20X2   Critical
10'   Range

Gauntlets
d3+2   Damage
20X2   Critical

Halberd
d10+3   Damage
   Critical

Class Abilities: 
Channel Energy 1d6 6/day
Domains: Sun, Tactics
Sieze Initiative 6/day (Tactics Domain)

Feats: 
Exclusive Channeling
Toughness

Skills: 
Diplomacy   1 +3 +3 +0 +0   =d20+7
Heal      1 +3 +3 +2 +0   =d20+9   Healer's Kit Charges 10
K. Religion   1 +3 +0   +0 +0   =d20+4
Sense Motive   1 +3 +3 +0 +0   =d20+7

Spells:
--Concentration d20+6
Orisons (DC 13)
--Create Water
--Guidance
--Light

1st Level (DC 14)
--Divine Favor
D. Endure Elements
--Shield of Faith

Talents: 
Focused Mind: +2 Concentration Checks
Midwife's Granaughter: +2 to Heal Tests, begin play with a free Healer's Kit. 

?   Armor
25   Holy Symbol, Silver
?   Weapons
A link for all of us who ever had a shouting match with our muse: http://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius.html

How to set this Muse ablaze (O/Os)

When the little angel won't appear no matter how many plum blossoms you swirl:  https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=135346.msg16474321#msg16474321 (Major update 5/10/2023)

Katina Tarask

I have a smithy witch in the works, though is there any chance I could talk you into making this gestalt?  Tends to make characters more mechanically interesting.

TheKhan

I'm afraid not, as the adventure path is in no way balanced for a gestalt campaign. I do, however, have a Harry Potter based gestalt campaign that I may run in the future if you are interested.

Katina Tarask

Gestalt actually doesn't destroy balance like you might think, but as you wish.  Though... I don't believe I'd care to see the Harry Potter campaign.

Ershin

#18
I wonder if people would be weirded out if I requested to play a feminine Warforged Psion (A sheet for which is in the works over here, just needs some fine tuning and equipment).  A background story is being formulated inside my head as we speak. As House Cannith has a presence in Aundair, perhaps it was forged locally, near the end of the war, and as such has yet to see any actual combat? Not worked out why it has a feminine chasis though, unless it requested to be remodelled after the war.

TheKhan

Experimentation? Special request of patron who was later killed? Model of a lost love one? Living idol of female Saint or Hero? The list goes on.

My bigger question is... Why is she a psion?

Ershin

That's the easy part. Her creator believed the mind and the soul to be connected, and when news began to spread of Warforged throwing away their destiny and becoming autonomous weapons and gaining personalities of their own, he thought to utilise this new sense of self that might be described by some to be a soul to try and prove what he believed to be correct. Antikythera is built in such a way that when her peronality  or soul asserted itself, so too did psionic abilities, abilities he believed to be the greatest display of mental prowess.

TheKhan

A wee bit more information to help you folks out with your backgrounds...

Features & Folks of Diamond Lake

Personalities

Governor-Mayor Lanord ir'Neff: Lecherous and philanderous, the Governor-Mayor has held power for some time and has no intent of giving it up to the mining managers. Having been appointed to his rank by virtue of his heritage and a lack of other alternatives of a suitable age, the Governor-Mayor is lord over all lands within three kilometers of the Whispering Wood's southern borders. He does not possess his brother's wisdom, but he is darkly cunning, allowing him to do what he wants, when he wants.

Allustan: The local magewright, Allustan is Governor ir'Neff's brother. While far more honest and honourable that his older sibling, Allustan was apprenticed at Arcanix, served in the war and it has always be rumoured that his powers were far beyond that of an ordinary sage. This has given Lanord Neff the stability he needs to maintain power, as no one dares move against one brother while the other draws breath.

Balaber Smenk: The new economic power in the town, Smenk is close to few and liked by even fewer. For the last ten years, he has driven his competitors out of business, then bought up their mines. He has even gone so far to devalue land near farms where he suspects there are metal deposits, driving the traditional Aundair staples into the ground before acquiring their assets and stripping the fertile land bare. By forcing anyone who opposes him into bankruptcy then offering to buy whatever's left for mere crowns to the galifer.

Chaum Gansworth: The most pragmatic of the mine managers, Gansworth has sided with no one in the battle for Diamond Lake's economy, despite his love of gold and ongoing relationship with Luzane Parrin.

Ellival Moonson: Somewhat mockingly called "The Prince" behind his back, Ellival is minor noble from Valenar who has invested heavily in the mines that surround the town. His motives, as well as his reasons for leaving his people's newly claimed kingdom, remain obscure, although a few of his kinsmen did accompany him on his journey north.

Glech ir'Tilgast: Once the dominant manager of Diamond Lake, Tilgast has steadily lost ground over the years to Smenk. He now uses what remains of his fortunes to fund an alliance of minor managers to try and take back economic control of the town.

Luzane Parrin: Parrin's mother was one of the first mine managers of Diamond Lake and they are a proud and well respected family around the town. As of late, however, they have fallen on hard times and their mines are struggling. She has been in a relationship with fellow manager Gansworth since the formal end of the war and she and Glech Tilgast are struggling to find a way to break Smenk's economic stranglehold on the town.

Ragnoulin ir'Dourstone: The Dwarven mine manager is perpetually bitter, and no one is under any illusions why.  His family's mines lie deep within what is now the Eldeen Reaches. Although he is the only manager who really challenges Smenk's dominance of Diamond Lake, he will tell anyone who will listen about he lost his fortunes to the traitors and how there is nothing he wouldn't do to regain is glory. No one doubts it, Dourstone easily matches Smenk in matters of duplicity.

Sheriff Cubbin: Perhaps the person who singly represents the decay of Diamond Lake the most, Cubbin's reputation for corruption, deceit and treachery is so widely know that appointment to sheriff last year was widely assumed to be prank on the Governor-Mayor's behalf until Cubbin started arresting people, often brutally.

Tolliver Trask: An aged veteran of the Last War, Captain Trask is the commander of the local garrison. He cares little of the politics of the town and encourages his men to keep out of the local businesses. His concern is ensuring that raiders from the Eldeen do not reach the town and while he is honest, little else matters to him.

Taskar d'Jorasco: Taskar maintains the largest Dragonmarked enclave in Diamond Lake, a house of healing. While his primary business is in healing injured miners, he also sees fairly brisk income from explorers who take unwise risks in the forests or the ruins contained within.

Tidwoad d'Kundarak and Lylanna Lyrriman d'Sivis: These two occupy the same building, the local bank. Staffed mostly by Sivis Gnomes but owned by House Kundarak, Tidwoad uses his dragonmark to ward the stored goods, while Lylanna uses hers to operate the speaking stone. The two could not be more different in personality, as the former is dour and solemn, while the latter will engage everyone in conversation as long as possible.

Churches

Chapel of Dol Arrah: While tiny and sequestered in the Diamond Lake garrison, Valkus Dun has done something amazing with his chapel to the sovereign of sunlight. Aside from the recently completed fresco of Dol Arrah in battle with The Mockery, he inspires the soldiers with a sense of responsibility and duty to the families and people of the town, while urging everyone to stand up to disreputable elements within the community (that is, almost all of them). It has created a great deal of tension with captain Trask, who wishes his men to only concern themselves with ensuring that no raiders sneak by them. While most of the town are lay-Vassals, who worship all of the Sovereigns, Dun himself is a Disciple of Dol Arrah, and worships only her. He is, however, respectful of the other Sovereigns, and will aid any of their followers who ask it of him.

Church of the Silver Flame: The largest formal religious group within the town, Diamond Lake's branch of the Church of the Silver Flame is decidedly Puritan in nature. Unlike some of the darker preachers in Aundair, Jierain Wierus does not single out anyone particular group, but claims that darkness is within the souls of all men and women and that constant vigilance, as well as penance, is required to keep it at bay. He leads his rapidly growing church in weekly flagellations, using his charismatic firebrand personality to preach honest, common sense and self-sacrifice. Of course, his detractors say that he also manipulates their fears, but he has always kept his congregation on the right side of the law, even if their practices raise eyebrows among the folk dedicated to the Sovereigns. 

Cult of the Restful Watch: A strange, but useful following, the Restful Watch reveres a fairly benign interpretation of Aureon and the Keeper. They believe that the two gods both protect powerful secrets and snatch snatch worthy souls away before they can be consumed by Dolurrh. Most of the town is leery about the green robed men and women's open worship of one of the Dark Six, however they tolerate it as the Restful Watch prevented lone Karrnathi agents from raising a battalion of undead from within the Boneyard more than once during the Last War.


Organizations

Ashbound: Diamond Lake has been plagued by a very small sect of Ashbound ever since the mines were opened. These druids and rangers typically use non-violent forms of protest and sabotage to waylay the community, but armed conflicts have been known to happen when the villagers become frustrated enough. Curiously, this sect does not care much for the damage being done to the forest by arcane magic, but by industry, and see the Mourning as a violent reaction to pollution by Eberron herself, much akin to anaphylactic shock.

Bronzewood Lodge: Not every druid joined the Wardens of the Woods in their secession from Aundair. While their ways are dying, a circle of Greensingers still tend the stone menhirs to the north of town, as well as a traveler's lodge about a kilometer out of town and a distant grove enigmatically called the Twilight Monastery. The head adept, Nogweir, is struggling to keep his three dozen lodgemember's focus on maintaining their traditional ways rather than joining the Ashbound in their rebellion.

Cyrian Refugees: Refugees of the Mourning are few this deep into the Aundairian heartland, however, over the past few months, more and more have been passing through. Some were resupplying, some looking for work and a few even have contracts for the mine managers bearing the seal of the Queen. According to rumors, she has begun a new initiative to create an autonomous home of the Cyrians at Desolate, in the Demon Wastes, which has already gained the new moniker of Redhand. These contractors have come looking for raw supplies to support their new home.

TheKhan

Quote from: Ershin on February 11, 2012, 08:07:11 PM
That's the easy part. Her creator believed the mind and the soul to be connected, and when news began to spread of Warforged throwing away their destiny and becoming autonomous weapons and gaining personalities of their own, he thought to utilise this new sense of self that might be described by some to be a soul to try and prove what he believed to be correct. Antikythera is built in such a way that when her peronality  or soul asserted itself, so too did psionic abilities, abilities he believed to be the greatest display of mental prowess.

Excellent. Let me know once you've finished fleshing everything out so I can take a look.

Crovonovin

Thanks for the info, Khan!

I just have a quick question as it pertains to Garrett.  I assume that, as a member of the Town Watch/Guard, he would be answering to Sheriff Cubbin rather than being stationed at the Garrison.  Is that correct?

TheKhan

#24
Quote from: Shihong on February 11, 2012, 09:56:18 PM
Thanks for the info, Khan!

I just have a quick question as it pertains to Garrett.  I assume that, as a member of the Town Watch/Guard, he would be answering to Sheriff Cubbin rather than being stationed at the Garrison.  Is that correct?

Bingo. He'd also be welcome among the Bronzewood Lodge, albeit grudgingly, since he worships Balinor.

I think you also need to put in Garrett's skill points.

Edit: Althought Garrett's likely the only watchman who hasn't been dishonourably discharged or drummed out of the Watch in Fairhaven or another large city.