[Pathfinder RPG - Dragonlance] Dawn of the Gods (looking for players)

[Andi]

Character creation: Contact me if you are interested. I will send you 3 sets of statistics. Pick one set, generate a character, level 1, only Dragonlance races permitted (this means, in particular, no orc-kin. Contact me for information on Kender). I personally recommend using PCGen, but anything that results in a usefully formatted, accessible character sheet is acceptable.

Some world information: http://www.dlnexus.com/lexicon/14235.aspx
Note that the PCs are not aware of most of this - Knowledge(History) or similar skills might justify some knowledge of the Third Dragonwar, the Rise of Istar and its consequences, but the machinations of the Gods are completely off-limits to PCs.

*writing sample*

“Damn idiots...” Corien lifted the visor of his armor up and gazed out over the battlefield. To say it was a massacre would be an understatement - the men of the duchal army had run straight into the teeth of a magical storm summoned to defend this keep. He had tried to warn them, but the order came from higher than him - take the keep, today. It would go uncompleted.

He lowered his visor again and gestured to his squad - ten mounted infantrists, armed similarly to him. “Keep weapons sheathed, keep the white flag raised, and hope they do not have plans for the wounded,” he rumbled as he kicked his own mount - an old gelding with enough battlefield experience and to make three or four of the lametta-bearers - into a trot. “Let's go rescue who we can, and then figure out how to extract ourselves from this contract. I signed up for a war, not for gross stupidity.”

Several hours later, they returned. Most of the army was scattered, but at least some of the casualties could be saved. One of the lametta-bearers - some rosy knight or another, Corien supposed - was already waiting for him. “Ah, the coward returns. I am glad to see at least you found the courage to rescue the men who got injured due to your failure.” Under his helmet, Corien bared his teeth. He could feel his gelding tense under him, and he was fairly certain most of his soldiers were not any happier than he was. “Be glad the Prince decided to dismiss you, rather than bring you up on charges. Your pay will be kept to pay your fine. You have three days to leave our lands, and never return.”

Corien's answer was to carefully remove the tabard with his employers colors, reach behind him to wipe his horse's ass with it, then dump it unceremoniously on the ground in front of the man. “That for your lands and your war. I was hired with promises of competence, not childish tantrums,” he snarled. “Three days, eh? Thanks to this misguided charge, all I need is three minutes.” His squad had crossed borders and started the journey to the nearest port in less than that time.

“So, now, Cap'n?” Fenald asked that evening, as they made camp, a day's worth of travel completed in four hours. “For what it's worth, the men agree with ya - but we got no supplies, precious little gold, an' I got not clue where we are.”

Corien grunted. “Won't need gold out here in the middle of nowhere. Can't eat it, can't drink it, can't burn it, and there ain't noone selling shit in miles. This was a border keep, not protecting a city. Normally, I'd go for the supply train of that pompous ass, but the one suggestion he took was to put it under heavy guard.” He made a face. “We need to get somewhere where a squad of heavy, mounted infantry can be hired. For preference for a competent marshal this time.”

Fenald nodded. “Problem is getting there, then finding a new contract, Cap'n. You got a map of the area?”

“One step ahead of you, Sarge.” Corien unfolded a large piece of vellum. “Not sure how good the mapmaker was, but it's what we got. According to this, it's three days to the nearest city. Restglen - never heard of the place before. At least it's got a harbor, so if all else fails, we can sign up as guards for some merchant again. It pays the bills, if nothing else.”

They found no work in Restglen - but passage to Caergoth, serving as oarsmen. It was not the first time Corien and his men had traded their armor for the oars to pay for travels...

[Kate]

send me the set of statistics i am interested

[Mnemaxa]

I recall that magic was strictly controlled and delegated to specific orders based on the moons in Dragonlance.  Do you plan on implementing that or assigning various schooled wizards to particular robes depending on their choices for schools (evokers, conjurors under red, diviners, illusionists for white, necromancers and transmuters for black, etc.)?  I am interested, but your blurb doesn't give a good idea of what classes you'd prefer, etc.

[Andi]

I currently have no strong class preferences. I am aiming for four to six players, and I currently have a fighter (sword+shield) set.
Yes, magic /will/ be highly regulated. Specialists will not be assigned to robe colors (although certain specialists tend to thrive more among certain orders). The order specialties are:

White - Abjuration, Divination
Red - Illusion, Transmutation
Black - Enchantment, Necromancy
Unaligned - Conjuration, Evocation

[Calista Jade]

A Pathfinder game with Dragonlance characters? Or am I missing something?

[Kate]

i am sooooooo black

[Andi]

Wrong way 'round, Calista. Set on Krynn, but using PFRPG, not D&D3.5.

[Calista Jade]

So... why not using Dragonlance books? I'm just curious, I've ran a DL campaign for three years using them, and it was a breeze.

[Andi]

*grins* Who wants to replay the same events with the same characters (though given the nature of this web site, a slightly more sexy slant to things?) Much more fun to see how the creations of your own imagination do in the world... this is a Krynn on the verge of the War of the Lance, with the Innfellows removed...

[Calista Jade]

My campaign was set like.. 500 years before the War of the Lance, wasnt an issue ;) But I mean... the rulebooks, they dont include the canon characters much. Granted, I'm a sucker for Pathfinder, but you're asking for an exercise of adapting DL classes to PF rules, which is the only thing stopping me from saying "Oh hell yeah!" right away.

[Andi]

The adaptations of the classes should be minimal. If my memory serves, the only new base class is the Noble, to replace the Bard (which due to absence of ambient magic at that point in-universe does not exist). Prestige classes are not likely to be an issue for at least five levels - enough time for all of us to get to know each other and work something out if needed.

And yes, checking the DL campaign setting (3.5/d20 edition), the only new base class of interest in that era (mystic also requires ambient magic) is the Noble. That looks like an easy conversion.

[Thorne]

My solution to issues of conversion would be simply not to choose a class that requires conversion.

To elaborate on that a little... the issue of using Pathfinder doesn't seem like too big a deal - most of the base classes are already converted, after all, and no one is forcing anyone to use the class - or classes - that have not been converted.
I myself will be looking at converting a PrC eventually, and I honestly do not expect it to be a big deal.

Perhaps I am missing something?

[Kate]

i just wanna know what sort of sorceress can be the most perveted kind possible.

[Calista Jade]

Pathfinder has REALLY awesome sorcerers. I love the bloodlines. In Dragonlance, if you're a sorcerer, you're a renegade. A freak of nature. Hunted. That alone... anyway. Also, in Pathfinder, you lose most of your skill points, and feats are different. Races work differently too. Maybe I'm just lazy lol

[Andi]

In Dragonlance, if you're a sorcerer, you are a Dragon. Period. No exceptions. Not until the Chaos Wars, at least, and I wouldn't touch fifth age with a standard issue 10' Venetian gondola pole.

[rancorius]

I haven't tried pathfinder yet but I'm always to learn a new system and play

[Thorne]

Every system has its pros and cons, though - and every setting has its disadvantages.
I have played a sorceress in Dragonlance - makes for interesting, and very /tense/ RP (and the more so when she got summoned to the Tower for her Test. Whoops...). Fun times. ^^
I can't blame you for not wanting to deal with the conversions - I am not really looking forward to the PrC conversion I will eventually have to do. But I am hoping the RP and the good company will make up for it.


Erm. Kate. You /are/ aware that magic-users in Krynn /are/ subject to some fairly stringent requirements and restrictions...? Eventually taking and (hopefully) passing the Test of High Sorcery, for example..? Perverted wizards ... or sorceresses, for that matter, are fun, but ... it might be not the kind of 'interesting times' you had in mind?

[Andi]

Rancorius: Pathfinder SRD is at http://www.d20pfsrd.com/ among other places. If you're familiar with D&D3.5, you'll feel right at home.

[rancorius]

send me the set of statistics i am interested

[Calista Jade]

Ewww, Fifth Age... *shudders*

Anyway, I sent you the books, just let me know... If you're deadset on using Pathfinder, I will likely not join.

[Brandon]

If youre using pathfinder I am dead set on joining although I dont know a thing about Dragonlance. By the time I was playing D&D seriously and could afford books of my own Dragonlance was already declining in popularity due to Forgotten realms and Planescape

That said, I would like to get some world info but Im thinking Ild also like to play just a straight fighter. Probably just an ex soldier for the kingdom, nothing really special

[Andi]

I should point out that at present, I have one fighter "set" (sword+shield/mounted), and an offer for either a fighter or barbarian, and a black wizard. There are considerable holes left in the lineup, but heavy weapon-wielders are not on the list.

[Brandon]

How about you explain these sets to me first? Im starting to think that these are premade characters which I have a problem with because it takes away from the customization of the game and the characters that players make

[Andi]

The "set" character is played by my wife - obviously, I am not going to tell her she can't play. Thus, if I am planning on running a game for 4 to 6 player characters, one of the slots for a fighter type is taken up.

[Brandon]

Ah ok I misunderstood then. Thats fine.

Edit: I still need world info though. If I absolutely cant get the fighter position then Ill probably go cleric, my favorite class

[Calista Jade]

*spanks Brandon while waiting for the answer* ;)

[Thorne]

*offers Calista her choice of suitable paddles* ^.~

'Current' world info in a nutshell: 300 years ago, one man tried to force the Gods to make /him/ a God. They said the holy equivalent of 'Bad Mortal! No cookie!' and dropped a mountain on him. While they were at it, they also removed divine magic, and took their faithful followers to safety. So, while there /are/ people who claim to be clerics, divine healing and other such miracles have been lost for a VERY long time, and healers are using herbs and bandages to do their work - all the while quietly cussing the Gods.
No one; not the humans, not the elves, not the dwarves - or gnomes, kender or anybody /else/ - has any divine healing anymore, and they're all pretty much blaming each other for losing it. Krynn is war-torn, and kind of miserable at present time.
In short, any class that would usually have divine magic (clerics, paladins, druids, bards) would not have it until the return of the Gods.

If I recall rightly, available races include humans, elves (Qualinesti, Silvanesti... Kagonesti?), half elves, dwarves (hill), gnomes (tinker), and ...*cough*kender*cough*. I think half ogres and minotaur are also technically available, but don't quote me on that. >.>

Did I miss any?

[Brandon]

I know Krynn was created before the idea of Philosopher clerics entered D&D but my question is would they also be applied to the lack of divine spellcasting power?

[Andi]

Races: I think Thorne has it covered. Technically, half-kender are also possible.
Classes: Clerics, sorcerers and bards do not exist at all. In the case of Clerics, the Gods are withholding their power. Note that that does not mean people do not claim to speak for the gods, or might even wear the trappings of the class - but noone, for three hundred years, has been known to perform the miracles the priesthood was known for, and in fact, even the names of the old gods have mostly been forgotten. In Caergoth, and most of Solamnia, at least some lip service is still paid to the Kingfisher (Habbakuk, god of persistence, the good god of nature), Kiri-Jolith (the good god of battle, specifically, justice, heroism and courage) and Paladine, the lord of the good gods, but that is mostly due to the strong chivalric tradition of the area and much of the original liturgy has been lost. Again, no divine magic has been granted to mortals for centuries.
As for clerics of philosophies, on Krynn, even those are granted power by the gods - or possibly, by one specific god (the nameless High God) - and they also have lost access to their mysteries. The divine blackout is absolute.

[Brandon]

Three hundred years and the gods still have influence in the world? That seems at best far fetched to me. I dunno, I think Im gonna step out. The game seems like its been gutted for no good reason lacking divine spellcasters of any kind and bards and sorcerers. I normally support all pathfinder games but this just doesnt seem like Pathfinder to me with so much stuff cut out

Good luck with the game

[Callie Del Noire]

Was interested at the Pathfinder bit.. then nearly ran screaming at the Kyrnn thing..

Dragon's of Dreams killed DL for me.

[Thorne]

In theory, one of the things the group will be looking into is regaining faith in the Gods, and regaining their gift of divine healing. Or something like that. >.>

Pre-War of the Lance. *nodnodnod*

[Brandon]

but after 300 years Divine power is just going to be a myth as well as the gods themselves. I could see 20, 50, maybe even 100 years but 300 just is to large of a time span to me

[Andi]

Precisely. Divine power is a myth.

[Andi]

Dragons of Dreams is what? I personally have not been following Krynn since Legends - the Fifth Age collectible card game and the Age of Mortals are not something I was or am terribly interested in. Yes, I know, I need to get with the times... that's why I'm playing Pathfinder and not 4e ;)

[Callie Del Noire]

Dragons of Dreams is what? I personally have not been following Krynn since Legends - the Fifth Age collectible card game and the Age of Mortals are not something I was or am terribly interested in. Yes, I know, I need to get with the times... that's why I'm playing Pathfinder and not 4e ;)

It was like the fifth Dragon Lance module. Damn near killed me to run it.. MULTIBLE dream versions of the players.. majorly hectic

[Andi]

Ah, THAT. Yes, I remember this. I was 13 or 14 when I tried to run that one...

[Callie Del Noire]

Ah, THAT. Yes, I remember this. I was 13 or 14 when I tried to run that one...

I was a bit older.. we (the group) set fire to it when we were done and I was banned from doing anymore DL modules.

[Andi]

A fitting fate for THAT module. I disapprove of the burning of books as a matter of principle, but that one tempts me to make an exception.

[Thorne]

For the record - this is my contribution:

Lorraine 'Raine' Flamewarden.
Solamnian drifter

Class: Fighter (Level 1)
Race: Human (Solamnic)

Description:
   The tall, broad-shouldered figure wears what appears to be plate, under a hooded cloak. The hilt of a sword is visible, barely, and a shield is slung casually over one shoulder. The figure sits the back of a shaggy bay horse with an ease that suggests it's as comfortable on horseback as on the ground.
   Removing the cloak, helm and scarf reveals a tall, broad-shouldered young woman with stern features. Black eyes, black hair and a warm complexion - just shy of tanned. Mannish, some would say, although her features are even, even attractive, her direct gaze, thin lips and strong jaw aren't terribly feminine. The hair is generally braided, and the thick braid brushes the backs of her thighs when let down - Lorraine's hair is probably her best feature.

[Kate]

wanna be a renegate perverted sorcreress dragon...

if that is too complex or unsuitable i may pull out ...

[Ixy]

Hi all,

I've sent an interest message, and-- should I be accepted-- am interested in playing a barbarian, rogue, or fighter.  It might be nice to discuss background options, if anybody wants to establish a prior character history.  Once I have a character set (again, pending acceptance), I'll post a synopsis.

Hope this works out :)

[Remec]

Hey there, if you still have openings among your group, I would like to join. I am interested in playing a Seeker (ie one of the people who call themselves clerics, but lack the actual divine magic of the class). When, if, the gods return during our game, then I will just acquire the powers at that point just like many people in the original storyline did.


8-)

[Andi]

Interest after all! *rubs hands and prepares the hobgoblin cooking fires* Welcome, welcome, hereinspaziert, hereinspaziert, entrare, entrare! Ixy, Remec, I've sent you three stat sets to pick from for your characters. Feel free to pepper me with questions here or in PM as needed. I will start threads to play and for OOC, probably in the NC-E area (to be safe... one never knows if someone gets careless with Charm Person and ambiguous orders around hobgoblins...), once I have character sheets from you all. Also, if you have questions, feel free to poke me.

NOTE: I am still open to further candidates - my target number is 4 - 6 players. So far, I have been offered a fighter, with a barbarian and a heathen cleric (seeker?) in the works, and Ixy having offered a selection of martial character types.

[Thorne]

I will start threads to play and for OOC, probably in the NC-E area (to be safe... one never knows if someone gets careless with Charm Person and ambiguous orders around hobgoblins...).

.... that only happened /once/!

[Andi]

OOC thread is here.

Yes, this only happened once, and I suppose it /CAN/ be discounted here (for lack of a wizard...) At the same time, if someone /does/ wish to offer me a wizard (preferably female, for parity), I do have one slot left open. If I have to introduce Solana, you will regret it... I think. ;)

[Thorne]

Which ... just leaves all the other ways for us to get our tails in a sling... ^^;

[Andi]

Game thread is here.

[Lyell]

If the wizard slot is still open and you don't mind the player not matching character gender, I might be able to ward off Solana. On a totally unrelated (*cough* yeah right) note, does the game have its kender?

[Andi]

On the first, why don't you introduce yourself in the OOC thread and see what my players think? I am personally not bothered in the slightest, but I am not willing to speak for everyone else. On the second, no, that cup has passed me by.