Coven - The Witches of Amaans [System Game - Pathfinder] [LGBTQ Friendly]

Started by MasterMischief, November 06, 2013, 12:51:22 PM

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MasterMischief



Amaans
Clenched in the teeth of the Hungry Mountains, Amaans careens from the heights of Ulcazar to the hill country of the Ghorcha Passage. A land of seclusion, storms, dense mist, and deadly beauty, Amaans refuses to yield easily to either plow or blade. Something of the mountains’ cold, unrelenting stone pervades every field, tree, and stream, relegating the land’s few settlers to faltering edges and quiet
hollows of the hardwood wilderness. The hearty residents of tiny hamlets and homesteads eke lives from the valleys and forests only at the leave of the land’s grim spirits, and do all they can to avoid the heights’ supposedly unnatural storms or the ghostly servants of the fallen lich to the west.

Amaans served as one of the first battlefields in Ustalav’s ill-fated war against the Whispering Tyrant. After the swift fall of Grodlych and Virholt, the skilled horsemen of Amaans were quick to harass the invading undead and are remembered as heroes—if not for their victories, then for the time their lives bought their people to flee the undying hordes. After the Tyrant’s defeat, Amaans became a land of succor and renewal, as those seeking escape from past horrors found it easy to disappear amid the mountains. It also became the birthplace of the Pharasmin Penitence: In 3833, the word of the healer Kavapesta, called Sister Sorrow, swept from the shores of the lake formerly called Divirmis—
later renamed for the holy woman—extolling suffering and stoicism as weighing in one’s favor during Pharasma’s final judgment. Many Ustalavs embraced the promise of a greater reward after life’s pains, adopting the particularly somber, ceremonious worship style still practiced today.

Although mountains cover most of Amaans, its infamous Hundred Haunted Vales hide diverse ecologies. Dense forests prove most common, yet some valleys hold foggy bogs, expanses of jagged scree, or depthless mountain lakes. Folk legends say that faeries and witches make their homes amid the vales, altering the land to suit their bizarre whims. Such tales also explain the peaks’ frequent storms as these ancient inhabitants’ attempts to drive off trespassers.

The people of Amaans distinguish themselves as either Kavapestans or vale folk. The residents of Kavapesta devotedly worship Pharasma, living austere lives wary of passions and excess joy, fearing that surfeit pleasure might weigh against them when the goddess of death judges their lives, condemning them to afterlives of penitent suffering. The stern people mistrust worshipers of other faiths, artists, and lighthearted visitors, fearing moral pollutions and "the temptations of the quick." Vale folk, too, are looked upon with suspicion. Dozens of tiny hamlets dot the slopes of the highlands of Amaans, where quiet, courteous folk live in islands of relative tranquility amid the mountains. While
those from the lowlands see little distinction between vale folk and the witches of legends, the residents of these sleepy communities merely value their privacy and seek not to offend the myriad nature spirits, fairies, hags, and dragons of their rampant folklore. In such lands, it’s not uncommon for travelers—especially non-humans—to be mistaken for mischievous fey in disguise. To such ends, vale folk
often carry neck pouches of iron dust, old horseshoes, or bent nails to cast at strangers to prove their nature, as local superstitions say that iron burns treacherous spirits and forces them back into their true shapes.
-From Paizo's Rule of Fear


Count Lucinean Galdana

The Count of Amaans is generally liked by his people.  That may be largely because they are blissfully unaware of his fell secrets he hides beneath his charming smile.  Five years ago, while traveling through the PC's village they witnessed a terrible atrocity committed by the Count.  No one would believe the PCs and their vicious slander against the Count earned them banishment from the village.  All the while, the Count remained unaware that his act had been witnessed or even that someone had tried to convince the people of the village of what he had done.  It is five years later and the PCs yearn for revenge.


The Witches of Amaans
This will be a somewhat unorthodox Pathfinder campaign.  First of all, I am not allowing players to pick whatever Class they want.  All PCs will be Witches.  I have always wanted to try a campaign where all the PCs were a single Class.  As I have heard tell, Witches are one of the weaker Classes too.  So I think it will be fun to see what creative minds can do with them.

I do want to give the Players some opportunity for diversity, so for this campaign Witches will get 6 + Int modifier Skill Ranks per Level and may pick 15 Skills to be Class Skills rather than the ones that are Class Skills for Witches.  To encourage Human characters, Humans get 2 instead of 1 bonus Feat.  Characters will start at 3rd Level with Level appropriate starting gold.  I will allow all Paizo material which is on the Pathfinder SRD, but not third party material.  All the PCs' familiars will have traded known Spells, so co-ordinate with one another what Spells everyone knows.

I leave it to the players to decide what atrocity they witnessed the Count perform, however, I retain right to veto for whatever arbitrary reason I decide.  The PCs do not have to all be from the same village.  In fact, I think it would be more interesting if they were not and that they each witnessed a completely different crime.  At the begining of our story, all of the PCs will know one another.

I will allow any alignment, however, I do not believe Lawful Good would work well.  If someone can make it work, then go for it.  Also, I am not interested in a story with someone who is Chaotic Evil acting like a complete ass all the time.  Even Chaotic Evil people have friends.  If you screw over your friends, they will not stay your friends.  I believe the premise for this campaign is very slanted towards evil, so if everyone wants to play [X] Evil that is fine.  I am cool with that.  I am not cool with a story where all the PCs screw each other over.

I am sure there is plenty I am forgetting.  Do not hesitate to ask questions.  I look forward to seeing what people come up with within these confines.  Game on!

EDIT: Ability Scores will use Point Buy - Epic Fantasy - 25 points

Max Hit Points

Ghostwheel

Name: Dina

Background:

Where there is life, there must also be death. For life to grow, the old must wither to make room for the new. In order for Summer to come, Winter must first wreath the land in a blanket of snow. Only after the hardest Winter do people understand how lucky they are, and treasure what is close to them. The hardships of the world forge stronger folk, and allow them to weather even harsher storms. Death and cold are just a part of the cycle as life and warmth are. This is the philosophy of the Winter Witch.

Dina from a young age was different from the other girls. She was a little too cold, a little too distant. She asked too many pointed questions, asked, "Why?" when she should have accepted things, emotionlessly pointed out the flaws in others. All of these garnered her few friends, and early on her parents decided send her to become a Witch, the perfect profession for those who asked too many questions, like Dina.

Taking to her apprenticeship like a fish to water, Dina felt at home for the first time; while she missed her parents, the study of becoming a Witch, of learning when to ask what, and how to ask it engrossed her so fully that she barely thought of them. Years passed by, and finally the day came close when her mentor felt her life coming to a close soon and prepared Dina for the final ceremony before she could take her place; to take her mentor's life.

It was understood that this was the final task upon taking over the duties of a Winter Witch of an area. One had to do what was right, to be calculating, unemotional, to act without remorse and to keep balance and destroy whatever was needed regardless of its sentimental value. That was what it meant to be a Winter Witch, to place the balance and order of nature above yourself, regardless of how you yourself felt. She accepted it with a heavy heart, on one hand sorry to see her mentor go, but on the other understanding and accepting that it needed to happen for life to move on.

The two women spent the week before the ceremony fasting and cleansing themselves of all impurities. They prepared themselves for the ceremony, their familiars watching over them... when the unthinkable came. Witches are often appreciated, but rarely liked, Winter Witches even more than most. Count Lucinean Galdana had heard tales of the witch, and thinking he was "saving" Dina from the wicked crone captured her mentor, staked her, and burned her to stop the "atrocities" that had been committed by the old witch to threaten anyone else. Starved from fasting and weak, neither Dina nor her mentor could do much to stop them, and Dina watched as her mentor died screaming in agony from the tongues of flame that devoured her body.

It's been years since then, and Dina has almost finished preparing. How many more witches who helped villages and other areas had been taken by the Count? How many lives would perish because the witches weren't there to keep balance? It couldn't go on any more. She had prepared as she could best, put her things into order, and prepared to leave the village in order to put a stop to the Count and do what a Winter Witch did best; end the existence of things to maintain balance.

MasterMischief

I believe it is going to be a long, cold Winter in Amaans.   >:)

TheGlyphstone

Does LGBTQ Friendly mean 'LGBTQ only'? Because 'friendly' is unfortunately the only one that applies to me.

Otherwise, this is pretty much the perfect game for me, since A) I've been hankering for a new system game for a while, a B) I've specifically been wanting to play a Witch. Extra-specifically, a Half-Orc Scarred Witch Doctor.

MasterMischief

Quote from: TheGlyphstone on November 06, 2013, 01:09:06 PM
Does LGBTQ Friendly mean 'LGBTQ only'?

No. I just wanted to be explicit that my LGBTQ brothers, sisters and others are welcome here.  I have never seen 'LGBTQ Friendly' as indication of Heterosexual unfriendliness.

TheGlyphstone

Quote from: MasterMischief on November 06, 2013, 01:23:06 PM
No. I just wanted to be explicit that my LGBTQ brothers, sisters and others are welcome here.  I have never seen 'LGBTQ Friendly' as indication of Heterosexual unfriendliness.

Me neither, but it could be read as an indicator, implicit or otherwise, that LGBTQ would be given preference, or that the game would feature extensive LGBTQ-related content in the story. The idea that any game on E needs to be explicitly labeled as LGBTQ-friendly just seemed odd, so I was curious.

Consider me interested, then.

MasterMischief

Quote from: TheGlyphstone on November 06, 2013, 01:27:03 PM
The idea that any game on E needs to be explicitly labeled as LGBTQ-friendly just seemed odd...

I would have thought so too, but I have seen otherwise.

I intend to be respectful of everyone's Offs, however, it is possible they might appear in someone else's scenes.  I am not ruling out hot male Elf on male Elf action here.

TheGlyphstone

Fair enough.

What point buy and/or dice rolls should be used for stat generation? That's the only detail I don't see in the OP.

Dhi

A notice for being LGBTQ friendly is sometimes the difference between playing a character destined to become a spinster and playing a character with the same potential for romance or smut as all the straight characters. Tolerance and inclusion are not the same thing, and the LGBTQ friendly tag lets me know that I can expect to be included. If a game is not thus tagged I will normally not look at it at all, because I have no interest in being the only lesbian in the world.

I can't get into a Pathfinder game, but I wanted to thank you for the tag and wish you luck!

MasterMischief

Quote from: TheGlyphstone on November 06, 2013, 01:37:29 PM
What point buy and/or dice rolls should be used for stat generation? That's the only detail I don't see in the OP.

Ah!  I knew I would miss something.

Point Buy Epic Fantasy 25

Quote from: Dhi on November 06, 2013, 01:40:43 PM
...but I wanted to thank you for the tag and wish you luck!

You are welcome.  Another time, perhaps.

Nico

Yes, the tag is really awesome. ~thumbs up~

I only can second what Dhi said earlier.

MasterMischief

Well damn.  Now I will have to think about a non-Pathfinder game.

mia h

Possibly the wrong place for this discussion but I'm with Glyphstone on the tag seeming odd.
Pro-lifers call themselves pro-life because then anyone who opposes them is by definition anti-life or pro-death depending on how they want to paint them.
So even if it's not a conscious thing by marking the game as being "LGBTQ Friendly" doesn't that imply everyone else is "LGBTQ Unfriendly" ?
If found acting like an idiot, apply Gibbs-slap to reboot system.

TheGlyphstone

Quote from: mia h on November 06, 2013, 02:51:04 PM
Possibly the wrong place for this discussion but I'm with Glyphstone on the tag seeming odd.
Pro-lifers call themselves pro-life because then anyone who opposes them is by definition anti-life or pro-death depending on how they want to paint them.
So even if it's not a conscious thing by marking the game as being "LGBTQ Friendly" doesn't that imply everyone else is "LGBTQ Unfriendly" ?

Dhi put in in better terms for me, actually - so while it's still odd, a rephrase as 'LGBTQ Inclusive' would get the point across better. Though I do regret accidentally creating this entire tangent to begin with.

Dhi

There's a discussion from last year on this subject here, but that's pretty old. If you'd like to make a new thread in the GBLTQA Corner I'm sure it would stimulate some discussion and I'd be happy to discuss it with you there.

MasterMischief

Again, no. If i like you, does that imply I hate everyone else? Does it imply everyone else hates you? Everyone is welcome. And because 'everyone' often does not include LGBTQ, I want to let them know, in this instance, it does.

mia h

I wasn't questioning your motives, but everytime someone creates an 'us' it also creates a 'them'
If found acting like an idiot, apply Gibbs-slap to reboot system.

TheGlyphstone

Again, I'm sorry...MM just wants to run a game and is trying to, in good faith, make it very clear that everyone is welcome and he intends to be certain everyone is included. Can we just leave it at that and drop the whole side issue, before he gets frustrated and abandons the idea entirely?

Anon315

I support pathfinder and am also LGBTQ friendly, being one of those letters myself. Also, I enjoy playing Hedge Witches, the healers of the group.

I don't think that calling the game friendly necessarily means that others are unfriendly, I think it just emphasizes a comfort on the part of the DM, and a desire for a similar comfort level in the part of the players. I.E. "If you're homophobic, this probably isn't the game for you."

This is all I will say on the issue, owing to Glyphstone's desire to drop the issue.

MasterMischief

I did not see anything on the Pathfinder SRD that said Witches are exclusively female. I know in many traditions they were. For thisgame/story, they do not have to be female. Just wanted to make that clear.

Anon315

Witches can be men. And they're still called witches in this setting.

TheGlyphstone

Etymologically, I think the male term was 'warlock', but that refers to an entirely different class that doesn't even exist in PF (yet). So even in those other traditions, males weren't excluded, they just weren't called witches.


TheGlyphstone

Quote from: Anon315 on November 06, 2013, 06:14:28 PM
It does exist, it's just 3rd party material. http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/3rd-party-classes/adamant-entertainment/warlock

I wasn't counting 3rd party material, partly because it's not permitted here and partly because if you're allowing 3rd party stuff in the first place, you might as well just port forward the actual 3.5 warlock, which was a solid if somewhat uninspired class. Also partly because 3rd party stuff is very variable in quality...that very Warlock as a good example. :D

Yukina



Ghostwheel

This may have been answered already, but if it was I did not see it; how are we doing HP? Max/half/rolled/etc?

MasterMischief


Ghostwheel

Updated my original post with my application. Almost finished character sheet as well--do you have a date you'd like to start the game at?

I tried to inject a bit of Summer vs. Winter influence in there from the Dresden Files, but let me know if it doesn't work and I'll change the background if needed.

EDIT: Anyone planning on doing a White-Haired Witch? I could see a lot of potential fun with one of those, heh.

MasterMischief

Quote from: Ghostwheel on November 07, 2013, 07:20:20 AM
Updated my original post with my application. Almost finished character sheet as well--do you have a date you'd like to start the game at?

I tried to inject a bit of Summer vs. Winter influence in there from the Dresden Files, but let me know if it doesn't work and I'll change the background if needed.

Perfect! Thr only concern I have is I want to paint the Count as two-faced. Her apears good, but in the shadows his motives are malevolent. Given that, I do not see him staking her mentor to save her from the deed. He could be responsible for her death, putting a witch to fire for 'the good of the village' maybe, while secretly offering her up as some dark sacrifice.

Does that make sense?

Ghostwheel

Ah, sense is made. Sure, I could definitely see him having done that--perhaps he was required to sacrifice a spellcaster of power to his dark gods or demon lords, and my character's mentor made the perfect target as there would be little-to-no repercussion?

If that were the case, would she realize it? Or would she be unaware that he had killed her for that purpose? Either way, she would still want revenge.

Yukina

Quote from: Ghostwheel on November 07, 2013, 07:20:20 AM
EDIT: Anyone planning on doing a White-Haired Witch? I could see a lot of potential fun with one of those, heh.

I was.


Ghostwheel


MasterMischief

Quote from: Ghostwheel on November 07, 2013, 08:19:47 AM
If that were the case, would she realize it? Or would she be unaware that he had killed her for that purpose? Either way, she would still want revenge.

Maybe she found out his true reasons after.

Yukina

Quote from: Ghostwheel on November 07, 2013, 09:06:48 AM
Oooooh, shiny... ;D

I look forward to the hairy shenanigans we shall find ourselves in!

I just have to gear her more towards melee.


Nameless One

Hello everyone. I'm quite interested in this game: recently I'm feeling really fond of ts characters and I'm looking forward to the chane of playing one. But I'm quite a newbie in system role plays, so I'm going to need some guidance. First of all, do you have still some free place for a ts, bisexual oriented witch in the party?

Technical questions: are there more than one kind of "witches" ? Where can I find them? Are there specific roles still in need of covering? (healer, defensive spells oriented, offensive spells oriented, stealth, ...)


I'm more than ready to work on a character that fits nicely in the party (no pun intended)!

EDIT: Another question... Are we going to use the Book of Erotic Fantasy in this scenario?
It is "Torment". It is that which draws all tormented souls to you. The flesh knows it suffers, even when the mind has forgotten. And so you wear the rune always.

Ons and Offs

MasterMischief

Transexuals and bisexuals are absolutely welcome as is everyone else. Just let me know what kind of sexual content, if any, you would like to see in the story and I will do my best to work it in.

There are many kinds of Witches. Do a Google search for Pathfinder SRD. Witches are in Base Classes.

No one needs to fill a particular role. This will not be a dungeon crawl. I will base the conflict around the characters.

I am no expert with Pathfinde, but I have 20+ years running table top games. Most of that was with new players. We will get through this and hopefully have some fun.

Nameless One

Well... To be honest, I'd like to see A LOT of sexual contents in the story ;D and I'm quite open about its kind. I'll google the witches as soon as I can and I'll try to come up with an interesting character idea.
It is "Torment". It is that which draws all tormented souls to you. The flesh knows it suffers, even when the mind has forgotten. And so you wear the rune always.

Ons and Offs

TheGlyphstone

Putting together a full-blood Orc Scarred Witch Doctor now. Annoying that Orcs get +Str instead of +Con instead, but you can't have everything, and it means I can semi-effectively wail on people in melee once they're debuffed via Evil Eye or Misfortune. Especially if someone else is making a White-haired Witch for a grapple partner.

We might want to coordinate Hexes as well, now that I think of it. Misfortune and Cackle will be my first two (Scar Shield replaces my 1st-level hex, and I'm spending a feat on Extra Hex), with the Accursed Hex feat to help Misfortune stick better.

Ghostwheel

I've got Misfortune and Slumber, plan on picking up Cackle in 3 levels.

For my level 2 spells (not counting the patron-granted one) I've got Blindness/Deafness and Web. We might want to coordinate those even more.

TheGlyphstone

Pity you can't Cackle the hexes of other Witches. That would make it a lot easier to keep our debuffs rolling.

Nameless One

I'm inclined towards a control & protection oriented character (since Anon wrote about playing the healer). So I guess my hexes and spells will be something in the lines of charm, command, hypnotism and so on.
It is "Torment". It is that which draws all tormented souls to you. The flesh knows it suffers, even when the mind has forgotten. And so you wear the rune always.

Ons and Offs

Yukina




Yukina

Thank you. My sheet almost finished. I just have to select some more items.

Edit: http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=701616


TheGlyphstone

Sheet is done, minus a background:

http://plothook.net/RPG/profiler/view.php?id=12970

I went with Boiling Blood and Enemy's Heart as my 2nd level spells, and Evil Eye+Cackle as Hexes.



Story idea: We've established that the Count performs sacrifices to his evil patron, part of the secret we're trying to expose. What if the evil/demonic god he worships is a power that is normally only worshipped by Orcish culture? Hunting down and destroying him would be an easy way to keep Karsh focused on party unity...the others might be weak non-orcs, but they're not heretics. It might even be the same god Karsh worships, giving him added personal impetus to 'cleanse' his faith.

Yukina

Seems good. My idea was that he killed the families of our characters, giving everyone a personal motivation to end his life.


TheGlyphstone

Well, Ghostwheel's character wants to kill him because he murdered her mentor. Mine wants to kill him because he's a heretic worshipping an orcish god for power. Yours could want to kill him because he killed your character's family as a sacrifice. They all go along the same general theme of his dark secret, but with more individual variety than everyone going Inigo Montoya on him.

Yukina

Quote from: TheGlyphstone on November 07, 2013, 12:57:45 PM
Well, Ghostwheel's character wants to kill him because he murdered her mentor. Mine wants to kill him because he's a heretic worshipping an orcish god for power. Yours could want to kill him because he killed your character's family as a sacrifice. They all go along the same general theme of his dark secret, but with more individual variety than everyone going Inigo Montoya on him.

I'm perfectly fine with that. :)


Ghostwheel

Correction; he killed my character's mentor BEFORE my character got to kill them FIRST! :P

TheGlyphstone

Quote from: Ghostwheel on November 07, 2013, 12:59:23 PM
Correction; he killed my character's mentor BEFORE my character got to kill them FIRST! :P

Close enough. :D

That sort of ruthlessness would probably impress Karsh a little bit, coming from a non-Orc.

MasterMischief

Quote from: Yugishogun on November 07, 2013, 10:41:28 AM
Thank you. My sheet almost finished. I just have to select some more items.

Edit: http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=701616

As I mentioned, I am no expert with Pathfinder, so I may miss things. How did you get to 21 HP with no Con bonus?

Quote from: TheGlyphstone on November 07, 2013, 12:30:35 PM
Sheet is done, minus a background:

http://plothook.net/RPG/profiler/view.php?id=12970

I went with Boiling Blood and Enemy's Heart as my 2nd level spells, and Evil Eye+Cackle as Hexes.



Story idea: We've established that the Count performs sacrifices to his evil patron, part of the secret we're trying to expose. What if the evil/demonic god he worships is a power that is normally only worshipped by Orcish culture? Hunting down and destroying him would be an easy way to keep Karsh focused on party unity...the others might be weak non-orcs, but they're not heretics. It might even be the same god Karsh worships, giving him added personal impetus to 'cleanse' his faith.

24 Skill Ranks?

Yukina

Quote from: MasterMischief on November 07, 2013, 01:23:32 PM
As I mentioned, I am no expert with Pathfinder, so I may miss things. How did you get to 21 HP with no Con bonus?

Favored Class points.


MasterMischief


TheGlyphstone

Quote from: MasterMischief on November 07, 2013, 01:23:32 PM
As I mentioned, I am no expert with Pathfinder, so I may miss things. How did you get to 21 HP with no Con bonus?

24 Skill Ranks?

Whoops. I was using 3.5 math for skill point. But I did forget my favored class points, so fixed to 18 skill ranks as appropriate.

Ghostwheel

Yugi, if you don't fight like this... I'm going to be a bit disappointed :P lol

Jr

Looks like we have a nice spread of archetypes. Any room for a beast-bonded witch?

MasterMischief

Quote from: Jr on November 07, 2013, 01:53:58 PM
Looks like we have a nice spread of archetypes. Any room for a beast-bonded witch?

I see no reason why not.

TheGlyphstone

No one's claimed it yet, though we'll need to level up to 4th before the archetype features start to have an effect (letting your familiar have your feats seems like it's only good for cheese involving regaining those feat slots when you're higher level and meet more prerequisites).

I wonder if anyone will choose a Gravewalker or Hedge Witch - they're probably the most different variants besides White-Haired Witch.

Anon315


TheGlyphstone

So we have a Scarred Witch Doctor, a Winter Witch, a White-Haired Witch, and a Hedge Witch, plus a possible Beast-Bonded Witch (for all intents and purposes a non-Archetyped Witch right now). That's a full group of five players, though I wouldn't assume MM is doing first-come-first-serve.

MasterMischief

Actually, I was planning on taking all commers because I'm a huge slut like that...and attrition.

TheGlyphstone

That's probably a bad idea. Take however many you want a party of - 4 to 6, probably, and build a waiting list of alternates. If you try to go with a giant mob game, you'll burn out and everyone will get left hanging.

Ghostwheel

I strongly agree; more than 6 people or so and there'll be so many people vying for a piece of the spotlight that few will get enough to feel as though they matter--not to mention actions and such overlapping to the point where mechanics can get really complicated and take forever to do combat (if/when it happens).

Jr

I just realized the subject of traits hasn't come up. Do you plan to let us take any?

MasterMischief

You bring up valid arguments. I will select four characters based on background and O/Os that I would like to work with. I hate to have turn people away. Although, if this campaign goes well, I already have an idea for another.

I do not want to drag recruitment out too long. I fear interest may wane, so I plan to make a decision by the Wednesday.

During the week, I am mostly checking from work which means on my phone. Posting is painful via that medium. This particular post I am doing through Evernote because there were several issues I wanted to address. I apologize if I am not responding as quickly to everyone's questions as they may like. I am checking frequently, so please know I am not ignoring anyone.

I have only briefly thought about traits. I am not familiar with all of them, so I will leave it up to you all to pick what seems appropriate. Since many of them are written for specific Adventure Paths, feel free to change names to better fit this campaign. I believe the standard going rate is 2, so I will allow 2 traits.

 

Going back to sexual elements, please let me know if you want different O/O for this story than what you already have posted. I plan to review everyone's when I am not at work. I plan for this story to be low combat, high drama including lots of fun sexy times.

Jr

Here's my character. Let me know if it's missing anything.

Name: Grigori Svelnok
Age: 20
Sex: Cis Male
Alignment: Lawful Evil
Deity: Erastil
Race: Human
Ability Scores
Str: 10
Dex: 10
Con: 10
Int: 20
Wis: 13
Cha: 14
Basic Statistics
HP: 21
AC: 10. Flat-Footed: 10. Touch: 10
Fort: 1=1 Base+0 Con
Ref: 1=1 Base+0 Dex
Will: 4=3 Base+1 Wis

BAB: 1
CMB: 1
CMD: 11=1 Bab+0 Str
Traits
Natural-Born Leader: All cohorts, followers, or summoned creatures under your leadership gain a +1 morale bonus on Will saves to avoid mind-affecting effects. If you ever take the Leadership feat, you gain a +1 trait bonus to your Leadership score.
Diabolical Dabbler: Each fiendish animal you conjure with any summon spell gains +1 hit point per hit die for the duration of the spell that summoned it.
Racial Traits
Skilled:Humans gain an additional skill rank at first level and one additional rank whenever they gain a level.
Eye for Talent:Humans have great intuition for hidden potential. They gain a +2 racial bonus on Sense Motive checks. In addition, when they acquire an animal companion, bonded mount, cohort, or familiar, that creature gains a +2 bonus to one ability score of the character’s choice. This racial trait replaces the bonus feat trait.
Class Features
Patron: Animal
Familiar: Anna the Pig (+2 Str from Eye for Talent)
Transfer Feats: Whenever the beast-bonded witch is capable of learning a new feat, she may choose to instead have her familiar learn the feat as a bonus feat. The familiar must meet the prerequisites for any feats that it learns this way. If her familiar is lost or dies, the witch can reclaim the feat slots and select new feats for herself, or apply the slots toward her new familiar.
Hexes
Feral Speech: This hex grants the witch the ability to speak with and understand the response of any animal as if using speak with animals, though each time she uses the hex, she must decide to communicate with either amphibians, birds, fish, mammals, or reptiles, and can only speak to and understand animals of that type. The witch can make herself understood as far as her voice carries. This hex does not predispose any animal so addressed toward the witch in any way.
Unnerve Beasts: The target becomes offensive to animals (Will negates). Animals become distraught and aggressive in the victim’s presence—horses buck, dogs snap and bark, bulls charge, and so on. The hex lasts a number of hours equal to the witch’s Intelligence modifier. A creature that saves against the hex cannot be affected by the hex for 1 day. The reaction of the animals is a mind-affecting charm effect, but the hex on the target is not.
Feats
Fast Learner: When you gain a level in a favored class, you gain both +1 hit point and +1 skill rank instead of choosing either one or the other benefit or you can choose an alternate class  reward.
Spell Focus (Conjuration): Add +1 to the Difficulty Class for all saving throws against spells from the school of magic you select.
Augment Summoning: Each creature you conjure with any summon spell gains a +4 enhancement bonus to Strength and Constitution for the duration of the spell that summoned it.
Skills
Acrobatics: 4=0 Dex+1 Rank+3 Class Skill
Bluff: 8=2 Cha+3 Ranks+3 Class Skill
Climb: 4=0 Str+1 Rank+3 Class Skill
Diplomacy: 11=2 Cha+3 Ranks+3 Class Skill+3 Familiar
Handle Animal: 8=2 Cha+3 Ranks+3 Class Skill
Heal: 7=1 Wis+3 Ranks+3 Class Skill
Intimidate: 8=2 Cha+3 Ranks+3 Class Skill
Knowledge (Nature): 11=5 Int+3 Ranks+3 Class Skill
Perception: 7=1 Wis+3 Ranks+3 Class Skill
Ride: 6=0 Dex+3 Ranks+3 Class Skill
Sense Motive: 9=1 Wis+3 Ranks+3 Class Skill+2 Racial Feature
Spellcraft: 11=5 Int+3 Ranks+3 Class Skill
Stealth: 6=0 Dex+3 Ranks+3 Class Skill
Survival: 7=1 Wis+3 Ranks+3 Class Skill
Swim: 4=0 Str+1 Rank+3 Class Skill
Spells
Cantrips: DC 15, Infinite Per Day
All of Them

First Level: DC 16, 4 Per Day
Air Bubble
Charm Animal (Patron)
Cure Light Wounds
Diagnose Disease
Enlarge Person
Infernal Healing
Mage Armor
Mount
Reduce Person
Summon Minor Monster
Summon Monster I

Second Level: DC 17, 2 Per Day
Summon Monster II
Summon Swarm
Belongings
Equipment
Club
Sling
Dagger
10 improvised sling bullets

Adventuring Gear
Bedroll
Blanket
Tent, Medium
Camouflage Netting (Forest)
Compass
Heatstone
Silk Rope (50')
Twine (50')
Pack Saddle (on Anna)
Adventurer's Chronicle (Nature)
Backpack, Masterwork
Waterproof Bag
Spell Components Pouch
Canteen
Chain (10')
Saw
Drill
Crowbar
Shovel
Climber's Kit
Antidote Kit (10 uses)
Healer's Kit (10 uses)
Midwife's Kit (10 uses)
Veterinarian's Kit (10 uses)
Surgeon's Tools
Cooking kit
Mess Kit
Miner's Pick
Mapmaker's Kit
Masterwork Survival Kit
Alchemical Grease
Alchemical Cement
Alchemical Glue (full)
Alchemical Solvent
Deodorizing Agent
Embalming Fluid
Nushadir
Padzahr
Bone Paste (full)
Shrieking Paste
Rusting Powder
Wismuth Salix

Wondrous Items
Beast-Bond Brand (Applied, 10 charges)
Muleback Cords (worn by Anna)

Money
Platinum: 2
Gold: 1
Silver: 1
Copper: 5
Backstory
Grigori Svenok was the fifth son of a humble farming family. They lived a fairly decent life for peasants, since they were able to supplement their diet and income by hunting in the nearby woods. That was, until the local lord decided to expand the border of his own hunting grounds, overtaking theirs and leaving them with nowhere to find game. After that, the family was poor, but not destitute. At times they were hungry, but not starving. At Grigori's young age, though, it felt like he had lost everything. His brothers decided to cheer him up by inviting him to sneak into the woods to see how nobles hunt. It must be so exciting, they told him. The nobles have horses and a small army of hounds and fancy crossbows. What the brothers saw was a disgrace. Rich folk in polished armor, drinking brandy Grigori's mother would have to sell her house for a bottle of and shooting their enchanted weapons at everything that moved. They left half of their kills just rotting on the ground after remembering they had enough fox or boar heads at home. This was what they took the land for. This was why they kept his parents awake at night worrying over the next tax collection.

Grigori's brothers ran when a bolt landed a little too close to the bushes they were hiding in, but he stayed glued to the spot, unsure if it was fear or rage that had him shaking so intensely. After the hunters had passed, a dead fox turned its head and looked right at him. He knew it was dead, it had to be. The bolt that pinned it to the ground must have pierced both of the animal's lungs, but it opened its eyes and looked right at him. That wasn't the last time Grigori snuck out into the woods, but it was the last time his brothers went with him. He spent time with the few animals that were left after the lord's drunken rampages, feeding those who could no longer find food or prey and healing the ones who had been carelessly injured and left to die. He learned which were indifferent to him as the animals on the farm, which would attack him if he came within a certain distance, and which could be bribed to let him closer. Still, his efforts were only those of one boy. And when the woods were all but devoid of life, he left home to join the coven.

TheGlyphstone

MM said he'll make final decisions on the 4 accepted players on Wednesday, I believe. There's already more than 4 applicants, so it can't hurt your odds to whip something up.


Sheet + background, version 2 (now with 100% more Traits!)

http://plothook.net/RPG/profiler/view.php?id=12970

Backstory
Tonight, your training will be a story, a tale of my past, and a lesson. The story will be of my first vision quest, the time I ventured into the distant human lands of the north to cleanse a stain on the name of the Great Destroyer. The lesson shall be of power, and the knowledge that power can come in many forms and behind many faces.

There came a day in my apprenticeship, as there will be in yours, when my master decided he had nothing left to share. He told me so, and gave me a day to prepare, for in the baleful gaze of the next noon sun, we would fight to the death. I struck him down after long struggle, and tore his heart from his chest to consume the power that remained in his flesh, as someday I expect you will do for me. Still caked in his blood, I took his fetish mask for my own, carved the brand of a spirit shaman into my forehead, and burned the sacred herbs to learn what the spirits required of me.

They showed me a man, a human man, dark of hair and tall of body, in the garb of a forest hunter. They showed me this man, riding through a village of humans as the peasants cheered and chanted his name. They showed me this man, alone in a dark clearing, in the ceremonial garbs of a high priest and abasing himself before an altar to the Great Destroyer. I knew then what the spirits wished me to do, for this vision - if true - was an affront to all that is right in the world. The Destroyer is of the Orcish people; a great and terrible power, an embodiment of our blood-borne right to wreak carnage and ruin. To worship him and thus draw his eye is the highest folly. For the worshipper to be a frail and pale-skinned human, no part of him a proper orc, was the brightest and most vile heresy. This 'Count Galdana' was marked for death, and the spirits had chosen me to deliver it.

I set forth on my journey the next day, garbed and protected from all my enemies. A wide-brimmed cap shielded me from the cruel light, an enchantment of illusion on said hat shielded me from the eyes of those who fear and hate our people, and a sturdy suit of woven darkcloth leaves shielded me from the blades of those who pierced my magical disguise. For weeks I traveled, arriving at last in the lands of the human Galdana, and finding as expected he would be no easy kill. His guards and servants were many, and his peons adored him unaware of his blackened heart. I could not turn his tribe against him, nor slay him alone, and so I sought and found allies - others whom this Galdana had wronged, who sought his death with as much fervency as did I. They feared and distrusted me, but recognized my power, and the vengeance boiling in their veins knew our strengths would be greater united, and united in a hunt for the heart of the human warlord whose every breath was an insult to our culture.

Yukina



MasterMischief

Quote from: Ershin on November 09, 2013, 02:34:12 PM
Hi there, this might be a bit late in the day to put this up since there are already so many applicants looking to join, but I was wondering if I may throw my proverbial hat into the ring for applications? I was considering making a Changeling with the Dreamweaver archetype, but may I ask how much time I'd have to come up with a back story and a sheet, or do you have enough applicants for this game already?

TheGlyphstone is correct, you have until Wednesday.  I will consider all submissions and select the ones I think will best fit together.

Quote from: Yugishogun on November 09, 2013, 02:55:25 PM
I'm sad to say that I will be dropping out.

I am sorry to hear that, Yugishogun.  I hope we might have the opportunity to write together another time.

MasterMischief

There has been some concern expressed over the amount of sex I intend to include in this story.  I make no guarantees.  I will not force your characters into situations if they choose to walk away.  I am also ok if someone would rather 'fade to black' instead of drawing a particular scene out.  That being said, I do want to include adult material.  It was the reason I posted here instead of Non-Adult Roleplays.  How much is too little/too much?  I am sure all of our preferences are different.  I am thinking, for this story, I would like to keep the number of posts for a scene involving sex between 2-4.  I think that gives us enough for a volley and should not bog the story down too much.  This will not be a hard and fast rule and I am open for negotiation.

After reviewing people's O/Os, it seems we have one character that will likely pursue M/M encounters and at least one person where M/M is an off.  I want to be respectful of people's boundaries and at the same time I want to explore everyone's preferences.  I feel this leaves me in a bit of a quandary.  I could  simply make sure I do not select both people, but I feel that is too heavy handed.  I could give warning that I am going to introduce M/M content and allow those uninterested to skip those posts.  I open the floor to other suggestions. 

TheGlyphstone

There's a few solutions, in arranged order of ease:

1) Heavy use of spoilers - any sex-related scenes go into labeled spoilers, people can just choose to open them or not depending on their O/O. A good option for the O/O conflict issue, but still can result in the game being bogged down by sex.

2) Side-threads when 2 or more people want to wander off and have some smexy time together or with NPCs. This can also be used to avoid bogging down the plot with sexytimes, since the main plot-related thread can be summed up in the 2-4 posts as mentioned and then timeskip to afterwards, while the side-thread is used to actually play out the scene in as much depth as the participants want. IMO, the best option.

3) Have smexy time longer than 2-4 posts be relegated to private PM between the participants. I don't like this option because it feels like pushing people out of sight, which might go against the 'everyone-inclusive' intent of the game, but if it's enforced across-the-board regardless of what's included then it's at least impartial.

Ixy

I'm sorry if I seem indecisive, but can you take a look at these two character ideas?  I have't gone 'full bore' on either character's day-to-day routine, allies and enemies, or stats just yet.

Thanks for your time, and any feedback.

 




Quitxi is a fine-haired, blonde Piper, angelic-voiced and graceful in both theater and dance.  Credited with possessing fae blood, she is perceived as a catalyst for a fine party, stirring the guests to wild excess with her 'wild aura' of satyric magic... when, in truth, she has never had need to turn her arcane abilities toward profit.  While she could, certainly, manipulate the minds of the eager hosts, she finds it more satisfying to allow them to labor under their delusions that they are being twisted toward corruption... not simply reveling in their inhibited, hedonistic sides.

Despite being a fixture at many nobles' parties (a reputation inspired as much by her ability as the rarity of her species), she is a pariah of the cities, finding 'open' acceptance only among those on the fringes of society.  She shows little objection, as the distance permits her the privacy to pursue her true purpose-- the secret communion with ancient magics, and the rediscovery of lost knowledge that, through many peoples' generations, have become silent at their practitioners' eradication and persecution.  No one likes to have their delusions thrown in their face, and as such, the wealthy merchant who by the evening begs her to pleasure his foreign-born wife might, by morning, turn up his nose and shrug diffidently at the 'goat-horned trash' that shares the street with him.


   








Born to a noble family, Savine was a child when her family was driven from its office in shame under the auspices that they practiced evil magic.  The charges may have been true, but were most likely the result of a generations-spanning cold war between her family and their rival-- whose youngest daughter, days before, had married an aging baron of great wealth and influence.
Savine, but a child, went from great privilege to immediate servitude when her father died shortly thereafter, leaving his debts to consume what remained of the family's wealth.  She spent her later childhood a servant to the very family that had broken their titles, keeping the grounds where she'd once ridden horses, and emptying chamber-pots where she was once tutored by an elven governess.  Her family lived in this perpetual servitude until the teenage girl forged a pact with a hermit in the nearby woods-- in exchange for her loyalty and service, he would help her contact forces beyond this world, and provide the mentorship she would need to avenge her family's wrongs.
______________________
The big print giveth, the small print taketh away.

MasterMischief

Quote from: Ixy on November 09, 2013, 09:10:07 PM
Her family lived in this perpetual servitude until the teenage girl forged a pact with a hermit in the nearby woods-- in exchange for her loyalty and service, he would help her contact forces beyond this world, and provide the mentorship she would need to avenge her family's wrongs.

I think the second better fits the setting and feel I am aiming for.

Anon315

Name: Daenan the Brown
Archetype: Hedge Witch
Background
Daenan has always been a pretty easygoing fellow. His size kept him from being bullied, despite the fact he was about as nonviolent as they come. From a young age he'd been sort of a protector of the weak. When as a young boy he found a tiny critter injured and prayed his hardest for it to survive, little would he know that his prayers would be answered from a power beyond his consideration. When it was healed, he found that his own touch could heal creatures on its own. He started working as a healer for his town in his later teens, which is when he met Dina. She was a small girl, picked on more than most. He tried to keep the other children from bullying her, but working as he did he didn't have the time one would need to devote to keeping children from harassing an odd girl. One day, when Daenan went to see his small charge, she was gone. Her family had shipped her off to who knows where, and he was left to his routine: gathering herbs, performing odd jobs, and curing the sick and injured. The town was never so alive.

Then one day Dina reappeared. She spoke of an atrocity committed by the count. A burning of a witch... it was not so unheard of a thing. The fearful folk of Amaans would certainly grow concerned about witchcraft and its potential effect on their souls and well-being. What struck Daenan though was that rather than showing compassion for Dina and her suffering, they told her to leave. They sent her away. He tried to speak to their sympathy, their compassion, but found it lacking. Disgusted by the callous disregard shown by those of his village, he left before they began looking too deeply into just how good of health all the townsfolk were in. He wasn't about to be branded the next heretic and exiled.

Daenan took to the woods. He lived off the land, having always been a handy sort in any undertaking it was not particularly difficult. With his small animal friends he survived. At times he could almost speak to them, it was not so poor a life. Word travels quickly in certain circles, and word came that Count Lucinean Galdana was to be hunted. A coven was bringing the fight to him, in recompense for his past misdeeds. Daenan is surely a live and let live sort, but he also knows the teachings of Pharasma: if you have done good in life, you have naught to fear from death. If you have done evil in life, you will be weighed and found wanting, left to eternal suffering as you should be. Sometimes the best thing you could do for an animal was to put it down. Sometimes men were no better than animals. He set off to find this coven and offer his aid, scant though it be, in their undertaking. At worst he would be able to salve their wounds. Mayhap he would even see Dina again.


Phaia

Is there still room for this if so I had acouple of questions.
Like how long has the 'nice' Count been doing his  'duties' out there

I have an idea for a character that is his daughter from an early assault!!

Phaia

TheGlyphstone

Final decisions will not be made until Wednesday. So you've still got a little time.

Phaia

wednesday...eppp that is not enough really well good luck to everyone...i should have done more this past weekend

phaia

MasterMischief

I decided to make a difficult decision even more difficult.  I am only going to select three characters for this story.  I had originally wanted to to make three a thematic element in the story anyway.  I think it will also allow more focus on characters rather than combat.

For those I do not select, please understand that my decision was not based solely on quality of your presentation.  All of the concepts and characters put forth were intriguing.  My decision was made primarily on my own biases.  It is not fair and I am sorry for that.  I do have ideas for other campaigns.  Once this campaign is up and running and I feel confident I can handle more than one at a time, I intend to pitch those other ideas.  Those who did not get selected for this story, should they be interested in my other ideas, will go to the head of the line.

I have selected the following players/characters for this story:

Ghostwheel [Dina]
Anon315 [Daenan]
Jr [Grigori Svelnok]

I have started the OOC post here.  For those who were selected, please post your character sheets there without any spoilers.  To reply frequently, I will have to access E via my cell phone, so the fewer things I have to click through, the easier it is for me.  Also, to make it easier for me, please post your O/O for this particular campaign with your character.  That way, I will not have to go look somewhere else for them when I have a question.  Thank you.

Ixy

Phaia-- I ran out of time too... I was way too distracted to devote much time to a character, etc.  I'm still trying to keep my startup game alive without disappointing everyone I agreed to run for, but I'm also looking for a story to participate in. 

Enjoy, MM and crew
______________________
The big print giveth, the small print taketh away.

MasterMischief

As I mentioned, I am considering running another campaign. I just do not want to commit to anything until I have this one up and running. I will certainly let you know when I post.

Right now, I am leaning strongly to a group of rogues making a name for themselves in the Puddles district of Absalom. I am thinking all Rogues, but allowing multiclassing.

MasterMischief


Ixy

Thanks for the heads-up-- just please don't burn yourself out :)  I'm still trying to get my head on straight from a family issue and it's made it hard to maintain even one game that I was really excited about.  A rogue campaign would be awesome, so I'll keep an eye out.
______________________
The big print giveth, the small print taketh away.

MasterMischief

One of the players dropped, so I am re-opening recruitment for this campaign.  I think it important to note this will be a slow paced game in both posting speed and story action.

TheGlyphstone

Still interested, same character, and with my RL schedule, slow posting is just fine.

MasterMischief


Metro Mech

Currently looking for a RP? Why not give my Thread a little look see, see if you can't find something you like?
A/A <- check here if I haven't replied in some time
I have taken the Oath of the Drake
Behold my O/O

MasterMischief