House of Ravens (was Want to run D&D)

[Miroque]

sooo lets get this streight:

Heir'ess (hopefully my character) is send to Wychwood.. to claim the lands (or to pacify them) with her retinue of trusted men and women...
If so, should we begin with small garrison of troops ? (eg hire say 20 mercenaries or so?)

and what google-fu tells me about Wychwood, its not the safest ruins/forestland to beginning with.

[AndyZ]

Aria, Human Paladin of Heironeous, and her horse Bessie.  http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=703374

The third child of a noble family, Aria has never been really considered as likely to take the throne by her house.  That suits her just fine, since most of her life has been plagued/blessed by a calling to right wrongs and stop evil, and being tied to the throne would only hinder her abilities to do so.

The symbol for her house is a gauntlet, hand open but fingers together, the hand offering peace but the gauntlet promising no willing submission if peace is not accepted.  Many of her house are known for their ability to claim slow revenge, sometimes for petty slights.  However, they also stick to one battle at a time and maintain long, peaceful friendships with their allies.

Aria has had her degree of experience with scraps and defense, but always within civilization or on the open road.  Her few camping experiences have been with entourages and experts.

Picture is still being searched for.  The one I found that would really fit is brunette, and may go that route if I don't find one better.

[RubySlippers]

Scoundrel is under construction, going JOAT at 1st level then focus more on core skills with the best equipment I can get her but am mulling over the fighter feat track again won't change her save she will have better defensive and offensive capabilities a bit. And with her balanced ability score spread leaning to dexterity a bit will allow her options in breadth of fighting skills. Its more a case of apples or oranges.

[greenknight]

Miroque, you're leaving a county that is vassal to the Duchy of Wychwood to assume control of a small holding around the Veluna/Bissel border. It is already established and has its own troops.

Zaer, Greyhawk is the default 3.5 setting. All of the deities in the PHB are long established in the setting. As far as those specific alternate features, no. I'm also going to go with no on the knight and probably yes on the marshal.

Andy, is Aria another potential heir? And she's short a stat bump and a spell for 4th level.

[Miroque]

I found nice MAP of the region.

Trip is going to be an long one it seems. Over thousand miles.. yet there seems to be some sort of waterway to go most of the way..

[greenknight]

Yes, Anna's site is awesome.

[Zaer Darkwail]

Ok, considering our paladin focus on mounted combat and 40 point buy favors marshal who favors all basic fighter stats + charisma, so I go with 4th level marshal (so I have auras which bolster performance of the party).

However, PHB II introduces variant for Grant move action x/day feature. It's called Adrenaline Surge x/day. It gives temporal HP equal to marshal level as standard action to the party (lasting combat encounter). It gives double of that amount if any party members are under 50% in HP.

Anyways, my marshal is going to be follower of Kord, so CG marshal mercenary who works on gold but also has heart of gold (a brave mercenary who takes his profession as source of endless challenges to overcome). He is however working on getting become man of arms.

Any suggestions for background wise? He is going to be human.

[AndyZ]

Miroque, you're leaving a county that is vassal to the Duchy of Wychwood to assume control of a small holding around the Veluna/Bissel border. It is already established and has its own troops.

Zaer, Greyhawk is the default 3.5 setting. All of the deities in the PHB are long established in the setting. As far as those specific alternate features, no. I'm also going to go with no on the knight and probably yes on the marshal.

Andy, is Aria another potential heir? And she's short a stat bump and a spell for 4th level.

My initial idea was to be another friendly House, but if Miroque likes, I could easily be the younger sister.

[greenknight]

Zaer, what background drama do you want? That will determine much of how you build up the background. How close do you see your character to home when in the count's service? Are you currently a footman? Are you possibly in the count's retinue now, making your way to his home and the rest of the PCs?

Right now I'm saying no on changing out that class feature but I may change my mind when I see the rest of the party.

Andy, you don't necessarily have to be a sibling to be an heir. You could be a close cousin who is technically from a different house. Perhaps your mother is part of the count's house but you are obviously of your father's or he is a cousin of the count but established his own house by right of conquest.

[AndyZ]

However works best to things ^_^ I just figure she's far enough down the chain to be no real threat to anyone.

[Miroque]

AndyZ, maybe your holy amazon is from the otherwise of the family tree?

Storywise, I was thinking that Victoriana has been living in their family holding for her life so far, and been educated by the best mentors in area (huge amount of knowledge skills). She has limited amount of combat spells, being conjurer, she trusts her summons to protect her. (And if we now have Marshal, Summons and Flanking Damage boost aura combo pretty nicely, as do Paladin, paladins moount and familiar too...)

Marshal just needs to get an super pet and voila ...

Prestigeclass wise, if our over-good GM could allow dip into Alienist (1level dip only, for class ability, Comp Arcane, page 21) and after that, its Thaumaturgist all the way (DMG)

[greenknight]

We'll see what turns up. I wasn't planning on using the pseudonatural at all.

[greenknight]

Ruby, do you plan on adding Survival or Track to your JOAT? Does anyone else want to go for some woodsy goodness on an overland adventure?

[RubySlippers]

Mulling it over ... a good JOAT needs to work on many skills.

[Zaer Darkwail]

Marshal has survival as class skill and can get K:nature ranks too.

[RubySlippers]

My character does have Survival and Track just not is great in that skill but she is a JOAT its all about the dice roll man and having wicked masterwork gear when you can get it.  ^_^

[Zaer Darkwail]

Zaer, what background drama do you want? That will determine much of how you build up the background. How close do you see your character to home when in the count's service? Are you currently a footman? Are you possibly in the count's retinue now, making your way to his home and the rest of the PCs?

Right now I'm saying no on changing out that class feature but I may change my mind when I see the rest of the party.

Ok, no changing class feature then. Just note I have request or two to PrC's but they come around after 7th level so no rush really.

Anyways, bit digging overall I got following idea for background;

My char originates from Thillonrian Peninsula, more specifically from Kingdom of Fruztii. So he is a frost barbarian in heritage, but he made a act which offended local jarls to point he was exiled from his homeland and he has been traveling since across Flanaess as a mercenary. He may have joined up with Miroque's char as part becoming her man of arms or that she saved his life and he swore a life debt towards her and he sticks with her until debt is paid in full.

If there are some specific stuff I need keep in mind for having come from Barbarian States I am all open ears. I so far know they have quite norse alike culture and appearance overall.

[greenknight]

Zaer, yep, they are one of the nearly pure Suel enclaves. Consider sailing and shipboard fighting (ie, Balance skill) as background skills while staying away from Mounted Combat. (The F/S/I Barbarians aren't vikings/Normans and aren't so good at moving horses by boat. Yet?) Longsword and shortbow are your theme weapons; longbows are bit big for shipboard use. They speak the Cold Tongue, or Fruz, a language noted as difficult for even other speakers of modern Suloise dialects to understand. Kind of like talking to drunk Scotsman, I suppose. ;) It's unrelated to Common and many jarls, at least, speak the latter, too.

Of course, if you've left all that behind, you're just a big guy with blond hair who talks funny. Also, no swapping that class feature now. Let me see what else everyone plays. Let me know what you're looking at for PrCs, too.

Everyone: For all those humans native to the county, add Nyrondese to your automatic languages. It's an Oeridian dialect spoken by the peasantry and shopkeepers; you may never deign to speak it (in public, anyway), but the gap between high and low isn't so great on the frontier that you don't understand it. It's generally used to keep outsiders outsiders.

Current roll call

Miroque as Victoriana _______, heir after Sir Kerith (his name alluding to Valor in Suel dialects) - conjurer
AndyZ as Aria _______, a more distant heir to county, perhaps from a different family - paladin
Zaer Darkwil as ________, a mercenary seeking a steady job - marshal
RubySlippers as ________, a rogue with a knack for everything, spared by Lady V in return for service(?) - JOAT rogue  (Depending on how good you are, the sheriff or game warden may have thought to use a thief to catch a thief)

Anyone else?

[Zaer Darkwail]

Thanks for the info, but considering greatsword is Kord's favored weapon, would such weapon have place in the culture? Anyways my char had left his homeland behind but carries memories and things taught there on value (he revers deeply Kord like other barbarians do). So he may be tall blond guy who speaks in funny accent :P.

Anyways PrC's which I thought would fit; Sanctified One, Pious Templar and Legendary Leader (with later case the commander aura and double commander aura could be replaced simply continue marshal aura progression and allow have two minor or two major auras active in 5th level). Also if ignore racial requirement (replaced with; exiled from homeland or other feat), Outcaste Champion.

Also can I through my background get access to Dreadful Wrath feat? As marshals overall are not power houses in melee combat anyways, so I thought it could be cool make 'frightening shout while charging in' to shake foes up.

Another idea is that I multiclass later as barbarian, but then I would prefer use alternative class feature; spirit totems, from Complete Champion supplement (thinking mostly get a Lion spirit totem).

Edit; Forgot mention Dragonlord (choose mimic other mythical beast considering Kord is known also as wyrmslayer), and devotion line of feats. Mostly thought pick one following; Strenght, Good, Luck or Chaos

[Miroque]

Lady Victoriana of House (insert Sir Kereith's house here):

PrCwise, IF Alienist dip is allowed, next level would be Alienist 1, then back to Conjurer until character level 7, witch would be Thaumaturge until world ends..

Connections:

Knight-lady Aria (AndyZ): Some common cause? Veluna is Theocracy, lead by heathen gods and goddess. (to Suel standard)

Mercenary Marshal (Zaer): Every young noble lady needs good sergeant-in-arms. And one with prowess combined with skill to lead is their weight in gold.
Im good with him being sell-sword, but if you want more interwoven hooks, maybe its Marshal that saved Victoriana, and she wants to repay his valor, by giving him men to command and place where he might call home.

Thief-catcher (Rubyslippers): Victoriana is supergenius, and follower of Goddess of Law and Magic (Wee Jas). She might have saved her from punishment from crime, giving her change to pay her former crimes, by working as her agent, catching thiefs and working as her eyes and ears in low places.


Im open to change anything and everything for better suiting our situation, if you guys have hooks to offer?

[Zaer Darkwail]

Fine with idea my marshal saved Victoriana in past and as noble she is paying that gesture in giving him regular job and chance lead soldiers in glorious combat. Although curious that you follow Wee Jas while your chaotic good (as Wee Jas is LN or LE depending setting standards).

Also there is perhaps chance that Victoriana and my char share a illicit romance :). Anyways as my own suggestion Victoriana could have 1 level dip into Aristocrat NPC class? With single level in first level she could get lots more skill points for variety of skills suitable for a 'noble lady'. Including proficiencies.

Or if GM allows you could have already level in Master Specialist. Just my general char build tips :).

[Miroque]

Illict romance : Could work.

Master Specialist: master specialist is not really something i like in PrC. It kills familiar progression. And for full wiz, she´s more of an bookwormish type, that social one.
And being CG, she is still follower of Wee Jas, even shes not "most" devout one. Eg, giving thief change to change her ways for good. (where devout followers would have made an excample from her) Not that Victoriana would even qualify as an clegy in WeeJas church, with her chaotic views and non-neutral morality.

[Zaer Darkwail]

True that familiar is quite useful. Unless you get GM approval that PrC's which continue spellcasting of wizard progress familiar as well. Or go and take improved familiar feat and then GM allowing familiar progress despite entering PrC's.

Or another way sacrifice familiar feature and take later Obtain Familiar feat.

Anyways, once I get replies from GM so I know what feats or skill rank investment I should do with PrC's in mind I can provide further details of my char and see will he be fancy enough for Victoriana for illicit romance or not ;). I do plan him having charisma 18 none the less and Str likely 16 (Con and Int 14 each).

[Miroque]

allready asked about Immediate magic (Bamf) and it was no.. so then its familiar all the way ...and allready got improved familiar :)

[RubySlippers]

Lady Victoriana of House (insert Sir Kereith's house here):

PrCwise, IF Alienist dip is allowed, next level would be Alienist 1, then back to Conjurer until character level 7, witch would be Thaumaturge until world ends..

Connections:

Knight-lady Aria (AndyZ): Some common cause? Veluna is Theocracy, lead by heathen gods and goddess. (to Suel standard)

Mercenary Marshal (Zaer): Every young noble lady needs good sergeant-in-arms. And one with prowess combined with skill to lead is their weight in gold.
Im good with him being sell-sword, but if you want more interwoven hooks, maybe its Marshal that saved Victoriana, and she wants to repay his valor, by giving him men to command and place where he might call home.

Thief-catcher (Rubyslippers): Victoriana is supergenius, and follower of Goddess of Law and Magic (Wee Jas). She might have saved her from punishment from crime, giving her change to pay her former crimes, by working as her agent, catching thiefs and working as her eyes and ears in low places.


Im open to change anything and everything for better suiting our situation, if you guys have hooks to offer?

My character is LN but according to scoundrels she would never "rat out" anyone the gangs consider her a "good scoundrel as in follows the limited code of honor among her kind" but saving her life would force her to do a favor as in some monster or such about to kill her was eliminated.