A Keep On The Borderland OOC

jkason · Oct 24, 2011

Finally finished my cavalier and posted to the RG. Although now I remember why I've never been fond of rolling HP: Bastian only manages to get 2 hp more than our sorcerer because of his favored class bonus. ouch.

ETA: Math is not my friend. I was adding things up wrong. Still not super-amazon HP, but 30 > 24, so hooray for fixing my own math.

ahayford · Oct 25, 2011

So....pardon my intrusion. I noticed you had a few players drop out. I'm sure you guys are itching to start up....but I was wondering if you had room for another player?

Dr Simon · Oct 26, 2011

[MENTION=6680745]ahayford[/MENTION], yeah, I don't see why not. Hmm... I posted yesterday but it seems to have gone awry. Maybe it ended up in one of the Rogue's Galleries.

So far the set-up seems to be Lady Arcata Dulat, her faithful bodyguard Bastian (last of the Order of the Lion) and her chaplain Brother Cormoray of the Church of Volshianne, accompanied by Sh'aah, half-orc tracker of the Wardens of the Midnight Sun. Also ten men-at-arms loyal (?) to House Dulat.

I think everything else you need to know is at the top of the thread.

ahayford · Oct 26, 2011

Is there a role you guys feel you are missing? Maybe a rogue?

Shayuri · Oct 26, 2011

The party has formed along a classic 4-member line; mage, warrior, cleric, "rogue" (a ranger is the wilderness equivalent

). That means you could easily play a character who has a more fluid role, like a bard, or druid or somesuch.

It might help to think of who your character is first. Is he a representative of the native population, present to keep an eye on the new 'rulers' and make sure the people have a voice? Is he an opportunistic scoundrel looking for a lawless land to ply his trade? A mad prophet driven by visions? An elf wanderer seeking his lost homeland?

That might give ideas on what class would be most appropriate.

ahayford · Oct 27, 2011

I thought about a native inhabitant of the region, maybe a druid or a barbarian...but I decided that I didn't really want to have split loyalties between the party and the natives.

Concept 1:
Fighter/Rogue

I'm currently leaning toward a concept of one of the keep's few remaining original garrison. Maybe he and a few of his men have a camp in the woods (if the keep is still held by nefarious forces) Or he and a few others are all that remain, desperately hoping from some kind of relief from the motherland that never came. He was a bandit in his early life, but was caught and brought to trial by the constabulary. Rather then be executed, he was given the options to "take the black" (pardon the Game of Thrones reference) and was sent to the outpost as a conscript.

He found that the isolated life away from the city agreed with him, and found a peace that he had never known. When the keep fell, he saw what little happiness he had disappear. He is bitter and disillusioned, but he is also driven to see the keep restored and return to his military life.

Concept 2:
Bard Spy

Lord Dulat's master of spies who managed to slip Bastion Arcata's location and helped arrange for her escape when her lord father's estate was overrun. Since he was well known in the realm as a courtier of Lord Dulat, his only option after Dulat's fall was too join Lady Arcata and Bastion as they fled to the Keep on the Border Lands.

He is motivated by a sense of immense guilt for allowing Lord Dulat to be murdered on his watch and feels it is his duty to watch over the only remaining heir to the House of Dulat. He seeks to restore the family to their former place in the kingdom, as well as punish those who conspired against the Dulats.

Dr Simon · Oct 27, 2011

Either concept seems sounds, although I think no. 1 might be more interesting so that not everyone's loyalties lie with House Dulat (not that Sh'aah's do, nor necessarily Brother Cormoray).

Dr Simon · Oct 28, 2011

[MENTION=6680745]ahayford[/MENTION], I like the character background posted in the RG. I would guess that Greggory has joined the party at Last Ferry, same as Sh'aah. I reckon we could add another 4 minions into the mix as the last survivors of the fort.

Also, what may be of interest to his character development is his view on the formation of the "republic" off in the homeland. Now that the nobility has been overthrown, how does that make him feel, what future can he see for himself in the new regime and how does he feel about working with a group of people nominally loyal to the old order?

ahayford · Oct 28, 2011

One thing I kind of thought about is that Greggory is on the cusp of an alignment change. His interaction with the new rulers could easily swing him one way or the other. Perhaps these new rules prove that not all of the nobility are like the petty lords that destoryed his family, changing his world view and bringing him towards Chaotic Good. Or, perhaps these new pretenders prove they are just like everyone else, just interested in their own power and not caring who they step on to get it...Driving him towards Chaotic Evil...or at least keeping him in his previous disillusioned Chaotic Neutral state.

Dr Simon · Oct 29, 2011

That sounds like a good potential character arc, and the beauty is that it will be entirely driven by how the other player characters interact, with little or no GM interference!