Return to Northmoor OC

PrecociousApprentice · 16th November 2008, 01:00 PM

I am planning to run the Return to Northmoor AP. I am looking for players that would be willing to commit to a post a day, not counting weekends. I am not looking for amature novelists. I would like people with a good command of the English language, but there is no need to feel you have to be too flowery in your posts. Descriptive ability is good, but I think that many posters here get out of hand. If you would like to know what I am looking for, check out Nebulous's Keep on the Shadowfell (FR) storyhour or Charwoman Gene's Scales of War (IC) PbP. They are descriptive enough, but they don’t spend pages of time doing nothing but waxing poetic.

I will be using the 4e D&D rules, and I am hoping to get some pretty creative players. I am going to be reskinning a lot of things in the rulebooks to fit my tastes better, and I also expect my players to do the same. All characters are to be created pretty strictly by the rules in the PHB, but I would love to see some reskinning going on.

The setting is described as a sort of fantasy Ireland. One with a great haunted bog. Much of the action will center on a river town and the bog. The themes seem to slant toward horror a little, with a sort of Lovecraftian flair.

I would like to have an all human party, but reskinning any race as human is fine. Use any mechanics you want for your character, but describe them as human. We will be doing the same thing with armor. It is all fluff. Use any mechanics you would like, but we will consider the characters to be wearing no armor unless there is a really good need otherwise.

Any interested players can start getting involved by helping with a little world building. We will add a few details about the world with feedback from interested players. A post explaining this follows.

PrecociousApprentice · 16th November 2008, 01:00 PM

Return to Northmoor Glossary

The PCs: The PCs once served at the Outpost in one capacity or other. Determining what they did there is part of their background development. Currently, they work for the Raftman.

The Outpost: A hardened fort set on the northern edge of the Lost Bog in the Northmoor. It is there primarily to defend against creatures and pirates coming into the Northmoor from the Sea. At the Outpost, all the PCs had a relationship with the Mentor. There are a number of Outposts along the northern edge of the Lost Bog, next to the Sea. The PCs were at the oldest, "main" outpost.

The Mentor: A former mentor of the PCs at the Outpost. Wiser, more experienced, generally loved and trusted. The players will flesh him/her out, and determine their group and individual relationships with them. Well known for wearing a particular small item, that the players will define.

The Mentor ("Da", "Father" or "Captain", depending on the situation)
Name: Jarod Hornheim
Description: Clean shaven, unlike most men of the realm. A widower, he seems to have a soft spot for children- but for his own recruits and troops he is well-known to be a bit of a hard-case. He is a father figure (in one case an actual adoptive father- in lieu of children he never had; in the other a stand-in for a dead or missing father- a status he accepts grudgingly, but with good grace). A Warlord and captain in an army, he's missing an eye and has an impressive collection of scars, but he doesn't let that make him bitter - in fact, he's one of the most easygoing people the party knows, really.
Item: His former wife's wedding ring- when he is particularly maudlin he talks to it as if his wife is still there.

The Raftman: Current employer of the PCs. Respected, but not well liked. The players will flesh him/her out, and determine their group and individual relationships with them. He has floated his raft down the river towards the Lost Village with the PCs as crew. The Blackwater Cat is the name of his raft.

The Raftmaster:
Name: Guidry MacLynn
Description: A burly, nearly square fellow- as deadly with a bargepole or an oar as most men are with a sword. Once a promising sergeant at the outpost, he went into the bog to seek his fortune- when he returned he was changed; still respected for his strength and skill as a raftman, but now possessed of a dark, even cruel sense of humor- and a badly-hidden fear of the dark (The Blackwater Cat has far more lanterns than it needs, and he uses an awful lot of lamp oil). He is a good warrior, but largely uninterested in the lives of his employees. A former companion of the PCs died during a particularly dangerous mission under him. Always one step ahead - or at least he's sure he is. MacLynn always has big plans, and wild schemes to get rich, but somehow they never seem to pan out quite as well as he hopes. Still, he's an eternal optimist, and never lets the occasional failure get him down. He is becoming more concerned with staying alive now that he is getting older, and this is causing the development of his reputation as a coward, which is false.

The Blackwater Cat: A medium-sized river raft made of wooden logs, with a large central
shelter. There is tarpaulin-covered cargo all over the raft, even strapped on top of the shelter.

The Northmoor: A large region of rolling hills, cold wind, and peat bogs, known for it's mysteriously high gold content. The northern half of Northmoor is taken up by the Lost Bog.

The Lost Bog: The largest bog in the Northmoor, it is a vast region of semi-solid land, sodden and dark. Although there is a lot of gold to be found amongst the peat, many prospectors never come back. A thousand years ago when the world was warmer, it was the primary seat of the Old People.

The Old People: An ancient race that once inhabited the Northmoor area. Not much is known about them, although most suspect that the gold that is found in the Lost Bog is actually actifacts from their civilization.

The Lost Village: A vibrant community of prospectors, adventure seekers, and farmers who live life on the very edge of the dangerous Lost Bog. A popular entertainment spot there is the seasonally docked Hole on the Water Inn.

The Hole on the Water Inn: A large, multi-tiered raft with a rooftop bar that is a popular party spot for folks working the river, as well as prospectors of the bog. It is run by the Ranger.

The Ranger: A former adventurer, the halfling Ranger that runs the Hole on the Water retired from adventuring some time ago, and rumor has it that it was after a particularly bad quest that ended very badly. He doesn't talk about it. The PCs are welcome to add personality quirks and appearance notes for the Ranger, as well as a name.

The Ranger
1) Name of Ranger: Brady Quinin
2) Description of Ranger: He is a retired adventurer, and has has a limp that he doesn't talk about. He used to do big jobs for the King, but he retired after a big failed job many years ago. He now serves as both bartender and bouncer for the tavern he runs, and keeps a collection of dried objects above the bar which he claims is an ear from every person who's given him too much trouble in the bar. Nobody is really sure whether or not this is a joke. Short and slight, he was once was a true master of the blade.

The Big City: Far to the south of the Lost Village is the Big City, where the King lives. In recent years, his influence barely reaches more than 20 miles outside the city. He still sends people to the Outposts, but he doesn't even collect taxes in the Lost Village...so far.

The Big city:
Name: Lindinis, an attempt to rename it New Lindin (during the rebuilding years after the Great fire a century ago) never seemed to take hold, and the older name has taken over in nearly everyone's mind.
Facts and Rumors: Whether you're big, small, old, young, man or woman, Lindinis has a job for you. The city of Lindinis is in a constant state of expansion - not contained by walls for over a hundred years - and each year a new wave of immigrants and fresh-faced youth from the countryside swells its size. As a result, the city is layered like an onion, getting more settled and wealthier the deeper you go in. Libraries and bookshops seem to be on every corner within "The Big Walls", the outer wall that contains most of the city except for the newest growth. Of course The Library is the largest, and nearly anyone in the kingdom who has even the slightest spark of talent for wizardry ends up here, at least for a while. While it is not a formal school of magic, it is one of the most well-known places to learn. This has all changer recently, as a witch hunt has recently begun in the City. Alchemy and Spellcasting is prohibited and persecuted, save for those in service of the King. Lindinis is also known for its bakers, who craft the most exquisite strawberry tarts around.

Once upon a time, there was a kingdom-wide system of coinage, well-maintained roads for merchants to travel on, and a respectable network of commerce. Now, as the kingdom is less-centrally controlled, things are falling apart: the roads are dangerous, and in disrepair, so many towns are becoming far more self-sufficient; those who act as traveling merchants might be brave, or desperate, or con-men; and the old monetary standards are less respected (but everybody respects gold, now exchanged by pure weight- and this has increased interest in the Great Bog, despite its danger, because the ancient gold has an even stronger pull).

The King: An increasingly weakening monarch of advanced age, he has little influence any longer, and has no known heir.

The King:
Name: King Aleras.
Rumor: The King hasn't showed his face in the last two years. His voice only is heard from behind a thick curtain, behind which the throne is located. For several months before his "disappearance", it was rumored that he had developed a nearly overwhelming interest in oracles and fortunetellers- his agents scoured the kingdom for them, and many of those who answered the summons were never seen again (or so it is said). No one seems to know what question he wanted to find the answer to...The king's retreat behind the omnipresent curtain began about the same time as the death of his wife during childbirth. Rumor has it that the child survived, but no one has seen him/her.

Illurian Sages: The Illurian Sages are an organization of respected scholars and other wise men known throughout the land for their level-headedness and knowledge. While they can be found in many places, the central chapterhouse of this order is, of course, located in the Great Library of Lindinis, and is home to some of the most respected historians and scholars in the known world.
Rumor: The Sages survived the recent witch-hunts relatively intact, after publicly repudiating texts on wizardry and magic, but the Illurians have more secrets than most know. In fact, the Sages count among their number more than a few powerful wizards, but those with arcane power are loathe to use it - both because they know it might bring the populace down upon them, and also because they believe that 'practical' applications of magic are firmly secondary to the theoretical studies.

Kingsguard: In ancient times they were just as the name indicates, a sort of national police force, recruiting heavily amongst moral churchmen and paladins; with the recent decline in royal authority, they have become more autonomous, and can be found protecting travelers and handing down justice just about anywhere that qualifies as civilization. While their name is still respected, everyone knows that they don't really work for the king nowadays. Kingsguardsmen always travel at least in pairs, if not in larger groups. The members of a "squad" of Kingsguardsmen take turns adjudicating disputes as they travel about the countryside. But they never travel far alone, as that would make them easy marks for the enemies of the King and of the Kingdom, who are, after all, everywhere and nowhere.

The Church: The "Official" religion of the Kingdom. They have become much more active in politics since the king has been absent. Their rise to power has come as the Mercantile Cartel has brought their influence behind the Church. The Church operates a police force of their own, called the Justicars, organization of agents scouring the kingdom for arcanists and offering an ultimatum; work for them (sorry, I meant 'for the king') or face the consequences. They might also be perhaps a bit too interested in artifacts and lore of the Old People.
Rumor: Originally a result of fear of the growing darkness. They are in secret opposition to the King. The witch hunt was an effort to destabilize one of the kings powerbases, namely arcanists. The merchants guild are just greedy, and see opportunity.

PrecociousApprentice · 16th November 2008, 01:02 PM

Please post your ideas about these items. If you like another posters idea, use it or add to it. I would like some interaction between posters here. We will collaborate until we have a solid idea about these items. When we are finished with these items, I will post instructions for creating your characters’ back-stories.

The Mentor
1) Name of Mentor:
2) Description of Mentor:
3) Description of Mentor's Signature Item:

The Raftmaster
1) Name of Raftmaster:
2) Description of Raftmaster:

The Ranger
1) Name of Ranger:
2) Description of Ranger: He is a retired adventurer, and has has a limp that he doesn't talk about. He used to do big jobs for the King, but he retired after a big failed job many years ago. Add to this a little.

The King
1) Name of the King:
2) Rumor about him:

The Big City
1) Name of the Big City:
2) What it's known for:

Your Preferred Party Role:
1) First Choice
2) Second Choice

PrecociousApprentice · 16th November 2008, 01:03 PM

Please PM me with your character concept, including the anwers to the Personal Items questions. Try to utilize some of the elements that we have created during worldbuilding, but feel free to add in some details. When we are done with this, I will solidify our party roster and edit our Northmoor Glossary, and I will post our IC and OC threads. Those posters that have contributed to this thread can consider themselves on the roster. We might need another player or two though.

Characters are to be 1st level, of any official, non-playtest class (sorry), and of any race in the PHB, DMG, or FRPG, but they are to be reskinned as human. Go ahead and post anything like class and public role for your characters, and please coordinate with the other posters. Feel free to have secrets, but lets have a cohesive group with a good reason to adventure together. Lets get just as creative with the characters as we have been with the world.

Personal Items

The Outpost
1) PCs Public Role at the Outpost when they were there:
2) PCs Real Role at the Outpost when they were there:

The Mentor
1) PCs Public Relationship with the Mentor:
2) PCs Real Relationship with the Mentor:

The Raftmaster
1) PCs Public Role on the Blackwater Cat and Relationship with the Raftman:
2) PCs Real Role and Relationship with the Raftmaster:
3) Public Reasons the PC is considering leaving the Cat (can be individual or group):
4) Real Reasons the PC is considering leaving the Cat (can be individual or group):

The Past
1) Keystone event that made you want/need to leave home:
2) Keystone event that led you to serving at the Northmor Outpost:
3) A lost love (does not have to be a person)
4) A phobia (does not have to be debilitating)
5) Someone you know in the Lost Village that other people may not know
6) A secret that your fellow PCs know about you, but the world at large does not:
7) A secret you've not yet shared with any of your fellow PCs, but would be interesting if it came out during play:
8) A secret that you shared with the Mentor:
9) A recurring dream:
10) Who is one person not already detailed that is important to you, and what is your relationship to them?

Atanatotatos · 16th November 2008, 03:44 PM

Hi, this is very interesting. Not sure if my English is good enough ^_^
But I'll try to get some ideas together anyway. I'd like to play (mechanically) an Elf archer ranger. Aside from mechanics, a seasoned Outpost warden (30-32 years of age). Probably of dark character, maybe has lost wife or children in a violent way years ago and subsequently joined the Outpost troop. I'll think more about, let's name him Culhwych for now.

The Mentor:
2)Now in his sixties, Culhwych still remembers him at the peak of his maturity. strenght and endurance have been replaced by wisdom and a comforting smile of confidence. A reassuring presence at all times, by the fire in the tiredness of night as in the heat of battle.
3)An emblazoned dagger, far better crafted than any weapon or object normally seen in the Northmoor. "Mentor" doesn't say where it comes from, often answering "Oh, it's from a long time ago" or such when asked about it.

The Ranger:
Question:Is the ranger really a halfling, or just mechanically? If he is fundamentally different than the humans in the setting, how is he viewed?

The Raftmaster:
2)Maybe he is a good warrior, but largely uninterested in the lives of his employees? Maybe a former companion of the Pcs died during a particularly dangerous mission under him?

The King:
1)King Aleras sounds smooth.
2)rumor: The King hasn't showed his face in the last two years. His voice only is heard from behind a thick curtain, behing which the throne is located.

The Big city:
1)Lindinis. Sounds a bit like London's ancient name I think.
2)A witch hunt has recently begun in the City. Alchemy and Spellcasting is prohibited and persecuted, save for those in service of the King.

Preferred Party role:
First choice: As I said, archer ranger, so a Striker.
Second choice: anything, really. Maybe a rogue?

If you like these (few, I know) ideas, I'll post more as more come to mind, Apprentice.

Leif · 16th November 2008, 06:46 PM

I agree that this is VERY interesting!

The Mentor
1-name- Jarod Hornheim
2-description- Clean shaven, unlike most men of the realm.

The Raftmaster
1-name- Arbolest Tringum
2-description- A good warrior, as stated before, but he is becoming more concerned with staying alive now that he is getting older, and this is causing the development of his reputation as a coward, which is false.

The Ranger
1-name- Humboldt
2-description- Indeed, he is a halfling. And he wears his limp, gained in honorable service to the king, with great pride.

The King
1-name- Aleras "the Unhinged"
2-rumor- The king's retreat behind the omnipresent curtain began about the same time as the death of his wife during childbirth. Rumor has it that the child survived, but no one has seen him/her.

The Big City
1-name- Lindinis sounds very good to me
2-known for- also known for its bakers, who craft the most exquisite strawberry tarts around.

Preferred Party Role
1-first choice- Human Cleric (so-called "leader", but I shrink from such appellations, and prefer "Healer")
2-second choice- Human Warlord
3-third choice (if I can be allowed one)- Human Wizard

Nac Mac Feegle · 16th November 2008, 06:58 PM

This looks fun! Mechanically I'm pretty sure I want to do a front-liner, but I'm torn between melee cleric and simple fighter, so the mechanical stuff will have to wait a little bit. As for my ideas...

The Mentor
1) Name of Mentor: Soren
2) Description of Mentor: A Warlord and former captain in an army somewhere, he's missing an eye and has an impressive collection of scars, but he doesn't let that make him bitter - in fact, he's one of the most easygoing people the party knows, really.
3) Description of Mentor's Signature Item: A coin he carries with him from some far-off land, picked up as spoils of war and kept as a keepsake.

The Raftmaster
1) Name of Raftmaster: Lhyren
2) Description of Raftmaster: Always one step ahead - or at least he's sure he is. Lhyren always has big plans, and wild schemes to get rich, but somehow they never seem to pan out quite as well as he hopes. Still, he's an eternal optimist, and never lets the occasional failure get him down.

The Ranger
1) Name of Ranger: Tynos
2) Description of Ranger: He is a retired adventurer, and has has a limp that he doesn't talk about. He used to do big jobs for the King, but he retired after a big failed job many years ago. He now serves as both bartender and bouncer for the tavern he runs, and keeps a collection of dried objects above the bar which he claims is an ear from every person who's given him too much trouble in the bar. Nobody is really sure whether or not this is a joke.

The King
1) Name of the King: Aleras works.
2) Rumor about him: Some say that the disappearance of prospectors from the Lost Bog is a plot by King Aleras to secure the wealth hidden there for the throne. Mostly this rumor can be found among those that scoff at the more popular rumor that the Old Ones are still hiding in there....somewhere.

The Big City
1) Name of the Big City: Lindinis sounds fine.
2) What it's known for: Whether you're big, small, old, young, man or woman, Lindinis has a job for you. The city of Lindinis is in a constant state of expansion - not contained by walls for over a hundred years - and each year a new wave of immigrants and fresh-faced youth from the countryside swells its size. As a result, the city is layered like an onion, getting more settled and wealthier the deeper you go in.

Your Preferred Party Role:
Either Leader or Defender

pathfinderq1 · 16th November 2008, 08:49 PM

I've only been in one 4e game so far, and it didn't last long- I'd be willing to take another stab at it. The description of the setting sounds particularly interesting. Here are my ideas/additions:

The Mentor:
Name: Marcos Tanner ("Da" or "Father", depending on the situation)
Description: A widower, he seems to have a soft spot for children- but for his own recruits and troops he is well-known to be a bit of a hard-case. In the case of both of my concept ideas, he is a father figure (in one case an actual adoptive father- in lieu of children he never had; in the other a stand-in for a dead or missing father- a status he accepts grudgingly, but with good grace).
Item: His former wife's wedding ring- when he is particularly maudlin he talks to it as if his wife is still there.

The Raftmaster:
Name: Guidry MacLynn
Description: A burly, nearly square fellow- as deadly with a bargepole or an oar as most men are with a sword. Once a promising sergeant at the outpost, he went into the bog to seek his fortune- when he returned he was changed; still respected for his strength and skill as a raftman, but now possessed of a dark, even cruel sense of humor- and a badly-hidden fear of the dark (The Blackwater Cat has far more lanterns than it needs, and he uses an awful lot of lamp oil).

The Ranger:
Name: Quinn
Description: Short and slight, but a master of the blade; the scar on his leg looks like a coiled burn mark- as if from a red-hot tentacle, and it has never fully healed, no matter what has been tried.

The King:
Name: Aleras works fine
Rumor: For several months before his "disappearance", it was rumored that he had developed a nearly overwhelming interest in oracles and fortunetellers- his agents scoured the kingdom for them, and many of those who answered the summons were never seen again (or so it is said). No one seems to know what question he wanted to find the answer to...

The Big City:
Name: Lindinus- an attempt to rename it New Lindin (during the rebuilding years after the Great fire a century ago) never seemed to take hold, and the older name has taken over in nearly everyone's mind.
What it is known for: The libraries and bookshops- it seems like there is one on every corner. And of course The Library- nearly anyone in the kingdom who has even the slightest spark of talent for wizardry ends up here, at least for a while. While it is not a formal school of magic, it is one of the most well-known places to learn.

Party role:
1st choice: Controller (Eladrin wizard, MC with fey-lock; a successful apprentice, brainy but mysterious- they say the blood of the Old People runs very strong in her veins); born who-knows-where, abandoned at the Outpost; spent her early years there but was sent to the Big City (or elsewhere) as a wizard's apprentice; returned to the Outpost after her apprenticeship, doing various tasks- she seems inordinately fond of fire.

2nd choice: Striker (Human rogue- artful dodger, MC with wizard; a failed apprentice, sarcastic and sharp); born near the Outpost/lost village area, sent to the Big City at a young age, returned in mid-teens to work as a scout at the outpost.

Charwoman Gene · 16th November 2008, 09:09 PM

I'm an example! WOot!

PrecociousApprentice · 16th November 2008, 10:12 PM

Great responses so far!

Here are a few comments.

I did not mean to discourage people whose first language is not English. I was mostly referring to those whose first language is engish, but they still can't write. Not that you have to be perfect. Just not terrible.

First, to the question. All characters that are not bad guys will be skinned as human. Since I went with halfling for the Ranger, he will be short, but still human.

Also, please don't listen to any of the Return to Northmoor Podcasts. It might spoil the fun. There were a few answers that were really close to how they played it in the podcasts.

Here are things I like so far. Feel free to suggest changes or additions, to any of the material so far, including the stuff in the glossary. I will keep world building for several more days unless I get some really strong stuff to work with and feel like we are done here.

The Mentor ("Da", "Father" or "Captain", depending on the situation)
Name- Jarod Hornheim
Description- Clean shaven, unlike most men of the realm. A widower, he seems to have a soft spot for children- but for his own recruits and troops he is well-known to be a bit of a hard-case. He is a father figure (in one case an actual adoptive father- in lieu of children he never had; in the other a stand-in for a dead or missing father- a status he accepts grudgingly, but with good grace). A Warlord and former captain in an army somewhere, he's missing an eye and has an impressive collection of scars, but he doesn't let that make him bitter - in fact, he's one of the most easygoing people the party knows, really.
Item: His former wife's wedding ring- when he is particularly maudlin he talks to it as if his wife is still there.

The Raftmaster:
Name: Guidry MacLynn
Description: A burly, nearly square fellow- as deadly with a bargepole or an oar as most men are with a sword. Once a promising sergeant at the outpost, he went into the bog to seek his fortune- when he returned he was changed; still respected for his strength and skill as a raftman, but now possessed of a dark, even cruel sense of humor- and a badly-hidden fear of the dark (The Blackwater Cat has far more lanterns than it needs, and he uses an awful lot of lamp oil). He is a good warrior, but largely uninterested in the lives of his employees. A former companion of the PCs died during a particularly dangerous mission under him. Always one step ahead - or at least he's sure he is. MacLynn always has big plans, and wild schemes to get rich, but somehow they never seem to pan out quite as well as he hopes. Still, he's an eternal optimist, and never lets the occasional failure get him down. He is becoming more concerned with staying alive now that he is getting older, and this is causing the development of his reputation as a coward, which is false.

The Ranger
1) Name of Ranger: Still looking
2) Description of Ranger: He is a retired adventurer, and has has a limp that he doesn't talk about. He used to do big jobs for the King, but he retired after a big failed job many years ago. He now serves as both bartender and bouncer for the tavern he runs, and keeps a collection of dried objects above the bar which he claims is an ear from every person who's given him too much trouble in the bar. Nobody is really sure whether or not this is a joke. Short and slight, he was once was a true master of the blade.

The King:
1)King Aleras.
2)rumor: The King hasn't showed his face in the last two years. His voice only is heard from behind a thick curtain, behind which the throne is located. For several months before his "disappearance", it was rumored that he had developed a nearly overwhelming interest in oracles and fortunetellers- his agents scoured the kingdom for them, and many of those who answered the summons were never seen again (or so it is said). No one seems to know what question he wanted to find the answer to...The king's retreat behind the omnipresent curtain began about the same time as the death of his wife during childbirth. Rumor has it that the child survived, but no one has seen him/her.

The Big city:
1)Lindinis, an attempt to rename it New Lindin (during the rebuilding years after the Great fire a century ago) never seemed to take hold, and the older name has taken over in nearly everyone's mind.
2) Whether you're big, small, old, young, man or woman, Lindinis has a job for you. The city of Lindinis is in a constant state of expansion - not contained by walls for over a hundred years - and each year a new wave of immigrants and fresh-faced youth from the countryside swells its size. As a result, the city is layered like an onion, getting more settled and wealthier the deeper you go in. Libraries and bookshops seem to be on every corner within "The Big Walls", the outer wall that contains most of the city except for the newest growth. Of course The Library is the largest, and nearly anyone in the kingdom who has even the slightest spark of talent for wizardry ends up here, at least for a while. While it is not a formal school of magic, it is one of the most well-known places to learn. This has all changer recently, as a witch hunt has recently begun in the City. Alchemy and Spellcasting is prohibited and persecuted, save for those in service of the King. Lindinis is also known for its bakers, who craft the most exquisite strawberry tarts around.

Atanatotatos · 16th November 2008, 10:20 PM

This is really taking a shape. A great one...

Nac Mac Feegle · 16th November 2008, 10:21 PM

Since Leif wants the leader/healer role, I think I'll go with a fighter-type - probably a Great Weapon fighter with a maul, either base human or a reskinned dwarf. I'm thinking about making him a blacksmith-type.

PrecociousApprentice · 16th November 2008, 11:26 PM

Just as an aside, I am OK with forgotten realms stuff for chargen, but I don't have the books, so I am unsure how this would work. We would need to work that out. DMG races are fine as well. Reskinning will be necessary.

Nac Mac Feegle · 16th November 2008, 11:58 PM

Ooh, I may try a Swordmage then, actually, I've been looking for a place to try that out. Still would probably keep a similar concept to before, and still fill the same role, but with some different powers and neat new tricks

Leif · 17th November 2008, 12:43 AM

Nac Mac, don't let my choice to play a cleric keep you from doing the same, or multiclassing to cleric. I was being purely selfish when I picked cleric, so how can I expect anyone else to do differently? I always have the Warlord fallback position, and I'm not entirely sure that we definitely have a Wizard yet, either, so that might be better for me.....

But, if worst comes to worst, I'm sure we could do just fine, or better than fine with two clerics in the party. We might have to coordinate as far as deities are concerned, but that's no trouble for me.

PrecociousApprentice · 17th November 2008, 01:00 AM

Two clerics is great. Two strikers is great. Two defenders is great. Please, only one controller. It is hard enough protecting one. If two people want it bad enough, then fine, but I think that I would feel better with a more durable party.

As for the warlord, I am not sure how intensely I want to have to stick to a battlegrid. I was thinking of using these Boardless combat rules for combat. I am not sure what that will do for the warlord. I really like them as a class, but we might need to work on their utility without a board. I am up for suggestions from others with more experience on this matter.

As for dieties, I would like to stick to a monotheistic "God", "The Creator", "The Light", "The Sheltering Hand". There are other powers like fey and such, but "God" is who clerics worship. Clerics don't have to be professional clergy either. We will stay away from any real world religious conotations, and just make it a very generic diety. This sticks to the post-Roman Irish theme. This will also just be a reskinning of the PHB dieties. Use any game crunch you like.

Leif · 17th November 2008, 01:13 AM

So, am I understanding you correctly that clerics in the party may choose any PH deity that they like, as far as domains, grated powers, etc. go, but all of these "deities" are just going to be different aspects/incarnations/ avatars of One All-Encompassing God, who will just be named "God"? So, as far as different granted powers and different domain spells are concerned, it'll be like different ways of worshiping the same God have led to different powers among His followers?

Cool. I like it!

And, btw, if you're not sure what to do with a Warlord, then I would really be up a creek, because I would, most likely, be totally lost with running one properly. And, incidentally, I have exactly ZERO experience at playing one.

PrecociousApprentice · 17th November 2008, 01:17 AM

You got it.

We could definitely work something out, but I have no experience with them, and it might be hard without a board. I am definitely open to the idea though. I like them as a class.