I'm catching up on my posting. I'm starting my replies to posts made on page 6, so since we're currently on page 8, please forgive any repetition on my part.
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Originally Posted by Shayuri
It is at this time that a wizard and a few underlings from Magnimar are in town to study the standing stones and, it's believed, investigate the Old Light as well.
An investigation of the Old Light might not work...someone else material to this game has already laid claim to the Old Light, and outside investigations by visiting wizards might make "backstory trouble." I'll double check my facts on the Old Light and get back to you. The rest of the backstory for Talashia is no problem at all. I'm working through the character repository in order and will post more comments for you about Talashia and stats when I come to her stuff in the repository thread.
Sounds good to me. He's a first-level PC, so he can't have run it, but if this was, say, part of his final journeyman training, it connects him to the town, the temple, and gives him a reason to be ready to go anywhere else, since his job is now finished.
Sounds like a fine and dandy reason to be in town, and a good reason to be present at the temple re-dedication ceremony. Your character shouldn't need more than perhaps just one rank in the engineering skill to be considered a journeyman.
A note: Talashia has the basic mage skills (Spellcraft and Knowledge Arcana), but is not by any means "scholarly." It's unlikely she'd be sent alone to do more than simply observe and/or collect results, I'd think...unless the mage guilds are desperate for manpower.
Or unless there are mitigating circumstances.
Gads, ENWorld is slow tonight.
Just confirming that there's no need for Talashia to be "scholarly," and I'm not planning on making any mage guilds a prominent feature of Sandpoint. At present moment, the Turandarok Academy is a school for local children, not a wizard's academy. While it's possible that that might change between today and the start of the game, it's unlikely.
Seriously, if you want to go that route, we could have them be siblings or cousins. Have a look at her backstory and see what you think. No reason they couldn't be strangers -- There must be some number of Varisians whose teen rebellion consisted of leaving their nomadic life to take up, er, a nomadic life.
Having them be siblings works for me. As I've said in the past, the more ties you can generate to each other and the story, the better.
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As noted, I'll drop Elyra's Disable Device and pick up an alternative. Are you leaning more toward a melee-centered rogue or a ranged one?
Just weighing in that dropping Disable Device is a good idea if the rogue plans to pick up that skill. Then again, having two people in the party able to work on traps might not be all that bad...
I had thought of Tac's tribe as a more honest lot, where he left them not because they were bad, but because his analytical mind just wasn't right for the instinctual, free-spirits of his kin. But if you want to co-mingle backgrounds, I'd be all for that. And having a cousin in Sandpoint might give Elyra more reason to be visiting?
I haven't finished statting him, but at a thought: Tac didn't have the same moral dilemmas that Elyra had, but since he knew he didn't love performing so much as figuring out how things worked, maybe he begged to accompany Elyra when she left (I think he's going to be slightly younger than her)? She took him along to keep an eye out for him, until he found apprenticeship in the engineering guildhalls.
There could have been more than one family in the circus, which would allow for both Elyra and Tac to leave together.
Are all our humans Varisian? If so it'd be good if everyone had Varisian as a language. I might be wrong, but I believe it's the default spoken language throughout Varisia.
Erm, I'm less sure of this than you appear to be. I think the Chelaxians might strongly object to Varisian being the default language of the setting. Then again, I certainly haven't kept up with the myriad supplements produced by Paizo since early 2008, so Varisian could well have been laid down as the default language.
Regardless, everyone having a language in common other than Common is a handy idea for those times when you want to converse semi-privately in a public atmosphere. It's sometimes a rarity that a gaming group can converge abilities well enough to be able to pull it off, though.
Madam DM, I know you've closed recruiting (and even have a first alternate) but if a spot opens up for me I'd love to play a PF Monk. I'll put my idea here in a spoiler just in case something opens up in the future.
I'm going to make what amounts to one of the ultimate confessions in DMing. I hate the monk class and I (apparently, having looked at my track record) never select monks to play in my PbP games. I'll tack you on for second alternate after Voadam. Thanks for posting your interest; if a spot opens up, I'll let you know, but will probably ask you to play something other than a monk. If that's not your cup of tea, no problem!
And I apologize to all the monk-lovers out there...please don't beat me up with a ninja stick
At a local tavern, Chaine tried to pick the pocket of an elderly man who turned out to be a wizard. The old man scared Chaine off with a well-chosen illusion, but the young Varisian lad came back the very next day, his curiosity getting the better of him. He eventually befriended the old man, learning that there were other ways to command the powers arcane than simply being born with it. It could be learned! And what's more, it could be taught.
Just confirming that I'm not planning on including a large contingent of wizards in Sandpoint. Not that it couldn't turn into that down the road in a relatively short amount of time (due, in part, to how this adventure ends), but for right now while sizeable, Sandpoint doesn't have many arcane types. There are a few notable exceptions, though.
I will certainly do a work-up on the "old man" you mention above. Maybe he'll have a desire to float out to sea in a boat to catch the fish of his life...[/joke]...'cause Sandpoint's by the sea...and he's an old man...old man and the s---never mind.
Sandpoint is a sizable community in a standard D20 fantasy setting; I'd be terribly surprised to learn that it doesn't already have a handful of known and lesser known NPC spellcasting wizards, sorcerers, bards and adepts living there. Maybe CB could take a look and offer up the name of an appropriate local NPC wizard around which the both of you can base your joint backgrounds. Making pre-existing connections with established NPCs always seems preferable to me.
I wish to make it clear that if your character has no reason to know of any of the following NPCs (or their abilities), you shouldn't draw on this knowledge during gameplay. That said, what follows below is a list of a few of the local NPCs who might be of interest as "spellcasting wizards, sorcerors, bards and adepts." Not everyone on the list is a spellcaster. But most could be tweaked by me to be older, male, or an older male. Hope this helps.
Brodert Quink (human male expert in engineering...and other things). Not a wizard but considered a "sage." Maintains a residence and "business" out of his home in Sandpoint.
Risa Magravi (human female arcane type). Higher level than you lot, though during game play most of your characters won't know it. Works out of a shop in Sandpoint called Risa's Place. No, I am not making that up.
Aliver "Pillbug" Podiker (human male adept). Mixed Chelaxian/Varisian blood. Seller of medicines and potions in Sandpoint. Not described as an "old man" by the module, but this is easily modifiable if need be.
Sabyl Sorn (human female monk). Maintains the House of Blue Stones (no, it's not a whore house, despite its name) in Sandpoint, a small local monastery.
Chask Haladan (male human bard). Owner of The Curious Goblin, a bookshop in Sandpoint. Described by the module as an aged man.
Cyrdak Drokkus (male human bard). Owner of the Sandpoint Theater. Probably middle-aged, but if need be could be an old man.
Oh, I don't actually know anything more about it than you do. My impression is simply that Varisia is largely populated by Varisians who speak varisian day to day; regardless of what the Chelish colonists might like to imagine. But yeah, that's just my impression.
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Originally Posted by CanadienneBacon
Regardless, everyone having a language in common other than Common is a handy idea for those times when you want to converse semi-privately in a public atmosphere.
I just personally dislike the idea of PCs and society in general depending solely on common for everyday communication. I see common as being a rudimentary pidgin that traders and travelers use in a pinch to communicate simple ideas. Treating it as a fully developed language that everyone automatically knows makes being multilingual largely pointless. But that may just be me.
Indeed, delightfully angst-ridden. Such a guilty pleasure, in fact, that when I tried to reserve the sequel to Twilight from the public library and discovered the wait list is 142 people long, I went out tonight and bought the sequel rather than wait. I think I may have found my new "literature crack" for the month of June.
I may have to read some actual literature in July just to make up for it. Foucault's Pendulum has been calling my name for a while now. Still, after having my nose stuck in a SQL, Java, or Information Systems Security textbook for the past year, I'm grateful to have time to enjoy a few guilty pleasures...like trashy vampire novels and D&D. Ah, sweet nerdom.
Having them be siblings works for me. As I've said in the past, the more ties you can generate to each other and the story, the better.
OK. In Tac's write-up he listed them as cousins, which seems fine. As indicated, Elyra took him to the guildhall, and the two have kept in touch ever since.
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Just weighing in that dropping Disable Device is a good idea if the rogue plans to pick up that skill. Then again, having two people in the party able to work on traps might not be all that bad...
Hmmm...It does make sense for her to know the skills, I guess. Maybe I'll edit that back in. But I'll wait until you've vetted the current edition of the character sheet, if that's OK. Would I still be able to count it as a class skill?
Now that I've finished responding to posts, I'll start the official vetting of characters. I have time tonight to post comments for Ambrus's character, then I need to hit the sack for the day. In the morning, I'll pick up where I left off.
Ambrus
If you're not Ambrus, and you're reading this, you might consider clicking out. Thanks.
Spoiler:
Okay, down to business. What follows are my preliminary questions for you regarding Taran.
1. I'd like to see a scan, if possible, of the page/s from Dragon 320 that contain the write-up for the dragon progression that you'll be using for this game. My subscription to Dragon cut off a couple of issues short of 320 (I think--they're all up in Indiana at the moment), so I'll be wanting your help on this. If you're unable to provide the scan of the relevant material, please let me know and I'll see whether I can dig it up some other way. A lot of my follow-on questions pertain to the racial stats.
2. What are the racial ability score modifiers you're using? I note you've spent 15 points building your PC but don't detect racial modifiers.
3. I see in the PF RPG beta ruleset that skill points are determined by your class HD + 3 bonus skill points for ranks taken in class skills (plus other bonuses for being human and/or taking levels in a favored class). Please let me know how you've allocated your skill points. Dragon 320 pre-dates the beta ruleset, so I'm also wondering how you determined which "class" to use to settle on how many skill points with which to start play.
4. What are the favored skills for a dragon? Do you and I need to create such a list, or has Paizo conveniently taken care of this for us in a supplement?
5. How'd you arrive at four languages (Common, Draconic, Thassilonian, Varisian)? Do you get Common and Draconic for free, then get two more of your choice for a +2 in Int?
6. How'd you arrive at Bite +4? Base attack +1 and a +2 in Str seem to add up to Bite +3. I'm missing something here and need some input.
7. Not sure why Gather Information is listed separately from Diplomacy--I'd thought that the beta ruleset combined GI as a sub-function of Diplomacy. If this is the case, then I'm doubly unsure why GI and Diplomacy are listed with separate skill modifiers. Shouldn't they, at a minimum, be the same under the beta rules?
8. Classic reference in Taran's background to Gorvi spotting Taran and thinking he'd seen the Sandpoint Devil. It reinforces Gorvi's already dubious character within Sandpoint.
9. Your background's got Taran making himself useful by chasing away marauding goblins...I'd like to work the adventure off the premise that goblins aren't in-town marauders and would be likely to be spotted only out in the wilds of the Hinterlands. Unless Taran plans to range pretty far from Sandpoint, it would be unlikely that chasing away goblins figure into his "helpfulness." It's a small point, I know, but it'll be necessary to create a feeling that goblins in Sandpoint are really far out of the norm.
10. What language are Taran and Risa Magravi using to speak together? Does Risa know Taran isn't a rough collie?
11. I need a specific number, in feet, for how well Taran can see in low light. Got the 120 feet for darkvision, just need the lowlight vision stat to go with it.
Hmmm...It does make sense for her to know the skills, I guess. Maybe I'll edit that back in. But I'll wait until you've vetted the current edition of the character sheet, if that's OK. Would I still be able to count it as a class skill?
I'll wait to say more on this until after I've had a better look at Tal's character sheet. Right now, all I've done is read through everyone's backstory. I always do that first before moving on to the more mundane stats. Should be Wednesday or Thursday before I get to Tal.
1. I'd like to see a scan, if possible, of the page/s from Dragon 320 that contain the write-up for the dragon progression that you'll be using for this game.
Sent.
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Originally Posted by CanadienneBacon
2. What are the racial ability score modifiers you're using? I note you've spent 15 points building your PC but don't detect racial modifiers.
Bronze dragons don't start with any ability score modifiers, though they do gain some later as a part their level advancement. The attribute bonuses are offset by the intermittent acquisition of hit dice, skill points, save modifiers and feats.
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Originally Posted by CanadienneBacon
3. Please let me know how you've allocated your skill points. Dragon 320 pre-dates the beta ruleset, so I'm also wondering how you determined which "class" to use to settle on how many skill points with which to start play.
In keeping with the MM, dragons gain 6 skill points (plus their Intelligence modifier) for each hit dice. The bronze dragon monster class is consistent with that. So, 6 skill points for my first hit dice, +2 from my Intelligence and +1 for taking a level in my favored class: dragon. I purchased 1 rank each in Diplomacy, Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (history), Knowledge (local), Knowledge (religion), Linguistics, Perception, Survival and Use Magic Device. Taran is a budding scholar.
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Originally Posted by CanadienneBacon
4. What are the favored skills for a dragon?
They're listed in the their MM writeup on dragons. They are: Listen, Search and Spot (which are folded together into Perception in Pathfinder), Concentration (which is folded into Spellcraft in Pathfinder), Diplomacy, Escape Artist, Intimidate, Knowledge (any), Sense Motive, and Use Magic Device. Disguise, Swim, and Survival are considered class skills for bronze dragons.
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Originally Posted by CanadienneBacon
5. How'd you arrive at four languages (Common, Draconic, Thassilonian, Varisian)?
Draconic is free. I took Common and Varisian as my 2 bonus languages for high Intelligence. I gained Thassilonian by taking 1 rank in Linguistics.
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Originally Posted by CanadienneBacon
6. How'd you arrive at Bite +4? Base attack +1 and a +2 in Str seem to add up to Bite +3. I'm missing something here and need some input.
What you're missing is the +1 on attack rolls for being small-sized. I forgot to add it to my AC now that I think of it.
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Originally Posted by CanadienneBacon
7. Not sure why Gather Information is listed separately from Diplomacy--I'd thought that the beta ruleset combined GI as a sub-function of Diplomacy.
You're right. It's an oversight on my part. I got confused by taking the Child of the Streets trait which erroneously grants a +1 bonus on Gather Information when it should in fact be a +1 to Diplomacy. Since I no longer need to buy a rank in Gather Information I'll instead apply it to Use Magic Device. I'll review my trait selection. Edit: I believe I'll take the Absent Minded trait instead of Child of the Streets if that's okay.
Quote:
Originally Posted by CanadienneBacon
9. Your background's got Taran making himself useful by chasing away marauding goblins...I'd like to work the adventure off the premise that goblins aren't in-town marauders and would be likely to be spotted only out in the wilds of the Hinterlands
The Rise of the Runelords Player's Guide makes mention of goblins rummaging around in the junktoss bellow Junker’s Edge in the rumors section. "Don’t go down to the junktoss after dark: goblins steal the trash at night." I simply assumed that there was an element of veracity to that rumor. I can change it if you prefer.
Quote:
Originally Posted by CanadienneBacon
10. What language are Taran and Risa Magravi using to speak together? Does Risa know Taran isn't a rough collie?
She's Varisian, so I figure they speak Varisian together. I imagined that Risa doesn't realize that she's speaking to anything other than a human since she's mostly blind. That was my reasoning in having her being the only person with whom Taran converses. Although he's somewhat evasive about himself I figure that he's allowed Risa to assume that he's a precocious Varisian local boy, perhaps an orphan, who simply enjoys listening to her stories.
Quote:
Originally Posted by CanadienneBacon
11. I need a specific number, in feet, for how well Taran can see in low light. Got the 120 feet for darkvision, just need the lowlight vision stat to go with it.
Taran has a dragon's keen senses (Ex), which means he sees four times as well as a human in shadowy illumination and twice as well in normal light. An exact distance in feet can't be given because it's dependent on the source of light in an area; as it is for any creature.
Edit: I'm toying with the idea of Taran having crafted his own leather barding (cut into the shape of scales) out of discarded scraps found in the Junktoss to supplement his own nonexistent natural armor. I'd pay for the base materials out of his starting funds of course. It'd depend on a perceived need for protection though; which I suppose wouldn't have occurred if he'd never had any run ins with goblins.
I'm going to make what amounts to one of the ultimate confessions in DMing. I hate the monk class and I (apparently, having looked at my track record) never select monks to play in my PbP games. I'll tack you on for second alternate after Voadam. Thanks for posting your interest; if a spot opens up, I'll let you know, but will probably ask you to play something other than a monk. If that's not your cup of tea, no problem!
And I apologize to all the monk-lovers out there...please don't beat me up with a ninja stick
Thanks! I like most all of the classes and am fine with playing one other than Monk. If a spot comes open I'll be happy to work up a different class.
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