[Planescape] Squaring the Circle Redux - OOC (Full)

Intro

Hello! I'm relatively new to pbp games, but this is something I've been hankering to run for quite some time and am hoping to find some like-minded souls here at ENWorld. Anyone remember Hellbound: The Blood War boxed set from Planescape 2nd edition? Well, there's an epic-style adventure in there called Squaring the Circle where the PCs go on a plane-spanning quest to strip the fiends of their ability to teleport. This would be a somewhat modified version of that adventure-- some basic objective, but some of the details are a little different and there's a few twists and turns thrown in for good measure. Obviously, I prefer that players have never read the adventure (and don't know the spoilers), but if you have and you can keep OOC info OOC, then I have no problems.

There are a few requirements for joining this campaign: namely, that you are familiar with the details of the Planescape setting-- I would prefer not to bog down the game explaining Sigil, factions, portals, the cant, and whatnot-- and also with the quirks of planar travel. The only other caveat is that you be able to post at least every other day... and if you can post every day, I certainly won't say no!

Owning a copy of Manual of the Planes and Planar Handbook would be very useful, but not essential. This will be a pre-Faction War 3.5e game.

Any takers? I'll be accepting 6 7 players, plus alternates.

Character Creation

Characters will start at ECL 12 (including templates, if applicable) with 68,000 XP using the 32 point buy method. I will allow players to buy off a character's level adjustment with XP as per the optional rules in Unearthed Arcana (p. 18) but please note that this will cause them to start at a lower level (the benefit, of course, is that they progress faster than they would normally). Players can expect some level advancement throughout the course of the adventure but it's kinda hard for me gauge how much at this point.

• Allowable Races: This being the multiverse, it's pretty open, though I'm not using psionics or psionic races or allowing anything higher than a +4 level adjustment (racial Hit Dice not included). If you wanna play something cool and nonstandard (aasimar, tiefling, and genasi are all fair game), run the idea by me and providing I have the proper sourcebook and the cheddar content doesn't make me break out in hives, I'll probably okay it. Your character can be a Prime, but they should have planewalking experience (no clueless berks need apply! ). You will also need to designate a home plane for your character.
• Allowable Classes: All core classes. I have no preferences on a party mix but it might make your life easier if the party is balanced. As for prestige classes... I think most generic and planar ones will be fine, again with the provision that I own the sourcebook. I may not accept ones that are too campaign-setting specific though. Please run your concept by me before you start building your PC around it; there are so many classes and combinations out there that it's impossible for me to list what I deem acceptable and what's not.
• Characters receive maximum hit points for their first and second levels, and half their Hit Dice for their class thereafter (i.e., 4 on a d8).
• Characters receive 88,000 gp to spend on gear and equipment, with a cap of 44,000 gp on any single item. Items from the DMG are all fair game, with the exception of metamagic rods. Other items are approved on a case-by-case basis.
• Good and neutral alignments only, with good alignments preferred since the scope tends to be rather heroic. This can be a deadly adventure, so playing well with others is a bonus.
• Faction affliations are not necessary for this adventure, though you are certainly welcome to pick one. Unlike 2e, being a faction member doesn't grant a character any bonuses, unless he or she takes one of the faction prestige classes in Planar Handbook. Faction members will still have access to faction headquarters and resources, of course.
• I will be requiring a background and description for all characters. Depending on how the characters fall out, they may or may not have been adventuring together prior to this. Regardless, I would encourage you to tie your characters together if you can.
• I will be handling all the rolling, and will post those that are known: attack rolls, damage rolls, saves, and open skills checks.

Ehr, that's all I can think of for now. If you have any questions, ask away.

Current Player Roster

1. deadestdai
2. Thanee
3. Ferrix
4. Kajamba Lion
5. Serpenteye
6. Isida Kep'Tukari
7. Ashy
8. Alternates: taitzu52, LazarusLong42

Links
In Character | Character Gallery | Image Gallery | Cant Dictionary

I'd love to get in on this one! Though, I don't have the PS books (Might be able to find them otherwise....).

The adventure is totally new to me, so I'm excited to see what it'd be about!

What kind of races/classes/alignments, etc are you allowing?

Sounds interesting.

While I am not immensely familiar with the planescape stuff (never really played that), I do have some knowledge about the basics (and planar travel and so on), and I guess a few searches on the net will provide whatever information is needed in excess to that.

I've not the slightest idea what that adventure is about.

3.5 planar sourcebooks are available.

Bye
Thanee

Cool! The last planescape game I was in died. I'd love this game if you want me.

Welcome aboard, deadestdai, Thanee, and Ferrix! Now awaiting three more foolhard-- uh, I mean, intrepid souls!

deadestdai said:

I'd love to get in on this one! Though, I don't have the PS books (Might be able to find them otherwise....).

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Well, the 2e PS books aren't necessary at all, and technically speaking the Manual of the Planes and Planar Handbook aren't either. If you are planning to getting one or the other, I'd suggest the Planar Handbook first. It has stuff that's more relevant to players.

What kind of races/classes/alignments, etc are you allowing?

Click to expand...

I'll be posting more details later, but to quickly answer your question, nearly any race is allowable, excepting psionic races (I will not be using psionics in this campaign) and those with a greater than +4 level adjustment. I have final say, of course, but if it's not cheesy and I have the book, I'll probably let it in. As for classes, any of the core classes are fair game. Alignment-wise, I'm looking for good to neutral-aligned characters. This is rather heroic sort of campaign, so evil characters wouldn't be appropriate.

Thanee said:

While I am not immensely familiar with the planescape stuff (never really played that), I do have some knowledge about the basics (and planar travel and so on), and I guess a few searches on the net will provide whatever information is needed in excess to that.

Click to expand...

Your knowledge of Planescape hardly needs to be encyclopedic. As long as you are familiar with the cosmology of the Great Wheel and how Sigil is set up, you should be fine. Fortunately, this isn't a faction-heavy adventure, so you don't even need to know much about them beyond their names and basic philosophies. Brushing up on your cant might be helpful though.

I'd love to be in of there's still a spot. Never played Planescape before, but always wanted to!

I'm game if there's room.

Nick

Okay, Librarian and Lion, count yourselves in!

Everyone, I've edited the first post to include the character creation details so take a look.

Here's a preliminary idea: Vladimir Kronenheim, a mortal Dwarf Pal5/Wiz(Necromancer)7 from Ysgard (Nidavellir). He left because of his (obvious) ideological conflicts with the prevailing sentiments of the plane, has wandered into Sigil, and has (possibly, I'll have to check out my PS stuff) joined the Dustmen. I was contemplating giving him the leadership feat and an undead cohort -- would that work or would that be too bizarre? Let me know. I've also thought of Pal3/Sor9 and Mnk5/Wiz7 or Mnk3/Sor9. In any case, the class levels from monk or paladin would come first and he wouldn't be advancing in that class any longer.

Two questions that are key for this concept:
1) Is animate dead evil for Dustmen if it's only used on people that have agreed to be raised?
2) Would we be able to swap out the paladin ability to turn undead for rebuke undead?

I'll have something put together shortly.

Nick

Me too! (please?)