Of Thieves, Noble and the Righteous

[dog45]

Welcome to the city of Port-A-Lucine, or simply Lucine as the locals call it. If you're here looking for tales of adventure and daring, you've come to the right place. For those of you unitiated with the fine city of Lucine, browse through the selections in the Geography section. For more information on the key figures and groups that live in and control the city, go to Organizations. Our most prized items here are the collections of journals of many an adventurer, such as yourself. What draws people to this coastal city remains a mystery, but the trials and tribulations they go through never cease to amaze me. Relax and have a cup of coffee while you're here, because you might find yourself staying for a while.

Best Regards,​

Master Librarian, Strauss De'Alhous

note found next to a tray of coffee on the front desk​

The Setup: PbP game in the Dementlieu domain of Ravenloft
The Deal: 3 characters of 8th level
The Payoff: Intrigue/Adventure and the battle for your soul

---------------------------

- There will be 3 characters in this game, each of a different Archetype.
- I have created organizations within the city for each character to be affliated with. More than one character may choose a single organization, but only one per character.
- Sources allowed: PHB, DMG, Ravenloft Campaign Setting, Ravenloft Players Handbook, Champions of Darkness, Heroes of Light, Van Richtens Arsenal Vol I. Material from other WoTC sources will probably be allowed upon review - I simply want to limit the initial crazyness.
- Races allowed: Human
- Alignment: any
- Stats: 32 pt buy
- Gold: 27,000 (no more than 1/2 on single item)
- XP: 32,000

[sblock=Archetypes]
The Thief: Not all feel that society has a place for them. Working all day, and retiring when you're dead doesn't appeal or make sense to them. Instead, they often feel that society owes them, and will work toward that end of getting what they believe is deserved. Not always following the law, and definately following their own whims, thieves fill the place in society of chaos, providing the much needed reminder that life is suffering, only broken up by brief moments of hapiness.

The Noble: There is a common rule among the rich and elite called the Golden Rule; those that have the gold make the rules. Certainly in todays modern cities you can find this being applied everyday, but no place is it more common than in the houses and businesses of the nobles. Born into wealth and bred to be regal, those fortunate enough to taste of lifes finest will do anything within their power to make sure that is where they'll stay.

The Righteous: Where would man be without his gods? Some say in ruin, others say in paradise, while others still have no opinion at all. For the ones who cannot envision a world without their god, these are often called to become messengers, bearers of their dietys light, or in some cases, darkness. What drives these people to dedicate their whole lives to something beyond themselves?
[/sblock]


[sblock=Organizations]

Organizations​

Each organization has it's own problems and hidden agendas. Select one for your character to be affiliated with. Exactly how you are affiliated with them is for you to decide. Be wise in this decision, for it will shape your game more so than any other choice. Also, keep in mind that while you may be allies with your own group, others may hate you for no other reason than that. Choose your friends carefully, for it often doesn't take much for them to become enemies.

Church of Ezra​

The majority of the population follows the teachings of the goddess Ezra. There are more than one interpretation of their deity's message, however. This church in Lucine is the main branch for all of Dementlieu, and here she is a merciful goddess who left the company of her heartless brothers and sisters to help the mortal man realize his true nature. What man's true nature and divinity is remains openly debated, in the coffee houses as well as the chapel.

The Cardnial is Gerald LeBlanc, a humble man of the cloth that has been serving Ezra since he was a young boy. Now well into his 70's, LeBlanc has let nearly all of his duties be handled by his slightly younger and ambitious Arch-Bishop, Francis Roellier, who is in his mid 50's. The Arch-Bishop has been consolidating his powers behind Cardinal LeBlanc's back for years, making alliances with numerous guilds and organizations in the city; some well-known and respected, and others only whispered about.

Cult of the Morninglord​

The Morninglord promises the coming dawn with an optimistic message of hope and kindness. Appearing in the past as a humanoid form that shines brightly, the Morninglord has protected the helpless from the horrors of the night. Although the faith of the Morninglord started far to the southeast of Dementlieu, it's teachings and clerics have been welcomed in nearly all the cities the cult has spread to. The reason for this surprising acceptance may be more than just holy writ. It is said that the true followes of the Morninglord take their gods appearances literally, and spend the nights hunting the horrors as he did. This rumor hasn't been confirmed, but that cult seems to recruit new converts wherever it goes, seemingly without advertising.

The local chapter in Lucine has been slow to gain acceptance because of the already established Church of Ezra. Some wonder why the Morninglord's clerics came here in the first place, although no one is openly hostile to the small parish or its priest, Michael O'Hare.

Emerald Eye​

This thieves guild has a well-known reputation for its thefts, both grand and simple. Although the guild controls nearly all aspects of crime in the city, it is best known for it's daring jewel heists. The trademark of the jewel thieves within the Emerald Eye is a emerald stone, cut to resemble a cats eye.

Recently there have been arrests made of some of the guild's high profile jewel thieves, caught in the act. At each arrest, the Guards seemed to be right there when the thief tried to get away, even when no alarms had been tripped.

By the Moons Light​

A band of local young nobles have formed themselves into a troupe of performers, and go by this name. Too bored from not having to work and too rich to know any better, this group of young adults mainly lounge around their favored tavern reading each other their own poetry. There seems to be a undertone of fascination with death that pervades all the writings that they share. Their group is loosely centered around a young man who goes by the name of Lucent Ardonis.

Society for the Advancement of Mankind​

Not much is publicly known about this group, other than what they release about themselves. The Society has a house that they use as a meeting place to gather and discuss philosophical matters. Membership is open to most noble gentlemen, and members can be found in nearly all upper level positions of government, medicine, and trade. The Society occasionally sponsors days of volunteer work at the soup kitchens and they also work with the homeless shelters, most often providing substanstial financial support.

Not all believe the Society to merely be a charity-orientated gentlemans club. Some rumors are passed along that the initiation rites into the Society are steeped in occult practices and others offer that the whole Society is a front for open demonic worship. Such ideas are usually only told by those who have drunk too much, and are not paid any heed.

Guards of the Watch​

The city guard is organized under the firm hand of Chief Magistrate Harry Allen Fairweather, III. As a port city, the Guard is kept busy dealing with smuggling and all the usual petty crime of a large city. Citizens of Lucine know better then to travel alone at night, even though the Guard is out patrolling. The city's courtroom falls under the jurisdiction of the Guards of the Watch, so the Chief Magistrate is often indirectly the judge, jury and executioner. A cold man who gives no mercy to his criminals, the Chief Magistrate's sole failure has been to break the Emerald Eyes circle of crime. Recently, the Guard have managed to capture some of the thieves guild jewel thieves in the act, but neither the Chief Magistrate nor the Captain of the Guard will say how they caught them.

Sir Richard's Knights​

While the Guard is busy policing the city, the nobles often rely on their own protection forces. The largest of these such firms is Sir Richard's Knights. Richard isn't really a knight, and neither are his swords, but they are the best protection a noble family can buy. Sir Richard is a shrewd business man who trains his bodyguards to be deadly, effecient, and cold-blooded. Each contract agreement with a family specifically states what type of protection service is offered, and the terms and conditions cannot be changed without a totally new contract. It has happened where some of Sir Richard's Knights stood by and watched their charges get attacked or simply walked away because the client couldnt pay or the type of protection needed wasn't in the contract.
[/sblock]




Other Notes:

This is a game of gothic horror, with plenty of social intrigue and moral ambiguities. There will be fights but its neither simply hack nor slash. Alignment in Ravenloft is sketchy. People define themselves by their actions, not an aura. The Power Check and Curse rules are in full effect. You may start your character with a single failed power check.

edit: Each character needs a chosen Path of Corruption. Create your own using the examples or select one of the 3 provided. You may end up never rolling/failing a powers check, but the potential is there. Look at it is your characters Dark Side, if that helps. I will provide some custom Paths later that you may choose from as well.

edit2: A note on Archetypes. Just because you're playing the Thief doesn't mean you have to have levels in Rogue. The archetypes provide a limited definition to your characters personality. The Righteous character could be a straight Fighter that is wholly dedicated to Ezra, for example.


The game will start a week before All Hollows Eve and the city is preparing a large celebration that will include a festival, Governors dinner, and a midnight parade. Previous years celebrations have been marked by violence and fires on Devils Night and the city is taking extra precautions to prevent that this year.


Post character submissions in this thread. I will review them on Monday the 27th and select 3 for the game. I'm going to keep recruitment open till next monday the 4th of december.

 

[Scotley]

Sounds like a very interesting game. I'm a little short on time this week due to the holiday, but I'll try to get a submission together. I've got copies of the ravenloft books, but I have not played in the current version, my Ravenloft experiences are limited to original module and a little second edition.

 

[dog45]

Cool. Given the nature of the holidays this week, I'll probably extend the deadline for submissions. More time for turkey.

 

[Thramzorean]

This looks excellent... but Ravenloft is the one setting I refused to allow myself to buy any books hoping one day to find a good table top campaign run by a decent DM and come to it completely fresh... and have never found such a campaign... *&^%$#@!

 

[dog45]

Thramzorean: Don't Panic. If you want to play, I can help you with the Ravenloft differences. The first thing is that the domain where the game is, Dementlieu, is basically a dnd version of France during the renaissance. Magic is mostly Enchantments/Illusions used by performers and stage magicians. Firearms and fencing have mostly replaced big weapons and heavy armor. The movable printing press has been invented. Science is moving ahead of magic, with advances such as the pocket watch, microscope, and primitive steam engines.

A Power Check is a percentile die you roll whenever you perform specific acts. Examples include torture, casting a Evil or Necromantic spell, minor thievery or grave robbing. Each act has a percent value assigned to it. For example, if you commit unprovoked assault on an evil npc or monster, there is no power check. But unprovoked assault on your family or an Innocent has a 3% chance that the Dark Powers that rule over ravenloft have noticed your evil act and "reward" you for it. The Paths of Corruption are that reward. The path can be reversed, and characters can climb back up from the depths of their depravity. There are some actions that are considered Acts of Ultimate Darkness - you automatically fail those power checks.

It may sound complicated, but its pretty simple. What kind of character were you thinking about playing?

 

[Bloodcookie]

Hey, I'm a longtime Ravenloft fan, and this looks quite interesting I've written up a background to fill the "noble" position, I wasn't sure if you also wanted character sheets at this stage or not.

Leothar Falcqon
The offspring of the wealthy seem pathologically prone to a number of social ills. A steady supply of cash, and no need to work for any of it, generates an abundance of free time in which to gamble, drink, and get young women into trouble. The scion of an affluent shipping dynasty, Leothar Falcqon did most of these things in his youth. However, being somewhat more intellectually curious than his peers, his interest was eventually drawn to a disreputable activity of a completely different sort – magic.

It grew from simple curiosity, and the giddy excitement that comes with learning a secret. Leothar would loiter around backstage after prestidigitators’ performances at the local theater, asking to be shown how their tricks were done, only to meet with the dismissive laughter of the itinerant conjurors and illusionists there. Leothar’s aristocratic sense of entitlement, however, made him quite determined, and one evening fate took pity on him. The magician – obviously a particularly talented one, as some of his “illusions” left scorch-marks on the stage – heard out Leothar’s pleading request with an indulgent smirk and, after making a brief show of careful consideration, agreed to take him on as an apprentice. The truth was, the magician, Maromar (“The Magnificent”) Tarmikos, saw much of himself in the eager young dilettante – not to mention the fact that he could really use the tutoring income to supplement the meager profits from his shows.

Leothar learned quickly, picking up the rudimentary slight of hand fundamental to the trade, as well as the means of crafting honest-to-goodness magical illusions and conjurations. After a time, Maromar was prepared to move on to a new town, and welcomed Leothar along as his assistant. This arrangement lasted for all of a month before the two split over a financial disagreement. Leothar set off on an independent career, traveling around the more civilized parts of Dementlieu and Lamordia for several years, augmenting his “repertoire” on the sly from fellow practitioners; he was quite astonished to discover that it was possible to do more – much more – than simply make his hat float across the stage, or seem to disappear, and this only fed his desire to explore the limits of just what could be done.

Now, he has returned home, and is eager to ply his trade for the crowds drawn in by the autumn festivities. It isn’t the money – little as there is to be made – that Leothar loves about what he does; he’s been independently wealthy his entire life. No, he is motivated solely by the thrill and sense of recognition that comes with awing the crowd, something he knows he could never experience living passively behind gilded walls. To that end, he has fallen in with a local group of young performers with backgrounds similar to his own, calling themselves By the Moon’s Light. Their art tends more toward the mundane than his, but they assure one another an audience and social outlet, at least.

 

[dog45]

Bloodcookie: That looks great. Go ahead and crunch the numbers. Also, what kind of Corruption Path do you think Leothar would take? I encourage you to make your own following the examples in the ravenloft PHB.

If anyone has ever played the White Wolf game Wraith: The Oblivion, I'm looking for something like the Shadows from that game for your Corruption Paths. It's the evil, twisted aspect of your characters personality that they give in to or let take over.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wraith:_The_Oblivion

[sblock=Bloodcookie]A little info on your group. Imagine a group of jaded rich 20-somethings that hang around coffee shops all day and write morose and morbid poetry. They idolize their leader and seek to please him constantly with gifts, adoration, their time and utter devotion. He has them perform little tasks for him, and they are eager to do so.[/sblock]

 

[Bloodcookie]

Ok, here we go:

[B]Name:[/B] Leothar Falcqon
[B]Class:[/B] Wizard 8
[B]Race:[/B] Human
[B]Size:[/B] Medium
[B]Gender:[/B] Male
[B]Alignment:[/B] Chaotic Neutral
[B]Deity:[/B] none

[B]Str:[/B] 10 +0 (2p.)     [B]Level:[/B] 8        [B]XP:[/B] 32000
[B]Dex:[/B] 14 +2 (4p.)     [B]BAB:[/B] +4         [B]HP:[/B] 33 (8d4+8)
[B]Con:[/B] 14 +2 (4p.)     [B]Grapple:[/B] +4     [B]Dmg Red:[/B] -/--
[B]Int:[/B] 20 +5 (10p.)     [B]Speed:[/B] 30'      [B]Spell Res:[/B] -
[B]Wis:[/B] 14 +2 (6p.)     [B]Init:[/B] +2        [B]Spell Save DC:[/B] +5(+6 illusion, divination)
[B]Cha:[/B] 14 +2 (6p.)     [B]ACP:[/B] -0         [B]Spell Fail:[/B] 0%

                   [B]Base  Armor Shld   Dex  Size   Nat  Misc  Total[/B]
[B]Armor:[/B]              10    +2    +0    +2    +0    +0    +0    14
[B]Touch:[/B] 12              [B]Flatfooted:[/B] 12

                         [B]Base   Mod  Misc  Total[/B]
[B]Fort:[/B]                      2    +2    +2    +6
[B]Ref:[/B]                       2    +2    +2    +6
[B]Will:[/B]                      6    +2    +2    +10

[B]Weapon                  Attack   Damage     Critical	   Range Inc.     Type[/B]
mstrwrk. pistol           +6       1d10     x3            50ft.          Piercing

[B]Languages:[/B] Mordentish[native], Darkonese, Falkovian, Halfling, Lamordian 

[B]Abilities:[/B] Human: Extra feat at first level (already included),
Four extra skill points at first level (already included),
One extra skill point at each additional level (already included)

	        Wizard: may acquire familiar,
Bonus Feats (already included),High intelligence gains bonus spells daily

[b]Spellbook:[/b]
0: all
1: Charm Person, Comprehend Languages, Disguise Self, Feather Fall, Identify, Magic Missile, Ventriloquism
2: Detect Thoughts, Hypnotic Pattern, Scorching Ray, See Invisibility
3: Dispel Magic, Fly, Gaseous Form, Major Image
4: Greater Invisibility, Phantasmal Killer, Scrying, Shout

[b]Spells Memorized:[/b]
0: Detect Magic, Light, Message, Prestidigitation
1: Charm Person, Comprehend Languages, Disguise Self, Feather Fall, Magic Missile, Ventriloquism
2: Detect Thoughts, Hypnotic Pattern, Scorching Ray, See Invisibility
3: Dispel Magic, Fly, Gaseous Form, Major Image
4: Greater Invisibility, Phantasmal Killer, Scrying, Shout

[B]Feats:[/B] Exotic Weapon Proficiency (pistol)  
Spell Focus (illusion)  
Spell Focus (divination)  
Scribe Scroll [free to wizard] 
Empower Spell  
Extend Spell 


[B]Skill Points:[/B] 67       [B]Max Ranks:[/B] 11/5.5
[B]Skills                   Ranks  Mod  Misc  Total[/B]
Concentration		    11     +2         13
Decipher Script             11     +5         16
Knowledge(arcana)           11     +5         16
Knowledge(geography)        4      +5         9
Knowledge(local)            4      +5         9
Knowledge(nobility)         4      +5         9
Profession(stage magician)  11     +2         13
Spellcraft                  11     +5   +2*   18
*[Knowledge(arcane) synergy]

[B]Equipment:               Cost  Weight[/B]
mstrwrk. pistol(loaded)  550gp    3lb
spell component pouch     5gp    2lb
Amulet of health +2    4000gp      -
Bracers of Armor +2    4000gp    1lb
Gloves of Dexterity +2 4000gp      -
Headband of Intellect +2 4000gp    -
Cloak of Resistance +2 4000gp    1lb
Entertainer's Outfit        -      -
Heward's Handy Haversack 2000gp  5lb
--bullets(10)               3gp    2lb
--silver bullets(5)     7gp 5sp    1lb
--cold iron bullets(5)      3gp    1lb
--powderhorn              35gp    2lb
--spellbook                   -     3lb
--2'x4' silver mirror    1000gp   ~32lb

[B]Total Weight:[/B]12lb      [B]Money:[/B] 3396gp 5sp -cp

                           [B]Lgt   Med   Hvy  Lift  Push[/B]
[B]Max Weight:[/B]               33   66   100   200   500

[B]Age:[/B] 26
[B]Height:[/B] 5'11"
[B]Weight:[/B] 140lb
[B]Eyes:[/B] green
[B]Hair:[/B] black
[B]Skin:[/B] light

Appearance:A tall, lean, swaggering fellow. Flashing green eyes beneath angular black brows,
medium-length black hair swept straight back, and a neatly trimmed moustache and goatee. Tends to wear
stylish black suits highlighted by brightly colored or otherwise gaudy vests. Habitually touches and
straightens his golden Headband, sporting a central emerald, which he thinks makes him look quite
dashing and mysterious.

Background:The offspring of the wealthy seem pathologically prone to a number of social ills. A steady supply of cash, and no need to work for any of it, generates an abundance of free time in which to gamble, drink, and get young women into trouble. The scion of an affluent shipping dynasty, Leothar Falcqon did most of these things in his youth. However, being somewhat more intellectually curious than his peers, his interest was eventually drawn to a disreputable activity of a completely different sort – magic.

It grew from simple curiosity, and the giddy excitement that comes with learning a secret. Leothar would loiter around backstage after prestidigitators’ performances at the local theater, asking to be shown how their tricks were done, only to meet with the dismissive laughter of the itinerant conjurors and illusionists there. Leothar’s aristocratic sense of entitlement, however, made him quite determined, and one evening fate took pity on him. The magician – obviously a particularly talented one, as some of his “illusions” left scorch-marks on the stage – heard out Leothar’s pleading request with an indulgent smirk and, after making a brief show of careful consideration, agreed to take him on as an apprentice. The truth was, the magician, Maromar (“The Magnificent”) Tarmikos, saw much of himself in the eager young dilettante – not to mention the fact that he could really use the tutoring income to supplement the meager profits from his shows.

Leothar learned quickly, picking up the rudimentary slight of hand fundamental to the trade, as well as the means of crafting honest-to-goodness magical illusions and conjurations. After a time, Maromar was prepared to move on to a new town, and welcomed Leothar along as his assistant. This arrangement lasted for all of a month before the two split over a financial disagreement. Leothar set off on an independent career, traveling around the more civilized parts of Dementlieu and Lamordia for several years, augmenting his “repertoire” on the sly from fellow practitioners; he was quite astonished to discover that it was possible to do more – much more – than simply make his hat float across the stage, or seem to disappear, and this only fed his desire to explore the limits of just what could be done.

Now, he has returned home, and is eager to ply his trade for the crowds drawn in by the autumn festivities. It isn’t the money – little as there is to be made – that Leothar loves about what he does; he’s been independently wealthy his entire life. No, he is motivated solely by the thrill and sense of recognition that comes with awing the crowd, something he knows he could never experience living passively behind gilded walls. To that end, he has fallen in with a local group of young performers with backgrounds similar to his own, calling themselves By the Moon’s Light. Their art tends more toward the mundane than his, but they assure one another an audience and social outlet, at least.

Corruption
As for the Path of Corruption, here's what I came up with; it's supposed to represent the selfish pursuit of arcane power, without regard for the danger it may pose to others. It seemed fitting for a somewhat self-centered character with an innocent (for now ) fascination with exploring the limits of magic.
[sblock]1: +2 spellcraft // character becomes more detached from the concerns and welfare of others

2: +4 spellcraft // character becomes overtly dismissive of others: -2 Cha

3: detect magic at will // character perceives others as jealous, and intentionally obstructing his progress: Paranoia madness condition

4: +8 Int // character becomes incredibly self-absorbed, often at his own peril: -6 Wis

5: +1 level of Wizard // character will do anything to gain what he seeks: alignment shifts to neutral evil[/sblock]

 

[Erland]

I agree, it sounds like an interesting idea. I, also, am not particularly familiar with Ravenloft, but I've been toying with a rogue/duelist type of character which sounds appropriate for the setting. Here's my take on the Thief archetype:

Philippe Fitzroi
One of the innumerable waifs who run the streets almost unnoticed, Philippe survived childhood on his wits, charm, and whatever he could steal or scrounge. The specific circumstances which left him a homeless orphan are lost to time. He vaguely remembers a woman, attractive but old before her time, who must be his mother, and a succession of men (relatives? johns?), culminated by noise, chaos, and then silence - the silence of the grave. Perhaps his mother was a whore killed by a customer, or a laundry wench taken by plague, or something else entirely - whatever, it didn't make any difference in the day-to-day struggle for survival, so it was quickly forgotten, pushed aside by more important concerns.

Philippe is not even his real name, just the latest in a long line of psuedonyms taken for a month, a day, or just a night. Whatever name his parent(s) gave him is long forgotten, along with the memories of his parents themselves. To himself, the boy borrowed the name of the small falcons he saw flying through the streets - Kestrel, or even just Kes. He envied the birds their ability to fly away from the suffering Kes lived in every day.

Not surprisingly, Kes fell into a gang of children and learned how to steal, scam, and hide. In spite of his skills and natural talent, he would probably have died of hunger some harsh winter, had he not caught the eye of an out-of-favor fencing master. The way the boy moved suggested unrealized potential to the foreigner. Under Abban Faria's instruction, the boy learned to pass in civilized company, in addition to swordplay.

Now, Philippe travels the outskirts of upper class society, passing himself off as the illegitimate son of aristocracy. He joins with the noble youths in their various passtimes, including the group calling themselves By the Moons Light. His performances, when called upon to directly participate, approach Death from the point of view of that notable himself - the hunter rather than hunted, predator rather than prey.

Few observers would suspect the feral background of the dashing young man. Fewer still would suspect the envy and contempt he holds for his so-called peers.

Kes holds equal loathing for the Guards and the formal Thieves Guilds - the one for cuffing waifs to the side and trying to hide their need from "decent folk", the other for punishing the children for daring to impinge upon the Guild's trade in order to feed themselves. Likewise, as the gods held no regard for the needs of children, now Kes has no regard for the gods - so long as they have nothing to do with him, he'll have nothing to do with them, and that's the way he likes it.

He does have some small interest in two other groups. He doesn't have the connections required to join the Society for the Advancement of Mankind, and he is deeply suspicious that their philanthropic overtures are merely for show, though part of him hopes otherwise. He respects the abilities and detachment of Sir Richard's Knights, but dislikes the thought of having to serve and protect the nobility.

 

[dog45]

Bloodcookie: Looks good. I like the theme of the path - it definately fits your character.

Erland: nice story. I like the predator/prey angle. I'm working on a corruption path along those lines, but please create your own if you'd like to.

both:
[sblock]A little info on your group. Imagine a group of jaded rich 20-somethings that hang around coffee shops all day and write morose and morbid poetry. They idolize their leader and seek to please him constantly with gifts, adoration, their time and utter devotion. He has them perform little tasks for him, and they are eager to do so. You don't have to play your character like the above description, but the rest of the group are sycophants of Lucent. I have additional background on the group that I'll give you that only someone inside the group would know.[/sblock]