Recruiting: The Sharn Inquisitive

[Mr_Spicoli]

Hi, I have a Divine Magician character concept in the works. The Divine Magician is in the Complete Mage and basically lets a cleric give up one domain and in return, on every level when he would have had access to a new level of spells, he instead selects one necromancy, abjuration, or divination spell from the wizard list and adds it to his own spell list. That spell is cast as if it was divine.

I wanted the character to be a member of a secret cult of Odilammara is near suitable as a deity of revelry, music, tricks, wine, and song. But that does not cover all of this cleric's interests & compulsions.
For this character Odilammara also represents the outstanding features of mystery religions, such as those practiced at Eleusis: ecstasy, personal delivery from the daily world through physical or spiritual intoxication, and initiation into secret rites.

This is the most suitable patron for this cleric investigator. His patron fits his obssessive & moody pleasure seeking Sherlock Holmesian opium smoking Sam Spade attitude persona.

Also, do we have to stay exactly to the domains listed for each deity if we have to chose one from the Player's HB? If so, I was wondering if it would be ok to use deity from Deities & Demigods. I would like to use Dionysis or Balder.

 

[bento]

McNathan80,

I've been wanting to join a PBP post for a couple of weeks - as I'm running one for a group of my own who can't seem to meet.

I'd like something I can play long-term, as I can always seem to find the time to visit enWorld and post.

Here's what I came up with:

ZENTHIL HAVERSTONE, 3rd level gnome bard

Description
[sblock]Zenthil is a 3'4" male gnome with sandy blond hair and green eyes. He looks to be in the prime of life (57 years old) and dresses in a professional manner - dark suits with a long black raincoat. Small scars can be seen around his face and hands, although they don't mar his general appearance. [/sblock]

Background
[sblock]Zenthil Haverstone comes from a family of gnomes who’ve lived in Sharn for six generations. His father, Jakob, owns and operates a small chain of family-style buffet restaurants specializing in Zilargo cuisine. Working at the X district location left a deep impression on young Zenthil, as it was located across the street from the bureau office of the Korranberg Chronicle. Growing up Zenthil was spell-bound by the tales the newspapermen would spin as they wiled away the hours in the restaurant, a favorite hang-out.

As Zenthil grew into manhood, he eschewed the path of small business ownership to begin his career as a journalist. Unable to score a position at the Chronicle, he wrote for several local papers to build up his portfolio. He chaffed at the “Lifestyle” assignments that all new reporters were given, covering social events or dog shows. The fates smiled on him the day he went to report on the arrival of dignitaries from the Talenta Plains, when elven assassins struck the party, killing both halfling diplomats and Breland dignitaries. Zenthil’s story made the front page, and the thrill of being in the middle of the excitement led him to seek out more dangerous assignments.

Zenthil eventually signed as a freelancer for the Korranberg Chronicle, serving as a war correspondent attached to Breland units. Sending in weekly dispatches, his columns were widely read for their often graphical and gory prose. After staying in the field for eighteen months Zentil lost his taste for war, chosing the first non-combat assignment that came along. Settling back in Sharn he covered the crime beat for a couple of years, until a series of exposes brought retaliations from one of the city's notorious Halfling gangs. Thugs planted a fireball bomb in one of his father’s restaurants after hours, nearly destroying the place. Pressure from his family to find more suitable employment led him to his current job.

Zenthil now works several jobs, as a part time private investigator and freelance journalist. Most of all Zenthil hopes his new path will provide plenty of inspiration for his next big venture – crime novelist. [/sblock]

Demeanor & Philosophy
[sblock]Zenthil has the bearing of a street-beat journalist. At times he can be as hard as nails when grilling a source for a story, while other times he knows its best to sit back and observe. He is cautious, taking time to size up a person or situation before diving in. He’s no coward though, but thinks of himself as a survivor.

Zenthil values personal freedom most of all and rails against those who try to shackle others through intimidation and threats. He feels that the refugees from Cyre are in this situation and often goes out of his way to help them by providing tips on jobs and handouts. [/sblock]

Character Stats
[sblock] Zenthil Haverstone: Male Gnome(Rock) Brd3; CR 3;
Small Humanoid (Gnome);
HD 3d6+3; hp 17;
Init +2; Spd 20 ft/x4;
AC 16 (+3 armor, +2 dex, +1 size), touch 13, flat-footed 14;
Base Atk/Grapple +2/-2;
Full Atk +3 One-handed (1d4;18-20/x2, Rapier), +5 Two-handed (1d6;19-20/x2, Light Crossbow);
SA&SQ • You can cast bard spells while wearing light armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance., Bardic Knowledge(Ex), Bardic Music, Countersong(Su), Fascinate(Sp), Inspire Courage(Su);
AL CG; SV Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +4;
Str 10(+0), Dex 14(+2), Con 12(+1), Int 14(+2), Wis 12(+1), Cha 14(+2);
Skills: Balance¹ +9, Bluff¹ +6, Gather Information¹ +10, Knowledge (local) +6, Listen¹ +9, Perform (Storytelling) +6, Sense Motive¹ +7, Spot¹ +4, Tumble +7.
Feats: Dodge, Investigator."
[/sblock]

 

[Mr_Spicoli]

Zadrius “Zade” Karrex
Human Divine Mage 3

Zadrius was raised by a family of "enlightened" free-thinkers who espoused all the questionable moralities associated with deities of knowledge. A merchant family of information seekers for sages, psions, & mages, they were well to do with a pleasant villa in the mountains outside of Sharn. He immediately learned of the joy of exploration and discovery growing up in such a unique family. He would traverse the local mountains with friends in search of herbs & minerals as well as documenting the flora & fauna for his studies. As he grew up, this translated into a restlessness to seek out the greater world, and a lust for excitement and romance.

When Zade was 19 he set out with his friends to find themselves and the world.
He traveled all the way across Khorvaire by hitching rides on wagons and carts. He became quite a good caravan healer as well as guard. When his caravan was waylayed by bandits, they took all the merchants captive as slaves. Here he was indoctrinated into the Cult of Odilammara, the old deity of Art, Revelry & Pleasure. He found an unexpected secret of wisdom from this cult. That knowledge was also pleasure instead of just power. The secrets of knowledge were close to this cult and they hired their services to other orders, sages, and mages for recordkeeping and book copying. The activities of the cult interwove with arcane pursuits as well. He entered the Collegia Arcanus in Sharn where he learned the ways of arcane secret.

It is there that he was introduced to a secret sect of the cult of Odilammara. As an initiate he learned of the Mystic Thuerges who were priest mages that excelled in the combination of arcane & divine study to the attainment of their wishes. He met and briefly became engaged to a rogue cultist of Odilamarra who taught Zade about the back alleys and cutthroats of the city. She took him on many adventures along shadowy walkways and rooftops. They had a romantic affair but her best friend decided to take Zade for herself and set up a redezvous in which he would be caught by his wife with her best friend. Now he is an aspiring Odilammaran Mystic thuerge, awaiting his training to become a full member of the Order.

He is a streetwise man in his early 20's wearing battered leather armor and carrying his longbow on the dangerous streets of Sharn. He has seen his fair share of fights and been in many of them. He even considered joining the guard, but the uniforms, discipline, and constantly taking orders wouldn't be for him. But he has done the city a service many times, and when it hasn’t asked, nor known of it. He is a free-willed spirit who likes infiltrating the underbelly of parts of Sharn for the pure thrill of it. Loyal to those loyal to him, he can be trusted to the end. Screw him over once, or threaten his companions and you have yourself an enemy.

His schooling at the Collegia Arcanus in Sharn, friendships with bards and sages, and connections to the slums, underworld, as well as social elite put him in a unique situation in the city. As an investigator for hire, he has plenty of offers from the wardens as well as the waylayers of the city. He picks and chooses his clients carefully, with personal interests utmost, yet the good of his friends not far behind. But even when he takes a job on pure profit and/or pleasure, he always remembers the dark city nights and its streets are his home.

He is all about making connections through observation. He connects his estranged wife’s relationship events with his personal obssessiveness. He is emotionally restrained, up to a point. When it gets to a boil he overdoes it with opium, drinking, and women. He doesn’t like himself sober, and thinks he is a crass brute without the sweet leaf and drink to soften him around the edges. It may be an excuse to rationalize his addiction.

He is obsessed with the muse. He needs opium to fuel his imagination and persona. He will spend 10-25 gp a week on opium. When using opium he will play the violin to get inspiration. The soothing music will give him ideas and help him make connections. He finds harmonic enchindirons delineate logical paths through the maelstrom of the world.
He has been involved in private and public investigations ranging from the mystical to the mundane, divine, arcane, and supernatural.

Of late he has been studying how warforged interact with organic beings. Hes seen a fair share of the warforged act very emotional, not unlike their creators. Who says warforged don’t care, that their emotionless arcane machines? Or when the servant becomes the master.

 

[mcnathan80]

Cool, it looks like we're drumming up some interest.
Here's the characters and assumed roles so far.
Kalserath, Kalashtar soulknife- sneaky, silent blade
Reech, Changling rogue- criminal profiler
Andres Talbor, Half-daelkyr telepath- interrogator, scene investigator
Pohl d'Velderan, Human urban ranger- criminal tracker
Zenthil Haverstone, Gnome bard- face, street connections
Zadrius Karrex, Human divine mage- healer, street connections, academic

If I'm off on the concept any of you had for your cahracters just let me know and I'll edit this post.

Widowmaker: I hope this helps to jumpstart your ideas of what to post if you still want to.

mr_spicoli:[sblock]I like the concept of the anti-hero, and the divine mage seems reasonable eventhough I have no access to CM I'll allow it. However, I'm not so keen on the crossing of gods and religion in campaign settings. At first, when you said you would worship Olidammara I thought 'what? no this is eberron not greyhawk', If that's still the path you want to take may I suggest worshipping The Traveler, or even The Fury would make an interesting choice. Think about it and let me know what you think.[/sblock]

 

[stonegod]

Minor notes: I see Anders (not Andres) as a seer more than a telepath for now, though it may switch when I stat him. But your listed role seems accurate.

 

[Mr_Spicoli]

mr_spicoli:[sblock]I like the concept of the anti-hero, and the divine mage seems reasonable eventhough I have no access to CM I'll allow it. However, I'm not so keen on the crossing of gods and religion in campaign settings. At first, when you said you would worship Olidammara I thought 'what? no this is eberron not greyhawk', If that's still the path you want to take may I suggest worshipping The Traveler, or even The Fury would make an interesting choice. Think about it and let me know what you think.[/sblock]

No problem on the choice for a deity-I chose Odilammara because out of the books you listed, I only have the Players Handbook since no Deities & Demigods listed for deity choices. I don't have the Eberron books yet, only the Explorer's Handbook. I'll buy the campaign guide today. If you have some information on either of those deities it would be really cool.

I can send you the description of the divine mage fromthe book if you'd like.

my character concept is basically a occultish private investigator, his personality smacks large dabs of Humphrey Bogart aka Sam Spade from the "Maltese Falcon" movie, mixed with a quircky creative genius fueled by chemical stimulation ala Sherlock Holmes. But yes, you're summation does well in brief!

 

[mcnathan80]

No problem on the choice for a deity-I chose Odilammara because out of the books you listed, I only have the Players Handbook since no Deities & Demigods listed for deity choices. I don't have the Eberron books yet, only the Explorer's Handbook. I'll buy the campaign guide today. If you have some information on either of those deities it would be really cool.

I can send you the description of the divine mage fromthe book if you'd like.

my character concept is basically a occultish private investigator, his personality smacks large dabs of Humphrey Bogart aka Sam Spade from the "Maltese Falcon" movie, mixed with a quircky creative genius fueled by chemical stimulation ala Sherlock Holmes. But yes, you're summation does well in brief!

I love the concept of your character, we can even use your character's addiction as a flaw to get a binus feat. Any way considering deity choice: The fury is an evil god of the "dark six" pantheon. The cool thing about Eberron is clertics no longer need to adhere to their deity's alignment. I believe The Fury is Chaotic Evil (I don't have my books in front of me at the moment), but you as the cleric don't need to be CE to worship her. I figured The Fury would be a good choice since she's all about hedonism and following your passions no matter what. Which is what I see your character being about. Pick up the book it's really good and get back to me with the details of the Divine Mage.

 

[bento]

So what's the latest news?

 

[Dirk]

Im interested

HEY im interested. Im thinking of a strait fighter whos tring to become a justiciar. Ill submit a background soon.

 

[mcnathan80]

Hey guys just a quick head's up. I work and take evening classes on Mon and Tues so I don't have access to a computer on those days, in fact I don't even see my wife on those days. Also, I have a 25 page term paper due this weekend so any spare I have is consumed by that. BUT!!! I've been going over submissions, and unless a flood of people swarm this post by this weekend I'm probably going to take everyone . Don't quote me on that though, I'll have the official posting this weekend, plus what to do from there. Have a great week everyone, and I'll catch up with ya'll this weekend.