stonegod's Expedition to Castle Ravenloft [Recruiting Closed]

[DEFCON 1]

Like GwydapLlew said... no worries on this front about any lone wolfishness. I had a hard enough time trying to adjudicate Nelson Luttin running all over god's green earth to know how much of a pain in the tuchas it can occasionally be!

Jarrith will be focused and have strong opinions... but the main character thing that I'll probably be emphasizing is being extremely pro-active. Which just means that when the party reaches places where decisions need to be made (like which direction to go in, who to speak to next, questions to ask etc.), I'll have Jarrith do something pretty straight away after the party makes initial thoughts on what to do. Oftentimes in PbP someone just needs to take all the opinions that have been given thus far and make a firm decision on one In-Game just to push the story forward. And that's how I see playing Jarrith... using a character trait to an actual gaming effect.

He'll be "annoying" (like I mentioned in my background) because he won't sit on his hands while the party debates decisons to death, but will rather take what seems to be the overall popular choice and just run with it. He'd call it being "pro-active"... others might call him being "rash".

 

[GwydapLlew]

Paladin thoughts

The Shadowbane Inquisitors are known to be straightforward and rather black-and-white regarding eeeeeeeeevil. Reading over the base description, they sound a lot like the tactical nuclear option (while the Stalkers sound like the sniper variants.) Here is how I'm considering the paladin if allowed to play:

• Do not ally with an evil creature or organization.
• Good may have to suffer in order for evil to be destroyed.
• Maintain purity through straightforwardness; deception leads to evil.
• There is as much good in mercy as there is in justice; help those in need.
• Prove that your shifter blood is not evil; allow your instincts to guide you (not rule you.)

I see him being played as straight-to-the-point and direct in nature, but also compassionate and understanding. To use a modern example: he's the kind of guy to call someone a drug dealer to his face, but he understands that not everyone can handle that level of commitment. Just because someone can't handle the commitment, however, doesn't mean they get a free pass if they interfere. His ideals do not allow him carte blanche to run roughshod over others, as that sort of attitude is what prompted the near-extermination of his race.

 

[stonegod]

• Do not ally with an evil creature or organization.
• Good may have to suffer in order for evil to be destroyed.
• Maintain purity through straightforwardness; deception leads to evil.
• There is as much good in mercy as there is in justice; help those in need.
• Prove that your shifter blood is not evil; allow your instincts to guide you (not rule you.)

My thoughts

• That is fine. Of course, not all organizations that are really evil are thought of as evil. The Church does not like the Blood of Vol, for example, but it is not openly known what lies behind the facade. Also, realize that in Eberron, evil is not as black/white as it is in the default/Greyhawk setting---detect evil is a useful tool, but not for the "target identification" it has been used for in other settings. To quote the ECS:
  

  It is important to keep in mind that evil people are not always killers, criminals, or demon worshipers. They might be selfish and cruel... but they don't necessarily deserve to be attacked by adventurers.

• Mmm, potential moral conflicts.
• This is one that could be a gamebreaker, especially when one considers that the other half of the Order of Illumination (the Shadowbane stalker's) use just those tactics. Your character may refuse to lie, but not answering the question or doing something else is a valid tact, and he should let other use the appropriate tools when needed. Remember, undetectable alignment is a paladin spell.
• Fine by me.
• RP goodness.

 

[stonegod]

I have updated the first posts with all the potential applications and a list of the known roles as I see them. Questions marks indicate something I am not sure about or mentioned previously and have not had a comment on. Some folks still need to flesh out ideas, which everyone has plenty of time to do so.

No warforged or artificers yet.

 

[Doomhawk]

.
[*] This is one that could be a gamebreaker, especially when one considers that the other half of the Order of Illumination (the Shadowbane stalker's) use just those tactics. Your character may refuse to lie, but not answering the question or doing something else is a valid tact, and he should let other use the appropriate tools when needed. Remember, undetectable alignment is a paladin spell.

'An Aes Sedai will always tell you the truth, but it won't always be the truth you think they told you'?

 

[GwydapLlew]

That is fine. Of course, not all organizations that are really evil are thought of as evil. The Church does not like the Blood of Vol, for example, but it is not openly known what lies behind the facade. Also, realize that in Eberron, evil is not as black/white as it is in the default/Greyhawk setting---detect evil is a useful tool, but not for the "target identification" it has been used for in other settings

Definitely. I'm a fan of the Eberron grayscale of alignment. Since he's a shifter, and his church pretty much wiped out all the lycanthropes because they were seen as 'evil,' he's not going to be quick to jump to that conclusion. Once he identifies something as eeeevil, though....all bets are off.

This is one that could be a gamebreaker, especially when one considers that the other half of the Order of Illumination (the Shadowbane stalker's) use just those tactics. Your character may refuse to lie, but not answering the question or doing something else is a valid tact, and he should let other use the appropriate tools when needed. Remember, undetectable alignment is a paladin spell.

You have a valid point. I've always seen the two sides of the Order using different tactics for the same goal: there is nothing wrong with a Stalker to lie, steal and deceive in order to flush out evil, but there is something wrong with an Inquisitor using those same ploys. And I agree; there are ways to avoid lying besides telling the truth.

 

[Azaar]

stonegod wrote:

No warforged or artificers yet.

My reply: ask and ye shall receive. Originally, I'd been concerned over whether to give this a shot or not because, while I'm only in two games, I'm also preparing to DM my first play-by-post game as well. But I'm game to give this a shot, since one game is fairly casual, and the other game... well, I've either been removed from it (although I posted on still being there in the OOC thread), or it's completely dead in the water anyway, so I'm down to just one game. So... here we go.

Tinker (NG Warforged Artificer 6: all racial substitution levels from Races of Eberron) -- Tinker learned the arts of the artificer before being released from servitude at the conclusion of the Last War and the Treaty of Thronehold. Since then, Tinker has travelled Khorvaire, his curiosity fueling him to learn as much as he can. That curiosity can sometimes get the better of him. Since I have yet to see a prestige class that can complement the artificer, I'll leave him to be an artificer all the way through.

 

[stonegod]

Tinker (NG Warforged Artificer 6: all racial substitution levels from Races of Eberron) -- Tinker learned the arts of the artificer before being released from servitude at the conclusion of the Last War and the Treaty of Thronehold. Since then, Tinker has travelled Khorvaire, his curiosity fueling him to learn as much as he can. That curiosity can sometimes get the better of him. Since I have yet to see a prestige class that can complement the artificer, I'll leave him to be an artificer all the way through.

What do you see Tinker's role as: Party Support? Blastificer? Construct-builder?

Quirks and such would also be appreciated (as per the first post; Enforcer has a good layout).

You're right about the PrC, unless you are a non-warforged artificer; then Renegade Mastermaker is fun.

 

[Drowned Hero]

Drowned Hero I like half-orcs, and I like half-orc druids. I can see how you are trying to tie a hatred of undead into your background. The only comment I have right now is that druids to not make great ranged combatants, being limited to spears and slings.

As you guessed i was thinking in beeing divine suport and slingshooter. I was thinking in have a stack of intresting bullets so enhance the damage. I would apreciate if you told me if you know of any source i can see a bigger varierity of amo for the sling.

 

[stonegod]

As you guessed i was thinking in being divine suport and slingshooter. I was thinking in have a stack of interesting bullets so enhance the damage. I would appreciate if you told me if you know of any source i can see a bigger variety of ammo for the sling.

Unfortunately, I do not. I had a monk slinger once, and it never really worked out. We celebrated when on the last fight of the campaign he finally hit something. However, it was with his fists!

Spears might do you better, and you can always reuse them.