[E6] Adventure in the Swordlands [OOC]

[Vertexx69]

[sblock=Ko'Dan]Name: Ko'Dan Mu'Harr Dahut'lan
Title: Last of the Horselords
Race: Human
Class: Fighter1/Warlance1/Lancesage2
Alignment: Chaotice Neutral

Str 18 +4 [18, 16 pts]
Dex 16 +3 [16, 10 pts]
Con 10 +0 [10, 2 pts]
Int 10 [10, 2 pts]
Wis 16 +3 [15, 8 pts +1 lvl]
Cha 8 [8, 0 pts]

Saves:
Fort: +4
Refl: +6
Will: +6

Initiative: +4
Speed: 30 or (70 mounted)
BaB: 3

AC 23 (10 base, +3dex, +3 wis, +7 defense)
AC Flat-Footed 20 +3
Hit Points 27/27
Reflex Points 27/27

Attack Lance +9, 1d8+6

Charging Attack: Lance +13, (1d8+6,+10BLC,+1d6+3FB) X3
- Hoof +6 1d4+3

Feats:
H Mounted Combat
1 Ride-bye Attack
- Fighter - Spirited Charge
3 Reckless Charge

Special Qualities:

Discipline Focus:
- Weapon Focus – Desert Wind (Scimitar, Falchion, Spear, Light Pick, Light Mace)

Weapon Aptitude: change Focus from any weapon to any other (to Lance from Light Pick)

Stances:
Hunters Sense - Gain Scent ability
Island of blades - As long as any 2+ allies threaten an enemy, its considered flanked. (default)
Punishing Stance - -2 AC for +1d6 dmg

Manuevers Readied: (SS 4/WB 3)
Burning Blade +1d6+3 fire dmg
Distracting Ember summon small fire elemental to help flank
Shadow Blade Technique 2 attack rolls, take lower for +1d6 cold dmg
Fiery Riposte 4d6 fire touch attack counter
Battle Leaders Charge - +10 charge dmg, no AoO
Steel Strike attack 2 targets in reach
Sapphire Nightmare Blade target FF & +1d6 dmg with con check vs AC

Skills: [53pts] (base + stat + synergy + other)
Ride +14 (7+3+2+2)
Jump +11 (5+4+2)
Concentration +4 (4)
Tumble +10 (5+3+2)
Handle Animal +4 (5-1)
Heal +10 (7+3)
Spot +10 (7+3)
Survival +10 (7+3)
Sense Motive +9 (6+3)

Gear (3500g)
Lance 10g
Falchion 75g
Light Warhorse 150g
Military Saddle 5g
Saddle Bags 2g
Vanguard Tread Horseshoes 3,100g
Traveler outfit (volumious Brownish robes) 2g
Dagger 1g
Silk Rope 10g
Healing Herb 25g
backpack 2g
Tent 1g
Bedroll 1g
Rations X10 5g
Feed X10 5g
Waterskins X5 1g
Everburning Torch clip 90g
beltpouch 1g (inside robe)
- 150s[/sblock][sblock=Ko'dans Description]Height: 5'6"
Weight: 130lbs.
Eyes: Black
Hair: Long Black
Skin: Darkly Tanned

This enigmatic rider's appearance leaves everything to the imagination. The full robes look designed to conserve as much body heat and moisture as possible, for survival in the harshest of climates. Dirt brown gloves vanish up into the large sleeves as do similarly colored boots into the lower end of the garment. The deep hood further camoflages this nomads features that are already wrapped in in a thin scarf that completely hides the riders face except for the narrowest of slits for the eyes. No banner or pennon flies from the lance carried with expert ease, and the massively curved blade hanging at the hip looks just as lethal as those stone black eyes. The way Ko'Dan moves exudes a powerful confidence whether on horseback or on foot, and a gravely rasp of a voice could send chills down the spine of a man dying of thirst.

Shashek, the riders other half was once a magnificent black stallion, but his prime is far behind him now. His coat no longer shines, but has taken on a dull matte look that is spattered with mud. But he is well fed, and his saddle and shoes are well cared for, if more than a little dirty. The steed wears a strange set of what can only be describes as greaves that cover the lower part of his legs in steel plates. Tufts of fur and clay beads ring the tops of these shoes and they cover all the way down to a ring of alarming spikes that encircle the bottom of each hoof. These look very old, and may or may not have some purpose besides the obvious intimidation factor.[/sblock][sblock=Background]The Dahut'lan people hid from the Masters in the deepest reaches of the desert. Thier horses became thier lives and the only way to escape the certain death of the sandstorms and vile maichinations that prowled the sands with them.

After an age, fire became an ally to the Dahut'lan that could be summoned to enhance the destructive fury of thier weapons, or be called to revenge any assault against these desert people. The leaders horse could always travel the sands far easier than any of the others, though they all wore similar plated leg guards as a sort of crest of thier heritage. The family became lean and fierce and harder than any handful of coffin nails, as did the horses that carried them over the shifting sands.[/sblock][sblock=The Endless Storm]The sandstorms started coming closer together during the last dry season. A strange voice on the wind made the horses skittish like nothing before, and several of the young foles broke loose charging strait into the blasting sand. Many of the strongest men decided to go after them, never to be seen again either. As the sun rose, the sand was still savaging the landscape, and now the number of hunters was half what it was. During one of the brief calms the decision was made to head south to the mountains in search of some kind of shelter from the sands they had called home for over a dozen generations. Even as the Dahut'lan people turned their black mounts south, the sand started to churn on the northern horizon again with a growl deep inside it that promised to swallow any that it could catch. So what could we do? We ran. Through night and day without rest we charged for the safety of stone. As we spread out to cross the dunes, the storm closed on us again and again taking a few each time. Tearing them horses and all from the very ground, the storm devoured them in seconds before even thier scream could die in the raging winds.

As we topped the last shifting mound only a handful of us were left. Something of the masters had obviously found our clan after 400 years, but as the hooves of our trusted steeds struck stone, the storm seemed to howl in frustration as it turned back to our endless desert.[/sblock]

 

[lvl 1 fighter]

Crap. I was in DM/storytelling mode and didn't double check all the costs for Durge. No, 3500 is starting gold.

Re: Mounted Stances.

I think it will depend on the stance itself. Something like White Raven's Bolstering Stance would work. You're basically encouraging and cajoling your allies with your voice. Shadow Hands Child of Shadow stance would not work. The idea is wonky; you have concealment because of swirling shadows, but your mount is in plain sight. So, case by case.

Without checking first, I don't think the Stone Dragon stances will work while mounted.


Mounted Combat is a viable option.

---------

May I make a deal with you? I think there's a feat out there called Short Haft or something that lets you attack with a Glaive or other reach polearm within your adjacent squares. If there isn't I'll make one up. I loathe the spiked chain. I think it's the cheesiest weapon in the game, and don't feel it fits in with this setting.

So I'll let you spend a feat you would have anyway and get the same effect, but with a different weapon. How does that sound?

 

[Vertexx69]

If you'll let me substitute the lance into one of the swordsage weapon groups, I'd be more than happy to replace the chain Its just having weapon focus for a weapon I'm not using seems like a waste.

The 2 stances I will be taking are:
Step of the Wind - No penalty in difficult terrain + bonus against enemies
Island of blades - As long as any 2+ threaten an enemy, they all get flank.

Can I use the half charge rule? Where we can charge as a standard action, but only up to 1X speed? Or do I need to waste 2000g to get the boots of the battlecharger in order to do it?

 

[lvl 1 fighter]

I don't think the lance fits thematically in any of the Swordsages disciplines. I will add the longspear to the Desert Wind as a compromise. It's a reach weapon that would be appropriate for a mounted character and Desert Wind already has the spear so I think it could fit there without stretching the imagination too much.

Step of the Wind will not work while mounted. It's about your movement abilities, not your mounts.

Island of Blades will work mounted.

Where is the half-charge rule from? I'm not familiar with that. Also, don't count on being able to find any magic item that you want to buy. I'm referring to in-game, not the one you buy in character creation. There's no magic shops. Anywhere. If there happens to be a Spellcaster in the city he or she doesn't know how to enchant weapons or create magic items. They are all relics from the Masters war.

The magic item each character has was either found in the unexplored ruin of a city, handed down as a family heirloom, or stripped off the dead body of someone you killed. Or you saw someone in a fight, waited till one of them was dead and ambushed the survivor, taking it off his corpse.


What I'm trying to say is that your magic item is not a waste of money, whatever it is. It's something that if someone knew you had it, and thought they stood a fair chance of killing you, they would probably try and do you in.

Think of it this way. You're 4th level. The highest level you will reach is 6th. You're almost in the top third of the most powerful people in the world and you only have one magic item. Think about how important that item would be to a character. Whatever it does it gives them an edge, an increased chance for survival. And for many people that's the only thing that matters.

 

[Vertexx69]

The half charge is from either PHBII or CWar.

 

[lvl 1 fighter]

There is a feat called Cometary Collision in PHB II, but it doesn't do the same thing as the boots of battle charging. The feat lets you ready a standard action to charge an enemy that charges you or someone else.

 

[Vertexx69]

Then what do you think about Vanguard Tread horseshoes?

 

[SephBaelzara]

Appearance
Standing at just over 5 feet tall, and less scrany than your average military recruit. Fresh military recruit that is. Kaze isn't exactly one of the most handsome, nor outspoken human where he lives. Even with his piercing sapphire eyes, and deathly short blond locks. He does have the tendency to have bouts of holding a silvered tongue, but not as often as he does spouting off various tangents about seemingly endless theories about how the beings from outer planes continue to exist without their damned overlords.
His attire is something of a simplistic, almost tossed together managerie of colors, and styles. One piece, his shirt, is a vibrant red, whilst that which sits below is a pair of black-ink pants laying over top of a pair of some strange colored shoes. He doesn't seem to mind that he looks like he got dressed before the crack of dawn.

Basics
Race: Human
Gender: Male
Class: Spellcaster 4

Age: 20
Height: 6'
Weight 130lb
Hair: Blond
Eyes: Blue

STR: 10
DEX: 12 [+1]
CON: 14 [+2]
INT: 21 [+5]
WIS: 12 [+1]
CHA: 14 [+2]

Combat
HP: 22
RP: 22

AC: 14 (10 +1 Dex, +3 Defensse)
Touch 14
FF 13

Fort: +3
Ref: +2
Will: +5

Combat:
Initiative: +1

Ranged: +3
Melee: +2
Grapple: +2

Quarterstaff 1d6/1d6, x2

Feats
Human: Ability Training (Int)
Spellcaster: Magical Aptitude
1st Level: Ability Advancement (Int)
3rd Level: Eschew Materials

Equipment
Explorer's Outfit
Ring of Sustenance

Backpack
Bedroll
Everburning Torch
Silk Rope

Beltpouch
Flint and Steel
875 gp
9 sp

Spell Component Pouch

Skills
Appraise +12
Concentration +9
Spellcraft +16
Decipher Script +12
Craft (Alchemy) +12
Knowledge (Arcana) +12
Knowledge (Dungeoneering) +12
Knowledge (The Planes) +12

Magic
Spells per day (with DC):
0: 6 (15)
1: 5 +2 (16)
2: 2 +1 (17)

Spells Known:
0: 6
1: 3
2: 1

0 level spells:
1: Read Magic
2: Light
3: Know Direction
4: Purify Food and Drink
5: Resistance
6: Detect Poison

1st level spells:
1: Shillelagh
2: Comprehend Languages
3: Magic Missle

2nd level spells:
1: Rope Trick

History
Even from a young age Kaze scavenged for any knowledge he could, from perhaps even the most questionable sources. Many times he's come close to selling his soul out to various creatures of the abyss to deals which would only benefit them--each time he's narrowly avoided the temptation. Each time though, he lost a bit of his soul to the underworld, to where he stood now with an almost adamant stance that he was going to become one of them when he died. Though with the slow degrading worth of his soul, a new power arose to take its place. At first it was nothing more than short spurts of nothing more than lights, understanding odd texts at the wrong period of time, and knowing what way was the predetermined "north." All but useless.

That is until he found himself able to tap into more. As his understanding grew of what he could tap into, so too did his understanding of what he held in his grasp. Although currently he has a full understanding of what he can currently do, namely able to temporarily hop into an alternate plane for some hours of uninterrupted slumber, he also understands now that more of what he knows lies out there. The hunger to know more, to understand, to know it all, in spite of his own life.

*Talks with this*

 

[wysiwyg]

Kareus

Kareus


Appearance
Kareus is a tall, handsome, clean shaven male of about six foot in height and an athletic build. He has short cropped brown hair and steel grey eyes. He is dressed in plain traveller’s clothing and a dark blue cloak around his shoulders. He carries two ornate short blades at his side and several throwing daggers looped between his shoulder and torso on a dagger belt.

General
Race: Human
Gender: Male
Classes: Rogue (3rd) & Warblade (1st)

Age: 20
Height: 6”0
Weight: 160lb
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Grey

STR: 16
DEX: 16
CON: 14
INT: 14
WIS: 12
CHA: 12

Defenses & Saves
HP: 29
RP: 29

AC: 20
Touch: 20
Flat Footed: 10

Fort: +5
Reflex: +8
Will: +2 or +9 (Moment of Perfect mind)

Combat
Initiative: +3

2x MW Short Swords: +6 (1d6+3, 19-20/x2)
5x Throwing Daggers: +6 (1d4+3, 19-20/x2, 10’)
MW Repeating Heavy Crossbow: +7 (1d10, 19-20/x2, 120’)

* First round of combat (Rapid Assault): +1d6 to damage.
* Using Punishing Stance: +1d6 to damage.
* Using Sapphire Nightmare Blade: +1d6 to damage (opponent flat footed).
* Flanking: +2d6 to damage.

Feats
Weapon Focus (short sword), Two Weapon Fighting Style, Rapid Assault

Skills
(1) Move Silently +12, Hide +12, Concentration +9
(2) Climb +12, Spot +6, Search +7, Balance +10, Tumble +10
(3) Swim +7, Listen +5, Open Locks +8, Gather Info. +7, Diplomacy +5, Know. (Local) +6
(4) Jump +8

Notes: 73 points. (1) 7 ranks each; (2) 5 ranks each; (3) 4 ranks each; (4) 3 ranks

Stances:
Punishing Stance: +1d6 damage; -2 AC.

Manoeuvres:
Moment of Perfect Mind: Uses Concentration check in place of Will save.
Sapphire Nightmare Blade: Opponent flat footed, +1d6 damage with Concentration check.
Wolf Fang Strike: Attack with 2 weapons as a standard action at a single target.

Abilities:
Battle Clarity, Weapon Aptitude, Sneak attack +2d6, Trapfinding, Evasion, Trap Sense+1

Background
I have seen them wither and die. It is horrific if you can see the picture as an outsider as I have always been. Their entire lives, they dug in the mud from dawn to dusk. They battled the harsh sun, the cold rains and winds. They pleaded with the seasons and elements to have compassion. What little the farm would eventually yield, was then stripped by the baron’s tax collector. And what was their gain? Few precious moments of joy. A lifetime of agony.

My mother, undernourished, died from the fever-plague when I was eight. My father was hung for poaching during the year of the great famine before my fifteenth summer. My brothers enlisted into the baron’s ranks. The very same baron that had our father hung. My sister ploughs the wharves of Kishan nightly, hoping to earn a few coppers from passing sailors.

As for me. Being the youngest of four siblings, I packed what little belongings I had and joined a trading vessel as their youngest sailor. The captain and crew were harsh and unforgiving men. It had been the most arduous year of my life. Fate finally showed its hand when Finn was hauled on board, unconscious after been marooned at sea for eight days. Don’t even entertain the idea that the captain was acting out of benevolence. Finn was hauled because of the expensive Ophirian clothes that cloaked him. If not for the cryptic map that was found on his body, he would of been thrown right back.

It was my duty to nurse Finn back to health. In those three weeks, I had found the father I needed. Finn pretended to endure his mental sickness until we sighted the coast of Tyria. That night, Finn dispatched the night guard, and rowed with me to shore. We travelled north for a month towards the capital city, Ulrich. It was during that month that my training in true survival began. I do not wish to bore you, but let us just say that Finn was a master, nay a sage in the arts of subterfuge and fairly good with the blade.

It was in Ulrich that Finn introduced me to the true warrior Kareus his partner; the very same person who’s name I carry. It was there that I lived with the two thieves. And I mean lived! I could never go back to being the farm boy I had once been. Life was a fleshpot to be torn into. It was during those four years that I had grown sharp canines to taste the rich marrow of life for those who dare.

Our days of camaraderie came to a bitter end when we were betrayed to the watch by a fellow rogue, Janis, may his name be cursed. Kareus and Finn were too drunk to offer any resistance when they were arrested at the inn of the Falling Sun. They had met their end after being tortured for two days and hung in the public square for all to see. I got to their belongings before the king’s men did. I have donned Kareus’ blades and name, and Finns enchanted hat. I escaped Ulrich that night until it will be safe to return one day, for I have a score of blood yet to settle.

It has been a mere week since I have seen the other side of the Tyrian border. I have avoided human contact the entire time and I long for a warm meal and bath and some companionship. There is a small village up ahead. If luck favours, they will have all that I need. I have learned much since I met Finn and Kareus. But the most important lesson of all: it is for me, and me alone, to make my own luck...

Equipement
On Body: Explorer’s outfit, healing medallion, MW boots (move silently), MW cloak (hide), 2x MW short swords, 5x throwing Daggers, MW repeating heavy crossbow (10 bolts), small backpack.

In small backpack: Everburning torch, MW climbing kit, MW thieves tools, silk rope, crowbar, antitoxin, belt pouch

In regular backpack: bedroll, blanket, flint & steel, hammer, piton, soap, torch, waterskin, whetstone, travellers’ outfit

On Donkey: Regular backpack, iron pot, fishhooks x10, hand axe, trail rations (20days), tent, 4x waterskins, pack saddle, 2x sacks, bit & bridle, saddlebags

Belt pouch: 65pp, 28gp, 11sp

Mount: Light warhorse, Riding saddle

Animals
Light warhorse, donkey, hunting dog

*Speaks in this color*

 

[wysiwyg]

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