24 - 4e style (closed)

[Mal Malenkirk]

I was thinking it would be fun to have a 24 style campaign.

A series of self contained adventures all completed in a single day with no extended rest where most of the themes of the TV serie would be respected.

Well, I couldn't make it multiple intertwining stories with several distinct climaxes, obviously.

It would simply be about 6 directly connected encounters. Tough encounters.

But there would be murderous villains, hindering bureaucrats, innocents caught in the crossfire, rough interrogations, traitors, main characters dying, having to break the law for the greater good and, of course, many, many occasions to shout: ''We're running out of time!''

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I'd base it around a very multicultural and tolerant city state. Probably even a republic.

The PC start as peacekeeper, 5th level. They need to be willing to go to extreme lenght to stop any threat to their city-state for virtually no reward beyond a small paycheck. Whether it's straightforward jingoism or the sincere belief that the city-state represents a higher ideal in a savage world, it doesn't really matter. But you can't make mercenary minded PC because the rewards won't be there and if you ask for them, you'll just be left behind.

If I can pull off day 1, then I'd probably bump the level significantly for each new day. Part of the point for me is to test at higher levels since I've so far played repeatedly at level 1-3. Completing 6 encounter in PbP isn't too unrealistic so if I get to make a day 2 advanture, I'll bump it to level 11, and probably +5 levels for each following day.

Also, encounter are going to be very toughs on purpose. My secret aim is to have 1 PC death per day without degenerating in a TPK. It ain't 24 if no main character dies! I won't fudge though. And it's not that easy to kill just one PC in 4e. As long the PC wins the fight, they'll probably get everyone on their feet. Still, get ready for blood.

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Anyone interested?.

 

[ShaggySpellsword]

This sounds awesome.

Consider me very, very interested.

I'd probably be interested in an Eladrin Feylock commando...or waiting to see what others are interested in an making characters accordingly.

 

[Charwoman Gene]

I've been meaning to play a grim, black-humored dwarven fighter who believes he is fated to die. Soon, in battle. So he is willing to throw himself in there.

 

[Velmont]

So, you are doing it? I'll would go for it. My first choice would be a swordmage if you allow it, and if the team is more than 4 person (as charwomen have already call for a figther). If not, I'll go with the wizard. I would like to try an orb caster. For teh race, I'm not sure yet.

 

[Mal Malenkirk]

Yes I am. Was about to email you.

I'm thinking 5 players sounds about right. I want the fights to be tough and smaller team increases the volatility. In a small party, 1 PC goes down and you are on the highway to TPK town.

PC creation rules;

22 CP, as per PHB, level 6

Any core PHB race + Drow.

Classes : Any Core PHB + Sword Mage + Barbarian + Dark Pact warlock.

I'm a bit iffy about the darkspiral aura pact power. It seems very powerful. But I can see how it is easy to neuter and the Dark Pact at will is IMO the weakest of the lot and since it's a package deal, I guess it's all right.

The barbarian is still being playtested so I'm wary that it has too many kinks but I'm willing to gamble.

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Basic Setting

The City State of Undhil is very multicultural, with humans being the dominant race at about a fifth of the population. It is a large port city, about 300,000 strong plus twice as many in the countryside. Its wealth comes primarily from productive diamond mine, preferred trading partner status with the Eladrin island kingdom of Silverif and the dwarven nation of Brokhelm.

It used to be a minor monarchy but waves of refugees from a great war overran it two centuries ago. Great leaders and philosophers saved the kingdom from bloody civil war and turned it into a republic with a fairly progressive charter of rights. In the past century, its economy has known greater growth than any in the known world.

It has enemies everywhere, though. Silverif can only be relied on for commerce, Brokhelm is the republic's only solid ally. To the East is the totalitarian Empire of Karth who longs to swallow the republic, to the south are hordes of humanoids and underneath are the forces of the underdark. From within, venal noble who wish a return to the ancien regime are plotting against the republic. The churches of Banes and Asmodeus have also been outlawed and are constant threats.

There you go. Generic but functional. Players can invent details about the culture of their PCs as they see fit.

 

[ShaggySpellsword]

Just goes to show how much awesome can come out of the core rules and points of light philosophy with a good level of DM inventiveness--I really like that out-line.

So, I'm thinking I'll be Barrion Silverleaf, an agent of Silverif sent to aid Undhil in any way needed in order to preserve the very lucrative partnership their two countries enjoy--after all, if Undhil falls, the economy of Silverif is pretty much doomed. A number of factions within Silverif don't want to see their country allying themselves militarily with the Republic, for fear of incurring the displeasure of Karth, so Barrion technically doesn't exist. He is of torn loyalties...he serves Silverif unquestioningly, giving them any info he gleans about Undhil politics, economic situations, and military operations, but he has grown to value and respect the freedoms that Undhil stands for, and hopes to see his own nation achieve some of the liberties he's experienced here.

Character Sheet Coming Soon.

 

[Mal Malenkirk]

That's prettty good.

From pure peacekeeper, I'll shift the initial mission of the group to Anti-Smuggling operations. The preferred trading partner status enjoyed with Brokhelm and Silverif is important and smuggled goods threatens that. Therefore a joint task force has been created. Whether or not the allegiance of Barrion still needs to be secret in this context is up to you.

Anti-Smuggling mesh perfectly with the basic idea I have for day 1. Basically, a standard bust wil reveal a nefarious conspiracy.

 

[Mal Malenkirk]

Oh yes, equipment.

Get whatever non magical, non alchemical equipment you wish but no mount (It is very much an urban story).

EDIT : You also have four magic items of your choice; one of 7th, 6th, 5th and 4th level (or lower if that's what you want).

PHB and AV only.

You can also select 2 potions or alchemical item. one that costs 50 gp or less and one that costs 100 gp or less.

Those who know rituals should select their free rituals as if they were level 1 and then select 4 free rituals (1 that is 2nd level or lower, 1 that is 3rd level or lower etc.)

I'm not sure how much use we can get out of rituals in the ind of adventure I have planned, but hey, maybe you'll surprise me.

 

[ShaggySpellsword]

Cool. So I am an anti-smuggling liason to the Undhil City-State.

[SBLOCK=Barrion]Barrion

Male Eladrin Warlock 6
Silverif Anti-smuggling Operative
Good

Str 10 +3
Con 14 +5
Dex 12 +4
Int 17 +6
Wis 8 +2
Cha 18 +7

Speed 6

Hit Points 56
Bloodied 28
Surge Value 14
Healing Surges 8

Armor Class 20
Fortitude 16
Reflex 18
Will 20

Class features
Misty Step
Prime Shot
Shadow Walk
Warlock's Curse +1d6

Racial Traits
Eladrin Education
Eladrin Weapon Proficiency
Eladrin Will
Fey Origin
Trance
Fey Step

Languages
Common
Elven

Skills
*Arcana +13
*Bluff +12
History +8
*Intimidate +12
*Stealth +9
*Streetwise +12
*Thievery +9

Feats
Blade Initiate
Improved Misty Step
Intelligent Blademaster
Toughness

At-Will
Melee Basic Attack (Longsword +11, 1d8+5)
Ranged Basic Attack (Eldritch Blast +9, 1d10+6)
Eyebite

Encounter
Fey Step
Witchfire
Otherwind Stride
Ethereal Stride
Fey Switch

Daily
Dread Star
Crown of Madness

Item Daily
Cape of the Mountebank
Pact Sword
Feyleaf Vambraces

Equipment
+2 Leather Armor
+2 Pact Sword
+1 Cape of the Mountebank
Feyleaf Vambraces
Backpack
Bedroll
Flint and Steel
Belt Pouch
10 trail rations
Hemp rope
2 sunrods
Waterskin
2 potions of healing
some cash...
[/SBLOCK]

 

[Mal Malenkirk]

Looks goods. Two points:

1 - You have one magic item too many (Pact Sword, Cape of the Mountebank, shimmering armor and shadowfell gloves ; I said 3).

2 - Shimmering armor only works on cloth armor. I noticed that as I was trying to enter your stats in the D&D spreadsheet.

That's all I can see. Initially I was also wondering how come you had a pact sword, what the heck was a blade initiate and how you could be trained in stealth. That's what I like about these PbP game. You get to brush up on your rules as you can browse through the book without time pressure.

Do you intend to learn some Swordmage powers with MC feats? IMO rods are much more useful than a pact weapon (though the pact sword daily power is reasonably nifty) for a pure warlock but if you are using it to learn some nifty swordmage power that key off your high INT... then it's brillant.

PS : Dude, is your PC ever going to just walk? He seems able to teleport almost every round! The Eladrin power, the pact power, the utility power and even the cloak power... Let's say you have a strong theme going on!