[4e] covaithe's E1: Death's Reach

[Lord Sessadore]

I'm inclined to agree with you, Cabana, that Sarenax would already have a domain (or be developing one), and in the end gets sucked into it. With that in mind ...

Yes, I too thought about the possibility of being Massacre's neighbor in the Shadowfell That would be interesting ... perhaps Sarenax is supposed to keep an eye on the wizard who thinks himself a suitor to his goddess?

On a similar note, Sarenax would be willing to take part in Massacre's rituals, and wouldn't mind a TP circle in return. I don't think he'd really want much else in the way of rituals to fortify his domain, at lesat not right now.

I don't plan on fleshing out his domain too much ... the idea I seem to be going with (at least for now) is that it's a cathedral to the Raven Queen (there may or may not be a mirror cathedral in the natural world) on a hill in a dark, gnarly forest, accompanied by a lot of thunder and lightning, rain, and fog. Very Gothic I don't imagine there being many others there for inhabitants ... possibly a few inobtrusive servants. He would mainly use it as a solitary retreat or resting place. I think the most I'll do is have a TP circle and maybe a small cache of supplies (though I have no idea what kind of supplies). Basically nothing that would help in an Epic adventure, other than a rally point and a roof, like Oni is describing for Kylek. Could be better or worse than Ch'thuul for different things, due to the different physical size and number of people around, as well as Shadowfell vs. natural world. Massacre's tower would still be a better base of operations for the party, in my opinion. My domain wouldn't offer anything Massacre's doesn't; Ch'thuul is at least on a different plane, if we want to use less expensive travel rituals instead of plane hopping all the time.

Maybe the cathedral is sort of a waypoint for the souls of the dead on the way to the Raven Queen? Would kind of make sense for her to put a darklord in her service in charge of an area like that, if such places exist. I'm going to do some reading on the Shadowfell in the Manual of the Planes; I assume that book works as a baseline for the planes in this game.

 

[Kobold Stew]

Candidates for the last spot:

• stonegod: Batin, Shadar-kai, Swordmage, Ghost Blade, Punisher of the Gods
• Pyrex: half elf prescient bard / Adroit Explorer / Eternal Seeker, lots of multiclass.

Is this fixed? Any other possibilities? I thought that the prefixed characters needed to be decided before it was opening up.

If possible, I'd be interested in a Genasi Warlord/Longarm Master/Adamantine Soldier (or something like that) -- I think another leader with a focus on control would help the group. If it's a matter of starting a character, I can do that tonight.

Thanks

Just don't want to miss out on the fun!

 

[stonegod]

Just don't want to miss out on the fun!

I think he's just pointing out those that have submissions. Could be wrong.

 

[Moon_Goddess]

what?! I didn't know this was still open, I'd have submitted a character pages ago...

What would get me better a Leader or a Defender...

 

[Oni]

Whew think I finally got the mechanical stuff done.

Happy fluff time now, yay.

Well tomorrow anyway.

 

[Kobold Stew]

Asteroch, Saladin of the Obsidian Plains.

[sblock=Asteroch] Asteroch, Saladin of the Obsidian Plains
Genasi Tactical Warlord/Longarm Master/Adamantine Soldier 21
Alignment: Unaligned
Languages: Common, Primordial (all when ioun stone operating)
Vision: Normal
[sblock=Core Stats]Ability Scores:
Str 24 (+17) (base 16, +2 race, +6 level)
Con 16 (+13) (base 14, +2 level)
Dex 14 (+12) (base 12, +2 level)
Int 22 (+16) (base 14, +2 Race, +6 level)
Wis 10 (+10) (base 8, +2 level)
Cha 13 (+11) (base 11, +2 level)

Combat:
Init: +12
Pass Percep: 22 Pass Insight: 25

HP: 143
Bloodied: 72
Surge Value: 36
Surges/day: 10

AC 38 (10+10 [halflevel]+11 [plate]+2 [enh] +1 [feat] +2 [destiny])
Fort 34 (10+10 [halflevel]+7 [str]+2 [feats] +4 [item] +1 [class])
Ref 32 (10+10 [halflevel]+6 [int]+2 [feats] +4 [item]; no armor penalty [destiny])
Will 32 (10+10 [halflevel]+1 [cha]+6 [feats] +4 [item] +1 [class])

Speed 7

Action points: 1
[/sblock][sblock=Attacks and Powers]Basic Attacks:
Melee:
Ranged:

Attack Powers:

Warlord At-Will Opening Shove
Warlord At-Will Viper’s Strike

Encounter:
7 Surprise Attack
11 Driving Spear
13 Withdrawl Gambit
17 Thunderous Fury

Daily:
5 Pike Hedge
15 Renew the Troops
19 Storm of Carnage
20 Vital Rend

Utility:
2 Aid the Impaired
6 Forward Observer
10 Marked Revelation
12 Whirling Spear
16 Warlord’s Banner

[/sblock][sblock=Features, Feats, Skills]Racial Features:
Speed: 7
Normal vision

Class Features:

Feats:
[Weapon Expertise (spears) (+3 to attack with spears)] *virtual feat, granted by DM
* Toughness
Armor Proficiency (scale)
Armor Proficiency (plate)
Versatile Resiliance (resist 5 cold, fire, thunder)
Weapon Proficiency (Greatspear)
Jack of Trades (+2 to untrained skillchecks)
____________________________
Armor Specialization (plate) (+1 AC in Plate)
Storm Rider (+1 to speed, when flying, I hover)
Back to the Wall (+1 AC and attack and damage when against a wall)
Agile Athlete (roll twice for Athletics and Agility)
Combat Commander (allies within 10 squares who see and hear me get +6 initiative)
____________________________
Robust Defenses (+2 feat bonus to Will, Fort, and Reflex)
Epic Will (+4 to Will save)

Skills:
Acrobatics: +17 (+10 level, +2 Dex, +5 Trained)
Arcana: +18 (+10 level, +6 Int, +2 JOT)
Athletics: +22 (+10 level, +7 Str, +5 Trained)
Bluff: +18 (+10 level, +1 Cha, +2 JOT, +5 item)
Diplomacy: +18 (+10 level, +1 Cha, +2 JOT, +5 item)
Dungeoneering: +12 (+10 level, +0 Wis, +2 JOT)
Endurance: +20 (+10 level, +3 Con, +2 Race, +5 Trained)
Heal: +12 (+10 level, +0 Wis, +2 JOT)
History: +18 (+10 level, +6 Int, +2 JOT)
Insight: +15 (+10 level, +0 Wis, +5 Trained)
Intimidate: +23 (+10 level, +1 Cha, +2 JOT, +5 Trained, +5 item)
Nature: +14 (+10 level, +0 Wis, +2 Race, +2 JOT)
Perception: +12 (+10 level, +0 Wis, +2 JOT)
Religion: +18 (+10 level, +6 Int, +2 JOT)
Stealth: +14 (+10 level, +2 Dex, +2 JOT)
Streetwise: +18 (+10 level, +1 Cha, +2 JOT, +5 item)
Thievery: +14 (+10 level, +2 Dex, +2 JOT)

Background: Noble (Insight on Class list).
[/sblock][sblock=Equipment & Rituals]Equipment:
Item Weight (lbs) Cost (gp)
Tactician's Warplate +4 (level 20)
Ioun Stone of Perfect Language (level 22)
Cloak of Distortion +4 (level 19)

Grasping Greatspear +4 (45k)
Ring of Aquatic Ability (25k)
Premonition Ring (25k)
Handy haversack (5k)
Dragonborn greaves (13k)
Skyrender Javelin +2 (4200)
Reading spectacles (520gp)

*leaves 7k and change.



Total Weight: lbs

Money:



Total Cost:
[/sblock][/sblock]

[sblock=Appearance]
When you approach Asteroch, he pulls back the hood from his woolen cloak, to reveal his silvered head. There is a hint of dandruff, perhaps, but you realize that it is frost, that melts almost right away. His unexpressive eyes stare at you, as you catch your reflection dancing inverted across his cheek, his nose, and across his bald head. Nothing interrupts the illusion -- you've seen him move, and but for that and the little yellow jewel dancing around his head, he might be a polished silver stature standing there, leaning against the wall as if waiting for the sun to find a new course, dressed in armor and holding a spear that towers over him.

He is waiting for something, and stares through you as if he were trying to look at the world sideways, to see something that isn’t there.

Then his eyes focus, and he smiles, to reveal a row of perfect silver teeth set in his healthy light blue gums. He pulls out an apple and bites into it.
[/sblock]

[sblock=History]
Once, Asteroch had been happy. Not merely the happy-my-life-is-better-than-most-and-know-it. Asteroch was happy-beyond-belief-because-he-was-in-love-and-life-was-perfect. Really, perfect. But that was then.

In most languages, Asteroch had been told, the word for wind and the word for soul were the same. That made sense, for when he had first me the tiefling woman Sandarra she had been studying to be a priest. Meeting him had changed that, but the life they built together was one of happiness. Asteroch traveled, but whenever he had a furlough, he would return to her, to Sandarra his wife, whose eyes burned with desire and whose breath gave wind to his feet.

Their love had a story-book quality to it, sure; but it was a practical love that had involved struggles and sacrifices along the way on both sides, but whatever the difficulty, no matter the challenge of the obstacle or the distance that separated them, they would always find each other and be together again.

Asteroch had risen through the ranks of the celestial Guard, and like many warriors in the Guard he had been called to other planes. Whatever the challenge, whenever one faction or another was seeking to destroy the borders that separate the worlds, there the guards would be, keeping the fabric of the universes intact. There were many who followed this path: arcane masters or those with direct contact with the divine. For Asteroch, it was a job. He had a spear, and his spear had been crucial in enough fights that he knew his place in the Guard would be remembered: his service at Garm, at the Border of the Feywild, at the Library of Ugginthal, and above all on the Obsidian Plains had earned commendations for him and his team. And he had always been able to share the joys with Sandarra.

Twenty years of fighting like this is all that the celestial Guard asks of anyone, though, and Asteroch retired with his pension, to the post on the Obsidian Plains, where he would be able to monitor the site where he had made his name and earned his commission as Saladin. And he and Sandarra would finally have their life together.

Except Sandarra was not to be found. Their home was empty, owned by a dragonborn couple. No records of Sandarra were to be found, and even his friends had no memory of her. This was ridiculous, Asteroch knew. Sandarra was his life, but somehow she had been erased from the worlds by a force that has never shown itself to him… Some foe from the past, seeking revenge, and attacking him trhough his greatest vulnerability, his heart.

There are no records of Sandarra being born. He has gone to meet her parents, but they only ever had a son, Sandarra’s younger brother Gaster. No one remembers him ever being in love, and there are no indications where he spent his leaves. Asteroch knows the universe has been rewritten, and the only change he can discern is that his love is gone, and his heart is broken. That was six years ago.

The first years were spent in sorrow, self-pity, and confusion. Then next years were spent searching. Neither accomplished much. Now Asteroch has returned to soldiering. The tasks he sets for himself are greater than those pursued by the celestial Guard. But he works with an almost careless drive, ever pressing on. There is a sadness about him that is all the more profound if you know that once he was happy.

[/sblock]

 

[covaithe]

I think he's just pointing out those that have submissions. Could be wrong.

Yes, I was just trying to gather up the current submissions in one place. To summarize, I'm taking 6 PCs. 5 of those spots are already promised. The 6th spot is still open for submissions. There are currently 3 submissions at varying levels of completeness: stonegod's shadar-kai swordmage, Pyrex's versatile bard, and KoboldStew's genasi tactlord.

I suppose it's also worth pointing out that this is PbP, and player attrition is a fact of life. Odds are good that there will be a need for alts somewhere down the road.

I certainly won't make a decision about the last spot until renau1g gets back and at least tells me what role he wants to play. If he's not interested in a defender, then I imagine defenders will be preferred for the last spot. If he picks a defender, then all the roles are covered and the last spot can be anything.

I'm starting to feel the urge to work towards getting this started. Which means it's time to start finalizing those characters. And any more submissions for that last slot, soon would be good.

 

[CaBaNa]

The forbiddance ritual doesn't seem to let me teleport back into the place I cast it... Could I get a house rule on this that it doesn't affect the caster and ritual participants?

Massacre will be at level 20 when he begins the construction and rituals on his tower. Due to his Eladrin age length and his lack of time frame, it's fuzzy for him when everyone got together for this, except that it was after he had garnered enough power for the ritual but before he became an Archlich.

As usual Igor was there, helping with all things mundane. Pouring foundation, hauling rocks, sewing his arms back on...

 

[covaithe]

Yes, that seems sensible, given the fluff text. Probably not necessary, given that forbiddance only prevents scrying and teleporting by creatures who are not higher level than the caster. Since you're casting it at level 20, and you'll start the game at 21, you'll be able to scry and teleport into it freely. As will any enemies that are higher level than you.

 

[CaBaNa]

I totally missed the higher level enemy thing...

Orelal's lvl 20 ritual is now changing, True Sending looks good, but I'll take recommendations if someone thinks something else more useful.