Dark Sun - 3.5 (Closed)

[Steve Gorak]

OK, here is my character's backstory:

Kurvik the Elf: templar 1/ bard 2[sblock]
Born as the third son of the chieftan of the Windrunner tribe, Kurvik was offered at the age of 14 to the sorcerer king of [insert appropriate city] as a way to strenghten ties (and avoiding war) between the city and the tribe.

Kurvik was brought into the Templar organisation but still kept in contact with his tribe. A few years ago, a significant number of his brethen were decimated in a slave revolt, which the tribe had assisted in trying to contain. Since then, the survivors of the tribe have spread, with most becoming merchants, traders and smugglers close to [insert appropriate city].

Kurvik, has always used his underground connections to improve his standing within the Templars. His superiors noticed his knack for getting information, and gave him relevant assignments. He recently agreed (not that he had much choice) to join a caravan and investigate rumors of wizards being part of the convoy [Note to DM: I'm trying to find a reason for my character to be on the caravan. I'm open to changing this hook]

Kurvik is a regular sized elf, with Reddish brown hair that he keeps well groomed. His left ear is scared in a way that marks his tribal affiliation to the Windrunners.
[/sblock]

Please let me know what you think.
Thanks and cheers,

SG
Than

 

[Bront]

Great on the city. I'll elaborate the background a bit more. The Wiki entry should help a little bit as well.

jkasson, I'll work in your contact into my background. You thinking you've joined the caravan on it's current journy, or you contacted my character (I'll get a good name soon), before this journy?

Also, I looked at the Dragon magazine Dark Sun rules and they seem fine, but I think I prefer the athas.org rules for this game. I'm not sure of the class/race balance issues of the ruleset, but we can tweak the game as we go if there are problems.

I've felt the races are better balanced than the CORE races in most cases. Dwarves aren't quite as powerful (not a huge drop, but a few minor things), Half-elves are more interesting with racial mods, the PTerrans are fairly well balanced with the racial penalties and few bonuses outside of their stats (and a dex penalty is painful). The LA and Racial HD races are fairly well done (I considered a Kreen or a Half-Giant, but decided against it). I wouldn't have made the Muls a LA+1 race, but they're balanced like that. Again, my only complaint is the Sorcerer, which is fairly easy to simply rule 0 out. And, as I mentioned before, the Scout, sans swimming (replace with Intimidate or some other class skill), fits very well in the setting.

 

[Bront]

Lot, I want your oppinion on the feat Improved Natural Attack (A general monster feat in the SRD), working with the Psionic Power Claws of the Beast. I'm debating 2 different directions to go with my character, and it will make a big difference.

 

[Lot]

Lot, I want your oppinion on the feat Improved Natural Attack (A general monster feat in the SRD), working with the Psionic Power Claws of the Beast. I'm debating 2 different directions to go with my character, and it will make a big difference.

I'd accept that, especially if it helps you get to where you want to be with your character. I mean, we're looking at 1d6 instead of 1d4, right?

 

[Lot]

Bront: As a city, how about Nibenay. A diverse trade situation and a mysterious Shadow King rarely seen with all female templars. Sound okay?

 

[Bront]

City sounds good. Rarely seen with all female? or Rarely seen, with all female?

I'd accept that, especially if it helps you get to where you want to be with your character. I mean, we're looking at 1d6 instead of 1d4, right?

Well, it's not available till I can get to BAB +4, so not something I'd take now, but at 6th level, it'd bring my claws from 1d8 to 2D6 if I spent 5 PPs on them. Of course, my natural claws would go from 1d3 to 1d4, but that's not a big problem. Cool. He'll focus more on his natural weapons then, though he has a weapon with him as well.

 

[Bront]

Ok, Darkclaw has been updated (and has a name) with a somewhat better background. I'll write it out later.

 

[Bront]

Background done, just need a house name (and perhaps a different merchant name if you don't like the one I used).

[sblock=Darkclaw Mallik]Darkclaw Myllik was an eager youth of the Mind Wings tribe. Learning the Path of the Mind, Darkclaw opened himself up to his innate psionic powers. However, he was taken from his tribe as a youth, by a band of raiders, along with several tribal supplies and weapons. He was sold to the Verandas House, a house dealing mostly in gladiators and slaves in the city-state of Nibenay. He, along with Sunfin Illam, were selected to be gladiators, and Sunfin, a great warrior of his tribe, took Darkclaw under his wing and taught him some of the ways of Pterran combat.

Unfortunately, Sunfin soon met his demise, in a game rigged to make him a crowd enemy. Darkclaw was given Sunfin’s Thanak, and told to train, for he was now older and presentable as a warrior. Darkclaw thrived in the pits as a strong warrior, and gained respect and cheers of the crowd, despite his young age. While he worked well with Sunfin’s Thanak, the crowd preferred when he used his natural weapons, and soon the name “Darkclaw” was chanted whenever he emerged, him having earned a very small cult following.

Still, Darkclaw was young and not the best fighter. The kind hearted Torrance Gelding of House <Housename> saw this, and purchased him, as Verandas House was interested in selling before his act got old. Torrance explained to Darkclaw on the way to Tyr that while he would technically be a free person once they arrived in Tyr, he could provide a place to stay and training for him if he was willing to help work for the House. Darkclaw was grateful to be out of the pits, but knew little of the world beyond them, so he agreed.

Torrance had Darkclaw gave him food and a place to stay, as well as got him some proper training in what was now his blended warrior and psionic talents. Meanwhile he worked off his purchase price, at a (somewhat) fair wage as labor and guard for the merchant. While in training and working, he met a psion by the name of Erianna. It was odd watching another race walk so close to the Path of the Mind, and Darkclaw found he could relate to her more than many of the other students and members of the house. He earned a few honors in the house as well, and was granted a few items of value.

Having just finished working off his debt (and perhaps a bit more), Torrance told him that he would be willing to continue hiring him, but it was time he took care of himself. Torrance would pay Darkclaw a real wage, and Darkclaw would be free to decline and move on, for he had honored his end of the deal. Darkclaw is still new to the sands, and even newer to his freedom, and he decided that for now, staying with the merchant that he owes his freedom to would be the best thing for him.

Early on in this new journey, he met up with two more Pterrans, who have are hunting for a defiler. Now Darkclaw is torn between reminders of a life long past, and his new life in the sands. However, he can only do what any good Pterran would, and offer guidance and help to fellow Pterrans in a strange land.

Erianna, Human Psion(Shaper) (Rystil Arden) – A kindred spirit in the Path of the Mind in may ways, despite not being a Pterran. She is a good friend and has helped Darkclaw adjust to life in the sands. He finds himself often acting as a bodyguard for her, even when not asked to.

Quaketongue Ristu, Pterran Druid (Jkasson) – The first familiar voice of a Pterran, it was a good surprise on his first venture as a free being. He is even newer to the sands, and Darkclaw hopes he can offer himself as a guide.

Heartseer Jitock, Pterran Psion(Telepath) – Another Pterran, and follower of the Path of the Mind. Perhaps he and Erianna may get along.

Kurvik, Elf Templar/Bard (Steve Gorak) – Unsure what contact the two have had yet.
[/sblock]
I like it. It generaly makes sense, leaves some possable hooks (Who initialy took him? Are there others out there? What about his family? Did the House Verandas regret selling him and want him back?), will help explain his somewhat subdued personality as well as his enigmatic fighting style (he uses weapons and natural attacks, somewhat interchangably) and why he's a psychic warrior and not simply a psion.

Let me know what you think. And Jkasson, let me know about you and I'll put you in there.

 

[Rystil Arden]

Background done, just need a house name (and perhaps a different merchant name if you don't like the one I used).

[sblock=Darkclaw Mallik]Darkclaw Myllik was an eager youth of the Mind Wings tribe. Learning the Path of the Mind, Darkclaw opened himself up to his innate psionic powers. However, he was taken from his tribe as a youth, by a band of raiders, along with several tribal supplies and weapons. He was sold to the Verandas House, a house dealing mostly in gladiators and slaves in the city-state of Nibenay. He, along with Sunfin Illam, were selected to be gladiators, and Sunfin, a great warrior of his tribe, took Darkclaw under his wing and taught him some of the ways of Pterran combat.

Unfortunately, Sunfin soon met his demise, in a game rigged to make him a crowd enemy. Darkclaw was given Sunfin’s Thanak, and told to train, for he was now older and presentable as a warrior. Darkclaw thrived in the pits as a strong warrior, and gained respect and cheers of the crowd, despite his young age. While he worked well with Sunfin’s Thanak, the crowd preferred when he used his natural weapons, and soon the name “Darkclaw” was chanted whenever he emerged, him having earned a very small cult following.

Still, Darkclaw was young and not the best fighter. The kind hearted Torrance Gelding of House <Housename> saw this, and purchased him, as Verandas House was interested in selling before his act got old. Torrance explained to Darkclaw on the way to Tyr that while he would technically be a free person once they arrived in Tyr, he could provide a place to stay and training for him if he was willing to help work for the House. Darkclaw was grateful to be out of the pits, but knew little of the world beyond them, so he agreed.

Torrance had Darkclaw gave him food and a place to stay, as well as got him some proper training in what was now his blended warrior and psionic talents. Meanwhile he worked off his purchase price, at a (somewhat) fair wage as labor and guard for the merchant. Having just finished working off his debt (and perhaps a bit more), Torrance told him that he would be willing to continue hiring him, but it was time he took care of himself. Torrance would pay Darkclaw a real wage, and Darkclaw would be free to decline and move on, for he had honored his end of the deal.

Darkclaw is still new to the sands, and even newer to his freedom, and he decided that for now, staying with the merchant that he owes his freedom to would be the best thing for him. [/sblock]
I like it. It generaly makes sense, leaves some possable hooks (Who initialy took him? Are there others out there? What about his family? Did the House Verandas regret selling him and want him back?), will help explain his somewhat subdued personality as well as his enigmatic fighting style (he uses weapons and natural attacks, somewhat interchangably) and why he's a psychic warrior and not simply a psion.

Let me know what you think. And Jkasson, let me know about you and I'll put you in there.

Erianna could be a member of the house that purchase Darkclaw, then. Perhaps she befriended the young pterran, sensing a kindred spirit. Erianna is generally openminded about others with psionic powers, those she is sometimes suspicious that those without such talents are jealous of her and her psionically-aware friends.

 

[Bront]

Assuming Lot doesn't mind, I can agree to that.