DnD 3.5 The Wonders of Syrael [closed!]

[Priest_Sidran]

If there is still room...

I would like to join the band as a Half-Elven bard with plans of multiclassing later into a Bard/Fighter with the name of Iandon Ballo who was apprenticed to a great Elven bard named Trevayne until not to long ago when his mentor was slain by a raiding band of orcs On a backroad leading towards the Capital. Without much in the way of money or food Jarland takes up his masters lute, and his sword and vows to revenge the only man that valued him.

His father was a destitue merchant who apprenticed all of his sons off to different professions, and his mother was an elf maiden run away from her oppressive father in Syraea. Iandon has seen little of them since he was apprenticed at the age of 7, and even less from his siblings of which there are seven.

In appearance Iandon stands about 5'3" in hight and his lithe and somewhat under fed. His elven heritage is more prevalent than his human blood to the point that he is often mistaken by others as being a full blooded elf (Though not by other elves). Now 19 he knows the life of the bard, and has even written some of his own music, though he sticks with the favorites that his mentor made popular in the circut of villages and countryside noble manors. While he hasn't yet been named full bard by the School of bards he wheres the bardic cloak of his master as a sign of pride, and respect for his deceased friend.

While Iandon seeks personal revenge he also sees it as his duty as a bard, and man of the people to keep them safe. While he doesn't actively want to become King, he would be very willing to be the advisor to the future king, and a right hand in the battle to protect the people from their oppressing foes.


It should be noted that I tend to treat Bards as they should be treated a more cleric-like aspect than others, though this doesn't mean that I worship a diety is the opposite, I am more akin to the Druids, and very much a part of the peoples plight against the dark forces of the world. I am a historian, and folkteller, much as bards were in the gaelic world before the coming of the pseudo-catholic druids of modern times.

 

[Lot]

I'm thinking of a rogue or fighter/rogue whom has gotten himself into a little trouble. Maybe a gambling debt or a misunderstanding regarding a woman's angry powerful husband or the like. Basically, he decides to take advantage of his law-given right as a citizen to go for the kingship as a means to surround himself with the protection of capable allies. I see him as kind of a rake; slightly cocky and certainly cynical. I want his actual low self-esteem, self-loathing, and shame to be revealed as he spends time with more heroic people whom he admires.

 

[penance]

Excellent!


Ok, now we have six people that have submitted their backgrounds; All the users mentioned below have my OK to post their character sheets:

1. JKason -Undercover Cleric of Fharlanghn
2. Rhun -Ranger
3. Post Life Entity -Fighter
4. Al the Absentminded -Druid(and an excelent background for a druid!)
5. Preist Sidran -Bard
6. Lot -Fighter/Rogue

Ok, this is what i generally get as the basic backbground and motivators:
1. JKason [sblock]As per the secret rituals of the widespread Fharlanghn worshippers, this cleric vetures forth under the guise of an adventuror to gain in knowledge, and to see the land far and wide. Primary motivators would be curiousity and knowledge.[/sblock]

2. Rhun (JKason, read this too)[sblock]Right now, I veiw your ranger as the way I'm going to tie all these people together: the Ranger will ahve been captured in a slave run, and will be seen by the(some/all?) party members fleeing. They will recongise his courage and rescue him from the slavers, but not before he gets horribly wounded by them. The only way to save his life is for JKason's cleric to heal him, revealing his secret to at least some of the group. Does that sound... realistic? better than 'you guys are all in a tavern together,' I hope.[/sblock]

3. Post Life Entity [sblock]Your fighter decides to make her own bid for glory. This young lady will live on the edge of her sword and will seek glory whenever possible. primary motivator = ambition and comradere.[/sblock]

4.Al the Absentminded [sblock]your druid has come to the conclusion that Syrael needs him to keep an eye on a few people. I'm thinking that he sees the fact that some of the more corrupt slavers (whom he probably doesnt like. ) have a chance at the throne, and He doesnt like that at all. motivators = dislike of tyranny[/sblock]

5.Priest Sidran [sblock] Your bard is man of the people. Note that in Sryaelic society, there are two types of bards: average bards, and True Bards. The true bards are the ones that weild the awesome power of the bardic magic. The Scholea Bardicus tries their best to discredit rumors of these True Bards, but the whispers continue. Your bard's master was a True Bard, and his loss leaves him with only a half-knowledge of his true powers. Note also, that with elves regarded as a slave race, he is usually looked down upon.[/sblock]

6.Lot[sblock]I would like to regard your fighter/rogue as more of a melee-capible man, this group looks just a tad heavy on support. Perhaps a famous Fencer, disillusioned by the realities of day-to-day living? Excelent plot ideas, a well.[/sblock]

Note that all this is simply my interpretation/views, and are totally open to correction, alteration at this point. Just dont go switching background halfway through the adventure!

Something that should be also considered when discussing backgrounds:

elves are considered (incorrectly) 'barbaric' by the genral population of Syrael, and are rather rare to find outside of their forested retreats except through slavery. Even then, they are small in population.

Any thoughts/questions about lore, culture, and people? Make sure the check Al's post; the 'mercenary captain turned aristocrat' is a common background.

I will email the above people to confirm interest in joining. thanks for posting!

ack!!! well, i cant really get anybodies email address, so i guess you guys will have to email me at dizkord (at) hotmail (dot) com. Or do something to communicate. I'd PM but the blasted thing wont let me.

If anyone else wants to join, i guess i could consider a few alts at this point in time.

 

[Priest_Sidran]

Still interested though I realized after I posted above that you'd said 6th level characters (false assumptions about starting at first) So I am a Bard/Fighter already...

Its to bad I went with the half elf I almost posted backgrounds for a Halfling


I will be on later maybe but for the next few hours it is church, and then tomorrow I will be off until around 4:30 PM PST

 

[Al the Absentminded]

Here are some thoughts I had about elves, dwarves, local barbarian cultures, and druids. Adopt them if you like them, ignore them if you don't.

#1: Idea for Dwarves. Dwarves are naturally lawful (ditch the auto-'good' portion). So lawful, in fact, that they strongly imprint on the immediate group they are raised in. Thus, most Dwarves have massive loyalty to family - and, by extension, clan. One wrinkle is that they are also strongly matriarchal. Their first loyalty is to their mothers, and so it remains. Momma's boys, the lot of 'em.

#2: Idea for Elves. Elves are naturally chaotic (again, ditch the auto-'good' portion). They are so individualistic that the idea of an elven 'society' is absurd. If an elf has other elves who follow him, it's because he has the reputation, skills, and charisma such that other elves look up to him. These Elves don't have their own language, but instead learn Sylvan as they grow up. Their favored class is a choice of Ranger or Barbarian.

#3: Syrael barbarian culture is strongly influenced by the Elves, and as such there's very little cultural baggage involved in being a barbarian. There is no elaborate 'barbarian honor code'. (They get away with this because the forests are lush enough to support a lot of individuals wandering around and foraging.) A consequence of this is that barbarians tend to be paranoid about anyone who's not a good friend. What little cultural stability they have comes from the Druids who also stick to the wilderness - among other things, a statement sworn by 'Sun and Moon, Water Wood and Earth' is supposed to be true, because the Druids have a policy of punishing someone caught swearing falsely by Nature.

#4: There are a number of marvelous materials the Syrael Druids have developed - these materials are intended for potential enchantment, and allow some enchantments to be enchanced so that they functions even if the wearer has changed shape.

Sungold is gold that has the luster of 24 carat gold, but the strength of 18 caret gold. Druids make it by finding unworked gold ore, purifying it with wildfire (Call Lightning works, as does Flame Strike), and then lifting it up to the midday sun, where it is fully bathed in light for the first time. Sungold is favored for enchantments of strength and intelligence. (Druidic Magic weapons will often have runes traced in Sungold.)

Greenwood is wood taken living from the tree (Wood Shape and Plant Growth will both suffice for this) during the twilight hours (dawn or dusk). The host tree must be free of disease and blemish. The wood feels as soft as inner bark, and takes on a white or light-brown hue, shot through with veins of viridian life. Considered excellent for wands and enchantments of life and growth.

Moonpearl is pearl harvested in the depths of night on a full moon - the clam must be harvested from deep water - at least 60' - without tools and brought to the surface of the water, where pearl is exposed to light for the very first time, that light being full moonlight. Moonpearl, associated with the mysteries, is central to Druidic enchantments that deal with perception, protection, and wisdom. Moonpearl can be crushed and made into ink(good for scrolls), which will glow softly in moonlight and starlight.

Heartwood is wood taken from the core of a tree without tools in the night of the new moon. The wood is smooth, strong, and a deep gray. Considered perfect for enchanting with shields, staves, and even armor (ironwood spell).

Darkskin is either fur or leather. The skin must come from prey without injury or illness, hunted down without trap or ranged weapon. The skin must be separated by a weapon with a druidic enchantment, or by something enchanted with Magic Fang or Greater Magic Fang, and the skinning process must be started immediately by the individual who performed the kill.

Darkskin has a dark tone, and any fur is luxuriant.

Watersilk is silk with a deep blue tint. It must be woven underwater in a natural pool. This involves a fairly elaborate setup, so someone intending to make Watersilk usually collects a largish batch of silk and makes a lot at once. Good for robes and cloaks and so forth.


Barbarians often try to aquire these items - Darkskin, especially, is popular - so that they can earn enchantments for them. Slaves are stripped of any such goods, which are usually sold as curios in civilized society.

(Note that civilized society has its own marvelous materials - Adamantine, Mithral, Orichalc, Darkwood, etc. - and barbarians are not adverse to getting that stuff. It's just that the Druid stuff is easier for them to aquire.)


What do you think?

-Albert

 

[Bloodweaver1]

Here is the background for the character I was thinking about. I tried to tie it into what you have already established as the adventure hook. For the character build/concept I was invisioning the character as Ronin with an unknown hertiage. I was originaly thinking using the Samuria or Knight base class offered in the CW and PHBII but found those classes to wanting. I noticed that you mentioned core books so I was then looking at the paladin class. However, I see this concept not really needing the special mount ability, especially if I plan on using the Kensai PrC from the CW (with DM's approval). So with that I ask if it possible to use the paladin varient offered in the PHBII where a charging smite is given instead of a special mount. The charging smite is as follows:

[sblock=charging smite] Benefit: If you smite on a charge attack you deal an extra 2 points of damage per paladin level to any evil creature you hit (in addition to the normal bonus damage dealt by a smite). If the charage attack misses, the smite ability is not considered used. This is a supernatural ability. [/sblock]I also ask if the Kensai PrC can be used from the CW in your campaign. I feel the PrC fits well into the feel of the campaign. With it being all honor bound and all. Let me know. [sblock=Background]Unlike all other Dwarves, Helcar has no family and no clan name. He is simply known as is. His past is simple and easily dismissed with elders as luck and coincidence. The year he came into manhood he was told that when he was found, he was the only survivor a raid of what is too believed full of Orcs and Trolls. The raid surprised and killed his entire village during an evening storm and left him for dead. The next day a patrol sent out by his Lord found his village and brought him back to be raised within the Keep’s walls. That was some 60 years ago. Now, he is a respected solider of battle, a warrior of duty and honor that has served his good hearted Lord faithfully and honorably. Over time he became favored by his Lord above all others and often times sought for his personal opinions and views on grave matter of state. Eventually he would even become the secret lover of the Lord’s oldest of two daughters. Unfortunately it was realized that they could never make their affection public for he has no clan, and could never wed a woman of noble birth. So they married in secret, making personal vows to each other. Through his many years of servitude he would rise to the highest ranks within his Lord’s elite guard and was revered by many within the Keep. But that has all changed now. Some moons ago in the early morning he was sent on a routine errand to one of the nearby villages. Upon his return that night he would find the entire keep of his Lord littered with the dead bodies of his peers and friends. Their blood was thrown across the ground in what he concluded was a surprise attack. But from what, or from whom, he did not know. He would search through out the entire Keep only to find that both his Lord and his Lover have met the same fate as the rest of the Keep. With the enemy long gone, he would spend some time taking care of the deceased and saying farewell to his lover. With his Lord’s sacred sword in hand he gathers his gear and heads out in search of the ones accountable for making him an orphan once again. His only clues are a name written down during his lover’s final moments with her own blood and vague glimpses within his mind of a battle similar to this one.[/sblock]Thanks!

-Blood

 

[penance]

Hmm; thanks for the input Al. let me see. Im not sure if i like #3, but #2 seems like a good idea. And I truthfully hadnt thought about how to involve dwarves/halfings in Sryael; I would say it wouldnt be a good idea to drop them out.... perhaps there is only one dwarven city, where the entire Syraelic population of dwarves lives; they are coordinated enough to fight off any human or slaver attacks, and not hostile enough to provoke large military action. Most of syrael prefers to leave them alone. I think there will be a big war that was fought approx.. 250 years from 'present' where the dwarves fought off a big human attack, and since have been left alone. That leaves a good amount of room for storyline while allowing the odd dwarven hero running around.

as far as magik druidic items, they sound pretty basic and a good idea, except that if you use one of those items for something, you probably need to let me know exactly what, instead of just 'this thingy helps enchantments. just dont want anything overpowered/unbalenced. Makes for good fluff tho: "The slaves are returning with a full load of Darkskin! lucky bastards..... "

Bloodweaver, we have enough people atm, but if you can present a good enough background, I might let you in.

 

[Rhun]

Penance,


That sounds good for my Ranger, I will work it into the background. I'm going to work on getting the crunch and such together today...hopefully (assuming a slow day at work), I'll have him posted by close of business.

 

[penance]

Excellent, Rhun! Using a PC as an adventure hook could be tricky, however, so heres a couple other ideas that might make it interesting:

[sblock]Perhaps after we get the group together, you could tell them about how your friends back home could use some help dealing with some unexplained trouble. One of the other PC's will give the counter idea that they could go delve into a Necropolis that hasn't been ravaged as much by other adventureors. Then the party can decide which way to go. *nods* I'll take the lead from there [/sblock]


Also, in the way of general announcement, I just created the OOC and IC threads in the respective fora. Are there any other things I need to do to get the infrastructure for the game set up? Thanks.

 

[Rhun]

[sblock]Perhaps after we get the group together, you could tell them about how your friends back home could use some help dealing with some unexplained trouble. One of the other PC's will give the counter idea that they could go delve into a Necropolis that hasn't been ravaged as much by other adventureors. Then the party can decide which way to go. *nods* I'll take the lead from there [/sblock]

That works for me...I can certainly go with that.

Also, in the way of general announcement, I just created the OOC and IC threads in the respective fora. Are there any other things I need to do to get the infrastructure for the game set up? Thanks.

You'll also want to set up a thread in the Rogue's Gallery, for all of the players to post their characters to once they are finished. Other than that, seems like you have things well in hand.


One last question...I'm not a big fan of having an Animal Companion. Would you consider allowing me to swap that option for something else?