Insight's "In the Shadow of Giants" [OOC]

[Insight]

I'll let the folks with Ritual Caster to have up to 1/4 their wealth (1,050gp) worth of residuum in their inventory. Remove this amount from your starting gold. This represents items you have disenchanted (or had disenchanted) prior to game start. In the future, during the game, you will need to disenchant items to get more residuum, unless you somehow come across residuum during the course of adventuring.

 

[drothgery]

Yeah, like my one nature ritual (Make Campsite) which provides a shelter for the party and makes it difficult to find us... not much use unless I have the components, same for Eye of Alarm.

I guess I'm thinking that although PH says residium is rarely for sale, it doesn't have a cost premium compared to ritual type specific components, can be bought in D&Di, and always works. So if you've got multiple types of rituals, that's what you should be carrying.

 

[renau1g]

Cool, I'll just adjust the amount for residium. Thanks Insight and Dave!

 

[ShaggySpellsword]

Since your M&M game isn't happening, and M&M, Star Wars, and 4ed are the only systems I'm interested in playing, and this group looks fun, I want to throw my name in.

[sblock=Notes on Posting]I've been a pretty consistent PbP poster in the past, though, about 9 months ago I did have a spot where I lost my job, internet access, and had a number of other personal problems that made it impossible for me to continue posting, which is why I disappeared. My life is back together, and short of personal catastrophe, I will be back to my old consistency.[/sblock]

[sblock=Gregor Deepwell]====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
Gregor Stonehelm, level 10
Dwarf, Fighter
Fighter Talents: One-handed Weapon Talent
Pact Initiate: Pact Initiate (infernal pact)
Background: Arcane Tracker (Dungeoneering class skill)

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 18, Con 18, Dex 8, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 13.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 16, Con 14, Dex 8, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 13.


AC: 28 Fort: 23 Reflex: 20 Will: 19
HP: 87 Surges: 13 Surge Value: 21

TRAINED SKILLS
Athletics +10, Endurance +14, Dungeoneering +14, Arcana +11

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics, Bluff +6, Diplomacy +6, Heal +7, History +6, Insight +7, Intimidate +6, Nature +7, Perception +7, Religion +6, Stealth, Streetwise +6, Thievery

FEATS
Level 1: Pact Initiate
Level 2: Dwarven Weapon Training
Level 4: Armor Proficiency (Plate)
Level 6: Weapon Expertise (Hammer)
Level 8: Novice Power
Level 10: Adept Power

POWERS
Fighter at-will 1: Knockdown Assault
Fighter at-will 1: Tide of Iron
Fighter encounter 1: Spinning Sweep
Fighter daily 1: Lasting Threat (retrained to Armor of Agathys at Adept Power)
Fighter utility 2: Defensive Stance
Fighter encounter 3: Shield Slam
Fighter daily 5: Rain of Steel
Fighter utility 6: Vigilant Protector
Fighter encounter 7: Come and Get It (retrained to Howl of Doom at Novice Power)
Fighter daily 9: Terrifying Impact
Fighter utility 10: Stalwart Guard

ITEMS
Bashing Shield Heavy Shield (heroic tier), Adventurer's Kit, Pact Hammer Craghammer +2, Tactician's Layered Plate Armor +2, Backbone Belt (paragon tier), Cloak of Survival +2, Climber's Kit, Everburning Torch
====== Copy to Clipboard and Press the Import Button on the Summary Tab ======[/sblock]

[sblock=History] Gregor Deepwell was a pretty typical youth in Stonehome. He worked his family forge, trained in the local militia, and obeyed his elders. A few weeks after his coming-of-age nameday, his elders noticed a few things about Gregor had changed: he was noticeably irritable, even for a dwarf; he wasn't paying close enough attention at the forge; even during training, he wasn't performing his best. His eyes were always red, dark circles forming beneath them. Some thought it was drink, other thought perhaps he was becoming lazy and insolent. His mother, however, recognized the problem.

She knew, because it had happened to Gregor's father, Gorlith at about the same age. The nightmares had always haunted the men of the Deepwell family. In the dark, voices would whisper, making every night sleepless. The dark was a succession of endless taunts, hints, and promises leading the Deepwells off into the world, ever seeking.

Like his long-missing father before-him, Gregor left Stonehome, searching for the Rune of the Forge's Heart, the object of great power hinted at in every sleepless night of his adult life. Out in the world, Gregor started truly hearing the voice, learning from it, embracing the quest for the Rune and the power of The Voice.

[sblock=Vignette 1] The first human settlement to which The Voice led Gregor was a small town in southern Tyral, on the shores of Lake Mistwell, called Misthaven. In this town he fell in with a group of adventurers that had been contracted to delve into the foothills of the Dragonrange mountains in order to uncover the source of the insane and other-worldly monsters that had been escaping from the caves and into the surrounding country-side. They needed a good cavern guide, and since Gregor fit that bill, and brought along his own hammer, shield, and armor, they were glad to have him.

Following the monster's paths back into the caverns, the heroes discovered a cultist's hideout where they were keeping a portal and summoning vile creatures from other worlds to torment the locals. After they had defeated the cult's leader and closed the portal, The Voice suggested that Gregor look through the documents left behind by the Cult Leader's second-in-command, a cloak and cowled stocky warlock which escaped into the caverns when the fight turned against them. The documents spoke of the Rune of the Forge's Heart, describing it as a rune-inscribed ruby which connects the bearer to the power of Forge's Heart, a region of the Elemental Chaos which fuels Moradin's forge. He had various other notes considering his desire to bear it for his cult's demonic patron, corrupting the Forge's Heart and gaining great power.

This inspired Gregor to trust The Voice a little bit less, concerned about it's motives. He also has vowed to find the dark warlock cultist and keep him from the Rune.[/sblock]

[sblock=Vignette 2] After many future successful adventures, Gregor and his party had moved their base of operations to Valen. They began getting word of a massive horde of orcs gathering in the Greymarch mountains, threatening the safety of the kingdom. Baron Foley Cardiff, loyal vassal to the Kurn family and ruler of the Southern Reaches, haunted by memories of the Iron Horde, emptied the coffers of his treasury to hire a number of adventuring companies to move into the mountains, harry the orc warbands, and if possible, kill whichever leader was whipping the orc warbands into a murderous frenzy. Gregor and his companions, of course, heeded the call.

As they traveled through the mountains, stalking and slaying orcs, they realized that many warbands were searching the mountains for something. Searching the mountains where the orcs were focusing their search, Gregor and his party discovered an ancient dwarven temple. The Voice started speaking to Gregor, telling him to search deeper into the temple. When there, the party discovered an alter where, according to the dwarven runes inscribed upon it, the Rune of the Forge's Heart was kept. Unfortunately, the Rune itself was missing. As they were leaving, a band of orcs, led by the same hooded, stocky warlock from the Demon-cult, invaded the temple. After a tense battle, Gregor's allies were victorious, but the warlock once again escaped after ascertaining that the Rune was not there.

Finding a map of troop locations on one of the dead orcs, Gregor's companions were able to avoid the worst of the warbands and strike a deadly blow to the Orc Warlord, causing chaos and the ultimate disbanding of the orc horde.[/sblock][/sblock]

[sblock=Picture]

[/sblock]

 

[Thanee]

I guess I'm thinking that although PH says residium is rarely for sale, it doesn't have a cost premium compared to ritual type specific components, can be bought in D&Di, and always works. So if you've got multiple types of rituals, that's what you should be carrying.

Yep. If you have the choice, you should definitely get residuum. If not... well... you have no choice then.

Bye
Thanee

 

[renau1g]

Welcome back Shaggy. Sorry to hear about those issues, I had a similar situation happen to me about a year ago for a few months.

 

[Thanee]

[SBLOCK=Dawn, Elven Cleric]====== NOT Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
Dawn, level 10
Elf, Cleric of Melora
Background: Wild Elf (Athletics class skill)

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 12, Con 13, Dex 14, Int 8, Wis 21, Cha 15.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 12, Con 13, Dex 12, Int 8, Wis 17, Cha 13.


AC: 24 Fort: 19 Reflex: 20 Will: 25
HP: 70 Surges: 10 Surge Value: 17

TRAINED SKILLS
Athletics +11, Heal +15, Insight +15, Perception +17, Religion +9

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics, +7, Arcana +4, Bluff +7, Diplomacy +7, Dungeoneering +10, Endurance +6, History +4, Intimidate +7, Nature +12, Stealth +7, Streetwise +7, Thievery +7

FEATS
Cleric: Ritual Caster
Level 1: Warrior of the Wild
Level 2: Melora's Tide
Level 4: Implement Expertise (Holy Symbol)
Level 6: Astral Fire
Level 8: Melee Training (Wisdom)
Level 10: Durable

POWERS
Cleric at-will 1: Sacred Flame
Cleric at-will 1: Astral Seal
Cleric encounter 1: Divine Glow
Cleric daily 1: Moment of Glory
Cleric utility 2: Life Transference
Cleric encounter 3: Light of Arvandor
Cleric daily 5: Consecrated Ground
Cleric utility 6: Spirit of Healing
Cleric encounter 7: Searing Light
Cleric daily 9: Flame Strike
Cleric utility 10: Word of Vigor

ITEMS
Magic Holy Symbol +3, Wallwalkers, Healer's Brooch +2, Finemail of Fire Resistance +2, Defensive Staff +1, Adventurer's Kit, Everburning Torch, Ritual Book, Ritual Components (730 gp of residuum)
RITUALS
Gentle Repose, Brew Potion, Enchant Magic Item, Transfer Enchantment[/SBLOCK]

[SBLOCK=Background]Dawn has spent her childhood in the Myrkwood, the ancient forest home of the reclusive wild elves, far from any civilization. Even as a child, she heard Melora's voice whispering to her in the wind, through raindrops, or from the rustling of leaves. For hours she would sit in silent mediation to get in touch with the wild and to find the answers she was looking for. Gentle as a light breeze, and fierce as a storm, Dawn learned to utilize the power of the wild, granted to her in her prayers to Melora. ...[/SBLOCK]

Bye
Thanee

 

[Oni]

I figured I should try my background done first, since that might have some impact on how the final group all fits together. Sabon's a half-elf and it's entirely possible that any human or elven PC's could be half-siblings, cousins, et c. if they so desired. It might add an interesting dynamic and a tighter bond to the group.

This can all be tweaked as necessary, but it's pretty general.

Saben should be pretty easy to motivate and include with any group as long as it generally enables him help/protect people.

I'll get the basics of his stats together next and then work on fleshing that out into a decent character sheet.

[sblock=Background]
Saben had searched all his youth for a place in which he truly felt that he belonged. He had lived among the elves of the Ravenshadow Wood with his mother Lillawyn. He had traveled through human lands with his father Gareth the trader. He had sought the camaraderie of blood and hardship as a soldier. And though he had found friendship and acceptance in all these places he still lacked the sense of belonging that he so desperately craved.

It was not long after his military contract had ended that Saben found himself listlessly wandering the city streets of Valen. Without meaning to, his feet brought him before the mighty Temple of the Sun. With a sudden compulsion he ascended the steps to the area of public worship. At first he had felt trepidation, but as he entered into that hallowed place it seemed to melt away. Saben had never been a religious man, but he knelt and soon he was pouring his heart out in prayer. If there was an answer it came only in the form of an incredible sense of peace and belonging, and the realization that we all walk under the same sun.

From that point on Saben became a regular and devout attendee of the temple services. Seeking to understand his experience he studied the teachings of Pelor with great fervor. The devoted half-elf eventually came to the attention of the priests of the Temple of the Sun, and given his experience as a soldier he was invited to join the temple guard as one of the true faithful. Saben spent three years training and serving in this capacity, before approaching the High Priest with a request to be released from his temple duties. He felt compelled to go out into the world and bring the light of Pelor to those in need. The High Priest, seeing the conviction in Saben's heart, granted the request. Since that time Saben has had many adventures and fought alongside many valiant men and women, some of whom have become lifelong companions. Always though he has kept Pelor's mandate in his heart, doing his best to ease the suffering of others and throwing himself into the breach to protect those who need it.
[/sblock]

 

[Walking Dad]

I tried to build him in D&Di like I've done for every other character sheet, and it didn't quite work. Baern has a feat that doesn't exist (Ritualist; if that's supposed to be Ritual Caster, he doesn't meet the pre-reqs), and I'm not sure how he's supposed to have picked up training in Dungeoneering or the Elven language.

Sorry. Yes, I will change Wintertouched to a multiclass-feat that will give rel igion or arcane. Ritualist should be Ritual Caster. Elven is from Background (we play with background?) and dungeoneering was just an error.

 

[Insight]

Oh yeah, Backgrounds. Use whatever you want. In terms of the game effects, I don't care which Background you use. Keep in mind that picking a Background for your character provides only a mechanical benefit and you still need to come up with some semblance of a history for your character.