Whimsical
Explorer
I'm creating a mini-adventure for a player who is playing a female aristocratic fighter, wielder of the fullblade, so that she can pick up a level of Barbarian and have it be somewhat logical while also being cool. I have the framework for the adventure; I just need some help fleshing out the descriptive detail and roleplaying.
This is set up in the Shackled City adventure site Cauldron, a city set in the top of a dormant volcano. The player's character is currently a chaotic good level 3 fighter focused on the fullblade, which is probably the biggest sword a humanoid could possibly wield. The plan is for her to have her gain her fourth level in barbarian in a non-eye-rolling 'give-me-a-break' plausible manner.
To make this work I used the fact that the PC is a strong active worshipper of Kord, a chaotic good god focused on strength, competition, brawling, fitness, leadership, courage, etc. A god who happens to be worshiped by a lot of barbarians. So, the key to this implausible trick is to define that the barbarian class is sacred to Kordites, or at least the high priest and his followers. Last week the PC was approached by the half-orc high priest (cleric 6/barbarian 1) of the Temple of Lordly Might in town and informed her that she has qualified to partake in the yearly retreat to experience the sacred ways of the barbarian (treating it like a pseudo prestige class) if she is interested. "To live life by the strength of your body and spirit, to battle daily challenges in a manner that is pleasing to Kord, and to learn how to find and channel the spirit of Kord through yourself."
The adventure will start with the high priest handing the PC and four others to his half orc brother (barb 4/cleric 3) who leads a barbarian tribe in the jungle twenty miles away. He will lead the group in a marathon run there and the winner will have the privilege of eating meat that night, whereas everyone else will have to make do with plants for their dinner.
During this three week retreat, the five participants gets to live in the barbarian tribe (a collection of humans, orcs, half-orcs, and some individuals who used to live in the city but have moved here after their retreat experience in the past.) During this period they will learn how to live within nature, how to hunt and survive in the jungle, how to find their animal totem (he has a different dogma than his brother) which they can invite inside of themselves to empower them for a short time. There will be grueling physical activity mixed with competitive physical challenges, including swimming, jumping, climbing, running, and wrestling a bear (trained animal companion of a tribe druid). The experience will end with the shaman facilitating a physically taxing spiritual awakening where the participants will encounter their animal totem in a hallucinagenic vision. At the end they will go back to the city but they may join the tribe if they are interested in moving there. Those going back will, of course, have to run there; but this time having to run up the volcano at the end of their marathon run.
What I need is cool stuff to say as the orc tribal leader, some ideas of descriptive color of the barbarian tribe along with details of the grueling physical challenges that they are experiencing during the montage of transformation that occurs during the three weeks. Most importantly some ideas of how to run the last part. Or else it's going to go like "Um you fail your Will save and go into your hallucination and meet a bear. He says 'Hi I'm your Totem' and you can Rage now." The whole reason that I'm running a published campaign is because I have so much trouble coming up with my own stuff, although I am pleased with how this mini-adventure is coming along.
Since the player is also picking up the Scion of Kord feat I would like to incorporate a message from Kord delivered by his emissary during the vision revealing that the blood of Kord runs through her veins along with a warning of the dire fate that awaits Caldron and that she needs to become as strong as she can possibly be to courageously lead the opposing force to stop this dire threat.
I'm creating some NPCs for the other players to play if they choose to participate; otherwise I'll just run this as a one-on-one for the player. Their regular characters will receive the experience points for this mini-adventure.
The other participants will be:
Zachary Aslan II (Ranger 2/Cleric Kord 1) a tall ruggedly handsome young noble who is a member of a rival aristocratic adventuring group The Stormblades. He has recently turned to Kord and starting to turn away from his callous ways which is shared by the other members. He's thinking of ending his romantic relationship with the swashbuckler Cora Lanthenmire in his group and hooking up with the bard leader Annah Taskerhill. However this is before his attention was caught by the PC, Kiera Lanthenmire, sister to Cora.
She has defeated him in a wrestling match at the Kord Temple and has intrigued him. He wasn't planning on going on this retreat, but he'll be there now. (And yes, the player is working to take him from her sister.) This NPC will be played by me.
"The inspiration to us all" He is a small human male with a slight but bulked up build. He was born physically weak and sickly but with a phenomenal force of will. He has been working intensely at the Kord temple since he was a boy to overcome his weak body and has worked himself to a 10 STR and an 8 CON. What he lacks physically he overcomes by far with skill, experience, and tenacity. He has been rejected ten years in a row before being regarded strong enough and tough enough for this ordeal. He is a master wrestler and can defeat enemies much stronger than himself. (Human male 32 Ranger 3/Fighter 4/Cleric Kord 1 with Iron Will, Improved Grapple, Track, Favored Enemy: human, Two-Weapon Fighting, Endurance, Improved Unarmed Strike, Weapon Focus: Grapple, Weapon Specialization: Grapple, Run, & Diehard. Domains: Luck & Strength). Climb, Jump, & Swim maxxed out.
Female half-orc commoner 2, 20 STR. She has had a miserable life growing up with low (4) intelligence and charisma (4). Having trouble learning anything she has been viciously tormented in childhood. Living with her mother in the poorest section of town, she was only able to get jobs doing things that a person would normally have mules do. She has upgraded her job loading and unloading boxes at a warehouse, but her fellow employees shun her and and some torment her. She thought that she could find a place at the temple of Kord but no one there wanted to have anything to do with a living parody of a Kordite. No one except for one cleric who has been working with her for the last couple of years explaining to her how beautiful and wonderful she is in Kord's eyes. Although she is more accepted now by the other Kordites, the cleric hopes that she can find a new life at this retreat.
Male half-elf rogue 2 / warrior 1. He was a cruel mean vicious bullying thug, including a history tormenting the female half-orc in the past. But after going to the temple of kord seeking to become a physically stronger bully he instead found a kind cleric who has helped him find a way out of evil and how to use his strength for good. He's halfway there, currently chaotic neutral, and has been allowed on this retreat as a reward for the progress that he has already made. But his cruel streak comes out when he is trying to psyche out an opponent during a competition; a practice which is considered fair play at the temple. (Maxxed Bluff & Intimidate)
The player is Kiera Lanthenmire. Fighter 3 (gestalted with Aristocrat 3). Using a fullblade which no one in her family respects, particularly the swashbuckler sister.
I certainly would appreciate more detail and roleplaying cues for the NPC participants.
I'll be using the Degrees of Success rules from the Tournaments, Fairs, and Taverns book for the noncombat physical challenges that I detail which should make a nice change of pace for everyone from standard D&D combat. I can detail how that would go if you want.
This is set up in the Shackled City adventure site Cauldron, a city set in the top of a dormant volcano. The player's character is currently a chaotic good level 3 fighter focused on the fullblade, which is probably the biggest sword a humanoid could possibly wield. The plan is for her to have her gain her fourth level in barbarian in a non-eye-rolling 'give-me-a-break' plausible manner.
To make this work I used the fact that the PC is a strong active worshipper of Kord, a chaotic good god focused on strength, competition, brawling, fitness, leadership, courage, etc. A god who happens to be worshiped by a lot of barbarians. So, the key to this implausible trick is to define that the barbarian class is sacred to Kordites, or at least the high priest and his followers. Last week the PC was approached by the half-orc high priest (cleric 6/barbarian 1) of the Temple of Lordly Might in town and informed her that she has qualified to partake in the yearly retreat to experience the sacred ways of the barbarian (treating it like a pseudo prestige class) if she is interested. "To live life by the strength of your body and spirit, to battle daily challenges in a manner that is pleasing to Kord, and to learn how to find and channel the spirit of Kord through yourself."
The adventure will start with the high priest handing the PC and four others to his half orc brother (barb 4/cleric 3) who leads a barbarian tribe in the jungle twenty miles away. He will lead the group in a marathon run there and the winner will have the privilege of eating meat that night, whereas everyone else will have to make do with plants for their dinner.
During this three week retreat, the five participants gets to live in the barbarian tribe (a collection of humans, orcs, half-orcs, and some individuals who used to live in the city but have moved here after their retreat experience in the past.) During this period they will learn how to live within nature, how to hunt and survive in the jungle, how to find their animal totem (he has a different dogma than his brother) which they can invite inside of themselves to empower them for a short time. There will be grueling physical activity mixed with competitive physical challenges, including swimming, jumping, climbing, running, and wrestling a bear (trained animal companion of a tribe druid). The experience will end with the shaman facilitating a physically taxing spiritual awakening where the participants will encounter their animal totem in a hallucinagenic vision. At the end they will go back to the city but they may join the tribe if they are interested in moving there. Those going back will, of course, have to run there; but this time having to run up the volcano at the end of their marathon run.
What I need is cool stuff to say as the orc tribal leader, some ideas of descriptive color of the barbarian tribe along with details of the grueling physical challenges that they are experiencing during the montage of transformation that occurs during the three weeks. Most importantly some ideas of how to run the last part. Or else it's going to go like "Um you fail your Will save and go into your hallucination and meet a bear. He says 'Hi I'm your Totem' and you can Rage now." The whole reason that I'm running a published campaign is because I have so much trouble coming up with my own stuff, although I am pleased with how this mini-adventure is coming along.
Since the player is also picking up the Scion of Kord feat I would like to incorporate a message from Kord delivered by his emissary during the vision revealing that the blood of Kord runs through her veins along with a warning of the dire fate that awaits Caldron and that she needs to become as strong as she can possibly be to courageously lead the opposing force to stop this dire threat.
I'm creating some NPCs for the other players to play if they choose to participate; otherwise I'll just run this as a one-on-one for the player. Their regular characters will receive the experience points for this mini-adventure.
The other participants will be:
Zachary Aslan II (Ranger 2/Cleric Kord 1) a tall ruggedly handsome young noble who is a member of a rival aristocratic adventuring group The Stormblades. He has recently turned to Kord and starting to turn away from his callous ways which is shared by the other members. He's thinking of ending his romantic relationship with the swashbuckler Cora Lanthenmire in his group and hooking up with the bard leader Annah Taskerhill. However this is before his attention was caught by the PC, Kiera Lanthenmire, sister to Cora.
She has defeated him in a wrestling match at the Kord Temple and has intrigued him. He wasn't planning on going on this retreat, but he'll be there now. (And yes, the player is working to take him from her sister.) This NPC will be played by me."The inspiration to us all" He is a small human male with a slight but bulked up build. He was born physically weak and sickly but with a phenomenal force of will. He has been working intensely at the Kord temple since he was a boy to overcome his weak body and has worked himself to a 10 STR and an 8 CON. What he lacks physically he overcomes by far with skill, experience, and tenacity. He has been rejected ten years in a row before being regarded strong enough and tough enough for this ordeal. He is a master wrestler and can defeat enemies much stronger than himself. (Human male 32 Ranger 3/Fighter 4/Cleric Kord 1 with Iron Will, Improved Grapple, Track, Favored Enemy: human, Two-Weapon Fighting, Endurance, Improved Unarmed Strike, Weapon Focus: Grapple, Weapon Specialization: Grapple, Run, & Diehard. Domains: Luck & Strength). Climb, Jump, & Swim maxxed out.
Female half-orc commoner 2, 20 STR. She has had a miserable life growing up with low (4) intelligence and charisma (4). Having trouble learning anything she has been viciously tormented in childhood. Living with her mother in the poorest section of town, she was only able to get jobs doing things that a person would normally have mules do. She has upgraded her job loading and unloading boxes at a warehouse, but her fellow employees shun her and and some torment her. She thought that she could find a place at the temple of Kord but no one there wanted to have anything to do with a living parody of a Kordite. No one except for one cleric who has been working with her for the last couple of years explaining to her how beautiful and wonderful she is in Kord's eyes. Although she is more accepted now by the other Kordites, the cleric hopes that she can find a new life at this retreat.
Male half-elf rogue 2 / warrior 1. He was a cruel mean vicious bullying thug, including a history tormenting the female half-orc in the past. But after going to the temple of kord seeking to become a physically stronger bully he instead found a kind cleric who has helped him find a way out of evil and how to use his strength for good. He's halfway there, currently chaotic neutral, and has been allowed on this retreat as a reward for the progress that he has already made. But his cruel streak comes out when he is trying to psyche out an opponent during a competition; a practice which is considered fair play at the temple. (Maxxed Bluff & Intimidate)
The player is Kiera Lanthenmire. Fighter 3 (gestalted with Aristocrat 3). Using a fullblade which no one in her family respects, particularly the swashbuckler sister.
I certainly would appreciate more detail and roleplaying cues for the NPC participants.
I'll be using the Degrees of Success rules from the Tournaments, Fairs, and Taverns book for the noncombat physical challenges that I detail which should make a nice change of pace for everyone from standard D&D combat. I can detail how that would go if you want.
