The Elsir War: Lair of the Ghostlord (FR) (Recruiting 2/20/07 - 2/28/07)

[GwydapLlew]

Hmm...I've never played RHoD (and probably never will, but who knows), but I'm playing in a SCAP game--would this game spoil either of those?

Well, the group will be taking part in a specific aspect of RHoD that has been modified to my campaign...so it's not really a spoiler for RHoD as a whole. As for SCAP, this particular adventure takes place during Zenith Trajectory (I don't know where you are in the AP) - but it will only be tangentially related to the AP, as the only influence SCAP has on this adventure is that your homebase is Cauldron.

In short, I can't think of anything up to this point in SCAP that would have any bearing on this adventure, and I'm not planning on incorporating much of my (heavily modified) SCAP in this adventure. Let me know where you are at in the AP, and I can make sure there's no risk of spoilage.

If not, it looks interesting--I'm thinking of an Archivist who specialises in lore on dead and defunct ancient gods and thus stumbled across Jergal, once among the mightiest of gods but having relegated himself now to a humbling seneschal position. The mystery of Jergal (as well as the fact that Jergal, as the former ruler over death, probably had a unique perspective on the death of the fallen gods) intrigued this Archivist, who then began associating with the church of Jergal to gain more information and unravel the mysteries of the ancient gods.

Heh...archivist seems to be one of the most popular new base classes out there! The concept sounds good. Interesting. Nifty, even.

Also, I have a fairly good bit of Realmslore from my younger days, but I didn't buy PGtF because it seemed to be mostly either a rehash of FRCS or badly broken--should I try to find the regional feats online?

You can try...if you tell me the region you are hailing from, I can get you write-ups of the Regional Feats. I use the PGtF version of the Feats due to the significant change between 3.5 and 3.0, but the basics are unchanged from FRCS.

 

[Rystil Arden]

Well, the group will be taking part in a specific aspect of RHoD that has been modified to my campaign...so it's not really a spoiler for RHoD as a whole. As for SCAP, this particular adventure takes place during Zenith Trajectory (I don't know where you are in the AP) - but it will only be tangentially related to the AP, as the only influence SCAP has on this adventure is that your homebase is Cauldron.

In short, I can't think of anything up to this point in SCAP that would have any bearing on this adventure, and I'm not planning on incorporating much of my (heavily modified) SCAP in this adventure. Let me know where you are at in the AP, and I can make sure there's no risk of spoilage.



Heh...archivist seems to be one of the most popular new base classes out there! The concept sounds good. Interesting. Nifty, even.



You can try...if you tell me the region you are hailing from, I can get you write-ups of the Regional Feats. I use the PGtF version of the Feats due to the significant change between 3.5 and 3.0, but the basics are unchanged from FRCS.

We just finished Flood Season. However, STAP Player's Guide has spoiled several things for me already anyway, filling me with mind-numbing rage at Paizo for the oversight (not really, but sheesh, that was lame of them to say "XXX and YYY were disgraced by nefarious acts in Cauldron"). I know it isn't far, but that ain't bad considering it is played only when all the old hands from high school are back in one place.

As to Archivist's popularity, I'm glad if it's true. I may be one of the class's strongest proponents, I think. I crusaded for it in the non-core class survivor, and stories of my crazy halfling archivist are among my favourite ever as a player (though admittedly I almost never get to play face to face, so that isn't saying as much as it might be).

If I remember correctly, most of them were rather irrelevant, if powerful. Hmmm...I imagined my Archivist as the descendant of an ancient bloodline, hence the obsession with the Lost Gods. I'm thinking Nimbral or Halruaa for the Netherese heritage, with a more-than-healthy interest for the returned Netherese of Shade. Looking at their regional feats, what is "Mind Over Matter" ?

 

[GwydapLlew]

We just finished Flood Season.

My AP is just finishing up the adventure after that, so there's no real risk of spoilage.

If I remember correctly, most of them were rather irrelevant, if powerful. Hmmm...I imagined my Archivist as the descendant of an ancient bloodline, hence the obsession with the Lost Gods. I'm thinking Nimbral or Halruaa for the Netherese heritage, with a more-than-healthy interest for the returned Netherese of Shade. Looking at their regional feats, what is "Mind Over Matter" ?

I don't have my PGtF in front of me, but I believe it lets you use your Int instead of Con for your 1st level hit points, and you gain +1 HP per Metamagic Feat you take. I'll have to doublecheck it when I get my copy back. (A player borrowed it after my FtF game tonight.)

 

[Rystil Arden]

My AP is just finishing up the adventure after that, so there's no real risk of spoilage.



I don't have my PGtF in front of me, but I believe it lets you use your Int instead of Con for your 1st level hit points, and you gain +1 HP per Metamagic Feat you take. I'll have to doublecheck it when I get my copy back. (A player borrowed it after my FtF game tonight.)

Ah, cool.

Okay, I remembered that it was on the list, I think, from another character. Oh wait, actually I think that may have been because my other character was Nimbran but raised by githzerai on Limbo. Is there a race of Deep Imaskari now too? If I don't pick Halruaa or Nimbral, that is a cool option, or even something like a forgotten scion of Narfell from the east.

 

[GwydapLlew]

Ah, cool.

Okay, I remembered that it was on the list, I think, from another character. Oh wait, actually I think that may have been because my other character was Nimbran but raised by githzerai on Limbo. Is there a race of Deep Imaskari now too? If I don't pick Halruaa or Nimbral, that is a cool option, or even something like a forgotten scion of Narfell from the east.

The Deep Imaskari hail from a bit too far east, although it could be doable. They are a heavily-LA race. The Nar are now a bunch of barbaric savage-types. I'll take a look at the stuff and get back to you tomorrow about them.

 

[Rystil Arden]

Ah, didn't know if they had LA or not--I heard about them from somewhere. I'm afraid that what 3e FR stuff I have I left at home for lack of an FR game. I know that the Nar were generally wiped out and that those who now live in the Thesk / former Narfell region are fairly barbaric / being terrorised by that evil guy who turns things into plants, but that could be all the more reason for someone who cared about the ancient glory to leave in search of answers. Still, I'm leaning towards Nimbral.

 

[GwydapLlew]

After looking over the races, a Deep Imaskari actually has a +0 LA (I was confusing it with every other Underdark race ) and it could work. How he/she reached the Vilhon Reach is something you'd need to address, although journey from the deepest portion of the Underdark could result in he/she coming to the area through a long journey. (Not uncommon among the Deep Imaskar).

The Nar are pretty much savage tribes, but nothing precludes you from playing an archivist from one of the tribes. It'd be kind of neat...your prayerbook could be rough hide bound by cord, or even a totem staff of some kind.

Nimbral is even further away; they fled fallen Netheril to the deths of the Trackless Sea. Again, it is not necessarily a problem, but you'll have to account for how your PC came to the Vilhon Reach.

 

[Rystil Arden]

After looking over the races, a Deep Imaskari actually has a +0 LA (I was confusing it with every other Underdark race ) and it could work. How he/she reached the Vilhon Reach is something you'd need to address, although journey from the deepest portion of the Underdark could result in he/she coming to the area through a long journey. (Not uncommon among the Deep Imaskar).

The Nar are pretty much savage tribes, but nothing precludes you from playing an archivist from one of the tribes. It'd be kind of neat...your prayerbook could be rough hide bound by cord, or even a totem staff of some kind.

Nimbral is even further away; they fled fallen Netheril to the deths of the Trackless Sea. Again, it is not necessarily a problem, but you'll have to account for how your PC came to the Vilhon Reach.

Ah yes, I found the Deep Imaskari online. They're fairly weak mechanically, but they're interesting. Do they have regional feats of any interest? Actually, I guess Archivist isn't really a typical class for any region anyway. I did know that Nimbral (and Halruaa) is far, but I imagine that my Archivist as traveling across the entire world in search of ruins and ancient secrets in many lands (thus gaining the 7 levels). Hmm...I just remembered the 28 Point Buy--that is going to be painful with an Archivist--probably going to have to have 8 Strength and Charisma.

 

[GwydapLlew]

Ah yes, I found the Deep Imaskari online. They're fairly weak mechanically, but they're interesting. Do they have regional feats of any interest? Actually, I guess Archivist isn't really a typical class for any region anyway. I did know that Nimbral (and Halruaa) is far, but I imagine that my Archivist as traveling across the entire world in search of ruins and ancient secrets in many lands (thus gaining the 7 levels). Hmm...I just remembered the 28 Point Buy--that is going to be painful with an Archivist--probably going to have to have 8 Strength and Charisma.

Archivist would fit a Deep Imaskari fairly well, since they search for new magic and whatnot. They would not, however, be a favored class to get a bonus Regional Feat.

The Deep Imaskar region has the following benefits:
Preferred Class: Bard, wizard, sorcerer.
Automatic Languages: Common, Roushoum.
Bonus Languages: Abyssal, Aquan, Celestial, Draconic, Terran, Undercommon.
Regional Feats: Arcane Preparation, Arcane Schooling
Bonus Equipment: 300 gp OR wand of light or wand of detect magic OR 2nd-level spell scroll and 3 thunderstones.

As a race, they have access to the Portal Sensitive feat (detects portals as if you were an elf and they were a secret door) and Stone Soul (basically stonecunning for a non-dwarf).

I will say that so far we are looking at arcane-heavy characters, with only one fighter-type. This isn't a problem, but I want to make sure everyone is willing to be a little ... creative with encounters.

 

[Rystil Arden]

I'd do a face like I usually do, but the Archivist just seemed cool for this game concept. Archivist + Divine Power == semi-competent Fighter for a short time. We're missing Rogue-power, though, and a face. Nimbrans are kind of reclusive, as are Halruaans and Deep Imaskari...hmm. I guess I won't get a free regional feat, anyway, so it doesn't really matter. I'll see if I can work out an interesting background with each of them and see what fits.