The Game of Kings OOC

[Bront]

I don't have time to address other concerns tonight, but I wanted to inform you guys that the error did get resolved. As Bront said, the only way to fix it was a full reinstall. My computer's now in factory condition, and I'm frantically trying to get reconnected to the internet and install vital applications. Thankfully, a lot of my files were on a seperate HD I pulled out before reformatting (or something like it), so it's not a total loss. I'll still be busy with this, but expect a substantial post sometime tomorrow.

Drop me an e-mail. I'll send you a link were you can get SuperPE, a bootable environment on CD where you can do a lot of file recovery and maintinance, supports USB, and has a windows GUI.

 

[MadMaxim]

Here's my final background submission for Partash. I hope you enjoy it.
[sblock]Background: Partash grew up in the city of Sharn where he was tutored by the wise Havakhad. In the kalashtar community of the Overlook district, Partash was taught how to focus and meditate by using il-Yannah as his guide. He learned to master the strange divine energy that emerged from il-Yannah and shape into positive energy capable of healing wounds and bright destructive rays of light. Havakhad was impressed with his student and thought he would make an excellent lightbringer, but fate would it otherwise…

Partash’ parents were shadow walkers, the only line of defense against the encroaching Dreaming Dark. They also fought other manifestations of evil and it was against one of these that they lost their lives. Their deaths were a blow to Partash’s life. Disheartened and unmotivated, he struggled to continue his education under Havakhad, each day growing harder and bleaker. Eventually Havakhad confronted him in his chambers, asking about his sorrow, his health and his study. It was at this point a small squad of Riedran assassins had made their way to Sharn, intent on ending Havakhad’s life – a follow-up mission to their success in the battles against the shadow walkers.

In a grand display of positive energy and searing light, Partash fended off these attackers alongside Havakhad, killing two and sending the rest running. At this point Partash realized he still had family – someone who cared about him – in Havakhad, and this motivated Partash into walking in his parents’ footsteps and become a shadow walker himself. However, he had a different point of view. In order to protect his interests, he would have to know as much as possible about his enemy. He locked himself away in a room with as many books about possible threats to the kalashtar as he could carry and started studying. He only came out to eat. It was like that every day for an entire year, before Partash emerged from his chamber with enough knowledge to fight and defeat all his enemies. This turn of events saddened Havakhad, but he knew that there was no stopping him, so he let him go.

Partash now walks the lands of Khorvaire to battle all manifestations of evil but particularly the agents of the Dreaming Dark. He searches for artifacts powerful enough to take the battle to Riedra and the Inspired, but he knows all too well that he has to become much more powerful to achieve such a goal. Therefore, he has taken to adventuring in order to gather knowledge and power. He does his best to conceal his kalashtar traits, because the best defense against the Dreaming Dark is secrecy. Partash goes by the alias of Parlinor Tashlov, a human priest of the Sovereign Host.

Description: Partash is a 57-year-old kalashtar, but he appears young by human standards. He’s tall (6’1”) and slightly-built, making it obvious to anyone who sees him that he didn’t spend all his time practicing swordplay but was more likely buried beneath piles of books. His skin is rather pale which only goes to prove that he hasn’t been outdoors a lot. His hazel eyes always appear calm and determined even if everything around him seems to be pure chaos. His short black hair gives the viewer a look at his fine facial features which appear almost as fine as those on an Aerenal elf. His voice is calm even in the heat of battle and nothing really seems to be able to surprise him.

Partash is a kind and caring person and truly a champion of the Path of Light. Where others of his kind found a way to perfection through meditation and communication with il-Yannah, he found true divine power. He’s a humble person but always ready to dispense advice if the situation calls for it and if he thinks that his perspective is worth taking into consideration. He never speaks before having thought everything through and never makes rash decisions. Partash is a courageous person and will fight for the good of all, but his foremost enemy is the Dreaming Dark of the Inspired of Riedra. When he fights the agents of the Dreaming Dark, his nice façade seems to crack and his anger burns through. He seems to become a different person, but it’s really his quori spirit showing its true hatred for its enemies. He will stop at almost nothing to destroy them and their plans. He knows full well the quori spirit inhabiting the human vessel will just posses a new body, but that doesn’t stop him from destroying their links to Eberron.

Still, the loss of his parents and the attack on the enclave in Sharn has fueled his obsession with gathering knowledge. He needs to know the weaknesses of his enemies and therefore he often seeks knowledge that weren’t meant to be seen. Unholy texts taken from Cults of the Dragon Below, partial scripts concerning the Draconic Prophecy, propaganda from the Inspired in Riedra and research notes of daelkyr experiments are important to him. He’ll study it all meticulously for any clues about evil creatures. Only time can tell when his sanity breaks from the weight of this forbidden knowledge…[/sblock]
Oh, Ringmereth, I was wondering whether you'd allow the Archivist class from Heroes of Horror? I think that would fit Partash incredibly well and show that he's not really like any other divine spellcasters walking the face of Eberron.

 

[mcnathan80]

Glad to here the compy's okay, you kind of scared us there a little

you've got a good start on Pem's backstory.

Thanks, I appreciate that.

The first thing you should do to expand it is decide on a gender for Pem--changelings do have one, even if they shapeshift into a member of the opposite sex, and on top of that, using "him/her" instead of one pronoun distracts from your writing.

Yeah sorry, I misread the description of Reality Seekers in the Gender section of Races of Eberron. Pem is a male, but he maintains a completely androgyonous form (which is is allowed in RoE). Ironically enough I was begining to realize how "clunky" my pronouns were becoming, and had planned on using "him" just as long as everyone realizes that Pem is "gender-neutral"

Secondly, I'd like to see his role defined

Well, as a monk, speed would be the focus. He served in the Last War as a scout and rear enemy line skirmisher.

as well as some expansion in his background--for example, writing about what he seems to be running from.

These were actually things that are addressed in my full character sheet. I didn't include them because you said you just wanted a brief write-up. But It's no prob giving you the gist of the background now.
Basically, Pem lived in Metrol as a passer until a series of events lead to his family being discovered as changelings and subsequently lynched. Pem escaped, and fought in the Last War for a House Deneith mercenary unit as a Reality Seeker to prove that changelings are honorable. After the destruction of Cyre he realized he truely had no home to go back to and began wandering the Five Nations looking for a place to belong. Since he's a Reality Seeker hes refuses to adopt other forms and identities, and that makes others uncomfortable. Before being run out of a small village, he overheard a rumor that some Reality Seeker changelings have been starting communites of their own and now searches for one to be a part of. His searcing has proven fruitless, and his money is running low. This letter represents a good opportunity to earn some cash, and perhaps make a friendly contact to help him find one of these communities.

 

[Ringmereth]

A substantive post...

But first off, thanks for the patience and suggestions as I've dealt with my tech issues. To give an overview of how the game should progress from here, DJ and I will begin formulating our final group tomorrow and post it in the evening. Dark Jackalope will be gone from monday to friday next week, but I don't plan on holding up the game on that account. As soon as all the stat sheets have been finished, proofed, and posted in the Rogue's Gallery, I'll start a thread in Playing the Game and put up a first in-game post. This will probably take place on the 3rd, 4th, or 5th, depending on how fast I get through the character sheets and if anyone else will be away for the 4th.

- - - - - - - - - -

mcnathan80: thanks for expanding on your backstory and clearing up the matter of whether Pem's a "he" or "she." Compared to some of the biographies posted here, yours could stand to be reorganized and typed into a more final version. However, the basic content has an excellent premise. Pem's two motives (immediate need for money and a long-term goal of finding a community) are solid, and he's covering a role we haven't seen other applicants dedicating their characters to.

MadMaxim: first off, I the changes to your backstory make Partash much more interesting. Trying to find an understanding of evil is a much more achievable goal, and could make Partash a lot more fun to play. As for your class choice, I don't own HoH, but the Archivist class was presented in a preview on the WotC site at some point, and I remember liking it. I'll need to take another look at it, but right now I think that'd work well.

Also, I didn't realize your first language isn't english until you said so--if it's something you have problems with, you've done an admirable job writing quality material. Thanks for your effort.

Bront: using the Tools of War ability on Warforged components is entirely logical to me, even if it's not quite legal by the RAW. Go ahead and factor it into your calculations for that item.

Ferrix: your stat block and description look good, if a little bit stereotypical of a Valenar warrior. The most important part of our selection process is your background, and as of now you have none. If you want to be considered, we need to see a good biography.

 

[Ferrix]

Ferrix: your stat block and description look good, if a little bit stereotypical of a Valenar warrior. The most important part of our selection process is your background, and as of now you have none. If you want to be considered, we need to see a good biography.

Thus the point, he is supposed to be a stereotypical Valenar warrior. What upstanding Valenar wouldn't? I'll be getting to the background soon enough, which should add a bit more depth to the character if you think he's shallow, which I don't.

 

[stonegod]

MadMaxim: first off, I the changes to your backstory make Partash much more interesting. Trying to find an understanding of evil is a much more achievable goal, and could make Partash a lot more fun to play. As for your class choice, I don't own HoH, but the Archivist class was presented in a preview on the WotC site at some point, and I remember liking it. I'll need to take another look at it, but right now I think that'd work well.

Archivists (found here) are awesome. I'm playing one in my Age of Worms campaign, and I look forward to taking him down a modified Tainted Scholar route.

 

[Ringmereth]

stonegod: thanks for the link. I'm never a fan of MAD in spellcasting classes, especially when it's for the sake of a questionable and otherwise arbitrary balance decision. The only reason an Archivist needs wisdom is for bonus spells. Were they to make their spellcasting entirely dependent on Int, they'd still be no more powerful than clerics, even as a wizard/archivist/mystic theruge.

But I digress. If you'd like to use the class, MadMaxim, it's entirely allowable.

 

[mcnathan80]

Compared to some of the biographies posted here, yours could stand to be reorganized and typed into a more final version

No prob, is this more to your liking?

Personality
[Sblock] Pem is a Reality Seeker; meaning he has eschewed the changelings usual proclivity of adopting multiple forms and identities (these changelings are called Becomers) and has settled on one form. Unlike Passers who adopt one form of another race and stick to it, Reality Seeker prefer the changelings’ original, androgynous form. This adherence to the original changeling form significantly affects the personality and psychology of a Reality Seeker. They seek perfection of mind and body, and Pem is no different. He views his body as a blank slate, free of detail, but also free of imperfection. Pem strives to keep his mind in that same state of freedom and perfection. Every time Pem changes his form it’s due to a direct concrete need, or desire to strongly express himself. Due to his past, Pem is loath to use his shape changing abilities to deceive others, and is very offended when people suggest that he do so. Pem looks at Passers with pity, and compassion understanding that people’s prejudices drove them to completely reject the changeling ideology, but that they are too weak to stand up and wear their original bodies proudly. Becomers, on the other hand, fill Pem with disdain and sometimes anger. In many ways they reject the changelings form more drastically than passers by refusing to at least settle on a form and identity. At best Becomers are flighty tricksters, and at worst malicious deceivers. He feels it’s because of these changelings that all changelings are distrusted. Above all Pem wants peace, and since accidentally killing a changeling during a raid into Karrnath refuses to deal lethal damage to any living creature if it can be avoided. Pem has also heard rumors of changeling communities sprouting up that are devoted to the Reality Seekers ideology, and desires to investigate these communities.[/sblock]
History
[sblock] Much of Pem’s personality stems from the treatment he faced as a changeling youth. Pem’s parents were typical Passers living in Metrol. They had adopted the guise of human shopkeepers to avoid the typical prejudices that came with being a changeling. They also raised Pem to be Passer and when he was born they kept him away from the public until he was able to remain as a human boy during waking hours. All was well until a visiting diplomat from Breland was assassinated when Pem was 16 years old. The citizens were shocked since the assassination completely destroyed the alliance that was being formed between the two nations. People wanted answers, but more importantly they wanted someone to blame. Later that week Pem’s girlfriend snuck into their house and saw not her boyfriend Kallas, but a grey, featureless monster. She immediately ran out of the house and informed the town militia who promptly rounded the family up for questioning. Unfortunately for Pem’s family there were still no suspects in the diplomat’s murder and a family of changelings was good enough for the townsfolk who soon began rioting and crying for their deaths. In the commotion Pem began changing form until he was able to escape. Pem never saw what happened to his parents and still assumes they are dead. Pem enlisted as a mercenary with House Deneith as a scout and sometimes assassin. It was during his travels with House Deneith that he met his first Reality Seeker who explained the philosophy to Pem, and converted him with his honesty. That day Pem resolved to never deceive others with his shape changing powers and took his “true” form. He was subsequently dismissed later that day. Pem now adventures to prove that changelings are honorable people, and their natural ability to change shape doesn’t make them any more dishonest that any other race. He also hopes to some day find a community of changelings that adhere to the Reality Seekers philosophy.[/sblock]
This was taken directly from the character sheet, hope its a bit more organized.

 

[MadMaxim]

stonegod: thanks for the link. I'm never a fan of MAD in spellcasting classes, especially when it's for the sake of a questionable and otherwise arbitrary balance decision. The only reason an Archivist needs wisdom is for bonus spells. Were they to make their spellcasting entirely dependent on Int, they'd still be no more powerful than clerics, even as a wizard/archivist/mystic theruge.

But I digress. If you'd like to use the class, MadMaxim, it's entirely allowable.

Aren't their spellcasting entirely based on Intelligence? It is as far as I can see... And I think I'll be going with the Archivist, because I still think it fits the flavor of the character.

 

[Bront]

[sblock=Carver]

[B]Name:[/B] Carver
[B]Class:[/B] Aritifacer
[B]Race:[/B] Warforged
[B]Size:[/B] Medium
[B]Gender:[/B] Male
[B]Alignment:[/B] NG
[B]Deity:[/B] 

[B]Str:[/B] 14 +2 (5p.)     [B]Level:[/B] 4        [B]XP:[/B] 5000/10000
[B]Dex:[/B] 10 +0 (2p.)     [B]BAB:[/B] +3         [B]HP:[/B] 33 (4d6+12)
[B]Con:[/B] 16 +3 (4p.)     [B]Grapple:[/B] +4     [B]Dmg Red:[/B] 2/Adamantine
[B]Int:[/B] 18 +4 (10p.)    [B]Speed:[/B] 20'      [B]Spell Res:[/B] XX
[B]Wis:[/B] 10 +0 (4p.)     [B]Init:[/B] +0        [B]Spell Save:[/B] +X
[B]Cha:[/B] 12 +1 (6p.)     [B]ACP:[/B] -6         [B]Spell Fail:[/B] XX%

                   [B]Base  Armor Shld   Dex  Size   Nat  Misc  Total[/B]
[B]Armor:[/B]              10    +8    +2    +0    +0    +0    +0    20
[B]Touch:[/B] 10              [B]Flatfooted:[/B] 20

                         [B]Base   Mod  Misc  Total[/B]
[B]Fort:[/B]                      1    +1    +1    +3
[B]Ref:[/B]                       1    +0    +3    +4
[B]Will:[/B]                      4    +0    +1    +5
(+2 Ref save from Weapon Familiar)

[B]Weapon                  Attack   Damage     Critical[/B]
Mourningstar(MW)          +6      1d8+2       20x2
Dagger (10')(MW)          +6(4)   1d4+2     19-20x2
Light Crossbow (80')(MW)  +4       1d8      19-20x2

[B]Languages:[/B] Common, Gnome

[B]Abilities:[/B] 
Warforged Racial Abilities
Artisan Bonus (+2 to UMD with appropriate item creation feat)
Disable Trap
Item Creation
Artifacer Knowledge (5+2=7)
Infuse Self: Caster Level +1 when Infusing Self
Tools of War:  Repairs dmg=Chr when infusing constructs, Living Constructs, Weapons, Armor, or shields.  XP spent to enchant these items count double.

[B]Infusions:[/B] 
1st: 5   2nd: 4   
DC: 15   DC: 16   

[B]Craft Pool:[/B] 6 XP

[B]Feats:[/B]
1st: Adamantine Body 
1st A: Scribe Scroll
2nd A: Brew Potion
3rd: Extrordinary Artison (25% less GP when crafting)
3rd A: Craft Wonderous Item
4th: +1 Str
4th: A: Legendary Artisan

[B]Skill Points:[/B]  49       [B]Max Ranks:[/B] 7/4
[B]Skills                   Ranks  Mod  Misc  Total[/B]
Craft: Weaponsmith         7    +4    +2    +13
Craft: Armorsmith          7    +4    +2    +13
Craft: Boyer               7    +4    +2    +13
Knowledge: Arcana          5    +4          +9
Use Magic Device           7    +1  +3(2)   +11(13)
Spellcraft                 5    +4  +5(2)   +12(14)
Search                     3    +4          +7
Disable Device             3    +4          +7
Craft: Woodworking         3    +4    +2    +9
Language(CC)		   1
(when using scrolls)
(+2 Craft due to MW Tools)


[B]Equipment:                            Cost   Weight	LV/XP[/B]
Adamantine Mourningstar, Crafted	752	6
Dagger, MW Crafted			75.5	1
Heavy Mithril Shield, Crafted		255	7.5
Light Crossbow, MW Crafted		83.75	4
50 Bolts				1.25	5
50 Bolts, Adamantine			751.25	5
Magical Interface Gloves (+3 UMD)	338		4th/14XP (Component:Gloves)
Memory Upgrade Component (+2 Int)	1500		4th/60XP (Component:Headgear)
Cloak of resistance +1			375	1	3rd/40XP

Backpack				2	2
-Warforged Repair Kit			50	1
-Masterwork Artisan's Tools		55	5
-Potions:	
--Cure Light (2)			50		2nd/4XP
--Enlarge 				25		2nd/2XP
--Cure Moderate Wounds (2)		226		2nd/24XP
-Scrolls	
--Repair Light Damage (2)		25		1st/1XP
--Scroll of Spider Climb 		57		1st/6 XP
-Continual Flame Lamp			47	1	3rd/5XP
	
[B]Total Weight:[/B]38.5lb      [B]Money:[/B] 20pp 31gp 2sp 5cp

                           [B]Lgt   Med   Hvy  Lift  Push[/B]
[B]Max Weight:[/B]                58   116    175   350   875

[B]Age:[/B] 1?
[B]Height:[/B] 6'0"
[B]Weight:[/B] 278lb
[B]Eyes:[/B] Green
[B]Skin:[/B] Grey

Appearance:
Carver may look like an average Warforged, but there always seems to be something different about him. He doesn’t carry himself as most Warforged do, but more like a curious child. Carver is small for a Warforged and doesn’t cast a very imposing figure despite his adamantium body. He wears a finely made cloak, and most of his gear has a fine quality to it.

Personality
Carver is quite friendly, and generaly very trusting. He tends to bond with people who help him to answer questions as well as guide him. He is utterly curious, and at times seems more inocent than most young children, as well as completely clueless about many humanoid customs and interactions.

Background:
Carver was never really sure how he got to Port Verge. Bimbleburg told Carver that he’d washed up on the shore, but Carver’s first memory was waking up in Bim’s (That what Carver preferred to call him) workshop. Bim tried to ask him questions while he examined Carver, but Carver didn’t know anything before waking up. Once Bim was sure there was no damage to Carver, he told Carver to stay in the workshop while he went to talk to someone. Carver stayed behind, and eventually picked up a small knife and a few blocks of wood and started carving. Bim had returned to find several small wooden blocks carved in various geometric shapes. Bim said “You’re a Carver all right; I think that’s a good name for you for now.” Carver never did get another name.

Bim was a local gnome artificer. He had worked for the nation of Cyre for a time, and had retired here in Port Verge well before the war had ended. Bim was familiar with Warforged, but found it strange that Carver seemed like a blank slate. Bim decided to try to “raise” him almost like a son. He opened the world to Carver, and showed him endless possibilities that he could do with his life, but Carver enjoyed crafting. He took amazingly well to weapons, armor, and alchemy, and would often carve figurines when he had idle time.

Bim told carver about the Warforged, the Last War, and how many were trained to be soldiers. Carver didn’t quite understand, having never seen another one like him, and the concept that he had been created and not born seemed strange. Carver began to study Bim’s notes on the Warforged, and began to look into the creation of magical objects and items with a renewed passion. Seeking to understand himself, he looked inside to find out what made him Carver. Bim trained Carver as an artificer, and as Bim became ill, Carver continued to work and help support Bim. Bim continued to teach Carver all he could beyond being an artificer as well. “You’ve been given a gift that perhaps no other Warforged has Carver,” Bim told him, “You’ve been allowed to be raised instead of trained. Make the most of it son.”

Carver was taken aback by being called son, but he had come to think of Bim as what he learned most of the godforged races (as Bim had described them to Carver) called a father. He felt honored to have this relationship with the gnome. Unfortunately, several days later, Bim died of his illness, or perhaps old age. Carver was not one to understand these things. However, he did find paperwork in Bim’s stuff showing that he had had a friend create a document stating that Carver had sailed to the port to work with him, and another document that stated the shop was Carvers if Bim fell ill. Bim had truly thought of Carver as a son.

Carver spent some time morning Bim’s death. He threw himself into his work, and kept himself busy. Carver never understood the exact operation of a business, so while he continued to craft items for customers, he never seemed to be making much. Carver didn’t care, as long as he was able to maintain the shop. However, this life alone became tedious for Carver, so he eventually sold the shop and went out to explore the world, in hopes of “Making the most of it” for his father.[/sblock]

I claim Sandy Brown for speech color