Vigwyn's 'A New Beginning...' [OOC]

[Vigwyn the Unruly]

This is the OOC thread for 'A New Beginning...'. We will use this thread for general discussions, questions, comments, etc., about the game.

All OOC-only posts should be made to this thread. In other words, any post that contains only OOC content, and does not contain any IC content, should be made to this thread. That will keep the IC thread easy to follow. Of course, many IC posts will also contain some OOC content; in that case, go ahead and post in the IC thread, but please use the {sblock=OOC} function to hide the OOC content. [sblock=OOC]Like this.[/sblock]
Dice rolling: Generally speaking, I find it easier to roll dice for the PCs. However, if you wish to make your own rolls, please use Invisible Castle. In any case, I will still make at least some rolls for you. For example, hidden rolls like Spot checks when you are unaware that there is a potential enemy nearby, or rolls that will speed up play if made by the DM, like saving throws in the middle of combat.

Both PCs will need to have their own color to use for speech in the IC thread (but I reserve orange for myself). Please enclose spoken words in double quotation marks ("like this"), and thoughts in single quotation marks ('like this'). Please use your color for both spoken words and thoughts.

I will try to avoid railroading, but will also try to keep things moving. I will try to follow RAW, but keeping things fun and keeping things moving are as important to me as a slavish devotion to every letter of the RAW.

Characters:
I will put up a separate character creation post later today/tonight. We will work on characters here; then, when the character sheets are complete, we will post them to a Rogues Gallery thread that I will make for that purpose. Please keep track of your own spells, HPs, treasure, arrows, etc. One of you can be responsible for keeping track of the party loot in a separate post in the Rogues Gallery thread.

FUN!
Having fun is the most important consideration, so please feel free to give me feedback when something just isn't working for you.

 

[Vigwyn the Unruly]

House Rules:

Here are some house rules I would like to use in this game. We will only use them if both players agree to them. Please let me know.

Attacks of Opportunity
Attacks of opportunity only do half damage. Target of attack can use their best save bonus to make a saving throw against the attack roll (with all active modifiers). If save is successful, the attack of opportunity automatically misses.
(The purpose of this rule is to minimize the occurrence of players metagaming to avoid AoO's.)

Charge
You can choose to limit a Charge to only being able to move your speed (rather than double your speed) and still make an attack, so long as at least the final 10 feet of the move meet the normal move restrictions for a Charge. This is still a full-round action, ending with an attack. If you wish to move more than your speed, the normal movement restriction apply to the entire move.
(This rule is probably clear as mud, but the point of it is to allow you to move through rough terrain, around an object, etc., then still make a Charge in the last 10 feet. You can only do this by limiting yourself to a single move, plus the attack. The last 10 feet must still be a straight line, in a clear path, etc.)

Dodge
Dodge simply adds a +1 Dodge bonus to AC.
(The purpose of this rule is to give us one less thing to worry about.)

 

[Vigwyn the Unruly]

Quests and Chapters:

This game will be relatively open-ended. However, we will need some organization. This is to keep things goal-focused, give players a sense of accomplishment aside from leveling (which happens very slowly in PbP), and keep the game from just petering out.

Quests
As the PCs pick up on hooks and set goals for themselves, these will be organized into quests, and the completion of quests will earn additional XP. It is up to the players to decide when a goal is important enough to be considered a quest. You can tell me when you want something to be a quest, and I will occasionally ask you if you want something to be a quest, but I will never railroad you into a quest. You can have more than one quest you are working on simultaneously. You can also give up on a quest at any time if it no longer fits in with your goals. You should not spend all of your in-game energies on quests--feel free to spend time just exploring and interacting with the world, too, and just do whatever strikes your fancy.

Chapters
Chapters will be equivalent to 'adventures' in some ways. Each chapter will have its own thread, and will end with the completion of a major quest, or during a major transition in the game. Because of the free-form nature of the game, it might not always be obvious when to end a chapter, and this decision will be a collaborative one between the DM and the players. The end of a chapter will serve as a point for the players to consider the 'adventure' successfully completed. The game will continue at that point with a new chapter, but players can choose to bow out at that point if they wish, and it will not disrupt the game as a whole.

Any thoughts on this system?

 

[Creamsteak]

I think I'm very likely to forget the Attacks of Opportunity rules, but otherwise everything sounds fine to me.

 

[Vigwyn the Unruly]

I think I'm very likely to forget the Attacks of Opportunity rules, but otherwise everything sounds fine to me.

That's actually probably a good thing! After all, the purpose of the changes is to make AoO's a much smaller consideration when you plan your actions. Just remember that you still have to think twice about drinking a potion while standing right next to a mad guy with a sword, but more often than not you will get away with it. You can leave the details to me.

 

[Vigwyn the Unruly]

History and Background

I want your characters to have some common background, so we are going to fast-forward Edgar's life a little bit.

This game will begin in the town of Newport on the west coast. (The entire world is dominated by humans, though isolated and hidden populations of dwarves, elves, and halflings also exist.) More than a hundred years ago, the king sent a lesser Count who had fallen out of favor to this area under the guise of having him supervise the construction of a lighthouse for what was eventually to become a major new port. However, this section of the coast is no good for sea travel, and the disused lighthouse was allowed to fall into ruin. The descendant of the original Count still rules the town, and the current King is perfectly happy to leave him there.

Newport is a small town of approximately 900 permanent residents. The town is surrounded by a simple wooden palisade wall on three sides, and the neglected docks on the coast side. The Coast Road travels through the town's main north and south gates. It is flagged in the town, but is little more than a simple dirt road outside of town. The narrow plain between the coast and the foothills of the Orc Mountains to the east supports a number of farms and smaller villages. These farms and villages raise the total known population of the County to about 1500. Most of the farms--and the neglected ruin of a lighthouse--lie to the south of the town, which is rolling grassland. Hunters and trappers find most of their quarry to the north, in which direction lies a dense forest. (There are rumors of an elf community in this northern forest... and several have reportedly seen redcaps and other fey there as well.)

Off the coast are a number of small islands used primarily by fishermen, but also occasionally visited by pirates, some of them with wild tales of a much larger jungle island several days' sailing through the treacherous waters to the northwest.

To the east lie the Orc Mountains. While no actual orcs have been seen there in decades, rumors abound of ibixian and dwarf strongholds. Above the tree line, the mountain tops are naked and foreboding. Only a small, little used trail leads through the foothills and up into the mountains. On the eastern side of the mountains, it is said, is a desert highland. But this is known only in tales--tales that include mummies and undead spirits, used primarily to scare naughty children into behaving.

The land is very ancient, so there is evidence of buried ruins in many places both in and around the town. It is said that several entrances to the Underdark can be found... but they are probably best left hidden.

Edgar and his companion [name?] have been in town for only a few days, resting after their latest adventure. (Which direction you came from and what your last adventure was, I will leave up to you.) Elves, though not completely unheard of here, are very rare. Most townsfolk think that they have some connection to the fey of the forest, whom they intensely distrust--mostly for good reason--so you are looked at quite suspiciously and given a wide berth. You notice that a member or two of the town watch always seems to be around when you are out in public. You have a room in the local inn, the Kraken. There are a few humble churches here, but no cathedral of note. The people love the King, but by and large dislike the Count, whom they find petty and greedy. The Count lives in the largest home in town. It is a mansion, but not a castle. He has a staff of servants and personal guards. The small garrison of about 30 soldiers from the King's Army appears to be here as much to keep the Count in line as to defend the assets of the Kingdom, and the soldiers and the Count's bodyguards distrust each other.

You met while defending Edgar's home town from an invasion of svirfneblin 5 years ago. While you successfully defeated the svirfneblin, the town was destroyed and Edgar's druidic brotherhood was scattered. Sadly, Edgar's mother also died in the attacks, and you were both left with no one to cling to and no place to call home. You set out into the wider world, and have been adventuring together ever since.

Feel free to change or expand your character backgrounds to incorporate any of this information, if desired.

 

[Vigwyn the Unruly]

Character Creation

5th level gestalt characters.

28-point point buy for Ability scores.

Average HP (max at first level).

10,000 gold points worth of treasure, but you should have a good explanation in your character background for any individual item worth more than 3,000.

Core Rulebooks, Spell Compendium, and Magic Item Compendium are fair game. Items, spells, feats, etc. from other books need prior approval. I am open to most things, but not everything (for example, not a big fan of Bo9S).

Working toward prestige classes is fine, if you are interested in that, but as these require prior approval, let's talk about it before you spend feats, skill points, etc. to meet prerequisites.

I will ask you to check each other's character sheets as we go.

Am I forgetting anything?

 

[Creamsteak]

That seems fine to me.

 

[industrygothica]

All sounds great to me. I like the AoO rule, and have always used the same dodge house rule myself.

I haven't had time to read through the history yet, but have copied all into an email and will look it over at work when I get there in an hour. If I cross my fingers, I might have something that resembles a character by the time I get home in the morning.

 

[Creamsteak]

This guys fleshed out. He doesn't have most consumables purchased (light sources, rations, feed) but has a fair amount of spare money to throw at it when the time comes.

Edgar Almondar
Male Human - Druid/Fighter 5
CN Medium Humanoid (human)
Senses: Listen +10, Spot +10
Init: +3 (Dex)
Languages: Common, Druidic

AC: 18, touch 13, flat-footed 15; (+3 Dex, +5 armor)
Hit Points: 37 HD: 6d10
Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +6; +4 bonus against spells and spell-like abilities of fey

Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Melee: Longsword +8 (1d8+3) or Longsword +6 (1d8+3) and shortsword +6 (1d6+2)
Ranged: Longbow +9 (1d8+3)
Base Atk: +5 Grapple: +7
Atk Options: Rapid Shot, Two-Weapon Fighting
Special Actions: Animal empathy, wild shape 1/day
Combat Feats: Precise Shot, Point Blank Shot

Druid Spells Prepared (CL 5)
3rd (DC 15) — Cure Moderate Wounds
2nd (DC 14) — Bear's Endurance, Cat's Grace, Lesser Restoration
1st (DC 13) — Cure Light Wounds, Hide from Animals, Longstrider, Pass without Trace
0th (DC 12) — Cure Minor Wounds, Detect Poison, Know Direction, Light, Read Magic

Str 14, Dex 17, Con 10, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 10
Special Qualities: Animal empathy, nature sense, resist nature's lure, trackless step
Feats: Endurance, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, Track, Two-Weapon Fighting
Skills: Hide +11 [8 ranks], Knowledge (nature) +2 [- ranks], Listen +10 [8 ranks], Move Silently +11 [8 ranks], Spot +10 [8 ranks], Survival +12 [8 ranks]
Possessions: Antitoxin (5) (250 gp/-), arrows (20/3 lb.), backpack (2 gp/2 lb.), climber's kit (80 gp/5 lb.), explorer's outfit (-/-), flint and steel (1 gp/-), grappling hook (1 gp/4 lb.), hempen rope (1 gp/10 lb.), holly and mistletoe (-/-), spell component pouch (5 gp/2 lb.); +1 mithral chain shirt (2,100 gp/12.5 lb.), +1 longsword (2,315 gp/4 lb.), +1 shortsword (2,310 gp/2 lb.), +1 [+2 str] composite longbow (2,600 gp/3 lb.)

Platinum: 15
Gold: 5
Silver: 9
Copper: 0

Carrying: 47.5/58 lbs. (light load)
Mount and Rider 227.5/230 lbs. (light load)

[sblock=Mount]Warhorse, Light
Large Animal
Hit Dice: 3d8+9 (22 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 60 ft. (12 squares)
Armor Class: 14 (–1 size, +1 Dex, +4 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+9
Attack: Hoof +4 melee (1d4+3)
Full Attack: 2 hooves +4 melee (1d4+3) and bite –1 melee (1d3+1)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: —
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +2
Abilities: Str 16, Dex 13, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 13, Cha 6
Skills: Listen +4, Spot +4
Feats: Endurance, Run
Possessions: arrows (40) (2 gp/6 lb.), bedroll (0.1 gp/5 lb.), bit and bridle (2 gp/1 lb.), military saddle (20 gp/30 lb.), saddlebags (4 gp/8 lb.)
Carrying Capacity: A light load for a light warhorse is up to 230 pounds; a medium load, 231–460 pounds; and a heavy load, 461–690 pounds. A light warhorse can drag 3,450 pounds.
Tricks (Ex): This horse knows the tricks attack, come, defend, down, guard, and heel.[/sblock]
[sblock=Animal Companion]Blacklight
Hawk Animal Companion
Tiny Animal
Hit Dice: 5d8 (22 hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 10 ft. (2 squares), fly 60 ft. (average)
Armor Class: 21 (+2 size, +3 Dex, +4 natural), touch 15, flat-footed 18
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/–6
Attack: Talons +7 melee (1d4–1)
Full Attack: Talons +7 melee (1d4–1)
Space/Reach: 2-1/2 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: —
Special Qualities: Devotion, Evasion, Low-light vision, Link, Share Spells
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +8, Will +3
Abilities: Str 8, Dex 19, Con 10, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 6
Skills: Listen +4, Spot +20
Feats: Alertness, Track, Weapon Finesse (b)
Skills: Hawks have a +8 racial bonus on Spot checks.
Tricks (Ex): This raven knows the tricks attack, come, down, fetch, heel, seek, stay, and track.
Link (Ex): A druid can handle his animal companion as a free action, or push it as a move action, even if he doesn’t have any ranks in the Handle Animal skill. The druid gains a +4 circumstance bonus on all wild empathy checks and Handle Animal checks made regarding an animal companion.
Share Spells (Ex): At the druid’s option, he may have any spell (but not any spell-like ability) he casts upon himself also affect his animal companion. The animal companion must be within 5 feet of him at the time of casting to receive the benefit. If the spell or effect has a duration other than instantaneous, it stops affecting the animal companion if the companion moves farther than 5 feet away and will not affect the animal again, even if it returns to the druid before the duration expires. Additionally, the druid may cast a spell with a target of “You” on his animal companion (as a touch range spell) instead of on himself. A druid and his animal companion can share spells even if the spells normally do not affect creatures of the companion’s type (animal).
Evasion (Ex): If an animal companion is subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, it takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw.
Devotion (Ex): An animal companion gains a +4 morale bonus on Will saves against enchantment spells and effects.[/sblock]