Author Topic: Character and Campaign Prep Thread  (Read 25095 times)

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Stratovarius

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Character and Campaign Prep Thread
« on: October 06, 2008, 08:24:46 PM »
Hash out all your character/campaign ideas in here before we get going officially.
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AfterCrescent

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Re: Character and Campaign Prep Thread
« Reply #1 on: October 06, 2008, 08:39:06 PM »
Ejo will be along shortly, but who else wants to join the bandits aiming for tyrannical dictatorship?

My Feral Skarn Totemist -> Totem Rager will be leading the domination :D
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AndyJames

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Re: Character and Campaign Prep Thread
« Reply #2 on: October 06, 2008, 08:42:21 PM »
OK. I'll consolidate my ideas here:

Basic general philosophy of the nation:
The 'Arthur' group is egalitarian in nature. We don't give a toss who you are or the like. We only care what your actions are. So if you are a half-way decent person at heart, and can at least respect the tenets of chivalry, honour and compassion, then we would be happy to accept you into our fold.

Right now, my vision (don't know about the others) is a place with lots of snow and ice, a lot like the setting of Beowulf, Sigfried and Brunahild, and Ring of the Nibelung. It will be a frontier type of place and the people will reflect that. Hunters, scouts, warriors, rangers, etc., would be fairly common, and druids and shamans would be more numerous than arcane casters or clerics of non-nature gods. Undead will be used whenever required. In fact, I would think that to have one's ancestors raised to help with either defending the nation or helping it in its time of need would be a source of pride for the people.

My character would be either NG or LG, and a Cha-based caster with a twist. What the twist will be will depend on Strato approving my build concept. I will be submitting it either tonight or tomorrow.

Anyone who wants to be judged on his actions and not his race/class/etc., are welcomed to join.


Basic spiritual philosophy of the nation:
- Person dies, body remains, but the spirit is freed to continue on to the next cycle of life and rebirth.
- The body after death is worthless to the people. They revere the spirit.
- So, mindless Undead is accepted as a labour force and as soldiers.
- Intelligent Undead is accepted for other reasons (repositories of knowledge and wisdom, etc.) and they are treated as normal citizens with normal rights and judged accordingly.
- The spirituality is very nature based, and the gods are more like the ancient Celtic pantheon than anything else (i.e., the Gods of Death and the Dead are actually more Neutral than Evil, and at least one is actually Good).


Other philosophies:
- Being a nation with a harsh history in terms of survival and environment, waste is avoided as much as possible.
- Recycling is normal. A broken yoke can be cut and reshaped into a fencing post, for example, and dead bodies returned as workers and soldiers.



I'll add to this as TWS (and others) come up woth more ideas.


Campaign ideas that would be fun to explore:
- helping other tribes in the area in the fight for survival or when they are being manaced by another tribe.
- help resolve disputes between tribes.
- defend against an external threat (maybe a common threat to all the tribes in the region, and maybe involving a big quest of some sort).

The more epic the better.
« Last Edit: October 06, 2008, 09:02:10 PM by AndyJames »

Nanshork

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Re: Character and Campaign Prep Thread
« Reply #3 on: October 06, 2008, 08:48:20 PM »
Woo for relevant posts.

Ok, here's where I'm at now.  I have to pick what I'm going to be out of:
Changeling Rogue 1/Factotum 9/Exemplar 10.  Ultimate skill-monkey.  Not very combat oriented at all.
Human Paladin 5/Boneknight 10/Blackguard 5.  Soon to fall paladin.  Would be interesting. (could go Pal 4/ Blackguard 6, but then mount doesn't get SR)
Chronomancer.  Seems cool, will have massive initiative bonuses just because.  Buffer/debuffer.
Ritual Warrior from Strat's blood magic.  Interesting gish-esquness. If I go this way, I'm in the Cult of the Damned.  Woo!

Woo, the list is getting smaller!

Not sure what group I want to be in.
« Last Edit: October 06, 2008, 08:54:28 PM by Nanshork »
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Stratovarius

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Re: Character and Campaign Prep Thread
« Reply #4 on: October 06, 2008, 09:00:50 PM »
AJ: You probably should flip through the southern countries in the campaign setting, and a find a southern one that you think makes a good starting ground for the Arthurian ideals.
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TheWordSlinger

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Re: Character and Campaign Prep Thread
« Reply #5 on: October 06, 2008, 09:27:43 PM »
I see Canere as a man who seeks to reunite the peoples of <insert nation here> under AJ's character in order to give them a better chance at survival. He will be moderately manipulative and mystical, a real need-to-know kinda guy. He doesn't want to be the power behind the throne, but one might draw that conclusion from his actions. He just wants what's best for <nation>.
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AndyJames

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Re: Character and Campaign Prep Thread
« Reply #6 on: October 06, 2008, 09:36:25 PM »
AJ: You probably should flip through the southern countries in the campaign setting, and a find a southern one that you think makes a good starting ground for the Arthurian ideals.
Flonha would be nice, but too central.

Probably the area around Anaraf. It is south and probably cold enough (except for Anaraf itself).

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Re: Character and Campaign Prep Thread
« Reply #7 on: October 07, 2008, 04:45:47 AM »
So far the Cult of the Damned has but a single Skald, and by the rules would be unable to start until someone else comes along to accompany it.

Nanshork

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Re: Character and Campaign Prep Thread
« Reply #8 on: October 07, 2008, 07:03:33 AM »
So far the Cult of the Damned has but a single Skald, and by the rules would be unable to start until someone else comes along to accompany it.

Every character idea that I have could join your cult.  So please, explain just what the cult is about.
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X-Codes

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Re: Character and Campaign Prep Thread
« Reply #9 on: October 07, 2008, 10:05:15 AM »
Well, the way I'm thinking of playing it currently is as thus.  My guy acts like he has a couple screws loose and believes that he's a direct descendant of the Emperor of Arhosa, and thus it's his birthright to rule over all the lands that the empire once controlled.  That said, he's having a hard time convincing other people of this (especially considering how most humans probably don't even know about Arhosa anymore).  This inspires him to delve a little into necromantic arts and, when he figures out how much easier undead are to control than the living, he puts together a plan to resurrect the empire in undeath and then take control of it for himself.

In order to make this plan come about, however, he's going to need lots of manpower and resources.  Undead make cheap manpower and he can con or blackmail local lords into giving him resources or just raid their provinces and take what he wants (and revive the slain as more undead).  Once he takes over a region or two he can study historic sites, re-animate the soldiers from ancient battlefields or graveyards, and/or plunder ancient tombs in search of artifacts.

How does another player fit into this?  Well, that's probably going to take some collaboration, and that would be made a lot easier if I knew just who (or what) I was going to get matched up with.  :-\

Nanshork

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Re: Character and Campaign Prep Thread
« Reply #10 on: October 07, 2008, 06:24:25 PM »
Well, I could pair up with you as a borderline pyschopath who kills his enemies and uses their souls to power unholy rituals. 

Or as a fallen paladin who has sworn fealty to you and can create his own undead minions, rides a skeletal steed, and has weapons and armor made from the bones of his enemies.

Or as a scout and a spy who uses his knowledge of his enemies to kill them, changing forms at will and assassinating those who get in our way.

:D

(My list is down to the changeling skill-monkey, fallen paladin, or ritual warrior)
« Last Edit: October 07, 2008, 06:32:08 PM by Nanshork »
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AndyJames

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Re: Character and Campaign Prep Thread
« Reply #11 on: October 07, 2008, 06:40:23 PM »
Bone Knight, man. Bone Knight. It is right up your alley.

Nanshork

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Re: Character and Campaign Prep Thread
« Reply #12 on: October 07, 2008, 06:53:33 PM »
Bone Knight, man. Bone Knight. It is right up your alley.

The fallen paladin is a boneknight.
*inserts quote from this thread for reference*
Woo for relevant posts.

Ok, here's where I'm at now.  I have to pick what I'm going to be out of:
Changeling Rogue 1/Factotum 9/Exemplar 10.  Ultimate skill-monkey.  Not very combat oriented at all.
Human Paladin 5/Boneknight 10/Blackguard 5.  Soon to fall paladin.  Would be interesting. (could go Pal 4/ Blackguard 6, but then mount doesn't get SR)
Chronomancer.  Seems cool, will have massive initiative bonuses just because.  Buffer/debuffer.
Ritual Warrior from Strat's blood magic.  Interesting gish-esquness. If I go this way, I'm in the Cult of the Damned.  Woo!

Woo, the list is getting smaller!

Not sure what group I want to be in.

 :P
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AndyJames

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Re: Character and Campaign Prep Thread
« Reply #13 on: October 07, 2008, 06:55:08 PM »
As in narrow it down to 1: Bone Knight.

Nanshork

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Re: Character and Campaign Prep Thread
« Reply #14 on: October 07, 2008, 07:18:14 PM »
As in narrow it down to 1: Bone Knight.

Aww, something wrong with the Ritual Warrior or skill-monkey?  And I actually have a problem with the bone knight, namely that I want a fifth level of paladin.  :-\
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Stratovarius

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Re: Character and Campaign Prep Thread
« Reply #15 on: October 07, 2008, 07:26:02 PM »
Naw, go for the Ritual Warrior ;)
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Nanshork

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Re: Character and Campaign Prep Thread
« Reply #16 on: October 07, 2008, 07:31:32 PM »
Naw, go for the Ritual Warrior ;)

I think you're biased.  :P
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TheWordSlinger

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Re: Character and Campaign Prep Thread
« Reply #17 on: October 07, 2008, 07:45:09 PM »
How about ya just pick one already?
 :D
Currently playing:
Forte Lulz, Chaotic EVIL Bard bent on world domination;
Canere Potentia, to sing of power.
Aralaxax, Warforged Osteomancer, Machines are my people, I wield bones as other wield swords.
Randall Gray, she's not sexually confused, honest!
Zion "I can make followers, but why bother when people line up for me?"
Currently DMing: Real Men Use Their Hands, World's Largest Dungeon
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Nanshork

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Re: Character and Campaign Prep Thread
« Reply #18 on: October 07, 2008, 07:48:39 PM »
Well, if it helps I'm leaning against the skill-monkey.  So ritual warrior or paladin about to fall it is.  :P
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Stratovarius

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Re: Character and Campaign Prep Thread
« Reply #19 on: October 07, 2008, 07:56:06 PM »
Naw, go for the Ritual Warrior ;)

I think you're biased.  :P

Me? Not at all. Nooooo sir. Not me.

There's an artefact item just for Rit Warriors
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