Starting on February 18, I'm going to be running an MTG Salvation Staff RPG Adventure. All of the players will be Salvation mods. We have three goals:
Staff bonding or some crap
Let everyone experience the damage that is inside my brain
Uhh...profit?
I'm sure you have questions. Conveniently, I've put together a SBFAQ.
What system are we going to run?
D&D 5th edition, in a custom setting of my own creation. We are using the optional feats rule; when you reach the point where you would get an ability score increase, which for most classes is level four, you may instead choose to take a feat from the feats chapter (presuming you meet any prereqs). You don't get both the ability score and the feat; it's one or the other. You can skip the feat and just take the ability boost. Don't make no nevermind to me.
Any special rules regarding building characters?
I'd prefer you roll them up rather than doing pointbuy to cut down on absurd minmaxing, but other than that anything goes. Any of the races and classes in the PHB are fair game. We're going to start at level 3. (There's a story reason for this.) Any alignment is valid.
A custom setting, you say?
We're playing in a world of my own design. The only impact this world has on character design is for clerics and paladins--I've made my own pantheon, so you're limited to following the gods of this world. There's one(ish) god per domain.
How are you going to handle rolls?
Conveniently, Cobalt has a roll function, so we'll just roll in-thread. I'm not doing this freeform; we're going to actually roll things. Now, how those things resolve will be a little different owing to this not being a real-time game. (See below for more information.)
Is this going to be serious, humorous, tragic, etc?
Yes. All of this. Less comedic than Order of the Stick; nowhere near as serious as Lord of the Rings. Think Guardians of the Galaxy with less spaceships and more dragons.
Are there any special considerations for posting in-game?
Yes.
Posts will be in character, with any OOC comments in spoilers. Italics for thoughts, regular typing for speech.
I know all the rules and faqs and such down here say to post in third person. I prefer first person. I mean, if you want to do it in third, that's fine. That's how my brain operates when I play in real life; I don't say "Merric attacks the kobold with his rapier," I say "I attack the kobold with my rapier! Cacaw!" (Because for some reason I make crow noises when my rogue attacks. Don't look at me like that; I clearly warned you this is going to be an adventure in kaburi's brain problems at the top of this thread.)
Actions outside of combat will be done in order posted, pending discussion, but all actions won't take place until a fixed real time. For example, the party arrives in a town. I ask what everyone wants to do in town. You have 24 hours to talk about it as a group and post your actions ("I go to the blacksmith to ask about weapons", "I go to the taven to see if anyone's seen the NPC we're tracking", etc). At the end of the timeframe, I'll resolve all the actions, and then we'll deal with the consequences. You then have another 24 hours to discuss and submit actions for the next "round".
Start of combat we'll roll initiative just like normal. Each person submits their actions for the round, then actions resolve in intitative order. If something happens to disrupt your action (for example, you say "I'm going to shoot Orc 3 with my crossbow" but Orc 3 gets killed before your initiative comes up) I reserve the right to change your action. I will always make the decision that's best for the party. (In the previous example, I'd change your action to "I'm going to shoot Orc 4, who isn't dead.") If things are really messed up, I'll stop and ask for an alternate action.
Please don't post using colored text. Colored text is reserved for some very specific things that will become apparent once the game gets rolling.
Now, for those of you who aren't playing in the game, here's the fun part: This thread is for you to make fun of us as we bumble our way through this follow along and discuss the game. Think of it like a spectator chat in a Mafia game. I'll pop in here and offer commentary, and the players are welcome to have out-of-game discussions in here with each other and with the watchers. Feel free to ask questions about the setting; I've spent weeks and weeks building this world, so there's a lot of fun background material that probably won't make it into the game.
(At some point I'll actually proofread this nonsense.)
The world of Ar Ais is made up of two distinct landmasses, separated by the Inner Sea. Sailors tell legends of a third continent far to the south, where the world starts to grow cold again, but few claim to have actually been there.
The two main landmasses were once one continent—Thia’soir. A thousand years ago, a great war erupted between the Lords of Bronzeheight and Silverwatch. In an effort to end the war once and for all, the gods tore the continent in two, creating the Northern Strait. Bronzeheight then became known as Bronzecliff, as it was now located on the cliffs overlooking the new strait.
The western continent is called Thiar. To the north are the Mynyd mountains, rich in copper and iron, where the largest population of dwarves live. At the foot of the mountains, the Conwyd Forest is home to the largest population of gnomes. The Borfa grasslands stretch between the Conwyd and the Tirim Desert. This rich farmland provides much of the food for the continent. The Tirim Desert stretches through the middle of Thiar. To the east of the desert are the Januub mountains, known for their precious gemstones. A large population of gnomes lives in the Januub, renowed throughout Ar Ais for their gem cutting and jewelry making.
To the west of the desert, the Paith is a warm prairieland. Although the glaifgrasses grown well in the Paith, the land is not well suited to farming because of the rocky soil and dry summers. The Paith is home to large herds of elk, and several nomadic tribes of humans travel with the herds, hunting them for their meat and pelts. South of the Tirim Desert, the Nihas hills stretch from the bottom of the Januub to the Outer Sea. Between the Nihas and the Southern Strait, the Makhard plains are the second main area of agriculture in Thiar. The largest population of halflings live in the Makhard.
The eastern continent is called Soir. To the north are the Sliabh mountains, rich in iron, silver, and gold. Although some dwarves live in the Sleibet, most of the population is human, the dwarves having been driven west during the Great War a millennium ago. On the southern coast of the Sleibet, the Eas Mor waterfall flows from the remnants of Mount Silabh.
Until recently, Mount Silabh was one of the tallest peaks of the Sleibet mountains, but a great earthquake caused the top third of the mountain to sheer off into the sea, and a flood of water came pouring out of the apparently hollow mountain. The collapse of Mount Silabh is known as the Breaking of the Mountain. Many people took this as an ill omen, though exactly what it foretells varies depending on who you ask.
Between the Sliebet and the Tranglam forest lies the Torthai plains. The most fertile land in all of Ar Ais, the fruit orchards of the Torthai are renowned the world over. The Tranglam forest is home to the largest population of elves. The great elven city of Coillte is in the heart of the Tranglam. A place of incredible natural wonder, Coillte is built above the forest floor in the tops of the great redwoods. Lander, God of Nature, spends much of his time on Ar Ais in the Tranglam, and considers the forest to be his greatest creation. Winding through the forest, the Fada river runs the length of Soir, from its source in the Sliebet to the Bay of Pearls on the Outer Sea.
To the southeast of the Tranglam, the Dol grasslands are sparsely populated. Various orc tribes live in the Dol, following the migrations of the great mammoth herds and occasionally making raids on the nearby towns. To the west of the Tranglam, lands around Lake Raileach are home to several human barbarian tribes who, like the orcs of the Dol, are nomads following the mammoth herds. West of Raileach, the hilly Fion region is home to many fine vineyards.
The Five Great Holds
Although there are numerous cities, towns, and villages throughout the land of Ar Ais, there are five Great Holds. Each of the five Holds has a massive fortress-city at its center. From these forts, the five noble houses govern the five provinces of Ar Ais. Once every four years, when the Orsikian Games are held, representatives of the five holds meet for friendly athletic competition.
Legend has it that another hold once existed, called Tinfield. The people of Tinfield, it’s said, turned their backs on the gods, and as punishment the gods destroyed the city, sinking it beneath the Inner Sea. Those few residents who remained loyal to the gods were transformed into merfolk, and still live in the ruins of their city. Sailors tell stories of the merfolk saving them from shipwrecks, but most people think these are just tall tales.
Thiar, the Western Continent Brassbarren
At the edge of the Tirim Desert, the city of Brassbarren is a hub of trade. Travelers seeking to cross the desert stop to supply, and during the frequent sandstorms the cities walls are the safest place to be.
Brassbarren, being the trading hub of Thiar, is populated by many races. The largest number of dragonborn live here, enjoying the warm days and dry winds. The majority of the people of Brassbarren are human. The Lord of Brassbarren, Liaquat Tawfeek, rules from the Sandstone Tower at the center of the city. The Januub Mountains, across the desert, are a rich with precious gemstones, and caravans often travel to and from the mining camps.
Bronzecliff
Perched on the western cliffs of the North Strait, the fortress of Bronzecliff is the main point of export from the mines of the Mynyd Mountains. The majority of Bronzecliff’s residents are dwarves, though people of all races live within the walled city. The Lord of Bronzecliff, Helja Skarptsverd, rules the city, though she consults with the Council of Miners, the leaders of the various clans that mine the mountains outside the city walls.
Bronzecliff is home to the largest Temple of Osrik in Ar Ais, as well as the main Temple of Nala. Legend has it Nala lived her mortal life in Bronzecliff, and that her temple was constructed around the forge she used to craft Weaponsbane, the mystical shield of Osrik that earned her godhood.
Copperhill
South of the Tirim Desert, nestled between the sandy foothills at the base of the Januub Mountains and the Mulkear River, Copperhill is the smallest of the great keeps. A temperate climate year round makes the region a favored vacation spot for the wealthiest merchants of the North. Copperhill is home to the famed Cupric Bard College, where the best bards in all Ar Ais train. The twin towers of the college (Tower Llen and Tower Dewdrer) are visible from outside the city walls. Copperhill is also home to the largest temple to Finian, the Trickster God.
Copperhill is ruled by Lord Merric Thornhill, a halfling who came to power some twenty years ago. A cunning merchant (and former pirate), rumor has it he was named heir to the previous lord, Jebediah Whiteshrub, after winning the title from him in a poker game. (Other rumors of his rise to power state that he was the lost son of the lord before that, Wellby Waxstopper, and that he murdered Lord Whiteshrub to reclaim his father’s throne.) Under Merric’s rule, Copperhill has grown in wealth and power, and he is as much beloved by the people for his governance as he is for his biting sense of humor.
Soir, the Eastern Continent Silverwatch
Silverwatch is carved into the top of the highest peak in the Sliebet mountains. (Before the Breaking of the Mountain, Mount Silabh was about the same height as Silverwatch, but since the collapse Silverwatch is officially the highest point on Ar Ais.) Silverwatch is ruled by Talya Opekuv, a human. Where Bronzecliff is a center of mining and manufacturing, Silverwatch is a center of learning. The Library of Silverwatch, which also serves as the largest temple to Roywyn, is known throughout Ar Ais for their extensive collection of ancient scrolls and tomes, and the University of Silverwatch produces the greatest scholars in the land.
Goldlake
On the shores of Lake Raileach, Goldlake is a center of art and beauty. The various Artisans Guilds of Ar Ais are headquartered here, though they have offices in all the great keeps and many of the major cities around the world. The streets of the city are all named for the guild headquartered on that street—Apothecary Alley, Scriveners Way, and so forth.
Goldlake is ruled not by a noble family, but by a lord elected by the Council of Guildmasters. The current lord is Theodun Alvyn Simeon Daergel, known to his friends as Nim. A member of the Potters Guild, Nim is just as adept as sculpting alliances as he is at sculpting clay. He’s ruled the city for ten years, the longest continuous reign of a Lord of Goldlake.
Goldlake is home to the largest temple to Meriele, the Golden Solarium, from which the city takes its name. The city is also home to numerous shrines to Quara, as each guild maintains its own shrine in her honor.
The Gods of Ar Ais
Ar Ais is a relatively young plane, though none still live who remember the creation of the world. The gods of Ar Ais are not just real, they take an active role in the day-to-day business of their world. They view the people of Ar Ais as children who need guidance, but they have enough respect to allow their children to make mistakes for themselves.
The gods are ruled by the Pentad. These five gods (often called the "major gods") were the ones who actually created the world.
The Pentad
Roywyn, God of Knowledge: Most often depicted as a female gnomish wizard, Roywyn is the Source of the Arcane and keeper of the Celestial Archive, a magical library in Mabinogion (the Halls of the Gods) where every written word in history is recorded.
Meriele, God of Light: Most often depicted as a female elven cleric, Meriele is the god most concerned with the common people. She ensures the sun rises each morning, and the moon each evening. She loves all the people of Ar Ais equally, without regard to race or gender.
Lander, God of Nature: Most often depicted as a human druid, Lander is the most mortal-like of the gods. Responsible for the creation and maintenance of the ecosystem, he takes special pride in the many beasts of the wilds. He's prone to drinking to excess (which may explain some of his more dubious creations; legend has it he got drunk at a solstice festival an, in his stupor, created the owlbear).
Finian, God of Trickery: Most often depicted as a halfling rogue, Finian is the patron of thieves and charlatans. When to gods set out to create the people of Ar Ais, he was the one who most passionately argued for granting the mortals free will, and argued against having a tapestry of fate. Although he generally means no harm, he's an incorrigible prankster.
Orsik, God of War: Most often depicted as a dwarven fighter in full plate, Osrik is the most aloof of the gods. He tries to remain impartial in the conflicts on Ar Ais, but if he feels a side is truly unworthy in their cause, he will lend his aid to their opponents. Though the God of War, he's also God of Competition. The Osrikiad Games, an athletic competition between representatives the six great holds, are held every four years in his honor.
Older than the Pentad, older than Ar Ais itself, Arawan is the most mysterious of the gods. In the role of God of Life, she's most often depicted as a young female of indeterminate race; in the role of God of Death, he's most often depicted as young male of indeterminate race. There are very few depictions of either aspect. Both aspects have worshipers in Ar Ais, but unlike the temples of the other gods, they seldom receive a visit from their patron. Arawan spends the most time in the Afterlife, tending to the Worthy Dead in the Celestial Halls, as well and ensuring the torment of the Unworthy Dead in the Infernal Prison. She is not, however, the Judge of Souls; that role falls to one of the minor gods, Vicben, God of Justice.
When a person dies on Ar Ais, Arawan's angels appear and escort the soul to the Hall of Judgement. (In rare instances, Arawan himself appears to escort the soul on, though he usually only makes personal appearances for the truly heroic.) There, Vicben determines whether the soul is worthy of eternity in the Celestial Halls, deserving of damnation in the Infernal Prison, or are eligable to be reincarnated on Ar Ais. However, the souls are not taken to their respective destinations until the Vernal Equinox, when Arawan comes to personally collect them.
As the world of Ar Ais grew older, and civilizations became established, the gods found more and more of their time was being taken up supporting their worshipers. Lander was the first to suggest elevating a handful of worthy mortals to godhood, to delegate some of the responsibilities of each god to allow them to focus on their more important work.
Although the minor gods are less powerful than the Pentad, they are still gods in every sense of the word. Quara, Goddess of the Arts
A dark-skinned human of the southern coast in her mortal life, Quara was a gifted sculptor and a famed poet. Her artistry so moved Roywyn that the God of Knowledge chose to elevate Quara to God of the Arts. She is the Source of Inspiration for all creative pursuits, and her followers strive to produce works of art worthy of her esteem Kithri, Goddess of Healing
When a plague broke out in the city of Silverwatch, Kithri lead the fight against the disease. Her skill in the healing arts saved thousands of lives, and brought her to the attention of both Arawan and Meriele. Impressed by the halfling woman’s skill, the gods offered her a place among their number where she could teach her skills to all the people of Ar Ais. Her image is often seen by the doors of houses of healing. Belros, God of Tempests
The first mortal of Ar Ais to be offered godhood, Belros was a half-orc stratomancer, a weather mage. He was known throughout Ar Ais, and made quite a fortune ensuring good weather before the harvest. Belros is quick to anger, but quick to forgive, his moods as fickle as the winds. His followers typically bear a scar on their foot where they were struck by his divine lightning. Vicben, God of Justice
As a mortal, the half-elf Vicben was a magistrate famed for his fairness and sense of justice. As a god, Vicben serves as Judge of the Dead, separating the worthy from the unworthy before Arawan comes to collect the souls and distribute them to the appropriate afterlife. He's also the patron of judges, magistrates, and legislators. The various noble houses of Ar Ais trace their divine right to rule to him, and if they disgrace themselves he's been known to have them overthrown and replaced with "better" rulers. Nala, Goddess of the Forge
A dragonborn of a bronze lineage, Nala was a master blacksmith. Many of her swords are still held by the various noble houses of Ar Ais. Her skills in both the making and the use of weapons drew the attention of Orsik, who offered her godhood in exchange for a perfect shield. That shield, Weaponsbane, is the God of War’s most prized treasure.
The Plot!
The Cult of the Broken Chain has been capturing caravans along the Silver Road bound for Silverwatch. Two of their operatives, Vani the Warlock and Nyx the Fighter, were operating out of a village along the Road to identify targets and coordinate the capture of the caravans. The cult is based out of an abandoned temple near the mountains.
Somehow, the cult has been able to blind the gods to their actions, preventing the pantheon from even seeing the area around the Silver Road. This may be connected to the desecration of the lost temple.
The spectator living in the temple's divination room revealed part of the cult's plan: they're sacrificing innocent souls in an effort to trap one of Arawan's angels. They hope to use the angel's divine blood to open one of the seals binding the forgotten god Vorrix in the Infernal Prison.
Note: The only information I'm making public is player name, character name, gender, race, and class. Anything else, including alignments, deities, place of origin, specializations/oaths/domains, etc, is considered private information unless specifically revealed in-game.
Emeryn Paradesh, a female Human Paladin, played by Gerrard's Mom
Dieknuh Opalhearth, a female Mountain Dwarf Wizard, played by Talore
Paravrax, a male Blue Dragonborn Sorcerer, played by Taylor Swift Cythare
Korvat, a male Human Barbarian, played by Wildfire
Reed Bristletongue, a male Human Cleric/Scribe, played by Jay13x
Strathalmere, a male Tiefling Ranger, played by Kahedron
Lucial Phinean, a male Moon Elf Rogue, played by Iso
Pinkletuff, a male Forest Gnome Rogue, played by BLatch
Our First Dungeon: The Temple of the Pentad
The numbers below correspond to the numbers on the map.
Public Shrines
Divinatorium
Grand Apse
Great Hall
Storage
Auditorium
Acolytes' Foreroom
Grand Gallery
Kitchen
Well
Acolytes' Dormatories
Acolytes' Dormatories
Acolytes' Shrine
Nave
Sanctuary
Storage
Sacristy
Library
Sacred Bath
Inquisitorium
A hastily written annotation in a different ink--proposed site of new gallery
2011: Best Mafia Performance (Individual) - Best Newcomer
2012: Best (False?) Role Claim - Worst Town Performance (Group) - Best Mafia Performance (Group) - Best SK Performance - Best Overall Player
2013: Best Non-SK Neutral Performance
2014: Best Town Performance (Individual) - Best Town Performance (Group) - Most Interesting Role - Best Game - Best Overall Player
2015: Worst Mafia Performance (Group) - Best Read
2016: Best Town Performance (Group) - Best Town Player - Best Overall Player
They just went out. Sort of. Long story short the bug that's got me locked out of my drafts folder in my PM box (which is where I have them all saved) is a bigger issue that we though, so in the interest of not slowing down the game further I sent out hastily written new ones. Once we get the bug fixed I'll send everyone the novellas I wrote. Later in the game, as the contents become public knowledge, I'll cross-post here with spoiler boxes.
My favorites are Cythare's (and by extension Talore's) and Gerrard's Mom's. There are some NPCs in there I hope we get to meet in-game, because they were a blast to write.
Yes, I just said that the farming city in my fantasy realm passed an education bond referendum to fund school construction. Silverwatch (the province) has strict compulsory education laws. It *is* the center of learning and home to the Great Library, after all.
And yes, the mayor is in fact married to the head of the merchants' guild, in what is probably a HUGE conflict of interest. Politics is a *****.
This brings up an interesting question I didn't think about: how to handle languages other than common. The easiest way (and the way I'm handling most limited-knowledge things like how Paravrax and Dieknuh recognize the mayor's wife from their intro PMs) is a spoiler box like you used, but since we're working in a written medium using something like an online Caesar cipher encrytpion/decryption tool could be fun.
Using the site I linked:
This is the thievess cant. -->(key 2)--> Vjku ku kp vjg vjkgxgu' ecpv.
Vjku ku kp vjg vjkgxgu' ecpv. -->(guess)--> This is in the thieves' cant.
For now we'll stick with spoiler boxes and trust people not to read things their characters shouldn't understand. If I think people are cheating, I'll totally start using keyed caesars and not give the keywords to people who don't know the language.
Oh, is Thieves' Cant a language? >_< It was not clear what was going on there. I just assumed it was "thoughts" and was going to treat it as such (as in, my character has no idea).
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Ah. It's interesting that a Trickster Cleric doesn't understand Thieves' Cant, but that's okay. Do the rest of us at least recognize it?.
Nope. The beauty of the Thieves' Cant is that it sounds like you're talking about something completely innocuous to those who don't know the language while you're actually having a serious thiefy discussion. This way two rogues can be sitting in a tavern having an intense debate about whether to shank you and take your valuables, or take your valuables and then shank you, and for all you know, they're just muttering to each other about the weather being too sunny. Of course, saying something in Thieves' Cant takes twice as long as saying it directly, which is the drawback. (Can you tell I play a rogue in my Sunday DnD game?)
The closest real-world equivalent is something like Cockney Rhyming Slang, which to someone who doesn't know the rules makes zero sense.
Ah. It's interesting that a Trickster Cleric doesn't understand Thieves' Cant, but that's okay. Do the rest of us at least recognize it?.
Nope. The beauty of the Thieves' Cant is that it sounds like you're talking about something completely innocuous to those who don't know the language while you're actually having a serious thiefy discussion. This way two rogues can be sitting in a tavern having an intense debate about whether to shank you and take your valuables, or take your valuables and then shank you, and for all you know, they're just muttering to each other about the weather being too sunny. Of course, saying something in Thieves' Cant takes twice as long as saying it directly, which is the drawback. (Can you tell I play a rogue in my Sunday DnD game?)
The idea in this particular case was to embed my thieves cant into the discussion about joining the party, and is primary intended to determine if there are any other members of the party who understand thieves cant.
I fully intend to utilize secret language discussions to the full:-) theives cant a lot, and gnomish where applicable.
In my home game all the non-gnomes take gnomish because they know that otherwise they won't understand 80% of the stuff my friend and I (he also plays a gnome) say.
I think I'm in love with the mayor and her wife. Diela, in particular, is one of my favorite NPCs I've come up with for this game.
Please don't kill her.
Kill the mayor and her wife.
Check.
I am strongly trying to resist the urge to have Pinkletuff pipe up with "You know, castrating him after he already went through puberty won't actually help with the choir at all."
2011: Best Mafia Performance (Individual) - Best Newcomer
2012: Best (False?) Role Claim - Worst Town Performance (Group) - Best Mafia Performance (Group) - Best SK Performance - Best Overall Player
2013: Best Non-SK Neutral Performance
2014: Best Town Performance (Individual) - Best Town Performance (Group) - Most Interesting Role - Best Game - Best Overall Player
2015: Worst Mafia Performance (Group) - Best Read
2016: Best Town Performance (Group) - Best Town Player - Best Overall Player
Requesting an official moratorium on editing posts that contain dice rolls. I think we'll all be honest about it but when you see "Edited by So-and-so" it does call it into question. "Didn't you roll a 7 before?" "No, it was definitely a 17." I think it'll prevent problems, especially since I'm sure a few of us (myself included) would like to revise some of our roleplaying after we post it, read it over, and think, "Wow, that sounds really dumb, I need to rephrase that!"
2011: Best Mafia Performance (Individual) - Best Newcomer
2012: Best (False?) Role Claim - Worst Town Performance (Group) - Best Mafia Performance (Group) - Best SK Performance - Best Overall Player
2013: Best Non-SK Neutral Performance
2014: Best Town Performance (Individual) - Best Town Performance (Group) - Most Interesting Role - Best Game - Best Overall Player
2015: Worst Mafia Performance (Group) - Best Read
2016: Best Town Performance (Group) - Best Town Player - Best Overall Player
Requesting an official moratorium on editing posts that contain dice rolls. I think we'll all be honest about it but when you see "Edited by So-and-so" it does call it into question. "Didn't you roll a 7 before?" "No, it was definitely a 17." I think it'll prevent problems, especially since I'm sure a few of us (myself included) would like to revise some of our roleplaying after we post it, read it over, and think, "Wow, that sounds really dumb, I need to rephrase that!"
I'm pretty sure editing preserves die rolls as they were.
Dice Roller2 D6s rolled
2
4
Edit: this was a 2 and a 4 for a total of 6
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D&D 5th edition, in a custom setting of my own creation. We are using the optional feats rule; when you reach the point where you would get an ability score increase, which for most classes is level four, you may instead choose to take a feat from the feats chapter (presuming you meet any prereqs). You don't get both the ability score and the feat; it's one or the other. You can skip the feat and just take the ability boost. Don't make no nevermind to me.
Any special rules regarding building characters?
I'd prefer you roll them up rather than doing pointbuy to cut down on absurd minmaxing, but other than that anything goes. Any of the races and classes in the PHB are fair game. We're going to start at level 3. (There's a story reason for this.) Any alignment is valid.
A custom setting, you say?
We're playing in a world of my own design. The only impact this world has on character design is for clerics and paladins--I've made my own pantheon, so you're limited to following the gods of this world. There's one(ish) god per domain.
How are you going to handle rolls?
Conveniently, Cobalt has a roll function, so we'll just roll in-thread. I'm not doing this freeform; we're going to actually roll things. Now, how those things resolve will be a little different owing to this not being a real-time game. (See below for more information.)
Is this going to be serious, humorous, tragic, etc?
Yes. All of this. Less comedic than Order of the Stick; nowhere near as serious as Lord of the Rings. Think Guardians of the Galaxy with less spaceships and more dragons.
Are there any special considerations for posting in-game?
Yes.
Now, for those of you who aren't playing in the game, here's the fun part: This thread is for you to
make fun of us as we bumble our way through thisfollow along and discuss the game. Think of it like a spectator chat in a Mafia game. I'll pop in here and offer commentary, and the players are welcome to have out-of-game discussions in here with each other and with the watchers. Feel free to ask questions about the setting; I've spent weeks and weeks building this world, so there's a lot of fun background material that probably won't make it into the game.@_kaburi_ on Twitter
Special thanks to Serrot_29 for Catbug'mrakul!
(At some point I'll actually proofread this nonsense.)
The world of Ar Ais is made up of two distinct landmasses, separated by the Inner Sea. Sailors tell legends of a third continent far to the south, where the world starts to grow cold again, but few claim to have actually been there.
The two main landmasses were once one continent—Thia’soir. A thousand years ago, a great war erupted between the Lords of Bronzeheight and Silverwatch. In an effort to end the war once and for all, the gods tore the continent in two, creating the Northern Strait. Bronzeheight then became known as Bronzecliff, as it was now located on the cliffs overlooking the new strait.
The western continent is called Thiar. To the north are the Mynyd mountains, rich in copper and iron, where the largest population of dwarves live. At the foot of the mountains, the Conwyd Forest is home to the largest population of gnomes. The Borfa grasslands stretch between the Conwyd and the Tirim Desert. This rich farmland provides much of the food for the continent. The Tirim Desert stretches through the middle of Thiar. To the east of the desert are the Januub mountains, known for their precious gemstones. A large population of gnomes lives in the Januub, renowed throughout Ar Ais for their gem cutting and jewelry making.
To the west of the desert, the Paith is a warm prairieland. Although the glaifgrasses grown well in the Paith, the land is not well suited to farming because of the rocky soil and dry summers. The Paith is home to large herds of elk, and several nomadic tribes of humans travel with the herds, hunting them for their meat and pelts. South of the Tirim Desert, the Nihas hills stretch from the bottom of the Januub to the Outer Sea. Between the Nihas and the Southern Strait, the Makhard plains are the second main area of agriculture in Thiar. The largest population of halflings live in the Makhard.
The eastern continent is called Soir. To the north are the Sliabh mountains, rich in iron, silver, and gold. Although some dwarves live in the Sleibet, most of the population is human, the dwarves having been driven west during the Great War a millennium ago. On the southern coast of the Sleibet, the Eas Mor waterfall flows from the remnants of Mount Silabh.
Until recently, Mount Silabh was one of the tallest peaks of the Sleibet mountains, but a great earthquake caused the top third of the mountain to sheer off into the sea, and a flood of water came pouring out of the apparently hollow mountain. The collapse of Mount Silabh is known as the Breaking of the Mountain. Many people took this as an ill omen, though exactly what it foretells varies depending on who you ask.
Between the Sliebet and the Tranglam forest lies the Torthai plains. The most fertile land in all of Ar Ais, the fruit orchards of the Torthai are renowned the world over. The Tranglam forest is home to the largest population of elves. The great elven city of Coillte is in the heart of the Tranglam. A place of incredible natural wonder, Coillte is built above the forest floor in the tops of the great redwoods. Lander, God of Nature, spends much of his time on Ar Ais in the Tranglam, and considers the forest to be his greatest creation. Winding through the forest, the Fada river runs the length of Soir, from its source in the Sliebet to the Bay of Pearls on the Outer Sea.
To the southeast of the Tranglam, the Dol grasslands are sparsely populated. Various orc tribes live in the Dol, following the migrations of the great mammoth herds and occasionally making raids on the nearby towns. To the west of the Tranglam, lands around Lake Raileach are home to several human barbarian tribes who, like the orcs of the Dol, are nomads following the mammoth herds. West of Raileach, the hilly Fion region is home to many fine vineyards.
Although there are numerous cities, towns, and villages throughout the land of Ar Ais, there are five Great Holds. Each of the five Holds has a massive fortress-city at its center. From these forts, the five noble houses govern the five provinces of Ar Ais. Once every four years, when the Orsikian Games are held, representatives of the five holds meet for friendly athletic competition.
Legend has it that another hold once existed, called Tinfield. The people of Tinfield, it’s said, turned their backs on the gods, and as punishment the gods destroyed the city, sinking it beneath the Inner Sea. Those few residents who remained loyal to the gods were transformed into merfolk, and still live in the ruins of their city. Sailors tell stories of the merfolk saving them from shipwrecks, but most people think these are just tall tales.
Thiar, the Western Continent
Brassbarren
At the edge of the Tirim Desert, the city of Brassbarren is a hub of trade. Travelers seeking to cross the desert stop to supply, and during the frequent sandstorms the cities walls are the safest place to be.
Brassbarren, being the trading hub of Thiar, is populated by many races. The largest number of dragonborn live here, enjoying the warm days and dry winds. The majority of the people of Brassbarren are human. The Lord of Brassbarren, Liaquat Tawfeek, rules from the Sandstone Tower at the center of the city. The Januub Mountains, across the desert, are a rich with precious gemstones, and caravans often travel to and from the mining camps.
Bronzecliff
Perched on the western cliffs of the North Strait, the fortress of Bronzecliff is the main point of export from the mines of the Mynyd Mountains. The majority of Bronzecliff’s residents are dwarves, though people of all races live within the walled city. The Lord of Bronzecliff, Helja Skarptsverd, rules the city, though she consults with the Council of Miners, the leaders of the various clans that mine the mountains outside the city walls.
Bronzecliff is home to the largest Temple of Osrik in Ar Ais, as well as the main Temple of Nala. Legend has it Nala lived her mortal life in Bronzecliff, and that her temple was constructed around the forge she used to craft Weaponsbane, the mystical shield of Osrik that earned her godhood.
Copperhill
South of the Tirim Desert, nestled between the sandy foothills at the base of the Januub Mountains and the Mulkear River, Copperhill is the smallest of the great keeps. A temperate climate year round makes the region a favored vacation spot for the wealthiest merchants of the North. Copperhill is home to the famed Cupric Bard College, where the best bards in all Ar Ais train. The twin towers of the college (Tower Llen and Tower Dewdrer) are visible from outside the city walls. Copperhill is also home to the largest temple to Finian, the Trickster God.
Copperhill is ruled by Lord Merric Thornhill, a halfling who came to power some twenty years ago. A cunning merchant (and former pirate), rumor has it he was named heir to the previous lord, Jebediah Whiteshrub, after winning the title from him in a poker game. (Other rumors of his rise to power state that he was the lost son of the lord before that, Wellby Waxstopper, and that he murdered Lord Whiteshrub to reclaim his father’s throne.) Under Merric’s rule, Copperhill has grown in wealth and power, and he is as much beloved by the people for his governance as he is for his biting sense of humor.
Soir, the Eastern Continent
Silverwatch
Silverwatch is carved into the top of the highest peak in the Sliebet mountains. (Before the Breaking of the Mountain, Mount Silabh was about the same height as Silverwatch, but since the collapse Silverwatch is officially the highest point on Ar Ais.) Silverwatch is ruled by Talya Opekuv, a human. Where Bronzecliff is a center of mining and manufacturing, Silverwatch is a center of learning. The Library of Silverwatch, which also serves as the largest temple to Roywyn, is known throughout Ar Ais for their extensive collection of ancient scrolls and tomes, and the University of Silverwatch produces the greatest scholars in the land.
Goldlake
On the shores of Lake Raileach, Goldlake is a center of art and beauty. The various Artisans Guilds of Ar Ais are headquartered here, though they have offices in all the great keeps and many of the major cities around the world. The streets of the city are all named for the guild headquartered on that street—Apothecary Alley, Scriveners Way, and so forth.
Goldlake is ruled not by a noble family, but by a lord elected by the Council of Guildmasters. The current lord is Theodun Alvyn Simeon Daergel, known to his friends as Nim. A member of the Potters Guild, Nim is just as adept as sculpting alliances as he is at sculpting clay. He’s ruled the city for ten years, the longest continuous reign of a Lord of Goldlake.
Goldlake is home to the largest temple to Meriele, the Golden Solarium, from which the city takes its name. The city is also home to numerous shrines to Quara, as each guild maintains its own shrine in her honor.
Ar Ais is a relatively young plane, though none still live who remember the creation of the world. The gods of Ar Ais are not just real, they take an active role in the day-to-day business of their world. They view the people of Ar Ais as children who need guidance, but they have enough respect to allow their children to make mistakes for themselves.
The gods are ruled by the Pentad. These five gods (often called the "major gods") were the ones who actually created the world.
The Pentad
When a person dies on Ar Ais, Arawan's angels appear and escort the soul to the Hall of Judgement. (In rare instances, Arawan himself appears to escort the soul on, though he usually only makes personal appearances for the truly heroic.) There, Vicben determines whether the soul is worthy of eternity in the Celestial Halls, deserving of damnation in the Infernal Prison, or are eligable to be reincarnated on Ar Ais. However, the souls are not taken to their respective destinations until the Vernal Equinox, when Arawan comes to personally collect them.
Although the minor gods are less powerful than the Pentad, they are still gods in every sense of the word.
Quara, Goddess of the Arts
A dark-skinned human of the southern coast in her mortal life, Quara was a gifted sculptor and a famed poet. Her artistry so moved Roywyn that the God of Knowledge chose to elevate Quara to God of the Arts. She is the Source of Inspiration for all creative pursuits, and her followers strive to produce works of art worthy of her esteem
Kithri, Goddess of Healing
When a plague broke out in the city of Silverwatch, Kithri lead the fight against the disease. Her skill in the healing arts saved thousands of lives, and brought her to the attention of both Arawan and Meriele. Impressed by the halfling woman’s skill, the gods offered her a place among their number where she could teach her skills to all the people of Ar Ais. Her image is often seen by the doors of houses of healing.
Belros, God of Tempests
The first mortal of Ar Ais to be offered godhood, Belros was a half-orc stratomancer, a weather mage. He was known throughout Ar Ais, and made quite a fortune ensuring good weather before the harvest. Belros is quick to anger, but quick to forgive, his moods as fickle as the winds. His followers typically bear a scar on their foot where they were struck by his divine lightning.
Vicben, God of Justice
As a mortal, the half-elf Vicben was a magistrate famed for his fairness and sense of justice. As a god, Vicben serves as Judge of the Dead, separating the worthy from the unworthy before Arawan comes to collect the souls and distribute them to the appropriate afterlife. He's also the patron of judges, magistrates, and legislators. The various noble houses of Ar Ais trace their divine right to rule to him, and if they disgrace themselves he's been known to have them overthrown and replaced with "better" rulers.
Nala, Goddess of the Forge
A dragonborn of a bronze lineage, Nala was a master blacksmith. Many of her swords are still held by the various noble houses of Ar Ais. Her skills in both the making and the use of weapons drew the attention of Orsik, who offered her godhood in exchange for a perfect shield. That shield, Weaponsbane, is the God of War’s most prized treasure.
Somehow, the cult has been able to blind the gods to their actions, preventing the pantheon from even seeing the area around the Silver Road. This may be connected to the desecration of the lost temple.
The spectator living in the temple's divination room revealed part of the cult's plan: they're sacrificing innocent souls in an effort to trap one of Arawan's angels. They hope to use the angel's divine blood to open one of the seals binding the forgotten god Vorrix in the Infernal Prison.
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Note: The only information I'm making public is player name, character name, gender, race, and class. Anything else, including alignments, deities, place of origin, specializations/oaths/domains, etc, is considered private information unless specifically revealed in-game.
Taylor SwiftCythareOur First Dungeon: The Temple of the Pentad
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Remember, this thread is for out-of-game commentary and spectators, and the other thread is our actual game.
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kaburi, when do we get our reason-for-being-there-PMs? I know you said you started them.
{мы, тьма}
2012: Best (False?) Role Claim - Worst Town Performance (Group) - Best Mafia Performance (Group) - Best SK Performance - Best Overall Player
2013: Best Non-SK Neutral Performance
2014: Best Town Performance (Individual) - Best Town Performance (Group) - Most Interesting Role - Best Game - Best Overall Player
2015: Worst Mafia Performance (Group) - Best Read
2016: Best Town Performance (Group) - Best Town Player - Best Overall Player
My favorites are Cythare's (and by extension Talore's) and Gerrard's Mom's. There are some NPCs in there I hope we get to meet in-game, because they were a blast to write.
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And yes, the mayor is in fact married to the head of the merchants' guild, in what is probably a HUGE conflict of interest. Politics is a *****.
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Don't expect my posts to be super eloquent.
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Also: Kaburi, I don't know if any of the rest of the group can understand thieves cant, but I hope I used it properly for the play by post format.
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Using the site I linked:
This is the thievess cant. -->(key 2)--> Vjku ku kp vjg vjkgxgu' ecpv.
Vjku ku kp vjg vjkgxgu' ecpv. -->(guess)--> This is in the thieves' cant.
For now we'll stick with spoiler boxes and trust people not to read things their characters shouldn't understand. If I think people are cheating, I'll totally start using keyed caesars and not give the keywords to people who don't know the language.
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Also, just have fun Iso (and that goes for everyone). It doesn't matter if you screw up the rules, as long as you have fun.
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[Primer] Krenko | Azor | Kess | Zacama | Kumena | Sram | The Ur-Dragon | Edgar Markov | Daretti | Marath
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The closest real-world equivalent is something like Cockney Rhyming Slang, which to someone who doesn't know the rules makes zero sense.
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The idea in this particular case was to embed my thieves cant into the discussion about joining the party, and is primary intended to determine if there are any other members of the party who understand thieves cant.
I fully intend to utilize secret language discussions to the full:-) theives cant a lot, and gnomish where applicable.
In my home game all the non-gnomes take gnomish because they know that otherwise they won't understand 80% of the stuff my friend and I (he also plays a gnome) say.
Please don't kill her.
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Kill the mayor and her wife.
Check.
I am strongly trying to resist the urge to have Pinkletuff pipe up with "You know, castrating him after he already went through puberty won't actually help with the choir at all."
And I thought I was supposed to be the party Psychopath
- H.L Mencken
I Became insane with long Intervals of horrible Sanity
All Religion, my friend is simply evolved out of fraud, fear, greed, imagination and poetry.
- Edgar Allan Poe
The Crafters' Rules Guru
Draft my cube! (630 cards)
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Special thanks to Serrot_29 for Catbug'mrakul!
I'm totally picturing myself as the party's rocket raccoon. Minus the "super intelligent" part.
{мы, тьма}
2012: Best (False?) Role Claim - Worst Town Performance (Group) - Best Mafia Performance (Group) - Best SK Performance - Best Overall Player
2013: Best Non-SK Neutral Performance
2014: Best Town Performance (Individual) - Best Town Performance (Group) - Most Interesting Role - Best Game - Best Overall Player
2015: Worst Mafia Performance (Group) - Best Read
2016: Best Town Performance (Group) - Best Town Player - Best Overall Player
{мы, тьма}
2012: Best (False?) Role Claim - Worst Town Performance (Group) - Best Mafia Performance (Group) - Best SK Performance - Best Overall Player
2013: Best Non-SK Neutral Performance
2014: Best Town Performance (Individual) - Best Town Performance (Group) - Most Interesting Role - Best Game - Best Overall Player
2015: Worst Mafia Performance (Group) - Best Read
2016: Best Town Performance (Group) - Best Town Player - Best Overall Player
I think you may be the only Lawful person in the party.
I'm pretty sure editing preserves die rolls as they were.
Edit: this was a 2 and a 4 for a total of 6
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