One plucky arcanist sought to locate missing moon

[BigRedRod]

The city of Edinway is having a tough time of it. Actually, the whole of the world known as Aos is having quite a tough time of it. Typically the Red Moon shows up every so often and helps souls find their way to The Netherworld. As of late, this has no happened and there is quite a large surplus of souls floating about.

And when souls are left hanging then tend to become quite unpleasant.

Edinway is the largest city in Aos. Right now people are flocking to it in their hundreds, hoping to find safety within the walls that are patrolled at night by Pelor's Guardians and their counterparts from the Magewright Guild. Edinway is full up, and so outside of the city is increasingly becoming a refugee camp. Inside isn't much better either. Men in red robes are stringing up practitioners of the black arts. Or those that they claim induldge in such blasphemies anyhow. Exactly what is keeping the moon at bay isn't clear. Everybody has their own theory.

In an abandoned part of the city humanoid rats have been spotted and in an effort to reclaim the space for housing (and so that a certain noble can have vengeance for the death of his only daughter) a bounty has been attached to each head brought back.

Well that's a rough summation of the backstory
One of my players has fallen down a well in my only game at the moment (ignoring the other one, which supposedly I have a co-DM for). It's also quite a good one and I'd rather not see it die, so I'd like to fill the empty slot.

Harald, the Aart Jarl (Viking warrior) will be meeting a nasty accident (or possibly just bugger off following his own path) and so I'm looking for a new character to fill the party and stand shoulder to shoulder with:
Malkanus - A cleric who dresses an awful lot like one of the cultists
Finn - A young thief who has already managed to torture a man to death
Lade - A man past his prime who likes to drink and hit things with his axe

Clearly, they have a big Arcane Magic shaped hole. Or, if you listen to some people, a bard shaped hole. Although really, does anybody ever really need a bard?

You can read more about the background (and the game itself) in the forum (http://online-roleplaying.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=567) to help with you with your concepts. Generally though, I'm trying to keep the level of magic fairly low to keep the city with a certain level of real world grit (And giant ratmen).

The party are currently fourth level and in terms of non-human races you're limited to Dwarves and Elves in Aos (both of these are also ECL +1 but are rather more powerful than there SRD counterparts, although really I'm not overly keen on letting the players be nonhumans, still, perhaps you can win me over). If anybody fancies it or has questions, then let me know and give me a concept. Hell, maybe there are two slots.

[Linklegacy77]

Sounds quite interesting. How combat heavy is the game?

I'm thinking a bard could be quite fun.

[BigRedRod]

I think every chapter so far has included a combat encounter or two.

[elmer_jok]

Sounds very interesting indeed. Shall me and Link arm-wrestle for it?

I would be interested in playing something bardy I think. I have a bard that I started in a f2f campaign that never got much play, but I had a blast with him. I like writing up the poems and songs and such myself. This seems like a great medium to play a bard in too because I have more time to come up with the stuff than I would sitting around a table.

Count me in, if you'd have me.

[Fulmen]

Well, it's going to be hard to do a three way arm wrestle. I propose a Cage Match! BRR will your wanting to keep it low magic affect how an Arcane Caster would normally be played, or perhaps place a limit on spells? Or will it be like playing a normal caster, only in this setting a wizard is a much rarer sight?

[BigRedRod]

We'll go with Dance Off. So dazzle me with your concepts and then I'll pick out the winner like the captain of the football team at school.

The low magic thing has no mechanical impact as of yet (Although I worry what might happen if a player ever became able to plane shift with my delicate cosmology, so perhaps I'll just veto such spells).

[Fulmen]

Ok, I am thinking of going with an Elven Sorcerer from Istren Woods.

He lived in a small village of Elves inside the Istren Woods for the majority of his life. While goblin bands have always posed a threat, the town has had solid defenses that have kept the village safe by discouraging attacks. Lately however attacks have been occuring frequently. Something appears to be driving the Goblin Shamans in the area mad and the result is the Goblin bands lashing out violently at everything in the surrounding area. Casualties on the Goblin's side have been astronomical, but that hasn't disuaded the attacks. The village held strong, but they eventually had to give ground or risk being overrun. Forced out of the woods the village is searching for a new residence, while some Elves have disbanded. My character is highly concerned about this violent and irrational Greenskin activity and believes it has something to do with the disappearance of the Red Moon.

[Linklegacy77]

BRR, I sent you an e-mail briefy discussing the concept I have for my character.

[elmer_jok]

And I'll submit my concept on the marrow. Going out to party tonight.

[elmer_jok]

Due to christmas I'm dedicating the 'marrow' as being later tonight before I crash, I've already started typing up the concept... just have to finish it up after my late dinner.

[BigRedRod]

Sorry about the silence, the festive period was busy and the post crimbo lull has also had my rushing around.

Link is currently winning on account of his concept being sufficient that I'm kicking myself for not having the idea myself. I'll give elmer a few more days as I know everybody is busy and I'll pick.

[itches]

Oh come on, it's not new years until tommorow. Posting until then is not to be expected. Infact it should be frowned upon and shamed.

[LeeCHeSSS]

Have you picked yet? I haven't played a damn roleplaying game in months, neither face to face, nor online; so I could definatly do with a good DM like you :)

[itches]

I support his application of my own free will and under no duress. My fingers? It was uh ... a boating accident.

[BigRedRod]

You mean VSF didn't scare you away from D&D forever?

You give me a concept and I'll make a decision. As it isn't fair to keep the others hanging I'll say that I'll pick this weekend.

[LeeCHeSSS]

You have my concept; I think it's way more down-to-earth than the azer monk in VSF :)

[BigRedRod]

Flaming dwarves do make great members of covert ops teams.

[Linklegacy77]

Link is currently winning on account of his concept being sufficient that I'm kicking myself for not having the idea myself. I'll give elmer a few more days as I know everybody is busy and I'll pick.

WOOT!

[BigRedRod]

In fact due to the heightened interest (I've been getting PMs and the like left right and centre) I've decided there can be two spots. I'll most likely try and introduce them simultaneously, possibly with the two characters having some kind of bond or history together.

And Link, you can just go ahead and start fleshing things out for your bard, which given the bond I just mentioned may be a little tricky but I want to be fair to one of the applicants which will most likely require another round of messagess.

[BigRedRod]

And Danny, you're up for the second slot.

[LeeCHeSSS]

Yay!

Link, we need to have a talk about how we can help Tim work our characters in. Do you use MSN?

[BigRedRod]

Right, so chargen stuff:

XP: Level 4 (6,500xp)
Stats: Roll your stats (4d6 drop lowest, using the onsite dice roller, either in here or in the ooc thread)
Gold: 4,500 (which is less than standard, I know), and no more than half on any one item
HP: Max first, roll the rest.
Super Extra Bonus: Choose from
+4 to your stats, distributed however you wish and treated exactly as if the character had been rolled that way
A bonus feat which you can have taken at any level to allow for most utility
A magical item of significant (i.e. greater than 2250gp but most likely under about 5000gp) value. You'll need to speak to me about this, as the item must have it's own backstory and whatnot so I can effectively use it as an extra plothook.

[LeeCHeSSS]

Right, I'll just do the rolling here then:
[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]
[roll4]
[roll5]

And for hitpoints:
1 lvl max, 3d4 for the others makes for [roll6]

[BigRedRod]

A lovely -2 there, I do believe you get to try again.

[LeeCHeSSS]

Ouch, luckily the PHB comes to the rescue:
REROLLING
If your scores are too low, you may scrap them and roll all six scores
again. Your scores are considered too low if the sum of your
modifiers (before adjustments because of race) is 0 or lower, or if
your highest score is 13 or lower


So lets try that again:
[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]
[roll4]
[roll5]

[elmer_jok]

Sorry about never getting that character concept PM'd but I think you found yourself two solid players nonetheless. I'll be a devoted lurker though, good luck with your ventures.

p.s. I love how you tailor made your elves and dwarves. Alot like my custom homebrew I've been working on for years now. I plan to have all unique classes and races, and a magic system. So far I'm nearly finished with the races and about half finished with the classes. The history and setting is a wild unorganized collection of notes and half-notes thrown in a folder still, but that will all come together beautifully I'm sure. I'll release it to the ORP boards when I finish it up, perhaps sometime later this year... or next at the latest.

[Linklegacy77]

[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]
[roll4]
[roll5]

No, I don't have msn, unfortunately. I have an AIM, but I'm not on it very often. It is Linklegacy77

You can send me an e-mail at Linklegacy77@aol.com.

[Linklegacy77]

Wow, I got some nice rolls.

And thanks for the slot.

[LeeCHeSSS]

If I don't catch you on AIM, I'll send you a PM with a short overview of my character. If you do the same, we can both do some thinking on how our characters got to know each other...

[Linklegacy77]

HP:

First d6 is max, other 3 are rolled:

[roll0]