Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Kit_the_Odd 08-25-07, 12:09 AM	Skill Monkey, Trickster, Know-It-All, Swiss-Army-Knife, Jack-of-All-Trades, or Master-of-One. Welcome to Hero Craftsmen #11, where you make a character and get it voted on according to all its facets by our judges, to see who can make the best character! This time our chosen theme is Scions of Skill. Some are defined by their weapons and their armor. Some are defined by their spells. Some are defined by their god or cause. You are defined by your skills. Whether stealth, movement, knowledge, crafting, personal interaction, or otherwise, you are the one everyone else turns to for that special task no one else can quite get the hang of. The required level for this competition is 9th level, which gives each character 36000gp to spend on magic items and equipment, with no more than 12000gp to be spent on any one item. The following section contains the specific rules of the competition, as well as the standards for how the characters will be scored, and general tips to consider when creating a submission. Contest Rules The following are rules for the Hero Craftsmen competition, and are subject to change at any time between competition periods. Do note that the Code of Conduct is in effect for all aspects of this contest, and those who break it will be disqualified, and their post will be reported. Character Creation Parameters Effective Character Level (ECL): 9th Ability Score Generation: 28pt. buy (DMG p.169) Character Wealth: 36000gp Max. Value of any single item: 12000gp 1) All entries must be submitted with a complete stat block of any format or length, (so long as the stat block is complete, including content like equipment, skills, special abilities etc.) accompanied by a character background also of any format or length. 2) All entries must be submitted by the date and time given by the Coordinating Judge; any entries submitted late will not be judged but they are still allowed to be commented on by other users/judges, and may provide a valuable resource to other players out there. The time given for any competition is likely to be within 2-3 weeks; the exact times and dates will be stated by the Coordinating Judge during the contest's start. 3) After submitting an entry, a 30-minute grace period is allowed to edit your work, in the case of mechanical or formatting errors, typos, and the like. Editing your work after 30 minutes is considered breaking the rules. Hence, we urge you to revise your entry thoroughly prior to submitting it, to save hassle. Making use of the preview button in the post window will help you catch most errors before posting. 4) One Entry Per Contestant, and that creator must be the submitter (meaning that all work has to be original, and not stolen from someone else.) Also, do not post an entry if you do not want it to be officially judged. 5) At the start of each competition, the coordinating judge will state a single theme around which to base your entry. There are no restrictions based on the character theme itself; it is merely a suggested guideline, but following it in a creative and interesting way will give merit to your entry. 6) There are other restrictions, however. Material in the three core books is allowed. Any material found in the following books is also permitted: Complete Adventurer, Complete Arcane, Complete Divine, Complete Warrior, Complete Mage, Complete Scoundrel, Magic Item Compendium, Races of Stone, Races of Destiny, Races of the Wild, and Expanded Psionics Handbook. The use of Psionics, Item Creation rules, Epic Characters, and anything else in the Official SRD (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=d20/article/srd35) is permitted. For this specific contest, no other material may be used, including any other variant rules in Unearthed Arcana. 7) Additionally, the character must be created with the recommended character wealth as discussed in the DMG (note that you may not spend more than 1/3 of your entry's total wealth on any one item), with average hit points per hit die (eg-2.5hp for d4, 3.5hp for d6, 4.5hp for d8, 5.5hp for d10, 6.5hp for d12; Max hit points at 1st level), using the 28 point-buy system, as discussed in the DMG pg169. For those who do not have access to the DMG, the following sample arrays of scores have been set up for your convenience: 18, 14, 12, 10, 8, 8 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10 8) One special rule regarding Crafting: When crafting a magic item from your character, you may pay the 50% gp cost and ignore the XP cost. However, your character must still meet all prerequisites in spells, minimum level requirements, etc., or account for the cost of hiring a spell caster to cast the spells for you. 9) Judges reserve the right to disqualify entries that do not follow the above rules, as they see fit. Scoring Points will be awarded for how well the judges think the character is made and expanded on. Entries from each of the judges will be added up to give a final score. The highest-scoring entry will win gold, second-highest silver, third-highest bronze. The judges may also give a single entry each one bonus point for whatever reason; this bonus point is merely to make out an 'honorable mention' of the competition, and is not likely to make an impact on the results themselves. The judges are expected to be very stingy about their bonus point, meaning that it is possible for no entries to get one in a competition. Special awards will be given to the entry that performs the best in each of the four categories (detailed below), determined by a majority nomination among the judges and/or the highest average score in that category. These awards will have no effect on the total score of each entry. Additionally, the judges reserve the right to post comments on entries, and any contestant may ask to have their scoring (and/or comments) sent to them via PM. Each entry will be scored according to four categories: Thematic Creativity (10 points), Background Content (10 marks), Rules Use (10 points), and Clarity (5 points), for a total of 35 points. -Thematic Creativity is a measure of how well the entry fits with the theme of the contest, decided by the coordinating judge at the start of the competition. It is also a measure of how creative the entry is when fitting in with the theme, meaning that taking the most obvious class for the theme may or may not be the best idea. -Background Content measures how well-written the background of the entry is, and how creative it is. Including plot points, events that shaped your character, and so on, will earn you high points here. -Rules Use is based on how well your character is made mechanically, as well as for how well your entry follows the RAW. Is his attack bonus correct? Has she spent all her skill points? Is all the gold in the sheet accounted for? And the like. Powerful characters will earn at least some points in this category. -Clarity is a measure of how well we can read everything. This includes correct grammar (No leet über txt), and legibility of the entry's stat block. We want to be able to find what we need to judge the entry. Hints to Help This is not a competition to see who can make the most optimized character. It is a competition to find who can create the most creative and interesting character; one that you would love to see played in a gaming group. Of course, optimized characters can still be creative and interesting, but optimization is not the sole focus of the competition. Please consider your format before submitting an entry. As judges, we want to know exactly where you got that +3 in Tumble, or how you've laid out your ability scores. If we are helped in this endeavor, it reduces the chances of us (as well as you) making mistakes, and points may be earned for Clarity. For example, you could lay out your modifiers to everything, from AC to Skills to Abilities. If your +3 in Tumble came from 3 ranks, 13 dexterity and a check penalty of -1, point it out to us. If your Strength score of 16 comes from a base of 13, a +2 racial bonus, and a +1 boost at fourth level, point it out to us. Also, gold is a big hassle, so if you show how much everything costs, it saves us the trouble of going IRS on you. Consider including a chart or something that shows the complete level build-up of your entry, in case of cross-class skills, stacking class features and other such stuff that would be otherwise difficult for us judges to detect. Backgrounds are very important in this competition, worth at least 10 points. While your entry's background doesn't have to be literary genius, you are advised to cover at least the basic stuff, like parents, friends, homeland, motivation, behavior, and at least one plot point that a DM can latch onto, among others. In this case, covering most or all of the aspects of a character is more advisable than simply focusing on one or two aspects in great detail. Don't worry, though, length is usually not an issue for us judges. The Leadership feat is quite often a wonderful choice. It offers characters a lot of power, and provides for some excellent background exploration. If you opt to give your PC the Leadership feat, we don't need a full stat block for the cohort or followers; all we need is the cohort's name, race, class(es), and level(s). You can provide the same sort of information for important followers. Note that you can provide more information - but doing so only increases your chances of miscalculating something, and therefore lowering your score. You are allowed to build characters with non-standard races, including Monster Races from the MM. However, please carefully consider this path before attempting it. You are creating a character of the appropriate ECL, and monster races have caused many contestants to stumble over the mathematics involved. Make sure you are prepared to walk this difficult road. It is also very helpful if you list the basic racial stats for such characters. Our list of Eligible Judges are Doopliss, TheChilliGod, Zherog, jennibert, JasonOrlandoHawk, Heros_Backpack, DarkKitsune, Mercurius, Haruspex, Kit_the_Odd, edwardsobel, and wrecan. The gold-medal winner of each Hero Craftsmen competition will be added to this list as a prize. Additionally, contestants who win multiple silver and bronze medals can also earn judge status. A contestant who earns 6 points worth of medals will also be added to the eligible judges list as a prize. (Medal point values: Gold: 6, Silver: 3, Bronze: 1.5) After each competition, we will seek volunteers for the next contest from the list until we have three judges. It is a voluntary thing, so if you (as a recent gold-medal winner) feel uncomfortable with judging, or just don't have the time, that's fine with us. Our judges for this contest will be Kit_the_Odd, edwardsobel, and wrecan. Kit_the_Odd will be our coordinating judge. This contest starts when this post is posted, and is due to end at 11:59pm GMT on Sunday, Sept. 9th, giving you two weeks and a weekend to enter your characters. If you have any concerns or suggestions to consider for the next Hero Craftsman competition, don't hesitate to post your comments in This Thread (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=621823). Finally, best of luck to all entries.
Kit_the_Odd 08-25-07, 12:10 AM	Kitri Shadowhand by Heros_Backpack (http://forums.gleemax.com/showpost.php?p=13597379&postcount=21) Mellani Moonfavour by DarkKitsune (http://forums.gleemax.com/showpost.php?p=13601858&postcount=22) Dellren the Ferret by TheScapegoat (http://forums.gleemax.com/showpost.php?p=13602022&postcount=23) Owtikkvana Burrowlilly by Longtime_Lurker (http://forums.gleemax.com/showpost.php?p=13602393&postcount=25) Jovial, the Laughing Sage by JasonOrlandoHawk (http://forums.gleemax.com/showpost.php?p=13622675&postcount=33) H.A. Fletcher by Mysteria (http://forums.gleemax.com/showpost.php?p=13631208&postcount=34) Kole Darksparrow by jennibert (http://forums.gleemax.com/showpost.php?p=13717740&postcount=74) Gainsborough Wallace by Mercurius (http://forums.gleemax.com/showpost.php?p=13718195&postcount=75) Dorian, master of secrets by Endarrion (http://forums.gleemax.com/showpost.php?p=13721034&postcount=78) Alexander Craftwel by FRRC (http://forums.gleemax.com/showpost.php?p=13724163&postcount=79) Chester Xel'Naga by Far_Traveler (reposted after late editing) (http://forums.gleemax.com/showpost.php?p=13939948&postcount=121)
Kit_the_Odd 08-25-07, 12:11 AM	Yes, you may select feats or skill tricks at the same level you obtain a skill rank prerequisite for them. The level up process goes Abilities -> Class -> Skills -> Feats. For this purpose skill tricks are considered Feats. Of, if you like, you could place them between Skill selection and Feat selection.
FRRC 08-25-07, 02:45 AM	Oh finally, I get to build one of my many "want to build" characters. Yum, yum.
Far_Traveler 08-25-07, 06:24 PM	*grin* I already have the perfect concept...
JasonOrlandoHawk 08-25-07, 11:09 PM	Hero Craftsman 11!!! I've been waiting for the opportunity to build... :confused: ...a skill monkey? Wow. That shot every idea I had been kicking around to death... No worries. New character concept is in the works already. Really looking forward to this competition.
FRRC 08-26-07, 11:06 AM	I'm going for the Master-of-one idea. Otherwise there's gonna be alot of Bards and Rogues ^_^
Kalai_Eljahn 08-26-07, 04:58 PM	Don't forget ranger-type...*sincerely wishes she was still borrowing Complete Adventurer*
FRRC 08-26-07, 05:33 PM	Thing with Ranger Skills is that they're already specialised at being Rangers, whereas Rogues and Bard have lots of freedom.
TheScapegoat 08-27-07, 02:38 AM	Got a question about something I have always been curious about. When you level up can you increase your skills and then take a feat that would have requirements of the ranks your skill is now? Or is it all considered chosen at the same time so you would have to have the ranks before you leveled to take the feat, not after?
FRRC 08-27-07, 03:28 AM	There's no real order of things, but going by the book is best. You HAVE to choose a class first, but the order goes Class > Skills > Feats. But I'm not a judge, depends on what they say.
Kit_the_Odd 08-27-07, 08:45 AM	FRRC is correct. For example: Say there is a feat you want to take at 6th level that has a requirement of 9 ranks in a skill. Assuming it is a class skill and you get your 9th rank in the skill when you attain 6th level you can take that feat. On the other hand, a Prestige Class that requires 9 ranks in a skill could not be taken until 7th level, because class is selected before skills. I'll add this to the FAQs later today.
FRRC 08-27-07, 09:42 AM	FRRC is correct Sweet!
JasonOrlandoHawk 08-27-07, 04:47 PM	Mounted Combat requires one rank in Ride. If feats and skills were selected at the same time, Paladins and Fighters couldn't take Mounted Combat at 1st level. Seeing as that's the base of a major feat tree, it wouldn't make sense for it to be unavailable at level 1. Thus, well after the matter has already been decided, I am basically just saying: "I agree w/ Kit and FRRC." Why? B/c I'm helpful like that! :P Ok, now that I've said that, let's make Kit's life even harder... Skill tricks from Complete Scoundrel... When can we take them? There are several cool skill tricks that require 12 ranks before they can be purchased (which is the max ranks @ level 9). My question is: can I raise the skill to the appropriate level and purchase a related skill trick at the same time (assuming I have enough skill points)? Or, am I required to wait until the next level to purchase them?
TheScapegoat 08-27-07, 05:21 PM	Mounted Combat requires one rank in Ride. If feats and skills were selected at the same time, Paladins and Fighters couldn't take Mounted Combat at 1st level. Seeing as that's the base of a major feat tree, it wouldn't make sense for it to be unavailable at level 1. Thus, well after the matter has already been decided, I am basically just saying: "I agree w/ Kit and FRRC." Why? B/c I'm helpful like that! :P Ok, now that I've said that, let's make Kit's life even harder... Skill tricks from Complete Scoundrel... When can we take them? There are several cool skill tricks that require 12 ranks before they can be purchased (which is the max ranks @ level 9). My question is: can I raise the skill to the appropriate level and purchase a related skill trick at the same time (assuming I have enough skill points)? Or, am I required to wait until the next level to purchase them? That was kinda the reason I was asking I just said feats to be sneaky. :P
Kit_the_Odd 08-27-07, 09:28 PM	I don't have the book in front of me, so I can't check the example characters, but based on the excerpt on the website I don't think it is clear cut. Given that, I would say that you can take the skill tricks the same way as a feat (i.e. you can take them at the same level you gain the skill prerequisite.)
CheeseMan 08-27-07, 11:11 PM	sweet zombie jesus! i just bought complete adventurer! score!
Zherog 08-28-07, 10:10 AM	Yay. Sig updated, and I'll go add it to the master list in the feedback thread next. One thing about the rules: we used to provide a link to the official SRD, just so everybody knew where it was. We started doing that because people seem to believe that all the SRDs are the same, and so they'd pull material from d20srd.org. I'm not saying you have to put the link back, of course. It's your contest this time 'round. But if you'd like to, the link to the official SRD is http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=d20/article/srd35
Kit_the_Odd 08-28-07, 11:13 PM	Thanks, Zerog. That link has been added to the first post.
jennibert 08-29-07, 12:26 AM	Skill monkeys, huh? Cool. I love skills. I am completely unable to build characters with low INTs because I can't bear to have low skill totals. Of course, the odds that my brain will be together enough for me to actually build a character (or that I will have the time to do so) are rather low. Hopefully something will occur to me that I can get posted, but we'll see.... I'll see about sigging momentarily. Not that my sig does much good as 90% of my posts are probably in HC threads anyway....:D
Heros_Backpack 08-29-07, 06:20 PM	Aww, do I get to be first up? Kitri Shadowhand "What's that you're saying, Mister Goody-Good? I'm nasty, wicked and evil and I really should reform? Oh yeah, being a good girl and going to bed hungry is such fun. Not." Kitri (Kit) Shadowhand Female human Monk 7/ Shadowdancer 2 LE medium humanoid Initiative +2 (+2 Dex), Senses: Listen +2, Spot +8 Languages: Common, Dwarven, Draconic Age 17, Height 4’ 7”, Weight 89 lb Deity: Nominally Olidammura, otherwise none. AC 18 (+2 armor, +2 dex, +1 unnamed - monk, +1 deflection, +2 Wis) Touch 16, Flatfooted 16 HP 89 (7d8 + 2d8) Fort +6 (+5 Monk, +1 Con) Ref +10 (+5 Ranger, + 3 Shadowdancer, + 2 Dex) Will +7 (+5 Monk, +2 Wis) (+2 on saves vs enchantment spells and effects) Speed 50’ Melee: Unarmed, att +8/+3 (Flurry +7/+7+2), dam 1d8, crit 20 (x2) (Stunning Fist 7/day) Alternative Melee: Adamantine Dagger, att +9/+4, dam 1d4, crit 19-20 (x2), range 10 ft Alternative Melee: Mwk Sai, att +9/+4 (Flurry +8/+8/+3), dam 1d4, crit 20 (x2), Range 10 ft (+4 on disarm checks) BAB +6/+1 (+5 Monk, +1 Shadowdancer) Grapple +6 [b]Base Abilities (28 pt array - 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10) Str 11 Dex 13 Con 12 Int 15 Wis 14 Cha 10 Current Abilities (modifier) Str 11 (+0) Dex 14 (+2) (+1 level) Con 12 (+1) Int 16 (+3) (+1 level) Wis 14 (+2) Cha 10 Special Abilities Darkvision 60' Evasion Flurry of Blows (-1/-1) Hide in Plain Sight Ki strike (magic) Purity of Body Slow Fall 30' Still Mind Uncanny Dodge Wholeness of Body (14pts/day) +2 circ bonus on Str checks to open doors/chests/break chains etc Feats: Agile (Human Bonus), Combat Reflexes (Monk bonus), Dodge, Improved Disarm (Monk bonus), Improved Unarmed Attack (Monk bonus), Mobility, Spring Attack, Stunning Fist (Monk bonus) Weapon Finesse. Skills: Appraise +6 (+8 for judging with scales/magnifying glass) (+3 int, 3 ranks (+2 circ)) Balance + 18 (+2 Dex, 12 rans, +2 feat, +2 synergy - Tumble) Climb + 14 (+0 Str, 12 ranks, +2 circ - kit) Disable Device + 5 (+3 Int, +2 tools) Disguise + 2 (+0 Cha, +2 circ - kit) Escape Artist + 22 (+2 Dex, 12 ranks, +2 feat, +6 competence - vest) Heal + 4 (+2 Wis, +2 circ - kit) Hide + 14 (+2 Dex, 12 ranks) Jump + 10 (+0 Str, +8 speed, +2 synergy - Tumble) Listen + 2 (+2 Wis) Move Silently + 14 (+2 Dex, 12 ranks) Open Lock + 9 (+2 Dex, 1 rank, +4 competence - vest, +2 tools) Perform (Dance) +5 (+0 Cha, 5 ranks) Sense Motive + 6 (+2 Wis, 4 ranks) Sleight of Hand + 6 (+2 Dex, 4 ranks) Spot + 8 (+2 Wis, 6 ranks) Tumble + 14 (+2 Dex, 12 ranks) Use Rope +4 (+6 to bind somone) (+2 Dex, +2 circ - silk rope (+2 synergy - Escape artist)) Possesions: (On self) Monk's Outfit (free at creation) Ring of Protection +1 (2000gp) Slippers of Spiderclimbing (4800gp) Bracers of Armor +2 (4000gp) Vest of Escape (5200gp) Adamantine dagger (3002) Mwk Sai (301gp) Cat Necklace (10gp) Belt Pouch (1gp) Containing: Flint & Steel (1gp) 4 onyx gems (200gp) Signet ring (5gp) (In Bag of holding Type I (2500gp)) Rod of Metal and Mineral detection (10500gp) Chime of Opening (3000gp) 4 flasks acid (40gp) Mwk thieves tools (100gp) Bedroll (0.1gp) 50’ silk rope (10gp) Grappling hook (1gp) Entertainer’s Outfit (3gp) 10 pints oil (1gp) Magnifying glass (100gp) Merchant's scale (2gp) Hooded lantern (7gp) Crowbar (2gp) Waterskin (1gp) 4 days trail rations (2gp) Climbing kit (80gp) Healers kit (50gp) Disguise kit (50gp) Clay mug (0.02gp) Cash: 30gp, 8sp, 8cp TOTAL OWNED: 36,000gp Level breakdown Level 1 - Monk 1 Feats: Agile (Human bonus), Dodge (level), Improved Unarmed Attack (Monk bonus), Stunning Fist (Monk bonus). Skill Ranks (16 class pts + 8 Int + 4 Human): Climb 4, Escape Artist 4, Hide 4, Move Silently 4, Sense Motive 2, Spot 2, Perform (Dance) 4, Tumble 4 Level 2 - Monk 2 Feat: Combat Reflexes 7 Skill pts - ranks raised to: Balance 1, Climb 5, Escape Artist 5, Hide 5, Move Silently 5, Sense Perform (Dance) 5, Tumble 5 Level 3 - Monk 3 Feat: Weapon Finesse (level) 7 Skill pts - Ranks raised to: Balance 3, Climb 6, Escape Artist 6, Hide 6, Move Silently 6, Tumble 6. Level 4 - Monk 4 +1 Int 8 Skill pts - Ranks raised to: Appraise 1 (cc), Balance 4, Climb 7, Escape Artist 7, Hide 7, Move Silently 7, Tumble 7. Level 5 - Monk 5 8 Skill pts - Ranks raised to: Balance 5, Climb 8, Escape Artist 8, Hide 8, Move Silently 8, Sense Motive 3, Spot 3, Tumble 8. Level 6 - Monk Feat: Mobility(level), Improved Disarm (Monk bonus) 8 Skill pts - Ranks raised to: Balance 6, Climb 9, Escape Artist 9, Hide 9, Move Silently 9, Open Lock 1 (cc), Tumble 9. Level 7 - Monk 7 8 Skill pts - Ranks raised to: Balance 7, Climb 10, Escape Artist 10, Hide 10, Move Silently 10, Sense Motive 4, Spot 4, Tumble 10. Level 8 - Monk 7/ Shadowdancer 1 +1 Dex 10 Skill pts - Ranks raised to: Appraise 2 (cc), Balance 11, Climb 11, Escape Artist 11, Hide 11, Move Silently 11, Sleight of Hand 2, Spot 5, Tumble 11. Level 9 - Monk 7/ Shadowdancer 2 10 Skill pts - Ranks raised to: Appraise 3 (cc), Balance 12, Climb 12, Escape Artist 12, Hide 12, Move Silently 12, Sleight of Hand 4, Spot 6, Tumble 12. Background Kitri was born in the slums of Hadras City. At first, she lived with her mother and older brother Cathlen in a tiny damp basement room, but by the time she was three, her mother had become too ill to earn the rent money and the family moved out onto the streets. That was the end of Kitri's childhood and the beginning of her lifetime of work and striving. Her brother was always better at coaxing money out of pockets, bolder and brasher than Kitri ever was and she lived mostly in his shadow, learning to dance to his singing as they worked the street corners. Together, they scraped enough coin and scraps that the family never quite starved, but none of them ever had more than would keep body and soul together, and her mother still insisted that they pray to the gods and give offerings. It was almost a relief when their mother died after barely 9 months on the street. While her brother relied on his charm to get out of trouble, Kitri preferred to rely on quick wits and quicker feet, slipping through holes and gaps into storerooms and taking food and small items to supplement their begging income. By the time she reached 7 years, she was an accomplished burglar with eye for gaps too small for anyone else to get through. Life was reaching a level nearer comfort than she had ever known. Then her brother's music turned into wild, uncontrolled magic, and everything changed. Tracked down and forcibly adopted by the Shadowhands - an underground guild of thief-mages, deadly fighters and blackmailers, Kitri took to their discipline and the acrobatic fighting skills like a duck to water. Her brother didn't do so well, learning only enough discipline to keep his magic under control and hating the methods they wanted him to put it to. Kitri and Cathlen (now calling themselves Kit and Cat) began to work as a team for robberies. From waiting for a rich merchant to pull out his purse to pay - and immediately doing a Stun and Snatch (Kit hit him with Stunning Fist and Cat grapped the purse as soon as it was dropped) to Kit sneaking into richer and richer houses while Cat kept watch outside, they matched each others skills. He had the charm still, the ability to find out anything from anyone and the knack of valuing goods on the spot. She could crawl through any space, hide in any corner and slip silently past any guards. Knowing from her brother where to look for what she wanted just made the thefts that much easier. They ducked, dodged, decieved and even fought past increasingly larger teams of city guards sent to stop them and Kitri just relished the challenge of getting in and out without being seen. One night, though, when they were handing over their latest tithe of spoils to the Shadowhands, the guard raided what the guild had thought was their safe house. Everyone scattered, racing for one of the many boltholes before they could be caught and identified. Kitri snatched up the tithe goods and tuck them back in a hidden pocket before ducking down the smallest and foulest of the tunnels into the sewers. She made her way safely to the rendezvous point, and met back up with most of the rest of the Shadowhands, but her brother never arrived there, even though she waited long after everyone else had left it. Unwilling to go down out of sight and possibly miss him entirely, she took to the city rooftops, instead, as comfortable up there as down in the streets or the sewers and added skylights and chimneys to her repetoire of entry points. Without her brother to gather the information, the burglaries became harder and the town guard chased her more often. Twice, she slid out of a chimney into a bedroom only to find that the room was occupied by a sleeper. Kitri quickly guarded her own back by killing the sleepers before they could wake up and start the alarm. She has also developed a variant on the Stun and Snatch, using the hooks of her sai to whip belt pouches and loose brooches off people and then racing off - straight up the older walls in town. Now, with the town guard actively hunting her down and her brother nowhere to be found in this town, she is seriously considering finding new hunting grounds for theft and trying to learn the skills her brother has always previously provided. Description Kit is physically petite, but every inch that there is, is wire and sinew. Dusky-skinned, with a small mouth, slanting eyes and short dark hair, she can look almost feline among the shadows, and has on occasion even been mistaken for a half-elf. When she is working the rooftops and windows, she wears a close-fitting dark-grey shirt, vest, hose and soft shoes that have had anything likely to protrude, snag on corners or catch on ledges removed. Personality Kitri is fiercely loyal to her closest and trusted associates and, although wary of the wider world, is smart enough to realise that new partners can, and sometimes must, be brought into that inner circle. Outside that inner circle, though, she analyses everyone and everything by the potential profit she can reap from them and will, if she sees a way, go to any lengths necessary to gain that profit. ("Dead's dead," she'll shrug if accused of murder. "What does it matter whether they was waking or sleeping?") The only things that restrain her are a deep desire to keep her skin in one piece and her belief that you have to make your own luck by planning and careful work rather than reliance on the gods. Despite preferring to slide through open gaps and take whatever is left out, Kitri has been known, when desperate, to make her own gaps using either her crowbar or her adamantium dagger, depending what she has to get through. Having seen her mother die on the streets despite fervent prayers, she no longer really believes in the gods at all, although after a good and profitable haul, she has been known to give an offering to the temple of Olidammura - if only so that she can truthfully say if interrogated that she worships him. Contacts Cathlen Shadoweyes: Kitri's brother took the guards' raid as his long sought chance to get completely free of the Shadowhands unwelcome control of him and headed out of town with the first available caravan (while Kitri was still waiting at the rendezvous site). He has since wandered from town to town and village to village, living free on his wits. He would be pleased to see his little sister again, but only after he is certain that she hasn't been sent by the Shadowhands to bring him back. The Shadowhands: The gang has now discovered that it was Kitri rather than the guards that took the tithe goods during the raid. They want them back - with interest! Olec Thiefbane: He is the head of the team charged with hunting Kitri and her brother down, but they have slipped through his fingers so many tmes over the years that he is now on the verge of losing his reputation of 'finest thief catcher in the country' and as a resut is furious enough that he will go to any lengths necessary to catch either or both of them and doesn't much care whether they survive the capture Harien Casueth: Having had two expensive engagement rings in succession stolen from his own home before he can give them to his fiancee, young noble Harien is just as furious in his way as Olec is in his, but rather than dirty his own hands, Harien prefers to lay down rumor and propaganda and let those do his work for him.
DarkKitsune 08-30-07, 12:21 AM	Bwee... get to be second in :D Mellani Moonfavour I suppose I should start with where I come from. It’s a small village centred on a shrine to Hanali Celanil. Nothing fancy, but Silvessiri was home. I was an acolyte there. I made paintings and other artworks dedicated to the Goddess. Seasons blossomed and faded, but time did not touch the idyllic village. Or, that wqas what we would have liked to believe. Little known to us, the orcs had been breeding in the northlands and, two years ago, they flooded into elven territory, looting and pillaging with abandon. Silvessiri was directly in their path, and we lacked for the means to defend ourselves. Hastily, a group was assembled to loot the nearby tombs of Rastari, the wizard who ruled over much of these lands in ages past. For all my inexperience, I was conscripted, as my knowledge if the elder tales would prove invaluable as we defeated the traps and undead guardians of the wizard. During this time, I acquired Featherlight off of the bones of a long-dead tomb robber, drowned by diverting a river through a section of the catacombs. Finally, our ultimate goal lay in front of us - Rastari’s ancient spellbook. I took up this onyx, rune-encrusted tome and stowed it in my backpack, making great haste for the exit, as the orcs, slowly making their way in our direction, would march into the village the next dusk. We slipped past them at night, making great haste for the elder-wizard’s house, whereupon I presented him with the spellbook, ironically sealing the fate of the village. As expected, the orcs struck just as the sun left the horizon, in a great wave. We fought our best, but the numbers and savagery of the orcs meant our time had come. Then the wizard-elder used Rastari’s spells. The last thing I remember was a feeling of great evil and terror. When I came too, the orcs were slaughtered to a man - but so was the village. No an insect - not a blade of grass was left alive. I must have survived by the Goddess’ blessings alone, as I wandered the village looking for signs of life. There were none. Then I saw the wizard-elder. Or, to be more precise, his spirit. He had been driven mad by the evils he channelled, and attacked me on sight. I was hard-pressed to stave him off, and fled in the end. I had brought ruin upon my home. In penance, I have spent the time since wandering the land, spreading the teachings of the Goddess and painting the sacred shrines I visit along the way. However, recently I have been worried. One of the shrines I have visited was beset by wraiths, whom had killed their previous sister-leader. Driving them away, I learned that they had come from the east, and they some evil stirred in my old village. I was named sister-leader that night, and I began looking for a way to set my mistakes to right, to calm whatever those magics had unleashed. Mellani Moonfavour is an intelligent, soft-spoken woman. She prefers to spend her time either with her books or her arts, but she finds herself drawn in whenever someone is in need. She feels compassion and remorse deeply, but finds it difficult to express, leading one to believe the she shares in the haughty aloofness that elves have been accused of, albeit, in this can at least, nothing could be further from the truth. Like most of her race, however, Mellani is slow to make friends, keeping people at arm’s length until she is certain she can trust them. For those friends she has, however, her faith is unwavering. Mellani is haunted by her actions during the invasion of the orc horde, and she sometimes wonders why Hanali allowed her survive, continues to allow her to cast spells. This doubt resolves itself in a burning need to serve her goddess to the best of her ability and beyond, making her come across as a little zealous and preachy at times. Also stemming from the incident, she absolutely loathes the undead, and has a strong fear of darkness, often lighting her everburning torch before the sun is finished setting. Description: *image coming soon - will make separate post later* Female Elf - Rog 5/Clr 4 of Hanali Celanil (love & beauty) Alignment: Chaotic Good Speed: 20’ Languages known: Celestial, Common, Elven, Sylvan Str 12 (+1) (10, +2 ioun stone) Dex 14 (+2) (12 + 2 elf) Con 9 (-1) (11 - 2 elf) Int 14 (+2) (base) Wis 16 (+3) (15 + 1 lvl) Chr 14 (+2) (13 + 1 lvl) Fortitude: +4 (+4 Clr, +1 Rog, -1 Con) Reflex: +7 (+1 Clr, +4 Rog, +2 Dex), Evasion, +1 vs. traps Will: +8 (+4 Clr, +1 Rog, +3 Wis) Immune to sleep, +2 save vs. enchantments AC: 22 (10 +2 Dex, +5 elven chain, +3 shield, +2 ring), 20 vs. traps Flat-footed: 22 (uncanny dodge), Touch: 14 HP: 30 (8+13.5 Clr, +17.5 Rog, -9 Con) Base Attack Bonu/Grapple: +6/+1 and +6 Featherlight: +11/+6 (+6 base, +2 Dex, +1 focus, +2 magic) (1d6+3/18-20) Keeneye: +9/+4 (+6 base, +2 Dex, +1 magic) (1d8/x3) Special: Turn Undead 5/day, Good Domain (cast good spells at +1 level), Protection (protective ward 1/day), Sneak Attack +3d6, Uncanny Dodge, Trap Sense +1, Trapfinding, Immune to sleep, low-light vision, +2 save vs. enchantments, elven weapon proficiencies. Feats: Negotiator, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (rapier), Leadership Skills: Concentration +1 (1 rank), Craft (painting) +14 (12 ranks, +2 Int), Diplomacy +16 (12 ranks, +2 Chr, +2 Negotiator), Heal +9 (7 ranks +2 Wis), Knowledge (history) +8 (6 ranks +2 Int), Listen +14 (10 ranks, +2 Wis, +2 Elf), Perform (song) +6 (4 ranks. +2 Chr), Sense Motive +16 (12 ranks, +2 Wis, +2 Negotiator), Spot + 14 (10 ranks, +2 Wis, +2 Elf) Spells (5/4/3, DC 12 + level) +1 caster level for good spells Note: Spells Mellani casts are always accompanies by the scent of lilacs Orisons: Light, Mending x2, Purify Food and Drink, Read Magic 1st-level: Bless, Obscuring Mist, Protection from Evil, Remove Fear 2nd-level: Bull’s Strength, Calm Emotions, Lesser Restoration Domains: Sanctuary, Aid Featherlight (+2 rapier) (8,320 gp, 2 lb.) Keeneye (+1 longbow) (2,375 gp, 3 lb.) +1 Elven Chain (5,150 gp, 20 lb.) +1 Darkwood Shield (1,257 gp, 5 lb.) Ring of Protection +2 (8,000 gp) Ioun Stone, Pale Blue (8,000 gp) Dust of Illusion (1,200 gp) Potion of Haste (750 gp) Potion of Cure Serious Wounds (750 gp) Backpack (2 gp, 2 lb) Bedroll (0.1 gp, 5 lb) 2 sq. yds. canvas (0.2 gp, 2 lb.) Flint and Steel (1 gp) Mirror, small steel (10 gp, 0.5 lb) 10 days’ trail rations (5 gp, 10 lb.) Signal Whistle (0.8 gp) Soap (0.5 gp, 1 lb.) Waterskin (1 gp, 4 lb.) Everburning Torch (110 gp, 1 lb.) Artisan’s Tools, masterwork (55 gp, 5 lb.) (Painting kit: Brushes, Oil paints, Rabbit-skin glue, gesso, palette, stretcher bars, charcoal pencils) Healer’s Kit (50 gp, 1 lb.) Holy Symbol, Silver (25 gp, 1 lb) Spell Component Pouch (5 gp, 2 lb.) Sketchbook (count a spellbook, wizard’s) (15 gp, 3 lb.) Clothing (Free, 5 lb.) 117 gp, 4 sp 72.5 lbs - medium load 1st: Clr 1 - Negotiator, Craft (painting) +4, Diplomacy +4, Heal +4, Knowledge (history) +4 2nd: Clr 2 - Craft (painting) +1, Diplomacy +1, Heal +1, Concentration +1 3rd: Rog 1 - Weapon Finesse, Craft (painting) +1, Diplomacy +1, Listen +2, Sense Motive +4, Spot +2 4th: Rog 2 - Craft (painting) +1, Diplomacy +1, Gather Information + 1, Listen +2, Sense Motive +3, Spot +2 5th: Clr 3 - Craft (painting) +1, Diplomacy +1, Heal +1, Knowledge (history) +1 6th: Rog 3 - Weapon Focus (rapier), Craft (painting) +1, Diplomacy +1, Gather Information +1, Listen +2, Sense Motive +2, Spot +2, Perform (song) +1 7th: Clr 4 - Craft (painting) +1, Diplomacy +1, Heal +1, Knowledge (history) +1 8th: Rog 4 - Craft (painting) +1, Diplomacy +1, Gather Information +1, Listen +2, Sense Motive +2, Spot +2, Perform (song) +1 9th: Rog 5 - Leadership, Craft (painting) +1, Diplomacy +1, Gather Information +1, Listen +2, Sense Motive +1, Spot +2, Perform (song) +2
TheScapegoat 08-30-07, 12:37 AM	Dellren the Ferret Human Rogue 6/Uncanny Trickster 3 [ECL 9] When you need something found, you turn to me. When you need something reclaimed, you turn to me. I can get where others can’t and can find that which is impossible to find. Age: 22 years old Alignment: Neutral Good Hit Dice: 9d6+9 (32hp) Initiative: +4 Speed: 35ft (7 squares) Armor Class: 20 (+4 mithril shirt, +4 dex, +2 RoP) Base Attack/Grapple: +6 /+6 Attacks: +1 Shortsword +7/+2 melee (1d6+1), +1 Light Hammer +7/+2 melee (1d4+1), +1 Light Hammer +11/+6 ranged (1d4+1) Rogue Class Abilities: Evasion, Sneak Attack +4d6, Trap finding, Trap Sense +2, Improved Uncanny Dodge Uncanny Trickster Class Abilities (Pg.67 Complete Scoundrel): Bonus Trick, Favorite Trick, Tricky Defense, Class Features (+2 levels of existing class features)* Racial Abilities: 1 extra skill point per level Saves: Fort +4 (+2 R, +1 UT, +1 con), Reflex +11 (+5 R, +3 UT, +3 dex), Will +3 (+2 R, +1 UT) [+1 to all saves in any round Dellren uses a Trick granted by Tricky Defense.] Abilities: Str 10, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 15 Skills: Balance 14 (8 ranks, +4 dex, +2 Synergy), Bluff 14 (12 ranks, +2 cha), Climb 12 (12 ranks), Escape Artist 15 (11 ranks, +4 dex), Gather Information 12 (10 ranks, +2 cha), Hide 15 (11 ranks, +4 dex), Jump 14 (12 ranks, +2 Synergy), Listen 8 (8 ranks), Move Silently 15 (11 ranks, +4 dex), Open Lock 16 (12 ranks, +4 dex), Search 10 (10 ranks), Tumble 11 (5 ranks, +4 dex, +2 Synergy) Skill Tricks (Pg.83 Complete Scoundrel): Corner Perch, Extreme Leap, Group Fake-Out, Slipping Past, Speedy Ascent, Timely Misdirection, Walk the Walls, Wall Jumper Feats: Combat Expertise, Daredevil Athlete (Pg.76 Complete Scoundrel), Dash, Improved Feint, Run Languages: Common, Elven and Dwarven *This grants all the features of a previous class, in this case Rogue. Equipment Special Equipment: Total Worth - 35,711gp/15lbs Boots of Speed – 12,000gp/1lbs Ring of Protection +2 – 8,000gp/ - Gloves of Dexterity +2 – 4,000gp/ - Light Hammer of Returning +1 – 8,301gp/2lbs Shortsword +1 – 2,310gp/2lbs Mithril Shirt – 1,100gp/10lbs Mundane Equipment: Total Worth - 275gp 4sp 2cp Traveling Clothing Backpack – 2gp/2lbs (carrying 14lbs) Grappling Hook – 1gp/4lbs 50 ft Silk Rope – 10gp/5lbs 2 Sunrods – 4gp/2lbs 2 Smokesticks – 40gp/1lbs Masterwork Thieves Tools – 100gp/2lbs Horse, Light – 75gp Riding Saddle – 10gp/25lbs Saddlebags – 4gp/8lbs (carrying 51.52lbs) Tent – 10gp/20lbs Bedroll – 1sp/5lbs 6 Days Trail Rations – 3gp/6lbs 3 Water Skins – 3gp/12lbs Lantern, Bullseye – 12gp/3lbs 3 Flasks Oil – 3sp/3lbs 2 Torches – 2cp/2lbs Flint and Steel – 1gp/ - 13gp 5sp 8cp – .52lbs Starting Abilities: Str 10, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 14 Level Advancement: Str 10, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 15. +1 dexterity at 4th level and +1 charisma at 8th level. Total Skill Ranks: Balance 8, Bluff 12, Climb 12, Escape Artist 11, Gather Information 10, Hide 11, Jump 12, Listen 8, Move Silently 11, Open Lock 12, Search 10, Tumble 5 Level 1 (Rogue): Balance 4, Bluff 4, Climb 4, Escape Artist 4, Gather Information 4, Hide 4, Jump 4, Listen 4, Move Silently 4, Search 4, Tumble 4 Level 2 (Rogue): Balance 1, Bluff 1, Climb 1, Escape Artist 1, Hide 1, Jump 1, Move Silently 1, Search 1, Tumble 1 Skill Trick: Speedy Ascent Level 3 (Rogue): Bluff 1, Climb 1, Escape Artist 1, Gather Information 1, Jump 1, Move Silently 1, Open Lock 2, Search 1 Skill Trick: Extreme Leap Level 4 (Rogue): Bluff 1, Climb 1, Escape Artist 1, Gather Information 1, Jump 1, Hide 1, Move Silently 1, Open Lock 3, Search 1 Level 5 (Rogue): Bluff 1, Climb 1, Escape Artist 1, Gather Information 1, Jump 1, Listen 1, Open Lock 2, Search 1 Skill Trick: Group Fake-Out Level 6 (Rogue): Bluff 1, Climb 1, Escape Artist 1, Gather Information 1, Hide 2, Jump 1, Move Silently 1, Open Lock 1 Skill Trick: Wall Jumper Level 7 (Uncanny Trickster): Balance 1, Bluff 1, Climb 1, Escape Artist 1, Jump 1, Listen 1, Open Lock 1, Move Silently 1, Search 1 Skill Trick: Slipping Past Level 8 (Uncanny Trickster): Balance 1, Bluff 1, Climb 1, Escape Artist 1, Hide 2, Jump 1, Listen 1, Move Silently 1, Open Lock 1, Search 1 Level 9 (Uncanny Trickster): Balance 1, Bluff 1, Climb 1, Gather Information 2, Hide 1, Jump 1, Listen 1, Move Silently 1, Open Lock 2 Starting Feats: Combat Expertise, Improved Feint Level 3: Run Level 6: Daredevil Athlete (Pg.76 Complete Scoundrel) Level 9: Dash (Pg.97 Complete Warrior) Bonus Skill Tricks/Favored Trick per level: Uncanny Trickster 1: Timely Misdirection/Group Fake-Out Uncanny Trickster 2: Corner Perch/Timely Misdirection Uncanny Trickster 3: Walk the Walls/Slipping Past Background Living on the streets anywhere across the kingdom of Dal’havar can be dangerous and Jenara is no exception. The king’s lack of control allows the guilds and gangs to run the cities fighting for control, power, and land. To live without choosing a side could make day to day life unlivable. Dellren learned this when he was only 10 years old and joined up with the Copper Ravens. In Jenara there where 3 major organizations and joining any insured a constant struggle, but safety in numbers. The Opulent Rose which consisted of a conglomeration of businessmen and well to do gangsters. The Order of the Lucent Guardians, an order of holy men from various gods who provided justice within the city as well as protection from an unseen undead threat they believe is eminent. The last was the Copper Ravens, they were the poor of Jenara. Petty criminals and thugs made up the backbone of the Copper Ravens attack forces; Dellren was put amongst these men. Weekly skirmishes, drunken tavern brawls, Dellren experienced it all and he fought well. He wasn’t the strongest but what he lacked in strength he made up for in agility and wit. He never fought his battles head on, instead hitting at opponents focus on his friends. This got him the nickname bootlicker. Despite there attitude Dellren would often use his wit to turn the jokes around on his fellows. This would often cause others to grow angry with Dellren who they thought of as a smartass, because of it all he grew more isolated in the group. Despite this Dellren did his duty and helped wage the continuous gang war against the Opulent Rose. He honed his abilities and learned to be ever quicker in battle and began to use the terrain of the city to his greater advantage, he could lure his foes into a sense of power and quickly turn the battle against him. Some time after his 15th birthday the higher ups began to take notice in Dellren’s talents and a captain named Ulridg Blackman approached him with a position within the Copper Raven that would better use his skills. He took the promotion without hesitation in hopes his intelligence and talent would be more appreciated. The group that Dellren would be working with called themselves the Hidden Claw and it consisted of other men that had similar talents as him. The group consisted of spies and burglars using their talents to sneak into rival territory and retrieve information and plunder. Dellren enjoyed working with like minded men and the organization completed dozens of successful missions together. Over time Dellren became ever more skilled but despite everything the Copper Raven began to lose territory to the Opulent Rose and members within the organization grew restless. Ulridg was one of these men and he began using Dellren to spy against his own people in order to help Ulridg gain leverage against some of the other leaders. The secrets that Dellren uncovered in this time where shocking to say the least. It became known that the leader of the Copper Ravens as well as his closest associates where working for the Opulent Rose, selling secrets and even territory, even sending Copper Raven men into losing battles in order to secure Opulent Rose victory. This was all the information Ulridg needed to begin his coup. Dellren was 19 at the time and even though the coup was successful he had become even more disheartened by his organization. It was at this time that Dellren asked Ulridg to leave the Hidden Claw and the Copper Ravens. While he tried to convince Dellren to reconsider he eventually conceded, Dellren was one of his most trusted allies and had earned the right to leave and do as he pleased. Taking his possessions, Dellren left Jenara and headed east stopping first in the port city of Tarsen. It was here that Dellren gained a name for himself as a mercenary who specializes in finding criminals and lost property. He did not wish to get back into the politics of the guild wars but he had a talent, and needed to eat, so he used his skills purely against petty crimes and robber. This way he would not incur the wrath of the larger organizations and the forces of law would be behind him. Despite this, things did not always go as planned. While working in Tarsen Dellren received a job to track down a very expensive broach that was stolen from an appraiser who was under the protection of the Red Hand Sea Dogs. It took some time but Dellren discovered that a man named Iven Vesp was trying to sell the broach but was having some trouble. Dellren snuck into the man’s home in an attempt to retrieve the item and that is where things went wrong. Vesp had gotten wind of Dellren’s snooping and had set up an ambush with some men from the Nadrar guild who Vesp worked with and had organized the theft. He tried to talk his way out of a fight, requesting just the broach. Vesp found this laughable and the thugs attacked the fight ending with Dellren killing a few of them and escaping with the broach. Normally an organization would move on from such a loss but the broach was very important to the Nadrar guild and Vesp was ordered to kill Dellren for his interference. Dellren was paid for retrieving the broach and the Rend Hand Sea Dogs quickly had it moved from the city to keep it out of Nadrar hands. Dellren would have one more encounter with Vesp before he left the city. While sleeping at an Inn controlled by the Red Hand Sea Dogs assassins hired by Vesp entered and attempted to murder Dellren in his sleep. Luckily for him guards on watch alerted Dellren and he was able to escape while the guards held them off. He spent no time in Tarsen that night and fled further east arriving in Greyhaven. It is here where the 22 year old now resides and works. Traveling from the city when the need arise and staying ever vigilant of Iven Vesp’s reprisal. Over time Dellren gained the nickname the Ferret as he is talented at ferreting-out and bringing criminals from hiding and finding that which is lost. Personality Dellren has no time for the politics of the world. He is trustworthy and gives respect where it is earned and expects no less in return. He is not very diplomatic however and if treated wrong he is quick to fight back. Those that are willing to listen find him charming and intelligent, those that are more simple minded might find him annoying and a wise ass. He favors the law but will often go above and beyond it in order to complete his tasks. He is some times seen as a vigilante and some law forces disagree with his methods. Dellren often seeks out like minded individuals to work with as he find the more notoriety he gets the more hunted he becomes as well as the more dangerous work he is requested for. Description Standing at 5 foot 6 inches and weighing 133 pounds, Dellren is by no means and imposing figure. He is muscular, especially in his legs and is quick and agile. He works mostly at night and wears non-revealing clothing and as such he is slightly pale. He almost completely wears darker browns and blue clothing. His boots and gloves, which he considers some of his more useful tools, are very finely crafted. They intricate runes drawn upon them and are thick and well padded. While working Dellren wears a dark black cloak with hood that covers his body completely, hiding his armor and weapons from view of others. His body is abundant with small scares, battle wounds from his time on the streets with the Copper Raven. He has long brown hair almost always tied back into a pony tail. Allies Ulridg Blackman and the Copper Raven: Despite leaving the organization Ulridg has a strong friendship with Dellren and will give him aid and shelter whenever he is in Jenara. Some members of the Copper Ravens still have no love for Dellren but loyalty to the organization keeps them in line. Ulridg will often call on Dellren for jobs that he is strongly suited for. Dellren finds the Hidden Claw to be the most useful wing of the Copper Ravens that he can turn to. If there is information he needs in the region that common folk would not know it is the Hidden Claw he turns to. Red Hand Sea Dogs: While they have had no other use for Dellren after the broach was returned they may call on him again if their property where to fall in to another’s hand. He has proven his worth well and they have no problem turning to outside forces that can get the job done. Enemies Iven Vesp and the Nadrar guild: Despite not knowing what the broach he retrieved was for he has come to known that it is highly sought after. Iven Vesp hunts him relentlessly in order to seek revenge. The Nadrar guild has excommunicated Vesp until he completes this task and he intends to. Works well with others Dellren works best when he is able to use his talents to catch his opponents unaware or off guard. In a group he is best suited backing up armored allies or protecting spell casters. In situations where opponents have the higher ground Dellren is quite adept at removing this advantage and then striking out at foes who where relying on such advantage. He is also good at find information for a party that might otherwise be impossible to get. He can scout well, staying out of sight of foes and warning others of what is to come. These are some tactics that Dellren can employ with his combat tricks. Weren’t walls built to stop?: With a move speed of 7 squares and with the Run feat Dellren is able to use his Walk the Walls skill trick to move 40 feet vertically. Out of Reach, Out of Harm: Using corner perch skill trick and his high climb it is possible for Dellren to get multiple rounds using his Hammer of Returning to attack foes and stay out of reach. Using his Daredevil Athlete feat he can effectively negate the +5 DC to the check for a few rounds. Hit and Run: Combining Improved Feint, Group Fake-Out, Timely Misdirection and his great speed Dellren can use hit and run tactics against foes that catch him in wide open areas and city streets. Hey! I see you down there: If the need arises to climb down a wall toward enemies Dellren can use Wall Jumper to leap from the wall over his opponents head as if he had a running start. Combining this with the Extreme leap trick Dellren can move 20 feet horizontal after climbing with a DC 10 jump check.
TheScapegoat 08-30-07, 12:55 AM	Also thought I would post this. I was going to include it on my entry but I didn't because it just made the length of the entry obscene and I am not a great writer and I didn't want it to bring down my entry. However Not posting it would have made the time spent in vain. So for those at all interested: The Events at the home of Iven Vesp The moon loomed high overhead as Dellren crept through the alley behind the Vesp home. He had prepared for this mission for the last week and was ready. His informant had reveled that Vesp kept the broach in a small safe in his study. Lucky for him it was not trapped and only a small lock would stand behind him and his job. That was it? The lights where all out and no movement could be seen within except for two guards who sat around lazily in the kitchen. Dellren waited and watched for several hours before he began to scale the walls onto the roof of the building. On the roof he crept slowly to the chimney and then quickly made his way down the narrow hole. At the bottom a few coals still burned slightly but it was easy for Dellren to avoid as he entered the homes meeting room. This job would be easy thought Dellren, but only for a moment as men come charging from a nearby room and a guard that he had not seen came out from hiding behind a bookshelf. The ambush was sprung quickly and Dellren pulled his shortsword ready for battle as a man appeared on the catwalk above holding a lantern. It was Iven Vesp. “Welcome to my home thief, I know what you come for but you will not have it. I wonder if we should kill you or just alert the guards.” Despite the situation Dellren was not worried as he responded, “Instead you could give me what I come for and we can all leave here without any bloodshed.” Vesp as well as the guards began to laugh and without hesitation Dellren took hold of the situation. Using a shelf near the fireplace he leapt like a cat up the wall and grabbed onto the railing above and quickly pulled himself out of the grasping arms and swinging swords of the thugs below. Vesp used the lantern he held as a weapon and swung at Dellren unsuccessfully. As soon as he had cleared the railing Dellren was on Vesp grabbing him by the arm in an attempt to take the man down. The two struggled for mere moments before Dellren had overpowered Vesp and sent him tumbling through the railing to the floor below. Vesp would have been hurt greatly if not caught by two of the thugs below. “Move you fools, stop that bastard.” Vesp responded to the saving catch. With great speed Dellren ran down the second story hallway turning left into a small room that served as Vesp’s study. Dellren quickly closed the door and toppled a nearby shelf in front of it. That should hold them he thought as he moved to the desk and the small safe that rested below. He drew his lock picks and went to work. He moved quickly and nearly had the safe open when he first heard noise outside the door. The lock was rather easy for such a precious item and he had the safe open before his improvised defense gave way. “Cocky fools,” he spoke aloud as the first man came thru the broken door and the man received a hammer to the skull for his troubles toppling forward as more men rushed in and trampled over him. The hammer returned to Dellren’s hand as he pulled out his shortsword to meet the next mans attack. He dodged left and right and when he saw his opening struck out at the man’s throat causing a huge gash and blood gushing everywhere. The thug fell forward in front of Dellren as more men came forward, now Vesp was seen in the doorway. “You will pay for everything you have done here tonight Dellren!” Vesp shouted, “You know not who you are stealing from. My bosses will not allow this to stand even if you survive.” Dellren ignored Vesp’s words, focusing on the men surrounding him. He was too quick for the simple fighters and caught them off guard allowing him to circle their position and put himself between them and the door. It was going well for Dellren but he was now stuck between Vesp and the thugs and he would have to act fast before his advantage was lost. “It is over now,” Vesp laughed as he moved in to attack Dellren with a knife. The thugs swung their shortswords widely at Dellren and he was caught in the side by a strong blow. Dellren used all his talents to avoid the attacks and was unable to retaliate forcefully. He would need to make a fast exit or he would not make it out alive. Without thought Dellren tossed his sword over Vesp’s head and piled full force into the man sending Vesp stumbling backward. The two wrestled on the ground for a moment as the thugs attempted to grab Dellren and pull him their boss. The grapple spilled out into the hallway and Dellren quickly pushed Vesp aside and rolled to his feet grabbing up his shortsword. Vesp made a desperate attempted to grab at Dellren but he fell short before giving Dellren the chance to escape back down the hallway with Vesp and his thugs bounding after him. With a leap Dellren jumped from the breach in the railing and nearly cleared the room landing just before the front door of the home. Before Vesp and his men where down the stairs Dellren had opened the doorway and bounded out into the dark streets with his bounty in tow. “Idiots!” Vesp shouted in rage, “go now and find that thief. And alert the bosses to what has happened. That broach can’t leave the city!”
Longtime_Lurker 08-30-07, 01:22 AM	2nd Entry for me (assuming no one else has during the three hours I have been formatting this thing - there must be an easier way - anyone??). ***edit*** bwhahaha second indeed. Good to see plenty of entries already. So. Many. Options. I went through at least 15 concepts for this one. :) There comes a rumbling from beneath your feet and you have the good sense to step to the side before an explosion of dirt and small stones shower the spot where you were just standing. A leather clad, thick snout with a mean jaw is soon followed by the squat, powerful form of a wolverine, almost as large as you, and at least five times as pungent. Atop the creature a curious contraption of bone and leather, with a thick glass window in the front, provides the ideal perch for a small figure, clad head to toe in chain and leather, with an all encompassing leather helm set with thick lenses. Unbuckling straps binding it to the saddle the figure slides off, as the wolverine clears the hole to allow an almost equally large (and possibly smellier) badger, similarly saddled but bearing packs rather than a rider, to emerge behind it – grunting noisily as it pulls itself to the surface. Brushing itself clean the figure looks up at you from waist level. “Excuse me young…person…could you…” the voice is muffled as the figure struggles with the strange headgear, stumbles and almost trips over the wolverine’s massive paw. With a nudge of its muzzle, and a gentle growl, the wolverine straightens the figure up allowing her to extricate herself from the helmet and shake free dark, wavy but ultimately really quite dirty hair down to her waist. “Sorry, yes, as I was saying I appear to have made a bit of detour and become somewhat disoriented and… oh by the way, before I forget, you have a bit of choker problem in some caverns about a mile south. We got most of them, I mean I say we, Snikt did most of the hard work (the wolverine glances up expectantly at the sound of the name), and even Grumble got one of the little blighters, didn’t you Grumble.” She pats the badger on the head affectionately, muttering praise whilst absently checking pockets for a treat. The badger grunts irritably and begins to nudge at the small gnome, causing her to lose her balance once again, only to be righted by the ever attentive Snikt. “Now see Grumble, you’ve gone and spoilt it you curmudgeonly old cursnuffle” she scolds “and you were doing so well too. Now where was I, oh yes, chokers. They weren’t really a problem but you should probably get the mayor to round up a few of the boys and have a bit of nosey round down there to make sure I got ‘em all ‘cause otherwise you’ll only have another nest to deal with six months down the line and I have a hippogriff to foal around that time so I’ll be right up north past Wirrelwater and it’s too long a trip at that time of year just for a nest of chokers…. I’m sorry where are my manners? Owtikkvana Emiliya Raddavinshi Burrowlilly, animal trainer to the gentry, gems cut to order, underground excursions to your specification and, on one occasion that I would just as sooner forget thank you so very much Orlin I call myself the Bold but actually I have a brain of old cheese and the valour of three day old yogurt, digger of latrines for four hundred conscripted, but alas unconstipated, Bugbear soldiers. At your service.” She proffers a small hand in your direction and you look down onto an open, honest face, with hazel eyes that twinkle as if you are not quite in on the joke. You notice now that the dark hair is beginning to run to grey at the temples and the face is lined quite heavily, from both age and wear. “I was hoping that you could tell me where old Loafer….erm…. I mean I was hoping that you could provide me with directions to Lord Kaluuns manor house; I understand it is just outside the village? We are old friends you see and when he came into possession of a young Pegasus well he knew exactly who to call. I got his letter a few weeks ago (she rustles about inside her armour and produces a grubby crumpled sheet of parchment which she peers at, blinking in the bright light), this is… Poppywell isn’t it?” Having set the cheerful, but slightly eccentric gnome on the right path, and listened to several tales full of glowing praise for Snikt’s bravery, skill or lovely, sociable, “he only bites them when they get him all riled up deliberately” personality she climbs back into the strange saddle contraption, hoists a long shield (emblazoned with a golden badger rampant on a brown field) onto one arm and with a call of “Onwards” the wolverine moves off in the direction you indicated, pausing only long enough as she passes to press a tiny badger, perfectly carved from what looks like amber, into your hand with a cheery “thanks for the help!”. And with that Gnome, Wolverine and an obviously sulking badger trundle out of the village towards the manor. ************ “What a nice youngster” thought Burrowlilly as she rounded the corner, leaving the small village behind her “Mind you he can’t be much older than Parlo was when we first met”. Yes those had been the good old days. Parlo “Loafer” Kaluun, best swordsman in the country (by his own reckoning); Ishmalion the Younger, elven spellweaver from beyond the sea; the Dwarf brothers, “Smash” and “Grab” Boulderfingers; the beautiful Sophie, through whom Pelor granted his gifts and Burrowlilly (of course!) had formed quite the team back then. From their first meeting, when the friends were thrown together by a goblin raid on a local village, to their triumphant return to Holborn after recovering the Tablets of Eei from Vargasas, the terrible Night Hag of Purl, they had always pulled together as a group and overcome the odds. Then Karvak joined them. Burrowlilly hadn’t liked him from the start, he had made Snikt nervous. Of course to start with things were fine, Parlo liked having someone to spar with who was, almost, his equal and Sophie was, for some reason besotted with his blue eyes, blonde wavy hair and chiselled, hairless body. But the group were no longer just a group of friends. Karvak started hiring out their services to anyone who would pay his fees, previously the friends had been happy to lend their aid to those in need, irrespective of the prospective financial rewards. Whilst Smash and Grab had few moral concerns about it (and were happy with the increased income), and Sophie was too blindly devoted to the man to question him the other three began to question Karvak’s motives for joining them in the first place. The problems came to a head when Karvak accepted a commission to enter a recently discovered temple site in the hills and recover a sceptre that was reputed to lie there. Having made it past some fairly primitive traps the Brothers Boulderfinger announced that they had gained entry to the main chamber, but that something wasn’t right. There were more than a dozen elves lying as if sleeping, bathed in a silver light, with a central figure seated on a crystal throne bearing a sceptre of white marble. Parlo announced that he would not allow the obvious sanctity of the place to be disturbed. With a sneer Karvak pushed past Parlo and made to go into the tomb. What happened next no one knows, except those who were there, and they are not saying. One day later there was an unseasonable and unusually powerful rockslide which buried the hillside beneath tons of debris. That was 40 years ago. What is known is that only one of the dwarven brothers came out of the temple complex; changed his name back to Durven Jurgenson and opened a brewery named “Grab’s” in a small dwarven mining town. Karvak became increasing ruthless as time went on, founding a new group who were successful, if brutal, mercenaries. After 10 years virtually ruling a sizable collection of villages and small towns he simply vanished one night. Rumours are that he has gone north to gather an army; other rumours place him in the south where he seeks a powerful weapon that will make him even more dangerous. Six years ago a village was reportedly wiped out in a bloody massacre by a man fitting Karvaks description. Of course Karvak was human so he would be much older and look different by now surely? Sorry is the tale of the fall of grace of Ishmalion. He was never the same after the events at the temple and began to delve deeper and deeper into necromantic magic, seeking to contact the dead, or so they say. His location is well known, he has a small tower on a lonely hilltop surrounded by barren moorland. He gets few visitors, although locals say that winged creatures visit him on moonless nights bringing secrets from around the world. Then again villagers say that the old crone across the street can summon beings from the beyond, yet she cannot seem to get her cat to come into the cottage. Sorrier still the story of Sophie. No longer able to speak with her god she descended to madness, eventually walking into the sea and offering herself to Procan. She is presumed drowned. Parlo Kaluun actually did rather well for himself in the intervening years. He had invested his adventuring earnings well and bought himself a number of vineyards and a small manor house where he dwells to this day with his wife and three children. Quite the local celebrity parties at Kaluun manor are legendarily decadent affairs. He has a keen interest in flying beasts and is always on the lookout for a new addition to his aviary come stables. For this reason he has remained in contact with Burrowlilly. Now nearing 70 Parlo’s best days are behind him but he has a comfortable life and is happy with his lot. Owtikkvana Burrowlilly returned home after the unpleasantness (as she calls it) and started an animal training business with her brother Pugtikkvan, teaching badgers and wolverines to assist the gem miners who were common to the area. Over many years Owtikkvana (usually just referred to as Burrowlilly) became quite well known as “the best” person to see about an uncooperative beast, and minor nobles from throughout the realm began to request her presence to deal with an unruly horse, hippogriff or other, more exotic creature. The golden badger symbol that she has adopted as a sort of informal heraldry has become synonymous with “Job Done Right” just as it has with “What the hell is that big ball of fur, claws and teeth and is it going to eat me?”. Burrowlilly firmly believes that animals are incapable of evil, or indeed of being dangerous or even aggressive in any way. Even the most belligerent rampaging bull would be greeted by a friendly smack on the nose (a box may be employed for height) and the words “he’s just showing off, he’s a softy really”. Strange thing is it often works. With middle age fast approaching Burrowlilly has felt an urge to get back out into the world, she is sure that there is something she must do, business left unfinished. The arrival of the letter from Parlo has spurred her on and she has sold her share of the family business to finance “one last trip”. She hopes to make contact with as many of her old friends as possible, starting with Parlo, but if she is unable to travel in their company and group of “young ‘uns” will do. Owtikkvana Burrowlilly Neutral Good Female Gnome Ranger 5/Beastmaster 4*** - using gnome ranger substitution level 4 from Races of Stone Size: S Height: 3’1” Weight: 36lbs Age: 94 Speed: 20 ft HD: 5d8+15 + 4d10+12; HP: 75 AC: 20 (10 -1 [dex] +5 [armour] +5 [shield] +1 ) Touch AC: 10 Flat Footed: 20 +4 dodge bonus to AC vs. Giants (racial) BAB: +9/+4 Grapple: +7 Normal Attack: +13/+8 melee (1d4 + 3/crit x4, +1 Adamantine Heavy Pick) +1 to attacks vs. kobolds and goblinoids (racial) +2 to damage rolls vs. Animals (favoured enemy) +4 to damage rolls vs. Magical Beasts (favoured enemy) Stats Str: 14 (+2) – 6 points, -2 racial penalty, increased at levels 4 and 8 Dex: 8 (+2) – 0 points Con: 16 (+3) – 6 points, +2 racial bonus, Int: 14 (+2) – 6 points Wis: 12 (+1) – 4 points Cha: 14 (+2) – 6 points Saves Fort: +11 (+4 [ranger] +4 +3 [con]) Ref: +7 (+4 [ranger] +4 [Beastmaster] -1 [dex]) Will: +3 (+1 [ranger] +1 [Beastmaster] +1 [wis]) Special Qualities: Low-light vision; Languages spoken: Common, Gnome, Dwarf, Draconic Skills Craft (Gemcutting) +12, (8 ranks + 2 + 2 [tool, circumstance]) [B]Handle Animal +19, (12 ranks +2 [cha] +2 [animal affinity] +3 [skill focus]) [SIZE="1"]Burrowlilly gains an additional +2 [circumstance] when using her animal training kit to teach tricks (Total +21) Burrowlilly gains an additional +4 bonus when using this skill with Snikt or Grumble (total +23) Heal +12, (7 ranks +1 [wis] +2 +2 [healer’s kit, circumstance]) [B]Knowledge (Dungeoneering) +10, (8 ranks +2 [int]) Knowledge (Nature) +5, (1 rank +2 [int] +2 [synergy, survival]) Listen +17, (12 ranks +1 [Wis] +2 [alertness] +2 [racial]) Burrowlilly gains +2 on Listen checks involving animals (favoured enemy) Burrowlilly gains +4 on Listen checks involving magical beasts (favoured enemy) Profession (Miner) +9, (8 ranks +1 [Wis]) Ride +16, (12 ranks -1 [dex] +2 [synergy, handle animal] +2 [animal affinity] +1 [armour, circumstance]) Search +10, (8 ranks +2 [int]) Survival +13, (12 ranks +1 [Wis]) Burrowlilly gains +2 on survival checks underground (synergy, knowledge dungeoneering) Burrowlilly gains +2 on survival checks to follow tracks (synergy, search) Burrowlilly gains +2 on survival checks involving animals (favoured enemy) Burrowlilly gains +4 on survival checks involving magical beasts (favoured enemy) Feats Alertness – Beastmaster 2 bonus feat Animal Affinity – 1st level feat Armour Proficiency (Light) – Ranger 1 Endurance – Ranger 3 Exotic Shield Proficiency* (Riding Shield) – 6th level feat Martial Weapon Proficiency – Ranger 1 Natural Bond*** (Grumble) – 9th level feat Shield Proficiency – Ranger 1 Simple Weapon Proficiency – Ranger 1 Skill Focus (Handle Animal) – 3rd level feat Track – Ranger 1 Features Animal Companion: Snikt – Ranger Level 4, Equivalent Druid Level: 12th* Combat Style: Two Weapon Fighting – Ranger 2 Extra Animal Companion***: Grumble – Beastmaster 4, Equivalent Druid Level: 4th (natural bond) Favoured Enemy: +2 vs. Animals, +4 vs. Magical Beasts – Ranger 1 and 5 Wild Empathy: +11 – (+5 [ranger] +4 [Beastmaster] +2 [charisma]) Burrowlilly gains a +4 bonus on wild empathy checks with Snitkt or Grumble Speak with Animals: Burrowlilly can speak with animals (SLA, caster level 4) once per day - Beastmaster 3*** Burrowlilly can speak with burrowing animals for 1 minute once per day - Race Burrowlilly can speak with Snikt at will - Gnome Ranger 4* Dancing Lights: (DC13, CL1) – 1/day spell like ability - Race Prestidigitation: (DC12, CL1) – 1/day spell like ability - Race Ghost Sound: (DC13, CL1) - 1/day spell like ability - Race Possessions - carried Cash 0.3lbs 3gp, 10sp +1 Adamantine Small Heavy Pick 3lbs 5,008gp +3 Rider's Shield* (Signature Crest* - Badger Rampant) 7.5lbs 9,275gp +1 Chain Shirt with Riding Straps* 12.5lbs 1,450gp Traveller’s Outfit 2.5lbs Free Brute Gauntlets** 0lbs 500gp Watch Lamp** 0lbs 500gp Healing Belt** 1lb 750gp Wand of Cure Light Wounds (20 charges) 0.1lb 300gp Wand of Bull's Strength (8 charges) 0.1lb 720gp Belt Pouch 0.5lbs 1gp Bloodstock Book - records of all of the animals she has ever bred or trained 1.5lbs 15gp 2 Inkpen 0lbs 0.2gp 9 Sheets of Parchment (sheet) 0lbs 1.8gp 3 Ink (1 oz. vial) 0lbs 24gp Flint and steel 0lb 1gp 2 Small Diamonds 0.02lbs 100gp Lapis Lazuli 0.01lbs 10gp Eye Agate 0.01lbs 9gp Small Piece of Amber 0lbs 5gp Spell Component Pouch 3lbs 5gp Holly and Mistletoe 0lbs Free Small Masterwork Alchemical Silver Handaxe 1.5lbs 326gp Rod of Viscid Globs** 2lb 2,000gp ------------------ ----------------- Total Carried 35.54lbs 21,005gp ------------------ ----------------- Spells Burrowlilly usually memorizes [I]Rapid Burrowing (Spell Compendium) as her only spell. Snikt Neutral Medium Animal (Wolverine) HD: 9d8+45; HP: 92; Init +4; Speed: 30 ft, burrow 10 ft., climb 10 ft.; AC: 30 (10 +4 [dex] +8 [natural] +3 [armour] +5 [riding shield, when ridden only]) Snikt gains a +1 [dodge bonus, feat] against a single target Touch AC: 14 Flat-Footed: 26 BAB: +6/+1; Grapple: +10; Attacks: +12/+12 melee (1d4 + 5, claws, magic), +9 melee (1d6 + 3, bite, magic); SA: Rage; SQ: Low-light vision, scent; Saves: Fort +11, Ref +10, Will +4; (+4 morale bonus against enchantments) Str 18, Dex 18, Con 20, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 10 Skills and Feats: Climb +18, Listen +6, Spot +6; Alertness, Dodge, Multiattack, Toughness, Track, Weapon Focus (Claw). Special Abilities: Animal Companion Advancement (+6 HD), Evasion, Low-light Vision, Rage, Scent, Devotion, Tricks: Combat Riding, Fetch, Subdue, Hunt, Work Possessions: Amulet of Mighty Fists +1 (6,000gp, 0lbs), Leather Barding +1 (2,320gp, 15lbs), Burrowers Riding Saddle* (40gp, 12.5lbs), Rider + Gear (71.54lbs – see Burrowlilly above). Total value of Snikt’s Gear = 8,360gp Total weight of Snikt’s Gear = 98.04lbs (Light Load) Grumble Neutral Medium Animal (Dire Badger) HD: 3d8+12; HP: 32 Init: +3; Speed: 20 ft (base 30 ft, medium load), burrow 10 ft. AC: 16 (10 +3 [dex] +3 [natural]) Touch AC: 13, Flat-Footed: 13 BAB: +2; Grapple: +4; Attacks: +4/+4 melee (1d4 + 2, claws), -1 melee (1d6 + 1, bite); SA Rage; SQ Low-light vision, scent; Saves: Fort +7, Ref +6, Will +4; Str 14, Dex 17, Con 19, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 10. Skills and Feats: Listen +6, Spot +6; Alertness, Toughness, Track. Special Abilities: Animal Companion (no extra hit dice), Low-light Vision, Rage, Scent. Tricks: Combat Riding, Work Possessions: Burrowers Pack Saddle* (20gp,6lb), Animal Training Kit*** (75gp, 15lbs), Merchant Scale (2gp, 1lb), 2 Healer's Kits (100gp, 2lbs), Masterwork Gem Cutting Tools (55gp, 5lbs), 10ft. Chain (30gp, 2lb), 4 Hooded Hearthfire Lanterns* (28gp, 8lbs), 2 Blocks of Hearthfire*, 24 uses (20gp, 4lbs), Flint and Steel (0lbs, 1gp), Magic Bedroll** (500gp, 6lbs), 3 x Everlasting Rations** (1,050gp, 6lbs), Iron Pot (0.5gp, 2lbs), 3 Full Waterskins (3gp, 12lbs), Shovel (2gp, 8lbs), Hammer (0.5gp, 2lbs), Crowbar (2gp, 5lbs), Masterwork Dire Pick**** (330gp, 6lbs), 10 Piton (1gp, 5lbs), Silk Rope 50 ft. (10gp, 5lb), Block and Tackle (5gp, 5lbs), Trollgut Rope** (500gp, 7lbs) Total Value of Carried Gear = 2,735gp Total Weight of Carried Gear = 112lbs (Medium Load) Sources * Races of Stone ** Magic Item Compendium *** Complete Adventurer **** Complete Warrior
Zherog 08-30-07, 10:02 AM	2nd Entry for me (assuming no one else has during the three hours I have been formatting this thing - there must be an easier way - anyone??). As far as I know, there's no easy way to do it. I tend to write board related stuff (like these characters) in Notepad. I add the tags I want as I'm typing up the entry. Once I have it done, I paste it into the reply window and then preview it to see how it looks. I fix problems, then preview again. Rinse and repeat until I'm happy, then post. I've not found a better way. What would really rock is if there was some way to take formatted text from MS Word and convert it to vb code.
FRRC 08-30-07, 12:33 PM	I use a template that i built for my characters. Just load up the .doc and theres all the stuff laid out for me. That avoids me missing things like AC out by accident. The rest of it is just pain staking work.
Zherog 08-30-07, 03:21 PM	Yeah, I sort of do that too - whether it's HC or actual freelance work. I generally find an existing piece of text and copy it, then make the changes. I do have a "blank" stat block around somewhere, which I should use; but I find it easier to just copy the last one I used and alter it.
DarkKitsune 08-30-07, 07:55 PM	And Mellani now has an image: Mellani Moonfavour (http://fox-moonglow.deviantart.com/art/Mellani-Moonfavour-63689931) :D Lurker - Maybe copying your current post (tags and all) and then pasting it into your fav. word processor? That way, next time around all the tags are already there and you won't need to go around plunking them all in :) ?
Longtime_Lurker 08-30-07, 08:39 PM	Thanks for the advice guys. I've searched high and low for a .doc to vB converter with no luck so I guess I will stick to doing manually, I can code HTML, just need to remember to use different brackets I guess :D Heaven forbid that I should ever be the first to submit anything ;) so here is the picture of Burrowlilly that I knocked up this evening. Only a quick sketch, and artistic licence means that it doesn't completely match the description (too much brown if the shield was too). I may do a final version of this at some point as I am probably going to be playing Burrowlilly in an upcoming campaign (starting at 6th rather than 9th though). http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc103/Longtime_Lurker/Burrowlilly.jpg LL
FRRC 08-31-07, 03:27 PM	What you lack in character sheet planning, you make up for good artistry in drawing bears with red balloons on their heads. :)
Longtime_Lurker 08-31-07, 04:16 PM	:pbbbtt: I agree it needs some texture though. :)
JasonOrlandoHawk 08-31-07, 06:20 PM	Jovial, The Laughing Sage “I guess wizards aren’t that bad. They’re main problem is books. You see, for a group of people so obsessed with books, they’ve never learned to write a good one.” CG Human Wizard 7/Loremaster 2 (DMG p.191) Str: 8 -1 (0 pts.) Dex: 14 +2 (6 pts.) Con: 12 +1 (Base 10 w/ 2 pts., +2 Amulet) Int: 20 +5 (Base 16 w/ 10 pts., +1 level 4, +1 level 8, +2 Headband) Wis: 12 +1 (4 pts.) Cha: 14 +2 (6 pts.) HP: 33 (9d4+9) AC: 15 (Base 10 +2 Armor +2 Dex +1 Deflection [ring]), [B]T: 13, FF: 13 Speed: 30ft Init: +2 (+2 Dex) Saves: Fort: +5 (+2 Base, +1 Con, +2 Resist [cloak]) Ref: +6 (+2 Base, +2 Dex, +2 Resist [cloak]) Will: +11 (+8 Base [Wiz +5, Lore +3], +1 Wis, +2 Resist [cloak]) Special: 1/day: Jovial may replace a Fort. Save with a Concentration check [headband]. BAB/Grapple: +4/+3 Attacks: MW Light Crossbow: +7/1d8, 19-20/x2, 80ft, Piercing Quarterstaff: +3/1d6, 20/x2, Bludgeoning Touch/Ranged Touch: +3/+6, As Spell Special Qualities: Endure Elements Aura 30ft [cloak], +5 competence bonus on trained knowledge checks to identify monster weaknesses Special Abilities: Detect Magic [Range: 5ft x highest uncast Div. spell], Lore +13 (+2 Class, +5 Int, +4 Sacred [headband], +2 synergy from Knowledge (History)), Secret (Instant Mastery ), Read Magic 3/day [headband], 1/day: Replace Fort. Save w/ Concentration check [headband], Ignore vigorous/violent motion when spellcasting [robe], 1/encounter: Conceal Spellcasting (Sleight of Hand vs. opponents Spot check), 1/encounter: Swift Concentration (Maintain Concentration on a spell as a swift action) [B]Skills: Balance: +4 (+2 Dex, +2 competence [robe]) Bluff: +10 (5 ranks, +2 Cha, +3 Familiar) Concentration: +18 (12 ranks, +1 Con, +5 competence [tunic]) Knowledge (Arcana)*: +17 (12 ranks, +5 Int) Knowledge (Religion)*: +20 (12 ranks, +5 Int, +3 skill focus) Knowledge (History)*: +10 (5 ranks, +5 Int) Knowledge (The Planes)*: +10 (5 ranks, +5 Int) Knowledge (Geography)*: +6 (1 rank, +5 Int) Sleight of Hand: +9 (5 ranks, +2 Dex, +2 synergy [bluff]) Spellcraft: +19 (12 ranks, +5 Int, +2 synergy (Knowledge (Arcana)) Speak Language: Common [initial], Draconic, Elven, Dwarven [bonus-High Int], Sylvan [skill point purchase] *: These modifiers do not include the bonuses Jovial gains when referencing his library (+2 circumstance) or making checks to identify a monster’s weaknesses (+5 competence). 78 skill points (60 wizard, 18 Loremaster) 1: 24 skill points: Concentration 4 ranks, Spellcraft 4 ranks, Knowledge (Arcana) 4 ranks, Knowledge (Religion) 4 ranks, Sleight of Hand-cc 2 ranks, Knowledge (History) 2 ranks, Knowledge (The Planes) 2 ranks 2: 6 skill points: Concentration, Spellcraft, Knowledge (Arcana, Religion, History, The Planes) 1 rank each 3: 6 skill points: Concentration, Spellcraft, Knowledge (Arcana, Religion), Sleight of Hand-cc 1 rank each 4: 6 skill points: Concentration, Spellcraft, Knowledge (Arcana, Religion) 1 rank each, Collector of Stories skill trick [CS 85] (2 skill points) 5: 6 skill points: Concentration, Spellcraft, Knowledge (Arcana, Religion), Sleight of Hand-cc 1 rank each 6: 6 skill points: Concentration, Spellcraft, Knowledge (Arcana, Religion, History, The Planes) 1 rank each 7: 6 skill points: Concentration, Spellcraft, Knowledge (Arcana, Religion), Sleight of Hand-cc 1 rank each 8: 9 skill points/Instant Mastery: Concentration, Spellcraft, Knowledge (Arcana, Religion, History, The Planes) 1 rank each, Speak Language Sylvan, Conceal Spellcasting skill trick [CS 85] (2 skill points)/Instant Mastery: Bluff 4 ranks 9: 9 skill points: Concentration, Spellcraft, Knowledge (Arcana, Religion, Geography) Bluff-cc 1 rank each, Swift Concentration skill trick [CS 90] (2 skill points) Feats/Skill Tricks: 1: Collegiate Wizard (CA p.181), Skill Focus (Knowledge: Religion) - Human Bonus, Scribe Scroll [Item Creation] - Wizard Bonus 3: Silent Spell [Metamagic] 4: Collector of Stories [Mental] skill trick (CS p.85) 5: Transdimensional Spell [Metamagic] (CA p.84) – Wizard Bonus 6: Spell Focus (Divination) 8: Conceal Spellcasting [Manipulation] skill trick (CS p.85) 9: Magic Sensitive [Reserve] (CM p.44), Swift Concentration [Mental] skill trick (CS p.90) Spells & Spellbook: Spells/Day: 4/4/4/3/2/1 (Base) & 0/2/1/1/1/1 (Bonus) Save DC: 15 + Spell Level (+1 Divination) Notes: Divination Spells operate at +1 Caster Level. Spells in Italics are from the Divination school. Typical Spells Prepared: (Jovial typically leaves one spell slot/level open so that he has some flexibility.) Level 0 (4/day): Detect Magic, Prestidigitation, Open/Close, 1 empty slot Level 1 (6/day): True Strike, Magic Missile, Mage Armor, Summon Component, Ray of Enfeeblement, 1 empty slot Level 2 (5/day): Detect Thoughts, See Invisibility, Scorching Ray, Levitate, 1 empty slot Level 3 (4/day): Tongues, Fireball, Hold Person, 1 empty slot Level 4 (3/day): Unluck, Evard’s Black Tentacles, 1 empty slot Level 5 (2/day): Rary’s Telepathic Bond, 1 empty slot Spellbook: 0-level: All 0-level PHB spells (19 pages) 1-level: Identify, True Strike, Detect Secret Doors, Mage Armor, Magic Missile, Ventriloquism, Protection from Evil, Expeditious Retreat, Disguise Self, /Low-light Vision (CA p.113), Summon Component (CM p.118), True Casting (CM p.121), Armor Lock (CS p.95)/Ray of Enfeeblement, Reduce Person, Dawnburst (CM p.101) (16 pages/3 extra spells: 450gp) 2-level: See Invisibility, Locate Object, Levitate, Scorching Ray, /Invisibility, Heart of Air (CM p.106), Protection from Arrows, Spymaster’s Coin (CS p.104)/Detect Thoughts, Summon Swarm, Familiar Pocket (CA p.106) (22 pages/3 extra spells: 900gp) 3-level: Tongues, Dispel Magic, Fireball, Fly, /Hold Person, Spellcaster’s Bane (CM p.117), Heart of Water (CM p.107), Unicorn Horn (CM p.121)/Explosive Runes (27 pages/1 extra spell: 450gp) 4-level: Arcane Eye, Locate Creature, Dimension Door, Remove Curse, /Defenestrating Sphere (CA p.103), Unluck (CA p.128), Orb of Force (CA p.116), Heart of Earth (CM p.105)/Evard’s Black Tentacles (36 pages/1 extra spell: 600gp) 5-level: Rary’s Telepathic Bond, Cone of Cold, Heart of Fire (CM p.107), Unicorn Blood (CM p.121)/Telekinesis (25 pages/ 1 extra spell: 750gp) Items(on person): (Gear Total: 35,326gp/16lb) Notes: Items marked with a (*) are kept in the HHH, which negates their weight for purposes of carrying capacity, Light Load: Up to 26 lbs. Silver Holy Symbol (Pelor)/Amulet of Health +2 (4025gp /-) Headband of the Dedicated Sage (9,400gp /-) Bracers of Armor +2 (4,000gp/1lb) Tunic of Steady Spellcasting (2,500gp/1 lb/MIC p.144) Steadying Robe (1,000gp/1 lb/CM p.134) Cloak of Comfort +2 (6,000gp/2 lb/CM p.132) Ring of Protection +1 (2,000gp/-) Heward’s Handy Haversack (2,000gp/5 lb) Everfull Mug* (200gp/-/MIC p.160) Everlasting Rations* (350gp/-/MIC p.160) MW Light Crossbow w/ 20 bolts* (337gp/-) Quarterstaff (free/4 lb) Spellbooks* (x2) w/ Slipcases (70gp +3150gp for additional spells/-) Traveler’s Outfit (free at character creation/weight does not apply to carrying capacity) Spell Component Pouch (5gp/2 lb) Sunrods* x2 (4gp/-) Bottle of Fine Wine* (10gp/-) Pearl – Material Component for Identify (100gp/-) Grey Pearl – Focus for Defenestrating Sphere (100gp/-) Familiar: Tiny Viper “Baeshra” (100gp/-) Coins*: 96gp, 9sp Items (in storage): 552.1gp Chest (2gp) Spare Clothes: Traveler’s Outfit x1, Scholar’s Outfit x1, Cold Weather Outfit x1 (14gp) Jovial’s Personal Library of 10 books (500gp) Writing Supplies: 2 vials of black ink, 1 ink pen, 50 sheets of paper (36.1gp) Familiar: Baeshra, Tiny Viper HP: 16 (HD: 9) AC: 21 (+2 size, +3 Dex, +6 natural), T: 15, FF: 18 Speed: 15 ft, Climb: 15ft, Swim: 15ft Abilities: Str: 4, Dex: 17, Con: 11, Int: 9, Wis: 12, Cha: 2 Space/Reach: 2.5ft/0ft BAB/Grapple: +4/-7 Attack: Bite: +7/1+poison (Fort DC 10 1d6 Con initial & secondary damage) Fort: +2 (Base +2) Ref: +5 (Base +2, +3 Dex) Will: +9 (Base +8, +1 Wis) SA: Poison SQ: Scent, Alertness, Improved Evasion, Share Spells, Empathic Link, Deliver Touch Spells, Speak with Master, Speak with Animals of it’s Kind Skills: Hide: +15 (+4 racial, +8 size, +3 Dex), Listen: +6 (1 rank, +4 racial, +1 Wis), Spot: +6 (1 rank, +4 racial, +1 Wis), Balance: +11(+8 racial, +3 Dex), Climb: +11(+8 racial, +3 Dex), Swim: +5 (+8 racial, -3 Str) Feats: Weapon Finesse I apologize for the nature of the footnotes. After several attempts to get them to copy over correctly, I finally settled on just color-coordinating them. Technically, the synergy list indicates that 5 ranks in Knowledge (History) only gives a bonus to Bardic Knowledge checks. It says nothing about providing such a bonus to Lore checks. However, since the Lore ability references Bardic Knowledge, I believe the same rules would apply. If not, then the synergy modifier should be removed, which would leave Jovial with a total Lore modifier of +11. At each level, all spells gained were from the highest level of spells available. The first slash (at a given spell level) indicates which spells were gained first and which spells were gained later. Spells after the final slash indicate spells added through research on the side. The extra spells were added at a price of 150gp x Spell Level (50gp x spell level to research & 100gp x spell level to add to the spell book). Combination of 3 items: Headband of Intellect +2, Headband of the Lorebinder (MIC p.110), & Headband of Conscious Effort (MIC p.109) Pricing Formula (Using DMG suggestions p.282): Base price: 4,000 (HB of Int +2) + 2,400 (HB of Lore w/ +50% surcharge) + 3,000 (HB of Effort w/ +50% surcharge) = 9,400gp. The 50% surcharge was added for having multiple effects on one body slot. Slipcases are found in Complete Arcane p. 140. Each book costs 50gp and is considered a “Masterwork Tool” from the PHB. There is one book for each Knowledge skill listed in the PHB. When referenced, they provide a +2 circumstance bonus on the appropriate Knowledge checks. “Jovial!!!” The mob of children screamed as they ran towards the ragged figure that entered the courtyard. A few steps from their beloved teacher, the children were brought to an immediate halt by a swiftly raised finger. “Children, you know the rules. First, I put down the books. Then, and only then, may you tackle me.” Each child stood perfectly still. Somehow, this horde of eight year olds seemed vastly more frightening than any horde of orcs could manage. It was probably the poorly-suppressed grins of anticipation. The mage and the children knew this ritual well. “Here goes nothing.” The backpack of freshly delivered school books landed softly on a bench. Their landing was overshadowed by Jovial’s panicked footsteps, and the shrieks of laughter that followed. The chase was on! It didn’t last long. Jovial was not a runner, and the children quickly swarmed him. This was followed by several minutes of hearty laughter, greetings, and more than a little dirt being poured in the mage’s face. “Children!!” Sister Annette’s shrill voice ended the merriment. “That is not how we great a visitor to this orphanage! Get to your rooms and clean up for dinner!” The children dispersed and Jovial grasped the hand of his oldest friend. Coughing intermittently, and dusting himself off heavily, Jovial did his best to look formal. “Well, Sister, I managed to make the exchange with Tharivol, and I have acquired seven new school books for the orphanage. They’re over there on the bench, completely unscathed.” “What am I going to do with you?” Sister Annette teased. “You are supposed to be teaching these children, not rolling around in the dirt with them.” “What can I say? The children really insisted that I play in the dirt. Honestly, I couldn’t deny that request, even if I wanted to do so.” That statement sent both friends into a long spell of laughter. Finally, Sister Annette asked the question she hated the most. “How long can you stay?” “Not long, I’m afraid. I need to talk to you about something, but I’m afraid I’d rather wait until the children are sound asleep. I visited Three Falls Keep, and it seems that our fears have been confirmed; Count Vorest survived.” Annette’s eyes lit up, but Jovial cut her off. “Like I said, that conversation will come later. The real matter of concern is dinner. So, what did you make for me?” Later that evening, after a hearty meal, the children loudly demanded stories. Jovial was a legend among the children for his stories (and he truly enjoyed the telling), so after some quick rearrangements in the dining hall, everyone was gathered around the fire for Story Time. “Now children, as I understand, I’ve told you about the elves and the amazing living trees they call friends. Also, if I’m not mistaken, you’ve heard about my time with the dwarves and how I helped them fight off Shadows and other creatures of the dark. Did I tell you about my battles against the Highforest Werewolves?” The children indicated that each story, even the werewolves, was ancient history. “Well then, I must declare you ready for my favorite story of all. I have a treat. It is a story about Sister Annette.” The children all began to laugh. “As you know, I love a good meal. I have traveled for days, by land and sea, just for the sake of a good steak. I’ve even told Sister Annette, several times in fact, that I’d marry her in exchange for the recipe to her spiced potatoes.” “And I’ve told you, several times in fact, that you’ll have to make me a better offer than that if you want my recipe!” came Sister Annette’s curt reply. “Anyways, as it so happens, I have had dinner with a vampire.” The children all went wide-eyed. “To be fair, I didn’t know he was a vampire until after I got there. He threw a grand party for several important people, and I was invited, by letter, to come and tell stories for everyone’s entertainment. After I got there, I noticed several things were out of place, not the least of which was heavily boarded windows.” “You see, the vampire had carefully drugged everyone’s food, and he hoped to capture all of his guests, myself included. Of course, when I realized what was happening, I had to think quick if I wanted to escape alive. Even then, if Sister Annette hadn’t showed up at exactly the right time, I may have been a vampire’s supper. Still, it ends very well, with the castle in flames, but I think I’m telling the story out of order. I realized what was going on when I was in the foyer by the fireplace, chatting with another guest…” Several hours later, each child was safely in bed. Annette and Jovial carefully tucked them in before heading to the kitchen for a late night tea. As they sat by the low burning stove, it was apparent that Annette was less than pleased by Jovial’s tale. “I’m glad you didn’t tell the children the vampire’s name. Here one minute, you tell me he’s still around, and the next your chatting about the night he almost killed you. Have you forgotten the scars that quickly?” “Annette, I said he was back. I didn’t say he was anywhere near us. He thinks I died that night, in the fire. We’re safe, at least for now.” Despite his words, it was clear that Annette wasn’t comforted. “Do tell the children that I am sorry to be off so soon. Make something up about me going to find a magical book about a dragon, or some other business. I don’t want them to worry.” “So, you can’t even stay a few days.” Annette knew her words weren’t a question. “Sadly, no. The wizard’s college expects my report from the Keep, and I suspect that I will be assigned to deal with Count Vorest sooner or later. Still, I insist that do not worry the children. I have learned a few tricks since the last time that I faced Vorest, and I also know how he escaped last time.” “Be off then. Still, I want you to understand one thing. You have been too lax on your teacher’s duties at this orphanage. If you don’t stick around long enough to do some decent teaching next time, I will be forced to teach the children something myself.” Jovial stiffened. “You wouldn’t.” “Don’t get to hasty. I love telling the children stories as well.” The devious grin on her face was more terrifying than the mischievous smiles the children had sported in the courtyard. “I’m sure they’ll love the story of Friar…” Jovial’s sharp cry cut her off. “Stop! That name must never be uttered again!” Deep laughter followed those words, and for lack of a better way to part ways, Jovial stepped into the night. Jovail was born Joseph Vaelgh Ledrim, to middle class merchants who made a solid profit carrying foodstuffs between several cities. It seemed that this small child was destined for an easy life. Then, the wars came. Before the child was a year old, invading orcs had laid waste to multiple cities, slain thousands, and murdered his future. Though the armies drove the orc tribes back into the mountains, Jovial’s parents were dead. He was one of many children left in the care of churches and orphanages across the land. However, he set himself apart at an early age. His home was Hillside Orphanage, an institution ran by the church of Pelor. However, while many children grew up heart-broken over their condition, young Joseph was oddly happy with his condition. By the age of five, he was known for his deep, healthy laugh. When a visiting priest made a comment about, “That jovial child,” the nickname stuck. Among the orphans, Jovial thrived. Every year, more children joined the orphanage. One young girl, Annette Kilana, had lost her parents in a similar manner to Jovial. However, unlike Jovial, she was old enough to remember the night that her parents home was set ablaze by the orcs. When Jovial saw her tears, he responded by teaching her to laugh again. A friendship was born. Because of Hillside’s association with the church of Pelor, both Jovial and Annette showed a deep desire to join the church as adolescents. However, while both of them were devoted to Pelor, it quickly became apparent that Jovial was a little too… distracted. Though he learned his book lessons well, he never could stay awake during the rites and rituals. He also had a bad habit of “examining” interesting books and wandering off with them still in his possession. Jovial was sincere, but not cut out for Priesthood. Luckily, one of the eldest priests, Father Anilio recognized Jovial’s true potential. A few months later, Jovial arrived at the Tenurth Magic Academy to be trained as a wizard. At Tenurth, Jovial’s natural curiosity found ample room to explore, and before long, he was a star student. Jovial showed an incredible interest in books, and in divination magic as his talents developed (but not quite enough to become a true diviner). He quickly became known for his ability to retell any story perfectly, time after time. By the age of twenty, he had collected enough stories to become a junior librarian at the college. Jovial’s keen mind was critical in several of the military’s efforts to remove encamped orc tribes from the mountains, and over the years, peace has returned to the area. Years have come and gone, and Jovial’s adventures, or as Annette refers to them, “Jovial’s self-inflicted sources of misery,” have been many. However, through them all he has never forgotten his home: Hillside Orphanage. Every adventure has been an opportunity for Jovial to repay the kindness of his childhood sanctuary. Jovial has been a source of multiple books, potent medicines, and even a few rescues in the past (how is it that children always manage to find trolls at the worst times?). Jovial recently acquired the status of Loremaster from the college, and was gifted with a powerful magical headband to aid him in his studies. Shortly thereafter, the incident with Count Vorest took place. Jovial managed to conceal his spellcasting long enough to send a defenestrating sphere hurtling around the room. The distraction gave him just long enough to set everything in arms reach aflame. Before long, the castle started to crumble from the violence of the spells going back and forth. Sister Annette, guided by a dream from Pelor, pulled Jovial’s unconscious body from the ruins and nursed him back to health. Since that time, Jovial has traveled undercover, trying to determine if Vorest survived, and what plans the vampire could have in motion. His recent investigations indicate only that Count Vorest has resurfaced far north, near the mountains… Jovial is in his early 30’s, and stands about 5’8’’. He is wiry, but he has started to gain weight in recent years (too many spicy potatoes maybe?). He has brown hair, green eyes, and a deep, hearty laugh. Jovial’s status is that of a Sage, and he is frequently sought out by members of the Mage’s College for advice. If he doesn’t know a story that will help, he knows which library probably has the right book. Jovial has a particular love for religious stories, stemming from his unsuccessful attempt to become a priest. As for his goals, Jovial is attempting to broaden the scope of his expertise (reflected in the new knowledge skills), and is seeking information regarding various magical locations, particularly the famous Cloudseat (CM 147) which he hopes will increase his magical prowess. He is constantly on the lookout for Count Vorest and his minions. Of course, he will go to any length to defend Hillside from danger. His allies include several mages and a few priests of Pelor, particularly Sister Annette. She is not a romantic interest. They considered marriage in their early twenties, but their lives proved too hectic for such an arrangement to be possible. They remain close friends, to this day. Jovial also sponsored another orphan for admittance to Tenurth Academy. The young halfling, Hastus, shows a lot of potential in the field of Transmutation.
Mysteria 09-01-07, 03:06 PM	Hi. :) I just discovered this (don't know how I missed this before) and felt inspired. :) H.A. Fletcher – Wilderness Guide No mountain is too high, no valley to deep. You name the place and I will take you there. Inquiries to be made at the Green Dragon Inn Fares: 20 silver a day and up, subject to negotiations. Also works as caravan guard and courier. http://images.elfwood.com/art/y/a/yang/ranger.jpg From Elfwood, by Richard Yang Background Another inn, another black board with Fletcher’s notice on it. Fletcher grew up in a little human village catering to trackers and hunters of all sort. His father, Jonathan Fletcher, was the local fletcher as was his father before him and his grandfather before that. Quite early on, Hammond decided to use his second name, Allan or Al. In fact, that happened right after his name was abbreviated for the first time by the other children in the village. He didn’t quite fancy being called something that one could eat. He was always inquisitive and forever interested in what lay beyond his little village. This desire was amplified when one winter, disease hit the village hard. With the local priest overwhelmed by the amplitude of the infection, many of the villagers died, including Al’s younger sister Daisy and his mother, Madelein Easton. Al himself was sick for weeks and even when he recovered, he was not as resistant anymore as before. Furthermore, the disease had left his face pockmarked and scarred. After that winter, Al had firmly understood that he’d not live forever and that if he wanted to see the world, he should do so right now! Thus, he was only twelve when he set out with a peddler to travel region. After only three years however, his wanderlust drove him to roam even farther. He only came home once in all the years afterwards, to talk to his father again for their last parting had been rather cool. Since then, he heard little to nothing of his birthplace, except for a letter from his step-brother, Marcus Evans. That was about three years ago and announced him the death of his father. He prayed then for him, but never felt the need to return to his roots. On his travels, he became known simply as Fletcher. He has made is own way for years now, as wilderness guide, but also as caravan guard and messenger. He most enjoys his true wilderness guide jobs, for they give him the occasion to see remote and wonderful locations. Ancient ruins, building of civilizations long forgotten, peaks of startling heights and lakes of the deepest blue: Fletcher has seen it all, and still there’s so much more to see! In particular, he’s heard a rumour that there are whole other planes out there to be discovered! But to go there, he’d first have to find somebody to take him there … In any case, before leaving for another plane, there’s one thing that rubs him the wrong way and which he’d like to set right. Three years ago, in fact just as his father had died, he had a little ‘misunderstanding’ with several adventurers he later found out were called the ‘Bloody Band’ by some. With flattery and gold, they convinced him to take them to a remote valley, but instead of an abandoned ruin of some sort or similar, it held a still inhabited wizard’s tower, and they forced Fletcher to help them raid it! However, the expedition turned to disaster and through sheer dumb luck, Fletcher escaped with his life for his ‘friends’ certainly hadn’t planned to let him get away alive out of this. This incident has had its good sides too, for it convinced him to finally join the Wild Guild, a loose association of travellers from the four corners of the world. It also pushed him to travel even farther abroad to avoid running into the Bloody Band again right away. He knows fairly well that alone and without serious back-up, he’d rather stay away from them – for now. Appearance You judge Fletcher to be somewhere in his mid-thirties, but he might well be younger. Often, people are initially taken aback by his face riddled with pockmarks and old scars between which grows a short cut, messy beard. He waits patiently for you to take in his appearance, his brown eyes calmly meet yours. He seems to be used to the looks he gets. Fletcher’s wearing a finely wrought mithral chainmail that has obviously been tailored to his own needs. Part of it is hidden beneath his linen vest and cotton trousers, but the shoulders blades and bracers are in plain sight. The armour itself looks dulled, either on purpose or through wear. Otherwise, he carries a powerful bow with a strong recurve over his shoulder, made out of a dark wood, as well as a fine sword by his side. A greenish brown cloak and high boots complete his outfit. As you look closer, you notice several more details. His long dark and wiry hair is held back by a plain mithral headband and on his right hand he wears a signet ring. As you catch a better look on it, you see a stylised sunset behind a hill engraved on it, as well as his initials – H.A.F. Personality Fletcher is a man of the road, who loves to be out there in the wild somewhere. Even after a dozen years of travel, he still hasn’t lost that drive that makes him go and look over the next hill and the next one beyond that. Unlike quite some other roadmen he’s met in his travels, he doesn’t much care for civilized settlements or their citizens. Although he’s made the effort learn most of the common languages, villages and towns are little more than roadside stops where one gets new clothes, equipment and magical gear from. In fact, if there’s a large town around, Fletcher will most often just go around it instead of into it. Another thing he doesn’t like is any place underground and if you want to convince him to go into an old tomb or crypt, you’d better have a very good reason as to why he should do so and back it up with substantial payment. Finally, a bit odd maybe for an outdoorsman, Fletcher just can’t stand if it rains for days on end. He gets moody then and easily irritated, so people tend to tiptoe around him on these days. Once you get over his initial appearance, Fletcher is easy to get to know, but hard to get close to. He loves his freedom too much to get tied down with any one person and can count the number of persons that actually call him “Al” and not Fletcher on the fingers of one hand. No woman either has managed to tie him down or has joined him in his travels, although he still fondly remembers several of them. In the same vein, he’s had several different animal companions, the latest one being a fierce eagle whose temper matches his. On the other hand, Fletcher has his principles that even he follows. He’s reliable in his work and honest in his prices. If you hire him, you can be sure that he will do everything he can to uphold his part of the contract. On the other hand, he’s not one to give away his services for free. He’ll occasionally lend a hand here or there and if there is a church of Fharlanghn on his way, he will always inquire within if his services might be of need, but by and by, he wants to get his due for his work. He’s not very picky in his contracts either, as long as he gets paid and he gets to see somewhere new, he’s much more likely to say yes than no, even to more unsavoury types. As long as he’s just there to get them from A to B and they don’t plan to end their journey with killing everything in sight, he’s good to go, although if given the choice, he’d rather travel with nicer people. Also, he’s become a bit more wary since a contract went south on him three years ago. Part of the reason why he’s so indiscriminating with his choice of contracts, is the fact that he still feels that he’s not worthy of them. There’s always somebody better around, a tougher fighter, a peerless archer, a tracker of the trackless around. Fletcher, in his own eyes, will always just be second choice. Hammond Allan Fletcher – Wilderness Guide male human ranger level 9 Alignement: Neutral (neutral good tendencies) Worships Fharlanghn Books Used: Core, Complete Adventurer (CAd), Complete Warrior (CW) and Magic Item Compendium (M) Abilities Str 14 +2 (6pts) Dex 14 +2 (4pts, +2 ability increases at level 4 and 8) Con 09 -1 (1pt) Int 16 +3 (10pts) Wis 14 +2 (6pts) Cha 09 -1 (1pt) Total points: 28 Basic Statistics Hit Points: 44 (9 + 8xd8 -9 (Con) +9 (Imp. Toughness)) (automatically stabilizes: brooch) AC: 20 (10 base +2 Dex +6 armour +2 shield) Touch 12, Flat 18 AC while using bow: 18 (10 base +2 dex +6 armour) Touch 12, Flat 16 Init +2 BAB +9/+4, Grapple +11/+6 Speed 40 (base 30 + 10ft boots, light load 103.2/116 (armour), light armour) Saves Fort +6 (+6 class -1 Con +1 cloak)(see also: endurance) Ref +9 (+6 class +2 Dex +1 cloak) (see also: evasion) Will +6 (+3 class +2 Wis +1 cloak) Attacks - ignores less than total cover (Goggles) Melee Attacks +12/+7, +1 longsword, 1d8+3, 19-20/x2, slashing +11/+6, dagger, 1d4+2, 19-20/x2, piercing or slashing +11/+6, club, 1d6+2, 20/x2, bludgeoning +4 on damage vs animals (favored enemy) +2 on damage vs magical beasts (favored enemy) (Detail: Sword: Attack: +9/+4 BAB +2 Str +1 sword = +12/+7; Damage: 1d8 +2 Str +1 sword = 1d8+3 Dagger or Club: Attack: +9/+4 BAB +2 Str = +11/+6; Damage: 1d4 or 1d6 +2 Str = 1d4+2 or 1d6+2) Ranged Attacks +8 on damage for each arrow vs animals (+4 favored enemy, +4 bow) +6 on damage for each arrow vs magical beasts (+4 favored enemy, +4 bow) Normal: +12/+12/+7, +1 hunting comp. longbow (+2Str), 1d8+3, 20/x3, 110ft range, piercing +1 on attack and damage within 30ft (point blank shot) (Detail: Attack: +9/+4 BAB +2Dex +1bow +one attack at highest BAB through rapid shot and improved rapid shot = +12/+12/+7; Damage: 1d8 +2Str +1bow = 1d8+3) Manyshot: (within 30ft of opponent) +9, +1 hunting comp. longbow (+2Str), 1d8+4/1d8+4, 20/x3, 110ft range, piercing (Detail: Attack: +9 BAB +2Dex +1 bow -4 Manyshot +1 Point Blank Shot = +9; Damage: 1d8 +2Str +1bow +two arrows per attack: 1d8+3/1d8+3) Short Description medium, 5'8" tall, 135wt, 29 years old dark brown hair, brown eyes, tanned skin Languages Automatic: Common Int bonus: Halfling, Dwarven, Elven Speak Language Skill: Draconic, Gnome, Giant, Goblin, Orc, Sylvan Skills - skill point total: 4x(6 +3 int +1 human) + 8x (6+3 int +1 human) = 120 points - treats each untrained skill as having ½ rank in that skill (Jack of All Trades Feat) - can take 10 (1/day can take 20) on balance, climb, jump, swim and tumble checks if activates belt - favored enemy bonus on bluff, listen, sense motive, spot and survival checks: +4 vs animals, +2 vs magical beasts - r = ranks, syn= synergy bonus, kit = skill kit bonus, acp = armor check penalty +12 Climb (10r +2Str +2kit -2acp) +14 Climb if using a rope (+2 syn Use Rope) +05 Craft: fletchery (+3Int +2 tools) +02 Escape Artist if bound with rope (+2Dex +2 syn Use rope -2acp) +05 Handle Animal (6r -1Cha) +10 Heal (6r +2Wis +2kit) +11 Jump (7r +2Str -2acp +4speed) +15 Knowledge: geography (12r +3Int) +17 Knowledge: nature (12r +3Int +2syn survival) +14 Listen (12r +2Wis) +09 Ride (5r +2Dex +2syn Handle Animal) Speak Language: 6 cross class ranks (12 points spent) +14 Spot (12r +2Wis) +14 Survival (12r +2Wis) +16 Survival if above ground (+2syn knowledge (nature)) +16 Survival to avoid hazards and getting lost (+2syn knowledge (geography)) +18 Survival to avoid hazards and getting lost above ground(+2syn knowledge (geography)+2syn knowledge (nature)) +05 Swim (7r +2Str -4acp) +02 Tumble (+2Dex +2syn Jump -2acp) +11 Use Rope (7r +2Dex +2 silk rope) Feats (r = ranger, b = bonus, number = level obtained) 1 – Point Blank Shot 1b human – Jack of All Trades (CAd) 1r – Track 2r – Combat Style: Archery: Rapid Shot 3 – Precise Shot 3r – Endurance 6 – Improved Toughness (CW) 6r – Improved Combat Style: Archery: Manyshot 9 – Improved Rapid Shot (CW) Other Ranger Abilities - 1st favored enemy: animals (+4) - 2nd favored enemy: magical beasts (+2) - Wild Empathy: 1d20+10 (9 ranger level -1Cha +2 synergy handle animal skill) - animal companion: eagle (as 4th level druid) - Woodland Stride - Swift Tracker - Evasion Spells Prepared 1st- 1+1 bonus: Calm animals, easy trail (CAd) 2nd- 0+1 bonus: Cure Light Wounds Animal Companion Eagle Small animal Hit Dice: 3d8+3=16hp Init: +3 Speed: 10ft; fly 80ft (average) AC 17 (+1size +3Dex, +3 natural), touch 14, flat 14 BAB:+2, Grapple:-2 Attack: 2 talons +6 melee (1d4) and bite +1 melee (1d4) Space/Reach: 5ft/5ft Special Qualities: low-light vision, evasion, link, share spells Saves: Fort +4 (3base+1Con), Ref +6 (3base +3Dex), Will +3 (1Base +2Wis) Abilities: Str 11, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 6 Skills: Listen +4 (+2Wis +2 alertness), Spot +18 (6r +2wis +8racial +2alertness) Feats: b-Weapon Finesse, 1-Alertness, 3- Flyby Attack Equipment Easy Travel (M10) Elven Chain (worn, 20wt) 7,650gp (+6AC, -2acp, max dex bonus +4, walk 10h/day without Con check to avoid non-lethal damage, carry medium load as light load) +1 Darkwood Buckler (worn, left arm, 2.5wt) 1,215gp (+2 AC, 0acp) Explorer’s outfit (worn, -wt) 0gp +1 longsword (belt left, 4wt) 2,315gp +1 hunting (M36) composite longbow (+2Str bonus) (left shoulder, 3wt) 8.600gp Quiver with 20 arrows (right shoulder, 3wt) 1gp Dagger (belt right, 1wt) 2gp Wand of Cure Light Wounds (50 charges) (belt right, -wt) 750gp Watch Lamp (M147) (head, -wt) 500gp Goggles of Foefinding (M108) (eyes, -wt) 2,500gp Cloak of Resistance (worn, 1wt) 1,000gp Brooch of Stability (M83) (worn, -wt) 1,000gp Belt of Ultimate Athleticism (M75) (worn, -wt) 3,600gp Boots of the Unending Journey (M79) (feet, 1wt) 4,000gp Signet Ring (-wt) 5gp Bedroll (below backpack, 5wt) 0.1 Belt Pouch (belt right, 0.5wt) 1gp: - Potions of lesser restoration (300gp) and remove disease (750gp) (-wt) - Coins: 24pp, 16gp, 7sp, 8cp (1.10wt) Backpack (center back, 2wt) 2gp: - Safewing Emblem (M131)(-wt) 250gp - Replenishing Skin (M173)(4wt) 1,000gp - Quiver with 20 arrows (right shoulder, 3wt) 1gp - Club (3wt) 0gp - Winter Blanket (3wt) 2gp - 5 Candles (-wt) 0.05gp - 5 Chalk Pieces (-wt) 0.05gp - Map Case (0.5wt) 1gp - Flint and steel (-wt) 1gp - Grappling Hook (4wt) 1gp - Ink (-wt) 8gp - Inkpen (-wt) 0.1gp - Small Steel Mirror (0.5wt) 10gp - 10 Parchment Sheets (-wt) 2gp - Iron Pot (10wt) 0.5gp - 2 trails rations (2wt) 2.5gp - 2x50ft silk rope (10wt) 20gp - Sealing wax (0.1wt) 0.1gp - Signal whistle (-wt) 0.8gp - Whetstone (1wt) 0.02go - Antitoxin (-wt) 50gp - 10 Tindertwigs (-wt) 10gp - MW Artisans Tools: Fletcher (5wt) 55gp - Climber’s Kit (5wt) 80gp - Healer’s Kit (1wt) 50gp - Holly and Mistletoe (-wt) 0gp - Cold Weather Outfit (7wt) 8gp
Mysteria 09-01-07, 03:09 PM	My initial 'background' on which I got carried away a bit and that thus ended up a bit too large to include as a background to be judged. :D But I figure that as I've written it now, I might as well put it up. ;) H.A. Fletcher – Wilderness Guide No mountain is too high, no valley to deep. You name the place and I will take you there. Inquiries to be made at the Green Dragon Inn Fares: 20 silver a day and up, subject to negotiations. Also works as caravan guard and courier. I’ve only put up the note two hours ago, in the two taverns and the only inn of this godforsaken village that’s slowly rotting away, and already I itch to be on the road again. But, I’ve made a principle of it: not leaving town, well, hamlet, before I’ve waited for employment for at least 2 days. I don’t remember when exactly I decided that that would be the right time to wait, but it sure seems much too long right now. Well, to be honest, it always seems much too long, but this time around, I’m afraid that I’ll have to wait out the whole two days and depart without business afterwards. Not that I mind setting out on my own once in a while, quite the contrary actually, but it seems … wrong. I feel that my skills just go to waste if I’m not travelling to show somebody the right way. So, now I’m condemned to wait in this filthy inn for another two days. Green Dragon Inn it’s called. Hah! What a fancy name for a place that’s been slowly rotting away for at least twenty years, if I know anything about it. Even the beer tastes as if it’s rotten, must be one of the worst beers that I’ve tasted … Hm, yes, almost as bad as the beer those wild elves down Farren brew. Ah but I’ll drink it anyway, got nothing better to do anyway and at least the taste will keep me from emptying it to fast and having to buy another tankard. And on top of it all, it’s still raining. I hate the rain. Ever since I was a child, I just hate the rain. No, that’s not correct, I hate this sort of rain, this slow, steady drizzle that drenches everything, sucks the colour out of the world and makes everybody miserable. Give me thunderstorm, or a quick downpour, but not this. It makes my skin crawl. I still feel like any moment my face will start bleeding, even after twenty years. Twenty years … if I run my finger across my cheek, I can still feel the pockmarks that the disease left there. The disease that came with the rain, at the beginning of winter. The ‘slimy doom’ it’s called by some, although I didn’t know the name then. I just knew that I was sick and that my skin was festering with boils that hurt like hell. I just knew that I couldn’t manage to sit up, much less stand without the world starting to spin madly around me. I just knew that it had taken my mother and my younger sister already. And I knew that I was next. But there was so much yet to see out there! So much yet to discover! The healer later said I was a tough cookie, but I know better: I’m not tough. I was just too stubborn to die without having seen the world first. So, I survived and vowed that I would see the world as soon as possible! There was no chance that I would die and all that I’d seen were just the few miles around my village. I’d always wanted to travel further than just the next village, see more than just over the next hill for beyond that was another one that hid even more secrets. Now, I vowed it solemnly, on my mother and sister’s graves. And told them that once we’d meet again in the other life, I would come and tell them of all the wonders I’d have seen. But first, I spent the winter cooped up in our cottage, fussed over by my father and my aunt. They got me everything I wanted then, just to keep me happy and so I got my first map. I still have that one somewhere in my pack, all folded up and greasy, joined by dozens of others since then. I’m not sure I’ll every use it again. And then there were the books. I must have read every single book there was to read in my little village that winter. Come spring, nothing could hold me back anymore. I had to go, go right now and start discovering the world, for it was huge and I knew that even if I lived to a hundred and fifty, I had too few years left to see it all. My father wasn’t that happy about it, but I was his miracle child and so he couldn’t refuse me anything. He set me up with a peddler that came by each spring and so I spent three years travelling with him, but came home each winter. I think my father hoped that I’d settle down once I’d seen the world a bit, but this first little taste just drove me onwards and so I left, not entirely on good terms. I only went back there once more, after I’d been travelling for a few years. I felt that I had to try once more to explain to him why I didn’t stay and take over his business. I’m not sure he ever really understood my desire to travel, but I think he accepted it in the end. And now, well, he passed away three years ago. My step-brother, managed to get a letter to me about it. I still don’t know how he managed that feat, for I haven’t been home in over ten years. Well, my little brother wanted me to come home, say hello and pray at my father’s grave, but at that point, I was halfway across the globe and had strictly no desire to go back to the little village I once called home. I said my prayers for my father at a shrine of Fharlanghn and left a quiver of self-made arrows as an offering, which my father, a fletcher, would have appreciated, and set out again, going even further away, for just over the next hill … well, I’d see soon enough, right? Well, maybe I should have gone back after all, considering what happened next. I still regret that I accepted my next job. Oh, it all started out harmlessly enough: a band of four that wanted to be taken into the Forgotten Mountains as they had found information pointing to a long forgotten ruin. They’d heard of me and sought me out and naturally, I felt flattered. They’d sought me out, me and no one other. Yes, it felt good. I’d always been just a little weaker than other wilderness guides I’d met, just a little less gifted, just a little less a natural. What others did with ease, I attained with painstaking effort, dedication and just plain stubbornness. Where others never worried about a cold, I had to push my body not to give in. I’ve seen others take wounds and not even blink where I’d have gone down in an instant. But I’d learnt to just ignore the pain and keep going. I had learnt to stay out of reach of my opponents, to think before acting, to play the game as to minimize my weaknesses and play to my strengths. And when I realized that I’d never be able to make a really good close-quarter fighter, I honed my archery skills as best as I could. But I still felt that I was just second best. Good, but not excellent. And now that group had sought me out specifically. Not a better archer, or a better tracker, or a better fighter. Me. I fell for them. I think they wouldn’t even have needed to pay me and I’d still have brought them to where you wanted to be. Just because they wanted me and not just any wilderness guide that could get the job done. Oh, but I was a fool. A few words of praise, some coins, and I headed right into a mission I didn’t have a clue about. I should have been suspicious when they didn’t want to tell me what exactly we’d find in the valley they wanted to be found to, but I didn’t and so I brought them there, naively thinking that they’d investigate some long-abandoned ruins or something in that style. It was nothing of the sort, for it was a wizard’s tower that I finally saw at the end of the valley when we got there. Notice how the little world ‘old’ is missing in front of ‘wizard’s tower’? Well, the bloody tower was still inhabited by his very territorial proprietor and his ‘pets’. Do I need to say that my ‘companions’ had decided to raid the wizards tower? Or that they’d decided over my head that they’d drag me into it against my will? Or that they’d determined quite some time ago that the only way out of the valley for me would be as a corpse? I was in over my head and if I am still alive today, it is because of sheer dumb luck and the fact that the wizard had defended his tower rather a bit better than my ‘friends’ had thought. Somewhere in the chaos of escape, I managed to knock myself out. Don’t ask me how it happened, but I woke in a tunnel somewhere in the earth and somehow made my way up to the light again. I still shudder when I think about what I’ve seen and met down there. I’ve avoided anything that’s located under the earth ever since. You want to investigate a dungeon? Sure, but go down there without me. You want to see what’s in that dark cave? Feel free to go ahead, but don’t count on me. I just don’t like the underground on bit. I think it was after that that I finally hooked up with the Wild Guild. Guild doesn’t really describe it, it’s more of a loose organisation of acquaintances that keep in touch with each other and pass on bits of information this way and that. All of them are somehow travellers of Fharlanghn’s endless roads, although not all of them actually worship him. I’d met them before, but had not really tried to ‘join’ them. Now, however, I found one of their retired members who kept a roadside in and he helped me skip country as I had no desire to run into my former ‘friends’. In hindsight, I think that one of the reasons those raiders had picked me out as a guide, was the fact that I wasn’t a Wild Guild member and thus nobody would come looking for me if I went missing afterwards. Some time afterwards, I actually learnt that every Wild Guild member recommended to avoid working for the ‘Blood Band’, as they were called. Now there’s some people I’d really want to pay back in kind some day. But live and learn. I lived and learnt, and today I’m here … in a rotting inn in a village at the end of the world. Isn’t that just great? Two more days, I keep telling myself that it isn’t that long, but the day stretches endlessly in front of me. And to cheer me up, it’s still raining outside. Bloody rain, why can’t it stop? I bet my eagle friend out there’s soaked to the bone too. I’ll have to go and see to him, make sure he’s all right and fed. But first I’ll need to find some decent flesh for him, which means that first I’ll need to go hunting, for I don’t trust that innkeeper to know what a fresh steak’s supposed to look like. Rotten weather, rotten place, rotten food. You know, just between you and me, what I’d really, really like right now would be this: A mage that would step through that door over there, come over to me and tell me: Fletcher, I need somebody to guide me on the planes, and you’re my man. I’ve always wondered what it would be on the planes. Probably dangerous, scary most likely, but different and interesting! But that’s just daydreaming, so out in the rain I go, see if I can scare up a wet rabbit or two.
FRRC 09-01-07, 04:47 PM	Finished the charatcer, just gotta write a background now. Sigh, nearly there.
Mercurius 09-01-07, 11:32 PM	Working on buying gear right now, but I've got a question for the judges: Since we've got the MIC available, we've got semi-viable relics available. Since not every character is a Greyhawk character, how do we want to deal with Relics and meeting the qualifications for them? Should we just rewrite them to suit us, or what? For example, if there's a relic that's perfect for a god from my homebrew, but that god isn't the same alignment as the Greyhawk god for whom the relic originally belonged, what would I do then? I'd like to know the official stance of the judges.
TheChilliGod 09-02-07, 12:14 AM	*Falls through ceiling* Ooh, skill monkey competition. All of my PC's are skill monkeys somehow. ...Going good, I see, though. *Smashes through floor*
Far_Traveler 09-02-07, 06:39 PM	Sorry, I hit 'Post' instead of 'Preview', and I didn't realize it because I was watching TV. I hope I don't get disqualified.
Longtime_Lurker 09-03-07, 07:54 AM	Loved the concept FT (I was going to go for a Kobold Ninja type but didn't consider the leadership/tribe angle - which added a lot). Hope you don't get disqualified either, but when you do review check your feats - I don't think you can qualify for Poison Expert at 1st level as your chart indicated (you need poison use class features - gained at level 3). LL
Far_Traveler 09-03-07, 12:09 PM	Well, I was doing my reviewing on a word document, and after I got something I periodically hit 'Preview post', did a quick overview, and then something really interesting happened on tv, and then... ack.
jennibert 09-03-07, 09:45 PM	My initial 'background' on which I got carried away a bit and that thus ended up a bit too large to include as a background to be judged. :D But I figure that as I've written it now, I might as well put it up. ;) I like it. Thanks for sharing! But as for the length....don't worry too much. Clearly you've never read any background I've ever submitted....:D
Kit_the_Odd 09-03-07, 10:31 PM	A couple of judging things here. I'm sending PMs to the other judges for their opinions on Mercurius' question and Far_Traveler's situation. I'll let you know soon. We have had two entries where more background was added in a separate post, but before the end of the 30-minute editing period. The_Scapegoat and Mysteria both indicated that they didn't expect the addition to be judged. However, the rules don't seem to require that an entry use only one post (something that probably ought to be addressed), and there is no legal limit to the size of the background. So if either of you would like to make the additional background part of your entry please let me know. On a similar note: several entries have added a character image in another post and after the editing period. To avoid any confusion it would probably be best to state directly that those image are not part of the entry and not to be judged. I am very pleased to see so many entries getting in early. While I haven't actually started judging yet, it mean that I can get started now instead of waiting for another week. And having that extra week or so makes the judging easier.
TheScapegoat 09-04-07, 12:15 AM	If we counted my second post then I would get DQed because of going far past the 30 minute editing rule so no I would rather still not count it. :D
Kit_the_Odd 09-04-07, 12:48 AM	Ah, I see that now. I had only looked at the original posting times.
Mysteria 09-04-07, 02:40 AM	Kit the Odd:I leave it up to the judges if they want to read an additional two pages of times new roman 12pt or not. ;) The background in my 'official' post is a somewhat summarized edition with a more 'outside' view on things of the other post. I did it that way because I wasn't sure you judges would appreciate to have to read that long a story. jennibert: Thanks. :) No, I clearly haven't. :) Guess I'll go and find the other competitions for some reading then. ;)
wrecan 09-04-07, 07:58 AM	No worries, Mysteria. Any criticism of your wordiness lodged by me would be hypocritical in the extreme. :)
Endarrion 09-04-07, 08:29 AM	I have a question: Do you gain a bonus language by increasing you Int through a magic item?
Far_Traveler 09-04-07, 09:57 AM	You do not (even if the int increase is from leveling up)
Zherog 09-04-07, 10:05 AM	I have a question: Do you gain a bonus language by increasing you Int through a magic item? You do not (even if the int increase is from leveling up) Correct. Bonus languages are based on your Int score at first level. And, interestingly, if your Int bonus is so high that you get more bonus languages than what's listed, you're outta luck. You can't add to the list of a race's bonus languages.
Zherog 09-04-07, 10:06 AM	jennibert: Thanks. :) No, I clearly haven't. :) Guess I'll go and find the other competitions for some reading then. ;) The feedback thread has a list of all the previous competitions.
JasonOrlandoHawk 09-04-07, 09:20 PM	Mysteria, you really don't need to worry about writing too much. As I recall, in one competition, a judge went crazy from trying to read one of jennibert's entry's and ending up shooting a kitten. Granted, it's not like I'm known for my brevity. :D Correct. Bonus languages are based on your Int score at first level. And, interestingly, if your Int bonus is so high that you get more bonus languages than what's listed, you're outta luck. You can't add to the list of a race's bonus languages. This is the main reason I stick to humans for most of my characters. You never know when your fighter is going to need to be able to speak Abyssal.
Endarrion 09-05-07, 08:17 AM	Thanks for the answers. But now, a new question (also Int related, go figure): When you increase your intelligence through leveling up, do you start gaining increased skill points from that level on?
Kit_the_Odd 09-05-07, 08:56 AM	OK, here are the answers promised. I will add them to the FAQ when I get back from work. Mercurius: You may modify relics to fit a different diety as long as the only mechanics changed are alignment. (And changing a 'vicious death kill stick' to lawful good will be frowned upon.) Far Traveler: As much as I don't want, we are going to have to DQ your (now non-existent) entry. However, you can submit a brand new character, or if you can re-work your existing concept such that it is definitely not the same entry re-posted then you are welcome to do that. Sorry, but I think we need to do this to uphold the time limit on editing. Mysteria: Since I don't have a problem reading extra background and it doesn't sound like wrecan does either I'm going to consider the additional background as part of your entry. Endarrion: You do indeed gain additional skill points from that point on. I will add this to the FAQs also.
Zherog 09-05-07, 09:52 AM	Thanks for the answers. But now, a new question (also Int related, go figure): When you increase your intelligence through leveling up, do you start gaining increased skill points from that level on? Kit is correct, again (just to confirm). Skill points gained every level are determined by two factors - the class you selected and your Int mod at that time. Also, there is an "order of operations" for leveling up, and it does have an effect on this. Taking the parts that matter it's class -> ability mods -> skills. This means, for example, that if you have a 17 Int and at 4th level you put your +1 there to make it an 18, you'll get a +4 to your skills that level.
Far_Traveler 09-05-07, 11:50 AM	DANGIT! Well, I had a bit of an issue with my feats that I would of never caught anyway. Turns out, I couldn't take ANY of my feats at first level. I'll post him later anyway, Don't expect him to be judged, but hey, I did pretty good work on him. I have no other concepts, so I will have to withdraw from this contest.
JasonOrlandoHawk 09-05-07, 01:00 PM	I about drove myself nuts when stating out my familiar. My question is this: how much am I allowed to play with my familiar's stats? The higher Intelligence at later levels doesn't change the number of skill points, but can I switch around my familiar's starting skills? What about my familiar's starting feat? The familiar chart notes that my familiar would already use his Dex modifier when attacking, so it doesn't make much sense to keep Weapon Finesse if I don't have to do so. I kept my familiar's stats as baseline as possible since I didn't want to risk losing any points in this competition, but I'm really curious. How much can I modify? To all judges... Do not be afraid. I'm not organizing some form of horrible prank against you... :D
Zherog 09-05-07, 02:19 PM	I about drove myself nuts when stating out my familiar. My question is this: how much am I allowed to play with my familiar's stats? The higher Intelligence at later levels doesn't change the number of skill points, but can I switch around my familiar's starting skills? What about my familiar's starting feat? The familiar chart notes that my familiar would already use his Dex modifier when attacking, so it doesn't make much sense to keep Weapon Finesse if I don't have to do so. I kept my familiar's stats as baseline as possible since I didn't want to risk losing any points in this competition, but I'm really curious. How much can I modify? Generally speaking, whenever you have a creature from the monster manual, you can swap out any of it's skills and feats - with one exception. You cannot swap out racial bonus stuff. And, if you include the MM errata, the Weapon Finesse feat is a racial bonus feat. This was done, actually, because none of the animals actually qualify for the Weapon Finesse feat; so to fix it, they made WF a racial bonus and then gave each animal a feat that grants +2 to 2 skills. As for ability scores... I think that's a little hazier. I'm a pretty lenient DM, and I would expect somebody with a familiar to use the stats from the book. A familiar is a normal animal that gains new powers and becomes a magical beast when summoned to service by a sorcerer or wizard. So the familiar is a normal animal of its kind - which is what is represented by the stats in the book. Of course, continuing that paragraph... It retains the appearance, Hit Dice, base attack bonus, base save bonuses, skills, and feats of the normal animal it once was, but it is treated as a magical beast instead of an animal for the purpose of any effect that depends on its type. Only a normal, unmodified animal may become a familiar. So it's quite possible to interpret that to mean you can't rearrange skills or feats. yay - I've just totally shot down my whole argument. :bored: It would seem, given the quotes, that the best bet in this contest is to go with the base creature as is, even though as a general rule of thumb it's OK to rearrange a monster/animal's skills and feats. Yeah, that was probably totally unhelpful...
Mysteria 09-05-07, 03:18 PM	Judges: OK, thanks. Hope you have a nice read then. :) Well, I go with this: I take the normal animal and consider that that is fixed, then add whatever is added later on top of it, just as I want it to be. :) So, for Fletcher's animal companion, I just took the normal eagle straight out of the monster manual, then added on everything he got from being an animal companion. I find that that keeps things nice and easy to do, but I don't have any hard rule to justify it. :)
jennibert 09-05-07, 11:29 PM	The Events at the home of Iven Vesp So, that's what I get for only skimming the first page:) I enjoyed this very much, and will say to you what I said to Mysteria: Don't worry about length. Oh, and Jason....I believe kitten death was initially threatened by TheChilliGod, and then Mercurius posted the picture.
JasonOrlandoHawk 09-06-07, 03:22 PM	Very true. Chilli was responsible for a couple hundred kitten fatalities at one point, if I recall correctly. It's just that Mercurius' picture was one of the funniest things I have ever seen in these competitions.
Mercurius 09-06-07, 09:15 PM	Very true. Chilli was responsible for a couple hundred kitten fatalities at one point, if I recall correctly. It's just that Mercurius' picture was one of the funniest things I have ever seen in these competitions. Why thank you.
Mysteria 09-07-07, 02:39 AM	Which competition do I have to read to find that pictrue? :D
Mercurius 09-07-07, 10:36 AM	I believe it was the leadership-related competition, because I judged that one, and jennibert entered it, as opposed to the other one I judged, which she also judged. But you don't have to find that competition (though Jennibert's entry was great, not only because it's set in my campaign setting...), because I still have the picture: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v39/discipleofsakura/Other%20Peoples%20Stuff/catholdup.jpg
JasonOrlandoHawk 09-07-07, 01:00 PM	:rofl: The competition in question was actually HC#8: The Cobblestone Jungle (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=817650), which was the competition for urban characters. That competition also stands out in my mind for longest statblock ever, one Hammett submitted by wrecan. (A reminder of why I hated economics in high school...)
FRRC 09-07-07, 01:20 PM	I remember that one. You told me to make my character show some love to his animal companion: Punch, the Dog :)
wrecan 09-07-07, 02:42 PM	That competition also stands out in my mind for longest statblock ever, one Hammett submitted by wrecan. And yet I got no awards.... :raincloud
jennibert 09-07-07, 10:22 PM	Very true. Chilli was responsible for a couple hundred kitten fatalities at one point, if I recall correctly. It's just that Mercurius' picture was one of the funniest things I have ever seen in these competitions. Most of them for my entry in the dragon competition (come on! It was 16th level! Of course it was long ;)). Wrecan: Your character was still very cool. I liked his story and concept.
JasonOrlandoHawk 09-07-07, 10:28 PM	And yet I got no awards.... :raincloud Sorry, wrecan, but as a judge, I can't see any logical explanation for awarding special medals solely for the length of an entry... we have enough trouble from jennibert as it is! :cool: [/jk]
Kit_the_Odd 09-08-07, 12:35 PM	Just a quick reminder that the entry period for Hero Craftsman #11 will be ending in a little over a day. So all those people that procrastinate like I usually do need to hurry and finish up. Good luck!
Mercurius 09-08-07, 01:32 PM	By my understanding, it ends Sunday night... that's a bit more than a "little over" a day, isn't it?
FRRC 09-08-07, 03:05 PM	A day and 6 1/2 hours. That certainly isn't 'most' or 'all' or even 'half a day'. A little is quite accurate :)
Kit_the_Odd 09-08-07, 03:13 PM	Sunday 11:59 PM, Greenwich Mean Time. Which is 28hrs and 45 minutes from now. (+/- 5 minutes)
jennibert 09-09-07, 01:21 AM	Here's my entry: Kole Darksparrow. I think the background's a little less long this time...:D Among the Darksparrow clan, it is traditional for the chieftain to have three children. One is the warrior leader who will become chieftain after him. That was my eldest brother, Rurin. Another is to be the diplomat, who smooths the other's rough edges. My other brother, Daes, served that purpose. And the third shall join the shamans to maintain the intimate connection between the leader and the gods. My sister, Mina, filled that role. And then there was me, the twin who came with Mina, the extra child who had no place in the tribe. Most called me an omen, but whether good or bad depended on with whom you spoke. Some said I was a symbol of my father's, and the tribe's, virility. Others, though, said that my extra status would lead me to undermine my siblings and bring our tribe to destruction. My father tried to protect me from the latter rumors, but I heard them anyway. Many of the children were not allowed to play with me, as I was sure to be a bad influence. I tried to pretend I didn't notice, that I didn't want to be with them anyway, but it did hurt. I followed those who would have me instead--the shamans who spoke with the gods, the storytellers who gave us our history, but especially the travelers who occasionally took refuge with our tribe as they crossed the plains on which we made our home. I loved to hear their stories of the world beyond our tribe, and relate them to my siblings, whose training regimens did not permit them to sit and listen as I could. Not that I was idle. My father offered me a choice of paths, and I chose to be trained as a warrior, having more talent for that than any of the other options available. It would not have been my first choice--I would have preferred to learn about all of them--but it served me well. When the Blackfeather clan sought to encroach onto our territory, I went to war with my father and brother, and acquitted myself well. Similar skirmishes over the next two years with other clans gained me experience and fueled rumors on both sides over my position in the tribe. Some pointed to my warrior skill as being proof of my worth....others said it would go to my head and cause me to challenge Rurin. My father called me into speak with him privately following a further spate of rumors that I had already argued with Rurin over who should lead the clan. The rumors were largely my own fault--I had, stupidly, complained of boredom in public. I was tired of the way of the warrior, and had been experimenting with new techniques that my elders found unnerving. I expected my father to take their side, to reprimand me, and so I sat before him preparing for a battle, waiting for him to speak. "My daughter, I have decided that it is time for you to leave our clan," he said without preamble. I stared at him in shock, horrified that he might believe the bad rumors about me, but he continued. "I am not sending you away, child," he said kindly. "I am merely seeing to it that you fulfill your own destiny. After consultation with the shamans, it has become clear to me that you are a Seeker, one whose purpose it is to go out into the world and learn about what exists beyond the plains, and then return to the tribe to tell us about what you have seen. It has been a hundred years since a Seeker was born to our clan, and it has never before been the child of the chieftain. I am assured that this is a very auspicious omen," he said with a smile. I was by this time barely breathing from the anticipation. I was to be not only allowed but encouraged to go into the world? I could think of nothing more thrilling. "You are willing, then?" he asked. I could only nod, too excited to speak. "Good. You shall leave as soon as we come across suitable companions for you. I cannot trust my daughter to just any group of adventurers, after all." He wasn't kidding. The next group of adventurers we came across was judged untrustworthy, and the second too inexperienced. The third was so powerful that I would be of no use to them, and would likely get myself killed. I was beginning to feel antsy when we found a group that finally met with my father's approval. Their leader was an elven cleric named Aluviel Amandine. Accompanying him were his half-elven daughter, a bard named Alyssia; a halfling wizard named Diamond Tosscobble; and a lightly armored human named Jack Angelis. Aluviel was thrilled to have me--apparently their heavy fighter had just retired to be with his family, and they were feeling the lack. And so I bid goodbye to my family, carrying the scythe that Rurin made for me as a going away gift, and set out into the world. Even just traveling with them, I began to learn so much. Alyssia and Diamond, appalled that I could not read, insisted on teaching me. I didn't see why it was necessary to write things down, but the process was fascinating. Aluviel, in a serious voice, told me about his god and pantheon, a discussion I listened to politely, storing the information away so that I might tell our own shamans about it. But the one I learned the most from was Jack. He was the one whose job it was to unlock doors and sneak down hallways. The sneaking interested me very little, but the locks and traps fascinated me, and he laughingly taught me how they worked. He showed me his combat techniques as well, which were similar to the ones I had been experimenting with on my own: highly mobile, ending up in places were your enemy could not. I picked them up quickly and gleefully, and we put them to good use. My favorite memory is of the evil priest who thought to escape us by running between the rows of pews in his temple...little suspecting that Jack and I would follow by running along the narrow backs of the seats. We became very good at playing off each other's strengths...and not always in combat. I traveled with them for two years, through wilderness and cities, fields and mountains, and finally into caverns beneath one of the major cities. We were following a group known as the Red Hand, thieves who had stolen an artifact from Aluviel's home temple. We did not know that they were to be meeting their employer: an extremely powerful wizard. The Red Hand were only a minor challenge to our combined strength--we had only not defeated them before because they had moved quickly enough to keep ahead of us. But we were no match for Talus Wolfsbane. We had nearly defeated the Red Hand and gained the artifact when he appeared, raining fire and electricity down on us almost without warning. Suddenly we were not only losing, but close to death. As one of his bolts very nearly killed Jack, I let out a scream of rage and charged him with a mighty leap. My scythe sliced through his flesh, but he remained standing. Moments later he hit me with something that spun me around and sent me to the ground, dazed. I was just beginning to get my bearings again when the entire room shook, and I had to roll to get out of the way of the rocks that fell from the ceiling all around me. I coughed in the vast clouds of dust that rose up, trying to see my teammates through it. As things cleared, I could see that the entire center of the room was blocked. Talus Wolfsbane was on the other side of the wall of rock....but Jack had been on that side as well. I screamed his name, terrified that he had been buried under the falling rock, and was about to start trying to tunnel through when I heard someone calling my own name. It was Alyssia, crouched on the floor beside the small, still form that was Diamond. "I'm out of healing spells," she said, her voice desperate. "I managed to stabilize her, but I need you to carry her." "But Jack--your father--" "My father destroyed the artifact rather than let Talus have it," she said, pushing Diamond at me. "That's what caused the cave in. Jack...I'm sorry, Kole, but if the rocks didn't kill him, then Talus will. And then he'll come for us. We have to run." Tears slipped from her eyes as she looked up at me. I wavered a moment, torn between the fear and sorrow in her eyes and my own burning desire to find the man I loved, and then gathered Diamond's still form in my arms and silently followed Alyssia out of the caves. We separated after that, Diamond and Alyssia to return to Aluviel's temple to tell them of what had happened, and I back to the plains of my birth. My family welcomed me back with open arms, but home was no longer the comfort it had been. I did my duty, spinning my tales of the world beyond the plains, but my heart wasn't in it. My siblings, content with their own spouses and children, did not understand my own loss. I spent only a few weeks at home before heading out into the world again. I will return again, as is my purpose as a Seeker. But I shall not live among them again. It is no longer my place. Appearance and Personality Kole stands two inches under six feet, with a powerful, well-muscled frame. Her thick dark hair hangs loose to her waist, framing a strong-featured face set with dark brown eyes. She wears a mithral chain shirt, but takes care to hide it under the leather shirt and skirt trimmed with the fur of a gray wolf that are from her home, topping the outfit with a cloak made of leopard skin. Kole recognizes the benefits of things such as the chain shirt, but she is very proud of her heritage and wants to make sure everyone knows of it. Most people expect Kole to be the big, dumb brute that is the stereotype of barbarians, a predisposition she dislikes, and takes care to correct at every opportunity. She is soft-spoken and intelligent, with excellent diction and elocution that it often surprises even her friends. In spite of that, she tends to be rather blunt, and is by no means a diplomat, though she is at least intelligent to know to keep her mouth shut in certain situations. Tactics and Contributions Kole is a good lookout, and an adequate trapfinder. She is better at opening doors than at disabling traps (though she is occasionally known to fly into a rage and attempt to break a trap if it seems to be giving her trouble, or if she's in a hurry). She's also good at getting to hard to reach places. But where Kole really excels is in battle. She typically charges into combat using her Leap Attack ability, and then tumbles around her opponents to set up flanks. She generally makes full use of her jump, climb, and balance skills to put herself on top of tables or fences, or to climb into trees and jump out, or generally just make as much use of the terrain as possible. She tends to save her rages for fights that seem like they will be a challenge....or for when things start going badly. People to Know About Friends and Allies: Jack Angelis. Human Rogue. Kole has accepted the fact of her lover's death, and mourns him accordingly. Of course, she never saw his body... Alyssia Amandine. Half-elf Bard. Following her father's death, Alyssia has remained largely in her own homeland, but she would be glad to join up with Kole again, should the opportunity present itself. She loves to travel, and respects Kole's abilities as a warrior. Diamond Tosscobble. Halfling Wizard. Diamond owes her life to Kole, and would be glad to find a chance to return the favor. Rurin, Daes, and Mina Darksparrow. Kole's siblings don't really understand her desire to be out in the world, but they will welcome her home with open arms should she arrive. Rurin is a barbarian, Daes is likely either a bard or an expert, and Mina could be either a druid or a cleric of a nature god. Hollen Darksparrow. Human Barbarian. Kole's father is a wise and generous leader, well regarded by his people. Though he takes care not to show it, Kole is his favorite child. Had he not been born the eldest son and thus leader of the tribe, he would have chosen the path of the Seeker as well. Enemies: Talus Wolfsbane. Gnome Wizard. Irritated at the loss of the artifact, Talus would gladly engage in petty revenge against Kole, Diamond, and Alyssia while he attempts to recover from the setback they created in his evil plans. The Blackfeather Clan. The Darksparrow Clan's most powerful rivals, Kole's early battlefield experience was against them. While their primary objective is the defeat of her father and eldest brother, they would gladly assassinate Kole herself if only to dishearten her family. The doubters. Some members of the Darksparrow clan remain fearful of Kole's extraneous position in her family. Her extended absence, and the short length of her single visit, has served to allay some of the rumors, but they still exist...and those who hold on to them may be spurred to act upon them if Kole seems a threat. Kole Darksparrow Human Barbarian 4/Rogue 3/Thief-Acrobat 2 (Complete Adventurer pg 83) Neutral Good 23 years old Base Ability Scores (Level 1) STR 14 +2 (6 pts) DEX 14 +2 (6 pts) CON 14 +2 (6 pts) INT 14 +2 (6 pts) WIS 10 +0 (2 pts) CHA 10 +0 (2 pts) Final Ability Scores (Level 9) STR 18 +4 (+1 4th level, +1 8th level, +2 enhancement (belt)) (22 +6 while raging) DEX 16 +3 (+2 enhancement (gloves)) CON 14 +2 (18 +4 while raging) INT 14 +2 WIS 10 +0 CHA 10 +0 Hit Points: 67 (85) (12 + (6.5*3) + (3.5*5) + 18 CON) (+18 while raging) Armor Class: 22 (20) (23) (10 +3 DEX +6 armor +1 deflection (ring) +1 natural armor +1 dodge) (-2 while raging) (+1 vs. traps) Touch: 15 (13) (16) Flat-Footed: 19 (17) (20) Speed: 40 feet Base Attack Bonus: +7/+2 (+4 Barb +2 Rogue +1 Thief-Acrobat) Languages: Automatic: Common Bonus (+2 INT): Elven, Halfling Speak Language Ranks: Gnome, Dwarven Special Abilities Barbarian: Rage 2/day (lasting 7 rounds) Fast Movement Uncanny Dodge Trap Sense +1 Rogue: Sneak Attack +2d6 Trapfinding Evasion Thief-Acrobat: Fast Acrobatics Kip Up Steady Stance Agile Fighting +1/+2 Slow Fall 20 ft. Items: 3/day charges to grant enhancement bonus to speed (boots) 1/day knock (ring) 2/day heal 2*Hit Dice in damage to self while raging (cloak) recover extra hit points per night (bedroll) Saves Fortitude +7 (+9) (+2 CON +4 Barbarian +1 Rogue) (+2 while raging (increased CON)) Reflex +10 (+11) (+3 DEX +1 Barbarian +3 Rogue +3 Thief-Acrobat) (+1 vs. traps) Will +2 (+4) (+0 WIS +1 Barbarian +1 Rogue) (+2 while raging) Feats Able Learner (1st) (Races of Destiny pg 150) Power Attack (Human) Alertness (3rd) Leap Attack (6th) (Complete Adventurer pg 110) Telling Blow (9th) Attacks +1 Keen Scythe +12/+7 (+7/2 BAB +4 STR +1 magic) 2d4 + d6 acid +1 magic +6 STR*1.5. Crit: 19-20 x4. Slashing. While Raging: +14/+9, 2d4 +d6 +1 +9. MW Composite Longbow +11/+6 (+7/2 BAB +3 DEX +1 MW) d8 +3 STR. Crit: 20 x3. Piercing. MW Club +12/+7 (+7/2 BAB +4 STR +1 MW) d6 +6 STR*1.5. Crit: 20 x2. Bludgeoning. While Raging: +14/+9, d6 +9. Dagger +11/+6 (+7/2 BAB +4 STR) d4 +4 STR Crit: 19-20 x2. Piercing. While Raging: +13/+8, d4 +6 Skills Balance +17 (12 ranks +3 DEX +2 synergy (Tumble)) Climb +14 (10 ranks +4 STR) Disable Device +10 (6 ranks +2 INT +2 circumstance (tools)) Intimidate +5 (5 ranks +0 CHA) Jump +18 (12 ranks +4 STR +2 synergy (Tumble)) Knowledge (history) +4 (2 ranks +2 INT) Listen +12 (10 ranks +0 WIS +2 Alertness) Open Lock +16 (6 ranks +3 DEX +5 competance (ring) +2 circumstance (tools)) Perform(oratory) +2 (2 ranks +0 CHA) Search +10 (8 ranks +2 INT) Speak Language 2 ranks Spot +10 (4 ranks +0 WIS +2 Alertness) Survival +7 (7 ranks, +0 WIS) Tumble +19 (12 ranks +3 DEX +2 synergy (Jump) +2 enhancement (boots)) Use Rope +5 (2 ranks +3 DEX) All strength based skills +2 while raging. Skill Breakdown: Barbarian (1st-4th levels. 7 (4 +2 INT +1 Human) per level. (28 at 1st)) Balance 2, Climb 7, Intimidate 5, Jump 7, Knowledge(history) 2, Listen 7, Perform(oratory) 2, Search 2, Speak Language 2, Spot 2, Survival 7, Tumble 2, Use Rope 2 Rogue (5th-7th levels. 11 (8 +2 INT +1 Human) per level) Balance 8, Climb 3, Disable Device 3, Jump 3, Open Lock 3, Search 3, Spot 2, Tumble 8 Thief-Acrobat (8th-9th levels. 9 (6 +2 INT +1 Human) per level) Balance 2, Disable Device 3, Jump 2, Listen 3, Open Lock 3, Search 3, Tumble 2 Equipment +1 Keen Scythe (8318) Lesser Crystal of Energy Assault (acid) (3000, typically attached to scythe) (Magic Item Compendium pg 64) MW Composite Longbow (+3 STR) (700) MW Club (300) Dagger (2) +2 mithril chain shirt (5100) ring of protection +1 (2000) amulet of natural armor +1 (2000) Gloves of Dexterity +2 (4000) Belt of Strength +2 (4000) Cloak of Predatory Vigor (1400) (Magic Item Compendium pg 87) Acrobatic Boots (900) (Magic Item Compendium pg 67) Lockpicking Ring (3500) (Magic Item Compendium pg 114) Magic Bedroll (500) (Magic Item Compedium pg 163) MW Thieves Tools (100) Potion of Cure Light Wounds (2) (100) Winter Blanket (.5) Inkpen (.1) Sewing Needle (.5) Signal Whistle (.8) Silk Rope (50 ft) (10) Waterskin (1) Whetstone (.02) 10 days worth of Rations (5) small black clay statuette of a sparrow (40) Traveler's Outfit (free) 22 gp, 8 cp (or equivalent) Yay, she's done! Please note though: Just because the name of her prestige class is "Thief Acrobat" does not actually mean she's a thief. I just liked the acrobat part of the class:).
Mercurius 09-09-07, 02:16 AM	Lousy GMT... Well, I had to deprive myself of some sleep, but here's my entry: Gainsborough Wallace http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v39/discipleofsakura/DnD/Gainsborough.jpg Casually, the gentleman extinguished the candles by the door with his fingers, dimming the room. In the half-light of the one lantern and the moonlight, the young woman who looked back at him was lit in a very flattering manner. He smiled at her, and wrapped his lithe arms about her waist, pulling her closer to him. "Are you sure it's alright?" she asked in breathless anticipation. "I'm sure, my dear. Everything is perfect, and there's no need to worry about all those things you overheard at the court today. For tonight, it's just you and me." He pulled her into an intimate embrace, kissing her plump lips with his, his goatee scraping playfully on her chin. And then there was a knock at the door. "Mariella, open up!" came the somewhat frustrated male voice from the other side of the oaken barrier. "Oh, gods. It's Rogar!" The woman tensed. Gainsborough gave her a quizzical look. "He was supposed to be away, on a hunting expedition until tomorrow." Gainsborough released Mariella, feeling her hands (and the ring on her finger) trail against his fingertips, and then nodded. "Not to worry, m'dear. I'll be out in a jot, and he need not know anything is afoot." With a dramatic flourish, Gainsborough dashed to the window and dropped out of sight, his fingers adeptly clinging to the stone side of the manor as he scaled downwards, hidden in the shadows and quiet as a mouse. Above him, he could hear Rogar and Mariella greeting each other with the passion he had been hoping to share tonight. He rolled his eyes as he climbed towards the second floor window. *Man,* he thought to himself, *I hate it when I'm interrupted.* Passing the window, he stole a glance at the comely maid within, and adjusted his plans accordingly. He rapped playfully on the window of the maid, a brunette with quite the figure, and she opened it obligingly. It paid to speak to more than just the lady of the house at social gatherings, Gainsborough reflected to himself. As he was just beginning to regale her on her beauty, her door opened and her twin sister entered the room. Sometimes, it paid very well, indeed. History Gainsborough was born the second son of the noble house of Strife, a line of knights dating back to before the Incursion War and the fall of the Utopia. Named for a distinguished hero from the early days of the Incursion War, Gainsborough had a great many expectations thrust upon him from a young age. Expectations he had little interest in living up to. The best tutors from Vallah were hired to teach Gainsborough, whose charm and social grace marked him as a potentially masterful diplomat, but he paid them little more than passing attention. The capricious youth was far more interested in exploring the world as a whole, scaling the trees and walls of the estate, picking the locks of the family tomb, and otherwise getting into some sort of mischief. Finally a tutor was found who captured Gainsborough's attention. Danessa Amourii was an incredibly able young wizard, skilled in the lost languages of Weltall and steeped in the lengthy history tomes found in the greatest libraries of Maverol. Widely travelled, brilliant and captivating, and beautiful too, Gainsborough finally paid attention to his tutor... but perhaps the wrong kind of attention. From Danessa, Gainsborough learned a great many lessons he would put to use later in life, and he taught her a few things as well. After his father discovered them together in a secluded gazebo wrapped in an intimate embrace, Danessa was summarily fired and sent off in disgrace. Gainsborough finally had enough of his stifling family, and chose self-exile. His original intention was to find Danessa, but he instead was distracted by a young priestess of Gen-Dai he happened upon in his travels, and then by a bar maid in Telathen, and then finally with the vast wealth of women he came across in the city of Helania, where he finally settled for a time and adopted his mother's maiden name of Wallace. Each new touch was a new discovery to Gainsborough, and by his nineteenth year, he was a devout worshipper of women. It would be difficult to say that Gainsborough avoided trouble in the bustling Helania, as he found himself embroiled in politics with the local thieves' guild after deflowering the master's daughter, and then succeeded in wooing the head of a rival guild. He became adept at quick escapes and quicker thinking, but the city life, and the constant presence of beautiful women and danger kept him very well entertained for a very long time. However, the city of Helania's high proportion of Miaran worshippers drew an attack from the kage agents of Rubicant, and a great plague befell the city. It was at this point that Cecil Aonir and his comrade, Edgar Cole, arrived in the city on the dark elf erabaresi's trail. Gainsborough chose to aid the warrior and wizard, providing them aid within the city, tracking the dark elven plague-masters and finally helping in their defeat, but they were unable to remove the magical affliction from Helania with the information they gained. Desperate, Cecil set out for Vallah and the Grand Temple of Miara to utilize the Grimoire Sacre - a repository of healing magic - in order to heal the city before it succumbed to sickness. Gainsborough followed. After Cecil succeeded in the test of Miara at the temple, the naideh paladin Lydia Edgemaster elected to lend her assistance to his quest against Rubicant. The beautiful red-headed elven woman was like nothing Gainsborough had seen before, and he immediately attempted to woo her, first as himself, and then in the guise of a superior of the church using his hat of disguise. Both times he was rebuffed. Her disinterest fascinated, frustrated, and (quite honestly) amazed him, and he continued on with Cecil's party, proving an able scout, trap finder, skirmisher, and diplomatic aid, though his love for women often caused the future hero of the Erabaresi Conflict no end of headaches. As they traveled north, first through the dwarven nation of Thorsgrim (where the women lacked in his preferred looks, but made up for it in stamina, but at least there was the occasional kage elf he could seduce) and then into Huelanya (where the sheer number of elves gave him an opportunity to sample naideh and hih flesh, despite the spurned advances he had suffered from Lydia), Gainsborough studied a great deal of Cecil and Edgar's abilities, picking up a fair amount of new tricks. When Myann Fatima joined Cecil's party, Gainsborough again discovered a woman who denied him. Unlike Lydia (who Gainsborough had discovered was more attracted to women than to men), Myann clearly had eyes only for Cecil. He found plenty of other young women to distract him, but the female contingent of his party vexed him greatly. Eventually, the quest to best Rubicant became far more difficult than Cecil had first envisioned it. What began as a quest across the continent of Agris to defeat a powerful goddess-empowered necromancer became a quest to thwart a massive war waged against the surface. Finding little way of halting the war between Thorsgrim and Vierge, Cecil instead sought allies from the northern countries to lend aid to the southern targets of the deranged erabaresi. Thus, Gainsborough finds himself currently on a quest apart from his staunchest allies, in a strange land devoted to arcane magics, attempting to gain allies in a war that has not even begun. At least he doesn't have that overly muscular mountain of a warrior distracting the ladies anymore. Adventures Gainsborough adventures for gold, for accolades, to gain allies and political clout to barter for allies and soldiers in the upcoming war, and for the love of the many beautiful women he comes across. Though some may see him as a callous womanizer, Gainsborough truly loves each and every woman he is with, at least while he is with them. Each evening is a new discovery, a new epiphany, and a new life lived. Gainsborough's natural charm draws others to him, and he is inherently skilled at social situations. Of course, he relies heavily upon the aid of allies when he runs into trouble, and is certainly willing to join a company of adventurers if it will garner him some advantage in his primary quest (or even that pesky secondary quest of building up a volunteer army). Character Gainsborough stands at a lean six-feet in height, with barely a hint of fat along his lithe body. His black hair is somewhat wavy and almost always tousseled, and he wears a goatee. His grey eyes are playful and disarming in their gaze, and he carries himself with an undeniable air of self-confidence. He dresses himself in functional attire, but always looks immaculately attired thanks to his hat of disguise (which typically looks like a headband). He moves with amazing grace and deliberate speed when in battle, and always has witty reparte for his enemies. He approaches social mores with nonchalance - Gainsborough cares little about propriety. He will gladly bed a willing wife, but certainly would hate for such dalliances to cause any disharmony with his paramour's ongoing life. Allies and Enemies Cecil Aonir: The man who will eventually be heralded as the "Hero of the Erabaresi Conflict," Cecil is a serious, caring man with a great deal of devotion to his friends and cause. He towers over his fellows, standing at almost seven feet and is built like a brick. He currently wields Mercy, a holy relic dating back to the Incursion War. Despite his imposing frame and forward combat style, he is an incredible diplomat, radiating charisma and instilling loyalty in those who would call him friends. Edgar Cole: An aasimar wizard of keen intellect, Edgar is Cecil's childhood friend and a brilliant strategist. His arcane might has grown beyond that of most of his peers in Agris, and he has gained admission into the Arcane Order of Maverol with little effort thanks to the aid of Aenshsien Leiland's patronage. Edgar has aided Gainsborough in his arcane dabblings, though he often mutters that Gainsborough really should "stop treating the arcane lifeblood of the world like a cheap harlot you can rent for the evening." Lydia Edgemaster: A paladin devoted to the lady of mercy, Miara, Lydia is a wind elf who grew up amongst humans. She is quiet but her presence is palpable, and she is a staunch opponent of undead and the servants of Lisseth. She is a lesbian, currently suffering from unrequited love for her Sister Superior in Vallah, and she hopes that success in her quest will win her the woman's love. Gainsborough frustrates and fascinates her, and despite his careless exposure of her sexual orientation to her party, they have become close friends. Myann Fatima: Myann is a half-elf of undeterminate origin, raised by the fey of the Eternal Forest and skilled both in the druidic arts and in unarmed combat. She is a recent addition to Cecil's party, and an incredibly staunch supporter of Cecil. Her beauty is comparable to that of a nymph, but she is devoted solely to Cecil, much to Gainsborough's (and Lydia's) chagrin. Rubicant: A powerful necromancer, Rubicant managed to rise to great power and station in the matriarchal kage elven nation despite his gender due to the blessing of Lisseth, who marked him as her erabaresi. His goal is to have his goddess reascend to her rightful throne alongside the other native gods of A'Thea, and he plans on doing this by disrupting the mortal world and destroying the nations who are the bastions of the faiths of Miara and Flammaryon, Lisseth's primary opposition. Danessa Amourii: Gainsborough has not seen the wizard since her last day at the family enclave, but she will always remain his first love. He has no idea where she might be, but a reunion would certainly be interesting. Gainsborough's family: Gainsborough may love his family, but he has little interest in renewing contact with them and their stifling formality and focus upon the knightly ideals of Vierge. They may have an interest in reigning him in, but they would be hard pressed to do so. Gainsborough's bastard children: Having had so many lovers, it should come as no surprise that Gainsborough has sired more than his fair share of children. At this time, most are in their infancy or childhood, but many will grow up to become heroes in their own right. Setting Information Those following my continuous homebrew campaign entries should note that Gainsborough Wallace is a hero of the Erabaresi conflict, which ended in 845 AR, and therefore his exploits predate Giddion, Siddig, or Sophia (and Misery, Jennibert's character) by at least 14 years. This was certainly an interesting opportunity, as his part in history is known, but his personal history was largely a blank slate. Gainsborough officially worships Gen-Dai, god of travels and journeys, though he pays lip service on occasion to Maborosi, god of dreams, phantasms, and illusions and patron of thieves. Erabaresi: A chosen mortal infused with a portion of a god's power, an erabaresi is gifted with a variety of magical powers and driven by a subconscious desire to fulfill his or her deity's goals. Erabaresi Conflict: The war that began officially in 842 AR and overlapped the "War of the Beard," the Erabaresi Conflict was instigated by Rubicant in order to aid Lisseth in rising from her exiled status to full godhood once more. Cecil, an erabaresi of Miara, was tapped to thwart him, and both were manipulated by Divinity (also known as Morrigan Yume, the Red Witch, and Aenshsien Leiland), who was herself a chosen one of Aya-Rha. The conflict is so known because there have never been so many active erabaresi at one time as there were during this period. Gainsborough Wallace Neutral Human Rogue 4/Swashbuckler 1/Chameleon 4 (PHB/Complete Warrior/Races of Destiny) Strength: 12 (+1) = 10 base + 2 Enhancement (Belt of Strength & Dexterity +2) Dexterity: 18 (+4) = 15 base + 1 level + 2 Enhancement (Gloves of Strength & Dexterity +2) Constitution: 14 (+2) = 12 base + 2 Enhancement (Healing Belt of Health +2) Intelligence 14 (+2) = 14 base Wisdom: 8 (-1) = 8 base Charisma: 16 (+3) = 15 base + 1 level Fortitude: +7 = + 1 Rogue + 2 Swashbuckler + 1 Chameleon + 2 Constitution + 1 Resistance Reflex: +10 = + 4 Rogue + 0 Swashbuckler + 1 Chameleon + 4 Dexterity + 1 Resistance Will: + 2* = + 1 Rogue + 0 Swashbuckler + 1 Chameleon - 1 Wisdom + 1 Resistance (+ 1 Competence vs Mind Affecting spells and effects) (*Gainsborough has a + 7 Will save against spells and effects with the mind affecting descriptor, thanks to his Force of Personality feat and Armor Augment Crystal) BAB/Grapple: +7 (+3 Rogue + 1 Swashbuckler +3 Chameleon)/+8 (BAB + 1 Strength) Initiative: +4 = + 4 Dexterity Armor Class: 21 = 10 + 4 (Dex) + 5 (+1 Mithral Chain Shirt) + 1 Natural (Amulet of Natural Armor +1) + 1 Deflection (Ring of Protection) Touch: 15 Flat Footed: 17 Hit Dice: 6 + 3d6 + 1d10 + 4d8 + 18 = 58 hp Speed: 30' = 30' Base; Climb 20' Attack Routines Spectral Dagger (Touch Attack) +11/+6 (1d6 + 1 Strength Damage) Masterwork Longbow +11/+6 (1d8) Shortsword +10/+5 (1d6+1) Light Mace +10/+5 (1d6+1) Tactics Gainsborough relies heavily on words to avoid a fight if he can help it, but his Spectral Dagger makes him very dangerous when he gets the chance to sneak attack someone, especially if they rely upon heavy armor. If he is mimicking a warrior with Combat Focus, he focuses more on melee combat, but he still utilizes a great deal of acrobatic maneuvers. When he mimics an arcane caster, he stays a bit further away from combat, but his spells are far more useful for debilitating opponents or bolstering himself or his allies than they are for directly defeating enemies. No matter how Gainsborough choses to fight, he relies on allies in combat to set up greater opportunity for sneak attacks. Skills {Class Skill max ranks 12, cross class 6, 77 rogue + 7 swashbuckler + 28 chameleon skill points total) Bluff (Cha) +15 = 12 ranks + 3 Charisma Diplomacy (Cha) +17 = 10 ranks + 3 Intelligence + 4 Synergy Disable Device (Int) +13 (+15) = 11 ranks + 2 Intelligence (+2 MW Thieves' Tools) Disguise (Cha) +23 = 8 ranks + 3 Charisma + 10 Disguise Self + 2 Synergy Hide (Dex) +16 = 12 ranks + 4 Dexterity Move Silent (Dex) +16 = 12 ranks + 4 Dexterity Open Lock (Dex) +12 (+14) = 8 ranks + 4 Dexterity (+2 MW Thieves' Tools) Perform (Dance) (Cha) +7 = 4 ranks + 3 Charisma Search (Int) +14 = 12 ranks +2 Intelligence Sense Motive (Wis) +4 = 5 ranks -1 Wisdom Speak Language 2 Spellcraft (Int) +6 = 4 ranks + 2 Intelligence Tumble (Dex) +16 = 12 ranks +4 Dexterity Languages Viergan (native language of Vierge), Hellari (bonus), Maverian (bonus), Eruquen (elven), Eranim Feats 1st Level - Able Learner (cross class skills only cost 1 skill point for 1 rank) (Races of Destiny pg 150) - Combat Expertise (human bonus) (Sacrifice BAB for Dodge bonus to AC) 3rd Level - Improved Feint (Move Action to feint in combat) 4th Level - Weapon Finesse (Swashbuckler bonus) (Use Dex instead of Str for some weapons) 6th Level - Jack of All Trades (count as having 0.5 ranks in all skills) (Compete Adventurer pg 110) 9th Level - Force of Personality (Use Charisma instead of Wisdom for Will saves vs. Mind Affecting spells and effects) (Complete Adventurer pg 109) Chameleon Bonus Feat - Typically Acrobatic Strike (gain +4 to attacks after Tumbling to avoid AoO) (PHB II pg 71) Proficiencies All simple and martial weapons, armor and shields (but not tower shields). Spells (When Arcane Focused; Caster Level 8th) 4/5/4/1 Spellbook Save DC 12 + level Cantrips Disrupt Undead Prestidigitation Dancing Lights Detect Magic 1st Shield x2 True Strike Ray of Enfeeblement x2 2nd Invisibility x2 False Life Web 3rd Dispel Magic Special Abilities +1 skill point per level [Human] First level bonus feat [Human] Favored Class: Highest level (Rogue) [Human] Sneak Attack +2d6 [Rogue] Trapfinding [Rogue] Trap Sense +1 [Rogue] Evasion [Rogue] Uncanny Dodge [Rogue] Aptitude Focus 1/day [Chameleon] Bonus Feat (changed 1/day) [Chameleon] Mimic Class Feature 1/day [Chameleon] Ability Boon +2 (Typically Dexterity or Charisma, not accounted for in above stats) [Chameleon] Equipment Hat of Disguise (1000 gp)#^ (Normal 2000 gp) +1 Mithral (DMG) Chain Shirt (1600 gp)# (Normal 2100 gp) + Least Crystal of Mind Cloaking (MIC pg 25-26) (250 gp)# (Normal 500 gp) Gloves of Strength +2 & Dexterity +2 (4000 gp)# (Normal 8000 gp) Amulet of Natural Armor +1 (2000 gp) Ring of Protection +1 (2000 gp) Ring of Arming (5000 gp) Spectral Dagger (MIC 59-60) (3000 gp)# (Normal 6000 gp)^ MW Longbow (375 gp) 40 Arrows (2 gp) Shortsword (10 gp) Light Mace (5 gp) Cloak of Arachnida & Resistance +1 (7500 gp)# (Normal 15000 gp)^ Heward's Handy Haversack (2000 gp) Everburning Torch (110 gp)* Spell Component Pouch (5 gp) Waterskin (1 gp)* Traveler's Outfit (free) Signal Whistle (0.8 gp)* Whetstone (0.02 gp)* Masterwork Thieves' Tools (100 gp) Healing Belt of Health +2 (MIC 110) (2500 gp)# (Normal 4750 gp)^ Scroll of Cure Moderate Wounds (150 gp) (Used in construction of Healing Belt) Oil of Magic Weapon (50 gp)* Potion of Grave Strike (SC 107) (50 gp)* Blanket, Winter (.5 sp) Spellbook (Leather Binding w. Bone Pages - Complete Arcane pg 140) (105 gp)*^ - Disrupt Undead (100 gp) - Detect Undead (100 gp) - Prestidigitation (100 gp) - Dancing Lights (100 gp) - Resistance (100 gp) - Shield (125 gp) - True Strike (125 gp) - Ray of Enfeeblement (125 gp) - Chill Touch (125 gp) - Disguise Self (125 gp) - False Life (300 gp) - Invisibility (300 gp) - Bear's Endurance (300 gp) - Bull's Strength (300 gp) - Cat's Grace (300 gp) - Spider Climb (300 gp) - Web (300 gp) - Dispel Magic (450 gp) - Ray of Exhaustion (450 gp) Weight Carried: 34 lbs * Carried in Heward's Handy Haversack when not in use # Counts discount for self-crafting ^ See "Item Tales" sblock to learn more about how Gainsborough gained this little trinket Remaining Gold: 60.68 gp (Gainsborough doesn't carry a tent - he prefers the comfort of a rented room, or a bed willingly given by a charming young lady.) Notes 28 point stat-buy STR: 2 points = 10 DEX: 8 points = 15 + 1 Level CON: 4 points = 12 INT: 6 points = 14 WIS: 0 points = 8 CHA: 8 points = 15 + 1 Level Crafting Items - Gainsborough gains the benefits of item creation feats. After all, with an Arcane Focus and his floating feat as an item creation feat, he can craft potions, scrolls, wondrous items, arms and armor, and anything else that requires a caster of level 8 or below. Thanks to his scroll of cure moderate wounds, he was even able to save a bit of gold on his Healing Belt, because Divine Focus gives him the casting ability of a cleric (even if he can't actually cast spells, he can cast scrolls) and a healing belt only takes one day to craft. I also used the Magic Item Compendium's rules about adding standard effects to other items - his stat and resistance boosting items were added onto other items. I do rather love that rule. :) * The Hat of Disguise was given as a gift by Luthienne Calistus, the head of a thieves' guild in Helania. She said that Gainsborough's nature was that of a shifting illusion and dream, and that he truly needed to be such. Gainsborough appreciated the sentiment, and certainly uses the gift to great effect, but he pretty much wrote off her reasoning as flowery bard-speak for "That was a lovely evening you gave me." * Gainsborough's spell book and Spectral Dagger were gained after an impassioned evening with a dark elf wizard-priestess who serves Rubicant. After successfully infiltrating her camp and bedding her disguised as one of her paramours, they were interrupted by the rude arrival of the real McCoy. In a quick attempt to defend himself, Gainsborough groped about for a handy weapon and found the bone-crafted pommel of the dagger underneath the confused woman's pillow. When the magic blade appeared, Gainsborough knew he had a treasure of extraordinary magnitude, and used it to good effect, incapacitating his assailant and absconding with the wizard-priestess's spell book. He believes it to be crafted from humanoid bone and tanned skin, and it clearly belonged to a necromancy specialist before he took to scribing more useful spells in it. * The Healing Belt was actually a gift from Lydia herself, who gave it as a token of friendship and thanks. Long laboring under a heavy curtain of guilt for her love of another woman, Gainsborough's unique perspective helped her come to terms with herself and accept her feelings. * Ambrose, the ill-fated member of Fenren's adventuring company (the very same company who slew Divinity), traded Gainsborough his Cloak of Arachnida for Gainsborough's own Vest of Escape, seeing more utility in the latter. Gainsborough was so enamoured of the spider-silk cloak that he eagerly accepted, and has used its climbing abilities to far greater effect than Ambrose likely would have. (Mechanically, he likely retrained his climb ranks into other skills after he acquired the cloak.)
jennibert 09-09-07, 02:29 AM	Oooh! Oooh! I think Gainsborough might actually be longer than Kole! Ha ha! But I do love Gainsborough.....I'm currently playing a character who is one of his children...and I let him seduce Misery once....and my first D&D character actually gave birth to his son....
Mercurius 09-09-07, 09:54 AM	Oooh! Oooh! I think Gainsborough might actually be longer than Kole! Ha ha! But I do love Gainsborough.....I'm currently playing a character who is one of his children...and I let him seduce Misery once....and my first D&D character actually gave birth to his son.... :teach: One of his sons, actually... It's an amusing sideline to note his other offspring and other campaign threads. Casshandra Heim, an exalted paladin (who almost got entered instead of Sophia) is currently studying under Lydia Edgemaster. Aede Aonir, Cecil's daughter, winds up adventuring with Casshandra, as well as Burtram Cade, a male cleric who believes he is an illegitimate son of Cecil's (but it was actually Gainsborough in disguise). Halen Callegan, Misery's cohort from the Cobblestone Jungle, is actually one of Gainsborough's earliest children, and he is actually married to Marron Vanderkaum, one of Gainsborough's later conquests. None of these characters know that Gainsborough is their father. /:teach: Gainsborough's kinda like the James Bond of my setting, only much more virile.
Endarrion 09-09-07, 12:30 PM	Dorian, master of secrets Dorian N Human Psion (Telepath)XPH19 9 Height: 5’10”……….Weight: 155lbs Deity: Languages: Common, Elven, Dwarven, Goblin. AC: 20 (+2 Dex + 1 nat. arm. + 1 def + 6 armor.) Flat footed: 14 Touch: 14 HP: 45 (4 + 2.5x8 + 9[Con] + 12[PsiBody]) Power Points: 94 Speed: 30ft Initiative: +2 Ability Scores Base Strength: 8 Dexterity: 14 Constitution: 12 Intelligence: 16 Wisdom: 10 Charisma: 14 Current Strength: 8 Dexterity: 14 Constitution: 12 Intelligence: 20 (+2 lvls + 2 enhancement) Wisdom: 10 Charisma: 14 Attacks Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+3 Attacks: +1 Light Crossbow +7 ranged (1d8 +1/ 19-20x2) Dagger +3 melee (1d4 –1/ 19-20x2) Saves Fortitude: +7 (3 base + 1 Con + 3 enhancement) Reflex: +8 (3 base + 2 Dex + 3 enhancement) Will: +9 (6 base + 3 enhancement) Skills Disguise, Forgery, Gather Information, and Knowledge (local) are always class skills because of the City Slicker feat. Gains Alertness (+2 spot and listen) when psicrystal is within arm’s reach. Bluff +14 (12 ranks + 2 Cha) Concentration +12 (8 ranks +1 Con + 3 psicrystal) or +16 with Combat Manifestation Diplomacy +14 (8 ranks + 2 Int + 4 synergy) Disguise +16 (12 ranks + 2 Cha + 2 synergy) Gather Information +16 (12 ranks + 2 Cha + 2 synergy) Knowledge (local) +17 (12 ranks + 5 Int) Sense Motive +10 (10 ranks) Feats RoD150City Slicker: Disguise, Forgery, Gather Information, and Knowledge (local) are always class skills. XPH49Psionic Body: Gain 2HP for every psionic feat, including this one. XPH49Psicrystal Affinity: Gain a psicrystal. XPH46Expanded Knowledge (Astral Construct): Learn any one power at least one level lower than the highest level power you can manifest. XPH43Boost Construct: When you create an astral construct, give it one extra ability. XPH49Expanded Knowledge (Energy Ball): As above. XPH44Combat Manifestation: +4 on concentration checks to manifest on the defensive or while grappled or pinned. Class Abilities Maximum Power Level: 5th Powers Known: 21 19 base + 2 exp. know. 1st (6):Astral Construct (exp. know.), Catfall, Psionic Charm, Psionic Grease, Inertial Armor, Telempathic Projection. 2nd (5): Cloud Mind, Ego Whip, Psionic Suggestion, Psionic Tongues, Read Thoughts. 3rd (3): Energy Wall, False Sensory Input, Touchsight. 4th (5): Energy Ball (exp. know.), Psionic Divination, Psionic Dominate, Psionic Freedom of Movement, Psionic Modify Memory. 5th (2): Mind Probe, Psychic Crush. Psicrystal As pg 205 of XPH except where noted here HP: 22 AC: 20 (with self propulsion, 18 otherwise) Int: 10 (base 6 + 4 lvls) Special Abilities: Alertness, improved evasion, personality (single-minded- +3 on Concentration checks), self-propulsion, share powers, sighted, telepathic link, deliver touch powers, telepathic speech, flight. Equipment +1 Light Crossbow (2,335gp) +2 Mithral Chain Shirt (5,100gp) Headband of Intellect +2 (4,000gp) Ring of Protection +1 (2,000gp) Amulet of Natural Armor +1 (2,000gp) Cloak of Resistance +3 (9,000gp) Traveler’s Outfit (free at char. gen.) Entertainer’s Outfit (3gp) Explorer’s Outfit (10gp) Courtier’s Outfit and Jewelry (80gp) (2)Disguise Kit (100gp) (3)Simple House (3,000gp) Estimated Cost of Furnishings for said houses (1,000gp) Horse, Heavy (200gp) Saddle, Riding (10gp) Bit and Bridle (2gp) Feed* LEFT OVER: 7,160 TOTAL: 36,000gp *Dorian buys feed as needed. A large sum of money is left over. This is money that can be used for bribes, information, and various items that may be needed at a later time. For instance, if this character was in a campaign that involved a little more fighting than he wanted, the extra money may be spent on protective items or restorative items. Level Breakdown Feats: Human- City Slicker 1st HD- Psionic Body Psion 1- Psicrystal Affinity Psicrystal- Alertness 3rd HD- Expanded Knowledge (Astral Construct) Psion 5- Boost Construct 6th HD- Combat Manifestation 9th HD- Expanded Knowledge (Energy Ball) Psion 1-7 Skills (24 at first level, 6/lvl afterwards) 1= 4 ranks in Bluff, Concentration, Disguise, Gather Information, Know (local), and Sense Motive. 2= 1 rank in Bluff, Concentration, Disguise, Gather Information, Know (local), and Sense Motive. 3= 2 ranks in Diplomacy. 1 rank in Bluff, Disguise, Gather Information, and Know (local). 4= 2 ranks in Diplomacy. 1 rank in Bluff, Disguise, Gather Information, and Know (local). 5= 1 rank in Bluff, Concentration, Disguise, Gather Information, Know (local), and Sense Motive. 6= 2 ranks in Sense Motive. 1 rank in Bluff, Disguise, Gather Information, and Know (local). 7= 2 ranks in Sense Motive. 1 rank in Bluff, Disguise, Gather Information, and Know (local). Psion 8-9 Skills (7/lvl) 8= 2 ranks in Diplomacy. 1 rank in Bluff, Concentration, Disguise, Gather Information, and Know (local). 9= 2 ranks in Diplomacy. 1 rank in Bluff, Concentration, Disguise, Gather Information, and Know (local). First, I gave the book referenced and then the page number. Abbreviations are XPH=Expanded Psionics Handbook and RoD=Races of Destiny. Appearance and Personality Dorian is an unremarkable 28 year old man. He appears average in every sense of the word. He is of average height and weight. He has nondescript mid-length light brown hair and a clean-shaven face. His eyes are a dull blue. This, of course, is all the better for Dorian. If he is ever caught out of disguise, he easily blends into the crowd. And what could be better for one who lives several different lives than to be completely ordinary in actuality? Dorian has 3 lives that he lives. His first is Darynn, a recluse who lives just outside of the city of Thorngoth, a center of darkness and evil that rivals Daerlund (where Dorian keeps another residence). Darynn dresses in simple gray robes and keeps mostly to himself. He makes use of the reclusive sage stereotype that people attribute to him. They come for answers and leave with lighter purses. Information, even for a reclusive scholar, isn’t free you know. His second persona is that of Dagger. Dagger lives in Daerlund and is known in the underworld there as a skulk and information-man. If you need to know something, Dagger’s got it. This is Dorian’s most lucrative personality and also his most enjoyable because of the freedom it allows him- he is not restricted by a good man’s reputation. Dagger wears very dark clothing and has long black hair as well as thin facial hair. His dark blue eyes sparkle with an evil gleam and he comes off as very unsettling to those who do not know him … as well as those who do. His final persona is Divor, an old scholarly gentleman who lives in the metropolis of Reinoa. Reinoa is the antithesis to Thorngoth. Divor is recognized as an honorable and reliable scholar and frequents the libraries around the city. He dresses in brightly colored clothes and has an eccentric personality. He is balding with thin gray hair and wears a pair of small spectacles. When he isn’t engaging in debates he is giving advice and information to the wealthiest men in town and often gives free counseling to those who are troubled. This persona gives Dorian the chance to explore his more compassionate side. He has been known to give money, in no small quantities, to those who are in dire need and to help the less fortunate in other ways as well (temporary lodging, teaching, etc). With all of Dorian’s personas (note that he keeps his real name and appearance a secret) he specializes in information. His ability to read minds and coerce others is the key to his success though no one suspects him of being a psion. Dorian spends most of his time as Dagger but makes it a point to spend at least a week as each different person once a month. The three cities are far from each other, so Dorian usually travels by horseback, who’s name is Crimson Lightning (for his reddish hide and speed). Background Dorian was born to troubled parents in the small town of Garlund. They were young and unprepared for the responsibility of child rearing. They took their baby to an orphanage and left him on the doorstep. The orphanage at which Dorian was raised was nice enough if a bit run down. The head mistress, Lady Anna, was a likable old woman who could be both strict and compassionate in the same breath. She loved the children and they loved her back. Dorian became friends with almost every child in the orphanage and, because of the trust he gained from them, soon became privy to their secrets. At a very early age Dorian started becoming intensely fascinated by the idea of secrets and the inability of anyone to keep them. He developed a knack for gaining trust and the perks that came with it. As a child Dorian had no ulterior motives for gaining knowledge of secrets; it was just interesting to him. Dorian’s innocent information gathering would not remain so for long, however. At the age of 7 he was adopted by a man who was known as a benefactor of the orphanage. Baavo, as the man was known, had adopted over fifty children in the twenty years he had been associated with the orphanage. He donated money and took in the children that were least likely to find a home. Dorian saw him often at the orphanage and wondered what secrets such a man could have. Dorian found out what those secrets were the day Baavo adopted him. Dorian was taken in a carriage to a small cottage on a farm outside of town. There he learned what Baavo planned for him. It turned out that Baavo was not the generous old man that everyone thought. His secret was that the children he adopted were put to work. Baavo’s spies (the other ladies of the orphanage) would watch the children and tell if they had any special talents- great strength or stamina, a way with words, or, in Dorian’s case, the uncanny knack to learn the secrets of others. Dorian stayed at the cottage until he was fifteen. While some of the other children were forced to do hard labor, Dorian was attending lectures and going to libraries. He met every kind of spy that Baavo’s immense wealth would tempt into coming to the cottage. They taught him the intricacies of information gathering and he was an apt pupil. Dorian’s first test was at the age of fifteen when Baavo took him to a tavern and instructed him to go inside and learn all there was to learn of any five people. He had ten minutes. When Baavo came back to retrieve Dorian, Dorian had indeed learned many things. One such thing was that the barkeep was a generous and, most importantly, gullible man. Dorian was convinced that the Yorik was trustworthy. Together, over many months, the two arranged a plan for Dorian’s escape from the despicable Baavo. The plan came to fruition on an overcast night in the dead of winter. Dorian convinced a dozen others to join him in sneaking out of the cottage and making a run for it. Of course, Dorian knew that the others would most likely be captured, but he needed them for a distraction. Yorik had a horse tethered to a tree on the outskirts of the forest that divided the farmland from Garlund. Dorian knew exactly where to go and knew that he would be home free if he could just make it to the horse. Dorian’s escape was a close call, and he was the only one to make it out. He stayed in the cellar of Yorik’s inn until things died down and made the decision to start a new life, or lives rather. The plan had been hatched. First Dorian set himself up in Daerlund where he knew he could keep his anonymity and become a new person. He fell in with a gang, the Masons, which helped him network in the city. He became well-liked and known for his ability to get the information that you wanted … at a price, of course. Dorian enjoys good standing with the Masons to the present day. After a few years in Daerlund, Dorian set up in Thorngoth, not far away. Darynn was the simplest persona to create and is his easiest to maintain. Next came Divor in Reinoa. Divor was the most difficult persona to create and maintain because of Divor’s popularity. Divor is a testament to Dorian’s ability to bluff his way into people’s trust, however, as he had to fool some of the most scrupulous and intelligent men in Edaia to do it. Dorian finds himself spending more and more time as the honorable scholar in order to maintain the persona. Joining a group of adventurers would add a very interesting new wrinkle to Dorian’s life and perhaps the opportunity to learn new secrets and create new identities. Dorian would readily join an adventuring group to test his skills and, more importantly, to prove that he is the master of secrets. Friends and Enemies Friends Dorian’s friends are many. The most notable are the Masons and the Collegiates of Reinoa. The CoR is a very expansive club of scholars centered in Reinoa. Dorian, or Divor rather, enjoys very good standing in the club. Dorian may call on either of these groups when he is in dire need, but is loathe to ask them for favors lest he compromise his identity or fall out of favor due to pestering. Enemies Dorian’s enemies are numerous as well. The most prominent enemy is Baavo who, unbeknownst to Dorian, is still looking for his ex-information-man. Of course, the people who Dorian has lied to or wronged, especially as the ruthless Dagger, are the most numerous of his enemies and there is no telling how many of them may be after him. Why Dorian is a Scion of Skill Dorian is a scion of skill because, from the OP, he is the one that can accomplish that one task that no one else can. He is the be all end all of information gathering.
FRRC 09-09-07, 05:26 PM	Submitting just to add to the ranks. I've always wanted to build this character but I've been working on the background all week with no real success. Now it's late and I'm too tired to finish it. I was really contemplating not submitting, but what the heck, aye? Alexander Croftwel Male Half-Elf Sorcerer 6 / Mindbender 3 Neutral Evil Medium Humanoid Language: Common, Elven, Dwarven, Fiendish Height: 5ft 4 Weight: 140lb Age: 21 -------------------- AC 11 (10 +0 Dex; +1 Deflection) Flatfooted 10; Touch 11 Initiative: +0 HP 33 Hit Dice 9d4 + 9 Saves: Fort: +8 (+1 Con; +2 Vest; +2 Sorcerer; +3 Mindbender) Ref: +5 (+2 Vest; +2 Sorcerer; +1 Mindbender) Will: +12 (+2 Wis; +2 Vest; +5 Sorcerer; +3 Mindbender) Conditional: +2 vs Enchantment; +4 Fort vs Poison; +1 vs Spells cast by Good creatures Space / Reach: 5ft / 5ft Base Attack / Grapple: +4 / +3 Speed: 30ft -------------------- Attack: Dagger: +3 (1d4-1; Crit 19-20/x2) -------------------- Special Qualities: Immunity to Sleep Spells and Effects, Low-Light Vision, Elven Blood, Summon Familiar (Tiny Viper), Telepathy, Skill Boost, Push the Weak Mind 1/day (DC 19), Mindread 2/day (DC 18) -------------------- Abilities: Str 8 (-1); Dex 10 (0); Con 12 (+1); Int 14 (+2); Wis 14 (+2); Cha 22 (+6) -------------------- Spells: Per Day - 6/8/8/6/4 Known - 8/5/3/2/1 Level 0 (DC16) - Resistance, Daze, Dancing Lights, Ghost sound, Mage Hand, Message, Open/Close, Arcane Mark Level 1 (DC17) - Hold Portal, Shield, Charm Person, Unseen Servant, Comprehend Languages Level 2 (DC18) - Eagle's Splendor, Touch of Idiocy, Torrent of Tears (pg119 CM) Level 3 (DC19) - Hold Person, Bothersome Babble (pg97 CM) Level 4 (DC20) - Charm Monster Conditional: +1DC Enchantment -------------------- Feats 1 - Persuasive 3 - Fiendish Heritage 6 - Still Spell 9 - Spell Focus (Enchantment) Skills Bluff: +27 (12 Ranks; +6 Cha; +2 Feat; +1 Skill Boost; +3 Circlet; +3 Familiar) Diplomacy: +18 (4 Ranks; +6 Cha; +1 Skill Boost; +3 Circlet; +2 Racial; +2 Synergy) Intimidate: +18 (4 Ranks; +6 Cha; +2 Feat; +1 Skill Boost; +3 Circlet; Synergy) Knowledge (Arcana): +4 (2 Ranks; +2 Int) Listen: +8 (5 Ranks; +2 Wis; +1 Racial) Sense Motive: +7 (4 Ranks; +2 Wis; +1 Skill Boost) Conditional: +2 Gather Information (Racial), +1 Search and Spot (Racial) -------------------- Equipment Weight Allowance: Light (<26); Medium (27-53); Heavy (54-80) Current Load: 21lb Vest of Resistance +2 - 4000gp/1lb (pg150 CA) Intelligent Ring of Sustenance "Tanas" - 11,200gp - Neutral Evil, Ego: 7 - Speech, 120ft Vision and Hearing - Detect Magic at will, Faerie Fire 3/day - Cursed: Permanant Attachment Cloak of Charisma +2 - 4000gp/2lb Ioun Stone +2 charisma - 8000gp Ring of Protection +1 - 2000gp Circlet of Persuasion - 4,500gp Dagger - 2gp/1lb Noble's Outfit - 75gp - Signet Ring (Spiral Pattern) - 5gp - Jewellery Assortment - 100gp Backpack - 2gp/2lb Soap - 5sp/1lb Bedroll - 2sp/5lb Lantern, Common - 1sp/1lb Scroll Case - 1gp/0.5lb - Leomund's Tiny Hut - 375gp - Dimension Door - 700gp - Phantasmal Killer - 700gp Spell Component Pouch - 5gp/2lb SP: 2 GP: 334 Familiar "Unnamed" Tiny Viper HP: 16 (HD: 9) AC: 20 (10 +2 size; +3 Dex; +5 natural) Flatfooted 17; Touch 15 Speed: 15 ft Space/Reach: 2.5ft/0ft Saves: Fort +5; Ref +6; Will +9 BAB/Grapple: +4/-7 Attack: Bite: +7/1+poison (Fort DC 10 1d6 Con initial & secondary damage) SA: Poison SQ: Scent, Alertness, Improved Evasion, Share Spells, Empathic Link, Deliver Touch Spells, Speak with Master, Skills: Balance +11; Climb +11; Hide +15; Listen +10 (Masters Skill Points); Spot +6; Swim +5 Feats: Weapon Finesse Abilities: Str 4; Dex 17; Con 11; Int 8; Wis 12; Cha 2 Tiny Viper provides a +3 bonus to Master's Bluff skill Background The legend says: "A man who is born under the Red Star in the dead of night shall be cursed and will forever be tainted by the dark forces that rest far below the earth. Although conceived by a man and a woman who reside on the sun-side of the earth, the child's true father shall be forever a Fiend. The blood of evil shall corrupt the child who shall destroy those around him...." It was a red, cloudy night. Locals thought it was going to rain blood, Prophets prophecised the end of the world, Doomsayers said "Doom!" all night. Nothing did happened that night. Nothing except the birth of a healthy Half-Elf who was to named Alexander. The Elven father, Micheal and mother, Mary, rejoiced at the birth of their son. Cries of happiness, "It's a boy! It's a boy" echoed throughout the household. All was well. Mary died two days later. The cause of her death was unknown. The father had and always will suspect poison. From a young age, Alexander was forced to interact with the social frivalities of his father's life. Boring sessions of talking. The kind of talk where it was natural to lie through your teeth. Where 'That dress is fantastic!' actually meant 'You look like a fat, old wench', and 'Isn't your child just darling' meant 'What a little brat, what a nuisance'. He had to learn quickly how to escape social traps that others would use to discredit him and possibly his father. Alexander had been given a personal tutor, a Dwarf called Flargrin Barfoot. Despite his race's sterotype, Flargrin was a well educated Dwarf; far smarter than some Wizards in the area. He wasn't really there to teach mathematics or chemistry, but really there to teach Alex about commerce and scoial events. It wasn't until Alex was fifteen that his life took a worse turn. Micheal and Alex were at another outing, this time at a fair. There had been much preparation for this from Flargrin. Alex had been told to "act like you're having fun, but when approached by a Noble act like it's something that you're not much interested in". It was supposed to look good for the locals and the nobles. The area was very crowded. People were playing games, getting drunk, having fights. Any normal person would have loved it, except Alex who couldn't wait to get home. It wasn't till this point that Alex was approached by a homeless person. The man seemed to home in on Alex like an arrow, grabbed him and began screaming "Fiend! Fiend! The devil be inside you! You was born under the Red star! Cursed! Everything about you haunts me! You're evil, I can SEE it!". At this point, everything seemed to stop. Everyone in the town looking at the blind man and Alex. Soon, whispers from the crowd began to elevate. Micheal managed to break the pair apart and drag Alex off through the crowd and back home. The rumours managed to take onto the public. For many weeks religous fanatics came to the house and offered to either banish, kill and even recruit Alex. Through this time, Flargrin still remined Alexander's tutor. The Red Star was quite a popular legend, and so Flargrin took the time to teach Alex about it's history saying that many had been affected by this, in both minor and major cases. The worst being a woman some fifty or so years ago giving birth to a Half-Fiend while the Husband was human. Flargrin kept a close eye on Alex for the rest of his life. Soon after Alex began to notice changes, magical changes. Although he was always able to channel energy to influence people's thoughts, much like a Sorcerer, he had learned to protect himself magically and even summon invisible servants. Although he had no previous experience with adventuring, Alex decided to try out some of these abilities by helping adventurers. Always being unprepared, other adventerers were reluctant to take on Alex, but they were easily persuaded. Alex had much trouble with adventuring, often being a burden, but the rewards were worth it. Magical items, money and the more he went out the more powerful he became. Although alex loved his new thirst to develop his inner abilities he needed adventurers to do it, to protect him. Personality Alex, being a Half-Elf and having a social background, is quick with social situations. He is rarely out-spoken, especially by other adventurers who seem to know very little in the ways of social manipulation. He will often fabricate the truth if it benefits him, if only to obtain more power. Alex does things to experience them, although he gives into the darker sensations more than the good ones; and if he gets in trouble, he would use magic and social manipulation to get his way. Intelligent Ring I had something for this, but never got round to it. It was planned to be a Family Heirloom that linked to an Ancestor being born under the Red Star. Tanas is an anagram for Satan. The Scion of skill Alex is a Scion of skill because he is a master of the social skills
Kit_the_Odd 09-09-07, 08:05 PM	Well, as my handy-dandy internet clock tells me it is now 5 minutes past midnight, I officially declare Hero Craftsman #11 closed.
JasonOrlandoHawk 09-10-07, 02:28 PM	So... how's the judging coming? ;) Someone had to do it.
FRRC 09-10-07, 05:33 PM	You done yet? You done yet? You done yet? You done yet? You done yet? You done yet? You done yet? You done yet? You done yet? You done yet? You done yet? You done yet? You done yet? You done yet? You done yet? You done yet? You done yet? You done yet? You done yet? You done yet? You done yet? You done yet? You done yet? You done yet? You done yet? You done yet? You done yet? You done yet? You done yet? You done yet? You done yet? You done yet? You done yet? You done yet? You done yet? You done yet? You done yet? You done yet? You done yet? You done yet? You done yet? You done yet? No? Sigh... :P
jennibert 09-10-07, 11:01 PM	So... how's the judging coming? ;) Someone had to do it. I thought about it....but restrained myself....barely....
JasonOrlandoHawk 09-11-07, 12:32 AM	In the name of not annoying the judges too much, if I have time over the next couple of days, I will offer some non-judge feedback to keep the conversation going. I think I'll start with this entry: Honestly, I think this was reasonably well done. "Know-it-all" is a solid concept. The character was based off one of my old Forgotten Realms characters "Noah Itala." The class progression was the same, but I updated the feats and skills to reflect the additions to my book collection since then. I did make one notable concept change by having Jovial focus on more charisma based skills. My only concern is that I may have lost too much focus on his Knowledges in doing so. Background is usually my best category, but I'm afraid I may have let myself slide here. Of all of my submissions, I feel like this entry had the least "voice" of all the characters I have submitted. I have all the necessary elements: allies, enemies, logical progression of experience. The escape from the vampire is actually based off Noah Itala's battle with a vampire in my old Forgotten Realms game, down to using Defenestrating Sphere as a distraction. I like the story, but after three tries, I just couldn't get Jovial to "sound right." Here's to hoping I didn't lose my biggest advantage in these competitions... I really love Arcane Casters, and despite multiple attempts by others to convince me to do otherwise, I will typically play a wizard over any other class in the game (despite the plethora of other classes available). I'm even stupid enough to play an Evoker over a Warmage, every time. Still, I know how to play Wizards well, so I don't think that I will score poorly in the "Rules Use" section. As far as power goes, I think Jovial is up to par. However, in Mechanics, I awakened to the fact that I have really ignored the "Familiar" aspect of the Wizard class for too long. I forgot to include the expanded list of skills that the familiar would share with Jovial. I really need to take a closer look at the rules for familiars, since that up to this point, I've basically treated them like a pointless spot & listen bonus. Yet again, I had trouble copying over my footnotes. I'm just glad that I realized it before I actually submitted the character. Still, I can't help but feel embarrassed that I had to color code my entry when others actually had professional looking footnotes. :embarrass
wrecan 09-11-07, 08:18 PM	I'm about 2/3rd of the way through. Thing is, I'm proabably going to get sidelined by the Jewish holidays coming up. I'll try to squeeze them out tomorrow. Otherwise, it might be two weeks before I finish them up!
JasonOrlandoHawk 09-11-07, 10:42 PM	Don't feel required to rush yourself. Two to three weeks is the typical judging time frame anyways. Besides, the longer it takes others to judge, the more excuses I have to throw up in my defense when I take forever to judge, despite no obvious reasons...
DarkKitsune 09-11-07, 10:55 PM	I'll second that. Two weeks really isn't that long to wait, and it's better to have done a good job than a rushed one :)
Zherog 09-12-07, 10:10 AM	I demand you get them done right now, werecan. :P Of course, I'm married and have kids; so I'm used to my demands not being met... :nonono:
wrecan 09-12-07, 10:49 AM	I demand you get them done right now, werecan. :P Who is this "werecan"? http://img.costumecraze.com/images/vendors/pony/300399-main.jpg (That's the hybrid form.)
JasonOrlandoHawk 09-12-07, 04:22 PM	Wow, I'm not sure who's post is funnier? Z or wrecan? Either way... :rofl:
jennibert 09-13-07, 09:26 PM	I'm about 2/3rd of the way through. Thing is, I'm proabably going to get sidelined by the Jewish holidays coming up. I'll try to squeeze them out tomorrow. Otherwise, it might be two weeks before I finish them up! Stop being so efficient! You'll make the rest of us look bad! ;) But seriously, enjoy the holidays. And don't worry if it's two weeks before you finish....then the results won't be posted until after Mercurius and I get back from the wedding, and I won't have to worry about missing them;) Oh, and the werecan...inspired. :rofl:
JasonOrlandoHawk 09-14-07, 12:18 PM	First and foremost... Mercurius and jennibert, best wishes and blessings for your wedding. And now... Just a quick note: I only browsed through the characters quickly, so my comments aren't as in-depth as normal. These are just my thoughts off the top of my head. Also, as a quick note: I welcome any comments on my character. I like the background quite a bit, and you easily justify your level. You've got the necessary range of allies and enemies. Very solid. Two thoughts on your background: At level 9, you don't seem to have a driving goal. Granted, some people adventure for no reason at all, but a more solid goal could help give this character direction. Also, in regards to the setting: the kingdom of Dal'havar seems ripe for invasion. If the cities are truly in that much disarray, then there is probably a nearby kingdom looking hungrily at Dal'havar's lands. Is the setting bad? No, but as a DM, you'd be looking at an Orc invasion some time next week. Quick Mechanics note: The Light Hammer is a Martial Weapon, which means your character is not proficient with it (as far as I can tell). Good weapon concept, but you should be at -4 to your attack rolls. Monk/Shadowdancer is one of my favorite combos in D&D, though I typically take it in a more combat-centered direction (which wouldn't work well here, of course). I really liked your story, including all the potential plot hooks involving your brother. The Shadowhands discovering your theft was also a nice twist. Overall, my only question is Kitri's alignment. I really don't think LE fits, but I'm not sure that any alignment fits really well. Were it not for levels in Monk, I'd probably say that TN is a better match. As far as mechanics, the only thing I caught was Disable Device. There's no reason to list your modifier since you can't use the skill. Disable Device is "Trained Only," and since you don't have ranks, it's not a skill you can use. Cleric and Rogue just don't get along. A multiclass Cleric/Rogue often has a very hard time keeping up with other characters at a comparable level. Still, I think you've done a decent job with this character. I would say "brace yourself, the judges may view this character as 'weak' for her level." I do like the fact that you focused on Painting as a skill, and as a DM I would find a way to make that beneficial to your character. Your background was good, but I feel like it was missing something. What, exactly, I don't know, but I feel like you stopped just short of the few extra details you needed to make a masterpiece. As far as mechanics, you forgot to add your +1 enhancement bonus to damage on your bow.
TheScapegoat 09-14-07, 12:37 PM	I like the background quite a bit, and you easily justify your level. You've got the necessary range of allies and enemies. Very solid. Two thoughts on your background: At level 9, you don't seem to have a driving goal. Granted, some people adventure for no reason at all, but a more solid goal could help give this character direction. Also, in regards to the setting: the kingdom of Dal'havar seems ripe for invasion. If the cities are truly in that much disarray, then there is probably a nearby kingdom looking hungrily at Dal'havar's lands. Is the setting bad? No, but as a DM, you'd be looking at an Orc invasion some time next week. Quick Mechanics note: The Light Hammer is a Martial Weapon, which means your character is not proficient with it (as far as I can tell). Good weapon concept, but you should be at -4 to your attack rolls. First thanks for taking the time Jason. :D Goal: Yeah with these competitions I try to leave the character somewhat vague so that whoever played them could make the characters goals. I may have went a little to vague with this one. Doh. Setting: Dal'Havar doesn't get invaded pure in simply on the fact that there isn't anyone to invade. Or at least anyone interested in invasion. A large percentage of the world is uncultivated, monsters of all sort and chaotic magical rifts pocket the unconquered lands. As well after MM5 came out I decided to use the Xorvintaal dragons as the masterminds behind most of what goes on. They are a huge reason why the rulership of Dal'Havar cannot get a reign on the kingdom. Your concerns are well noted though, I have been working on this place for the better part of this year and getting it all to work right and make sense in my head has been a task. Weapon: Yeah that is a big DOH! Honestly I think I spaced out that Spellthiefs can only use simple weapons.
Mysteria 09-14-07, 12:49 PM	:whatsthis Hmm, a book and a cup of coffee? Goody, now I can wait. :D
jennibert 09-14-07, 08:37 PM	First and foremost... Mercurius and jennibert, best wishes and blessings for your wedding. Thank you! I would think about giving comments as well, but am a little busy at the moment with last minute prep...I did read them all, though, and must say that they are definitely keeping with the high standards I've come to expect from participants in this competition! I will admit to looking forward to what you have to say on my character....
wrecan 09-14-07, 09:24 PM	Mazel tov, jennibert!
Heros_Backpack 09-15-07, 05:36 PM	Monk/Shadowdancer is one of my favorite combos in D&D, though I typically take it in a more combat-centered direction (which wouldn't work well here, of course). I really liked your story, including all the potential plot hooks involving your brother. The Shadowhands discovering your theft was also a nice twist. Overall, my only question is Kitri's alignment. I really don't think LE fits, but I'm not sure that any alignment fits really well. Were it not for levels in Monk, I'd probably say that TN is a better match. As far as mechanics, the only thing I caught was Disable Device. There's no reason to list your modifier since you can't use the skill. Disable Device is "Trained Only," and since you don't have ranks, it's not a skill you can use. If you pushed me, I'd say that Kitri is LE with neutral leanings. She is loyal, patient, methodical, sticks to her own personal code and definitely prefers to plan things out, but once a plan is in progress, she will literally do anything necessary to make that plan work and follow through as it should, no matter if those deeds are good, bad or indifferent. As for the Disable device, it was a toss up whether to show it and not be able to use it, or not show it and be accused of forgetting the bonuses from her tools. Showing it won out.
DarkKitsune 09-15-07, 09:21 PM	Cleric and Rogue just don't get along. A multiclass Cleric/Rogue often has a very hard time keeping up with other characters at a comparable level. Still, I think you've done a decent job with this character. I would say "brace yourself, the judges may view this character as 'weak' for her level." I do like the fact that you focused on Painting as a skill, and as a DM I would find a way to make that beneficial to your character. Your background was good, but I feel like it was missing something. What, exactly, I don't know, but I feel like you stopped just short of the few extra details you needed to make a masterpiece. As far as mechanics, you forgot to add your +1 enhancement bonus to damage on your bow. I realize the lack of power level; it was one of my biggest concerns while building the character, but I couldn't find a solution that didn't sacrifice flavour, which, IMHO, comes first in a roleplaying game. That said, she is definitely not for every group out there :). Tried to make up for the fact by focusing on the one thing that the two classes are both good at and don't step on each other's toes with - playing the party face (and even then, a bard would still be better :p) The painting skill was one of the first things I thought of when reading about the competition, seeing as it would be a rare skill for anyone even take ranks in, much less focus on. Thus making such an offbeat skill central to the concept is guaranteed to make a unique character. I agree with you on the background, but still can't figure out what it needs. Wanted to put in a bit of a supporting cast, but there really weren't many opportunities to do so >.>
Kit_the_Odd 09-15-07, 11:55 PM	I'm between 1/2 to 2/3 done. But seeing all these posts I'm not supposed to look at might get me done quicker.
jennibert 09-17-07, 11:07 PM	psst....anybody home? It's been like two days without a post... Thank you for the good wishes, wrecan!
Zherog 09-20-07, 11:19 AM	It's been more than two days, so... :bump:
JasonOrlandoHawk 09-20-07, 12:30 PM	Sorry for the delay on everyone else's comments. I had a friend of mine diagnosed with cancer this past week, so things have been crazy. I've got to catch up on school work, but hopefully, I can get a few more comments up this weekend. I will say this, it is scary how few mechanics errors we are seeing in these competitions. Very quality work all around.
CheeseMan 09-22-07, 03:12 PM	uuhhhh, i think i might be a little too late to submit an entry...crap
Kit_the_Odd 09-23-07, 12:22 PM	Sorry about the delay in judging. I was hoping to have all mine done yesterday so I could start hounding the other judges. Unfortunately I had to spend 18 hours at the hospital with my pregnant wife for "observation". Nothing serious, just one of those she felt really sick and they want to watch for a while to make sure she and the baby are alright. Which they are. I am really hoping to finish it all up today, but I promise I'll be done (although I make no guarantees for the other judges) within the next couple days. I'm hopeful that we can get the results up by the end of the week.
Kit_the_Odd 09-23-07, 12:24 PM	And while you definitely are to late to be entered in the contest this time cheeseman, you are welcome to post an entry. I'm sure you will get at least some comments on it.
wrecan 09-25-07, 06:29 PM	My scores are in, so feel free to pester the other judges for scores!
Zherog 09-26-07, 10:10 AM	Or feel free to pester wrecan for comments. :D
wrecan 09-26-07, 10:18 AM	My comments are going to be sparse and not mechanics based at all. But I'm happy to post them. I just usually wait until after scores are released for that.
FRRC 09-26-07, 01:22 PM	Fulfilling the above requests... Pester Pester Pester Pester Pester Pester Pester Pester Pester Pester Pester Pester Pester Pester Pester Pester Pester Pester Pester Pester Pester Pester Pester Pester Pester Pester Pester Pester Pester Pester Pester Pester Pester Pester Pester Pester Pester Pester Pester Pester Pester Pester Pester Pester Pester Pester Pester
JasonOrlandoHawk 09-26-07, 02:18 PM	Maybe this will save the judges some trouble... Very Solid Entry! My compliments. Mechanics wise, there wasn't much to nitpick. Your traveler's outfit doesn't count against the amount of weight that you can carry. Also, I'm sure this is a typo, but I think you realized your Dex bonus isn't +2. Your background is very well written, probably one of the best I've seen in this competition. I really heard this character's voice when I read the story. Build wise, I only have one concern. You are playing a melee character, but your only weapon option is the Adamantine Pick. 1d4+3 isn't very powerful, even with an x4 crit. Snikt and Grumble help out in this regard, but I would have put more money into offense. Take some money away from your shield, or from "Adamantine," and put it towards a +1 ability like flaming, shock, or even keen, and you will greatly enhance your damage output. Welcome to the competition! Good of you to join in. Excellent picture, btw, it really adds to the entry. Overall, this character really seems to present himself as a Ranger. Sometimes, it seems like wilderness characters never get muddy, but this entry firmly places Fletcher in the depths of the woods. Both your character build and your writing style portray this. Well done. Mechanically, I came up with a different HP total than you: 45 instead of 44. 8x4.5=36, 36+18-9=45. Minor nitpick, I know, but it does raise a serious issue: you low Con score. While this character is represented as "scarred by a childhood disease," I feel as if the low Con is very detrimental to this character. On your point buy, if you had moved one point from Cha to Con, you would have been able to keep your character's description, while greatly enhancing your character's survivability. Nine extra HP & no penalty to Fort. saves can mean a lot. (And, you could still say the character was sickly, since a Con score of 10 is still low for a Ranger.) I didn't take the time to IRS you on skill points, so I don't know if they work out well or not. I like the number of Speak Languages you picked up, but I was surprised you didn't actually take ranks in Craft: Fletchery. Personally, I would have provided a level-by-level breakdown for how you spent your skill points, as that makes a judges job much easier. Comments and critiques aside, this was a very solid entry. Well done. An entry that didn't take a week to read!!! Ok, seriously, you've done an excellent job or writing a compelling background, but also done a good job of condensing it nicely. You have an excellent list of allies & enemies, plot points, etc... This is a very well developed character. Though I doubt it was on purpose, I must say that the Tosscobble line of Halflings are quite the bunch, and a nice touch to your background. Mechanics wise, I believe I spotted a typo on your Spot skill. How did you get to +10 when all you have is 4 ranks and Alertness? Typo? I believe so. The only other thing that really stood out: Cite your sources: Telling Blow. Your character is slick, charming, and quick on his feet, but is he quick enough to avoid the child support payments that will surely drain his wealth quicker than nothing? Solid character, and plenty of extra notes that I have stolen from your campaign setting. (I am starting the process of writing my own campaign world, and I am keeping my eyes open for good inspirational material.) A quick glance at mechanics revealed nothing amiss. Your magic items are confusing at first glance, but I didn't see anything that looked incorrect. Overall, very, very well done. And now, I must disappoint the other contestants. I have been called away from my apartment in the middle of posting comments. I hope to get them up tomorrow night, but that is iffy at the moment. Seeing as I have a crazy weekend ahead, I may not get them up before the judges complete there work. I shall do my best.
Mercurius 09-26-07, 10:54 PM	Your character is slick, charming, and quick on his feet, but is he quick enough to avoid the child support payments that will surely drain his wealth quicker than nothing? Solid character, and plenty of extra notes that I have stolen from your campaign setting. (I am starting the process of writing my own campaign world, and I am keeping my eyes open for good inspirational material.) A quick glance at mechanics revealed nothing amiss. Your magic items are confusing at first glance, but I didn't see anything that looked incorrect. Overall, very, very well done. Oh, that's where the hat of disguise comes in handy. I do rather love Gainsborough's children, and the man himself. Sadly, 28 point stat-buy doesn't do him justice. He's always been a very fun character, and the tension between him and Lydia is one of my favorite bits of NPC plot. A ladies man and a lesbian... who would honestly be sort of perfect for each other if something would just change. I'm glad you like him and the campaign material that he provides. I've been spending a long time on my setting (since 3.0 came out, really), and some of it is cribbed from other things, but a lot of it is just making stuff up as I go along. I'm really not looking forward to having to figure out how 4e can be adapted.... I might just be one of those grognards who sticks to an older edition.
jennibert 09-26-07, 11:24 PM	Maybe this will save the judges some trouble... Or at least some pestering ;) An entry that didn't take a week to read!!! Ok, seriously, you've done an excellent job or writing a compelling background, but also done a good job of condensing it nicely. You have an excellent list of allies & enemies, plot points, etc... This is a very well developed character. Though I doubt it was on purpose, I must say that the Tosscobble line of Halflings are quite the bunch, and a nice touch to your background. Mechanics wise, I believe I spotted a typo on your Spot skill. How did you get to +10 when all you have is 4 ranks and Alertness? Typo? I believe so. The only other thing that really stood out: Cite your sources: Telling Blow. Thank you! I'm glad I managed to tone down my tendency to elaborate everything enough so that people notice! Yay! I wondered about the Tosscobble reference, but then I figured it out. I actually just picked it because I think it's a funny name:) I had fun writing Kole, and am looking forward to see how she fared with the actual judges (not a demand for hurrying, just a statement of fact:D). I'm also interested to see how Gainsborough fares....I love that character.
Mysteria 09-27-07, 03:49 PM	I really, really got lucky on that picture for once! :) Usually, I never find a pic that fits my characters, I especially have on rogue/ranger/shadowdancer tiefling that I'd love to have a picture of, but no luck there. Yes, I know that that low Con is an argument against him, but I figured what the heck, let's try this anyway and see where I end up. I figured as the focus of the character is on using skills and bows, I could get away with it. :) Btw, in fact, his stats where rolled, (in that order!), and then I just adjusted them somewhat down (I had some very high rolls in there, like 18 and 17) to end up with the correct points buy value. :) I did consider putting points in craft (fletching) but decided against it. He left home pretty early, before he was really taught the craft by his father, and being on the road, he's not had the right sort of dedication to make bows. So, he's stuck to arrows (which he's good enough to make :)). As I didn't multiclass but went straight ranger, I didn't bother with a level per level break down of skill points. Call me lazy. :D edit: That might also have been caused by the fact that I knew that I already had a solid headache coming up rebuilding my aforementioned tieflings skills for 16 levels. :eek: edit 2: And I have to admit, I'm really curious as to how he'll look in 4th edition. :D
JasonOrlandoHawk 09-27-07, 04:58 PM	Alright, I have a few minutes to spare... Is it a violation of the rules to submit 4 characters? :P :clap: I really enjoyed this character, for a lot of reasons. There is plenty of material to work with, and as a DM I would readily adopt this character into one of my games. I only have one mechanics/clarity issue: For your powers, I couldn't find Save DC's or a Power Point cost. Other than that, very solid. Granting the fact that the entry was rushed, it would seem quite obvious that the number one comment would be something to the effect of "You needed just a little bit more to pull this off." You have a lot of solid elements to this character, not the least of which is an effective use of prophecy for this character. If you'd had a little more time, I think this would've been an incredible character. Mechanics wise, the major issue I spotted was this: your cloak of charisma and Ioun Stone of Charisma don't stack because they both provide an enhancement bonus. Other than that, I found your Stat Block to be nicely laid out. Not bad at all.
JasonOrlandoHawk 09-27-07, 05:06 PM	I wondered about the Tosscobble reference, but then I figured it out. I actually just picked it because I think it's a funny name:) In my group, we have a habit of building character family trees, so every time I see a character with the same last name as a character I've created, I try and decide if (and how) they're related to my character. Jason Orlando Hawk is actually my first gaming character, ever. Since then, I've developed the name and rough background of his wife, 2 children, father, cousin, nephew, great uncle, and ex-brother-in-law. I'm in the process of developing the story of his aunt as well. Sadly, there's never been a good opportunity to place a member of the Hawk clan in one of these competitions. Jason himself would've worked for this competition, with one exception. His most notorious skill isn't available in D&D: Demolitions. :( As for Milo Tosscobble (my first Hero Craftsman character & victory, for those who are unaware), I've never developed any actual family members, but I have developed a character who was masquerading as his brother. Now I'm trying to decide if I want to insert Diamond into the family tree or not. The upside to being so boring as to write out family trees for my characters is that I always have a character concept, no matter what, available.
FRRC 09-27-07, 05:35 PM	Yeah, I just had such a hard time trying to find a way for the character to not only involve himself in social activites but to develop sorcerer abilities naturally and secretly rather than to be teached. It's a character I've always wanted to play, but the background came second to the character concept.
jennibert 09-27-07, 08:56 PM	In my group, we have a habit of building character family trees, so every time I see a character with the same last name as a character I've created, I try and decide if (and how) they're related to my character. <snip> As for Milo Tosscobble (my first Hero Craftsman character & victory, for those who are unaware), I've never developed any actual family members, but I have developed a character who was masquerading as his brother. Now I'm trying to decide if I want to insert Diamond into the family tree or not. The upside to being so boring as to write out family trees for my characters is that I always have a character concept, no matter what, available. I wouldn't call it boring....I tend to do the same thing. Of course, not just families...I like to get into friend networks and acquaintances. Which is why Misery's entry was so long....I had, at various points during the campaign in which I played her, about six distinct possibilities for her future, with attendant characters to go along. It comes from loving to have stories, I suppose.... As for Diamond, let me know if you decide to work her in. I'd love to know her relation to Milo (a character I very much liked, btw). :D
JasonOrlandoHawk 09-27-07, 11:08 PM	In regards to Diamond Tosscobble, I'm torn about where to place her in relation to Milo. She definitely fits, not only in name. In Milo & Diamond's story both, there are themes of risking your life to help others. Very good fit. I can see two options: Milo & Seraphina's Daughter, or Milo's Mother. Both, I think, would work rather well. However, since I specifically stated that Milo's mother was a Cleric, and not a Wizard (and I know she could be both, but it was implied sole-class cleric), I think that Diamond would most likely be Milo's daughter. ... And I further prove how much of a nerd I am by engaging in critical analysis of the story elements of Forum Contest characters...
Longtime_Lurker 09-28-07, 03:30 PM	Very Solid Entry! My compliments. Mechanics wise, there wasn't much to nitpick. Your traveler's outfit doesn't count against the amount of weight that you can carry. Also, I'm sure this is a typo, but I think you realized your Dex bonus isn't +2. Your background is very well written, probably one of the best I've seen in this competition. I really heard this character's voice when I read the story. Build wise, I only have one concern. You are playing a melee character, but your only weapon option is the Adamantine Pick. 1d4+3 isn't very powerful, even with an x4 crit. Snikt and Grumble help out in this regard, but I would have put more money into offense. Take some money away from your shield, or from "Adamantine," and put it towards a +1 ability like flaming, shock, or even keen, and you will greatly enhance your damage output. Thank you for your kind comments. I was very pleased with the way Burrowlillys backstory came together and read. So much so that I intend to play her in the next campaign I don't DM. I realised that her damage output was a bit on the low side, I wanted the adamantine pick for burrowing with (she can get through rock where the animals cannot). I wanted a simple weapon (in the sense that is does not 'do' much beyond being magical and really hard) to build on the theme that she invests most of her wealth (as with her attention) on Snikt. Hence the investment in the amulet of natural weaponry for him. I still think that the combined attacks of Snikt and Burrowlilly (I leave out Grumble as he is more of a pack animal than a combatant) will allow a reasonable amount of damage output, tallying as the do thusly; +13/+8 melee (1d4 + 3/crit x4, +1 Adamantine Heavy Pick) +12/+12 melee (1d4 + 5, claws, magic), +9 melee (1d6 + 3, bite, magic); I suspect that Snikt will hog the glory in combat (as I intended). This is the same reason that I invested so much in the shield. It is actually there to protect Snikt primarily and not Burrowlilly at all. Still I do appreciate your point and may post my experiences with actually playing her later. I too spotted the Dex bonus typo - about 10 seconds after hitting the :censored: post button. :headexplo Is the basic clothes rules in the rulebooks or specific to these competitions and I have missed them (in either case)? Thanks again JasonOrlandoHawk. And Judges. Pesterpesterpesterpesterpesterpesterpest erpesterpesterpesterpester pesterpesterpesterpesterpesterpesterpest erpesterpesterpesterpesterpester pesterpesterpesterpesterpesterpesterpest erpesterpesterpesterpesterpester pesterpesterpesterpesterpesterpesterpest erpesterpesterpesterpesterpester. :D
Kit_the_Odd 09-28-07, 07:02 PM	Well, 2/3rds of the judging has been done for a couple of days. I haven't heard from the last judge yet. I'm hoping to get the rest of the scores this weekend. So just make sure you direct that pestering in the right direction.:P Lurker - remember that you do have 30 minute window after the initial posting to edit you entry without penalty. I guess this makes it obvious that I have been reading the 'no judges' comments, but I promise that I didn't unitl my scores were done. And they won't change.
Far_Traveler 09-29-07, 01:49 PM	Chester Xel’Naga, aka ‘Sets the Black Lotus’ Level 9 Kobold Ninja* Lawful Evil Eyes: Black Scales: Black and Yellow Pattern Height: 2’8” Weight: 32 pounds Str: 10 (6 – 4 racial) Dex: 20 (6 + 2 racial +2 level +2 gloves) Con: 10 (4 – 2 racial) Int: 14 (6) Wis: 14 (6) Cha: 8 (0) HP: 9d6 (34) Initiative: +5 Darkvision 60 ft, light sensitivity Speed: 30 Languages: Draconic, Common, Undercommon AC: 10 + 5 dex + 2 natural + 3 ninja + 1 size +1 deflection + 2 armor = 24 BaB/Grapple: +6/+2 Saves: +5 Fort, +13 Ref, +9 Will (3/6/3 base, 0/5/2 ability, 2/2/2 vest, 0/0/2 ki) Attack: ‘Lotus blade’ +14/+9 melee (1d4+2/19-20) or Sleeve blade +10/+5 melee (1d3/19-20) or Sleeve blade +10/+5 ranged (1d3/19-20) or Knee Blade +10/+5 melee (1d4/19-20) or Shuriken +12/+7 ranged (1) Feats: 1st: Enduring Ki** 3rd: Weapon Finesse 6th: Poison Expert (injury)** 9th: Leadership Class features: AC bonus (1 + wis) Ki power (4 + 2 points, +2 will when at least 1 left) Sudden strike +5d6 (as sneak attack, sans flank) Trapfinding Ghost step (1 ki for 1 round invis) Poison Use Great Leap (jump without running start, +4 on jump) Acrobatics +2 (climb, jump, tumble) Ki Dodge (1 ki for 1 round blur) Speed climb (can run up walls, height up to speed) Ghost Strike (1 ki as move to do one ghost touch hit) Improved poison use (move action poison apply) Skills: (96 points) Craft (Trapmaking) 12 ranks Craft (Poisonmaking) 12 ranks Tumble 12 ranks Disable Device 12 ranks Open Lock 12 ranks Search 12 ranks Hide 12 ranks Move silently 12 ranks Total modifiers: Craft (Trapmaking) +18 (12 ranks, +2 int, +2 tools, +2 racial) Craft (Poisonmaking) +16 (12 ranks, +2 int, +2 tools) Tumble +19 (12 ranks, +5 dex, +2 ninja) Jump +8 (+2 ninja, +4 ninja, +2 syn) Climb +2 (+2 ninja) Disable Device +16 (12 ranks, +2 int, +2 tools) Open Lock +19 (12 ranks, +5 dex, +2 tools) Search +16 (12 ranks, +2 int, +2 racial) Hide +26 (12 ranks, +5 dex, +4 size, +5 cloak) Move silently +22 (12 ranks, +5 dex, +5 cloak) Profession (miner) +4 (+2 wis, +2 racial) Equipment: Carrying Capacity: 25lb light, 50lb medium, 75lb max Small ninja outfit (monk’s outfit, 1/2 pound -gp) Crocodile Jaw (Possum Pouch**, 1,800gp, holds poisons and ninja signet, 1 lb) 2 Small sleeve blades (8gp, 1 lb) 2 small knee blades (40gp, 4 lbs) ‘Lotus blade’ +2 Kodachi (short sword, 8,310gp, 1 lb) Handy Haversack (5 lb, 2,000gp) (^ designates inside haversack) Poison Master’s kit^ (55gp, 5lb) Trap Master’s kit^ (55gp, 5 lb) Masterwork thieve’s tools^ (100gp, 2lb) +2 vest of resistance (4,000) +2 gloves of dexterity (4,000) +2 bracers of armor (4,000, 1lb) +1 amulet of natural armor (2,000) +1 ring of protection (2,000) Ninja’s cloak (+5H/MS, 4,250gp) 10 cure light wounds^ (500gp) 100ft. silk rope^ (20gp, 10lb) Grappling hook^ (1gp, 4 lb) Ninja Signet (5gp) Small steel mirror (10gp, 1/2lb) 40 shuriken (8gp, 2 lbs) Parchment, 9 sheets^ and one map to the lair(2gp) Ink, 2 jugs^ (16gp) Inkpen, 2^ (0.2gp) Chalk, 20 pieces (0.2gp) 6 days trail rations^ (6gp, 6lb) Whetstone (.02gp) 12pp, 17gp, 25sp, 28cp^ 18.5lbs Crafted items (1/3 price, Chesly does alchemy) 4 purple worm poison doses (934gp) (26/1d6str/2d6str) 1 Wyvern poison (1,000gp) (18/2d6con/2d6con) 4 Drow poisons (100) (DC14) 3 large scorpion venom (200) (15/1d6con/1d6con) Daystrider capsules** x9 (30gp) 24 antitoxins^ (500gp) 30 clearwater tablets (10g) Score 9-1cha+1 fairness and generosity Cohort level: 7th Followers(+2 score: base): 6 1st level Follower roster: (all followers are kobold ninja 1 skilled in trapmaking, hide, move silently, and one of alchemy or poisonmaking in addition to 1 to 3 other skills) Poke: specializes in Disguise and Gather Information (A) Fiko: specializes in Search, disable device, and Open lock (P) Gaki: Specializes in Climb (A) Dart: Specializes in Tumble and Balance (P) Salt: Specializes in Survival and Kn(Nature) (P) Fado: Specializes in Decipher Script and Forgery (A) Cohort: Chesely Xel’Naga, aka ‘Sets the White Lotus’, 7th level LE Kobold ninja Chesley is Chester’s not quite as talented twin sister. She never had much of a spirit about her, always quiet and demure. She was always weaker and frailer then Chester, but moved with a serene grace and beauty that only with the aid of magic could Chester compare. She is the best reconnaissance what’s left of the clan has (but it’s not like that’s a bad thing, she’s dang good) Notable skills: Alchemy, Move silently, Hide, Tumble, Trapmaking, Spot, Listen Notable feats: Quick reconnoiter*, Stealthy, Alertness Notable skill tricks**: Listen to This, Point it out Chester was born to a clan of Kobold ninjas, The Astral Warrens. He trained in their ancient art of ninjutsu, combined with their kobold ancestral trapmaking arts. He started training with his twin sister, Chesly ‘Sets the White Lotus’. He and his sister was apprenticed to an older ninja at first, with a brood-mate, Drake Xal’Goz, ‘Sees the Shadows’. The mentor was a gruff, antisocial ninja named Fart Pal’Da, ‘Runs the Red River’. The training was intense, with them moving up the ranks by helping Fart complete his missions. But there was a mission that went horribly wrong. The mission was to kill a certain noble who had recently gained power. Unfortunately, this noble grew up in a monastery and was very capable, taking the poisoned blade from Fart and plunging it into his heart. The foolish Drake screamed in outrage and charged, falling to the noble’s crushing kicks. That mission was to be the fall of The Astral Warrens. The noble monk was so outraged at the attempt that he gathered his good friends, one of them having enough connections to find the clan, and systematically wiped most of them out. Fortunately they couldn’t find the underground rooms where the apprentice ninjas were hiding. All that was left of the clan of hundreds were Chester, Chesley, about thirty other apprentices, and the second-in-command, Faern Gol’Kahl, ‘Stirs the Mists’. Faem knew that if the clan was to survive, it needed help from the other Kobold ninja clans. He knew, however, that if he was to go alone, he would be killed on sight. So he took twenty-two of the apprentices (the stronger ones), charging Chester with the task of rebuilding the clan. The clan building was transformed into a 100% underground endeavor, instead of the building with some underground chambers. The aboveground area was turned into a hill with a stump on the top. The stump has a rabbit sculpture on it, trapped with some poison gas. The tunnel downward is trapped with spikes, darts, and an unopenable gate at the bottom. Each kobold carries a map to the warrens, with the map indicating the stump as the entrance. The actual entrances are scatted about the area, hidden. Obviously, the hidden entrances are trapped with some poisoned dart traps and are kobold-sized, but the dart traps have an easy bypass trigger if you know where to look. (low disable, high search traps) For the next half-year or so, Poke gathered new missions from people who were willing to pay the price. But one day, he received a telepathic message from a dying Faem: You are the leader now. The other clans know we do not exist. Our lair isn’t secure enough for them, however. Serve the clan well. Chester, now emboldened with his new status, started making the missions less anonymous, putting out the name of the new clan: The Wyrmlings. Faem usually leaves most of his dealings anonymous, so personal, non-follower/cohort allies or enemies would be scarce, but the Wyrmlings clan spreads it’s business by word-of-mouth and repeat business, so those could be considered allies, and the clan’s enemies are probably rival clans, although I would like to think a code of honor prevents most of them from trying to snuff out the other clans openly, unless business suddenly becomes scarce. Also among the clan’s “Enemies” would be dissatisfied customers and any drow that found out that he had drow poison. The names are simply the rough translation of their names into humanoid draconic, the kind most wizards learn. Their actual names involve significantly more hisses, clicks, and growls. Chester can be introduced in many ways. He is often on a mission, and all ninja in the clan are instructed to flee or surrender when discovered, and notify them that a ransom will be paid for them. The idea of Chester whistling and some more ninjas coming to do something amuses me immensely, to dig a hole or help rig up a nice trap, kobold ninjas can do anything. In their unique skills they can be expected to have a modifier ranging from +4 to +8. Yes, Chester is evil, and would fit best in an evil campaign. However, this just simply manifests in that he will not object to most anything on a moral ground, so he can mesh passably with most groups. Yes, I did some improv on the lead-lined ninja outfit. I figured double weight should do it, as for a hidden pocket its 10% increase. The price is x5 what the normal cost is, so I figure that for a small ninja outfit it’s about right. The effect would be that most magical items (the ones under the outfit) would be hidden from detect magic. The fairness and generosity thing, while he is evil, is because of necessity, Chester highly values all of his clan members/family, and treats them very well, paying ransoms in the event of their capture (has happened before, although vengeance is a mission with payment all it’s own) While his follow number is low enough for him to bring them along a lot (unless area effects are often, such as in a dragon hunt), he would obviously leave some behind when he gets additional followers. (Also likely is he will get other classes, like rogue, beguiler, bard, scout, or ranger, and just call them ninja. For example, Faem was a beguiler) About the Drow poison… the clan had been alive for hundreds of years, specializing in poison traps, I find it easy to believe that in their secret scrolls, that recipe lies somewhere, stolen at one point when the clan was powerful, or derived from a sample. *Complete Adventurer **Complete Scoundrel
Far_Traveler 09-29-07, 01:49 PM	There he is. I was really proud of him too... Probably wouldn't of won me a medal anyway.
JasonOrlandoHawk 09-29-07, 09:16 PM	Is the basic clothes rules in the rulebooks or specific to these competitions and I have missed them (in either case)? p.131 of the PHB, in the first paragraph under "Clothing." And as a side note, if I'm nitpicking clothing, that probably means that your mechanics were so solid I couldn't find much else to complain about. I can see why you went for the pick, but adamantine, from a combat perspective, was probably a poor investment. Basically, any time adamantine would actually factor into combat, your companion is not going to be doing any damage (or at least not very much). And, as a DM, I'd probably allow you to tunnel with a regular pick.
Kit_the_Odd 09-30-07, 05:44 PM	Here's an update on the judging: We're waiting to hear from one of the judges, all the other scores are done and compiled. If we don't hear from the last judge by Wednesday night then I'll just go ahead with what we've got. If we do hear from the last judge, but it will take longer, then I will update the thread with that information. Thanks for your patience.
Longtime_Lurker 09-30-07, 06:20 PM	p.131 of the PHB, in the first paragraph under "Clothing." And as a side note, if I'm nitpicking clothing, that probably means that your mechanics were so solid I couldn't find much else to complain about. I can see why you went for the pick, but adamantine, from a combat perspective, was probably a poor investment. Basically, any time adamantine would actually factor into combat, your companion is not going to be doing any damage (or at least not very much). And, as a DM, I'd probably allow you to tunnel with a regular pick. Thanks for the reference, I tend to use DMGenie for equipment and it always adds the weight for outfits. I completely take your point, and yes a normal pick would allow me to tunnel through rock. I do have an unhealthy obsession with weapons made out of odd materials however :) In a vain attempt to justify it some more I suppose with it she could tunnel through exotic materials, such as a wall of iron. Also she can harm Golems, which Snikt would have trouble with. As you have been good enough to prepare critique of the other entries I am currently working on some for you, I shall post them shortly.
JasonOrlandoHawk 10-01-07, 12:46 AM	Your naming conventions were confounding. Xel'naga? Fart? I was just... :confused: Anyways, very usable character. You may be straining yourself to convince the judges on "Fairness & Generosity," but it's a close call. For reasons I have a hard time putting my finger on, this character seems to have seen very little combat. I know Chester has seen plenty of action, but the focus of the story left me feeling... unconvinced. I'd add one good "mission" story to fill that aspect of your character out. On to mechanics... Yes, I did some improv on the lead-lined ninja outfit. I figured double weight should do it, as for a hidden pocket its 10% increase. The price is x5 what the normal cost is, so I figure that for a small ninja outfit it’s about right. The effect would be that most magical items (the ones under the outfit) would be hidden from detect magic. :confused: <snip> Small ninja outfit (monk’s outfit, 1/2 pound -gp) <snip> I see no such modifications. The stats, as listed, are starting monk's outfit. Also, Cite your Sources: "Ninja Cloak." Anyways, critique aside, it's always enjoyable to see an evil character that I wouldn't have to ban from the word, "Go." This character is actually one that could work in most (non-paladin) campaigns, and the character could probably be reworked if alignment was too much of an issue. Well done! Edit: Kit, you may consider adding Chester Xel'naga to the master list. That way, people have a quick link to his character. You might add a small note to the effect of "Late Entry, not scored" for reference.
Far_Traveler 10-01-07, 07:28 AM	Your naming conventions were confounding. Xel'naga? Fart? I was just... :confused: Anyways, very usable character. You may be straining yourself to convince the judges on "Fairness & Generosity," but it's a close call. For reasons I have a hard time putting my finger on, this character seems to have seen very little combat. I know Chester has seen plenty of action, but the focus of the story left me feeling... unconvinced. I'd add one good "mission" story to fill that aspect of your character out. On to mechanics... :confused: I see no such modifications. The stats, as listed, are starting monk's outfit. Also, Cite your Sources: "Ninja Cloak." Anyways, critique aside, it's always enjoyable to see an evil character that I wouldn't have to ban from the word, "Go." This character is actually one that could work in most (non-paladin) campaigns, and the character could probably be reworked if alignment was too much of an issue. Well done! Edit: Kit, you may consider adding Chester Xel'naga to the master list. That way, people have a quick link to his character. You might add a small note to the effect of "Late Entry, not scored" for reference. Huh. That thing about the oufit can't be right. Dang it. The ninja cloak is home-made. My Naming conventions were interesting. For first names, I went the way of Meepo. For last names, I wanted something a bit more regal. Xel'Naga was stolen (not saying where), the rest were made up. Edit: the reason the character was disqualified was not because it was late, but in fact because I accidentally posted it when I was formatting it for appearance, and didn't catch it until after the 30 minutes because of the TV.
Mercurius 10-01-07, 12:43 PM	My Naming conventions were interesting. For first names, I went the way of Meepo. For last names, I wanted something a bit more regal. Xel'Naga was stolen (not saying where), the rest were made up. I'm gonna take a stab here and guess you cribbed it from Slayers. Specifically, Xellos and Naga?
JasonOrlandoHawk 10-01-07, 01:15 PM	I was going to say, Xel'naga... isn't that a Starcraft reference?
Far_Traveler 10-01-07, 01:44 PM	I was going to say, Xel'naga... isn't that a Starcraft reference? Bingo! The Xel'Naga were the creators of the protoss and Zerg races. I reall like that name.
Kit_the_Odd 10-03-07, 10:45 PM	OK, after much ado I now present the final scores for Hero Craftsman #11: First the "Best of Category" winners. The nominees are: Mellani Moonfavour by DarkKitsune Gainsborough Wallace, by Mercurius H.A. Fletcher by Mysteria Kole Darksparrow, by jennibert Kole Darksparrow, by jennibert The nominees are: Gainsborough Wallace, by Mercurius Kole Darksparrow, by jennibert Jovial, the Laughing Sage, by JaonOrlandoHawk Owtikkvana Burrowlilly by Longtime_Lurker Gainsborough Wallace, by Mercurius The nominees are: Gainsborough Wallace, by Mercurius Kole Darksparrow, by jennibert Jovial, the Laughing Sage, by JaonOrlandoHawk H.A. Fletcher by Mysteria Alexander Craftwel by FRRC Jovial, the Laughing Sage, by JaonOrlandoHawk The nominees are: Gainsborough Wallace, by Mercurius Kole Darksparrow, by jennibert Jovial, the Laughing Sage, by JaonOrlandoHawk a tie, between Jovial and Kole Congratulations to all the Category winners! And now (drum roll, please) for the overall winners! In 3rd Place, winning the Bronze Medal, with an average score of 27.875: Jovial, the Laughing Sage, by JaonOrlandoHawk In 2nd Place, winning the Silver Medal, with an average score of 28.125: Gainsborough Wallace, by Mercurius And the Gold Medal winner for Hero Craftman #11, Scions of Skill, with an average score of 28.75... Kole Darksparrow, by jennibert Congratulations to our Medalists! Kole Darksparrow by jennibert - 28.75 Gainsborough Wallace by Mercurius - 28.125 Jovial, the Laughing Sage by JasonOrlandoHawk - 27.875 H.A. Fletcher by Mysteria - 27.225 Owtikkvana Burrowlilly by Longtime_Lurker - 25.75 Dellren the Ferret by TheScapegoat - 25.375 Mellani Moonfavour by DarkKitsune - 25.275 Dorian, master of secrets by Endarrion - 24.9 Kitri Shadowhand by Heros_Backpack - 24.125 Alexander Craftwel by FRRC - 22.475 And congratulations to all out competitors!
Mercurius 10-03-07, 11:15 PM	Hmmm... second place. Gainsborough cannot let this stand! He'll have to bed Kole and steal her first place trophy!
jennibert 10-03-07, 11:37 PM	Yay! Scores! Thank you very much to the judges for getting the scores up! And thank you for judging Kole so well! Congrats to all of the entries, not just the medal winners, for their very excellent contributions! Very good scores overall for this competition! Oh, and Mercurius....Kole might let Gainsborough bed her, but she's not giving up that trophy. If it comes to it, remember who does more damage in combat....:D
JasonOrlandoHawk 10-04-07, 01:01 AM	I can't believe it!!! JaonOrlandoHawk stole my bronze medal!!! I demand a recount! :P Congratulations jennibert on the gold medal. Well done Mercurius also. In fact, my compliments all around, judges and competitors both. Excellent competition! Eagerly anticipating comments.
FRRC 10-04-07, 02:27 AM	Yes, last! Woot for incomplete backgrounds! :P
wrecan 10-04-07, 08:45 AM	Here are my comments. Note that they are almost exclusively about backgrounds and story. I had a lot of notes about how I calculated the rules scores, but I lost them. But I really only had nitpicky things to say about the rules anyway. General comment. I was very excited about this competition because I love clever characters who use Skills in novel ways. A lot of the characters here were really clever and very surprising in their use of skills. One thing for which I was not prepared, however, was that some of the characters seems better suited for NPCs than PCs. This is the Hero Craftsman contest on the Player’s board and I always envisioned the point of the contest was to create decent player characters, not NPCs. For some entries I had trouble figuring out why they would even go adventuring. Other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed judging. Almost as much as I enjoy entering! The background was an enjoyable read and I felt like I really knew who this character was, her motivations and her goals. But it felt like I had heard this story (orphan girl becomes a master thief) many times before. Which is fine for a player character, but isn't going to get you a lot of points for originality. I do wonder, however, how she is going to fit into a party of anything other than thieves who are all willing to oppose the ruling thieves' guild. She felt more like a well-developed NPC than a PC. I really like the way you satisfied the theme by combining a cleric and rogue for a truly skillful character. I think you hit the theme very well. However, I think the background -- while not needing to be longer -- could have focused more on how she came to have the classes and abilities she does. On your level-by-level description, she bounces back and forth between cleric and rogue. What was her motivation during this time? Did she do all this level changing before the orc attack or after? Also, I could have used a better explanation for why Mellani survived the attack. I mean, they even killed the grass! How did they overlook a priestess? As an aside, your background should have included some allies and enemies of your character that could be included in encounters. Other than the elder wizard and the village of which you are now sister-wizard (which sounds to me like a retired PC, rather than an active one), who else has Mellani Moonfavour impacted in her nine levels of adventuring? I think you made a very colorful character with good motivations and interests. As with the prior rogues, however, I felt it was a story I had seen numerous times before. Also, I found the story a little confusing. Was a thief really going to be come disillusioned by some infighting among thieves? I didn't see anything in his background that made me think Dellren would ever have been so idealistic. Now this is an entry that involves a true adventurer. I always prefer entrants who have a prior career as an adventurer as part of their history. I'm also a sucker for well-crafted gnomes (pun intended). I enjoyed your background very much and I'm also very thankful that it was a less dark entry. Jovial is a great character. I was hooked from the beginning of the story to then end of the entry. Delightfully written. As I wrote before, I much prefer serious, but light-hearted backstories to angsty backstories, and the happy-go-lucky scholarly orphan is not one I had previously seen. My only comments are that I felt his background was a bit sparse in the department of allies and enemies. First, his college should count as an ally, and I’d like to know who of some of his mentors or colleagues. Also, no Count works alone. Some thrall dragged his coffin to the Northern mountains. That should count as an enemy. Also, I assume Jovial has some other enemies, perhaps not as lethal as the vampire. I mean, he’s an academic – doesn’t he have professors who accuse him of plagiarism or who plagiarized him? I also felt the familiar wasn’t incorporated into the entry. Why did he choose a viper? Just for the stat boost? What personality does the viper have? How do they work together? This is a solid entry with a good background, a distinctive personality and some good hooks. The bloody band makes a good foe and the Wild Guild good allies, but I’d like a little more about that wizard. Does he have it in for Fletcher? Could they be allies? Anyway, that’s peanuts. Mostly, this entry is fun. My biggest comment is that I didn’t see what made this entry particularly skillful. Sure, he has a lot of Survival synergies, but how does he use his skills sufficient to qualify for the contest? What a fun character. I have to admit, I wasn’t bowled over by the background, but once she became an adventurer, the story really took off and gained a life of its own. Skillful and a great addition to a party. I very much thought this was a great example of a skillful PC. I really like your writing style and this character. He is a classic adventuring type and any lurker would be well-suited to steal this character concept and history. My only substantive comment is that I was surprised that he only had a Charisma of 16, given his reputation for seducing maidens and convincing women to violate their marital vows. I also would have expected a seducer to have more ranks in Sense Motive. I like the broker of information aspect, but I have problems with his triple life. While this would make a great NPC, it causes a lot of problems for a PC. He claims to spend one week a month in each persona. Factoring in travel leaves no time to join an adventuring party. He’d have to abandon all three personae simultaneously. Also, with three different locals, should he not have three different Knowledge (local) skills? (As a side note, shouldn’t his horse have three different names – it would be suspicious for three men in three towns to each own a reddish horse named Crimson Lightning.) Other than that, I think this was a solid entry. Well, this won’t come as much of a surprise to you, but it read as rushed as you claimed. I thought the concept had a lot of potential, but there were aspects of his story that needed more detail and clarification. What, exactly, did his father do for a living? I couldn’t figure out if he was a con man, thief, pickpocket or merchant. How did he get a demonic heritage? This kid lived a pretty sheltered life. How did he get all those social skills? From a dwarven tutor? That didn’t make a lot of sense. His biggest skill is in Bluff, and that doesn’t seem like something a tutor can help with very much. Plus, if the dwarf was to teach commerce, shouldn’t Alexander have some ranks in Appraise? Or Profession (merchant)? Maybe one rank of Knowledge (architecture and engineering) to represent the mathematics?
Mercurius 10-04-07, 09:28 AM	I really like your writing style and this character. He is a classic adventuring type and any lurker would be well-suited to steal this character concept and history. My only substantive comment is that I was surprised that he only had a Charisma of 16, given his reputation for seducing maidens and convincing women to violate their marital vows. I also would have expected a seducer to have more ranks in Sense Motive. Four words: 28-point stat buy. A high dexterity is also important to Gainsborough, and a semi-decent constitution and intelligence are necessary too. If I had my druthers, he'd have an 18 charisma (before level mods) and dex, and at least a 16 Intelligence, like the way he was statted when he appeared in my prior campaign. Unfortunately, he just didn't have the INT bonus to grant him sense motive ranks of a decent caliber, and his wisdom had to be tanked to justify some other things. Gainsborough doesn't bother with Charisma boosting items and the like, either. Specifically, he finds the idea of using magic to make himself more attractive to be unsporting and entirely beside the point. Therefore, I couldn't even bring myself to get him a cloak of charisma or something to that effect. His skill ranks and charisma scores are still very good, though. Significantly above those of the average human. He was a lot of fun to write, though. Up until this contest, I had the basic "womanizer" personality and the adventuring background after he joined with Cecil (since Cecil is a major mover-shaker in my CS), but I didn't really know where he came from. And, along the way, I inadvertently gave Edgar some personality (he really never had any before now...). Very glad to see my flagrant abuse of floating feats/magic item creation rules didn't hurt me much. I was wondering if people would call me on it or grade me particularly harshly because of it.
Longtime_Lurker 10-04-07, 10:42 AM	Congrats Jennibert and the other winners. An excellent theme for the competition that has produced some really interesting characters. From a personal perspective Kit_the_Odd I would appreciate some guidance on where I lost marks so that I can improve in the future. I have received only positive feedback thus far and am a little confused as to how I fell so far behind the winners :( . Thanks for judging (I am in no way moaning or disputing the judges scores btw. I just find constructive critisism useful :) ) and I look forward to the next one. Cheers LL
JasonOrlandoHawk 10-04-07, 11:19 AM	Jovial is a great character. I was hooked from the beginning of the story to then end of the entry. Delightfully written. As I wrote before, I much prefer serious, but light-hearted backstories to angsty backstories, and the happy-go-lucky scholarly orphan is not one I had previously seen. Thank you. This character is based off of an old Forgotten Realms character that I played. There were modifications, obviously, but I did enjoy this character. My only comments are that I felt his background was a bit sparse in the department of allies and enemies. First, his college should count as an ally, and I’d like to know who of some of his mentors or colleagues. Also, no Count works alone. Some thrall dragged his coffin to the Northern mountains. That should count as an enemy. Also, I assume Jovial has some other enemies, perhaps not as lethal as the vampire. I mean, he’s an academic – doesn’t he have professors who accuse him of plagiarism or who plagiarized him? As for allies, I focused on the orphanage b/c that is where he puts a lot of his effort. I imagined Jovial's relationship with the college as more "professional working relationship" and less "good buddies." Rivalries could occur, but I just wasn't looking that direction. As for enemies, I was operating under the assumption that the Count had allies. I mean, he showed up near the mountains, the last known location of an orc army... I guess I should have spelled it out a bit better. I also felt the familiar wasn’t incorporated into the entry. Why did he choose a viper? Just for the stat boost? What personality does the viper have? How do they work together? Guilty as charged. Familiars tend to be an afterthought for me. I chose it for the bonus to Bluff, b/c it follows Jovial's personality (and, consequently skills...). In my earlier comments, I noted that I felt my familiar was the weakest portion of the entry.
Mysteria 10-04-07, 11:32 AM	This is a solid entry with a good background, a distinctive personality and some good hooks. The bloody band makes a good foe and the Wild Guild good allies, but I’d like a little more about that wizard. Does he have it in for Fletcher? Could they be allies? Anyway, that’s peanuts. Mostly, this entry is fun. My biggest comment is that I didn’t see what made this entry particularly skillful. Sure, he has a lot of Survival synergies, but how does he use his skills sufficient to qualify for the contest? Thanks for the comments. :) I've not spelled it out, but he uses his skills to get along in the wild. ;) And without relying on heaps of magic. (Climbing cliffs instead of flying up there, etc ... You get my drift. :)) I've not given many more thoughts to the wizard. If this were a real character for a real game, the wizard could either be used as the DM wants to, or I could come up with some background more for the DM to play with, depending on what would work better. :)
jennibert 10-04-07, 10:41 PM	Random thing I just noticed: All of the winners live in Kentucky. Go Kentucky! Thanks for the comments, wrecan. I'm glad you enjoyed Kole! Oh, and something I meant to put in my last post: Congrats, Kit. I wish you and your wife a healthy baby:)
Kit_the_Odd 10-05-07, 12:34 PM	My comments on the entries. Impressive numbers in some skills with so few ranks. However, I would have liked to see some more ranks in those skills. Alexander has more ranks in Listen, a cross-class skill, than in Diplomacy, Intimidate, and Sense Motive. And while all those 3 are also cross-class for Sorcerer, they are class skills for Mindbender – and much more relevant to the theme of the character. Especially since these skill ranks show that while Alex is a master at manipulating others, he isn’t so good at telling when he is being manipulated. Nice ‘legendary background’, but that’s about it. 9 levels are covered with ‘he went adventuring and survived’. No friends or foes except a father he didn’t have much to do with even when he was there and an old tutor that may be a foe or a friend. Don’t need to pay for your basic set of clothes and you paid twice what you needed to for a bedroll. (Probably failed the Sense Motive roll to see if the shop keeper was cheating you.) And your flat-footed AC should be 11, not 10. Skilled in animal training and some professional stuff, but she isn’t who I would come to see for a skilled adventurer. We learn a lot more about her old group than we really do about her as an adventurer. But we do get lots of nice little things (gem cutting, her attitude towards animals) that really help flesh her out as a charcter. Really nailed the aging hero getting back into the business vibe. I show you as missing 3900gp. The gp limit for this level is 36,000 but you only speant or accounted for 32,100gp. An example of a classic skill monkey. While no single skill is maxed out, many have very high ranks and the use of skill tricks makes a lot of difference. Great connection to the theme, though not particularly original. Leaving a thieves’ guild on those terms seems a bit unlikely to me, but not a big deal. Should probably have a bit more detail on the law officer’s relationship with this guy. You should have 43HP, not 32. You are not proficient with the light hammer, that kind of screws up all your attacks and stuff. Maxed out skills could be further augmented by spending some of that money – Charisma or Wisdom boosting items, circlet of persuasion, etc. I would not have guessed that you had any psionic abilities from your background. 9th level PC would expect more specific achievements, but I suppose setting up 3 different identities might give you enough opportunities to grow that much. And with 3 identities there is certainly a lot for a DM to use I didn’t find any specific rules governing prices for houses and furnishings, so I can’t say that your prices were right or wrong. But on something that unusual you ought to think about giving a source or reason for the price. No a big deal though. Flat footed AC should be 18, touch AC 13. Bluff, Diplomacy, and Sense Motive are all cross class skills, but you treated them like class skills. A skilled woodsman – just the person you’d want to guide you through the woods. The emphasis felt a little more on the ‘woodsman’ than on the ‘skilled’ but still a nice twist compared to the stereotypical sneak rogue type skill monkey. Despite the love of travel he really seems to be running from something, it could be a nice hook for some character development. Would fit well in most parties unless they wanted to settle down. A little light on specific allies and enemies. Very nice tie in between background and stats (Con & Cha with ravages of past illness) Assuming your second quiver is a typo all your stuff adds up, but you do have some prices wrong. Winter blanket and trail rations aren’t a big deal, but you paid 100 too much for your armor, and it should be marked +1. Iterative Grapple attacks don’t exist. Very nice twist on the stereotype, we have a guy that is perfectly capable of sneaking around and taking care of traps and stuff or pulling a fast one on the guards, but is more likely to get what he wants by charming his way in with the ladies. The selected feat really showed a lot of dedication to being as skilled as possible. You don’t have any real explaination for your Chameleon abilities, but you do have some nice background for some of your major items. The problem is that I coulnd’t let you tell us you got the items one way and then take an “I made it”discount on your inventory. You stretched the rules for those prices but seemed to get everything right – but you can’t say you made something and that you got it from someone else at the same time. I really like this guy, but outside of a few skill points spent outside of the typical wizard’s list he doesn’t feel much like a skill focused character. More like a wizard that ought to take a level of bard or two to fill his story telling fixation. I don’t really have any criticisms, Jovial is a great character. For future reference, calling your character by name will get you extra points. J You have certainly worked to gain all of those sneaking around and movement skills. And with a monk, rather than the stereotypical rogue. Should have 53hp, not 89. You way overspent skill points in levels 8 & 9. I count 14 pts at level 8 and 11 at level 9. Very nice, a very mobile barbarian that can also do a bit of trapfinding also. The Able Learner feat is a nice addition, effectivly giving you 9 skill pts. Lots of skills, well tied to a fun and new character design. You do seem to have forgotten your speed bonus to Jump and mis-added your Spot skill. I get 6 for Spot, not 10. Many nice skills, but they ‘skilled person’ vibe didn’t really come through in the background. Possibly because of the relative shortness of the background itself. I have you spending 36,200gp. The prices for everything were right, you just overspent. Your grapple attack bonus is 7, not 6. You have +2 from Wisdom in your skills, but your Wis modifier is +3. And you are missing a synergy bonus to Diplomacy from Sense Motive. Having so many spoiler block is a little hard on the eyes.
Kit_the_Odd 10-05-07, 12:39 PM	Thanks jennibert! I meant to post these comments last night, but instead had another quick trip to the hospital. My wife is getting tired of going to the hospital and leaving still pregnant. :( She is ready to be done. So we are waiting semi-patiently for our fourth, and his 3 older siblings are probably more patient than his parents.:)
Zherog 10-05-07, 01:50 PM	My brother- and sister-in-law have six kids. My sister-in-law swears that swallowing a teaspoonful of castor oil will induce labor. I'm not endorsing it - I think it'll just make you barf - but there ya go.
Mysteria 10-05-07, 03:08 PM	Iterative Grapple attacks don’t exist. Hm, never noticed. Then again, I'm not a big grapple fan - most of my characters are toast once they're grappled unless they can escape artist out of it. :D
Mercurius 10-05-07, 04:31 PM	Yeah, I used the item creation rules because they were available. I never said he actually crafted them, just that he got the discount because he met the qualifications. Way I figure it, with the crazy activities he's gone through, much of his wealth would be beyond that of a "comparable" character, because he can charm people into giving it to him (or he can steal it) without as much hassle. Also, the rules were there, and I really wanted him to have his trademark cloak of arachnida but it was beyond the wealth limit otherwise. So I exploited the system, a la Gainsborough. As for his chameleon abilities, I tried to explain it with Cecil, Edgar, etc teaching him some of their tricks while they were traveling together. It wasn't a massive, evil organization like the PrC recommends, but it was a better way of doing it, IMHO.
Endarrion 10-05-07, 05:29 PM	Dorian is a Psion (Telepath). Telepaths gain Bluff, Diplomacy, and Sense Motive as class skills. XPH pg 20. House costs are listed in the DMG. I don't have the book handy, so I don't know the page number, but they're in there. The furnishing I just picked a number that sounded too high and went with it to be on the safe side.
DarkKitsune 10-05-07, 09:32 PM	I really like the way you satisfied the theme by combining a cleric and rogue for a truly skillful character. I think you hit the theme very well. However, I think the background -- while not needing to be longer -- could have focused more on how she came to have the classes and abilities she does. On your level-by-level description, she bounces back and forth between cleric and rogue. What was her motivation during this time? Did she do all this level changing before the orc attack or after? Also, I could have used a better explanation for why Mellani survived the attack. I mean, they even killed the grass! How did they overlook a priestess? As an aside, your background should have included some allies and enemies of your character that could be included in encounters. Other than the elder wizard and the village of which you are now sister-wizard (which sounds to me like a retired PC, rather than an active one), who else has Mellani Moonfavour impacted in her nine levels of adventuring? Well, the flip-flopping between Cleric and Rogue was done post-background (actually, much of the mechanics were, which may be turning into a problem in these competitions), and were a purely mechanical consideration rather than a flavour one. Originally, she was only going to have a couple levels of Rogue right at the very start, to indicate that she was an artisan first, clergy second, but the XP handicap on top of an already 'weak' character I felt to be a bit much (though, in hindsight, the even levels might actually be weaker). As for why I didn't just go with a human or a halfling... *shrug* :p As for the attack, I left the reason she survived vague on purpose, either for the DM to fill in as they wish, or to be ignored as 'one of those things'. Mellani believes it was the work of her goddess, but she's really as clueless as anyone else. Finally, I had a really hard time coming up with just who she impacted during the pilgrimage, and never actually came up with a satisfactory answer, hence why it was left blank (I admit having a really hard time coming up with seasoned adventurers; I'm much more in my element with low-level beginners, both in terms of accomplishments and power level). And as an aside, being tied to a shrine does not make one a retired adventurer - it just give the BBEG something to threaten :p And a congrats to jennitbert, Mercurius, and 'Joan'OrlandoHawk for teh wins ^_^!
Mysteria 10-06-07, 07:36 AM	Btw, I did notice when I wrote Fletcher that he seemed to be running from something, but I couldn't quite figure out what. Looking at him again, I think he runs from attachment, for if you're not attached to anybody or any place in particular, there's nothing you can loose and he doesn't want to lose anybody anymore because he knows how that feels, having lost both his sister and his mother. I also think that he's not ready to admit that fact to himself.
Kit_the_Odd 10-06-07, 03:22 PM	Dorian is a Psion (Telepath). Telepaths gain Bluff, Diplomacy, and Sense Motive as class skills. XPH pg 20. See, this proves two things. One, I'm not very familiar with D&D Psionics. :banghead: Two, important things like this are not effectively emphasized in the SRD. (Lack of bolding, sidebars, etc) At least I don't think so. I don't have the XPH, so I had to use the SRD.:weep: House costs are listed in the DMG. I don't have the book handy, so I don't know the page number, but they're in there. The furnishing I just picked a number that sounded too high and went with it to be on the safe side. I know I've seen them in the DMG also, but I just couldn't find them when I looked.
Heros_Backpack 10-06-07, 03:29 PM	If it's house prices you're looking for, they're here (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/wilderness.htm#tableBuildings) in the Urban Environment section. :)
jennibert 10-14-07, 10:30 PM	Anyone who's interested, HC#12 (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?p=14078975#post14078975) is now up...