Post/Author/DateTime	Post
JasonOrlandoHawk 12-01-06, 02:19 AM	Welcome to the Hero Craftsmen 5 contest, 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 The Year of the Dragons. “Dragons are creatures of myth, often described as the first sentient race to appear on a world, with life spans that stretch over hundreds of years. They symbolize the world itself and embody its history, and the oldest dragons are repositories of vast knowledge and ancient secrets. This aspect of dragons makes them much more than just a challenging combat encounter: They are sages and oracles, fonts of wisdom and prophets of things to come. Their very appearance can be an omen of good or ill fortune.” -Excerpt from the Dracomonicon. Welcome to the real Year of the Dragons competition. Since this is the last Hero Craftsmen competition for the year, it is only fitting that Dragons take center stage. That’s right, we want characters built around the most Iconic creature in all of D&D. Dragon Hunters, Dragon Riders, Dragon Sages, and more are welcome in this mighty competition. Here there be dragons. Are you brave enough to enter the ring? The required level (ECL) for this competition is 16th, which gives each character 260,000gp to spend on magic items and equipment, with no more than 86,666gp to be spent on any one item. 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. 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 15-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 15 minutes is considered breaking the rules. Hence, we urge you to revise your entry throughly prior to submitting it, to save hassle. Making use of the preview button on the post window will help you catch most errors before posting. 4) One Entry Per Contestant, and that creator must be the submitter (IE-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 contained in the three core books is allowed. Any material found in the following books may also be used in this competition: Complete Adventurer, Complete Arcane, Complete Divine, Complete Warrior, Expanded Psionics Handbook, and the Draconomicon. 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 also allowed. For this specific contest, no other material may be used including any variant rules as described in Unearthed Arcana and included in some unoffical on-line SRDs. 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 (and only when) crafting a magic item for your character, the gp cost is 75% of the market price of the item (instead of 50%), and the xp cost is 0, for purposes of this contest. This is to represent that your character may have bought an item prior to crafting it, and the experience that he spent evens out to the required level for the competition. 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 each give a single entry 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. 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. Another key element here is how playable the character is in a party. For example, submitting a sociopathic chaotic evil rogue who refuses to work with others and kills people over the smallest slight is likely going to receive a low score 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. Note that you don't need to have perfect spelling and grammar to score well here; we all make typos, even when we spend forever proofreading. 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. Also remember to consider how easy things are to read. Simple things like separating paragraphs can go a long way in improving your Clarity Score. 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, incase of cross-class skills, stacking class features and other such stuff that would be otherwise difficult for us judges to detect. When making a multiclassed character, it helps if the judges know what class you took at first level. It helps even more if judges know what class you took every level. Remember that the easier it is for a judge to verify your mechanics, the better your chances of getting a good score in the category. 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 generally 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. (Ye Be Warned!) It is also very helpful if you list the basic racial stats for such characters. Our list of Eligible Judges are Doopliss (who started Hero Craftsmen), The Chilli God, Zherog, jennibert, JasonOrlandoHawk, and Heros_Backpack. The gold-medal winner of each Hero Craftsmen competition will be added to this list as a prize; after each competition, we will seek volunteers for the next contest from the list until we have at least 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 Heros_Backpack and TheChilliGod; JasonOrlandoHawk will be our coordinating judge. This contest starts when this post is made, and is due to end at 11:59pm on Wednesday the 20th of December, 2006 (GMT), giving you over two weeks to enter your characters. Finally, best of luck to all entries.
JasonOrlandoHawk 12-01-06, 02:19 AM	Frequently Asked Questions 1) What would the modifiers for Leadership be at this Level (ECL 16)? -To quote Zherog: Use what you believe is reasonable for the character. You should tell the judges how you calculated your Leadership score, and your background should support it. 2) Can we create any type of character, be it a dragon or a dragon hunter, as long as it fits the dragon theme? -We purposefully selected a very broad theme in selecting Dragons. Therefore, as long as it fits under the banner "Year of the Dragons," it fits in this contest. So in specific, YES, you may create a Dragon as a character. That being said, remember this is a HERO crafting competition. Your job is to create a character that will be adventuring with another group of adventurers. Don't lose sight of that important idea. 3) Do the sample arrays (in General Rule #7) include bonuses for every 4th Hit Dice? -Nope. People love to create characters with ECL +1 (and higher), so we have merely provided the Base Stats. It is your job to adjust those stats appropriately during character creation. Also, please note, those are SAMPLE scores. You may use the 28-point buy method for Ability Score Generation found in the PHB. You are not required to use the scores provided. 4) If a Deity is found in more than one source book, which version should be used? -You may use whichever version you desire IF that source book is among the listed available resources for the competition. However, it would be considered good form to let the judges know which book you took the stats from. Call it a "Clarity" issue.
JasonOrlandoHawk 12-01-06, 02:20 AM	Grand List of Competitors 1) Sir Vladimir Ilzmaj (http://boards1.wizards.com/showpost.php?p=10813564&postcount=41) Created By: Haruspex 2) Rignel Ryshtaline-Adarae (http://boards1.wizards.com/showpost.php?p=10874915&postcount=87) Created by: Jennibert 3) Merseliel Windsinger (http://boards1.wizards.com/showpost.php?p=10877425&postcount=88) Created by: Zherog 4) Darokk of the Stormblade Clan (http://boards1.wizards.com/showpost.php?p=10884914&postcount=93) Created by: Magocrat 5) Verden Rathan (http://boards1.wizards.com/showpost.php?p=10893707&postcount=110) Created by: DarkKitsune 6) Thane Fulshaw (http://boards1.wizards.com/showpost.php?p=10937620&postcount=130) Created by: Endarrion 7) Bob, Son of Bob (http://boards1.wizards.com/showpost.php?p=10945023&postcount=137) Created by: Bhu 8) Dogma the DragonGuard (http://boards1.wizards.com/showpost.php?p=10955088&postcount=153) Created by: Far_Traveler 9) Zhendek Mirage, the Dragonsinger (http://boards1.wizards.com/showpost.php?p=10955907&postcount=157) Created by: Malignor 10) Avalon, Dragon’s Son (http://boards1.wizards.com/showpost.php?p=10961645&postcount=171) Created by: Avalon 11) Malek Greenshore (http://boards1.wizards.com/showpost.php?p=10964833&postcount=178) Created by: FRRC 12) Galentheous Brindale Leafthorn (http://boards1.wizards.com/showpost.php?p=10965612&postcount=181) Created by: edwardsobel 13) Jethro Garthronson (http://boards1.wizards.com/showpost.php?p=10966194&postcount=184) Created by: Kit_the_Odd (DQ: Late Entry) 14) Roscoe Hillclimber (http://boards1.wizards.com/showpost.php?p=10974249&postcount=198) Created by: American_Yeti (DQ: Late Entry)
FRRC 12-01-06, 03:04 AM	Wednesday? 20th?
Avalon® 12-01-06, 09:08 AM	What would the modifiers be at this level for Leadership? Would the character be of great reknown, fairness and generosity or special power? Or would that have to be explained in the backstory?
Orchomenos 12-01-06, 09:39 AM	2 Questions: 1) Can we create any type of character, be it a dragon or a dragon-hunter, as long as it fits the dragon theme? 2) About the General Rule #7, do the sample èscore arrays include the bonuses for each 4th hit dice?
Zherog 12-01-06, 10:31 AM	I can answer some of these, based on previous HC contests. What would the modifiers be at this level for Leadership? Would the character be of great reknown, fairness and generosity or special power? Or would that have to be explained in the backstory? Use what you believe is reasonable for the character. You should tell the judges how you calculated your Leadership score, and your background should support it. 2 Questions: 1) Can we create any type of character, be it a dragon or a dragon-hunter, as long as it fits the dragon theme? You can generally interpret the theme any way you want. The more creative you are in hitting the theme, though, the better you'll score in the Thematic creativity section. 2) About the General Rule #7, do the sample èscore arrays include the bonuses for each 4th hit dice? Those stats are the starting stats. You'll need to adjust accordingly for racial bonuses, level increases, magic items, and so on.
JasonOrlandoHawk 12-01-06, 11:05 AM	Wednesday? 20th? That is correct. We wanted to give the contestants extra time to submit entries since this will be the last HC of the year, but since that weekend goes into Christmas Eve, we really couldn't keep the contest open a full three weeks. So, we gave everyone an extra 5 days, instead of 7. I hope to get plenty of responses since we are allowing this extra time.
Zherog 12-01-06, 11:08 AM	I have my idea; I just need to make sure I can expand it well enough to cover 16 levels of awesomeness, and then build the stats around the idea.
Magocrat 12-01-06, 11:26 AM	Seeing that I play a character devoted to dragons right now, this would be an awesome way to expand my creativity and touch other draconic topics. All I'd like to say is: count me in. Oh, and of course, the best of luck to all who choose to compete. Not to say that you'll need it against my design, since I am only a novice hero artisan. Actually, that seems like a good title to give someone! Perhaps that might be a suggestion as a 'prize'? The title of 'hero artisan' seems alluring enough. Anyway, you will see more of my entry once it is finished. (I just hope that I can meet the deadline; I always have trouble with those nasty buggers!)
Zherog 12-01-06, 11:38 AM	I love deadlines! I particularly like the "Whooshing!" noise they make as they fly past me. :D
Magocrat 12-01-06, 11:54 AM	You, sir, have earned yourself an honorary place in my signature. :D Heck, for that, I'll even let you in on the concept of my character: he's the same class as the charming young, but naïve fellow in your avatar is. (Order of the Stick for the win!)
Haruspex 12-01-06, 12:04 PM	Wow...dragon theme and ECL 16 means I'll need one heck of a background section.
Zherog 12-01-06, 12:19 PM	You, sir, have earned yourself an honorary place in my signature. :D Heck, for that, I'll even let you in on the concept of my character: he's the same class as the charming young, but naïve fellow in your avatar is. (Order of the Stick for the win!) Just a quick note, if you're going to sig it. It's not mine. I read it somewhere previously, but have no clue where (possibly a bumper sticker). So if you still believe it's a sig worthy statement, I'd be more comfortable if you attributed the quote to "Anonymous" than to me. :) As for your character: You're going to make an overly complicated fighter/rogue/sorcerer, like Nale? :P
FRRC 12-01-06, 12:42 PM	Wasen't that statement from Pirates of the Carribean 2? Elizabeth Swann: There will come a time when you have a chance to do the right thing. Jack Sparrow: I love those moments. I like to wave at them as they pass by.
Zherog 12-01-06, 12:47 PM	I've never seen PotC2, and I've been using that line for at least the past 10 years, likely even longer.
Magocrat 12-01-06, 12:55 PM	Wikiquote is your friend. (http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Procrastination) It was originally said by Douglas Noël Adams, as said in the linked article. Nonetheless, you still get credit for applying it in such a humorous manner. Now, I should see what I can do to make my entry into the contest a good one. I have a question, though. Given the draconic theme of this edition of Hero Craftsman, can we use the Draconomicon? As the original book on dragons, filled to the brim with draconic knowledge, it would be a very useful addition to the contest. (However, I can live without it. No questions asked and no fussing if it isn't allowed.)
JasonOrlandoHawk 12-01-06, 01:35 PM	Read the rules, my friend, and you shall know wether or not such a Tome of Draconic Knowledge is acceptable, or wether it is not.
TheChilliGod 12-01-06, 02:22 PM	*Snore* *Snore* :zzz: Huh? Wha? Ah! Hero Craftsman! It seems that I woke up just in time to be a day late! *Ahem* Anyway, I am happy that we are doing a Draconic theme (oh, how I love the iconic scaled terrors!), and our nice and big range of books available this time pleases me; I was rather peeved that I couldn't use the Completes for my HC#4 entry. I will definitely enjoy the tireless judging this next huge deluge of entries will require over the Happy season. Seeing as how, given that my summer break is on, I'll have more than enough time to do so. ;)
Magocrat 12-01-06, 05:15 PM	That's exactly how I feel when yet another deadline flies over my head. And I'm glad there's someone else who loves the scaled, noble beasts that have their part in the game itself. To say it in one way: Give me a breath weapon any day. And I'm glad to see that the Tome of Draconic Knowledge can be used in this contest. Now, my draconic bard will have so much more crunch to choose from. This'll be good! :D
Avalon® 12-01-06, 06:02 PM	So how many are going to enter so far? 3? 4?
Zherog 12-01-06, 08:00 PM	If past contests are a decent predictor (and they're probably not ;) ), we'll probably get somewhere between 7 and 10 entries all told. Hopefully, though, it's much more than that. :)
JasonOrlandoHawk 12-02-06, 10:41 AM	Just to give everyone a head's up, I'll be moving for the next week or so. Therefore, if I am slow to respond to questions and/or update the list of entries, please do not be too upset. Actually, I'm hoping that when I can regularly check the Thread, that there'll be plenty of contestants for me to judge.
Avalon® 12-02-06, 11:06 AM	What is the ruling regarding the leadership feat and characters with LA? Do the LA count when determining the leadership score? And what about determining the ECL of the cohort aquired?
FRRC 12-02-06, 03:34 PM	I've made my character. Now I've got a super long planned history write up for him to look forward to tomorrow :/
Magocrat 12-02-06, 04:28 PM	Same here. However, seeing that I have a weekload of exams and tests, I think it would be the best for myself if I made the history of my character after the upcoming week. That, and I have a spelling bee this Thursday. If I lose miserably, I'll have a competition that's less serious and friendlier (or is that 'more friendly'?). :D Anyway, you can add Erdan "orn Miirik" the Dependable to the great list of competitors! If it isn't too much, could the other competitors post their names? I'm curious. (By the way, "orn Miirik" means "silver song" in Draconic.)
Zherog 12-02-06, 04:38 PM	The "list" Jason maintains gets updated when an entry is posted, with a link directly to that post. I'm nearly done my stats, and I know my backstory - it's just a matter of writing it.
FRRC 12-02-06, 04:55 PM	16 levels is alot of History unless your one of those "heroes of fortune" types. Born with talent. John was born, he was great. The End. :D
bhu 12-02-06, 06:19 PM	16 levels is alot of History unless your one of those "heroes of fortune" types. Born with talent. John was born, he was great. The End. :D Depends. Take a high la race and add the half dragon template and you may only have a third level pc.
Avalon® 12-03-06, 02:51 AM	Just a primer of my character. Here's what his name is going to be: Avalon, Dragon's Son
Haruspex 12-03-06, 04:35 AM	I'll be posting mine soon, as my Internet access will be in doubt for most of this month. Latest by tomorrow.
Avalon® 12-03-06, 10:12 AM	What is the ruling regarding the leadership feat and characters with LA? Do the LA count when determining the leadership score? And what about determining the ECL of the cohort aquired? I'm just posting my question again since nobody answered it the first time around.
Magocrat 12-03-06, 10:48 AM	No, LA does not count when determining your Leadership score, because the feat explicitly says that you use your character level + your Charisma score. However, assuming that you're doing it for the cohort (which may be wrong), I recommend that you look into the Dragon Cohort feat, which allows you to choose a stronger (draconic) cohort than usual. And Haruspex, I'm curious of how your character will be. Maybe it can serve as a bit of an example for my character, seeing that I'm still a newbie at this whole thing. By the way, I've made my character's history to the point where he leaves his home village, but what now? I honestly have no idea what kind of adventures I want to write for him, so I'm lost. Who can help me with this ickle problem?
Zherog 12-03-06, 11:01 AM	I'll sort of help you. Writing down every possible thing your character has ever done is likely going to generate a very long (and possibly very boring) background - assuming you don't have a high LA at least. You need to strike a balance between useful information, and avoiding the mundane details. For example, clearing out a kobold den at first or second level certainly netted you XP, but did it really do anything to shape who you are? If not, gloss over it. "My friends and I went into the mountains and defeated the kobold tribe that had been raiding our village. After that, blah blah blah." Focus on the big events - the ones that made your character who he/she/it is today. Note that I'm not judging this contest, so this is just the opinion of another contestant.
FRRC 12-03-06, 11:25 AM	I biuld my character first with a base history in mind. If I get stuck, I can begin writing about how the character discovered their new powers/feats. This usually helps me create the next bit of their story.
JasonOrlandoHawk 12-03-06, 02:30 PM	In regards to the leadership feat, the text uses the words "character level." A strict ruling would say that you only count actual levels. But then, would Racial Hit Dice count? Level Adjusment? How does it all work? Here's MY take on the whole picture, and how I will be judging this contest. I DO NOT speak for any other judges. To make it as easy as possible for me, I will read the Leadership Feat, as presented in the DMG as if it said "Effective Character Level." Thus, in regards to how I, and I alone shall judge, Racial Hit Dice and Level Adjustements do count. However, I will not post this in the FAQ's since I do not speak for any other judges in this regard. Heed this warning, take Leadership only after careful consideration. The mathematics involved are very "subject to my/your interpretation," and easily swayed by opinion. Don't risk too many points over what could come down to a difference of opinion over what counts as "Has Special Power." Also, please note that while I'm being very lenient in regards to allowing RHD and LA to apply for Leadership, I do tend to judge all other aspects of the feat fairly harshly. *Final Note: I have very sporadic internet access at the moment. Please forgive me if it takes a while for me to respond to questions and/or update any lists. I should be done moving next weekend.
FRRC 12-03-06, 02:45 PM	*Final Note: I have very sporadic internet access at the moment. Please forgive me if it takes a while for me to respond to questions and/or update any lists. I should be done moving next weekend. No mercy! Off with his head! :P
jennibert 12-03-06, 07:43 PM	Hmmm....dragons.....part of me wants to enter, but part of me doesn't have time....we'll see how it goes:) Good luck with the moving Jason....I know how much of a pain that can be...
Haruspex 12-03-06, 11:19 PM	Does anyone know the letter or word limit for each post? And also the limit for the sig boxes?
TheChilliGod 12-03-06, 11:32 PM	Signatures can be up to 4000 characters; posts up to 50000 characters (including tags like "[/b]" and stuff). If you want to find out for yourself, just spam your post/signature box with characters (cut'n'paste) to a ridiculous number, and hit 'preview post'. It'll tell you how many characters you made over the limit without posting the post/sig itself.
Haruspex 12-04-06, 02:01 AM	Sir Vladimir Ilzmaj, Mountain Blade, Knight of Overwood (see background) Neutral Male Dwarf Fighter 2/Sorcerer 6/Spellsword 8 Initial Base Stats 14 Strength (6) 10 Dexterity (2) 14 Constitution (4) 12 Intelligence (4) 10 Wisdom (2) 14 Charisma (10) 28 pts Current Stats 14 Strength [+2] 10 Dexterity [+0] 14 Constitution [+2] 12 Intelligence [+1] 10 Wisdom [+0] 24 Charisma [+7] (+4 levels, +6 Cloak) Initiative: +0 Hit Dice: 2d10+6d4+8d8 (98 hp) Speed: 20 feet Space/Reach: 5 feet/5 feet Saves: Fortitude +13 (+2 Con, +3 fighter, +2 sorcerer, +6 spellsword), Reflex +4 (+2 sorcerer, +2 weasel), Will +11 (+5 sorcerer, +6 spellsword) BAB/Grapple: +13/+15 AC: 29 (+4 natural, +9 full plate, +5 deflection) touch 15, flat-footed 25 Attack: +5 dwarven waraxe of frost +20 melee or +1 light hammer +14 ranged Full Attack: Dwarven waraxe +20/+15/+10 melee or +1 light hammer +14 ranged Damage: Dwarven waraxe (1d10+8 plus 1d6 cold/20/x3), +1 light hammer (1d4+3/20/x2) Special Attacks: Draconic Breath, Channel Spell 5/day, Special Qualities: Electricity resistance 15, dwarf traits, +5 bonus against sleep and paralysis, ignore spell failure 25% Skills: Concentration +15 (+13 ranks, +2 Con) Handle Animal +12 (+5 ranks, +7 Cha) Intimidate +12 (+5 ranks, +7 Cha) Knowledge (arcana) +15 (+14 ranks, +1 Int) Ride +7 (+5 ranks, +2 synergy) Spellcraft +16 (+13 ranks, +1 Int, +2 synergy) Feats: Power Attack, Cleave, Great Cleave, Draconic Heritage (Bronze), Draconic Breath, Draconic Skin, Empower Spell, Draconic Resistance, Draconic Legacy. Sorcerer spells per day: 6/8/8/8/6/4 save DC 17 + spell level Sorcerer spells known: 9/5/4/3/2/1: 0 – arcane mark, open/close, mending, detect magic, detect poison, read magic, prestidigitation, ray of frost, mage hand; 1st – magic missile, shocking grasp, floating disk, true strike, ray of enfeeblement, speak with animals*; 2nd – bull’s strength, rope trick, knock, scorching ray; 3rd – lightning bolt, haste, fly, water breathing*; 4 – summon monster IV, stoneskin; 5 – passwall, control water* *From Draconic Legacy feat Dwarf traits: Darkvision 60 feet, stonecunning, treat dwarven waraxes and dwarven urgroshes as martial weapons, +4 bonus on ability checks made to resist being bull rushed or tripped when standing on the ground, +2 racial bonus on saving throws against poison, +2 racial bonus on saving throws against spells and spell-like effects, +1 racial bonus on attack rolls against orcs and goblinoids, +4 dodge bonus to Armor Class against monsters of the giant type, +2 racial bonus on Appraise and Craft checks that are related to stone or metal. Ignore Spell Failure (Ex): Vladimir subtracts 25% from his total arcane spell failure chance, if any. Channel Spell (Sp): 5 times a day, Vladimir can channel any spell he can cast into his weapon as a move action. The channeled spell affects the next target successfully attacked with the weapon. Languages: Common, Dwarven, Giant, [Draconic] Fighter 1: [Power Attack, Cleave] 4 ranks Handle Animal, 4 ranks Intimidate, 4 ranks Ride Fighter 2: [Great Cleave] +1 rank Handle Animal, +1 rank Intimidate, +1 rank Ride Fighter 2/Sorcerer 1: [Summon familiar, Draconic Heritage (Bronze), arcane mark, open/close, mending, detect magic, magic missile, shocking grasp] +1 rank Knowledge (arcana), +2 ranks Speak Language (Draconic) Fighter 2/Sorcerer 2: [+1 Charisma, detect poison] +1 rank Concentration, +1 rank Knowledge (arcana), +1 rank Spellcraft Fighter 2/Sorcerer 3: [floating disk] +1 rank Concentration, +1 rank Knowledge (arcana), +1 rank Spellcraft Fighter 2/Sorcerer 4: [Draconic Breath, read magic, bull’s strength] +1 rank Concentration, +1 rank Knowledge (arcana), +1 rank Spellcraft Fighter 2/Sorcerer 5: [true strike, rope trick] +1 rank Concentration, +1 rank Knowledge (arcana), +1 rank Spellcraft Fighter 2/Sorcerer 6: [+1 Charisma, lightning bolt] +1 rank Concentration, +1 rank Knowledge (arcana), +1 rank Spellcraft Fighter 2/Sorcerer 6/Spellsword 1: [Draconic Skin, ignore spell failure 10%, ray of enfeeblement, knock, haste] +1 rank Concentration, +1 rank Knowledge (arcana), +1 rank Spellcraft Fighter 2/Sorcerer 6/Spellsword 2: [Empower Spell(B)] +1 rank Concentration, +1 rank Knowledge (arcana), +1 rank Spellcraft Fighter 2/Sorcerer 6/Spellsword 3: [Ignore spell failure 15%, ray of frost, summon monster IV] +1 rank Concentration, +1 rank Knowledge (arcana), +1 rank Spellcraft Fighter 2/Sorcerer 6/Spellsword 4: [+1 Charisma, Channel Spell 3/day, Draconic Resistance] +1 rank Concentration, +1 rank Knowledge (arcana), +1 rank Spellcraft Fighter 2/Sorcerer 6/Spellsword 5: [Ignore Spell Failure 20%, scorching ray, fly, stoneskin] +1 rank Concentration, +1 rank Knowledge (arcana), +1 rank Spellcraft Fighter 2/Sorcerer 6/Spellsword 6: [Channel Spell 4/day] +1 rank Concentration, +1 rank Knowledge (arcana), +1 rank Spellcraft Fighter 2/Sorcerer 6/Spellsword 7: [Draconic Legacy, ignore spell failure 25%, mage hand, passwall] +1 rank Concentration, +1 rank Knowledge (arcana), +1 rank Spellcraft Fighter 2/Sorcerer 6/Spellsword 8: [+1 Charisma, Channel Spell 5/day] +1 rank Concentration, +1 rank Knowledge (arcana), +1 rank Spellcraft +5 dwarven waraxe of frost (72,330 gp) Mithral Full Plate of Speed (26,500 gp) +1 light hammer (2,301 gp) Ring of protection +5 (50,000 gp) Signet Ring of the Mountain Blades (see background) (5 gp) Rod of Metamagic, Maximize (54,000 gp) Silver-plated steel longsword “Palatine” with jet jewel in hilt (art object)(550 gp) Cold weather outfit (8 gp) Cloak of Charisma +6 (36,000 gp) Spell component pouch (5 gp) Amulet of Natural Armor +3 (18,000 gp) Clay Tankard (2 cp) Gallon of Ale (2 sp) 5 day’s trail rations (25 sp) 50 feet silk rope (10 gp) Mule (8 gp) Pack saddle (5 gp) 5 day’s feed (25 cp) Spare Money (75 gp, 0 sp, 3 cp) Boff, Weasel Familiar (200 gp) Tiny Animal Hit Dice: ½d8 (49 hp) Initiative: +2 Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), climb 20 ft. Armor Class: 17 (+2 size, +2 Dex, +3 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 15 Base Attack/Grapple: +13/+1 Attack: Bite +17 melee (1d3–4) Full Attack: Bite +17 melee (1d3–4) Space/Reach: 2-1/2 ft./0 ft. Special Attacks: Attach Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent, Alertness, improved evasion, share spells, empathic link, deliver touch spells, speak with master Saves: Fort +11, Ref +4, Will +12 Abilities: Str 3, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 5 Skills: Balance +10, Climb +10, Hide +11, Move Silently +8, Spot +3 Feats: Weapon Finesse Environment: Temperate hills Organization: Solitary Challenge Rating: 1/4 Advancement: — Level Adjustment:— Vladimir is a 4’ 5” dwarf in his early hundreds with pale grey skin that has a bronze hue. His head is always shaved, the better to show off the many scars he has. His beard is a deep brown, and is always kept neat. No matter where he goes, he always wears thick winter clothes though he will usually keep the hood down. This is in part to conceal the hardening of his skin as his draconic blood begins to manifest itself. With him is a mule which carries all his daily necessities. A weasel can be seen running up his arms and through his clothes, which does not seem to bother the dwarf. His valuable items are always kept on his person. This includes a sword at his waist which is never drawn. Instead he uses his intricately carved axe to chop his enemies up. Vladimir’s tale begins many years before he was born. Lady Ijilla of the dwarven House Ilzmaj was a dwarf woman who despised the restrictions and obligations placed upon her by her station. She would frequently escape her family estate to be alone in the wilderness. Her parents were displeased at this, but could not bring themselves to crush her wild spirit. Her nine siblings were all well-behaved, so the patriarch and matriarch thought that no harm would come to the family’s name from Isabella’s frolicking. In her fortieth year, Ijilla decided to do something different and follow the river near the estate all the way downstream, where she saw the ocean for the very first time. She then decided to take a swim in the ocean, unaware of the risks. As she swam out to sea, she was suddenly pulled under and felt a sharp and unbearable pain through her leg. A young shark had seen her from below the surface, and had gone in for the kill. As the predator dragged her deeper and deeper, Isabella felt herself weaken and thought she was going to die. Before that could happen, a gigantic squid appeared from the depths and attacked the shark that was biting Ijilla. The shark promptly fled, leaving the suffocating dwarf in the grip of the squid. The squid slowly brought her up to the surface where it changed into a half-dragon. Shocked by the appearance of a half-dragon, Ijilla tried to escape but the wound in her leg was bleeding severely. She fell unconscious and the half-dragon brought her to his cave. When she woke up she came to the realization that the half-dragon meant her no harm. He introduced himself as Khazzut, an ocean druid. He was surprised to see a dwarf swimming in his area, as most knew to avoid the shark-infested waters. Ijilla was unaware of this, and the druid warned her to be more careful. He then told her many things about the waters of the world that simply amazed the young lady. After Ijilla went home she returned to the orc’s cave frequently to learn more about the sea. Over time she grew fond of the druid, and he of her. Some time later the family spymaster noticed that Ijilla seemed a bit sluggish. When confronted, she had no explanation for it, though the spymaster suspected that her incessant wanderings had something to do with it. He sent her to the nurse, who discovered that the lady was with child. Ijilla was left unaware of this as the nurse and spymaster tried to figure out what to do with the news. The nurse went to a wizard associate of hers and asked him to see if he could discreetly find out who the father was. When divinations revealed a half-dragon ocean druid, the nurse nearly died of shock. She and the spymaster decided not to tell anyone, but knew that the truth would come out eventually. Thinking quickly, the spymaster came up with a plan. He and the nurse told the family that Ijilla’s sluggishness was the result of a herb she had ingested while in the wilderness. The condition could only be cured by an obscure arcane ceremony performed in a secret location. Having complete trust in their spymaster, the family agreed to let him take her away. The spymaster was in truth bringing her a shady human magus by the name of Nimustar, who rectified the problem by rendering Ijilla comatose and using otherworldly magic to remove the unborn child from her womb. He then used more magic to make it as though there never was a child. The spymaster asked Nimustar to keep the child, as he was unwilling have it killed, bastard that it was. Nimustar was amused by the idea of having a dwarven henchman, and named the dwarven boy Vladimir after his deceased brother. The spymaster and a still unconscious Ijilla then returned to the Ilzmaj estate, having cured her of her “mysterious illness”. Only the spymaster and Nimustar knew of the arrangement; the nurse never spoke of the matter again. Nimustar was a man of great ruthlessness, caring little for the happiness and well-being of others. By sacrificing a hundred innocent lives in an arcane ritual, he ensured that the premature child would survive without a mother and grow strong. Over the years he raised Vladimir to be his loyal enforcer, placing him above all his other minions. Because his brother was a valiant warrior, Nimustar made sure that Vladimir learned the art of combat. Vladimir spent many long hours sparring with the various creatures enslaved in his master’s dungeons. Many times the dwarf nearly lost his life in these matches, but Nimustar persisted. The magus quickly realized that cage matches would not teach his ward much of anything. With this in mind, he called upon a mercenary band and asked them to teach Vladimir. The mercs saw potential in the young dwarf and brought him along on a mission. This particular mission was to raid a mountain fortress. Vladimir was given bow and arrows and told to stay at the back. The mercenary band, more than three hundred strong, trekked up the mountain path to the fort and began the attack. When the cavalry, led by the fortress commander, sallied forth to engage the mercenaries, they were already prepared. They opened up with their magic snares and fiery projectiles, staggering the cavalry with the initial onslaught. Before the riders could recover, the half-giant squad drew their massive swords and charged at them. Still entangled by the snares thrown earlier, the cavalry were slowly worn down by the relentless assault. A final barrage of mystic fire ended the battle, and the mercenaries were triumphant. Their victory was cut short a minute later when a company of knights from the Mountain Blade Order teleported into the sanctum. They challenged the mercenaries, who explained that it was simply a contract job, nothing personal. This triggered a chaotic melee in which the mercenaries and the knights fought to kill. Vladimir instead rolled away into a corner, hoping to escape the slaughter. The half-giants were fairly quickly the only mercenaries left standing as the others were overwhelmed and slain by the heavily armored knights. Then the half-giants too were dragged to the ground, much like the cavalry they had vanquished less than an hour before. After the battle, the knight commander searched the fort and found the young dwarf crouching in a dark corner with his axe at the ready. Sensing a frightened and inexperienced soul, the commander calmly asked Vladimir to surrender. Not wanting to be killed, Vladimir decided to go peacefully. The knights then put him in shackles and activated the teleport spell to return to their fortress. Once there the dwarf was thrown into the brig while the leaders discussed his situation. They had been keeping tabs on the mercenaries for a while, and his name was not on any of the watch lists. He was also too young to be a hardened merc. Commander Scath, the one who had captured Vladimir, was sent to interrogate him further. He found that the dwarf lacked the murderous spirit of most mercenaries. It was just something he had grown up with, being taught since he could walk how to fight. Scath saw a possibility in Vladimir, and after he left asked the other commanders if they would consider taking him on as a squire. He noted that Vladimir showed no strong loyalty to the mercenaries or his master Nimustar. Some were worried that Vladimir might have been influenced by his immorality. In the end the gathered commanders agreed to Scath’s request, on the condition that he would personally oversee the dwarf’s training. Vladimir felt neither happy nor sad when Scath made him the offer. Nimustar was a fair master, but after years of service Vladimir realized that he was no more than a tool to the magus. He doubted that the knights would be any better, but his choices were limited. However, his ability to endure hardship and his decent combat skills enabled him to qualify as squire in short order. The greatest revelation in Vladimir’s life came in his fortieth year. He was escorting Olvas, one of the Mountain Blade wizards, through the woods when a shower came upon them. Not wanting to waste his spells the wizard asked that they take shelter in a nearby inn. As they waited in the lounge the rain grew heavier and they decided to stay the night. Out of curiosity, Vladimir began to sift through Olvas’ books when he was in the bath. Being raised by Nimustar, he was comfortable with having magic around him, but he never learned how to use it. The dwarf closely scrutinized the books, but could not make head or tail of it. Still, he kept on reading and rereading the tomes, with the hope that he would eventually get it. Olvas walked in on him, and was intrigued by the dwarf’s efforts. When they returned to the Mountain Blades fortress, the wizard called Vladimir to his lab and asked if he would like to learn the arcane art. The dwarf eagerly agreed, and his study began. After week or so of soul-searching and various creative efforts, Olvas came to the conclusion that the dwarf was ill-suited for wizardry. He had potential, but the extensive amount of study, even if he did it outdoors, seemed to be against his nature. Running out of ideas, Olvas was surprised when Vladimir asked if they could try by the beach. As they sat on a patch of sand and went through the books, Olvas found that Vladimir seemed more at ease, and by the third day he successfully turned a ball of sand blue. Encouraged by his success, Vladimir pushed forwards and attempted to learn more. Olvas, being an experienced wizard, realized that Vladimir’s talents were innate and not solely from the tomes. He also noticed that Vladimir’s skin had taken a slight yellow-green shade. Later that evening at the Mountain Blade fortress, Olvas told Scath about what he had discovered. Scath found the news interesting, especially regarding the dwarf’s skin. It was too early to say for sure, but the commander believed he knew what it signified. The next day he sent for Vladimir and told him that he would be on a mission to an ally of the Mountain Blades, a sage by the name of Berrybasket. Vladimir thought it was a joke, but Scath assured him that it was not. Berrybasket was a little eccentric, as his name would suggest, but he was a good friend and valued comrade of the knights. Vladimir did as he as told and traveled by boat to the sage’s jungle island. After a day’s sailing he landed on the isle’s white beach and went inland, clutching his axe. As he traveled down the well-kept path, he was ambushed by a rabid badger. The animal was ferocious to the extreme, biting through his leather armor. The dwarf gave the beast a good kick, and it retreated to beyond his reach. It glared at him for a while, and then magically changed into a human being wearing green robes. The man revealed himself to be Berrybasket, and apologized for attacking Vladimir. The sage told the dwarf that a person’s true nature can be revealed when faced with the unexpected, and also when faced with combat. He went on to say that he saw something different in the dwarf, a potential that could be either for good or for ill. The sage led Vladimir to his cave by overlooking the beach where he told Vladimir about his mission. A few months prior to the dwarf’s arrival, a group of sahuagin had taken to raiding the nearby fishing village and kidnapping its people. This was threatening the livelihood of the villagers as no one dared to go out to sea. Vladimir was to stay in the village and keep a keen eye out for the sahuagin. The dwarf did this, taking residence in a burned down hut and watching the beach dutifully. After four days of waiting, the dwarf finally saw his prey. Sneaking up under the cover of the night, five sahuagin with tridents and nets approached the village from the water with much stealth. Unfortunately for them Vladimir’s eyes could see well enough without light. Sprinting from his dilapidated hut, the dwarf managed to get within ten feet of them before they realized it. He killed all five of them with a combination of luck, surprise, and ferocity. Before Vladimir could celebrate his victory, eight more sahuagin sprang out from the water and charged at him. The dwarf leapt into their midst, and all nine were locked in a vicious grapple. Just then, a group of a dozen armed villagers ran onto the beach and joined in the fray. Having dropped their weapons to dog pile the dwarf, the sahuagin were easily stabbed by the borrowed tridents and fishing spears of the villagers. When the villagers pulled the dead and dying sahuagin off the dwarf, they saw that the one that struggled with him was a smoking corpse. Unsure of what to make of that, the villagers assumed that Berrybasket had sent them a dwarven battle priest of some sort. Vladimir spent the rest of the night in the healer’s hut, and the next morning he returned to Berrybasket’s cave with one of the sahuagin corpses as per the sage’s request. Berrybasket cast a spell on the corpse to make it answer his questions, and found out that the sahuagin were being forced to kidnap humans for a being known as Overlord Zarthisz. This worried Berrybasket, who found it odd that such a powerful being could escape his notice. Not wanting to worry Vladimir, he put the matter out of his mind and decided to move on to something that Scath had mentioned to him in their previous communication. The knight commander had mentioned that Vladimir showed unusual potential for magic, and thought that Berrybasket could help him draw it out. The sage was given complete freedom in how he wished to train Vladimir, as long as he stayed reasonable. It was the first time Vladimir had heard of this, but he decided he could use all the help he could get. The sage then put the dwarf through a series of unique unusual trials designed to ‘draw forth his true nature’. These included wrestling with bulls, covering himself with mud, shouting at the sky during a thunderstorm, training a badger to do tricks, et cetera. This lasted for a month or so as Berrybasket carefully scrutinized the dwarf. Despite the ridiculousness of the trials, Vladimir found that he rather enjoyed this type of training, as opposed to reading books. One day as he wrestled another unfortunate bull, he accidentally discharged a jolt of lightning into the animal when he touched it. Surprised, the dwarf could only look into his hands as Berrybasket called the bull off and smiled quietly to himself. As the training continued, Vladimir unlocked more and more of his magical talent, despite the strange methods used by Berrybasket. He learned to fire arcane energy bolts, sense magical auras, open windows from a distance, put together broken pottery, and channel lightning into his foes. In addition to this, he also learned to scribe his own personal rune, a kind of magic signature. Berrybasket also identified the source of his powers as draconic blood, and taught him the dragon language. Two years passed before a messenger came from the Mountain Blades. The messenger, a half-giant called Mad Arrow, told Berrybasket that there was a conflict brewing, and all mediation had failed. After decades of tension, the werecrocodile tribes of the Sijian River and their gnoll allies had declared war on the kingdom of Overwood, and the Mountain Blades were preparing for their defense. The code of the Mountain Blades meant that they could not strike the Sijian tribes and their allies until they attacked first. Commander Scath and the others were already at Overwood, integrating with the kingdom’s militia. Berrybasket reluctantly gave Vladimir leave to join the battle, and the dwarf noticed that Mad Arrow showed the sage exemplary courtesy throughout the discussion. As they went aboard the boat, Berrybasket promised the half-giant that he would send help soon. The pair then sailed across the strait, and docked at the nearby port. The rivers had become exceedingly perilous due to werecrocodile activity, so they would have to go to Overwood by carriage. As they traveled through the countryside, they could see bands of armed men patrolling the roads. These men waved cheerfully to the carriage as it passed, but questioned other travelers. Mad Arrow explained that these were meant to stop gnolls, werecrocodiles, or their allies from infiltrating Overwood. Finally they reached the capital city, where the forces of Overwood and the Mountain Blades were preparing in earnest. Their scouts had reported similar preparations in the Sijian, and it was only a matter of time before they attacked. Vladimir made his way to the barracks and joined his comrades in their drills. Mad Arrow went out on patrol with the other scouts, though Vladimir thought that his size made him a bad choice for skulking. As the week passed, worried citizens, military engineers, and soldiers went to and fro, moving all kinds of material. Vladimir spent all his time practicing his axe skills and sorcery, though he was careful not to expend all his spells. As he went out for some fresh air, he saw some dwarves who were not Mountain Blades. When he spoke to them, they revealed that they were from House Ilzmaj. At conversation distance, both sides noticed that they had the same pale grey skin and deep brown beards. They asked him where he was from and he said that he was an orphan raised by a wizard. This was the story that Nimustar had told him. The Ilzmaj dwarves found it strange, as the House normally took care of its orphaned members. Either this meant that he was not from their House, or that he was a forgotten child, which was for them unthinkable. They invited Vladimir to the Ilzmaj lands to look into it, assuming of course that they survived the upcoming battle. Eight days passed before the storm of war broke. Overwood scouts reported that the forces from the Sijian had begun to move, rank after rank of gnolls and orcs marching toward Overwood city. Some bugbears and goblins were seen, but most were gnolls and orcs. The lack of werecrocodiles was odd, as it was they who quarreled most with Overwood. The numbers were more or less ten thousand, though that was a rushed estimate by retreating scouts on horseback. The Mountain Blades and the Overwood forces waited as the Sijian army marched towards the city. The lands between the river and the city had been evacuated, so there was little pillaging to be done. After two days, the army was within sight of the city walls. The war songs of the gnolls could be heard by all, but the defenders refused to be cowed. Archers and crossbowmen stood ready, waiting for them to come within effective range. When the Sijian army passed by a stone placed there for that very purpose, the arrows and bolts flew as thick as rain. In response, the Sijians raised their shields and broke out into a run. Scores died in the hail of wood and steel, but they were closing the gap quickly. The catapults readied in the city then fired, raining alchemical fire and caltrops onto the attacking forces. Yet the army still pushed forwards, and they eventually reached the massive gates. As they had no ram or siege towers, or any siege engine of any sort, the defenders wondered how they expected to get in. Then, from the mass of troops, a lone gnoll in grey robes leapt out. He struck the wooden gate with his armored fist, and the entire structure shattered into a thousand smoking splinters. The defenders behind the gate were taken by complete surprise and fired their ranged weapons at the robed gnoll. The projectiles bounced off him like pebbles, and he proceeded to slam his fists against the portcullis. Each blow caused the solid steel structure to bend, and after a dozen blows gnolls began to squeeze into the city. Everyone then lost sight of the robed gnoll as the multitude of invaders streamed in. In conjunction with the breaching of the gate, the werecrocodiles finally appeared. Despite the rivers being watched, the werecrocodiles being river creatures still managed to sneak through and they proceeded to attack from that direction. The battle was brutal, as the gnolls gave and received to quarter. Due to their defensive measures and heavy armor, the defenders managed to hold the gate, but the riverside was nearly lost. The Mountain Blade reserves, including Vladimir, were quickly activated and sent to the river. The dwarf and his comrades charged into the fray, striking at the lycanthropes as they overran the militia. Despite their best efforts they saw that the werecrocodiles had pushed through and were making for the palace. The surviving squires ran for the palace just as the signal rang out that it had been breached. A detachment of regular Mountain Blades were also sent back to the palace, as the gate was by then (relatively) secure. The reserves reached the palace first, and just in time to see the bodies of the royal guards scattered in their path. They followed the bodies, and realized that it led to the grand balcony where the king was viewing the battle. They eventually reached the balcony to see the king and his personal guard fighting with a group of particularly powerful werecrocodiles. They could tell by watching one crocodile bite through a guard’s shield and arm in one snap. The squires, undaunted by their enemy’s prowess, charged and joined the battle. Seeing the king in danger, Vladimir launched an arcane bolt at one of his opponents, who instead turned and came for the dwarf. Vladimir was immediately put on the defensive as the powerful beast swung its mighty blade with great strength. He had to block repeatedly with his axe, which started to crack under the strain. Out of desperation he reached out with his hand and touched the crocodile’s arm with lightning. This caused the shapeshifter to momentarily stagger under his heavy weapon, and Vladimir quickly lopped off his head with one solid hack. Despite his good fortune, his fellow squires were being killed with chilling efficiency. The battle was then joined by the Mountain Blade regulars, who were more of a match for the lycanthropes. Every last werecrocodile was killed, though many Blades died in the fight. The king then took the body of the werecrocodile leader and dragged it out to the balcony where he yelled out to gain everyone’s attention. Due to the enchantments on the balcony, everyone could hear him. He then lifted the commander’s body over his head and tossed it out onto the path below. This basically ended the battle as the gnolls began to flee back to whence they came. As the king turned back to thank the Mountain Blades, the gnoll in the grey robe suddenly materialized on the balcony ledge. He leapt at the king, but Vladimir intercepted him with his body. The fist meant for the king struck the dwarf in the chest, shattering his rib cage and bursting his lungs. As the dwarf fell to the floor coughing blood, the gathered troops confronted the gnoll who swiftly leapt off the balcony and promptly disappeared. Vladimir then lost consciousness despite the best efforts of the gathered warriors. When he awoke, he found himself in the palace sick bay, among many others. The attending healer told him that the king’s confessor had personally brought him back from the brink; such was the king’s concern for the dwarf. After a few days when he had recovered fully he went out into the city to find the people still picking up after the battle. Despite the lack of siege engines, the army still managed to destroy a lot of property. Vladimir saw that most of the ruined structures had been shattered into pieces, possibly the handiwork of the grey gnoll. When he stopped to help, he was surprised to be recognized as the dwarf who saved the king. The citizens of Overwood were very grateful to him and the Mountain Blades in general. Unsure of what to make of his fame, the dwarf told them that it was his duty as a Mountain Blade squire. This impressed them even further, as he showed considerably humility. When the city was cleaned, the king invited the Mountain Blades to the palace for a medals awarding ceremony. Because military medals were only awarded to citizens of Overwood, all Mountain Blades involved in the battle were made honorary knights of the realm. Needless to say this was the highest award for a non-citizen. After the ceremony the king summoned Vladimir to his audience chamber and personally gifted him with Palatine, a sword crafted by the king himself when he was studying under the land’s greatest swordsmith. It never drew blood, but was a symbol of how a weapon of war could also be a thing of beauty, that one day perhaps there would be no war. The blade was crafted in a time when the king was a bit more idealistic, but it was a cherished item nonetheless. He gave it to Vladimir for his part in saving his life, at the risk of his own. The dwarf graciously accepted the gift, and returned to the Mountain Blade quarters. Due to their performance in the battle, all the squires involved were promoted to Mountain Blade regulars. While skill at arms was important, bravery was what made a Mountain Blade. Each was given a signet ring to signify their rank. With the battle over, the Mountain Blades returned to their fort, save for Vladimir. The Ilzmaj dwarves who survived the battle remembered their word, and brought him home to the Ilzmaj lands, along with the bodies of their fallen. When they reached there, it was apparent that the dwarves of Ilzmaj all had pale grey skin and deep brown beards, so Vladimir found it easy to believe that perhaps he was from this place. The Ilzmaj warriors invited him to stay in their home while they went the next morning to the loremaster to see if she knew anything. They returned later that day with the news that the loremaster knew of no outsider or forgotten Ilzmaj dwarves. He could not be an exile if he was found orphaned by a wizard, though it was possible his parents were exiles. They brought Vladimir around town to see if anyone could remember him or find some clue about his past, both highly unlikely but they felt they had to try. News of the hero of Overwood spread fast, as the Ilzmaj dwarves respected bravery in battle. He was bought drinks along with the Ilzmaj dwarves, and his appearance made it easy for him to blend in. The Ilzmaj taught him the local drinking songs, and he felt at home for the first time. Soon enough news of this outsider who looked like an Ilzmaj reached the estate of House Ilzmaj. The spymaster was shocked to discover that the dwarf’s name was Vladimir, and told his agents to investigate the matter. Due to his heavy drinking, the details of his life that he knew had become public knowledge by the time the House spies entered the bar. The spymaster was perplexed as to why Nimustar had just left him to the Mountain Blades, though the magus was known to be heartless. He decided to tell the family about what really happened more than fifty years ago. Drinking the Ale of Truth, he told them all about Ijilla’s dalliance with Khazzut and Vladimir’s ‘removal’ by Nimustar from her body. At first angered to be deceived so by their spymaster, they realized that he had acted in their best interests. Ijilla confessed to her relationship with the druid, which was still ongoing, but because of Nimustar’s magic she could not prove her pregnancy, or remember it even. The Ale of Truth was infallible however, so the family invited Vladimir for dinner to have a look at him. He did indeed have some facial features common to House Ilzmaj, though these were not exclusive to the noble family. As they had dinner they spoke with him, though they did not yet reveal his true identity to him. His manner and style greatly impressed House Ilzmaj, as did his battle prowess and growing mastery of magic. After dinner in the lounge the patriarch revealed the truth to the stunned Vladimir. They officially welcomed him into the family and conveniently ignored his birth out of wedlock. The druid wasn’t a bad fellow after all. The problem was that the druid was not a noble, though he was most likely a dwarf seeing as Vladimir was. The family asked Vladimir to find said druid and see if he would like a talk with the noble family. Because she was the one who had any contact with him, Ijilla went along as well. Mother and son walked uncomfortably down to the beach, as neither had any memory of the other. When they reached the cave Ijilla took out the pearl that Khazzut gave her and spoke the pass word into it. Then they waited for the druid to arrive. After a few minutes Khazzut swam up through the pool in the cave to answer the summons. There was a moment of maximum awkwardness as the family was reunited for the first time ever. Khazzut eventually broke the silence by asking Vladimir about his life. The three then talked for hours on end, making up for fifty year’s worth of lost time. Vladimir did not really regret his parent’s absence in his formative years as it was clear that they were not a conventional couple. Khazzut’s vows did not prevent him from marrying, though it would make his life as an ocean druid a bit more complicated. Seeing how important it was to Ijilla and Vladimir however, he agreed to do it. The next week Vladimir attended his birth parent’s wedding at the temple of the All-Father, a feat not many could claim. Khazzut was made member of House Ilzmaj, and Vladimir’s past was made public. After the celebrations, Vladimir stayed in the Ilzmaj lands for a while, enjoying his birthright and the free ale that came with it. He spent some time practicing his magic, aided by the mages in residence. Khazzut also stayed, and the two talked about duty. Khazzut felt that nature needed to be protected, both out of gratitude and out of necessity. Vladimir thought that it was people who should be helped first. The two opinions were not necessarily opposed, though there were many who thought so. Father and son agreed to disagree, and Khazzut later returned to his duties as he preferred not to get drunk. After a month in the estate Vladimir too returned to his duties as a Mountain Blade. Back at the fort he heard news that Berrybasket had made contact yet again, this time by messenger bird. More than one bird had arrived, and all bore the same message. This proved how desperate the sage was. Apparently during the battle of Overwood, Zarthisz had sent minions to attack the sage’s island yet again. This time a full company of Mountain Blades, including Vladimir, was sent by longship to the isle. When they arrived they found that the isle was overrun by sahuagin and occupied by gangs of the overlord’s human minions. The Mountain Blades laid waste to the invaders, cutting a bloody path to the sage’s cave. They found him and countless refugees injured and many were starving. The Mountain Blades stopped to treat the sick and fed the hungry with their rations. When they asked what had happened, Berrybasket said that they were attacked en masse just a month after Vladimir left. Berrybasket tried to defend the villages with his magic, but the invaders were too many. They came by boat and they came from the sea. Zarthisz was clearly more powerful that they had previously thought. The Mountain Blades decided to drive the invaders out of the island, starting first with the landbound minions. It was relatively easy, as the human minions were basically thugs, bullies, and bandits. In a few days of violent combat they were all either killed or captured. The sahuagin were another matter. Their ability to retreat into the ocean made them harder to finish off. After discussing with Berrybasket, the Mountain Blades decided to call for backup. Calling in multiple favors, they finally found a group of sea elves, merfolk, and ocean druids willing to help them. Normally such folk could not care less about some random fishing villages, but they were on good terms with Mountain Blades. Using whatever magic items they could collect, the gathered forces chose seventeen of the Mountain Blades to join them on the aquatic assault. Given an enchanted pearl, Vladimir was one of the seventeen. Berrybasket also joined, turning himself into a shark with his magic. When they were all prepared, the allied sea army descended into the deeps. The forces of Zarthisz had dominion over the region however, and were prepared for the incursion. Waves of sahuagin and sharks came forth to repel the intruders. The ocean druids and the other spellcasters unleashed their magic upon the enemy troops, thinning their ranks before the two sides clashed in melee. During the battle, Vladimir felt his powers grow, and he unconsciously unleashed a stream of lightning from his mouth to engulf a group of sahuagin. He had no time to dwell on the discovery as the sea elves found an entrance into an underground passageway. They swam through it and found a fork in the path. One way led to a dry series of tunnels, and the other continued underwater. The Mountain Blades and Berrybasket took the dry route while their aquatic allies kept to the water. It stood to reason that Zarthisz’s power would be concentrated in the water. As the Mountain Blades walked through the tunnels, they encountered countless miserable creatures that may have once been human. Mutated and twisted by some dark power, their strangled voices could be heard begging for death. Neither Berrybasket nor Olvas could aid them as their minds and souls were too far gone for any help they could give at the time. So the Mountain Blades granted them death; giving them the mercy that their lives lacked. Vladimir felt his heart grow heavy as he killed the slaves, but knew that it better than living in such a hellish existence. He knew the rumors about slaves such as these; and suspected that Zarthisz was in fact a kraken. He told Olvas his theory, and the wizard told him that he had come to the same conclusion. Berrybasket concurred, as the events of the past few months seemed to indicate then influence of a deep water intelligence, of which krakens were one. They then entered into what looked like a barracks, where Zarthisz’s sahuagin kept their weapons. Olvas had a quick look at some of these, and identified those that were designed for use underwater. As they searched through the weapons, they were attacked by a group of sahuagin who entered the armory. The Mountain Blades dispatched of them quickly, and pushed onwards. Eventually they reached a massive lake with a small rock island in the middle. An altar was standing upon the island, and the smell of blood seemed to have seeped into the very walls of the place. As the Mountain Blades searched for a way to proceed, there was a thunderous splash from the depths of the lake. A great tentacle lashed out from near the edge and wrapped itself around one of the Mountain Blades. Acting quickly, Vladimir hacked at the appendage, drawing blood. There was a deep roar from the lake as seven more arms reached out to attack the intruders. The Berrybasket leapt into the water, taking shark form once more. Vladimir assailed the beast with his lightning, and the other Blades did what they could. Two unfortunate knights were grabbed by the tentacles and callously tossed away. They hit the cave wall hard and fell motionless into the lake. Vladimir responded by hacking off one of the beast’s tentacles in one blow. Another knight did the same, leaving the beast with six arms. As the second tentacle fell into the water, the kraken sprayed a cloud of black ink into the air. This disoriented the Mountain Blades, and the beast quickly disappeared beneath the surface. There was a massive thud as the Blades cleared the ink out of their eyes. Still wearing their magic items and armed with water weapons, the Blades gave chase. They dove into the lake and saw the kraken clashing with a shark. Apparently Berrybasket had decided to cover its exit route, showing a bit of foresight. The Blades charged, a bit clumsily, but charged all the same. They hacked away at the creatures arms, leaving it unable to defend itself. In the end, the kraken’s corpse sunk to the bottom of the lake, and Berrybasket declared it dead. Just to be sure, he cast a spell on it, and asked if it was dead. The kraken answered yes, and everyone who heard found it amusing. Berrybasket then asked what it’s plans were, and the kraken answered that it had none. The sage then asked the kraken who told it to attack them, and it answered: Overlord Zarthisz. After the defeat of Zarthisz’s minions and the cleansing of the underwater complex by the allied forces, Vladimir claimed his share of the treasure. He took an amulet which made his skin harder, and then went to Berrybasket and asked if he knew how to further increase his powers. He wanted to be more of an asset to the Blades and the fight against evil. Berrybasket was apprehensive, as he did not trust those who desired power. However, he knew that the dwarf’s heart was true, so he sent him far to the north, to the silver dragon Barthakis. Traveling many miles through the snowy mountains, Vladimir came upon Barthakis's lair, where he was met by the ancient silver. The dwarf became the dragon's apprentice, spending the remainder of his youth learning the secrets of dragons, war, and sorcery. Most important of these was the art of casting spells while wearing armor. Barthakis also helped him get in touch with his dragon heritage, bringing out the power of the bronze dragon that he inherited from Khazzut. To round out his training the silver asked that he summon and bind a familiar to his service. Vladimir slew many evil creatures as the dragon's apprentice, from orcs to other dragons. For his service the silver granted him an axe enchanted with cold, a magic hammer, and a suit of armor that enabled him to move quickly. From the hoard of the white dragon Malcarax the dwarf claimed a ring of protection, a rod that made his spells stronger, and an enchanted cloak. The dwarf donated his old gear to the Mountain Blade armory, to aid them in their unending duties. As his powers increased, so did his awareness of the perils facing the world. He felt he had to do something, but knew he had to grow stronger first. One day Barthakis told him that he had nothing more to teach the dwarf, that he would have to go out into the world and learn by doing. Packing his mule with his rations, Vladimir left the mountains and traveled south, back to a world in need of saving. Nimustar: When Vladimir’s past was revealed the magus made a quick escape because he knew the House of Ilzmaj would come looking for him. He is however a good source of information on forbidden arts, assuming he can be found, and bears the dwarves no actual ill will. House Ilzmaj: After the spymaster revealed the truth, Vladimir was given a polite welcome at his luxurious family home. His status as a Mountain Blade makes up for the fact that he was born out of wedlock to a druid. As his mother genuinely does not remember even having him, their reunion was more than a little awkward. Khazzut: Vladimir met his father in the cave where his parents spend time together, and the druid is happy to have sired a warrior for the forces of good. Mountain Blades: Vladimir is a member in good standing of the Order, and occasionally receives news and directives from the leadership. Overlord Zarthisz: The paragon kraken is aware of Vladimir, due to his part in foiling some of his plans. If Vladimir ever takes to the oceans again, the kraken’s eye will be on him, waiting for a chance to strike. Having duped one of his kin into dying for him, the kraken is not above sacrificing minions to achieve even a secondary objective. The gnoll in the grey robe: Formerly an agent of the lower planes, the mysterious gnoll is now being hunted by his former employers for his failure to assassinate the king of Overwood. He remembers Vladimir’s part in that, and will be more than happy to work against the dwarf. Draconic Heritage, Draconic Breath, Draconic Skin, Draconic Resistance, Draconic Legacy feats are from Complete Arcane Spellsword prestige class is from Complete Warrior
Haruspex 12-04-06, 02:02 AM	I barely kept below 50,000. Maybe my background was excessive...:D
TheChilliGod 12-04-06, 02:07 AM	Okay, before that 15 minutes is up, spoiler blocks can contain as many characters as the entire post can. I was talking about the signatures themselves earlier, not the spoiler blocks you see in sigs. Quick, while you still have the chance to not make me cry with 16 spoiler blocks! Edit-Nevermind. :weep:
Zherog 12-04-06, 08:31 AM	I think the record for overuse of spoiler blocks has just been shattered...
Magocrat 12-04-06, 09:58 AM	I think the record for overuse of spoiler blocks has just been shattered... Not just that, but he's also set the bar quite high when it comes to character history. I think that my history will definitely be outdone by this piece of art, regardless of how much time I'll put into it. But on the bright side, you've done a great job on it! It's original, and lengthwise, it could be an ickle bit shorter, but I like it! I'm looking forward to seeing the other submissions. :)
Avalon® 12-04-06, 10:05 AM	Who'll be the judges for this competition?
Zherog 12-04-06, 11:03 AM	Our judges for this contest will be Heros_Backpack and TheChilliGod; JasonOrlandoHawk will be our coordinating judge. cheers! :pint:
Zherog 12-04-06, 12:34 PM	Wow. 260K sounds like a lot of gold, until you start actually spending it...
Heros_Backpack 12-04-06, 12:36 PM	An eleven spoiler background!?! :eek: Quick, where did I put my speed-reading brain?
Magocrat 12-04-06, 04:10 PM	Hm, I hate to say it, but I think I'm just not hero crafting material yet, especially not with such a high level. I'll just sit this one out, but I'll be glad to judge others, if it is needed. I'm just going to hope that there'll be a lower level on the next Hero Craftsman competition. Sorry if I disappointed people with this, but this is just too much, I think. My apologies.
Zherog 12-04-06, 04:35 PM	Don't sweat it. You may change your mind by the end of the competition and end up posting something after all. And if not, no big deal - there'll be others.
FRRC 12-04-06, 05:37 PM	Just create something, even if it is something basic. If anything, you'll learn something.
Zherog 12-04-06, 05:51 PM	Yep, even something as basic as a fighter 16 could be a cool character with the right background and theme and such. I agree with FRRC. Don't give up so easily - there's still plenty of time to get your character written up.
Magocrat 12-05-06, 11:28 AM	Well, I'll try, but I don't think that it's going to be very special, though. We'll just have to see what I can put out. I'll hope that the next Hero Craftsman competition will have a lower level than this one, because that makes it quite difficult for me, and maybe for others. But I think that I'll indeed learn something, maybe even how I can make a better competitor in the next competition. (If anything, this is good for my self-judgment.)
Mercurius 12-05-06, 11:45 AM	I'm going to steer clear of this one. I tend to prefer lower level characters, topping out at around 10th. I just cannot begin to conceive of a 16th level character who would still be "looking for a group" or what-have-you, and I'd rather not mess with it. Having my characters meticulously torn apart sometimes gets to me, anyway...:embarrass
Zherog 12-05-06, 12:56 PM	I just cannot begin to conceive of a 16th level character who would still be "looking for a group" or what-have-you... Well, the easiest answer to that one would be a brand new player to the game. The second idea that comes to my mind is a current player replacing an existing character. But yeah, high level is definitely different. I'll hope that the next Hero Craftsman competition will have a lower level than this one, because that makes it quite difficult for me, and maybe for others. They've bounced around. HC4 was 8th level characters, core rules only. HC3 was 12th level. HC2 was 7th level. So I have little doubt that 6 (when it comes around) will be somewhere in the lower end of the level spectrum.
FRRC 12-05-06, 02:18 PM	Just a quick question: Does an animal (Blackgaurd's Feindish Servant for example) automatically earn the Magical Beast template for having above 2 Int?
Zherog 12-05-06, 02:49 PM	From the Fiendish Template: Size and Type: Animals or vermin with this template become magical beasts, but otherwise the creature type is unchanged. Size is unchanged. Fiendish creatures encountered on the Material Plane have the extraplanar subtype.
bhu 12-05-06, 08:58 PM	I'm going to steer clear of this one. I tend to prefer lower level characters, topping out at around 10th. I just cannot begin to conceive of a 16th level character who would still be "looking for a group" or what-have-you, and I'd rather not mess with it. Having my characters meticulously torn apart sometimes gets to me, anyway...:embarrass Well you could always try a race with plenty of racial hit dice and/or a high LA. That kind of artifically makes you low level. If you had a race with 7 hit dice and a +5 LA, then for purposes of the fame you've only been adventuring 4 levels. Makes a much smaller background intro.
Zherog 12-06-06, 03:21 PM	That's definitely an option. It would give you a chance to fiddle around with a high ECL race while still having a "low level" character. OK, yes, I admit it. This is a bump; I just wanted to say more than just "bump", though. And I've done that.
Zherog 12-07-06, 10:52 AM	* sings (badly) * Ticking away the moments that make up the dull day. You fritter and waste the hours in an offhand way. So I have my character built in the spreadsheet I use; I have that just about completely converted to a stat block. I have her description done. I just need to find the 2 hours or so to sit down and organize - then compose - her background. Yeah, I should have my entry up before the deadline.
bhu 12-07-06, 06:48 PM	Well maybe you shouldnt do the race with high LA/hit dice. Im working on a concept now, but I just noticed something I'd forgotten in the PHB. After 1st level if you want to pick up a new skill you have to pay (you characters level+3) in skill points to get the first rank. The race im considering only has spot and listen as class skills, and by this rule I'd no longer be able to learn new skills after level 3......
Zherog 12-07-06, 08:37 PM	That's not correct. LA doesn't count towards max ranks, but monstrous hit dice do. I'll post an example in a little while - I need to get my kids into bed.
Zherog 12-07-06, 09:07 PM	Alrighty... example time. Let's take an ogre. A plain ol' ogre with no class levels has 4 hit dice and an LA of 2, so it's an effective character level of 6. It's max ranks in any ogre skill at this point is 7 -- 4 hit dice + 3. It's racial skills are Climb, Listen, and Spot. Now our ogre wants to take levels in fighter, because bonus feats are cool. To make things easy, we'll say he has a 10 Int, which gives him 2 skill points per fighter level. After taking a level of fighter, his ECL is 7; his max ranks in any given ogre or fighter skill are 8 -- 4 giant hit dice and 1 fighter hit dice + 3. He can spend those 2 skill points any way he likes. Now, granted, if he wants to spend his skill points on something like Ride or Intimidate it's going to take a few levels for him to get up to the max. If I'm doing the math correctly in my head, he'll finally be able to max out one skill at character level 11 (ECL 13). So, yeah - it's definitely harder to max a skill if it's not a "class" skill for your racial hit dice. But it's not impossible, and it follows all the rules normally.
FRRC 12-08-06, 11:52 AM	Thats what I thought... Bump
JasonOrlandoHawk 12-08-06, 01:07 PM	I have returned!!! I'm still not done unpacking... :weep: Anyways, I have briefly read through the responses so far, and there seems to be a major concern for the ECL 16 of this competition. Zherog seems to have hit on the idea for this competition rather well, though. Since we were dealing with Dragons, a high ECL is somewhat necessary. The "playable" dragons all have rather heavy LA's to deal with, not to mention RHD. Also, for those Fighters/Paladins who wish to ride into combat astride a Dragon (and btw, I will be very disappointed if I don't see one in this competition) need to be at a pretty high level with a rather signifcant Leadership score. Here there be dragons! This is not a competition for the faint of heart or low of level... Two quick notes: 1) Thank you, Zherog, for being willing to offer so much advice in my absence. I appreciate the sportsmanship and the fact that this thread has not been floundering in the dark, despite my absence. 2) I shall try to get all updates done by sometime this evening.
Zherog 12-08-06, 06:05 PM	1) Thank you, Zherog, for being willing to offer so much advice in my absence. I appreciate the sportsmanship and the fact that this thread has not been floundering in the dark, despite my absence. No problem. :) I like seeing these contests thrive, even when I'm not judging. I think I'll have my character done by the end of the weekend.
JasonOrlandoHawk 12-08-06, 08:13 PM	The competitor list has been updated, but I was hoping to have a few more names to add. As far as I can tell, it seems as if we've only got about 4 or 5 more possible entries... Surely it can't be that easy!
bhu 12-08-06, 11:38 PM	I didnt mean maxing out a skill I meant getting new ones. The passage I'm peeking at in the players on buying skills at higher levels says: If you want to pick up a new skill for your character, you can spend skill points equal to his or her character level +3. These skill points buy 1 rank if the skill is a class skill or 1/2 rank each if its a cross class skill. Lets say I'm playing a Half Dragon Dragonkin with an Int 10. I'll be getting 6 skill points per level. at level 3 I want to learn the Intimidate skill because I dont have any ranks in it. Thats 6 skill points to learn that first rank. If I want to learn it at fourth level instead it'll be 7 points, which I cant do because I only get 6 skill points per level. After third level I cant learn any skills, I can just improve what I already have. Since my first 7 hit dice are racial, I'll have to pick up whatever I want to learn in the first 3 levels as cross class skills, and put 1 rank each in them, if I ever want to have those skills. And the Dragonkins only class skills are Listen and Spot.
TheChilliGod 12-08-06, 11:55 PM	You misinterpreted. You can spend a maximum of skill points equal to your character level +3, but the ratio is still going to be 1 rank per 1 point. So your dragonkin can spend 6 points to get 6 ranks (3 ranks if it's a cross-class skill) at his 3rd Hit Die, but he cannot spend 7 points for 7 (or 3.5) ranks, because he isn't a high-enough level. At 4 Hit Dice, he can then spend up to 7 points for 7 (or 3.5) ranks. But the maximum number of points invested in one skill cannot be higher than 7 (so, you can't spend 6 points at 3rd level, then 7 additional points at 4th). And also remember that LA doesn't count when looking at skills. Understanding?
Zherog 12-09-06, 01:27 AM	Yeah, what the dude from NZ said. :)
Avalon® 12-09-06, 09:10 AM	Where's the speed enhancement on Haruspex's character's armor located?
Dragonlover 12-09-06, 09:30 AM	Ok, given the draconic theme, can Races of the Dragon and Dragon Magic be allowed as sourcebooks? No worries if not, just querying *before* I start coming up with stuff. Dragonlover
FRRC 12-09-06, 09:43 AM	6) There are other restrictions, however. Material contained in the three core books is allowed. Any material found in the following books may also be used in this competition: Complete Adventurer, Complete Arcane, Complete Divine, Complete Warrior, Expanded Psionics Handbook, and the Draconomicon. The use of Psionics, Item Creation rules, Epic Characters, and anything else in the Official SRD is also allowed. For this specific contest, no other material may be used including any variant rules as described in Unearthed Arcana and included in some unoffical on-line SRDs. As Described in the Rules section.
Zherog 12-09-06, 10:17 AM	Where's the speed enhancement on Haruspex's character's armor located? Mithril full plate of speed is a specific armor in the DMG (and SRD). Mithral Full Plate of Speed: As a free action, the wearer of this fine set of +1 mithral full plate can activate it, enabling her to act as though affected by a haste spell for up to 10 rounds each day. The duration of the haste effect need not be consecutive rounds. Speed while wearing a suit of mithral full plate is 20 feet for Medium creatures, or 15 feet for Small. The armor has an arcane spell failure chance of 25%, a maximum Dexterity bonus of +3, and an armor check penalty of –3. It is considered medium armor and weighs 25 pounds. Faint transmutation; CL 5th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, haste; Price 26,500 gp.
JasonOrlandoHawk 12-09-06, 10:24 AM	While I would have liked to have included Races of the Dragon and Dragon Magic, neither Heros_Backpack nor I had access to these books. Chilli was out of town during most of the discussion phase, so we couldn't figure out if he had access. Since none of the judges had access (as far as we could determine), we couldn't allow the material from those books. Dragon Magic, however, is one of the books on my Christmas Wish List. It is an awesome book, and had I had access to it, I would have gladly included it in the books available. Still, don't feel too bad, there is the Draconomicon, which should make any Dragon-enthusiast have plenty of material to work with for this competition.
TheChilliGod 12-09-06, 01:14 PM	While I would have liked to have included Races of the Dragon and Dragon Magic, neither Heros_Backpack nor I had access to these books. Chilli was out of town during most of the discussion phase, so we couldn't figure out if he had access. Since none of the judges had access (as far as we could determine), we couldn't allow the material from those books.You know the sad thing? I have access to both books. :weep: Edit-Oh, by the way Zherog, isn't it about time you let go of that old HC4 link in your sig? It's getting moldy and green...
Dragonlover 12-09-06, 01:43 PM	Ah well. Draconomican is fine, I just didn't want to try doing a kobold dragonfire adept with the Dragontouched feat if the books were unavailable. Dragonlover
jennibert 12-09-06, 08:08 PM	So I wrote a background. I have to edit it, but it's written. I can't help myself....As soon as I get his stats done, I'll be entering my character...hopefully I won't go above the character limit....Can I use two posts if I have to? I'm still not done unpacking... :weep: I moved six weeks ago and I'm not either, if it makes you feel any better....and I never fully finished unpacking my last apartment either, now that I think about it...and I lived there for two years.....:embarrass
Zherog 12-09-06, 08:31 PM	I moved six weeks ago and I'm not either, if it makes you feel any better....and I never fully finished unpacking my last apartment either, now that I think about it...and I lived there for two years.....:embarrass I moved into my house in 1997, and there's still two boxes that I never unpacked.
JasonOrlandoHawk 12-09-06, 10:44 PM	Typically, my real problem is keeping my gaming group gone long enough that I can get things cleaned up and put away. I was in my new apartment less than 36 hours before everyone showed up for a game... Looking forward to your characters, Zherog and Jennibert. Just wish we had a few more in line at the moment...
jennibert 12-10-06, 12:36 AM	So, I'm nearly done, but I did have a question. It is appropriate to my character's background that he own Art Objects--specifically jewelry. Should I use the average cost for something that seems to be of the same approximate value according to the chart in the DMG?
TheChilliGod 12-10-06, 12:48 AM	So, I'm nearly done, but I did have a question. It is appropriate to my character's background that he own Art Objects--specifically jewelry. Should I use the average cost for something that seems to be of the same approximate value according to the chart in the DMG?I'd say that this is the province of the individual judge. I myself would just accept any value that the chart in the DMG allows. So, for example, I'd allow an emerald to be of any worth between 400 gp and 1600 gp. Other judges may judge differently. Oh, by the way Zherog, isn't it about time you let go of that old HC4 link in your sig? It's getting moldy and green...I hate repeating myself...
jennibert 12-10-06, 12:58 AM	I'd say that this is the province of the individual judge. I myself would just accept any value that the chart in the DMG allows. So, for example, I'd allow an emerald to be of any worth between 400 gp and 1600 gp. Other judges may judge differently. I hate repeating myself... Thanks, Chilli. And, if it makes you feel any better, I removed the HC#4 link in my sig because of what you said....
Zherog 12-10-06, 01:12 AM	I hate repeating myself... I missed the original comment because it was edited in after I read the post... 1) What's wrong with having a link to HC4? You think it doesn't deserve some love just because the contest is over? :P 2) What's wrong with mold? If everybody tossed away everything that was moldy, we'd never have pennicilan. :D 3) Guess it shows how often I pay attention to my own sig.
JasonOrlandoHawk 12-10-06, 09:20 AM	Can I use two posts if I have to? I don't see any reason why not. It is appropriate to my character's background that he own Art Objects--specifically jewelry. Should I use the average cost for something that seems to be of the same approximate value according to the chart in the DMG? I agree with Chilli on this one.
jennibert 12-10-06, 12:53 PM	Well, with votes in from two of the judges on my art objects, my character is ready. His information should all fit in this one post--only 38000 characters of the allowable 50000 :). He lives in a homebrew setting, but I think the background section should explain the necessary information. If I'm wrong, let me know and I'll be glad to explain further (probably at great length and in far more detail than necessary--you have been warned ;) ). Rignel Ryshtaline-Adarae Empress's Second Son Long ago on the continent of Cama Ren, there was a green dragon. He mated with a human woman, and of their union a son was born. He was an ambitious boy, loving politics and intrigue as befitted the son of a green dragon. But it was not until he met a cleric of Sollien, God of Total War, that he sought more. Together, the half-dragon and the cleric took over the entirety of the continent of Cama Ren, and declared it to be an empire dedicated to the evil god the cleric served, subjugating all of the races under the rule of humans. The two were wed, and from them issued the future emperors of Cama Ren. Like their parents, they were mostly evil people, seeking to stamp out the worship of other religions than their own, until the other gods were lost to Cama Ren. Then they sought to erase magic, as their draconic heritage gave them some ability in that area, and they wished it to be unique. And thus arcane magic was declared taboo. And so it was for nearly two thousand years. But all was not lost. A temporary respite in the nearly ever-present uprisings of the subjugated elves and dwarves allowed the chance for reopening communication with other continents, beginning with the city-state of Verdana on the continent of Withal. Knowledge of the conditions of Cama Ren brought missionaries and freedom fighters in droves, and the sudden increase in uprisings held the attention of then-Emperor Edoran…so much so that he neglected to name a successor. When he died, his six elder sons plunged the continent into civil war, fighting over his throne. All died, either at each other’s hands, or those of the subjugated races who saw a chance to regain the position they had lost. Desperate to keep their power, the nobility sought out the youngest son of the deceased emperor, a gentle diplomat named Trelor who had thrown off his country and married the ruler of Verdana, Andelle Ryshtaline, some years before. Offered his father’s throne, Trelor categorically refused it, as did his son Ruberr, who would inherit his mother’s throne. In desperation, the throne was offered to Trelor’s only other child, a daughter named Linelle. She accepted, and she and her new husband, Ibsallen Adarae, traveled to Cama Ren to take the throne. The nobility was slightly less than pleased with the new rulers, as both Linelle and Ibsallen clearly had elven blood. But they were also the last descendents of the imperial line, and so were grudgingly accepted, despite her radical ideas about the equality of the races. Those same ideas, and her elven blood, helped her to reach out to the subjugated races, and end the worst of the uprisings. And that is where I come in. I am Rignel Ryshtaline-Adarae, Empress’s Second Son. I have one elder brother, Loren, and one younger, Derris, and the youngest of us is my sister, Makasdina, called Kasdi. Being descended from royalty on both sides of my mother’s family, and also on my fathers, as he is of the royal elven blood, we never knew anything but privilege. But my mother was determined that we would know that with that privilege came a great responsibility. We were allowed some freedom as children, but lessons and observation of her at work were always part of our day. As I grew into adulthood, I amused myself with games of intrigue. I enjoyed playing the idle aristocrat, though in truth my forays into palace politics were largely at my mother’s behest. I was good at it, much more so than Loren, who was painfully straight-forward, or Derris, who was sullen, or Kasdi, who preferred to remain above the games. But I enjoyed it, for a time. Two events stopped my interest in the games. The first was the rejection of my proposal of marriage. Milisa was a servant, but a friend, and I had been completely in love with her. I know now it was brave of her to turn me down, as she could have had privilege and wealth and a doting husband, but Milisa was wise enough to know that my affection was fueled largely by youth, and that hers for me was nothing more than that of a friend. She tried to let me down gently, but she still broke my heart. The second event was the manifestation of my arcane power. My mother, as her mother before her, is a sorceress. Kasdi, though the youngest, had been the first to show the same power, in her case showing a preference for fire magic like the gold dragons from which the rulers of Verdana are descended. Loren’s power came next, though he favored more subtle magic, influence of the fey blood in my father’s father’s family. I manifested the power of the green dragon whose son had founded the Imperium. My brother Derris, much like my father, showed no ability to arcane power. Loathe to remain near Milisa, and dying to try out my newfound power in a less restrictive environment, I took the quarterstaff my father’s father had used as a freedom fighter many years before and traveled on my own for a time. This was the first time I had really been out amongst the people, and I saw with my own eyes how my mother’s attempts at reform were not always correctly administered. Having assisted my mother in writing many of the new laws, I knew them quite well, and could never manage to keep from interfering when I saw them being interpreted unfairly. I remained out on my own for three years, sometimes with a group, sometimes not, but always letting my addiction to the laws get me in trouble. Finally, after a particularly nasty incident where a human who was unfairly overcharging a dwarf got violent and nearly killed me, I decided that I needed more than just me enforcing the laws. I returned home to the palace and sought an audience with my mother. “What we need,” I told her as we sat in her informal sitting room, “are a group of people whose job it is to travel about and judge the law. If anyone feels they have been treated unfairly, they can submit a request, and a judge can be sent to review the case, and change things as necessary. You’ll need people who are intimately familiar with the laws, and who you trust to be fair. We’ll probably need to set up a few test case, to prove to people that this can work.” “A good idea, Lord Rignel,” she responded, a twinkle in her blue eyes. “Write me a proposal.” And so I did. The Imperial Judges were found the next year, with me as the first. Feeling that it would add to the feeling of impartiality if the Judges were anonymous, and that they might need protection from those they ruled against, it was decided that each Judge would have a cover—a name used only as a Judge. Mine was Ice, as my mother said that’s what I became when crossed. With my new position came a circlet of office, enchanted by my mother herself to make people more likely to listen to me, and an amulet that would allow me to change my appearance at will, to further conceal my identity. I loved being an Imperial Judge. It made my heart sing when I righted a wrong, or punished an offender. I also enjoyed the thrill of danger when those I had ruled against sought to take vengeance upon me. That happened more often than I would have expected, particularly when I ruled against a human in favor of a member of another race. I was glad that my mother had insisted on the anonymity, as most of the other Judges had families who could have been used against them. The life of a Judge also allowed me to be sometimes at home, which turned out to be fortunate. Derris had acquired a new girlfriend, a pretty girl named Grace. My parents and Loren were quite fond of her as well, but Kasdi was not. Something about Grace rubbed her the wrong way. I, having been busy with duties, had not spent much time with her, but as I took the time to observe Grace, I too felt a slight sensation of unease. Kasdi and I began keeping an eye on her, aided by some of the more trusted servants. We redoubled our efforts when Kasdi met Grace’s sister, Arden, and her compatriots on one of her forays about town. Not knowing who she was, they asked if she had seen Grace, and told her that they had already foiled one plot by innocuous looking girl to take power on the continent of Nedalon. I questioned them thoroughly when she brought them to me, and got none of the unease I felt with Grace. We allowed them to pose as servants, unbeknownst to even my mother, and watched. Grace finally made her move, an attempt to assassinate Loren. She might have succeeded, had not one of Arden’s companions, Haldor Lilyen, been present. He warned Loren and shouted for assistance, all while battling Grace. I was nearby and waded into the fray, as did Kasdi, and together we defeated her. My mother’s advisors wanted her to simply kill Grace outright, but mother insisted that her own laws of justice be followed. The trial was quick and efficient, but Grace did not die. Derris, hopelessly in love with her and always resentful of the family power he didn’t share, helped her escape and disappeared with her. My parents were devastated by his desertion, but my mother’s own laws forced her to put a charge of conspiracy to commit murder on the head of her own son. We did not see Derris again. It is my belief that they fled Cama Ren entirely. Soon after Derris’s flight, my sister married Hal Lilyen, and a few years later Loren married Hal’s visiting sister, Linahr. I remained an Imperial Judge as my siblings began to settle down. Kasdi was already a mother, and Loren and Linahr were expecting their first child when the Imperial Judge Ice was called to the estate of the Duke of Mazarel. Addis, Duke of Mazarel, was one of the good nobility, who had changed with the laws and always tried to be fair. His elder sons, on the other hand, showed every promise of being among the worst, wishing to undo as many of their father’s reforms as possible. Consequently, as the elderly Addis lay dying, he had named his fourth son, Derevin, as his heir. The elder sons had immediately protested, saying that their father could not change the age-old tradition, and followed that with saying he was to sick to know what he was really saying. I spoke with them first, as they had not yet found their youngest brother. He had gone off to be an adventurer some years before. He arrived after I did, having heard of his father’s illness, and clearly surprised by his blessing. He was a soft spoken young man, tall and slim, who clearly shared his father’s ideals. He told me I could call him Ardeyn, but then mentioned that it might not be a good idea to so before his brothers. Apparently, there some sort of family tradition about naming the children in alphabetical order, and his brothers were resentful of his nickname. He introduced me to his two traveling companions as I finished my audience with him. The young dark-haired woman, Alysse, jumped immediately to Ardeyn’s defense, arguing passionately that he had done nothing to influence his father in making this decision, and that he wanted the position only so his brothers would not undo his father’s just reforms, which was exactly what Ardeyn himself had said, though he was less blunt. Ardeyn vainly tried to convince her to be quiet, and from the way they interacted, I could tell that if Ardeyn prevailed, Alysse would become Duchess Mazarel. I let the lovers squabble and turned to the other woman. She was tall and slim, with cascades of golden blonde curls worn pulled back at the sides of her head. Her features were sharp but interesting, and her dark brown eyes were sprinkled with gold flecks that matched her eyes. She seemed a few years older than the other two, wore the garb of a cleric of Ekient, God of Honorable Battle, and regarded me with a measuring gaze, as if debating if I was worthy to judge her young friend. “I am Ashela Aradan,” she said formally, her speech accented in a way that was familiar. It was similar to my parents’ accents, so I asked if she was from Withal. “Yes, from Radassan.” That city-state was in the north, far from Verdana, but it was my father’s father’s home town. I didn’t tell her that, but indicated that I was at least familiar with the city. “I don’t believe my origins are relevant, Sir Judge,” she replied coolly. “If you require my assistance in this matter, I am at your disposal, so long as I do not have to interact with those men who call themselves Ardeyn’s brothers.” She bowed her head slightly, and turned to separate the still quarrelling Ardeyn and Alysse, which she did with practiced ease. I fell for her right then. I took more time than was my wont making the decision so that I might spend more time with Ashela, but it was in truth a difficult case. The custom and unwritten law was that the eldest son would inherit. But it was unwritten, meaning there was no reason that Addis could not change the inheritance should he wish. I had pretty much decided to rule in Ardeyn’s favor, while still guaranteeing some compensation for the elder brothers, but was questioning a servant of Aldest, the eldest, anyway, to get my final impressions. It was my habit to carry candles that, when burned, would force those nearby to tell the truth. I had them scented slightly with peppermint to ease the minds of those who talk. But, as I spoke with the servant, I suddenly became aware that I smelled no peppermint from the burning candle. It had been switched with an ordinary candle that looked the same. I went to the ice that had given me my name, and in no time the terrified servant confessed that he had been lying at the behest of Aldest and the other elder brothers. Questioning Aldest, with a real truth candle, gave the same information. My ruling was immediate: I stripped the elder brothers of their titles and awarded the Dukedom to Ardeyn in full, making sure to use his nickname rather than his given name. The brothers tried to protest, but I warned them that they were lucky I didn’t give them additional punishment for interfering with my investigation, and left the room. I understand that Ardeyn gave them something to live on after I left, but as that was his decision, not mine, I said nothing. I was more interested in the fact that Ashela seemed impressed by the forcefulness of my position. I had a little more success drawing her out of her icy shell that evening. I remained in the home of the Duke of Mazarel for more than a week, ostensibly to make sure that Ardeyn had no more difficulties with his brothers, but really so I could spend more time with Ashela. She seemed to have realized this, but made no effort to discourage me. Finally, I regretfully had to head home. “The Empress will expect me to return for my next assignment,” I said as I took my leave. “I too must get going,” said Ashela. “I have an appointment I must keep in the North. I’m already late.” “I can give you a ride, if you like,” I offered immediately. “At least part of the way.” She smiled and accepted, and we determined that her destination, the headquarters of an order of paladins to which Alysse had formerly belonged, was only a little out of my way home. We didn’t make it. Halfway there, our carriage suddenly overturned. Familiar with this after many years of practice, I hurried Ashela out of the carriage and into the grass on the side of the road just before our carriage exploded in a fireball. She was clearly horrified, but I took it in stride. “Here, put this on,” I instructed her, handing her my amulet. She stared at me in shock as my silver hair darkened to pale gold, my eyes shifted from soft gray to bright blue, and my ears lengthened and became clearly part elven. “Hurry, it won’t take them long to figure out we weren’t in there. And if we’re stopped, I’m Rig and I’ll just call you Ash, okay?” She did as requested, and I encouraged her to make herself look half-elven as I now did. I drew my quarterstaff and she her sword, and we moved as quickly as we could through the brush until we reached another road. We stopped at the first tavern we came to. “Does that happen to you all the time?” she asked incredulously over dinner. “Pretty much,” I confirmed. “I’m always making people mad with my decisions and then they try to kill me. We should probably lie low for a couple of days. Sorry to make you late for your appointment. May I ask who you were meeting?” “It’s personal,” was all she said. I was disappointed, but did not wish to press, so I changed the subject, and we discussed things we had seen on our various travels. I convinced her that we shouldn’t keep to our expected path in case they tried again, and she regretfully agreed, and we began a roundabout way of getting to the town where she was headed, which fortunately took us by one of my favorite taverns just in time for dinner. We had no sooner walked in the door than my brother-in-law caught my attention. “Hal! What are you doing here?” I hissed. “Problem,” he responded, glancing at Ashela. I quickly introduced them, giving only first names. Hal took his cue from me, and remained circumspect. (Not that I didn’t trust Ashela, more that she didn’t know who I was and I wanted to break it to her differently.) Hal told us that there had been a threat made against Loren’s unborn child, and my mother wanted me home to help deal with it. I was suddenly less sure that the attack against us had been the result of one of my decisions, and was just telling Hal about it when the doors burst open. It is impossible to not notice my sister when she enters a room. Her beauty and her force of personality naturally draw attention. It only gets worse when she’s angry and yelling. “Haldor Lilyen! What did you think you were doing, going off without me?” “Kasdi,” I said, “indoor voice, please.” She approached the table, looking down her nose at me with an imperial air that would have shamed my mother at her most formal. I quickly arranged for a private room and ushered everyone, including Ashela, into it. “Did you think I wouldn’t figure it out?” Kasdi blasted her husband in a quieter voice. “I’m not a weakling, and I don’t need to be protected. This is my future niece or nephew who’s in danger too, you know. I will help.” “Kasdi, I’m sure Hal was just—“ “Don’t you defend him, Rignel Ryshtaline-Adarae,” she snapped. Being a mother herself has made her more prone to using full names. And her Della’s only four. “Ryshtaline-Adarae?” repeated Ashela. “You’re one of the Empress’s sons?” After that there was very much arguing in low voices, accompanied by much pleading on the part of Hal and myself. It seems Hal had tried to keep Kasdi from getting involved because she’s pregnant with their second child, which I could understand but she didn’t care for. And Ashela was offended that I hadn’t told her the truth, which I can also understand, but I don’t know when I was supposed to have told her, since we were kind of in hiding. In the end, Hal and I gave up and begged forgiveness so that we could get going. Ashela didn’t want to go to the palace, alternating wanting to head for her mysterious appointment with insisting that really, she probably shouldn’t be in the palace, they didn’t want someone like her anyway. I protested that, but we didn’t have time to get into it before we got home. Ashela was overwhelmed by the palace and stammered when she was introduced to my mother, who seemed distracted. The threat that had been intercepted came from a cult of Devilda, Goddess of Power, who sought to kidnap the child and raise it as their own, returning him or her to claim the throne some time in the future. Ashela paled at the mention of Devilda, and warned that there might be spies already in the palace. “A worshipper of Devilda is a skilled liar,” she said. “Someone you wouldn’t suspect until it’s far too late.” She sounded like the voice of experience. With the guard upped on Loren and Linahr’s quarters, the birth of their son, Jayalen, went without incident. With Ashela’s help, we identified a servant who was a worshipper of the Devilda and who had been passing information to the cult. No more threats appeared after that, and after a month my mother finally released us back to our regular duties. Ashela was by this time wild to get to her missed appointment. I insisted on accompanying her, thinking that the word of the Empress’s son might help to mitigate any trouble she might have. Ashela protested, but seeing that I would not be moved, chose not to delay herself by arguing. We reached the stronghold in the morning, and I expected Ashela to head straight for the head of the place, as I had assumed that was with whom her appointment was. Imagine my surprise when, instead of going to an office, she opened the door to a school room. “Mama!” cried a five year old girl, racing across the room and into Ashela’s arms. “I’ve missed you so!” “I’m so sorry I’m late, Shanni,” she replied, holding the child to her. Shanni was beautiful, with her mother’s golden hair and interesting features, though softened with baby fat, and luminous golden brown eyes. “This is Lord Rignel,” she said after a moment, remembering me at her side. “Rig, this is my daughter, Shanni.” Her face was almost defiant, daring me to say anything. She knew that I knew she had never been married—we had discussed it at some point. “A pleasure to meet you, Shanni.” I said pleasantly, and the child smiled brightly at me. Ashela and I gained permission to take her into the nearby town for the day, and she was enchanting. So open and friendly, and so desperate for affection. She basked in our attention, and it nearly broke my heart to take her back at the end of the day. “You’ll come back tomorrow, won’t you, Mama?” I heard her beg as I waited outside while Ashela tucked her into bed. As we walked back to where we would be staying in town, I asked Ashela why she hadn’t told me about Shanni. “I was afraid you’d think less of me,” she admitted softly. “You’re the son of an Empress, and I’m a common unwed mother.” With a little prompting, I got her to talk about Shanni’s father. Cole Anders had seemed so sweet and gentle, the first man to really pay attention to her. She had fallen head over heels in love, and they had gotten engaged. “But it was all a lie,” she said, tears gathering in her eyes. He had been a worshipper of Devilda, and was merely using her to gain access to more members of her church. He’d also been cheating on her from the beginning, and had been in the process of seducing one of her closest friends when she learned the truth. “I left him then and there, and signed up to be a missionary in Cama Ren as the best way of getting away from him. I didn’t even know I was pregnant until I was on the ship coming here. The Church wasn’t pleased when they found out, but gave me a delay until I had weaned Shanni, and then I had to resume my missionary work. She lives here because it’s too dangerous to take her with me, but I know she hates it. They’re so austere, and she’s such a friendly child…But it’s only six more months until my contract is up…” “Why not take her to the palace? My sister’s nurse could look after her and Della easily enough.” Ashela protested instantly, refusing to impose, and though I took her offer of payment, which I refused, as a sign she was weakining. Accordingly, I said I would name a price. “You bring Shanni to the palace now. I’ll take care of her, leaving her with Kasdi’s daughter when my duties call me away. In return, when your six months are up, I want you to consider marrying me.” Ashela practically fell out of her chair. She tried to protest, but I wouldn’t hear of it, and in the end I got my way. We were married when her contract was up, and I talked my mother into building a temple to Ekient near the palace, and putting my Ashela in charge. Mother, being scrupulously fair, did interview for the position, but Ashela was by far the most powerful cleric in the city (saving only those of Sollien, with whom my family was not on the best of terms). Shanni loved the palace, and readily agreed to changing her name to Ryshtaline-Adarae, and to calling me “Daddy.” She was even more thrilled when a little over a year later, her sister Idriara was born, followed two years later by a brother, Sallascen. I loved being a husband and father, and spent less time away than I had previously. My mother sent other, younger Judges to the far off calls, and kept me near home unless it was a particularly delicate case. I still had my share of close calls, but nothing too major, and I enjoyed settling down far more than I thought I would. I was in our sitting room, reading to four-year-old Idri and two-year-old Sallas when the servants reported a green dragon flying over the city. I reached for my quiver and quarterstaff and headed out. Legend had held that the green dragon that was my forebear occasionally looked over the country to see if it was still doing as he wished, but he hadn’t done so in my lifetime. I knew that he had never been known to cause destruction, but an evil dragon is still a threat. I kept my quarterstaff at my side as I watched it swoop in low over the palace…and then attack the temple of Ekient. The building was strong, but it had not been built with an angry dragon in mind. Between the acid breath and its powerful tail and claws, the temple stood little chance. For a moment I stood horrified, but then I came to my senses. Afraid that I would cause more damage to the temple with my spells if I missed the dragon, I pulled out my bow and began to loose arrows as I hurried down to the temple. The dragon did not remain long. Once it had battered the temple, it turned and swooped away, ignoring the arrows and spells shot after it. As it seemed to be retreating, those on the ground let it go and focused out attention on getting to anyone trapped in the temple. Ashela was always there this time of day…and no one could remember seeing her leave. My mother called in all hands to help move the debris, but it was still several hours before we found Ashela. My beautiful wife had been crushed under a falling pillar, and had slowly bled to death while we had been trying to get to her. Other lifted the pillar from her prone form, and then I carried her back into the palace she had been so afraid to come into years before. It was only as I sat beside her, tears stinging my eyes, that I remembered that Shanni’s school class had been scheduled to tour the temple that day….and that I hadn’t seen her since the attack. I left my Ashela in the care of the sobbing servants, and ran back to the temple’s debris. I refused to leave the site, though we still hadn’t found her on the second day. Even I was about ready to admit defeat when we saw the bit of movement. It was Shanni and two of her classmates, trapped in an air pocket. She had been waving her handkerchief through a small space to catch our attention. As soon as the three children were clear, I pulled my child into my arms and simply sobbed. For a few moments she did the same, and then asked for her mother. It was the hardest thing I have ever had to do to tell Shanni that her mother was dead, but I knew it had to come from me. She went totally white, and then fainted, the news too much for her on top of the severe injuries she had suffered in the destruction. I spent the next several weeks in a daze, trying to comfort my children and looking for Ashela around every turn. It was only when we received word of more dragon attacks—too many for a single culprit—that I was roused from my stupor. “It spoke this time.” Hal had traveled to the site of one of the attacks—a temple to Kalenor, Goddess of Day and Night—and spoken with the survivors. “It said that it was not pleased with the way that the Empire is going, and that it will continue to attack until we return to the ways of its progeny.” “The nobility will use this against us,” worried my mother. My father and Loren nodded in agreement. “And it won’t be hard for them to get the people on their side. Dragon attacks…” “Then the dragon must be stopped,” I said. “I’ll do it.” “By yourself, Rig?” asked Kasdi. “If I must. It killed my Ashela, and nearly took my Shanni as well, in addition to all of the other lives wasted. I will track it down and kill it.” My voice had gone to ice, but with a grim tone that my family wasn’t used to. “Very well, Rig,” said my mother after a long silence. “I shall place the army at your disposal.” “No. They’ll only be mowed down. Use them to keep the peace if necessary. A small group will be less noticeable and have better success.” No one protested my decision. I made my brother and sister promise to raise my children—all three—if I didn’t return. I spent as much time as I could with my family over the next few days while I made the preparations for my quest, and then I set out. I was going to kill the dragon. Rignel Ryshtaline-Adarae is fifty years old, still the prime of life for a half-elf. His skin is pale, his chin-length hair a soft yellow blond, and his eyes brilliant blue. He stands 5’10” tall and is very lightly built. He typically wears the simple traveling clothes of an adventurer, and only the garnet and gold circlet bearing the Imperial seal clearly betrays his rank (though one who looks closely may notice other indications as well). With the death of his wife, Rig has become taciturn. Those who speak to him find him intelligent and polite, but distant. He rarely gives anyone his real name, preferring to remain anonymous in his quest, partially to keep from attracting the dragon’s attention. If pressed, he will shift his appearance to that of his Judge persona (silver hair, gray eyes, more human appearance) and give them the name Ice. Rig carries a number of garnets, the gem of the Imperium. As he passes through dragon ravaged towns, he often gives them out to those in need. Rignel Ryshtaline-Adarae Aristocrat 1/Rogue 1/Sorceror 6/Eldritch Knight 8 Half-elf Lawful Good Base Stats (Level 1) STR 10 +0 (2 pts) DEX 15 +2 (8 pts) CON 10 +0 (2 pts) INT 14 +2 (6 pts) WIS 10 +0 (2 pts) CHA 15 +2 (8 pts) Final Stats (Level 16) STR 14 +2 (Belt +4) DEX 22 +6 (+1 lvl 8, Gloves +6) CON 12 +1 (+1 lvl 12, +1 lvl 16) INT 14 +2 WIS 12 +1 (+2 Ioun Stone) CHA 22 +6 (+1 lvl 4, Cloak +6) Vitals Hit Points: 70 (8 aris + 3.5 rog + 15 sorc + 28 ElKn + 16 CON) Armor Class: 29 (10 + 6 DEX + 6 Armor (Bracers) + 5 Deflection (Ring) + 1 Insight (Ioun Stone) + 1 Shield (Two Weapon Defense)) Touch: 22 Flat-Footed: 23 With Shield: 32 (+4 from spell supercedes +1 from Two-Weapon Defense) *Note: He typically casts this before any combat he senses will be difficult, but does not bother if his opponents do not seem to warrant it. Speed: 30 feet Base Attack Bonus: +11/+6/+1 (+ 3 sorc + 8 ElKn) Languages Automatic: Common, Elven Bonus (+2 INT): Dwarven, Halfling Bought with Skill Points: Gnome, Orc, Veryan (his parents’ native language) Special Abilities Half-Elf: Immunity to sleep spells and similar magic effects, Low-Light Vision, Elven Blood. (Other abilities listed where relevant.) Aristocrat: Proficient with all simple and martial weapons, armor, and shields (prerequisite for Eldritch Knight) Rogue: Sneak Attack +1d6, trapfinding Sorcerer: Summon Familiar (does not actually have one) Feats: Move Silently as class skill, resistance to acid 9, +1 Caster Level and to Saving Throw DC of all spells with the acid descriptor. (Other abilities listed where relevant.) Saves Fortitude +9 (+1 CON + 2 sorc + 6 ElKn) Reflex +12 (+6 DEX + 2 sorc + 2 rog + 2 ElKn) Will +10 (+1 WIS + 2 aris + 5 sorc + 2 ElKn) +2 racial bonus to saves vs. enchantment spells of effects +3 bonus to saves vs. sleep or paralysis, and vs. spells and abilities with acid energy type (from feats) Feats Negotiator (1st) Draconic Heritage (Green) (3rd)* Two-Weapon Fighting (6th) Two-Weapon Defense (Bonus, Eldritch Knight) Draconic Resistance (9th)* Improved Two-Weapon Fighting (12th) Draconic Power (15th)* *Feats marked with star found in Complete Arcane (Chart page 74). Attacks +2 Quarterstaff +15 (+11 BAB + 2 STR + 2 Enhancement) Damage: 2d6 +4 (d6 + 2 STR + 2 Enhancement + d6 Fire) Critical: 20 x2 +1 Quarterstaff +14 (+11 BAB + 2 STR + 1 Enhancement) Damage: 2d6+3 (d6 + 2 STR + 1 Enhancement + d6 shock) + option of discharging stored spell (typically, Bestow Curse for a –6 to CON) *Note: Rig usually uses the other end, but will use this end as primary should it seem more beneficial at the time. MW Longsword +14 (+11 BAB +2 STR +1 MW) Damage: d8+2 (STR) Critical: 19-20 x2 *Note: Used very rarely MW Dagger +14 (+11 BAB +2 STR +1 MW) Damage: d4+2 (STR) Critical: 19-20 x2 *Note: Used even more rarely in combat, mostly intended as an eating knife. +1 Longbow +18 (+11 BAB + 6 DEX + 1 Enhancement) Damage: d8+1 (Enhancement) Range: 100 ft Critical: 20 x3 Longbow vs. Dragons +20 (see above, + Bane Enchantment) Damage: d8+2d6+3 (d8 + 1 Enhancement + 2 Bane + 2d6 Bane) Ranged Touch Attack +17 (+11 BAB + 6 DEX) Damage: Varies by Spell Full attack Quarterstaff Primary End: +13/+8/+3 (see above, -2 for Two Weapon Fighting) Damage: 2d6+4 (d6 + 2 STR + 2 Enhancement + d6 Fire) Offhand End: +12/+7 (see above, -2 for Two Weapon Fighting) Damage: 2d6+2 (d6 + 1 STR + 1 Enhancement + d6 shock) + option of discharging stored spell MW Longsword or Dagger +14/+9/+4 (see above) +1 Longbow +18/+13/+8 (see above) Longbow vs. Dragons +20/+15/+10 (see above) Skills Bluff +20 (11 ranks + 6 CHA +3 Circlet) Concentration +20 (19 ranks, +1 CON) Diplomacy +29 (10 ranks +6 CHA +2 synergy (Bluff) +2 synergy (Know(nob&roy)) +2 synergy (Sense Motive) +2 Negotiator +2 racial +3 Circlet) Gather Information +21 (8 ranks +6 CHA +2 synergy (Know(local) +2 racial +3 Circlet) Knowledge (arcana) +7 (5 ranks +2 INT) Knowledge (local) +7 (5 ranks +2 INT) Knowledge (nobility and royalty) +7 (5 ranks +2 INT) Listen +2 (+1 WIS +1 racial) Ride +6 (+8) (+6 DEX, (+2 to remain in saddle from military saddle)) Search +6 (3 ranks +2 INT +1 racial) Sense Motive +13 (10 ranks +1 WIS +2 Negotiator) Spellcraft +7 (3 ranks +2 INT +2 synergy (Know(arcana)) Spot +2 (+1 WIS +1 racial) All other CHA based skills +9 (+6 CHA, +3 circlet) Also spent 3 skill points on Speak Language Skills per Level Breakdown: Lvl 1 Aristocrat (4*(4 +2 INT)=24): Bluff 4, Diplomacy 4, Gather Info 4, Know(arcana) 1, Know(local) 2, Know(nob&roy) 2, Sense Motive 4, Speak Language 3 Lvl 2 Rogue (8 +2 INT=10): Bluff 1, Diplomacy 1, Gather Info 1, Know(local) 3, Search 3, Sense Motive 1 Lvl 3-8 Sorcerer (6 lvls @ 2 +2 INT= 24): Bluff 6, Concentration 11, Spellcraft 3, Know(arcana) 4 Lvl 9-16 Eldritch Knight (8 lvls @ 2+2 INT=32): Concentration 8, Diplomacy 10 (cross class), Gather Info 6 (cross class), Know(nob&roy) 3, Sense Motive 5 Spells Caster Level 13 (6 sorc, 7 ElKn) Per Day (DC): 0: 6 (16) 1: 6 +2 bonus CHA (17) 2: 6 +2 bonus CHA (18) 3: 6 +1 bonus CHA (19) 4: 6 +1 bonus CHA (20) 5: 6 +1 bonus CHA (21) 6: 4 +1 bonus CHA (22) Known (not necessarily listed in order learned): 0: (9) Acid Splash, Detect Magic, Read Magic, Light, Mage Hand, Mending, Open/Close, Arcane Mark, Prestidigitation 1: (5) Magic Missile, *Lesser Orb of Acid (CL14), Shield, True Strike, Expeditious Retreat 2: (5) Scorching Ray, **Earthbind, Melf’s Acid Arrow (CL14), Invisibility, Knock 3: (4) Fireball, Tongues, Fly, **Dragon Breath 4: (4) *Orb of Acid (CL14, DC 21), Dimension Door, *Orb of Force, Bestow Curse 5: (3) Shadow Evocation, *Vitriolic Sphere (CL14, DC 22), Cone of Cold 6: (2) Greater Dispel Magic, Shadow Walk *Spells from Complete Arcane **Spells from Draconomicon Equipment Carried on his person (quantity and or notes, value in gp): --Quarterstaff: Primary end +2 flaming, secondary +1 shock, spell-storing. (family heirloom, 36,600) --+1 Longbow, Dragon Bane (8375) --Masterwork longsword (when drawn can see that the hilt is set with several small carnelians, 415)^ --Masterwork dagger (inlaid with obsidian, 322)^ 100 arrows (5) (20 out, 80 in Haversack) --Circlet of Persuasion (gold set with garnet bearing Imperial Seal, 4600)^ --Amulet of Disguise (paid 1.5 times value of Hat of Disguise, 2700) --Gloves of Dexterity +6 (36,000) --Cloak of Charisma +6 (36,000) --Belt of Giant Strength +4 (16,000) --Ring of Protection +5 (50,000) --Bracers of Armor +6 (36,000) --Dusty Rose Prism Ioun Stone (5000) --Incandescent Blue Sphere Ioun Stone (8000) --Wand of Magic Missile (5th level, 3750)* --Potion of Cure Light Wounds (10, 500)* --Potion of Cure Moderate Wounds (5, 1500)* --Scroll containing the spells Identify (x2), Mage Armor, and Protection from Evil (300) --Scroll of Haste (375) --Everburning Torch (110) --Waterskin (1) --Spell Component Pouch (5) --Heward’s Handy Haversack (carries all items marked with *, 2000) --Candle of Truth (2, 5000)* --Bedroll* (.1) --Winter Blanket* (.5) --Map Case* (2—1 for scrolls, 1 for parchment, 2) --Flint and Steel* (1) --Chalk* (10 pieces, .1) --Signal Whistle (.8) --Silk Rope* (50 ft, 10) --Sewing Needle* (.5) --Soap* (5 lbs, 2.5) --Small Steel Mirror* (10) --Antitoxin* (4, 80) --Trail Rations* (10 days, 5) --Ink* (5 oz, 40) --Inkpen* (.1) --Parchment* (20 sheets, 4) --Bottle of Fine Wine* (3, 30) --Signet Ring (real gold and set with a small garnet, 55)^ --Silver Holy Symbol (Ekient, inscribed on the back with the name “Ashela,” 25) --Heavy gold bracelet (mostly concealed by his bracers, clearly of elven make, 150)^ --Small Carved Ivory Statuettes (3, in the images of his children, 225)*^ --51 red garnet gems* (average worth 100 each, 5100) --Explorer’s Outfit (free) --254 gp, 4 sp* (equivalent—carries some smaller coinage because it’s easier to get change) ^Values for these art objects are randomly determined by me from the examples given on the chart on page 55 of the DMG. For some, I simply added the prices of the gems to the existing object price. On his horse: --Light Warhorse (named Esteralen, 150) --Military Saddle (20) --Bit and Bridle (2) --Saddlebags (4) --Tent (10) --Additional Silk Rope (50 ft, 10) At home: --Noble’s Outfit (2, 150) --Accompanying Jewelry (100) *Note: Rig, as the second son, is not required to appear in royal garb, but is still expected to look properly noble for formal occasions. The 100 gp is additional jewelry beyond what he normally wears. Well, for whatever reason it's stopped letting me Preview my post :banghead: . Here's hoping it's all still okay....
Zherog 12-10-06, 05:45 PM	Merseliel Windsinger Female Cleric of Bahamut1 10/Contemplative2 6 NG Medium humanoid (elf) Init +4 Senses Low-light vision, Listen +13, Spot +13 Aura Overwhelming good and lawful auras Languages Common, Draconic, Elven, Sylvan - - - - - - AC 30 (+4 Dex, +8 armor (including magic vestment), +6 shield (including magic vestment), +3 deflection; Touch 17; Flat-Footed 27 Situational modifiers: moderate fortification: 75% chance to avoid critical hit or sneak attack Dragon Hunter: +2 Dodge bonus to AC vs dragons hp 69 (16 HD) Immune Magical sleep, diseases, poisons Fort +14, Ref +14, Will +25 Situational modifiers: +2 vs enchantments Slippery Mind Dragon Hunter: +2 Competence bonus vs dragon attacks, spells, and special abilities Dragon Hunter Defense: evasion vs dragon breath weapons; +8 to saving throws against supernatural and spell-like abilities of dragons - - - - - - Spd 30 ft. (6 squares) Melee +18/+13 +1 shocking, thundering rapier (1d6+5 plus 1d6 electricity/18-20/x2 +1d8 sonic, DC 14 Fort or defeaned) or Ranged +18/+13 longbow (1d8+4/x3) Base Atk +10; Grp +11 Atk Options Divine wholeness (24 hit points) Special Actions Turn undead 6/Day (+5, 2d6+13, 10th level) SQ Spontaneous casting Combat Gear Scroll of break enchantment (1,125 gp), scroll of remove blindness/deafness (375 gp), scroll of remove curse (375 gp), scroll of remove disease (375 gp), scroll of neutralize poison (375 gp), scroll of remove paralysis (150 gp), scroll of restoration (800 gp), wand of cure light wounds (50 charges) (750 gp) Cleric Spells Prepared (CL 16th, 17th with Good spells; touch +14, ranged touch +14, DC 19+spell level): 8th—Earthquake, fire storm, greater spell immunity, moment of prescienceD† 7th—Dragon allyD, 9, Extended mass bear’s endurance, greater bestow curse, holy word, righteous wrath of the faithful[sup]11 6th—Cometfall12, heal, heroes’ feast, harm, stoneskinD 5th—Disrupting weapon, flame strike (x2), slay living (x2), spell resistanceD, wall of stone 4th—Fell the greatest foe13, freedom of movement, greater magic weapon†, holy smiteD, lower spell resistance14, Extended prayer, tongues 3rd—Bestow curse, blindness/deafness, dispel magic (x2), magic circle against evil, magic vestment†, protection from energyD, searing light 2nd—AidD, align weapon, Extended divine favor, flame of faith15, hold person, shatter, silence, spiritual weapon 1st—Bless, command (x2), entropic shield, nimbus of light16, obscuring mist, remove fear (x2), sanctuaryD 0—Create water, detect magic (x2), light, purify food and drink, read magic D: Domain spell. Domains: Dragon1, Good, Luck, Protection † already cast - - - - - - Abilities Str 12, Dex 18, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 28, Cha 16 Feats Alertness, Divine Vigor3, Dragon Hunter4, Dragon Hunter Defense5, Extend Spell, Weapon Finesse Skills Diplomacy +16, Knowledge (arcana) +15, Knowledge (religion) +21, Knowledge (the planes) +14, Listen +13, Search +4, Spellcraft +23, Spot +13 Possessions Combat gear, +1 glamered mithril chain shirt of moderate fortification (19,800 gp, 10 lbs), +1 heavy mithril shield (2,020 gp, 5 lbs), +1 shocking, thundering rapier (18,320 gp, 2 lbs), longbow (75 gp, 3 lbs), 30 arrows (1.5 gp), 10 cold iron arrows (1 gp), 10 alchemical silver arrows (20.5 gp), cloak of Charisma +4 (16,000 gp, 1 lb), periapt of Wisdom +6 (36,000 gp), belt of dragon’s might +46 (16,000 gp, 1 lb), gloves of Dexterity +4 (16,000), vest of resistance +57 (25,000 gp, 1 lb), ring of protection +3 (18,000 gp), ring of counterspells (greater dispel magic) (4,000 gp), Heward’s handy haversack (2,000 gp, 5 lbs), quiver of Ehlonna (1,800 gp, 2 lbs), tome of understanding +28 (55,000 gp), pearl of power (3rd level) (9,000 gp), pearl of power (4th level) (16,000 gp), silver holy symbol (25 gp, 1 lb), spell component pouch (5 gp, 2 lbs), bedroll (0.1 gp), 10 candles (0.1 gp), 10 pieces of chalk (0.1 gp), crowbar (2 gp), flint and steel (1 gp), black ink (1 oz vial) (8 gp), red ink (1 oz vial) (8 gp), 3 inkpens (0.3 gp), 20 sheets of parchment (10 gp), masterwork manacles (50 gp), small steel mirror (10 gp), 10 pitons (1 gp), 50 ft silk rope (10 gp), sealing wax (1 gp), signal whistle (0.8 gp), signet ring with Bahamut’s holy symbol (5 gp), shovel (2 gp), waterskin (1 gp), whetstone (0.02 gp), diamond dust (material component for stoneskin) (250 gp), 4 pp, 197 gp, 150 sp, 58 cp, brass dragon scale necklace (no value). - - - - - - Bonus domains Merseliel’s levels in contemplative allow her to select two bonus domains from those offered by Bahamut. She has chosen Dragon and Good. Divine Health (Ex): Merseliel is immune to all diseases, including magical diseases. Slippery Mind (Ex): If Merseliel ever fails a saving throw against an enchantment effect, she can attempt her save again on the next round. Divine Wholeness (Su): Merseliel has the ability to heal her own wounds, up to a total of 24 hit points per day. Divine Body (Sue): Merseliel is immune to all poisons. Appearance: Merseliel is a 173 year old elven woman who has maintained her beauty as she aged. She stands 5 feet tall and weighs a lithe 108 pounds. Like many elves, Merseliel lacks strong muscles but makes up for her lack of strength with surprising grace and flexibility. Her hair is chestnut brown, and her eyes are emerald green. Her skin is tanned from exposure to the desert sun. Background: Yes, of course I’ll tell you about myself. ‘Tis only reasonable to provide you pertinent facts about me. I was born in the elven village of Sen’Vilnerain. It’s a rather small community, really. My mother is the community’s herbalist and healer, and my father, like so many other elves, is a practitioner of the arcane arts. Are family has always been a happy one, and for the most part life in Sen’Vilnerain was quiet. Sure, we had to put up with occasional raiding band of orcs, but really those beasts are so stupid they don’t pose much of a serious threat. Early on in my life, I demonstrated a talent for the divine arts. My family and the village elders simply assumed it was a gift from the elven pantheon, and I studied with the priests to learn to harness my talents and use them properly. Things went well. I studied hard, and learned to use my divine gifts. For a while, I stayed around Sen’Vilnerain. I helped defend against the orcs. Eventually, we became fed up with the foul beasts. Elves generally have great patience, you know. But even we have our breaking point. Twelve of us set out that autumn to confront the orcs, and, especially, to defeat their chieftain – Skender Skullcrusher. It was so different than I expected. Calling a battle chaotic really doesn’t explain the situation at all. It’s beyond chaos. Especially when there’s 12 elves and over 200 orcs. Still, we prevailed and eventually the chieftain was slain. We suffered only 3 loses; those were difficult – it was the first time I’d experienced death as a result of combat. I was unable to help; I couldn’t get to my fallen friends in time to heal them. It took me a long while to get over my perceived failures. Finally, I decided I needed to leave Sen’Vilnerain. I just had to get away from the place. While I had pretty well reconciled my failings in my mind, every time I saw a family member of one of the three, I felt guilty and ashamed. It was time to move on. I set off with two friends – an enchanter named Valleri Leafflower and a huntress named Janacel Wildtamer. At first, we had what I suppose would be the stereotypical adventures. We wandered the countryside, performing good deeds for those not as fortunate. Janacel tracked down a missing child from the nearby halfling village. We arrived just in time to save the little tyke from an ettercap. We defeated a pair of ogres who were harassing a human settlement. All in all, they were good deeds that made us all feel good. In time, my mental wounds began to heal, thanks in large part to my friends. Around the time I unlocked the mystery of returning the dead to life, I started to sense a strange calling during my prayers. And I don’t just mean during my ritualized morning prayers; no, I mean any time I prepared my spells; any time I cast a spell; any time I offered up a general prayer to the gods; any time I turned those foul undead creatures. There was no mistaking it – I was being urged to make a pilgrimage. We traveled for weeks, and our journey took us into the desert. One day during our journey, we saw an immense blue dragon flying overhead. We hid, terribly afraid of the beast, before resuming our trek. Finally, we came to a cave where we were greeted by an old elven woman. Honestly, she was the oldest person I have ever met! She told us her name was Xenidrilistamaka, then she laughed and said that was quite a mouthful and we could just call her Xeni. She lead us into a cave, thankfully away from the scorching hot sun of the desert. We walked for a long while. At times the path was so narrow we could barely fit. Eventually, we reached a large open cavern. Despite being a cave, it held an air of elegance. Beautiful paintings and tapestries adorned the walls. Statues abounded. Xeni obviously liked art, and used it to make her little cave feel like a home. Xeni chuckled, as though she were reading my thoughts. Then... well, I’ll never forget it really. A mist started to swirl around her feet, and magical motes began to dance around her head. That was when we were privy to seeing Xeni’s true form. You see, Xeni was a brass dragon. Immediately, I knew this was where I belonged. This place was my destiny. Xeni was a wonderful hostess, but eventually she told my friends it was time for them to leave. She provided Valleri with a scroll allowing her to teleport the two of them home. We sadly said our goodbyes, and then in a flash my friends were gone. Xeni and I spent a lot of time conversing. She told me I was a Chosen One of Bahamut, selected to help the god of good dragons in his fight against Tiamat and the chromatic dragons. She explained Bahamut had picked me from an early age, and had been supplying me with my divine powers all this time, through an arrangement with Correllon. In order to protect me, I needed to grow in power believing I was serving the elven pantheon. Now, however, I was ready to learn and become one of Bahamut’s trusted servants. That was when He appeared! Bahamut himself came to speak to me. Well, alright, I suppose technically it was one of his aspects. But still. I have never felt so humbled in my life. Just being in his presence... I can’t even come up with the words – at least in common – to describe how wonderful and uplifting it felt. I knew this was where I belonged. I spent a long time in Xeni’s cavern, meditating and talking. She taught me about Bahamut, about the struggle between chromatic and metallic dragons. She explained that the she and I would be a team, fighting against evil dragons throughout the world. Our fight began against the very blue dragon I saw on my trek into the desert. Xeni worked hard to prepare me for my first fight against a dragon. Despite all the planning, I was still awed at first by the might of the blue dragon. Xeni, however, seemed to anticipate that, and fought ferociously. After a few seconds, I managed to gather my wits and began aiding Xeni in her fight. After a long struggle, we had defeated the beast. The majority of the creature’s hoard would be distributed to those in need – good folk who have suffered at the hands of the dragon. Xeni and I only kept a small portion – a few magical items and some gems. So the fights continued. Xeni and I worked well as a team. In total, we defeated 23 evil dragons. However, we never anticipated that one – a red dragon named Verdillmangabril – foresaw our onslaught, and even wanted it! See, he had a desire to become a dracolich. We unwittingly aided him. And Xeni paid for it dearly. After arising from the dead in his foul form, Verdillmangabril’s first order of business was to send his most powerful minions after me and Xeni. We had faced strike teams from angry metallic dragons before; but never like this. The group of six, augmented with powerful magic, blew past all of Xeni’s defenses. We fought hard, and I was willing to lay down my life to defend Xeni and uphold my vows to Bahamut. But she would have none of that. Near death, Xeni cast a spell, and suddenly I was falling away. With one of her last actions, she had plane shifted me away, to Bahamut’s realm. I wept for the loss of my friend, and felt guilty for failing to protect her. I knew she would not want to be brought back to life, due to her beliefs. The next day I prepared my own plane shift spell and returned to our home. The bastards took everything – including, it seems, the corpse of Xeni. All that remained was this small scale from Xeni’s tail, which I now wear on a necklace. It serves as a reminder of my friend – and a reminder of my shortcomings. So yes, I will be happy to join forces with your group. That is, assuming you will still have me now that you know the peril I will place you in. As you undoubtedly know by now, I fully intend to hunt down Verdillmangabril and his minions. They shall all pay for the death of my friend, my mentor. Spell Casting Notes: Merseliel begins each day after prayers by casting magic vestment and greater magic weapon. In each case, she activates the appropriate pearl of power and immediately recasts the spell a second time. In the case of her magic vestment spell, she casts the spell on both her armor and shield; she casts greater magic weapon on her rapier and longbow. These adjustments are figured into the stat block above. Also after prayers each morning, she casts moment of prescience, activating the ability when she believes she can best use Bahamut’s guiding influence. Ability Scores Strength: 0 points, +4 belt Dexterity: 4 points, +2 racial, +4 gloves Constitution: 4 points, –2 racial Intelligence: 6 points Wisdom: 10 points, +4 level adjustments, +6 periapt, +2 inherent Charisma: 4 points, +4 cloak Build Table: Lvl Class Feats Class Features 1 Cleric 1 Alertness Turn Undead, Domains (Luck, Protection) 2 Cleric 2 3 Cleric 3 Weapon Finesse 4 Cleric 4 5 Cleric 5 6 Cleric 6 Extend Spell 7 Cleric 7 8 Cleric 8 9 Cleric 9 Divine Vigor 10 Cleric 10 11 Contemplative 1 Bonus domain (Dragon), divine health 12 Contemplative 2 Dragon Hunter Slippery mind 13 Contemplative 3 Divine Wholeness 14 Contemplative 4 15 Contemplative 5 Dragon Hunter Defense Divine body 16 Contemplative 6 Bonus Domain (Good) Skills: Total Skill 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Ranks Diplomacy 3 1 3 1 1 1 1 1 2 13 Knowledge (arcana) 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 13 Knowledge (religion) 4 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 19 Knowledge (the planes) 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 13 Spellcraft 4 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 19 ---------------------------------------------------------------- Total per level 16 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 Diplomacy: 13 ranks, +3 Charisma Knowledge (arcana): 13 ranks, +2 Intelligence Knowledge (religion): 19 ranks, +2 Intelligence Knowledge (the planes): 12 ranks, +2 Intelligence Listen: 0 ranks, +2 racial, +9 Wisdom, +2 Alertness feat Search: 0 ranks, +2 racial, +2 Intelligence Spellcraft: 19 ranks, +2 Intelligence, +2 synergy from Knowledge (arcana) Spot: 0 ranks, +2 racial, +9 Wisdom, +2 Alertness feat Turn Undead: Turn attempts: 3 (base) + 3 (Charisma) = 6 Turning check: 1d20 (base) + 3 (Charisma) + 2 (synergy from Knowledge (religion) = 1d20+5 Turning damage: 2d6 (base) + 10 (cleric levels) + 3 (Charisma) = 2d6+13 Attacks and Damage: Rapier: 10 (BAB) + 4 (Dex (Weapon Finesse)) + 4 (greater magic weapon) = +18 Damage:[/b] 1d6 base + 4 (greater magic weapon) + 1 Strength = 1d6+5 Longbow: 10 (BAB) +4 Dex + 4 (greater magic weapon) = +18 [indent]1d8 base + 4 (greater magic weapon) = 1d8+4 1: Draconomicon, page 32 2: Complete Divine, page 30 3: Complete Warrior, page 108 4: Draconomicon, page 104 5: Draconomicon, page 104 6: This is a belt of giant Strength renamed 7: Complete Arcane, page 150 8: This item has been used, and is incorporated into the stats above 9: Draconomicon, page 111 10: Complete Divine, page 153 11: Complete Divine, page 178 12: Complete Divine, page 159 13: Draconomicon, page 113 14: Draconomicon, page 114 15: Complete Divine, page 166 16: Complete Divine, page 170
Zherog 12-10-06, 05:48 PM	Damn, I hate picking spells for high level characters...
Avalon® 12-10-06, 09:05 PM	I'll be busy for the whole week with exams. I'll try to post my character before the deadline edit: If a deity is found in two books, which version are we supposed to use?
JasonOrlandoHawk 12-10-06, 10:05 PM	If a deity is found in two books, which version are we supposed to use? Use whichever you prefer. However, make sure that you tell us which version you used AND make sure that the version you use is from a book that is from the list of available resources for this competition. I think I already know which deity you've chosen... Also, Jennibert and Zherog, your entries have been added to the "Grand List of Competitors." Therefore, the Thread is currently updated! I also have listed Avalon's question in the FAQ box on page 1.
Endarrion 12-10-06, 11:31 PM	I've got the statblock (almost) all done. Then I gotta write the history. Should be in by the deadline.
Magocrat 12-11-06, 02:07 PM	Darokk of the Stormblade Clan Male half-orc barbarian 16 N Medium humanoid (orc) Initiative +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +1, Spot +1 Languages Common, Draconic, Orc AC 24, touch 20, flat-footed 18; improved uncanny dodge (+6 Dexterity, +4 armor, +4 deflection) hp 134 (16 HD); DR 4/-- Immune critical hits and sneak attacks (mithral chain shirt of heavy fortification) Resist SR 20 (scarab of protection) Fortitude +12, Reflex +11, Will +6 Speed 40 ft. (8 squares); fast movement Melee wounding greataxe of speed +20 (1d12+3/x3) or Melee masterwork spear +20 (1d8+3/x3) or Ranged returning throwing axe +23 (1d6+2/x2/10 ft.) Base Attack +16; Grapple +18 Attack Options Cleave, Power Attack, rage 5/day Abilities Strength 14, Dexterity 22, Constitution 15, Intelligence 9, Wisdom 13, Charisma 10 SA rage 5/day SQ trap sense +5 Feats Cleave, Diehard, Dragon Cohort, Endurance, Mounted Combat, Power Attack Skills Climb +21, Intimidate +17, Jump +21, Ride +27 Possessions Heward's handy haversack (2,000 gp), horn of blasting (20,000 gp), gloves of Dexterity +6 (36,000 gp), masterwork exotic riding saddle (80 gp), masterwork spear (302 gp), mithral chain shirt of heavy fortification (26,100 gp), orb of storms (48,000 gp), 6 potions of cure moderate wounds (1,800 gp), potion of heroism (750 gp), returning throwing axe (2,308 gp), ring of feather falling (2,200 gp), ring of protection +4 (32,000 gp), scarab of protection (38,000 gp), wounding greataxe of speed (50,320 gp), 10 pp, 40 gp When raging, Darokk has the following changed statistics: AC 22, touch 18, flat-footed 16 hp 182 (16 HD) Fortitude +15, Will +9 (+13 against enchantment effects; indomitable will) Melee wounding greataxe of speed +24 (1d12+7/x3) Melee masterwork spear +24 (1d8+7/x3) Ranged returning throwing axe +23 (1d6+5/x2/10ft.) Grapple +21 Abilities Strength 20, Constitution 21 Skills Climb +24, Jump +24 Wyvern 'Verthechadarastrix': 59 hp; MM 259. Saving throws Fortitude 10 + 2 Constitution Reflex 5 + 3 Dexterity Will 5 + 1 Wisdom Attack bonuses Greataxe 16 + (2 Strength x 1,5 two-handed) + 1 circumstance Spear 16 + (2 Strength x 1,5 two-handed) + 1 circumstance Throwing axe 16 + 6 Dexterity + 1 circumstance Abilities Strength 10 + 2 racial + 2 level Dexterity 14 + 2 level + 6 enhancement Constitution 15 Intelligence 11 - 2 racial Wisdom 13 Charisma 12 - 2 racial Skills Climb 19 ranks + 2 Strength Intimidate 17 ranks Jump 19 ranks + 2 Strength Listen 1 Wisdom Ride 19 ranks + 6 Dexterity + 2 circumstance Spot 1 Wisdom Speak Language (Draconic) 2 skill points History "I am Darokk of the Stormblade clan, son of Kerredor, chief shaman of my clan. Our tribe, no, our clan, we live in the frozen mountains of Ironreach. However, do not think that my heritage and the mountains where I matured have made me a savage beast of rage. No, the Stormblade clan is honorable and valorous. We hold our faith in the spirits of the land, and my father had the honor of being the highest shaman, the speaker for the spirits." "I do not have the ability to commune with the spirits of the land, but my father has taught me well in the ways of the barbarian. The barbarians of the Stormblade clan aided my father in my ways, and together, they have taught me well. However, I must tell you that the rage that barbarians can inspire within themselves frightened me when I inspired myself to rage as the older barbarians of my clan did. Honesty has always been essential in the Stormblade clan, and I adhere to the tenets of my clan, as they made me who I am. As I am the son of the chief shaman and a skilled barbarian, I have the trust and respect of my clan." "When a flight of wyverns moved into the Ironreach mountains, the warchief of our Stormblade clan sent me and my father to seek out the flight and see what they sought in our mountains. Because the first and last dragon that our clan has ever seen was a metallic dragon… I believe it was a silver dragon, my father thought that the flight adhered to nobility and valor, as the Stormblade clan does. We couldn't be farther away from the truth. The flight was animalistic and crude, and attacked us as soon as they sensed us. However, my father was able to commune with the wyverns, and he forged an alliance with the dragons." "I was awestruck by the wyverns and the language that they, and my father, spoke, so I wanted to learn more of these creatures. Because the wyverns kept no history of their own kind, they could not tell me more, nor could they teach me Draconic. However, my father, knowledgeable as he was, could. As he taught me how to commune with the wyverns, I came to them more and more often. As the time passed, I gained their friendship, and they even gave me the chance to fly on their backs. One of the wyverns, whom I have named 'Verthichadarastrix', wanted me as his rider, as he felt a bond with me. Then, I did not share this bond with him, but time has forged this bond with him." "When the spirits spoke to my father of an artifact called the Stormblade, he called upon me to find it. You see, the Stormblade was the artifact that the first shaman of the Stormblade clan wielded to call upon the spirits of the mountains to create a more pleasant climate. However, nobody of the Stormblade clan knows whether the artifact lends its name from its first wielder, or whether the clan lends its name from the artifact itself, or even whether the artifact was even crafted by the first Stormblade shaman." "Verthichadarastrix was more than willing to fly me to the place where the spirits said the Stormblade lied. Once we came to that place, a green dragon's vale, we knew that we had a heavy battle on our hands. I prepared both myself and Verthichadarastrix for the battle that would commence, but I wanted to commune with the dragon, in its own speech, whether he would be willing to part with the artifact as it belonged to the Stormblade clan. This question was replied with a breath of acid, and told me and my companion that we had to fight for our artifact. Thankfully, my father had brewed a concoction which protected its imbiber from the acid that the green dragon breathed. While we were nearly defeated, the dragon's haughtiness proved its undoing, as it turned its back on us, giving me the chance to deal the killing blow on it." "When the battle had ended, I looked upon Verthichadarastrix, and knew that he was gravely wounded. Luckily, the healing brews of my father relieved his suffering, and in due time, healed him fully. We then sought through the dragon's hoard, but we did not find the Stormblade, or at least, we thought so." "Then, a spirit appeared to me, and stood over an orb of tremendous arcane might; even I could sense that. 'Open your eyes, and see,' he spoke unto me, and then left as swiftly as he came. Awestruck by the spirit's appearance, I said not a word before I came back to the Ironreach mountains." "Once I came upon the Ironreach mountains, I kneeled, and raised the Stormblade in my hands. When I looked up, I saw it was not the warchief, but my father. 'Keep it,' he said, 'You have proven your worth to the Stormblade, and you deserve to wield it.' Knowing that my father, the whole clan, wished me farewell, I turned my back. 'One spirit, said that you fought with valor and honor, my son,' Kerredor said, and I gave him one last gaze, confident in his ability to commune with the spirits, knowing that the spirits would keep me safe for him."
Zherog 12-11-06, 02:23 PM	Yay! Glad you entered. Greataxe 16 + (2 Strength x 1,5 two-handed) + 1 circumstance Spear 16 + (2 Strength x 1,5 two-handed) + 1 circumstance You have a few small errors here. First, you only get 1.5 times your Strength score on damage with a two-handed weapon. The second issue is just semantics - you don't have a circumstance bonus; you have an enhancement bonus. That was something that jumped out at me right away. I think this is a pretty solid concept, and more or less demonstrates a rather simple way of using one feat and background material to fit into the parameters of the contest. Yay!
Magocrat 12-11-06, 03:26 PM	It is a circumstance bonus, because they aren't +1 weapons, they're masterwork weapons, because of the masterwork prerequisite for magic items. However, I may be wrong on that. You are absolutely right on the two-handed issue, though. My bad. I guess semantics just aren't my thing. Yeah, I'm like a Philips machine: sense and simplicity. Well, whether I have sense is debatable, but boy, am I simple. Thank you for being so enthusiastic about my entry! This may not sound sincere, but your hero definitely looks good as well, especially with the story and all. And definitely more clarity with the whole level scheme and all. Perhaps I should include that in my entry for the next contest... By the way, no, I didn't just play Warcraft, what makes you think that? :rolleyes:
Zherog 12-11-06, 03:58 PM	Two things. 1) A masterwork weapon grants a +1 enhancement bonus (not circumstance) to attacks, but not to damage. I can dig out the rule if you'd find it helpful. 2) A weapon must be masterwork to be made magical, you're correct about that. However... it must also have a +1 (or better) enhancement bonus before you can apply special abilities. The same is true for armor and shields. Again, if you'd find it useful I can dig out a rule quote for you. I think I'm going to try to post comments for everybody, even though I'm not judging. However, don't expect the same level of detail I gave while I was a judge; in those instances, I had to dig and find all the little things. Now, I just have to look them over for my own personal enjoyment. :D
Magocrat 12-11-06, 04:11 PM	Holy... You're right. I've just read the rules on the subject, so no quotes are necessary. Damn, just one line, and so many mistakes. Well, that kind of sucks. Meh, thank you for showing me what I did wrong, tho'. It's appreciated. Let's just hope that the judges will be mild in their judgment on those errors. Heck, if people would want it, I volunteer to glean over their character sheets in a non-judgely manner. And if that's good enough, I'll have to decide on whether I want to compete or judge in the upcoming Hero Craftsman competition. Aaanyways, where are the other competitors? I don't want to be fourth by virtue of there only being four competitors. :D By the way, my Dungeon Master has a suggestion for the next Hero Craftsman: Aberrations.
JasonOrlandoHawk 12-11-06, 04:30 PM	Competitor List Updated Glad to see you decided to post, Magocrat. And don't assume that you're destined for last place. I always try to maintain a positive outlook on competitions like these. If I were in your shoes, I would probably declare that I was destined for second to last place. You have to be upbeat! :D Seriously, though, your character looks rather good (at first, un-nitpicked glance). Also, curse you and Zherog for making comments back and forth and refusing to let the judges see them!!! If it wasn't for the fact that I have near-Draconian patience (I work with children for a living), I would be going nuts right now. As it stands, I'm worried about the sanity of my fellow judges and their ability to resist the "No Judges Allowed" Sub-Thread you've created. However, on the bright side, that is actually the purpose of these competitions; to help others learn how to construct better characters and encourage dialogue. Good Form! And no, I won't peek... For now...
Zherog 12-11-06, 04:58 PM	I'm worried about the sanity of my fellow judges What sanity? :schemes:
JasonOrlandoHawk 12-11-06, 05:00 PM	What sanity? :schemes: It's small, fragile, and easily destroyed as it is...
Zherog 12-11-06, 05:19 PM	I think it's just an urban legend...
TheChilliGod 12-11-06, 05:24 PM	An urban myth like the Black Plague! Which is what I'm currently treating your secret conversation as. I feel so left out... :weep:
FRRC 12-11-06, 06:13 PM	I'll have my character ready by next weekend. I was planning on working on bits of my history after I got back from work but we just finished our 3 week training at my first job doing customer service for an insurance company for people over 50. We go live tomorrow and I'm gonna be sooooo drained, my brain is going to be fried. But I have a picture representation of him just for ***** and giggles. I edited the picture of Regdar from the PHB to make him look evil :P
DarkKitsune 12-11-06, 09:13 PM	I'm intending on joining the contest, but have one question before submitting my character; It's a bit of a personality quirk of mine that I like to list each item of clothing my character is wearing rather than just say 'traveler's outfit', or whatever. There's no in-game benefit to what he's wearing, beyond the leather padding used to keep his birds from cutting him to ribbons whenever they perch on him. Would this be considered within the boundaries of the rules?
Zherog 12-11-06, 09:28 PM	I'm not a judge this contest, but that's never stopped me from sharing my opinion anyway. :D I don't see a problem about it. I mean, there's really not much difference between: Traveler's Outfit (1 gp, 5 lbs) and Cotton slacks, leather britches, hard soled walking boots, cotton shirt, leather vest, cap (1 gp, 5 lbs total)
TheChilliGod 12-11-06, 09:40 PM	I don't see a problem about it. I mean, there's really not much difference between: Traveler's Outfit (1 gp, 5 lbs) and Cotton slacks, leather britches, hard soled walking boots, cotton shirt, leather vest, cap (1 gp, 5 lbs total)So long as we still know that it is supposed to be a Traveler's Outfit. I don't want to break out my Arms and Equipment guide and look up the total price of all that (Which would be about 2gp, 5sp, 8cp). We aren't even supposed to use Arms and Equipment, so be careful on that. ;)
Zherog 12-11-06, 09:52 PM	Um, I said that; not DarkKitsune. :D
DarkKitsune 12-11-06, 09:55 PM	Thanks... and I don't have Arms and Equipment; I simply write down what seems reasonable and in character for the character in question and count it against the 'free starting outfit' as described in the PHB. In case you were wondering, the items in question are: Woolen tunic, Doeskin breeches, leather belt, Thick leather glove (right hand only), leather shoulder pad, and leather traveling boots Basically, I consider it a roleplaying exercise to build my character's outfit rather than picking out one of the pre-fashioned ones that are offered :) . If there's a problem with the above list, I could drop the glove and shoulder pad (the rest is somewhere between the 'peasant's outfit' and 'traveler's outfit' entries), and just have the birds land on the ground in front of him rather than on him.
JasonOrlandoHawk 12-12-06, 10:00 AM	In case you were wondering, the items in question are: Woolen tunic, Doeskin breeches, leather belt, Thick leather glove (right hand only), leather shoulder pad, and leather traveling boots IMO, the best way to go about it is to pick the best "outfit" for your character based on the image you have in your head (which in this case is definately the Traveler's Outfit), and then describe it fully underneath background. In the stat block, there's not much reason to list each article of clothing. Save space, save time by saying "Traveler's Outfit, free at character creation, 5lb." Then, when you write your background, include the more specific description of what you've chosen to model for this competition. The articles of clothing you've mentioned above make for great flavor material. Of course, another route would be to write "Woolen tunic, Doeskin breeches, leather belt, Thick leather glove (right hand only), leather shoulder pad, and leather traveling boots (priced as Traveler's Outfit), free at character generation, 5lb." If you did list each item individually, you would want to include the comparison so we judges know how you calculated the price. Either way, I don't think I would object to your modified Traveler's Outfit.
DarkKitsune 12-12-06, 11:34 AM	Right, then... here we go :D Verden Rathan, Gem of Aluzair Male Human, Rgr 12/Sor 4 Alignment CG Age 27 Str 21 (+5) (4 pts + 3 lvls + 6 magic) Dex 16 (+3) (10 pts) Con 14 (+2) (6 pts) Int 8 (-1) Wis 12 (+1) (4 pts) Chr 13 (+1) (4 pts + 1 lvl) Fort +11 (+8 Rgr +1 Sor +2 Con) Ref +14 (+8 Rgr +1 Sor +3 Dex +2 feat), Evasion Will +9 (+4 Rgr +4 Sor +1 Wis) HP 99 (57.5 Rgr +10 Sor +32 Con) Initiative +3 (Dex) AC 27 (10 + 3 Dex + 7 chain shirt +3, +3 Ring of protection, +4 amulet of natural armour) Touch: 16, Flat-footed: 24 BAB/Grapple +14/+19 Melee Attack (right hand) +23/+18/+13 Fiery Rage (1d8+8+1d6 fire 19-20/x2) (+14 base +5 Str +3 magic +1 Focus) Melee Attack (left hand) +23/+18/+13 Icy Hatred (1d8+8+1d6 cold 19-20/x2) Ranged +18/+13/+8 +1 Longbow (1d8+1/x3) (+14 base +3 Dex +1 magic) Special Abilities Favoured Enemy (Dragons +6, Humanoid [reptilian] +2, Humanoid [orc] +2), Combat Style (Two-Weapon Fighting), Improved Combat Style (Improved Two-Weapon Fighting), Combat Style Mastery (Greater Two-Weapon Fighting), Evasion, Wild Empathy, Animal Companion (Mikhail, eagle), Familiar (Tarus, hawk), Woodland Stride, Swift Tracker Feats Track (Bonus), Endurance (Bonus), Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Two-bladed sword), Weapon Focus (Two-bladed sword), Quick Draw, Lightning Reflexes Skills Heal +10 (9 ranks), Hide +18 (15 ranks), Listen +11 (10 ranks), Move Silently +23 (15 ranks, +5 competence), Search +6 (7 ranks), Spot +11 (13 in bright light) (10 ranks), Survival +6 (5 ranks), Craft (woodcarving) +9 (10 ranks), Climb +14 (9 ranks) Spells Ranger (2/1) 1st level Endure Elements, Magic Fang 2nd level Protection from Energy Sorcerer (6/7/3, known 6/3/1) Cantrips Detect Magic, Read Magic, Light, Mage Hand, Flare, Prestidigitation 1st level Expeditious Retreat, Enlarge, Feather Fall 2nd level Bull’s Strength Fiery Rage/Icy Hatred (+3 flaming/+3 frost two-bladed sword) [64,700 gp] +3 chain shirt of spell resistance (49,250 gp) +3 ring of protection (18,000 gp) Ring of invisibility (20,000 gp) +6 Belt of giant strength (36,000 gp) +4 amulet of natural armour (32,000 gp) Minor cloak of displacement (24,000 gp) goggles of night (12,000 gp) +1 longbow (2,375 gp) Potion of Cure Serious Wounds (750 gp) Familiar (100 gp) Silver Brooch (100 gp) Quiver of 20 arrows (1 gp) woodcarving kit (artisan’s tools) (5 gp) Red woolen tunic, Doeskin breeches, Black leather belt, Thick leather glove (right hand), Leather shoulder-pad (left), Leather traveling boots (counts as traveler’s clothes, free) Backpack (2 gp) Belt pouch (1 gp) 71 pp, 6 gp Animal Companion (Mikhail) Female Eagle Small Animal HP 27 Initiative +3 Speed 10 ft, fly 80 ft (average) AC 19 (+1 size, +3 Dex, +5 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 16 BAB/Grapple +3/+0 Attack Talons +7 melee (1d4+1) Full Attack Talons +7 melee (1d4+1), and bite +2 melee (1d4) Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft. Special Qualities Low-light vision, Devotion, Evasion, Link, Share Spells Save Fort: +5, Ref: +7, Will: +5 Abilities Str 12, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 2, Wis 14, Chr 6 Skills Listen +6, Spot +18 Feats Alertness, Weapon Finesse, Iron Will Familiar (Tarus) Male Hawk Tiny Animal HP 49 Initiative +3 Speed 10 ft, fly 60 ft (average) AC 19 (+2 size, +3 Dex, +4 natural), touch 15, flat-footed 16 BAB/Grapple: +14/+4 Attack Talons +17 melee (1d4-2) Space/Reach 2.5 ft/0 ft Special Attacks Deliver touch spells Special Qualities Low-light vision, Improved evasion, Share spells, empathic link Saves Fort: +9, Ref +12, Will +10 Abilities Str 6, Dex 17, Con 10, Int 7, Wis 14, Chr 6 Skills Listen +14, Spot +22 Feats Alertness, Weapon Finesse You see a tall man striding gracefully towards you. Much of his features are hidden beneath a forest green cloak, but you can still hear the clink of chain armour and a twin bladed sword carried in one hand, one end wreathed in unshed flames, the other in chilling frost. As the man nears, the hawk on his shoulder preens her feathers, another bred of prey landing in a nearby tree. He raises a hand encased on thick leather, pulling back the cloak and revealing his face. A glint of silver catches your eye for a second - a brooch in the shape of a dragon, its amethyst eye almost winking at you - before your gaze rests on the man in front of you. His blue eyes seems haunted, having seen more fighting then one aught to in their lives, although the rest of his face does not hold the scars of a long adventuring career - a thin face, framed by golden hair cut to the nape of his neck, a thin mustache growing beneath his nose, although from the stubble elsewhere you’d hardly guess he knew what a razor was. Then something else catches your eye; a rippling burn scar, starting just under his right cheek, and continuing down the neck until lost under his tunic. The man gives you a smile - out of politeness only; it never touches his eye. “Ho, there. What are you doing out here?” In a group, Verden always plays the outsider. Sullen and withdrawn, he isolates himself, answering only when asked to. This isn’t out of any actual desire to be left alone; he wishes to play a part, but he’s been in this role for so long that he’s forgotten how to break out of it. One on one, or in the company of people he knows, he’s much better, forgetting his awkward social graces and joining in with mirth. He is especially courteous around women he feels attracted to; with retirement at the back of his thoughts, finding a nice lady to settle down with seems an attractive prospect, although he cannot do it as of yet. Verden often finds himself looking back and wondering what would his life have been like had he not taken that decision to begin his adventuring. Not that he had many regrets about his past, although he does habour a deep regret about letting his hatred blind him, he feels that he has otherwise led a good life. Verden holds a deep reverence for birds of prey - raptors especially, and spends much of his free time carving their likenesses, an activity his familiar finds odd. These he does not sell, rather he leaves them with people he has helped on his travels, becoming a calling card of sorts. Verden grew up in a small village in the shadows of a tall mountain range. Often beset upon by monsters from further in the range, most able-bodied people of the village were a part of a militia of sorts, led by his father. Verden had the soul of an artist, however, and wanted nothing to do with the village’s military bent. He hated the lessons his father gave him on the use of the twinblade (local name for two-bladed sword) and often skipped out on them, preferring the peace of the nearby woods, and his carvings. He continuously saved his gold, dreaming of the day that he could run away to the city. Being on the edge of civilization naturally also lead to a large number of adventurers passing through, so no one thought anything of it when a rather worse for wear crew of dragon hunters returned from their last mission, passing through after only staying a night. Of course, the hunters neglected to mention that they had been unsuccessful in their hunt… Verden was skipping out on lessons again the next day when an angry red dragon arrived in the village, putting it to the torch. Hearing the commotion, he hurried back to the village in time to see the raging dragon tear it apart. Paralyzed with fear, he could do nothing until the burning tree above him collapsed, the flaring pain kicking in his survival instincts - he fled as fast as his legs could take him. The next day, the village had been reduced to a quarter of its original population, none of the buildings remained standing, and all of Verden’s family had been slain. Unable to believe the devastation, Verden dug through the remains of his home, unearthing his father’s magical twinblade, before swearing an oath of vengeance on it and began tracking the hunters. He caught up with them a fortnight later, offering his services to them as a scout. Being much weaker than they are, they party laughed it off, until one of them pointed out that, with him as scout and decoy, they needn’t worry about losing one of their important members should something go awry. Much to their surprise, of course, the green youth not only survived, but rapidly increased in strength during the years he traveled with them. However, unlike he was lead to believe, they were not slaying dragons to protect innocents like his village - they were in this dangerous game for the payoff. If they thought the treasure was large enough and the dragon small enough, they would take it. This odd partnership lasted several years, Verden adapting his own odd combat style that allowed him to enter that battlefield where he was needed the most, relying on his nimbleness to keep from getting hit. Two years ago, they took on a job to eliminate a silver dragon living on a mountain overlooking a forest thick with animal and fey life. Being relatively inexperienced, she was no match for them, although they felt the treasure was a bit small after the battle. They left her corpse in the cave to rot while heading off to the next quest. As it happens, they returned a little over a year later, only to find the forest all but gone, a field of stumps standing as silent vigil over the valley. Appalled by this disrespect for nature, he ventured into the remaining trees alone, looking for answers. From the sole remaining dryad, he learned that the group that originally hired his party were lumberers who had been trying to get at the wood’s exotic trees for years, and that the silver - Aluzair - was the only one powerful enough to stop them. Horrified that he had been a part of the cause of this destruction, he never returned to the party, instead searching out the nearest cleric of sufficient power and spending almost all of his money to convince the old man to come out to the cave and cast a Resurrection spell on the old bones there. It was a long shot, and he would likely die within minutes of the spell taking effect, but he felt he had to right the wrong he had committed to the woods in the valley. Amazingly, Aluzair returned to life willingly enough, and was confused enough not to attack immediately. Verden took that time to offer a hasty explanation as to why he had her raised and offered himself in repayment for the loss of the forest and her treasure. Aluzair was amused enough by this offer that she accepted, keeping him in her cave as she gradually worked away his hatred, and taught him a few magic spells on the side, though he has neither the intelligence, nor the force of personality to wield them with much proficiency. During this time, she almost never resumed her natural form, instead maintaining the form of a comely elven maiden, in order to keep her champion from clinging to his anger. Several months later, she released a much less brooding and more self-assured Verden from her cave to be her emissary; to be her eyes, ears, and hands in the world until such time as she feels that his debt to her is payed off. While Verden would normally shirk any authority or responsibility, the loss of the forest still weighs heavily on his heart, and will keep him from leaving his Lady
Magocrat 12-12-06, 04:31 PM	An urban myth like the Black Plague! Which is what I'm currently treating your secret conversation as. I feel so left out... :weep: You're feeling left out of the Black Plague? Then join us, and revel in our sickness, and may it become yours. :devil: Back to what's normal for me, tho'. DarkKitsune, your descriptions are excellent, and can easily rival the character sheets made up in the play-by-post boards of other forums. Do you happen to have any experience with such boards? Your character sheet looks good, but you gain the two-weapon fighting feats as actual bonus feats, except that you lose the benefit of the feats when you wear restricted armor. I don't know whether the judges will think that is wrong as well, because you have listed them under your special abilities, so we'll just see how they judge it. Not to bash you, tho'; I'm just trying to help like Zherog did for me. I'm really experiencing some kind of sick pleasure in knowing that I'm tainting the sanity of the judges. :devil: However, 'tis all for a good cause; the improvement of characters and cooperation of players to make better characters. Thanks for explaining that, JasonOrlandoHawk.
TheChilliGod 12-12-06, 05:04 PM	I'm really experiencing some kind of sick pleasure in knowing that I'm tainting the sanity of the judges. However, 'tis all for a good cause; the improvement of characters and cooperation of players to make better characters. Thanks for explaining that, JasonOrlandoHawk.What sanity? :schemes: I'm glad that I never had sanity to begin with. Feeling kind of petty yet? Who else would claim to be the god of a well-known spicy plant, on top of being obsessed over not only a game of make-believe, but also a bunch of Lego models? A sane guy? No thank you! :twitch: Now, if you'll excuse me, the men in white are coming to get me for more "experiments." Edit-Waitaminute, I almost forgot! There's, what, just over a week left to hand in entries! Dun dun DUN!
bhu 12-12-06, 05:34 PM	I should have mine ready to go by the wekend assuming I dont encounter any more rl problems. When reading his background please keep in mind I was on 4 different kinds of meds when I wrote it.
FRRC 12-12-06, 05:52 PM	I remember when I was on two types of pain killers for two weeks after my operation. Tramadol Hydrochloride (1 every four hours, 4 times/day) and Paracetamol (2 every 4 hours, 4 times/day). I was in a hyper-active daze. I had all this energy from sitting around all day but I was so tired from the side effects that I couldn't expel it. It was horrible. Combat Style is a Special Ability according to the Player's Handbook. They are treated as having the particular feat when choosing the appropriate combat style but not having the feat itself. Having the feat itself would usually imply that they meet the full requirements which Combat Style allows Rangers to pass. But in the end, I suppose its viewed differently to others. Also, DarkKitsune's character is wearing a Chain Shirt which does not restrict the Ranger's ability because it is Light Armour.
DarkKitsune 12-12-06, 06:45 PM	Back to what's normal for me, tho'. DarkKitsune, your descriptions are excellent, and can easily rival the character sheets made up in the play-by-post boards of other forums. Do you happen to have any experience with such boards? Aye. Four years and three characters on free-form play-by-post. Far more experience than I have at tabletop RP, actually... >.>
JasonOrlandoHawk 12-12-06, 09:16 PM	Competitor List Updated. About 1 week to go...
FRRC 12-13-06, 02:03 PM	Competitor List Updated. About 1 week to go... That's good...bump
Zherog 12-14-06, 02:10 PM	:bump:
Endarrion 12-14-06, 07:03 PM	I have a question: If I decided to make, for instance, an amulet of natural armor out of dragon teeth or a dragon scale etc, would it cost extra? I was thinking it would just be a flavor thing because it's fundamentally the same item.
Zherog 12-14-06, 07:19 PM	A non-judge's opinion: You're right, it's just flavor. Nothing in the rules says what magic items are or are not made from (with a handful of exceptions). Personally, I think using a dragon's scale for an amulet of natural armor is very cool and appropriate flavor for the item. But I'm not a judge this contest. ;)
TheChilliGod 12-14-06, 09:00 PM	A non-judge's opinion: You're right, it's just flavor. Nothing in the rules says what magic items are or are not made from (with a handful of exceptions). Personally, I think using a dragon's scale for an amulet of natural armor is very cool and appropriate flavor for the item. But I'm not a judge this contest. ;)Not with that attitude! I remember an entry from a previous contest, HC#3, where an entry had given different names to certain magic items (one of which was, in fact, an amulet of natural armor) just for flavor. Nobody complained, a judge or two even congratulated the entry for its creativity this way. If a name change gets by the judges, then a change in material certainly won't matter.
JasonOrlandoHawk 12-14-06, 09:49 PM	...because most magic items are made out of tarnished bronze, and any magic item that actually, you know, looks cool... should cost extra, for that reason... yeah... I'm of the opinion that magic items should look cool. Dragoncraft items (and no, you don't have to take the feat unless you want to create the specific Draconomicon examples) would just bump the thematic creativity, IMO.
Endarrion 12-14-06, 11:47 PM	Thanks. That's what I was hoping everyone would say.
Magocrat 12-16-06, 11:13 AM	Well, it's definitely been a while since I've last posted here. Just four more days to go until the contest closes. How long would it approximately take the judges to judge all of the entries? Anyways, I must say that I have learned a lot from participating in this contest. The camaraderie between the players here is encouraging, and the willingness to help one another has definitely proved to me that these forums still have kindness, and I hope that I have helped in growing that kindness. I might sound impatient on this one, but how much time is there between two Hero Craftsman contests?
Zherog 12-16-06, 11:16 AM	The past three contests have taken 5-7 days for judges to read and compile scores for each entry. There's generally a week (give or take) between when scores are posted and when the next HC starts. This gives judges a break, and also allows them to brainstorm ideas.
JasonOrlandoHawk 12-16-06, 06:35 PM	The judges have a goal that we are hoping to achieve for this contest. Hopefully, and please let me emphasize HOPEFULLY, we will be able to complete the judging in enough time to post scores shortly before the New Year. We can't promise that we'll be able to judge that quickly, especially w/ Christmas happening next weekend, but that is the goal. Of course, we'd probably be more likely to hit the goal if I wasn't constantly putting off judging the characters that have already been submitted...
Avalon® 12-16-06, 08:08 PM	Hopfully I can make the deadline. Those exams of mine were a killer. All I need to do is finish the equipment and the fluff.
Magocrat 12-17-06, 12:45 PM	I'm sure you can make the deadline, Avalon. It's still three days, I think that should be enough to make a character, if you already have a good concept in there. I'm curious about your submission. By the way, how did your exams go? And JasonOrlandoHawk, don't sweat it. If it takes a little bit longer, then I can live with it. You have your activities, and you can't just forsake those for people you don't even know in the flesh. (Of course, playing D&D will be among those activities, so why judge, if playing D&D is the most important thing you can do?! :D)
Avalon® 12-17-06, 07:00 PM	All that's needed is the fluff with the background in four parts. Think survivor/saint kind of stuff. The exams were killer. Three days of reeeeeeeeaaaaaalllllllllyyyyyyyy hectic stuff.
Endarrion 12-17-06, 07:14 PM	Thane Fulshaw Thane Fulshaw TN Male Human Rogue 3, Cleric of Fortune 3, Fighter 4, Dragonstalker 3, Dragonslayer 3 (Dragonslayer pg 125, Dragonstalker pg 128 of Draconomicon) Height: 6’0” Weight: 215lbs Deity: None Languages: Common, Draconic. AC: 33 (3Dex + 9armor + 4shield + 3deflection + 4natural armor) Flat footed: 30(9armor + 4shield + 3def. + 4nat.) Touch: 12 (3Dex + 3def.) Conditional: Dodge (+1dodge vs. one opponent), +2 Dodge vs dragons HP: 105 (3d6, 3d8, 7d10, 3d8 + 32) DR 1/- Electricity Resistance 5 (Dragoncraft Scale Mail) Speed: 30ft Initiative: +8 (4Dex + 4Imp. Init.) Ability Scores Base Strength: 14 Dexterity: 13 Constitution: 14 Intelligence: 13 Wisdom: 12 Charisma: 10 Current Strength: 22 (+6 enhancement, +2 level 12 and 16) Dexterity: 18 (+4 enhancement, +1 level 4) Constitution: 14 Intelligence: 13 Wisdom: 15 (+2 enhancement, +1 level 8) Charisma: 10 Attacks Base Attack: +14/+9/+4 Grapple: +20 +3 Bane vs Dragons Longsword of Deadly Precision: +23 (1d8 +9/ 19-20x2) Masterwork Composite Longbow: +19 (1d8 +6/ 20x3) Lion’s Shield: 3/day +14 (2d6/ 20x2) Full Attacks: BvsDofDP Longsword: +23/ +18/ +13 (1d8 +9/ 19-20x2) Comp. Longbow: +19/ +14/ +9 (1d8 +6/ 20x3) Lion’s Shield: +14/ +9/ +4 (2d6/ 20x2) Sneak Attack: 2d6 (rogue), 2d6 (longsword of deadly precision), 2d6 vs dragons. Against Dragons Conditional: +2 competence bonus on opposed checks (bull rush, grapple, etc) vs dragons Attacks: +2 attack from Dragonfoe feat. Bane sword becomes +5 vs dragons. +3 Bane vs Dragons Longsword of Deadly Precision: +27/ +22/ +17 (1d8 + 2d6 + 3[dragonslayer bonus] + 11/ 19-20x2) Sneak Attack w/ Longsword: +27 (1d8 + 8d6[2d6 rogue + 2d6 deadly precision + 2d6 dragonstalker + 2d6 bane] + 3 + 11/ 19-20x2) Special Attacks +5 on caster level checks to overcome a dragon’s spell resistance (Dragonfoe feat and Dragonslayer class level). Dragons get –2 on saving throws against my spells, spell-like abilities, and supernatural abilities (Dragonfoe feat). Dragonslayer: Add class level to caster level checks to overcome a dragon’s spell resistance. Add class level to damage vs dragons. Dragonstalker: +2d6 sneak attack vs dragons. Ignore natural armor 1/day. Saves Fortitude: +18 (12base + 2Con + 4cloak) Reflex: +17 (9base + 4Dex + 4cloak) Will: +17(11base + 2Wis + 4cloak) Evasion: (no damage on successful save, full damage on failed save) Immunity to fear. Allies within 10ft get +4 morale bonus vs fear. Conditional: +2 competence bonus vs spells, attacks, and special abilities of dragons. +1 on Reflex Saves vs traps. Skills 103 total pts. (rogue=58, cleric=9, fighter=12, slayer=9, stalker=15) Conditional: +3 on Bluff, Listen, Search, Sense Motive, and Spot checks vs. dragons. Concentration +6 (4ranks + 2Con) Gather Information +10 (10ranks) Handle Animal +6 (5ranks) Hide +8 (6 ranks + 4Dex – 2armor check penalty) Intimidate +5 (5ranks) Knowledge (arcana) +6 (5ranks + 1Int) Knowledge (religion) +5 (4ranks + 1Int) Listen +8 (6ranks + 2Wis) Move Silently +8 (6ranks + 4Dex – 2armor check penalty) Ride +11 (5ranks + 4Dex + 2synergy) Search +10 (9ranks + 1Int) Spellcraft +8 (5ranks + 1Int + 2synergy) Spot +15 (13ranks + 2Wis) Survival +12 (10ranks + 2Wis + 2synergy when following tracks) Tumble +12 (10ranks + 4Dex – 2armor check penalty) Feats 1st: Iron Will(human), Combat Expertise 3rd: Track 6th: Close Quarters Fighting* 7th: Dodge (fighter) 8th: Blind-Fight (fighter) 9th: Dragonfoe* 10th: Improved Initiative (fighter) 12th: Deft Strike* 15th: Dragon Hunter* * Draconomicon Class Abilities Rogue Sneak Attack (+2d6), trapfinding, Evasion, trap sense (+1). Cleric Spells, Turn Undead (3/day, 2d6 + 3) Domains- Luck (reroll one roll 1/day) and Protection (touch= +3 on next saving throw 1/day). Fighter 3 bonus feats. Dragonstalker Hunting Bonus (+3), Sneak Attack vs dragons (+2d6), Ignore Natural Armor (1/day). Dragonslayer Aura of Courage, Damage Bonus (+3), Overcome Draconic Spell Resistance (+3), Damage Reduction (1/-), +2 levels of existing spellcasting class. Spells Spells/day: 5/4+1/3+1/1+1 Typical Spell list: 0- Cure Minor Wounds, Detect Magic (2), Light (2). 1st- Cure Light Wounds, Divine Favor, Endure Elements, Entropic Shield (Domain Spell), Obscuring Mist1 2nd- Calm Emotions2, Cure Moderate Wounds, Resist Energy, Shield Other (Domain Spell). 3rd- Cure Serious Wounds, Protection from Energy (Domain Spell). 1Replace with Sanctuary when preparing for dragons. 2Replace with Resist Energy when preparing for dragons. Equipment (see background for specific descriptions) +3 Bane vs. Dragons Longsword of Deadly Precision (72,302gp) Dragon’s Shield(as Lion’s Shield) (9,170gp) +5 Dragoncraft Scale Mail (31,200gp) +3 Ring of Protection (18,000gp) +4 Amulet of Natural Armor (32,000gp) +6 Belt of Giant Strength (36,000gp) +4 Cloak of Resistance (16,000gp) +4 Gloves of Dexterity (16,000gp) Winged Boots (16,000gp) Ioun Stone, Incandescent Blue Sphere(+2Wis) (8,000gp) Heward’s Handy Haversack (2,000gp) Masterwork Composite Longbow (+6 Str) (1,000gp) 50 Masterwork Arrows (350gp) Explorer’s Outfit (free at char. Generation) Silk Rope (50ft)* (10gp) Spell Component Pouch (5gp) Holy Symbol (silver) (25gp) Sunrod (5)* (10gp) Meals (2 good)* (1gp) Heavy Warhorse (400gp) Saddle (Riding) (10gp) Bit and Bridle (2gp) Saddlebags (4gp) Feed (5days) (25cp) LEFT OVER: 1,510.75gp TOTAL: 260,000gp *In the haversack Sources: Deadly Precision weapon special quality found in Complete Adventurer pg.127, Dragoncraft items found in Draconomicon pg.116. Dragoncraft Scale Mail: light armor, armor check penalty= -2, electricity resistance 5. Level Breakdown Rogue 1-3 Cleric 4-6 Fighter 7-10 Dragonslayer 11-13 Dragonstalker 14-16 Appearance and Personality Before the Dragons. Before his hatred of dragons Thane was a bit scrawny. At 6 feet and 178 lbs he wasn’t very imposing. He wore his thick black hair long and in a ponytail. His body was clear of blemishes and he prided himself on his (imagined) luck with the ladies. Thane was never overly confident or filled with self-doubt. One could usually find him in good spirits no matter the situation and he always looked out for his friends. Many people knew him as a likeable fellow, if a bit on the altruistic side. Thane was NG before the change. After the Dragons: After the disaster at Claw Mountain and the razing of Tellshire, Thane changed. He became more grim and serious, consumed in his quest for vengeance. He cut his hair short and grew a beard. Over the years of hunting dragons his body became littered with scars. Even though his outlook may have changed, some things stayed the same. Thane was still fiercely loyal to his friends. His luck never changed and he still practiced the magic of fortune that seemed linked to his very soul. His powers of chance saved his life more than once. When not hunting dragons Thane was quiet and thoughtful. His trust became hard to earn, but he was by no means inhospitable. Thane became very pragmatic and realistic in his outlook. He did not go out of his way to help or harm people, and although he understood that good people are better to have around than evil people, he saw all dragons in the same hateful light, and wished that they all be destroyed. Background Thane Fulshaw was 21 years old when he joined his first adventuring party. The party was composed of a dwarven warrior named Grade Granite, an elven ranger by the name of Tharivol, and Thane’s younger sister, Rachel, who was a wizard. Rachel, Thane, and Grade all group up together in the small town of Tellshire. They met Tharivol when he wandered into the “Boar’s Tusk” inn. Grade’s father Rurik built the inn himself and ran it for more than 100 years. Thane, Rachel, and Grade were helping clean up the night Tharivol stumbled in. He was soaking wet and near collapse, so Rurik gave the young (by elven standards) Tharivol a room and some food. Soon after, the four became inseparable and Tharivol convinced them to go out adventuring with him. He regaled them with tales of the wilderness and dragon’s hoards. Shortly after they left Tellshire, Thane discovered he had a knack for being on the good side of destiny … and a budding talent for divine magic. He began training himself and praying to the ideal of Fortune rather than a specific god. His powers grew and used them to protect and heal his comrades. They adventured with minor glories and monetary accomplishments for 6 years until disaster struck. By this time Thane had began training as a fighter under the tutelage of Grade. Thane’s ability to pick up several different talents and abilities served him well. Tharivol got wind of a red dragon that had inhabited the caverns of Claw Mountain near their hometown of Tellshire. He convinced the others to go to the mountain and defeat the dragon in order to take the riches that were most certainly within. The group agreed to go and formulated a plan. They purchased several items that would help them defeat the red dragon, including items of protection against fire. Thane prepared spells that would defend them from the dragon’s fiery breath. When they reached the caverns they were surprised to find it relatively empty. They traversed the entire cavern and found neither hide nor hair of the dragon. Dismayed at the apparently bad tip, the group headed out of the cavern. As they started to descend the mountain Thane’s sharp eyes caught a glint of blue in the air. Before Thane could warn his companions, a blast of lightning incinerated Tharivol. “It’s a blue dragon! We’ve been had!” Grade bellowed. The three ran down the mountain as fast as they could, but the dragon landed on the path in front of them, cutting them off. “Puny little mortals! Cower before my might!” the dragon roared. Grade yelled to Thane and Rachel, “Run! I’ll hold him here!” Before the two could reply, Grade charged the big blue. Rachel pushed Thane into motion and the two ran to their horses. They made it back to Tellshire with no sign of the dragon. They went to the “Boar’s Tusk” and gave Rurik the bad news. After some tears and hot tea, the three turned in for the night. Several weeks later, disaster struck Tellshire. One night, Thane awoke to the roars of a dragon and the smell of fire and smoke. Rachel was already awake and the two ran out to see what was wrong. The scene they came upon was horrific. Two dragons were battling in the middle of the town. The blue dragon from Claw Mountain was battling a new dragon. The new one was silver and about the same size as the blue. Thane and Rachel could only watch in horror as the two tore apart Tellshire in their battle. The siblings did all they could to help the other citizens out of the town. Through a sick twist of fate, an errant breath weapon from the silver dragon caught the survivors as they were running for the forest. Rachel was caught in the blast. Rurik stopped Thane from going back for her, and insisted that they should get the rest of the townspeople out of harms way. Thane gave in and helped get everyone to safety. The sunrise found Thane back at the scene of his sister’s demise, cradling her broken body and sobbing uncontrollably. Thane vowed at that moment that he would see every last dragon dead. A decade later Tellshire was rebuilt and Thane felt ready to seek his vengeance. He had spent every minute of every day honing his skills and learning as much as he could about dragons. He traveled from coast to coast seeking out dragons and slaying them. He counted one young black dragon and one juvenile copper dragon as his trophies. He said goodbye to his father, who was all that remained of his family. His mother died shortly after Rachel, and his uncle was killed during the dragons’ rampage. Rurik gave Thane a shield he called “Wyrm’s Maw.” Rurik said that it was a family heirloom, and that since Grade was dead, it would do best in Thane’s hands. Thane thanked Rurik and took the shield with him to confront the blue dragon at Claw Mountain. When Thane arrived at the cavern entrance he found the dragon waiting. Thane estimated it at young adult age and knew that it would be a tough battle. The dragon seemed to snicker at Thane’s presence. “You think you can kill me by yourself?” “No. I know I can.” The dragon laughed in what sounded more like a low roar. “With what army do you hope to defeat me?” Thane did not respond in words, but only drew his sword. The dragon gasped. “D-D-D- Dragon’s Fear? How-?” Thane smiled. “I found it in the hoard of a black dragon I slew. Stupid beast. I would have died if not for that sword. And now, it will be the death of you.” Thane charged the blue. The two fought for what seemed like an eternity, but was only a few minutes in reality. Thane surprised himself by defeating the dragon with two quick slashes with his sword. His keen eyes spotted weaknesses in its scales, which he exploited with skill. With the dragon defeated, Thane claimed its hoard for his own. Thane used the money and other valuables to pay for a suit of armor to be made from the dragon’s hide. Thane has spent the rest of his days searching for the silver dragon that was involved in the destruction of Tellshire. He would agree to join a party on the condition that they help him defeat the silver dragon as soon as possible. Besides that, he would be content to spend time adventuring and gaining new friends and allies. He thinks that setting aside his hatred for dragons, at least for a little while, would be a nice change. He misses the companionship of his old friends, and hopes to find it again. Friends, Enemies, and the Reputation Thane counts the entire population of Tellshire as his friends. Of course Thane’s father, Rudolph, is his closes friend and he can still count on Rurik for a hot meal and a warm bed at the inn. Tharivol, Grade, and Rachel all have grave-markers at the town cemetery along with a monument that was built by Thane, Rurik, and Rudolph that depicts the trio standing tall and merry as they were in life. Thane’s enemies are all of dragon-kind. The black dragon that he defeated had a mate that had not been in the lair at the time of Thane’s triumph. Thane’s blue dragon armor has garnered him the moniker of “The Cobalt Count.” Among dragons he is known as Darastrikuri, roughly translated as “Dragon Slaughterer.” (See Draconomicon pg. 28 for language) Equipment Descriptions Bane longsword known as “Dragon’s Fear.” Dragon’s Shield has the face of a dragon on it instead of a lion and is called “Wyrm’s Maw.” The dragoncraft scale mail is made from the hide of a young adult blue dragon. The amulet of natural armor is made from the scales of a juvenile copper dragon. The horse’s name is Baron. He is a male and has mottled white and brown hide.
Endarrion 12-17-06, 07:21 PM	*breathes sigh of relief* It's done. Finally. No matter what, I'm happy with it. :)
JasonOrlandoHawk 12-17-06, 09:21 PM	Competitor List Updated! Keep them coming!
bhu 12-18-06, 03:23 PM	Hey, how do I do the statblocks thing again?
Zherog 12-18-06, 03:26 PM	Not sure what you mean... is there a message board code you're looking for? Or are you asking more about how to format a stat block? If it's the former, I'm not sure which code you mean - but we can figure it out. if it's the latter, my character is mostly formatted in the current WotC format. I added some stuff (like the conditional modifiers for saves and AC, and the cost and weight of items).
bhu 12-18-06, 03:35 PM	I meant the spoiler blocks. I think my entry might be too long for one post.
Zherog 12-18-06, 03:52 PM	Spoiler blocks won't help you if it's too long. The limit is 50,000 characters. If you typed your character in MS Word (or can transfer it there), the word count tool will also tell you the number of characters. Other word processors, I'm sure, do the same thing. A spoiler block is done with the SBLOCK code. You can quote any post that has them so you can see them in action. For convenience, here's some samples. This is a spoiler block This is a spoiler block with a custom title
bhu 12-18-06, 04:23 PM	Bob, Son of Bob, Grandson of Bob STATS Bob, Son of Bob Chaotic Neutral Male Large Dragonkin (Draconomicon page 151, LA +2), Copper Half Dragon (LA +3), Barbarian 4 (ECL 16) Height: 8’6” Weight: 560 lbs. (please note these stats are guesswork as The Draconomicon doesn’t list height/weight for Dragonkin) Age: 18 (same here) Strength: 40 (Base 18, +8 Dragonkin, +8 Half Dragon, +6 Belt) (+15 bonus) Dexterity: 14 (Base 12, +2 Dragonkin) (+2 bonus) Constitution: 20 (Base 14, +2 Dragonkin, +2 Half Dragon, +2 from levels) (+5 bonus) Intelligence: 10 (Base 8, +2 Half Dragon) Wisdom: 12 (Base 8, +4 Dragonkin) (+1 bonus) Charisma: 14 (Base 10, +2 Dragonkin, +2 Half Dragon) (+2 bonus) Stats while raging: Strength 44 (+17), Constitution 24 (+7) Fortitude Save: +15 (+6 Base, +5 Con, +4 Cloak) Reflex Save: +12 (+6 Base, +2 Con, +4 Cloak) Willpower Save: +11 (+6 Base, +1 Wisdom, +4 Cloak) Saves while raging: Fortitude +17, Willpower +13 Base Attack Bonus/Grapple: +11/ +30 (+11 Base, +15 Strength, +4 Size) Grapple Bonus while raging: +32 Hit Dice: 7d10 + 4d12 + 48 (112 hp) Hit points while raging: 134 Initiative: +2 Base Move: 30, Fly 40 (good) Level 1 (Racial): 1d6 claws, 1d8 Bite, Rake 1d6, Dark Vision 60’, Detect Magic, Breath Weapon (6d8 acid, 60 ‘ line, Reflex Save DC 18 for half) Low Light Vision, Immune to Sleep and Paralysis Effects, Immunity to Acid, Creature type changes to Dragon, Large and In Charge Feat (Draconomicon page 68), Fly 40 (good) Level 3 (Racial): Brutal Throw Feat (Complete Adventurer page 106) Level 4 (Racial): +1 Con Level 6 (Racial): Power Attack Feat Level 8 (Barbarian): Fast Movement, Rage 1/day (lasts 10 rounds), +1 Con Level 9 (Barbarian): Uncanny Dodge, Instantaneous Rage Feat (Complete Warrior Page 102) Level 10 (Barbarian): Trap Sense +1 Level 11 (Barbarian): Rage 2/day Skills: Hide +4 (6 ranks. +2 Dex, -4 Size), Intimidate +9 (7 ranks, +2 Cha), Knowledge (Geography) +1 (1 rank), Knowledge (Local) +1 (1 rank), Knowledge (Nature) +1 (1 rank), Listen +11 (10 ranks, +1 Wis), Move Silently +8 (6 ranks, +2 Dex), Survival +* (8 ranks) Skills by level 1: Move Silently 1 Rank, Survival 1 rank, Knowledge (Nature) 1 rank, Spot 4 ranks, Listen 4 ranks, Common, Knowledge (Local) 1 rank, Knowledge (Geography) 1 rank, Intimidate 1 rank, Hide 1 rank 2: spot 1 rank, listen 1 rank, move silently 1 rank 3: spot 1 rank, listen 1 rank, survival 1 rank, intimidate 1 rank 4: spot 1 rank, listen 1 rank,, move silently 1 rank 5: spot 1 rank, listen 1 rank, survival 1 rank, intimidate 1 rank 6: spot 1 rank, listen 1 rank,, move silently 1 rank 7: spot 1 rank, listen 1 rank, survival 1 rank, intimidate 1 rank 8: intimidate 4 ranks 9: hide 2 ranks 10: move silently 2 ranks 11: Survival 4 ranks Languages: Draconic, Common Armor Class: 45 (-1 Size, +2 Dex, +16 Natural, +13 Armor, +5 Deflection) While Raging: 43 Touch AC: 16 (-1 Size, +2 Dex, +5 Deflection) While Raging: 14 Flat footed: 43 (-1 Size, +16 Natural, +13 Armor, +5 Deflection) While Raging: 41 Notes: Natural AC Bonus is figured as follows: +7 from being Dragonkin, improved by +4 for being Half Dragon, and a +5 enhancement bonus from his amulet Full Attack: +3 Flaming Burst Keen Great Axe +28/+23/+18 melee(3d6+1d6 Fire+25/ 19-20 x3) Raging: +3 Flaming Burst Keen Great Axe +30/+25/ +20 melee(3d6+1d6 Fire+28/ 19-20 x3) OR 2 Claws +25 melee (1d6+15) and 1 Bite +20 melee (1d8+7) Raging: 2 Claws +27melee (1d6+17) and 1 Bite +22 melee (1d8+8) OR (while flying) 2 Claws +25 melee (1d6+15) and 1 Bite +20 melee (1d8+7), and 2 Rakes +20 melee (1d6+7) Raging: 2 Claws +27 melee (1d6+17) and 1 Bite +22 melee (1d8+8), and 2 Rakes +22 Melee (1d6+8) OR +1 Javelin +26 ranged (1d8+16) Raging: +1 Javelin +28 ranged(1d8+18) Equipment: +3 Keen Flaming Burst Great Axe (72, 340 GP, 16 lbs) Two +1 Javelins (4,606 GP, 4 lbs) +5 Mithril Full Plate (40,000 GP, 50 lbs) +5 Amulet of Natural Armor (50, 000 GP) +5 Ring of Protection (50, 000 GP) +6 Belt of Giant Strength (30,000 GP, 1 lb) +4 Cloak of Resistance (16,000 GP, 1 lb) Three Cure Serious Wounds Potions (2,250 GP) Two Potions of Haste (1,500 GP) Type 1 Bag of Holding (2,500 GP, 15 lbs) 1 Travelers Outfit (2 GP, 10lbs) 14 GP left over Please note the price and weight of some equipment is different due to his size. Appearance: Bob is fairly good sized for a Dragonkin with a coppery sheen to his scales. He has several scars from fights or beatings, and several aborted attempts at tattoos make him even more intimidating. He mostly wears furs like a typical barbarian or forest gypsy when not in armor. STORY Bob was born one day when his father raped a female Dragonkin after destroying her tribes village. What few Dragonkin were left inevitably drove he and his mother from what was left once he was born. When he was but a toddler his mother succumbed to illness and starvation in the forest. She bequeathed him to a traveling human gypsy woman and begged her to raise him. Unfortunately for Bob his new mother Glinda was a little crazy. And not ‘free spirited goofball’ crazy. Full blown ‘sometimes I cut myself to make the pain feel all better’ crazy. She spent most of her time talking to her ring (the only real item of any value she had), or reading the tarot for customers. Being a Dragonkin Bob knew the ring was magic, but never dared to actually ask about it. After all he was about the size of a Kobold then. That changed quickly. By the time he entered his teens Bob was huge. Easily towering over the other youths that taunted and tormented him calling him monster. He amused himself by taunting them till they charged him, then wacking them with a stick before they could get close enough to even touch him. This didn’t make him a lot of friends. But then they were jerks anyway, so it’s not like it mattered to him. Bob’s only confidant was Thror. An old Barbarian who had joined the circus as a Geek, a freak who ate glass, or performed acts of pain. He also hunted for food to supplement the caravans food stores and was a tattoo artist. He and Bob were both temperamental outsiders so they got along pretty well. Thror taught Bob a lot including how to throw his Javelins harder, and hit where it would do the most damage. One day they came home from a hunt to find his mothers caravan flaming. It turns out the circus Headmaster didn’t like a tarot reading she had done for him. He turned brutal, and beat Glinda to death. The entire circus had known he was a violent drunk, but he had The connections to keep them from being arrested in many cities that wouldn’t otherwise permit gypsies. While the rest of the circus was sad but determined to remain uninvolved, Bob wasn’t so happy. Especially when he saw the Headmaster wearing his mothers ring. He glanced at Thror, and Thror smiled. It didn’t take the two of them long to kill the Headmaster (and for that matter almost everyone else). Thror was a Berserker, an art he set about teaching Bob after they fled into the woods. Bob discovered his mothers ring surrounded him in some sort of force that protected him. They lived alone in the forest for many months traveling nomadically. Bob was starting to become even less even tempered after all that had befallen him. Thinking things couldn’t possibly be even worse he returned (again) from a hunt, to find Thror dying, surrounded by the corpses of men. With his last words Thror said goodbye and told Bob to take his belt and amulet,as they would take care of him in the future. Bob buried the closest thing he had ever had to a father, and then turned to the dead men. He recognized them as being from Bartertown, a small town Thror occasionally traded with for supplies nearby. Bob had never gone into town for fear of what might happen. Unknown to him, people of the town had discovered his existence anyway, and had sent a party to kill the ‘monster’ and the old man who was his protector. Things were….twitchy....when Bob arrived in town. That’s actually a little understatement as people ran screaming for their lives. Finally a large fat man in robes addressed Bob claiming to be a cleric of some god or another (who the hell was Hextor anyway?). He demanded to know why Bob had come to town, and further demanded he put down the huge club he was carrying and surrender. Bob smiled and asked if the cleric had ordered the murder of his father. The cleric (Putin by name) said that the men who had wanted his father dead had gone into the forest and not returned. Bob then asked him if the village wanted him dead still. Putin stammered. A lot. Not a good thing to do when faced by an 8 foot tall berserker in a bad mood. Bob managed to leave the town alive, but seriously the worse for wear. Turns out Thror’s belt made him stronger, and the bone amulet made his scales quite a bit harder. It was just barely enough to save him. Fleeing from the town after killing the cleric and the church staff, Bob headed West. Eventually he found a Kobold city and was welcomed for a short time. He didn’t much care for life there. Too many rules, too many restrictions. Too many short people telling him he had to live up to a higher standard than they did because he was the son of a Dragon. Bob stayed long enough to do research to try to find out his fathers identity. The only Copper Dragon they had listed in their history archives was also named Bob and lived back the way he came. He thanked the Kobold elders, and told htem he had to find his father. They gave him two enchanted javelins and a map to guide him home. Along the way Bob encountered a party of humans fighting a group of strange giant insect creatures he later learned were called Umber Hulks. Normally he would have passed it by. Humans had treated him pretty badly after all. But he noticed the children huddled in a cart, and remembered what life had been like for him as a child alone. What would happen to them without their parents? Cursing Bob flew into the fight, smashing away with his club. With his help the tide turned. He soon found himself fighting next to a strange muscle bound woman who introduced herself as Betsy when the fighting was over. She claimed to be a cleric of someone called Kord. She was pretty chatty for a human and didn’t seem to notice Bob was a Dragon. This confused him. After all this was pretty different than the way humans normally treated him, especially women. What she did to him later in her tent that evening was pretty new too. Bob decided to travel with Betsy for a while. After all they were going in the same direction and Bob was to naïve to understand his new….befuddlement regarding her. They killed many monsters along the way, leaving Bob to wander what it was about humans that most insisted on traveling the least hospitable route possible. They attracted monsters like poop brought flies. Eventually they reached her temple and they rewarded him with several potions which he kept in a strange bag he’d found along the way. Saying a sad farewell to Betsy (but promising to return), Bob traveled to his fathers mountain. Reaching the foot of Mount Bob, he found a shrine erected over a corpse. And a sign saying “BEHOLD THE DEAD GOD IN THE BUSHES”. Thinking it best to avoid them he went around to the other side of the mountain. He found it full of heavily armored sheep that spit acid. Bob sighed and just flew up the mountain figuring this was a bad omen. At long last Bob found his fathers lair and was ushered into his presence by one of many attendants his father had. :ahem: (Bob): You sonuva...! :dragon: (Bob the Father): Hey son! Hows life? :ahem: How's Life!!!! How's Life!!! I should ripi out your.. :dragon: WOAH!! Calm down boy! You've been here 5 minutes. Relax. We can fight later if you want. :ahem: YOU ABANDONED MY MOTHER TO DIE!! :dragon: Well of course I abandoned your mother. She hated me. My victimes frequently do. Makes it a bit of a pain to get along with them really. Besides her family objected... :ahem: And how does that excuse what you've done? :dragon: Son I'm a Dragon. I don't have to excuse what I've done. I can level small cities if I want to. Makes it easier to do what you want in life. Your mom was hot, I was in the mood. What more can I say? :ahem: I'm here to avenge her father. :dragon: AHAHAHAHAHA!! (snort!) Okay son..lemme explain something. One, you're too small and too young to be a threat to me. Two, I'm not necessarily the enemy you think I am. And 3, your wearing some old furs and carrying a club. Not exactly the picture of intimidation. :ahem: I still have to to try! (BtF) Ah to be young and foolish again. Look son, you really don't have a shot at this. I have an entire fiefdom at my command. They aren't really obvious because I pay them not to be, but you are surrounded by a small army. Not that I'd even need them to fight you. You don't get to be my age by being an easy mark. (Bob) What army? the sad looking frekas worshipping the corpse down the mountain? (BtF) Uh, no. Those guys are on their own. Incidentally I'd leave that corpse alone if I were you the last time it woke up it destroyed the nearby mountian. (Bob) That explains all those craters.... (BtF) Yeah. Been studying it for a while. Whatever it is it's not a God, but it does have some aspects of one. (Authors note: The Dead God in the Bushes is an advanced Atropal Scion with levels of Sorcerer). (Bob) So instead of taking care of your family you spend time studying a corpse and raping. (BtF) Well...yeah. Pretty much. I mean even I don't know how many children I have, so it'd be kind of hard to take care of them. Not to mention expensive.... (Bob) Real men don't rape the less powerful! (BtF) Yes they do. I'm just more honest about it than most. Besides if I mated with my own kind I'd only produce rivals for my territory. WHo needs that headache? (Bob) Well by the Gods I'll find someone who can stop you!!!! (BtF) Son don't invoke Gods. Try to avoid them. They do nothing but ruin your life. Besides who are you going to get to go against a monster like me? (Bob) Umm..Paladins? (BtF) Oh man I can only hope so. Ain't no luvin like angry paladin luvin. You know there's a whole organization of female Paladins devoted to killing me? (Bob) Do tell. (BtF) Yup. Something about unlawful marital reappropriations... (Bob) Screw this, I'm leaving. But I'll be back old man! And I'll have help coming with me. (BtF) No you wont. (Bob) Was that a threat? (BtF) Son if I thought you were an actual threat I'd never let you leave here. But since you were pretty open coming here, and now that it's pretty well known that you're my son, my enemies are your enemies whether you like it or not. You've gotten by with a tough hide and a strong sword arm, but you're a one trick pony kid. Whats coming after you wont be so easy to deal with. You can't really one the same old same old to get by anymore. (Bob) And I suppose you have some advice for me? (BtF) No I have some presents. Rudolpho!!! :chicken: Yez Mawstah? (Btf) Rudolpho escort my son into the changing rooms and out fit him. 10 minutes later Bob returns wearing mithril plate armor and a fabulous cloak, carrying a flaming Great Axe. (BtF) So whaddya think? (Bob) It's....a bit overdone. (BtF) Give my son presents worth thousands of gold and i get smartass remarks. (Bob) Well what the hell did you expect? (BtF) Your going to insist on doing this the hard way aren't you? As he woke up on the bottom of the mountain hours later Bob made a mental note that in the future sucker punching his father was a monumentally bad idea. But now he had no idea what to do. Almost all the money he had was gone, and he had no real experience at dealing with the nebulous threat his fathers enemies presented, and no way of taking down his father at present. But he remembered Betsy saying most professional adventureres were functional alcoholics at best, so he headed for the nearest town to find a pub. He'd forgotten about being an 8 foot tall monster wearing fancy armor and carrying a flaming axe, but then he had just had a bad knocking about. The pub reception was certainly....interesting. But eventually he was able to convince the owner to let him audition for companions. And so the comedy begins....... :tiphat: Hi! I'm Jimmy the Bard, and I have a lifelong debilitating fear of kittens... Meanwhile back on the mountain Bob the Elder wondered if the 'presents' he had given his son would be ebough to keep him alive. he would need him barging about causing trouble to distract everyone from what he was really doing. After all it wouldn't be long before the Dead God in the Bushes awoke again, and he had to be ready.... PERSONALITY Bob seems pretty easy going, but in reality he has a volcanic temper. He's been screwed over pretty hard by life and he deeply resents it. He's also not fond of the humanoid races which haven't treated him well. Except of course for a certain cleric of Kord.... At the moment he's mostly the strong silent type, occasionally revealing the bitter cynic beneath with the rare bit of sarcasm. Most people avoid him since he seems to have a 1000 yard stare and is lost in his own thoughts leading most of them to think of him as being almost as mad as his real father.
bhu 12-18-06, 04:28 PM	Got it in under the wire. Gonna be working hard the next several days so I didnt even get to proofread, much less do a second draft. Ah well there will be other contests. And thanks Zherog. Oh and BTW: In the story I was using smilies in the story at the end and had to revert to using names as the board said I had too many added. Darn limitations.
JasonOrlandoHawk 12-18-06, 05:37 PM	Competitor List Updated.
Avalon® 12-19-06, 02:03 AM	Just a heads up. I'm having a bit of trouble writing my entry's backstory. Hopefully I can finish by the deadline. Also, I'll be using a modified version of the character sheet from the Real Adventures Board. Wish me the best of luck! :D
JasonOrlandoHawk 12-19-06, 10:53 AM	Best of Luck! :bump:
Avalon® 12-19-06, 11:13 AM	Sorry to say guys but I'm withdrawing from the competition. I can't finish the backstory in time.
Zherog 12-19-06, 11:21 AM	You still have over 36 hours left, Avalon. Don't give up yet - especially since you've already put work into the character. Keep working at it, then post what you have, even if it's not as complete as you'd like it.
Avalon® 12-19-06, 11:50 AM	I can't make a decent background in time but I'll try. :) May the muse inspire me tommorow. (Its 1 AM here)
JasonOrlandoHawk 12-19-06, 11:52 AM	I second Zherog. You don't have to have an Epic 11 sblock Backstory to compete. (Sorry Haruspex, just using you as an example.) If the backstory is short, that just means I have to proofread less (and in this competition...). Submit what you've got. There is definately no reason to back out after all that hard work.
Zherog 12-19-06, 12:58 PM	My background is short (whether that hurts my entry or not remains to be seen). I basically glossed over my first 10 levels, then got to the meat of things from there. So backgrounds definitely don't need to push the 50,000 character limit. Besides that, I'm presuming you've done a fair bit of work, including the mechanics, based on your posts. In my opinion, you'd be better off posting an incomplete entry and getting feedback and such from what you've already done.
FRRC 12-19-06, 12:58 PM	Since I've got a half-day at work tomorrow, I'm going to rewrite my history then. I managed to finish up my current history but it was crap and didn't show how I envisioned the character. I had a history plan but it didn't seem to lead that way since I tried to include friends and adventures and the such. Think I'll just have to skip on the friends part mostly this time around, I just can't find a way to implement them. Some characters have no friends.
Zherog 12-19-06, 01:10 PM	I am not a judge this time, blah blah blah In my opinion, you don't need to name specific friends. You just need to have allies. Named allies are better, but implied allies are generally OK too. I'm one of the biggest proponents, when I judge, that a background needs to include family, allies, and enemies. There's a reason for that - your background provides material for the DM. When the DM needs a plot hook, he can simply sift through backgrounds, find a family member or ally, and boom - he has somebody to deliver the plot hook. Similarly, when the DM is looking for inspiration for something to do, he can sift through and find an interesting rival in somebody's background - instant adventure. Some allies are implied. I'll use my cleric from this contest as an example. He's a really high level cleric of Bahamut. As such, just about any metallic dragon could be considered an ally. It would be relatively trivial for a DM to have (for example) a wyrmling silver dragon seek me out, make big puppy dog eyes and tell me how the big mean red dragon killed his Mommy. Just some stuff to consider... :)
Magocrat 12-19-06, 03:59 PM	Hey Avalon, don't worry if your background will have a lesser quality than you want it to be. Sometimes it pays to be a perfectionist, sometimes it just doesn't. This is one of those moments when it doesn't. However, don't let that get on your spirits; I have faith in the fact that you can make a good character. I mean, look at the other submissions, you're just as good as the rest of us, so we'll see what your character will be like. On another note, I can't wait for the contest to end and the judges to pass their judgement. Heck, I'm even excited about the final grade of my submission. And you know, Zherog, that is a good reason to have a good background. It's a shame that a) we're currently on a multi-level quest (I've heard our boss fight is going to be a CR 20; we're level 8), and b) my character's background sucks. Ah well, that gives me something to think about for the next session (if I'm not going to be the DM), and this is good practice. I think that also allowed me to make up my mind: I'm not going to volunteer for judging, competing is fun, and gives me the time to practice and have one hell of a good time with the other competitors.
Zherog 12-19-06, 04:07 PM	I think that also allowed me to make up my mind: I'm not going to volunteer for judging, competing is fun, and gives me the time to practice and have one hell of a good time with the other competitors. Judging isn't done on a volunteer basis. It's limited to gold medal winners, and the three of us who set up and judged HC1 (me, Doopliss, TheChilliGod). :D
JasonOrlandoHawk 12-19-06, 05:03 PM	Judging isn't done on a volunteer basis. It's limited to gold medal winners, and the three of us who set up and judged HC1 (me, Doopliss, TheChilliGod). Maybe he's just really confident...
Far_Traveler 12-19-06, 05:16 PM	Doublepost :P
Far_Traveler 12-19-06, 05:18 PM	Remember me from the Gladiators? Dogma the Dragonguard Orc Half-Dragon[Blue] Barbarian 13 Medium Dragon (Augmented Humanoid) Lawful Nuetral Stats: Start After template/race Level ups/equipment Str 18 30 40 Dex 10 10 10 Con 14 16 22 Int 10 10 10 Wis 10 8 8 Cha 8 8 8 Armor Class: 10 + 9 (4 Half Dragon, 5 amulet) NA + 0 Dex + 2 Defl (ring) + 8 armor (+3 breastplate) = 29, 29 flat-footed, 12 touch Movement: 40ft, 90 fly (Perfect)(cloak+feat) Saves: +8/+4/+4 base, +6/0/-1 due to statistics, 0/0/+3 during Rage, 0/+4/0 against traps, +5/+5/+5 vest Total Saves: +19/+9/+8, 0/0/+3 during Rage, 0/+4/0 against traps Hp: 155 (+39 during Rage) Attack Bonus: +13 Base, +15 Str, +4 weapon Full attack: +32/+27/+22 (+2 against dragons) and Bite +23 or 2 claws +28 and bite +23 (+3 to any figure during Rage) Damage: 2d6+26 + dragonbane (2d6+31 during Rage), Claws 1d4 + 15(1d4+18 during Rage), Bite 1d6 + 7 (1d6+9 during Rage) Options: Lightning 60 ft DC 16 Line 6d8, Grater Rage 4/day (lasts 12 rounds) Qualities: Damage Reduction 3/-, Lightning Immunity, Sleep and Paralysis Immunity, Low-Light Vision, Darkvision 60 Feet, Light Sensitivity Skills/Feats: Intimidate +15 (16 Ranks, -1 Ability) Listen +15 (16 Ranks, -1 Ability) Survival +15 (16 Ranks, -1 Ability) Diplomacy +10 (8 cc Ranks, -1 ability, +3 feat) Power Attack Skill Focus (Diplomacy) Improved Flight Leadership (score 13(13 -1 cha + 1 Special Power) Equipment: 260,000gp Vest of Resistance +5 (25,000) +4 Adamantine Greatsword of Dragon Bane (53,350), 'Agestealer' Manual of Gainful Excercise +1 (27,500) (expended) Belt of Dragon's Strength +6 (36,000) Cloak of Dragons Unsealed (27,000) Bracer's of Dragons Heart +6 (36,000) (bracers of health) +3 Mithril Breastplate (14,350) Dragonhide Amulet +5 (25,000) (Amulet of Natural Armor) Ring of Wingbeats +2 (8,000) (ring of protection) Ring of Feather Falling (2,200) Handy Haversack (2,000) Potion of Cure light wounds x10 (500) Potion of Cure Serious Wounds x2 (1,500) Potion of Haste x2 (1,500) Emergency Trail Rations x10 (5) Signet Ring (5) Signal Whistle (0.8) 10 Pitons and 100ft of silk rope (21) Small steel Mirror (10) Sealing Wax (1) 20 Pieces of Chalk (0.2) Ink, Inkpen, Vial, parchment case, and 10 parchments (14.1) Contract Book, Ink, Vial (24) Explorers Outfit (10) 9g, 7 silver pocket change Cloak of Dragon's Unsealed: This cloak functions as Wings of Flying, with the exception that it only functions for a Half-Dragon. As it works with damaged, vestigial, or just unmanifested wings due to ancestry, it is easier to craft then other wings of flying. Moderate Transmutation Aura, Alter Self and Fly are required o craft this cloak. Dogma was born to a Female Orc who got a little too friendly with a blue dragon if you know what I mean, of the Malktatan Clan. He was raised on the standard Pillaging upbringing of most orcs, but one day his life changed. When a silver dragon attacked the warcamp, he tried to kill the Malkatan's chief. Dogma rotected the Chief and killed the dragon as it was rather young, He got a bit of a power trip in doing so, and became the chief due to ancient laws. And oppressive yet very succesful reign ensued. Well, it did, until a red dragon decided to slaughter the clan after Dogma aquired Agestealer. When Dogma Was about to deliver the finishing blow, the Red proposed a deal. If he was to guard the red Dragon From all threats for a period of time, he would get the secret to eternal life. After some bartering, it was agreed and from that point on he was Dogma the Dragonguard. Since then he has drifted amongst Dragons defending them. It is yet untested as to if the Red actually made Dogma invulnerable to aging... Dogma is Currently employed by the Bronze Adult Dragon Crysilst, along with his cohort/daughter Grench. The Red Dragon Krakend That granted Dogma Eternal Life is still alive and of Juvinile age category (actually, the eternal life spell trapped him in this age), and he has made enemies with a number of Dragonslayers. In his spare time he plays with the dragon he is currently guarding's hoard. He carries many diplomatic items to create contracts. Grench, 9th level Cleric of Atlas LN Domains are Strength and Protection. Typical tactics include buffing Dogma (and self if known in advance) with Spell resistance, spell immunity, possibly death ward or disrupting weapon, or protection from energy as the situation applies. Uses a spear. Can channel positive energy and turn undead. Dogma has 10 1st level followers and a single second level follower. Brakkis, 2nd level Human expert. General craftsman. Also used to help Numerate a dragon's horde. Brakkis's Minions: 10 people who aid Brakkis in his tasks. Contains 4 experts, 3 commor ladies (used as dragon servants), an adept, and 2 warriors (porters) Agestealer- A +4 agamantine Greatsword of Dragonbane. It is called such because it can penetrate the damage reductions of the oldest dragons as an effective +6 weapon. It is used to protect his charge from other dragons.
TheChilliGod 12-19-06, 05:23 PM	Judging isn't done on a volunteer basis. It's limited to gold medal winners, and the three of us who set up and judged HC1 (me, Doopliss, TheChilliGod). :DWell, in my case, both apply. :P Does that mean I'm, like, a double-judge? Meaning I get double scoring? Or am I just setting myself up for double trouble? 1 day left, if my timing's not off (again...)! And we need just one more entry to get to our quota of 9 that we had last round. Who's it going to be?
Zherog 12-19-06, 05:35 PM	1 day left, if my timing's not off (again...)! And we need just one more entry to get to our quota of 9 that we had last round. Who's it going to be? You're timing is off. :P 11:59pm GMT is 6:59pm EST (my time zone). It's currently 5:35 PM. It was 5:23pm when you made your post.
FRRC 12-19-06, 06:03 PM	I'm just glad I'm 5 hours ahead of you. 11:59pm to you is 5am to me :D
malignor 12-19-06, 06:42 PM	Here's my Entry: Zhendek Mirage, the Dragonsinger, Son of Sayladim the Dragonkin Sorcerer, Heir to the Djinn-Flask of the Thrice Cursed Wizard, Destroyer of the Burning Temple. Last competition my background was rather pitiful and minimalist. I think I may have gone to the other extreme this time. :P Zhendek's brass, reptillian eyes glared along the horizon, which danced with the shimmer of desert heat. "I can feel ourselves getting closer." he brooded, then with a sharp snap, "Gildren! Are you minding the sails?" The mysterious, diminutive figure, veiled in twilight wrappings and robes, with only the tips of his sharply pointed ears showing, fussed over the ropes for awhile, then glided up the stairs and complained something gutteral under his breath. "My lord, I assure you, they are set right according to the wind and the daystar. I've never been a lazy fool and I'll not become one now, when your need is most dire and the chase may finally come to an end." The pair stood in almost mocking contrast of each other atop a wooden platform, which was a foredecks. The deck at the font of a sailing vessel that normally would seem at home on the sea. The mast towered high behind them and the prestine, white sail was full with the desert's feverish breath and shone brightly in the evening sun as it creeped ever closer to the hazy world behind them. The many large wooden wheels groaned in protest beneath the vessel with their every disgruntled turn. As the pair atop the deck fell silent they could hear the frustrating symphony of massive creaking wheels and the wordless milling about of the crew behind them. Soon, thought Zhendek, soon I will undo this unforgivable insult and recover the pride of both my bloodlines. And Wodren, you bastard, you will leave this world in defeat and in shame for trying to stain my heritage. I've already written your dirge, old friend, and soon, when I find you, it will fill the desert sky with blessed mourning... = Description = Zhendek Mirage, the Dragonsinger, stands well over six feet tall. His face is built into an enigmatic expression, his cheekbones melding back into sideburns made of spun brass, sweeping with his wild hair, back over and concealing his ears as if to have a pair of fiery brass sails on each side of his head. The sweeping hair matches well with his metallic hue of his finely scaled skin and the small, sharp goatee that curls slightly forward from his brass hued chin. His shoulders are broad and bulky with knotted muscle, tapering into short and sturdy arms that are usually crossed over his otherwise lean frame. When he smiles or snarls, his pronounced canines look bestial, though this contrasts heavily against his manner of speech. It has a melodic cadence, varying from a sharp striking tempo when he's displeased to a sultry lullaby when he's in his more content frame of mind. Zhendek wears the classic Arabian pants, large and comfortable and bound at the ankles, met with slightly curled and pointed shoes. Draped loosely across his shoulders is a glittering tunic of finely made adamantine chainmail, fitted so as to allow his vast draconic wings to be folded or stretched comfortably. A green lacquered quiver, hanging down the center of his back, seems empty but when he reaches inside it is choked full of javelins, and inside are hidden many wands, as well as the Shardspire, which he acquired from his eternal rival, Wodren the Purifier. He carries no other weapons, as his voice carries a supernatural power while his draconic body has fangs and claws to bear when needed. = Backstory = The Dragonsinger is the son of a long line of Sorcerers and Dragonsingers on his father's side, and his mother was those known as the Mirrored Guardians, nature worshippers that kept the hidden Oases of Folly (which held the gates to the worlds of the Genies) from being found, else the known world would plunge into eternal war. His father, Sayladim, once the proud and successful counsellor and Sorcerer to the Sultan of Sekaresh, was forced to flee long ago when a trickster usurped the Sultan's favor and warped his mind into that of a paranoid tyrant. Sayladim wandered the desert, wasting away, until he climbed a tall mountain and stumbled upon the Shrouded Oasis of the Folly of Aether, where he met the Guardian, Inhalla, and her eagle companion. She turned him away, so he was forced to Charm her with his magic so that he might drink from the Oasis and not die of thirst. Together, they crept past Djinn of the Oasis (who slept during the day) and Sayladim drank from the pool of Aether. But Sayladim fell into the pool and vanished into the clouded floating kingdoms of the Djinn. Inhalla stayed hidden by the pool, filled with worry for 4 days and 4 nights until Sayladim somehow crawled back through the pool of Aether and, though his enchantment over her had long since ended, they were immediately smitten with each other and made love on the shrouded threshold of two worlds, for she now saw his noble splendor and he her unblemished beauty. After they lay together, Sayladim told her of his adventures in the clouded kingdoms: Sayladim somehow survived his fall and crept about the cities of the Djinn, until circumstances led him to meet a Wizard. Both being arcanists in a strange land, they became fast friends and Sayladim unwittingly helped him bind a local prince of the Djinn within a bottle and forced that prince into slavery, for the Wizard was intent on killing his noble family and secretly ruling the throne from behind his enslaved prince. Sayladim saw the evil in this, and somehow outwitted the wizard, stole his bottle and exposed his treachery to the Sultans of the kingdom. The wizard was slain, and Sayladim freed the prince, who willingly gave up his freedom in Sayladim's service until he found a successor to replace him, and every successor after him would serve Sayladim and his ilk until replaced. Sayladim, in return, swore that his family line would protect their Djinn servants and record their names so all their children and grandchildren would pay homage to them. Furthermore, as the Djinn would serve the Dragonblooded in their early years, those from the family line of Sayladim will serve the Djinn in their waning years. The Noble Djinn assured Sayladim that if they do serve in those last years, they will serve in paradise and live like kings themselves. Thus two families, one of Noble Djinn, one of Dragonblooded, were bound together by the magic bottle of a thrice damned wizard. The Djinn of the Oasis had overheard this story and chose to appear. They questioned the two mortals and heralded Sayladim as a hero and a saint. Sayladim and Inhalla were given a wedding and a feast, and so long as the pact was honored, and so long as children of Inhalla and Sayladim acted as guardians, their family was always welcome at the Oasis of Aether. Inhalla and Sayladim (and the Djinn Prince, whose name was Haracca) built a house, hidden at the base of the mountain, and lived there for three years. With the combined powers of Sayladim's sorcery, Inhalla's power over nature and Haracca's conjuring and wishes, they lived like gods, despite being in so desolate a setting. The first of their children was Zhendek, and when he was born, Sayladim and Inhalla left their house and moved to the city of Ashkar, so he can be among other people and grow into a well-rounded man. Zhendek at a young age showed a talent for song, and Sayladim immediately employed a tutor of music and the arts for his beloved son. During the day, Zhendek learned the skills of the musician. During the evenings, Sayladim taught him to channel his draconic blood. Zhendek was swiftly learning the ways of the Dragonsinger, a special class of Dragonblooded who can tame any living thing, rule with both charm and magic. Dragonsingers, being charismatic and admired by all, attracted much news and fame. Thus they were also masters of lore, and could develop many skills. Eventually, it was the fate of the Dragonsingers to tame one of the Dragons of Brass, who lived in hidden lairs in the middle of the Desert of Blight - a wasteland of only sandstorms and raw glass, as made by the dragon's breath. When Zhendek was 4 years old, he had a sister, Claeo, who Inhalla was to raise as a guardian of the Shrouded Oasis of Aether. Though Zhendek and Claeo were on different paths, they spent much time together and helped each other whenever they could. Normal townsfolk were always curious in how the family that seemingly has no affairs outside their villa, yet can be so rich. Some of the jealous or desperate people would try to trick or bully the siblings, or steal them for ransom. Many a time it was when the two children would be caught up in dangerous situations and their parents or "uncle Haracca" would bail them out of trouble. The time came that Zhendek was a man, and was to travel to the Desert of Blight and quest to tame his own dragon. Zhendek then travelled and spent four years in the Desert of Blight, seeking the strength and knowledge needed to locate the Dragons of Brass, and to tame one for what his father said would be his wife. Sayladim told his son how the mightier dragons can take the shapes of beast or man, as dragons are the embodiment of sorcery. As such, Zhendek need not despair that he will lay with and be wed to a reptillian beast, for she would take the form of his ideal woman and birth children that were both (and neither) draconic and human. Furthermore, dragons are as brilliant and charming as they are powerful, so Zhendek will find that admiration and awe will eventually become love. It has been the Dragonblooded way to maintain its powerful heritage via the Dragonsingers in this fashion. Many adventures did Zhendek undergo in the Desert of Blight. Many ruins, haunted by the remnants of thousands of years of draconic sorcery, were found in remote and unexpected locations. Sorcery can call up demons, or bind powerful beings to places, or make the dead walk again to plague the living. Many powerful people and creatures from other worlds also come with their own powers and agendas, hoping to harvest opportunity and wealth from the Dragons of Brass. Thus the Desert of Blight was a place of wonders and nightmares, fearsome danger and awesome beauty. Zhendek immersed himself in this place and with his guile, charm and skill, he thrived. Early into his travels, he met a priest of the Pure Flame, named Wodren. Wodren worshipped a god of fire whose driving principle was that fire was a powerful force for both creation and destruction, and is deceptively wild if it is not respected. As such, Wodren has the powers of cunning trickery and of fire, much like the cunning and fire-breathing Dragons of Brass themselves. He was here to be like unto one of the Dragons, and to test his wits against theirs in hopes of attaining some of their riches, so he might return home in glory and wealth. Since both Wodren and Zhendek knew the value of a sharp tongue and an adventurous heart, they became comrades through the years and shared many stories and adventures. Wodren eventually came to learn about Zhendek's parents' good fortune and Zhendek's one day inheriting of the Noble Djinn's bottle (the Iron Flask from the thrice cursed wizard) and associated oaths. After the four years of danger and mystery, Zhendek and Wodren "the Purifier" were ready, and located one of the sinkholes which was an entrance to one of the Dragons of Brass. Wodren called up a proxy from the world of elemental fire (a Negotiator from the fire dwarf people called the Azers) to enter and invite the dragon for conversation with the dragon kin and the holy man, who waited at the threshold. The Azer emerged from the sinkhole, hours later and quite humbled, saying they were allowed to enter, at which point Wodren released him to his burning world. They fell through the sinkhole and were allowed past the guardian, a legendary Basilisk, and they came face to face with the massive serpentine beast (Huge; a Mature Adult). The Dragons of Brass have a weakness for good conversation, which is how the Dragonsingers (being socially gifted) managed to tame some of them over the centuries. After some idle small-talk, wherein Wodren stood, silent and dumbfounded, Zhendek convinced the Dragon, whose name was jilliddha, to listen to his songs of old, and accompanying lyrics of his deeds. Zhendek's performance was exemplary, and jilliddha completely immersed herself in the enjoyment of it. During this time, Zhendek noticed that Wodren had vanished, and paused his song. Jilliddha and Zhendek searched the cave only to discover that Wodren had stolen from Jilliddha's vault and vanished! Zhendek frantically tried to calm the enraged dragon and explain that this was not his intention, but Jilliddha could not contain her frustration and, so as to not harm her innocent guest, surged through her tunnel and burst up through the sinkhole before engulfing the desert in dragonfire, which turned the golden dunes into boiling glass. But Zhendek had reacted without thinking, and had grabbed ahold of Jilliddha's tail as she did this. The violence by which she leapt and soared and dove caused Zhendek to be thrashed about and dashed to the ground, where he was wounded and now burning in the melting desert. Jilliddha rushed to save her little entertainer and brought him to her lair, where she tended his wounds as best she could. Six days and six nights passed until Zhendek was again fit. The dragon had gone over the contents of her vault and discovered that Wodren had stolen a powerful spear that once belonged to a demon (Shardspire), a helmet that allowed its wearer to go anywhere with but a thought (helm of teleportation) and a handful of precious stones. Zhendek explained his real reason for being there (to take Jilliddha as his wife) and swore to help her recover these things in return for her favorable consideration at his offer. They would leave on the next day. That night, Zhendek was contacted in his dreams. His father, Sayladim, appeared and showed him a story of what occurred yesterday: Claeo (Z's sister) had come of age, and Sayladim and Inhalla (Z's parents) were taking Claeo to the Oasis of Aether to serve as guardian. Haracca had also found a replacement for his position, so they were also bringing the wizard's flask to make the exchange. Suddenly, a host of burning demons ambushed the family as they passed the coastline. The bottle was taken, as was Claeo. Ihnalla was slain in the skirmish, and Syladim himself was heavily wounded and left for dead. He somehow survived and used some of the last of his power to contact his son, the only one who may be able to help. He is now in a cage, bound and gagged, being carried by what seem to be opportunistic pirates. They saw him cast this one spell before passing out, and now he can cast no more. Zhendek awoke, distressed. He explained to Jilliddha what his father had told him, and they surmised that the burning demons could be the work of Wodren, who wanted the Noble Djinn for himself. They immediately prepared and left, hoping to find Sayladim. The scene of the battle was hard to miss, with all the damage done to the surrounding area from demons and magic and the power of nature. Zhendek collected his mother's broken and charred corpse and wept for some time, and Jilliddha consoled him. Then they cremated Inhalla's remains and continued their search for Sayladim. It seems the pirates were long since gone, and some sailors of the region would be needed for information and passage. Jilliddha took on the shape of a beautiful woman and the pair made their way to town. Once there, they reached the port andfound what they were lookng for: a fast vessel with a veteran crew, captained by a curiously wrapped foreigner. He was bound, head to toe, in black cloth. All that could be seen was the tips of his large, pointy ears. His size and stature suggested a thin dwarf, and ears were those of an elven charicature. His name was Gildren the Gnome (a hidden people), and was both the captain and designer of the vessel, the Worldskimmer. Gildren claimed he would be able to tell pirates and slavers at a glance, and also knew of some pirate coves he had been avoiding, but for enough money, Gildren and his crew would prove that they feared no pirate. Thus Gildren and his crew were hired in seeking the pirates that held Sayladim the Sorcerer. After a week of light seafaring adventure, those aboard the Worldskimmer happened upon a pirate ship - or more to the point, the pirate ship happened upon what they thought was easy prey. But the Worldskimmer's crew was stalwart, and Gildren showed that he was versed in the arcane arts, and Zhendek was brave and strong. But it was ultimately the brass-haired maiden, Jilliddha that seemed to crush the pirates like they were nothing, turning the battle into a one-sided affair. During the fight, Zhendek saved Gildren from some would-be cowards who tried to attack from behind. The battle was won so that the pirate ship was taken intact, emptied of all cargo and neatly scuttled. It was then that Gildren swore to Zhendek that he would sail to the ends of the world to help his new friend (and his lovely and terrible companion), so long as they would stay aboard the Worldskimmer. Among the captured pirates, some knew of those men that Sayladim showed Zhendek in his dream. The Worldskimmer sailed to the cove described and, after another great adventure against those pirates, Sayladim was freed. Next was to rescue Claeo, then the flask of Haracca, so that the Djinn might bring Inhalla back to life. The Worldskimmer, and those aboard it, eventually found the location of Wodren. He had a great temple built by Haracca, and was attracting people from around the land to come and live near his holy place. He seemed to be gathering a city about him in the middle of the desert, where he might rule as Sultan and High Priest. Sayladim, who was not told of Jilliddha's power and feared for his son, used sorcery to appear in Wodren's temple alone. Wodren, likely by calling upon Haracca, managed to somehow slay the mighty Sayladim, and secretly brought his corpse, and the sleeping Claeo, to the Worldskimmer. Upon the corpse of Sayladim was a note from Wodren, warning not to pursue him for the Wizard-flask of Haracca, else Zhendek and his sister will die, and that this delivery was Wodren's last act of kindness to Zhendek. Zhendek embraced his sister and wept tears of loss, relief and rage. He then bid Gildren good-bye. He would leave the Worldskimmer, go across the deserts, rescue Haracca, and slay Wodren the betrayer. Furthermore, he said that Jilliddha should go about her life, as Zhendek's own life was forfeit, to be spent fighting for the honor of a noble Djinn and to avenge his parents. Jilliddha was moved by Zhendek's words and fell in love with him. She promised to stay by his side, as his wife, in honor of the great Sayladim's wishes, and to lend her own life to his worthy cause. Also, Gildren laughed his eerily creaking cackle and screeched at the men to set sail for the desert where Wodren's temple sat - and the Worldskimmer rode upon the land with its great wheels! Zhendek was humbled by the grace of his comrades and wept yet again. Claeo, though strong, was inexperienced and did not have the heart for revenge, so she was brought to the Oasis of Aether where she still hold the post of guardian. The Worldskimmer, after days of being harrassed by demons of fire (Wodren use them to scare off Zhendek and his comrades), eventually reached the town being built around Wodren's great temple, which they saw was made of treated wood. It was then that Wodren appeared before them, with the broken-hearted Haracca in tow, and commanded the Djinn to end the life of Jilliddha with his second Wish. Wodren did not specify how, and Haracca was cunning in his own way, so he did it in such a way that her spirit merged with that of Zhendek. Zhendek did not know this, however. He only saw his beloved disintegrate before his horrified eyes. As revenge, Zhendek and the Worldskimmer fell back for a day, and Zhendek himself came back in disguise and used his undeniable influence of people to turn them against Wodren, with but mere songs depicting Wodrens deceptions and ruthless cruelty. The next day, Wodren's town turned against him, tor down his temple, and forced him to use his stolen helmet, leaving the Shardspire which Zhendek took for himself, and swore to pierce Wodren's heart with. And so the years have passed, with Zhendek forever chasing Wodren, being tested by Wodren's trickery and his demons of fire. Zhendek has grown strong, and his union with Jilliddha has resulted in a slow transformation into a mighty draconic figure. One day he will slay Wodren, take back his birthright and fulfill his debt to Haracca. Then he will Wish his parents and wife back from death and all will be right again. - Zhendek: Human Bard6/Dragon Disciple10; Leadership feat - Claeo (sister): Human Druid7 - Gildren (cohort): Gnomish Rogue4/Wizard(illusionist; no Evocation or Conjuration)5/ArcaneTrickster5; highly skilled and secretive alchemist and shipbuilder; capable ship captain; physical condition causes him to hide his appearance beneath wrappings and robes - skin condition? scarring? Str12+8dd=20, Dex12+2level=14, Con12+2dd=14, Int14+2dd=16, Wis12=12, Cha14+2dd+2level=18 hp = 6+17.5+65+16Con = 120.5 saves = 7/3/7dd+2/5/5brd+2/2/1stats = 11F/10R/13W BAB = +4brd+7dd = +11/6/1 skpts = 82brd + 53dd = Appraise 3(0r+3int; +2glass), Balance 4(0r+2dex+2tumble), Bluff 12(5r+4cha+3item), Concentration 12(5r+2con), Craft - Alchemy 4(1r+3int), Craft - Glassworking 8(5r+3int), Decipher Script 4(1r+3int), Diplomacy 18(5r+4cha+3item+2bluff+2nobility+2motiv e), Disguise 8(1r+4cha+3item), Gather Information 14(5r+4cha+3item+2local), Intimidate 9(0r+4cha+3item+2bluff), Jump 9(0r+7str+2tumble), Know Arcana 10(8r+3int), Know Archintecture 4(1r+3int), Know Dungeoneer 4(1r+3int), Know Geography 4(1r+3int), Know History 8(5r+3int), Know Local 8(5r+3int), Know Nature 4(1r+3int), Know Nobility 8(5r+3int), Know Religion 4(1r+3int), Know Planes 4(1r+3int), Listen 14(13r+1wis), Perform Dance 8(1r+4cha+3item), Perform Horns 8(1r+4cha+3item), Perform Percussion 8(1r+4cha+3item), Perform Sing 16(9r+4cha+3item), Perform Winds 12(5r+4cha+3item), Sense Motive 6(5r+1wis), Speak Language (common, draconic, auran, gnome), Search 11(8r+3int), Spellcraft 13(8r+3int+2arcana; +2scrolls), Spot 14(13r+1wis), Survival 1(0r+1wis; +2track), Tumble 7(5r+2dex), Use Magic Device 15(8r+4cha+3item; +2scrolls) feats = Leadership (6), Multiattack (9), Improved Grapple (12), Lingering Song (1), Power Attack (15), Combat Expertise (3), Endurance (human) abilities = natural AC +4, breath weapon 60'line 6d8fire Ref17, natural weapons 1d6bite/1d4claw/1d4claw, blindsense 60', wings fly30av, low-light vision, 60' darkvision, immune sleep, immune paralysis, immune fire, bardic music 6/day, bardic knowledge +11(+6bard+3int+2history), countersong, fascinate, inspire courage +1, inspire competence spells = [3x0th, 4x1st, 10x2nd, thanks to DragonDisciple]; knows [6; Summon Instrument, Detect Magic, Ghost Sound, Know Direction, Read Magic, Prestidigitation][4; Charm Person, Silent Image, Cure Light Wounds, Comprehend Languages][3; Sound Burst, Mirror Image, Alter Self] materials: 260k gp Weapons = Shardspire; Keen Cold Iron Spear +1 of Icy Burst and Returning (1d8+1+1d6frost/19-20x3+2d10frost; +1 hit; BR 20, returning), 10 Javelins (1d6; BR 30) - 75000 gp Armor = Adamantine Chain Shirt +2 of Fire Resistance (+6AC, DR 1/-, Fire Resist 10) - 28000 gp Rings = Protection +2 (8000), Wizardry II (40 000; 20x2nd level spells) Rods = Rod of Negation (37 000) Wonderous = Quiver of Ehlonna (1800), Slippers of Spider Climbing (4800), Circlet of Persuasion (4500; +7CHA), Amulet of Mighty Fists +2 (24 000), Pipes of Sounding (1800), Belt of Giant Strength +4 (16000; Strength24) Wands: Enlarge Person, Detect Secret Doors, Magic Missile, Invisibility, Eagle's Splendor Mundane: Wheeled Keelboat (6000 gp), explorer's outfit (10 gp), Masterwork Glassworking tools (55 gp), Spell component pouch (5 gp), 2 Waterskins (1gp ea), 2 Belt Pouches (1gp ea), 2 days trail rations (0.5gp ea), Scrollcase with 5 parchment sheets (2gp), Charcoal (free) Money: 2220gp 4 emeralds (500gp ea) 2 garnets (100 gp ea) 1 platinum piece 1 gold pieces 19 silver pieces 10 copper pieces AC: 10+2dex+4natural+6armor+2deflection = 24 (14 touch, 22 flatfooted, 12 flatfooted touch) Melee Attacks: Unarmed [+20bite(1d6+9) and +18/+18claw(1d4+5)], or Ice Shard [+19/14/9spear(1d8+11+1d6frost/19-20x3+2d10frost)] Ranged Attacks: Javelins [+13/8throw(1d6+7), BR 30] or Ice Shard [+14throw(1d8+8+1d6frost/19-20x3+2d10frost), BR 20, returning] Zhendek Mirage Size/Type: Medium Humanoid (Human); Bard 6, Dragon Disciple 10 Hit Dice: 6d6+10d12+32 (120 hp) Initiative: +2 Speed: 30 ft., 30 ft fly (average), 20 ft climb (10 min/day; slippers) Armor Class: 24 (+4 natural, +2 dex, +6 armor, +2 deflection), touch 14, flat-footed 22 Base Attack/Grapple: +11/+18 Attack: Bite +20 melee (1d6+9) or Spear +19 melee (1d8+11+1d6 frost/19-20 x3+2d10 frost) or Javelin +13 ranged (1d6+7) or Spear +14 ranged (1d8+8+1d6 frost/19-20 x3+2d10 frost) Full Attack: Bite +20 melee (1d6+9) and Claw +18/+18 (1d4+5), or Spear +19/14/9 melee (1d8+11+1d6 frost/19-20 x3+2d10 frost) and Bite +18 melee (1d6+9), or Javelin +13/8 ranged (1d6+7) and Bite +18 melee (1d6+9), or Spear +14 ranged (1d8+8+1d6 frost/19-20 x3+2d10 frost) and Bite +18 melee (1d6+9) Special Attacks: Breath weapon, bardic music, spells Special Qualities: Low-light vision, darkvision 60 ft., blindsense 60 ft., Fire immunity, immune to sleep and paralysis effects, bardic knowledge Saves: Fort +11, Ref +10, Will +13 Abilities: Str 24, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 12, Cha 18 Skills: Appraise +3 (+2 if glass), Balance +4, Bluff +12, Concentration +12, Craft - Alchemy +4, Craft - Glassworking +8, Decipher Script +4, Diplomacy +18, Disguise +8 (+2 to act), Gather Information +14, Intimidate +9, Jump +9, Know Arcana +10, Know Architecture +4, Know Dungeoneering +4, Know Geography +4, Know History +8, Know Local +8, Know Nature +4, Know Nobility +8, Know Religion +4, Know Planes +4, Listen +14, Perform Dance +8, Perform Horns +8, Perform Percussion +8, Perform Sing +16, Perform Winds +12, Sense Motive +6, Speak Language (common, draconic, auran, gnome), Search +11, Spellcraft +13 (+2 on scrolls), Spot +14, Survival +1 (+2 to track), Swim +7, Tumble +7, Use Magic Device +15 (+2 scrolls) Feats: Combat Expertise, Endurance, Improved Grapple, Leadership (score 20), Lingering Song, Multiattack, Power Attack Challenge Rating: 16 Treasure: Special - see text Alignment: Chaotic Good Zhendek Mirage refers to himself as a Dragonsinger, one of a special breed of Dragonblooded who is responsible for maintaining the link between his draconic and human ancestors. Combat Breath Weapon (su): Zhendek can release a line of fire, 60 feet long and 5 feet thick. Those caught in the area suffer 6d8 fire damage, but can make a reflex save DC 17 for half damage. Zhendek's breath weapon can be employed once per day. The DC is constitution based. Bardic Music (class): Zhendk has a number of ways to use bardic music. He can use any mix of these abilities, so long as the total does not exced 6 uses per day. Countersong (su): Zhendek makes a perform check. Any creature within 30 feet of Zhendek (including himself) that is affected by a sonic or language-dependent magical attack may use the Perform check result in place of its saving throw if, after the saving throw is rolled, the Perform check result proves to be higher. If a creature within range of the countersong is already under the effect of a noninstantaneous sonic or language-dependent magical attack, it gains another saving throw against the effect each round it hears the countersong, but it must use the Perform check result for the save. Countersong has no effect against effects that don’t allow saves. Zhendek may keep up the countersong for 10 rounds. Fascinate (sp): Zhendek can use his music or poetics to cause one or more creatures to become fascinated with him. Each creature to be fascinated must be within 90 feet, able to see and hear Zhendek, and able to pay attention to him. Zhendek must also be able to see the creature. The distraction of a nearby combat or other dangers prevents the ability from working. This can be used on up to two creatures. To use the ability, Zhendek makes a Perform check. His check result is the DC for each affected creature’s Will save against the effect. If a creature’s saving throw succeeds, Zhendek cannot attempt to fascinate that creature again for 24 hours. If its saving throw fails, the creature sits quietly and listens to the song, taking no other actions, for as long as Zhendek continues to play and concentrate (up to a maximum of 6 rounds). While fascinated, a target takes a -4 penalty on skill checks made as reactions, such as Listen and Spot checks. Any potential threat requires Zhendek to make another Perform check and allows the creature a new saving throw against a DC equal to the new Perform check result. Any obvious threat, such as someone drawing a weapon, casting a spell, or aiming a ranged weapon at the target, automatically breaks the effect. Fascinate is an enchantment (compulsion), mind-affecting ability. Inspire Courage (su): Zhendek can use song or poetics to inspire courage in his allies (including himself), bolstering them against fear and improving their combat abilities. To be affected, an ally must be able to hear Zhendek sing. The effect lasts for as long as the ally hears Zhendek sing and for 5 rounds thereafter. An affected ally receives a +1 morale bonus on saving throws against charm and fear effects and a +1 morale bonus on attack and weapon damage rolls. Inspire courage is a mind-affecting ability. Inspire Competence (su): Zhendek can use his music or poetics to help an ally succeed at a task. The ally must be within 30 feet and able to see and hear Zhendek, who must also be able to see the ally. The ally gets a +2 competence bonus on skill checks with a particular skill as long as he or she continues to hear the music. Certain uses of this ability are infeasible. The effect lasts as long as the bard concentrates, up to a maximum of 2 minutes. Zhendek can’t inspire competence in himself. Inspire competence is a mind-affecting ability. Suggestion (sp):Zhendek can make a suggestion (as the spell) to a creature that he has already fascinated using Perform - Sing. Using this ability does not break Zhendek’s concentration on the fascinate effect, nor does it allow a second saving throw against the fascinate effect. Making a suggestion doesn’t count against the daily limit on bardic music performances. A Will saving throw (DC 17 - charisma based) negates the effect. This ability affects only a single creature (but see mass suggestion, below). Suggestion is an enchantment (compulsion), mind-affecting, language dependent ability. Spells: Zhendek is a 6th level, spontaneous arcane caster. He knows the following spells: 0th level (3 per day; DC 14): Detect Magic, Ghost Sound, Know Direction, Prestidigitation, Read Magic, Summon Instrument 1st level (4 per day; DC 15): Charm Person, Comprehend Languages, Cure Light Wounds, Silent Image 2nd level (10 per day - 20, thank to Ring of Wizardy; DC 16): Alter Self, Mirror Image, Sound Burst Bardic Knowledge +11 (class): Zhendek may make a special bardic knowledge check with a bonus equal to his bard level + his Intelligence modifier to see whether he knows some relevant information about local notable people, legendary items, or noteworthy places. (since he has 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (history), he gains a +2 bonus on this check.) A successful bardic knowledge check will not reveal the powers of a magic item but may give a hint as to its general function. Zhendek may not take 10 or take 20 on this check; this sort of knowledge is essentially random. Treasure Shardspire: Keen Cold Iron Spear +1 of Icy Burst and Returning (1d8+1+1d6frost/19-20x3+2d10frost; +1 hit; BR 20, returning) - 74690 gp value 10 Javelins: (1d6; BR 30) - 1 gp value each Tunic of Volkanus: Adamantine Chain Shirt +2 of Fire Resistance (+6AC, DR 1/-, Fire Resist 10) - 26600 gp value Ring of Warding Winds: Protection +2 (provides +2 deflection bonus to AC) - 8000gp value Ring of the Second Circle of Arcane Power: Ring of Wizardry II (results in 20x2nd level spells/day) - 40 000 gp value Grounding Scepter: Rod of Negation (use against Wodren's Iron Flask on surprise round, ideally) - 37 000 gp value Quiver of Ehlonna: Efficient Quiver (hold all wands, as well as scepter, the Shardspire and javelins) - 1800 gp value Slippers of Spider Climbing: same name (provide 10 minutes per day of 20' climb speed) - 4800 gp value Band of the Brass Tongue: Circlet of Persuasion (adds +3 to all Charisma checks & skills, for +7 total) - 4500 gp value Soresh's Amulet Of the Living Weapon: Amulet of Mighty Fists +2 (constant Greater Magic Fang +2 effect) - 24 000 gp value Reed of a Thousand Voices: Pipes (clarinet-like flute) of Sounding (Ghost Sound at will) - 1800 gp value Sash of Might: Belt of Giant Strength +4 (Strength goes from 20 to 24) - 16 000 gp value Goliath Wand: Wand of Enlarge Person for 1 minute; 50 charges - 750 gp value The Passage Diviner: Wand of Detect Secret Doors; 50 charges - 750 gp value Smiting Arrow: Wand of Magic Missile (400', 1d4+1); 50 charges - 750 gp value Blindspotter: Wand of Invisibility for 1 minute; 50 charges - 4500 gp value Baton of the Powerful Presence: Wand of Eagle's Splendor for 1 minute; 50 charges - 4500 gp value Worldskimmer: Wheeled Keelboat - 6000 gp Miscellaneous equipment: Explorer's outfit (10 gp), Masterwork Glassworking tools (55 gp), Spell component pouch (5 gp), 2 Waterskins (1gp ea), 2 Belt Pouches (1gp ea), 2 days trail rations (0.5gp ea), Scrollcase with 5 parchment sheets (2gp), Charcoal (free) Money Remaining: 2220gp, in the form of 4 emeralds (500gp ea), 2 garnets (100 gp ea), 1 platinum piece, 2 gold pieces, 9 silver pieces, and 10 copper pieces Cohort: Gildren, the Gnomish Rogue4/Wizard(illusionist; no Evocation or Conjuration)5/ArcaneTrickster5 Gildren is a highly skilled and secretive alchemist and shipbuilder; capable ship captain; physical condition causes him to hide his appearance beneath wrappings and robes - skin condition? scarring? Nobody knows. Skills focused on crafting (shipwright) and skilled at craft (alchemy), as well as arcane trickster specialties.
Zherog 12-19-06, 09:19 PM	Malignor: Size/Type: Medium Humanoid (Human); Bard 6, Dragon Disciple 10 The 10th level ability of the dragon disciple class, dragon apotheosis, changes your type to dragon. Dragon Apotheosis: At 10th level, a dragon disciple takes on the half-dragon template. His breath weapon reaches full strength (as noted above), and he gains +4 to Strength and +2 to Charisma. His natural armor bonus increases to +4, and he acquires low-light vision, 60-foot darkvision, immunity to sleep and paralysis effects, and immunity to the energy type used by his breath weapon (see above). Size and Type: The creature’s type changes to dragon. Size is unchanged. Do not recalculate base attack bonus or saves. I haven't dug too deeply into anything else about your character - that just sort of jumped out at me.
Avalon® 12-19-06, 10:32 PM	Far_Traveler: Aren't barbarians supposed to be either neutral or chaotic not lawful?
JasonOrlandoHawk 12-19-06, 11:11 PM	Two More characters have been added to the list of competitors. That brings us up to 9 total. I really, really should've gotten a head start on judging all these entries... Oh well, the only other question... Will there be any more?
Avalon® 12-20-06, 12:18 AM	Is it okay if I pass an incomplete backstory?
JasonOrlandoHawk 12-20-06, 12:23 AM	Just give us what you've got. Did you see Far_Traveler's backstory. It was very brief and to the point. You don't have to rewrite the Illiad to compete in HC5.
Avalon® 12-20-06, 12:46 AM	I was just intimidated by Haruspex's entry
FRRC 12-20-06, 02:56 AM	I will have my in. Thats a definate.
Zherog 12-20-06, 08:25 AM	Just give us what you've got. Did you see Far_Traveler's backstory. It was very brief and to the point. You don't have to rewrite the Illiad to compete in HC5. I definitely agree with Jason - post what you have by the deadline. You've put too much effort into stuff, like make a character build for a 16th level character. That's a pain in the ass.
Avalon® 12-20-06, 09:07 AM	The character's not the problem. It's the backstory that kills me.
Haruspex 12-20-06, 09:16 AM	Looking back, maybe I did go overboard on the backstory. As mentioned earlier, I was in a rush.;)
Far_Traveler 12-20-06, 09:21 AM	Far_Traveler: Aren't barbarians supposed to be either neutral or chaotic not lawful? DAMMIT! I don't play with alignment restrictions much, so I forgot :weep: Not to mention that he was my first barbarian ever. On a lighter note- Yay! I got praise on my backsotry! Don't usually focus much on the past of my characters, mostly focus on the personality and crunchy stuff. Lots of editing going on: I think I have an idea on the next competition. You guys need it?
JasonOrlandoHawk 12-20-06, 10:32 AM	We usually don't discuss the theme of the next competition until we know who will be judging. We have to see who the winner of HC5 is and determine if we will need to extend an invitation to a new judge. We will also need to select a coordinating judge, hint, hint... Once we know the line up for the judging panel, then we discuss the theme. The reason we do this is so that no one has a head start on character creation. For example, Zherog and jennibert both were completely in the dark about the theme/rules for HC5 b/c they had backed out of judging. And to expand on my previous hint, I'm willing to judge the next competition, but I would appreciate someone else stepping into the coordinating position...
JasonOrlandoHawk 12-20-06, 10:34 AM	Also, a heads up. I will not be calling time on this competition, Chilli will. I will be at a church function at the deadline, so Chilli has agreed to call time in my stead. Just thought I'd let you know so there won't be any confusion.
Avalon® 12-20-06, 10:55 AM	Avalon, Dragon’s Son Male Half- Gold Dragon Human Ranger 3rd/ Paladin of Bahamut 4th/ Divine Crusader of Bahamut 6th Lawful Good Str 26-- (10 Base +8 racial +2 level +6 enhancement) 2 pts. Dex 14 -- (14 pts) 6 pts. Con 20 – (14 Base +2 racial +4 enhancement) 6 pts. Int 12 – (10 Base +2 racial) 2 pts. Wis 15 -- (14 Base +1 level) 6 pts. Cha 20 – (14 Base +2 racial 4 enhancement) 6 pts. Hit Points: 131 (8+9+22+27+65) Hit Dice: 3d8+4d10+6d8 AC 34 (10 base +8 armor +5 enhancement +5 deflection +2 dex +4 natural armor), Touch 17 (10 base +5 deflection +2 dex), Flat 32 (10 base +8 armor +5 enhancement +5 deflection +4 natural armor) Init +2 BAB +11, Grap +19 Speed 30 ft. (base 30 ft., load 0/306 lbs.*, medium armor) *light load Fort +22 (12 Base +5 Con +5 Cha), Ref +13 (6 Base +2 Ref +5 Cha), Will +14 (7 Base +2 Wis +5 Cha) +22 Melee, Purifier, 2d6+11, 19-20/x2 +20 Melee, Bite, 1d6+10, 20/x2 *as primary attack +19 Melee, Claw, 1d4+8, 20/x2 *as primary attack +15 Melee, Bite, 1d6+6, 20/x2 *as secondary attack +14 Melee, Claw, 1d4+4, 20/x2 *as secondary attack +14 Ranged, +1 Composite Longbow (+8 Str mod), 1d8+9, 20/x3, 110'r Male, 6'4" tall, 240 lbs., yrs old Dark Blonde hair, Sapphire Blue eyes with slit-like pupils, Deeply tanned skin with a golden sheen and scales in some places Speaks Common and Draconic +11 Climb (6 ranks +8 strength -3 armor check penalty) +15 Concentration (10 ranks +5 Con) +15 Diplomacy (10 ranks +5 Cha) +8 Heal (6 ranks +2 Wis) +5 Hide (6 ranks +2 Dex -3 armor check penalty) +11 Intimidate (6 ranks +5 Cha) +7 Knowledge (Dungeoneering) (6 ranks +1 Int) +11 Knowledge (Religion) (10 ranks +1 Int) +5 Move Silently (6 ranks +2 Dex -3 armor check penalty) +6 Sense Motive (4 ranks +2 Wis) +8Survival (6 ranks +2 Wis) +8 Listen (6 ranks +2 Wis) +8 Spot (6 ranks +2 Wis) Feats -Weapon Focus (Bite) -Leadership -Draconic Cohort -Power Attack -Cleave -Divine Might -Track (Ranger bonus feat) -Rapid Shot (Ranger bonus feat) *is only available if Avalon is wearing light or no armor -Weapon Specialization (Bite) (Divine Crusader bonus feat) Human Traits -Medium: As medium creatures, humans have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size -Human base land speed is 30 feet -1 extra feat at 1st level -4 extra skill points at 1st level and 1 extra skill point at each additional level -Automatic Language: Common. Bonus Languages: Any (other than secret languages, such as Druidic) -Favored Class: Any. When determining whether a multiclass human takes an experience point penalty, his or her highest-level class does not count. Half-Gold Dragon Traits -Creature type changes to Dragon -Natural Armor +4 -gain a bite attack (1d6) and two claw attacks (1d4) -gain a 1/day breath weapon (6d8 fire, Reflex save for half, DC 15, 30ft. cone) -immune to sleep, paralysis, and fire -darkvision 60 ft. and low-light vision -Str +8, Con +2, Int +2, Cha +2 -LA +3 Ranger Abilities -Favored Enemy (Aberration) -Track (Bonus Feat) -Wild Empathy (3 Base +5 Cha) -Combat Style Archery (Rapid Shot) -Endurance (Bonus Feat) Paladin Abilities -Aura of Good (Equal to Paladin level) -Detect Evil at will (as the spell) -Smite Evil 1/day (+5 Cha bonus to attack and 4 extra damage) -Divine Grace (+5 Cha bonus to saves) -Lay on Hands 20 pts. (4 levels Paladin x 5 Cha bonus) -Aura of Courage (Immune to fear. All allies within 10 feet a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against fear) -Divine Health (Immune to all diseases including supernatural and magical diseases) -Turn Undead 8/day (3 Base +5 Cha bonus. Turn undead as a cleric three levels lower) Divine Crusader Abilities -Chosen Deity – Bahamut -Chosen Domain – Good -Aura of Good (Equal to class level plus any class levels in other classes that possess such an aura) -Resistance to Electricity 5 -Weapon Specialization (Bite) (bonus feat) -Resistance to Acid 5 Spells Prepared (Paladin) CL 2 1st- Lesser Restoration Spells Prepared (Divine Crusader) CL 6 1st- Protection from Evil x5 2nd- Aid x4 3rd- Magic Circle Against Evil x3 4th-Holy Smite x3 5th-Dispel Evil x2 Avalon surveys the scenery in front of him. It’s hard to think that it wasn’t always this barren. He remembers a time when the scenery overlooking the cliff he is standing on was once a beautiful meadow. But that was before THEY came. His face contorts into a mix of anger and frustration as he recalls how he came into this position. He tries to sift back to his earliest memories but the earliest he could remember was being a child in the Mother of Grace orphanage. Even as an orphan, he was already ostracized for his unusual looks. His cat-like eyes made him a curiosity, his golden scales made him look exotic, but it was the elongated snout and razor-sharp claws that scared the living daylights out of anyone who saw him. This caused him no end of suffering from the teasing of the other orphans even as decades went by and the other orphans were either adopted or came of age and sent away to make a life for themselves while he just stayed at the orphanage, growing at a snail’s pace. Things turned for the better however, when he reached his fiftieth birthday. Finally, he could do things on his own and he would be free of the others from the orphanage. After the first step out of the Mother of Grace orphanage, he never looked back. Some time later, Avalon managed to join an up-and-coming adventuring group as the resident tracker and hunter. Like many of the adventuring groups at the time, they specialized in eliminating the nests of aberrations that were becoming a nuisance at the time. There were five of them in all: Malleus Hardsteel, a practitioner of the double-bladed sword, Arion Darkbright, wielder of the arcane arts, Luftien Thunderborn, dwarven follower of the god of strength, Uriel Swifthand, a dashing young scoundrel with a quick wit and even quicker hand, and of course Avalon, the hunter. Their latest mission was a relatively simple one. They were just tasked to eliminate a nest of gricks in the ruins of Tularan. Little did they know that this would be their last. It went well at first. They had even managed to reach the very heart of the city when the ground suddenly shook. Out of the earth came dozens of umber hulks along with their illithid masters and other more horrific stuff. They tried to fight back but before they could react, Arion turned towards Avalon and the others and cast a spell that caused black tentacles to rise up from out of nowhere and grapple the others. They stood no chance. With Avalon and the others immobilized, they were easy prey for the aberrations. Luftien was the first to die, carved into great chunks by a blow from an umber hulk. Next came Uriel as he was torn apart by the tentacles. Then came the death of Malleus by the hands of a mind flayer. The slurping and sickly popping sounds made when Malleus’ brain was extracted would haunt Avalon in his nightmares. The shock of being betrayed and seeing the death of his friends seemed too much for Avalon as he looses his consciousness. Things begin to feel dull as the sweet nothingness of unconsciousness begins to take over him. The last things he saw and heard were Arion’s high-pitched laughter and a shadow looming over the entire area. Sometime later, Avalon wakes up in a rocky clearing. Sitting on a rocky outcrop near him was an old man clothed in a silver-white robe. At first Avalon was suspicious of the man and demanded who he was and why they were both here. He was told that he was nearly killed in a betrayal by his comrade Arion. He was then told of what happened until he was rescued by a gold dragon and left in the rocky clearing. Seeking this dragon, he asked the old man where he may find him and was directed to search at highest peak of the World’s Heart Mountains. After many weeks of travel, he finally reached his destination and met the dragon that would become his mentor: Haraphas. The time he spent with Haraphas was really a formative time for him. Many things came about during his time there. He learned the identity of his father (which turned out to be Haraphas himself), he learned the history of the Platinum Dragon, and he felt the call to be one of his paladins. Avalon spent 30 years training with his father but things can’t stay the same forever. Feeling that Avalon was ready to go back out into the world, Haraphas sent him off on his way. As he came back to the world as he knew it, Avalon saw that everything had changed. The land had become a wasteland. What was once verdant and lush became sickly and parched. He needed to know what caused this. Wandering this new world, he came upon a group of ruins. He explored them and found symbols of Bahamut etched on the ruined pillars and columns. He then saw the old man who was with him 30 years ago and who told him to seek Haraphas in the first place. He garners from the man that the aberrations have done this and they are seeking the destruction of Bahamut and his followers. He learns that he is especially chosen by Bahamut to save his remaining followers. Avalon accepts the mantle of responsibility before him and thus begins the current chapter in his life. He began to purge the land of the aberration taint and he also began to attract followers to his cause. In time he saved a young bronze dragon named Ilucerax from an illithid city along with a draconic cleric of Bahamut named Silverfrost. They now serve as his most trusted friends and advisors. Yet it seems that this quest is a futile one. As year after year passes, the aberration’s grip on the world grows stronger. Avalon must find others to aid him in his quest no matter what the cost. A commanding figure, Avalon acts as a leader should. He is benevolent and just. He is a person worthy of respect. He may act at times arrogant and self-righteous but this only comes from the awesome burden that comes from being a savior. He only want what is best for those under his care. Standing before you is a giant of a man. He is clad in shining armor that bears a design of a dragon in flight. He has brilliant gold scales on his body especially his elongated snout and clawed hands. Though he stands proud, there is a noticeable sag on hi shoulders and weariness in his eyes as if he bears the weight of the world upon his shoulders +5 Mithral Full Plate (worn, 25lbs.) 35650 gp Traveler’s Outfit (worn, 5 lbs.) free Belt Pouch (belt left, .5 lbs.) 1 gp Silver Holy Symbol of Bahamut (belt right, 1 lb.) 25 gp +1 Composite Longbow (+8 Str mod) (left shoulder, 3 lbs.) 3200 gp Quiver of Arrows (40 pcs.) (right shoulder, 6 lbs.) 2 gp Backpack (center back, 2 lbs.) 2 gp Bedroll (below backpack, 5 lbs.) 1 sp Scabbard of Keen Edges (behind backpack, 1 lb.) 16000 gp +3 Adamantine Holy Aberration Bane Greatsword “Purifier” (in scabbard, 8 lbs.) 75350 gp Cloak of Charisma +4 (worn, 2 lbs.) 16000 gp Ring of Protection +5 (left 3rd finger, -wt) 50000 gp Amulet of Health +4 (worn, -wt) 16000 gp Belt of Giant Strength +6 (worn, 1 lb.) 36000gp Boots of Striding and Springing (feet, 1 lb) 5500 gp Waterskin- water (backpack, 4 lbs.) 1 gp Winter Blanket (backpack, 3 lbs.) 5 sp Cold Weather Outfit (backpack, 7 lbs.) 8gp Coins- 260 gp, 4 sp (pouch, .5 lbs.) Wand of Cure Moderate Wounds -50 charges (pouch, -wt) 4500 gp Potion of Cure Moderate Wounds x5 (pouch, .5 lbs.) 1500 gp Arion Darkbright (Wizard 6/ Alienist 10) - Once a companion of Avalon's, he's now a servant of aberrant lord who traded his allegiance for promises of greater power and untold secrets. Old man in a silvery-white robe - Witness to Avalon's defining moments, it is speculated that he is a herald for Bahamut interested in Avalon, Bahamut himself, or possible something or someone even worse. Haraphas - A Great Wyrm Gold dragon, he is Avalon's father. After the 30 years of teaching his son the ways of a paladin, he now feels the cold touch of death creeping up to him. He knows that his time is near but he will help his son in any way he can. Ilucerax - A very young bronze dragon saved from experimentation by Avalon, Ilucerax acts as a scout and herald for Avalon's group. obtained from Dragon Cohort Silverfrost (Draconic Cleric of Bahamut 9th) - Another being saved by Avalon alongside Ilucerax, he serves as the healer and preacher for the remnants of Bahamut's faithful and as an adviser and voice of reason to Avalon. regular cohort Bahamut's faithful - The remnants of the worshipers of Bahamut. They now follow Avalon and are somewhat his family. (There are 30 1st level , 3 2nd level, 1 3rd level and 1 4th level followers. I have applied a -1 penalty from the actual leadership score of 18 for followers because Avalon moves alot)
Avalon® 12-20-06, 10:57 AM	Phew, made it in time! :D
JasonOrlandoHawk 12-20-06, 11:33 AM	Competitor List Updated. Good to see you made it, Avalon!
Far_Traveler 12-20-06, 02:58 PM	We usually don't discuss the theme of the next competition until we know who will be judging. We have to see who the winner of HC5 is and determine if we will need to extend an invitation to a new judge. We will also need to select a coordinating judge, hint, hint... Once we know the line up for the judging panel, then we discuss the theme. The reason we do this is so that no one has a head start on character creation. For example, Zherog and jennibert both were completely in the dark about the theme/rules for HC5 b/c they had backed out of judging. And to expand on my previous hint, I'm willing to judge the next competition, but I would appreciate someone else stepping into the coordinating position... I think I'd like to give it a go. Well, probably not coordinate, not enough experience, but I'd like to give a helping hand. I think the community here is really great and I'd like to immerse myself within it. This will be a fine avenue to do so. I hope I didn't sound too devious with that statement.
Zherog 12-20-06, 03:04 PM	If you win gold, you're welcome to volunteer as a judge. ;)
JasonOrlandoHawk 12-20-06, 03:17 PM	It seems as if Magocrat and Far_Traveler both are very certain of themselves in this competition... Both of them have discussed their status as judge... And the scores aren't even being calculated yet... If one of them was making these claims, I could just pretend they won, but now they both are contending that title... Guess it means I will actually have to judge the characters then... :detect:
Far_Traveler 12-20-06, 03:22 PM	It seems as if Magocrat and Far_Traveler both are very certain of themselves in this competition... Both of them have discussed their status as judge... And the scores aren't even being calculated yet... If one of them was making these claims, I could just pretend they won, but now they both are contending that title... Guess it means I will actually have to judge the characters then... :detect: Bwahaha! My plan is coming into fruition! Magocrat you played right into my hands! Now the judges would actually have to judge! :evillaugh :schemes: :evillaugh
FRRC 12-20-06, 05:01 PM	Malek Greenshore Malek Greenshore Male Human Ex-Paladin 7 / Blackguard 9 LG Medium Humanoid Deity Tiamat Aura Aura of Evil (Strong) and Despair Language Common, Draconic Weight Allowance Light (<116); Medium (117-223); Heavy (234-350) Current Load 85 lb -------------------- AC 32 (10 +6 Shield; +1 Dex; +13 Armour; +2 Deflection) Flatfooted 31; Touch 13 Initiative +5 (+1 Dex; +4 feat) HP 172 Hit Dice 7d10+9d10+64+16 Saves: Fort: +20 (+4 Con; +5 Paladin; +6 Blackguard; +5 Dark Blessing) Ref: +11 (+1 Dex; +2 Paladin; +3 Blackguard; +5 Dark Blessing) Will: +13 (+3 Will; +2 Paladin; +3 Blackguard; +5 Dark Blessing) Space / Reach 5 ft / 5 ft Base Attack / Grapple +16 / +20 Speed 20ft (30ft – 10ft Full Plate) -------------------- Attack Greatsword: +23 (2d6 +3; +4 Str; +2d6 vs Good; 19-20/x2) Unarmed Strike: +20 (1d6 +4 Str) Full attack Greatsword: +23/+18/+13 (2d6 +3; +4 Str; +2d6 vs Good; 19-20/x2) Unarmed Strike: +20/+15/+10 (1d6 +4 Str) Special Attacks: Smite Good 4/day, Sneak Attack +3d6, Power Attack, Sunder/Grapple/Trip (+20), ------------------- Special Qualities: Aura of Evil, Detect Good, Poison Use, Dark Blessing, Command Undead, Aura of Despair, Fiendish Servant (Horse), Lay on Hands, Fiendish Summoning -------------------- Spells Base Spells: 2/2/1/1 Bonus Spells: 2/1/1/1 Per day: 4/3/2/2 (DC: 13 + Spell Level) Prepared: Level 1: Summon Monster I, Corrupt Weapon, Inflict light wounds, Golden Barding* Level 2: Bull’s Strength, Shatter Level 3: Contagion, Cure Serious Wounds, Cure Serious Wounds Level 4: Summon Monster IV, Winged Mount* *Complete Divine Base Abilities: Str 14 (6); Dex 12 (4); Con 12 (4); Int 10 (2); Wis 14 (6); Cha 14 (6) Abilities: Str 19 (+4); Dex 12 (+1); Con 18 (+4); Int 10 (+0); Wis 16 (+3); Cha 20 (+5) Feats: Power Attack, Improved Sunder, Improved Unarmed Strike, Cleave, Improved Toughness, Improved Initiative, Frightful Presence* *Dragonomicon, page 106 Skills Hide 0 (6 Ranks; +1 Dex; -7 Armour Check) Intimidate +19 (12 Ranks; +5 Cha; +2 Voice of the Dragon) Diplomacy +16 (9 Ranks; +5 Cha; +2 Synergy) Knowledge (Religion) +6 (6 Ranks; +0 Int) Ride +8 (5 Ranks; +1 Dex; +2 Synergy) Sense Motive +10 (5 Ranks; +5 Str) Handle Animal +11 (6 Ranks; +5 Cha) Speak Language (2 Ranks, Draconic) -------------------- Equipment Amulet of Health +4 Con - 16,000gp Belt of Giant Strength +4 Str - 18,000gp Boots of Speed – 12,000gp Cloak of Charisma +4 Cha – 16,000gp Ioun Stone (Incandescent Blue) +2 Wis – 8,000gp Tome of Leadership and Influence (Used) +1 Cha – 27,500gp Ring of Protection +2 – 8,000 Ring of Mind Shielding – 8,000 Blanket, Winter – 5sp 3x Trail Rations – 5sp Each (1g 5sp) Waterskin – 1gp Flint and Steel – 1gp Holy Symbol, Silver (Tiamat) – 25gp Backpack – 2gp Bottle of Wine (Fine) – 10gp Weapons and Armour: Animated Large Steel Shield +4 – 36,170gp Light Fortified Full Plate +5 – 37,650 Unholy Greatsword +3 – 50,350 Potions and Poisons: 3x Bear’s Endurance – 300gp each (900gp) 2x Remove Curse – 750gp each (1500gp) 2x Remove Disease – 750gp each (1500gp) Spider Climb – 300gp Rage – 750gp Gaseous Form – 750gp 2x Vials of Purple Worm Poison (DC24; 1d6 Str Initial + 2d6 Secondary) – 700gp each (1400gp) Horse Gear: Horseshoes of Speed – 3,000gp Military Saddle – 20gp Gold – 12169 Mane Fiendish Heavy Warhorse Lawful Evil Large Magical Animal HP: 75 Hit Dice (10d8 + 30) Initiative: +1 Speed: 80ft (50ft Base + 30ft Horseshoes of Speed) AC: 19 (10 + -1 Size, +1 Dex, +9 Natural) Flatfooted: 18 Touch: 10 Base Attack / Grapple: +7/ +16 Attack: Hoof +11 (1d8+8) Full Attack: 2 Hoofs +11 (1d8+8) and Bite +6 (1d4+2) Space/Reach: 10ft / 5ft Special Attacks: Smite Good 1/day Special Qualities: Low-light vision, Scent, Dark vision 60ft*, Damage Reduction 5/Magic*, Cold Resistance 10*, Fire Resistance 10*, Spell Resistance 15*, Empathic Link, Improved Evasion, Share Saving Throws, Share Spells, Speak with Blackguard, Blood Bond *Fiendish Template, Monster Manual page 107 Saves: Fort +12; Ref +8; Will +5 Abilities: Str 21 (+5); Dex 13 (+1); Con 17 (+3); Int 8 (-1); Wis 13 (+1); Cha 6 (-2) Skills: Listen +7 (6 Ranks, +1 Wis); Spot +6 (5 Ranks, +1 Wis), Jump +27 (2 Ranks, +5 Str, +20 Speed Bonus) Feats: Endurance, Run, Diehard, Improved Natural Attack (Hoof)* *Monster Manual Malek had a wealthy life growing up in the town of Millport. His parents were able to provide him with everything he needed to grow up. When the wealth was needed, it even got Malek into a church school where he would learn to be a Paladin. Malek originally wasn’t considered an ideal candidate but the Head of the church, Father Matthews, took a payment from Malek’s parents. Church funds were low and the Head was willing to take bribes to keep it going. Malek also had a childhood friend called Laurence. They were both very competitive towards each other and always trying to better themselves. Laurence also got into the church school but was to be trained a Cleric of Pelor. Laurence and Malek spent six years under the tutelage of Jormas Xerik. During his time there Malek learned the value of protecting others, obeying laws and the services that Pelor can provide if you prove useful to him. Laurence learned about preaching to others and providing help where it is needed. After two years of doing minor chores and missions, Malek and Laurence got their first mission that involved something more exciting. They were to go to the mountain region of Black Spines and find the old Dwarven home of Braidbeard and find an old relic that didn’t belong to the Dwarven god, Moradin. They would be escorted by an Elf called Cardinal. He was sent by his kingdom to clear Braidbeards tomb of the Goblins and Ogres that inhabit it so the Dwarves that moved into the Elven kingdom can return home. It took three days to get to the tomb. They were met with little resistance inside. The further they progressed into the tomb; there were less Goblins and Ogres. More and more corpses appeared. It wasn’t until they got to a church that they realized where all the corpses came from. The church was littered with corpses, and decorated with drapes with the symbol of Tiamat. At the end of the hall was a priest standing next to an altar. Upon the altar was a girl with a sacrificial dagger in her chest. After a quick fight, the priest managed to escape. Realizing that the dagger in the girl’s chest was quite old, Laurence assumed that this must have been the relic they were after and took it with him. When Cardinal realized that the corpses in the church began to move, they quickly left the tomb and began their return home. When they returned to Millport, the group reported to the church immediately to explain what they saw. They were commended for their efforts and rewarded nicely. Malek had received his mount, Mane, as part of his reward. Cardinal decided to stay with his two new friends and they did various missions together for a while. After a while, they received a new mission. Activity appeared in Millport which suggested that one or more dark priests of Tiamat are moving around. They had tracked down the activity to a house close to the center of town. The trio left immediately. The inside of the house was fairly standard compared to other houses. The only thing that was out of place was an open cellar door. As they began to approach the door, as if out of no where, the priest emerged behind Laurence and just touched him lightly on the shoulder with his finger. Laurence collapsed to the ground dead. The priest proceeded to swing his mace and clapped Cardinal in the side of the head, knocking him to the ground. With a great cry, Malek began attacking the priest in anger. The priest did nothing but smile even though his own blood was pouring out from numerous wounds. Once Malek had become worn out, the priest grabbed him by the neck and whispered something in his ear that he didn’t understand: “Vethicaex; Vethilarsek; Majak persuek ekess sjach!” He threw Malek to the ground, picked up Laurence and disappeared in a black puff of smoke. Malek dragged Cardinal out the house and took him back to the church. That night, Malek began having horrible dreams of a five headed dragon consuming him. All throughout the dream, the words that were uttered by the priest repeated constantly. Malek spent many days in his room being consumed by his dreams as his thoughts become twisted. He kept seeing images of Laurence out the corner of his eye. When he did come out, he immediately approach Cardinal and began screaming at him and blaming him for Laurence’s death. Needless to say, their friendship ended and Cardinal returned home. Malek got in all sorts of trouble that day. He took up drinking and enjoyed the services of the brothel and got in many fights. As soon as word hit the church he was kicked out and was excommunicated from Pelor. As the days went by, many more dreams came to him. However, each time the dream came round, he was able to make out some of strange language that was being repeated. He now recognized it as Draconic. As Malek began to change, so did Mane. Over the days, Mane’s hair had turned dark and his eyes seemed to be almost glowing red at night. Mane also became bad tempered and impatient. In one final dream the words were as clear as Common: “My Sword; My Weapon; Give in to shadow!” Malek sprinted out his home and to the house where Laurence had died. The cellar was never checked. He didn’t really know why he was going there or what was even in the cellar, but it was calling him. Without thinking, Malek ran into the house and jumped into the darkness of the cellar. He fell for a while before landing on his feet unharmed. He was in a large cavern illuminated by a dim, red light. Hanging above him was a large stone carving of the heads of Tiamat. In the center of the cavern was the priest with a grin on his face. “Greetings and welcome to my church. I see you have finally embraced the darkness. I give you a choice: Join me and serve the almighty Tiamat or forever spiral into unstoppable madness.” The priest clicked his fingers and beside him appeared Laurence, completely unharmed. On the other side appeared a suit of armour with a red silhouette of the circular symbol of Tiamat. Malek began to approach Laurence, amazed that he is still alive, but as he drew closer he began to feel his sanity slipping away. Laurence began to phase in and out and become distorted. Malek shook his head and cleared his mind of Laurence and grabbed the armour. The priest grinned. It was a couple of years before Malek saw the light of day again. He had spent his time in the church under the town learning about Tiamat and some of the services he provides. He was also given a promise to be taught some new abilities in the future. He was given a mission: to spread the word of Tiamat and to return with aid to take over the town of Millport so it may be used as a base for other worshippers of Tiamat. He was told of a city nearby that had been having trouble with clans of Lizardfolk that lived in strange caves, and that he should seek help there. Adventurers make good help. Laurence: NG Cleric of Pelor - Laurence was Malek's only friend in childhood. He came from a fairly wealthy family as was a decent candidate to become a cleric when entering the school. He constantly competed with Malek and loved to boast about it. Cardinal: CN Ranger - A Sun Elf from the Burning Winds region north of the Black Spines. He was sent by his underground city of Skull Rock to clear out the old dwarven home so the Dwarves that were occupying the Burning Winds region could leave the Elves in peace. Cardinal is totally self absorbed and believes himself to be mostly superior to others and loves to show off when challenged. Jormas Xerik: LG Paladin - A well respected member of Millport and the church of Pelor. He personally trained Malek and Laurence while they were in the school. He was very disappointed to hear that Malek was kicked out of the school and went to confront him about it. Malek shamed him by attacking him and leaving him bleeding on the street floor. The Priest: A man of complete mystery. He orchestrated Malek's fall into darkness right from the very beginning. He talk directly to Tiamat as he is one of many High Priests. Age: 31 Height: 5ft 11 Weight: 185lbs Hair: Black Eyes: Dark Brown Skin: Pale White Although Malek is no longer a Paladin, he still holds some of the Paladin's code to heart. Ever since Laurence's death, he has felt almost compelled to help those in need, but then usually goads them on how weak they are. He typically sees strength as a great virtue over intelligence but doesn't simply rush in head first when encountering a foe. Level 1: Paladin 1 - 10hp; +1 BAB; +2 Fort; Power Attack, Improved Sunder; Aura of Good, Detect Evil, Smite Evil 1/day; Hide(cc) 2, Intimidate(cc) 1, Diplomacy 3, Religion 3 Level 2: Paladin 2 - 5.5hp; +2 BAB; +3 Fort; Divine Grace, Lay on Hands; Ride 1 Diplomacy 1, Religion 1 Level 3: Paladin 3 - 5.5hp; +3 BAB; +1 Will/Ref; Improved Unarmed Strike; Aura of Courage, Divine Health; Hide(cc) 1, Ride 1 Level 4: Paladin 4 - 5.5hp; +4 BAB; +4 Fort; Turn Undead, 1st Level Spells; +1 Strength; Ride 1, Diplomacy 1, Religion 1 Level 5:Paladin 5 - 5.5hp; +5 BAB; Smite Evil 2/day, Special Mount; Hide(cc) 1, Sense Motive 1 Level 6:Paladin 6 - 5.5hp; +6 BAB; +5 Fort, +2 Ref/Will; Cleave; Remove Disease 1/week; Sense Motive 1, Diplomacy 1, Religion 1 Level 7: Paladin 7 - 5.5hp; +7 BAB; Hide(cc) 1, Sense Motive 1 Level 8:Ex-Paladin 7/ Blackguard 1 - 5.5hp; +8 BAB; +7 Fort; Aura of Evil, Detect Good, Poison Use, Smite Good 2/day, Lay on Hands, Fiendish Summoning, Sneak Attack +1d6, 1st Level Spells; +1 Constitution; Intimidate 1, Diplomacy 1, Ride 1 Level 9:Ex-Paladin 7/ Blackguard 2 - 5.5hp; +9 BAB; +8 Fort; Improved Toughness; Dark Blessing, Smite Good 3/day; Intimidate 1, Speak Language (Draconic) 2 Level 10:Ex-Paladin 7/ Blackguard 3 - 5.5hp; +10 BAB; +3 Ref/Will; Aura of Despair, Command Undead, 2nd Level Spells; Intimidate 1, Diplomacy 1, Handle Animal 1 Level 11:Ex-Paladin 7/ Blackguard 4 - 5.5hp; +11 BAB; +9 Fort; Sneak Attack +2d6; Intimidate 1, Handle Animal 2 Level 12: Ex-Paladin 7/ Blackguard 5 - 5.5hp; +12 BAB; Improved Initiative; Smite Good 4/day, Fiendish Servant, 3rd Level Spells; +1 Charisma; Intimidate 1, Handle Animal 2 Level 13:Ex-Paladin 7/ Blackguard 6 - 5.5hp; +13 BAB; +10 Fort, +4 Ref/Will; Intimidate 2, Hide 1 Level 14:Ex-Paladin 7/ Blackguard 7 - 5.5hp; +14 BAB; Sneak Attack +3d6, 4th Level Spells; Intimidate 2, Handle Animal 1 Level 15:Ex-Paladin 7/ Blackguard 8 - 5.5hp; +15 BAB; +11 Fort; Frightful Presence; Intimidate 1, Sense Motive 2 Level 16:Ex-Paladin 7/ Blackguard 9 - 5.5hp; +16 BAB; +5 Ref/Will; +1 Constitution; Intimidate 1, Diplomacy 1, Ride 1 http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y94/altonmsx/RegdarEvil.jpg I think I fudged this one right up. As I was writing up the Level Breakdown I decided to check if I had the right requirements for everything. Low and behold, I didn't fulfil the requirements for Talon of Tiamat and so I had to go with 9 Levels of Blackguard instead of 5 levels and go through my whole sheet and change everything related to those two classes. Just a fair warning that there may be loads of calculation mistakes. Lets not do a level 16 one again please >_<
Zherog 12-20-06, 05:16 PM	You spelled "armor" wrong in several places. :P :P :P
JasonOrlandoHawk 12-20-06, 05:29 PM	Competitor List Updated! I don't think we've got any more entries on the way, but there's still a little time left... Will we actually have 12 entries? And, is 11 entries a record? (I wasn't around in HC1, but I think this is the best response I've seen thus far...)
edwardsobel 12-20-06, 06:12 PM	Galentheous Brindale Leafthorn Wood Elf ranger 10 / Platinum Knight 6 Initial Stats: STR: 12 (4pts) DEX: 14 (6pts) CON: 13 (5pts) INT: 14 (6pts) WIS: 13 (5pts) CHA: 10 (2pts) Final stats: STR: 14 (+2 race) DEX: 20 (+2 race, +4 gloves) CON: 12 (-2 race, +1 Level) INT: 12 (-2 race) WIS: 14 (+1 level) CHA: 12 (+2 level) Languages: Common, Elf, and Draconic Race Wood Elf (Monster manual under Elf heading) Age 134, height 5’ 1”, Weight: 166 lbs Movement base: 30’/x4, (+5’ from armor enhancement) total = 35’/x4 AC: 26 Armor: +7, Shield: +2, Natural: +1, Dex: +3 (Max Dex), +3 (Deflection) HP 91.5 (16d8 +16) Saves: Fort: +15 (+12 base, +1 Con, +1 Cha, +1 Luckstone) Reflex: +14 (+9 base, +3 Dex, +1 Cha, +1 Luckstone) Will: +12 (+8 base, +2 Wis, +1 Cha, +1 Luckstone) Base Attack: +16 Full Attack (Bow) Regular full attack: +25/+20/+15/+10 (1d8+5 +1d6 Electrical; Crit 20/x3 +1d10 Electrical, Range 130’) Full Attack (within 30’): +26/+21/+16/+11 (1d8+6 +1d6 Electrical; Crit 20/x3 +1d10 Electrical, Range 130’) Full Attack (Rapidshot): +25/+25/+20/+15/+10 (1d8+5 +1d6 Electrical; Crit 20/x3 +1d10 Electrical, Range 130’) Full Attack (Rapidshot, within 30’): +26/+26/+21/+16/+11 (1d8+6 +1d6 Electrical; Crit 20/x3 +1d10 Electrical, Range 130’) Full Attack (Manyshot (2 arrows)): +22 (2d8+5 +1d6 Electrical; Crit 20/x3 +1d10 Electrical, Range 130’) Full Attack (Longsword) Full Attack: +20/+15/+10/+5 (1d8 +4 +1d6 fire; Crit 19-20/x2 +1d10 fire) Flametongue ray: +22 (range touch) (4d6 fire; Crit 20/x2; range 30’; 1/day) Skills: Balance: +6 (2 ranks, +5Dex, -2 ACP, +1 luckstone) Climb: +10 (9 ranks, +2 Str, -2 ACP, +1 Luckstone) Craft (bowyer) +6 (4 ranks, +1 Int, +1 luckstone) Diplomacy: +8 (4 ranks, +1 Cha, +2 synergy, +1 luckstone) Handle Animal +7 (5 ranks, +1 Cha, +1 luckstone) Heal: +5 (2 ranks, +2 Wis, +1 luckstone) Hide: +14 (5 ranks, +5 Dex, -2 ACP, +1 luckstone, +5 cloak) Jump: +5 (4 ranks, +2 Str, -2 ACP, +1 luckstone) Know (arcane): +6 (4 ranks, +1 Int, +1 luckstone) Know (geography): +4 (2 ranks, +1 Int, +1 luckstone) Know (nature): +9 (5 ranks, +1 Int, +2 synergy, +1 luckstone) Know (Dragon lore) +7 (5 ranks, +1 Int, +1 luckstone) Listen: +7 (2 ranks, +2 Wis, +2 race, +1 luckstone) Move Silent: +13 (4 ranks, +5 Dex, -2 ACP, +5 Boots, +1 luckstone) Ride: +11 (3 ranks, +5 Dex, +2 synergy, +1 luckstone) Sense Motive: +8 (5 ranks, +2 Wis, +1 luckstone) Spot: +14 (4 ranks, +2 Wis, +2 race, +1 luckstone, +5 eyes of the eagle) Survival: +22 (19 ranks, +2 Wis, +1 luckstone) ACP= Armor Check Penalty Feats: Level 1: Track (ranger), Point blank shot Level 2: Rapid shot (ranger) Level 3: Endurance (ranger), Precise shot Level 6: Manyshot (ranger), Sharpshooter (Complete Adventurer) Level 9: Dragonfriend (Draconomicon) Level 12: Improved Rapid Shot (Complete Warrior) Level 15: Brachiation (Complete Adventurer) Class Abilities: Wild Empathy (1d20+13) Woodland Stride (ranger) Evasion Favored Enemy (ranger level 1: Orc +2) Favored Enemy (ranger level 5: Dragon +2, boost dragon +2) Favored Enemy (ranger level 10: Aberrations +2, boost dragon +2) Totals: Orc: +2, Dragon +6, Aberrations +2 Swift tracker (can move normal speed while tracking no penalty) Bahamut’s Grace (Su): add Cha mod to all saves Smite (evil dragon) (Su): +4 to hit and +12 damage 3x/day Immunity to Frightful Presence (Ex) Platinum Scales (Ex): +1 natural Armor Spellcasting: Caster level 6, Casting stat: Wisdom Spells/day: Level 1: (save Dc 13): 2 Level 2: (save Dc 14): 2 Level 3: (save DC 15): 1 Spells typically prepared: (all in PHB) Level 1: Longstrider, Entangle Level 2: Protection from energy, Speak with plants Level 3: Cure Moderate Wounds Level 1: ranger Feats: track (bonus), Point blank shot (1st level) Skills: 28 pts: Balance (cc): 1 rank, Climb: 4 rank, Diplomacy (cc): 2 ranks, Handle Animal: 4 ranks, Hide: 2 ranks, Knowledge (arcane) (cc), 2 ranks, Knowledge (nature): 2 ranks, Move Silently: 2 ranks, Survival: 4 ranks Favored Enemy: Orc +2 Level 2: Ranger: Feats: Rapid Shot (bonus) Skills: 7 pts: Climb: +1 rank, Diplomacy (cc): +0.5 rank, Handle Animal: +1 rank, Knowledge (Arcane) (cc): +0.5 rank, Knowledge (draconic lore) (cc): +1 rank, Survival: +1 rank Combat Style: Archery Level 3: Ranger Feats: Endurance (bonus), Precise shot Skills: 7 pts: Diplomacy (cc): +0.5 rank, Knowledge (Arcane) (cc): +0.5 rank, Knowledge (nature): 1 ranks, Knowledge (draconic lore) (cc): +1 rank, Move Silently: 1 ranks, Survival: +1 rank Level 4: Ranger Stat boost: +1 Wisdom Skills: 7 pts: Diplomacy (cc): +0.5 rank, Hide: +1 rank, Knowledge (Arcane) (cc): +0.5 rank, Knowledge (nature): 1 ranks, Knowledge (draconic lore) (cc): +1 rank, Survival: +1 rank Level 5: Ranger Favored Enemy: Dragon +4 Skills: 7 pts: Diplomacy (cc): +0.5 rank, Heal: +1 rank, Knowledge (Arcane) (cc): +0.5 rank, Knowledge (nature): 1 ranks, Spot: +2 ranks, Survival: +1 rank Level 6: Ranger Feats: Manyshot (bonus), Sharpshooting (Complete Adventurer) Skills: 7 pts: Climb: +2 ranks, Craft (bowyer/Fletcher): +2 ranks, Ride: +1 rank, Spot: +1 rank, Survival: +1 rank. Animal Companion: Hawk Level 7: Ranger Abilities: Woodland Stride Skills: 7 pts: Balance (cc): +1 rank, Climb: +1 rank, Craft (bowyer/Fletcher): +1 rank, Hide: +1 rank, Listen: +1 rank, Survival: +1 rank Level 8: Ranger Stat Boost: +1 Charisma Abilities: Swift Tracker Skills: 7 pts: Climb: +1 rank, Craft (bowyer/Fletcher): +1 rank, Knowledge (Draconic Lore) (cc): +1 rank, Listen: +1 rank, Move Silently: +1 rank, Survival: +1 rank Level 9: Ranger Feats: Dragonfriend (Draconomicon) Abilities: Evasion Skills: 7 pts: Hide: +1 rank, Jump: +2 ranks, Ride: +2 ranks, Spot: +1 rank, Survival: +1 rank. Level 10: Ranger Favored Enemy: Aberrations +2, Dragon +6 Skills: 7 pts: Jump: +2 ranks, Knowledge (geography): +2 ranks, Knowledge (Draconic Lore) (cc): +1 rank, Survival: +1 rank Level 11: Platinum Knight Abilities: Smite +4 attack/+2 damage 1/day, Immunity Frightful Presence Skills: 3 pts: Sense Motive: +1 rank, Survival (cc): +1 rank Level 12: Platinum Knight Stat Boost: +1 Constitution Abilities: Smite +4 attack/+4 damage Feat: Improved rapid Shot (Complete Warrior) Spellcasting: +1 ranger Spellcasting level Skills: 3 pts: Sense Motive: +1 rank, Survival (cc): +1 rank Level 13: Platinum Knight Abilities: Smite +4 attack/+6 damage 2/day, Platinum Scales (+1 Natural Armor) Skills: 3 pts: Sense Motive: +1 rank, Survival (cc): +1 rank Level 14: Platinum Knight Spellcasting: +1 ranger Spellcasting level, Smite +4 attack/+8 damage 2/day Skills: 3 pts: Sense Motive: +1 rank, Survival (cc): +1 rank Level 15: Platinum Knight Bahamut’s Grace: Cha mod to saves Skills: 3 pts: Sense Motive: +1 rank, Survival (cc): +1 rank Feat: Brachiation Level 16: Platinum Knight Spellcasting: +1 ranger Spellcasting level, Smite +4 attack/+8 damage 2/day Skills: 3 pts: Heal: +1 rank, Survival (cc): +1 rank Stat Boost: +1 Charisma Dragoncraft Armor: Blue Dragon Scalemail +3, Quickness (XPH), Light Fortification, Electricity Resistance 5 (31,050 gp) Dragoncraft Light Shield: Black Dragon +1, animated (Acid Resistance 5) (9,159 gp) Longsword: Flametongue (DMG) (34,715 gp) (boosted to +2) (Flame Tongue: This is a +2 flaming burst longsword. Once per day, the sword can blast forth a fiery ray at any target within 30 feet as a ranged touch attack. The ray deals 4d6 points of fire damage on a successful hit.) “Bow of Brindale” Dragonbone bow: Composite Longbow (Mighty +2 Str bonus) (700gp) +2, Dragon bane (+1), shocking burst (+2) (50,000 gp) Alignment Chaotic good, Int: 13, Wis: 13, Cha: 10 (2,000 gp) Detect magic (at will); Cure Moderate wounds 3/day (10,100gp) Total for bow: 62,800 gp (Intelligent Item pricing in DMG) Scarf of Warmth (Complete Adventurer) 250gp Cloak of Elvenkind (DMG) (2,500 gp) Boots of Elvenkind (DMG) (2,500 gp) Bracers of Archery, Greater (DMG) (25,000 gp) Efficient Quiver (DMG) (1,800 gp) Bracelet of Friends (keyed to Kahlua, Ma-Kar, and Chrissy) (DMG) (19,000 gp) Eyes of the Eagle (DMG) (2,500 gp) Potion Cure Light wounds x4 (200 gp) Wand of Cure Light wounds (50 charges) (750 gp) (reduced because of reduced charges) Luckstone (DMG) (20,000 gp) Gloves of Dexterity +4 (DMG) (16,000 gp) Handy Haversack (DMG) (2,000 gp) Ring of Mind Shielding (DMG) (8,000 gp) Ring of Protection +3 (DMG) (18,000 gp) Arrows (60) (3 gp) Bedroll (0.1 gp) Backpack (2 gp) Waterskin (1 gp) Silk rope 50’ (10 gp) Grapple Hook (1 gp) MW bowyer / Fletcher tools (55 gp) Belt Pouch x2 (2 gp) Hooded lantern (7 gp) Oil flask x2 (0.2 gp) Scroll case (1 gp) Winter blanket (0.5 gp) Tindertwigs x5 (5 gp) Explorer outfit (10 gp) Healer’s Kit (10 uses) (50 gp) Spyglass (1,000 gp) Money remaining: 2,628 gp, 2 sp The trail I followed wound its way along the edge of the dense Elderath Forest. I dared not enter the thick woods without the consent of its inhabitants, The Wild Elves of Elderath. Though the one I was seeking was of their stock the rumor was that He made his abode on its outer edge near the High Merchant Way. I soon found myself approaching a building. It appeared to be a stable and a rather large one A very distinct human construction. “How strange?” I thought to myself, “to find such a construction here.” I approached and discovered there were horses within and a stable boy tending to them. There were no less than 10 horses within and most were equipped for adventurous travel. “Boy!” I called to the stable hand. He approached joyful for another tip to mind a horse, but alas I had no such ride. “Where might I find one called Galen?” I asked him. “Follow the path here sir,” he replied indicating a small narrow path going into the forest. “Just stick to the path and he is in the tavern. Are you here for the Harvest Festival?” He asked. I Thought for a moment and replied “Why yes my boy I had hoped to see an old friend there.” It seemed a shame to lie to the boy like that but there is no need to dampen more spirits than I needed to right now. My mission was clear, to find the one called Galen. I followed the path to a building in the forest far enough from the main road to ensure that it could not be seen through the trees. The sign out front “The Jolly Archer Tavern, No wizards allowed” indicated to me that this was the place. The tavern was decorated in autumn colors and outside several archers prepared their bows and took practice shoots at the targets placed at varying distances. A few glanced toward me curious as to my business here but I paid them no mind. The common room was a busy with activity near the fireplace a lovely human woman tuned her harp as several spectators began to gather. Tending the bar was a dwarf and several kegs stacked behind him all tapped and each filled with different ale from all around the region, or so I can assume. I asked around a bit for the man called Galen. “Galen? Why he is the owner here I’ll fetch him” the barmaid replied without hesitation. Apparently this fellow does not keep a low profile. I took a seat as an elf came from the back, a bloody apron about his waist. Beside him was a strange sight a female elf with a light bluish skin tone and white hair. “An elf of the Northern realms, here?” I thought to myself. Galen shooed her back to the kitchen and approached my table. The elf before me was not very tall of stature as I had presumed he would be, apparently the tales of appearance were a bit exaggerated save only one. The gold color of his skin, it was something that he was not born with and it had a nearly scaly textured look. He was dressed in common clothes no weapon except the knife tucked into the apron string. “I am Galen, why do you seek me?” He asked “A valid question” I replied, “There are rumors of your deeds and I have journeyed a great distance to confirm them. Would you care to answer a few questions for me?” I seemed rather blunt and arrogant but that has always been my nature. “I guess so,” he replied, ‘what do you wish to know?” “You are Elderath blood?” I asked “I was raised of the Elderath ways but I am not of their blood,” he replied, and Galen began his tale. The following is the tale Galen told to me this night: I was raised of the Elderath ways, but I am not of their blood, I am Brindale blood. Yes the same Brindale blood that was supposedly wiped out in the terrible blood wars against the warlord Joshua. My father, Gathorious was among those that managed to flee the carnage into the Elderath forest those many years ago. I was born an identical twin to the name of Galentheous Brindale and my brother, Nith Falor Brindale. We were separated at birth for our protection. I was raised among the Wild Elderathi elves while my brother was taken to the High elven cities. I was given the name Leafthorn in a naming ceremony as I had always found my way to the thorny briarwood as a youth constantly needing rescuing. As is part of the Elderathi way when a young elf comes to a certain age he or she must choose a path, I chose the wanderer path but vowing to return with news of the outside world. I journeys for several years learning the ways of the human world and meeting many of the friends you see here now in this tavern. There is Chrissy, the bard and cleric, a great friend if not a bit flirtatious. And somewhere around here is Ma-Kar a great warrior from the mountains to the west. And of course Klor Kegbreaker over there, tending the bar. I met him in the underground labyrinth during my journeys north. I see you have also noticed Kahlua, my soul mate. She is one of the last of the ice elves far to the north. She is the daughter if the tribe chieftain. I journeyed up north following a dream I had, through the underground labyrinth of the Wyrmsmoke Mountains, which is where I met Klor, and across a vast frozen tundra. We were barely able to survive; the bitter cold was taking its toll on us all when Kahlua and her people rescued us. They lived inside the great ice glacier in vast carved caves. Kahlua was the only one among them that spoke my dialect of the elven tongue, when I had inquired as to how she learned the language she told me that I taught her. Strange I thought, I had never been here nor have I ever seen her before so how could this be? We rested the night is a warm bed and the next day we were visited by my twin, Until that day I never knew he had existed. Nith Falor had sent the message to me in my dream; it was he that summoned us to the icy kingdom. Nith had become a talented wizard and has been seeking me for nearly 5 years. Nith told me that we were separated at birth to protect our bloodline; we are the last of the true Brindale blood. We were separated to keep us hidden from the death hunters that Joshua had sent after our parents all those years ago. Nith told me that here in the northern kingdom of the ice elf clan we were safe from the hunters. Hunters cannot tolerate the cold. There is another reason I journeyed to the north; this area is said to be the birthplace of the elf race and the Ice elves are as close to true elf you can get. All my life to this point I believed we were all true elves but that was not entirely true. But I digress, that is another tale. Hidden somewhere in this winter realm lies the Oracle of arcane energy, an artifact of enormous power. We would need this power to banish the hunter forever and to rid the world of the warlord Joshua. Only true elves can unlock its secret and use its power and for eons that true elves have been the guardians of the Oracle. Nith Falor called for a council of the elven nations and there were representatives of every elf tribe; The Elderathi, the High elves, and even the Drow attended. Yet there was one elf present that I did not recognize, he was an elf with a golden skin and unusual markings on his right arm. Nith found where the oracle lay hidden and all that was needed was the key to open the door. The key was in multiple pieces and each of the elven nations held a piece. I led the negotiations to obtain the pieces from the other nations and all but the Drow agreed. Convincing the Drow to help the elves of the surface was something of a difficult task. Law forbids us to harm any member of any delegation when the elven council is held so another means was needed. I agreed to allow the Drow to accompany us to the resting place of the Oracle but we would need to be wary of his motives and actions, as it was not against the law to see another member in trouble and deny him aid. Also joining us was the gold skinned elf. He was quiet; never speaking to anyone, he seemed more of an observer than an active member of the council. Nith seemed to welcome him as if he was some old friend, but he never spoke of it to me even to this day. So five of us headed out to the Oracle, Nith, Selemar (the Drow), the gold skinned elf, Kahlua, and myself. We journeyed for several days across the frozen wastes with Kahlua guiding us and showing us how to survive the cold environment. This land was nothing like what I was used to, no trees no green fields. I learned a lot from her and each night we shared tales of each other’s world. Kahlua was enticed by my descriptions of the great forests of Elderath and a place where food was abundant and the nights were warm even without a fire. We reached the mouth of a great ice cavern on the eve of the fourth day. An unnatural cold air lingered about the cave. Carefully we entered noticing the smooth ice on the walls as if the entrance was formed by human hands not of natural creation. I noticed Nith conversing with the gold skinned elf; he said that there are markings of a great beast within. Kahlua immediately searched the area for tracks and what she found she could not identify she has never seen such tracks before. I examined what she had found and realized that these were the markings of a dragon, larger than any I have encountered in the forests of Elderath. But why would a dragon be here? At that time I had no idea that dragons were of different colors and climates, all my life only the green dragons of Elderath were all I saw and even those were small no bigger than human wagon. This was something larger.Indeed this was the home to a great White Dragon its enormous size could only mean one thing, a Great Wyrm. The Gold skinned elf broke his silence, he told us that he has trained his whole life in the hunting of great dragons he was a Platinum knight and servant of the great gold dragons. First white, then gold, how many more colors existed? I was soon to find out. We delved deeper into the cave treading carefully on the icy floor until we reached the lair of the beast blocking a huge door of carved wood. A battle ensued claiming the life of Selemar and we drove the beast off Nith had some well placed spells to protect us from the dragon’s icy breath. The gold skinned elf was amazed at first of the dragon’s size I think he has never seen such huge dragon before. We opened the door using all the keys and gained access to the Oracle. Nith used his arcane knowledge to wrestle control of the oracle’s energies and managed to summon forth all the hunters into the icy realm and destroy them. A great magic was unleashed into the world and whole new forms of magic sprang forth. Magic of shadow and powerful truenaming magic as well as Incarnum and many others I could never comprehend. While Nith was engaged with the Oracle I tried to learn about the gold skinned elf, as he seemed quite knowledgeable in dragon kind. He told me his name was Kyrix and that the white dragon we fought was much more than a great Wyrm, he was a member of the dragon council and quite possibly the ranking member of the white Chromatic Council in the island chain known as Io’s Blood. My skill with the bow and Kahlua’s skill with sword may just be what Kyrix was looking for and he asked us both to journey with him to Io’s Blood. I accepted but Kahlua declined. She returned to her father and left with Kyrix bidding a temporary farewell to my twin Nith. I journeyed with Kyrix to the island chain of Io’s blood specifically the Isle of Exaurdon and the City of Gold. Kyrix taught me all of the dragons and draconic lore I learned of the many types of dragons and how the dragons of metallic colors represented good while the chromatic colors represented evil. I learned of Bahamut and Tiamat and the great Council of Wyrms. Much of the non-dragons on the island chain are Vassals or slaves of the various dragon clans. The design was the same for all and had a series of four circles. The color of the circle represented the clan to which you had been pledged. Most never posses more than one colored circle a few may pledge allegiance to two and even less to three or four. To gain the right to bear the color one must perform a great service to that clan and pledge him or herself friend of the draconic order. Kyrix possessed three colors of Gold then Silver and finally Bronze making him a defender and friend of all those three Draconic Orders. The one flaw of the pledging is that your actions are bound by Draconic law and you must answer to any dragon of any color while on any of the blood chain isles. This posed a great dilemma for Kyrix he need to thwart a plan of the red clan to overthrow the council and proclaim himself as council head and plunge the rest of the world into a fiery darkness. I was chosen, along with my companions, by Kyrix to stop this plan. We were not normally permitted on all clan’s isle as it was restricted to dragons only but since we claimed no allegiance yet, we were not bound by that law (or at least to the best of our reasoning) We managed to sneak our way onto the isle at the council meeting and soon, unwittingly, discovered a plot to slay the Gold clan Council members. The slaves of RithRysear, the great red, they possessed magic items provided by TuraceVeiar the great white dragon we battled in the ice cave. The weapons were shards from the oracle crafted into weapons. Chrissy was overwhelmed by the magical aura on the weapons but still managed to inform Kyrix magically of the situation. We engaged the slaves doing our best to not attract the attention of the dragons but Ma-Kar’s battle rage screams wouldn’t allow for that. He never was known for stealth. We managed to defeat the assassins but attracted the Blue Clan Great Wyrm dragon. Using the very weapons intended to kill the Gold dragons were now used to slay the Blue Clan leader. We needed to make a hasty retreat before our discovery and Kyrix arrived just in time to teleport us out. The next day there was rumors abound about the slain dragon and the bodies of Rith’s slaves around it. Apparently he was now accused of slaying a fellow dragon. Rith was sentenced to exile along with several other chromatic dragons. Rith was outraged and summoned forth a great aspect of Tiamat to destroy the council once and for all. Subtlety was no long the course of action. In response the Platinum knights summoned forth an aspect of Bahamut to battle. The summoning was interrupted and we had lost control of the aspect we conjured forth immediately, my companions and myself entered the rune circle of summoning and gained control of the aspect, each controlling a different part of the aspect. Our combined efforts destroyed the Aspect of Tiamat as well as a great Black dragon before the summoning magic had expired. The last of the chromatic dragon plotters were exiled in different parts of the world each vowing revenge. We were all offered a place among the Platinum knights, which I accepted. We were all branded with the marking of dragon friend and in particular the clan of gold dragons. Of course this means that chromatic dragons will be hunting us but it is something we must live with. I returned to the Ice elf home to meet with Kahlua on more time only to find TuraceVeiar, the great White Dragon, had abducted her. Now armed with the pieces of the Oracle we tracked her down and slew TuraceVeiar. We returned the shards of the Oracle and discovered that the shards were a part of the Oracle’s essence and upon restoring the Oracle to completeness we had given it sentient life. Our efforts were rewarded; each with an item infused with the oracle’s essence, for me, the Bow of Brindale. Kahlua and I were wed and we returned to the Elderath forest where we are today. All of us decided to establish this tavern and inn as a place for adventurers to stay and share tales of their exploits. Which brings me to my question to you good sir, why have you come seeking me?
Avalon® 12-20-06, 06:12 PM	It's the British spelling. Be thankful it wasn't ARMOIRE. :hint: :D
TheChilliGod 12-20-06, 06:59 PM	Lets get the formalities over with first: On behalf of JasonOrlandoHawk, I declare the entering stage of Hero Craftsman #5 closed. Please say I got it right this time! Now begins the extremely rewarding and happy process of judging all the entries and picking the cream from the crop. As mentioned somewhere, we make it an aim to have all judging done and scores given to all contestants by New Years Day. This is a new record of entries for Hero Craftsman (not surprising, considering the rising trend), and combined with the high level of the competition, methinks we'll need every last day we can spare. :D Edit: Note that you can still submit your entries if you wish, but they will not be (formally) judged. You are also free to comment on the work of others behind the judge's backs, as has been done throughout the competition. Oh, and I call bags, dibs and shotguns on the coordination for next HC. Just so nobody else fights over it. :P
Kit_the_Odd 12-20-06, 07:14 PM	Jethro Garthronson is half-battledragon. His father, Garthron, allied with a group of humans during a war against a demon-led invasion the Material Plane. This village was one of the strongholds of good in his area of responsibility. Garthron came to admire these people and love one of the village women in particular, Feliciana. She was one of the sages of the village, a group dedicated to learning and wisdom. Unlike some of her peers, however, Feliciana was realistic and practical and not afraid to take up arms in defense of her people. She was instrumental in the success of several missions against the invaders due to her careful planning and personal courage in battle. Jethro was born both as a part of the love between his parents as a gift to his village from his father. Garthron wanted to give this people he liked some of his strength and abilities even when he was not there. Jethro was raised as any of the other have children would have been. But the basic fact of his parentage and the gifts he had because of it directed him early to embrace his responsibility as a protector and leader of his people. His mother made sure this didn’t lead to problems, however, reminding him that a true leader is a servant of his people and that the responsibility runs from him to them, not the people to the leader. Garthron returned when he could to check on the village and teach the boy. Learned well and was liked and respected throughout the village. Great things were expected of him. Jethro’s first battle came when he was only 14. A band of goblins attacked the village. While he was not the most effective fighter that day his ability to rally the people was helpful, and his size and strength allowed him to be a bigger help than expected for one of his young age using a longsword two-handed. His father returned shortly after that for a visit. He was pleased with the actions of his son, but felt it was important for him to improve his fighting skills. So dad instructed Jethro in the techniques of harnessing his inner fury and sent him from the house of the sages to house of the warriors. One of the first things he learned from the warriors was how to use a greatsword, which allowed Jethro to use his great strength to even better advantage. His skill and experience with battle grew, and with his natural gifts he was able to spend time with the sages as well as the warriors for many years. During this time he grew from a young man of great gifts and potential to a great leader among his people. He helped defend the village many times as well as going with the warriors when they fought elsewhere. On one occasion he and a small group of other were asked to go on a special mission by his father to recover an artifact from a ruined castle. The invasion that had brought his father to the village in the first place had been beaten back year ago, but the war was not over. The forces of evil were still strong and aggressive. The ongoing war came to a conclusion around the time that Jethro turned 22. He and the rest of his warriors were instrumental in helping to win the war. They were sent to infiltrate the enemy lines and attack the headquarters the night before his father would attack with the rest of the army. While Jethro and his crew did not succeed in killing all of the enemy leaders the killed several and, in fact, not all of the crew escaped with their lives. But they caused enough confusion to make the overall attack successful. After the war the village was still under threat from a tribe of ogres. Jethro gathered a group of other villagers and attacked them. They all but wiped out the marauding ogres and drove the rest away in terror. With the end of the war and stopping the raids Jethro’s village entered and period of peace and prosperity. Unfortunately, Jethro had inherited the battledragon need for combat and soon became restless. The villagers saw this but loved him and encouraged him to stay. His mother, however, saw how this ate at him and one night told him that he should go. She told him that she loved him, and would miss him, but that part of loving him was letting him be who he was. He thanked her tearfully. Jethro left a week later, fully armed and provisioned, to the cheers and good wishes of the entire village. Since that time, Jethro has been what might be termed a wandering knight-errant. While he is perfectly willing to be hired to fight, his prime motivation is seeking battle against evil. Having the village to go back to means that he is unlikely to find it necessary to take any job to survive, which lets him choose where he goes and who he fights. While Jethro has fought in many places, both for money and for principle, he is especially willing to take part is fights against evil outsiders and ogres, remembering the devastation they caused his people years ago. He also loves to fight evil dragons, when he feels capable of winning. After all, he may love combat but he’s not suicidal. Plus much of his best gear has come from dragon hoards. Jethro has also worked with his father on at least one occasion. As a 30th birthday present Garthron took his son with him to fight an ancient blue dragon. Not only did this fight give Jethro his current sword, it was also quite a father-son bonding experience. Recently his younger half-brother, Petroth, (a full-blooded battle dragon) joined him at the request of their father. He is to teach his brother as well as look after him. His father fully understands the dangers and difficulties of Jethro’s life but he wants Petroth to gain the experience that come from that type of life. He feels it is the best way to help both his sons be all they can be. And if they should fall in the line of duty? Well, they all know that few battledragons die in their sleep…or alone. Jethro Garthronson - male half-battledragon Barbarian5/Bard4/Fighter4 Str - 25 (+7) Dex - 18 (+4) Con - 22 (+6) Int - 12 (+1) Wis - 10 (+0) Cha - 14 (+2) hp -149 AC - 30 (10 + 6armor + 3shield + 4Dex + 4Nat.Armor + 3deflect(ring)) Touch - 17, FF - 30 ASF - 15% (shield, bard spells in Light armor = no asf) Init +4 Speed - 50ft/x4 Fort - 18 (9 + 6Con + 3magic(vest)) Ref - 13 (6 + 4Dex + 3magic(vest)) Will - 9 (6 + 3magic(vest)) BAB +12/+7/+2 Grapple +19 Melee +19/+14/+9 Range +16/+11/+6 Common Attacks: (Weapons not commonly used not listed here) +1 Keen Adamantine Greatsword of Speed (+21/+21/+16/+11, 2d6+13+1d6elect, 17-20/x2) Masterwork Composite Longbow (+5Str) (+17/+12/+7, 1d8+5, 20/x3) Claws (+19, 1d4+3), Bite (+19, 1d6+7) Breath Weapon - 30 ft cone of sonic - 6d8 damage - DC 16 Reflex save Special Half-Dragon Abilities: Darkvision 60ft Immune: sleep & paralysis effects, sonic Barbarian Abilities: Fast Movement: +10ft in med. armor or less Rage: 4/day, +4Str, +4Con, +26hp, +2 morale bonus to Will saves, -2 AC, lasts 11 rounds Uncanny Dodge Imp. Uncanny Dodge: only flanked by 9th level or higher rogue Trap Sense: +1 to Refex saves and AC vs. Traps Bard Abilities: Cast Bard spells in Light armor or less w/o ASF Bardic Knowledge: 1d20+5 Bardic Music: 4/day, countersong, fascinate, Inspire Courage(+1), Inspire Competance Bard Spells Known: 0-Detect Magic, Ghost Sound, Light, Mage Hand, Mending, Prestidigitation 1-Cure Light Wounds, Expeditious retreat, Inspirational Boost 2-Mirror Image, Whirling Blade Bard Spells/day: 3/3/1 Feats: Power Attack Cleave Extra Rage Great Cleave Combat Reflexes Weapon Focus (Greatsword) Weapon Specialization (Greatsword) Ironskin Chant Dragon Cohort Skills: Climb +8 (3 ranks + 7 Str - 2 ACP) Concentration +18 (12 ranks + 6 Con) Diplomacy +6 (4 ranks + 2 Cha) Handle Animal +3 (1 rank + 2 Cha) Hide +4 (2 ranks + 4 Dex - 2 ACP) Intimidate +10 (8 ranks +2 Cha) Jump +19 (2 ranks + 7 Str + 2 syn(Tumble) + 8 speed) Knowldge(arcana) +3 (1 rank +2 Int) Know(history) +3 (1 rank +2 Int) Know(local) +3 (1 rank +2 Int) Know(religion) +3 (1 rank +2 Int) Listen +10 (10 ranks) Move Silently +4 (2 ranks + 4 Dex - 2 ACP) Perform(sing) +14 (12 ranks +2 Cha) Ride +5 (1 rank + 4 dex) Survival +2 (2 ranks) Swim +4 (1 rank + 7 Str - 4 ACP(doubled)) Tumble +13 (11 ranks + 4 Dex -2 ACP) Use magic Device +14 (12 ranks +2 Cha) Jethro is a very large man with metalic scales and a draconish head. There is a definate air of potential violence around him despite his friendly demeanor. This is especially pronounced when he smiles and laughs, because despite the obvious happiness and mirth it shows his large and sharp teeth. Jethro is a friendly and outgoing guy who just happens to stand taller than almost anyone else, is rippling with muscles, has claws and sharp teeth, and enjoys deadly combat. He is very loyal to friends and he makes a very pointed distinction between and opponent and an enemy. Opponents are treated with honor on and off the battle field and are given the opportunity to surrender, if possible. Enemies are eliminated as completely and quickly as possible, and utterly without mercy. (All prices in gp unless otherwise noted) Ring of Evasion 25000 Ring of Feather Fall 2200 (not normally worn unless in an area with great potential for falling) Boots of Striding & Springing 5500 Jumping Caltrops 150 Heward's Handy Haversack 2000 Armor breastplate 55900 Weapon 75350 Ring of Protection 3 18000 Vest of Resistance 3 9000 Amulet of Health +4 16000 Belt of Giant Strength +4 32000 Gloves of Dexterity +2 4000 animated +1 heavy steel shield 9170 Wand of CLW 750 MW Composite LB +5 400 50 arrows 2.5 MW Greatclub 305 MW Longspear 305 MW Dagger 302 walking stick (Quarterstaff) 0 Handaxe 6 Bedroll 1sp Bell 1 Winter Blanket 5sp Chalk (1 piece) 1cp Crowbar 2 Fishhook 1sp Flask 3cp Flint & Steel 1 Grappling Hook 1 Mirror 10 50 ft Slik Rope 10 3 Waterskins 3 Whetstone 2 Tanglefoot bag 50 Explorer's Outfit (free at 1st Level) Climbing Kit 80 Cash - 3498gp 76cp Father - Garthron - Ancient Battledragon Brother/cohort - Petroth - Young Battle Dragon Mom - Feliciana & Village people Friend - Barthis - male halfling rogue 15 - an adventurer Jethro has worked with before Friend - Lambdalin - female elf wizard 17 - another former teammate Contact - Theofolis - male human innkeeper - proprietor of The Dancing Dragon, Jethro's favorite inn and tavern Str - 12 + 8(half-dragon) + 1(Lvl.12) + 4(item) Dex - 16 + 2(item) Con - 14 + 2(half-dragon) + 1(Lvl.4) + 1(Lvl.8) + 4(item) Int - 10 + 2(half-dragon) Wis - 10 Cha - 12 + 2(half-dragon) 1-Bard1 2-Barbarian1 3-Fighter1 4-Bard2 5-Barbarian2 6-Fighter2 7-Bard3 8-Bard4 9-Barbarian3 10-Barbarian4 11-Fighter3 12-Fighter4 13-Barbarian5
Kit_the_Odd 12-20-06, 07:19 PM	Oh Crap! Not only did my holiday vacation screw up my ability to finish and get my entry in, it also screwed up my calculations for the finish time, I thought about another hour! (Stinking vacations that cross time zones.) I will plead with the judges to take pity on me and allow my entry into the competition. But especially with the already large number of entries I will understand completely if you choose not to. Even if you don't allow my entry into the competition I would appreciate any comments. Thanks for your time and effort. (Is there a butt-kissing smiley?) Let this be a lesson to you(me), don't procrastinate. Especially if you know you might have problems around entry time. Edit: I just noticed allowing my entry would make a total of 13 entries. Make of that what you will.
Zherog 12-20-06, 08:35 PM	You got the time conversion right this time, Chilli. Well, you were a minute early - but I'll forgive you this time. :D
JasonOrlandoHawk 12-20-06, 09:06 PM	Edwardsobel, Your character has been added to the competitor list. Good to see you back. You've brought the official tally of contestants up to 12, which was the number I was hoping to see. ________________________________________ ___________ Kit the Odd, The judges are deciding your case, and we'll have an answer for you soon. Even if you're not considered for (formal) judging, you will however recieve feedback since you did take the time to create a character. ________________________________________ ___________ Everyone in General, Wow, we really had a great response this time around. My actual goal was 12 entries, and we hit that right at the buzzer. As Chilli stated, the goal we have set is to give a report by New Year's. However, it is the Christmas season, so no promises can be made. We will give our best effort, but if it takes longer, know that we tried. Let me offer thanks to everyone who competed. I have browsed almost every character, and I can already tell that this will be a tight race for the Gold. Thank you for your time and effort. This has already been an enjoyable competition. And now... I shall pay dearly for all that time I wasn't getting a head start on judging!!! God Bless You! Merry Christmas! JasonOrlandoHawk
Zherog 12-20-06, 09:13 PM	So... are scores done yet? :schemes:
AmericanYeti 12-20-06, 09:19 PM	Crap! Can I still enter and get judged, just not qualify for an award? Please?:bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow:
JasonOrlandoHawk 12-20-06, 09:27 PM	So... are scores done yet? :schemes: No. Crap! Can I still enter and get judged, just not qualify for an award? Please? Go ahead and submit your character. The official decision on late-comers is still undecided, so I can't promise that you'll qualify for an award, but the judges will at least provide feedback.
JasonOrlandoHawk 12-20-06, 10:56 PM	Kit_the_Odd & American Yeti, The final decision is this: The deadline stands. Characters submitted after the deadline will recieve comments, but will not recieve a score or have their character ranked (1st, 2nd, etc...) when final tallies are released. We are, however, willing to provide comments, feedback, and suggestions. So, American Yeti, if you post your character, you can at least get some feedback on the work that you've done. In fact, anyone who would like to submit a character may still do so (for feedback), but it will not be scored. Still, thank you for taking the time to submit a character. I do promise to give you feedback since you did take the time to submit a character. JasonOrlandoHawk
FRRC 12-21-06, 05:12 AM	You spelled "armor" wrong in several places. :P :P :P You spelled "armour" wrong. :P
JasonOrlandoHawk 12-21-06, 09:50 AM	You spelled "armour" wrong. :P :clap:
Zherog 12-21-06, 10:52 AM	Chilli - add me to your list of judges for HC6.
Zherog 12-21-06, 10:56 AM	And, is 11 entries a record? (I wasn't around in HC1, but I think this is the best response I've seen thus far...) HC1 had six entries. *** I expect to post comments on characters next week. They won't be nearly as detailed as the comments I post when I judge, though. If anybody has any comments about my character - good or bad - I'd love to read what you have to say.
Far_Traveler 12-21-06, 01:29 PM	:cheer: Judge, Judge, Judge the masses of entries! :cheer:
Magocrat 12-21-06, 01:43 PM	Actually, JasonOrlandaHawk, I'm far from confident. I just thought that you could actually volunteer for the job. Ah well, not that I'm anywhere near skilled enough to judge for a contest of this scale anyway. :rolleyes: And to everyone, the best of luck, and I hope that your characters get the score that they deserve (which they most certainly will). Kit_the_Odd and AmericanYeti, I'm sorry that your characters couldn't get judged, and I hope that you'll be there when the next contest starts. Your enthusiasm would most certainly be appreciated in the Hero Craftsman. May the best character win!
AmericanYeti 12-21-06, 04:30 PM	Roscoe Hillclimber ECL 16 Race Adult Male Halfling Build Rogue 2/Fighter 4/Dragonstalker 2 Height – 3’11” Weight – 53 lbs Age – 32 Deities – Chronepsis, Astilabor CN Size/Type Small humanoid Init +4; Languages – Common, Draconic, Halfling Senses Listen +3, Spot +7, Darkvision 60-feet Str 10 (12 Base, -2 Racial) Dex 24 (15 Base, +2 Racial, +1 at Level 4, +6 Enchantment) Con 14 (14 Base) Int 12 (12 Base) Wis 16 (14 Base, +1 at Level 8, +1 at Level 16) Cha 11 (8 Base, +1 at Level 12, +2 Enchantment) AC 29 (+7 Dex, +3 Natural Armor, +2 Armor, +5 Deflection, +1 Insight) touch 24 (+7 Dex, +5 Enchantment, +1 Insight) flat-footed 22 (+3 Natural, +2 Armor, +5 Deflection, +1 Insight) hp 110 (16 HD) Resist +2 morale bonus on saves against fear, +1 racial bonus on attack rolls with thrown weapons or slings Melee +16/+11/+6 (d4+1/17-20x2, Dragonslasher) Ranged +25/+25/+20/+15 (d6+d6 [Cold]+2/19-20x3, Elgoth’s Bane) OR +29/+29/+24/+19 (5d6+d6 [Cold]+4/19-20x3, Elgoth’s Bane vs. Dragons) Base Atk +15/+10/+5; Grp +11 Atk Options – Sneak Attack+1d6, Sneak Attack (Dragons)+10d6, Ignore Natural Armor (3/day), Blind-Fight, Dodge Fort +12 (+9 Base, +2 Ability, +1 Racial) Ref +17 (+12 Base, +4 Ability, +1 Racial) Will +15 (+9 Base, +3 Ability, +2 Synergy, +1 Racial) Speed 20 ft. (4 squares) Special Qualities – Trapfinding, Evasion, Hunting Bonus, Dragonstrike Special Abilities – Hide Scent, Foil Blindsense Combat Gear Wand of Cure Moderate Wounds Skills Craft (Taxidermy)+5 (+4 Ranks, +1 Ability) Bluff+6 (+6 Ranks, 0 Ability) Climb+5 (+3 Ranks, 0 Ability, +2 Racial) Diplomacy+4 (+4 Ranks, 0 Ability) Escape Artist+11 (+4 Ranks, +7 Ability) Gather Information+6 (+6 Ranks, 0 Ability) Hide+40 (+19 Ranks, +7 Ability, +4 Size, +10 Enchantment) Intimidate+7 (+7 Ranks, 0 Ability) Knowledge (Arcana)+5 (+4 Ranks, +1 Ability) Knowledge (Local)+5 (+4 Ranks, +1 Ability) Move Silently+37 (+18 Ranks, +7 Ability, +2 Racial, +5 Enchantment, +5 Competence) Open Lock+12 (+4 Ranks, +7 Dex, +1 Equipment) Search+5 (+4 Ranks, +1 Ability Spot+7 (+4 Ranks, +3 Ability) Survival+13 (+10 Ranks, +3 Ability) Feats Blind Fight Dodge Improved Critical (Longbow) Iron Will Mobility Point Blank Shot Precise Shot Track Weapon Focus (Longbow) Magic Items Combat Gear (4,500 gp) Elgoth’s Bane (+2 Longbow w/Dragonbane, Frost, Speed) (72,375 gp) Dragonslasher (+1 Keen Longsword, 8,315) Ring of Protection+5 (50,000 gp) 2 Immovable Rods (6,000 gp) +6 Gloves of Dexterity (36,000) Goggles of Night (12,000 gp) Ioun Stones (Dusty Rose, Pink and Green) (13,000 gp) Bottle of Air (7,250 gp) +1 Dragonhide Padded Armor w/Improved Shadow, Silent Moves (19,360 gp) Ring of Feather Falling (2,200 gp) Two Flasks of Unguent of Timelessness (300 gp) Decanter of Endless Water (9,000 gp) +3 Amulet of Natural Armor (18,000 gp) Boots of Elven Kind (2,500 gp) Mundane Equipment 4 Sunrods (8 gp) 3 Smokesticks (60 gp) Backpack (2 gp) Bedroll (1 sp) Crowbar (2 gp) Flint and Steel (1 gp) Grappling Hook (1 gp) Masterwork Manacles (50 gp) Two Pitons (2 sp) 10 days of Trail Rations (5 gp) 100 ft of Silk Rope (20 gp) 3 Vials of Antitoxin (150 gp) Masterwork Thieves Tools (100 gp) Explorer’s Outfit (10 gp) 3 Ponies (90 gp) Riding Saddle (10 gp) 3 Brits/Bridles (9 gp) Wagon (35 gp) Money 346 Gold Pieces 7 Silver Pieces Level 1 – Rogue 1: Bluff+4, Escape Artist+4, Gather Information+4, Hide+4, Knowledge (Local)+4, Move Silently+4, Search+4, Open Lock+4, Spot+4 (36 Skill Points), Track (Level 1), Sneak Attack+d6, Trapfinding, +8 hp Level 2 – Fighter 1: Climb+3 (3 Skill Points), Point Blank Shot (Fighter Bonus Feat), +8 hp Level 3 – Rogue 2: Gather Information+1, Hide+2, Knowledge (Arcana)+1 (Cross Class), Move Silently+2, Search+2 (9 Skill Points), Dodge, Evasion, +7 hp Level 4 – Fighter 2: Intimidate+1, Knowledge (Arcana)+1(Cross Class) (3 Skill Points), Weapon Focus (Longbow) (Fighter Bonus Feat), +1 Dex, +7 hp Level 5 – Fighter 3: Intimidate+1, Knowledge (Arcana)+1 (Cross Class) (3 Skill Points), +8 hp Level 6 – Fighter 4: Intimidate+1, Knowledge (Arcana)+1 (Cross Class) (3 Skill Points), Mobility (Level 6), Blind Fight (Fighter Bonus Feat), +7 hp Level 7 – Dragonstalker 1: Gather Information+1, Hide+4 (5 Skill Points), Hunting Bonus, +6 hp Level 8 – Dragonstalker 2: Hide+1, Survival+4 (5 Skill Points), Sneak Attack (Dragon)+2d6, +1 Wisdom, +7 hp Level 9 – Dragonstalker 3: Hide+1, Move Silently+2, Survival+2 (5 Skill Points), Improved Critical (Longbow), Ignore Natural Armor (1/day), +6 hp Level 10 – Dragonstalker 4: Hide+1, Move Silently+2, Survival+2 (5 Skill Points), Sneak Attack (Dragon)+4d6, +7 hp Level 11 – Dragonstalker 5: Bluff+2, Craft (Taxidermy)+2, Hide+1, (5 Skill Points), Hide Scent, +6 hp Level 12 – Dragonstalker 6: Craft (Taxidermy)+2, Intimidate+2, Hide+1 (5 Skill Points), Iron Will, Sneak Attack (Dragon)+6d6, +1 Charisma, +7 hp Level 13 – Dragonstalker 7: Intimidate+2, Hide+1, Move Silently+2 (5 Skill Points), Ignore Natural Armor (2day), +6 hp Level 14 – Dragonstalker 8: Diplomacy+4, Hide+1 (5 Skill Points), Sneak Attack (Dragon)+8d6, +7 hp Level 15 – Dragonstalker 9: Hide+1, Move Silently+4 (5 Skill Points), Precise Shot, Foil Blindsense, +6 hp Level 16 – Dragonstalker 10: Hide +1, Move Silently+2, Survival+2, Dragonstrike, Sneak Attack (Dragon)+10d6, +1 Wisdom, +7 hp Background Roscoe Hilltopple was born in the small Halfling town of Riverton to the Mayor, Elmer Hilltopple and his wife Amaryllis. For the first sixteen years of his life, Roscoe was a typical sheltered snob. He spent his days sitting on his estate shooting small birds with a fine bow that had been discovered in a cave the very first Hilltopple, Weston. Then, when Roscoe was seventeen, he decided that he was bored at his fine estate in Riverton. He moved to the larger, Human city of Impera, bringing only a suitcase full of clothing and his bow, where he promptly fell flat on his face. Not knowing how to survive on his own, but to proud to ask his father for help, Roscoe soon became a petty criminal, living day by day. After about a year, he attracted the attention of a gang whose territory he had been stealing on: The fearsome Bloodfist gang. Too good to ignore, but not quite good enough to recruit, Roscoe was in quite a situation. For the next month, Roscoe became a decent, if not great fighter while fending off Bloodfist enforcers at every turn. After he had killed one of their most feared hitmen through sheer guile, Roscoe was forced to leave the city and flew to the Fang Mountains to the north of Impera. There, he met a creature that he had heard of in his studies, but had never seen: a dragon. This one was bright silver, a hundred feet tall and undeniably beautiful. The dragon, named Maekrix, was kind and gentle with Roscoe and took him into a gargantuan cavern where Roscoe learned to speak the language of the Dragons as well as their history and physiology. After three months with Maekrix, a great red dragon flew over their mountain home. This beast, Elgoth, had been forced out of his own mountain hoard by vengeful dwarves. He soon spotted Maekrix and Roscoe’s hideout and swooped down to examine it. Maekrix flew out and the two battled to the death. Elgoth struck a killer blow, defeating Maekrix as the titans plummeted to the mountainside. Elgoth landed directly in front of Roscoe, who had watched the entire battle from below. Roscoe pulled out his bow and aimed it at the mortally wounded dragon in front of him. When he pulled the string back, the bow seemed to fire itself and a speeding ball of pure cold impacted Elgoth in the eye, going straight through into his brain. The arrow killed him instantly as the bow surged with power, finally identifying itself as a dragon-killer. Roscoe ran to his friend, Maekrix, but it was too late. The noble dragon had died. In a rage, Roscoe desecrated the corpse of Elgoth, cutting out all of his teeth and shearing his hide. He sat up on the mountainside for many days, praying to Chronepsis, the Dragon God of Fate. After three weeks of meditation, Roscoe went back to Impera, and requested that the materials taken from Elgoth be made into a suit of armor and his fang into a sword. Also, he made an earring out of one of the smaller teeth. When the Bloodfists came after him, Roscoe showed them what he had learned with Maekrix, killing eight of the ten assassins and sending one of them back missing his fifth limb. He had earned the Bloodfist’s respect. He soon started selling his services as a mercenary, mainly for assassinations, but his specialty was troublesome dragons. After having been saved by a dragon, Roscoe turned his fury back on them. He believed that if a dragon could kill someone like Maekrix, then they were all bad. He collected trophies from all his fallen foes, including a preserved dragon eye that he wears around his neck with the string made scales, one from every dragon he’s killed (one Gold, one Red, three Whites, two Blacks, one Blue and three Coppers). Lately, he’s been seen skulking around a forest west of Impera. Personality/Physical Qualities Roscoe is fiercely possessive, partially because he was raised a noble and partially because he has had quite a bit taken from him. He hangs on to everything, never wanting to go to sleep hungry again or to not even have a place to sleep. Roscoe still retains some of that noble-like snobbish behavior, occasionally ordering people around or judging them. He is of average size and build for a hobbit, perhaps a little bit more muscular, but he is lithe and when he walks, you can see an almost magical fluidity to his step. His face, which used to be quite handsome, is covered in scars. He wears Elgoth's armor constantly and always wears his fang earring.
Far_Traveler 12-21-06, 06:05 PM	Actually, JasonOrlandaHawk, I'm far from confident. I just thought that you could actually volunteer for the job. Ah well, not that I'm anywhere near skilled enough to judge for a contest of this scale anyway. :rolleyes: And to everyone, the best of luck, and I hope that your characters get the score that they deserve (which they most certainly will). Kit_the_Odd and AmericanYeti, I'm sorry that your characters couldn't get judged, and I hope that you'll be there when the next contest starts. Your enthusiasm would most certainly be appreciated in the Hero Craftsman. May the best character win! There there mago, I believe in yo- HA! Couldn't say it. But seriously, let the best dragon(guard) win.
JasonOrlandoHawk 12-21-06, 07:21 PM	American Yeti, Even though your character will not be eligible for a medal, Roscoe has been added to the list, and will recieve comments and suggestions. Thank you for taking time to submit your character. JasonOrlandoHawk
AmericanYeti 12-22-06, 02:40 PM	Thanks a lot. Stupid life, interrupting with my stuff.
jennibert 12-22-06, 07:44 PM	Just want to wish the judges lots of fun judging the competition! I've been really busy, so I haven't had time to do much more than read backgrounds (always my favorite part), and not even for everyone, but it looks like the competition is pretty stiff this time! Oh, and for what it's worth, I'm probably going to bow out of judging HC#6 because, by my calculations, the judging will come up about the time that school starts, and I'll be so busy selling textbooks I won't be able to think. And I am so glad I didn't judge this one also--there's no way I'd have time to judge 12 entries! Good luck to everyone!
Far_Traveler 12-22-06, 09:46 PM	I'm really anxious for those scores... Dogma for president
Magocrat 12-23-06, 03:09 PM	Dogma for president Not to come down on you like a ton of bricks, but that's the second time that I've noticed you've commercialized your own character. I really think that would affect how the judges would judge your character in a negative way. (By the way, why couldn't you say that you believe in me?) Anyways, could the judges give us a heads-up on how far they are with judging the entries? Of course, the judges may just say "No." Luckily, the forum requires posts to be at least three characters in length. :D
FRRC 12-23-06, 03:30 PM	It usually takes a week for judges to post results but its Christmas so they may be later or sooner if they wish to rush it before the day.
Zherog 12-23-06, 04:23 PM	In past contests it takes me an average of somewhere between 90 minutes and 2 hours per entry. I'd wager this one would take longer, though, due to the character level. There's more math to check, more pre-reqs to investigate, etc. That doesn't really give you any inkling as to how far along the judges are; but it might give you an idea as to the effort that goes into judging.
TheChilliGod 12-23-06, 05:59 PM	It's been, what, three days now? four? Argh, fudg'it, I've only gotten through three entries. And there's only a week to go. Which means that I'm 0.5 of an entry behind schedule. Well, that's it. I'm making some sort of resolution to get through at least two more by the day's end, so that I have some peace for X-mas. The normal sorts of entries, this time, are taking me about two hours apiece. But, lord, these backgrounds... Okay, add an extra hour and a dead kitten for every long background I come across. Meaning that I've currently spent 8 hours and two kittens. Okay, I've got to get back to work now. **I wonder what's on TV...** ;)
FRRC 12-23-06, 06:38 PM	Kittens are an important part of the judging process.
JasonOrlandoHawk 12-23-06, 08:26 PM	My judging process goes in phases: Phase One: I browse over every entry w/o checking for errors and/or grading so that I can see the "big picture" for every character. Phase Two: I actually grade the characters. I have completed Phase One for each entry (which took longer than normal... something about excessively long backgrounds...), but I've only actually graded one entry. I am estimating that I'll probably complete 2 or 3 by tommorrow evening, and MAYBE one on Christmas day (if I'm lucky). That leaves me somewhere in the neighborhood of 8 characters to grade by next Friday after the festivities are over. (Luckily, school's out at the moment, so that should be easy enough.) The average grading time for me is 3 & 1/2 hours so far. Granted... I've only graded one character. Still, one character... 3 & 1/2 hours...
Far_Traveler 12-23-06, 09:09 PM	Not to come down on you like a ton of bricks, but that's the second time that I've noticed you've commercialized your own character. I really think that would affect how the judges would judge your character in a negative way. (By the way, why couldn't you say that you believe in me?) Anyways, could the judges give us a heads-up on how far they are with judging the entries? Of course, the judges may just say "No." Luckily, the forum requires posts to be at least three characters in length. :D Both times I was more or less joking. In retrospect, neither time was very funny. I apologize. Including the taunting you.
Magocrat 12-24-06, 08:41 AM	Apologies accepted. Meh, I think it happens to everyone every now and then, so really, don't feel too bad about it. Anyways, may I suggest that we move this discussion to the Hero Craftsman Suggestions and Comments thread that Zherog made, to leave this thread for stuff that has to do with this Hero Craftsman? It might be a bit useless now, but if we do it the next competition, we'll have a nice and tidy thread for the competition, and a rampant chaos of a thread for the discussions. :D
JasonOrlandoHawk 12-24-06, 09:20 AM	I don't mind if you all keep the discussion going here. It just means that I won't have to dig up this thread a week from now after it gets buried due to a lack of responses.
bhu 12-24-06, 03:33 PM	Well being that you dont mind if we keep the thread going I feel it fair that I should warn you that Jim the Bard shal be a running joke in every characters background that I make for these contests. :D
FRRC 12-24-06, 05:24 PM	Well so far in every history I've written, its had a reference to my character from the previous competition. My first character, Meros (Gladiator), was mentioned in the History of Serrak (Monk) and the caves that Serrak and the other tribes lived in were mentioned in the history of Malek (Dragon)
Magocrat 12-25-06, 03:43 PM	Hey, that gives me a good idea! Maybe it's a nice character building technique to give your current character a previous character as an idol, or maybe an idol whose ideals are derived from those of previous characters. That might help flesh out a character with something you already have a lot of knowledge of. Otherwise, consider this an innocent bump. :D
jennibert 12-26-06, 10:21 PM	References to other characters are always fun. Whether you make them, or the DM does. Actually, the character I entered here is kinda sorta the alternate reality stepfather of the character I entered in the first HC competition...I had her mother lying around as a character for a very long time before I got to play her and kept coming up with additional places for her to fit beyond the campaign for which she was intended. The thread was too far down the page. So I bumped:)
FRRC 12-27-06, 09:06 AM	My goal in all these competitions is to not come last. I'm happy if that happens :P
Magocrat 12-27-06, 02:06 PM	Wait, so you're happy when you come last? :D Well, I'll probably have to disappoint you, of that's what you meant. But we'll just see how the judges rate the entries. How far are the judges with their judging work, anyway? Care to give a heads-up? Otherwise, bump. :D
TheChilliGod 12-27-06, 02:31 PM	Wait, so you're happy when you come last? :D Well, I'll probably have to disappoint you, of that's what you meant. But we'll just see how the judges rate the entries. How far are the judges with their judging work, anyway? Care to give a heads-up? Otherwise, bump. :DI have my own goals as well. Aside from finishing the judging by New Years, I want to be the not-last to finish. To that end, I'm 3/4 of the way done. With luck, I'll be finished by this evening. (So's you know, I'm having breakfast right now, so I've plenty of time. :) ) Oh, and I can tell both FRRC and Magocrat that either one or both of you are not coming last. (Is that too much of a giveaway? :P )
FRRC 12-27-06, 03:48 PM	Oh, and I can tell both FRRC and Magocrat that either one or both of you are not coming last. (Is that too much of a giveaway? :P ) Huzzah! "Great success!" - Borat To be honest, after I encountered the problem of not fitting the requirements of Talon of Tiamat, I didn't see myself coming anywhere near first.
JasonOrlandoHawk 12-27-06, 11:04 PM	Just to give you all a head's up, I will probably be the last judge to submit scores, and I may cause us to miss the New Year's deadline. The church that I work for had two members hospitalized over Christmas, and I have lost the last two days worth of judging time to that situation. I'm racing to catch back up, and there's still a chance that I will make it, but I feel I should warn you that I may not make it in time. (And here I was the one who suggested the New Year's deadline... My first attempt at Coordinating too... :weep: ) Time to continue frantically judging!
TheChilliGod 12-28-06, 12:16 AM	Bleh, "The Most Dangerous Time of the Year" is around. I'm not surprised at the casualties you've got on your hands, Jason. Hope they fare well. (OT: Since when did you get an Ego Sig, btw? Argh, now I feel like getting one!) On the bright side, I just handed my scores in. *Dusts hands off.* I'll post my comments sometime next year (sounds big, don't it?), before or after we get the results out. Must admit, though, it was close.
JasonOrlandoHawk 12-28-06, 12:31 AM	Not casualties (thankfully), but frantic none-the-less. Luckily, both will go home tomorrow, in good health. One of them (the former pastor) really had us worried b/c the doctors couldn't figure out what went wrong for 2 days... Oh, the Ego Sig was the result of my ever expanding regular Sig... In order to make the Sig shorter, I started condensing the material, which I realized meant I could include more material, about the time I recieved the quoted compliment...
bhu 12-29-06, 02:09 PM	Dont worry about how long it takes. Hell you give us a month almost to make them.......
Magocrat 12-29-06, 02:37 PM	Hey, don't worry about the deadline, JasonOrlandoHawk. And heck, accidents happen, that means that it isn't you who messed up. It's just the circumstances. (Think of it as a -2 circumstance bonus on your judging checks. :D) You've got more important things on your mind right now. How's it going with the hospitalized people of your community, anyway, and what happened? And bhu's right. A month to craft our characters justifies you getting a bit more time than you proposed. I almost want to help you judge, but that wouldn't be very fair, wouldn't it? :D
JasonOrlandoHawk 12-29-06, 03:24 PM	Things are going well. Both individuals went home yesterday, in good health. One of them had scar tissue blocking his intestines, which led to severe fluid build up on his stomach. Very painful and he couldn't eat for 3 days (which means he missed Christmas dinner, poor guy). The other one (the former pastor) apparently was having trouble w/ his pacemaker, and his heart was beating very irregularly. Both are fixed up and on their way home. As for judging, I am quickly making up for lost ground. I'm hoping that if things continue to go as quickly, I might still hit the proposed deadline. I'm not underestimating the ability of emergencies (or incredibly long backgrounds) to mess that up, but I am hopeful. Thanks for the concern.
Zherog 12-29-06, 05:15 PM	I'll save you some time: you can just go ahead and give me a perfect score now. :schemes:
JasonOrlandoHawk 12-30-06, 01:26 AM	Wow! That was a giant task, judging all of the entries! Let me just say, I was amazed by how close the final scores were. Anybody, and I do mean anybody, could have won this go around of the Hero Craftsman competition. It was a tough job, but the scores are in, and the time has come to reveal winners... But first! A new set of awards that we didn't tell you about before (largely because I didn't come up w/ the idea until about 6 days ago)... Best in Category Awards I have asked each judge to submit their nomination for the best entry in each category, which were then compared, so that I could hand out honorary awards. Please note, these awards did not have any weight in regards to the final score. They are being presented solely for purpose of recognizing the excellent work submitted by everyone to this competition. Best In Category "Thematic Creativity" goes to: Dogma the Dragonguard Created by: Far_Traveler Honorable Mentions: Bob, Son of Bob Created by: Bhu Malek Greenshore Created by: FRRC Best in Category "Background" goes to: Galentheous Brindale Leafthorn Created by: edwardsobel Honorable Mentions: Rignel Ryshtaline-Adarae Created by: jennibert Avalon, Dragon's Son Created by: Avalon Best in Category "Rules Use/Mechanics" goes to: Rignel Ryshtaline-Adarae Created by: jennibert Honorable Mentions: Malek Greenshore Created by: FRRC Merseliel Windsinger Created by: Zherog Best in Category "Clarity" goes to: Malek Greenshore Created by: FRRC Honorable Mentions: Galentheous Brindale Leafthorn Created by: edwardsobel Congratulations on the winners of each "Best in..." Award. You were an excellent example for us all. Of course, now the time has come to announce the winners of Hero Craftsman #5: The Year of the Dragons In 3rd place, with a final average of 24.83/35, or 71%, the Bronze Medal has been awarded to... Thane Fulshaw Created by: Endarrion In 2nd place, with a final average of 25.83/35, or 73.8%, the Silver Medal has been awarded to... Rignel Ryshtaline-Adarae Created by: jennibert *Please download and begin playing Timpani music now, if you please* And coming in 1st place, with a final average of 26.33/35, or 75.2%, the Gold Medal winner of The Real Year of the Dragons contest is... Verden Rathan Created by: DarkKitsune Congratulations to all our winners! Other scores were as follows: Galentheous Brindale Leafthorn: 70.4% Merseliel Windsinger: 68.1% Malek Greenshore: 68.1% Darokk of the Stormblade Clan: 68.1% Avalon: 68.1% Zhendak Mirage: 66.7% Dogma the Dragonguard: 61.9% Sir Vladimir Ilzmaj: 59% Bob, Son of Bob: 56.6% Also, Sir Vladimir Ilzmaj: 59% Rignel Ryshtaline-Adarae: 73.8% Merseliel Windsinger: 68.1% Darokk of the Stormblade Clan: 68.1% Verden Rathan: 75.2% Thane Fulshaw: 71% Bob, Son of Bob: 56.6% Dogma the Dragonguard: 61.9% Zhendek Mirage: 66.7% Avalon, Dragon's Son: 68.1% Malek Greenshore: 68.1% Galentheous Brindale Leafthorn: 70.4% Jethro Gathronson: Submitted Late, not scored Roscoe Hillclimber: Submitted Late, not scored Thank you to all competitors! I'm certain that I speak for all of the judges when I say that you gave us an excellent competition. DarkKitsune, you will be contacted shortly with an offer to assist in judging the next Hero Craftsman competition. Happy New Years!
JasonOrlandoHawk 12-30-06, 01:37 AM	I will attempt to post general and individual comments some time in the next 24 hours. Kit_the_Odd & American_Yeti, I have not had a chance to review your characters since I was racing to complete all of the other characters on time. I will probably submit comments for your characters some time next week. Also, a quick disclaimer: If you do not want comments on your character to appear publicly, contact me before I post comments. If I do not hear from you before I post tommorrow, I will consider all comments to be public domain. Also, please understand that having your character torn apart and analyzed can be a little frustrating, especially since judging tends to focus on the negative aspects of your work. Despite how I may sound in making comments, each submission was appreciated and enjoyable. Please don't let any remarks made come across as hostile/rude. All comments are made with the intent of helping you (and others reading this thread) improve your character creation methods. And now... I shall go to bed!:zzz:
TheChilliGod 12-30-06, 02:00 AM	Yes, congratulations and everything. Darkkitsune, I will be talking to you soon in private, to determine your enthusiasm for helping Jason, Zherog & I in judging HC#6. Oh, one more thing I think deserves attention, another Honorary Mention to hand out. There's this little thing in the scoring tab that says that each of us judges gets a bonus point to spend on a special entry that made them stand out. Since this point is meant to distinguish the entry, I'd rather not hide it behind comments and criticisms, and hand it straight off. Bob, the Son of Bob, the Grandson of Bob, gets an Honorary Mention from me, for being the first entry in Hero Craftsman that I am going to steal and use as an NPC in my own campaign. Congratulations to bhu for this achievement. If I recall, this is the first second Honorary Mention Point that's ever been handed out, so you should feel (kind of) special for it. As I said, I'll post comments sometime next year. So don't hold your breath or anything. :D Also, if you don't want me blabbing about how much your entry sucked, then posting here would most likely be the best option, since it gets the attention of all three of us. If you want your individual scores PM'ed to you, just PM Jason (since he should have the compiled scores from all three of us). Nice seeing this happen, and looking forward to HC#6.
FRRC 12-30-06, 02:57 AM	Sweet! Not last!
Magocrat 12-30-06, 07:59 AM	Apparently, four people tie for fifth place. Sweet! That means that we're both in fifth place, FRRC! Damn, I didn't lose this time! :P Anyway, was that just me, or did everyone's heartbeat speed up when they were beginning to read the scores? And... a good night to you both! You deserved it. I'm curious which errors I have made in my character's entry, though. But we'll just have to wait until next year until I get to see that. By the way, did you get to reading our little sblock conversations? :rolleyes: By the way, may I edit my entry to reflect my rank in the competition?
JasonOrlandoHawk 12-30-06, 10:24 AM	By the way, did you get to reading our little sblock conversations? :rolleyes: By the way, may I edit my entry to reflect my rank in the competition? First thing I did this morning was dig into the private conversation that you excluded the judges on. You couldn't keep me out forever!!! There's no outright restriction against editing your character now, but there's no real need to do so. With the comments of the judges coming in, people will have plenty of material to dig through as it is. Of course, I could be mean and say that editing your character after the deadline would disqualify you from recieving a score, which means you would lose your status of 5th place... but I'm really not that bored... :D
Zherog 12-30-06, 11:19 AM	If I recall, this is the first Honorary Mention Point that's ever been handed out, so you should feel special for it. Nope. I'm pretty sure I gave Jennibert's character from HC1 a bonus point. But I suppose I could stop being a lazy bastard and go find my scoring info (unless I lost it when my computer crashed back in August...)
Zherog 12-30-06, 11:24 AM	First thing I did this morning was dig into the private conversation that you excluded the judges on. You couldn't keep me out forever!!! Well, the goal wasn't to drive you insane (though it was a pleasant side effect :P :P ). I just didn't want any of my comments to influence how somebody else's character was scored.
bhu 12-30-06, 12:32 PM	[QUOTE=TheChilliGod;11036867]Bob, the Son of Bob, the Grandson of Bob, gets an Honorary Mention from me, for being the first entry in Hero Craftsman that I am going to steal and use as an NPC in my own campaign. Congratulations to bhu for this achievement. If I recall, this is the first Honorary Mention Point that's ever been handed out, so you should feel special for it.QUOTE] It makes up a lot for coming in last place :D Especially since i got ganked doing the background/equipment. Darn workplaces and their emergency overtime............
TheChilliGod 12-30-06, 01:44 PM	Nope. I'm pretty sure I gave Jennibert's character from HC1 a bonus point. But I suppose I could stop being a lazy bastard and go find my scoring info (unless I lost it when my computer crashed back in August...)Oh yes. I'm pretty sure as well, despite there not being any evidence of it on the thread itself whatsoever (*Slap*). This ol' pile of garbage of a memory isn't running like it should be. Bad memory, bad! (*Slap*) Well, that just made that honorary point the first one I've given out, then. Remember, still Sphecial!
Endarrion 12-30-06, 05:27 PM	YAY!!! A top three finish! I was hoping for at least that much. I mean, this is my third Hero Craftsman contest, so a top three finish has been long awaited. Thanks to the judges for taking the time to read through my entry. I got really worried and my heart dropped a little when I read through the "Best In Category" finishes and didn't even see my entry listed as an honorable mention! But then, surprise! I finished third. Thanks again, and I'm looking forward to the next competition.
FRRC 12-30-06, 06:09 PM	Oh I didn't see the honourable mentions. I was best in Clarity and had two other honurable mentions. Nice. Just a query: Are the honourable mentions listed there the total of all the judges or just Jason's?
TheChilliGod 12-30-06, 06:22 PM	FRRC, we were supposed to hand in nominations for entries. When we didn't get at least a 2-1 vote, Jason totaled the scores for each entry nominated, and figured out the highest for each category. The Honorable Mentions afterward are the entries that us judges nominated, but didn't get chosen, in no particular order. So, in the end, everyone's a winner! :bravo: By the way, did you get to reading our little sblock conversations? :rolleyes: I looked at them the instant I finished judging the entry they were related to. When I did, I couldn't understand why they were used in the first place. Sure, they were there so our scores wouldn't be... tempered with... But most of the comments were about non-opinionated matters. If someone says "I liked your background, especially the bit with the dragon. When the dragon went 'rawr!' it was scary," then that might change a judge's score, and has a right to an sblock. But if someone says "You forgot to mention your Touch & Flat-Footed AC," well, we should know that anyway, so it's more of a hinder than a help to us. But ah well...
JasonOrlandoHawk 12-30-06, 06:37 PM	FRRC, we were supposed to hand in nominations for entries. When we didn't get at least a 2-1 vote, Jason totaled the scores for each entry nominated, and figured out the highest for each category. The Honorable Mentions afterward are the entries that us judges nominated, but didn't get chosen, in no particular order. So, in the end, everyone's a winner! :bravo: That is how it worked. I asked the judges to submit their nominations for each category (Chilli submitted his late, literally with about 10 minutes to spare) looking for a majority vote. However, as a testament to the quality of all the entries, we only ended up with a majority vote in the Clarity category. Therefore, I used my executive decision making power and declared that in the case of a three way tie, the category scores for each entry would be averaged w/ the highest average earning the Award. Other nominees were placed in the "Honorable Mention" section in no particular order. Also, speaking of the "Best of..." Awards, I don't know about the other judges, but I had a very hard time nominating a favorite. I typically had 3 good choices from each category, and found it quite hard to pick a favorite. Good show! Anyway, was that just me, or did everyone's heartbeat speed up when they were beginning to read the scores? Thank you! I tried to make it as dramatic as possible. Also, General Comments should be posted by tonight. Character specific comments will either be posted tonight or tomorrow night.
JasonOrlandoHawk 12-30-06, 07:40 PM	Hero Craftsman Comments This is a Character Creation competition, not a Character Combat Competition. I was not looking for the strongest character, but for the most accurate and entertaining character. This section contains general comments. It focuses on the contest as a whole. Individual comments will be provided at a later point in time. Part of the purpose of judging is to point out errors, and that causes the work to seem negative/attacking. Please do not interpret any comments in this manner. Despite the fact that I'm about to point out various errors & faults, I appreciated each character and the time you took to submit it. “Dragons are creatures of myth, often described as the first sentient race to appear on a world, with life spans that stretch over hundreds of years. They symbolize the world itself and embody its history, and the oldest dragons are repositories of vast knowledge and ancient secrets. This aspect of dragons makes them much more than just a challenging combat encounter: They are sages and oracles, fonts of wisdom and prophets of things to come. Their very appearance can be an omen of good or ill fortune.” If the above quote shows anything, it shows that Dragons are no small part of the D&D experience. When a dragon arrives, people sit up and take notice. That is what I was looking for here. Something Draconic in scale. However, this wasn't just a Dragon competition, it was a High Level competition. I was looking for characters who deserved Level 16 status. While I'll save discussion of background length for the next category, I wanted characters who had the strength, skill, and story of a Level 16 character. I didn't have a preference in terms of Dragon-based Powers (i.e.: Dragon Disciple PrC) or Dragon-interaction based characters (i.e.: Dragonslayers). Both types of characters were equally valid concepts. However, I was consistent on one point. Irregardless of character type, the word "Dragon" should drive your story. If a Dragon (or Dragon-based power) was thrown in, but mostly ignorned, I lowered your score in this category. I'll save more specific discussion of this topic for the Individual comments. With such a broad theme, it is hard to make comments that apply to everyone. NPC Connections: "No man is an island, even if in the company of Dragons." I was looking for detailed NPCs that I could use if I were to DM for this character. This includes family, friends, and antagonists. A solid background should provide all three. DM Plothooks: This works similar to NPC Connections, but instead represents everything a DM can do to motivate you to adventure. A good PC is one that the DM can easily integrate into his game. Also, you should provide at least some material that the DM can use to torment you. If I'm not laughing manically, I'm not DMing. Character Development/Appropriate Backstory: Your character is Level 16. Prove it to me. I want to see that your character has lived, loved, and grown over the course of his 16 levels of experience. "Joe was awesome!" doesn't cut it with me. Also, one other comment: if your character is level 16, and you've only been adventuring for a year or so, I probably docked some points. Level 16 should represent a large chunk of your life. Entertainment: Did I enjoy reading your backstory? If not, it cost you some points. I didn't expect Tolkien-esque novels, but by the same token, if it put me to sleep, it'd put your gaming buddies at the table to sleep as well. Special Issue: Background Length: This was a major issue for the 1st time this competition. A good background strikes a balance between striking detail and "Crib notes." I typically wanted you to brush over the majority of your experiences (an adventure here, an aberration invasion there), but I also wanted you to "Zoom In" on 4 or 5 big events that shaped your personality. I like to read, but staring a computer screen for too long hurts my eyes. Special Issue: Sex, Love, & D&D: Sorry to have to come out and say this, but it was an issue in about 4 entries this time around. I expect a certain amount of maturity from the submissions I will be judging for these competitions. Sex is rarely, if ever, a plot point. Know when it is ok to discuss those issues, and when you discuss those issues, do so with maturity. Snide comments about sex do not impress me, "If you know what I mean" *wink, wink* Additionally, just as a warning for future competitions, my work in the ministry and education has left me counseling this issue far too often. I do not take the word rape lightly. Special: Sex, Love, & D&D; A Proper Example: I will give one submission credit. One of the submissions in this contest actually managed to handle these issues in a very mature and effective manner. They managed to use that kind of storyline in a non-offensive manner AND improve the quality of their story while doing so. Rignel Ryshtaline-Adarae's story (created by jennibert) featured his true love Ashela who was pregnant outside marriage. This plot point enhanced the story (and character) w/o being crass, immature, or snide. I hope that is a good example of how to use such themes in a mature manner. Each character will be handled individually for this category since blanket statements are too hard to make. Instead, consider the following points to be guidelines for the individual comments I will make later. "Mechanics" denotes something incorrect in your character. If your HP total is incorrect, if a save bonus is too high, or if you didn't spend all your skill points, it would fall under this category. "Rules Use" is my optimization category. I didn't expect a power gamer's dream character, but I did expect an effective character. This character will be adventuring, so areas where this character is weak are addressed under this heading. "Nitpick" denotes what I consider to be an inconsequential error. I typically insert this phrase for comments that I make for very minor errors. Usually, this comment proceeds what I consider to be a typo. I do work in education, so I like to see proper spelling and grammar. This is a competition, so while I understand typos happen, I do expect a certain amount of professional work. If there were problems, it was noted w/ the words "Red Ink." Another Teacher-Syndrome aspect of my judging; I expect all non-core material to be cited (Book, page number) in your work. Some people do not have access to that material, and will need help knowing where to find it. Did you spell out class abilities? Hunting for rules mid-game is poor form. What are your Turn Undead modifiers? What is your Wild Empathy modifier? Items like these were considered for Clarity. I wanted to see a Level-by-Level breakdown, at least of Feats and Class abilities. I also wanted to see skills if Cross-Class skills or multiclassing was an issue. Things like BAB, saves, and HP weren't necessary in the Level-by-Level. Overall organization: Neat or messy? Hard to read or easy on the eyes?
JasonOrlandoHawk 12-30-06, 07:45 PM	Just got called out, so I don't know if I will be able to post character specific comments tonight, or if I will have to post them tomorrow night. Either way, they are coming. Later!
Zherog 12-30-06, 08:25 PM	Also, one other comment: if your character is level 16, and you've only been adventuring for a year or so, I probably docked some points. Level 16 should represent a large chunk of your life. I'll strongly disagree with this point. I think it's entirely possible to have a level 16 character who has only been adventuring for one year. As an example, I'll point you to Dungeon Magazine's very cool "Age of Worms" adventure path. It's an entire campaign that ran in a series of 12 issues of Dungeon that takes your characters from 1st level all the way through early epic levels. Age of Worms runs it's full course in about 1 year's game time.
JasonOrlandoHawk 12-30-06, 09:30 PM	I conceed that it is possible that someone could go from Level 1 to Level 16 in a year's time, but I also find it highly doubtful. If you think about the sheer number of encounters required to accomplish that much experience, you wouldn't have much "life down time." If you assume 1 CR= your level encounter/day (which would be increasingly rare as you level up), it would take approximately 216 days to hit level 16 (working off the 13.5 CR=Level encounters/level formula). While this may be possible, it is just shy of losing 2/3 of your year to combat. And that's not accounting for healing. Or Magic Item Creation. Or Spell Research. Or Travel Time. Or... I think you get the idea. It's not that it isn't possibe, it's that a lot of trouble would have to be knocking on your doorstep, and you'd definately need a resident cleric to keep up at such a demanding pace. Hence my statement, if someone's only been adventuring a year, they probably haven't hit level 16 yet. These may be adventurers, but they have real lives, and that is something that will take a toll on their ability to gain experience.
JasonOrlandoHawk 12-30-06, 10:44 PM	Draconic Legacy feats Half-Dragon Father Training from Silver Dragon in Epilogue I expected to see Draconic Heritage feats show up in this competition, and you didn't let me down. From my perspective on the character (I don't know how you picture him), I would've traded out one of your feats. I would have switched out Draconic Skin for Draconic Presence. I think it would have been a stronger choice from a mechanics standpoint (Consider the save DC and your Cha. score) and from an image stand point (You unleash a potent blast electrical energy and everyone around you starts shaking in their boots). It even stacks well w/ your selection of the Intimidate skill. I would've liked to (visions of more background... ahh!!!) known more about the Silver Dragon you trained with in your Epilogue. Listen, even though I'm a minister, and I do enjoy being excessively long winded for no apparent reason, I still think you could've shortened your background quite a bit w/o damaging any of the actual quality of your work. Actually, the main problem w/ your background isn't it's length, but it's bredth. You don't cover that much material. According to your Level-By-Level breakdown, you gain the Draconic Breath feat at Level 6. In the story, that's during the fight w/ the Kraken, which is almost right at the end of the tale. Over half of your levels (7-16) are covered by your Epilogue. Which means, I read through 11 sblocks worth of material, only to learn about the first 6 levels of experience... Speaking of Level 6, what was a level 6 character doing in a Kraken's cave? You did provide a strong assortment of friends, family, and villains for the DM to use. I particularly liked the "Gnoll in the Grey Robes." Excellent concept. Your use of age seems stretched thin in some places. Vladimir turns 40 while working w/ the Mountain Blades, which means he was out fighting before that time. That's like sending a 11-14 yr. old kid off to war. Also, if Nimustar is human, he is likely on the verge of death considering how many years have passed. The Forgotten Pregnancy story was very creative. Kudos! However, I have one problem w/ it. You realize that you have all this really interesting background, and you resolve it before you ever enter the game. How's a DM supposed to have any fun when you steal a story like that away so quickly? Your Best Category Mechanics #1: You forgot your +2 bonus to Ref. saves from your Spellsword Levels. Mechanics #2: A familiar costs 100gp in magical materials, not 200gp, and I didn't see any indication that you'd needed to replace one. The Stoneskin spell requires an expensive material component, 250gp worth of Diamond Dust, which should have been reflected in your gear. I typically ignore cheap spell components (i.e.: Wooden Target for True Strike), but something that expensive should definately be accounted for in your gear. Mechanics #4/Rules Use#1: You forgot to mention that Draconic Heritage (and the associated feat chain) gives you +5 on saves vs. Electricity. You also failed to take advantage of Survival being a class skill despite having strong justification in terms of your story. Rules Use #2: Ok, so I mentioned it earlier, but I'll say it again: I really think that Draconic Presence would have been a wiser choice. You have a legendary Cha. score (for a Dwarf), so why not benefit from it twice per spell. +1 Natural Armor really doesn't compare. Rules Use #3: You selected Haste as a spell, but you also gain that benefit from your Armor. Redundancy is not wise for a Sorceror. You have a limited # of spells known. Choose them (and your gear) wisely. Compliment #1: Metamagic Rod, Maximize, Excellent Choice for this Character. Compliment #2: Excellent Gear Section! Magical and Mundane Gear! You noticed that unlike some outfits, a Cold Weather Outfit is not free at Character Creation. I really liked the sword "Palatine," and were I running for this character, I would give it a magical effect of some sort. Of course, notably lacking from your gear list was Camping Supplies... (Maybe not taking ranks in Survival was justified...) No major Red Ink, but you did call Ijilla "Isabella" in the opening paragraph. Speaking of paragraphs, you might want to work on breaking up the story a little better. Cited Sources, excellent! You needed to describe your various special abilities so you don't have to look them up in the middle of the game. For example... Draconic Breath: What type of energy? How much damage? What's the Save DC? You also needed to list your circumstantial bonuses to Saves/AC in those sections. For example, +2 vs. Poison should have been noted in the Saves section. +Your character actually had a 3-way tie for Personal Best Category: Thematic Creativity, Background, Rules Use/Mechanics. All three were very well done, IMO. Your character is hunting the dragon that is both the source of your birth-right (politcally & magically) AND the source of your suffering and sorrow. Very Nice! You had a very strong character, and I would even have been satisfied w/ your alter ego "Judge Ice." Very strong concept! I guess my main issue is that the Dragon doesn't "drive" the story so much as "sandwich" it. Your heritage (his blood) gets you up and moving one day, and then nothing really Dragon related happens until after you think you've retired. I would've liked to see the Dragon more involved (even if distantly) with your characters life. I really don't know why you constantly say you didn't give much detail about your homebrew setting. You gave quite a bit of useful details, and though your story was long, it didn't drag very much. You have a very compelling story. I only have two major issues: First, as I noted above, "The Dragon" is rather disinterested in his country for a remarkably long period of time. I would have liked him to be more involved, even if secretly, in some of the events that went on in your story. In fact, if I was the DM, he would definitely have been. Also, does the Dragon have a name? Second, you don't have any friends. Don't get me wrong, you have a very well described family that is very usable by a Storyteller. What you don't have is friends. One thing I could think of to add some depth to this character would be a close friend among the Judges. Compliment: I liked Judge Ice a lot! He's almost a stand alone character. Mechanics #1: A Circlet of Persuasion is 4500gp, not 4600gp. Rules Use #1: I guess since Zherog isn't judging, I'll replace him for the usual rant. Why didn't you summon a familiar? It's a class feature for a reason. No need to skip over it. Rules Use #2: I don't think I agree w/ your level progression, specifically Aristocrat and Rogue. Other than the weapon/armor proficiencies, there's not really a major reason to take Aristocrat. Also, I really didn't see anything that really screamed "Rogue" in your backstory. Honestly, I would have replaced those two levels w/ Paladin 2. You get the weapon/armor proficiencies. You have a better BAB. Paladins have Knowledge (Nobility/Royalty) as a class skill, along w/ other Cha. based skills that a noble would need. And last, but certainly not least, imagine Divine Grace w/ your Cha. bonus! (And in my mind, Judge Ice screams Paladin anyways...) Compliment #1: I enjoyed your gear section, along w/ the detailed mundane gear & art. Very Well Done! Compliment #2: Not one, not two, but three, count them three bottles of fine wine! Every D&D character that I make has a bottle of fine wine, and I always use it. I'm convinced that a bottle of fine wine is the most important piece of adventuring gear ever! (It even beats out Mithral Chain Shirts for # of times I've made use of it.) Minor Red Ink I'm going to go against my usual "Cite Non-Core material" statement here. Aristocrat is an NPC class that sees very little use in most of the games I've seen. Even though it is core, I think it would've been a good idea to cite Aristocrat so that new players could find it easily. Your attacks section was very confusing, if accurate. You really don't need a seperate full attack/attack section. List your full attack (plus any circumstantial modifiers), and only use the first attack if you only get one attack in a round. Here's an example: +1 Dragonbane Longbow: +18/+13/+8, 1d8+1/x3 (+2/+2d6 vs. Dragons) I'm not a huge stickler for how gear is carried. In your case, I saw a horse and a HHH, and I figured you were fine. The incredibly detailed breakdown of how everything was carried just made it hard to check everything. Is your DM that attentive to encumberance?
JasonOrlandoHawk 12-30-06, 11:34 PM	Servant of Bahamut battling the servants of Tiamat. While it fits within the theme, we saw quite a few Pro-Bahamut characters this time around... There were basically two things that I really liked about Merseliel. First, while you might hate picking out spells for a high level spellcaster, you definitely did an excellent job doing so. I am a huge fan of the Full Casters (Arcane and Divine both), and you did a fantastic job making Merseliel a power caster. Well done! Second, I'm a huge fan of the Contemplative Class. Sure, there's no reason to take more than 1 level (if you only ever read the Char. Op. boards), but I happen to think that it's actually a great PrC, especially if you are a casting-emphasis Cleric. Kudos! Zherog, I'm going to impersonate another judge for whom I have the highest amount of respect, namely you... What? No family? No friends? No allies whatsoever? Listen, you don't have to feel bad about having allies @ Level 16. Don't worry. The DM's not going to randomly kill them off just b/c they're there. (As it stands, you aren't in the company of any real allies.) Excellent Adversary! Definitely DM material. Though I'm sure you probably saw this coming, I'd make it a point to have Verdillmangabril attack Merseliel while in Xendrilistamaka's body. (Wow, that's a lot of syllables!) Your background matches your stats fairly well, but I do have one mild objection. You gained 10 levels w/ several brushed over, non-descript adventures. However, you later gain only 6 levels by slaying 23 (or 24 if you count Verdillmangabril). I know you had help, but somehow I think that those Dragons should account for a larger portion of your experience. Also, speaking of your brushed over levels... do you really mean to tell me that you did nothing noteworthy during that time? Is there nothing DM usable at all? No friends? No foes? No bitter shamed rivals bent on returning their embarrasment 100 fold? Come on, give me something to work with here. For the record, I hate you... I spent somewhere in the neighborhood of two hours relentlessly digging through your character sheet, and I barely get to red ink anything!!! I want those two hours of my life back!!! Oh, btw, Rules Use/Mechanics, definitely your best category. First off, let me compliment you again on making such an excellent caster! I was impressed. Rules Use #1: Your character is a Dragon Hunter, but you only have 69 HP. Yes, I know you're a caster, but "Here be Dragons!" I would've done something to up those numbers b/c Adult Dragons can do that in a round if they get the drop on you. I'd hate to see such a great character get torn to shreds too quickly. Rules Use #2: You needed a little more information on your spells section (which I know you love). I would've liked to see two things: A Spells/day chart and some sort of notation for which spells were effected by your Good Domain power (i.e.: Magic Circle Against Evil (CL 17). Rules Use #3: You needed to list your Luck and Protection Domain Granted Powers somewhere. My suggestions would've been under Attack Options, as follows (1/day: Lucky Reroll, 1/day: Protective Ward (+10 next save/1 hour)) For the record, I hate you... again... Ahh!!! New Stat Block format!!! It hurts!!! (I have only recently purchased a PHB2 so I can try and adjust to it...) Some quick Red Ink issues, if I may... "Are family has always been a happy one..." "We had faced strike teams from angry metallic dragons before..." :confused: Metallic Dragons attacking you? :confused: Citing Sources: While I am the judge most known for ranting about citing sources, you don't have to go MLA to make me happy. "Dragon Hunter, Dragon Hunter Defense: Draconomicon pg. 104" at the end of the feats section would have made me just as happy. Honestly, footnotes are hard to notice on a character layout like this anyways. +You had two categories tie for "Personal Best." Thematic Creativity and Clarity (weighted) tied for highest in regards to your character. I'll admit it, I was really looking forward to a Dragon Rider in this contest. Thank you for delivering. Excellent Magic Item selection, particularly the "Stormblade." Wait, what is that? A condensed, easy to read background? Impossible! Not in this contest! (Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!) You've done an excellent job of intertwining your background and your character sheet. The character progression neatly matches your story and vice-versa. The major problem w/ your background is the almost complete lack of major allies or major enemies. Level 16 characters should have a little more notoriety than that. You needed some good NPCs for the DM to use. Mechanics #1: Your Negative Int. modifier gives you 57 skill points, not 76. Mechanics #2: I believe Zherog has already pointed out your mistakes on two-handed weapon combat as well as the rules for adding special abilities to weapons and armor. However, if you need me to post those rules for you, I can. Mechanics #4: You have a higher than normal speed which gives you a bonus on Jump checks. In this case, it gives you a +4 bonus. Rules Use #1: The Dragon Cohort feat allows you to select a more powerful cohort than normal. So while the Wyvern is legal, I was wondering why you didn't either select a more powerful mount or use the rules for Advancing the Wyvern found in the MM. No point in hindering your power levels. Rules Use #2: I’m known for ranting about having a more expansive list of mundane gear, and I’m inclined to mention that to you as well. I honestly expect more than just saddles, like say, CLOTHES!!! (This could almost be a scene from a previous competition: “Half-Orc Dragon Rider rampages through downtown, searching for stolen clothes. More at 10.”) No Red Ink. Minor Citation Issues: Dragon Cohort: I want book and page numbers, please. Neat, easy to read, and well organized.
JasonOrlandoHawk 12-30-06, 11:38 PM	Sorry to stop there, but I must turn in for the night. More character comments will be available tomorrow evening.
Zherog 12-31-06, 02:27 AM	Just because nitpicking judges is fun... :P :P Servant of Bahamut battling the servants of Tiamat. While it fits within the theme, we saw quite a few Pro-Bahamut characters this time around... Yes, but I was first. So everybody else was copying from me. :P :P :P Second, I'm a huge fan of the Contemplative Class. Sure, there's no reason to take more than 1 level (if you only ever read the Char. Op. boards), but I happen to think that it's actually a great PrC, especially if you are a casting-emphasis Cleric. Kudos! Ditto. First level is definitely the best, and getting an "empty" level at 4 and 8 sort of sucks, but overall I think it's a rather nice prestige class with a good mix of flavor and abilities. What? No family? was born in the elven village of Sen’Vilnerain. It’s a rather small community, really. My mother is the community’s herbalist and healer, and my father, like so many other elves, is a practitioner of the arcane arts. Are family has always been a happy one, and for the most part life in Sen’Vilnerain was quiet. Sure, we had to put up with occasional raiding band of orcs, but really those beasts are so stupid they don’t pose much of a serious threat. No friends? I set off with two friends – an enchanter named Valleri Leafflower and a huntress named Janacel Wildtamer. Not to mention anybody at all the DM would want to make up from my home town, since I left there on good terms. Yes, it's not as good as, "my buddy bob" but sometimes having unnamed allies is better for the DM. And, of course, there's my dead mentor Xenidrilistamaka. As I quite often say when I judge these: just because somebody's dead doesn't mean they aren't usable. :D Also, speaking of your brushed over levels... do you really mean to tell me that you did nothing noteworthy during that time? Is there nothing DM usable at all? No friends? No foes? No bitter shamed rivals bent on returning their embarrasment 100 fold? Come on, give me something to work with here. I helped defend against the orcs. Eventually, we became fed up with the foul beasts. Elves generally have great patience, you know. But even we have our breaking point. Twelve of us set out that autumn to confront the orcs, and, especially, to defeat their chieftain – Skender Skullcrusher. It was so different than I expected. Calling a battle chaotic really doesn’t explain the situation at all. It’s beyond chaos. Especially when there’s 12 elves and over 200 orcs. Still, we prevailed and eventually the chieftain was slain. ... We wandered the countryside, performing good deeds for those not as fortunate. Janacel tracked down a missing child from the nearby halfling village. We arrived just in time to save the little tyke from an ettercap. We defeated a pair of ogres who were harassing a human settlement. All in all, they were good deeds that made us all feel good. In time, my mental wounds began to heal, thanks in large part to my friends. Now, I fully admit I glossed over the early levels a lot more than I really wanted to. I wanted to spend more of my time building my draconic background - things like building my link to bahamut, learning from Xeni, battling foul chromatic beasts, and so on. But, really, everything you asked about is mentioned in my background. Rules Use #1: Your character is a Dragon Hunter, but you only have 69 HP. Yes, I know you're a caster, but "Here be Dragons!" I would've done something to up those numbers b/c Adult Dragons can do that in a round if they get the drop on you. I'd hate to see such a great character get torn to shreds too quickly. Yep, I knew I had low hit points. I pondered "stacking" my periapt of Wisdom with the amulet of health to gain a Con increase. But I didn't for two reasons: 1) I ran out of cash 2) While it's in the core rules, it seems to be a method of magic item creation that annoys a lot of people On top of that, I'm relying on other defenses besides hit points to keep me alive long enough to put some hurting on a dragon: fortification armor prevents me from getting whalloped with a crit most of the time A 30 AC isn't anything to sneeze at, and against dragons it goes up to 32 her worst save is +14, which overall isn't shabby in the grand scheme of things against dragons, he gains huge bonuses to her saves. For example, she gets a +10 versus breath weapons and spells from dragons. So now her worst save against a dragon is +24! That's not too shabby at all. She's immune to poison and disease. Her next level she gains pretty decent spell resistance She has her moment of prescience cast, which would allow her to gain a +16 bonus to an attack roll, opposed ability or skill check, or saving throw. She has the ring of counterspells, and it's loaded up with what might be the most dangerous spell against her - greater dispel magic. Being hammered with a dispel would seriously hamper her AC and her attack values. To do so, somebody's gonna have to roll a kick ass dispel check, or cast it twice. She can gain 32 temporary hit points by burning a turn undead attempt via her Divine Vigor feat. So yeah, her hit points are lower - I would've liked them to be higher. But I would be counting on defenses other than hit points to live through a dragon's attack. I think I'd live. :) I would've liked to see two things: A Spells/day chart... I don't know that a spells per day chart thingy is particularly useful to a caster who prepares, such as a cleric or wizard. *shrug* ...ome sort of notation for which spells were effected by your Good Domain power (i.e.: Magic Circle Against Evil (CL 17). Yep - that's one I missed. By convention, those spells should have a 'G' superscript to identify them as [Good] spells. I've also seen some WotC/paizo sources put "(CL 17)" after the spell instead. I prefer the latter, but understand from an editorial reason why the former gets done - fewer words and less space. Rules Use #3: You needed to list your Luck and Protection Domain Granted Powers somewhere. My suggestions would've been under Attack Options, as follows (1/day: Lucky Reroll, 1/day: Protective Ward (+10 next save/1 hour)) Yep, another one I missed. I believe both would go under the "special actions" in this stat block. "We had faced strike teams from angry metallic dragons before..." :confused: Metallic Dragons attacking you? :confused: heh. For whatever reason, I regularly confuse metallic and chromatic dragons - I'll say one and mean the other. bah.
Magocrat 12-31-06, 05:55 AM	"Dragons: Color-coded for YOUR convenience!" :D Rules Use #1: The Dragon Cohort feat allows you to select a more powerful cohort than normal. So while the Wyvern is legal, I was wondering why you didn't either select a more powerful mount or use the rules for Advancing the Wyvern found in the MM. No point in hindering your power levels. Rules Use #2: I’m known for ranting about having a more expansive list of mundane gear, and I’m inclined to mention that to you as well. I honestly expect more than just saddles, like say, CLOTHES!!! (This could almost be a scene from a previous competition: “Half-Orc Dragon Rider rampages through downtown, searching for stolen clothes. More at 10.”) While I admit that I've forgotten that you could advance a creature (not to mention that I was also too lazy to actually write up a creature entry for an advanced wyvern), I do have an excuse not to advance Verthichadarastrix (the wyvern): he was the youngest of his flight. But that's just an in-character excuse for an out-of-character problem. The scene I got from the second point made me laugh out loud. Maybe I shouldn't forget that in the next competition. Minor nitpick, tho': You go from Mechanics #2 to Mechanics #4, what was the third Mechanics issue? Anyways, at least I tied for two things! I guess that's better than winning in one... I think. :) Anyways, the others truly deserved their awards (I forgot to mention that in the last post), so no pouting for me. I hope I'll see you all again in the next competition!
JasonOrlandoHawk 12-31-06, 09:52 AM	Zherog, In regards to family and friends, it wasn't that you didn't have them, it's that they all left the story before the end of it. From the way I read your story, you'd pretty much parted company permanently from your family and friends. And I agree, just b/c your mentor is dead doesn't mean I can't use her. Isn't that one of the things I mentioned doing? (Looking back over notes for Dracolich assualting you in her body... I mentioned that, right?) And as I said, you definitely crafted a high quality spellcaster (w/ the associated strong defenses), but the low HP can run out very, very quick. Reflex for half is not a good option if the breath weapon deals 128+ damage. (And I know, spells... counter-point) I had to call you on something when it came to mechanics. Oh, Spells/day would look like this: Spells/day 6/8/8/7/6/etc... (don't know which numbers are accurate for your character, but you get the idea. You could have also done: 0-level: 6, 1-level: 6+2 (Wis)+1 (Domain), etc... Does that make sense? Magocrat, The reason that Mechanics #3 was that I made a correction when originally judging your character, deleted #3, and forgot to change the others. Then, when I was copying comments over, I wasn't paying attention...
JasonOrlandoHawk 12-31-06, 04:34 PM	+Your best categories were Thematic Creativity and Background. Two different approaches to the contest, first as a Dragon Stalker, and then as a Dragon's Emissary. Very Creative! I am also a fan of the "Tortured Hero/Tragic Past" style character, which you pulled off nicely. I take it you didn't have access to the Draconomicon, correct? You easily qualified for the Dragonstalker PrC from that book. In fact, I'd love to see this character redone w/ some of the expanded material. Still, kudos for creating such a good character, even w/ limited material. The only thing I'm not sure you needed was the Sorceror Levels. I know you switched from Dragon Hunting to being an Emissary, but you didn't necessarily need to switch classes to show that. Multiclassing, especially that late in the game, really hampers your power levels. Short, simple, and to the point Background. It was brief while still giving a good picture of Verden. Well done! You definitely have given me plenty of antagonist material for later use. Your former adventuring party might give you trouble for raising one of their targets. You've likely angred a lot of dragons in your time w/ the old party. I also notice that you still haven't found a certain village-destroying red dragon, as of yet. All good material. I do, however, wish that you had given me at least one "fleshed out" antagonist to use, in addition to the multiple potential storylines you provided. You needed to provide some more allies. While you did provide the Silver Dragon (interesting, I killed you once before material going on there), I would've liked to see more allies for your character as well. For example, what does the Dryad think of you now? Mechanics #1: While your gear is remarkably on target, you have forgotten to include the Resurrection spell you paid for in your backstory. It would have cost 10,910gp (Material Component + Spellcasting Services), but that is not reflected in your gear section. Mechanics #2: You've didn't spend all your skill points. As far as I can tell, you stopped spending skill points after taking levels in Sorceror. Mechanics #3: (Nitpick) Your spot modifier is +14 in bright light, not +13. Also, don't forget that you effectively have Alertness when your familiar is within arm's reach. Rules Use #1: I really don't see why you took levels in Sorceror. You lose out on HP, BAB, and Skills, but only gain a few low level spells. Other than story reasons, you wouldn't have much reason to do so. Really, I think you would've been better off just sticking to Ranger Levels. Compliment #1: You took the time to select, name, and stat out your animal companion and familiar. Excellent details! Compliment #2: Along the same lines, you remembered that a familiar costs 100gp to obtain. Minor Red Ink No Citation Issues You forgot to list your speed. (Even if unmodified, it should still be listed.) You needed to list the circumstance bonus on Fort. saves vs. Non-Lethal damage provided by the Endurance Feat. You also needed to list your Damage and Skill check bonuses from Favored Enemy. +Your best category was Rules Use/Mechanics. I remember years ago wanting to play a True Neutral Dragonslayer who was out to destroy all dragons that existed. Unfortunately, the character never got played b/c the DM I suggested that character to was a Dragon Fanatic who proceeded to tell me that he'd gladly give that character a Dragon Ally... Needless to say, I enjoyed your character quite a bit b/c it reminded me of a really cool never-character that I had. Well done! I really only have one problem with your character. You're a Rogue 3/Cleric 3/Fighter 4, or a Stealthy character with a small amount of Divine magic who is really good w/ a sword. You are also working towards both the Dragonslayer and DragonStalker PrC's. Have you ever heard of a base class called Ranger? You could have had the exact same character with a lot less work. You definitely have motivation for your chosen career field. I particularly like the fact that you built a monument to your dead friends. I also like the internal struggle your character faces: Revenge vs. Desire for a Normal Life. You've got a lot of potential enemies, which includes a Silver Dragon and Black Dragon at the least. I can only imagine how many bounties someone could earn by hunting you down... You lack undeveloped allies. I would have liked to see would be some more people from Tellshire fleshed out (at least beyond, "Hey, Dad!"). One suggestion would be to flesh out the person who made your armor since you don't have the Dragoncraft feat. I like the variant description you provided for the Lion's Shield. Mechanics #1: My total for your HP was 110, not 105. Mechanics #2: You have 15 more skill points than listed. It seems as if you only spent your bonus Human skill points at level 1, and forgot to do so later. Mechanics #3: (Nitpick) You listed the correct modifiers for your Touch AC, but you listed the wrong total. The correct total is 16. Rules Use #1: Repeat discussion about using Ranger. Your skill points, while not incorrect, are... for lack of a better term, hard to believe. Particularly your ranks in Gather Information and Survival. Gather Information is only a class skill for Rogue and Dragonstalker (6 levels), but you have 10 ranks. Survival is only a class skill for Dragonstalker (3 levels), but you have 10 ranks yet again. While you could have legitmately purcased those skills, that leaves you w/ very, very few skill points for your other class skills during your Dragonstalker levels. Survival is the hardest to believe, especially since you gained Track as a feat at level 3. Minor Red Ink. Cited Sources, excellent! Mild Organizational Issues. Though I could figure everything out, the attack section in particular was hard to read. Your longsword has a really cool name. I suggest using it in your stat block. It is vastly easier to write "Dragon's Fear: +27/+22/etc..." than to write "+3 Dragonbane Longsword of Deadly Precision: +27/+22/..."
TheChilliGod 12-31-06, 05:32 PM	Happae New Year, Everybody! So, I was thinking about posting comments at 12:01 on New Year's Day going by my time zone (mind you, where I live, we're some of the first to experience New Year's), but then I remembered that I haven't checked the two late entries yet. But anyway. Some stuff I learned: That's right, this competition can be good learning for both the enterers and the judges. I learned that I need to be more snippy with my points. By far and away, I was probably the most generous judge out there with my point-giving, despite priding myself on harshness seasoned with cheekiness (not just with D&D, mind you; I'm a silent critic on everything I see). I think the worst non-Clarity score I gave this time around was a 5; those 2's and 3's aren't getting the love they deserve. Some areas in particular are the Optimization-side of Rules Use (my excuse for which is inexperience), and the requirement in areas around Background Content (reluctance). I also learned that the length of the backstory does, in fact, matter, and that perhaps some people prefer to tell their own story (as opposed to a story we'd like to hear, such as one based on dragons). Thematic Creativity: I usually divide this category into two sub-categories: How creative the character is, and how well it ties in with the theme. I've noticed a problem in that it is very difficult to get full marks in both categories; you either post a creative character that bends the theme too much, or you adhere strictly to the theme to create an unoriginal entry. It's finding a balance between these two extremes that get you my full mark. If I don't hear the words "Dragon," "Draconic," or "Darastrix" enough (in the background or the mechanics), then *Ack!* Background Content: In my view, this is not so much a matter of finding specific points about a background; for me, it's more looking at how closely the background matches the character's stats. This is something that nearly everyone forgets to some extent, so it's an important factor to emphasize. I like to know how that warrior got his axe, or about how he got so good at singing. After that, I look for plot hooks. I don't care whether those plot hooks are in the form of allies or enemies from the past, or your character's goals in life, they just have to be plot hooks that a DM can easily latch on. After all, that's what a background is all about for a DM. I also look out for how well this character would fit into a party of PC's, why he would want to, and how he would start. Bear in mind that providing a plot hook can hinder the entry's way into a party, because the party may not want to do whatever quest-which-cannot-be-strayed-from-in-any-way the entry is on. (Mind you, all this will likely change with next contest) Rules Use: I always do this one first. Again, I split this category into two different categories; which could be most accurately described as "Optimization" and "Rules Accuracy". I check everything. I work out the skills, the point buy, I call Rules Lawyer, I go IRS on you regardless of what you put down on the equipment list. Note that, however, I have never had any playing experience with characters higher than 8th level, so I'm not really sure on the combat standards for characters of 16th level. Also note that I need to know what your character will actually do in battle, since perfect stats are useless without them being used properly. Unfortunately, almost none of the entries came with battle tactics (and why should they, with enemies being ever-so-random?), so I occasionally made up my own. Clarity: The clarity of the stat block has more weight in this section, as if I can't find something on the stat block (Such as Flat-Footed AC's, or Languages) then it's not really a complete stat block (on the other hand, if something is missing in the Background, it's either unnoticeable or just an issue with the background and not clarity itself). It would be nice if everything is spelled out for me, so I don't have to do the math work myself. With backstories, though, every time I see one that takes me half an hour or more of solid reading to get through, I'll kill a kitten. With lightning. And it'll hurt. And the kitten will go *Zapz.* You don't have to worry as much about spelling with me, since I naturally ignore any odd typo out there. Thematic Creativity: — Original? Well, Vladimir is a Gish, with Draconic feats mixed in. The variety of kingdoms, guilds and armies that he has participated in are all really original (Never would have thought of werecrocodile and gnoll allying), and you definitely put a lot of effort to bring out the story of a quarter-dragon. However, I don't quite think there was enough 'dragon' in there. The only points in the backstory where dragons were mentioned was the father bit and the epilogue. Not much in between, I'm afraid. Background Content: — I admit it, I was very reluctant to start reading this background. The first thing I noticed is that you have apparently given Ijilla / Isabella two names. Don't know if that was on purpose. Second thing I noticed was that, up until the epilogue of Vladimir's history, I got the impression that he was still learning, and perhaps still treats himself as an apprentice. Despite the fact that he's, well, 16th level, and has already defeated dragons and saved the lives of kings. Good work on working in Vladimir's Fighter and Sorcerer parts together with a bit of Draconic Legacy and some items, you clearly noted the points where he learned important new spells, and I can see many plot points available to this character. One point to note, I know that you ran out of space for the background so you had to condense the "Epilogue" (It's really obvious), but you should have really cut bits all over the story instead of just the end, so I get to really see his Spellsword Sagas. Also a pity there's no personality to add to the history... Rules Use: — You forgot your Spellsword base bonus to Reflex saves, bringing them up to +6. The bonus to saves from Draconic Heritage also applies to [Electricity] spells. I don't quite know where you got the clay tankard from; clay jugs only cost 2cp though. I also don't understand why you had to pay 200gp for the weasel instead of 100gp. Other than that, your receipt is clear, and so is the rest of the character. I don't know what this fellow's tactics are supposed to be; I imagine buffing himself up and applied spells like Lightning Bolt through his channeled attacks. You hit well enough and you hurt well enough, and that's good enough for me. Clarity: — *Zaps two kittens, just for you* All those spoiler blocks were not really necessary. Not. Necessary. But at least I could find everything in the stat block that I wanted to see, although there is the one thing that light hammers can also be used as melee attacks; I know you probably don't intend on using them as such, but you should include the melee entry for them nonetheless. Total: — It's quite clear to me that you definitely worked long and hard on this character and his backstory. The character itself is very nicely done, but a lot of the work on the background may have been unnecessary. Perhaps you could have put less thought into saving kings and all that, and put more thought into the draconic part of Vladimir's story (especially as it seems as if you were only just getting into that bit at the epilogue). Thematic Creativity: — A gish with Draconic Heritage feats. This time, there seems to be a more basic prestige class in the mix. Original? The combination of classes certainly is, and the interesting twist of a LG character from a supposedly LE background makes it all the more so. In concept, it's good. In explanation, eurgh. Pretty much only the beginning and the end of the backstory ever reflected the draconic theme of the character. Aside from those points, it was all nobility and politics of law. Sidetracking a little, to remember suddenly at the end, "Hey, I need dragons!" it seems like to me Background Content: — I know that literary genius isn't required for this competition, but that was a brilliant work of writing. Almost wept by the end... But back to what matters. You have provided the hypothetical DM with a lot of plot hooks to go by (searching for a dragon right off the bat, not to mention regular assassination attempts, family, nobility etc...), as well as a good reason to go off adventuring. My only concern is the relationship between stat block and background. The only reason Rignel became a sorcerer was because it's in his blood... But what about Eldritch Knight? Was he trained to use his weapons as he does, or did he just learn how to use one during all those hits against him? When and how did his draconic power manifest? And so on. There's a lot in this area that you could have clarified, perhaps at the expense of inconsequential matters (eg-Grace). Rules Use: — The only thing that I can find wrong is that antitoxin costs 50gp a vial, not 20gp. Probably confused with Alchemist Fire pricing right above it. If we ignore that, Consider the receipt spot on, and everything else is as clean as a whistle. Lovely! (Though a few things are questionable; Why does Rignel have 5 pounds of soap, and is that completely normal warhorse suicidal for bearing a 16th-level character?) Combat-wise here, I see that this one is most likely torn between fighting in the front, and hurling spells from the back. A low hp and plenty of ranged spells / arrows, as well as a nice dex (and no Weapon Finesse!) would hint at the latter, but the emphasis on TWF and that nice quarterstaff hint at the former. It's not necessarily a direct conflict of interests—you are prepared for both ranged and close combat—but versatility comes at the cost of effectiveness. Clarity: — I found everything on the stat block that I was looking for, good for that. Headlines and stuff sticked out so I didn't find myself too confused. Thank you for keeping the number of spoiler blocks low. But the backstory itself... *Zaps a kitten* Total: — The stat block - Superb in all areas. The background - Superb in its design, but not in its concept. One reason why I always do my stat block first when making a character is so I always have that in mind when making the history; if you haven't been doing that, at least consider starting. Thematic Creativity: — Hey, it's an emo cleric! I've always found the Contemplative class interesting, despite that I've never bothered to look at it closely (Love of the mystery, I suppose). Now that I have looked at it closely, nothing about its mysteriousness is any different. The crunch is clearly enough related to dragons, and the background contains sufficient draconic happiness. All in all, pretty nice work. Background Content: — Plot points? Yes, at least one, and it's a mighty big one as well, that could potentially take up the course of an entire campaign. Party person? The entire backstory was woven around Merseliel's joining a new party, so that's definitely a check. Matching with Stats? Well, indirectly you explained why Merseliel became a contemplative (meeting an aspect would do that sort of thing), and hunting dragons all the time would also explain the feat & spell choices. Only one of the items that the cleric has is ever mentioned in the backstory; Am I to believe that all the other items hold absolutely no sentimental value for Merseliel, and are most likely just phat lewt from dragon hoards? Rules Use: — Hm... Should I even bother with this? I might as well, he might have something wrong... Ah, here we go! Your AC is 31 (10+4+8+6+3=31), and I think your will save is +26 (+7 Cleric, +5 Contemplative, +5 Resistance, +9 Wis). I also came up 6gp over the limit on your receipt. Basic addition; screws over the best of us. *Tsk* Now to combat. Aside from the prep spells and feats that make Merseliel seem like a combat cleric, I suppose this is what every cleric would look like at about 16th level. With the exception of the hit points. It seems to me that, if a passing dragon went full-attack on her (and believe me, the 16-CR ones will hit regardless of 32 AC, & it'll hit hard), she'd be spending too much time keeping herself alive instead of kicking draconic arse. But then, I don't really know what she'll even do when up against a dragon, since I see no combat tactics. Clarity: — Wasn't clear at first if Merseliel was an elf or a half-elf (or another subtype), seeing as you didn't give me the race straight. I could find everything else I wanted to find so yay for that. Among the things I found were two potentially nasty typos in the Skill Progression; Level 4's Diplomacy ranks listed as 3 instead of 2; Total ranks' Knowledge (Planes) listed as 13 instead of 12. Oh, and thanks for keeping the backstory concise. No kittens were zapped today. Total: — You definitely know how to maintain a good balance of presentation of statistics and background information. My only advice to you would be to double-check your work. And if you did double-check, do it again. Thematic Creativity: — I see almost sufficient reference to dragons (true and lesser) in the background. I see a wyvern cohort. I see a dead and thoroughly rotting dragon adversary. Not much else... Maybe if you had given some more detail on how much Darokk loved Verthichadarastrix... (by the way, bonus happiness for using the draconic language) Background Content: — You almost gave me a plot point. Darokk has a group of barbarians that can call for his aid, but that's really about it by now. With regard to the stat block and the background meshing, It's almost there. You explained the Dragon Cohort feat and the ranks in Speak Language (Draconic), and you told me about Stormblade (but didn't give any connection to it and the barbarian's greataxe). You didn't explain why Darokk has an unusually high emphasis on dexterity, which makes this strange move all the more confusing. There's also a hint of "I'm not with the clan, despite my important status and the possession of a priceless clan artifact" going on; I almost didn't get the picture that Darokk is now off adventuring and available to a party. Rules Use: — Something you should learn about item enhancements. A weapon/armor/shield has to be a +1 item before it can be enhanced with special abilities like speed and heavy fortification. Furthermore, you don't add 1.5x Strength bonus for wielding weapons two-handed. (But you know that already by now, I'm sure.) I've also never figured why people still take off their dex for being flat-footed when they have Uncanny Dodge. Hit Points might be too low (I got 141/189 instead of 134/182), methinks you didn't give full hit points on the first HD. You also, apparently, have forgotten that you have a -1 penalty for intelligence, as you seem to have a number of skill points suitable for a barbarian with Int 10. Big mistakes made here. At least the receipt is spotless. Combat-wise, this is obviously a melee build. The sort that trades blows with their opponent and, in the end, you win through damage-deally and damage-takey (And this guy is pretty good at both). One thing I don't get, however, is the heavy use in dexterity. Granted, it improves AC, Reflex, and Ride checks but doesn't do much for the role this fellow is (apparently) playing into. Clarity: — Are iterative attacks really that hard to put in? Just saying. In all other aspects, yay. No zapped kittens for you. Total: — Key word for the background: Almost. Too many of that word I would have had to say. I'm pretty sure you know the rules better now, as well. Thematic Creativity: — If I look on the surface of the stat block, I can only see one thing hinting at dragons, and that is the Favored Enemy. However, there are also a few other features (spells & items) that could serve well enough in a dragonhunt. The backstory was also pretty much all about dragons, using them in different scenarios. This is a somewhat creative character, especially with a bit of dragon-loving tagged on the end of all the dragon-hating. Background Content: — This background is quick to the point, and explains a lot in getting there. I know why Verden picked the Two-Bladed Sword, why he has Favored Enemy: Dragons, why he has sorcerer levels, and how he got his primary weapon. The only other thing I could want is why Verden likes birds of prey (and how he interacts with them). Plot points are aplenty, from the red dragon to the silver dragon to the hunting party. Verden also has a reason to go out adventuring; the only thing stopping him would be his personality. Rules Use: — There's a -2 penalty to attack that comes with TWF... Tsk tsk. Also, you have apparently forgotten that sorcerers get skill points. Well, they aren't that stupid, after all. And you are entitled to an extra 1st & 2nd level ranger spell. That's pretty much it with rules errors that I can see. I do not want to get hit by a full attack by this guy. Unfortunately, the full attack is really the only part of him that truly shines, especially since I don't know his tactics to find anything else that shines. Mind you, if his strategy against opponents is to buff up, turn invisible and go full-attack madness, that would indeed be very lethal. Especially against dragons and with his spell choice; good draconic protection & destruction. Clarity: — I was wondering when I would find an entry that forgot its own languages. And speed. And you didn't mention what sort of spell resistance the chain shirt had (the cost says SR17). I also couldn't find where you got that +5 circumstance bonus on Move Silently. Note that I didn't kill a kitten for you. Total: — Very good entry, all around. You explained all I needed to know and did it in a comparatively small space. You kept it to the theme, in ways direct and subtle. The only suggestion I would make is to double-check the mechanics. Thematic Creativity: — Multaeclassing Maedness! A dragonslayer by itself I actually expected from this competition. But a Rogue/Cleric/Fighter/Dragonslayer/Dragonstalker? Definitely not as such. The classes have been made to weave into one another, each supporting the other, instead of opposing each other (making them mesh is hard to do, especially with multiclassing this much), and the backstory has woven into the classes to create a lovely tapestry of a character. Superb. Background Content: — Tharivol... I'm positive I've heard that name before, but from where? Anyway, you've given Thane an overriding goal, which can provide a very good plot hook for the DM, at the cost of a little less party cooperation; the party may not want to kill good dragons. This is probably made up for his willingness to join a party (but beggars can't be choosers). What I like best, however, is how you've woven so many features of Thane into the story. I can see the cleric levels, the fighter levels, the dragonstalker/dragonslayer levels, the sword, the shield, the armor, and the Deft Strike feat all in there. Although, I'm pretty sure you meant to spell "Dragon Slaughterer" as Aridarastrixkurik, but that's accents for you. Rules Use: — I think that Thane's hit points are meant to be 110 (13 Rogue +13.5 Cleric +22 Fighter +16.5 Dragonstalker +13.5 Dragonslayer +32 Con). Thane is entitled to an extra 15 skill points; you apparently forgot that humans get an extra skill point each level. You also neglected the armor check penalty from wielding his Lion's Shield. +3 Bane Longswords of Deadly Precision cost 72315gp, not 72302gp (But if we ignore that, then the receipt checks out). Other than that, good to go. Onto combat, I understand that you've beefed up this guy's sneakiness to catch dragonkind with sneak attacks. It's not exactly clear on how you will be able to get Thane his bonus 8d6, whether by catching the dragon flat-footed (Which will be very difficult, considering that you've hardly the Hide & Move Silently skills to do that, and still can't circumvent its Blindsense) or by flanking (which you'll need a buddy to help with, but flanking is usually a good anti-dragon tactic anyway). It seems as though you'd only be truly effective against dragonkind, so a good DM will have to keep that in mind and let you have your fun every once-in-a-while. Clarity: — I had a bit of trouble at first understanding your attack lines. All of those extra variables... But I could find everything else I needed, which is good. No kitten-killing this time. Total: — Again, a very good job with the interconnection between all facets of the character. My only suggestion (as always) would be to double-check the character sheet, especially the rules connecting each feature. Thematic Creativity: — You know, I was really, really looking forward to judging this entry. Copper dragons are my favorite kind, and I've always liked dragonkin. This combination has a lot of potential. But... Bob? You serious? Bob? *Sigh* Definitely creative, and I cannot deny that it is very suitable to the theme. Background Content: — I find it very, very hard to believe that a Copper Dragon (who are CG) would destroy towns and rape women with abandon, as well as being infatuated with aborted god fetuses. I also find it upsetting. Anyways, you have a few good plot hooks there, such as the dead god in the bushes, Betsy, and bunches of angry humans. Being a dragonkin itself would probably make most parties reluctant to have someone join, so having Bob want to join a party is a good way to help. I liked how you explained the presence of all of Bob's good items, as well as how he got to be a barbarian, and his Brutal Throw feat. However, I don't know why Bob took ranks in Hide / Move Silently, or all those knowledge skills at the beginning. And if he was a Tattoo artist, how come he has no ranks in Profession (Tattoo Artist)? Rules Use: — I know you worked on guesswork, but I'd imagine that Bob should be a bit older, given that half-dragons usually live for such long periods of time (as befitting their draconic parent). HP is supposed to be 124 / 146 (Max hp at first HD, and +45 Con, I don't know how you calculated it, tho). Speed is probably supposed to be 20 ft (20 ft base, -10 Armor, +10 Fast Movement). Glad to see that skills seem all in order (but see below). I came 9.212gp over the limit on the receipt; expect the Tax Officials to come over soon. Combat-wise, despite the heavy penalty on LA, this guy can definitely keep up with the other melee characters in a fight. That strength score is, after all, unnatural, and the attack bonuses & saves that normally suffer are left (relatively) safe. Little tactics needed, like Dogma; just hack'n'slash. Clarity: — You forgot to mention during your Skills by Level that you bought a rank in Hide at 2nd, 4th & 6th level. Other than that, it seemed as though stats were flung all over the place; I was quite surprised to see AC & attacks down near the bottom of the sheet. *Considers zapping a kitten, zaps one because I haven't done so in a while.* Total: — Huge potential. Great build. I will steal Bob, and use him in my campaign, and you get an Honorary Mention for having the first entry in Hero Craftsman that I've stolen. But, y'know, just double-check a few things before submitting. Thematic Creativity: Ooh, another savage half-dragon barbarian! Tastae! Well, this one does use another savage race, and that is creative. The backstory does kind of tie in with the draconic theme, to a satisfactory level. But this entry just seems kind of... empty, to me. We get the basic "who," and "what," but are missing the deeper "why," and "how." Background Content: — On the one hand, you've provided two good plot hooks; Dogma must continue guarding dragons, and used to be chieftain of an orc horde (who's feelings on being abandoned are not mentioned). On the other, this plot hook would make it rather difficult for Dogma to join a party. How can he go off adventuring while still protecting his charge? Also, there are several features about Dogma left unexplained: how did he get Agestealer, how did he get Grench and his followers, how come he was so good at diplomacy, does his ancestory help him or hinder him? Plenty of kitten-zapping space to use for info like this. Rules Use: — Well, first of all, I hope Dogma has a second class in mind, because he's a Lawful Barbarian. You would get a +3 bonus to Fort when raging, due to the Con boost. I seriously don't know if I am able to calculate hit points anymore, since this is the third or forth one that appears wrong! (12+(6.5x12)+(6x13)=168, doesn't it?) You're also entitled to an extra feat for being 12th level. The masterwork cost in adamantine weapons is preincluded, so Agestealer would cost 53050gp. Your dragonhide amulet—unless, like the Cloak, it only works on half-dragons—is supposed to cost 50000gp. Speaking of which, and I know it's around there somewhere, but I cannot find for the life of me the rule that allows you to make an item usable by a single race for half price (I can find classes & skills, but not races). Frustrating. Besides, even if I ignore all that, I'm coming up 8sp over the limit on the receipt. Not much, I know, but worth mentioning. Now with that over with, combat... Much like Bob, I assume? Flying around and doing the ol' Hack'n'Slash with the two-handed weapon? That strength score is enviable, after all, and I have little doubt what a terror on the battlefield this one would be. Clarity: — Is it really that difficult to use the words "Fort," "Ref," and "Will"? Also, I do need to know what weapon you're attacking with in the first attack line. Furthermore, you didn't mention how often you could use that breath weapon of yours. And your languages are missing. On the other hand, there's definitely no zapped kittens coming your way. Total: — If there's one thing you do not need to be when making an entry, it is reckless. It seems to me as if you placed yourself under a straining time limit (had a day left though, didn't you? Must've been something else that had you too busy?), and that is having a negative effect on your score. Proof that, in Hero Craftsman, slow and steady wins the race. Thematic Creativity: — A Dragon Disciple I expected, but not one quite like this one. I don't think I ever put Bard and Dragon Disciple together, actually. Neither with an arabic setting as a backdrop. Interesting twists and developments on the character. The relationship to the draconic theme of the competition is satisfactory in the mechanics, but unfortunately not beyond that in the background. Background Content: — Plot hook? Yeah, there appear to be one or two. Unfortunately, they seem to override Zhendek's need to become a proper adventurer and adventure with a party. Would Zhendek want to side with a bunch of other powerful strangers if they wouldn't want to immediately aid his cause against Wodren? (Or, Hills forbid, what if another PC was on a similar quest?) You tied in Zhendek's mechanics halfway with the backstory, explaining his cohort, his weapon and his class levels, and his Perform skills, at the expense of all the other skills (All the knowledges especially; you didn't say anything about academic education). Rules Use: — Congrats, you just became a half-dragon with the humanoid type and not the dragon type! Skill points are wrong; I calculated 81 for bard levels instead of 82, but if we ignore that, the sum of the ranks spent still exceeds your given total by 3 ranks. Concentration is +7 instead of +12, and Knowledge (Arcana) is +11 instead of +10. Shardspire costs 52304gp, not 74690gp (or 74990gp, as the rough data says); the armor costs 27100gp, not 26600gp (or 28000gp, as the rough data says). And I don't know what rule says that Keelboats can be fitted with wheels for double price. But even if we ignore all that, I found your receipt puts you at either 1260gp under the limit, or 440gp over the limit (depending on which Treasure list you work by; how could they be priced different, anyway?!). Now, combat. Uhm... ... I have absolutely no idea what Zhendek would do in a fight, and unfortunately his strategy is not that obvious to me. Not much else to say here, really... Clarity: — Ack! Abbreviations are aberrant for me. There are too many of them around for me to quickly understand what the heck is going on. Also, throughout a long period of time while looking at the "rough data," I thought that you had 20 strength instead of 24 (obscure item bonuses, see)! You mentioned in skills what extra languages Zhendek speaks, but nothing is spoken of his bonus languages, or a complete language list. Also, you've called this Cold Iron spear of yours both Shardspire and Ice Shard (The latter found in your attack calculations). *Zaps a kitten* Total: — Average. Despite it's good points and the obvious fact that you spent time making him, Zhendek turned out to be rather boring to me. Thematic Creativity: — Surprise - another Half-Dragon. Only, this one doesn't happen to be a barbarian. And there's good ol' Bahamut again! The combination of classes (steering clear away from anything cleric) is also nice work. My only concern would be for Avalon's hatred towards aberrations. This is a draconic-themed contest, and bringing a different sort of monster to the mix is either a strong hint for the next contest theme, or a conflict of interests. Other than that, good. Background Content: — The backstory was rather interesting to read, and has provided a rather driven plot hook. It might be difficult for Avalon to join a party that doesn't have the same interests in saving the world from aberrations as he does. You explained how Avalon got his paladin levels, but not quite how he got his ranger or Divine Crusader levels. And the story of Purifier is one I would have liked to hear. Rules Use: — Two-Handed weapons deal 1.5xStr damage; Purifier deals 2d6+15 damage. Also, Bite attacks can't really be used as primary attacks, since that's the claws' job. +5 Mithral Full Plate costs 35500; the masterwork cost is already included in the mithral cost; same thing with Purifier, which costs 75050 instead of 75350. If we ignore that, then the receipt's fine, as is the rest of the sheet. But how would Avalon fare in combat, I wonder? He seems to have the stats for close-combat, with little regard for his spells (except when against evil fellas, I suppose). But I'm not really sure on what his tactics would be. Clarity: — Funny, getting a "Ref" bonus on reflex saves. You didn't mention Avalon's age (just says " yrs old"). And you forgot to put in Jump to your skills, with a +5 competence bonus from your boots, as well as your +2 synergy bonus to Survival from Knowledge (Dungeoneering). All of these are minor errors, though; otherwise, I could find everything I wanted. Surprised to see weights listed, that's a goodie. No zapped kittens for you. Total: — A very interesting character. It would have been better if there were less aberrations and more dragons, but in spite of that, you did good. Thematic Creativity: — Hm, I would have liked to see the Talon of Tiamat in there, and it's a pity you couldn't meet the prerequisites (but see below). I think that the PrC would have done a lot of good for both its creativity and its relativity to the theme; without it, the only hints of a draconic theme to Malek are his deity and the Frightful Presence feat. The background looks a lot similar, seeming to focus a little too much on a "fallen hero" theme. (Gosh, if we do have "fallen hero" as the theme for a future Hero Craftsman round, imagine how many ex-paladins we'll get!) Background Content: — Funny picture, Dark Regdar. Out of interest, was that made by yourself? The story itself... well, let me just say that *bensvelk* wux aridarastrixrenthisj. Or, you speak very good draconic. :P The backstory explains nicely how Malek got his class levels and his servant, but unfortunately not his feats (a pity, considering that some of them are odd for an anti-paladin) or his items. You've given Malek an organization to lead him, a quest to guide him and a reason to join a party of PC's to assist him. Plot hooks abound in this one, not too intrusive but definitely worth a DM looking at; the perfect sort. Rules Use: — You say that you couldn't meet the prerequisites for Talon of Tiamat... And I wonder why. With a bit of cross-class skill magic and some feat reorganization (and a slight change in alignment!), you could have met all of the requisites by 5th level, let alone 12th. Anyway... Greatsword damage is +6 Str (for wielding a weapon in two hands). I'm pretty sure Malek can smite good 5/day (twice for blackguard, thrice for those ex-paladin levels). Belts of Giant Strength cost 16000gp not 18000gp, but ignoring that, the receipt's clear. (I wonder why you didn't spend that extra 12169gp...) On Mane, you forgot to give him an ability-up for having 8 HD, and its fort save is supposed to be +14 (+11 Malek's, +3 Con), Will is +6 (+5 Malek's, +1 Wis). It's dangerous statting up companions, eh? You hinted in Malek's personality that he doesn't immediately rush into combat. So, he checks out the enemy, buffs himself up first, and summons a flanking buddy? It's what I would do; and is a good strategy. But just rushing into combat's probably good too. Clarity: — You're missing a 2nd-level spell prepared, and gave yourself an extra 3rd level spell. But aside from that, everything's nice and spotty. Very nice here. You do not get any zapped kittens. Total: — I think just as much as you thought, the biggest pity is the lack of the Talon of Tiamat. If you included that, you would have a very fair chance of winning. But as it stands... Anyway, make sure to also double-check your sheet for errors. Thematic Creativity: — Holy Shamoley, an intelligent item at last! Well, I don't think I would have ever put Platinum Knight together with the ranger class - some top-notch creativity there. Keeping to the theme with mechanics is what you've done here. I would be slightly less certain of the background, however. It seemed to me that a whole half of the story wasn't dragon-related at all. I don't suppose the entire background has to be dragon-this and dragon-that, but I suppose it was a bit worrying before I got to the end of reading it. Background Content: — Heh, I almost lol'ed when I discovered your method of bringing Tome of Magic & Magic of Incarnum to your world. Anyway, you provided some plot hooks in the form of an organization, every single chromatic dragon, and old friends. And you've still managed to keep Galen open for adventuring. You've explained how Galen got his levels in Platinum Knight, as well as how he got his bow, and (I suppose) his other items of importance. Add to that his ranks in some skills and his feats (except for Brachiation, I wonder what possessed you to take that feat...), and you have yourself a very well-done background. Rules Use: — Survival isn't a class skill of the Platinum Knight, so you couldn't possibly have put 19 ranks in it (check the PHB page 22, on Cross-Class Skill Max Ranks). And Knowledge (Dragon Lore) isn't a skill, and would have to be considered homebrew material. You do not add your charisma bonus on all of your saving throws; Bahamut's Blessing only applies to Evil Dragon attacks and stuff. The smite ability only gives an extra +1 to hit, since Galen's charisma is 12. Oddly enough, I can't find the pricing on making a dragoncraft shield. You assumed, though, that it costs nothing, which I'm quite positive isn't the case. The Bow of Brindale deals 2d10 electricity damage on a critical hit (due to the multiplier of x3), and costs 62700gp instead of 62800gp (600gp for a MW composite (+2) longbow, not 700gp). But if we ignore that, the receipt checks out. I get the hint that this character is supposed to shine in ranged combat, doubly so against dragons. Just an all-out arrow assault, is it for tactics? Can't deny its effectiveness, after all. Clarity: — Wow, an entry without an alignment. Or touch & flat-footed AC's. Also, an ego isn't listed for the Bow of Brindale. And, for the record, Sharp-Shooting is in Complete Warrior. Finally, sir, you get a zapped kitten. *Meow!* Total: — Your background concept - marvelous. Your mechanics - less so. Double-checking the rules on everything brought up here would go a long way toward improvement. Thematic Creativity: — My word, but half-dragons are popular this contest! Interesting twist, making a planar dragon the father. The half-dragon bit was probably the majority of the mechanics (aside from Dragon Cohort) that suited the theme, and it appears to be the same in the background; Garthron seemed to have been the only draconic influence on Jethro; one would have thought that at least one other dragon featured in his life. Background Content: — The best thing about this background (aside from being short) is that you've set Jethro up for prime adventuring. He would really want to join any good party just for the sake of bumping uglies, and that's a good thing. Though, he doesn't really have a specific goal in mind, I suppose that the past could come back to haunt him in the forms of angry demon leaders that swore revenge on the fella that helped destroy their army, or an ogre, or even the village / Garthron in danger. His fighter / barbarian levels were explained nicely enough, but from the background I could never have thought that he'd have bard levels as well. No indication at all! Rules Use: — Bite attacks are automatically secondary, so they are always used at -5 to hit. I think that you went overboard with skills. There's definitely cross-classing going on (which was very confusing), but I came up with a bare minimum of 106 points spent out of 102. Not to mention that you forgot the +5 circumstance bonus on Jump from the boots. The masterwork cost is already included in the adamantine pricing of Jethro's greatsword; so it costs 75050gp instead of 75350gp. Masterwork Composite Longbows (+5) cost 900gp, not 400gp (an extra 100gp for every +1 strength bonus). Belts of Giant Strength +4 cost 16000gp, not 32000gp. Combat-wise, I can imagine Jethro buffing himself with his bard spells, then wading into combat and cleaving with his greatsword. You have the hit points and the strength for that job, after all. Clarity: — Biggest problem? You didn't directly tell me the base race, even though it could only be Human. You also didn't mention languages or alignment (I'm guessing Common+Draconic / CG?). I find it odd that you only listed commonly-used attacks. If you'd use the other weapons at all, then is it worth the hassle of calculating attack & damage at the time of attack? But if you don't use them at all, then why bother having them? That aside, you never mentioned what sort of armor Jethro has on. I'm assuming +1 Glamered Mithral Breastplate of Spell Resistance (15) & Moderate Fortification? Just a guess, but you should really note down the special abilities in any case. And you didn't put in "Shock" to your sword's list of abilities. Oh, and no zapped kittens. Total: — Ah, what was your last few entries like? Yeah, you're improving. Instead of the background being the big problem, though, it's more a matter of mechanics. Double-check the sheet, I can't stress that enough. You'll have a chance of finding something that seems wrong and it'll save you some points. Oh, and stress the time limit next time. Thematic Creativity: — OMG A Halfling!!1 Aw, how'd you know... Well, Dragonstalker takes up more space in the entry than anything else, more the mechanics than the background. Good job in sticking to the theme, though I can't quite say that it's really an original concept. Background Content: — The hardest thing I find to believe about Roscoe's backstory is that he killed all kinds of dragons because all of them must be nasty for killing a dragon that was his friend. I would have thought he'd only go after chromatic dragons if Maekrix taught him about them at all (which he would be stupid not to). Aside from that, Roscoe has a half-decent reason for joining a party of adventurers (though conflict may arise if the party doesn't feel like killing dragons), and a good goal to set himself on. Explanations for his classes are given (and given well), as well as for most of the important items Roscoe's wearing, which is good. Kind of a pity Roscoe has no friends to speak of. Rules Use: — Initiative is +7, thanks to them Gloves. If you're going to add dodge to your AC (which you really shouldn't do, because it only applies to one enemy), then at least say so (and don't apply it to flat-footed AC's, because you don't get dodge bonuses if flat-footed). I'm only getting 108 hit points instead of 110 (6+3.5+(4x5.5)+(10x4.5)+(2x16)=108). Your longbow is, effectively, a +7 weapon (+2 enhancement, +1 Bane, +1 Frost, +3 Speed), and it deals 5d6+d6+6 (instead of +4; bonus enhancement), and costs 98,375gp, which actually makes it illegal for this competition (BIG No-no). You can only use Ignore Natural Armor 2/day. You seem to have added an extra +1 to the base save of each saving throw type, which should make each save 1 lesser than it is. You spent six ranks in Search, not four. The bonuses provided by the Boots of Elvenkind and the Silent Moves armor are both enhancement bonuses, and the two don't stack. Two Immovable Rods cost 10000gp, not 6000gp; I calculated 20060gp for the armor instead of 19360gp. And even ignoring those, I came up 1700gp over the limit on your receipt. A lot of errors here needs working. Now, to combat. Against dragons, this fellow would dominate completely, no questions asked. Against anything else, well, he's a below-average sniper. That's the pity when going Dragonstalker; you only kick draconic arse, but not any other sort of arse. Clarity: — Huh, pretty format you have there. Anyway, you says on the basic stats that Roscoe's a level 2 Dragonstalker, but he's really a level 10 one (nasty typo). Aside from that, I can find all I wanted. Definitely no zapped kittens for you. Total: — You definitely need to work on the rules. I spent two hours trying to sift through all of the uncomfortable features about the sheet to work out the rights from the wrongs. If we can get further than that, then you'll be in business. And, mind the clock next time, okay?
bhu 12-31-06, 05:57 PM	Hi Chili. The early Knowledge skills were things Bob picked up as a wandering traveler. They haven't been increased since because he hasn't had a chance. The ranks in Hide/Move Silently went along with him being a hunter and are taken by me virtually no matter what my pc is because many of the local DM's are killers who put us against things we can't fight, just hide from. Also he isn't a tattoo artist, his mentor Thror was. The name Bob...well a dragon named Bob somehow seems funny at 4 AM when your on massive doses of medication. His parent was not your standard Copper Dragon having long since gone insane and turned quite Evil in the process. Unfortuneately I thought I had far, far more time than I did to do the background believing that I could easily do a rewrite. But when I was able to go back to work they pounded me with 12 to 14 hour days. So I had a choice of not entering (which I didnt like, because I've been trying for the last 2 contests) or posting him as is with no proofreading or adding any of the stuff I'd jotted down to add to the background (which would have made some things a lot clearer). Neither option was good, but at least I got to enter with the second one. Bob the Father is really only interested in the Dead God of the Bushes insofar as it might have the potential to be an actual rival. And because he has no idea what the Hell it is, and he's very curious. On the HP, i was assuming when I read the rules that I was getting 5.5 hp per level for his racial levels and 6.5 for his barbarian levels. Next time I will be setting up so I have time to proofread, and with the holidays over so is emergency overtime :)
FRRC 12-31-06, 06:29 PM	Dear Chilli, Yes, the "Dark Regdar" was made by me. It was done in Photoshop CS by editting the colours. Nothing really special. I could have had the Talon of Tiamat and it was part of my original plan. I had built he character Ex-Pal 7/ BG 5/ Talon 4 but as I was writing up the Breakdown, I realised I hadn't met the requirements. So rather than sit through it all and work out the skills again, I just changed it to a BG. I was already rushing with the History to get it in on time that I just couldn't find the time to sit there and sift through 16 levels of character just to make it work. The 12,000 gold is there because I did originally have some mithral breastplate for my horse but then I took the Golden Barding right at the end and again, didn't have the time to find more items. Some of it I just can't explain though. Missing the x1.5 bonus on STR for a Two-handed weapon, or the extra 3rd level spell and missing a 2nd level spell. I had the right amount of Smites. 2/day for being level 9 BG. 2/day for being Ex-Paladin 6-7. One thing you did miss: I'm missing an attack (Which was obviously a reult of me changing the classes under short notice) :P
Kit_the_Odd 12-31-06, 07:05 PM	Thanks for the comments Chilli. In some ways I'm kind of glad my entry was DQ'ed. There was alot more work I planned on putting into it, covering almost all of the issues you brought up. At least in the mechanics section. I just didn't get it done before I left out of state for vacation, and since vacation consisted of a wedding and Christmas activities with both my family and my in-laws, my on-line time was very limited. (Plus the fact that my books were 1500 miles away. :) ) I definately should have hit the 'time spent with the sages' more, especially since that is the source of the 4 levels of Bard. Basically I was going for a character raised to be a cultural/spiritual leader and well as a war chief for his barbarian tribe. But that didn't really come through very well. Unlike many of my other character ideas this one started less with a character/background concept and more of a mechanical idea. I'd been playing with some bardbarian concepts before the contect started and when I ran across the Battle Dragon in the Draconomicon I realized that it was a bardbarian dragon, and that was just too cool to resist trying. And you are almost right combat-wise, except that I don't see him depending on his buffs much. He'll use them given the chance, but he doesn't require them. Jethro basically starts his inspire courage song as combat starts and then rages. He can maintain the song while raging, but can't cast his spells. Best visual comparison I can come up with is a huge, armored half-dragon that starts chanting something like the All-Blacks Haka (Ka Mate) as he charges his enemies with a massive two-handed sword. I don't know about you, but that image for me ... :eek: :bigeyes: Run Away, Run Away!
Endarrion 12-31-06, 07:10 PM	To Jason: regarding the suggestion that I take straight Ranger levels instead of Rogue 3/ Cleric 3/ Fighter 4. I considered it, to be sure. The only problem is that I didn't think it fit the flavor of the character. I know I didn't get this into the background, but I saw him as progressing through many different careers because he constantly changed, just like real people do. He started off as a rogue because his natural talents pointed him in that direction and it's sorta the "default" class for those who do not have a life goal in mind. After that he took levels in cleric because of his continuing good luck and his desire to protect his friends. The fighter levels came in because he admired Grade and wanted to be a better warrior. Finally, the dragonstalker and dragonslayer levels came in because he likes to go toe to toe with dragons (dragonslayer) but has to be able to hunt them down and use surprise to his advantage (dragonstalker). As far as his skills go... from page 59 of the 3.5 PHB, "If a skill is a class skill for any of a multiclass character's classes, then character level determines a skill's maximum rank." So all my maximums are legit, as long as there isn't some errata I don't know about. I can see your concern over him having ranks in skills that don't seem to fit his character, but the Survival ranks are there to supplement the Track feat and the Gather Information ranks are there so he can find out about these scaled beasts that he so detests. My reply to Chilli regards his comment about the 8d6 damage vs. dragons. Thane gets 2d6 from the bane sword, 2d6 from sneak attack, another 2d6 sneak attack vs dragons only, and 2d6 from the deadly precision. How he would get this against a dragon is by acting first in the combat (he has Imp. Init. for a reason ;) ), and his next feat was going to be Imp. Feint. Also, I would've liked to add something about tactics to his background. He has winged boots so that wounded dragons cannot fly away, and so that dragons cannot spew the puny mortal with dragon breath from above. All in all, I completely agree with the score and I see that I had some descrepencies regarding HP and other factors. Thanks again for the great competition and I'm looking forward to the next one. :)
DarkKitsune 12-31-06, 07:28 PM	Heh. Never expected to even get near the middle of the pack, never mind win :). As for replying to the criticism, I don't have much time right now, so I'll be brief :p JasonOrlandoHawk; In terms of the gear, I hadn't listed the spell because I didn't think it would count (being part of an entirely roleplaying choice rather than affecting his power level - unless you count the fact that he now has a rather powerful patron). Also, you may be right about the sorcerer levels... I was wanting to experiment with the idea of using buffs right before battle to boost his effectiveness, but, having not played anywhere near this level before, I wouldn't have been able to tell the results ^_^' TheChilliGod; You caught the Move Silently bonus: it was a leftover from a last-minute gear suffle (he had Boots of Elvenkind)... must remember to proofread. Overall, I found this a fun (and educational :D) experience and would like to thank the both of you for hosting it *bows* :)
TheChilliGod 12-31-06, 07:32 PM	Ah, Commenting the comments. About time. :P -bhu, I can't condone working on your entry at 4am while on heavy medication, but if that's how you made all of your entry, well, you deserve extra bonus kudos. But really, I like copper dragons. And seeing one committing acts of evil and stuff like that is kind of like seeing your barbie dolls with their heads ripped off. It's only reasonable, but still upsetting. -FRRC. What do you think would have been more difficult, in hindsight? rearranging a bunch of skills, or rearranging your entire class setup? Oh, I just realized that I confused your Blackguard levels with your Ex-Paladin levels, so I'll take back that extra Smite Evil use you obviously don't want. Nobody ever said I was a god or anything... -Kit_the_Odd, I know firsthand what the AB's Ka Mate looks like (I'm a kiwi, after all!) but I guess that it's only intimidating to those on the other side of the field; they've never scared me yet. -Endarrion, really. Feinting is hardly the solution here. :D Thane: Feint! Dragon: Rawr! Thane: Arrg! -Darkkitsune, you forgot Heros_Backpack. Despite not showing any sign of it, he does exist. Somewhere. Anyone else? Haven't had Zherog, yet. He'd probably like to nitpick everything I say and do... :hides:
bhu 12-31-06, 07:54 PM	Ah, Commenting the comments. About time. :P -bhu, I can't condone working on your entry at 4am while on heavy medication, but if that's how you made all of your entry, well, you deserve extra bonus kudos. But really, I like copper dragons. And seeing one committing acts of evil and stuff like that is kind of like seeing your barbie dolls with their heads ripped off. It's only reasonable, but still upsetting. Virus didn't give me a lot of choice about that :( I didn't think having an evil Copper Dragon would be offensive or controversial :eek: My apologies if I have offended. Kinda nervous about seeing the other judges reviews now..... :hides:
FRRC 12-31-06, 08:02 PM	-FRRC. What do you think would have been more difficult, in hindsight? rearranging a bunch of skills, or rearranging your entire class setup? Yeah, that would have been easier, but when you panic, stupid things come faster. In my mind, all I had to do was delete everything to do with Talon of Tiamat, add one some spells, +1 BAB and some extra abilities which was all in the book. No calculations needed. Looking at my piece of paper with all my skills on it, its a complete mess where I went back and forth changing skills to make it fit the character. My guess is that I looked at it and thought "Na, too much." :P :P I think tomorrow, I'm gonna devise a better way for me to keep record of things on my character. One thing I've noticed about my characters and my creation of them: I keep missing or forgetting vital bits.
Kit_the_Odd 12-31-06, 09:26 PM	Yeah, I figured you'd be familiar with Ka Mate (since your posts show you in Auckland). And yes, I was thinking about freaking out the opponents, after all Inspire Courage ADDS bonuses to allies. :) I haven't had the pleasure of actually watching the All Blacks in person, but I have been on the recieving end of someone doing the haka. And despite the fact that he was about half my size it was still a little freaky, what with the veins popping out of his neck and the look of death in his eyes. Actually, I think I remember an option somewhere that changed Inspire Courage's bonus for allies to penalties for opponents. The haka idea is one reason why I love the idea of melee bards. Elan strumming his lute in the corner during a fight - funny, but not what I want to play. A dude that chants, sings, or spouts insulting poetry while cutting you to pieces (see Cyrano de Begerac) - way cool to me.
Zherog 12-31-06, 09:41 PM	I've always found the Contemplative class interesting, despite that I've never bothered to look at it closely (Love of the mystery, I suppose). Now that I have looked at it closely, nothing about its mysteriousness is any different. The crunch is clearly enough related to dragons, and the background contains sufficient draconic happiness. All in all, pretty nice work. I've never actually gone beyond first level in the class. I read once before that contemplative is one level long (as in, only level 1 is worthwhile from an optimization standpoint). However, I really didn't want an overly complex build with this character, so I decided to take a peek beyond level 1. What I found was a fairly well-balanced prestige class. In exchange for turning undead and a good Fortitude save, the contemplative picks up some nifty little abilties that fit into the flavor of the class nicely. I'd like to see the empty levels at 4 and 8 go away, but otherwise, it's a solid class beyond first level. So I guess that was something I learned in this competition. :) Matching with Stats? Well, indirectly you explained why Merseliel became a contemplative (meeting an aspect would do that sort of thing) I think it was more than indirect, actually. For the first 8-9 levels of her "professional" life, she believed she was a cleric of the elven gods. Around level 9-10, she began having odd visions that called her on a pilgramage. It was only at that point was it revealed to her that she was actually a cleric of Bahamut; she then began some hard meditating and soul searching, which culminated with meeting the aspect of Bahamut (which, honestly, if it wasn't a Prestige Class requirement I wouldn't've worked that in - it doesn't feel "right" to me). Only one of the items that the cleric has is ever mentioned in the backstory; Am I to believe that all the other items hold absolutely no sentimental value for Merseliel, and are most likely just phat lewt from dragon hoards? I can't recall ever developing backstory type stuff for equipment since 3rd edition came out. Probably because 3e more or less demands equipment upgrades every few levels, it's difficult (though certainly not impossible) to have involved stories about equipment. From what I've heard of Weapons of Legacy, that book goes a good long way to helping solve that problem - but I don't have it yet. Rules Use: — Hm... Should I even bother with this? I might as well, he might have something wrong... Ah, here we go! Your AC is 31 (10+4+8+6+3=31), and I think your will save is +26 (+7 Cleric, +5 Contemplative, +5 Resistance, +9 Wis). I also came up 6gp over the limit on your receipt. Basic addition; screws over the best of us. *Tsk* Hmmm... let's check the magic spread sheet... AC: Well, my spreadsheet is correct. I can't even blame fat-finger syndrome, since the 1 and 0 are on opposite ends of the spectrum. Will Save: Another transfer error - I have 26 on my spreadsheet. This time I can at least blame fat-finger syndrome. Cash: I really don't feel like finding 6 gp. But suffice to say, on my spreadsheet I come out to a total of 260,000 - so I'm not sure where the discrepency lies. Now to combat. Aside from the prep spells and feats that make Merseliel seem like a combat cleric, I suppose this is what every cleric would look like at about 16th level. With the exception of the hit points. It seems to me that, if a passing dragon went full-attack on her (and believe me, the 16-CR ones will hit regardless of 32 AC, & it'll hit hard), she'd be spending too much time keeping herself alive instead of kicking draconic arse. But then, I don't really know what she'll even do when up against a dragon, since I see no combat tactics. I don't envision her being a melee cleric. It's certainly possible to build a cleric that can "tank" better than a fighter - but Merseliel isn't that cleric. Instead, I envision her relying on her party members for defense, while she slings around nasty spells. She's likely to try the following spells (more or less in this order): Round 1: either buff the party (likely mass bear's endurance, or debuff the target (greater bestow curse and lower spell resistance are the most likely). Round 2: slay living is always good, though it requires a Fort save and a touch attack. Greater Bestow Curse would help with that Fort save issue, but getting close to a dragon to touch it sucks. If that seemed unlikely, she has other offensive spells to fire off, including earthquake, fire storm, and holy word. Alternatively, she could cast misdirection and try to take advantage of the invisibility it grants to get close to a dangerous foe for one of her touch spells (slay living or harm come to mind). Round 3: This is the point, generally, where planning in combat is pretty useless, because plans tend to go to hell in a handbasket by this point. From here on, she reacts accordingly. As for worrying about getting hit with a full attack... again, it's not something I'm too concerned about. In my experience, it's a rare occassion when a dragon doesn't use its breath weapon in the first round. I'm not too concerned about her Reflex save. Her Dragon Hunter Defense feat effectively gives her evasion against a dragon's breath weapon. I think her Init is high enough (+4) to avoid being flat-footed for too long in combat, and her decently high Spot and Listen (+13 each) should permit her to avoid being surprised often. Basically, I think she'd survive even the best laid ambush of a dragon. Among the things I found were two potentially nasty typos in the Skill Progression; Level 4's Diplomacy ranks listed as 3 instead of 2; Total ranks' Knowledge (Planes) listed as 13 instead of 12. Back to the magic spreadsheet to see where the problem occurs... Diplomacy: Yep, defintely only two ranks at this level. More FFS. Knowledge (the planes): again, you're correct. And again, I blame FFS. Cheers!
edwardsobel 01-01-07, 02:33 AM	Thematic Creativity: — Holy Shamoley, an intelligent item at last! Well, I don't think I would have ever put Platinum Knight together with the ranger class - some top-notch creativity there. Keeping to the theme with mechanics is what you've done here. I would be slightly less certain of the background, however. It seemed to me that a whole half of the story wasn't dragon-related at all. I don't suppose the entire background has to be dragon-this and dragon-that, but I suppose it was a bit worrying before I got to the end of reading it. Background Content: — Heh, I almost lol'ed when I discovered your method of bringing Tome of Magic & Magic of Incarnum to your world. Anyway, you provided some plot hooks in the form of an organization, every single chromatic dragon, and old friends. And you've still managed to keep Galen open for adventuring. You've explained how Galen got his levels in Platinum Knight, as well as how he got his bow, and (I suppose) his other items of importance. Add to that his ranks in some skills and his feats (except for Brachiation, I wonder what possessed you to take that feat...), and you have yourself a very well-done background. Rules Use: — Survival isn't a class skill of the Platinum Knight, so you couldn't possibly have put 19 ranks in it (check the PHB page 22, on Cross-Class Skill Max Ranks). And Knowledge (Dragon Lore) isn't a skill, and would have to be considered homebrew material. You do not add your charisma bonus on all of your saving throws; Bahamut's Blessing only applies to Evil Dragon attacks and stuff. The smite ability only gives an extra +1 to hit, since Galen's charisma is 12. Oddly enough, I can't find the pricing on making a dragoncraft shield. You assumed, though, that it costs nothing, which I'm quite positive isn't the case. The Bow of Brindale deals 2d10 electricity damage on a critical hit (due to the multiplier of x3), and costs 62700gp instead of 62800gp (600gp for a MW composite (+2) longbow, not 700gp). But if we ignore that, the receipt checks out. I get the hint that this character is supposed to shine in ranged combat, doubly so against dragons. Just an all-out arrow assault, is it for tactics? Can't deny its effectiveness, after all. Clarity: — Wow, an entry without an alignment. Or touch & flat-footed AC's. Also, an ego isn't listed for the Bow of Brindale. And, for the record, Sharp-Shooting is in Complete Warrior. Finally, sir, you get a zapped kitten. *Meow!* Total: — Your background concept - marvelous. Your mechanics - less so. Double-checking the rules on everything brought up here would go a long way toward improvement. First thanks for the comments. I am glad you appreciated the story. i actually feel the need to explain a bit: I to found that dragoncraft shield had no price. that would probably be something dixcussed with the DM prior to play. Also it is true Survival is not a class skill for Plat. knight it is a class skill for ranger so 19 ranks is the max it just cost me 2 points per rank each level of Platinum knight. to quote the SRD: Skills: If a skill is a class skill for any of a multiclass character’s classes, then character level determines a skill’s maximum rank. (The maximum rank for a class skill is 3 + character level.) If a skill is not a class skill for any of a multiclass character’s classes, the maximum rank for that skill is one-half the maximum for a class skill. I really am sorry to nit pick. Also glad you found all of the little things I forgot to add. I hastily posted the character and after the deadline remembered all the little things I forgot. one thing I forgot was to change the Brachiation feat to something else. overall the story written is the summary of my character's actual adventures while I was in the service as an original 2nd edition AD&D charcter. (BTW Nith Falor was my very first 1st edition AD&D character I played in high scholl back in the 80's Lastly I dpnt understand the kitten reference :confused:
Avalon® 01-01-07, 03:07 AM	Thematic Creativity: — Surprise - another Half-Dragon. Only, this one doesn't happen to be a barbarian. And there's good ol' Bahamut again! The combination of classes (steering clear away from anything cleric) is also nice work. My only concern would be for Avalon's hatred towards aberrations. This is a draconic-themed contest, and bringing a different sort of monster to the mix is either a strong hint for the next contest theme, or a conflict of interests. Other than that, good. This is what happens when I change a concept mid-character. Originally Avalon was supposed to be a half-dragon dragon rider who rode his half-brother (a gold dragon) into battle in a barren land. But I found that a gold dragon of suitable size for riding was way beyond the level allowed by either the leadership or dragon cohort feats. Then I had an idea that he would be instead a holy servant of the Platinum Dragon. The aberrations were only my boogeyman of choice. Background Content: — The backstory was rather interesting to read, and has provided a rather driven plot hook. It might be difficult for Avalon to join a party that doesn't have the same interests in saving the world from aberrations as he does. You explained how Avalon got his paladin levels, but not quite how he got his ranger or Divine Crusader levels. And the story of Purifier is one I would have liked to hear. That's what I get for trying to finish a story under pressure. I was intimidated at first with Haruspex's background so I wanted to make one just as grand. Originally, the plan was to have his background in a flashback in four to five chapters. But, school got in the way with my prelims during the last week of submissions for the contest. As I expressed my doubts to you guys about finishing in time, this was my biggest roadblock. I focused on the background so much that I now see that I made mistakes along the way. The ranger levels were supposed to come from the time he was an adventurer clearing out the abberation nests that were prevalent at the time but only to the extent of only being pests. The divine crusader OTOH, began when he began the gathering of Bahamut's faithful and trying to keep the faith in Bahamut alive. As to his sword, Purifier, I named it only on a whim but in hindsight it would have been better if I told how he came to acquire it. Also, this is not my usual mode of telling a background. Here are some of my better works: Beranus Dragonborne (http://boards1.wizards.com/showpost.php?p=9938194&postcount=7) Kevalon "Lonehunter" Nakonli (http://boards1.wizards.com/showpost.php?p=10298598&postcount=3) Verden Smyth (http://boards1.wizards.com/showpost.php?p=10730750&postcount=172) Rules Use: — Two-Handed weapons deal 1.5xStr damage; Purifier deals 2d6+15 damage. Also, Bite attacks can't really be used as primary attacks, since that's the claws' job. +5 Mithral Full Plate costs 35500; the masterwork cost is already included in the mithral cost; same thing with Purifier, which costs 75050 instead of 75350. If we ignore that, then the receipt's fine, as is the rest of the sheet. But how would Avalon fare in combat, I wonder? He seems to have the stats for close-combat, with little regard for his spells (except when against evil fellas, I suppose). But I'm not really sure on what his tactics would be. Clarity: — Funny, getting a "Ref" bonus on reflex saves. You didn't mention Avalon's age (just says " yrs old"). And you forgot to put in Jump to your skills, with a +5 competence bonus from your boots, as well as your +2 synergy bonus to Survival from Knowledge (Dungeoneering). All of these are minor errors, though; otherwise, I could find everything I wanted. Surprised to see weights listed, that's a goodie. No zapped kittens for you. That's what I get when I try to juggle making an epic 5-chapter backstory and studying for and doing my prelims in my second semester of college in an engineering course. It's been what, two weeks after the contest finished? My head's still reeling from the task. Oh well, it's a good run for my first time in this contest. This comes from a guy with no real RL DnD experience (yet) and only Pbp games with a 13th level character as my highest. Thanks for the support guys! :D
Heros_Backpack 01-01-07, 11:30 AM	-Darkkitsune, you forgot Heros_Backpack. Despite not showing any sign of it, he does exist. Somewhere. Stuck behind a rampart of piled up work, trying to get my nose above it for more than 5 minutes at a time. :( And while I have, I'll post my comments. Just to remind you that I really am here. :D Unlike Chilli, I read the background of a character trying to get a handle on who this person is, and then go on to the mechanics to see how they back the background up. Reading 14 backgrounds one after the other did sometimes make them blur together, so having something that made a character stand out was a bonus. Otherwise, read this as 'I agree with previous comments and add these'. (And I'm trying not to get repetative) After Ijilla went home she returned to the orc’s cave frequently to learn more about the sea. Over time she grew fond of the druid, and he of her. When did the half-dragon turn into an orc? And then back again - no mention of it anywhere else. There was another 'huh?' moment the first time I scanned through the sheet when this weasel appeared from nowhere in the Reflex save, and you seem to have acquired an extra point of AC from somewhere I can't figure out. I also got slightly confused figuring out a few of your descriptions, but otherwise not bad. A truly memorable character! Well worked out (although you seem to have mislaid about 3000 gp on your equipment list) but the dragon component felt tacked on just to make Rignel qualify. True, beginning and end are linked, but up to the end section, you can replace the word 'dragon' in the founding etc. with anything else (for example heffalump) and it makes very little difference to the actual character. I like the idea of using footnotes. Unfortunately, on my computer, they come over as normal size rather than subscript - which got rather confusing at the start. For a moment I thought I was having to judge a Cleric of Bahamut 110/ Contemplative 26. Which is just a little too high... ;) I also found your skills and possessions lists very hard to read. A well made, simple, but effective character, simply explained. Although it did seem as if the clan was saying 'congratulations, you've done everything we asked. Now go away and take the blade with you.' Another very well made character. Tell me though, where is he going to sleep and what is he going to eat? (No bedroll, no food) I accept that rangers can use survival to find food as they go, but unless he's going to hunt down an animated bed, he's going to have some uncomfortable nights. I admit that this was a character I had to check on to remind myself which particular dragon hunter this was. He just didn't stand out. Looking agai, I still can't find anything that stands out - good or bad. Just a well-made, fairly average character. 9200 gp overdrawn, a blessedly short (and fun) background and guessed stats. What else can I say? I love the idea of a Dragonguard! On the other hand I do not appreciate the wink, wink, nudge, nudge tone of the background opening. If you want to allude to something, do it either quietly or openly, not as if you were snickering behind the bike shed. :yuck: Ok, rant over. Your background did feel rather as if it had been thrown together in a hurry, but your sheet was clear and made things rasonably easy to find. Last competition my background was rather pitiful and minimalist. I think I may have gone to the other extreme this time. I agree, but Zhendek definately stood out. He seems to have lost about 1200gp along the way and his skill block is hard to read (both in the rough version and the finished) but he is thoroughly memorable. Another half dragon - and another character I had to take second look at to remind me who he was. That done, I hope the old man who keeps turning up is something other than human because he would be very, very old 30 years after his first appearance. You were also, I think, 6sp over. The dragon connection felt tacked on to a fairly standard fallen paladin. Without the Talon of Tiamat class, Tiamat could have been replaced with any evil god without changing Malek at all. However, you set everything out very clearly and everything was easy to find. You wove dragons into Galen very smoothly, but everything seems to be over and finished with, including more adventuring. I did find Galen hard to remember and another character that easily blended into the crowd, but you did keep everything clear, simple and accurate - except for being 2500gp over the limit. :D Kit the Odd and Americanyeti, I'll add your comments shortly, now I have time to take a good look at your characters.
JasonOrlandoHawk 01-01-07, 01:36 PM	+Your best category was Clarity (weighted). Dragonkin, Half-Dragon, & Son of a Dragon... Have you ever heard the phrase "trying too hard?" It's like you traded developing any one single concept for the opportunity to say the word "Dragon" as much as possible. Your a Dragonkin, but rather than develop that, you're kicked out at a young age. Your a Half-Dragon, but for the most part, that just makes you look monstrous. Your father Bob is... (see comments in the background section) shallow. Rather than have one well developed concept, you have three poorly developed concepts. Dragonkin w/ Half-Dragon is a poor choice for another reason: You're not going to be able to stand toe-to-toe w/ other Level 16 characters. Think about it, you have a LA +5 (+2 Dragonkin, +3 Half-Dragon). Not only do LA's tend to hurt you in terms of BAB, saves, skills, and HP, but your two sources of a high LA (Dragonkin, Half-Dragon) don't stack that well. Dragonkin and Half-Dragon have redundant features (i.e.: Flight, Natural Weapons), but you're paying for them twice in terms of levels. Your ECL may say 16, but as an experienced High Level gamer, I would probably say in terms of power level, your ECL is, at best, 14. (This issue is stuck somewhere between Rules Use/Mechanics and Thematic Creativity, so I just decided to stick it here.) In speaking and writing, a good introduction is critical for capturing the audience's (and in this case, the judge's) attention. I'm talking about your name. Bob (a dragonkin), Son of Bob (a dragon), Grandson of Bob (presumably another dragon). Before I ever looked at anything on your character, I had already marked off points in this category for the lack of creativity seen in just your name. Imagine my surprise when I began reading your entry and I discovered that you have access to the Draconomicon which happens to include a large section of sample Draconic terms on page 29. I know names are difficult to create sometimes, but when you have a ready made resource for name generation, that's really going to impact my view of your character. First, let me say, I was very pleased w/ the physical description you provided . Excellent job. If you have read my general comments, you probably know what my number one issue w/ your character is. If you haven't, please go back and read "Sex, Love, & D&D." You weren't the only offender, but you were the worst. A quick note: Yes, I do understand that you were on meds that messed w/ you. I can understand that. (This past summer, I got put on medication that I was severely allergic to. Worst two weeks of my life, literally.) However, I'm not judging your state of mind, I'm judging your entry. Certain material was in very poor taste. And, Bob, your father, is a Copper Dragon. They have an "Always Chaotic Good" alignment description. I didn't care for your representation of a Copper Dragon's lifestyle. The NPC's in your story are not very convincing. Betsy is given almost no detail. Bob the Dragon, beyond not being CG, is apparently (friend? foe? We don't know!) there. The best NPC in your background is, in fact, your Berserker-Sort-of-Adoptive-Father. You needed more depth for your NPCs. One final positive note: I did like having "The Dead God in the Bushes" as a future enemy for your character. Nice! Mechanics #1: Skill Point Totals: You have 36 skill points (20 Dragonkin, 16 Barbarian), but you’ve spent 40 skill points total. Additionally, you’ve bought a lot of cross-class skills as if they were regular skills. The only two class skills for a Dragonkin are Spot & Listen, and yet you were buying Hide, Move Silently, Survival, and several Knowledges. While you could have purchased them, you should have purchased them at Cross-Class skill costs. Rearranging your skill point expenditures wouldn’t help much since Knowledge is never a class skill for Barbarians. Mechanics #2: Hit Dice/Hit Points: HD 11, HP 124 (7d10(43)) + (4d12(26)) + (5*11(55)) = 124, 146 while raging. (Your HP total of 112, 134 while raging, was too low.) Mechanics #3: Your Traveler's Outfit was free at Character Creation. Rules Use #1: Repeat discussion of Dragonkin & Half-Dragon damaging your overall power. Rules Use #2: Gear: You have seen several of the previous competitions, so you should’ve known that I’d be looking for this… Where’s the mundane gear at? Sure, you’ve got clothes on (which beats out a certain famous Hobgoblin Fighter), but that’s not the only gear you’d ever use. I want more than just shiny rings, powerful weapons, and healing potions. Mundane gear is critical to a well rounded character. (Hint: Bottle of Fine Wine: Any adventurer’s best friend.) Minor Red Ink Citation Issue: Large and in Charge feat: Pg. 71 of the Draconomicon (not pg. 68). Btw, excellent feat choice! You gave me a Level-by-Level breakdown, which was helpful. You also remembered to include your stats while raging. Good Job! Don't forget to list situational bonus to your AC/saves (i.e.: Trap Sense) near those sections so your don't forget them. +Your best category was Thematic Creativity. The Dragonguard was one of the more unique ideas presented in this competition. While I expected Dragon Hunters, Dragonborn, and Dragon Riders, I was pleasently surprised by the inclusion of a "Dragon Guard" concept. The offer for immortality is a nice aspect of this character as well. I'm a cruel GM, so it would probably come back to bite you, at least in part, but it was still a nice touch. Do you realize that your alignment is Lawful Neutral and that you're a Barbarian. Despite the short length of the entry (Thank You!), you've given this character a good deal of history. You’ve been a clan leader. You’ve served a lengthy career as a Dragon Guard. You’ve assembled a team of assistants to aid your assignments. You’re even (theoretically) immortal. (Evil DM smile) Technically, you do have allies and enemies, but I would like to see more detail on them. Who are the Dragon Slayers that you’ve angered? Who are the other dragons you’ve aided? Do they see you as an ally or an employee? How did you acquire Agestealer? It seems to be an important point in your background, but it is just sort of there, no story to it. Personally, I would probably have Krakend questing for Dracolichdom. Mechanics #1: Hit Points: HP: 168 (+26 during rage): You only gain 2 HP/Level from the Con increase when raging. Mechanics #2: Remember that special materials (read: Adamantine & Mithral) include the cost of the “Masterwork” description in their cost. You don’t have to pay for “masterwork” adamantine weapons or “masterwork” mithral armor. This threw off your gear value calculations. Compliment #1: You actually took an assortment of Mundane Gear, which I like to see. Rules Use/Mechanics Combined Issue #1: Specialized Items: You were very inventive w/ your items, which was alternately good and harmful… Good Example #1: Ring of Wingbeats +2 (As Ring of Protection). Nicely done. Good Example #2: Bracers of Dragon’s Heart +6 (Bracers of Health). Though you were using an uncustomary Body Slot, it fit rather well. Nicely done. Bad Example #1: Cloak of the Dragon Unsealed: 1) The best “limited use” discount offered in the DMG is 30%, but you have cut this item to half the price of a pair of Wings of Flying. 2) I have a real problem, as a DM, allowing a character to get discounts for items that are basically labeled, “Limited Use: ME!” I’m not buying it. Red Ink! Cite your Sources! Improved Flight, where? • Your Stats section could’ve been neater. Think Con: 22 (Base 14, +2 Racial, +6 Enhancement) I really enjoyed your Full Attack section. Very neat and concise. Good job!
TheChilliGod 01-01-07, 01:38 PM	Ahh... Just like the old days before I became interested in D&D, where you couldn't get a wink of judging done without being nitpicked the complete hell out of. I think it was more than indirect, actually.By 'Indirect', I meant you didn't say the word "Contemplative." :DI can't recall ever developing backstory type stuff for equipment since 3rd edition came out.One of my own PC's has a weapon with a backstory, with sentimental value in it, and I assure you he'll never throw it away, but just pay to enhance it again and again to suit him. Ain't that difficult.AC: Well, my spreadsheet is correct. I can't even blame fat-finger syndrome, since the 1 and 0 are on opposite ends of the spectrum.Uhm... Really fat fingers?I don't envision her being a melee cleric.Never said melee cleric. Said combat cleric. As in, buff-party-first. At least I didn't say band-aid.Basically, I think she'd survive even the best laid ambush of a dragon. Even if that dragon dropped an antimagic field on you and set off a huge pit trap into a pool of boiling lava? :evillaugh (Ooh, gotta write that one down...) Also it is true Survival is not a class skill for Plat. knight it is a class skill for ranger so 19 ranks is the max it just cost me 2 points per rank each level of Platinum knight. To quote the SRD: Skills: If a skill is a class skill for any of a multiclass character’s classes, then character level determines a skill’s maximum rank. (The maximum rank for a class skill is 3 + character level.) If a skill is not a class skill for any of a multiclass character’s classes, the maximum rank for that skill is one-half the maximum for a class skill.Please, that bit really needs emphasizing. (D'oh)Lastly I don't understand the kitten reference :confused:Check my general comments. For every long-winded background I come across, I'll zap a kitten. With lightning. *Yawn* I'm off now. Lat'r.
JasonOrlandoHawk 01-01-07, 01:54 PM	Your skill points, while not incorrect, are... for lack of a better term, hard to believe. Particularly your ranks in Gather Information and Survival. Gather Information is only a class skill for Rogue and Dragonstalker (6 levels), but you have 10 ranks. Survival is only a class skill for Dragonstalker (3 levels), but you have 10 ranks yet again. While you could have legitmately purcased those skills, that leaves you w/ very, very few skill points for your other class skills during your Dragonstalker levels. Survival is the hardest to believe, especially since you gained Track as a feat at level 3. "If a skill is a class skill for any of a multiclass character's classes, then character level determines a skill's maximum rank." We're talking about two different things. Yes, your maximum ranks are legal (for the reason you listed above). However, just b/c you use your character level to determine your maximum ranks, that doesn't mean you can always purchase the skill as if it were a class skill. For example, you could only purchase Survival as a Class skill when gaining levels in Dragonstalker. If you purchased it at any other time, the quote from the PHB applies to the max ranks, but you would still be paying for the skill cross-class. Therefore, while you can legally have purchased your skill totals, it would have been in a very condensed window of time (3 levels of Dragonstalker for Survival, for example). In effect, you went from having no skill in Survival (but having the Track feat) at low levels to suddenly having 10 ranks in just three levels. Do you see the issue there? Track would almost have been a wasted feat for several levels if all your skills were purchased legally b/c you wouldn't have been able to make Survival rolls to Track anything. So, did you buy some skill ranks cross-class (to take advantage of your feat @ level 3), or did you wait several levels before being able to use the feat so that you could buy the skills "legally?"
bhu 01-01-07, 02:38 PM	In speaking and writing, a good introduction is critical for capturing the audience's (and in this case, the judge's) attention. I'm talking about your name. Bob (a dragonkin), Son of Bob (a dragon), Grandson of Bob (presumably another dragon). Before I ever looked at anything on your character, I had already marked off points in this category for the lack of creativity seen in just your name. Imagine my surprise when I began reading your entry and I discovered that you have access to the Draconomicon which happens to include a large section of sample Draconic terms on page 29. I know names are difficult to create sometimes, but when you have a ready made resource for name generation, that's really going to impact my view of your character. -------------------------------- I didn't use the list because I wanted him to be different. Bob, Son of Bob was just goofy, and I wanted a goofy name. People hear the usual long winded Dragon name and think "Oh look, pompous sounding soon to be dead lizard number 12. You'd think someone would occasionally use a little imagination in naming them." Plus naming him "Bob" makes people look at it and go 'what the?'. Plus, perhaps it's only in my area, but we never really pay attention to some of the material. Orcs might always be evil in most campaigns, but locally they can be just about any alignment similar to humans. Just because the book says certain creatures are always a certain alignment or prefer certain names doesn't mean you have to follow that in your home campaigns. Well that and we've always found most of the name for dragons in official products overdone or woefully stupid. Like they're trying too hard. -------------------------------------------------- If you have read my general comments, you probably know what my number one issue w/ your character is. If you haven't, please go back and read "Sex, Love, & D&D." You weren't the only offender, but you were the worst. ------------------------------- I hadn't realized at the time that anything I wrote would actually be considered offensive or controversial. I still don't. It wasn't meant to be snide or crass. Mentioning that he shared Betsy's tent in the evening was a quick way to say they developed (at least a physical) relationship without a lot of long winded and needless exposition. Bob the Father was made a rapist because I wanted it to stand out immediately that he was an immoral, unrepentant bastard (and not your usual Copper Dragon). ----------------------------------------------------------- And, Bob, your father, is a Copper Dragon. They have an "Always Chaotic Good" alignment description. I didn't care for your representation of a Copper Dragon's lifestyle. ----------------------------------------------- And Succubi are always Always Chaotic Evil, yet there are example of redeemed Succubi Paladins in other books. Just because something usually happens to be of one alignment doesn't mean that there are examples of their race that haven't had their alignment changed through some sort of circumstance. Bob the fathers circumstances aren't mentioned because they aren't immediately relevant, and because it will be something Bob the younger needs to find out if he is ever to redeem the old tyrant (assuming he even wants to). I didn't know there were so many Copper Dragon fans. Glad I didn't make the BBEG a Sprite or Unicorn, I might've ended up in trouble. :P --------------------------------------------------------- The NPC's in your story are not very convincing. Betsy is given almost no detail. Bob the Dragon, beyond not being CG, is apparently (friend? foe? We don't know!) there. The best NPC in your background is, in fact, your Berserker-Sort-of-Adoptive-Father. You needed more depth for your NPCs. One final positive note: I did like having "The Dead God in the Bushes" as a future enemy for your character. Nice! -------------------------------------------------------------- I wanted to add a little more, I just ran into that little time problem (entirely my own fault). I thought I had implied that Bob's father was pretending to be nice to him in order to use him. Detail with Betsy would have been difficult other than a general physical description. After all Bob meets her, shares her tent for a little bit on the road, and then has to apologize because he has to leave. She isn't around for very long. In the future she could turn out to be fairly evil herself. After all Bob escorted her to a temple, and he knows she's a cleric. But he doesn't really have any proof that she's a cleric of Kord or who that temple is devoted too. --------------------------------------------------- Mechanics #1: Skill Point Totals: You have 36 skill points (20 Dragonkin, 16 Barbarian), but you’ve spent 40 skill points total. Additionally, you’ve bought a lot of cross-class skills as if they were regular skills. The only two class skills for a Dragonkin are Spot & Listen, and yet you were buying Hide, Move Silently, Survival, and several Knowledges. While you could have purchased them, you should have purchased them at Cross-Class skill costs. Rearranging your skill point expenditures wouldn’t help much since Knowledge is never a class skill for Barbarians. ________________________________________ _________ Peek closer at hte Half Dragon template. I may only get 2 skill points per level as a Dragonkin, but the template changes that to 6 points per level. --------------------------------------------------- Rules Use #2: Gear: You have seen several of the previous competitions, so you should’ve known that I’d be looking for this… Where’s the mundane gear at? ----------------------------------------------------------- Was supposed to be added, but ended up another casualty of time.
malignor 01-01-07, 04:51 PM	Shardspire Masterwork Spear: 301gp Enchantments: +1, Keen (+1), Icy Burst (+2), Returning (+1) ... +5 total: 50 000gp Cold Iron: Double weapon crafting value (+301gp), add 2000gp to enchantment: 2301gp 50 000 + 2301 + 301 = 52602 gp (not the 70-something I said) Dragon Disciple Size up to large (not medium) Type changed to dragon (not humanoid) ... as a result, replace Alter Self (completely useless - must be of Dragon Type, within 1 size category of Large, and be 5HD or less) with Minor Image
Endarrion 01-01-07, 05:04 PM	Jason: You're right. You're completely right. I just got too lazy to go through every level and do his skills. As far as his Track feat goes... Yeah, you're right again :P I shoulda taken it later on, but oh well.
JasonOrlandoHawk 01-01-07, 06:15 PM	+Your best category was Background. This character may very well be the most original character in the entire competition. When I saw your title, I thought you were going for the Dragonsong Lyricist from the Draconomicon. This character was entirely a surprise. Dragon Disciple is a class that I just haven’t looked at in a while, but you’ve done a very high quality job turning it into a character. The “binding your soul to that of your wife’s” was definitely a unique twist. Excellent work! I will admit that I am not used to Arabian Nights style stories, as it’s been almost 5 years since I’ve read any such works. This character does, however, fit that style very neatly. Ali Baba would be proud. My major problem with the story is that, for the most part, you don’t need dragons to drive this story. In fact, Djinni drive the story more than Dragons do. You’re a Dragonsinger, but you’ve only sung for one dragon. You lost your wife, and gained incredible power from it, but it could just as easily have been another polymorphing creature, and the story wouldn’t have changed at all. (Think about it, there are Celestial Bloodline Feats, Aberrant Bloodline Feats, and multiple “become the creature” PrC’s such as Elemental Savant.) For lack of a better way of saying it, yours was a good story with Dragons, not a good Dragon story. You have definitely provided plenty of usable material in your background. You have a major reoccurring villain. You have a list of notable allies. You have drama, magic, and adventure. You’ve even got a tall, freaky land boat… I love the flavor text for your magic items. You’ve gone out of your way to give this character a unique feel. Same goes for the character description. Sure, you took some liberty w/ the Explorer’s Outfit (It’s not verbatim to what the PHB describes!), but who cares. You have a very vibrant character. Despite the fact that your allies seem to drop off like flies, you’ve managed to maintain a rather large crew of friends (though that could have damaged your Leadership score), which means the DM has material to work with. I would’ve liked to see some more crew members detailed, however. Mechanics #1: “Wheeled Keelboat: 6,000gp.” I have some problems with this item b/c I sincerely doubt that anything with wheels is going to fare well in a desert. I am willing to make some allowances for the fact that it’s crewed and driven by a wizard, but I would still say that it needs to be enchanted and would definitely cost more than 6,000gp. Mechanics #2: Tunic of Volkanus: Chain Shirt 100gp + Adamantine Light Armor (no mw. Cost) 5,000gp + +2 Enhancement Bonus 4,000gp + Fire Resist 10 18,000gp = 27,100gp (Not the listed price of 26,600gp.) Mechanics #3: An explorer’s outfit is free at character creation. Rules Use #1: Mundane Gear: I’m a huge supporter of Mundane Gear. Yes, you have a little, but I really think that someone sailing the desert would have much more mundane gear, such as trade items, food stores, spare clothes, etc… Also, your character screams the ultimate piece of adventuring gear ever: “Bottle of Fine Wine.” (I did like the use of gemstones as money, however.) Red Ink! No Citation Issues. The portion of your character submission with the title “Rough Data” was very accurate. I could barely read it, and I pretty much didn’t. I found it was easier to just look up everything on my own and double check it. I’m not the biggest fan of tables and charts, but you really needed to have some sort of organization to that portion of your submission. +Your best category was Background. So… What have you got against Mind Flayers? Something wrong with Mind Flayers? I happen to think that Mind Flayers taking over the world is a good thing. Devotee of Bahamut crusading to save the world from Aberrations… Probably the best twist on a servant of Bahamut in this competition!!! I really liked seeing something other than a square off against Tiamat… and you complemented my kind by saying we could take over the world so efficiently and quickly… A little extra twist in having a Gold Dragon father (who is slowing leaving the mortal realms) is also a nice note. I think the Paladin levels/chunk of the story were completely unnecessary. You could have gone Ranger/Divine Crusader, kept the same concept, and given a stronger character. If you want to hunt Aberrations well, a strong favored enemy bonus goes a long, long way. Paladin was poorly justified/slightly unnecessary. Orphan, Tragic betrayal, Last Minute Rescue, Mysterious Stranger, Even more mysterious Father… Nice collection of classic dramatic elements. Well done. I would like to see the Mother of Grace orphanage show up a little more in your story. Your character has very strong memories of that location, which means if you haven’t gone back to save, the mind flayers have likely infested it!!! Good, if infrequent, villain. I would’ve liked to see Arion crossing your path a little more frequently. Seeing as you escaped his grasp once, he would definitely be hunting you with a vengeance. I would’ve liked a little more details about your followers or some examples of things you have done to earn their respect. Your father’s health could definitely lead to some interesting story points and serves as an excellent method of keeping a Great Wyrm Gold from dominating the story. (I’m seeing dramatic sacrifice in your father’s future…) Mechanics #1: Special materials, such as Adamantine and Mithral, when used in weapons and armor subsume the masterwork weapons/armor cost, effectively meaning you don’t have to pay it twice. Thus, you didn’t have to charge yourself for a Masterwork (300gp) Adamantine Greatsword or Masterwork (150gp) Mithral Full Plate. That’s 450gp that could’ve gone somewhere else. Mechanics #2: What is your Leadership score? You told me some of the things you used to calculate it, but you didn’t give me your final total. My calculated total seems much higher than your # of followers would indicate. (I tend to be generous w/ the Leadership feat, so that may be a factor.) Rules Use #1: You needed to list your Jump skill total, even if you didn’t have any ranks in the skill. Why? There’s a lot of funny things that happen to the Jump skill, AND you have an item that gives you a bonus to that skill. Compliment #1: I really, really liked your item selection. Scabbard of Keen Edges, excellent! Boots of Striding and Springing, excellent! +1 Composite Longbow w/ +8 Str. Bonus, excellent! I honestly don’t know why you even bothered w/ the sword. I would’ve enchanted that bow for all it’s worth! (Which would also go w/ the Ranger-Aberration Hunter suggestion above…) All you needed to make your Gear section perfect would’ve been a Bottle of Fine Wine! No Red Ink, excellent! Cite your sources! Divine Crusader, Draconic Cohort, and other non-core material should always be cited. (Sorry, Teacher Rant is now ended…) I needed a Level-by-Level breakdown of your feats. I know you couldn’t possibly have taken them in the order listed, even though it is possible for you to have legally taken them all. List your full attack stats, and don’t forget to list situational modifiers to those attacks (say: +2/+2d6 vs. aberrations, +2/+2d6 vs. evil) nearby. I assume you meant +2 Dex. bonus to your Reflex save, not +2 Ref. bonus…
JasonOrlandoHawk 01-01-07, 06:37 PM	+Your best category was Thematic Creativity. Finally, Tiamat gets some show time!!! Was I the only judge disappointed by the relative lack of Tiamat’s presence in this Dragon competition? We’ve heard from Bahamut’s (rather common) servants, so let’s let The Chromatic Dragon have the floor for a while. Your character was actually one of my initial favorites, b/c I’m a huge fan of Fallen Paladins. Your concept was very, very solid. However, I also enjoyed your concept because you weren’t just a Fallen Paladin, you were a Fallen Paladin to Tiamat. (Eat that, Hextor!) Nicely done! You gave me a picture, and as they say, “A Picture is worth a Thousand Words, or a Few Extra Points.” Do you realize you still have his alignment listed as Lawful Good? I was slightly disappointed in your background for one reason: You gained (possibly as much as) 9 levels in Blackguard underground, in a church, “learning about some of the services he provides.” You make Tiamat’s clergy sound like a Verizon Wireless Commercial. I expected adventure, not Sunday School (even if it did include creepy pipe organ music). You’ve done a good job w/ your interpretation of Evil. Start w/ Greed, mix in a lot of arrogance, add in a dash of noteworthy accomplishments, and coat with a healthy dose of Self-Righteousness. “I’ve saved your worthless lives, you scum! Now don’t you forget that you owe me; as if repaying me was something someone as unimpressive as you could ever hope to do!” Your cast of characters is a little thin. You really need some solid allies (other than the priest who taught you), and you really need some solid enemies (other than an embarrassed ex-mentor). Do you really expect me to believe that a Level 16 character is that… what’s the word… unnoticed? My main problem is that you have several abilities that aren’t described under Special Qualities & Special Attacks. What does Fiendish Summoning do? How many Hit Points can you restore w/ Lay on Hands? What is an Aura of Despair? What are your bonuses for Command Undead? Opening the rule books every time you want to use these abilities is not an excellent use of time. Mechanics #1: A Belt of Giant Strength is 16,000gp, not 18,000gp. Mechanics #2: You don’t gain a fiendish servant until Blackguard Level 5, yet your horse shifted the first night of your fall… not happening. Compliment #1: Excellent, excellent spell selection. When I play Paladins/Blackguards, I tend to overlook their spell list. You have a top notch selection of spells. I particularly liked Golden Barding (which I’ve never seen before). Very Minor Red Ink. Excellent Job Citing Sources (at the end of each section, book and page number. So easy to read.) Level-By-Level Breakdown was very helpful for interpreting your skills (which confused me at first). I assume you meant Animated Heavy Steel Shield +4, not Animated Large Steel Shield +4. +Your best category was Rules Use/Mechanics. Galentheous Brindale Leafthorn, you sir, must surely exaggerate your tale!! Your fame is well established, but even now, I do not believe what I hear. It seems that the Brindale line was surely quite dangerous if it could do 1/3 of what you claim. To affect the course of history of dragons? How can such a feat be? You sir, amaze me! Yet… another… servant of Bahamut… Granted, you aren’t the standard, run of the mill, servant of Bahamut, but I’ve seen so many. What sets you apart? Why should I notice you when so many others have stepped into the ring bearing his standard. I will say this, you are a servant who is still an individual. You have your own story, though it is neatly intertwined with the fates of the good dragons. I’ve also always been a fan of the Rangers. They always seem to show up at just the right time. Are you sure your tale, as it involves dragons, is over? I am fascinated by your tale. It does not seem possible that one such as yourself could accomplish your feats! Great Wyrms! And that, before you gained status as a Platinum Knight. I realize your brother and companions are powerful, but can it be true? Dragons are a dangerous foe, and Great Wyrms do not fall easily to mortals. Your friends fascinate me. Each and everyone of them is interesting, vivid if you will, and a worthy companion. I am glad to see that you have found such good company. Are you not afraid that RithRysear will come seeking revenge? Are you prepared for what he could do to your establishment? Your forest? Your home? Such a villain has surely not forgotten your part in his demise. And then, the other Chromatic Dragons, all foes to be certain. Do you sleep soundly at night, knowing that these creatures surely hunt for you? One final question, before I must bid you farewell: Are you prepared to leave this establishment, and its’ comforts, to join the fight once more? You seem comfortable here, but dragons are no small matter. Are you ready for another adventure, should it come? Oh, sir, I must mention, I believe that you received an excellent price on your shield. It’s a Dragoncraft item, is it not? Don’t shields of that nature require you to pay as if they were armor of a similar weight? Shouldn’t you have paid 3,000gp more for such a fine item? (Draconomicon pg. 117) Additionally sir, if I might inquire, isn’t 50 charges the normal amount of charges for a Wand of Cure Light Wounds? Oh, and forgive me for asking, but how and when did you learn to Brachiate? Weren’t most of your adventures in lands of Ice and Snow? That is a talent of the woodsmen, is it not? I do not doubt your ability to do so, only your opportunity to learn. Well sir, I can definitely say, as an educator, that I will need little Red Ink should I grade your work. However, I must note something. You have been faithful to attribute your sources for the various talents you have learned, but if I am not mistaken, the art of sharp-shooting was not from the adventurer’s bag of tricks, shall we say. I believe you learned that trick from a warrior, did you not? Everything was presented in a strait-forward and easy to understand manner. I had no trouble at all following your adventures and your work. I must say, however, that you went in to frightfully too much detail about your ability to attack things. You easily could have summarized that part of your work.
DarkKitsune 01-01-07, 09:42 PM	-Darkkitsune, you forgot Heros_Backpack. Despite not showing any sign of it, he does exist. Somewhere. >.< Sorry Heros_Backpack! Didn't see you back there ^_^' A thank you to you too.
Far_Traveler 01-02-07, 10:59 AM	Best In Category "Thematic Creativity" goes to: Dogma the Dragonguard Created by: Far_Traveler Honorable Mentions: Bob, Son of Bob Created by: Bhu Malek Greenshore Created by: FRRC And coming in 1st place, with a final average of 26.33/35, or 75.2%, the Gold Medal winner of The Real Year of the Dragons contest is... Verden Rathan Created by: DarkKitsune Congratulations to all our winners! Other scores were as follows: Galentheous Brindale Leafthorn: 70.4% Merseliel Windsinger: 68.1% Malek Greenshore: 68.1% Darokk of the Stormblade Clan: 68.1% Avalon: 68.1% Zhendak Mirage: 66.7% Dogma the Dragonguard: 61.9% Sir Vladimir Ilzmaj: 59% Bob, Son of Bob: 56.6% Sweet! I knew I'd do really well in thematic creativity, but first place? Neato! On a more somber note, 8th place? awwww... Thematic Creativity: Ooh, another savage half-dragon barbarian! Tastae! Well, this one does use another savage race, and that is creative. The backstory does kind of tie in with the draconic theme, to a satisfactory level. But this entry just seems kind of... empty, to me. We get the basic "who," and "what," but are missing the deeper "why," and "how." Background Content: — On the one hand, you've provided two good plot hooks; Dogma must continue guarding dragons, and used to be chieftain of an orc horde (who's feelings on being abandoned are not mentioned). On the other, this plot hook would make it rather difficult for Dogma to join a party. How can he go off adventuring while still protecting his charge? Also, there are several features about Dogma left unexplained: how did he get Agestealer, how did he get Grench and his followers, how come he was so good at diplomacy, does his ancestory help him or hinder him? Plenty of kitten-zapping space to use for info like this. Rules Use: — Well, first of all, I hope Dogma has a second class in mind, because he's a Lawful Barbarian. You would get a +3 bonus to Fort when raging, due to the Con boost. I seriously don't know if I am able to calculate hit points anymore, since this is the third or forth one that appears wrong! (12+(6.5x12)+(6x13)=168, doesn't it?) You're also entitled to an extra feat for being 12th level. The masterwork cost in adamantine weapons is preincluded, so Agestealer would cost 53050gp. Your dragonhide amulet—unless, like the Cloak, it only works on half-dragons—is supposed to cost 50000gp. Speaking of which, and I know it's around there somewhere, but I cannot find for the life of me the rule that allows you to make an item usable by a single race for half price (I can find classes & skills, but not races). Frustrating. Besides, even if I ignore all that, I'm coming up 8sp over the limit on the receipt. Not much, I know, but worth mentioning. Now with that over with, combat... Much like Bob, I assume? Flying around and doing the ol' Hack'n'Slash with the two-handed weapon? That strength score is enviable, after all, and I have little doubt what a terror on the battlefield this one would be. Clarity: — Is it really that difficult to use the words "Fort," "Ref," and "Will"? Also, I do need to know what weapon you're attacking with in the first attack line. Furthermore, you didn't mention how often you could use that breath weapon of yours. And your languages are missing. On the other hand, there's definitely no zapped kittens coming your way. Total: — If there's one thing you do not need to be when making an entry, it is reckless. It seems to me as if you placed yourself under a straining time limit (had a day left though, didn't you? Must've been something else that had you too busy?), and that is having a negative effect on your score. Proof that, in Hero Craftsman, slow and steady wins the race. Sorry, but to my credit(or not), I didn't even notice the competition until about 3 days before the deadline, I had taken a break form the boards because of upcoming finals (and the fact that a bout of depression left me behind in every class) your nitpicking: hp: darn, I guess I forgot to recalculate it when I increased my con mod by 1 somewhere. Alingnment: darn, as I said before in sblock, I don't play with alignment restrictions much. my bad. Amulet of Dragon's hide: darn, I could of swore that it was only x2 cost for deflection modifier, not deflection and natural armor. although that does explain why it was cheaper to have a ring or protection 2 and amulet of dragon's hide 5 then 3/4 The wings: I also require to not already have wings, which in effect is also a size restriction. but that's a weak justification I came up with at the last moment. Damn. Diplomacy: should of said something, but he is a mercanary who does contracts and everything. It was only afterwards I noticed that I forgot to spend skill points to get rid of illiteracy. I don't play with barbarians much. Languages: should of said something, but they are common and orcish. He doesn't have bonus languages. The excess of cash ignoring pricing discrepencies: well I'll be damned. blasted signal whistle. On combat, yes exactly like that, But I couldn't really come up with a solid fighting style that would be more effective and in-theme. Backround lacking: I know, I know, but didn't I say that the clan was slaughtered? Looking back, I guess I didn't. It was just sorta implied weakly. Grench is Dogma's daughter. Came up with Breakkis at the last moment really, but I thought it was a good use of my limited amount of followers. Other things: didn't have quite enough time, I'm not very good at making backstories, hindsight is 20/20, etc. etc., I kind of deserved my lowish score. I love the idea of a Dragonguard! On the other hand I do not appreciate the wink, wink, nudge, nudge tone of the background opening. If you want to allude to something, do it either quietly or openly, not as if you were snickering behind the bike shed. :yuck: Ok, rant over. Your background did feel rather as if it had been thrown together in a hurry, but your sheet was clear and made things rasonably easy to find. I know, once again in hindsight, That was immature and I apologize +Your best category was Thematic Creativity. The Dragonguard was one of the more unique ideas presented in this competition. While I expected Dragon Hunters, Dragonborn, and Dragon Riders, I was pleasently surprised by the inclusion of a "Dragon Guard" concept. The offer for immortality is a nice aspect of this character as well. I'm a cruel GM, so it would probably come back to bite you, at least in part, but it was still a nice touch. Do you realize that your alignment is Lawful Neutral and that you're a Barbarian. Despite the short length of the entry (Thank You!), you've given this character a good deal of history. You’ve been a clan leader. You’ve served a lengthy career as a Dragon Guard. You’ve assembled a team of assistants to aid your assignments. You’re even (theoretically) immortal. (Evil DM smile) Technically, you do have allies and enemies, but I would like to see more detail on them. Who are the Dragon Slayers that you’ve angered? Who are the other dragons you’ve aided? Do they see you as an ally or an employee? How did you acquire Agestealer? It seems to be an important point in your background, but it is just sort of there, no story to it. Personally, I would probably have Krakend questing for Dracolichdom. Mechanics #1: Hit Points: HP: 168 (+26 during rage): You only gain 2 HP/Level from the Con increase when raging. Mechanics #2: Remember that special materials (read: Adamantine & Mithral) include the cost of the “Masterwork” description in their cost. You don’t have to pay for “masterwork” adamantine weapons or “masterwork” mithral armor. This threw off your gear value calculations. Compliment #1: You actually took an assortment of Mundane Gear, which I like to see. Rules Use/Mechanics Combined Issue #1: Specialized Items: You were very inventive w/ your items, which was alternately good and harmful… Good Example #1: Ring of Wingbeats +2 (As Ring of Protection). Nicely done. Good Example #2: Bracers of Dragon’s Heart +6 (Bracers of Health). Though you were using an uncustomary Body Slot, it fit rather well. Nicely done. Bad Example #1: Cloak of the Dragon Unsealed: 1) The best “limited use” discount offered in the DMG is 30%, but you have cut this item to half the price of a pair of Wings of Flying. 2) I have a real problem, as a DM, allowing a character to get discounts for items that are basically labeled, “Limited Use: ME!” I’m not buying it. Red Ink! Cite your Sources! Improved Flight, where? • Your Stats section could’ve been neater. Think Con: 22 (Base 14, +2 Racial, +6 Enhancement) I really enjoyed your Full Attack section. Very neat and concise. Good job! Responses: Thematic creativity: That's why I thought of him, I don't play with alignment restrictions much, and the immortality was because orcs live upwards of forty years, I thought that this was a good idea, with that Dragon's living upwards of several thousand. Backround: I actually thought that there was a small discrepency as to his history and level, but i suppose being a clan leader of a particularly successful orc tribe can allow a sufficient gain in power. Details: I suppose I, mistakenly mind you, went my backstory (detail wise) to go on my tastes (short and sweet, with enough vagueness to make up plot hooks) instead of what some other people would like. Mechanics: HP: I, somewhere, had increased my con by 2 and forgot to increase my hp accordingly, and as for extra rage hp I would like to point you to my mighty rage class feature (barbarian 11), which makes me gain 6 con while raging instead of 4 Masterworks: oops. Mundane gear: Thanks. Custom use: Yeah yeah, But the amulet was a mistake in price and just a renamed item, I forgot that amulet of natural armor was +^2x2k in price. Wingbeats: thanks, I thought it was a cool name too. Bracers: actually I'm no...wow, guess I am. Con bonus relating to combat is a bit of a stretch, isn't it? I know i saw the con bonus items as bracers somewhere... aha! 3.0 Dungeon Master's guide, the amulet of health was in fact the bracers of health! I should really check my work mroe thoroughly. Improved flight: I thought it was in the monster manual, but apparently I was wrong. but I checked around and it's in the Complete adventurer. should of said the source either way, Sorry. Cloak: Gee, in hindsight that whole thing wasn't a good idea, but it also had (by extension) a size requirement. I really should of checked those rules. I apologize for the discrepencies, and the whole getting top on Thematic Creativity is so going to be the first in my ego pad. Hmmm....Maybe I shall edit Dogma and people can see him turn into something truly great. Yes, I shall (don't worry, I'll make it into a new post)
JasonOrlandoHawk 01-02-07, 12:30 PM	Kit_the_Odd & American_Yeti, it will probably be Thursday or Friday before I get a chance to look at (and make comments on) your characters. My local gaming store will be hosting a conference, and I'm helping out, but there's a lot of unfinished work that needs to be set in order. If I get a free moment before, I'll try to post comments, but this will probably be a busy week.
FRRC 01-02-07, 02:32 PM	When can we expect the next competition?
TheChilliGod 01-02-07, 04:01 PM	[Co-ordinator Voice] The next competition (HC#6) will most likely be posted sometime between the 5th of January and the 12th of January, inclusive. As of yet, us judges have not started discussion on the theme, level, or rule changes of HC#6, due to a couple of things I wanted to shove out of the way beforehand. I ask you to remain patient, and to perhaps make a few practice PC's as warm-ups. [/Co-ordinator Voice]
FRRC 01-02-07, 04:05 PM	I ask you to remain patient, and to perhaps make a few practice PC's as warm-ups. Never! I'm kinda hoping to will be either to Foolish or the Exotic Weapons guy. I got a character all lined up :P
Magocrat 01-02-07, 04:30 PM	Well, with the help of Zerog, you have a list of ideas conveniently placed in the first post of the Hero Craftsman: Comments, Suggestions, and Feedback thread. Maybe that could speed up the discussion of the next Hero Craftsman details? :rolleyes: Also, maybe we could make a vote thread, in which everyone just gives their vote on the details, with the judges giving their vetoes. That way, it'd be pretty hard not to be satisfied with the details of the next Hero Craftsman, since everyone basically helped make it. Just a suggestion, tho'.
JasonOrlandoHawk 01-02-07, 07:00 PM	Well, one of the rules of judging is that no one is allowed to know what the theme of the contest is before the actual posting date so that no one has an unfair headstart. We don't even discuss possible themes amongst ourselves until the judges are all lined up. Once we know exactly who's judging, then the discussion begins. We do, however, pay attention to such things as the suggestions given on the HC Feedback thread, so you could consider those suggestions to be "sort-of votes" if you like. We really try to avoid speaking w/ others, in any manner, about the theme until the actual post goes up.
Zherog 01-02-07, 07:55 PM	Yes, it's really all rather top secret. We even speak in tongues...
Far_Traveler 01-02-07, 08:30 PM	Please, let Dogma's final incarnation be a collaborative effort. I am curious as to what we can accomplish together. Dogma the Dragonguard Orc Half-Dragon[Blue] Barbarian 13 Medium Dragon (Augmented Humanoid) True Neutral, Age 34 Stats: Str: 40 (18 + 4 race + 8 template + 3 levels + 1 tome + 6 enhancement) Dex: 10 Con: 20(14 + 2 template + 4 enhancement) Int: 10 (10-2 race+2 template) Wis: 8 (10 - 2 race) Cha: 8 (8-2 race+2 template) Armor Class: 10 + 8 (4 Half Dragon, 4 amulet) NA + 0 Dex + 3 Defl (ring) + 7 armor (+2 breastplate) = 28, 28 flat-footed, 13 touch Movement: 40ft, 90 fly (Perfect)(cloak+feat) Saves: +8/+4/+4 base, +5/0/-1 due to statistics, +3/0/+3 during Rage, 0/+4/0 against traps, +5/+5/+5 vest Total Saves: +18/+9/+8, +3/0/+3 during Rage, 0/+4/0 against traps Hp: 155 (+39 during Rage) Attack Bonus: +13 Base, +15 Str, +4 weapon Full attack: Agestealer +32/+27/+22 (+2 against dragons) and Bite +23 or 2 claws +28 and bite +23 (+3 to any figure during Rage) Damage: Agestealer 2d6+26 + dragonbane (2d6+31 during Rage), Claws 1d4 + 15(1d4+18 during Rage), Bite 1d6 + 7 (1d6+9 during Rage) Options: Lightning 60 ft DC 16 Line 6d8 1/day, Grater Rage 4/day (lasts 12 rounds), Power attack Qualities: Damage Reduction 3/-, Lightning Immunity, Sleep and Paralysis Immunity, Low-Light Vision, Darkvision 60 Feet, Light Sensitivity Skills/Feats: Intimidate +15 (16 Ranks, -1 Ability) Listen +14 (15 Ranks, -1 Ability) Survival +14 (15 Ranks, -1 Ability) Diplomacy +10 (8 cc Ranks, -1 ability, +3 feat) Speak language (Draconic, Write Draconic) Power Attack Skill Focus (Diplomacy) Improved Flight (Complete Adventurer) Leadership (score 13(13 -1 cha + 1 Special Power) Equipment: 260,000gp Vest of Resistance +5 (25,000) +4 Adamantine Greatsword of Dragon Bane (53,050), 'Agestealer' Manual of Gainful Excercise +1 (27,500) (expended) Belt of Dragon's Strength +6 (36,000) Cloak of Unsealed Wings (37,800) Bracer's of Dragons Heart +4 (16,000) (bracers of health) +2 Mithril Breastplate (9,200) Dragonhide Amulet +4 (32,000) (Amulet of Natural Armor) Ring of Wingbeats +3 (18,000) (ring of protection) Ring of Feather Falling (2,200) Handy Haversack (2,000) 6 potions of cure light wounds (300) 2 Platinum Rings (50 each) Potion of Haste (750) Emergency Trail Rations x10 (5) Signet Ring (5) Signal Whistle (0.8) 10 Pitons and 100ft of silk rope (21) Small steel Mirror (10) Sealing Wax (1) 10 Pieces of Chalk (0.1) Ink, Inkpen, Vial, parchment case, and 10 parchments (14.1) Contract Book, Ink, Vial (24) Explorers Outfit (10) 10g pocket change- 20cp, 28sp, 7gp Cloak of Unsealed Wings: This cloak functions as Wings of Flying, with the exception that it only functions for people with wings that do not work. Dogma was born to an Orc of the Malktatan Clan. He was raised on the standard Pillaging upbringing of most orcs, but one day his life changed. When a silver dragon attacked the warcamp, he tried to kill the Malkatan's chief. Dogma protected the Chief and killed the dragon as it was rather young, and in doing so, became the chief due to ancient laws. And oppressive yet very succesful reign ensued. Well, it did, until a red dragon decided to slaughter the clan after Dogma aquired Agestealer from a dragonslayer who killed his wife, a stunningly beautiful half-orc cleric of Atlas. He still to this day wears the two platinum rings from the shield other spell on a chain around his neck. When Dogma Was about to deliver the finishing blow, the Red proposed a deal. If he was to guard the red Dragon From all threats for a period of time, he would get the secret to eternal life. After some bartering(as a clan leader he gained practical experience in this form of diplomacy), it was agreed and from that point on he was Dogma the Dragonguard. Since then he has drifted amongst Dragons defending them. It is yet untested as to if the Red actually made Dogma invulnerable to aging... Dogma is Currently employed by the Bronze Adult Dragon Crysilst, along with his cohort/daughter Grench. The Red Dragon Krakend That granted Dogma Eternal Life is still alive and of Juvinile age category (Perhaps the eternal life spell did that to him?), and he has made enemies with a number of Dragonslayers, prominent among them Jihad the Stone Giant, Spurn the Half-Fiend Dwarf, and Lethander the Wood Elf. The other dozen or so prominent Dragonslayers he's met have been killed, and everyone who hated him for his time as an orc chief think he's dead. His employers are a limited bunch, with him only having been guarding dragons for only 21 years, which by normal orc standards would place him at middle age, yet he has not succumbed to age. Perhaps Krakend was telling the truth? Dogma pays it no mind, as a half-dragon he would live at least as long as a human if not longer. Krakened's one-decade contract expired on a sour note, Dogma no longer trusting the red and Krakend fearfully lashing out at Agestealer, while the Brass Dragon Makentin's short, yet eventful, five-year contract ended on a high note, with him succesfully defeating the lich Mjor and sending his Orb of Dragonkind Phylactry into the center of the earth, the volcano he did this with now known as the Moaning Mountain (the screams of the lich as he reforms and burns away). It is only recently he ascribed the defense of Crysilst and her clutch of eggs, Jihad having claimed her mate. Some final goals of Dogma include removing the lich's soul from the Orb (tossing it into a volcano is a temporary solution at best) and getting a contract from Bahamut or Tiamat. An orc can dream, can't he? A more realistic goal (not much more realistic though), however, would be to live longer then the oldest of dragons and become supreme ruler of all dragons, reliving his clan leader days on a much grander scale. In his spare time he plays with the dragon he is currently guarding's hoard. He carries many diplomatic items to create contracts and negotiates favorable contracts with his employers himself, learning from not only Serk Brakkis and his practical experience as a leader, but from Makentin as well. Finally, Dogma will work together with anyone, provided that such an alliance has clear benefits to him (preferably on paper). Those that interact with Dogma for an extended period of time could note that he has two distinct personalities, divided by the presence or absence of combat. Dogma is surprisingly sophisticated (or tries to be anyway) when out of combat (a side effect of being in the presence of a brass dragon for five years), but he shows his true orcish nature during combat. Philisophically, he lives by a few tenents: Dragon's are beauty personified. Fighting is an ugly thing, and beauty has no place within. The spoken word cannot be trusted, but the pen can draw the lines of fate. Grench, 9th level Half-Orc Cleric of Atlas LN Domains are Strength and Protection. Typical tactics include buffing Dogma (and self if known in advance) with Spell resistance, spell immunity, possibly death ward or disrupting weapon, or protection from energy as the situation applies. Uses a spear. Can channel positive energy and turn undead. Krakend offered to grant her eternal life, but she declined, knowing that if she accepted she would never return to her god's (and her mother's) arms. Dogma has 10 1st level followers and a single second level follower. Serk Brakkis, 2nd level Human expert. General craftsman. Also used to help enumerate a dragon's horde. First he tried manipulating Dogma, but Makentin's teachings helped unravel that plot. He considers himself lucky to be alive and does his duties with Dogma until he thinks he can get away with stealing enough money to live in comfort until he dies naturally. Brakkis's Minions: 10 people who aid Brakkis in his tasks. Contains 4 experts (2 humans, a gnome, and a dwarf), 3 commoner ladies (used as dragon servants, 2 humans and an elf), an adept (elf), and 2 warriors (porters, human and half-orc). Grench knows thier names, but Dogma can't remember them all and calls them 'Boy, Guy(incidentally, Guy is "Boy's" name), Gnome, Dwarf, Blondie, Girl, Elf, Mage, Ox, and Bud(the half-orc's name is indeed Bud). Agestealer- A +4 adamantine Greatsword of Dragonbane. It is called such because it can penetrate the damage reductions of the oldest dragons as an effective +6 weapon. It is used to protect his charge from other dragons. Formerly wielded by Lethander the (wood elf) Dragonslayer, it is now a symbol of protection... to the dragon with the deepest hoard.
Haruspex 01-04-07, 08:00 AM	In my defense, Ijilla/Isabella: My entry for HC5 actually went through countless revisions before I settled on the entry I posted. Ijilla was originally a human named Isabella, and the ocean druid an orc. I decided that an half-orc outcast was too cliche, so ditched it. Also, I didn't think that dragons found orcs attractive (apologies to all orcs). My editing must have missed those bits. I would have preferred to have more time, but I was packing.
Kit_the_Odd 01-07-07, 05:51 PM	Just a bump and a quick note to Jason that I'd like his comments on my entry. I understand if you haven't got them yet, Jason. You said you'd be busy, this is just in case you might have forgotten. Take your time, I'd rather have good comments than "try these comments you whiny little creep". :) Waiting for #6, (attempting patient waiting, but failing) Kit the Odd
AmericanYeti 01-07-07, 08:05 PM	I kind of had to throw together a background at the last minute. I had done all the mechanics (albeit hastily) and I didn't want to keep you guys waiting for too much longer, so I made that one. And after reading it, I must say, it was pretty bad. I like to think that I have some degree of writing skills, so that was atrocious.
jennibert 01-07-07, 08:51 PM	So, sorry to be gone--combination of busy at work and on vacation has kept me incommunicado for the better part of the last two weeks... First of all....Thanks to the judges! As always, a wonderful competition, and keeps getting bigger. I'll hopefully be up for judging again for HC#7, as work will be slightly less insane by then....hopefully.... Anyway, second place. Wow. I was hoping, but not really expecting after reading the other entries...Cool! And honorable mention for best background....Thank you very much! Now, as for your comments....you caught me. Rig's a character I've had around for years who was legitimately dragon-blooded from the beginning, but I invented the end part to further emphasize his "dragon-ness." And the reason it was so long, and not quite meshed with his stats, is because he is a plot character who's gone through at least 2 total stat revisions:). And I was fuzzy on where the level of rogue came from also... (I'll have to consider those levels of paladin for his next rewrite, Jason....though the 2+ skill points might just make me cry....Heros_Backpack, I should totally have a character going out to fight a heffalump in a future campaign!) As for stats....I know that the Circlet's only 4500, but his is set with a garnet (expensive gem) and the description in the DMG does not mention gems of any kind. I thought I'd marked it as an "art object," but maybe I forgot....(and am too lazy to go look it up....) And I didn't summon a familiar because I forgot until the end, and then decided I didn't care:). And everything's all listed under the items carried because I tend to pay close attention to encumbrance, whether or not the DM does:). And sorry about the antitoxin....that may have also been a typing error....And the horse...I'm so used to low level characters that it didn't occur to me...and he doesn't do mounted combat anyway... Thank you for the compliments on my writing, also! I harbor a distant desire of being an author, so compliments such as Chilli's mention of almost weeping make me feel all warm and fuzzy :D. And Jason, thanks for making me an example as a way of dealing with issues maturely. I appreciate it! Anyway, thanks again for hosting guys! This was a lot of fun, and I really appreciate your comments! Have a wonderful new year!
JasonOrlandoHawk 01-08-07, 01:47 AM	Hey everyone, Just a quick update: HC#6 is in the final stages of preparation and should be posted sometime this week. Also, Kit & American, I must apologize, but I seem to have forgotten about your characters. My town hosted a gaming convention this weekend, and I was rather busy as I have adjusted to the fact that I'm unofficially employed by the store that hosted it. I also tried to start a new, major D&D campaign this weekend. I really didn't realize all of that would be coming around at the same time. So, to be completely honest, I forgot about your characters. I can't say for sure when I'll get comments posted, but I'll try to have them up this week. Sorry to be so late. Jennibert, thank you for handling the subject matter well. If I have one clash of world views w/ the gaming sub-culture in my hometown, it's the tendancy of the people here to engage in snide & crude comments about sex, sometimes in the presence of minors. Thus, I appreciate the maturity when I see it. Jason
AmericanYeti 01-11-07, 03:41 PM	That's cool. Just PM mine to me whenever you get the oppourtunity.
JasonOrlandoHawk 01-12-07, 07:40 PM	Quick Note: Comments on these characters are brief in comparison to comments on the official contestants. For the most part, I skipped over Rules Use/Mechanics. Dragon Stalker is a solid choice. Dragon "Savage Rip You Limb from Limb" was... interesting... A Halfling! Thank You! You hunt dragons b/c dragons are evil since one of them killed your dragon-friend... something doesn't quite connect there. First and Foremost: Savage, Bloodthirsty Halfling. How did you know Dark Sun is one of my all-time favorite campaign settings? So, in your description, your a "hobbit." What's that? I would've liked to see some more distinct family, friends, and antagonists. You have some, but they aren't very developed. Hate to say this, but your backstory does NOT justify Iron Will at all. ECL 16 & Rogue 2/Fighter 4/Dragonstalker 2 (Yes, I know a typo when I see one.) You don't add an "enchantment" bonus to your touch AC, but you do add a Deflection bonus. Is this another typo? I prefer for people to list charges on their wands, even if at max capacity. I would list the Jump skill since you have some penalties for a lower than normal speed. Excellent Gear Selection! Only Minor Red Ink. You seriously needed to CITE YOUR SOURCES!!!! Level-by-Level breakdown was helpful. Another Half-Dragon... Granted, a Half Battle Dragon, but a Half Dragon none the less. Got Alignment? Honestly, your Barbarian and Bard levels seem poorly justified. You have one incident of "inspiring" the villagers, but that's it. Honestly, if I was going to build an "Inspire my comrades in battle" character w/ such an emphasis on melee combat, I'd be rolling up a Paladin. Honestly, your character strikes me more as Lawful than Chaotic anyways. You didn't even leave the village (your "duty") until after your mom said "Go!" I love the Paladin background you've given me! Sacred Duty. Demon Hunting. Call to Battle. I am seriously considering making this character into a Paladin in one of my future games. The family is still alive? How can this be? I thought this was an HC contest! PC families never live through the background! Wait, now I know why you were DQ'd... I would've liked some more detail on Barthis and Lambdalin. They're just sort of there... that's a portion of your life that seems unexplored. There's a definite need for a developed antagonist for your character. You just don't seem to have any major foes standing around. Immune Sleep, Paralysis, & Sonic needed to go w/ the saves. Same for your Trap Sense bonus. Moderate Red Ink Cite your Sources! Ironskin Chant, Dragon Cohort, and Whirling Blade. I tend to prefer a minimalist Level-by-Level Breakdown, but I think it would've helped if you had at least added the feats to your Level-By-Level.
Far_Traveler 01-12-07, 08:24 PM	Dang, I was kind of hoping I'd see what kind of score the revised Dogma could get, ah well, to HC #6!
AmericanYeti 01-12-07, 08:35 PM	I picked Iron Will because I figured that Roscoe was pretty fearless, which justifies a high Will Save in my book. Also, about the hobbit part... oops? The Ring grants a Deflection bonus, not enchantment. Also, I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one who thought that a halfling made a good choice.