Author Topic: Weird as Hell Campaign [3.5, Recruiting]  (Read 26876 times)

Offline Amechra

  • Epic Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 4560
  • Thread Necromancy a specialty
    • View Profile
Weird as Hell Campaign [3.5, Recruiting]
« on: December 08, 2011, 09:56:12 PM »
First of all, the 16:
(click to show/hide)

Alright, the premise...
---
You are all normal people. Some of you might be paragons of virtue, some might just be your average Joe on the street, but you are all normal, well adjusted people.

Well, until you were chosen by the Elder pantheon. What is the Elder Pantheon you ask? They are the rejects, the generation of gods before the current one, which were tossed down by their successors, imprisoned far within the void where Vestiges now dwell. Each one is far stranger, and far more immoral than even the most alien of the current gods; and, for whatever reason, they chose to focus on... you.

Needless to say, you woke up one morning with a mark branded across your forehead, a mark both vile and seemingly living, which seeps blood.

And by the way, you now set off a Paladin's evil detection abilities as if you were the kind of person who kicked puppies, the blood running down your face ever so slowly doesn't entirely look human, and those ruffians down by the docks are slightly more accepting of your irate shout to shove off and stop bugging you.

Three questions present themselves... Why you? Why now? And who do you have to meet with to get this crap to stop?
---
Alright, more mechanical time...

-No evil characters allowed. I mean it; this is more along the lines of "congrats, you're now going to Hell for reasons you don't understand by no fault of your own!" than anything else.

-You get the Evil Brand feat as a free bonus feat at 1st level. In addition, at 2nd level and every even level thereafter, you get a bonus Vile feat, ignoring the fact that you are, you know, not evil. These Vile feats can be chosen from any official source, as well as this thread.

-In addition, you get a Major bloodline for free. Not one of the wussy official ones, one of these.

-These awesome things are a result of EVIL power, however (the "bloodline" is actually from the bleeding mark on your forehead, for one thing.), and so carry a price... upon using them (i.e., whenever you derive benefit from them; I won't do this for a constantly active ability any more than once per day (at least to begin with.)) you are targeted by a Morality Undone effect, cast at a CL equal to your ECL and with a save DC of (14+your Wisdom Modifier). Yes, this means that whenever you use your evil powers, you have a chance of becoming Evil for a short period of time.

-In addition to all this, we're using the Sanity variant from Unearthed Arcana; however, instead of madness, depletion causes you to turn different kinds of evil (ranging from affable down to NPC-only level.). Knowledge (Forbidden Lore) is an actual skill (rather than the "unlimited ranks" monstrosity in the actual rules), which everyone with at least one Knowledge Skill as a class skill has as a class skill, which furthermore works like this skill, as well as the normal checks. You can take these feats if you wish.

-Oh, and we're also using this..

Class restrictions:
-No Vancian spellcasting or psionics.
-Pass everything else with me first; I'm trying to make this lower-optimization, ad I would prefer if everyone stay at our below Tier 3 in their builds (low 3/high 4 preferable.)
---
Character start-out information.
You all live in the cape town of Faldwell, were the prime imports are rice from the surrounding paddies (it is a rather marshy town, think Venice in a marsh.), and the prime exports are trained Paladins and Clerics (a small sub-sect of a small, general pantheon of good deities believes that one of their holy men were born in the town, and so they have set up a school; as such, the community is, in general, Lawful Good, though it tapers off to be more neutral when you get near the more watery part of the town (the locals unironically call it the Waterfront.))
-More information by request.

-A note on the Elder Pantheon; I'm going to tailor each one to each prospective player's character (they may/may not be treating you as champions/prophets/cheese vendors/whatever. From any mortal perspective, they are nuts.), which is why I want that long of a backstory. The particular symbol on your forehead will be decided by the player, after I give them the basics of what their Elder God is.
---
Tl;Dr: Someone cursed you with awesome, and now you are going to prod serious buttock to make them pay.

Oh, and does anyone else notice my love for the fluff for the Yozi and Green Sun Princes when they read this?
"There is happiness for those who accept their fate, there is glory for those that defy it."

"Now that everyone's so happy, this is probably a good time to tell you I ate your parents."

Offline SneeR

  • Legendary Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1531
  • Sneering
    • View Profile
Re: Weird as Hell Campaign [3.5, Recruiting]
« Reply #1 on: December 08, 2011, 10:32:23 PM »
Holy crap yes. I want IN!

EDIT: So, are you saying that Knowledge (Forbidden Lore) works like the sorcery skill I made up? Is that all it does? I have never heard of it before is why I ask.

EDIT the 2nd: Thinking about a high BAB class, though I am drawn to someone with plenty of skill points. Or warlock... OH, MY HEAD is reeling with possibilities!
« Last Edit: December 08, 2011, 10:47:57 PM by SneeR »
A smile from ear to ear
3.5 is disappointingly flawed.

Offline Flay Crimsonwind

  • Legendary Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1607
  • The devil so nice, they damned him thrice.
    • View Profile
Re: Weird as Hell Campaign [3.5, Recruiting]
« Reply #2 on: December 08, 2011, 10:36:14 PM »
Sign me up!
I'm here and ready to keep confusing the hell out of everyone I meet.

Offline zook1shoe

  • DnD Handbook Writer
  • ****
  • Posts: 4930
  • Feeling the Bern
    • View Profile
Re: Weird as Hell Campaign [3.5, Recruiting]
« Reply #3 on: December 08, 2011, 11:36:31 PM »
Sounds fun :)
add me on Steam- zook1shoe
- All Spells
- playground

Offline Amechra

  • Epic Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 4560
  • Thread Necromancy a specialty
    • View Profile
Re: Weird as Hell Campaign [3.5, Recruiting]
« Reply #4 on: December 08, 2011, 11:56:28 PM »
Oh, goody, victi-players! Yes, players!.

And yes, the Knowledge (Forbidden Lore) does work like your Sorcery skill, which is just a brilliant idea for this kind of thing. You can find information on what the skill can normally be used for in the rules here.

"There is happiness for those who accept their fate, there is glory for those that defy it."

"Now that everyone's so happy, this is probably a good time to tell you I ate your parents."

Offline LordBlades

  • Hero Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 914
  • I'm new!
    • View Profile
Re: Weird as Hell Campaign [3.5, Recruiting]
« Reply #5 on: December 09, 2011, 05:31:39 AM »
Sounds fun. I want in. Thinking of either a sword&board crusader with paladin flavor or some sort of wild warrior (totemist or wildshape ranger, leaning more toward totemist).

PS: does the world lack vancian magic and psionics altogether, or it's just unavailable to players?
« Last Edit: December 09, 2011, 05:52:49 AM by LordBlades »

Offline McPoyo

  • Legendary Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1086
    • View Profile
Re: Weird as Hell Campaign [3.5, Recruiting]
« Reply #6 on: December 09, 2011, 09:21:01 AM »
Definitely interested.

Offline Amechra

  • Epic Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 4560
  • Thread Necromancy a specialty
    • View Profile
Re: Weird as Hell Campaign [3.5, Recruiting]
« Reply #7 on: December 09, 2011, 03:35:30 PM »
Sounds fun. I want in. Thinking of either a sword&board crusader with paladin flavor or some sort of wild warrior (totemist or wildshape ranger, leaning more toward totemist).

PS: does the world lack vancian magic and psionics altogether, or it's just unavailable to players?

The world doesn't lack Vancian and Psionics, but one of the problems with your current... predicament is that you are blocked from that kind of power.
"There is happiness for those who accept their fate, there is glory for those that defy it."

"Now that everyone's so happy, this is probably a good time to tell you I ate your parents."

Offline LordBlades

  • Hero Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 914
  • I'm new!
    • View Profile
Re: Weird as Hell Campaign [3.5, Recruiting]
« Reply #8 on: December 10, 2011, 03:07:44 AM »
Sounds fun. I want in. Thinking of either a sword&board crusader with paladin flavor or some sort of wild warrior (totemist or wildshape ranger, leaning more toward totemist).

PS: does the world lack vancian magic and psionics altogether, or it's just unavailable to players?

The world doesn't lack Vancian and Psionics, but one of the problems with your current... predicament is that you are blocked from that kind of power.

What about using scrolls/wands/staves (And their respective psionic counterparts)?

Also, I'm leaning quite strongly toward playing an (water) orc totemist. However, would you consider allowing me to start with totem chakra bind at level 1 (as opposed to 2). Totemist it's the only class that doesn't get it's defining feature at level 1, and without it I'd mainly be like a NPC class (simple weapons, light armor, some very minor bonuses from unbound soulmelds) for a whole level (which lasts quite a bit in PbP)?
« Last Edit: December 10, 2011, 03:27:05 AM by LordBlades »

Offline Soundwave

  • DnD Handbook Writer
  • **
  • Posts: 153
  • Science, it works.
    • View Profile
Re: Weird as Hell Campaign [3.5, Recruiting]
« Reply #9 on: December 10, 2011, 03:16:08 AM »
I've never played in a pbp but would love to start if your interested in having a newbie.

Offline zook1shoe

  • DnD Handbook Writer
  • ****
  • Posts: 4930
  • Feeling the Bern
    • View Profile
Re: Weird as Hell Campaign [3.5, Recruiting]
« Reply #10 on: December 10, 2011, 04:11:27 PM »
Halfling Chicken Wrangler!  :twitch
add me on Steam- zook1shoe
- All Spells
- playground

Offline Flay Crimsonwind

  • Legendary Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1607
  • The devil so nice, they damned him thrice.
    • View Profile
Re: Weird as Hell Campaign [3.5, Recruiting]
« Reply #11 on: December 11, 2011, 12:17:25 AM »
I'm gonna start with a crusader (got a fun story to go with it) that'll go something like Crusader/Binder/Hellreaver. Simple and effective, and a good tank at all levels, should be pretty good for our hellward bound game, growing into his holy fury instead of starting with it (so story development, yay!). Just need to see about a bloodline that would work well for it (or make my own binder bloodline...). Might not get to hellreaver, seeing as it's only e6, but we'll see; binder/crusader'd still be pretty sweet. Actually I'm gonna simplify it to Crusader 4 / Binder 2, using improved binding at lv 3 and growing out from there.

Couple of world questions, has there been any recent military action/war in the past few years? I'm going for a sort of shell-shocked knight who went off all golden holy glory, whose unit did questionable things (like binding) to survive and succeed. Though they were victorious, they were fairly brutally broken mentally and physically, and he returned home to a hostile community who prefer not to deal with him. "Branded" as a broken and dishonored knight, this is just the next step in crap to happen to the poor man. In a Rambo-esque return to the dark military reality he knew, he'll turn back to binding to assist in the group's revenge and redemption, even as he slides into PTSD with this recurrence. I figured binding gives me some flexibility, some fun, and gives you a simple intro to my personal brand and forgotten god.
« Last Edit: December 11, 2011, 01:06:58 AM by Flay Crimsonwind »
I'm here and ready to keep confusing the hell out of everyone I meet.

Offline caelic

  • Hero Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 517
  • fnord
    • View Profile
Re: Weird as Hell Campaign [3.5, Recruiting]
« Reply #12 on: December 11, 2011, 12:27:17 AM »
Looks like you have enough players already, but the concept definitely looks interesting.

Offline SneeR

  • Legendary Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1531
  • Sneering
    • View Profile
Re: Weird as Hell Campaign [3.5, Recruiting]
« Reply #13 on: December 11, 2011, 01:40:25 AM »
I'm thinking of playing a hobo... I don't know what kind, but I am very much thinking of basing my concept on that and deciding the mechanics later. Preferably, he will be charismatic.

Perhaps he will brand trophies from his exploits in the hobo underworld... Is that too much for your game? I like playing humorous characters to bring levity, though there's noting stopping me from playing him straight!
A smile from ear to ear
3.5 is disappointingly flawed.

Offline zook1shoe

  • DnD Handbook Writer
  • ****
  • Posts: 4930
  • Feeling the Bern
    • View Profile
Re: Weird as Hell Campaign [3.5, Recruiting]
« Reply #14 on: December 11, 2011, 01:55:46 AM »
I'm looking at a ranger or druid (no spells) into Chicken Wrangler as a Tallfellow half with the Gaunt vile feat
add me on Steam- zook1shoe
- All Spells
- playground

Offline Amechra

  • Epic Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 4560
  • Thread Necromancy a specialty
    • View Profile
Re: Weird as Hell Campaign [3.5, Recruiting]
« Reply #15 on: December 11, 2011, 02:15:09 AM »
Alright, as of now, the player list is:
-SneeR
-Flay Crimsonwind
-zook1shoe
-LordBlades
-McPoyo
-Soundwave.

6 people is my limit, but I will contact you, caelic, if a slot opens up.

Alright, specific responses!

-Totemist can have the Totem Bind moved down to 1st level. I don't see anything unbalancing or wrong with doing so.

-You can use wands, scrolls, staves, etc... but good luck getting someone to sell them to you; remember, a big bloody mark on your forehead doesn't exactly lead to good customer service...

-Flay, your idea reminds me a bit of Watcher John, from that zombie PbP we were in back on BG; mainly because of class composition, but yeah, the reminder is there. In other words, go for it! The nearest/most recent war in the area was the Chan-Dur Border War 7 years prior to the start of campaign; it involved some pretty vicious fighting over a narrow stretch of highly fertile farmland, which spilled out into the surrounding marsh, leaving a approximately 50 mile by 3 mile area of land and marsh still recovering from the ravages of the war.

Get your backstory to me, and I will make your elder god!

-zook1shoe, I'm sorry that I didn't specify completely, but those Vile feats you get as bonus feats... are the only Vile feats you can take until you hit level 6+; you aren't evil, so taking them normally is off limits.

-SneeR, this campaign does have a place for humor, but it'll kinda lean towards gallow/dark humor. So... sure you can play a hobo that carries around trophies of his many nefarious deeds. After all, I'm letting SneeR play someone who will eventually fight by hurling chicken eggs, so...

-Soundwave, welcome to the world of PbPs. I hope you enjoy your stay here, and remember: we were all new once.
"There is happiness for those who accept their fate, there is glory for those that defy it."

"Now that everyone's so happy, this is probably a good time to tell you I ate your parents."

Offline zook1shoe

  • DnD Handbook Writer
  • ****
  • Posts: 4930
  • Feeling the Bern
    • View Profile
Re: Weird as Hell Campaign [3.5, Recruiting]
« Reply #16 on: December 11, 2011, 03:08:13 AM »
Oh ok.
add me on Steam- zook1shoe
- All Spells
- playground

Offline LordBlades

  • Hero Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 914
  • I'm new!
    • View Profile
Re: Weird as Hell Campaign [3.5, Recruiting]
« Reply #17 on: December 11, 2011, 04:25:47 AM »
Thanks.

I'll get to work on backstory and char sheet in the coming 1-2 days.

Mechanically I'm thinking about focusing on melee offense, since Flay seems to have melee defense covered.
RP wise, I'm going for a simple man from the lower parts of society. A hunter/fisherman that cares about little beyond the simple things: food, shelter and getting shitfaced at the inn occasionally. And then everything turns south  :plotting

Offline McPoyo

  • Legendary Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1086
    • View Profile
Re: Weird as Hell Campaign [3.5, Recruiting]
« Reply #18 on: December 11, 2011, 08:47:21 AM »
So, does the no vancian spellcasting lock out Bard?

Edit: also, assuming we start at level 1, yes?

Are flaws allowed?
« Last Edit: December 11, 2011, 08:49:12 AM by McPoyo »

Offline Amechra

  • Epic Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 4560
  • Thread Necromancy a specialty
    • View Profile
Re: Weird as Hell Campaign [3.5, Recruiting]
« Reply #19 on: December 11, 2011, 09:58:54 AM »
So, does the no vancian spellcasting lock out Bard?

Edit: also, assuming we start at level 1, yes?

Are flaws allowed?

I remember seeing some homebrewed ACFs that traded out Bard spellcasting for other stuff, like Meldshaping or Binding. I'll have to dig that back up.
"There is happiness for those who accept their fate, there is glory for those that defy it."

"Now that everyone's so happy, this is probably a good time to tell you I ate your parents."