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Post by Kvard51 on Aug 1, 2020 22:46:21 GMT -8
Daos, IF you are going Scout, remember you will get Nature and Survival for free at third level. In fact, you will get expertise in them for free at third. Which means you should go another route with your skills now. Doesn't that mean when he takes them now, then at third, he could take two class skills in lieu of them? I am pretty sure that is how it works. DnD Beyond also works that way. I don't know where the annotation in the rule book is either. No, at least not what I've been told. Because he is gaining proficiency and double bonus together it only applies to those. Could be wrong, certainly. No reason it SHOULDN'T be that way.
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Post by Zero Prime on Aug 2, 2020 3:23:02 GMT -8
One of the things I hate about the 5e subclasses, if they are so core to your concept, but you need to wait until you are three levels in to gain those things which you should have had from the get go. Becoming a Scout at 3rd, and suddenly gaining a knowledge of survival and nature is a little weird to me, so I am fine with him taking those skills at 1st, having them improve at 3rd (by gaining double proficiency) and grabbing two additional skill proficiencies due to further training as a scout. 1) A map of the Inner Sea Region ... So you have Molthune: Lawful Neutral; A military Oligarchy, former province of Cheliax who sought independence, and subsequently had it's own civil war, losing to the rebels, and recognizing the nation of Nimrathas; Lastwall: Lawful Good; A military dictatorship which guards the prison of the Whispering Tyrant (think Sauron), very similar to Gondor from LotR; Nidal: Lawful Evil; Militaristic Theocracy, a nation devoted to a single deity Zon-Kuthune, Ustalav: Neutral Evil, Loose confederacy of counties, fog-shrouded nation of countless horrors, and a once-proud realm that suffered under the clawed hands of the Whispering Tyrant for centuries. Depending how far afield you want to go Brevoy: Chaotic Neutral, Hereditary Monarchy. The political entity known as Brevoy was once two vastly different nations locked in a constant state of war before being conquered by a despot. After centuries under the rule of a line of conquerors that only recently disappeared, Brevoy must now decide its own destiny, very much a Game of Thrones, Noble houses vying for leadership of a recently unified nation with generations of rivalries and enmity dividing these houses. 2) The current year is 4709 AR, or Absalom Reckoning ... 3) Really, Nimrathas values personal freedom ... while there may be rivalries and enmities based on personal, or near history, the only heritage that would be very negatively viewed would be Molthune, as they were occupying Nimrathas for generations. 4) I'll add them to the setting thread when I am slightly less busy, and can copy & paste info, but there are some key locations in Phaendar and associated personages. However, you are free to create NPC's from outlying farms or businesses that don't duplicate the ones I'll briefly list, as Pharendar isn't big enough to have two competing businesses and for both of them to survive. Oreld's Fine Shop, owned by three generations of healers and herbalists in the Oreld family, Oreld’s Fine Shop supplies Phaendar with remedies, dye, glue, and paint. The shop’s owner, Vane Oreld, male middle- aged human, is also the closest thing Phaendar has to a doctor. Phaendar Trading Company, the heart of Phaendar is the trading post, where farmers, hunters, and artisans come to trade, and where travelers stop in to resupply. The store primarily sells seed, timber, farm supplies, and contracts for raw materials, but all sorts of odds and ends wind up in the small shop. The current owner of the Phaendar Trading Company is the cantankerous and scheming local smith Kining Blondebeard female dwarf expert 2, who was exiled from Glimmerhold for crimes she refuses to divulge. Riverwood Shrine, Most of the buildings in town are strictly functional in design, but the shrine was designed to be beautiful as well, being constructed from logs dredged from the thick silt of the ice-cold Marideth River. The shrine is intended for any worshipers to use, but most people in town venerate Erastil or Desna, and so statues and symbols of these two faiths decorate the walls in the form of homemade amulets, artwork, and offerings. A stone shrine to the Green Faith—far older than the larger temple or anything else in the area—stands beside the temple, accommodating local Green worshipers. Taproot Inn, The Taproot—referred to simply as “the Root” by locals—is the only two-story building in town, and serves a wide variety of meals and alcohol gathered from travelers crossing the bridge. It’s also the largest indoor gathering place in town after the temple, and most of locals spend far more time in the Root during any given week than the temple. Ownership of the Taproot changes often as proprietors struggle or grow bored. It currently belongs to Jet, human female, a recent transplant to Phaendar of mixed Shoanti and Varisian descent with twin black braids, black eyes, and an iconic teal scarf worn around her waist.
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Post by Zero Prime on Aug 2, 2020 10:30:06 GMT -8
Not sure where your head is at for your monk, Horizons, but if you want to a avoid Shao Lin style trappings, you could go for an almost Egyptian theme, Osirion might be a good take, there is a monastery devoted to Irori located is southern Osirion, Irori being there god of Perfection and Enlightenment.
I can get you more info if you want, you are welcome to come up with your own stuff and we can work to insert it wherever possible.
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Post by Daos on Aug 2, 2020 12:37:21 GMT -8
01. Wow, Nimrathas sounds like it's in a pretty bad position; stuck between multiple rocks and hard places. Anyway, in the original backstory, his mother (an elf) served as a handmaiden to a noblewoman in a far away city. She got pregnant by some noble, who not wanting a scandal, paid her off to leave. So she traveled to the starter town, gave birth, and raised him alone. I'm thinking, though, maybe change that to her getting pregnant from some Molthune soldier. She fled to Phaendar to try and give him a better life, and never told him who his father is out of shame.
02. Okay, so before Tavos was born then. I had thought about having his mother flee to Nimrathas during the war, but that won't work unless I make Tavos much older.
03. Alright, good to know. In the original backstory, because he was both a half-elf and a bastard, he couldn't get a real job. Which is why he spent so much time goofing off in the nearby woods or getting into trouble with the local law enforcement (he was actually introduced in the game by being locked in the stockade). But it sounds like in this setting, people wouldn't hold either of those things against him. So instead, I think I'll change it so that he's a mix of lazy and has his head in the clouds. He doesn't want a 'boring' nine-to-five job, and so constantly slips out into the woods to explore and have fun instead.
04. In his original backstory, Tavos broke into the local tailor's shop one night, and was caught. The tailor, Silas Goff, was actually a retired adventurer--a thief, specifically--and rather than turn the boy in, took him under his wing. And this was to explain how Tavos learned some of his skills. Silas, despite trying to keep appearances as an 'honest merchant' still had some underworld connections and would sometimes hire Tavos to do small tasks for him on the downlow, like smuggling a small parcel to some contact in the woods; that sort of thing. Would that work here?
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Post by Daos on Aug 4, 2020 16:01:59 GMT -8
I went ahead and prepared his appearance and personality: Appearance: Tavos is a young adult male half-elf. He's short and thin, but has an acrobat's muscular build. He has short black hair and is clean-shaven. He has dark blue eyes and fair skin. He tends to slouch a bit and keep his head down, as if avoiding drawing attention. His clothes are simple and colorless and show wear and tear. In battle, he wears old leather armor that doesn't quite fit him and carries a short bow. Personality: Tavos acts a bit oddly, especially in social situations. As if he isn't sure what is or isn't appropriate. He has numerous personality quirks. One such is that he constantly changes his title, depending on whatever happened to him last. He might by Tavos the Lucky one day, Tavos the Slimed the next, and Tavos the Wounded the next. Tavos is incredibly forgiving toward others. No matter how badly they may treat him, he never carries a grudge longer than a few hours at most. There may be some exceptions to this (if his mother is ever harmed, for instance), but he'll suffer any sling or arrow from others without much complaint. Likewise, Tavos is very compassionate toward others, especially the down-trodden and poor. He, better than anyone, understands what it's like to be stepped on and expresses major sympathy toward others as a result. Tavos is also rather nervous, especially in large groups, figures of authority or attractive people (either men or women). He'll bite his nails, shift his weight from foot to foot, fidget, or darts his eyes back and forth. He's somewhat lacking in self-confidence. He is somewhat of a slacker. He has never had an interest in 'honest work,' and so has never been able to hold down a real job. His lack of confidence and difficulty in keeping focused had given him a reputation of slothful. Traits: I hide scraps of food and trinkets away in my pockets. Ideal: All people, rich or poor, deserve respect. Bond: No one else should have to endure the hardships I've been through. Flaw: If I'm outnumbered, I will run away from a fight.
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Post by HorizonsDream on Aug 5, 2020 18:14:35 GMT -8
I am off on Friday, so I will finish up with my character then.
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Post by Daos on Aug 6, 2020 14:08:53 GMT -8
Okay then, here's his history. I can add more to it, or make edits, if necessary: {Tavos History} History: Tavos is a bastard. He was born out of wedlock to his mother, Porrima, an elven slave of a high ranking soldier in Molthune. This soldier is also Tavos' father, but Tavos has no idea and his mother refuses to tell him. In any case, when the pregnancy was discovered, Porrima ran away, escaping Molthune and finding refuge in Nimrathas. She settled in Phaendar and gave birth to Tavos shortly after.
Growing up, Tavos never really fit in well. He could never explain why, but for some reason he just felt like he didn't belong. He spent his youth with his head in the clouds, dreaming of who his father might be--a great hero, perhaps, or a wealthy king. Once he had become old enough to work, he was unable to hold down a job. He spent too much time daydreaming or slipping off to play in the woods. He learned a lot about nature this way.
Eventually, out of boredom, he started getting into real trouble. He tried breaking into the local tailor's shop, just to see if he could. But he was caught. It turns out that the tailor, Silas, is a retired thief, and seeing some potential in the boy, he started teaching him proper techniques. He'd also give Tavos some coin to run small jobs, like to smuggle a parcel to a contact waiting in the woods; that sort of thing.
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Post by TheBBEG on Aug 6, 2020 17:27:32 GMT -8
I thought I posted my character backstory. Can't seem to find the full bit. Odd. I'll rewrite it. Already in the brain.
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Post by TheBBEG on Aug 7, 2020 11:39:57 GMT -8
John "Junk" Masterson was born in a tiny shack on the outskirts of town. He grew up in the area, helping his father in the woods from an early age. His mother and father are still living and John turned into a full time lumberjack and part time militia for the town. He is friendly and generally well liked, but very reserved and far from outgoing. At this point in his life he is content to keep working and living here for the rest of his life. He is not overly ambitious, but has a strong sense of morals and doing what is right. He has almost nothing in the way of "book" learning and instead follows his intuition. His exterior seems gruff and no-nonsense, but those he warms to know that he is kind with a great sense of humor. He is very conservative with what little money he saves, typically spending it on his parents or their home. John is tall and well built and obviously physically gifted. He has dark scraggly hair and two day stubble that he shaves every few days. He wears humble clothes in earthy or drab colors. He was given armor for militia response, and has learned to use his large lumberaxe as a rather effective weapon.
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Post by Zero Prime on Aug 7, 2020 12:25:03 GMT -8
Hey gang, it's been a busy week at work. I'll get caught up on this thread. Also please remember this is a conversion of the PF setting, so if something doesn't work, or you feel like the setting is missing a vital feature that is central to your character or your envisioned backstory we can change it or add elements that work for us.
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Post by HorizonsDream on Aug 7, 2020 13:43:42 GMT -8
Okay, so it is Friday, and I said I would work on my character today since it is my day off.
The vague idea, backstory wise, that I had for her was that she is an Ironfang Survivor. Her family was killed during the attack, and it drove her into such a rage that she decided she was going to seek revenge. Though, somewhere along the the path of revenge, she realizes that she was destroying herself (both mentally and physically). She decides to forsake her revenge, and seek enlightenment instead. I figure there is some sort of monastery or something on the forest that she can retreat to, where she learns how to channel all of her anger into something more positive (hence how she becomes a monk). Though, she still has problems suppressing her bloodlust, and while she feels like she has grown closer to enlightenment, she is still having problems achieving it.
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Post by Zero Prime on Aug 7, 2020 14:57:05 GMT -8
I like the idea Horizon, what does a forest based Monastatic order look like? Something like the Paladin's Ancient Order? Is it just Monks, or are Druids, Paladins and Rangers members in some fashion?
Just curious on your thoughts, or what works for your backstop.
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Post by HorizonsDream on Aug 7, 2020 15:10:37 GMT -8
I kind of like the idea of having a mixed class system within the order. Everyone is welcome providing that they are searching for some sort of enlightenment.
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Post by Kvard51 on Aug 7, 2020 19:08:56 GMT -8
I kind of like the idea of having a mixed class system within the order. Everyone is welcome providing that they are searching for some sort of enlightenment. I’m thinking my, as yet, unnamed Druid is connected to the monastery. He helps with medical needs and provides some food. But he doesn’t completely buy in to the “enlightenment” idea.
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Post by HorizonsDream on Aug 7, 2020 21:08:17 GMT -8
That works for me.
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