Crimvale Keep

[Asmodeus]

Intro The World The Rules Story So Blah Cast Friends Enemies

• Crimvale Keep
  
  

  
  In the world of Serendark, all nations agree on two things. Firstly, that the world is fucked. And lastly, that the Age of Discovery is upon us.
  
  Crimvale Keep has resurfaced, like a bad dream in the psyche. The world has remembered, and is born again in greed and daring.
  
  Pioneers land on every shore. Thieves and rogue wizards find new havens. Armies squabble with fledgling cults and empire-builders. All in Crimvale is ripe for the plucking.
  
  
  
  There are competing theories on why the Flint and Steel Guild is best known of the adventuring parties in Crimvale. Some say it's because their leader takes care of his friends. Others talk about that incident with the Green Dragon. Still more mutter about a Jackal and her Hell Baby.
  
  Whatever the truth - YOU know where you're headed. The Flint and Steel Guild is the place you need to be. It's your ticket into the deeper chambers of Crimvale. Your golden opportunity for treasure, glory... and power.
  ​

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• ​
  
  
  • The Heartland Kingdom – Originally the cursed kingdoms of Orveria and Tolgore. They were united 400 years ago by King Garnweld Lyterman, a warrior who made peace with the fey spirits of the forest. With the lifting of the curse, the mortal races were allowed to expand their cities. The kingdom is progressive, wealthy and lawful, with a human majority and numerous forest-based races.
  
  • Kragtar – An arid kingdom, home to centaurs and dragon-worshippers. Its wealth is in its mines and it trades precious ores with Varigard and the Heartland Kingdom. There are many secrets beneath its surface.
  
  • Varigard – A mystical nation of High Elves, Aasimar and Halflings. Said to have many portals to the Celestial Plane. The high mountains are considered holy, and the floodlands between them places of Halfling utopia.
  
  • Gaskaron – A largely unexplored nation, with thick jungle and impenetrable mountains. The exact races are not known here, but during the Crimvale Siege many marauder fleets set sail from Gaskaron to frustrate the Demon King's navy. It is roamed by tribes and plagued by monsters.
  
  • Shenzing – A nation of monks and master craftsmen who worship the Oriental pantheon. Shenzing was all but destroyed by the weather magics of the Demon King, and it has made a slow recovery over recent centuries. It is now considered a nation with the potential to outstrip the wealth of the Heartland Kingdom.
  
  • Einbluth – A holy island, home to pilgrims, paladins and priests of all races. It is said that the world of Serendark was born from this island, with the other continents flowing from its volcanic heart.
  
  • Vonheldus – The Cursed Nation. This land is in the perpetual grip of winter, for a crime long forgotten. It is ruled by hardy dwarves who forge the finest weapons found in Serendark.​
• • This is Pathfinder without the dice. Assume all the same races, magical conventions, deities, and character conventions found in the Pathfinder system reference.
  
  • My GMing style is hijack-heavy. If the story needs to go somewhere, and you're being inactive/dumb/overly-passive, I'll make an assessment of your motivations and move you to where the scene needs you to be. If you are not a strong storyteller, do not join. I don't need character studies. I need people who can help out.
  
  • I have given you the setting; but the plot will be driven by YOUR characters. Whatever you post here will inform the story - what we're looking for, why we're travelling, who we've pissed off, who we serve, etc.
  
  • Posting expectations are once-to-twice a week. Tegan and I have busy lives and are writing professionally, so this roleplay will be our shits and giggles practice time. If it gets too strenuous, we'll probably dump this on Unanun and fuck off back to real life.
  
  • Multiple characters are allowed, as long as we can ACTUALLY TELL THE FUCKING DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THEM. Use the Tab code to put them all in one post.
  
  • We're here to capture the THRILL of D&D - not the nerdy nitpicking bullshit.​
• The Flint & Steel Party have been together for a few weeks. They are led by Lorn and Torrim - two grizzled adventurers who have spent a decade in the Drow City of Nuthessin. In their return to the upper levels they have picked up old friends and made new allies. Now they arrive in the chambers beneath Westyard - a corner of the Keep Torrim once called home.
  
  With them is an amulet, taken from a group of mercenaries who tried to rob them. The negative energy device is in the keeping of Darath the Cleric, who intends to hand it over to an officer of his church.
• Torrim - After 15 years in the Drow City of Nuthessin, Torrim is returning to check on his old adventuring grounds.
  
  Lorn - The were-jackal is returning to the higher chambers with her friend Torrim. Along the way, she is dealing with her tempestuous daughter, Siege, who is coming of age, and the equally troublesome Scrote, who is trying his best to not get eaten.
  
  Sasami - At the behest of her ominous goat skull companion, Sasami is accompanying the party. The skull has made mention of many Shinies along the River of God, and Sasami herself has heard Torrim mention this place. She feels the draw of fate, stronger than it has ever been.
  
  Darath - As an agent of his church, Darath is under strict orders. Those orders come from an inquisitor, who has placed his trust in Darath to channel key information on the discoveries of the Flint & Steel Guild.
  
  Garrick - More than anyone alive, Garrick knows the greater threats that shadow the Guild. He has glimpsed the plans of angels... terrible plans that will spell the eradication of this very timeline.
  
  Sift - Well-traveled in the outer chambers, Sift is an old friend of the Guild who has truly come into her own. She has rejoined now, with fond memories of the great leaps in power she was granted under the Guild's protection.
  
  Erastian - The fortunes of the Fairbane family will turn at last. What awaits Erastian in the deeps of Crimvale is a secret tangled with the legacy of his fathers, and the fate of all Serendark.
  
  Ina-Oster - The stories of the Guild are laced with shapeshifters. The Tale of Chernobog, The Madness of Jaderith, The Howls of the Mournwood; even the anecdotes of Lorn the Werejackal. Is Ina-Oster just another chapter in this history? Or will answers to his own nature be found?
  
  Veptoria - When asked why he is allowing a Tiefling to journey with him, Torrim will scowl... as if he can't quite remember. Then he will mutter something about second chances, and say no more.
  
  Zhiyong - The life that is slower than a killing whisper. These were the last words of her sifu, before he turned his back and bid her make the journey. Zhiyong does not know why she is here. But her enlightenment is set to play a part in darker schemes.
• Quinarious - a human inquisitor of the Church of Iomedae. At 45 he has made his bloodline proud and followed his father's path as an intermediary between the Heartland Kingdoms and the Aasimar of Varigard. The church is the strongest link between the races, and Quin is a tireless investigator and enforcer of the border cities. His latest assignment, to Crimvale Keep, has placed him as the handler of a dozen Clerics dispatched on various missions in the outer chambers. He is Darath's direct superior, and a source of good intelligence.
  
  Relka - a human mulitclassed in rogue, cleric and sorcerer talents. Relka was born in the Giant Chambers of Gigas and was part of a community descended from the household servants of the Demon King. She was saved by the Guild 15 years ago when giant insects tore her apart. It was the first time she had witnessed magical healing, and she came to believe that Lorn and Torrim were gods. Relka convinced her people to go to the surface and serve the Flint & Steel Guild. It is a decision she perhaps regrets, now that many of her people believe the Guild to be in league with demons.
• Harker - a fat and angry sahuagin with a grudge against the Guild. 15 years ago, when the Flint & Steel Adventurers were finding their first treasure hordes, it caused an economic shift in the town of Westyard. Nobles switched over to the more exotic meats the Guild provided, turned to Guild wizards for spell components; even entrusted them with supply missions and storage duties. The Merchant's Guild of Westyard was outraged, and in a bid to reclaim his contracts, Harker the Loan Shark took the lead in sullying the name of the Flint & Steel party. His plan almost succeeded, until an Orc invasion proved that the adventurers were essential to Westyard's safety. Harker was locked up by a noble who supported the Guild, and was held there for 5 years till his family could buy his freedom. Now Harker is back in Crimvale, rebuilding his militia and plotting revenge.
  
  Lord Alaistor - Once a leading member of the Guild, Alaistor returned from a side-quest and was utterly changed. He is now suspected to be an Eldritch Knight, in service to an evil beyond imagining. Yet little can be proven. He rules Westyard, a collection of chambers on the southwest edge of Crimvale, where most pioneers from the Heartland Kingdoms have made a home. They believe Alaistor to be a paladin of the light, just as they believe his claims that the Flint & Steel party are agents of devilry. It is a kingdom of lies - a kingdom in which one's very soul is eroded. And all to feed Alaistor's unknown master.

 

[Asmodeus]

Torrim Scrowfin

• Torrim Harmalk
  
  Torrim is the Dwarf with the Swarf. As a child he was sold into slavery to repay his parents' debts, and now he lives by the creed that no one should be beholden to lords or gods.
  
  He's a beast with a waraxe, and can take a pummeling. He's also a fine mountain-climber and an authority on engineering (if you can understand his accent).
  
  Torrim has a theory that the Demon King built Crimvale for a specific purpose - to house one specific artifact - and now Torrim wants that thing for himself.
  
  And what's more, he wants a fellowship. The Guild is the family he never had. Such things are important to Dwarves.
• Scrowfin
  
  Scrowfin Cowfoot, unaffectionately known as "Scrote", counts himself the luckiest of all goblins in Crimvale.
  
  He was raised inside the walls, and like most goblin infants was put in a communal pen in the middle of the war camp, and left to fend for himself. He quickly learned how to avoid the cannibals by hiding behind larger goblins and rolling himself in manure. He was so small that the other children didn't bother catching, washing or eating him.
  
  Then, roughly four years ago, Scrote's camp was raided. Not by any nasty adventurer... but by a Barghest. The wolf demon ate the chieftains and, naturally, declared herself a goddess.
  
  The other goblins, naturally, agreed, and stood back while the Barghest ripped open the pen and ordered the infants to follow her into the wilderness.
  
  Not much is known of what happened next, after the band of younglings disappeared into the deeper forests. But now Scrote is back, and stalking the Flint and Steel party from a distance.
  
  He is always there... just a scene or two behind.

 

[Tegan]

Reserved for Lorny Lorn

 

[dreamshell]

Interested.

I've got an idea for a Heartlander with a family history of hunting down fair folk. Thinking he's lived a dull life as a guardsman in the capital or something, and now he wants to get a taste of the glory days of his ancestors. I'll write up something more in-depth soon.

 

[unanun]

I think I will join, but I need to skim the pathfinder codex first.

 

[Zen]

BLARGHRH!!

Is my violin playing bard off limits or do you want new characters? I can swing either way.

Edit:

*stares at Shenzing*

*blinks*

*starrrrres at Shenzing*

Did you take a peek at my Pathfinder game? Did you take a peek at my novel? Cause that's the name of one my countries/characters.

*is so freaking confused*

 

[Zen]

[fieldbox=Sasami Satoshi, pink, dotted]

Bone Oracle

With her goat skull companion. His name is Baa. He insists on sitting on Sasami's head.

Sasami likes shinies. Adores them actually, so sometimes she asks her friends to get them for her. One time, Sasami saw this beaaaauuutiful dress that a tailor made, and she asked her friends to get it for her. But her friends terrified people, and one day Sasami's father and mother told her to go away. Far away. That made Sasami very sad, but Sasami felt better once she got Baa. (Baa is her family goat). Together they traveled the world, telling stories and fortunes, having adventures, roasting toads by the fire, gazing at the stars, and being good friends! Sasami was so happy, especially when Baa stayed with her after he went to sleep.

One day, Baa told Sasami to go find the Flint and Steel Guild because they had a lot of shinies. Sasami likes having a lot of shinies, but she also wanted to keep Baa happy. And Baa was very happy after Sasami expressed her interest in joining. If Sasami was lucky enough, she might be able to make some friends, but don't tell Baa that. [/fieldbox]

 

[Cerulean]

Darath Keriah

• 
  
  He was always seen as a sign that sometimes things just happen. Hailing from Varigard, this Aasimar chose a life of war and priesthood. It helped make him very strong, hardy, and charismatic. Not always the smartest cookie or agile, but he can get the job done.
  
  Worshipping any and all deities of Good, Darath decided to represent this faith by wielding something worthy enough to crack anything that may be standing between evil and his justice. An Earthbreaker. While he doesn't always follow the law, he will always try to do right/good thing.
  
  His church had been hearing strange events going on in Crimvale for a long time and selected him to investigate. They suggested trying to find the guild there, as they were usually mentioned in just about EVERY story that came lately. So that will be his first stop. Darath has no idea what to expect, but hopefully, it will make the order proud.
  

 

[Hecatoncheires]

GARRICK SIFT

• 
  
  

  
  Garrick Proudfoot​

  
  Glib, charismatic and chronically incapable of taking anything seriously, Garrick is an old adventuring comrade of Torrim and Lorn from before they founded the Flint and Steel Guild. He's also a liar, a cheat, an outrageous flirt and overfond of telling stories about his seemingly endless extended family.
  
  Garrick's talents lie in getting into places others don't with him to go; breaking and entering, lock-picking, acrobatics and lying through his teeth are all part of his repository of skills. His diminutive Halfling stature means he's not of much use up close and personal, but from a distance Garrick can rain down the pain with his crossbow, Nellie ("named for the prettiest girl in me hometown, doncha know?").
  
  And whilst he may not be the best lute player in the world, that doesn't seem to stop him from launching into renditions of drinking songs when he can.
• 

  
  Sift​

  
  If you were polite, you might refer to the mage who goes by the name of Sift as "socially challenged".
  
  If you were honest, however, you'd just call her a bitch.
  
  Sift has been busy since she landed in Crimvale Keep, doing everything from adventuring ("they kept getting themselves killed, the morons") and banditry ("like living with a bunch of bloody trolls, only trolls would probably smell better than that lot"), to joining a cult ("ditched the religion, way to much worshipping, but kept the haircut") and working for the guild on a few occasions ("before that business with the dragon, I had nothing to do with that").
  
  What she lacks in charm, she (somewhat) makes up for in magical prowess. A conjurer, Sift is an adept in the school of summoning and can call forth all manner of bizarre magical creatures to stack the metaphorical deck in favour of herself (and her allies too, she supposes). She is rather lacking in the outright offensive magic, however, having to rely on her pets to do the fighting for her, and her focus on magic means that she doesn't know her way around weapons.
  
  Unless harsh language counts as a weapon.
  
  In which case, she's a master.

I've stuck both Garrick and Sift in there to start with, cos I'm not sure what sort of group dynamic we're gonna have. Course, I'm happy to drop one of them if its needed.

 

[dreamshell]

Erastian Fairbane

After peace was finally struck between the Heartland and the fey folk, many highborn enemies of the forest spirits were stripped of their nobility as part of the agreement. The notorious Fairbanes, however, managed to escape reprisal through backroom deals and ingratiation. Yet in time the black mark that had sullied their name doomed them to ostracism and ruin, allegedly with help from the fey.

Thusly born into what has become a family of prideful paupers, Erastian was barred from the distinction of knighthood, but nonetheless managed to insinuate himself into a position of appreciable authority as a senior patrolman in the capital's city watch. But while the office afforded him some license, it did not pay very well and the Fairbane coffers had long since been depleted. Fortunately, things like extortion, smuggling, arranging "accidents," misplacing evidence and generally cutting deals with various movers-and-shakers in the criminal underworld provided him with ample enough coin to live something of the life to which he felt entitled.

When news hit the capital of the weakening barriers that isolated Crimvale Keep, Erastian saw an opportunity to win still more riches for himself, and mayhaps the glory and prestige once granted to his forebears.

Edit: Fixed image.​

 

[Kooriryu]

So is there fuckin' werecamels in this shit too or nah?

 

[dreamshell]

@Charlie I would say tiefling.

 

[Asmodeus]

*starrrrres at Shenzing*

Quiet you. Also, Violin-Face could still be around. Only 15 years have passed (I think).

I think I will join, but I need to skim the pathfinder codex first.

It's D&D. If you slip up, you'll be Nerd bullied in exquisite detail.

So is there fuckin' werecamels in this shit too or nah?

Lorn may spit on you.

If someone could tell me how to shrink that image without simply resizing it off-site, please let me know. <_<

I think it'll have to be off-site editing. And fighter-rogue is fine.

Can anybody help find a suitable race for this image?

Yep - Tiefling. Just bear in mind that my character and Tegan's have had some bad encounters with Tieflings. We may be antsy around you.

 

[Hecatoncheires]

Do they also get triggered by blonde haired barbarian types as well? Cos that'd be hilarious.

 

[unanun]

*pressure intensifies*

 

[Asmodeus]

I think it was the blond-haired Barbarian who got.....

















....triggered.





*Unanun freezes to death outside while Asmo and Grumpy chuckle at the drawing room window*

 

[unanun]

[fieldbox=Ina-Oster, brown, solid, 15] Ina (slave name) Oster (free name) is a beautiful dwarf trapped in the disgustingly elongated body of an elf.

How he was begotten, found, and raised is irrelevant. Ina's struggles to learn metallurgy, mechanics, and masonry have earned him ire from his foster dwarf parents and those in the forest who would take him back. His existence is a lonely one, often drowned at the local human watering hole.

Ina (elfen name) is exasperated with his kin's obsession with the past, with their veneration of ancient things and the implied decay of men and the universe associated with that world view. Oster (dwarven name) finds solace and purpose with the dwarves, who always look ahead and shape the earth and her bounty to meet the challenges of tomorrow.
[/fieldbox]

 

[unanun]

Isn't this like raiding a fantasy necron tomb?

KING WEEVIL!

 

[Hecatoncheires]

He really was crushed about the whole thing, Asmo.

*guffaws and pours more brandy as an orphan starves in the streets*

 

[Hecatoncheires]

I think you're meaning her bloodline there, Charlie. Which is basically the magical heritage which gives your character her sorcerer's powers.

Since you're going with Tiefling, you might wanna consider the Abyssal, Daemon and Infernal bloodlines. Those are all in-keeping with Tieflings and their rather particular heritage.

*doffs his hijacker hat*