Dude...the whole concept of the Orriath and all that awesomeness makes up for any real disappointment I felt at the delay, I'd say.
And I can just imagine Karyn's dead human father hanging around him every once in awhile...
I doubt the history will be a problem, so whenever that gets done I can call it accepted and we'll just be waiting on Levistus, I guess. Or we could start, since sheets are still accepted once it starts anyway...
I'm neutral on that, guess it's up to you guys.
My first original character concept used a race that I created on the spot that used the woad-like tattoos. I loved the idea so much that I brought it over into this custom race. I thought I should at least try something unique, considering you put a special emphasis on the race part... If you ever feel like using it somewhere in the future, feel free. It's wholly original on my part.
I'm open to starting as soon as Acqua wants. We could probably have something golden. I'm not the BEST poster, but I average one-per-day-per-game, if given the room to post, that is.
Can we wait 'til the weekend? I can't on Friday night because I have to go to bed early for a biking event on Saturday morning. Also, tonight is the last night of slave-drive week at my school (whoot, three hours of homework tonight is my estimate at the moment).
Name: Versvesh ("Strong" in Draconic) Race: Kobold Gender: Male Age: 23 Class: Knight
Strong Points: Physically, he's a powerhouse. Even if he weren't a "little guy", he'd be strong, lifting many times his own weight. His incredibly powerful legs allow him to jump extraordinary heights. Tough scales, as well (making up for his lack of armor). Weak Points: Skewed morality. He was brought up in a culture that is sometimes alien to those of other cultures, particularly that of humanity. His race is known as a 'monster' race, and he's not likely to get a lot of sympathy from adventurers or 'civilized' races (particularly other dwarves, who kobolds challenge in many industries). While the kobold race has an affinity for trapmaking and using traps - Versvesh has forsaken this 'art' in his odd 'honor'... and his lust for physical strength. Abilities/Traits: Versvesh's civilization is one of mining. He's very skilled in it, as well as in caves, mines, and underground architecture.
DND-Style Alignment: Lawful Neutral Personality: Versvesh knows that, long ago, his kind descended from the ranks of dragons - this has given him an inner strength that has allowed him to become so physically strong as well. Though he could use this knowledge to become vain and arrogant, he has chosen to keep his thoughts on his own superiority quiet. He loves competing with other races in bouts of physical activity, 'testing' himself against other races... this is doubly true about 'larger' races. While he targets warriors and athletes in tests of physical might, he leaves others - wizards, rogues, priests, rogues - unmolested. This is not because he does not value them, he simply finds no need to challenge them to a physical contest. His odd "Sense of Honor" is what makes him a "Knight", rather than a warrior.
Your Quest: Best the largest of races in physical contest. Become a legendary monster. History: The Namer of the Tribes knew. She knew that when Versvesh grew older, he would become one of the greatest kobolds in history. It was because of this knowledge that she named him 'Versvesh'... the dragon word for 'Strong'. Part of the Bladed Spine tribe, serving under the black dragon Adremell in the mountains overlooking a tough military kingdom, he was trained as both a warrior and a miner... and he had to: the kingdom sent powerful heroes into the mountains constantly in an attempt to slay the tribe and their master.
Versvesh learned to enjoy battle. The clash of steel, the smell of blood - the cries of the dying. It was a game to him. He would show is prowess in battle... his strength... enjoy a few gracious kobold women in the aftermath... and get back to mining.
Though... that wasn't enough for him after a while. He wanted more... mro excitement, more power, more wealth... he wanted to become stronger. It was his tribe's master, the dragon Adremell, who allowed this to happen. He has since become a rather famous monster... not for his cruelty, but for his oddly out-of-place mercy. He avoids 'weak' creatures, leaving them be - even when they attack him. He goes, instead, or other warriors... this odd sense of 'honor' has endeared him to several knights of various nations. While Versvesh has won quite a few of these contests (not all of them are fights), he has lost a few... and lost graciously. He still travels - challenging other warriors in an attempt to become stronger himself.
Appearance:
Racial Information
Psychology
Kobolds exist in a world much larger than they are, dwarfed by creatures usually at least three or four times their physical mass. Living among such competition could be a constant struggle to assert dominance, with kobolds making sure they are never overlooked or taken for granted. But kobolds spend their energy elsewhere.
The intimate thoughts of a kobold would probably surprise most other individuals. Kobolds live in an undeviating state of contentment, despite any setbacks experienced by their tribe. It's strange for others to imagine that such weak creatures can lead such fulfi lling lives, until you consider one lingering piece of knowledge that kobolds have never overlooked: They are kin to dragons.
This draconic heritage invigorates kobold culture with an indomitable will to endure any hardship. While kobolds do not have the benefit of longevity that dragons enjoy, they do understand what it means to take the long view. Their individual lives might be fleeting, but the impact of their presence in the world is widely felt.
A powerful, self-sacrificing instinct rules kobolds whenever their tribe is endangered. Kobolds readily struggle against impossible odds or unconquerable foes simply to buy time or coordinate a diversion. The needs of the tribe outweigh the continued existence of any one kobold. This is not to say that kobolds needlessly throw their lives away; they value their lives no less than any other creature, retreating when necessary.
Love
Kobolds put great energy and care into fostering kobold wyrmlings. Few experiences are more gratifying to an adult kobold than being treated as a model for the life of a young kobold.
Kobold adults go out of their way to encourage juveniles who show promise, to steep them in the traditions of kobold culture. Kobolds teach using simple instruction and swift punishment in case of error or failure. Punishment is often physical in nature, though usually geared toward causing instructive pain rather than injury.
Next to children, kobolds love work—and by natural extension, their tribe—more than anything else. For a kobold, work defines life, filling her with a sense of belonging and purpose. Even young kobolds exhibit this feeling as they start to mimic working adults early in their lives. A kobold who does not lend a hand is useless and threatened with exile.
Kobolds only rarely engage in any activity resembling romantic love. Most find their communal life among tribe members satisfying enough. A kobold can live her whole life without forming a bond to any sort of significant other. This doesn't mean that kobolds are asexual. They mate regularly. The impulse for doing so, however, is mostly instinct tempered with a sense of duty. All kobolds desire to keep their tribe fortified with as many healthy young as can be fed and housed.
War
Kobolds have one of the highest birth rates among the humanoid races, causing their population to grow on a regular basis. When a warren can no longer sustain a tribe's numbers, the population divides in half, with each half including representatives from every part of kobold society. The two halves become much smaller but still complete kobold tribes. One of the newly formed tribes then migrates far enough away that both groups of kobolds do not compete for the same resources.
This expansionist cycle usually heralds a time of war for kobolds, especially in crowded regions with several neighboring races. If unoccupied lands cannot be found, a wandering kobold tribe encroaches into dwarf territory
first. If the coming confl ict is known of ahead of time, the parent tribe aids the migrating tribe in the war.
When taking the offensive, kobolds prefer ranged weapons, delaying melee combat indefinitely if possible. Most kobold warriors are able slingers; others specialize in hit-and-run tactics with light crossbows. Only strong kobolds use shortbows.
Kobolds like to improvise traps on the battlefield. A popular tactic is to create a shallow moat of pitch behind the first few lines of warriors, wait until the enemy draws close, and then suddenly fall back, igniting the moat and turning it into a wall of fire. Kobolds then shoot through the flames at short range. The enemy must either drive through the flames and face ranged attacks at the same time or fall back, allowing the kobolds to maintain the battle from a distance.
Kobolds believe that no obstacle exists that can't be defeated by strength of numbers. They are one of the few races that strikes fear into their enemies not due to combat prowess, but rather because of the suffocating
wave of bodies they can muster. A kobold army is a pounding onslaught of flailing weapons, hurling itself against supposedly impenetrable defenses until those defenses crack, buckle, and break. This time-honored tactic, although completely devoid of elegance, has been the turning point in more than one battle, shifting the balance of a stalemate in the kobolds' favor and winning the day. To that end, kobold commanding offi cers plan for and accept a large number of casualties among their troops.
Hmm, oddly, I think my pages may be organized differently...a page is 20 posts in my browser, rather than 25...
Anyway, I'd like to say I'm sorry if I've been bothersome, glad you were able to get the character up at all, he's great and accepted, and I can't wait to get the introduction written and this thing underway.
Everyone okay with starting out in a big ol' city?
I'd also like to note that information about the world and setting (such as time, place, peoples, world events, and legends) is established as it's described IC as well as when used in a character sheet, or otherwise plotted OOC.
For example, if one character mentions a war going on someplace in a conversation for some relevant reason, and they aren't obviously lying or acting on inaccurate information, we are to assume it's going on, and is open to usage if it somehow becomes useful to the plot.
Make sense?
I'm gonna be honest with you guys.
If we're gonna have a scene with an oracle, which does in fact make perfect sense for a big city in a world with magic, I may need to have private conversations and personal plotting on some twisting future plot threads (s)he should allude to. Either that or the oracle can be an absolute f(l)ake, or kidnapped or sick or something.
On an unrelated note, I'll try and update all those setting and character-listing posts soon to reflect what we know so far about the world.
I'm fine with you GM'ing the Oracle, truth be told. I don't mind much of whatever comes from that; we can even have it be something broad like, "you 4 must work together for... Leave! Leave now, or it's too late!" and then the Oracle went to KFC.
Works for me. I honestly don't really care who plays the Oracle role. Also, I've posted.
A thing to add to Mythos:
Goddes: Fata
Gender: Female
Desc. (to be further described later): Fairy-like
Represents: The changing statuses of future and fate.
Powers: as of now, unknown.
Whoops. I'd only read it once so I probably didn't catch that. I'll edit.
EDIT: I edited. Now it's just an info dump post via dialogue. Also, whether you want the Oracle to forewarn the characters of the future plot-happenings, then you can PM me, Xindaris. If not, we can just say that the Oracle was sick or something like that.
I've had a good idea. The oracle is going to give the group a job in a few posts, and isn't able to tell specific futures until it's done. That, I think, is a better way to make the time to come up with good twisty plots without dragging out the 'going to his house' scene.
Also, before I post said oracle's answering the door I'm probably going to put up an NPC sheet, which is probably a slightly modified version of the regular character sheet, so that we all know a bit more about him.
--Also, I've updated the setting information and character listing. Please let me know if there is anything inaccurately summarized or inferred from one of your posts in either of them.
I've posted to inject some life into the thread. Sorry if it's short, but I wanted to move my character to the door so that we can start quickly with the introduction of the Oracle into the story.
Yeah, I was wondering if I'd done something weird and broken something or something. -_-
Though, I have had exams since just about the day things slowed down, so I dunno. They're over after Tuesday, so on Wednesday I'll be able to be active and get on other people's respective backs about not being active...unless they have a good reason or whatever.
Hello! I thought I'd give this one a try. Looks like fun!
Name: Artemis Kamaria Ancar VIII ("Call me Oz.") Race: Human Gender: Female Age: 28 Class: Blacksmith
Strong Points:
Blacksmithing: Oz is quite adept at making and repairing weapons, and has always seemed to have a bit of a knack for it. Strength: Oz has quite a bit of muscle, and can really take a hit. What she lacks in aerobic stamina, she makes up in anaerobic strength.
Weak Points:
Tobacco: Oz has a penchant for tobacco. She's always smoking her pipe and if she ever runs out of tobacco, she freaks out. When she's particularly nervous, her smoking increases and becomes erratic. Sometimes she'll fill the pipe before it's finished or fumble with lighting it. Drinking: Though not a terrible problem like her tobacco one, Oz can and will drink alarming volumes when given the opportunity. She can hold her liquor well, but obviously she's not immune to its effects. Magic: Oz hates magic. Absolutely despises it, possibly because she can't seem to get a handle on it. Attitude: Oz can be painfully hard to work with. She likes to get things done quickly and brutally, and will try to do things her way whether others like it or not.
Abilities/Traits: She can make a mighty fine smoke ring.
Personality: To say that Oz was a pleasant young woman would be a downright lie. Oz speaks crudely, has no tolerance for a low intellect (despite the fact that she can be rather clumsy herself once in a while), and smokes tobacco at a regular rate. She rarely bathes and seems to be apathetic all around. She has a quiet voice rendered raspy with years of tobacco abuse. It's not hard to make her angry, but it is difficult to get her shouting (one would have to make Oz EXTREMELY angry to see her shout.) Oz only speaks when she has to, or when she's spoken to. But when she does speak when spoken to, her responses are typically short and blunt. She's not above giving a one-worded answer, or even an indifferent shrug. Oz hides her emotions this way. The most emotional she gets is when she's stressed out, and you can easily tell when she's stressed. She's more likely to be stressed over running out of tobacco. But when she's stressed about anything else, Oz portrays it through her smoking habit: fumbling with the cigarettes, missing the end, wasting matches, putting multiple in her mouth at a time, et cetera. When it comes to finishing a job, she likes to finish things quick and easy, preferably with lots of brute force. She loves exerting herself, which is why she took to blacksmithing so readily.
Your Quest: Oz wishes to cure the disease that grows in her left arm, but with a bigger purpose of finding a spark in life.
History:
Oz grew up in a very religious household, and has always resented this. She was meant to be prim and proper, but never fit into that mold. Oz began blacksmithing when she was thirteen, taking up a job at the town's local forge. She took a liking to it immediately, for it gave her an opportunity to exert herself and gain strength.
In her city, a resistance was set up to oppose the oppressive local government. Oz entered it herself at a young age, where she would held supply weapons to the members. However, their true intentions were never realized, for their numbers were not large enough to be sustained for long. Once a spunky, loud, and energetic girl, and exhausted by lack of results, Oz allowed herself to fade away from the resistance as it, too, began to die out. She left the city for a new one and set up her own forge in a quaint town.
At the age of twenty, Oz developed a terrible virus in her left arm. It crept slowly upwards, towards her elbow. She managed to stop its advancement by buying multitudes of potions, but it's still there, without a cure in sight. She continued this way for a while, before growing much, much older, and still without purpose in life. However, the illness began to worsen, until it finally extended almost up her entire arm. Aware of her ever-present mortality, she decided to set out on an effort to find a cure that would stop the illness, and maybe to even spark another purpose in her thus far meaningless life.
Appearance:
Oz is a masculine woman. She wears no makeup and is often covered in grease and oil, which clashes against her flaky skin. Oz's face is long with a slightly pointed chin. Her nose is fairly big with a large bump on the bridge, indicating a past broken nose. Her thin-lipped mouth is set into a seemingly permanent smirk, always mocking the world. Oz's almond eyes become thin slits when her emotions change, whether in a positive or negative light. The tint of gold in her eyes oddly resemble a cat's. Surrounding Oz's face is shoulder-length, scraggly black hair that looks as if she never washes it (well, she DOES wash it...when she remembers to take a shower. When she does bathe, her hair poufs up drastically.)
Oz's clothing covers her very muscular body. She wears baggy brown pants with four huge pockets containing a huge sack of tobacco, matchbooks, and a big, loopy, exaggerated pipe. As a top, she wears a plain red tank top. Over this, she wears a huge brown coat that she takes off when she has to work. On Oz's feet are ankle-high buckled boots with no socks. On her right arm, she wears a leather glove, concealing the black, veiny disease that covers most of it. Strapped to her back with buckled leather over the large coat is a long war hammer.
