The Scene and Administration
Subject: RPG Stuff
Ok. Thanks for submitting a character idea.
Ten people submitted, but I would like to keep the group down to five or so. So, I have to decide who to keep. There is nothing personal here, just who would be the best fit for this particular game.
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Here is the scenario:
The Location: The small coastal city of Overlook.
Overlook began as a lighthouse and small garrison on the cliffs above the bay of Nesalin, a warm water port on the west side of the Isle of Huss. The land to the east of Overlook is fertile and suitable for farming, so many of the garrison soldiers brought families and built farms and homesteads that they could work when their tour was over. In time, a small city rose up near the lighthouse, and around the garrison.
Overlook is no metropolis, but it is a bustling and prosperous city of about a thousand permanent inhabitants, with scores of small farms spread out over the gentle slopes to the east. It boasts the usual amenities available in a city built by farmers: several tanners and blacksmiths, several more churches and temples, and quite a number of pubs and taverns. But its proximity (a mere fifty miles away by the overland route) to the huge merchant city of Nesalin means that it also has access to luxuries and exotic items uncommon to cities of its size.
It is also a peaceful place. It has a wooden palisade around the city proper, but it has never been breached. In addition to the lighthouse garrison of 50 soldiers, the garrison at Nesalin is a single days hard march away, and it boasts an army of nearly a thousand men. More than adequate reason for most with evil intent to avoid unpleasantness.
The Isle of Huss is a either a very large island or a mini continent, depending on who you ask. It is roughly circular in shape, and about 300 miles across (about the same size as Oregon). The population is mostly human, but there are settlements of wild Halflings in the wilderness and mountainous regions at the center of the island. The city is Nesalin is the largest on the island, and within that city can be found members of every race in the land.
The Beginning:
Into this quiet setting has come something dark. Reports come to Overlook of an entire family of farmers vanished. Their farm, one of those furthest from the city, left abandoned. Soldiers from the garrison go to investigate, but find only a few traces of blood. The farm itself is untouched, and no valuables are taken from the home.
Several nights later, another family vanishes. This time, the oldest son escapes, badly wounded. He tells a story of black monsters that attacked in the night, so fast that the family did not even have time to arm themselves. He saw his sister struck down by one of the beasts, then picked up and carried off into the darkness. He escaped by jumping onto the back of their plow horse, but both he and the horse were wounded while riding away. The horse died just outside the city gates.
When the horse's wounds are examined, they are deep claw marks, obviously made by a physically powerful creature. The boys wounds are similar, but are festering with a deep infection. Either the pain, or the infection itself begin driving him mad. Four nights after he comes to the city, he rushes out of town screaming at the top of his lungs and hurls himself off the cliffs and into the sea.
The garrison has men begin patrolling the roads between the farms and the city. The farmers begin posting guards, and some of them leave their farms altogether and move into town until the beasts can be caught. A black mood settles over the town and the surrounding area. No one knows who will be next.
A stranger arrives:
Into this setting comes the strangest person any of the denizens of Overlook have ever met.
He is a wild Halfling apparently from one of the settlements at the center of the island. Even though he stands only three and a half feet tall, he is an imposing figure. His small frame fairly ripples with bulging muscle, and his face carries a ferocious cast. He strides into town like a conqueror, and demands to see the leader. While the guards go to fetch the city Alderman, the citizens gape at him in open astonishment. To further augment his wild physical appearance, his clothing is the skin of a huge cat, and his weapon is a battle axe of astonishing size for so small a person.
When the Alderman arrives, the Halfling speaks in a voice loud enough for all to hear. "I know what beast has come to your town. If you're ready to listen, I've a tale to tell you."
The Alderman quickly invites the little man to join him at the town hall. As has always been the case, town hall meetings are open to the public, and those who are curious about the Halfling's tale follow.
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Ok.
That is how it begins. Here is what you need to decide:
Would your character have a reason to be here on the island?
Would your character have a reason to want to help the city find and stop the cause of the murders?
Can you commit to turning in at least one game turn every single day?
If you answer no to any of these questions, then this probably isn't the game for you.
Let me know as soon as possible.
Thanks!
From: Ty
Subject: RE: RPG Stuff
Oh, as a final note, I have decided to start the party at level 5, if that alters the answers to any of your questions.
From: Ty
Subject: RE: RPG Stuff
Ok, it looks like you five are my boys. J
Karl, I will help you work up your wizard if you like. We just need to nail down your specialty (or lack thereof) and we can get him set up.
Scott, go ahead and work up your monk. If you need help, let me know.
Twinky, do your necromancer thing.
Mike, go ahead and work up your fighter.
Matt, you will need to redo your barbarian on a couple things, but it looks like you can take care of that pretty easy.
The rules:
We are doing a point buy for stats. It's easy and quick and lets people pick the stuff they want.
You get 30 points to spend. Stats start at base 10. You can increase for 1 point each 11-14, 15-16 cost 2 points, and 17-18 cost 4 points. Do this prior to racial modifiers, and add or subtract those modifiers after your point buy. You can also trade in points 1 for 1. So, if you want to be very unwise, you could trade in 2 points of wisdom, leaving you with 8, and get 2 more points to spend on something else.
For example, an 18 stat (the highest possible) will cost you 16 points. You decide if you want a couple high stats, or lots of mid level ones. Remember, although it is tempting to trade in all your charisma for more points to spend, I will penalize the shit out of you for being intolerable to be around. J
If you need a character sheet, Tom is sending me some blank ones that I can send you.
To start, figure out what you want your stats to be, and select your skills. I will then add in your equipment and starting money.
The first game email will be a description of the town meeting, and why each of you in particular is there. We will go from there.
Does that sound good to everyone?
From: Ty
Subject: RE: RPG Stuff
Ummm?
I am adding Dan to the mix, for reasons that will become apparent later. Dan is playing a cleric. Dan, go ahead and work up stats and skills for a 5th level cleric using the point buy system I show below.
This puts us at six characters, but I don't think that will be too bulky.
Thanks.
From: ScottR
Subject: RE: RPG Stuff
2 wizards, a monk, a straight fighter, and a halfling ranger/barbarian combo. . .
Someone please pick up some healing skill somewhere, or we're all screwed.
If anyone is interested, I picked up a quick character generation application off of Download.com-- it's what I used to generate a test character back when I thought I could still get in on Tom's game. . . :)
I'd be happy to lend it out. It's small, the mechanics are fairly simple, hardly any manual required at all, and it's 3E compatible. Email me by tomorrow morning and I'll shoot it out to you first thing.
And who are all you people? Ty and Karl I'm sure I know; John Saxon= saxon75? Who are Raja and Matthew Rourke (on hatrack-- this is not an existentialism here, donchaknow! :p )
From: Ty
Subject: RE: RPG Stuff
Do you all have Aim accounts? If so, my AIM nick is Slash Berzerker. I am usually on during the day and available for questions and the like.
From: Raja
Subject: Re: RPG Stuff
My AIM is mooboy04, though I don't use AIM that much. The best way to reach me is email at this address. My ICQ number is 33460168 and my MSN messenger username is marvin_86@hotmail.com. I have a Yahoo messenger account, too, but I can never remember what the username is.
Raja