Character Talk

@Equinox,
Funny you should mention being born in a ruined temple. I thought about asking the GM for a ruined temple but instead went for a mess of a 1 room house instead.

Romantic Interest strikes me the best. Perhaps we both were after the same guy (competition) and he left us both high and dry, but a friendshiop developed. Semac is social.

Part of Semac history I just really did in the last hour.

@GeneCortess,

Works for me. Maybe we should make up this guy that brought them together.

Celeste only has a maternal grandmother left of her family. She was born a bastard, but recognized before her father's death.

@Equinox,

No idea who this prince charming was. Semac isn't great looking so she when she spots what she wanted, she goes all out. And all out is what she got. But at least she a friend. Back then she was a bounty hunter. Another piece of history. Semac is not a rich girl, but rather much a poor one.

@Equinox,

As to what lured poor Semac with this prince charming is that he could sing. And so can Semac.

I'm loving what I'm seeing! I'm going to workshop my character tonight.

Let's all keep in mind, as we are thinking on the situations in Ember, that the region is ruled by an undead overlord who taxes the common people to starvation and takes folks to be slaves and sacrifices. We should consider some kind of hideout, if Ember is our base of operation and nightlife is likely done in hidden 'speakeasies'. There are also, maybe an underground with bunker-like hideaways to hide and keep safe individuals when the slavers and cultists come calling.

@GeneCortess,

How is this for Semac and Celeste's former romantic interest? He's a traveling minstrel/bard with a reputation for womanizing.



NPC

Vyrl
Male, 30

@Equinox,

Yeah that can be our prince charming. A traveling minstrel/bard fits the bill well.

Sorry for taking a minute to reply - I've been pretty busy the last few days.

In general, divine power is coming from ideals rather than deities - but I have left it open for characters to worship "lost" gods. These are deities revered by Old Cathalia but long since forgotten and their worship stamped out. There are no temples left and their reach is limited. But the knowledge of them is not entirely lost.

As far as starting point, we will begin in a small town in South Reach called Ember. There will be an initial scene to introduce the characters to each other - but I'm happy to have pre-existing relationships at play.

Today has been crazy busy, but I got most of my character built.

A couple minor changes - I'm going Half-Elf instead of Human, and dipping Inspired Blade Swashbuckler at lvl1, then will be going Empiricist Investigator lvl2 +

The swashbuckler dip gets me some handy Panache stuff and basically squares away all my melee features with a rapier (dex to attack amd dmg, weapon focus). After that, everything on investigator will be focused on knowledge/face skills and alchemy infusions.

As for the man himself, I'm still working on a name. I originally considered playing him as a Vigilante class but decided I would just use that for inspiration.

Some background - He is the second son of a noble family. Like many nobles in this land, he grew up amongst hedonism, pride, and cruelty. He found instead that he had a great deal of empathy for others and what started as depression became determination as he entered his teenage years.

Incredibly bright for his age, he used his family's resources to learn, learn, learn. He sought the histories and treatises on politics for any way to create change in this shit-stained world.

He came to one conclusion - that change must come from outside the nobility. Instead, as he was being sent off to a remote academy, he abandoned his travels, took his meager belongings, and left to seek like-minded people that would work with him to make things better.

He keeps his background mostly a closely guarded secret. While he suspects his family will eventually learn what he's up to, they dont seem to have yet. He continues to send messages, feigning his studies as ongoing all the while plotting to topple everything his family lives for. They probably have a sizable amount of money being deposited into an account for him somewhere, but he has no intention of using it.

-------

I imagine his aspirations will easily find him a like mind with the others. Any thoughts on connections prior to the game opening? How might his travels intersected with yours, if so?

@C1NDER
Rather interesting there C1NDER. You have now something to work with. Rebellions type might not quite be exactly what Semac is about, but distaste of the current affairs is there. She been on the suffering side. Semac is usually rather easily to spot and locate. Especially since she takes zero efforts to really hide herself.


If one knows much about her, she can be located by asking around. Hmm. Red headed female Half-Elf that sings and is a bounty hunter.

Obviously you're not the prince charming.

Considering I dumped Charisma, probably not lol He is not the most attractive lad, but he makes up for it with his intellect.

I'm actually building him to replace several skills with INT modifier (Diplomacy using INT instead of CHA, for instance - should be fun)

Meet: Ianril Tenavyn, goes by Lirnai Brightstar

Sorry, I've been swamped at work, but I didnt want you to think you've been forgotten in the shuffle Seifi!

Honestly I think a cavalier would be a great addition to the game. He can help keep us mobile and the teamwork feats are great. I would maybe check with the GM to make sure we're not going to be atuck for long periods in places where mounted combat wont work, but by the sounds of it, I dont suspect that to be an issue.

The 'order' you pledge yourself to might need a little deliberation and tweaking, as there likely arent many active knightly orders with a positive bend to them in this world.

@C1NDER,

Celeste is a recognized bastard of a noble. She is the last heir of that house. Her maternal grandmother is matron of a resistance cell and the only blood relative she has left. Like your character, Celeste does not announce her noble blood and goes by her mother's surname.

Companion/Friend is still open is Celeste's relationship slots if he's interested? I have this companion as having known Celeste for the last 12-13 years. She's now 21. Oh, and this companion's ancestor (guessing father since your PC is half-elven) adventured/fought beside her paternal grandfather, maybe in the last war decades ago.

Yeah, I dig that.

My character is 23, so pretty close in age. They would have been young kids together then, forced maybe to attend the same functions and such, where they got to know each other and became friends. As they grew closer they realized they both shared similar thoughts about the world around them and confided with another. I could see them childishly plotting to change the world some day, playing at spycraft to slip letters to each other and eavesdrop on their parents conversations. Thoughts?

Is Celeste's plan to join or affiliate herself to her grandmother's resistance cell? If so, I would believe Celeste and Ianril may have conspired to get away from their families to join a common cause. The start of the game could be them reuniting after they both managed to get away, or they could have been traveling together for some time before.

And yeah, we could say his father is of Elven blood and fought alongside your grandfather.

Celeste's parents are all dead now. Her mother died in childbirth and she was raised by her grandmother. Grandmother was once a courtesan and she trained her daughter in the art, even after the fall of region to the enemy. Celeste had a half-brother who was much older, but he was killed fighting against the evil that now rules our lands. It was after his death, that her father sought her out and then officially recognized her as his child. Around eight years ago, raiders acting on orders of the undead ruler, attacked and destroyed her father's stronghold and burned the fields. Celeste is the only member of the family to have escaped.

This sets up a trio now. :)

I would put that Celeste only knows Semac say a year now after the Prince Charming situation. Hense she would also only know Ianril for the same period. Both know Semac isn't an easy pickup, but singing can lure her in.

Secmac doesn't boast any family and really never asks others about theirs. She isn't one to get in other's affairs for the most part. And in this world that tends to keep you more alive. She has made a few enemy because the corrupt system lets some of those she brought in go free. She would guess those few don't favor her too much after such.

Obviously Semac is not noble by any standard. She has lived poor all her life. She is sloppy, her clothing is ragged, and pretty much a slob as far her upkeep and appearance. Semac has no concern at all about her general appearance.

But she is a fine songbird & trusting (Just ask Prince Charming.) She doesn't sing often and has never done so for money. Quite a few people do know that she can sing. She's been drunk enough.

The only thing that she has ever been good at is Bounty Hunting. There she has left her mark is know for the fact she always brings them in alive. She does own a signet ring that proves who she is.

Personality: Surprisingly to learn that Semac despite her appearance and poor education if you can call it that, she is rather brave, intelligent, and well driven on what she does. She can be quite forceful and a bit of a pessimist. And very much Pious to her religion of Doncore.

@seifi: Hmm. What does seifi for for us? 'something rogue-ish' or 'cavalier perhaps'

Appearance: Semac looks rather ragged in her leather armor which is stained rather badly. She does sport a tarnished light steal shield on the back of her backpack which looks rather empty. She has a scimitar and dagger combo to her sides. With a waterskin over her shoulders and two belt pouches, she is good to go. A good eye would note she does have a ring on her finger. With some knowledge it would tell she is an official Bounty Hunter.

The skills Semac is best in are: Perception, Perform (Sing), Profession (Bounty Hunter), Sense Motive, & Stealth.

Settled on a cavalier then!

Based on the setting and the starting position, I guess getting a warhorse would require a noble background as well - the cavalier may thus be another young noble, satisfied with his overly hedonistic lifestyle until Ianril opened his eyes to the suffering of those below. My character would then decide to join him on his journey of setting things right.

Overcome with guilt, the cavalier would later welcome a chance to serve the lost God of Redemption, Doncore, tying things up with Semac. Perhaps she could be his spiritual guide, thus creating another reason to stick with the group? Order of the Star may thus be the right choice for the cavalier.

Now that I think of it, the cavalier may also be one of the former soldiers of house Tenavyn, forced to do unspeakable things to those whom he used to hold dear - I feel this would be a bit more fun to roleplay, as we may meet the cavalier's former "victims".

Once assigned as one of the members of Ianril's escort, he would help the young noble disappear, later on finding hope in Doncore's redeeming light.

@C1NDER how about a former bodyguard for Ianril?
@GeneCortess wanna be my spiritual guide on my path to redemption?

@seifi

Well, Semac is big on redemption as you should see in the description that I supplied for Doncore. Supposedly Semac learns of Doncore are generated from reading a comprehensive writing materials and feel of the gods influence. So there is actually nothing formal. There is no church for a forgotten Deity. Semac might even be the only follower in the lands even.

Due to her priest hold and other problems is why Semac is much a retired (EX) Bounty Hunter. She takes jobs only ala-cart.