Right now I don't have a race narrowed down. I'm interested in the any of these classes: warlord, paladin, cleric, wizard. Ranger or rogue are also options, but I've played them a lot in older editions. With a new edition I think I'd like to try something very new.
One concept I have is for a paladin who is Brelish nobility. However, after serving in the war and seeing the futility of it all he gives up his lands etc. Similar to the Vow of Poverty in the Book of Exalted Deeds, just not that extreme.
This actually leads me to a question though: Being we are playing in Eberron has anyone thought about playing a veteran of the war? Or of playing an older character who maybe didn't fight in the war but was affected by it? Not sure with how this would be a problem with Jay's start up idea with us all trying to join an adventurer's guild, but certainly a case can be made for war veterans turning to a life of adventure.
Friday, May 30, 2008
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Curtis' Character Concepts
I'm thinking about some cool character concepts I'd like to try. I'm not sure when I'll make a decision to narrow it down, likely sometime after I have a Players Handbook in my possession.
I wanted to play a warforged, however this option is out as warforged aren't core and the Eberron 4th edition book won't be in print when we start this campaign.
- Talentia Plains Halfling Ranger/Glidewing pilot
- House Jurasco Healer
- Cyrian refugee Human Rogue from High Walls in Sharn
- Tiefling Warlord from the Demon Wastes
- Eladrin Wizard or Warlock from Aerenal
Hopefully these will all work in the context of the campaign. I'm looking forward to getting a PH to make some decisions.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Survey
Survey served in the Last War in the Brelish Army. He served with the scout corps on the borders of Aundair, Thrane, and Droaam. His unit was shuffled around on the fortress of Argonth numerous times.
Survey was one of the few warforged that was given command over a unit of soldiers. While his rank was never higher than corporal, and a warforged soldiers rank never placed him in command over any human troops, it was a rare thing for any warforged soldier to be put in command of other warforged troops. Survey's unit specialized in reconnaissance of the countryside, paying special attention to the lay of the land and how it could best be put to use to maximize the effectiveness of the deployment of Breland's forces. His small unit would be put into an area and our task was to devise a battle plan that would allow:Unit headquarters to be set up in places to maximize communication on the battlefieldObservation posts to be sited in the places giving maximum visibility to the observers and minimizing the enemies ability to locate and neutralize the observation postsPlacing siege engines for maximum effectiveness against structures/deployed troopsBasically if Breland was going to engage the forces of another nation within an certain geographical space, our unit would be able to advice commanders on the ground of the terrain and how it could be best used to support the mission of the army. We'd be sent weeks, or days ahead of the main body of the army and we'd engage the enemy only if necessary while providing intelligence back to our commanders. I was given command of the unit as over time it was determined that the warforged ability to function without sleep and without food was the deciding factor in a number of our successful deployments and our human counterparts only served to slow us down.
Being put in a position of command helped me significantly once the war was over and the Treaty of Thronehold was signed. First, i was well known in the Warforged community of the Brelish army and when I travelled to Sharn as many of the Warforged did, I became something of a community leader. I got to know a lot of different warforged soldiers and i was able to keep track of many of them as they settled in Sharn and got jobs and tried to fit in to society. Second, due to the unique position of having commanded a unit on the field of battle, I knew and was respected by a few members of the Brelish aristocracy. I had a few contacts in the Sharn Watch, in the Judicial system and in the court of King Boranel.
Being part of the Warforged community of Sharn I saw first hand how Warforged soldiers were treated as they tried to fit into society. Some fit in quite well getting jobs as bodyguards and servants, artificers or labourers, the majority however simply did not. The problems seemed systematic. Crimes committed against warforged were not investigated with the same zealousness as those against other citizens, and crimes committed by warforged citizens were investigated and prosecuted heavy-handedly and attempts to defend these warforged were stonewalled.
The resentment in the warforged community was strong. This resentment is what caused me to act on the behalf "wronged" warforged and investigate the crimes allegedly committed both by and against the warforged. I used my contacts in the Watch, in the Judiciary, and in the King's Court to shine a light on what was going on, and to ensure the the warforged were entitled to due process. Doing this earned my many friends, but also many enemies.
While investigating the mugging and extortion of Warforged labourers in the Docks District of Sharn I brought light on the illegal activites of a small thieves guild that operated there. A guild known as "The Consortium" was involved in smuggling, a protection racket, and fencing activities near the docks. They had extorted a few warforged that worked as labourers on the docks, offering them "protection" if they paid a small weekly fee. I overheard the warforged discussing it while I was in a bar on an unrelated matter. By bringing the law down on the leader of The Consortium, I thought that I had put to rest any trouble these Warforged would have.
However, the leader was released from Jail only months later on a technicality.
I returned home one evening after looking into the details surrounding an alleged break and enter of a warforged citizen only to have several member of the Sharn Watch arrest me for the attempted murder of a customs and excise agent in the Docks. I was being framed by someone. I used a contact in the Judiciary to grant me 72 hours to prove that it wasn't me.
Upon return home from the Jails, i found my home had been ransacked and all of my possessions stolen. I began investigating. I found some of my possessions being sold in the bazaar in Malleon's Gate. While asking the hobgoblin vendor where he got some of the items, I was roughed up by two ogres who warned me to stop asking questions or I would be sorry. Not to be dissuaded, I continued to investigate what was happening. I discovered that The Consortium had had an agreement with the Customs agent that had been almost murdered to "overlook" some of the shipments of good that would come in through the docks. A 100gp bribe would be used to over look 1,000gp in duties. Following the jailing on the leader however, agents were under strict supervision by their superiors and the agent in question refused to take the bribes of the guild. Attempting to kill two birds with one stone the guild framed me and attempted to kill the customs agent.
While back at home preparing my report of my findings, and awaiting my Watch contact, I was attacked in my home by a guild assassin. Only the timely arrival of my Watch friend and his cohorts saved my life. The assassin was not apprehended.
The Consortium members were arrested and sent to prison, however my contact in the Watch strongly recommended I leave town.
Survey was one of the few warforged that was given command over a unit of soldiers. While his rank was never higher than corporal, and a warforged soldiers rank never placed him in command over any human troops, it was a rare thing for any warforged soldier to be put in command of other warforged troops. Survey's unit specialized in reconnaissance of the countryside, paying special attention to the lay of the land and how it could best be put to use to maximize the effectiveness of the deployment of Breland's forces. His small unit would be put into an area and our task was to devise a battle plan that would allow:Unit headquarters to be set up in places to maximize communication on the battlefieldObservation posts to be sited in the places giving maximum visibility to the observers and minimizing the enemies ability to locate and neutralize the observation postsPlacing siege engines for maximum effectiveness against structures/deployed troopsBasically if Breland was going to engage the forces of another nation within an certain geographical space, our unit would be able to advice commanders on the ground of the terrain and how it could be best used to support the mission of the army. We'd be sent weeks, or days ahead of the main body of the army and we'd engage the enemy only if necessary while providing intelligence back to our commanders. I was given command of the unit as over time it was determined that the warforged ability to function without sleep and without food was the deciding factor in a number of our successful deployments and our human counterparts only served to slow us down.
Being put in a position of command helped me significantly once the war was over and the Treaty of Thronehold was signed. First, i was well known in the Warforged community of the Brelish army and when I travelled to Sharn as many of the Warforged did, I became something of a community leader. I got to know a lot of different warforged soldiers and i was able to keep track of many of them as they settled in Sharn and got jobs and tried to fit in to society. Second, due to the unique position of having commanded a unit on the field of battle, I knew and was respected by a few members of the Brelish aristocracy. I had a few contacts in the Sharn Watch, in the Judicial system and in the court of King Boranel.
Being part of the Warforged community of Sharn I saw first hand how Warforged soldiers were treated as they tried to fit into society. Some fit in quite well getting jobs as bodyguards and servants, artificers or labourers, the majority however simply did not. The problems seemed systematic. Crimes committed against warforged were not investigated with the same zealousness as those against other citizens, and crimes committed by warforged citizens were investigated and prosecuted heavy-handedly and attempts to defend these warforged were stonewalled.
The resentment in the warforged community was strong. This resentment is what caused me to act on the behalf "wronged" warforged and investigate the crimes allegedly committed both by and against the warforged. I used my contacts in the Watch, in the Judiciary, and in the King's Court to shine a light on what was going on, and to ensure the the warforged were entitled to due process. Doing this earned my many friends, but also many enemies.
While investigating the mugging and extortion of Warforged labourers in the Docks District of Sharn I brought light on the illegal activites of a small thieves guild that operated there. A guild known as "The Consortium" was involved in smuggling, a protection racket, and fencing activities near the docks. They had extorted a few warforged that worked as labourers on the docks, offering them "protection" if they paid a small weekly fee. I overheard the warforged discussing it while I was in a bar on an unrelated matter. By bringing the law down on the leader of The Consortium, I thought that I had put to rest any trouble these Warforged would have.
However, the leader was released from Jail only months later on a technicality.
I returned home one evening after looking into the details surrounding an alleged break and enter of a warforged citizen only to have several member of the Sharn Watch arrest me for the attempted murder of a customs and excise agent in the Docks. I was being framed by someone. I used a contact in the Judiciary to grant me 72 hours to prove that it wasn't me.
Upon return home from the Jails, i found my home had been ransacked and all of my possessions stolen. I began investigating. I found some of my possessions being sold in the bazaar in Malleon's Gate. While asking the hobgoblin vendor where he got some of the items, I was roughed up by two ogres who warned me to stop asking questions or I would be sorry. Not to be dissuaded, I continued to investigate what was happening. I discovered that The Consortium had had an agreement with the Customs agent that had been almost murdered to "overlook" some of the shipments of good that would come in through the docks. A 100gp bribe would be used to over look 1,000gp in duties. Following the jailing on the leader however, agents were under strict supervision by their superiors and the agent in question refused to take the bribes of the guild. Attempting to kill two birds with one stone the guild framed me and attempted to kill the customs agent.
While back at home preparing my report of my findings, and awaiting my Watch contact, I was attacked in my home by a guild assassin. Only the timely arrival of my Watch friend and his cohorts saved my life. The assassin was not apprehended.
The Consortium members were arrested and sent to prison, however my contact in the Watch strongly recommended I leave town.
Jacob
Jacob is my first eberron character from Neil's game famous for shifting into a Moonosaurus (Moose+Rhino). He's currently level 12.
Things he would be actively pursuing:
Things he would be actively pursuing:
- He has profession farmer and brewer so would likely be brewing and distilling spirits and ales for sale to inns and taverns in Sharn. Being a druid aids in this process and he makes high quality products, including goodberry wine.
- He took Anchor Sacred Grove as his level 9 feat, so would likely have anchored a grove about 50 miles away from Sharn. Here he would have a cottage, tend a garden, and likely brew the spirits here. Being close to Sharn, it would be a natural magnet for druids travelling through the area, for a place to stay and get information.
- The party found a small area in the bowels of one tower which had a blighted treant in it I think. Jacob worked to purify the ground in there and has planted a new tree. He spends his time in Sharn here.
- Jacob has cast Awaken on the tree and a number of city type animals (rats etc.) in this Sharn "grove" (it has no power as an actual druid grove, jacob however refers to it as one though). He uses this small host of awakened animals (think Narnia) as defense for the grove and as infomation gatherers. A newly awakened rat can get into places to hear and see things that even the most skilled rogues could not. And it is concievable that awakened creatures could take NPC levels. (ie 3rd level Awakened Rat Warrior)
- Jacob's prefered animal companion is a canine. He likely has a Dire Wolf animal companion, or even possibly a Horrid Wolf animal companion at this point, as his animal companion died during his adventuring.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Jackson
Found my original backstory for Jackson, the sailor from Derek's game.
Jackson Daniel Gareth Karter Samson Fletcher Sounder was born in Cyre 20 years before the country was annilhated. His mother was the promiscuous daugther of the innkeeper of the main inn between the Metrol and Eston.
Only his mother knows why he was given so many names, but the creul joke often said behind her back is she named it after all the men that could have been the father.
The fact was she didn't know for sure who was the father though she had a hunch that it was a man named Jerold d'Deneith, who at the time she slept with him in the inn was a young lieutentant in a House Deneith mercenary company.
When her father learned of her pregnancy he demanded she have the pregnancy terminated and he locked her in a room in the Inn and went out to the local herbalist/physician. Her mother let her out and gave her a small amount of money and told her to come back after the baby was born.
Infuriated that his wife would do this the innkeeper beat his wife within an inch of her life. Mortified by what he had done, the innkeeper blamed his daughter for inciting his rage and decided that she was dead to him. To the day he died he refused to acknowledge his daughter from that point on.
When the child was born, she returned to the inn, but was rebuffed. Her mother, afraid for her own safety, not wanting to endure another beating warned her daugther that her father meant to kill the child once she returned and so if she wanted the child to live she should never ever return.
Having no where else to go, Jacksons mother tracked down Jerold. She figuired he was a man of power and influence and he probably had more money than any of the other possible fathers. Jerold flat out denied being the father and refused to have anything to do with the child. He was married with 5 children of his own and if word got back to his wife (a dragon marked Deneith) that he'd fathered a child with a commoner she'd likely strip him of all title and likely make him work in the clerks office. Jerold however upon seeing the Baby knew for certain that he was the father. Out of guilt, he told the young mother that he felt 'sorry' for the young baby and he would make arrangements for her to get some stipend from his salary.
The stipend proved to be paultry as Jerold couldn't afford to give her much in order to not make his wife suspicious. The stipend wasn't sufficient to feed and house the two of them so Jackson's mother had to find alternate sources of income. So to aggravate Jerold she followed him place to place as he was moved around in his duties and she would find a man in whatever town Jerold was stationed in and shack up with them.
Some of the 'fathers' jackson had were nice or funny or mean and abusive. In one town he was loved by the man his mother was sleeping with, in others he was nearly drowned (Jerold had that one murdered). Jackson learned many things from those many fathers. When he was 13 Jackson was living close the the border of Karnath in Cyre. He and his mother were living in the house of the blacksmith. The blacksmith was a monster of a man and very superstituous. He had two sons of his own, one named Jon, was even his age. The summer of 989 Jackson and Jon were best friends, they played together, fished together, camped out together and did everything that best young friends did together. They even developed wierd marks on their bodies together. Neither of them knew it but they were developing dragonmarks. They decided to keep it their secret and not tell anyone.
The next year in the fall, the fighting between Karnath and Cyre had intensified and Jerold was killed in the fighting. Jacksons mother was sick of the life she was leading and resented her son. She hadn't in fact even loved him. She was just using him as tool for her petty feelings towards Jerold, and now with Jerold gone and no stipend she wanted to get rid of him. Her opportunity wasn't long in coming.
Jon and his father the blacksmith weren't getting along. Jon was in love with a local girl, but his father and her father belonged to different churches. The Blacksmith went as far as forbidding Jon from seeing her. Over the course of a few months any time the two fought over his seeing this young girl, some of their food spoiled. Jon had developed an abberant dragonmark that caused decay any time he was angry. One night, shorty after Jacksons mother had learned of Jerolds death, the father and son fought at the dinner table went all of the food at their table spoiled in an instant. The blacksmith swore and blamed a demon, but Jon stood up and said 'It's no Demon!! I did it!' And he tore open his shirt exposing the dragonmark.
The blacksmith took his son by the throat and dragged his son out to his shop. Jacksons mother tried to stop him but received a viscious backhand and was told 'you stay out of this whore'. Jackson cried all night as he heard his best friend scream over the next few hours as the blacksmith tried to burn the dragonmark from his sons flesh.
Jackson, in his room also tried to use a knife to cut out his dragonmark with a knife he had. The pain was too much though. His mother came in the room and saw what he was doing. She saw the dragonmark and she hated Jackson even more. He was Jerolds son that bastard. Jerold must have known. Why had she wasted her life going from one man to the next? Jerold should have paid for this. Goddamn Jerold would pay for this. The son would pay for the crimes of the father.
"He knows you have that and he'll kill you next Jack." She lied to her son. "You need to run, and never come back. They will kill you for having that and their is nothing I can do to stop them. Go far away, because they'll follow you, and if you don't go far enough, you die too."
Jackson fought through sobs as he ran into the forest. He lived in the wood for a time but as winter approached he had to find better shelter. He'd stolen some thick coats and blankets from trips back to the blacksmiths house, and some other houses but had to find somewhere warmer. He stowed away on a caravan to a city. Once there he begged and stole what he needed until a local thug approached him and "told him the rules".
He joined the local theives guild as a begger/informant. Things we're going great until he and the thug fell for the same girl and he felt the need skip town.
Around this time he also became very paranoid that someone was looking for him because of his dragonmark. His paranoia helped him stay out of trouble often but he couldn't shake the feeling he was going to eventually be killed because of the dragonmark.
Over the next few years Jackson roamed from town to town always paranoid of the eventual death that followed him, but he began to accept it. He lived well when he had money, and begged and stole when he didn't. He lived in the wild when it suited him, and in towns when he wanted to be around people.
Eventually his current personality conflict arose. He believes he is going to be killed, so he finds adventure. The more dangerous the better, but he isn't suicidal. If he had to choose between stealing from a butcher or a fruit vendor, he steal from the butcher because, well the butcher is good with knives, maybe he'll kill me, but he certainly wouldn't challenge the butcher to a duel. This choice of the more dangerous road happens subconsciously, Jackson has come to terms with his eventual death but he wants it to be on his terms.
So three years ago he joined the crew of a pirate vessel that opperated in Kraken Bay and the Thundering sea. He was always first man across in a boarding party, and always the first to start a fist fight in the sailors bars among the many docks they called home. He even participated in two mutanies on the ship, the second was a bloodbath that saw one-quarter of the crew die.
After the war ended, and after the second mutany, the new captain turned his back on piracy and they began to do legitimate trade. They even made considerable money. However, legitimate trade bored Jackson, so he drew his quarter from the ship (a sizeable sum at that point, mostly due to his support of the mutanies) and he set ashore in sharn.
Jackson Daniel Gareth Karter Samson Fletcher Sounder was born in Cyre 20 years before the country was annilhated. His mother was the promiscuous daugther of the innkeeper of the main inn between the Metrol and Eston.
Only his mother knows why he was given so many names, but the creul joke often said behind her back is she named it after all the men that could have been the father.
The fact was she didn't know for sure who was the father though she had a hunch that it was a man named Jerold d'Deneith, who at the time she slept with him in the inn was a young lieutentant in a House Deneith mercenary company.
When her father learned of her pregnancy he demanded she have the pregnancy terminated and he locked her in a room in the Inn and went out to the local herbalist/physician. Her mother let her out and gave her a small amount of money and told her to come back after the baby was born.
Infuriated that his wife would do this the innkeeper beat his wife within an inch of her life. Mortified by what he had done, the innkeeper blamed his daughter for inciting his rage and decided that she was dead to him. To the day he died he refused to acknowledge his daughter from that point on.
When the child was born, she returned to the inn, but was rebuffed. Her mother, afraid for her own safety, not wanting to endure another beating warned her daugther that her father meant to kill the child once she returned and so if she wanted the child to live she should never ever return.
Having no where else to go, Jacksons mother tracked down Jerold. She figuired he was a man of power and influence and he probably had more money than any of the other possible fathers. Jerold flat out denied being the father and refused to have anything to do with the child. He was married with 5 children of his own and if word got back to his wife (a dragon marked Deneith) that he'd fathered a child with a commoner she'd likely strip him of all title and likely make him work in the clerks office. Jerold however upon seeing the Baby knew for certain that he was the father. Out of guilt, he told the young mother that he felt 'sorry' for the young baby and he would make arrangements for her to get some stipend from his salary.
The stipend proved to be paultry as Jerold couldn't afford to give her much in order to not make his wife suspicious. The stipend wasn't sufficient to feed and house the two of them so Jackson's mother had to find alternate sources of income. So to aggravate Jerold she followed him place to place as he was moved around in his duties and she would find a man in whatever town Jerold was stationed in and shack up with them.
Some of the 'fathers' jackson had were nice or funny or mean and abusive. In one town he was loved by the man his mother was sleeping with, in others he was nearly drowned (Jerold had that one murdered). Jackson learned many things from those many fathers. When he was 13 Jackson was living close the the border of Karnath in Cyre. He and his mother were living in the house of the blacksmith. The blacksmith was a monster of a man and very superstituous. He had two sons of his own, one named Jon, was even his age. The summer of 989 Jackson and Jon were best friends, they played together, fished together, camped out together and did everything that best young friends did together. They even developed wierd marks on their bodies together. Neither of them knew it but they were developing dragonmarks. They decided to keep it their secret and not tell anyone.
The next year in the fall, the fighting between Karnath and Cyre had intensified and Jerold was killed in the fighting. Jacksons mother was sick of the life she was leading and resented her son. She hadn't in fact even loved him. She was just using him as tool for her petty feelings towards Jerold, and now with Jerold gone and no stipend she wanted to get rid of him. Her opportunity wasn't long in coming.
Jon and his father the blacksmith weren't getting along. Jon was in love with a local girl, but his father and her father belonged to different churches. The Blacksmith went as far as forbidding Jon from seeing her. Over the course of a few months any time the two fought over his seeing this young girl, some of their food spoiled. Jon had developed an abberant dragonmark that caused decay any time he was angry. One night, shorty after Jacksons mother had learned of Jerolds death, the father and son fought at the dinner table went all of the food at their table spoiled in an instant. The blacksmith swore and blamed a demon, but Jon stood up and said 'It's no Demon!! I did it!' And he tore open his shirt exposing the dragonmark.
The blacksmith took his son by the throat and dragged his son out to his shop. Jacksons mother tried to stop him but received a viscious backhand and was told 'you stay out of this whore'. Jackson cried all night as he heard his best friend scream over the next few hours as the blacksmith tried to burn the dragonmark from his sons flesh.
Jackson, in his room also tried to use a knife to cut out his dragonmark with a knife he had. The pain was too much though. His mother came in the room and saw what he was doing. She saw the dragonmark and she hated Jackson even more. He was Jerolds son that bastard. Jerold must have known. Why had she wasted her life going from one man to the next? Jerold should have paid for this. Goddamn Jerold would pay for this. The son would pay for the crimes of the father.
"He knows you have that and he'll kill you next Jack." She lied to her son. "You need to run, and never come back. They will kill you for having that and their is nothing I can do to stop them. Go far away, because they'll follow you, and if you don't go far enough, you die too."
Jackson fought through sobs as he ran into the forest. He lived in the wood for a time but as winter approached he had to find better shelter. He'd stolen some thick coats and blankets from trips back to the blacksmiths house, and some other houses but had to find somewhere warmer. He stowed away on a caravan to a city. Once there he begged and stole what he needed until a local thug approached him and "told him the rules".
He joined the local theives guild as a begger/informant. Things we're going great until he and the thug fell for the same girl and he felt the need skip town.
Around this time he also became very paranoid that someone was looking for him because of his dragonmark. His paranoia helped him stay out of trouble often but he couldn't shake the feeling he was going to eventually be killed because of the dragonmark.
Over the next few years Jackson roamed from town to town always paranoid of the eventual death that followed him, but he began to accept it. He lived well when he had money, and begged and stole when he didn't. He lived in the wild when it suited him, and in towns when he wanted to be around people.
Eventually his current personality conflict arose. He believes he is going to be killed, so he finds adventure. The more dangerous the better, but he isn't suicidal. If he had to choose between stealing from a butcher or a fruit vendor, he steal from the butcher because, well the butcher is good with knives, maybe he'll kill me, but he certainly wouldn't challenge the butcher to a duel. This choice of the more dangerous road happens subconsciously, Jackson has come to terms with his eventual death but he wants it to be on his terms.
So three years ago he joined the crew of a pirate vessel that opperated in Kraken Bay and the Thundering sea. He was always first man across in a boarding party, and always the first to start a fist fight in the sailors bars among the many docks they called home. He even participated in two mutanies on the ship, the second was a bloodbath that saw one-quarter of the crew die.
After the war ended, and after the second mutany, the new captain turned his back on piracy and they began to do legitimate trade. They even made considerable money. However, legitimate trade bored Jackson, so he drew his quarter from the ship (a sizeable sum at that point, mostly due to his support of the mutanies) and he set ashore in sharn.
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