[3.5] Fairytale Adventures OoC

[riccaru]

Adventure Awaits

Players:

Spoiler

SecondRevan - The Dealer - How much do you want it?
Jarian - Sahnin Cassaid - Gypsy ritualistic Occult shapeshifter.
THE Changer - Arthur Barenjager. - Noble warrior fighting the family curse.
Toliudar - Lucian Backhand - Streetwise Sidekick
Vladislav - Valleron Antarra - Knight in Shining Armor
Psiclone57 - Margaret the White - Holy Princess

The White Queen has commanded you six to her castle as soon as you can arrive. This thread is for out of character chat/ discussion/ comments/ what-not. Thank you all for your patience with me since I said I'd have this up last night.

[Jarian]

Sahnin Cassaid

And that's a Gypsy occult shapeshifter, thank you very much. There are no rituals going on here.

So, a small decision for everyone. Sahnin can read fates via cartomancy by taking 10. Thus, if you want it, she can offer you a 50/50 chance of receiving a +1 luck bonus to AC and saves, or a -1 penalty to saves for 24 hours.

She can also draw a random tarot card to predict the fate of up to three party members with her Tarot Reader feat. This, likewise, has rewards that tend to outweigh the risks, but nothing is assured. The table of random effects is spoilered below, for you to decide whether you want to make use of it or not.

Tarot Reader

Spoiler

Prerequisites: Perform (cartomancy) 6 ranks

Benefit: You are a true master of your craft, having moved beyond mere parlor tricks and minor divinations. Once per day, plus one additional time per day for every four ranks you possess in Perform (cartomancy), you may draw a single card from your cartomancer's deck. You or a willing ally receive the following effects for 24 hours, based on the drawn card. Once drawn, the fate of the recipient is sealed for 24 hours; further attempts to draw cards in this way always results in the same card being drawn, wasting the attempt.

You may randomly generate a number between 1 and 21 when using this feat, otherwise you may mark a set of 21 cards and draw randomly from the deck.

Number/card	Effect
1. The Magician	+1 caster level to first spell cast each hour
2. The High Priestess	Recipient may activate a cure light wounds spell as an immediate action once, CL equal to HD.
3. The Empress	Recipient is immune to first charm or compulsion effect used against them.
4. The Emperor	Recipient may use charm person as SLA once, CL equal to HD.
5. The Hierophant	Recipient's may make Knowledge checks untrained, gains +4 Luck bonus on all Knowledge checks.
6. The Lovers	Recipient takes a -4 penalty to first charm or compulsion effect used against them.
7. The Chariot	Recipient gains a +10 ft Luck bonus to all forms of movement.
8. Fortitude	Recipient gains 2 temporary hitpoints per HD.
9. The Hermit	Recipient may use silence centered on self as an SLA once, CL 1.
10. Wheel of Fortune	Redraw twice and gain both effects, ignoring any further Wheel of Fortune results.
11. Justice	Recipient gains DR 2/chaos and overcomes damage as if weapons are lawful-aligned.
12. The Hanged Man	Recipient feels an intense sense of impending doom, suffering a -2 morale penalty to all saving throws.
13. Death	Recipient takes a -2 penalty to Constitution.
14. Temperance	Recipient gains a +1 Luck bonus to all ability scores.
15. The Devil	Recipient becomes extremely moody, prone to sudden anger, gaining the ability to enter a Rage once (as a 1st level barbarian).
16. The Tower	Recipient takes an additional point of damage from all non-periodic sources.
17. The Star	Recipient gains Fast Healing 1, though this healing cannot bring them above half health.
18. The Moon	Recipient gains the ability to use mirror image as an SLA once, CL equal to HD.
19. The Sun	Recipient may use daylight as an SLA once, may use light as an SLA three times, CL equal to HD.
20. Judgement	Recipient radiates aura identical to zone of truth out to 5 feet.
21. The World	Recipient automatically succeeds on first saving throw required.

[riccaru]

Don't look at me! Toliudar came up with the descriptions.

[SecondRevan]

The Dealer
Lawful Neutral Human Sorcerer, Level 5, Init +1, HP 26/26, Speed
AC 13, Touch 12, Flat-footed 12, Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +5, Base Attack Bonus 2
(+1 Dex, +1 Natural, +1 Deflect)
Abilities Str 8, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 21
Condition None

Backstory

Spoiler

Step 1
There are many tales of where the Dealer comes from, some of them very old and some new. Some say he is a prince cursed by a fae, while others say that he is a criminal who died and was resurrected to cause havoc. These are but a few of the stories
The Dealer has no idea which story is true. He has memories of nearly each and every story that is told
The Dealer travels round and makes deals with people, usually so desperate that they are willing to consort with magic for any price. His rice is not usually financial, but instead about power. Among the rich, he often asks for their darkest secrets or their first born. Among peasants, his dealers are usually the first step of a plan to force a deal out of someone more powerful
The Dealer's goal is to discover who he really is. He attempts to gather power so that he will have the ability to move entire kingdoms to help with his quest. He has been told that learning his identity is both a good thing and a bad thing, for all concerned.
The Dealer never breaks his word and avoids lying

Step 2
The Dealer's goal is to learn who he really is
I would like to see the Dealer have to deal with the consequences of both the deals that he has made and the deals that the previous incarnations have had to make

Step 3
I would like to ask that the Dealer has previously helped out a key NPC before (maybe the White Queen, but could be anyone) and knows their deepest darkest secret. If not, I'll think up a different one
There have been many, many Dealers, and they all share the same memories and the same goal, although their personalitites and abilities are different. At times there have been as many as 20 Dealers, though at the moment there is only one. Every memory the Dealer has is a memory of one the many incarnations of the Dealer, though they do not know this.

Step 4
This one doesn't really work with the Dealer. No one is friendly with him. He has no memory of anyone he knew before he became the Dealer, and everyone fears him for being both a mage and the guy who makes dangerous deals

Step 5
The Dealer remembers living in the Fae courts, and deciding to leave and enter the mortal realm to explore, where he became the Dealer
The Dealer remembers killing the previous Dealer and being cursed with the Dealer's powers
The Dealer remembers make a deal with the Dealer for the life of his son, and the cost in exchange was to become the Dealer

[Vladislav]

Hello everyone, 'tis me, Valleron, good to be here with you.

Valleron Antarra
male LG Human Crusader, Level 5, Init +5, HP 49/49, Speed 20
AC 23, Touch 11, Flat-footed 22, Fort +9, Ref +4, Will +4, Base Attack Bonus 6/1
Longsword+1 +11/+6 (1d8+5+1 acid, 19-20/x2)
Masterwork Composite Longbow +8/+3 (1d8+4, 20/x3)
Full Plate+1, Shield+1 (+9 Armor, +3 Shield, +1 Dex)
Abilities Str 18, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 9, Cha 14
Condition None

[THEChanger]

Arthur Barenjager

Spoiler

Step #1
1. The Barenjagers are minor nobility who live on the edge of the White Queen’s kingdom. Their primary responsibility has always been protecting the kingdom from encroaching Fey influence.
2. Curiously, the second born male has always been the one to inherit the Barenjager’s noble title.
3. Arthur Barenjager is the first-born child of the current Lord Barenjager.
4. When he was 21, Arthur left the Barenjager’s holdings, to prove himself as a man. He served as a guardian of the roads in the Barenjager’s lordship.
5. The White Queen was travelling to Lord Barenjager’s home, when her caravan was attacked by a bear. Arthur stepped from the woods and threw the bear from the path. The White Queen took an interest in the young man, and invited him back to her castle for a job.

Step #2
1. Arthur seeks to prove his worth simply as a human being. Beyond that, Arthur wishes to gain the title which was stolen from him by a fluke of fate.
2. I would like to see Arthur eventually come to terms with his dual nature, and perhaps lift the curse placed upon the Barnejager family as a result.

Step #3
1. Arthur’s primary secret is, obviously, being a Werebear. This is the result of an age-old Fey curse upon the Barenjagers, where the first-born shall after their 18th birthday, at night, transform into a beastman.
2. What Arthur doesn’t know is that it is also tradition for the second-born to find their elder brother, and kill them, to preserve the bloodline’s purity.

Step #4
1. Jason Barenjager: Arthur’s younger brother, and heir to the title of Lord Barenjager. Jason is technically Arthur’s twin, but Arthur crowned first, and thus the curse passed onto him. The two are very close, and Jason is unaware of the curse that afflicts his brother. What Jason shall do when their father informs him of Arthur’s condition will be…interesting.
2. Mortimer Barenjager: Arthur’s father. Mortimer loves both of his sons, but detests the “Fey corruption” in his eldest. From the twins’ birth, Mortimer has been searching for a way to break the curse on Arthur. As of yet, Mortimer has been unsuccessful. And though he loves Arthur very much, he will not hesitate to do what must be done when Jason becomes ready to take his place.
3. Blutsucher: Blutsucher is a Fey witch who haunts the deep woods near the Barenjager’s home. It was she who laid the curse on the family long ago, and even now, she watches the Barenjagers. The reason the curse was laid on the family was long forgotten, but the animosity between the Barenjagers and Blutsucher has not. She is a powerful, if subtle, enemy.

Step #5
1. Arthur remembers vividly his first transformation. The feeling of being trapped in a foreign body, the fear, the loneliness. Arthur hates the feeling of transformation, and avoids it when possible.
2. On the flipside, Arthur also holds the memory of the first time he used his bear form in combat. The strength was…exhilarating. On occasion, Arthur wonders if he should not embrace his savage heritage. He knows that it is dangerous to use the power of the curse in combat. But it is so very tempting.
3. Arthur’s final defining memory is shared with his brother. When they were both 16, their father took them to a lake, far from their home. The lake was beautiful, calm, peaceful. Arthur often returns to this lake in his mind. It also serves as a focus for when Arthur needs to resist the rage that forces a transformation.

"You think you know what pain is? You think you know what suffering is?
Try having your bones and organs forcibly shifted and stretched every night as you are consumed by a force beyond your control.
You think you know what power is? You think you know what strength is?
Try feeling the raw energy of every animal flowing through you at once as you transform into your inner beast.
My greatest fear is also my greatest strength. Do not preach to me about right and wrong, cleric. Your gods have done nothing for me. I struggle, fail, and succeed alone."

[riccaru]

Really loving the builds guys. The reason I took so long to decide on a party was because of the sheer amount of awesome in the thread.

Anyway, to business: You might want to fight over your colors soon since the first post should be up soon. I'm guessing TheChanger wants green. Feel free to use distinct shades of the same color as someone else if you would like.

[Jarian]

Dibs on everyone's favorite Dark Slate Grey.

[Vladislav]

Valleron will speak in the powerful color of red.

[riccaru]

While you get all that settled I'll be thinking up what dastardly things to set on the trails ahead in The Land of Fairytales!

[NotScaryBats]

Margaret the White is better late than never to the party.

Her background stuff is on her sheet.

Her speech color will be "DarkOrchid" my favorite color on here.

Her name is a sort of mishmash of Mary Margaret and Snow White, from the famous character.

[Toliudar]

Originally Posted by Jarian

And that's a Gypsy occult shapeshifter, thank you very much. There are no rituals going on here.

So, a small decision for everyone. Sahnin can read fates via cartomancy by taking 10. Thus, if you want it, she can offer you a 50/50 chance of receiving a +1 luck bonus to AC and saves, or a -1 penalty to saves for 24 hours.

Mea culpa on the descriptions. And heck yeah, Lucian would be willing to roll the dice for the cartomancy check.

Lucian will speak in purple. He'll be looking for points of connection with anyone who's spent any time in the city - anyone who wants that past link.

So, with this group we have:

• The exalted moral centre.
• The protector type.
• The tormented/cursed hero.
• The mysterious origin.
• The badass normal.
• The 'yes, I can do that too'.

Much fun!

Lucian Backhand
Male Neutral (Good) Human Factotum, Level 5, Init +6, HP 32/32, Speed 30
AC 14, Touch 10, Flat-footed 13, Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +1, Base Attack Bonus 3
wand chamber - wand of Grease Left Gauntlet +4 (1d3+1, x2)
Right hand MW Gnomish Quickrazor (330) +5 (1d4+1, 19-20)
Sling (10) +9/+4 (1d4+1, x2)
Chain Shirt (+4 Armor, +1 Dex, -1 Misc)
Abilities Str 13, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 20, Wis 10, Cha 14

[Jarian]

Can I just say that Dark Orchid and Purple look exactly the same on my screen? I doubt I'd confuse anyone based on speech color alone, but yeah, anyway.

Originally Posted by Toliudar

And heck yeah, Lucian would be willing to roll the dice for the cartomancy check.

(1d2)[1] High good, low bad.

Will reflect this IC when I post.

Edit: D'oh.

[NotScaryBats]

Purple is slightly darker than
DarkOrchid, though I can definitely see the similarity.

I endeavor to put my character name and some reminder hints about who and what it is in each post -- especially at the beginning.

[Jarian]

Originally Posted by psiclone57

Purple is slightly darker than
DarkOrchid, though I can definitely see the similarity.

I run a high contrast screen for photo editing, so it's very likely just me. There shouldn't be any real problem, I was just pointing something out.

Anyone else want to make use of Sahnin's cartomancy skill or Tarot Reader feat? I'd rather not have her just shuffling cards and mumbling to herself, but it's totally up to you to take the risk or not.

[Vladislav]

Originally Posted by Jarian

Anyone else want to make use of Sahnin's cartomancy skill or Tarot Reader feat? I'd rather not have her just shuffling cards and mumbling to herself, but it's totally up to you to take the risk or not.

Is Sahnin so incredibly shy she can't ask IC?

[Jarian]

Originally Posted by Vladislav

Is Sahnin so incredibly shy she can't ask IC?

Yes. Yes, totally.

No, not really. She's actually very curious about people in general. It was more of the idea that if nobody wanted it, I didn't want to make the opening scene drag just waiting for cards to be drawn. No worries one way or another.

[NotScaryBats]

Margaret trusts the gods with her fate; she has no special desire to have her fortune told. Not to be a snob or anything, but yknowhowitis.

[Jarian]

Originally Posted by psiclone57

Margaret trusts the gods with her fate; she has no special desire to have her fortune told. Not to be a snob or anything, but yknowhowitis.

Definitely understand. I wrote the skill and feat to be a conscious choice made by willing participants, rather than being a buff dispenser. I think it fits the feel of a gypsy quite well, but I knew there would be those that didn't want to take a chance when I took the feat.

Edit: Toliudar, did you want to take a spin at the Tarot Reader feat while you're at it? I'm not trying to pressure anyone into anything, I only ask because now would be a perfect opportunity if you intended to do so.

[Toliudar]

Oh, yes, please!

[Jarian]

(1d21)[7]

If above is 10, (1d20)[19] + (1d19)[9]

[riccaru]

Update: Waiting for TheChanger and SecondRevan to post. Just making sure everyone knows this isn't dead.

[Jarian]

Vladislav, did you want just the Read Fortune aspect of the cartomancy skill (50/50 chance of +1 AC/+1 saves, or -1 saves) or did you want to take a stab at the Tarot Reader feat as well?

[Vladislav]

I'm afraid my character has no idea what aspects of Cartomancy exist. Come to think of it, the player has an extremely nebulous idea as well.

Surprise me.

[Jarian]

Surprise!

Read Fate: (1d2)[2] High good, low bad.

Tarot Reader: (1d21)[16] (if 10, (1d20)[4] + (1d19)[12])

[SecondRevan]

Sorry I took so long posting. I am very busy at the moment and I also forgot to subscribe to the OOC thread, so didn't notice everything starting.

Also, I chose to speak in Navy

[Vladislav]

Valleron is initiating the Bolstering Voice stance. Everyone have +2 to Will saves, and additional +2 vs. fear

[Toliudar]

Thanks, Vladislav!

Ever since I heard factotum described as "the Indiana Jones class", I've wanted to have an opportunity to try some variation on all the vehicular stunts that are featured in those films. Maybe this is my chance!

[Vladislav]

Valleron initiative (1d20+5)[13]

[SecondRevan]

The Dealer's Iniatative (1d20+1)[19]