It have been 5 long years of studies and training at the Grandpre academy, but you finally made it: tomorrow's your final exam. Looking back, you remember well the day you first arrived.
Like most of the other 253 new students of your year, your goal was to become a Grandpre adventurer graduate. Not only it held some prestige, but Grandpre adventurers are known to be able to survive the hard challenge adventure is. You were so proud and confident to have been accepted. During the first half year of classes, where nearly half of the students either washed out or decided to drop to an easier training to become lowly guards or the like, you humbled quite a lot. As the year passed and the classes continued to thin, you gained not only the trainings, but a confidence from experience instead of innocence.
Now, of the 253, only 6 remains, and your one of them. As you and your 5 fellow classmates go meet the headmaster to receive your final task, you realise that it have been nearly half a year since you’re the only 6 remaining students in the adventurer program. You know them well, know you can trust them to hold their share in battle or in most situation. As you enter the headmaster office, you realise your ready for the final challenge…
Campaign infos :
Spoiler
1. What game system are you running?
D&D 4.0
2. What 'type' or variant of game will it be? What is the setting for the game?
I use a world of my own making, using the core books gods.
3. How many Players are you looking for? Will you be taking alternates, and if so, how many?
5 players
4. What's the gaming medium?
These boards.
5. What is the characters' starting status (i.e. experience level)?
Level 1, preferably young (18-25) but older is ok if justified in the background.
6. How much gold or other starting funds will the characters begin with?
Standard (100 GP)
7. Are there any particular character classes, professions, orders, etc. that you want... or do not want? What are your rules on 'prestige' and/or homebrewed classes?
Anything in the up to date character builder is fine.
8. What races, subraces, species, etc. are allowed for your game? Will you allow homebrewed races or species? 'Prestige' races or species?
PHB1, PHB2 and Eberon races are fine. If you want to play a monster race (even the ones in the builder), you have to ask me first.
9. By what method should Players generate their attributes/ability scores and Hit Points?
Standard point buy.
10. Does your game use alignment? What are your restrictions, if so?
Standard alignment (no Evil or Chaotic Evil). I use alignment as a guideline, rarely enforce it.
11. Do you allow multi-classing, or have any particular rules in regards to it?
Multi-class and hybrid is ok.
12. Will you be doing all of the die rolling during the course of the game? Will die rolls be altered, or left to the honor system? If players can make die rolls, which ones do they make, how should they make the rolls, and how should they report them?
The rolls will be made on the forum.
13. Are there any homebrewed or optional/variant rules that your Players should know about? If so, list and explain them, or provide relevant links to learn about these new rules.
No house rules to begin with.
14. Is a character background required? If so, how big? Are you looking for anything in particular (i.e. the backgrounds all ending up with the characters in the same city)?
I want a background (can be short and sweet or long and detailed). It is essentially your origins (family, place of birth and stuff). Feel free to have some juice for me to play with (I like to include players backgrounds within the story), but remember that you were not a hero before. It must end with how/why your going the Grandpre academy to train as an adventurer.
NOTE : You can take a background from scale of war in the character builder, but it must match your backgrounds.
15. Does your game involve a lot of hack & slash, puzzle solving, roleplaying, or a combination of the above?
All of the above.
16. Are your Players restricted to particular rulebooks and supplements, or will you be allowing access to non-standard material? What sources can Players use for their characters?
As I said before, if it is in the character builder, I am fine with it. If you don’t have the character builder, I'll make sure your character is fine when it is submitted.
Also, since I use the builder, the erratas are included.
The world :
Spoiler
Spoiler
I made the original map in French (my primary language). I translated the index directly on the map. The area without color are either plains or hills (and can have a small amount of anything – only the major feature are on the maps).
For the landscape names, I couldn’t change them all easily without erasing too much. When I'll use them in a post, I'll translate them and add in brackets the name you can see on the map.
Exemple : The Green forest (La Foret Verte) is located east of Bord-Eau.
The Town names will stay as written on the map (even if they can be translated).
The country of The Westernlands (Les Terres de l'Ouest) is one fifth of the continent of Mylthan.
Most of it is controlled passively by Torres, the capital city located in its center. Torres is mainly a military and trade city. It offer protection for taxes to almost all the towns of the country, but leave each ones of them govern themselves.
The Elven city of Yarten, Located within Ter'yav forest (La foret de Ter'yav), is independent. They still have very good relations with Torres.
Only three regions aren’t controlled by Torres.
One of the three regions is located south-east and include the City Grandport and its two towns : Vuesurbaie and Auflanc. They are separated from the rest of the country by two major natural features. To the east and north is the Stone edges (L'equerre rocheuse), a huge mountain chain. To the west are the Spiny Plains (La plaine epineuse), which is a very dangerous natural area.
The second independent region is to the north-west. It is the city of Pifville with the towns L'Oeilnoir, Huville and Rocville. These fare well enough by themselves. They control most of the north trade done with boats and Rocville is have an important gem mine..
The last regions is the south-west peninsula. It is controlled by Bord-Eau with the small town of Grandpre and the fort named Fort-Du-Col. That regions is protected by the Neck Peaks (Les monts du col), an impassable chain of mountains, and the Black Marsh, a goblin infested marsh. That regions is blessed with a very fertile land. The fort control whatever want to come in. Grandpre is housing an academy which train adventurers. They use the lands to train and mostly keep it clean of any monsters. Bord-Eau is well located to do trade by boat and exploit the area well..
Game rules :
Spoiler
1) I will post, at least once a day every weekday if the situation calls for it, please adhere to this schedule as well. Try to get at least one post in every weekday.
2) If you will be gone for some time, try to give as much notice as possible. You can either then give control of your character to one of the other players or a friend or you can just have them go on standby. If we're in the middle of a battle or a social situation where you're heavily involved you must get a stand in or I'll take over your character until they are no longer needed this way.
3) If you leave for a long period of time (3+ days) without notice either I or one of the characters will take over for you until either you come back or we reach a point where your player can fade into the background.
Characters will be removed from play if you're gone for over a week without notice. If you come back after we'll see if we can negotiate.
4) Roleplaying is a big part of this game. This shouldn't be an issue but I want to make it clear you should know how to roleplay and be willing to. You don't need to speak in olde english or what have you to do this though. I am all for roleplay within yourselves.
5) OOC discussion should be limited to the OOC thread. Rolls and quick comments should be put in spoilers at the end of your IC posts.
6) It's just a game, you might die or something funny might happen...whatever. Just play and have fun. Don't take things too personally.
7) Grid based battles will be handled via images or code tags. I'm hoping images but since I might have to update from work I may need to use code tags. We'll see.
9) If you have an idea, run it past me, chances are I'll let you try anything as long as it's actually possible. It might even work and accomplish what you want or give you a bonus to another roll.
10) The game will move at the speed it is resolve by players. When it is solely roleplay situations, I might make it move forward without the post of everyone (when most of you seem to have done what they wanted). For combat, I will wait for everyone to post tough.
When you post your background, you can PM it to me if there is parts you dont want to initialy share with others (just post what you want others to know - it is assumed they know what you openly submit)
I usually post mainly during week days (monday -friday) and work hours (8:00-16:00). I'd prefer players who are active around that time (easyer to do multiples replies during the day and make the game move forward), but I dont really mind as long as you can submit the the game rules above.
Post interest with what you'd like to do (and character when possible).
PS : Also, dont read the other IC game that is already started, would spoil the fun ;).
Some info about the game.
Spoiler
You’re the 4th group to play it. One of my other group is level 14 now, the other one is level 6. I also started it PBP a month ago with an other group. So unless something turn bad, you can expect it to be a long term campaign.
As I said in the recruit thread, my main language is French, so if I make grammar/sentence form/etc. mistakes you'll have to endure them :).
I like to go with the flow, I play by the rules, but still like to create my own stuff. So at some point, you might find some stuff that isn’t written in the rules books. But all in all, I abide by the book rules. I don’t mind being corrected when I am wrong with rules, in fact I expect it – I like to know the correct ruling.
In the games I make, being an adventurer is dangerous. I don’t plan to kill my players, but death can happen. And please, don’t play expecting every opponents I throw at you to be beatable. Retreat can be an option, keep that in mind ;).
Alright, my warnings are done now.
About the academy
Spoiler
The adventurer formation is 5 years long.
Each summers, you got 3 months off. At those time, you returned home (or where ever you wanted).
The academy is known for its Adventurer program, but it mainly form people for any kind of jobs(guard, entertainment, healers, etc.).
The adventurer program is the hardest and, as the campaign spoiler said, most of the people leave in the first 6 months.
Since adventuring is a team effort, so is the formation. It is made so you all meet each other, and as time passes, learn to work together.
There are many reasons for you to know each others:
Same roles have basics class together in the first year.
Skills are taught in class(so anyone with athletics could have met in that class).
You all have one roommate (same gender).
From second year and after, there is tactical classes, where they teach group tactics and make some random groups and make them face each others.
And of course, you've been only ones left for the last 6 months.
There is more teachers that this, but here are the teacher leader of each class :
Fighter : Fernand Gallion (Human)
Cleric / invoker : Medrash Zzlarsh (Dragonborn)
Paladin / avenger : Gurda Ironedge (Dwarf - Female)
Ranger : Malaggar (Dark Elf)
Rogue : Tibius Malroche (Human)
Warlock : Korégore (Thiefling)
Warlord : Mara-Pai (Genazi - Female)
Wizard/ swordmage : Jymo (Eladrin)
Barbarian / warden : Brutal Roche (Human)
Bard / artificer : Ajar (Gnome)
Druid : Mal Thais (Human)
Shaman : Beal Beaudoin (Human)
Sorcerer : Che Cosa (Halfling)
Monk/(all psionic power source) : Borris Plante (Human)
The headmaster is Fernand Gallion (fighter leader).
You all know that after succeeding the final test, you'll all receive a ring (not magical) personalised with your name, bearing the academy symbol. It is prestigious.
Also, each students receive a magical items, decided by its class leader.
Not every years succeed it. And it happened that beside failing some even died (A fighter died during the last exam 3 years ago).
About the world
Spoiler
The whole country is at relative peace. Torres have a slight grasp on most of the middle of the country, but still, each town does as they please.
Last harvest season have been a disaters (an early winter wasted most of the crops and the winter have been long and hard). Bord-Eau region havent escaped this, but they fared better than most places (they had enough food for their population, but less to export).
The world is mainly populatyed by humans. There is one elven city (Yarten) and 4 dwarven cities (Krom-Dac, Torkdeck-Rac, Kadrin-Rac, Borlen-Rac). Other races are scattered among the human cities. Some elves and dwarves also live among human, but most of them stays into their city.
Deva is a nearly extinct race.
Alright, this is about it for now. Any questions?
Use this thread to discuss among yourselves, learn each other strategy (you should know each other well - this is one of the reasons I decided to start with an academy :) so players have a reason to stick with each others).
The Team :
The aces of spades...Human Sorcerer..............Shadow Elf..... Valid
Spoiler
====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
Ace, level 1
Human, Sorcerer
Build: Chaos Sorcerer
Spell Source: Wild Magic
Background: Occupation - Criminal (Thievery class skill)
FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 8, Con 10, Dex 16, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 18.
STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 8, Con 10, Dex 16, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 16.
FEATS
Bard: Ritual Caster
Level 1: Arcane Initiate
Level 2: Orb Expertise
Level 4: Superior Implement Training (Crystal orb)
POWERS
Arcane Initiate: Nightmare Eruption
Bard at-will 1: Staggering Note
Bard at-will 1: Vicious Mockery
Bard encounter 1: Blunder
Bard daily 1: Stirring Shout
Bard utility 2: Concerted Effort
Bard encounter 3: Song of the New Dawn
ITEMS
Ritual Book, Adventurer's Kit, Skald's Chainmail +1, Amulet of Physical Resolve +1, Fochlucan Bandore +1, Longsword, Crystal orb of the Menacing Impulse +1
RITUALS
Comprehend Language, Glib Limerick
Found/seen items/documents : (In order you found/seen them)
Spoiler
World Map
Spoiler
Grandpre Academy Seal
Spoiler
De L'aurore new Family Banner
Spoiler
Banners seen in Histak Hut (Kobold village)
Spoiler
King August royal seal (on official papers - given to Filass de l'Aurore)
Spoiler
De l'Aurore Family seal
Spoiler
Sheet of Paper found on Histak (Kobold warleader)
Spoiler
Statue with text: (Post 385)
Spoiler
Undead ward sealed door : (Post 385)
Spoiler
Bord-Eau Map (Post 396) :
Spoiler
Smith Mark on goblins weapon (Post 542)
Spoiler
Sheet of paper found on goblin patrol during Bord-Eau attack (Post 607)
Spoiler
Map of the unseen lands when originaly found (Post 1156)
Spoiler
Maps of unseen land for skill challenge - Bord-Eau area (Post 1204)
Spoiler
Letter found on "Green" (Part 2, post 216) :
Spoiler
Written on the letter.
Spoiler
Quote:
Bord-Eau
86 Dove street
Deliver to Green Dagger.
Fee already paid for.
Text inside the letter, with different handwritting
Spoiler
Quote:
Crocodile, Men, Rattle, Odd, Myself, two
Befoul, Promise, Gore, three
Formation, Origin, Off, Dinner, one
Bruise, Stone, Woman, Remedy, five
Last, Before, four
Failure, Envy, Never, Ram, Italic, Snake, one
Wax seal stamped on the lower right corner of the letter.
Spoiler
This is what the seal look like
Tattoo one "Green" Left shoulder (Part2 - Post 216) :
Spoiler
This is what Green tattoo look like.
Sheet of paper found hidden on Screaming Leather armor in the 3 blue dragons lair (Part 2- post 469)
Spoiler
Orc map drawn on a wolf pelt (Part 2- post 638)
Spoiler
Game Events summary :
Spoiler
May 23rd, 1500 :
Meeting with Grandpre Academy headmaster about their final exam mission.
Depart from Grandpre academy for Grandvents
May 24th to June 9th , 1500:
Meet with the caravan they got to escort and the mercenaries group : The eagles
Travel up to Grandvents town.
You stopped by Fort-Du-Col, Villenoire, Torres and Bartos.
June 9th, 1500 :
Meet With Filass De l'Aurore to get mission : Get back his falimy Crest banner form Kobolds.
June 10th – 11th , 1500 :
Investigation and skill challenge to find out kobold camp.
June 12th, 1500 :
Battle some kobold, find out the banner (make a deal with Kobold leader (Booktooth) to prevent an all out battle bloodshed).
June 13th-14th, 1500 :
Travel back to Grandvents.
Complete mission (return Banner)
Get reward and note from Filass that you completed mission to give the headmaster of Grandpre Academy.
June 15th – 17th, 1500 :
Travel up to Bartos.
Learn about the Dragon (Razcoreth) living in Ter'Yav forest.
Decide to go see the kobold village in the forest again (because their attacked Bartos as well)
June 18th - 19th, 1500 :
Travel in Ter'yav Forest to the Kobold village again.
Ace secretly go strike a deal with Booktooth : Help the Kobold regain complete control of his clan by killing his rising rival, then he will keep his kobold from attacking the towns around.
June 20th - 21st, 1500 :
The heroes ambush the kobold warchief (Booktooth rival) and slaughter him.
They the travel back to Bartos
June 22nd - July 4th, 1500 :
Plan the return to the academy.
Travel back to Torres.
Find an escort job with the mercenary group (The eagles) back toward Bord-Eau.
Escort a caravan all the way down to the peninsula (through Villenoire and Fort-Du-col).
Split up a few days from Bord-Eau and head up to Grandpre academy.
Jully 5th, 1500 :
Reach the Academy.
Meet the Headmaster and the few teachers still there (summer break).
Get some graduation gift from the school.
Get a voucher to get their graduation ring at a Bord-Eau jeweller
July 6th- July 10th, 1500 :
Empty their room from the Academy and leave for Bord-Eau to go get their official rings.
A few miles before reaching the city, spot an hole in the ground (in a small grove).
Discover a room with a broken statue in the hole.
Eliael find a magical sword named Greenbane in the rubbles.
There is also a sealed door (access to the undead filled bane temple). You don’t explore it right away.
Get to Bord-Eau and go meet the jeweller (will get their ring ready for the next day)
July 11th, 1500 :
Goblin attack the city in the middle of the night (1 AM)
Defeat goblins in the street.
Clear goblins and help secure the north tower (meet Sergent Malcom)
Go regain the north gate control. (Meet Captain Brasseur and Kallik die)
Take some rest after the goblin assault.
Meet the Erathis high priest at noon to have Kallik raised.
Kallik decide to stay with the Erathis priest and leave the group.
See again and get information from Captain Brasseur.
The group split to gather information in the city : (Ace find Tiamat temple, Tam/Eliael thieves guild, Baldric/Malai inspect stolen granaries)
Meet with Flammemorte (missing wizard) apprentice.
Whole group meet with thieves guild members and offend them (making things difficult)
July 12th, 1500 :
Ace investigate on the hidden Tiamat temple and return to talk with thieves alone, while rest of group try to track down the food that have been stolen in the city.
The heroes all (including Ace) end up in front of the Fil D'Or Inn with their investigation.
They agree to let the thief guild watch over the man possibly implicated to locate where the stolen food is.
Decision to go explore the hole they found north of the city (with the broken statue).
Break the seal and explore the ruins filled with undeads.
Learn it is an old Bane temple with some life draining magic using to keep rising undead.
They take some rest at the entry where the life draining magic doesn’t affect them.
July 13th, 1500 :
Clear the rest of the ruins.
Find treasure (magic map with ancient mapping).
Locate source of draining magic (shard in altar) and neutralise it (removing the shard).
Meet Lei Grall as they leave the ruins.
Accept to help her escort some farmers safely back to town.
Escort the farmers then split up to battle/hold up enemies (Skill challenge) splitting up with Eliael, Tam and Baldric.
Learn about the goblin horn code.
Rejoin the farmers and finish escorting them to the city and learn that Eliael, Tam and Baldric are missing (they took as Stand).
Part of the group take some rest, while others does shopping and meet with contacts.
Marius meet up with Marcil Whitehand (Torres emissary)
Ashe have a weird dream about some elven ghost.
Lei Grall and Humffrey split up with the heroes to go search for the missing heroes (Eliael, Tam and Baldric).
Meeting with Captain Brasseur to get latest news.
Ace met Julian and get a message form Zorana.
Group go meet Zorana who found out where the stolen food is.
Investigate, defeat and capture the food thieves and wererats
Meet Captain Beaudoin (and Lieutenant Bernier) and let him take over the food and prisoners (Ace leave with them – Split up).
Explore a possible city security breach in the warehouse (dug hole leading into natural caverns).
Find a dragon den, kill the dragons and a Tiamat priest and meet with new ally (Jieung)
Finishing exploring the caverns and find out an exit out of the city (disable the crane system)
Return to the city and meet up with Ace to discuss options.
House Rules :
Spoiler
1 - Corpses count as difficult terrain.
2 - Being unconcious disarm you. Require minor action to pick up weapon.
3 - A corpse can be slid 1 with a minor action.
Checking in. Also, I was wondering, Dekkah, if you might add a spoiler in the first post for treasure? That way, we won't have to sift through the threads to find out what we have and who has what. Once Gillric has figured out what we already have, you could add that as well.
__________________ My Homebrew
Currently DMing: Heroes on a Sea of Swords - IC - OOC - OOC II
Thanks to Arokh for all the wonderful avatars! May his computer never crash and his mouse arm never cramp!
hmm....adding my powers to this post to facilitate my posting.
Feats:
Expert Combat Leader: Initiative bonus +3 to allies within 5 squares at start of combat.
Improved Inspiring Word: Allies gain +3 (Cha) bonus to HP restored by inspiring word.
Magic Items:
Doesn't provoke OAs on charge
Charge bonus damage +1d8 (sword critical +1d8)
Dailies: Shield: When ally regains hp, they regain additional hp as if they had spent a healing surge. (Free action, used)
Sword: Use before making a charge attack, if charge is succesful, allies within 10 gain +1 bonus to attack rolls and +3 bonus to damage rolls until SOMNT (Minor action, used)
Powers:
MBA
Spoiler
Str vs AC; One Creature; +8 melee 1d8+5 damage
RBA
Spoiler
Dex vs AC; One Creature; +4 ranged 1d8+1 damage
Commander's Strike
Spoiler
At Will Melee; Standard Action; One Creature
AttacK: Ally of your choice makes a MBA against the target
Hit: Ally's base damage + your in modifier (+2)
Viper's Strike
Spoiler
At Will Melee; Standard Action; One Creature
Attack: Str vs AC (+8)
Damage:1d8 + 5
Effect; If the target shifts before SOMNT it provokes an OA from an ally of my choice
Wolf Pack Tactics
Spoiler
At Will melee; Standard Action; One Creature
Attack: Str vs AC (+8)
Damage: 1d8+5
Special: Before you attack, let one ally adjacent to either you or the target shift one square as a free action
Inpsiring Word
Spoiler
Encounter (2/encounter) Close Burst 5 Minor Action (1/round)
Target: You or One Ally in Burst
Effect: Target can spend a healing surge and regain an additional 1d6 hp +3 (cha modifier from feat)
Guarding Attack
Spoiler
Encounter, Melee, One Creature, standard action
Attack: Str vs Armor Class (+8)
Damage: 2d8+5
Effect: Until EOMNT, One ally adjacent to me or target gets 1 + Cha Bonus (+3) power bonus to AC
Warlord's Strike
Spoiler
Encounter, Melee, One Creature, standard action
Attack: Str. Vs AC (+8)
Damage: 2d8+5
Effect: Until EOMNT, all allies gain 1 + Cha modifier (+3) bonus to damage rolls against the target
Create A Target
Spoiler
Daily, melee, One Creature, Standard Action
Attack: Str vs AC (+8)
Damage: 2d8+5
Effect: You push target a number of squares equal to your in modifier (+2). Whenever a push, pull, slide forces the target to move, one of your allies can make a basic attack against the target as an opporunity action (save ends)
Miss: Half damage and you push the target one square
Inpsiring Fortitude
Spoiler
Daily, Close Burst 5, Standard Action
Trigger: Your second wind is available to use
Target: Each ally in close burst 5
Effect: Use your Second Wind, each target gains 10 temporary hp + Con modifier (+0)
Yikes! I picked a bad day to sleep in!
Monique's physical skills are low, but hopefully my religion check will do something...?
Failed the endurance :/
__________________
Thanks Gigi Digi for the avatar.
I want to gather some information from the military folks in the area, what should I roll for that?
I think we should sortie to scout out and defeat some of the greenskin forces. We have allies out there that may be captured and still alive, or worse case we should recover their bodies.
Just a side note for those who doesnt have a magic wepaon yet, there is a merchatn that transfer enchants for 27 GP (you have two magical weapon unused)
After eating and gathering the gossip, Ashe will retire to a room as well. Get in some sleep/trance or whatever it is elves do (I can't remember right now, lol)
__________________ Playing: Ashe Natura - Grandpre Academy (Second Group) - D&D 4E Gustavo - The Fires of War - D&D 4E
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