If your background information is not on your character sheet, please either copy it there or repost it in this thread, as recruitment threads tend to disappear without warning.
Everyone please pick a speech color and head over to the IC thread to get started.
__________________
Better to DM in Baator than play in Celestia
You can just call me Dice; that's how I roll.
Sig of Holding
Spoiler
Quote:
Originally Posted by abadguy
Darn you PoDL for making me care about a bunch of NPC Commoners!
The Temple of the Four Seasons
Based in the Sunspire Mountains, the Temple of the Four Seasons is one of the two successors to the Temple of the Nine Swords. Its guiding philosophies are unity, enlightenment, and knowledge, and it uses the metaphor of the cyclical nature of time and the world to teach its four disciplines: Stone Dragon, Desert Wind, Iron Heart, and Diamond Mind. Its grandmasters believe that sharing knowledge, working together as one, and equality are paramount, so the three grandmasters stand on even footing, overseeing the adepts, initiates, and novices below them who rise in the hierarchy based on merit and dedication to the Temple's principles.
All adepts of the same rank are equal in the Temple's eyes, so the structure of the Temple hierarchy resembles a stepped pyramid more than a line. All students are expected to help out where needed and not hide any insight from the others, so most of its students either focus on a single discipline, working with others who do the same, or learn all disciplines equally, discovering how they can work together and strengthen one another. As well, Adepts of the Four Seasons value the purity of their art--they will train the mind and the soul, occasionally, when it meshes with their martial skills, but most dedicate themselves to the Sublime Way above all. They proudly claim that, together with their comrades, they can defeat any number of Unconquered Sun adepts on the battlefield.
The Temple of the Unconquered Sun
Hidden somewhere to the east of the Sunspire Mountains, the Temple of the Unconquered Sun is one of the two successors to the Temple of the Nine Swords. Its guiding philosophies are synergy, personal insight, and innovation, and it uses the metaphor of the cyclical nature of the day and the celestial bodies to teach its four disciplines: Devoted Spirit, Tiger Claw, Setting Sun, and Shadow Hand. Its grandmasters believe that discovering one's personal style, combining techniques in new and interesting ways, and supremacy and skill are paramount, so the three grandmasters are ranked one after another, with the adepts, initiates, and novices falling in a strict hierarchy below them wherein everyone knows their place.
Unconquered Sun adepts are allowed to take on personal apprentices, so the structure of the Temple hierarchy resembles a staggered tree more than a line. All students are expected to seek the strongest and most effective techniques, so most of its students focus on either two or three disciplines, believing that one is too limiting and that four are too dilute. As well, Adepts of the Unconquered Sun value the potential of their art to enhance any other skills they might have--they will dabble in other paths besides the Sublime Way if it will make them more powerful or give them greater insight into the Way's workings. They proudly claim that, one on one, any Unconquered Sun adept can defeat a Four Seasons adept of similar skill.
Important People
Spoiler
Grandmaster of Lore: Tsikul al-Surt
The Grandmaster of Lore of the Temple of the Four Seasons is an asherati from the Great Golden Desert. In combat, she is an excellent and versatile duelist, and is rumored to be able to identify an enemy's strengths, weaknesses, and fighting style with a single glimpse. In the Temple, she is the keeper of the archives: she records students' progress, preserves ancient tomes of martial maneuvers, writes treatises on training methods, trains the initiates in history and other non-martial pursuits, and the like. It is she who studied the three Swords in the Temple's possession over the past two years, and her insights into their secrets have helped all of the Temple's students achieve greater mastery of their arts.
[OOC: Tsikul is 20th level, a mix of warblade, bard, factotum, chameleon, urban savant, and eternal blade.]
Grandmaster of Unity: Joseph Sapier
The Grandmaster of Unity of the Temple of the Four Seasons is an illumian from the Isles of Dawn. In combat, he is an excellent tactician and commander, and his inspiring presence and divine blessings often keeps the Temple's initiates fighting long after they otherwise would have fallen. In the Temple, he is the spiritual and moral center of all the adepts: he leads the Temple in prayers each morning and night, organizes the day-to-day activities of the adepts, provides counseling and healing for adepts after exercises and battles, and the like. It is he who provides the Temple with everything it needs--food, water, raw materials, and more--and ensures that its adepts work together as a cohesive whole.
[OOC: Joseph is 20th level, a mix of crusader, shugenja, heartfire fanner, cloistered cleric, and ruby knight vindicator.]
Grandmaster of Enlightenment: Docen Sovornost
The Grandmaster of Enlightenment of the Temple of the Four Seasons is a raptoran native to the Sunspire Mountains. In combat, he mixes magic, stealth, and martial skill to great effect, and he bends the battlefield to his will to ensure victory. In the Temple, he is the most practical of the Temple leadership: he seeks out and inducts new novices, oversees the patrol and warding of the surrounding terrain, enchants adepts' weaponry, and the like. It is he who divines for the locations of the lost Swords and scries on the Temple of the Unconquered Sun to keep tabs on their activities, and his efforts have led to great victories over their adversaries in both seeking out ancient Temple relics and defeating their enemies on the battlefield.
[OOC: Docen is 20th level, a mix of swordsage, duskblade, wu jen, abjurant champion, and jade phoenix mage.]
Master of Noon
Rumor has it (and Grandmaster Sovornost's scrying has confirmed it) that the Temple of the Unconquered Sun has recently named one of its foremost adepts, a shifter swordsage, the Master of Noon and gifted him with Tiger Fang. It is rare that an adept focusing on a single discipline merits such a reward, as their adepts disdain single disciplines as being too limited, but the Master of Noon has defeated all comers and was accepted by Tiger Fang when he dared to lay claim to it, so it doesn't look like he will be deposed any time soon.
Grandmaster of Blades: Dylan Mesker
The Grandmaster of Blades of the Temple of the Unconquered Sun used to be a close friend and fellow divine warrior of Grandmaster Sapier, until the fall of the Temple of the Nine Swords saw them go their separate ways. His duties and strengths are unknown, as he wards himself well against divination, and the only reason it is known that he was an Unconquered Sun Grandmaster was that he sent Grandmaster Sapier a letter essentially telling him that Mesker was a grandmaster and that Sapier should either join him or expect no mercy on the battlefield.
The other Masters and Grandmasters of the Temple of the Unconquered Sun are currently unknown.
[OOC: Dylan is 20th level, a mix of [REDACTED]. ]
__________________
Better to DM in Baator than play in Celestia
You can just call me Dice; that's how I roll.
Sig of Holding
Spoiler
Quote:
Originally Posted by abadguy
Darn you PoDL for making me care about a bunch of NPC Commoners!
46 Years ago Renshar, the founding and greatest of the Sword Lords saved the life of an ancient, powerful and honourable dwarven Runesmith named Kragg the Grim. The dwarf, thankful that his life, his forge, and most importantly his clan's Book of Grudges had been saved he vowed to repay Renshar with a gift suitable for the Temple.
The magic of the dwarves coupled with their crafting skills gave rise 2 years later to the finest Warforged that the realm had seen. Each crafted with consumate skilled and instilled with the mastery of but a single discipline of the blade.
The 9 warforged became the training dummies of the Temple. Each of the 9 practicing a single style with the students all day, every day, and in doing so they grew, each possessed by their own type of sentience. THey watched and the learned. A schism grew between them, the odds and the evens. The odds looking to mix their styles and the evens staying true to their singular focus. And as the schism between the Temple Lords grew so did the battles between the training dummies.
When the split happend 4 battles his former kin, 3 was killed as was 7 but 9, the worst and most treacherous, the trainer of the Shadow escaped, killing 6 (the White Raven) and 2 (the diamond mind). As the battle raged the Lord of Iron Heart was slain 4 of 9 picked up Kamate the blade of the Iron Heart and immediatly felt a connection, like it was forged for his hand. Since then he has been hunting 9 and 3, the most treacherous of the Odds and continuing to train the new recruits. In doing so he has retained Kamate with his intention to pass it on when he found a student worthy of it...
But I'd like to speak in darkred as its used by some of my other pcs in the past.
DM's second post disappeared, so I edited my second post to be spoilered. I presume you decided to give more time to react to the OP?
Yep. The Prologue and Present posts were supposed to be one after the other, but a forum glitch delayed the Present and let you post, so I'm giving everyone else a chance to react to the Prologue now. When I repost the Present part, you can move your spoilered stuff there.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DrK
But I'd like to speak in darkred as its used by some of my other pcs in the past.
I'll change the color used by minor enemy NPCs, then, so there's no confusion.
__________________
Better to DM in Baator than play in Celestia
You can just call me Dice; that's how I roll.
Sig of Holding
Spoiler
Quote:
Originally Posted by abadguy
Darn you PoDL for making me care about a bunch of NPC Commoners!
I've added some information on people and places in the second post, so you can get an idea of what you can expect from your allies and enemies in the near future. I'll add to it as you learn things in-game.
__________________
Better to DM in Baator than play in Celestia
You can just call me Dice; that's how I roll.
Sig of Holding
Spoiler
Quote:
Originally Posted by abadguy
Darn you PoDL for making me care about a bunch of NPC Commoners!
I was waiting for Jheska to get a post in before continuing, as she said she'd post something, but it's been over 24 hours so I'll put a post up shortly to move things along.
__________________
Better to DM in Baator than play in Celestia
You can just call me Dice; that's how I roll.
Sig of Holding
Spoiler
Quote:
Originally Posted by abadguy
Darn you PoDL for making me care about a bunch of NPC Commoners!
Not vanished, just busy for slightly longer than expected with romancing.
I shall choose Medium Turquoise as my speech colour. IC post immanent.
Background:
Spoiler
Richard Vander has dedicated his entire life to the concept that a disciplined mind can overcome any obstacle. The loss of his parents aged 12 to orcish raiders seems to bother him little, indeed he was utterly cold in his matter of fact approach to the loss. He grew up outwardly showing little emotion at all, masking his true feelings beneath neaturality and cold logic, and age 17 he left what remained of his village to find work elsewhere. He quickly fell into work as a mercenary, having been picked up by a roaming company at what remained of the bandit ambush that had attempted to waylay him. In battle he would weave through the enemy ranks, ducking under swinging maces and parrying curved blades before dispatching each of his opponents with a single sharp blow.
His skill in the White Hand mercenary company was evident, and though the pay was good the work was uninspiring and often morally questionable so when a noble family attempted to poach him for bodyguard work he seized the opportunity. In the employ of higher society it was now his words not merely his sword arm that were being trained. In his off time he poured through their library obsessively, consuming the knowledge within with almost obsessive speed. By the time his services were no longer required Vander was a consumate swordsman, negotiator and scholar.
From his work in service of nobility he often came across other men in similar employ and it was on the stories of one of these men that Vander saught out the temple of four seasons, a place with swordsmen far greater than himself. Upon his arrival he still held too much arragonce, too much pride, and the man he challenged to prove his worth beat him handily and turned him aside. Vander was not disuaded, making his camp outside temple walls he trained and fought again each day, whenever he had recovered enough to fight, trying to prove the skill the adept had scorned. After fourteen such defeats he asked for entry, rather than demanding and so began his apprentiship.
Six years later and he has applied his single minded focus to the discipline which demands such as a matter of course, and has become one of the foremost experts of the discipline of the diamond mind. He spends his days with apprentices, teaching them the rigourous focus required to truly master the school of clarity though this is rarely through direct combat. His evening are spent pouring over reports on both the activities of those learning and teaching at this temple and of what spies have gleaned from their rival temple.
In conversation he is intelligent, but often falling into the trap of becoming too single minded in his approach. He rarely voices an opinion based on anything other than what he would consider prudent, though will readily take on board and debate the ideas and sugestions of others.
Not vanished, just busy for slightly longer than expected with romancing.
I shall choose Medium Turquoise as my speech colour. IC post immanent.
Background:
Spoiler
Richard Vander has dedicated his entire life to the concept that a disciplined mind can overcome any obstacle. The loss of his parents aged 12 to orcish raiders seems to bother him little, indeed he was utterly cold in his matter of fact approach to the loss. He grew up outwardly showing little emotion at all, masking his true feelings beneath neaturality and cold logic, and age 17 he left what remained of his village to find work elsewhere. He quickly fell into work as a mercenary, having been picked up by a roaming company at what remained of the bandit ambush that had attempted to waylay him. In battle he would weave through the enemy ranks, ducking under swinging maces and parrying curved blades before dispatching each of his opponents with a single sharp blow.
His skill in the White Hand mercenary company was evident, and though the pay was good the work was uninspiring and often morally questionable so when a noble family attempted to poach him for bodyguard work he seized the opportunity. In the employ of higher society it was now his words not merely his sword arm that were being trained. In his off time he poured through their library obsessively, consuming the knowledge within with almost obsessive speed. By the time his services were no longer required Vander was a consumate swordsman, negotiator and scholar.
From his work in service of nobility he often came across other men in similar employ and it was on the stories of one of these men that Vander saught out the temple of four seasons, a place with swordsmen far greater than himself. Upon his arrival he still held too much arragonce, too much pride, and the man he challenged to prove his worth beat him handily and turned him aside. Vander was not disuaded, making his camp outside temple walls he trained and fought again each day, whenever he had recovered enough to fight, trying to prove the skill the adept had scorned. After fourteen such defeats he asked for entry, rather than demanding and so began his apprentiship.
Six years later and he has applied his single minded focus to the discipline which demands such as a matter of course, and has become one of the foremost experts of the discipline of the diamond mind. He spends his days with apprentices, teaching them the rigourous focus required to truly master the school of clarity though this is rarely through direct combat. His evening are spent pouring over reports on both the activities of those learning and teaching at this temple and of what spies have gleaned from their rival temple.
In conversation he is intelligent, but often falling into the trap of becoming too single minded in his approach. He rarely voices an opinion based on anything other than what he would consider prudent, though will readily take on board and debate the ideas and sugestions of others.
Sweet, glad to still have you around.
Oh and just so everyone knows the way to pronounce Abd, is 'Abeed'
This is what I get for getting excited about a game. Its been a week and we can't get everyone posted IC. I don't want to sound like a jerk, but this game is over if we don't get it moving. Should we look for a new fourth?
This is what I get for getting excited about a game. Its been a week and we can't get everyone posted IC. I don't want to sound like a jerk, but this game is over if we don't get it moving. Should we look for a new fourth?
I PMed Jheska, but it looks like she hasn't been around since the 17th. I'll give her until this evening to show up, then we'll put Vander under DM control and look into getting a replacement.
__________________
Better to DM in Baator than play in Celestia
You can just call me Dice; that's how I roll.
Sig of Holding
Spoiler
Quote:
Originally Posted by abadguy
Darn you PoDL for making me care about a bunch of NPC Commoners!
I put up a re-recruitment message in the original recruitment thread in the hopes of finding a replacement, but apparently the post wasn't showing. I deleted it and reposted; you should pop over there and let me know if it still isn't showing up.
__________________
Better to DM in Baator than play in Celestia
You can just call me Dice; that's how I roll.
Sig of Holding
Spoiler
Quote:
Originally Posted by abadguy
Darn you PoDL for making me care about a bunch of NPC Commoners!
I put up a re-recruitment message in the original recruitment thread in the hopes of finding a replacement, but apparently the post wasn't showing. I deleted it and reposted; you should pop over there and let me know if it still isn't showing up.
LOL, seems this post wasn't showing up either!
Quote:
Originally Posted by mrcarter11
So hey guys. It seems I'll be subbing in for the Diamond Mind master. I'll get a link to my sheet once I've slept and woken up.
Great, I was afraid this would fall apart before I got to smash someone through a wall. High-level characters take too much build time to not get to use them.
I was waiting to post IC until Dice had a chance to retcon everything with my PC. But in favor of not holding this game up, should I just go ahead and post?
On the topic of time it takes to build, I built mine in an hour.
I still find picking maneuvers time consuming, though not nearly as bad as items (oddly, the rules about items for this games made it worse, as you didn't just dump cash into big-tickets stat boosters, not that I'm complaining)
Well, Torog will start things with a bang. let's see if I built him as strong as I thought.
Initiative Initiative - (1d20+18)[28]
I knew I would be glad i took the gloves that grant shadow jaunt, being able to beat that 20' move is a life-saver.
Gah, I hope I go before you....My build is somewhat based off it.
Initiative - (1d20+18)[28]
EDIT: how are we doing this? Did Torog initiate combat with his surprise Robilar's gambit or are we going by initiative order?
EDIT:: If I go first I'm going to activate Rising Phoenix Stance Move next to the top most right and use Wyrms Flame on all the Adepts near him (covering 7 of them)
RSS Feeds: 
Masters of the Nine Swords [OOC]
]
I'll give her until this evening to show up, then we'll put Vander under DM control and look into getting a replacement.
