City Watch

[Actaeon]

I have tried several times to put together a series of stand alone tabletop roleplaying sessions with a standard setting and a rotating cast. The concept has been marred by poor execution on my part, with overly complex lore and experimental systems.

 

In a final effort to make it work, I'm going back to basics.

 

You play a guard in the city of Rhae. Each session will cover a single shift or mission. There's no traveling, random encounters, or trying to explain the absent party member or new addition. Once you have a character, you can join or skip sessions as you please. Your guard is still getting experience on the side, so you won't fall behind a level.

 

We'll be using the established Pathfinder system, which is essentially a better balanced version of D&D 3.5. If you're familiar with D&D, you'll barely notice the difference. If not, pretty much everything you need to create a character is online. Provided Sy doesn't cut me off, we'd use the CalRef roleplay chat.

 

I'm hoping this will be a somewhat cooperative worldbuilding effort where anyone can take a stab at DMing.. I envision an independent city-state which values mercantilism and the arts, with a representative democracy which takes the edge off its oligarchic roots. The players will have to walk the line between enforcing the status quo and their own sense of right and wrong as they investigate crimes, clean up magical experiments gone wrong, protect foreign dignitaries, and break up tavern fights.

 

***

 

Edit: Per suggestion, I'm adding more character gen info to the thread:

 

Let's start with level 4 characters. I'm not a big fan of chance in character generation, so have your abilities total 75 and take 2/3 of your maximum possible hit points before factoring in modifiers like constitution or feats.

 

It's low magic, emerging technology. Clerics and Bards are fine, Sorcerers and Wizards ought to be multiclassed with something more martial. Druids and Rangers are probably not going to work for the setting unless you can come up with a really good back story.

 

Try to work within a $10,000 budget for equipment and any magic or advanced items (like a primitive firearm or pocket watch).

 

There's an online character creator, an overview on the SRD site, and a wiki if you need some help with background. I'm not really going to get into the Pathfinder setting but you can make use of the gods and such.

 

I'll start the first session once four or five people wrap up characters. DM's (mostly me, I imagine) will post a short synopsis of each session in this thread so folks can keep their characters up to date.

[Goldengirl]

I'm interested in this flexible commitment, but I personally don't like CalRef chat. Is it possible to use something else, say Skype or AIM?

[keira]

Don't really have the time to learn a new system, but look forward to spectating!

 

@Goldengirl If it's the interface that you don't like, you can also use the calref chat via Pidgin or any other XMPP/Jabber client. (there's also a special chat channel for AimHack to keep the general rabble away). There's a simple howto here (slight language)

Edited October 2, 2014 by sylae

[Actaeon]

I like CalRef's dice roller (which can handle modifiers), ability to embed images, ease of private messaging, and actions. I would consider another venue that could match those features if it wasn't a huge hassle to set up.

 

If it helps, Aran did a major overhaul of the chat recently and it's far less buggy. Roleplay is also a separate channel so you don't have to worry about unfriendly locals.

[Goldengirl]

That actually deals with my concerns perfectly. Thanks, and I'll work on generating a character and all that.

[Callie]

Holomir - Dwarven Cleric

 

 

Age: 68

Weight: 183 lbs

Height: 4'0"

Alignment: Neutral Good

Domains: Earth and Luck

Languages: Common, Dwarven, and Goblin

HP: 41

 

Ability Scores

 

 

Strength - 10

Dexterity - 8 + 1 (from 4th level)

Constitution - 18 + 2 (from race)

Intelligence - 16

Wisdom - 18 + 2 (from race)

Charisma - 5 - 2 (from race)

 

 

 

Skills

 

 

3 points come from leveling in favored class.

 

Appraise - 1

Heal - 4

Knowledge (Arcana) - 4

Knowledge (History) - 4

Knowledge (Religion) - 2

Linguistics - 1

Profession (Librarian) - 3

Sense Motive - 4

 

 

 

Feats

 

 

Combat Casting - You get a +4 bonus on concentration checks made to cast a spell or use a spell-like ability when casting on the defensive or while grappled.

Uncanny Concentration - You do not need to make concentration checks when affected by vigorous or violent motion or by violent weather. You gain a +2 bonus on all other concentration checks.

 

 

 

Special Abilities (from domains)

 

 

Acid Dart - Acid dart at 1d6 + 1/level (3 + Wisdom modifier times per day)

Bit of Luck - Grants an extra roll to target (3 + Wisdom modifier times per day)

 

 

 

Equipment

 

 

Scale Mail (+2)

Light Steel Shield (+2)

Warhammer (+1)

 

Total Cost: 10,000 gp

Total Weight - 41 lbs

 

 

 

Stats

 

 

Saving Throws:

Fortitude: +9 (4 from Cleric, 5 from Constitution)

Reflex: 0 (1 from Cleric, -1 from Dexterity)

Will: +9 (4 from Cleric, 5 from Wisdom)

+ 2 saving throw vs. poison, spells, spell-ilke abilities (racial)

 

AC: 19 (10 base + 7 from scale mail + 3 from light steel shield - 1 from Dexterity)

+4 AC vs. Giants (racial)

 

Initiative Modifier: -1

 

Attack Bonus: +4 (+3 from Cleric, +1 from enhancement to weapon)

 

 

 

Spells

 

 

Orisons:

Bleed - Resumes bleeding of stabilized character

Detect Magic

Resistance - +1 on Saving Throws

Virtue - Gains 1 temporary hp

 

1st Level:

Bless - Allied attack roll +1

Cure Light Wounds - 1d8 + 1/level (max 5)

Detect Evil

Remove Sickness

Sanctuary

True Strike (Luck) - +20 Insight Bonus

 

2nd Level

Cure Moderate Wounds - 2d8 + 1/level (max 10)

Zone of Truth - Prevents subjects from lying

Burst of Radiance - Blinds subjects for 1d4 rounds

Soften Earth and Stone (Earth)

 

3rd Level

Summon Monster III

 

4th Level

Spit Venom

 

5th Level

Wall of Stone

 

 

 

 

[Actaeon]

Thanks, Ex. For easy updating, perhaps the best approach is to post the basics here and link to a google doc. I think having to chance to see each others' background and story is more important than their stats, so whatever format you like (spreadsheet, list, etc) is fine.

 

Right now we have a dwarven cleric, dwarven fighter, elven archer, half elven rogue/swashbuckler, and a human brawler. I'm going to draw upgoing to draw up a basic cranky old cop for people to use if they want to join a session last minute, but there's still plenty of room for a Bard or a Paladin or some sort of outlandish multiclass. I think we have enough to justify setting a time for the first session. Folks can certainly join in as we go.

[Actaeon]

Jibber jabber wolby gokness.

 

The first session will take place on October 15 from 19:30-22:00 MDT on Calref's roleplay channel.

 

It'll help me plan if you RSVP, but anyone with a finished character can participate. If you can't make that time, don't sweat it; there will be others. Spectators are welcome, but I might enlist you to play the barkeep or the villain of the week.

[Actaeon]

We're still putting their finishing touches on characters for tonight, but I thought I'd share a few examples in case others are still on the fence.

 

Harry Baynes is an urban ranger and long time member of the guard. He'll be made available as a spare.

Eberk Greenshield loves small animals despite his fearsome reputation as a fighter and long dwarven lineage.

Leah Amastriana does her best to spoil her father's reputation after he refused to accept his half elven progeny.

Boris Marlow sees morality in shades of gray and is adept at ending tavern fights by beating everyone up.

 

That covers for my characters and those folks without Spidweb accounts. Anyone else considering participating, tonight or eventually?

[Actaeon]

I need to refine my spare character and maybe create a couple more, but the first session was a decent success.

 

The guards encountered a couple of skeletons stealing bones from the cemetery, followed them back to a seaside cave and encountered a teenage necromancer who was apparently missed when her parents were rounded up a decade or so ago. She was captured and they may try to rehabilitate her by enrolling her in the guard.

 

The next session will require a group to protect an important visiting dignitary from a rumored assassination attempt. It's scheduled for 6 p.m. MDT on November 1. If that's late in your time zone, keep in mind you'll be getting an hour back in the morning. Let me know if you can participate.

[Goldengirl]

I'll be unable to attend that session, unfortunately. That said, can we get a calendar set up for future sessions?

[Aran]

I'd love to get my hands in again, and this looks like I can take part without a lot of commitment. I'm thinking of a bard with a level in wizard or something; I'll try to make a character tomorrow.

[Actaeon]

Here's a whenisgood for the time after next. My goal is to mix up the timing so different people get to participate, so I'd prefer not to schedule too far in advance.

 

http://whenisgood.net/citywatch3

[Ouroboros]

Darn am I too late to join this ?

[Actaeon]

You're certainly not too late.

 

It's becoming somewhat challenging to make a character that doesn't tread on someone else's turf. Some class overlap isn't a big deal, but we all like to have our own roleplaying niche. As such, let's have folks add their characters to a list to serve as a guide.

[Actaeon]

​In our second session, the guard managed to foil an assassination attempt against a visiting dignitary from the nearby Cenzan Empire, a supposedly benevolent dictatorship with an immortal leader. War was presumably averted, and everyone (including those of you who didn't join) gets to level up besides.

 

So far I've only had one response on http://whenisgood.net/citywatch3.

When a few more people fill it out, I'll announce another session.

[Actaeon]

It looks like 15:00 to 18:00 MST on November 22 will work for the widest range of people.

I'm glad we already got the assassin scenario out of the way.

[Actaeon]

I'm afraid I have to cancel the Nov 22 session. My uncle is unwell and I'm going to use the weekend to go visit him.

Here's a whenisgood for rescheduling.

[Ouroboros]

Hope your uncle will recover soon. Anyway calendered.

[Goldengirl]

Calendar'd.

 

Hope that things take a turn for the better soon.

[Actaeon]

Thanks for your understanding. It looks like the best option is just to delay it a week. 15:00-18:00 MST on Nov 29.