The Shattered Gates of Slaughtergarde

Alright, first off, roles. I am the DM, obviously, and Oosh, Xeno, and Kuma playing the characters. If someone else is really interested in joining, I'll see what I can do, but since only 3 people have stepped up, I'm gonna guess that's a no.

We're gonna start off with 2nd level characters, each of you can play one or two characters, that's your choice. Let's try and aim for a more good-aligned party, though neutral-favoring-good is fine, I guess. I would also like to aim for a more heavily roleplayed game (not meaning it's all talk and diplomacy, just saying that your character is a person). I don't mind if you choose to post your entire character on here (in a separate topic) or if you want to keep it private. I'll trust you guys not to fudge numbers or rolls. Also, try to compact as much information into one post as possible, so we don't end up taking 3 days and 52 posts to get through one round.

As for the characters themselves, they'll have 1,000 xp (putting them right at level 2) and let's say about 500g. Hit points will be rolled, with the first two level at maximum. Normal books are Arms & Armor, Complete Collection, Dungeon Master’s Guide, Expanded Psionics Handbook, Monster Manual (I-V), and the Player’s Handbook. If you're going to use a resource that isn't listed, just double check with me first. Anything on d20 SRD is truth, unless I specifically say otherwise.

House Rules. Not much comes to mind, you guys know me. You don't have to know the spell to use a scroll (though you do need to be able to cast spells in the first place, etc). You'll have to confirm your criticals. The only important rules that come to mind are that a natural 1 and 20 are not automatic fails and successes, respectively. Instead, a natural 20 is given a value of "30", and a natural 1 is given a value of "-10". Thus, a 2nd level fighter with a +5 to hit who rolls a natural 20 doesn't automatically hit, instead he gets a 35 to hit, and then rolls to confirm his critical. Also, there is no such thing as a critical fumble. A miss on a natural 1 may be spectacular, but there aren't any penalties besides you probably missing.

Anyways, we're going to run through a side story, entitled "Something's Cooking", before embarking upon the second largest campaign I have (next to "The World's Largest Dungeon"). Have fun, and let the games begin!

And get used to seeing walls of text.

So, this thread was started a week ago, and I'm just curious. How's everyone coming along with there characters? I've spoken to you guys for the most part about them, but it's still nice to ask. Are we almost ready to go?

I'm gonna take a little time on Wednesday to create my Sorcerer. But once that's done, I'll be ready.

I'm almost finished. my scout is done. I'm making a paladin for my second, and i need an opinion on something, the Strength Devotion feat found in the Complete champion. is it only the hardness bypass that works for 1 minute a day, or is it the entire feat? also, is the strength of conviction feat allowed?( below)

[text reproduced from complete champion]
Strength Devotion
Benefit: Once per day as a swift action, you can bypass hardness with your melee attacks for 1 minute. In addition, you gain a slam attack as a natural weapon, and all your melee attacks (natural or not) gain the adamantine property for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
As a natural weapon, your slam attack does not provoke attacks of opportunity. It deals damage based on your size and character level, as given on the following table.
not buggering with it.
[Text reproduced from Exemplars of Evil]
strength of conviction
Prerequisite: smite evil or smite good
Effect: you may exchange a use of your smite evil or good to smite someone regardless of alignment. you gain no bonus to the attack, but if you hit you add your smiting class level

Kuma wrote:I'm almost finished. my scout is done. I'm making a paladin for my second, and i need an opinion on something, the Strength Devotion feat found in the Complete champion. is it only the hardness bypass that works for 1 minute a day, or is it the entire feat? also, is the strength of conviction feat allowed?

For Strength Devotion, I would say the entire feat is 1 minute per day. As for Strength of Conviction, I see nothing wrong with that.

cool. the wording had me confused, so for ten rounds i gain a slam attack that ignores hardness and all my weapons are adamant for DR. why in hell could they not write it that way?

Alright, everybody's characters look to be ready, I just ask that you give me so back story or such for your characters like Kuma's done so I know where everyone is coming from.

Got it dear. Just haven't posted yet. or written for that matter

A giant of a man strides into the Sly wink, his flaming hair and beard marking him instantly as a north-man. His clanking mail and heavy boots drown out the lithe movements of the smaller, effeminate man behind him, but his brother's complaints couldn't be drowned out by a small riot.
"Joseph, can you please reiterate why the hell we're down here? You come out of nowhere, grab me up, and drag me down to some backwater, hole in the wall, armpit of the earth town in the gods forsaken south! Now give me one good reason why I shouldn't march back up to home or I'm out of here." the younger mans voice is low, but easily hear-able to anyone next to him
"We are needed, a shadow has fallen over this land, the sun's eye has turned from it." the bearded man's voice is a deep rumble.
"and that's good enough, eh? I for one, am tired of working Sol Invictus without pay"
"Don't complain, if worse comes to worse, I'll pay you."
The man in iron sits down beside the fireplace, his cloak insulating his armor from the radiating heat. His brother slips to the bar, pulling up a stool and tossing a silver piece towards Shiggetam.
" your best, please, but something hard and strong, not that weak brew you south-rons drink."

{for me "Spoken" "thought" {out of Character}}

Glim and Anilis walked into The Sly Wink. Glim was wringing his hands as if they were a washcloth. He did this from time to time, and it was somewhat of a nervous habit. Anilis was holding his lute plucking out a yet undetermined song. He was in the middle of composing it about a week ago.

*FLASHBACK*

"Anilis! Anilis! We need to leave. There's rumors of darkness spreading. If we could find someway to involve ourselves, then I could continue my studies on sentient beings." Glim had been conducting experiments on the local wildlife. Trying to manipulate their blood to be beneficial. An odd set of circumstances but a pure goal nonetheless. "Calm yourself. I know that you can be a little shortsighted after what you've been through, but give it a rest. We can go as soon as I'm done composing this song. I think I might be seeing some results..."

*END OF FLASHBACK*

Anilis sighed. Not many people would ever realize how death effects your point of view. Unfortunately he had to deal with it on a daily basis. He continued onto the bar and sat down, Glim trailing behind him. He turned to the barkeep, and said, "So..." he said in a soothing tone, "Word around the campfire says that there's a dark power coming. Would you know anything of that?"


Meanwhile, Glim hopped up onto a barstool and said, "I'll have whatever is colored red, barkeep!" Ixchel slithered out from under his master's clothing and hissed. Glim got the vague impression of hunger. He made a silent hand signal and the tiny viper slithered off to find a suitable meal.

{Same instances as Kuma with speech and such. And you do not want to "misunderstand" me love }

The door to the Sly Wink suddenly burst open and ruffled looking half-elf came storming in. She quickly glanced around the tavern her pale hair whipping around her face. She stormed up to the bar and took a seat next to a man with a small snake near him. "I cannot believe you allow such vermin in here." A second woman, a wood elf, came in with an equally worn look on her face. The badger sitting across her shoulders growled softly at the man the half-elf was next to. She stepped lithely to the empty barstool next to the half-elf. "Celina you really shouldn't run off like that. What if I had gotten lost?" The woman, Celina, regarded her charge coldly. "Speaking of vermin..." she said under her breath, "Why dear Zenobia I could not lose you if I tried. and trust me I do." She turned to the bar. "Barkeep! I'll take your strongest ale."

Red hunches down over his drink, listening carefully to the people around him.
{Red's listen, if needed to hear others, is 16 | Joseph's (farther away) is 14}
He perks up at the mention of "...a dark power coming..." wondering if he had already caught on to the reason for his brother's odd behavior. At the entrance of the mildly unpleasant half-elf, the effeminate man hunched even deeper, if that were possible, into his drink. he couldn't help but think that he was one of the "Vermin" she was mentioning. He hoped that Joseph hadn't heard that, white knight that he is.

Celina pushed the money towards the barkeep and took a drink. "Dark power?" She glared at the man next to her. "What would you know about such things?" Zenobia was curious as to the barkeep's comments. "Hey Mr. Barkeep. What did you say was irrelevant?"

"Yes sir, what is irrelevant? I'm sure that both of us would be very interested."

Glim looked over at Anilis and said, "Don't worry, I'll cover it." Glim put three silvers on the counter and muttered, "Keep the change."

Red signs "Come here" to his brother.
{Joseph INT check:19, success}
The large Northerner makes his way to the table, parting the crowd of patrons as he passes. Red catches him up with several low whispers.
"...and the unpleasant one seems to be accusing him of something untoward."
"Hmph." Joseph turns slightly towards the half-elf, watching the group for any signs of violence. His hands twitch towards the manacles hidden beneath his cloak.

Celina was wary of the man next to her. She again thought of the serpent she'd seen. "You. What did you mean dark power? Answer me or you shall answer to my lord." Zenobia was ignoring her irritating companion, her eyes following the large bearded man that had just clunked his way to a smaller boy. She rose and walked quickly to their table. "Hi boys. What are ya talking about?"

red replies to Zenobia as Joseph, still watching the priestess, replies to the bartender.
"Nothing to be concerned about Miss..? My brother's on some holy crusade, thought he'd want to hear this."

"Where would we find Gendrew then? It would at least be prudent to check on him, make sure nothing has happened."

"Zenobia. What sort of holy crusade? Maybe I could join." Zenobia pulled up the chair next to the boy. "So who are you?" Bartholemew crawled unto the table and began drinking from a glass there.

Red takes another gulp from his ale before responding, " Names Kras, Red in the south-tongue. And as to the sort of crusade, it's probably better if he explains. I don't have much traffic with the gods, whereas he..." he pauses a moment, wondering how to best phrase his brother's complete devotion to the Unconquered Sun. Giving up, he merely states " Well, you'll see if you talk to him."

"Sounds like Celina. Heironious this Heironious that. God she might as well marry him. By the way you might not want to drink anymore of that. Barty here has wicked back wash." Zenobia picked up the badger and began stroking his head.

"Er? Umm, well alright then, that one's on me I guess, little guy." Red laughs and pushes his mug over to the badger.