Game of Thrones: Against the Band of Nine OOC

[Rusty Tincanne]

green ronin's

[max_vale]

Even more specifically; the Green Ronin 'A song of ice and fire RPG: A Game of Thrones edition'......since I've never seen the earlier version; I have NO idea if there's any rule changes; but I thought I'd mention that.


Okay peoples; please come up with your character stats (I'm happy to offer advice if wanted/needed) by the end of this weekend as I'd like to get the adventure started next week. That okay with people? I just created a thread for the PCs and posted Rusty's rough-draft on it......Rusty, let me know what changes (if any) you want to make, along with final details like a character name.

Everybody doing alright?

[Synthalus]

Sir Gannis Valmont

I know not how to roll up my character or own the books to do so. I did need help to make my character?

[smoke warrior]

I am free tomorrow so I will make mine a ND Syns guys.

[Rusty Tincanne]

I am making mine and Syns guy from scratch if you need help I have experience with this game so don't be afraid to ask.

I thought Smoke was making your character?

The pdf of the rules is available for ~$20 from Green Ronin. That said (and at the risk of breaking a forum rule or two), I might be willing to share a copy of the pdf I bought. I just want this game t go forward and experience Westeros!

Max_vale: I'll let you know about any changes to the character. I'll also try to do the money thing again, but I was having a really hard time making change! It makes me appreciate having 100 cents = 1 dollar, and then everything be based on that.

I will try to roll up the house stats before the end of the weekend, but this weekend has gotten wicked busy. If jdluna also rolls up a knight, will we have two nobles with us? That could be cool!

[jdluna]

I am making mine and Syns guy from scratch if you need help I have experience with this game so don't be afraid to ask.

I thought Smoke was making your character?

The pdf of the rules is available for ~$20 from Green Ronin. That said (and at the risk of breaking a forum rule or two), I might be willing to share a copy of the pdf I bought. I just want this game t go forward and experience Westeros!

Max_vale: I'll let you know about any changes to the character. I'll also try to do the money thing again, but I was having a really hard time making change! It makes me appreciate having 100 cents = 1 dollar, and then everything be based on that.

I will try to roll up the house stats before the end of the weekend, but this weekend has gotten wicked busy. If jdluna also rolls up a knight, will we have two nobles with us? That could be cool!

Maybe if you could just quote the basic character building part just to get us going. I'll pick up a copy of Green Ronin at some point soon. I'm old and refer hard copies.

[Rusty Tincanne]

I believe there were 8 stages of building a character, with the most effort going into 2 of the stages. We can certainly give it a try. Copy/pasting sections of the PDF will definitely be easier than typing it all in. I can get started on this tomorrow at teh earliest, though.

[max_vale]

Okay; I'm not trying to be a jerk or anything....but can some of you PLEASE get started on making a character? Even if it's just a concept that you PM me or post here; I can convert it to stat form and we can make some headway. I'm sorry to sound mean and lord knows I'm not the fastest poster or even posts everyday (particularly on weekends, I'm almost NEVER on these boards!)....but some of you haven't posted or PM'd me in over a week.....if you're not sure if you really want to play or don't have the time; that's cool, just let me know.

Also; please welcome aboard Marullus!

I'll go ahead and make all the House rolls; just to quicken the pace and come up with some stuff to work with....you guys can fill in some of the blanks.

Again, I'm REALLY not trying to sound like a jack-ass, so my apologies....but I just kinda feel like this game is just spinning its wheels. Let's get rolling!

-Max

[Rusty Tincanne]

I'll go ahead and make all the House rolls; just to quicken the pace and come up with some stuff to work with....you guys can fill in some of the blanks.

Darn. I knew I was forgetting something! Sorry about that. (Though to be honest, I have been under the weather for the past 3-4 days... Anyhow, Thanks for doing those roles.

Glad to have you Marullus!

[Marullus]

Hey all!

Playing with the book and trying out character creation. Here's a sample PC... let me know thoughts. I incorporated some room for growth that I'd like to experiment with and aimed for a character that would be enjoyable to play with both flaws and strengths.

Grendall "The Bear"
Assistant in the Kennels
Grendall was born to a family of foresters in the wood; his mother died in childbirth. The rumors that it was his size that killed her always hurt him deeply. He had few friends, save the bear cub he raised from its infancy, who he calls 'little brother.' Their bond was deeper than with any true sibling, and his father worried about the boy and his strange night terrors. By the time he was an adolescent, he stood almost seven feet tall and four feet across the shoulders. His father passed away and though he looked a man, he was still a boy inside. He was taken in by Hilstrand, leader of the notorious Red Hand Bandits. His massive form quickly inspired legends, encouraged by Hilstrand. The Bandits had a giant. The bandits had a half-bear-man who rended people with his claw-like hands. The bandits fed their live prisoners to pet bears. The truth that they had an impressionable boy and his pet was known to no one. His night terrors worsened, frightening even to the hardened bandits. When the bandits were captured (many being put to the sword), Grendall and Little Brother escaped into the woods. Scared and once more alone, he barely subsisted in the forest, afraid to come near anyone due to the accusations he knew were against him. This lasted until the Lord was hunting in the wood, chasing a massive boar. The boar rounded on the Lord and gored him. As it circled to end him, Grendall emerged from the trees with a roar and cut the beast clean in half with his axe, saving the Lord's life. At first it was tense as he was apprehended, but when the Lord saw that the giant of smallfolk legend and his man-eating bear were a scared boy and tamed pet -- terrified, dirty, and alone -- he was pardoned. Grendall gratefully took a position tending the Lord's hounds in the kennels and over the past ten or so years, he and little brother eventually became a normal sight within the keep. Massive, frightening, and totally without guile, he is half the Lord's servant and half conversation piece for visiting smallfolk. Grateful for his humble position and fearful of ever again being alone and accused, he does as his Lord wills and otherwise is roused by being witness to injustice, which brings back memories and terrible anger from his past.

Age: Adult (25 years)
Status: 2
Role: Warrior
KEY ABILITIES: Agility, Animal Handling, Athletics, Endurance,
Fighting, Marksmanship, and Warfare

Background:
You kept company of a famous individual (Hilstrand, leader of a bandit gang)
You were falsely accused of wrongdoing
You saved the life of the Lord from a rampaging boar

Goal: Justice
Motivation: Fear
Virtue: Humble
Vice: Wrathful

Agility: 2
Animal Handling: 4 (Train 1B)
Athletics: 4 (Strength 3B)
Awareness: 3
Cunning: 2
Deception: 1
Endurance: 5
Fighting: 4 (Axe 2B)
Healing: 2
Knowledge: 2
Language: 2
Marksmanship: 2
Persuasion: 3 (Intimidation 1B)
Status: 2
Stealth: 2
Survival: 3
Thievery: 2
Warfare: 2
Will: 4 (Dedication 1B)

Intrigue Defense: 7
Composure: 12

Combat Defense: 12
Health: 15
Armor Rating: 3
Damage:
Longaxe 10D
Shield 2D
Dagger 1D

Destiny points: 4 (1 remaining?)
Benefits: Massive; Animal Cohort: Bear; Warg Dreams
Drawbacks: Threatening. "You exude a menacing aura."
[During an intrigue, if your first Persuasion test does not use Intimidate,
you take a -2 penalty to Intrigue Defense until the end of the scene. You
also take a –2D on all Persuasion tests made to Charm or Seduce.]

Equipment:
Heavily-worn grey hooded cloak
Forest green linen tunic
Leather leggings
Heavy boots
Thick leather belt with iron clasp
Dagger
(Supposing I roll a five or higher, he has)
Hard Leather Hauberk
Shield
Longaxe


Weapons:
Longaxe - Damage 10, hit up to 3 yards away, consequence of defeat is always death
[Bulk 1, Powerful, Reach, Two-Handed, Vicious]
Dagger - Damage 1, Defense +1 Off-hand +1

Armor:
Hard Leathers: AR 3, Agility -2, 0 Bulk
Shield: Defensive +2

Movement: Base 4 yards, sprint 15 yards

[Rusty Tincanne]

And the bear! The Bear!
And the maiden Fair!

And there I was getting harassed about having a dog on stealthy missions!

Great seeing you in here Marullus. I think that your character looks pretty great. Interesting backstory. Will he be a "simpleton" or just broken?




Now will anyone else post up a character?

[Marullus]

Yeah, I didn't see the bit about the dog not being stealthy until later. I riffed off of the Bear and the Maiden Fair in coming up with the concept, and wanted to try out the fated aspect of future warg/greendreams, there. Bears are specifically mentioned with animal consorts, and the Stormlands section specifically mentions them as one of the few places they are common. I liked that his benefits (massive, has a bear) are also complications. I debated dropping Cunning to 1 as well as Deception and making him simple, but decided against it. I didn't want to go full-Hodor. He's of normal intelligence, just without guile and socially inept. Since the game has social/intrigue mechanics, I like being the manipulable brute and seeing where the character growth takes us in terms of both that and the greendreams. If the concept is good but the greendreams can't be outside the north, then he could have been a child and with bandits in the north, then outcast and ended up in the south to save the local Lord. If the concept is good but the greendreams aspect is a non-starter for the GM, then he could drop it and just be nothing but a brute (less interesting and less growth, but doable). At that point he is just Fessig from Princess Bride.

Do we have more than the two of us? Two woodsmen isn't bad, but don't we need a Knight and/or a Lordling? I will start working on those concepts in case the GM says it is better that I switch.

[Marullus]

If we need someone knightly/noble, here's an option. (Still trying out the book.)

Eduard Storm, The Scarlet Knight
Sworn Knight, Bastard Brother of the Lord.
Eduard has spent a lifetime in his brother's service, seeking the legitimacy of lands of his own. But opportunities are made, not given.

Age: Middle Aged (43 years)
Status: 3
Role: Leader (Knight)

Background:
Knighted at the Tournament of Roses
Fought in the War
Founded the Scarlet Riders
Broke up the Red Hand Bandits

Goal: Power
Motivation: Lust
Virtue: Merciful
Vice: Ambitious/Grasping

Agility: 2
Animal Handling: 3
Athletics: 3 (Strength 3B)
Awareness: 3
Cunning: 4 (Logic 2B)
Deception: 3
Endurance: 4
Fighting: 4 (Long Blade 1B, Spear 1B)
Healing: 2
Knowledge: 3
Language: 2
Marksmanship: 1
Persuasion: 5 (Convince 3B)
Status: 3
Stealth: 2
Survival: 2
Thievery: 2
Warfare: 2
Will: 4

Intrigue Defense: 10
Composure: 12

Combat Defense: 6 (8 unarmored)
Health: 12
Armor Rating: 5 (Breastplate AR-2, Bulk 3)
Damage:
Greatsword 9 (Powerful, Slow, Two-Handed, Unwieldy, Vicious)
Boar Spear 7 (Impale, Powerful, Slow, Two-handed)
Dagger 1 (Defensive+1, Offhand+1)

Movement: 3
Destiny Points: 1 (4 total)

Benefits: Attractive, Authoritative, Cadre
Flaws: Bastard, Pampered (-1D Survival)

Veteran squad of 10 men.
Re-roll (Persuasion/2) 1s on Persuasion tests.
Reduce Persuasion penalty by two.
-1D persuasion against higher status.

Courser 600ss
Greatsword 800ss
Boar Spear 40ss
Breastplate 800ss
2240ss, or 10.5 gold

[max_vale]

Hey there peoples; sorry for not being on the boards over the weekend, but full advance warning...that will be common for me; most of my posting time is during the week.

First things first: welcome aboard Enoch! Please come up with a character (with or without stats, but please give me a good concept over the next couple of days please!

Next: Synthalus, Smoke, jdluna.....I can (and will draw up some 'concept characters' with stats based on the info I've received; i.e. Synth's 'Lancelot-esque' Knight; Smoke's 'sellsword with Dothraki companion'; and j.d....actually, I don't think I've had any ideas for you. HOWEVER; if I don't get a post on these boards or a PM by Wednesday, I'm sorry, but I'm gonna have to drop you from the game. I want to get this game running this week and I need players who are a bit more responsive. So PLEASE, get in touch with me soon!

Okay; Marullus; both characters look great but full warning; after the first part of the adventure I can't see either the Bear or the squad of troops coming into play very often over the next couple parts of the mission....so keep that in mind and feel free to make changes if desired.

As for which to play; it kind of depends on what Enoch and/or the others decide on......if Sythalus and/or jdluna don't get back to me and Enoch doesn't want to play a Knight; would you mind terribly playing the Eduard character? I'm sorry it's not your first concept, but I do kinda need a Knight for the initial story launch.

Finally, I want to get this game started by the end of this week. Let's get this party stated people!

[Enoch]

I'm considering either a maester or maester-like character--either one who graduated from the Citadel, or perhaps a character who started there but was expelled and perhaps went across the Narrow Seas for a few years until the furor died down. A small hold like the one we're talking about may not have a true maester on staff, so if necessary either character could fulfill that function for the House.

Either way, I'm looking at a character with high Cunning and Knowledge, as well as some roguish skills. I'm looking at Qualities like Trade (Poisoner), Knowledge Focus (Underworld), possibly something like Master of Ravens but more likely Treacherous or Adept Negotiator.

[Marullus]

Okay; Marullus; both characters look great but full warning; after the first part of the adventure I can't see either the Bear or the squad of troops coming into play very often over the next couple parts of the mission....so keep that in mind and feel free to make changes if desired.

Can we get a pitch of what the game/mission is? We can tailor better with better detail. All I know is:
* It requires a knight
* We're all members of a small house in the Stormlands
* It has "shady commando stuff."

The bear is color and future opportunities if he advances to further greenseer benefits (at this stage it is only a liability story color). If it is desirable to have future opportunity, then absence in the near-term makes sense. His abilities were innocuous as long as he was in the kennels and the bear was with him. When he goes on the mission and the bear goes to wander the forests, it is only then that the dream connection becomes interesting and poignant (hook for a future story, but a liability to the current mission... all it does for him is gives him the risk of -1D sleeplessness). His connection could deepen (by spending XP from this arc) once they all return and are re-united, making it a plotline for the next story arc.

If it isn't desirable to do that, then we simply drop the bear. I drop Animal Cohort and Warg Dreams and take Brawling I & II. He is still friendly with animals, but they are the normal hounds of his kennels. His character growth is in seeing the world beyond his kennels, and he is more of a Fessig. I might have to make him enjoy rhymes.

For the Cadre, it is important concept-wise for the Bastard to have men that are loyal specifically to him and not to his brother the Lord. It feeds his desire for power. I imagined it as "has a crew" for the purpose of whatever shady commando stuff you'd want us doing - especially if we're a small group of players (right now: A Knight, a Maester, and an Archer). I was keeping the option open that I had some high-trust NPCs to be doing side-actions in support of whatever storyline we were doing.

As for which to play; it kind of depends on what Enoch and/or the others decide on......if Sythalus and/or jdluna don't get back to me and Enoch doesn't want to play a Knight; would you mind terribly playing the Eduard character? I'm sorry it's not your first concept, but I do kinda need a Knight for the initial story launch.

If another player returns and wants to do the Knight, I'm happy to step aside. Or, if they want to play the Lord or Heir, I make sure I left those roles open. I can either play the Bastard as a foil or I can play "The Bear."

If not, I'm happy to play the knight.

[max_vale]

Enoch: I like the idea a lot.....particularly the having spent a few years across the Narrow Sea part (all the more reason to be a member of a party sent against a group of Free City leaders/pirates/sell-swords like the Band of Nine....he may have some info or at least working knowledge of how they operate) and Master of Ravens is ALWAYS useful; especially for sending/receiving messages while engaged in missions on the step-stones, in Essos, etc.


Marullus: In that case; both seem perfectly fine (the Bear/Warg-dreams and the squad of loyal henchmen); I was more concerned that if in the first few parts of the adventure (likely to be months of real-time playing) your PC wouldn't have much occasion to call on his Bear or use his squad of personal guards in game-situations (not Background events but MAIN STORY events) that you might be disappointed. In the contexts you mention; I think either choice is perfectly fine.

I have no problem with the warg-dreams as it opens up interesting stories/plot-elements and unlike some people I know; I have no issues with the more 'super-natural' parts of Game of Thrones/Song of Ice and Fire. I hope one of the other interested players sticks around and takes on the Knight role as it sounds like you'd really prefer to play Grendall; and I don't blame you; he sounds pretty damn cool! By the way; if someone else DOES decide to play the Knight role; do you mind if I use the Eduard character as an NPC?

Finally; as for a bit more about the adventure concept.....basically the concept is a Knight and his capable and unorthodox bannermen/family members/sworn-swords come to the attention of some of the movers-and-shakers in Westeros who will come to employ them in a 'commando' fashion against the Band of Nine as the War of the Nine-penny Kings begins. In this sense; I'm thinking some night-time sailing to shadowy places and meeting/fighting/sneaking, etc. in a more 'quiet' way than most of the Fighting will be.....which makes for bringing along Bears, Dogs, Horses or squads of troops a little more tricky.

Does that help?

Edit: Oh, and I don't mind Eduard as the "Knight" role either....I'm assuming he's an acknowledged Bastard and a player in the House; which is all I really need.

[Enoch]

Any particular abilities/specialties we should consider taking, given the campaign (Dodge, Quickness, etc.)? I presume some sort of weapon skill will probably be useful for everybody, and maybe Stealth or Blend In?

EDIT: Is it worth taking points in Language? It makes sense for the background and the campaign, but the skill itself seems really useless. Each language is essentially its own Ability, which means Braavosi 4 costs the same as Fighting 4, but not only is less likely to come into play, it also confers no general skill (whereas Fighting lets you fight with swords, axes, spears, etc. and specialize in one, Language: Braavosi gives you nothing if they're not speaking the language you specialize in).

EDIT: Wow. According to the chart on p. 49, since languages don't start at the default 2 like most skills (i.e., you have Rank 0 in a language you don't know), a rank in Languages grants you a 1 in a single language. That's even rougher. So 2 ranks in Fighting would give you a 4 in using any weapon, or a 2 in a specific language.

[Marullus]

Thank you - that is an important clarification. If we're before the War of the Ninepenny Kings, we are 23 years before Robert's Rebellion. We're 40 years before the books. We're in 259 serving Jaehaerys II Targaryen as King if we're involved in intrigues against the Band of Nine, during the year of his ascension to the throne (or we are in 258 when the Band of Nine formed, and under Aegon V before he burned a slew of people to death by accident trying to hatch dragon eggs). Mad King Aerys will only be a 16 year old squire in the battle of Ninepenny Kings that follows. This is a very different world.

I love playing with fated roles and the supernatural, but a big theme of the later story is "magic re-entering the world" when it is clearly absent at this time. You're also looking for a spy-mission crew and the green dreams seem to be a detractor. I'll plan to play the Bastard Knight, who fits better with what you desire. If one of the other players reactivates and wants to be the knight then perhaps we can retool Grendell, in which case I don't mind Eduard being used as an NPC.

[max_vale]

Enoch: Any of the abilities/specialties you mention would be worthwhile in my opinion and yes; that's how the Language skill works; which is unique in that manner. However, it can also be quite useful to have a character that speaks a different language and any of the languages of the Free Cities in particular would serve well in the kind of campaign I'm hoping to run. However, if you don't want to spend points in one; I understand.

Marullus: Yes indeed; the game will be starting in 259 at about the time of the Tragedy of Summerhall. While I'm not planning on breaking from cannon in any MAJOR way; I have no problem with minor differences/changes.....and to be fair; while magic is re-entering the world in a much greater manner in the novels; it's not totally absent from the world of 259; there have always been skinchangers and giants in the North/beyond the wall during this time period; and any number of people have had prophetic dreams over the years (Maggy the Frog....somewhere around 280AL or so); the 'glowing' sword Dawn carried by the son of the morning; the handful of Children of the Forest still alive here and there; etc.; so I don't think having a single warg/greenseer some 40 years before the events of the novels is really that big of a deal; but whichever role you want to play is cool with me.