[PF-1e] Academy of Heroes

[dalarangreen]

The Academy of Heroes: Applications in I have players that are in the process of being invited to the game. However, sometimes people dropout, so if you are interested, post in this thread and I'll put you on a waitlist!Negotiate Phase

Game Name Academy of Heroes

Game System Pathfinder

Theme Students face Hogwarts-esque intrigue in a multi-dimensional fantasy world

Important Notes Low-level-heroes triumphant against all odds. Emphasis on storytelling and creativity!

The Academy Of Heroes Throughout the multiverse there are rumors of this institution: a school sequestered on a separate plane of existence that trains young talent to become Heroic figures of history. Graduates from the institution are said to be able to travel across dimensions, aiding those who are in need, solving galactic crises, and facing the great evils of the Universe wherever they roam. Indeed, while much of the Academy’s existence is shrouded in mystery, given the multiverse’s size and scope, it is quite surprising that it exists in rumor at all. The mere fact that it is a legend speaks volumes to the affect its graduates on every dimension of the multiverse. Visitors are rarely brought to Kanzeon, the “Land of Heroes”, where the Academy resides, and even fewer have been invited to see the Academy’s campus. However, every year, the prospective student search committee employs powerful divinatory tools to identify a group of potential candidates for new admissions to the Academy. Out of all the young people in the multiverse, a mere 1000 individuals will be selected to participate in the Trials. And out of those 1000 individuals, there is one group of students whose admission would be remembered in the Academy’s history for generations to come...

Story Thus Far...   Students who were selected for the Trials quickly discovered that they would be faced with challenges beyond what was originally intended by the Trials' proctors. Sent into the woods to break a curse on an animal or mystical creature, students embarked in groups on what was supposed to be a straightforward quest. However, things slowly began to go awry. It started when proctors suddenly lost contact with several of the groups who were supposed to be monitoring students. Confused and concerned, the instructors organized several search parties to enter the woods, but more problems began cropping up everywhere. Students by now were deep in the woods, spread far apart from each other. In addition, the curse stones somehow created a series of barriers and illusions which prevented the search teams from making quick progress. All of this occurred unbeknownst to the prospective students who journeyed deeper into the Greenfoot Woods. Without more information, students continued to their quests. Some students thought the mayhem was just a part of the Academy's entrance exam. Some students completed their tasks without difficulty. Other students faced challenges far beyond the scope of what they could reasonably expect to accomplish. In either case, to the embarrassment of the Academy, there were many injuries as a result of the Trials, and worse, many deaths...   Chapter 0 - Journey towards a New Beginning...   Chapter 1 - The Trials Despite the harrowing experience of the Trials, a determined group of young ones decided to continue with the enrollment into the Academy. They were not disappointed. The Academy's campus itself was a wonder worth seeing. Not only that, Chef Gruko's food was amazing and their accommodations in the Lightwell Dorms were comfortable. For many students, it made their near death experiences during the Trials fade into the distant past. Life at the Academy was good--if a little grueling. High expectations were held for all students and the first term was called "the trimester of hell" for a reason. Nonetheless, the first-year students persisted, studied, ate, and of course... got caught up in the complex emotional drama of teenage youth...   Chapter 2 - A School for Heroes

About You You are a young person from some part of the multiverse, who was selected to become a prospective student at the Academy of Heroes. Somehow, through magical means, the Academy found a way to reach out to you (a copy of your introduction letter is shown below) and you decided to take your chances to try and join the Academy. Upon arriving, you were faced with the challenges and struggles of the Trials, and somehow, you You will need to work out what happened with me in the OOC. See application details below.managed to pass the Trials. Since you succeeded in your test, you have been selected to become a part of the 1st year class. You will be assigned most of our current PCs are living in Pod 314; I will make a decision about your character's Pod assignment at some pointto Pod 227 or Pod 335, along with a these will mostly be NPCs, some which the current PCs already know and some that you might be able to create (if you are interested)group of other students. Copy of Letter from the Academy:   Letter From the Academy Congratulations! You have been selected as a prospective student for the Academy of Heroes! Though you may not know it yet, our search committee has determined that you have skills, talent, and potential to become a true Hero. At the Academy of Heroes, we help people just like you uncover their hidden strengths, hone their abilities, and understand their weaknesses. Through rigorous training, top-notch courses, and mind-blowing classes, we will be prepared to accomplish truly Heroic feats! A word of caution: the path of Heroism is not for those weak of spirit. While we can support you in mastering the trade of Heroism, only you can provide the motivation necessary for you to succeed. Your path is your own; our mission is to support you in getting there. Do you have the will to become a Hero? Should you sign your name, or otherwise affirm the question, the following text appears below.X ________________   This invitation guarantees you a spot in the Trials. All prospective students must complete the Trials with a grade of Satisfactory in order to be matriculated into the Academy of Heroes. During the Trials, we will test your spirit and will to become a Hero. Your transportation to the location of the Trials has been arranged. Follow your local stream or river, heading down hill towards the nearest large body of water. We will pick you up. When in doubt, this letter will serve as your guide.

About the Game and Setting This is a story I’ve been interested in creating with a committed group of individuals for about a number of years now. The campaign is set up run at least through the five years at the Academy (i.e., from lvl 1 to lvl 5), but with the possibility to keep going afterwards if we are all still into it. There will be combat and mechanics, but I am most interested in telling the story (which will include Heroic action, of course!). Maybe 75% role play, 25% roll play. But even when we are roll-playing, I always believe that the mechanics should serve the story (not the other way around).

Character Applications READ THE FOLLOWING CAREFULLY: What I am Looking For: I am looking for Look, I made them all start with C!4 things: Commitment: I want players who will stick with the game to the end. But at least through 2021. xD - Consistency: I am requesting 1/week posting between M-F (at least) from everyone in the game. This will allow me to give consistent updates each week on the weekend. - Creativity: I am not looking for power-gaming but neither am I looking the best writers. What I looking for are players who are willing to come up with ideas and respond to the scenarios presented to them! - Community: I am seeking players who will support the group (OOC) and engage the other characters (IC). More youthful drama! - Application Process In an effort to find such players, the application process will be somewhat different from normal. A simple process, but different! Ask me if you have questions!   There will be three phases: Interest Phase: During this phase, I will be looking for who has interest. Tell me a little bit about yourself and what interests you about this game. In addition, please link to a few in-character posts that you are proud of. If you are a new to the site, let me know! - Pitch Phase: I will invite 5 players to write a paragraph pitch for a character that they are interested in playing. Do not write more than a paragraph! During this phase, people are welcome to continue sharing their interest! You will be put on a waiting list and I will reach out to you when there is space available / if a pitch is unsuccessful. - Negotiate Phase: From the 5 selected pitches in the pitch phase, I will select two to three characters. During this time, I will give feedback to the 2 or 3 characters selected to help flesh out a background / experience in the Trials that will appropriately integrate the character into the game. - As always, if you have questions, please ask! General Advice   General Advice: As I mentioned earlier, I am interested in telling a story with people. Show me how the mechanics fit your character. Invest me in your character and make me want to see how your character's story will play out!

Character Creation (and a few House Rules) You don't need to make a character sheet to apply (in fact, please don't!). The following character creation guidelines are just to help you think about what kind of character you want to create!   Generally, anything from Paizo’s PRD is fair game, however, I reserve a right to veto if something seems too far-fetched, or doesn’t quite fit the context. I won’t be considering any third party material. Race: Any race is fine House Rule Changes: Human’s do not get a bonus feat. Instead they can either choose alternate human racial traits or select an additional regular character trait Age: Whatever the equivalent of 14-20 in human years is for your character’s culture. Initial Class: Your initial class will be an NPC class (Adept, Aristocrat, Commoner, Expert, and Warrior). You will gain lvls in normal player classes once admitted to the Academy. House Rule Changes: Commoner’s get a bonus feat Traits: Select two traits. House Rule Changes: One of those traits you will have access to during the Trials, the other trait represents a part of your hidden potential and you will have access to after the Trials. Starting 15-point buy: min 8 and max 16 (before racial modifiers) -- this is to represent your ordinariness before attending the Academy. House Rule Changes: You will get extra bonuses to your ability scores as you level up (as a part of joining the Academy). I have a chart written up, but I'll post it later. Starting Equipment: Starting equipment will be provided by the Academy before you begin the Trials. For the Trials it'll be pretty basic stuff like short swords, leather armor, travel rations, etc. (List to be posted) << Full list of house rules here. >>   Just so you know: hero-ing is not limited to only being big and strong! The Academy embraces a wide diversity of Heroes. Checkout the Academy of Heroes Student Handbook for more information about the kinds of programs offered to students! Do NOT roll any dice in the advertisement thread!

Other Announcements Applications Re-Opening: Currently in Negotiate Phase Some Basic House Rules: and other information can be found here! Required Posting Rate: 1/week between M-F. Number of Players Sought: I will be selecting 2 characters.

[dalarangreen]

FAQ Questions and Answers:

Character Applications

 

Character Apps Player Character DM Notes Status Mrjoegangles Interest, Pitch WhiteStag Interest, Pitch Arjuna332 Interest, pitch PopCultureBard Interest, pitch

[Krow Nest]

Yo, interested

[Arthilian01]

Interested, Let's see if my creative juices have dried up yet.

[dalarangreen]

You all should wait until I finish formatting my post... :P

Thanks for the early interest!

[Arthilian01]

Question!

I see 'Anime' in the Flavour..are we talking gratuitous cleavage shots and impractical outfits that wouldn't stay on throughout the course of battle or are we talking something a little more practical?

[Krow Nest]

Anime doesn't automatically mean that, dude... dont be that kinda person

[Arthilian01]

Trust me, I am not being that dude, I know there are different types of Anime. I just want clarification on whats expected.

[dalarangreen]

Originally Posted by Arthilian01

Question!

I see 'Anime' in the Flavour..are we talking gratuitous cleavage shots and impractical outfits that wouldn't stay on throughout the course of battle or are we talking something a little more practical?

I think that's a fair question, given the reputation Anime has, particularly in mainstream U.S. culture.

This game is not about gratuitous cleavage shots and impractical outfits.

The influence is mostly as is stated after the colon (in the ad): a form of storytelling which at times includes silly and light humor (potentially three-stooges cafteria type stuff) and at other times is dark and brooding--like apocalyptic premonitions, dealing with death, etc. For me, manga and anime is one of the few storytelling forms that I've seen portray such an array of emotional and conceptual spaces all in the same story arc.

[Arthilian01]

And what kind of starting equipment are we looking at?

[dalarangreen]

Originally Posted by Arthilian01

And what kind of starting equipment are we looking at?

Don't worry about starting equipment. Just bring the clothes on your back and maybe a trinket of personal significance or two.

The Academy will provide a set of standard supplies for you to choose from before the Trials begin (I could post it now, but I didn't want to bog people down in details. I'll probably link to it once the game gets approved, yadda, yadda.)

[Arthilian01]

Ah, Very good. I was only asking pertaining to a picture, if they should be standard clothed or fully armored, lightly armored or what.

[kaylara]

Would a marvelous female merfolk (mermaid) be acceptable?

[Arthilian01]

I had a wonderful idea for a celtic barbarian with a good picture reference and everything and then i read a little article about all the things that are wrong in the movie 'Braveheart' from a historical standpoint and it totally put me off...sorry.

[Krow Nest]

Name:Broask
Race: Lizardfolk
Age: 15
Initial Class: Warrior (Self proclaimed)

Description and Personality: Broask is an active teenager Lizardfolk, full of himself and thinking he's all that. He is always trying to show off and prove that he's the best, even if that means putting himself in more danger. He is also a fan of music with a hard beat to it. Even when he isn't listening to it, he keeps his headphones on. Broask tends to practice using spears and lances in private, not wanting to look like he 'isn't the best' when he technically isn't. He always uses his special spear, which was his grandfathers who was a famous war general. When he died, his spear was kept as a memorial, but Broask would sneak it away to go practice using it.

Background: Broask is from a unique world; a world of fantasy, mixed with modern. So while they are using some old style clothing and still need old tools, they have things like television and music players, all created through spell crafting. Humans weren't very common in his world, most races consisting of monster races, like Orcs, Lizardfolk and Bugbears. Broask's grandfather was a war general in a major war and when he died afterward, his spear was made as a memorial, set up in Broask's house as a reminder. The citizens praise the man, seeing him as their hero. Broask remembers back to when he was little, his grandfather would tell him stories about his feats and the amazing soldiers he met in the war. This made the Lizard man think his grandfather was some kind of real life super hero. The war was a war of dominance. An invading army planned to take over their land so many warriors banded together, joined the royal army as allies and fought back the invading army. Broask was just born around the time this was going on so his only knowledge of it is from what his grandfather told him. He would tell his grandson about how the war was massive, the battles constant and the entirety lasting about 3 entire years.

Broask was raised by his parents, alongside a few brothers, in a small town. Broask and his father never really got along, he only wanting what is best for his dreamer of a son, and Broask seeing him as just a boring figure who wants his life to be mediocre. His father was part of a band of hunters who would leave on trips to hunt animals, which spent usually a few days. His father didn't serve in the war due to his children soon being born before it started, and he felt the need to protect his hometown, just in case of invasion from the opposing army. Broask is neither older or younger then his brothers as they were all laid from the same clutch (Yes, I use this logic with Lizardmen/Dragonborn breeding). Technically, Broask was born 4th out of 5 eggs. As his brothers were focused on getting careers or working on a craft, Broask figured he was already good and decided to spend most his time alone in the forest, practicing using spears, like his grandfather could. They all saw him as a sort of lazy brother, even though he was technically active, he was lazy in the sense of making something of himself.

He took to using a spear easily, being able to spin his weapons around him, without bumping it into his own body. He spent sometimes hunting animals with basic hunting spears, from the house where his father kept hunting supplies. One day, a large, already wounded monster had tried to attack the town when he was practicing with a pitchfork, originally being used to throw some hay. Broask, upon trying to defend himself from being crushed until the monsters weight, had raised his pitchfork and impaled the beast. He was found crawling from under the beast and told people he slayed it himself. He sort of grew his ego from there, realizing he slayed a mighty monster, he thought he could easily do so again. This was around when his grandfather was still alive, who congratulated and praised that his grandson was able to slay it. His father saw this as an opportunity and tried to get him to seeing the idea of being a hunter for the town. While it seemed interesting and gave him time to use his spear, he hated the idea of all that work. When he became a teenager... he found a strange letter at his house...

RP RP Sample: Broask groaned in a bit of a yawn as he stepped out of his house, stepping onto the dirt road. He looked over as a vehicle drove past him, some orcs and lizardfolk laughing and talking as they drove by. He sighed before opening the mailbox. He was alone today so he had to grab the mail before anyone came home. He was on his way back inside as he was checking what the letters were all for. He saw the one with his name and his eyebrows raise, "Hm? The heck?" He ripped the envelope open with his finger and pulled out the paper. He read it over. When he got to the end, he couldn't help but grin, "Of course I was selected! Someone must have noticed my skills with a spear!" He signed the paper but jumped as the new text appeared. He read it over and raised an eyebrow curiously. Looking around first, he ran inside, packing a bag with extra clothes and a few other nick nacks. He wrote a note, left it on the table and left the house. He ran down the road, soon finding a bride over a river. He took the letter out again, looked toward the west and began following the river. It took nearly half an hour but he soon reached a large lake. He stood there and stared at the water, "... ... I get picked up here?"