[PF-1e] The Shackled City

[Ulfskar]

Game Name The Shackled City

Game System Pathfinder

Theme A published adventure path centered around an urban setting. Dark magic, moral ambiguity, and old world horrors abound.

The Shackled City The city of cauldron is aptly named. Nestled in the throat of a dormant volcano, this frontier city has thrived in a hostile environment. Unfortunately, things are about to grow even more hostile for the citizens of this remote city, as two ancient forces converge upon the region in a dreadful confluence of cruelty and madness.

A letter from your GM Greetings, interlopers and applicants, and welcome to my running of the published Adventure Path, The Shackled City. This Adventure Path, originally published for 3.5e D&D, centers around the city of Cauldron in Golarion, a city built upon a dormant volcano. This Adventure Path will take you from simple locals in the city to truly epic heroes, racing to save the city from utter destruction. The Adventure Path is brutal and requires ingenious PCs, who though heroic, are comfortable with the gray morality that Cauldron was built upon. The application process will be lengthy and at the end, those accepted will be expected to make a commitment to the game to see it the whole way through. I'm not interested in players who spread their attention over 5+ games, who quickly join and abandon games every few weeks, or who, after an initial flurry of posting, simply disappear. I'm in this for the long haul and so should you be. With that said, I am very excited to run this Adventure Path. The entire campaign arc is fantastic and the level of detailed crafted by its authors is something that hooked me early on and made my interest grow the more I read. I have a great feeling about this adventure path and once I've selected the five PCs, I look forward to GMing what I hope will be one of the best PbP campaigns you've ever played in. The high standards I will hold to your applications are the same high standards I set for myself. A note on metagaming: The Shackled City has been out for several years and it may be hard for me to find players who aren't familiar with it to one degree or another. My preference would be players wholly ignorant of the campaign, but that may not be possible. As such, I demand a certain level of roleplaying ability to prevent metagaming and separating player knowledge from character knowledge. Those who apply who haven't played the AP or read it will have priority over those who have, unless the applicant who has submits such a fine specimen of character creation, along with assurances to the safety of the campaign arc from metagaming, that I have no choice but to fill one of the five spots with them. A note on characters: Your characters need to be involved with Cauldron. Either citizens or locals (living in the area surrounding the city), or have a good reason for being there. The better you can justify your reason for being in Cauldron (for non-citizens/naitives), the more likely your application will be accepted. Cheers, Ulf.

Application & Character Creation The application process will be broken down into 3 phases: Phase 1 During this phase, you use the Ten Minute Background to create your character idea and then find a suitable image to represent your character. No stats will be generated. In addition, I want you to answer the following questionnaire using PRIVATE TAGS:   Questionnaire 1 1. Your experience with the rules 2. Your experience with PbP 3. Expectations for playing and what you want out of the experience 4. Philosophy as a PbP player 5. Why you are joining this game 6. Define what you think good role-playing is in PbP. 7. What is your experienced with Golarion? 8. What is your experience with this adventure path? 9. How often can you post? Once your application for Phase 1 is completed, please re-post your application in a new thread in this forum. Applicants will be advanced based on uniqueness of characters, ties to Cauldron, and general formatting, spelling, and grammar. Phase 1 will last for two (2) weeks, starting Sunday February 22, 2015 and ending Sunday March 8, 2015. Phase 2 During this phase, those who were selected in Phase 1 will expand their character ideas to full backgrounds, including family, family history, previous travels, friends, failures, successes, and everything in between. This is also where your character's personality will be fleshed out, using the following questionnaire:   Questionnaire 2 1. How does your character interact with the others within a group? 2. What is your character's role in a group? 3. How is your character not as they seems? I want one or two skills that would surprise others if they found out he knows them. Also include personality traits, positive or negative, that would similarly surprise others. 4. What are your character's goals, conscious and, perhaps, subconscious? 5. How easily does your character love? Have they been in love? 6. Is your character racist at all, either now or in their past? 7. All people believe something that is not true, both about the world around them and about themselves. What lies/untruths does your character believe about themselves and the world around them? 8. How is your character about material possessions? 9. What does your character perceive their major problems to be? 10. What does he perceive the solutions to those problems to be? 11. What are your character's religious beliefs? 12. What does your character fear? 13, How much of a temper does your character have? What sorts of things set them off? Here is where your ability to write will be judged and 10-15 (depending on the number of applicants) will pass to Phase 3. Phase 2 will last for one (1) week. Phase 3 Those selected from Phase 2 will now join an open roleplay session in the game thread, where they will be expected to post regularly, roleplay their characters, and interact with other applicants as well as any encountered NPCs. From these the final five (5) players will be selected, based upon party cohesion and interaction, posting ability and frequency, quality of roleplaying, and level of formatting, grammar, and spelling. Phase 3 will last for one (1) week, or until the final 5 have been chosen and are ready to start.

Q&As This adventure path will support all of your class concepts and more. It is primarily an Urban campaign, however you do venture to a number of different location types. The only character concept I would lean away from would be a heavy woodland/wilderness character, though if you can justify it with RP I see no reason against it. Q: Where in the pathfinder world is cauldron? A: I have placed Cauldron in the Shattered Range. Q: Any restrictions on classes or races? A: Anything published is fine. It's not a heavy psionics adventure, but they are still allowed. If you want anything 3rd party just ask first. Q: How are Tengus seen in the shackled city? A: If you played a Tengu, you would be the only one in the city. Though some would accept you, you would be met with distrust more often then not. Q: Does the shackled city have any slaves or gladiators? A: There are no slaves or gladiators in the city. There may be some underground slavery in the surrounding farm land / mines, however it's not accepted or in common practice. Q: Also any word on what we will be using for ability scores? A: Ability scores won't be given until Phase 3. I don't want people focusing on skills/stats instead of character development.

Campaign Text Here are some links to campaign related information (These are not my campaign notes, but have relevant information): Campaign Traits Guide to Cauldron The above links contain "Greyhawk" related gods and information. For this AP we will be using a combination of Greyhawk and Pathfinder Gods, and Pathfinder locations, so please convert (or ask for help) in your application.

A Final Note I am aware that this application process is both unorthodox and, perhaps, intimidating. I do this on purpose. I have a responsibility to the five players I select to have chosen five dedicated and talented individuals so that the six of us can reap the rewards of a long, successful adventure path. Please do not hesitate to PM me, call me out on something, disagree with me, ask questions, bite your thumb at me, or anything else you need to do for me to get your application. I don't bite. I look forward to your applications and good luck!

Applications Status: Red: Application in progress / Reviewing Yellow: Incomplete Green: Complete Name Character Class Status MoonZar Elizabeth Darkholme Wizard Phase 2 Narrten44 Rumplepus Tinkerton Burglar Phase 2 Khalil Khalil Uracan “The Priest of Aroden” Fighter Phase 2 Scarabus Graven Galagor Cleric Phase 2 DarkNetwerk D'endrrah Bloodrager Phase 2 basneakyviper Lucius Wynton ? Phase 2 MundayKnight Beswink Lathenmire the Second Alchemist (Humunculist) Phase 2 Murmur Bronislav Gnil Slayer Phase 2 White Cat Serpetta Jaconi Warlord Phase 2 Dressedtojazz Yiyzus Druid - Ape Shaman Phase 2 Exhibit A Morag Wellington Bard Phase 2 Fyre2387 Janx Deepdelver Sorcerer Phase 2 PopCultureBard Raelia Oresti Ranger [Trophy Hunter] Phase 2 Avner Wolfgar Shieldheart Fighter Phase 2 Curzod Gerrill Pugilist Phase 2 Korvan Gorsark Skulking Slayer (rogue) Phase 2

[Khalil]

Name: Khalil Uracan “The Priest of Aroden” Class: Fighter Alignment: Neutral Good Trait: Scion of Surabar

Ten-Minute Background Step 1: Write 5 background and concept elements that you feel are important to your image of the character. Khalil was born into a long lineage of clerics and priests who worship Aroden, (the now fallen god or disappeared god). Unlike his predecessors, Khalil has taken a different approach to spreading the faith. Instead of preaching the word “The History and Future of Humanity”, he intends to spread it by inspiring others through his actions. Back when the followers of Aroden were favored by the deity, Khalil’s ancestors helped in founding Cauldron, not only by helping establish the community but also defending it against the perils of the Shattered Expanse. This is including against the threat of an ancient demonic army. When he was a child, Khalil’s father was murdered in front of his eyes by a man who showed contempt for his faith. This in turn molded his own beliefs into the more active ones he lives by today. Uracan, what once was a respected family name has become synonymous with “stubborn mule”, “loon” or “quack”. Khalil has adopted the two weapon fighting technique alongside with the use of Aroden’s favored weapon, the longsword. Khalil volunteers his time at the orphanage when needed for events or manual labor. Step 2: List at least two goals for the character. At least one of these goals should be one that the character has, while another should be one that you, as a player, want to see developed over the course of the game. Khalil hopes to inspire people to believe in Aroden again, or perhaps even to revive or rescue him from wherever he may be. I would like for Khalil to avenge his father’s murder. Step 3: List at least two secrets about your character. One is a secret the character knows, one is a secret that involves him but that he is not actually aware of yet. Khalil does not actually feel his god’s favor as the priests of old, he just says he does, and the proof is in the result of his actions. Khalil’s father was actually killed by a deamon that liked to torture him and tempting him in abandoning the faith. Step 4: Describe at least three people that are tied to the character. Two of them are friendly to the character, one is hostile. Khalil has few true-friends, due to that most don’t want to be associated with the loon who worships a dead god. However he has found two good friends in the city. Dundar Westkey, whom he sometimes randomly buys maps from with the prospect of finding more information on Aroden or the Azlanitis, he considers a friend. Tygot Mispas he also considers a friend. Often times he will visit the shop just to browse to see if Tygot has gotten any new items. Khalil is frowned upon by most other religious leaders in the city. Step 5: Describe three memories, mannerisms, or quirks that your character has. They don't have to be elaborate, but they should provide some context and flavor. Returning home from running an errand for his father when he stumbled upon a heated argument between his father and another man. He could not tell who it was, just that he seemed humanoid. Eventually the argument ended with his father’s death. Scared he remained frozen while hidden. Khalil likes to click his tongue. Khalil sometimes spouts gospel from “the book”

Name: Kash McEndo Class: Bard (Arcane Duelist) Alignment: Chaotic Good or True Neutral Trait: Scarred Soul

Ten-Minute Background Step 1: Write 5 background and concept elements that you feel are important to your image of the character. Kash McEndo is what one would call a professional gambler. He makes his living by gambling away his money. Most of the time he is successful, but sometimes it leads him into trouble. Kash is an orphan raised in the Cauldron’s orphanage. As so he has had a rough life and has had to make do with what he can. His parents abandoned or disappeared when he was young, so he was taken into the care of the system. Once of age to be on his own he had been set to become an apprentice to a wizard, but unfortunately too many disappeared items cut the apprenticeship short. Having an uncanny knack and luck for gambling he generally tries to double his money. Barring having any money he picks up odd jobs here and there to make a small capital in hopes of being able to multiply it. Kash is quick on his feet, sharp with his mind, and even more so with his tongue. He is a very charismatic fellow that tries to talk his way in or out of things. Another side of hobby of Kash is his magic tricks, which he also uses to raise money, or to woo the ladies. Step 2: List at least two goals for the character. At least one of these goals should be one that the character has, while another should be one that you, as a player, want to see developed over the course of the game. Kash would like to one day marry into nobility. Or at least improve his status enough where he is recognized for more than just his con and magic tricks. I would like Kash to be something of a cool type of martial fighter, with some arcane ability. Not overpowered or rules abuser… just cool. When coming up with him I kept thinking of someone like Gambit from the X-Men. That is why I chose that picture. Step 3: List at least two secrets about your character. One is a secret the character knows, one is a secret that involves him but that he is not actually aware of yet. Kash owes money to some crime boss or a noble… or both. Kash is actually a family member to a rich noble of the Cauldron. Step 4: Describe at least three people that are tied to the character. Two of them are friendly to the character, one is hostile. Kash has connections with the Coy Nixie’s owner whom he often performs at. They have an amicable relationship. Being an orphan who grew up in the Cauldron, Kash has interacted with the Vanderborens, and sort of looks up to them as they have “made it” out of the gutter so to speak. Sometimes he does side jobs for them in order to increase his standing and hoping to eventually make it big. Kash is not too well liked by Lady Rhiavadi as he is one of the people he owes some money on a bungled job. Though he still tries to charm her pants off in hopes his debt will be forgiven. Step 5: Describe three memories, mannerisms, or quirks that your character has. They don't have to be elaborate, but they should provide some context and flavor. Kash remembers when he learnt of his mother’s last name. He had sneaked into the orphanage’s office where the records were kept. He remembers how he felt when he read the line where it described his mother. “The red headed McEndo girl has given up the boy due to the father not wanting anything to do with her and her family kicking her out of the house. She plans on leaving the Cauldron where no one will know her. “ This was under the an entry titled K, followed by other mischief he had caused in the orphanage throughout the years. Kash likes to play with cards, he generally has a deck in his hands or on his person which he shuffles and practices often. Kash likes to talk, if only to seem friendly, but often it’s egotistical self-promotion.

[Khalil]

Any restrictions on classes or races?

[MoonZar]

Elizabeth Darkholme

Name: Elizabeth Darkholme
Class: Wizard
Age: 16 (I'm under the assumption that adult life in this era start around 14-15 years old)
Race: Human (Have some blood from other races)
Alignment: Lawful / Neutral

[FULL SIZE IMAGE]

The Ten-Minute Background

Step 1: 5 Background and concept

1. Elizabeth Darkholme is a highly attractive young woman. She is curious, methodical, ambitious and calculating. Elizabeth is tall, has red hair and purple eyes. Her facial expression is serious, sensual and she rarely smiles. She has a practical view of life and thinks that there's an order in all things such as the cycle of life and death, the stars and the astral bodies, the elemental power balance and of course how magic interact with the world.

2. She thinks that she is an unwanted children that was abandoned. She spent the first years of her life in the Lantern Street Orphanage of Cauldron. As a young child, her talent for magic was noticed and she was adopted by the clergy of Wee Jas. She lived most of her life in the Cathedral of Wee Jas and became a talented wizard at a very young age.

3. Elizabeth is very fashionable and her perspective is that healthy appearance is equally important as an healthy mind and body. She carefully chooses her her clothes for each occassions and since she has limited ressources, she makes some of her dress herself. She is also found of music and dancing and spend considerable time doing social activities in the Coy Nixie, which is the best place to meet new people. Elizabeth thinks that each person she will meet in her life will teach her something useful about life and death and she should always encourage those exchanges.

4. Most of her friends are priestesses of Wee Jas and wizards. She has three lovers in the city that she maintains discreetly. Her lovers are very different kind of man, one is a rich and handsome lord of the city, one is a young guard of the city with a golden heart, and the third one is a middle age wizard that live in the cathedral of Wee Jas that stimulate her intellectually. Exploring her sexuality is part of learning more about life, she didn't really experience loves at this point, a concept that she found illogical.

5. Elizabeth is particularly attached to the well being of the city of Cauldron and don't hesitate to offer her services to adventurers or nobles that requires her expertise to restore order in time of crisis. She is still inexperienced, but she already showed that she has a large expertise in arcane and planar knowledge.

Step 2: Goals for the character.

1. Elizabeth primary goal is to learn who her parents are. Her purple eyes indicate that she is not completely human. The woman who gave Elizabeth to the orphanage, gave a pouch of gold to the establishment and asked them to give a necklace to Elizabeth at her 18th birthday. The jewel had been forged in an unknown red metal, it has the shape of a rose with an eye carved in ruby on top of it. Elizabeth did some research about it in the city library, but she couldn't find out so far what this symbol mean and the clergy of Wee Jas has no clue as well.

2. Her second goal would be to have the opportunity of creating her own guild of wizard which would focus their efforts in recruiting orphan who have potential and protecting the city. Her greater ambition is to gain sufficient political influence in the city to be part of the city council and have the mandate from the lords of the city to overseeing the laws of magic in the city.

Step 3: Secrets

Secret is secret, I did it in a secret block.



Step 4: Describe at least three people that are tied to the character.

1. Embril Aloustinai, the head priestess of the cathedral of Wee Jas. She raised Elizabeth as her own daughter. A long time ago she received a vision from his goddess that a very gifted child was living in the orphanage and that he should adopt her and raise her in the clergy.

2. Frederick Agaton is a forty year old wizard that lives in the cathedral of Wee Jas. He teaches magic to Elizabeth and other wizard that live in the cathedral. He's also one of Elizabeth lovers, enjoying the company of a beautiful young girl that is less than half his age in exchange for knowledge and special treatments.

3. Agata Agaton. She is the rival of Elizabeth at the cathedral of Wee Jas for the center of attention. This young priestess is jealous of Elizabeth beauty and talent for magic. Her father is Frederick Agaton and his relationship with Elizabeth drive her completely mad. She constantly plays dirty and try to humiliate Elizabeth at every corner. She dreams to assassinate Elizabeth one day, but she hesitates since her goddess might never forgive her to kill one of her own.

Step 5: Describe three memories, mannerisms, or quirks

1. Elizabeth remembers fell in a water well when she was a child and almost drown. Since then she is afraid of lake, sea and ocean.

2. Elizabeth has a habbit of taking a cup of hot tea or hot wine before sleeping. Without it she usually have trouble to fall asleep.

3. Elizabeth is a bit eccentric and always wear very colorful clothes such as red, purple or orange.

[Ulfskar]

Originally Posted by Khalil

Any restrictions on classes or races?

Anything published is fine. It's not a heavy psionics adventure, but they are still allowed.

If you want anything 3rd party just ask first.

[Khalil]

I just stick to Paizo stuff. Question how are Tengus seen in the shackled city? Common enough? Does the shackled city have any slaves or gladiators?

[Ulfskar]

Originally Posted by Khalil

I just stick to Paizo stuff. Question how are Tengus seen in the shackled city? Common enough? Does the shackled city have any slaves or gladiators?

If you played a Tengu, you would be the only one in the city. Though some would accept you, you would be met with distrust more often then not.

You're welcome to play one, just know you will be seen as an outsider and odd for the first few chapters of the adventure.

There are no slaves or gladiators in the city. There may be some underground slavery in the surrounding farm land / mines, however it's not accepted or in common practice.

[Narrten44]

I think I've applied to this Adventure Path before, or I've at least heard of it. Be fun to try and apply.

Name: Rumplepus Tinkerton
Race: Dwarf
Class: Burglar
Ten-Minute Background:

 

-Rumplepus is a member of a debt-collection collective of dwarves responsible for repossessing the belongings of those who owe gold to the Cauldron Financial Bank of Dwarves.
-Rumplepus works on a a team of usually 4-5 dwarves to claim possession of debtors by breaking into their homes if they are denied entry.
-His attitude is to-the-point and succinct, often becoming annoyed with others who choose to overcomplicate things with unnecessary words or details.
-Rumplepus' position on all of his teams is to unlock doors and disarm traps. He's also responsible for keeping the groups legal papers on them should they find themselves being harassed by questioning police.
-Rumplepus gets paid for his services, but has been known to filch small tokens for himself, which he keeps off the books and collects in his own apartment.
-He is pursuing a half-elf maiden, Karli, who works in a butcher shop on the South side of Cauldron.

 

-Rumplepus is saving his money so that he might be able to present Karli's parents with an acceptable dowry, considering that he's a dwarf and her parents are and elf and human.
-He also wants to filch silver candlesticks from the two richest Houses in the city.
-I want to see Rumplepus be part of a larger scale heist than just breaking and entering. Maybe involving fire...

 

-Rumplepus' family has lost touch with him after leaving Cauldron to start a mining village outside of the volcano to the Northeast. The entire family uprooted and left, but Rumplepus stayed because of his affection for the half-elf butcher. His family didn't understand.
-The Tinkerton Clan's mining venture has fallen to bits due to the tunnels converging with those of beasts from the Underdark. The tunnels were collapsed to prevent them from surfacing and the surviving family, the eldest son, his youngest two sisters and his mother are barely surviving because they run the inn for travellers going to and from Cauldron.

 

-Rumplepus' eldest brother, Grindlewald, collects honey from bees and makes mead for their inn. Although neither make an effort to contact one another, Grindlewald has always appreciated his brother's eye for appraisal and care toward his mother, and will always meet him on good terms.
-Rumplepus' boss, Gertrude Broadside, likes Rumplepus for his meticulousness and no-nonsense personality. Although she herself has been known to kid around and let loose while drinking, she can be strict when needing to. She hired on Rumplepus to 'Aquisitions' when he first started because she noticed him filching supplies from the bank when he would come in to work night cleaning shifts, although she never actually saw him take anything. Thinking he could be put to better use, she hired him for repossession.
-Rumplepus' rival for Karli's affections is an aristocratic elf by the name of Schrei'varr. Schrei'varr owns a museum in the East side of Cauldron, where he and his associates paint and host large parties for the local gentry. Both Rumplepus and Schrei'varr know of each other and are trying to woo both Karli and win her parents approval so that they might betroth their daughter.
-Karli is a half-elven maid who works in her father's butchershop. Her father Horace, a human, is enamored with elven culture and wishes his daughter better than the lifestyle he is currently providing for her. Her mother Daeyna, an elf, finds Cauldron interesting, but longs to return to the woodlands where she grew to maturity. Karli seeks none of that, instead wanting to immerse herself further into the nitty-gritty of city life. She likes the rough and tumble atmosphere of inner-Cauldron taverns, the adventure lurking down dim-lit streets, and the cool starry nights at the tops of the tallest buildings. She occasionally visits and dates both Schrei'varr and Rumplepus, depending on the night and what sort of activity they suggest.

 

-Rumplepus appreciates poetry, having been exposed to it by Karli one night after lying on top of the Bank building one night, looking at the stars. While he can't make it very well, he practices from time to time, writing down stanzas if they come to him. He destroys them after he finishes, though, not wanting to get caught doing something so intimate.
-Rumplepus gets uncomfortable around nudity and things associated with it, like public baths and naked statues. He also gets squeamish around the subject of wenches, seductresses, and those that use sex-appeal more than usual.
-Rumplepus will often stick out his tongue when he's concentrating hard on something. There have been times that he's bitten his tongue when he's been focused on picking a tough lock and all of a sudden is startled.

[MoonZar]

Can you please provide the name of the head priest or priestess of the cathedral of Wee Jas? I would like to use it in my background.

I'm done beside that, can you please have a first reading before I post it in the appropriate forum?

[Khalil]

Cool thanks for the quick reply. By chance could we get more information on the current situation in the city? I have two character concepts in mind one human and one Tengu. I think I could fit the human nicely but I got an itch to play a Tengu barbarian. Ill be thinking of different backgrounds for him. If at the end I feel like it takes too much arching or if it feels like it is forced ill stick with a human fighter.

Also any word on what we will be using for ability scores?

[Ulfskar]

Originally Posted by Khalil

Cool thanks for the quick reply. By chance could we get more information on the current situation in the city? I have two character concepts in mind one human and one Tengu. I think I could fit the human nicely but I got an itch to play a Tengu barbarian. Ill be thinking of different backgrounds for him. If at the end I feel like it takes too much arching or if it feels like it is forced ill stick with a human fighter.

Also any word on what we will be using for ability scores?

I have this link which gives you some more player related information: Player's Guide

Or are you looking for something specific?

[Ulfskar]

Originally Posted by MoonZar

Can you please provide the name of the head priest or priestess of the cathedral of Wee Jas? I would like to use it in my background.

I'm done beside that, can you please have a first reading before I post it in the appropriate forum?

The cathedral is run by Female, HumanEmbril Aloustinai, although she rarely sees visitors and leaves the day-to-day operations to a cleric named Male, HumanIke Iverson.

I'll take a look over your app tonight

[MoonZar]

Thanks I added her name in my background.

[MoonZar]

Come on We need more volunteer!

[Khalil]

I'm coming, I'm coming. Had to prepare some things yesterday ate up my time.