The Autumn Knight

[Cloudtle]

Here is a snippet of my character background. I have to admit i don't know the world that well so its ambiguous as possible. I am hoping that you guys can help me build it into a respectable background, but along with your backgrounds so we can start the campaign with your characters not just sitting at the same pub.

--
The first thing to notice about Nyhm is his smile, but the one thing you should watch out for is his hands. If you fail to notice that then you are likely to leave him not only feeling awestruck but a bit lighter in your pockets. Growing up Nyhm tended to be bored with the everyday life of traveling the woods so he tended to try outlandish things, things that tended him to get in trouble. Learning how to sneak around was a must for Nyhm almost as much as not breaking his neck when his tricks didn't turn out to be treats due to his parents attitude about his behavior. Getting caught with his hand somewhere (or with someone ???) is wasn't supposed to be his father decided that Nyhm was to learn something of the word. Given a small amount of supplies and his fathers' old flute he was set upon the world to learn a lesson all Halflings must learn.

[Blydden]

You do know this is in the Feywild setting, right? You are going to have to come up with a way that you got here.

Also, my character, Alain, is a Lawful Good Inspiring Warlord...a wanna-be knight. So...just warning you that trouble will most definitely ensue.

[Umiushi]

Getting Started
As a point of information, characters are assumed to be native to the setting unless they specify otherwise in their description. Just as the mortal world has a small population of eladrin and gnomes, so does the Feywild have its humans, halflings, dwarfs, and so on who have resided there for generations.

A key to your character's origin is in the languages chosen. If your character chose Common as a bonus language, he or she may well be from the mortal world. If your character does not speak Common, he or she presumably was born and raised in the Feywild.

Just a friendly reminder to negotiate mutual histories based on points of cooperation, not conflict. This adventure was not written to accommodate a party that self-destructs or whose members wander off on their own ('scouting ahead' always seems to be one of the top character-killing behaviors). In adjudicating any conflicts, I will take into consideration whether the situation escalated due to a provocative action or an unjustified reaction and I will be openly prejudiced against the one I decide is the instigator. My best advice is to discuss and set party norms in advance of play, and don't forget to share them with me, too. Also, remember the specific guideline that your characters are generally expected to have known each other for some time. Therefore, I am going forward with the assumption that you have reached some equilibrium point in your relationships before the present.

Background
Perhaps some background is now in order. In the cosmology of The Unquiet Lands, the Feywild is that portion of the world that was sealed away because it was too bright and sharp. An unstated corollary is that it was left unfinished. The substance of embodied creative mystery known as Arcana is closer to the surface of perception in the Feywild and many more creatures make use of that power source than in the mortal world.

An important point to note about power sources is that they function equally well in the Feywild. However, just as more creatures tend to use arcane power, less creatures use divine power, and while religious establishments do exist (and will play a role in the adventure, as it turns out) they tend to be more subdued than they are in the mortal world. Martial power is the least changed in its manifestations. The spirits of the Feywild, the equivalent of "Primal Spirits," range in appearance from twittering fairies to noble eladrin to verdant, living mountains and other wondrous forms.

In terms of the Feywild being unfinished, manifestations from the realm of pure fantasy can and do lead to a greater amount of general unpredictability. If the Elemental Chaos represents a randomness of form, the Feywild exhibits a randomness of concept. This leads to some general differences. One is that, although "sealed," it is actually fairly easy to find ways to travel to and from the Feywild and any of the other lands of the world. Even as the Feywild is said to be conceptually opposite to the Shadowfell, it is no great task to find a way to go from one to the other. Another difference is that the influence of this manifest fantasy leads to a higher level of technological and social advancement, at least in places. However, the land remains pre-industrial due to its small population and general disorganization.

The adventure is set near the border of the Bright Kingdom. The Bright Kingdom actually consists of two closely allied nations: The Kingdom of Elveald, and the Empire of Elphame. Both are ruled by eladrin that comprise what is known as the Seelie Court. All civilized peoples of the Feywild are known as Seelies, while outlaws and renegade hosts are called Unseelie. The party is composed entirely of Seelies, even if some characters might tread a little close to the boundary from time to time.

The Unseelie Court is composed of secretive, mostly disorganized groups whose activities range from merely failing to acknowledge the legitimacy of the Seelie Court, through simple banditry, to a shadowy rebellion. Unseelies are regarded as criminals by the Seelies, but there is no established protocol for dealing with Unseelies. In other words, it is not a crime in and of itself to have dealings with Unseelies. Being an Unseelie is, however, a social construct, so the more openly people deal with them, the more likely it is that they will earn the label "Unseelie" themselves.

The most visible inhabitants of the Bright Kingdom are the eladrin who make up both its commoners and its nobility, though it is sometimes hard to distinguish whether an eladrin is one or the other. Like many lands of the mortal world, the Bright Kingdom is far from homogeneous. Dragonborn, dwarfs, elfs, goliaths, gnomes, half-elfs, halflings, humans, and shifters can all be found there. So too can devas, half-orcs, and tieflings, though it is fair to say that they are very rare. The Bright Kingdom is not well-populated, though, and the capitals of Elphame and Elveald are no more than large towns in terms of population when compared to communities in the mortal world.

The All-Seasons Church is the established religion of the Empire of Elphame. Its theology states that the four dominant gods are Corellon, Pelor, Sehanine, and The Raven Queen. Melora, known as the Endless Mistress, acts as a liaison between those four and the Feywild. Although she is below them in stature, because she alone directly intervenes, she is a much more significant figure. The priesthood of the All-Seasons church is known as the Drywkirdara. The Unseelie have their own mirror-image to this: their four chief deities are Asmodeus, Gruumsh, Lolth, and Zehir, with Kord as their go-between.

(The section below was relevant to the beginning of The Autumn Knight. It is retained for reference purposes.)

You are currently traveling through the Forest of Thorns on your way from Elveald to the capital of Elphame, Lilriain. What business you have in Lilriain I'll leave to you, suffice it to say that it is nothing urgent. This Forest of Thorns is part of the Border Country, not just between the two nations, but between the Bright Kingdom and the rest of the Feywild. In fact, it is an unsettled, wild place under the dominion of an Unseelie witch, and long ago the site of a small but bloody battle between Elveald and the Empyrean Wonderland, another nation that now has little contact with the Bright Kingdom. That being said, sticking to the outer paths should present little hazard to a party composed of heroic characters who have repeatedly shown their mettle. So, when you come across a brilliant campfire one evening, situated where two forest trails cross, and with the air abundantly filled by the scent of roasting venison, you find it appropriate to take a cautious, but not overly-wary stance.

[Blydden]

One question. Besides alignment, how the heck is Corellon + Pelor + Sehanine + The Raven Queen X Melora = Asmodeus + Grummsh + Lolth + Zehir X Kord?!

What, are Asmodeus, Grummsh, Lolth, and Zehir? The gods of the anti-seasons?

(Sorry Umi, I just had to rip on that. But, honestly, how are the two religions related besides the alignment business? From what I have read I get the impression that the Seelies and Unseelies are opposites.)

[yukonhorror]

they are opposites. I think that's the point. Of course, I would have put Orcus as the opposite of the Raven queen, but not my campaign. @umi, still no word on baby. If I don't have the baby by friday, I will say I can't make it. I still want to play though. Maybe you can NPC me (like you do with Tanglar) for this first session.

In terms of play style (if necessary), Krenshaw attempts to curse as many people as possible as quick as possible. Krenshaw will use encounter powers in this order(acrid decay, vestige's calamity, life bind) then will use eyes of vestige until all targets are cursed (that can be). After that, will use eldritch blast until all dies. Will use dire radiance if an enemy keeps trying to be next to me.

Use HS out of combat or if granted from allies. Use AP every other encounter (only for an attack).

If a creature is constantly grappling, use mercurial form (or if need to squeeze into tiny space [like a door]).

I usually see about 3 encounters a day, so use these daily powers as first action.
1st encounter, use fiendish resilience
2nd - vestige of mount vaelis
3rd - vestige of xandor

If there seems to be a big boss guy (as assessed by everyone else), then skip to xandor.

When a daily vestige is bound, forgo the use of eldritch blast, and only use eyes of vestige.

Use charges from my gloves (but never all 5 in one shot) if a creature is vulnerable to that dam type or if the creature has regeneration.

Also, use quickcurse rod encounter power near beginning of battle to furthest person in range.

Don't use any of my alchemical items (unless you REALLY need to in order to kill a regenerating bad guy).

I think that's the gist of it.

[Umiushi]

The Seelies and Unseelies are distinguished from one another, but few opposed groupings are truly opposite, and certainly not this one. You can form opposite associations with them, but to always assume such a thing might lead you into a trap.

The Unseelie's gods aren't worshipped for the same reasons the Seelie's gods are. However, they do have seasons associated with them: the burning summer drought, the bloody autumn of raiders, the treacherous springtime of beauty and famine, and the darkness of winter are all within the purview of these gods. The two sets are indeed often cast as opposite, but the pairings vary depending upon what you wish to outline. Another way to do it, for example, is Corellon's skill against Gruumsh's rage; Sehanine's love against Lolth's envy; Pelor's light against Zehir's darkness; and the Raven Queen's chill and placid afterlife against the Fiery Heaven of Asmodeus. More interesting and dangerous are the times when they aren't opposites at all, but we're going further into an aspect of the setting that does not play such a major role in the adventure.

[Umiushi]

I am currently confirming everyone's readiness. Considering Yukonhorror's situation and the fact that Sunday is Mother's Day in the US, I'd say we're going into this with four players maximum. Dropping below that is a cause for concern, so I'll be putting a quick message out again on the Campaign Invitations thread.

Playing Tanglar in the Aucothian game isn't too hard since I'm used to the game and it is a play-by-post. Running Krenshaw would be difficult, especially in terms of the time it will take. Would it be possible to give him to one of the other players for this session, or even make his information public so that he can be run by consensus Ars Magica-style?

[yukonhorror]

I have no problem with that. I can send someone my token with all of the macros ready too.

Any volunteers?

Also, I'll be there if she hasn't had the baby (which is starting to seem likely )

[yukonhorror]

umi, you should have my token if I can't be there. Again, I apologize for my possible absence.

I built up a lot of hours the past week and a half (in anticipation that my wife would go into labor). As such, I am going home (and I don't frequent this site at home). I'll send you a PM if Darcy goes into labor. Otherwise, you should expect me on Sunday (but I may have to leave abruptly).

2pm PST?? Also are we meeting in the chatroom here?

[Umiushi]

Other than a few bits of additional information I've requested, I have characters for four players, now. Exhominem has dropped out of the adventure, unfortunately.

The party will consist of the following:

• Alain, a half-elf warlord
• Kathra, a dwarf warden
• Krenshaw, a human warlock
• Nyhm, a halfling rogue

Remember, your characters have all been together for some time. You have a couple days left to work out any details of your past relationships. In the session, I will expect everything to flow smoothly.

The session will last from 2:00 pm PDT (not PST) to 6:00 pm PDT on Sunday, May 9th. We will initially meet in P&PG online chat.

I have some issues with my firewall and open ports, so I cannot host a MapTool server. Yukonhorror may not be available, so I would like to request that one of the remaining three players volunteer. I will send campaign information via email. If for some reason we cannot use MapTool, I am prepared to conduct the session using P&PG chat.

Also, has anyone volunteered to run Yukonhorror's character in case he cannot make it? Considering his situation and that Sunday is Mother's Day, there are many reasons for us to prepare for having three players at the first session.

If you have any final questions or subjects you wish to discuss please do not hesitate to bring them up.

[Cloudtle]

If Yukon can't make it ill be glad to ninja his character for that one session. Having touched a warlock i have some experience but with your little instruction passage i don't think i will have any issue.

As for the maptools i have always had issues with hosting it before and it has never ever ended good so i can try but i can not promise it will work.

Lastly i would love to figure out how we are together in this. I propose we all get online tomorrow at 7pm PDT in P&PG chat and figure it out. Just a suggestion but it really is something we need to do. Uni has put in all this effort for us least we can do is do that. (:

[Blydden]

A-A-Ahem~! Alain is a WARLORD. Sorry, just had to mention that. Edit Pl0x0rs.

I won't be able to make that 7:00 PDT time. I will be busy all Saturday. Thank you.

[Umiushi]

A-A-Ahem~! Alain is a WARLORD. Sorry, just had to mention that. Edit Pl0x0rs.

I've edited the post.

Thanks for offering, Cloudtle. Blydden or DiscipleofYawgmoth, do either of you have better chances to host?

[Blydden]

Can't host. Sorry.

[yukonhorror]

We want to celebrate mothers day next week (for many reasons) so unless my wife goes into labor tomorrow, I can host and play krenshaw. See you tomorrow