The Campaign Builder's Guild

[ic=Ragnarök Approaches]Brothers shall strive and slaughter each other;
Own sisters' children shall sin together;
Ill days among men, many a whoredom:
An axe-age, a sword-age, shields shall be cloven;
A wind-age, a wolf-age, ere the world totters.

-   Völuspá

In the world of Midgard, winter has lasted for almost two years – two years of snow and ice, of hail and bitter cold, of frozen earth and lashing wind.  War sweeps the land as clan battles with clan for what food, livestock, and arable land remain.  The flesh of the dead becomes the meat of the living.  The laws of honour have been all but forsaken in a slaughterous frenzy.  Men fall on their own swords to deliver themselves from further horror.  Women smother their babes to spare them a life of tears and blood.

Ships built from dead men's nails and born on the winds of Hel have berthed themselves on barren shores bearing armies of dishonoured shades.  Dark things stir in the mountains, creeping down from their lairs to slay men in the night.  Evil spirits in the form of flayed bulls or blue-black corpses leave travellers trampled or bloodless on the snow-strewn roads.  Linnorms wake from long slumbers, slithering down from their caves to snatch cattle in their monstrous jaws.  Trollwives chant prayers to fell powers and spill the blood of innocents on stone altars.

Soon Ragnarök will come and the world will end in fire born by the sons of Muspell.  But until then humanity lingers on, their hearts freezing in their breasts as surely as the fjords turn to ice, their faces growing grim and cadaverous, their ways turning to wickedness and savagery.

This is the time of death and desolation.

This is the age of darkness and despair.

This is the breath before the final battle.

This is Fimbulvinter.[/ic]

So, yeah, I've been playing Skyrim lately...

Inspired by the d20 thread, I'm thinking of running a small, casual, episodic game using this setting and the Pathfinder rules, with drop-ins encouraged, similar to how I've been running Sixguns (i.e. intermittently rather than according to a weekly schedule).  The vibe I'm going for is sort of Norse Mythology + the Cadaverous Earth – post-apocalyptic Viking horror.  This will be a "Steerpike's Beer & Pretzels" game – nothing too sophisticated, though with more creepiness and gruesomeness than your standard D&D dungeon crawl.

Note: I haven't abandoned Sixguns, Spaceships & Cyclopean Horrors, and am still planning on running plenty more of those.  My notes for the next Sixguns scenario are about half done – enough in fact that we could probably start.  I'll post more about that soon.

I'm curious if:

1)   People would be at all interested in this one.
2)   When they'd be free to play.  Tuesdays and Wednesdays are probably best for me.
3)   Should I allow people to make their own characters or stick with Pre-mades?

I'll post more world details and stuff if people are interested at all.
   
Races

Humans only to start.  There are other races around – various sorts of Elves, Dwarves, Trolls, etc – but those aren't available for player characters.  If people die, I might consider non-human characters as replacements.

Classes

The following are playable Classes:

Barbarian - "Berserker"
Bloodrager
Brawler
Cleric* - "Gothi"
Fighter
Hunter
Inquisitor (of the Faith)
Paladin (of the Faith)
Ranger
Rogue
Seer (Oracle Archetype) - "Völva"
Shaman
Skald (Hybrid Class or Bard Archetype)
Sorcerer - "Seidman"
Warpriest* - "Gothi"
Witch
Wizard
Wolf Shaman (Druid Archetype) - "Úlfhéðinn"

Other classes might be used for NPCs. If you want to play a class not on the list, let me know.

*Possible Domains: Air (Wind), Animal (Feather, Fur), Community (Family, Home), Earth, Fire, Glory (Heroism, Honor), Knowledge (Memory, Thought), Luck (Curse, Fate), Nobility (Leadership), Protection (Defense), Repose (Ancestors), Rune (Wards), Trickery (Deception, Thievery), War (Tactics), Water (Ice, Oceans), Weather (Seasons, Storms)

Sounds fun to me! I'm definitely on board to play. I'd like to hear more about your version of Midgard, of course.

Edit: I will always advocate players being able to make their own characters. Premades only is something I don't find particularly appealing. Also, Wednesday or Tuesday afternoon does work for me, but I'll have to leave at about 4-4:20 EST.

Looks interesting, if it was at a time I'd be able to play I'd love to. My schedule is fairly busy though :P

I'm totally in if I can make the given time slot. Probably a ranger, ranger/rogue or fighter/rogue.

I'm interested in playing - my schedule is pretty busy, though weds is more likely to be a possibility for me than tuesday.

Aside: Right now, the posted classes don't strike me as particularly interesting. I was wondering if there are any other options or things we could discuss?

I'd be open to different class options, for sure.  There might be Christian (or Christian-esque - not sure how historical I want to go yet) missionaries and wandering knights (Clerics of a different persuasion, Paladins, and Inquisitors) as well as monasteries to be raided.  They might be interpreting the eternal winter as a punishment from God for sin, or something.  I wasn't planning on making them available as player characters to start, but maybe I should...

Did you have something specific in mind, though?  I was planning on avoiding Monks (too Asian), Druids (too Celtic, though I suppose they might have been captured as thralls during raids, or something), and Wizards (too scholarly).  I could see having Witches, though.  If they were male they'd tend to be shunned as effeminate (ergi), but during Fimbulvinter some of those social barriers are starting to deteriorate.

How historical should I make things?  I was planning on making it a fantasy world along the lines of Seraphine's Cad Goleor or Gamer Printshop's Kaidan, or even Kindling's Dark Silver.  Does that sound better than an actual (alternate) historical campaign?

Fantasy world sounds better to me.

Oh yeah! This is soooo metal :D

Possible soundtrack: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDgAAQBlANs&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9KbmRTgigQ

Aaanyway, quite how drop-in/drop-outable where you imagining this would be? I'd love to play, but securing mondays off for CE games means I'd feel bad getting any other regular day off as well - might leave others in the lurch. I'd be available on wednesdays and tuesdays fairly often - they're not busy days at my work - just not enough to want to commit unless it would be very easy for me to drop in and out of the game.

I think it would be just as interesting to see you do a post-apocalyptic version of Earth for the time period. With the winter and the magic it could pretty well change the entire face of the planet, so "historical" might be stretched pretty thin as a definition and you might find it a lot easier to work with (unless you've already got a fantasy setting written up).

Edit: If there were missionaries, I might also be up for playing a paladin.

I'd prefer a game based more on the mythology than actual history.

I think this would be pretty infrequent, Kindling, at least for now.  I just don't have the time to run two regularly scheduled games.  At least for the moment this would be an "every now and then" game.

I think I'll go with a more fantastic/mythological world textured here and there with bits of history.  Vikings need people to raid, so various non-Northermen will be around, but they won't be the focus and will generally be viewed as "craven Southron milksops."

Quote from: Steerpike
I'd be open to different class options, for sure.  There might be Christian (or Christian-esque - not sure how historical I want to go yet) missionaries and wandering knights (Clerics of a different persuasion, Paladins, and Inquisitors) as well as monasteries to be raided.  They might be interpreting the eternal winter as a punishment from God for sin, or something.  I wasn't planning on making them available as player characters to start, but maybe I should...

Did you have something specific in mind, though?  [snip]

The three classes in Pathfinder I'm most interested in playing (in order of preference) are Summoner, Gunslinger (replacing with crossbows to suit time period, perhaps?), and Alchemist. (Incidentally, that's probably the same order of "Ease to make fit tone/theme")

Edit: Also, what level would this start at?

Starting level will be 2, and I'm thinking of instituting some form of E6 variant to keep things grim & gritty.

I could see doing a Summoner of a kind of Finnish shaman sort.  From what I've read the Norse thought of the Fins as supernatural weirdos (Wizard might even work for characters of that sort, as well).  Since I'm not using a strict historical world we wouldn't call the character a Fin, but we could come up with something similar.

Crossbows were pretty ancient so a crossbow-wielding "Gunslinger" is viable, though certain abilities (like Blast Lock and Stop Bleeding) wouldn't work.

The characters are all going to begin as thralls taken in a raid by a clan of cannibal marauders called the Blóðbards (Bloodbeards).

EDIT: Considering "E8" instead of E6.  Anyone have any opinions on that?

Eight sounds fine to me.

A question (or several). Are you going to be tweaking armour and weapon costs to reflect the setting as a whole and the situation of the Northlands? How much cash do we have available at character creation? For stats I'm assuming we're using point buy, but how many points?

I'll give an online game a shot, considering I have yet to do it and I now have the time. I'll take the Berserker if that's cool.

Good questions!  This is moving faster than I thought :).

For equipment, you all start with 500 gp to spend.  Prices will be different in-game - this equipment represents stuff you've accumulated before Fimbulvintr started as well as stuff obtained in the last two years.  Barter will probably be as or more common than gold.  The only heavy armour available is Splint Mail.

You get 15 points to spend on Ability scores (Standard Fantasy).

Right then, I'm definitely in. I'm gonna track down that link someone gave me to a Pathfinder SRD and read up a bit, but I'm thinking straight Fighter, probably went a-Viking himself and thought it tremendous fun, and is now thoroughly displeased to be on the receiving end of a raid :P

500gp, Level 2, and 15 points? Good thing I have nothing to do tonight...

The SRD can be found here (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/).  It's basically 3.5 with a few minor tweaks.  Skills work a little bit differently.  A couple of other things are fiddled with.  Nothing too major.

Alignment is silly.  I'm tempted to just not use it, although that would mean that quite a few spells wouldn't be usable (like Detect ___).  Is that OK with everyone?

EDIT: I should add that unless you're a foreigner or someone of pretty considerable status, you probably won't have any kind of sword (although you might have killed someone to get one).  Axes, spears, etc are far more common.

I'm neutral towards alignment.

I am potentially interested in this, though I am unfamiliar with Pathfinder.  What week were you planning to run the first session?

Probably in a couple of weeks.

Like I said it should be pretty casual.  I want the kind of game where if a character dies, the player doesn't feel too bad, because they hadn't invested 10000 hours into playing them, and where new characters can be introduced more or less like this: "You see a dark figure appear out of the white mist up ahead.  It seems to be a lone traveler, lost in the endless snows."

Quote from: Steerpike
I want the kind of game where if a character dies, the player doesn't feel too bad, because they hadn't invested 10000 hours into playing them, and where new characters can be introduced more or less like this: "You see a dark figure appear out of the white mist up ahead.  It seems to be a lone traveler, lost in the endless snows."

Yes.

EDIT: also, here's my guy...

RAGNVALDR

Level 2 Fighter

STR 16 +3
DEX 14 +2
CON 14 +2
INT 10 +0
WIS 10 +0
CHA 10 +0

Max HP: 21
Current HP: 21

BAB +2
AC 12 (18 in chainmail)

CMB +5
CMD 17

FORT +5 (+7 vs cold weather in furs)
REF +2
WILL +0 (+1 with Bravery)

Speed: 30ft (20ft in chainmail)
Armour check penalty (DEX/STR): -5 in chainmail
Carrying capacity: 76/77-153/154-230

Melee attacks:

Spear +7 1d8+3(+4 two-handed) x3
Dagger +5 1d4+3 19-20/x2
Unarmed +5 1d3+3 x2 nonlethal

Ranged attacks:

Spear +6 1d8+3 x3 20ft.
Dagger +4 1d4+3 19-20/x2 10ft.

Skills:

Climb  4 (+3 STR)
Intimidate 4
Handle Animal 4
Profession (sailor) 4
Survival 5

Feats:

Furious Focus: no power attack penalty on first attack per round when two-handed
Power Attack: -1 attack for +2 damage or +3 damage when two-handed
Shield of Swings: full attack when two-handed 1/2 damage for +4 shield bonus
Weapon Focus (spear): +1 to attacks with spears

Equipment:

Masterwork spear
Dagger x4
Chainmail
Combat-trained dog, "Aslaug"
Backpack
Bedroll
Winter blanket
Furs

Huh, was sure I posted something in this thread before.

Anyway, as a Scandinavian I feel obliged to take part in this! It speaks to my inner viking.

That said, I think I'd be most interested in playing a völva seer/witch. Possibly blind, definitely mysterious, maybe a little macabre.

Well then, that's enough time for me to read the SRD.  Alright, I'm in.  Without knowing much about the archetypes, I'm most interested in the Úlfhéðinn, but I will play a cleric or any other class if needed.

Sounds pretty neat, SP.  As for realism vs. fantasy, I don't care either way; as for alignment, I don't know about Pathfinder, but you don't really suffer unduly in 3rd ed for not having spells like Detect Evil (or at least, I never did).  As long as there are useful spell alternatives, cutting out the few alignment-based ones isn't critical.

Cool.  I think we'll ditch Alignment then.  Doesn't sound like anyone's calling to keep it.

Details on some of the major tribal groups to come.  I was going to call them clans, but apparently "clan" meant more "family line" than "ethnic group" for the Norse.

I'm really pleased so many people are on board!  Crow, I'm especially gratified you're playing, as you might occasionally be of some minor linguistic help here and there - obviously you don't speak Old Norse (well, I'm assuming you don't) but you'll be far closer than me!

Hey guys, here is my character! Still working on him.

---------------

Andreas Roaldsen

Level 2 Human Brother of Saint Mark - Zeal Inquisition

HP: 19/19

BAB: +1
CMB: +3
CMD: 13

AC: 15

Fortitude: +5, Reflex: 0, Will: +6

Stats: 14 Strength, 10 Dexterity, 14 Constitution, 16 Wisdom, 10 Intelligence, 10 Charisma

Skills: Climb (1+3+2 - 6), Diplomacy (1+3 - 4), Intimidate (2+3+1 - 6), Knowledge (the Faith / 2+3 - 5) Perception (2+3+3 - 8), Sense Motive (2+3+3+1 - 9), Survival (2+3+3 - 8), Spellcraft (1+3 - 4) Swim (1+3+2 - 6)

Abilities: Strong Willed (roll twice against mind-effecting spells),  Stern Gaze (1/2 level morale bonus on intimidate and sense motive checks), Cunning Initiative (add wisdom bonus to initiative), Track (1/2 level bonus to survival checks to identify or follow tracks), Know Faith, Zealous Surge (1/day, heal level + wis mod when reduced to 0 or less)

Feats: Weapon Focus - Long Axe, Favoured Judgement - Heathens & Heretics

Spells:

Orisons - daze, spark, light, stabilize, read magic
1st level - The Unworthy Hand (burning disarm), Cry of the Martyr (ear-piercing scream), In Sheep's Clothing (disguise self)

Items:

Masterwork Scale Mail (+5 AC, -3 Check penalty)
Long Axe with masterwork scriptural engraving
Dagger
Javelins (2)

Fur Cloak, Cold Weather Gear, Tabard of the Order of Saint Mark, Holy Symbols of Saint Mark and the Faith, Tome of Scripture (fair quality), Flasks of Holy Water (2)

Backpack, Bedroll, Winter Blanket, Trail Rations (14 days), Shaving Kit, Manacles, Iron Pot, Silk Rope, Soap, Waterskins (2), Whetstone


[ic=A Star to Follow]A bone-deep chill, and he shivered. They were coming. A lone Brother of Saint Mark - bedecked in furs and chain and scale and the ash grey vestments of his order - strode hurriedly down the red-carpeted halls of the cathedral-fortress at Austerborg. Deserted. The men and women who had lived here were now fled. The King, the Bishop, the clergy and housecarls; all had gone. The long low groan of the wind seemed to follow him, and his breath misted in the air. The floors were strewn with the abandoned possessions of the wealthy. Fine clothes, well-crafted furniture, books and trinkets and jewelery. Discarded like so much trash. A shadow in the alcove to his left. Andreas Roaldsen stopped, and turned slowly, slowly towards it, his right hand tightening on the haft of his long axe. A corpse, seated in peaceful repose on a stone bench. He thrust his torch out, and stepped closer. By his clothes, the man had been a priest. His fingers were black, his lips blue, tears stuck frozen to his staring face.  Andreas struck out suddenly and violently, and the priest's head tumbled from its shoulders. He put his torch to the corpse's robes. For a second it would not catch, but only for a second. A whispered prayer, and it was alight from head to toe. He watched  the corpse burn until it was but smoldering ash.

Austerborg was colder now, and Andreas walked faster than he had before, his footfalls hardly muffled by the carpets that lay over the stone floors. A woman's scream echoed from behind him. They were here. But he was close, he could feel it, and that was what mattered. Faster, faster. And he was there. A pair of tall oaken doors stood before him, iron handles rimed with frost. He pushed. The hinges squealed in protest, but he put his weight into it, and they opened. His breath caught. The Cathedral Hall. It was as beautiful as he remembered it. Light streaming in through the high windows, illuminating a ceiling that was masterfully painted with scenes of scripture. Tapestries hung on the walls, bearing more images of the Faith. The neat rows of wooden benches, well polished by years of worshipers. His gaze fell on the alter at the very end of the aisle. And there it was. There she was. A flash in her hand. He stepped towards her.

"Woman." he said. Another step. "Witch!" he hissed. Even layered in furs, she was unmistakable. Her long brown hair spilled out of her hood, and even from this distance he could make out her twinkling green eyes. Another flash. The Star of Saint Mark caught the light as she passed it from hand to hand.

"Andreas. You should not have come." she said, her voice full of the lilting tones of her homeland. "The city below is dead. The greatest city in the North. Filled with half-gnawed and half-frozen corpses. Their faith could not save them, just as it will not save you. You will die here, Andreas." she smiled sadly.

"And will you kill me, Witch?" he spat. "Give me the Star, and we will walk from here. They cannot defeat its power. I will let you go." he gritted his teeth, and took another step.  

"You Fathermen. You are all the same. Faith will protect you. I will protect you." she laughed. "They came to us in our forests. They said the same things. That piety would bring peace. 'What of the Mother?' we asked them. And their faces would darken, and they would call us heathens, and they would come back with swords and spears. And we fought. But there are always too many of you Fathermen, and so in the end we could do naught but kneel. But piety did not bring peace, and we were no safer than we were before. The raiders still came, and the only difference was that now they burned our churches instead of our trees. They still stole, they still raped, they still killed. Your Father did not protect us. And now here I am, in the cold of the North, with something you want. How will you get it, Andreas?"

"You test me, Witch! I will kill you if I must." he was barely ten paces from her.

"You've said that before. Yet I still breathe." she looked down at the Star, cupped in her palm. "Tch. Too close, Andreas." she looked back up at him, and locked her gaze with his, and he was held fast by an unseen hand. He muttered prayers under his breath, and with agonizing slowness took another step forward. He brought his other hand to rest on the haft of his axe, and made as if to strike with it. She raised an eyebrow and sighed, and whispered a few words of her own. Light, sound, and he was lying on the ground, cradling his head and moaning softly. He got to his feet shakily, picking up his axe from where it lay. He turned towards the alter. She was gone, and he howled with rage.

The wind howled back. The high windows burst in a shower of glass and snow as it gusted in. He brought his hands up to shield his face. But as suddenly as it had come, the wind was gone. A soft sound, from the hallway outside. The skittering of tiny feet, or maybe the whisking of a razor across stubbled skin. The doors stood open. His heart dropped, and his stomach went cold as the fear seized him. He sprinted for the doors, throwing them shut, slamming the bar into place. A pressure in the air, and something pushing against from the other side. Pushing again, this time with more violence. The doors rocked in place. Andreas threw himself against them, his hands pressed firmly against the iron bar. "Father protect us. Keep us as a shepherd keeps his flock. Lend us your strength in our hour of need!" the iron glowed red where his hands touched it, and the pressure receded for a single moment. Then it was back, worse than before, the tang of metal in his mouth, and a rising nausea in his stomach. He strained against the door. The wood began to splinter. The whole bar glowed red-hot. "Father, keep me safe from harm. I will fear no evil, for you are with me. And yea, though my- " the door burst asunder with a resounding crack. Andreas was thrown backwards in a shower of wood and glowing iron to slide across the floor, coming to a rest at the foot of the alter. And he knew no more. [/ic]

Awesome vignette, TMG!

Have I misunderstood Pathfinder's point-buy system for abilities? Cause Andreas seems to have better stats than Ragnvaldr...

I believe you have, as an attribute of 14 only costs 5 points, meaning that you've only spent 10 of the 15 points on Ragnvaldr (plus the +2 bonus humans get).  Check the character creation page on the SRD, it has point values for attributes there.

Mind you, I only started reading Pathfinder today, and I could be wrong.

Ah, I missed the racial bonus... still though, that would leave me with a 16 12 14 10 10 10 spread where Andreas has 14 10 14 16 10 10... I think I must still be missing something. 10 points for a 16, 5 for a 14, and a +2 racial bonus is it, right?

 What class is Andreas? Cleric? Oracle? Inquisitor?

Also, on the subject of "Scandinavian" I find it amusing when characters in Skyrim try to pronounce Scandinavian names like Rikke ^^ (admittedly, when speaking english, we would probably put the stress in the same way)

Quote from: KindlingAh, I missed the racial bonus... still though, that would leave me with a 16 12 14 10 10 10 spread where Andreas has 14 10 14 16 10 10... I think I must still be missing something. 10 points for a 16, 5 for a 14, and a +2 racial bonus is it, right?

Well, right, but you're spending it wrong.   If you bought 3 scores of 14 and added the +2 bonus to one of them to make it 16, you'd have Andreas, but you bought a 16 and spent the +2 bonus raising a 10 to a 12, which is an inefficient use of points.  Because scores get increasingly expensive to raise as they get higher, your +2 bonus is better spent raising a 14 to a 16 than raising a 10 to a 12.

Does this make sense?

Perfect sense, thank you :)

Görnings

Renowned for their especially skilled völur, the Görnings are a reclusive tribe who dwell in the depths of the Slaughterstone Mountains.  In response to Fimbulvinter the Görnings have withdrawn further into seclusion, defending their lands with isolationist fervour.  Only those who approach with clearly peaceful intentions are allowed entry into their remote settlements.  Because of their seeresses the Görnings were better prepared for the endless winter than other tribes, and as such they began stockpiling food years in advance: thus they have endured the other atrocious famine sweeping all of Midgard better than most.  Their leader, King Sigmund, is said to be old and feeble, slowly dying of a mysterious sickness invulnerable to any spell, prayer, or medicine.  His three sons effectively rule in his stead.

Like most völur those of the Görnings spend much of their time wandering the Northlands, selling their services to households and villages.  Typically accompanied by a small retinue of bodyguards, these wandering shamanesses only return to their homes permanently when they are too old to continue their travels.  During Fimbulvinter, however, these pilgrimages have ceased, and those völur travelling between settlements have withdrawn back to the Slaughterstones – though a few remain in the snows, lost in the wilds or otherwise waylaid.

Görnings tend to have red and red-blond hair and eyes the colour of the sky – various shades of grey and blue.  Their warriors traditionally wear heavy mail and favour two-handed broadaxes, and many are also skilled archers.  They are amongst the most devout folk in the North, with rituals, sacrifices, feasts, and prayers occupying much of their time; many adorn themselves with amulets and talismans – representations of Mjolnir and rune-etched stones.  Their prominent Temple honouring Odin, Thor, and Frey is one of the few large, permanent centers of worship dedicated to the old gods of the North, and the Görnlands are scattered with sacred groves, often in hidden valleys.  Because certain tunnels through the Slaughterstone Mountains lead to Svartálfaheim, Homeworld of the dvergar, Görnings have very occasional dealings with dwarfs, the maggot-folk who festered in Ymir's putrid flesh, though they find the secularism of the "black elves" disturbing.

Blóðbards

Having descended into cannibalism and depravity, the once-proud tribe now known only as the Blóðbards (Bloodbeards) after the gore that mats their hairy faces terrorize the lands between Ironwood (abode of wolves and Trollspawn) and the river Gjöll (which is said to flow into Hel).  It is said that they have forsaken the worship of the Æsir and now revere Loki and other twisted powers, that they send infant babes sailing down Gjöll as sacrifices, and that they consort with the foul inhabitants of Ironwood, striking black bargains.  Certainly they conduct raids on other tribes and kidnap travellers, taking thralls for labour and food.

The Blóðbard king is the bastard and seidman Ivar the Perverse, a sorcerer who poisoned his mother's husband, the former king, who believed Ivar his true-born son; the murder was accomplished with the aid of a rune-graven goblet able to turn water into venom.  Ivar, whose true father is variously said to be a Dark Elf, a Hel-Shade, or Loki himself, has thoroughly twisted the ways of the Blóðbards, using wicked arts to beguile and dominate his father's jarls and other well-respected members of the community.  His corruption has spread, and now many of those under his command are warped shadows of their former selves, intent only on gratifying their animal lusts.  His feasting hall, called the Hall of Screams, is the site of obscene rites, and rumour holds that some of the thralls taken in Blóðbard raids are used by Ivar in unwholesome experiments conducted in ancient stone chambers beneath the hall.

Blóðbards are a lean, tall folk whose men inevitably sport long, frequently blood-spattered beards of fair (often white-blond) hair.  Many are heavily tattooed – once family crests and tribe symbols predominated, but now most Blóðbards have scorned tradition and mark themselves with runes to commemorate men killed, women raped, thralls enslaved, and similarly sinister deeds.  Many Blóðbards sharpen their teeth into points.  Their favoured weapons include various seaxes, halberds, and bearded axes, as well as weapons looted from the bodies of the slain.  Most wear scavenged bits and pieces of armour, though many have taken to adorning themselves in flayed human skins tanned into leather.

Hrafnii

Those who fly the raven banner and revere Odin's aspect as the Raven God before all others are known as the Hrafnii.  Marked by hair and eyes as black as the birds they take as their totem, the Hrafnii dwell in the Northeast near the borders of Kvenland, though bands ("Unkindnesses") of merchants, mercenaries, and adventurers have dispersed through Midgard.  Known for their skilled warriors and proud skaldic tradition, the Ravenfolk are also notorious for their gallows humour and their taste for treasure, an appetite which often lands them in trouble – more than a few Hrafnii thieves have found themselves declared a nidding or vargr, to be scolded and executed.  The Hrafnii king is Hrókr, a cunning man of middle years who bears the ancestral sword Cruelbeak, said to have been forged by Völundr the Smith – a strange, slightly curved blade of meteoric iron.

Like most peoples of Midgard the Hrafnii have been devastated by famine and cold.  A number have taken up as contract killers, bodyguards, hired blades, or simple bandits, though a few linger in their homelands, adorning their sacred trees with sacrifices in the form of hanged men in hopes of winning Odin's favour.  These latter dwell mostly in the fortified hill-city simply called Nest.  This now largely empty town is centred around the Tower of Wings, which holds dozens of birdcages: the Hrafnii reverence for ravens extends beyond banners and symbols, for they have trained many of the birds to carry messages.  When released from their cages far from home such ravens return to Nest, bearing scrolls round their legs.  It is said that the gothi in Nest who tend the ravens can speak the tongue of birds as well.

Hrafnii favour throwing axes, short blades, and bows.  Their arrows are, of course, usually fletched with raven-feathers.  In general they wear lighter armour of hide, though a number have acquired metal armour from the swamp-dwelling Járnmenn.  Hrafnii women are considered exotically beautiful by many because of their dark colouration, and their völur sometimes keep white ravens as familiars.

Járnmenn

Making their homes in the Fens, a series of wetlands rich in bog iron, the Járnmenn produce many especially capable smiths and consequently have become quite affluent.  Though mines are not unknown in the North, smelting bog iron is far more common, and the Járnmenn produce a great deal of the iron used throughout the North.  Contending with Fossegrim, Huldra, Bog-Draugr, Swamp-Trolls, and Will-o'-the-Wisps on a regular basis, Járnmenn are a superstitious bunch who adorn their homes with oddments of iron (horseshoes, buried knives, talismans), which they contend holds evil spirits at bay.  Their current ruler is a queen, Kelda Mosblóð – her husband, king Erik, has been missing for the last year and a half, having disappeared on a hunting expedition.  He is presumed dead, but the völur say that the portents are uncertain, and Kelda insists he is alive.

Fimbulvinter has not been kind to the Járnmenn, having crippled a great deal of commerce throughout Midgard – the Járnmenn traded their iron and weapons for many things, including food, so when trade dried up a substantial portion of the population found themselves starving.  Mosquitoes and other insects – a food source for numerous animals in the Fens – usually hatch their eggs in the spring, after the snow melts; because of Fimbulvinter, the great majority never hatched, with devastating results for beasts in the swamplands.  As a result, hunting has been limited as well.  Consequently, many Járnmenn have fled the swamps for other lands, dispersing across the North and elsewhere.

Járnmenn are a pale, large-eyed folk whom unkind people say resemble toads due to their tendency to bandy-leggedness and their swampy homeland.  Many of their hunters are especially deft with throwing spears and short bows.  Some of their less scrupulous warriors have been known to poison their weapons, an act considered extremely dishonourable by most Northmen.  Rumour holds that a secret society of seidmen thrives in the Fens, further tainting the reputation of the Járnmenn, though most consider this nothing more than wild talk.  Their habit of giving their dead to the Fens rather than burying or cremating them, as most do, has done little to help matters, however.

Austrogoths

Making their homes in the southernmost parts of the North, the Austrogoths are notable as the only tribe of Northmen to abandon the old gods in favour of the monotheistic Father, a queer Southron deity whose effeminate, perfumed priests now own substantial tracts of the Austrogothic kingdom.  Female captives taken in raids first introduced the Austrogoths to the Faith, which paved the way for missionaries.  Soon the Church had a foothold, and the Faith began to spread, culminating in the conversion of king Ælfric, called Ælfric the Lightbringer and Ælfric the Illumined (soon to be Saint Ælfric), great-grandfather of the current king, Ælfric II.  Shortly after the king's conversion, worship of the "heathen" deities was forbidden; the sacred groves were put to the torch to be purified by cleansing holy fire and replaced by stone churches.  The völur were declared "witches" and burned at the stake, and old stories and religious teachings were co-opted by the Church, rewritten to reconcile them with the Faith.  Performing a blot or other "pagan" ritual in Austrogothic lands is now punishable by fine or even death, though many persist secretly in the old ways, mouthing the occasional prayer or leaving discrete offerings.

Since Fimbulvinter began, the Austrogoths redoubled their efforts at religious purification, holding that the endless winter, rather than a sign of Ragnarök's imminence, is a punishment from the Father for the world's sins: if the world is able to redeem itself in the Father's eyes He will shine His holy light upon the land and melt the snows.  This belief has stirred many Austrogoths into a fanatical frenzy.  Mobs of frightened villagers lynch those suspected of witchcraft and heathen-worship.  Thieves, adulterers, and prostitutes are frequently impaled, drowned, or hung.  Meanwhile bands of pagan fighters leave the mutilated bodies of captured priests on desecrated altars, their ribs cut and broken and their lungs ripped out – a method of execution known as the Blood Eagle, sacred to Odin.

Austrogoths are mostly a fair-haired and pale-skinned people of sturdy build.  Swords are a far more common weapon for the Austrogothic warrior, though spears and axes still predominate; heavy mail and segmented plate armour is widely worn.  Many zealous converts wear icons of the Saints round their necks.

Kvenlanders

The eastern region of the North known as Kvenland is considered an alien, inhospitable place by most Northmen, and the Kvenlanders are often characterized as "savage bear-worshippers" and "uncouth reindeer-herders."  With unusual shamanic traditions and little agriculture, the Kvenlanders are widely regarded as primitives, though ironically their lack of dependence on grains means that they have endured Fimbulvinter better than most – as their herds feed mostly on cold-hardy lichens rather than grass, they have managed to keep themselves reasonably well-fed.  In the furthest, coldest reaches of Kvenland legend holds that mammoths still roam.

Kvenlanders are semi-nomadic, and with the worsening of Fimbulvinter some have drifted south and west, into marginally warmer climes.  They have many sorcerers amongst their numbers, and most Northmen consider them ergi (that is, unmanly and dishounorable).  If insulted in this manner most Kvenlanders simply laugh.  Kvenland shamanism is practiced by both men and women; shamans are known to commune with spirits and animals, heal the sick, and transform into beasts themselves, amongst other things.

The Kvenlanders have a number of customs which others find disturbing.  For example, certain bands of Kvenlanders have been known to leave virgin women on mountaintops during thunderstorms; after being struck by lightning, these women return to their kindred unharmed but pregnant with what the Kvenlanders believe to be the children of Ukko, god of sky and storms.  The offspring from these pregnancies, called Stormchildren, frequently possess uncanny powers.

Kvenlanders are a quiet lot; they tend to be rather insular, rarely marrying outsiders.  Like the Hrafnii they are darker of hair and eyes, though a few have dark gold hair.  Many of their weapons are of bone and stone rather than metal, and they adorn themselves with antlers and other bone trinkets.  Interestingly, while bears are sacred animals for the Kvenlanders, wolves are hated and feared, and Kvenlanders kill wolves on sight.

Ægirians

The supposed descendents of the sea giant Ægir, the hardy folk who dwell on the shores of Gandvik (called the Bay of Serpents) are feared from Kêr-Is to Avalon.  A tribe of rapacious raiders, ruthless pirates, and bold explorers, the Ægirians frequently go viking, assailing settlements and monasteries or preying on trade routes, loading their longships with treasure and slaves.  During Fimbulvinter the seas freeze often, somewhat dampening the Ægirian's piracy.  A few bands of the fierce warriors have journeyed across the ocean to the Skræling land in the distant west, hoping to find a place free of endless winter.  The roving groups of marauders who roam the snowy wastes often include an Ægirian or two – with the seas so often frozen, many have turned bandit.  In some cases whole jarldoms have turned renegade.  Their current king, Hagbarð Isangrim, is said to spend much time in his hall brooding over past battles, too apathetic to reassert control over his wayward vassals.

The numerous thralls taken in battle by the Ægirians form a considerable part of their communities; in many cases thralls who have been freed remain in Ægirian villages, having grown accustomed to life amongst their captors.  Fir Bolg, Southrons, Thules, Skrælings, Hundings, Beormas, Neuri, and many other peoples labour for the Ægirians, though during the desolation of Fimbulvinter many have fled, escaping captivity in the chaos of this slow, cold apocalypse.

Ægirians claim to have jötunn blood, and their great height and tendency to brawny muscularity corroborates this boast.  By turns mirthful and cruel, light-hearted and vicious, the Ægirians are mostly fair-haired or brown-haired, with pale eyes of green and blue and slate grey, the colours of the sea.  They favour war-hammers, heavy axes, and (for those of sufficient status) swords of various types.  The strength of their greatest warriors is the stuff of legend, and many berserkers can be found amongst them, a manifestation of what they call their "giant's temper."

Gyllirings

The Golden People, named for king Gyllir Greatmane, inhabit the great plains of Vigrith, where (it is said) the final battle at Ragnarök will occur.  Often called the Horse-Masters, the Gyllirings are a tribe of herdsmen and farmers widely famed as the best horsemen in the North, if not all of Midgard; few foes can stand against an onslaught of their cavalry.  As breeders and traders they became a wealthy tribe from the sale of their beasts.  During Fimbulvinter hundreds of Gylliring horses have died of famine and exposure, and hundreds more have been butchered for meat to feed the starving populace – without a proper harvest in two years the Gyllirings are suffering intensely, their grain stores growing as meagre as their herds.  The towns and villages of the plain now echo with the panicked neighing of dying beasts, a horrible chorus born on the icy winds that ripple over Vigrith; it is said that the wraiths of these slaughtered steeds haunt the plains at night, returned from the grave as Helhests bent on trampling their killers beneath their demonic hooves.

The Gyllirings are also troubled by packs of enormous wolves from Ironwood, which borders their lands.  Though such beasts have always plagued them, since Fimbulvinter began packs of these monstrous beasts have been growing larger and bolder, attacking horses and people alike.  With an abundance of money but dwindling horse-herds, the current king of the Gyllirings, Geirmund Greatmane, has declared that any man who brings a wolf-pelt to Hófnirhöll, the Hoof-Hall, will be paid good silver for it.  This bounty has attracted swarms of adventurers, hunters, and other travellers to the region, further destabilizing the realm – where such folk appear brawls, feuds, thievery, and all other manner of trouble likewise tends to crop up.  Shanty-towns and rough camps have sprung up across Gylliring lands, crude clusters of hide tents and hastily assembled wooden huts where hunters drink, wench, swap stories, and gamble with their newly acquired silver.

Thanks, Kindling!

And Crow, Andreas is an Inquisitor.

Your tribal groups are looking pretty interesting, Steerpike. Also, I have a question, are we using traits?

I don't think so.  I'd have to come up with a ton of my own to make that work the way I'd want it to, and to do that I'd need to detail the world pretty extensively, and to that I'd need several months.

Katla

Background:
An imposing figure, the tall and sinewy Katla could put many a man to shame with her athletic prowess. She is a shield-maiden, a fiery warrioress determined to win her place in the halls of Valhalla. Strong-willed and stubborn since infancy, she rejected the prospect of a life as a wife and nursing mother, determined that a greater destiny awaited her. Taking up the shield and blade, she embraced the warrior's path. There were many who disapproved of her ambition, but those who dared step in her way quickly found themselves flat on the ground with her boot on their necks.

Being of the tribe of Ægir, Katla naturally took to their practice of raiding. Initially discriminated for her gender, she had to win her right to a place onboard a longship headed for Avalon by taunting the first mate into dueling her. Although the man was a seasoned raider and brawler, he gravely underestimated her, and was humiliatingly defeated before the eyes of the captain, who was quick to invite the fierce warrioress into the crew.

For many summers Katla went-a-viking, seizing plunder and honing her skills. However much she approved of her occupation, she nevertheless came to despise many of her peers. She saw that most of the pirates and robbers were base scum, honorless dogs fighting just to pay for a few days of drinking and whoring, wholly lacking the ambition for greater glory that drove her on. Katla was better than them. She would face giants and sea-trolls without fear in her heart, skalds would praise her glorious deeds in their songs, and in due time she would be drinking mead in Odin's halls, ready to take up the sword at the hour of Ragnarök!

When the Fimbulvinter set upon the lands, Katla was not dismayed as the rest of Midgard. In a strange way, she was thrilled. In her mind the bitter winter merely signaled that the end of times was drawing near. That the weak would be swept from the face of the frostbitten earth, and that the strong would be tested to their utmost ability. What better time for a brash shield-maiden to prove her mettle?

Appearance:
Katla is sturdy for a woman - some might go so far as to dub her manly (but never to her face...), and she carries her robust frame with all the pride of a seasoned warrior. Her eyes are icy, deep-blue with a disturbingly wolfish air to her stare. Her hair is unremarkable: dull-brown and braided down her back. Her attire is stoic and practical, made up of warm woollen clothes and durable boots suitable for long journeys through the roadless countryside.

[spoiler=Crunch]
Level 2 Barbarian (favored) / Level 1 Ranger

Current XP: 10575
Next Level: 14000

STR  16 (+3)
DEX  14 (+2)
CON  14 (+2)
INT  10 (+0)
WIS  12 (+1)
CHA  8 (-1)

Max HP:  26  ( 12+2 barbarian + 1 favored class + 5 ranger + 3x2 CON )
Current HP:  17

Initiative:  +2  (+2 DEX)

BAB  +3
AC  19 (21 with shield)  ( 10 + 2 DEX + 1 ring + 6 chainmail + 2 shield )
* AC at -2 penalty when raging

CMB 6  ( +3 BAB + 3 STR + 0 size )
CMD 18  ( 10 base + 3 BAB + 3 STR + 2 DEX + 0 size + 0 misc. modifiers )

FORT  +7  ( 5 base + 2 CON )
REF  +4  ( 2 base + 2 DEX )
WILL  +3  ( 0 base + 1 WIS + 2 Iron Will )

Speed:  40ft  (30ft when wearing chainmail)
Carrying capacity:  76 lbs / 77-153 lbs / 154-230 lbs

Melee attacks:
Dagger  +6 (+8 vs Humans)  1d4+3 (1d4+5 vs Humans)  19-20/x2
Battleaxe  +6 (+8 vs Humans)  1d8+3 (1d8+5 vs Humans)  20/x3
Longsword  +6 (+8 vs Humans)  1d8+3 (1d8+5 vs Humans) 19-20/x2
+1 Flaming Shortsword +7 (+9 vs Humans)  2d6+4 (2d6+6 vs Humans) 19-20/x2

Ranged attacks:
Shortbow  +5 (+7 vs Humans)  1d6 (1d6+2 vs Humans)  20/x3

Skills:
Climb  7  (+1 barbarian{human}, +3 class skill, +3 STR)
Intimidate  4  (+2 barbarian, +3 class skill, -1 CHA)
Survival  6 (8 vs Humans)  (+2 barbarian, +3 class skill, +1 WIS, +2 favored enemy)
Swim  7  (+1 barbarian, +3 class skill, +3 STR)
Ride  8  (+2 barbarian{favored class}, +3 class skill, +3 STR)
Perception  6 (8 vs Humans)  (+2 barbarian, +3 class skill, +1 WIS, +2 favored enemy)
Profession (Sailor)  5  (+1 ranger{human}, +3 class skill, +1 WIS)
Handle Animal  4  (+1 ranger, +1 barbarian{human}, +3 class skill, -1 CHA)
Heal  5  (+1 ranger, +3 class skill, +1 WIS)
Knowledge (Nature)  4  (+1 ranger, +3 class skill, +0 INT)
Knowledge (Geography)  4  (+1 ranger, +3 class skill, +0 INT)
Stealth  6  (+1 ranger, +3 class skill, +2 DEX)
Sense Motive  2 (4 vs Humans)  (+1 ranger, +1 WIS, +2 favored enemy)

{human} => extra skill point for the human race
{favored class} => extra skill point for taking a level in the favored class (barbarian)

(chainmail applies a -5 armor check penalty to all Dex- and Strength-based skill checks)

Feats:
* Rugged Northerner (1st level)
* Iron Will (human bonus feat)
* Quick Draw (3rd level)

Class abilities:
* Fast movement (barbarian 1st level)
* Rage up to 6 rounds/day (barbarian 1st level)
* Favored enemy: humanoid (human) (ranger 1st level)
* Track +1 (ranger 1st level)
* Wild empathy +1 (ranger 1st level)
* Uncanny Dodge (barbarian 2nd level)
* Rage Power: Knockdown (barbarian 2nd level)

Languages:
* Northspeech

Equipment & goods:
Riding horse
Pack-horse
Backpack, common (2 gp, 2 lbs)
Bedroll (-, 1 lb)
Blanket, winter (-, 3 lbs)
Flint & steel (1gp, -)
Rope, hemp 50 ft (1 gp, 10 lbs)
Rations, 22 days (5gp, 22 lbs)
Signal horn (1 gp, 2 lbs)
Clothing, Cold-Weather Outfit (8 gp, 7 lbs)
A moonstone circlet (loot)
A shaman's bone rattler (loot)
Jarl Wulfgar's ring (ring of protection +1, reward)
Dagger (2 gp, 1 lb)
+1 Flaming Shortsword (looted, 2 lbs)
Longsword (looted, 4 lbs)
Battleaxe (10 gp, 6 lbs)
Shortbow (30 gp, 2 lbs)
Arrows x55 (3 gp, 9 lbs)
Masterwork Arrows x44 (looted, 8 lbs)
Chainmail (150 gp, 40 lbs)
Heavy wooden shield (7 gp, 10 lbs)
Total weight carried: 127 lbs

Total money left: 280 gp -4 gp -1 sp


Recent changes:
* Acquired a longsword
* Acquired 1 riding horse and 1 pack-horse
* Found rations for 2 weeks in the saddlebags
* Got 600 XP
---
* Shot 3 arrows
* Got 600 XP
---
* Took 9 damage, and 2 dexterity damage
* Got 1000 XP
---
* Got a moonstone circlet, a bone rattle and a crude scroll made of animal flesh
* Took 8 damage
* Got 1710 XP
---
* Used up a day's rations
* recovered 2 HP from rest
* took 20 damage
* stabilized @ -8 HP
* Healed for 13 HP
* shot 1 arrow
* Got 860 xp
=> Level up to Barbarian 2 / Ranger 1
* Rolled for 4 level-up HP
* Gained 1 extra HP for taking a level in favored class
* Gained Uncanny Dodge and Rage Power (Knockdown)
* BAB increased by +1
* Fortitude save increased by +1
* 5 skills increased: Intimidate, Handle Animal, Survival, Perception, Ride
* Selected the Quick Draw feat
---
* Used up a day's rations
* Found 45 masterwork arrows and a shimmering short sword
* Paid 2 gp as toll , 2 gp for lodging, and 1 sp for stabling
* Healed for 8 HP and recovered 2 HP from rest
* Shot 1 arrow
* Got 400 XP
---
* healed to full health of 26 HP
* took 13 + 9 damage
* raged for 4 rounds
* healed for 8 + 5 HP -> up to 17 HP
* received the Jarl Wulfgar's ring as reward
* recovered 2x3 HP from rest -> up to 23 HP
* took 7 + 6 damage
* got 270 + 135 XP
---
* healed for 7 hp -> up to 17 hp
* shot a masterwork arrow
* raged for 3 rounds
[/spoiler]

While I don't have much details right now, I have decided to go with the Summoner Synthesit variant we discussed via PM - I'll get a write up after I do some more for Boundless. :)

Added 3 more tribes.

Kvenlander might work better for Polycarp!'s character than Xathan's, in retrospect, although there's nothing stopping the party from having two Kvenlanders...

More tribes (seafarers, horse-lords, and forest-folk for sure need to be there) to come.

Added a couple more tribes.  Anyone have any feedback on them?  My goal was to make each tribe feel distinct while also part of the same overall cultural milieu, essentially.  I hope they're all somewhat interesting.  I've still got more to add, and these are meant to represent just a handful of many tribes, the numerous petty kingdoms of the North.  For a real world comparison check out the petty kingdoms just in Norway alone  (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petty_kingdoms_of_Norway)during the 700s.

I've decided on a few "cosmic" facts about the world.  In this universe, Ragnarök is part of a cycle - a continuous series of worlds being destroyed and reborn, an ouroboros.  The current "iteration" of Midgard is one world in this vast cycle (we might think of the "real" world as another iteration).  Since the Norse gods and cosmology are the true ones, the same gods with the same names recur in every version of Midgard.  The details of other cultures, faiths, peoples, etc recur with less precision, since they're products of human construction rather than divine reality.

As for where clerics/Paladins/etc get their powers from if a "Judeo-Christian" God doesn't exist, I've got an explanation, but I'm going to keep it secret from most players for now (I cleared this with TMG since it might have a fundamental effect his character).

EDIT: If we were to play sometime either next week or the week after, who could show up and when?  My best days either week are Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, but I could probably swing Monday after CE, or in a real pinch early Tuesday.

Anything should work for me aside from Thursday and Friday. I vote for playing next week.

Ragnvaldr is definitely an Aegirian. Saturdays and fridays are a bit of a no-go for me, I'm afraid.

Sundays are also possible for me.  Basically the only days that don't work especially well are Thursdays (although even then, an early game might work for me - I'm on PST, for those who don't know) and later Tuesdays, really.

[ic=Æskil Trollsbane]
(http://i625.photobucket.com/albums/tt336/MarkVonLewis/viking4.jpg)
[spoiler=Crunch]Æskil the Gray, Fighter 2

STR 14 (+2)
DEX 8 (-1)
CON 16 (+3)
INT 12 (+1)
WIS 14 (+2)
CHA 8 (-1)

HP: 26/26
AC: 9 (19 with splint mail [+7], large shield [+2], and Shield Focus [+1])

BAB: +2
CMB: +4
CMD: +14

FORT: +6 (+8 vs. cold weather in furs)
REF: -1
WILL: +4

SPEED: 30 (20 in splint mail)
Armor Check Penalty: -8
CC: 58|116|175

Melee Attacks
Battleaxe: +5, 1d8+2 (x3)
Longsword: +4, 1d8+2 (19-20 x2)

Ranged Attacks
Throwing axe: +1, 1d6+2 (x2)

Skills
Handle Animal: +3
Intimidate: +3
Knowledge (Dungeoneering): +6
Profession (Miner): +7
Survival: +6

Feats
Weapon Focus, Battleaxe
Shield Focus
Toughness
Iron Will

Equipment
Battleaxe
Longsword
Throwing axe x3
Splint Mail
Heavy Shield (Wooden)
Iron Helm
Backpack
Winter Furs (Grey wolf)
Length of iron chain, 2'
Silver earring
[/spoiler]
Fate has not been kind to Æskil - now called Trollsbane. The weight of years hang heavy upon his shoulders, and the scars and lines of cruelty have been etches into his face and body. He speaks little of his past, but his hunched, solid frame speaks of many years in cold chains and dark dungeons and places where the Sun did not shine. But perhaps Fate, while unkind, has plans for Æskil. As Midgard seems to crumble, while men turn into monsters, and monsters turn into things far worse, Æskil seems to be comfortable in the deep, dark cold of the Fimbulvinter. At times, he seems to become nostalgic, perhaps remembering his past in a way only he can understand.

If life has taught Æskil one thing, it is that those who endure weather the storm. He may not be the strongest of warriors, nor the quickest, nor the most experienced, but he just may be among the toughest of warriors. With his black-iron battleaxe and chipped oaken shield, he calmly wades into battle, with a gait that is slow but inevitable.

Æskil is very broad and thick, but of average height. His age is unknown, even to him, but he has seen younge days. His long, braided beard is dark gray, as too is his long, thick hair which he keeps back with a leather band. Dark, blue eyes shine from his weathered, scar-covered skin. He usually smells of iron and earth. A single silver earring hangs from his left ear. While Æskil could pass as an Ægirian or even a Gylliring, he knows nothing of his blood.
[/ic]

I've got the stats for my summoner (synthesist) but absolutely no concrete background down - hope to have that soon.

[ic=Ragnvaldr]Ragged breath condensed in the cold, forming droplets of moisture in his beard. Huddling architectural forms in the fog ahead. The memory of the last raid...

... in another land. Golden, shifting light from the burning monastery. The sudden resistance as spear pierced flesh. The snivelling of the dying monk. The shrieks of the plump Southron woman. Laughter and mead on the walk back to the ships. The weight of gold on his back...

... is brief, the cold and hunger and quickening heartbeat far more acute. Aslaug, as ever, near at hand, her panting bulk low to the snowy ground. The others, strangers really, spread out to either side, wild things in the mist.

It wasn't long before the sentry's shout. It wasn't long before the first arrow flew. Then, rushing, stumbling, bellowing, Aslaug barking at his side then dashing ahead and the first man fell as she reached him and then onwards, spear in hand.

Thrust, feint, thrust, that familiar resistance as iron bit deep. Colour - abrupt, vivid red - wrenched from a ruined throat into the monochrome world. Another defender, half-clad, axe in hand, utterly unprepared and in instants a mewling, dying wreck.

On, feet now striding a path between buildings, up steps, forcing through the doorway, Aslaug back, jaws stained from her kill. The sudden warmth of the hall, another battle-shout, almost involuntary, more quick work with spear, and then...

No more killing, just a sordid little search. Smoked fish, oats. Victory.[/ic]

Sundays after about 6.45 gmt are fine for me.

Sundays are pretty bad for me - Monday afternoon, wednesday all day, midday tuesday and thursday, and friday most of the day are typically wide open, however.

Monday,Tuesday or Wednesday can all work for me, but I probably couldn't make every week.

Quote from: Kindling
Monday,Tuesday or Wednesday can all work for me, but I probably couldn't make every week.

Same for any date I said would work - but then again, wasn't this game supposed to not have a regular schedule, or did that change? >.>

I'm good tuesdays/thursdays early (until 12:30pm) or late (after 6pm), late (after 6pm) for monday and wednesday, saturday/sunday any time.

Unless my CE players decide that they'd like a hiatus, I'm not planning on running this as a regular game (of course, some of me CE players are playing in this game, so depending on how they like Fimbulvinter, that might influence their decision...) - basically I don't have the time to run two regular games.  This is just to decide a good date for a starting session, not to fix a regular date.  No point in my just setting a date that no one can make.

Wednesday is looking like the best day so far, unless I missed something.  How late can you go on Wednesday, Europeans?

Again, this is only for session #1.  Unless CE goes on hiatus, this will be an irregular every-couple-of-weeks sort of game.

[ic=Awakenings]

"Get up you beardless wurm!" If the volume hadn't been enough to awaken Sjack, the kick to his ribs would have been more than enough added incentive; he groaned, rising to his feat. The man who stood before him was lean and tall, his pale beard completely caked in dried blood. "You're pathetic enough as it is – and now you add womanly sloth to your failures." Sjack rose in silence. There was a chance that speaking would earn him a ringing blow to the ear. Silence was less likely to have the same consequence, though it was never sure. The sudden pain that exploded in his head indicated he would have been just as well-served speaking. "You think you can give me that sullen look? You are no true man, you have not the right!" Sjack did his best to look contrite, though he was careful to not look distraught – a fine line, and one that if he failed to walk would result in yet another blow.

"Forgive me, Father."

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he knew he had made a mistake – an instant before a massive fist collided with his face. He reeled back, trying to blink through the pain, when another blow landed in his midsection, drawing the breath from him. "You" - a savage blow to the arm caused Sjack to nearly howl in pain - "are" - doubled over, what he thought was a knee rose to his jaw, drawing the taste of blood - "no" - this fist Sjack managed to turn slightly due to his stumbling, taking what would have likely cracked his skull instead of merely blackening his eye - "son" - two fits, back and forth, one to the shoulder and the other to the jaw, took Sjack to a realm of pain he'd never before met - "of" - at this point, the club wooden, stool? Did he grab the stool? that broke across his back was an almost gentle tap, the jagged lances of pain that shot along his back helping to distract from the pain in his head - "mine." - laying on the ground, another foot to the kidney – much harder than the one that awoke him – was the last straw, and the last sensation that was not pain before he blacked out was of his father's spittle running down his face.

Sleep, or something like it, claimed him for a time. He had thought that being beaten into unconsciousness would spare him the Dream, but that would have been a mercy, and Sjack had only the vaguest concept of the term. He was chained again, in a great feasting hall, vaster than he had ever believed possible. Horrific creatures dined on the flesh of men around him – trolls, Hel-Shades, the twisted and dark Aelfar, great serpents with arms like men. At the head of the table sat a figure – always the same person, though at times a beautiful woman, at times a wizened man, at times a sly warrior with a poisoned blade. They all ignored him, as they always did, but the plates grew emptier, and Sjack knew that when the food ran out he would be noticed. What would happen then only his imagination knew, but there was a small chance it would be anything but painful. A hand reached for him, scaled and clawed, and suddenly he was unchained, held by one of the great serpents. "Thisss one." Sjack nearly screamed. Never before had one of them touched him, never before had one spoken.

A skinless wolf with the shape of a man looked over at the speaker. "Verjartix, you're serious? Hes a disgrace to his clan, to his people, to our Pact! He was cursed to never grow a beard." The serpent nodded. "He iss perfect. What say you, beardlesssss? Would you be the vessel of Verjartix?"

"I, I, I"

"You see!" barked the wolf, and Sjack had to bite back hysterical laughter at the phrase, "He is too much of a coward to speak even!" The serpent – Verjartix – nodded. "Yesss. He isss. But there is so much rage in him...tell me, beardlessss, would you wish for a chance to prove you are truly a  Blóðbard?"

Sjack felt it then. Something stirred within him, and he did not see Verjartix as a monster, but as a creature with the deadly beauty of a falcon or a wolf, the beauty of a predator. "Yes." he whispered.

A blow to the back of the head – softer than he had expected, but still the last thing his throbbing head wanted – shattered the dream. He groaned and rose to get up...only to hear the rattle of chain. "You're awake then." The voice was not his Fathers. It was smooth, like honey, but sickening, as though it had been left to ferment but drunk before it was truly mead. A woman moved into view, pale and covered in strange tattoos – no clan markings, no family badges, no killscores or slavetakes (not that he expected to see those on a woman). Rings, outlining her arms and drawing the eyes to her breasts – which were bare save for the tattoos that covered her torso, Sjack realized with a start – were the only markings she bore. "Do you know where you are?"

Sjack started to shake his head and instantly regretted it, hit by a wave of nausea he could not contain, heaving all the nothing he had eaten in the last two days, for the first time grateful for his near-starvation. "No." he croaked instead.

"This is the Feasting Hall of King Ivar." The Hall of Screams. Oh gods, what happened? The woman laughed. "Isn't it obvious, beardless? Your father sold you, and the Ivar wishes to know the cause of your affliction, to be certain it spreads to no others."

She walked over to a tray and pulled out a wicked implement. "I intend to find out."

And once again, Sjack knew only pain.

------------

How long he was chained in that hall, he did not know. Hours, days, weeks, months – time lost all meaning, and the only reprieve he knew was the blessed peace of unconsciousness, until finally he awoke and there was no pain, only lingering soreness. He had been healed, and expertly so. His skin was scarred along his arms, coated in blood, and he was naked, but he was not in pain. He was, however, cold. Standing – noting the absence of chains to bond him – he realized he was outside. Trees surrounded him. The Ironwood. There was something on the tree, and it took his mind a moment to focus. The impaled head of a great wolf leered at him, and with a sickening jolt he realized it was the same blood on his arm. A message had been carved into the tree. RUN

And as soon as he heard the howling of the wolves, he did, like the beardless coward that he was. The wolves had his scent and the scent of their packmate's blood – they were furred and healthy, he was naked and starved – and this was their home. It wasn't even a contest. Soon they had him surrounded, snapping at him, taking their time before going for the kill. Oh please, help me! Spare me this! Anyone! Give me Strenght! You Æsir!" - and a bite on his calf made him realize they were growing bored of the game - "Great Trickster!" - a more aggressive male took his pinky finger, Sjack barely pulling his hand away, and in that flash of pain it was not the wolf, it was not the wolves, it was his father, beating him as he had before, and a name rose to Sjack's lips "Verjartix!"

And suddenly he was clothed in the skin of a great serpent, seven lengths from nose to tail. As fast as his new form would allow he lashed out, catching the next wolf mid-air. It barely managed a shocked yip before the bite crushed its neck. Sjack stood over his prey as he let out a screeching roar, sending the wolves fleeing in confusion and fear. We are now whole. And as Sjack feasted on the wolf in the infant form of Verjartix, he knew it to be true.[/ic]

[spoiler=Crunch][ooc=Beardless Sjack]

Human Summoner 2

Ability Scores:
Str 10
Dex 10
Con 10
Int 14
wis 14
Cha 16

Combat:
Attack: +1 Melee (Light Mace) 1d6, +1 Ranged (Short Bow) 1d6, +1 Spell (Acid Splash) 1d3
AC: 14, 10 touch, 14 flat footed
HP: 13
CMA: +1
CMD: 11

Saves:
Fort +0
Ref +0
Will +3

Skills:
Spellcraft 2 +7
Perception 5 +7
Intimidate 5 +9
Survival 5 +7
Bluff 5 +8
Sense Motive 5 +7
Stealth 3 +3

Feats
Extra Evolution, Weapon Finesse

Items:
Chain Shirt
Mace
Short Bow
50 arrows

Class Features:
Fused Eidolon
Simple Weapon Proficiency
Light Armor Proficiency
Light Armor Casting
Fused Link
Summon Monster 1 (6/day)
Cold Weather Gear

Spells
Level 0: (at will)
Acid Splash
Arcane Mark
Mage Hand
Detect Magic
Message

Level 1: (4/day)
Expeditious Retreat
Devil's Blood
Shield[/ooc]

[ooc=When Bonded With Ediolon]

Str 12
Dex 16
Con 13
Int 14
wis 14
Cha 16

Speed: 30ft, Climb 20ft

Combat:
Attack: Bite +5: 1d6+1 (10ft Reach), Sting +5: 1d4+1, Tail Slap +0: 1d6+1
AC: 21, 13 touch, 18 flat footed
HP: 15+18 Temporary
CMA: +3
CMD: 16

Saves:
Fort +1
Ref +3
Will +3

Skills:
Spellcraft 2 +7
Perception 5 +15
Intimidate 5 +9
Survival 5 +7
Bluff 5 +8
Sense Motive 5 +7
Stealth 3 +12

Feats
Extra Evolution, Weapon Finesse

Items:
Chain Shirt
Mace
Short Bow
50 arrows
Cold Weather Gear

Special Qualities/Class Features:
Resist Cold 5
Darkvision 60ft
Evasion
Fused Eidolon
Simple Weapon Proficiency
Light Armor Proficiency
Light Armor Casting
Fused Link
Summon Monster 1 (6/day)

Spells
Level 0: (at will)
Acid Splash
Arcane Mark
Mage Hand
Detect Magic
Message

Level 1: (4/day)
Expeditious Retreat
Devil's Blood
Shield
[/ooc]

[ooc=Eidolon (Synthesist)]
(Stats not listed are not relevant, Eidolon is only summonable as "skin")

5 evolution points

HP: 18

Str 12
Dex 16
Con 13

+4 Natural Armor
30ft land speed, Climb 20 ft
Evasion
Darkvision 60ft

Serpentine Base Form: (Bite, Climb, Reach (Bite), Tail, Tail Slap)
Evolutions: Sting, Skilled (Perception), Skilled (Stealth) Resistance (cold), Limbs (Legs)

Attacks:
Bite +5: 1d6+1 (10ft Reach)
Sting +5: 1d4+1
Tail Slap +0: 1d6+1[/ooc][/spoiler]

I'm looking at Wednesday next week as a likely game day. Llum, how's your early Wednesday?  Terrible?

Somewhere there's a great online schedule-comparison thingy, but I don't remember its name...

It could be that some people may have to miss the first session due to time problems - hopefully not many, but it's possible.  I'm planning on running each session as relatively self-contained, with modular pieces rather than extremely epic, complex, multi-part quests or an intricate tissue of overlapping and intertwining plots (see my CE campaign...).  Definitely a "one quest at a time" style of game.  Hope that's cool.  It should facilitate the jump in/jump out casual/episodic style I'd like to attempt.

I'm a huge fan of episodic games, so I'm 100% behind it. One thing I've seen in episodic TV shows that I've liked is a "metaplot" - something that comes up ever so often, but you won't be too lost if you miss out, and gets wrapped up in the season finale. Kind of a best of both worlds scenario that I'm going to try to emulate when I finally get around to running an episodic game. :P

That's a really good idea.  With this I want to strike a balance between the freedom in a sprawling campaign where the players can essentially go anywhere, do anything, and make all of their decisions, and a highly self-contained game like Sixguns (for example) where each mission has fairly strict parameters.  So, for example, if the party ends one session by deciding to enter the Fens, the next session will pick up in the Fens somewhere, more or less where we left of.  I want player goals and desires to guide the plot to some extent, basically, without the campaign becoming too baroque, if that makes sense.

Sounds like an excellent way to handle things! I look forward to this game quite a bit - and for a chance to unleash Sjack.

Could be tough for me to stay up very late on wednesdays, but I'll give it a try. I expect I can handle it next week at least.

I'm considering this optional rule from the 3.5 SRD; let me know what you think!

The approach I'm most intrigued by is the combined approach, in bold below.

Quote from: Alternate Massive Damage ThresholdConstitution-Based Threshold

A character's massive damage threshold is equal to his Constitution score. Whenever he takes damage from a single hit that equals or exceeds his current Constitution score, he must succeed on a DC 15 Fortitude save or suffer the effects of massive damage.

If an attack deals hit point damage and also changes the character's Constitution score (such as a strike with a poisoned weapon), apply all effects of the hit before determining whether the damage is enough to trigger the saving throw. For instance, a character with a 14 Constitution is hit by a greatsword coated with black adder venom. The attack deals 12 points of damage, but the character also fails his Fortitude save against the poison and takes 3 points of Constitution damage. This lowers his Constitution—and hence his massive damage threshold—to 11. Since the damage exceeds the threshold, the character must now make a Fortitude save to avoid the effect of massive damage.

HD-Based Threshold

A character's massive damage threshold is equal to 25, +2 per Hit Die. Whenever a character takes damage from a single hit that equals or exceeds this value, he must succeed on a DC 15 Fortitude save or suffer the effects of massive damage.

For example, a 5th-level human fighter has a massive damage threshold of 35 (25 + [2 × 5]). A fire giant has a massive damage threshold of 55 (25 + [2 × 15]).

Combined Variant

To combine the Constitution-based threshold variant with the HD-based system, simply use a character's Constitution score instead of 25 to determine a character's massive damage threshold. For example, a 3rd-level character with a Constitution of 14 has a massive damage threshold of 20 (14 + [3 × 2]). In most cases, this calculation results in a threshold lower than the HD-based threshold but still higher than the Constitution-based threshold—retaining the "grittiness" of the Constitution-based system for low-to mid-level characters, while allowing higher-level characters to become braver in combat.

I love the combined variant. It adds an element of gritty realism to to the setting and makes every strike something potentially nerve-wracking - the increase in threat is perfect for this kind of setting, so I am 100% behind including this.

To be honest, I'm not sure what the purpose of tinkering with massive damage is in a low-level, potentially E6 game.  Massive damage is generally a means to prevent 15th level barbarians with 20 Con from shrugging off meteor strikes with a mere scratch.  A 3rd level character with 14 Con is going to be in tremendous trouble if they take 20 damage even without a massive damage rule; depending on their class, they may already be unconscious before you can apply it.  Making such potentially lethal hits even more lethal is, in my opinion, not really a positive change.  Making things more random does not necessarily make them more gritty.

I just want to point out that, based on an IRC discussion we had, I think Polycarp has excellent points from a flavor and mechanical viewpoint. I just like the idea of any hit being potentially lethal. But from a purely mechanical standpoint, I think he's right in that massive damage is not a good edition at lower levels, especially in e6, where the risk factor from it goes up exponentially relative to a level 10 or higher game.

This is a situation of which comes first - flavor or mechanics. Just keep in mind that, much as I may advocate it, it's best to keep in mind that if you're using these rules I'm going to roll up a backup character because I find it highly likely that Sjack will die. :P

I was kind of assuming we'd be dying a lot in this game anyway....

I like the idea of the massive damage rules, but, similarly, if we're gonna be at low levels anyway I don't think it's a big deal. Getting hit is still scary without the rules at that point. I mean, even in CE where we're higher level and have reserve points to help us out, I have feared for Vetter's life several times after a couple of solid conventional attacks have landed on him.

Updated my character's background, redefining her as a member of the Ægir tribe. Also posted her stats.

Quote from: Ghostman
She saw that most of the pirates and robbers were base scum, honorless dogs fighting just to pay for a few days of drinking and whoring, wholly lacking the ambition for greater glory that drove her on.

That's Ragnvaldr :)

Good points Polycarp - while I like the idea of a hit being instantly lethal, I think you're right overall.  The game will be deadly enough without lowered massive damage.

I think we're ready to set a game-time.  I've cleared some stuff with Llum - he won't make it this Wednesday but may make it to other sessions.

Would around 12:30 EST on Wednesdays work for at least 4-5 people?  If not, we'll pick a new time.  If there only one or two people who can`t make that then I`ll prioritize them + Llum for the next session.

I'm ninety percent sure that would work - will confirm on monday when I get work schedule.

For the start of a game that time is alright for me. It's more a matter of how long the session will last.

I can do even earlier.  11:30 or even 11:00 EST could work too, so long as other people are OK with that.

North-Speech is the principle tongue of the North which all Northmen speak.

Southron is the common tongue the Southron peoples.

Gaeilish is the tongue of the Fir Bolg, inhabitants of the island of Ériu.

Cymric is the tongue of the island Avalon and the various tribal peoples who dwell there.

Bjarmic is the language of the Beormas, a people who live east of Kvenland.

Thule is the language of the Thules, who dwell on an icy island and sometimes war with the Northmen settled there.

Skrællish is the tongue of the Skrælings, inhabitants of a vast land in the distant west.

Húnnish is the language of the Húna, the fierce bow-wielding peoples of the eastern steppes.

Kvennic is the language of the strange bear-worshipping Kvenlanders.

Neuric is the tongue of the Neuri, a fair-haired people of the northeast.

Ásan is the unusual language of a far-flung folk from the other side of the world, further east even than the lands of the Neuri and the Húna.

Hunding is the tongue of the Hundings, or Dogfolk, a degenerate tribal people who sometimes raid the Northlands.

Dreki is the Dragon-tongue, which sounds like crackling flames.  Humans can only speak a crude approximation of it.

Giantish is the harsh Jötunn language – the tongue of Rime Thurs, Múspellsmegir, Trolls, and similar beings.

Álfari is the sibilant, often unfathomable language of the Elves, both Light and Dark.

Dvergar is the intricate, ponderous tongue of the Dwarves.  Learning it is said to drive lesser minds mad.

Helmál is the torturous tongue of the dishonoured dead, which always sounds screamed.  It is rarely learned by the living, and is said to be painful to speak.

Alright's here's what I'm going to do: I'll sign on at around 11 am EST this coming Wednesday.  Once 4-5 people show up, we'll begin.  Latecomers after that point can be worked in pretty easily.

I'll be there.

I'm pretty sure I can't join this Wednesday, but I'd still like to roll up a character and drop in at some point.
Out of curiosity, which of the tribes most resemble the Finns?

The Kvenlanders are meant to represent the Sami/Finns.  From what I've gathered the Finns had a quite distinct mythology and culture from their Norse neighbors, though they share some themes.

I'm sure some of you have picked up on my method for naming many of the non-Northern tribes, but for any who haven't, several are based on legendary, mythological, historically uncertain, or otherwise "lost" tribal Iron Age groups.  The Fir Bolg are Celts, Neuri and Beormas are Proto-Slavs, Hundings are a legendary Germanic tribe, Thules are Inuit, etc.

I tried making a völva seer, but she seems very ... frail. Assuming this scenario is going to include a fair amount of violence, she appears dangerously inefficient considering that she can't see beyond 30 ft and can't hit with a dagger. Hmm. Although she does have the nifty ability to read entrails. I'll post her here for now, but I might go back to tinkering with character concepts.

[spoiler=Siiv Sangsdottir]
Level 2 human oracle (seer) - time mystery

STR 10 +0 (0)
DEX 14 +2 (5)
CON 12 +1 (2)
INT 11 +0 (1)
WIS 12 +1 (2)
CHA 16 +3  (5)

Max HP: 11 (2d8+2)

BAB +1
AC 12

CMB +1
CMD 13

FORT +1
REF +2
WILL +4

Speed: 30ft

Melee attacks:
Dagger +1 1d4 19-20/x2


Skills (8 points):
Bluff +4 (1)
Diplomacy +8 (2)
Sense Motive +6 (2)
Knowledge (religion) +5 (2)
Survival +2(1)

Special Abilities:
Clouded Vision

Feats:
Extra Revelation (Aging Touch)

Revelations:
Aging Touch (1/day)
Natural Divination

Spells:
Orisons - Detect Magic, Light, Create Water, Detect Poison, Spark
1st (5) -Cure Light Wounds, Murderous Command, memory lapse

Equipment: 
Ragged blindfold
Bone charms
Bone-handled knife
Grey robes
[/spoiler]

I tried making a völva seer, but she seems very ... frail. Assuming this scenario is going to include a fair amount of violence, she appears dangerously inefficient considering that she can't see beyond 30 ft and can't hit with a dagger. Hmm. Although she does have the nifty ability to read entrails. I'll post her here for now, but I might go back to tinkering with character concepts.

[spoiler=Siiv Sangsdottir]
Level 2 human oracle (seer) - time mystery

STR 10 +0 (0)
DEX 14 +2 (5)
CON 12 +1 (2)
INT 11 +0 (1)
WIS 12 +1 (2)
CHA 16 +3  (5)

Max HP: 11 (2d8+2)

BAB +1
AC 12

CMB +1
CMD 13

FORT +1
REF +2
WILL +4

Speed: 30ft

Melee attacks:
Dagger +1 1d4 19-20/x2


Skills (8 points):
Bluff +4 (1)
Diplomacy +8 (2)
Sense Motive +6 (2)
Knowledge (religion) +5 (2)
Survival +2(1)

Special Abilities:
Clouded Vision

Feats:
Extra Revelation (Aging Touch)

Revelations:
Aging Touch (1/day)
Natural Divination

Spells:
Orisons - Detect Magic, Light, Create Water, Detect Poison, Spark
1st (5) -Cure Light Wounds, Murderous Command, memory lapse

Equipment: 
Ragged blindfold
Bone charms
Bone-handled knife
Grey robes
[/spoiler]

Did a restatting of my seer. Also, based on your suggestion she might now be an enslaved East European woman.

[spoiler=Mila Kaupas]
human seer 1/winter witch 1 (nature mystery, portents patron)

STR 10 +0 (0)
DEX 12 +1 (2)
CON 11 +0 (1)
INT 16 +3 (5)
WIS 12 +1 (2)
CHA 14 +2  (5)

Max HP: 8 (1d8+1d6)

BAB +0
AC 11

CMB +0
CMD 11

FORT +0
REF +1
WILL +5

Speed: 30ft

Melee attacks:
Dagger +0 1d4 19-20/x2
Quarterstaff +0 1d6 x2

Skills (5+7 points):
Bluff +4 (2)
Diplomacy +6 (1)
Intimidate +7 (2)
Knowledge (Arcana) +8 (1)
Knowledge (Nature) +7 (2)
Knowledge (Religion) +7 (1)
Heal +5 (1)
Sense Motive +5 (1)
Survival +2 (1)


Special Abilities:
Oracle's Curse (Clouded Vision)
Patron (Portents)
Witch's Familiar (white raven)
Ice Magic (+1 cold DC)
Cold Flesh (Endure Elements - Cold)
Revelations (1)
Hexes (2)

Feats:
Extra Hex (Slumber)
Spell Focus (Enchantment)

Revelations:
Natural Divination

Hexes:
Evil Eye
Slumber

Oracle Spells (spontaneous):
Orisons - Detect Magic, Light, Detect Poison, Spark
1st (4) -Cure Light Wounds, Murderous Command, Charm Animal

Witch Spells (prepared):
Cantrips (3)  - Daze, Message, Dancing Lights
1st (2)-Frostbite, Charm Person

Equipment:
Ragged blindfold
Bone charms
Bone-handled knife
Grey robes
[/spoiler]

EDIT: It might seem like a rather drastic change of character, but the core of the concept is the same.

The Witch/Oracle thing makes additional sense if she's experienced in two distinct spellcasting traditions - her original one and the tradition of the Hrafnii.

Looks great! I already have a fantastic mental image of her even with only the crunch and your brief comments :)

PS. Suggestion - take whichever class gives 1d8 HD first so you have a minimum of 9 HP rather than a minimum of 7.

Yeah, that's a good idea!

Is there any additional information people would appreciate next?  I'm planning on doing a map or two soon.

EDIT: May I suggest that Mila invest in some furs and food?  These could represent stolen objects if she's an escaped thrall.

Also, having checked the numbers, if you did 4 levels of Oracle and 3 of Witch, you could qualify for Mystic Theurge (we'd rename it something...) for your final level :P.  Just a possibility.

A map of the "Blóðlands."  Don't read this map as an accurate depiction of the actual land - the maps leaves out a great deal (numerous towns, settlements, sacred groves, and small geographical regions) and isn't intended to properly represent distances - but rather as a crude approximation, the sort of thing your average semi-learned Iron Age denizen would scrawl on a scrap of parchment.

Note: this region is but one of the many petty kingdoms of the North.

I may change or update this - we'll see...

(http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/1512/blodlands.jpg)

It is a beautiful map.

Thanks!  For whatever reason I never seem to do maps with software.  I also always seem to overestimate my scanner's breadth :P.  It'll at least give the PCs some idea of their whereabouts.

The starting location will be a somewhat uncertain somewhere in the rough vicinity of Skrikborg (where the Hall of Screams is located).  Drekaborg, Wulfheim, and Wightgard are all Blóðbard-garrisoned fort-towns.

Very nice! Will you be posting a map of the entirety of the North? I'd be interested in seeing that.

Eventually I will definitely get one together.  For Skryim-players out there, I'm thinking of the above map as an area roughly equivalent to one of the nine Holds.

Nice map!

Also, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYCreOzCxP8

Thanks!

Are there any other rule variants people might be interested in?  Called Shots (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/ultimateCombat/variants/calledShots.html), Honor (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/campaigns/honor.htm), or even Wound and Vigor Points (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/ultimateCombat/variants/woundsAndVigor.html)?  The lattermost, arguably, might suffer from the same redundancy Polycarp! rightly identified with lowering the Massive Damage Threshold, though I think it's effect are a little more nuanced.  All of these are just options.  Any opinions?  I think I'm going to keep Armour as a Defense bonus (as opposed to DR) simply for greater ease of conversion with monsters :P.

EDIT: Game is on for tomorrow, just to remind everyone.

I'd agree that VP/WP would be a bit redundant. I love the called shots, although I'm slightly unsure about this "minimum 50" thing for the damage needed to cause critical called shots and debilitating blows. Maybe I'm misunderstanding it but that seems awfully high for a low-power game like this one. Honour is in theory cool, but my instinct would be to just handle that kind of thing through RP rather than a hard-and-fast rule.
If others particularly want or don't want any of those three rule variants, though, I'd be happy to use or not use them, those are just preferences rather than passionate opinions :)

Also, I've just been watching a BBC documentary series called Weapons that Made Britain, and feel it's somewhat inspirational for this game. While the episode on the Sword focussed on the 15th century, there was one section where he tested four different replica swords and found that the viking/saxon era sword performed pretty much identically to its 15th century equivalent (as in the same size sword from that era, not the larger hand-and-a-half sword) in both the cut and the thrust, which is surprising as the later sword had a much less rounded point.
The episode on the Shield is even more relevant, focussing mainly on viking/saxon era shield wall tactics and technology. Rawhide covering glued linden is surprisingly durable, with only a Danish two-handed axe breaking the shield in their tests, and making the shield lenticular rather than flat made it able to resist even that (they eventually broke the lenticular shield, but they had to get a machine to hit it with the axe nearly four times harder than the man was able to).
Not really suggesting you should house-rule anything to reflect this, just thought it was interesting and relevant. The whole series seems to be up on youtube if anyone's interested, I've only watched the Sword and Shield episodes so far :)

To explain the 50 thing - 50 is for Debilitating blows.  Anything below 50 that's still a critical hit counts as a Critical Called Shot, whereas anything over 50 counts as a Debilitating Blow.  The wording is just awful (I had to read it a couple of times to understand).  The regular Called Shot effects have no damage threshold.  Basically, there would be very few Debilitating Called Shots unless some 8th level badass with feats gets a critical.

I wouldn't let Called Shots stop me from describing things viscerally, or of letting players describe gory kills through things like heart-stabbing and decapitation.  In effect they're just a mechanic to allow for a more nuanced variety of the Dirty Trick (which is always available in Pathfinder) with some extra bonuses for a critical hit.

Still, I'm a bit on the fence.  More input would be awesome.

I think I'm with you on Honour.  Mechanizing it feels too clumsy.

Sounds like a cool series!

I don't feel strongly about the variants either; I just wanted to put them on the table in case anyone really wanted them :).

Rumours

Rumours blow as freely as the winter winds across the North, though few are wholly accurate, and doubtless most are exaggerated or otherwise faulty.

Roll a 1d10 1d2 times and read the corresponding spoiler tag(s).  It goes without saying not to look at the rumours you don't roll.  These rumours represent snatches of gossip, overheard conversation, and other hearsay.  Rumours reported in the section on the tribes can be considered general knowledge (such as King Geirmund Greatmane's bounty on wolves).

If you're an Ægiran, you automatically know either rumour 2 or 5 (pick one and roll 1d2 – on a 2, roll again to learn another rumour, rerolling if you get the same rumour twice).  If you're an Austrogoth, you automatically know rumour 6, if you're a Hrafnii you automatically know rumour 10, and if you're a Görning you automatically know either rumour 1 or 4 (again, roll 1d2 and learn a second random rumour on a 2).

1 - [spoiler]Insane Seeresses: The imminent arrival of Ragnarök is causing seeresses who peer too deeply into the future to go insane.  They say it begins with nightmares and hallucinations, flashes of the impending Doom; those who behold the final battle in its terrible, enormous totality, however, are driven hopeless insane.  To avoid this fate, those skilled in the Seid should avoid divining too extensively.[/spoiler]

2 - [spoiler]Strange Island: A strange new island has appeared in the west near Ériu.  Called Hy-Brasil by the Fir Bolg, some claim the island rose from the sea, others that it simply appeared out of a bank of mist, others still that it floated across the ocean from some distant corner of the earth and has now come to rest.  Whatever the case, Northern adventurers have returned from the isle with tales of fabulous treasures found within ancient, empty cities.  Other rumours suggest that these cities may not be empty after all...[/spoiler]

3 - [spoiler]Army of the Dead: They say that an army of the dishonoured dead – shades from Hel itself – has established a camp in the Eyði – the savage, contested wasteland west of the Gjöll River.  These vile ghost-warriors, the Again-Walkers, slay all living beings they come across and pull their spirits from their corpses, cheating them of Valhalla to add to their own ranks; shadow-fleshed and screaming, they cannot be harmed by ordinary weapons.  They say their commanders are Hel-Giants, Jötnar who died dishonourably – Hrímgrímnir, Helreginn, Hyrm, and Modgud.[/spoiler]

4 - [spoiler]Rift to Svartálfaheim: Rumour holds that somewhere deep in the Slaughterstone Mountains an earthquake has caused a great rift to open which leads to Svartálfaheim itself, the subterranean Homeworld of the Dwarfs.  Though climbing through the mountains in the midst of Fimbulvinter is perilous, the wonders of the Dvergar are legendary.  Whether or not the Dwarfs are emerging from the rift into Midgard is unknown.[/spoiler]

5 - [spoiler]Skræling Uprising: Reports from the west hold that a group of Skræling thralls being transported to the North along with goods from the distant lands across the ocean managed to kill the crew of their ship and have landed in the North.  Ruthless freedom-fighters, they are now roving the Northlands freeing any Skræling or Thule thralls they come across and killing their masters, taking their scalps for trophies.  It is said that some of their number are shamans capable of summoning a terrible flesh-eating spirit that possesses certain of their warriors, transforming them into something called "Wendigos."[/spoiler]

6 - [spoiler]Plague in Austragötaland: A horrible sickness is sweeping Austragötaland.  Some say it's a Southron plague, others a punishment sent by the Gods to cleanse the land of the Fathermen.  The Faith, of course, contends that the plague has been sent by their deity to punish heathens and sinners – a holy fever which burns the brows of unbelievers and other depraved souls.  Their priests are busy administering holy cures to those they deem pious enough to merit them.[/spoiler]

7 - [spoiler]The Wrathsword: A mysterious wanderer claiming to wield the sword known as Gram, the Wrathsword, has been seen abroad.  Some say this individual is a hero, a dragon-slayer who was given the sword by the ghost of the famous warrior Sivard.  Others insist that he is nothing more than a thief, a tomb-robber who despoiled Sivard's barrow and stole the legendary blade.  Others still dismiss these stories as the fabrications of increasingly desperate vagabond Skalds hoping to exchange fanciful tales for their suppers.[/spoiler]

8 - [spoiler]Hræsvelgr: Sightings of the Giant in eagle-form known as Hræsvelgr have been reported across the North – brief glimpses of the massive creature high above the clouds, or perched momentarily on a mountaintop.  The Corpse Swallower, as he is known, is supposed to sit at the End of the World and fan his great wings to make the wind blow.  His appearance in the North is said to account for the wild gales and blizzards that afflict the land.  They say that Hræsvelgr is larger than the largest mammoth, a bird so huge that he can devour an aurochs at a single sitting.[/spoiler]

9 - [spoiler]Fire in Myrkwood: They say that Myrkwood, the great forest which separates the North of Midgard from the lands of the now-dispersing Húna, is partially aflame.  The fire is said to be uncannily hot and ferocious, somehow able to resist snow, rain, and sleet.  Some of the Myrkari woodsmen are fleeing their homes, and beasts driven from the wild, strange wood are roving northwards to escape the flames.  No one knows what caused the fire.[/spoiler]

10 - [spoiler]Sky-Stone: A falling star has landed somewhere in the Hrafnlands.  This queer black rock is being used by a local weapon-smith to forge blades of extraordinary quality – wounds caused by the black swords and axes crafted from the sky-stone are said to smoulder and smoke.  Some Hrafnii mercenaries and brigands are already employing these powerful weapons against their foes.[/spoiler]

Wait. How many times are we supposed to roll? You posted 'roll a 1d10 times' and I'm not sure what that means.

When one may automatically know a particular rumor, is that in addition to whatever was rolled (if not the same)?

I'm a bit on the fence about whether to go with Mila being "East European" or stick to my Nordic roots and make her maybe Kvenlandic. I don't want her to disrupt the tone of the setting too much.

Sorry, I had a typo there!  I corrected it.  Here's how it works:

1) Roll 1d2.

2) Roll a d10 either once or twice, depending on the result.

3) Read the corresponding rumours.

4) If your tribe necessitates that you already know a rumour, you know 1 rumour automatically and may nor may not get a second rumour (roll a d2 - on a 2, roll a d10 as per normal).  If you automatically know one of two possible rumours, just pick one and read it.

5) Reroll duplicates results.

Make sense?  I'm probably being a bit precious with this - just thought it was a cool way of distributing rumour and maybe provoking some character interaction.  If I was doing this at a table I'd be writing the rumours down on slips of paper and putting them in a hat.

EDIT: I can understand not wanting to do the Eastern European thing, Crow - it was just a random idea.  Norse is cool!  And after all, it somehow makes sense that our only actual Scandinavian play a Scandinavian.  You could always have her revert to "Siiv."

Ooh, 2, 5 and 6. Lovely :)

2, 6, and 10 here!

So, I think I finished my character, the seeress Sirje Isrelund.

note: as to the HP hack, it would require me to take Oracle as my first level which prevents me from spending my feats on extra hexes (but allowing me to take extra revelations instead). Since hexes are essentially handy travel-sized infinity spells as far as I gather, they are way more powerful (and useful) than the Oracle's revelations which are often only usable once per day.

Q: while we are talking feats, does Spell Focus: Enchantment apply to relevant Hexes (e.g. slumber which copies sleep)? Otherwise I might just take another hex since they are so damn useful. Admittedly, I might do that anyway, just felt like I was exploiting the system with all those hexes. Can't find anything else even half as good to spend my slots on.

EDIT: Notice that Winter Witch gives her a permanent Endure Elements - Cold effect. Isn't that powerful enough to keep her warm for the most part?    

EDIT: Clouded Vision is technically only that, clouded, but thought that it would be cooler if she was actually blind, sensing the world through other means. Mechanically she retains darkvision out to 30 ft. or something like that. That isn't too much of a stretch, right? Or are you planning to have us fight a whole bunch of medusas and basilisks?  

EDIT: Would I know the Hrafnii rumour? I think I have been alone for a couple of years, so I might be a bit out of the loop.

[spoiler=Sirje Isrelund]
Sirje is a  spindly starved-looking Kvenlander  with long dark hair. She was pretty, maybe even beautiful, once. Her eyes have been plucked from her skull and the empty orifices remain mercifully hidden away behind a ragged cloth blindfold. Despite bearing the marks of hard life on her face and the marks of thralldom on her back, she carries herself with an eerie elegance.
She is distant, in both personality and demeanour, and sometimes cold, unused to the ways of men. Her pale flesh follows this predisposition remaining strangely cold, even when warmed by fire.
She wears a gray dress and a thin cloak, seemingly too cold for the dark winter, but never shivers. She is followed everywhere by a white raven.    

Sirje was born into a secluded fishing village in northern Kvenland. She was taken in by the völva of the village from a young age due to an uncanny talent at reading the omens sent to the village by their patron Eslen the Blind Huntsman, a mythical figure strangely remniscent of Odin, the southern god.
At the night of her first moon's blood, she was taken to the sacred well Mirmulnir and offered her left eye to its waters as the price for wisdom, as was customary among the völva of her people.
She slept unsoundly that night and was awoken by screams and fire, echoing her dreams, as an unkindness of Hrafnii raiders tore through her small village in the pursuit of wealth and thralls.
She was taken. The Hrafnii were quick to note her predilection for prediction and the chief of the warband kept her as a personal pet and unwilling advisor on the long return journey home.
She tried lying, but the lies caught in her throat, and the chief would always know whether she spoke truth or falsehood. Whenever she lied she was given to the soldiers as punishment. She tried escaping. The first time they caught her they took her other eye. They argued that if one eye was the price for wisdom, two eyes should give her enough wisdom not to try and run again.
She ran again and again, but, blind and starved, she never got far. They took to keeping her in a cage. It was here she was first visited by Samran, the White Raven. She knew the Hrafniis' own scarred völva kept one as a pet, feeding it choice morsels from the battlefield, and had nothing but contempt for the animal and what it represented, but this one was different. It talked to her. Told her secrets. It spoke of the future.
Sirje was brought to the chieftain again. For once, she told the truth of what she had seen, and heard, but the chieftain did not believe her. He was used to her lies.
That became their undoing. They fell into a Blodbard ambush and Sirje was forgotten in the chaos. The raven came to her again and it led her through the darkness, fleeting from tree to tree until she was safe and the screams distant.    
She made her life in the forest, under the tutelage of the White Raven, secluded from the outside world. But now the spirits-that-be are telling her to leave. She senses it in the cold, cold air. Sees it in the unseen flights of birds above, hears it in the rustling of leaves, and feels it in the innards of her animal prey. Samran tells her it is time, but yet she stays, waiting for a final sign.
[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Mechanics]
human seer 1/winter witch 1 (nature mystery, portents patron)

STR 10 +0 (0)
DEX 12 +1 (2)
CON 11 +0 (1)
INT 16 +3 (5)
WIS 12 +1 (2)
CHA 14 +2  (5)

HP: 11 (1d8+1d6)

BAB +0
AC 11

CMB +0
CMD 11

FORT +0
REF +1
WILL +5

Speed: 30ft

Melee attacks:
Dagger +0 1d4 19-20/x2
Quarterstaff +0 1d6 x2

Skills (5+7 points):
Bluff +4 (2)
Diplomacy +6 (1)
Intimidate +7 (2)
Knowledge (Arcana) +8 (1)
Knowledge (Nature) +7 (2)
Knowledge (Religion) +7 (1)
Heal +5 (1)
Sense Motive +5 (1)
Survival +2 (1)


Special Abilities:
Oracle's Curse (Clouded Vision)
Patron (Portents)
Witch's Familiar (white raven)
Ice Magic (+1 cold DC)
Cold Flesh (Endure Elements - Cold)
Revelations (1)
Hexes (2)

Feats:
Extra Hex (Slumber)
Spell Focus (Enchantment)

Revelations:
Natural Divination

Hexes:
Evil Eye
Slumber

Oracle Spells (spontaneous):
Orisons - Detect Magic, Light, Detect Poison, Spark
1st (4) -Cure Light Wounds, Murderous Command, Charm Animal

Witch Spells (prepared):
Cantrips (3)  - Daze, Message, Dancing Lights
1st (2)-Frostbite, Charm Person

Equipment:
Ragged blindfold
Bone charms
Bone-handled knife
Grey dress and thin travelling cloak
A small satchel (containing herbs, flint & steel and other essentials)
A fur blanket for sleeping
Food for a week
A bag of etched rune stones
[/spoiler]

[spoiler=*For Steerpike's Eyes Only*]
Was thinking they could encounter me in the woods (insert blizzard if necessary) and seek shelter in my house. I would then guide them/join them/follow them depending on their initial reaction.
[/spoiler]

Well, I hope this is all legit.  If my luck on my hp roll holds out, how can I lose?

Edit: I do have one question - Druids are supposed to know Sylvan.  Since Sylvan doesn't exist, are there any bonus languages that I do know on account of my druidity, or is it just scrapped?

[ic=Kylfa]Kylfa the Kvenlander
Male Human Druid (Bear Shaman) 3
XP: 7,770

Initiative +2
AC: 18 (+2 Dex, +4 Hide Armor, +2 Large Shield)
HP: 27 (3d8+6) [21/27 Currently]
Fort +5, Ref +3, Will +5
Speed: 20 ft.

Melee Attacks:
Club +4 1d6+2 x2
Bite/2 Claws +4/+2/+2 (1d6+2/1d4+1/1d4+1)
Ranged Attacks:
Sling +3 1d4 x2 50 ft.

Str 14, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 8
BAB +2; CMB +4 (+6 grapple); CMD 16 (18 vs. grapple)
Feats: Improved Unarmed Strike, Improved Grapple, Multiattack
Skills: Handle Animal +5 (3 ranks), Heal +8 (3 ranks), Perception +8 (3 ranks), Knowledge (Nature) +8* (3 ranks), Survival +10* (3 ranks), Swim +8 (3 ranks)
Armor Check Penalty: -5

Special Abilities: Nature Bond (Strength Domain), Nature Sense*, Wild Empathy (+4 vs. bears and wolverines), Woodland Stride, Strength Surge (5/day), Totem Transformation (3 mins/day), Trackless Step

Orisons (4): Know Direction, Spark, Mending, Purify Food and Drink
1st (3 + domain): Cure Light Wounds, Shillelagh, Goodberry, (Enlarge Person)
2nd (2+ domain): Frost Fall, Aspect of the Bear, (Bear's Strength)

In sack:

Hide Armor
Winter Blanket
Cold-weather Outfit
Furs (Bearskin Cloak)
A pouch full of berries
Dried reindeer jerky
Clay jug
Spell component pouch
Signal Horn
Necklace of various animal teeth
Engraved comb made from reindeer antler
Knotted club
Crude hide-covered wooden shield

Kylfa is a large man, great in height and breadth, but he is often slightly stooped.  His face is wind-beaten and his brow craggy, but his brown eyes are soft and calm-looking.  His hair is dark brown, nearly black, and is tied in a ponytail behind his head, though this is rarely seen beneath the face of the bearskin that he wears over his body and head.  His beard is long, unkempt, and typically matted with twigs and leaves (sort of like this picture, except not grey).  His voice is low and rumbling, and he often grunts when thinking, annoyed, pleased, or confused, or really anything else.

(http://i.imgur.com/ELGsU.png)[/ic]

Cool characters!

You're right about the endure cold effect Crow - my mistake.  I like the missing eyes thing, so keep that, no worries.  There won't be any medusae.  And I'll leave it up to you if you want to learn the Hrafnii rumour.

First session is completed!  It went very well - some close scrapes but with cleverness and coordination, no one died and the party escaped their captors.

Everyone who participated gets 600 xp.

The party is currently heading north, searching for shelter.  The settlement of Wulfheim is probably nearby, Ironwood to the east, and the Orm-Fells to the northwest.

Just wanted to say I had a great time, and cannot wait for the next session!

Me too!

Crow made an interesting suggestion about the possibility of running a game every two weeks or so, maybe alternating with my regular CE game.  If I were to do that, how many people would be able to make Monday at around 12 EST?  I know that my CE players (Ghostman, TMG, Crow, Kindling) can all make that day.  Xathan, you said you could make Monday afternoons - would that be too early?  How about Leetz and Polycarp?  If we could make it work, that would give us a pool of 7 players which is almost ideal, since even if half the people don't show up there's still enough people to play (especially if I rope in random drop-ins from the chat) but if everyone shows up it's not a total brouhaha.  This way I'd also get to continue the regular CE game without having to worry about devoting an excessive amount of time to one over the other...

That will probably be fine for me.

I'd be cool with that. Also, are we using the slow medium or fast xp progression?

Slow progression, since if we go much faster everyone will top out too quickly with 8 being the level cap.

Quote from: Steerpike
Xathan, you said you could make Monday afternoons

Yes, but unfortunately Monday afternoon is 3-4 EST - that's when I typically get off work.

Gotcha.  I assume that 3 pm EST would be too late for people like Ghostman, Kindling, and Crow, right?

What about a fortnightly Wednesday spot, then, maybe slightly later than this week's time?  I know this would tough for Llum to make, but maybe he could jump in in a couple of months time?  Currently weekend days don't work for a number of people, sadly...

Does anyone know of any online scheduling resources out there we could use?

3 EST is like 8 GMT right? That's fine by me, as long as we don't play for more than about 4 hours.

My schedule is pretty open, so I'm good with whatever.

Quote from: Steerpike
Gotcha.  I assume that 3 pm EST would be too late for people like Ghostman, Kindling, and Crow, right?

For a reasonable length session, not quite too late - I can stay up pretty late on mondays :)

Doodle (http://doodle.com/) is one of the better online resources for scheduling things (as long as everyone participates, that is) I have found so far. You get a participant link and then you can just post it here and we can access it at our leisure (hopefully immediately).

3 PM EST is around 9 PM here if I remember correctly, so I should be good for at least a 3 hour game. I can probably even push it a bit further than that.
I have a slight schedule change, from the one I PM'ed you, as part of my thursday will now be taken up by russian classes.

Fortnightly wednesday sounds good.

Well, now it looks like Mondays at around 3 EST would actually work!  Thanks for the link though, Crow.  I may have need of it in the future.

Any objections to fortnightly Monday at 3 EST then?

So we are playing fimbul and CE every monday on an interchanging schedule? Monday is still my least favorite day, but I guess I can manage.

Oh, I thought that was partly because of CE's interference.

Hmm.  Maybe I could get everyone to fill out their availability here (http://www.doodle.com/fvpaq8444difd8bm).  Let me know if there's any problem with the poll (first time creating one of those).

EDIT: Or we could just do Wednesdays, maybe a little later than this week's session...

Sorry for the scheduling trouble.  I've got 8 people in 5 timezones and different schedules to try and coordinate :P.

Just a hint, in settings you can make it so people can choose between yes, no, and (this is the new one) maybe. That ensures that people won't have to put down the more ambivalent days as "no".

EDIT: btw, love the description :P

Hmm I didn't realize that scheduler didn't have times within days as well.  Oh well, it should still help...

You can change it in settings so that people can pick times. You can do pretty much anything, it just requires some tinkering.
The only thing I haven't found is a blank week schedule (as opposed to dates). Incidentally, tell me if you find something like that.

Ah, I just had to register an account to get that option.

I think I'll leave it with just the days right now and see what happens...

Unless a magical timeslot I've been missing appears through the Doodle poll or something, it looks like Mondays at around 3 EST are still best for the majority of people.  Our next session will be the 13th.

I wish I could find a perfect time that would be ideal for everyone, but every time I think I've figured something out I realize it's not quite perfect for one player or another.  I really hate to exclude or inconvenience anyone, but it's impossible not to at some point.  For people like Llum who just can't make that time, you can always join a couple of months in with a more experienced character.  I'd even be willing to do some side sessions in the meantime, although I have to get to Nomadic's solo session in CE first...

I'm 95% sure I'll be there - which is really the best I can ever give for any time slot. :P Looking forward to it!

Just a reminder to everyone that the next game will be this Monday (the 13th) at around 3 EST.  I'll probably show up about half an hour before, and once we have a good number we'll begin.

If I can, I'll pop in briefly around then, in case any help with the new bot is needed.

Thanks sparkletwist!

Just a heads up, I'm now 50/50 if I'll be able to make it tomorrow - friend might be having an emergency. Probably won't know until a couple hours before game time.

I will probably be able to make it.

I think I can do.

I should be there with Sirje.

I changed Spell Focus to Extra Hex(Unnerve Beasts) which is a somewhat vaguely phrased power that makes animals terrified of and/or aggressive against a target creature. Seems appropriately witchy. Looking forward to using it on horseriders, hehe.

Realized that 3 EST start time is 2 CST for me, so I will almost definitely be there for the first 1.5-2 hours of the game. :)

I have miscalculated time zones, will only be present for about an hour. Very sorry.

I'll show up a little early, and perhaps we can begin a bit before 3.  I think I scaled the time to 3 for Xathan (?), so in future we could probably meet an hour earlier??

3 wouldn't usually be a problem, just today I said I'd go meet some people at 10 GMT (5 EST, I think) by accident and it takes me about 45 mins to get to where we're meeting up.

Quote from: Kindling
3 wouldn't usually be a problem, just today I said I'd go meet some people at 10 GMT (5 EST, I think) by accident and it takes me about 45 mins to get to where we're meeting up.

I'm terrible with timezones, but I think 10 GMT is 12 EST.

Quote from: Steerpike
I'll show up a little early, and perhaps we can begin a bit before 3.  I think I scaled the time to 3 for Xathan (?), so in future we could probably meet an hour earlier??

Typically I work till 3-4 EST, this week is an exception to the rule. :(

Ah, gotcha!

Show of hands, who would be interested + able to make a short additional session this Wednesday at around 11:30 or noon EST?

*Hand*

Hand

(http://i.imgur.com/6XCEw.jpg)

awesome Polycarp.

That's three.  If we can get 5 I think it might be worth playing...

Aye.

I should be able to.

I would only just be home by then. And I think I need to do some homework and prepare for an RP session the next day, sorry.

Well, that's 5 at least - shame you can't make it crow.

BTW, Steerpike, if we wrap up Fimbulvinter by 2:15-2:30 EST, that'll give everyone who's in both this and Circle of Punishment a chance to play - including you. :) (Should give both games about 3 hours to run)

Cool!  I will rule that absent players are watching the horses to make sure sneaky kobolds (i.e. the ones who fled) aren't stealing them.

A few things I'd like to draw players' attention to...

1) I have reading week coming up and while I'm doing my CE game on Monday (probably a big climactic session too) I have a little more free time than usual.  Would people be able to make it to another Wednesday session (i.e. the 22nd) to finish off the kobold warren?  I know playing in two games a week is problematic for Crow, but Sirje is currently guarding the horses, and I will give her a chance to make up for the lost experience at the beginning of the next regularly scheduled session; what I don't want to happen is to force Crow to sit through the end of the kobold warren crawl twiddling his thumbs while his character guards the mounts.

2) Now that we're several sessions in, feedback would be great so I can make the game as good as possible.  What do you guys think so far?  Are there things you like particularly and conversely things you dislike or are annoyed by?  Having such a big party creates some challenges, but it's mostly led to a pretty rich dynamic.  I'm trying to make combats somewhat quick, and sparkbot is helping with that.  I'm trying to go for a "non-linear episodic" game in the sense that the overall, narrative is pretty episodic but there are multiple ways of dealing with each situation.  Is this working, or does the game feel too railroady?

3) Is there anything you'd like to see?  More roleplaying encounters vs combat (or vice versa)?  More horror & gruesomeness (or less?)?  Would you like some more maps, or some more setting information of a particular kind?  Does the party need a greater sense of direction or are you fairly happy with the main goal of the group being "survive in the post-apocalyptic winter-wasteland" plus your individual character goals?

4) While it's sort of verging on metagaming and I don't want to dictate character actions, it might be smart to roughly decide which way the party is headed in this thread, out of character, as a kind of "rehearsal" for the actual conversation between characters as to where the party will head next.  The benefits of this are twofold: 1) it will allow me to prepare my notes better and 2) it will cut down on time-consuming in-character debates about where to go and what to do, thus allowing us to get to more interesting encounters, roleplaying and otherwise, more efficiently.  This is purely a suggestion.

5) A clarification, in case anyone was confused: we're playing with E8, not E6.

Thanks to everyone participating so far.  I'm having a great time with this and I hope everyone else is having as  much fun as I am.

1. I'm down, I'll know for sure by tomorrow.

2. So far so good, I have nothing against railroads if they're nice railroads.

3. I think a bit more combat may be nice, considering the setting and all. But I'm personally not one to role-play over decision on the next direction to take for more than 5 minutes, so...

I could go for some big battles (per-say), so far it's been sneaking out and sneaking in, some good old, face-to-face Nordic skull-cracking would be nice.

4. That sounds like a good idea to me.

I might be able to make it for both wednesday and monday, as long as it is only for next week.
But if is combat XP, I'd just like to point out that Sirje is still pretty frail, I don't know how she'd survive on her own, at least not for long.
I'd like to comment on Fimbul, but I think I need to see a session or two more before I can do that.
As to the discussion of where to head next, Sirje is just following the winds of fate. She is more of an observer, pulling on the occasional string or two when the need arises.

I'll know my schedule for next week on sunday. At the moment I'm happy to just be along for the ride with this game, I kind of imagine that some kind of "direction" will occur through play, although if it doesn't that's no biggie.

Quote from: Señor Leetz
(per-say)

Unnecessarily obnoxious pedantry: it's "per se," and it means in itself or intrinsically, and therefore makes no sense in the context you just used it in :P

EDIT: although I do agree that it would be nice to form up in a shield wall and do some real fighting instead of this womanish work in the shadows - even if only occasionally.

Don't worry Crow, I'm not going to pit Sirje unsupported against a troll or a band of kobolds or something :).

Leetz, more skull-cracking is a mandate I can get behind!

Another map, this time of the Hrafnlands.

(http://img838.imageshack.us/img838/3245/hrafnlands.jpg)

In case some players missed this:

Quote from: SteerpikeA few things I'd like to draw players' attention to...

1) I have reading week coming up and while I'm doing my CE game on Monday (probably a big climactic session too) I have a little more free time than usual.  Would people be able to make it to another Wednesday session (i.e. the 22nd) to finish off the kobold warren?  I know playing in two games a week is problematic for Crow, but Sirje is currently guarding the horses, and I will give her a chance to make up for the lost experience at the beginning of the next regularly scheduled session; what I don't want to happen is to force Crow to sit through the end of the kobold warren crawl twiddling his thumbs while his character guards the mounts.

2) Now that we're several sessions in, feedback would be great so I can make the game as good as possible.  What do you guys think so far?  Are there things you like particularly and conversely things you dislike or are annoyed by?  Having such a big party creates some challenges, but it's mostly led to a pretty rich dynamic.  I'm trying to make combats somewhat quick, and sparkbot is helping with that.  I'm trying to go for a "non-linear episodic" game in the sense that the overall, narrative is pretty episodic but there are multiple ways of dealing with each situation.  Is this working, or does the game feel too railroady?

3) Is there anything you'd like to see?  More roleplaying encounters vs combat (or vice versa)?  More horror & gruesomeness (or less?)?  Would you like some more maps, or some more setting information of a particular kind?  Does the party need a greater sense of direction or are you fairly happy with the main goal of the group being "survive in the post-apocalyptic winter-wasteland" plus your individual character goals?

4) While it's sort of verging on metagaming and I don't want to dictate character actions, it might be smart to roughly decide which way the party is headed in this thread, out of character, as a kind of "rehearsal" for the actual conversation between characters as to where the party will head next.  The benefits of this are twofold: 1) it will allow me to prepare my notes better and 2) it will cut down on time-consuming in-character debates about where to go and what to do, thus allowing us to get to more interesting encounters, roleplaying and otherwise, more efficiently.  This is purely a suggestion.

5) A clarification, in case anyone was confused: we're playing with E8, not E6.

Thanks to everyone participating so far.  I'm having a great time with this and I hope everyone else is having as  much fun as I am.

1) I'll try to be there.
2) Not too railroady. I'd like this to be kept episodic since that's what I signed up for. It would be well to keep each episode from taking more than 2 game sessions to finish though :)
3) Although I think the survivalism aspect should be always present, it wouldn't hurt for the party to be tempted with some more ambitious objectives from time to time.

Yes the timing aspect is challenging with such a large party!  I think I'm going to try and tighten things up.  My perennial problem of writing too much and underestimating the amount of time it takes to get through a given encounter seems to be in full effect :P.

I will say this - if people ever want to avoid an encounter, skip a quest, take a short-cut, or whatever, I am totally cool with that.  I have enough notes so accommodate "jumping the tracks" of what may seem to be the railroad.

Btw, those are some sexy, sexy mountains on your map.

+1 for sexy
mountains

Should be able to do another Wednesday game.

Here's a rough description of what your characters can expect depending on which direction they head...

Due East

This direction will lead through Ironwood to the Gyllirlands.  This is probably the riskiest direction to travel in: the giantess Angrboða, paramour of Loki, reigns over much of the forest from her seat at Ironwood's center, near one of Yggdrasil's roots.  Infested with vargar, Trolls and their ilk, kobolds, and all manner of monsters and evil spirits, Ironwood would provide a lot of supernatural encounters, wilderness exploration, environmental hazards, and battles with grotesque creatures.  Other than a few eccentric woodsmen and any travellers or captives there would be few other humans.

West/Southwest

This direction will lead to the Eyði and the Ægirlands.  The Uncertain Lands are a morass of competing factions, a chaotic no-man's-land where mercenaries, warlords, bandits, fractured tribal groups, and refugees contend against one another and the elements.  There are rich opportunities to make plenty of coin, but obviously the region is very dangerous.  Expect a higher proportion of large battles as well as numerous skirmishes.  If heading east leads to supernatural horror, heading west leads to warfare and military engagements.  Beyond the Eyði you would reach the lands of the Ægir, where opportunities for adventure in the western isles might become possible.

Northeast

This direction will lead to the Hrafnlands, Kvenland, and the Gyllirlands (if you then veer southeast).  This region is politically unstable, with raiding parties, bands of brigands, and wild beasts to contend with.  Here you can expect a lot of encounters with other humans, though there would also be plenty of monsters – undead in the Gloom-Wolds and the Cairnreach, Dragon-kind from the Orm-Fells, and abominations from out of Ironwood.  In general, though, this path would lead to villages, towns, forts, and settlements and their various woes; Nest, the Hrafnii capitol, is a small city, so those looking for intrigue and quasi-urban adventuring should consider this path.

Northwest

This direction will lead to the Görnlands and the Slaughterstone Mountains.  This path would first take you through the Orm-Fells, an extremely dangerous region where Dragons of various breeds are known to lurk, along with degenerate hill-folk and troglodytic flesh-eating humanoids which some claim to be Half-Trolls.  Apart from a few fellow travellers you would not encounter many friendly humans – you'd be much more likely to meet a pride of cave-lions or a tribe of starving wildmen.  Once into the Görnlands you'd find reclusive, xenophobic isolationists, but if you could charm your way into their mountain fastnesses, you'd also have access to a healthy food supply.

South/Southeast

This direction will lead towards Austrogötaland, Myrkwood, and the Gyllirlands (if you then veer northeast), or towards the Fens, a region stricken by great famine and ecological turmoil.  Travelling this way would involve cutting across large swathes of Bloðbard territory with all the risks that entails.  If you arrived in the Fens there'd be numerous encounters with various swamp-fey and undead, while if you headed instead towards Austrogötaland you'd fine a lot of political and religious turmoil, intrigue, and unrest.

That all sounds awesome!

But what putting in a rumor of a relic or something really awesome that would give us something to go for. Considering this is a survival game (in a sense), the rational things would be to hide somewhere and hunker down, which doesn't sound that much fun. A rumor about some fabled axe or ring would give us direction, to an extant, but how we decide to get there would still be entirely up to us - go seek an oracle, go to a library, make a pact with something dark for information, etc...

But the West/Southwest sounds good to Aeskil, he wants to crack some serious skulls.

I'm planning on introducing elements along those lines pretty shortly, so that should work well.

Cool, I think some direction wouldn't hurt with this otherwise awesome, awesome campaign so far.

I'm in favour of northeast so far. Looking at the map, it seems that we could have the option of sailing the Sea of Skulls if we later decide to leave for other lands from there.

I am attracted to the northeast because it sounds like it has the highest concentration of bears the most varied encounters (humans, wild beasts, monsters), but I'd probably want to steer a bit further away from the cities.  Cha 8 is not conducive to intrigue.

Andreas obviously wants to head northeast, as it will lead in the relative direction of what he seeks.

I'll be online tomorrow (11:30 EST) for anyone who wants to play.

We've got three votes for northeast at the moment.

I'm in

Sjack is rather indifferent as to location.

And unfortunately, I have work then. :(

North-east sounds okay. Back to Kvenland!
We are playing monday, right?

For sure!

what time are we looking at?

Was planning on 3 EST, our usual Monday time.

excellent, I think Aeskil will be there, cursed and all.

Something to think about with Aeskil's curse - if you go up a level, the hp you gain from an additional HD adds to your current hp, not just your total, so you're not stuck at 10 hp or lower - your hp could increase (of course you could take an axe-blow or whatever and be in serious trouble...).

Quote from: Steerpike
Something to think about with Aeskil's curse - if you go up a level, the hp you gain from an additional HD adds to your current hp, not just your total, so you're not stuck at 10 hp or lower - your hp could increase (of course you could take an axe-blow or whatever and be in serious trouble...).

Haha, I'm not overly worried about dying, but I am glad I have 16 Con. And Toughness.

A summary of the xp rewarded so far, for those that missed certain sessions (I think I caught all the experience awarded, but if anyone notes an error let me know, it's not impossible I somehow miscalculated... if you can confirm these numbers are correct that would be great):

Session 1 (Bloodbeards, escaping): 540 xp (everyone but Sirje)

Session 2 (Sirje, the forest): 600 xp (goes to everyone)

Session 3 (the warren, first session): 1000 xp (goes to everyone)

Session 4 (the warren, Eyfura): - anyone who was in the warren (i.e. everyone but Sirje & Sjack), 960 xp
                                               - everyone (including Sirje & Sjack), 750 xp

Session 5 (wolves): 850 xp (goes to everyone)

Your total is 4,700 while my total is 4,770.  I have no explanation as to that additional 70 xp.  If nobody else shows any discrepancy I'll assume I just miscalculated (and cry myself to sleep for my lost 70 xp  :cry: ).

I got the same results as Polycarp. This is the breakdown for all the XP gains for Katla I've recorded:
Blóðbards: 600 XP
Kobolds outside: 600 XP
Kobold warren part I: 1000 XP
Kobold warren part II: 960 XP
Eyfura: 250 XP
Completing the quest: 500 XP
Vargs: 860 XP

Looking into my IRC logs, I can see that the wolf encounter was called 860 rather than 850 XP. There was no mention of XP at all in the logs for escaping from the Blóðbards, but I can simply quote a post from this very thread:

Quote from: Steerpike
First session is completed!  It went very well - some close scrapes but with cleverness and coordination, no one died and the party escaped their captors.

Everyone who participated gets 600 xp.

Thanks.  Since there's a mystery 70 xp floating around, everyone just take an extra 70.  I'm sure you've all earned it :p.

Excellent work, Ghostman.  That's a much better explanation for the 70 xp than me giving myself 5 xp per bear pun.

[ooc]Comments welcome.

If anyone dies and wants to create Trollblood character, that's fine.

I want them to have a kind of mutant, twisted feel, with almost a touch of the Lovecraftian in the "inbred atavistic monster-people" sense.[/ooc]

Trollblood

Also called Half-Trolls, Trollspawn, and Trollkin, Trollbloods are humans with partial Troll parentage. Though some are solitary creatures many are members of degenerate tribal lineages, born into the primitive hill-clans of savage wildmen found in remote mountain valleys and rugged highlands throughout the North.  In many cases full-blooded Trolls rule over such tribes, keeping harems of wives (or husbands) and placing the offspring resulting from such unions in positions of power.  In the harsh days of Fimbulvinter increasingly famished Trollblood clansmen often descend from their caves and fastnesses to raid the settlements of more civilized folk.

Physically, Trollbloods may inherit any number of attributes from their monstrous parents; Trollish heritage can manifest in a variety of ways.  Many sport fangs, tusks, claws, or pointed ears.  Some possess great stature, prodigious physical strength and toughness, stony skins, and hunched postures.  Others have multiple heads or limbs, and others still are born with natural sorcerous talent, able to weave enchantments and hexes as easily as breathing.

Typically, Trollbloods are shunned and ostracized outside of the insular clans most originate in.  With the slow collapse of civilization during Fimbulvinter, however, some Trollbloods have found greater degrees of acceptance, often making excellent warriors.  In the dark, cold days of winter unending, old prejudices are forsaken along with the laws of decency and restraint, and thus Trollbloods are becoming a more common sight throughout the North.

Trollblood Characters:

+2 to One Ability Score: Trollblood characters get a +2 bonus to one ability score of their choice at creation to represent their varied nature.

Medium: Trollbloods are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.

Normal Speed: Trollbloods have a base speed of 30 feet.

Darkvision: Trollbloods can see in the dark up to 60 feet.

Intimidating: Trollbloods receive a +2 racial bonus on Intimidate skill checks due to their fearsome nature.

Troll Blood: Trollbloods count as both humans and Trolls for any effect related to race.

Troll Ability: Select two of the following:

•   Ferocity: Once per day, when the Trollblood is brought below 0 hit points but not killed, he can fight on for one more round as if disabled. At the end of his next turn, unless brought to above 0 hit points, he immediately falls unconscious and begins dying.

•   Two-Headed: The Trollblood receives the Two-Weapon Fighting feat as a racial bonus feat even if they do not meet the prerequisites.

•   Tusks or Fangs: The Trollblood gains a Bite attack (1d4).

•   Claws: The Trollblood gains two Claw attacks (1d3).

•   Stony Skin: The Trollblood gains +1 AC.

•   Regeneration: The Trollblood heals at twice the normal rate when resting.

•   Sly: The Trollblood possesses a fiendishly cunning tongue, granting it a +2 racial bonus on all Bluff checks.

•   Extra Limb: The Trollblood has an additional off-hand (if the Trollblood also selects the Claws Troll Ability, he does not gain three Claw attacks).

Weapon Familiarity: Trollbloods are proficient with greataxes, greatswords, and greatclubs, and treat any weapon with the word "Troll" in its name as a martial weapon.

Illiteracy: Trollbloods do not automatically know how to read and write, and must spend two skill points to gain the ability.

Light Sensitivity: Trollbloods are dazzled as long as they remain in an area of bright light.

Languages: Trollbloods begin play speaking Giantish.

[ooc]In most fantasy worlds Dwarves are flavoured as stocky subterranean Vikings.  In this setting, that would be redundant (as well as cliched, of course).  Thus I've chosen to emphasize the creepier side of mythological Dwarf-kind.  These are not your usual stalwart, brave, honour- obsessed, ancestor-worshiping axe-wielders.  These are ugly-as-sin troglodytes with a knack for technology and insatiable greed.

Those familiar with the Dune universe, picture the Tleilaxu - these Dwarfs are broadly similar in appearance and attitude, though without the religious element.

As with Trollbloods, Dvergar are a playable race, so if anyone's character dies, feel free to roll one up.[/ooc]

Dvergar

The Dvergar, or Dwarfs, are a race of maggots in humanoid form born out of the putrid flesh of Ymir, the primordial giant from whose cadaverous hulk the world was made.  Dwelling within the fossilized bowels of Ymir – the endless tunnel-realm of Svartálfheim – the Dvergar are a notoriously avaricious and appetitive people: they are the physical manifestations of hunger, be it for knowledge, flesh, or gold.  Miners and smiths of exceptional ability, Dwarfs are driven by an insatiable need to dig deeper, to understand more thoroughly, to expand and consume.  They have constructed many devices of wondrous power, including mechanical creatures, strange weapons that hurl fire, blades of surpassing strength and keenness, and all manner of other wondrous machines.  Their cities are mad, sprawling labyrinths of gigantic gears and rune-graven stone.

Physically, Dvergar are short, stocky creatures with pallid, sallow flesh frequently stained with soot or dirt.  Many elder Dwarfs are corpulent, relying on mechanical beasts to convey them from place to place; their most elite warriors sometimes ride mechanical steeds into battle. By and large, however, they prefer to avoid physical combat, preferring to rely on their skill with magic. All are exceptionally hairy, with enormous beards, and also exceptionally ugly (by human standards), with small, black eyes, sharp little teeth, and squashed, unpleasant features.

With but a few rare females, Dwarfs frequently seek out mortal women as consorts; children sired from such unions are pure Dwarf – there is no such thing as a "Half-Dwarf."  Some human settlements have been known to trade their women for weapons and other devices of Dwarf make, though the Dvergar guard their greatest secrets with care, refusing to relinquish their more powerful treasures not out of any altruistic motive but from sheer jealousy.  Becoming a Dwarf-bride is often presented as an honour, but in truth most women greatly fear such a fate – the Dvergar are infamously depraved, and their lust unquenchable.

Dvergar are rarely seen in Midgard itself, and maintain no permanent settlements there.  Trade with humans is conducted at those rare places where Svartálfheim borders Midgard, the chthonic orifices of the earth.

Dvergar Characters:

+2 Constitution, +2 Intelligence, –4 Charisma: Dvergar are hearty and crafty, but also stubborn and belligerent.

Medium: Dvergar are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.

Slow and Steady: Dvergar have a base speed of 20 feet, but their speed is never modified by armor or encumbrance.

Darkvision: Dvergar can see in the dark up to 120 feet.

Greed: Dwarfs receive a +2 racial bonus on Appraise skill checks made to determine the price of nonmagical goods that contain precious metals or gemstones.

Hardy: Dvergar receive a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against poison, spells, and spell-like abilities.

Craftsman: Dwarf are known for their superior craftsmanship when it comes to metal and stone works. Dwarfs with this racial trait receive a +2 racial bonus on all Craft or Profession checks that create objects from metal or stone.

Stability: Dvergar receive a +4 racial bonus to their CMD against bull rush or trip attempts while on solid ground.

Stonecunning: Dwarfs receive a +2 bonus on Perception checks to potentially notice unusual stonework, such as traps and hidden doors located in stone walls or floors. They receive a check to notice such features whenever they pass within 10 feet of them, whether or not they are actively looking.

Light Sensitivity: Dvergar are dazzled as long as they remain in an area of bright light.

Languages: Dwarfs begin play speaking Dvergar and Northspeech.

Classes: Dvergar have access to the Alchemist and Artificer classes.  It is rare for their kind to be Clerics, as they honour no Gods, though they certainly acknowledge the existence of the Æsir.

Weapon Familiarity: Dwarfs treat crossbows and any weapon with the world "Dwarf" in its name as a martial rather than exotic weapon.

The trading process seems vaguely familiar from some myth- it's a good bit of background. I think your Dwarves are reminiscent of Grimms fairy tales (!) I like the background and it offers a lot of wealth for roleplaying and strategic background--the dwarves represent an ally against the Trolls that no one really wants but who everyone really needs.

QuoteMany elder Dwarfs are corpulent, relying on scuttling mechanical palanquins for mobility. 

I like that as well. In one of my game settings I had dwarves ride giant Rats around their tunnels.

The bit about the palanquins is pretty shamelessly stolen from Morrowind, but it's such a good image that I can't pass it up.

EDIT: With regards to trade and women, there's one myth about one of Thor's daughters being betrothed to a Dwarf, much to Thor's disgust.

I don't like the clockwork machine aspect personally, it grates against the low-tech feel of the setting. Other than that it's a good take on dwarves.

I agree partly with Ghostman - the rest of the setting has less in the way of weird tech and while the dvergar would be a perfect match for CE they seem (somewhat) incongruous and anachronistic in Fimbulvinter.
This might be entirely dependent on how you frame and present them though. The mechanical palanquins might fit in well enough, but overt clockwork machinery and lightning projectors and what have you might be a bit too much.
So the question is really what level of technology is the best fit for a Vikingpunk (tm) setting. In the myths they'd mostly do really strange magical artifacts like a copying ring or a folding ship. 

Maybe if he presents them as steel tripods rather than mechanical palanquins- that's how I imagined them... tripods powered by oils that roll, leaving slicks of sick-inducing pollution, rather than skitter...sort of like dwarves riding on vaccum cleaners.

It also gives another reason why women won't want to marry dwarves. The dwarves are hardy enough to endure the oil and pollution of their mined tunnels, the dwarf-wives sicken and die due to strange skin diseases and lack of sun. I think this would still be keeping with the Scandinavian theme.

Quote from: Light Dragon
dwarves riding on vaccum cleaners.

Boom! Yes.

I'm actually going to agree with Ghostman and SC in that I don't like the dwarves. I'd love them for CE; they'd fit perfectly, and they're a very unique and interesting take on dwarves, but it breaks the mold too much for me if they're riding around on clockwork constructions. I'm willing to divorce the notion of stereotypical dwarves for a norse setting like this, but they seem a bit misplaced. It's like they burrowed in from CE and decided to hang out for a while in Fimbulvinter. However, you do have a knack for combining gruesome and clockwork themes into cohesive setting material, so I'm more willing to accept them on that premise alone. I'd have to get more of a feel for Fimbulvinter before I can truly condemn them to the depths of CE.

I'm with Weave/Ghostman/SC on this one; I'd add to that but Weave echoed my thoughts exactly.

If there is a session before next weekend, I'm going to be out of town and will miss it.

Hmm, a stronger reaction than I'd expected to the gear-work of the Dwarfs.  The idea was to make them very wondrous/alien - deliberately incongruous, to an extent.  The clockwork would have a feel similar to stuff like the Golden Army in Hellboy II or the Dwemer of Skyrim.

I'm taking some of my cues from myths like this one, where the Dvergar use bellows and forge to make a golden boar:

Quote from: Gullinbursti...and it was a boar, with mane and bristles of gold. ... Then Brokkr brought forward his gifts: ... to Freyr he gave the boar, saying that it could run through air and water better than any horse, and it could never become so dark with night or gloom of the Murky Regions that there should not be sufficient light where he went, such was the glow from its mane and bristles

Big metal animal... it's so close to a mechanical construct already that I figured it wouldn't be a big leap.

That said the Dwarf-tech could be scaled back considerably.

Would people be more amenable to gears and the like on a grander scale (http://www.murrayewing.co.uk/mewsings/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/Hellboy.jpg) as opposed to a "personal" one, which is perhaps more CEish?  I feel like blunderbusses and perhaps intricate siege-engines would still be OK.

More opinions are welcome.

EDIT: How I want the Dvergar to feel - a list of adjectives: creepy, grotesque, mysterious, crafty, insatiable, strange, inhuman, mythic, skilful, base, slightly mad, insular, jealous, greedy, learned.

I don't think guns, even blunderbusses, have any place in the setting. It's not Battle for Wesnoth :D.

What people may have been concerned about is that you made it seem like a mechanical spider walking around-like in Wild Wild West, but greatly reduced.

Alright so I toned them down a little bit but without doing away with the "Dwarfs are mechanical geniuses" idea.  I've decided Dwarfs like crossbows.  Still undecided on whether any gunpowder weapons might wreck the tone completely, keeping in mind that Dvergar are a pretty rare sight in Midgard.

I think the trick here is to keep the Dwarfs strange and non-cliched (i.e. not tiny Vikings - which in the myths themselves, they're really not) without ruining the overall tone.

I should emphasize that Dwarf stuff is *not* common, and mortals almost never go to Svartalfheim.  Finding some Dwarven gizmo would be a very rare occurrence.  Perhaps if I keep the machines very "mythic" in feel, as opposed to "sciencey"??

EDIT: For any who haven't seen Hellboy II, this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bg5SLBapMiI) is the type of clockwork I envision the Dwarfs as having access to.  To me that still feels sufficiently mythic without degenerating into camp, or into SF.  I can see avoiding full-out "clockwork bionics" and the like to keep them from feeling like something literally out of CE.  The "Dvergar are maggots" thing isn't my innovation, incidentally, it's from the myth itself.

>>"Dvergar are maggots" thing isn't my innovation, incidentally, it's from the myth itself.

Well they were born under and they do live under the world tree :D

Along with the fire trolls... are those involved in your take on this mythology?

There are Fire Giants, yes.  Muspelheim and Niflhiem exist, along with the other Nine Worlds - in my version that's Asgard, Midgard, Alfheim, Svartalfheim, Hel, Jotunheim, Vanaheim, Nilfheim, and Muspellheim.

There's some confusion in the myths and legends about whether trolls and giants are exactly identical or subtly different.  In this world Trolls are basically lesser Jotnar.  Similarly there's confusion as to whether Dark Elves and Dwarfs are the same; in this world they're not.  Dark Elves (Dökkálfar) live in the caverns of Midgard.

Where did you find the bit about the dwarfs being created under the world tree?  The version I have has them being created like this: "The dwarfs had taken shape first and acquired life in the flesh of Ymir and were then maggots, but by decision of the gods they became conscious with intelligence and had the shape of men though they live in the earth and in rocks."

Hmm, idea: do away with clockwork entirely. Instead, have their constructs be seamless homogenuous creatures. Emphasize the ineffable about their creations and make e.g. the golder boar more similar to the portrayal of a clay golem in jewish myth or the watercraeft of the Vodyanoi in you-know-what: a mysteriously self-sustained liquid beast of molten gold in the shape of a boar.

Another, more ecletic idea: make the dwarven technology centered on biopunk. They would be the guys brewing sleipnirs and organic hermophroditic rings of moaning gold giving continuous painful birth to themself. Or elegant sinew-ships woven from the supple bodies of virgins.    

Quote from: Superfluous Crow
Another, more ecletic idea: make the dwarven technology centered on biopunk. They would be the guys brewing sleipnirs and organic hermophroditic rings of moaning gold giving continuous painful birth to themself. Or elegant sinew-ships woven from the supple bodies of virgins.   

I am suddenly reminded of the ship of fingernails crewed by the dead that Loki rides in on at Ragnorak.

Quote from: Steerpike
I've decided Dwarfs like crossbows.  Still undecided on whether any gunpowder weapons might wreck the tone completely, keeping in mind that Dvergar are a pretty rare sight in Midgard.

Guns would pretty much shatter any pretense of vikingesque aesthetics for me, although bombs would be more acceptable. As for crossbows, I think that might work surprisingly well - if you make them big and clunky devices and something only the dwarfs possess.

If there has to be machinery, I'd prefer an emphasis on the heavy and dirty, and to avoid anything too sophisticated. Think massive gears and pistons slowly and loudly grinding on in smoke-filled halls, stained with soot and rust.

Quote from: Ghostman

Quote from: Steerpike
I've decided Dwarfs like crossbows.  Still undecided on whether any gunpowder weapons might wreck the tone completely, keeping in mind that Dvergar are a pretty rare sight in Midgard.

Guns would pretty much shatter any pretense of vikingesque aesthetics for me, although bombs would be more acceptable. As for crossbows, I think that might work surprisingly well - if you make them big and clunky devices and something only the dwarfs possess.

If there has to be machinery, I'd prefer an emphasis on the heavy and dirty, and to avoid anything too sophisticated. Think massive gears and pistons slowly and loudly grinding on in smoke-filled halls, stained with soot and rust.

This. I like keeping the notion that dwarves have some sort of technical savvy (that's mostly my inner dwarf-stereotype speaking), so the idea of machinery isn't an issue for me. The way Ghostman describes it is also what I'd recommend - big, massive gears that churn slowly beneath the earth. It takes it out of a technical vibe and gives a very mythic, mysterious one. Crossbows seem totally fine for me, image-wise. I'll agree on guns - they'd be difficult for me to reconcile in this setting.

However, don't forget that Fimbulvinter is ultimately yours to create. I don't want it to sound like me or anyone else is dictating how it should be. :)

Of course that's very true, but I value your input, so I think I'll keep guns themselves off the table, but crossbows make sense.

Big, dirty gears also make sense, as opposed to lots of shiny tiny gears ticking away.

I considered biopunk, Crow, but I thought it might be too tonally dissonant :p.

That said, I think a lot of the Dwarven inventions won't have a totally homogenous aesthetic or feel.  There might be some which are macabre alchemical creations and others which border on clockpunk and others still which are just enchanted objects that do strange things.

What won't happen is squads of gun-toting Dwarven mechs rampaging around.

Quote from: Steerpike
What won't happen is squads of gun-toting Dwarven mechs rampaging around

Someplace somewhere TMG is crying.

From what I recall, it was in Daelaerus' Illustrated Norse Myths- I recall a picture which illustrated where all of the creatures were living. I believe I have the book but it's in storage-I'll try to pick it out, maybe over the weekend.

>>Where did you find the bit about the dwarfs being created under the world tree?  The version I have has them being created like this: "The dwarfs had taken shape first and acquired life in the flesh of Ymir and were then maggots, but by decision of the gods they became conscious with intelligence and had the shape of men though they live in the earth and in r

I thought of a good example of how I am now envisioning most dwarf technology - close to the machines of Saruman at Isengard in LotR.  They have bombs and cranes and siege engines and ballistae and other contraptions. Dvergar might have somewhat more complex machines and stuff combined with magic but that's kind of general feel I'm imagIning.  Of course they'll also have all sorts of enchanted rings and other objects.  Does that sound less incongruent?

Next Fimbulvinter session is this Monday (starting around 2:30-3 pm EST).  Bear in mind that I do observe Daylight Saving's time in my neck of the woods, so that might affect things for some people.

Ok. I found the book I had been thinking of earlier- D'Aulaires' Norse Gods and Giants.



The World of The Gnomes and Darkalf Heim are under the great tree. Hel and Niflheim and Muspelheim are farther below.

"Here at World of Gnomes and Darkalf Heim we have all your small magical humanoid needs covered . . ."

Fimbulvinter tomorrow.  I would like, ideally, to start a little earlier (maybe round 2pm EST, an hour early) if possible.  Will that not work for anyone planning on being there tomorrow?

Unfortunately, I have company coming over tomorrow (and staying until Wednesday) and won't be able to make it no matter what the time is.  I am counting on the rest of you to make puns in my absence!

Steerpike, you're of course free to use Kylfa as an NPC or not use him at all as you please, all I would ask is that Kylfa try to get the hide of that recently beclubbed dragon. :)

Just an idea - obviously Fimbulvinter is super-casual, and I don't want to change that, but I'm thinking some kind of "head's up" as to whether players will be attending a session, perhaps a couple nights before, might be cool.  Totally no pressure to show up, but if you are planning on being there, a quick post would be awesome, simply for the sake of other players.  People have mostly been very good at PMing/taverning/posting when they can't show, and I'm *not* trying to be grumpy or anything (people get busy, that's cool), just thought it might be a good idea to implement, as a courtesy thing to other players.  Cheers!

EDIT: it's fine if people forget to post and still show up, it's just an idea.

Apologies for yesterday - I was attending a con over the Easter vacation and had some important schoolwork and catching up to do when I got back home monday evening, so by the time I had the chance to PM you you had already started.
But yeah, it does sound like a good idea to implement some kind of courtesy heads-up message.

No problem Crow - we had a solid session, though Sirje took a nasty hit (she got healed by Brunn).

Fimbulvinter won't be this Monday, but the Monday after.

Hi everyone,

Some may be following the CE thread, in which case this isn't news.

I'm going to have to suspend Fimbulvinter for now in light of RL school stuff that needs my immediate and sustained concentration.

Sorry for the inconvenience.

Aww.  :(  Well, for what it's worth, it was a fun casual game and I'll still be up for it if at some point you want to resume.  Best of luck with your school stuff!

It'll be back at one point or another!

Is this hiatus immediate or will we continue the game for a weeks before ending it like with CE?

I was lying in bed last night trying to get to sleep and it struck me that Ragnvaldr and Andreas's theological discussion was one of the most fun roleplaying moments I have ever had. Thanks to everyone involved, this was an awesome game while it lasted! :D

Will you be accepting new players? If so, what level should new PCs be? I'm assuming 15 points for ability scores as last time and standard wealth per level?

Absolutely new PCs are welcome - start at 2nd level (I believe this is in line with most PCs), 15 point spread, and 500 gp to spend on items.

Note that some of the later pages have rules for Trollblood and Dvergar characters for any who would like. I'll stat up Elves as well if anyone wants to play one of those.

Recurring characters are more than welcome, of course! Despite the fact that I last GMed Fimbulvinter like 2 years ago, we'll be picking up more or less where the group left off, in Wulfheim. I actually have some logs to post, although there is a missing session where Dagny, Katla, and Sirje held off waves of Dark Elves. I've scoured my hard drive(s) for it and turned up nothing, so that will just have to be a "burnt page in the chronicle" unless the Norns decide to smile on me...

The party was 3rd level, actually. At least, Dagny was-- and she was new-ish, so I'm assuming she came in at the same level the rest of the party was at the time. I remember that fight, and I remember distinctly that Dagny cast web.

I don't have her character sheet any more, but I think I want to rework her given how long it's been. Not to mention there's new stuff now. So I'll probably build her more or less from scratch anyway... just mechanically, mind you. Her charming personality will remain intact!

Ah, you're right. I think some character sheets were just a bit outdated. 3rd level it is. Still only 500 gold though because I am a tyrant and the gods are cruel (well, really I just want to keep magic items to a relative minmum; there'll be magic items, but they tend to be rare and unique).

sparkle, I can send you a copy of her sheet, which I have because my inbox has never been cleaned out (which is a bit scary considering the sheer number of messages I received during Underdeep). But feel free to rework her or remake her from scratch if you prefer.

Thanks for the replies. I look forward to the rest of the logs, and will try to use that information to guide character creation. I've read over both threads and heartily enjoyed them.

Fantastic news, Steerpike - Fimbulvinter has always been at the top of the list of games run at the CBG I wished I'd played in.

I'll be there to play Katla again if we can fix a suitable time for IRC sessions.

I'd like to join if there aren't already too many in the party. This'll be between semesters for me so I should for once be free.

Welcome Weave!

With Fimbulvinter, it's usually been OK to have people coming and going. Adventures tend to be fairly self-contained rather than sprawling storylines (they're connected, certainly, but each adventure itself has been relatively brief), so a rotating cast is fine. Consequently, I probably won't be stressing about scheduling as much as I normally would.

The more the merrier!

I think the episodic format will serve us well, as I do recommend a little bit of a "hard break" between now and the last session... mostly because that was so long ago. It gives everyone time to explain changes to existing characters, party members leaving and new ones showing up, and downtime crafting and acquiring of items and other such things.

For Dagny, since I'm rebuilding her anyway, I'm going to ditch the whole no-spellbook thing, because I never expected that to go on more than a couple sessions anyway, and say she just stitched together the pile of scrolls she had into a makeshift book-- so she no longer has a pile of scrolls, but she does have a functional spellbook now. The real spellbook that got taken from her is still out there, and she's still intent on getting it back, but it makes her actually playable longer term. I'll spend her gold on things that she would've already had or it makes sense for her to have acquired in the meantime.

That's fine, sparkletwist. The old spellbook can remain out there as a quest object, full of more advanced Dvergar spells.

There'll be a break in the sense of "You're all now in Wulfheim, adventures are to be had," but not in the sense of "previous events are forgotten" - so there's still an option to go hunt Fire-Drakes in the Orm Fells, for example, and Jarl Ivar's men have been sent packing, so there may be future troubles in that direction. But there'll be no expectation that new players know anything about the previous events, or that old players remember everything. If there's something important I need to remind people of I'll do so.

Could you repost the map of the area? The link is broken for the area with Wulfheim (although the map of the Hrafnlands is still working).

I'll try to find them!

Damn, I'm struggling to decide between an Elvish Ranger/Druid, a Hrafnii/Görning Cleric, or a Járnmenn spellcaster of some disreputable nature, and various other half-formed ideas. Steerpike, any of those seem more/less promising than the others?

(Also a question - are the hybrid classes from the PFSRD valid choices as well? Because the Hunter and the Warpriest both look cool as hell).

Quote from: SteerpikeThere'll be a break in the sense of "You're all now in Wulfheim, adventures are to be had," but not in the sense of "previous events are forgotten" - so there's still an option to go hunt Fire-Drakes in the Orm Fells, for example, and Jarl Ivar's men have been sent packing, so there may be future troubles in that direction. But there'll be no expectation that new players know anything about the previous events, or that old players remember everything. If there's something important I need to remind people of I'll do so.

Yes, that's what I meant. :D

Quote from: HippopotamusDundeeI'm struggling to decide between an Elvish Ranger/Druid, a Hrafnii/Görning Cleric, or a Járnmenn spellcaster

Dagny already kind of has the spellcaster of some disreputable nature covered, so if you're looking for a niche, that one might already be filled. :grin:

Hybrid classes would be fine! Those weren't around before. I'd say Bloodrager, Brawler, Hunter, Shaman, Skald (!), Slayer, and Warpriest are all valid options but Arcanist, Investigator, and Swashbuckler would not be setting-appropriate.

As for which of those would be a good character, they all sound pretty great. I'm guessing that fellow players might be most grateful for someone with healing abilities, but I always tell players they should play whatever they want and not worry too much about what other people are playin. I'll see about getting Elf stats up pronto to help your decision.

Committing to anything is difficult for me right now, but if for some reason it turns out I'm able to make it, I'm up for bringing the Bear-Man back again.  Of course, he's still on a quest to turn his fire-drake-hide into wearable fire-drake-hide.

I considered some of the hybrid classes for a rebuild, but nothing else besides Druid upholds Kylfa's right to bear arms.  Skald is rad as hell though, and someone should definitely take that.

Maps can now be found in the first post of the Fimbulvinter Saga thread.

Also - after descending into the cobwebbed depths of my building's storage I exhumed an old computer. While I'd extracted files from this computer before I switched, I realized that the old IRC logs were still on that computer in their original form (those that I'd never copied into a Word document and saved externally). Consequently I was able to retrieve the old logs (and some old Cadaverous Earth logs as well), so I can update the thread here in full!

I can't find Ragnvaldr's character sheet :(

If I just stat up a fresh version of him with the same rules as a new character joining is that cool?

EDIT: Obviously, there is the original character sheet for him earlier in this thread.... d'oh. So I could just level that up to lvl 3 and use that?

Excellent news, Steerpike!

Glad to have you aboard, Kindling!

Yeah, levelling him up from the character sheet on the 2nd page would be perfect.

EDIT: Disregard the stats, as I'm swapping out ranger for skald, so Mjorðir is more of a support PC, among other things.

[ic=Mjorðir "Véogrímr" Brúnnulfson]Male human ranger (falconer) 1/paladin (oathbound) (Týr) 2
Medium humanoid (human [Blóðbard])
Init +0; Senses Perception +4 (+6 vs humans)
Languages North-Speech
Aura law
____________________________________________________________

AC 19, touch 10, flat-footed 19; CMD 15
(armor +6, shield +3)
hp 27 (3d10+6)
Resistance cold 2
Fort +10, Ref +5, Will +8; +5 vs cold weather exposure
____________________________________________________________

Speed 20 ft. (30 ft. without armor)
Melee masterwork skeggöx (battleaxe) +7 (1d8+2, x3) (+9, 1d8+4 vs humans)
Melee large shield bash +5 (1d4+2) (+7, 1d4+4 vs humans)
Ranged javelin +3 (1d6+2)
Base Atk +3; CMB +5
Special Actions lay on hands 4/day (1d6), smite chaos 1/day (+3 atk & AC, +2 dmg)
Combat Gear javelin (x2)
____________________________________________________________

SQ divine grace, favored enemy +2 (humans), oath against chaos, track, wild empathy +4
Str 14, Dex 10, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 16
Feats Iron Will, Shield Focus, Weapon Focus (battleaxe)^B
Skills Bluff +3 (+5 vs humans), Climb +1 (+6 without armor), Diplomacy +8, Handle Animal +7, Heal +4, Intimidate +7, Knowledge (nobility) +4, Knowledge (religion) +4, Perception +4 (+6 vs humans), Ride -3 (+4 without armor), Sense Motive +4 (+6 vs humans), Stealth -3 (+4 without armor), Survival +4 (+5 tracking [+7 vs humans]); ACP -7 (-5 without shield)
Possessions combat gear plus mw battleaxe, chainmail, cold weather outfit, heavy wooden shield, holy symbols (Forseti, Heimdall, & Týr), manacles, skis, 1 gp[/ic]

[ic=Gyllhani, the Víðópnisson]Male rooster
Small animal (bird companion)
Init +2; Senses Perception +12; low-light vision
____________________________________________________________

AC 14, touch 13, flat-footed 11; CMD 13
(Dex +2, natural armor +1, size +1)
hp 6 ((2d8+2)/2)
Resistance cold 2
Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +2
____________________________________________________________

Speed 10 ft., fly 80 ft. (average)
Melee bite +1 (1d4), 2 talons +1 (1d4)
CMB +0
____________________________________________________________

SQ link, tricks (aid, roam)
Str 10, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 2, Wis 16, Cha 6
Feats Skill Focus (Perception)
Skills Fly +11, Perception +12[/ic]  

Fluff to follow, but here's the crunch for the character concept we discussed via pm, Steerpike.

Looks great! Skald will make an amazing multiclass with that character.

The rooster is perfect - very Norse. Man their myths are weird. Apparently there's a nameless demon-rooster that lives in the underworld, a "sooty red cock from the halls of Hel" that's one of the mythic three roosters that crow at the beginning of Ragnarok. I really want to stat this thing up.

Glad you like it. Sadly, I shall lose the rooster if I swap ranger for skald (unless I can I swap out scribe scroll or detect evil or something for it, as it was an alternative class ability in lieu of wild empathy). Having a preternaturally wise, perceptive, golden cockerel was going to be awesome (flavorfully, less mechanically).

Regardless, yes, you need to stat up said demon-rooster. And then the other two Ragnarok roosters. And then we will have them fight each other and place bets on the winner. :)

I'm open to swaps to a certain extent. Swapping for Scribe Scroll seems fair; it's a rooster, after all, not a tiger or something. Alternatively you could just buy a rooster as a pet, it just wouldn't have stuff like Link.

Thanks!  Here's the skald/paladin version, cockerel included.

[ic=Mjorðir "Véogrímr" Brúnnulfson]Male human skald 1/paladin (oathbound; Týr) 2
Medium humanoid (human [Blóðbard])
Init +0; Senses Perception +4
Languages North-Speech
Aura good
____________________________________________________________

AC 19, touch 10, flat-footed 19; CMD 14
(armor +6, shield +3)
hp 26 (1d8+2d10+6)
Resistance cold 2
Fort +11*, Ref +4*, Will +11* (with resistance); +5 vs cold weather exposure
____________________________________________________________

Speed 20 ft. (30 ft. without armor)
Melee Randgríð (shield-hungry) +6 (1d8+2, x3)
Melee large shield bash +4 (1d4+2)
Ranged javelin +2 (1d6+2)
Base Atk +2; CMB +4
Special Actions lay on hands 4/day (1d6), raging song 6/day (inspired rage (+2 Str & Con, +1 Will, -1 AC)), smite chaos 1/day (+3 atk & AC, +2 dmg)
Combat Gear javelin (x2)
____________________________________________________________

Skald Spells Known (CL 1st; Concentration +4)
1st (2/day)—cause fear (DC 14), saving finale
0th—dancing lights, daze (DC 14), open/close, resistance
____________________________________________________________

SQ bardic knowledge +1, bird companion, divine grace,
Str 14, Dex 10, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 16
Feats Iron Will, Shield Focus, Weapon Focus (battleaxe)^B
Skills Climb +1 (+6 without armor), Diplomacy +9, Handle Animal +7, Heal +4, Intimidate +7, Knowledge (nobility) +5, Knowledge (religion) +5, Perception +4, Perform (oratory) +7, Perform (singing) +7, Ride -3 (+4 without armor), Sense Motive +4; ACP -7 (-5 without shield)
Possessions combat gear plus Randgríð (masterwork skeggöx (battleaxe)), Hrôgarnautr (Hrôg's gift; troll-bone lamellar), cold weather outfit, Langlif (long-life; heavy wooden shield), holy symbols (Bragi, Forseti, & Týr), manacles, 6 gp worth of braid-beads.[/ic]

[ic=Gyllhani, the Víðópnisson]Male rooster
Small animal (bird companion)
Init +2; Senses Perception +12; low-light vision
____________________________________________________________

AC 14, touch 13, flat-footed 11; CMD 13
(Dex +2, natural armor +1, size +1)
hp 6 ((2d8+2)/2)
Resistance cold 2
Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +2
____________________________________________________________

Speed 10 ft., fly 80 ft. (average)
Melee bite +1 (1d4), 2 talons +1 (1d4)
CMB +0
____________________________________________________________

SQ link, tricks (aid, roam)
Str 10, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 2, Wis 16, Cha 6
Feats Skill Focus (Perception)
Skills Fly +11, Perception +12[/ic]

[ic=RAGNVALDR]Level 3 Fighter
XP: 5000

STR 16 +3
DEX 14 +2
CON 14 +2
INT 10 +0
WIS 10 +0
CHA 10 +0

Max HP: 32
Current HP: 32

BAB +3
AC 12 (18 in chainmail)
CMB +6
CMD 18

FORT +5 (+7 vs cold weather in furs)
REF +3
WILL +1 (+2 with Bravery)

Speed: 30ft
Armour check penalty (DEX/STR): -4 in chainmail
Carrying capacity: 76/77-153/154-230

Melee attacks:
Spear +8 1d8+3(+4 two-handed) x3 
Dagger +6 1d4+3 19-20/x2
Unarmed +6 1d3+3 x2 nonlethal

Ranged attacks:
Spear +7 1d8+3 x3 20ft.
Dagger +5 1d4+3 19-20/x2 10ft.

Skills:

Climb  4 (+3 STR)
Intimidate 5
Handle Animal 4
Profession (sailor) 4
Survival 6

Feats & class abilities:

Armour Training: -1 to armour check penalty and +1 to maximum DEX bonus when wearing armour, may move at full speed in medium armour
Bravery: +1 to Will saves against fear
Dazzling Display (spear): may Intimidate all foes within 30ft as a full-round action
Furious Focus: no power attack penalty on first attack per round when two-handed
Power Attack: -1 attack for +2 damage or +3 damage when two-handed
Shield of Swings: full attack when two-handed, 1/2 damage for +4 shield bonus
Weapon Focus (spear): +1 to attacks with spears

Equipment: 

Masterwork spear
Dagger x4
Chainmail
Combat-trained dog, "Aslaug"
Backpack 
Bedroll
Winter blanket
Furs [/ic]

New and improved Ragnvaldr 2.0! I'm assuming we're using the "medium" xp progression?
Only thing that I don't have on there obviously is any loot that was amassed - shall we assume he's spent it all on mead since we last played?

Looks great Kindling!

If you can remember any specific items you had (I think there was an arm-band you picked up?), feel free to include them in your inventory; otherwise, yeah, assume it's been spent on food, shelter, mending your clothes, repairing your weapons, that kind of thing.

Will we be using a character thread, perchance?

Posted the skald/paladin version, now with updated kennings for his arms & armor.

I'm... kinda interested in getting in on this, if possible--I haven't gotten a good rp fix in a while, and vikings. (If you got too many folks, or if the time is in general EST working hours, then it'd be a nogo? Either way I'd understand. ^_^)

I'm kind of thinking of running it more West Marches style than anything - lots of players, but not everyone is present at every adventure. That's effectively how it turned out last time. That way scheduling isn't a big headache and if a player misses one session they can jump in on another. Missing characters could be in the mead-hall or camp, resting or recuperating from injuries, maintaining equipment, etcetera. Kinda like how in something like Mass Effect you've got a cast of characters but only three at a time actually go out on a mission.

That's a long-winded way of saying, hey, the more the merrier!

(Incidentally I'm on the West Coast, and a lot of the games I've run have had players in Europe and Australia, so time zones aren't usually too too much of an issue)

I read over Kylfa's old character sheet and the fact that Fimbulvinter was my first ever PF game really showed - every feat I picked was worthless.  Taking grappling feats is pointless when, in a few levels, you can turn into a bear with Grab, and Multiattack literally does nothing because in PF (unlike 3rd ed) claw/claw/bite is all primary.  :angry:

I still don't know whether I'll be able to play, but just in case I'll do a rebuild of Kylfa and post him in that new thread.

Feel free to tweak, yeah. Long enough has passed that I'm not fussed. Once the game starts I'll be a stickler and make people pay retraining (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/basics-ability-scores/more-character-options/retraining) costs, but enough has changed in the Pathfinder system that it's worth revisiting things if only for that.

EDIT: New players, remember to roll on the Rumour list (I may come up with a few more of these):

Rumours

Rumours blow as freely as the winter winds across the North, though few are wholly accurate, and doubtless most are exaggerated or otherwise faulty.

Roll a 1d10 1d2 times and read the corresponding spoiler tag(s).  It goes without saying not to look at the rumours you don't roll.  These rumours represent snatches of gossip, overheard conversation, and other hearsay.  Rumours reported in the section on the tribes can be considered general knowledge (such as King Geirmund Greatmane's bounty on wolves).

If you're an Ægiran, you automatically know either rumour 2 or 5 (pick one and roll 1d2 – on a 2, roll again to learn another rumour, rerolling if you get the same rumour twice).  If you're an Austrogoth, you automatically know rumour 6, if you're a Hrafnii you automatically know rumour 10, and if you're a Görning you automatically know either rumour 1 or 4 (again, roll 1d2 and learn a second random rumour on a 2).

1 - [spoiler]Insane Seeresses: The imminent arrival of Ragnarök is causing seeresses who peer too deeply into the future to go insane.  They say it begins with nightmares and hallucinations, flashes of the impending Doom; those who behold the final battle in its terrible, enormous totality, however, are driven hopeless insane.  To avoid this fate, those skilled in the Seid should avoid divining too extensively.[/spoiler]

2 - [spoiler]Strange Island: A strange new island has appeared in the west near Ériu.  Called Hy-Brasil by the Fir Bolg, some claim the island rose from the sea, others that it simply appeared out of a bank of mist, others still that it floated across the ocean from some distant corner of the earth and has now come to rest.  Whatever the case, Northern adventurers have returned from the isle with tales of fabulous treasures found within ancient, empty cities.  Other rumours suggest that these cities may not be empty after all...[/spoiler]

3 - [spoiler]Army of the Dead: They say that an army of the dishonoured dead – shades from Hel itself – has established a camp in the Eyði – the savage, contested wasteland west of the Gjöll River.  These vile ghost-warriors, the Again-Walkers, slay all living beings they come across and pull their spirits from their corpses, cheating them of Valhalla to add to their own ranks; shadow-fleshed and screaming, they cannot be harmed by ordinary weapons.  They say their commanders are Hel-Giants, Jötnar who died dishonourably – Hrímgrímnir, Helreginn, Hyrm, and Modgud.[/spoiler]

4 - [spoiler]Rift to Svartálfaheim: Rumour holds that somewhere deep in the Slaughterstone Mountains an earthquake has caused a great rift to open which leads to Svartálfaheim itself, the subterranean Homeworld of the Dwarfs.  Though climbing through the mountains in the midst of Fimbulvinter is perilous, the wonders of the Dvergar are legendary.  Whether or not the Dwarfs are emerging from the rift into Midgard is unknown.[/spoiler]

5 - [spoiler]Skræling Uprising: Reports from the west hold that a group of Skræling thralls being transported to the North along with goods from the distant lands across the ocean managed to kill the crew of their ship and have landed in the North.  Ruthless freedom-fighters, they are now roving the Northlands freeing any Skræling or Thule thralls they come across and killing their masters, taking their scalps for trophies.  It is said that some of their number are shamans capable of summoning a terrible flesh-eating spirit that possesses certain of their warriors, transforming them into something called "Wendigos."[/spoiler]

6 - [spoiler]Plague in Austragötaland: A horrible sickness is sweeping Austragötaland.  Some say it's a Southron plague, others a punishment sent by the Gods to cleanse the land of the Fathermen.  The Faith, of course, contends that the plague has been sent by their deity to punish heathens and sinners – a holy fever which burns the brows of unbelievers and other depraved souls.  Their priests are busy administering holy cures to those they deem pious enough to merit them.[/spoiler]

7 - [spoiler]The Wrathsword: A mysterious wanderer claiming to wield the sword known as Gram, the Wrathsword, has been seen abroad.  Some say this individual is a hero, a dragon-slayer who was given the sword by the ghost of the famous warrior Sivard.  Others insist that he is nothing more than a thief, a tomb-robber who despoiled Sivard's barrow and stole the legendary blade.  Others still dismiss these stories as the fabrications of increasingly desperate vagabond Skalds hoping to exchange fanciful tales for their suppers.[/spoiler]

8 - [spoiler]Hræsvelgr: Sightings of the Giant in eagle-form known as Hræsvelgr have been reported across the North – brief glimpses of the massive creature high above the clouds, or perched momentarily on a mountaintop.  The Corpse Swallower, as he is known, is supposed to sit at the End of the World and fan his great wings to make the wind blow.  His appearance in the North is said to account for the wild gales and blizzards that afflict the land.  They say that Hræsvelgr is larger than the largest mammoth, a bird so huge that he can devour an aurochs at a single sitting.[/spoiler]

9 - [spoiler]Fire in Myrkwood: They say that Myrkwood, the great forest which separates the North of Midgard from the lands of the now-dispersing Húna, is partially aflame.  The fire is said to be uncannily hot and ferocious, somehow able to resist snow, rain, and sleet.  Some of the Myrkari woodsmen are fleeing their homes, and beasts driven from the wild, strange wood are roving northwards to escape the flames.  No one knows what caused the fire.[/spoiler]

10 - [spoiler]Sky-Stone: A falling star has landed somewhere in the Hrafnlands.  This queer black rock is being used by a local weapon-smith to forge blades of extraordinary quality – wounds caused by the black swords and axes crafted from the sky-stone are said to smoulder and smoke.  Some Hrafnii mercenaries and brigands are already employing these powerful weapons against their foes.[/spoiler]

Quote from: SteerpikeOnce the game starts I'll be a stickler and make people pay retraining (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/basics-ability-scores/more-character-options/retraining) costs

Why? What's actually gained by doing it this way?

There are generally three reasons why you'd want to retrain your character, and, compared to something ad hoc where you just ask the DM if you can make changes and then make them, assigning strict mechanics with a cost to retraining tends to punish the two "good" ones while subtly encouraging the "bad" one.

The three reasons are:

- Mechanics don't match concept - The character was built along lines that don't allow its mechanics to reflect the concept the player had in mind. In a system like Pathfinder with lots of fiddly bits and space for optimizations, this can happen pretty easily. Assessing a penalty in time and gold for a player who just wants a character that plays like the idea they had in their head seems pretty pointless-- it needlessly penalizes inexperienced players, encourages system mastery in a rather obnoxious hard-line way, and discourages any sort of experimentation. As long as the character is recognizably the same character with the same fluff, who cares if to make that character perform better mechanically you need to make a few tweaks under the hood?

- Evolving character concept - The character has grown and changed, and old capabilities that are no longer used are pushed aside to make room for new ones. I can understand sometimes wanting to assign some cost to this, but, on the other hand, sometimes the events of the narrative already impose a cost and suggest an opportunity to make changes. People grow and change over time, and the system of leveling up supports the "grow" part without a lot of room for the "change" part. I mean, how many times has it happened that somebody joined a game starting at level 5 with a character that would've been severely underpowered and probably a bit stupid at level 1? Well, why should the people who have been in that game since level 1 be punished-- why can't they be allowed to evolve their character concepts too and create something that feels a bit more holistic at the game's current level? Granted, some players may try to justify some pretty strange and "convenient" changes, but they usually go into the third category below.

- Powergaming shenanigans: Stuff like putting all your skill ranks into Stealth the session you know there is going to be a stealthy mission, or taking an item crafting feat only to craft a bunch of stuff at half price and promptly retraining it, or whatever. Basically, the kind of stuff that the DM would, in an ad hoc system, just promptly refuse-- and most players wouldn't even ask for. The problem is, by supporting a rigid mechanical structure for retraining, the system actually sort of encourages these kinds of shenanigans by putting the onus on the DM to justify why retraining is not available, rather than on the player to justify why the suggested changes are better for the game and the character, rather than just being a munchkin. If there is some interesting narrative reason why the character could and should get certain abilities, the DM and player should probably figure that out separately and make it a costly magic item that requires a special homebrew feat to activate, or some other contrived combination that has a definite cost but is now part of the story rather than a rules exploit.

I'll rework Andreas sometime this weekend.

Do you still have that awesome map you drew?

Quote from: sparkletwistWhy? What's actually gained by doing it this way?

Well, in the past I haven't allowed retraining at all.

Allowing any kind of "automatic" or unlimited retraining isn't a great idea, in my opinion, because it lets characters completely alter themselves according to the circumstances they find themselves in: as you say, powergaming shenanigans.

If someone actually does feel that the mechanics are truly failing their concept, or they made a serious mistake (they thought a feat did something different, for example, or you realize you really should have put that 14 in Strength instead of Wisdom, or whatever), I'm open to making small changes without paying costs or spending time retooling. So, I suppose I should amend my statement that I'll be "strict" about ad-hoc retraining: I'll be strict but not to the point of bull-headed rigidity. If something is really bugging a player, I can understand the need to tweak the occasional skill or spell. Fair enough. I shall not be a tryant  :P

I'm fine with the idea of an evolving character concept being modeled both by levelling and retraining, but I prefer for both of those things to carry expenditures of in-game effort and resources.

I'm actually OK with the players, say, deciding that they need to become very stealthy for a stealth mission and so spending valuable time and money training in stealth. I wouldn't call that shenanigans or a "bad' use of retraining - I'd call that smart in-game logic. Like, if there's a war coming, and everyone needs to be trained in martial weapon-use, I'm OK with the characters spending time and money to train themselves up for combat while letting their other skills get rusty. That said, this is only going to work for non-urgent missions, adventures where the timeline permits retraining.

I should perhaps point out that this is a game where magical items will almost never be for sale. If PCs start amassing large quantities of coin, retraining is one thing they could spend money on.

Partly, sparkletwist, this might down to our differences in gaming philosophy and the way we prioritize different aspects of roleplaying. Pathfinder isn't exactly a paragon of simulationism, but I like that the retraining rules provide an in-game explanation and mechanic that at least "feels" somewhat realistic in a way that ad hoc retcons do not.

Quote from: TheMeanestGuestDo you still have that awesome map you drew?

Which map?

EDIT: I should add: if people are really against retraining, we could just remove it. I like to think it adds flexibility and encourages experimentation but in a way that still preserves a certain air of verisimilitude.

I dunno. It was hand drawn and was of the northlands.

There are two maps of the Blodlands/Hrafnlands (reposted at the start of the Saga thread). Did I have another? Maybe some kind of combined map? Perhaps I need to go digging again...

Quote from: SteerpikeAllowing any kind of "automatic" or unlimited retraining isn't a great idea, in my opinion, because it lets characters completely alter themselves according to the circumstances they find themselves in: as you say, powergaming shenanigans.

I never said it should be automatic or unlimited. You use my term of powergaming shenanigans but in that section I specifically said "the kind of stuff that the DM would, in an ad hoc system, just promptly refuse-- and most players wouldn't even ask for." So, in other words, I agree with you... because I wasn't even talking about that to begin with.

I am advocating simple and easy to use retraining mechanics that don't carry onerous costs and annoying requirements. The fact is, at any point someone who is just sick of their character but finds the retraining mechanics too obnoxious can just opt to retire their character and make a new one, "for free." Only now that other character's entire story and contribution to the narrative has been lost, and it's up to the DM and group to try to integrate the new character, and the whole thing just flows less smoothly. Thus, it is probably smart for the sake of a better game experience to make retraining something that is generally available and not particularly bothersome to do.

Quote from: SteerpikeI'm actually OK with the players, say, deciding that they need to become very stealthy for a stealth mission and so spending valuable time and money training in stealth. I wouldn't call that shenanigans or a "bad' use of retraining - I'd call that smart in-game logic.

What I meant was the player just spontaneously reallocating all their skill points to stealth with no in-character reason whatsoever. This makes more sense, and, as I mentioned, I'm ok with some costs when they make sense, too, and the whole "training montage" seems like it would actually add to the game.

What I'm not in favor of is assigning arbitrary costs to things as a tax to playing the character concept you actually want to play because "simulationism." Which brings me to...

Quote from: SteerpikePathfinder isn't exactly a paragon of simulationism, but I like that the retraining rules provide an in-game explanation and mechanic that at least "feels" somewhat realistic in a way that ad hoc retcons do not.

The Pathfinder retraining rules are basically nonsense.

Let's use the example of skill training in stealth. Ricky the level 7 Rogue and Wendy the level 5 Wizard both decide to go train. Because the mechanics are built around level, Ricky pays 350 gp for his training while Wendy only pays 250. They both train for 5 days. At the end of the training, you get to move 1+Int Modifier skill ranks, so Ricky with his Int 12 gets to move 2 skill ranks to Stealth, while Wendy with her Int 18 gets to move 5 ranks and max herself out for her level. So, despite Ricky being higher level, paying more, being a skill monkey with 4x the ranks per level, and having stealth as a class skill... gets far less benefit out of the training.

Other highlights from crazy town are that you can retrain feats to other feats that you couldn't actually have taken at the level that you supposedly have them at, it often costs the same amount of time and gold to retrain an entire class level as it does to retrain one feat, and hit point training gives you +1 hp so the tougher you are the less relative benefit you actually get despite still paying more at higher level.

I totally understand that you don't want people to be able to just rewrite their entire character sheet in between sessions, and I was not and am not advocating that at all. What I am advocating is a more freeform approach rather than rules that make no sense and generally just make people pay for making small revisions to their character sheet, particularly in a system as imbalanced as Pathfinder.

Hmm, you mount a pretty good critique of the rules themselves! As usual your mechanical insights are impeccable.

For now, nevermind about retraining rules; you've convinced me not to use them. There really shouldn't be any imminent need to retrain anyway, since everyone will have a chance to build/rebuild their characters as they please, and I'm not planning on making this a weekly game or something. We can handle retraining issues if/when they come up.

Thanks for clarifying your position. At some point I may look into some other house-rules for retraining that involve costs and time but don't produce the wonky results you've identified.

So, do we have any idea yet when the new Fimbulvinter sessions will be? My work schedule is a bit all over the place at the moment, but in january I will be free (read: unemployed) again...

I'll also be free in January, and anything before December 18th is a no-go for me. The 17th is my last final exam. I'm so mired in final exam crunch time that I haven't even thought of a character yet.

Quote from: SteerpikeAt some point I may look into some other house-rules for retraining that involve costs and time but don't produce the wonky results you've identified.

That works! If you need help with crunchy stuff, let me know. :)

Quote from: SteerpikeI should perhaps point out that this is a game where magical items will almost never be for sale.

What if we're the ones selling them?

I'm not talking about opening up "Magic Items R Us" or anything, but, I was thinking a bit about Dagny's general story and what she'd be up to, and she'd certainly not go back to being a scullery maid and serving wench now that she'd recovered her abilities. There's just too much more useful that she could be doing! Granted, people might be little wary of someone throwing around flashy magic, but then again, there is magic in the setting and it does do useful things, so it seems like it'd be a net plus for everyone to have someone who could make things cleaner and warmer and brighter. It might also let her raise her social standing in town a bit, which would be nice.

Maybe focusing too much on the "downtime economy" is not the point of a casual game like one, but, on the other hand, the characters don't just poof into thin air when they're not adventuring, so thinking about it a little doesn't do any harm, I'd think...

Quote from: KindlingSo, do we have any idea yet when the new Fimbulvinter sessions will be?

Perhaps a doodle (http://www.doodle.com/) is in order!

From December 12th to January 10th, I will be free most days/times save for Tuesdays, Wednesdays, & Sundays.

Here's a Doodle! (http://doodle.com/kmk4qciyuc7dabbb) Just for December to begin with.

These represent my ideal times. If it looks like people just cannot make any of those times, I can come up with more if necessary. Even a late-night or early morning one might be possible for me. My wife will probably call me a huge geek but then again she's currently playing a 10th level Catfolk Rogue in my Planescape game and binge-watching Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. so I think she'll understand.

Note that I'm in the Pacific Time Zone. You can find a handy converter here (http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/converter.html). All times in the Doodle are 24 hour. Let me know if there's any confusion.

Quote from: sparkletwistWhat if we're the ones selling them?

Selling magic items is much more viable than buying them - although many people will not have sufficient coin to purchase expensive ones. More common might be trading magical services for other services: for example, buying healing at a shrine might be possible, and there are seeresses who travel around providing divinations and other services for a fee. If you find those with serious coin like Jarls, warlords, Dvergar, chieftains, wealthy priests, etc, there'd be opportunities to sell more expensive items. Dvergar are about the only ones who might actually sell magical items beyond perhaps the odd potion at a healer or minor charm from a peddlar. Spells and items that relate to food, warmth, and protection are going to be particularly valuable, since those things are effectively the most scarce and desirable commodities now, at a major premium in a world where farming is increasingly impossible and it seems to only be getting colder and more dangerous with each passing day.

There's widespread distrust of magic, but during Fimbulvinter many are deserting the old ways, and in some places it'll be more-or-less accepted, especially in the Görnlands. Mostly, people just fear magic because the vast majority of supernatural things are both deadly and malignant, and people know that it can be used to deceive people. Divine magic is a bit more accepted than arcane magic, although the distinction is blurrier than in some settings. Female magic-users are considerably more accepted than male ones since using magic is "ergi" - effeminate. I want there to be a feel in general that magic is becoming more common as Ragnarok approaches, though, and male magic-users won't be hunted down and burned or anything (well, unless they use their magic in malevolent ways or run afoul of a particularly zealous Fatherman...), just seen as a rather "unmanly," by those who still hold to the old traditions.

In general it will be easy to gloss over many economic aspects - just go to the market in whatever settlement you're in and I'll let people sell what they want to sell, including minor magic items like potions or scrolls. Anything worth significant amounts of gold, though (500gp+) might require a bit more searching - at least a Diplomacy check to Gather Information to find a suitable buyer. But since most magic items are rare and generally useful enough to be kept rather than sold, I don't think it'll be too big a deal.

Quote from: SteerpikeLet me know if there's any confusion.

I am slightly confused, because the times given are not 24 hour even though you said they would be. Doodle also can optionally attempt to convert it for your local time zone, and I'm not sure if it's doing that for me or not-- is the first time slot on December 10 9am-12pm PST?

Quote from: SteerpikeIn general it will be easy to gloss over many economic aspects - just go to the market in whatever settlement you're in and I'll let people sell what they want to sell, including minor magic items like potions or scrolls. Anything worth significant amounts of gold, though (500gp+) might require a bit more searching - at least a Diplomacy check to Gather Information to find a suitable buyer. But since most magic items are rare and generally useful enough to be kept rather than sold, I don't think it'll be too big a deal.

The main reason Dagny might interact more with this aspect of the economy is that she has the ability to make scrolls, too, so selling 1st level scrolls at a 12.5 gp (or so) profit, or just casting the spells directly for a similar margin, seems like it'd be a good way for her to make a living nowadays, as long as someone can afford that. She has endure elements and mage armor, which are probably pretty helpful, and burning hands could be leveraged in a pinch for more utilitarian tasks. And during Fimbulvinter she's likely to get a good bit of mileage out of snow shape, too. The one main thing she can't help with is food, but she's always going to be on the lookout-- rather than money, she'll be happy to trade magical favors to try to research/acquire some sort of arcane spell capable of conjuring edibles, or any other interesting spells for that matter.

As far as I can see, they're showing as 24 hour: I'm not sure why they're not for you. So, for December 10th, the first possible time-slot is indeed 9am-12am PST, followed by 12-15:00 (noon to 3pm), 15:00-18:00 (3-6pm) and 20:00-23:00 (8:00-11:00pm). I caught one error where I'd put "1:00" instead of "13:00" but otherwise they seemed fine. Are those displaying like that for you? If not there's something weird going on...

Dagny could potentially sell some scrolls if she can find an arcane spellcaster to trade with, but most people cannot use scrolls since they're not casters. However, what Dagny absolutely could do is go around using her scrolls to provide small magical services, like using burning hands to start a fire or cook some meat, or endure elements to help warm up some of the people shivering in the streets of Wulfheim. I don't mind such transactions being handled somewhat abstractly i.e. we don't need to roleplay every single service.

Quote from: SteerpikeAs far as I can see, they're showing as 24 hour: I'm not sure why they're not for you.

I don't know either... I'm not seeing any 24 hour times. But as long as I can figure out what time is meant (and I can) then it doesn't really matter, I guess. :)

Quote from: SteerpikeDagny could potentially sell some scrolls if she can find an arcane spellcaster to trade with, but most people cannot use scrolls since they're not casters. However, what Dagny absolutely could do is go around using her scrolls to provide small magical services, like using burning hands to start a fire or cook some meat, or endure elements to help warm up some of the people shivering in the streets of Wulfheim. I don't mind such transactions being handled somewhat abstractly i.e. we don't need to roleplay every single service.

Before, you said that selling the scrolls could be more or less automatic, so I was going off that, but yes, I figure it would be easier to just cast a spell for the person directly-- which wouldn't even need scrolls, she can just do that with her spell slots on days when she's not having to use them all for something else like adventuring.

I assume before the game starts I can give Dagny a few extra spells "bought" from her base wealth using the normal rules for copying spells, under the assumption that she managed to trade arcane favors with a wandering sorceress or the like?

That so weird! So how does it display for you? I could always just PM you the times.

(btw, is anyone else experiencing this?)

Quote from: sparkletwistBefore, you said that selling the scrolls could be more or less automatic, so I was going off that, but yes, I figure it would be easier to just cast a spell for the person directly-- which wouldn't even need scrolls, she can just do that with her spell slots on days when she's not having to use them all for something else like adventuring.

Yeah, I hadn't thought about the actual mechanics of scroll casting enough. I was looking into details of how your Dvergar artefact would work and realized that yeah, scrolls themselves probably wouldn't be too useful to most people in a place like Wulfheim (as opposed to, say, potions). But you could definitely sell your magical services to a certain extent, and/or barter them for things like room, supplies, etc. Not everyone in the settlement is completely penniless. I don't think, say, that Dagny could set up any kind of sustainable business selling spells to the locals, but she could definitely supplement an adventuring income.

I think I'm too used to Planescape, where you have magic shops every 10 ft. and everyone knows about 30 magic-users on a first name basis...

Quote from: sparkletwistI assume before the game starts I can give Dagny a few extra spells "bought" from her base wealth using the normal rules for copying spells, under the assumption that she managed to trade arcane favors with a wandering sorceress or the like?

That seems reasonable - how many spells are you thinking?

Quote from: SteerpikeSo how does it display for you? I could always just PM you the times.

It seems like it's fine, if working strangely.
The times show up like "9:00 AM -12:00 PM", "12:00 PM -3:00 PM" and so on. Which, as long as I know those are PST, I can convert to CST and fill out the Doodle correctly.
Actually, there's one oddball time slot on Monday the 22nd that shows up as "10:00 - 13:00," which is the one you fixed, I guess?

Quote from: SteerpikeBut you could definitely sell your magical services to a certain extent, and/or barter them for things like room, supplies, etc.

Ok, good. Bartering them would be more interesting anyway-- it might be fun to get some oddball flavorful items I'd never actually bother to dig through the book and spend money on.

Quote from: SteerpikeThat seems reasonable - how many spells are you thinking?

However many I can! The assumption of Pathfinder, I think, is that Wizards are going around copying every spell into their spellbook they can get their hands on. So, if you want to set an upper limit, go ahead, otherwise... whatever I can buy with the 400 or so gp I have left after buying other stuff. :grin:

Another question. What do you think about False Focus (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/false-focus) being able to duplicate optional alchemical material components? I'm thinking of taking this feat for Dagny, but it's really only worth a feat if it can-- it adds a +1 to a bunch of random useful spells. Otherwise, it's almost as pointless as Eschew Materials. My own searches have revealed that opinions on whether it works that way are pretty divided, though, and Paizo hasn't issued any FAQ.

Huh, I hadn't seen that feat before.  I like the power component stuff.  Getting all of it for free for a price of a feat, however, seems excessive - Silver by itself is nearly worth as much as the Spell Focus (Illusion) feat (Silver adds +1 DC to Illusion spell will saves), and that's only one of a few dozen such power components.  If False Focus gives you all those component effects for free it's hard to imagine any wizard not taking False Focus.  When interpreted that way, it owns pretty hard.

It also seems like it sort of defeats the purpose of having alchemical power components in the first place ("let's introduce this optional subsystem so we can take a feat to ignore it entirely!").

Quote from: PolycarpSilver by itself is nearly worth as much as the Spell Focus (Illusion) feat (Silver adds +1 DC to Illusion spell will saves)

Not really. It adds +1 DC to Illusion will saves to disbelieve only. That means it helps your silent images but it does absolutely nothing for your color sprays or your haunting mists or whatever.

Quote from: PolycarpIt also seems like it sort of defeats the purpose of having alchemical power components in the first place ("let's introduce this optional subsystem so we can take a feat to ignore it entirely!").

I suspect that the developers of the feat and the developers of the alchemical power system weren't aware of the other's work. However, it's my opinion that all this (probably unintentional) interaction does is take a feat that would be garbage and turn it into something that is actually worth a feat.

Well at least the scheduler kinda works. Not sure why it's displaying so oddly.

I don't think False Focus was written with alchemical material components in mind or vice versa. I agree it's not a great feat, but it feels rather... I don't know, "rules-lawyery" to extend it to alchemical components. It doesn't seem to jibe with either the tone of alchemical components or divine symbols (frankly, I think I just don't like this feat... spell components are awesome, in my opinion, and part of the weird charm of D&D spells). In the asbence of an official ruling on Paizo's part I think I tend towards conservatism, so I think I'll rule for our purposes that it doesn't extend to alchemical components.

As for buying new spells, the cost for writing in new spells is very low if you're doing it spellbook-to-spellbook. According to the rules (if I'm reading them correctly), a 1st level spell would only cost 15 gp to copy from one spellbook to another (5gp for the privilege of borrowing the spell and 10 to write it). It'd actually be even cheaper for you if you traded spells withe the other Wizard and earned back some of the costs. If that's the method you were envisoining I think I'd have to impose some limits. Wizards aren't very common in this setting and it wouldn't make sense for even a well-travelled seeress to have a whole ton of spells; also, I'd argue, part of the fun and challenge of being a Wizard (I think) is finding new spells and recording them, and meeting other spellcasters to do this kind of exchange.

However, if you're just talking about buying scrolls and copying them that way, I'm OK with that and don't think I'd bother setting any limits. Even if you spent all of your money on new scrolls that wouldn't be an outrageous number.

Remember that you do need to make a Spellcraft roll to learn new spells, and failure carries a time penalty of a week before you can retry. While a short time has passed between the end of the last sessions and the start of the new ones, I wouldn't say there's been aenough time to make multiple attempts to learn spells.

Incidentally, I found a variant set of rules  for scribing onto different materials. (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/gamemastering/other-rules/variant-rules-3rd-party/bastion-press/spellbooks-scrolls-variant-rules) They're slightly more expensive to compensate for their greater durability, which does make sense. I figure your Dvegar artefact counts as "copper metal plates," effectively. If you'd rather not use this variant though, that's fine. It's not part of the Paizo core rules.

Quote from: sparkletwistNot really. It adds +1 DC to Illusion will saves to disbelieve only. That means it helps your silent images but it does absolutely nothing for your color sprays or your haunting mists or whatever.

Ah, you're right about that.

A better comparison might be Spell Specialization, which gives you +2 CL to a single spell.  Meanwhile, the alchemical component Moondew gives you +1 CL to all spell effects of an entire school (Divination), and again that's merely one component of many you'd get for free.

It's hard to compare with other feats because it's a big laundry list of bonuses, and there's basically no other feat that's designed in that fashion.

A question occurred to me.

Is a Druid who does not yet have the capability to use wild shape aware that, at some point, he could gain the ability to use wild shape?

Kylfa was planning to skin that dragon he gave the killing blow to on the last session I played in, and assuming he actually got it, it occurred to me that he might try to find someone to make bear-barding out of it (as armor doesn't wild shape with you, but you can wear barding once transformed).  He won't gain the wild shape ability for 3 levels to come, however, and I'm not sure whether it would be inappropriate OOC knowledge for Kylfa to anticipate that this might be a thing he will want in the future.

Considering that as a bear shaman he can already turn himself partially into a bear, I can see him anticipating eventually going full bear mode, but I thought I'd check in on that.

(It may be a moot point; I could understand if most armor-makers would be somewhat reluctant to have a tailoring session with a grizzly.)

I would say it's up to the player whether their character expects such changes. It's certainly possible that they do - they may know others of their discipline that have progressed further than themselves, for example. Kylfa might well have seen other bear shamans in Kvenland assuming the shape of bears. At the very least his knowledge of spiritual matters might mean he knows such a thing is possible.

I don't think it's unreasonable for a leather-worker to make bear-barding (even if it was just a case of "make it to these specifications, don't ask questions, here's some gold"). If you actually showed up in bear form, it might take some reassurances, but historically bear-handling and -baiting was pretty common in the medieval period, so it's not totally crazy to think that people would be OK with interacting with bears.

EDIT: Note, you might need to kill some more Drakes to get enough hide if you're going to become a Large bear. All the more motivation to go hunt some!

Quote from: SteerpikeEDIT: Note, you might need to kill some more Drakes to get enough hide if you're going to become a Large bear. All the more motivation to go hunt some!

I suspected as much, as my recollection of the dragon was that it was probably Large rather than Huge.

Interestingly, it appears you cannot in fact make scale mail from dragon scales.

Yeah, they were only Large - a clutch of young dragons. I'd say you'd need at least 2 Large hides to have sufficient choice material for hide armour for a bear of Large size, thee hides for Banded Mail, and four for Half Plate, and five for Breastplate (no Full Plate armour in this setting).

It'd be expensive, though. Dragonhide doubles the cost of armour and non-humanoid armour for a Large creature is 4x the cost. So instead of about 340 gp for some medium dragonscale hide, for example, you're looking at 1360 gp. There'll be opportunities to amass this kind of coin, though.

On the upside the leather-worker would be able to afford some of Dangy's spell services afterwards  :P.

Quote from: SteerpikeThere'll be opportunities to amass this kind of coin, though.

Not for a character who has actively avoided taking or carrying any kind of coin thus far.  I'm pretty sure he tried to pay the town gate toll in berries or something.  :yumm:

Regarding scheduling, I'm just going to stay away from the Doodle, let you guys pick a time, and join if it works for me.  I just don't know my schedule in December well enough to say right now.

Heheh, as I recall he kept asking around Wulfheim where the berry bushes were, and seemed confused by the need to pay for food.

Quote from: SteerpikeI think I just don't like this feat... spell components are awesome, in my opinion, and part of the weird charm of D&D spells

I think this is the real difference of opinion. I'm not a fan of spell components for the most part. I can see how they'd sometimes add some unique charm, but I also like the flavor of a caster who can just say the magic words and wave her hands and do magic stuff, which is more what I was going for here. Eschew Materials isn't really worth a feat, though, so I was just looking for something that was worth it.

Dagny is already pretty useless as a spellcaster without her arcane bonded item, and she can craft enhancements onto her arcane bonded item without a feat, so another option is to let her pay some token amount of gold (50 gp would buy 10 component pouches, so maybe that's about right?) and allow it to confer Eschew Materials, but only while it's worn... or something like that.

Quote from: SteerpikeIt'd actually be even cheaper for you if you traded spells withe the other Wizard and earned back some of the costs. If that's the method you were envisoining I think I'd have to impose some limits.

I wasn't envisioning being able to freely trade spells or anything, but I was pricing spell acquisition at the "copying" cost (15 gp for a level 1 spell, 60 gp for a level 2) rather than the much more expensive option of buying scrolls. Scrolls include a multiplier for caster level, so they rapidly become much more expensive-- learning a spell from a level 2 scroll costs 190 gp instead of 60 gp, for example. Please also keep in mind that Clerics get their entire spell list for free...

All that said, if you want to impose some minor limitations on the number of spells Dagny can "buy," I won't complain. Right now I'm thinking of acquiring 7 level 1 spells and 4 level 2 spells, for a total of 345 gp. Is that reasonable?

Quote from: SteerpikeI'd argue, part of the fun and challenge of being a Wizard (I think) is finding new spells and recording them

I'd generally agree. However, I primarily look at it as a means to get some odd spells that I might not have otherwise given a second thought, or whatever-- I think it's a core assumption of the system that the ability to copy spells at a certain cost is generally available to prepared arcane casters. The default Pathfinder setting seems to assume pretty high magic availability, and the mechanics are somewhat built around that.

Quote from: SteerpikeRemember that you do need to make a Spellcraft roll to learn new spells

The DC is 15 + spell level, and you can take ten. Dagny's Spellcraft is +10 so she's fine.

Quote from: SteerpikeThey're slightly more expensive to compensate for their greater durability, which does make sense.

Actually, they are cheaper. The cost given is not an added cost, it is the cost. That's why vellum costs 12.5 gp (i.e., the standard price for the standard material) and you need a feat to scribe scrolls on birchbark for only 2.5 gp because otherwise that would be kind of silly.

Quote from: sparkletwistDagny is already pretty useless as a spellcaster without her arcane bonded item, and she can craft enhancements onto her arcane bonded item without a feat, so another option is to let her pay some token amount of gold (50 gp would buy 10 component pouches, so maybe that's about right?) and allow it to confer Eschew Materials, but only while it's worn... or something like that.

Dagny actually has her bonded item - the Jarl gave it back to her on the condition she doesn't use her magic in Wulfheim. It's this Dvergar pendant thingy. From the log:

"Dagny grins and opens the chest.

Inside are a number of scrolls, as well as a strange Dvergar device - a collapsible metal wand graven with Dwarf-runes, and your other arcane effects, including your eldritch pendant and your dagger."

:)

Quote from: sparkletwistRight now I'm thinking of acquiring 7 level 1 spells and 4 level 2 spells, for a total of 345 gp. Is that reasonable?

Oh, that's fine! Not a problem there. I just didn't want you to get like 35 level 1 spells or whatever.

Quote from: sparkletwistThe default Pathfinder setting seems to assume pretty high magic availability, and the mechanics are somewhat built around that.

Oh, definitely. I would say, however, that this particular game definitely tinkers with some of the core assumptions (for one thing, it's E8) and doesn't assume as high magic availability as is standard. However, acquiring a few spells at "character re-creation" like you're doing is just fine.

Quote from: sparkletwistThe DC is 15 + spell level, and you can take ten. Dagny's Spellcraft is +10 so she's fine.

Totally didn't realize you could take 10 on that roll, but checking I see that that is indeed possible. My mistake!

Quote from: sparkletwistActually, they are cheaper. The cost given is not an added cost, it is the cost. That's why vellum costs 12.5 gp (i.e., the standard price for the standard material) and you need a feat to scribe scrolls on birchbark for only 2.5 gp because otherwise that would be kind of silly.

Ah, you're right! In that case, all the more reason to use them, if you like!

Quote from: SteerpikeDagny actually has her bonded item

Right. Sorry, I was unclear. What I meant was that the main mechanical impact of the material components pouch is "a thing that severely ruins your spellcasting day if you don't have it," but, having an arcane bonded item, Dagny already has one of those-- so I was asking if I could pay a small amount of gold to essentially consolidate those two things and fluffwise pretend that the material components don't actually exist. Put another way, it would make the pendant confer Eschew Materials, but only while it's an arcane bonded item being worn by the person it's bonded to.

I just really don't like material components very much, I guess. :grin:

Quote from: SteerpikeAh, you're right! In that case, all the more reason to use them, if you like!

No, it's ok. I think that part of the reason copper plates are cheaper are that you can't roll them up, and scrawling on something cylindrical completely defeats the limitation.

Quote from: sparkletwistI was asking if I could pay a small amount of gold to essentially consolidate those two things and fluffwise pretend that the material components don't actually exist. Put another way, it would make the pendant confer Eschew Materials, but only while it's an arcane bonded item being worn by the person it's bonded to.

I just really don't like material components very much, I guess. :grin:

Can't you just get a Spell Component Pouch for this?  That's nearly the same thing as pretending components don't exist, and it's like 5gp.  You're not even supposed to worry about components unless they're either significantly expensive or you're in some extenuating circumstance (e.g. gagged) that makes a component impossible.

Oh, I see. So it's just a flavour thing, but you'd rather not take a feat? Sure, just deduct the cost of the pouch, and we'll say the amulet does it. If everything got stolen you'd end up getting it all back at the same time anyway. Not a big deal. I like the ritual feel of spell components (seems very "ceremonial magic" to me), but to each their own.

I thought I'd better repost the races, now with Light Elves added. I've tweaked the Dvergar description as I'm not as pleased with the sort of steampunk feel I'd given them before. There's still a hint of that, but less so.

[spoiler=Dvergar]Dvergar

The Dvergar, or Dwarfs, are a race of maggots in humanoid form born out of the putrid flesh of Ymir, the primordial giant from whose cadaverous hulk the world was made.  Dwelling within the fossilized bowels of Ymir – the endless tunnel-realm of Svartálfheim – the Dvergar are a notoriously avaricious and appetitive people: they are the physical manifestations of hunger, be it for knowledge, flesh, or gold.  Miners and smiths of exceptional ability, Dwarfs are driven by an insatiable need to dig deeper, to understand more thoroughly, to expand and consume.  They have constructed many devices of wondrous power, including mechanical creatures, strange weapons that hurl fire, blades of surpassing strength and keenness, and all manner of other wondrous machines.  Their cities are said to be mad, sprawling labyrinths of gigantic gears and rune-graven stone.

Physically, Dvergar are short, stocky creatures with pallid, sallow flesh frequently stained with soot or dirt. By and large they prefer to avoid physical combat, preferring to rely on their skill with magic. All are exceptionally hairy, with enormous beards, and also exceptionally ugly (by human standards), with small, black eyes, sharp little teeth, and squashed, unpleasant features.

With but a few rare females, Dwarfs frequently seek out mortal women as consorts; children sired from such unions are pure Dwarf – there is no such thing as a "Half-Dwarf."  Some human settlements have been known to trade their women for weapons and other devices of Dwarf make, though the Dvergar guard their greatest secrets with care, refusing to relinquish their more powerful treasures not out of any altruistic motive but from sheer jealousy.  Becoming a Dwarf-bride is often presented as an honour, but in truth most women greatly fear such a fate – the Dvergar are infamously depraved, and their lust unquenchable.

Dvergar are rarely seen in Midgard itself, and maintain no permanent settlements there.  Trade with humans is conducted at those rare places where Svartálfheim borders Midgard, the chthonic orifices of the earth.

Dvergar Characters:

+2 Constitution, +2 Intelligence, –4 Charisma: Dvergar are hearty and crafty, but also stubborn and belligerent.

Medium: Dvergar are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.

Slow and Steady: Dvergar have a base speed of 20 feet, but their speed is never modified by armor or encumbrance.

Darkvision: Dvergar can see in the dark up to 120 feet.

Greed: Dwarfs receive a +2 racial bonus on Appraise skill checks made to determine the price of nonmagical goods that contain precious metals or gemstones.

Hardy: Dvergar receive a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against poison, spells, and spell-like abilities.

Craftsman: Dwarf are known for their superior craftsmanship when it comes to metal and stone works. Dwarfs with this racial trait receive a +2 racial bonus on all Craft or Profession checks that create objects from metal or stone.

Stability: Dvergar receive a +4 racial bonus to their CMD against bull rush or trip attempts while on solid ground.

Stonecunning: Dwarfs receive a +2 bonus on Perception checks to potentially notice unusual stonework, such as traps and hidden doors located in stone walls or floors. They receive a check to notice such features whenever they pass within 10 feet of them, whether or not they are actively looking.

Light Sensitivity: Dvergar are dazzled as long as they remain in an area of bright light.

Languages: Dwarfs begin play speaking Dvergar and Northspeech.

Weapon Familiarity: Dwarfs treat crossbows and any weapon with the world "Dwarf" in its name as a martial rather than exotic weapon.[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Trollblood]Trollblood

Also called Half-Trolls, Trollspawn, and Trollkin, Trollbloods are humans with partial Troll parentage. Though some are solitary creatures many are members of degenerate tribal lineages, born into the primitive hill-clans of savage wildmen found in remote mountain valleys and rugged highlands throughout the North.  In many cases full-blooded Trolls rule over such tribes, keeping harems of wives (or husbands) and placing the offspring resulting from such unions in positions of power.  In the harsh days of Fimbulvinter increasingly famished Trollblood clansmen often descend from their caves and fastnesses to raid the settlements of more civilized folk.

Physically, Trollbloods may inherit any number of attributes from their monstrous parents; Trollish heritage can manifest in a variety of ways.  Many sport fangs, tusks, claws, or pointed ears.  Some possess great stature, prodigious physical strength and toughness, stony skins, and hunched postures.  Others have multiple heads or limbs, and others still are born with natural sorcerous talent, able to weave enchantments and hexes as easily as breathing.

Typically, Trollbloods are shunned and ostracized outside of the insular clans most originate in.  With the slow collapse of civilization during Fimbulvinter, however, some Trollbloods have found greater degrees of acceptance, often making excellent warriors.  In the dark, cold days of winter unending, old prejudices are forsaken along with the laws of decency and restraint, and thus Trollbloods are becoming a more common sight throughout the North.

Trollblood Characters:

+2 to One Ability Score: Trollblood characters get a +2 bonus to one ability score of their choice at creation to represent their varied nature.

Medium: Trollbloods are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.

Normal Speed: Trollbloods have a base speed of 30 feet.

Darkvision: Trollbloods can see in the dark up to 60 feet.

Intimidating: Trollbloods receive a +2 racial bonus on Intimidate skill checks due to their fearsome nature.

Troll Blood: Trollbloods count as both humans and Trolls for any effect related to race.

Troll Ability: Select two of the following:

•   Ferocity: Once per day, when the Trollblood is brought below 0 hit points but not killed, he can fight on for one more round as if disabled. At the end of his next turn, unless brought to above 0 hit points, he immediately falls unconscious and begins dying.

•   Two-Headed: The Trollblood receives the Two-Weapon Fighting feat as a racial bonus feat even if they do not meet the prerequisites.

•   Tusks or Fangs: The Trollblood gains a Bite attack (1d4).

•   Claws: The Trollblood gains two Claw attacks (1d3).

•   Stony Skin: The Trollblood gains +1 AC.

•   Regeneration: The Trollblood heals at twice the normal rate when resting.

•   Sly: The Trollblood possesses a fiendishly cunning tongue, granting it a +2 racial bonus on all Bluff checks.

•   Extra Limb: The Trollblood has an additional off-hand (if the Trollblood also selects the Claws Troll Ability, he does not gain three Claw attacks).

Weapon Familiarity: Trollbloods are proficient with greataxes, greatswords, and greatclubs, and treat any weapon with the word "Troll" in its name as a martial weapon.

Illiteracy: Trollbloods do not automatically know how to read and write, and must spend two skill points to gain the ability.

Light Sensitivity: Trollbloods are dazzled as long as they remain in an area of bright light.

Languages: Trollbloods begin play speaking Giantish.[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Ljósálfar]Ljósálfar

The Ljósálfar or Light Elves are inhabitants of the world of Álfheim, said to be a verdant realm of vast forests and clear skies with many beautiful halls, ruled over by Frey, god of prosperity, fertility, and fair weather. There was a time when Light Elves were almost never seen in Midgard, but now that the Doom of the Gods approaches some of their kind have been seen wandering the world on missions of unknown purposes. Though Frey is their god they have many kings and queens among them, as well as powerful workers of sorcery. Unlike the Dvergar, though, their skill lies not with iron and rock but with the magic of trees, wind, and water.

A surpassingly fair people, Light Elves are typically pale of hair and skin, and at times their very forms seem to shine softly – though many can also make themselves unseen when they wish. Taller and more slender than mortals, they are ageless beings as much of spirit as of flesh, appearing forever young. In manner they are generally courteous and kind, although they find the laws and customs of humans strange and do not feel themselves bound by the rules of men. They often find beasts more comprehensible than humans. As a result, they can appear haughty or even cruel to some.

Light Elves are capable of interbreeding with humans, though such unions are rare. The resulting children almost always reside in Midgard.

Ljósálfar Characters:

+2 Dexterity, +2 Charisma, and –2 Constitution: Ljósálfar are graceful, both in body and mind, but their form is frail.

Size: Light Elves are Medium creatures and thus receive no bonuses or penalties due to their size.

Type: Light Elves are Humanoids with the elf subtype.

Base Speed: Light Elves have a base speed of 30 feet.

Lightbringer: Light Elves are infused with the radiant power of the heavens. They are immune to light-based blindness and dazzle effects, and are treated as one level higher when determining the effects of any light-based spell or effect they cast (including spell-like and supernatural abilities). Elves with Charisma scores of 10 or higher may use light at will as a spell-like ability.

Fleet-Footed: Light Elves are naturally swift creatures and receive Run as a bonus feat and a +2 racial bonus on initiative checks.

Elven Magic: Elves receive a +2 racial bonus on caster level checks made to overcome spell resistance. In addition, Ligh Elves receive a +2 racial bonus on Spellcraft skill checks made to identify the properties of magic items.

Low-Light Vision: Light Elves can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.

Languages: Light Elves begin play speaking Álfari.[/spoiler]

Thanks Steerpike. :D

I have doodled! I would like to add the caveat (because it is below the granularity of the doodle) that on weekdays I've marked 12 PST I'm actually not going to be available until 1 PST, but I can make most of that window, so we could start a bit later or Dagny could show up late or whatever. :)

Things seem to have aligned fairly well!

Edit: Link to Doodle (http://doodle.com/kmk4qciyuc7dabbb), in case anyone needed it. All times are PST.

Although I have doodled it might be subject to change - I seem to be getting told my shifts about 24hrs in advance of working them at the moment so in the doodle I'm just predicting when I think they're likely to be.

Great, thanks guys!

There are several very likely days. To start, I think we'll try for one on Thursday the 11th starting at 1 (though I'll probably pop on a bit earlier), and then another at the same time on the 22nd. Does that sound good as a tentative plan?

Works for me provided I don't get asked to work last-minute :)

That time is fine for me!  :D

Another question, are we going to use any sort of house rules for combat maneuvers so they don't... you know... suck?

I'm sure there are more involved ways to fix it, but it seems like a quick and dirty fix would be:
- "Improved" maneuvers no longer have prerequisites. Maybe increase their bonus too, but this could break prewritten NPCs so I don't know.
- If you try a maneuver without its "Improved" version, you only provoke an AoO if you fail at the maneuver.

Hmm, I don't know if I want to get into the process of house-ruling Pathfinder too much, but I agree combat maneuvers are a bit difficult to pull off unless you have plenty of feats to burn (as this is an E8 game that might not be as much of a big deal, what with the "infinite feats" after 8th level, but still). Instead of fundamentally changing the way combat maneuvers work, though, I prefer this solution:

[spoiler=Powerful Maneuvers]Powerful Maneuvers (Combat)

Prerequisite: Str 13, Power Attack, base attack bonus +1.

You do not provoke an attack of opportunity when performing a bull rush, drag, overrun, or sunder combat maneuver. In addition, you receive a +2 bonus on checks with these combat maneuvers. Now a prerequisite for the relevant greater combat maneuver feats.[/spoiler]
[spoiler=Deft Manuevers]Deft Maneuvers (Combat)

Prerequisite: Int 13, Combat Expertise.

You do not provoke an attack of opportunity when performing a trip, disarm, dirty trick, feint, reposition, or steal combat maneuver. In addition, you receive a +2 bonus on checks with these combat maneuvers. Now a prerequisite for the relevant greater combat maneuver feats.[/spoiler]

EDIT: I like this solution better for a few reasons. For one, I feel like just removing AoO on a success might screw a bit too much with people who invest in abilities that specifically allow them extra attacks of opportunity (i.e. Combat Reflexes and its many associated feats, like Combat Patrol, Bodyguard, etc). This solution still means that you do need to put some effort into becoming skilled with combat maneuvers, but you get access to them as a group.

That said I also don't hate the "Improved Manuevers Feats don't have prerequisites" solution. What do people think?

I like it. I think it's a parsimonious, beneficial change, at least for the intended game. Since (IIRC) we're planning on playing only a few sessions, I'm happy to use an accessible, established -if perhaps imperfect- system. 

Quote from: SteerpikeI don't know if I want to get into the process of house-ruling Pathfinder too much

I was actually trying to be conservative in my changes, like not actually creating any new feats. I think you changed more than me. :grin:

The big problem with "Deft Maneuvers" as written is that it maintains the Combat Expertise feat tax, and, perhaps more egregiously, the Int 13 requirement. This makes it hard for the dumb melee fighter to be much of a maneuver master, since he can't actually be that dumb-- in a game like this one with only a 15 point buy, that requirement hurts. I'll also point out that your version actually might make life worse for Lore Warden Fighters because they get Combat Expertise for free, and most of the useful stuff that comes after it doesn't actually require Int 13.

Quote from: SteerpikeI feel like just removing AoO on a success might screw a bit too much with people who invest in abilities that specifically allow them extra attacks of opportunity (i.e. Combat Reflexes and its many associated feats, like Combat Patrol, Bodyguard, etc).

That's a good point, but I stand by my view that giving martial characters more options and more variety in combat is a good thing, though-- right now, I think the AoOs mean that most of the time people won't even bother with a maneuver if they haven't spent the feats to specialize in it.

It's worth pointing out that Feint is not a combat maneuver, does not provoke an attack of opportunity, and its "improved" feat does not provide it with a bonus - Improved Feint makes feinting a move action instead of standard.  If you take out Improved Feint and replace it with Deft Maneuvers as written, feinting is rendered pretty useless.  I'd recommend changing the feat to this:

[spoiler=Deft Maneuvers]Deft Maneuvers (Combat)

Prerequisite: Int 13, Combat Expertise.

You do not provoke an attack of opportunity when performing a trip, disarm, dirty trick, reposition, or steal combat maneuver. In addition, you receive a +2 bonus on checks with these combat maneuvers. In addition, using the Bluff skill to feint in combat is now a move action.  Now a prerequisite for the relevant greater combat maneuver feats.[/spoiler]

I have no issue with the change - well, I have lots of issues (like the prereq Combat Expertise being a pointless feat I have never seen used even once), but if I start suggesting all the changes to PF I'd like, we start down a rabbit hole with no foreseeable end.  You've expressed that you want to run a pretty "orthodox" PF game and I'm cool with that.

Edit: Though since Sparkletwist proposed it, I'd support just removing prereq feats from all "improved" feats as she suggested, along with their ability prereqs (e.g. Int 13, Str 13).  Requiring Str 13 is silly for combat maneuvers (it implies kobolds can never learn to bullrush one another), Combat Expertise is an enormous waste, and Kylfa for his part resents having to get Improved Unarmed Strike to grapple better since he doesn't fight unarmed in the first place.

Okay, I'm starting to lean towards just removing the prereqs from the Improved feats while keeping them separate rather than condensing them as I'd suggested. I think I'll keep it so that AoO are provoked either on successes or failures, though.

As to the rabbit-hole thing, I couldn't agree more; I mean, frankly, any system is going to imperfect. Rules-light systems might seem "more perfect" in the sense that they're more easily balanced, but, IMO, they come with their own drawbacks. I've already tinkered a bit (level cap, restricted classes and races, etc) and I don't want to get caught up too much in trying to fine-tune something as baroque and unwieldy as the d20/Pathfinder system.

How about this:

Quote from: New Rule'Improved' combat maneuver* feats no longer have any prerequisites.  Any prerequisites removed in this way are also no longer required for any feats which have an 'Improved' combat maneuver feat as a prerequisite.

*For purposes of this rule, "combat maneuver" includes the feint action.

So Improved Trip has no prereqs, and Greater Trip has Improved Trip and BAB +6 as prereqs (but not Combat Expertise and Int 13, because they are no longer required for Improved Trip either).

I endorse this new rule. I think, on further reflection, this is the best way to handle it.

1.  I noticed Dagny had some traits, I guess in exchange for a feat.  Is that a thing?  Is it just your free human feat you can exchange for a pair of traits, or what?  I'm sort of unfamiliar with the trait mechanic.

2.  Kylfa, as a druid, knows Druidic and can learn Sylvan, "the language of woodland creatures."  Do these exist in Fimbulvinter?

I've usually been favouring Álfari for things like fey, so that's probably the better choice.

I hadn't thought about Traits, but yeah, you guys can use them (I use them in my other game): each character gets 2. There are obviously some that won't make sense because they're Golarion-specific.

Quote from: SteerpikeI've usually been favouring Álfari for things like fey, so that's probably the better choice.

You mean for Sylvan?  (I assume then that Druidic is still Druidic)

QuoteI hadn't thought about Traits, but yeah, you guys can use them (I use them in my other game): each character gets 2. There are obviously some that won't make sense because they're Golarion-specific.

You mean two traits in addition to feats?  If I'm reading her character sheet correctly, I think Dagny has traits instead of a feat, so I'm sure sparkle will be pleased to hear she's got another feat coming. :)

sprakletwist, can you confirm that? 2 traits is worth about 1 feat. She might have taken the Additional Traits feat, which grants 2 traits.

If that's the case, maybe we'll just leave things as-is. I don't want everyone to have to scramble to update their character sheets.

Also, hopefully I'll see some of you guys online tomorrow at 1PST!

EDIT: Oh yeah, Druidic is still Druidic.

Yes, I didn't think this game used traits as such, so I took this feat (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/additional-traits) and dropped the "Additional" because they weren't actually in addition to anything.

The Golarion-specific traits have generic OGL versions on d20pfsrd.com, so that's a good place to look.

I think I will actually be able to make it tomorrow.

As for traits, I have no strong opinion either way.  If they're in, I'll find Kylfa some; if not, fine.

I have no strong opinion either. If they do get added, I'd recommend they be a 4th level upgrade thing (or at least the end of this session) rather than something people have to scramble to update. (And me to scramble to find another feat)

Your assumption was basically correct, sparkletwist (I hadn't mentioned traits), so let's leave it as-is.

I kind of like the idea that Traits might be a way to help flesh out character development after 8th level even further, although since everyone's 3rd it's a bit academic anyway.

Wulfheim Rumours

These are local rumours - roll 1d10 3 times (re-rolling duplicates) and read the corresponding spoiler tag(s). Tígris, re-roll if you get result 8.

1 - [spoiler]Murder: A short time ago, a local man named Hamdir was murdered by his brother, Hallvard; Hallvard, unable to pay the weregild, has been pronounced an outlaw. All honourable men must do him harm if they encounter him.[/spoiler]

2 - [spoiler]Mysterious Boats: Boats of an unknown clan have been sighted sailing the Sea of Skulls north of the Orm-Fells. Some say they are foreign invaders, others refugees from a distant land. Others claim they're Ljósálfar, or shades of the damned from Hel.[/spoiler]

3 - [spoiler]Sacred Grove: The sacred grove of Wulfheim has been re-consecrated thanks to a group of warriors newly come to Wulfheim. The Gothi Brúnn is once more practicing rituals there and is said to have healed a man suffering from Greenplague.[/spoiler]

4 - [spoiler]Vargar: Packs of huge wolves are roaming further and further from Ironwood. They are led not by a wolf but by a Trollwife and Wolf-Mother, Hyrrokkin, who rides one of the pack into battle. She claims to be seeking vengeance for her slaughtered son and sister.[/spoiler]

5 - [spoiler]Blizzard: A Hrafnii skald tells of truly terrible blizzard worse than any yet seen in Fimbulvinter currently ravaging Snӕrland and gathering strength as it moves south, towards the Hrafnlands. The man claims he said monstrous figures half-hidden by the swirling snow.[/spoiler]

6 - [spoiler]Dvergar Merchant: A trader from the north brings word that a Dvergar merchant has set up shop in Hrafnford and is selling marvelous objects forged in Svartálfaheim. Though his prices are steep, he is said to take curious trades.[/spoiler]

7 - [spoiler]Thefts: There is a thief in Wulfheim stealing coin and food. The Jarl has reputedly offered a modest reward for the rogue's capture. Whoever they thief is, they are sly indeed, for none have yet seen the man (or woman) in the act.[/spoiler]

8 - [spoiler]Elven Wanderer: A mysterious Ljósálfr is rumoured to be wandering nearby, seeking some treasure of the Vanir. The Elf is said to be accompanied by a monstrous cat as terrible as one of Freya's lions.[/spoiler]

9 - [spoiler]Aurochs Herd: There is a great herd of aurochs currently wandering the White Waste to the west of Wulfheim. Most of these great beasts were thought dead, victims of Fimbulvinter, but these seem to have survived. However, the herd are reputedly berserk, stampeding all in their path, letting no hunter close enough to kill one.[/spoiler]

10 - [spoiler]Scouts of the Dead: Travelers in the Blóðlands recently arrived in Wulfheim claim that scouting parties of undead Aptrgangar – Again-Walkers – have been sighted east of the Gjöll. Rumour holds they are part of a larger host to the west.[/spoiler]

Quote from: SteerpikeI kind of like the idea that Traits might be a way to help flesh out character development after 8th level even further, although since everyone's 3rd it's a bit academic anyway.

I was reading some of these today because we were talking after today's game about how Kylfa really ought to invest in some Intimidate given his experiences thus far.  Unfortunately it's not a Druid class skill, so I was looking at traits that might do that in case traits are either given retroactively or awarded later.

I then noticed that traits are seriously weird.

Quote from: Trait: Viking BloodYou gain a +1 trait bonus on Intimidate checks, and Intimidate is always a class skill for you.

Quote from: Trait: OmenYou gain a +1 trait bonus on Intimidate checks, and Intimidate is always a class skill for you. Once per day, you may attempt to demoralize an opponent as a swift action.

Seriously, what?  The balancing on these is even worse than feats.   :huh:

Yikers... yeah, the Traits are a bit of a grab-bag. I don't think any of them are crazy over-powered at least.

Maybe we should just leave them out unless you take the Additional Traits feat like Dagny has.

By the way, those present during the adventure receive 1050 xp for this session!

Looking at the schedule, likely days include the 17th and the 22nd. I don't want to overload people (and this is a casual game, so feel free to sit out any session you please), but do either of those days sound good?

Also, sparkletwist and I were having a conversation about character death. I don't want to get into a big debate, but just in the interests of having a forthright discussion on the topic, what are your guys' general feelings on character death?  E8 precludes Raise Dead (although Reincarnate is possible).

My general feeling on character death is that while I try to let the dice fall where they may, if there are circumstances where capture or a similar negative result short of death is possible, I'll tend to favour it over death even if that means bending the rules; but if, say, you cannonball into a lake of lava without protective spells, your character is probably going to burn to death unless they get very lucky on that 20d6 damage roll.

One interesting possibility - anyone who dies in battle gets recorded as having died an honourable death and therefore gets to become an einherjar. Once Ragnarök actually occurs - if the game eventually got there - these characters can return to play with a special template. There might also be opportunities to be sent back "early" with special missions from deities. The game's setting in many ways is about the death of everyone (according to the actual mythic source material, literally everyone mortal is supposed to die during Fimbulvinter) but also the return of all the dead in glorious battle; it seems to me that dynamic is ripe for some interesting game possibilities.

(Alternatively, if people just want death to mean death, that can be the case, too. It's a grim setting.)

Thoughts?

Quote from: SteerpikeYikers... yeah, the Traits are a bit of a grab-bag. I don't think any of them are crazy over-powered at least.

The issue seems to be not so much that they are over-powered, but that because of poor balancing they aren't likely do what they are ostensibly supposed to do: flesh out characters.  As flavorful as "Viking Blood" might be, there's no reason for a character who wants to be more intimidating to take anything other than "Omen."  (See also: the apparently universally taken Reactionary trait.)

QuoteLooking at the schedule, likely days include the 17th and the 22nd. I don't want to overload people (and this is a casual game, so feel free to sit out any session you please), but do either of those days sound good?

As usual I don't know my schedule ahead of time, but coming just a few days before X-mas I can assure you that the 22nd is impossible for me.

QuoteAlso, sparkletwist and I were having a conversation about character death. I don't want to get into a big debate, but just in the interests of having a forthright discussion on the topic, what are your guys' general feelings on character death?  E8 precludes Raise Dead (although Reincarnate is possible).

It's an episodic sort of game, I don't really have a problem with no-fudging character death.  As for Reincarnation, I'm appalled that Pathfinder has made it humanoid-only.  In glorious 3rd ed, you could come back as a goddamn wolverine.

Oh, I'd make my own Reincarnation chart, if only because the standard array doesn't make sense in this setting. There is some basis for reincarnation in Norse mythology. Often humans get reborn as other humans, but sometimes they also seem to become Elves, and I don't think it stretches the source material too much to consider animal forms (there are certainly animal spirits and things).

Are we still keeping track of XP from previous sessions?  I have 4,770 down from the last "season" for Kylfa, minus the dragon battle, which I don't seem to have recorded XP for.

Due to general confusion, lost stats, changes etc I think it makes sense to just restart at 5000 (plus the 1050 for last session), unless anyone was significantly over and had it recorded.

Update: looking through the thread it actually looks as if I was using the Slow progression for characters. Ghostman's character sheet confirms this. Therefore, everyone should start at 7,500 (before the 1050 for last session), not 5000. My bad for forgetting this.

Slow progression does make more sense for an E8 game, to me. With fewer levels it makes sense to elongate the xp progression a bit more.

I'm good with either the 17th or the 22nd, or both, even, if we feel like doing that and fitting in some extra adventures while everyone's enthusiastic and likely to have some free time.

Anyway, about XP: do we even want to use XP? It's kind of a relic. It might be simpler to just level up when it's appropriate to the story or desired by the group or whatever. In nearly every Pathfinder game I've played in that actually used XP, the XP given has been fudged so that level-ups happened at "suitable" times anyway.

Also, I think that giving XP to those present (and only them) seems like there is now a "punishment" for sitting out a session in the form of missed XP, which sort of goes against the idea of a casual game. Worse, players who don't attend many sessions might actually show up with a lower level character than everyone else, making encounter balance and intraparty balance more difficult. Not that PF is particularly balanced anyway... but the problem doesn't need to be made worse.

As for character death, I believe you already know my feelings on the topic. :grin:

Yes, I do want to use XP, but I am granting XP for story events and other means of defeating foes and not just combat - so I am, to a certain extent, ad-hoc-ing XP. So, for example, I gave out XP for talking your way into the village just as if you'd killed those guards at the ravine, and I gave out XP for Thorvaldi just as if you'd slain him instead of besting him in a wrestling competition.

I'm afraid the concept of levelling up when the group feels like it is just a bit too avant garde for my tastes - I've no problem with other games being run this way, but it's not how I'd like to run this one. Likewise the DM just simply handing out level ups when he or she feels like it or when it seems suitable based on plot concerns doesn't appeal to me either, and doesn't seem especially well suited to an episodic game that has fewer long plots and major objectives than a long campaign with more definite story-beats.

XP with plentiful story awards etc seems like a reasonable comprimise between the two methods to me. It may sometimes encourage a bit of murder-hobo behaviour, but really Fimbulvinter isn't too far from "Murderhobos: Norse Edition" anyway!

If the game really goes on long enough for significant power imbalances (i.e. more than a level) to crop up due to XP, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Slow progression will actually ease this to some degree, I think. Someone would have to play an awful lot more to get ahead by more than a level. To me, not awarding XP for sitting out a session is exactly the same as not awarding treasure. If it becomes a serious problem and people feel they're being penalized over scheduling to the point where the game is becoming appreciably less enjoyable for them, I could see doing things to remedy that, though.

Quote from: SteerpikeI am granting XP for story events and other means of defeating foes

Quote from: Steerpikethe DM just simply handing out level ups when he or she feels like it or when it seems suitable based on plot concerns doesn't appeal to me either

In a system where the DM is the only one that has any say in when the characters level up, the leveling up happens when the DM says it does. You can do this by simple fiat, or you can put a bunch of bookkeeping around it and call them story awards and whatever, but ultimately, the DM makes all the decisions regarding how much XP to give-- so the leveling up happens when the DM says it does, and all of the bookkeeping and rigmarole is just a pointless waste of time and mental energy.

Quote from: Steerpikedoesn't seem especially well suited to an episodic game

Why not N episodes = +1 level, for whatever value of N you like? This also solves the problem that some episodes will be "worth" more than others, which is vaguely insulting to anyone who shined brightest in a "less valuable" episode.

Quote from: SteerpikeTo me, not awarding XP for sitting out a session is exactly the same as not awarding treasure.

Well, yes, but I think having huge treasure disparities is a bad idea, too.

QuoteThis also solves the problem that some episodes will be "worth" more than others, which is vaguely insulting to anyone who shined brightest in a "less valuable" episode.

...This is a problem?  Why would anyone care that the XP reward for one of their favorite/best sessions was not as high as some other session?

Quote from: PolycarpWhy would anyone care that the XP reward for one of their favorite/best sessions was not as high as some other session?

Because XP is the only way to achieve any character growth that the system cares about. If you had a really good session in which you felt your character really grew and advanced, a low XP award for that session is essentially the DM saying "no, you didn't."

Quote from: sparkletwistIn a system where the DM is the only one that has any say in when the characters level up, the leveling up happens when the DM says it does. You can do this by simple fiat, or you can put a bunch of bookkeeping around it and call them story awards and whatever, but ultimately, the DM makes all the decisions regarding how much XP to give-- so the leveling up happens when the DM says it does, and all of the bookkeeping and rigmarole is just a pointless waste of time and mental energy.

I disagree. The book-keeping is a way to help me, as a DM, evaluate the rewards of a given challenge. It's not pointless rigamarole, it's an aid. I can and will deviate from those guidelines to give further rewards. I hope that makes sense! This is what I'm comfortable with.

Generally I give a flat story award of around 2000 xp per session (to the group) provided a quest objective was met, before factoring in XP from monsters and the like. I usually increase these story awards with character level. Functionally, in many ways this does work out to "you level every few sessions" while also giving me some help in how to scale XP to the challenges rendered.

EDIT: I feel it's one of the jobs of the DM to be an arbiter of things like rewards; this, to me, is just a basic aspect of the structure of D&D and its iterations, though it might not be true of other games where the distinction between narrator/GM and player is more nebulous. That said - if someone feels a very significant milestone was reached that I have undervalued, I am more than willing to hear them out. I would like to think I am usually quite fair when it comes to rewards; in fact, I consider myself rather on the generous side, even in a game like this where magic items and the like are quite rare.

Quote from: sparkletwistBecause XP is the only way to achieve any character growth that the system cares about. If you had a really good session in which you felt your character really grew and advanced, a low XP award for that session is essentially the DM saying "no, you didn't."

If I had a really good session in which I felt my character really grew and advanced, I would enjoy the session, and I wouldn't give a crap how much experience I got.  What you're saying seems to imply that character growth requires mechanical advancement, and to me those are two separate and largely unrelated things.

Quote from: SteerpikeThe book-keeping is a way to help me, as a DM, evaluate the rewards of a given challenge. It's not pointless rigamarole, it's an aid. I can and will deviate from those guidelines to give further rewards. I hope that makes sense! This is what I'm comfortable with.

I think the main problem I have is that the "rewards of a given challenge" feel pretty arbitrary and contrived for no real gain. The CR system is kind of bonkers, and, generally speaking, the results-- as you've observed-- tend towards scaling amounts of XP reward given to meet scaling XP requirements that, for the most part, result in leveling up every N quests/encounters/whatever, independent of level. I have no idea what you think you're actually getting out of it other than a headache.

Really, though, you're the one doing most of the work, not me... so if it works for you, whatever. I don't want complain too much. I hope you aren't offended, as I didn't mean any. :)

Quote from: PolycarpWhat you're saying seems to imply that character growth requires mechanical advancement, and to me those are two separate and largely unrelated things.

I'm not saying that character growth requires mechanical advancement. What I am saying is that mechanical advancement is the only character growth the system cares about. If I had a really good session where I felt like my character genuinely improved at something, but I knew that she is not (in the context of the system) actually going to be any better at that thing until some arbitrary number of quest rewards are achieved, it'd feel a bit hollow. Perhaps it wouldn't for you; I know we've discussed and disagreed in the past about how tightly integrated roleplay and crunchier mechanics should be.

All that said, I do have to ask...

Quote from: SteerpikeGenerally I give a flat story award of around 2000 xp per session (to the group) provided a quest objective was met, before factoring in XP from monsters and the like.

Why was this session only "worth" half as much, then?

No worries! No offense taken.

CR is a bit bonkers, but I've found it easier than going totally ad-hoc.  I mean, obviously a big scary monster that's really tough is, on some level, more dangerous than a lesser one: higher risk should yield higher reward. The XP guidelines for monsters aren't perfect, but I find them a useful reference point.

Quote from: sparkletwistWhy was this session only "worth" half as much, then?

The 2000 gets divided up.

2000 story award
2400 Thrivaldi
805 for the 3 Guards
135 for Watchtower Warrior

Total: 5340, divided by 5 PCs (Katla, Tigris, Kyfla, Ragnvaldr, Dagny) = 1068; I round to the nearest 50, hence 1050.

(Does that seem like too little XP? Now I'm second-guessing myself!)

If we were to play on the 17th, who would be interested?

As I mentioned in chat, I am interested if I am not at work.

Quote from: SteerpikeDoes that seem like too little XP? Now I'm second-guessing myself!

My personal opinion is-- and, granted, this is from someone who is against the traditional XP system-- unless you want a definite hack-and-slash vibe to the game, if you would've given more XP had the party killed everyone rather than solved the problem inventively, then you gave too little, but if the amount given was equal to what we would've gotten if we'd just slaughtered everything that moved, then it's fine.

Quote from: SteerpikeIf we were to play on the 17th, who would be interested?

Me!

If you'd killed the whole village down to the last warrior you'd have gotten a bit more xp (not, like a ton more, but a little bit), but several of you would probably be dead and/or captured and enslaved before you could actually manage to mow the lot of them down. I was imagining a full-on assault as a very bad idea.

EDIT: Would perhaps an extra 200 XP apiece for the especially clever solution seem appropriate? It really was a rather ingenious way of handling things.

Also, Llum, do you maybe want to PM me your time availability? Or are you saying that you might or might not have work that day and you'll play if you don't?

We'll be having family start coming over on Monday, so I can't say whether I'll be free on the 17th or not.

What start time for the 17th?

It would start round noon - or at least, that time shows the best availability on the Doodle. If a couple more are up for it we could do a session, otherwise I'd say it's best to wait till the 22nd.

17th, I work; the 22nd, I'm off.

Either 17th or 22nd works fine for me

I'm ok with either date.

The 22nd we should definitely play. Because I'm super-enthused about the game right now I wouldn't mind also playing a session on the 17th for those that can make it, but I don't want to oblige anyone to commit to both, and I think the 22nd works better for everyone. I might just pop online on the 17th so feel free to stop by (even if it's just me and 1 other person we could always do a solo session if they want, as I have a couple of small adventures that even a single PC could probably handle).

Go ahead and take the extra 200 for last session... I've been convinced I was being a bit stingy  :grin:

I'd definitely like to do something on the 17th! I'll be unable to make it right at 12 PST on the 17th but (barring any catastrophes) I'll almost definitely be available at or before 1 so I will be there as soon as I can. Please feel free to start without me if need be but if not please don't assume I'm not coming, as I'll be there. :)

Both the 17th and the 22nd work for me, so I'll be around if games go ahead.

Quote from: SteerpikeThe 22nd we should definitely play. Because I'm super-enthused about the game right now I wouldn't mind also playing a session on the 17th for those that can make it, but I don't want to oblige anyone to commit to both, and I think the 22nd works better for everyone. I might just pop online on the 17th so feel free to stop by (even if it's just me and 1 other person we could always do a solo session if they want, as I have a couple of small adventures that even a single PC could probably handle).

Unless something comes up suddenly, I'll probably be around on the 17th.  Was there a particular time you were going to be there, or is this game pretty much always 1 pm Pacific?

1 PM Pacific seems to work, so let's go for it!

I'm afraid I have to amend my attendance to a maybe - the game is pretty early in the morning (my time) and I've been pulling a lot of late-nights recently.

No worries either way, Hippo!

Small chance (20%) I can make today's game; all-but assured attendance on the 22nd (90%). 

Everyone gets 1520 XP for this session!

Görnlands map posted, in case anyone is curious about what lies to the west. East are the Gyllirlands, northeast Kvenland, southwest are the Eyði and the Ægirlands, due south are the Fens of the Járnmenn, and southeast is Myrkwood and Austrogötaland. Go far enough west over the sea and you reach Avalon and Ériu; northwest over the sea leads to Thule (which is would draw on both Greenland and Iceland), where there's a major Northern colony. Further east past Kvenland there's Bjarmaland and Gardariki (analogue to the Kievan Rus - ruled by Northmen who have subjugated the native tribes), which borders the steppes of the Húna (Mongols, effectively).

Nice map.

For the 22nd, is the plan still 1-5 pm PST?

That still looks like the best time, unless anyone's availability has changed.

Works for me; just checking.

Where is the map? I don't see it.

Anyway, the 22nd should work for me, too. :)

All 3 maps are posted at the beginning of the Fimbulvinter Saga thread.

I've been considering spears. Kindling has supplied me with stats for something called a "war spear" from Slaine d20. In all respects these are the same as a spear except the war-spear is one-handed (well, regular spears also have brace, but that's I think because of Pathfinder/Slaine mechanical nuances - the war-spear should have brace too, in pathfinder). But since it's a bit crazy that spears are always two-handed normally, here's my new house-rule:

Anyone with a simple weapon proficiency only must use two hands to wield a spear as a simple weapon. Anyone with martial weapon proficiencies can wield a spear one-handed, as a martial weapon, though this reduces its critical multiplier to x2.

Good session today! 1020 xp for this session.

Can you remind me how much loot we got from the hof, too?
(Katla, Dagny, and Ragnvaldr would split it up, and Katla took the bow, and maybe Ragnvaldr took the other weapons, unless anyone else took anything?)

Mjorthir had the body and its possessions (which would include the mail, but not necessarily the blade).

Sure thing - I think there was some confusion about what got donated where etc.

So, from Thordis everyone received 250 gp for a total bounty of 1000 gp.

The hof itself had the following:

Circlet of Ullr
masterwork composite longbow (+2)
62 arrows
longsword
masterwork chainmail
1/2 wheel of cheese (1 day's trail rations)
144 gp
278 sp
476 gp in hack silver

If you add all of the coin/silver together it comes to 647 gp and 8 silver pennings.

EDIT: On the subject of food I'm assuming you're all eating and drinking at the mead-hall. You'll eventually be presented with the bill - probably in the 25 gp/month range.

New Doodle (http://doodle.com/wu7pmf69gebriw4v) for scheduling through January. While the 29th had looked hopeful I will actually probably be busy that day.

Responded to the Doodle. Past the 10th, my schedule is more restricted and yet-unfinalized. Consequently, I may have time on some of those future Mondays & Tuesdays above and beyond the times and days already marked.  But everything before the 10th is what it is/will be for me, barring meteors crashing into my home or Cthulhu stops by for a Indiana Jones marathon. 

I added my availability!

Great, Llum! Any idea what kind of character you might play?

I'm unsure about my availability post-12th so I left those times unmarked save for saturdays.

I'm not sure yet of my availability into January, either, so I'll fill that in when I know. For the short term future I don't have a whole ton of stuff going on so I can probably make it whenever.

As for the loot issue, Dagny took about 200 gp worth of the hof loot. She also did not donate her share of the Thordis reward, so she either has her 250 gp or will be expecting it from whoever does-- I'm not sure how that played out because I had to go.

Great! So it looks like the 3rd would be an ideal day, starting round 10 PST. I also wouldn't mind squeezing in a session on Tuesday the 30th if people are up for it.

Quote from: Steerpike
Great! So it looks like the 3rd would be an ideal day, starting round 10 PST. I also wouldn't mind squeezing in a session on Tuesday the 30th if people are up for it.

Excellent. What time on the 30th?

It's a tough call for a time as at this point I'd have to (arbitrarily) exclude either Llum or Ghostman due to incompatible time-slots. Kindling, TMG, Polycarp, Hippo, are any of you guys interested in playing on the 30th?

I am! I think I'm free all day on the 30th.

Depends what time on the 30th - anything earlier than 12pm is too early for me, I'm afraid.

For the 30th, it'd either be from 1-4 or from 4-7 (give or take). I'm sort of inclined to favour later in the day since Llum hasn't had a chance to play yet, but if more people can make the earlier time then Llum can always jump in on the 3rd, when it looks like we'll have a large group anyway.

4 - 7 works nicely for me.

I'm afraid I can't help much, since as usual I don't know whether I can make a time until pretty much the day before.  All I can say right now is that I'm not aware of any commitments on the 30th or the 3rd.

Edit: Though 4-7 Pacific is very unlikely to ever work for me on any day, because it's right at dinner hours.  Anything before or after then is potentially manageable.

Something has come up and I am unlikely to be able to make the game on the 30th!

Oh. I hope you can make the next one, Llum! :(

With that said, the earlier time (1pm PST) would work better for me on the 30th too, so with Llum out of the picture maybe it is a better time?

Yes, with Llum out for this one it makes sense to start at 1.

Much belated feedback (due to holiday goodness):

Steerpike, your GMing is amazing. I've previously only experienced it second-hand via copious log-reading, so it was great to enjoy it first-hand. Your descriptions, scripts, and characters were amazing. I loved the descriptions of the various locales and personages; the backstories, names, and visualizations of the latter were succinct, yet rich and evocative. Even the minor characters like the ironmonger were memorable. The adventure was thick with moral-ethical ambiguities and/or quandaries (e.g., it remains unclear how much Thordis knew of Hamdir's alleged misdeeds, and if aware, the degree to which she is responsible for them), while still allowing murder-robbing-hobo affinities their due (e.g., getting to kill a dude and take all his stuff and then get paid for it). You also did a really good job with writing an adventure that was able to be started and wrapped up in the allotted time. This was really impressive, especially as the adventure seemed neither rushed nor simplistic. Do you have a heuristic or whatnot you use when crafting adventures (e.g., 2 encounters (social/martial/etc) per hour IRL)? I'm sorry we didn't get to battle the demon-wolves and black-haired rider, but I thought it was great to still include the scene.

You seemed ultra-prepared, and it payed off. I'm curious, how much prep time do you think you spent for the session? Both in coming up with the plot, character names, scripts, treasure, and music? Also, how much of the writing do you have done prior to the session? How much pre-written stuff did we not use/see?

I loved the music you provided as well. How do create the onrepeat links? Do you upload your own youtube audio files or cherry-pick others? Regardless, I really enjoyed the links. Having two was nice, as I switched to the alternative if a scene lasted a while and/or the previous music got old for me (although one music file per scene would have been great).

Regarding my own participation, I have mixed feelings.

I definitely enjoyed playing with the group, and I like Mjorðir as a character. Kennings are fun.  

During the session, however, I felt like the character was talking more than I personally wanted -especially for me being a newcomer to the group and campaign. In trying to role-play, I kept feeling compelled to have the Cha 16, Diplomacy-maxed paladin of justice & law speak out. Above and beyond being in a group whose average Cha has a negative modifier, he kept trying to socially/verbally influence scenes because the scenes kept focusing on concepts that are central to his faith, code, and character (e.g., justice, law, children). Regardless of how justified that verbosity was, I still felt like I was taking up too much 'screen-time' as well as game-time (e.g., typing up a lot of statements takes a while, but so does trying to come up with good wording on the spot -both tasks that can lead to brain-fatigue and fumbles).  For example, I felt like I was holding up the entire party during the thief-chat (and it didn't help that I ooc fumbled some of my words).

Additionally, I worry that Mjorðir's persona might not best fit with the group's personality. I'm fine with intra-party conflict, but I worry that Mjorðir's force of personality and strength of conviction might cause too much inter-PC conflict, given the number of staunchly un-lawful, areligious PCs. There's a reason there's a trope of the stick-in-the-mud paladin who always rains on the party's parade. Particularly in a campaign-style where we play almost one-shot episodes, I think most people would want to spend it stabbing trolls and collecting hack-silver than debating ethical and religious priorities. Consequently, I worry that inter-PC conflict spent on the latter might well lead to inter-player conflict and frustration.

Resultantly, and even after some reflection, I think the group might benefit if I table Mjorðir and try playing a different character. For example, a bastard-thief (rogue).

I spoke with Steerpike about these concerns and potential solutions, but I definitely welcome feedback from the other players.

Regarding other's participation:

I was really impressed by Ragnvaldr last session. I feel like he really came into his own, particularly during the duel. I loved his name-boasting mingled with his impassioned command for Hallvard to 'hold tight' to his blade. His parting words to the child-thief were also cool.

Thank you for the very flattering assessment, Rose-of-Vellum!

Quote from: Rose-of-VellumDo you have a heuristic or whatnot you use when crafting adventures (e.g., 2 encounters (social/martial/etc) per hour IRL)?

Sort of. I generally think that each session of 3 hours should have at least 2 significant encounters. In the Glima session it was the gate-guards and Thrivaldii, in the Drake-hunt the Myling and the Drakes, in the Widow/Outlaw the pickpocket and Hallvard. However I always have a store of "modular" encounters (the Myling, for example) that can be placed in different locations as required and as time permits.

I have not always been very good at judging the length of the adventures I prep. Spaceships, Sixguns & Cyclopean Horrors, for example, always took 1-2 sessions more than I'd planned.

Quote from: Rose-of-VellumI'm sorry we didn't get to battle the demon-wolves and black-haired rider, but I thought it was great to still include the scene.

You definitely weren't "intended" to fight her - she was more foreshadowing than anything. "Huh, we're being watched by a scary woman who rides with Vargar. Well, this probably isn't good..."

Quote from: Rose-of-VellumYou seemed ultra-prepared, and it payed off. I'm curious, how much prep time do you think you spent for the session? Both in coming up with the plot, character names, scripts, treasure, and music? Also, how much of the writing do you have done prior to the session? How much pre-written stuff did we not use/see?

I prepped most of this material awhile ago although the Outlaw quest was newly-written. Not sure exactly how long it took, but it was 3500 words including all of Hallvard's stats which were mostly copy/pasted and all of my GM-only notes that tell me thngs like DCs and the effects of weather and stuff. I'm a very fast writer these days - I can probably knock that off in an afternoon/evening, although in reality it's more something I plug at when I have a spare hour or two. I prep a lot more heavily for IRC than face-to-face gaming, though, because improvising descriptions over IRC is a recipe for an extremely slow game. You used pretty much all of the stuff I had planned, although if there'd been time I would have placed 1 more combat encounter. However there were a bunch of differnt solutions I had in mind for the quest which mostly weren't used.

Quote from: Rose-of-VellumeHow do create the onrepeat links? Do you upload your own youtube audio files or cherry-pick others? Regardless, I really enjoyed the links. Having two was nice, as I switched to the alternative if a scene lasted a while and/or the previous music got old for me (although one music file per scene would have been great).

The tabletop audio ones repeat automatically, but you can make any youtube video repeat simply by replacing the word "tube" in the URL with the word "repeat." A few videos' uploaders restrict this but it works for pretty much any video.

By the way, sometimes when I post two links (one ambient, one music) I'm imagining you guys listening to both simultaneously (i.e. arctic wind + music or tavern sounds + tavern music), although of course what you listen to and how you'd like to listen to it during the game is totally your prerogative. I would've liked to include a few more tracks for the Wulfheim sections, I think. Finding "Norse town music" that isn't from Skyrim is quite hard!

I certainly don't mind Mjorðir at all and think he could be a good addition, but I don't want to speak for the other players - but we've already talked, so I'll let the others respond.

I for one don't have any complaints about Mjorðir's contribution to the latest game session. He seems to fall naturally in the role of "the party's face", something that we havent' really had in prior games because none of the other PCs fit that niche. He didn't come across as overbearing, although maybe a bit more zealous than I'd expected from a man of the old faith.

Re: the thief scene specifically, I think Mjorðir's involvement made that scene much more interesting than it would have been otherwise. Had it been up to her alone, Katla might have simply spanked the boy publicly or something, she certainly wouldn't have thought to start lecturing him about Tyr losing an arm to the Fenris wolf to make a point about morality. Then again, my own PC being involved in that same scene affects my POV; I won't argue with other players should they they feel that it dragged on for too long.

Quote from: Rose-of-VellumI felt like I was holding up the entire party during the thief-chat

A little bit, but for what it's worth I personally wasn't bothered. At least Dagny is so obnoxious that when I start getting a bit impatient, she can get impatient too, and it's usually funny. Personally, I actually had a worse time during the conversation with Hallvard, because she had to be stealthy and couldn't engage in her usual antics.  :grin:

Quote from: Rose-of-VellumI worry that Mjorðir's persona might not best fit with the group's personality.

Maybe, but adventuring with this odd group is a chance for Mjorðir to grow as a character and see things in a different way, which seems like a good thing, and a fun and rewarding roleplay experience... and will allow him to mesh better as the story goes on.

Quote from: Rose-of-VellumI worry that inter-PC conflict spent on the latter might well lead to inter-player conflict and frustration.

I think this is only a real problem if the conflicts between the characters go beyond interesting ideological disagreements and witty banter and result in behavior that actively disrupts the game or the story, like trying to actively sabotage each other's plans or refusing to join an adventure or whatever. For example, Dagny wasn't really all that excited about Mjorðir's solution to the whole thing but she grumbled and dragged herself along because she was in it for Ragnvaldr's and Katla's sake, and it made for a better game for us if she wasn't completely difficult. I'd hope and expect you to show similar slack if Mjorðir was along on an adventure he might have some reasons to be opposed to, and possibly treat it as a chance for him to grow and become more open-minded.

Ragnvaldr doesn't like Mjorthir much. That doesn't mean that I don't like Mjorthir though, and it's also no reason Ragnvaldr can't work with him - how many of us have had "that guy" who rubs us the wrong way at work but put up with him for the sake of an easy life?

I'd say it's up to you, Rose-of-Vellum, if you want to carry on with Mjorthir that's great and I look forward to the - potentially somewhat strained but probably very fun to roleplay - interactions with him. If you want to try a different character, that's super cool too.

Also thanks for the compliments on Ragnvaldr! He's super fun to play, I love his duality of easy-going bon vivant and grim, hard-as-nails warrior. Like he's happy to coast along and sup mead and laugh at Dagny's jokes RIGHT UP UNTIL the point when a spear needs sticking in someone and then it's all business. And I imagine his (largely undefined) past is probably very very dark. You don't spend your life raiding and pillaging without getting your hands dirty....

EDIT: I'd also second what Ghostman said about it being natural for Mjorthir to become the face-type character for the party - I didn't feel like it trod on anyone else's toes at all, it was fun have happen!

EDIT2: I would also love to see Mjorthir meet Andreas.

Everyone gets 800xp for this last session - that doesn't include the story award, which will be more generous than normal but which you'll get once the quest is finished (since we had to call it early). Which brings me to an announcement - as Polycarp put it, we have basically run up against some of the limits of what can be done on IRC with Pathfinder. While there were some high points to last session, general consensus was that it got spatially quite confusing (heck: I got occasionally confused) and that a grid, visible to everyone, would greatly facilitate combat. I think I got a bit over-ambitious - a moving herd of aurochs, plus the wild hunt, plus two groups of PCs... yeah, it got fiddly!

After some searching Roll20  (https://app.roll20.net/home)seems like the easist and most convenient option. You can create an account in about 2 minutes and it's as easy as clicking a link to join a game. I'm going to try and stick to IRC for the game itself (as sparkletwist has noted the chat and character sheet for Roll20 are not the best) and just use the program for the map. I'm going to be keeping the map super simple - it's basically just a grid. We'll refer to it as needed rather than playing primarily "on the map," so to speak. I think the little time setting up and spent manipulating things on the map will actually speed up the game quite a bit while preventing headaches. I think this could help a lot, and enable some of the more tactical aspects of pathfinder combat while alleivating confusion.

Thanks, everyone, for their feedback, both here and post-game IRC chat.

I'm good to give the map a chance; it's certainly worth the try.

Thanks, Rose, and thanks everyone who pushed through today's long and complicated session - I did have fun, and I hope on balance you guys did too.

I had a good time. Admittedly, I was occasionally distracted with peripheral childcare and getting the hang of cbg's IRC commands. My apologies then for the times I was slow(er) to respond. Next time, I think I'll finally have the IRC stuff down. I also won't have the kids.

As for the game's content, I liked the music once again and appreciate the work that goes into finding them. I liked the Yuletide setting and adventure hook. The skirmish with the zombies was fun (e.g., the decapitated screaming head), as was the mystery of the auroch's slayer. The initial description of the stampede and horns was great. Really evocative and enjoyable to imagine seeing, hearing, smelling, and feeling.

Taking in mind the first paragraph's admissions, things seemed to grind once the 'hunt' actually started. In retrospect, I likely would have used alternative rules/variant role mechanics to keep the hunt fast-paced, particularly if the OOC goal was to have us finish an encounter with the Wild Hunt (e.g., modified chase rules, primary offense and defense rolls with secondary modifiers tallying to outcome results).

I look forward to finishing the battle, one way or the other, with the Wild Hunt. It's shaping up to be a brutal battle.

Steerpike, this is just me speaking my mind and isn't meant to be a broad complaint about the game or your GMing, so please don't take it too strongly.

That said, I think that, with the idea in mind that the Wild Hunt was to be the main adversary, the hunting of the aurochs could've been treated as more of a prologue rather than playing the whole thing out. For example, I'm not sure if a full initiative order was really needed-- it might have been enough to put the "spotlight" on Dagny for a short time, like Kylfa's wrestling match or Ragnvaldr's duel. The other characters would've still been present and able to help if they had a clever idea (like Ragnvaldr helping Dagny spur her horse) but it would've sped things up rather than using the full action economy. Once the aurochs were contained, it likely would've been enough to just say the characters take care of business, and everyone rolls one Reflex save to see if they get stampeded or whatnot, rather than playing out combat with cows for ~30 minutes of real time.

That was actually my initial plan - the aurochs themselves took longer than I had intended and the Hunt were really meant to be more the "main event," but the aurochs-hunt itself got a bit out of hand. I think I got enthused about your pit idea, and I wanted Ragnvaldr to have a chance to carve out some cow-flesh, but in retrospect I should have sprung the Hunters earlier and/or resolved the aurochs more abstractly. I had actually planned the Wild Hunt to appear while the aurochs hunt was in progress, so that everyone was acting simultaneously, which was why I asked for an initiative roll, but when I saw how complex things were getting with just the aurochs, I let things play out... it was probably not the right call, but I think everything will work out.

Incidentally here's what that battlefield looked like, and the map we'll start off with next time (with a grid overlay in Roll20) - those are the aurochs-tracks by the woods.

Cool map. What's your process (i.e., do you use a tablet, scan paper and ink, use a certain program for sepia tinting, etc.)?

Just pencil and paper, scan, and then GIMP for a bit of tinting. Basically the same thing as Underdeep. I was able to crank out a bunch of similar maps in very little time. I don't know if I'd try to do more detailed ones for things like towns, as those might be quite time-consuming.

As I mentioned to some people, I'm going to use little runes for tokens.

LOVE the idea of rune-tokens.

So tomorrow's game will commence at 10 AM PST. Looking forward to trying out roll20!

Is there anything relative to roll20! that you want/need us to do before the game starts?

I'm afraid I'm going to have to bow out of tomorrow's game - I've just been rostered on for a shift at work. Best of luck with Roll20 and I hope you all have an excellent time.

No problem, Hippo!

The only thing to prep for Roll20 would be to create a (free) account with them, which you'll need to use the map/grid I provide. They only require an email address and you can choose whether or not to receive notifications.

Almost all of the rune-tokens are done. They look pretty decent, I think. I've gone for grey for PCs, red for enemies, and blue for friendly NPCs. They'll have names beneath them for identification purposes but basically I gave each stone a runic letter based on the first letter of everyone's name, or the first two for Katla and Kylfa. It'll looks a little bit like moving little rune stones across a piece of parchment, hopefully.

Thanks everyone for playing today!

For surviving the Wild Hunt, finding shelter to avoid Thrivaldii and Drakkar, and saving Yule you each receive 1400 xp.

Roll20 seemed to work reasonably well, a few kinks with shape-drawing and tokens aside. I hope everyone had fun, and that everything seemed clearer.

Thanks for GMing! RL blizzard-issues aside, I enjoyed the game. Having Odin personally deliver us Draupnir-rings was... crazy awesome (and theologically illuminating/conciliatory). Once again, your descriptions were amazingly crafted, and I appreciate the world-building. I'm indifferent/undecided regarding roll20 (although I visually loved the map and rune-tokens). Regardless, 780 xp away from next level!

EDIT: character sheet updated.

Quote from: Rose-of-Vellum780 xp away from next level!

We're using slow progression, not regular.

1,450,897 xp away from next level!

Quote from: Steerpike
For surviving the Wild Hunt, finding shelter to avoid Thrivaldii and Drakkar, and saving Yule you each receive 1400 xp.

Is that on top of the 800 xp from previous session?

That's right, in addition to the 800, which was mostly for aurochs/Aptrgangar.

Steerpike, are you familiar with The Banner Saga? It's another Norse-apocalypse type game. It's gorgeously animated. A lot less "Booger town" as sparkletwist would say.

Yeah Llum, I played through it awhile ago, and really liked it. I thought the enemies got a bit homogenous (like, I wanted to see Dwarves and Dragons and other weird stuff) but I liked the gameplay a lot, and it was beautifully done.

So while I have several more adventures in my pocket and the Yule-feast should be fun, I wanted to check in and see what people would be interested in seeing/doing. Current possible quests include:

- Andreas going after the Star of St. Mark.
- Tigris continuing his hunt for the bright sword of Freyr.
- Dagny continuing her researches into conjured food.
- Investigating the activities of the Again-Walkers to the west.
- Investigating the Vargar-attacks to the east.
- Hunting down the 2 remaining Fire-Drakes in the hills.
- Helping the mead-hall's owner with her Nisse problem.
- Pretty much any of the rumours, either local or "global"

...And pretty much anything else you guys want to do! Don't feel you need to necessarily stay in Wulfheim forever, either.

EDIT: Minus the ships, this image (http://hollywoodmetal.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/BannerSagaCity.jpg) from Banner Saga is pretty close to Wulfheim.

yay feasting!

Ragnvaldr's not that fussed, he'll probably be happy to go along with everyone else's plans. As for me though, I kinda want to find out who that was out in the woods watching us kill Hallvard...

When are we planning to have the next session btw?

There seems to be a dearth of days in the next little while, unfortunately. I might look into adding additional times or making a new Doodle, though. The 17th is a possibility, as is the 24th.

I'm gonna be working on the 17th unfortunately.... but time zones might work in our favour for once I guess, as I'd get in from work about ten/eleven/midnight ish GMT

Quote from: Steerpike
- Investigating the Vargar-attacks to the east.
- Investigating the activities of the Again-Walkers to the west.
- Hunting down the 2 remaining Fire-Drakes in the hills.

Preferences, in order from greatest to least, roughly.
Of course, I'm good for anything that advances Wulfheim and/or strikes against Ivar's reign.

I'm good for the 17th.

I should probably be good for the 17th. I'll know more about my availability soon, then I can fill in the Doodle.
(Reposting a link to it might be a good idea, I think it sort of got lost)

My two cents for quest interests:

Quote from: Quests
- Dagny continuing her researches into conjured food.
- Helping the mead-hall's owner with her Nisse problem.
- Looking into the recent Dvergar activity.

Of course, looking into conjured food would definitely advance Wulfheim, because people would... have food! :D

Also, I must point out, the term is Boogerville. :grin:

Kylfa's primary interest at this point is finding a suitable armorsmith and collecting the remaining drake-hides as necessary.  As long as that avenue is also being pursued, however, he's inclined to do whatever Dagny wants, within reason.

Polycarp, as crazy as it may sound the Thrivaldii (hillfolk) might be the ones to talk to about getting your armour done. The leatherworker in Wulfheim could probably manage it, but the Trollbloods actively hunt Dragons (hence the giant skull-gate). I had never imagined them as remotely "friendly," but given how much you have endeared yourself to their chieftain - he proclaimed you "welcome at any time" - they might actually be an option. I don't know how Kylfa feels about dealing with cannibals, but if he's willing to hold his nose they might do you some kind of deal. They're not as interested in gold as the Wulfheim leather-worker would be, though they do recognize its value... I'm sure some of them have problems that the Great Bear and his companions could help with, though.

I am good for both the 17th and the 24th. Egil at the moment is still trying to figure things out and will go along with whatever.

I still can't say much about my upcoming availability, though I don't expect it to be a huge problem. As for quest preferences, finishing what we've started by hunting the remaining drakkar seems like the most sensible course in-character. I'm also thinking that some kind of long trek away from Wulfheim could be exciting. Our characters have been having it a bit easy in terms of the whole wilderness survival aspect ever since they ended up securing a cozy shelter within the town's walls.

(Well, except for Ragnvaldr, who seems to be cursed by the gods to always fail his Survival checks against cold!)

I'm down with drakkar-hunting. They're a major threat (fire+flight) to Wulfheim, they're meaty-beasts (if smoky flavored), have skin that even bears want to snuggle in, and sleep on beds of gold.

I've updated my entry on the Doodle (http://doodle.com/wu7pmf69gebriw4v).

I'll most likely be free on the 8th and there is a slight convergence on availability then; if Steerpike feels like another game so soon, perhaps a mini-adventure to go deal with the Nisse might not be a bad quest to embark upon, since a lot of people probably don't care too much about that one. The background of the Yule festivities would seem to be a good time for it, too!

Quote from: SteerpikePolycarp, as crazy as it may sound the Thrivaldii (hillfolk) might be the ones to talk to about getting your armour done. The leatherworker in Wulfheim could probably manage it, but the Trollbloods actively hunt Dragons (hence the giant skull-gate). I had never imagined them as remotely "friendly," but given how much you have endeared yourself to their chieftain - he proclaimed you "welcome at any time" - they might actually be an option. I don't know how Kylfa feels about dealing with cannibals, but if he's willing to hold his nose they might do you some kind of deal. They're not as interested in gold as the Wulfheim leather-worker would be, though they do recognize its value... I'm sure some of them have problems that the Great Bear and his companions could help with, though.

An interesting idea.  Cannibalism is a reasonably normal thing in nature and that by itself wouldn't bother Kylfa.  He doesn't "like" them, but is essentially non-judgmental.

My concern with this is primarily an OOC one - I don't suppose that most of the PCs would be particularly interested in marching off into the Thrivaldii lands again just to help Kylfa find an armorer, and I imagine that some of them might have reasonable IC moral objections to performing tasks for the trollbloods and their king.  It's a sidequest that's not really in line with the interests or desires of most of the other characters, as far as I can determine.

Quote from: PolycarpMy concern with this is primarily an OOC one - I don't suppose that most of the PCs would be particularly interested in marching off into the Thrivaldii lands again just to help Kylfa find an armorer, and I imagine that some of them might have reasonable IC moral objections to performing tasks for the trollbloods and their king.  It's a sidequest that's not really in line with the interests or desires of most of the other characters, as far as I can determine.

That's a good point. My guess it that some would have a bigger problem with it than others, but I can't see Andreas or Mjorthir being big fans. They don't necessarily have to come along on that side-quest, of course. I'll let people decide on their own though, just thought I'd raise it as a possibility.

EDIT: On the subject of the 8th, I checked my schedule and realized I actually shouldn't have included that as a day I'm available; I'll be at the MLA conference during that time. I think I thought that it started on the 9th, but I was mistaken (it's in my home city this year so I hadn't been paying as close attention...).

It's not on the Doodle, but would anyone be available Sunday evening (the 11th) PST? Like after about 4? I could potentially squeeze a session in then...

I am able to make it.

Can't do Sundays, but I look forward to reading the logs! As for Mjorthir and troll-kin, he doesn't have any inimically personal or religious objection to them (unless I'm unaware of some crime(s) they've committed against the jarl/Wulfheim).

Quote from: Rose-of-VellumAs for Mjorthir and troll-kin, he doesn't have any inimically personal or religious objection to them (unless I'm unaware of some crime(s) they've committed against the jarl/Wulfheim).

Well, probably nothing specific, but they do occasionally rob, kidnap, enslave, and eat people, things which don't exactly contribute to the peace and stability of the region. Jarl Hrothik Wulfgar regards them as a bunch of inbred, degenerate savages, which is a fairly accurate assessment, although despite this dim view he will grudgingly admit that they know the land well, that they're exceptional hunters, and that they have their share of cunning and strength. They've never raided Wulfheim directly: it's too well-fortified, and before Ivar became king they would've been too worried about a serious reprisal. Since they have the blood of a Jotunn, they're a bit "unholy" - the gods kicked the giants out of Asgard - and they're probably rooting for the Giants and Loki in Ragnarok. Still, gods and giants sometimes get along and even intermarry, so they're not all bad.

Sounds good; if Kyfla wants to marry the chieftain and become his trollwife, I'll not oppose their blessed union.

Quote from: Rose-of-VellumSounds good; if Kyfla wants to marry the chieftain and become his trollwife, I'll not oppose their blessed union.

I'm not sure fantasy-Midgard is ready for this

Forbidden love is the best kind.

I'm pretty iffy on the 11th. Don't count on me but if there ends up being a game I'll do my best.

Missed that about the 11th - I could do it if it was earlier, but otherwise no - I have to be up at a reasonable hour on the 12th

4 pm is way too late for me. I could game on the 11th if it's earlier, though.

I sadly can't do earlier - looks like it probably wouldn't work out for Sunday, but that's OK (Polycarp, TMG, Hippo, are any of you available?).

4pm on any day doesn't work for me.  If earlier is out of the question, later may be possible, for me at least (the earliest that's conceivably possible would be 6pm PST; 7 would be safer).

Cool. I'd be available Sunday evening, but I don't know if many others would!

The Jol celebrations might actually be quite fun to roleplay (drinking competitions, crazy Norse games where serious injuries were common and fatalities not-unknown). There'll also be an opportunity to swear oaths for the new year - boasts like "This year, my blade will pierce the hearts of a hundred men" or something as specific as "I will fight a Dragon without armour," or swearing certain restrictions like "I will not tell a lie for one year." You could also swear oaths of vengeance, or oaths to achieve certain things. I'm ruling that a sworn oath grants a +2 sacred bonus to a relevant Ability Score and a broken oath results in loss of the bonus a -2 penalty to that same score, both for a year (short of magical intervention). If a character achieves the self-made conditions of a certain oath there might be other benefits (which we can discuss). I mention this in advance as some of you may want to consider interesting oaths to swear, though it's optional to do so. An oath has to be relatively serious to grant a bonus, so promising not to do something minor or something wildly out-of-character won't be looked on kindly by Freyr.

Oh, later would actually work better for me, too.

I do like the idea of roleplaying crazy Jol celebrations!
Dagny would certainly join in some of the crazy Norse games. She's pretty tough for a Wizard-type, which I did intentionally because it fit the setting better, and I think it would be a good chance for her to win some respectability in the town.

Yeah, the Jol feast sounds like a blast! I'm selfishly hoping no one can do Sunday now so I get to play for the norse party-times :P

Well, I doubt if that will be the only session of Jol party times, especially if only a few people make it.
It wouldn't be the same without Ragnvaldr, definitely!

It's a 3 day feast. I have devised rules for competitive drinking (including a drinking "injury track," so to speak). There needn't be pressure to spend a whole session on the feast (though it'd be interesting to do so, and meet some other Wulfheim NPCs), but it could be a fun way to start.

Meeting Wulfheim NPCs and competitive mead-chugging sound awesome.

Competitive drinking sounds exciting!

I once ran a drinking challenge in a DnD game with some custom rules and a good time was had by all; I am interested in seeing how yours plays out differently!

4pm PST works really well for me - I shall look forward to the drinking immensely! :P

I'd totally be up for Sunday, though at this point it sounds like only you and Llum could actually make it at 4. Would later work too?

I can do anything up until midnight, because in my time-zone that whole stretch converts to late morning/afternoon.

Later would be better for me too!
(Perhaps not midnight ... but maybe 6 or 7 PST like Polycarp said)

Cool - I'll show up at 6 and if/when  we have a few people we'll get started!

As I said, 6 is iffy for me, and 7 is better.  But I'll see what I can do.

Ah, sorry - I'll pop on at 7 then.

Those who played last time will receive 1550 xp.

Also, the Jarl rewarded all of the aurochs-hunters with 150gp, so those who helped with the hunt but who missed last session can add that money to their inventories.

Next session is saturday, right? what time?

Saturday starting at 10  :)

Unless there are objections we'll start at the Jolblot where oaths are sworn.

Ah, guess I'll be missing another session then, I thought it was going to be later for some reason.
I don't think Ragnvaldr would be planning to swear any particular oaths anyway, although he does like the idea of going and giving Ivar and his Bloodbeards a good hiding.

Rats! Well, if you arrive late or if the session lasts awhile you're welcome to join in.

I would arriving at least 5 hours late I would imagine, probably more :P
Any thoughts yet on when the next session after Saturday might be?

The 31st looks to work for several people, but I note that according to the Doodle you wouldn't be able to make it to that one either. I think I'll make a new Doodle (either before Saturday's session or just after) so we can re-evaluate  :)

Yes a new doodle might be a good idea. I can't think of any reason I can't do the 31st, depending on what time it is of course.

Two things - first, as requested, an experience breakdown:

Glima (The Wrestling Match): 1250 XP
The Drake-Hunt: 1520 XP
The Outlaw (Hallvard): 1020 XP
The Aurochs-Hunt/Wild Hunt: 2200 XP
The Nisse & Fritjof: 1550 XP
The Revenants & Thrivaldii Negotiations (today's session): 1460 XP

I think this is everything; if anything seems to be missing or doesn't add up, let me know.

Second, a new Doodle. (http://doodle.com/y9kfn3zxc24c798k)

Yeah, I see what I was doing wrong before - I was adding that to the medium advancement base of 5,000 instead of 7,500, which is the slow advancement base.

So, if you've attended every single event so far, you have 16,500, well past 4th level (which is at 14,000).  I didn't make the Outlaw episode, so I have 15,480 instead; I was technically 20 xp over 4th level even before today's session.

Great! So we have at least 3 characters at level 4!

Just to confirm, we're rolling for hp, not taking averages, right?  Because apparently I've gotten godly hp rolls so far and I feel a little bit bad for having 39 out of a maximum possible 43 hit points for my level.  I mean, Kylfa's supposed to be tough, but... yeah.

I honestly don't remember how we calculated HP. I'm guessing we rolled, though. If someone prefers to take their average (rounding up) I'm OK with that, however.

I'm still a little shocked/impressed that no one has died yet. I remember when I first ran this I was really keen to be mean. There have been some close calls though, I suppose.

I have been taking the average. I am not a fan of rolled HP at all, as I have probably mentioned in the past. :grin:

I have also been taking the average. (4hp on d8) iirc.

I'm also not a fan of hp, but I think I have been rolling because that's what we did at the beginning of Fimbulvinter.

My personal feeling is that, whichever method we use, we should all be on the same page.  If everyone else has been taking average, I'll do that too (and won't cry too much for my lost 8 hp  :P ).

I'm OK with a mixed/personal method. If you roll, you're taking a chance; it might be rewarding, might not. It probably makes sense for one character to use one method and not the other, but if some players prefer average and some prefer rolling that's fine as far as I'm concerned. If you'd rather "switch" Kylfa to an average, that's fine, though.

What timezone is the doodle in?

Quote from: TheMeanestGuestWhat timezone is the doodle in?

PST.

I filled in the Doodle (http://doodle.com/y9kfn3zxc24c798k), partially.
I'll fill in more of February when I'm more sure of my availability.
Also, I marked 10 am PST on the 31st as being available, but I actually can't make it at 10. I'd be able to show up around 11 or soon thereafter, though.

I think I should give some feedback now that we're past a few game sessions.

I find the game has been quite enjoyable so far. Aside from the overly lengthy aurochs-hunting scene the pacing has been alright, considering that it is Pathfinder and played over IRC at that. The hiatus of two years or so hasn't really caused any problems as far as I can see. I'm enjoying the plots and interactions with NPCs and other PCs. Things do seem to now revolve mostly around Wulfheim though, which kind of leaves the rest of the setting unexplored. Anyway, I'm looking forward to more adventures in the endless winter. Hopefully we can work out agreeable times to game at. :)

Thanks for your feedback Ghostman! I'm glad you're enjoying it.

While I would never force the party to travel, it's my hope that the party eventually leaves Wulfheim, even if people want to return at later dates. There are other parts of the Blodlands and neighbouring realms that I have plenty of ideas for.

Hrafnford in particular would be an interesting place to potentially visit. If Wulfheim is inspired by Whiterun, Edoras, and Heorot, then Hrafnford is more like "Norse Mos Eisley" or something - a largely lawless trade-town-gone-bad. The Jarl and his heirs were killed awhile back there, and now control of the place is split between a band of mercenaries/brigands who run the taverns and brothels and a crazed cult of Odin in his guise as the Raven God who're performing Hrafnblóts ("Raven Offerings") which are every bit as unwholesome as you might imagine. There's also a Dwarf merchant there (one of the locals rumours spoke of this, but now it's in the logs geneally), as well as a large slave-market, fighting pits, and other unsavoury attractions. The Hrafnlands in general are pretty cool: flocks of flesh-hungry Valravn, barrows ripe for plunder in the Cairnreach Highlands, Kvenlanders fleeing south, bandits camps riddling the region, and a bunch of other stuff.

Closer to home, Drekaborg might be worth travelling to, if only to burn the place to the ground, as it's firmly in Ivar's control (though doubtless some of the populace aren't too happy about that). I think the Fens could be a really cool region to visit (I should do a map of the lands to the direct south), and the Gornlands could be interesting too - Dwarves, mad seers, corsairs, and the sinister/seductive Huldra instead of Trolls, Dragons, cannibals, and Wolves.

Another possibility that would be amazingly fun (I think) would be to do a sea-voyage, maybe to Thule, Avalon, Eriu, Hy Brasil, or even Vinland. Thule might be particularly cool (it's essentially Iceland and Greenland mushed together) - these tiny Northern colonies that Fimbulvinter has now left almost completely cut off from the rest of the world, competinf ro the dwindling resources with the indigenous peoples. I really hope, too, that the party eventually gets to adventure in one of the other Nine Worlds.

Of course, travelling might split the party a bit, which could be an issue, although I would have no problem with players making characters in different locations - so if a player wanted to leave one character in Wulfheim and make another for Hrafnlands/Gornlands/sea-going adventures or whatever while other players brought their old characters along, I'd be completely cool with that.

EDIT:

In terms of days to play, the 10AM (my time) slot on the 31st looks promising to me (this Saturday would be do-able, but I could use a bit of a break for work/study reasons), as does the 2nd and/or the 6th of February.

So let's aim to play on the 31st; I'll come online around 10:30 and once we have a nice group (3+) we'll start and any latecomers can drop in easily. Given the multiple hunts (cave lion, drake) that have recently been proposed I'm assuming it's going to be one of those.

I'd also be open to running a second game Monday at 1. Some of the same people could make it, some can't.

I can make the monday, but not the sturday.

I can make both, but I'll be late. :)

I'll be there for the first game, possibly monday also.

I'd said Monday at 1, but then realized that that time's not on the Doodle, and for a good reason (class I TA for is then). I could do Monday at 2 instead, or Monday from 9-12. Which of those would you guys prefer? I'm guessing the earlier time since Kindling & Ghostman are both in Europe/UK, IIRC?

Either works for me actually, Tuesday is a day off for me so I can stay up past my bedtime on Monday night :)

For what it's worth, for me the later time works better as that's about when I'd be showing up anyway, so I wouldn't even have to be late.

Starting at 2 would be too late for me.

So, are we on for tomorrow?  :)

I'm up for it... still a bit split on the time. If we do morning then sparkletwist can't make it, if we do afternoon then Ghostman can't. Kindling can do either. Llum, or other players, are any open/available to playing tomorrow, either in the morning or afternoon?

For tomorrow, I can play from 3 PST onwards.

3 might even be better for me. Kindling, would that be too late for you? We could do a briefer session.

3 should be alright. I may get super tired after a while, or I may just be having fun and want to keep going, but either way I'm up for doing it and seeing how it goes :)

OK, let's try for 2:30-3 as a start time and maybe run a slightly shorter session. I'll try and make sure Ghostman can be there for the next one!

Probably we'll start back in Wulfheim unless Polycarp is there, in which case the beginning might be in the Thrivaldii village...

Quote from: SteerpikeProbably we'll start back in Wulfheim unless Polycarp is there, in which case the beginning might be in the Thrivaldii village...

If I am there, I don't think I'd want that - presumably Kylfa doesn't actually have to bring back the skin until the armor is ready (she did say she'd be starting that right away, right?), and I think I want to make some other preparations before we head back to trolltown.

OK, sounds good. Wulfheim makes the most sense, then. You'll get to see what Daire the Druid has gotten up to.

Those who played yesterday each get 1100xp.

Yeah, I don't know what I was thinking when I said "if I am there."  4-6 pm never works for me, so a 3:00 start time won't leave me with much.  I doubt I'll be able to make it today.

Everyone who played today gets 600 xp.

Those who haven't been able to many of the recent sessions - Hippo, Rose of Vellum, Kindling - I'd be happy to schedule side-sessions or smaller sessions (or "Meanwhile..." sessions as it were) for your characters if you want. Feel free to post here or PM me if that would be of interest, though don't feel pressured to in the slightest; I want to keep the game very casual, after all!

Yes, I'd be very happy to do some side-sessions or whatever. The stuff I'm most interested in doing quest-wise as a player would be Stop the Helblót, Defend Wulfheim from Ivar's forces, Investigate the Dvergar cave, Investigate the tunnels of the mountain-men, and Investigate the Vargar attacks near Ironwood so I don't know if any of those would work well as a side-session?

Of course Ragnvaldr is actually unaware of most of those things - except Ivar of course - but maybe he could stumble upon them or just tag along with someone else who does know what's up.

Ragnvaldr knows about the Dvergar cave (he got woken up by Dagny there) and would know about the wolf-attacks, having seen victims in town and glimpsed that sinister wolf-rider after he killed Hallvard.

I know Llum's character expressed an interest in the mountain-man caves - he's "caught up," but Llum joined late, so teaming up to gain extra xp isn't out of the quest.

BTW, I've decided that Aeskil, Sirje, and Sjack set out for the Gornlands together. If any of their players ever decided to return they could easily be reintroduced, but for now in-universe they've traveled west somewhere.

Andreas is actually pretty behind, so far as I can tell.

I was just thinking that I should have added you to that list, TMG.

Stop the Helblót, Defend Wulfheim from Ivar's forces, and Investigate the Dvergar cave are all quests that Dagny would be interested in pursuing, too, so they might not work as well for Ragnvaldr side quests because it would be rather difficult to explain why she's not along. Especially since it's Ragnvaldr so she'd be inclined to want to be around him.  :grin:

Or she could be along (assuming I can make it) which would be fun for me! But would put her further ahead in xp and might sort of defeat the purpose.

Well, I can't speak for others, but personally I'm not all that worried about xp disparity, I'd just want the side-sessions because they'd be fun! Of course XP can't hurt....

Yeah, Kindling beat me to the punch, but I was going to say that the side-sessions would be as much about giving players a chance to play as they would be about xp; I take your point, though, sparkletwist.

"Defend Wulfheim from Ivar's forces" is broad enough for pretty much any party composition: taking out Blodbard patrols in the region, hit-and-run raids on camps or forts, setting ambushes and traps for Blodbard war-bands, and reconaissance of larger forces all come to mind as valuable tasks for small groups to attempt.

Fair enough. I'd certainly like to hop in on any side sessions that I can make and would be realistic for Dagny to be there. :D

Speaking of which, when is our next game? The 7th? :)

Can't remember what I put on the doodle but the only days soon I can do are the 9th and 11th. And tomorrow, but that's kind of short notice for everyone I guess!

Much as I'd like to do the 7th I don't think I'll be ready - teaching/study have been keeping me very busy. Possibly some time next week might work for a side session. The week after that (14-22) is my school's reading week, so I'll be wide open during that period. I do have to get other stuff done then, but I could dedicate time to Fimbulvinter then for sure.

EDIT: Kindling, I could do the 11th from around 9-12 PST. Would that work?

That's pretty perfect for me, actually.

Sweet! I'll be there.

There's a couple things we could do. If sparkletwist can be make it at that time, you could investigate the Dvergar cave or perhaps go after some of Ivar's forces.

Anyone else available at that day/time who'd like to play?

I could play then.

Great!

I'd say Drake-hunting would be good, but I know Llum wants to be there for that. Are any of Kindling's preferences - Defend Wulfheim from Ivar's forces, Investigate the Dvergar cave, Investigate the tunnels of the mountain-men, and Investigate the Vargar attacks near Ironwood - of particular interest to you, Ghostman?

I'd be up for any out of those. Vargar attacks and Ivar's forces would be my favourite picks, but I'd rather let Kindling make the choise. As things stand IC, Katla likes Ragnvaldr enough that she'd gladly accompany him on any mission that doesn't seem totally bonkers.

Defend Wulfheim vs. Ivar's forces seems to be the common denominator... I agree Kindling should call it though!

Well, if it were down to me, I think the Vargar attacks seem more appropriate for a side-quest... but then again, like you said, fighting Ivar's forces could be on a smaller scale, just a skirmish with scouts or something. I don't know, I suppose it depends if we want to be more responsive or proactive. Like, if someone staggered into Wulfheim all like "Blodbards! The Blodbards are coming!" then it would make sense to go deal with that, but if we're all just hanging around the Well of Joy on a slow afternoon wondering what to do Ragnvaldr might be like "Hey remember that wolf-rider we saw out at the hof? Should we go have a look for it?"

I'll be away on the weekend of the 13th-15th and unable to play then.

9th/11th may well work for me.

Quote from: KindlingLike, if someone staggered into Wulfheim all like "Blodbards! The Blodbards are coming!"

Heh, well, that'll probably happen eventually, but it hasn't yet.

Wolf-attacks sounds like a good way to go, then. I have plenty of notes for that, and if Polycarp were along then he could just be leading signs for/looking for Hrodulf.

Dagny was originally going to go along with Kylfa, so it doesn't really stretch anything to expect she'd go along on any of these other adventures.

What about the hunt for Fritjof? While Dagny isn't crazy about this, she does think that if we're going to do it, we should probably do it sooner rather than later. We don't have any strong leads, but there were no horses missing, so he couldn't have gone too far yet-- the amount of distance he could've gone increases the longer we wait. At this point we also have the advantage that he was pretty badly wounded and can't have really recovered that much, so he'll be easier to fight, too.

Anyway, as for me actually being able to attend the game, it isn't a time I'd ordinarily be available; I can't guarantee anything, so don't count on me. I will try to show up, though.

Quote from: sparkletwistAt this point we also have the advantage that he was pretty badly wounded and can't have really recovered that much, so he'll be easier to fight, too.

This is true, although I will point out it's not beyond all bound of belief that he either had equipment (including healing potions) cached in or just outside Wulfheim, or that magical healing might have been supplied by someone who helped him escape. Even with healing, though, he's probably not at full health.

BTW Brunn totally now has input on this as per your request to him - we'll deal with it at the start of the session.

Up to you guys, but one way to approach it might be to keep constant look-out for signs of Fritjof if/when they come up and follow through when you can. Since it's uncertain which direction he's headed that kind of strategy might be the best one to take, unless/until something like Kylfa's scrying idea pays dividends - or if you discover an accomplice.

You could attempt to just track him, too - it's not out of the question that he's left a trail, though he could be taking pains to conceal it (in which case he'd be moving at half speed).

Quote from: Steerpike
an accomplice

Daire.

I have another lead to follow up on in Wulfheim regarding the assassin, so whatever we decide to do in the next session, I'd prefer it start right where the last one left off (on the morning of his escape).

That was my plan. Curious to find out what your lead is; this should be fun.

I'll give you a hint: it's the same lead Kylfa always has. :detect:

1100 xp for all participants at last session.

So next week I'm available quite a bit (reading break). I'll be working, but entirely from home and according to my own schedule, so I could fit in a couple of sessions for sure.

Kindling, if you're available at roughly the same time sometime next week (16th or 17th?) I'd be up for Vargar investigations if others are. There are several other days (the 21st stands on on the doodle (http://doodle.com/y9kfn3zxc24c798kuf8pe7u6/admin#table)) that work. I can be a bit more flexible, too, so if people have other times that work better run them by me and I'll see what we can do.

EDIT: I also assume Kylfa/Dagny would like to do either the Kobold den or something else Helblot-related soon?

The 16th and 21st are both good days for me! Or I could probably make the 17th, if that works better.

Dagny's priority right now is the Fritjof ambush, probably. If they can reasonably do something else while waiting for that to shape up, then Dagny will go along with it. And yes, she's also quite concerned with the helblot, although she's going to have to talk to Kylfa before doing anything because of the whole Daire thing. Preferably she'll want to be free to help Brunn with the whole women-only-blot, too.

I'll be unavailable from about 10 am to 1 pm PST on the 17th, and for most of the day on the 19th.  The rest of the week (starting Monday morning) I can probably play at the normal times.

Cool! 16th sounds like a strong contender, then.

Is there anything else you guys want to arrange in-between sessions for the ambush? Starkad & the Jarl's men will take your suggestions pretty seriously.

I am completely free on the 16th and the 21st. Otherwise my regular times apply. (I have updated the Doodle to reflect that 16th is a holiday, completely forgot)

Let's definitely play on the 16th. I'll nail down a more precise time to start but I would be OK with having a long-ish session that day, so people may come and go.

I'm afraid I'm gonna be a bit hit-and-miss for the next week or so, in that I may not know if I can make a specific day or time until the last minute. I'd say probably best to plan sessions without bearing me in mind and then if it turns out I can make it, I will.

A game on the 16th should work just fine for me.

Would around 9:30-10am PST work for most of you guys as a start time? Or is that too early?

I should be good.

I'll probably be closer to the 10 PST side of it but I can certainly be there at that time.

A good time for me.

1840 xp for this last session to those who participated. Ragnvaldr was also used as an NPC for part of the session and receives 920 xp - along with 200 gp and a war-trained heavy horse, saddle, and gear.

Aren't those non-XP rewards for each party member, not just Ragnvaldr?

Yeah, the non-xp are for everyone - I just wanted to let Kindling know, since the rest of you were present for the reward-giving. But I might not have mentioned the actual horse stats etc, so you guys can add those as well if you haven't already, of course. This means many of you now have two horses - it might be wise to sell one. The Blodbard horses are Light, but have been war-trained (110 gp). Both horses have regular riding saddles, not military saddles. Neither has barding. Under normal circumstances I'd have adventurers sell steeds at half cost like other gear, but animals are quite rare and valuable these days, so you can sell them at full price if you do decide to get rid of one.

Katla actually has three horses now, so she'll donate one of them for use as Brúnn's Dísablót sacrafice. She'll also donate 500 aurar to Dagny's food project.

And it seems that I never figured out my share of the loot from the hof, so I'll just declare it to be 150 aurar (out of the 647+ total) since no one else other than Sparkletwist has announced their's here.

Huh, I didn't realize that hadn't been settled. Thanks Ghostman. Anyone else who was involved in that adventure (IIRC Ragnvaldr, Mjorthir, Tigris), make sure to claim your share.

Dagny appreciates Katla's contribution! :D

Quick note - I don't think I'll have time to play tomorrow, sadly. Hopefully we can have another session soon, though!

This week doesn't look great on the Doodle, though the 28th could be good. I know the Doodle isn't always 100% accurate though - would anyone be up for a Tuesday session?

Depends on the time for me. The Doodle should accurately reflect my availability.

On Tuesday I could pretty likely make it sometime in the afternoon, as long as we're done before 5 PST. I'm not 100% sure, so don't please plan anything around me, but I'll certainly do my best to show up for anything that ends up happening.

I'm unavailable on Tuesday unless it's late (i.e. after 5 pm PST).

Up until wednesday I will still not be sure of my availability until the last minute. From thursday onwards my schedule should be more predictable again.

I could play on up to ~3 pm on Tuesday.

Cool! Let's play starting round 11:30 - noon tomorrow.

Llum, I know this unfortunately conflicts with your availability  :(, but most people can't play beyond 5 or earlier.

I got my timezones backwards.  I actually can't play before about 1pm PST.  That's a little better regarding everyone else's schedule but I'm still going to miss the front end of any session that starts at 11:30-noon.

Maybe I'll aim more for noon than 11:30 in that case. Are you OK if I play Kylfa as an NPC for the first hour?

Everyone who participated last time receives 1400xp.

If you guys are up for it, we could do a session this Saturday - I know Kindling can't make it but the doodle suggests sparkletwist, Ghostman, and Llum could.

I can totally do saturday now!

Great!

I can indeed make it.

I can be there should I manage to create a new PC in time for it.

Saturday probably works but I'll be busy until around noon PST.

Quote from: Ghostman
new PC

*weeps manly tears*

Quote from: Ghostmanshould I manage to create a new PC in time for it

Well, I'm a bit biased so I can't resist mentioning-- you don't have to make a new character, if you want to play but don't think you'll have time to do that.

If we got rid of the whole (in my opinion kind of stupid) rage-HP death rule then the rest of the party will still be able to help Katla. To the best of my knowledge Steerpike is fine with doing this, and just throwing out a rule that shouldn't have even been in there in the first place means no dice fudging or other funny stuff has to happen.

Ghostman & I talked and he declined to retcon Katla's demise.

If we make it to Ragnarök she can always show up on the Asgardian side as an Einherjar/Valkyrie.

(https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/29/53/70/295370eb42abff857e0336d558bbf78d.jpg)

Sup?

Ghostman, if you want to play but don't have time to stat up a new character, you could always use some NPC stats as a stand-in and then customize the character later (this is how Dagny started out). Up to you though.

I feel like at some critical point a vision of Katla should guide us to victory.

EDIT: Ghostman you are welcome to play as Aslaug :P

If Aslaug was ever killed I get the feeling Ragnvaldr would go totally John Wick on whoever did the deed.

Maybe... If the opportunity for vengeance was right there, then yeah, ofc. Ragnvaldr has a fairly "hulk smash" attitude to combat anyway though, so I don't know how different it would realistically be to him fighting anyone else. And Aslaug is a soldier, she knew what she signed up for, y'know? It doesn't say combat-trained for nothing.

I would say, RIP to Katla, but that would be a slight (unless it means Revel in Pillaging?). She was/is an awesome character that made the game very enjoyable for me to read and play.

Should we be rolling Init and playing out attacks for Aslaug? I've always assumed she stayed out of combat, but maybe I shouldn't!

Re-posting the various Tribes, with four new tribes added for Northmen who live in parts of the world beyond the North itself. For those curious about real-world parallels and Scandinavian history the new tribes are inspired by the Varangians of the Kievan Rus (Norse-ruled Russia/Belarus/Ukraine), the Norse-Gaels of Scotland and Ireland, the Icelanders and Greenlanders, those crazy few who made it to "Vinland" (present-day Canada) around the year 1000, and the Normans.


Görnings

Renowned for their especially skilled Völvur, the Görnings are a reclusive tribe who dwell in the depths of the Slaughterstone Mountains.  In response to Fimbulvinter the Görnings have withdrawn further into seclusion, defending their lands with isolationist fervour.  Only those who approach with clearly peaceful intentions are allowed entry into their remote settlements.  Because of their seeresses the Görnings were better prepared for the endless winter than other tribes, and as such they began stockpiling food years in advance: thus they have endured the other atrocious famine sweeping all of Midgard better than most.  Their leader, King Sigmund, is said to be old and feeble, slowly dying of a mysterious sickness invulnerable to any spell, prayer, or medicine.  His three sons effectively rule in his stead.

Like most Völvur those of the Görnings spend much of their time wandering the Northlands, selling their services to households and villages.  Typically accompanied by a small retinue of bodyguards, these wandering shamanesses only return to their homes permanently when they are too old to continue their travels.  During Fimbulvinter, however, these pilgrimages have ceased, and those Völvur travelling between settlements have withdrawn back to the Slaughterstones – though a few remain in the snows, lost in the wilds or otherwise waylaid.

Görnings tend to have red and red-blond hair and eyes the colour of the sky – various shades of grey and blue.  Their warriors traditionally wear heavy mail and favour two-handed broadaxes, and many are also skilled archers.  They are amongst the most devout folk in the North, with rituals, sacrifices, feasts, and prayers occupying much of their time; many adorn themselves with amulets and talismans – representations of Mjolnir and rune-etched stones.  Their prominent Temple honouring Odin, Thor, and Frey is one of the few large, permanent centers of worship dedicated to the old gods of the North, and the Görnlands are scattered with sacred groves, often in hidden valleys.  Because certain tunnels through the Slaughterstone Mountains lead to Svartálfaheim, Homeworld of the Dvergar, Görnings have very occasional dealings with Dwarfs, the maggot-folk who festered in Ymir's putrid flesh, though they find the secularism of the "black elves" disturbing.

Blóðbards

Having descended into cannibalism and depravity, the once-proud tribe now known only as the Blóðbards (Bloodbeards) after the gore that mats their hairy faces terrorize the lands between Ironwood (abode of wolves and Trollspawn) and the river Gjöll (which is said to flow into Hel).  It is said that they have forsaken the worship of the Æsir and now revere Loki and other twisted powers, that they send infant babes sailing down Gjöll as sacrifices, and that they consort with the foul inhabitants of Ironwood, striking black bargains.  Certainly they conduct raids on other tribes and kidnap travellers, taking thralls for labour and food.

The Blóðbard king is the bastard and Seidman Ivar the Perverse, a sorcerer who poisoned his mother's husband, the former king, who believed Ivar his true-born son; the murder was accomplished with the aid of a rune-graven goblet able to turn water into venom.  Ivar, whose true father is variously said to be a Dark Elf, a Hel-Shade, or Loki himself, has thoroughly twisted the ways of the Blóðbards, using wicked arts to beguile and dominate his father's Jarls and other well-respected members of the community.  His corruption has spread, and now many of those under his command are warped shadows of their former selves, intent only on gratifying their animal lusts.  His feasting hall, called the Hall of Screams, is the site of obscene rites, and rumour holds that some of the thralls taken in Blóðbard raids are used by Ivar in unwholesome experiments conducted in ancient stone chambers beneath the hall.

Blóðbards are a lean, tall folk whose men inevitably sport long, frequently blood-spattered beards of fair (often white-blond) hair.  Many are heavily tattooed – once family crests and tribe symbols predominated, but now most Blóðbards have scorned tradition and mark themselves with runes to commemorate men killed, women raped, thralls enslaved, and similarly sinister deeds.  Many Blóðbards sharpen their teeth into points.  Their favoured weapons include various seaxes, halberds, and bearded axes, as well as weapons looted from the bodies of the slain.  Most wear scavenged bits and pieces of armour, though many have taken to adorning themselves in flayed human skins tanned into leather.

Hrafnii

Those who fly the raven banner and revere Odin's aspect as the Raven God before all others are known as the Hrafnii.  Marked by hair and eyes as black as the birds they take as their totem, the Hrafnii dwell in the Northeast near the borders of Kvenland, though bands ("Unkindnesses") of merchants, mercenaries, and adventurers have dispersed through Midgard.  Known for their skilled warriors and proud skaldic tradition, the Ravenfolk are also notorious for their gallows humour and their taste for treasure, an appetite which often lands them in trouble – more than a few Hrafnii thieves have found themselves declared a nithing or vargr, to be scolded and executed.  The Hrafnii king is Hrókr, a cunning man of middle years who bears the ancestral sword Cruelbeak, said to have been forged by Völundr the Smith – a strange, slightly curved blade of meteoric iron.

Like most peoples of Midgard the Hrafnii have been devastated by famine and cold.  A number have taken up as contract killers, bodyguards, hired blades, or simple bandits, though a few linger in their homelands, adorning their sacred trees with sacrifices in the form of hanged men in hopes of winning Odin's favour.  These latter dwell mostly in the fortified hill-city simply called Nest.  This now largely empty town is centred around the Tower of Wings, which holds dozens of birdcages: the Hrafnii reverence for ravens extends beyond banners and symbols, for they have trained many of the birds to carry messages.  When released from their cages far from home such ravens return to Nest, bearing scrolls round their legs.  It is said that the Gothi in Nest who tend the ravens can speak the tongue of birds as well.

Hrafnii favour throwing axes, short blades, and bows.  Their arrows are, of course, usually fletched with raven-feathers.  In general they wear lighter armour of hide, though a number have acquired metal armour from the swamp-dwelling Járnmenn.  Hrafnii women are considered exotically beautiful by many because of their dark colouration, and their Völvur sometimes keep white ravens as familiars.

Járnmenn

Making their homes in the Fens, a series of wetlands rich in bog iron, the Járnmenn produce many especially capable smiths and consequently have become quite affluent.  Though mines are not unknown in the North, smelting bog iron is far more common, and the Járnmenn produce a great deal of the iron used throughout the North.  Contending with Fossegrim, Huldra, Bog-Draugr, Swamp-Trolls, and Will-o'-the-Wisps on a regular basis, Járnmenn are a superstitious bunch who adorn their homes with oddments of iron (horseshoes, buried knives, talismans), which they contend holds evil spirits at bay.  Their current ruler is a queen, Kelda Mosblóð – her husband, king Erik, has been missing for the last year and a half, having disappeared on a hunting expedition.  He is presumed dead, but the Völvur say that the portents are uncertain, and Kelda insists he is alive.

Fimbulvinter has not been kind to the Járnmenn, having crippled a great deal of commerce throughout Midgard – the Járnmenn traded their iron and weapons for many things, including food, so when trade dried up a substantial portion of the population found themselves starving.  Mosquitoes and other insects – a food source for numerous animals in the Fens – usually hatch their eggs in the spring, after the snow melts; because of Fimbulvinter, the great majority never hatched, with devastating results for beasts in the swamplands.  As a result, hunting has been limited as well.  Consequently, many Járnmenn have fled the swamps for other lands, dispersing across the North and elsewhere.

Járnmenn are a pale, large-eyed folk whom unkind people say resemble toads due to their tendency to bandy-leggedness and their swampy homeland.  Many of their hunters are especially deft with throwing spears and short bows.  Some of their less scrupulous warriors have been known to poison their weapons, an act considered extremely dishonourable by most Northmen.  Rumour holds that a secret society of Seidmen thrives in the Fens, further tainting the reputation of the Járnmenn, though most consider this nothing more than wild talk.  Their habit of giving their dead to the Fens rather than burying or cremating them, as most do, has done little to help matters, however.

Austrogoths

Making their homes in the southernmost parts of the North, the Austrogoths are notable as the only tribe of Northmen to abandon the old gods in favour of the monotheistic Father, a queer Southron deity whose effeminate, perfumed priests now own substantial tracts of the Austrogothic kingdom.  Female captives taken in raids first introduced the Austrogoths to the Faith, which paved the way for missionaries.  Soon the Church had a foothold, and the Faith began to spread, culminating in the conversion of king Ælfric, called Ælfric the Lightbringer and Ælfric the Illumined (soon to be Saint Ælfric), great-grandfather of the current king, Ælfric II.  Shortly after the king's conversion, worship of the "heathen" deities was forbidden; the sacred groves were put to the torch to be purified by cleansing holy fire and replaced by stone churches.  The Völvur were declared "witches" and burned at the stake, and old stories and religious teachings were co-opted by the Church, rewritten to reconcile them with the Faith.  Performing a blót or other "pagan" ritual in Austrogothic lands is now punishable by fine or even death, though many persist secretly in the old ways, mouthing the occasional prayer or leaving discrete offerings.

Since Fimbulvinter began, the Austrogoths redoubled their efforts at religious purification, holding that the endless winter, rather than a sign of Ragnarök's imminence, is a punishment from the Father for the world's sins: if the world is able to redeem itself in the Father's eyes He will shine His holy light upon the land and melt the snows.  This belief has stirred many Austrogoths into a fanatical frenzy.  Mobs of frightened villagers lynch those suspected of witchcraft and heathen-worship.  Thieves, adulterers, and prostitutes are frequently impaled, drowned, or hung.  Meanwhile bands of pagan fighters leave the mutilated bodies of captured priests on desecrated altars, their ribs cut and broken and their lungs ripped out – a method of execution known as the Blood Eagle, sacred to Odin.

Austrogoths are mostly a fair-haired and pale-skinned people of sturdy build.  Swords are a far more common weapon for the Austrogothic warrior, though spears and axes still predominate; heavy mail and segmented plate armour is widely worn.  Many zealous converts wear icons of the Saints round their necks.

Kvenlanders

The eastern region of the North known as Kvenland is considered an alien, inhospitable place by most Northmen, and the Kvenlanders are often characterized as "savage bear-worshippers" and "uncouth reindeer-herders."  With unusual shamanic traditions and little agriculture, the Kvenlanders are widely regarded as primitives, though ironically their lack of dependence on grains means that they have endured Fimbulvinter better than most – as their herds feed mostly on cold-hardy lichens rather than grass, they have managed to keep themselves reasonably well-fed.  In the furthest, coldest reaches of Kvenland legend holds that mammoths still roam.

Kvenlanders are semi-nomadic, and with the worsening of Fimbulvinter some have drifted south and west, into marginally warmer climes.  They have many sorcerers amongst their numbers, and most Northmen consider them ergi (that is, unmanly and dishounorable).  If insulted in this manner most Kvenlanders simply laugh.  Kvenland shamanism is practiced by both men and women; shamans are known to commune with spirits and animals, heal the sick, and transform into beasts themselves, amongst other things.

The Kvenlanders have a number of customs which others find disturbing.  For example, certain bands of Kvenlanders have been known to leave virgin women on mountaintops during thunderstorms; after being struck by lightning, these women return to their kindred unharmed but pregnant with what the Kvenlanders believe to be the children of Ukko, god of sky and storms.  The offspring from these pregnancies, called Stormchildren, frequently possess uncanny powers.

Kvenlanders are a quiet lot; they tend to be rather insular, rarely marrying outsiders.  Like the Hrafnii they are darker of hair and eyes, though a few have dark gold hair.  Many of their weapons are of bone and stone rather than metal, and they adorn themselves with antlers and other bone trinkets.  Interestingly, while bears are sacred animals for the Kvenlanders, wolves are hated and feared, and Kvenlanders kill wolves on sight.

Ægirians

The supposed descendents of the sea giant Ægir, the hardy folk who dwell on the shores of Gandvik (called the Bay of Serpents) are feared from Kêr-Is to Avalon.  A tribe of rapacious raiders, ruthless pirates, and bold explorers, the Ægirians frequently go viking, assailing settlements and monasteries or preying on trade routes, loading their longships with treasure and slaves.  During Fimbulvinter the seas freeze often, somewhat dampening the Ægirian's piracy.  A few bands of the fierce warriors have journeyed across the ocean to the Skræling land in the distant west, hoping to find a place free of endless winter.  The roving groups of marauders who roam the snowy wastes often include an Ægirian or two – with the seas so often frozen, many have turned bandit.  In some cases whole Jarldoms have turned renegade.  Their current king, Hagbarð Isangrim, is said to spend much time in his hall brooding over past battles, too apathetic to reassert control over his wayward vassals.

The numerous thralls taken in battle by the Ægirians form a considerable part of their communities; in many cases thralls who have been freed remain in Ægirian villages, having grown accustomed to life amongst their captors.  Fir Bolg, Southrons, Thules, Skrælings, Hundings, Beormas, Neuri, and many other peoples labour for the Ægirians, though during the desolation of Fimbulvinter many have fled, escaping captivity in the chaos of this slow, cold apocalypse.

Ægirians claim to have Jötunn blood, and their great height and tendency to brawny muscularity corroborates this boast.  By turns mirthful and cruel, light-hearted and vicious, the Ægirians are mostly fair-haired or brown-haired, with pale eyes of green and blue and slate grey, the colours of the sea.  They favour war-hammers, heavy axes, and (for those of sufficient status) swords of various types.  The strength of their greatest warriors is the stuff of legend, and many berserkers can be found amongst them, a manifestation of what they call their "giant's temper."

Gyllirings

The Golden People, named for king Gyllir Greatmane, inhabit the great plains of Vigrith, where (it is said) the final battle at Ragnarök will occur.  Often called the Horse-Masters, the Gyllirings are a tribe of herdsmen and farmers widely famed as the best horsemen in the North, if not all of Midgard; few foes can stand against an onslaught of their cavalry.  As breeders and traders they became a wealthy tribe from the sale of their beasts.  During Fimbulvinter hundreds of Gylliring horses have died of famine and exposure, and hundreds more have been butchered for meat to feed the starving populace – without a proper harvest in two years the Gyllirings are suffering intensely, their grain stores growing as meagre as their herds.  The towns and villages of the plain now echo with the panicked neighing of dying beasts, a horrible chorus born on the icy winds that ripple over Vigrith; it is said that the wraiths of these slaughtered steeds haunt the plains at night, returned from the grave as Helhests bent on trampling their killers beneath their demonic hooves.

The Gyllirings are also troubled by packs of enormous wolves from Ironwood, which borders their lands.  Though such beasts have always plagued them, since Fimbulvinter began packs of these monstrous beasts have been growing larger and bolder, attacking horses and people alike.  With an abundance of money but dwindling horse-herds, the current king of the Gyllirings, Geirmund Greatmane, has declared that any man who brings a wolf-pelt to Hófnirhöll, the Hoof-Hall, will be paid good silver for it.  This bounty has attracted swarms of adventurers, hunters, and other travellers to the region, further destabilizing the realm – where such folk appear brawls, feuds, thievery, and all other manner of trouble likewise tends to crop up.  Shanty-towns and rough camps have sprung up across Gylliring lands, crude clusters of hide tents and hastily assembled wooden huts where hunters drink, wench, swap stories, and gamble with their newly acquired silver.

Væringjar

Those Northmen who have ventured into the east to the lands of the Neuri and Beormas, founding the kingdom called Garðaríki, are the Væringjar, a people who also travel frequently to the southeast, even to the very borders of distant Serkland and the great city of Miklagard, which the Southrons call Lygos, Queen of Cities. Indeed, a small group of hardened Væringjar warriors have served as the bodyguards of the Lygosian Emperors for several generations. The Væringjar were once an exceptionally wealthy tribe, having made their riches through the slave-trade and the silver-trade – slaves bought from the Ægirians and Hrafnii are exchanged for eastern silver. Many also deal extensively in furs, silk, amber, honey, and they are skilled boaters or "rothskarlar," controlling most of the rivers between the North and Miklagard, especially around the monster-haunted Midnight Sea. Many others are pirates and raiders; often the distinction between a Væringjar trader and a Væringjar pirate is not entirely clear.

Having interbred with easterners, Væringjar tend to have features some consider exotic, much like the Hrafnii, though Væringjar are sometimes more sallow of complexion. Perhaps the most enterprising of the Northerners, many have fled south during Fimbulvinter, seeking warmer climes where the frost has not yet devastated the land. With most of the rivers now frozen, once-profitable trade-routes have been abandoned, and many Væringjar have been forced to wander the cold eastern lands seeking new opportunities for profit. The Væringjar princes still endure in their distant fortresses – noble descendants of King Rorik, a legendary chieftain and founder of Holmgard.

Many Væringjar wear red, considered a lucky colour for them. Most keep to the old faith of the North and revere the Æsir and the Vanir, but some also honour the strange gods of the east, such as the Black God Chernobog, the smith-god Svarog, and the sky-god Perun, or even the Father, whose worship is common in Miklagard. Væringjar men are renowned for their lustful appetites and many concubines. The Væringjar dialect of North-Speech sounds strange to most Northern ears, peppered with Southron, Neuric, or Bjarmic phrases.

Laithlinders

Though the islands of Ériu and Avalon are mostly inhabited by their own peoples, Northmen have frequently raided such places, and on rare occasions established settlements there. Perhaps the largest of these are the Jarldoms – or Earldoms – of Laithlind. Realm of the Laithlinders, also called Tanglehairs or Weedhairs for the long, wind-blown manes so many of their ilk sport, Laithland is a series of rocky islands north of Avalon in the Sea of Skulls, though a handful of small holdings also cling to the rugged northern coasts of Avalon itself and even on the eastern shore of Ériu. Relatives of the Ægirians, the Laithlinders are a hardy, stalwart people, though generations of interbreeding with the indigenous folk of Arcaibh and Dalriada – Fir Bolg, Cruthii, and Pechts – have made them somewhat shorter than their Ægirian cousins, redder of hair and leaner of limb. They hold the Sea-Gods, the Sækonungar, in especially high esteem, especially Njörðr, god of wind, wave, and fishing. A hard, wind-chapped people scarred by decades of war with hill-tribes, renegade chieftains, and even rampaging Fomoire, twisted giants from under the sea, the Laithlinders were unified under the rule of King Godred, recently slain when his ship vanished during a voyage. Now his two sons, Guthfrith and Guðrum, war over what remains of Laithlind, dividing the kingdom into the Norðreyjar and Suðreyjar.

Laithlinders favour short bows, long-hafted sparðr or pale-axes, and two-handed swords. Most who settled the isles were originally reavers, but as colonies grew many have turned to fishing, brewing, herding, and hunting, often with dogs and falcons. Though most who dwell in the more settled parts of Laithlind no longer go viking as frequently as their forebears, they remain a tough and war-like folk.

Laithlind is a strange and perilous land, a place of rock and salt and stunted trees where shapeshifting Näcken and Bækhesten lure comely maidens and strong youths to watery deaths and sorcerous Finfolk kidnap fisherman, sacrificing them to dark gods and stealing their silver; where hunched Trowe fill the hills and the knowe-tunnels beneath them with their eerie tunes, and hungry, wolf-headed Wulver prowl the highlands; where the dread Stoor Worm swims, demanding virgin maidens lest it devour whole settlements, and slithering Beithirs writhe in flooded caves; where the pestilential Nuckelavee spreads its vile and manifold plagues. During Fimbulvinter, such creatures are becoming more aggressive in their encroachments on Laithlind.

Hrímlanders

Like the Laithlinders, Hrímlanders are island-dwellers, though they make their home on the frozen isle of Thule. Fleeing persecution and the despotic rule of kings, they have founded a curious society in Thule, essentially democratic in nature, organized around an Allthing, an assembly at which local chieftains and Gothi meet to make collective decisions with their Thingmenn with the aid of lawspeakers. Four Farthings of the Commonwealth of Hrímland, each ruled by nine Gothar, are spread throughout Thule. This decentralized system has ensured peace and prosperity for generations, the only conflict being that between the Hrímlanders and the Thules themselves, enigmatic indigenes of the island, skilled sailors, archers, and whalers who harry the Hrímlanders at every turn. Escaped thralls – mostly Pechts and Fir Bolg – also plagued the Northmen, although uprisings were usually suppressed easily. And, of course, a few Northmen who dared venture into the queer ruins within the Moaning Mountains vanished every now and then, or returned mad and gibbering from those strange, rime-crusted halls, thought to be the cities of the Huldufólk, a race of Elves who many believe once dwelt on Thule.

All this has changed during Fimbulvinter. Thule, already cold, is now so barren and wind-swept as to be almost utterly inhospitable. While the days are short throughout the north, Thule has no sunlight at all, only dim twilight, as if the great warg Sköll had already devoured the sun; the ever-present shimmer of the Northern Lights bathes the land with strange colours. The Farthings are at war, chieftains bickering with one another, fighting over food, thralls, and land. Where borders and claims were once respected, now warlords subsume the domains of lesser clans. Ice has made leaving Thule increasingly difficult, and many have died risking the journey; those not killed by storms or mired in ice are often snatched by the Krakens and Lyngbakar breeding in great numbers in the Sea of Skulls. Thules and voracious Marmennill raid the Hrímlander settlements with increasing frequency, the former using strange magic to summon patchwork monsters known as Tupilak to aid in their assaults, the latter charming sea-serpents and other creatures to fight for them.

Hrímlanders usually have brown or blonde hair and are generally considered a fair people. Most keep to the old faith but some of the chieftains have turned to worship of the Father; indeed, before the Hrímlanders came to Thule a handful of Fathermen dwelt in a monastery on the coast, and taught their beliefs to some of the first colonists. Many Hrímlanders have a particular reverence for local spirits and Vӕttir, worshipping them as devoutly as the do the Gods. Like many Northmen, they keep thralls in considerable numbers.

Vinlanders

Those few Northmen who have ventured across the oceans to the west to far-off Vinland are generally known as Vinlanders, though they come from many different tribes – mostly Laithlinders, Ægirians, Görnings, and Hrímlanders. Many were originally exiles from the North, outlaws and desperate men banished from their homelands, cast into the uttermost west; others are daring explorers driven by wanderlust. Together these colonists carved out a life for themselves – hunting caribou, growing barley, and wine-making. During Fimbulvinter, however the caribou have mostly been devoured by wolves, the crops are failing, and the grape-vines bear no fruit. Famine in Vinland is even more extreme than it is in the North, and now most of the settlements that once dotted the shores of these lands are abandoned, their residents dead or fled. Many are now returning as best they can, braving the frigid seas in longships packed with Skræling thralls and possessions – sometimes passing vessels from the North fruitlessly hoping to find warmer lands to the west.

Those few who remain in Vinland face many perils. Skræling tribes in the region war with one another and with the Northmen, some possessed by cannibal spirits known a Wendigo, others known as Skin-Walkers assuming the shapes of beasts by using their hides. Most Vinlanders who remain in their adopted homeland subsist almost entirely on salmon and those few provisions they have managed to preserve, along with quantities of wine once bound for the North. Cannibalism of necessity has become widespread, as with the Blóðbards; it is said, also, that as few families remain, prohibitions against the marriage of brother and sister have been abandoned in Vinland, resulting in children cursed by the gods with deformities. Because of their frequently criminal origins, Vinlanders are generally thought of as untrustworthy and cruel, and as drunkards, though the same can be same of many Northmen during these dark days before Ragnarök.

Frakklanders

Descendents of Northmen who conquered the Southron realm of Gallia, Frakklanders are not always considered "true" Northmen; like the Austrogoths, many have forsaken the old gods and embraced worship of the Father and His Saints, most have abandoned North-Speech in favour of a dialect of the Southron tongue, and they have interbred extensively with the Galli they conquered. Under the leadership of Queen Wilhelmina the Vanquisher, the Frakklanders achieved several victories in southern Avalon, just before the onset of Fimbulvinter. Renowned for their piety, their cunning, and their military innovations, Frakklanders are a strange mixture of fervent devotion and pragmatic ruthlessness. Their brutality and efficiency are legendary, and they display a love of fighting rivalled only by the battle-lust of the Ægirians. Many Frakklanders joined the Winter Crusade, a military campaign to retake certain sacred places in lands to the distant east.

The Frakklanders have abandoned many customs of the North; in lieu of chieftains, villages, Gothi, and Jarls, they have adopted a feudal system of vassalage and manors in which knights swear their allegiance and pledge military service to lords in exchange for fiefdoms. They no longer keep thralls, but serfs tied to the land of their lords fulfill much the same role. Frakklanders favour crossbows, flails, maces, swords, and lances, as well as heavy shields and scale mail. Though many have the fair hair of Northmen, others have the darker colouration of Southrons.

Now that eternal winter grips the land, the conquests of the Frakklanders are slipping. Colonies gained in Avalon and elsewhere have been overtaken by rebels, and in Frakkland itself lords fight one another in defiance of their King while knights forsake their oaths, turning to banditry and plunder. Like Astrogothaland to the east, Frakkland has experienced great religious turmoil, some doom-saying clergymen leading peasant mobs in pillage while bishops call for a new crusade back into the North to "purge" the land of its pagan inhabitants, whose heathenism, they claim, has brought the current disaster upon the world.

Super cool! So, where is Gandvik in relation to the Blóðbard lands? I'm guessing quite a way off. I'm trying to think of the narrative of Ragnvaldr's capture before the game started - where he was and what he was doing. We started the first session kind of halfway between Skrikborg and Wulfheim, right? Where were our captors taking us?

The northern bit of Gandvik is the body of water just visible at the bottom of the Blóðlands map. The Ægirians dwell mostly on the western and southern shores.

I basically imagine the Ægirians as closest to the Danes, the Görnings to Norweigians, the Járnmenn to Geats, the Blóðbards and Hrafnii to Swedes, the Kvenlanders to Finns, the Austrogoths to Ostrogoths, the Gyllrings to... OK, the Gyrllings are just Rohan.

You started somewhere northeast of Skrikborg. You're not totally sure where your captors were taking you - likely Drekaborg, though.

Hmm. Well, I guess one idea is that for some reason Ragnvaldr had sailed up the Hring River and past Amsvartnr Lake before being set upon by Blóðbards. What could be a good reason to make that journey, though? Is the river used for trade much? Maybe he and the rest of the crew he was sailing with had a load of loot from a recent raid and for some reason thought they could get a better price for it at Skrikborg than back in Ægirian territory, but when they got there the Blóðbards just siezed their cargo and carted Ragnvaldr and his comrades off into captivity... Perhaps there was even a Blóðbard on the crew, and it was him that suggested going to Skrikborg, having been away from his homeland since long before the corruption of his kin and not having realised how bad things had become under Ivar's rule.

Could be a few things. The rivers are certainly used for trade, so that could work. The Blóðbards also go raiding in neighbouring lands, so he could have been taken prisoner elsewhere - or even captured by a different group entirely and sold to the Blóðbards. Or he could have been shipwrecked on the coast of Ganvdik or the Sea of Skulls and found by the Blóðbards. The Ægirians are one of the most adventurous tribes so it wouldn't be unusual at all to find them roaming far from their lands, especially by ship.

In memoriam of Katla, some of her more memorable kills (all narrated by Ghostman):

Katla's Kills

[ic=Ingjuld One-Eye]"I would have it no other way, whelp of a sea-troll!" Katla musters her last ounces of strength to heave her sword up, bringing it down in a mighty arc to behead the Blóðbard.

Dagny winces again, though this time it is more exaggerated and not actually concerned. "Aaaannd boom goes the alchemical powder."

Ingjuld's head drops from the spurting stump of his neck and rolls towards his own men.[/ic]

[ic=Dark Elf]Katla drops her bow and draws her sword with a lightning-swift motion, slashing at her attacker. Her cut proves too quick for the Dökkálf to evade, as the blade connects with its neck in a blink of an eye. For a moment the creature just stands still, an incredulous look on its face - then its head slumps, left hanging by a strip of flesh from the blood-springing stump of a neck, even as it's body collapses on the ground.[/ic]

[ic=Another Dark Elf] Katla circles her opponent, crouched low, looking for an opening. She roars and plunges at the Elf with increased ferocity. She darts forward to strike the Elf, who tries in vain to swat her attack aside, but ends up with the flaming short sword thrust from under its chin through the back of its skull. The creature's head lights up like a lantern, flames shooting out of its ears and eye-sockets.[/ic]

[ic=Aptrgangr] Katla easily pulls back the string of her great heavy bow, her muscles bulging. She takes aim at the Aptrgangr that Andreas just dismembered, and lets the arrow fly with a sharp twang. Her arrow lands on the forehead of the again-walker, embedding into its skull with a meaty thwack. The unnatural vigour in the creature's eyes dims and vanishes as its body falls limp to the ground.[/ic]

[ic=Wild Hunter]Katla grunts and spits blood, nearly overwhelmed by the terrible wound. She gives herself completely to the feral berserk rush, carrying on fighting, her only concern to slay her opponent before the Valkyries arrive to fetch her soul. She smites the rider with a ferocious blow. Katla cuts the figure before her diagonally across his chest, drawing a bursting spray of blood. The rider staggers back on pain and Katla pulls out her sword, spinning round on her heels to deliver another strike that slashes the man's face, cutting it in half. The figure stands and wobbles on its feet for a heartbeat before it collapses, staining the snow in blood and gore.[/ic]

[ic=Another Aptrgangr] Katla steps toward the closest standing cadaver, crouching behind her shield and striking a low cut with her sword, its blade now alight with flames hungry for revenant flesh. Her devious cut takes the foe by surprise, slicing open its gut. But instead of retracting the blade, Katla twists it and continues to cut in an upward direction, slashing up across the creature's chest all the way to its neck, her blade driven through ribs with seeming ease by her phenomenally boosted strength.[/ic]

[ic=Hrfanii]Katla continues her assault, pressing hard on the man she's already wounded. She sidesteps the Hrafnii's panicked sword-thrust and smites him in the face with her shield, following up with a deft upward stab at his underbelly, her blade piercing his vitals.[/ic]

[ic=Marauder]Katla swings at the foe with Styrkr. She catches the man by surprise, the momentum of her charge driving the sword through the side of his face, cleaving a horrible wound that nearly cuts off his jaw. The man grabs his head frantically as blood gushes out. He falls onto the snow, gurgling with his dying breath.[/ic]

So, while it's unlikely that I'd ever be able to make it...could I have the link to the doodle, just in case?

I have to make a new one soon actually - I'll get that up soon.

New doodle (http://doodle.com/3nqa3aa6v5hrzxuu).

Wow, I actually might be able to make some of these! What time zone?

EDIT: Also, do I need to update Sjack? And what level etc should I use if so?

Timezone is PST.

You can certainly update Sjack. He should be at level 3.5 (that is, level 3, halfway to fourth level) using Slow progression. You get 500 gp to spend on the character although you can keep any special equipment or quest rewards you'd received on top of that.

If you do decide to return as Sjack or make a new character you can post the sheet here. (http://www.thecbg.org/index.php/topic,210157.0.html)

Alright, thanks!

Gonna work on update Sjack soon. I signed up for the times that work for me, which was more than I expected! I will say that the times that end at 6PST, if I join for one of those, will have to be a pretty strict time limit for me: I have to leave my place for work at 4:30 CST, so will need to hop off right around 4 CST/6 PST to get ready for work.

Great! We actually almost never play at that time, as for the European/UK players it's very late indeed.

I'd ruled that Sjack had departed Wulfheim and headed west, but there are lots of reasons he might have returned. Feel free to come up with one yourself, but I can supply you with one if you'd prefer.

Just stumbled across some awesome reenactment photos and thought I would share:
[spoiler=Large images]
(http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2013/005/e/b/xviii_festival_wolin_2012_pt_gallery_20_photo_01_by_wikingowie-d5qi6wi.jpg)
(http://fc04.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2011/334/8/5/wolin_festival_2011_gallery_15_photo_21_by_wikingowie-d4htlfd.jpg)
(http://fc06.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2013/253/5/f/battle_of_wolin_by_wirikos-d6lsc7u.jpg)
(http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2011/205/7/3/vikings_in_wolin_2_by_wirikos-d41imbh.jpg)
[/spoiler]

Quote from: Steerpike
Great! We actually almost never play at that time, as for the European/UK players it's very late indeed.

I'd ruled that Sjack had departed Wulfheim and headed west, but there are lots of reasons he might have returned. Feel free to come up with one yourself, but I can supply you with one if you'd prefer.

I'll have to think about it and read up - it's been a very long time since I delved into the world of Fimbulvinter, need to refresh myself! Could I ask what you have in mind? :)

I hate to rain on the parade of potential Xathan availability, but I think you've done the time conversion backwards. 4 CST is 2 PST.

Quote from: sparkletwist
I hate to rain on the parade of potential Xathan availability, but I think you've done the time conversion backwards. 4 CST is 2 PST.

Oh...derp, I did do that backwards. Lemme recheck the doodle and make sure my availability still works.

EDIT: I was all kinds of wrong on my availability. Switched it around.

For the noon-3 (which is 2-5 for me, and I'm restating it to make sure I didn't derp again) I can do it, I'll just make sure I get ready for work before hand but would have to cut out at 4:30 CST / 2:30 PST.

Thanks for catching that sparkletwist.

Nice photos Kindling.

For all its deficits, Vikings actually does a pretty decent job at the battles from a historical perspective (clip (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZs2a1DN9bQ)). Shield walls are very important and a lot of the fight is a sort of shoving back-and-forth while using long-hafted weapons.

I enjoyed Vikings until they got to England. Their depiction of Anglo-Saxons made me stop watching. Well, I say their depiction - mainly just the silly helmets they had them wearing.

A friend of mine swears by Vikings - how is it

Aside: I'm having a hell of a time finding a photo of a beadless norseman to fit Sjack. Must keep looking. :P

Also, reposting because I'm compulsive and page jump happened.

------------

Quote from: Steerpike
Great! We actually almost never play at that time, as for the European/UK players it's very late indeed.

I'd ruled that Sjack had departed Wulfheim and headed west, but there are lots of reasons he might have returned. Feel free to come up with one yourself, but I can supply you with one if you'd prefer.

I'll have to think about it and read up - it's been a very long time since I delved into the world of Fimbulvinter, need to refresh myself! Could I ask what you have in mind? :)

-------

Hey Xathan, if you're playing on Saturday perhaps Sjack could be traveling with my new PC? They could have met on the road by chance and, being already on their way in the same direction, decided to team up to increase their chances of survival.

Quote from: Ghostman
Hey Xathan, if you're playing on Saturday perhaps Sjack could be traveling with my new PC? They could have met on the road by chance and, being already on their way in the same direction, decided to team up to increase their chances of survival.

Oh, I like that idea! Unfortunately, Saturday is 100% booked for me, pretty much every week for the forseeable future - I have my Marvel game in the morning and the Space Opera in the afternoon, so I'm pretty much booked from 10AM-10PM. :P

EDIT:

Steerpike, a couple quick questions:

A) I can't remember what your ruling was: As a synthesist, can I take feats that require natural weapons/armor, since I have them when I'm shifted but it's not all the time?

B) It seems my sheet where I kept track of items Sjack found and XP he earned was lost when my hard drive caught on fire (that is not hyperbole). Would you happen to have that if I can't find it? (If not, no big deal, I'll try to piece some of it together from the logs) And assuming we can re-create it, would the XP already earned be rolled up into the half a level I have, or added on top of it?

For your questions Xathan:

A) Yes, I'll allow it. There seems to be some debate about this but I think it's fine unless anyone can give me a compelling reason why not. The feats won't function when you're not shifted, but assuming that's OK I don't see why it'd be a problem.

B) The copy earlier in the thread that I think you reposted is all I have; if there's a more recent copy I unfortunately don't have it, but if it turns up I'll let you know.

For XP, just go for 3.5, don't worry about other XP - for one 3.5 should be higher, and for another we sort of reset when we rebooted the game.

Quote from: Steerpike
For your questions Xathan:

A) Yes, I'll allow it. There seems to be some debate about this but I think it's fine unless anyone can give me a compelling reason why not. The feats won't function when you're not shifted, but assuming that's OK I don't see why it'd be a problem.

I assumed that would be the case. Cool, thanks!

QuoteB) The copy earlier in the thread that I think you reposted is all I have; if there's a more recent copy I unfortunately don't have it, but if it turns up I'll let you know.

For XP, just go for 3.5, don't worry about other XP - for one 3.5 should be higher, and for another we sort of reset when we rebooted the game.

Awesome, that's what I needed to know. Appreciate it!

Just confirming, I'll be online at round 10 tomorrow for those that want to play. Cheers!

Quote from: SteerpikeJust confirming, I'll be online at round 10 tomorrow for those that want to play. Cheers!

I have an appointment that theoretically ends at 10, so at best I won't be here until 10:30 or so.  Ordinarily that wouldn't matter, but since the party is currently visiting Maddji, who only knows Kylfa, it might be sort of weird if I'm not there.

I guess what I'm saying is that it might be nice to have a slight delay.  This isn't something I'd normally request because the whole ethos of this game is "get there when/if you can" but in this specific instance it might be a good idea.

Edit:

Quote from: SteerpikeA) Yes, I'll allow it. There seems to be some debate about this but I think it's fine unless anyone can give me a compelling reason why not. The feats won't function when you're not shifted, but assuming that's OK I don't see why it'd be a problem.

Since I've been using Weapon Focus: Claws from day one, I certainly hope this is okay.  Otherwise Sjack isn't the only one who would need a rework!

Sure, 10:30 works fine - and it does make sense for Kylfa to be very "present," yes. It might be a slightly shorter session, but as the last have run a little long that's OK by me.

The thing I had has been cancelled, because when the weather goes below freezing everyone in Texas loses their minds.  I no longer need a delay.

Posted my character stats.

1200 xp for this last session.

Regarding my availability for IRC games on Thursdays, I've left those slots unchecked on the doodle, but it is possible that I may be able to play on the 9 to 15 times. I can't really tell far in advance whether any given Thursday would work, though.

Added Frakklanders to the Tribes of the North on page 37 of the thread.

I predict once the Blóðbards are dealt with, our next major human enemies will be a Frakklander/Austrogoth crusade to turn the North to Father-worship by the sword - they probably believe the Fimbulvinter is the Father's wrath at the existence of so many pagan Northmen, and their only chance at saving the world is to kill or convert every heathen they can get their hands on.

*Whistles innocently.*

It kinda depends what direction you go, but that's definitely a possibility. If you headed east instead you might run into these fellows (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2d/Hunnen.jpg). And if Maddji is to be believed Kvenland is currently being attacked by these dudes (http://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/dungeonsdragons/images/1/1f/Frost_Giant_by_boudicca.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20100322005752).

Looks like Tuesday the 10th would be a good day for a session. Saturday the 7th might also work but I'll have to see how much I get done this week before I can commit.

If it's Tuesday and fits my availability, I'll totally be there!

Either is fine for me.

As usual, I can't make any Tuesday session before 1 pm PST.

I can make Saturday. I cannot make Tuesday unless it's after 3 EST.

I can't commit to anything at this point so I'll let you guys sort it out and I'll make it if I can. :)

Let's aim for Tuesday the 10th starting at around 1. Not ideal for everyone but I think that means that at least 4 players can be there for at least a couple of hours.

I'll be there at 1 PST, will just only be able to play for about an hour and half. :)

I will be there, with the only limit to my playing time being my tiredness levels. Is the plan still to spend the session drowning our sorrows? lol

I should be able to play then also. Although Hróar does not share your sorrows he'll gladly drown in mead with you, especially if you're buying!

I think I can actually make that one!!

Updates Sjack, just in time. :)

People in the rest of the world might not be aware that the US and Canada set their clocks ahead an hour last weekend, so it's probably a good idea to double check the time. It probably would've been better to mention this sooner but I didn't think of it, and I guess nobody else did either.

Yeah, I totally forgot about Daylight's Savings. Stupid archaic ritual.

1200 xp each for this last session.

For those not present, the party may have found a headquarters of sorts - a large longhouse and outbuildings. There's some uncertainty as to whether they'll actually accept it, though, as it comes with the expectation of service to Wulfheim as its formal guardians (members of the Jarl's Hird) at least so long as you lived there. While this wouldn't limit your movements or cramp your style much, it would entail a formal, legal obligation to defend the settlement in the event of attack, and to generally help keep the peace. It wouldn't make you the Jarl's underling/henchmen per se, but it would make you a part of his extended household. Dagny has recently become Court Rune-Caller/Völva, which carries somewhat similar obligations in some ways.

Quote from: Steerpike
1200 xp each for this last session.

For those not present, the party may have found a headquarters of sorts - a large longhouse and outbuildings. There's some uncertainty as to whether they'll actually accept it, though, as it comes with the expectation of service to Wulfheim as its formal guardians (members of the Jarl's Hird) at least so long as you lived there.

Man, can't wait to read the logs to see how the rest of it played out! Was a ton of fun playing again, hope to get to do so next time!

Question: since I had to go halfway through the session, do I get full xp or partial?

Full XP. Thanks for coming out Xathan!

Would it be cool to say that Ragnvaldr gets up early the next morning and goes down to the market? That way we don't have to waste play-time with boring errands. He wants to sell his heavy wooden shield (I never end up using it), masterwork spear, and light riding horse. How much would he got for those?

I was pretty surprised that the jarl's offer extended to Hróar, seeing as he's someone who just recently showed up in Wulfheim - and a trollblood, no less. Guess they must be really desperate for manpower in the face of the Blódbards and the aptrgangar horde. Or maybe the jarl really is getting old and demented?

Basically he's just figured that if your companions trust you, you should be OK - and also that since you helped take the place from Thordis, you're due the same reward as the others. But Dagny definitely doesn't trust Hroar yet, so unless/until Hroar can convince her he's not a psychopath I think the longhouse is probably out of Hroar's reach for now. Maybe if he helps with the Heblot though.

Quote from: KindlingWould it be cool to say that Ragnvaldr gets up early the next morning and goes down to the market? That way we don't have to waste play-time with boring errands. He wants to sell his heavy wooden shield (I never end up using it), masterwork spear, and light riding horse. How much would he got for those?

No trouble at all. He could also retrain his Weapon Focus.

EDIT: You'd get 193 gp and 5 sp from sale of those items.

Reading up on viking marriage, came across this gem: "The couple would continue to formally drink mead together for a full four weeks"

That's a lot of mead. Ragnvaldr and Dagny are gonna be wasted. For a long time. Good luck guys, we'd like to help save the world but... can't really walk in a straight line right now.

Quote from: KindlingThat's a lot of mead. Ragnvaldr and Dagny are gonna be wasted. For a long time. Good luck guys, we'd like to help save the world but... can't really walk in a straight line right now.

Considering the last session, I'm not sure this changes anything for Dagny :P

Clearly Dagny has discovered that the Ballmer Peak (http://xkcd.com/323/) applies to spellcasting ability as well.

When are we thinking of having the next session?

Not sure, to be honest. I've been plunged into a bit of a busy period in my work/study life. But I'll look into it soon. I have the log from last time mostly edited and should have that up soon as well.

Do you guys have any plans for what's next? Troll-town? The Wulfgar Barrow?

No pressure Steerpike, I just wondered! Real life comes first, obviously :P

I think I seem to remember Kylfa being keen to head to the Thrivaldii village straight away at the end of last session, but personally I don't mind too much what we do next. The barrow is kind of important to Ragnvaldr because he would like to get Katla interred there, but it needn't be a huge rush I suppose.

Dagny wants to go back to Troll-town. (Well, she doesn't actually want to, but it's probably important that we do so)

How would the 2nd or 3rd of April work for people?

I could do that, with the same "must stop at 430 pm CST" I typically have.

Cool. I'd like to give you a chance to play a full session - could anyone else could do an earlier session on one of those two days?

Should work for me, and earlier is usually doable for me because of time zones and so on.

Either day would be ok for me.

Great! Let's go for Thursday the 2nd. Maybe starting round 10 AM PST?

Works for me! Thanks for doing it earlier for me. :)

At the moment, I don't see any reason why I shouldn't be able to make that.

Just a friendly reminder to those interested that we're havng a session tomorrow starting at around 10AM PST.

Is there an XP award for last session?

Yes! Of course.

Since a major quest got resolved, everyone who participated receives 2160 xp.

The subject of houserules came up in the Called Shots thread I started. As I said in that thread, I was initially a bit hesitant to houserule PF too heavily for Fimbulvinter when I relaunched it as I really wasn't sure how long it would last. But now that it seems to have some staying power, I'm a little more open minded. I'd be happy to take suggestions, with the caveat that I still see Fimbulvinter as aiming for the following ethos:

- Quite gritty, low-level combat, not the wuxia-style/epic/superpowered D&D associated with higher level play
- A certain level of brutality is expected; that is, I do not want to make combat "cushier" for either PCs or NPCs
- Pathfinder combats are already quite long (or can be anyway), so houserules shouldn't make them appreciably longer or more difficult to get through

Elements I'm happy with and don't really want to change include the E8 level cap, slow XP progression, and the modifications we made to Combat Manuevre feats, though the latter might further be tweaked if we decided on other alterations to combat manuevres.

I'll post more thoughts soon.

Not that I might be around for the next session or 2, but I'd be very happy to playtest any house rules you fancy trying out :)

EDIT: A rule from another system that I read about a while ago, which stuck with me even though I forget the system, and could easily be ported to a d20 type game - everyone gets a to-hit bonus equal to amount of rounds elapsed so far in the combat. So it would be like surprise round and first round no bonus, second round +1, third round +2, etc. Could keep combats quick and deadly, stop things bogging down into slugging matches if the chance of hitting/getting hit keeps increasing the longer the fight goes on. Just a thought though, maybe in practice it wouldn't be that beneficial or fun, and it would mean always keeping track of what round you were on which could be a bit of a chore... I mean I don't feel like the Fimbulvinter combats do get too grindy anyway, but I thought it was an interesting idea.

That is an interesting idea! It makes sense, too - after a little fighting people get fatigued. I agree that most Fimbulvinter combats aren't that bad, although a few have dragged and generally I'm in favour of things that speed up combat; slow combat is definitely the big weakness of 3.5/Pathfinder for me, even more than class balance issues and bloat.

Quote from: Steerpikeslow combat is definitely the big weakness of 3.5/Pathfinder for me, even more than class balance issues and bloat.

I agree with this statement, but I don't think giving everyone an increasing bonus would solve anything. Most Pathfinder combats are (in my opinion, anyway) over in a reasonable number of rounds, and all this fix does is decrease the average number of rounds. I think the real slowness in Pathfinder combat is how long each round takes.

Sparkletwist is right.  None of our combats so far have taken an inordinate number of rounds.  Heck, the last time we fought a dragon it was like a 2-3 round fight.  d20 combat can turn into a long series of rounds when there are relatively few combatants and all keep rolling low and hitting air, but with a decent-sized party this rarely happens.

While combat probably does take too long, I blame the medium more than the system.  IRC is a ponderous method of communication.  Most of the waiting period during a combat session, as far as I can tell, is watching the screen waiting for the next person to roll/post.  Unless you want to start running the game with VoIP I don't think there's a solution for that, it just sort of comes with the territory of IRC gaming.

I've toyed with the idea of VoIP, but must admit I rather like the text-based system, especially since it allows for the logs. Text feels more like it's own medium, whereas VoIP would feel strangely more like an imperfect version of RL tabletop gaming. I certainly wouldn't be opposed to trying VoIP, just maybe not for Fimbulvinter.

I have thought occasionally about writing up a set of best practices for IRC gaming and getting other members to contribute. I wouldn't want to become pompous about it, but I think I have a fair bit of experience with IRC in several roles now, and a lot of you guys do to. I'm thinking of things like tips to speed up combat (copy/pasting rolls, simultaneous rolls). I've been thinking of trying to implement a few other ones too, like rolling for Initiative at the start of every session to get it out of the way (you log in, you roll Init, that's your character's Init today).

I wasn't really arguing for changing the way we do things so much as making the point that IRC has certain issues that simply come with the territory.  In my limited experience it seems like relatively slow gaming, both in and out of combat, is one of those issues.

One thing I dislike about our IRC games is that I don't have any ability to see if anyone is currently typing, but I'm not sure whether that's because of IRC or if it's my specific client (Trillian) that doesn't support that.  It makes it a little less alienating when I actually know someone is doing something, as opposed to staring at the window wondering if everyone is in the kitchen making a sandwich.

Quote from: PolycarpOne thing I dislike about our IRC games is that I don't have any ability to see if anyone is currently typing, but I'm not sure whether that's because of IRC or if it's my specific client (Trillian) that doesn't support that.

That's client-specific. The site IRC does show when people are typing, so you might want to give it a try. I use mIRC because of the log function, but this annoys me as well.

The IRC protocol doesn't include any support for a typing indicator, as it was designed long before such a thing would've been at all efficient to include. Clients connected through mibbit (the service used by this site) include one because they all connect to mibbit first, so mibbit itself handles that.

Quote from: Steerpike
I have thought occasionally about writing up a set of best practices for IRC gaming and getting other members to contribute. I wouldn't want to become pompous about it, but I think I have a fair bit of experience with IRC in several roles now, and a lot of you guys do to. I'm thinking of things like tips to speed up combat (copy/pasting rolls, simultaneous rolls). I've been thinking of trying to implement a few other ones too, like rolling for Initiative at the start of every session to get it out of the way (you log in, you roll Init, that's your character's Init today).

This might ease things a little bit, but as long as you're using a game system designed for tabletop there's only so much you can squeeze out by hacking it. IRC gaming would benefit more from a system specifically made with the limitations of the medium in mind.

So, when are we gonna fimbul some more vinters?

I've been mired in work and conferences at the moment and will be for another week or so. How would the 25th or 26th work for people?

My schedule is going to be a bit more full these days, but I should still be able to find a bit of time here and there.

25th is good, 26th less so but still doable.

25th is probably out for me, but the 26th could work.

I think I could make either day.

Okay, it actually could turn out that the 26th is better for me now, although I couldn't be up too late.

26th it is! Sparkletwist, would you be available that day? And of course anyone else is welcome!

I'm assuming we're doing Katla's funeral, btw...

Quote from: SteerpikeSparkletwist, would you be available that day?

Probably. Depends on when. I could do about 1pm CDT (11am PDT) no problem, or later in the evening, but middle of the day North American time seems like it'd work better for Kindling and Ghostman.

Quote from: SteerpikeI'm assuming we're doing Katla's funeral, btw...

That works. I'm also assuming there might finally be a bit of downtime so Dagny can do some of the crafting she was planning to.

Downtime is certainly viable. Some of it can always happen off-screen, although the crafting itself would be cool to see.

Kindling, Ghostman, would you guys be able to swing 11 AM PDT?

Perfecto

That'd be a good time.

Great, let's make that the time for now, if there are no objections.

We're on for tomorrow, right?

There's a small chance I might be a bit late. Please don't feel obligated to wait for me; I'll certainly do my best to show up as soon as I can.

Yep, on for tomorrow!

So, a HUGE session for xp. Dagny accomplished a goal she'd been leading up to for many sessions. Also the party survived an avalanche and dissipated the Myling for awhile again (it's the same one as before, by the way, in case that was unclear) and investigated the barrow. For this session those that participated get 3200 xp.

Sorry to have missed this, sudden illness caused it totally slip my mind. :( Sounds like everyone had fun though!

No worries Xathan, if you want to slither into the next one feel free. Hope you're feeling better!

So Ragnvaldr's level 5 now. Average power attack damage with Dagnöskur is now 20.5, and that's with +12 to hit. I feel like I'm doing something wrong, I thought fighters were meant to be underpowered...

They get increasingly underpoweredcompared to spellcasters about 5-10 levels from now - which is one of the reasons I envisioned the game as E8 from the start.

It's been great seeing your characters all mature.

I'm sure everyone's been busy - I know I certainly have - but it did cross my mind the other day that we left off mid-adventure last session... any thoughts on when might be a good time to continue?

I should be available to play once August rolls round.

Me too!

I'm up for continuing where we left off.

Would you guys be available next Monday (the 10th)?

Theoretically, yes

Yes, after about 4pm BST (not that you'd probably be wanting to play earlier than that, given the time difference!)

That date could work if it doesn't start too late.

How about around 9am PDT (which I think works out to 5pm BST)?

Quote from: SteerpikeHow about around 9am PDT (which I think works out to 5pm BST)?

That's probably much too early for me.

Ghostman, what would you say is the latest you could do, realistically?

I'll probably just make a doodle  :-/

I'll prolly have to quit before 3pm or so. So that's about a six-hour range to work with.

I'll join if I can!
I second making a Doodle.

Doodle (http://doodle.com/u9n6kx3b28gm2uik).

Just to make sure, the Doodle time is PDT, right?

That's right, yeah.

Rats - so suddenly this Monday doesn't work for me after all. Next Monday (the 17th) would, though - is everyone available at the same times?

Not available on the 17th I'm afraid, sorry.

It's marginally better for me, though as a general principle later is better for me on weekdays.

Rats, Kindling... How about the 18th?

18th should be doable, yes :)

I'm OK with the 18th, same times.

I can do the 18th also, but I might need to leave early if we start later in the afternoon. I'm not totally sure when, because it's kind of up in the air right now, but it could be as early as 3pm PDT. I can start a bit earlier on the 18th if everyone else can, for what that's worth.

Any time should be good for me on the 18th, but as usual the earlier the better because of those pesky time zones.

Let's try the 18th at noon PDT. I know this might preclude Polycarp from playing although he's noted to me that Kylfa probably isn't super-crucial to this adventure, and if he can join in later than all the better.

I will definitely not make this, and I won't arrive late either unless the session happens to run for six hours.  Sorry, it's just right in the middle of the workday for me.

Yeah I totally get it... Polycarp, how are your weekends these days?

Pretty good.

So... did that game on the 18th happen?  Was it good?  Are we planning another?

We did play - can't speak for the others I defintiely enjoyed it!

I'm editing the log and should have it up soonish, but highlights included:

- Massive amounts of treasure and more magic items in one session than the party has seen probably in the whole game so far (including an enchanted bearskin which Kylfa now has, I will fill you in...), a very valuable amulet, Wolfslaying Arrow, the Jarl's ancestor's sword, a Horn of Fog, an echanted falchion from far-off lands, and thousands of gp worth of grave-goods (so much it's difficult to carry all of it).

- Dagny, after killing an undead seeress, became afflicted by a very creepy curse:

"In the name of Hel Half-Dead, Loki's Child,
Howes-Warder, Wolf-Sister, Kin-to-Snakes,
Eljudnir's Keeper, Baldr's Tormentor,
Queen of oathbreakers, murderers, and thieves,
Ruler of the adult'rous and dishonour'd:
May your womb wither, your children die;
May you never sleep in peace or know rest;
May a Mara ride you in your slumber."

- Katla's spirit was contacted so that she got to say farewell (Ghostman got to step in as Katla).

- Several Haugbui were killed, and Dagny & Ragnvaldr were both energy drained.

- The session ended as Brunn chanted the funeral rites for Katla. Despite having killed a few wights, the PCs left most of the graves undisturbed, but they'd opened all of the tombs to loot them. As Brunn's holy chants echoed throughout the barrow it angered the dead, who in Fimbulvinter have become unquiet revenants. As a result, this is currently the map:

(http://s15.postimg.org/42ockecp7/Woops.jpg)

(That's Kylfa down by the entrance...)

Yeah, it's an.. uh... interesting situation.

Quote from: Steerpikea very valuable amulet

If you're talking about the thing Dagny found, I thought you reskinned it as a ring. Or am I thinking of something else?

I'm imagining this as a movie, with occasional cuts from the gang fighting for their lives against the vengeful dead to Kylfa humming contentedly at the entrance.

Quote(including an enchanted bearskin which Kylfa now has, I will fill you in...)

I'm so excited I can hardly... bear it.

No you're right sparkletwist, I was thinking of the amulet but it was in fact the ring!

So, any chance I could get back in on this? I missed Fimbulvinter.

Certainly, you're always welcome! I don't mind players coming and going at all... and we haven't been playing much recently anyway so it's a good time to get back into it.

Any thoughts on when we might have our next game?

I think it'd be good to try a weekend day if people are game, as Polycarp's weekdays are now taken up with work and it'd be good to have him for the next session. How are other players' weekends?

Kinda busy, for me. I can try to make it, though! Saturdays usually work better than Sundays, and afternoons work better than evenings, but relatively late on Sunday would also be an option (albeit not a good one for Ghostman and Kindling, probably)

Weekends are tricky for me, but can try to make work. I work Saturday day, so earliest I could do then is 4 CST. Sunday afternoon is pretty much right out, and I know I'm booked this weekend full up. Beyond that, I can try and flex something in. :)

We certainly don't have to always do weekends or anything - I'd just like to do the next one on a weekend.

I'm going away camping today for a few days and then starting a new job as soon as I get back so really I'll have no idea what my availability is likely to be until some time a couple of weeks from now probably... The joys of the hospitality industry mean it's unlikely that weekends are that great for me, but we'll see.

Weekends would be doable for me.

Would people be available next Saturday, the 10th of October, fairly early in the day PDT?

I should be available then.

Probably.

Unfortunately not. I'd be free on the 11th though if that's of any use.

I'm free on the 10th, but not the 11th. :(

Kindling, sparklewist, does that pattern hold on later weekends?

I'll probably just make a doodle...

Not necessarily, but I'm not 100% sure yet.

A Doodle is a good idea. :)

No Doodle?  :weirdo:

Sorry! Here's one: Doodle (http://doodle.com/poll/45568z8zkekn9uht).

These dates are too far in advance for me to be able to say with certainty, but at the moment all of them are plausible.  I'll post in the doodle when we're a little closer.

Kindling still hasn't doodled yet... Kindling, are you around?
:stick: poke poke!

I can probably make all the times this coming weekend.  I don't really have idea about the next one but I checked everything anyway.  Optimism!

Hi, sorry. I have doodled.

Let's try for this Saturday the 24th at 11 PDT (unless sparkletwist can make 10??).

11 is better for me than 10 actually. I think I got the time difference slightly wrong when I doodled, 11 might actually be the earliest I can do.

11 it is, if everyone is cool with that!

10 would be iffy for me so 11 on the 24th is better for me too. :)

Huge XP for the last two sessions - 6600 XP apiece.

Below is listed the treasure from the barrow - since your characters resolved to camp there they can spend some time investigating its nooks and crannies. This treasure is in addition to any magic items or weapons your characters picked up. Most of it is from the treasure-ship.

gp: 4591 (92 lbs)
ep: 700 (14 lbs)
sp: 15104 (302 lbs)
cp: 14555 (291 lbs)
misc. jewellery: 300 gp (12 lbs)
12 tankards worth 20 gp each (1/2 lb each)
8 drinking horns worth 50 gp each (1 lb each)
Rune-etched torc, ring, and circlet worth 50 gp each (1 lb each)

Of course you may not be able to carry all of these riches away right now.

Quote from: SteerpikeOf course you may not be able to carry all of these riches away right now.

How long was the walk back to Wulfheim?  An ant haul spell will last Kylfa for 10 hours and let him carry up to 520 lbs without any further encumbrance.  If heavy encumbrance is acceptable, he can carry everything you just listed.  :yumm:

It is not that far - like half a day's travel at a reasonably brisk pace. A heavy load is fine but would lengthen the journey a bit. It'd still be manageable in less than a day though - 10 hours should be fine if you don't dally along the way.

Strictly speaking, I think a heavy load isn't any slower than a medium load for overland travel, because the only differences between a medium and heavy load are reduced run speeds (x3 vs. x4), a higher ACP, and a lower max Dex bonus.  There's no difference in base speed between medium and heavy, only between light and medium, and Kylfa (along with some of the other armor-wearers, presumably) is already at medium anyway owing to medium armor.

That said, hiking in snow sucks, and it would probably suck a lot more with 780 lbs on my back even if I was magically empowered to carry that weight without being crushed.

Dagny also could prepare and cast mount as many times as needed to haul the stuff. It just creates a horse (and the necessary gear) but not a cart or anything like that, so we'd have to load it onto the horse's back. Still, with no rider around 200 lbs of loot per horse would be perfectly reasonable, I'd think. We could also combine it with the ant haul thing so the horses could haul the excess and that way Kylfa wouldn't have to mess around with heavy encumbrance.

Yeah, and mount lasts just as long as ant haul.  Furthermore, making a travois (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Travois) is pretty easy (and it works in snow), and creatures can drag 5x their max weight limit.  Putting a heavy load on a (conjured) horse doesn't really matter at all because its base speed (50) is so much higher than ours already.

I'll have Kylfa prepare one instance of Ant Haul for the next day/session.

Items crafted with snow shape harden into "super-hard ice" so we could also craft something out of snow and it'd probably hold up.

Quote from: sparkletwistItems crafted with snow shape harden into "super-hard ice" so we could also craft something out of snow and it'd probably hold up.

I did not know about this spell, and it turns out it's only a 1st level spell for a druid.  Huh.

On an unrelated note, if we get downtime soon I hope Dagny is up for some scribing.  I just learned that you can cooperatively craft scrolls...

Quote from: PolycarpOn an unrelated note, if we get downtime soon I hope Dagny is up for some scribing.  I just learned that you can cooperatively craft scrolls...

If you're talking about Dagny scribing spell scrolls of Druid spells for Kylfa to use later, unfortunately, I think it won't work. Scrolls are explicitly arcane or divine, based on the spellcasting type of the character scribing the scroll, and characters can't use the "wrong" kind. That means any scroll that Dagny scribed would be unusable by Kylfa without a UMD check.

Amusingly enough, that also means Dagny could scribe a scroll that she herself couldn't use, if it involved a spell not on her list. I have this funny mental image of Kylfa grunting out an explanation of something to do with communing with bear spirits and Dagny doing her best to transcribe it in the arcane (pun intended) dialect of Dvergar she uses for scroll-writing... and when she's done, neither of them have any idea what she just wrote down.

Quote from: sparkletwistIf you're talking about Dagny scribing spell scrolls of Druid spells for Kylfa to use later, unfortunately, I think it won't work. Scrolls are explicitly arcane or divine, based on the spellcasting type of the character scribing the scroll, and characters can't use the "wrong" kind. That means any scroll that Dagny scribed would be unusable by Kylfa without a UMD check.

Word of god SKR is that it will absolutely work (http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2opr7&page=2?Magic-Item-Crafting-any-unresolved-questions#99), even with arcane/divine.

As for the type of scroll created, our beloved SKR says it's not a problem either.  To wit (http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2ls4r&page=2?Can-I-scribe-a-scroll-without-knowing-the-spell):

Quote from: SKRNo, they'd [a wizard and cleric] be making a divine scroll of cure light wounds because the wizard is just writing down, in magical-writing-form, the power of the cleric's divine cure light wounds spell. If the wizard and cleric were cooperating to make a scroll of resurrection, you wouldn't think it was an arcane version of the resurrection spell, right? Because no arcane class has resurrection on its spell list and nobody would be able to cast that scroll without using UMD.

Dagny and Kylfa together meet the requirements to create, say, a scroll of cure light wounds - Dagny has the feat, Kylfa has the spell (and both have the skill, though Dagny's is better).  The spell used is a druidic/divine spell of cure light wounds, so the result is likewise a divine scroll of cure light wounds.  The fact that Dagny is an arcane caster is not an issue, nor is the fact that she, not Kylfa, has the scribe scroll feat.  For the purposes of item creation, Dagny is just a contributor fulfilling one of the requirements (namely, the Scribe Scroll feat), and is not privileged as the "creator" of the item.  Only the spell cast determines the scroll type, nothing else.  The result is that Dagny would not be able to use the resulting scroll without UMD even though she had a hand in making it, but Kylfa would be able to use it just fine.

Quote from: SparkletwistI have this funny mental image of Kylfa grunting out an explanation of something to do with communing with bear spirits and Dagny doing her best to transcribe it in the arcane (pun intended) dialect of Dvergar she uses for scroll-writing... and when she's done, neither of them have any idea what she just wrote down.

It's going to be just like this, except Kylfa is going to nod and grunt approvingly over the final product, which makes perfect sense to him, while Dagny wonders what the hell she just wrote. :P

Quote from: SRD (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/scrolls)Arcane spellcasters (wizards, sorcerers, and bards) can only use scrolls containing arcane spells, and divine spellcasters (clerics, druids, paladins, and rangers) can only use scrolls containing divine spells. (The type of scroll a character creates is also determined by his class.)

This is where I got my feeling from. It seems like it's saying arcane casters create arcane scrolls and divine casters create divine scrolls, and that's all there is to it. You say that only the spell cast determines the scroll type but that bit up there seems to suggest that only the scroll writer's class determines the scroll type.

If Steerpike agrees that it works, though, it's not like I'd say no to being able to do more stuff... :grin:

(This is condensed from a chat discussion we're having right now!)

The cooperative crafting/SKR logic basically goes like this:  When two or more spellcasters are crafting together, they are communally "the creator."  The person who happens to have the feat is just fulfilling one requirement; the person with the spell is fulfilling another.  Neither is privileged as "the creator," because all of them are collectively "the creator" as long as they are fulfilling a requirement.  "Having the crafting feat" is a requirement just like "having the spell" or, for something like Boots of Elvenkind, "being an elf."  The only difference between them is that "having the crafting feat" is not a requirement you can ever circumvent by raising the Spellcraft DC, unlike most other requirements.

Anything elsewhere in the rules that refers to the creator of the magic item is thus, in a cooperative situation, referring to the "crafting team" as a whole.

Thus, when the scroll chapter says "the type of scroll a character creates is also determined by his class," in a communal situation "the character" (that is, the creating/crafting character) is actually "the crafting team."  In communal crafting, requirements need only be met by one member of the team, including that one.  Therefore, as long as you have one member of the team who has the correct class, you can make such a scroll.  A Wizard/Sorc team couldn't make a divine scroll, but a Cleric/Wizard team could.  In exactly the same way, a Human/Dwarf team could not make Boots of Elvenkind (at least, not without raising their Spellcraft DC), but a Human/Elf team could, even if the Human was the one with the Craft Wondrous Item feat.

One big reason for the wording issues is that, as far as I'm aware, the cooperative crafting rules are new for Pathfinder, while all that other magic item stuff is largely legacy material from 3rd.  The Pathfinder devs added the cooperative crafting stuff, but did not then go on a thorough examination and revision of all the magic item and crafting text to bring it all into line with their new system.  I'm no big SKR fan or anything, but I take him at his explicit word that the intent of himself and the Paizo design team was to make a cooperative crafting option that allowed, among other things, divine/arcane crafting teams to function.

Having gradually unclenched over Pathinder RAW, I'm fine with just not worrying about the arcane/divine distinction for scroll crafting and cooperative crafting generally. Go for it.

One interesting little trick completely removing the divide allows is that a wizard and a cleric/druid/whatever can work together to scribe a scroll of a spell that is on both of their lists-- which the divine caster just gets, because they just get all their spells-- and then the wizard can learn the spell from the scroll. It's kind of roundabout and costs gp and time so it's not like it's a game-winning exploit, but I'm not sure if you intended it as an outcome.

I'm fine with it.  :)

Sounds like research to me.

Quote from: sparkletwistOne interesting little trick completely removing the divide allows is that a wizard and a cleric/druid/whatever can work together to scribe a scroll of a spell that is on both of their lists-- which the divine caster just gets, because they just get all their spells-- and then the wizard can learn the spell from the scroll. It's kind of roundabout and costs gp and time so it's not like it's a game-winning exploit, but I'm not sure if you intended it as an outcome.

If it's true that a wizard can copy a divine scroll of bull's strength into her spellbook, then even without cooperative crafting, Kylfa could take the Scribe Scroll feat, create a scroll, and hand it to Dagny for her to copy into her spellbook as an arcane spell of bull's strength.  The only difference cooperative crafting brings to the table is that Kylfa can now create that scroll without having to take the feat, because Dagny is providing it as part of the "team."  Either way, cooperative or not, a divine scroll is being produced.

The point is, I think that "trick" already existed; it's not really an outcome produced by cooperative crafting.