Time Waits For No Man

Devotees of Yhidothrus

Today we fall much lower than the Empyreal Lords. We’ve seen as deities for the last few weeks, and brought you one of the lords of chaos, the Demon Lord Yhidothrus. This week’s randomly rolled character the gnome, Jertzal is a follower of the lord of age, time, and worms. We know that many of his follower flock to him out of fear of growing old and dying, many even becoming undead. But who truly are his devotees?

As always, let us imagine we are sitting at our theoretical gaming table. Our imaginary GM sets out the rules for the game we will play. In this game, we are to make a follower Yhidothrus. The character does not need to be a divine caster, just a devotee of the Demon Lord. What character do you make?

For more information on Yhidothrus

Yhidothrus’ Pathfinder Wiki Page 

Yhidothrus’ Archives of Nethys Page 

The Weathered Skull

Although many think of sects as those who work together for a common goal, groups of demon worshipers are rarely that cohesive. The search for lichdom especially tends to see many lone casters in their ranks. The Weathered Skull is more a group of organized competitors who happen to be like-minded thinkers rather than an order of colleagues. The Weathered Skulls will often steal ideas from other members or even outright sabotage their endeavors.

The group always has exactly seven members. The only way a new member can become a skull is by removing an older member and taking his place, or having an older member actually become a lich. Only two members of the Weathered Skulls have actually become liches and one of those has since been killed by undead hunters of Pharasma.

The Spiral Path

Even the circling spiral path for which this sect is named has a beginning and an end. Members of the organization The Spiral Path are nihilists that seek to bring about the end of everything. They take on Yhidothrus’ aspects of murder and entropy—seeking to end not just the lives of people, but of civilizations, objects, and existence itself. Many members of this sect are outright insane.

It is said the Spiral Path is led by a particularly twisted worm that walks. The soul of the spellcaster it devoured was already dedicated to the Demon Lord and the newly formed creature continues to work toward its master’s goals. The other members of the sect are all spiteful folks, bent on the destruction of everything around them. The group’s base is rumored to be in an old insane asylum.

Time Scryers

With his mastery over time and its flow, many of Yhidothrus’ followers have a propensity toward seeing the future. Some from practices and some just because the demon lord has the whim of bestowing upon them this power. Although they worship a vile being like Yhidothrus, these seers, diviners, and oracles have a penchant for accuracy that makes them much sought after. The Time Scryers are particularly adept at their craft and have banded together to further their own goals.

The goal of these oracles is no different than the goal of many followers of Yhidorthrus, to cheat death. The Scryers, however, don’t wish to turn into undead liches like some do. They have mastered a form of magic which allows them to take years off of another person’s life and grant it to themselves. When a petitioner comes to see their future they actually lose some of their time on Golarion in the process. The thing about this magic is that the participant must be willing, so each person who seeks their future willing gives up this time.

Those who fear the turning of the hourglass, the followers of the Demon Lord of age, time, and worms. Who is your follower of Yhidothrus? Why have they chosen to dedicate themselves to the Ravager Worm? Where does their devotion come from? Let me know in the comments.

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Character 48 - Jertzal Halsipatheu

This week’s randomly rolled character is our gnome out of time. Being from either the past or the present and then worshipping the Demon Lord left a lot of really interesting options open. Dying in his youth added quite another layer to the evil little bugger as well. But as always the question is what class to choose?

Average strength and low dexterity ruled out most martial classes. A good intelligence means he could excel as an arcane caster and an amazing charisma left a lot of the spontaneous caster options open. Eventually I went with what was probably the most obvious choice, the Oracle of Time. It just fit the bill in so many ways as did a 3PP curse I found called aged. At level the character is venerable and gets all the requisite bonuses (+1 to all mental stats for each of the three age groups middle aged, old and venerable), but only takes negatives as if he were old aged (-1 to physicals stats for middle aged, -2 for old aged). In total his stats will change -3 to strength, dexterity, and constitution, as well as +3 to intelligence, wisdom and charisma.

New Stat Block

Str: 7

Dex: 6

Con:  13

Int: 18

Wis: 15

Cha: 20

Jertzal Halsipatheu

Time waits for no gnome, or so the saying goes. Jertzal Halsipatheu was a gnome with nothing but time. Born in the Mivon in the River Kingdoms he had all the freedom he could want and would live for years past the age of any of the humans in the town. The Age of Enthronement was in full swing and it would be only a little over three-hundred years until the Age of Glory, and event he would be alive to see. And then he died.

In 4316 at the young age of forty-two, still yet to be considered an adult by gnomish standards, terror befell Mivon. Records of the event would go on to say that the inhabitants claimed they were attacked by the trees and plants themselves. Rumors swirled of the dead rising from the Sellen River and wizards who could call the moon from the sky. And in all of this chaos and destruction, Jertzal died.

It wasn’t a true death however, and Jertzal awoke in the familiar surroundings of the forest near Mivon. Mostly familiar that is, because the trees were older and taller. The old oak where Jertzal would play as a child was felled and naught but a stump. When he looked down at his own hands he saw that they too were old and withered.

Jertzal returned home to Minvon and there it stood as it always had, but it had also grown. None of the people seemed familiar. None of the children playing in the streets could he remember laughing with. The town had changed from a mix of races including gnome, elf, and halfling to being mostly human, of a stock he did not recognize. This was definitely his home, but it also wasn’t.

Holding out hope Jertzal went to find his parents, their old cottage still stood, although it was now nestled among other small dwellings. No one was home so he went to the shop where his father repaired shoes. Still there, but hunched much more, his father sat working on a pair of fine leather boots. His mother in her rocking chair in the corner watching her husband work. Both of them ancient even for gnomes, and their formerly bright colored hair bleached to a bone white.

His parents aged, the forest aged, Minvon aged, and he aged. The weight of time came crashing down around Jertzal and it crushed him with despair. When the well-dressed man, obviously a noble of some sort, entered the shop and raged at his father over some imagined problem with his shoes--that was the final straw. Jertzal burst in and almost threw himself at the noblemen but the human was faster and drew steel. Jertzal reached out touched the blade and upon it rust began to form. Just as everything else in his life had, the blade aged and crumbled. Terrified the now venerable gnome fled into the streets.

The world was one that Jertzal didn’t know. He felt ill at ease except around other gnomes. His initial interaction with the new human residents of Mivon left a bad taste in his mouth, for human especially. Although gnome enclaves were few and far between, Jertzal managed to attach himself to a mercenary group. From the leader of this group he learned much about Golarion in its current age.

Jertzal’s visions of the time stream began to become more frequent, punctuated with images of worms and decay. Even though Jertzal had an aged body, he still had the mind of a gnome just entering adulthood. His fear that he would die before his time, combine with research of the worm and decay imagery led the not so young gnome to believe that some hoe the Demon Lord Yhidothrus was involved. Oddly he wasn’t angered, but threw himself into the Ravager Worm’s worship. If the Demon Lord had a plan for him, he would see it through.

And there you have it: My version of our timeless, or out of time, gnome. What would you have done with these stats? What class would you have picked? Would he have been from the past or present? Why does he only feel comfortable around gnomes?

Time waits for no gnome and no man, so too does time move on here. If the CRB has made your time among its pages a value to your gaming experience please consider becoming a contributor to my Patreon. If you’d like to see what else the CRB is up to join me on Facebook, Google+, Tumblr, and Twitter. My inbox is open on all venues.

Age Is Just A Number

Playing Older Characters

In some games starting or level one characters tend to be fresher-faced farm kids right out of the fields. In D&D and Pathfinder first level characters have years of training in their chosen field and in comparison to common folk are near superheroes. In most instances, however, the characters we see are comparatively young, late teens to early twenties in most fantasy settings. In modern settings you rarely see someone’s starting level character over the age of thirty. Why do we choose not to play older characters?

In 3.5 and Pathfinder aging comes with penalties to physical stats and bonuses to the mental ones. Ages are separated into categories and given cumulative stat modifications at each age group. Other systems have other mechanics. Ars Magic has you roll to see if you lose a stat, the roll is modified by your age, and then roll again to see which stat. Although many games don’t see you living long enough to even have a mechanic for aging.

I think we like to see our characters as young and spry and the idea of being old confounds a lot of gamers. Why would a forty-year-old pick up his things and begin the life of an adventurer? Along with their diversity in gender and sexuality, among their iconic characters Paizo has also added more diverse age ranges. The iconic wizard Ezren became a 1st level wizard at age forty-two. Quinn, the Iconic investigator, took up his path at age thirty-seven. Both of these characters are good examples of why a character might become an adventurer late in life.

Becoming an adventurer usually requires some kind of impetus. For younger characters this impetus is many times the search for fame and glory. We also often see younger characters as thrill seekers or those who choose to test themselves. Older characters can have different types of pushes to wander off into the wilds. The loss of friends or family can push one to make a change of pace. The end of a long career might see them seeking one last hurrah. Some may be searching for a way to stem aging or become immortal, either literally or figuratively.

What can sometimes be daunting for players is coming up with the longer background an older character might require. It’s easy to say that your nineteen-year-old fighter is just a poor street rat who’s good with a sword. But an aged character has lived part of a life. What has he been doing all this time? Where did she work? What connections did he make in the world?

As an example one of the other players in my Rise of the Runelord game is an older human. He’s a former soldier who has just recently retired but isn’t ready to give up that life. He finds it hard to fit into day-to-day life and adventuring is the easiest way to keep the lifestyle to which he has become accustomed. It was an interesting character choice with a lot of great roleplay potential and certainly not something you see in many games.

The next time you’re making your character consider playing someone of advanced age. It doesn’t even have to be human; think about the possibilities of an older age elf or dwarf. Consider the life your character would have had before adventuring and why he would make his way into the world after all this time. I think my next character will be an older gnome.

Would you play an older character? What reasons do you think older characters would have to adventure? Why do you think most people don’t even consider playing older characters? How old is too old to be off on a quest?

The CRB ages too and we are just about a year old now. If you’ve enjoyed the CRB throughout the course of the last year consider donating to my Patreon. Your contributions are what allow me to invest so much time in putting out the content you love. And if you want more from the CRB, join me on Facebook, Google+, Tumblr, and Twitter. The community of CRB followers grows every day and you can be a part of the conversations. My inbox is always open on any of those platforms as well.

Random Roll 48 - The Randomness

A Gnome out of time. From the past or future this character will be from some when else. Smart, charismatic, hardy he has survived death at least once. Only truly comfortable around other gnomes will his penchant for destroying things make him welcome in the here and now?

Gender: Male

Race: Gnome
Nationality: The River Kingdoms

Age: 58
Height: 3’ 6”
Weight: 41lbs

Alignment: Neutral Evil

Str: 10

Dex: 9

Con:  16

Int: 15

Wis: 12

Cha: 17

Homeland: Non-Gnome Town or Village
Parents: Both your parents are alive
Siblings: You have no sibling.
Circumstance of Birth: [Born out of Time] You were born in a different era, either the distant past or the far future. Some event has displaced you from your time, and the ways and customs of the present seem strange and alien to you.
Parent's Profession: Serfs/Peasants
Major Childhood Event: [Died] You died, or came so close to death that you walked the boundary between the realms of the living and the dead. Having passed from life's domain once, you have a unique perspective on life, perhaps even a greater appreciation for it—or maybe your experience caused you to reject all trivial things, focusing only on matters of true import.

Influential Associate: [The Mercenary] With this person, there was always a cost. No deed was done making a trade for something of equal or greater value. Whether this individual's actions tended toward good, evil, or pure balance, he was always fair in his dealings. You respected this trait and it influenced your own philosophy.

Conflict: [Destruction] You destroyed someone else’s property.

Conflict Subject: Nobel

Conflict Motivation: Family

Conflict Resolution: [You Enjoyed It] Those who cling to petty morals have no understanding of what true freedom and power is. The fact is, you enjoyed your part in the conflict and would do it all over again if the opportunity presented itself. Many people know of your misdeed, and they also realize your complete lack of remorse.

Deity/Religious Philosophy: Yhidothrus

            

Romantic Relationship(s): [Experience but No Substantial Relationships] You’ve had a fling or two, but have so far shied away from any ties or commitments.

Drawback: [Race] You are truly comfortable only around others of your race, and you have a hard time putting faith or trust in those of races different from your own.

(Trait) Animal Friend

(Trait) Fearless Defiance

(Trait) Mercenary

(Trait) Poverty-Stricken

(Trait) Scholar of the Great Beyond

(Story Feat) Arisen

(Drawback) Xenophobic

In the comments please tell us what character you would make with these disparate pieces information? What class would this Gnome out of time naturally gravitate towards? Who is this worshiper Yhidothrus, The Ravager Worm? And don’t forget to stay tuned Friday when my background hits the CRB.

The CRB not only brings you the creative content you desire but makes you look inside for your own creativity. If you feel both inspired and pushed to created please consider supporting your favorite content provider (that’s me) by pledging as little as $1 on my Patreon (link). If you don’t want to miss a beat make sure you sign up to get the CRB pushed directly to your e-reading device with Kindle Subscriptions (link) through Amazon. And to keep up with my other musings and thoughts you can follow the CRB on Google+, Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter.

Music to my Ears

Inspired Followers of Seramaydiel

This week we look at another Empyreal Lord, Seramaydeil. Also known as The Lady of Inspired Notes, this divine being takes on the portfolio of communication, inspiration, and music. Our randomly rolled character for the week, the vanara Kelis Shadowbough, was a follower of this Empyreal Lord, but little else is known about her church or her devotees. The listing of possible worshipers tells us that diplomats, harpists, metallurgists, trumpeters, scribes, and woodworkers all pay her homage. But who are these people really? Today we find out.

As always, let us imagine we are sitting at our theoretical gaming table. Our imaginary GM sets out the rules for the game we will play. In this game, we are to make a follower Seramaydiel. The character does not need to be a divine caster, just a devotee of the Empyreal Lord. What character do you make?

For more information on Seramaydiel

Seramaydiel’s Pathfinder Wiki Page 

Seramaydiel’s Archives of Nethys Page 

The Music Makers

Some people create music by playing an instrument or singing, others create music by crafting the instruments used by these musicians. The Music Makers is a sect of Seramaydiel that specializes in handcrafting musical instruments. These craftsmen don’t just handcraft each instrument, but they are skilled metallurgists and master woodworkers. They build everything from woodwinds, to brass, to drums, and pianos. Instruments made by the Music Makers are prized by any artists that is lucky enough to have one.

The Music Makers have been around for generations. They set themselves up in larger cities and their workshops can house a dozen or more craftsmen. Their space also doubles as a small church to Seramaydiel and there is usually at least two official clerics of the Empyreal Lord among the craftsmen. Becoming a Music Maker requires not just dedication to the craft, but also to Seramaydiel. All apprentices are worshipers of the Empyreal Lord.

The Flametops

Worshipers of Seramaydiel are often known for their cool heads and pleasant demeanors, diplomats often take the Empyreal Lord as a patron. The Flametops are master negotiators who work for no one kingdom. When an impartial negotiator is needed many governments will call upon the Flametops to negotiate in their best interest. In some instances two parties will each hire their own Flametop negotiator because they know neither well rest until they’ve gotten the best deal for their party even though they worship the same deity.

The Flametops get their name because they universally have red hair. Although not all of them come by these flame colored locks naturally, those who don’t dye theirs to mimic their hair of their patron. Flametops are trained in the small churches of Seramaydiel that dot Golarion, but are mostly active in Avistan.

The Hypnotic Notes Ensemble

Not so much a large sect as a band of dedicated worshipers of Seramaydiel. This group is made up of six brothers whose parents were well known musicians in the Andoran Capital of Almas. The parents were not only musicians in their own right, but also composers for many other musicians in the city. It is said that to herald the birth of each of their children Seramaydiel inspired a glorious piece of music that the couple wrote.

The group is mostly made up of brass instruments, each hand made by the music makers. Two trumpets, a trombone, a baritone horn, a drum, and a bass make up the unique sound of the Hypnotic Notes Ensemble. Although the group is in demand around Avistan to play for the rich and famous, they still perform on the streets as common buskers. Some claim that they have had great epiphanies while listening to the band. These inspired folk have gone on to become everything from writers, to alchemists, to engineers.

Those who are inspired and those who inspire, all followers of the Empyreal Lord. Who is your gifted follower of Seramaydiel? Why have they chosen to dedicate themselves to the Lady of Inspired Notes? Where does their devotion come from? Let me know in the comments.

If the CRB inspired your next character please consider showing support and become one of my patrons by donating to my Patreon. Looking for more out of the CRB? Then you’re in luck! Google +, Twitter, Tumblr, and Facebook all have a CRB presence. And if you’re as impatient as I am, have the CRB pushed directly to your Kindle with every new post by signing up for KindleSubscriptions.

Character 47 - Kelis Shadowbough

Vanara was a new and interesting race for me to try and this week’s random rolls gave me a lot to think about. Like every character, even given a lot of information, you choose a few things to work with. The idea of being from a forest on a plane other than the prime material really sang to me. After much searching I chose the First World. This also helped me focus on another aspect of the background rolls, his desire to seek out pleasure.

Choosing a class was also difficult. The pleasure seeker and nobility aspects were tough to reconcile without a decent charisma score. However, placing her home in the First World, among the fey, allowed me to expand on the idea of nobility. Being from a primal forest, one of the nature based classes seemed like the best idea. With that in mind I choose the Hunter class, specifically the Primal Companion Hunter archetype.

Kelis Shadowbough

Although the primary inhabitants of the First World are the fey, they are not the only beings that exist within the world. Some come to the first world willingly, looking for something beyond the realms of man. Some come unwillingly, and many is the tale of kidnapped children being taken by faeries. Regardless of how one came to reside in the First World, the Eldest still rule and everyone follows their dictums.

In the lands known as the Evergrove, the Eldest Magh reigns supreme. She spends much of her time pouring over her prophecies and leaves the day-to-day dealings of her land to the ever fluctuating fey nobles. Each noble has their own court and their own realm has its own nobility on down to the gentry. In some courts not all the gentry are fey and the Shadowbough family of vanara are one such non-fey aristocrats.

Lord Varius and his wife Neela, along with their two children Kelis and Baracca, dwell in the court of Duke Avealis. Varius and Neela came to the fey worlds before either of the children were born, quite by accident, when fleeing their burning home in the Mwangi jungle. They quickly made a name of themselves and have gained status among the fey despite being quite mortal.

Life for the Shadowbough children was as ordinary as can be when you’re nobility in fey lands. The children were taught at home and learned the intricate, if bizarre, etiquette of the fey. Living in the largest primordial forest in existence, they also learned how to hunt and survive in their wooded home. Kelis especially took to the lessons out among the trees.

Many of the fey worshiped the eldest as gods but the Shadowbough family had a long family history of devotion to the Empyreal Lord Seramaydiel. Although their connection to their patron seemed muted in the First World, their adherence to her faith and tenets is how they excelled at both music and discourse. These traits are what elevated Lord Varius to his noble status, although Kelis did not seem to excel at them as her father did.

Instead of going to her father when she wanted advice Kelis took to seeking out Jie, a faun. The young vanara’s desires to seek out all the little pleasures meant the gentle prodding from her fey mentor was a welcome relief from her father’s insistence that she learn to act as her station required. From food and drink, to the freedom of the trees, to more carnal pleasures, Kelis looked to experience every bit of life.

Even though she reveled in her excess, Kelis’s life was not all chaos and disorder. The young vanara had a sense of justice, even if her methods of enforcing it were more in line with the fey whose lands she inhabited. What is right is right and what is wrong needs to be punished.

When a wizard from Golarion came to treat with Avealis he was allowed free reign of the forest within certain limits. The willworker, however, did not treat all of the denizens of the forest with the grace the fey usually do. When he destroyed the home of the primal simians who were just examining him with interest, this incensed Kelis. Fey justice is, if anything, overly literal and since the wizard destroyed what the simians owned, Kelis stole his spellbook and staff and destroyed it in turn.

As is wont of the fey realm, Kelis’s actions had their own twist. The youngest of the primal apes saw the deed the vanara performed and began to follow her around. The two eventually became inseparable. When Kelis decided it was time to leave home to make her own way, this new companion left with her. Stepping through the fey portal on to the world of Golarion, the creature looked for all to see like a normal ape, but Kelis knew there was still a primal being inside. Now the two look to make a life of their own, if they can figure out where they are.

Our random rolls have become Kelis the fey trained woodswoman. Is this what you would have done? Which forested plane would you have had her be from? What class would you have chosen? Who would her mentor have been? How would she seek out her pleasures?

If the CRB has inspired your next character, or even the manner in which you create your next character, consider becoming a contributor. Check out my Patreon for a special video message. If you’d like to become a part of the CRB community you can join me on Facebook, Google+, Tumblr, and Twitter. My inbox is open on all venues for questions and comments.

Connect the Dots

Keeping Your Players Entwined In Your World

Last week’s character followed the deity Hembad. This week’s random rolls produced a character that follows Seramaydiel. What do both of these deities have in common? They’re about dealing with people. Connections and communication are within their purview and they help keep people together.

How many times have you seen a character who is the last of his race or tribe? Or whose family has been slaughtered? How often do players who don’t write their family out in total destruction even talk about their parents, or siblings? When was the last time you saw a character with a wife and kids?

One of the reasons we call this phenomenal being a “murderhobo” is that the character has zero connections. No friends. No family. No home. But it isn’t solely up to the player to make these connections. The GM can help ease the player into a life focused less on random wandering and more on being a part of something bigger. Sure not every player enjoys this style of play. Sometimes even I love a good hack and slash but some players may not even think of the possibility.

The first place you can look to help guide your character is in character creation. This is one of the reasons I advocate for a sessions zero. If you’re not sure what that is check out this article for our friends over at improved initiative. Some people may use full questionnaires, which to me seems like taking a test, but at the very least ask your players some questions. Do you have family? Who are they? Do you have friends? Why are you friends? Where do you live? These should help get your players think of their characters as someone connected to the game world.

Even if you manage to get Torg barbarian from the north whose family and tribe was slaughtered by giants, there are still ways to build connections. As an example of this is the game I play with my friend, sometimes editor, and GM for my Rise of the Runelords (henceforth RotRL) Joel. He doesn’t have a blog or anything for me to pimp but if you’re looking for some great maps for your own RotRL game check out the thread he helps curate over on the Paizo boards.

For those of you who haven’t played, this isn’t much of a spoiler as it’s listed in both the description of the game in the books and is talked about extensively in the player’s guides. The game revolves around a small town called Sandpoint. Instead of just jumping right into things, Joel had us wander the town during a festival to play games. We got to meet and get to know the people therein. He also added a lot of other little things where our interactions with the town--outside of saving the day—made us heroes to some and rivals of others. Even the tavern in which we made our home at the beginning became a way to meet and interact with other people. The PCs may not bite at everything, but if you throw in enough instances for non-combat interaction with the people in the area, you’ll get a few nibbles.

Connections to people are not the only thing that will give the characters a more robust existence. Connections to places are also important. Again, I like RotRL because it revolves mostly around one town. It gives us all a chance to find a place to call home. Maybe your players will live in the rooms at the local tavern, but you can give them an opportunity to put down roots. Our GM has done an admirable job with that. After we cleared out a small island of the coast of a ghost, the town offered us the chance to buy the property cheap. Being well-known heroes meant we could rehabilitate the image of the land in the eyes of the people. Suffice to say my investigator jumped at the chance.

Maybe your players aren’t interested in a home, but there are plenty of other things you can throw at the wall and see if they stick. One of our players is the harrow-equivalent of tarot-reader and alchemist got herself a license to peddle her wares from her gypsy cart. Setting up a small business is a great way to give the characters a way to contribute to the local economy—outside of dumping all their loot into it. Whether it’s a blacksmith, an alchemist, a scholar, or a poet, find a way to link their character’s skills into something he can offer the town, and possibly make money in the process.

There’s, of course, a million more ways to build connections with your characters, much more than a weekly article can contain. Hopefully these ideas have at least gotten your creative juices flowing with ways to make your characters a bigger part of the world.

How do you help guide your players into being connect to the world? What kinds of relationship would you suggest other GMs try and help build? Why do you think these connections are important, if they are at all?

Hopefully the CRB has made a connection with you. If you’d like to support that connection considering becoming a contributor of my Patreon. If you’d like more from the CRB you can find me on Facebook, Google+, Tumblr, and Twitter. My inbox is open on all venues for further questions and comments.

Random Roll 47 - The Randomness

A noble born vanara from a forest on another plane or dimension. A pleasure seeker with an ordinary childhood and an influential mentor. Dedicated to the Empyreal Lord Seramaydiel whose concerns are communication, inspiration, and music. How did this seemingly normal simian come to wander away from her home in search of adventure?

Gender: Female

Race: Vanara
Nationality: Other plane or dimension

Age: 17
Height: 5’ 0”
Weight: 125lbs

Alignment: Neutral Good

Str: 10

Dex: 18

Con:  11

Int: 13

Wis: 15

Cha: 11

Homeland: Forest
Parents: Both your parents are alive
Siblings: You have 1 biological sibling.

- biological older sister
Circumstance of Birth: [Noble Birth] You were born to privilege among the nobility. Unless one of your parents is the regent, your family serves a higher-ranked noble but lesser nobles serve your family in turn.
Parent's Profession: [Gentry] You are the child of a minor lord, lady, or noble with an income, hereditary land such as a manor, and titles. You likely grew up in a manor and your parents were paid tribute by peasants. Your parents serve a higher baron, count, or duke.
Major Childhood Event: [Ordinary Childhood] Your childhood was fairly ordinary, with no major blessing or catastrophe—a stark contrast to an adventuring life. You lived your life in anticipation of growing up so you could affect the dull backdrop upon which your mundane life was painted. Now that you've grown, it's easy to miss those tranquil days where nothing ever seemed to happen.

Influential Associate: [The Mentor] You had a mentor who taught you everything worth knowing about life. This could have been the person who taught you the heroic abilities you possess, or simply a kindred spirit who helped form your worldview.

Conflict: [Minor Theft] You stole several small or inexpensive items that belonged to someone else.

Conflict Subject: Spellcaster

Conflict Motivation: Justice

Conflict Resolution: [No Guilt] Either guilt is for the weak, or you know you made the right decision. You might not openly brag about your part in the conflict, but you don’t deny it when confronted either.

Deity/Religious Philosophy: Seramaydiel

             

Romantic Relationship(s): [Experience but No Substantial Relationships] You’ve had a fling or two, but have so far shied away from any ties or commitments.

Drawback: [Pleasure] You crave luxury, entertainment, and pleasure. You might indulge in every passing fancy or hold strong against a temptation that constantly eats at you.

(Trait) Influence

(Trait) Log Roller

(Trait) Mentored

(Trait) Ordinary

(Trait) Rich Parents

(Drawback) Hedonistic

In the comments please tell us what character you would make with these disparate pieces information? What class would this vanara naturally gravitate towards? Who is this worshiper Seramaydiel, The Lady of Inspired Notes? And don’t forget to stay tuned Friday when my background hits the CRB.

The CRB not only brings you the creative content you desire but makes you look inside for your own creativity. If you feel both inspired and pushed to created please consider supporting your favorite content provider (that’s me) by pledging as little as $1 on my Patreon. If you don’t want to miss a beat make sure you sign up to get the CRB pushed directly to your e-reading device with KindleSubscriptions through Amazon. And to keep up with my other musings and thoughts you can follow the CRB on Google+, Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter.

Match Made In Heaven

Hembad's Love Brokers

Connetions, matchmaking, and synergy. Hembad is a being who makes things happen--in its own chaotic fashion. The minor Empyreal Lord has practically nothing written about him; but from his favored animal, the lovebird, to his holy symbol rings bound by ribbon, we can see he delves heavily into romantic matchmaking. But is this all he is about? And who are his followers? Maybe they are one such as this dwarf here.

As always, let us imagine we are sitting at our theoretical gaming table. Our imaginary GM sets out the rules for the game we will play. In this game, we are to make a follower Hembad. The character does not need to be a divine caster, just a devotee of the Empyreal Lord. What character do you make?

For more information on Hembad

Hembad’s Pathfinder Wiki Page

Hembad’s Archives of Nethys Page 

The League of the Knotted Cord

Although many revere Hembad in his role of connection between lovers, The League of the Knotted Cord view his aspect of connections and matchmaking as being more than just romantic. The League of the Knotted Cord is a sect in the church of the Wise Grandfather that connects merchants with buyers, suppliers with producers, and tradesmen with clients. They believe that if you put in a good days work you should be able to find an outlet for your skills.

Many of the members of the League are still merchants and tradesmen in their own right. They use their businesses and wealth to aid those who are seeking to make something of themselves. To become a member of the League one only need prove that they will work hard and donate a small amount of their time, product, or connections to aid someone else seeking to prosper. Each member of the League wears a knotted cord around their neck as a badge. The more knots, the more respected the member.

The Nesters

In Magnimar there are many mystery cults for the various Empyreal Lords. Hembad too has his followers within the city of monuments. His church here is not very well organized, constituting mainly of older ethnic Varisians. These grandmothers and grandfathers are harrow readers all, but they specialize in seeing love in some one’s future.

Becoming a member of the Nesters isn’t something you can do, you have to be chosen. Hembad is said to personally pick every member in the harrow readings of existing Nesters. All Nesters are true harrow readers from many differing disciplines: oracles, sorcerers, clerics, and witches. The source of the power matters not. Because of their connection with Hembad the Nesters look down on those who peddle in fake love potions and harrow readings, even among their own people.

The Silver Circle

In Taldor courtly politics are still the currency of the land. Even in its failing decadence the Taldanes respect those who have mastered the ways of court. The Silver Circle is a secret group of courtesans who keep their finger on the pulse of Taldane politics for their own selfish ends. Although Hembad is by his own nature good, he understands that connections are connections and the Silver Circle worship him devoutly.

Unlike the League where you can apply, or the Nesters where you are fated, members of the Silver Circle are groomed to join the ranks of the sect. Potential candidates are watched closely by the Circle’s inquisitors before they approached about joining the ranks of the organization. The sect’s leaders are a group shrouded in mystery; five masked figures who maneuver the Circles members in a dance that even those who have been members for decades do not understand.

The purity and majesty of silver exists in all the sects you’ve seen here. Who is your blessed follower of Hembad? Why have they chosen to dedicate themselves to the Wise Grandfather? Where does their devotion come from? Let me know in the comments.

If the CRB made a match between your next character and the Empyreal Lord Hembad, please consider showing support and become one of my patrons by donating to my Patreon. Looking for more out of the CRB? Then you’re in luck! Google +, Twitter, Tumblr, and Facebook all have a CRB presence. And if you’re as impatient as I am, have the CRB pushed directly to your Kindle with every new post by signing up for Kindle Subscriptions.

Character 46 - Karldin Irontoe

This week’s character was a tough one. The stats didn’t really mesh with the background information. How does one reconcile a low charisma and many lovers? Where does a dwarf belong in the Chelish colony of Isger? The major disaster part was by far the easiest with a well-documented war in the region well within the character’s lifetime. The rest, however, not so much.

Seeing the high wisdom score and the high strength I instinctively thought of a divine combatant. Paladin was out and I really wanted to find a way to pump his diplomacy even with the horrible charisma. The inquisitor class feature Inquisition has an ability under the Reformation Inquisition that allows you to use your Wisdom modifier in place of your Charisma modifier when making Diplomacy, Intimidate, and Perform (oratory) checks. It also makes Perform (oratory) a class skill for the inquisitor. So inquisitor of Hembad, as I marry the story to the mechanics and the mechanics to the story.

Karldin Irontoe

Isger wasn’t always as unfriendly to dwarves and other non-humans, as it is now. When Dorskar’s Crag erupted during the Rending, Isger took in many of the dwarves from Raseri Kanton, the above-ground dwarven trading town. With both Raseri Kanton and the Tar Khadurm capital city Jernashall destroyed, these stout folk found themselves with nowhere else to turn.

Karldin Irontoe’s family was one of the few above ground dwarves that made their home in Isger instead of seeking asylum back in the Five Kings Mountains. However, it was only one generation before the newly formed government of devil worshipers in Cheliax threw off the yolk of Taldaor and took Isger with them as a vassal state. Although the dwarves didn’t have it as bad as the halflings, who were outright enslaved, they still found life far more difficult.

Fearing the worst, many of the remaining dwarves congregated in the northern most portion of the Aspodell Mountains, bordering the Chitter Wood. It is here that Karldin was born to a family of tradesmen. His coming was considered an ill omen though, as he was born with birth defects. Among the most obvious was his twisted visage, but others wouldn’t appear till later as he fell behind in his studies.

Being disconnected from their homeland, many of the Aspodell Mountain dwarves took to worshiping outside their racial pantheon. With most of the stout folk being craftsmen and traders the Empyreal Lord Hembad was revered for his aspect of cooperation and making connections. The merchant’s guild and the trade guilds turned to the growing church of Hembad for their needs. Karldin took quickly to the teachings of the deity as well.

Although he wasn’t the shiniest ore in the barrel, and certainly not the handsome dwarf, Karldin could read and understand people. This was considered by many to be a gift from Hembad himself; the fact of which eased the original stigma of dire portent from his birth. Karldin left his family home to train with the priests of The Wise Grandfather.

Unlike stricter deities, Hembad encouraged connections for his followers.  Karldin, to the surprise of those he grew up with, took easily to this tenet of faith. The young dwarf managed to cycle through a few significant relationships, although not always without incident—In one instance even manipulating his current paramour into shaming an ex-lover for him.

Often, though, his affairs ended amiably and he learned about himself and the world from each joining. When he took one of the senior priests for a lover he gained much insight into the truth of the faith of Hembad. Even after he and the priest parted company, the cleric was still influential in Karldin’s life as a mentor.

Life is nothing without conflict, and the Goblinblood Wars where a major disaster for Isger in general and the Aspodell Mountain dwarves in particular. Bordering the Chitter Wood, the dwarves were hit hard by the attacks of the goblinoids. Like many of the priesthood, Karldrin joined in the defense of their mountain home. A successful raid by a tactically proficient hobgoblin commander breached their defenses, however. Many dwarves died that day before they could be repelled, including Karldrin’s mother.

Distraught, Karldin finished his studies but decided that when his time came, instead of serving the dwarves in their mountain home he would bring the word of Hembad to those around them. He would seek connections with the local populace who were also suffering from the Goblinblood Wars and its aftermath, and maybe even try and reconnect with the dwarves of the Five Kings Mountains. Where his path leads is strictly up to the Wise Grandfather.

What class would you have chosen for these stats? How much does this dwarf dedicate himself to Hembad? How do you reconcile low charisma and a healthy love life?

Like Hembad, the CRB seeks to strengthen your connection--specifically to gaming. If you’re feeling the synergy of game and blog please consider donating to the CRB’s Patreon. If you’d like to get more than just the weekly articles, drop on by the CRB’s social media homes. Facebook, Google+, Tumblr, and Twitter all have a growing CRB community. And please feel free to drop me a line on any of these platforms with questions or comments.

May I Have Your Attention Please

I always tell folks that playing RPGs is like telling a story. You have protagonists, antagonists, and plot elements. The thing that separates a RPG from a standard story is the players. For many GMs the whims of the player are easy enough to work around;  you adjust the plot as the players affect the world. What isn’t easy to work around is keeping your players interested.

So you’ve set up your game for the week. This session is supposed to be thick on horror. You aren’t just throwing monsters and demons at your players, you’ve carefully chosen music and evocative descriptions of the area. You don’t just give your players sights but sounds, smells, and even emotions. You describe a room and then one player says, “Sorry, I wasn’t listening.”

The thing about players is they each have different levels of attentiveness as well as differences in which moods evoke what for them. This means the guy who’s super interested when you’re in the ruins and discussing the mosaic on the wall and its history may not be the guy who’s interested in why he has a chill in his bones while walking through a haunted house. You just aren’t going to be able to capture everyone at every turn.

When writing a book you don’t need to worry about the person reading it, they can pick it up and put it down on a whim. When running a game though, you are trying to keep the attention of a handful of players and that’s no small feat. The larger the group the tougher the feat is. I cap out at six and even I can’t always keep everyone focused. As a GM it can get frustrating.

The question becomes how do you handle this? The answer isn’t simple or one size fits all. Some folks get bored when they aren’t the center of attention. This is probably the hardest group to deal with because in a group setting you cannot always be the center of attention. Assuming these people aren’t otherwise disruptive players, a reminder to stay focused will usually suffice.

The second type of person returns to mood. Some people just don’t enjoy certain types of moods or themes. As a GM you need to know your group, not just as a party but as individuals. In settings where you know one or two players aren’t going to be into that theme or that mood you may want to keep that portion of the game shorter.

Sometimes the hardest person to deal with is the one who doesn’t do it on purpose. I play with plenty of younger players as I enjoy teaching the game. I also find that some of the older players may have ADHD or similar traits. When not immediately invested in something, or after long (which is relative) periods of time these players will just naturally lose attention. I find that breaks help a lot. Knowing how often to give breaks is more of an art than a science but after a while you figure it out.

We’ve all heard horror stories about the guy at your table who sits with his nose buried in his phone while you’re gaming. And this guy could be any one of the three types of inattentive players I’ve mentioned. Now multiply that exponentially when you play online. Your players are setting in front of the biggest time sink on the face of the planet with all the information known to man at their fingertips. It is incredibly easy to lose their attention.

Now don’t get me wrong I love online play, my games are almost exclusively online now. I have a Shattered Star game I run, imperfectly, and the Rise of the Runelords game in which I play an investigator. While I find online play adds quite a lot of positive aspects, it does come with its own pitfalls. Keeping everyone’s attention is one of them.

Whether you’re playing online or in person I think the single biggest way deal with attentiveness is through talking. It’s easy to get frustrated as a GM and if a lot of the online discussions I see are any indication there tends to be a combative tone between many players and GMs. At the end of your game, talk to your players about what they liked and disliked. Knowing your players is key to keeping their attention. During these discussions is the time for you to express your feelings as well. It is perfectly OK to say, “Hey guys I put dozens of hours into this and it feels like some of you aren’t paying attention. It’s a little frustrating to me. Are there things I could do to help keep you invested?” Talking will always be your single most valuable tool.

So GMs new and old, it happens to all of us. As a player I’ve also been the inattentive one, some days you just don’t concentrate well. Remember the keys are to know your players, assess where issues are on your end, and talk about the issues you are having with your players.

Have you had issues with player attentiveness? Have you been a player who hasn’t been able to stay invested? How do you address these issues in your game, as a player or GM?

You’ve been paying enough attention to make it this far. If the CRB has managed to keep you coming back for more think about contributing to my Patreon. And if the CRB has left you wanting for more, pop on over to our social media outlets. Facebook, Google+, Tumblr, and Twitter all have a CRB presence. And of course my inbox is open on any of those mediums for questions or comments.

Random Roll 46 - The Randomness

The most interesting thing about this set of rolls is this dwarf’s complete lack of charisma even for a dwarf. However his influential associate is a lover. His subject of conflict is a lover or former lover. In his life time he’s had a few significant relationships even if they didn’t work out. His patron deity is the god of connections, matchmaking and synergy. For someone who is either ugly or abrasive he knowns his way around people.

Gender: Male

Race: Dwarf
Nationality: Isger

Age: 51
Height: 4’ 4”
Weight: 199lbs

Alignment: Chaotic Good

Str: 18

Dex: 13

Con:  14

Int: 9

Wis: 14

Cha: 6

Homeland: Underground
Parents: Only your father is alive.
Siblings: You have 4 biological siblings.
- biological older sister
- biological younger brother
- biological older sister
- biological older sister
Circumstance of Birth: [Middle-Class Birth] You were born to the middle class, which includes merchants, artisans, and tradespeople. You likely grew up in a good-sized settlement, and one of your parents is likely associated with a guild or other trade organization. As a free person, you don't experience the bondage of serfdom or peasantry, but you also lack the privilege of the nobility.
Parent's Profession: Tradespeople
Major Childhood Event: [Major Disaster] You witnessed—and survived—a major disaster in your childhood years, such as a great fire, flood, earthquake, volcano, or storm. It obliterated the settlement where you lived, whether a small village, large city, or entire island.

Influential Associate: [The Lover] You had a romantic connection in your adolescent years, and this person deeply influenced your personality. Perhaps this was a first love, a casual partner you grew close to, or the one who got away. The experience bolstered your confidence in romantic interactions even though you often find your thoughts still straying toward that special someone from so long ago.

Conflict: [Seducer] You tempted or manipulated someone to act in accordance with your whim, careless of whether it was in their own best interests.

Conflict Subject: Lover or former lover.

Conflict Motivation: Hatred or Malice.

Conflict Resolution: [No Guilt] Either guilt is for the weak, or you know you made the right decision. You might not openly brag about your part in the conflict, but you don’t deny it when confronted either.

Deity/Religious Philosophy: Hembad

           

Romantic Relationship(s): [A Few Significant Relationships] You’ve tried to make deep connections with individuals on several occasions, but it’s never worked out.

Drawback: [Justice] Unfairness and injustice are intolerable. Whenever you witness them, you feel compelled to act or speak out. When you’re personally wronged, you require appeasement—or revenge if you don’t receive it.

(Trait) Artisan

(Trait) Charming

(Trait) Kin Guardian

(Trait) Merchant

(Trait) Poverty-Stricken

(Trait) Resilient

(Trait) Surface Stranger

(Trait) Tunnel Fighter

(Story Feat) True Love

(Story Feat) Unforgotten

(Drawback) Headstrong

In the comments please tell us what character you would make with these disparate pieces information? What class would this dwarf naturally gravitate towards? Who is this worshiper Hembad, The Wise Grandfather? And don’t forget to stay tuned Friday when my background hits the CRB.

The CRB not only brings you the creative content you desire but makes you look inside for your own creativity. If you feel both inspired and pushed to created please consider supporting your favorite content provider (that’s me) by pledging as little as $1 on my Patreon. If you don’t want to miss a beat make sure you sign up to get the CRB pushed directly to your e-reading device with Kindle Subscriptions through Amazon. And to keep up with my other musings and thoughts you can follow the CRB on Google+, Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter.

The M(Ag)nificence of Silver

The Sacred Chains of Omrataji

Many gods have diversity of their portfolio. The Varundi god Omrataji has a clarity of purpose; he oversees all that has to do with silver, from its mining to the crafts made from it. One would assume that many of his followers are merchants and miners, but how does a god known for nobility and leadership reconcile these followers in a segregated caste system? Today we look at sects of the Spirit in Silver, and you can check out the random roll character, also a follower.

As always, let us imagine we are sitting at our theoretical gaming table. Our imaginary GM sets out the rules for the game we will play. In this game, we are to make a follower Omrataji. The character does not need to be a divine caster, just a devotee of the Varundi deity. What character do you make?

For more information on Omrataji

Omrataji’s Pathfinder Wiki Page 

Omrataji’s Archives of Nethys Page 

The Chaandee Society

The Varundi word for silver is Chaandee. The Chaandee society is a sect of Omrataji worshipers who craft silver jewelry and ornamentation for the rajahs, and even the maharaja himself. Although the main portion of the Society’s business is with these rulers, they allot work for a certain number of other clients. Getting one of these allotments is considered a great coup, and to show up to court with a piece sculpted by the Chaandee Society raises one's status exponentially. On rare occasion the Society will make a piece for someone in the lower castes, although no one knows how the recipient is actually chosen.

The Chaandee Society was originally one family of silversmiths. One of the many rajahs had a vision from Omrataji of the man who would make his wedding crown. So impressed were all who attended that many other rajahs begged to be made similar pieces. When the then maharajah saw the pieces that the rulers of his principalities were wearing he made the silversmith his personal jeweler. Since then the society has grown as apprentices outside the family were taken on to meet demand, but only the best are offered admittance as full members.

The Gathering Moles

In the Impossible Kingdoms of Vudra one does not just rip ore from the ground, especially not silver. Only those chosen by Omrataii are allowed to mine the precious metal and it must be blessed as it leaves the mines from which it is found. The Gathering Moles are a sect within the church of The Spirit in Silver that oversees this process. Although the actual miners are lay people within the church, the clergy is on hand to bless every ounce of ore that makes its way to market.

Becoming one of the Gathering Moles requires a petition to the church Omrataji. The Moles are led by three special inquisitors who are said to see into the hearts of the petitioners. If the inquisitors witness silver pumping through their veins, the petitioner is granted admittance. Such is the fame of the silver miners that a number of dwarves have come to petition and converted from the worship of the dwarven pantheon to that of The Spirit in Silver.

The Silver Chains

Although most of the worshipers of Omratahi are from the kezavazresthin caste,  there is a group of holy warriors, members of the padaprajna caste. The Silver Chain are the elite of these warriors and include pure of heart fighters, paladins, inquisitors, and warpriests. The Silver Chain enter battle wielding the Spirit in Silver’s holy weapon, the spiked chain. They defend not only the church but all of the Impossible Kingdoms of Varund.

Admittance to The Silver Chain is only for those pure of heart, even for those what are not  paladins. Its members are held to a higher standard than even the priests of Omrataji. Each member must drink from a sacred silver chalice a concoction of holy water, silver, and sacred herbs. For those who are not pure of heart the mixture will not remain in their system. For those who are truly evil it burns like the fires of the nine hells. Those that survive unscathed are allowed into the ranks of the Silver Chains.

Omrataji’s Paladin Code

Silver’s nature is to shine, but also to tarnish. In its natural form it is naught but green rocks.  Through the labor of our hands and our backs we draw it from its earthy bed, distill it to its pure form, and craft it into wondrous works, and even then our labor is not done. We must care for and polish it or it shall succumb to its nature and tarnish again.  All people are like silver and only constant effort allow us to shine in the light of Omrataji

Silver are the chains that bond friends and family. It is the ring that binds husband and wife. In its way silver is the true conduit of peace and understanding. We must be as silver and bind our people in love and friendship. Violence and wrath must be the last act of the true silver warrior.

As the light of the full moon shines off of a silver dome, so must the paladin’s heart shine with the light of chaandee; a beacon in the darkness guiding those lost in the wilderness back to civilization.

The magic of the holy silver ore is its malleability, this is what makes it the metal of the rajahs. This softness allows skilled silversmiths to work it into shapes of amazing complexity, depth, and beauty. So, too, are the souls of men. The warriors of Omrataji must be like silver. A paladin must follow the teachings of Chaandee and craft themselves into the best form to serve the needs of the people. Likewise, they must understand that silver may always be recast, reworked, embossed, polished, and etched. So must a warrior of Omrataji be willing to to change as the occasion demands. Your heart, your soul, and your body must mold themselves into vessels for what is, rather than attempting to remain containers for what was.

The purity and majesty of silver exists in all the sects you’ve seen here. Who is your blessed follower of Omratai? Why have they chosen to dedicate themselves to the Spirit in Silver? Where does their devotion come from? Let me know in the comments.

If the CRB is like a strike in a silver mine for your gaming experience, please consider showing support and become one of my patrons by donating to my Patreon. Looking for more out of the CRB? Then you’re in luck! Google +, Twitter, Tumblr, and Facebook all have a CRB presence. And if you’re as impatient as I am, have the CRB pushed directly to your Kindle with every new post by signing up for Kindle Subscriptions.