Becoming The Beast

Throwbacks of Ealdeez

There is a beast that resides in all of us. Most of us can keep that snarling creature at bay, but some give in to the savagery. The Daemon Harbinger known as Ealdeez feeds off the rage in these people’s hearts. Those who give themselves over to the Harbinger of reversion, regression, and savage revenge give up any semblance of a civilized life. Today we look at three possible sects of the being known as The Beast Behind the Dream.

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

For more information on Ealdeez

Ealdeez’s Pathfinder Wiki Page

Ealdeez’s Archives of Nethys Page

Moonless Children

In one of the many secluded villages, off the beaten path in the River Kingdoms, reside some of the most inhospitable people you may ever meet. Outsiders are reviled and actively threatened. Most of the inhabitants of the region know to steer well away from the village, and rumors of missing travelers are common but unproved.

In truth this town’s entire populace are skinwalkers. They are descendants of mostly bat, rat, and wolf lycanthropes. They are also a cult of the Daemon Harbinger Eadleez who look to find a way to become full lyncanthropes so that they may truly feel the pull of their bestial blood.

The Lashing Tail

Among the lizardfolk of the Sodden Lands the aggressive Terwa Lords rile up their people to take back the land they believe was once theirs. They have convinced their people that their aggressive acts are from a place of vengeance for what has been stolen. They preach that the savagery they use is their birthright. They war and kill because it is how it should be.

Within the ranks of the Terwa Kings including some of the leading shamans, and kings themselves are members of a clutch of Eladeez devotees. These followers of the Beast Behind the Dream truly don’t care if they take back their land or not, all they want to see is the brutality of the event. Shaman, oracles, barbarians, hunters, and bloodragers make up the ranks of this sect within the great Terwa Lords.

Those Who Walk On Fours

Although most to the Hyena-folk who travel the deserts of Casmaron fall in line with their peers as worshipers of Lamashtu, some follow other beings of power. Those Who Walk On Fours are a small tribe of Gnolls who seek to become more like the Hyenas that they believe they came from. They refuse to walk on two legs, and they speak only in guttural growls and body language.

The tribe began and is still led by Fangscar, a grizzled battlerager who began to have disturbing visions. He saw himself constantly transforming back into a giant hyena over and over again. Through these dreams he began to believe that his people weren’t the creations of The Mother of Monsters but the evolution of the Hyenas that still roamed the deserts. He sought a way to become what he saw in his dreams and turned to Ealdeez to aid him in his regression, bringing over a number of other supplicants with him.

Like their patron the Deamon Harbinger’s followers are the epitome of savagery. Who is your disciple of Ealdeez? Why have they chosen to dedicate themselves to The Beast Behind the Dream? Where does their devotion come from? Let me know in the comments.

If the CRB has has helped you take a closer look at those inspired by the divine, please consider showing support and become one of my patrons by donating to my Patreon or making a donation to my Paypal. Looking for more out of the CRB? Then you’re in luck! Facebook, Google +, Tumblr, and Twitter 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 Exploration 74 - Kalissa

This week’s random rolls were tough. Although the class seemed pretty cut and dry, with her being the follower of a savage god and having a high strength and constitution, the low dexterity meant being someone who uses lighter armor would be a problem. Still barbarian was the glaringly obvious choice and I went with it.

Where I had my problem was canon lore to build from. So little is written about lizardfolk that it was hard to find a the hook I was looking for. I actually had to search into the adjacent region to The Shackles, a place called the Sodden Lands, to find what I needed. A little tidbit there sparked the idea and I just ran with it.

Kalissa

In the south part of The Sodden Lands the lizardfolk tribes make their home. For generations the tribes lived in harmony with each other; aiding one another in times of trouble. In recent years that harmony has been disrupted. Some of the lizardfolk tribes have fallen under the rule of powerful warlords who call themselves the “Terwa Lords.” Although each Terwa Lord is sovereign, they seek power at the expense of the weaker and more peaceful tribes.

Kalissa was one of the youngest of her family, or clutch, when the raiders game to her village. They killed her parents and her one older brother. Her brother’s death was an act of sacrifice so that her older sister could take the remaining children – all girls – away to safety. The Terwa Lords would destroy her home and force her people to become refugees.

The clutch of females made it across the southern border to the pirate kingdom of The Shackles. This was before the Terwa Lords riled up their people to begin raiding that far south, so the reptilians made their way in the city of Neruma. They were accepted, though as second class citizens, within the walls of the human enclave and Kalissa’s eldest sister managed to keep them out of the slave pits.

Living in the slums of Neruma was no easy life. The sisters scraped by working on jobs around the city. Living away from the coast made their life more difficult as their parents had been sailors and that was the only life the girls really knew. As Kalissa grew up she fell in with a number of street kids who all learned from criminal named Kerbus Trout.

Trout would teach Kalissa how to navigate the city, what areas to avoid to stay out of the slave pits, and how best to con some of the local vendors out of a loaf of bread or round of cheese. Although he himself was a well-known criminal – no small task in a land of criminals – he never asked any of the children to follow in his footsteps. He had a soft spot for kids, especially those who were growing up on the streets like he did.

When the raids started the lizardfolk who resided in Neruma were all looked upon with suspicion. The Terwa Lords had turned their eye from the traditional home in the southern Sodden Lands to the north of The Shackles. There were whispers among Kalissa’s people that this city was once a breeding ground for the ancient tribes and the Lords were seeking to reclaim it.

With the turn against the reptilian citizens some of the gangs of thugs would come to drag off the lizardfolk to the slave pits. It became common to see those who looked like the raiders to be cheated by merchants of all sorts. These actions bred fear and hatred among the lizardfolk, which in turn gave more excuses for the other citizens to treat them poorly. It was a vicious cycle.

Although the Terwa Lords were the driving force among the lizardfolk for domination of the region, other groups used their movement as a way to gain their own power. Among these were worshipers of the Daemon Harbinger Ealdeez. These degenerates used the aggressiveness of the Lords to promote reversion back to a more animalistic, or natural state.

Watching her people fall from their already low place in the city, Kalissa felt anger in her heart toward the people mistreating them. When a local leatherworker began abusing some of his help she lost it completely. She confronted him in front of his shop in full view of any bystanders and accused him of terrible things. The problem was that, because of the skills taught her by Kerbus, she knew these things to be true. Many of the people he traded with looked upon the leatherworker unkindly but Kalissa didn’t care.

Eventually the remaining lizardfolk that weren’t killed or enslaved were driven from the city. Kalissa was separated from her family and fell in with a group of raiders heading home to the Sodden Lands. It was here she first heard the teachings of Ealdeez. She learned to reach deep and use her hatred to release her inner beast. They taught her to fight with tooth and claw.

Kalissa’s rage was focused on one thing and one thing only, the people who had treated her and her people so badly. She would join the raiding parties and seek to punish the people of Neruma. One day she also hopes to find her sisters, if any remain. But for now the destruction of the warmbloods will fill that void.

Is this what you envisioned when you first laid eyes on the random rolls? What class did your lizardfolk choose? What happened to her parents? What disaster did she witness? Why did the end up in a human city? How did she come worship Ealdeez? 

Bringing these characters to life is a second full-time job. A pledge of as little as one dollar a month on Patreon or a one-time donation to my paypal can help keep the lights on while I concentrate on producing new content for you.

The CRB has been growing as a community on social media; please join us on Facebook, Google+, Tumblr, and Twitter. My inbox is open on all forums for questions, comments, and discussion. If you don’t want to miss a beat make sure you sign up to have the CRB pushed directly to your e-reading device with Kindle Subscriptions through Amazon.

In The Beginning

Musings On the Realization I Was a GM

This week I got to thinking about where it all began; when I started gaming and when I first started GMing. The memories are a little hazy as I was pretty young when we started. Me and four friends from grade school got our hands on red box basic D&D starter set and we were instantly in love. The fun thing about the red box was that there was this cute little adventure that you could read through room by room, draw your own map, and fight the monsters, without needing a GM. Eventually though someone had to become the GM, and that was me.

Now I imagine I ran a bunch of basic D&D for my friends, especially one friend in particular; we spent pretty much every day at each other’s homes. I would run solo games for him. I remember making it all the way up through the box with the deity level games in them. Still, most of the D&D stuff for me as a GM was a bit hazy. Since I started playing at nine, there was a bunch of stuff that I didn’t understand. But it was fun, so we kept doing it.

My first real memory of running a game wasn’t for D&D. Me and the same friend – my best friend to this day – were obsessed with a comic series called Elfquest. One day at our local gaming store we found a copy of a RPG designed for that world. This was when we were eleven and by now I’d figured out most of the rules and concepts for gaming. But this was the first time I knew the stories I wanted to tell.

So with the Elfquest RPG I began to understand the concept of laying out a story: having a bad guy, writing a plot, making some supporting characters, and maybe throwing in a few twists. The thing is that at all of eleven that I was mostly ripping off every movie, comic, or book that I thought was fun. But you know what? When you’re young and you’re just getting into gaming you want to relive all the best times of your favorite heroes, and that’s ok.

Elfquest moved into Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and that was a little more of the same, reliving the stories of characters I liked by adding our own characters to them. But then Palladium came out with Rifts. And for the first time since red box basic D&D I was playing a game where there was no preconceived ideas of a world in comics or film. This is when I finally began to really write my own stories, and as is the theme, all of these stories were played through by my best friend.

My freshmen year of high school was when I really got into fleshing out these adventures for my friend. Books of plot ideas, side quests, and NPCs would take up more space in my backpack than school work. I needed more time – and this is not a recommendation to anyone but it’s what I did – so I would cut class just to sit in the library at school and write the next installment of our ongoing adventure. This is when I finally decided I was a Game Master.

Now of course I would later play tons of other games: pretty much anything from World of Darkness, Cyberpunk, Shadowrun, all the other Palladium games, TORG, Fading Suns, and then full circle back to D&D with 3.0. But it’s that moment when you realize that you are the Game Master that I want to stop at. This is a moment that many of us have already had, and some of you will have at some point.

I don’t think you really decide to become a GM. The role is something that just kind of happens. If you’re like me sometimes you end up there because no one else wanted to do it. It’s either that or you end up being the cleric all the time and I got tired of that. In some cases you do it because you were the first one to find gaming in your group of friends. But in the long run it’s you who has to balance the role of writer, arbiter, and player – even if in a different role – so that the games you run can be fun for everyone.

Sometimes I like to think back to why I started GMing because, as I look out into the community, a lot of GMs my age seem to have become a bit jaded. One of the reasons I write this blog, and discuss on as many platforms as I can, is to encourage new gamers to pick up the mantle of GM and run with it. On occasion it may seem thankless but there will always be moments when you say to yourself, “this is why I do it”.

So to the new gamers and would be Game Masters I say this: jump in head first. I did it without the real ability to comprehend all the rules because of my age – hell I didn’t understand half the big words – but I think that helped. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, I made hundreds if not thousands of them and even after gaming for over three decades, and I’ll make more. And don’t fear asking questions. Sure you’ll get a couple of trolls who won’t be helpful at all, but when I started I would have killed for a resource like the internet.

For those older gamers I say remember what it was like when you started. Remember that first time you knew you were a Game Master and try and keep that same joy into every game you run. And always help the new Game Masters. The questions may seem easy, or even stupid, but not everyone comprehends the same. Some folks learn better by being shown than by absorbing through reading. It’s up to you to make sure there’s still GMs out there for the next gaming generation.

I like to reminisce, but I like to hear other’s stories just as much. How did you become a GM? Do you remember what the first game you ran was like? Where did you even pick up gaming from in the first place? Tell your tales in the comments.

The CRB seeks to inspire, whether this is your first go around as a GM or your thousandth. If you are reminded of your first game, or feel drawn to run your first, please consider becoming a contributor. Monthly donations of as little as one dollar can be made to my Patreon. A one-time donation can easily be made to my paypal. Every bit helps me keep the lights on so I can concentrate on bringing you the content you deserve.

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Random Roll 74 - The Randomness

The warm climate and wet weather of The Shackles is the perfect home for a Lizardfolk. But why does she live in a human city? And how did her parents die? This follower of a deity of bestial regression is served well by her incredible strength and durability, but her lack of coordination could prove a problem. So what do we do with these bits of flotsam that are the random rolls? We’ll see on Friday.

Gender:Female

Race:Lizardfolk

Nationality:The Shackles

Age:  Unknown

Height: 5’ 8”

Weight: 154 lbs

Alignment: Neutral Evil

Str: 16

Dex: 9

Con:  20

Int: 12

Wis: 10

Cha: 8

Homeland: Raised in a Human Homeland - City or Metropolis

Parents: Both of your parents are dead.

Siblings: You have 5 lizardfolk siblings.

- olderlizardfolk sister

- olderlizardfolk brother

- olderlizardfolk sister

- olderlizardfolk sister

- youngerlizardfolk 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: Sailors

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 Criminal] One of your associates committed crimes regularly. He regaled you with many stories of daring robberies and break-ins—and perhaps even murders. You learned most of what you know of the criminal element from him, and he trusted you as a friend.

Conflict: [Destroyed a Reputation] You deliberately ruined the honor, reputation, or fortunes of another individual or group.

Conflict Subject: Artisan.

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:Ealdeez

Romantic Relationship(s):[Several Significant Relationships] You’ve engaged in a number of partnerships, but for some reason or another your relationships always fail.

Drawback:[Youth] You reflect upon your youth as a golden time, one ever present in your mind and that refuses to fade into the background. Every day, you feel yourself growing older and closer to your inevitable end. You seek ways to make yourself look and feel young in attempt to rekindle that fire of your adolescence, but despite your attempts, you realize that your time still draws ever nearer.

(Trait) Artisan

(Trait) Brute

(Trait) Canter

(Trait) Kin Guardian

(Trait) Merchant

(Trait) Orphaned

(Trait) Resilient

(Trait) Vagabond Child

(Trait) Worldly

(Story Feat) Unforgotten

(Drawback) Vain

In the comments please tell us what character you would make with these disparate pieces information? What class would this Lizardfolk naturally gravitate towards? What disaster did she witness? Whose reputation did she destroy? 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 right – by pledging as little as $1 on my Patreon or making a direct donation to my Paypal.

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We Bring Good Things to Life

Thinkers of Bharnarol

This week we’re going to take a look at Bharnhol, the patron of inventors and creators around Golarion. This being appreciates not only the act of creation, but the process that leads to inspiration. He also knows that not everything that can exist should and seeks to curtail inventions that could be harmful to the world. Bharnahol is the Empyreal Lord of creativity, invention, and persistence. Let us take his lead and press ever onward to explore three possible sects of The Tempered Inventor.

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

For more information on Bharnarol

Bharnarol’s Pathfinder Wiki Page

Bharnarol’s Archives of Nethys Page

The Dogged Bulls

Taking their name from male elephants, this sect of Bharnarol worshipers is the material arm of their patron’s will to curb dangerous inventions. The group is especially active in northern avistan. Here they seek to put a stop to some to the Technic League’s more wild creations. They also work around the Worldwound and Mendev to curtail the designs of the Demon Lord Haagenti.

The ranks of this sect are not only persistent but they have creative ways of going about finding their quarry. Hunters, inquisitors, investigators, and rangers make up a majority of this group, although anyone with a will to find and stop dangerous creation will be given a chance. One must first apprentice with a senior member before full acceptance into the sect is given.

The Idea Men

For some it is in the physical act of creating something new, for others the joy is in formulating the idea in the first place. The Idea Men is a very small sect of ascetics who while away their days contemplating what could be. When inspiration is granted by The Tempered Inventor they go out into the world to find just the right person to bring this creation to life.

Most of members of this sect are oracles; their link to Bharnarol is designed to bring the will of creation to life. They use their powers to find the idea and place it with the correct mind. Some do so through veiled whispers, hoping to provide that jolt of inspiration. Others use magic to insinuate the idea directly into a chosen one’s mind. Other still outright tell the would-be inventor the idea and hope for the best.

The Clockwork Church

Magnimar is known to house mystery cults of many of the Empyreal Lords. After the founding of the Golemworks, worship of Bharnarol in his aspect of inventor became even more popular. The Clockwork Church is a small sect of a dozen or so members of the Golemworks who have chosen the Empyreal Lord as their patron.

Although almost exclusively arcane spellcasters , the leader of the sect was chosen by Bharnarol and granted some clerical power. KerseHanderskil has learned to combine both his divine and arcane spellcasting to serve as this sect’s leader. Much like the Golemworks itself, the rest of the congregation is rounded out by wizards and alchemists.

The Empyreal Lord of creativity lends inspiration to his followers. Who is your disciple of Bharnarol? Why have they chosen to dedicate themselves to The Tempered Inventor? Where does their devotion come from? Let me know in the comments.

If the CRB has has helped you take a closer look at those inspired by the divine, please consider showing support and become one of my patrons by donating to my Patreon or making a donation to my Paypal. Looking for more out of the CRB? Then you’re in luck! Facebook, Google +, Tumblr, and Twitter 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 Exploration 73 - Quraish Brokenbough

This week’s random rolls showed us a bright, intuitive, and lithe young half-elf. Born in the crusader state of Mendev, his human blood came to that land from the far off Keleshite Empire. We had to link together at least one parent that was an entertainer, a betrayal, and the worship of Bharnarol among other things. So how did I do it and what class did I choose?

I really liked the technological aspect of Bharnarol, and with a craftsmen as a mentor it seemed to fit together. I wasn’t going to use any 3pp classes so I needed an archetype of a class that had a technical flavor. It stated that Bharnarol’s followers and sometimes the Empyreal Lord himself hunt down those who invent dangerous things. So I needed a technologist who could ferret out an evil inventor. After a very brief search I found the scavenger archetype for the investigator class.

Quraish Brokenbough

Mendev sees people of all races and ethnicities make their way to the frontlines of the battle against chaos. Some of these crusaders and their hangers-on return to their homes, worlds away. Some remain, making a new home for themselves in a land constantly at war. The small town of Krega is one such location, with a diverse population of humans and non-humans.

Krega is situated on the outskirts of the Estrovian Forest. Although the forest itself is considered haunted, for the most part by monstrous beings known as herne, the places close to towns like Krega and Dubrov tend to house those more comfortable living among the trees like elves and gnomes. In one of these small woodland enclaves is where Quarish was born.

Quraish’s father was a crusader from Kyonin who retired to work the land. The boy’s mother came with an enclave of Kelishite warriors seeking glory in battle. Although all of the crusaders died in combat, their retinues lived and either went home or spread across Mendev looking for work. The two met and fell in love in Krega, where his mother sang at a local tavern. She eventually moved out to his father’s forest home, although she would return to the town from time to time to perform.

The woodland enclave was most self-sufficient. Elves, gnomes, and more rural minded humans all pitched in to make it work. The werebear-kin that patrolled the forest would stop in from time to time when rumor of one of the herne surfaced. Each member of the small community had their say and their contribution. Quraish himself was always fond of Yurtok the Numerian craftsman.

Yurtok never talked about his past, although his ease around weird mechanical devices suggested he had some truck with the Technic League. Quraish was always trying to figure out the little doodads and gadgets the old man would create. The boy became a constant in Yurtok’s workshop, so the Kellid eventually took him on as an apprentice.

Living in the wilds usually meant one did what one needed to survive, but never at the expense of those who relied on you. Quraish’s father lived a hard life as a crusader but he instilled in his son the difference between law and justice. He always told his son that you do what is right, regardless of what is expected. These lessons would hold with Quraish his entire life.

Although his father was a worshiper of Erastil, the tenets of Old Deadeye didn’t sing to Quraish’s soul. The young half-elf once again turned to his mentor. The craftsman held a special place in his heart for Bharnarol, the Empyreal Lord of creativity. Although he would speak of what he was before, he says that the agathion saved him from himself. Feeling a call to creation, Quraish chose Bharnarol as his own patron.

One of the reasons his father left Kyonin to become a crusader was that his wife had died. Although she was already an adult, his flight to Mendev also left behind his daughter from his first marriage. When the elven maiden came calling, it was a shock to her father and his new family. Although he had failed to speak of her in the past Quraish and his mother welcomed her as part of the family.

His half-sister was on the run and had nowhere else to turn. She too came to Mendev to fight the demon horde, but she had a falling out with her commander. She felt he was leading her unit to their certain death and she mutinied against him. It saved the lives of many of her fellows – including her commander – but it left her in a precarious position having usurped command. So she ran.

Her father promised to hide her, but his love for his daughter was not held by all. Another former crusader, who still numbered friends among the armies of Kyonin, had heard of her desertion. And even though he and Quraish’s father had been friends for years, he still turned the girl in. The soldiers came and took her away to Krega to await trial.

Quraish, who wasn’t home at the time, managed to follow them back to town. Using a number of his mentor’s inventions he managed free his half-sister. He knew he had broken the law but what is just and right, isn’t always what is the law. Although it could never be proven, everyone assumed he freed her. To this day he has never said where she headed.

The half-elf, now a man, sought to find his own place in the world. His mentor had explained that he originally came to Mendev as a sort of crusader of his own. His patron sought to stop those who would create to destroy and had sent him to fight against the followers of the Demon Lord Haagenti. If the boy wanted his own quest he offered the mission he could no longer undertake.

With his growing mastery of the mechanical arts, as well as an ability to ferret out those who would use invention for evil, Quraish would head out into the world. He would refuse to officially join the armies of the crusaders but he would often work with them when their objectives and his coincided. The worshipers of Haagenti had better beware.

Now that you’ve seen what I came up with, what was your interpretation of these rolls? What class did your half-elf choose? Who were his parents? Who was his influence? Who has he betrayed? When did he start worshiping Bharnarol?

Bringing these characters to life is a second full-time job. A pledge of as little as one dollar a month on Patreon or a one-time donation to my paypal can help keep the lights on while I concentrate on producing new content for you.

The CRB has been growing as a community on social media; please join us on Facebook, Google+, Tumblr, and Twitter. My inbox is open on all forums for questions, comments, and discussion. If you don’t want to miss a beat make sure you sign up to have the CRB pushed directly to your e-reading device with Kindle Subscriptions through Amazon.

What's In a Name

Weapons of Legend

Throughout the history of fantasy literature special weapons have always been named. Frodo had Sting, Drizzt had Icingdeath and Twinkle, and Michael Carpenter had Amoracchius. Named weapons have been popular in gaming as well, turning that +1 longsword into something a little more. I participated in A recent creative challenge where we were given a name and had to describe a special weapon, and that got me thinking about these traditional fantasy tropes.

So I’m going to start with the 800lb elephant in the room, which is how the proliferation of magic items in D&D, since 3.5, and Pathfinder have taken a little of the special out of magic weapons.  When you can buy a +1 weapon at any corner store or pay to have a wizard enchant it to become even more powerful, finding magic items in a trove has now become a matter of trading up. It really takes certain something special out of finding an item of power.

I have to admit as a gamer who started in 2nd edition, this is one of the few things that sometimes tweaks my grognard buttons. I understand that modern D&D is now superheroic high fantasy, but I occasionally long for the days when the glowing sword was something special. But the question is, does that mean we can’t have special or hereditary weapons in either D&D or Pathfinder? To that I answer with a resounding no.

First off, named weapons are as much a roleplay choice as a mechanical choice. A weapon with a moniker is so because it has a achieved a certain notoriety.  Sure you could trade up from that Frostreaver – a +1 Battle axe – to that spiffy new +2 battle axe with no name and no history. Or you could very easily sell the +2 battleaxe and increase the legend of Frostweaver by enchanting it even further. This requires a certain buy in from the players, but it’s not impossible.

The other option is weapons that are already more powerful than you standard enchanted items. Rules for intelligent items have existed for a while but they add special meaning by being unique in the face of a world with magic at every turn. Hrym is a great example of an intelligent weapon in Pathfinder. You can find him in the Pathfinder novel Liar’s Blade and its follow up Liar’s Island.

In an attempt to take some of the prevalent magic from the game, Pathfinder has also added rules for scaling items. This allows for characters to still scale well with the CR system of the game while allowing actual magic items to be rare. This is when you can start having a scaling family blade that a player has from level one. Or you can give them a named magical weapon that is more powerful than the base scaling weapon a player gets.

I haven’t played many other systems, but a few brief sessions using Savage Worlds and FATE lead me to believe that they can handle lower magic worlds better. This in turn would allow magical weapons to seem all the more special, hopefully in a way that lends them to being named. The IronKingdoms RPG – which I’ve only perused and never played – also seems to cover a world in which magical weapons would be special.

Now that we’ve gotten past which system can handle the mid to low ranged magic that allows for magical weapons to be special and deserving of a name, let’s look at how a weapon gets its name. I would say the most common way a weapon gets a name is from some deed its wielder achieved with it. Giantslayer, Dragonsbane, The Demon’s Last Breath are all name that describe a deed a weapon may have performed.

Some weapons are named for the powers the posses. An axe with ice powers may be called Frostreaver. A dagger that always finds a vital spot might be called Kidneypunch. With hundreds of special abilities to choose from you’ll see a wide variety of weapon names. Even weapons with a same or similar ability might be named differently. Two different flaming swords might be called The Salamander’s Kiss, and Firelight.

Some other things to consider may be the look of the weapon. A dagger called the Angel’s Tear may harm evil outsiders and look like a teardrop. A weapon may be named for its creator or the wielder that made it famous in the first place. Or a weapon might be named after the fiercest creature it ever killed. There are thousands of ways to name a weapon but they should all have some sort of special meaning.

Whether you play a high or low magic game, medieval fantasy or modern fantasy, there is always a place for named weapon. How have you used named weapons in your game? What has been the favorite name of a special weapon? Where have players found these weapons of legacy?

Just like a named weapon, each article written on the CRB is special. If you have added to your gaming repertoire with what you have found within this blog please consider becoming a contributor. Monthly donations of as little as one dollar can be made to my Patreon. A one-time donation can easily be made to my paypal. Every bit helps me keep the lights on so I can concentrate on bringing you the content you deserve.

The CRB has been growing as a community on social media; please join us on Facebook, Google+, Tumblr, and Twitter. My inbox is open on all forums for questions, comments, and discussion. If you don’t want to miss a beat make sure you sign up to have the CRB pushed directly to your e-reading device with Kindle Subscriptions through Amazon.

Character 73 - The Randomness

Mendev is the land of crusaders, bringing folk from all over the world to fight the encroaching demons. This week’s random rolls bring us a half-elf with Keleshite human ancestry, who was born in this war torn region. Trained by a craftsmen, betrayed by someone he trusted, and instilled with a strong since of justice. What will we make of the bits of information this week? We’ll see on Friday.

Gender: Male

Race: Half-Elf

Human Parent Ethnicity:Keleshite

Nationality:Mendev

Age:33

Height: 6’ 3”

Weight: 175lbs

Alignment: Neutral Good

Str: 12

Dex: 18

Con:  8

Int: 14

Wis: 14

Cha: 10

Homeland: Forest

Parents: Both of your parents are alive.

Siblings: You have 1 half-sibling.

- older elf sister

Circumstance of Birth: [Lower-Class Birth] You were born among peasants or slum denizens. You grew up working the land around a village or manor, practicing a rudimentary trade, or begging in a settlement.

Parent's Profession: Entertainers

Major Childhood Event: [Betrayal] A friend or family member whom you trusted more than anyone else betrayed you. You have never fully trusted anyone since and prefer to rely on your own abilities rather than place your trust in others.

Influential Associate:[The Craftsperson] One of your major influences cherished perfection in every form of art. This person might have followed any path in life, from craftsperson to artist to assassin. From this person you developed a disciplined mind, a solitary focus, and the ability to create something useful and beautiful.

Conflict: [Cheater] You broke a rule, law, contract, or agreement for your own gain.

Conflict Subject: Soldier or warrior.

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:Bharnarol

Romantic Relationship(s): [Several Inconsequential Relationships] You have had many lovers but no long-lasting, meaningful relationships.

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) Log Roller

(Trait) Poverty-Stricken

(Trait) Suspicious

(Trait) Talented

(Drawback) Headstrong

In the comments please tell us what character you would make with these disparate pieces information? What class would this Half-Elf naturally gravitate towards? How his parents end up in Mendev? Who betrayed him? 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 right – by pledging as little as $1 on my Patreon or making a direct donation to my Paypal.

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Seek and Ye Shall Find

Aspirants of Shei

Deities always seem to be there when you need them most. Whether for good or ill their lives revolve around the souls of mortals. But what happens when a being of immense divine power goes missing. This week we take a look at a lost – or in this case stolen – divine being. Shei, the Empyreal Lord of age, life, and self-actualization is an interesting creature as even though she is lost her followers still gain divine power through her. Let’s look at three possible sects of the Ibis Matron.

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

For more information on Shei

Shei’s Pathfinder WikiPage

Shei’s Archives of Nethys Page

The Shimmer Wings

The Shimmer Wings are a sect of Shei worshipers dedicated to finding the whereabouts of their lost patron. Although her followers still retain the flow of divine power from the Ibis Matron, they have lost direct contact with her. A few oracles have glimpsed snippets in their dreams and suggest that the Empyreal Lord is somewhere physically on Golarion but nobody knows if that’s true.

The sect recruits any who show dedication in the search for Shei. Their central base of operations is in the Impossible Kingdoms of Vudra where diviners and seers of all types work tirelessly to reach out to their deity. More mundane searching is performed by rangers, inquisitors, investigators, and anyone else with a nose to ferret out information. The sect uses the imagery of Shei’s favored animal – the dragonfly – as a symbol of their devotion to her

Twilight Guardians

Like many other Empyreal Lords, Shei has a mystery cult in Magnimar. The group is small but dedicate to her in her aspect as caregiver. They specifically care for those in the twilight of lives well and hard lived. They operate a home for those too aged to take care of themselves and with no family to watch out for them. The building has a small atrium inside for the elderly and infirm to enjoy nature without leaving its confines, which is why it is called The Twilight Garden.

Most of the members of this sect are themselves older. Past the age to which they think adventuring is possible. Many older clerics and paladins make up the ranks of this sect, as well as a few lay persons dedicated to the Ibis Matron. All admittance requires is a desire to care for those who cannot care for themselves.

The Center

Being a principality of Vudra, Jalmeray is also a center of worship of Shei. One of the most well-known sects of the Empyreal Lord is a group called The Center. They operate something like a cross between a monastery and an academy where people come to find themselves. Although mainly used by parents looking to find the path of their children, some older lost souls also seek out The Center to find the road they somehow lost.

The sect separates itself into two. The first of these helps a supplicant find the path they belong on. Monk, oracles, and clerics round out this contemplative group. The second half helps train those who have found their path in what they were meant to be. This second group is more diverse and has scholars, craftsmen, soldiers, and pretty much any other vocation in their ranks. If one cannot be trained at The Center itself the sect will help find a proper mentor for the newly actualized supplicant.

Seeking within for their patron without are the followers of the Empyreal Lord. Who is your disciple of Shei? Why have they chosen to dedicate themselves to The Ibis Matron? Where does their devotion come from? Let me know in the comments.

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Character 72 - Aufeillian Morgethai

This week’s random rolls brought me a challenge. I found myself with an android, living in Kyonin with a family of sorts. How to go about reconciling these oddities was quite a challenge. Tying in a love, a hated, and a god who represents a search for self, added to this conundrum. But first of course I had to choose a class.

I wasn’t really feeling any magical abilities, although a decent intelligence and exceedingly high wisdom meant he could of excelled as either an arcane or divine caster. The high wisdom and dexterity combo with a decent strength mean Monk would have been my first choice if he wasn’t neutral good. So I sought inspiration by looking at the androidentry on the PFSRD and this is where I found the Living Weapon Brawler archetype. And that was the launching off point for everything.

So a few mechanical notes before we get started. I knew I was going brawler so a warrior and I knew he was raised by elves or at least educated by them so I wanted to add something mechanically into this portion of the story. I went with the elf race trait Warrior of Old.

Secondarily I realized that two parts of his background pointed to emotion; committing his theft out of hatred or malice, and having a current lover. At their base androids are emotionless which posed a problem. Luckily there is an alt racial trait called Anomaly. This made our character not only subject to emotion, but being overwhelmed even by it. I thought it added a lot to the story and I love it when mechanics can tie in nicely.

Aufeillian Morgethai

Some two-thousand years after their return from their homeworld to Golarion the elves of Kyonin are still reclaiming their ancestral lands. Much has changed through the age of darkness but they continue to make the lands once again their own. One of the most successful families to stake their claim in their forest home are the Morgethai.

The town of Riverspire is now the home of the Morgethai clan and all those who marry into the family. At one point the clan was incredibly fecund, forcing the town to grow around the stone tower that is home to the family leaders. In this day and age that has slowed to the point that many aren’t reproducing at all. Such was the case for Aleeriead Morgethai and his wife Valiani.

With his wife’s inability to bear children Aleeriead took up adventuring. His major work was with parties of elves that sought to explore and reclaim portions of Kyonin. It was with one of these parties that his family would begin to grow, for Aleeriead made a great discovery.

After the elves left Golarion – although possibly before Earthfall and the Age of Darkness – there was Rain of Stars. Much of the falling debris from the space between Golarion and the outer worlds hit in the desolate plains of Numeria. But apparently some pieces had fall far afield. Aleeriead uncovered a small pod which contained within it a creature the shape of a humanoid, but whose flesh and bone were metallic.

Ever curious Aleeried took this being back to Riverspire to be studied. His initial attempts to determine its origin and purpose proved fruitless, until – quite by accident – the being stirred and opened its eyes. Its initial words were garbled and it seemed confused. But Alleeried with the aid of Valiani worked tirelessly to find a way to communicate.

Language took it some time, but after months and years it had a grasp of the elven tongue. And although it had the ability to walk, talk, and process complex ideas, much of its memory – save snippets of the blackness of the void – was missing.  Aleeriead and Valiani took him in as their own child and taught him how to be an elf. They called him Aufeillian after Valiani’s grandfather.

Although his “parents” never hid how he was different without any history of his own, Aufeillian always consider himself elven. He was especially fond of the tales of the elven warriors of old and he studied the combat techniques of his parent’s forbearers. Like the elves Aufeillian aged slowly – if he aged at all – and he would spend hours, days, even weeks on one task to master it to elven standards.

Aufeillian was a skill combatant and despite his non-elven heritage he was taken in by one of the elven masters as an apprentice. He trained in his masters dual dagger style and eventually himself begun winning combat competitions. He was quickly becoming renown among the elves of Riverspire as one of their greatest warriors.

The turning point for Aufeillian was he finally had to compete against his master. Something had been creeping into the android’s mind. He had sense of confidence – even overconfidence – that had not been there before. No feeling had been there before. Aufeillian battled and lost but in defeat he also felt anger.

The android’s anger manifested itself in an act unlike any he had ever committed. With pure malice in his circuitry one night he stole his master’s daggers. Although he regretted his actions soon after, he could not return what he had stolen. To this day – even though he was never caught – he denies his envolvement even to himself.

Emotions were new to Aufeillian. With no sense of what he really was or where he came from he had no idea if these sensations were common to his people. He could find no answers from without so he sought answers from within. He took up a form of elven meditation and began to plumb his own feelings.

In his mind he touched what felt like another presence. He had never needed to sleep, so he had never dreamed and when the visions came he didn’t understand. Pictures of an Ibis headed woman guiding him to find other emotions within himself. He pressed some of the elven scholars as to what these visions might mean and learned of the lost Empyreal Lord Shei.  This being was a powerful agathion who taught self-actualization over the course of life and aging.

As Aufeillian began to explore his emotions he found love. At first he embraced the love of his parents and then his younger siblings. He fostered a love for all elven kind next as he appreciated his adoptive people’s acceptance. And then he found romantic love. Ulee another warrior and master swordswoman had piqued his fancy and he learned the fine art of elven courting. Sadly he was horrible at it, but she found that endearing.

Exploring his emotions mostly meant how he felt about other people. But soon the gentle push of the Ibis Matron made him look at how he felt about himself. He needed to know who he was, and what he wanted. Aufeillian sat for a full cycle of the moon. He was unmoving under the trees in his parent’s garden. And like that he had an epiphany, he was meant for battle.

At the next opportunity he set upon himself to challenge his master one more time. Aufeillian moved quicker and more precisely than before. Still has master had decades of training and the android lost one, and then the other of his daggers. Reaching within Aufeillian still surged forward and then he felt the power writhe through his limbs. From his hands daggers of pure energy emerged and his battle raged on.

Aufeillian still did not win, but he did fight his master to a standstill. He learned much about himself that day, beyond just his ability to become a weapon. He now knew that he craved competition. The elven raised android wasn’t meant to compete and he was meant to win. He desired the fame that it brought. And so Aufeillian and his love left Riverspire to head out into the world and test their skill.

I saw some great interpretations of these stats on facebook this week, but it’s never too late to add yours. What class did your android choose? Where did he find love? How did he become a champion? Who are his noble parents? Why does he choose to worship Shei?

Bringing these characters to life is a second full-time job. A pledge of as little as one dollar a month on Patreon, or a one-time donation to my paypal can help keep the lights on while I concentrate on producing new content for you.

The CRB has been growing as a community on social media. Please join us on Facebook, Google+, Tumblr, and Twitter. My inbox is open on all forums for questions, comments, and discussion. If you don’t want to miss a beat make sure you sign up to have the CRB pushed directly to your e-reading device with Kindle Subscriptions through Amazon.

This week’s random rolls (link rolls) brought me a challenge. I found myself with an android, living in Kyonin with a family of sorts. How to go about reconciling these oddities was quite a challenge. Tying in a love, a hatred, and a god who represents a search for self added to this conundrum. But first of course I had to choose a class.

I wasn’t really feeling any magical abilities, although a decent intelligence and exceedingly high wisdom meant he could have excelled as either an arcane or divine caster. The high wisdom and dexterity combo with a decent strength meant Monk (link monk tag) would have been my first choice if he wasn’t neutral good. So I sought inspiration by looking at the android entry on the PFSRD (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/races/other-races/more-races/advanced-races-11-20-rp/android-16-rp/) and this is where I found the Living Weapon Brawler (link brawler tag) archetype. That was the launching off point for everything.

So a few mechanical notes before we get started: I knew I was going brawler, so a warrior, and I knew he was raised by elves or at least educated by them so I wanted to add something mechanically into this portion of the story. I went with the elf race trait Warrior of Old.

Secondarily I realized that two parts of his background pointed to emotion; committing his theft out of hatred or malice and having a current lover. At their base androids are emotionless which posed a problem. Luckily there is an alt racial trait called Anomaly. This made our character not only subject to emotion, but even being overwhelmed by it. I thought it added a lot to the story and I love it when mechanics tie in nicely.

Aufeillian Morgethai

Some two-thousand years after their return from their homeworld to Golarion the elves of Kyonin are still reclaiming their ancestral lands. Much has changed through the age of darkness but they continue to make the lands once again their own. One of the most successful families to stake their claim in their forest home are the Morgethai.

The town of Riverspire is now the home of the Morgethai clan and all those who marry into the family. At one point the clan was incredibly fecund, forcing the town to grow around the stone tower that is home to the family leaders. In this day and age that has slowed to the point where many aren’t reproducing at all. Such was the case for Aleeriead Morgethai and his wife Valiani.

With his wife’s inability to bear children Aleeriead took up adventuring. His major work was with parties of elves that sought to explore and reclaim portions of Kyonin. It was with one of these parties that his family would begin to grow, for Aleeriead made a great discovery.

After the elves left Golarion – although possibly before Earthfall and the Age of Darkness – there was Rain of Stars. Much of the falling debris from the space between Golarion and the outer worlds hit in the desolate plains of Numeria. However, some pieces had apparently fallen far afield. Aleeriead uncovered a small pod which contained within it a creature the shape of a humanoid, but whose flesh and bone were metallic.

Ever curious Aleeried took this being back to Riverspire to be studied. His initial attempts to determine its origin and purpose proved fruitless, until – quite by accident – the being stirred and opened its eyes. Its initial words were garbled and it seemed confused but Alleeried, with the aid of Valiani, worked tirelessly to find a way to communicate.

Language took it some time, but after months and years it had a grasp of the elven tongue. Although it had the ability to walk, talk, and process complex ideas, much of its memory – save snippets of the blackness of the void – was missing.  Aleeriead and Valiani took him in as their own child and taught him how to be an elf. They called him Aufeillian after Valiani’s grandfather.

Although his “parents” never hid how he was different and without any history of his own, Aufeillian always consider himself elven. He was especially fond of the tales of the elven warriors of old and he studied the combat techniques of his parent’s forbearers. Like the elves Aufeillian aged slowly – if he aged at all – and he would spend hours, days, even weeks on one task to master it to elven standards.

Aufeillian was a skilled combatant and despite his non-elven heritage he was taken in by one of the elven masters as an apprentice. He trained in his master’s dual dagger style and eventually himself begun winning combat competitions. He was quickly becoming renowned among the elves of Riverspire as one of their greatest warriors.

The turning point for Aufeillian was when he finally had to compete against his master. Something had been creeping into the android’s mind. He had sense of confidence, even overconfidence, that had not been there before. No feeling had been there before. Aufeillian battled and lost, but in defeat he also felt anger.

The android’s anger manifested itself in an act unlike any he had ever committed. With pure malice in his circuitry one night he stole his master’s daggers. Although he regretted his actions soon after, he could not return what he had stolen. To this day, even though he was never caught, he denies his involvement even to himself.

Emotions were new to Aufeillian. With no sense of what he really was or where he came from he had no idea if these sensations were common to his people. He could find no answers from without so he sought answers from within. He took up a form of elven meditation and began to plumb his own feelings.

In his mind he touched what felt like another presence. He had never needed to sleep, so he had never dreamed, and when the visions came he didn’t understand. He dreamed images of an Ibis-headed woman guiding him to find other emotions within himself. He pressed some of the elven scholars as to what these visions might mean and learned of the lost Empyreal Lord Shei.  This being was a powerful agathion who taught self-actualization over the course of life and aging.

As Aufeillian began to explore his emotions he found love. At first he embraced the love of his parents and then his younger siblings. He fostered a love for all elvenkind next as he appreciated his adoptive people’s acceptance. And then he found romantic love. Ulee, another warrior and master swordswoman, had piqued his fancy and he learned the fine art of elven courting. Sadly he was horrible at it, but she found that endearing.

Exploring his emotions mostly meant how he felt about other people. But soon the gentle push of the Ibis Matron made him look at how he felt about himself. He needed to know who he was, and what he wanted. Aufeillian sat for a full cycle of the moon, unmoving under the trees in his parent’s garden. Though he appeared to make no progress, a sudden epiphany surged within him and he understood his purpose. He was meant for battle.

At the next opportunity he set upon himself to challenge his master one more time. Aufeillian moved quicker and more precisely than before. Still his master had decades of training and the android lost one, and then the other of his daggers. Reaching within Aufeillian surged forward and then he felt the power writhe through his limbs. From his hands daggers of pure energy emerged and his battle raged on.

Aufeillian still did not win, but he did fight his master to a standstill. He learned much about himself that day, beyond just his ability to become a weapon. He now knew that he craved competition. The elven raised android was meant to compete and he was meant to win. He desired the fame that it brought. And so Aufeillian and his love left Riverspire to head out into the world and test their skill.

I saw some great interpretations of these stats on facebook this week, but it’s never too late to add yours. What class did your android choose? Where did he find love? How did he become a champion? Who are his noble parents? Why does he choose to worship Shei?

Bringing these characters to life is a second full-time job. A pledge of as little as one dollar a month on Patreon or a one-time donation to my paypal can help keep the lights on while I concentrate on producing new content for you.

The CRB has been growing as a community on social media; please join us on Facebook, Google+, Tumblr, and Twitter. My inbox is open on all forums for questions, comments, and discussion. If you don’t want to miss a beat make sure you sign up to have the CRB pushed directly to your e-reading device with Kindle Subscriptions through Amazon.