Pathfinder: Kingmaker - Saturday Evenings North American Eastern

[Dkyrn]

FG License: GM has Ultimate. Demo Players welcome
Game System: Pathfinder

Time Zone: North American Eastern (GMT -5)
Day of week and time:Saturday. 7:30pm to 12:00am-ish
Planned start date: May 13th or May 20th, depending on how quickly the group is ready.
Planned Duration & Frequency: Playing Weekly. Sessions will be 4+ hours.
Term: Until the Adventure Path is complete.

Text or Voice: Voice Required
Voice software used: Discord

Roleplay & Combat mix: 50/50, The expectation is that there will be a number of RP opportunities. The adventure will present the characters with a number of different challenges and not all of them are intended to be overcome by combat alone. Players should have well thought out concepts and backgrounds.
Number of Players in game & needed: We're looking for at least 2 more players to join in. We will not go beyond 7 players in total. 5-6 would be ideal.
Character starting level & equipment: Starting level will be level 1. Characters will start with max gold. Anything outside stock items will be judged on an individual basis.
Character restrictions: No firearms so Gunslingers are off the table. No Ninjas or Samurai. No Evil characters. All other classes will be allowed. Races outside of Core Races will need a strong concept/background to be considered.

Link to Gamecalendar page: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/calen...ex.xcp?id=2535

Hi All,
I've been playing on Fantasy Grounds for nearly 2 years now as both a player and a GM. I have played in several Pathfinder games but to date I have been running 5E games as a GM so this will be the first Pathfinder game that I have run so far. I try to run games that have a good mix of both RP and combat and the Kingmaker adventure path provides the potential for a great mix of both. If your primary interest is in hack 'n' slash, tactical simulations, if you are greatly concerned with min/maxing, or if you are very interest in strict interpretation of the rules, if these are the most important things to you to make your gaming experience enjoyable, my game will probably not be for you. If you are interested in a healthy mix of combat and non combat scenes, if you are interested in roleplaying and developing a character and creating a story together, hopefully my style will appeal to you. Players that are new to either Fantasy Grounds or Pathfinder are welcome. If you are interested in joining in, please respond to this post or send me a private message with some details about your experience (with Fantasy Grounds and RPGs in general) and what you would like to get out of the game. What's most important to your enjoyment of the game. As well, if you have a basic concept that you're interested in playing, knowing that would be helpful too.

The Kingmaker Adventure Path is probably about as much of a Sandbox/Open World type adventure as you are likely to see in a published adventure. There is a great deal of focus on outdoor exploration with a wide variety of both combat and non-combat encounters. It is also a campaign designed to span the course of years in game time and to utilize some of those other campaign systems that can sometimes be neglected in more central story driven scenarios. Things like the kingdom building rules will be utilized, along with some mass combat, crafting opportunities amd other downtime activities. There are a remarkable number of different opportunities presented by this Adventure Path and I certainly expect that it should be a great deal of fun.

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The call has gone out. The Swordlords of Southern Brevoy are seeking hearty adventures to venture into the wild, untamed wilderness of the Stolen Lands -- a vast expanse, to the south of the troubled northern Kingdom, that is filled with dangers of all sorts -- and bring a measure of civilization to the territory. Charters are being offered to adventuring parties willing to undertake such a dangerous mission with a promise to recognize the claims of successful groups as they establish their own domains. Be prepared to explore the untamed wilds, to match wits with sly fey, to battle the elements and the unchecked power of nature and all her many beasts, and even face down bandit lords and their fearsome followers. Persevere and overcome against those long odds and the first tentative steps towards carving a new nation out of the wilds will finally be taken. Greatness awaits all who will answer the Swordlords' call.

[Dkyrn]

Just to address a couple of things that have come up...

-I'm not recruiting on a first come, first serve basis. At least not for a long term campaign. I'm looking for players that are going to fit in. That is not necessarily the first person to say that they're interested.
-If you sign up on the Game Calendar and make no effort to message me or post here, I'm not even going to consider you. When we run campaigns we're making a pretty substantial commitment of time and are asking you to make the same. If I can't tell that you even took the time to read this post, I really have no basis to assume that you're likely to be good with committing 4+ hours a week for the next 6+ months.
-When you let me know that you're interested, just as is requested above, it's important to give me a little more. What is it that you look for in your gaming experience? What is it about this particular campaign that makes it look like it is worth your time? What type of character is it that you want to play? Are you familiar with Fantasy Grounds? Are you familiar with Pathfinder? There are no wrong answers to any of these questions and I'm not looking for an essay. But I'm looking for fit and just saying 'I'd like to play' doesn't help all that much with that.

That said, the group right now is leaning towards the following composition:
Human Ranger
Half-Elf Summoner
Shabti Cavalier

Backgrounds:
While not one of the things I need upfront, if you are part of the game the expectation is that your character is going to have some thought put into it. Your concept is at least as important as your character sheet. The following are some of the questions that your character should be able to answer. They do not necessarily need to be able to answer them all, and there will be many, many more not listed that they might want to answer. But it's a good starting point:

-Where is the character from?
-What are they doing in this part of the world?
-Why are they interested in carving out a new domain in the wilderness?
-If they're not interested in that, what has made them fall in with a group that has signed up to do just that?
-What's your family like? Are your parents still alive? Are you on good terms with them? What about siblings?
-What is your social background? Was your family wealthy? Dirt poor? Somewhere in between? Outcasts?
-Does religion play a role in your life? Which one?
-What about friends or mentors?
-What about enemies or rivals?
-What made you pursue the class that you're currently in?

There are a lot of other possibilities, but that is a good start on the sorts of things that can be considered when you're thinking about your character concept.

[MikeParham]

Hello Dkyn,

I am interested in your campaign as I find the concept behind Kingmaker fascinating.

Recently, a campaign in which I was playing in was interrupted when the GM was called away. I often roleplay/flavor races from books that I've enjoyed over the years, and during this campaign I choose to bring the background of the Cheysuli from a Series by Jennifer Roberson. Cheysuli are bonded pairs of a shapechanger and a pet, of the same form.

For mechanics, I chose Lion Shaman, sort of "Catlord" style as he could only summon cat-type creatures(including variants of tressym to replace flying creatures), and my companion was role-played as my mate. We were seeking a new home for my tribe. Below is an excerpt of the background for the Chesuli that I provided:

Cheysu-li means “blood of the unicorn”, and we are a people of the Llewyr, the first peoples of the Moonshaes. Thought we Llewyr are accounted among the Elhedel peoples, we are not as our kindred in most ways, for we were born to and upon Moonshaes Isles as it rose from the sea, and serve not the Elhedel Seldarine Court, but the Primal Spirit Jannath, whom we call the EarthMother, of which the goddess Chauntea is an aspect.
During the first rising of The Great Beast Kazgaroth, aspect of the Beastlord Malar, the realms of the Moonshaes were plagued by masses of his created lycanthropes. To combat these shapeshifters, the EarthMother chose five tribes from among her Llewyr children, and by means of the blood of her Unicorn-child Kamerynn gave each tribe the gift of divine shapeshifting. In this way were formed the Five Cheysuli tribes… Wolf, Hawk, Bear, Raven, and Lion, who through this blood-gift, we are immune to the curse of lycanthropy.
But the Earthmother is a force of balance, and in exchange for the gift of the power of the beasts, the five chosen tribes must also bear a sacrifice known as the “Bond of the Lir”. As Cheysuli children approach adolescence, each begins to feeling a “sense of personal longing” referred to as the “Call of the Lir”. This spiritual summoning guides each child towards their destiny-chosen soulmate. These two youths will form an inseparable spiritual bond, and all Cheysuli acknowledges them in celebration as a mated pair. But their time together as youths will be short for soon will come a day when one of the two will experience the “the Liren-change”, when the beast spirit granted from the unicorn blood within that one will overwhelm the Elhedel spirit. The Liren immediately transforms into their totem form, unable to comprehend how to change back.
But the Lir-bond does not end at this transformation, it instead brings both Lir and Liren even closer together in dependency. Through the the bond Lir and Liren gain a heightened sense of the natural world and the ability to speak with all animals associated with our totem. But for the the Liren, there is also a direct connection with the spirit world, allowing our Cheysuli ancestors to reveal ancestral and primal knowledge in the form of dreams that come to them during our shared revelries. While the Liren can no longer fully interpret these dreams themselves, the dreams the Lir over time comes to understand and embrace their meanings. Among these revelations is the key to the gift of shape-changing. When the time comes that the Lir learns how to embrace the shapechange, the Liren also learns the key, and at last will be able to “awaken” once more their birth-form.

I am entertaining a few small changes (such as using an Idyllkin Aasimar as the base to give the Catlord a stronger theme connection). I would like to chat if you are interested in a character (with companion) like this.

[Slyness]

Howdy Dikyn and friends,

I saw your post on the Paizo forums and am indicating my interest here. I'll answer your queries and hopefully, we'll be a good match as DM and player.

-Experience with Fantasy Grounds: None, other than being aware of what it is. I also have no experience with Discord, though I imagine it isn't difficult. I've used programs like Ventrilo and Skype before.

-Experience with RPGs in general: Most of my experience is in Pathfinder over the last 5 years. I have played a bit in Dungeon World and am planning to run a 5e PbP game.

-What you would like to get out of the game: Fun in the form of playing my "guy", growing in the campaign, and maybe making some new buds.

-What's most important to your enjoyment of the game: I'm a roleplay-centric player. For me, mechanics are a way to build a concept. While I like to be effective, if your group emphasizes optimization, I'm probably a poor fit. Also, I have a strong tendency to play support characters(buffers, debuffers, and such). I'm happiest when the group really feels cohesive. Though it's a different format, my characters on the Paizo forums can give you a sense of my style.

-What is it about this particular campaign that makes it look like it is worth your time: Kingmaker is cool. Building a kingdom in concert with other players sounds like a blast.

-Basic concept that you're interested in playing: I have two in mind. The first is a Winter Witch, the second is a Tempest druid. I'll flesh the concepts out more if you're interested.

Thanks for the consideration.

-S

[Dkyrn]

Hey,

Thank you to those that expressed an interest in playing. For the moment it looks like we are full up. I will post further details about character creation for those that I've reached out to shortly.