Firearms are extremely primitive when actually extant at all. Cannons and the like are around, but you won’t see them outside of siege warfare. Handguns, meaning anything that a human could actually lift, are incredibly expensive and are the toys of noblemen hobbyists and very wealthy merchants.
Calatin, are you still in? If I haven’t heard from you by Thursday night, I’m going to offer your slot to Miller. Speaking of, Miller, are you still interested in playing? If you can whip up a character by the time we start, we’ll start you with everyone else. If not, we’ll fold you in the middle of the first adventure.
I hope to start this weekend. Which brings me to my next point-- everyone should pick one other character that your character already knows. You don’t need to be friends or even friendly, but it will add a little dimension and provide some opportunity for role-playing right off the bat. That also helps minimize the unlikelihood of this whole disparate group banding together as adventurers. Perhaps Solsken and Harald knew each other in Norway, or Harald and Joseph served together in a mercenary company, or Taye and Zach Hawkins have seen each other in shops that sell potion ingredients. You could be childhood friends, or mere acquaintances.
That’s what John DiFool and I figured privately.
Not sure whether Solsken followed Harald along on his Travelling Through Europe on One Act of Violence A Day period (that’s up to John DiFool), but we did meet somewhere in the wilds of Scandiwegia around the time Harald was becoming despondent with the soldiering lifestyle and he may have influenced Harald’s decision to put his axe to a marginally more ethical use.
I’m sure I saved his life, he denies it, we might still rib each other about that Manticore and who stole whose kill.
That being said, considering Harald has been around France, the Low Countries and the Holy Roman Empire before making his way into Italy (and still didn’t learn the lingo of those places, somehow. Axes are great communicators) it’s possible he might have run into Zachary or Joseph on the roadat some point.
Joseph’s spent the last few years meandering mostly through France and the Holy Roman Empire and has only arrived in Italy recently, so he could easily know any of the characters who have been likewise wandering far afield from their homelands. I feel like he and Zachary might get along rather famously, and if **Miller **ends up making (to steal a phrase) “someone who clanks around quite a lot,” then that could also be a good fit.
Yes, I expect Zachary could have run into Joseph and maybe some of the others - when you’re travelling around peddling miracle cures it helps to have some companions to share your kettle and keep the rogues and vagabonds off your back.
I’m still interested. I can get a character to you by Friday, no problem. Just to make sure I’ve got everything right:
[ul]
Third level, medium XP track.
[li]Two traits.[/li][li]Point buy system for attributes - how many points do we get?[/li][li]What about starting gear?[/li][/ul]
Since the party seems a bit fragile, I’m good with making a HP sink. I’m thinking some sort of Russian strongman, or maybe a Turkish wrestler.
20 points (high fantasy).
We start with basic gear appropriate for our class and appleciders will give us each one magical item, DM’s choice.
Both good choices. The Russias are a turbulent place, with Norse pagans clashing against Orthodox Christians and the nomadic steppe horse archers always looking to raid for loot. One historical line to draw- Constantinople has not yet fallen to the Ottoman Turks; the Turks are still pushing into Anatolia.
How do you feel about Cossacks? I know they’re a little bit out of the historical period you’re aiming at. I’m thinking of a Mounted Fury barbarian - I lose uncanny dodge, but get an animal companion at fifth level.
I’m basically aiming at Santa Claus from Rise of the Guardians, except less toy making and more limb chopping.
What about being a member of whatever’s left of the Khazars? They’re one of the groups that ended up merging into what became the Cossacks, and they’re just about getting done being dismantled around our time period. It would give you a good reason to be headed westwards.
Ah, we’re a bit earlier than I had thought. The Khazars work for me.
There are about a thousand different steppe tribes, the Khazars prominent among them. I have to admit, I was hoping someone would select a nomadic horse-archer type.
“Would this be the same Zach Hawkins that traveled with Dr. Hook and his Medicine Show? The same Zach Hawkins that abandoned said medicine show in Matera? In the middle of the night? Taking with him one comely lass of virtue true? And several of the innkeepers candelabra? Leaving the rest of the troupe to settle accounts? I believe I may know a fellow of the name. For the price of 5 gold pieces and a mortar and pestle.”
What’s the cutoff on this? Have I missed it?
I haven’t played D&D in many years and I miss it. If I can still get in, I’ll dig around and find my stuff and gen up a character ASAP.
Don’t we need a tank (relatively low off, high def, hig aggro)?
We are full, and then some. I’ll put you in as an alternate.
“Need” is such a strong word. Some would say that the best defense is a good offense!
Seriously, though, you’re already a fast-moving, hard-hitting, smoke-and-mirrors party that that will live and die by keeping the enemy off balance. One tank won’t change that. As long as you keep the initiative, keep the enemy reacting to you rather than implementing their own plans, you’ll be fine.
Also, I don’t intend to limit this to dungeon crawls. There will be plenty of above-ground, outdoor fights, and a good light cavalryman will be a big asset in those.
OK, I have emailed Appleciders my revised character sheet. I think I am good to go.
I hope we don’t have to have to much expertise on the time frame. Despite my user name–which I’m really sick of–I’m not that well read about it, though I know the general gist of things.
You’ll be fine. One of the benefits of the loose policy on anachronisms is that it’s pretty hard to get anything too wrong. I’ll give a brief intro to any location or event that needs it. No more than four sentences, I promise; I don’t want anyone’s eyes glazing over.