D&D Next: Witcher setting lvl 1 (weekday evenings 9:00pm PST)

Hi, I'm Aaron and I'd like to GM a D&amp;D Next game set in Witcher land from the books by Andrzej Sapkowski and the related video games/graphic novels. It's a mature dark fantasy setting with intrigue, mystery, and a whimsical side. I have homebrew rules for folks wanting to play Witchers as well as Military Rangers and Bard Hacks. Just made a campaign web page over here: <a href="http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/witcher-land" rel="nofollow">http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/witcher-land</a> Here's the working draft of the&nbsp; Witcher land player's guide : <a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B2vNFQLYoC6mMW85dVhGeVNKdUE/edit?usp=sharing" rel="nofollow">https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B2vNFQLYoC6mMW85dVhGeVNKdUE/edit?usp=sharing</a> I'm looking for 4-6 players excited about the setting, not necessarily experts on it. :)&nbsp;Oh and this will be a Mature game, so you should be able to see rated R or NC-17 movies on your own ;) Hit me up if you're interested! EDIT: Here's the tentative player list as it continues to evolve (a * means I've invited you formally to the campaign because you've developed your character to a point I feel good with)... *Cody - bard hack/rogue Spazz451 - fighter *Jaedlyn - "Sabina", human witcher, school of the griffin Tristan - "Maltiph", elven mage &nbsp; Zachary - druid Niall&nbsp; - cleric, Order of the Flaming Rose &nbsp; Billy (on deck) -&nbsp; half-elf sorcerer CHARACTER CREATION So as you make characters, there's 2 types of character hooks that are important. The first is how some of your characters know each other (there's a handy table for inspiration in the player's guide inspired by FIASCO which I'll reproduce here). A guideline is for each PC to have a relationship to 2 other PCs. Character Relationships (d20) 1 Only survivors of monster attack 11 Lord and serf / Knight and squire 2 Friends or lovers who fell out 12 Veterans of Second Nilfgaard War 3 Mentor and apprentice 13 Ward and protector 4 Co-conspirators against a noble 14 Bounty hunter and prisoner 5 Siblings 15 Former members of grifter crew 6 Former dungeon cell-mates 16 Escaped lynch mob together 7 Former town militia 17 Former enemies working together 8 Former/current Scioa’tael 18 Members of same adopted family 9 Former members of thieves’ guild 19 Business partners 10 Former students of beloved teacher 20 Connected by same dreams Character Hooks for First Adventure The second is how your character is invested in the opening adventure "The Virgin Bane", which takes place in Aldersberg four months into the Nilfgaardian invasion as Nilfgaard's armies aim to take southern Aedirn, and has to do with a specter haunting the people of Aldersberg *and* the Nilfgaardians. Here are some ideas (or make your own): Home Sweet Home:&nbsp; Your character calls Aldersberg home, and you want to save as much as you can from the Nilfgaardians as well as the Virgin Bane. Marked by the Bane:&nbsp; Your character encountered the Virgin Bane on the road and was touched by her, leaving a black necrotic wound which festers and grows more deadly day-by-day. Order of the Flaming Rose:&nbsp; Your character belongs to the Order which maintains a chapel in Aldersberg that has become a haven for refugees fleeing the Nilfgaardian armies. However, the common people and refugees are so terrified of the Virgin Bane attacking travelers they won’t flee Aldersberg despite the approaching Nilfgaardians. Prisoner of War:&nbsp; Your character was captured by Nilfgaard’s East Army Group and kept alive only so long as you were useful. A rash of deaths and sightings of a ghostly maiden plagued the camp, allowing you the opportunity to escape to Aldersberg. Having seen the sheer numbers of East Army Group, you know it’s only a matter of time before the Nilfgaardians take lower Aedirn. Secret of the Intersection:&nbsp; Your cleric, druid, or wizard (or sorcerer or warlock) character knows a secret about Aldersberg – it rests upon an intersection (ley line) which results in an unusual number of Gifted youth being born there. In the hands of Nilfgaard’s wizards, the intersection could be a vital resource in the ongoing war against the north. Sister Bane:&nbsp; Your character had a sister Gwyreneth who was Gifted, though she was unable to control the Gift and it killed her. Several signs of the Virgin Bane are hauntingly reminiscent of the strange portents that presaged your sister’s death. Veteran of Aldersberg:&nbsp; Your character fought for Aedirn or Kaedwen in the Second Battle of Aldersberg a decade ago, and you recall feeling an unearthly presence during battle. You’ve never been the same and need closure about what happened. Witcher Urgently Needed:&nbsp; Your character noticed a posting from Bursar Piemont of Aldersberg in another town seeking a Witcher to exorcise the Virgin Bane.

zomg that would be amazing in 4e. Not sure how great it would be in next though. I am still down though. Is it more RP based, combat, or in the middle?

Cody P. said: zomg that would be amazing in 4e. Not sure how great it would be in next though. I am still down though. Is it more RP based, combat, or in the middle? Hey Cody, I like slightly more RP and investigation based, but certainly not without a fair share of violence. &nbsp; While I like 4e, it's too caught up on the tactical minutiae and condition-spamming for me to try it as my first virtual tabletop game. I wanted something system light (or at least lighter); was contemplating FATE and Burning Wheel but then settled with D&amp;D Next. What kind of character are you interested in?

In the witcher world i honestly dont know. That's my conundrum. When do you want to start this up so ive got time to re-go through all of the next stuff and go from there. I am definitely in though.&nbsp;

i don't have much experience with D&amp;D Next as i have only seen it played and never been able to play it myself but i would like to try if you don't mind helping me generate a character.. i have lots of experience with other editions of D&amp;D and am a very good roleplayer i would like to play as a fighter or a ranger but i'm willing to play as anything also what day of week will this be on i can do any day except saturday thru monday

Hummm.... Could be interesting, but I don't dig NEXT at all. Still, if it's GMT friendly and the world is as gritty and adult, I might be up to crack some nekker skulls...

I can help you out with that as well Charles. if you havent yet sign up to the playtest to keep all of the i's dotted and T's crossed.&nbsp;<a href="http://dndplaytest.wizards.com/" rel="nofollow">http://dndplaytest.wizards.com/</a> Its going back to a good set up from what ive seen so far but im still 'new' to 4e and really enjoy the combat aspects of it.

Pablo C. said: Hummm.... Could be interesting, but I don't dig NEXT at all. Still, if it's GMT friendly and the world is as gritty and adult, I might be up to crack some nekker skulls... Wow! Glad see to there's interest :) GMT is Greenwich so over here in Hawaii it's 7:50pm now and it's 5:50am in GMT, right? Yikes, that's a hard difference to overcome unless we play smack in the middle of the day. I can't manage that, unfortunately. But, yes definitely going for a gritty adult game. Shades of grey. Dwarf cussing. Sleeping with the princess (or prince) to save her. That kind of stuff.

Charles C. said: i don't have much experience with D&amp;D Next as i have only seen it played and never been able to play it myself but i would like to try if you don't mind helping me generate a character.. i have lots of experience with other editions of D&amp;D and am a very good roleplayer i would like to play as a fighter or a ranger but i'm willing to play as anything also what day of week will this be on i can do any day except saturday thru monday Glad you are interested :) Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday would be best for me. Yes, absolutely I want to help with character creation. You can probably tell from the other systems I was considering (FATE, Burning Wheel, and GUMSHOE) that I lean more towards the roleplay and mystery side of play too. But I also believe in a balanced game where you can knock some motherf*****g monsters around! I'll have more info up on the Obsidian Portal site, but here's the barebones stuff for character creation: Races: Elf, Half-Elf, Dwarf, or Human. If you are very familiar with Sapkowski then I might allow a Halfling or Gnome, but if done wrong they could easily break the feel (then again if done right they could be awesome). Classes: Barbarian, Cleric, Druid, Fighter, Paladin, Ranger, Military Ranger*, Rogue, Wizard, or Witcher*. The ones marked with asterisks (*) are homebrew which I can email to you or put on GoogleDocs. Paladins are always members of the Order of Eternal Flame, and many (but not all) Clerics are too; they cast spells same as everyone else, just different rituals and they attribute their powers to the gods. Wizards are often memberes of the Brotherhood of Sorcerers or Lodge of Sorceresses. The spell-casting playtest Rangers are members of Druidic society or perhaps acolyte Druids, whereas the Military Ranger is a hardened scout who is or was attached to a military unit. Btw, if we end up with an all Witcher party or a no Witcher party that will change the game story significantly. Ability Scores: U se the D&amp;D Next array or point buy, or roll 4d6 drop lowest and apply as desired. Background: It's important to know where your character comes from in the world. Check out the map of the Northern Kingdoms. Most characters should be Nordlings but I might entertain a renegade Nilfgaardian. I suggest checking out the Witcher 2 epilogue trailer on YouTube which helps set up the backdrop I'm going for. I'm thinking of starting the game in Aldersberg (Lower Aedirn) very close to where the fighting is happening, but I'll wait to get your character concepts. Feats: Herbalism for Witchers grants access to 3 potion recipes and can be taken multiple times. There is a special homebrew feat called Elder Blood available to humans or half-elves...but you'd need to be hardcore into the setting lore to go for it. Alignment: &nbsp;Alignment will be optional. However, I do recommend you figure out your character's starting position on: Kings/Queens vs. Peasants, Men vs. Monsters, Ignorance vs. Nonhumans, and Nature of Magic. Equipment: Mostly normal, except plate armor is restricted to nobles. Witcher potions only work for Witchers (they act as potions of poison to everyone else). Dimeritium is a rare mineral that has natural anti-magic properties, which can be forged into jewelry or even armor. A great example character concept might be: "Cefran is an elven military ranger who fought alongside the Scioa'tel and Nilfgaard to secure Dol Blathana for the elves, but now thinks Dol Blathana's queen is wrong and regrets his actions. He is Chaotic Good and believes: Kings/Queens are never as wise as they think they are, That Nonhumans should put humans in their place, and Magic is beyond the safe understanding of even elves. He is the last of an ex-Scioa'tel commando unit sent from Upper Aedirn to help scout against the Nilfgaardians."

Cody P. said: In the witcher world i honestly dont know. That's my conundrum. When do you want to start this up so ive got time to re-go through all of the next stuff and go from there. I am definitely in though.&nbsp; Cool! Look forward to hearing about your character. :) I have a trip to Thailand during most of July, so I'd like to get the foundation laid (characters, d&amp;d playtest sign-ups, campaign website, roll20 logistics, tokens) to start the game in late July/early August. So plenty of time. So far the 3 of you have expressed interest and 1 person from Obsidian Portal has too. I'll direct them here too. I encourage you to share character concepts and build your party together.

For those that dont know much about the land/lore of the witcher saga im a HUGE Buff when it comes to it. Played the first game as a pass off cause i heard of the books. Enjoyed the game loved the books even more. Still cant wait for the next one. &nbsp;Also Aaron, I was thinking about doing a Treasure Hunter rogue but it all depends on the party make up. Ill be looking more into it though and might bounce some ideas off of you for a bard Since Jask is my main man in that series. I know Geralts a BAMF but COME ON No one can touch Jask. Not even the owl chick (Its late and my mind is mush from work)

Cody P. said: For those that dont know much about the land/lore of the witcher saga im a HUGE Buff when it comes to it. Played the first game as a pass off cause i heard of the books. Enjoyed the game loved the books even more. Still cant wait for the next one. &nbsp;Also Aaron, I was thinking about doing a Treasure Hunter rogue but it all depends on the party make up. Ill be looking more into it though and might bounce some ideas off of you for a bard Since Jask is my main man in that series. I know Geralts a BAMF but COME ON No one can touch Jask. Not even the owl chick (Its late and my mind is mush from work) Jasker is da man. To start with there's the Minstrel background (Noted Performer trait, listen, perform, persuade, folklore), but if you want more bard abilities I'm willing to help you do a kind of kludge between D&amp;D Next rogue and a 4e Essentials/Pathfinder bard. If you're familiar with the 4e Essential bard (skald) it has a class feature called "signs of influence" which i think could be swapped in for some things. Sounds like the Obsidian player is thinking barbarian, Charles is thinking fighter / ranger, and you're thinking rogue / bard... Looks like a Witcher-less game so far!

Damn a witcherless game would throw a monkey wrench in my characters story. If no one goes witcher I will. If you could throw me a link to what you have for the witcher class ill make one as well just in case.&nbsp;

Cody P. said: Damn a witcherless game would throw a monkey wrench in my characters story. If no one goes witcher I will. If you could throw me a link to what you have for the witcher class ill make one as well just in case.&nbsp; I am putting together a player guide for GoogleDocs, need a bit more time to finish it up. Maybe Charles would be willing to play a Witcher? It just sounded like you were really excited about your bard/rogue concept, and it'll be a nice counterpoint to the sword wielding tough guys (not that you can't wield a sword too :) ). If I get the chance would you be interested in a bard hack of the rogue without spells but with bardic performance (adapted from Pathfinder) and some special features?

Yep, I was thinking the treasure hunter because it would basically be the opposite of Jaskier. Throw anything you want to gether and shoot it my way man im a very open person when it comes to this stuff.

Just wanted to let folks know I am still recruiting more players for, you know, witchery ;) Here's the working draft of the Witcher land player's guide : <a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B2vNFQLYoC6mMW85dVhGeVNKdUE/edit?usp=sharing" rel="nofollow">https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B2vNFQLYoC6mMW85dVhGeVNKdUE/edit?usp=sharing</a>

I know nothing about Witcher but I am currently playing in a PbP of DnD Next. &nbsp;So as long as I can get some easy resources to get the feel of things I am game. And I am up for filling any party holes. &nbsp;Though I'd like to avoid Cleric as that is what I am already playing. &nbsp;Not sure what type of combat people are planning on using but we should have at least one pretty decent ranged. &nbsp;And perhaps some of the Intelligence side of out of combat abilities. &nbsp;If you'd like a Witcher I will give the custom class a look over. &nbsp;In terms of the setting, what does being a Witcher mean? And when are you looking at playing this? &nbsp;A weekday evening works best for me. &nbsp;9pm+ CDT (GMT -5).

Sorry, I somehow forgot you listed play time in the title by the time I reached the end. &nbsp;Looks like you are starting 2 hours later than ideal for me. &nbsp;Good that I know my kids will be down by then but it may run too late for me by the end of the session. &nbsp;How long did you plan to run each time?

undefined said: Sorry, I somehow forgot you listed play time in the title by the time I reached the end. &nbsp;Looks like you are starting 2 hours later than ideal for me. &nbsp;Good that I know my kids will be down by then but it may run too late for me by the end of the session. &nbsp;How long did you plan to run each time? 2-3 hour sessions probably. Since I'm on Hawaii time, that frequently throws off scheduling Skype calls and such. I actually considered doing this Witcher game as a PbP; I know it's not ideal, but it would allow for more freedom around time zones. A Witcher is someone trained (and alchemically altered) by a secretive order of mutant monster-slayers; in the setting it means being an outcast, taking contracts on monsters, and having angst issues. In this game, it is a custom class based on the D&amp;D Next fighter.

Btw, I recommend checking out these trailers from the Witcher 2 video game to get a feel for the world and state of affairs: Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings _ Launch Trailer <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HedLjjlSy3Y" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HedLjjlSy3Y</a> Witcher 2 World Trailer <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNZP21te888" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNZP21te888</a> Nilfgaardian Invasion Begins <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJ5kuVEJCjg" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJ5kuVEJCjg</a>

You know, this makes me wish I'd actually played the Witcher games, or read the books, but they kind of just flew under my radar for whatever reason. I'm fascinated by what lore you included in the player's guide, but I don't know if I'd be up for actually playing in a setting like this without more working knowledge of it. Though, I have to say I especially liked the little bit of story included behind the Elder Blood, and it totally made me want to play some kind of magic user with that feat, but again... wish I knew more about the lore. Best of luck getting everything together, and getting enough players, and maybe I'll look into getting the games in the near future.

Matt A. said: You know, this makes me wish I'd actually played the Witcher games, or read the books, but they kind of just flew under my radar for whatever reason. I'm fascinated by what lore you included in the player's guide, but I don't know if I'd be up for actually playing in a setting like this without more working knowledge of it. Though, I have to say I especially liked the little bit of story included behind the Elder Blood, and it totally made me want to play some kind of magic user with that feat, but again... wish I knew more about the lore. Best of luck getting everything together, and getting enough players, and maybe I'll look into getting the games in the near future. Thanks Matt. I will say between "A Witcher Primer" (first page of players guide) and those trailers you know everything you need about the setting, if you felt like reconsidering playing.

Tentative players and proposed characters: Cody - bard/rogue Charles - fighter/ranger (check out the Military Ranger!) Tregliad (from Obsidian Portal) - fighter/barbarian Of course composition may change, but so far the group could use a witcher and some kind of spellcaster.

I could run as a witcher or arcane spell caster. I haven't really looked myself at the balance to Fighter. Do you know what version of the rules this was built on? &nbsp;Sometimes the rules are changing quickly.

Spazz451 said: I could run as a witcher or arcane spell caster. I haven't really looked myself at the balance to Fighter. Do you know what version of the rules this was built on? &nbsp;Sometimes the rules are changing quickly. I was using the March rules, which are only slightly different from the most current June rules (mainly spells). As I finish up the players guide I'll be using June rules for everything. Look forward to hearing about your character concept Spazz! Let me know if you want a hand with character creation.

says i dont have access to the guide you posted mate.

Cody P. said: says i dont have access to the guide you posted mate. Weird. I had it set to "anyone who has the link may view", and confirmed that the link I posted worked for me. Just reset it to that to be sure. Let me know if that works or if you still have problems I can email you.

We can have a discussion here or else in a PM thread if you'd prefer to keep this thread more clean. From a quick read through, as I understand it, Witchers tend to have traumatic childhoods (abandoned, used as debt payment, stollen, orphaned), go through tough training and trials, and come out the other end as monster hunters. &nbsp;Makes me think of Spartans. &nbsp;Is there a governing body of the Witchers or they are a small-ish band under the power of their nation, each 'cell' separated by national territories and allegiance. &nbsp;Or after their trials do they just go off and hunt monsters? &nbsp;I am mostly unsure how they fit into the world of kings, nobles, knights, warriors, sellswords, merchants, and peasants. &nbsp;Obviously they can function as sellswords but it didn't seem like there was necessarily a large monster population to give them a driving motivation and public purpose. I lean towards a Witcher because you had alluded to the fact that you had planned to have at least one in the party for your planned plot. &nbsp;And it would be something different I wouldn't play elsewhere. &nbsp;I don't think it is something I would normally go for but for this setting it should be useful. &nbsp;And if nothing else we will get to see it in action. &nbsp;It seems like it takes some of the fighter's abilities and gives new abilities for combat use. I don't know how much you were tying things into the Witchers character but I'd probably lean towards a dark/troubled past that he doesn't really remember, but perhaps he gets flashes of and slowly learns more. &nbsp;But it also sounds like there will be plenty of out-of-party plot so not sure how much time we will have for personal quests for everyone with an army at our doorstep.

Oh, and how are stat rolls being handled? &nbsp;Where should they be rolled? &nbsp;If we choose to roll do we have to take them or is another method still available? I was interested in rolling since it looks like I'll need strength for sword combat, wisdom for witcher abilities, dexterity for AC and constitution for HP, since witchers look more melee focused.

Witchers hold no allegiance to anyone, even their own schools. They were once a greatly numbered force but were wiped out due to a 'witch hunt esque' mobs. There are 4-5 schools still in existence. Wolf, Raven(or eagle cant remember), Viper, Griffon, and Cat(Panther I believe, its only been mentioned and not had anything go in depth.) The School are ran by a small group that divy out jobs when availible and keep their housing in some sort of repair. During winter months most Witchers return to their keeps/schools to train new witchers or prospects and return to their normal duties once spring returns. They fit in the world as sell swords and once in a blue moon a witcher will join a cause of a kingdom if it benefits themselves, or they at least believe so. Not all witcher had bad childhoods. Most of them were the outcomes of the Law of Suprise, IE A witcher saved someones life and only requested a gift for which they have but not know of. The Trials are very rough and most if not all end in death. Geralt was the first 'failure' that succeeded hence his white hair.&nbsp; A witcher is a mix between a spell caster with their signs and a full out Fighter. Geralt would lean more towards the two weapon ranger in 4e with some spells at his side. There are a few Witchers who have been known to focus more on the signs than normal combat. Jaskier(Dandelion) talks about meeting one that would give Triss a run for her money in the world of magic and it Scared him so badly that he swore off witchers period until he started missing Geralt.&nbsp; As for past events almost All witchers do not know their heritage or even their past prior to the Rituals. There are few (Eskel is one) that actually remembers his mothers embrace and the rage he felt when he killed someone attacking her; that is about all he remembers though if I am remembering correctly. It has been a while since i have read the two books that have been translated. As for their stats i would personally use an array since their potions greatly enhance their capabilities. IE Gull will allow you to mod damage and possibly attack rolls depending on how he is setting it up. Aaron - Its still asking me to request permission. Im guessing it has something to do with the way work has our Gapps set up. If you could pm it to me or email it that would be great. Ill shoot you my email in a PM.

Spazz451 said: Oh, and how are stat rolls being handled? &nbsp;Where should they be rolled? &nbsp;If we choose to roll do we have to take them or is another method still available? I was interested in rolling since it looks like I'll need strength for sword combat, wisdom for witcher abilities, dexterity for AC and constitution for HP, since witchers look more melee focused. Hmm, so you could access the Witcher land players guide fine? Don't know why Cody couldn't. Anyhow, for stat rolls there are so many ways a player could cheat that I'd prefer just to go with the honor system. Roll 4d6 drop lowest. You are stuck with whatever you get. No redo's "because I didn't roll high enough." Witchers do operate in a 'cell' structure come to think of it! There are still plenty of monsters threatening the world, so Witchers are needed. However they are also the byproduct of a bygone age when humans were young to a world that was totally infested with monsters and kingdoms/militaries were still forming. As far as my "planned plot", it is flexible enough to accomodate a witcher-less party. I'd like to flesh out the adventure(s) based on your characters and how they know each other. I'm fine with there being an amnesiac component to your character so long as its not the "one driving factor" (after all Cody has the right of it, all Witchers lose memories of childhood); there just needs to be more to define the character (and for me to hang a hook on!). EDIT: Sent the email to you Cody.

First adventure will be in Aldersberg, it's called "The Virgin Bane" based on a quote from The Last Wish: "Bane! said one. Aye, aye, 'tis true what the alderman says. A pale virgin, she walks the cottages at daybreak, and the children, they die!" Here's the soundtrack as I envision it, from a great Finnish band called Hedningarna. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcswJNFIsAY" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcswJNFIsAY</a>

I am actually still interested in this, despite my better judgment and my desire not to butcher the lore. I have an idea for a human sorcerer that I really want to try out... I'm just sort of sad that I'll have to use the wizard class mechanically speaking, because the actual sorcerer hasn't been rereleased. Unfortunately my being able to participate is also going to hinge on the day of the week everyone decides on, as currently I only have Saturday through Tuesday free on a regular basis.

Matt A. said: I am actually still interested in this, despite my better judgment and my desire not to butcher the lore. I have an idea for a human sorcerer that I really want to try out... I'm just sort of sad that I'll have to use the wizard class mechanically speaking, because the actual sorcerer hasn't been rereleased. Unfortunately my being able to participate is also going to hinge on the day of the week everyone decides on, as currently I only have Saturday through Tuesday free on a regular basis. Matt, cool sounds good. Do you have the August 17, 2012 playtest packet? There is a sorcerer written up there levels 1-5 that uses point based spellcasting and has a Draconic heritage. I'm opening to homebrewing and we could use that as inspiration. Or you could get pretty close (but not quite) to your concept with the wizard. IIRC we are looking at T/W/R as possible game days.

I don't have that one, as it's from before I signed up for the playtest. I remembered reading about it before I got around to actually signing up, only to find out it was was taken out for a rework or something because of the mixed reactions people were having. I might also be open to homebrewing something if whatever we end up fits the setting better than the stock wizard. Oh, and of those days it looks like Tuesday is the only one that works for me.

Matt A. said: I don't have that one, as it's from before I signed up for the playtest. I remembered reading about it before I got around to actually signing up, only to find out it was was taken out for a rework or something because of the mixed reactions people were having. I might also be open to homebrewing something if whatever we end up fits the setting better than the stock wizard. Oh, and of those days it looks like Tuesday is the only one that works for me. Yeah, there's also a fey-pact Warlock. If you want, PM me with your email and I'll send you the PDF with classes from that older playtest. I have it on my iPad for DownloadsLite, pretty sure I can transfer it to my PC for emailing.

So as you get ready to make characters, there's 2 types of character hooks that are important. The first is how some of your characters know each other (there's a handy table for inspiration in the player's guide inspired by FIASCO which I'll reproduce here). A guideline is for each PC to have a relationship to 2 other PCs. Character Relationships (d20) 1 Only survivors of monster attack 11 Lord and serf / Knight and squire 2 Friends or lovers who fell out 12 Veterans of Second Nilfgaard War 3 Mentor and apprentice 13 Ward and protector 4 Co-conspirators against a noble 14 Bounty hunter and prisoner 5 Siblings 15 Former members of grifter crew 6 Former dungeon cell-mates 16 Escaped lynch mob together 7 Former town militia 17 Former enemies working together 8 Former/current Scioa’tael 18 Members of same adopted family 9 Former members of thieves’ guild 19 Business partners 10 Former students of beloved teacher 20 Connected by same dreams Character Hooks for First Adventure The second is how your character is invested in the opening adventure "The Virgin Bane", which takes place in Aldersberg four months into the Nilfgaardian invasion as Nilfgaard's armies aim to take southern Aedirn, and has to do with a specter haunting the people of Aldersberg *and* the Nilfgaardians. Here are some ideas (or make your own): Home Sweet Home: Your character calls Aldersberg home, and you want to save as much as you can from the Nilfgaardians as well as the Virgin Bane. Marked by the Bane: Your character encountered the Virgin Bane on the road and was touched by her, leaving a black necrotic wound which festers and grows more deadly day-by-day. Order of the Flaming Rose: Your character belongs to the Order which maintains a chapel in Aldersberg that has become a haven for refugees fleeing the Nilfgaardian armies. However, the common people and refugees are so terrified of the Virgin Bane attacking travelers they won’t flee Aldersberg despite the approaching Nilfgaardians. Prisoner of War: Your character was captured by Nilfgaard’s East Army Group and kept alive only so long as you were useful. A rash of deaths and sightings of a ghostly maiden plagued the camp, allowing you the opportunity to escape to Aldersberg. Having seen the sheer numbers of East Army Group, you know it’s only a matter of time before the Nilfgaardians take lower Aedirn. Secret of the Intersection: Your cleric, druid, or wizard (or sorcerer or warlock) character knows a secret about Aldersberg – it rests upon an intersection (ley line) which results in an unusual number of Gifted youth being born there. In the hands of Nilfgaard’s wizards, the intersection could be a vital resource in the ongoing war against the north. Sister Bane: Your character had a sister Gwyreneth who was Gifted, though she was unable to control the Gift and it killed her. Several signs of the Virgin Bane are hauntingly reminiscent of the strange portents that presaged your sister’s death. Veteran of Aldersberg: Your character fought for Aedirn or Kaedwen in the Second Battle of Aldersberg a decade ago, and you recall feeling an unearthly presence during battle. You’ve never been the same and need closure about what happened. Witcher Urgently Needed: Your character noticed a posting from Bursar Piemont of Aldersberg in another town seeking a Witcher to exorcise the Virgin Bane.

Okay, sorry for not responding all that quickly, and I'll send you a PM with my e-mail. As for my character concept, the loose idea I had was for a young human mage plagued by haunting and prophetic dreams. He's a magical prodigy and a carrier of the Elder Blood, but may not even be aware of that fact himself. Even if he isn't, he'll find out eventually because someone else knows about it , and at least one group wants to exploit him for their own ends. Is that sort of thing in keeping within the lore regarding the Elder Blood?

Matt A. said: Okay, sorry for not responding all that quickly, and I'll send you a PM with my e-mail. As for my character concept, the loose idea I had was for a young human mage plagued by haunting and prophetic dreams. He's a magical prodigy and a carrier of the Elder Blood, but may not even be aware of that fact himself. Even if he isn't, he'll find out eventually because someone else knows about it , and at least one group wants to exploit him for their own ends. Is that sort of thing in keeping within the lore regarding the Elder Blood? Yes definitely. So he is not connected with the brotherhood of sorcerers I take it? EDIT: I think I figured out how to send the PDF to you from within Downloads app. Let me know if you didn't receive it or can't access it.

Hey guys, Aaron caught me over on the Enworld boards so I came to poke my head in here. It looks like I'll be playing a Griffin schooled Witcher. Though if the party has more then one other defensive fighter I might be open to making a wolf.&nbsp; I'll be working on a more recent background once I re-visit some of the witcher lore.&nbsp;

Jaedlyn said: Hey guys, Aaron caught me over on the Enworld boards so I came to poke my head in here. It looks like I'll be playing a Griffin schooled Witcher. Though if the party has more then one other defensive fighter I might be open to making a wolf.&nbsp; I'll be working on a more recent background once I re-visit some of the witcher lore.&nbsp; Welcome Jaedlyn! So far the tentative group looks like so... Cody - bard hack/rogue Charles - fighter/ranger (?) Spazz451 - witcher (?) Matt - human wizard/sorcerer Jaedlyn - human witcher

So... anyone else besides Jaedlyn figure out your characters? Also if you decide not to play, let me know so I can free up the spot for other interested players.

Yep, im just trying to nail down some stuff with work. Had 2 new kids quit and its kinda made it a mad house round here. My Guys about done, once i get a chance ill shoot him your way.

I'm going to regrettably have to withdraw. I thought I could handle adding another campaign to the ones I'm already involved with, but I'm beginning to feel stretched too thinly. Best of luck to you guys, though.

Sounds good Cody. Good luck with office mad house. Thanks for heads up Matt. I'll just continue to revise the player list with changes...

Just got a great background for Sabina, Jaedlyn's witcher, thanks! I realized it might help if I shared with everyone the timeline we just discussed... The game is set between Witcher 2 and Witcher 3. Nilfgaard's armies have crossed the Yoruga River and taken Sodden &amp; Brugge, as well as Lyria, and is currently invading Temeria and just beginning to invade lower Aedirn. It's late February, so it's the tail-end of winter. The game opens in Aldersberg in lower Aedirn as the Third Battle of Aldersberg resumes after a fierce winter limiting fighting; the prospects of Aldersberg look bleak. See above for possible character hooks to Aldersberg.

A quick update: I haven't heard from Charles or Spazz451, but I have heard from several interested folks via PM. The player roster will continue to change I'm sure. I am filling spots as characters are made and their backgrounds are shared in this thread. So far @Jaedlyn is the only one to have shareed their character. There's been a lot of in-and-out interest (which is fine and to be expected), so don't feel any pressure to post immediately; but once you're pretty sure you are interested and available, do post about your character here. I'd like character creation - at least the story side of it - to evolve as a group process.

So you guys are meeting every weekday night at 9:00pm?

Alex S. said: So you guys are meeting every weekday night at 9:00pm? Funny man. We're still hammering out the schedule. My limitation is one day of the week -not weekend - after 9:00pm PST. Didn't feel like putting all that in the title. Hope that clears it up.

I've contacted Aaron and familiarized myself with the material and would like to play a mage. &nbsp;Whether it's of the wizard or druid variety I have not yet decided.