The players are about to finish up thier adventure. It's rough going since we've had a few issues the last few games such as people not feeling well at gametime or technical issues. Hopefully this weekend, everything will be cleared up, and everyone will be ready to play with no issues.
Anyways, on to the point. Aleria is not a very fleshed out world, for a reason. I wanted the slate mostly blank with the exception or major events and geography, so the players could mold the world and adventure themselves. Thats why nothing, and I mean nothing, is set in stone aside from the original world conflicts. This includes any future adventures, or major roles. So where does everyone else come in? Well, partly because I'm lazy, but mostly for fun and entertainment value, I need fresh meat. NPC's, heroes, or villains for the players to run into. Historical backdrops for the Players to experience, etc. So here is where you all get to put yourselves in Aleria, in any way you choose, and/or make up an event that has taken place or might take place. A couple of examples, for some people I already want to use.
The Warlord known as the "Bloodsage" is a fierce and deadly tyrant of the western world. He commands with an iron fist by fear and intimidation. Right or wrong, he is rarely contested. He has no known motives, he wars where and when he chooses, and most of the western world fears his name when it is uttered he is in their vicinity.
A small cult of, appearing at least, pacifist order makes its home deep in the mountains of Mt. Heron lead by an unassuming leader named Chaelsm. Prefering peace and order to the much tramatic lives of the races beyond the mountain walls, he has buried his order deep within the mountains themselves. Rarely seen, none really know the nature of these strange individuals. As a warning though, those most unassuming can be quite deadly in thier own right.
And so on. So if you'd like to be a part, and help me progress the world even more with the possibility of being a part of it yourself. Just create yourself in a DnD fashion, and post it here. You can also create a history, legend, or adventure involving yourself as well. Seeing as how the more fleshed out it is, or more appealing, the more likely it is to be used. Aleria has no myths or backstory beyond the world history, so anything goes. Nothing is set in stone. Have fun with it. 
This is just for fun, feel free to be involved or ignore all of this. And 'Sage or Chaelsm, if youd rather I retract what role I put you in just say so, and concider in never said.
The history, and the incomplete map can be found here if you need it for any type of reference purposes. And I guess there are some restrictions after all. No godlike or dei-godlike characters or histories. They can be heroes of course, even huge ones, but nothing end all supreme.
I'm so sorry guys.
quote:
Elethi had this to say about Cuba:
I'm wondering if its possible for me to get the logs or at least a summary of what happened when I was sick.
I'm so sorry guys.
We didn't play. Abbi was still having computer issues, and we basically just cancelled and will pick it up this Saturday instead.
At least I didn't mess anything, though.
quote:
Nith D'vaz's account was hax0red to write:
rawr ! i can be a bum with a magical toothache or somthing
Works for me.
Honestly just about anything, I think magical toothaches are pushin it though. Semi serious if possible.
But yeah, a bum on the street somewhere is perfectly fine if thats all you'd want to be. The populas has to have bums somewhere don't they? 
[ 05-07-2002: Message edited by: Nith D'vaz ]
edit: typo fix
Height: 5'5"
Weight: 167 pounds
Age: 34
Alignment: Neutral Evil
Hit Dice: 7d6 (46 hp)
Speed: 30 ft.
Initiative: +6 (+2 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative)
AC: 15 (+2 Dex, +3 Ring of Armor)
Attack: +6 Short Sword +1
Damage: 1d6+1 Short Sword +1
Str: 9
Dex: 15
Con: 12
Int: 16
Wis: 13
Cha: 20
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +9, Will +8
Feats: Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Alertness
Skills: Bluff +12, Diplomacy +12, Disable Device +10, Disguise +12, Gather Information +12, Hide +9, Innuendo +9, Intimidate +12, Knowledge (politics) +10, Listen +12, Move Silently +9, Perform +12, Spot +10, Sense Motive +10, Tumble +8, Use Magic Device +12
Bard Abilities: Simple Weapon Proficiency, Short Sword Proficiency, Armor Proficiency (Light and Medium), Shield Proficiency, Bardic Music, Bardic Knowledge, Bard Spells per day: 0 level-8, 1 level-7, 2 level-5, Bard Spells Known: 0 level-6, 1 level-3, 2 level-2
Rogue Abilities: Sneak Attack +2d6, Evasion, Uncanny Dodge (Dex bonus to AC)
Physical Description: Parcelan has often been mistaken for a shorter race due to his height and portly build. Due to a fondness for fine foods and wine, he has developed a rather chubby physique.
This often leads foes to underestimate him, which he highly encourages.
Current Doings: A warrior of the political battlefield, Parcelan realized at an early age that he was not cut out for an adventuring life (regretably, this was only learned after several failed attempts at adventuring).
He now hires himself out as a diplomat and negotiator for hire, often found working for crooked politicians and warlords, or whoever can pay the most. There is nothing he delights more in than intellectual challenges, preferrably those in which there is a clear victor and loser.
quote:
Check out the big brain on Nith D'vaz!
ok no magical toothache bum, but how about leutenant for a kingdom of your choosing, i play this character mostly as neutral good or neutral evil, so no bloodthirsty gnomish vampire please
Basic run down.
Easter Alliance Nations:
Tarstan - Democratic Nation, with corprate and trade freedom. Home to the largest Port citie in the world, Sysian. Very economically stable and prosperous.
Karrimor - Peacfull nation, rarely involved in any conflict and major trade state. Also the nation with the cursed desert and housing the famed City of Knights, Dorin, of which very little is known since they are a fiercely closed society.
Demerion - The nation of spies. This nation houses the largest factions of the eastern underworld and information societies. LAnd of the Spies and informants. Demerion has the largest intteligence network of the known world. In some ways, in mythic proportions. Sometimes less than tasteful, they are feircesom addition to the eastern alliance, on thier knoledge anc tactical information alone.
Bromada - The seat of the easter alliance, home to the "Lost Castle" and the ruins of Averindale, the damned nation. Land that awaits the return of rulership. The coucil meets here in Phorell to dictate the paths the rest of the alliance follows.
The Western Alliance, the Darker side of the world:
Astel - Nation of the Damned, home to Devrial the city in shadow. Once the seat of the western world while Vel held power, it is now a damned nation and ripe with corruption and death. Nothing good comes of this place, evil seethes in the very stones. Ogre's rule here, as do the Dark Dragons of the world past.
Morin - Land of the Dead, a nation comprised entirely of undead. Not nessesarily evil, although there is quite a bit here by the shear nature of the place, but also home to some once just and fallen heroes. Arden rules here with an iron fist, and has put a price on those of the living who journey his lands. Unfortunately, death is not the end.
Ar'Aken - This nation allows few outsiders, little to nothing is known. It has however produced some of the most feared and evil mercenaries and bounty hunters of all time. It is thought to be a nation that thrives on warfare and suffering.
There are more, but not complete. And there are no restrictions on creating a nation. In fact I encourage it. Saves me from doing it.
quote:
Mr. Parcelan had this to say about Matthew Broderick:
Parcelan
*SNIP*.
Good, I needed one of those. Political seat of the Western Alliance (Bad guys). Travelling dignitary carrying demands for his employers, or looking to circumvent for whomever paid you the most? Political informant to the higest bidder? A good backstabber?
He loves humor and jokes, however, and loves whatever will give him a good laugh. The best laughs, in his mind, come from causing pain to others.
Too bad I still read things to fast to catch typos. Heh, some of what I just wrote is horribly written.
Please excuse the plethora of mistakes.
A slight overview of the factions in Demerion might be helpful though (i can never make anything decent unless i have a solid setting to base it on 
)
quote:
A sleep deprived Nith D'vaz stammered:
a leutenat of a thieve's guild in Demerion perhaps? that would be interesting, if you want i could work out the details and put him on paper for you.A slight overview of the factions in Demerion might be helpful though (i can never make anything decent unless i have a solid setting to base it on
)
Demerion is a strange nation...
Everybody spies there, to some degree. They have spies to spy on the spies. There are three seperate parts to Demerion. The government, the church, and the corprate. They each have thier own spy networks, and each is constantly accusing the other of "cheating" if thier sect provides information to the seat first. Which is actually a compliment.
Cheating, lying, and swindleling is the norm in Demerion. In fact it's an insult to be openly honest, and most would read half a mile into a foot if you let them anyway. Thieves rule here. Not the typical evil intent thievery, it's mostly for sport and to increase thier skill. It is even encouraged, although other nations find them untastefull company but wouldn't have it any other way since they are so valuable. To not be robbed or cheated in Demerion is the worst insult you could receive.
The Eastern alliance highly respects the nation of Demerion's capabilities.
Ganstrem's life began simply enough; he would have come from a small town, placable just about anywhere in Bromada or anyplace else deemed appropriate in the Eastern Alliance. He was often scorned as a child for his sticky fingers; he enjoyed nothing more than stealing passing adventurer's equipment and when they reported something missing the first place they looked was always his home. This was all rather embarassing for his parents, and they tried desperately hard to keep him from stealing; when nothing else worked they attempted locking him in his room at night, but their attempts were in vain. Though it kept him quiet and the town peaceful for awhile, he was always studying the lock and its mechanics to find a way to get past it.
After weeks of studying he finally tried to pick the lock; he failed. The lock was jammed and he was stuck in his windowless room until his parents finally hired a passing warrior to break the door down for them. They, quiet frankly, were not pleased. To try to give their child some responsility, they got him a job at the local inn.
So at a young 9 years of age, Ganstrem had a job. A job he hated, but a job he had to at least pretend to do. He worked there for a year, stealing the item of patrons and planting them on others to cause trouble. They eventually started to suspect him as acts of theft became more frequent; he was fired and kicked out one day after being caught in the act.
This left him bitter; he'd never been caught before and it wasn't something he liked. Ganstrem was already becoming bored with the small town, and at 11 years of age he broke snuck into the inn and broke into a passing mercenary group's room. He took what he could carry; a dagger, a quarterstaff which he later broke to be more his size and a black cloak. On his way out he was almost caught; he ran out of the inn and then ran out of the town. He never returned.
He wandered for months, stopping at towns and amazing the locals; such a young child, posing as an adventurer. But he had money so they had service, but he was careful to leave the small towns quickly, before wanderers who may be able to identify him tried to return him to his home. And so it was until he wandered upon a city; a metatropolis (sp) of the age. A stealing orphan fit in here better than they did in a small border town; and thus he made it his home. For awhile, at least.
He never stayed in the same section of the city for very long; because of its size (assuming--it's your world) he was able to do this. He became slightly infamous by his 13th year. The few times he was spotted he was never captured, and people grew to know his description and to avoid those who fit it. Though he lived on his own, he lived a life better than most. Whatever he lacked he could steal, and he did so quite well.
Until, that is, he met Jeana.
Jeana was a 30 year old woman living alone in the city. Rumors were rapid about her past--how her family and town were burnt to the ground by an unidentified group of assassins, and how those assassins were now tracking down the survivors. Jeana had travelled from Trastan seeking shelter from their wrath, but with her travelled her past and the locals didn't want her in their city to avoid trouble. Nobody even knew if these rumors were true; Jeana rarely spoke and even rarer it was to hear her speak of herself.
Ganstrem ran into Jeana in an alleyway at night in the market. He was only there to rob her, but he wasn't as quiet as he would've liked. She immediately asked who was there and he immediately ran. But that night was not his night for luck, and he tripped on a stone and landed harshly on the street. Jeana ran up to the limp boy and carried him off to her home, where she applied first aid to him and let him rest.
When he awoke the next morning he paniced; "where am I?!" he shouted out to no answer. He tried to get up and run away but as he attempted to move his arm he realized that it was in a splint--and that it hurt. He cried out just as Jeana walked through the door. He snarled and asked what she wanted from him. She just shook her head and said she merely wanted to see the boy return to health.
And while Ganstrem had his reservations at first, he and Jeana quickly became very close; Ganstrem missed his mother more than he cared to admit and he saw his mother and so much more in Jeana--he saw her pain, behind caring eyes and he saw that they both wanted some sort of family and they both lacked one. So Ganstrem lived with Jeana, for many years, peacefully. While Ganstrem still frequently partook in theft he only did it to help support Jeana; and while she disapproved of the means she accepted the help, as life was hard.
And things progressed this way until Ganstrem's 19th year. This is when things suddenly changed; this is when Jeana was found.
They rode in on horseback and asked for her home address. Those who remembered the rumors that had fizzled out long ago grew fearful, and they showed the men her house. They immediately entered and killed Jeana. A crossbow bolt to the head and she breathed her last breath. They took her body and left, but they weren't done yet. As if to add insult to injury, they set the house ablaze with torches and rode off.
Ganstrem awoke to the smell of smoke and the heat of roaring flames. His first instinct was fear, but he had learned to ignore that emotion over the years. "Jeana!!" he shouted. "Jeana!! Where are you?!"
There was no answer; the silence, as they say, was deafening. Ganstrem searched the house to no avail and ran outside into the gathering crowd. "Where is she!?" he yelled. Nobody answered. Nobody even moved.
"WHERE IS JEANA?"
Nobody spoke for what seemed like hours. Ganstrem fell to his knees and held his head in his hands, both shocked and horrified...and angry. When somebody finally dared to approach him, a heavy man with a head full of brown hair, Ganstrem jumped up at lightning speed and clenched his neck. "Why didn't you stop them? Why didn't you stop them?!
Letting the man go, he ran from town following their trail. But he was no expert tracker and he eventually lost it. Not only that, but he was lost himself. In more ways than one. He became a vegabond and thief, wandering the lands without aim and without fear. And though it's no longer his primary goal, he does look for the men who attacked his home.
I'll finish later with finer details and how he became legendary (if he does; you mentioned make your own legend) later...if you think the story is okay.
That got long. There's no way I'm proof-feeding it.
Best of luck with all this.
In the beginning the Universe was created.Douglas Adams, 1952-2001
((quote:
Suddar Williams stopped beating up furries long enough to write:
*SNIP*
Damn Suddar... 
If this continues on the way it is, it could very well turn legendary, and I'll definitely use it as such. Not to mention, with the way it is now, you have left it almost completely open to the group meeting you just about anywhere at anytime. Awesome!
Ruvyen
Level 6 Fighter
Half-Elf
Chaotic Good
20 years of age
Features of note: Six-foot-one, blue hair, tiger-striped tail
Attack: +9/+4 Bastard Sword
Damage: 1d10+3 Bastard Sword
Hit dice: 6d10+24 (76hp)
Armour class 17 (Chain Mail)
Stats:
Str 16
Dex 15
Con 18
Int 14
Wis 10
Cha 11
Equipment:
Standard adventuring gear (eg. Bedroll, flint and steel, trail rations, yada yada)
Chain Mail
Bastard Sword
Feats will be thought up later.
Ditto for skills.
As for what he does and stuff, to put it bluntly, Ruvyen's a mercenary, with somewhat of a code. He's good-aligned, thus he only takes those kinds of jobs. He won't take a more evil kind of job, even for a stack of coins up to the ceiling. However, of a job seems good, both conditionally and morally, he'll get right on it.
However, Ruvyen's not always the good guy. Sometimes, whatever seems good to him, is not always that way to society as a whole. Also, he's a little unpredictable, like he has a quadrillion and one different personalities, and he's a different one each day. Not really, but that's the best example I can think of. Sometimes, it's hard to tell if he's going to buy you a drink or cut you in two. The fact that he's a mercenary certainly doesn't help this.
Ruvyen doesn't really stay in one place, he goes everywhere. If he can find some good business where he is, he'll stay for a bit. If not, off he goes again.
As for how he can be put into the campaign... Damn. Maybe as a mercenary there's a little too much flexibility. He could be hired by the characters. He could be hired to kill the characters. Et cetera.
quote:
Ruvyen Warblade had this to say about Captain Planet:
. He could be hired to kill the characters.
I like this option best. 
I think you may make our first "Blood Hunter". [ 05-07-2002: Message edited by: Faeth Es'Braewyn ]
quote:
ArchAngel had this to say about Matthew Broderick:
PMed ya, Faeth... feel free to PM back with what you like/what you'd like changed.
Read it, reviewed it, liked it, and it brought up a point.
Landmarks and locales. Aleria has very few of these, so feel free to make something up. I'm assuming the tower was made up?
If it keeps interest like it is, Aleria may end up being a community effort, and I wont have anything left to take credit for since none of it will be mine.
But yeah, feel free to build the world. Geography, landmarks, even Nations (Especially the western continent [bad side] since it's under developed.) are welcomed since they add a little spice. I put a lot of work into everything I've done, but it gets harder the more I do. So you're all helping me, and hopefully you have a little fun with it along the way.
Do, however, try and keep it original. Since if I DO end up using anything submitted, it won't just reflect badly on you. It will also reflect on me. I probably wont be able to use everything thats submitted, but you never know. And I hope it's still a fun pasttime.
I'm writing up a few myself, but there are always room for somemore. Not everything has to be assumed as being in the present. I may use some of the people you create as historical figures instead of someone the group may actually meet.
Pierce Ellinon
Gray Elf
He was a member of a Royal family, in fact was heir to the throne, until he killed one of his siblings by pushing them down the stairs.
He did this to eliminate any and all preceived threats to his becoming king.
His father and mother were so upset and could not understand why Pierce would do something so vile as to kill his younger brother. Pierce's father expelled him from the kingdom and disowned him stripping Pierce of any and all royal status and wealth. He was sent off to a distant city and told to never return to the city he was one day to rule.
Pierce spent more many years building up a hatred for his family as he wiled away his days living as a petty thief and beggar, but he could never get rid of the love he felt for his family at the same time. This left him conflicted and confused, he eventually began adventuring in hope of running away from himself and his internal conflict.
During his adventuring he became an adept tracker and hunter, Pierce, in time, used his new found tracking and hunting skills to become a bounty hunter of some repute. He will not give up the hunt once he agrees to a price.
Pierce still has his internal conflict about his family, but has never acted upon it outside of the pleasure he takes in finding a target and returning them to his employer, usually alive if more than a bit damaged, and on occasion dead.
Pierce will never break a contract, if his employer wishes the person back alive, they will be. He will never re-negotiate his fee, no matter the length of time the hunt takes or the dangers that arise. For those reasons he has a good reputation for a bounty hunter.
forgive any spelling errors and stuff, I just typed it up here and didn't really proof-read.
Anyway, very glad you liked it.
Celie Dirkstrom
Celie was the only daughter of the Mayor of a small farming village, and while she didn't inherit the apparent political genius of her father, she DID get his comfort with power, and became the typical "spoiled rich kid", living off her father's rule. She was 22 when her father shuffled off this mortal coil, and was looking forward to the time when she would get to be mayor of that small town... until she found out that the position was up for election. It wasn't hereditary.
Despite doing everything she could to win the election, including more than a few more interesting things, Celie came up short and lost to a rather brilliant merchant's son. While still wealthy, Celie was now effectively powerless and unimportant until the current mayor passed away. This did not sit well with her. She eventually gave in and tried to have the man poisoned. When it didn't work, she tried again. Eventually tiring of failure, Celie left the town in a huff, last seen having disappeared somewhere in the woods beyond the town borders, carrying a large chunk of the family fortune and leaving her rapidly-growing-senile mother to take care of the rest.
Most people would be content to think the spoiled rich girl met her end in that forest, but it didn't happen. In a strange stroke of good luck, Celie came across a travelling necromancer, who had avoided the main roads for obvious reason, and had been ambushed by kobolds. He was caught totally unaware and was about to have his throat slit until Celie came along and, in a rare show of charity, bought his life from them with a large chunk of her chunk of fortune. The kobolds left happy, and Celie used her deed as a bargaining chip to get herself the position of the necromancer's apprentice, and had been studying under him for the past three years.
A few disturbances had been happening around that town where Celie originated. At night, even though everybody sleeps soundly and dosen't notice a thing, something cavorts through their fields stealing and burning crops. Also, Celie had been luring certain villagers, ones who had supported Celie in her bid for mayor and certain others, into the woods where, in a partly-charletan-like show of power, she announced her presence to them and bonded them to her service with the promise of great power and standing if they served her. She's attempting a coup, trying to get what's "rigthfully hers".
Her physical appearance would be quite normal if she didn't embellish it. Her hair, formerly a sun-bleached wheat color, she dyed a deep black-brown, and is always seen in exotic and eccentric makeup. She's five-foot-six and rather slight, but goes to great lengths to make herself look powerful and important.
If thwarted, she will most likely follow whoever thwarted her for as long as she's able to, or their alive. Celie is quite powerful, but also not very bright, and would fall into the "constant, nagging thorn in the side" category if she didn't have fantastic timing. Celie carries grudges for agonizingly long times, and picks them up quite easily.
Aaaand I beleive we all know this next one...
Solstyce Wintersun:
Solstyce was born as the youngest a High Elf to a merchant mother and retired paladin father, both in the end years of their lives and worried that they'd not be able to have another child. Solstyce was always the little angel of the family, and was quite sheltered. She adored her parents and sister with everything she had, and was quite shattered when her sister left to become a cleric.
Eventually, she began studies as a mage (changed), and was quite happily living her life until her parents died.
Her father left with her mother in a merchant's caravan to guide her to a neighboring city. Somewhere along the way, they had decided to press on into the night instead of camping, and had gotten lost. And even more unfortunately, had run into an orc raiding party when they were trying to find their way again. When the bodies were found and counted, it was found that no one survived. Her mother was raped multiple times even as all her companions were, and was left with a wound to the side, not dead but dying, for two days before expiring.
Solstyce was still young when it happened. The full weight of it all never really came down on her, however. Her sister returned home to care for her, as she was still young at the time. When she finished her studies as a mage, however, her city stopped feeling like... home, and it wasn't long before she took up and left.
It would be unwise to even summarize what happened during Solstyce's journeys in the world. Even that would take a ghastly long time. She grew more skilled, however, and far, far more knowledgeable in the field of magic, surprising even herself with her aptitude at it. Finally, at almost a whim, she shed her own High Elven form and took up the form of a pixie, and has stayed as such for as long as she can remember.
Finally, having seen pretty much everything and growing tired and burdened, even jaded with what the world had to offer, she retreated to her tower of Pandemonium deep in the forest, to live in a state of semi-retirement. She's still extraordinarily powerful, and even though she dosen't really think on it, is sitting on a rather large fortune, however. She dosen't hoard or abuse what she has, however... just rests, waiting to see if anyone needs her, amusing herself, and watching the world fly by.
I also have a concept for a small town, if you need it, and if you want I can whip up a map with my gloriously craptacular MSPaint skills.
It's okay if I make some assumptions about the world, right? I know I already have, but some of the ideas I have may be worse.
quote:
Suddar Williams enlisted the help of an infinite number of monkeys to write:
I'll finish up Ganstrem's story today.It's okay if I make some assumptions about the world, right? I know I already have, but some of the ideas I have may be worse.
Yeah assumptions are kinda nessesary, unless you can think of anything specific you may need. Otherwise it's kinda go as you are.
quote:
Suddar Williams thought about the meaning of life:
Fuck, sorry, I went out (with a girl! omg) earlier and now I'm really tired. =\ I can't write like this. </pity>
Went out with a girl... really tired...
Suddar, my good little buddy, it's time we have a talk.
*sits Suddar down*
Now, see, Suddar, when a man likes a woman very much...
Boy am I pooped.
Anything I had to say is now null and void.
An elf born in the elven community of Salimina deep within a forest, Tazlo quickly became recognized for his great intelligence and ability to be rather blunt about things, if not a bit evasive in giving out information.
Tazlo became blood brothers with a half elf in the village whose human father was a knight of Dorin. The two of them travelled together after getting a bit of wanderlust and soon met up with and subsequently joined a band of bards and rogues led by a man name Kaije. Tazlo, with his intelligence, cunning and endless thirst for knowledge landed him a position as one of Kaije's top theives.
After the death of Kaije, and Tazlo's friend falling under a mysterious curse, the two brothers left the band in search for answers that might help bring to light the nature of this curse and how to stop it before it drove Tazlo's friend's mind insane.
And so now Tazlo has been travelling the world, hiring himself out for just about any sort of job, especially ones involving mage towers and the like, in order to gain information on the curse as well as information on Aleria in general, for his life long dream is to become the top most authority on what there is to know of the land and the world beyond.
Character stats forthcoming.
