Female(s) needed 13th Age - The Shadowport Shuffle - The Prince's Angels - Recruiting

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Female(s) needed 13th Age - The Shadowport Shuffle - The Prince's Angels - Recruiting

Baxter Peters

Baxter Peters

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13th Age is a tabletop role playing game that's basically a version of Dungeons and Dragons with more story elements built in.

I want to run a 13th Age adventure on the forum called Shadowport Shuffle. In the adventure, the player characters will be adventurers who owe a debt to the Prince of Shadows, the Patron Saint of Thieves and Assassins. He has a series of tasks he wants done in Shadowport, a notorious hive of scum and villainy draped in perpetual twilight, and performing these tasks will make you all square plus earn you a bit of coin for your troubles.

This would be a system game. Players would need to make characters, and I would help interested players with that. The nature of the adventure justifies characters dropping in and out, which should make it good for forum play. The adventure will not be the typical dungeon crawl, go here and kill X, sort of thing. For example, the first task is to steal a macguffin from a nobleman's magical vault during his annual masquerade ball.

There could be opportunities for friskiness, but it's not any sort of focus to the story. In adventure friskiness will be faded to black, but if someone wants to spin off side threads to further explore sexytimes with another player's character or possibly background characters, they'd be welcome to do so.

If you're interested, feel free to drop a note on this thread or PM me.

Please note: Preference will be given for Female characters, preferably Elven. While I didn't plan it, we have a Charlie's Angels vibe I'm running with.
 
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WHAT IS 13TH AGE?

13th Age is a fantasy RPG, much like D&D. (In fact, it was written by several of 3e D&D's designers!) It came out after 4e D&D but before 5e D&D. If you've played any version of D&D or Pathfinder, you're in for a pretty familiar ride. Big picture, they're very similar.

So why this instead of D&D? I really like some of the ideas in 13th Age, many of which involve putting more narrative control in the hands of the players. I could just steal those and incorporate them into a D&D game, but there's enough interesting stuff that I wanted to give their whole system a try.

All the usual fantasy character tropes are there -- if you want to play a dwarven warrior or elvish wizard, those are options. (If you come up with a more unusual character concept, we can probably find a way to make it work.) Basically, I'd encourage you to come up with an idea for a character that seems fun and interesting and we'll figure out how to make it with the rules, rather than approaching it the other way around.

(I will say that compared to D&D and Pathfinder, non-spellcasters feel perhaps slightly more complicated to play and spellcasters feel much less complicated to play.)

There are three 13th Age-specific features that may be useful in coming up with a character concept: the One Unique Thing, Backgrounds, and Icons.

ONE UNIQUE THING

Every player character (PC) in 13th Age has a One Unique Thing, which is, predictably, a thing about them that makes them unique. I usually describe it as being like one of the bridge crew on the Enterprise: I am the only klingon in Starfleet. I am an android with a positronic brain. I was born blind, but I can see because of this special visor I wear. Et cetera.

A few examples from the book: "I am the bastard son of the Emperor." "I am an incarnation of an ancient hero, and I'm sure that destiny has brought me back for a reason." "I was the rudest lady-in-waiting of the Imperial Court." "I cut off my own arm just to show how tough I am." "I have a clockwork heart made by the dwarves." "I am the only human child of a zombie mother."

Basically, the sky's the limit here for how crazy you want to be. The "narrative control by players" I mentioned earlier comes into play here too: if you want to be the only dwarf to ever serve in the Emperor's army, then you get to make that a part of the world. The main caveats are that it shouldn't be combat-focused and it shouldn't provide a specific mechanical benefit: "I always succeed on stealth checks" isn't okay, but we could work with "I'm a living shadow" or something similarly outlandish.

Also, it doesn't have to be totally outlandish or unique -- it can be as mundane as "I'm really good looking and people treat me better than I deserve because of it." The important thing is that it's something distinguishing about your character that you find interesting.

BACKGROUNDS

Modern D&D and Pathfinder have lists of skills that a character can train in 13th Age doesn't define skills, instead, the player will define their character's various backgrounds and assign points to those backgrounds. Then, when a character performs a task that could benefit from their experiences, they get that background's bonus. So, let's say you want to make a classic style rogue. In Pathfinder, you'd probably put points in Disable Device, Perception and Stealth, along with some Climb, Bluff, Sleight of Hand, whatever. In 13th Age, you just create a background. It could be as simple as Thief, a little more meaty like Shadowport Guild Thief or even False Noble Con Artist. While those are all 'thief' backgrounds, they're all a little different. A Shadowport Guild thief could apply their bonus to know specifics about Shadowport for example. The False Noble could apply their bonus for various social interactions where having people believe you're a noble is handy.

Backgrounds are not class specific. So if you want to be a paladin who used to be a Thieves' Guild Urchin, you don't forget hot to pick locks or pockets just because you're a paladin now. Thinking about your character's backgrounds not only gives the GM good story hooks for your character, but gives the character mechanical bonuses in play. And they're completely customizable, so the character reflects your vision, not the designer's vision for your class.

ICONS

The Icons are the major players/political forces in the world. All are based on well-recognized fantasy tropes. Every PC has some existing relationship with one or more of the Icons, which can be positive or negative. If your character serves a cause (or fights against one) then there's a good chance it'll involve one of the Icons. You don't need to figure out your relationships with all of the Icons, but if there's one or two that catches your fancy, you can incorporate them into your story.

There are thirteen Icons, as follows:

  • The Emperor, ruler of the world's greatest human kingdom, the Dragon Empire

  • The Archmage, master of great and terrible arcane magic

  • The Dwarf King, ruler of the dwarves' new home under the mountains

  • The Elf Queen, leader of the three races of elves: wood elves, high elves, and dark elves

  • The High Druid, champion of the Wild and controller of powerful natural forces

  • The Priestess, oracle and speaker for all of the Gods of Light

  • The Great Gold Wyrm: metallic dragons are good, and the Great Gold Wyrm is the most ancient and powerful living metallic dragon

  • The Three: chromatic dragons are evil, and the Red, Black, and Blue were among the first dragons to walk the world. Each is individually less powerful than the Great Gold Wyrm, but when they can put aside their differences, the Three are a force to be reckoned with.

  • The Crusader: the armored fist of the Dark Gods, the quintessential "anti-paladin"

  • The Diablolist: controls fiends and tampers with forces even the Archmage avoids

  • The Lich King: the lord of the undead, who seeks to destroy the Dragon Empire

  • The Orc Lord: commander of legions of orcish warriors

  • The Prince of Shadows: part thief, part trickster, and part assassin, the Prince of Shadows is Loki and the Monkey King rolled into one. None know the Prince's ultimate goals or motivations.
 
Useful 13th Age Links

The 13th Age System Reference Document - This webpage has just about everything you need to know to make a character for 13th Age.

Online Character Generator - There are various excel spreadsheets out there that will help you build your character, but this one is hosted, online, and will allow you to print direct from the webpage. It'll also save to Google Drive. The sheet will also do your math for you, although you will need the SRD to do things like pick spells, talents, feats, etc.

The Official 13th Age Resources hosted by Pelgrane Press - All sorts of goodies here, but of particular interest for folks could be the various Pregenerated Characters. If you know nothing about roleplaying games or 13th Age, but you like this idea, you could take any of the /many/ level 2 characters on this page and make it your own. We can also customize and tweak the characters to make it more enjoyable for you.
 
I am. It's even in the character generator I linked above.
 
Oh yes. Magic can be Cruel.
 
Okay, last questions, are we using the buy-point system? Are we open to make backgrounds? and I had a loose idea for a Unique that is as follows;

One night, while studying astral projection and the far realms, my character fell asleep on her books. She woke to find a mysterious ring of some strange, green stone placed before her, but no sign of who might have delivered it. It fit her perfectly, and she's worn it for years, but has no idea what it might do, or who gifted it to her.
 
Yes, Point Buy.

Yes, you are open to make backgrounds, but I will need to sign off on them. I don't want someone to pick 'Jack of All Trades' or 'Good at Everything' as 5pt backgrounds.

And I like the 1 Unique thing. Perhaps add something that really makes the stone stand out, like it pulses in the presence of ghosts or when the veil between worlds is thin, or there are vague shapes that seem to be moving within the stone.
 
Alright, I think I've got everything ironed out, wanted to run it by you;

Backgrounds;
1)Bookworm - CHARACTER was an intelligent, awkward youth who, tormented by her peers and siblings for her weakness and nature, spent a lot of her time reading, even before she began her study of magic.
2)Avid Arcanist - CHARACTER sees magic as her only real power, HER sword or bow or fist. She strives to be a master in its many aspects, and her breadth of magical knowledge is impressive for someone of her experience.
3)Runt - Before she learned to cast her first spells, CHARACTER relied on stealth to keep herself and her possessions safe from her sisters. She still walks softly wherever she goes out of habit.

And updated Unique - The ring is in the shape of a large signet ring, stylized to resemble an eye made of a neon green, translucent stone. Closer inspection of the material reveals stars drifting inside the glass, as though one is peering through it at the night sky. The effect is luminous enough to cause the ring to glow in total darkness.

Lastly, relationships;
1) Archmage - 1 point conflicted relationship. At the outset of her journey, she travelled to the imperial city and tried to find herself a master. She was given a rather simple task, go to a nearby forest and collect a few particular herbs. She was almost at the city gates when a downpour began. Weighing her options against her remaining coin, she decided to look into purchasing the herbs, and found herself in a, looking back, rather suspicious market in a back alley. Needless to say the herbs turned out to be fakes, clever fakes, but fakes none-the-less, and she was thrown out after a stern brow-beating.
2) The Dwarf King - 1 point negative relationship. While the dwarf king bears her no specific ill will, she happens to be a focal point of all those things that bother him about a person. A dark elf, whose parents protect what was once the dwarf home from its previous owners, in the employ of the Prince of Shadows.
3) The Prince of Shadows - 1 point conflicted relationship. CHARACTER's history with the Prince goes back farther than even she knows (cough-ring-cough). Her current relationship with him is based entirely on the promise that, in addition to being financially rewarded for her troubles, the Prince will use his sway to clear her name with the Archmage, and his collection of Imperial Wizards.
 
Looks great. Basically, Bookworm is general knowledge, Avid Arcanist is specifically magical training, and Runt represents using small size and slight physicality to avoid conflict. They could be used in other situations, but are reasonably narrow and very evocative. Nicely done.

I like the odd ring. Can she take it off? If she loses or sells it, does it come back to her?

The relationships look great. I'm amused that the animosity with the Dwarf King is 'Well look at her! Sodding Dark Elves.'
 
Baxter Peters said:
Looks great. Basically, Bookworm is general knowledge, Avid Arcanist is specifically magical training, and Runt represents using small size and slight physicality to avoid conflict. They could be used in other situations, but are reasonably narrow and very evocative. Nicely done.

I like the odd ring. Can she take it off? If she loses or sells it, does it come back to her?

The relationships look great. I'm amused that the animosity with the Dwarf King is 'Well look at her! Sodding Dark Elves.'
Click to expand...

That's it exactly! They also tie in with her dominant abilities, which will be intelligence and dex. *blushes* Thank you, I worked hard before bombarding you, good to know it paid off ^_^

She can take it off, but rarely does. It's kind of a security blanket, the kind of thing she thumbs or plays with while she's studying or thinking. Maybe it glows when she casts spells, more intensely the higher the level of the spell? I do like the idea that it will return to her if lost. As far as being sold by her or anyone ... I don't think of it as looking very valuable, but would suspect the same returning property would apply.

Lol, okay, maybe I stumbled when it came to assigning relationship points to a shut-in. Aw, he's not like, a racist, it's just ... you know ... some people you're just destined not to like :3
 
If you'd like another antagonistic relationship, you could have an Icon who wants your ring for whatever reason.
 
You know I am in for this, but I am likely not to have a character done up until next week? Also, I would like to keep my character's "one unique thing" secret. Except from you of course.

Save me a spot?
 
Spot saved.
 
My Beautiful Sheet!

NAME : Ularia
RACE : High Elf
LEVEL : 2
CLASS: Occultist
ARMOR: light

ABILITES
STR: 8 (-1) +1
CON 12 (1) +3
DEX 12 (1) +3
INT 17 (3) +5
WIS 16 (3) +5
CHA 14 (2) +4

DEFENSES
AC 14
PD 13
MD 16

ATTACKS
Melee +5 vs AC : 2d8+3 : 2
Ranged +3 vs AC : 2d4+1: 0

HEALTH
Max Hit Points: 28
Recoveries: 8
Recovery: 2d6+1 (avg. 7)

Racial Power: Highblood Teleport (High Elf)

ONE UNIQUE THING
[Redacted] :)

Icon Relationships
The Elf Queen: 2 (positive)
The Three: 1 (negative)

BACKGROUNDS
Dragon Lore: 5
Forbidden Knowledge: 2
History: 3

Class Features
Arcane Implements
Delayed Magical Healing
Focus and Spellcasting
Rebuke
Spell Choices and Flexible Recharge
Uniqueness

Powers & Spells
Better Yet, Here
Bitter Lessons
Brilliant Comeback
Inevitable Fall
Moment of Karma
Karmic Rebuke (from the Rebuke class feature)

Magic Items

Talents
Brain Melting Secrets
Hewer of Truth
Otherworld Shadow
Warp Flesh

Feats
Linguist (A): speak all humanoid languages well enough
Further Backgrounding (A): +2 Background Points

Equipment
melee: longsword
ranged: dagger(throwing) X 2
light armor: padded cloth
standard traveling gear
set of good clothes
embroidered robe (occultist)
secret scrolls (occultist)
runic vestments (occultist)

Funds
Gold- 13, silver- 50, copper- 0

16307.jpg
 
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Oh, I didn't even realize we were starting at level 2, but hourrah for not being the only elven magic user!

EDIT: WE WILL BE A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH!
 
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