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@Belabras: You make me sound like a monster! I have four active games on these forums and two more on another. This will make it an even six which is definitely doable. It's all about the planning, sir. Looking forward to your submission!
@LinYurenya: That sounds great and players new to Planescape are definitely encouraged. If you don't want to worry about putting your foot in your mouth, you could play a Clueless (someone reasonably new to planewalking) and then any mess-ups are all in-character. If you want to be a planar Clueless (someone born off the Prime Material but backwoods enough to not know much) a desert nomad might be found on the Outlands as a raider, as a genasi from the Plane of Dust or the Plane of Salt, a wanderer from a desolate Outer Plane (the Gray Waste, the third layer of Arborea, the wild Beastlands), or any number of other things. Or you can be a prime desert nomad who wandered through a portal to Sigil. If you do end up being new to planewalking, make sure to still think about your Secret that is the impetus to the story. 
Working on a Tiefling Athar.
Any problems with using the Hexblade subset of the Warlock class from Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms?
@Belabras: Tiefling Athar sounds great; I will copy and re-post the tiefling appearance table from the Planewalker's Handbook for the fun sort of crazy tieflings that we used to have (we'll just skip the special ability table). Also, hexblade is just fine... I've actually been playing a tiefling hexblade (Fated) for some time in my brother's Planescape campaign so you'll be in good company!
EDIT: Bingo! If you're making a tiefling or aasimar, feel free to use these tables to randomize your appearance (honor system). Note that the "special abilities" are supposed to be fun, not rule-breaking, and I won't hesitate to clip wings if they're abused. Genasi characters should also consider what their heritage has to offer. 
Seems... different. Definitely a cool thing, but I'll have to give it some thought. I'm meaning to join *one* PbP game after a long-ish leave from the forums, and the intention was to wait a while to be 100% I'd have the time. But something like this probably won't come up again for a while. I don't know, I'll do some reading and get back to it, but If I decide to play, this will be a reservation for my character. Also, when is the deadline for character submissions? You don't seem to have listed one.
Urroc DredsonRough Pic Show  Description Show Urroc is short and thickly built, with a body that seems made to withstand damage. His fiendish heritage is aparent in his golden cat like eyes, white hair, and blue-gray, smooth skin that has the texture and temperature of cool marble. His pact weapon manifests as a massive black gauntlet and armored sleeve on his right arm, with gold highlights and a faint pulsing purple aura. His gear is like a lot of Sigil tieflings, serviceable and worn, with little attention paid to style and uniformly stained a weathered tone of dark gray and brown by the air in the lower wards. History Show Urroc is the son of Malakara and Dred, two tieflings of modest means. After a somewhat adventurous youth the two got married and started a glaziers shop together. Operating out of a building in the Lady's Ward, they supply a lot of custom glass for other industries around the Ward. Unlike many tiefling children in Sigil, Urroc actually had it pretty good. It rare among the vast majority of kids with fiend blood to even know one parent, and he knew both of his. Whether Dred or Malakara could say the same, who knows. When not busy 'helping' around the workshop or being under foot, the young boy wandered around the area near his parents shop, looking for portals and trying not to get torn up by the ever present razorvine. As he grew older Urroc was fascinated by the Shattered Temple, and would run errands or do odd jobs for the Athar there when not off doing things with his family. It was only natural then that he joined the faction when we became old enough. Not long after he began to show signs of power. Some of the older Athoans (Ur-Priests mostly) helped him harness his abilities, teaching how to use this 'dark gift of the great unknown'. Seeing his burgeoning abilities, and the usual restlessness of youth in him, his parents urged him to 'find a bit of adventure and see the planes' for awhile, much as they had done. With their blessing, he set out. Since then he's done some exploring of Under-Sigil, traveled around the Outlands, and done various odd jobs around town. Until he gained the notice of the Marauder, that is. She has had her claw on him for months now, forcing him to do a host of unsavory tasks, and he is eager to be out from under her control. He doesn't believe her assurances that this will be the last 'favor' for a second. Shemeshka never gives up anything she has gotten her paws on willingly. Personality Show Urroc is usually a cheerful, if somewhat cynical, guy but his time doing the 'loth's business has left him bitter. So much so that he is starting to think about just revealing his secret and dealing with the consequences rather than endure much more. Otherwise he is an easy going young man with a sardonic wit, able to get along with all but the most sour hardheads and bashers. He truly believes in the Athar's credo, and doesn't credit the powers for much more than being in the right place at the right time to seize power from the planes, then duping credulous petitioners into supporting that power. The way he sees it, everyone would be better off without all the gods and demons trying to enforce there own agenda's and playing power games with the lives of lowly mortals. Secret Show Urroc has seen the Lady of Pain. As a boy, he witnessed the Lady appear before a Baatezu Princeling and his entourage, in a secluded back alley of the Cage. She said nothing, simply rising up from the ground of Sigil until she loomed over them and her shadow fell upon them. In less than a second the devils were shredded into pieces. The Lady departed as quietly as she had come, and being a native cager, Urroc immediately came out of his hiding place to see if anything of value was left behind in the carnage. As he approached the remains, a black smoke rose up from the mingled viscera. He slowed, not sure what to make of it, and before he could do more it was on him. The ebon miasma flowed into his eyes, nose, ears, and mouth, disappearing inside him in seconds. Shaken and not sure what had happened, he ran. In the years since that day his ablities have grown. He's never asked anyone, and there is no lore to confirm it, but for whatever reason he suspects he absorbed the remnants of the Baatezu's souls. Normally such things return to their plane of origin, but perhaps it was his mixed blood or the effects of the Lady's shadow, but instead of behaving as it should the soul mater earthed itself inside him. Over time he has learned how to tap into some of it's power. Suspecting that Baatezu would not just let him have that power if they knew it's origin, Urroc joined the Athar as an attempt to smoke screen his theft. If he claimed to have come into his abilities by drawing on the 'Great Unknown' who could prove him wrong? Besides, he really did think the powers were just another bunch of mighty planars working a big dodge to keep their influence. If his little lie helped berks to find that truth, all the better. 'Favors' Urroc has done for the Marauder Show -Distributed pamphlets banned by the Harmonium -Convinced a clueless to get a tattoo from Fell -She wanted him to steal something from Akin, but he flat our refused. -Served as a guide to some Illithid visiting Sigil to meet some Efreeti -Stole a skull from Lothar, the Master of Bones Character Sheet Show Tiefling, Warlock Build: Hexblade Spell Source: Infernal Pact Theme: Infernal Prince (Dragon#406) FINAL ABILITY SCORES Str 13, Con 18, Dex 14, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 18. STARTING ABILITY SCORES Str 13, Con 17, Dex 14, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 17 AC: 22 Fort: 18 Reflex: 16 Will: 18 HP: 55 Surges: 10 Surge Value: 14 Init: +5 Speed: 5 ATTACKS Dagger +8 attack, 1d4+4 damage Pact Weapon +8 attack, 1d12+4 damage Soul Eater +11 attack, 1d12+13 necrotic damage (+12 to attack if fire damage) Eldritch Bolt +9 vs Ref, ranged 10, 1d10+11 force damage RACE +2 to Con and Char Low-light vision +2 to Bluff and Stealth Bloodhunt- gain a +1 racial bonus to attack rolls vs bloodied foes. Fire Resistance- 5 plus 1/2 level (so 8) Infernal Wrath (replaced by Diabolic Transformation) UNFETTERED FUTURE BACKGROUND (PHR-T) +2 to Insight checks INFERNAL PRINCE THEME (Dragon#406) Gain Hellfire Heart power +1 power bonus to fire attack rolls +2 power bonus to Bluff and Diplomacy Once per encounter, if rolling a 5 or lower on a Bluff or Diplomacy check vs a huminoid of natural origin, reroll the check and use the second result. INFERNAL PACT gain 2+Con modifier to power damage rolls Improved Pact Weapon- can use Blazing Doom of the Void twice per encounter TRAINED SKILLS Bluff +16, Insight +9, Stealth +12, Streetwise +12, Thievery +10 UNTRAINED SKILLS Acrobatics +5, Arcana +3, Athletics +4, Diplomacy +9, Dungeoneering +2, Endurance +7, Heal +2, History +3, Intimidate +7, Nature +2, Perception +2, Religion +3 LANGUAGES Common, Supernal FEATS Level 1: Acolyte of the Veil (Assassin Multiclass)- gain Stealth as a trained skill, able to use Ki Focus implements, and Shadow Step 1/encounter Level 2: Versitle Expertise(PHB3)- gain +1 to attack with ki focus implements and Pact Weapon Level 4: Diabolic Soul(Dragon#381)- gain +2 to attack rolls vs any foe that has crit you, replace Infernal Wrath with Diabolic Transformation Level 6: Amor Prof Scale(PHB) POWERS Hexblade at will 1: Soul Feast - gain ConMod (4 for now) temp hp whenever you reduce an enemy to 0 hp or an enemy adjacent to you drops to 0 hp Hexblade at-will 1: Eldritch Bolt(HotFK) - Range 10, Cha vs Ref, 1d10+11 force damage, can be used as ranged basic attack Hexblade at-will 1: Soul Eater(HotFK) - Cha vs AC, 1d12+13 necrotic damage and you gain +2 power bonus to next attack roll vs this target before end of next turn, can be used as melee basic Tiefling Daily: Diabolic Transformation(Dragon#381) - Minor, until end of encounter gain regeneration 2, an additional +5 fire resistance, +2 bonus to damage, bloodhunt bonus increases to +2, and the use of Black Wrath of Hell Tiefling Encounter: Black Wrath of Hell(Dragon#381) - Free, an attack that hits does 1d10 extra damage and target takes a -4 penalty to all attacks against you Theme Encounter: Hellfire Heart(Dragon#406) - no action, when you hit an enemy add 5 fire damage and until the start of your next turn the enemy takes a -2 penalty to attack rolls vs you Hexblade encounter: Blazing Doom of the Void(HotFK) - Cha vs Fort, 2d12+13 fire and necrotic damage and you gain +5 power bonus to your next damage roll vs this target before end of next turn Assassin Encounter: Shadow Step(HoS) - Move, if adjacent to a foe, teleport 3 squares to be adjacent to another foe Hexblade daily 1: Tyranny of Flame(AP) - Range 10, Con vs Will, 3d6+11 fire damage and the target is knocked prone (save ends, but is made at -2), half damage on miss Hexblade utility 2: Shadoe Blend(HoS) - At Will, Free, if you end your turn within 2 squares of dim light or darkness, gain partial concealment (+2 Defenses) until the start of your next turn Hexblade daily 4: Lesser Planar Ally(HotFK) - Standard, tiny imp can Locate an Object or Person, or Explore an Area. Hexblade daily 5: Hunger of Hadar(PHB) - burst 1 within 10 squares, creates a zone of darkness until end of next turn, blocking line of sight and any creature that enters or starts their turn in the zone takes 2d10+7 necrotic damage. Sustain minor, and when sustained make a Con vs Fort attack vs any creatures in the zone for 1d6+11 necrotic damage Hexblade utility 6: Mirror Darkly(HoS) - Encounter, Minor, ranged 5, create a shade double until end of your next turn. The double uses your defenses, and is destroyed if it takes damage. While it persists you are insubstantial (take half damage) and attacks can originate from your position or the shade's. Aftereffect - you can teleport to the square where the shade was. EQUIPMENT +2 Veteran's Scale Armor (lvl 7, AV) - gain a +1 to attack and defenses when spending an AP, as a Daily free action spend an AP to regain an expended Daily Power. Iron Armbands of Power (lvl 6, AV) - gain a +2 item bonus to melee damage. Cape of the Montebank (lvl 5, AV) - usual +1 to defenses, Daily immediate reaction on being hit, teleport 5 and gain combat advantage vs the attacker unti end of next turn. +1 Blazing Arc Ki Focus(lvl 3, PHB3) - +1d6 fire on crit, at-will free action change any melee attack to fire damage. (680gp) 1 Dagger (1gp) Standard Adventurer's Kit (15gp) A backpack, a bedroll, flint and steel, a belt pouch, two sunrods, ten days’ worth of trail rations, 50 feet of hempen rope, and a waterskin. Climbing Kit (2gp) A grappling hook, a small hammer, and ten pitons. +2 bonus to Athletics checks for climbing. Thieves Tools (20gp) 282gp in assorted coins and gems
@TheSalmonOfDoubt: We'd be glad to have you, Salmon. I don't usually set deadlines for my games as people start to express interest. I'd like to start it by the end of next week (1/25) if not before but it depends on how many people post here. So far I know Bel's on board and two more are nibbling (please excuse the pun, my fishy friend). Let me know if you have more questions about what this campaign will be like to help you choose!
@Belabras: Urroc looks great! I like the connections and he's definitely written with some strong connections to Sigil in mind. Well done! Does he see his parents much when he's in the Cage? And what sort of misadventures do you think Shemeshka has him doing? I have some notes about the Secret below and I look forward to seeing the crunch soon. Urroc's Secret Show He keeps the source of his hexblade powers a secret but do others know that the black sleeve-gauntlet is associated with Avernus? I guess folks who've made deals with devils are a stinger a dozen in the Cage but how open is he about the nature of his pact weapon?
1/25 you say? I could have something by next Sunday. Probably sooner, since I always end up spending more time on building characters than I intend to. If it ends up being too much, no worries, I'll grab another game somewhere further down the line. I've got an idea forming in my head already... Would there be any particular issues if more than one person played a member of the same faction? Athar seems to fit best with the spark I'm seeing here.
Thanks Mephit! I've been a fan of the setting since it first came out so I've had some time to study up. Also, thanks for bearing with my crappy copy editing. It will improve, I swear.
I'd say Urroc visits his parents not as often as they'd like but more often than most cutters. Less so since he's been doing Shemeshka's dirty laundry though. As to what he has been doing for the Loth, I'll give it some thought, but it's almost certainly embarassing work meant to create problems for him and lead him further into the Marauder's thrall. Secret thoughts Show I think I got caught up in how cool Black Gauntlet of Avernus sounded and didn't really think that out. You are absolutely right, his secret is no secret at all if everybody who knows a bit about the Hells can recognize his pact weapon right off. So, no fancy name! That doesn't mean it isn't, in fact, the Black Gauntlet, but Urroc doesn't know that and it is either obscure enough or rare enough that most folks won't be able to recognize it. When it's storied past does come to light it will ruin Urroc's lie AND be a surprise to him! Urroc is shaping up into a pretty decent tout if we have some Clueless that need a tour of the Cage. 
Belabras, my character will definitely be a Clueless
 It's the safest way for me to play in this unfamiliar setting. If I say something silly/impossible, it won't make my character look weird.I've got the crunch mostly done, and the fluff is in my head so I just have to write it down.
@TheSalmonOfDoubt: I don't have any problem with more than one berk in the same faction (and, frankly, I'm not surprised it's the Athar) it'll add another hook. I think it would be weird if every party member but one is in the same faction (just like having a party of all dwarves and one elf or all psionicists and one lone druid), but it doesn't look like that so far.
@Belabras: A yes, the mighty tout. Well, I think your parents might be a good connection for the party if Urroc or others don't know something on their own. They'll be sort of a library of planar knowledge: ready to help you with whatever if they know about it but not really the types to call in for a fight (their aventuring skills have atrophied in favor of glasscutting). I like the feedback on the Secret too. It looks like most of Urroc's time is as a guide for higher (and subtle Defier recruiter), then as a spellslinger for higher, then as a son and assistant glazier in busy times. @LinYurenya: That's my trick too, which is why I've suggested it. You can start off in a faction if you want, or be still weighing your options (although expect some pressure... and partially from other party members). Looking forward to seeing the crunch and the fluff! @BendBarsLiftGates: I know you're thinking about it from your messages but when you have a clear idea of your direction be sure to let the group here know to cover party roles, etc. P.S. If anyone is having trouble with some of the "cant" terms being thrown around (tout=guide, berk=person, blood=person to be respected, sodding=explitive) check out the dictionary on mimir.net. 
Looks like an interesting setting. Thought a question. Is it possible to hold memberships in multiple factions and sects? For instance is it possible to say be in the Sign of One faction but also be a part of the Verdant Guild sect? I assumed if so it would have to make some sense why the multiple memberships but just wanted to check.
Urroc is all set but for me rooting out all the typos. I love the idea of his parents being a source of lore, and it will no doubt be a humbling experience when Urroc has to go them in front of the others to get some answers. Have fun storming the castle kids!
Looking forward to seeing what everyone else comes up with. I'm also curious about your Fated Hexblade, Mephit. That's a pretty nasty philosophical combo (not that the Fated are ever considered exactly 'nice'). 
Yeah, here's what I'm working on so far.
Semil, embersoul genasi | sha'ir | brazen ambassador: Semil was raised in the Charcoal Palace, a slave in the entourage of the efreeti noble Oebamedon. Both his parents were slaves as well, his father a third generation and his mother a prisoner from a raid on the fortress of the djinn queen Parmys. Semil's master recognized a talent for magic and trained him under the tutelage of the sha'ir Kadashu. Semil bided his time in Bashamgurda's court, and narrowly avoided two escape attempts being discovered. His apparent loyalty was so convincing, however, that he was fortunately chosen to represent Oebamedon in a clever business venture: selling slaves in Sigil. Semil loathes the assignment, and hasn't made much progress as envoy to a yugoloth named Shemeshka. The fiend seems more interested in Semil, and has recently made him a life-changing opportunity: his freedom in exchange for a single service. Semil is no fool: yugoloths are as untrustworthy as efreet, and he is loathe to spend the remainder of his days a slave to Shemeshka rather than Oebamedon. Still, the deal seems reasonable so far, and Semil is finding it harder and harder to ignore the temptation to hear her out. Prismeus, human | artificer | celestial double agent: This character was an idea I had for someone who was "undercover" working for the baatezu, while actually a templar of Avandra. I never quite figured out whether he was selling arms to the fiends or providing one fiendish army with inside information about the defenses of another, but either way he was part of an asuras plan to ensure a crushing Blood War defeat for the baatezu. His asuras handler died before the deal could be closed, but Shemeshka promises the chance to have his name cleared so he can get his life back. Or did Shemeshka catch wind of the whole operation and tug the one tiny thread that collapsed the whole thing, scooping up a well-positioned pawn who's now in her pocket? Except, wait. This is basically the plot of The Departed, which is in turn the plot of some Hong Kong cop movie. Except that the "Masked Lord" theme kinda works for this guy if reskinned. human | thief | wererat: What about a pickpocket looking for a way to cure the lycanthropy he contracted while scavenging in Undersigil? Sounds about right for level 6. Blood War deserter, human/bariaur | slayer | mercenary: Another idea was a Blood War recruit who abandoned his post. Why did he join? Was it just not thought through at all, or was he in dire straights and had to sign on to save his hide? Either way, if the baatezu find out he and a few of his buddies fragged their spinagon minders and split for Sigil, they'll be dragged back to Dis to have their skins flayed. That is, unless the King of the Crosstrade can provide him with a set of release papers. She's wily and deceptive, but she has the connections to make this kind of thing happen and he's desperate. This character is a more straightforward soldier of fortune, with some redeeming qualities underneath his Cager jadedness and the practical attitude of ASoIaF's Bronn. Currently I'm leaning mostly towards Semil the genasi or the Blood War deserter. Semil is the frontrunner because I like that he has some heroic potential. BWD is fun for a contest of multiverse's most world-weary berk, but I worry that he's just one tiny mortal in the damn Blood War, and he's barely worth salvation if at all. That's an intriguing character concept, but it might also be fairly depressing. He would have some great synergy with Urroc, whom he would constantly suspect was both on Asmodeus' payroll and canny to his secret.
@Outside_Thinker: The short answer is that no, you can't belong to multiple factions and/or sects. A faction/sect is more than just a club of people who like to do stuff together, but a philosophical society of folks who share a common view of the ultimate truth to the universe. You might share an affinity for other people's viewpoints but you can't have more than one ultimate truth. The wrinkle in this is that some folks in the Revolutionary League and the Converts sect will be part of another group but that's because their ultimate truth involves infiltrating other groups to see what they're like from the inside. In other words, they're just faking it.
@Belabras: I've already got some great ideas for Dred and Malakara so expect those soon. I want them to be really colorful characters for when the party stops in for tea and secrets which means I get to be creative and fun. Oh yeah, and Shade (born Elias before he acquired his warlock powers and flair for the dramatic) is definitely anything you would expect from a Fated hexblade. Let's just say that he's not a very loyal party member, constantly looking for the upper hand, and has a prosthetic hand that he found on the Shadowfell which he's pretty proud of (wink!). @BendBarsLiftGates: Those all look great! I sent an email back with some notes but overall, I think Semil, Prismeus, and the Blood War deserter all offer a broader view of the planes as well. Semil and Urroc actually do have some things in common since they are both trying to strike out on their own and make a difference on the planes. Prismeus has some Lower Planar connections but he's also got a more complicated relationship that might actually be strained by being friends with a clever tiefling. Urroc is a pretty canny Cager and these others could help if you leave for other points of interest. The wererat is another Cager type but you will be spending plenty of time in Sigil for that to work out. All of these options are somewhat striker-heavy but I think encounters can be tailored to that.
I heard there was a skull that went with that, to complete the set
@Belabras: Ho man, just think what I could do with the head of Vecna! I just need to remove this useless one and attach the new one... Wait.
Following my standard approach of steaming ahead, I've already done up Dred and Malakara. Urroc Dredson, this is your life.
Excellent. Now I just need to come up with a decent name for the shop. Also, I think a modron may have named Rightfist. Unless it was actually the left one, in which case that was one devious cutter.
And, mental note, don't plan any trips to Pandemonium.
@MephitJames: I figured as much, and pardon my ignorance. Planescape is a new ball game for me.
Just to toss out the idea I've been working on because It seems everyone else is kicking around ideas here...
Human Skald (Name is still a work in progress) He woke up a few years back in a back alley with no memory. He remembers exactly three things: First, a hazy vision of... something. Something he's sure is important, as it continues to haunt his dreams, but he can never recall what it is in his waking moments. Something he's sure holds the key to a higher reality. Second, a mysterious rumbling melody, his knowledge of which ebbs and flows as it is needed. Broadcasting the tune to the world has strange, sometimes powerful, effects, but it leaves him drained. And third, how to wield a sword. Secret Show Don't honestly know how I'm going to handle this as a secret yet, but it's pretty central to the character concept, adn it makes sense to be kept secret.
He woke up with no pulse. And with a knife up to the hilt in his back. He was dead as a doornail, but somehow still up and about. He doesn't know how or why, but he does know that it's best for him to keep his wits about him, in case whoever killed him the first time wants to finish the job. Also, it's probably a better idea to play off his wounds resealing themselves as another bit of the song's magic, and not being undead. This will likely be mechanically represented as the revenant race and a vampire MC with moderate refluffing.
Ah, an amnesiac. Time to post the link to Shemeshka's Story Hour
 Fair warning, Todd Stewart's stuff (above) is as close to an official WotC Planescape book as we are likely to see for some time. Not that you shouldn't read it, but if you do it takes awhile to get through. Worth it, imho, but you have been warned. *Edit - and Mr. Stewart wrote the Shemeshka article in Dungeon #205
Fun update for everyone considering characters. The newest issue of Dragon came out tonight, and it includes a full racial write-up for bladelings.
This seems interesting, though I'm not familiar with Planescape. Looks like I have some reading to do
 .At the moment, I'm thinking a Bariaur Brawler Fighter of the Free League.
My character's history and secret are mostly done I think
Might rewrite a few bits here and there but the gist is out there. Sorry if it's long  Didn't quite think I had that much when I posted it. And if timelines or names or whatnot don't make sense, please tell me and I'll change it.Here. Description and personality are still blank, but just get an image of a Mongol warrior in your head and you're a long way towards what I'm thinking of. Got the stuff for the Transcendant Order in my head as well, I'll just need some more time to write that down as well.
Let me know if there is anything I can help out with Mephit.
@Belabras: No one plans to go to Pandemonium. It just happens. Or maybe you watch a play about a strange kingdom with a Saffron Lord and feel the urge to go there... Or am I mixing my genres? I'll offer you (and BendBarsLiftGates) as other experts for people who have setting questions. If they post something and you see it before I do feel free to explain the fluff all you like (I'll deal with 4e crunch interpretations).
@Outside_Thinker: That's why I'm here! Feel free to pepper me or Bel or BBLG with questions as we all grew up on this setting, RPG-wise. We can handle anything that might be confusing you. @TheSalmonofDoubt: That sounds like a solid plan and mysterious pasts are definitely a Planescape staple and even a D&D staple. The things to consider is where he woke up (Sigil's a good choice, but there are nice parts of town, shabby, rich, poor, etc) and how long ago. I assume the carrot that Shemeshka's been dangling is some clue about what the skald's past is rather than a skeleton in his closet. Has he been working for her or is this his first assignment? What does he make of this new place? Has he been wandering looking for folks who know him? @BendBarsLiftGates: Oooo, well that's handy. Bladelings make good Blood War deserters too... @Khan_the_Destroyer: I agree with BBLG: bariaurs live to be brawling fighters so just play up that class, and as an Indep just yell at anyone who tries to tell you what to think. Bam! If you want to be a free-and-wild bariaur just write a back story about traveling mountains and forests with your tribe. You might also be a Norse followers in which case you could have spent most of your time in Asgard and you can interpret from there (giants, feasts with Thor, drinking contests that last weeks, etc). If you started planewalking (i.e. adventuring) you probably found your way to the crossroads-city of Sigil fairly soon and that's the most likely time you'd sign on with the Free League (if you're not the faction type, there's no pressure out on the planes... it's in the Cage when you get pushed towards joining). So once you're in Sigil were you a mercenary? An athelete? Just stopping in on your way to more adventure? And what dirst does Shemeshka have on a little goatman like you? @LinYuenya; I'll have to go over the crunch later but the fluff looks great so far. You've been seven years through the looking glass, but how much of that was spent in Sigil? Shemeshka has been using you but your abilities are probably best used on open ground. Were you a courier? A finder? A spy? Yesuk's Secret Show So there are really two things Shemeshka is holding over him. He killed an aasimar noble somewhere (maybe the beastlands? it can be a celestial's son which is where the real threat comes from) and she has been hinting that she's only willing to hide that fact as long as he stays useful. At the same time, she wants to protect his family which implies she's willing to help him get back some time. After seven years, does he really think she'll make good on this? Is he resigned to the fact that he'll never see his wife or child again and just wants to make sure no divine retribution comes down on them?
The timeline I've got is as follows:
- 0-14 growing up in nomad tribe - 14-19 employed in large army as scout - 19 fell through portal, secretsy stuff happened - 19-26 life in Sigil And Shemeshka has not employed Yesuk yet, she's just held the fact that she can kill him and his family with just a word to the people that are looking for him over his head for seven years. To make a living he's just done the odd job here and there. Mostly being a guard and a courier. I'm keeping the Sigil stuff a bit vague for now because there might be another player that wants to mix the histories of our character together. Secret Show Yeah beastlands sounds fine! I don't know enough about the planes yet to be able to describe one accurately
Well the fire elemental plane is easy, but without protection Yesuk wouldn't have survived there for several days I imagine.The current situation as I had it in mind was that the Aasimar are hunting him, but they don't have a clue who exactly they are chasing. Three or four have seen him from a distance, and they were not the cause of the portal that led Yesuk out of his own world. A likely explanation would be Shemeshka, using him to get rid of the Aasimar for some reason, or perhaps something else entirely (fun bits of intrigue you could come up with if you want). Either way, Shemeshka has not revealed that secret to Yesuk, but she certainly knows (otherwise she wouldn't have been able to track him down). Since the Aasimar don't know who he is, his family is safe from them so far. They could easily be taken hostage to get their revenge on Yesuk/force him to surrender, but if they don't know who to look for there's little use. And yes, from what he has heard of Shemeshka she is mean, but she'll stay true to her promise to keep them safe. But yes, of course after seven years his hope is slowly starting to fade. Doubts have crept into his mind, wondering if his family is not dead already, or if he will ever see them again even if they still live. Even worse, since their love was a fairly young one he does not know with certainty if his wife would have waited seven years for him to return, or if she has taken a new husband already. Hell, she doesn't even know that he's still alive! All he's got is just one tiny spark of hope. It could be easily snuffed, but without any certainties he would never forgive himself if he refused Shemeshka. And as a Cipher, he's just got a 'feeling' that his wife and child are safe.
@LinYurenya: Poor Yesuk must be sad without a horse. Maybe he'll get a chance to get a new one if he can leave the Cage. One other thing you might add to Yusek's reason for joining the Ciphers could be a religious thing: if his tribe believes in following the natural rythms of the world then this is a natural fit. Come to that, what are the tribe's beliefs generally? Polytheism? Monotheism? Animism?
Secrets Secrets Show Alright, well I'll tell you what Yusek has figured out on his own. He's pretty sure he entered in the Beastlands which has three "layers" (apparently there are various versions of each plan, each of them infinite... this place is awful). The handy thing about the Beastlands is that each layer is perpetually at one time of day: high noon, dusk/dawn, and night. Because the sun seemed to be just going down when Yusek came through the one-way portal from home, Yusek knows he was on Brux, the second layer. It was a steppe-like area and Yusek saw some tracks that might be lions but this hardly pins things down in an infinite location. Oh yeah, and the portal that he followed the voice through to Sigil was also one-way so no going back that way. Bottom line, Yusek knows as little about the people who want his head as they know about him. Not a great position. @BendBarsLiftGates: Looking through this article on bladelings, if you wanted to go that route. I checked out the Forgotten Realms wiki (of course there's one) and Bane's big return only happened three years ago in the Torilian timeline so it can be three years ago here too. Maybe when everything went down, this guy's Acheron enclave was on the wrong side of the schism. It got burned down, ripped out and thrown into the Negative Energy Plane or wherever, and this berk has nothing left. So he signs on to a Baatezu death squad... and instantly regrets it. Potentially he has 'zus and Banites both following him, which makes things especially interesting. Just spit-balling. 
@Mephit - Another interesting sounding game from you. I was trying to resist building a character, but the internal turmoil was too much... ;o)
Currently considering submitting a Pixie Psion, Athar faction. Possibly wronged or ran afoul of the faerie court. Alternatively I might reskin the pixie to be a small elemental type character (can we say mephit?) having issues with certain elemental princes.
@Grawln: Hmm... Well, obviously I'm partial to mephits.
I've never thought of reskinning a pixie as a mephit but it totally works. Change the origin from fey to elemental and then play up elemental powers. Depending on BBLG's choice you might have a ready background connection too. The straight-up pixie sounds good too, just make sure you blend all three of those together. Pixie, psion, or Athar are all enough to build a character on and if you stitch them together too hastily you end up with a camel instead of a horse. Why is this pixie a psion? What drove him/her to the Athar (since the Seelie Courts are run by eladrin and not powers... although that might be academic)? Just making sure you meet all my questions in advance.@Belabras: Oh my god, my mind is blown. It all makes sense now... No one ever says where the Burger King is king of, but it's obviously Carcosa. This new live-action version is obviously the avatar of Hastur and... and it never speaks! Oh man, and that makes Ronald McDonald an aspect of Cthulhu and McDonaldland is Ryleh and those Frykids everywhere are obviously spawn of Shub-Niggurath which is why their always wandering the countryside. And I know I've seen more McDonalds employees with the Innsmouth Look than without. I have to go tell people.
@LinYurenya: Crunch looks good from what I can tell, you just need to pick a theme for Yusek. I would suggets Hordelands Nomad from Dragon 404.
Oh heh I forgot to mention that on here
I had already picked the Trancendant Order theme from Dragon 414. I had the Hordelands Nomad earlier, but I wasn't sure if having mounted combat would be a huge benefit.. Getting to move my speed before combat in most encounters seems more helpful
@LinYurenya: Yeah, that makes sense. That theme, of course, is definitely approced. Make sure you add it to the build you posted earlier.
@All: If you haven't checked back in, I've been updating my wiki page with helpful info on Planescape and on this adventure in particular (more of the latter than the former). If there's a topic you don't see up there that you're confused about, let me know and I will add or link as needed. Oh, and Yusek will go up tonight when I get the chance.
Tobias Fallrod
Unaligned, Pixie, Hybrid Bard/Swordmage Theme: Unseelie Agent Background:Escape (+2 stealth) Faction - Bleaker mannerisms and appearance Show  Tobias is a sprite who stands just shy of one foot tall. A mane of slick brown hair descends like a waterfall from his head to rest upon his simple brown leather coat. A dark shirt lies hidden beneath the jacket and dark grey breaches reach down to his feet that are covered by black shoes whose tips curl to a point.His dull black and brown wings will almost always hang like a heavy cape from his shoulders, curled, folded and rarely moving. Unless of course Tobias becomes angered or excited, then his small form will snap to attetion and his folded wings will unfurl with a crack like a flag caught in a strong wind. In those times the very air about the sprite seems to vibrate and its difficult for a mortal to avoid his attentions. He carries with him a sickly sweet scent, reminiscent of elderberry wine spiced of cloves and cinnamon. Green eyes, tinged red and dimmed from too much drink, stare out at the the dreary wetness of Sigil with disintrest. On rare occasions, those dull eyes will brighten and twinkle and his face will flush with vigor as if youth itself has returned in a torrent and flooded his spirit. But in those fleeting moments his eyes seem to search for something - something lost and yearned for. Amusement? Beauty? Love? Hope? Whatever it is that briefly invigorates his soul, it is soon departed leaving the sprite quiet and drained with hands that seek the comfort of a cup and the merciful fog of indifference that is poured from a bottle. background
Show
Ahh.. mine youth. Twas nothing but getting wenches with child, wronging the ancientry , stealing and fighting. I doth miss those days. There live not three good fairies undrunk in all of Sigil and this one's cup hath run dry. Hurry lest mine virtue be spoilt for lack of wine. the days of milk and honey Show Those few rare times when Tobias is bright and full of vigor are also when he feels closest to his past, remembering the rough and touble magic of his youth. He grew up among the towering sequoias of the Unicorn Grove, a mystical and enchanted land of the fey hidden in the Beastlands. There he'd been a prince, or so he tells everyone that dares to listen to his tales. In truth most pixies will tell you they are royalty and vigorously argue any suggestion of the contrary. Given the scores of years that have passed, a listener would be wise to chose which pieces of his story ring the most true. It's most likely assured however, that it was in that magic land where he learned to sing like a lark and dance like a grig. His life was idyllic then, spent lightening the forest with his music, drinking acorn wine with his friends until the lands spun benat their feet and chasing the she-pixies in hope of a quick tryst amongst the ferns. It was a full life and the only life a pixie would dream of living. the stranger Show Tobias blames the stranger for bringing him to this prison called sigil. The stranger appeared unanounced, stepping into the glade where Tobias lay resting after an evening of merrymaking. The sprite lay quiet and still, though not initialy to avoid the strangers sight, but rather to avoid the pounding in his head from getting any worse. The copious acorn caps sprawled about him amongst the fern covered ground gave evidence to the previous evenings activities. The stranger towered over the glade, his face hidden beneath the cowl of his grey cloak. The fellow removed a satchel from his back and withdrew many small bags tied fast with golden cords. He removed a metal bound tome from his pack, flipped deliberately to a page before laying the book on the ground beside his feet. The figure then carefully picked up each of the small bags, untied them with care and then after consulting his book, sprinkled a black sooty dust upon the forest floor. Tobias watched with interest, hidden as he was in the underbrush. It was rare for men (assuming it was a man) to be seen in these enchanted woods and he was curious to see what magic effect the man's work was trying to affect. After what seemed hours to Tobias, the stranger stopped his careful administrations, stood up and then stared at the magical circle that he had wrought upon the ground. Apparently satisfied, the stranger returned to his book, turned its pages and then began reciting words that Tobias could not understand. However, the moment Tobias heard the voice utter those magical phrases, he knew they were from a language that was vile and evil and that whoever this stranger was, he was likely up to no good. This quick assessment was soon confirmed when the robed stranger threw a tiny figure into the center of his magical creation. It surely was a pixie, dead, with its lifeblood still leaking out upon the now spoiled earth. With a surge of fury and emotion Tobias burst forth from his hiding to confront the stranger, "What madness this be that cast down such a bloodied and precious gift! Arrest your vexations hooded fiend. Answer me quick and with no lies, who are thee to spoil such a precious thing!" The robbed figured turned to face its tiny accuser. With its features still hidden in the darkness of its hood, the stranger uttered but two words in response. "Your doom." And that was the last Tobias saw of his home and of the stranger for he was quickly swallowed up by a darkness and thrown down into the blissful ignorance of sleep. the choice Show .... stuff and things happen... Tobias knew that to be true to his heart there really was no decision to make and he supped from the cup extended from the cruel hand of the Unseelie's servant. And with that his future was sealed. He was an enemy of all that he had lived with and loved. He was an agent of the Queen of Air and Darkness. the escape Show ...escape from the queen ... discovery of sigil ... loss of hope... a bleaker he becomes faction-Bleaker Show Tobais' idyllic life was ripped away from him through no fault of his own aside from being in the wrong place at the wrong time. He witness a horrific act perpetrated on what he previously believe was sacred and protected lands. Then he was faced with an dilema with no happy outcome resulting in his servitude to the evil queen of air and darkness. his simplistic idealistic life of joy and frivolity was gone. how could there be a great purpose or any purpose if such things could happen. on eventually reaching sigil, he was suprised to find others that shared this same outlook and thus fell in with the bleaker's sect. he has lost hope of there being some great meaning to his troubles and struggles as much as he can from falling into a hopeless pit of depression. He does his best to avoid this by helping out at an orphanage trying to lighten the lives of the youth there. - originally from the Beastlands, living near the giant sequoias of the Unicorn Grove - met a stranger - resulted in being put into a terrible dilema (blackmailed) where upon he had to either accept a pact with the Queen of Air and Darkness, or else some terrible event, tragedy, evil would occur - as a result of this pact, received his warlock(binder) powers but was forced from his plane to do the evil queen's bidding. - somehow he has ended up in sigil, regretting his decision and feeling somewhat hopeless of escaping the dark queen and ever returning to the beastlands. revised hybrid bard-swordmage build Show ====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ====== old bard multi-classed warlock build Show ====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ====== Tobias Fallrod, level 6
Either I hadn't seen Spell Keys before, or I'd forgotten about them. That whole mechanic is a bit of a boon to martial and psychic characters. Should be interesting!
Looking at my schedule for the next week, I don't think I'll have the time to brush up on sigil lore enough to create a coherent backstory, build a character, and fully flesh him out. Sorry. Hope you guys have fun with this one though.
I'm going to have to withdraw interest for now
 . I'm a little too busy to take on a third game at the moment. Have fun though everyone!
@Grawln: Tobias looks good so far! He looks a little leonine, does he maybe have some Beastlands in him? I'm thinking that the binder powers with shadow stuff will likely be reskinned as something more fey-like. Wha I'm reading now is a mercurial pixie tangled up with the Courts of the wild fey who can't go home for some reason and is trying to make a go of it as a lone pixie warrior. Is that right or is he a little more dark-side than that?
@Belabras: Spell keys are a bit different in 4e since all powers are affected by the planes and not just arcane ones. An arcane fire spell and a divine fire prayer are both countered by the sucking cold of Cania, for example. The only difference is that if there's a wizard with a spell key to counter this his cleric buddy can't use it. A hexblade could, though. @TheSalmonOfDoubt and Khan_the_Destroyer: Sorry to see you guys leave but I understand the real life issues. If you change your minds and/or want to get into the game later then feel free to get back in touch. The Party So Far...
@Mephit: your idea sounds about right.
I'm thinking that he fell into a pact with the Queen of Air and Darkness, but this happend under extreme duress - perhaps to protect others or as a means of fostering a greater good or prevent at terrible evil. This unwanted alliance has led him away from his home (Beastlands sounds good) to Sigil, where he now feels hopelessly trapped and bemoaning his pact with the Queen. This makes him feel guilty as he believes the pact was done for a good reason, but he never understood the true cost of accepting it. Another thought - given I'm pushing towards a "forced" pact, i'm thinking of using a hybrid build since he likely had other skills before his entrapment. Since Salmon's not going to be building his bard, I think i'm now leaning towards a Bard/Warlock(binder) Hybrid. How's that sound? Would at a wee bit of leader to the mix.
Semil was raised in the Charcoal Palace, a slave in the entourage of the efreeti noble Oebamedon. Both his parents were slaves as well, his father a third generation and his mother a prisoner from a raid on the fortress of the djinn queen Parmys. Semil's master recognized a talent for magic and trained him under the tutelage of the sha'ir Kadashu. Semil bided his time in Bashamgurda's court, and narrowly avoided two escape attempts being discovered. His apparent loyalty was so convincing, however, that he was fortunately chosen to represent Oebamedon in a clever business venture: selling slaves in Sigil. Semil loathes the assignment, and hasn't made much progress as envoy to a yugoloth named Shemeshka. The fiend seems more interested in Semil, and has recently made him a life-changing opportunity: his freedom in exchange for a single service. Semil is no fool: yugoloths are as untrustworthy as efreet, and he is loathe to spend the remainder of his days a slave to Shemeshka rather than Oebamedon. Still, the deal seems reasonable so far, and Semil is finding it harder and harder to ignore the temptation to hear her out.
Note: I changed his theme from brazen ambassador to moteborn. He is still an ambassador of sorts, but an unwilling one, and moteborn lets him play up his elemental flavor. His summoning ability now includes rolling fog, a gen familiar, a dust devil (reskinned as a belker), and a flame zephyr (some kind of animental). Build Show Semil, level 6
Genasi, Wizard (Sha'ir)
Still working on a few things for the crunch but the fluff is done.
The Azure, Wolf Sage Spoiler: Show On the beautiful island continent known as Naranjan there exist many a strange and wondrous thing. The land is chopped full of many important historical events, but none so was the turning point in Naranjan's history as the discovery of a strange power called psionics. Though it was brought to the humanoids by the wise woman named Sujahna, this power has always existed among the beast of the land. To some extend the primative animals learned to levitate things with the mind or create illusions to scare of a predator, but there are those that can develop a mind as intelligent as a humanoid to cull this power. Such is the case with the Azure. Originally he was just a normal wolf that inhabited the jungles of Naranjan as any of his kind did. But from an early age on the powers of the mind developed and made him a very intelligent creature. As the Azure aged his understanding of the peoples and cultures of Naranjan sparked a curiosity to learn why these creatures called elves, dwarves and humans acted as they had. In time, the Azure began to understand language, mannerisms and the thing he despised the most, Naranjan's caste system. As a beast, he could never understand why the humanoids would cage themselves into such a fashion, let alone one based on birth. In the animal world, a hierarchy does exist among the more social animals but it was always based on strength and merit. All this observed through an illusion he created to appear as a human. Though such magics do not go unnoticed and the Azure caught the attention of of the king Vasudha. How this was done even still escapes the Azure, but nonetheless he was caught by the Vasudha's mages and brought forth to him. Such a creature as he was rare: as wise as any of Vasudha's court adviser and able to exist in the worlds of beast and man. To this, Vasudha had a curse placed upon him to make the Azure obedient and placed him under the charge of Sarni Sanika, the king's mistress and leader of his spy ring, the Blue Chamber. To have an agent that could exist as a human and a beast proved to be the ultimate ability to gather information. In this, he was named the Azure in honor of his membership and due to the fact his fur was a bluish color. Though the Azure did not see this as a honor but enslavement. Many years would pass, having the Azure do Vasudha's dirty work as a spy and assassin. Though time did present him the opportunity to escape. In the escape, the Azure managed to break the curse of obedience placed upon him and in the confrontation killed Vasudha's eldest son, while wounding him. As retaliation also he informed many of Vasudha's enemies of the secrets he knew causing much uproar throughout the land. Though the rebellions and enemies of Vasudha were dealt with, there was a manhunt out for the Azure. And as he is a beast, many of the other humanoids he though would be allies turned on him for if he could spill the beans on Vasudha, what was preventing him from doing the same to them. It didn't matter where he ran in Naranjan for there was always someone hunting him, but a strange being named Shemeshka approached him to offer an escape from Naranjan. The cost however was a favor to be returned at a time of her choosing. It was trading one enslavement for another, but what choice did the Azure have. Thus Shemeshka brought him to Sigil where he has been for the past 20 years. In this time, he has become somewhat of a legend in the realms. That is a blue wolf appearing to those he has dubbed as worthy to receive aid in some fashion. But in the back of his mind there was Shemeshka's warning. "Failure to return the favor will result in Vasudha knowing where you are", is what she told him as insurance so he will enact on the favor owed. And it seems today is the day he pays up. Appearance Spoiler: Show As a wolf, the Azure is normal in appearance for this animal but simply just has blue fur. In Naranjan such creatures did exist but were more rarer in the same instance as white tigers are in real life. As a human, the Azure appears as a 5'6 male dressed in blue garb similar to that found in ancient India. Though notable items is the blue turban and piece of blue cloth worn to cover his face. Faction Spoiler: Show In the 20 years residing in Sigil, the Azure has chosen to ally himself with the Free League. To him, the other factions are no better than the caste system of Naranjan and the Free League symbolizes the freedom of the wild. Though given his unique history, the Azure has very close ties with individuals in the Transcendent Order and Verdant Guild sect. Personality and Other Notes Spoiler: Show The Azure is a wise and humble person. Though in his past he has come to distrust most humanoids such as humans, elves and dwarves but does realize there are good-hearted people of these races. He cannot stand bondage or enslavement of any kind and will work with religious like fervor to see the people free. Oddly enough, he has a scholarly manner in speaking indicating a very smart individual. To those he trust, he will reveal what he really is, but for most people, they just see a human that can shape shift into a wolf. Design Note: effect of being a wolf and human is achieved via the Pact Outcast theme. Though mechanically the race is human, I am doing some reskinning for the beast that appears as a man.
._. Outside Thinker, that character concept is awesome...
I agree with LinYurenya, that is just the kind of funky concept that is perfect for Planescape. Nicely done!
@outside: agree with Lin and Belabra's comments!
@all: Looking at the submissions so far we're short on leader types. I'm quite happy to swap my classes around, such that the pixie is more Bard with a hint of warlock thrown in. Would gives us a leader and still maintain the flavor i was hoping for.
@everyone:
 Wow! Didn't think this concept would actually work but thanks all! Special thanks though does need to go to MephitJames who did have a hand in the concept. Though Grawin does bring up a point about the leader so I'll throw this out and see what y'all think.Originally I wanted to make a status (both good and bad) effecting character that was applied via melee attacks. The natural choice seemed to be the Bladesinger but well, that really isn't my cup of tea. Also to satisfy the "psionic" flavor, focus on wizard attacks that dealt psychic damage. Maybe throw in the Wild Talent feat as well. However, as the party does need a leader, what is the group's opinion of a hybrid Wizard/Warlord? I do recall there was one build of the Warlord that used Intelligence as a secondary rider. And in looking at some of the powers there seems to be some potent combinations the two classes can make. Thoughts?
Have you looked at Ardent or Battlemind (phb3)? If Grawln's Tobias goes Bard with Warlock multi, and BBLG sticks with Semil, that means we need a defender or defender-ish type is why I ask.
Or, you could go with Druid and focus on psychic attacks (they do have a few).
i'd be very happy to go full bard with warlock multi-class and I think it fits a pixie very well, but I didn't want to make that switch right away since I'd originally suggested playing a controller (psion) and wanted to get mephits blessing before going too far down that path.
@outside - suggest you choose a class that fits with how you saw the character working. the two classes belabras suggested tie nicely with your melee psionic character affecting things.
Alternately, Urroc is already pretty chunky. I could probably go Hybrid Hexblade/Paladin with him and be our tank.
Need a defender? The berserker (Essentials Barbarian) is a hybrid defender-striker that could be good for LinYurenya's bariaur, if'n LY were so inclined. It's a fun class. You start as a defender, but during combat you can activate a battle fury ability that basically trades off your ability to lock down enemies for extra damage.
Khan was the one who was thinking of building a bariaur
Whoops. I saw you had a frontiersy outrider and got the two characters mixed up.
The Class Situation
I posted a summary ealier but as-written/proposed so far we have two strikers (Yusek and Urroc) and three controllers (Semil, the Azure, and Tobias). I'd like to first say that I don't want people to sacrifice their character ideas for party coverage and I can try to skew encounters so that they're challenging but don't target your weaknesses especially. That said, it's good to make sure people have enough room to feel like they're important.
@mephit - I think I'm finally done with the crunch for Tobais. He's now a Bard with a Warlock multi-class feat. I'm quite happy with his build right now.
Fluff wise, I think I've got his personality down, and big points of his backstory, but with a bunch of details that i haven't quite figured out yet. I was thinking that they might fall into place later on as the adventure progresses or as things the DM throws in. (e.g. what was the no-win choice he was given by the Unseelie Queen that forced him to accept his warlock pact? how did he escape her, come to be in Sigil and then give up hope and become a bleaker? ) If you feel you want those missing pieces filled in I'll keep at it, otherwise I'm happy to have him as is with that as something we fill in throughout the adventure.
@Mephit - I fully agree, Hexblade/Paladin is an odd combo, and it has an strange feel for Urroc particularly. While throwing in 'Champion of the Great Unknown' could be fun, I'd rather stick with the build I have. That said, I don't want everyone to suffer because we don't have a defender, and would be willing to accomodate if needed.
Hmm, I could MC into Warlord to grant everyone +1 to all def UENT on using a AP, and get a feat to enhance the damage capabilities of one adjacent ally at the cost of some accuracy.
Meanwhile, I'll see what I can build if I go for Berserker... it won't fit my character idea as a lone scout though so I'm a bit hesitant to switch to a defender class, but we'll see Edit: No luck so far... I think I'd have to completely rebuild my character to get a defender class to work, so unless it's absolutely neccessary I'm not going to switch and just stick with the MC into Warlord.
Well, characters first and party roles second for sure. I'm looking for advice on a party operating without a strong defender and the general consensus seems to be fewer baddies with oncentrated power. The defender's biggest role is drawing fire so if there aren't as many mooks to deal with your plethora of strikers can focus fire. Plus, I'm not really interested in dragging fights out so I'll build in release valves when I can.
Everyone let me know when you're all set and we'll move forward to the action. @Grawln: I'm happy to build the story as we go, I think I have a good idea of whare Tobias is coming from. I'll sprinkle in the backstory as we go and until then he'll just be a pixie of mystery.
All set here. Let us know if you need help with anything Outside_Thinker!
I'm good to go.
... unless of course you guys would like to see a pixie defender ... ;o) ... actually, come to think of it, you could probably make a pretty effective swordmage pixie
Well everyone, I am sorry to say but I'm going to have to drop out of this. Work has become more demanding of my time as of late. Sorry for the delayed response but that's the "fun" of real life. Happy gaming.
I would be psyched to come in on this game. Do you need a replacement for Outside?
I am more then happy to play a defender or leader.
We don't have a set party yet CALEB, so bring it on. What kind of character were you thinking of?
Well, I know I said defender but I just though of a Githzerai Cipher monk.
Also of intrest to me is a Vryloka Berserker, perhaps of the Bleak Cabal or Doomguard.
Based on that post alone I'd say you've already got a good feel for the setting. Looking forward to see whatever you come up with!
Actually, i have 0 experience with Planescape, other then what I just read in Mephit's initial post.
I am going to build both characters, and come up with an outline for each. I'll decide after that, but I am really open. MephitJames, do you have any input? 
A bit late to the party, but if you have room for one more, and if you're okay with a player who has no experience whatsoever, I'd love to join. As far as characters go, I was thinking either a kenku seer (virtue of prescience Bard, Fraternity of Order faction) or a kalashtar Battlemind (Sign of One faction, firmly believes she's the center of the universe); but I'm open to suggestions.
Both seem promising to me Kervain, and no worries about lateness. Nothing has been settled yet.
The Signer sounds like a lot of fun, but I'm intrigued by the kenku Govner. I don't think I've ever seen anyone play a Fraternity of Order character.
Hmm... things sure changed in the last 24 hours!
@Outside_Thinker: Sorry to see you go, man! If you change your mind, let me know. @CALEBROBERTS: Well, for having zero experience with the setting, you're a nice quick study. Out of those two ideas, the party has no defender, as Belabras mentioned, but Kervain is also considering one. If you'd like to try a githzerai battlemind you might be able to achieve much the same. So, that's my crunchy recommendations...
Hope that's what you wanted! Both ideas were great and I'd definitely encourage them. @Kervain: Yep, you're definitely welcome! Here's my four cents (two cents for each idea)...
Originally, I'd said it would be nice to finish up by today but clearly we'll need to stretch things a little. Why don't we aim for the end of this week? That should be plenty of time so if we finish early we'll get started then! Planescape PDFs! If you haven't seen the news, Wizards of the Coast has started selling pdfs of its products again, including several Planescape products like Uncaged (a guide to the heavy-hitters of Sigil) and Tales from the Infinite Staircase (a series of adventures in exotic locations). These aren't the most player-knowledge-based books in the line-up but if you have any desire to start collecting sourcebooks once we get going in this setting then this looks like your place! The alternative is buying physical copies on ebay which are $50-ish. So... this is much better.
That is great advice Mephit.
Mechanically the Monk came together well but the story just wasnt there for me. A bit to generic frankly, essetially the point you raised. I am working on the Berserker. I have always like the Vryloka take on vampirism.
Netvarka - Doomguard Berserker Vryloka, Barbarian (Berserker)
@Mephit: Thanks again Mephit and to all here. Unfortuantly I thought my time would be free to get back into D&D but once again the real world throws a curveball. Cheers!
Status report! I know that Belabras, BendBars, Grawln, and LinYurenya are pretty much done but how about CALEBROBERS and Kervain?
Okay, I think Netvarka is ready.
I have a basic idea of personality but I like to see how he will come together when we begin play.
Here goes:
Karrah - Bard Private Investigator Member of the Fraternity of Order Kenku Built Show ====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ====== FINAL ABILITY SCORES Background Show Knowledge is power. Karrah knows this better than most. As a child already she seemed to have a knack for finding things – lost property, missing people... secrets. Eventually her abilities caught the interest of a Nightswift who brought her into the flock. She proved a fast learner, and it wasn't long before she was sent out into the world – to the city of Enamon, where she was to serve as the eyes (and ears) of the Nightswift. She spent a couple of years in Enamon, plying her trade as an information broker. However, when a local smuggler took offense to what he (very unreasonably, in her opinion) called “blackmail”, she was forced to cut her losses and run. During the ensuing pursuit, she found Sigil – or perhaps Sigil found her. One moment, she was ducking under an archway, the next she wasn't in Enamon anymore. With no way home or to contact the rest of her flock, Karrah reverted to her early tricks. Thankfully, in a city like Sigil, there's always something missing, somewhere – and whenever work is scarce, plenty of secrets to sell to the highest bidder. Now, a few years down the line, her reputation is growing, and earns her perhaps a little more attention that she is comfortable with. Secret Show Karrah has never really been plagued by an overabundance of scruples. So when she discovered that Hrafn Poorweather was working on a new trade agreement that would allow him to circumvent several of his partners, she was quick to sell the information to the highest bidder. The deal fell through, with Hrafn none the wiser. Somehow, Shemeshka the Marauder learned of Karrah's involvement in the whole affair and has been holding it over her head for a while. Now she promises to forget about the whole thing in exchange for one single service. Karrah knows from experience that this kind of bargain never ends well for the poor schmuck on the receiving end. However, she doesn't have much choice... for now. I ended up going with the kenku bard, because as tempting as the kalashtar was, I couldn't come up with a secret that made sense. Personality-wise, I'm good to go -- background could be a little more polished, but I definitely know where I'm going with her. (I'm totally excited to do this "XD As I said, I'm a complete beginner, so if anything needs changing/adding, please tell me and I'll do my best to do it fast.)(Also: I'm bad at naming things.)
Yesuk Hoelun is finished
I noticed I had forgotten to update to the new multiclass-Warlord features, but since Caleroberts made a defender I reverted some of it anyway. So now he's ready to play!
Looks like the party is shaping up. I'm looking forward to playing.
Suggestion to consider: Since Kervain's got a full Bard build, I'm considering adjusting my pixie to be a hybrid bard/swordmage - get a little leader and a little defender. that would give a nice balance across the party with 2 strikers, 1 controler, 1.5 defenders and 1.5 leaders. Just ran through a quick build and it looks like I could make an intersting character with the combo.
@CALEBROBERTS: Netvarka looks great! I'll make a list of secrets (from the sourcebooks) that Netvarka is privy to as a factotum in the Doomguard so that they might come up in-game.
@Kervain: Karrah looks really fun and I like the idea of a character that's a little lost and a little maniacal. Just to check, Enamon is a Prime city, right? She could also be a Clueless planar from some backwater city in the Outlands, on Carceri, etc. Her Secret Show I don't know of Monsieur Poorweather so I'm assuming you made him up which is great. I'm going to say that he was a powerful merchant, perhaps one of the Golden Lords of Sigil, who is now gone and forgotten. Karrah might not have even known what she's getting into; it's just another rich guy that can be taken down with some overheard whispers. How was she to know that in this strange City of Doors a man like Poorweather is integral to the workings of the place and his fall leads to a power vacuum that can effect the fate of whole worlds. She's terrified of the fall-out now, no thanks to some frightening stories by Shemeshka to drive home the blackmail, but so far has kept clear. Shemeshka probably offered her a job first, what made her turn it down? Or maybe she didn't but doesn't like working for Shemeshka so this "release" is a release from service for one last job. @LinYurenya: So Yusek is mostly scout still? He doesn't have the multiclass feat so I think he's all striker right now which is totally fine with me. @Grawln: Yes, Karrah is going to be a bard and Netvarka a berserker so we have our two missing roles filled. You should do whatever combination makes the most sense for you. I think a bard/swordmage would be good but without the warlock inclusion his tie to the Queen of Air and Darkness is more academic than mechanical. Not bad but less fundamental... of course if he's on the run, why would a patron still be funneling power to him? I'll follow your lead. For everyone else, here are the roles...
Insightful Leader is the Warlord MC feat
It grants everyone within 5sq of Yesuk +1 DEF on using an AP (if they can see Yesuk)
Netvarka is a fully functional defender but he is a good off striker too.
Looks like we have a well rounded out group. Can't wait to get started!
@MephitJames: I was thinking of a Prime city when I made up Enamon, yes, and while having Karrah be a Clueless planar is tempting, I think I'd rather stick with her being a Prime, just to add that extra layer of separation between her and any kenku that might flock around. Her secret Show Monsieur Poorweather was completely made up; that sounds great, I'll roll with it. As for her working for Shemeshka, here's what I figure: in such a situation, Karrah'd agree to pretty much anything. Work for the yugoloth? Sure, why not. Definitely not the worst outcome of this whole mess. However, while she wouldn't dare refuse Shemeshka's offer, she wants out, and for two reasons: first, Shemeshka is known to be fickle and mercurial, and she could pretty much have Karrah killed or worse with no effort whatsoever; Karrah is not confortable with anyone having that much power over her. Also, (I imagine) working for Shemeshka does not offer the kind of safety net working in a group usually does, so it's pretty much a no-win situation for her. Another reason, though, is simple professional pride. Karrah's used to being the one holding the cards; being outmaneuvered so easily and forced into a situation she can't wriggle out of stung quite a bit. Especially since so much of it is due to her own cluelessness. (Karrah can and will hold a grudge. She's petty enough for that.) While I'm at it, and since I neatly removed any sign of the Fraternity of Order from her background: the way I figure it, her involvement with the faction would have been minimal at first, and more of a “hey, yeah, those guys have it right” than anything else; however with Shemeshka building up pressure on the “oh dear what have I done” front, she might have tried courting favors with them, so to speak (slipping small snippets of information to those working at City Court, that kind of stuff), either out of the (most likely misguided) impression that they could help in some way or simply because she misses being part of something bigger.
Tobias now revised as a Hybrid Bard/Swordmage with Unseelie Agent Theme.
@LinYurenya: Ah, well that works then. Never hurts to have more flexibility in the party instead of less.
@CALEBROBERTS: Yeah, part-time striker's not a bad gig. I see him charging to the front with a striker hit and then commanding the line with defender abilities. Oh, and I was looking through the mechanics and thought I'd mention that your demon spawn theme abilities won't be "elemental" in this setting. In default 4e the Abyss is in the Elemental Chaos but in Planescape it's a separate plane. Their power source will be "Infernal" instead. Doubt it makes a difference but let me know if I've messed up some synergy or anything. @Grawln: Sounds like Tobias is all set! I'm excited to use the Queen as an enemy/friend/patron/villain. And I do mean those all at once... @Kervain: Both the public and secret stuff sound great to me. Those who join a faction and are just sort of trying it out are called "namers" (as in "in name only" to differentiate them from the fully-in members). @Everyone: I'm sending a message to seTiny now so I'll let you know when we have our game thread. Wahoo Planescape!
The elemental keyword is not important for Netvarka. The only one that is, is "primal", and then only on Encounter and Daily Attack powers. If he uses one while not in Berserk mode he enters that mode.
@White_Lightning: Sorry I forgot to respond earlier but we're ready to get started. If you want to join I think there could be room but you'll have to catch up to the rest of the group. With a subforum we have a little more room.
@Everyone: Per opinions here I started a subforum for the game here! Go ahead and post your character sheets, backgrounds, and secrets in the Character Sheets and Resources thread and then describe your arrival in Chapter One. See you down the rabbit hole! 
@MephitJames: Sounds good. Should I post a character in this thread or in the subform? Also is there a specific role needing filled or more of? Ideas I'm thinking of maybe effected by this.
everything is covered at this point. What is fun for you?
Well as far as player's choice goes, I was wanting to give Alluria Publishing's Jester class a go from there clever class series. Since there was something mentioned about the possibility of using thrid party items I thought why not? Though truthfully I also wanted to give the Fate Dancer theme a go as well. However not sure how best the whole drawing of card thing would work but it does fit the class.
@White_Lightning: We've got all the roles covered, why don't I make a thread for character development for you that we can just delete eventually (I'm supposed to stop using this one). Might as well use the subforum to the utmost!
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