New PC

[Ikoma]

Okay gang, I've got a new player getting ready to join the campaign.  He's going to be playing an arcane caster.  I want to start a discussion here about the best way to introduce the PC into the storyline.  With the current mood and situation, the party would be smart and wise to turn anyone who just showed up to 'help' away as a probable spy.  I don't want the party to just accept the PC because it fits the story.  So I am opening the floor to suggestions, discussion and ideas.

Ethan has played in this very game before.  He was one of the originals (playing Totschlager) who had to drop out due to a move from one state to another.  We are currently hammering out the mechanics of his character who will be a Prestige Bard / Mourner.  Mourner is a pretty cool prestige class from Dragon magazine that is a specialist Bard who deals with the dead and undead.  Anyway, I'll let him chime in here as well.  Once we have [ A ] worked out his mechanics and [ B ] worked out how to integrate him into the party, we'll do just that.

[Marius Ionescu]

Perhaps he could know one of the characters from before.  Childhood friends, ex-traveling companions, etc.?

[Adam Godson]

Perhaps he could be from the same Order as Ulrik.  Maybe a relative or messenger sent to to find out what has happen. 

[unkabear]

I think that the easiest way to integrate him into the party would be by him being in mortal peril and us saving him.  That has seemed to be our M/O as of late.

Though him being a member of the Order of the Raven would not be amiss, he would have at least have been to the Castle once before to compete his rites...or perhaps he was on his way to complete them.  Though that would only take us back to the chapel...and we have already exhausted that avenue.

[Valen & Abrud]

Howdy! I'm Ethan and I'll be playing a Barbarian/Sorcerer/Bard/Mourner. Sorry about dropping out of the game before, but I'm really excited to get back into Ravenloft now. I've been playing Ikoma's 4e game on these boards for the last year (well after I had to drop out of Ravenloft). Ikoma can tell you I'm a fairly regular poster, so I promise to keep up with the rest of you.

Like I said, I'll be your friendly neighborhood spellcaster for the duration of this adventure. Ikoma and I are ironing out the details. As far as incorporating my character, I could go with knowing one of your characters, or being in the Order of the Raven, or even being saved by you guys before having my donkey handed to me by some BBEG. Or better yet, what if I save you from some BBEG? 

[Valen & Abrud]

Just letting you know I'm still here. Ikoma has told me I'm going to appear soon. I thought I'd give you folks a character description to work from. I keep promising to send Ikoma a character sheet, and I will do that soon. There's always more details to iron out, right? <sigh> Anyway: here's some basic info.

Name: Abrud Tartaria (pronounced AH-brood tar-TAR-ia)
Human native to the land of Barovia
Sorcerer / Fighter / Bard (Lightbringer)
44 years old, 5'10'', 150 lbs, skinny but wiry, bald, chain shirt and buckler over stylish yet sturdy traveling clothes - haversack and lute and bow slung over his shoulder.

Abrud is a traveling troubadour who sings from town to town as he hunts undead. He looks like Patrick Stewart from Dune but with a Transylvanian accent. Abrud hunts undead b/c his family were killed and turned undead when he was young. He killed their corpses, of course, and he learned from a young age that undead were the shells of the people they used to be. He uses his bardic music to sing hymns to loved ones and neighbors who have passed on. Abrud never forgets that every undead he puts back in the grave is a fellow countryman who needs the rest that full death can give. It's always an act of mercy. Undeath is a punishment worse than hell, and the necromancers who perpetuate undeath are so twisted, Abrud believes they are already in hell. So, relieving the necromancers of existence is an act of mercy as well.

That's a brief sketch. Enough to begin roleplay with, anyway. I'll get the character sheet to Ikoma before our first fight. See you guys in a few short posts!

[Marius Ionescu]

 

[Adam Godson]

Very cool concept and you will be a welcome addition to the party.  Can't wait to meet him in Ravenloft. 

[Ikoma]

Just so everyone is aware, he'll be showing up as soon as you return to Barovia after this conversation with the vistani.

[Marius Ionescu]

Can't wait ... always liked bards and one that blows up undead with his voice sounds really cool

[Valen & Abrud]

Just sent my character sheet to Ikoma for final approval. I ended up with a Ranger 2 / Sorcerer 2 / Prestige Bard 5. Still has a bow and lute. Added a pet rat that Abrud names "Strahd" and a light warhorse that Abrud names "Crescendo." We'll see you at Barovia after you're done talking with the Vistani.

[Valen & Abrud]

Question for the group: Is there any skill (or skills) that the group really needs. I have ranks in Gather Information, but I think I could spend them somewhere else. I don't really have the skill resources to be the group's skill monkey, but I could get one or two needed skills that the group doesn't have covered yet. (I could max out in Diplomacy with my 16 CHA, but I gather Adam and some others in the group probably have good ranks in  Diplomacy). Let me know if you guys think of any skill that the group needs. Cheers.

[Yemam Silverman]

Well...I can't speak for others, but I will tell you what Yemam is good at so you can have an idea.

Bluff (+10)
Diplomacy (+15)
Disable Device (+11)
Hide (+11)
Listen (+12)
Move Silently (+10)
Open Lock (+11)
Pick Pocket (+11)
Search (+12)
Spot (+12)

Granted, Yemam is the party skill monkey.  Gather Information is probably a good skill that the party might be in need of.  Also, forgery might be useful if we ever need to access resources that are not open to us without papers.

[Adam Godson]

I think we are pretty good on Diplomacy between myself, Yemam and Marius.  I think Gather info would be good or perhaps some type of knowledge such as religion, history, chivalry or undead.  I think Ioan has some of these, but the party could use some more depth in the knowledge area. 

[Valen & Abrud]

Awesome. Abrud already has K:Religion covered (+13). And with the lightbringer bard alternate class feature "Undead Bardic Knowledge," Abrud's knowledge about undead and famous undead is +17. So, unless I hear otherwise, I'll keep the ranks in Gather Information.

Also, Ikoma caught me in a goof. I forgot that Ranger is also a prestige class in this game. So I'm refiguring to a Fighter 2 / Sorcerer 2 / Prestige Bard 5. Mostly this means Abrud has a crossbow instead of a bow (more damage, better range, offsets his low STR, etc). Other than that, his description is the same. I'm ready to play.