Let's Kill Chult And Take It's Stuff: Character Selection

So, it seems  we'll be off to the lands of Chult, to cause audience-defined levels of mayhem. In the interest of making the setup process have the 'personal' touch, Sand and I have each put together 5 character concepts, which we're presenting to you as options for the resulting merry band. So, who's in the running?

The Sciencegar Five:

#1)

Application to Adventure

Name: Katina Tarask

Gender: Female, retard!

Race: Human, I guess

Age: 25? 27? Something about that, it's a bit hazy

Profession:

Well 'Worlds-wandering Stabbings Dispenser' isn't a recognised profession, and neither is 'With-knives Problem Solver for the Universe', so I'm adviced I'm meant to refer to myself as a 'Swordsage', to keep the paperwork tidy.

Skills:

I'm an expert in melee combat owing to a long process of having my psyche crushed and replaced with combat techniques and sociopathy. I prefer the twin dagger approach, because knives are easy to control, and when you have control, you can get artistic...

Reason for Applying:

I'm...in the neighbourhood. I'm told by a pal of mine that I won't be able to move on until certain shit gets sorted out around here. I'd love to know more but that bastard has a Ph.D. in being vague and ominous. Also, this gives me something to do, and you don't want me bored.

Why should we select you?:

You will want someone equipped to put people down, quickly. All this 'Tiger Claw' stuff is ideal for having a mobile combatant who gets to where pain is needed quickly. Now, you might say that makes me really fragile, well, that's why I plan to kill all the bad guys first.

Adding mods to NVN2 allows for access to Tome of Battle material, and the resulting strong and flexible melee classes. Swordsages are not frontline tanks, but make ideal skirmishers, able to get around the battlefield fast and use Boosts and Manuvers to shut down opponents. However, despite their monk-like AC progression, they lack endurance, so we might have to be careful with her. Going full Swordsage 20 is a potential option, but there are also the Tempest and Dervish Prestige Classes to look at, if we want to focus on Two-Weapon Fighting over jumping on folks to stab 'em.

#2)

Application to Adventure

Name: Iskar Wulfsson

Gender: Male

Race: A Proud Panserbjorne!

Age: 25 Winters

Profession:

What are all bears good at? Hunting! Tearing my foes apart! And of course, communing with the cold gods of the north! A bear's soul is his armor, and such bears must be spiritual, as well as strong. The humans call this 'Multiclass Monk/Cleric', we call it 'Being effective'.

Skills:

As well as crushing all who oppose me or look tasty with my paws, I will be enchanting my soul-armor and those implements of my two-legged allies. I might also be able to convinced the Cold Ones to intercede for us, even in the warm land. I find asking them to help me crush faster is generally more efficient than healing wounds, however.

Reason for Applying:

I seek adventure!! That, and Glory!! And also, dinner.

Why should we select you?:

Because if you do not, you will have angered a Bear.

This one is possibly going to have a few teething issues, since it relies on a bug Sand discovered, which replaces the models of certain non-humanoid races with those of animal companions. But, if it all works out, we should have a polar bear with the stats of a Lizardfolk monk/cleric, aiming to use and abuse the Sacred Fist prestige class to make a flexible melee fighter with spellcasting for buffs and healing.

#3)

Application to Adventure

Name: ....Yasiminia Karharbor

Gender:.....

Race:.....Human

Age:.....18

Profession:

.....Is 'Rogue' descriptive enough?

Skills:

Sneaking. Spotting. Stealing. Stabbing. Shooting.

Reason for Applying:

......I'm looking for something. I don't know what it is yet, but I think I might find it here.

Why should we select you?:

....Don't you need someone like me?

Ok, ok, I'll knock off the ellipses. This is a more open entry, designed to be flexible on where it goes, but mainly acting as the groups skill monkey. Depending on how the user base wants things to go, she could become a ranged sniper, a cat burglar, an Assassin, or take spellcasting for something like Arcane Trickster. This is the 'Enabler' option, to cover holes in the groups makeup

#4)

Application to Adventure

Name: Aisanelle Sundew

Gender: Female, silly!

Race: Wood Elf

Age: 132

Profession:

I'm a cleric of Mielikki, and sworn to protect the forests and the wildlife from that which would destroy them. It sounds a lot more serious than it is, though, don't worry! 

Skills:

I'm really good at Archery! Like, my elders say I have Meilikki's Eye with the bow! And I can cast spells to help others, which is vital for balancing ones ecosystem. And see off bad people.

Reason for Applying:

Ooooh, I heard Chult is covered in forests! And the trees there are completely different! And the animals! I gotta see them, and spend a few years just getting to know the place! It'll be a great adventure!

Why should we select you?:

Um...So you know someone's got your back! With my longrange abilities, and some magical support, you don't have to worry about anything bad happening to anyone in the group!

Aisanelle is the support option, if we should choose to play things safe. She's not going for any wierd prestige classes or trying to raise an army of the dead, she's just a straight nuetral-good cleric with focus on bows. If we work things right and the game has the right feats and spells, she could be quite the combat powerhouse, but ultimately, she's for keeping the group on their feet and fighting.

#5)

Application to Adventure

Name: Gilgamesh, King of Heroes!

Gender: The Manliest of Men

Race: I am two thirds divine!

Age: ....28 BUT SOON I WILL BE IMMORTAL!

Profession:

I don't *work* for a living, simpletons! I *AM*, and what I am is the epitome of what a hero should be. I shall slay every foul beast that threatens the land, and accept graciously the responsibility of guarding the simple masses from themselves.

Skills:

What skills don't I have! But, if I was to choose just one, I suppose it would be my magic. While mastery of the blade is well and good, with my sorcery I can master All Blades!! I will always enough swords for any task!

Reason for Applying:

It is my duty as your future ruler to ensure all of you are protected. Also, I've heard tales of great treasures in this land, and since all treasures belong to me, I must collect them.

Why should we select you?:

Hohoho, I have already been selected since birth!

Gil here is our arcane firepower. We could have him as a straight sorceror, and pretend all his swords and bling-y armor are just spells, but I might lean towards making him a Gish, able to fight with real swords as well as re-fluffed magic missiles. Either way, most of the time he'll be obliterating everything that he deigns unworthy of looking at him, which is a lot of things.

The Sandwitches 5

#1)

Application to Adventure

Name: Valefor
Gender: Female
Race: If you want to be technical, I am one of the Fey'ri.  However, I prefer to be referred to as a Tiefling, due to my mixed heritage. 
Age: 63

Profession:
I worked as an instructor for the Waterdeep guard for over thirty years, and recently left due to a change in management.  I'm now serving as an independent Sellsword.


Skills:
I am trained in three styles of combat, and for some time was one of the more prominent teachers of the styles in Waterdeep.  I am also capable of reading others both in and out fo combat, and crafting new weapons for my students, and others.


Reason for Applying:
I'm just looking for a bit of work.  I could just go and find another place to teach.... But it gets boring to just sit around and teach for years on end.


Why should we select you?:
I have years of experience fighting and training others to fight.  Not only am I quite effective in combat, but I can train some of the other crew onboard the ship who are less experienced in ways to improve their combat effectiveness.

Val will be a Warblade, the medium class of the three from Tome of Battle. Their manuever selection is high and they can recover them quickly, making them versatile and 'ready for anything'. They lack the endurance of a Crusader or the mobility of a Swordsage however, so they take a little thought to use properly.


#2

Application to Adventure

Name: Lila Panagh
Gender: Female
Race: Human
Age: 17

Profession:
Weeeeeeeeeell I'm not sure what you can call me!  I mean...  I do a lot of the same stuff that those rangers guys do, but I never really had any official training since I've been in Waterdeep most of my life.  But I'm still a lot like them!  I can do all the same kinds of things they can.


Skills:
You won't find a better shot than me ANYWHERE, and with Faith by my side, I can do ANYTHING!


Reason for Applying:
I've been cooped up in Waterdeep for whats starting to seem like forever!  I want to get out and do some good in the world!  That and if I do a good enough job with your group...  I might get accepted into a Ranger Lodge!  Thats what I've always wanted!


Why should we select you?:
Because while I'm young I'm the best at what I do!  I'm full of energy and willing to do whatever I need to do to get my people through this.  

Young Lila is another option for the party's archer, either as a Ranger or using the Scout class, or a combo of the two. Scout doesn't work exactly the same as it does on tabletop, thanks to NVN's semi-realtime movement, but its still a high-mobility, high-sneak-attack class that can be deadly with a bow. Ranger is a class well suited to the jungle, and to the varieties of odd creature we're likely to meet on our quest, plus it gets an animal companion!


#3)

Application to Adventure

Name: Crimson Lotus
Gender: Female
Race: Human
Age: That is one of my little Secrets.

Profession:
I am the single greatest dancer of my tribe, and one of the best on the Sword Coast.  Most call me a bard, but I prefer the title of "Dancer".


Skills:
I am a master performer, skilled in dance, art, and song, but that is just the tip of what I can do.  My tongue can bring entire tribes to their knees, and my skill with a blade is there if I end up needing to defend myself from... unsavory characters.  


Reason for Applying:
I've traveled quite far in my time since leaving the north, but I know I still have much to see in the world.  Joining this crew will help me see more sights, as well as broaden my repertoire. 


Why should we select you?:
Because not only can I help talk you out of just about any situation, but I know how to raise peoples morale with my singing, dancing, and magic. 

Crimson is a bard, a perfect class for plugging holes in a group if we lack some options, and with bardic music and potentially the Snowflake Wardancer feat, a massive boon to a melee oriented party since she ups their stats while fighting on the front line.


#4)

Application to Adventure

Name: Curtis
Gender: Male
Race: Human
Age: 32

Profession:
I am an Animal Researcher, Specializing in Reptilian Species.  I am much more of a scholar than a fighter, but thats part of why I have Valken here with me.


Skills:
I am an expert in both Spellcasting and Lore, and a bit of a pioneer in new magical and mundane methods of raising and agumenting non-magical animals.  I'm also quite proficient on surviving for long streches of time out in the wilderness.


Reason for Applying:
I would love the chance to get to find and examine new species.  There are hundreds of undocumented species still waiting to be discovered out there!


Why should we select you?:
Not only do my skill match what you are looking for in a hire, but my own abilities and those of my companion Valken will be quite useful in the defense and protection of the crew and its assets.

Curt is a simple Druid, AKA the best class in D&D 3.5. I'm not sure it's as OP in NWN but the combination of Wildshape, divine spellcasting and a full-power animal companion make it an incredible boon to any group. No need for odd prestige classes here, except maybe to make things fairer on the enemies.


#5)

Application to Adventure

Name: Bartleby
Gender: You REALLY wanna ask that?
Race: Yes.  I *am* a Red Dragon. 
Age: 1573

Profession:
I am a Red Dragon.  Even in this... *Reduced* form, I am still quite capable of slaughtering anything that stands before me.


Skills:
As I said before, I retain my tremendous skill at combat, honed over a thousand of your years.  I am easily able to slaughter entire towns should the situation call for it.


Reason for Applying:
I am searching for a way to...  revoke the curse that currently keeps me in this wretched form.  That and it would give me a chance to take my rage out on quite a few of the natives.


Why should we select you?:
Because I will kill you and eat you if you don't.  I will then track down your soul, in whichever realm it is in.  And then I will eat it as well.  Then I will kill your family and eat them.  And then I will hunt *their* souls down and devour them.  If you take me with you however...  Then once I am restored to my full glory you shall be generously rewarded.

Bartleby is another experiment in glitching the character models, who appears as a wolverine but is a Dragonborn Barbarian under the hood. Again, you may notice our style of liking the lightly-armored high-damage classes, but hey, Barbarians can tank, right?


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So there you have it folks. Choose 2 out of each list of five (or rank each list in order or preference), and we can figure out from there who's wanted. You're not obligated to 'balance' the team, having gaps in ones repetoire is half the fun of some of these games! (That and there are recruitable NPCs we can use to cover our bases) 

So, tell us who you want to see brave the jungles of Chult!!