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Total Members Voted: 22

[Heron TSG]

I think I'm going to go for a (future) daggerspell. Maybe Dervish after that for some serious rapid stab wounds.

EDIT: Can I use the Air Goblin variant for goblins from UA?

Spoiler: Temporary character sheet, no flaws/traits, race subject to change. (click to show/hide)

Maelrinad the Quick

Male Air Goblin Sorcerer 1
True Neutral
Representing Barbarossa

Strength     8    (-1)
Dexterity     19    (+4)
Constitution     12    (+1)
Intelligence     12    (+1)
Wisdom     10    (+0)
Charisma     16    (+3)
   
Size:     Small
Height:     3' 2"
Weight:     48 lb
Skin:     Green
Eyes:     Red
Hair:     Black; Thick Beard / Hirsute

Total Hit Points: 5

Speed: 30 feet

Armor Class: 15 = 10 +4 [dexterity] +1 [small]

      Touch AC: 15
      Flat-footed: 11

Initiative modifier:    +4    = +4 [dexterity]
Fortitude save:    +1    = 0 [base] +1 [constitution]
Reflex save:    +4    = 0 [base] +4 [dexterity]
Will save:    +2    = 2 [base]
Attack (handheld):    +0    = 0 [base] -1 [strength] +1 [small]
Attack (unarmed):    +0    = 0 [base] -1 [strength] +1 [small]
Attack (missile):    +5    = 0 [base] +4 [dexterity] +1 [small]
Grapple check:    -5    = 0 [base] -1 [strength] -4 [small]

Light load:
Medium load:
Heavy load:
Lift over head:
Lift off ground:
Push or drag:
    20 lb. or less
20-40 lb.
41-60 lb.
60 lb.
120 lb.
300 lb.

Languages:    Common Draconic

Dagger [1d3, crit 19-20/x2, range inc 10 ft., 1/2 lb., light, piercing]

No familiar yet

Feats:

      Two-Weapon Fighting   

Traits:

Skill Name
   
Key
Ability
   
Skill
Modifier
   
Ability
Modifier
   
Ranks
   
Misc.
Modifier
Appraise     Int     1 =     
+1
       
Balance     Dex*     4 =     
+4
       
Bluff     Cha     3 =     
+3
       
Climb     Str*     -1 =     
-1
       
Concentration     Con     5 =     
+1
    +4     
Craft_1     Int     1 =     
+1
       
Craft_2     Int     1 =     
+1
       
Craft_3     Int     1 =     
+1
       
Diplomacy     Cha     3 =     
+3
       
Disguise     Cha     3 =     
+3
       
Escape Artist     Dex*     4 =     
+4
       
Forgery     Int     1 =     
+1
       
Gather Information     Cha     3 =     
+3
       
Heal     Wis     0 =     
+0
       
Hide     Dex*     8 =     
+4
        +4 [small]
Intimidate     Cha     3 =     
+3
       
Jump     Str*     -1 =     
-1
       
Listen     Wis     0 =     
+0
       
Move Silently     Dex*     4 =     
+4
       
Perform_1     Cha     5 =     
+3
    +2     
Perform_2     Cha     3 =     
+3
       
Perform_3     Cha     3 =     
+3
       
Perform_4     Cha     3 =     
+3
       
Perform_5     Cha     3 =     
+3
       
Ride     Dex     4 =     
+4
       
Search     Int     1 =     
+1
       
Sense Motive     Wis     0 =     
+0
       
Spot     Wis     0 =     
+0
       
Survival     Wis     0 =     
+0
       
Swim     Str**     -1 =     
-1
       
Tumble     Dex*     6 =     
+4
    +2     
Use Rope     Dex     4 =     
+4
       

* = check penalty for wearing armor

Zero-level Sorcerer spells: 5 per day

First-level Sorcerer spells: 4 (3+1) per day

Air Goblin:

    * Unfamiliar race. Adjustments already included.

    * -2 strength

    * +4 dexterity

    * -2 constitution

    * +0 intelligence

    * +0 wisdom

    * +0 charisma

    * Edit sheet & write details here as needed.


    * Be sure to know bonuses to skills, special abilities, low-light / dark vision, and any natural armor class bonus.


Sorcerer:

    * Familiar / Alertness, etc.

    * Can know only limited numbers of spells

    * High charisma gains bonus spells daily

    Class     HP rolled     
Level 1:     Sorcerer     4     

   
Maelrinad's Equipment:

      1 lb
      2 lb
      1 lb
      1 lb
      2 lb

      3 lb
      5 lb
      2 lb
      _____
      17 lb    Weapons / Armor / Shield (from above)
      Backpack
      Bedroll
      Blanket, winter x1
      Rations (1 day) x5
      Signet ring
      Torches x3
      Waterskins x5
      Spell component pouch

      Total

More about Maelrinad:

[RAM]

Build a duellist, build it well!

Naaa, I'm just kidding, only an idiot would try to build a duellist.
 They get crazy initiative, but nothing to do with it except stand in front of people and look pretty...
 They get crazy AC, but only after they've survived to high levels where it doesn't matter anymore...
 They get crazy movement abilities, but no speed or sneak attack to capitalise on it.
 Basically they make a dex-based AC tank dexier and more AC tank. By denying you the use of armour or shields you lose all hope of defensive magical enhancements, so your AC is the only thing keeping you alive. And with nothing but dex, intelligence, and defensive fighting to give you AC, you can all but guarantee that you won't be doing any damage. Its only real value is to people whose monks always die...

Naaaaa, I'm kidding, duellists are great, I made one and the DM was constantly trying, and failing, to kill them. They finally died after literal rock, literally fell, and literally everyone(important) died...

P.S.
 How do skill points and multiple classes work? If I have a level 1 rogue, and disable device is a class skill, so I take 4 ranks in it, and then I take a level of commoner, and it isn't a class skill anymore, but I take a rank in disable device anyway!
 Then I am a level 2 character. What are my maximum ranks in disable device?
A:5
B:2+1/2
C:Something else that you made up to feel smug.
 How expensive(in skill points) will that 5th rank be?
A:1
B:2
C:Your 5th rank is currently lost in space and will not be available until it has exhausted the supply of zucchinis.

P.P.S.
 What if, as a trait, I want to reduce my skill points per level by 1(4 at 1st) to add one(or more?) skills to my list of class skills? Say that it can reduce you to 0 skill points per level to scare off the 6 int orcs...
It is bad because:
 The party fighter was just going to blow those points on jumping, but now they have full use of use magic device and can reliably use scrolls of righteous might and shapechange while faking their alignment to wield the Lawful Evil intelligent scythe that was meant to be the villain of the campaign...
 By trading 1 skill point to gain a class skill you haven't lost anything, because the skill points spent on that skill are worth twice as much as they would have been otherwise.

It is good because:
 The party fighter decides that they want spot instead of ride and handle animal. They lose the points that they would have spent on handle animal, and move the points that they would have spent on ride into spot. Now they don't fall into a barely-concealed pit trap or rent for 15d6 sneak attack damage by a troll rogue every time that they lead the party. The player is happier but when the party has to travel 200 kilometres(and 5 levels) by horse the fighter is constantly reminded that they don't have the skill points to learn to fight without dismounting at the start of every encounter...
 They most certainly HAVE lost something! 1 skill point per level! I mean, who buys more than a single rank of a cross-class skill? Wizards? Bah, even with 20 odd intelligence they still have less points than a rogue, and those certainly never have enough skill points!
 The character will trade the maximum number of skills that they can apply full points to to increase the number of skills they can fully utilise. It is versatility with a relevant cost, which is what traits are all about. Also it is easy enough to double the costs, or add a fixed loss of skill-points at 1st level...

Example:
Methodical

A place for everything and everything in its place. Inconsistencies in an environment just stick out at you. Although you are often too busy sorting things to practice your other skills...
Benefit

Search is a class skill for all classes that you take.
Drawback

You gain 1 less skill point per level (four less at first level). This can cause you to gain no skill points from a level, even though you would normally gain a minimum of one.
Roleplaying Ideas

If a character has this trait then they might insist that things be treated in the correct manner. They tend to be frustrated by chaotic alignments.

[Shoruke]

@ RAM:
Deities:
Frankly, as long as your diety doesn't directly interfere with the game any more than the other ones, go ahead and worship him/her/it.

Domains:
I don't have a problem with any of those domains... although, casting height-dependant spells in an area with a low ceiling (I.E., casting Ice Storm in a hallway) will reduce your spell's potency a little bit. (In the example of Ice Storm, I'd just reduce the bludgeoning damage by taking away one of the d6's; not totally crippling, but it'll force you to be careful with your spells if you want to be at your best).
Classes:
Divine Oracle: Ehhh... sure.
Seeker of the Misty Isle: No, sorry, nobody else in the world gives a hoot about the Misty Isle, and therefore there's nobody to induct you into the order.
Church Inquisitor: Sure... but I'm placing the restriction that you have to meet the "special" requirement (uncovering corruption within a Lawful Good organization to which you belong) during the game, not as part of your backstory. So to take this class, you'll have to PM me about a potential character arc, and either convince your teammates to go along with it or do it as a solo mission. I'd be willing to drop the alignment restriction on certain conditions: a) you do not gain spellcasting levels for Church Inquisitor levels 1, 4, or 8, b) you do not gain the Detect Evil ability, and c) the organization you uncover corruption within as part of your entrance requirement still has to be lawful, but not necessarily good.
Contemplative: I'm changing one of the requirements: You must be able to cast FIFTH- (as opposed to first-) level divination spells. This shouldn't be much of a problem for a level 10 cleric build. And yes, you can meet the "special" requirement by summoning the appropriate being, but anything with 6HD or less isn't going to be considered "a direct servant of <deity>".
Thaumaturgist: Approved

Also, thanks for reminding me, the Leadership feat is out. A feat that lets you play as N+3 Player Characters is weird and broken.
Everyone may have up to 2 traits, and up to 1 flaw.

@Barb, God of Seals:
Air goblins are fine, as are all elemental variant classes from Unearthed Arcana. I can't read your skills in that format though, it hurts my brain...

@Everyone: I've started working on the world map. It's going to be... large. Luckily for you guys, RAM seems hell-bent on being able to cast Teleport, so backtracking won't be too hard for you guys.

Also, I forgot to put in the Tips & Tricks of the OP, you guys can feel free to build a home base once you've raked in enough cash. (sorry I keep forgetting to put stuff in the original post, it was long and there was a lot of points to remember...)

EDIT: At RAM again... if you take your first level in rogue and your second level in commoner, and put max ranks in Disable Device, you will have 5 ranks in Disable Device. The fifth rank will have cost 2 skill points.

[RAM]

Yay! glorious answery goodness!

Hmmm, Church inquisitor, well, a lost level of spellcasting would hurt. Detect Evil, pfft, like that ever saved a party from walking headfirst into an inescapable trap and being subjected to a maniacal monologue... *sighs* belonging to an organisation at all is feeling out of place for some reason... I think inquisitor is just a temptation to be honest, aside from the roleplaying requirements you can enter it at level 3 just by being a cleric, and it grants you a free domain and a mess of immunities. I think that it is a trap, I can resist it! I am sure that I can! I don't need that sort of silly little pointless cheese, I can get along just fine without it! Although I might keep a copy of you restrictions, for reference, yes, that's it, those are good ideas that I might want to use for some other character... Oh, wait! I could just take a couple of levels and then change my alignm- NO! BAD CHEESE! Go to your room! Nobody wants to hear it!

I wonder if there are any monologue based prestige classes...

As I primary summoning class on an adventure I should be able to find some reason to consult with deific representatives, and then it is just a matter of summoning someone who can set up a meeting...

Is the fifth level Thaumaturgist's ability of planar cohort out with leadership? How much harm would a simple little outsider be? *looks at the entry for Fharlanghn's heralds* *looks up Ghaele Eladrins* *makes notes*
At will:

Spoiler: nothing abusable here... (click to show/hide)

Charm Monster, definitely not able to manufacture an army...
Continual Flame, No everburning torches for sale here...
Cure light wounds, never heard of it! Why would I want unlimited use of some backwards 1st level spell...
Detect thoughts...
Greater invisibility, greater teleport, see invisibility, major image, dispel magic, disguise self, nothing to worry about here...
Oh, and it casts spells as a 14th level cleric...
Gaze attack, that... Oh, yes, slays all evil creatures with less than 5 hit dice that fail a DC 18 Will save, and has a powerful fear effect on pretty much everyone. Meh, can't cause that much harm, Lawyers should have good will saves, walking around with one should only kill about one in ten of the innocent bystander NPCs we meet...
Oh, but it can be turned off by... becoming incorporeal, no problem there...
And a, umm, permanent lesser globe of invulnerability... And I am sure tongues won't cause any problems...

Wait, never mind, it doesn't have a Level Adjustment, so I don't think that it is eligible...

Aha, here we go, I could get a hound archon at level 13, hmmm, well, so long as it spends the entire time as a dog it shouldn't be much different from an animal companion...
Or a bralani, also a companion for a level 13 thaumaturgist. It only has unlimited gust of wind, charm person and... oh, yes, it can turn into a whirlwind, nothing complicated about that...
At level 18 I could have a couatl, that seems pretty tame, except, well, the 9th caster-level spells and psionics...
Team Evil Should have something... ewww, not a dretch. Why would I want a succubus cohort? Bearded devils could work, but the whole 'summoning your pals' thing makes team evil a bit dubious...
Meh, I'll just quite while I'm behind...

Spoiler: Reposting this because I really want search... (click to show/hide)

P.P.S.
 What if, as a trait, I want to reduce my skill points per level by 1(4 at 1st) to add one(or more?) skills to my list of class skills? Say that it can reduce you to 0 skill points per level to scare off the 6 int orcs...
It is bad because:
 The party fighter was just going to blow those points on jumping, but now they have full use of use magic device and can reliably use scrolls of righteous might and shapechange while faking their alignment to wield the Lawful Evil intelligent scythe that was meant to be the villain of the campaign...
 By trading 1 skill point to gain a class skill you haven't lost anything, because the skill points spent on that skill are worth twice as much as they would have been otherwise.

It is good because:
 The party fighter decides that they want spot instead of ride and handle animal. They lose the points that they would have spent on handle animal, and move the points that they would have spent on ride into spot. Now they don't fall into a barely-concealed pit trap or rent for 15d6 sneak attack damage by a troll rogue every time that they lead the party. The player is happier but when the party has to travel 200 kilometres(and 5 levels) by horse the fighter is constantly reminded that they don't have the skill points to learn to fight without dismounting at the start of every encounter...
 They most certainly HAVE lost something! 1 skill point per level! I mean, who buys more than a single rank of a cross-class skill? Wizards? Bah, even with 20 odd intelligence they still have less points than a rogue, and those certainly never have enough skill points!
 The character will trade the maximum number of skills that they can apply full points to to increase the number of skills they can fully utilise. It is versatility with a relevant cost, which is what traits are all about. Also it is easy enough to double the costs, or add a fixed loss of skill-points at 1st level...

Example:
Methodical

A place for everything and everything in its place. Inconsistencies in an environment just stick out at you. Although you are often too busy sorting things to practice your other skills...
Benefit

Search is a class skill for all classes that you take.
Drawback

You gain 1 less skill point per level (four less at first level). This can cause you to gain no skill points from a level, even though you would normally gain a minimum of one.
Roleplaying Ideas

If a character has this trait then they might insist that things be treated in the correct manner. They tend to be frustrated by chaotic alignments.

[Grek]

Here's my sheet: http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=240855

He's a grapplemancer. Only non-core spell so far is Baubu slime, p22 of the Spell Compendium, which lets me do acid damage to people while I grapple them.

Backstory in spoilers:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Mathaf Grekenhoff is a wizard, but not of the pudgy academic sort you see at most wizard colleges. He's got muscles, and he's not afraid to use them. He got into the Tonory University of Thuamatology on a wrestling scholarship after managing to put an ice mephit in a headlock after the Bursur had too many and decided that he didn't want to pay his bar tab.

Once he was actually in school, he took a strong likely to transmutational magic, but didn't go so well for the enchantment school. He only got through that class by cheating on the test with the help of a drow enchantress who he had strucken up a friendship with and extensive use of Drow Hand Signals. The school did not offer necromancy lessons at all, and Fahtam is glad for that, as he thinks undead are creepy as hell.

Later on in his schooling, Mathaf became an exchange student in an underwater college of Sahuagin. He fled to the surface after finding out that they intended to kill him in order to insure their victory in the next year's Interscholastic Wrestling Contest. He's decided to go west, as far away from the ocean as humanly possible. He's using an alias, Fahtam. He doesn't seem to realized that using your own name spelled backwards is a terrible idea.

He is naturally brash and agressive, but generally good-natured and fun to be around. He often will challenge people to a wrestling contest to resolve a dispute, rather than going straight to fighting. His magic, for the most part, is focused around wrestling and physical combat, rather than more traditional wizarding. Mathaf is very proud of his university, and has a hard time not picking a fight with people who talk bad about it.

[wolfchild]

If my times are ok (you never commented), I would like to play a Shifter (eberon campain setting) Spirit Shaman (Complete Divine)

[Robocorn]

okay, I wrote this little  thing up

Spoiler: Demrist's life (fucking) story (click to show/hide)

        Dremrist was born 54 years ago in the once great mountain hall of Grelòtis Rinde a true metropolis of Dwarfdom. The second eldest son of the Steelbane clan by eleven minutes he was destined to be a member of King Durrim's personal army, The Hammers of Tharne, named after Dremrist's own grandfather. Though the twins were practically identical, tradition dictated that the eldest was to recieve the father's position and thus it was Hurrick who was destined to be a high officer in The Hammers of Tharne. By virtue of being identical Dremrist was permitted to be inducted into the as an extended measure due to a battle that had taken several members out of the ranks before they could sire replacements.

   At the tender age of fifteen the two brothers began their training in the mystic arts. Their father Gwerrin taught them both of the importance of wizardry and how in times of turmoil it surpassed even physical might in terms of usefulness. The brothers spent years together, committing scrolls to memory day after day until their minds were afire with arcane energies. The boys developed a healthy rivalry and sparred with wooden bats and shields after their memorization.  Dremrist learned the spells at a level that was impressive even for an officer's son, but his mastery paled in comparison to  Hurrick's who learned the spells at  prodigious speed. Gwerrin petitioned the other high commanders of The Hammers of Tharne for the boys to be kept together to encourage  their growth through competition but the high commanders disagreed, they wanted Hurrick to get the best training possible.

   At the age of 26 Hurrick was sent away to train with the great dwarven mage-scholars and heroes of battle while Demrist stayed to train under Gwerrin. Before he left, Demrist swore he would someday be as strong as Hurrick, and they would spar together once more. Demrist trained under his father for 20 more years mastering the ability to cast spells from memory without needing to use a clunky spellbook. Gwerrin taught Demrist the crafting of arms and of the various ins and outs of nobility. Demrist became proficient with a warhammer and became a warrior in his own right and became elligible to be a member of The Hammer of Tharne.

   It was on his fiftieth birthday that Demrist swore the oath to be inducted into the Hammers of Tharne. A blood bound duty to fight with honor, abstain from falsehoods, and above all protect the royal blood of Grel•tis Rinde with every fiber of his being. To his  disappointment, Demrist did not see Hurrick present with the other officers.

   As a junior member of the Hammers, Demrist was assigned to monitor an abandoned tunnel that was occasionally inhabited by some kobolds or spiders but mostly barren. It wasn't until after he'd flushed out a swarm of dire rats that his superiors began to recognize his potential. He learned tricks from his superiors and sparred with Golgrim the Strong and Helstrif the Swift, losing spectacularly in both battles, but putting up an interesting fight nonetheless. His superiors thought highly of him and foresaw in him a bright future yet Demrist sought only to match the abilities of his brother.

   Just one year ago was the celebration of Dorrimhin, a celebration of the birth of Durrim's heir. Durrim's many wives had failed to bear him a son over the course of his long life and none of his daughters had beards of sufficeint length to qualify as king (I kid). Demrist had long since been replaced in his patrol of the barren hall and had gotten real work as backup guarding nobility with larger groups of the Hammers of Tharne under the command of Golgrim the Strong. The job he had been given to guard the feast hall was more of a reward than anything else and Demrist was among the few guards that Golgrim was allowed to have accompany him. When offered the opportunity to go Demrist's mind went not to the beautiful, elaborate marble walls inlaid with gold and platinum and engraved ceiling murals colored by hundreds of embedded gemstones, or to wooing the many comely dwarf maidens of noble blood that would be ever so impressed by a simple magic trick, but to his brother and how amongst all of the major commanders that had been rewarded for their good work, Hurrick would be one of them. Demrist heartily accepted.

   On that day they spared no expense in glamor for the feast or the guards. Every member of the Hammers of Tharne were decked in masterwork full plate armor of mithril, even though few of the members could cast spells whilse donning them. While at his post Demrist eyed the crowd wildly, searching for any sign of Hurrick amongst the mingling nobles. All of Grel•tis Rinde was waiting with anticipation for the unvailing of Durrim's son and Demrist could think naught but of Hurrick. In between his second shift only two hours before the unveiling Golgrim introduced his men to Stadost the Great.Demrist, sure that this was the man who had trained Hurrick asked him if he was present, and was disappointed again. Demrist thought of the junior Hammers in the barren tunnel and how he could at least  make the night of one of them memorable. Golgrim was far too drunk by now to care.

   Demrist arrived back at the barren hall at the beginning of the shift of a junior Hammer named Norkin. He told the (slightly) younger spell-hamer that there was an hour until the unveiling and that he could take his place at the event. Norking did not need to be asked twice. Demrist took his time to go about the empty halls, it had not taken him long to memorize the layout, and he wanered much without reason, his mind still on Hurrick. The dullness of the hall seemed to magnify any abberations in the stonework and after wandering for a bit Demrist came upon an aberration that was most certainly not there the countless times he's walked those halls before. A wall on the estern side appeared to have been warped, and when examined seemed to be hollow on the other end. Curious, Demrist broke through the wall with his hammer, exposing a long, dark, narrow tunnel. The tunnel didn't seem to be natural and curved upward for a ways. Inside the tunnel there was the din of footsteps and the echoing of his own breath. He couldn't remember how long he'd been in it when he first caught sight of the end, but as he slowly approched it he heard a screech.

        Dremrist scrambled up as fast as he could, emerging in a darkened room he'd never seen before. On the walls hung grand tapestries of the royal insignia of Grelòtis Rinde. On the floors the finest silk rugs. The walls and ceiling were engraved most ornately and plated with gold leaf. And in the center of the room was a hooded figure with a dagger standing over the dying corpse of Durrim.

   Demrist charged as little more than a reflex, but the clunky plate mail did little to disguise his presence. The hooded figure dodged him easily. Turning around as afast as he could Demrist threw his weight behind the hammer and swung it with all his might. The figure pushed his hammer out of the way and jabbed a dagger under Demrist's arm where the expensive armor did not cover. Demrist tried to cast a ray of enfeeblemenet but couldn't make the motions. The figure tripped him and plunged another dagger into his flesh, this time through the armor into his guts. Helpless because og the armor and quickly bleeding out, Demrist looked up at the hooded figure and under the hood was his own face. It was Hurrick. Then he passed out.

   When investigators revived him later, they asked him if he could identify the killer who'd killed the king and the newborn son. Demrist said he could not. As the nobles sought to fill the power vacuum, Demrist officially resigned from the Hammers of Tharne much to the dismay of Gwerrin. He joined a small scouting force and later lefteven from the farthest reaches of Grelòtis Rinde. In search of Hurrick again.

Naturally, nobody should know this, but I wasted spent so much time writing it.

[Heron TSG]

Don't worry, I'm making a mythweavers sheet in a bit that will look much better.

[mainiac]

Do you guys have a ranger?  I'd be interested in playing a halfling ranger.

[moghopper]

Might you have room for me as well? I have a homebrew class I want to try out.

[Akigagak]

Shoruke, how do you feel about Bloodlines?

[Shoruke]

Once again, time to put the 'A' into Q&A...

@RAM: Sure, that particular trait is fine. I don't mind the level 5 Thaumaturgist class feature... but bear in mind that, if you try to have a Ghaele as a Planar Cohort, I'm going to have to assign it a level adjustment, and it's going to be hard to pass the "your planar cohort can't have an ECL greater than your character level minus 2" requirement. 10 HD, plus the LA from an entire page of racial features? Not cheap.

@Grek: The Babau Slime spell is fine to use, but your skills... I know Spellcraft is actually an in-class skill for wizards (this fact is messing up the skill point total on your sheet), and... what is Knowledge (3)? And you should have 16 hp. But the kicker is your stats: you can't lower your stats below 8 for more points to buy other stats with, there's just too much min-maxing abuse potential there.

@Wolfchild: Barring superpowered homework spam and midterms/finals, I'm good to run sessions on my Wednesday evenings, which are 1:00 AM at GMT, and 11:00 AM for you at +10 GMT (if I have my timezone math right, I've been known to get it wrong occasionally). Plus, I'm not going to have your character totally drop off the map because you can't make it to half the sessions; I'll take measures to keep you competitive, and character journals should help keep you up on what happens in the sessions you DO miss (if any). So by all means, roll up your character and make a sheet.

@Robocorn: Awesome story, although I think you left out an important noun near the end of your first spoiler'd paragraph... anyway, I'll be sure to write the dwarven city of Grelòtis Rinde into the world; it'll be in the civilized lands. The group will be able to visit them (buy stuff, ask for quests, ask people about metals or other dwarfy stuff), but there won't be much action in the city.

@Barb: Good stuff...

@Mainiac: We don't have a ranger yet, and we'd love to have you. Survival the Rangers' Knowledge skills will be useful in this setting.

@Moghopper: We have room for you for sure, but I feel dubious about letting people use homebrew classes. Run it by me anyway, and we'll see.

@Akigagak: Bloodlines are fine.

@Everyone: GAH, I forgot to say we aren't using the Massive Damage Rule (you know, if you do 50 damage in one shot you save or die instantly), because it's basically a continual kick in the nuts once you get to higher levels.

[moghopper]

If the custom class is unnacceptable then I suppose I'll take a halfling Bard that uses gongs as his instrument. Eventually I'll take the Diresinger prestige class.

All shall marvel at my power to annoy!

[Akigagak]

So many hobbitses.

[Shoruke]

Superblurb about the world:

You live on the floating continent of Arcadia (which uses this trope, not this one). Nobody knows HOW it floats, or WHY it floats, or how the water gets to the top of the mountains to make the rivers, but it floats. There are all sorts of legends about other continents, but over time, these legends have faded into myth, because there's just no way to prove them; not safely, anyway.

Arcadia is a dangerous place. On the west side of the continent, are the Civlized Lands: the humans, dwarves, elves, and other peaceful races enjoy relative peace, but the towns are walled and guarded; outside of the cities, you're on your own against a harsh world. There are only four major cities: The human city of Landsedge, which lies right on the far west side of Arcadia (hence the name); the Dwarven halls of Grelòtis Rinde, where the civilized races purchase their metals, gems, and stone; the elven city of Corwyl; and the multi-racial trade city of Rivershire, where even kobolds, goblins, and the like can make a civilized living... if they don't do anything to anger the downright draconian guards. The four towns are connected via roads, which are relatively safe; bandits are rare, and the wildlife has learned to stay away from them.

Away from civilization, though, is a harsh, harsh world. Kobolds, and occasionally other cave horrors, continually harass Grelòtis Rinde, which is now the only Dwarven city that still belongs to Dwarves (there were others, but they have long since fallen). Following the edge of land south from Corwyl leads to the Marshes of Mire; trying to walk through them would be hard enough even without the monsters, which spring out of the muck and (as far as anyone knows) eat you. The people of Rivershire once tried to look for more space and resources by heading east, through the forested pass between the mountains; they met with heavy resistance from goblins, orcs, and even some wandering ghosts, and now the East Road Project has been abandoned. Even in the plains of the civilized lands, the wildlife are not to be underestimated, because any species that has survived this long has learned to hunt in packs.

The civilized peoples have learned their lesson; expansion leads to death. You, however, are of a different mindset. You start your adventure in the Rivershire Library, the biggest library (of the three that exist) in the Civilized Lands, in response to an ad put out by a rather excitable librarian...

Spoiler: the World Map (click to show/hide)

This is the world as far as "the civilized people" know it. Color generally indicates there's something of interest there. Sorry if it's a little hard to see due to size...
Orange spots depict civilized towns; from north to south they are Grelòtis Rinde, Landsedge, Rivershire, and Corwyl. The red spots are known threats (from north to south, they are the Deep Caves, and the Goblin Forests). The purple spots are the Marshes of Mire. The blue lines are rivers (useful for navigating), and the green spots are the Goblin Forest (which is more interesting than the black-and-white elf forest).
NOTE: this map is NOT to scale, it's a general indicator of direction and environment area and that's about it.