Is this closed for recruiting? I would be interested in getting involved if it's not, and if it is then may I watch the games? It's a very interesting campaign you have here.

Well, if we went with a higher level, then we wouldn't need to modify the Mage, we'd use it straight out of the box. And if we did fourth level, then Sebadias, you'd be a third level whatever due to being a Goliath.

Like I said, I raised the issue before when we were doing the mage conversion, and everyone said they wanted to start lower. But then again, this is up to majority vote, and if you've collectively changed your minds, then we'll go for it. I was originally okay with raising the starting level, if it meant folks could choose some other races (up to four HD, three if you want a class level).

Rawrimaviking...ummm...well...Here's the thing. We were looking for 5 or 6 players. I know we have 4, and we may have as many as 8 or 10. I reeally have been thinking of setting up a waiting list. I won't do that yet, and here's the reason: Some of those potential players have not contacted me in any fashion (and I don't have email addresses or anything) since our first meet. So, what will happen is we'll meet for our regular first session, (either the 19th or the 26th, I'll let you know for sure) and I'll see who shows up and assign our extra slots then. So plan on showing up for our first session at a minimum.

This is a long way off from just a week or so ago when I thought the idea was going to dry up and vanish!

In addition, I forgot the possibilities of playing Mercs. that could also explain our previously having met, and being somewhat familiar. It also allows for new units to be formed (ours), since that happens in merc companies as well. Merc would have the advantage of being able to play all sides, as opposed to just one.

Of course we could be mercs under a mercantile disguise...

Great, happy that the race will work out... still out on the class yet, but expect some melee from me. As far as the level thing goes, I am kinda on the fence about it all... I don't really care where we start at, I have started campaigns at various levels, so I'm in on whatever we have decided. I will let you know my class decision in a few days (need some more time to weigh options).

Alright, I'll convert the mage back to normal then.

For hit dice, do I take one dice as max and roll the others as if I really did have 4 levels instead of one?

I'll keep the level 1 build character sheet in case we change our minds again or something. XD

Also, do I keep EVERYTHING the same? Including extra ability points and defense points and what not? That would probably make up for my lack of spell components. I can get creative with making low-cost spells and save my experiments for later. Also, I'd no longer be pressured to convert to purely long range casting because of the incredibly low defense I had earlier.

Does this change starting money and stuff?

Oh! And I was wondering if there was a list of useful languages I should look into since I get at least 4 bonus languages on top of Elven and Common. I'm thinking of going into dwarven, due to your most recent setting updates, but that still leaves 3 or more.

(Also I'm setting up a room on OpenRPG so we can talk there. Tolen can just come tell us when he's on and make a new room or something.)

Yes, one die max, the others rolled. Keep everything as described under the Mage (but keep the bonus to int as we described before, it still replaces the +2 to any score the humans and half elves get).

This will of necessity change my recent ruling on special items as well. Since we'll be 4th level, we'll have more money to start with. Therefore, it'll be 6,000 gold. That opens up a few options. You can discount the cost of a basic weapon from the cost of a magic weapon, same goes for armor (since I was going to give you those for free). After this, though, everything returns to full price.

As for languages, lets keep it simple: Elven, Dwarven, etc. Every intelligent race has its own language, so Orcish, halfling, gnomish, goliath, etc. The only restriction is that changeling is a secret language.

Also, check out the new campaign pages on my blog...I think you'll like what's there.

Quick questions:

As far as xp progression: Do I gain levels as if I were trying to get level 2 or trying to get level 5? (How much xp do I need to level.)

Besides Dwarven, Elven and common, are there any other languages that would make sense for someone to know or would be particularly useful in the current setting?

What role do dragons play in this? (I'm curious, and I want to know if draconic would be a fun language to pick up.)

Question, now that we are starting fourth level... we had dicussed a slow exp path for me? But since I am only 3rd level are we throwing that out and just putting me on the medium path again?

Pyroth, you would be aiming for level 2.
Sebadias, you are on a normal progression from here on out.

As far as languages go, it is a wide galaxy. Any language could be picked up if you range far enough. Each intelligent race has its own specific language. Common is something like 'Trade Standard.' most people know it because it is a language that developed to encourage trade. It was necessary to enable communication between each of the major empires. There would be at least two elven dialects, one pure elven speech, used by the higher-ups. The other is a lower form that takes words from whatever language it needs. It isn't common, but has a lot of similarities. Call them High Eldan or Low Eldan.

Draconic, Celestial, and Infernal are also possibilities. They are magical languages, and are used to describe mostly the same things. Draconic is pure, and neutral. Most magical texts are written in draconic. It is not called draconic because it originates from dragons, but because of how complex it is. Which makes it perfect for magical studies. Celestial and Infernal are largely considered to be sub-dialects. Celestial is a form reserved for holy texts. At least for Empire-supported religions. Like most religions, a little propaganda goes a long way, and if the texts were written by a pure being in a heavenly language, it must be real. Infernal is just the opposite. It is crude and basic. It has several words that are similar to Celestial words, but it is designed for debauchery. There are some churches out there who believe that worship should be in the form of drunken revelries. In all cases, people who know one of the three 'magic' languages usually learned them later in life, and speak common as well.

Basically, you have to look at what you are trying to accomplish. In religious circles, Draconic might not be much of a faux pas, but Celestial would be the better choice. If the people you are currently associating with seem to be the ale and whores type, and look like they might be contemplating ritual killings, then Infernal might score better.

Let's not get into more dialects than that for now. Lets just say that pirates have a different form of common than most folk, same with merchants. Both of whom travel far and wide. Someone from Terane (Teranian, BTW is an old language, nearly a dead language), speaks common with a decidedly different accent, and different colloquialisms than someone from near the Emypreal border. And someone who lives out near the deadlands sounds different as well. Never mind rural communities removed from spaceports and who thus rarely encounter new words...

As far as dragons themselves go...There are a lot of creatures that have the name dragon. Some (in fact most), are little more than large flying lizards. There are rumours that a few have been encountered that have more than animal intelligence, but those stories have usually come from the mouths of drunks. Or bards.