CATHBADH'S AXE

[Random_White_Guy]

After doing an awful lot of word of mouth recruiting and more casual IC recruitment based on schemes, plots, interactions and similar I thought it was time to finally throw this on up here.

The short of it is: Cathbadh's Axe is an endeavor to see the Dark Lake once more proliferated with Pirates. Valkur has fallen silent and with it alongside the deconstruction of the world's nations a Golden Age of Privateering has come. The idea is basically sea-based mercenaries and mischief makers. The basic philosophy when I was tacking together this concept was: A pirate is someone who steals and pillages ships. A Privateer is someone who is hired to do so often times employed by monarchs and official forces for less savory work. In this instance as it isn't a spoiler that has primarily been walking the delicate line between working for the Red Guild and Upper Sanctuary as expendable hands in the expanding dark lake in classic privateer style while at the same time operating alongside the Cults of Lower in their Cult War and similar pursuits, gangs and otherwise.

The longer story is a lot more complicated with a lot of twists and turns, mystery and a fairly long term plot for PCs to pursue if things can come to fruition.

Getting to the juicy bits though:

This is NOT solely an effort for Garagosian PCs, though characters of those inclinations wouldn't be shunned and my PC pushing the endeavor is very, very garagosian. This is a concept which has been worked by different PCs in different angles to get a network established for mercenary work spanning a number of PC driven plots and aid in DM plots. While it isn't something I'm quick to put out there a mercenary company is a great way for a new PC to quickly get their footing, supplies, a few levels under their belt and more as just a natural part of the roleplaying of the job.

That being said however I would really like to keep things from getting too heavily emphasized on questing along the way. Mercenary efforts in the past have kind of fallen apart when this becomes something a lot of PCs happen to focus upon and to me that's not something I'd like to see. PC bodyguard work, smuggling for merchants, and a wide variety of other PC to PC interactions we've been undertaking job was thus far.  Plenty of room for expansion for bounty hunters, cut-throats, thieves, and more as Privateering is basically hired crime with a twist.

Alignment: Non-lawful preferable but nothing is impossible

Class: I'd be quick to say only Non-Druids but If you can find a way to make an Umberlee/Water/Talos style Druid work with a philosophy that promotes anarchy on the waves then more power to you we sure won't turn you away from the crew.

Race: Monsters Welcome though IC tension and potential PvP from other members always a possibility. That's just part of both Monster and Privateer life.

Upper, Lower, and Nature PCs welcomed. Not every PC will be involved everywhere but I've been trying to take a lot of steps to set a nice base work for for the ability to accommodate a lot of PC styles. Not every PC will always get along either and PvP among the faction is something that has been threatened among past members.

This is going to be a loosely organized effort but the hope is we can bring some good help to PCs in need of pushing their plots for a price, run around the Dark Lake fighting monsters and raising hell and ultimately attempt to change the server for the better.

Newer Players to EFU are welcomed if they wish to see the side of the server beyond Dunwarren.

#Cathbadh on IRC

[grumpy]

I, having no conflicts of interest, highly endorse this effort  Come join the fun.

[Random_White_Guy]

In a new enterprise I want to try and break the typical model of priesthood on EFU.

While we don't have a vessel yet IG many steps are being taken to secure one and such a thing lends some potentially fun opportunities for priests.

EFU has this stigma around priests who just grind quests and don't do much prayer. An understandable concern but at times it leads to overcompensation in which PCs are ground to the bone trying to hustle for converts and raise tithes to rent a shrine which can be pretty grueling. So much so that a lot of veterans and cool people on EFU outright avoid the Cleric class because of these "Expectations".

The traditional model of faith in EFU presents a double edged sword. [INDENT]It allows for instant unity of purpose and faith
It allows for instant conflict with rivals
It allows for factions to form around dogmatic goals[/INDENT] However  [INDENT]It causes a very swift othering of the entire playerbase which can lead to irritating lonely or fringe RP
It causes an expectation of "Faction Leadership" upon a player of a cleric which some people aren't okay with
It causes an instant amount of pressure to try and push the dogma of a faith and get conversions on a server where hands down the conversion rate is almost non existent.[/INDENT] In this I'd like to try and use my current faction as an experiment of sorts to try and bring out other aspects of faith. One of my favorite types of clerics in EFU which is modeled often in other games is the idea of the Wandering Priest. Religion is a journey and along that journey you make both friends and enemies and those who are both of your faith and beyond it. Everything from the likes of Durance in Pillars of Eternity to more classical D&D Preacher roles these offer a lot of fun RP and interaction but overall are very difficult to pull off in the PW sense.

With the expansion of EFU and the cultivation of other settlements (Mouldercrest for example having the Mound Shop, the treatise with Mulutakt, etc) I'd like to try and spearhead an effort for Wandering Priest to become a reality. Beyond the idea of just rolling with a mercenary crew and questing I want to create a type of religious and clerical experience in the RP setting where PCs aren't thrust into leadership roles, they aren't burdened with the expectation of converts and they aren't so compelled to try and "ERECT A SHRINE OR TEMPLE AND BECOME ITS MASTER".

Otherwise great clerics I have seen shelved in the past because they got so hamstrung into the standard EFU model of shrine/temple/Hub play.

So here's a short list of deities and ideas off the top of my head but anything in a similar vein entirely possible.

• A priest of Shaundakul, hired onto the Crew to ensure favorable waves for a share of profit and relics and a chance to draft an entire map of the Dark Lake for the House of Knowledge

• A priest of Umberlee or Sekolah hired onto the crew to tame sea beasts, brave the elements topside fending off borders with fierce tempests in exchange for blood sacrifice to her Sea-Beast pets who aid us in battles

• A priest of Ilmater serving as Crew Doctor raising a fuss when the mercenaries get too malicious in their trade but in exchange for protection and funds of the New Beacon of lower sets sail

• A priest of Helm who takes over a role as protector of a community of sailors espousing watch-dog style tactics to make sure they're safe from their own mischief often muttering of his never ending struggle.

• A priest of Tyche who turns her quarters into a gambling hall for dice, liquors, and amusement while stuck at sea or docked on land in exchange for the Pirates hard earned profits

• A priest of Mask who operates a shushed black market trade offering sundry and bringing in smuggling contracts in exchange for a cut from the Crew

• A priest of Tyr serving as a Mediator and Drill-Sergeant/Man at Arms ensuring the greedy bastards can be in tip-top shape for the next Boarding Party in exchange for first choice of all weapons found and settling crew disputes with naval justice aka THE PIRATES CODE

• A Priest of Mystryl who uses magic brooms and dustpans to serve as janitor in exchange for a place he may preach his faith without the dreary and unimaginative gloom of the Spellguard weighing him down

EFU is a POLYTHIESTIC setting not a MONOTHIESTIC and while Cult Wars are fun and PCs have in the past had a great deal of success with old style team ups like the "Triad" of faiths I believe in the setting of EFU:R there's the potential for a lot of cool styles of Priests that operate in many forms. Not every priest needs to man a temple and shout from the mountains his god's splendor and in EFU when conversions are so hard it's okay to develop other goals besides such things.

A wandering priest preying on the necessity of mercenaries in exchange for goods, services or otherwise to bolster the faith I think perfectly viable on EFU.

IC information

Feel free to stop by #Cathbadh if you have an existing PC you could find answering this flier or if you have a new PC in mind.

[Random_White_Guy]

Just bumping this since the crew's growing. Due to the new forum system we're unable to get a PC faction forum so feel free to join #Cathbadh on IRC to keep in touch as things keep developing.

New concepts or existing concepts as always are welcomed.

[Random_White_Guy]

As fair warning- with the holiday approaching I'm going to be leaving in around 6-7 days for a few weeks and then my playtime reduced when I get back.

The faction though is alive and bumping and we're taking steps to see more people rise as bosses leading their own independent factions within the umbrella of Cathbadh's Axe like a proper mercenary crew. Some crewmen specialize in their own projects and activities.

A number of opportunities for PCs ranging from exploration expeditions and mining works, more traditional style Mercenary work and men-at-arms type activities, Arcane focused PCs and even more shady activities. Each little subdivision of the Faction has a crewman serving as a potential master of their skill or trade for various crewmembers who want to take on more apprentice style roles under them. This is a good opportunity for anyone making a new PC and wanting instant involvement or for newer players who are interested in a more in-depth view into PC factions on EFU.

Existing and new concepts alike welcomed.

As always feel free to drop by #Cathbadh on IRC for questions/etc

[grumpy]

We lost RwG, but we all saw it coming and contingency plans were made.

Join up and shape the future of Cathbadh's axe.   All sorts of seedy concepts are viable, roll something fun.  If you fancy leading the faction as Captain and taking it in your own direction, then now is the time!

Drop by our IRC channel on Cathbadh for questions and discussion.

[el groso]

In any Metaplot there is always room for at least 1 PC faction (at times, even a couple), usually of the Mercenary type. As of now, this one is filling the gap and doing well on it, with the plus that we are to be a seedy/scummy/monster filled Pirate Crew for the darklake, with the guise of formal "Privateers". So now with more room to be shaped in various directions, with the OOC idea of a PC gathering that serves as stepping stones for PC or Factions goals (and maybe obstacle for others), we are always in the "recruiting" with most various openings, and a new captain should rise soon. A boat is also in the works, rather closer now, should we keep on active.