Horror Western - two players only

Starting a PBP along the lines of Korean manga Priest and upcoming Xbox game Darkwatch.

Two characters: One guy is a Hunter of the Dead sort, slaying undead and other beasties that roam the New West. The other is a 'sidekick'. Less powerful but plays off the main character.

Rules are basically D20 Modern, though I'm still looking at a good Western ruleset and combine it with some Arcane elements. However, as in most PBPs, rules are more of a guideline.

(These stats are a guideline)
Main character: 5th level, 32 point buy.
Secondary: 3rd level, 28 point buy.

Taking applicants. Should be able to post every day. If you're interested, just come out with a description and background for your characters.

Characters will be chosen not on a first come first served basis, but by quality of submission.

I'd be interested in playing the main character. I haven't seen the manga Priest, but just the word is probably what's conjuring up this character concept for me. He's known as The Priest. He's a former bandit/gunslinger, as bad as they come. A murderer and a thief, and all for money, glory and respect. But his victims start coming back as vengeful undead. He repents, becomes a priest, and wanders the earth as a hunter of the undead. He realizes no matter how many undead he destroys, it will not be enough to atone for his past sins. He is deeply troubled, sad and melancholy.

Not sure how the sidekick would fit in. Maybe an eager kid with dreams of his own of becoming a famous gunslinger, who recognizes the Priest and follows him, hoping to learn from him?

Edit: don't want to build until I learn more about the game, but to fit in with the western setting, probably fast hero 3/gunslinger 2

Edit: or maybe shadow slayer if its in keeping with the setting

Jianna, human female Charismatic 2 / Half Celestial 1

Jianna
Human female Charismatic Hero 2 / Half Celestial 1.

Note: Half Celestial level to come.

Str 10 (+0) [2 points]
Dex 13 (+1) [5 points]
Con 12 (+1) [4 points]
Int 13 (+1) [5 points]
Wis 12 (+1) [4 points]
Cha 15 (+2) [8 points]

Initiative +1 .................... [+1 dex]
Action Points 22 ................. [5 + 6]*2

Hit Dice 2d6+2 (hp ??)
Base Attack Bonus +1
* longsword +1 melee (1d8, 19x2, Slashing)
* pistol +2 range (2d6, 20, 40 ft., S, 6 cyl.)
* rifle +2 range (2d10, 20, 90 ft., S, 15 int.)

Defense 12 ....................... [10, +1 dex, +1 class]

Reputation +1
Wealth Bonus +6 .................. [5 + 1]

Saves:
* Fortitude +3 ................... [+2 base, +1 con]
* Reflex +3 ...................... [+2 base, +1 dex]
* Willpower +1 ................... [+0 base, +1 wis]

Skills:
* Bluff +7 ....................... [5 ranks, +2 cha]
* Diplomacy +7 ................... [5 ranks, +2 cha]
* Gather Info +7 ................. [5 ranks, +2 cha]
* Knowledge
* * (Arcane lore) +4 ............. [3 ranks, +1 int]
* * (Streetwise) +4 .............. [3 ranks, +1 int]
* * (Theology and Philosophy) +4 . [3 ranks, +1 int]
* Ride +6 ........................ [5 ranks, +1 dex]
* Survival +6..................... [5 ranks, +1 wis]
* Read/Write (Arcane)

Feats:
* Personal Firearms Prof ......... [Occupation]
* Simple Weapons Prof ............ [Charismatic 1 bonus]
* Dodge .......................... [L1]
* Anarchic Weapons Prof .......... [L1]
* Agile Riposte .................. [Charismatic 2 bonus]

Talents:
* Fast Talk ...................... [Charismatic 1]

Equipment:

* Strausswerks "Swingblade" (longsword, Medium, 4 lbs.)
A straight slender blade with a minimalist hilt and extended pommel for two handed work. The pommel is wrapped in white canvas. Carried slung from a cross-the-shoulder belt.

* M1849 Dragoon Pistol (.44 cal revolver, Medium, 4 lbs.)
A old heavy Cavalry issue weapon in nickeled steel. Carried in a battered Cavalry holster strapped to a broad leather belt around the waist.

* Henry Repeating Rifle (.444 caliber, Large, 7 lbs.)
Worked with Arcane runes, purpose unknown.

Background:

For as long as she can remember, her family has hunted the forces of darkness. Her father, tacturn, tactical, intractable. Her eldest brother, light and lithe. Her uncle, brave and as brutal as the heavy rifle he weilded. From lamp lit east coast metropolises, to the starlit expanses of the wild west they fought. An endless, silent, unseen war raged in the hours from dusk to dawn. Mostly.

Actually, Jianna knew that they were not really her family. She can't really remember when she first knew, the knowledge just kinda grew in her. She can remember a time before "her brother" arrived. And there have been others. There was a woman, cold and severe, but with a beautiful singing voice. And there was Old Bill, who smelled of pipesmoke, and went out one day and never returned.

And they did not hunt the creatures of the darkness. They were hunted. For years her family (for that is how they always refered to each other, and how she still thought of them, even knowing that it wasn't really true) had hidden the truth from her. For years they had protected her. But last night, one by one, Rath's booming rifle, Derricks flickering blade and her father's arcane hexes were overwhelmed, stilled, silenced by the monstrous thing that came out of the darkness that cloaked the small farm.

Perhaps it if had come alone things would have been different. But with it came shuffling, shambling ragged parodies of people that swept out of the darkness and threw themselves mindlessly at the farm and its defenses.

And Jianna. Jianna. In those dark hours before dawn Jianna should have died. Jianna would have died if Jianna was all that she was. In those dark hours Jianna discovered she was something else. Something else emerged, erupted, exaulted. Divine.

In the grey light of dawn, surrounded by the bodies of her family and the shattered farmhouse she struggles to remember. The memories are fractured and fragmentary. Her mind shys from returning there. Whatever she is, or is becoming, it will have to wait until she can give it her attention. For right now she has to bury the bodies of the only family she has ever known, and then get the hell out of here. The sun is approaching its zenith as she hammers in the last cross. Words fail her, so she just stands in silence, tears streaming down her face.

She gathers up what little remains of her family's possessions; her uncle's rifle, her brother's blade, her father's pistol, and his journal (incomprehensible, but holding the key Jianna believes). The last of the water is used to sluice away the sweat and dust.

She is dressed once more in her favoured baggy canvas pants (belted at the waist with her father's Cavalry belt, holster and horse pistol), warm woollen jacket, and poncho (under which, across her chest, is slung her brother's belt and longsword) and battered hat, pulled low. Her long hair is bound in a thick braid that hangs to her waist.

Mounting "the horse", she sets off west - chasing the day or fleeing the approaching night she is not really sure.

Pale Rider

This might be overly obvious, but you guys should all see Pale Rider (Clint Eastwood 1985) before you start. It's not his best movie or anything, but he <i>is</i> an ex-gunfighter known as "The Preacher". I'm sure plenty of the american comics of this genre owe plenty to that movie which in turn owes all of its stuff to Shane (1953).

I'll look forward to reading your story when it gets going.
-d

Hmm silent and doghead doesn't sound too bad. Jenna might be the more diplomatic and cheery one, which would be a good contrast.

Rules will be loose anyway. You can start generating your characters using Modern D20 rules. The Priest will have powers as per a 5th level Paladin (Aura of Good/Detect Evil/1st level Spells etc) and do additional damage against undead equivalent to character level.

And you two haven't yet met up. The first ep starts in a town where Jenna stumbles into after her family's farm gets burnt down by bandits. Fates throw her and the priest together...

Cool. I will start building a char

Do the paladin abilities include Archaic Weapon Proficiency and Armor Proficiency? I'm assuming it does but I want to check. I'm working on a Strong Hero 3/Shadow Slayer 2. There is some overlap in Shadow Slayer and Paladin but I think it fits the concept. He's going to have a decent Charisma (got to take advantage of the Paladin abilities), but he won't be diplomatic at all. From Occupation Adventurer he's picking up Bluff and Intimidate as permanent class skills.

Yeap for Archaic, but not much Armor around, and it's too darn hot! Just look to the classes as a general guideline for abilities, rather than a straitjacket. So if you want to get creative, go ahead.

For Jenna, she has a gun (pistol or rifle, your choice) inherited from her folks that has all kinds of weird arcane symbols on them. She never figured out what they were, as her pa and brothers never bothered to tell her.

----------

The Priest

Dressed in a black leather, the Priest scowls as he passes. On his weapons belt are two pistols, a longsword and 5 grenades. Slung over his shoulder is a bag (with three sticks of TNT).

The Priest is hunting. This is his element, he is more at ease out here than in civilization. When he needs to interact with the civilized living, he'll conceal some of his smaller weapons under his long coat, and stash the rest of his weapons in his bag, which he always carries with him.

----------

Everything here is just a general guideline.

Some notes:
- Still need to work on background and description.
- Not sure what pistols to use, I picked two six-shooter revolvers that look like they're from the old West.
- I thought about getting speed loaders, but that didn't seem to fit with the Western campaign.
- I added a hatchet so he can fight with two weapons, if that's alright.
- Switched some skills around to get ride.
- Added franks and beans, coffee, and some Western style stuff just for fun.
- Used d&d weights for trail rations (heavier) - this world is sort of like the Wild West, right?
- Combined a leather jacket and over coat for +1 armor, weight 7 lbs if that's ok. otherwise they're two separate items.

Edit: Edited skills - took ride as permanent class skill instead of intimidate. Intimidate is a shadow slayer skill. Maxed ranks in intimidate, reduced ranks in bluff.
Edit: Switched some feats, lost defensive martial arts and power attack, gained combat martial arts and improved initiative

----------

Priest
Strong Hero 3/Shadow Slayer 2
Str 14 [6 pt.]
Dex 14 [6 pt.]
Con 12 [4 pt.]
Int 10 [2 pt.]
Wis 14 [6 pt.]
Cha 16 [8 pt. +1 level]

Init +6
BAB +5 [+3 Strong Hero, +2 Shadow Slayer]
Grapple +7
Fort +8 [+2 Strong Hero, +2 Shadow Slayer, +1 Con, +3 Cha]
Ref +8 [+1 Strong Hero, +2 Shadow Slayer, +2 Dex, +3 Cha]
Will +8 [+1 Strong Hero, +2 Shadow Slayer, +2 Wis, +3 Cha]
Defense 16, Touch 15 [10 +2 Dex, +2 Strong Hero, +1 Shadow Slayer, +1 armor]
Reputation +0 [+0 Strong Hero, +0 Shadow Slayer]
Action Points: 16

Attack:
+8 melee (1d8+5/19-20, Longsword)
+8 ranged (2d8, S&W M29)
+8 ranged (4d6, Fragmentation grenade)

Full Attack:
+6 melee (1d8+4/19-20, Longsword) and +6 melee (1d6+3, Hatchet)
+6 melee (1d4+4, Unarmed) and +6 melee (1d4+3, Unarmed)
+6 ranged (2d8, S&W M29) and +6 ranged (2d6, Ruger Service-Six)
+6/+6 ranged (4d6, Fragmentation grenade)

HD 5d8+5
HP 31 [assuming max at 1st, avg after that]

Skills Ranks: 3x8=24

Skills:
Bluff +7 [4 ranks +3 Cha]
Intimidate +11 [8 ranks +3 Cha]
Jump +4 [2 ranks +2 Str]
Listen +4 [2 ranks +2 Wis]
Ride +8 [6 ranks +2 Dex]
Sense Motive +4 [2 ranks +2 Wis]
Spot +4 [2 ranks +2 Wis]

Feats: Archaic Weapons Proficiency, Combat Martial Arts, Improved Initiative, Personal Firearms Proficiency, Quick Draw, Simple Weapons Proficiency, Two-Weapon Fighting

Abilities:
Melee Smash (+1 melee damage)
Improved Melee Smash (+1 melee damage)
Detect Shadow
Shadow Immunity 1 [1/2 Shadow Slayer level]

Paladin Abilities (as 5th level Paladin): Aura of good, detect evil (undead and demons), divine grace, lay on hands, aura of courage, divine health, turn undead, smite evil 2/day. special mount, Archaic Weapon Proficiency, Armor Proficiency, (although there isn't any armor around). Also does additional damage against undead equivalent to character level.

Height: 6'2"
Weight: 200 lb

Posessions:
Longsword [4 lb]
Hatchet [4 lb]
S&W M29 (.44 magnum revolver) [3 lb]
Ruger Service-Six (.38S revolver) [2 lb]
Ammo (.44 caliber) (50) [1 lb]
Ammo (.38 special) (50) [1 lb]
Fragmentation grenade (5) [5 lb]
Oversized Range pack, slung over shoulder [3 lb]
- Dynamite (3) [3 lb]
- Bible (big leather-bound) [3 lb]
Hip Holsters (2) [2 lb]
Priest's Outfit
Leather Overcoat [7 lb]

Weight: 38 lb
Max Weight: 58/116/175

On Hammer
Bit and bridle [1 lb]
Saddle [25 lb]
Saddlebags [8 lb]
- Rope (150 ft) [12 lb]
- Sleeping bag [4 lb]
- Tent [20 lb]
- Trail rations (jerky) (7 days) [7 lb]
- Canteen [4 lb]
- Portable stove [1 lb]
- Mess kit [1 lb]
- Franks and beans and coffee! [5 lb]
- Flint and Steel [- lb]
- Matches (tindertwigs) x10 [- lb]
- Hooded lantern [3 lb]
- Oil x3 [3 lb]
The Priest [200 lb]
Priest's Gear [38 lb]

Weight: 333 lb
Max Weight: 350/700/1050


Hammer, Heavy War Horse Mount: Large Animal; HD 6d8+18; hp 45; Init +1; Spd 50 ft.; AC 18 (-1 size, +1 Dex, +8 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 17; BAB +4; Grp +12; Atk +7 melee (1d6+4, hoof); Full Atk +7 melee (1d6+4, 2 hooves) and +2 melee (1d4+2, bite); Face: 10 ft.; SQ Empathic link, improved evasion, low-light vision, scent, share spells, share saving throws; AL N; SV Fort +8, Ref +6, Will +4; Str 19, Dex 13, Con 17, Int 6, Wis 13, Cha 6.
Skills: Listen +6, Spot +5
Feats: Endurance, Fleet of Foot, Run.

----------

1. Level 1: Improved Initiative, Two-Weapon Fighting
Occupation Adventurer: Personal Firearms Proficiency, Permanent class skills: Bluff, Ride. Wealth Bonus Increase +1
Strong Hero 1: Simple Weapons Proficiency, Melee Smash (+1 melee damage)
2. Strong Hero 2: Combat Martial Arts
3. Level 3: Quick Draw
Strong Hero 3: Improved Melee Smash (+1 melee damage)
4. Shadow Slayer 1: Detect Shadow
5. Shadow Slayer 2: Shadow Immunity 1 [1/2 Shadow Slayer level]

Yeap he has a horse. I think he can cut down on the weapons; two pistols, a longsword and 5 grenades, with three sticks of TNT. I assume he has a bible somewhere, and a waterskin.

Some added background would be good. What's he doing in the West? What country was he or his ancestors from? What's his connection to the church? Why is he called a priest? What is he looking for really? Does he work for money? What was his history before wandering the West? Eyes, hair colour, height and weight would also be good.

When the game begins, he hasn't met up with Jenna yet.

Writing should be in third person, with italics for game rules. Style should be pulp gothic western, whatever that means.

You can double your action points, which will give you more leeway for heroic actions.

Also for Detect Evil, it only works for undead creatures or demons, those that are actually linked to magical/demonic forces. Humans rarely ever detect as evil, unless they're truly nasty or have sold part of their souls.