This is an open thread to discuss the history of the group, which will likely have a more cohesive name; but sufficed for now as the "Crucible". This is your group. The PCs. Your followers are not part of the Crucible, but your cohorts probably are.

This is to help gain connections and preordained attitudes. It's also to prevent problems down the road. Rixthar (my F2F friend) is playing a Dread Necromancer; that will probably be a topic, even if nothing else is.

I'm very indifferent to the group name ATM. CRucuible works if no one has a better name, but unlike the map, (almost) nothing really has that name printed on it, and so whatever group name is chosen will work well. It may, however, be better to discuss the group with this name, rather than nitpick over the name, before we have some history and attitude of the group. So let's just use the Crucible as a placeholder to avoid getting stuck on that, and focus on other choices, relationships, and history.

I like the name Crucible. Perhaps it's so-called because for one reason or another, we have no choice but to co-operate together in restoring Ivost from the sorry state into which it has fallen to a better glory than that from which it has fallen (just as a crucible is used by alchemists to turn base metals into gold)

I like the name as well, as a crucible is a vessel that puts something into great trial and mixes different elements together to create something new. So it can apply to metallurgy but also to people who face hardships in 'crucible' called life and their hardships and experiences reforge and change them to something new.

I also have ideas for a commonly shared background story for the group.

My suggestion is that 'gestalt' status is something not common, but a rare trait in the world. Normally people progress in a power in a standard manner, but gestalts are exceptional geniuses who can master multiple fields at once without loss of progression in another profession. A fighter can be a master sorcerer, a cleric a master rogue, and so forth.

Now, the reason, why we are together, is simple; everyone else is afraid of our powers already at individual levels. Haakon desired to build a dock and settle down from his wild voyages, however, no country, kingdom or king allow him to build a dock. The reason being all these entities fear that the presence of a powerful gestalt person will eclipse or outshine the original authority either intentionally or unintentionally.

The same dilemma is faced by adventurers who had grown powerful in their course of adventures and even defended their kingdom/world against enormous threats. Once the threat is gone, unless you can bind this raw power tightly under command of the ruling caste, the said ruling caste politely offers a remote land for these 'heroes' so they stay away from main areas or capitals so their presence does not disturb the status quo.

This same fear is multiplied against super geniuses like gestalts. As gestalt people can be alienated from regular adventurers because of the gap in power between two people and adventurers may feel outshined by gestalted hero outright and feel less powerful.

So, because of prejudice the group who each had ambitions that needed a city where to work, have come to the ruins of Ivost (with the intent to rebuild and reinhabit it). Either after long attempts to get things done with other kingdoms or headed to Ivost directly, it does not matter. But what matters is that once everyone trickled in, they became aware of each other and knew each other very least reputation if not for past cooperation and encounters.

So as idea members of the group decided to become a council of Ivost and name themselves The Crucible.

In reply to Hathra Bonecrown (msg # 4):

I like this background, quite frankly. The only thing I might add is that perhaps we had to work together to defeat the previous monster who was in control of the city -- perhaps a dragon? At the very last, some experience that has shown that we can work together and trust each other.

How many are we. Could there be nine of us (one for each alignment?) This could again link to the crucible (as alchemical sulphur combines with alchemical quicksilver in one step towards the formation of the Philosopher's Stone).

This does lend itself to gestalt, I agree.

In reply to Maynitra (msg # 5):

Perhaps city's original monster owner was dracolich (with some undead minions as army), which should be challenging for to entire group to defeat.

Well, did we come up together? Or perhaps a subgroup - perhaps adventurers at lower level? Or maybe the remains of several groups? Did we join up later at higher level to face a threat we couldn't handle individually? Or, perhaps the former rulers of this town were a cult or group called the Crucible - shadowy and secret, our group joined together and destroyed or usurped that group and just continued on with the name as though we were the same group even as we took control.

Perhaps each character could be the sole survivor of their original groups, and we formed together at a later stage to form a sort of supergroup? I also like the idea of a dracolich as the enemy we took down to rule the city.

I'd suggest we forge personal connections if it fits, but otherwise we formed together at a later date to defeat the dracolich. Maybe it had undead minions, but there may have been others in the city as well -- some of whom may still be around.

Some of us may be related perhaps, others didn't come together until we descended like locusts on a lovely abandoned city with a plan to explore, capture and rebuild.  It was only when we realised there was a dracolich already there, that we formed the Crucible to destroy it and to take the city.  At that time, we formed more and more unbreakable bonds between ourselvesso that none dare leave and none dare turn on their fellow members.

Ghanek mentioned that he was more of a Harbormaster repairing Ivost's harbor then an admiral. So, was thinking of how we got together and Ivost's current state and came up with this as a possible starting point. In Memory of Denandsor / Shadar Logoth / Moria / Hollowfaust.

Ivost was once a rising power - the Queen of the River. A glittering jewel whose wealth and influence expanded every day as small towns and villages swore alliegence. Fleets of ships patrolled the river that helped make Ivost wealthy and expanded out to protect her merchant fleet upon the seas. Her army grew and patrolled the ever-growing territory of the city. Truly Ivost seemed destined to become the center of a small wealthy empire.

Then one day that all changed. Merchants came no more from Ivost, The Shining City. Those who traveled there were never heard from again. Her fleets and armies marched home only to vanish. Only a few ships and a divison or two of the once vast fleets and armies returned. They said they had been ordered to stay out of the harbor and away from the gates as the rest marched into the city. The gates - both river and land were open. Then they rose and trapped the fleet and army within. Nothing came out and the rest retreated.

The wealth of a nation lay trapped behind the walls and no one knew why. Adventurers came and tried and disappeared. Scrying failed. Nothing was heard from Ivost. Still, it lay on the river and so some sailed past it. The river gates were often lowered and seemed inviting. Those who passed by on land said that sometimes the city gates also stood wide. None who accepted the invitation returned.

So, Ivost became a memory that faded to legend and was more myth then legend when something was noticed. The river gates had been reported closed to every ship that passed by for over three decades. The same with the land gates. Ivost had sealed itself off and no longer welcomed visitors. This stirred an idea. Whatever power had taken Ivost seemed to have entered a slumber and with that slumber there was a chance.

So, a group were gathered. A cunning captain with a ship - one to transport the needed people and bring enough supplies. A mage to defeat any defenses. A cunning researcher to put together the myths and legends, a slimy caster who could slip through places no one else could. Others were included a crafter of magical items, a necromancer able to command an army of expendable minions. Some of these knew each other and suggested others once recruited to the cause - old friends, relatives, comrades, customers, even old enemies were suggested. For the wealth of a kingdom was open to be claimed.

The effort was one of several years as they gathered materials, searched through long forgotten catacombs for any account of Ivost, killed exotic creatures to create undead, researched spells to let them slip through the defenses and probe the slumbering city.

Many died - including the very wizard who had first started to gather the group. Others sruvived, but took some of the wealth and left the city never to return. Others though settled into the city and claimed it as their own.

As for what claimed the before the Crucible? The remaining members do not speak of it and if pressed on the issue deflect the question. Still in private they give each other dark looks and murmur uneasily.

In reply to Vythisk (msg # 12):

I like this as well -- it's actually a very good reason why we'd all be together. Although we ended up joining for treasure/reward, a small group saw the potential within the city itself -- especially given how poorly received we had been in other regions.