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Hi all and welcome to Skull and Shackles.
It'll be a bit different because this time around we've got the players, and now we need the characters, so you'll have to sort out amongst yourselves who wants to do what to make a rounded party.
I'm pretty easy as far as material goes, anything official Paizo is fine, so CRB, APG, UC, and UM. I'm open to races other then the core, but you have to have a decent back-story.
20 point buy, max starting gold, 2 traits, one of them campaign.
Also, no Paladins (I know, this one is pretty obvious, but still...) All of you are assumed to want to become Pirates of some form or another, this doesn't mean evil, it does however make lawful hard, unless you can convince me that they follow the pirates code etc. You can be a good pirate ;)
The campaign will start with you all being press-ganged, you may or may not know each other, that's up to you, but you will all have been in the same inn on the same night in the same town. All your equipment will be confiscated, but buy it anyway, because it will be stashed on the ship.
Hmmm, I shall mull.
Toying with Gunslinger, Sorceror, Antipaladin, and Ranger. Leaning toward gunslinger the most at the moment but I've got an interesting idea for each of the others, the Antipaladin maybe the most in depth of them right now.
Starting at level 1 yes? I'm thinking Rogue or Alchemist.
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lvl 1, yes. Gunslinger would present some challenges, specifically you being at sea for potentially long periods of time (this can vary), and gunpowder isn't readily available. That being said, the Shackles would probably be one of the better places in Golarion to try by gunpowder, so I can definitely make it work for you if you decide to go down that path.
I'm fine with the Class Archetypes as well, if anyone is interested, and also alternative racial traits.
I'm thinking of playing an Oracle of Besmara with the Wind Revelation. Probably taking the Legalistic curse, because I love its flavor for a pirate! Might go dual cursed so I can have a peg leg!
I think there's a campaign trait for a peg leg actually.
I recall seeing that, but I think I'd rather use my curse for it rather than a trait. I'm thinking dual cursed lame and legalistic with the Wind Mystery, which makes sense to me for Besmara since the Shackles Pirates are so tied with the Eye of Adebago (sp?) and use it to protect themselves, etc.
I'm thinking of going with a woman, but I'm running a few too many human - every character I am currently running is human! Maybe a half elf, or a tiefling? Hmmm, yeah tiefling maybe.
Would you allow me to take Fiendish Heritage? I'm dying to try my luck on that table, though chances are you are not going to get something worth a feat there are some doozies on there.
I don'y have any real preference for class, I'll just fill whatever void is left after drawesome and almagafor decide their's.
I'm hoping to be able to select the actual race and just roll on the abilities table caffeine addict. Its not really viable otherwise as I could end up with stat adjustments wholly unsuited for an Oracle, -2 Charisma crops up on several options.
Benefit: Your fiendish bloodline proves particularly strong, being tied to a specific race of fiends. Rather than taking a tiefling’s usual racial ability modifiers, [b]choose one of the tiefling heritages presented on Table: Variant Tiefling Heritages.
The feat text says you can choose, but there is a bit later on that mentions DMs, "might grant their tiefling NPCs or players variant ability modifiers based on their foul ancestries. At the GM’s choice, such heritages might be determined deliberately or randomly".
So its the d100s I'll be rolling, for the Variant Tiefling Abilities table. I'll go with a different race if I need to random roll for the bloodline rather than risk loosing charisma.
= +2 on saving throws vs nausea - bleugh.
= All round vision, pretty cool.
= burrow through dirt, sand, and loose ground at a rate of 5 feet per round.
Definetly all round vision easiest to work in RP wise and though my PCs hardly ever seem to get flanked I suppose it could come in handy.
So I'm looking at a female Rakshasa Spawn tiefling with the alternate racial traits prehensile tail - a panther tail, only better - and beguiling liar. Going dual cursed oracle with the wind mystery and haunted and legalistic curses.
After reading the Rakshasa fluff I think her parents did something terrible during pregnancy allowing the spirit of a Rakshasa to inhabit their unborn child - they were pirates. When she discovered there was something wrong with her baby, after being clawed from the inside say, her mother got an atonement and attempted to repent. This saved the child, but left the Rakshasa's spirit tethered to the body a largely impotent ghost. She has taken essentially been dealing with a master manipulator for years and as such has a highly developed legal mind constantly wageing a war of promises and lies with her unwelcome passenger. Her all round vision is the result of a deal with the Rakshasa to watch her back - though it would of course have been spelled out in far more florid detail.
OK, I've got an idea for a Lizardfolk (ARG write-up) Ranger. Was considered one of the better warriors of his tribe but the sea has always called to him, Touched by the Sea trait, and had set off on a pilgrimage to the "Mother Ocean", almost made it too, before getting getting jumped by some of the less wise pressgangers, they couldn't very well leave on unconsious lizardman on the docks so the brought him aboard ship and we pick up from there.
http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=415304
Allow me to present Inkarus Mudd.
I still need to finish getting items, but let me know what you think.
So I guess I'll put together a human wizard, most likely a conjurer.
I'm progressing, but find myself wrestling with that 20 point buy - which I like, btw. I kinda wanted her to be able to melee, but think I'm going for more of a skilly caster focused build now. I should have her finished shortly.
Here is Beshra's background, I ended up switching out lame for Blackened, so she is a Dual Cursed Oracle of the Winds with the Blackened and Legalistic curses. Sorry its so long!
Beshra grew up in Port Peril, under the care of a resentful mother who beat and verbally abused her - but loved her fiercely. Her mother was nominally a barmaid, but had begun to take men into her bed for coin, and it was only after she was murdered by one such man that Beshra discovered her past.
Going through her mother's possessions she found wanted posters, and mementos for the Pirate Captain, Cutthroat Catelyn. And another poster torn and crumpled depicting the notorious reaver Johnathan Sweet, known throughout the sea as Bloody Bleak, Captain of the Crimson Guillotine.
Seventeen years old Beshra sought out Captain Bleak, asking about for his wherabouts, leaving the tiny apartment she and her mother had shared with their scant few valuables. A day later she awoke, in a filthy bed in a cheap dockside Inn, to find a dagger at her throat and a fearsome white haired woman studying her intently. This was the Priestess Kerith Windblown, her mother's former first mate and servant of Besmara the Pirate Goddess.
Kerith told her how they had been captured by Bloody Bleak, and how after he stole all their plunder the Captains began a torried, on again love affair. Sweet had two demonic cat headed advisors, creatures called Rakshasas who worked fell sorceries on his behalf, but Captain Catelyn managed to slay one of the monsters in their initial clash.
When Cutthroat Catelyn discovered she was pregnant Sweet seemed please, and immediately set out to sea. His reaving became worse than ever seemingly more focused upon butchery than plunder, he began sending plague ships into smaller ports, and torturing victims for weeks before killing them. As news of his evil deeds got back to her even Captain Cutthroat was horrified, and she began to notice something terrible happening to the child in her womb, it seemed to have claws and she could feel a malevolent presence.
Catelyn visited a Priestess of Iomedae who told her her unborn child was possessed, acting as a vessel for the return of a Rakshasa. Great evil done by the parents of a babe during pregnancy allowed the creature in the Priestess explained, and the only way to counter it was for her to atone for her sins and try to become good. So Cutthroat Catelyn gave up her ship, her plundered riches, and her name for her child and fled into obscurity spending the next five years living in a temple of Iomedae as a servant. After five years she was asked to leave after having seduced a half dozen priests and acolytes.
Beshra was born wrong, her eyes were distinctly feline, and the tops of her ears extended catlike covered in soft black fur. Worst of all she had a panther's tail. Even so she was a beautiful babe, her oddities making her exotic as much as frightening.
She has always been aware of an alien presence dwelling within her, the impotent trapped soul of the Rakshasa Tharash. Over the years the two have reached an uneasy compromise, rather than engaging in an eternal struggle for control Beshra they would make a series of deals, whenever Beshra needed access to the Rakshasa's knowledge or to be able to read the thoughts of those around her Tharash would exat a promise in exchange, usually for some minor evil deed, or for her to stop praying to Iomedae, which was pretty dull anyway.
Upon her thirteenth birthday the Rakshasa exacted a promise that she would drink a bottle of rum, from the tavern her mother now worked at. Curious anyway, she happily agreed, and once she was half way through the bottle the Tharash's offer to let her use his ability to detect thoughts once a day in exchange for letting him have control of her body until dawn seemed more than reasonable, especially when he said that she need only, "say the word," and he would return control sooner.
The Rakshasa killed a dozen people, snatching laying about him with magical flames and snatching up a sword as he sought out the woman who had slain him, and then trapped him - her mother. But despite her years of exile from the seas Cutthroat Catelyn was no easy foe, she battled Tharash in the tavern even as his magics turned the tavern into a blazing inferno. Finally she mamanged to wrestle her daughter's slighter frame to the ground, apologize and force her hands into the flame. She held them there for long minutes until the Rakshasa's unholy resistance to flame was overcome and the skin began to blacken and char.
Beshra who had been wailing impotently in her own mind the entire time, her drunken stupor swiftly faded, finally had the chance - with the Rakasha reeling in agony - to rasp, "the word." And she was in control of herself once more, her arms blackened ruins as her mother dragged her from the burning wreckage.
After the fire her mother watched her with constant suspicion, and even though she understood it, and could feel Tharash watching with hate from her eyes, she began to avoid her mother as much as possible. Then she found her dead and could no believe how she had treated the woman who had done and given up so much for her. Then Tharash pounced upon her weakness once again and offered her the name of her mothers murderer if she would agree to become a Pirate. She agreed.
But knowing she was not ready, and that with her ruined hands she would never wield a cutlass like her mother she asked Kerith to teach her to become a Priestess of Besmara. Kerith's methods proved unsuitable, but Beshra seemed to find an instant conenction with the Pirate Queen goddess, as soon as she entered her shrine. She spent a few years learning with Kerith and then set out seeking a berth from which to begin her rise.
I'll be taking the misfortune revelation, which means as long as you are within 30 feet of Beshara she can grant you a d20 reroll once a day as an immediate action - an immediate action for Beshra. Its called misfortune because she can also use it on the badguys, oh did you just roll a nat 20 to hit buddy - I don't think so! Once a day per character, and she can't use it on herself, but still great.
It's getting there.
I've decided to make Barnabas middle aged. I like the idea of him being an old salt that is going to be super offended by getting press-ganged like some land-lubber.
Coming along, held up mostly by writing backstory. I'm on second draft and still not happy with it. Playing around with numbers a bit, seeing what works for concept, second trait is kind of difficult to pin down, etc.
Beshra should be complete, she really is not a melee combat type, her base to hit with a melee weapon is -6. She has a decent AC though, Misfortune should come in very handy, her 1st level spells known are burning hands, cure light wounds, and command. She's also a damn good liar +13 to bluff if she is lying, and a decent diplomat +8. She's carrying a few vials of acid for her no spellcasting options, and a dagger - for flanking.
Oops sorry, I had the character created for a level 3 campaign, I need to edit that, but I'll post soon.
Almost done, have created alias even (usually the last thing I do). I should have it up tonight or tomorrow morning if I have a break at work.
Question: Using the basic write-up from ARG for lizardfolk I get claws, bite, Nat armor +1, swim, and Str and Con +2 for a total of 8rp, slightly below the average for PC races. I'm envisioning this guy being from a tribe of jungle dwellers and would be curious if you would allow me to add low-light vision (representing adaptation to rainforest/jungle twilight) and plague-born (for resistance to all those lovely thing in said enviroment that want to kill you) worth 2rp combined. Wouldn't mind losing the Nat Armor if you think it would be unbalancing.
OK, I think I'm all done except for equipment. I decided to give Barnabas a Peg leg, though not the trait one. It's what precipitated his sudden interest in the mystical arts at his age. Also he's a pirate, so thematically it's awesome.
Is it ok to use starting gold for scribing scrolls or buying spells?
I was already playing a catgirl with had burned hands and a prehensile tail and the ability to read minds, so I thought a peg leg would be greedy ;) Though of course you are completely right about their awesomness.
Right where are we at? Looks like we have two characters ready to go. So we need drawesome and Almagfor to complete, please hurry them along guys.
So I just spent about an hour typing and lost the info on the profile when I submited :(, I'm going to see if I can get it done at work tomorrow.
Slissk up.
Woot, really excited to be underway. I'll PM drawesome to ensure he knows we've begun.
Sorry for the delay all... had some issues, but I'm back.
Poke...?