DM Barcas - Iron Gods: Unity's Promise (Inactive)

Game Master Isaac Duplechain

"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive." -C. S. Lewis


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Ten Minute background for Yuri:

Five background and concept elements important to Yuri.

1. Yuri is the physical embodiment of decades of preparation utilizing the best training, magical, and alchemical methods available.

2. Yuri has been told from birth that he would represent the nation in an experiment to test out the quality of its warriors. As he was nearing the completion of his training and preparing to assume an identity to go to the mainland the project itself was cancleed. Yuri was never told why.

3. Yuri is loyal to Hermea, but he is more loyal to the Unity Doctrine. For him humanity has the greatest potential of all the races.

4. Yuri is a complete combatant. As comfortable as he is with swords as he is with his fists. He prefers his fists for their reliability. And happily demonstrates why other weapons are unreliable.

5. Yuri is asexual. This is intentional on the part of his trainers as he can't be distracted in combat by sexual desire one way or another. This also proves frustrating as his assigned relationships tend to be brief and mechanical, and he has no sense of shame when it comes to nakedness one way or another.

Two goals that are important to Yuri.

1. Yuri wants to prove himself to his country and his people. But more than that he wishes to prove it to himself.

2. To be the greatest warrior in the world. IF he isn't already.

Two secrets about Yuri, one that he knows, and one that he not yet aware of.

1. Yuri harbors resentment for their dragon ruler. In his mind humans should be ruled and guided by humans. Not some immortal, inhuman, emperor. He has been devoting time considering ways that he might personally take on a dragon should the time come, or perhaps, defect to Rahadoumi.

2. There are some who consider Yuri's existence to be abominable. PArt of the reason the project was ultimately cancelled was the belief a man like Uri was counter to what Hermea stands for. Soem have argued that he's an abomination. Several steps backwards in the direction that Hermea wishes to go. There are a few who have quietly whispered that it may be past time to be rid of him for good before he contaminates HErmeas grand designs.

Four people that are tied to John, three are friends and one is an enemy.

1. Kyra Kyra is Yuri's surgeon and personal physician. She's responsible for Yuri's health and well being. Being devoted to healing she finds Yuri's apparent existence as a living weapon offensive and is unafraid to say so. Still, she secretly harbors desires for him. A fact she would never knowingly share.

2. Malacath Former project head and the councilor responsible for Yuri and all those things associated with the former project. For Malacath Yuri represents a business and resource investment that went bust after decades of development. It was crushing to see his project blackballed after so long. While he knows it's too late to attempt to reopen the project he spends much of his time attempting to repurpose parts of it including promoting the idea of Yuri being an agent of Hermea for those things unsuitable to normal warriors.

3. Kalacent An old soldier and the personal trainer of Yuri. Once regarded as one of the greatest warriors of his generation old injuries and time have relegated him to training the next. Despite himself he sees Yuri as something of a surrogate son and went to great lengths and called many favors to ensure that Yuri might still fulfill his potential in some form or another.

4. Rufius Yuri's greatest opponent may never be anyone he fighs with sword or fist but a politician who uses words and influence. Rufius is a militant pacifist who believes that even the existence of soldiers is an affront to all Hermea stands for. His belief is that if Hermea ever needs to defend itself it is best done through means that do not directly involve human beings. For him Yuri's very existence is a threat to the path for perfection. He openly disdains Yuri in public and relishes in the fact that for all his strength and skill Yuri can do nothing to him without risking everything.

Four memories, mannerisms or quirks Yuri possess.

1. Among Yuri's earliest memories was being given a kitten. After his handlers were sure he became emotionally attached they subjected him to a cruel test wherein he would be forced to choose between slaying the kitten or having both of them die.

2. Yuri enjoys cooking. To him it's a skill worth having. Good food increases morale and excellent nutrition improves the body.

3. Yuri disdains gimmicks in combat. Flashy moves, posing, flourishing, all offend him and he is all too happy to demonstrate the foolishness of such things.

4. Yuri is surprisingly tolerant of other people's failings for his attitude. That is because what he has is not exactly ego but for him a simple statement of fact. When he claims superiority over an opponent it's not arrogance but a truth that the opponent is obligated to disprove. When he fails he takes it harshly as he sees that as a basic failure of his purpose.

There we go.


After some rereading and some reflection, I've redone the part of Jorael's background that concerns his thoughts on Hermean technology to be better suited to the campaign's themes.

Jorael ex-Diocles


Cydrius : Distrust of technology is fine for the story. Probably a wise choice, considering the details of the campaign.

LPMF: Firearms are considered a training tool for high-tech guns. Bows are considered a curiosity and an inferior choice to modern weaponry.

Tarandor: The differences are many, so it won't be a problem.

Enchanter Tim : Males would only know that the conception is successful. The results of the pregnancy would be a total mystery.

Illia-: Hmm. Is she going to be a brawler? Monk? Archer? What is her profession? How does she feel about Hermea? Does she have any doubts? What will her alignment be? How old is she? Did she have to wait as a resident on the list?

TarkXT: What tribe is he in? What could shake his faith in Hermea or the Unity Principle, other than Mengkare's position? Did he have any reservations signing the agreement? Is he aware that despite all his training, there are veteran warriors with more experience who could defeat him?


DM Barcas wrote:


TarkXT: What tribe is he in? What could shake his faith in Hermea or the Unity Principle, other than Mengkare's position? Did he have any reservations signing the agreement? Is he aware that despite all his training, there are veteran warriors with more experience who could defeat him?

1. Looking over them I'd say Epaphras. It's a tribe dedicated to dealing with things outside of Hermea. Whether it's adjusting defenses to deal with potential threats, sending scouts to find potential new citizens, investigating interesting events in the world, collecting "control" samples, or creating new trade agreements during the rare times it's necessary. They are the feelers of the island and more of them go to the mainland than any other.

2. Mengkare's position is the persistent one. What good is a human society if they defer in all things to that which is inhuman? But, one could argue that the project's failure at the hands of squabbling politicians has shaken his faith in the system altogether. The Principle is pure. However selfish humans and arrogant inhumans can still corrupt it. And in his mind have.

3. He quietly wondered what the point was. Why need a written contract for something that is a civic duty? Why a written agreement for a thing that was as deep as blood and bone?

4. Yes, and it also doesn't matter much in his mind. Hermea's foundation is to change, to evolve, to perfect. He knows that he is not the strongest, but he also knows that is simply a matter of time and effort before he surpasses those older than he. Being the best is not about being the strongest, or being the most experienced, but about adapting to any situation given. For a warrior this philosophy becomes even more fatalistic because to fail to change is to die. In truth he only hopes that there may be more like him in the future as that alone would prove his success.


They’ve Given You A Number… And Taken Away Your Name…

Elevator Pitch: Alkaeus are the enforcers of (what they perceive anyway) to be Mengkare’s Will. The enforcers of ideological, biological, and cultural purity.
Crunch: Half-Drow Steel Hound/Infiltrator Investigator

Soractus ex-Alkaeus, Ten Minute Background:

Spoiler:

Five background and concept elements important to Number 64 (AKA Soractus ex-Alkaeus).

1) 64 is an agent of the Aurelian Oculus, one of the five centuries in the Alkaeus tribes charged with keeping the peace in Promise and enforcing the purity of Mengkare’s vision. While the other centuries of Alkaeus are respected, the Oculus is feared. In whispers, members of other tribes refer to them as the Aurelian Shadow, or, more simply The Walls. Oculars are stripped of their name upon achieving citizenship within the Century, and instead issued a number, which is known to, and used exclusively within the Oculus. Oculars take on, and dispose of, other identities on an as needed basis, though they always maintain a (readily disposable) public face.
2) 64 is a Half Drow, born out of a secret breeding program operated by the Alkaeus tribe. A captive Drow woman, held securely in a site outside of Promise, has been used for about a century to breed a new generation of Alkaean agents with heightened senses, a resistance to enchantment, and… other skills. These infants are glamered at birth to hide their heritage, and it is not removed or revealed to them until they gain citizenship with Alkaeus. At this time, they are trained to disguise themselves, and continue to blend in with Hermean society.
3) 64 recently participated in a fairly large scale operation to flush out a small cult of Milani worshippers, led by, of all things, a Legate of the Zyphros Tribe, who had been sabotaging the fields worked by those who would never attain citizenship. 64 was proud of his role in the operation, but is troubled that he never saw any actual evidence of the alleged sabotages.
4) While he’s a talented infiltrator, 64’s primary training is as an interrogator and forensic investigator. He’s rather proud of his ability to get inside of a subject’s head, and pull information out, whether through subtle trickery, overt brandishing of a weapon. He finds torture distasteful, but is familiar with the application of the skill.
5) 64 is a crack shot, and as a child, dreamed of being called to serve with Lucarus. His calling was elsewhere, but he still prides himself on his skill at arms, and trains with his weapon with a vigor unusual for an Ocular, who are not generally expected to engage in direct confrontations.

Two goals that are important to 64.
1) 64 is a True Believer in the Unity Principle and Mengkare’s vision, but his faith in the systems that carry out that vision have been shaken of late. He worries about the recent arrest of several high ranking members of another tribe, and has still not fully integrated an understanding of his own unique parentage into his greater understanding of the Hermean genetic program.
2) 64 has become quite enamored of the life he presently leads as Soractus ex-Alkaeus. He will go to great lengths to maintain the integrity of that identity, and not have his role as an Ocular disclosed, as he has begun to establish friendships that he has no desire to abandon.

Two secrets about 64, one that he knows, and one that he not yet aware of.

1) Unlike other citizens of Promise, 64 knows who his mother is. She is a Drow Priestess, kept caged deep within the Aurelian Hall, headquarters of the Oculus, in a chamber deep below the earth, and warded against the outside. He knows of several other half-drow citizens within his Century as well, and suspects others. He knows that the program is not common knowledge, but doesn’t know how secret it is beyond the Oculus.
2) The Drow-breeding program is, in fact, a pet project of the current Tribune of the Oculus, and is not even known of to the other Alkaeus Tribunes or the Consul. It’s unclear if Mengkare knows, or if he is aware of - or concerned about - the ambitions of the Tribune.

Four people that are tied to 64, three are friends and one is an enemy.
1) Number 29 - AKA Aegedyce ex-Alkaeus, 29 is a half-drow who was elevated to Citizenship alongside 64, and was trained alongside him in the arts of disguise and deception. She is frequently partnered with him for operations, and the two are close friends. While 64 is primarily skilled as an interrogator, 29’s talents tend more towards stealth, scrying, and surveillance. When they say that The Walls have eyes… 29 is them.
2) Lucalino ex-Alkaeus is 64’s nextdoor neighbor in Promise, and is an officer of Mengkare’s Claw, the century of Alkaeus that acts as a more conventional city watch. Luke only knows 64 as Soractus, and believes him to be a recently initiated member of the Claw.
3) Number 6, Legate to 64, and his immediate superior officer. Meticulous, and fanatical, 6 is your prototypical Secret Police Captain, obsessed with the eradication of sedition and the promotion of the party line.
4) Number 1, The current Tribune of the Oculus, harbors ambitions of his own, and is intent on using his feifdom to promote them.

Four memories, mannerisms or quirks 64 possess.
1) 64 is fond of guises with, as he describes it ‘a bit of grit’. He enjoys the way it irritates his more fastidious superior, and believes that by obscuring his features with filth, they become harder to scrutinize.
2) 64 has a limited memory of a childhood in which he was raised as a human boy named Victarion, during which he learned to hunt and shoot and was trained in basic mechanical skills; he occasionally wonders what happens to the other children he was raised among, having been forced to abandon his identity on achieving citizenship.
3) 64 is intensely self conscious about his true appearance. The moment he allows someone to see his true face, even within the Oculus, is the moment he is affirming a very strong bond of trust.
4) 64 occasionally has intense, lucid nightmares set in a city of Drow. He’s not sure what they mean.

I'd appreciate feedback. This is a definite first draft.


Okay. Massively revised, hopefully comprehensible, 10-minute background and elevator pitch below. Any queries, questions, comments, let me know.

The elevator pitch is now in two parts: a Question, and a Proposition.

Question: what good is a Utopia that has no use for Love?

Proposition: in a Utopia, the Overriding Principle of medicine should be "first, do no harm."

10-minute background below (for ease of reference, I've bolded the significantly changed passages)

"Wall-of-text INCOMING!"

10 minute background:

FIVE IMPORTANT CONCEPT AND BACKGROUND ELEMENTS

1) Simeon was born in Hermea and knows no other life. His quick thinking and aptitude for physical endeavours (particularly those requiring finesse over brute force) marked him to be chosen into the Themostila tribe when he passed his Citizenship test (with ease) at 16. Themostila specialises in the technical fields where both analytical thinking and manual dexterity are important: surgeons, technologists, experimentalists, engineers. In just three years following his admission to the Themostila tribe, Simeon has mastered a number of different fields, including alchemy and medicine (and has also done well in highly technical fields such as cybertechnology, although his training there is far from completed); his supervisors have been impressed with his progress.

2) He has recently been assigned to military research, including explosives and battlefield elixirs. He views this as an annoying distraction from medicine. In particular, he has been asked to investigate possible elixirs for military use, to improve the physical attributes of Hermea's soldiers. However, Simeon has no intention of testing these on anyone until he can get them to work. He has therefore (against orders - he's forbidden from doing anything that might harm his brain or compromise his intellect, since both are property of Hermea) been testing them on himself.

3) Medicine is more than Simeon's profession: it is his calling, and he can allow himself to get too involved with his patients. He takes it personally when they die and has to occasionally be reminded that no one is immortal and that humans do not live forever. There is some concern that his care for his patients can compromise his detachment, but so far no one has said so to Simeon's face.

4) The practice of medicine within Hermea is that all should receive care; however, the Unity Doctrine means that all are subordinate to the majority, and experimental treatments are often approved for high risk patients. The idea is that what is learned will benefit everyone, even if that patient dies. Simeon loudly disapproves of this concept, and seeks to treat all his patients with techniques that he knows will work, even if the sum of human knowledge is not advanced. His supervising tribune, Janus et-Themostila, has quietly been trying to dissuade Simeon from attracting too much unwanted attention.

5) Simeon has for a long time had strong feelings for his childhood friend Zoe, who passed her Citizenship test at the same time as Simeon and was inducted into the Diocles tribe. He was overjoyed to find out less than a year ago that she felt the same way. They quickly consummated their friendship and sought (and received) permission to partner and conceive. Their relationship is passionate, and mutually fulfilling; they have been together 9 months and are acutely aware that they will be separated in a few months' time. The analytical part of Simeon's mind is occasionally uneasy at the strength of his feelings for Zoe; for her part, the Diocles tribe has provided Zoe with a more theoretical, philosophical outlook and she is better equipped to understand what she feels - although nothing in Hermean education has prepared either of them for falling in love.

TWO IMPORTANT GOALS

1) Simeon wants - needs - to be with Zoe; as their separation time draws closer, he increasingly feels this as a physical pain. His analytical training has been directed outward, and there is little scope for emotional language within Hermea; but one day, perhaps soon, Simeon will identify that burning pain as anger. On that day, one of the foundations of Hermea will tremble, and Mengkare himself will sit a little less securely on his (metaphorical) throne.

2) Simeon is utterly convinced that the use of experimental medicine should - must - be put second to the patient's own welfare. With Zoe's help, he has been able to give some thought to not merely the practice of medicine but its conceptual purpose (not something he would have been able to achieve on his own and yet another reason he is so grateful to have her). Between them, they have formulated what they consider (and refer to as) the "Overriding Objective" of medicine: namely, that the first concern of its practitioners should be to do no harm.

TWO SECRETS, ONE KNOWN TO SIMEON AND ONE HE DOESN'T KNOW

1) Simeon and Zoe fell in love that first night they slept together; with the knowledge that the relationship would be ended as soon as they conceived, Simeon has (with Zoe's full agreement) been surreptitiously preparing contraceptives in his laboratory and providing them to her. Being somewhat improvised, they have failed twice; but Simeon is a skilled enough doctor to have noticed this almost immediately and (again with Zoe's agreement) end the pregnancy - and ensure that her hormone tests gave nothing away. The idea that two citizens would connive in such a way to avoid their duty is utterly unthinkable, which is perhaps why they haven't been caught - it's not a scenario anyone could envisage, and therefore there are no precautions in place to catch such behaviour.

2) Unknown to Simeon, his views on experimental medicine have been reported up the chain of command and are a matter of some concern. It was not his tribune Janus who reported him. The tribune assigned to monitor the situation, Lucilla et-Alkaeus, has made the decision - for now - to do nothing overt, but to watch him quietly. For his own good, of course. Once this relationship with Zoe is ended, she can ensure that he is assigned to someone more... suitable, someone who will monitor his views and steer him gently back to orthodoxy. For his own good, of course. For everyone's good...

FOUR PEOPLE TIED TO SIMEON, THREE FRIENDLY, ONE UNFRIENDLY

1) Simeon's lover, Zoe ex-Diocles. A wizard by training, she and Simeon grew up together and have known one another as long as Simeon can remember. Simeon would do anything for her, and the knowledge that they will be ordered to separate in 3 months' time drives his every waking moment. Zoe is likewise very much in love with Simeon; the philosophical, more contemplative education provided by tribe Diocles permits her (in the privacy of their bed) to formulate questions such as "what good is a Utopia with no use for love?" - questions that Simeon can barely understand, much less answer.

2) Janus et-Themostila, Simeon's supervising tribune. Janus has a very high opinion of Simeon's ability and is fond of joking that Simeon can cut open a patient, remove their organs one by one and replace them before the patient can even say "ow". Janus is sympathetic to Simeon's views on experimental medicine, but knows what is needed to succeed in the tribe and has ambition to serve on the Council one day. He doesn't want any trouble. He therefore hasn't made a fuss about Simeon to anyone and hopes it will all quietly blow over.

3) Thierry ex-Lucarus, who gained citizenship at the same time as Simeon and Zoe. Unlike Zoe and Simeon, however, Thierry is an outsider and is some 10 or 15 years older; he found sanctuary in Hermea from the world outside and believes fervently in the Hermean ideals. He is assigned to defensive responsibility of the island. Despite being in different tribes, Simeon and Thierry do their best to meet up when they can; they formed a bond during the citizenship testing and are close friends. Simeon hasn't told Thierry anything of his recent doubts.

4) Mark ex-Themostila, a junior associate working with Simeon. He very much wants to try out new and experimental things, and has been frustrated by having to obey Simeon's instructions to do what they know works. He reported Simeon's views for two reasons: firstly because he disagrees with them, but also because if something 'happens' to Simeon, Mark will be promoted to his place. He rather hopes that something will 'happen' to Simeon.

FOUR MEMORIES, MANNERISMS OR QUIRKS

1) One of Simeon's most vivid early memories is of Zoe, and the way her long, blonde hair floated in the breeze, and her smile as her green eyes met his; they were playing some childhood game or something, he doesn't recall the details.

2) As a surgeon, Simeon is acutely aware of the need to keep his skills sharp, and his long fingers are almost always moving, usually twirling something: a pen, a coin, or even a scalpel. When he is thinking deeply about something - usually a technical problem - and his hands are not occupied, his fingers sometimes unconsciously trace the lines of Zoe's body.

3) Simeon is almost obsessively neat in appearance: his dark hair is close-cut and styled, and he has no loose sleeves or trailing shirt-tails. His movements are careful and deliberate.

4) Simeon's care and kind concern for his patients mask a fierce competitiveness: in sports, he is almost a different person who will do whatever it takes to win. Those who know him only from his work are very surprised the first time they cross him on the playing field or the sports hall; Thierry often jokes that the only time he misses his home country of Galt is when he's playing against Simeon: "at least the Gray Gardeners pretend to follow the rules!"


Allow me to introduce Valarius ex-Epaphras

Elevator Pitch A human magus (bladebound) of tribe Epaphras, Valarius has been trained to balance spell and sword, making him an excellent agent for recovering targets of interest (both material and living).

10 minute background:

EDIT I had selected Hypatia to be the tribe, but the concept I wrote for it matches TarkXT’s description of Epaphras to a T, so I have changed his name to match.

Epaphras: Development of “field agents” and specialist personnel, equipped to explore, recover, and recruit throughout Golarion.

Five background and concept elements important to Valarius ex-Epaphras.
1) Bred the offspring of a master swordsman and a skilled arcanist, Valarius was part of a program to develop a new class of soldier for Hermea. He exceded the expectations of the Rhodean scientists that planned his brood, expertly balancing the opposing disciplines of spell and steel. Though many of his breeding cluster were assigned to tribe Lucarus, he was welcomed into tribe Epaphras.

2) Valarius is driven and motivated, with a strong sense of duty to his actions. He works hard to live up to the standards set by his mentor, determined to prove his place amongst the elite forward agents of tribe Epaphras.

3) Since being accepted into tribe Epaphras, Valarius has continued to excel in his studies, managing to balance his split studies side by side while most others are forced to pursue one then the next. He has also developed a talent as a bladesmith, feeling that knowledge of steel will allow him to wield it better.

4) Valarius sees every challenge as an opportunity for further growth, and actively seeks out such opportunities. Some view him as cocky or arrogant for his willingness, but they are wrong. In truth, Valarius knows he could fail, but in failing he knows he will grow the most.

5) Valarius is perplexed by the emotions he experienced that countered his rational, logical mind. Both magic and war are calculations, yet how do emotions, how does the value of life, factor in? Is one life worth more than another? These questions have begun to haunt Valarius.

Two goals that are important to Valarius.
1) Valarius is committed to continuing his dual development of arcane and blade mastery, striving to exceed the skill of his mentor.

2) Having received a taste of the outside world and its many different theories and emotions, Valarius is motivated to experience and learn more of what lies beyond the walls of Hermea.

Two secrets about Valarius, one that he knows, and one that he not yet aware of.
1) In his training of war and tactics, Valarius was schooled heavily on the rational use of weapons and magic, and the acknowledgement that success requires casualties, this is simply an understood cost. Yet when he saw Arturus target a behir unleashed amidst a crowd of street urchins with a fireball, he felt a deep pang of anger and disgust toward his mentor. Arturus brushed off the situation, citing both their lesser status as beings and the reality that they and many more would have died from the behir’s rampaging. Logically, Valarius knew this made sense, but he could not shake the feeling of doubt that began growing as to the ethics of Hermea’s actions.

2) During his training and development, Valarius was exposed to a multitude of experiences and traumas to develop his resilience and adaptability. Unbeknownst to him, during several of these sessions experimental technoarcane devices developed by tribe Xanthip were implanted into him. They are currently latent, designed to activate as his mastery of the arcane increases. magical lineage, black blade

Four people that are tied to Valarius, three are friends and one is an enemy.
1) Arturus tal-Epaphras Valarius’ field mentor, Arturus is everything that Valarius has aspired to be. Driven, dedicated, and absolutely loyal to Hermea, Arturus is a model citizen and an exceptional field agent. His one hubris is his pride in his most recent development, Valarius. Valarius in turn looks up to him with great respect, though his callous dismissal of lesser lives has left Valarius’ once perfect vision of his mentor tarnished.

2) Magnus tal-Diocles A scholar tasked with educating Valarius on the many strange aspects of the outside world, Magnus has painted a colorful picture of all that Golarion has to offer. Some of his statements on the many talents of successes of different cultures, while not heresy, could be considered volatile at times.

3) Helios ex-Lucarus A broodmate of Valarius, Helios is counted as Valarius’s closest friend. The pair can often be found sparring, training, and studyng together. Helios is equally skilled at the blade, and though magic is only a secondary skill for him, his force of personality will someday make his a strong military commander.

4) Marius ex-Epaphras Accepted into tribe Epaphras a year before Valarius, Marius was considered a highly promising candidate. Yet his dual training in both the sword and spell were not in sync, and Valarius’s early success quickly overshadowed Marius. Marius has developed a severe bitter streak, and is waiting for the moment to orchestrate Valarius’ fall from favor.

Four memories, mannerisms or quirks Valarius possess.
1) During his first off island mission, Valarius suffered a blow to the left side of his head from a gnoll’s maul. Ever resilient, Valarius quickly recovered, but the muscles on the left side of his face are partially muted from the nerve damage. This causes him to have an uneven smile, which looks like he is smirking, making it hard to determine the meaning of his words at time.

2) Valarius exhibits a curious occular trait, having one dark brown eye and one bright green eye. His gaze is both charming and ever alert. This, combined with his leaner, angular build and slightly pointed ears suggests that he may have elven blood in his heritage. seeker

3) Valarius takes great pride in the quality and maintenance of his possessions, keeping his blades perfectly sharpened and oiled and his armor polished.

4) Valarius keeps a small silver coin he found on the body of one of the street urchins when Arturus killed the behir. The coin is scorched, but beneath the flame’s touch lies a curious relief of a butterfly. In moments of doubt, he finds the coin in his hand being rubbed between his fingers.


I've been liking what I've been seeing so far! I had a very tiring day chasing the bad guys, so I'm pretty exhausted. I will get to specific answers and more questions/feedback tomorrow.


LessPopMoreFizz: Wow, I said to swing for the fences. That is a bold choice. What does he look like, both as himself and as Soractus? Being essentially a dark-skinned human with elf heritage would not be looked down upon at all, so he could go with his normal look (if he wanted) without issue. How many of his century are also drow-blooded? How would they have received a drow woman? (I have an idea: what if Number 1 is actually a disguised drow himself and is the father of the half-drow members under his command. Being in a high rank in such a secretive place, he could probably run such a conspiracy.) Mechanically, how would the drow blood be represented - as a half-elf with the drow-blooded racial traits? Did they keep the dissension plot secret? Does he feel lied to regarding his heritage? The investigator is a class that uses alchemy; how does he used alchemy in his actions? How long has he been in his current identity? Do people treat him differently as a Alkaeus, as any of them might be a member of the secret police?
wanderer82: Where did that fireball mishap occur? It couldn't have been in Hermea, as they don't have street urchins. No one is poor in Hermea. All are cared for. What is Valarius's profession - international secret agent, or bladesmith? Does he have any inkling of the technoblade's power? What are the details of the implants? Does he have any idea about them? How does he feel about technology in general? What does he do on the journeys outside Hermea? Where has he gone specifically, and what has he done in those missions?
Simeon: Looks pretty solid! I like it. How does he feel about what he did to the pregnancies? That's a pretty rough subject to take on.

Does anyone have any questions or want more feedback for their submission?

Our current candidates:
Kaxon ex-Origines: A dragon-blooded sorcerer who has been used as a prize breeding stock.
Simeon ex-Themostila: A surgeon and alchemist who is having second thoughts about the ethics of experimentation.
Efin ex-Xanthip: A barmaid trying to hide her powers to summon creatures from beyond the stars.
Jorael ex-Diocles: A divining wizard with a distaste for technology and dishonesty.
Axelia ex-Themostila: A soldier who embraces steel and technology.
Yuri ex-Epaphras: A warrior bred for superiority over the world who doesn't have the chance to show it.
Soractus ex-Alkaeus: A secret ideological enforcer with drow heritage.
Valarius ex-Epaphras: A technoblade-wielding magical warrior with growing doubts about the morality of Hermean tactics.

And the tribe names that have been claimed and defined are:
Rhodean: Assigning and tracking bloodlines and breeding partnerships for citizens.
Lucarus: Military tactics and leadership.
Origines: It's not explicitly defined in Kaxon's post, but let's say that their role is monitoring, shaping, and controlling the population of residents.
Themostila: "Technical fields where both intellect and skill with the hands are important: surgeons, mechanical artisans, technologists, experimentalists"
Xanthip: "Theoretical research and developing practical applications of technology, magic, and other things"
Diocles: "Knowledge seekers; those who seek knowledge for Hermea through experimentation, research, and magical scrying alike"
Alkeaus: "Charged with keeping the peace in Promise and enforcing the purity of Mengkare’s vision"
Epaphras: "It's a tribe dedicated to dealing with things outside of Hermea. Whether it's adjusting defenses to deal with potential threats, sending scouts to find potential new citizens, investigating interesting events in the world, collecting "control" samples, or creating new trade agreements during the rare times it's necessary. They are the feelers of the island and more of them go to the mainland than any other."


Well, I think I answered all of your questions, so I don't really have anything else to say for the moment. XD Unless you were curious about Efin's appearance, in which case click here.


Hm... Anything you feel could use some improvement on my character? If there's some issue, I'd rather know now than after I fail to be picked. :P


Rednal I noticed that you seem to have a few characters with the same class and archetype. Any particular reason?

Cydrius How does he reconcile his dislike of dishonesty with his own dishonest behavior in unsanctioned divinations? Does he consider himself weak-willed for not resisting the temptations inherent in divination? What other secret information does he seek out or covet? How tightly does he control knowledge of his curiosity? Does he feel his curiosity poses a danger to him?


Testing, mostly. XD Some of those RPs aren't as active or fast-paced as I'd like (indeed, some died out entirely), but the best way to really see if an idea (like an alternate summoning list) is good or not is putting it into practice in different situations - I'm also using characters who, despite similarities in class, are very different personally. When Lovecraftian stuff is involved (usually via Oracle or Summoner), it's also because A) It amuses me, and B) I like the idea of opposing evil with madness, reminding demons (or robots) that they aren't the only scary things in the universe.


Those are some good questions. I believe I've brushed on how he feels about his occasional falterings, but I'll probably be going a little more in depth.

Thank you for your suggestions.

(I'm really hoping to get in on this game; I see here a DM with a very solid head on their shoulders, and it looks like this would make for great roleplay.)


DM Barcas wrote:


Does anyone have any questions or want more feedback for their submission?

Well, given that you are essentially the master of this setting what class would best fit this idea of yuri?

I've toyed with the idea of multiclassing Brawler into Barbarian.

Any other thoughts and questions are welcome.


Cydrius (and everyone else): Being active in the thread and collaborating to build the setting is a great way to get noticed. One of the most important things about a play-by-post is the interest and persistence of the players. My Kingmaker game has lasted for four years (though only one [or two, depending on your point of view] of my original players is still playing), so I've got a long perspective on the matter. Being an active participant - which means taking hooks, finding hooks, communicating with other characters rather than just respond to the DM's cues - is a great asset for a DM to have. One of my players in the Kingmaker game was actually a lurker who followed the story; when he contacted me, I saw his potential and invited him to take over one of the PCs whose player left. He is now one of my most active and collaborative players.

TarkXT: I suppose that's up to you more than anyone. Why would you select levels in Barbarian? Would it be an organic choice, based on his growing anger at his wasted purpose, or a mechanical choice? How would one synthesize rage with Yuri's precise, mechanically perfect attacks? From what you've said about him, Brawler seems the most appropriate choice.

We have a little more than 72 hours remaining. I'm willing to accept as many submissions - complete with my follow-up questions and feedback - as come in. I'm still keeping an eye out for Occult Adventures submissions. (There are Lovecraftian elements - of the more cosmic alien variety, rather than other dimensions - to this story as well.) In personal news, I am being assigned to night shift starting on Saturday, which will leave me with a lot of time to make posts.


DM Barcas wrote:


Simeon: Looks pretty solid! I like it. How does he feel about what he did to the pregnancies? That's a pretty rough subject to take on.

Does anyone have any questions or want more feedback for their submission?

Wow, short question with lots behind it! I doubt that Simeon feels anything about it, for a number of reasons.

1) In the - enforced - absence of religion and the emphasis on rationality, it seems like the whole 'sanctity-of-life' issue is not something Hermea troubles itself with; given the Unity Principle, I imagine that decisions on life and death are made logically, with a view toward the good of the many. Termination was for the good of both Simeon and Zoe, so that was that. It's entirely possible that he has previously been tasked with terminating unauthorised conceptions, and I doubt that would bother him, and nor would it be expected to.

2) The Themostila tribe is focused on technical problem-solving, rather than abstract thought; the philosophical questions like 'where does life begin?' are completely alien to Simeon's education and training. Zoe might well have given some idle thought to the matter, but Diocles has always had a slightly abstract (critics might say "unfocused") quality to its thinking and it wouldn't occur to her that those thoughts might actually affect her actions; it's far more likely that she's thought about it as an interesting puzzle, decided that she doesn't know the answer, and put it to one side. She's an NPC, though, so ultimately it's your call...

3) As a surgeon, Simeon views a 2 or 3 day pregnancy as a clump of unwanted cells; if he'd had to cut Zoe open and remove something more advanced (i.e. human-looking and - potentially - viable), it might be a different matter. As it was, the treatment was more like a morning-after pill; the greatest nuisance as far as they're both concerned was that the hormone surge made Zoe really cranky for a day or two afterwards.

What do you think? Reasonable?


All right, for the setting... Hermea's announced goal is progressing the human race through... how to put this... methods. Some of which it sounds like we don't know about. I'm curious about how exactly this all gets nailed down and what kind of balance the island goes for - ideological purity is inherently difficult when you're also talking about large numbers of intelligent people who are specifically looking for new and better ways to do things - and doubly so when many of those people have any kind of magic.

In fact, I'm wondering if failure to properly control the thoughts of its citizens was what lead to the PCs becoming disillusioned with the way things currently are. Either that or the government is just checking to see if we'll find our Julias and start betraying them... XD


Wow this looks amazing. I have recently falling in love with play by post though the game I currently am in is going to be a short one. This is one of the few games I have found that is recruiting and looks like it would work with my night scheduled. Sadly I will have very little time to think up a detailed back story but I will try.

Simeon ex-Themostila I like yours and one of the first things that my mind went to was similar to the tale you created. I will have to think up something different. Unless I could steal her? I have never played a wizard.


Axelia ex-Themostila:"I shall become the Evolution of War"

Crunch:

Female Human Fighter (Cyber-Soldier) 1
TN Medium Humanoid (Human) Perception +0
XP: 0
--------------------
DEFENSE
--------------------
AC 19, touch 13, flat-footed 16. . (+6 armor, +3 Dex)
hp 11 (1d10+1)
Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +3
--------------------
OFFENSE
--------------------
Spd 30 ft. (20 ft. in armor)
Melee Mwk Longsword +5 (1d8+3/19-20/x2/S)
. . Dagger +4 (1d4+3/19-20/x2/P or S) and
. . Unarmed Strike +4 (1d3+3/20/x2/B/Provokes)
Ranged Mwk Composite (+3) Living Steel Longbow +5 (1d8+3/20/x3/P/110 ft)
. . Dagger +4 (1d4+3/19-20/x2/P or S/10 ft)
Special Attacks
--------------------
STATISTICS
--------------------
Str 16, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 20, Wis 12, Cha 12
Base Atk +1; CMB +4; CMD 17
Feats Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Focused Shot, Iron Will
Traits Expert Duelist, Pride, Rich Parents/Signature Moves*
Skills Craft (Weapons, Armor, Mechanical) +9/9/9, Heal +2, Knowledge (Arcana, Engineering, Nature, Local**) +6/9/6/6, Stealth +4 (0/-2 with ACP)
Languages Common, Elven, Sylvan, Auran, Terran, Draconic
Combat Gear Breastplate, 4 Daggers, Longsword, Miaki, 80 arrows
Other Gear None yet
Encumbrance 68 lbs carried, 76 lbs for light load
Coin: 53
--------------------
SPECIAL ABILITIES
--------------------
You expect a Fighter to Have special abilities?- Really? Guess I'll put feats and traits here. :P
Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Focused Shot- +1 hit/damage within 30 feet, allies are not cover when shooting into melee, standard action to add int as precision damage within 30 feet.
Iron Will- +2 will saves.
Expert Duelist- +1 trait bonus to AC when adjacent to exactly a single foe, not applied vs touch attacs or when denied Dex bonus.
Favored Class Bonus- +1 CMB vs Grapple or Trip

*Miaki/her crafting skill, she has been allowed to craft the weapons and armor she is to be assigned in case of being called into the militia, in part due to none of the normal stuff fitting her.
**Yumie is an insufferable gossip. :P

Fluff:

Pitch Elevator-"Our only elements of superiority over our technology is our abilities to heal, to adapt, to grow, and to feel. Grant them to the objects of our creation, and the answer to the question of who is greater, creator or created, becomes inestimably clear."

Six background and concept elements important to Axelia ex-Themostila.
1) Superiority- Axelia, while excelling at non-technological sciences, had difficulty grasping some high-tech principles. She barely made the grade to become a citizen in Themostilia, due to deficiencies in teamwork, high-tech principles, and heavy competition due to other excellent classmates. The fact that she was almost not chosen weighed heavily on her, and she has sought to enhance herself ever since. Hermea seeks perfection, and not being perfect in a society that expects it so much has shaken her.
2) To Heal- Axelia, in one of her school day escapades, very nearly lost one of her own arms while working alone in a lab. She was attempting to understand a concept outside lab time, in a refusal to accept that she needed help from others. In an accident, she became trapped under a piece of equipment. Noal, came to her aid, but in order to free her, had to destroy said valuable piece of equipment. They were unable to repair it and held accountable, and Noal took an equal part of the blame for Axelia's mistake. Axelia has tried, not in whole, but in part, to mentally shift the blame to imperfections in the design of both humanity and technology. If her body could heal, she could have simply lost the arm and regrown it. If the technology was designed properly, it should be able to self-repair. She tries to forget the involvement of Noal, as it points to the error being in her pride and unwillingness to accept help, but she still feels guilty about it.
3) To Grow- The lightest of her background concepts, Axelia is very short. Her friends teased her endlessly about how childish she looks, and she has often dreamed of being taller to show them. She has invested considerable effort into lab boots that increase her visible height.
4) To Adapt- Axelia is starting to acknowledge and come to grips with one of her greatest flaws. She is inflexible. She has a dogged persistence and determination that serves her well, sometimes, but she often pursues one path after it has long become apparent that it is doomed to failure or that she is in need of external assistance. She noticed this via incidents like those with Noal, and by the parallel of technology. An automated drill will helplessly whir until it burns itself out against a stronger material. To grant adaptability to herself and her creations, she recognizes, would be a great step forward.
5) To Feel- Axelia hates touching people, and dislikes most peoples mere presence around her, unless they are as silent and unobtrusive as a conservatively designed end table. Yet, she cannot deny that there are things about the sense of touch that she still loves. Moist river sand, the warm sun, a cooling breeze. This is one of the prime reasons Axelia cannot bring herself to augment her body idly with current technology.
6) Evolution of War- It would be unfair to say their was an instance that shook Axelia's faith in the Unity Doctrine as a whole, it was simply that the first principle that never took. "The desires of the individual are secondary to the needs of the collective". Axelia's inconcevaible pride, self-reliance, and her irrepressible sense of destiny about herself overcome all loyalty to the Unity Doctrine as whole. That said, she has completely internalized the other parts of it. She is a being of science and reason, believing it the path to her ascension, and she has no faith in gods of any kind. The bleed through of when this belief manifested itself was why she nearly did not become a citizen. She has a dream, an all overarching goal that she would allow very few things to stop her from, all of which are enumerated above and below.

Two goals that are important to Axelia.
1) "Evolution in Living Steel, that is I shall create that which is greater than my self, yet my creation shall be my new self." A healing, adapting, growing, feeling body, that still retains the raw strength of steel.
2) "I.. I would see those that have aided me repaid." Axelia hates accepting help from others, due to her extreme pride. Yet, she is likely only a citizen by the aid of her classmates, especially Noal. She wishes she had someway to repay him, but she has not found him, unlike her other classmates, since graduation a few weeks ago. He couldn't have failed, could he?

Two secrets about Axelia, one that she knows, and one that she not yet aware of.
1 and 2) Axelia's most treasured possession, her inspiration and muse, is a living steel bow* she calls Miaki. She found it once by a river. She keeps it a secret to all, the only exception being Noal. She is not sure why she named it Miaki, but the name came into her head as she examined the foreign markings on the unusually shaped weapon. What she doesn't know is that this is the ancestral weapon of a former attempted escapee of Hermea who failed. A great archer from Minkai, the warrior was lured hear by the promise of Hermea, but found it wanting. He attempted to escape along with a lover, but they were both never found again, the assumed work of pirates. But this was long ago, and in the escape attempt, his bow was lost in the river Axelia finally found it in. Perhaps his spirit still ties itself to it, for Axelia does not know how to read the Tian inscribed upon it to remember the name of a long dead warrior she never met.

Three people that are tied to Axelia, one who is friend, one who is a frenemy, and one who is an enemy.
1) Noal- Through a long series of selfless endeavors, Noal managed to become the only person Axelia ever looked forward to meeting. Noal was excessively kind to everyone in his class and everyone he met. Axelia noticed that she was becoming jealous of her time with him, due to the fact that his kindness to others was not exclusive to her, and she attempted to withdraw from the friendship, identifying it as a weakness in herself. Noal didn't have any of that. Fully Axelia's match in intellectual endeavors, Noal was also deeply spiritual, and Axelia fears that he was not granted a citizenship due to being adamantly religious.
2) Yumie ex-Themostila- Another of Axelia's peers and classmates, Yumie had a very time choosing between Rhodean and Themostila, due to her loves of biochemistry, frivious matchmaking, and getting to pick her partners. The frivious part was what made her decide Themostila, as she didn't want to invest the time in picking actually good matchups, and continued with her studies of bio-chemistry in Themostila. To Yumie, Axelia was delicious forbidden fruit, and so Yumie tricked Axelia into sex. Surprise surprise, the person who hates physical contact was not happy with this. This just made Yumie want Axelia all the more. Yumie is usually a friend, but is very possessive of Axelia and will also stop at nothing to have her way with her, up to and including using her bio-chemistry expertise.
3) Regino ex-Alkeaus- Another of Axelia's classmates, Axelia and Regino have always butted heads on the role of technology. Axelia believes its job is to surpass humanity, while Regino believes technology is to protect the dream of humanity. Both Cyber-Soldiers smart enough to craft their own equipment, they have very different idealogies, and Regino knows well of Axelia's deviancy against the Unity Doctrine. And now he's in a position to do something about it. Only Noal's urging prevented Regino from attempting to alert the authorities before, and now, Noal is gone.

Four memories, mannerisms or quirks Axelia possesses.
1) Axelia's speech is overly-dramatic in a way that generally tends to make her sound like a supervillain. But if you manage to get her to laugh, her laugh is an undignified collection of snorts and giggles that will generally continue for much longer than the joke was funny. Naturally, this is unacceptable, and she has been practicing a suitably dramatic maniacal laugh. Whether this indicates she is conscious of her supervillain-sounding tendencies or that she is attempting a normal laugh but it simply sounds like a maniacal laugh is undetermined.
2) One of the few things that can distract Axelia's focus on her work and technology or her piercing glare at an opponent is oooh, shiny! Axelia has several time forgotten that she is practicing with a weapon to gaze happily at the pretty reflections in the polished steel. This is her primary weakness at wielding Miaki, as she is especially prone to it with him.
3) "Um... Could you... Reach that, for me?" One of the few things Axelia has learned how to ask for help with is reaching things on the upper shelves, due to many unfortunate incidents with footstools. That isn't to say she's graceful about it (the footstools or the asking).
4) "I have seen the sun set over the fire of a ship consumed with flame. It was... exhilarating in its beauty." Axelia once witnessed Mengkare burning a ship that was attempting to sneak onto or perhaps attack Hermea. Axelia will never know, but the sheer power and beauty of the destruction wrought by Mengkare's attack inspired her. In a very supervillain-esque manner.

*Summarized Answers to your Questions: Yes, Science! (Piano), Hermea is insufficient to her goals (but she has internalized many of its principles), No, no doubts, she simply completely defies one of its principles while implicitly accepting the rest, TN (her convictions are currently much weaker than she thinks they are, but I hope for her to head into good guy territory), 16, No.


Ok I think I have something. Now I info dump.

Spoiler:
Elevator Pitch Kanta ex Epaphras is a 17 year old Sorcerer (Nanite Bloodline) enhanced in the womb to be a blend of Magic and Technology. She is a stubborn, short tempered, and arrogant young woman with a desire to control her own destiny.

10 minute background
Five background and concept elements important to Kanta
1) Kanta is deeply motivated by her love for Blair. Her anger at Hermea as a whole is only increased by the devoted loyalty Blair shows to this place. Kanta believes this is due to brainwashing, something that was unable to affect her. Which is another thing that leads to her arrogant behavior.
2) Nanites were injected into Kanta while in the womb. She was intended to be one of many trials in the blending of technology and magic. Kanta knows her parents were magical people and she resents them for allowing her to be experimented on in the womb and abandoned to a 'cruel' culture.
3) Kanta is gay and thus far has refused a match. Though she has never used her sexuality as the excuse. She has stated she isn't ready to have a child yet.
4) Epaphras has been a relief for Kanta. Learning about other cultures only makes her want to leave more. While she knows there is better protection, education, and medical care here the lack of personal freedom is stifling. She has thrown herself in her studies of the world with fervor.
5) Lying is a skill Kanta has practiced since childhood. Having a desire to flee Hermea but not ready to do so without her love Kanta has cause her to practice her 'poker face' obsessively. Kanta is terrified of being found out as not only wanting to leave but to take someone else with her. She fears being found out and all the people that matter to her being hurt. All faith in Hermea is crumbling but she still claims she wants to travel the world to find those worthy of joining their 'glorious society.'

Two goals that are important to Kanta
1) Convincing Blair ex Alkeaus to leave Hermea with her so they can be together.
2) Having a family, which is what she was raised to want to do. But she wants it to be with Blair and she wants to keep the children not have them taken away from her.

Two secrets about Kanta, one that she knows, and one that she not yet aware of.
1) Kanta remains in Hermea primarily to try to convince the woman that she is in love with, and who loves her back, that they should be allowed to be together. She frequently bothers Blair with this idea, manipulating Blair's feelings for her to ensure that Blair tells no one about her want to leave Hermea forever. While her would be lover is part of the police force in Hermea Kanta joined the Epaphras tribe to hopfully find a way out.
2) Kanta is not as sly as she thinks she is. Both her and Blair are now being watched as possible problems for the continued peace in Hermea.

Four people that are tied to Kanta, three are friends and one is an enemy.
1) Talbic ex Xanthip is a gun weilding man whom is a childhood friend of Kanta's and the only one she has confided in about her love for Blair. Though she has never told him of her plans to leave if she can convince Blair.
2) Blair ex Alkeaus is a female battle mage whom Kanta has desired for as long as she can remember. Kanta is hopelessly in love with Blair but due to the law of the land this is a union that could never be allowed.
3) Shiloh ex Xanthip a girl with the same background as Kanta, both girls where modified by Nanites in the womb. Shiloh and Kanta have had a friendly rivalry since they were small children. Battling to be the first to do anything be it intellectual, magical, or physical. At first glance most people think they are long standing rivals when the two girls are actually very devoted to each other.
4) Giovanni ex Lucarus is a well liked charming young man in his prime. An ideal and popular genetic candidate. Kanta rebuked him publicly and it embarrassed him. Calling him a whore and insulting his intelligence, claiming she would never allow his low intelligence into her genetic line. He has been striving to make her life difficult since then.

Four memories, mannerisms or quirks --- possess.
1) Kantas most painful memory is tied to her favorite memory. Kanta is love with her childhood friend Blair xe Xanthip. Shortly before they were to go though the test to become a Citizen, in the all consuming love that comes from youth that they spent the night together, this is the cherished part of the memory. Feeling free to speak her mind and deeply in love Kanta wanted them to leave Hermea together, but Blair told her no. Blair refused and claimed that the prior night was a mistake and she will honor their friendship by never telling anyone what Kanta just said but she would never leave her home. Blair has never instigated a conversation between them again.
2) Being beautiful and desired she made Kanta vain. She is especially fixated on her long wavy black hair. She is constantly fixing it and twirling it around her finger. Kanta will spend hours styling her hair.
3) Kanta knows that was intended to be a possible model for the next generation and this has lead to a high degree of arrogance in her character.
4) In her youth Kanta mouthed off to an older teenager who to teach her to mind her manners locked her in a closet. Trapped in the dark with no way out until her screams got someone's attention has left Kanta afraid of the dark.

Traits
focused-mind
metamagic master


DM Barcas wrote:

[

TarkXT: I suppose that's up to you more than anyone. Why would you select levels in Barbarian? Would it be an organic choice, based on his growing anger at his wasted purpose, or a mechanical choice? How would one synthesize rage with Yuri's precise, mechanically perfect attacks? From what you've said about him, Brawler seems the most appropriate choice.

Mechanical mainly, the rage class feature does not necessarily have to mean the slobbering lunatic or anger. I figure it can represent a ste of extreme martial focus as well. There's a lot about the class that can suggest extremities in mental and physical disicipline.

And it adds to Yuri's flexibility which is something else he's meant to exemplify. After all I deeply suspect as the campaign wears on his choice of fists will have to give way to a choice of getting through damage reduction.


Look into the Urban Barbarian Archetype. They have access to controlled rage.


If nothing else, Hermea doesn't seem like the kind of place the would turn crazed bloodthirsty warriors into citizens. High-level martial focus sounds much more appropriate for this campaign.


It sound wonderful unless you want free will. Though these fools signed up for it.


Deaths Adorable Apprentice wrote:
Look into the Urban Barbarian Archetype. They have access to controlled rage.

I'm considering it. Invulnerable Rager is definitely in the cards as well.

Really it's a question of finding a good cut off point for Brawler. I'm thinking 4th level.


Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

Hey GM Barcas: I want to make sure you're aware that the Paizo boards are not currently permitting users to create new aliases and that the Paizo team is working on this. It's been two days. So perhaps you'll extend your deadline until a few days after the fix is made?


I wasn't aware that alias creation isn't working, but it shouldn't be an issue. If it is still going on in a few days, we can figure something out to delay the start of the game til it is fixed.

Kanta: I worry a bit that she is a one-note character, as most of her personality is based on an NPC and her sexual orientation. That said, there are some good kernels. Is she obsessed (in a negative sense)? If Blair hasn't spoken to her since before they were made citizens, a continued obsession with her could be a sign of instability. (Also, Blair is a sort of anachronistic name.) Citizens are sorted based on talents and suitability rather than personal preference, so what made her appear suitable - did they recognize her talent at lying, or did she emulate the characteristics they would want? What would she do if she were ordered to have a mate? Is she angry with Hermea for its own issues or simply because she sees it as what stands between her and the target of her affections? How does nanite technology affect her magic?

Everybody: What is the PBP experience of all of the submitting players? I'd like for everyone to write an in-character sample (a few paragraphs, at least) that has them going through an ordinary situation with one of your NPCs.


I've been playing by post for more years than I want to admit. XD I've both played and run games under multiple systems. I'll have that sample up in a little while - I may need to have dinner first.


Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

I've been playing and GMing RPG's since 1977. I still run a tabletop Pathfinder game every two weeks (we're just about to wrap up Shattered Star).

I've been running online campaigns since 1995. I currently run two Pathinder games (Kingmaker and Dragon's Demand) and one Traveller campaign online. I have GMed seven or eight long-term online PBP or PBEM campaigns as well as dozens of online PFS games (and I've played in several dozen online PFS games.)

You, DM Barcas, have played with me. I was Brother Aglamore in Once More into the Breach - GMF's Wrath of the Righteous game.


It was my work with Pytros that started the mental framework for this game.

Rednal, could you be more specific? Have you been playing here on paizo.com or on another site? Do you DM, play, or both?


I've played both on and off Paizo - mostly off, actually, since I'm newer to Pathfinder than some other systems. My longest-running online roleplay just had its five-year anniversary, and we have no intention of stopping there anytime soon. I both play and DM games, since I like the experience on both sides of the screen.


Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

DM Barcas - For a gunslinger: Dual-wielding double pistols. Cheesy or not? Especially given that the gunslinger will probably be upgrading to laser pistols or whatnot as soon as possible.

Also: Are Early Firearms standard? Or Advanced?

I had a great Investigator/Swashbucler all worked out, but I think that "64" did that better than I had, so I'm going back to the drawing board.


Roleplaying Sample (Efin ex-Xanthip):
There was no ticking sound as the clock changed its time. Digital displays didn't need that sort of thing, and it was probably just as well that the clock didn't tick - it would have been a distraction from the discussion that Efin was having with Endrazar sun-Xanthip and several other members of the knowledge-focused family.

"What I'm saying, Horath, is that we clearly have an incomplete understanding of the energies involved with magic." Efin said, slamming her hands down on the table. "Look, it's a demonstrable fact that summoning spells can call up extraplanar creatures, and novices can generally manage casting those. More than that, the same spell will send the creatures back in a two-way trip. Despite that, almost no wizards ever get skilled enough to personally transport themselves across dimensions - and when they do, they're badly inaccurate compared to a basic-level spell that can summon a specific type of entity, based on the caster's whims and desires, to within inches of the intended destination. It should not be as difficult as it is, and if we can figure out how to do this easier, it would be an incredible force multiplier!"

Horath ex-Xanthip rallied gamely to the discussion. "You're trying to impose sense and reason on something that is inherently nonsensical. Magic is the way it is, and there's nothing you can do to change that. And don't get started on metamagic - there are a finite number of ways to modify spells, and yes, they do so with reasonably predictable results. You're talking about the rules of magic like they're what you want them to be, not what they actually are. If there were a way to transport people across planes as easily as we transport monsters, don't you think somebody would have discovered it by now?"

"Oh yeah?" Efin asked, putting a hand on her hip. "How many great ideas have never been explored because people thought they already knew the limits? We're here because we're the best of the human race, so I think we should start acting like it and not giving up before we even try. We're the ones who can do what others can't." She was interrupted by a laugh from the head of the table, where Endrazar had been watching the discussion. Unlike some families, where the consul was an unreachable entity, the Xanthip's leader was expected to get involved with the discussions and constantly demonstrate his (or her - they didn't discriminate) worth as a researcher.

"All right, you two. If there are any great secrets of magic left - and there probably are, since I doubt we've discovered every spell or item - we're probably not going to find them just by arguing about whether or not they exist. Efin, I want you to prepare a speech ten days from now about why you think this is worth our time. Horath, you'll follow with an opposing view - I want to hear what you think we should be focusing our efforts instead, and afterwards we'll ask the Tribunes what they think." he clapped his hands, signaling the end of the discussion, and Efin grinned.

This was going to be the perfect chance to present her new thesis on summoning criteria and how they could manipulate the spells to provide greater versatility. Horath just wanted to take the easy way out and stick with safe research, and she'd baited him into stepping up as her opponent hook, line, and sinker. Aaaah, it was good to have predictable people as foils! Her life was so much easier.

It would've been nicer if she'd been able to extend the deadline a bit more - she might be able to get pregnant in another week, so she wouldn't be able to work on preparing her argument then - but that was all right. This wouldn't be any fun if it was too easy.


DM Barcas wrote:
LessPopMoreFizz: Wow, I said to swing for the fences. That is a bold choice. What does he look like, both as himself and as Soractus? Being essentially a dark-skinned human with elf heritage would not be looked down upon at all, so he could go with his normal look (if he wanted) without issue.

Contact lenses and dyed hair are de rigeur; the goal is to look like a half-elf with heritage from one of the darker skinned human ethnic groups, rather than a half-drow; thus, any inherited features like hair/eye color are masked.

More to the point, his overall appearance has changed radically two or three times, through the use of mundane methods - a broken nose here, a scar added (or magically removed) there, a new haircut - and more closely held Alkaean technology and magic. He's had his current identity for about a year now.

Quote:
How many of his century are also drow-blooded?

More than 5, less than 20? That's information that's well above 64's proverbial pay grade.

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How would they have received a drow woman? (I have an idea: what if Number 1 is actually a disguised drow himself and is the father of the half-drow members under his command. Being in a high rank in such a secretive place, he could probably run such a conspiracy.)

This could definitely work as well. I had a mental image of there being a tunnel to the underdark somewhere on the island. It's not normally an area where anything comes up - maybe one wandering monster or drow patrol finds it's way up every century or so - but 'underground railroad' types have used it in the past as an escape mechanism, so the Alkaeans watch it closely - and when a Drow patrol wandered too close, a hostage was taken, and a plot hatched.

Ultimately, I'm ambivalent between the two methods of making this work, feel free to pick the one that fits your setting as you envision it best.

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Mechanically, how would the drow blood be represented - as a half-elf with the drow-blooded racial traits?

Yea, exactly this.

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Did they keep the dissension plot secret? Does he feel lied to regarding his heritage?

All that 64 and 29 know is that there's a program to breed half-drow for their superior genetic qualities. They don't know the why of it, and only the absolute most minimal portions of the how.

As for whether he feels lied to... yeah, he's mostly reconciled it in his head, but it's definitely a piece of information that can serve as a crack which other doubts can hammer into as he learns more.

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The investigator is a class that uses alchemy; how does he used alchemy in his actions? How long has he been in his current identity? Do people treat him differently as a Alkaeus, as any of them might be a member of the secret police?

His use of alchemy represents his training in the use of advanced Alkaean biochemistry; There are any number of things that are possible with the right combination of chemistry and thaumaturgy - especially when that combination can be encoded specifically to the individual doing the preparation - i.e. making an extract.

He's been in his current identity for about a year. Roughly since the last Citizenship Ceremony, where, at least according to the public records, he was initiated.

That depends entirely on the individual. Not all members of the Oculus hide among the Alkaeans, and the majority of Alkaeans operate through more overt means; that said, in any society, there are those that fear and hate even the uniformed police - they represent a power and authority that isn't always welcome, after all. The fact that there are agents out of uniform who might be listening at any time, should leave those who need to be paranoid, paranoid. Those who are committed to the cause though, would think nothing of it, I'd imagine.

DM Barcas wrote:


Everybody: What is the PBP experience of all of the submitting players? I'd like for everyone to write an in-character sample (a few paragraphs, at least) that has them going through an ordinary situation with one of your NPCs.

PBP experience: basically none. I've been playing tabletop games on and off for about 20 years. I got back into things about a year or so ago, with a few in person games, and then a bit of playing around with Roll20. I'm traveling much more for work now, so the asynchronous nature of PBP is appealing, so I'd like to try it out.

I'll write up a sample post tomorrow evening.


I learned to write via play-by-post roleplaying, starting about 8 years ago. It began with horrible, horrible run on sentences that would go on for multiple paragraphs without end. But, after enough roleplaying and getting mocked for mistakes, I turned into the absolute paragon of internet textual roleplaying, PlayByPostMan, who even now protects the lands of the Forumsphe-... Ahem. I shaped up. :P

Anyway, my longest running PBP went for a satisfying 3 years, we produced about 1100 pages of material for me and the other person who are still trying to turn it into a novel to sift through.

I generally play, though I have GMed a time or thrice. I entered the Paizo sphere during a lul in my real life group about two-three years ago, and have enjoyed it since.


I've gone ahead and made a few tweaks to Jorael's background to answer your questions.

As far as my experience goes:

I started what may or may not count as play-by-post 10 years ago, on various freeform roleplay forums. This has been an on-and-off thing since. (I was an absolute disaster at first, but I've been learning. I think.)

I first played Dungeons and Dragons about five years ago with some friends, and that group has stayed primarily the same through the years, with the same core three members and some come-and-goers. This group is, sadly, far more of a roll-play group than a role-play group, so I have very little experience in the roleplay part of the tabletop game.

I've been playing on Paizo for a year and a half, but the longest-running game I am in that's currently active is only a few months old. I've not had much luck on that part.

I have a little DMing experience, but not much. (Just about enough to know that I prefer being a player.)

This game would definitely be a big learning experience for me, and I hope my lack of 'serious' experience won't play against me too much.

I'll write a roleplay sample up sometime later today, as it's nearly 1 AM here and I really should sleep.


As far as ordinary situations are concerned, would you consider a "before finals" meeting between Axelia and her classmates as an ordinary situation, or would you prefer something less backstory-rific?


Whatever you believe will express your character's personality well.


Hm. I'm finding that none of the 'default' professions truly fit Jorael. His usual work of research likely falls under Knowledge(Arcana) more than anything else.

Would "Profession(Teacher)" be fine with you? (Part of Jorael's duties as a member of the Diocles tribe is instructing young 'candidates' with a predisposition for magic in the theory and basic practice of the arcane arts.)


Stupid tablet just erased the paragrpghs I tped out in response so I will do this in piecemeal. I realize Kanta is a little single minded. This is what happens from watching to much TV. Almost all of it had to be romance based and I have never liked that. This concept would be a challange for me, though I do love a good challange.

Her desire to be with Blair and not being alowed to is what caused the first kernel of doubt. I wasn't to take her from th selfish desire to simply leave with one person, who doesn't seem to want to leave, to the point if wanting to save others from what wha she doesn't wing to subject herself to. She is selfish and arrogant. I want her to grow into a kind and brave person. Willing to put her life on the line for others. Something she is currently unwilling to considering.

If she had to mate I think she would do it and it would solidify her dislike for Hermea, possibly taking it to a hatred level. She would try to find a way to ensure that she does not become pregnant. If she is unable to prevent that she will be more than ready to rebel against the status que to keep the child. This could cause her to be willing to try go spark rebellion .

Concerning the Nanites I am unsure beyond the bloodline abilities. I will be able to get the Technology Guide from a friend and look through it. No Pathfinder game I have played has had any high degree of technology. RotRL had a gunslinger for a short time.


I have been playing table top games for about three years now. I have played a low levels in two different 3.5 home brew games. A few sessions of Robo Tech. For Pathfinder we stopped in the Rune Forge in RotRL and we are waiting for the GM to finish creating the boss fight and the custom story line that will take us to level 19 or 20. While waiting my group is alternating between S&S and a partial homebrew mythic game I am creating. My only experiance with play by post is We Be Goblins game I am currently playing in. This is the only game I have found that wanted players with no experiance in play by post. Most games that I have found still open either require more posts than I can give with the night shift I work if they want only experiance players.

Creating a character with minimal information but plenty of background is abnormal for me. With the former slave Halfling Druid in the S&S game I had acces to both books on Andoran, her homeland, the books on Chelaxi, her prison, and the books on the Shackles. Along with much more time than the hour or two for Kanta. So I do apologize for that along with the horrible names. I have never been brilliant with the naming.

I could attempt something different. Though I am currently unsure of what. Sadly I do not think I am as creative as formerly believed.


Where did that fireball mishap occur? It couldn't have been in Hermea, as they don't have street urchins. No one is poor in Hermea. All are cared for.
- Sorry, I was not clear on this. This occurred on his fourth field mission (he has been on 5, the first 3 were training missions, the last 2 were active missions, though he was still there as a secondary agent)

What is Valarius's profession - international secret agent, or bladesmith?
- He is a Seeker, an agent dispatched to investigate, locate, and recover targets determined to be valuable to Hermea. These targets can be material goods (magic items, rare gems, etc), or persons/creaures of interest. To be honest, I included the training as a bladesmith to justify having a couple ranks in Craft(weaponsmith), as you said all characters must have ranks in at least 1 knowledge and 1 profession/craft. That is, unless you consider "spellcraft" to be a craft?

Does he have any inkling of the technoblade's power? What are the details of the implants? Does he have any idea about them? How does he feel about technology in general?
- My plan is to be a bladebound magus, I figure the technoblade can manifest as the black blade. No, he does not know about the arcano-technoblade or implants, they are his his secret that he is unaware of (the implants, including the black blade). He's sees magic and technology as two sides of the same coin, and a very useful coin at that. Though his training has been on the magic side to date, he welcomes the usefulness of science/technology.

What does he do on the journeys outside Hermea? Where has he gone specifically, and what has he done in those missions?
- The first three missions were training excursions, executed in the Menador Mountains in western Cheliax (entering Cheliax twice through Kintargo and once through Pezzack). On his fourth mission he was dispatched to Korvosa as part of an active quest with the task of recovering the relics and research left by a long-dead transmuter who had great success in controlled interbreeding practices of several magical beasts and humanoids. With escaping his former lair, one of their small company triggered a statis trap which unleashed the behir hot on their heels. His final mission was to into the Aspodell Mountains. Interestingly, his mentor took them through the Andoran city of Augustana, rather than the closer Chelaxian port of Ostenso. When Valarius inquired as to why, he casusally tossed it off and said, "It's easier to deal with freedom fighters who love everyone than devil worshippers who want everyone to bow to them." The stark comparison of two nations that border each other intrigued Valarius, and as they crossed through Augustana, he took notes, comparing it to his brief times in Kintargo and Pezzack.


Well let's see. I've been tabletop gaming since 2002. I've played in pbp's since my RPOL days from 2003 on and off. I've been in bunches of games that mostly fell to their own accord or I left because they slowed down too much for me to keep my interest. I ran a pair of council of thieves games for over 3 years before I eventually just burned out on it with the ever changing cast. At the moment I'm getting an Only War game started and working on a slower paced seven samurai tribute game.

Yuri Sample:

Given a choice between spending the next 24 hours doing intense physical training without rest or spending the next hour being awkwardly being put on display like cattle at a trade auction yuri would undoubtedly choose to do twice the latter.

Yuri had no interest in the petty politics of councilors though he recognized the importance. The project only existed because Malacath and a few other councilors convinced their brethren of the importance of testing Hermea's martial might against the world. At the time Cheliax was looking towards expansion, rumors of ancient evils starting to rise were trickling towards the island, and while Mengkare was confident Hermea could handle any human threat even he admitted that inhuman threats, particularly extraplanar ones, could still squash the grand experiment without much effort. However, politics also lead to the projects cancellation.

Yuri was mulling over these facts in his mind attempting to remain silent as Malacath paraded him around the banquet hall expressing Yuri's virtues as a warrior and how others like him can secure Hermea's security for decades, perhaps centuries, to come. He was only half aware of the questions he was asked, most of them answered by Malacath. This was fine. Yuri had no interest trading words and attempting to sell himself like a petty bauble.

It was during a conversation with a near elderly man that Yuri was snapped out of his reverie.

"So, Malacath, you say this man can formulate five ways to kill a man before blades are even drawn within seconds?"

Malacath, a tanned middle aged man of some girth and little hair kept his salesman smile as he nodded.

"More than that." Malacath responded. "Yuri's strength does not lie in his not inconsiderable speed and skill, but in his ability to read the situation and context of any situation and perform the mission without fail."

"Intriguing." The old man said. Yuri looked directly at the man for the first time. He recognized him as one of the councilors from a military tribe. One of the leaders responsible for overseeing the defense of the island. His mechanical eye and cane suggested some distant injury. A bulge in the mans toga suggested something else altogether.

"I'd like to see a test of this." The man announced loudly enough that others turned to see. "Yuri, I am an enemy of Hermea and have announced my intention to kill you. How do you respond?"

Yuri found himself responding automatically before Malacatch can protest.

"First, I would disable your shooting hand by reaching out and crushing it. Due to arthritis you will be unable to use your weapon. I would then kick in your left leg forcing you to the ground. From there I could disarm you and terminate you with your own pistol, snap your neck in your incapacitated state, flatten you on the ground with my weight and strangle you, utilize my grip on your hand to break your arm, or to pull you into a left elbow to your left temple causing potential hemorrhaging and death, or continue to place blows upon your head, kidneys, and sternum to rupture organs, cause concussions, and cause massive internal bleeding. Should you have an accomplice I would utilize the pistol in your toga to incapacitate them and keep them for questioning."

The area around them grew silent. The faces around them contorted into looks of shock, horror, and in some cases disgust. The old man for his part simply nodded and in a gesture Yuri was sure meant for him, revealed the hidden pistol in his toga.

"Thankfully, it seems my friend, I am not an enemy of the nation."

Malacath laughed, though the lack of humor in it was obvious.

"Yes, yes, let's be going Yuri we have many people to talk to tonight"

As Yuri glanced around the rooms at others reactions he recevied the impression he had made a mistake.


Dryth ex-Thermostila, a mechanical artisan with an interesting birth history intent on creating and controlling a class of mechanical slaves for Hermea. Mechanically, he's a Sorcerer with the Impossible Bloodline, though I also have some ideas on Crossblooded with the Imperious Bloodline.

Gaming experience:

I've have considerable experience with PbP, with most being on the Paizo site. I was overseas for several years with PbP as my only gaming outlet. I've joined many games and I've GM'ed a few PFS scenarios. I'm currently in 6 games on the Paizo site including one lasting since 2012 and now over 5000 posts and another since 2013 and just shy of 3000 posts. I like to try to play different characters with varying personalities and mechanics.

Dryth ex-Thermostila:

Five background and concept elements important to Dryth ex-Themostila.
1. Dryth was part of an experiment by the Diocles tribe. Rather than have Rhodeans breed and control the bloodlines, a sect of the Diocles tribe thought to create suitable citizens through alchemical and magical infusion of infants. In essence, they sought to shortcut the decades long process of breeding by infusing infants with desired traits, particularly advanced intellect.
2. Dryth is of middling intellect, especially compared to many of the Themostila tribe, but he has a natural way with machines which seem to far outpace many of his tribe-mates.
3. Dryth was initially not accepted into any tribe and moved out to one of the farming communities. He lived there for nearly 6 years before his magical abilities suddenly fostered. With his ability to perform spells and a seemingly innate aptitude for handling machinery, he was soon brought back into Promise.
4. Dryth believes in the idea of machine slaves. He believes Hermea can unlock the true potential of humanity by freeing themselves of meaningless physical work. Fulfilling the Unity doctrine and finding enlightenment can be made easier by relegating nearly all tasks to machines, such as fighting, harvesting, and even walking,
5. Dryth is a mechanical artisan. He has an amazing way with machines, not just making them work or understanding how they function, but often controlling them in a way no one else can. He has found that his spells will affect machines where others’ won’t, and he can convince machines to follow him or pay attention to his innate presence.
Two goals that are important to Dryth.
1. Dryth wants to show he does indeed belong in Promise. Having failed to become a Citizen at first, Dryth is very proud of his accomplishment, and he constantly strives to display his usefulness to the nation.
2. Dryth wants to create himself mechanical slaves to do whatever he needs. He believes if he can show the potential of machine slaves, all of Hermea will benefit.

Two secrets about Dryth, one that he knows, and one that he not yet aware of.
1. The Diocles attempts to create suitable Citizens was ultimately declared a failure. Of the more than 300 the infants subjected to the process, most never survived the infusion process or died within several years. Only five children survived. Four showed immediate enhanced intelligence and awareness, and they all became Citizens. Dryth was the fifth child, who showed normal, unexceptional development. The cost of the experiment was deemed too high, and the details of the Diocles experiment have been hidden. Further attempts to alchemically create Citizens has been forbidden.
2. While Dryth believes in the power of machines to enhance humanity, he actually doubts part of the Unity Principle. His time on the farm showed him the strong talents and spirit of the farming communities. They have a drive and an ethic which is at times lacking in Promise since its Citizens have little more to strive for. He knows the farms have many people who would make excellent Citizens and be valuable, productive members of Promise. This is what has inspired his work and proposals for machine slaves. He feels if he can create these slaves, then the farming communities may be allowed to join the ranks of Promise, freed from their duties in the fields.

Four people that are tied to Dryth, three are friends and one is an enemy.
1. Tyrone tal-Diocles - Senior researcher in the Diocles alchemical citizen project. Tyrone wasn’t in charge of the alchemical project, but he is one of more prominent researchers who survived the project’s fall. With Dryth’s acceptance into Promise, Tyrone has tried to become a mentor and friend to the young man, trying to gauge his abilities. Dryth has come to rely on Tyrone as someone who can guide him in life, while not knowing the man’s history or intentions.
2. Grace ex-Pelagio - Childhood friend and sometimes-lover. Grace and Dryth were raised together in the same Rhodean unit. She is his friend, confidant, and seemingly the closest thing to family allowed on Hermea. Experiencing so much together as they grew up, it seemed only natural for them to become lovers too. Grace was accepted into the Citizenry immediately, which pulled them apart for several years. Dryth’s acceptance into Promise, however, was one of their happiest moments. Grace has had 2 children already, neither of them Dryth’s. Grace studies plants for Hermea as a part of the Pelagio tribe.
3. Piotr - Non-citizen friend from the farm where Dryth worked during his 6 years before becoming a Citizen. Dryth had been at the farm for a year when Piotr arrived. He helped the young man learn their tasks and the two soon became fast friends. When Dryth left to move to Promise, Piotr was crushed. He was losing his best friend.
4. Halpern ex-Themostila - Halpern is another machinist and Dryth’s philosophical opposite. He believes in the power of the Citizentry as superior beings to the rest of humanity, even those in the farms in Hermea. He believes all other humans should be enslaved to bring their base urges and other defects under control. Human slaves, he argues, can be used for labor and sustaining the Citizenry, who will be free to explore greater enlightenment. Halpern even places machines above potential slaves since they are not bound by the same flaws and can be constructed towards perfection in a single task. Halpern loves machines more than people actually. Dryth and Halpern have argued so much in his time as a Citizen that they fester hatred on sight of each other.

Four memories, mannerisms or quirks Dryth possess.
1. Dryth has a brand of a spoked wheel on his lower right arm. It was done one night in the farming community with many of them wanting to show pride in their positions on Hermea, despite not being Citizens. While painful to have done, he is proud of it.
2. Dryth has a love of animals, born of his time at the farm. He learned to care for horses and dogs there, seeing the intense loyalty these animals can have.
3. When Dryth was welcomed into Promise and signed the Contract of Citizenship, Grace was among the first to greet him. It was a reunion they had looked forward to for years. She presented him with a laurel wreath and helped him dress into his new clothes. They laughed together like they had as children, spinning around until they got so dizzy they collapsed. It was pure, uncontested joy.
4. Dryth has a habit of tapping his lips when he’s thinking, as well as wandering when deep in thought. When he’s working on a complex project, he will often wander the streets of Promise, only faintly aware of his surroundings. With the civil environment of the city, this is rarely a problem as no danger ever comes to him. When he was at the farm, he would wander some of the fields at times tapping his lips and moving through the rows of crops. Several times, he would ‘awake’ from his thoughts to find himself far off the farm property with dwindling daylight.


Presenting Archelaos ex-Nikephoros, who will be built as a straight-forward bard.

about my RPing experience:
I’m 28, I began tabletop roleplaying at 16. I now have a real-life group, we play about twice a month, mostly short (6-10 sessions) adventures of various game systems. I did a bit of PbP on an Italian (my native language) message board, then spent a year or so on Freedom City PbP, then 2 years ago ended up on the Paizo boards which I believe are the best for PbP with their integrated dice roller and the alias system. Most of the PbP's I've been in petered out after a while, the most successful one I’ve been in so far is probably this one (I played Telemakos). I tried PbP GMing but I can’t keep up with the workload. I usually play vastly different characters from one game to the next one.

The Background:
Pitch: a performer bred and built for maximum skill through any means necessary, loosing himself in his performance to shut off doubts.

Five background and concept elements important to Archelaos.
1) The Project. Archelaos is part the first batch of Hermeans conceived under the Càlina Project. The Epaphras scouts were tasked with bringing back a nymph from Avistan by the Rhodean gene-planners. Càlina, the unlucky fey, found herself mind-controlled in a beautiful pond terraformed to welcome her, enclosed under a stainless glass dome. Selected couples were encouraged to mate there, where Càlina would “willingly” become a sexual facilitator. The goal of the project was to give a touch of fey blessing to the batch of newborns.
2) Bred for art. The children from the Càlina Project had from an early age a tutoring aimed focused on creative and representative art. While some were deemed fit for other tribes, most children of the Project were destined for the Nikephoros tribe, made of artists and entertainers.
3) Early struggle. Archelaos developed a limber and quick body, perfect for the dance. However, his mastery over his voice and vocal cords was less than stellar, and Jubastus ex-Origines was worried about Archelaos not being deemed fit to join the ranks of the citizens. Archelaos ended up bonding with Hephaistion, a wonderful singer and skilled in mimicry, who faced similar problems due to his lack of physical stamina and grace.
4) The accident. While working in the fields between a lesson and the next one, Archelaos and Hephaistion were tasked to operate a piece of machinery for the harvest. In a stunningly unfortunate coincidence – one so dire that could almost be believed to have been caused by an enraged fey – the boys’ weakness to the cold iron that composed the machine manifested suddenly, stunning them on the spot and leaving the reaping machine uncontrolled to ravage the land. In the accident that ensued Hephaistion lost his life and Archelaos was hospitalized for weeks, a grievous wound on his throat and lower jaw who threatened to render him mute. After a miraculous recovery, his teacher Jubastus cleared him of any guilt and pushed him to succeed in his training, keeping the memory of Hephaistion alive, saying that his singing lived through Archelaos.
5) Kalamnes. After earning his citizenship and last name, Archelaos’s career focused on theater – currently his representation of Kalamnes’ Quest is much lauded and Archelaos seems to be having a bright future.
The tale of Kalamnes is one that tribune Homerus et-Nikephoros claims Mengkare himself told for the first time – that of an Osirian warrior of such bravery and valor that first made the dragon see the potential in humans.
Archelaos is completely lost in his performance – he does so to shut off the fears he is having about his heritage. See goal 2 and secret 1.

Two goals that are important to Archelaos.
1) Once perfected, Archelaos desires to bring his play across Garund and Avistan – he is constantly pleading with Epaphras officers to arrange for plays on the continent.
2) Archelaos is still having troubles getting Kalamnes’ struggle on stage. This is due to the fact the Kalamnes’ story is routed in doubt for authority and absolutes: to truly find the character, Archelaos will have to embrace the idea of an imperfect government. Archelaos will experiment in many ways until he is satisfied with his performance.

Two secrets about Archelaos, one that he knows, and one that he not yet aware of.
1) Fey are by nature capricious and indomitable, and Càlina can’t be kept a slave for long. The fey has already escaped a few times the mind-control of her caretakers and managed to send visions and dreams to her “children”. Archelaos seems to be particularly receptive of her messages, usually brief flashes of anger and pain – and a few astonishing moments where he spoke with a voice not his own. I was thinking that Càlina could be any kind of muse-like fey – even something way more mysterious and/or powerful than a nymph.
2) Hephaistion broke both of his knees and femurs in the harvesting accident, but didn’t die. Rather than having two crippled young men doomed to fail the trial of citizenship, the surgeons killed Hephaistion and transplanted his larynx, lower jaw and vocal apparatus in Archelaos’s body. With pharmacological bonding agents and healing magic the tissues were attached to his nervous system; Archelaos went on to enjoy a spectacular career, and the Rhodean tribe could report one more success for the Càlina Project.

Four people that are tied to Archelaos, three are friends and one is an enemy.
1) Ikatia ex-Lucarus is the first prospect mate for Archelaos. The two of them have been introduced for six months already – she is a skilled swordswoman who is teaching him the finesse of blade movements to better represent Kalamnes on stage. Their union still hasn’t produced a pregnancy after six months, but they are enjoying a relationship more friendly than romantic.
2) Jamides ex-Hagne is about the same age of Archelaos and a frequent observer to his performances. She is a young historian working on the Hermeans Ante Litteram – a collection of tales about great men who would’ve been worthy of Hermean citizenship but who lived before Mengkare founded Promise. She and Archelaos started talking about Kalamnes and ended up bonding as friends. If the relationship between Archelaos and Ikatia keeps on being fruitless, they will likely petition for a pairing in the near future. I don’t think historians fall into any of the assigned tribes, so I used an unassigned one – if historians would be Diocles, then let’s change her tribe.
3) Jubastus tal-Origenes is now a legate for his family, in small part thanks to his success in educating Archelaos. Jubastus is who stood by his side during his convalescence and the loss of Hephaistion and for Archelaos is the closest thing to a father he knows.
4) Aribbas ex-Nikephoros was the runner-up, and is now the understudy, for the role of Kalamnes. Aribbas is slightly older than Archelaos and does not come from the Càlina Project. He is envious and feels – appropriately – upstaged.

Four memories, mannerisms or quirks Archelaos possess.
1) Most visions he receives from Càlina are the nymph herself enraged, or screaming in frustration, or deeply despaired. Upsetting as they are, this shots of pure emotion are a gold mine for an actor, and even though he tries to keep them secret, are usually to the top of his mind.
2) Archelaos enjoys the spicy and spiced food of Garundi tradition – especially Osirian food – and is a teetotaler. The one time he had a drink… the visions and dreams were there waiting for him.
3) Archelaos is fond of quoting plays and poems – not so often to result annoying, but enough to be noticed.
4) He has a gut dislike of heavy machinery built with cold iron – something clearly just due to his past trauma.

RPing sample “Ikatia teaches Archelaos Dazzling Display”:

“Use keep your wrist locked. Don’t flourish the move.”
“Don’t flourish it? It is for stage!”
“It’s unthreatening.” Ikatia mimics the blade rotation as Archelaos just did, then once again but this time faster, more precise, more elegant. Her fencer’s muscles swim under her skin-tight training shirt.
“That is more threatening.” admits Archelaos, nodding with a smile. He keeps practicing the rotation, stopping his blade just an inch before the mannequin.
“Your body knows when he is facing someone with proper structure.” The girl demonstrates once again and the actor can’t help but clinch his jaw and close his eyes for an instant when she stops just one inch from his forehead. “It knows when fear is an adequate response.”
Archelaos grimaces, disappointed in himself “Kalamnes should know no fear from a blade.”
Ikatia rolls her eyes and sighs “Oh believe me, I gathered that. No blade nor blunt nor blast…?
Archelaos shakes his head smiling, takes a step back and sheathes his blade. He closes his eyes for a second, and when he gazes upon Ikatia again, he is Kalamnes.
He steps forward, owning the training field, filling the space with his presence “Through blade and blunt and blast, I shall walk calm, my heart steadfast. But for the bleeding hands of children, my heart will harden, in my chest a burden.” he recites. He is no longer facing his partner, friend and mate but the cruel General Ogodai, in the rousing end of the first act. Ikatia looks impressed “That is excellent, I think…”
No words of malice, you fiend from Hell!” Archelaos pushes Ikatia, with grace and strength, a gesture so natural and quick that even the strong warrior is forced to take a step back “No more your chalice you will raise, nor toll a bell! For Kalamnes is here at last!” in one perfect motion he unsheathes his blade, the metallic sound reaching his high just over his last word. Archelaos brings his sword into the High Guard of the Falcon, then takes the last step towards Ikatia, rotates the sword – his wrist a slab of steel – and ends the movement with the blade in Ikatia’s face.
This time it’s her who flinches and recoils a bit “Good… that was…”
“Threatening?” and with a warm smile, Archelaos is back and the fury of Kalamnes Avenger is gone.
Ikatia shrugs and smiles back “I was going to say properly executed, but yes, in the end, threatening.”
“I guess you are a good teacher.” he kisses her on a cheek, then on the nose.
“I definitely deserve a reward then.”
Archelaos retracts and grimaces sarcastically “Uhm, I don’t know… your Ogodai could use some improvement...”
She pushes him hard, and he falls flat down on the grass. “It sure does, if it can beat up Kalamnes…”


Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

Looks like they won't have the new aliases problem fixed until next week

Also, DM Barcas, you may have missed my questions above. Would you please answer them? Thanks!


Jorael ex-Diocles, Roleplay Sample:
Whirr... Ding!

"Ah! That must be the delivery automaton," Ulrika tal-Diocles commented, turning her attention away from the tea she was pouring, a simple Mage Hand spell continuing to pour hot water for her. "It's most likely the relic we've been waiting for. Mind getting the door?" she asked her colleague.

Jorael ex-Diocles wordlessly rose out of his chair, his shoes giving faint squeaks as they met the freshly-polished floor, not bothering to put down "Thaumathurgical Analysis of Shoanti Divinatory Rituals" as he waved his hand for the office's door to slide open.

The automaton could barely begin its pre-recorded greeting before Jorael snatched the silk-bound package from its mechanical appendages and silenced its tinny voice by motioning for the door to close behind him, barely breaking his stride in the process.

Jorael set the package down on the table. "There's no mistaking it, judging by the weight, it's the fragment." He commented, folding the book's ribbon into place to mark his page before setting it down.

"You've never been one for making nice-nice with the automatons, huh?" The Varisian-blooded woman playfully mocked her former student, adjusting her silver-rimmed reading glasses.

"When one of them can hold a conversation or write a poem, I'll consider it. Until then, they get the same courtesy as the tables and chairs." Jorael answered flatly.

"Yes, well, at any rate." Ulrika sighed, carefully undoing the silk that protected the flat piece of granite. "So, what do we know yet?"

"Well, let's see." Jorael levitated a scroll of parchment into his hand from the rack it had been filed in, some hours before, by another automaton. Why it couldn't simply have been teleported over, he failed to understand, but he figured there was no harm in letting the mechanists get their jollies off. Hermea could certainly afford it.

"According to the linguists, there are two languages in the scribings, alternating line for line. Varisian, and Ancient Shoan-ti." Jorael explains. "According to the geologists, the slab itself dates from several hundred years ago. The Shoan-ti was etched in about the same time the stone was cut, while the Varisian dates a little over a decade ago."

"What does it have to do with us, then? The story seems obvious to me. The slab was found by a Varisian researcher, and he foolishly decided to add his comments. Why do they want a magical analysis done?" Ulrika asks. "You asked me to join you with this. What's that 'curious puzzle' you were talking about?"

"Read it for yourself," Jorael answered, smirking as he held the stone out for Ulrika to take. "I think you'll find it every bit as fascinating as I did."

Ulrika took the stone in hand, focusing for a moment as she felt its magical aura and sought to decipher it. "I see it holds an interesting variant on Wendell's Comprehension, at any rate."

"Right you are. You could show it to the first merchant to come to port tomorrow, and they could read it just as clearly as our best linguists. That's not the interesting part, though."

Ulrika adjusted her glasses once more, and began to read:

Quote:

...this day of the Lunar Eclipse, I, Barthok of the Shakh-Quah, engrave this stone as a plea for help. I must find a cure to save my children from the Red Fever, but I have no hope. Man or Woman of days to come, I beg of you to help.

~~~

My name is Allifair Charani, and I believe I can help you.

~~~

Greetings to you, Allifair. It relieves me greatly to recieve an answer...

Jorael Ex-Diocles


Tarandor: Dual-wielding firearms is fine. We'd be at the "Commonplace Guns" level of firearms, with both advanced firearms and technological weapons. Martial proficiency is needed to use them without a penalty. Typically, firearms are seen as a practice tool before being trusted with a technological weapon. Weapons - and especially firearms - are not allowed for everyday possession except for security forces. One can gain access to weapons with permission for official business or during training. (Similarly, there is no currency. People receive what they need to fulfill their purpose.)
Cydrius: Profession (tutor) would be fine.
Enchanter Tim: The section on Grace (an anachronistic name) raises a few questions. Were they secretly lovers as teens (a violation of the rules)? Have they attempted to get permission for a one-year match? Coming late into the rank of the citizens is an interesting point of view. How much of the technology has he explored? They're far beyond clockwork constructs, so he would have to understand the computers behind robotics.
Airon87: Being an actor in Hermea is an interesting thought. To what extent is the content controlled by the expectation that it should extol Hermean virtues? How much of it is propaganda, both outward and inward? What (mechanically) causes his issue with cold iron? Can Archelaos sing and dance as well? I like the dark, utilitarian decision to essentially merge Archealaos and his friend. It makes me wonder who might have made that decision (and plays well with Simeon's objections).
Death's Adorable Apprentice: Any thought as to how or why she was placed in Epaphras?
Illia-: Regarding Yumie, one doesn't really select their tribe; they are placed in it based upon their innate talents and the needs of the tribes. Also, how did Yumie trick Axelia? It sounds quite sinister.

Our current candidates with samples received:

  • Efin ex-Xanthip: A barmaid trying to hide her powers to summon creatures from beyond the stars. Summoner (Master Summoner)
  • Jorael ex-Diocles: A divining wizard with a distaste for technology and dishonesty. Wizard (Divination)
  • Yuri ex-Epaphras: A warrior bred for superiority over the world who doesn't have the chance to show it. Brawler
  • Archelaos ex-Nikephoros: An actor with fey influence who unknowingly received body parts from his injured comrade. Bard

Our current candidates with samples outstanding:

  • Kaxon ex-Origines: A dragon-blooded sorcerer who has been used as a prize breeding stock. Sorcerer (Draconic Bloodline)
  • Simeon ex-Themostila: A surgeon and alchemist who is having second thoughts about the ethics of experimentation. Alchemist (Chirurgeon)
  • Axelia ex-Themostila: A soldier who embraces steel and technology. Fighter (Cyber Soldier)
  • Soractus ex-Alkaeus: A secret ideological enforcer with drow heritage. Investigator (Steel Hound, Investigator)
  • Valarius ex-Epaphras: A technoblade-wielding magical warrior with growing doubts about the morality of Hermean tactics. Magus (Black Blade)
  • Kanta ex Epaphras: A stubborn, angry sorcerer obsessed with someone that she can't have. Sorcerer (Nanite Bloodline)
  • Dryth ex-Themostila: A technologically adept sorcerer and creator of mechanical servants. Sorcerer (Impossible Bloodline)

And the tribe names and duties:

  • Rhodean: Assigning and tracking bloodlines and breeding partnerships for citizens.
  • Lucarus: Developing military tactics and training its leadership.
  • Origines: Monitoring, shaping, and controlling the population of residents (essentially taking on the role of Rhodean and part of the role of Alkeaus for the non-citizens).
  • Themostila: Advancing and improving technology and medicine.
  • Xanthip: Researching and developing magical theory and application, especially in its intersection with technology.
  • Diocles: Seeking out intelligence and information that would benefit Hermea through magic, experimentation, and research.
  • Alkeaus: Ensuring the security of Promise and the Unity Principle from both external and internal threats.
  • Epaphras: Dealing with the world outside Hermea and pursuing Hermean interests in other nations.
  • Nikephoros: Promoting Hermean ideals through art and entertainment for both Hermean and other audiences.
  • Hagne: Chronicling Golarion's history and examining its failed governments to determine the flaws that have prevented humanity's rise.
  • Hypatia:
  • Pelagio:
  • Zyphros:

I have, at this point, an embarrassment of riches. Each of the submissions is good enough for inclusion in the game. I've got my eye on a few particular standouts, but there are any number of possible versions of the party. Keep your thoughts and contributions up, especially when it comes to fleshing out the setting.

I'd also like to put the issue that Tarandor raises to a vote: if the majority want to wait until this alias issue is fixed before I close submissions, we will wait. Send me a PM with your vote.


Apologies for the delay, posting now.

@DeathsAdorableApprentice: Missed your post, sorry - but it looks like you came up with something.

@DMBarcas: I'm (relatively) new to PbP, didn't join these boards until June last year. I've been a regular poster to several campaigns, although the one I first joined has recently folded, which is a shame. As to experience, though - I have been DM'ing on and off for tabletop/in person games for more than 20 years, and playing for some considerable time before that.

Roleplay sample:

It is 6 p.m. and all is decidedly not well. Indeed, all is chaos. Simeon surveys the scene: screams, cries of pain, people rushing helter-skelter, directionless. He and Mark have been called - rushed - out of the city to deal with an industrial accident: it is harvest time and one of the great combine machines has broken down, its seizure trapping three workers in its metal embrace.

Calmly, analytically, Simeon looks around. He sees that it is a Mark IV combi-thresher. He sees that two of the workers are conscious and screaming, one with an arm and one with a leg trapped in the machine. More disturbingly, one of the workers is unconscious, swallowed up almost to the waist. "Too much dust - we'll need one of the med-tents to make a sterile atmostphere. Mark, give both of those workers a local anasthetic; I need them able to move away once we untangle the machine. Find someone who will help them and then give me a hand with this one." As his assistant walks away, Simeon gathers what he needs to open the machine up. "OK, on three, lift them free." Leaving the two conscious victims to Mark, Simeon orders some workers to place the shattered body of the other labourer on a gurney and wheel him into the assembled tent. His long, clever surgeon's fingers locate the femoral artery; it's been severed. He clamps it shut.

It is 6.55 p.m. Simeon is working feverishly, muttering under his breath. Nothing he is trying has worked; the victim's blood pressure is dropping rapidly and the pulse is nearly non-existent. Simeon is not one to give up and he keeps going, stopping only when all attempts at resuscitation have failed. He is not one to swear, but the only time he ever feels like it is when he loses a patient.

Leaving the tent, he shakes his head almost imperceptibly at the Alderman, who has finally arrived and is attempting to restore some semblance of order. Harvest time is manic even when things go well; with the loss of the machine and a couple of workers, this man's job just got much harder. Not Simeon's problem. Mark is, though - Simeon reaches the other two patients to find that Mark has amputated far more of the limb than necessary. He knows why: Mark has been itching to install some cybernetics and there's more satisfaction in doing a whole limb than a simple prosthetic hand. He knows too that he can't report Mark: Mark will claim he was acting on his own, that Simeon was preoccupied with the critical patient and that it's wrong to second-guess someone acting at the scene. All of which is true. Still, Simeon mentally kicks himself. He should have looked at the patients, and marked where the incisions were to go. Then Mark would have had no excuses. But then he really would have lost the other patient. Being a surgeon - a conscientious one - gets you coming and going.

It is 8 p.m. Simeon and Mark have changed out of their surgical scrubs and are now examining the combi-thresher, to see what went wrong and to put it back into service. The problem is quickly identified: one of the anodes had corroded, and its disintegration effectively tig-welded the innards of the machine, giving it a seizure. Mark is unimpressed. "Whoever ###ing serviced this last time didn't ####ing know what they were ####ing doing," he snorts. Simeon nods, quietly. He agrees with Mark, but there's nothing either of them can do about that. "Let's make sure we do a better job, shall we?" is his only reply.

It is 10 p.m. Simeon and Mark (and the two - now unconscious - surviving patients) are being transported back to Promise. Mark looks eager: "I've never aided on cyber-surgery before, is it exciting?" Simeon rarely raises his voice; he just looks straight at Mark. "You won't be finding out this time. I can't report you, we both know that - but I will NOT permit you to amputate more than necessary and then work on the patient. It would give you the wrong ideas. Go home. You've had a long day." Mark looks absolutely furious - mutinous even - but Simeon is his boss. As soon as they arrive back in Promise, Mark lurches out of the vehicle without so much as a backward glance.

It is 10.35 p.m. Simeon - now prepped for further surgical work - enters the operating theatre where his Tribune, Janus, is waiting. "Mark not with you? I thought he might like to see this." Simeon only shakes his head, not offering an explanation. Janus seems to understand though, as he smiles slightly. "Very well then. Are you ready to assist me? We'll soon have both of these good people better than new." Simeon nods, pleased to be able to help - the creation and installation of cyberware is somewhat beyond his own capabilities, but he learns fast. Janus approves of him.

It is 3 a.m. Simeon is lying in bed, with Zoe half-dozing beside him. Simeon is awake. He thinks about the patient who died, and whether there was something he could have done differently - or (worse) whether there's a trick he doesn't know, something in training that he has forgotten or never learned. He is thinking about Mark, and the disputes they have had. He wonders how long until the next one, how severe it will be. Zoe stirs. "I can hear you thinking, Simeon" she mutters sleepily. Simeon smiles "Sorry, I should have remembered that thinking is your vocation." It's a little joke they have: Zoe thinks about things, and Simeon fixes them. It's a pattern that goes back long before citizenship, even when they were children. That's presumably why they ended up in their respective tribes. Zoe doesn't smile. "What are we going to do, when our time runs out?" That is the Question of all questions, the ultimate problem; and Simeon - the analytical creative problem-solver - has no answer.

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