Lords of the Deep (Inactive)

Game Master Elton

The Lost Land. The Sunken City. The Ancient Birthplace of Secrets. Somewhere, beyond the edge of the world, a great empire grew decadent and fell, sinking forever beneath the waves. The City of Atlantis has haunted our dreams since the days of Ancient Greece. In some of our dreams, Atlantis is still out there.

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Gaming Primer

In the days before Heroditus, King David and King Solomon ruled over an Empire that stretched from the Land of Jerusalem to Carthage in North Africa and possibly beyond to the British Isles and had colonies in the lands of Spain and possibly France. The entire Empire was based on the Sea, and had settlers on Corsica and Sardinia. It is 40 Generations after Moses and the great powers in the region are Egypt and Phoenicia.

Under the sea, however, it's quite different, and that is what we are basing our adventures on. In the Western Mediterranean and the Eastern Atlantic, ancient cities were claimed by the sea and peopled by entirely different people.

Merpeople, sometimes called nixies, naiads, nereids, merfolk, mermen, merpeople, and mermaids; they rule a great empire under the sea. They trade with the lands of Africa and Western Europe for items made of bronze. Bronze statues, bronze weapons, bronze armor. The Greeks say that these people are the descendents of Nereus and Doris -- but their origins may lie in the lands of the Azores. But these people don't even know.

Most of the lands of the Sea Folk are in the sunken cities of the Western Mediterranean and the Eastern Atlantic from Spain to Sierra Leone. The Feykith command kingdoms of their own around the British Isles and the Baltic Sea.

The Azores is a forbidden place to go, and the whole of the Atlantic Ocean has not been explored. There are rumors of an undersea city of Airbreathers, and uncharted lands beyond the great expanse (the whole of the Atlantic Ocean from Sierra Leone to Brazil, and Spain and North America).

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The Lords of the Deep is a campaign setting originally intended for Steampunk or Superhero games. But has been altered for a Fantasy setting on a Fantastic Earth. (see pages 110-125 of GURPS: Atlantis)

PLAY in the Classical Age, before the Age of the City State and before Heroditus set down the history of a great people.

PLAY the four divisions of Merfolk: Cindarians, Kai-Lios, Nommos, and Sea Folk. Also choose a number of Faykith: Sea Elves, Naiads, Nixies, and Lochgelly Selkies. And the Anthromorphs are available by DM approval. All races are from Cerulean Seas.

FIGHT Sahaugin, meet the Song Dragons, and deal with threats under the sea.

EXPLORE and find new lands and meet new and strange varieties of Sea Folk.

And above all, have fun. :)

I am excited by this idea. Underwater is one of the only campaign types I've wanted to play and haven't been able to (The other being undead pcs.)

What classes are allowed/disallowed and what are the other character creation rules? (point buy vs rolls, traits, starting level, etc.)

I was going to work on the World Building this morning. So those questions will be answered.

PART IV: Creating a Character

To create a character: Players get 20 points to spend on their characters' stats, per the Purchase method.

http://fav.me/d55gboc
Races allowed: All Feykith and all Merfolk are available to create characters from. Also the various halfbreeds are possible. The anthromorphs are not available except by DM approval. The Sebek-kas live in the Red Sea, and many Anthromorphs live in the Indian Ocean. The possible exception are the Pisceans, but those folk are separated from merfolk spawning grounds by the Sahuagin. Also, some Anthromorph civilizations are beyond the Oceanic Expanse. It is possible to play Dolphs and Makos, but they haven't been published yet. :)

Classes Allowed: Classes from Pathfinder RPG -- Barbarians (barbarian sea folk can come from undersea kingdoms beyond the environs of the Empire), Cleric, Fighter, Paladin, Rogue, Wizard, Sorcerer.

Classes from Advanced Players' Guide -- Alchemist and Cavalier.

Classes from Cerulean Seas: Kahuna (replaces Druid), Siren (replaces bard), and Mariner (replaces Ranger).

Traits: 2

Technology of Thallassia: Bronze Age.

Picture: Choose an actor's face who could play your character and share it with everyone. This will help you visualize your character.

Starting level?
I take it no evil alignments?
Starting gold?

Starting level?

I take it no evil alignments?
Starting gold?

Level 1. One character can be evil, and starting gold is standard for your character's class. :)

Working on my character now, totally digging this idea.

I'm trying to write the background but I don't want to head in the wrong direction with it. Can you give some information about how it's going to get started? Since I assume we'll probably mostly be different races, is there something that brings us all to the same place, that I can tie into?

Working on my character now, totally digging this idea.

I'm trying to write the background but I don't want to head in the wrong direction with it. Can you give some information about how it's going to get started? Since I assume we'll probably mostly be different races, is there something that brings us all to the same place, that I can tie into?

I'll be converting one of my pathfinder adventures for underwater action (I can convert the Grey Citadel, ha!). You'll be starting in the village of Aquatica off the coast of Sardinia.

Gods are Poseidon/Neptune (God of the Sea -- NG), Cleito (Queen of the Sea -- CG), Orin (Paladin of the Sea -- LG), Sebek (God of Mysteries -- LN), Dagon (Devil of the Seas -- NG), Deep Shashelas (God of the Sea Elves -- N), Onnanes (God of Knowledge -- CN), Ishamael (Tyrant of the Seas -- LE), Kraken (Destroyer of the Seas -- CE).

Kahunas usually worship Oceanus (N) itself.

Super quick first draft, would love some feedback on it, particularly where the background is concerned. Trying to go with a kind of, hrm, WarriorPoet sort of character.

[edit] Nearly forgot the actor image.

I like the actor image. I haven't seen him a lot, but I think it's a good choice.

Okay, some things about your background. It's really rough, I can give you that, but its missing a few aspects. It sounds like he knows his duty, but he's Chaotic Good, meaning he has some personal motives over his own people that are his priorities. I don't know if he resents Authority or not.

You should tell me Matai's personal stake in adventuring. As he is a pacifist I don't think revenge would be a good motive. Did someone do something to him? Is there something he's after? Is he wondering about the land of the Witch Circe and the secrets it holds under the waves?

Secondly, tell me more of his childhood.

Going by the actor, let me suggest that his kingdom is near some part of West Africa or off the coast of Carthage and Sicily. You can name the kingdom however you like. :)

Okay, excellent, thanks! I've got some ideas brewing. I'll have an updated background tomorrow or Sunday.

Are humans out as a race in this one?

uhm . . .

pure air breather humans are out. Want to try playing a diver or systemic osmoform?

Are humans out as a race in this one?

From a mechanical standpoint, the Seafolk are basically identical to humans, if your concern is more crunch than fluff.

Bilbo Bang-Bang wrote:

Are humans out as a race in this one?

From a mechanical standpoint, the Seafolk are basically identical to humans, if your concern is more crunch than fluff.

Yorik is right. In Cerulean Seas, the Sea Folk are mechanistically identical to humans.

I have had this idea of a human internalchemist with the heart of the sea trait, he only needs to breathe once every day and so would actually be feasable in an underwater campaign :)
The other idea I had was to play a grippli, your thoughts on these? Just testing the waters on what's allowed :)
Also, I have never played GURPS before, are we using pathfinder rules? Are they different? This would be the main deciding factor for me.

Btw hia Elton! How's the robotech campaign coming?

We started Robotech and we are waiting on your addition.

Well, he could be feasible, but you have some interesting options available to you. You can play a Diver, is more or less an evolved "Aquatic Ape" human with a better diving reflex. They can hold their breath like a dolphin can so Heart of the Sea isn't needed. Secondly, there is the systemic osmoform -- or Gillman. Both were created by Atlantean Genetic Engineering.

The Grippli has a Cerulean Seas counterpart called a Mogogol (Page 29 of Cerulean Seas). The differences are like what is described below:

Grippli Racial Traits
+2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom, –2 Strength: Gripplis are nimble and alert, but spindly.

Small: Gripplis are Small creatures and gain a +1 size bonus to their AC, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, a –1 penalty to their CMB and CMD, and a +4 size bonus on Stealth checks.

Grippli: Gripplis are humanoids with the grippli subtype.

Normal Speed: Gripplis have a base speed of 30 feet and a climb speed of 20 feet.

Darkvision: Gripplis can see in the dark up to 60 feet.

Camouflage: Gripplis receive a +4 racial bonus on Stealth checks in marshes and forested areas.

Swamp Stride (Ex): A grippli can move through difficult terrain at its normal speed while within a swamp. Magically altered terrain affects a grippli normally.

Weapon Familiarity: Gripplis are proficient with nets.

Languages: Gripplis begin play speaking Common and Grippli. Gripplis with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Boggard, Draconic, Elven, Gnome, Goblin, and Sylvan.

the Mogogol has a depth tolerance of 300 ft, and have a buoyancy rating of -20. The Grippli shares the same buoyancy rating as the Mogogol but have a depth tolerance incomparable to humans -- only 150 feet at best. Otherwise there are only superficial differences. Humans can dive to 1,000 feet -- beyond that there are horrid problems.

And yes, we are using Pathfinder + Cerulean Seas and not GURPS. if we were using GURPS, you all would be making superheroes -- but I think Mutants and Masterminds 3rd Edition could do the superhero genre a lot better.

GM Elton, I was curious if the races from the Cerulean Seas sequels, like Waves of Thought, Indigo Ice, and Azure Abyss could be used as well? I am aware that some races will, by necessity, be off-limits due to depth tolerance variability and similar factors.

I was interested in making a character from the Azure Abyss Cerulean Seas expansion. An Echinn Barbarian focused on bonebreaking grapples or an Abyssal Rusalka Bard focused on manipulation would be awesome to play! These races are not pressure sensitive and have a depth tolerance of *pressure immunity* and 10,000 feet, respectively.

Where can I find info on this GURPS: Atlantis? Unfortunately, I've never played GURPS and own none of the books, so if there is somewhere I can get the info, that would be great.

I'll need a copy of those books before I can definitely say aye or nay. If I don't have a copy I can't say. I can allow races that I wrote, one of these is already on the Custom boards, but they are in the hands of the Pathways people.

I've been looking for an affordably priced Waves of Thought, but to no avail -- so I need a copy of those books before I can say yea or nay. As for GURPS: Atlantis: well . . .

http://www.warehouse23.com/item.html?id=SJG6536

So, do you have Cerulean Seas: The Azure Abyss? Both of the races I would use are in that book. I could send you an excerpt of the races I would use. I don't think that would violate copyright, would it?

Copyright's insane in this country. With the invention of the Internet, Copyright should have been abolished. But it hasn't.

YOU have the right to resale what you buy, but Hollywood doesn't like that.

YOU have the right to share the printed word, but Hollywood doesn't like that. They keep taking down the piratebay because it cuts them out of their profits. However, you've got to remember, when a Law is being used to stop legal, and rightful sharing by a special interest group, it's a law that doesn't have the best interest of the People.

And no, I don't have the Azure Abyss or the others.

Oh, I know how insane this country is with copyrights and lawsuits. I was having this discussion a few days ago with a friend about the X-Box One and how having to pay for a license to use the game personally or to have a friend use it violated the whole emptor/vendor agreement that what you buy is what you own and that it was the kind of decision that only ignorant beurocrats like politicians or corporates believe in.

And now that I'm done standing on my soapbox, I'll see if I can scrounge up enough to get you a a copy. Last thing I need is to get sued for PDF cost plus court costs. If I can't, I may just make a Cindarian Ninja.

There's only one thing wrong with pf ninjas and myself.

I don't like the class. :P You're better off taking the rogue and getting the assassin PRC later on.

Edit: But if you really want to play that ninja, we can work something out. After all, it's a better class than the one that Alderac Entertainment did for 3.0.

The only concern I have are all the ninja gimmicks. Smoke bombs can turn into ink bombs, I know that. Shuriken are something that needs to change. You can't exactly throw spine fish, but puffer fishes are something assassins, master spies, and ninjas would aqua farm.

I'm not sure how fast a spinning utility knife can go underwater, although I do know that a bullet's trajectory is affected by water and it gets wild.

I can be a rogue as opposed to a ninja. I just want to sneak attack enemies with a blade coated in some sort of aquatic creature toxin!

The sort of character concept I had was like Sangaril on the Summoner 2 game from back in the day. An aquatic assassin trained in the shadow arts with access to a variety of exotic toxins. I just chose the ninja class because it fit better with the concept, having more of a focus on discipline and introspection than a rogue. It's such a small difference that it is almost a matter of flavor.

Also, my character could be the token Lawful Evil character, more due to his desire to achieve his/the party's goals, regardless of the collateral damage, held in check by his loyalty and discipline.

I can be a rogue as opposed to a ninja. I just want to sneak attack enemies with a blade coated in some sort of aquatic creature toxin!

The sort of character concept I had was like Sangaril on the Summoner 2 game from back in the day. An aquatic assassin trained in the shadow arts with access to a variety of exotic toxins. I just chose the ninja class because it fit better with the concept, having more of a focus on discipline and introspection than a rogue. It's such a small difference that it is almost a matter of flavor.

Also, my character could be the token Lawful Evil character, more due to his desire to achieve his/the party's goals, regardless of the collateral damage, held in check by his loyalty and discipline.

Yeah, I was thinking about the high technology an underwater ninja would need to fight. An ink bomb would require a highly trained octopus, or a baggy that would break on contact with something hard.

You would need a spring loaded device that would shoot kunai in a particular direction. not too fast, but not too slow. I think a psionic assassin would work better because you can use telepathy or psychokinesis to make yourself invisible (the first method is making people not look at you, the second is manipulating light.)

I just realized something... sneak attacks are going to be hard to land unless flanking can be set up, due to the wide open nature of the sea! I must reevaluate my character concept!

Surprise!

The Moray Eel is a good example of an ambush predator, and so are those fish that use camouflage.

http://www.seaphotos.com/predators.html

good place to start.

That makes my concept valid again! Since Stealth checks would be seemingly impossible otherwise, can we rule I have some form of color-altering skin to explain the Stealth checks?

As a trait? quite possibly. Let me check to see which trait you can trade for it.

edit

You can trade Coral Link for adaptive coloration.

Adaptive coloration: This trait allows the Cindarian to change color rapidly, adapting to the terrain around him or her. This ability can be used 3 times a day and is an Extraordinary ability and gives a +5 bonus to stealth checks. Replaces Coral Link.

WHERE'S THE FUGU BOMBS?! :)

WHERE'S THE FUGU BOMBS?! :)

Ink bombs first. Ink bombs first.

FUGU FISH!!! Honestly though, working on a concept. :)

FUGU FISH!!! Honestly though, working on a concept. :)

There's also sea snake venom, anemone venom, sting ray venom . . .

http://web.utah.edu/umed/students/clubs/international/presentations/dangers .html

I know, toxicology is a fun area of study. I studied it for years until I decided that I find the mind to be a more interesting area of study. The natural venoms of marine life fascinated me the most out of my studies in toxicology. Box jellyfish are particularly noteworthy out of this group, having the most powerful venom in the world, if I remember correctly. Amazing that such a frail, delicate creature can be so deadly! And there I started nerd-rambling! :)

Oh. Lucky you. For me, that is Atlanteology, and again, lucky you. :)

So far, I'm sure I'm the only one to attempt an underwater campaign on these boards. I think. No one else came forward and told me that it would be harder than one on land.

Lucky in what way? I suppose luck could go along with any of that, though luck and fate often coincide if you really think about it, 'all chaos is simply order too complex to understand' and such. Atlantaeology is also cool. To think that an entire civilization sunk to the bottom of the ocean is just intriguing and it would be even more so if rediscovering Atlantis advanced human technology and/or brought occult secrets that could be harnessed by people in a way that RPGs could only dream of. Both theories kind of 'float' around, one nonexistent dollar in the bad pun jar! And it would be interesting to see if this 'orichalum' actually existed and what properties it has. Yes, I've studied some theories about Atlantis, though none which I cling to as absolute truth. I'm a sort of Renaissance man that dabbles in many sorts of things, esoteric or otherwise. It helps give me something to do in between intelligent conversations and interesting diversions, which grow fewer as the years go by, it seems. And there I went rambling again! Well, this conversation is more interesting than most though, so it's understandable I would ramble, yes?

As for your other comments, there has been one underwater campaign that came out when I was still a lurker on these boards, I think, though I may be wrong about that fact. The GM likely quit, since no one offered you advice. Not very many people are brave enough to even start an underwater campaign and few are skilled enough to handle one if they get it started. I applaud you for the former and believe that you are experienced enough to avoid the latter. I will offer you some advice though, try to think outside the box when it comes to underwater combat's three-dimensional combat and come up with a way for the players in the board to not have any trouble envisioning the situation.

Now, questions before I stat out my character. Will our characters come into contact with regular humans on a regular basis or at all? What Sorceror Bloodlines would be available if I chose to be a Sorceror? Is Atlantean culture Pangaeic (Progenitor culture featuring elements that other cultures took, piecemeal, as their own after it's sinking,) or does it cleave towards Greek, Egyptian, ect. style culture, molded by the environment, of course? Does Atlantis use the same currency as listed in Cerulean Seas or do they use GP, since that is standard among human culture, who they possibly trade with?

According to the GURPS Atlantis book, the Lords of the Deep take on a Neo-Classical look. However, when I was designing Atlantis over the years (since I was twelve), according to my vision one little saying in the Bible has really guided me.

"There is nothing new under the sun."

I envisioned a Crystal Domed city that takes it look from DC's Zero Hour, since it made some sense. That is a crystal dome that covers skyscrapers. Not as tall as New York, because the city has to rest on a continental shelf yet stay hidden, but skyscrapers all the same. Atlantean culture is -- to say quite nicely -- as cosmopolitan and world ranging. My studies have revealed a one world language, and sophisticated maps of the World on stones. Lights that never turn off, cyclopean building, etc. Atlantis is everywhere, although all the proof of it is only hidden and forgotten, and we in the field have to take a lot on faith, plus the unbelievers keep the sheep in line. Someone doesn't want us to know that Atlantis rivaled and surpassed our technology.

I don't think it's Pangaeic, though. The Natufians and the hunter/gather societies of Europe were real, after all. And if Atlantis were pangaeic, the Natufians would not be as isolated as they appear to be. One language, different cultures. Some absolutely aboriginal, some having technologies we can't begin to fathom.

From what I came to understand, there was a center of knowledge, and when man spread out and formed colonies over all the world, the knowledge had become diffused and Man forgot his knowledge. But Atlantis was a high tech civilization, how much, well -- in this scenario enough to build cities that could be intact under the sea and have a living breathing population.

It would be safe to say that the Atlanteans mint coins. The standard is the Silver Dolphin -- so called because it's a coin with two leaping dolphins on it. The coin works like the old English penny. you can cut it into quarters and halves. 12 Dolphins is an Atlantean Shilling. 240 Dolphins is a pound. So, the exchange rates between the two kingdoms are different, if the Thallassians knew that Atlantean civilization was continuing underneath the waves.

I will offer you some advice though, try to think outside the box when it comes to underwater combat's three-dimensional combat and come up with a way for the players in the board to not have any trouble envisioning the situation.

The very best I can do is to use photoshopped representations of your characters. I could possibly do a DAZ Studio render in 3d, but the render is still in 2 dimensions. I have to worry about depth first before telling you how I'm going to run combat.

Interesting! About to log off now, but I will post more tomorrow.

More. There, I posted it! Still mulling over character options.

Working on maps right now. :)

EDIT: Thallassian Map complete. Click here to Download: http://fav.me/d6cgkw9

Thallassian cities:

Thallassia - http://fav.me/d262vf7

Nigeras - http://fav.me/d5w32wb

Cleitos - http://fav.me/d5hz2rh

Definitely going to go over my character again from the ground up, with all the new information having been posted. Any idea how long Recruitment will be open for?

When I get a new write up from you, I'll set the end of recruitment at next friday.

Hello! Dotting for interest. Would like to play an Oracle (Probably 'Of the waves' variety)

The Paizo site is being incredible slow for me atm and so even generating a new avatar is a great chore.

As for actor? => Link

"Aye was tinkin' of bein' dey half-elf, type of thing. What does de Dm be sayin' about sooch matters?"

all of the pcs are denizens of the sea. So it's possible to play a half sea folk/half elf.

Matai's background, Draft 2.

Still not entirely happy with it, but it's at least better.
I don't typically have such a problem with backgrounds. But then, I don't typically play "Good" and selfless characters.

Absolutely open to feedback on this.

You're still having him think lawfully. I see nothing personal in his motivations. Does he have any personal motivations?

I have such a hard time with Chaotic. >_> I was trying to play up the Good more, focusing on his motivations being more to help people, and if the law happens to get in the way of that, then he'll opposite it. You know, not necessarily being a straight-up anarchist, just refusing to let the law stop him, particularly when it comes to helping people. Depending on how things were to go, he could easily become more of a Freedom Fighter, but right now he's mostly a Diplomat.

Ugh, I really hate Chaotic.

I have such a hard time with Chaotic. >_> I was trying to play up the Good more, focusing on his motivations being more to help people, and if the law happens to get in the way of that, then he'll opposite it. You know, not necessarily being a straight-up anarchist, just refusing to let the law stop him, particularly when it comes to helping people. Depending on how things were to go, he could easily become more of a Freedom Fighter, but right now he's mostly a Diplomat.

Ugh, I really hate Chaotic.

Chaotic is seen as putting the self first before society from one point of view. It's having your own compass to guide your way in another.

Here be de Avatar image I be selectin' for de game.

Actor link again=>Link

I be happy for de character's parent's to be of both.

Bein' de Oracle of de waves is acceptable to de Dm?

very much cheers to all.