The Chelaxian Invasion (Inactive)

Game Master electricjokecascade

The hordes of Cheliax are poised to sweep across the Aspodell Mountains and invade Andoran once and for all. Can a group of intrepid heroes unite the unruly local cities against the devils so as to buy the capital enough time to create an army?


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Liberty's Edge

Phil Tucker wrote:
I'm going to say no to the leadership feat. I want to keep a tight focus on the PC's.

Already answered that one...

The Exchange

Thanks for the heads up :)

Are you ok if I was to take the trait Natural Born Leader without ending up with the associated benefits for taking the leadership feat?


My PC's stats are almost finished but I decided to read the Andoran Player's Comp before working out a full backstory.

I know where I'm gonna be from, my deity(despite being a Rogue) and some other stuff, but I'm still working through the book for more info. I also plan on re-reading the Andoran entry in the Inner Sea Guide, but I can't find the book atm, lol. My brother and I have been using it for another pbp we're in, so I've lost track of it.

Also, later this month, they are releasing a full Campaign Setting book for Andoran, which is kinda awesome, but probably won't be out till either right before the deadline for this game, or after it.

Scarab Sages

Pathfinder Lost Omens Subscriber

I'm also interested. I'll come up with a concept today.


I'm gonna have to pull out. I can't get my head round this character and it's getting a bit late.

Have fun guys.


Just a quick note that I'm back from my travels and excited to see both the completed submissions and all the excellent ideas I've seen proposed. I'm going to answer all PM's now, and don't hesitate to ask any more questions if you have them.


Ok I've got the crunch done. As I've mentioned via PM, I was torn between a Slayer and a Cavalier, so I went the "why not both?" way around it. Also, to honor my longstanding penchant for submitting sociable, suboptimally-built characters even to combat-heavy PbPs, I've instead decided to pick this particular diplomatic-intensive game to subvert this tradition and craft her as a fairly competent fighter, both defensively and offensively (1d10+1d6+20 dmg when Power Attack, studied opponent and precise strike are taken into account, 28 AC against the target of her challenge, +14 Initiative thanks to swashbuckler's initiative plus the Lookout feat to share this bonus with others). Skill-wise, she's an infiltrator and a very underhanded sort of negotiator – think of her as the secretly planted CIA Twilight Talons attachée within a larger delegation.

Crunch:
Alysandra de l’Escalina

Human (Chelaxian) Cavalier (Daring Champion) 4 / Slayer (Cleaner) 3
LG M humanoid (human)
Init +12; Senses Perception +9

==DEFENSE==
AC 26, touch 18, flat-footed 19 (+5 armor, +1 deflection, +6 Dex, +1 dodge, +1 natural, +2 shield)
hp 53 (7d10+7)
Fort +9, Ref +11, Will +2; +4 vs. spells and effects cast by evil creatures

==OFFENSE==
Speed 30 ft.
Melee +1 bastard sword +15/+10 (1d10+7/19-20)
Ranged mwk darkwood longbow +14/+9 (1d8/x3)
Special Attacks challenge (+4, +2, 2/day), precise strike +4, sneak attack 1d6, studied target +1 (1 target)

==STATISTICS==
Str 10, Dex 22, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 8, Cha 14
Base Atk +7; CMB +7; CMD 23
Feats Celestial Obedience (Ragathiel), Deceitful, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (bastard sword), Improved Initiative, Lookout, Power Attack, Slashing Grace, Weapon Focus (bastard sword)
Skills 55 ranks (16 cavalier, 18 slayer, 7 Int, 7 human, 7 favored class); ACP
    Acrobatics +22 (+7 rank, +6 Dex, +3 class, +5 competence, +1 trait)
    Bluff +14 (+7 rank, +2 Cha, +3 class, +2 feat)
    Climb +6 (+1 rank, +2 circumstance, +3 class)
    Disguise +16 (+7 rank, +2 Cha, +2 circumstance, +3 class, +2 feat)
    Intimidate +12 (+7 rank, +2 Cha, +3 class)
    Knowledge (local) +5 (+1 rank, +1 Int, +3 class)
    Knowledge (nobility) +5 (+1 rank, +1 Int, +3 class) (+7 when involving the Supreme Elect)
    Knowledge (planes) +8 (+3 rank, +1 Int, +3 class, +1 trait)
    Perception +9 (+7 rank, -1 Wis, +3 class)
    Sense Motive +9 (+7 rank, -1 Wis, +3 class)
    Stealth +21 (+7 rank, +6 Dex, +3 class, +5 competence)
Languages Common, Celestial
Traits Acrobat, Reactionary, Scholar of the Great Beyond
Drawbacks Meticulous
SQ champion's finesse, nimble, order of the lion (lion's call), panache and deeds (dodging panache, opportune parry and riposte, precise strike, swashbuckler initiative ), slayer’s talent (ranger combat style [two handed weapon]), tactician (1/day, 5 rounds, standard action)
Gear on body, light load (31,5 lbs. / 33-66-100 lbs.)
    amulet of natural armor +1
    +1 bastard sword 6 lbs.
    belt of incredible dexterity +2 1 lb.
    belt pouch 0,5 lbs.
    boots of elvenkind 1 lb.
    +1 buckler 5 lbs.
    +1 shadow mithral chain shirt 12,5 lbs.
    cloak of resistance +1 1 lb.
    hat of disguise
    mwk darkwood longbow 1,5 lbs. with 20 arrows 3 lbs.
    potion of true strike (2)
    ring of protection +1
Gear in backpack, medium load (67,5 lbs. / 38-76-115 lbs.)
    mwk backpack 4 lbs.
    banner 2 lbs.
    bedroll 5 lbs.
    blanket 3 lbs.
    climber’s kit 5 lbs.
    disguise kit 8 lbs.
    grooming kit 2 lbs.
    waterskin 4 lbs.
    150 gp 3 lbs.

I intend to have a Backstory and Description up shortly. Basically, I envision her firmly in that same 'Good is not Nice' camp that Ragathiel epitomizes; loyal, patriotic, and utterly convinced that for the good guys to triumph while also maintaining their moral superiority, someone must be willing to get her hands dirty without anybody knowing. Also, vigilantism (as per

Ragathiel's Obedience wrote:
Slay a proven wrongdoer in Ragathiel's name. It is not enough for the sacrifice to have an evil heart or evil intentions; the sacrifice must have committed evil or unlawful deeds. Gain a +4 sacred bonus on saving throws against spells and effects cast by evil creatures.

)


Putting this guy up for consideration. Still not complete but working on it. His crunch is done and backstory, just need to put up his description and personality. Added a twilight talon file cause I was kinda on a roll with his fluff. May keep adding to it in fact.

He is skill heavy, decent at close range, and to keep his "cover" has no long range. But with his tricky nature he does not really need it. Hopefully I will complete him soon. ;)


Hi Phil,

This is Brendan's submission.

Feel free to provide any criticisms or areas you would like elaborated as you see fit.

Thanks for the opportunity,
Brendan


@ Phil:

Just wondering if this Skald would be acceptable. I had played him at level 2. Just needs a bit of tweaking to level 7. And I think the back story for this character should work out just fine for your campaign.

Thanks.


Submitting Callista for your review, Phil. Feedback and questions are welcome.


Klujjen wrote:

@ Phil:

Just wondering if this Skald would be acceptable. I had played him at level 2. Just needs a bit of tweaking to level 7. And I think the back story for this character should work out just fine for your campaign.

Thanks.

Klujjen, if you believe that the 7th level version of your skald is the best submission you can put forth, and the PC that you would most enjoy playing in this game, then by all means develop and submit him.


Tomorrow I will be giving all of the current submissions a little feedback. Remember, recruitment ends on the 18th, and I'll announce my selections the following day.


Still getting the backstory for my Red Mantis Assassin character together, but here's his stats.


I'm going to provide quick feedback to all submissions thus far that contain both crunch or fluff. I'll cast a cursory glance over the crunch to see if anything stands out, but will do a more in depth examination after the submission deadline.

What am I looking for? First and foremost writing that is both clear and fun to read. Proper punctuation and grammar (or at least in the ballpark) are also things I'll look for. I'm far from perfect myself, but it's easier to read things that are written correctly.

A sense that your character makes sense in the context of the game, and would be an asset to this diplomatic mission. Would it make sense for your PC to be chosen by the Supreme Elect for this endeavor?

Finally, a sense that I know whom your character is beyond their race/class. Do I understand their fears and motivations, their goals and shortcomings? Are they people first, or window dressing for their stats?

Virion Leafspinner:

  • Any plans to purchase magical gear?
  • As an elf, why has Virion specialized in freeing halfling slaves?
  • Though I can hazard a guess, why do you envision Virion being selected for this diplomatic mission by the Supreme Elect? Feel free to PM me these details if you would rather keep them secret.
  • Wyssal Sloboda:

  • How large/successful do you envision her 'Freedom Party' has become?
  • Am I right in understanding that she is trying to convince the nation of Andoran to go to war with Cheliax in order to free slaves?
  • You have a circlet of persuasion and a headband of alluring charisma. Did you combine these items into one?
  • Shamkrii:

  • Why is being born a tiefling in Cheliax considered an aberration?
  • She has worked as a negotiator; can you illustrate her greatest accomplishment, the one that would bring her to the attention of the Supreme Elect?
  • Your crunch is incomplete. Could you list spells, gear, etc?
  • Alysandra de l'Escalina:

  • Character sheet is easy to read
  • My remarks have already been given via PM.
  • Narus II Sidus:

  • A sun orchid elixir is a princely gift. Why do you imagine the Forever Man gave it to Narus in exchange for a promise of exile, as opposed to simply killing him?
  • Why would the Supreme Elect approach Narus? To all appearances, he is but a successful merchant and owner of the Caecus Company. Why would he be selected for such an important diplomatic mission?
  • How does Narus view the Andoran government?
  • Alphonse Rellington:

  • Writing is solid and the story is easy to follow, but there's not a lot of fine detail
  • You mention how his meteoric rise has created numerous enemies. How have they affected Alphonse's life? Are there any specifically powerful enemies?
  • Is his father still on the People's Council?
  • Callista Jeggare:

  • Specific information and in great detail. Excellence.
  • What is Callista's relationship with the local Calistrian Church? Does she have any formal role in their proceedings?
  • Can you elucidate her greatest diplomatic accomplishment in Andoran, and how that might qualify her for such a high profile mission?
  • Praetorix:

  • Crunch looks good thus far.
  • Very interested to see your background/personality/description, as well as your thoughts on why a Red Mantis assassin would be sent on this mission.

  • Quote:
    How large/successful do you envision her 'Freedom Party' has become?

    I would say little, but to Wyssal every person that joins is a great success. My original plan was to get "Leadership" at level 7 (if we ever get that far, and you would allow it) for them to be their party. So far, as it says in the background, only her sister, the gnome printer and that is it. But she has DREAMS!

    Quote:
    Am I right in understanding that she is trying to convince the nation of Andoran to go to war with Cheliax in order to free slaves?

    Yes. At least convince the people that Andoran needs to do something, and don't turn their back to the slaves in Cheliax. And as far as she can see it, that means for Cheliax to surrender :P, or to Andoran to attack them, and use the freed slaves to win the war. But she is not dumb. The war should be won, it wouldn't help any slave for Andoran to lose it. So if the short term goal is to make a treaty, that is ok. But the medium-long term goal should be the liberation of all the slaves in the inner sea. A treaty would be only a small step in that direction.

    Quote:
    You have a circlet of persuasion and a headband of alluring charisma. Did you combine these items into one?

    No, why? The Circlet of Persuasion uses the Head Slot, and the Headband of Alluring Charisma the Headband slot, so no problem [SOURCE].


    Phil Tucker:

    Honestly I was asking myself those questions as I wrote most of it too. x)

  • • A sun orchid elixir is a princely gift. Why do you imagine the Forever Man gave it to Narus in exchange for a promise of exile, as opposed to simply killing him?
  • The short answer is because the forever man is a priest of Norgorber. But I am sure you want more detail. The forever man has been known to give some of the sun orchid elixir as gifts to exceptional agents. Narus exposed and ruined one of those agents for him as well as the operation. Showing him that the agent was unworthy of the gift he bestowed on him, which he promptly retook along with disposing of the agent for his blunder. The whole reason the forever man came to Magnimar, making it his home and fortress was to keep himself hidden and safe from enemies. Those exact enemies being from the creators of the elixir, after him for it's theft and his trickery in making a fake version. As such he exiled Narus with the elixir in order to use him as decoy should any of them come to the city. He had plans set to mislead them should they ever get so close, these plans lead to Narus. Another plan with in his plan is giving such talent time to grow, that such a young man with raw skill could best a veteran agent in the game of shadows meant much. It would be a waste to snuff it out when it could be sharpened, perhaps even brought into the fold as a brother. So the forever man used him. He would serve as a decoy at the very least or a powerful addition to the faith in the future.

  • Why would the Supreme Elect approach Narus? To all appearances, he is but a successful merchant and owner of the Caecus Company. Why would he be selected for such an important diplomatic mission?
  • He has access to the twilight talon files, so he knows he is more then he appears. :) But if your not going to use that, I have a more complete answer for you sense it was not part of my original background. The Supreme Elect would approach Narus because he is a successful merchant and owner of the Caecus Company. His company is a rising power with wealth and forces rivaling a small kingdom. More so he deals with others of the same kind outside of Andoran, thereby bring economic influence and connections. Something no nation would scoff at or dare do without less they become weakened by it. Also because he is easily seen as a neutral party without strong ties to the Andoran government. His words and motives will not be seen as tainted or skewed towards Andoran. Giving credit and weight to them that would otherwise be dismissed, not to mention the other party may think they can influence him. Letting them approach Narus in ways they never would a loyal officer of Andoran for example. Lastly Narus has not only survived in Darkmoon Vale but thrived and tamed his areas of ownership. Something no one else has managed to do on such a scale he has in known memory. He clearly has those good diplomatic and leadership skills that the Supreme Elect is looking for if he has managed to do all that.

  • How does Narus view the Andoran government?
  • Narus considers it good, in fact he likes the idea. He is simply concerned as to the implementation. He is very much aware of the corruption, problems, and flaws in the current government. Instead of going into politics and playing their game, he has chosen to remain out of it when he can. Giving the public impression that he has no interest in it, despite feelings to the contrary. Working outside the major cities and their army of lobbyist. Breaking monopolies by taking a long term approach while creating alliances. Such as buying land and planting darkwood trees, refusing to cut them down in the process. There by avoiding the law that grants the lumber consortium all cut down darkwood and breaking their strangle hold on the market. In a few short decades all darkwood trees will be gone save those groves he holds, once the law is overturned or the lumber consortium goes bankrupt. He will be the sole supplier of darkwood and arrange it to be harvested in a manner that preserves the wood rather then devour it. In short he is very much in favor of the government, just the government it could be rather then the ineffective and exploitable government that it currently is. In no small fault of certain groups like the consortium.

    Let me know if you need me to answer anything else. Hope those are good enough for you. :)


    Phil:
    What is Callista's relationship with the local Calistrian Church? Does she have any formal role in their proceedings? My plan would be for Callista to be an informal member of the local church. Although she does not hide Calistria as her patron goddess, she feels that her position as an information broker would be jeopardized if she was found to actually be a priestess of the goddess. In her trade she learns about people's wants and desires, what makes them tick, and her nightly activities with the movers and shakers of the local area provide the church with power (should they choose to exercise it) over some of these people. She visits the church regularly, exchanging information with the clergy in addition to worshiping Calistria in Her house.

    Can you elucidate her greatest diplomatic accomplishment in Andoran, and how that might qualify her for such a high profile mission? In a nation of equals, opportunity abounds, but the lack of a more rigid social structure can make disagreements about things more complex. Numerous times she has been tasked by the Church with settling disputes between patrons, using her well-practiced skills to mediate an agreement that is palatable for both parties. Recently, it was a bout between two powerful wine merchants. Things were getting ugly, with delivery boys being beaten and robbed, clerks being threatened, prices being ruthlessly undercut. Fearing the local area's wine business would be in danger if this was allowed to continue, the local mayor and the church tasked Callista with ironing things out.

    Through a mixture of blackmail, diplomacy, and subterfuge, the priestess was able to get the two enemies to reconcile and agree to certain terms, alleviating not only their own dispute, but also releasing the stranglehold they had put on the rest of the wine sellers in the region.

    The church would think Callista was qualified, since she took two powerful entities who openly despised one another and through honeyed words and quite a bit of morally dubious creativity, she got them to come to terms. The fact that she also shows Chelaxian descent and has a Chelaxian's noble upbringing is icing on the cake.


    Any plans to purchase magical gear?

    Not sure. Gear is always something I do last, to be honest. I usually just get what makes sense for the scenario (plus a few odds and ends that fit the character). Since this game is low combat, will get stuff useful for social interaction.

    As an elf, why has Virion specialized in freeing halfling slaves?

    He got 'into' it for purely business reasons. He freed slaves to hurt his slave owning competition. It was a calculated move, based on gold coin and nothing else. Since then however, his views have expanded.

    1. He found he is good at it so he enjoys the thrill and excitement. Outwitting people is an enjoyable game for someone as bright and clever as Virion.

    2. He is vain enough to enjoy having a small group of adoring fans in the Halfling community in Andoran. They started calling him a hero and he took a shine to it...

    3. All these years of experience has shown him the true dark side of Cheliax slavery so his moralistic and humanitarian aspects have been growing as well.

    Though I can hazard a guess, why do you envision Virion being selected for this diplomatic mission by the Supreme Elect? Feel free to PM me these details if you would rather keep them secret.

    He is familiar with many of the Cheliax power players, having ripped them off at various times (in various ways). He is always reliably anti-Cheliax so a good man to have along on this mission. he is good at dealing with people and calming fears. The elf has never shown any desire for political power so he is unlikely to amass his own army or anything, he is popular with various segments of the population to agitate for his assignment....and Virion would find it a very rewarding mission to join so he'd push hard to join.

    The Exchange

    Hey Phil,

    Thanks for the feedback.

    In response to your questions::

    Writing is solid and the story is easy to follow, but there's not a lot of fine detail
    I did plan on fleshing it out a little more over the next few days if you'd be happy to check over it before the 18th. I also planned on adding a couple of specific scenarios detailing some details from his earlier exploits if you would be interested in reading those.

    You mention how his meteoric rise has created numerous enemies. How have they affected Alphonse's life? Are there any specifically powerful enemies?
    In response to the first half of that question:
    He has seen a lot of combat as a result of the enemies he's created. Unfortunately for them, this has allowed him to really build up a reputation within the forces as someone willing to put his life on the front lines among the troops. There have also been times where he has been posted as on guard duties with rural Members of the People's Council or on remote patrols to try and keep him away from the heart of military command. Alphonse has just made the best of these situations.

    As to the second part, I was happy to give you some freedom with that side of the fence. The way I've thought about this occurring is he has made himself a nuisance to some of the senior officers of the military, some of the junior officers who he has leap-frogged through to his current rank.

    Is his father still on the People's Council?
    His father was only the peoples Council for two terms. He still has influence with some longer standing members but has withdrwan himself from the political landscape mostly. He is proud of his son for his acheivements, but was no longer on the council when Alphonse started to receive guard duties for members of the council.

    Dark Archive

    Hope I'm not too late to the party. I've got the crunch, background and so on all down here. I'm in the process of swiping someone else's profile format and throwing it all into my alias, as well.

    Cawmirth Ravenheart (Topkek Corkoro) N Tengu Rogue 5 / Pathfinder Chronicler 2

    Stats:
    Str: 8 (-1)
    Dex: 16 (+3)
    Con: 11 (+0)
    Int: 18 (+4)
    Wis: 16 (+3)
    Cha: 7 (-2)

    Acrobatics (Dex) (13) 7 + 3 (dex) + 3 (class skill)
    Disable Device (Dex) (13) 7 + 3 (dex) + 3 (class skill)
    Escape Artist (Dex) (13) 7 + 3 (dex) + 3 (class skill)
    Knowledge (geography) (15) 7 + 4 (int) + 3 (class skill) + 1 (bardic knowledge)
    Knowledge (history) (15) 7 + 4 (int) + 3 (class skill) + 1 (bardic knowledge)
    Knowledge (local) (15) 7 + 4 (int) + 3 (class skill) + 1 (bardic knowledge)
    Linguistics (Int) (25) 7 + 4 (int) + 4 (racial) + 3 (class skill) + 3 (skill focus) + 2 (master scribe) + 1 (trait) + 1 (ioun stone)
    Perception (Wis) (15) 7 + 3 (wis) + 3 (class skill) + 2 (racial)
    Perform: Oratory (Int) (12) 5 + 4 (int) + 3 (class skill)
    Profession: Scribe (13) 5 + 3 (wis) + 3 (class skill) + 2 (master scribe)
    Sense Motive (Wis) (13) 7 + 3 (wis) + 3 (class skill)
    Sleight of Hand (Dex) (13) 7 + 3 (dex) + 3 (class skill)
    Stealth (Dex) (15) 7 + 3 (dex) + 3 (class skill) + 2 (racial)
    Survival (8) 2 + 3 (wis) + 3 (class skill)

    Languages: Ancient Osiriani, Azlanti, Common, Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Gnome, Halfling, Hallit, Infernal, Jistka, Kelish, Osiriani, Polyglot, Shoanti, Skald, Tengu, Tien, Varisian, Vudrani

    1st Level (Rogue 1)
    Feat: Skill Focus (Linguistics)
    Finesse Training: Use dex w/ light blades.
    Sneak Attack: +1d6
    Trapfinding
    Favored Class (+1 Skill)
    2nd Level (Rogue 2)
    Evasion
    Rogue Talent: Quick Disable
    Favored Class (+1 Skill)
    3rd Level (Rogue 3)
    Feat: Orator
    Dangersense +1
    Finesse Training: Dagger
    Sneak Attack: +2d6
    Favored Class (+1 Skill)
    4th Level (Rogue 4)
    Debilitating Injury: Hampered
    Rogue Talent: Fast Stealth
    Uncanny Dodge
    Favored Class (+1 Skill)
    5th Level (Rogue 5)
    Feat: Esoteric Linguistics
    Rogue's Edge: Linguistics
    Sneak Attack: +3d6
    Favored Class (+1 Skill)
    6th Level (Rogue 5 / Pathfinder Chronicler 1)
    Bardic Knowledge
    Deep Pockets
    Master Scribe
    7th Level (Rogue 5 / Pathfinder Chronicler 2)
    Feat: Druidic Decoder
    Live to Tell the Tale
    Pathfinding

    +2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom, –2 Constitution: Tengus are fast and observant, but relatively fragile and delicate.
    Tengu: Tengus are humanoids with the tengu subtype.
    Medium: Tengus are Medium creatures and receive no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
    Normal Speed: Tengus have a base speed of 30 feet.
    Senses: Tengus have low-light vision.
    Sneaky: Tengus gain a +2 racial bonus on Perception and Stealth checks.
    Gifted Linguist: Tengus gain a +4 racial bonus on Linguistics checks, and learn 2 languages each time they gain a rank in Linguistics rather than 1 language.
    Claw Attack: Tengus with this racial trait have learned to use their claws as natural weapons. They gain two claw attacks as primary natural attacks that deal 1d3 points of damage, and are treated as having the Improved Unarmed Strike feat for the purpose of qualifying for other feats. This racial trait replaces swordtrained.
    Natural Weapon: A tengu has a bite attack that deals 1d3 points of damage.
    Languages: Tengus begin play speaking Common and Tengu.
    Tengus with high Intelligence scores can choose any languages they want (except for secret languages, such as Druidic).

    Traits:
    Librarian (Faction): +1 Linguistics, +1 Profession (Librarian)
    Clever Wordplay (Social): Perform (Oratory) uses Int.

    Appearance and Personality:
    Appearance:

    Despite a penchant for obfuscating clothing, whether voluminous scholarly robes or bandoliered and pocketed traveler's garb, Cawmirth's hunched, twitchy frame manages to displease the senses. The corvid structure of the head and neck lends a certain forward lean to the posture of the tengu; in Cawmirth, it is especially pronounced, echoing the bend one might see in a decrepit human elder, his none-too-tall stature frequently far short of his natural 5' 6".

    In the construction of his features, Cawmirth was just as unpleasant. While standards of beauty vary wildly, particularly when considering the more "animalistic" humanoids, ugliness manages to be universal. Red-ringed eyes, yellowish and rheumy, stare from above a beak that is only so perceptibly lop-sided as to lend a sense of a symmetry to the tengu's face. Were a 21st century American to meet him, he would probably comment "That was the Steve Buscemi of birds."

    At least, in his speech, Cawmirth has some redeeming qualities. His glib tongue gives a clear, quick enunciation like the best of actors can produce, flawlessly in a variety of languages. Were one to close their eyes, he could easily be an elf, dwarf, or any ethnicity of man, albeit one with a tendency to break into an occasional, sharp "heh!" at attempts at humor, his own or not. The condescending quality of the "heh!" rarely changes much.

    Personality:

    Observant: From his time as a thief and a burglar, Cawmirth prefers to have a complete understanding of a situation before acting. Preparation and forethought were the key elements of any successful heist, in his view, and Cawmirth's tendency to wait and watch until sure has not lessened one bit since his transition to academia.

    Pragmatic: Sometimes you have to suffer some small evils to get at your goal. While Cawmirth never relished a fight, he's killed a handful of men, some in self-defense and not. But always because it was simply the most reasonable thing to do. Of course, as a respected professor, alleyway shivvings have become a somewhat less reasonable course of action, but Cawmirth always looks to the path of least resistance.

    Curious: While this primarily applies to linguistics and regional dialects, the natural tengu affinity for novelty is alive and well in Cawmirth. Cawmirth is rarely satisfied to leave lines of inquiry or rare objects and persons uninvestigated. While this does mean his work for the Pathfinder society tends to have many interesting tidbits and anecdotes thrown in, he tends not to be the quickest to finish an assignment.

    Background:
    Born to 2nd generation refugees from the Sodden Lands, Topkek Corkoro pecked out of his shell in the cramped, filthy tengu rookery of the Almas ghettoes. Like many of the other immigrants to Almas, Topkek's extended family was insular and traditional, heeding its elders and following the old ways. Unlike many of the other immigrants, that meant cultivating numerous contacts and becoming a small, if indispensable, part of the local underworld. All crows had to do their part.

    Natural scavengers of words as well as objects, the local dialect of the tengu of Almas reflects the mishmash of cultures all piled together. This was not particularly noteworthy among tengu, but for the wide variety of the Almas crows' stolen terminology. And yet, even at an early age, Topkek managed to come to the attention of his elders when hopping along and observing the family trade. For while other crows might ask, "What does 'folkvangr' mean?" when overhearing a new term, Topkek always wanted to know, "Where does 'folkvangr' come from?" A question his elders quickly pointed out was rather pointless, as long as he knew what it meant.

    The daylight hours of his youth were not much unlike that of most other tengu; training with blades in morning, a bit of pick-pocketing in the lunch hour, and burglary by night. In those quiet siesta hours of the afternoon, though, Topkek spent his small allowance learning. First, paying immigrants to teach him their tongues. When he had mastered most every common language of the ghetto, he saved up to buy books on Ancient Osirian and Azlanti, the dead tongues of great empires.

    Not content with simple study, Topkek moonlit as a hack writer of penny dreadfuls between research and sending articles to several professors at Almas University, under the translated name "Cawmirth Ravenheart". While a place of higher learning, the practical bent found in Andoran was reflected in its education, and rather than having a department of linguistics, focused on theories of language, most of the linguistic specialists were in separate departments: the resident Azlanti expert, a professor of Archaeology, the those familiar with Ancient Osirion in the Osirionology and Religion departments, and so on.

    While he did catch the attention of a few, Cawmirth received few replies. Coming from outside any kind of educational background, the sharpness of his insights were overshadowed by a complete ignorance of academic standards of proof and occasional, off-putting misconceptions about basic historical facts. The few replies he got were, at best, tersely encouraging and far more commonly outright dismissive. One, by Gerrin Harlock of the Divinations and Harrows department, flatly stated,

    "Neither I, nor any of my colleagues, have time for your relentless stream of letters. We are fully occupied with those whose insights are worthy of publishing. You have convinced me to employ a teaching assistant in screening my correspondence, and for that you have my thanks. Good day."

    Gerrin Harlock had to eat his words two months later when, in a journal he edited the final copy of, "A Far Chance for Far Sight: The Interrelation of Time, Distance and Probability in Varisian, by Cawmirth Ravenheart" had apparently been found worthy of publishing. It was far below the usual standards of the journal, having been painstakingly written into a perfect forgery of the journal over the course of a week's silent intrusions, and brought some scorn upon Professor Harlock. Yet, as a chronicler in the Pathfinder Society, Harlock was won over by the gumption (and illicit talents) of the tengu, and took him on as a student and trainee.

    The crow blossomed with the tutelage (though, the school had a short spat of break-ins and vandalism because of how his family took his departure), and threw himself into studying all the related fields that informed his study of language. Whether in the shifting dynasties of the land, and how local dialects moved to match them or drifted away, predicting violent upheaval, or how differences in climate and geography altered the nature and speed of linguistic evolution, Cawmirth earned a doctorate in a scant six years, by a combination of talent, subtle political support from the Pathfinder society, and some small bit of affirmative action to show how progressive the university was.

    After graduation, Cawmirth's position in the academic community continued to rise, even if his studies were derailed by other pursuits. Working closely as a consultant on curiosities and antiquities for House Vaylen, Cawmirth was able acquire enough funds to push for the creation of a new Department of Linguistics, which he chairs from a small, cluttered basement office (Total Faculty: 1). As well, his obligations to the Pathfinder Society mean he is often called to odd locations to do "lexicological field work", stabbing kidneys like old times back in the narrow alleys of Almas. Most often he serves an assistant to Professor Harlock, but feels he may soon need to spread his own wings.

    The Mission:

    After the publishing of the rather nationalistic "From "By Your Leave" to "Your Business, and Mine": The Language of Freedom Over 400 Years", an etymological history of Andoran's linguistic shift after Chelaxian independence (and the proof it is of Andoran moral righteousness), Cawmirth has been angling himself to be the premier chronicler of the day. As such, he has pushed his academic contacts, patrons in House Vaylen and colleagues in the Pathfinder Society to put pressure on The Supreme Elect to have him assigned to this mission, that it might be properly passed down to posterity.

    That the ceremonial dueling sword granted to faculty (along with their robe and cap) is a deadly weapon in his curled little hands probably doesn't hurt, either.


    Phil Tucker:
    From "The Bastard of Erebus" book #1 of Council of Thieves :
    Tieflings in Cheliax wrote:


    In Cheliax, tieflings are seen as the lowest of the low.
    Devils epitomize a lawful, ordered society, and many of Cheliax’s elite pay great sums to summon, bind, and control devils to execute even their most fleeting plans. A tiefling, however, represents a loss of that control—either in using one’s power to satisfy pointless desires or an instance of the slave becoming the master. Tieflings in Cheliax bear the brunt of this societal snubbing. While tieflings are not attacked or harassed out of fear or loathing, they encounter obvious discrimination everywhere they go. Shopkeepers raise prices for tiefling customers or refuse them service altogether. Some taverns do not admit tieflings. Such ostracization wounds even deeper as tieflings realize that devils look down on them exactly the same way humans do.
    Devils have no use for their tiefling offspring, except very occasionally as pawns. Thus, tieflings in Cheliax live with the knowledge that they are seen as worthless, shameful, and expendable. To this end, most Chelish tieflings either flee their homeland or seek work in the service of influential groups or personages, relying on their position to grant them the respect their heritage did not.

    I will finish the crunch and wrote her greatest accomplishment in her profile


    Sadly, I'd like to withdraw my name from the application process.


    Mowque wrote:
    Sadly, I'd like to withdraw my name from the application process.

    I'm sorry to see you go.


    Me as well but I have reached my saturation point in games (a RL friend is considering starting one so I have to leave some space for that). IF a gap opens in this game in a few weeks, months, (for whatever reason) don't hesitate to ask me to fill in?

    Grand Lodge

    Dot.

    I'd love to lurk in the Gameplay once y'all get started (I saw the Recruitment just a bit too late, I think, to apply for a spot.) But I'm really looking forward to following the campaign.


    W E Ray wrote:

    Dot.

    I'd love to lurk in the Gameplay once y'all get started (I saw the Recruitment just a bit too late, I think, to apply for a spot.) But I'm really looking forward to following the campaign.

    You're welcome to lurk, but recruitment is still open if you're interested.

    Grand Lodge

    Ah, okay -- later this evening I'll go through the Thread to see what you're asking for and what everyone else is doing -- then I'll think of a PC-concept and hopefully post a proposal later tonight or tomorrow.

    Grand Lodge

    A quick concern....

    Considering the style of game here, aren't you a little concerned that if we all make heavy Knowledge Skill/ Diplomacy PCs, that we'll step on each other's proverbial feet in-game? If we're all Diplomacy masters, who takes the lead in a conversation, and who is relegated to "aid another"? Same with Knowledges...? It'd be kinda like a party of all Rogues with the same skills -- we don't compliment each other, we compete with each other.

    (But I really like my character concept -- almost ready to post but still working through some development, maybe it'll fit with the group you're looking for....)


    I would be worried that during the negotiations phase all the "non diplomatic" PC's will have nothing to do but watch...


    W E Ray wrote:

    A quick concern....

    Considering the style of game here, aren't you a little concerned that if we all make heavy Knowledge Skill/ Diplomacy PCs, that we'll step on each other's proverbial feet in-game? If we're all Diplomacy masters, who takes the lead in a conversation, and who is relegated to "aid another"? Same with Knowledges...? It'd be kinda like a party of all Rogues with the same skills -- we don't compliment each other, we compete with each other.

    (But I really like my character concept -- almost ready to post but still working through some development, maybe it'll fit with the group you're looking for....)

    That's a valid concern, and one that I hoped would be eased by the diversity of the characters brought into play. There are many ways to skin a cat, and while some characters might prefer diplomacy through intimidation, others might prefer magical coercion, while a third may be an erudite scholar who brings a wealth of political knowledge to the table.

    I'm glad that the submissions I've seen thus far have indeed brought this diversity to the table, and like any traditional PbP, I'll select the final group members based on how they complement each other as well as for their own individual excellence.

    I'll also add as a final note that while the premise of the game is based on skilled diplomacy with important NPC's, I envision it encompassing much more than simple cabinet meetings. As events progress strategic decisions will have be made, and I hope this will create plenty of intra-party rp as the PC's are forced to make difficult choices that could impact the very future of Andoran. In such case, the personalities and moral values of the PC's will prove to be as important as any crunch, alleviating my concern of stat overlap.


    Wyssal Sloboda wrote:
    I would be worried that during the negotiations phase all the "non diplomatic" PC's will have nothing to do but watch...

    Again, a valid concern. One of the benefits of this being a homebrew game, however, is that I can tweak it on the fly if I start noticing such an imbalance, adding elements that will ensure everybody is equally engaged.

    Beyond such minor adjustments, however, I plan to tailor the game to the selected PC's backgrounds, strengths, and personal goals. Hence my request that all submissions be detailed and specific, giving me plenty of material to work into the game's fabric and ensuring plenty of rp hooks to bring each PC into the mix.


    Would you allow the new Combat Stamina Feat, and the Stamina System as a whole, from Unchained? I have an interest in playing a high Intelligence character, most likely a Slayer or Fighter, who would benefit from the system.


    JonGarrett wrote:
    Would you allow the new Combat Stamina Feat, and the Stamina System as a whole, from Unchained? I have an interest in playing a high Intelligence character, most likely a Slayer or Fighter, who would benefit from the system.

    I haven't read the Unchained release, though I've heard good things. As such, I'm going to err on the side of simplicity and regretfully say no to adding the Stamina System into the game.


    Cawmirth Ravenheart wrote:

    Hope I'm not too late to the party. I've got the crunch, background and so on all down here. I'm in the process of swiping someone else's profile format and throwing it all into my alias, as well.

    Cawmirth Ravenheart (Topkek Corkoro) N Tengu Rogue 5 / Pathfinder Chronicler 2

    You are most definitely not late to the party. Here's my feedback:

    Cawmirth Ravenheart:

  • Your description, personality, and background were an absolute pleasure to read.
  • You are no doubt aware that your crunch is incomplete. Gear, AC, melee, etc.
  • Chroniclers are usually expected to act as passive recorders of events as they unfold. As such, how do you envision Cawmirth's being drawn into taking an active and central role in the mission?

  • Okay, it's almost 1:00 AM and I gotta go to bed, but here's what I got so far in her Profile Page -- almost all Fluff -- and really just the distant past, my PC's parents and their history.

    I know that after she escaped Cheliax as a child, Perdita Imogen (Per DEESH ah Em Oh JEEN) grew up in Absalom where she became an Empiricist Investigator and eventually an Inquisitor of the Empereal Lord, Zohls.

    I know she lives know in Augustana and, despite feeling some sentimental empathy for Cheliax, her birthplace, loathes it far more, while Varisia and the Lands of Linnorm Kings, her parents' homelands, are romantic wonders for her.

    She is strong-willed, diplomatic, quick to voice a plan, very lawful good and if she is in a fight, will have to rely on Wands.

    More tomorrow....

    Spoiler:
    Note on Naming conventions: The names came from among my favorites -- they almost always do -- feel free to look them up on Wikipedia. The characters in the literature bear remarkable similarity in theme and scope to the characters in my background -- finding those perfect fits (what's in my head w/ what's in the Lit) is half the fun for me!


    Finished fluff. Will put in profile and post here.
    If there's anything you see that is wrong, or needs to be fixed or tweaked, go ahead and tell me.

    I threw the red dragon in there as a way to explain his Burned trait, and add an extreme fear of fire, as he has seen what it can do, and add a mysterious villain if you chose to use him.

    Background:
    Praetorix took his family name, a line of assassins in the service of the Red Mantis Assassins in their headquarters on Mediogalti Island in the city of Ilizmagorti. This is where Prae, as he liked to be called, was born and lived throughout his childhood, training to follow in his parents’ footsteps. It was a hard life, with his parents constantly being absent, and any friends he may have made being driven into often deadly competition with him. As a young recruit, Prae showed a proclivity for the arts of stealth and murder, as his small size led his classmates to disregard him as a threat.
    He quickly graduated his training, and was sent as an apprentice of sorts, being assigned to go along with other full assassins, and observe their job, and possibly be of assistance and backup if the job goes awry.
    During one such job, he was following a pair of assassins to the distant nation of Taldor. Only, this target had found out they were coming, and had help: a young red dragon. The assassins quickly found themselves outmatched. As the two elders attempted to escape the botched job, the dragons’ fiery breath scoured the ground beneath them, reducing their bodies to ashes. The dragon spotted Prae in his hideout in the trees, and swung around to breathe again as Prae scrambled through the brambles, doing everything in his power to survive. He was not ready to die yet.
    The dragonfire spread into the trees, catching Prae in the back. Luckily, he was able to duck around a fallen tree branch, saving him from the brunt of the fire, but badly scarring him with burns all up and down his body. This break behind the tree trunk allowed Prae the necessary cover needed to escape deeper into the forest, where he was able to return to his masters of the Red Mantis, and report on their failure. He was promoted to full assassin on the spot, and assigned his first contract, kill the red dragon that slayed his fellow brothers.
    As an added thought, his superiors decided to move him to the local Andoran cadre, hoping to use his skills for the current wars that are taking place. But not for any nationalism; war makes profit for those able to take advantage of the situation. The cults’ contacts in Andoran got him in contact with the Supreme Elect, offering his services at a reduced price. And of course, you do not turn down such a request, especially from the infamous Red Mantis Assassins.
    As part of his assimilation, Prae has taken up the guise of a gnome explorer, an eccentric male he calls Lankur Johik. This is the alias he currently operates under, although he will release his true name to any compatriots he trusts, before telling them to act as if he were Lankur. This disguise has allowed him to avoid much of the racism aimed at halflings in Cheliax, much to his liking.
    And so Prae has relocated to the Andoran base, in an attempt to hunt down the red dragon, but he isn’t having any luck locating it. Yet he continued the hunt, using his ventures into Taldor in search of Taldan officers and nobles important to the war to gather clues and follow the trail of the dragon, who he has recently learned the name of, Deventh, and that he had caught wind of his pursuit and moved to Cheliax. It isn’t much to go on, but it’s a start. Until then, he works, every day advancing the Andorans’ goals.
    Now the Cheliaxians are pushing against Andoran, and Prae sees this as a sign from his god. Surely Achaekek wants him in Cheliax, as his first assignment is there, and now they are preparing for war against his sponsor nation, Andoran. There is nowhere else he should be.

    Character Description:
    Praetorix uses his Hat of Disguise liberally, never remaining in his true form for long, with the one exception being on the job. Over the years, his organization had required him to adopt many disguises and personas, and he has become quite practiced at switching disguises on the fly. His favored alias being the eccentric gnome roamer, Lankur. In this disguise, he appears as an unnaturally blue-colored gnome, with electric blue hair; the reasoning behind this choice being people would never expect the out in the open gnome.
    He is naturally a halfling, and as such, appears about as tall as a human child. When unarmored, Prae is 3’5”, and has short brown hair that won’t get in the way during a job.. His most obvious feature of his real skin is the burn scars that dance across his skin he received in his encounter with the red dragon. He constantly tries to hide these scars, usually wearing long sleeves and gloves when around other people.
    When he is on a job, he wears his blood red armored coat, and lets his mask show its form, enhancing his already fearsome visage.

    Personality:
    Praetorix’s personality is very surgical, very practical. His mind is always leaning to his next goal, which does lead to some problems with Andoran’s morality stance. Whenever matters of morality do show up in his line of work, Prae usually takes the road of “do whatever it takes to get it done”, which has irritated several of the more noble generals in the Andoran army who are among the few who know of his existence.
    There is one personal law he has established for himself, and it is one shared by his entire organization: never dethrone a rightful ruler. He has no desire to see Cheliax fall, the Queen dead, or even the war stop.
    He sees everything and everyone else as assets for his use, although does bond to those who show themselves trustworthy.
    While he prefers the sword to the pen, he also understands that not every problem can be solved with a sword to the chest. To this end, he has developed his social skills in order to properly deal with these situations, or bluff his way through them.

    Why would the Elect choose me?:
    As in his background, the Vernai, or the elite leaders of the cult, sent him to the Elect, offering him his services in their ongoing war.
    He has served bravely and effectively on several strike teams, pairing up with a various cast of people, ranging from clerics, wizards, and mercenaries, to other assassins from his cult, each time taking a different guise, yet always leaving his signature calling card, a small replica of the holy symbol of Achaekek.
    This service has led the Elect to somewhat rely on the assassins’ deadly talents, both Praetorixs’, and the rest of the cadre in Andoran, which even the Elect doesn’t know the extent of, and which Prae will never reveal.

    Goals for Prae:
    -Kill the young red dragon Deventh.
    -Maintain the Andoran Red Mantis cadre’s status and secrecy.
    -Continue to serve the nation of Andoran through his bloody sabres, and serve his god with every blow.


    Couple of bullet points for my PC, as I still am working my way through reading background material.(Almost finished):

    He hails from Fusil, in the Verduran Forest, and despite being a Rogue as his class, is slightly Ranger leaning in some of his abilities.

    His great ancestor was the one who struck the deal with the local fey that lead to them showing them the rich mine. To this day, his family has at least semi cordial ties with the faerie nearby.

    He's crazy Diplomacy focused, which you will see with his build once done.

    Yes, I know this isn't even close too everything required, but I wanted to post some key points now.


    Included a detailed version of the diplomatic story in my background, Phil. Hope you enjoy.


    Please note: due to the number and quality of the submissions, I am moving the application deadline to this Saturday (5/16), midnight EST. I'd like to announce the selected party, run a fine comb through the crunch, and outline some ground rules on Sunday. The game itself will kick off this Monday next.

    Dark Archive

    Phil Tucker:
  • Great! I aim to please.

  • Urk, sorry about that. My profile now has complete combat stats, equipment and weights for everything. Thank god I squeaked under light encumbrance! Oh, and I swapped out one feat for another. Druidic Decoder for something to represent Cawmirth's time as a thief.

  • I think I see two major influences drawing Cawmirth into being an active member of the mission. The one, perhaps a bit more pathological, is the curiosity and interest so instinctive to tengu. While he knows he ought to maintain a certain objective distance, there really is nothing quite like being right in the thick of things to know exactly how things went.

    That being said, as a matter of experience, Cawmirth balances his desire to get involved and his professional obligations through plausible deniability. Cawmirth will gladly involve himself in planning, negotiations and even some skullduggery as long as it's simply as one part of a team, with a mind towards avoiding the spotlight. As long as he can attribute the successes he worked towards to someone else's ingenuity and talent, his writing can reflect the objective distance the pathfinder society and his university expect of him while he can have the thrill and excitement of being a hero, albeit a (willingly) unsung one.


  • Didn't notice my paragraphs in my background all ran together.
    I added some lines between to make it easier to read.

    Sorry about that!


    Phil Tucker:

    Just letting you know I finished up the Twilight Talon File, unless I get hit by more inspiration which sometimes happens. Also that Narus is very much a deal maker when it comes to diplomacy, choosing to forgo things like intimidation unless it is the only recourse. Depending not only on his diplomacy but gaining knowledge and information by a number of means, from spying to pure observation of events and people. Didn't know if that came across clear enough. :)

    The Exchange

    Hi Phil,

    I've updated Alphonse's profile with a more detailed background and corrected some stat errors.

    Thanks again,
    Brendan


    Another important note about my PC: He's a follower of Erastil.

    While I know there's not much, any chance you could give a lil feedback Phil?


    Monkeygod wrote:


    While I know there's not much, any chance you could give a lil feedback Phil?

    I'll be happy to provide feedback once I have a more information on your character, Monkeygod. At the moment I know too little: he's a rogue with ranger tendencies that hails from Fusil, is cordial with the fey, and worships Erastil. A promising premise, but until I read a background I can't do much more than encourage you to continue developing him.


    Sorry for the late entry with this, but I just couldn't pass this adventure concept up. The setup sounds very cool.

    Here is Sebi Moncrief, human oracle (possessed oracle) 7 for your review. Please let me know what you think.

    Crunch:
    Sebi Moncrief
    Female human oracle (possessed oracle) 7 (Pathfinder RPG Advanced Player's Guide 42, Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Magic 59)
    NG Medium humanoid (human)
    Init +0; Senses Perception +4

    --------------------
    Defense
    --------------------

    AC 23, touch 10, flat-footed 23 (+11 armor, +2 shield)
    hp 65 (7d8+21)
    Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +6 (+2 against enchantment spells or effects); +2 trait bonus vs. charm and compulsion

    --------------------
    Offense
    --------------------

    Speed 30 ft. (20 ft. in armor)
    Melee +1 morningstar +6 (1d8+7)
    Oracle (Possessed Oracle) Spells Known (CL 7th; concentration +11)
    3rd (5/day)— bestow curse (DC 18), cure serious wounds, dispel magic, screech (DC 17)
    2nd (7/day)— calm emotions (DC 17), cure moderate wounds, levitate, minor image (DC 17), pilfering hand, lesser restoration, spider climb
    1st (7/day)— ant haul (DC 16), bless, cure light wounds, sanctuary (DC 16), shield of faith, sun metal (DC 16), unseen servant, ventriloquism (DC 16)
    0 (at will)— create water, detect magic, detect poison, enhanced diplomacy, ghost sound (DC 15), guidance, mage hand, read magic, stabilize
    Mystery Ancestor

    --------------------
    Statistics
    --------------------

    Str 14, Dex 10, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 8, Cha 20
    Base Atk +5; CMB +5; CMD 17
    Feats Eldritch Heritage, Extra Revelation, Heavy Armor Proficiency, Power Attack, Skill Focus (Knowledge [history])
    Traits birthmark, mediator, focused mind Drawbacks doubt
    Skills
    +7 Bluff (+4 cha +3 Circlet)
    +18 Diplomacy (+7 ranks +4 cha +3 Circlet +3 class skill +1 Trait Bonus)
    +7 Disguise (+4 cha +3 Circlet)
    +4 Heal (+1 ranks +3 class skill)
    +7 Intimidate (+4 cha +3 Circlet)
    +8 Knowledge (arcana) (+3 ranks +2 int +3 class skill)
    +13 Knowledge (history) (+5 ranks +2 int +3 Skill Focus +3 class skill)
    +9 Knowledge (local) (+4 ranks +2 int +3 class skill)
    +9 Knowledge (nobility) (+4 ranks +2 int +3 class skill)
    +8 Knowledge (planes) (+3 ranks +2 int +3 class skill)
    +9 Knowledge (religion) (+4 ranks +2 int +3 class skill)
    +8 Linguistics (+3 ranks +2 int +3 class skill)
    +4 Perception (+5 ranks -1 wis)
    +8 Sense Motive (+5 ranks -1 wis +3 class skill)
    +10 Spellcraft (+5 ranks +2 int +3 class skill)
    Languages Abyssal, Celestial, Common, Elven, Infernal, Undercommon
    SQ bloodline arcana (+1 DC for metamagic spells that increase spell level), oracle's curse (haunted), revelations (sacred council, two minds, voice of the grave, wisdom of the ancestors)
    Combat Gear scroll of bear's endurance (x2), scroll of bull's strength (x2), scroll of enthrall, scroll of shatter, scroll of undetectable alignment, wand of cure light wounds, oil (5); Other Gear +2 full plate, heavy steel shield, +1 morningstar, - arcane bond amulet -, circlet of persuasion, cloak of resistance +2, headband of alluring charisma +2, candle (2), chalk, hammer, hooded lantern, masterwork backpack, piton (4), sack (2), tindertwig (4), torch (2), trail rations (2), 1,432 gp

    --------------------
    Special Abilities
    --------------------

    Arcane Bond (Amulet) (1/day) (Sp) Use object to cast any spell in your spellbook. Without it, Concentration required to cast spells (DC20 + spell level).

    Birthmark +2 save vs. charm & compulsion

    Bloodline Arcana: Arcane (Ex) When a spell level is increased by a metamagic feat, it gains +1 DC.

    Circlet of persuasion +3 competence bonus to CHA-based checks (skills already included).

    Haunted Retrieving stored gear is a Standard action or worse, dropped items land 10' away.

    Mediator +1 DC for [charm/compulsion] effects that result in peaceful acts & don't give ongoing control.

    Power Attack -2/+4 You can subtract from your attack roll to add to your damage.

    Sacred Council (4/day) (Su) As a move action, you can call upon your ancestors to provide council. This advice grants you a +2 bonus on any one d20 roll. This effect lasts for 1 round. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to your Charisma bonus.

    Two Minds (1/day) (Su) You gain a +2 bonus on Will saves against enchantment spells or effects. At 7th level, you may reroll a failed Will save once per day as an immediate action. You must take the second result, even if it is worse.

    Voice of the Grave (-2 saves, 7 rounds/day) (Su) You can use speak with dead, as the spell, for a number of rounds per day equal to your oracle level. These rounds do not need to be consecutive. At 5th level and every 5 levels thereafter, the dead creature takes a cumulative –2 penalty on

    Wisdom of the Ancestors (Divination 90%, 1/day) (Su) Once per day, you can enter a trance in which you commune with the spirits of your ancestors. This trance lasts for 10 minutes, which must be uninterrupted and during which you can take no other actions. When you come out of this trance, you have gained mystical insight into the future. At 1st level, this insight acts as an augury spell with 80% effectiveness. At 5th level, the insight takes the form of a divination with 90% effectiveness. At 8th level, the knowledge you gain is equivalent to a commune spell. None of these spell effects require material components.

    Character Description:
    Sebi cuts an imposing figure walking into a room. Tall and lithe, her neck is long and she holds it high and proud. Her hair is light and smooth and drapes over heavy armor etched in Moncrief-forged runes. Her eyes are cool and calm, businesslike in every respect, but careful observance reveals a slight and subtle lack of confidence in them, in her gait, and in the way she holds herself, as if she's waiting for someone to tell her what to do next.

    Personality:
    Sebi is a young woman with a lot on her mind. She is frequently absent-minded and distracted but is also good-natured, and always tries to do the right thing for her family and the people of Andoran. She knows all too well the folly of her ancestors, and sometimes breezes or a burbling brook will carry messages only meant for her.

    She is the young matriarch of a declining house, and the responsibility surrounding her is noticeably palpable, almost suffocating. She has very little time for pursuits other than family business, despite the family throwing suitors at her almost daily. This causes her to react poorly to those outside the family that ask about such matters.

    Her temper can get the better of her at times. An overachiever beyond compare, Sebi knows she ought to the best at whatever she attempts, and gets angry when she fails. Often she takes this anger out on those closest to her. She is quick to anger and slow to apologize.

    Background:
    There stands an old, decrepit oak on the banks of the River Foam. Its bark is pitted and scarred, and its sickly branches sag with the weight of years, reaching down to caress the water. It looms at an odd angle, poised as if to fall into the current and be taken away at any moment, yet it does not fall, day by day, year by year. It never falls. The place around it has the feel of magic, of history, of a curse echoing throughout a family’s lineage, of the women that learned to use their family’s curse for good, and this magic's first utterance was at this old, dying oak crouched on the banks of the River Foam. Herein lay the history of the Moncrief family, and of Sebi Moncrief, 11th matriarch of the warlock’s curse.

    A long time ago, the Moncrief family came to Falcon’s Hollow to oversee lumber export operations. The flow of lumber from Falcon’s Hollow had almost disappeared lately, and it was the Moncrief matriarch that was to right what had gone wrong. A warlock had recently made his home in the nearby forest, and the lumber workers would not go into the forest and provoke the warlock; many of their number had been hurt by spells and traps. The Moncrief matriarch went alone into the tangled wood to plea for a stay in hostilities. In the heart of the forest, the warlock offered a deal to the matriarch: the lumber trade could continue, but only from trees that the warlock chose, no others could be cut down or the deal would be broken. An arcane sigil would mark each tree that was allowed to be cut down. And so it was agreed, and for a time, the town and the forest lived in harmony. On the eve of her daughter’s wedding, however, the Moncrief matriarch made a terrible mistake. Sighting a decrepit tree along the river, and near the sight of the wedding, the Moncrief matriarch ordered for it to be cut down. When the axes fell, and started to bite into the tree’s bark, the warlock appeared in a rage. The deal was broken; the tree had not been marked to be cut down. And so the warlock proclaimed a powerful curse on the Moncrief line:

    A deal was wrought, a deal so plain
    For every chop of bark, a crisis shall your line be paid
    My blood, my will, for this curse to be lain
    On ‘til the end of time, so your grief may never fade.

    So it was that down through the ages the Moncrief family have remained afflicted. Some have sought to combat the crises of their day, thinking it their duty to protect the people from their family’s curse. Others have attempted to hide or use magic to alter the curse or research ways out of the curse. Most have met a grisly end. The family has declined much in the years after, and their standing has been greatly reduced, though they persevere on.

    But time, as with all things, has an effect on magic. Not simply content to wither away, the family arcanists set to work in order to break the curse. And though their efforts were in vain, they managed to contort the magic just enough to allow a modicum of it to be used in the bloodlines of the family. Every generation following their revelation, there is born a girl in the family with the ancient warlock’s arcane sigil on her skin as a birthmark, marking her as the next matriarch. These women are able to use the curse to their advantage, to mold it with spellcraft from every calamity wrought on their ancestors, from every tear shed, from every crisis manifested on them throughout ages past.

    Sebi Moncrief is the eleventh matriarch of the Moncrief family. Though young, at 19 years old, she has worked tirelessly to preserve her charges and her family’s standing, maneuvering within Andoran’s political circles as well as negotiating trade agreements and sitting on government tribunals.

    She grew up in a dilapidated mansion outside Olfden. From a very young age she was trained in the matters of state and spellcraft by her aunts, as she was raised communally, never knowing which aunt was her mother. “All good knowledge is equal,” the aunts said whenever Sebi would ask about her. “Knowledge of your mother would only cloud your ability to accept our teachings equally, and so affect your judgement, your ability to make the tough choices ahead for the family.” She took many trips to the site of the curse in her youth, and sat beside the old oak on the river. It cleared her mind after her aunts' endless studies. She could always hear her ancestors the clearest there.

    Sebi has seen portents of a growing storm coming for her homeland, and her ancestors have whispered warnings to this effect many times. She believes this is her crisis, and she does not know if she is ready. Doubts rage within her: her age, her control of the curse’s magic, her recklessness. But whether it is truly the curse at work or not, she knows she must secure her family’s well-being at all cost. She is the matriarch after all. They look to her. She has petitioned the Supreme Elect to aid in negotiations to buy the time her family and her people require.


    Sebi Moncrief wrote:

    Sorry for the late entry with this, but I just couldn't pass this adventure concept up. The setup sounds very cool.

    Here is Sebi Moncrief, human oracle (possessed oracle) 7 for your review. Please let me know what you think.

    No apologies are necessary, you are submitting well before the deadline. My feedback is spoilered below:

    Sebi Moncrief:

  • Sebi's oracle curse is, as it should be, integral to her identity and past. Well done.
  • Crunch is clearly laid out, and your background a pleasure to read.
  • Details on Sebi's family are scant. How many aunts? What are their names? Are there any other family members that are important to her? What happened to her father?
  • I am unclear on the exact standing and influence of the Moncrief clan. On one hand you state that they have diminished greatly in prestige and influence, to the point where their mansion is dilapidated. On the other, Sebi has spent years maneuvering within Andoran’s political circles as well as negotiating trade agreements and sitting on government tribunals. Can you clarify if they are a regional power based/limited to Oldfen, or a national power with pull in Almas and with the Supreme Elect?
  • Finally, I understand Sebi's motivation to become involved and can see her petitioning the Supreme Elect for a position in the party. Partially based on the previous point, I would like a more compelling reason for his granting her request. Could you elucidate an accomplishment of hers that might have impressed him or his government? Or, if you see her family as still possessing national clout, do you mean for her family name to do the persuading?

  • Praetorix wrote:

    Finished fluff. Will put in profile and post here.

    If there's anything you see that is wrong, or needs to be fixed or tweaked, go ahead and tell me.

    Great. Here's my feedback:

    Praetorix:

  • I'm curious about the target that acquired the young red dragon's assistance. Who were they, and how did they convince the dragon to help? They survived the assassination attempt - did the Red Mantis Assassins send others after them, or are they still at large?
  • Praetorix appears to be the consummate assassin, dedicated and focused, but I can't help but wonder about his life outside of work. It seems he's distant from his family, but does he have any friends? Other professionals he associates with? How does he pass his time when he's not actively working?
  • Crunch and build look good.

  • Perdita Imogen wrote:
    Okay, it's almost 1:00 AM and I gotta go to bed, but here's what I got so far in her Profile Page -- almost all Fluff -- and really just the distant past, my PC's parents and their history.

    I know you're still completing your sheet, but there's enough there for some preliminary feedback:

    Perdita Imogen:

  • Creative backstory with plenty of potential for plot hooks. Well done.
  • Perdita was raised until the age of 10 believing she was Chelaxian nobility, and enjoying all due perquisites. How did she react when she discovered she not only wasn't, but that her mother wished for her to flee into a life of poverty?
  • How does Perdita introduce herself to strangers? Does she still identify as Chelaxian? How does she feel about Cheliax, and the man she spent most of her childhood believing was her father?
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