Sounds like a plan. :-) I'll try not to make things too complicated. Astoroth's backstory/personality/divine info will be posted when I have computer access (this evening sometime). His crunch will take a bit longer, but I should have a full build done by the end of the week at the latest.
When I get more time, I'll look over the Recharge Magic rules. I like the idea - especially for spontaneous casters but will need to do some balance calculations. On a slightly different note, the campaign is supposed to end with you fighting a deity, right? Would you mind giving me some build guidelines? Maybe an example from one of your other games?
Recharge Magic specifically improves the power of the campaign - the guidelines note that the average four-player, two-caster party would be reasonably able to have CL +2 encounters on a regular basis without much difficulty. Of course, this is a SOLO game, so the actual effect is somewhat lessened because of action economy limits. Also, Iris has no spontaneous casting, so she'd always have to take the longer recharge times. XD Spell Combat would definitely get used more, though.
As for the end of the campaign, I'm trying to avoid giving true stats to deities. If that happens, players just look for ways to 'beat the numbers', and that's not really right for this kind of game. The plan is for it to be roleplayed out in a way that seems fitting for the characters involved. For example, if a lawful deity backstabbed the player to gain power or advance a cause, they might be tried and judged in a court of the gods, where the player steps onto the scene to confront them with their crime. If a deity of battle was behind it, the player character might petition a higher deity (such as Death) for a special exemption to the rule forbidding combat, and story-based fights would occur with basically unlimited use of all abilities. It's the final note of the campaign, more about finishing the story in triumphant fashion than anything else.
Sounds like a great opportunity for me to experiment with the Mythender RPG system. It's specifically designed for defeating gods. It's also story-based: players give their actions, and the dice decide how completely you succeed. :-)
Works for me. ^^~ There's definitely many ways of doing it - from the Immortals Handbook (the last source of divine abilities I have - though only a few are truly appropriate) to Mythender to whatever else you really feel like doing. XD I'll be looking forward to seeing what you toss in!
Well, considering who your deific enemy is going to be, it's going to be a VERY wild ride. Enjoy putting the pieces together! ;-)
Muwahahahahaha~ >D
The surprise is half the fun, and I'll certainly be looking for the pieces in question!
Astoroth, God of Facts and Information-Gathering
Alignment: True Neutral
Other Titles: The Endless Fount, Holder of Mysteries, The Scholar
Areas of Concern: Knowledge, Secrets, Mysteries, Revelations
Favored Weapon: Improvised Weapons
Holy Symbol: Figure opening a door (Picture)
Sacred Animals: Owl, Elephant
Sacred Color: Blue
Obedience: Learn a piece of new information. Alternately, tell somebody a fact they didn’t know.
Aphorisms
”Ignorance is a curse. Knowledge is the wings that fly us to heaven."
”If you have knowledge, let others light their candles in it.”
”Without information, action is useless.”
”Information is power. With it, you can control anyone.”
”Observe, Reflect, Experiment.”
”No matter our wishes, inclinations, or passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.”
”Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.”
Astoroth spent years researching this question using all available resources. Finally, he was ready to take the challenge himself - for to be divine is to truly know all. He began by observing the multitudes of challengers and meticulously cataloging the Tower's defenses. When it became clear that they were tailored to the individual, it only slowed him slightly. After all, masters of magic possess considerable resources. He began to use clones of himself - scrying on them as they passed each test. Their countless failures only increased his knowledge, and his next attempt always made it slightly farther. Finally, Astoroth's final clone body reached the Starstone, he triggered a contingency and swapped places with the minion. When the new deity's story was revealed, many called foul for passing the test on a technicality. Others (mainly members of the academia) praised this careful approach and used it to demonstrate the Scientific Method, importance of perseverance, etc. When the existing deities thought of the newcomer, was politely kept to themselves. After all, Astoroth was powerful, knowledgeable, and meticulously-detailed (some might even say paranoid).
I feel like this is a good time to move the discussion to your game table. ^^
In case you're curious, greater heroism + Guardian Tier 1 + Deathless Master. And, no, she didn't have any of that before you took out her husband. Hopefully she provided an interesting fight. Now you just have to take on the Module BBEG. ;-)
Deeeeefinitely much harder than I expected. XD
...I rather like surprises, actually. They help keep you on your toes.
On another note, if Iris ever happens to get the Recharge Magic rules as a divine ability, I might look into tweaking her staff to fit in better with those rules - possibly along the lines of the staff recharging as if it only had one slot (so if she cast, say, Searing Light, she'd have to wait a few rounds before casting any of its other spells, regardless of level), with the option to burn one of its charges to eliminate a general recharge. Anything with a specific recharge, like Daylight, could not be hastened this way.
For balance purposes, it would also be limited to regaining one charge per day (rather than 'as many charges as I feel like spending mythic points to restore', as it currently is). That provides a realistic limit on the power, which is important to me. XD
Of course, this is only relevant if she gets those rules, and still subject to your approval. ^^ Just thought I'd bring it up so you knew my thoughts on the matter ahead of time.
Hmm... is this a good time to swap over to Champion for retraining, or should I continue waiting on that?
No, you're good to go. :-)
New Levels:
Cleric 3
Fighter 2
Magus 3
Mythic Tier 2
Abilities:
Cleric - Bonded Holy Symbol (Staff of Sacred Light)
Fighter - Bravery +1
Magus Arcana - Wand Wielder (Not so great now - picking it up for later use)
FCB: +1 Skill Point
Feats:
Power Attack (Fighter Bonus Feat)
Weapon Focus (Quarterstaff)
Magus Spells (in spellbook):
Burning Hnads
Enlarge Person
Mythic:
+2 Strength
Amazing Initiative (Tier Bonus)
Display of Charisma
Impossible Speed
Legendary Item: Returning
Skills:
Acrobatics +2
Diplomacy +2
Perception +1
Perform (Sing) +1
Sense Motive +1
Survival +1
Swim +1
UMD: +1
These updates take awhile. XD So many decisions.
Did you do any retraining?
Just switching Hierophant to Champion, as discussed. Figured I didn't really NEED to do ability retraining, given that her Strength is actually pretty decent - and level-appropriate - now. ^^
Loot
Jewelry-filled Strongbox (550gp)
MW Alchemy Lab (worth 200gp)
Blue Whinnis Poison x8
Alchemist's Fire x5
Potion - shield of faith x2
Potion - neutralize poison x2
Potion - cure moderate wounds x1
Embroidered Quilt (worth 50gp)
Could you break down your damage for me? Even with PA and Arcane Strike, I wasn't getting +11.
Gladly.
Two-Handed Swing: +6 (As per rules on using a weapon with two hands, she gets a 1.5x STR bonus, up from +4 if she does it One-Handed)
Enhancement Bonus: +2 (One permanent for being a +1 weapon, one temporary from her Arcane Pool enhancing the weapon)
Power Attack: +3 (Normally +2, but PA also gets a 1.5x boost when swinging Two-Handed)
Total: +11
Ah, I forgot to factor in the two-handed damage bonus. Thanks for clarifying.
Do me a favor and include the DCs of your spells when you cast them. :-)
Right. Forgot that this time. DX Sorry!
Fighting a cold; will update tomorrow.
No problem. ^^ I'm just working more on Iris' backstory and characterization.
All right! Finally done expanding her background - obviously, things like her relationships to other deities are subject to Rule Zero, but this is what I've been thinking. XD
Background Elements/Concepts:
1) Iris is the Goddess of the Morning, and this is true on both the literal and metaphorical levels. She actively prefers spells that create some sort of light, and only the most extreme scenario could get her to even consider using a darkness-causing spell. Indeed, she doesn't even grant such spells to followers. On the metaphorical side of things, she often travels to new places (in order to actively help them), and supports strong themes of renewal and new beginnings.
2) Iris is Neutral Good. She accepts both law and chaos as legitimate means to an end, and the end in question is generally "the most good for the most people". As the morning sun can be a harsh light when people are tired and groggy, so too is she willing to be stern or strict as the situation requires. However, she prefers discussing things, and will generally offer foes at least one chance to surrender.
-In other words, she's more about the ends than the means, but is as kind as the situation allows her to be. She won't sacrifice a lot of good for a small benefit - and may not do so even if the gain is proportional to the loss.
3) Iris is not a goddess of music, but she does appreciate it, and it shouldn't be a surprise that a charismatic deity has some artistic talent. In this case, her level of skill is quite literally divine. She's capable of performing at a level that most mortals could never hope to achieve, and she's only getting better with time. Incidentally, she first chose singing because of the tendency of songbirds to sing at dawn, and she's been known to show special favor to devoted followers who take the time to learn this type of performance.
4) Iris' weapon is the Staff of Sacred Light, a divine artifact crafted from the gathered light of the first dawn in the universe. Though currently lacking most of its power - its energies are proportional to hers, and she's far reduced from what she once was - she still sees it as an integral part of her very being and refuses to part from it. It's a major part of her combat style - she can use it one-handed and cast spells at the same time, two-handed for straightforward damage, or as a double-weapon for high-speed offense - but she doesn't treat it with any kind of reverence. First of all, she is the divine one, and no object deserves worship more than she does. Second of all, it may be a beloved tool, but it's still a tool - and it sees regular use as a walking stick.
5) Iris does not wear armor. She relies on her divine aura to protect her - and it actually does, since she has the Enduring Armor power. This is, in fact, a manifestation of her overall personality - her idea of properly resolving a situation is striking people with awe so that they comply with her wishes, and quite frankly, armor would get in the way.
6) Unlike many good deities, Iris sees nothing inherently wrong with slavery. However, she does make a distinction between what she sees as 'good' slavery (where slaves are treated well and given reasonable chances to improve their station) and 'bad' slavery (which tends to involve abuse). As she sees it, many forms of society practice some type of slavery - perhaps it's restricting most people to certain jobs and making it hard for them to leave, or overly regulating their lives, or even using culture as a bind on who they could otherwise be. This distinction is often lost on those who immediately start thinking of "innocent people being whipped around", and Iris was never happy about those misunderstandings.
Goals:
1) Regain her divine power. Iris fully realizes that she needs more energy to regain her place in the heavens, and she's very focused on that. (Character Goal)
2) Build up a church. Like most deities, Iris takes the amount of worship she gets seriously, and actively wants to build a moderate-sized faith to support her journey back to power. (Character Goal)
3) Get the Spell Recharge divine ability. (Player Goal) I actually want to test and see how well this works out in a solo game, and Astoroth might get a version of it (probably recharging Spell Point usage?) if it seems to go well for her (as a way of testing from the GM side).
Secrets:
1) It's not common knowledge, but Iris is a virgin goddess. She's been propositioned more than once - most frequently by Cayden Cailean, who appreciates that she's a basically nice girl who's willing to occasionally get drunk - but she's simply never been interested in going all the way. This isn't any kind of subconscious fear or rejection, because as a goddess she is enormously self-confident - it's that she doesn't even consider the possibility of carnal relations unless someone else brings it up, and it perpetually takes her by surprise when others suggest it. Her first response is to politely refuse. Dogged attempts result in smiting.
-Incidentally, Cayden Cailean has stopped asking seriously and mostly keeps inquiring as a joke. They're friends - or were, before she was forgotten, anyway - and it was his way of being welcoming.
2) Iris is unaware of this, but many creatures of the Dark Tapestry prefer to avoid her. Their natural home in the material plane is the void between stars in the darkest depths of space, and her nature as goddess of the morning means that she constantly goes to illuminate dark places. Her presence (and that of other solar deities, such as Shizuru in Tian Xia) is innately uncomfortable to creatures of the Dark Tapestry, like a low-volume buzzing that never quite goes away. The sole exception to this is Azathoth, who as a kind of star in his own right isn't bothered by other solar deities (and, indeed, they're one of the few types of beings who can comprehend him).
Relationships:
Given that she was forgotten by reality, none of these relationships really hold true anymore. However, they did help to shape her views in the past, and may be rekindled once more...
-Abadar: Iris agrees that most things have a role in the world, but disagrees that some items - mostly things that are innately chaotic and evil - have a place in the world. On the other hand, new beginnings often involved the creation of cities or setting up newer, better laws. Calling them friends would be a stretch, but they rarely opposed each other.
-Asmodeus: Despised. Asmodeus is all about strict order and suffering, two things Iris is happy to turn around. That slavery can be correct is about the only thing they agree on, and Iris' emphasis on new beginnings often involved encouraging people to break contracts with devils and return to good.
-Calistria: Low-level feuding. While not actively hostile towards each other, Calistria's emphasis on lust is something Iris doesn't like, and the Savored Sting often felt that Iris needed to loosen up and enjoy herself more. They didn't actively hate each other, though - and while they often disagreed about the form revenge should take (Calistria's ideas usually involved daggers, while Iris felt that living a happy life was the best revenge on a foe), they occasionally got together to support some interesting person's efforts.
-Cayden Cailean: Iris is almost as old as the universe. Cayden Cailean... is rather less so. They didn't know each other for too long before Iris was struck down, but they got along quite well - Iris wasn't so prudish that she'd never enjoy a good drink, and her emphasis on new beginnings fit in well with his focus on merriment and being free to pursue new tasks. Easily one of the deities closest to her.
-Desna: An outright friend of Iris'. Though Desna was the type to travel into the night and enjoy it for what it was (whereas Iris would bring the light with her), both of them enjoy song and travel. On occasion, they performed together somewhere in the celestial realms, and these events tended to attract deities, demigods, and holy spirits in significant number.
-Erastil: Though not actually related - Iris is older than Erastil - their relationship is similar to that of a grumpy father and his independent daughter. Iris was often on the move, rather than settling down to enjoy home and family, and that always kept her far away from Erastil's realm of influence... save for the fact that her delight over new beginnings included the beginnings of families and the birth of children, two things they both appreciated.
-Gorum: Iris has little in common with Gorum, save for occasionally agreeing that violence is the right solution to a problem. Gorum always saw Iris as too focused on charm and speech, while Iris saw him as too interested in battle for its own sake, without caring about why those battles occur. It would be quite a stretch to call them allies - indeed, they often disagreed quite loudly about how to best handle an issue. On the other hand, however, Iris was one of the few who knew about the meaning behind the inscriptions on the swords surrounding Gorum's realm in Elysium - and like many of the other gods of good, she accepted him even when they disagreed.
-Gozreh: Dawn can be seen as an event in nature - certainly as a part of the natural order of things, and while Iris is not an outright nature goddess, the two of them have enough in common that they rarely bothered to feud. Most notably, Iris acknowledges and accepts that sometimes you must get rid of the old before you can begin with the new, and a major natural disaster - such as a wildfire - may be necessary for the world.
-Iomedae: No relations. Iomedae ascended to the pantheon after Iris fell - and indeed, Iris didn't know her even when she was alive.
-Irori: The Master of Masters and the Dawn Incarnate have quite a few similarities - both admire self-improvement, putting forth one's best effort, and moving onto a better course when you fall. However, despite this, they did have their differences - Iris always saw Irori as too withdrawn from the world, and Irori tended to frown on some of the things Iris approved of, finding her just a bit too eager to keep moving and try to bring light into the darkness.
-Lamashtu: Hated enemies. Iris despises everything Lamashtu stands for, and happily empowered mortals who wanted to wipe away her stain of evil so they could start anew.
-Nethys: Toleration, mostly. Iris and Nethys could agree that learning was a good thing (she certainly never disapproved of people trying to better themselves, including by honing any magical talents), but that was about the extent of the relations she managed with the mad god of magic. Iris had always felt that magic should serve a purpose, while Nethys wanted it used simply for its own sake.
-Norgorber: Given Iris' tendency to expose secrets to the light and scourge away the foulness within, nobody should be surprised at the fact that they didn't get along. He tended to stay away from her, because Iris' natural inclination would have been to try and expose his identity... and as an ancient deity, she quite possibly had the power to do it if she'd seriously put forth the effort. Deities who ascended via the Starstone do tend to be less powerful than those who came about naturally...
-Pharasma: Iris' relations with Pharasma were fairly neutral. Other than a shared appreciation of birth, they had little in common - Iris was focused on actions taken in life, while Pharasma focused on events after one's death, so their interests and actions rarely came close to each other.
-Rovagug: Iris actively participated in the fight against Rovagug, using her light to blind and distract him while others worked desperately to build the prison that would keep him sealed away. It was a group effort, and she knows that her contributions weren't a deciding factor - but they were a factor, and actively helped to protect many other members of the pantheon.
-Sarenrae: As the goddess of the dawn, Iris' presence was often seen as a precursor to that of Sarenrae - which didn't bother her in the slightest, since in a way, it was true. However, only a fool would believe that Iris was ever subservient or somehow regarded Sarenrae as her master. Still, they shared an alignment and many areas of interest, and got along quite well most of the time. Indeed, out of all the deities in the pantheon, Iris was closer to Sarenrae than anyone else.
-Shelyn: Great friends. Of course, everyone loves Shelyn - that's part of her divine power. Iris first gained her love of singing from chatting with Shelyn, though, and while they often had minor disagreements, Iris regarded Shelyn as one of her closest friends.
-Torag: Iris always saw Torag as a bit too gruff, and he saw her as a little too chaotic in her pursuit of good (since the Father of Creation generally saw a more orderly progression as ideal). Still, as two deities with a focus on creation, they often found themselves allied and in general agreement on most matters.
-Urgathoa: Enemies. Iris had always seen death as a part of the natural order, and those who disturbed the fallen would rarely be in her good graces. They had little in common, and Iris' own followers would often go to disrupt the acts of Urgathoa's, especially if doing so could improve an area.
-Zon-Kuthon: Pitied. While Iris hates what he has become and actively opposes the deeds of his followers, she remembers what he was before he was driven mad, and weeps for what was lost. She hopes that he can someday be healed and restored.
-Achaekek: Iris does not like his methods, but per the agreement with the other deities, she has never actively opposed him on anything other than the immediate, mortal scale. His place is to eradicate those who would steal the power of the gods, so he is tolerated.
-Alseta: Iris got along fairly well with the Goddess of Transitions, although Iris always felt like Alseta should have had more of a focus on positive changes, rather than remaining neutral. Still, they had no quarrel with each other.
-Besmara: Enemies, more often than not. What Iris built, Besmara often sought to take away, and Iris never particularly appreciated that. They didn't quite hate each other, but they butted heads more often than not.
-Brigh: Iris and Brigh tended to get along fairly well - Brigh's focus on invention is something that Iris both acknowledges and appreciates, since she sees helpful new inventions as a way of starting over to improve one's life. She's been known to collaborate on the occasional project, and Brigh's servants, when they travelled, were welcome to rest in Iris' temples.
-Ghlaunder: Iris never liked the Gossamer King to begin with - stagnation is the opposite of her portfolio - and recent events haven't made that any better. At the height of her power, Ghlaunder couldn't even begin to compare to her - he was a mere demigod, she a full, ancient goddess - and if it hadn't been for the prohibitions on direct conflict, she would have happily swatted him from the planes.
-Groetus: The god of the end times tends to make everyone uncomfortable. However, Iris dealt with him better than most people expected - she knows that things occasionally need to be destroyed before they can be rebuilt. It would be a lie to say that she likes him, though...
-Gyronna: Enemies. The goddess of hatred and spite has very little in common with the goddess of the morning, and the two rarely agreed on anything.
-Hanspur: While Iris doesn't admire smuggling, she does see river travel as a way of reaching a new destination and starting to improve one's life - their shared Travel domain gave them one point of commonality, and she favored vessels under his protection with a gentle dawn when they weren't being too chaotic or disruptive.
-Kurgess: With two domains in common and a shared alignment, Iris and Kurgess got along very well indeed, and she often created beautiful dawns on the days of his sports festivals to help people truly enjoy them.
-Milani: Complicated. Milani hates slavery - which Iris has a limited acceptance of - but Iris' focus on a positive type of slavery meant that there was no need for them to be enemies... and Iris had always been a supporter of people rising up to improve their lives. Iris never supported slavery in cases where Milani acted to oppose it.
-Naderi: This relationship was poor at best. Iris had always seen suicide as an escape - understandable if one had no escape from devils or other supporters of evil, but best avoided when you could renew yourself and seek a better future instead.
-Razmir: Who?
-Sivanah: The goddess of illusions tended to stay far away from Iris, whose light pierced through shadows to reveal the truth. Iris never actively sought Sivanah out, but given the way Sivanah preferred to avoid her, the two rarely had dealings with each other.
-Zyphus: Enemies. Zyphus actively seeks harm and destruction throughout the mortal plane, while Iris seeks to build things up and shelter others. She was around before he was, and has opposed him ever since.
-Azathoth: Strangely well. The Primal Chaos is essentially a star in his own right, and the goddess of the morning represents the light of stars being brought to distant worlds and mortals. She has a distinctly positive bent, but this relation of their portfolios means that she's one of the few who can approach and deal with him.
-Bokrug: The Water Lizard's followers tended to avoid hers - the morning light banishes sleep and dreams, and Iris had been known to cleanse mortals of his influence.
-Cthulhu: No particular relationship.
-Hastur: Displeasure. Hastur arrives on worlds by traveling on the light of stars, which is her domain, but his active malevolence is contrary to her own desires.
-Mhar: Mhar's birth is said to herald destruction, and that's one of the few births Iris opposes. He hasn't actually been born yet, though, so the two have not encountered each other.
-Nyarlathotep: Like Sivanah, Nyarlathotep tends to wear masks and hide in the shadows, while Iris spends her time illuminating things and seeking the truth. He tended to avoid her.
-Orgesh: Little relation - his followers were in the Darklands, where the morning sun didn't reach - but she often sent followers to eliminate cults that dared show themselves in the light.
-Shug-Niggurath: Opposed on general principles, but not an outright enemy of Iris'.
-Xhamen-Dor: Much like her opposition to Ghlaunder, Iris opposes infestations, and regularly empowered druids who worked to eliminate such creatures.
-Yog-Sothoth: Given that Yog-Sothoth is the Dark Tapestry, it's something that Iris' light frequently kept at bay in conjunction with the power of other solar deities. As she's fond of noting, even a small light is enough to banish the darkness. The Outer Gods are mysterious, though, and don't seem particularly bothered by this - probably because they haven't even noticed it happening.
Domain:
Iris made her celestial home within Nirvana, the plane of goodness untouched by law or chaos. Rather than being in a specific location, though, her realm could only be reached by walking towards the dawning sun each morning. Those who were meant to arrive would always do so, while others would be left behind. Those who arrived would find themselves in an expansive field of flowers, aligned to produce a gorgeous rainbow of color and surrounded by endless trails leading to new realms and discoveries.
There is one permanent entrance to Iris' domain, though it vanished when she was forgotten by the world - a door at the very end of the Hall of Slumbering Kings, where the greatest mortal heroes await the day they are needed once more.
Holidays:
Iris' faithful celebrated both the shortest and longest days of the year as a reminder that regardless of what else happened, the dawn would always come. She had no other holidays, though, preferring to see people work on a day-to-day basis.
Aphorisms:
-The Dawn Always Comes: This statement reflects the tenacity of the morning light - and the way that whether things are good or ill at the moment, the light will always come.
-May The Dawn Illuminate Your Path: Whether people are actually traveling or operating on a more metaphorical level, this quote expresses the hope that they will be able to find a way forward and arrive at the place they should be.
Holy Text:
Iris' holy book was the Book of the First Light, and primarily consisted of inspirational stories, quotes, and practical advice for improving one's life and dealing with others.
Iris accepted worshipers from many different walks of life. However, common followers included:
-Bards: Iris' love of singing tended to go over well with Bards who played for the joy of music, and while she wasn't the main choice for their worship (Shelyn was always more prominent), bards often acknowledged her as well... and many of her existing faithful studied at least a little music.
-Clerics: Naturally. Iris was always quite generous with divine power, only asking that her followers focus on using their powers to help others instead of themselves.
-Inquisitors: Iris was very strict with her inquisitors, demanding they remember the greater good and not get so caught up in their hunt for darkness that they began harming the righteous. Many of her inquisitors sought to help abused slaves.
-Investigator: Iris has always had a soft spot for investigators and their penchant for shedding light on mysteries, often empowering them and helping them find the clues they needed to solve a case.
-Monks: She was never as popular as Irori, but some monks found her focus on self-improvement (with a positive bent) to be an attractive faith.
-Paldins: Like most good deities, Iris accepted Paladins, especially those who wanted to carry light and hope into the darkness.
-Prestige Classes: Many of Iris' followers became Brightness Seekers, Celestial Knights, Divine Assessors, Holy Vindicators, Liberators, and Skyseekers.
Under no circumstances did Iris ever grant spells with the [Darkness] descriptor, and followers who intentionally cast such spells in other ways would often be struck by incurable blindness until the next dawn.
Note: As far as this game is concerned, Divine Rank = Mythic Tier for all purposes. XD It doesn't come up too often (mostly for prerequisites or ability effects), but that seemed to be the most fitting connection.
(Or did you mean to write Divine Ability?)
Good catch. :-) Fixing now.
Out of town for Mothers Day weekend. Will update in a couple days.
Have a nice time! ^^
Back home, but life's been crazy busy for the last couple days. Will try to update tomorrow.
I just noticed that the Skill Unlocks from Pathfinder Unchained have made it onto the d20 PFSRD. I'll do some digging to see what else is there. :-)
Sorry about the delay. Our downstairs neighbors have taken a sudden dislike to my wife's service dog and are trying to get us evicted. They called the cops yesterday for a bunch of made-up s$!#.
Iiiiiiinteresting. I wonder if we can turn that against them? Of course, the best way to defeat an enemy is by making them your friend... have you asked why they suddenly dislike it?
The police report stated that we have a pit bull (lie) that runs around freely (lie) and threatens our neighbor and her cat (lie).
In actuality, our Mountain Cur is undergoing treatment for heartworms, so we severely limit his physical activity. He's inside for most of the day. While he gets excited whenever we take him outside, the running around only lasts until we put his leash on. Yesterday, as I was taking him back inside after a bathroom trip, the neighbor came outside and started yelling about my "damn pit bull" making a huge racket at all hours of the day and night. She proceeded to cuss me out, tell me that her cat was attacked by a pit bull in the past, and that our dog was a menace. By this time, my wife had overheard what was going on, and came outside to defend her dog. There was a brief yelling match (I stayed silent), and our dog growled quietly for 5-10 seconds. Then the neighbor went inside and proceeded to yell at her husband for about 30min. Shortly thereafter, the cops showed up.
For reference, this lady is constantly screaming at her cat and (blind) husband about various things. I wouldn't be surprised if she has some sort of anger management problem. We're meeting with our landlord tomorrow morning to talk things out, but there's really nothing our neighbor can do. We have a registered service dog who's passed the CGC and Public Access tests. We have documentation from my wife's doctor stating that he's a medical necessity. We also have a written statement of approval from the apartment complex. Still, it's a rather stressful situation.
I can imagine. There's a friend of mine on another forum, and... well... let's just say a neighbor had problems to the point he was arrested and no longer allowed to live in the neighborhood. *Rubs chin* Well, I don't want to try and push advice onto you if you don't want it - but if you'd ever like a few ideas from a total outsider, just let me know. ^^
Advice is always welcome. :-) Even though there's no danger of us losing the dog, we'll still have to live next to these people for the foreseeable future.
*Nods*
There are a few ways to approach it.
One option is to make pit bulls the 'bad guys' - talk to your neighbor and mention that you're quite familiar with how dangerous pit bulls can be. Then bring it around to emphasize that your dog is not a pit bull, does not behave like a pit bull, and should be no danger to their cat - and that you would never want to see someone else's pet hurt or allow your dog to run around in a way that could expose other pets to danger. You could also bring them a tray of food and offer it as a gift - most people are fairly receptive to that. You destroy your enemy when you make him (or, in this case, her) your friend and so on. I'd keep the dog out of sight during that particular talk.
Right now, she seems to see you as a problem, but it's pretty hard to keep feeling that way when people are giving you food and saying that they agree 'X problem' is terrible.
Uuuuuuuunless, of course, that person has actual neurological issues or is so emotionally invested that they won't be receptive to any kind of reason, in which case yeah, it could be trouble. o_O Some people just want to watch the world burn lash out at others. Either way, give my best to both your wife and your furry friend - and I'm hoping you can quickly achieve a resolution that satisfies everyone!
Update: I met with the landlord this morning, and it went extremely well. For starters, there was a witness who's willing to make a written statement saying that our neighbor was entirely at-fault. Also, the woman we're having a problem with has been living there for almost a decade and has a reputation for starting trouble over minor/nonexistent offenses. She's even yelled at the landlord on several occasions. We've been told to document everything, call the police if we ever feel threatened, and that the landlord will be having a "stern discussion about appropriate behavior" with the neighbor. My wife feels much safer now. :-)
Witnesses are great. ^^ And really, safety is the most important thing - I'm glad your landlord is willing to take a stand on that and support you.
There's a bit of downtime in the campaign at this point, as I'm not usually a fan of nonstop action and superfast leveling in game time. Even deities need a break from adventuring once in a while, after all. :-) In other words, feel free to do your shopping, resting, etc.
Speaking of which, how does Iris plan to seek out the rest of her power? Is she going to stay in the city and research/listen to rumors? Is she going to do the "wandering adventurer" thing? Something else entirely?
I think she'd like to focus on enhancing her reputation - mainly through performing out in public on a regular basis (w/ Display of Charisma enhancing her songs), which should both ensure a steady supply of money and help to get attention. At the same time, she can focus on gathering information from those who come to see her, requesting information anything related to items of light.
She is a goddess of travel, though - and the dawn does not stay put forever. ^^ If she can't gather information with a week or so of performing, she'll probably look into traveling to another major city, repeating as necessary until she either finds a lead or something else that needs doing.
For now, though, on to shopping!
I found an option for automatic bonus progression if you're interested. Basically, you'd replace the "Big 6" items with Endowments. Each time you level, pick one of the following:
~ Armor Expertise: Pick a specific armor and gain +1 enhancement bonus to AC
~ Extra Ability Score Increase: Gain +1 to any ability score (minimum level 4)
~ Elude: Gain +1 deflection bonus to AC
~ Perseverance: Gain +1 resistance bonus to all saving throws
~ Thick Skin: Gain +1 enhancement bonus to natural armor
~ Weapon Expertise: Pick a specific weapon and gain +1 enhancement bonus to attack/damage (minimum level 3)
These can be taken multiple times, and the effects stack, but you can only take the same Endowment once every four levels. In other words, if you take Thick Skin at Level 2, you can't take it again until Level 6.
Let me know if you're interested. :-)
*Taps chin* I think I'd prefer to pass on that one, actually. This particular system might not be too bad for normal, lower-power games, but I'm not sure it's the best choice for a solo campaign where high growth is actually needed - and I actually wrote it kind of expecting all characters to get +6 to all stats, since in a solo game they have to be capable of doing everything themselves. This system looks like it has a much power cap.
Paizo's automatic progression would probably work better if we decide to go that route.
Distances
Lepigstadt to Morast ~10 miles
Lepigstadt to Hergstag ~15 miles
Lepigstadt to Sanctyary ~4 miles
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Not much posting will be done tonight. I'm starting a meatspace Dungeon World campaign.
No worries. ^^ I hope for 1 post/day, and generally see anything else as a bonus.
Goal for the Staff: Craft abilities into it by replacing one magic item slot. I'm leaning towards the neck slot, but I haven't actually decided yet. ^^ The ring slot could also be interesting.
The Ecclesitheurge's "Bonded Holy Symbol" power specifically allows crafting additional abilities into the item in question as if the character had the appropriate crafting feat (and meets the level prerequisite). The first effect would be crafted at normal price, and all subsequent effects at a higher price (per the normal rules for adding additional effects to magic items).
In short, it's just doing what the class allows someone to do anyway. XD I don't think there's any specific advantage that changing to a different item slot would cause.
Ah, I'd thought you were talking about going all "Book of Truths" on the staff. I'm totally fine with reslotting magic items, as it's a way to encourage players to pick non-Big6 items. After all, if reslotting isn't a thing, 99% of monks have to choose between an amulet of natural armor and an amulet of mighty fists. And the "Bonded Holy Symbol" power is just like a Wizard's "Arcane Bond," so no problems there. :-)
It pretty much WOULD be like Book of Truths, save that she has an actual ability behind it. XD I just wanted to switch from 'Craft Staff' (at 11th level!) to 'Craft Wondrous Item' - and both Neck and Ring items are what could normally be taken for an Arcane Bond item anyway. Still waffling between them.
(And the other 1% of monks remember that crafting additional abilities is a thing and ask their party wizard for help. XD)
Assuming the GM lets them - which I do. XD