That's an issue that'll come up eventually in my own setting's timeline. At the moment they're a bit prior to the age of steam; gunpowder hasn't even been invented yet. They're close, though.
@Lee Hanna: Thanks for the thoughts! Definitely good points to consider. I agree that rail lines need a purpose in order to be worth it and the first thought that came to my mind was trade routes. The ease of transport to Restov and the like would also apply, but I figure the first thought my players will have is how to make money off the rail lines. Their the kind of group that if you describe a 20 foot tall statue of exquisite make, they'll ask "Yeah, but how much does it weigh? Will it fit in my bag of holding?"
You could make the railroad a military project.
Assuming the Elven nations still have, and/or have even expanded their network of elf gates, the human military could (and definitely should) jump on the railroads as a counter to the elves ability to deploy their armies through them.
If you go kitsune you can take the fox form feat and spend most of your time as a fox. I'm not sure there's any reason you couldn't use some performance skills while transformed.
Is what happened to the dwarves going to be a plot point in your adventure, or are you going to leave it a mystery?
Haven't completely decided yet. I'm a little torn myself as to whether to lift the veil on it so to speak or to let it remain a mystery.
It might be fun to have your PCs go through all sorts of trouble to find out the "truth", only to discover it actually was humanities doing all along. :P
The party sounds a little light in the tank department to me.
And without getting to spoilery, Shattered Star is as close to a pure, old-school dungeon crawl as Paizo's ever done. It's mostly cities and lots of dungeons, with nowhere near as much outdoors stuff as in previous APs.
Dreamscarred Press has published an Pathfinder version of the 3.5 psionics rules and have (unlike the 3.5 version) continued to support it with new material.
One thing to work out is, where the railroad is going?
Are you connecting Brevoy with the River Kingdoms river trading routes? Is one focus of the adventure going to be which of the Kingdoms gets to link with the railroad?
Because your only other options are Galt and Numeria, and if you're keeping the political situations the same I can't see either one of those being a good place to link to.
I intend on their entire culture to be built around the 'God' Kermit. His teachings spurred from an endless loop of sesame street episodes played over and over in the children's corner.
Sounds workable. I don't believe that there's any RAW way that the alchemist could actually turn himself into a dragon permanently, though there are spells to do it temporarily. But in any case you could handle it with handwaveium.
And the Beastmorph archetype would compliment your alchemist nicely.
In keeping with your Adam and Eve theme have the knowledge of how to defeat the first specimen given to them by a snake-like creature, perhaps one that serves as an adviser to them throughout the quest, and describe the specimen's body as being treelike.
Or you could have everything be kind of a trick. Your first specimen (or serpent) is actually trying to restart the human race and your PC's quests are designed to activate nukes secretly buried under the cities of these non-human races you mentioned, wiping the slate clean for "true humanity" to be restored.
The cleric must undergo a test of faith by the old cleric to find the location of the monastery where those who maintain the vault where the barbarian's hammer is hidden.
The monk must undergo a series of trial given my the monks to be given the location of the vault.
The ninja must brave a trap-filled dungeon built by the ninja who hid the hammer to get the key to the vault.
The barbarian must face the defenders of the vault in combat. They're all the other barbarians, living and dead, who went into exile.
Improved initiative from better reflexes, breeding, etc.
Also Athletic, Endurance, Fleet, Focused Discipline, Great Fortitude, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Magic Aptitude, Prodigy, Run, Scholar, and Toughness.
I just saw this and I had to post it because this has actually been a topic of some debate in our Skull and Shackles game, where I am playing a Tengu. Whoring is one thing this pirate can not do.
So my question, being newly armed with this information, would you play a Tengu any differently now?
How has it been a debate in your game?
Are the other pirates pressing your PC to be "one of the boys", or are you just trying to flesh out what your character does while in port?
Actually a little bit of both. There was a whore on our first ship and she wanted me to soak up some of her bad luck with a good shag. I couldn't and because of that the other pirates have made a little bit of sport of my Tengu for it.
I think only ducks have the right equipment, but if you ever seen a pic of one of those on a duck... well you would know why being un-equipped might be better than being ill-equipped.
I'm going to be as delicate as I can here, and stick it under a spoiler tag for good measure...
I just saw this and I had to post it because this has actually been a topic of some debate in our Skull and Shackles game, where I am playing a Tengu. Whoring is one thing this pirate can not do.
So my question, being newly armed with this information, would you play a Tengu any differently now?
How has it been a debate in your game?
Are the other pirates pressing your PC to be "one of the boys", or are you just trying to flesh out what your character does while in port?
The Northeastern U.S. has a HUGE canal system built before (and after) the railroads were laid down, much either preserved by historical societies or still in use for shipping today.
Normally I would agree with you Zhayne, but this player is a synthesis summoner who has built his eidolon form to be a tank/utility build with a high AC. Out of all my players he has the highest survivability due to his ability to self heal and having combined hit points.
I'm not familiar with the Summoner, as I hate summoning, but ... if he's a Summoner, why doesn't he just SUMMON things to fight for him? Frag, get him an invisibility effect and he can summon things and freakin' stay invisible.
A summoner can't summon creatures while his Eidolon is...summoned.
The point of a synthisist summoner is that your Eidolon is more like a battle-suit you call into being. Think Guyver, Iron Man, the X-Men's Armor, or even a transforming hero like He-Man. You are more of a front-line combatant, a Gish, than a pure caster.
If he was just a summoner I doubt it would be so much of an issue. I play my own summoner as a lazy sod who cheerfully hides behind his Eidolon and lets her handle the heavy lifting while he uses his actions to cast buffs and occasionally shooting his bow at things, but even if he just hid in a corner his Eidolon is enough of a combatant stand in the front line.
This guy is apparently choosing the worst of both worlds and his fellow PC are right in being annoyed with him.
And historical Ninja didn't have magic Ki powers either, but they're fun to play with.
I assure you, a supposedly martial class with a proficiency list consisting of "Dagger" would be pretty boring.
Yes it would, but my point is that the Hashashins weren't noted for having access to a Q-Branch. They lived in a time and place where one was expected to carry a knife, and someone having and being able to use a sword and/or bow was no more surprising than a modern American having and knowing how to use a pistol and/or rifle.
The disguise and vanishing powers of a ninja are fine, and fit in perfectly with the Hashashin's preference for leaving warnings consisting of a dagger on a targets pillow while they're sleeping, or assassinating people with a dagger, in public, and in broad daylight. They did not need, and likely would have disdained the use of exotic weapons.
Also, remember that interstate bridges are built with an average life span of 50 years. Most highway bridges in the Northeast were built between 1962-1970 (at least in Ma.). New England winters are harsh on roads, I wouldn't count on those bridge's being around. Replacing/Repairing those bridges over the major rivers (Hudson in NY, Ct River in Ma and CT) will likely be difficult, so Ferries (sp?) will likely be needed.
True, but many of these areas will also have older bridges kept around because of their historical value, and these can be repaired at a lower tech level. Also, old ferrying equipment may have been maintained for the same reason, and good locations to ford will likely be remembered.
Modern roads in the Northeast will have likely been built over older roads that were place where they were because it was the best place for a road. In The War as I knew it Patton recommends commanders get a hold of older maps of a region to compare with modern ones, because if an pre-twentieth century map shows a road in an area it's a good bet you can get an army through there irregardless of the actual condition of the road.
Railroads are also an option to consider. With much of the East Coast linked by rail and many older steam engines being maintained in museums.
Why don't you use your own local region for this? As things stand now, you potentially have the problem of some of your players being more familiar with the area than you are. ---- Big cities would be sparsely inhabited "dungeon" settings inhabited by creatures that do not need to eat along with a few scavengers who can make do with the small amount of food that can still be found there. After 40 years any canned food would be used up, so nearly all remaining humans would have died or moved on.
Actually I am not certain the big cities, new york in particular would be abandoned. Depopulated sure, but probably not abandoned. In fact if I was going to put one location to survive in a post apocalyptic world, it might be New York City. ---- Add to that the fact that the major tunnels area already over 100 years old.
Personally I'd have new york as one of the few remaining fortified kingdoms.
As for the surrounding areas, I think areas of note might include west point, though now a military academy, is still a prominent military instilation at a strategic point on one of the most important rivers in the regions.
Seconded.
Most of the cities in the Northeastern U.S. were founded during the early days of European colonization, and were located where they were because those were the best places to settle, with access to some combination of fresh water, decent farmland, protected harbor, fishing, etc....
Unless you've nuked the cities or filled them with undead it would be more than likely that they'd still be population centers even during the post-apocalypse.
I can assure you that animals have no particular love for crawling/buzzing/biting insects, so I see no reason that the average druid couldn't hate bugs as much as anyone.
One of my characters is a nobleman who refuses to "camp" and thus has learned this spell, which he insists on casting every night while traveling regardless of the circumstances.
The Path of the Penitent Child - This first chamber is a test of faith. The floor is tiled with a pattern, a labyrinth, representing the legendary pilgrimage of the Penitent Child. One of the PCs (the penitent) must follow the pattern on his knees (check vs. pain) while doing a lengthy catechism (check vs. Knowledge: Religion).
Additionally, another PC (representing a knight who protects pilgrims) can follow the penitent along the pattern, protecting him from attackers. I'm thinking illusions representing foes faced by the original penitent child, that appear suddenly to try and disrupt the pilgrimage. The "knight" must defend his charge without leaving his position on the pattern behind the penitent.
The Path of the Devourer - The second chamber is filled with a vast swarm of locusts. This represents the great sin of the Penitent Child, who was tricked into allowing a demon lord of famine to ravage the lands. The swarm does not cause physical damage, but blocks all vision beyond five feet forcing the PCs to fumble around looking for the exit. Also, the cacophonous droning, as well as the constant sensation of insects crawling on ones skin requires regular saves vs. madness.
The Path of the Patriots - Representing the final stage of the Child's journey, his return home to find that a group of knights had, in the name of saving the nation from the demon lord and the famine it caused, imprisoned the king and implementing increasingly evil policies regarding distribution of the remaining food. The PCs must defend themselves from the spirits of the knights while making diplomacy checks to convince them they have fallen into the demon lords trap.
If you want to tie her backstory into RotR then have her be Shalelu's step-sister.
Say Jakardos abandoned the character at the Abbey as a baby before going off to Fort Rannick. Shalelu knew about the PC, but didn't want to contact her until she'd found their father.
For the Mercy test, is there any way you could create something like the Sorrow battle from Metal Gear Solid 3?
Mechanically, you could have a Paladin make a will save or take non-lethal damage for every living foe (that is to say non-undead or demonic) they've killed in battle. If a Paladin has been insufficiently merciful throughout his career it should add up quickly.
Copies of all Pathfinder Chronicles with illustrations of tribeswomen from the Mwangi Expanse. 75 gold each
Two books on anatomy, with the sections on female elf, human, halfling, and minotaur anatomy marked and well worn. 100 gold each
One apparent copy of the Prophecies of Kalistrade, which really contains salacious poetry, stories, and imagery. 150 gold (to the right buyer.)
One holy text of Callistria, bound to resemble a holy text of Abadar. 150 gold
Four portraits, framed so they can be turned around easily. One side of each shows a conservative image of Kalistrade, Abadar, or members of the nobleman's family. The other side of each is an orgy. 75 gold each
Assorted toys. 175 gold
Three potions of Bear's Endurance. 300 gold each
Two potions of Remove Disease. 750 gold each
Add partly depleted wand of grease and wand of enlarge person.
I thought about the wand of enlarge person, but without breaking out the Book of Erotic Fantasy I couldn't think of a way to make it specific to one body part and just went with the potion of bear's endurance. :P
Copies of all Pathfinder Chronicles with illustrations of tribeswomen from the Mwangi Expanse. 75 gold each
Two books on anatomy, with the sections on female elf, human, halfling, and minotaur anatomy marked and well worn. 100 gold each
One apparent copy of the Prophecies of Kalistrade, which really contains salacious poetry, stories, and imagery. 150 gold (to the right buyer.)
One holy text of Callistria, bound to resemble a holy text of Abadar. 150 gold
Four portraits, framed so they can be turned around easily. One side of each shows a conservative image of Kalistrade, Abadar, or members of the nobleman's family. The other side of each is an orgy. 75 gold each
I like that you're trying something different with the Drow.
If you're looking for ideas, in real life one of the lesser remembered reasons for the War of 1812 was the continuing efforts of Britain to encourage the creation of a strong enough coalition of native nations in the Mississippi River Valley to check the U.S.'s westward expansion.
Yes, both are monk weapons and you can flurry with them. The problem is that you are only doing weapon damage with both, 1d4 & 1d3 respectively.
(Ninja'd)
The issue is that in older editions of the rules you could use them as part of an unarmed strike. So a monk or unarmed fighter could take +1 cold iron brass knuckles and have his unarmed strike count as a +1 cold iron attack.
Since both are now weapons requiring a weapon proficiency they are all but useless for unarmed combatants.
I can certainly appreciate wanting to take Maestro of the Society, especially if you were actually playing her as a character from low levels, but you have to make her a member of the Pathfinder faction to do so.
The Scythemen - A loose alliance of militias formed by peasants and free farmers. Named for their signature weapon, a polearm made from a harvest scythe (Warscythe).
The Seamstress Guild - "Thieves" Guild run by and for prostitutes in lands where prostitution is illegal. Often, but not always associated with the Church of Calistria.
The Seekers of Alseta - Overtly a clerical organization devoted to finding new magic that allows one to travel, as well as mapping out the location of lost portals, magic gates, and teleportation circles. In reality the Seekers are funded by a minor merchant house in Andoran trying to break it's string of losses to Cheliax and the Aspis Consortium by creating it's own network of Elf gates across Golarion.
So a player in my group was playing a drunken slob of a dwarf barbarian, and doing it in the most annoying way possible.
Finally, in exasperation after one of his antics I cast Repel Vermin on him, and after a beat the GM described a cloud of fleas and lice pouring off the character and heading for the hills. Surrounded by the now laughing players the guy looks at me and yells, "THOSE WERE MY FRIENDS!"
We didn't get much else done that evening.
Different night, same party. We found ourselves facing a Dire Tiger and it started chasing one of the party members around. Meanwhile, the dwarf barbarian is chasing the tiger around, but not catching up. In exasperation he starts yelling to the rest of us to do something to make the tiger turn and face him.
Looking over my remaining spells I announce that I'm casting an illusion over the dwarf. Then when the GM asks me what I'm making the dwarf look like, I solomonly proclaim, "I cast the illusion of a giant pink rabbit over him."
We won, but again didn't get much else done that evening.
One mistake that I've made a lot (particularly when there's a semi-complex story going on) is assuming that the party will do anything.
- Don't assume they will understand clues.
Just to emphasize....
- Don't assume the players will connect two (or more) seemingly unrelated events.
As an example from my own experience...
Spoiler:
1) The party suffered a bout of what seemed to be food poisoning at an inn.
2) The next morning we were ordered to find a missing MacGuffin.
We flailed around a while looking for the MacGuffin, but not getting anywhere. Finally the GM looked at us in exasperation and said, "Aren't you guys curious about being poisoned last night?"
And honestly? No, we weren't.
It was late and maybe we were just being really dense, but I'd swear there was nothing in the adventure up to that point connecting the two events beyond them happening within a day of each other. And a bad roll on the random sushi table before we were even given the quest didn't come over as that important.
Since at this point several of us have mentioned quite an array of Lovecraft's work and how it could be adapted, it would be a shame if The Colour From Out Of Space didn't get a mention. I've always loved the flavor of sickly luminescent plants that bend and twist towards PC's as if they were the sun (or in this case, food). Heck, they could be your primary source of illumination in this dungeon and there's something especially creepy about the natural light source wanting to eat you.
That's a good idea, and it doesn't even have to be because they want to eat you.
For example, there are these things called Camel Spiders that live in deserts and are especially common in the Middle East. They're really creepy looking and they follow you around! You'll be walking along, look behind you, and there one will be. Walk a bit more, turn around, and it's still there. Move towards it and it scurries away maintaining the same distance.
Really creepy.
Of course what's actually happening it that they prefer to hang out in the shade are trying to stay within your shadow, but it's still kind of unnerving the first few times it happens to you.
So populating the dungeon with harmless, but atmospheric, creatures like this could help set the mood. Flowers that open towards and follow body heat as in the example above, harmless flying spider-looking plant things surrounding the party that are just soaking up exhaled carbon dioxide, long tongues from small holes in the wall that flicker out after the PC's have exerted themselves, aiming to lick up some salty sweat from their faces....
