Working on character backstory for this campaign and have a few questions regarding the three above topics.
Player so obviously no spoilers please.
1. Are there any dedicated orphanages or should it be assumed that the Good aligned temples, like Shelyn's, run their own?
2. What exactly is the Alabaster Academy? Is it a bardic college, wizard academy, or something else?
3. Where can I find some background on Shensen? Is she a native of Kintargo or a transplant from somewhere else? If the Alabaster Academy is a bardic college, did she attend there? Things like that.
If I could get some places to look this information up with no fear of spoilers that would also be great.
All help is appreciated, Thank you.
*Edit
Guess I should add what I am planning thus far barring inaccuracies of assumptions.
1/2 Elf Bard (Chelish Diva) 22 years NG Following Shelyn
Raised in Temple of Shelyn as orphan (maybe)
Apprenticed at a Blacksmith
Voice was discovered and was recommended to attend Alabaster Academy
Had to save own money to attend so started as an older student
May or may not have had some run ins with Shensen
So I don't have access to the books right now, but I'll answer to my best knowledge:
1. There are probably dedicated orphanages, but none are specifically mentioned (as far as I remember) nor do the books suggest that good temples keep their own orphanages (also there aren't many remaining good temples)
2. If I remember correctly the Alabaster Academy strictly refuses to teach arcane magic and mostly specializes in herbal healing (or something similar).
3. Shensen is a transplant and your GM can find more information about her in book 4 of the AP.
I hope my information is about right (if not, someone feel free to correct me), but I'll give you some advice that is more important than the information: Figure this stuff out with your GM. He should decide what information he wants to reveal and share with you to build your background. Also there enough blank spaces in the city to fill details in and many things (like NPC, buildings, history, etc.) are modifiable enough so that you and your GM can adapt stuff so it fits better with your characters background story.
I hope I was able to help you.
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Working on character backstory for this campaign and have a few questions regarding the three above topics.
Player so obviously no spoilers please.
1. Are there any dedicated orphanages or should it be assumed that the Good aligned temples, like Shelyn's, run their own?
2. What exactly is the Alabaster Academy? Is it a bardic college, wizard academy, or something else?
3. Where can I find some background on Shensen? Is she a native of Kintargo or a transplant from somewhere else? If the Alabaster Academy is a bardic college, did she attend there? Things like that.
If I could get some places to look this information up with no fear of spoilers that would also be great.
All help is appreciated, Thank you.
*Edit
Guess I should add what I am planning thus far barring inaccuracies of assumptions.
1/2 Elf Bard (Chelish Diva) 22 years NG Following Shelyn
Raised in Temple of Shelyn as orphan (maybe)
Apprenticed at a Blacksmith
Voice was discovered and was recommended to attend Alabaster Academy
Had to save own money to attend so started as an older student
May or may not have had some run ins with Shensen
1. Humbright House in the Player's Guide is "an old shrine to Aroden that once served as an orphanage," but is now abandoned. If you're comfortable with your character being from a long-lived race, or somewhat aged, your character could have come from there, but it doesn't look like you want either. The temple of Shelyn might run an orphanage, as might the temple of Asmodeus (give us the child for seven years, and it will be a diabolist forever). There are probably also secular orphanages. Lady Docur's School for Girls might have a boarding house for the very young.
2. The Alabaster Academy is primarily a university teaching natural philosophy, including medicine, but under its current headmistress the curriculum has expanded to include some arcane magic. Probably in a bid to stave off its decline.
3. Apart from the volumes of this AP, information about Shensen can be found in Inner Sea Magic and the NPC Guide. The best (if most expensive) course of action is probably to have your GM read these books and give you the information she feels is appropriate.
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Looks like on the bard training I will go to the background generation ideas from ultimate campaign (I think) and either modify or shamelessly steal.
With Shensen, I was going to go with the campaign trait Diva in Training already, so will just treat her as a fellow actor with minimal information about her but a number run ins.
I'm sure the Opera House offers some kind of apprenticeship if you want formal training (as opposed to just having picked up the skills). It would mesh with your campaign trait.
Shensen also runs a sheet music and instrument shop in addition to being an opera singer. Maybe you can make use of that?
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Lady Docor's School For Girls is a good place for orphans, but beyond that, the temple of Shelyn is probably the best bet. There aren't any significantly huge orphanages in town, which is kind of a problem I've been, now and then, trying to get folks to fix. Kintargo's a great place to live, but now and then it's kind of hard to get us Kintargans to focus on problems. The opera house does indeed offer apprenticeships though, so that sounds like a great solution.
I guess Devil's Nursery is sort of an orphanage for tieflings, but it's also kind of a dangerous slum, so that might not be a great option either. Especially if you're not a tiefling. Probably not if you're an orphan.
AND! Love to hear that I've inspired others to go into the arts!!!
3. Shensen is a transplant and your GM can find more information about her in book 4 of the AP.
I hope my information is about right (if not, someone feel free to correct me), but I'll give you some advice that is more important than the information: Figure this stuff out with your GM. He should decide what information he wants to reveal and share with you to build your background....
There is some pretty neutral information about Shensen in the "Pathfinder Chronicles NPC Guide", although some of the stuff may not be known to just any character (but of course could be introduced as gossip, hearsay and rumours ). that writeup tells nothing about the plot of Hell's rebels
There is one orphanage mentioned in the course of the story, but it closed down after/in the Chelian Civil War. If it matters, ask your GM about details
The Alabaster Academy primarily teaches "hard science" ( Zoology, Herbalism, Medicine etc ), but has recently introduced non-diabolic arcane lessons. There is no mention of the "Fine Arts", but that is your GM's discretio. It has a damaged reputation due to a scandal some time back, pre Civil War.
Since Shensen was someone's PC at one point, could you please give us some tips for roleplaying her to the PCs during Hell's Rebels? I've read most of the available info on the character but some further insight from her player would be helpful.
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Since Shensen was someone's PC at one point, could you please give us some tips for roleplaying her to the PCs during Hell's Rebels? I've read most of the available info on the character but some further insight from her player would be helpful.
What'cha wanna know? Be nice to your friends, destroy the enemy by making them YOUR friends (or by stabbing), be nice to dinosaurs, fear gorillas, and don't lose sight of the good in life!
How does she talk? Proper or familiar or somewhere in between? How does she act towards people interested in Sarenrae? How does she act towards her fans? Is she the brains of the operation or its face or both? What are her major goals before the Night of Ashes? Did she have long term goals for the cult of Sarenrae and where was it heading?
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How does she talk? Proper or familiar or somewhere in between? How does she act towards people interested in Sarenrae? How does she act towards her fans? Is she the brains of the operation or its face or both? What are her major goals before the Night of Ashes? Did she have long term goals for the cult of Sarenrae and where was it heading?
More familiar and conversational. Formal talk is for stuffed shirts and Thrunies. Profanity is a useful tool. Do not be afraid to use it, but use it well if you do! I'm pro-Sarenrae enough that I got a tattoo of the sun on my forehead, so I tend to be pretty friendly toward others who worship her, and often am in awe of those who are wise enough to do so and cast spells as a result; that's impressive! I'd never be able to do that.
I adore my fans, but if they get all creepery and stalkery I don't hesitate to let them know or confront them about it.
I tend to be the face of the group, but do enjoy plotting as well. Why can't I be both?
My major goals before the Night of Ashes remain the same as after; to see Thrune end, to find out what they did with my mother, and to live deliciously.
I'd love it if a proper temple of Sarenrae would show up in town; my store and its basement are nowhere NEAR good enough for her. She needs a shiny cathedral in town!