Hello all! I am currently DMing a game on these here forums that I like to call Baronmaker. Baronmaker is a very revamped version of Kingmaker that takes place on the continent of Arcadia. With many of the adventures the same, the face on the antagonists and the setting and the tone are all intended to be very different.
Important themes in my game include the struggle of nature versus civilization, the importance of diplomacy, the source and meaning of leadership and responsibility. Frequent encounter-types that will be showing up are Monster-Hunter-esque fights against massive beasts, wilderness survival, sailing, social encounters with a language or cultural barrier, and social encounters designed to take control of commoners.
I have lost a player recently, and so I am looking for one new character to round out our six-man-band.
My current party is:
Sorala Thorn, an aristocrat 1/magus 3 ; a refugee from Irrisen, the former apprentice of a Winter Witch. Neutral.
Ehiz Bor'Dari, an expert 1/cleric of Erastil 3 ; formerly an Andoran country farmer, his family died of plague, and he left for Arcadia to find a new start. Neutral Good.
Mogwai, a warrior 1/warpriest of Sarenrae 2/bloodrager 1 ; A goblin exemplar that wants to create a society that goblins can live peacefully and nicely in. Lawful Good.
Murob Dara Gash, an expert 1/witch 3 ; A half-orc tired of the racism that her family faced on the mainland, and joined the voyage in order to earn a home for her parents and brother. Neutral Good.
Yosiah Crint, an expert 1/warpriest of Kofusachi 3 ; A native Arcadian and member of the ACDF, Kansai military. He was separated from his squadmates and accidentally joined in with the PCs. Chaotic Good.
The players' ships were shipwrecked during a mysterious supernatural storm, leaving them on the shores of distant lands far from anyone they knew. However, fighting through native beasts, gillmen slavers and ogre raiders, they perservered and reached the site intended for the first settlement - First Landing. There, about ninety people cower in fear of several local threats, slowly running out of food and afraid to venture out to the prepared farmland in order to cultivate farms.
The players now must decide which of the settlement's problems to solve, and in which order, in order to save this colonization effort from doom.
Hello! Interested?
Here is the original recruitment thread. You can also access the campaign from there. It has not been very long, but I anticipate much significant gaming ahead of us.
The character creation guidelines are the same except that we are now 4th level, and you may begin with 1,000gp in starting wealth. The original guidelines are on this post. Thank you in advance.
Questions? Shoot them my way.
This sounds fun, and I love the use of NPC class. Is there anything in particular that the party needs?
Well, Karzok, the missing player, was the party's only full-martial and also the party's only non-caster. However, we pretty much have all necessary roles filled already - we have one arcane full caster, one divine full caster, and four characters capable of mixing it up in a fight.
Honestly I'm mostly looking for someone who is smooth to introduce, and whose character is well-fleshed out, and I'm willing to work with people to produce that.
What kind of folk are in First Landing? And what local threats are nearby? Just looking for convenient plot hooks to tie in.
OK I read up on the game play tab of your campaign. Let me know which of these would be best to stat up and write a backstory for.
1. The Gillman warrior they captured.
2. The crazy Druid in the farmlands
3. One of Breddarics men
4. Someone related to the 'ghost cat'(like a U.summoner, spiritualist, illusionist, etc)
5. None of those.
The gillman is part of a civilization of them, living on the shattered islands that once made up Azlant. This gillman's comrades are all pirates, using magic to lure and destroy passing ships and then taking the bounty and the survivors as slaves. The gillman was part of a raiding party attacking a group of survivors, but was incapacitated by an attic whisperer and later rescued by the PCs.
He would be a good character to introduce to the party, although it would be difficult to earn their trust... although both Ehiz and Murob seem to want to trust the gillman. He would start out only knowing Ancient Azlanti.
I wasn't picturing the crazy druid as an appropriate choice for a replacement character. I was picturing them more as one of several regional minibosses, if you will. However, an interesting pitch could change my mind.
Breddaric Valethorn and his men are mercenaries, relatively unscrupulous ones at that. Breddaric has temporarily taken command of the settlement due to his go-getter attitude and the fact that he has the best fighting skills in the village. However, he is not as active in solving threats as perhaps the people want him to be. Perhaps one of his men splits off from him when he sees the PCs being active?
The "ghost cat" is an entirely solitary creature created by Breddaric's unceasing slaughter of local wildlife (for safety). The cat is neither a familiar not a phantom, but perhaps a good-hearted local dedicated to stopping its tragic existence could be a good character to play?
Dot, will have a look and have a try at something.
I like the ghost cat
Witch?
You can either look at SkaTalon's spoiler, or you can ask for some setting info on a topic or two, or you can show me a concept and I can help you figure out where it might fit.
Hello, GM Leinathan.
I have this character, Sulan Kator, from another game that died out. He is a half-orc goliath druid from a desert tribe. If I were to add an NPC class to him it would be warrior. Sulan is meant to be a melee heavy hitter, but his Druid schtick gives him some interesting options that most "heavies" wouldn't have.
Current stats were rolled; he is currently 1st level. With a 15-point buy stats would become:
STR 18 (includes +2 race and +1 level bump), DEX 10, CON 14, INT 12, WIS 14, CHA 7
Sulan was basically on the run from people in his home tribe. He comes from a desert region. Once he was driven out of his tribe he would have been clanless and willing to take on work as a mercenary guard or something like that.
The trick would be figuring out how he ended up in Arcadia. He could have:
* Hired on with the expedition as a guard
* Was on a ship that was subsequently shipwrecked
- Stowed Away?
- Part of the crew? Pirates maybe?
* Actually be native to that area if there is an orc population around there
* Was transported there magically after finding some strange ruins
How are HP for the NPC class handled? Normally NPC classes don't get full HP at first level. Do they get max HP in this game?
Maybe a child Un/summoner? if that looks okay?
Just popping in to say that this game is fantastic, and Leinathan is wonderful. Looking forward to having one of you join us!
How are HP for the NPC class handled? Normally NPC classes don't get full HP at first level. Do they get max HP in this game?
Max HP for the NPC class, half+1 for all others.
The HP for your NPC class is maximized, and your other hit dice are 1/2+1.
An unsummoner sounds just fine. If you wanted to be younger than the starting age for your race, you'd have to take on the Young age adjustments (-2 Str, +2 Dex, -2 Con, -2 Wis) until you reached maturity for your race or until you completed some significant independent task.
Sulan would work, in my opinion, in one of two roles.
One, he was on the expedition's first ship, a part of either the farming group (as a druid, he'd be good at that!) or as a part of Breddaric's Blades (as a half-orc giant shapeshifter, he'd be good at that too!).
Two, he was on one of the other ships. They were all destroyed in the storm and anyone not taken by the gillmen was shipwrecked on the shore. At some point in the last few days, your character woke up on the shore and fought their way to First Landing, one of many small groups to do so.
Interesting. I've got to run to work, but I'd like to take a stab at this. Maybe an expert/ranger. He could have been on the PCs ship and been tracking them the last few days.
I went another path, im thinking a feral teen, not knowing all the tricks of the world, self taught etc. Feral.
Unnamed Hero
Changeling soulknife (feral heart) 3/warrior 1 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 4 29, Ultimate Psionics 57, 281, 283)
CG Medium humanoid (changeling)
Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +5
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Defense
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AC 18, touch 13, flat-footed 15 (+4 armor, +3 Dex, +1 natural)
hp 35 (4d10+7)
Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +5
SR 10
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Offense
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Speed 30 ft.
Melee form claws +5/+5 (1d6+6) or
. . 2 claws +7 (1d6+8)
Ranged orc hornbow +7 (2d6/×3)
Special Attacks feral transformation
--------------------
Statistics
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Str 12, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 7, Wis 12, Cha 14
Base Atk +4; CMB +3; CMD 18
Feats Improved Natural Attack (form claws), Mindblade Proficiency, Mother's Gift: Hag Claws[ARG], Mother's Gift: Uncanny Resistance[ARG], Piranha Strike, Weapon Finesse, Wild Talent
Traits dominator (belkzen), trap finder
Skills Craft (armor) +1, Disable Device +6, Handle Animal +9, Intimidate +9 (+11 to demoralize foes), Perception +5
Languages Common, Draconic
SQ active energy type, enhanced claws, feral roar, form claws, tenacious
Other Gear crystal, mundane chain shirt, arrows (20), blunt arrows[APG] (20), orc hornbow, 617 gp
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Special Abilities
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Active Energy Type (Fire) Lets you set your psionic active energy type.
Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white only).
Enhanced Claws Your claws are improved like a standard soulknife’s mind blade
Feral Roar (Ex) Make an Intimidate check to demoralize a target within 30 ft. as a move action.
Feral Transformation (+2, -2, 9 rounds/day) (Su) +2 Str, +2 Dex, +2 Intimidate checks, -2 Int, -2 Wis, -2 Cha while feral.
Form Claws (Su) Gain 2 primary natural claw attacks.
Mind Blade Finesse The benefits of the Weapon Finesse feat apply to the mind blade even when it is in forms that cannot normally be the subject of Weapon Finesse (including two-handed forms).
Piranha Strike -2/+4 You make a combination of quick strikes, sacrificing accuracy for multiple, minor wounds that prove exceptionally deadly.
Prerequisites: Weapon Finesse, base attack bonus +1.
Benefit: When wielding a light weapon, you can choose t
Spell Resistance (10) You have Spell Resistance.
Tenacious (expend psi-focus action) (Su) Expend psionic focus to gain temp HP.
Wild Talent (2/Power Points) You are a psionic character and gain 2 power points.
@Seth86 - Does your character know any orcs, or have proficiency in the orc hornbow? It's an exotic weapon.
I'm also gonna need you to explain how you have seven feats. I count that you get four at your level (2 from level, 1 from human, 1 from mindblade).
Also, where are your Background skills going?
Two, he was on one of the other ships. They were all destroyed in the storm and anyone not taken by the gillmen was shipwrecked on the shore. At some point in the last few days, your character woke up on the shore and fought their way to First Landing, one of many small groups to do so.
I think I would go with this one. That way I don't need to be familiar with what has happened in the colony while I've been wandering the wastes. Easier to Roleplay.
BTW Crunch is updated to your specs.
Two, he was on one of the other ships. They were all destroyed in the storm and anyone not taken by the gillmen was shipwrecked on the shore. At some point in the last few days, your character woke up on the shore and fought their way to First Landing, one of many small groups to do so.I think I would go with this one. That way I don't need to be familiar with what has happened in the colony while I've been wandering the wastes. Easier to Roleplay.
BTW Crunch is updated to your specs.
Crunch looks good to me. I'd like you to write up some narrative about them choosing to leave Avistan behind and joining the expedition to cross the sea, as well as what happened to them in the 3 or 4 days since shipwreck, if you wouldn't mind.
As a reference, what happened to the PCs is: After waking up, they searched the immediate area for survivors, finding a few. They were then immediately set upon by gillmen pirates, but their tenacity and the lucky appearance of a native Arcadian being chased by a massive beast saved them. Afterward, they went into the forest after three colonists who had fled from the battle with the gillmen. They had a nail-biting encounter getting one down from a high-hanging spider-web, and a battle with ogres rescuing another. Then, they traveled along the coast, rescuing a few more people at another shipwreck site from an attic whisperer before arriving at the small settlement.
I'd also like to know two more things about your character:
Why are they their alignment?
Why are they leaving Avistan behind, potentially forever?
@Seth86 - Does your character know any orcs, or have proficiency in the orc hornbow? It's an exotic weapon.
I'm also gonna need you to explain how you have seven feats. I count that you get four at your level (2 from level, 1 from human, 1 from mindblade).
Also, where are your Background skills going?
The archetypes added the feats: feral heart
I can change the bow. It was listed as proficient in herolab
The BG skills: craft armor and handle animal
How would you feel about letting a player use the Versatile Design Weapon Modification? Particularly to add the 'monk' property to a Spear.
The Versatile Design seems fine to me. It costs 500gp, so it's not like it doesn't take anything away from you.
Seth86, I'm looking at your feats. You have two racial feats, Weapon Finesse, Piranha Strike, Wild Talent, and Improved Natural Weapon. You only get Improved Natural Weapon from your archetype, and Wild Talent from Soulknife, and you should also only have three feats besides that as far as I can tell. It looks like you have four?
GM:
I see now where the problem came in, i also have Nimble Blade archetype that for some reason didn't show on the crunch i posted. It gives me weapon finesse
Those archetypes are not compatible with each other, as they both replace the bonus feat you gain at level 1.
Odd. As I mentioned. Herolab. By it does have mistakes now and then. Will fix when I'm home
Like Mogwai, another player here, stopping by to say 'Hi.'
Leinathan is an excellent GM and the players we have are quite fun to play with. I'm looking forward to playing with one of you.
Dotting, I'm quite interested. What I'll go with classwise, I'm not sure, probably something skill focused as it seems like the group might need it.
Let me know if you need guidance or answers to questions.
I'm going to rework this old character into expert 1/ fighter 3. I originally rolled him up for a PbP that died in infancy.
Described in a single sentence, he's a John Wayne frontiersman. I think he'd fit well with the group's overall attitude. I generally stick to core rules, and am not a great optimizer, so he'll be helpful in combat, but in no way over-powered.
2. Second, everyone (well, most people) have people in their lives. It's okay if your answers to this are "no people", but that has to be a conscious choice. I'd like you to include in your submission two characters: One NPC that your character is leaving behind in their previous life, and one NPC or PC that your character meets on their months at sea. What do these people mean to you? What do you think of them?
3. I want to know why your PCs are leaving behind everything they've ever known. Could be lots of reasons, but nobody does that sort of thing for s~&#s and giggles. Unless they do! Feel free to write a character like that, but it should be explicit.
4. They have a class. Presumably, those abilities didn't manifest out of nowhere. Why are they whatever class they are? Did they get training? Did their grandmother f!~% a demon?
5. What does your character look and act like? How do they come off?
How do they dress? What equipment do they use?
6. If your character has any self-awareness of their own alignment, what do they think of themselves? Why are they whatever alignment they are?
@pauljathome - I don't have any specific deadline in mind. I actually am not really that desperate to pick someone, so I'm thinking that if there isn't a completed character that I want to include in the campaign by the end of the month that I would close recruitment.
Oozes and Vermin are usually very rare creature types just in general, for any campaign. Most of what I expect the PCs to face are outsiders, magical beasts, fey, humanoids and giants. However, there may be sections of the campaign which are underwater or underground, and oozes will be prevalent there.
@ Jon Anthoni - thank you for the submission! Let me know when your crunch is completed, and I will look over the character and see if I have any adjustments to make. However, I want to ask - how do you see your character meeting the PCs? How did they reach the site of First Landing - were they hired on as a mercenary for Breddaric's Blades, or were they shipwrecked like the PCs? Do they arrive before or after the PCs at the site of the village? Did they rescue anyone on the way, if so?
Crunch looks good to me. I'd like you to write up some narrative about them choosing to leave Avistan behind and joining the expedition to cross the sea, as well as what happened to them in the 3 or 4 days since shipwreck, if you wouldn't mind.Two, he was on one of the other ships. They were all destroyed in the storm and anyone not taken by the gillmen was shipwrecked on the shore. At some point in the last few days, your character woke up on the shore and fought their way to First Landing, one of many small groups to do so.I think I would go with this one. That way I don't need to be familiar with what has happened in the colony while I've been wandering the wastes. Easier to Roleplay.
BTW Crunch is updated to your specs.
As to why he went to sea?
Sulan wouldn't have known a lot about the world outside of the desert where he grew up. But he was effectively an outcast and clanless. He believed that his clan was on the hunt for him (though only some of them were).
So arriving in a port town, he figured that going across the sea would be the easiest way to escape his enemies. Surely they wouldn't cross the sea to chase him? So he looked around for the ship that was going "the farthest" over the sea. The local sailors chuckled and sent him to the ships preparing to leave for Arcadia, where he signed on as a deckhand or guard.
Once at sea he began to prepare a set of nautical spells that seemed like the would come in handy: alter winds, read weather, touch of the sea, aboleth's lung, slipstream. When the ship was wrecked, these spells allowed Sulan to save himself, though in the chaos he wasn't able to rescue anyone else (unless it is good for the adventure that he did). Even when unable to swim, aboleth's lung enabled him to walk on the seabottom for a while until he found a rocky islet that he could camp on.
The next day or two he used the same spells to move closer and closer to land, until he reached the main island. Never one to have trouble with living off the land, Sulan went about trying to find others of the expedition who might have survived. At that point he would have ended up either being found by the other adventurers or finding them himself.
Crunch looks good to me. I'd like you to write up some narrative about them choosing to leave Avistan behind and joining the expedition to cross the sea, as well as what happened to them in the 3 or 4 days since shipwreck, if you wouldn't mind.Two, he was on one of the other ships. They were all destroyed in the storm and anyone not taken by the gillmen was shipwrecked on the shore. At some point in the last few days, your character woke up on the shore and fought their way to First Landing, one of many small groups to do so.I think I would go with this one. That way I don't need to be familiar with what has happened in the colony while I've been wandering the wastes. Easier to Roleplay.
BTW Crunch is updated to your specs.
As to why he went to sea?
Sulan wouldn't have known a lot about the world outside of the desert where he grew up. But he was effectively an outcast and clanless. He believed that his clan was on the hunt for him (though only some of them were).
So arriving in a port town, he figured that going across the sea would be the easiest way to escape his enemies. Surely they wouldn't cross the sea to chase him? So he looked around for the ship that was going "the farthest" over the sea. The local sailors chuckled and sent him to the ships preparing to leave for Arcadia, where he signed on as a deckhand or guard.
Once at sea he began to prepare a set of nautical spells that seemed like the would come in handy: alter winds, read weather, touch of the sea, aboleth's lung, slipstream. When the ship was wrecked, these spells allowed Sulan to save himself, though in the chaos he wasn't able to rescue anyone else (unless it is good for the adventure that he did). Even when unable to swim, aboleth's lung enabled him to walk on the seabottom for a while until he found a rocky islet that he could camp on.
The next day or two he used the same spells to move closer and closer...
Sounds good... I think I have an idea of how I could introduce Sulan. I think that the players are likely to go explore the gillman hideout, and I think that it might be interesting for Sulan to be the sole survivor of a group that shipwrecked on one of the Azlanti isles instead of the Arcadian mainland. Obviously if you are chosen and the players decide not to do that, something else will be figured out.
I suppose I have another question regarding Sulan. What form does his Azathoth worship take?
Introducing Xomec Almotil, aegis/souknife, wanderer, and and failed holy warrior!
Xomec Almotil
Human (Arcadian) aegis 2/soulknife 1/warrior 1 (Ultimate Psionics 28, 57)
CG Medium humanoid (human)
Init +1; Senses Perception +7
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Defense
--------------------
AC 19, touch 13, flat-footed 18 (+6 armor, +1 deflection, +1 Dex, +1 enhancement)
hp 46 (4d10+14)
Fort +7, Ref +6, Will +4
Defensive Abilities evasion, form astral suit; DR 2/—
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Offense
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Speed 30 ft. (20 ft. in armor)
Melee +1 mind blade (two handed) +10 (2d6+10/19-20)
Special Attacks form mind blade
Aegis Powers Known (power points 6, ML 2nd; concentration +6)
. . 0 (at will)—
--------------------
Statistics
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Str 18, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 10
Base Atk +4; CMB +8; CMD 20
Feats Mindblade Proficiency, Power Attack, Psionic Body, Psionic Talent, Psionic Weapon, Weapon Focus (mind blade)
Traits deft dodger, draconic destiny
Skills Acrobatics +4 (+0 to jump), Autohypnosis +7, Climb +7, Craft (crystal carving) +9, Intimidate +5, Knowledge (engineering) +8, Perception +7, Ride +3, Stealth +1, Swim +7
Languages Arcadian, Common, Sylvan
SQ astral armor, astral repair, brawn, flexible suit, hardy, improved damage, psionic attacks, shape mind blade, throw mind blade
Other Gear ring of protection +1, bedroll, belt pouch, fishhook (2), flint and steel, masterwork backpack[APG], sewing needle, signal whistle, string or twine[APG], thread (50 ft.), trail rations (7), waterskin, 1,942 gp, 1 sp, 8 cp
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Special Abilities
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Astral Armor When formed into astral armor, an astral suit resembles masterwork chainmail and is treated as such for all mechanical purposes. Should the aegis be wearing armor when forming his astral suit in this fashion, the astral suit encloses the armor and th
Astral Repair(2 HP) (Ps) Restore 2 HP to damaged object touched.
Brawn The aegis gains a +2 enhancement bonus to Strength while he is wearing his astral suit. This customization can be selected a second time beginning at 5th level, and a third time starting at 10th level. Each subsequent time it is taken, the enhancemen
Damage Reduction (2/-) You have Damage Reduction against all attacks.
Evasion (Ex) If succeed on Reflex save for half dam, take none instead.
Flexible Suit The aegis's armor check penalty is reduced by 1 (to a minimum of 0). The aegis may also sleep in his astral suit without becoming fatigued, if he was not already able to do so (such as if in astral skin form).
Form Astral Suit (Su) Every aegis learns to draw forth ectoplasm and form an astral suit around their form. The aegis can select from three different types when forming his astral suit – skin, armor, or juggernaut. An aegis is always considered to be proficient with his
Form Mind Blade (Mind Blade [2H], Slashing) (Su) Form a semi-solid weapon composed of psychic energy distilled from your own mind.
Hardy The aegis gains a +2 enhancement bonus to Constitution while he is wearing his astral suit. This customization can be selected a second time beginning at 5th level, and a third time starting at 10th level. Each subsequent time it is taken, the enhanc
Improved Damage The aegis's melee attacks deal additional damage. If wielding a two-handed weapon, the aegis deals 3 additional points of damage on a successful hit. If wielding a one-handed weapon, the aegis deals 2 additional points of damage on a successful hit.
Power Attack -2/+4 You can subtract from your attack roll to add to your damage.
Psionic Attacks The aegis's astral suit encompasses his melee attacks. All of the aegis's melee attacks are treated as if they were magic for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. In addition, any melee weapons wielded by the aegis are treated as masterwork if
Psionic Body Bonus HP +6
Psionic Talent Gain 2 or 1 extra power points.
Psionic Weapon +1/+2d6 While focused melee attacks do +1 dmg adn expend focus to deal +2d6 dmg.
Shape Mind Blade Change the form of your mind blade, or reassign its abilities
Throw Mind Blade Light 20ft, 1H 15ft, and 2H can't be thrown.
Born in the southern jungles of Arcadia, Xomec was raise by priests to become a Couatl Warrior, elite guardians of their people. Able to manifest blades and armor through the power of their mind alone, Couatl Warriors are among the most feared fighters in Arcadia. However, their doctrine is one of rigid obedience to tradition, constantly in service to the high priests and their couatl masters. Xomec did not take well to that. He supported the righteous teachings of his priestly overseers, believing in the good of humanity and the potential within everyone. However, the endless taboos and traditions did not sit well with him. He wished for freedom of thought and action, for those who did not wish to follow the path of their ancestors to be able to choose their own destiny. He put up with it for a time, learning the basics of the psionic path of the Couatl Warriors. He did truly enjoy the thrill of combat, and the rush from manifesting one mental power into arms and armor. In the faith aspect, he fell behind. The litanies to the gods bored him and the rituals for summoning forth ones metal armor and mindblade were tedious and rote. The day of his full initiation came, where he was to prove his worth in faith and battle, receive his couatl-feather headdress and join the elite ranks of the Couatl Warriors. He failed. His ritual knowledge was utterly unsuited for the ceremony. He managed to offend the couatl presiding over the initiation, accidentally calling it a "chicken-snake." In a ritual battle with an older warrior-priest, he went too far and knocked the woman unconscious in a unprecedented outburst. He was booted from their ranks, carried down the temple steps and tossed into the street. He had brought shame to his family and all that he had worked for was lost. Despite that, Xomec was not devastated. He had a chance to build a new life, one he could define for himself. He took to wandering and met a hunter by the name of Amatle, a wanderer like himself. They wandered together, eventually falling in love. For a time, Xomec was truly happy, having found one he cared about and with the freedom that he craved. They travelled together, helping where they could with blade and bow. His life though, was not destined to stay as it was. A small village requested help with a roving bandit tribe. They tracked the bandits for weeks, finally finding their main camp. The attack did not go as planned. The bandit chief was a vastly more skilled fighter than either Amatle or Xomec. They fought their way through the camp, before the chief struck Amatle down, mercilessly attacking him. Xomec was devastated, and fuelled by anger managed to kill the chief. Again, Xomec was set to travelling alone, searching for meaning in life. He heard word of a fledgeling colony, First Landing, and decided he should try and help if he could.
Xomec is a tall southern Arcadian man, with straight black hair and deep brown eyes. He wears simple lightweight clothing made for travelling along with a backpack full of supplies. In combat, he manifests a mindblade and astral armor. His armor takes the form of stylized southern Arcadian armour, with twisting serpentine designs and complex geometric patterns. Absent however, is the traditional couatl-feather headdress worn by the Couatl Warriors. His mindblade resembles a two-handed macuahuitl, albeit made from psychic energy.
Xomec is a lover of freedom and independence. He deeply values the ability to choose one's own way of doing things, and urges people not to take it for granted. Willing to fight for what he believes in, he revels in battle and seeks to prove himself to the world. He is quite friendly, although not terribly good at talking persuasively or deceptively. While pained by the loss of his love he has come to terms with it, feeling grief most acutely in sites of great natural beauty that Amatle loved.
1. Backstory is in the Background spoiler.
2. Xemoc had Amatle, who was killed by a bandit chief. He was also mentored by a few priests, but for the most part he hasn’t had many important people in his life.
3. As before, the reason for leaving behind his life is in the background section.
4. Xemoc was trained in the ways of the mindblade and the aegis, although he does not call his abilities as such. To him it is the Way of the Couatl, although he generally refers to it as the Way.
5. Appearance is in the Appearance and Personality spoiler.
6. Xemoc doesn’t think of himself as “Chaotic Good” but he does know that he values liberty and freedom.
For a second thing, the settlement is only two months old and is very, very small. Do you have any ideas for how your character heard about it? I have some ideas, but they're kind of dark.
One of the current PCs is from Arcadia. He is from the southernmost nation, called Kansai. Kansai is heavily divine, ruled by a divinely-empowered (read: oracle) "heavenly superperson", and protected by the Devoted, groups of soldiers dedicated to one of a pantheon of gods. In Kansai, the gods choose the soldier during the Devotion ceremony. Kansai is rich and sophisticated, and is fraught with courtly intrigue and flowing with wine.
There is a second nation called Degasi, on the eastern coast of the continent. Degasi is the only nation which has had contact with settlers from the Inner Sea. Degasans are peaceful and democratic, and have an uplifted nation of education and tolerance. They have earned the disdain of their fellow Arcadians for ceding land to the Chelaxian colonists for them to live on.
There are two other nations which I have not yet detailed, although I was loosely planning one small, powerful, industrial nation which largely exerts influence through naval power. You can be from the fourth nation, which I am happy to give creative license to make stuff up about.
As for how you got to hear about the colony, I have a few ideas. The first (and darkest) idea is that after the death of your character's wife, he went down into Southern Arcadia to seek violence and solitude, and potentially death in combat, and accidentally happens upon some of the colonists, perhaps during a battle with one of the local threats. The second is that, for whatever reason, you were either on the coast or at sea - perhaps traveling from one area in Arcadia to another - and your ship was set upon by gillmen slavers. You were taken in and probably set to brawl in some fighting rings for entertainment. My PCs are likely going to assault the gillmen soon, so that would give you a good in.
The third is that some Arcadian spies were doing some scouting of the Southern half of the continent. Perhaps you have a friend in the scout corps, and they shared the details with you just to gossip, and your curiosity was provoked enough to get you to go on a solo journey.
I'd like to submit Ravnur for your consideration.
Summary - An outlaw Ulfen armorer, weaponsmith and Hunter who is looking for a new home for himself and his Tiger companion.
Hopefully all the details are in my profile
That sounds good to me, Simeon. I don't think there's anything else I need from you, but I do need time to allow some of the other interests to finish up their concepts.
Plus, some of these introductions might not happen for awhile, so it's not like I'm in a hurry.
I took a second look and noticed something - I don't think your character is built with ABP, and I also think they have too much wealth. Only 1,000gp is allocated to the PCs at this time. Also, characters gain a +1 resistance bonus to all saves starting at 3rd level, and rings of protection don't currently exist.
@Ravnur - thank you for the submission! I will take a look and get back to you.
I suppose I have another question regarding Sulan. What form does his Azathoth worship take?
Well, since Azathoth is CN, whatever form he likes! :)
Sulan is not a priest, so he would usually only do some basic daily devotions. Since Azathoth is "The Burning Sun" they would probably involve some ceremonial fires. Possibly scorching the ground itself as a way of celebrating the fact that one day Azathoth will turn the whole world into a desert.
It is unlikely that Sulan would discuss it with outsiders. He believes it to be an 'orcs only' religion, though those who learn to survive in the desert might be considered "worthy" of being invited to join the cult.
Azathoth is an Outer God, so he probably doesn't really care whether he has worshipers or not.
Speaking of which, I stumbled across the spell burning sands. It's not actually a particularly good spell but it is perfect thematically for Sulan.
My bad, I must've spaced out on wealth as I was making the character. I did factor in APB though. Thank you for letting me know. I'll adjust it accordingly and tweak the backstory.
@Ravnur - From what I understand, people thought he was a lycanthrope because his hair is messy? Are there any other unusual physical manifestations that might change a stranger's reaction to him?
What specifically about his behavior and appearance changed to suggest lycanthropy?
Are the rumors true? Does he have lycanthropic blood?
What motivates Ravnur? Does he have any goals? Actually, everyone should answer this question, if you can.
Crunch looks good and effective. AC should be 21, as we're skipping the weapon/armor attunement part of ABP.
@Ravnur - From what I understand, people thought he was a lycanthrope because his hair is messy? Are there any other unusual physical manifestations that might change a stranger's reaction to him?
What specifically about his behavior and appearance changed to suggest lycanthropy?
Are the rumors true? Does he have lycanthropic blood?
What motivates Ravnur? Does he have any goals? Actually, everyone should answer this question, if you can.
Crunch looks good and effective. AC should be 21, as we're skipping the weapon/armor attunement part of ABP.
The lycanthropic stuff comes directly from the flavour of his Animalistic Affliction trait. I was trying to invoke the old superstition that somebody who's eyebrows grew together was a werewolf.
Other than his eyebrows normally being one big brow and maybe slightly enlarged canine teeth there is no physical manifestation.
His behaviour changed only a little. He became VERY protective of his food, literally snarling at somebody who tried to take a piece of bread from him once. He tears into his meat with abandon.
I'm trying to walk the line of having this be interesting flavour but NOT really a drawback (it IS a trait and not a drawback, after all :-))
Neither the character nor the player have a clue if the rumours are true (his mother denied them). Totally up to you as far as I'm concerned :-)
Ah, ok about AC. I saw that weapons weren't included, missed that armour wasn't.
As to goals, Ravnur basically just wants to be a valued part of a thriving and growing community. He is TIRED of being alone, of caring for nobody and having nobody care for him except Torir.
He would love to find the right woman and marry, have kids, etc.
He will very definitely fight for any community that accepts him and is loyal to any friends (so grabbing him onto adventures should NOT be an issue). But he'd be quite happy if trouble never came and he could retire from his adventuring life and just be a crafter.
As a secondary goal he would like to spread Art and Beauty in service to Shelyn. He is not a cleric and has no aspirations in that direction. But he can still promote her beliefs.
Character updated to reflect above
Alright, I've updated Xemoc's stats and tweaked/expanded his backstory.
Xomec Almotil
Human (Arcadian) aegis 2/soulknife 1/warrior 1 (Ultimate Psionics 28, 57)
CG Medium humanoid (human)
Init +1; Senses Perception +7
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Defense
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AC 17, touch 13, flat-footed 16 (+6 armor, +1 Dex)
hp 46 (4d10+14)
Fort +7, Ref +6, Will +4
Defensive Abilities evasion, form astral suit; DR 2/—
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Offense
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Speed 30 ft. (20 ft. in armor)
Melee mind blade (two handed) +9 (2d6+9/19-20)
Special Attacks form mind blade
Aegis Powers Known (power points 6, ML 2nd; concentration +6)
. . 0 (at will)—
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Statistics
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Str 18, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 10
Base Atk +4; CMB +8; CMD 20
Feats Mindblade Proficiency, Power Attack, Psionic Body, Psionic Talent, Psionic Weapon, Weapon Focus (mind blade)
Traits deft dodger, draconic destiny
Skills Acrobatics +4 (+0 to jump), Autohypnosis +7, Climb +7, Craft (crystal carving) +9, Intimidate +5, Knowledge (engineering) +8, Perception +7, Ride +3, Stealth +1, Swim +7
Languages Arcadian, Common, Draconic
SQ astral armor, astral repair, brawn, flexible suit, hardy, improved damage, psionic attacks, shape mind blade, throw mind blade
Other Gear bedroll, belt pouch, fishhook (2), flint and steel, masterwork backpack[APG], sewing needle, signal whistle, string or twine[APG], thread (50 ft.), trail rations (7), waterskin, 942 GP
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Special Abilities
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Astral Armor When formed into astral armor, an astral suit resembles masterwork chainmail and is treated as such for all mechanical purposes. Should the aegis be wearing armor when forming his astral suit in this fashion, the astral suit encloses the armor and th
Astral Repair(2 HP) (Ps) Restore 2 HP to damaged object touched.
Brawn The aegis gains a +2 enhancement bonus to Strength while he is wearing his astral suit. This customization can be selected a second time beginning at 5th level, and a third time starting at 10th level. Each subsequent time it is taken, the enhancemen
Damage Reduction (2/-) You have Damage Reduction against all attacks.
Evasion (Ex) If succeed on Reflex save for half dam, take none instead.
Flexible Suit The aegis's armor check penalty is reduced by 1 (to a minimum of 0). The aegis may also sleep in his astral suit without becoming fatigued, if he was not already able to do so (such as if in astral skin form).
Form Astral Suit (Su) Every aegis learns to draw forth ectoplasm and form an astral suit around their form. The aegis can select from three different types when forming his astral suit – skin, armor, or juggernaut. An aegis is always considered to be proficient with his
Form Mind Blade (Mind Blade [2H], Slashing) (Su) Form a semi-solid weapon composed of psychic energy distilled from your own mind.
Hardy The aegis gains a +2 enhancement bonus to Constitution while he is wearing his astral suit. This customization can be selected a second time beginning at 5th level, and a third time starting at 10th level. Each subsequent time it is taken, the enhanc
Improved Damage The aegis's melee attacks deal additional damage. If wielding a two-handed weapon, the aegis deals 3 additional points of damage on a successful hit. If wielding a one-handed weapon, the aegis deals 2 additional points of damage on a successful hit.
Power Attack -2/+4 You can subtract from your attack roll to add to your damage.
Psionic Attacks The aegis's astral suit encompasses his melee attacks. All of the aegis's melee attacks are treated as if they were magic for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. In addition, any melee weapons wielded by the aegis are treated as masterwork if
Psionic Body Bonus HP +6
Psionic Talent Gain 2 or 1 extra power points.
Psionic Weapon +1/+2d6 While focused melee attacks do +1 dmg adn expend focus to deal +2d6 dmg.
Shape Mind Blade Change the form of your mind blade, or reassign its abilities
Throw Mind Blade Light 20ft, 1H 15ft, and 2H can't be thrown.
Born in Razatlan, one of the four great Arcadian nations, Xomec was raise by priests to become a Couatl Warrior, elite guardians of their people. Able to manifest blades and armor through the power of their mind alone, Couatl Warriors are among the most feared fighters in Arcadia. However, their doctrine is one of rigid obedience to tradition, constantly in service to the high priests and their couatl masters. Xomec did not take well to that. He supported the righteous teachings of his priestly overseers, believing in the good of humanity and the potential within everyone. However, the endless taboos and traditions did not sit well with him. He wished for freedom of thought and action, for those who did not wish to follow the path of their ancestors to be able to choose their own destiny. He put up with it for a time, learning the basics of the psionic path of the Couatl Warriors. He did truly enjoy the thrill of combat, and the rush from manifesting one mental power into arms and armor. In the faith aspect, he fell behind. The litanies to the gods bored him and the rituals for summoning forth one's metal armor and mindblade were tedious and rote. The day of his full initiation came, where he was to prove his worth in faith and battle, receive his couatl-feather headdress and join the elite ranks of the Couatl Warriors. He failed. His ritual knowledge was utterly unsuited for the ceremony. He managed to offend the couatl presiding over the initiation, accidentally calling it a "chicken-snake." In a ritual battle with an older warrior-priest, he went too far and knocked the woman unconscious in a unprecedented outburst. He was booted from their ranks, carried down the temple steps and tossed into the street. He had brought shame to his family and all that he had worked for was lost. Despite that, Xomec was not devastated. He had a chance to build a new life, one he could define for himself. He took to wandering and while in Kansai met a strapping hunter, a man by the name of Amatle. They wandered together, eventually falling in love. For a time, Xomec was truly happy, having found one he cared about and with the freedom that he craved. They travelled together throughout Kansai and Razatlan, helping where they could with blade and bow. His life though, was not destined to stay as it was. A few villages requested help with a roving bandit tribe harrying caravans and raiding isolated homesteads. They tracked the bandits for weeks, finally finding their main camp. Amatle and Xomec had a simple approach, Xomec cut a swathe through their enemies, and Amatle picked off the ones that remained. This particular attack did not go as planned.. They fought their way through the camp, before reaching the bandit chief’s lodge. The chief was a vastly more skilled fighter than Amatle or Xomec expected or could even handle. The chief charged at Amatle and cut him down, mercilessly attacking him. Xomec was devastated, and fuelled by anger managed to kill the chief. Again, Xomec was set to travelling alone, searching for meaning in life. What little he had was gone. Grief overtook him and he travelled south beyond the mountains, determined to battle his loss while fighting to hone his skills. He was lost, either dying to fight or fighting to die. His desire to help those in need had not faded however. One day while hunting, he aided a few Avistani lost in the forest, pursued by a pack of wolves. When asked why they were so incredibly far from home, Xemoc learned they came from a fledgeling colony, First Landing. He decided he should try and help if he could, to try to make a place himself, where he could finally cease his wandering.
Okay. I will ask for input from my fellow players, and I will get back to you. For Ravnur, Xomec, and Sulan, I don't think I need anything more from you.
I think that I still need Jon Anthony to check in and say that he's completed his character.
Alright, thanks for your consideration. Best of luck to everyone!
I'm interested. My first thought is a skinwalker, either an Ulfen who was shipwrecked separately or a native Arcadian. Something nature-themed, either a Ranger or Barbarian probably. Are skinwalkers allowed? They aren't listed as a playable race in the old thread.
Alternatively, I keep wanting to play a soulknife, but most games don't allow Dreamscarred Psionics, this would be a good chance to jump on that.