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I've been bouncing an idea around in my head for a while for a samurai/druid that grows a katana or a pair of wakizashi(and possibly armor) from trees (possibly greenwood?). Unfortunately, ironwood is a 6th level spell, and only lasts for a rather limited amount of time. Is there any way we could work out a lower level ritual to create a permanent ironwood item?
As for race, I'm thinking along the lines of gathlain, because a plant based flying fey fits the class theme and the setting (floating islands) very well. Dwarf is a possible option as well, but have you seen the gathlain art? Amazing!
Raisse, you might want to look at the Symbiotic Knight Armorist Archetype.
Also would automatic bonus progression work with bound/summoned equipment?
@BeastmasterFTW: To answer both your questions, yes.
@Raisse: Hmm, let me think about it.
I can't remember who, but someone asked for a good-aligned prankster deity. Here he is.
A good natured deity, Thalion is widely worshiped among gnomes, halflings, and other goodly races that enjoy a laugh. He is the god of fate, luck, and laughter. While his teachings are simple, to live, love, and laugh, there are literally thousands of tales regarding his exploits on the mortal planes and beyond. His holy symbol is a laughing, black-furred fox dancing among the stars.
Alignment: NG
Domains: Chaos, Community, Good, Luck, Trickery
would you allow a Blue without Psionics...I think I have a really good story...if not I can go with the Gobby
I'm going to say no to the blues.
Well color me a Dissapointed shade of blue...oh well...I will happily work with what you allow!
A goblin making that face would make for a hilarious picture.
I have to ask, though, would you say you're feeling the Delta Blues, or is it more of a St. Louis Blues? :P
Pick Delta! Pick Delta! The Delta Blues are way better than St. Louis.
Rolling for HPs:
Also, is it safe to assume we are using the +2 level variant of ABP for worlds with little to no magical items? Which would put us at level 6 for determining ABP bonuses?
Salsa, should we avoid fairly exotic materials for weapons? I'm specifically thinking about a Voidglass sword.
Looks interesting. I'll post up my build soon.
Hit Points
Here is my submission.
I'll be updating with a backstory, personality, etc within the next few days.
Mainly wanted to see if this was appropriate for the campaign.
Hi ho, this is my (stormraven's) submission. It's mostly there... pending a few DMy answers and a backstory.
And here's one - how would you like Animal Companion HPs being rolled? Max at 1st and straight roll thereafter? Avg+1 on all levels? Something else?
Woof!
(animal companion for Issengrim)
If you have an animal companion, roll their HP like a PC with a d8 hit die class for all HD, so 1d4+4 for all HD.
As for the ABP, we're using the version that starts at 4th level, which is the standard one I believe.
On the subject of exotic materials, I'll allow it, but you'll need to explain how you got your hands on it in your background, much like wands.
I think that's everyone's questions. As a rule, I try not to look at submissions for anything but completeness before the deadline since I find that I am better able to be fair about the characters this way. If you have questions about a concept being appropriate to the campaign, then hopefully this should help.
The PCs are heros gifted with amazing abilities and skills. They are a cut above the average man, and even heros of some renown won't stand much of a chance against you one on one. In a sense, they are destined to be a part of a great legend. They should have some heroic tendency because the campaign revolves around you helping someone reunite with their family and recovering an ancient artifact.
In short, if you imagine a protagonist in an epic fantasy, then you're pretty close to what I'm looking for. Of course, this doesn't have to be you normal knight in shining armor, just someone willing to do the right thing.
Would you allow the Bladed Brush feat to let an Unchained Rogue choose a Glaive as their Finesse weapon? If so I am working up a Tempered Champion Paladin//Unchained Rogue who wields a Glaive like nobody's business, shrugs off saving throws, and also fills that skill monkey roll real well.
Also, which God/Goddess would you say would fulfill the Shelyn slot to even get Bladed Brush? Or would it not be an option?
I suppose it would be nice to know if the Paladin's code functions the same in the Sundered Lands too.
To all those asking about Deities. I think I mentioned that the deities from the Inner Sea Gods hardcover are fair game. I can come up with one if one of those doesn't fit, though.
@The Pale King: Bladed Brush is allowed. and the Paladin's code still functions the same way.
Thanks!
So how long is recruitment open for?
I updated the crunch on my brawler / inquisitor just need to adapt his backstory. The idea I'm working around is he came to an agreement with one or more masters in the Akiheton Arcanum. He would recieve training in return for procuring lore, ancient and new for them. Sort of India Jones meets the Pathfinder Society Dark Archive faction.
I think that explains his Investigator part, but what about brawler training? Where would he get that? Temple of Irori? I was thinking of NG alignment which might make that a bit strange.
@Raisse - I believe the request was for front-liners and/or skill monkeys... so trapfinding would be a good skill.
@Grumbaki - Unless I'm mistaken, Salsa said he'd leave things open til July 7.
Okay thanks GM-Salsa that synopsis helps a lot.
I'll be making updates to this submission based on that knowledge.
Do you have a full list of the deities you use? I saw a few posted earlier but wanted to know if there are any others.
I've been kicking around another idea, so a few new questions:
*What kinds of natural disasters might befall an entire island? There must still be some kind of weather, but it seems like tornadoes and hurricanes might not still be a thing, and earthquakes seem right out of it... maybe some supernatural disasters strike, though? Do islands move relative one to another? Might they crash into each other?
*How would you feel about a lizardfolk? How would they be viewed in society? How rare would they be to find?
Have to admit I'm beginning to rather like the Dr Jones angle. This leads to a question: in this game do Archaeologist bards gain performance each level normally? (RAW they don't, RAI they do) It's not a problem if not, just means going half elf.
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One day, as she sat and stared out, Prim noticed one of her distant bugs growing larger. As she watched, she noticed a pale skinned man about her height atop its back, wild grey hair splotched with color in various places, strange glass vials strapped to his belt, and round thick spectacles bouncing around his face. Her excitement turned to horror however, as the great wooden beetle came careening closer before crashing into the lowest reaches of the forested main island far below. She heard the crack of trees giving way to the thing, then silence for a moment, before a flash of light and then multi-colored smoke billowed up from the trees.
When the smoke finally cleared, the island had changed. A new series of tiny islands and broken free from the main one, a few with scattered trees upon their rocky backs. As she stared wide-eyed and the destruction below, Prim heard a distant cry. She scanned the islands and spotted a tiny figure clutching at a piece of shattered earth, barely managing to stay afloat as it drifted away from the main cluster.
Had Prim taken a moment to think things through, she may not have done it. She may have considered the fact that the high winds that guided her island home also separated them from the forest below,
and there was a reason her family didn't venture out beyond their wood. She may have done those things, but she didn't, and her focus was on the desperate creature before her as she dove through the sky, her vines trailing behind her as she was buffeted by the chaotic winds.
As she got close, her vines stiffened, leaves broadened and she caught the breeze and glided over to the distraught but strikingly beautiful woman clutching the too small chunk of floating earth.
With a quick shake of her mistletoe, a surprisingly strong Prim lifted the strange woman up and flew her back to relative safety.
The woman was named Nara, a dryad who tended the stand of trees on the western reaches of the island. When flying man had crashed, he had shattered the ground and scattered several of the larger trees, including Nara's bonded tree. Over the next few days,
Prim and Nara devised a method to snare the rogue trees, then Nara convinced the trees to spread their roots out to others, in a woven net of living trees, thereby stitching the islands back together.
On the third night, Prim and Nara were reclining among the branches of Nara's home eating the strangely bulbous fruit that Prim had managed to convince the tree to produce, when Nara sat up in alarm.
She looked down and to her dismay, a strange red globule of something was burning away one of her tree's exposed roots. Prim managed to dislodge it with a stick and send it sailing down to the ocean far below and they thought nothing more of it that evening. The next day they realized their mistake.
Numerous slimes and jellies had spread through the forest from the location of the wreck, intent on consuming everything in their path. Prim called on her connection to nature to burn and blow away as many as she could manage, and Nara used her abilities to encourage the forest to fight back, but the pair was soon forced to retreat. Using magic in that way was exhausting, and all too brief. They needed a better method of fighting the oozes, or they'd soon be overrun. After a number of hours, and more than a few wandering slimes, Nara had an idea. She reached out to her bonded tree, and with Prim's help, coaxed it to grow a long slender branch. Through a combination of Prim's druidic magic and Nara's desperation to save her forest, the pair grew the branch that became Prim's sword.
Over the next few days, Prim and Nara cut and slashed their way through a seemingly endless horde of alchemically enhanced ooze.
By the time the week was out, the forest was clear of the dangerous slimes, and their friendship had blossomed.
A few years passed, and though Prim occasionally glanced up at her former home high above beyond the whirling winds, she was happy with her companion and her new home. She still sat among the branches,
looking out at the strange wooden flying specks and shared her dreams with Nara. Eventually, one of the ships passed nearby,
though not on a collision course this time, and it was Nara who convinced Prim to go and explore. The forest would still be there when she returned, and she could finally learn who and what was out there. Even more importantly, Prim might be able to find out what had caused the ship to crash into their home and spread the awful plague of slime, and hopefully find a way to prevent it from happening again. Nara plucked a twig from her bonded tree, saying that it would help keep her safe so she could return, gathered up Prim's swords, bow and armor, and then nearly shoved the reluctant gathlain off the edge of the island.
Since that day, Prim has been sailing between the trade cities of the wider world. She often hires herself on as a wilderness guide or healer, though she has had some experience guarding shipments, trapping food, and has even learned her way around her trusty lockpicks. As she travels, she's always keeps an eye open for clues that might tell her more about that strange little man that crashed into her island.
Recently, she came to the town of Spindle. Her arrival marked the end of a long journey with the Windrunners, a group of sailors that specialize in fast transportation of goods over vast distances.
Spindle is their captain's home town, and the crew looked forward to taking a month to relax and spend their hard earned coin, as well as repair their ship. Prim was excited and ready to catch the next breeze.
Female gathlain druid (nature fang) 4/samurai (yojimbo) 4/gestalt 4 (Pathfinder Player Companion: Armor Master's Handbook 7, Pathfinder RPG Advanced Class Guide 92, Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 4 122, Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Combat 18)
NG Small fey
Init +3; Senses low-light vision; Perception +10
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Defense
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AC 21, touch 14, flat-footed 18 (+6 armor, +3 Dex, +1 natural, +1 size)
hp 39 (4d10+8)
Fort +6, Ref +5, Will +8
Defensive Abilities resolve 2/day, trap sense +1
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Offense
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Speed 30 ft., fly 40 ft. (poor)
Melee +1 ironwood katana +10 (1d6+7/18-20) or
. . mwk ironwood wakizashi +10 (1d4+4/18-20) or
. . quarterstaff +9 (1d4+6) or
. . wooden stake +9 (1d3+4)
Ranged greenwood composite longbow +9 (1d6/×3)
Special Attacks challenge 2/day (+4 damage, +2 to attack when not challenging plants or animals), sneak attack +1d6, studied target +1 (1st, move action)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 4th; concentration +5)
. . 1/day—entangle (DC 10), feather step[APG] (DC 10)
Druid (Nature Fang) Spells Prepared (CL 4th; concentration +9)
. . 2nd—barkskin, gust of wind (DC 15), wilderness soldiers[UC], wind wall[D]
. . 1st—alter winds[APG] (DC 14), cheetah's spirit, faerie fire, thunderstomp[ACG], whispering wind[D]
. . 0 (at will)—create water, detect magic, read magic, stabilize
. . D Domain spell; Domain Air (Wind domain[APG] subdomain)
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Statistics
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Str 18, Dex 16, Con 13, Int 9, Wis 16, Cha 9
Base Atk +4; CMB +7; CMD 20
Feats Bodyguard[APG], Combat Reflexes, Power Attack
Traits desperate focus, helpful
Skills Craft (armor) +8, Craft (weapons) +8, Craft (woodworking) +8, Disable Device +12, Fly +4, Perception +10, Sense Motive +7, Survival +3 (+5 to track aberrations and outsiders), Swim +6
Languages Common, Druidic, Sylvan
SQ favored terrain (forest +2), intercept, nature bond (Wind domain[APG]), order of the green, resolute defense, slayer talent (trapfinding[ACG]), trackless step, trapfinding +2, wind blast
Combat Gear wand of cure light wounds, alkali flask[APG] (2), bladeguard[APG] (2), distilled terrap sap (2), foaming powder[UE] (2), impact foam[UE], instant fertilizer (2), mimic fibers (2), smelling salts[APG]; Other Gear mwk ironwood do-maru[UC], mwk ironwood katana[UC], arrows (40), blunt arrows[APG] (40), greenwood composite longbow, mwk ironwood wakizashi[UC], quarterstaff, wooden stake[APG] (4), backpack, belt pouch, blanket[APG], flint and steel, holly and mistletoe, masterwork thieves' tools, masterwork tool, masterwork tool, masterwork tool, silk rope (100 ft.), soap, spell component pouch, torch (4), waterskin, 36 gp, 8 sp, 9 cp
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Special Abilities
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Bodyguard Use an AoO to use aid another to improve an ally's AC.
Combat Reflexes (4 AoO/round) Can make extra attacks of opportunity/rd, and even when flat-footed.
Druid (Nature Fang) Domain (Wind)
Favored Terrain (Forest +2) (Ex) +2 to rolls when in forest terrain.
Fly (40 feet, Poor) You can fly!
Green's Challenge +4 (2/day) (Ex) +4 to damage target, -2 AC vs. others when used, +2 to attack when not challenging plants or animals.
Intercept (Ex) When use Aid Another to increase AC, +1 to the AC benefit.
Low-Light Vision See twice as far as a human in dim light, distinguishing color and detail.
Power Attack -2/+4 You can subtract from your attack roll to add to your damage.
Resolute Defense (Ex) When challenge, select 1 ally as ward. Can use resolve on adj ward instead of self.
Resolve (2/day) (Ex) Your resolve can remove effects or reroll saves.
Sneak Attack +1d6 Attacks deal extra dam if flank foe or if foe is flat-footed.
Studied Target +1 (move action, 1 at a time) (Ex) Study foe as a Move action, gain +1 to att/dam & some skills vs. them.
Trackless Step (Ex) You do not leave a trail as you move through natural surroundings.
Trap Sense +1 (Ex) +1 bonus on reflex saves and AC against traps.
Trapfinding +2 Gain a bonus to find or disable traps, including magical ones.
Wind Blast (6/day) (Su) Create a blast of air that can bull rush targets.
She looks like this, with do-maru (breastplate), kote (gauntlets)
and kabuto (helm), all made of ironwood. Her bow changes with the season, pink flowers in the spring, leaves turn red and yellow in the fall. She keeps her ironwood daisho (katana and wakizashi pair) at her belt, and when drawn the imprint of leaves are visible along the blades. Her vines generally trail behind her, swishing back and forth, except when being used for flight when they expand and stiffen to resemble massive dragonfly wings.
@Raisse - I believe the request was for front-liners and/or skill monkeys... so trapfinding would be a good skill.
@Grumbaki - Unless I'm mistaken, Salsa said he'd leave things open til July 7.
Yes and yes.
@FangDragon: I am liking the sounds of what you're cooking up. Go with the rules as intended for the Archeologist archetype.
@Rhyn Laelithar: There's a list in the Campaign tab of the deities I have come up with. You may also use the gods from the Inner Sea Gods hardcover.
@Almonihah: Those are some good questions and I hope you'll forgive the wall of text in advance.
Regarding the islands. they do move relative to each other, which can make navigating a pain. There are a several sets of islands that seem to be bound to each other and do not move relative to each other, though different sets do move relative to each other.
This means that islands do collide occasionally. In addition to that, Hurricanes are still a factor, as are other types of storms, although thunderstorms are particularly dangerous since lightning can strike up at an island. I hadn't thought about supernatural disasters, but those aren't out of the realm of possibility.
As for the lizardfolk, Humanoid races are pretty common with the more monstrous races being rarer. Lizardfolk would be rare and would likely cause a stir in small towns, but larger cities would have more than one or two and Akiheton has a whole community comprised of different families and clans. For the most part, people of the Sundered Lands aren't going to be automatically hostile, but they would be wary.
The air ships you speak of, are they still propelled by the wind around them or do they have their own propulsion system? I'm envisioning some kind of sailor.
Also, do you have an idea of how much an air ship would cost? Perhaps it may be something a character would aspire for.
The air ships you speak of, are they still propelled by the wind around them or do they have their own propulsion system? I'm envisioning some kind of sailor.
Also, do you have an idea of how much an air ship would cost? Perhaps it may be something a character would aspire for.
Yes, the larger ones are, but the sky crystals that keep them aloft can also provide propulsion which is often used near islands to dock. Smaller craft, like longboats and rowboats, only use the sky crystals.
For the sake of simplicity, and because they really do take the place of sea vessels, I'm just going to say that the ships cost as much as their sea-going equivalent. So if you wanted a big merchantman of the skies, just find the cost of a galleon and pay that.
I have been following the thread, and know there is a lot of competition, but I've decided to jump in and roll for HP because I got engaged in making a character for it already, so might as well submit it and get a chance to play it.
(My character is an as-yet-unnamed Shabti Ranger/Bard (Archetypes: Divine Marksman/Freebooter and Arrowsong Minstrel), which is a hilarious combination, but what a powerful archery component, what nice skills, and what an angry, noble-hating backstory after basically being created as someone's clone slave to suffer for them eternally, and escaping across the planes...)
Anyway, babbling. On to the rolling:
1st level=10
Total 32
Here's my work in progress, a knowledge-seeking monk/bard(archaologist)
Need to clean up the Hero lab format and add fluffy bits.
On another note entirely, why don't Monks gain access to the Monk Fighter weapon group....stupid.
Ended up watching Indiana Jones and The Holy Grail which was randomly on TV today. I'm so tempted to do the whip thing - down side it needs 3 feats before you can do interesting stuff like grab items. Of course there's more than one way doing this: Animate Rope spell & prehensile whip trait covers most of the cinematic whip uses for a much lower cost. Besides in any serious fight Indy used his fists or a gun anyway. I think I'll steer away from guns since I'm not a massive fan of them in medieval fantasy games (I'll make an exception for Iron Gods however ).
Can we get a little more information about the Lost Grail of the Pheonix? Also, was the Sundering similar to Earthfall in terms of how people reacted to it? I'm playing with the idea of an elf, using lots of the Fey/First World stuff that's come out recently and was wondering whether the idea of a small elven community trying to flee through the waygates back to Kyonin and getting lost in the First World instead was a plausible background.
I ask about the Pheonix because I was wondering about creating a member of the Eldest called the Ruby who would be the antithesis of Ragadahn and would give my character a reason to get involved. Is this something that you/we could work on? :)
Also - probably far too cheeky but could I do a synthesis of the Spell Dancer and Mindblade magus archetypes? I'd really like to have the Spell Dance feature for my character and it would work alongside the psychic pool class feature. Is that ok, or do you think it could be a problem?
I'll stop asking questions now...
Ended up watching Indiana Jones and The Holy Grail which was randomly on TV today. I'm so tempted to do the whip thing - down side it needs 3 feats before you can do interesting stuff like grab items. Of course there's more than one way doing this: Animate Rope spell & prehensile whip trait covers most of the cinematic whip uses for a much lower cost. Besides in any serious fight Indy used his fists or a gun anyway. I think I'll steer away from guns since I'm not a massive fan of them in medieval fantasy games (I'll make an exception for Iron Gods however ).
There's always the Kinetic Scourge archetype - all the fun of Indiana Jones, and your whip is on fire.
I'm rather envisioning some kind of Sylph sailor. I rather like the idea of the character proceeding down the line of an air kineticist and perhaps an unbreakable fighter. The character would aspire to one day own a ship of their own, but currently they lend their services to larger ships to help speed their voyage through the use of gust of wind and as a capable fighter.
Here is Zanbabe's Submission. Everything should be complete, including equipment, but let me know if you see anything you don't like or I did wrong. Happy to adjust.
One specific note: the race is Shabti, which is 13 RP, but it definitely isn't anywhere close to typical, so if you don't like it, I will change it, and adjust the background accordingly.
Str 14 +2
Dex 16 +3
Con 15 +2
Int 14 +2
Wis 10 +0
Cha 18 +4
AC 18 = 10 +5 Armor Bonus +3 Dex Modifier
Touch 13 / Flat-Footed 15
HP 40
Saves
Fortitude +7 = + 4 Base + 2 Con + 1 Deflection
Reflex +8 = + 4 Base + 3 Dex + 1 Deflection
Will +5 = + 4 Base + 0 Wis + 1 Deflection
BAB +4 / CMB 6 / CMD 19
Initiative +3 = + 3 Dex
30 Base Speed / 30 With Armor
Weapons
Melee
Masterwork Morningstar
+7 Attack Bonus 1d8+2 Damage
x2 Critical B&P Type
Ranged
Masterwork Composite Longbow (+2 Strength bonus)
+11 Attack Bonus (W Attunement, W Focus, Vicious Aim)
1d8+4 Damage (W Attunement, Vicious Aim) x3 Critical
MCL Bullseye +15 Attack Bonus (uses move action for +4)
MCL Focused Shot 1d8+6 Damage (uses standard action for +2)
MCL within 30 feet Attack +12/+16 (bullseye) Damage 1d8+5/+7 (Focused)
Traits
Enemy of Slavers [Diplomacy and Intimidate bonuses vs Slavers]
Two-World Magic [Gives zero level spell from another class]
Zendara can't trust her memories. After basically being created as someone's clone slave to suffer for them eternally, she did suffer, at first, in Hell, not knowing she was different from her memories, feeling it was justified... and then, after years of torture, being told that she was not that person, and that she hadn't actually done the despicable things in her mind. It made the suffering worse, that knowledge, but it also planted a seed that she didn't understand then, but as it grew she recognized it as a desire for justice, and a desire for freedom.
There is no telling how long she was in Hell, for one day melts into another in the midst of eternal suffering. The beginning of any real timeline in her mind is when Besmara raided Hell and she suddenly had an opportunity to escape. She took it. Even working as a Galley Slave on Besmara's ship at first was so much better than where she had been, with less torture, that she rejoiced to be there. It wasn't the life of luxury that her clone memories envisioned, but it was better than anything *she* had known, and in time, as she worked and learned and became a crewmember and then a true pirate, she started to feel that there was a self within her apart from the planted clone memories that caused her self-loathing. That she could actually be a different person and choose a life for herself.
Who knows how much later, during a raid on Elysium, she was wounded and left behind by the impatient raiders, and later discovered by Milani as she attempted to survive in hiding. It is from Milani that Zendara learned real hope, and at her knee that she learned what freedom truly is, and why it is so necessary for all people. It was during those instructive years in Elysium that she learned archery, being taught by some of the best, and she is very, very good at it.
When Zendara was ready, Milani sent her back to the material plane to follow her own path. In return, Zendara freely vowed to serve the cause of freedom and fight against Slavers and all who would bind others to their will. She also pursues her own agenda, being fiercely anti-Nobility because of what was done to her. She sees them as the oppressors of the poor, and also her first mission is to track down and destroy the people who create Shabti in the first place, she also enjoys freeing slaves, tricking the rich into turning gold into copper, shaming slavers, and doing whatever it takes to take them down, as long as it leaves her alive to continue the fight, and doesn't harm her oppressed brothers and sisters.
Zendara found herself in Spindle after pursuing a lead that someone here was creating new Shabti, but so far she hasn't discovered anything. She joined the crew of a ship, and started putting her pirate skills to work on the vast ocean. The ship she works on actually just trades, rather than doing any real pirating, but pirate kind of equals independence in Zendara's mind--Pirates are noble and ideal to her, even when stealing, because they are free and trying to stand alone and are a force righting the imbalances in the world.
Height 6' Weight 200
Hair dark Eyes green
Zendara dresses like a pirate most of the time because being a pirate is one of the few things she knows is hers, and no part of the clone. She is also outrageously beautiful in a very idealized way, which she mostly plays down because it is part of the clone, but she will use it as needed if it helps her accomplish something she cares about.
Her personality is fairly intense when she is talking about something she believes in strongly (like freedom), but she has also learned to relax a little and just enjoy the ocean and the lack of bad things happening. In that way, her years of torture are almost a blessing. Because of those memories, nothing else seems all that bad to her by comparison, and she is able to see past immediate hardships and focus on the long-term. She still wants to destroy the people who are cheating Shabti, but it isn't so much hatred of them as individuals... after all, the ones who created her are likely long dead. It is the idea of saving others from suffering as she did, for other's sins. The injustice of that still sickens her when she thinks about it.
Everything that isn't here is in the Alias. I didn't want you to have to slog through all the skills and special abilities and spells, etc. here, but it is all there if you need to do a deep dive.
Also, I am okay with all of your requirements.
On another note entirely, why don't Monks gain access to the Monk Fighter weapon group....stupid.
I've wondered that myself. I don't think that allowing monks to be proficient with weapons with the Monk property would disrupt things too much.
I think I'll steer away from guns since I'm not a massive fan of them in medieval fantasy games (I'll make an exception for Iron Gods however ).
Thank you, I'm not sure if I mentioned it, but I prefer not to have guns in my games unless it fits the setting. They definitely don't fit this setting.
Can we get a little more information about the Lost Grail of the Pheonix?
Certainly, I'm going to be spoilering this because it is going to be a little long.
Powerful magic is rare in the Sundered Lands. The knowledge of arcane and divine artifacts from before the Sundering is jealously guarded by those who know of them. There are exceptions, however, artifacts of power that have achieved a stature so great that most have heard rumors and legends about them. The Grail of the Phoenix is one of the most storied of these artifacts. It is said to do everything from granting wishes to turning whoever drinks of the waters inside into a godling. Some say it was destroyed while others insist that it is around, guarded by deathless warriors who serve the immortal phoenix that crafted the Grail.
Con-artists and other scoundrels often claim to have either pieces of the Grail, water from it, or even the relic itself. Despite the absurdity of these claims, the desperate and foolish fall prey to such scams often enough that any major marketplace is bound to have someone in the shadows selling these "priceless" items.
Most scholars agree that the Grail does/did exist and that it does/did have some incredible properties. Where disagreements crop up is whether the Grail still exists and if it does, who is keeping it secret and safe. The most likely candidates are the churches of Albia, Iomedae, Nethys, Pharasma, and Torag, but none of the churches have confirmed things one way or the other. Proposals to find and study the grail are often laughed off as fool's errands and those that continue to suggest them are considered crackpots.
Short version, It's a powerful artifact that many agree did exist, but those that seek it or claim to have found it are either scamming people or are mad.
Also, was the Sundering similar to Earthfall in terms of how people reacted to it? I'm playing with the idea of an elf, using lots of the Fey/First World stuff that's come out recently and was wondering whether the idea of a small elven community trying to flee through the waygates back to Kyonin and getting lost in the First World instead was a plausible background.
Not exactly. For one, the Sundering was a very sudden event that occurred with no warning whatsoever. However, it is possible that a group of elven mages would have been able to flee to some other plane. I do think I need to make this abundantly clear though; The Sundered Lands is not Golarion. I'm cheating by using the Pathfinder Core deities and the Inner Sea Gods hardcover, but that doesn't make this the same as Golarion. The elves are just as much natives of the planet as humans, orcs, dwarves, halflings, or any other race you'd care to name.
That said, it is plausible that some groups of mages tried to escape what they saw as certain doom by fleeing to other planes of existence, and it wouldn't be too much of a stretch for something to have gone wrong. So I would say that it's possible.
I ask about the Pheonix because I was wondering about creating a member of the Eldest called the Ruby who would be the antithesis of Ragadahn and would give my character a reason to get involved. Is this something that you/we could work on? :)
Certainly, PM me what you're thinking and we can get started.
Also - probably far too cheeky but could I do a synthesis of the Spell Dancer and Mindblade magus archetypes? I'd really like to have the Spell Dance feature for my character and it would work alongside the psychic pool class feature. Is that ok, or do you think it could be a problem?
I'm going to have to say no on this one. You're already getting a huge boon in power with the build rules. Besides, you could always gestalt the two archetypes since they are effectively two different classes.
I'll stop asking questions now...
It's fine. :)
Part of this process is asking questions and getting answers. I don't mind, really.
Dr Xavier Munroe, antiquities department, at your service!
Nice.
PS I'm not 100% sold on this avatar image, but there really aren't many with hats and a Fedora is a large part of Dr Munroe's image.
Going along with your emphasis that the Sundered Lands is not Golarion, should we only use the Inner Sea Gods for religion traits and domains, or can we work them into our backstories?
Is there slavery in the Sundered Lands? Would someone devoted to freeing those oppressed in that way fit into the context of the story?
... also, just curiosity, do we get to know who the girl is in the opening paragraph:
"She watched as they sailed off, taking her sisters and the object she was sworn to guard with them."
Or is that too much of a spoiler for the story?
Going along with your emphasis that the Sundered Lands is not Golarion, should we only use the Inner Sea Gods for religion traits and domains, or can we work them into our backstories?
You can work them in, certainly. That's what they are there for. Like I said, I'm cheating and using the Golarion pantheon as the major gods of the setting to save some work so I can focus more on actually getting the game going. If you are wondering if something fits, go ahead and ask about it. I'll do my best to giv eyou an answer.
Is there slavery in the Sundered Lands? Would someone devoted to freeing those oppressed in that way fit into the context of the story?
Yes, though the areas that practice it are more wretched hives of scum and villainy. A person who's devoted to freeing the oppressed would not be out of place. You're trying to help someone free their friends and family in addition to finding the Grail.
... also, just curiosity, do we get to know who the girl is in the opening paragraph:
"She watched as they sailed off, taking her sisters and the object she was sworn to guard with them."
Or is that too much of a spoiler for the story?
Yep. :)
Okay, so more specifically, my character has to escape from eternal torment somehow (the Shabti race are basically 'clones' made to take the place of real people in Hell, so to even play it, there has to be a story about how she gets out). The backstory I wrote involves Besmara, who raids Hell from time to time, and then later getting left behind in Elysium and meeting Milani.
The whole idea of being the race at all and escaping that kind of torture has to be a large motivation in a character's life, but I don't know if I am going too far with the involvement of the gods (I mean we're big darn heroes, but is it too far to say that they are personal friends? :) And even more so, does any of that make sense in this story?
I don't want my character plot to feel tacked-on or interfere with the story. If it works, great, but if it doesn't, then what else might? Rifts on other planes? A god in your pantheon that notices and cares about the plight of the clones and might free one to try and stop the practice? Or even, of course, switching to a race that doesn't require that kind of dramatic backstory, if it just really doesn't work.
And, okay on the spoiler... I thought it was a long shot anyway, but doesn't hurt to ask. :)
Personal friends is a stretch, but yes, something like that wouldn't be too out of place. There are a number of gods that would care about such a thing. Any of them that have good as part of their alignment or care about fate, such as Pharasma, or judgement, such as Abadar, would all oppose the practice.
That said, I kinda like the idea of Besmara just dropping you off at Spindle and watching what happens.
And it's really not much of a spoiler, I just like being cheeky sometimes. Yes, you'll get to meet and know the girl, she's the one that's going to be dragging all of you into this mess and she has a duty to see it through.