The Twelve Labors of Hercules (Inactive)

Game Master Elton

The Ionian villages that would become Tiryns had sent an emissary to the oracle at Delphi. The oracle uttered these words: I see a couple of people walking together towards greatness. One of these people is a hulking man, stronger by far, than anyone else in the world. The others number about five.

One of them may be extremely smart and good looking, another has the relationship of the gods, another might have the potential to be a good fighter, and another could be wily and shadowy.

Hercules is the muscle-bound man, a son of Zeus who has incurred the Wrath of Hera, Zeus' Wife. She drove the Theban to madness and he killed his wife and children. Since that fateful day, he has traveled around Greece, doing good deeds to atone for his evil.

The others are the Player Characters. They have their destinies and stories intertwined with that of Hercules. They will become heroes of renown and one day may have some of the Immortals call them friends.

-----------------------------

I'm checking again for another campaign that is set up, this time, as a T.V. Series rather than an Adventure Path. It's our own Legendary Journeys Xena: Warrior Princess like campaign without using D6 but Pathfinder instead. Set in a pseudo-Greece (in fact, the Hellas of my Psionics City during the equivalent of the Mycenaean/Argolian Period) -- the PCs are like Characters in a T.V. series that have adventures that are like or linked to the Twelve Labors of Hercules.

In fact, Some of the adventure (Episode) plots will be loosely based on the plots of the 1st Season of Hercules.

-----------------------------

Character Creation basics:

1). Those interested will know that we will be using the Core Rulebook: nothing out of Ultimate Combat, Magic, or the Advanced Players Guide (except for Kits). Approved classes: Barbarian, Bard, Cleric, Druid, Fighter, Monk (ATHLETE), Paladin, Ranger, Rogue, Sorcerer, and Wizard. No psions this time, this is a "You are putting Science Fiction into my Fantasy" naysayer friendly campaign.

2). Races: Human, Elf, Dwarf (although very rare in Hellas, but beyond), Gnome (rare), Halfling, Half-Orc, Half-Elf, Aasimar, and Tiefling (the last two represent Divine Byblows). You may use Blood of Angels and Blood of Fiends if you want to play an Aasimar or Tiefling.

Aasimar PCs are the sons or daughters of the 12 Olympians (which include Hades, ostensibly enough. He's not treated as evil).

Tiefling PCs are the sons or daughters of the Titans; locked up in Tartarus, they also can be the sons or daughters of the demons and devils that Pandora released from her box; and the Furies. Tieflings are also sons and daughters of some of the Primordials.

3). Use the options in Ultimate Campaign to brainstorm your Characters' backgrounds. You can use 2 traits and can select story feats (which can justify godly parentage).

4). All characters are bumbling teenagers, or bumbling young adults fresh from their education (or uneducated). They shouldn't know anything about what is outside of Tiryns, besides being trained by Chiron. Their backgrounds should be linked to Hercules in some way.

5). Divine Byblows: Godly parentage is not impossible. It can explain a few things (where Sorcerers get their powers, Wizardly insight, etc.) Heroes can be divine byblows, but not all heroes were divine byblows.

Since we are using Pathfinder instead of White Wolf's EXALTED, I won't be drop kicking you into killing the Nemean Lion, the Lernaean Hydra, and all the others. You have to build up to kill lions and hydras and other monsters just as powerful. Like in the two T.V. shows, you will meet a lot of mythological figures, but Hercules would be showing up in your chronicle the most.

Campaign specifics:
Formula: The characters live in a pseudo-Greece land. They adventure through the land because their fates are entwined with that of Hercules.

Theme: Questing and monster hunting.

Tone: Fun adventuring through the lands that are based on Greece, but not exactly like Greece.

PRODUCTION DESIGN:

Will be placed in a post in the morning before I work.

Hercules: the Legendary Journeys -- The Wrong Path

Note: I am working on my Bachelor Degree's keystone project so I might not post as much as you expect. To keep the thread alive, you can ask any of my players in my Psionics Campaign any question you'd like on my gming style, how I GM, and that stuff. You can also use the thread to kick around character ideas and talk about mythology in general.

any Frequently Asked Questions will be answered in a future post.

Interesting.

For consistency between backgrounds, how old is Hercules supposed to be? It would be unfortunate if Hercules is supposed to be an early teenager like ourselves, but we write him as having saved our family a decade ago, ya know?

I will have to consider.

MORE PRODUCTION DESIGN:

* Ancient Greek House: this house design never showed up on the T.V. series, they used "shacks" to build houses -- something that was easily built and taken down.

* A symposium: A greek party.

* Hercules: The Legendary Journeys -- the Road to Calydon

* Jason and the Argonauts (2000)

* The Odyssey (1997)

* Age of Bronze graphic novel

Interesting.

For consistency between backgrounds, how old is Hercules supposed to be? It would be unfortunate if Hercules is supposed to be an early teenager like ourselves, but we write him as having saved our family a decade ago, ya know?

I will have to consider.

I fully expect him to be training with you, but only 5 to 7 years older. Many of you trained with Chieron the Centaur/Horseman. Hercules is said to be trained by Chiron, and Chiron traditionally trained many of the heroes including Jason, Theseus, Achilles, and more.

hustonj wrote:

Interesting.

For consistency between backgrounds, how old is Hercules supposed to be? It would be unfortunate if Hercules is supposed to be an early teenager like ourselves, but we write him as having saved our family a decade ago, ya know?

I will have to consider.

I fully expect him to be training with you, but only 5 to 7 years older. Many of you trained with Chieron the Centaur/Horseman. Hercules is said to be trained by Chiron, and Chiron traditionally trained many of the heroes including Jason, Theseus, Achilles, and more.

And according to the Percy Jackson stories, still is!

Edit:

Timing is everything. I just started re-reading the Iliad . . .. Focusing on piecemeal armor, shield and spear. Archery is considered a coward's skill. Swords are mentioned, but rarely used.

which include Hades, ostensibly enough. He's not treated as evil

Someone who gets it! That ALONE makes me want to join this. XD

Although that could be pretty awkward, considering who his wife's mom is. Still, makes me want to try making a character for that... gimme a few minutes.

What's the point-buy?

What's the point-buy?

Well, it was pretty late when I wrote it up last night (about the 11th Hour). So I forgot that little detail. But I usually do 25 point buy; or I have you roll out your stats.

MORE PRODUCTION DESIGN

* Pandora's Box

* Aphrodite

* Helen, Menelaus' wife

Archetypes are allowed, Avernus. :)

* Medusa the Gorgon

4d6, drop lowest?

Also, looking over the available materials again, no archetypes? Going to have to do some thinking.

4d6, drop lowest?

Also, looking over the available materials again, no archetypes? Going to have to do some thinking.

Yep. Archetypes are allowed, just noticed that my post answering your question came before yours, so it might look like I'm prescient. I'm not. :) but I know people who are.

Okay, I was worried for a second. Archetypes are part of the reason I love Pathfinder so much.

Let's see, Languages... drop Common, take Greek?

Greek is common.

Am I correct in my rolling assumption?

Almost done! ^^ What should we look for in the way of gear and such?

Almost done! ^^ What should we look for in the way of gear and such?

Well, the usual gear for fighters and wizards.

Luckily this is p.d. Replica Greek Armor a favorite of fighters and paladins. A Xiphos is a medium sized sword, so its longer than a short sword but does damage as one (it's inbetween a gladius and a medieval Longsword or Arming Sword in length). 1d6. It's design is also older than the Chinese double edged sword, so the Chinese didn't invent double edged swords; the Danaans probably did (I don't know much about the weapons that Nimrod used, though).

Spears are common, and the Linothorax -- I'm assuming that what you guys got are made of leather. Leather is cheeper than linen, so while a linothorax made of linen is effective, it's also expensive to produce and make. Even a bell shaped or muscled breastplate would be cheeper than a linen linothorax.

The gear you can get is in the Core materials and Ultimate Equipment. Just don't think about getting Elysian Bronze. That's Hephaestus' creation.

Am I correct in my rolling assumption?

Yes.

4d6 ⇒ (5, 2, 5, 2) = 14 12
4d6 ⇒ (4, 1, 6, 4) = 15 14
4d6 ⇒ (6, 4, 5, 2) = 17 15
4d6 ⇒ (2, 3, 6, 6) = 17 15
4d6 ⇒ (4, 2, 2, 6) = 14 12
4d6 ⇒ (6, 1, 3, 2) = 12 11

Ick, below point-buy by a few points.

...I'll probably just have a robe or something - as a Sorceress/Daughter of Hades, armor and weapons aren't really my character's thing anyway. XD

I'm curious. I'm thinking about playing a high-Int Bard, an Archimedes-style engineer. Ooh! Or maybe a Pythagorean wizard! I could do both, being the mathematical and engineering genius wizard...

I'm curious. I'm thinking about playing a high-Int Bard, an Archimedes-style engineer. Ooh! Or maybe a Pythagorean wizard! I could do both, being the mathematical and engineering genius wizard...

Well, considering who Pythagoras really is -- THAT'S SO AWESOME!!!

All right then, Pythagoras it is!

Hmm... Should I be a Pythagorean student, or a young Pythagoras myself?

Let's see how the rolls would go...

Human Wizard

4d6 ⇒ (2, 6, 6, 5) = 19 17!
4d6 ⇒ (2, 3, 6, 5) = 16 14
4d6 ⇒ (1, 5, 2, 4) = 12 11
4d6 ⇒ (4, 3, 5, 4) = 16 13
4d6 ⇒ (3, 5, 2, 1) = 11 10
4d6 ⇒ (5, 1, 2, 4) = 12 11

So we're talking...

Str 11
Dex 13
Con 11
Int 19
Wis 14
Cha 10

I could do that... Yes, Con 14 is better for survivability, but I think Wis 14 is more appropriate, given the history.

All right then, Pythagoras it is!

Hmm... Should I be a Pythagorean student, or a young Pythagoras myself?

I could do that... Yes, Con 14 is better for survivability, but I think Wis 14 is more appropriate, given the history.

Whoa, I didn't say this campaign was based on Joseph of the Coat of Many Colors, young Pythagoras is out. :) Pythagoras was Ptahotep, the royal Governor of Egypt during 7 years of Famine and Plenty as discussed in the Book of Genesis. The Ionians were still living in huts and playing witchdoctor during his time.

Ha, okay, a Pythagorean student he is. (I didn't know that bit of fictive history.)

Neither did I, until I got hot and heavy about parts of my Genealogy. I wanted to know why King Priam was descended from Judah, so I did a lot of hunting. What I found out really destroyed a lot of History/Politics I was taught.

The Ionians (real Greeks) have a huge debt to pay to Ptahotep and our people. But so does the rest of Europe. Most of the philosophical seeds of Western Civilization were planted in Egypt and Phoenicia, and not in Greece. The Danaans (members of the Tribe of Dan) and one of Pharez's sons went into Egypt and taught the Ionians Civilization. The Danaans founded Argos, Tiryns, and Mycenae. The Judahites founded Athens, Thebes, and Troy VI. Judahites also founded the Cretin monarchy.

The other philosophical seeds, the ones dealing with Warfare, linear thought, and so forth; came from Javan's brother -- Gomer.

I really love Greek Mythology, so I'd like to participate!

Also, as Archetypes are allowed, can we use any book? Core doesn't have any Archetypes. :)

I'm thinking some kind of Gladiator. Either Sword and Shield or Dual Sword.

Also, I like to use point buy usually, but seeing as we're in a game of God's and Greek Mythology, I feel the dice gods can give me my stats here!

This guy's path can be crafted by the gods themselves:

4d6 ⇒ (2, 6, 2, 6) = 16
4d6 ⇒ (2, 2, 6, 3) = 13
4d6 ⇒ (3, 1, 5, 2) = 11
4d6 ⇒ (1, 2, 3, 1) = 7
4d6 ⇒ (2, 5, 1, 3) = 11
4d6 ⇒ (4, 4, 3, 1) = 12

4d6 ⇒ (2, 6, 6) = 14
4d6 ⇒ (2, 6, 3) = 11
4d6 ⇒ (3, 5, 2) = 10
4d6 ⇒ (1, 2, 3) = 6
4d6 ⇒ (2, 5, 3) = 10
4d6 ⇒ (4, 4, 3) = 11

Saying that......lol, the God's hate me.

That's like 1 point buy.

Again, if allowed:

4d6 ⇒ (5, 2, 6, 6) = 19
4d6 ⇒ (2, 5, 4, 4) = 15
4d6 ⇒ (6, 2, 1, 4) = 13
4d6 ⇒ (3, 4, 2, 5) = 14
4d6 ⇒ (1, 2, 1, 3) = 7
4d6 ⇒ (5, 6, 5, 3) = 19

4d6 ⇒ (5, 6, 6) = 17
4d6 ⇒ (5, 4, 4) = 13
4d6 ⇒ (6, 2, 4) = 12
4d6 ⇒ (3, 4, 5) = 12
4d6 ⇒ (1, 2, 3) = 6
4d6 ⇒ (5, 6, 5) = 16

Aaaaaaaand here's my character submission! ^^

I really love Greek Mythology, so I'd like to participate!

Also, as Archetypes are allowed, can we use any book? Core doesn't have any Archetypes. :)

I'm thinking some kind of Gladiator. Either Sword and Shield or Dual Sword.

Also, I like to use point buy usually, but seeing as we're in a game of God's and Greek Mythology, I feel the dice gods can give me my stats here!

REROLL THAT SIX! :)

Anyhow, yes, Archetypes are allowed. You can pick any archetype, just that the other base classes are barred from you. The other base classes are either too anachronistic (in the case of the Samurai, Ninja, etc.), or not in the land (Samurai, Ninja, etc), too rare (oracles, psions), or represent different cultures that Hellas won't conquer or encounter for a long time yet.

Haha, which one? The 1 point buy or the decent one?

Zeus was clearly mocking me the first time around. :p

4d6 ⇒ (1, 5, 1, 1) = 8

Lol, they really want one stat to be low. So I have 7!

also, what's the likelihood of gladiator's being around in this era? They weren't fully present in Ancient Greece. It was more of a Roman thing, but in the cartoon of Hercules for example, there were fighting arena's for warriors to battle it out.

I'm interested. core classes heh. Depending upon what other are, is the ones I play. Let me know what area we would be lacking from the sign-ups. sometimes games lack arcane, or sometimes ranged or sometimes healing.

I can play druid, fighter, ranger, cleric. Let me know what you suggest based upon what we are lacking, and I'll create a character. I'll be using buy 25, because those rolls are sometimes out to get me.
The only two races I play in core are human and elf.

also, what's the likelihood of gladiator's being around in this era? They weren't fully present in Ancient Greece. It was more of a Roman thing, but in the cartoon of Hercules for example, there were fighting arena's for warriors to battle it out.

Nope, no likely hood. IN one of the peplum films, they had Herc fight lions. But that didn't happen. Feeding to the lions is more likely. Some of the barbarian cultures around Greece (the Hittites, the Illyrians, and the Egyptian-like Colchians, the Cimmerians, and the Celts) may have done something like that. But there are no written records.

It's unknown how the Egyptian Pharaohs would execute their prisoners. Mostly, I think, they did hard labor. So . . . * shrugs. *

I'm interested. core classes heh. Depending upon what other are, is the ones I play. Let me know what area we would be lacking from the sign-ups. sometimes games lack arcane, or sometimes ranged or sometimes healing.

I can play druid, fighter, ranger, cleric. Let me know what you suggest based upon what we are lacking, and I'll create a character. I'll be using buy 25, because those rolls are sometimes out to get me.
The only two races I play in core are human and elf.

We got one sorcerer done, and one wizard in the making.

We are missing a rogue and a cleric. Apollo above you is making a warrior.

Oh, one point. The elf you are probably playing comes from a race of elves trying to remake their home with magic. So, yeah. Base Elf, not one of the elf races I customized.

Okay, so the best bet is to follow in the glory of Perseus etc, venturing across the lands and battling legendary creatures. :p

Yeah, Oracles were pretty rare in Greece. There was the one at Delphi, of course, and then the head of Orpheus... as I recall, pretty much everything related to prophecy came through Apollo. For messages from the other gods, well, that's what Hermes was for. XD

Actually, I could see Divination in general being somewhat restricted for this campaign. o.O Y'know, the kind of thing you'd have to go to a temple and get guidance for, rather than doing yourself. Unless we have a child of Apollo hanging around, anyway.

Okay, so the best bet is to follow in the glory of Perseus etc, venturing across the lands and battling legendary creatures. :p

Yes. Or Achilles. Or Theseus. Or Atalanta. Or Bellerophon.

Haha, I'm on it. Just thinking up a name!

Aaaaaaaand here's my character submission! ^^

** spoiler omitted **...

I said you could use Blood of Angels to make your Aasimar much more personal. :) I take it you don't have a copy? Here, d20pfsrd has the OGC from Blood of Angels.

I'm so interested in this. I'd like to contribute by throwing this out for consideration

helpful link

Thinking of making a bard as a child of Dioneces (wine God, can never spell his name right)

I'm so interested in this. I'd like to contribute by throwing this out for consideration

http://paizo.com/products/btpy84e8?The-New-Argonauts

Thinking of making a bard as a child of Dioneces (wine God, can never spell his name right)

GOT IT! I purchased it when it came out. Mostly because, I support SKR! :)

Anyhow, yeah, Dionysius (or Zagreus, if you are an Amazon). Cool. :)

Oh, I used that, all right. ^^ I use Hero Lab for my characters, and got the content for that book awhile ago - actually, I have both a trait and alternate abilities from the book (including Spell Resistance). I suppose my goal was to try and take content that was divine without being outright angelic, since that didn't really fit the theme I was going for. XD

have the alias made, just have to do a lot of crunch
Do you enforce encumberance?
Do we eat?
How common are magical items? Are they buyable?
How common are wonderous items? Are they buyable?
Does mithril exist? Is that buyable?
Are we allowed to start with cold-iron weapons? Better yet, how useful would they be?

have the alias made, just have to do a lot of crunch

Do you enforce encumberance?

Traditionally not. But I will if you bring it up. Wait, you just did. So, YES!

Do we eat?

When the story says so. Think of a T.V. show. Sometimes, people eat on t.v. Sometimes, discretely, they go to the bathroom.

How common are magical items? Are they buyable?

Rare. Buyable? Every once in a while, ships from Joppa and Sidon come in to trade a magical item. Prices are double.

How common are wonderous items? Are they buyable?

Wondrous items come from the gods. *cheshire smile*

Does mithril exist? Is that buyable?

Yes to the first, yes to the second, but very expensive. Think talents.

Are we allowed to start with cold-iron weapons? Better yet, how useful would they be?

Cold iron as ironforged from the Earth and not made into steel? Yes, but they are rare. Bronze is much more common. The technique to create iron weapons was stolen from the Hittites and the Smith who knows how to make them currently has one apprentice. And he lives in Thebes.

How useful? Well . . . quite useful, but no one knows that the superior material exists, yet.

A bit strange as I have more Dex than my armour gives me benefits for, but with regards to my flat-footed, it's actually my AC-3 and not 4, as I only get up to +3 of my Dex bonus to AC...until I get mithral armour or so. :)

** spoiler omitted **

A bit strange as I have more Dex than my armour gives me benefits for, but with regards to my flat-footed, it's actually my AC-3 and not 4, as I only get up to +3 of my Dex bonus to AC...until I get mithral armour or so. :)

I'll need some great backgrounds for your character, because each and every character gets a character focus episode, exploring their character.

Thinking of that at the minute. :)

When's the deadline? It's coming up to 11.10pm here in England so if I can't think of something soon it'll probably be tomorrow!

anyone have a good background idea for me, I like backgrounds that are somewhat stunt related. I enjoy climb, acrobatics, and stealth skills. And perception so I can find treasure easier. not sure what fits best in hercules?

also, we allowed drawbacks?

Yes, you are allowed drawbacks. If you can't think of one, use the tables in Ultimate Campaign.

If you can't think of one, use the tables in Ultimate Campaign.

I don't own any books, where can I find ultimate campaign background tables?

Right here:

http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/ultimateCampaign/characterBackground/bac kgroundGenerator.html

Remove the space. :)

Thinking of that at the minute. :)

When's the deadline? It's coming up to 11.10pm here in England so if I can't think of something soon it'll probably be tomorrow!

I have to think of pacing, though.