GM Olmek's Zeitgeist Campaign (Inactive)

Game Master Olmek

High Elves, Aasimar, and the Great Malice.
Five hundred years ago the death of the high elf goddess Srasama caused nearly every high elf woman to perish. Those few who survived were often claimed as trophies by human conquerors, though a handful of free matriarchs head their own family lines in the ruins of the old empire. Those interested in high elves should read the section on Elfaivar (pg 23). Mortals present at the death of the high elf goddess have continually reincarnated in the following centuries as aasimar, as if a sliver of Srasama’s divine spark has granted them a semblance of immortality. Those interested in aasimar should read the section on Crisillyir (pg 20 of the Players Guide).

Tieflings, Technology, and Dead Magic.
When the high elf goddess died, an entire other nation became a dead magic zone, and some in that land were marked by a curse, turning them into tieflings. In the centuries since, however, the tieflings have come to rule that nation, and in the last few decades they have begun a revolution of industry and mighty science almost as powerful as the magic they lack. Those interested in tieflings should read the section on Danor (pg 21 of the Players Guide). If you are interested in utilizing some of the new revolution’s technology for your character, particularly firearms, see the section on Equipment (page 12 of the Players Guide).

Dwarves, Doomsday, and Nihilism.
The major dwarven nation is bleakly resigned to an imminent doomsday, when ancient horrors will claw free from glaciers and engulf the world in a frigid death. Adherence to duty is so ingrained in their culture, however, that the dwarves continue to toil in their forges even as they prepare for the world’s end. Those interested in dwarves should read the section on Drakr (pg 22 of the Players Guide).

Savages, Primitives, and Peace.
Freed from the yoke of toppled dragon tyrants, the youngest of the great nations formed from an alliance of several monstrous races which now live in an uneasy peace as their rulers seek to force the disparate peoples into the modern age. Those interested in playing as a orc, half-orc, goblin, hobgoblin, or other monstrous races should read the section on Ber (pg 19 of the Players Guide).

Piety and the Planes.
The heavens possess an undeniable hold on the world’s religions, its people, and its very structure. In Risur, skyseers believe that the movements of the night stars foretell the future and direct the fate of the world. More enlightened scholars study distant planes of elemental and temporal power to understand how the flow of their energies affects the fundamental nature of reality. The high elf people have begun to withdraw into the Dreaming, and the bishops of the high church of the Clergy invoke condemned spirits from the Bleak Gate to frighten sinners into worship.

The Astral Plane, Limbo, and Far Realm exist only as postulations, and there are countless other theories on the nature of reality. No one in this world has ever traveled to these planes, and the few beings that are summoned through the veil are only visitors, returning as soon as the spell that called them ends. Those interested in the setting’s metaphysics should read the section on The World (pg 24 of the Players Guide).

Heroic Themes.
The Zeitgeist campaign setting presents themes that reinforce the heroic archetypes of the world, such as dockers, gunsmiths, and technologists. Each player should choose one Theme Feat unique to the world of Zeitgeist, this replaces normal Pathfinder Traits.

Five background and concept elements important to John Rawkins.

1) John Rawkins is a sailor who was recently discharged from the Andoran Navy due to a terrible injury. Six months ago his ship the Righteous Eagle was led into a trap by the notorious Shackles vessel Carrion's Maw. During the ensuring battle, Petty Officer Rawkins was part of a boarding party, that along with First Lieutenant Steele was lured aboard the Carrion's Maw. Once on board, the trap was revealed and the boarders were surrounded by a full company of mercenaries. Outmatched and cut off from the Righteous Eagle Petty Officer Rawkins was left behind while the Righteous Eagle was forced to retreat, or risk being sunk. During the battle, John took a spear to the side, falling overboard. As he floated in the water, his blood slowly seeped out into the sea, and he was viciously attacked by a jigsaw shark. By the time he was recovered and his mates got him onto the surgeon’s table, there was nothing that could be done. In a haze of ether John felt the dull pain of the surgeon’s saw and the heat of the soldering iron. When he awoke two days later, his left leg was gone from just below the knee, and in its place was a crudely fitted cap. In remembrance of his lost friend's and ruined leg, John wears a Jigsaw Shark's tooth on a throng around his neck. It is the very same tooth that that the surgeon dug out of his leg following the battle. Trait: Peg Leg
[2) John was outgoing and friendly, but since losing his leg and being discharged he has turned to heavy drinking. He rarely shaves and his once short hair has begun to grow out into a tangled mess. He is a man that is teetering on the edge of self-ruin. Hence the charisma of 8, and his store of grog and Alchemist's kindness.
3) Prior discharged, John had acquitted himself in several boarding and begun to earn a reputation is a solid and reliable leader.
4) Although he would never admit it, ever since the shark attack John is secretly afraid of the ocean. He’s a fine swimmer, but there’s something about not being able to see what is under the water that scares him. Trait: Paranoid
5) Like most Andoran’s John hates slavery. He remembers how, as a private he took part in the boarding action of the Katapesh Slave Galley Taskmasters Pride. He will never forget seeing the whipped and chained slaves, emaciated and lashed to the oars and it sickened him beyond words. If given the opportunity to hurt a slaver he would likely do so. Trait: Freedom Fighter and Trait: Lover of the Law

Two goals that are important to John.

1) I would like to see John build upon his Andoran leanings. The navy may have forsaken John but he hasn’t forsaken the ideals they represented. I think that it would be cool to see John eventually become a "Steel Falcon" PrC. Long term I think it would be great to develop this “Arc” as John earns the attention of the Eagle Knight’s and then somehow is given a secret commission to continue to do the work of Andoran within the Shackles.
2) ”I’ll find the shark that took my leg!. Ok, so it’s extremely Moby Dick-ish but I can see that being a goal that John would pursue. On a slightly less ridiculous note, during the battle in which John lost his leg, Carrion's Maw managed to escape. Should he ever cross paths with the ship or its infamous captain, Typhus Scalp-Taker, only hell or high water could keep him from that prize. Of course he may not have to search too hard...

Two secrets about John, one that he knows, and one that he not yet aware of.

1) John is married and has a three year old daughter. In the weeks following the release of the slaves aboard Taskmasters Pride John fell in love with one of the released concubines. Though it is extremely frowned upon within Andoran for a liberator to become romantically involved with the liberated slave, he couldn’t help but love her. It was for this reason that he is currently traveling to Eledar. Though he hates Cheliax and their puppet states for their continuing support of slavery, he was recently offered a job to help build ships for the Sargava navy.It kills him inside to work against the ideals that he believes in, but he sees few options and he has a family to provide for.
2) Prior to his discharge John had done more than just earn a reputation is a solid and reliable leader. In fact his Captain was a member of the Eagle Knights and had taken notice of him for a possible candidacy into the order. However with the loss of his leg and subsequent drinking and discharge Captain Havershaw rescinded his decision. Yet despite his better judgment Lord Havershaw still keeps track of John from time to time.

Four people that are tied to John, three are friends and one is an enemy.

1) Alima Rawkins: Former pleasure slave aboard the Taskmasters Pride and wife of John Rawkins. Alima is Osirion in descent with dusky skin and black hair. She currently lives in the Andoran fishing village of Souston where she raises her and John’s daughter, Farah.
2) Lord Cornelius Havershaw: Ageing captain of the Righteous Eagle. Cornelius is also an Eagle Knight from the order of the Steel Falcon and has taken note of John. Cornelius is quickly approaching retirement and knows that the Claw will be his last command. He is fond of playing the violin and drinking good brandy. It was under his tutelage that Petty Officer Rawkins first learned the principles of leadership.
3) First Lieutenant Iakob Steele: Boarding Officer for the Righteous Eagle. Iakob grew up in the same town as John, Souston, and joined the Andoran Navy several years ahead of him. John later met, and came to work for First Lieutenant Steele upon his assignment to the Righteous Eagle, it was during that time that a friendship came to develop between the two. First Lieutenant Steele was presumably lost at sea following the ruinous battle between the Righteous Eagle and Carron's Maw.
4) Captain Typhus Scalp-Taker: Captain of the Carron's Maw, slaver, pirate and reputed member of the Pirate Council. It was Scalp-Taker who was responsible John going overboard during the battle with the Righteous Eagle. During the battle the pirate lord hurled the spear that drove John over a gunwale and into the sea, but not before John was able to land a lucky strike that sliced off the pirates left ear. Since that day Typhus has never forgotten the slight done to him by the Andorian sailor and would be quick to meet vengeance upon him should their paths meet again.

Three memories, mannerisms or quirks John possess.

1)John keeps a moleskin journal within his Sea bag. During free time he writes letters home to his wife and daughter. He misses them terribly and will never forget the day that he set sail to Eledar, and the last kiss he gave Alima. He uses a lock of her hair as a bookmark for his journal.
2) As a remnant of his service in the Andoran Navy, John managed to keep his duty issue cutlass and he carries the cutlass with him at all times. When distracted he tends to keep one hand on the pommel of the blade and will mindlessly run his thumb over the end cap in a clockwise motion.
3) John has a hard time sleeping on land. From his years at sea, the sailor has grown more accustomed to the cradle of the sea, then the stone of the shore. Even on land John prefers to sleep in a hammock, much to the displeasure of Alima.

Races: All races found in the Advanced Race Guide are allowed, but I have a bit of a bias towards humans and will likely pick only a few non-humans. Tieflings and Aasimar however hold a unique place in this campaign and I will not consider them as non-humans during my selection process, however the variant heritages are not allowed.

Classes: All classes from the PHB, APG, UC and UM are allowed, as well as all Archetypes and the Psionic Classes from Dreamscarred Press. However if you plan to play something extremely unusual such as a Ninja, Samurai or a Psionic character, an amazing backstory should be presented.

All classes are permitted except the Anti-Paladin. A few classes require some special consideration below.

• The Paladin is well suited thematically for this campaign. However due to the dubious nature of divinity in Zeitgeist, rather than dedicating himself to a particular god, the paladin may instead choose to be follower of a particular philosophy or ideal.
• Barbarians can be a good choice, but since chaotic alignments are not allowed (see below), neutral good or neutral are the only two possible alignment choices. Barbarians have the challenge of coming up with a good reason why a class as chaotic and rebellious as this one would cooperate with a group of lawful followers of nation.
• Cavaliers are a fine choice for a PC. Orders that defend the common folk (The Order of the Shield) or pledge allegiance to the king of Risur (The Order of the Lion) are more common then self-serving orders (for example the Order of the Cockatrice).
• Few gods have large followings in Risur, but pockets of foreigners or native converts provide a likely source for divine classes Oracles tend to be more common than clerics, since there aren't established churches to train the pious. More rarely a person with strong philosophical ideals can wield divine power through the gestalt will of those who share his beliefs. Inquisitors are extremely rare and are more commonly dedicated to an ideal or philosophy rather than a particular god.
• Druids are well respected among followers of the old faith, and the ties between Druid traditions and the Unseen Court could lead to a deep character storyline.
• Gunslingers are an excellent choice for this campaign, This adventure path assumes by default that firearms are common however advanced firearms are just now being developed.
• Monks are permitted, but consider applying a western Archetype to them such as a Martial Artist.
• Ninja and Samurai are permitted but you must explain how your ninja or samurai ended up in the western nation of Risur.
• Rangers will find that Humanoid (Human), Outsider (Evil), Undead and Fey are solid choices for their favored enemy. The Urban Ranger Archetype is also excellent for this AP. Generally Rangers are well received within the old faith.
• Sorcerers suffer an equal distribution of bloodline, with aberrant and fiendish bloodlines being far rarer than fey or elemental.
• Witches tend to follow fey patrons, since the nature of the planes makes it difficult to contact infernal or far realm patrons.
• Psionic classes are relatively new and rare, though many cultures have their own variations of people who seem to be able to see through the veil of reality and forsake the limits of their flesh. In particular, high elf monks are infamous for their unusual fighting techniques, while dwarven philosophers sometimes exhibit all but unknown psionic abilities.

Skills: A good balance of skills is recommended and there will be frequent encounters where a good use of skills can affect combat or negate it completely. Also, as members of the R.H.C. you will be expected to be able to search crime scenes, gather information, interview witnesses, track suspects, and pilot naval ships. A party with well balanced skills is essential.

Feats: Each character gains one bonus Theme Feat selected at character creation from the Zeitgeist Adventure Path Players Guide. This feat does not count against your total number of feats.

Equipment: Each character starts with average wealth per level. Unlike adventurers however, one of the perks of being an agent of the R.H.C. is that your character will receive frequent stipends and allowances for material and equipment upgrades. The downside however is that your character will be required to hand over seized evidence obtained during the course of an investigation. PCs who are part of the R.H.C. do not get to keep anything they recover on their missions. They get a salary, and anything they “looted” they can keep if they pay for it from their salary.

As constables of Risur, your characters have a slightly different relationship with treasure than typical Pathfinder adventurers. At lower ranks (levels 1–8) you receive a combination of salary and official stipend to fulfill your duties, and the Constabulary’s resources and connections let you easily purchase or requisition the tools you need for your missions. Likewise, you can easily trade in items you no longer need, which can be used by other constables or local police. When you recover rare magic, treasure, or other valuables, you are expected to hand it over to higher authorities, who will make proper use of it. If desired, you can use your salary or stipend to acquire these items for yourself, assuming you file the proper paperwork and your request is deemed warranted.

You can turn in any functioning item to the R.H.C. for its full value. This allows you to keep yourself equipped with the best material available, or at least the best that government bureaucracy thinks you can be trusted with.

Whenever the party acquires any sort of treasure in the course of a mission, you will be expected to hand it over to your superiors, which should keep you at the expected power for your level. If you recover something you want for yourself, you can spend money to requisition it, though that may take some time. There is always some leeway, and constables are allowed to hold onto loot for a reasonable period of time. If you defeat a foe with a magic sword, and his weapon would aid you in your immediate investigation, you can hold onto it for a few days, but you’re expected to turn it in. An alternative, of course, is to hold onto items and not report them to the RHC. This is illegal, and would likely be grounds for dismissal.

Such pecuniary misdeeds are expected of common police, but the R.H.C. is held to higher standards. If you attempt to sell such an item, you cannot take advantage of the R.H.C.’s favorable rates, and must use the normal values (50% of base value). Be careful, though, because prison is not kind to former law officers who turn to crime.

HP: Max to start. At each level you roll for hit points, however you may use Hero Points and the retrain option will be allowed from Ultimate Campaign

Hero Points: All PCs start with 1 Hero point and gain 1 Hero Point each time they level up. The maximum number of Hero Points a PC can have at a time is 3. Hero Point feats and spells are allowed.

You can use 1 Hero Point to do any of the following actions. You can only use 1 Hero Point per turn for these actions.
1. Gain an extra standard action during your turn.
2. Gain a +8 bonus to a d20 roll if spent before or a +4 bonus if spent after. This can also be used to effectively increase the DC of a spell by lowering a single target's saving throw in the same manner.
3. Ready an action at any time. (Must be done before a post is made; no retcons.)
4. Regain a spell or use of a limited special ability.
5. Reroll a d20.
6. Reroll for HP at a new level.
You can use 2 Hero Points to do the following, regardless of if you have used a Hero Point this turn.
7. Survive a fatal attack at -10, unconscious, and stable.(2 points)

[/b]Finishing Details:[/b] As normal except that chaotic evil, neutral evil, chaotic neutral and chaotic good alignments are not allowed. Every character must be lawful neutral, lawful evil, lawful good, neutral or neutral good. Of those five alignments, lawful neutral is definitely the preferred choice.

Further, every character must choose a Theme Feat. This feat should be central to your characters development and it is one of the reasons why you were screened by the Royal Homeland Constabulary as possible candidates.

2. Part of him died in that Drakr laboratory. He first died when his ship was destroyed, then died even more when he discovered that he lived, disfigured. Then once more when he was expeimented on, and more still when he yet lived. So deep was his depression at the time, that he willingly complied with the enemy's further experimentation, just to see if he would die. He only started to come out of it when he planned his escape. It is because of all of this that he feels shame in mentioning his part in the war, other than that he served. He doesn't talk about the circumstances of his current state, other than to say he was captured and sold and experimented on, leaving out the part of his willing compliance.

3. The shame of his past compelled him to work for the RHC, having a desire to serve his country once more even though the war was over to make up for his failings in the war. His experience in the navy not only helps him in this pursuit, but on his off time he also makes a bit of spare coin loading ships down by the dock.

4. Enoch hates Danor for their part in what was done to him, and it has taken the greater part of his four years back in Risur to be able to tolerate the presence of Danorans. He doesn't trust them, but his nation sees the value in the uneasy armistice with Danor and their trade goods.

5. He secretly harbors a bit of respect for the Drakr mages that modified him. While the experiments were beyond horrific to endure, they did save the live that the Danorans had taken from him, and his newfound abilities were of astounding utility. He harbors a desire to more fully understand the nature of changes he has gone through, in order to master his newly-made self.

- - two goals

1. Mastery of Self. Enoch seeks to more fully master himself and his new form. His desire is to build upon what the Drakr mages have done to him, and steer his own way forward rather than simply being an escaped experiment. [ooc]this will be him taking a prestige class, either tinkering with the gun that he doesnt know what implanted within him, or tinkering with the entirety of his form such that he becomes a hardy, yet hyper-cognizant Polyhistor.

2. Service to Nation. He aspires to rise in the ranks of the RHC, having a great deal of prestige therein while not garnering much attention outside of the nation. He doesn't want to attract the notice of those he escaped from.

- - two secrets, one he knows, one he doesnt

1. Enoch knows that there are Danoran elements working with the Drakr, as was evidenced by his capture and the Danoran voices he heard, and the amount of Danoran coins and supplies that were flowing through the laboratory where he was captive. Whether they were teamed up against the Malice Lands, Risur, or another, he does not know.

2. There are those in the employ of the Drakr that are looking for him already, although they have lost his trail back in Danor. From time to time they send probes out within Danor, and any activity of his in that nation might catch their notice.

- - four people tied to him, 3 friends 1 enemy

1. John Dewbane, First Mate of The Pride of Yerasol. John handles a lot of the day-to-day matters of his ship, and makes a habit of hiring veterans almost exclusively. Enoch works with him on many occasions, moving things about, installing hardware on the ship or patching up something here or there. Sometimes he handles deliveries on shore. They meet up at least once every month or two for drinks, if not more often.

2. Gheel Blackfingers, gunsmith and tinker. Enoch was a gunman's mate during his time in the navy, but that was a short time many years ago. Guns being an emerging thing, Enoch is interested in them and has sought to learn more from the tinker. He hopes to integrate some firearms into his form one day, if only a holdout pistol.

3. Morrisa, barmaid over at The Sour Grape. Enoch had a close friendship with her before the war, and had hoped to court her when he returned. However, his time away saw him grow disfigured and hardly able to feel, and her affections were planted elsewhere. She has sense been betrothed to another man, but they remain friends. He drinks there when he goes out with John, as it isn't a place frequented by dock workers, as it is slightly more expensive than a typical establishment. If Morrisa didn't work there, Enoch would likely never return.

4. Odrin Steelblood, drakr mage of the head circle of the laboratory where Enoch was held captive. He was in charge of things there, and as such, he bore the most responsibility for what happened to Enoch there. There is a respect between the two, one for his power and the other for his resilience, but no friendship whatsoever.

- - 3 memories, mannerisms, or quirks

1. Enoch remembers the first time he was able to test functional implants, rather than just being subjected to implantation. There was a strange feeling of parts moving within his body, almost like a heartbeat or breathing used to feel, but instead it he could feel unknown parts moving around. He hopes to one day discover these.

2. Enoch sometimes walks oddly, in an attempt to compensate for the increased weight of his implants. However, he is most comfortable when not doing so, and will drop the charade when he is attempting to be intimidating.

3. Enoch has had a tough time the past 7-8 years, and it has really drained him. He pours himself into his work, as he sees himself as a failure in all other aspects of his life. He is often fatalistic and will take great risk in the performance of his duties if he thinks it will serve Risur better.