Masque of the Strange Aeons

Game Master Mar Nakrum

It may have been posted already and I missed it, but can you provide a link to the Background Skills rules in Pathfinder Unchained please, for those of us who need it?

The short version is that you get +2 extra skills per level (not modified by Int or anything else) which must be spent on skills that are designated as Background skills. The list and other rule stuff can be read here

Ah, thank you.

Lanezra Ozil is a young Chelaxian Noble who's traveled to far off Nidal, Varisia & now Ustalov by her late teens. Nobility seems to be required as a Background Skill, then either Geography, History or Linguistics for the second.

. . . .

EDIT:
So, what about the Consolidated Skills option in Unchained? Will we be using that system as well?

EDIT:

So, what about the Consolidated Skills option in Unchained? Will we be using that system as well?

Nope.

Looks like my short list is still three characters too long. I'll still accept finalized entries for another 2.5 hours, but the competition is fierce.

Lanezra Ozil is a young lady, 18 years old and thin. Not very strong, not very tough. But she's confident. And well educated. And very proud of her status as a Daughter of Cheliax, cosmopolitan and well traveled.

But that's all a thin veneer. Plagued with ineffable dreams and nightmarish visions her whole life, first associating them to proximity to Pangolais when she studied in Nisroch, then blaming them on her long-executed mother when Lanezra studied in Varisia where her mother was from, now in Ustalov, the university at Lepistad, Lanezra fears the trances are something else. Something other. Yet despite her education, she knows not what.

.

My PC is a typical high Knowledge Skill/ Diplomacy build that I would run with heavy roleplay in mind. I'm very big on teamwork and don't enjoy PvP situations.

The build isn't the best for combat, though, once I start taking levels in Alchemist Mindchemist she will be a solid ranged combatant.

I built the personality as a young girl proud of her heritage and even as a paragon of that heritage, who, when it is lost or crumbles away, will be fun to play her Fall.

I chose to nerf her STR and CON because she is, afterall, a young girl with no physique to speak of, but I made her fast. Nobility and History are the best Background Skills for her.

And she's prejudiced against Dwarves, Shoanti, Kellids and other "dirty," "barbaric-like" races. She also thinks Irori is a dumb god and that Monastic life and training is foolish.

She betrayed her mother at age eight -- or rather, chose not to betray her Father, her House, and Cheliax. Lanezra proudly watched her mother's execution by drowning. She had been a Peri-Aasimar Varisian Gypsy, captured as chattel and taken as a harem girl for Lanezra's father. She tried to escape. Lanezra yelled out for the House guards. After that, Lanezra's father chose to taker her with him as he traveled The Inner Sea, a Viscount for Cheliax.

She visited Absalom and Augustana, Katapesh, Sothis and Sargava, Nisroch and Korvosa -- and all the coastal towns of Cheliax. And she studied.

I've got it down to five. I might stay at five, but I don't feel like juggling a lot of people for this game, so it might go down to three. Many of you put forward some great concepts, and it's tearing me up a little bit to make the cuts.

Three is difficult in my experience. if 5 is unmanageable then go with four.

Three is difficult in my experience. if 5 is unmanageable then go with four.

That sentiment would work with any traditional GM, but I'm of a mind to tell a good story, and if the crunch doesn't like it, the crunch can stuff itself.

Stop worrying Sam, you made the top three.

Jhanek Oscyk, doomed scholar.

27 yr. Old hu. Male.

LN Investigator (Infiltrator)

STR 13 (+1)
DEX 13 (+1)
CON 13 (+1)
INT 16 (+3)
WIS 14 (+2)
CHA 12 (+1)

Hit Points: 9

Saves:

Fort +1 Ref +3 Will +3

BAB: 0

Armor Class: 13

Trait: Scholar of the Great Beyond (+1 Bonus to Knowledge:History, Knowledge:Planes)

Background Skills:
Lore: Kellid Funerary Practices 2

Skills:
Linguistics: 3 (known languages: ancient Kellid petroglyphs, Common,Infernal, and Aklo) , Knowledge: History 1, Knowledge: The Planes 1, Profession: Scholar 2, Local Knowledge: The University of Leipstadt 2, and Craft:alchemy 1.

Feats: Persuasive (+2 Diplomacy and Intimidate) and Skill Focus: History (+3).

Proficiencies: Simple Weapons and Light Armor.

Class Features:

Inspiration: pool 4.

Alchemy

Trapfinding: 1

Weapons:

Punching Dagger Dmg: 1d4 Critical: 3x
Light Crossbow Dmg: 1d8 Critical:19-20/2x

Armor: Leather (+2)

Possessions: A small room in the scholar's dormitory of the University. Writing desk and writing utensils. A collection of reference books dealing with Ustalav's ancient history. A set of dingy and very well worn clothing.

Jhanke Osyck is junior lecturer at the university, and the author of several monographs on Kellid funerary practices. He became aware of a vigorous trade among some students and scholars at the university in pamphlets dealing with the blasphemous secrets of the Dark Tapestry. He went to the proper authorities, and was reluctantly recruited to spy on these groups. He discovered that these delvers into forbidden lore were pretty much bored dilenttantes, with no connection to a larger network; however his handlers won't let him walk away, instead, they have had him turn over some staggeringly dangerous tomes to the members of these cliques. He is beginning to suspect that he is the bait in some trap being set for some-one, or some-thing, in the occult under-ground.

Personality: Pedantic and self-centered, with a inflated sense of self-importance. He is becoming increasingly paranoid and anxious. He is obsessed with Ustalav's strange and bloody history; and could become a star in the academic circles that study such things: if fate allows it.

You get two background skills which linguistics and Kn(history) are as well. This should allow you to gain another skill point to be put in an adventuring skill.

Also Kn(local) is more general than "The University of Lepidstadt." It includes it but also includes other city and allows you to identify humanoid species.

But as I took 2 Skill ranks in Lore:Kellid Funerary Practices (to reflect this character's obsessive and monomaniacal focus) that should use all my BG Skills?

You can't take more skill ranks than you have levels

Background Skills: Ancient Kellid funerary practices and The field of scholarship in Ancient Kellid studies, both 1.

Class Features : Master of Disguise (replacing Trapfinding, to reflect Infiltrator archetype).

Where did you get the idea that you could have more ranks than your current level?

Like I said before, it was a hard choice. Thank you everyone who applied, thank you for your interest, enthusiasm, and time.

Here's the five-man(ish) band:

Amaria Desnusianu
Francis Garnell Warwick
Jhanek Osyck
Malachi Constant
Samuel Hutchinson

Start getting your crunch in order, no hurry, and we can start talking about the game's finer points and such in the discussion thread.

Congrats, all. Looks like I'll see what I can do with Lord Darck somewhere else. Have fun.

Yay! I made it! Congrats to those who made it and good luck on the next game to those who didn't.

I am surprised that there's two investigators and two mesmerists though...

Congrats and good luck guys.

Have fun!

Oops. Missed that. Pathfinder/D&D 3.5 is not my primary system.

So, Linguistics (Ancient Kellid glyphs) 1, Profession Scholar 1, and Local Knowledge 1.

Which then means I have 4 points unspent.

Oops. Missed that. Pathfinder/D&D 3.5 is not my primary system.

So, Linguistics (Ancient Kellid glyphs) 1, Profession Scholar 1, and Local Knowledge 1.

Which then means I have 4 points unspent.

I've been sidelined by that myself in the past. You could pop into the discussion thread and see what we're missing skill-wise, or just pick whatever you fancy. Either way, looking forward to it.