CHARACTER CREATION
Players should make characters following the below criteria:
Level: 1st
Alignment Restrictions: Non-Evil
Sourcebooks: No 3rd-party material. 3.5 Pathfinder Material published by Paizo must be OKed on a case-by-case basis.
Traits: You may choose up to 2 traits, one of which must be a campaign trait.
Point Buy: 25
Starting Wealth: Max standard.
Background: Please take time to create an interesting character that you will have fun playing, and that will work well with others in a group environment. You may be as detailed as you like and write as long of a background as you wish (and I do love detailed character backgrounds), but please at least have a minimum of three paragraphs worth of information. This should include a section on why your character came to be in the campaign/how they became involved in the expedition. If your character trait helps define this, feel free to elaborate/personalize the details.
After creating your character, please create a forum alias with a fully-statted out character sheet located in your profile (as of 11/8/12 you can't create profiles, but I've heard that will be resolved soon, so until then feel free to post that info here in-thread).
OPTIONAL RULES
Traits: You may choose up to 2 traits, one of which must be a campaign trait.
Hero Points: Hero points will be used, as per Advanced Player's Guide. Hero point spells, feats and maghic items will be normally available.
CAMPAIGN DETAILS
Characters in Ascension are assumed to have been recruited for an archaeological expedition by Paracount Gideon Hightower, a member of Her Royal Magistrix's Expeditionary Force of Cheliax. The reasons for your recruitment are yours to decide, though campaign traits can help expand on this premise.
You will know at the start of the session that your team is to investigate ruins in the Aspodell Mountains bordering Andoran. However the nature of the expedition has been kept a secret and will remain so until the group reaches the mountain camp site north of Piren's Bluff, where Gideon will explain to the team the purpose of their mission and the need for secrecy.
It is assumed that the expedition will be dangerous, both due natural denizens of the mountain and weather hazards. The campaign will begin in the month of Lamashan in the year 4712.
RECOMMENDATIONS
If you are a ranger, some favored enemy recommendations are: Construct, Undead, Aberration, Humanoid (human) and Monstrous Humanoid. Recommendations for favored terrain are: Urban, Underground, Forest, Mountain and Desert.
You will encounter other creature types and terrains, but those above feature heavily.
CAMPAIGN TRAITS
The following campaign traits are available for Ascension:
Expert In Your Field
Paracount Hightower hand-picked you for this expedition because of your expertise in a specific field of study. You were promised exclusive access to the ruin when it is discovered and a sizable stipend upon securing of the site.
Benefit: Choose either Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (planes), Knowledge (engineering) or Linguistics. You gain a +1 trait bonus to the chosen skill and this skill is always considered a class skill for you.
Shield of Renown
Given the potentially dangerous nature of the expedition, Paracount Hightower has hired you as muscle to protect the team. You were chosen for your excellence in battle and previous experience as a mercenary. Your pay for the mission puts the average salaries of average sellswords to shame.
Benefit: You receive a +1 trait bonus to AC when adjacent to a member of the Expetionary that was chosen by Paracount Hightower. In addition, you add 50gp to yoru starting money as an advance of your promised pay on completion of the expedition.
Construct Specialist
Your research into mechanical design and engineering of construct type creatures put you on Gideon's list of specialists to hire for the expedition. Your natural, intuitive understanding of these pieces of artifice is a point of personal pride.
Benefit: You gain a +2 trait bonus on Knowledge (arcana) checks to identify the special abilities of constructs. Furthermore, you receive a +1 trait bonus on melee damage rolls and ranged damage rolls within 30-feet against constructs that you have successfully identified with Knowledge (arcana).
Trailblazer
For whatever reason, you know the Aspodell Mountains intimately. The rolling hills, rocky cliffs and forested slopes have become like a second home to you. You are eminently aware of the dangers of the mountains and can adequately guide others through them. For this skill, Gideon sought you out for his expedition.
Benefit: You gain a +2 trait bonus on Survival checks. Also, while in the Aspodell Mountains you are able to act on the surprise round of an encounter, though you are still considered flat-footed until you act.
