Barra's eyes wandered off to the side, and he bit back the "Actually..." that threatened to wind its way off his tongue. He did speak one other thing on his mind though. "Bolkvar. There's no need to be so rude - even only a decade without seeing the sun would drive any one of us queer, and our lady seems to have been here far longer."
"If I may, lady, I have a different question: Have you ever heard of a Saint Bakau?"
HP 48/48 | AC 16, T 16, FF 15 | CMD 22 | F +5, R +6, W +9 | Init +5 | Perc +11
Resources:
Arcane Pool (6/6) | Ki Pool (6/6) | Perfect Strike (3/3) | Spells Prepared (Conc +8) - 0 Level: 4, 1st Level: 4/4, 2nd Level: 2/2
Ari decides she's learned everything she can from Lady Amkathra, at least from the elf's naked form... so she says, "I think that will be enough, Lady Amkathra. Please cover yourself so we can resume our discussion with as little additional awkwardness as possible."
To her companions, Ari says, "She seems to be an elf, albeit one who has experienced much hardship. Not sure that changes much if she is indeed tainted by evil."
Marcus duly turned away from whatever ghastly sight Ariana was exposed to. He took the opportunity to have a good look around the area, but found himself distracted by aware that he shouldn't look at the strange elfwoman.
Perception:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10
Samnell can you remind us where we can go from this area? I remember there's a bit inside a where we found the crystal we didn't explore. Is there anywhere else?
Thinking if I know of Elves referring to others as Not People.
Ranek remains silent, silently thanking Barra for reminding Bolkvar not to be rude.
Ranek does. He also knows that most elves who use the term don't translate it in mixed company for the obvious reasons. He also knows that unclad, she looks a bit off for an elf. It's nothing specific, just the proportions don't seem quite right.
Marcus duly turned away from whatever ghastly sight Ariana was exposed to. He took the opportunity to have a good look around the area, but found himself distracted by aware that he shouldn't look at the strange elfwoman.
[dice=Perception]1d20+7
Samnell can you remind us where we can go from this area? I remember there's a bit inside a where we found the crystal we didn't explore. Is there anywhere else?
She's on the direct path between the mines and where you found the trolls, the captive kids, and the voice that told you to go away.
Hearing Ari speak, Lady Amkathra restored her illusions with an irritated gesture.
Lightfooted Barra wrote:
Barra's eyes wandered off to the side, and he bit back the "Actually..." that threatened to wind its way off his tongue. He did speak one other thing on his mind though. "Bolkvar. There's no need to be so rude - even only a decade without seeing the sun would drive any one of us queer, and our lady seems to have been here far longer."
"If I may, lady, I have a different question: Have you ever heard of a Saint Bakau?"
"I know of no such p-," Lady Amkathra broke off and looked almost as though she was listening to something. "That name...where have you heard it?"
Marcus had a horrible sense of foreboding. It seemed as thought the master of this place could whisper into anyone's mind. What on Toril where they up against? He whispered a silent pray that Torm would stand with them and provide the moral fortitude necessary to root out this evil.
Ranek's mind began rapidly considering the implications of this. Could this...Copperdeath...implant knowledge in the minds of those within this place? If he can do that, can he see through her eyes, hear what she hears? Is he using her as a puppet - a means of alerting him to our presence?
"Lady Amkathra...could Copperdeath be in your mind right now, implanting knowledge and listening to our conversation?"
Ranek's mind began rapidly considering the implications of this. Could this...Copperdeath...implant knowledge in the minds of those within this place? If he can do that, can he see through her eyes, hear what she hears? Is he using her as a puppet - a means of alerting him to our presence?
"Lady Amkathra...could Copperdeath be in your mind right now, implanting knowledge and listening to our conversation?"
Thurvek turns from the conversation to search the cave of any obvious scry foci or ease-dropping items.
Perception:1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29D-a-a-a-m-n!
HP 48/48 | AC 16, T 16, FF 15 | CMD 22 | F +5, R +6, W +9 | Init +5 | Perc +11
Resources:
Arcane Pool (6/6) | Ki Pool (6/6) | Perfect Strike (3/3) | Spells Prepared (Conc +8) - 0 Level: 4, 1st Level: 4/4, 2nd Level: 2/2
Addressing Lady Amkathra, Ari says, "How were you able to tell when he was listening before? Was there some mental or visual cue? Could you tell us if such a thing were happening now?"
HP = 36/36|AC=14 (18 Inertial Armor)|PP=23/31|Ki 4 | BP 7 |Ini+2(3)|Per+8|For+6|Ref+7|Will+7 Shadow's Status
Aldon whispers to Ari,
Alzhedo:
"We do not know her sins. We can question her and perhaps give her a chance at redemption through freedom".
Aldon removes the crystal from his pouch, "Know you how this works my Lady? It is an item of the Way not the Art but perhaps you have seen it or are familiar with who in this place may have used it? I hesitate to use it before I know more about it.
Tell us about your true history. If you can name your crimes and repent them, perhaps we can help release you to aid us against this Copperdeath?"
Aldon removes the crystal from his pouch, "Know you how this works my Lady? It is an item of the Way not the Art but perhaps you have seen it or are familiar with who in this place may have used it? I hesitate to use it before I know more about it.
Tell us about your true history. If you can name your crimes and repent them, perhaps we can help release you to aid us against this Copperdeath?"
"I don't know it, but Copperdeath had many crystals of that sort. He was working some kind of Art upon them, I think. But his Art was strange. Perhaps it is this Way you speak of. Once he mentioned swallowing one."
Addressing Lady Amkathra, Ari says, "How were you able to tell when he was listening before? Was there some mental or visual cue? Could you tell us if such a thing were happening now?"
Wounds (0) HP (14) AC (13/13/10) Saves (6/3/3, +3 Hardy) Init (+3) CMD (18) Pugnacious (1/1)
”This is getting us nowhere!” Bolkvar said with exasperation. ”Fook it. Here’s how it is. The bastards who were here before us? The ones who took the children? We’re after them. Think they’re related to Copperdeath. Help us find them and we’ll free ye. Sound fair, elf?”
An interesting choice from master Stonebeam. Marcus was far from sure it was wise, but he didn't have a better plan. He watched the elf and judged her reaction to Bolkvar's suggestion.
Lady Amkathra listened to Bolkvar with obvious disdain. "Which before you? The trolls and their odious little goblin? Or the the two humans? I don't know what I could do to help you with either while I'm still bound to this cavern."
Marcus has the strong sense that Lady Amkathra knows quite a bit more about the two humans than she let on. There was just a half-breath hesitation when she brought them up, almost too little to notice.
Narrowing his eyes, Marcus' voice went low and dangerous as he asked, "I see... You won't mind if we look in the pool will you? We're not going to find any surprises in there are we? No corpses for example."
Perception, anything in there that shouldn't be?:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20 Sense Motive:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21
Narrowing his eyes, Marcus' voice went low and dangerous as he asked, "I see... You won't mind if we look in the pool will you? We're not going to find any surprises in there are we? No corpses for example."
[dice=Perception, anything in there that shouldn't be?]1d20+7
[dice=Sense Motive]1d20+7
Marcus can just barely see a human hand poking out from beneath some rocks on the bottom of the pool.
"I think I've tolerated enough of your intrusions!" Lady Amkathra said. "Your kind are the rudest beings! Worse than orcs!"
Wounds (0) HP (14) AC (13/13/10) Saves (6/3/3, +3 Hardy) Init (+3) CMD (18) Pugnacious (1/1)
”That so?” Bolkvar growled. ”And ye’re the dumbest tart I’ve ever seen. Insultin’ the only people in any position to save ye, actin’ high and mighty when we take basic precautions. We’ve got younglings to save. If this heartless elf wants to rot here let her! We’ve already seen the evil in her heart, and her words prove it.”
HP = 36/36|AC=14 (18 Inertial Armor)|PP=23/31|Ki 4 | BP 7 |Ini+2(3)|Per+8|For+6|Ref+7|Will+7 Shadow's Status
Aldon readies himself by gaining Psionic Focus, i seems a battle may well be inevitable and perhaps it is time this creature answered for hr ancient crimes. Perhaps not but she seems very unwilling to aid the group and what must be done, must be done.
HP 48/48 | AC 16, T 16, FF 15 | CMD 22 | F +5, R +6, W +9 | Init +5 | Perc +11
Resources:
Arcane Pool (6/6) | Ki Pool (6/6) | Perfect Strike (3/3) | Spells Prepared (Conc +8) - 0 Level: 4, 1st Level: 4/4, 2nd Level: 2/2
Ari looks over at what Marcus is looking at. Her face pales as she sees the human hand.
"We either need to leave her here, or execute her, whichever seems most appropriate. I don't know if we'll be able to definitively prove she was responsible for their deaths."
Marcus raises an eyebrow before asking mildly, "A body. How exactly did that get there? Tell me M'lady where they... Disrespectful?"
Sense Motive:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16 If it looks like combat is about to break out, Marcus will declare her a Smite target and use Martial Flexibility to gain Favoured Enemy: Elf. That's a swift and a move action.
Wounds (0) HP (14) AC (13/13/10) Saves (6/3/3, +3 Hardy) Init (+3) CMD (18) Pugnacious (1/1)
Bolkvar didn’t wait. He had enough of this. Seeing the bodies was the final straw.
Hit:1d20 + 8 ⇒ (17) + 8 = 25 Damage:1d6 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7 Stunning Fist. DC15 Fort. A defender who fails this saving throw is stunned for 1 round (until just before your next turn). A stunned character drops everything held, can’t take actions, loses any Dexterity bonus to AC, and takes a –2 penalty to AC.
Surprise round if he can get it. Otherwise it’ll be part of his round 1
Sorry, she's expected a fight as much as you have. No surprise.
Lady Amkathra ACs: 18, T13, F12
Round 1
Standing unaided upon the churning water, Lady Amkathra caught the way the conversation was going and her expression turned inhumanly cold. She spoke a brief incantation and suddenly five more of her stood upon the water.
Ranek realizes he will be unable to pursue her onto the water, since she is standing on it. He draws upon his Art, casting a spell to surround her with motes of glitter and possibly blind her.
Casting glitterdust. DC 16 Will or she's blinded. Regardless, she's outlined in sparkling motes that impose a -40 on Stealth checks and make invisibility difficult.
Two questions: Did Marcus's 'readied actions' count as readied or do they happen in round 1? Also is there a path to Melee her without ending up in the glitter dust? In a way I wish he'd chosen step up here instead, but no need to retcon.
Sternly Marcus told Lady Amkathara, "If you won't explain yourself to me, then I'm afraid you'll have to explain to Lord Torm in person ." actions] As he was speaking, Torm's gift filled the back of Marcus's mind with tactics and strategems for dealing with elven opponents.
D20 roll:1d20 ⇒ 14
If he can melee without getting blinded by the glitter dust, and the smite+martial flexibility fired as readied action:
Marcus advances calmly towards the sorceress before slashing firmly into either the elf or an image.
Move action draw weapon and move to melee range.
Standard action: Attack Greatsword with smite, favoured enemy:14 + 9 + 3 + 2 = 28Damage:2d6 + 7 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (3, 1) + 7 + 4 + 2 = 17
If the way is blocked by glitter dust, or he had to use a move action for martial flexibility this round:
Free action due to Quick Draw: Draw his bow
With impressive quickness Marcus drew his bow, nooked an arrow, drew to his chin and released!
Longbow: Smite & favoured target:14 + 7 + 3 + 2 = 26Damage:1d8 + 4 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 4 + 4 + 2 = 16
Don't worry about the glitterdust. I'll either target it to avoid hitting party members, or else, since my actions are resolved in Initiative before the rest of the party's, I don't have to worry about hitting anyone else. The effect only lingers on those hit by it, it doesn't affect those who enter the area.
Two questions: Did Marcus's 'readied actions' count as readied or do they happen in round 1? Also is there a path to Melee her without ending up in the glitter dust? In a way I wish he'd chosen step up here instead, but no need to retcon.
They happen in Round 1. You should be fine with the glitterdust passing before you move in. The water is difficult terrain, though.
The waters in front of Barra start to ripple in time with his feet as he begins to leap and sway his way around to the back of the pool; each step syncopating to clear the way for his allies.
Everyone is at +1 to attack and damage rolls, and to saves vs. charm and fear effects should it come up.
Actions:
Circling around, if at all possible, and starting Bardic Performance.
Round 1
Ranek realizes he will be unable to pursue her onto the water, since she is standing on it. He draws upon his Art, casting a spell to surround her with motes of glitter and possibly blind her. The motes clung to her shapely body, but Lady Amkathra showed no signs of blindness from them.
Bolkvar stepped forward, into the water, and unleashed a flurry of blows at the elf...or at least her images. He struck a Lady Amkathra, which melted to nothing about his fists.
Aldon takes a moment to inspire his allies to rally against this horrible foe whose time committing vile acts should be brought to an end!
Sternly Marcus told Lady Amkathara, "If you won't explain yourself to me, then I'm afraid you'll have to explain to Lord Torm in person ." actions] As he was speaking, Torm's gift filled the back of Marcus's mind with tactics and strategems for dealing with elven opponents. With impressive quickness Marcus drew his bow, nooked an arrow, drew to his chin and released! It struck one of the Ladies Amkathra, which melted away just as Bolkvar's had.
Not stupid enough to engage a elf walking on water, Thurvek takes out his heavy crossbow and loads it.
The waters in front of Barra start to ripple in time with his feet as he begins to leap and sway his way around to the back of the pool; each step syncopating to clear the way for his allies.
Lady Amkathra is tainted with evil. There's only one thing to be done now. Ari resigns herself to slaying the elf. She fired a flurry of arrows, but only one struck one of the elves. It melted to nothing just as the previous two had.
The elf took a stride back from Bolkvar's fists and incanted again. A thrumming mantle of faint blue light surrounded her.
Rules Stuff:
Will DC 16:1d20 + 9 ⇒ (16) + 9 = 25 aw
Real on 6:1d6 ⇒ 2 aw
Real on 5:1d5 ⇒ 3 aw
Real on 4:1d4 ⇒ 3 aw
Water is difficult terrain.
You have +1 morale to attacks, damage, and saves vs. charm & fear from Aldon You also have it from Barra. They don't stack, but if one goes down you have a backup.
Order is Amkathra, Ranek, Bolkvar, Aldon, Marcus, Thurvek, Barra, Ari. The Party is up!
When Marcus's arrow shattered an image, he shrugged inwardly, she'd run out of images before he ran out of arrows. Of course he had to be sure not to hit Barra or Bolkvar. That made the shot harder but by no means impossible. With the bow drawn to his chin he waited a fraction, there a gap! He released and the arrow sped towards, her straight and true.
TL;DR: Go read the thing. It’s not that long. (Yes it is.)
TL;DR2: 1e-era FR homebrew game using some old adventures here and there. Dreamscarred Path of War and Psionics are a go. Now go read the thing.
Hello! We am a collection of wriggling, squirming things that has hollowed out Samnell and uses him as a meat puppet. He is by far the least comfortable flesh sheath we have ever infested, but we all have our crosses to bear and Samnell’s quite low on the waiting list so I’m stuck here for a while. To entertain myself, I have decided to try my hand at a homebrew campaign which I have chosen to call for no particular reason that should absolutely not be taken as a hint to the major enemies, themes, or anything at all Against the Necromancers. I seek 4-6 players, with one slot already spoken for, so it’s 3-5.
What is Against the Necromancers?
Against the Necromancers is a homebrew campaign set in the North of the 1e-era Forgotten Realms, Sundabar specifically, but eventually going off the map. The current plan includes a mix of urban and wilderness adventure, some time in the Underdark, and the exploration of lands entirely new to the PCs. Many foes will be undead and/or necromancers, but I’ll be sure to include living things with other hobbies for you to meet and murder as well. You can expect to spend the usual amount of time battling, but also navigating wilderness, working your way through social situations and exploring trap-laden ruins. You will journey through snow-capped mountains, deep forests, cold deserts, and deadly jungles as well as underground and eventually on other planes.
A story runs through the intended adventures, what one might call a path, of my own design which incorporates my inventions and a fair amount of published material. Much of the direct inspiration comes from 1e and 2e D&D, with a fair helping of some pulp fiction that inspired them. The story is intended to be a narrative spine expanded through PC choices and player interests, tuning it to you as much as I can manage.
About the Setting:
You don’t need to be a Realms scholar to submit a character. If you are one, then you probably already know more or less what you need to. If you’re not, you should be able to get the gist from the religion, races, and Sundabar primers. They skew heavily toward characters who are natives or longtime residents of the North, particularly Sundabar itself, but PCs hailing from the farther-flung Realms are welcome too. Just ask if you want to know how things work with the PF rules or my take on a setting detail.
I have much more I can share, or produce to order, but there's always a temptation to overwrite these things into monstrosities no one will actually read.
Rules:
Ok, then, you want a chargen.
Ability Scores 25 point buy. You may reduce one score as low as 7 (before racial modifiers) to get more points to spend elsewhere. OR you may take 4d6 drop lowest. You can roll and then decide how you’d like to go. If you do roll and don’t get a net positive set of ability modifiers, you can junk it and roll until you do before deciding. If you choose the roll, there’s no limit to how low your scores can go.
Races Human, dwarf, gnome, halfling, half-elf, and elf characters are generally accepted in Sundabar and among the civilized people of the North. All these races have various canon ethnicities in Faerun. In past editions those ethnicities sometimes had different stats. Not so here. So far as PC races go, elves are elves, dwarves are dwarves, etc. The differences between them are cosmetic and cultural.
Half-orcs are possible, but would face serious RP difficulties unless they can easily pass as human. The long and short of it is that orcs are the overwhelming generational enemy of civilization in the North and Sundabar is right on the leading edge whenever a horde comes by. One did a fair bit of damage to the city just last year.
Because of the theme, I’ll also allow dhampir. Most people in the Realms (possibly including the character) would not know what a dhampir is and may interpret visible physical oddities as signs of orcish blood, demonic taint, or the result of some kind of divine or magical curse. Passing as human would avoid those issues, though people in the know who see you wilt under a cure light wounds may suspect the worst all the same.
Languages I hate the Common tongue. It is not a thing. The dominant language in Sundabar and the civilized human North is Illuskan, which you make take as a freebie in lieu of Common. Other major languages in the region include Dwarven, Bothii (the tongue of the Uthgardt barbarians), and Orc. They’re available as bonus languages from high intelligence. Illuskan and Dwarven share an alphabet, the Dethek runes.
Classes
This is a gestalt game, so you get two classes. Go nuts. No variant multiclassing since with gestalt you already get ubermulticlassing.
You may choose from any Paizo classes and archetypes, save that if you wish to play a summoner it needs to be an unchained one. Psychic magic is extremely unusual in the Realms. Psionics (see below) is somewhat more common, but still rare. The divinely empowered, except oracles, must choose a patron god. All PCs are encouraged to do so. Please see the religion primer for more details about how religion works in FR. If you’re interested in an FR deity not listed, get in touch and we can probably make that work. I have more information on deities available for those playing devotees.
The following provisos apply:
Nothing using firearms is appropriate because they haven’t been discovered in the Realms yet.
Asian-themed and flavored characters in general are a difficult sell because the North is far from FR’s nearest plausible Asia analog (Thay) and lacks Golarion’s circumpolar trade routes. But if you want to use the basic rules and re-flavor them for a more quasi-Northern European flair, I’m open to that.
I sense you are curious about third party products. Usually I say no out of hand, though I’ve made a few exceptions in the past when something was especially apt. Since I have more elbow room to work with here and FR has traditionally been home to some D&D content that Paizo has chosen to revisit in different ways, I have some third party permission for you. As always and as with Paizo content, I reserve the right to modify things if something looks out of whack.
Alignment No evils. PCs don’t have to be paladins or people who would love to hang out with paladins, but they should be indifferent-to-benevolent in general. Of course if you want to all be best of friends that's fine too. Just so long as disagreements among PCs can be settled in some kind of amicable way rather than go on for ever and make the game increasingly less fun for all. Friendly rivalry and belligerent friendships, so long as they really are amicable on both ends, are fine.
Dreamscarred Psionics is a-ok. Psionics is known as the Invisible Art. It’s rare but not so rare that a person reasonably educated in such things would be baffled by them. Psionics and magic are transparent to one another. To most unsophisticated people, psionics are threatening because they’re more subtle than magic...if they can tell the difference.
Dreamscarred’s Path of War is also a-ok because I loved that stuff in 3e. The various disciplines aren’t strongly associated with any particular set of cultural tropes, but rather answer to a multitude of flavors. If an Uthgardt barbarian uses a maneuver against you, he probably doesn’t think of it with some poetic name. He may understand it as invoking some kind of spirit, but could just as easily understand his tricks as just particular fighting moves he’s learned. By contrast, a dwarf may believe he channels Gorm Gulthyn or borrows from the might of earth elementals to become the rock that breaks the enemy’s charge. If an elf does some weird flippy floppy thing while singing, what else would you expect from elves? You can choose how your abilities are flavored.
Archetypes and feats that give other classes tastes of psionics and maneuvers are also cool.
Level Everyone starts at first level. It’s boring. Let’s do third. Max hp. Go nuts.
Gear To make things a little easier, this game will use Automatic Bonus Progression. You get all the bonuses the game expects you to have and the items that normally do those jobs don’t exist. I make one modification from the standard table: You may swap the progressions of physical and mental prowess to the one that works best for your PC, if you like. So a melee-oriented character can have +2 to a physical ability at 6th, then +2 to a mental at 7th rather than the other way around.
As per ABP rules, you only get half your normal wealth by level to go shopping with. You can buy what you like from that before we start. If you take skills and/or feats that let you make items, you can provide for yourself at crafting cost. You don’t have to roll for items you create before the game begins.
Traits You can choose two. If you want something attached to a Golarion deity or other flavor, we may be able to find an FR equivalent. You can take one drawback to get one more trait. You may have no more than one trait in a given category.
Backstory & Hooks:
I want a backstory. Give me at least a paragraph to get a sense of who your PC is, where they come from, and what they care about. Feel free to mine the primers for ideas. It doesn’t have to be a novel, but I should have a sense of the PC as a person.
It should also include why you feel obliged to the local temple of Tyr (god of justice) and Torm (god of duty) and inclined to them a big favor. You might be one of the faithful, an orphan raised in the temple, a recent convert...or maybe you owe them money or you’re doing this to get out of legal trouble. You might owe someone else in town and they traded your favor in for some consideration on the temple’s part. You could be buddies with a priest or taking on the debt of a friend who can’t pay it back just now.. Both faiths are largely lawful good and quite popular in Sundabar. They have extensive secular business interests that can cause entanglements. Feel free to be creative. If you think maybe you’re presuming too much or don’t have a good feel for them, let me know and we can talk it over.
If you’d rather not go quite that way, or would like to piggyback it, feel free to loot this for ideas:
The first adventure will send you to the village of Auvandell at the foot of Silverymoon Pass, three days to the northwest of Sundabar. It’s a fortified place set around an old dwarf tower that holds an impressive bell often used to warn the community of approaching perils. Legend holds that an ancient dwarf slew a dragon there and then built a hold. The belltower is all that remains. A few hundred years ago, Auvandell (by then a human community) fell under the influence of a dark power of mysterious origin. A band of adventurers, the Knights of the Silver Coursers, dispatched said evil seventy-five years past. All are now long gone, taken by the battle, orcs, and the press of winters, but PCs could be descendants, natives of the village who were stuck in Sundabar for the winter, people who know it as a waystation on the caravan route to Silverymoon, or have some other connection to the place. Or something you think up.
[spoiler=Norms & Expectations]
I hope to get about a post a day up, life permitting, but I will wait for players if you’re role-playing or something rather than steamrolling onward. In battles, I try to give three days before botting the PC and usually end up doing a bit longer. I am terrible at running your PCs. In said battles, I’ll usually give out the ACs of foes (and other defenses as you discover them) so you can flavor your own hits and misses because I am also terrible at that.
I don’t have a particular content rating in mind for this game. It’s not set in an especially horrible place, but it is still in a world where bad things happen. My natural inclination is for PG-13 and up, but it’s really something we’ll work out together. The goal isn’t to upset anyone RL or play the internet toughguy card of “You just can’t handle reality!” If something or someone goes over a line, I hope we can work it out to everyone’s satisfaction. The same applies to personality and style clashes between PCs and players. My goal is always an “everyone wins” ending, even if we might have to retcon and adjust a bit to manage.
With the possible exception of the opposition dominating someone’s PC and turning the character on the others, there will be no PVP.
Logistics!:
This game will use Roll20 for maps. We’re still a PBP, but I find it most convenient and easy to set things up for to manage fights. Exploration will happen there too courtesy of fog of war. Once we have a map it’s worth looking at, I’ll set you up with control of your own tokens to move around and generally have fun with.
Please format your PC using the normal Paizo statblock. It makes things much easier on my end.
Questions most welcome.
Submissions are due at 11:59 PM on July 17, a touch over seven days hence.
heya! definitely dotting!
thinking a UnSummoner(synthesist)/paladin(Knight disciple from PoW) of Torm.
i might try to squeeze another archetype into either of those
Sounds interesting. What kind of animals would be appropriate to start with for familiars/animal companions? I'm assuming that there aren't dinosaurs just roaming around outside. Although I definitely wouldn't complain if there were.
Dot. I plan on utilizing Path of War and Psionics.
If anyone wants to link backstories hit me up.
I'd like to ask if we can use the update that Soulknives got in Psionics Augmented. The specific passage is this:
Quote:
Soulknives, High Psionics Campaigns, and You: Depending on the type of campaign world you play in, if the GM would call it a ‘high psionics campaign’, it would be within reason to allow soulknives to add the manifesting and power progression of the Gifted Blade archetype to all soulknives by default, for a more ‘psionic’ soulknife. This gives the soulknife more of a competitive edge in a world where manifesting and/or magic is highly dominant without compromising the combat abilities of the class. The Gifted Blade archetype in return adds some additional flexibility as well as in and out of combat versatility to the soulknife that lets it stand as both a combative and psionic equal to classes like the psychic warrior or marksman. In games with higher levels of expertise, powerful classes and abilities, or just generally better toys available to people, it would be considered prudent to add the Gifted Blade archetype’s powers to the soulknife to keep them competitive.
I think this qualifies as a higher power level game, but that's up to the GM.
"The first adventure will send you to the village of Auvandell at the foot of Silverymoon Pass, three days to the northwest of Sundabar. It’s a fortified place set around an old dwarf tower that holds an impressive bell often used to warn the community of approaching perils. Legend holds that an ancient dwarf slew a dragon there and then built a hold. The belltower is all that remains. A few hundred years ago, Auvandell (by then a human community) fell under the influence of a dark power of mysterious origin. A band of adventurers, the Knights of the Silver Coursers, dispatched said evil seventy-five years past. All are now long gone, taken by the battle, orcs, and the press of winters, but PCs could be descendants, natives of the village who were stuck in Sundabar for the winter, people who know it as a waystation on the caravan route to Silverymoon, or have some other connection to the place. Or something you think up."
----
The Stonebeam Clan of Dwarves have been residents of Auvandell as long as can remember. The clan itself claims that it was their clan which built the tower which so long ago, and lived within the hold before it's fall. When the human village itself was built a handful of dwarves of the clan did indeed come and set up a small shop, taking advantage of the village's location to sell wares to traveling caravans. Whether or not their clan did build the tower or not is up for speculation, but as it makes for a good story few doubted it. Just like the small dwarven hold fell, so too did the human village. With the ruins cleared out by the knights of the silver coursers, Bolkvar Stonebeam has decided to go back. A wandering scholar for most of his life, he has always been fascinated by tales of his clan's past and the homes that they have been driven from. What he
As a wanderer, Bolkvarr has learned the hard way that it is difficult to keep arms and armor in good condition. Unlike the settled warriors of his people, he has learned how to make his fists into a weapon and his skin into armor. Channeling the divine power of Dugmaren Brightmantle, his fists can strike like hammers and his flesh deflects like a shield. But as he is wont to say, it is the mind which is the greatest of weapons.
Fascinated by lost history, it is the gathering of knowledge which is his greatest goal. Though he is never one to turn down gold. He is mortified by how little of his clan's history has survived. It is his hope that by learning from the past his people can avoid it repeating.
Would you be willing to allow Dreamscarred Press's Malefex Class? They recently did a limited release of some of the materials on the D20pfsrd and I'm considering buying the associated book outright.
Character being made. Decided on perfect scholar unchained monk / Inquisitor. Going to have good face skills, decent knowledge skills, and pretty strong fists.
Oh Samnell, how you tempt me with your gestalt and allowance of 3rd party materials, and a campaign primer? Damn and bother, bother and damn! I'll get to work.
Dot. I plan on utilizing Path of War and Psionics.
If anyone wants to link backstories hit me up.
I'd like to ask if we can use the update that Soulknives got in Psionics Augmented. The specific passage is this:
Quote:
Soulknives, High Psionics Campaigns, and You: Depending on the type of campaign world you play in, if the GM would call it a ‘high psionics campaign’, it would be within reason to allow soulknives to add the manifesting and power progression of the Gifted Blade archetype to all soulknives by default, for a more ‘psionic’ soulknife. This gives the soulknife more of a competitive edge in a world where manifesting and/or magic is highly dominant without compromising the combat abilities of the class. The Gifted Blade archetype in return adds some additional flexibility as well as in and out of combat versatility to the soulknife that lets it stand as both a combative and psionic equal to classes like the psychic warrior or marksman. In games with higher levels of expertise, powerful classes and abilities, or just generally better toys available to people, it would be considered prudent to add the Gifted Blade archetype’s powers to the soulknife to keep them competitive.
So if I've read this right, basically the Soulknife gets manifesting similar to a paladin's casting? But this would be added on top rather than at the cost of psychic strike?
I remember the soulknife as a fairly weak class back in 3.5. Dreamscarred gave them a bit more to do, which is cool. This is just a touch more. Yeah, go ahead. Minor manifesting plus psychic strike shouldn't break things.
So if I've read this right, basically the Soulknife gets manifesting similar to a paladin's casting? But this would be added on top rather than at the cost of psychic strike?
I remember the soulknife as a fairly weak class back in 3.5. Dreamscarred gave them a bit more to do, which is cool. This is just a touch more. Yeah, go ahead. Minor manifesting plus psychic strike shouldn't break things.
Yeah, it's really sort of 'Soulknife Unchained' from what I've seen of the class. It's definitely utility manifesting and does a lot to expand the out of combat use of a class that was previously only about having a nifty weapon. I really wish they'd come up with something similar for Aegis as well.
Sounds interesting. What kind of animals would be appropriate to start with for familiars/animal companions? I'm assuming that there aren't dinosaurs just roaming around outside. Although I definitely wouldn't complain if there were.
Dinosaurs (called Thunderbeasts) are very rare in this part of Faerun. They're widely thought to be extinct, with many believing the last was slain by Uthgar during his mortal days. Its bones lay atop an ancestor mound far to the west. ...but there may be some lurking in the depths of the High Forest or in forgotten wizard safeholds, elven preserves, or other places not generally known. Far-trading merchants might have secured small ones from the Chult, almost on the far side of the world from Sundabar and where they remain plentiful.
For the most part, a natural familiar or animal companion -that is, one found in the wild rather than bought from afar or conjured- would be normal Northern European or North American fauna. Swamps and bogs are plentiful enough, but usually on the small side.
A good story or a more distant origin make many things possible. Everyone knows that some wizards bring beasts from afar to use in experiments, taming or breeding them for purposes best not guessed. Some inevitably escape, flee on the deaths of their owners, or are let loose as free-roving guards, eyes, or when ancient bindings fail and release them from spell-sleep where the winters touch them not. Strange pools, old magic, or wizard weather (colored rains and lightning being the least strange sorts) might twist natural beasts in strange ways. Traveling shows sometimes have menageries of such creatures, or beasts claimed to be such creatures, though those shows rarely call anywhere nearer to Sundabar than Silverymoon.
Of course a particularly curious companion might draw unwelcome attention: Just where did the beast come from? Are there more? What secrets might it, or its parts, hold? Now if it's small enough to easily hide...
If you want exotic but not quite that far, Sundabar is about two hundred miles (away from my map just now so it may be less, but it's a fair distance) from the edge of the Sand Sea Anauroch. Desert-dwelling creatures could easily hail from there.
The Stonebeam Clan of Dwarves have been residents of Auvandell as long as can remember. The clan itself claims that it was their clan which built the tower which so long ago, and lived within the hold before it's fall. When the human village itself was built a handful of dwarves of the clan did indeed come and set up a small shop, taking advantage of the village's location to sell wares to traveling caravans. Whether or not their clan did build the tower or not is up for speculation, but as it makes for a good story few doubted it. Just like the small dwarven hold fell, so too did the human village. With the ruins cleared out by the knights of the silver coursers, Bolkvar Stonebeam has decided to go back. A wandering scholar for most of his life, he has always been fascinated by tales of his clan's past and the homes that they have been driven from. What he
Would you be willing to allow Dreamscarred Press's Malefex Class? They recently did a limited release of some of the materials on the D20pfsrd and I'm considering buying the associated book outright.
Hm. Looks reasonably balanced and about on par with other debuff-focused classes. Plus I do like debuffing. It's not something I've looked over as closely as the PoW or Psionics stuff (both of which I know the core systems of from 3.5) but I'm willing to give it a chance.
Would you be willing to allow Dreamscarred Press's Malefex Class? They recently did a limited release of some of the materials on the D20pfsrd and I'm considering buying the associated book outright.
Hm. Looks reasonably balanced and about on par with other debuff-focused classes. Plus I do like debuffing. It's not something I've looked over as closely as the PoW or Psionics stuff (both of which I know the core systems of from 3.5) but I'm willing to give it a chance.
I'll fork over the $5.00 tomorrow to get a PDF of the book for it and give it a more thorough read. It seems like a really flavorful debuff class that can actually take advantage of the debuffs it doles out. I was thinking of Gestalting it with the PoW Harbinger. Not terribly optimized as they're both d8 hit die, 3/4s BAB, and have different primary mental stats but the flavor goes together so very, very well.
So if I've read this right, basically the Soulknife gets manifesting similar to a paladin's casting? But this would be added on top rather than at the cost of psychic strike?
I remember the soulknife as a fairly weak class back in 3.5. Dreamscarred gave them a bit more to do, which is cool. This is just a touch more. Yeah, go ahead. Minor manifesting plus psychic strike shouldn't break things.
Yeah, it's really sort of 'Soulknife Unchained' from what I've seen of the class. It's definitely utility manifesting and does a lot to expand the out of combat use of a class that was previously only about having a nifty weapon. I really wish they'd come up with something similar for Aegis as well.
Yeah. I tried to build a 3.5 soulknife several times for PBEMs and could never get past their having nothing to do except stab with the lightsaber all day long.
Over the course of 1 hour, spend an equal amount of time practicing with a weapon or your unarmed strikes, reading any text that you have never read before, and braiding a length of hair while contemplating the mysteries of the multiverse. Hang the length of hair around your neck when your obedience is complete and wear it for the rest of the day. Gain a +4 sacred or profane bonus on all Knowledge checks. The type of bonus depends on your alignment—if you’re neither good nor evil, you must choose either sacred or profane the first time you perform your obedience, and this choice can’t be changed.
Can I refluff this as being the divine obedience for Dugmaren Brightmantle? As he is the dwarven god of knowledge, scholars and inventors it seems to fit well.
Taking this will mean -1 hit for me. But I'll have a solid +10 in all knowledge skills (and I'll get the equivalent of bardic knowledge at lvl4). This will make the character into a better scholar, which would fit him well.
Dot. I plan on utilizing Path of War and Psionics.
If anyone wants to link backstories hit me up.
I'd like to ask if we can use the update that Soulknives got in Psionics Augmented. The specific passage is this:
Quote:
Soulknives, High Psionics Campaigns, and You: Depending on the type of campaign world you play in, if the GM would call it a ‘high psionics campaign’, it would be within reason to allow soulknives to add the manifesting and power progression of the Gifted Blade archetype to all soulknives by default, for a more ‘psionic’ soulknife. This gives the soulknife more of a competitive edge in a world where manifesting and/or magic is highly dominant without compromising the combat abilities of the class. The Gifted Blade archetype in return adds some additional flexibility as well as in and out of combat versatility to the soulknife that lets it stand as both a combative and psionic equal to classes like the psychic warrior or marksman. In games with higher levels of expertise, powerful classes and abilities, or just generally better toys available to people, it would be considered prudent to add the Gifted Blade archetype’s powers to the soulknife to keep them competitive.
So if I've read this right, basically the Soulknife gets manifesting similar to a paladin's casting? But this would be added on top rather than at the cost of psychic strike?
I remember the soulknife as a fairly weak class back in 3.5. Dreamscarred gave them a bit more to do, which is cool. This is just a touch more. Yeah, go ahead. Minor manifesting plus psychic strike shouldn't break things.
Oh boy, now I'm hyped.
Here come's Neils D. Lafont.
His background? Hero. His occupation? Hero. How does he put his pants on in the morning? Heroically.
He's going to be a Soulknife/Aegis going into Awakened Blade on one side, and a Stalker going into Landsknetch on the other side.
Would you be willing to allow Dreamscarred Press's Malefex Class? They recently did a limited release of some of the materials on the D20pfsrd and I'm considering buying the associated book outright.
Hm. Looks reasonably balanced and about on par with other debuff-focused classes. Plus I do like debuffing. It's not something I've looked over as closely as the PoW or Psionics stuff (both of which I know the core systems of from 3.5) but I'm willing to give it a chance.
I'll fork over the $5.00 tomorrow to get a PDF of the book for it and give it a more thorough read. It seems like a really flavorful debuff class that can actually take advantage of the debuffs it doles out. I was thinking of Gestalting it with the PoW Harbinger. Not terribly optimized as they're both d8 hit die, 3/4s BAB, and have different primary mental stats but the flavor goes together so very, very well.
To be clear: I can't promise a spot. I always get more PCs sent in than I can fit into a game. Except for the one spoken for, I usually don't know what the party will look like until I sit down and start reading through PCs. I go in seeking for potential party dynamics, GM-oriented hooks (ways the PC fits well with plans or interesting spins suggested) and stuff like that. It's an emergent process.
If you were going to buy the book anyway, which I know you said you were thinking about, that's cool. I just don't want you to drop $5 with the assumption that a spot's been promised. I'd feel terrible if you did it on my account. I'm ok with your working from the PFSRD site and then adjusting or retrofitting if you get in, if you'd rather hold off.
Glad you find it so. Not many dwarfs go around Unarmed and unarmored, so I'm happy that he still comes across as being very dwarven.
There are many ways to be dwarven. An armorless, unarmed dwarf will raise some eyebrows and might get unfriendly attention from traditionalists, but so does having human friends. A dwarf interested in his clan's past and past holdings? Hungry for lost secrets? That's very true to dwarven culture. They're not nerdy like elves can get, but they still care. :)
Bolkvar Stonebeam wrote:
Can I refluff this as being the divine obedience for Dugmaren Brightmantle? As he is the dwarven god of knowledge, scholars and inventors it seems to fit well.
Taking this will mean -1 hit for me. But I'll have a solid +10 in all knowledge skills (and I'll get the equivalent of bardic knowledge at lvl4). This will make the character into a better scholar, which would fit him well.
Update: I forgot to write it in the chargen, but we're using background skills. Sorry; there's always something that slips through or comes out unclear.
TheWaskally wrote:
Oh Samnell, how you tempt me with your gestalt and allowance of 3rd party materials, and a campaign primer? Damn and bother, bother and damn! I'll get to work.
There were nearly many more primers, but I decided to keep things to what people might more realistically read and slant them toward Sundabar to create more of a sense of place.
Probably every PC will get a short primer (~a page) for their patron deity with holy days, dogmas, and so forth. More details for clergy, of course. If we have arcane spellcasters, there'll be a shorty on magic. (Already written.) All largely be in the vein of "everybody knows this" information for particular communities.
Yay for background skills. With that, Bolkvar will have +12 to all knowledge skills, +12 bluff/diplomacy, +10 perception/intimidate, +8 survival/stealth/sense motive, and knows Illuskan, Dwarven, Orc, Giant, Bothii, Elven. Quite happy with this bearded little monastic scholar.
With that, he should be complete. Hope he gets accepted. This campaign sounds like it will be alot of fun.
I'm interested. thinking about what I want to play.
Oh, and there are technically firearms in Faerun, but they are a secret developed in Lantan. Spreading that information would be bad. Gunslingers shooting all over the place would cause issues.
To be clear: I can't promise a spot. I always get more PCs sent in than I can fit into a game. Except for the one spoken for, I usually don't know what the party will look like until I sit down and start reading through PCs. I go in seeking for potential party dynamics, GM-oriented hooks (ways the PC fits well with plans or interesting spins suggested) and stuff like that. It's an emergent process.
If you were going to buy the book anyway, which I know you said you were thinking about, that's cool. I just don't want you to drop $5 with the assumption that a spot's been promised. I'd feel terrible if you did it on my account. I'm ok with your working from the PFSRD site and then adjusting or retrofitting if you get in, if you'd rather hold off.
I was not expecting you to, Dreamscarred's products are usually interesting enough that they provide a good read anyway. $5 will certainly not sink me.
Samnell wrote:
Bolkvar Stonebeam wrote:
Glad you find it so. Not many dwarfs go around Unarmed and unarmored, so I'm happy that he still comes across as being very dwarven.
There are many ways to be dwarven. An armorless, unarmed dwarf will raise some eyebrows and might get unfriendly attention from traditionalists, but so does having human friends. A dwarf interested in his clan's past and past holdings? Hungry for lost secrets? That's very true to dwarven culture. They're not nerdy like elves can get, but they still care. :)
Both of you guys need to read The Fifth Elephant and Thud! by the late great Sir Terry Pratchett. In fact, read all of his Discworld books but particularly the ones focusing on the Night Watch. He has a lot of fun with the classic idea of dwarfs and dwarveness.
Ability Scores 25 point buy. You may reduce one score as low as 7 (before racial modifiers) to get more points to spend elsewhere. OR you may take 4d6 drop lowest. You can roll and then decide how you’d like to go. If you do roll and don’t get a net positive set of ability modifiers, you can junk it and roll until you do before deciding. If you choose the roll, there’s no limit to how low your scores can go.
So this means I can roll until I get something I like...
4th time is a charm...
or do I take the 25 point buy
I'm interested. thinking about what I want to play.
I hear Oracle/Barbarian is good... ;)
Philo Pharynx wrote:
Oh, and there are technically firearms in Faerun, but they are a secret developed in Lantan. Spreading that information would be bad. Gunslingers shooting all over the place would cause issues.
Gond dropped the secret on Lantan during or just after the Time of Troubles. We're pre-ToT. But really, it's that widespread firearms (common enough to fuel a base class, anyway) would be more jarring than blade magic for the flavor I hope to achieve.
Both of you guys need to read The Fifth Elephant and Thud! by the late great Sir Terry Pratchett. In fact, read all of his Discworld books but particularly the ones focusing on the Night Watch. He has a lot of fun with the classic idea of dwarfs and dwarveness.
Confession: I tried Discworld and it's the kind of humor that just annoys me.
Both of you guys need to read The Fifth Elephant and Thud! by the late great Sir Terry Pratchett. In fact, read all of his Discworld books but particularly the ones focusing on the Night Watch. He has a lot of fun with the classic idea of dwarfs and dwarveness.
Confession: I tried Discworld and it's the kind of humor that just annoys me.
Heresy! I kind of do see how someone could feel like that though.
Regardless, how evil is necromancery in this setting? Could you have a counter-necromancer on the team, or would I become little more than a magnet for mobs?
Ability Scores 25 point buy. You may reduce one score as low as 7 (before racial modifiers) to get more points to spend elsewhere. OR you may take 4d6 drop lowest. You can roll and then decide how you’d like to go. If you do roll and don’t get a net positive set of ability modifiers, you can junk it and roll until you do before deciding. If you choose the roll, there’s no limit to how low your scores can go.
So this means I can roll until I get something I like...
That wasn't the intended read, sorry. :( My fault for not being clear enough. I usually just give point buy but give a chance to be more old school.
I'm giving the option to do 4d6, drop lowest or 25 point buy. If 4d6 rolls don't give you a net positive ability modifier, you get to roll again. If they do, you don't. The intended goal is that 25 point buy serves as the floor and people who rolled better could take better...but might have to deal with a really low ability somewhere or a less optimal overall spread.
So your first roll is +1+1+3-1 in modifiers, ignoring zeroes, so +3 net. That doesn't trigger the reroll option. Though honestly thirteen point buy equivalent is so bad I'd have let you have one anyway.
Set #2: +1+2+2, net +4, would be a keeper. They're not great stats, but that's what the point buy option is for. With a good set of racial adjustments (or dual-talented human) the two fifteens turn into two seventeens and that's decent.
Set #3: Would be a throwaway no matter what. -4 is just cruel and painful.
Set #4 would have been ok...if it were your first acceptable lineup. But that's Set #2. :(
Bah, overzealous snipping and missed a thing a moment ago.
Master Han Del of the Web wrote:
I was not expecting you to, Dreamscarred's products are usually interesting enough that they provide a good read anyway. $5 will certainly not sink me.
Ok. I just didn't want to have you spend money over a possible misunderstanding. :)
EDIT: I think I'm going to be making a Dwarven Hunter/Fighter (Eldritch Guardian). Basically someone who went out in the wilderness and got a bunch of animal friends in place of actual "human" contact. Although with those rolls, I can afford to get super MAD...might have to rethink.
Any chance you'd allow the Path of War Medic class?
Is it still in playtesting or is that more or less the final version?
That's final as far as I know (though isn't on the SRD for some reason). I own the released PDF and would be happy to highlight any differences that exist.
Regardless, how evil is necromancery in this setting? Could you have a counter-necromancer on the team, or would I become little more than a magnet for mobs?
That's something I forgot to put in the primers and should have.
On Necromancy
Necromancy qua necromancy is morally neutral. It's the magic of life and death, neither good nor evil. All conjuration (healing) spells and similar in the PRD are in the necromancy school, whether on the sorc/wiz spell list or not, for this game's purposes. Most people not learned of Art (magic) lack the education to know the difference between healing and undead raising, believing Necromancy is all about the latter and various death spells. Those who do know better may eschew most non-healing necromancies and deny that healing is "really" necromancy anyway...but not all of them do so. There's an in-world distinction between dark, fell, evil, or criminal necromancy (used to create and augment undead, harm the living, etc), gray necromancy (things that detect undeath, are fueled with the willing sacrifice of life, etc), and helpful necromancy (healing the living and harming undead). Harmful necromancy is more common and prominent, both in culture and actual practice, but that's more down to individual predilections and the natural tendency to remember horrors longer and more keenly. I'm away from my books just now but I can dig up some spells of each to give you more of an idea later.
So a counter-necromancer built around destroying or confounding undead is a perfectly fitting concept. Even creating undead in limited form could be ok. Many religions use sacred undead for various purposes, usually as guardian creatures and ideally (but not always) the bodies of those who chose the lot willingly to serve on after death. Almost all of them have some kind of place for benevolent ghosts and other spirits that may arise naturally and haunt a place, but don't molest those who are supposed to be present. A temple or other such ghost might offer help and advice, be a store of otherwise lost knowledge, all kinds of things.
You may not want to go around advertising yourself as such to the mundanes, since they would hear "necromancer" as a synonym for "evil wizard we must flee and warn others of who will come back with spells and steel to the ready". If you're "a wizard who puts dead things to rest" then you'd only get the usual wizardly uneasiness, probably with an element of "well, it's good that you're doing right by it."
Goblins? Take out rolling cheese and I don't see it.
Dwarves are certainly great.
But at the same time half-orcs with sacred tattoos, fate's favored and +2 Str make for great beatsticks. Make one into an oracle/barbarian for rage cycling and you have a monster on your hands.
And for wizardry elves are of course amazing. A bladebound kensai magus/ inspired blade swashbuckler would give any dwarf a run for his money. Sure, much lower HP, but insane damage output.
I was even tempted to go with a half-elf (with dragonsoul, so it's subtypes elf/dragon) Scaled Fist Unchained Monk/Sorceror build (Draconic Heritage). Getting +2 Cha would have helped out a lot, and +4 AC from mage armor and +4 AC from shield would be just downright broken too. Make it a dex build (ie: agile amulet of mighty blows) so you boost up Dex/Cha as high as possible, and you end up with truly insane AC.
