Okay, so welcome to my premiere campaign on Paizo!
This is a recruitment for the Way of the Wicked adventure path. There is a major twist though: all of the PCs are madmen who will be recruited by the Cult of the Yellow Sign, assuming that they can escape the feared Branderscar Sanitarium!
Time for the character creation process!
Level- Gestalt 1 (Stipulation: one side of the gestalt must be leveled up in a SINGLE class)
Ability Scores: 20 point buy system, from a base of 10, with increases and decreases to scores occurring on a one-for-one basis. Remember that no ability score may be higher than 18+-modifiers or lower than 08+-modifiers.
HP- Maximum per level
Classes- Any official Paizo. You may inquire about third party material.
Alignment- CE, NE, LE, or a dark CN.
Race- Any official Paizo. You may inquire about third party material.
Traits: 2
Insanity: Pick a single insanity for your character. You will gain bonuses and penalties based on the insanity that you choose. You must be crazy enough to have been reasonably placed within a sanitarium, which is an older word for asylum or mental hospital.
Eldritch Points: Each character will start the campaign with a single Eldritch Point. These points are similar to Hero Points, but can achieve a wide variety of results, solely up to the GM's purview on what it can do. These points will accomplish powerful effects by drawing upon the link to Hastur that the PCs have, but once a point is spent, it is gone forever. If you wish to use one, just send a personal message to my account detailing what you want the point to be used for. In no circumstance will the Eldritch Point ever be an 'auto-win' scenario.
Ok, so I believe that covers all the pertinent questions! If anyone has any questions, feel free to put them forward!
Edit- Due to the nature of the Cult of the Yellow Sign's rites and ceremonies, I will be using some fairly mature content. These will be placed in well-labeled spoilers, so those who want to avoid vivid depictions of decadence and possibly torture should not feel the need to exclude themselves on this basis.
Ha! Create a character then! What is your concept?
This sounds amazing!
Reading up on the insanities now.
Wondering- Occult Adventure classes are official Paizo material, as well as quite fitting for this campaign, so they are allowed!
Looking at a cleric of said Hastur, by the way.
Edit: I'm assuming we can't cure our madness? I wouldn't want to, but the rules say we make will saves against it.
To respond to the previous threads' question of: "How much are you detailing the illusions? I am curious, given that I 'filled in the blanks' with the play and added all the lurid decadence, madness, and violence that ensued."
I think it might shift from illusion to illusion. I could go vaguely descriptive in parts, more vivid with other, but at least sort of alluding to what the illusion is in a sort of Lovecraft-ish way. I'm also thinking of maybe centering the bard around Intimidate and using the illusions as window dressing; would you allow a slightly reflavoured Haunted Fey Aspect for that? Nothing would change mechanically, just the things they would be sheathing themself in, illusion-wise. It's a cantrip of negligible effect, I'd just want it for added spookiness.
As for the play itself; I'd go for the quotes that exist in the source material here and there, and again other times just sort of be vague in the description of it, or perhaps sometimes sing songs about the Dark Tapestry instead; a proper bard whose repertoire just includes the play for when there's sufficient reason to bring it out.
Bigrig107- Due to your link to the King in Yellow, said insanities cannot be cured. They are as much a part of your character now as their arm or leg.
Butterfly- That is perfectly acceptable.
This sounds hella awesome. Quick question, where do we find a list of insanities?
Do you have a list of insanities or do we use this list Insanities
I am SO in. :D
Would you consider cannibalism/reverting to a more primal state an Insanity?
Edit: I am referring to the eating of sentient beings as cannibalism not necessarily just their own race.
For those asking for a list of mental illnesses, here is a list for you.
I would suggest picking ones that are much more extreme, due to the fact that the Cult of the Yellow Sign only features those whose cheese has slid entirely off their cracker, but any of them will work for your character, provided that you make it work.
If anyone has an idea for their character's madness, but doesn't know what it is called specifically, just ask. I was trained in psychology for years, with an emphasis on abnormal psychology and clinical psychiatry, so I can probably give you a name for the disorder pretty well.
Vincent- Yes, even though it is not considered a disorder in modern psychology terms, due to it being socially acceptable in some cultures. That said, it is most definitely NOT normal to revert to Killer Croc-esque behavior.
Hazzah, I have a character that I made for a Wrath of the Righteous that I twisted a bit the more and more I messed with him and he came out perhaps a bit too twisted and evil for most games but I consider him CN given his animalistic like nature.
Very interested, have to figure out exactly what I'd want to play. Offering Occult Adventures is also quite intriguing... what about the Vigilante playtest? A high-functioning sociopath type, perhaps?
Does the insanity basically replace the crime trait I take it?
Would being a follower/cleric of a different kind of madness be appropriate, or are you looking for people directly worshipping Hastur?
Because I have this sick idea for a cleric of Groteus using the Madness variant channel, and dark tapestry oracle using Gift of Madnes.
Confusion for everyone!
Edit: as for his insanity, I was thinking that he could sleepwalk, only he traces and/or draws "meaningless" symbols everywhere, as seen in the first Mortal Instruments.
Except, these aren't good symbols. Open eyes, clawed hands, etc.
And he can't stop or understand them, but he's trying to. So hard
Loup Blanc- Vigilante is allowed. :)
Vincent- Yes. I am not listing all the bonuses except on request, due to the massive list of disorders available.
Bigrig107- Due to the nature of the campaign, you will be joining the Brotherhood of the Yellow Sign. This means that membership in the clergy is preferable, but not required. It DOES require participation in various rites and rituals of the cult, so if you are ok with divided loyalties, that is perfectly fine.
I have a feeling that Groteus does not really care who he works with, as his plan for destruction is total.
And, ninja'd by the GM!
What do you think of my proposed insanity?
Naturally, he'd be the stereotypical doomsayer as well.
I'm starting to wonder if my revenge driven delusional maniac is too sane for this game.
Sarhashil
Male Brawler (Steel-breaker)/Barbarian (True Primitive)1
CN Medium humanoid (Nagaji)
Init +2
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Defense
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AC 13, touch 12, flat-footed 11 (+2 Dex)
hp 15 (1d12+3)
Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +2
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Offense
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Speed 30 ft.
Melee Unarmed strike +6 1d6+4
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Statistics
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Str 20, Dex 14, Con 16, Int 6, Wis 14, Cha 10
Base Atk +1; CMB +6; CMD 18/16Fl
Feats Improved Grapple
Traits Armor Expert, Child of Nature
Skills Intimidate +4, Perception +8, Survival +8
Languages Common, Draconic
Combat Gear
Other Gear
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Special Abilities
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Armor Expert
Favored Terrain Urban
Illiteracy
Improved Grapple
Improved Unarmed Strike
Low-Light Vision
Martial Flexibility (move action 4/day)
Rage 7/day
Resistant
Serpent's Sense
Unarmed Strike
There are many truths in the world; evil will always exist, slavers will travel to great lengths to bring home slaves worth selling, and with those truths there will always be a coliseum. It was with these truths that began Sarhashil began his life. While he doesn't remember much of his early life, he does know these truths...He was born on the continent Tian Xia, was found or perhaps enslaved was the better word from the Valashmai Jungles, and he had Monty.
As far back as he can remember, he was locked in a cage. He grew up in the dungeons of Cheliax. He didn't have much to occupy his time, a bit of chalk and his daily bread and water. He grew large in a short time and while he enjoyed his doodling on the walls, he always payed for it harshly. He grew up with a great deal of hate in his heart, beginning to strike back against his captors. It was then that the demons of Cheliax felt that they had done what they needed to nurture a ruthless Gladiator.
He went out into the coliseum for the first time with nothing on his back. He was hungry, he was scared, and he angry. His opponent was a pack of wolves, something that the Chelaxians believed would be enough of a challenge without killing him. He savored his first fight, eagerly killing them and savoring their flesh like a demon. The battles continued, each a little more challenging then the last.
His armor slowly began to come about from those he fell, piece-mealing it together piece by piece from the sentinets he killed and adorning it with sharpened bones from the fallen beasts he slain. He grew primal in nature, bullying those around him for their food and always making sure to pay back those who did any damage to him in kind.
He began to be known in the coliseum for his patented way of killing his opponent. It always ended in blood and nearly always as the opponent was being held up broken and bloodied, he'd look to the crowd seeking their approval before latching his teeth down upon the jugular of his opponent and crushing or ripping it out. The taste of blood was something that he began to become used to, the smell of it, the texture of it made him hungry.
He killed his handlers in a fit of rage one faithful eve, they had come to feed him and he felt that the share was not well enough. He snapped their necks and stole the keys. He walked out on a killing spree, taking gold wherever he could find it and caught the first boat out that he could. It was as the ship sat sail that the guards finally started showing up at the port, he may be a savage but he was smart enough not to kill once he was out of the coliseum. He didn't care where he was headed as long as it was away from there. He began to plot his vengeance upon the races that had enslaved him, soon their reckoning would come. He laughed in his cabin and slowly savored a couple more fingers as treats.
The ship had been chartered for Talingarde and it had barely even made it there with what crew and passengers that were left. The killing spree had been vicious and sickening for those who had survived. It was only by the grace of the gods that they had managed to drop part of the shrouds down on the beast. The heavy rope and the pummeling from belaying pins managed to drop him unconscious long enough for them to secure his body to the mast with ropes and patch up the shrouds. He was turned in immediately upon arrival but surprisingly managed to dodge the gallows and instead ended up in Branderscar Sanitarium.
Looking at probably going pure up the whole thing. He'll be mostly a grapple monster with armor spikes being a primary source of damage as well as getting a bite attack from Rage Powers. Most likely if he cannot grapple an opponent, he will switch to beating it unconscious before killing it with his maw. His armor will be made from the fallen (mostly fluff as he won't have craft abilities but the Trophy placements upon it and such add a nice feel to the character as well as bone spikes.)
He is quick tempered to say the least. Easy to flip into a rage but understands the idea of a pack. Having been placed on a team before in the coliseum even in his rage managed to not injure or kill them. Though once the battle was over and they did something to wrong him, he instantly saw them as simply prey once again. So could he be a team player, yes. Would it be wise to cross him...no, can he be tricked if needed...probably.
He is a huge creature to say the least, standing at six and a half feet tall. His build is almost nothing but muscle, his body being his weapon and his fighting style requiring quite a lot of energy, he stays in quite good shape. His scales are black as night and likely to be covered in blood. Rarely will he bath, only when tracking his prey does he clean himself.
I hope this is found to be an interesting read and would love any critiquing anyone would be willing to provide as it helps me grow as a player.
My current idea is to do a sadomasochistic Sorcerer//Necromancer former torturer who was locked up after he caused a wave of terror to strike his city of residence when his skills were no longer required after a war.
This is just a rough idea but, what do you think?
Hello there, old boy H.P! Have you seen the Yellow Sign lately? ;)
Edit: Holy underpants Batman, you're a 5-star GM?
Bigrig107- Makes sense, since neither Groetus nor the King in Yellow probably care about worshiper exclusivity. Not only that, but they sort of match in some aspects. Both have madness and nihilism as core components in their worshipers and both are interested in entropy, with Groetus desiring the ultimate entropy of oblivion while He Who Must Not Be Named preferring to gradually erode souls and the nature of reality itself. The latter is actually mentioned in a write-up as being almost an incarnation of the Entropy Principle, the inevitable and universal law that all things slide towards chaos and dissolution, whether those things be physical like a rock or metaphysical like a moral compass.
Korak- Nonsense! You just have to bring out the special crazy sauce!
Darthrancor- How old do you intend for your character to be? Talingarde, as a rule, does not employ torturers. Talingarde is the stereotypical good kingdom with no taste for such things. Years before, when the Barcans and not the Markadians sat upon the throne, things were a lot different. Your character would be of more advanced age if you choose to do this, however. Alternately, instead of facing justice in your home city, you fled to Talingarde and took up residence, whereupon you where captured and imprisoned once it became clear that you were insane.
Sigh I don't want to bring out the special crazy sauce. This is the character I want to play in WotW. It is the character I immediately envisioned upon reading the preview, it is the villain I've wished to play since I found out about this AP. So I guess I'll see you. One of these days I will find an appropriate campaign for this psycho.
Korak- Why don't you show me the character's write-up? He may be crazy enough!
He's really not. He basically sees his past actions through rose tinted glasses. he tried to rape princess belinda but in his delusional mind it was a tryst that her father interrupted, that he and belinda were madly in love but he got locked away from her because the king didn't approve of the union of his little girl to a common guard. In the original thought he would have snapped out of it eventually, though in this he wouldn't.
Korak- Obsession is a madness in and of itself! I do have one question though: would you eventually turn on her as well?
That was the original plan, in something like this I think the next logical step would be kidnapping/brainwashing. Well, in so much as logic can be applied to madness.
Korak- See? He's crazy enough! Maybe not scratching the nonexistent bugs from his arms crazy or hearing the voice of the cosmos whispering dark truths in his ears crazy, but crazy nonetheless! Feel free to write up a nice fluffy concept! :)
Interested. Considering making a Medium with multiple personality disorder, because why not go for the obvious?
Ok, here's my submission.
Carcosa is Skald/Summoner who's been in Branderscar Sanitarium for quite a while. He's polite, eloquent, and has a habit of saying very strange and unsettling things. His full backstory is in his alias.
The inspiration for the character comes a bit from Hellraiser and a a bit from The Whisper In Darkness.
As far as his party role is concerned, he is a Support character filling a similar role to a Bard. He has quite a few social skills and knowledges. He'll be tossing out a lot of buffs and summoning up things that will help keep the party from getting their butts kicked. he's a handy fellow to have around, particularly for anyone who is a martial character.
As a player, I'm very experienced and reliable. I'm at somewhere near 20,000 PbP posts on this site from various games i've been in over the years. I am a huge fan of lovecraftian-style horror, and really plan on delving deep into the minutia and lore with this character.
If you pick me I promise you will not be disappointed.
I'm definitely thinking more the second option. But for curiosities sake, how old would he have be if he was apart of the previous government?
I also have no idea what this world looks like. Do you have something that can fix that?
Also how do you feel about re-flavoring traits?
hmmm - I'm thinking a kitsune with realistic likeness and a dissociative disorder? She is losing herself and putting forth these constructed personalities instead
Mostly focusing on mindbending magic - sorcerer is prime, after one level of rogue, she's going bard.
Kyla
Female kitsune rogue (unchained, kitsune trickster) 1/sorcerer 1/gestalt 1 (Pathfinder RPG Advanced Race Guide 192, 193)
CN Medium humanoid (kitsune, shapechanger)
Hero Points 1
Init +3; Senses low-light vision; Perception +3
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Defense
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AC 13, touch 13, flat-footed 10 (+3 Dex)
hp 9 (1d8+1)
Fort +1, Ref +7, Will +3; +1 trait bonus vs illusion effects.
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Offense
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Speed 30 ft.
Melee bite +3 (1d4)
Special Attacks sneak attack (unchained) +1d6
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 1st; concentration +5)
. . 3/day—dancing lights
Bloodline Spell-Like Abilities (CL 1st; concentration +5)
. . 7/day—laughing touch
Sorcerer Spells Known (CL 1st; concentration +5)
. . 1st (4/day)—adhesive spittle[ACG] (DC 15), sleep (DC 18)
. . 0 (at will)—daze (DC 17), detect magic, message, prestidigitation
. . Bloodline Fey
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Statistics
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Str 10, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 9, Cha 18
Base Atk +0; CMB +0; CMD 13
Feats Eschew Materials, Realistic Likeness[ARG], Weapon Finesse
Traits hardly a fool
Skills Acrobatics +7, Bluff +10, Diplomacy +10, Disguise +10 (+20 circumstance with change shape), Escape Artist +7, Intimidate +8, Perception +3, Perform (oratory) +8, Sense Motive +6, Spellcraft +6, Stealth +7, Use Magic Device +8
Languages Celestial, Common, Elven, Sylvan
SQ change shape, gregarious, hero points, kitsune magic
Other Gear 150 gp
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Special Abilities
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Change Shape (Su) Assume a single human form.
Eschew Materials Cast spells without materials, if component cost is 1 gp or less.
Gregarious (Ex) Successful Diplomacy check causes target to take a –2 penalty vs further CHA skills for 24 hr.
Hardly a Fool +1 trait bonus to save vs. illusion effects.
Hero Points Hero Points can be spent at any time to grant a variety of bonuses.
Laughing Touch (7/day) (Sp) As a standard action, if melee touch hits, foe can take only move actions for 1 rd.
Low-Light Vision See twice as far as a human in low light, distinguishing color and detail.
Realistic Likeness Change shape can mimic individuals you've met, gain a +10 bonus to Disguise to impersonate.
Sneak Attack (Unchained) +1d6 Attacks deal extra dam if flank foe or if foe is flat-footed.
Heh. Well, Howard Phillips is only one of my aliases - this is another ;-)
H.P. here again - I think Tyrrol might be suitable for this little foray ;-)
I'm definitely thinking more the second option. But for curiosities sake, how old would he have be if he was apart of the previous government?
Unless there's some serious changes to the timeline, the current king is the fourth of his line and he's in his thirties.
That puts the previous dynasty at about 80-100 years in the past. If you were an elf or dwarf you could probably be old enough to remember it.
Hello. Sounds fun.
My idea is a rogue/wizard
Race TBA. Maybe plain human
If you check Hasturs' entry, it gives his domains and favored weapon, which happens to be the rapier.
Edit: GM, would Groteus count as an "Outer God" for this feat?
@GM
Megalomania. For a wizard/rogue going arcane trickster? Maybe go the Lich path
To those who are looking into Cleric Domains for Hastur, I am expanding his list a bit. If you have questions, feel free to ask!
Does anyone have the player's guide that I found online, which details the land of Talingarde and it's history? If not, I can either find it or compile it in a massive wall of text that I can post.
Rynjin- Right? Occam's Razor is fairly dependable!
Carcosa- I have lurked for years and have read several campaigns here on the messageboards. I know the quality of your characters and roleplaying, so trust me, you're a strong candidate. Out of curiosity, have you ever played Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem? They're supposedly working on a sequel to that. Combined with the fact that there is supposedly a Call of Cthulhu game coming out on next-gen consoles the end of this year or early next year, Lovecraft fanboys have much to be happy about!
Darthrancor- Carcosa/Doomed Hero is correct on the timeline. I also have no issues whatsoever reflavoring traits, so long as the new flavor makes sense. For example, don't refluff something with bonuses to Intimidate as something tied to peaceful or passive behavior. Make sense?
Philo Pharynx- That actually sounds pretty cool! Reminds me of something I read in Ravenloft, with the Doppelgangers having something called Shapechanger's Schizophrenia (Bad naming conventions, due to schizophrenia not being related to MPS or DPS,) where they went mad and fully believed themselves to be those whom they changed into. I always have thought that natural shapechangers would find it hard to compartmentalize all those lives and lies without their cheese sliding firmly off of their cracker.
Tyrrol Radanavich- He is indeed suitable! And considering that the Cult of the Yellow Sign preaches that those who follow their King will always find what they seek, your character would probably cooperate quite easily with them.
Wondering Monster- Bigrig107 is correct regarding the favored weapon of Hastur. As far as the vampire feats, I said that you could take an alternate bloodline, assuming you did not want a typical vampire. This bloodline does not drain blood, but drains the mind by touch. Those completely drained of an ability score can either suffer the normal effects or be placed under a Dominate Monster effect. If the latter, only one effect may be in place at a time. Also, you can further drain foes past their 0-score threshold, which begins dealing damage. If they die, they rise as spawn. Note that these spawn are insane and should be carefully managed, lest they do something facepalm-worthy. The other differences include a lack of energy drain, alternate weaknesses (No weakness to sunlight and can go into churches and touch holy symbols, but are harmed by several things, such as Foxglove,), no fast healing, the ability to levitate, and requiring 1 less feat for a full transformation.
Seth86- No need to ask about that combination! It is approved.
Awesome. Will post my character today/tonight
Ouch, I feel like I got some real heavy competition. Makes me wonder a bit if my character idea is a bit lacking...hmmm.
Vincent- Nonsense! Your character idea showcases a form of insanity, a regression back to the darker, more feral part of human nature. It would be interesting, if you are selected, to see how you handle said regression. If you're not feeling it though, I am considering making a second campaign set in the world of Dark Souls, should you be interested in that.
Oh, I wasn't saying that I wasn't interested or not feeling the character. Just seeing the submitting players and such gets me a little intimidated sometimes. I will admit this will be the first time I've played a character with such a low intelligence score though. But, I like the challenge of the idea of him. I'm just wondering how or if I can make him better or more appealing is all.