Slaying The God-King

Game Master Overred

The God-King Eldarrion has reigned for over 400 years. Ruling his kingdom with an iron fist, the God-King's empire is bloated from greed, decadence and crime. Destroying rival kingdoms, obliterating opponents and burning down innocent towns, his Empire controls most of the continent of Arrana. Living in one of the few independent cities north of the Empire, your life was simple yet good.

Can you stop the God-King's destructive gaze? Can you bring an entire Empire crashing to the ground?

This is a home-brewed campaign I have played several times in the past, both local and PbP. It usually ends very well and I have enjoyed DMing it immensely. I am ultimately looking for a max of 5, serious roleplayers with decent characters and good writing.

I am looking for a moderately quick game, with postings every other day at least. I usually have off at night and can respond to most posts by 6, my time (CST).

The game utilizes my own setting but still uses several of Pathfinders. Classes, deities and magical items are still Pathfinder.

Character Creation Rules

Characters start at level 8
Point buy is at 25, with stats starting at 10.
1 trait is allowed. 1 Drawback is allowed.
2,000 gold is given for equipment but you will not 'spawn' with it.
Allowed Races: Core, most non RP+ races. Ask if you are curious.
Classes: Base, Core and most Prestige. Again, ask if curious.
I am a very lax GM, so carrying capacity and ammunition are not required for the most part. Just dont go crazy.
You are allowed one, custom magical item that must link to your history. It might of been a family heirloom that was enhanced during your return to mortality. It cannot be super powerful and it must link to you somehow.
No Chaotic Evil or backstabbing please.
A character history is required.

Setting Information

You are resurrected back to the mortal coil with your abilities enhanced greatly. Compared to the average soldier, you are a demi-god. Think about it this way; You start at level 8 while most professional soldiers are level 1-2.

You must start out as either a traveler going through Stoneberg, the town that was sieged and destroyed, or living there when it happened.

Magic is very rare. Magical items are even rarer. Wizards, Mages and Sorcerers are the talk of legends. Most villagers are scared of the idea of mages, etc. Most of the time, people that claim to be mages, etc., are tricksters or scam artists.

The game will be free-play with an over all goal. Your mission is to assassinate the 4 advisers that rule over a specific part of the Empire. Killing them is imperative before killing the God-King.

I am very lax with combat, etc. Therefore, to save for time, there will be no combat maps, etc. I will only do this is absolutely necessary.

Crunch is in progress, but backstory is ready to go.

So no hybrid classes? Specifically Skald.

Ooh, this is interesting. I offer an apothecary turned alchemist through this deal-induced enhancement. He watched his youth-infatuation's husband die valiantly fighting the onslaught, and he himself died shortly thereafter (much less valiantly), leaving his own wife and his infatuation's fates unknown.

Probably going elf, but let me fluff this out and we can go from there.

Can we get some guidance on the linked equipment? Like something below certain gold amount, subject to your approval?

If allowed to be a Harald of the Horn Skald, there are all sorts of possibilities for my magic item being my horn.

Jusker, I'd love to see the character. Either through here or PM.

Vingoodman, An apothecary turned alchemist could be quite good and has merit for a character. I could see a healer returning from hell armed with bombs, etc.

Guidance on the linked equipment is difficult, as I do not want to limit your creation and imagination. For instance, a vial your character keeps around that was a gift from a long-time crush could be a linked magical item. It could refill everyday of whatever potion you wanted for the day. Stuff like that.

Noh, I looked over it and read up on it. I do not think I would have a problem with you being a Skald. A good party buffer with okay melee. Go ahead and create a character and I will look over it.

Working on Druid (Saurian Shaman)/ Monk (Master of Many Styles) for submission.

If magic is rare, does that mean PC's can't be Wizards, Sorcerors, etc.?

I have never played with a Saurian Shaman before. Did not know it honestly existed before I looked it up. Sounds different. Looking forward to what you create.

Caro, yes you can. Inherent magic is very rare in Arrana, and one could imagine that being resurrected 'unlocked' the magic within them, allowing them to study it, use it, etc.

I have an idea....
This boy who was a blind maldeformed beggar before... just listening at the temple steps to bards about heros and dashing swordsman rescuing princesses. But.. he was just a beggar boy sitting on the steps of a temple. Then the godkings army came.
I would like to know if you allow the new swashbuckler? ACG race?
Would you allow a kitsune.
If not I think aboujt a Dwarven fighter.

I'm not fond of Kitsune. Honestly, every person I have played with when it comes to them makes them overly anime. Gets annoying rather quickly.

Finished submission for Jusker, a sorcerer/veiled illusionist. Since your restrictions on our one magic item weren't very specific, I hope the one I chose is ok.

I think I will be throwing my hat into this. Due to the rarity of magic in his world, I think I will shy away from that... but would you mind the Picaroon Swashbuckler, or perhaps the Gunslinger class? I never played either of those two classes, but I just had the idea of a Lawful Evil military commander who specializes in either fighting face to face with enemies and shooting when the rapier doesn't seem to be too effective, or one who is one with the boomstick. (AKA Musket)

Most GMs don't like guns however, so it is your choice.

If not, I was thinking an honest to goodness Hellknight as I've always wanted to play on of those (Ooooooh, perhaps a Paladin of Torag from the Order of Godclaw). Either way, you've got a soldier in your hands.

Jusker, I do not see the submission. I am still new to Paizo's interface, etc. so I may of missed it. Where is it?

Doombringer, unfortunately, guns are not commonplace on Arrana just yet. However, the Hellknight could be good. Lawful Evil is allowed, as long as their is not party-killing involved, etc.

This is the alias I made for my character, so just click on my name and it'll take you to my profile (which has all the details).

I have a cleric in the making for this. Will post tonight.

Jusker, I really like it. Even with magic being incredibly rare, I enjoyed your background. The magical item you describe is also thoughtfully connected to your background and not incredibly powerful.

Michelle, I am glad we have a cleric. Be reminded that clerics of all deities worship their gods in secret. Only worship of the God-King is allowed.

I think I have some more tweeks, but here is Benedict.

Depending on your response to my message, I will stick with either a Bolt Ace/Gun Tank (no guns required in this package), or a Cavalier focused on Archery. Either one is great for building a Hellknight.

Ooh, like the idea about your items. Got a couple of directions I like:

1) A flask shatters in his grasp in his dying moment. This flask draws upon his essence and forms into...something once a day. Working out what it is. I also have it building up in power each day it lies dorment.

2) Something that has two distinct powers, each reflecting the personality of his two loves or his feelings towards the two, with a third option that lies dorment. The third option kicks in, if at any point he can make peace with his infatuation, and replaces her portion of the power. This is the essence of the man who married the infatuation, in support of our apothecary hero in his task.

Doombringer, I PMed you back. I like your ideas thus far.

Vin, I like the flask idea personally. You could have it where it permanently looks damaged but never leaks AND it refills whatever liquid you want everyday. Potion, water, etc.

Should I roll for HP? (My build should be done quite soon, and the back story should be done by tonight.)

Yes, HP should be rolled like normal. I do allow redo's if you get something terrible. I've had players roll 1's for every HP roll and I am not that mean.

HP: 8d10 + 16 + 8 ⇒ (5, 8, 10, 3, 7, 2, 7, 4) + 16 + 8 = 70

I will say that I hope to end recruitment soon. I am antsy to start playing. Those of you with characters, please try to finish up with your sheets and back-stories.

Need to polish the equipment and a bit of the history but wanted to submit my magus for this pbp before it was too late.

So here he is. Thanks for consideration

Will do. Got a busy day at work today but will convert concept to char this evening.

Let's get the alchemist hp's out of the way:

(rolls for 2-8 + L1 + CON x 8 + FC x 8)
HP: 17d8 + 8 + 8 + 8 ⇒ (5, 1, 5, 2, 8, 2, 4, 3, 2, 4, 8, 8, 1, 7, 7, 3, 3) + 8 + 8 + 8 = 97

Sweet! But totally wrong. I think that's 27 from the first 7 rolls, plus 24, for 51 total.

I am not sure how you are rolling the health or anything there Vin. I would be very surprised if an alchemist can get 97 health by level 8.

Looks like we still a Tank honestly. Doombringer could be a potential tank.

Yeah, I messed up the code and rolled 17 of them. The first seven gives me 27, with the +24 (L1 max, CON and FC) gives me 51 total. Want me to reroll to make your life easier? The 27 I rolled on the first 7 rolls is only 4.5 below average for rolling 7d8, and I figure I just go with it instead of rerolling.

A small chuckle comes from the other side of the PC waiting room. "Doombringer? That sounds a lot like the one who brought me back from the dead."

This is Doombringer... and in all seriousness, if you need a tank, I can see about Changing the Snapshot feat for Toughness... and see about allocating a few more skill points in Constitution... That would give me 16 more HP.

EDIT: I just did that exactly. I'm currently at 86 HP now, and can be the front line, even if I am an archer. That's what the five foot step was invented for, right? ;) To get archers just far enough away from the enemy to keep firing?

I love your profile pic Belzkan. Good to know we have a good tank.

Thats fine Vin. You can keep it the way it is.

I didnt notice but Riphar has a good amount of health too so I guess we kind of have 2 tanks.

As soon as everyone that posted interest actually posts characters, we can get this started. Im already typing up most of the intro missions, etc.

I love your profile pic Belzkan. Good to know we have a good tank.

Why thank you sir.

I'm buying equipment as I type, and was wondering what you thought of my magic item idea.

By the way, could I possibly buy blunt bolts, similar to how they have blunt arrows? Seeing as I am an archer, it really does hurt that I can't switch damage type from piercing. Perhaps they cost more gold than the normal bolts?

I like it. Would it magically appear randomly or is it always with you, unless something happens to it?

I like it. Would it magically appear randomly or is it always with you, unless something happens to it?

I EDITED my comment, and asked a question concerning bolts.

As for the lock of hair, I think I would wear it around his wrist like a bracelet, and keep it there so that he never forgets the murder he committed. I'm sure if it were ever taken from him, he would hunt down the bastards who took it and make them suffer... So would it function once per week or once per day? (I'm thinking once per week balances it out more, especially since he doesn't want to abuse the power too often)

That sounds fair enough for the ability it gives.

I do not see why not. They would cost more obviously, but I don't see why you could not.

Alright, here is my character sheet.

http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=1026691

Note, I have a lot of equipment. Most of it is going to be carried by the elephant (pack animal) that I noted. The wagon will be pulled by the elephant, and the falcon... the falcon is just because I need a pet. It's name is Bloodwing.

Ok, here's our poor alchemist's backstory (abridged version)

Building the crunch surrounding this. Once done, I'll move the pertinent info over to the alias. Sorry it wasn't done last night. Should get there today. I left a lot of nuances out of the backstory, and will flesh them out as we progress:

Is that enough for the fluff? I would like to focus on finishing the crunch and the flask.

Sorry for the double post (missed the edit window by 1 minute!). I happen to have a discovery and a feat (L6 and 7) open. What do you think about an imp familiar? Agent of the hell-fiend, tasked with serving Calanon but with a mind of its own. And, would it have the same ability as the tumor familiar (that is, it can be "absorbed" into Calanon's body when it doesn't feel like being out and about)?

Quite interesting. I'll work on a fetchling rogue when I get back home. And no, he won't bail on the Prime Material Plane by fleeing to the Shadow Plane. That would be part of the background story.

Could you be a bit more specific on the "not super-powerful" heirloom requirement, eg a max gold value or something like that? I wouldn't want to devise something wildly at variance with what other people have.

Vitesse, I would rather not put a limit of gold on the item. As long as the item is not terribly powerful or ridiculous. A +5 Vorpal Sword of Ardent Flame that doubles as a bra would ridiculous and over-powered.

Vin, The Imp could work but realize that getting caught with it could be horrible for the party. Over all, I liked the character and his motivations.

Belzkan, you actually have an elephant pack mule? Not sure if that would work lore-wise. The elephant would be hard to use in the campaign. The hawk is perfectly fine though.

Vitesse, I would rather not put a limit of gold on the item. As long as the item is not terribly powerful or ridiculous. A +5 Vorpal Sword of Ardent Flame that doubles as a bra would ridiculous and over-powered.

Vin, The Imp could work but realize that getting caught with it could be horrible for the party. Over all, I liked the character and his motivations.

Belzkan, you actually have an elephant pack mule? Not sure if that would work lore-wise. The elephant would be hard to use in the campaign. The hawk is perfectly fine though.

I was thinking of something like the real life Hannibal :) But that's only one of the possible 'skins' presented for a pack animal. Yaks are also used as are mules. Actually... could I use a mule? Not really something to ride, but if we need to travel, I suppose we could jump in the wagon.

A mule would work MUCH better and would make more sense for the campaign. The elephant would be cool but honestly, its out of flavor for the game.

The profile now has a link to the myth-weaver sheet. Working on moving the information over tonight and tomorrow morning.

I nominate Vye Cuttelar, Fetchling Rogue, for consideration. The numbers aren't cast in stone and a few things aren't fully calculated yet, but the idea and the backstory are there.

And here is Vye Cuttelar's profile.

So when were you thinking of starting? :3

So the magic item I went with is just the default black blade the magus gets as a class ability. Is this correct or should I spice it up or create a more tasty magic item like Best Friends Nose or something?

I happen to like your blade, for what it's worth. But, I'm sure you can do something weirder if you'd like :). I am finding it surprisingly hard to spend 2k on mundane equipment. Any advice?