I am ... tempted. (All together now: "What are you tempted by, Wyrm?" Very good.) I'm tempted to encourage you to go with a Swashbuckler (Musketeer) / Diviner, just so that you can work with me to finish my firearms revision (started here, but it really gets going here). Firing Speed, Weapon Damage, and Costs are the three parts that would still have to be finished, but ... the temptation remains. :/
I'd be willing to help with that stuff anyways, but I'd rather go Magus 2/Diviner and figure out a way to trade out say Ranged Spellstrike at level 2 eldritch archer magus for Musketeer training since it fits the character better.
I think the key thing for me after thinking about it is realizing that I want the powder mage fantasy not the archery tree martial damage output. I want to fire the musket, cast a spell, and drop the musket for the unseen servant to reload. It's nice, thematic, eminently practical and it feels like how a diviner should be fighting.
Selene might say to explain it, "We know that he's going to come through the door at 11:09 am thursday, so we bought a musket, and we rigged the stairs to collapse after we speak some magic. He'll come in, we'll gutshot him, he'll stumble back, we'll say the magic word...That's the Assassin Problem solved. Now about those deliveries, and rebuilding the stairs next thursday afternoon..." I fully expect the majority of Selene's mages look at her as being a bit of a brute/cheat for learning how to use a musket, but that's ok. She's the practical type. This is actually why I was going into Eldritch Knight - she's headed off into the wilderness and so returned to some of her early martial training.
Anyways, spell + guns is already very different from 'optimal' because optimal is pretty much Composite Longbow Martial casually doing a hundred damage at 110', or just Wizard 7 and hello level 4 Spells. So my focus isn't on fixing the musket to be 'optimal' or trying to compete with the longbow. That's both hard and not really what I was going for in the first place.
So of the various things here's my shopping list to make the flavor side of musket mage work sort of within the rules.
1 - Ranged Spell Combat - Shoot Gun + Cast spell.
2 - Gunsmithing to make bullets, Rapid Reload (Musket) to not spend a full round action reloading - even with alchemical cartridges we're still on a move action reload, Quick Clear (or other misfire solution)
Spells within 2 caster levels of 'could have been a straight wizard.' (Being a gish means casting relevant spells)
All that said, how about Magus 2/Diviner 5 to start, intending to work out some replacement of ranged spellstrike for musket training, and we'll figure out what 'she has a living steel musket' means later.
Other relevant questions - Does our custom guild qualify for Eclectic Training/Esoteric Training? If so that's a way in the future to try and get more gish like.
Here's a sample crunch assuming Magus 2 Diviner 4 EK 1, it's within a point or two on numbers of Magus 2 Diviner 5 with fractional BAB/saves, and it's super late here so I'll swap it around in the morning but it should be enough to look at:
PC
Selene
Female human eldritch knight 1/magus (eldritch archer) 2/diviner (scryer[APG]) 4 (Pathfinder Player Companion: Heroes of the Street 11, Pathfinder RPG Advanced Class Guide 126, Pathfinder RPG Advanced Player's Guide 147, Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Magic 9)
LN Medium humanoid (human)
Init +5; Senses Perception +2
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Defense
--------------------
AC 21, touch 14, flat-footed 18 (+6 armor, +1 deflection, +3 Dex, +1 natural)
hp 68 (7 HD; 4d6+2d8+1d10+18)
Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +5
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Offense
--------------------
Speed 30 ft. (20 ft. in armor)
Melee dagger +5 (1d4+2/19-20) or
. . mwk cold iron aldori dueling sword +7 (1d8+2/19-20)
Ranged mwk living steel musket +7 (1d12/×4)
Special Attacks arcane pool (+1, 4 points), spell combat, spellstrike
Diviner Spells Prepared (CL 6th; concentration +9)
. . 3rd—arcane sight, fireball (DC 16), haste, tongues
. . 2nd—bullet shield[UC], greater detect magic[UI], detect thoughts (DC 15), reloading hands[UC] (2)
. . 1st—ant haul[APG] (DC 14), color spray (DC 14), floating disk, snowball (DC 14), true strike
. . 0 (at will)—detect magic, mending, message, read magic
. . Opposition Schools Enchantment, Necromancy
Magus (Eldritch Archer) Spells Prepared (CL 4th; concentration +7)
. . 1st—feather fall, mount, serren's swift girding
. . 0 (at will)—arcane mark, light, prestidigitation, ray of frost
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Statistics
--------------------
Str 14, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 7, Cha 14
Base Atk +4.5; CMB +6; CMD 20
Feats Dynasty Founder, Favored Prestige Class, Gunsmithing[UC], Leadership, Lookout[APG], Master Of The Ledger, Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Prestigious Spellcaster, Rapid Reload, Scribe Scroll
Traits magical knack, sword scion
Skills Acrobatics +1 (-3 to jump), Appraise +17, Bluff +3, Climb +3, Craft (alchemy) +7, Craft (firearms) +5, Diplomacy +3, Disable Device -1, Fly +8, Intimidate +6, Knowledge (arcana) +11, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +7, Knowledge (local) +7, Knowledge (nature) +7, Knowledge (planes) +7, Knowledge (religion) +7, Perception +2, Perform (oratory) +7, Profession (merchant) +12, Ride +8, Sense Motive +2 (+2 when using the hunch task vs. anyone of your profession), Spellcraft +11, Stealth +1, Swim +3, Use Magic Device +9
Languages Azlanti, Celestial, Common, Draconic
SQ arcane bond (Arcane Familiar, raven [sage]), forewarned, living steel, ranged spell combat, ranged spellstrike, ranged weapon bond, send senses
Combat Gear riffle scroll of breath of life, raise dead, wand of cure light wounds; Other Gear mithral mountain pattern armor[UC], dagger, mwk cold iron aldori dueling sword[ISWG], mwk living steel musket[UC], amulet of natural armor +1, beneficial bandolier[UE], cloak of resistance +2, endless bandolier[UE], ring of protection +1, secure paypack, backpack, bedroll, belt pouch, fishhook (2), flint and steel, ink (2), inkpen (2), journal[UE] (2), magus starting spellbook, measuring cord (10 ft.) (2), mug/tankard, paper (10), powder[APG] (2), scroll case, sewing needle, signal whistle, string or twine[APG], thread (50 ft.), trail rations (37), waterskin, whetstone, wizard starting spellbook, wrist sheath, spring loaded, wrist sheath, spring loaded, 1,223 gp
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Special Abilities
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Arcane Pool +1 (4/day) (Su) Infuse own power into a held weapon, granting enhancement bonus or selected item powers.
Deliver Touch Spells Through Familiar (Su) Your familiar can deliver touch spells for you.
Dynasty Founder (1/year) Change aspects of city. Followers gain +1 atk and saves when they can see you.
Empathic Link with Familiar (Su) You have an empathic link with your Arcane Familiar.
Enchantment You must spend 2 slots to cast spells from the Enchantment school.
Familiar Bonus: +3 to Appraise checks You gain the Alertness feat while your familiar is within arm's reach.
Forewarned 2 (Su) Can always act in surprise rounds.
Gunsmithing You can use a gunsmithing kit to craft/repair firearms and ammo.
Leadership (score 9) You attract loyal companions and devoted followers.
Living Steel Some trees suck up potent minerals through their roots the same way others draw water from the ground. Though these trees blunt saws and axes used to hew them and shrug off fire, they eventually succumb to time or the elements. When properly harveste
Lookout Not surprised if adj ally with same feat isn't surprised. Extra actions if both are aware.
Master of the Ledger (Profession [merchant]) You get a +2 bonus on Appraise checks, a +2 bonus on any one Profession skill, and when dealing with anyone of your profession, you get a +4 bonus on Sense Motive checks when using the hunch task (see the Sense Motive skill). You gain a +1 bonus on a
Necromancy You must spend 2 slots to cast spells from the Necromancy school.
Point-Blank Shot +1 to attack and damage rolls with ranged weapons at up to 30 feet.
Precise Shot You don't get -4 to hit when shooting or throwing into melee.
Ranged Spell Combat (Ex) Must use ranged weapon for spell combat.
Ranged Spellstrike (Su) As a full rd action, ranged spells can be combined with ranged attacks.
Ranged Weapon Bond (- custom / magic weapon -) (Ex) Must have bonded object to cast spells, doesn't interfere with somatic components.
Rapid Reload (Musket) You can reload fast with one type of Crossbow or Firearm.
Scryer Associated School: Divination
Send Senses (140 feet, 2 rounds, 6/day) (Sp) Clairvoyance/Clairaudience sensor.
Share Spells with Familiar Can cast spells with a target of "You" on the familiar with a range of touch.
Spell Combat (Ex) Use a weapon with one hand at -2 and cast a spell with the other.
Spellstrike (Su) Deliver touch spells as part of a melee attack.
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Arcane Familiar - Munin
Male raven (sage) (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 133)
N Tiny magical beast (animal)
Init +2; Senses low-light vision; Perception +9
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Defense
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AC 15, touch 14, flat-footed 13 (+2 Dex, +1 natural, +2 size)
hp 34 (1d8-1)
Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +7
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Offense
--------------------
Speed 10 ft., fly 40 ft. (average)
Melee bite +8 (1d3-4)
Space 2 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
--------------------
Statistics
--------------------
Str 2, Dex 15, Con 8, Int 9, Wis 15, Cha 7
Base Atk +4.5; CMB +4; CMD 10
Feats Skill Focus (Perception), Weapon Finesse
[b]Skills Acrobatics +2 (-6 to jump), Appraise +0, Fly +10, Knowledge (arcana) +5, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +5, Knowledge (local) +5, Knowledge (nature) +5, Knowledge (planes) +5, Knowledge (religion) +5, Perception +9
Languages Draconic
SQ improved evasion
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Special Abilities
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Fly (40 feet, Average) You can fly!
Improved Evasion (Ex) No damage on successful reflex save; half on failed save.
Low-Light Vision See twice as far as a human in dim light, distinguishing color and detail.
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Cohort
Samantha
Female half-elf magus (eldritch archer) 2/oracle (spirit guide) 3 (Pathfinder Player Companion: Familiar Folio 11, Pathfinder Player Companion: Heroes of the Street 11, Pathfinder RPG Advanced Class Guide 106, Pathfinder RPG Advanced Player's Guide 42, Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Magic 9)
LG Medium humanoid (elf, human)
Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +2
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Defense
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AC 15, touch 11, flat-footed 14 (+4 armor, +1 Dex)
hp 53 (5d8+13)
Fort +7, Ref +4, Will +3; +2 vs. enchantments
Immune sleep
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Offense
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Speed 0 ft.
Ranged darkwood composite longbow +6 (1d8+1/×3)
Special Attacks arcane pool (+1, 2 points), spell combat, spellstrike
Oracle (Spirit Guide) Spells Known (CL 5th; concentration +9)
. . 2nd (4/day)—build trust[UI] (DC 16), cure moderate wounds
. . 1st (7/day)—color spray (DC 15), cure light wounds, obscuring mist, protection from evil, sanctuary (DC 15)
. . 0 (at will)—create water, ghost sound (DC 14), mage hand, mending, purify food and drink (DC 14), scrivener's chant, spark[APG] (DC 14), stabilize
. . Mystery Heavens
. . S spirit magic spell; Spirit Lore Wandering Spirit
Magus (Eldritch Archer) Spells Prepared (CL 3rd; concentration +4)
. . 1st—blend[ARG], feather fall, serren's swift girding
. . 0 (at will)—detect magic, light, prestidigitation, read magic
--------------------
Statistics
--------------------
Str 12, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 7, Cha 19
Base Atk +3.75; CMB +4; CMD 17
Feats Augment Summoning, Craft Wondrous Item, Eldritch Heritage[UM], Planar Traveler, Skill Focus (Knowledge [arcana]), Spell Focus (conjuration)
Traits bifurcated magic, noble born - orlovsky
Skills Appraise +2, Climb -1, Craft (bows) +5, Craft (firearms) +5, Diplomacy +9, Fly +0, Intimidate +8, Knowledge (arcana) +8, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +5, Knowledge (local) +5, Knowledge (nature) +5, Knowledge (planes) +5, Knowledge (religion) +5, Linguistics +4, Perception +2, Ride +4, Sense Motive +2, Spellcraft +7, Survival -2 (+0 outside your home plane), Swim -1
Languages Azlanti, Celestial, Common, Elven, First Speech, Sylvan
SQ bonded spirit, bonded spirit hex (arcane enlightenment), elf blood, illustrious urbanite, oracle's curse (haunted), ranged spell combat, ranged spellstrike, ranged weapon bond, revelation (awesome display), spirit ()
Combat Gear cold iron durable arrow (50), silver blunt arrows[APG] (50), wand of cure light wounds; Other Gear chain shirt, darkwood composite longbow (+1 Str), cloak of resistance +1, handy haversack, magus starting spellbook, 5,415 gp
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Special Abilities
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Arcane Enlightenment (Su) Add Charisma bonus wizard spells to your spells known list.
Arcane Pool +1 (2/day) (Su) Infuse own power into a held weapon, granting enhancement bonus or selected item powers.
Augment Summoning Summoned creatures have +4 to Strength and Constitution.
Awesome Display -4 (Su) Your Illusion (pattern) spells treat observers as -4 HD lower than their actual HD.
Bonded Spirit Gain a wandering spirit each day.
Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white only).
Deliver Touch Spells Through Familiar (Su) Your familiar can deliver touch spells for you.
Elf Blood Half-elves count as both elves and humans for any effect related to race.
Elven Immunities - Sleep You are immune to magic sleep effects.
Empathic Link with Familiar (Su) You have an empathic link with your Arcane Familiar.
Familiar Bonus: +3 to Appraise checks You gain the Alertness feat while your familiar is within arm's reach.
Haunted Retrieving stored gear is a Standard action or worse, dropped items land 10' away.
Illustrious Urbanite You may leave buildings & structures undamaged when casting spells of the chosen school.
Low-Light Vision See twice as far as a human in dim light, distinguishing color and detail.
Planar Traveler Always arrive at intended destination when planar travelling. Can glimpse other side of portals.
Ranged Spell Combat (Ex) Must use ranged weapon for spell combat.
Ranged Spellstrike (Su) As a full rd action, ranged spells can be combined with ranged attacks.
Ranged Weapon Bond (- Custom / magic weapon - [Str +1]) (Ex) Must have bonded object to cast spells, doesn't interfere with somatic components.
Share Spells with Familiar Can cast spells with a target of "You" on the familiar with a range of touch.
Spell Combat (Ex) Use a weapon with one hand at -2 and cast a spell with the other.
Spell Focus (Conjuration) Spells from one school of magic have +1 to their save DC.
Spellstrike (Su) Deliver touch spells as part of a melee attack.
--------------------
Arcane Familiar - Hugin
Male raven (sage) (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 133)
N Tiny magical beast (animal)
Init +2; Senses low-light vision; Perception +9
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Defense
--------------------
AC 15, touch 14, flat-footed 13 (+2 Dex, +1 natural, +2 size)
hp 26 (1d8-1)
Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +6
--------------------
Offense
--------------------
Speed 10 ft., fly 40 ft. (average)
Melee bite +7 (1d3-4)
Space 2 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
--------------------
Statistics
--------------------
Str 2, Dex 15, Con 8, Int 9, Wis 15, Cha 7
Base Atk +3.75; CMB +3; CMD 9
Feats Skill Focus (Perception), Weapon Finesse
[b]Skills Acrobatics +2 (-6 to jump), Fly +10, Knowledge (arcana) +4, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +4, Knowledge (engineering) +0, Knowledge (geography) +0, Knowledge (history) +0, Knowledge (local) +4, Knowledge (nature) +4, Knowledge (nobility) +0, Knowledge (planes) +4, Knowledge (religion) +0, Perception +9
Languages First Speech
SQ improved evasion
--------------------
Special Abilities
--------------------
Fly (40 feet, Average) You can fly!
Improved Evasion (Ex) No damage on successful reflex save; half on failed save.
Low-Light Vision See twice as far as a human in dim light, distinguishing color and detail.
The gear isn't perfect but it's an idea, the spells should probably have another 1k gold spent on buying things for the book, we should probably have some bullets but I'm waiting on your reply to find out if we still have gunsmithing and thus qualify for the pricing here before I do that...
Looks like I'm going to miss mayhem, reworking the crunch ate up my evening.
Here's the copy paste of backstory elements from my notes.
Selene is a tall white haired human. Her face is fair, but her expressions tend to severe and practical. She might have been a beauty, once, but now she's merely arresting. Her eyes are a deep blue, ocean colored her companion Samantha says. She's seen things, some of them true, others merely nightmares. It's left her eminently practical, some would say cold. She prays to Abadar, and Nethys, and occasionally to Shelyn. She asks for simple things, pleasant dreams, a new thought, and honest bargains. She's not good, but she is honest, and she'll be the first to tell you she has her regrets. She'd never let them stop her.
Samantha is a pleasant red haired half elf. Her mother's heritage shows in her snowy skin, and her ears, but to those who know the elves, it shows most clearly in her eyes. She has her fathers color, green, but the shape is subtlely off. She's always upbeat, and sees the best in others. Selene teases her that she'd make a fine paladin, and Selene should know. In another life, perhaps that is what fate had in store for her, but Selene found her first. Rescued her from the ambush gone wrong. They don't speak of the dead, and Samantha views Selene as more of a friendly aunt than a teacher. Stern when needed, but also kind.
The two of them started their first merchant business trading the river selen. They eventually found themselves in Absalom, older, wiser, richer. They immediately set to work on behalf of the bards of Absalom, selling journeyman pieces to foreign travelers at master prices, and pocketing half the difference while getting a good price for the journeymen. Occasionally, they'd do an odd job for the Society, or the White Grotto, but they were merchants first. The adventuring and magic came second. This let them build up a reputation with the guilds, even without any real talent as bards. They were eventually invited to join. After all, there was always someone willing to help in return for a bit of financial advice or clever spell work. It also let them meet young magic users from all over the world, for god rock sits astride the trade routes. Still, Absalom's bardic guild was no college arcane. Nor were the likes of Acadamae likely to see the value in honest commerce. So little by little the idea of the frozen flame was born, a magic and merchantile concern, fused together like ice and fire, like black powder and arcanum, like the arcane and divine. All made stronger for the melding.
As a result, when they met with a young elementalist from Nex and heard of his ideas they realized they would need to move quickly, and so they liquidated their company, called in their favors. Asked their contacts in the society where an opportunity to experiment might be found. By chance, at that very moment a proclamation had reached the Rock. There was to be an expedition, into the heart of the wilderness south of Brevoy.
Selene and Samantha were going home. Neither was thrilled about it. After all, Samantha's father was still alive, not that he knew about her. Selene's family wouldn't speak to a merchant, much less a mage, or a gunsmith. Honest work, but hardly noble. They resolved to become the Flame. They would neither dwell on, nor seek, their families until they had succeeded. They collected their followers, and traded the last of their favors in Absalom for transport to Brevoy. Too bad they didn't bargain for being mistaken as Assassins.
Bed time.
Just as a note, your bow-into-musket replacement will need to be valid, however you do it.
Re: Eclectic/Esoteric Training - you first need to establish your school (which would fall in under the 'academy'). Developing a guild as well would definitely be possible, but note that the Frozen Flame's goal is to establish an academy for elementalists, not a guild for 'just whomever'. (Thanks for pointing me towards this, though - will help me out later.)
In regards to gunsmithing, at game start bullets are like every other craftable item - purchased at full 'regular cost' book price. After you're out and about, you can start sitting down and making stuff at the discounted price.
Background:
You Will Not Be Coming From Absalom. Period. The proclamation is issued on the 2nd of January. It'll barely make it out of Brevoy before it's time for people to get to Restov for the last day of applications; Mivon and Pitax, perhaps, but that's about how far out it'll reach.
Move your trader to New Stetven, or Silverhall, or Port Ice, or Winterbreak - you need to have been active near or in Brevoy, not from a place 1250 miles away as the dragon flies, somewhere the proclamation won't reach until mid-May at best. Be from Hajoth Hakados and happen to be on an investigation in Brevoy, one of your ice-elementalist mage friends working to ease the way as y'all scout locations for a place for a college. Be from Chesed, desperate to get out of Numeria before the psychopaths there try to take you over.
But Absalom? Right out.
@Only Child - Yaeh it is a bit odd in general. But since it takes elves what like ~100 years to reach adulthood* I imagine they are a real pain in the ass. Can't think of anyone really wanting to raise more then one at a time :P
*Not sure if that is how it actually works though ...^^
@EK & dipping woes
It functionally means, however, that you're in one major fight like that before you gain your first level of Eldritch Knight, so don't worry TOO hard about it.
Honestly the blue part is the main source of pain. The Eldritch Knight get their only might and magic feature at tenth level - until then they can only use either (though on a round by round basis).
The second piece touches on another sore spot; the first level of Eldritch Knight doesn't really do much. (In fact, changing Velar's current level of EK into Slayer would only mean adding stuff to the sheet and not taking anything** away!)
**Though only because I didn't feel the need to add the Diverse Training feature, which to be fair would let him qualify for 1st level fighter feats :P
I suppose it is your game after all - and any mythic additions will probably throw any normal mechanical considerations out of the window. But I'll try to use those 2-3 posts granted to change your mind the best I can!
So - in the spirit of that - I have an compromise (well, not really, more of an plea but that didn't sound as good ^^) to suggest. What if I replaced the Slayer level with a Fighter level? EK is basically a light version of the 3.5 fighter anyhow. That way all the orphaned class features would go away and there would be a much more eye pleasing progression. Though it would still be a dip I suppose ... Thoughts?
@Code of Honour
Receive an important appointment +10
Agree to protect and be responsible for the protection of an honorable ally +10
Offer sanctuary and defend that offer +3
Swear fealty to a lord +3
Act as an ambassador +2
Guardian defeats a challenging monster +2
Protect an innocent against significant odds (CR 2 or more higher than APL) +2
Swear a major oath and uphold it +2
Roll 30 or higher on a Craft check to create a work of art or masterwork item +2
Roll 30 or higher on a Perform check1 +2
Perform an action against your alignment because of a sworn oath2 +1
Provide guardian construct +1 (per 40000gp)*
Accept an enemy's parole +1
Excessively brag of your accomplishments —1
Accept an enemy's parole and refuse to honor the ransom —2
Be convicted of a petty crime —2
Fail to provide guardian in timely manner -2
Be convicted of a petty crime —2
Be drunk in public —2
Fail as an ambassador to a neutral country —3
Refuse to aid someone who did you a favor —3
Offer sanctuary and betray it —4
Swear a major oath and break it —4
I've padded it a bit more, but some of the new things aren't exactly a super tight fit. But on the other hand that gives you some things to prune away :P
The main thing that is missing is those big capstone events like 'become king' or 'become damiyo'. I was debating putting 'become royal advisor' there, but I wasn't quite sure about it since it is something the campaign as written pushes quite heavily towards and it felt a bit like cheating. Then again, maybe as one of the +20 events? Hmhmhhm...
Minor note: it is salvaged from my old post so I apologize if the formatting looks sucky!
@Lessah Yeah, I actually feel like my first build makes more sense than my second given the way EK 1 works. Even with prestigious spellcaster it's still just 'gluing your previous story together' the prestige class.
Spending a year as a musketeer, then getting into magic as a magus, then deciding to focus on it enough to be good at it as a wizard, then finally trying to integrate it all together with eldritch knight felt more organic and believable to me (particularly assuming each level is a year or so) than going for 2 years of service in a musket corps, then coming back to go to wizard school, then suddenly taking EK. Still, solidarity - the path of the EK isn't particularly good, but it's flavorful.
@GM - I was assuming Absalom worked as a place to come from entirely because of the level of play and your desire that we not have ties to the lands around our new kingdom - a level 7 wizard is going to know someone who he can buy teleport off of, and conversely all my 7 years of merchant contacts are meaningless out on the frontier. I'm perfectly willing to move it closer, and with your blessing to have a merchant known in Brevoy I'll do that, but I didn't want to assume and step in the same pit trap of 'knowing too much about the region'.
Still mulling how to get Ranged Spell Combat + a gun without running into the house rules on leveling.
The one-level dip thing is ... hmm. I see, actually, that I allowed it previously.
Hm.
All right, revision. If you are going to do one-level dips, before you go above four levels in any other class including PrCs, you need to kick a level into the one-level dip class. (This means, note for wehrpig, that Marlovaur will need to add a cleric level before taking another cavalier.) It also means that before you hit L5 in your respective PrCs, you need to make your 'level dip' classes L2. I don't mind someone having only two levels in a class, but a single level is more than a bit of an irritation for me.
In regards to 'time spent' and explanations, lemmie 'splain my philosophy to you.
If you go 'off the beaten path' for your character - go haring off into wizard if you're a fighter, or learning to pick locks if you're a wizard, whatever - it is understood that during your time off-screen before taking that level, you expressed an interest in such things. Perhaps the musketeer always had the magus-magic, but bowed to his parents' desire that he serve in the local military, where he was tutored by the local wizard and learned some basic discipline/self-control to keep the power from exploding out of him; only after a while did he have the leisure (or have his continued studies transform) into sufficient skill for it to be 'a level' in the class. At no time before that did he have sufficient control or grasp of magic to cast even the smallest of cantrips, but part of his character development included, during his time as a musketeer, training by a mystic of some sort.
Timewise, my technique for generating an age for your characters is to take the base random time for your race-plus-character class, then add the appropriate 'random starting age' dice in months for each subsequent class level. So a Swashbuckler 1 (Musketeer) / Magus 1 (Eldritch Archer) / Diviner 4 / Eldritch Knight 1 (treat as the longest appropriate column, in this case 'trained'), presuming human, would be ...
Swashbuckler (Musketeer) starting: Self-Taught, 15 + 1d6 years.
Magus: Trained, 2d6 months.
Diviner (4 levels): Trained, 2d6 x 4 = 8d6 months.
Eldritch Knight: Trained, 2d6 months.
So 15 + 1d6 years + 12d6 months.
+ = 19 + 39/12 = 22 years, 3 months of age. Because I don't like twelve-year-old Super-Sayyan prodigies, if you want to pick your age your minimum is equal to an average of 2 on the dice - so (15 + 2) = 17 years + (12 months x 2 = 2 years) = 19 years old.
Anyhow. There ya go, permissions, restrictions, and all.
Re: Absalom, however - still no. Your 'level of play' may include purchase of such scrolls as to be able to teleport long distances, but such things are outliers, not things you can do of yourself or your associates. What I did not want was extensive involvement in the Stolen Lands themselves; note the pushing of the 'hidden village' out of the Stolen Lands. Kingmaker is meant to be a game of exploration as well as establishing hearth, home, civilization and kingdom; already being intimately familiar with the area robs the campaign of that possibility.
If you're trading up and down the East Sellen River between New Stetven and Mivon, that's fine; you know a little about the swamp and lake, but it's mostly an area to get through as quickly as possible', not an area that you know all the ins-and-outs of. So yes, please be known in Brevoy; 'being known' is what gets you the invitation to join, after all.
Ok that makes sense to me, guess I'll be a former noble and river trader. I'll shift the background accordingly. Amusingly Selene is early 30s in my notes, so you have her as more of a prodigy than I do.
Also swinging back around for filling out dip levels before EK 5 is fine, particularly if eclectic training etc turn out to be a thing. I might even go for the 3rd martial level late in the progression in that case (so ending up Magus 2/Swash 3/Wiz 5/EK 10 at level 20) since the lost 5 caster levels could be partially made up with esoteric training. Hrm, a school of elemental magics with an attached guild of gish merchants, and somewhere a lightning rail.
Rebuilding right now, will try to get in in time to swear.
Selene is a tall white haired human. Her face is fair, but her expressions tend to severe and practical. She might have been a beauty, once, but now she's merely arresting. Her eyes are a deep blue, ocean colored her companion Samantha says. She's seen things, some of them true, others merely nightmares. It's left her eminently practical, some would say cold. She prays to Abadar, and Nethys, and occasionally to Shelyn. She asks for simple things, pleasant dreams, a new thought, and honest bargains. She's not good, but she is honest, and she'll be the first to tell you she has her regrets. She'd never let them stop her. If she ever forgave herself, she might shift to good.
Samantha is a pleasant red haired half elf. Her mother's heritage shows in her snowy skin, and her ears, but to those who know the elves, it shows most clearly in her eyes. She has her fathers color, green, but the shape is subtlely off. She's always upbeat, and sees the best in others. Selene teases her that she'd make a fine paladin, and Selene should know. In another life, perhaps that is what fate had in store for her, but Selene found her first. Rescued her from the ambush gone wrong. They don't speak of the dead, and Samantha views Selene as more of a friendly aunt than a teacher. Stern when needed, but also kind.
The two of them started their first merchant business trading the river Sellen. They moved around, but always came back to the River Trade. If you needed something moved discretely, with utter confidence, you could contact the Frozen Shipping Lines. Occasionally, they'd do an odd job for the nobility, or even once a foreign wizard from Qadira, but they were merchants merchants first. The adventuring and magic came second, usually by surprise. This let them build up a reputation with the guilds, and they joke sometimes that they're at least half bard or thief by association. All merchants are.
The trouble with merchanting is that you learn too much, and there's always a job that goes wrong. One such job, a shipment of numenarian extracts downriver through the swamp, turned strange. The night was calm, but as the morning arrived the river surged unexpectedly, nearly foundering the ship. Once they'd set her to rights, they turned to the cargo counting. Opening the numenarian shipment showed a crate of gems, not the alchemy they'd been told was in the container. A moment later, eerie blue flames danced through the deck, cold to the touch and gone in an instant. They named the phenomena Frostfire, and would joke in later years of the flash that could change the world in an instant. When they came to, the swamp had changed around them. It was a strange month there in the first world, and they don't speak too much of it. When the last of the gems in the crate had burned out, they returned to the river. They made quiet inquiries, which brought them no answers, only questions. Questions, and curiousity. The flame had been lit.
Eventually it also brought them to the attention of a wealth of young magic users from all over the world. One day, those connections would prove valuable. They've never found a clear answer to the numenarian gemstones, but they have learned more of travel, and that the world is larger and stranger than they had ever dreamed. Still, Restov's bardic guild was no white grotto, her Wizard's school no college arcane. Nor were the likes of Acadamae likely to see the value in their time spent on honest if cutthroat commerce. Selene and Samantha were too old to enter, at least without a healthy bribe or a reputation as magi. The first, of course, was out of the question. The latter. The latter could be developed, in time. Curiousity and Pride, Selene often remarks, are a curse upon honest merchants and a blessing to the magi. It's unclear which she considers herself. As their interest grew, so too their mercantile concerns, and eventually the idea of the frozen flame was born. It was to be a magical and merchantile distillation, a flash that would change the world. It would be fused together like ice and fire, like black powder and arcanum, like the arcane and divine. All made stronger for the melding. Purified in the alembic of a new school. They would talk with friends of the idea, but it was coffee-talk only, and always their talk would return to the river trade. Until they met Nicholas.
Nicholas was a driven young man with a vision of the future. He came to them as advisors, for he had ideas for taming the strange lands to the west, and joining Brevoy and Numerian trade along the river. When they met with him, he asked the moon, a prince's ransom in mithral and steel, promised the sun, a magical river of lightning that only they could sail. He was sure it could work, and that they would see the value in it. None of the other mages had, but they were merchants. They didn't disdain the elementalists. Surely they could help? They explained that their capital, such as it was, was tied to the river trade and that only the river Sellen. Still, he became a regular at their coffee-talks, and took the odd job for them. His work on the flatboats increased their capacity dramatically, and he seemed content to work at their direction as long as he could learn. He never stopped hoping, and in truth they shared his dream. It was just a dream, just coffee-talk. When the Surtovan Proclamation rocked Brevoy, of course, coffee-talk became something suddenly more real. A very serious discussion took place that evening, and the friends became a true company.
Committed, the three gathered likeminded companions. They knew their families would not approve, but some of the cadet branches might appreciate a chance to study as they would. They made quiet offers, sworn to secrecy. After all, to forsake their responsibilities, and swear fealty to a new king? Unthinkable. Yet the old names had even older relatives, and older still feuds. Selene's family wouldn't speak to a merchant mage as they termed their child. Honest work, but hardly noble they'd say. Come home, marry, they'd say. Samantha's family would talk with her, but always with the same regret, her mother gone, her father drinking his way to forgetting. No, they had every reason to go, and little to stay. The two friends resolved to become the Frozen Flame in truth. They would neither dwell on, nor seek, their families until they had succeeded. They collected their followers, and presented themselves to Fidel Réviser, to swear the newfound flame's allegiance to a king, and one day, to ride the very lightning for him.
I'll stat out Nicholas as a cohort for Samantha once she takes leadership.
Crunch copy/paste keeps failing so hitting post on this while I sort that out.
Samantha
Female half-elf magus (eldritch archer) 2/oracle (spirit guide) 3 (Pathfinder Player Companion: Familiar Folio 11, Pathfinder Player Companion: Heroes of the Street 11, Pathfinder RPG Advanced Class Guide 106, Pathfinder RPG Advanced Player's Guide 42, Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Magic 9)
LG Medium humanoid (elf, human)
Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +2
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Defense
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AC 18, touch 12, flat-footed 16 (+6 armor, +2 Dex)
hp 53 (5d8+13)
Fort +7, Ref +4, Will +3; +2 vs. enchantments
Immune sleep
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Offense
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Speed 30 ft. (20 ft. in armor)
Ranged paueliel composite longbow +6 (1d8+1/×3)
Special Attacks arcane pool (+1, 2 points), spell combat, spellstrike
Oracle (Spirit Guide) Spells Known (CL 5th; concentration +9)
. . 1st (6/day)—color spray (DC 15), cure light wounds, obscuring mist, protection from evil, summon monster I
. . 0 (at will)—create water, ghost sound (DC 14), mage hand, mending, purify food and drink (DC 14), spark[APG] (DC 14), stabilize
. . Mystery Heavens
. . S spirit magic spell; Spirit Lore Wandering Spirit
Magus (Eldritch Archer) Spells Prepared (CL 2nd; concentration +3)
. . 1st—feather fall, secluded grimoire, serren's swift girding
. . 0 (at will)—detect magic, light, prestidigitation, read magic
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Statistics
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Str 12, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 7, Cha 19
Base Atk +3.75; CMB +4; CMD 17
Feats Augment Summoning, Eldritch Heritage[UM], Leadership, Planar Traveler, Point-Blank Shot, Skill Focus (Knowledge [arcana]), Spell Focus (conjuration)
Traits magical knack, noble born - orlovsky
Skills Acrobatics -1 (-5 to jump), Appraise +2, Climb +2, Craft (bows) +4, Craft (firearms) +3, Diplomacy +9, Fly +3, Intimidate +8, Knowledge (arcana) +8, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +5, Knowledge (local) +5, Knowledge (nature) +5, Knowledge (planes) +5, Knowledge (religion) +5, Linguistics +4, Perception +2, Profession (engineer) +2, Profession (merchant) +2, Profession (sailor) +2, Ride +7, Sense Motive +2, Spellcraft +7, Survival -2 (+0 outside your home plane), Swim +2
Languages Azlanti, Celestial, Common, Elven, First Speech, Sylvan
SQ bonded spirit, bonded spirit hex (arcane enlightenment), elf blood, illustrious urbanite, oracle's curse (haunted), ranged spell combat, ranged spellstrike, ranged weapon bond, revelation (awesome display), spirit ()
Combat Gear wand of cure light wounds; Other Gear mithral mountain pattern armor[UC], paueliel composite longbow (+1 Str), cloak of resistance +1, handy haversack, magus starting spellbook, 2,000 gp
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Special Abilities
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Arcane Enlightenment (Su) Add Charisma bonus wizard spells to your spells known list.
Arcane Pool +1 (2/day) (Su) Infuse own power into a held weapon, granting enhancement bonus or selected item powers.
Augment Summoning Summoned creatures have +4 to Strength and Constitution.
Awesome Display -4 (Su) Your Illusion (pattern) spells treat observers as -4 HD lower than their actual HD.
Bonded Spirit Gain a wandering spirit each day.
Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white only).
Deliver Touch Spells Through Familiar (Su) Your familiar can deliver touch spells for you.
Elf Blood Half-elves count as both elves and humans for any effect related to race.
Elven Immunities - Sleep You are immune to magic sleep effects.
Empathic Link with Familiar (Su) You have an empathic link with your Arcane Familiar.
Familiar Bonus: +3 to Appraise checks You gain the Alertness feat while your familiar is within arm's reach.
Haunted Retrieving stored gear is a Standard action or worse, dropped items land 10' away.
Illustrious Urbanite You may leave buildings & structures undamaged when casting spells of the chosen school.
Leadership (score 12) You attract loyal companions and devoted followers.
Low-Light Vision See twice as far as a human in dim light, distinguishing color and detail.
Planar Traveler Always arrive at intended destination when planar travelling. Can glimpse other side of portals.
Point-Blank Shot +1 to attack and damage rolls with ranged weapons at up to 30 feet.
Ranged Spell Combat (Ex) Must use ranged weapon for spell combat.
Ranged Spellstrike (Su) As a full rd action, ranged spells can be combined with ranged attacks.
Ranged Weapon Bond (- Custom / magic weapon - [Str +1]) (Ex) Must have bonded object to cast spells, doesn't interfere with somatic components.
Share Spells with Familiar Can cast spells with a target of "You" on the familiar with a range of touch.
Spell Combat (Ex) Use a weapon with one hand at -2 and cast a spell with the other.
Spell Focus (Conjuration) Spells from one school of magic have +1 to their save DC.
Spellstrike (Su) Deliver touch spells as part of a melee attack.
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Arcane Familiar - Hugin
Male raven (sage) (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 133)
N Tiny magical beast (animal)
Init +2; Senses low-light vision; Perception +9
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Defense
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AC 15, touch 14, flat-footed 13 (+2 Dex, +1 natural, +2 size)
hp 26 (1d8-1)
Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +6
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Offense
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Speed 10 ft., fly 40 ft. (average)
Melee bite +7 (1d3-4)
Space 2 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
--------------------
Statistics
--------------------
Str 2, Dex 15, Con 8, Int 9, Wis 15, Cha 7
Base Atk +3.75; CMB +3; CMD 9
Feats Skill Focus (Perception), Weapon Finesse
[b]Skills Acrobatics +2 (-6 to jump), Fly +10, Knowledge (arcana) +4, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +4, Knowledge (engineering) +0, Knowledge (geography) +0, Knowledge (history) +0, Knowledge (local) +4, Knowledge (nature) +4, Knowledge (nobility) +0, Knowledge (planes) +4, Knowledge (religion) +0, Perception +9
Languages First Speech
SQ improved evasion
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Special Abilities
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Fly (40 feet, Average) You can fly!
Improved Evasion (Ex) No damage on successful reflex save; half on failed save.
Low-Light Vision See twice as far as a human in dim light, distinguishing color and detail.
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Selene
Female human magus (eldritch archer) 1/swashbuckler (musketeer) 1/diviner (scryer[APG]) 5 (Pathfinder Player Companion: Animal Archive, Pathfinder Player Companion: Heroes of the Street 11, Pathfinder RPG Advanced Class Guide 56, 126, Pathfinder RPG Advanced Player's Guide 147, Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Magic 9)
LN Medium humanoid (human)
Init +5; Senses Perception +2
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Defense
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AC 21, touch 14, flat-footed 18 (+6 armor, +1 deflection, +3 Dex, +1 natural)
hp 60 (7 HD; 5d6+1d8+1d10+12)
Fort +6, Ref +8, Will +4
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Offense
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Speed 30 ft. (20 ft. in armor)
Melee rapier +7 (1d6+2/18-20)
Ranged mwk living steel musket +8 (1d12/×4)
Special Attacks arcane pool (+1, 6 points), deeds (derring-do, opportune parry and riposte, quick clear), panache (2), spell combat
Diviner Spells Prepared (CL 7th; concentration +12)
. . 3rd—arcane sight, fireball (DC 18), haste
. . 2nd—greater detect magic[UI], detect thoughts (DC 17), reloading hands[UC] (2)
. . 1st—ant haul[APG] (DC 16), color spray (DC 16), floating disk, protection from evil, snowball (DC 16), true strike
. . 0 (at will)—detect magic, mending, message, read magic
. . Opposition Schools Enchantment, Necromancy
Magus (Eldritch Archer) Spells Prepared (CL 1st; concentration +6)
. . 1st—feather fall, secluded grimoire, serren's swift girding
. . 0 (at will)—arcane mark, light, prestidigitation
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Statistics
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Str 14, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 20, Wis 7, Cha 14
Base Atk +4.25; CMB +6; CMD 20
Feats Craft Wondrous Item, Dynasty Founder, Favored Prestige Class, Gunsmithing[UC], Leadership, Master Of The Ledger, Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Prestigious Spellcaster, Rapid Reload, Scribe Scroll
Traits armor expert, magical knack, noble born - lebeda
Skills Acrobatics +4 (+0 to jump), Appraise +18, Bluff +6, Climb +3, Craft (alchemy) +11, Craft (firearms) +11, Diplomacy +6, Disable Device -1, Disguise +3, Escape Artist +4, Fly +7, Heal -1, Intimidate +6, Knowledge (arcana) +15, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +9, Knowledge (engineering) +9, Knowledge (geography) +9, Knowledge (history) +9, Knowledge (local) +10, Knowledge (nature) +10, Knowledge (nobility) +9, Knowledge (planes) +10, Knowledge (religion) +10, Linguistics +9, Perception +2, Profession (merchant) +13, Profession (sailor) +4, Profession (siege engineer) +4, Ride +6, Sense Motive +2 (+2 when using the hunch task vs. anyone of your profession), Sleight of Hand +4, Spellcraft +15, Stealth +1, Survival +5, Swim +3, Use Magic Device +9
Languages Celestial, Common, Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Halfling, Hallit, Skald
SQ able assistant, arcane bond (Arcane Familiar - Munin, raven [valet]), forewarned, living steel, meticulous, ranged spell combat, ranged weapon bond, send senses
Combat Gear wand of cure light wounds; Other Gear mithral mountain pattern armor[UC], mwk living steel musket[UC], rapier, amulet of natural armor +1, beneficial bandolier[UE], cloak of resistance +1, endless bandolier[UE], headband of vast intelligence +2, ring of protection +1, secure paypack, traveler's any-tool[UE], magus starting spellbook, wizard starting spellbook, 3,230 gp
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Special Abilities
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Able Assistant (Ex) A valet's master treats the valet as if it possessed the Cooperative Crafting feat and shared all Craft skills and item creation feats he possesses. This ability replaces Alertness.
Cooperative Casting
Your assistance makes item crafting f
Arcane Pool +1 (6/day) (Su) Infuse own power into a held weapon, granting enhancement bonus or selected item powers.
Deeds
Deliver Touch Spells Through Familiar (Su) Your familiar can deliver touch spells for you.
Dynasty Founder (1/year) Change aspects of city. Followers gain +1 atk and saves when they can see you.
Empathic Link with Familiar (Su) You have an empathic link with your Arcane Familiar.
Enchantment You must spend 2 slots to cast spells from the Enchantment school.
Familiar Bonus: +3 to Appraise checks You gain the Alertness feat while your familiar is within arm's reach.
Forewarned 2 (Su) Can always act in surprise rounds.
Gunsmithing You can use a gunsmithing kit to craft/repair firearms and ammo.
Leadership (score 15) You attract loyal companions and devoted followers.
Living Steel Some trees suck up potent minerals through their roots the same way others draw water from the ground. Though these trees blunt saws and axes used to hew them and shrug off fire, they eventually succumb to time or the elements. When properly harveste
Master of the Ledger (Profession [merchant]) You get a +2 bonus on Appraise checks, a +2 bonus on any one Profession skill, and when dealing with anyone of your profession, you get a +4 bonus on Sense Motive checks when using the hunch task (see the Sense Motive skill). You gain a +1 bonus on a
Meticulous -2 on all untrained skill checks
Necromancy You must spend 2 slots to cast spells from the Necromancy school.
Panache (Ex) Gain a pool of points that are spent to fuel deeds, regained on light/piercing crit/killing blow.
Point-Blank Shot +1 to attack and damage rolls with ranged weapons at up to 30 feet.
Precise Shot You don't get -4 to hit when shooting or throwing into melee.
Ranged Spell Combat (Ex) Must use ranged weapon for spell combat.
Ranged Weapon Bond (- custom / magic weapon -) (Ex) Must have bonded object to cast spells, doesn't interfere with somatic components.
Rapid Reload (Musket) You can reload fast with one type of Crossbow or Firearm.
Scryer Associated School: Divination
Send Senses (150 feet, 2 rounds, 8/day) (Sp) Clairvoyance/Clairaudience sensor.
Share Spells with Familiar Can cast spells with a target of "You" on the familiar with a range of touch.
Speak with Familiar (Ex) You can communicate verbally with your familiar.
Spell Combat (Ex) Use a weapon with one hand at -2 and cast a spell with the other.
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Arcane Familiar - Munin
Male raven (valet) (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 133)
N Tiny magical beast (animal)
Init +2; Senses low-light vision; Perception +9
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Defense
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AC 17, touch 14, flat-footed 15 (+2 Dex, +3 natural, +2 size)
hp 30 (1d8-1)
Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +7
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Offense
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Speed 10 ft., fly 40 ft. (average)
Melee bite +8 (1d3-4)
Space 2 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 1st; concentration -1)
. . —prestidigitation
--------------------
Statistics
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Str 2, Dex 15, Con 8, Int 10, Wis 15, Cha 7
Base Atk +4.25; CMB +4; CMD 10
Feats Skill Focus (Perception), Weapon Finesse
[b]Skills Acrobatics +6 (-2 to jump), Appraise +6, Bluff -1, Climb +6, Craft (alchemy) +4, Craft (firearms) +2, Diplomacy -1, Disable Device +1, Disguise -1, Escape Artist +3, Fly +13, Heal +3, Intimidate -1, Knowledge (arcana) +7, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +1, Knowledge (engineering) +1, Knowledge (geography) +1, Knowledge (history) +1, Knowledge (local) +2, Knowledge (nature) +2, Knowledge (nobility) +1, Knowledge (planes) +2, Knowledge (religion) +2, Linguistics +1, Perception +9, Profession (merchant) +11, Profession (sailor) +6, Ride +5, Sense Motive +3, Sleight of Hand +3, Spellcraft +7, Stealth +14, Survival +9, Swim +6, Use Magic Device +5
Languages Draconic
SQ able assistant, improved evasion, teammate
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Special Abilities
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Able Assistant (Ex) A valet's master treats the valet as if it possessed the Cooperative Crafting feat and shared all Craft skills and item creation feats he possesses. This ability replaces Alertness.
Note: For PFS characters, the valet familiar retains the A
Fly (40 feet, Average) You can fly!
Improved Evasion (Ex) No damage on successful reflex save; half on failed save.
Low-Light Vision See twice as far as a human in dim light, distinguishing color and detail.
Prestidigitation (Sp) A valet can use prestidigitation once per hour.
Teammate (Ex) A valet is considered to have all the teamwork feats its master has.
Here's the crunch ammended for Selene/Samantha. There's 3250/2000 gp unspent on mundane stuff and small consumables (they both have haversacks) including presumably food, mount, ammunition etc, but I wanted to get the skeleton to you for feedback.
Selene's next level is EK 1. So she currently has a dead feat (prestigious spellcaster). Samantha's next level is Oracle 4, I have leadership down as a bonus feat but it won't turn on until CL7, it's purely so I don't forget about it later in hero lab.
Anything else you need from me?
*Raises hand*
Sorry to keep jumping in here (I can stop if desired), but Leadership is based off of total character level, not caster level. At level 7, regardless of multiclassing, you can have Leadership.
So...
I think the LDR chain is meant to be Selene (7) >> Samantha (5) >> Nicholas (whatever lvl he is now as a Follower). I'd planned this out myself for Coalhouse, using Coalhouse (7) >> Alysandra (5) >> Freiya Fjar-Bana-Högg (3); Freiya was much closer to Aly than she was to Coal, so ...
Ash - I WILL note for your background that like all the other groups, the Frozen Flame needs to have been a going concern (i.e. an actual, active group doing deeds and gaining fame) for at least six months, and preferably a couple of years.
Oh, I'm using coffee-talks in the sense of johnathon's coffee house, aka one of the original stock exchanges in london. I'm imagining that Brevoy has a similar facility where businesses of all sorts who aren't actually part of the court can meet and handle business. I'll update it accordingly though. I'm imagining this as 'we had a merchant's operation warehouses/boats for members to meet in and help one another, but we were stalled by not having access to a proper school, and we couldn't establish one because the existing arcane schools (I don't know that Brevoy even has one, but for the sake of argument let's assume they do) didn't want to sanction a formal academy and endowment.
You ... still seem to misunderstand me. And it appears you seem to misunderstand what the Frozen Flame are about. Let me clarify the latter first.
The Frozen Flame are about magic. They aren't merchants, merchant-mages, mage-merchants, or any such; they're elementalists, with interest and care about the practice, use, and exercise of elemental magic, from abjurations to transmutations. They desire to learn more about such magics; they desire to teach students such magics. That Selene is interested in mercantile pursuits is an incidental curiousity to the rest of them; it'd be like having an interest in scrimshaw, or making tables, or bartending - amusing, occasionally useful, but not important the way Elemental Magic is to everyone involved.
Now, as a group the Frozen Flame must have worked together, in and under the name of 'The Frozen Flame', for at least 6 months, and by preference 2 years or more. Whether together as an adventuring party or independently as 'mages errant', they (and you) must have been using their elemental magics (and a spattering of other magics, of course) to become 'a company of venturers of reputation and honor' (as the Proclamation puts it). You in turn must have joined them no later than 6 months prior to the Proclamation (in order to be really considered a member, basically). That the group cannot get a charter (that formal sanction you're talking about) within Brevoy to found a college for arcane elementalists is what gives them (and you) the impetus to put forth your names to hike off into untamed, bandit-ravaged wilderness in the dead of f*sking winter - because it'll get you a place, AND because if you can get in on the ground floor, you'll become the Powers That Be, eh?
This is not so much important for the group itself going forward than it is about 'who you are, where you come from, and what your background experiences are'.
That stated, and really seeing what you wrote (please put the primary character first from now on), allow me to reiterate what I said up there about one-level dips:Before you go above four levels in any other class including PrCs, you need to kick a level into the one-level dip class(es).
So Selene cannot be a Diviner (scryer) 5; she CAN have that EK 1. She can go up to EK 4 if you want, or do lots of other 1-level (or 4-level) dips if you want to be all over the board, but unless you want something to finally hit L5 in something, you'll need to kick all your 'one-level dip' classes to L2.
*mutter* Took a look at Lessah's Velar, saw that he had L5 in something, saying 'f*ckit'. Make it going above L5, not L4. So you can either shift one of Selene's levels over to EK 1, or keep it as is, your choice.
Everything cleared up?
:: Lessah, Mordred, Ash ::
I believe I can give all three of you the go-ahead to post in. For y'all, it basically means your first post is going to be swearing your oath of fealty. Dinner won't be a heck of a lot (actually, it'll be one post and a few days for everyone to do a tidbit of RP), and then mayhem will start. However, before we get to dinner, you have to post in with swearing your oath.
Selene is interested in divination, books of ancient history, thassilonians, fundamental physics, elemental magic in the most balanced fashion ( earth fire water and air), primal magic, navigating the various layers of reality and such. Merchanting pays the bills, keeps the lights on, and provides opportunities for itinerary mage errands to occasionally be in place to acquire old knowledge, and is what has generated the means by which the frozen flames name has spread. . Selene is good at being a merchant, and she's the cautious one of the trio, but at least from my end she is at least as much magi as merchants, and she's more a diviner than either.
Samantha is very interested in the difference in divine and arcane, the planes, helping people, ice and air, the border between life and death, warding, and the intricacies of mobile interfaces for static wards. She happens to also be an acceptable sailor. She might end up a theurge, she might end up an oracle with enough basic instruction in weapons and magic that she won't hurt herself.
Nicholas is interested in elemental lightning, a mix of fire and air, primal magics, old thassilonian, and happens to be a fine engineer. I might build him straight lightning bug wizard, I might force him to learn enough swordsmanship not to stab himself, I'm unsure which is why he's sams cohort to be.
Meanwhile, selene and Samantha have a lot of followers that I haven't fleshed out, some of them are going to be non mages who are agents of the flame, aka merchants or scientists or even just sailors, but most of them are going to be either wizard 1, oracle 1, adept 1 or magus 1. If I have time to read and assimilate spheres of power, maybe a follower will end up a sphere caster as a nod to my predecessors vision for the flame, but I am trying to avoid his mistakes.
I'll put together aliases, finish buying mundane gear and swear zen oath when I am in front of a pc instead of on the autocorrectpad.
Making a note to double check spell books and tune elemental preferences, in particular Sam.
Making aliases questions for GM before I finalize them-
Does House Lebeda have a naming scheme? Selene <ni/d'/of/_> Lebeda ?
I can't find any hard details on them besides the wiki entry. I'm going to make her "Selene Lebeda" for now, but will change it if there's a system for naming.
House Orlovsky doesn't seem to have any more details, and since Darivan is simply Orlovsky that would make my cohort alias - "Samantha Orlovsky"
@Darivan Grats on cousinhood, do you want them to be adult friends, childhood friends, rivals? Let me know, Samantha is the Lawful Good would have been a paladin but that ended in ambush and she joined up with Selene instead. So her father would be dead but her father was a cadet and not in line to inherit, her mother is the elf who gave birth and left.
Well, Darivan was essentially kicked out as a young boy (officially, he was highly encouraged to become a page at the age of eight), but he would know his cousins from before and after his apprenticeship. He would likely be known as the crazy cousin, always going off on adventures, with a childhood reputation of a troublemaker.
So, perhaps acquaintances from childhood (perhaps Samantha was trying to keep Darivan out of trouble?), with some history adventuring together as adults?
Enough that they would know each other and have some experience working side-by-side, but still not keeping in regular contact.
All right!
I'll head over to the discussion thread and say "hi" - then I'll probably need the evening to make aliases and catch up and so. Additionally I would need to figure out what group Velar would belong to. But that should be solvable : )
So, perhaps acquaintances from childhood (perhaps Samantha was trying to keep Darivan out of trouble?), with some history adventuring together as adults?
Enough that they would know each other and have some experience working side-by-side, but still not keeping in regular contact.
Sounds good. I'll make a note. Are your parents alive and would they worry about you? Maybe Sam was willing to carry letters. If so I can drop "please keep an eye out for Darivan" into Samantha's -leaving brevoy- backstory as I work out how she tells our family she's headed off. She's dutiful enough for 'writing to mama and our uncle' about progress. Hrm, maybe we won't be totally estranged from our mother after all.
Ummmm.... Sure. I haven't really thought about them much (I only just decided on their names during the oath-taking), so I guess they will be alive. As for worrying about me? Maybe. No more than any mother as their teenage son is gallivanting across dangerous territory would be. Perhaps occasional letters would be sent, but nothing major. Feel free to drop in the 'Keep an eye on Darivan,' by all means. Like I said, he was something of a troublemaker as a kid.
Just as a reminder, the Great Houses are big - most likely numbering in the thousands. There are cadet branches and related families scattered across hundreds of square miles of Brevic city, farm, and forestland; you do not need to have the last name of Orlovsky to be a member of House Orlovsky, nor do you need to know each other just because you're in the same House. As well, remember that there are plenty of Houses Minor, each of them secondary (in one way or another) to a Great House. As examples, I provide you with the cadet branch/related family Kowalskiy (as in 'Chalm Kelsen Kowalskiy') of House Surtova, and House Minor Comăneci (Head of House being Vikontesse Elena Comăneci), who were beholden to House Rogarvia, and now are technically beholden to House Khavortorov (as the de facto controllers of Rostland).
In regards to a specific system of naming, it doesn't look like the devs imposed one on Brevoy; it's just the last name, though like I said, you could be 'Selene Wykwintny, House Lebeda'.
What happened to the gameplay and discussion threads? They have disappeared for me...
Something is f*@!y with the website again. It's not just this campaign where this is happening ...
Oy vey... Paizo why.
Very wild guess? Maybe they are moving the gameplay/discussion data somewhere. It seems awfully specific for just those two subforums being awol.
I just hope we don't lose any posts. With this kind of game going back and checking stuff is extremely important.
Seems unlikely, but I'll agree that would be VERY unfortunate. When they had the issues the other day they mentioned having backed up things first, and I'd be REALLY surprised if they hadn't done the same thing this time. If it's not SOP, Acaciano will eat his hat.
http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2uafw&page=1?Blank-campaign-threads
There is a thread about it but no one from paizo has commented yet. Doesn't look like it will be fixed today.