The Dark Ones (an evil homebrew experience) (Inactive)

Game Master Bane88

Hi all, I am working on a homebrew idea that I think would be pretty fun. And this is an initial interest check to just see if anyone would be interested in this type of things.

My game will be pathfinder, and set in a city (working title) of my creation that exists in Golarion.

The Dark Ones refer to a secretive group of powerful people that run a syndicate within the city and maybe Golarion at large. Assassins, thieves, businessmen, there are many who belong, and the dark guild has high reaching aspirations.

The players would start off as initiates, men and women willingly come, or taken as payment.

I would be using a job system to advance the plot, sort of like missions, with side contracts available to gain wealth and experience.

I also have a ranking system that would allow for the requisition of gear for use in the field from the guild itself as players gain prestige within the syndicate.

If anyone remembers running the assassins guild in Assassins Creed, it is sort of like that but you're not the boss man(yet).

Anyway, let me know what you think and maybe in a week or two I'll start an actual recruitment thread.

Interesting very interesting
Would gestalt be a possibility?

Dot. Very interested

Definitely interested

Dotting for Interest.

Gestalt would be a possibility as well as gaining templates, The leaders(you shall not know their names) Are gestalted with templates.

I would point out that, if you want to be good aligned in this game, you will need to be willing to commit evil deeds to overthrow from within, imagine the CIA kinda. Power for powers sake, but they aren't seeking to overthrow the leadership of the cities they're in, but get those leader in their pockets? sure. A real, money flows kinda organization.

Sounds fantastic!

Would you be willing to look at the dreamscarred 3pp Path of War/Psionics stuff?

Color me curious. Dot

I'm definitely interested

Would the third party classes warlock or machinesmith be allowed?
*crosses fingers*
Depending which, if either, are allowed, I have two different builds in mind

If machinesmith is allowed I have a human alchemist (vivisectionist, trap breaker, chirguen)/machinesmith from numeria named Virgil Hass
This one can work at any level, but Roleplaying works best if started around level 4-6 because after that he takes a prestige class that turns him into a cyborg
Party niches include healing, melee and trap breaking,

If warlock is allowed I have a suli monk (four winds)/warlock
He specializes in teleporting in and punching them out of nowhere, and then teleporting away before they can do anything
Can basically demolish a single opponent that way, so long as they don't have the feat that makes teleporting provoke an attack of opportunity on the receiving end,
He can also shoot bolts of lightning for decent ranged damage
He can get in and out of anywhere that doesn't block teleportation

If neither are allowed, I suppose grenadier/gunslinger works fine,
Alternatively, if gunslinger is banned, the psionic class "marksman" works just fine.

Extremely interested.

I am interested in this

Dotting for potential interest.

Dotting.

What level will this be?

Keeping an eye on this to see how the details develop.

-S

Please say 3rd (or higher).

I have an idea for a warpriest that would be ideal for this campaign, but he doesn't really come into his own until 3rd level.

These types of games are rare and I love them. Very interested. The more details you give the more I can return. ;)

Definitely interested.

Hmmm... maybe a Slayer/Crossblooded Umbral/Sage Sorcerer. Yesss...

Hay omnichaos, doom kitty,
How are my fellow avalonians, past and present doing :)

Hey Lord Foul II, doing fine and seems we keep running into each other. Then again a lot of good games are spring up too. I take it you like the shadow play of a criminal underworld. Cause I do. xD

I will say that there is some appeal :P

Big ole dot.

Color me interested, I ran a pair of city-based thieves' guild campaigns back in the 2nd edition era and loved the idea. I have several ideas that I would like to play, really want to see what you are setting for character creation rules.

If gestalt happens, i am looking forward to submitting an alchemist/brawler - the ultimate barkeep. He runs the "legitimate" business even as he delves deeper and deeper into the underbelly.

If gestalt happens, i am looking forward to submitting an alchemist/brawler - the ultimate barkeep. He runs the "legitimate" business even as he delves deeper and deeper into the underbelly.

Having actual legetimate businesses is always a good idea, and having a few legetimate fronts as well.

Hmm not sure what the legidimant front for the monk or the gunslinger would be, but the machinesmith would have two options, blacksmith or medic,

Hmm not sure what the legidimant front for the monk or the gunslinger would be, but the machinesmith would have two options, blacksmith or medic,

While it was less true in the past...

Say, you have two source of incomes, one legal and one illegal, spending the legal income on mostly legal things and the illegal income on mostly illegal things would be a way to go, as it bring a lot less scrutinies than the opposite.

Also, businesses that start legal/legetimate, but become less so as time passes aren't unheard of.

Interested. I am actually running a homebrew which looks sort of like this :) I have a list of missions which you could freely choose from. My homebrew is more focused on the missions and the players instead of the guild though.

I'm thinking of a crossblooded arcane/rakshasa sorcerer who focuses on illusions and disguise. Been wanting to play an illusionist for ages. The innocent face of some dark enterprise. Being human will help get a few extra spells back because dam crossblooded hurts.

I'm thinking of a crossblooded arcane/rakshasa sorcerer who focuses on illusions and disguise. Been wanting to play an illusionist for ages. The innocent face of some dark enterprise. Being human will help get a few extra spells back because dam crossblooded hurts.

instead of cross blooded you could just dedicate the second half of your gestalt to illusion, picking something like bard (umbral weaver) or oracle (heaven)

Would you be willing to look at the dreamscarred 3pp Path of War/Psionics stuff?

Definitely interested.

I want to reiterate that this is not yet a recruitment but I am glad to see so much interest.

As for starting off. I will allow pretty much any third party stuff including Path of War and Psionics. I haven't looked at Path of war yet but I trust dreamscarred press. So for character creation at first.

All books allowed(including 3PP)
25 Point buy.
3rd Level gestalt.
Max Hp first 3 levels then roll or PFS 1/2+1.

I would like solid backstories, and realize that I will need to provide you all with some more setting detail (which I am working on)

But for sure you will all be initiates in the Shadow Syndicate, and promising ones at that!

I will be handling money at bit differently in this game in that how much you earn will be based on how well you do in your missions, and whatever you can steal for yourselves. Gear will be available on a mission by mission basis.

Although this is an evil group and backstabbing is common among initiates, please realize that the further you climb, the more at stake the organization is and maneuvering for personal power at the expense of the Syndicate will be met with fierce and violent repercussions. Basically please be vested in the "company" if you will.

I wonder if the city will have any race preferences or hostility. That could make for some interesting gameplay too. Nothing like a despised race having a member controlling the city from the shadows. ;)

Nice, I'll build Virgil Hass human, Alchemist (vivisectionist, chirguen)/machinesmith

My question is, can I add homunculus abilities to my mechanus?
I don't think it would be too much of an issue, as the homunculus is the weakest of the constructs (other than the clockwork spies)

If you want, I could wait till I can get a homuclous familiar and combine them that way.

Go ahead with the Homunculus abilities, in a game this powerful, that won't be the thing to break it.

Sweet!
I'll get right on building him :)

Oh, nice, I'll probably make vitalist|something then. Evil people need healing too!

I have cure potions from alchemist, and basically lay on hands from machinesmith, but you can never have too many healers in my opinion,
What will your second class be?

Everyone starts only with class average gold and whatever items from your class ie spellbooks etc.

You also all start with this item Welcome Initiate

@DM Malleus
I have a question concerning tiefling, can I roll on the variant table to make him a little less run of the mill? I plan on using the "normal" tiefling with no bloodline type. Also how many traits are allowed and/if drawbacks?

Go ahead and use variants, I myself love the blood of fiends stuff. 2 traits and a drawback for a third. I will also be writing some campaign specific ones that people can choose from.

And by item you mean ash from the destroyed pamphlet that I fead to my robot?
I find I amusing and so very in character that almost every gold piece he has will be invested in his robot, which is so very in character for the guy I have in mind

One of his traits I already have picked out is a numeria regional trait, I get a masterwork cold iron weapon (I'm thinking hammer or mace) and a +1 on to hit with cold iron weaponry.

One of his traits will likely be a campaign trait, and he will definitely take a drawback

And by item you mean ash from the destroyed pamphlet that I fead to my robot?

Exactly.

Antipaladin I choose you...!

I think I speak for a lot of people when I say start the application process already.

I note that so far, you've said nothing about banning Synthesists; you sure about that? I ran a Gestalt game a while back and I allowed Synthesists, but I won't be doing that again. Out of the six party members, 3 had Synthesist as one of there classes and three didn't. Might as well have been running two games at two completely different power levels. Only one of the non-synth characters lived to the end, and they did it by hiding behind the three who were (it was an intentionally OP campaign - I put three level 6 gestalt characters through a level 12 module - it was a lot of fun!)

Personally I don't think Sythesists are that bad on their own, and I think a lot of DM's overreact by banning them, but in a Gestalt game, I think I would follow suit next time. However, if you don't, my pitch will probably involve a gestalt synth summoner! I love awesome OP characters (as long as you can build some fun personality into them!)

Ok thats a good point, thanks for the tip Rigor Rictus, when I make this a recruitment, I reserve the right to alter stuff if needed.