Another shift of the multiverse has created what many would call Hell on the material plane. The dead have risen and many have fallen to their ranks. Will you survive? Will you join the ranks of the fallen and grow in power or will you be the hero that the world needs?
Recent history:
The god of undeath has escaped his prison, an Elder god who soul focus was to destroy life then see it twisted and corrupted in his own image.
His cultists have always been the darkest of the dark and only through deception have they been able to infiltrate all of society. Until the day of the Merging they were always in fear of being found out.
Though after the Merging the humans from the modern world allowed a great imbalance in the control of the world. Bringing their technology and weapons as they came to this plane, let alone whole cities they soon were more powerful than the adventurers of Golarion. Thousands died in the coming days after the merging.
A mere month after the merging was the following Harvest Day when the cultists struck. The cultists came out of hiding emboldened by the new influx of humans and chaos of the world. The sacrifices and rites were so plentiful and so horrible the blood released weakened the Dark One's prison and the god of undeath emerged. With so much blood spilled in his name and the magical rites empowering him with each life force despoiled he released a magical plague so strong that it began killing the living, causing the dead to rise, and empowering the undead throughout the whole of Golarion.
Though the Dark One had many allies and had plotted with many of the vile gods. Though they were tricked as well. Pillars of power were in place which created the Merging but also with so much dark magic fueling them now another verse spell was enacted which cut off the plane from any god who was not already physically there. Nearly all clerics and other divine casters lost their connections and associated powers. The Dark One's forces quickly began to conquer and destroy the living.
In a few quick weeks whole of Golarion was impacted by the Dark One's reach. The swarms of the undead had flooded over all of Golarion. The plague crippled many of the living and quickly turned many of them into the dead. The cultists and clerics of the Dark One quickly took over cities and slaughtered those in their way. The humans from the modern plane did the best of holding out against the undead and had resistances against the plague. Though if you survived you found yourself changed, mutations is what the modern humans call it, in some of the most drastic of ways.
There are few safe places from the impact of the Dark One. Cities of the modern humans hold out for now as refuges and havens for those that can make it to their walls. Though in the rest of the world only a few survivors can be found along the new wasteland of Golarion. The living wonder what is holding back the Dark One for isn't he the only god here why does he let his minions destroy the world? There is no safe haven for those who are living and now you must survive.
Themes:
Aside from the nitty gritty day-to-day survival, there will be plot arcs, but nothing spectacular but they will likely intrigue you. Your personal search for survival will likely take you down most of the time, either trying to find a defensible location, running from the undead, or finding resources.
This campaign will incorporate many areas that you might know from other modules. The game will be survival horror at its core very undead heavy but not exclusive. You never know when some ally will turn into an enemy, when something will spring out at you or even dig up from the ground. Danger is everywhere and you will be lucky if you get a good nights sleep. Resources will be limited and scavenging will be normal. Shelter will be even more rare than resources. If you find refuge or a supply cache it will be a great day to celebrate with the wine you just took from the undead merchant yesterday.
You may feel uncomfortable with how things are described and you will likely be pushed out of your comfort zone. Many of the NPCs that you find will be disturbed, psychotic, or possessed, those are the nice ones. This will likely be a highly explicit game. Your character may have to make choices where there is hard decisions that may have no good choice. Decisions will likely be hard. If that doesn't sound fun or challenging, then this isn't the campaign you're looking for.
If you like what you are reading and ready for a horrorific story, with a story bubbling up from your deep recesses of your mind then lets see what you have in mind.
To note you will be playing your own gender and age. Now your age might need to be modified to your race but we will get to that later.
Background:
You are a denizen of one of two worlds. Either of Golarion or of the modern world. Now you must choose will you serve the Dark One and become one of the undead and grow in power or will you survive long enough to become a hero? Many paths stand before those who choose to survive but the others that survive will look to you.
The differences in the world today:
Divine magic users, especially clerics, are understandably more valued in this new world than ever before, with the lack of connection to that divine power less survived the Dark One's coming. There will be a maximum of 2 divine casters in the hero group, one being a paladin or a cleric, and the other being a druid, witch, oracle, or inquisitor.
The magic of Golarion is having adverse reactions to the technology of the modern world. Most initial projectile weapons using modern technology will be fine with the ammunition from the modern world, but the gunpowder of Golarion is not the same as the modern world. Even as the worlds collided the magic and technology will slowly change, perhaps only one will survive.
2nd level, though there is a chance for advancement with lots of good fluff in your background story.
Roll 5d6 seven times, taking the highest 3 of 5 for each roll, then discarding the lowest roll. No adjusting, though you get to choose where the rolls get to be placed for the ability scores.
Max health at first two levels. Roll onwards.
All Paizo material is acceptable in the Rules Archives, no APG. I require links from the Archives or descriptions of abilities and feats in your crunch. Others by request.
1,500 gp starting equipment. Spend it all! Potions and minor magic items might come very handy. Any equipment not from the Rules Archive needs to be approved.
Any race is legal, but obviously the less common the race the better your background story is going to have to be. This will be a general rule of thumb, I will allow most anything so long as you're willing and skilled enough to make it flow well with the story.
Two traits and one campaign trait. One drawback can be taken to gain another trait. Here comes an interesting twist, campaign traits will come from the players. Look at Kingmaker, Wrath of the Righteous, and other campaigns for ideas. Please post the original trait as well. I will be adjusting them as needed.
Classes: no psionics, gunslingers (unless modern human), or playtest classes. Modern humans have a unique class setup, we will discuss it. Only one alchemist or summoner. Archetypes allowed but must be approved. It would pay not to focus on having a mount as such are few and rare in these times. Nom nom nom.
Skills: You might want to invest in some craft or profession skills. There are no handy shops to buy arrows, food or camping gear, let alone potions and the like.
What I need from you:
• A complete character sheet,
• Short description,
• Short personality,
• Quirks and flaws,
• Background story,
• What type of abilities you have gained and some examples of abilities to grow into.
• At least one 'plot hook' for me to use for a side quest involving your character
• One to two followers that are with you. These can be from your past such as family, creatures you have saved, slaves, or the fool that fell in love with you for some odd reason and you haven't gotten rid of him yet. Each follower should have a special skill or ability, think about those survival games.
Background ideas
Questions to ask to help the development of your character:
Where were you and what were you doing on the night of Red Harvest? The Merging?
Have you had to do anything you regret in order to make it this far?
Have you got family out there or just a strong desire to survive? What gets you through at the end of the day?
For those creating divine casters... what makes you special that you still have a connection to your powers?
How has the plague affected you? If you had a mutation what was it?
______________
Free story Feats, an extra Favored Class Bonus, an extra trait, a simple or complex magical item are possible depending on your creativity and helpfulness. There is a high chance to gain a normal feat once you accomplish something unique and of importance.
I want your basic info readily available:
How I would like your vital info to be displayed:
(Make sure to put it in your race profile line, spoiling is optional)
How I would like your skills to be displayed:
(Make sure to put it in your class profile line, also include any skills that you are trained in or do not need to be trained in to use. Spoiling is optional.)
This helps me find the key information as opposed to looking through everyone's different format.
Campaign Traits:
Survivalist:
You have always had an innate way of surviving off the land and in most situations. You are rather high strung and alert to most threats before others. Thus you have a +1 on Initiative, gain a +1 on Knowledge Geography and Survival with one of them always being a class skill for you.
Doomsayer:
You always knew that the world would come to and end some time and you did your best to let others know. Also you prepared yourself knowing that a bunker would serve you well.
You have run out of food in your bunker or have been flushed out. You start off with a massive backpack which can hold all your essentials and plenty of food which includes an Antidote Kit, a Chirurgeon's Kit, a Cleric's Kit, a Cooking kit, a few extra rations and a Spelunking Kit all at the low cost of 650 gp since you have been spending years preparing for this event. Also the massive backpack that keeps it all organized is Mastercraft increasing your strength by 3 for carrying capacity with a quick release tab to drop the bag as a swift action.
Your many hours working with merchants to get the best deal on your items has given you a knack when speaking with others, +1 bonus when using the Diplomacy skill and it is always classified as a class skill for you. Though you take a -2 when dealing with those who have seen your doomsaying words from before the apocalypse.
You even start off knowing of a few caches that are possibly still unclaimed or where one of your Doomsayer friends could still be holding out.
Massive backpack kits:
Antidote Kit
Price 100 gp; Weight 3 lbs.
This small box contains a wide variety of remedies and treatments against not only specific poisons but also their most common methods of delivery, including such things as purgatives to eliminate ingested toxins. It grants a +3 circumstance bonus on Heal checks made to treat poison. An antidote kit is exhausted after 10 uses.
Kit, Chirurgeon's
Price 400 gp; Weight 4 lbs.
This sturdy leather case straps to the waist or thigh, or can be slung over a shoulder. It consists of a leather pouch, a healer's kit, a bottle of strong brandy, a potion of cure light wounds, a vial of smelling salts, and 2 doses each of alchemist's kindness, antiplague, antitoxin, bloodblock, and soothe syrup.
Kit, Cleric's
Price 16 gp; Weight 32 lbs.
This includes a backpack, a bedroll, a belt pouch, candles (10), a cheap holy text, a flint and steel, an iron pot, a mess kit, rope, soap, a spell component pouch, torches (10), trail rations (5 days), a waterskin, and a wooden holy symbol.
Kit, Cooking
Price 3 gp; Weight 16 lbs.
This kit contains an iron pot, an iron skillet, a ladle, a skewer, a wooden cutting board, a cutting knife, an iron tripod for the pot, a packet of tinder, and a small selection of local or otherwise easy to find seasonings. You can attach the skewer to the tripod for roasting small game animals. All the component pieces (except the skillet) fit within the pot for easy storage and transport.
Kit, Spelunking
Price 174 gp; Weight 32 lbs.
This kit holds equipment for exploring underground, consisting of a lantern with 4 flasks of oil, a hammer and 8 pitons, 100 feet of silk rope, a grappling hook, and a climber's kit.
A few extra rations of 30.
Included above:
Kit, Mess
Price 2 sp; Weight 1 lb.
This kit includes a plate, bowl, cup, fork, knife, and spoon, made of wood, horn, or tin. Each item has a handle or small hole, and can be tied together using the included leather cord.
Kit, Healer's
Price 50 gp; Weight 1 lb.
This collection of bandages and herbs provides a +2 circumstance bonus on Heal checks. A healer's kit is exhausted after 10 uses.
Kit, Climber's
Price 80 gp; Weight 5 lbs.
These crampons, pitons, ropes, and other tools give you a +2 circumstance bonus on Climb checks.
Desperate Survivor:
You are so desperate, you use up your energy and resources in order to accomplish the task at a determent to your continued ability to go on.
Once per 24 hours, or until rested for at least 8 hours, add +5 to any skill check, saving throw, or +3 to attack & damage for one round. Afterward the desperation costs you, take a -1 to all skill checks, saving throws, attack and damage rolls for 24 hours. Once the penalty wears off, it is usable again. This increase to +10/+5 and -2 at level 10. And then to +15/+10 and -3 at level 20.
Improvisational Equipment:
Benefit: When using an item for anything other than its intended purpose—such as using a crowbar as a grappling hook or an old shirt to bandage a deadly wound—reduce the improvisation penalty by 2. This does not apply to improvised weapon penalties. Your GM may rule that some things are just not suitable for use in certain ways; for example, gluing a dead orc’s face to your own face won’t help you disguise yourself as an orc.
Liberated Spirit background:
Along with the Dark One, many spirits and creatures have been unchained and loosed onto the world. Even the Merging can be perceived of an erasing of limitation and division of the worlds. This is a time of chaos and liberation in many ways, as the laws of man that would hold back many from acting as they wish have been lifted. For Hardish specifically, this trait is particularly relevant as both he and the demon secretly possessing him are kindred spirits in their recent liberation after a lengthy imprisonment.
Benefit:
Having been imprisoned for a time and having earned your freedom through sheer force of will, you have developed a supernatural aversion and resistance to any kind of containment. You gain a +1 trait bonus to escape artist checks and a +1 trait bonus to will saves against enchantments
Undead Crusader:
You have dedicated your life to eradicating the scourge of the undead from the world. You have spent countless hours studying the different types of undead and have trained endlessly to learn the best ways to defeat them. If any undead creatures come out of tombs, you'll be ready for them!
Benefit(s): You gain a +1 trait bonus on damage rolls against undead creatures. In addition, you gain a +1 trait bonus on Knowledge (religion) checks, and that skill is always a class skill for you.
Equipment:
Piecemeal is encouraged, you'll be scavenging for everything. It makes sense.
Modern era guns are allowed for purchase only for modern humans. Spas-12s can be bought for 750gp which function as normal Shotguns from UC but have an internal cartridge and a capacity of 6. Brass cartridges cost 1gp. Tech Items exist and can be bought at normal price.
When combat starts, normally I roll initiative and depending on where the opponents go, will either roll their move, spell, attack (and damage) as necessary, or have the party go. I try and clump all the opponents at one point in the initiative order, or at worst two points if there is a “head guy” and minions. I expect that everyone will post actions for the entire round, even if it is “I move to the nearest alive opponent and bash it.” Do NOT wait for folks earlier in the initiative order to post before you do. With five to six people in the party, that could mean five days or more for one combat round. To stop this I will DMbot the PC if they have not acted in 18 hours. After your actions have been posted I will make a recap and some vital info that can move the game ahead faster, such as revealing AC of enemies so that you can be more descriptive with your actions. "Oh I hit and score a wound on the beasts fore leg!" Please be descriptive in your posts, think about how you move, attack, how you interact with the world.
As mentioned above, at least one post per day, Sunday thru Thursday.
To speed up play, I will usually roll perception, initiative, and all other rolls for the group as appropriate.
Misc.:
Daily posts are expected, Sunday thru Thursday, please post at least once during the weekend.
Because this is a PbP, encounters will be changed or removed and there will be more story and RP rewards.
The group will typically level as a whole, instead of handing out XP. Though we might have some more experienced players in the group.
Please provide your timezone in Pacific Time Zome. I am in Washington, USA.
Please label your posts for which round it is occurring within:
Round 4
Or some sort of variation:
**Round 4**
****Round 4****
{}Round 4{}
¥Round 4¥
Also in the future please note which color or numbered enemy you strike and what it is, such as blue mite. It would also nice to see some more flavorful words in describing what the attack does or what is special about the swing, attack, victim, spell, etc.
For example:
Oscar strikes at blue mite with his greatsword.
A better example: Oscar takes his greatsword in both hands and with an over head chop brings the mighty sword down upon the small blue creature.
Then there are other descriptive words you could use: It has been several rounds of swinging his heavy blade, he can feel the sweat build on his brow and on his body through the exertions he is forcing himself through. Bringing the blade around his body from the last strike he brings it up over his body and crashing down upon the little blue man. Staying alert he looks around him to see how his allies are faring against the fey and their allies.
AoO because of a Spear attack make sure that you write in spear attack as opposed to Xara's attack. Though, with your multiple summons and mount attacking as well perhaps the best choice is {Xara's spear attack}. You could also have reach in there or explain how she strikes the mite with her spear before it becomes adjacent to her.
Please submit your character for me to review (ideally within the avatar in the bestiary block style, though a link to an online character sheet would be acceptable), then once I accept go over to the discussion thread for more development of background. If you have any questions about builds or how I run things please ask. Recruitment end Saturday, September 28th or sooner once we have maximum party size (6) plus one (7). I can't wait to game with you all, and I hope you have fun!
