Broken Golarion

Game Master Monkeygod

What happens to the world when the heroes fail and die?


51 to 100 of 371 << first < prev | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | next > last >>

Hm, would any of us know each other before the start of the game?


Davia D wrote:
Hm, would any of us know each other before the start of the game?

Many of us took part in the mild successes mid game of our campaign, so it's no stretch to believe the younger would know of any character near where they lived. For instance Anyone from Cheliax has a decent chance to know of Silas's betrayal and Piracy, Or from Ustalav at the trial of the Beast of Leipedstath.

That said, I'd be happy to adjust to have known anyone that wants to, especially if someone wants to be from Carrion Crown as well.


hahaha I re-read my post and I want to be clear I think this campaign is one of the best ideas I've seen on these threads, not my character XD Oh boy I managed to sound like a jackass.

Do you DMs want more details for it to make the selection, or is it good as is? I tried to keep it long enough to tell you who and how he is, but short enough to keep your attention.


I think I misunderstood one of the requirements. When you stated the character has to have died, you meant that I can only submit a character who actually died in a previous game?

Sadly, most PbPs I've participated in never reach a point where my character could have died, so I guess I'm ineligible. But for my own edification, would you have allowed a character based on Amaznen or Acavna? At this point I'm just theorycrafting, I suppose.


Dude I just took an unfinished campaign and assumed he died in Renchurch. Silas is actually my longest running unkilled character, though he's existed in two alternate timelines where he had been dead and come back.


Mugmuff didn't die in his campaign... I wrote a death scene into his background though for this campaign... i don't think actual character death in a game is a requirement.


Ah, I saw a comment from a GM asking a player to tell what AP they were a part of and how they died. Since that player had mentioned having a character from another campaign, I thought he was saying it had to actually be another game. Ha!

I understand now. The GM was just referring to the AP storylines that the heroes failed at in Broken Golarion in which the character would have died.


Yea, your PC doesn't have to actually played in an AP, and if it has, it doesn't need to have died originally. Heck, you can even submit a character that successfully completed the same AP you died in.

Also, you don't need to have been a 'hero' either. You could have been an important(or not) NPC that died in the aftermath of the BBEG winning.

As for your specific character Pinvendor, I need to look into those deities, as neither sound familiar.


Amaznen & Acavna, (Starstone spoilers):
Amaznen was the Azlant god of magic who "altered" aboleth magic after the meteor summoned by the Veiled Masters struck and killed Acavna, the Azlant goddess of the moon, Amaznen's divine lover. She was attempting to save Golarion by physically placing the moon in the path of the meteor. Pathfinder canon sources indicate the Starstone became what it is today as a mixture of her divine blood and essence, the last vestige of the now "missing" aboleth magic,
and the wounds of the world.


Lian Brook's Tian heritage is partially a hook so she can share knowledge with any Jade Regent related characters- while not directly involved her backstory involves making the journey and she'll know the countries and such.


Grumble. I had an idea, but I realized that I just came up with a background that makes me an Aaron Spelling drama from the 90s/early 00s with Shannon Doherty called Charmed. Time for something else.


stormcrow27 wrote:
Grumble. I had an idea, but I realized that I just came up with a background that makes me an Aaron Spelling drama from the 90s/early 00s with Shannon Doherty called Charmed. Time for something else.

I'm literally a cross between Angel and Jessica Jones, go nuts.


stormcrow27 wrote:
Grumble. I had an idea, but I realized that I just came up with a background that makes me an Aaron Spelling drama from the 90s/early 00s with Shannon Doherty called Charmed. Time for something else.

Charmed is one of my all time favorite shows! I have all 8 seasons on DVD, several of the comic collections, and I even own a piece of art from a friend of mine who did a variant cover of issue 1 of the comic.

Soo, I'm not seeing the problem here? lolol


1 person marked this as a favorite.
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber
Broken Monkeygod wrote:


Charmed is one of my all time favorite shows! I have all 8 seasons on DVD, several of the comic collections, and I even own a piece of art from a friend of mine who did a variant cover of issue 1 of the comic.

Soo, I'm not seeing the problem here? lolol

me too! it's on for 3 hours every morning on TNT (from 7-10am) and I never miss an episode... seen them all so many times, I know them all by heart of course, but I still never miss one...


Kei is really my take on Tiger from the Tiger and Del novel series by Roberson, with a healthy dose of Conan thrown in.


JAF0 wrote:
Broken Monkeygod wrote:


Charmed is one of my all time favorite shows! I have all 8 seasons on DVD, several of the comic collections, and I even own a piece of art from a friend of mine who did a variant cover of issue 1 of the comic.

Soo, I'm not seeing the problem here? lolol

me too! it's on for 3 hours every morning on TNT (from 7-10am) and I never miss an episode... seen them all so many times, I know them all by heart of course, but I still never miss one...

I like the show as well. I simply wanted to make sure I didn't come off as a horrible wannabe with the background. I'll spin it up and post it tomorrow.


This quite singular premise for a campaign has provided me with many percolating ideas (and a much-needed respite from standardized testing season in the district where I teach). Please allow me to append Ellion Hesoni to the list of applicants. Allow me to describe a few things about him before you take a look under the hood in his profile!

Firstly, Ellion would have been slain by the meteor striking Kyonin. He has a rather unique mechanism for survival which I believe would have allowed him to avoid slaughter under Treerazer's dominion by escaping his observation. It would be crucial for his backstory to know if that would have been feasible for any other non-demonic inhabitants though. Actions he would have taken before his demise, to what end he could have attempted to postpone this apocalypse, etc. are very much tied to that facet.

Secondly, Ellion has been a character I've used a few times over the years. The Breath Mastery ability of the internal alchemist archetype provides a mechanism whereby life can be stretched over a long, long interval; If Ellion isn't slain, the result is something akin to The Doctor, though he wasn't inspired by the show.

Next, if you look at his profile, you'll see he has some old writing in there from a space game he was part of (that never really took off) years ago. However, I believe that background gives a good idea of Ellion's flavor, even if the latter parts wouldn't occur in this campaign. I've reposted that text in the following spoiler:

Caution: Contains elf on spaceship:

Endless space.

Much to the discomfort of the shuttle pilot, Ellion stood in his usual near-naked state staring into the reaches of Golarion. The scientist’s thoughts were not about arriving at his destination, but rather the step closer to his goal the transit achieved him.

“We’re approaching the port, Mr. Hesoni.”

“Doctor”, reminded the reflective elf. Port. A port was a place where ships docked. Nowadays, that meant airtight vessels with rockets or the like, electronics and automated processes aplenty. To Ellion, it also meant something quite different.

On Kyonin, his homeworld, Ellion had been born in the first era. The events of this time were but footnotes in all but the most extensive historical annals now, but to him, they were his youth. He remembered his first canoe, the birch hull and oak oar providing him with plenty safe passages across rivers and lakes. He remembered the port of Greengold, where he sold his daily catch for a profit each evening. He remembered opening his remedy shop, the start of his pursuit of the yet-unnamed field of science. Though millennia old, the memories coursed with lightning speed through his unparalleled mind.

A sharp turn by the pilot was too much for the modest gravity stabilizers on the ship to handle, and the standing man leaned to counter it.

“Is this your first go in this ship, boy?” The tone was likely mistaken as chastisement, though Hesoni meant it out of curiosity.

“I’ve only been at the ship a few days, sir. It’s my first assignment.”

Such a short time, even for him.

As a fisherman in his youth, Ellion noticed patterns with the behaviors of the fish. He studied their movements, noticing how the differing types – later called species – would interact with their environment. His astute observations led him to better predict where the best catches could be had. The profit he accrued led him to be able to purchase books and pay for the mouths and ears of the learned. Having come from commoners, this upshift in social status was quite an achievement. At a time when magic was still young, even among elves, the few nobles that wielded it in the wizarding way saw potential in the young man so interested in learning. They agreed to make an exception and teach a commoner, but Ellion threw a wrench into their plans.

The wizards were not used to failure in such affairs. They divined the magical potential of a subject before committing to him or her, and instruction was given with the implicit understanding service would be rendered to the monarch upon completion – indentured servitude by etiquette. The positions were honors to hold, and though some candidates developed better than others, all were capable of spellcraft. Except Ellion – at least in the ways the mages saw as capable.

Ellion was exceptionally bright, but he did not care to apply his mind to the particular outcomes the instructors had intoned. Instead, he dreamt about how the substances of the world interacted with the nature of magic. In his downtime, he experimented with various combinations of substances and spellspawn, determining a link between matter and magic. The basics of this were obviously known to his instructors as they knew what components were necessary to cast spells, but apparently they’d never investigated why those particular materials were required. When time came for his seasonal review, Ellion’s teachers were expecting a show of fire and force, not a scroll detailing the use of seasonal pinecones in white necromancy. Choosing to cut their losses, they cut young Ellion from the program. However, they’d already given the boy the catalyst he needed to excel.

On the vessel, the pilot shot a glance at the elf. “Aren’t you cold?”

“Surely not. My nipples have not even hardened!” replied the doctor, referencing the bodily reflex to prove his profession and point. Ellion knew the doublespeak that came with the statement, but he wanted a bit of amusement. The youth swallowed and turned his head back to the dash. He’s blushing. Ellion grinned.

In truth, Ellion should have been cold. Adjusting his metabolism slightly nullified the discomfort though. It turned-out, through study of various substances in what would later be known as the pursuit of alchemy, Ellion’s interests lay even more biologically-centered than most alchemists. He became an expert of anatomy, using his funds from fishing to open a store for potions and poultices which ensued feedback used to improve his skill. Though he did not “cast” magic, he did use the innate magical power within himself to imbue his elixirs with an extra boost of energy. The port came to hail him as a healer and civil hero. The local nobility didn’t care for this dilution of reliance on their wealth and power though, and accused him of “heresy”, gathering forces to execute him.

Though the despots’ plan was harsh, it was predictable, and Ellion had planned an exit strategy. He had a close friend dig a small chamber under his house for Ellion to lay. The entrepreneur had been experimenting with a new form of body alteration, one which would essentially stop all metabolic processes – breathing, consciousness, heartbeat, etc. He would be defenseless during this time, but he would have no maintenance. The military scoured the town for a week, checking in every conceivable location. The town resented this treatment though, and they rose up to overthrow their ruler. In the process, however, Ellion’s friend, Dalenane, was slain.

Unfortunately, Ellion was not skilled with this technique at the time he used it in this incident, and as a result, the only trigger for his revival was a splash of water across his face. Generations later, another family inhabiting the house happened to find his body while replacing the floorboards. As was custom, they attempted to dispose of his body by throwing it into the lake. The floundering mess of a “resurrection” caught the attention of the entire city. While the archers were ready to put down the “undead”, Ellion noticed a business running where his used to be on the waterfront – and people were leaving it with some of the telltale pink potions he’d made in years past.

My work lived on?

There was precisely one way Ellion’s studies could have borne fruit in this manner, and he requested the guards one chance to prove his identity: If the formulae book’s text the shopkeeper had used matched his handwriting, he was to be set free; otherwise, to death. Of course, he was right; Dalenane had preserved the fundamentals of alchemy which Ellion had written centuries prior. He made a deal with the owner to teach him in return for his shop, which the owner accepted; after all, he could well start his own elsewhere.

Hailed as a sort of demigod, Ellion spent years trying to lead a life of his own, but he no longer seemed to fit-in with society. His fame and other-era genesis made him unable to connect on an intimate level easily. As a result, he had few friends and no lasting romantic relationships. The blessing of life he wrought for himself had turned-out to be a curse long in the tooth and slow in the bite. Not wishing to spread that devastating long-term disability, he kept the information for those particular paths of research to himself. In his depression, he eventually sealed himself off from society, telling them he was going into a “deep sleep” once more, and he was only to be awoken in time of great need or peril. The immensely wealthy associate who’d profited a hundred-fold off Ellion’s knowledge agreed to appoint a curator for the soon-to-be hibernating Hisoni, and the two selected an individual to check for vermin or thieves in his shop once in a blue moon. The town’s respect was so great for him, though, thieves were no concern though. Quite the opposite, the town built a temple around the sleeping scientist, and he was not called upon for many years.

Each time he was awoken every generation or so for the same reason: Rulers sought knowledge of some import for a war they were fighting. Ellion felt used as a pawn often, and he was amusingly summoned by one king and then his evidently-victorious opponent months later. His knowledge was not that of battles, but of bottles. Each time, he would provide his counsel, take in the changes of society since his last consciousness, and then return to his slumber. This pattern continued for millennia – until spacefaring began.

He looked down at the young man’s head in the shuttle. To think such possibility is open to anyone now.

Until that point, elves, fey, and various animals had been the primary inhabitants of Kyonin. However, arrival of the drow across the stars had led to his awakening yet again. This was a war of a wholly different scale. It was a war, Ellion quickly surmised, the elves would not win. He suggested an escape, and the aging ruler – an elected one – agreed. The drow burnt the planet to cinders, the new war”ships” capable of horrific destruction.

Marveling at the development of technology, Ellion stayed awake in the convoy of refugees, learning what he could of the advancements in now-commonplace science. The acceleration of learning was breathtaking, but Ellion possessed the acuity needed to wrangle with the plethora of changes. He took the time to do things as people of that day did, spending time in lectures with the professors to be considered a doctor. His field, naturally, was biology. Dr. Hisoni looked back into his old formulae book, preserved via magic as it was considered a holy text. Joining with his colleagues, Ellion helped to expand the knowledge base as best he could.

Unfortunately, the people in exodus were beset by the orcs of Belkzen, a vicious warlike people. Primitive in quality of their spacecraft, their superior numbers and variety of armaments quickly rendered their escaping craft depleted in number. The half-dozen remaining vessels were forced to scatter among the stars. As the trip would be long, Ellion asked to be awoken only during dire circumstances as before; in this way, if they were adrift for lengthy periods of time, at least their people and their legacy would live on with him.

With the advent of robots, the elves had assigned one to be his curator, and it was by it the doctor was awoken centuries later. Evidently, a gas leak that proved toxic had occurred aboard the dilapidated ship, killing the crew. The robot’s programming had a sentient override performance to make an exception, as reviving Ellion would have been a fatal mistake; he did not breathe while hibernating, making him immune to the effects of the gas. A human crew had found the ship, and once they’d repaired the leak, the robot had awoken him. The crew were stunned, for they had expected him a corpse; the scene reminded Ellion much of the one at the lake in his earlier days.
One of those crew members was now shuttling the elf to and from different pieces of the nearby civilization; evidently, having such an “educated primitive” around was a great novelty for the humans, and some were genuinely interested in the historical insights Ellion had. However, the depression weighed heavily upon his soul as it had in ages past. He was even more different than his own kind now, evolution having had time to work its course, and given how few they were in number, seeing one at all was a rare occasion. Yet the humans with such short lifespans went about them without a second thought.

Eating in a shop where “old-fashioned” baking was advertised, Ellion watched the “archaic” process being performed. Mixing of flour, sugar, butter … this seemed to be some kind of comedic act for the rest of the patrons, but he remembered when the process was used to make sweets for regular consumption. The baker also seemed to think of it as an act, but she got into the art of the performance – and the baking. Ellion needed a way to earn currency, so he agreed to accompany her in the “skits”. Having more experience than she probably did, the experience was authentic, and the racial diversity with the outsider drew bigger crowds.

He felt he had purpose again, connected to something from his original “life”. Helpful as the day-to-day work was for facilitating daily going-ons, it did not dispel his one-of-a-kind loneliness. The length of time that spanned between now and his original time on Kyronin was staggering, but Ellion felt the need to have some longer-term goal to keep away the loneliness. Maybe it wouldn’t be completed for centuries, but he would have a goal, a life’s work.

After seeing one refugee of his people pass through the human station one day, he talked with her about how broken their civilization had become. To her though, the nomadic life was all she had known; the elves had colonies, but most traveled. Only a rare few still possessed the wizard traditions that had been so proud among them. A seething hatred boiled among them for the orcs and drow, but they were powerless to do anything about it.

Maybe you are, but I can see that retribution to its finish.

Against the orcs, Ellion knew the aggression was unjustified, but with the drow … their similar biology was no coincidence. There was definitely some mysteries to uncover about why the races hated each other; it wasn’t that one conflict. Refocusing his studies on enhancing his memory and studying the roots of evolution, the sagacious baker kept himself busy.

As the man adjusted the controls, Ellion noticed a ring on his finger.
“You are married?”

“Engaged! My fiancé and I are getting married in a month. It’s going to be a great time – all of my friends, family, and my favorite musicians will be there. We’re heading to a little resort moon, and –“ the youth noticed he’d said something to upset the elf.

Not upset. Sadden. The pilot’s experience was one the alchemist would never have. For as much education as he’d obtained, he did not have a stoic face to hold back his tears.

“Sorry, sir. We’re docking in a moment.”

If only apologies erased ages of despair…

Thirdly, I'm thrilled to see three GMs running a game. The detail you'll be able to put into your story will be great, and I hope to be able to earn a chance to mirror that detail in my contributions to it. As a poster on here since 2008, I'm not likely to simply vanish. The reason I highlight that history is in the near-decade I've been around, I've noticed differences in player and GM style can greatly affect the flow of a game. Though I'm a math teacher in real life, I'm more a role-player than a roll-player. My assumption, based on the recruitment post, is you (three) are as well. With Ellion, his character longs for emotional connection he's been more-or-less percluded from having his entire (now-former) life. It is important for me to know whether the GMs are comfortable with developing emotional - not just action-based - bonds with the NPCs you write for and exploring philosophies of life and its end.

Lastly (for now, anyway), I would like to point-out Ellion is by no means a mechanically-optimized character. Sometimes people flip their lids whenever they see "vivisectionist" as an alchemist archetype because they expect sneak-attack shenanigans though. The whole reason he has that archetype is for the abilities at 3rd and 7th level meshing with his outlook on the world. You can strike the sneak-attack thing entirely if you desire.

I look forward to hearing from you as well as any feedback others in the thread may have! Some quality thoughts are definitely present here!


@Ellion, I won't reply to everything right now, as it's almost 3am, but I personally don't mind you having sneak attack.


In short, Ellion, I am perfectly comfortable with giving PC's life as long as my PC's are going for it. :)

Re: Amaznen & Acavna
We are discussing it. Please hold.


I forgot to mention...

Amaznen:
When he removed the aboleth magic, Amaznen became nonexistent/died/otherwise vanished. Possible outcomes or ramifications of his just as sudden reappearance:

  • Amaznen time travelled with the aboleth's power whether intentionally or accidentally.
  • The Worldwound or one of the other AP failure disasters triggered a temporal distortion which pulled Amaznen into the future.
  • The Worldwound or one of the other AP failure disasters broke whatever Amaznen has used to seal away himself and the aboleth's power which could mean the aboleths and the Veiled Masters' powerful aberrant magic has been restored...
  • Amaznen was never gone, but had been reduced to a mere speck, and it's only coincidence that he has finally regained enough godly essence to empower a single mortal to facilitate his own return...for vengeance...or restoration...or something still hidden.
  • Amaznen and Acavna are Groetus. Entries for Groetus indicate that a humanoid form of a raspy voiced barefoot man has been seen as an avatar of the god. It's possible that this is actually the broken form of Amaznen and the other part of Groetus, the skull-faced moon, is the sentient corpse of Acavna. The fact that Groetus was known and existed during the existence of the Azlant empire when both Amaznen and Acavna existed in their first forms is paradoxical and speaks to the very nature of gods and beings that transcend temporality...which could have interesting implications for the rest of the so-called "dead" gods as well. You're welcome. ;-)

Dark Archive

backstory:
Growing up in Lepidstadt to a pair of wealthy parents allowed Loc Ludenburg to follow a more scholarly career. After graduating from the University he left to pursue a small career in adventuring. Loc on his travels eventually began to pick up on the finer points of necromancy. He soon became rather proficient in the commanding of undead and the snuffing of life. Still, he never used these powers for cruelty or maliciousness. Instead he approached it more casually, looking at the mindless undead as tools. The passing away of his father how ever brought him back home to care for his mother until she to passed away. With his sudden inheritance he decided to settle down and carry out his research in the estate they owned slightly out of town. It was here he became a bit of a hermit living on his own. His home soon became scattered with undead he controlled and brought back from small incursions into crypts. At one point his home was kept clean by a collection of animated severed hands. He had a small collection going when he received a letter about the death of a professor he had became friends with in university. This man’s death lead him and a group of fellow mourners to the top of gallowspire to rescue the professors daughter and to avoid the tyrants resurrection. Sadly they were to late. Kendra fell prey to the elixir and transformed into the tyrant. No match for the undead lords might, Loc’s own undead turned on him and ripped him to shreds. The last thing he saw was the tyrant lording over the land from the tower before all went black. Thankfully his eyes opened up to a much different scene. ”Poking dead bodies huh? A child after my own heart.” He would tell the youth as he leaned up. Loc had vague memories of staying in a court, in front of two bickering giants. One seemed to have been a beautiful women who’s flesh seemed to drip off the lower the gaze drifted on her body. The other was a thin creature hidden by a long black rode, his voice seeming to carry the weight of ages. Still, all this confusion was blunted by the fact that he was back in the land of the living!

Loc himself is around his late thirties. The man has a unkempt tangle of black hair already starting to develop grey streaks in it. HIs face is a bit gaunt and he looks older then he really is, but the smile he usually wears is genuine. He simply enjoys toying with undead and necromancy in the same way some explosive wizards love evocation. He is a bit tall, standing at six foot three but is usually slouched.

Dark Archive

Hmm... I may change my idea and instead go with someone who was a Former moss-speaker (from Legacy of Fire) and all that... however I'd need your permission to use the weapon from that AP, unless you'd rather I find it again somehow. And I'm still going with the black cat, only this time not Evil... yeah I like this idea more ^-^

Although the Black Cat's favored weapons are actually her claws (using the "claw blades" catfolk equipment to make them magical)

Alright, she won't have died, she would just have failed, most likely to stop the Carrion king, and let *(spoilers omitted)* win in the end, not by fault of her own of course.

And I'll likely build her to use a scimitar instead of her claws, although she'll still use her off-hand as a claw attack.

Infact, I think she wouldn't have been part of the party at all! She would have been a random caravan member who just so managed to become the moss-speaker instead of one of the Adventures, then she joined the party only to fail at her job and resault in ruining the plan. After the end of the legacy of fire, she would have tried to redeam herself and she becomes "the black cat... hmm why am I writing this here i should put this on her page.


Simple background: Changeling cleric of Magdh from the River kingdoms, born as part of a plot by Nyrissa, Gyronna and the Gnarley Witch,undermine the remaining fey of the River Kingdoms by creating covens of witches and priests to destroy them.

The River Kingdoms have always been a glorious mess. Random forms of government, wealthy areas for agriculture, and no one power capable of conquering the whole. They are also a land that does not remember its past, ever looking to the future for a new evolution of what is the present. The fey of the River Kingdoms follow that tendency. While their immortality allows them an ability to remember the past, the fey instead look to the future, attempting to alleviate the boredom and apathy that comes from a life of patterned chaos. A dryad wishes to protect her tree, and charms defenders from the wild around her, but loses them to the ravages of age. A group of pixies enjoy playing jokes on mortals, but their lack of follow through means the punchline is seldom lost. Hags plot to corrupt and overthrow the balance between men and women, but end up falling victim to their anger at slow results due to a lack of patience. And so on. All that changed the Day of the Roses bloomed.

Nyrissa, having defeated the most successful of the young kingdoms attempting to establish their own legacy in the Stolen Lands, brought much of it into Thousandbreaths. The plots of the Eldest had failed, and now she could challenge them for control of the First World. But first she had to eliminate their followers, her so called brothers and sisters of the fey. Thus she made an alliance with Gyronna, the Lady of Bitter Women. Nyrissa's own treatment at the hand of others fit well into Gyronna's own schemes, and increased access to an up and coming power would allow her own minions to conquer what remained of the River Kingdoms, and gain revenge upon those who cast women aside, as well as strength the bulwark against the encroachment of the Worldwound. So hag worshipers and female priests alike sought out fey, men of various races, and even animals to create changelings, and always in patterns and variations of three. Covens of witches and priestesses would form to slay, corrupt, enslave, and destroy humanoids and fey alike, reveling in the revenge and elimination of the Fair Folk. Changeling sets of triplets, were brought to Thousandbreaths to age quickly, set up in random locations near the edge of the Thorn Lands, and followed their triumvirate's orders.

But as in all schemes, chaos has its own say. One annis hag, seeking to out do her sisters, tried to increase her fertility with potions and enchantments drawn from the First World. This happened, but rather then a brood of six or 9 produced, she birthed four. The annis tried to devour all of her brood, but chaos, fate, or even the will of the Eldest, intervened. A nymph, broken but not yet fully corrupted, found the creche where the annis lay, and slew her with a thorn from Nyrissa's garden. Though three of the four changelings lay slain or consumed, the nymph managed to save the last and escaped to the realm of Magdh, the Weaver of the Fey.

There, the nymph named her charge Ceathair, Sylvan (in the Irish Gaelic version anyway), or simply Four. Safe for the moment from the assaults of Nyrissa's Triumvirate, Ceathair began to learn of both her parents and the slow death that awaited the realm of the Fey. Reaching her age of majority 12, amongst nymphs, Ceathair became a devoted foe of those who threatened both her adopted kin and homeland. Her opposition to Nyrissa wasn't done out of a quest, or revenge, or some form of paid contract, but simply a desire to be her own person. Thus Four, as she is often known amongst the remaining fey and people of the River Kingdoms, travels from town to town, trying her best to weave some sort of skein against the claws of three who would destroy fate and even time in their quest for revenge.


Okay, so my backstory got a little longer than I thought, because I wanted to really detail the scene of his death to give an RP sample of what I think he'd be like. His death isn't directly involved with the BBEG winning in Jade Regent, but he deals a crippling blow to the PCs that essentially leads to them not being able to reclaim the throne. This in turn means that Ameiko's bid for power fails, she's put to death, and the oni seal their control over the region. Let me know what you think and if there are any changes I might need to make!

(Also, I know we're not really planning out characters yet, but as I envision him Ken'ichi would serve as a frontline tank, heavy armor and a big sword to draw enemy attention and dole out damage while absorbing their blows. That said, depending on the party I could easily change him to represent "samurai swordsman" in another way, from a warpriest to a magus. Whatever works.)

Background:
Matsuoka Ken'ichi, above all, tried always to live his life with honor. Born into a samurai family, he was raised from youth to fight and die for their lords, the Sikutsu. By the time he could walk he was learning to use a sword, and even as he learned his language, he learned the tenets of bushido and the path of the samurai. All these lessons he took to quickly, and they settled in his mind and his heart. When he reached manhood, he was more than able as a warrior and servant. Within just a few short years, he rose to serve as the chief gatekeeper for the Sikutsu estate, serving as its first and greatest line of defense against any who dared attack. He was dutiful and mindful, humble and willing; more than once, he rode out at the behest of his lord into what seemed certain death.

When his first lord passed, and Sikutsu Sennaka became his new liege, little changed for Ken'ichi. He served with honor and duty, never failing in his support of his master. This is not to say he never had his qualms: it is the way of the samurai to serve without question, but it is beyond human to serve without doubt. Sennaka was cruel and violent by nature, and threw in more heartily with Minkai's new ruler--the mysterious and harsh Jade Regent--than the prior Sikutsu had done. But he ruled by law, and never commanded Matsuoka to commit a blatantly dishonorable act... at least for a time.

Then came the rumors. At first mutterings among peasants and geisha, whispers from messengers at courts. They claimed a scion of the true Imperial families had been discovered, a child of the Amatatsu, and they were returning to claim the Jade Throne. It was not Matsuoka's place to concern himself with such talk, but his lord seemed concerned. And when finally a day came when it seemed the Amatatsu heir and her champions were coming to the Sikutsu domain--apparently ready for war--Matsuoka took his mighty nodachi and stepped forth to the castle gate. His master had commanded him to kill the impostor to the throne, and her warriors as well. As a samurai, Matsuoka obeyed, but equally so he knew the truth: he was going there to die.

His Death:
This scene is played out with the PCs from my home game of Jade Regent: a samsaran oracle/ a drow sorcerer, a fetchling rogue, and a human inquisitor of Pharasma. They're only in book 2, though, so I'm extrapolating and imagining a bit, including my plans for them to start gestalting by book 3.

"You seem like an honorable man," the samsaran was saying, his tone almost pleading. "We don't want to fight you. You know we're just. Join us."

But Matsuoka only shook his head. "I am an honorable man. That is why I must kill you here." He raised his nodachi, and adopted a battle stance. "No more talking."

A long moment passed, and then the fight began. It was the man in the long black coat, with the birdlike mask, who acted first, moving sideways as he drew and threw a set of daggers in a quick motion. They arced in fast, but Matsuoka twisted and they struck the armor on his upper arm, bits of lacquer splintering off. The gray-skinned man lunged forward alongside the black-skinned elf, seeking to flank him, but he knocked the gray man's wakizashi aside, and let his armor take the elf's slash. They were skilled, certainly, but that was all. Matsuoka had the strength of his ancestors, the will of his duty, to accompany his knowledge of the sword.

First he kicked out at the gray man, forcing him to backstep and give room. With that open space, Matsuoka brought his sword to bear on the elf, bringing it down in a heavy slash. When the elf began to sidestep, Matsuoka spun the blade in his grip, reversing the pull of his wrists, and the pommel crunched heavily into the elf's jaw. He staggered back, and Matsuoka spun the nodachi about again. The elf was quick, but not quick enough: the end of the blade slashed into his shoulder, and he dropped to the ground, bleeding heavily.

While the samsaran moved to aid his wounded comrade, Matsuoka turned back to the gray man, ignoring another thrown knife that stabbed into his calf. Without an ally to distract for him, the man with the shorter blade seemed to have less confidence. Matsuoka came forward with a quick lunge and an overhand chop, and his opponent only dodged back, apparently buying time to strike. Matsuoka knew that he should focus on the wounded elf, finish off that opponent before the samsaran healed him, but to do so would be craven and cruel; instead, he pressed the attack on the gray man.

Another dagger from behind, though, drew his attention, and he spun with the nodachi in a horizontal slash which the masked man barely ducked. A moment too late Matsuoka realized his error, and although he brought his knee forward into the mask--splintering the long nosepiece and bringing a gout of blood as the man reeled backwards--he didn't have time to dodge the attack from behind. The wakizashi found a weak point in his armor, slipping through the gap at the inside of the thigh, and he felt a wet burning near his groin as the strength form his leg gave out.

Matsuoka collapsed to one knee, his good leg trying to bear more of his weight, and he fought to keep hold of his sword. His enemies paused, apparently letting mercy get the best of them for the moment. They should finish me. He could strike now. Why do they hesitate?

"Surrender. You're too badly wounded." The samsaran was speaking again, and Matsuoka looked up at him from behind his mask. The blue-skinned man was calm, his eyes filled with worry, compassion. He was obviously not of Minkai. He knew nothing of Matsuoka's life.

"I will kill you here," the samurai said. He placed one palm on the ground, and concentrated, and pushed. His eyes were closed from the strain of it, but he heard the gasps and footsteps as he rose to his feet. For a moment his wounded thigh screamed out and started to buckle; but Matsuoka let out a defiant roar, and the pain disappeared as he raised his blade. "I am Matsuoka Ken'ichi, last of my father's line, Gatekeeper of the Sikutsu, and I swear that none shall enter this domain while I draw breath!"

His first slash caught the gray man off-guard, and his attempt at a block was too weak to succeed. Matsuoka's slash drove straight through his raised wakizashi, and bit deeply into his shoulder. Sensing movement behind him, he brought up his wounded leg and kicked the man in the stomach, sending him unconscious to the ground and freeing his own nodachi. He spun and swept a pair of daggers from the air, and with another shout he launched forward, leading with his shoulder at the man in the long coat. Two more daggers came forward and pierced one each into his shoulders, but Matsuoka wasn't slowed in the slightest, and he crashed into the ma and brought him to the ground.

As he stood up he felt a heavy blow to his back, and he glanced sideways to see the samsaran had struck with his staff. With a howl, Matsuoka swept his nodachi around in a sweeping uppercut, and the blue-skinned man leapt back. Matsuoka pressed the assault, though, wheeling the nodachi about in crossing diagonal slashes, and then he thrust it forward. The change of attack slipped past the samsaran's defenses, and he doubled over and coughed a spray of blood as the tip of the sword drove into his gut. With a twist and a wrench, the blade tore free sideways, spraying more blood into the air, and the samsaran staggered and fell, helplessly clutching his wound.

That was when the dark elf raised a hand and chanted, and Matsuoka realized he was casting a spell. He dove forward with his blade, but it was too late--he felt his muscles lock into place, and a great pressure was surrounding him, as though he was being crushed in a grapple. He steeled his mind against the assault, trying to break free, but it held him in place, squeezing the strength from his body and the air from his lungs. The dark skinned elf shouted in a language Matsuoka didn't know, likely a curse, and his sword lashed out once, twice, drawing lines of blood just under his arms. When the elf brought the katana up once more, Matsuoka finally broke free with a shout, and his nodachi came up just in time to block the slash.

When he lashed out with his fist to push the elf back, though, it was too slow, too weak. He staggered and coughed, and though he found the strength to bring his nodachi up again, it was a wild slash, and he nearly spun full circle and collapsed from the exertion. As it was, he could only control the fall, and came down to land on his knees, twisting the nodachi to bury it bladefirst into the ground.

He couldn't lift his head to see, but he heard the elf and the long coat man come to stand in front of him. They were talking about what to do, he was sure. And if they didn't know the bushido...

"Finish me," he said, forcing the words from his mouth. With trembling hands he reached up and pulled free his mask, knocked the helmet gracelessly from his head. His hair was nearly free of its knot, and he could feel it plaster to his sweat-covered skin. He looked up at his foes, and swallowed. "I have failed. I must face death."

The pair exchanged a look, and the man in the coat shook his head. "I could save you. I don't know that I want to... but I could."

Matsuoka coughed out a single, bitter laugh. "You don't understand, foreigner. I have failed in my duty. I cannot live in dishonor. You must finish me."

For a long while, the black-skinned elf the black-coated man stared at him. Finally, the elf spoke, a single, damning word. "No." Then he turned and picked up the body of the samsaran, and started dragging him away. After a few seconds, the man in the coat shrugged, and did the same with the gray man.

Some time later, Matsuoka collapsed onto his side, and rolled onto his back. He could feel the life ebbing away from him, puddling beneath his thighs. His breath was ragged and shallow, and he knew he would die soon. So slowly, terribly slowly, he pawed at his belt and freed his dagger. It took six attempts to wrap his fingers around the grip, and another when he fumbled it to its place, pointing straight down at his belly. He didn't have the energy or the time to remove his armor. It probably wouldn't work, but he had to try.

If you go into battle hoping to live, you will surely fall. But go into battle ready to die, and you shall find victory.

With his final breath and the very last of his strength, Matsuoka Ken'ichi gave a final shout, and plunged the dagger straight through his armor, into his stomach. He was dead before the last echoes of the shout had faded into nothing.

Dark Archive

Okay, as a Character Drea will be similar to a magus in combat, with a little extra Arcane missle action in there for ranges. Our of combat she'll be a social flower. Able to talk her way into anything.


1 person marked this as a favorite.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN GOOD EVENING!!

Character Generation!!!

Races: Any under 20 RP. No custom races. You may alter existing races, up to 20 RP. However, please show restraint, and common sense when adjusting your race.
Classes: Almost any, unchained required, no guns! Monks may only take archetypes that are adjusted for unchained.
Mythic: NPC’s and monsters. We might add in PC mythic tiers later, depending on the nature of the game. Do not ask, or hope for mythic, as its totally uncertain right now.
3rd Party: Legendary Games Mythic ONLY. Asking about anything else is like dotting for interest. Severely frowned upon.
Level: 8
Point buy: 25
Ability point increase: +2 per 4 levels
Alignment: Any BUT!!! Characters MUST be willing to work with group, no PvP.
Feats: Characters gain a feat at every level. However, even level feats must be taken from areas that are not Combat or Metamagic feats and must be related to your background. Character sheets must indicate at what level feats were selected. This means that fighters are getting two feats on even levels, one bonus combat and one non-combat.
Unchained Rogues are eligible for skill unlocks, other classes may take Signature Skill.
Fighters receive a stamina pool and combat tricks. Other classes may qualify through feats.
Traits: 3, one of which must be from the AP your background is tied to.
Skills: Background skills are available, characters receive an additional 2 skill points per level for background skills.
Wealth: 33,000 gold, no more than half on one item. I am also considering a special artifact system for *ONE* signature item for the PCs, but it will be gained in game, and thus is not something you need to worry about at the start. However, knowing what your character's favored weapon/armor/item could be, is important.
Godbound: We are using Words (p.29-55), the Fray dice (p.20), and Divine Fury (p.21) It is possible we might use Dominion Points, once I have read that over, but I do not believe you get any at character creation.
Apotheosis word must be chosen and cannot be chosen at character creation.
Characters start with 2 Words and 6 gift points.
Words are in the process of being adjusted for Pathfinder.

**IMPORTANT REMINDER**

You died, during an AP, either as an adventurer on the path, or a causality of events(possibly even after the PCs failed).

Dark Archive

So, @GM: My character is a Former Moldspeaker (From the Legacy of Fire game) can I possibly use the bonus from being one as one of my traits (That's a +1 to all Int based skills) but suffer some sort of penalty for it? Because after all it's alot like the Samsaran where I'm sharting the memories of a past life, only the life isn't my own.


How should hp be done?


Max for all 8 levels.


1 person marked this as a favorite.

You're probably going to need it.


Alright, I'm going to begin building Matsuoka. I know that third-party is out, but what about other options from Paizo? Specifically I'm wondering about Variant Multiclassing--I could see it going either way, because it's an interesting system, but it could be abused to some extent with the extra feats you've made available. (Although since even feats can't be combat, and VMC replaces odd-level feats, it wouldn't be too bad.)

I ask specifically because I think Fighter will fit Matsuoka best in his current incarnation, but I'd love to give him a little samurai flair with an order through the cavalier VMC. (If you'd be willing to make it a straight samurai VMC, replacing the Tactician abilities with their Resolve counterparts, that'd be fantastic, but not necessary.) If not, I'll just have him do that sort of thing flavor-wise, but I figured it could be a neat opportunity.

Either way, I'll get to work.


So I was very sad when the Way of the Righteous game that this guy was part of died due to the GM losing time to run it (we had just gotten out of the prison). Sedellion was not very keen on being drafted into the army of Mitra, but it didn't look like he had much choice to prevent the creation of a second World Wound. Still, it looks like he might have failed... or fled, then died when what he could have stood against finally came home to roost.

I will obviously need to work on getting this guy leveled appropriately... first things first is deciding how he meets his fate...

The Death of Sedellion:

It was improbable... nay, impossible... that Sedellion made it out of Branderscar Prison alive. Somehow, against all odds, he managed it. Armed with tools granted by the Mitrian resistance movement, he and a small group of fellow branded seized control over the warden's portal and fled with what items they could snatch from guards along the way.

The portal was supposed to lead to someplace outside the watchful eyes of the nation's magicians and inquisitors. Perhaps it even did for his companions. Sedellion certainly prayed as much, finding himself instead on the doorstep of the palace, alone. Perhaps the magic only worked for the true believers in Mitra... perhaps the sorcerors managed to wrest control of the portal at the last moment as he walked through it. It didn't matter, Sedellion was not about to be sent back.

Rapier in one hand, short sword in the other, Sedellion took down three of the guards before the archers above him finally turned him into an impromptu pin cushion. The last thought to cross his mind was a brief prayer to Desna to guide his soul out of the clutches of Asmodeus.


I believe we've decided against VMC, simply because we already have a lot going on, with bonus feats, Godbound and potential mythic.

Btw, Loup, did you see So_Maven's post? He lacks an avatar pic, so you might have missed it.


Okay, no problem there. There is a lot else going on, so I understand not wanting to add one more level of complexity to the mix!

I didn't miss the post, but I did miss replying to it--my apologies!

So_AMaven wrote:

Hey Loup, I was thinking of a similar backstory for a different character, maybe we can do a shared history?

My character is a changling kunoichi; I was thinking of making her a ninja in service of the Jade Regent in her past life. Maybe we worked together? Perhaps we died separately, or perhaps not.

I was thinking my character would of been probably executed for disobeying an order to evil to commit.

I'm down for a shared history of some kind; I posted Matsuoka's background and death scene above, so I'm not sure exactly how they would interplay, but we can figure that out. I'd be fine with transposing him from serving Sikutsu Sennaka to serving as a gatekeeper for the imperial palace itself, posing a final threat before the PCs enter its walls to strike down the Jade Regent. In that case he'd be more directly related to the plot, and it'd be potentially more likely for them to know each other.

I think that execution could also raise a neat potential dynamic between the characters, showcasing two sides of the coin when it comes to serving a cruel master. Do you retain your honor to the exclusion of all else, putting your lord before questions of morality, as Ken'ichi does? Or do you seek to maintain your own personal honor and beliefs, and accept death for doing so?

Dark Archive

For Loc I was thinking about going death and knowledge for his words. I should have his build ready by tomorrow. As for a item I would be very interested in a scythe that he could grant intelligence. He could never use it, but he could create a undead to wield it for him.


So as I am getting this guy up to snuff, as it were, I am refreshing on what he was and where he was going. Urban rangers have some fun abilities (hello lockpicking and trapfinding) but one in particular needs a bit of .... GM moderation on.

Advanced Players Guide wrote:


Favored Community (Ex): At 3rd level, the urban ranger forms a bond with a community. While inside the limits of this community, he gains a +2 bonus on initiative checks and Knowledge (local), Perception, Stealth, and Survival skill checks. An urban ranger traveling through his favored community leaves no trail and cannot be tracked (although he may leave a trail if he so desires).

At 8th level, and every five levels thereafter, an urban ranger may select an additional favored community. In addition, at each such interval, the skill bonus and initiative bonus in any one favored community (including the one just selected, if so desired) increases by +2.

For the purposes of this ability, a community is any settlement consisting of 100 or more individuals. The community may be larger than this minimum. Outlying farms, fields, and houses are not considered part of a community. This ability replaces favored terrain.

So this is a fun ability as such, but problematic. In theory any community or town that Sedelion knew in life has been destroyed by the end of the world... given the plot points presented for Way of the Righteous, it is likely that the entire country was lowered straight into the hells, providing Asmodeus a world wound-esq route into the world. Even if that was somehow adverted, it is unlikely that anything survived the ensuing chaos.

All of this begs the question: if I have two communities that I gain bonuses in, where are they and how did I get tied to them? I would love any thoughts that you guys have on that... I will proceed with the leveling on other fronts separately.


I am slightly confused, you keep mentioning Way of the Righteous. I know there's Way of the *Wicked*, and *Wrath* of the Righteous. Is Way of the Righteous a custom combining of the two?

As for Favored Community, I would say the area you start in can be your first, and then you can gain another as you travel.

What I'll allow is once you've moved around a bit, you can trade out your first, starting community with a new one.


Broken Monkeygod wrote:

I am slightly confused, you keep mentioning Way of the Righteous. I know there's Way of the *Wicked*, and *Wrath* of the Righteous. Is Way of the Righteous a custom combining of the two?

Sort of... it was set in Way of the Wicked's country and using its story, but with everything alignment swapped. Asmodeus's backed house won in their fight against the Mitrians instead of the other way. Mitra worship is banned, the country is evil, etc etc. Hence the GM calling it Way of the Righteous... it was a pretty interesting idea, and I was sad that we only just barely got out of Branderscar.

If you want more information, here is a link to the main campaign tab... he posted a good deal of info on what changed and why it changed.

Anyway, that sounds doable. I will keep the communities tab open as a blank slate to start, filling them in as applicable.


I have background written up for my part of the trinity - waiting for Ash to get back to me. Otherwise I'll post it tomorrow without his input. :)

On a similar note to Loc - what is the ruling on intelligent magical items? I'd rather like a violin with the 'Basic Harmony' teamwork feat so it can play itself while I perform...


Question, are character concepts going to approved before we stat them up, or do we have to stat them up first?


Okay, I've finished up the mechanics (I believe) for my submission--the only thing I haven't chosen is mundane equipment, and I left one gift undecided for the time being. Let me know what you think! He's built around being the frontline tank, hard to hit and a pretty hard hitter, with his background feats focusing on his ability to take punishment and present himself as an intimidating warrior.

Matsuoka Ken'ichi:
Matsuoka Ken'ichi
Male human (Tian-min) fighter 8
LN Medium humanoid (human)
Initiative +4; Senses Perception +2
- - - - -
DEFENSE
- - - - -

Armor Class 26, touch 14, flat-footed 22 (+4 Dex, +12 armor)

Hit Points 112/112 (8d10+24+8)
Nonlethal Damage 0
Condition Normal

Fortitude +9, Reflex +6, Will +9
- - - - -
OFFENSE
- - - - -

Speed 30 feet

Melee +2 nodachi +17/+12 (1d10+11/15-20) OR
Melee +2 nodachi +14/+9 (1d10+20/15-20) with Power Attack
Melee masterwork katana +14 (1d8+5/18-20)
Melee masterwork wakizashi +13 (1d6+4/18-20)

Ranged masterwork composite longbow +13 (1d8+4/x3/110 ft.)

Special Attacks Combat Stamina 11/11, Cornugon Smash, Power Attack
- - - - -
STATISTICS
- - - - -

Strength 18, Dexterity 18, Constitution 16, Intelligence 10, Wisdom 14, Charisma 10

Base Attack Bonus +8
Combat Maneuver Bonus +12
Combat Maneuver Defense 25

Feats Advanced Armor Training (Armor Specialization), Advanced Weapon Training (Armed Bravery), Combat Stamina, Cornugon Smash, Diehard, Endurance, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (katana, wakizashi), Improved Critical (nodachi), Intimidating Prowess, Iron Will, Power Attack, Quick Draw, Weapon Focus (nodachi) [Greater], Weapon Specialization (nodachi)

Traits Foreign-Tongued, Keeper of the Ancestral Scrolls, Steel Skin

Trained Skills
Artistry (poetry) +10 (7 ranks+3 class) (Background Skill)
Climb +6 (2 ranks+3 class+4 Str-3 ACP)
Intimidate +15 (8 ranks+3 class+4 Str)
Knowledge (nobility) +12 (8 ranks+3 class+1 trait) (Background Skill)
Linguistics +4 (1 rank+3 class) (Background Skill)
Ride +7 (3 ranks+3 class+4 Dex-3 ACP)[/ooc]
Survival +10 (1 rank+3 class+2 Wis+4 racial)
Swim +6 (2 ranks+3 class+4 Str-3 ACP)

Languages Common, Minkaian, Tien

Equipment:
Weapons
+2 nodachi
Masterwork katana
Masterwork wakizashi
Masterwork composite longbow (+4 str)
--20 arrows

Armor and Clothing
+2 o-yoroi [Armor]
Battle mask
Belt of incredible dexterity +2 [Belt]
Headband of unshakeable resolve [Headband]
Sash of the war champion [Chest]

Other Gear
Scabbard of vigor (holding katana)

Money 1854 gp

Advancement:
Level 1: Combat Stamina, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (katana, wakizashi), Power Attack, Weapon Focus (nodachi)
Level 2: Bravery +1; Endurance (noncombat), Improved Critical (retrained)
Level 3: Armor Training 1; Advanced Armor Training (Armor Specialization)
Level 4: Diehard (noncombat), Weapon Specialization (nodachi); Str +2
Level 5: Weapon Training (heavy blades) +1; Advanced Weapon Training (Armed Bravery)
Level 6: Bravery +2; Intimidating Prowess (noncombat), Quick Draw
Level 7: Advanced Armor Training (Armored Juggernaut); Cornugon Smash
Level 8: Greater Weapon Focus (nodachi), Iron Will (noncombat); Dex +2

Racial and Class Features:
Human Racial Features
Heart of the Wilderness: +4 to Survival, +5 to stabilize while dying, +4 to negative hit points to determine death.
Military Tradition: Matsuoka is proficient with katanas and wakizashis.

Fighter Class Features
Armor Training: Reduce armor check penalty by 1 and increase max Dex by 1 for all armor; move at normal speed in all armor
--Armor Specialization: Add +2 to armor bonus from o-yoroi armor
--Armored Juggernaut: Gain DR 1/- in medium armor, or DR 2/- in heavy armor
Bravery: +2 bonus on Will saves against fear
Weapon Training: +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls with heavy blades
--Armed Bravery: Bravery applies to all Will saves, doubles bonus to DC for Intimidate checks to demoralize

Godbound Abilities:
WORD: Endurance
--Defy the Iron:
--Undying:

WORD: Sword
--Nine Iron Walls:
--Steel Without End:

1 more Gift TBD


I do have a creation question for the Godbound stuff (first time seeing/playing with it, so please bear with me):

You say that we get two of these "Words" (I have been referring to them mentally as "domains" given that is what they somewhat line up with in Pathfinder thematically, though they are clearly somewhat different) at the start of our rebirth, plus six points to spend on "gifts" (divine feats, from the way I have been reading them)... but then you follow that by saying that we all have the Apotheosis word (which normally can't be taken at first level, but makes sense that we would have given our status as recent returned from the dead, possibly becoming divine, etc.). Does this mean that we only have one word to choose from on the list, or do we pick two and get Apo as a sort of bonus word?

Further, in the case that it is a bonus, can we spend some of our gift points on Apo gifts, or are we limited to the two primary chosen words? If it isn't a bonus, do we have to invest in Apo gifts or can we chose to spend our entire allotment on our chosen word?

And on the topic of gifts, is there a mandatory breakdown on how we spend those points (2 minor, 2 greater... 3 greater... 4 minor, 1 greater.... 6 minor) or can we pick what seems to thematically fit our character?

Lastly, I gather that upon awakening our characters don't realize they have any of these abilities. Would it be possible to pick a word/two words (whichever the case is) and save the gift points for after he is awakened to the fact he has them? (I know that might not make much sense, but part of me would want to spend them on the fly as he awakens, having it be a real surprise to everyone as to what he gets... as opposed to knowing what he has, and just waiting to reveal it.)

The progress of getting Sedelion up to date is going strong, I should have most of it finalized by tonight. At least that is the hope.


Devon here. I went out of town right after I posted my submission, so I haven't been able to post anything until now, but I've been thinking about the game.

I see a lot of submissions by players who have played pretty far into their respective APs. Devon didn't get very far. Here's the vignette I wrote as a submission for one of the Second Darkness games I did get selected, but we didn't get very far into the game before it ended.

All In:

"Here you go, Smeed," Devon said as he threw down a small sack of coins. There was a hint of satisfaction in his voice, but he kept his cool. Getting out from under the debt of Lymas Smeed had been a long time in coming, and he had no desire to drag out this exchange.

The loanshark undid the strings and dumped the contents on the table. He did not look happy, despite the large number of coins that formed the pile. "Coppers? Really?" he sneered.

Devon straightened his shoulders and cleared his voice. "There's plenty of silver in there. And quite a few gold as well. Go ahead and count it; it's all there."

"My time is worth so much more than counting these bleeding coppers. You've just cost yourself another ten gold by insulting me like this."

"You have got to be kidding me! It's not like most of these flea-infested sailors gamble with anything better than coppers," the rakish human gestured at the glinting pile.

Smeed gave him a look of contempt. "Not my problem. You needed funding for the big score? You live under my terms. And my terms mean no flipping coppers!"

Devon looked at him dubiously. Smeed seemed to have forgotten to mention that when the original deal was done. He winced inwardly, making sure it didn't register on his face. The deal was supposed to set him up for a long time. Devon had needed the coin to grease a few palms so that the big concave lens made at the Sandpoint Glassworks got to the Cyphermages. It was a beautiful piece that he had hidden in the bottom of a wine barrel. From the Publican House to the Cypher Lodge, a nice bit of smuggling that would have paid off Smeed's loan three times over. If only he hadn't made that tiny wager with Arnando Rolf...

Devon felt his fingers ache for the feel of the hilt of his rapier, but he resisted. It was absolutely not worth it. Instead, he reached into his boot cuff and pulls out a small number of coins. He slaps them down on the table. "Five gold. Best I can do; best you'll get from me. We're done here."

Devon ignored Smeed's curses and threats as he stood and pushed away from the table. He hustled out of the seedy tavern and avoided the eyes of what had to be his hired goons. Stepping out into the light of the street, he pushed his way through the crowd, hoping to put some distance between Smeed's men and himself. Cutting down alleys and working his way through Riddleport, he took several twists and turns before allowing him to think he got away. He figured -- well, hoped, really -- that Smeed only wanted to rough him up and not give him the snickersnak, but he wanted to avoid that entirely. Especially since he had held out on him, and kept a few gold in reserve.

He reached a small plaza where a shiny new gambling hall stood. Well, new-ish. Probably just renovated, but it looked promising. Catching a glimpse of a couple of Smeed's men out of the corner of his eye, the decision was made. He put on a broad smile, strode up to the front of the hall and produced a gold coin.

"Evening, gentlemen. Where do I sign up?"

After becoming a partner in the Gold Goblin, Devon's history pretty much followed the AP as generally intended until the fourth book. Once in the Darklands, the entire adventuring party perishes in the dark, leading to no one from the surface survives with the knowledge of the impending doom of Kyonin.

GMs:

One of my ideas is that the entity responsible for Devon returning was actually Noticula -- who has been established as a sort of ally in Wrath of the Righteous. She meant to send back the drow who had been her worshiper, but the strangeness of the recorporeal incarnation spell interfered (along with, perhaps, some of Pharasma's own influence or another deity you might choose), and Devon's personality remains dominant.

So the Words I plan on choosing will be a mix of the Swashbuckler's and something more appropriate for a Drow worshipper of Noticula. I'm thinking Luck, Alacrity, and Night (if there's an actual Darkness word in the full system, that'd be great -- but I haven't picked that up yet).

Interested in hearing your thoughts on this idea. Let me know if you need anything else before your selection time.


Anastasia's mostly done crunchwise, although I won't be finishing completely until we have the final conversion of Words, but she'll be taking Sun and Night as her words.


I mostly have Kei built. I couldn't find a way to dual wield scimitars and get dexterity to damage, so I went ahead and dropped that part of my idea.

I am going to post his build here, so that I can (hopefully) get feedback and make sure he's meeting what our Axis of Evil hardworking GMs want to see, then I'll get him put into an alt.

Edit: and here is my build.

Kei:

CG Human Rogue 2/Barbarian 2/Bard 2/Shadowdancer 2

STR 10
DEX 20
CON 16
INT 10
WIS 10
CHA 16

HP 88
AC 21 (19) T16 (14) FF 15 (13)
BAB 5
Init +5

Fort +9
Ref +14
Will +6

Speed 40' (50')

Scimitar:
*Normal: +11 to hit; 2d6+7 non-lethal; 18-20/x2 crit
*Rage: +13 to hit; 2d6+9 non-lethal; 18-20/x2 crit
*Arc. Luck: +13 to hit; 2d6+9 non-lethal; 18-20/x2 crit
*Luck and Rage: +15 to hit; 2d6+11 non-lethal; 18-20/x2 crit

Skills:
Adventuring Skills: Acrobatics r8 +16, Climb r5 +8, Escape Artist r8 +16, Intimidate r8 +17, Perception r8 +11, Sense Motive r8 +11, Stealth r8 +16, Survival r6 +9, Swim r5 +8

Background Skills: Linguistics r5 +8, Perform (Dance) r8 +14, Sleight of Hand r3 +11

Feats:
1st: Combat Reflexes
1st (Human): Dodge
1st (Rogue): Weapon Finesse
2nd: Skill Focus (Intimidate)
3rd: Dervish Dance
4th: Desert Dweller
5th: Mobility
6th: Deific Obedience (Sarenrae)
7th: Lingering Performance
8th: Endurance

Traits: Fate's Favored (Faith), Blade of Mercy (Religion), Reclaiming Your Roots (Campaign; sword)

Class Features:
Rogue: Archetype - Thug; Sneak Attack +1d6, Finesse Training, Evasion, Frightening, Rogue Talent (Stand Up)

Barbarian: Fast Movement, Rage (7 rnds/day), Uncanny Dodge, Rage Power (Swift Foot)

Bard: Archetype - Archeologist, Bardic Knowledge (+2), Archeologist's Luck (7 rnds/day), Clever Explorer (+1), Uncanny Dodge

Shadowdancer: Hide in Plain Sight, Evasion, Darkvision, Uncanny Dodge

Words:
Alacrity - Walk Between the Rain, All Directions as One, Extra Effort

Fire - Give Forth The Ashes, Master of the Furnace, Firewalker

Equipment: +1 Merciful Scimitar (Heirloom weapon from mother), +2 Cloak of Resistance, Boots of Striding and Springing, Necklace of Adaptation, Ring of Sustainance, +1 Mithral Shirt, 1900 gp


If you have read through the Godbound rules, you'll notice they have greatly simplified hit points and damage, among other things.

You will want to have this noted on your character sheet for reference. Also, since this part is an adaptation, the rules may be changed.

Godbound attacks:
Where Godbound alters HP it is in HD. For instance, a godbound powered attack might do 3d6+2 damage. The table on page 20 shows that each d6 is rolled and compared to the table for damage, the +2 is added to one roll.

1d6 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6 well that's 2 points
1d6 ⇒ 2 and another point
1d6 ⇒ 3 and one more point

So I did a total of 4 points of godbound damage.

(Here's where the conversion comes in)

Each point of godbound damage is a full HD of damage. So a Barbarian with 10 HD and a wizard with 10 HD both lose 40% of their hit points.

In the Godbound system, characters typically have 10 hit points, so taking 4 points of damage would have been significant. We wanted to convey that same comparison across the conversion.

Keep in mind godbound damage effectively has a cleave effect as well. This makes it particularly nasty against low level hordes.

Hit points and abilities:

Godbound Gifts that provide hit points will effectively give you a full HD of hitpoints. This does NOT change your level or other HD driven abilities.

Gifts that give bonuses to abilities simply provide a +2 to the stat. For instance alacricy would give a +2 to Dex.


Someone had previously asked if they had a sequence of classes in their past life, could they make any changes.

While we are quite fine with coming back as a different race, we are expecting that your classes remain the same.

However, we also stated that it was fine for your previous life to have been a higher level character.

So if I was a wizard 7/rogue 3/arcane trickster 10, I coulds come back as:

wizard 7/rogue 1
wizard 3/rogue 3/arcane trickster 2
wizard 4/rogue 3/arcane trickster 1

I could not come back as:

rogue 8
wizard 8
Wizard 1/Rogue 3/arcane trickster 4

I did not have that many rogue or wizard levels in my prior life, and the last option isn't legal as I don't qualify for arcane trickster with only 1 level of wizard.

for my 9th level, I can progress in any legal fashion, I am not required to continue into arcane trickster. This is part of the second chance.

Also, it is noted that players may use the ARG to make some changes to an existing race.

PLEASE NOTE: This does require you to provide a brief (a few paragraphs) background on your particular branch/clan/off-shoot/subrace/etc.

Any such changes must be approved by the DM's.


DM Fnord, I see you posted pretty much right after I added my build to my above post. Quick question: Have you guys decided how the defensive powers work (like walk between the rain)? I purchased a mithral shirt, but I will swap it out once I know how my defense will be handled. Thanks!


Mostly up to date... just need items, spells, and animal companion. Given he didn't have any of these when he died (well, some confiscated gear, but not keeping any of that crap), and will have them when he is reborn.... probably will treat it as a 'welcome back' present from Desna upon his waking.

Still awaiting the clarification on Godborne stuff, but added stuff in accordance with my running interpretation of application to the page.


The Emerald Duke wrote:

I do have a creation question for the Godbound stuff (first time seeing/playing with it, so please bear with me):

You say that we get two of these "Words" (I have been referring to them mentally as "domains" given that is what they somewhat line up with in Pathfinder thematically, though they are clearly somewhat different) at the start of our rebirth, plus six points to spend on "gifts" (divine feats, from the way I have been reading them)... but then you follow that by saying that we all have the Apotheosis word (which normally can't be taken at first level, but makes sense that we would have given our status as recent returned from the dead, possibly becoming divine, etc.). Does this mean that we only have one word to choose from on the list, or do we pick two and get Apo as a sort of bonus word?

You choose two words. Neither of these may be Apotheosis. You do not get Apotheosis for free like you do in standard Godbound. It must be chosen later. You start as a nobody with divine powers but no following.

Quote:

Further, in the case that it is a bonus, can we spend some of our gift points on Apo gifts, or are we limited to the two primary chosen words? If it isn't a bonus, do we have to invest in Apo gifts or can we chose to spend our entire allotment on our chosen word?

And on the topic of gifts, is there a mandatory breakdown on how we spend those points (2 minor, 2 greater... 3 greater... 4 minor, 1 greater.... 6 minor) or can we pick what seems to thematically fit our character?

There is no mandatory breakdown. You can mimic gifts from other words temporarily, but it is a very inefficient use of your Effort.

Quote:
Lastly, I gather that upon awakening our characters don't realize they have any of these abilities. Would it be possible to pick a word/two words (whichever the case is) and save the gift points for after he is awakened to the fact he has them? (I know that might not make much sense, but part of me would want to spend them on the fly as he awakens, having it be a real surprise to everyone as to what he gets... as opposed to knowing what he has, and just waiting to reveal it.)

Your character may not know what he can do, but we need to. Please select all gifts. If you're waiting for a change list to decide on your words that is understandable. It should be out soon.

51 to 100 of 371 << first < prev | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | next > last >>
Community / Forums / Online Campaigns / Recruitment / Broken Golarion *official* recruitment!! All Messageboards

Want to post a reply? Sign in.