GM Skull's Songs of Innocence (Inactive)

Game Master Shady_Motives

Two thousand years ago a great cataclysm shook the world. No one is sure where it came from as records from that time have been obliterated and the long lived races who might have remembered have either forgotten or vanished. The gods have become nothing more then myth as knowledge and science were set back generations. Continents have shifted and biomes have changed, deserts becoming jungles while mountain ranges rose and fell. The names and beliefs of old have all been buried as faith vanished from all but the most isolated communities as only druidic tradition is rewarded with power.

Great city-states rose from the ashes of civilization as only those isolated from the wild magic that ravaged the planet were able to start rebuilding with science that was protected from the fallout. Now electricity flows to each home within the cities secured behind their great walls, while steam engines powered by magic have enabled the world to master sea, land and air as once again progress marches.

Out in the wild however life is both more idyllic and raw, a place where the fringes of civilization still cling to old beliefs and draw everything they need from nature, unconcerned with the faster and more convenient life offered to those who give up their freedom to live behind the walls of the distant city-states. Merchants moving by animal-drawn wagons or the more rare and expensive steam-wagons connect most of the rural villages with the nearest great city, bringing technology and news in exchange for the raw products that only the distant villages could produce in great quantity.

The great Cities are often in competition with each other, lands and people being exchanged through warfare and natural disasters. The closest city to the town where the PCs will start is called Serafin and is considered a beacon of culture and science as glass domes supported by thin ribs of wrought iron and adamantine can be seen stretching over the immense basalt wall that wraps around the 250,000 citizens that call the city home. They live around and on top of each other, the wealthy elite living at the tops of the numerous towers that rise into the sky while the common folk make due around the strict laws and well equipped guards. Bridges and cable cars bridge the higher levels of the city and a ground level tram provides quick transportation for both civilians and the army that mans the walls while also sending large patrols a days journey into the countryside, the extent of Serafin's power.

It is in the rural town of Huthran where the adventure will first begin as the PCs, all child-hood friends, begin to take their first steps into adulthood with apprenticeships or vagabond exploration that soon explode into exciting adventure as they will be asked to solve the growing threat to their isolated region as village after village experiences strange disappearances.

Huthran is set hard against the base of the Stormpeaks, a mountain range 200 miles west of Serafin in an area known for it's rich mineral deposits and forestry. Numerous rivers comes down off the tall, snow capped peaks and pool in the Black, the local name for the large lake that has never been successfully plumbed and seems to suck in light. If not for the healthy fish population the locals wouldn't brave the temperamental lake with it's rogue waves and savage storms that could sweep off the mountains with little warning.

Many other villages like Huthran can be found around the edges of the Black, all using the body of water as both a source of food and communication line, the Lord Mayors of each town talking for both trade and security. Deeper into the huge forest that covers the lower parts of the mountains civilization breaks down and tribalism begins. These tribes, composed primarily of humans, eschewed the towns and softer life to remain 'pure' and in balance with the power of the wild. Each tribe is ruled by either a druid or a barbarian chief with a druidic adviser.

The towns and tribes have a complex relationship, the tribes having complete control of the fur and tree harvest and the towns offering items such as metal weapons that the tribes couldn't otherwise get a hold of. The tribes tolerate the mining operations of the towns closest to the mountains while the towns do not encroach on the forest. Druids often act as the spiritual advisers for both tribes and towns, sharing forecasts of weather and healing while at the same time teaching the young about the wild. Without the druids the tribes and town would have long ago destroyed each other.

Hello! Now that the basic description of the adventure has been dealt with let me give you some of the nitty gritty. As you can tell from the previous paragraphs some kind of world shaking cataclysm reset civilization over a thousand years ago as entire races vanished and no government surviving the changes.

The general theme for the world is Steamboy meets Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman meets Princess Mononoke meets Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind meets Van Helsing.

House Rules:

Magic: Max spell-levels to start will be capped at roughly 1/2 as knowledge of anything higher has been lost. This means half casters (except rangers) cap at 2nd level, 2/3 casters stop at 4th level and full casters (except druids) cap at 6th level.

This does not mean higher levels don't exist merely that the spells are very rare and impossible to simply buy. Anyone wanting to play a wizard will no longer receive the 2 free spells/level beyond level 12. The same applies to anyone wanting to play a caster, once you reach the level where you would receive the next highest level of spell beyond the cap you no longer gain the free spells known per level. Every spell beyond that will have to be conceptualized and researched and will be unique to the caster.

Accordingly prices for scrolls, potions, wands, rods and anything else that replicates a spell are 2.5x more expensive.

Summoning/Planar Travel etc: Any magic that summons, enables travel to/from or contacts beings from other planes doesn't work.

Healing Magic: All heal spells are modified by the casters total heal skill (min. of 0). Example: Joe Bob has a heal skill of 10. He casts cure light wounds for 1d8+3. Say that gives him an 8. Add his heal skill to that and poof, 18! This represents the casters knowledge of the healing and how to properly channel the healing energy to maximum effect.

Nat 20's and 1's: In my games there is a chance for even a 1st level character to impale a dragon through the heart against impossible odds as well as a 20th level rogue tripping and landing flat on his face. Roll a nat 20 and the accomplishment will go above and beyond whatever you are trying to attempt. Roll a nat 1 and it's an automatic failure, regardless of your base attack or skill ranks. Even gods can screw up.

Traits: 3 to start, 1 drawback. Additional traits are earn via playing the campaign. These are rewards or affects your characters will gain depending on their actions in the campaign.

PC vs PC Diplomacy Checks: This will not be allowed to force players to think or behave a specific way. You must convince them with traditional means of roleplay.

Feats: Feats are gained as normal, but additional feats may be awarded by group/character play. Bonus feat awarded at 1st, 5th, 10th, 15th and 20th level.

Feat Tax: I will be using the system suggested here.

Crafting: A slightly altered system will be replacing Pathfinders crafting rule set to accommodate the campaign.

Combat: Players will be given one day to post their turn in combat. By the end of day if a player has not taken their turn, they will be put on delay and combat will proceed normally. GM will roll all initiative rolls to keep from breaking the flow of the PbP.

Player Death: In the event of a players death, that is the end of their journey (If there is no chance to get a revival/reincarnation). This also means your participation in the campaign is done. No re-rolling of characters will be permitted. This is to allow other outside players a chance to participate in the campaign.

Party Wipe: In the event of the death of the entire party, a new recruitment will be held. You will be allowed to submit a new character then, but only then.

Technology: Steampunk!! Airships!! Railroads (very limited right now)!! Lots of Clockwork stuff.

Mythic: Possible but not guaranteed.

Character Creation:

-->Attributes: I like high powered games so start off thus; start off with 1 auto 18. Roll 3d6, reroll 1's, drop the lowest dice and add 6. Do that 5 times and you have a set. Do that as many times as you want until you arrive at a set that you like (max of 50 times). You must accept stats as a set, no mixing and matching.

-->Starting Level: 1st

-->HP: Max.

-->Max gold 1st level.

-->All archetypes allowed.

-->Books allowed: All Pathfinder with the following exceptions; No Occult Adventures or 3PP. Also any books/PDFs dealing with the Machinesmith class from Louis Porter Jr Design are allowed.

-->Classes: Everyone will be starting out as level 1 npc class as you will begin as apprentices or something equivalent. Regular character classes will open up later. Machinesmith from Louis Porter Jr. Designs is the only 3PP class allowed once regular classes become available.

-->Restricted Classes: Over two thousand years ago the gods went silent and those who drew their power from faith or were blessed by the divine in their very blood lost all of their power. No clerics, paladins, oracles, celestial blooded sorcerer or any other class whose class features are divine related can be played. Druids and rangers are the exception to this rule as they Idolize nature itself.

Also Summoners will not be allowed due to the restriction on summoning magic.

-->Races allowed: Human, half-elf, dwarf, halfling and half-orc. If you want to play a half-orc you will suffer a -5 penalty on diplomacy rolls as you are considered to be in-bred and both of your parents will be humans. Additionally half-orcs receive +2 Str in addition to the +2 to a stat of their choice. Half-elves can be born from any combination of human/human, human/half-elf or half-elf/half-elf and are called Eldkin.

-->Background Skills: Yes.

-->Variant Multiclassing: Special. All characters will receive 1 variant class for free. Restrictions on divine characters still apply.

-->Firearms: Commonplace Guns: While still expensive and tricky to wield, early firearms are readily available. Instead of requiring the Exotic Weapon Proficiency feat, all firearms are martial weapons. Early firearms and their ammunition cost 25% of the amounts listed, but advanced firearms and their ammunition are still rare and cost the full price to purchase or craft.

-->Alignment: Not as strict a system since clerics and their ilk are no longer around but generally a good meter for the type of person you are . Cause too much conflict in the group and we will have a problem.

Combat:

During small(few to one monsters) combat:
Standard book combat rules apply.

During large(many monsters) combat:
Players Initiatives will be averaged, so players may take their turn at any time during the players group turn.

Enemy initiatives will be grouped together as well in the initiative order. They will be placed in respect to the averaged players initiative.

During Combat. Due to its lengthy nature, I will speed up posts to once a day. At the end of each day, the monsters will always take their turn. This is to prevent a month long combat sequence.

Ex.
Combat 1:
Players have an average initiative roll of 8. Monsters average initiative rolls is a 4. In this event, the Players take their turn first, then the monsters will after.

Crafting System:

You can craft many items in the campaign, from armor and weapons, but you must have skill points allocated to Craft: [Category] in order to do so. You must obtain raw materials and/or schematics to do. The system is explained in more detail below:

Crafting Categories:
-->Armor + Weapons
-->Spellcraft (This is the existing Spellcraft in skills)
-->Alchemy (includes everything of an alchemical nature, magical or otherwise.)
-->Siege
-->Traps
-->Art (paintings, pottery, sculpting, etc.)
-->Clothing (anything that goes on the body not considered armor)

What you need to craft?
To craft items in the campaign you must have the raw material to do so. Most raw materials can either be found, salvaged, or bought. There will be unique materials and components you can find to add special affects or bonuses.

When you have the required materials, you can do one of two things. You can either find/purchase a schematic in order to know the quantity of resources you need. Or you can make a Craft [Category] skill check to see if your character knows how to craft that item that you want. If you fail to pass this knowledge check you have to buy a schematic or take a penalty to your Craft [Category] check to when you craft your weapon.

How long does it take?
Crafting takes time in the game world, there will be moments when you enter towns where you will have access to what you need to craft your items. The length of time is calculated from a Craft [Category] check and the complexity/quality of the weapon. You can rush your crafts but you will take a penalty on your Craft [Category] check for quality.

How are the stats determined?
I will determine final base stats of your item. Your will make your final Craft [Category] check to determine your characters success at making the item. This check will help determine the quality of your item, or if your character blunders and wastes the materials.

Can I get an example?
Of course you can! (Note: All data here is an example and does not represent what the materials actually do.)

Bliggledorf the Dwarf decides he wants to make a one handed waraxe. First he makes a check to see if he is knowledgeable enough in crafting it.

He has a Craft: Weapons skill of 15. His final roll tallies results in a 25. Crafting a standard waraxe is pretty common knowledge so he doesn't need a schematic. He finds out he needs 2 ingots to craft it and it will take approximately 2 full days to make it.

Bliggledorf the Dwarf has enough Darksteel and Obsidian to craft it. He decides to use Darksteel because it gives a inherent +2 to attack rolls against Goblins. He knows this because of a finding a tattered book on Darksteel. Though a Craft Weapons check could reveal if he worked with that material before and possibly gleamed what it might do.

Bliggledorf then makes a Craft Weapons Skill check to Craft the weapon. He doesn't have enough time craft it so he wants to attempt to craft it in one day which raises the difficulty of the check. His skill check results in 20. Luckily since it is a simple weapon with no other enhancements he makes it without too much difficulty. His weapon now has the base stats of a common waraxe, but with a +2 to attack rolls against Goblins.

If he had extra time, he could lower the difficulty of the check or opted to use extra materials to try and get a boost to its effect or find a new affect by combining materials.

Posting: I expect a certain level of skill with the English language from my players. One sentence responses will usually not be sufficient. Repeated 1 sentence responses will result in the player being removed from my game. There is a built in spell check on the site but I would suggest writing your lengthy responses in a writing program. Blatant poor grammar (with the exception of idiotic character speech) will not be accepted and repeated grammatically incorrect posts can lead to removal. All this means is read over what you write BEFORE posting and spell check. It only takes a minute or two and saves everyone a headache.

At the beginning I will not be militant about grammar or post length as all of the players (myself included) will be getting used to the other players' writing styles. As time progresses however posts should become more fluid and well written as we get more experience as a group. If a character is saying something posting just the speech in bold font is unacceptable. Write your posts as if you are taking part in writing a book.

Major Events:

This is where any major/noteworthy events will be tracked, accompanied by a link to a document with any extra details on the event.

Spoiler:

I've created these rules based off of several games as both a GM and player so please don't bother trying to suggest an alternative to what is already stated. Any situations not covered by these rules will be decided on a case by case basis.