Power and Progress: Dragoncat's Homebrew Alkenstar Campaign (Inactive)

Game Master Dragoncat

War. War never changes.

Life in Alkenstar is about to change…
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Hello, everyone! I would like to run 5 PCs through a homebrew campaign set in the Grand Duchy of Alkenstar. I’m planning to run a campaign with more of a focus on social roleplay and intrigue (usage of the intrigue options from Ultimate Intrigue is still under consideration).

It begins with the investigation into a series of murders targeting Alkenstar’s scribes, and will spiral into a campaign of mystery solving and backroom dealing, of exploration of the Wastes, and perhaps even of changing the balance of power and politics in the region forever.

Here are the Character Generation rules I’m going to use for this campaign:

Method: 25-point buy.
Alignments: Any, but non-evils preferred.
Allowed Races: Core, Featured and Ganzi.
Allowed Classes: Any non-Occult and Unchained. Gun-wielding archetypes/domains/inquisitions will be thematically quite appropriate. Fair warning, though--the Mana Wastes are, as mentioned, a place where magic is unreliable by default.
Starting Money: Average for your class.
Traits: 2, and you may take a 3rd if you take a Drawback.
Background: When making your background, I’d like you to give me a hook I can use for future quests.
Background Skills?: We are going to use them. :)
Gun Rarity?: We will be using the Commonplace Guns category in Alkenstar.
Anything Else?: I’d like to use the Automatic Bonus Progression system for Pathfinder Unchained.

Also, for circumstances where primal magic is in effect, we will be using the Primal Magic variant magic rules.

Recruitment will end March 3rd.

What sort of effects might the Wastes have on magic, precisely? Is that detailed somewhere, or would you be home brewing it?

Effects of Primal Magic are detailed in Inner Sea Magic.

Generally, magic in the Mana Wastes is divided into three categories:

--Primal magic, which is basically the norm and where magic is unpredictable;
--Dead magic, pockets of the Wastes in which magic doesn't work;
--Normal magic, which is very much the exception to the rule. These areas are rare in the Wastes.

I linked to where the primal magic rules can be found in the PFSRD.

D’oh! So you did. Smh

Oooh, I am intrigued, since I know what an awesome GM you are!

I'm in the process of creating a dwarf ranger for submission. Are there any particular favored enemies I or any other people looking to submit rangers should consider?

Sounds interesting. Level 1 start, right?

I was thinking about finally trying out the gun smuggler rogue or the Spellscar drifter cavalier; do you think that the latter would be a good fit for the campaign, given the social focus?

Putting together a Strangler Brawler, intends on taking opponents' guns and shooting back with them. Very CQC.

Of course, Dragoncat already knows that, but I needed to dot this thread anyway for when I have her put together :P

I'm in the process of creating a dwarf ranger for submission. Are there any particular favored enemies I or any other people looking to submit rangers should consider?

Here's a listing of favoured enemies that would be a good idea for rangers to pick:

Aberrations: Mutants roam the Mana Wastes and menace the lives of innocents.

Constructs: Whether they're Alkenstar's own clockwork force or ancient remnants of a war gone by, constructs can be found in quite a few places in the Wastes.

Giants: Incursions of giants along the Wastes' western borders with the Mwangi Expanse are increasing in number.

Humans: Some of the most dangerous beings in the Wastes are humans.

Oozes: These tend to be the byproducts of Alkenstar's ever-growing industrial strength.

Undead: As if sharing a border with Geb wasn't bad enough, some particularly vile types of undead can be found lingering within the Wastes themselves.

Sounds interesting. Level 1 start, right?

I was thinking about finally trying out the gun smuggler rogue or the Spellscar drifter cavalier; do you think that the latter would be a good fit for the campaign, given the social focus?

Yes to starting at Level 1. I should've put that in the initial post. >_<

The Spellscar Drifter cavalier would be a great idea for this campaign--as would a gun smuggler rogue. Gun smuggling is a very real issue in Alkenstar, and a character with good social skills would be a boon to navigating an increasingly-complex geopolitical world. :)

One more question, starting hit points are your entire hit die plus CON and any sundry bonuses like Favored Class, right?

Yes. Further level ups are 1/2 + 1 + CON.

Okay, I lied, another possibly dumb question: Craft skills, do firearms fall under Craft (weapons) or is there a Craft (firearms) I should invest in instead? Is this altered by the Gunsmithing feat?

Firearms fall under Craft (Firearms). There's a table for their crafting DCs in Ultimate Combat, page 101.

I'll rule that without the Gunsmithing feat, any firearms a character crafts need to follow regular Crafting rules, and the firearms they make are the battered kind of firearms--they only work for them and are otherwise worthless.

Putting together a Strangler Brawler, intends on taking opponents' guns and shooting back with them. Very CQC.

Of course, Dragoncat already knows that, but I needed to dot this thread anyway for when I have her put together :P

Joie Patronne, CQC expert, reporting for duty. I'll use Martial Flexibility to get gun feats when necessary at early levels, and probably take a few as I'm able to early on.

Firearms fall under Craft (Firearms). There's a table for their crafting DCs in Ultimate Combat, page 101.

I'll rule that without the Gunsmithing feat, any firearms a character crafts need to follow regular Crafting rules, and the firearms they make are the battered kind of firearms--they only work for them and are otherwise worthless.

Thanks! So I'll want to take BOTH firearms and weapons crafting to make an axe musket.

Here is a submission from drogeney.

I retooled her from a higher level game I built her for but since I started from scratch there shouldn't be any issues from it.

Faithe can heal but she is meant as more of a bad touch oracle with a really big scythe. She has backstory that gives some plot hooks for issues with Geb.

A question for you. Given her strong ties to death would it be acceptable to take Necril as the language for her tongues curse?

Oh, and yes, Faithe is inspired by Lady Death.

@Faithe: Sure!

Dotting for interest - toying with ideas for either a rogue or an arcanist.

Dotting for interest.

Not sure what I want to run but I'll definitely be taking a look through my backlog of people I would love to delve into.

Currently playing a bunch of frontlines so maybe something more talky and supportive. I've always been enamored with the Phantom Thief Rogue or the Dandy Ranger; would they fit in?

I saw that no Occult classes are allowed but are Occult archetypes such as the Psychic Detective Investigator allowed? I'm intrigued for the setting.

@Hubaris: Both archetypes sound like they'd work well in investigations and political maneuvering. :)

I don't think I'm going to allow Occult archetypes for this campaign, sorry.

Sorry I'm having trouble parsing it out.
Is Unchained allowed or disallowed?

Also thanks for the response and not a problem; just looking at cool investigation and intrigue themed archetypes!

Unchained is allowed. Sorry for not making that clear before.

Definitely interested will cobble something together soon.

So how would an alchemist work with primal magic? If I were to play a Gun Chemist, would drinking extracts risk triggering primal magic as spells or activating magic items? Because "I drank an extract of Cat's Grace and all of a sudden there was a lightning storm." would be kind of hilarious.

dotting for interest as well. Dragoncats are awesome, and I know a lot of you folk who are super cool too! Im leaning into something rogue like or bardlike, since mages may be less than stellar. :)

@Ouachitonian: Considering that extracts are more or less spells for alchemists, I'd rule that an alchemist would have to make a concentration check to keep it from going wild.

EDIT: Actually, that's a good question. I'll have to give it some thought.

I'm thinking about making a former trainee for the Alkenstar militia who dropped out right before her acceptance ceremony due to one of the murdered scribes having been a friend of hers. Despite projecting a curt, icy, and thoroughly utilitarian demeanor, she is actually quite soft at heart with those who she gets close to and she took her friend's death hard. Hard enough to quit her dream job of serving her country proudly to discover the truth and bring the killer to justice.

As far as a build goes, I'm probably looking to make her a Vanguard Slayer built around group tactics, guerrilla warfare tactics, and just wading into combat when necessary. She will be able to stealth when necessary and, if the game goes to 10th level, I plan on taking Assassinate to give her the true commando feel.

Dotting. I'm thinking something that can dual wield pistols =^^=
Perhaps a goblin pistolero

@GM:
Would you consider using the tax feat rules?

Dotting with great interest

@GM: I second BloodPaw's question. If I am not mistaken, this is the feat tax in question. The download is highlighted in blue in the second paragraph below the picture.

The rules add a great deal more variation in more martial oriented games by consolidating must-have feats or just outright including them automatically for all characters. I have never had an issue with the system as a player or GM.

If something is not clear about the rules, I would be happy to help clarify if it means that there is even a sliver of a chance they get incorporated into the game.

I've looked them over, and I think I like them enough to use them. :)

I need to make a few tweaks, but I would be submitting Xada Nivrublox, Halfling Cavalier Order of the Sword.

I've looked them over, and I think I like them enough to use them. :)

This is extremely good news for me, since it means I can get IUS and Improved Grapple as one feat at first level! :D

I'll be fleshing out Joie's backstory. There are a few directions I'm considering.

I'll be submitting Amelia Reed, a Dandy Ranger who wants so much to live the high life, not knowing what treachery and danger may be afoot in her climb to get there. I'll also flesh out the story more as I get more ideas but here she is.

It's tempting to play with guns but a political campaign always needs some kind of fancy duelist. Knowing only nobility from books and second-hand sources, she still fights with a parrying dagger and estoc.

I haven't decided on my Favored Nation, but any tips would be appreciated. Thinking Alkenstar based on her prior studies of it before heading over.

I don't like posting on Aliases until I need to, so I can delete them as necessary.

Submitting Jase for consideration. Musketeer swashbuckler that might dip into gunslinger, as well. Basically, he's a young man with a gift for gab and fencing that hasn't decided on what to do with his life. Looking into who would be murdering scribes seems as good a way to figure that out as any. Thanks for the consideration, Dragoncat!

Hmm, interested. Dotting.

Dragoncat, what is the main plot line going to revolve around? How do the party members come together? If they are investigating murders, are they working with/for the government?

When you say the campaign is focused on intrigue, how heavy is that? Should we expect that the vast majority of our time is spent roleplying while combat is the exception?

When you say the Mana Wastes makes magic unreliable, how unreliable is that? Would it be a complete folly to submit a caster, or would they just have to keep in mind the chaotic possibilities and that occasionally they might not be able to cast at all?

Edit: Are you allowing variant heritages for aasimars/tieflings/dhampirs?

Well, I made the character so I'll toss in Carnival, Tiefling Gun Chemist Alchemist. The idea is to go the Jack-of-All-Trades route and have some healing, plenty of skills, and occasionally explode an enemy with high-velocity ordinance.

All good questions, CampinCarl!

The Main Plot Line: The initial quest, the investigation into the murdered scribes, is going to lead into the PCs becoming involved in the cold war between Nex and Geb. Without giving too much away, the PCs will eventually become key players in Alkenstar, allowing them to have a hand in steering the nation-state in the direction they want.

The PCs will also have opportunities to tackle several other issues facing Alkenstar: the problem of gun smuggling (which the PCs will have the option of either stopping it or getting involved in it), drug running (same as above) and a looming food shortage necessitating a search for more arable land.

The PCs will initially be brought together to work for the Shieldmarshals, with one Lucas Greystone leading the investigation into the murdered scribes.

The Intrigue Focus: I'm planning to favour social roleplaying more than combat when it comes to quest completion and encounter resolution. Combat will always be an option, but never the only option.

On Magic: Magic will follow the Primal Magic variant rules: Every time a character uses a spell-like ability, spell, or activates a magic item, there's a chance the character will have to make a Concentration check to keep things from going awry. It won't be a completely foolish idea to submit a caster--I will always let the players know when they've entered a Primal Magic Zone or a Dead Magic Zone. They'd just have to be aware that occasionally, they won't be able to cast at all.

Variant Heritages?: Gorram right I'm allowing them. :)

I present the build of Zig'y

Roaming gunslinger Goblin. He is on the run after his little tribe was eaten. He isnt sure by what. But from the screams, he is sure it was something big and nasty. Maybe one day he will find it, then he will shoot it, then he will eat it. Yes.

@GM :
As he can have a battered firearm, is it possible to have a revolver? Since guns are common place
I didnt add his weapon yet due to wanting to find this out first

I saw in the book of "Goblins of Golarion" there is a spelleater tribe. not sure if you would allow them as a PC. But they are actually native to the Mana Wastes. Thats why i ask :)

So we will start by working with the Shieldmarshals (aka part of the government), but as the plot develops we will have our choice of how to proceed. Interesting.

I'm considering making a Primalist wizard, to directly fight against the powers of wild magic. Of course that begs a follow up question: What level do you intend on this game going to, and how quickly will we be leveling up? I don't mind having some rough early levels, but if a game is only going to level 3-5 and it takes years for each level up...well then I'll switch to a barbarian or something :)

@Bloodpaw: Revolvers and other advanced firearms are almost exclusively the purview of Alkenstar's Gunworks. They won't be available as starting battered firearms, but they can be purchased/crafted if you have enough cash.

Also, I'm not sure how the Spelleaters have been affected by the Mana Wastes, but I'll say there's nothing stopping you from having a different goblin tribe to come from.

@CampinCarl: I'm hoping to have this campaign eventually reach somewhere around Level 15. I'm planning to have levelups come as you hit particular story beats, so they'll come more quickly.

As to full casters, I'd like to point out that Alkenstar has Blythir College: I'm using it as the city-state's foremost place of proper education in the ways of magic and alchemy. :)

Cool. I think I'm up to the challenge of playing an arcane caster than. What would you think about having combat casting apply to the concentration check against wild magic, or perhaps making it it's own feat?

I'm also interested in the Spellslinger archetype because it looks wickedly cool...but my god it also looks really underpowered. Some of the trade offs seem fair, but four opposition schools and no cantrips? Blah.

@CampinCarl: There is the Stable Spell metamagic feat.

And I'd agree--the Spellslinger is honestly kinda disappointing.

Oooh, that is an interesting metamagic. Definitely useful in rod form as well.

Would you potentially consider buffing the spellslinger archetype? I have this idea in my head for a young elven wizard who came to Alkenstar in the hopes of revolutionizing the union of magic and technology by using primal magic, but has suffered from being assigned as a teacher's assistant to a doddering old wizard at Blythir who's about as interesting and helpful as beet soup. I might need to ask to cannibalize the archetypes to make them work together, or just make the concept more wild magic focused without worrying about a gun.

@CampinCarl: I'd consider lowering the amount of opposition schools in School of the Gun from four to three...

Nah it's alright, I know a lot of people aren't as comfortable tinkering with the rules as I am. I'll look to make a primalist tomorrow and see if I can draw up a concept I'm happy with.

Dotting! Not sure what I'll make, but I do love steampunk cowboys.

Good to see you again Eschie!

Question. With Firearms how does Exotic Weapon Proficiency work?
Do you choose a single type of Gun or a group or...

Might swap one of my melee options for a Firearm proficiency as I start with 2 Exotics anyway. Figure I can get the best of both worlds this way :)

@Hubaris: We're using the Commonplace Guns category of gun rarity. This means that firearms count as Martial weapons.