Adventures in the City of Psionics

Game Master EltonJ

Set during Hellenistic Period, there is room for a lot of adventure. Check out the Phaeselis wiki right here. It will give you all the details of the setting.


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Recruitment Open
Looking for five players to play in a homebrew Campaign that is based off of Ptolus, but is set during the Greek Hellenistic Age of Europe and Asia. You can be anything you want to be, but adventures are usually tied to Phaeselis, the city of Psionics.

Adventure during the time of the Greek Empire. Fight hydras, chimaeras, and other mythological beasties. Discover the riches of the Greek Empire. Adventure in Phaeselis, the City of Psionics and go delving in the deeps of the city to uncover new treasures.

So go here to the Phaeselis Player's Guide on the Phaeselis Wiki. And make up a character. You can be anything really.

This game uses the PF 1 Rules set. Also, it's a more mature game. Slavery was used by the ancients, and slavery exists in game. The slave market is an open thing in Phaeselis, so you can purchase a slave and nobody will look down on you.


I am most interested. I grew up in love with Greek history and myths.

I went to the link. But there isn't a section on creating pathfinder characters in Phaeselis, or at least I can't find it.

So what sort of point buy, level and starting cash do we get. I take it all pathfinder character classes and probably psionics are available.

Also, some of the races in the guide are for D& D 5th ed, others for pathfinder.


They are all pathfinder races. I converted the Dragonborn into a Pathfinder race using the ARG, it wasn't hard. You can get guidelines on how to make a character with a particular race in Pathfinder if you click on it's name.

25 point buy, level 3, starting cash for 3rd level. Well, be careful about picking an occult class, they have some disadvantages in a City of Psionics.

This campaign is set in a City of Psionics. It's not a City of the Occult. I'll run a game with Occult Classes, but please note that the culture of the city is not happy with the Occult classes.


Sorry, I wasn't fully familiar with the site.

So one of the races from the Phaeselis PG with a psionic or normal PF class. I won't be playing an occult class, either because I am not properly familiar with them or the GM isn't happy with them.

Alignment? I wasn't planning on being evil anyway.


Gotta say, I love the setting and how much it's been detailed.You mention summoners a few times in the character classes. Can we use chained, or are we required to go unchained?

EDIT: Looks like the summoner page on the wiki is chained, so I'm assuming we can do that. Thinking of rolling up a half-elf summoner, I quite like the different take this setting has on the class. Are we just limited to the spells, feats, abilities, etc listed on the wiki, or does anything from PF1 go?


I love Greco-Roman antiquity.

Stat rolls? Point buy? Traits? Background skills? Is everything just in that link?


ElegantlyWasted wrote:

I love Greco-Roman antiquity.

Stat rolls? Point buy? Traits? Background skills? Is everything just in that link?

Think it says 25 point buy further up. Dunno about the other two, though background skills would be nice.

Also, how are we calculating HP?


Ah, in OP’s second post, thanks!


ElegantlyWasted wrote:

I love Greco-Roman antiquity.

Stat rolls? Point buy? Traits? Background skills? Is everything just in that link?

25 point buy, 2 traits, background skills, level 3, average hit points per level. Level 3 wealth.


Excellent


EltonJ wrote:
ElegantlyWasted wrote:

I love Greco-Roman antiquity.

Stat rolls? Point buy? Traits? Background skills? Is everything just in that link?

25 point buy, 2 traits, background skills, level 3, average hit points per level. Level 3 wealth.

Awesome. Also, are we limited to the spells and so forth listed on the wiki, or is the entirety of 1e open to us?


Usmo wrote:
EltonJ wrote:
ElegantlyWasted wrote:

I love Greco-Roman antiquity.

Stat rolls? Point buy? Traits? Background skills? Is everything just in that link?

25 point buy, 2 traits, background skills, level 3, average hit points per level. Level 3 wealth.
Awesome. Also, are we limited to the spells and so forth listed on the wiki, or is the entirety of 1e open to us?

All of the spells from 1e is open.


EltonJ wrote:
Usmo wrote:
EltonJ wrote:
ElegantlyWasted wrote:

I love Greco-Roman antiquity.

Stat rolls? Point buy? Traits? Background skills? Is everything just in that link?

25 point buy, 2 traits, background skills, level 3, average hit points per level. Level 3 wealth.
Awesome. Also, are we limited to the spells and so forth listed on the wiki, or is the entirety of 1e open to us?

All of the spells from 1e is open.

Gotcha. Zoe the dancing summoner(summoning dancer?) shall hopefully be done later today.


Dotting in, gotta go with the initial idea of a spartan like warrior. Can’t help it haha.


It's not explicitly stated but I assume that the DSP Psionic Classes are fair game, since they're called out on the Wiki. Is this correct?

If so, I might make an Psychic Warrior that claims a link to divine heroes and is in the process of discovering his own fatal flaws.

Is the Half-Giant race permissible? It seems as though this would be a good one to link to divine parentage.


ElegantlyWasted wrote:

It's not explicitly stated but I assume that the DSP Psionic Classes are fair game, since they're called out on the Wiki. Is this correct?

If so, I might make an Psychic Warrior that claims a link to divine heroes and is in the process of discovering his own fatal flaws.

Is the Half-Giant race permissible? It seems as though this would be a good one to link to divine parentage.

I never considered the Half-Giants to be a viable race since the race of giants in the area were wiped out by the time of Alexander the Great. There were giants anciently in the middle east. The bones of a race of giants were found in the Middle East and gives support to the David and Goliath story. A half-giant is certainly possible, as Goliath himself is a half-giant (he was reportedly to be smaller than his own father).

If you want to play a half-giant as a divine byblow, I'll certainly allow for that possibility. Just remember that Philosophy runs the show in Hellenistic Greece and Asia, so you can explain the half-giantism in actuality coming from a race of giants in the area. Perhaps one of the Gomerians or Magogians. You can say you're a divine byblow, but your genes tell a different story.

Makes sense?


I'm picking up what you're putting down.


Still fiddling around, but this is mostly done. I tried to make things fit with the world as best as possible, but feel free to let me know if anything should be changed. I wasn't sure if we are just limited to two traits period, or if we still can take a drawback for a third trait, so for now I just took two traits.

Also, the spell Snowball has two versions published by Paizo. Is there any preference on which I should use, since it is one of my spells known?


Zoe the Summoner wrote:

Still fiddling around, but this is mostly done. I tried to make things fit with the world as best as possible, but feel free to let me know if anything should be changed. I wasn't sure if we are just limited to two traits period, or if we still can take a drawback for a third trait, so for now I just took two traits.

Also, the spell Snowball has two versions published by Paizo. Is there any preference on which I should use, since it is one of my spells known?

Use the first version. Since you can make your enemies staggered with it.


Sounds good.

Silver Crusade

I'm interested (how interested will likely depend on whether I make it into another game I recently applied to :-)).

I do have one question. It may sound snarky but it isn't intended to be read that way.

How are you planning on making this feel Helenistic? Are we restricted to buying the weapons and armor listed in the guide? Entire classes (eg druids, singing bards, paladins) have their roots in post Hellenic mythology.

I think that if I apply I'd very much like it to be a somewhat collaborative process where I give you a basic character idea and some suggested mechanics and you chime in on them. Is that reasonable?

Also, how long do we have to apply?


pauljathome wrote:

I'm interested (how interested will likely depend on whether I make it into another game I recently applied to :-)).

I do have one question. It may sound snarky but it isn't intended to be read that way.

How are you planning on making this feel Helenistic? Are we restricted to buying the weapons and armor listed in the guide? Entire classes (eg druids, singing bards, paladins) have their roots in post Hellenic mythology.

It's actually loosely based on Hellenic myth and legend. The arms and equipment guide in the Player's Guide is usually followed, no longswords really. But all of the Classes have notes on how they work within the Alexandrian paradigm. Druids for instance have a lot in common with the Cynic philosophy. And Paladins can come from Athena, Ares, Vishnu, and Rama.

Quote:

I think that if I apply I'd very much like it to be a somewhat collaborative process where I give you a basic character idea and some suggested mechanics and you chime in on them. Is that reasonable?

Also, how long do we have to apply?

Yes, that is reasonable. I'll give it two weeks.

Scarab Sages

is it play by post or do you use something like roll20 or another virtual tabletop...


Interesting?

I'm having trouble parsing all the information, though. Are Spheres (of power/might) allowed?

Scarab Sages

Would be a perfect game for a vigilante...again..I didn't see any mechanical things


Seeing the last post I am going to submit an unfinished character. I would like some input from the GM on some points. Not a lot.

And Patman Hello. How are you?

Some background, some questions:

My character concept is a female witch from Crete. Vianna I envision as a bull leaper, which was part of Cretan culture, you can google it to find out what was involved. Young women did that, and did so topless, as Cretan women usually dressed. I am not doing this to be prurient, Vianna dresses as other people do except when working as a bull leaper.
So a few questions-

1 Minoan Cretan Culture was gone more than a thousand years before Alexander was around. Either it's still around or at least contemporary Cretans who recall and follow it's traditions. Does this fit with the GMs view of the world.

2 Is it sensible to have a job bull leaping in Phaeselis? I would like to invent that as a new job in Phaeselis which grants a +2 to acrobatics skill. Is this OK with the GM?

3 If you want historically accurate weapons that means no crossbows, yes? Alexander's armies definitely didn't have them.

4 Can I be descended from Minos and Ariadne? Or if you are going to have Minoan civilisation still around they could be my mum and dad. Maybe.

5 The character is mostly done. I want to finalise spells and patron once I know the party composition. Apart from that I need to add a few details and most of my gear.


Vianna the Faceless.:

Vianna of Crete
Sometimes called Vanishing Vianna or Vianna the Faceless.

Female Human Hellene
Witch Ashtifah 3 (Qadira, Jewel of the East pg. 14, Pathfinder RPG Advanced Player's Guide 65)
Patron
CN Medium Human)
Init +4; Perception +2

--------------------
Defense
--------------------
AC 12, touch 12, flat-footed 10 (+2 Dex)
hp 26 (3d6 + 6 con bonus + 3 FC Bonus + 3 Finding Your Kin
Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +4
--------------------
Offense
--------------------
Speed 30 ft.
Melee dagger +1 (1d4/19-20)
Ranged light crossbow +3 (1d8/19-20)

--------------------
Statistics
--------------------
Str 10, Dex 14 Con 14, Int 18, Wis 10, Cha 13
Base Atk +1; CMB +1; CMD 13

Protecting Veil:

An ashiftah’s veil is not merely a uniform, but a magical vestment imbued with power. Its ability to hold spells functions identically to a witch’s familiar. An ashiftah must veil herself and commune with her patron each day to prepare her spells and cannot prepare spells not stored in the veil.

This ability replaces familiar.

Ghostwalk (Su):

Starting at 2nd level, as a move action after using a hex, an ashiftah can become invisible as per vanishAPG and can then take a 5-foot step. Using ghostwalk doesn’t provoke attacks of opportunity.

This ability replaces the hex gained at 2nd level.

Deliver Touch Spells (Su):

Starting at 3rd level, an ashiftah can use her veil to deliver touch spells. After casting a touch spell, as a full-round action, she can tear a strip from her veil and whisper to it, designating a target. She then releases the scrap of fabric, which drifts on the wind to the target and delivers the spell as a ranged touch attack. The target must be within 20 feet of the witch. The veil mends itself after the spell is delivered.

Hexes Level 1 and Extra Hex x3.

Slumber (Su)

Effect: A witch can cause a creature within 30 feet to fall into a deep, magical sleep, as per the spell sleep. The creature receives a Will save to negate the effect. If the save fails, the creature falls asleep for a number of rounds equal to the witch’s level.

This hex can affect a creature of any HD. The creature will not wake due to noise or light, but others can rouse it with a standard action. This hex ends immediately if the creature takes damage. Whether or not the save is successful, a creature cannot be the target of this hex again for 1 day.

Fortune (Su)

Effect: The witch can grant a creature within 30 feet a bit of good luck for 1 round. The target can call upon this good luck once per round, allowing him to reroll any ability check, attack roll, saving throw, or skill check, taking the better result. He must decide to use this ability before the first roll is made. At 8th level and 16th level, the duration of this hex is extended by 1 round. Once a creature has benefited from the fortune hex, it cannot benefit from it again for 24 hours.

Misfortune (Su)

Effect: The witch can cause a creature within 30 feet to suffer grave misfortune for 1 round. Anytime the creature makes an ability check, attack roll, saving throw, or skill check, it must roll twice and take the worse result. A Will save negates this hex. At 8th level and 16th level, the duration of this hex is extended by 1 round. This hex affects all rolls the target must make while it lasts. Whether or not the save is successful, a creature cannot be the target of this hex again for 1 day.

Cackle (Su)
Effect: A witch can cackle madly as a move action. Any creature that is within 30 feet that is under the effects of an agony hex, charm hex, evil eye hex, fortune hex, or misfortune hex caused by the witch has the duration of that hex extended by 1 round.

Witch Spells Known

All Witch Cantrips
Level 1 9 + patron
Ventriloquism [Patron Spell]
Burning Hands
Comprehend Languages
Identify
Infernal Healing
Mage Armour
Mount
Summon Minor Monster
Web Bolt
Urban Grace
Level 2 2
Glitterdust
Detect Thoughts

Witch Spells Prepared (CL 3th; concentration +6)

2nd Glitterdust x2
1st—Burning Hands x2 Mage Armour
0 (at will)—dancing lights, detect magic, resistance, detect poison.
Patron

Feats

Lvl 1, Lvl 3 Lvl 5 all Extra Hex

Traits -

Reactionary +2 to Initiative

Finding Your Kin (3.5E)
Choose: an NPC [Vianna's mother Ariadne, a descendant of the famaous Ariadne wife of Minos] and a class [Witch].

.

Benefit The chosen class is always a favored class to you, and your dedication to it is such that every time you take a level in the class, you gain +1 hit point and 1 additional skill point over and above what you would normally gain. If multiple PCs take this trait, they should be siblings who were both protected and raised by the chosen NPC.
Drawback Pride -2 to diplomacy and sense motive vs. those who threaten, accuse, or challenge you, until they apologize

Skills
Class skills in italics. 2 + int mod+4 +1 Finding Your Kin =7 per level =21

Craft
Diplomacy [Cha] +1
Disguise[Cha] +1
Fly [Dex]+2/ 1 ranks/+6,
Heal (Wis),+1/1 rank/ +5
Intimidate (Cha)+2/1 rank/ +6
Knowledge (arcana)[Int] +4/3 ranks/+10,
Knowledge (history)[Int] +4/3 ranks/+10,
Knowledge (nature)[Int] +4/3 ranks/+10,
Knowledge (planes)[Int] +4/3 ranks/+10,
Perception [Wis]+1)
Profession
Sense Motive [Wis] +1
Spellcraft [Int] +4/3 ranks/+10,
Use Magic Device [Cha] +1/ 3 ranks/ +7;

Languages

Gear

3,000 gp, of which 23 gp has been spent.
Dagger 2 GP
Handy Haversack

WITCH'S KIT
Price 21 gp; Weight 21 lbs.
This kit includes a backpack, a bedroll, a belt pouch, candles (10), chalk (10), a flint and steel, ink, an inkpen, an iron pot, a mess kit, soap, a spell component pouch, torches (10), trail rations (5 days), and a waterskin.


Yeah, while we're on the topic of creating new job bonuses in Phaeselis, maybe something that gives +2 to Perform(dance) for this character if the gm thinks it reasonable? I believe Conservatory Student does basically that, but, I don't think Zoe would have been so formally trained.


I'm definitely intrigued, love Greek mythology and the feel of the period. I'll take a look at the guide and wiki and see if anything good cooks up.

Silver Crusade

I'm definitely currently thinking of some ranged combat sort (likely thrown weapons) who is at least partially psychic. Which leads to some questions

1) Are the Dreamscarred Press classes Marksmen, Soul Knife legal?
2) Can we mix and match normal classes? Eg, is a Far Strike Monk/Marksmen legal?

Lots of interesting races and cultures available so still very much at the start of the character creation process :-). But have to start somewhere :-)


Dαedαlus wrote:

Interesting?

I'm having trouble parsing all the information, though. Are Spheres (of power/might) allowed?

No, not really. I didn't write the world to include them.


Joynt Jezebel wrote:

1 Minoan Cretan Culture was gone more than a thousand years before Alexander was around. Either it's still around or at least contemporary Cretans who recall and follow it's traditions. Does this fit with the GMs view of the world.

2 Is it sensible to have a job bull leaping in Phaeselis? I would like to invent that as a new job in Phaeselis which grants a +2 to acrobatics skill. Is this OK with the GM?

3 If you want historically accurate weapons that means no crossbows, yes? Alexander's armies definitely didn't have them.

4 Can I be descended from Minos and Ariadne? Or if you are going to have Minoan civilisation still around they could be my mum and dad. Maybe.

5 The character is mostly done. I want to finalise spells and patron once I know the party composition. Apart from that I need to add a few details and most of my gear.

Oh boy, I have to research Iron Age Cretan Culture now and put it up on the Wiki. Just a second while I do a quick search. Hmm, bull leaping could have survived as a tradition into the Alexandrian period, but there is hardly any proof. As this is a roleplaying game and not a historical game, although I worked hard to be as historically grounded as I can. I'm just introducing a fictional city into the Hellenic period -- so, I'll allow your bull leaper.

The armies of Alexander the Great didn't, in fact, have crossbows. Well, not medieval crossbows. But later on the gastraphetes could have been introduced and used. The gastraphetes is the first crossbow.

About being descended from Adriane and Minos, it's been a long time from those two. So all in all, it's possible that you could have been descended from them.


pauljathome wrote:

I'm definitely currently thinking of some ranged combat sort (likely thrown weapons) who is at least partially psychic. Which leads to some questions

1) Are the Dreamscarred Press classes Marksmen, Soul Knife legal?
2) Can we mix and match normal classes? Eg, is a Far Strike Monk/Marksmen legal?

Lots of interesting races and cultures available so still very much at the start of the character creation process :-). But have to start somewhere :-)

Yes their legal. And can you mix and match normal classes? What kind of mix and match did you have in mind? Creating your own base class, something like that? No, you can't create your own base class. But you can combine classes through multiclassing.


EltonJ- Thanks for the reply.

I know quite a bit of the history of this period and area and I have not heard of Minoan Cretan culture surviving on Crete in Alexandrian times. So as far as I know, no evidence as you say.

But if there was some remaining pockets of Minoan influenced culture on Crete would there be any record of it over 2,000 years later? Very probably not imho.

I am a fan of your setting so far as I have read. It is a very interesting time and it's well written and presented.

Incidentally, I have been to many of the places in the setting. Greece, Turkey, Egypt, Israel and Cyprus.


I've been to India quite a lot, being of Indian descent. It tends to be one of those places that doesn't come up often in these sorts of games, so it's pretty cool to see it's role in this setting, especially in this time period.


Joynt Jezebel wrote:

EltonJ- Thanks for the reply.

I know quite a bit of the history of this period and area and I have not heard of Minoan Cretan culture surviving on Crete in Alexandrian times. So as far as I know, no evidence as you say.

But if there was some remaining pockets of Minoan influenced culture on Crete would there be any record of it over 2,000 years later? Very probably not imho.

I am a fan of your setting so far as I have read. It is a very interesting time and it's well written and presented.

Incidentally, I have been to many of the places in the setting. Greece, Turkey, Egypt, Israel and Cyprus.

Well, thank you. I mean to publish it one of these days, but that goal is sidetracked to a later date. I'm a big fan of Alexander the Great. He was an actual person who did a marvelous thing, only to have that thing shatter. I did do some research before putting this together. I originally just want to do the city, so that individual GMs could have an exotic setting. But I grew a world around it.

Quote:
I've been to India quite a lot, being of Indian descent. It tends to be one of those places that doesn't come up often in these sorts of games, so it's pretty cool to see it's role in this setting, especially in this time period.

I don't know how much roleplaying games are received in India. But I did enough research on India that I can do a Campaign based on Ancient India. Not during the invasions though. But certainly during Alexander's time and his impact. Ancient India is an untapped resource for Roleplaying and I think it's going to take an Indian scholar to bring his country's ancient past to life through Roleplaying.

Silver Crusade

EltonJ wrote:
I'm a big fan of Alexander the Great.

I admit to being a greater fan of Phillip of Macedon (Alexanders father). In many ways, he did the far greater deed of taking a backwater poor area and conquering all of Greece.

He then turned over what was arguably the best army the world had ever seen to Alexander.

As to Minoan civilization, in real history there is no way they survive into Alexandrian times as anything other than Myth and Legend (Theseus and the Minotaur). They predate the whole collapse of civilization in 1200 odd BC. They were roughly contemporous with the Mycenaen Greeks, not the Classic Greeks.

(Yeah, I know a fair bit of history too :-)).

There are a couple of small attempts at India based RPGs but it is definitely a nearly untapped resource
India themed RPGs


pauljathome wrote:
EltonJ wrote:
I'm a big fan of Alexander the Great.

I admit to being a greater fan of Phillip of Macedon (Alexanders father). In many ways, he did the far greater deed of taking a backwater poor area and conquering all of Greece.

He then turned over what was arguably the best army the world had ever seen to Alexander.

As to Minoan civilization, in real history there is no way they survive into Alexandrian times as anything other than Myth and Legend (Theseus and the Minotaur). They predate the whole collapse of civilization in 1200 odd BC. They were roughly contemporous with the Mycenaen Greeks, not the Classic Greeks.

(Yeah, I know a fair bit of history too :-)).

There are a couple of small attempts at India based RPGs but it is definitely a nearly untapped resource
India themed RPGs

Checked them out. I wonder if you could get some of these off of drivethru, the ones made by TSR. As for Philip of Macedon, he trained the Macedonian armies to fight as one unit. So he definitely passed off his army to his son. Alexander the Great was definitely different from his father, though.


pauljathome wrote:
EltonJ wrote:
As to Minoan civilization, in real history there is no way they survive into Alexandrian times as anything other than Myth and Legend (Theseus and the Minotaur). They predate the whole collapse of civilization in 1200 odd BC. They were roughly contemporous with the Mycenaen Greeks, not the Classic Greeks.

I agree with you except for the absolute "no way".

Some of their traditions could have persisted somewhere in Crete into Alexandrian times. We can't know for sure the details of what was happening in Crete all that long ago.

The Minoans had a form of that revered relationship between a grown man and adolescent boy we know all about from classical age Greece. Maybe that is one Minoan cultural tradition that survived.

All I say is we can't know for sure it didn't. And it's a game and promises to be cool.


EltonJ wrote:


Quote:
I've been to India quite a lot, being of Indian descent. It tends to be one of those places that doesn't come up often in these sorts of games, so it's pretty cool to see it's role in this setting, especially in this time period.
I don't know how much roleplaying games are received in India. But I did enough research on India that I can do a Campaign based on Ancient India. Not during the invasions though. But certainly during Alexander's time and his impact. Ancient India is an untapped resource for Roleplaying and I think it's going to take an Indian scholar to bring his country's ancient past to life through Roleplaying.

Yeah, I'm no expert, but, afaik, tabletop roleplaying is even more niche in India than it is elsewhere. Which, really, isn't too surprising, considering that most of the companies that made such games were based outside India, and historically it's been quite difficult for foreign companies to do business in the country. But, now that Amazon and the internet is becoming more widespread there, these sorts of games are at least available, if not too widely known or played. Funnily enough, I think there's actually a PFS group based out of Hyderabad now.

And yeah, I also have to admit to being rather more impressed with Philip of Macedon, he didn't get a chance to conquer a massive empire, but he certainly laid the foundations for one. Not that Alexander wasn't also impressive in his own right. I suppose they did complement each other's skills and accomplishments, in a way.

Silver Crusade

Ok, concepts are starting to gell but I have some questions.

1) Is the Tactician Psionic class legal?
2) One of the races listed in the setting is the Blue Halfling. The link is to a standard halfling but the flavour makes me think that it was MEANT to be the Blue Goblin race slightly altered. Mechanically, is this a Halfling as the link says or a Blue from Dreamscarred Press?
3) Am I right that the composite long bow is more or less restricted to High Elves?


pauljathome wrote:

Ok, concepts are starting to gell but I have some questions.

1) Is the Tactician Psionic class legal?
2) One of the races listed in the setting is the Blue Halfling. The link is to a standard halfling but the flavour makes me think that it was MEANT to be the Blue Goblin race slightly altered. Mechanically, is this a Halfling as the link says or a Blue from Dreamscarred Press?
3) Am I right that the composite long bow is more or less restricted to High Elves?

A1. I have a tactician playing in my Dark Sun game on Roll20. So far there hasn't been any problems with the class.

A2. The halfling blue is to represent an Arcturian. I didn't know that the Arcturians are actually insects at the time. I thought they were mammals. So I made them blue halflings. Sorry for the confusion.

A3. No, it's not. The Gastraphetes is a composite crossbow.


Elton- I believe paul was asking about the composite longbow not crossbow.


Joynt Jezebel wrote:
Elton- I believe paul was asking about the composite longbow not crossbow.

Yeah, he was talking about the composite longbow. The Greeks didn't have the composite longbow until the Gastraphetes was invented. Maybe its better to say it wasn't invented until the mongols. I'll double check my research.


Isn't the Gastrophetes a kind of crossbow?

From Wikipedia-

"Composite bows were soon adopted and adapted by civilizations who came into contact with nomads, such as the Chinese, Assyrian, and Egyptian. Several composite bows were found in the tomb of Tutankhamun, who died in 1324 BCE.[12] Composite bows (and chariots) are known in China from at least the Shang Dynasty (1700–1100 BCE).[13] There are strong indications to believe that Bronze Age Greek Cultures like the Minoans and the Mycenaeans were using composite bows in a large scale."

However, classical age Greeks didn't use bows, aside from Cretans, you hear of Cretan archers. Neither did the Macedonians. They used javelins, darts and slings.

It follows that the composite bows the Greeks had were not as good as the Mongol bows or anything like it. "Composite bow" or "short (or long)composite bow" don't just refer to one exact design.

On longbows, also from Wikipedia-

"The earliest known example of a longbow was found in 1991 in the Ötztal Alps with a natural mummy known as Ötzi. His bow was made from yew and was 1.82 metres (72 in) long; the body has been dated to around 3,300 BC and another bow made from yew was found within some peat in Somerset, England dated to 2700–2600 BC. Forty longbows have been discovered in a peat bog at Nydam in Denmark which date from the 4th century AD.[3] In the Middle Ages the Welsh and English were famous for their very powerful longbows, used en masse to great effect against the French in the Hundred Years' War, with notable success at the battles of Crécy (1346), Poitiers (1356), and Agincourt (1415)."

So longbows existed elsewhere at this time. Again, the Greeks didn't use them and neither did any of the cultures in this area for warfare, at least to my knowledge.

Obviously, if these cultures had anything approaching the effectiveness of the English longbow they would [pun unintentional] have used them.

So as far as I can figure, historically, it's composite shortbow yes and any kind of longbow no for this time.

The good thing about recruiting ancient history nerds to your game is they contribute to the historical accuracy of the setting. :) Hopefully anyway.


Yes. Thank you.

Silver Crusade

Alright, I finally have the character concept :-). Thought I'd pass it by you before getting it totally mechanically done.

The character is, at least on the surface, an Aryavartan student studying philosophy (by which I include Psionics) at The School of the Chakras.

However, he has a second, hidden identity as a female Khemite member of the The Mind's Eye.

He also has at least 4 other minor identities that he maintains. A streetwalker, a labourer, a merchants apprentice, and a temple acolyte of Bastet/Isis

In fact, he is really a Protean. A Protean who is originally from Khem (I am assuming this is Egypt?).

Mechanically, a Protean Psion Telepath. He will not be totally helpless in physical combat but that is very much NOT his forte, which is intrigue. Together with some Control Powers (Entangling Debris, Ectoplasmic Sheen) he brings the expected mind control powers to combat (Empathic Connection, Compelling Voice).

Key mechanical bits include Student of Philosophy trait, sleeves of many garments, Minor Metamorphosis Power.

Obviously still somewhat of a skeleton but I thought I'd make sure that doesn't raise any obvious red flags.


pauljathome wrote:

Alright, I finally have the character concept :-). Thought I'd pass it by you before getting it totally mechanically done.

The character is, at least on the surface, an Aryavartan student studying philosophy (by which I include Psionics) at The School of the Chakras.

However, he has a second, hidden identity as a female Khemite member of the The Mind's Eye.

He also has at least 4 other minor identities that he maintains. A streetwalker, a labourer, a merchants apprentice, and a temple acolyte of Bastet/Isis

In fact, he is really a Protean. A Protean who is originally from Khem (I am assuming this is Egypt?).

I used the old names. Khem is indeed, Egypt. Although everyone would call it Egypt by now.

Quote:

Mechanically, a Protean Psion Telepath. He will not be totally helpless in physical combat but that is very much NOT his forte, which is intrigue. Together with some Control Powers (Entangling Debris, Ectoplasmic Sheen) he brings the expected mind control powers to combat (Empathic Connection, Compelling Voice).

Key mechanical bits include Student of Philosophy trait, sleeves of many garments, Minor Metamorphosis Power.

Obviously still somewhat of a skeleton but I thought I'd make sure that doesn't raise any obvious red flags.

I like it. Interaction/investigation ⇒interaction/investigation

⇒interaction/investigation ⇒big fight is how we do things. So interaction/investigation part of the adventure is pretty much your forte.

Silver Crusade

Great. Full character should follow in a day or two


EltonJ- I have finished my character's background story.

I have invented some things, I briefly re-vamped the Ashtifah archetype's purpose for the setting without changing the game mechanics at all and invented a Cretan town to come from and a small bull leaping performance group in Phaeselis. And Vianna was briefly enrolled in Aristotle's famous school, rather disastrously.

I would not think this interferes with your game world much, but if it does not fit with how you envision things I will change things.

The Finding Your Kin merit calls for an NPC and a class, and these are Vianna's mother Viadne and Witch.

I think my character is now mostly complete. I will finalise Vianna's patron and spells once I know the party composition if that is OK.

Vianna'a Background:
Vianna was born in Hanossos, a middle sized town located in eastern Crete where Minoan customs and culture are still practiced. Vianna's family are the direct descendants of king Minos and Ariadne from the height of Cretan power. The family has fallen from royalty to aristocracy and it's power now is little more than being infuenctial in Hanossos.

Vianna's mother Viadne preserves another Minoan tradition, that of the faceless maidens. In Minoan times female members of the royal family and their acolytes formed an extended coven of witches who acted as spies, enforcers and protectors for the royal family. A small remnant of the faceless maidens remains still serving the descendants of Minos.

Vianna's father died of ilness when she was five and her memories of him are few. Viadne never remarried. Vianna was schooled in witchcraft, occult traditions and Minoan and Hellenistic culture by her mother and local tutors. Vianna was athletic from a young age and became an accomplished bull leaper. In her adolscence Vianna was sent to Aristotle's school to further her education. She despised the low status acccorded women in Athenian society and this lead to clashes with her teachers and fist fights with her fellow students. Vianna was removed from the famous school by her mother having been their for less than half a year. The school would probably have expelled her soon in any event.

Vianna wantred to see the world. Viadne was concerned about the dangers but Vianna promised to be careful. Vianna travelled through most of Crete and the islands in the Hellenspont, then made her way to Alexandria and down the Nile into central Khem. From there she made her way through the Holy Land, viisiting Jerusalem and Jericho, before making her way to Phaeselis. The funds provided by her family ran out around the time she reached Alexandria and since then she has had to travel frugally, often walking, camping, hunting and taking whatever work she can find. Sometimes she has resorted to theft, always targetting the wealthy who would not suffer much from her actions.

In Phaeselis Vianna found the cosmopolitan society to her liking. Initially she took whatever work she could find and occasionally resorted to theft. But she soon found her feet, her varied abilities, magic, stealth and manipulating fate made her an freelance employee with many uses. She is often employed by the noble houses of Pericles and Ambrosia though she takes work from many sources. She has friends in The Daughters of the Graeae and has learned from them, though Vianna is much more involved in the world than most of the obsessive Daughters. Vianna is a member of the Nizari, her rotten experience at the Aristotlean School has influenced her greatly and she is one of the more militant Nizari and will aid her sisters if she reasonably can.

Vianna has formed a small group of bull leapers with some fellow Cretan ex-patriots. It consists of three young women and one male youth who perform bull leaping in much the way as was practiced in Minoan Crete. The performances are paid and are staged irregularly, typically around one a week, as part of other events. They have a following that is not very large but quite dedicated. Some Nizari and other women see it as an expression of female freedom and power, others as a chance to watch comely women performing topless, others enjoy the athleticism, spectacle and danger.

Vianna lives as a lodger with a single working widow, Mela, in a modest dwelling. Vianna is friendly and protective of Mela's three children who are aged four, six and seven. Mela is fond of Vianna and is appreciative that her lodger sometimes acts as her children's baby sitter and tutor. Vianna does not think about this much, seeing this as being a friend.


I like it. I think it will work.

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