Empire of the Sun

Game Master Teiws Polka

Basic idea is a constable from Minkai whose favorite lover was murdered by a foreigner and then who went rogue for vengeance. May have gotten it or only thought he did, if that helps the GM/story.

What about... a Paladin (Virtuous Bravo) of Sarenrae? On a intelligence gathering mission... caught up in a sting and thrown behind bars.

For the protection of innocents (who saved their life), did not come forth and allowed themselves to be imprisoned.

Their original mission may be aligned with investigating the keep. A missing Paladin, corruption, etc...

With a Point in Dance (background) and a point at Level 1... and Virtuous Bravo's "finesse"... Dervish Dance as a 1st Level Feat

Mithral Chain Shirt
+1 Buckler
MW Scimitar

A couple of other things.

Lacrima
Redac
Tura
Shintaro
Djack

... all welcome for Table 2.

Anyone still interested in Table 2 not listed above?

Djack, even with background skills, you should keep to the ranks per class level limit, but I believe that Slashing Grace works as well (or better) than Dervish Dance for your build, so if you go human, you'd have:

Human 1: Weapon Focus (Scimitar)
Paladin (Virtuous Bravo): Bravo’s Finesse (Ex) (Counts as Weapon Finesse)
Level 1: Slashing Grace

Djack, even with background skills, you should keep to the ranks per class level limit, but I believe that Slashing Grace works as well (or better) than Dervish Dance for your build, so if you go human, you'd have:

Human 1: Weapon Focus (Scimitar)
Paladin (Virtuous Bravo): Bravo’s Finesse (Ex) (Counts as Weapon Finesse)
Level 1: Slashing Grace

My bad, fumbled background skills... Thought they were level 0 skills (one time).

I like what you've laid out.

But, without the tie to Dervish Dance... I'm feeling more possibilities. Concept might change, but will remain a similar build.

Perfect :D
I will specialize a bit the backstory, like how I got in jail, taking the trait and spells and refining the character for this adventure then.
Please forgive me if I make some mistakes, it's my first play by post game ever.

EDIT: one more thing about my animal companion hps, do I take all averages, roll, roll with first HD max, or anything else?

@ Lacrima, HP for companions works like player HP - max at first, roll for others, minimum of half+1.

So HP: 8 + 5d8 + 10 ⇒ 8 + (4, 3, 3, 3, 3) + 10 = 34 which turns into 8 + 25 (minimum) + 10

Also, honest mistakes are part of life and RPG. It is the dishonest stuff that is to be avoided.

@ Djack, if you want, but keep in mind that Slashing Grace doesn’t have the requirements of Dervish Dance but there’s nothing to say you can’t use Background skills to keep Perform Dance up. You could even spend round 1 beginning a dance as a standard action - like a bard begins their bardic performance - and then subsequent rounds maintain dancing as a free action to use Slashing Grace.

Slashing Grace is like diet Dervish Dance but you can always add flavor to it if you love the Virtuous Bravo.

That being said, play what makes you happy.

@ Everyone

I hinted at it above, but for Dawn, you play a prisoner, but in Empire, it is about 20 years later, so you may be middle aged or playing a son or heir of your original (like Bilbo to Frodo but perhaps across species) and goblin is heavily encouraged for Empire but not Dawn.

Interesting Tura is up to crush some skulls She just needs some armor and weapons, preferably a Greatsword, cestuses, daggers and maybe javelins or a bow.

Ok, rolling my pet's level 1 2nd hit die then
Pet HP: 1d8 ⇒ 6

@ DM Sun

The cost seems too steep, and very focused. Might not be worth it. Mechanically, can probably do just as well with another weapon. And, add some flavor and RP.

Either way, he's one of the good guys... NG. Maybe Desna as a patron.

Ranger Divine Marksman/Freebooter (lighter, more open)

But, there seems to be a ruling needed regarding Vicious Aim and how it would work with the Freebooter and Freebooter's Bane. I'd ask leniency and base it on what a standard highest Favored Enemy bonus would be. I like this build w/Freebooter because it buffs the team, and we're gonna be in skirmish situations, so everyone can feel better about getting a piece of the action.

Ranger Divine Marksman/Infiltrator (darker, spycraft)

Goes with the spy background, chain or command can be tangentially related to the paladins or a mercenary/vigilante type headed towards the chaos, because that's where he can help people and profiteer. Favored Enemy Humanoid (goblinoid).

Same backstory, got caught up in an altercation. Took the heat.

Thoughts?

Got almost everything prepared, just a couple more things.
I assume my "ring" is with me while I'm in jail, as it is not "always" magical, or was it taken away from me?
Should I make a different alias for my pet? I feel it might be better maybe.
One normal trait and one of your campaign traits right? I will be picking Guilty

@ Tura, Masterwork Transformation of your starting weapon is easy for So and Lar to offer. Masterwork full plate too. A bow or three is also readily available - essentially, you can assume any weapon from https://aonprd.com/SourceDisplay.aspx?FixedSource=PRPG%20Core%20Rulebook is available. Of your list, cestus is not at-hand but certainly available.

If you want a variety of weapons, not all of them may be masterwork, but Masterwork full plate, Masterwork Transformation, and a second masterwork weapon (bow?) is pretty much automatic approval as long as the weapon in question is on the earlier list.

@ Djack: I like math, so let's pretend you're just a 5th level Divine Marksman. You'd have +4 Favored Enemy (A) and +2 Favored Enemy (B). Vicious Aim would give you +2 bonus (equivalent to Weapon Specialization and Weapon Training (Bow) plus another +1 from a source other than Weapon Focus). Pretty great to get +2 on every attack and damage roll at level 5, and +1 at level 4.

If you were a just Freebooter, you'd be able to give +2 (+1 at level 4) to your allies as a move action instead because that is 1/2 Favored Enemy always already.

By taking both, and since Vicious Aim gives you 1/2 your Favored Enemy bonus which doesn't stack, you'd get the same bonus your Freebooter's Bane could give the rest of the party always but don't get double that ever - Freebooter's Bane and Vicious Aim don't stack for double bonus time.

I hope that's what you were thinking but let me know.

@ Lacrima - your paternal grandfather is technically dead (my condolences) until 4713 which would be 700+ years after Dawn so your genealogy is a bit convoluted. Even then, he didn't have a lot of time for romance, and the next time he was raised is 4718 or so. If you want to have your grandfather be the (LN) High Priest of the cult of Lissala or similar, that's certainly an option, and would explain why/how he met your mother, as he came to seek the winter witches help with their plot to resurrect Krune (and was rebuffed).

A normal ring would be confiscated, as I believe would be true even in a modern prison, unless you pretended it was a wedding ring. You may have to speak fondly of your dear, departed husband, for whom you risked much to restore him to life.

@ DM Sun

I believe we are in agreement. I like math, too!

And, it's always... "with ranged weapons" but yes. Which is weird because they give you Weapon Focus Longsword, later :)

I was making sure you're OK with the concept and Vicious Aim wouldn't be nerfed to half of half.

Agreed, no stacking. Less bonus, in more situations.

Thanks much!

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23

Shintaro is pretty much done. As for equipment, he'd love some heavy armor and if he could get his ancestral +1 Katana back, that would be awesome. Maybe a sap too!

@ Djack:

I'm glad we're in agreement.

Also, this is why I prefer Nethys to d20pfsrd - Ilsurian Archer

Ilsur was the First Sword of Aroden and Aroden's favored weapon (like Iomedae, his herald) was longsword, hence Weapon Focus (Longsword) despite the archery focus.

Good news to you - Aroden is still alive. You could be the great grandfather (or uncle) to Ilsur (if you wish). You can still take the archetype because your trainings passed down to Ilsur.

You need not worship Aroden - you could choose Desna or Erastil or Iomedae but it's on your deeds that some of the training that later forms the basis for the training in the Ilsurian Archer archetype was developed.

Also, as has been mentioned, for Dawn, you are the Freebooter Archer, and in Empire, you'd be middle aged, and may have taken an arrow to the knee, so Dawn's character may be a mentor to the Empire character.

@ Shintaro:

I don't know how a first level character would have a +1 katana - masterwork with the right traits, certainly, or you could get your ancestral katana to be masterwork as part of the work release offer from the paladins. If you want a +1 katana, it's possible that they could acquire that for you, or enchant a katana that is yours to be +1. However, that and full plate is a bit more of their overall budget than they'd be able to offer since they are trading some of their unused sets of armor for items they don't have on hand.

I misunderstood, then. Masterwork Katana would be perfectly fine, however he gets it. Actually might be funny if it was kind of a shitty old thing before the masterwork spell. Doubt there's any eastern armor around, and I the player don't care. Might have Shintaro grumble a bit about it, just as some character work.

@ DM Sun

That romance copy vs. game terminology might be an open license thing (keep it generic).

I'm flexible, and that sounds good. I'm happy with less woodsie and more special ops, military scout.

I actually liked the Longsword dip! Speaking of dip, if I make the longer campaign... might dip Rogue for further flexibility.

Hope Table 2 survives!

Does our group have a translator?

We've got a tanky cavalier, a druid, a bloodrager, and a sneaky ranger?

@ Shintaro

Flexibility around Eastern armor is appreciated. So and Lar won't take offense if you look down on the Western style armor so feel free to RP that up.

I don't believe you have a translator yet but background skill Linguistics (1) is all that would take for any of you.

Thank you for pointing out Tura is a bloodrager. That makes armor a little less expensive to provide and almost as easy (if not easier given her bloodline).

Redac's rogue could be a good translator if he appears.

@ Djack

Table 2 is almost guaranteed. I will make a Table 2 RP / Game 0 thread for some of the same equipment discussion as we have going on for Table 1 once that's done for Table 1.

Also, D20pfsrd not being able to use 'Sarenrae' or 'Gozreh' is a big, largely forgotten bit of drama where no one was entirely right or entirely wrong and is related to licensing but not of their own volition.

I can take this, and we can be done... Everyone protect me!

Weathered Emissary: Your travels in the wildlands gave you insight into how to survive their dangers and communicate with their inhabitants. You gain a +1 trait bonus on all Linguistics and Survival checks, and Linguistics is always a class skill for you.

Does our group have a translator?

We've got a tanky cavalier, a druid, a bloodrager, and a sneaky ranger?

I resemble that remark! Although I'd prefer Bad@zz Ranger... :)

Shintaro has linguistics just so he could speak common! But he could help. Though I just realized I messed up his skill totals.

I can only have Medium armor at the most

@ Sun DM
I admit I completely overlooked the time of the setting of Dawn, I was pretty much convinced it was at a more or less present time in Golarion, my bad. Surely Krune could not be alive at that time.
I like your reinterpretation of my grandfather as a High Priest of Lissala, but I think that at this point I can completely remove him from my genealogy and make my husband himself that High Priest.
He came to Irrisen seeking for the winter witchs help to resurrect Krune, but found love instead, and tried to do the impossible to save her, maybe sacrificing his own life or something I will think more carefully.
If this can fit better I'm glad to change it :)
About the ring, if I have it, I will feel an urge to help the paladins, otherwise, I would do it anyway to get it back so it's the same.
We can definitely start with me not having the ring.
@ Everyone
So we have a cavalier, ranger, bloodrager and a melee summoning focused druid with pet.
Seems melee will be a bit overcrowded :O

Thinking Definitely a Great Sword, Some Javelins[Bows are for elves], cestus daggers and maybe some Lamellar armor?. I mean when she rages she becomes half serpent so...yeah

@ Lacrima
I'm not really melee, more range... I'm the lightweight. Although with so much melee, I will need to take Point-Blank Shot & Precise Shot.

@ Tura
Crunch Stalker, incoming... I only see you spending 22 points, not 25. I've recently returned after a two year hiatus, so I could be off.

@ All
Let me know if anyone else cares to be the translator.

@ Djack
I don't mind at all, ok for me.
Hope cover and those things won't hinder you much

@ Lacrima:

Safety reasons and role-play reasons determine the location of your ring.

Whether you have the ring with you in prison is dependent on whether:

1. It has gemstones
2. It's a wedding ring

The guards allow simple (non-gemmed) wedding rings and basic holy symbols with minor flaws, preventing them from being a divine focus but suitable as a symbol of your faith. For example, an adherent to Iomedae is going to get a wooden blunted sword-like symbol that's about the size of the average cross and no chain for it. It lacks the 'sword and sun' aspect of the faith and isn't likely to be used to choke anyone without the chain.

In either case, you'll get it soon but if you want to fiddle with it during the role-play / arming phase of the game, or you want to rub where it ought to be is immaterial to the story from my side of the table.

Similarly, dead husband or live husband matters mainly for the trait aspect of it. You can't earn a true resurrection for him by doing this but you need a live husband or family member to have something to live for (after all, you'd get to see him in the afterlife, or so you likely hope/believe).

@ Tura:

I think you used all your points:

S-16 D-12 C-16 I-11 W-12 Ch-14

Assuming you used your racial +2 on one of the 16, that leaves:

16 (10)
14 (5)
14 (5)
12 (2)
12 (2)
11 (1)

... so I think you hit 25, and yes, medium armor options are available (due to Groetus, a happy accident). Some of it is even magical if you would like that.

@ Djack:

If you volunteer to be translator, we can turn this into the 'Table 2' thread since recruiting for Table 1 is over. We could begin doing some of the session 0 stuff you may have seen over there.

With Shintaro, that puts us at 4 (plus the paladin NPCs) with two spots for someone (Redac?) to chime in and add themselves over the next month.

@ Everyone:

Apologies again about not actually throwing you into combat / the keep any sooner than that, but this is already distracting me from work stuff enough and I expect to have that all handled by June 1 or 8th at latest.

I added a rough description of the keep to the Discussions tab.

@ DM Sun

I'm flexible. I can be the translator, and if someone comes along that is better suited, happy to tweak my characters trait to something else.

Only because if there was a dip into Rogue, it would be a class skill, but that's future hindsight :)

I will work on the crunch and alias, Djack is literally Jack from the parables and children's stories. Djack be nimble, Djack be quick! He's meant for a fairy tale setting. Like Tom Cruise in Legend.

I also asked a buddy to check out the recruitment thread... Asking him to be an arcane spellcaster.

He usually plays a monk (Zen Archer?), so dueling archers might work... :) Keep score!

Sure,
I'm fine with starting with no ring and roleplay according to it, as I suppose it may have some gems on it. I will be getting it back as soon as I get my personal belongings, so it will matter only at the start of the adventure.
The ring won't be giving me a free true resurrection for my husband, it is just pointing me in the right direction for what it thinks is the best way to achieve it, in a (distant) future.
I will use it just to role play some fluff, as that and my dead husband are the core aspects of Lacrima's story and objectives. :)

Can't wait to start!

Magical Armor..hmmm Any Breastplates?

We'll pick up Table 2 roleplaying from just after "So remember what I said about brevity?"

https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivkd7/recruiting#22 has all the Knowledge: Local and History for the lore of Highwall Keep. It's even more background that your characters, especially any from out of town, may not know and likely don't need to know but may create RP opportunities if they do.

"Allow me to tell you more of the nature of our quest..." Lar begins as So stands silently.
"When I was young, I was ill. Gravely ill... feverish, dehydrated, and wasting away. My parents did all they could, and spent what meager fortune we held trying to find a cleric, a druid, or even a wizard who could stop the affliction. My mother blamed my father for upsetting a deity but he was sure that it was a test, not a punishment, and sought out all the clerics of gods of healing to seek out their council. Pharasma's priest was silent, and said there was a prophecy but the Lady of Graves would not share it. Irori's cleric said that knowledge must not interfere with faith, and assured my father that I was strong. We were thinking about reaching out to the saint Milani but her faithful are not only uncommon but are not found in the safest of places. As we packed for the trip, we were approached by a traveling Keleshite who said that I must be offered up to Sarenrae to be healed." Lar pauses, gauging the reaction to what is inarguably an insane course of action.

"My mother wept, certain that further dehydration would only burn the candle faster, and I would be naught but a pile of wax. My father insisted that taking the family into a war zone or a powder keg was more likely to see us all die. The die was cast, though, when I began to speak in my waking, fevered sleep." Lar paused, as though trying to recall a specific phrase.

"I was saying 'lehibwa'ah fishereqel' and to this day, as my accent attests, I do not speak Kelish. 'The dawn will come.' There was more - so much more - and the best translation that could be written down in the moment included 'The sun must try to touch every corner or it is not the sun' and 'The light that pierces the darkness is the most treasured.' Hearing the confirmation of the wisdom of the Sarenite, my father grabbed me and carried me to the flattest field available to watch me bake in the sun. The Sarenite consoled and kept my mother from interfering as I writhed and twitched but after a harrowing hour, my fever had broken and my eyes opened fully, for the first time in weeks." Lar's demeanor appears nostalgic, as if remembering a great joy and pain all at once.

"I spoke of a place that I only came to know later as Highwall Keep. I spoke of a vision of myself as a grown man venturing into that place, peace bound, with several dark figures around me before plunging a glowing sword down, into a map. There was more, but you can only imagine my disappointment when I was posted to the Keep and nothing remarkable happened." Lar's face betrays the disappointment that lingers now, years later, and he goes silent.

So steps forward and says, "So as you can imagine, no one believed Lar's vision but myself, and so we became fast friends. So we're both emotionally invested in this enterprise. So it's clear, we'll spend a few days of equipping you and marking you with a Mark of Justice before we let you free, and you shall not stray too far from our sides without triggering it.

"Do we have any volunteers to be marked?"

A bulky Minkai man with a messy topknot stands immediately. "I volunteer!"

The Heavily scarred and tattooed Half-Orc steps forward her hair shaved on either side with a messy wide stripe of dark hair with streaks of what seems like fire rests on her head. The muscled woman looks at the knights and grunts."As do I"

"Excellent. I would not expect anyone with any familiarity with the navy or armed service to volunteer so readily, but I suppose there's that saying about frying pans and fires. You can choose where to get your Mark of Justice" Lar says, nodding to the Minkai man, before turning to Tura and saying, "and I'll try to fit it into an empty spot of your choosing."

"So while Lar works, I'll work with you to figure out what gear we have or need to acquire before we reach Highwall. So as a quick inventory, we have about a dozen pieces of armor, with at least three sets of quality full plate, two magical hide, two magical breastplates, and some other odds and ends in the medium and light category of armor, including shields."

Tura nods taking the mark on her clavicle just right of her neck. She begins to look over the multitude of armor options and then looks at the paladins."What of weapons" she says picking up a hide and a breastplate to test the weight and which one looks more ferocious

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23
Kn. History: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

A slender human woman, hearing the voices from a distant cell, gets near to the bars, trying to draw the paladins' attention.
"It seems we have both drawn the attention of Fate, noble paladin, but in my case it fooled me. I feel the urge to help in your noble cause, but I must ask first, what's in for us? Will we gain freedom after we "talk" with the denizens of this keep? Will we risk our life just for the glory? I hope you offer something more.... concrete".

Shintaro points to his heart. "To not volunteer would be a waste of my skills. Full plate will do. I've heard mixed reviews. My sword was confiscated by the prison. Could that be retrieved?"

Do the pallies know our crimes/records?

The man who speaks next, hadn't said a word since being relegated to confinement.

Taking a job with a rag tag and motley crew, is how I earned the honor of these... accommodations. Though, as far as prisoner treatment goes, you are to be commended. I have been treated worse, for being accused of less.

He pauses, considering how much to divulge.

My original destination was exactly where you wish to send me, this... detour, in the end seems serendipitous. I am not a religious man, but I am an ethical one... I venerate those my master calls, the Lords of Light. Among them, your own Sarenrae.

So long as I choose the path of humanity, they seem to guide my hand, arrow and blade. Your cause is worthy, I am yours to command.

Having said his piece, the erstwhile unremarkable man falls silent once more.

Need a new alias and to stat him up, going with the ranger concept above. My laptop decided to take a multitude of updates. I'll be in it tonight.

Apologies, if I've missed it... But, when we say "one shot" do we mean... one encounter, one level's worth it one module's (3-4 levels) worth?

Essentially, will these characters ever level up?

This will be Djack... working on crunch.

"We've got longswords and greatswords, longbows and short bows, and a lot of heavy flails, a decent number of scimitars, with some odd maces, morning stars, and possibly more thrown in. If you say 'Throw down your weapons and leave' often enough, you acquire an eclectic collection of steel. However, all your personal effects will be retrieved from the property room so anything that was checked in and shown in your files will be recovered as part of this work release." Lar answers, trying to combine the equipment and personal effects answers seamlessly.

Turning to Lacrima, Lar says, "Your freedom is guaranteed but not your safety. My friend and I will do our best to shield you from attacks but if you are particularly keen to rush into battle, we may not be sufficient protection from every arrow or sword that rises to meet our efforts. In the event that a lucky arrow from a goblin renders you beyond the reach of traditional healing, your fate may be a noble burial, but barring unlikely instantaneous death, you will never see this institution again. If you agree to the risk, signal the guard and join us in the mess hall."

"So you know, we will have a cleric outside the keep for the wounded, but it's best we try to stay in the keep as long as possible, as any retreat may be met with a loss of progress forward."

Lacrima nears Lar, walking slowly, heavily, taking the time to weight carefully her next words.
"If freedom is what you promise, I will be your claw, but only if the same offer and promise is valid for my loyal companion, as she and I are nothing without the other", she says, with almost shining eyes, thinking about the moment when she and her leopard, Mya, were separated.
"She is strong, and her fangs and teeth are solid as steel, allow her to join us and you won't regret it."

She then pauses, blinking eyes a couple times to return to her more usual expression.

"A scimitar will be fine, if a quality one is available, I will be glad to use it. I hope that magical hide you were talking about will fit my more... feminine size", she says while rapidly glancing over the orc next to them.
She then turns to him, with a quick smile: "You won't mind if I take the slim fit, I guess."

She takes a variety of weapons and a sturdy set of hide."Smells like wet dog, Smells like home" She says donning it as she looks at the smaller warriors chosen wondering if they will make it out alive.

The current scene is in the prison mess hall. So was figuring out what they have outside in wagons while Lar was doing the Mark of Justice

Let's rewind to just after Lacrima's statement of "You won't mind if I take the slim fit, I guess." Everyone is in their prison garb in or near the mess hall of the prison and Lar is marking volunteers at a rate of 1 every 12 minutes (ten minute cast + discussion and preparation to do so). Lar switches to scrolls after the third such casting.

I had a bow (mw composite longbow +2 str) and boots (boots of the cat), but honestly my armor was less than ideal.

Arrows... lots of arrows. Any potions you could spare, climbing gear, food for us and the goblins.

Friend of mine might apply... Maybe a "ranged" Cleric.

The girthful man from Minkai waits silently for his Mark.

[Ooc]Hello?[/dice]

I've been avoiding adding to the thread in case Djack's friend wants to join. We're under two weeks to start and once everyone is marked, the scene leaves the prison, so recruiting new members is harder. I also wanted to give Tura a chance to speak before we go outside though she can definitely use the 'wet dog' line then as it is really good.

@Djack: I think my instructions are unclear, but unless you have traits that increased your money significantly, I'm assuming your 'I had/want items worth ~2500gp' is more of the future planning for the character. All that is approved.

@Lacrima, Tura: For each of you, magical Hide, Masterwork weapon (x1), a pool of random: 1d12 ⇒ 10 non-masterwork weapons including javelins, do you each want a wand of some sort or have another ~1000 gold worth of items you want?

@Shintaro: Masterwork full plate, Masterwork Transformation on your katana, and maybe another masterwork item/transformation would put you near the 'budget' for your character in the paladin's offer