Posting up here so the link doesn't get lost if I change the character name.
Information is all in the alias as well as some writing examples.
I can get post examples if requested.
@GM Oblivion: What is your opinion on the Nagaji Mesmerist FCB? It adds +1/5th of a HD limit to your Mental Potency ability, allowing spells like Sleep and Deep Slumber to stay more relevant.
Add 1/5 to the Hit-Die limit and the total number of Hit Die affected with each enchantment or illusion spell the mesmerist casts. This bonus stacks with the mesmerist’s mental potency class feature and is applicable under the same conditions as that ability.
Archlich here - I'm still working on the background, but the overall quirks are already here. Arthorius is a brawler by class. He's an ex-soldier, who left the queen forces and currently works as a train conductor (a job no one wants because of the frequent derails!).
Presenting Richard Farthington, disaffected noble, avid fencer, and seeker of the occult!
Richard Farthington
Human (political noble) occultist 2/swashbuckler (inspired blade) 1 (Pathfinder RPG Advanced Class Guide 56, 125, Pathfinder RPG Occult Adventures 46)
CG Medium humanoid (human)
Init +4; Senses Perception +6
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Defense
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AC 16, touch 16, flat-footed 11 (+4 Dex, +1 dodge, +1 enhancement)
hp 20 (3 HD; 2d8+1d10+2)
Fort +4, Ref +7, Will +4
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Offense
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Speed 30 ft.
Melee +1 rapier +7 (1d6+5/18-20)
Ranged coat pistol +6 (1d4/×3)
Special Attacks deeds (derring-do, dodging panache, opportune parry and riposte), panache (4)
Implement Schools (7 generic focus)
. . Abjuration (Amulet, 0 points) Resonant—warding talisman; Focus—mind barrier
. . Divination (Spectacles, 0 points) Resonant—third eye; Focus—sudden insight
. . Transmutation (Rapier, 0 points) Resonant—physical enhancement (dexterity); Focus—legacy weapon, philosopher's touch
Occultist Spells Known (CL 2nd; concentration +5)
. . 1st (3/day)—heightened awareness[ACG], lead blades[APG], shield
. . 0 (at will)—detect magic, message, resistance
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Statistics
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Str 8, Dex 18, Con 10, Int 16, Wis 10, Cha 12
Base Atk +2; CMB +6; CMD 16
Feats Agile Maneuvers, Combat Expertise, Deadly Aim, Dodge, Extra Mental Focus[OA], Fencing Grace[UI], Power Attack
Traits bruising intellect, pragmatic activator
Skills Acrobatics +9, Diplomacy +5, Intimidate +9, Knowledge (arcana) +9, Knowledge (history) +9, Knowledge (nobility) +9, Knowledge (planes) +9, Knowledge (religion) +9, Perception +6, Spellcraft +9, Use Magic Device +10
Languages Ancient Egyptian, English, French, Greek
SQ finesse weapon attack attribute, implements 3, inspired panache, magic item skill, mental focus (7/day), object reading
Other Gear rapier, coat pistol
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Special Abilities
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Abjuration (Ankh) Abjuration implements are objects associated with protection and wards.
Agile Maneuvers Use DEX instead of STR for CMB
Combat Expertise +/-1 Bonus to AC in exchange for an equal penalty to attack.
Deadly Aim -1/+2 Trade a penalty to ranged attacks for a bonus to ranged damage.
Deeds
Divination (Torc) Implements of the divination school grant powers related to foresight and remote viewing.
Fencing Grace Use Dexterity on rapier damage rolls
Finesse Weapon Attack Attribute Finesse weapons use Dexterity on attack rolls.
Implements (Su) Gain a series of items which grant access to schools and powers.
Inspired Panache (Ex) Gain no panache from killing blow, only from rapier crits.
Legacy Weapon +1 (Su) 1 focus: weapon touched gains enhancement bonus plus a special ability.
Magic Item Skill Add half level as bonus to Use Magical Device.
Mental Focus (7/day) (Su) You have a pool of points that activate your focus powers.
Mind Barrier (-4 damage) (Sp) 1 focus, swift action: Reduce next damage taken before next turn. 2 for Imm.
Object Reading (Su) Examine an object for 1 minute to learn properties, history, and about last user.
Panache (Ex) Gain a pool of points that are spent to fuel deeds, regained on light/piercing crit/killing blow.
Philosopher's Touch (1 weapon, cold iron/silver, 2 minutes) (Su) 1 focus: Weapon touched counts as special material for overcoming DR.
Physical Enhancement (Dexterity) (Su) Implement grants bearer enhancement to one physical attribute.
Power Attack -1/+2 You can subtract from your attack roll to add to your damage.
Sudden Insight +1 (Sp) Swift action & 1 focus: Gain insight bonus to one abil. or skill check, or attack before end of turn.
Third Eye (Su) Gain enhanced senses while implement stores focus.
Transmutation (Rapier) Transmutation implements can alter the properties of both objects and creatures.
Warding Talisman (Su) Implement grants Resistance bonus to saves.
Born in the year of our Lord 1870, Richard Farthington the Third was seemingly bound for greatness. Under the firm guidance of his grandfather and namesake, Richard the Second, their family had become a formidable political force in the Empire. Dukes and barons, magnates and colonial governors, the elites of the empire coveted an invitation to one of the grand banquets at their country estate. He was trained from a young age to be an effective and thoughtful administrator, and as the heir of the eldest son of the family, the legacy of the Farthingtons would eventually fall to him. When not learning about etiquette, rhetoric, and the power of a cutting word from his grandfather, he was indulging in his two greatest passions. First, was the study of history, something that his grandfather always encouraged. Second was fencing, something that Richard excelled at. He took to wearing an antique Spanish rapier around the house, a habit that his family and tutors could never quite get him to shake. Indeed, he felt a strange resonance with the weapon, one that allowed him to fight better with it than with any other blade. He enjoyed his life quite thoroughly, though he knew that one day he would need to take the reins of his family, continue to lead them to greatness.
Fortunes never last. His father was killed by an enraged elephant while on a hunting trip with several executives of the British East Africa Company. The shock of losing his favorite son sent his grandfather to his grave, leaving Richard’s layabout wastrel of an uncle to take over the family’s assets. The decline of their finances was abrupt and immediate, and the country estate fell into shabbiness.
There was nothing then, to keep Richard in the countryside, so he left for his family’s townhouse in London. It was there his life was to change. Though the dueling clubs kept his interest for a bit, the men who frequented them were boorish and dull, far from the sharp and lively weapons they touted. The historical societies were similar, full of old men spouting older ideas.
What truly entranced Richard were the occult societies. Young, disaffected nobles flocked to them in rebellion against the old conservative orders of their families. Richard was one such noble. He did not merely participate for show or prestige like many of his peers. He threw himself at it with vigor, seeking ever more esoteric rites and rituals, hoping to truly unlock the supernatural.
He met others who shared his passions, including becoming fast friends with a young man by the name of Aleister Crowley. Together, they rambled the markets of London searching for items connected to the occult. In a decrepit antique shop he found a Celtic torc that the aged proprietor claimed was once owned by Merlin himself. Though Richard was skeptical in the extreme, he felt a connection to it, much like he did with his Spanish rapier. He bought it, and when put it on at his townhouse he realized that indeed, this was an item infused with true magic. It allowed him to see beyond the veil of the mundane into the realm of the supernatural.
His newfound gift gave him two great revelations. Man’s purpose in life was to act on purest will, on a calling from the universe, not to be constrained by law, prejudice, or obligation. Secondly, he had to devote his life to seeking more objects of power.
His torc gave him, if not the power of Merlin, a connection to some ancient practitioner of true magic, one who could see and wield it with ease. His rapier was owned by champion fencer, one who’s mastery was unsurpassed. With his newfound abilities, he was able to acquire a third artifact, an ankh once owned by a great pharaoh, one who protected his lands from all who wound challenge them.
As Richard’s connection to the paranormal grew, he realized that he could never return to politics. That life was behind him now. Instead, he would devote himself to a quest for the occult. His calling was to attain the power that the ancients once held, and nothing could prevent that.
Richard is tall, thin, and pale. His dark hair is slicked back, and his neatly maintained appearance is shaken up by a few things. First is the Spanish rapier he wears whenever he can, which he wields with deadly skill when in a dangerous scenario. He also wears a twisting Celtic-style torc around his neck, though it’s often covered by the collar of his suit. He also carries an ancient ankh, about six inches long, and a coat pistol. Though the ankh carries deep personal and magical meaning to him, the coat pistol is a simple weapon. His upbringing left him frail, however, and brute force is almost alien to him.
A man of quick wit and quicker reflexes, Richard is a warrior-scholar. As a student of history, he sees himself in the light of Marcus Aurelius or Finn mac Cumhaill. Though trained in the ways of the aristocracy, his disciplined etiquette has lapsed with his introduction to the occult societies of London. His tongue however, matches the razor point of his rapier, and he vividly remembers the lessons in bruising rhetoric with his grandfather. Richard’s greatest motivation is his quest for esoteric power. He will stop at nothing to acquire artifacts with a potent mystical associations, and will employ whatever means necessary in his quest. Despite his almost singular ambition, he is fairly good-natured. His upbringing emphasized courtesy and restraint, so he does what he can to minimize cruelty and suffering wherever possible.
I'm mostly finished, just need to sort out the rest of my gear.
In re the Abyssal and Infernal bloodlines for sorcerers and bloodragers, do you have plans for devils and demons in what mythos you'll be drawing them from or would that be up to us? Since we're playing a game set in the real world it adds a lot of options but also complicates things.
I'm interested in a character inspired by the various victorian style scientists. Watson, Jekyl, Griffin, Frankenstein, Moreau.
Initially I'd be looking at a Watson-Holmes hybrid; a classic jekyl-hyde type dichotomy except for the fact it is a mental rather than physical change.
Thus I am interested in an Alchemist(Vivisectionist-Mindchemist) or possibly Alchemist(Vivisectionist-Inspired Chemist).
I plan to copy be inspired by the background of Watson; a brilliant servant of the empire who became a doctor during a war. Injured he returns home. The difference here is that he would fall to his 'shellshock' and self medicate with drugs, ending up with an occasional job investigating corpses for a university friend at Scotland Yard and discovering his phenomonal intellect made him a halfway decent investigator. An attempt to keep his professional reputation at least partially intact leads him to create a synthetic persona for such investigations.
Weapon-wise he'd use a revolver. Given the vivisectionist trades bomb for sneak attack he'd be a crack shot.
I plan to provide Treat Deadly Wounds to supplement magical healing.
Depending on what @Fangdragon is submitting I'm happy to accelerate the move to a later concept earlier.
Options for the future (depending on what other characters we have) include; Jekyll(Mutagen), Griffin (Invisibility), Frankenstein (Promethean Alchemist Feat) Moreau (7th anthropomorphic animal)
@Oblivion's Scion: I am interested in reflavouring alchemy as a more 'victorian speculative chemistry/biology' if that is possible? This is to bring it in line with things like Jekyl's formula and Moraeu's surgery. There would be no mechanical difference.
Wow, I am truly blown away by the overwhelming response to this game recruitment. I almost didn't post it for fear that there would be no one interested, apparently I was wrong. I am reviewing characters as they are posted, and making notes accordingly. I also want to give a shout out to SmooshieBanana for all their work compiling a list of applicants and the questions unanswered.
A great many questions have been posed, I will try to answer them all. Some I will address as more broad concepts for everyone to consider, while others are specific and will be targeted at those individuals who posted them.
Ethnicity, Gender, and Class
At the dawn of the 20th century, London was the center of the world. The British empire spanned every continent, and London was known for its diverse population. At the time London had significant Jewish, Chinese, Indian, and North African communities. As such, you can be from anywhere. Just write a story that justifies it.
That said, a classic element of horror is not just the monsters of myth and legend, but the horrid flaws in the hearts of people. Racism, sexism, and classism are not the focus of this game, but will likely be encountered. Women, while able to develop agency, are still viewed in many lights as the lesser, weaker sex. Those that have risen in society have likely done so through exceptionalism, and/or a tie to some other source of power. Similarly, characters from the lower class will face challenges when attempting to move in high society.
Nature of the Game
The game will start in London most certainly. Where it goes to after will impart depend on the players choices. Will there be some time in old ruins or excavation sites? Perhaps. Will you visit foreign nations and their seedy underbellies? It's a possibility. I encourage people to build characters that definitely have role-playing capability, as well as some talents for outside of combat. If you want to play the silent, brooding warrior type, this is the wrong game for you.
Magic in the World
Of course there will be some magic, I would not have permitted casting classes if their wasn't. The human mind is keenly skilled at denying the existence of things it does not want to believe. Conversely, there are those who 'believe' in it, without knowing what it is. Magic is also not the flashy thing of high fantasy, and if you're interested in playing a fireball throwing, lightning bolt shooting "nuker", You've probably stumbled into the wrong thread. For some practitioners, magic is a very real thing they have actively studied. For others, it is something they may have stumbled into or simply been gifted with overnight. For still others (more likely for lesser casters), they may not even realize they are using magic when they do.
But there are no organized structures teaching it, nor managing it's use. Nor are there organized courts or broad societal structures of fey creatures, the undead, and other such paranormal things. If you are playing a caster, at best you learned it from one other person, most definitely not from a school or organization. You also likely know how suspicious and/or scared people would be to learn of your abilities, and likely guard them appropriately.
Alchemy falls into a roughly similar space, with a bit more societal awareness (hence alchemists and investigator both being 'uncommon' classes). There are plenty of scientists with the craft (alchemy) skill, but the genius required to master the true depths of alchemy (and thus gain entry to one of the aforementioned classes) also requires both s level of madness and daring beyond the realm of normal scientific pursuits. It's the kind of thing that would get you thrown out of your tenured position at a university, but then win you a wealthy benefactor hoping you can discover the secret to eternal youth.
Swordwhale First, I would like to note that the 'Hunter' is listed in my initial post, under the 'rare' category. If you want to forego your casting ability, you are more than welcome to. I guess the question is why? It is a class built around a supernatural bond with an animal, it's not really a mundane thing. I would be intrigued to see how you plan to make a character that is dependent on its companion that will be able to function fully in an urban setting.
I think I hit everything. Look forward to seeing more applications.
Wonderful. These answers make me want to play even more!
Okie, dokie, here's my submission:
TN Human Fighter 3
Background: Military Noble (+dex, -int; athletics, ride as class skills)
str 11
dex 17
con 12
int 10
wis 13
cha 16
HP 25
AC 16+def; T: 16; FF: 13+def (10 base +x defense +3 dex +3 cha)
BAB 3
Init +3
Fort +5
Ref +5
Will +3
Speed 30'
Weapons:
1) Revolver: +8 to hit; 1d8+1 damage; 20/x4 crit
Skills:
Athletics r2 +5
Perception r3 +7
Ride r1 +7
Sense Motive r3 +7
Stealth r3 +6
Languages:
English
Class Features:
*Archetype (Warlord)
- Evasive Dueling (can gain a +1 dodge bonus to AC instead of taking a bonus feat)
- Battle Bravado (when unarmored and unencumbered, add Cha mod to AC and CMD; replaces armor training)
*Bravery (+1 to save vs. fear)
Traits:
*Observant (+1 trait bonus to sense motive and sense motive as a class skill; faction)
*Wary (+1 trait bonus to perception and sense motive checks and perception as a class skill; region)
Feats:
Point Blank Shot
Precise Shot
Rapid Reload
Quick Draw
Weapon Focus (Revolver)
Automatic Bonus Progression:
Armor Attunement +1
Resistance +1
Weapon Attunement +1
Equipment:
TBD
Atherton's family has always served in the military of whatever nation they belonged to: first, the British Empire, then the United States.
Atherton also served in the Army during the Spanish-American War as an cavalry captain.
After the war, where [something] happened, he resigned his commission and joined the US Marshals.
In the year of our lord 1898 Atherton arrived in London, looking for....something.
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As I start to delve further into people's applications, I have a few notes:
Traits You gain two traits, and are required to take a drawback (it does not add a third trait). Note that you will be confronted by the limitations of your trait during gameplay. If you would like more, the feat "Additional Traits" is a solid option for your Human bonus feat.
Feats Elephant in the Room feat tax rules are in effect. There is no need to take Power Attack, and Point Blank Shot no longer exists.
The Lobster the nature of demons and devils is currently unknown to you. If you apply as a class with such a bloodline, write it up conceptually and we will adjust as necessary.
Harakani hopefully my explanation on alchemy already answered your question. It is perfectly acceptable for two applicants to apply with similar concepts, so do not hesitate to submit your initial idea.
Swordwhale that all sounds like the beginnings of a great concept. There obviously is a lot you could tap into their historically (some sadly rather tragic). Take it, and run with it.
will there be magical traps aka do we need Trapfinding in the group?
and can you link to the armor rules? I once read them, but I don't remember where they were.
My concept is... complicated, but just to put it out there, mechanically I'll be a Bloody-Knuckled Rowdy Crossbloodedrager with the Infernal and Abyssal bloodlines.
I plan on taking the Possessed Hand feat line, taking my own hand as an Occult Messenger familiar thru the Hand's Detachment feat and the Bloodline Familiars option from Familiar Folio.
Rough character concept past that is half-Romani half-Egyptian circus strongwoman also works as a fortune teller for the circus, but has always bull-s~%$ted her way thru it; after discovering her family's history with both devils and demons (various mythologies tbd) she begins to be throttled by nightmares and believes herself to be haunted by the curse of her ancestors.
Eventually her worst fears are realized as her hand takes on a life of its own, separating from her arm, crawling all over and rejoining seemingly at will. Eventually she's able to wrest control back from it and at that point that she also discovers that something has shifted as she starts to occasionally give totally accurate fortunes.
I've tried to come up with a fun character concept that is both wild and out there but also subtle and well contained within the Victorian England/gothic horror setting. Expect a full write up soon.
will there be magical traps aka do we need Trapfinding in the group?
and can you link to the armor rules? I once read them, but I don't remember where they were.
I'm obviously not the GM here but These are the ones that I've seen thrown around. I could be mistaken of course but it could give you an idea at least.
This really sounds fun and I still have a character idea running around my mind from a game I applied to years ago that had similar theming (might have been a transposed version of Strange Aeons, I can't remember).
As for the character, I'm thinking of a soldier that has returned from the colonies, in this case the Punjab region of India.
He is a Scotsman and was part of the Black Watch, a Highlander regiment (the real Black Watch was stationed in that region in the early 1900's but creative license).
There they worked closely together with a Sikh regiment in the British colonial army whom my character came to regard very highly.
Now he returned to London a convert to London as Eideard Singh instead of Eideard Baines, a Presbyterian converted to Sikhism.
Classwise I'm still working on it. I'm looking to represent both his origin and his newfound calling.
Ellioti presents Garidan Hemlock, (Seeker) Oracle of the Dark Tapestry (renamed to The Unknown Darkness)
Background: Criminal
currently using Seeker archetype for trapfinding, but if there will be no magic traps, I'll remove the archetype and redo some of his skills and numbers. Will be very good at Disable Device and Stealth still.
Before he was hired by Mr. Merciolago, Garidan was a low-life petty thief. A nobody with a vertain skillset and morale. But this life's perspective was limited. When the Italien merchant found and hired him, life expectancy increased dramatically. At least so he thought. Officialy, he became employed as a "logistics advisor". Mercenary and Smuggler were better fitting descriptions. Merciolago traded in about everythign accross Europe and the Mediteranian, but recently jumped onto the Egyptian artiifact train.
So it came that Garidan 'Nobody' Hemlock was on a ship bound for Kairo as part of a crew of archaeologists and grave robbers. Once settled, everything appeared to run smoothly. The boss had set up and bribed the right locals and the Egyptian officals were overwhelmed with ongoing stream of curious foreigners. Thus, the team went for a newly discovered - most likely by someone on Merciolago's payroll - grave in the Valley of Kings and the digging began. It took the experts days to make any significant progress and Garidan's job was mostly to distract and divert any passers-by. Except for the occasional (trap) door where his expertise in getting into things was infinetly useful. About three weeks later they finally reached, what must be the grave chamber. By now, he had picked up what most of the hieroglyphics said and demonstrated quite an interest. "Careful", they had said, when opening the last door. "There are many dangers within these old tombs. Poisonous gases or the like." Some more superstitous crew members had left already, due to the rumours of ancient curses trapped inside.
Mumbo jumbo, Garidan had thought at the time. God was he wrong. Everything went really fast, once the last big stone was pushed aside. A dark cloud overwhelmed them. An immaterial cloud, yet it took their breadth away. There was screaming everywhere. And PAIN. His skin burned and started to rot. As fast as he can, he ran outside, bumping into his peers, jumping over those already on the ground. Ater putting some distance between the tomb and himself, he stopped and through a mirror looked at his disfigured face. Whatever horror just happened, was not just poison. There was more, he thought. There was this voice in the back of his head. It was trying to say something. Trying to order him. He hit his head hard in order to silence it. But it didn't and it never would.
This was 6 months ago. Now he was back in London, running for his life ever since. Merciolago found out that Garidan was still alive and back in town, so he tracked him down. The merchant apparently wanted to know what happened. Garidan on the other hand, had enough of his past life. He had been studying the dark voice in his head and was beginning to unveil its power. The first immediate change he had undergone, were his eyes. They somehow had not been effected by the poison cloud, but instead evolved such that he could perfectly see in the dark...
Picture of Garidan hiding his disfigured skin and being followed by The Unknown Darkness
Garidan Hemlock
N male Oracle Archetypes Seeker
Background Criminal
Init +4
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DEFENSE
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AC 19, touch 19, flat-footed 14 (+5 defense bonus, +4 dex)
hp 27 ((1d8) + 6 con + 3 fcb)
Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +5 Bonus/Malus -1 vs disease, -2 vs evil spells
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OFFENSE
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Speed 30 ft.
Melee Dagger +6 (1d4/19-20)
Ranged Revolver +6 vs. Touch (1d8+3 /x4) [attuned, Deadly Aim]
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SPELLS
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1st 6/day: Entropic Shield, Cause Fear, Bless, Inflict Light Wounds, Burning Disarm (DC 15)
0th: Detect Magic, Detect Poison, Guidance, Stabilize, Read Magic
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STATISTICS
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Str 11 (13-2), Dex 18 (16+2), Con 15, Int 11, Wis 13, Cha 18 (16+2)
Base Atk +2; CMB +2; CMD 16
Feats Spell Focus (Necromancy), Precise Shot,
Skills Bluff +11, Diplomacy +8, Disable Device +13, Perception +5, Sense Motive +5, Stealth +10, Spellcraft +4
Background Skills Lore (Streets of London) +4, Profession (Mercenary) +6, Knowledge (History) +4, Linguistics +3
Traits , Convincing Liar / Haunted
Languages English, Arabic, Ancient Egyptian
Gear cold-iron dagger, Revolver, masterwork thieve's tools,
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SPECIAL ABILITIES
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Class
Mystery Dark Tapestry renamed to The Unknown Darkness
Revelations Pierce the Veil
Pierce the Veil You gain darkvision 60 feet. At 11th level, you can see perfectly in darkness of any kind, even in absolute darkness or the darkness created by a deeper darkness spell.
Curse Plagued
You suffer from minor ailments and sicknesses. While you struggle to resist new diseases, you have grown accustomed to the many inconveniences of sickness.
You take a –1 penalty on all saving throws against disease or infestation effects, but you are immune to the sickened condition.
At 5th level, add pox pustules to your list of 2nd-level oracle spells known
At 10th level, increase the save DC of any disease effect you create by +2, and you raise the number of saves required to recover naturally from these diseases by 1
At 15th level, you are immune to the effects of disease and infestations, but you can still function as a carrier for sickness.
Tinkering Seekers often look to ancient devices, old tomes, and strange magical items in order to learn more about their oracle mysteries. As a result of this curiosity and thanks to an innate knack at deciphering the strange and weird, a seeker gains Disable Device as a class skill. In addition, at 1st level, a seeker adds half his oracle level on Perception checks made to locate traps and on all Disable Device skill checks (minimum +1). A seeker can use Disable Device to disarm magical traps. If the seeker also possesses levels in rogue or another class that provides the trapfinding ability, those levels stack with his oracle levels for determining his overall bonus on these skill checks.
This ability replaces all of the bonus class skills he would otherwise normally gain from his mystery.
Seeker Lore By 3rd level, a seeker has already learned much about his mystery, and is more comfortable using the bonus spells gained by that mystery. He gains a +4 bonus on all concentration checks, on caster level checks made to overcome spell resistance, and on all Knowledge (arcana) and Spellcraft checks made on topics associated with his bonus spells.
This ability replaces the revelation gained at 3rd level.
Traits and Drawback
Convincing Liar You’ve spent your life perfecting the art of half-truths in order to accomplish what you need to. You gain a +1 trait bonus on Bluff or Intimidate checks and one of these skills (your choice: Bluff) is a class skill for you.
open tbd
Haunted Something from your past — or a dark secret you presently hold — makes it difficult for you to ever be at peace, and your chronic worry that you might fall to evil influence has become a self-fulfilling prophecy. You take a –2 penalty on saves against spells with the evil descriptor.
Traits You gain two traits, and are required to take a drawback (it does not add a third trait). Note that you will be confronted by the limitations of your trait during gameplay.
Fair enough. I never really take drawbacks for an extra trait, so I'll look through them and pick one.
Feats Elephant in the Room feat tax rules are in effect. There is no need to take Power Attack, and Point Blank Shot no longer exists.
That's....not actually true. If you look at the list of feats in the PDF, PBS is on there; as a matter of fact, it has a prereq of Precise Shot. If you'd prefer that I not take it, I'm fine with swapping out for something else.
Feats Elephant in the Room feat tax rules are in effect. There is no need to take Power Attack, and Point Blank Shot no longer exists.That's....not actually true. If you look at the list of feats in the PDF, PBS is on there; as a matter of fact, it has a prereq of Precise Shot. If you'd prefer that I not take it, I'm fine with swapping out for something else.
I was wondering if this discrepancy would come up.
The original blog post scrapped Point Blank Shot, but the full rules PDF brought it back for some reason that is not clear to me.
It's probably for options. Normally Precise requires PBS but in this case PBS requires Precise. Considering how crucial Precise is and how much PBS feels like extra gravy I think it's intentional.
Currently bouncing between two character concepts.
One is a white haired witch, a tosher who encountered something [to be defined] sinister while scavenging in London's sewers. Wounded and dying in the muck, she makes pleas to God for her salvation, and unheard, starts praying to various saints and then less socially acceptable divinities, until her prayers are answered by her patron.
Blessed by her patron with supernatural strength (18!) and newfound confidence, the tosher is giving a go at the arts, living a sort of double life. At night, she's an entertainer (actor or opera most likely) of some (very) small repute. Later at night, she stalks the London's backalleys, looking for clues about the [something sinister] responsible for her new life. Rumors of a white-haired banshee, a stalker of stalkers and killer of killers, is bubbling through London's underworld.
Mechanically, she's one level of barbarian and then WHW from there. Spellcasting would focus on buffing, divinations, and enchantments, the less flashy stuff. I've rolled a stat array that may allow me to pull off a foray into a trap archetype that just wouldn't be feasible in many campaigns, with a high strength and relatively high con and int, so she could be a fun and somewhat useful buffer/utility/glass cannon.
My big concern with this concept is that the white hair is a bit unsubtle, strangling folks with one's hair and whatnot.
My other concept is an ambulance driver turned enforcer priest of the Catholic church. Before he found God, this young man worked a side hustle getting corpses to the medical community for forbidden research. During one hustle, things go horribly wrong and the veil is lifted. As he has been involved in illegal activities and can't go to the constable, the driver turns to the church for penance and for resolving his supernatural issue. This is the beginning into employment with the Church's enforcement and investigative arm. Now ordained and religious, the enforcer priest explores phenomena not explainable by mundane reasons.
Mechanically, this PC would be a straightforward barb or ranger (or both), with a focus on melee damage, intimidation, and some knowledge/mobility/perception and tracking.
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Updated list
Helaman - Tiny - Dreadnaught, Invulnerable Rager Barbarian/ Brawler
Hubaris - Doctor Rupert Locke - Dreamstalker Mesmerist
Jagael - William Westford - Human Occultist
Simeon - Richard Farthington - Occultist/ Inspired Blade Swashbuckler
Smooshiebanana - Scarlet Grey - Inspired Swashbuckler/Tactician Fighter
The Archlich - Arthorius Ravenholdt - Snakebite Striker Brawler, Ex-soldier current train conductor (Just needs background)
The Fox - Sierra Sunset - Mysterious Stranger Gunslinger/Paladin
Vrog Skyreaver - Atherton Beaumont - Warlord Fighter
FangDragon - Inquisitor? Alchemist?
Fighting Chicken - Two concepts. White-haired witch or barbarian/ranger mix
Harakani - Alchemist?
Profession Smith 6 ranks - Bard
Swordwhale - Possibly UC Rogue or Hunter?
The Lobster - Bloody-Knuckled Rowdy Crossbloodedrager
Decimus Observet
Javell DeLeon
Nikolaus de'Shade
Ozyar
Spazmodeus
trawets71
YoricksRequiem
Zero
Ellioti: will there be magical traps aka do we need Trapfinding in the group?
and can you link to the armor rules? I once read them, but I don't remember where they were. (are these them?--provided by hubaris)
Hubaris: I'm assuming Medicine in the background sections refers to heal correct?
Alas I'm going to withdraw from this one, other games and projects are stymieing my creativity. Don't envy your final decision Master Scion :)
Enjoy the gaslight and bloody cobbles one and all!
Ooh, now I *have* to commit to a concept!
So many inspirations to choose from: Amelia Edwards-type lady adventurer, Ada Lovelace-type genius, Elizabeth Fry/Florence Nightingale-type social reformer, Mary "Frankenstein" Shelley-type social misfit...
Will be back in a bit with a fleshed-out concept and proper name for this alias!
This sounds alot like the Masque of the red death setting
Thank you all for the continued applications - I am going to have my work cut out for me. Feel free to include any notes about yourself, your posting style, and what you are looking for in a game.
Defense Bonus by Class The concept is definitely based on the previously linked chart from 3rd edition's Unearthed Arcana. But I have two issues with it: first, it starts off rather favorably, especially for characters with no armor proficiency; second, it accounts for magical bonuses. As the magical bonuses are already accounted for in the Automatic Bonus Progression, and the "no armor" characters already have ways to boost their armor class appropriately, I have made an altered chart, linked HERE. I have also added the link to the Campaign Notes.
Doctor Rupert Locke I am okay with the Nagaji FCB for mesmerist.
Ellioti Will there be magical traps? Quite possibly. Do you have to be able to disable them? No. It's up to you. Given the scenario in your backstory, it would make sense if you couldn't. Additionally, have you considered taking your 1st level are either Rogue of Bard, then going into Oracle? Might build better for your concept. Just a thought.
Hubaris Yes, Medicine and Heal are the same skill. That's what happens when you debate with yourself whether you should rename a skill at 3:00 am...
YoricksRequiem / Vrog Skyreaver Interesting indeed. It looks like it was added back in for the person who wants that extra 'Umph' up close, but removes it as a feat tax. Works for me.
Zalnia Ah, Ravenloft. How I miss thee.....
I have some notions which I'll present for viability.
* An Irish urban druid. A savant of sorts who feels "the pulse of civilisation" calling to him. It's not entirely clear where his power really comes from.
* A scholar from India. A bit naive but curious over cautious. Investigator with Empiricist and Natural Philosopher archetypes.
* A Scottish vampire hunter (should that class be acceptable), who is following a family tradition of keeping the Empire safe from the bloodsuckers. This does assume that vampires exist and are a threat known to at least a few.
Thoughts?
Thank you for the active responses! I will definitely have to mull over that FCB because it is very unique .
With the Armor Table, if you take a higher proficiency do you gain the higher bonus as well? It only mention what your class grants.
There was only mention of Skill Unlocks but I'm wondering are the Occult Skill Unlocks available as well for Psychic Casters or those with the Psychic Sensitivity feat. There is a lot of really cool flavour in there I would hate to miss.
Also changed the background to Charlatan even though it overlaps with the Mesmerist skills. It definitely fits better though.
I'm halfway between being super crunchy and super talky so as long as a game has a great theme I am very down. I usually detest kitchen sink settings so something like this is right up my alley as I can really sink into it and make character and design choices that match a world instead of a power level.
I've been playing TTRPGs for a long time and have been on the forums gaming for roughly 5 years and have been active in all games I've been in. A big fan of horror and was running Strange Aeons, Curse of Strahd, Feast of Ravenmoor to multiple groups before the pandemic.
Some current games:
A monster hunter tries to teach a young girl that she isn't the monster that she thinks she is.
Ellioti Will there be magical traps? Quite possibly. Do you have to be able to disable them? No. It's up to you. Given the scenario in your backstory, it would make sense if you couldn't. Additionally, have you considered taking your 1st level are either Rogue of Bard, then going into Oracle? Might build better for your concept. Just a thought.
Rogue and bard wouldn't give me anything, except for even lower BAB. I was considering gunslinger, but I'd rather not be a martial. I guess, before his incident he was just a commoner, maybe expert,because that's what normal people are.
I'm going to throw this guy in there. Jakob
Still may need to clean a few things up but that is pretty much the gist of him.
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@ GM: Before I get too far into my build, I have a question regarding the Paladin's mount. Would you be ok with a human taking a dog as a "mount"? I realize she wouldn't be able to ride it, so I was thinking more just as an animal companion, and a dog seems a much better fit for my character idea of the friendly wanderer trying to help people around the world.
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Oh man... I shouldn’t join another game but I love this set up so much! I have a number of ideas, but the one I’m most interested in putting together (if stats allow) would be a guy who spent most of his formative years in Tesla’s workshops and really embraced some of the inventor’s more esoteric ideas. He would be a tinkerer and an electricity-based kineticist who arrived in London fairly recently after fleeing New York when Edison heard about his abilities and tried to abduct him.
edit: I think I can make one of those work.
Hmm... after looking over the kineticist some more, I’m not sure there’s enough electricity based powers for the idea I mentioned in my previous post to be tenable. Some of the air ones could probably work with the right explanation (like ionizing the air around him to purify it or whatever instead of using wind currents) but even so I think he’d have to use too much air/wind stuff for what I was picturing. Not sure yet which idea I’ll work on instead, but I’ll definitely work on something.
Posting again with Lucia Wriothesly ("Riz-lee"), the (disinherited) daughter of a senior clergyman. The character concept is below. The mechanics are still a work in progress, but she is an Unchained Rogue, with the Phantom Thief archetype to reflect her extensive and varied education. I plan to give her the Psychic Sensitivity feat to reflect her exposure to the world beyond the veil.
In terms of literary inspiration, this is Barchester Chronicles meets Charles Dickens meets M R James/H P Lovecraft.
Lucia Wriothesly is the only daughter and youngest surviving child of the Dean of Cambridge Cathedral and - until recently - has wanted for very little in her life. The story of how she went from those beginnings and yet still ended up as a “nobody” toiling away at a mission in the East End of London (Spitalfields and Whitechapel, to be precise) is a complicated one. Where she once rubbed shoulders with the cousins and nieces of dukes, she now serves harlots, beggars, and drunks: cooking for them, listening to their stories, and tending to their wounds.
And, every day, she is thankful for it. She knows it could have been so, so much worse.
She was, by her own admission, dreadfully spoiled as a child. Her mother died while she was young and her father and older brother could never refuse her anything after that. Her father’s position as Dean meant that they had a high social status and Lucia made many friends among the aristocratic young women who would come to Cambridge to visit their brothers who were studying at the university.
Surely the stars were out of alignment, or some dark portent had been triggered, the day she met Glory. Had she perhaps walked under a ladder, or tripped over a black cat? She’s fairly sure she would have remembered if she’d broken a mirror. Glory, of course, is far better known as the Hon. Gloriana Howard, beloved niece of the Duke of Westminster (who is, in this era, one of the wealthiest and most powerful men on the planet).
Lucia was delighted to be noticed by the older girl, and was quickly swept up into her orbit. Glory in turn found it delightful to be uncritically hero-worshipped, and Lucia’s status as an unimpeachable alibi meant that she was extremely useful to have around: for what wrong could anyone suspect was taking place in the company of a clergyman’s daughter? Alcohol-fuelled parties (sherry, then gin) soon gave way to laudanum, which gave way to opium, which gave way to… let’s call it “spiritualism” and use that word as a veil to cover a multitude of sins.
Eventually, even among Glory’s jaded circle of friends, most stopped accepting her invitations. At the last, there were only six: Glory, of course, Lucia, of course, Annie (the Hon. Annabella Chorley, oldest daughter of Viscount Chorley), Clara (the Hon. Clarissa King, first cousin to the Earl of Surrey), Jay (Lady Jane Locke, wife of Baronet Locke) and Vic (the Hon. Victoria Howard, Glory’s younger sister). They referred to the process of alienating most of their friends as “refinement,” separating the unenlightened from the true seekers after knowledge; and they referred to themselves as The Clique.
The problem, of course, with dabbling in spiritual matters and trying to make contact “beyond the veil” is that sometimes you succeed. To this day, Lucia doesn’t really remember what happened: she remembers that The Clique had come to stay with her at her father’s, relying on the fact that they were guests of a clergyman to give themselves cover. She remembers that there was a planchette. She remembers that it was wood. She remembers that the ivory lettering on it seemed to turn blood-red…
It was the crash of breaking glass that brought her back to her senses, to discover that she was crouched on the floor mumbling in an unknown language that hurt her tongue. Her tongue actually hurt. Looking around, she saw Annie and Clara seated at the table, still and unmoving. Glory was half-naked, grinning like a lunatic as she smeared the wall of the room with her own feces. Jay was curled up in the corner, whimpering and crying. And Vic – well, it turned out that Vic was the cause of the breaking glass: she had hurled herself through the window, landing on the terrace three floors below.
Well of course it was hushed up. You don’t get to be a Dean in the Church without having some political clout. Vic had “suffered a fatal seizure” (according to the newspapers) while visiting her friend Lucia. But of course, some rumours escaped. It wasn’t helped that Annie and Clara never recovered their power of speech, or even control of their own bodily functions. Jay hanged herself six months later (“died of complications following a miscarriage” according to the newspapers). Stories of some of what Glory had got up to in previous gatherings were spread by those that The Clique had alienated. Eventually the Duke of Westminster had to step in, firmly quashing all mention in the press. He was of course most seriously displeased at having to get involved. And Glory, well – Glory was never heard from again after she got into the Duke’s carriage.
Lucia alone survived in body and mind. But you don’t annoy the Duke of Westminster and survive socially. Her father was furious about what the Duke’s anger would mean for his own career prospects, and he banished her from his presence. None of her old friends would talk to her. Thankfully, the missions to the East End of London aren’t picky. They can’t afford to be. Nobody who matters goes within three miles of Whitechapel.
And so, for the last three years, Lucia has worked there, uncomplainingly. Often toiling from dawn until dusk, to the point of exhaustion. But that’s good. When she’s exhausted, she doesn’t dream.
Lucia is quiet but determined. The extroverted sense of adventure which she had as a child and adolescent has matured with age and tragic experience into a hard shell that makes her personable but difficult to get to know deeply.
Even the nicest of her tutors would never have described her as a genius, but she has always had a streak of practical good sense. It was suppressed during her time as part of The Clique out of hero-worship and blind gratitude that these noble ladies had included her in their games, but it has since reasserted itself and she now considers things deeply before making a decision. It is this good sense that has kept her from telling her story, as well as leading her to hide the fact that whatever happened that night awoke something within her, some sense that she doesn’t understand but can on occasion use to get insights.
Her broad education covered a range of topics, and she has supplemented this with her own, unique, curriculum. Her Uncle Algy (an officer in the British Army) taught her how to shoot, how to fight, and how to swear (it's a standing joke in his regiment that he puts the "F" into "lieutenant-colonel"). Her time with The Clique taught her how to lie, how to flatter and dissemble and how to spot that falsehood in others. Her time at the mission has taught her many things: practical skills in medicine, as well as how not to blush when the harlots are talking frankly about the details of their working lives. She has also learned a little more about the after-effects of that fatal night, and the lingering sensitivity it has left her with. Occasionally, very, very occasionally, when someone’s life hangs in the balance, she will try to use her “gift-curse” (as she thinks of it) to give the patient strength enough to survive and recover. If she were still religious she would think of it as her prayers being answered.
She isn't sure what she believes, these days. On that last, fatal night, The Clique made contact with something, she's sure of it. Something malevolent, horrific, possibly even evil, if that word has any meaning. She doesn't willingly revisit those memories, but she knows - somehow - that it enjoyed what it did to the others, that it would have done the same to her. She's not sure why she was spared.
She remembers praying as she hastily tried to clear up (burning the planchette, trying to wipe the walls clean) before the maids arrived: not the comfortable prayers she grew up with, but the formal (Catholic) Latin prayers of the Paternoster ("libera nos a malo") and the Ave Maria ("ora pro nobis peccatoribus”). These days, she carries a rosary in one of the pockets of her dress, a fact which would doubtless cause her father to disown her all over again, if he could (“we’ll have no popish practices under MY roof!”).
Having been disowned, she has little enough: a few dresses and a more practical set of clothes for when she is called on to practice her surgical skills. Other than the rosary, which she can't remember where she acquired it, the only other signature item she carries is her grandfather's revolver (a gift to her from her Uncle Algy, who inherited it). The man was an officer in the British Army for over thirty years and his revolver is custom-made, with Raglan-pattern iron sights, a burnished manganese-alloy cylinder and a patented "hold-release" trigger mechanism. Wearing it tucked into her belt gives her a certain sense of security when wandering the streets of the East End.
It's in keeping with the paradoxes of her personality that she hasn't had to fire a shot in anger: she knows how to fight and shoot, but has never needed to. She knows how to swear like a trooper, but doesn't. She knows, in theory from her conversations with locals at the mission, how to lift someone's purse or pick a lock, but hasn't tried it - and would prefer not to have to. The morality she grew up with, although corroded and tarnished, is still there somewhere: Don't lie. Don't cheat. Don't steal. Be a good girl.
The Hon. Gloriana “Glory” Howard: Niece of the Duke of Westminster and, along with Lucia, (possibly?) the only other survivor of The Clique. The official story, put about by her uncle, is that Glory had a nervous breakdown and was sent to Switzerland for the good of her health. Lucia has heard two other versions: the first is that Glory was committed to an asylum; the second is that she took her own life. She doesn’t know what to believe.
Reverend Timothy Barre: this elderly priest runs the East End mission station that Lucia now serves at. Sharp-eyed and shrewd, he has no doubt that Lucia has ended up here because she has few other options, but he appreciates the fact that she just gets on with things rather than complaining. Reverend Barre is one of the few people Lucia has encountered within the Church who actually seems to believe, rather than seeing it as a vehicle for social advancement. His frequent admonition is “don’t just read the Word: do what it says.”
The Very Reverend Aloysius Wriothesly, Dean of Cambridge Cathedral: Lucia’s father has disinherited his daughter and refuses to have any contact with her. In his view, Lucia’s antics mean that he has no further hope of promotion within the Church – the Duke of Westminster will see to that. Even in the unlikely event that he is ever promoted to Bishop, it won’t be any of the comfortable London cathedrals, or even the fashionable Society cathedrals of Salisbury or Wells – no, it will be somewhere far away like Whitby or – *shudder* – Liverpool. Realistically, his only prospect is to see out the rest of his career as Dean – a bitter blow for someone who was once talked of as possibly making it all the way to Archbishop of Canterbury.
Lieutenant-Colonel Algernon Wriothesly: Lucia’s uncle followed his father into the Coldstream Guards, where he has served well. Utterly fearless and convinced of his own invincibility (he has survived every engagement so far without so much as a scratch, so there might be something in this). Now in his late forties, “Uncle Algy” still has the energy of someone two decades younger. The last Lucia heard of him, he was being posted off to South Africa to fight the Boers.
Reverend Augustus Frederick Wriothesly: Lucia’s older brother followed their father into the Church and is doing very well at a Society church in Mayfair. The rumour is that one of the political parties is grooming him to run for Parliament in the next few years. He is easygoing, well-spoken, and tells everyone exactly what they want to hear. Lucia has no doubt he will go far.
Major-General Gordon Fitzwilliam Wriothesly (Deceased): Lucia has few memories of her Grandfather, who served in the British Army (Coldstream Guards) in pretty much every conflict from the Ashanti Wars of 1823 through to the end of the Crimean War.
Decimus I like all of your concepts, and could see any of them fitting in the Campaign. I am not sure on the Vampire Hunter class, however. Yes, it was 'developed by Paizo', but it was for a fluff piece inspired by the anime, and parts of it feel like an overpowered ranger/inquisitor hybrid. Perhaps consider the concept but using a different build?
Doctor Locke I had not considered the option of taking armor proficiencies to improve your defense, give me some time to think on it. Hypothetically, it would be an option normally, so there is clear precedent for it.
Ellioti Ah, guess I forgot to include something on my rules section: Fractional Base Bonuses, so your base attack would not take a hit. As for why multiclass? You seemed conflicted about taking Seeker, so I proposed another option. It would start you with more skill points, broader structure for your criminal roots in your background, and fit the fact that you were already developing these skills before you became an oracle.
Javell / Jakob I like the inferred trauma of his past (at least, that is what I am reading into between the dialogue and your selected drawback). The outwardly jovial, yet secretly broken barkeep. I might know something about that.
Doctor Locke I am not familiar with the Occult Skill Unlocks, but have heard they can be a bit O/P, so I will need to review them before offering my thoughts on them.
I was thinking of trying a Vigilante until noticing the nonsense that there isn't an Extra Vigilante Talent feat, so I'm probably going Investigator instead. Will likely have the entire thing posted tomorrow.
I'll submit a Spirit Dancer Medium later on today I think. Just putting some finishing touches on her backstory.
Doctor Locke I am not familiar with the Occult Skill Unlocks, but have heard they can be a bit O/P, so I will need to review them before offering my thoughts on them.
I am also very interested in this ruling; I had planned on taking the Occult Messenger familiar archetype to gain the Psychic Sensitivity feat and offer a mechanical reason for the character's seeing past the veil.
I haven't really filled in the profile yet, but this will be Giant Halfling's submission.
Father Freeman--or more formally, the Reverend Doctor Freeman--is a highly educated Jesuit priest, currently serving as a lecturer at King's College in London. Mechanically, he's a scholar inquisitor (with an archetype that makes his casting Int based).
edit: could I take the 'family ties' drawback and apply it to the Jesuit order instead of blood family?
Doctor Locke I am not familiar with the Occult Skill Unlocks, but have heard they can be a bit O/P, so I will need to review them before offering my thoughts on them.
I'm hoping to use at least some of the Occult Skill Unlocks - it's why I want to take the Psychic Sensitivity feat.
They're flavourful, but I wouldn't say they're O/P, especially with a 1/day use limit (or 1/week for Automatic Writing) - plus you actually have to have enough points in the skill to hit the relevant DC. In a low magic game, they're a nice way to include something that's a little out of the ordinary, IMO.
The Nethys site has a section on the relevant skills
Appraise (unlock: Psychometry)
Diplomacy (unlock: Hypnotism)
Heal (unlock: Faith Healing)
Knowledge (Arcana) (unlock: Phrenology)
Linguistics (unlock: Automatic Writing)
Perception (unlock: Read Aura)
Sense Motive (unlock: Prognostication)
Survival (unlock: Dowsing)
If you're not planning to allow these, I will rework my character concept accordingly.
Didn't notice the bit about the drawback. I'll take Power-Hungry, to represent Richard's obsessive search for occult power.
I was thinking of trying a Vigilante until noticing the nonsense that there isn't an Extra Vigilante Talent feat, so I'm probably going Investigator instead. Will likely have the entire thing posted tomorrow.
There isn't an extra vigilante talent feat because most vigilante talents count as two or more feats, so they didn't want to have one feat be overvalued like that.
I present the background questions and answers for Peter Caffrey, druid of the cities. Feedback appreciated!
1) Where were they born?
Near Rockcorry, County Monaghan, Ireland.
2) Who are their parents?
Maurice and Mary Caffrey, an industrial worker and homemaker of good standing.
3) Are they still alive? Are there any other guardians/close family members?
They're still alive. Six brothers and sisters.
Mary, Catherine, and Maurice are older. Bridget, John, and Sarah are younger.
4) What were they doing before now?
As a child, Peter often had vivid dreams of gods, monsters, heros of the past.
In his teenage years, these dreams became more intense, even intruding into his waking hours.
5) Why leave it all?
At the age of sixteen, Peter left to seek his fortune. Or to avoid the whispers about him.
He moved from town to town in Ireland, finding himself in outre situations. When he felt he needed to go somewhere, he normally found that he was needed. Whether to say the right word in the right ear, or to assist with a supernatural incident on the quiet, Peter had found a calling of sorts.
The visions eased in intensity, the more he accepted this.
Then, the vision were of a great city, though not in Ireland.
6) What did they leave behind?
Family. A trail of friends. Any prospect of a normal life or much stability at all.
7) What does your character want?
He wants to know why he has visions. He wants to know why they are driving him to London.