@Oblivion's Scion: That sounds quite fair.
I'm making progress with the mechanics. A few quick questions:
1. I've been chewing over backgrounds, as I wrote Peter initially without looking at them too closely. Do you think Emissary works? He does travel a lot and has resolved matters with words.
2. What do you think of the piper favoured class bonus? Urban druids don't get an animal companion and I like the idea of Peter being especially skilled at dealing with nature.
"Piper Add +½ to all Handle Animal and Knowledge (nature) checks. (+1 to these checks for every 2 times you select this option.)"
3. What do you think of the monk variant multiclass? I am looking ahead to level 7's evasion and level 11's ki pool. The idea being that Peter is incredibly in tune with him surroundings, sometimes acting even before he consciously realises it. That can work with or without VMC monk, and feats are rather handy.
I aim to be finished by this time tomorrow.
Am I correct in believing that the lack of a comment for me means that you are willing to read my background in its current (admittedly rather lengthy) form? Also, as others have said, I’m very open to any feedback if there’s anything that doesn’t quite fit with what you’re envisioning?
Presenting Francis Sterne, a surgeon, scientist and theologian of such extraordinary intellect that he has pieced together dissociated knowledge, pushed the bounds of science, and opened up new vistas of reality.
@Oblivion's Scion: would it be alright to grab the Orc +10 mins mutagen favoured class bonus? Don't need it so much yet, but when we hit Jekyll levels I'd like the change to last longer.
Man, a vivisectionist with the Harvest Parts feat and a quote by Lovecraft as an intro. Gothic as hell!
I got picked for another game, so I'm going to withdraw here. Don't want to many games on my plate and give others a chance to play
So like the lesbian I am, I decided that since this is set in the real world and she's a fortune teller, I should do Minerva's star chart; SO using random.org, I rolled up a date, time and location and here's her chart.
As a fortune teller, she lies to clients when she can tell what they want to hear and her possessed hand has a nasty habit of stealing trinkets from them when neither she or her client are looking. She's killed before and would again, but only in self-defense.
Cuan I think you may be overthinking it.
I agree, I was. It's what I get for going too deep on my character research I think.
When it comes to mechanics I'm looking at making my character a Ranger using the Fortune-Finder archetype. I'd say that fits with someone who has travelled quite a bit and wherever she thought she needed to be to get what she wanted.
If it's ok I'd like to keep to keep the choice for whether I want spellcasting or the Skirmisher archetype open for the moment as it won't come into play yet anyway and I'd like to let it depend on how the game develops.
I'm still debating whether I want to start her out as a Rogue using the Phantom Thief archetype to represent the sheltered start of her life and if so whether it's for 1 or 2 levels.
@Oblivion's Scion - not a problem, I know the angst of computer failure all too well. Thanks for replying. I'm sure at some point I'll be sobbing about Lucia's lack of damage output and wishing I'd kept the sneak atack, but the wide education feature seemed to work better with her backstory.
Some amazing builds and stories here, I don't envy the decision you have to make.
Decimus I agree that Emissary sounds like a good fit for you. I would recommend the bonus the Vanara gets - 1/2 to wild empathy and handle animal, thus granting you a matching bonus for both wild and domesticated animals. I can see VMC Monk working for your concept, of course, a different interpretation using the feats for something else could also work as well. It's up to you.
Azadi I gave you free reign to write as much or as little as you wanted in a previous post. And having read your background, I must say I enjoyed it. The only amendments I request would be a lack of knowledge of demon types (they won't be so clear), and in your encounter with the woodsman, the two of you took down one such creature and it's summoner, rather than the pack you initially proposed.
Francis Sterne / Harakani the flavor definitely fits with the campaign. My one question: you left the "experiment" he enacted on himself rather vague - any thoughts on it?
Ellioti best of luck in your gaming endeavours.
Madame Minerva I like the additional depth, very in fitting with your concept.
Cuan if the archetype doesn't give up anything yet, then you can absolutely wait to declare until the required level.
Well folks, we have about 12 hours left for anyone new to tag into the recruitment. I can already say I am going to have a hell of a time deciding.
No problem. I originally was going to do just one demon but I bumped it up because I was worried I hadn’t accounted for enough experience to be third level. I’ll edit it.
@Oblivion's Scion I do... but not sure how much para-science you have the patience to read.
Here goes...
The concept was to use chemicals, gravity and various magnetic and electrical forces to trick cancerous cells into growing in particular ways. Essentially 'growing' a creature in the same way one might use a trellis to grow vines to a particular shape but with a MUCH more complicated framework than some pieces of wood.
Realistically this is a trick we have still not managed, let alone working out how to make cells change type.
The inspiration is that the same rules that govern the growth of cells seems to have responsible for the growth of artificial constructs such as cities. While the history of each city is unique, the fundamental mathematical algorithms seem the same. While one might assume conscious decisions are important in fact this is not so, but a decision made early in the growth history can have important long term consequences. Ideally he would essentially develop his own version of 'Conway's Game of Life'.
His major tool here would be evolution - both Darwinian and Lamarckian. Critical to this is the idea that the dna (noting he can infer the existence of such a mechanism without being able to see the exact structure of such a mechanism) in the cells is unchanged - his creatures are 100% his (or at least their donors') dna. It is the expression of the cells that is changed. Some cells being forced into becoming (his) bone cells, some into (his) muscle cells etc.
If the 'trellis' he uses works, he continues it. If it fails he modifies it and tries again. He can use hundreds of these trellises in parallel, essentially gestating small clusters of cancerous cells as one might an embryo. Along the way he learns more about trellis construction.
The lifespan of such creatures is limited - once untended, as they continue to grow they will warp their 'trellis', slowly becoming less per design as a shaped bush will outgrow his shape. This too can be evolved for but more slowly - if it takes weeks for an organism to outgrow its desired trellis that is weeks for each cycle of the evolutionary 'algorithm'. It therefore becomes necessary to give the creature some fundamental control over its own structure, allowing it to create a steady state more desirable to long term being.
I figure he uses mechanical and electrical means to restore a semblance of life to dead organic matter - for example forcing a heart to beat through electricity, Pumping lungs with a mechanical bellow etc. This is to force a body to continue to create the conditions necessary for live to survive, most simplistically oxygenated, nutrition carrying blood. This blood is then used to nurture the cancerous cells as they are tricked into assuming their new shape.
His experiments on animals having borne some fruit, he switched to doing so with his own cancerous cells. I'm going to ignore most of immunology and suggest he found a way around rejection and could use blood - or a blood like substance - to nurture his cells.
His familiar is a creature built out of cancer cells and designed to seek out and incorporate other cancerous cells from his body, convincing them to bind with it. It lacks many of the organs needed for continuing life, instead using his organs to synthesise the chemicals like ATP needed for life. In this way it is a symbiote.
The creature can breathe, move through blood vessels and interface with neural systems (poorly) as it was originally a brain cancer. It is possible for it to survive for short times outside his body, and possible for it to survive inside another living entity.
As he perfects its design he adds more useful functions - his work is not a work that survives well outside a host body, and he already has a secure and safe organ that can in turn survive within him. Eventually he ends up creating essentially a living tool to help him with his work. Given the high proportion of the body that is a neural cell the creature is surprisingly intelligent.
Obviously an octopus would be a better model than a raven, parrot or thrush, but I need a familiar that can talk to Francis in order to allow two way communication. I am hoping to have it whisper whilst inside him. Note that the Parasite archetype weirdly allows control while not allowing communication. Speak with master happens at 5th level, and at that point I will probably ask to have it switch out for an octopus. Improved Familiar is not compatible with Parasite, so upgrading it is not an option. Event the halfling wizard favored class bonus would only add 1.5 levels to the effective wizard level and still miss out on Speak with Master.
Given the era I am happy for a level of belief in psychic communication to underlie some of the communication mechanism. I simply cannot find a way to make this work - I would be grateful if anyone can find a way to make empathic link work as proper communication.
As a bit of a safety I think he will need to have invented a way to turn cells cancerous, and then turn them back. This would essentially be a cure for his type of cancer.
@Oblivion's Scion- I edited my background but I left it at 2 minor demons instead of 1, because that was a much simpler edit. If 2 is still too many give the word and I'll do the more involved revision. Also, would it be completely insane to change my submission right now? I like Azadi (a lot) but I was looking over the other submissions and noticed a few things... most concerningly, there's a handful of other submissions that a Jesuit committed to fighting against the supernatural would have a very difficult time working with; but also, there's a lot applications in the eduacted/skills/support roles, and (with ellioti's withdrawl) none that are full casters or gunslingers. I have ideas for either of those that I could have finished by tomorrow (albeit with a much shorter background, most likely). Do you think it might be worth it to avoid my religion interfering with other characters, or would it just be a headache for you to have to start over evaluating another submission? (If it matters, the gunslinger type would be a pragmatic constable who's run into dark/supernatural events through his work but mostly chalks it up to deranged people, and the caster would be a minor nobleman who belongs to the Order of Merlin, an ancient but nearly extinct secret society of gentlemen mages.)
As not the GM but someone who loves roleplaying games, I think that some minor friction is almost required for a setting like this. If everyone is of the same mind conversations and moral dilemmas end up becoming very terse and 1 dimensional.
I for one would hate to see a Victorian setting without equal parts faith and science, it is a massive theme to the genre. That juxtaposition between faith and science, virtue and vice, man and monsters gives it the meat it really needs.
I largely agree, Hubaris, which is part of the reason I was excited about Azadi in the first place, I'm just worried that with some of the other PCs that friction might be a little bit too strong. A medium, for example, purposefully gets possessed... I wouldn't run around kicking in the door on every seance held in London (largely because most of them are charlatanry) but circumstances would have to be fairly dire for a priest whose mentor was an exorcist to willingly work with a medium once he realizes they're legitimate. Or, Dr Sterne- we probably wouldn't both be chosen together anyways because there's significant overlap in our mechanics, but someone who denies corpses proper Christian burial so that he can keep them in a pseudo-undead state and experiment on them would be more like a threat that he was fighting against than someone he'd partner with.
Gentleman Mages brings to my mind Jonathan Strange and Mr Norell.
That's fair though with the friction part, just trying to provide you an alternative view for your own consideration!
Thanks for that link- I hadn't heard of those books before but they sound like they're in the same vein that I was thinking (not the plot of reviving magic, but the feel). And thank you for the alternate view.
@Oblivion's Scion: Vanara bonus is fine by me. Taking Emissary background and VMC monk.
Looking at these traits for Peter. I think they match the concept.
Conspiracy Hunter (he keeps running into weirdness), Fast-Talker (he gets out of problems by speaking - sometimes), and the Righteous Indignation drawback (he won't stand to leave a true evil alone)
Conspiracy Hunter (campaign trait)
Choose one of the following skills: Bluff, Diplomacy, Knowledge (local), Perception, Sense Motive, or Stealth. You gain a +1 trait bonus on this skill and it is always considered a class skill for you. - Stealth
Fast-Talker (social trait)
You had a knack for getting yourself into trouble as a child, and as a result developed a silver tongue at an early age.
Benefit: You gain a +1 trait bonus on Bluff checks, and Bluff is always a class skill for you.
Righteous Indignation (drawback)
You have difficulty controlling your temper after living in inhuman conditions.
Effect(s): Whenever a foe provokes an attack of opportunity from you, you must take it unless you succeed at a Will save against a DC equal to 10 + your level. You take a –1 penalty on Will saving throws against spells with the emotion descriptor that do not also have the fear descriptor.
Francis Sterne like the concept, and where it dangles between science and madness.
Azadi you are welcome to submit a different character if you'd like. You can apply with either concept, though the gunslinger falls in 'common' and a wizard falls in 'unique' (take that how you will). If you have learned to cast (wizard, magus, etc) you have at best one mentor and no access to a society of wizards.
Decimus the concept of the drawback make sense, being driven to action by things you find an affront, but do the mechanics match for you? Just a thought. Everything else sounds good.
About 5 hours left for new applicants to join the thread, then the two days to shore up concepts.
@Oblivion's Scion- my vision for the Order of Merlin was not to be a resource for me but a standing hook for you. As I pictured it, in its heyday (pre-Enlightnement) it would have been like an exclusive English Gentlemen's club, where wizards (and arcanists, but not other casters) could freely gather to catch up and exchange ideas, but after centuries of decline there was virtually nothing left, despite having opened membership to magi (in the 16th century), sorcerers (late 18th), and warlocks (male witches, mid 19th). I was assuming that I would know no more than like 2-3 members from all those classes combined, but honestly just knowing 1 wouldn't be a big adjustment. If you have a chance to provide feedback on that vision it would be helpful, but either way I'll post before midnight to let you know which character I'll officially submit: Rev. Dr. Azadi Freeman; Ethelbert, Lord Hadleigh (the caster); or, Constable Cornelius Copperpot. (I'm open to peer pressure, if any of my fellow applicants want to chime in with their thoughts on the three, lol.)
edit: I also pictured the OoM being a benevolent order that actively espoused noblesse oblige
@Azadi: I'm happy to have some conflict. I agree there'd be a lot of potential for issues, given one typifies 'fanatic religious scholar' and one 'fanatic atheist scientist'.
In his younger years Francis tried to reassure himself to the existence of god by pursuing a doctorate of Divinity. At Oxford.
My suggestion is we explore the Oxford connection - with a bit of work (and maybe a mechanical tweak) I think we could have them studying at the same time, and becoming fast friends. Francis' real opposition to Faith (father dying, war, illness, catching cancer) were post this period.
Hopefully this leaves the PCs fast friends with opposition in regards to means, but essentially the same end. The ability to debate the scriptures in Greek, Latin and Hebrew should leave enough wiggle room to make it impossible to definitively make a moral stance - for example if Francis insists on waiting for their breathing to cease before doing anything, and then claims with the spirit gone it is simply clay. The strawman arguments here are on the right to use blood transfusions etc. Part of this is also going to hit the differences between the various Christian denominations' view of death.
Separately, If there's too much mechanical overlap we can look at some diversification (GM willing).
@Oblivion's Scion: Changed familiar to thrush. Would you be okay with the Halfling wizard Favoured Class Bonus? Recognising that this is a different class and race FCB. That'd let Francis' familiar get speak with master at level 4 (He'd start with an effective level of 4.5). I think I can limp through for one level - the first level is usually about the relationship between PCs establishing anyway. If so, I'd definitely start with a more 'tumorish' familiar, probably octopus but I'd be okay with slug, and you could potentially talk me into squid. Torble would be an obvious choice, I know, but I have a different PC with a Torble familiar, so I am avoiding it.
Azadi The recruitment closes to new applicants this evening, but as an active applicant, you are able to refine your concept (including a complete overhaul) until Sunday night.
Regarding the OoM, I previously touched on the lack of magical organizations earlier in the thread, as well as the numerical rarity of such classes in a different post. If you want to have it as an aspect of your backstory, perhaps you discovered some ancient tome describing such an order from the distant past, and it is something you dream of creating. But even in it's past, it would not have had the previous height of membership you described.
Francis I am okay with the halfling wizard FCB as it directly related to an alternate ability you gain.
edit: ok, I changed my mind (one last time)... I'm going to stick with Azadi and trust that between Scion's discernment in building a party and our collective abilities as players we can overcome the potential pitfalls of our differences (if he's chosen). I think it'd be pretty reasonable that his lessons from Father McDonagh and experience with Herr Fleischman may have made him a bit more pragmatic than most Jesuits.
@Oblivion's Scion: sweet! Thanks :)
@Azadi: Great!
@Oblivion's Scion:
Fair point! How about Haunted? Perhaps slightly reflavoured to indicate Peter's worries about what exactly is driving him on, or the dangers it is leading him to?
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.
Effect You take a –2 penalty on saves against spells with the evil descriptor.
Notions for the mystery:
1. The shade of an ancient druid is driving Peter on as a sort of protege, to combat a grave threat or to complete "unfinished business".
2. A powerful fey is using Peter as a pawn in some great game.
3. A new (or old) breed of sentience has developed in the new urban areas. One of these powers has chosen to be Peter's patron.
Decimus Observet here, with the (hopefully) complete Peter Caffrey.
In terms of mechanics, he will be able to offer a great deal of skills, social, utility, and battlefield control.
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.
Notes:
Peter may not always love the strange to-and-fro that forms his life but he draws great satisfaction from it. He has had the opportunity to help people and creatures get of dire trouble. He would rather take a few knocks himself than stand by and watch an evil grow unchallenged.
I'm seeing Peter as learning bits and pieces from people he runs into. A sentence out of context revealing some mystical truth. A bird leading him to a strange carving which he can read. The visions and feelings egging him on to...something.
There a large unknown attached to Peter's powers. He has no formal training in the matter, after all. Who knows what druidic traditions of the British and Irish Isles were lost?
Name Peter Caffrey
Male Human Druid (urban druid) 3
VMC Monk
Medium Humanoid (human)
Init +0; Senses Perception +8, Sense Motive +10
5' 4"
Vanara FCB Add a +½ bonus on wild empathy checks and a +½ bonus on Handle Animal skill checks.
Automatic Bonus Progression
Elephant in the Room Feat Tax
--------------------
Defense
--------------------
AC 15, touch 10, flat-footed 15 (10 +4 defense, +0 Dex, +1 Armor attunement, +0 natural)
hp 20 (1d8+2 per level)
Fort +6 = +3 +2 +1
Ref +2 = +1 +0 +1
Will +8 = +3 +4 +1
Resist None
–2 penalty on saves against spells with the evil descriptor
Resistance +1
--------------------
Offense
--------------------
Base Atk +2; CMB +2; CMD 12
Speed 30 ft.
Melee
Unarmed +3 (1d6+1/x2)
Weapon attunement +1
Ranged
Special Attacks
Spell-Like Abilities
Orisons (4/day)
Detect Magic
Guidance
Purify Food and Drink
Stabilise
Level 1 (4/day)
Cure Light Wounds
Entangle
Obscuring Mist
Produce Flame
Level 2 (2/day)
Delay Poison
Soften Earth and Stone
--------------------
Statistics
--------------------
Str 10 = +0 12 -2 background
Dex 10 = +0
Con 15 = +2
Int 15 = +2
Wis 19 = +4 17 +2 racial
Cha 14 = +2 12 +2 background
Human: Spell Focus (conjuration)
L1: Augment Summoning
L2: None
L3: VMC - Improved Unarmed Strike
Conspiracy Hunter (campaign trait)
Choose one of the following skills: Bluff, Diplomacy, Knowledge (local), Perception, Sense Motive, or Stealth. You gain a +1 trait bonus on this skill and it is always considered a class skill for you. - Stealth
Fast-Talker (social trait)
You had a knack for getting yourself into trouble as a child, and as a result developed a silver tongue at an early age.
Benefit: You gain a +1 trait bonus on Bluff checks, and Bluff is always a class skill for you.
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.
Effect You take a –2 penalty on saves against spells with the evil descriptor.
Class Skills
The druid's class skills are Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Fly (Dex), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (geography) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).
Nature Sense (Ex): A druid gains a +2 bonus on Knowledge (nature) and Survival checks.
Knowledge Domain: you treat all Knowledge skills as class skills.
Emissary Background: Diplomacy and Sense Motive are class skills.
Conspiracy Hunter (campaign trait): Stealth as class skill. +1 trait bonus
Fast-Talker (social trait): Bluff as class skill. +1 trait bonus
Lorekeeper (Ex): At 2nd level, an urban druid adds Diplomacy, Knowledge (history), Knowledge (local), and Knowledge (nobility) skills to her list of class skills. She also receives a +2 bonus on these skill checks.
Background Skills List: Appraise, Artistry, Craft, Handle Animal, Knowledge (engineering), Knowledge (geography), Knowledge (history), Knowledge (nobility), Linguistics, Lore, Perform, Profession, Sleight of Hand
Skill Ranks Per Level:
7 (4 class + 2 intelligence bonus +1 racial +0 favoured class)
+2 background skill ranks
Acrobatics +0 |+0 Dex
Appraise +2 |+2 Int
+Athletics +6 |+2 Str +1 rank +3 class skill
+Bluff +7 |+2 Cha +1 rank +3 class skill +1 trait
+Craft (clothing) +6 |+2 Int +1 rank +3 class skill
+Diplomacy +5 |+1 rank +2 Cha +2 lorekeeper bonus
Disable Device* -- |+0 Dex untrained
Disguise +2 |+2 Cha
Escape Artist +0 |+0 Dex
Fly +0 |+0 Dex
+Handle Animal* +7 |+2 Cha +1 rank +3 class skill +1 FCB
+Heal +8 |+4 Wis +1 rank +3 class skill
Intimidate +2 |+2 Cha
+Knowledge Arcana* +6 |+2 Int +1 rank +3 class skill
+Knowledge Dungeoneering* +6 |+2 Int +1 rank +3 class skill
+Knowledge Engineering* +6 |+2 Int +1 rank +3 class skill
+Knowledge Geography* +8 |+2 Int +1 rank +3 class skill +2 bonus
+Knowledge History* +8 |+2 Int +1 rank +3 class skill +2 lorekeeper bonus
+Knowledge Local* +8 |+2 Int +1 rank +3 class skill +2 lorekeeper bonus
+Knowledge Nobility* +8 |+2 Int +1 rank +3 class skill +2 lorekeeper bonus
+Knowledge Nature* +8 |+2 Int +1 rank +3 class skill +2 Nature's Bond bonus
+Knowledge Planes* +6 |+2 Int +1 rank +3 class skill
+Knowledge Religion* +6 |+2 Int +1 rank +3 class skill
Linguistics* +3 |+2 Int
+Perception +8 |+4 Wis +1 rank +3 class skill
Perform +2 |+2 Cha
+Profession +4 |+4 Wis
+Ride +4 |+0 Dex +1 rank +3 class skill
+Sense Motive +10 |+4 Wis +3 rank +3 class skill
Sleight of Hand* -- |+0 Dex untrained
+Spellcraft* +6 |+2 Int +1 rank +3 class skill
+Stealth +5 |+0 Dex +1 rank +3 class skill +1 trait
+Survival +10 |+4 Wis +3 rank +3 class skill +2 Nature's Bond bonus
Use Magic Device* -- |+2 Cha untrained
Wild Empathy (Ex): +6 = 3 level + 2 Cha +1 FCB
Druidic, English, Irish, Sylvan
Bonus Feat: Humans select one extra feat at 1st level.
Skilled: Humans gain an additional skill rank at first level and one additional rank whenever they gain a level.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
Druids are proficient with the following weapons: club, dagger, dart, quarterstaff, scimitar, scythe, sickle, shortspear, sling, and spear. They are also proficient with all natural attacks (claw, bite, and so forth) of any form they assume with wild shape (see below).
Druids are proficient with light and medium armor but are prohibited from wearing metal armor; thus, they may wear only padded, leather, or hide armor. A druid may also wear wooden armor that has been altered by the ironwood spell so that it functions as though it were steel. Druids are proficient with shields (except tower shields) but must use only wooden ones.
A druid who wears prohibited armor or uses a prohibited shield is unable to cast druid spells or use any of her supernatural or spell-like class abilities while doing so and for 24 hours thereafter.
Spells
A druid casts divine spells, which are drawn from the druid spell list. Her alignment may restrict her from casting certain spells opposed to her moral or ethical beliefs; see Chaotic, Evil, Good, and Lawful Spells. A druid must choose and prepare her spells in advance.
To prepare or cast a spell, the druid must have a Wisdom score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a druid’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the druid’s Wisdom modifier.
Like other spellcasters, a druid can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Her base daily spell allotment is given on Table: Druid. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Wisdom score (see Table: Ability Modifiers and Bonus Spells).
A druid must spend 1 hour each day in a trance-like meditation on the mysteries of nature to regain her daily allotment of spells. A druid may prepare and cast any spell on the druid spell list, provided that she can cast spells of that level, but she must choose which spells to prepare during her daily meditation.
Spontaneous Casting
An urban druid can channel stored spell energy into domain spells that she has not prepared ahead of time. She can “lose” a prepared spell in order to cast any domain spell of the same level or lower.
This ability replaces the ability to spontaneously cast summon nature’s ally spells.
Chaotic, Evil, Good, and Lawful Spells
A druid can’t cast spells of an alignment opposed to her own or her deity’s (if she has one). Spells associated with particular alignments are indicated by the chaos, evil, good, and law descriptors in their spell descriptions.
Orisons (Sp)
Druids can prepare a number of orisons, or 0-level spells, each day, as noted on Table: Druid under “Spells per Day.” These spells are cast like any other spell, but they are not expended when cast and may be used again.
Bonus Languages
A druid’s bonus language options include Sylvan, the language of woodland creatures. This choice is in addition to the bonus languages available to the character because of her race.
A druid also knows Druidic, a secret language known only to druids, which she learns upon becoming a 1st-level druid. Druidic is a free language for a druid; that is, she knows it in addition to her regular allotment of languages and it doesn’t take up a language slot. Druids are forbidden to teach this language to nondruids.
Druidic has its own alphabet.
Nature Bond (Ex)
An urban druid may not select an animal companion. Instead, she must choose from the following domains, rather than those usually available to druids: Charm, Community, Knowledge, Nobility, Protection, Repose, Rune, or Weather.
Knowledge Domain
You are a scholar and a sage of legends. In addition, you treat all Knowledge skills as class skills.
Granted Powers
Lore Keeper (Sp): You can touch a creature to learn about its abilities and weaknesses. With a successful touch attack, you gain information as if you made the appropriate Knowledge skill check with a result equal to 15 + your cleric level + your Wisdom modifier.
Remote Viewing (Sp): Starting at 6th level, you can use clairvoyance/clairaudience at will as a spell-like ability using your cleric level as the caster level. You can use this ability for a number of rounds per day equal to your cleric level. These rounds do not need to be consecutive.
Domain Spells: 1st—comprehend languages, 2nd—detect thoughts, 3rd—speak with dead, 4th—divination, 5th—true seeing, 6th—find the path, 7th—legend lore, 8th—discern location, 9th—foresight.
Nature Sense (Ex)
A druid gains a +2 bonus on Knowledge (nature) and Survival checks.
Wild Empathy (Ex)
A druid can improve the attitude of an animal. This ability functions just like a Diplomacy check made to improve the attitude of a person. The druid rolls 1d20 and adds her druid level and her Charisma modifier to determine the wild empathy check result.
The typical domestic animal has a starting attitude of indifferent, while wild animals are usually unfriendly.
To use wild empathy, the druid and the animal must be able to study each other, which means that they must be within 30 feet of one another under normal conditions. Generally, influencing an animal in this way takes 1 minute but, as with influencing people, it might take more or less time.
A druid can also use this ability to influence a magical beast with an Intelligence score of 1 or 2, but she takes a –4 penalty on the check.
Lorekeeper (Ex)
At 2nd level, an urban druid adds Diplomacy, Knowledge (history), Knowledge (local), and Knowledge (nobility) skills to her list of class skills. She also receives a +2 bonus on these skill checks.
This ability replaces a druid’s woodland stride and trackless step abilities.
Resistance +1
Armor attunement +1
Weapon attunement +1
Monk
A character who chooses monk as his secondary class gains the following secondary class features.
Armor: At 1st level, he loses all his secondary monk abilities when wearing armor, using a shield, or carrying a medium or heavy load.
Unarmed Strike: At 3rd level, he gains the Improved Unarmed Strike feat and the unarmed damage of a monk of his character level – 2.
Evasion: At 7th level, he gains evasion.
Ki Pool: At 11th level, he gains the ki pool class feature of a monk of his character level – 2, with a number of ki points equal to 1/2 his character level. He only ever gains ki pool (lawful) if he is of lawful alignment.
AC Bonus: At 15th level, he gains a +3 dodge bonus to AC.
Improved Evasion: At 19th level, he gains improved evasion.
Resist Temptation (Ex)
At 4th level, an urban druid gains a +2 bonus on saves vs. divinations and enchantments.
This ability replaces the resist nature’s lure ability.
A Thousand Faces (Su)
An urban druid gains this ability at 6th level.
Wild Shape (Su)
An urban druid gains this ability at 8th level, except that her effective druid level for the ability is equal to her druid level – 4.
Mental Strength (Ex)
At 9th level, an urban druid gains immunity to charm and compulsion effects.
This ability replaces venom immunity.
Combat Gear
Equipment 1
Other Gear
Equipment 2
Coin
Alright... I lied (about that being the last time I'd change my mind)... I am going to change my application to the character I described last night and then deleted with my edit. I'm sorry for my indecision, but I'm sure now; I like him as much as Azadi and I think he'll be much less problematic with the other characters. I'll have a whole write up done this afternoon/evening, but for now:
John Billings Bryant is a barrister from the Mayfair neighborhood in London (one of the older areas, from before the all the slums). As a young man he nearly died of tuberculosis and in fevered dreams at the height of his illness he saw terrifying visions of the unfathomable ancient beings that dwell in the emptiness beyond all things. He, miraculously, recovered from his illness and mostly returned to a normal life, but his psyche never fully recovered from what it had seen, and he soon discovered that his exposure to those beings had changed him... had given him power. He tries to hide that power for the most part, not wanting to explain its origins and knowing that the simple, near-sighted rabble around him would fear and loathe him for it.
Mechanically, he's a dark tapestry oracle with VMC Sorcerer (which doesn't grant any arcane spellcasting, but gives him some additional weird dark tapestry-esque abilities). His drawback is shadow scarred. I'll post more details later.
***ATTENTION: RECRUITMENT IS NOW CLOSED TO NEW APPLICANTS***
All existing applicants can adjust, modify, and finish their submissions, with a cut off of tomorrow, Sunday, May 24th @ 11:59 pm EST.
Swordwhale Best of luck in your gaming endeavors.
Giant Halfling / Azadi No worries, I look forward to seeing what you put together for Barrister Bryant.
Decimus / Peter Peter looks good overall and I think Haunted fits your concept. I did notice you took Spell Focus: Conjuration and Augment Summoning, even though the Urban archetype looses spontaneous summoning. Just wanted to clarify if that was intentional?
I look forward to seeing the final versions of peoples' proposed characters, and hope a few more people that have a "Work in Progress" get them submitted. If I have missed anyone's character from the below list, please let me know!
Decimus Observet - Peter Caffrey - Urban Druid
Harakani - Francis Sterne - Alchemist (Vivisectionist Mindchemist Wasteland Blightbreaker)
Helaman - Jack Cannon - Dreadnaught, Invulnerable Rager Barbarian/ Brawler
Hubaris - Doctor Rupert Locke - Dreamstalker Mesmerist
Jagael - William Westford - Human Occultist
Javell DeLeon - Jakob Jones - Brawler
Sarah 'queen' B. - Lucia Wriothesly - Phantom Thief Unchained Rogue
Simeon - Richard Farthington - Occultist/ Inspired Blade Swashbuckler
Smooshiebanana - Scarlet Grey - Inspired Swashbuckler/Tactician Fighter
The Lobster - Madame Minerva - Bloody-Knuckled Rowdy Crossbloodedrager
Viviana Masters - Elena Derri - Spirit Dancer Medium
Vrog Skyreaver - Atherton Beaumont - Warlord Fighter
YoricksRequiem - Rajni Khatri - Swashbuckler / Vigilante
Cuàn - Branwen Herbet - Fortune Finder Ranger
FangDragon - Inquisitor? Alchemist?
Fighting Chicken - Two concepts. White-haired witch or barbarian/ranger mix
Giant Halfling - John Billings Bryant - Dark Tapestry Oracle / VMC Sorcerer
Gobo Horde - Charlatan Rogue or Monk
Profession Smith 6 ranks - Bard
grimdog73
Nikolaus de'Shade
Ozyar
Spazmodeus
trawets71
werepox47
Ellioti - Dark Tapestry Oracle
Swordwhale - Native American Hunter
The Archlich - Snakebite Brawler
The Fox - Gunslinger Paladin
@Oblivion's Scion: Thanks for pointing those feats out. I had those in as placeholders and forgot to swap them out.
I'll replace those with Combat Casting and Improved Initiative.
I present to you, Branwen Nazo Herbert
I ended up making her a Gunslinger 1, Fortune-Finder Ranger 2. The first level represents her time with her father who taught her to use a rifle, shoot things and care for the animals. She was more or less trained like a little military officer, though with less discipline.
The Ranger levels are from when she struck out on her own. First heading to India by boat to then go over land through Afghanistan and Iran to the Ottoman Empire. First to Baghdad and then north to Constantinople from where she took another boat to London.
I picked Pride as her drawback as she is very proud of her heritage. While many, on both sides of the family and in both societies her parents come from, call her a bastard she sees herself as a product of two great families. She's even willing to go as far as to compare it to the breeding of horses or dogs where one also crosses two strong, "noble" lines to get even better offspring.
A question on the DR from armor: What kind of DR is it? I'd like to have Branwen wear a chain shirt when she's expecting to get into fighting. It's a habit she picked up during her travels as the wearing of armor was still more common in the Middle East.
Would you be ok with using the Ghoran favored class bonus for Ranger? It's 1/4 to Initiative and Survival in Favored Terrains.
As a side note, I might have found an unintentional plothook. While checking what the nature of her two noble lineages was (both are very political) I also found that her uncle on her father's side, the 5th Earl of Carnarvon, is actually the man that sponsored the search for Tutankhamun's tomb. Now that search didn't start until 1907 but it might still serve as a hook of some sorts, if desired.
Good luck everyone. I do not envy the work you have to go through now to pick someone, @Oblivion's Scion!
I agree with Smooshie (and apologize for being responsible for some extra of that work). All my mechanics are done, and in this profile. I probably won't have the background up until tonight or tomorrow morning but I think you can get a sense of the gist of it from my last post as Azadi (saw Lovecraftian horrors in fever dreams and now weird/dark things happen around him that he has some degree of control over).
Good luck folks!
Hey OS.
Just to say, I love the idea of this game but honestly my stat rolls went so 'meh' that I just couldn't bring myself to go to all the effort. So count me out, but best of luck with the game, it looks wonderful!
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Fingers crossed. Excited to see who gets to delve into shadowy London and beyond.
This Wilde quote seems appropriate for the coming darkness: "We are each our own devil, and we make this world our hell."
So morning might have been a slight overstatement but I'm almost done with my (new) background. You can see it here while I'm finishing it, and I'll post it in my profile as soon as its done.
edit: my background is complete and in my profile (only 2 pages this time).
Good luck all!
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
It's the final countdown!
Three and a half hours left to finalize submissions for this game. I want to preemptively say thank you so much to everyone who applied. I am overwhelmed by the quality and quantity of applications for this concept. I have a hard decision ahead of me over the next few days, and will likely be reaching out to several of you with questions via private message. Stay tuned for an update...
Also, good luck with your difficult decision, and good luck to my fellow applicants.
HA! I love it. The 80's was absolute greatness. Good one.
@Oblivion's Scion: I don't envy you the decision - there are some great concepts. Whatever happens, thanks for posing such an intriguing game idea - it is has been a lot of fun to design for.
@All: thanks for being so fun to bounce off, and best wishes to whoever makes it!
I couldn't get either of my submissions to totally jell. I really enjoyed reading everyone's submissions - good luck, and I look forward to lurking!
Hey best of luck everyone!
Good luck all, especially OS on making the final decision.
I'm curious how the group will look in the end. Been thinking about folklore based nicknames Branwen could use for other characters, just in case she's in it.
Good luck to all!
Azadi, I had a remark lined up about Jesuitical casuistry ("all things to be permitted for the good of the church") but I see you resolved your dilemma in the time it took me to read and reply :)
I won't lie the tension has me hitting F5 a lot more often than I would like during the day.
Also, good luck with your difficult decision, and good luck to my fellow applicants.
I was fully prepared to get rickrolled