Monk too, I forgot that, with the caveat that if you're an English, Indian or Nepalese Brawler, Monk or similar class, you don't awaken any clearly supernatural abilities until after your displacement.
Thinking fighter: dual archetype, opportunist fighter/trench fighter.
Sebecloki, any thoughts on repurposing a dueling sword as a backsword?
Now we just need to find a archeologist or two...
I didn't actually answer one of the questions, I like third level, are we using traits?
traits are fine, what is the standard, two?
[edited]
Hi Sebecloki
Challenge excepted [If I get picked that is]
Hellow other players, I am GM Panic, and have been on here for some time,
Not that that makes my any better than any other player, just makes me old.
With high posting games, and this is IMHO, players who are happy to team play cross character chat "outside of the main action" really get the post count up and I find makes things more fun.
Means of lot of team working together and being excipient of players doing what they feel their PC would do. Not saying PvP but background stuff will really add.
This is just my view here.
I post a lot when I get into a game, sorry.
Main idea.
Its 1930 and a dig far off, got tp play a
1: A female German occult/psychological PhD researcher. Very well read in history and went to Munich University. She is a cousin of Sigmund Freud and knows him. She is there for her own ego and prestige, seeking to match him in fame. She is funded but new German Nazie party, but she is in fact half Jewish, [hid that fact so as to trick them into giving her the cash. Note: She has yet the learn of the horror she and linked herself too, with her backer.]
A Psion [If she can get this in-game, then great, I want her to really get into the whole Psionoccult/psychological. having her awaken to powers and then remembering just who the monsters where who funded her.
A rich seam of back story and PC dev there I think.
If no Psions then.
Back up: A American Midwest Pathey news ex-actor/cameraman/director who is there filming the dig. A hard-drinking hard womanizing man who has seen most bad of what the world has to offer. grow up with guns, and was a shootist in the movies. A hard nose realist.
Gunslinger+alchemy
:)
Helena Conradina Von Der Ahe A female German occult/psychological PhD researcher.
Earth race Human - Class NPC researcher [Psion Telepth]
Mana Race - Drow / Class Psion-Telepth
I just love the idea she gets to this new place and then spending days changing to a new alien race. Her blond her going white, her skin dark purple, her ears shifting, her blue eyes turning red. Seeing in the dark while losing body mass. Then the sounds of others' thoughts and feelings crashing in, nothing meaningful just an endless babble and chatter. None of it makes any sense. Not being able to stop it. The lack of sleep, fear and worry, the feeling she is going mad or has gone mad.
well here is an alt
Thinking fighter: dual archetype, opportunist fighter/trench fighter....If you are going fighter , then I'll go Investigator/Empiricist
Fighter seemed the best way to go duel wield with pistol and sword. I may change it, but whatever class, Angus will be charismatic but will usually try and solve most problems with blade or bullet. May change classes once were through the stargate, but will try to keep full BAB. I liked both your ideas; brawler or investigator. But you play what you want, who knows what we'll be after third level.
[edited]Hi Sebecloki
Challenge excepted [If I get picked that is]Hellow other players, I am GM Panic, and have been on here for some time,
Not that that makes my any better than any other player, just makes me old.
Hey Panic! Been a bit! I check in on Lord P every now and then. Let me say congrats on the 5 BAFTA's nominations.
As for Helena, I like the idea a lot, I don't know if Sebecloki well let you start from first level as a psychic or not and I don't know what races are on his world, but I like the idea of an educated German lady interested in the dig with us. Gives plenty of diversity to use as fuel for interaction.
traits are fine, what is the standard, two?
Missed this earlier, yes two traits are standard. If you want to do something odd, do one when we are level one, and the second when we enter the magic world... something that magically came alive...
[
Hey Panic! Been a bit! I check in on Lord P every now and then. Let me say congrats on the 5 BAFTA's nominations.As for Helena, I like the idea a lot, I don't know if Sebecloki well let you start from first level as a psychic or not and I don't know what races are on his world, but I like the idea of an educated German lady interested in the dig with us. Gives plenty of diversity to use as fuel for interaction.
Haha Henry, yep Lord P is still up to his tricks, now he has been banished from the lands of the fey he is stuck with others dighting devils
I think she will be a lot of fun, she will just start and academics and then see how it goes from there.
I think I'm just going to allow a lot of multi-classing and/or retraining to account for experiences 'on the other side' -- like a character might pick up a level of a class based on a specific episode.
that sounds reasonable -- for the other players, for a campaign like this, I'd prefer to deal with known quantities --- does anyone else know other board members to invite? I'd like 3 more players.
Here's the expert build. I think he's pretty nifty
I've been following along from the shadows.
So right now I think we're at
CucumberTree: Aviator (Brawler) or Archaeologist (Empiricist Investigator)
Robert Henry: Soldier (Fighter)
Johnny Panic: Psychologist (Psion) or Actor (Gunslinger)
I'm thinking of going for a femme fatale type, starting with Unrogue. Then going into either Mesmerist, to keep w/ the social side, or Teisatsu Vigilante, as more of a Zorro type w/ social side still being femme-fatale-ish. Sort of a Felicia Hardy (Black Cat) character.
Because of this game sounding like it should have more flexibility around adopting powers, I wonder if it might be a really great candidate for using Spheres of Power / Might? I've never actually played with them before but the more free-form method of taking abilities may be fitting?
There's a part of spheres that replicates defiling and preserving rules, so I'm open to it.
Honestly, the first major section is going to be pages and pages of the characters wandering around just trying to figure who's who and what's what, and the mechanics are going to be secondary to a lot of talking for a good bit.
One more question.
Given the situation and time. Do you think our characters can start with an Exotic Weapon Proficiency(Firearms) feat for free?
that sounds reasonable --
These are the rules I found in the PFSRD
Commonplace Guns: While still expensive and tricky to wield, early firearms are readily available. Instead of requiring the Exotic Weapon Proficiency feat, all firearms are martial weapons. Early firearms and their ammunition cost 25% of the amounts listed in this book, but advanced firearms and their ammunition are still rare and cost the full price to purchase or craft.
Guns Everywhere: Guns are commonplace. Early firearms are seen as antiques, and advanced firearms are widespread. Firearms are simple weapons, and early firearms, advanced guns, and their ammunition are bought or crafted for 10% of the cost listed in this chapter. The gunslinger loses the gunsmith class feature and instead gains the gun training class feature at 1st level.
Alternativly, based on the era, I would think that most firearms would be simple, with the exception of fully automatic weapons, being martial.
Edited*
I had a really good think about this and I feel she would be best just as a
out and out Rogue-Spy, Just fits her as a character, she will do just about anything to get fame.
I will limit all her stuff to none magic. But I also, want to give her armature gunslinger feat and she has her an early mauser c69 with the added stock as a case set. Cus it's so German.
Okay, that's four players, again, anyone have another couple in mind we can invite?
I'd like everyone to start trying to tie their backstories into each other -- the most important thing for the first leg of the campaign is going to be the character interactions. It'd be great if everyone could come up with plot points like their characters served in a famous WWI battle together, or both went to the same school, or one is married to the other's cousin, etc. etc.
Okay, that's four players, again, anyone have another couple in mind we can invite?
I'd like everyone to start trying to tie their backstories into each other -- the most important thing for the first leg of the campaign is going to be the character interactions. It'd be great if everyone could come up with plot points like their characters served in a famous WWI battle together, or both went to the same school, or one is married to the other's cousin, etc. etc.
So are we still doing the archeological dig idea?
So are we still doing the archeological dig idea?Okay, that's four players, again, anyone have another couple in mind we can invite?
I'd like everyone to start trying to tie their backstories into each other -- the most important thing for the first leg of the campaign is going to be the character interactions. It'd be great if everyone could come up with plot points like their characters served in a famous WWI battle together, or both went to the same school, or one is married to the other's cousin, etc. etc.
Yes, everyone is at a dig at Mohenjo-Daro
Who feels like we hooked up at a scientific conference say in Paris?
Talks, famous people and out on the town?
[asked a few to have a look-see, but as yet no bites by the look of it :(
ALt done just about
Ok, a dig at Mahenjo-Daro, Questions that need answered:
What year is it?
Did we arrive together or separate?
Are we founding the dig or has it been established? If established how long has the dig been going on?
Is it an independent dig or is it ran by the british government ie are there British empire troops there?
How long have we been at the dig?
Angus' background is a Scottish officer having served in India. He would have spent time in Sindh. My original idea was that He would be convalescing in england when he received the order or invitation to go lead a party to the dig area. That can be altered, he could be in the area and have been ordered to go there, or lead a group there, just depending on the other information.
Mis. info
the Nearest sea port is Karachi
It looks like the nearest city that one could have to pass through is Hyderabad
The city to the north is Sukkur It appears there was a railway that passed through these three locations.
The ruins of the city remained undocumented for around 3,700 years until R. D. Banerji, an officer of the Archaeological Survey of India, visited the site in 1919–20 identifying what he thought to be a Buddhist stupa (150–500 CE) known to be there and finding a flint scraper which convinced him of the site's antiquity. This led to large-scale excavations of Mohenjo-daro led by Kashinath Narayan Dikshit in 1924–25, and John Marshall in 1925–26.
Helena is done,
she is a peace of work I can tell ya. Ripping off Nazies nice.
Ok, a dig at Mahenjo-Daro, Questions that need answered:
What year is it?
Did we arrive together or separate?
Are we founding the dig or has it been established? If established how long has the dig been going on?
Is it an independent dig or is it ran by the british government ie are there British empire troops there?
How long have we been at the dig?Angus' background is a Scottish officer having served in India. He would have spent time in Sindh. My original idea was that He would be convalescing in england when he received the order or invitation to go lead a party to the dig area. That can be altered, he could be in the area and have been ordered to go there, or lead a group there, just depending on the other information.
Mis. info
the Nearest sea port is Karachi
It looks like the nearest city that one could have to pass through is Hyderabad
The city to the north is Sukkur It appears there was a railway that passed through these three locations.The ruins of the city remained undocumented for around 3,700 years until R. D. Banerji, an officer of the Archaeological Survey of India, visited the site in 1919–20 identifying what he thought to be a Buddhist stupa (150–500 CE) known to be there and finding a flint scraper which convinced him of the site's antiquity. This led to large-scale excavations of Mohenjo-daro led by Kashinath Narayan Dikshit in 1924–25, and John Marshall in 1925–26.
It's going to be 1933-1939 to coincide with SS expeditions to Tibet and India.
I need to think about the other questions, I'll get back to you.
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Tolly's black leather shoes scuff lightly across the massive embroidered wool rug that ran the length of a very long hallway. The oak paneling was stained cherry, and brass lighting fixtures with portraits spoke of a long English history. MI6 had appropriated the mansion from The Crown over two decades ago. It now housed operations for the London Branch, and Tolly was summoned to see the new Director of Operations.
He could smell the old wood along with the faint remnants of cigar smoke from the previous Director. He arrives at the office door and opens without knocking. Katey, who had been an executive secretary longer than Tolley had been alive, was working diligently. The grey haired women glances up from her typewriter without stopping and motions with her head. "He's waiting for you. Go in."
The interior office was large. The vaulted ceiling had 17th century frescoes decorating the ceiling. Gold leaf covered flourishes appeared as a growing weeds among the scenes of biblical destruction. Twenty foot bookcases filled with leather tomes flanked both sides of him as he walked towards the desk. Stopping, Tolley snaps to attention. The man behind the desk holds an open folder that he does not glance up from.
"I've just been reading your file." He looks up and immediately his face twists into annoyance. "Oh, Do sit down Devlin. Don't force me to crane my neck at you."
"Thank you sir." Tolly replies as he takes a seat in the stately leather chair.
"So you were a cryptologist...ciphers based on Sanskrit? And later you were embedded with both Tesla and Edison?"
"Yes sir, in succession. Your predecessor had a predilection for cutting edge science and engineering." Tully answered.
"I dare say, you're right." The Director pauses for a moment. "Who was more clever?"
"Who sir?"
"Between Edison and Tesla, man"
"Oh" Tully sits back and thinks of the best tactful reply. "Tesla Sir. Edison was a complete tosser.
The Director takes the evaluation in stride. "Well the reason I called you in." He closes and sets Tolly's file down on the desk while leaning back in his chair. "That bloody idiot Neville is in negotiations with that madman Hitler. Meanwhile, we are getting reports of a massive military build up. That is bad enough, but we also hear that he is sending out his secret police, the SS, to Tibet and India for some ancient technologies. It sounds daft, I know. But they take it seriously, and so shall we. I've booked you passage with an archaeological expedition that is making it's way to Mohenjo-daro.
We have reason to believe that the Gerrys have planted an SS spy on the dig. Your job is to find out who it is and what they are looking for."
The woman stood on the Tibetan mountain pass looking at the line of men with packs on their backs.
"Unt tell me why me have stopped?"
She asked.
"It's one the Tibetan sherpa's heir fraulein, they say hi is sick and hey must take him back."
Said a tall man in cold-weather clothing.
The woman walked down to have a look a just what was going on at the front of the line. There she found 2 men backs on the ground trying to coax a 3ed man from under a rock.
"What is wrong with him?"
She asked the leed sherpa in broken Tibetan.
He looked at her and said one word.
"Yeti! Yeti!"
And pointed at another path. She could see boot prints up and back. It seems this fool walked up there to relieve himself and got scared by his own shadow.
"You Tell, NO Yeti, no Yeti, only snow and wind"
But the man stayed under his rock while the others kept trying to get him out.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, why was this so hard
There was a tap on her shoulder. She opened her eyes and looked at the one who had stapped. It was Tommy the Wireless operator. he stood to attention and saluted.
"Sturmbannführer, Von Der Ahe a..
She interrupted him
"What have I told you about addressing me"
He gulped
"I'm, I'm sorry heir fraulein Von Der Ahe, There, there is a message for you from command. A reassignment heir fraulein"
He handed her a slip of paper, turned, and left. She looked at it, The reassignment line was there, the rest in code, well she would decode that shortly. But for now, she still had a duty. Reaching for her belt she pulled out her pistol and striding over to the man under the rock pointed it at his head. She fired three shots, one each side the over above him. Then she fixed the barrel point between his eyes. As the shot rang out and down the pass, he got the idea and was up and grabbing his pack like a hound whipped out of the house. She holstered her gun and strode off to her tent.
There she read the message once decoded, she read it again and smiled.
Mohenjo-daro, well it seemed that faker Erik Jan Hanussen had planted the seed all those years ago. And her letter did the rest. That moron the fuhrer had taken the bait. Fool, if she found anything he would be the last to get his dirty hands on it. Like all men, he could not think beyond his own ego. She could and she had bigger plans. She started to pack. As she did she thought of Angus, one of the few men she respected. Knowing him, he would be doing his damnedest to get to the Mohenjo-daro dig as well. She grinned now, this may be more fun than she expected.
Mean to add, great link to my PC Tolly Devlin, can not ait for our PCs to meet. Angus it's 100% up to you how she knows him and in what context.
Mean to add, great link to my PC Tolly Devlin, can not ait for our PCs to meet. Angus it's 100% up to you how she knows him and in what context.
Cool, still waiting on more information from Sebecloki.
My assumption was that Angus would be a guide, or officer of the escort soldiers, or something like that. Meeting folks either as part of the caravan going to the dig or meeting them there.
If anyone would have reason to know a lesser Scottish noble, or someone in the British military in a Scottish unit that served in India, then we may have a background before the actual caravan or dig site.
You could be security hired/ordered by the expedition from England to the site.
That's sort of the plan.
Now whether it was to 'guide' the group there or to be an officer for the local 'soldiers' it would depend on the who and what. The sight was found in 1919 and we are going to be there in 1933-1939 we are not the first dig.
I guess since Angus had been in the Indian sub continent before, he could be returning with a follow up dig. Or he could be being sent to a long-term dig relieving a fellow officer. Either way he could meet some on the trip there, or meet them when he arrives.
Really up to how Sebecloki wants to do the setup: a constant dig, that people go to and leave. Or do the digs go for a time then leave, and then another group return later?
Just a heads up -- this is going to be based on a mixture of fact and fiction, some of it is 'sounds reasonable, could be true' as opposed to a strictly historical reconstruction.
The expedition of the Royal Asiatic Society for the 1935 season is headed by Sir Alden Percy Clausden, a former Divisional Commissioner in His Majesty's Civil Service for the Bombay Presidency, and a sometimes student of Rao Bahadur Kashinath Narayan Dikshit (21 October 1889 – 12 August 1946), an Indian archaeologist who served as Director-general of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) from 1937 to 1944. Kashinath Narayan Dikshit had previously directed large-scale excavations of Mohenjo-daro ruins during the 1925 season. Born into a venerable Brahmin family of Pandharpur in the then Bombay Presidency, Dr. Dikshit is rumored to have based on some species of esoteric knowledge inherited from his ancestors to the young Clausden, who is it believed now seeks to continue his august mentor's years-long quest to uncover the ruins' long hidden secrets.
In particular, Sir Clausden has continued Dr. Diskhit's excavations of the so-called 'Pillared' and 'College' Halls, which appear to have comprised to important features of a larger priestly complex at the heart of the ancient city-state.
New to the cast of 1935 expedition is a mysterious figure known as Ezana Gedeyon, an Aksumite merchant from far-off Ethiopia who is perpetually in the company of Sir Clausden. It is rumored that this enigmatic personage may be a source of esoteric knowledge to the young peer, instructing him in ancient traditions from his far-off north African homeland that may, like the brahminical lore of Dr. Dikshit, hold out the promise of unlocking the ruins' secrets.
Also in attendance are a German special delegation headed by Staffelführer-SS Sepp Xaver Hauser.
It is now the heat of the Indian Summer, and the expedition's camp. The camp has recently been shaken by news the disappearance of workers during the night. Some suspect attacks by hungry tigers, while others whisper warnings about vengeful rakshasas guarding the ruins...
Cool, ok so we are starting in the expeditions camp. Is there a British military presence there? ie local Indian troops with an officer from the United Kingdom. Or do I need to find another reason to have Angus there?
If there is no permanent military force there, Angus could be leading a troop delivering supplies, and just happen to be there when the attack happens... he's happy to lead a tiger hunt :)
Yes, there is a detachment of British military, including some officers from the home isles, but also some foreign recruits and a few Gurkhas, among others.
very cool, would you prefer angus be an officer with a Scottish unit, or an officer with some of the Gurkhas? And consider the tiger hunt, it's very "Ghost and the Darkness" :)
Ghost and the Darkness was my inspiration -- you can pick whichever you want for Angus' position, though the Gurkhas are straight up metal, so that seems cooler to me.
Okay, I just had another idea for a plot line -- what if there's one member of the Gurkha regiment that Angus looks upon as a surrogate/adopted son, and he has just disappeared?
Okay so things have completely changed, haha - Johnny_Panic is now going Rogue (Spy), and CucumberTree is now going Alchemist (Vivisectionist) / Wizard (Clocksmith) into Arcane Trickster. I believe Robert Henry is still looking at a Fighter.
With that in mind, I'm looking at maybe a former-soldier-medical-explorer Dr. John Watson type (Gunslinger / Investigator / Paladin?), probably as a native to Punjab who is serving as a Guide?
That sounds good; I think 4 is enough to start and I'll set up the campaign page over the next day or so. I'll post a thread to see if we can pick up another couple of players, but if we have four people that post consistently, that should be enough.
Okay, I just had another idea for a plot line -- what if there's one member of the Gurkha regiment that Angus looks upon as a surrogate/adopted son, and he has just disappeared?
Don't know that Angus is old enough for a surrogate son, but I like the idea.
How about Angus was an officer with a Gurkha unit previously. They saw a lot of action with few survivors, and the surrogate son was with him through that action. After Angus recovered from his wounds, being assigned this unit he requests his former associate. The whole brothers in arms thing.
It could be a soldier he worked with, who he brings here as his sergeant.
If you don't want a full blown soldier as someone who needs rescued, he could have lost an arm, retired and became Angus' man servant...
Or it could just be Angus' man servant from when he served previously, but again, they survived a lot together and there is a comradery.
So yeah, disappeared is good, depending on how 'experienced' or what kind of 'experience' would determine the character.... so what do you have in mind?
Oh will have Angus posted later today.
: Also, not sure about the idea of involving a 'child character' so had a kneejerk reaction to 'son/surrogate'...
That sounds good; I think 4 is enough to start and I'll set up the campaign page over the next day or so. I'll post a thread to see if we can pick up another couple of players, but if we have four people that post consistently, that should be enough.
Honestly I would rather have four that post regularly and interact well, then more. When it comes to down to combat, more just get in the way...
Okay, I just had another idea for a plot line -- what if there's one member of the Gurkha regiment that Angus looks upon as a surrogate/adopted son, and he has just disappeared?Don't know that Angus is old enough for a surrogate son, but I like the idea.
How about Angus was an officer with a Gurkha unit previously. They saw a lot of action with few survivors, and the surrogate son was with him through that action. After Angus recovered from his wounds, being assigned this unit he requests his former associate. The whole brothers in arms thing.
It could be a soldier he worked with, who he brings here as his sergeant.
If you don't want a full blown soldier as someone who needs rescued, he could have lost an arm, retired and became Angus' man servant...
Or it could just be Angus' man servant from when he served previously, but again, they survived a lot together and there is a comradery.
So yeah, disappeared is good, depending on how 'experienced' or what kind of 'experience' would determine the character.... so what do you have in mind?
Oh will have Angus posted later today.
: Also, not sure about the idea of involving a 'child character' so had a kneejerk reaction to 'son/surrogate'...
How about 'brother from another mother' then?
How about 'brother from another mother' then?
LOL, sure :)
Working on the finishing touches of Angus' crunch, his int is 14, with + 3 for linguistics he will have six languages available at third level, so far I'm selected: English, Gorkhali (Nepali), Latin, Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) and Sindhi.
Is there an older language that he could have studied, that my prepare him for what's beyond the stargate, or should we not worry about it?
Sankskrit/Pali/Prakit
Elamite, Avestan, Pahlavi, or Middle Persian
Aramaic
LinkHere's a link to the campaign page, everyone can check in in discussion as they finish their character, and those who made posts here in-character can transfer those initial posts to the gameplay thread.
Thanks, will add Sanskrit, When I tried the discussion page did not open...