M Pseudodragon Unchained Rogue (Counterfeit Mage) 10 Hedgewitch 3 | HP 108/108 | AC: 30 T: 23 Fl: 22 | CMB: +16 CMD: 30 | F +12 R +23 W +14 | Init +7 | Perc: +19, Blindsense 60' | SR 25 | Spell Points: 18/18 | Inspiration 2/4 | Guile 2/4 | Current Effects:
Punishment? Your punishment is to never speak of this again, and contact us if you are ever called upon by this shadowy figure again, Terexaltherin says.
Turning to the party, he 'says', I'll take a nap now, so I'll be fresh when this is over.
Then he vanishes into his library and... does actually take a nap. A couple hours later Terecho wakes him (then goes to sleep himself), and the little dragon returns to the rest of the group to hear the results of the reading.
Let's do a bit of research first before deciding on a next step, he suggests. See if we can find anything on these people.
As the party analyzes the various foci and discusses how to approach the situation, Rosheen messages the group (a message spell, out of earshot of Jhonir), "Is it possible you will simply letting us go free? (sigh) I have to warn you - Jhonir will never give up seeking strange and otherworldly planes! Not destroyed by this trouble, he will like find others. I don't exactly know the nature of the evil that we've done but if there is any kind of quest you can send us on to undo it, it would be good. Jhonir is my love and I will follow anywhere but my wishes would be to find a way to keep us out of trouble"...
Meanwhile, Minna and Gift reassemble the metal pieces into two sphere, demonstrating the Banach–Tarski paradox.
Armaund comments "Naturally, we should report these discoveries to Bethia and Cordelia, our current contacts in the organization. Perhaps they would have a place for these two also"
I'll leave things with you deciding what to do with Jhonir.
But things to investigate:
Gray-white focus: A focus to Xonox or another plane where the Xonox material was taken.
Silver gray focus: Supposedly a focus to the Caves of Kalos, where the dark traders apparently deal.
Golden red focus: Possibly to Morphosano or a way-point to Morphosano, the hell-Galaxy, a Dark Trader stronghold
Mardus The Arranger - apparently occasionally uses the Spades Market deep in the Red District as well as using the Caves of Kalos.
Darceus the Dance - apparently found in the sort-of "raves" you witnessed this evening.
It's been a long night and Gift in place of heading home heads to a female-only bathhouse she knew. That level of concentration for that long took it even out of a Mecha like herself. She needed rest and relaxation. And the best way she knew how was to sink into a thick tub of mud with a good film book. She was happy doing so when a group of brash you ladies came in. By the looks of the nobles from the high hoses of sigil. They group in one of the bigger mud tubs giggle and cakaking at times as only a group of half-drung nobles could. She made the film books audio internal and tuned them out. But then she court them looking over at another mud tub, one that had a single occupant. A Trifling by the looks of it, and a shockingly good-looking one at that. They seem to be very interested in her. She tuned back into to the space around her.
"Hay Levale whats it like to be left at the alter, Shumun seems to not have liked you after all"
One siad to another, aiming at the woman in the tub.
"I was told he ran off with a elf witch, one that could give him real magic in bed"
Giggle at that.
"I as was told he ran back to his mother and father saying the horns were to scarry"
More of the same, the woman in the tub seem to just be trying to ignore it, that was until one of the young ladies walked over and stood over her.
"I was told he went to see a funtine tell who told him any chidlean he had will a hell sporn would come out with think black hire and hoves."
Now the woman was anger she stood and with mud drippping off her stunning form looked up at the insulter.
"Beth if you and the other did not have such tight ^%£*&s you would have been wed by now, but what male would want old hags like you lot"
That got the other up and surround the tube. Even the tubes female atendent knew something was up and went to get help, but she would not be back in time and this was looking bad.
Gift spoke.
"You know, she had a point, while I am all for girl power, sometimes your best freind back your waset enemy when it comes to love. If your all still it could be that the ones next to you are undermining your."
She let that hang and then pushed her mind out, pushing the idea that they could not trust each other. Their response showed it was sinking in, as they tool small steps away from each other and started to focuses not on the woman in the tube but the others around them. Gift pushed into a few minds and found what she was looking for.
"Is that not right, Kirill when you nixed Tolins romance with Kathnal here. Or you Kathnal when you paid that Dandy to waste Hellions time with a fake proposal. Should I go on, which over you got to Shumun. Well done you, for wrecking a rivales wedding."
The seed was set and now, she pushed. fear and lothing into them.
It was quite a fight, Gift got out of her tub and walked over to the trifling. Offering her hand.
"She we go and find somewhere that makes good Coffee"
The woman nodded and got out. As the past the mud fight atandents had fanily arived.
Gift lay in bed, a sleeping Levale next to her. Gift looked at the winking, lights from the room's illumination as they were placed in the celling. Sigil never had day or night as such, just an even light all the time. So most bedrooms had shuttered windows and indoor lighting.
She lay there playing back the night. She and Levale had gone off and hit the town. Levale was a talker and told Gift all about her life as a lesser noble, her father ran a food import company. Her older brother would inherit one day. She had had the best education, traveled and now had been told a match was needed. She had thought she had found the person in Shumun who like her preferred the company of the same sex. But at the last moment, he had been a now show, and her dream of a free life gone. Her mother was already setting her up with straight sutures.
She hand been shocked when Gift told her how old she was, mouths not years.
And when she was what Gift did, to much Gift said,
"Help my father out in the family business, Mostly on other planes. Levale had not pushed more, but they did get into a long talk close talk about their relishes with their parents. She drank and gift let herself relax. It was only when the talk went to race that Levale opened up about the prejusice she can had.
Gift lissoned and then said.
[b]"I know what you mean, Levale I'm Mecha, and well, sometimes."
Levale took the fact Gift was none organic in her stride.
"I could tell the moment I saw you Gift and I don't care, I have to say you look amazing."
Gift could not help herself she bleared out.
"I think you look amazing too"
It was then that Levale locked eyes with her. Leaning in Gift felt something, like excitement and ...
Levale kissed her and Gift let her, then kissed back.
The rest was a blare and now Levale was a sleep next to her in bed.
Happy and very relexed.
"I just made love, with someone I like, and it was...amazing, so amazing.
Gift rolled over and looked at the sleeping Levale, she reach out her hand and brushed her hair back from her face. Levale moved and opened her eyes. She smiled.
"What are you thinking in the smart head of yours"
"I was thinking this was my 1st time and I could not have asked for anyone more special than you, Levale"
M Pseudodragon Unchained Rogue (Counterfeit Mage) 10 Hedgewitch 3 | HP 108/108 | AC: 30 T: 23 Fl: 22 | CMB: +16 CMD: 30 | F +12 R +23 W +14 | Init +7 | Perc: +19, Blindsense 60' | SR 25 | Spell Points: 18/18 | Inspiration 2/4 | Guile 2/4 | Current Effects:
That is true, given Jhonir's obvious talent for planar travel, he could be an asset if he's kept honest, and working for the Organization would certainly be the closest he could come to undoing the harm he's caused, Terexaltherin comments to the party.
Turning his thoughts to their semi-prisoners he says, It would be a shame to waste your talents, however. There is a way you could use your abilities for better causes. Go here at this time and one will meet you with more details.
He gives them a location and date far enough in the future that the Organization can arrange something, but not too far in the future.
So at approximately 4 am, after analyzing the foci and discussing the options, the party teleports to the Receiving Area of The Spire (a locked, damped room that's the only part of the building not sealed against teleport), where the Organization's Operations Center is still located (it moves regularly but hasn't moved since your return).
After scanning the party and unlocking the Receiving Area's thick Adamantite gates, Bethia take Rosheen and Jhoniar and has everyone get some sleep and return the next the day.
When you return, Bethia and Cordelia are attempting to analyze the three foci with the Organization's transplanar machinery (which they invite the party to observe Knowledge planes or engineering 35 to get some insight).
Then she stops and speaks to the party: "It is good that you observed this transaction but unfortunate that it was able to happen. No doubt there are another dozen star fleets headed to another dozen worlds as we speak. Despite this, we most be careful in our investigations if we are to put an end to this. What are your ideas?"
As the party describes various lines of investigation, Cordelia comments.
Gray-white focus: "This may lead to Xonox proper but I think probably not - probably it leads to a half-chaos world that the material is transported to. If you feel ready to deal such a world, where all is bizarrely contradictory, find who is transporting the material would be very useful. Alternatively, you could take this to the Planar Consortium and try to convince them they have a problem. "
Silver gray focus: "Yes, this lead to The Caves of Kalos. I suspect if the Traders are present at all, they would be very wary unless a contact is arranged beforehand. Taking Jhonir would help since they have dealt with him. But without proper arrangements, this would require supreme bluffing I think. Not that it's impossible. "
Golden red focus: "This certainly lead to Morphosano (the Dark Trader stronghold) but I think each time they do a transaction, they leave the area. And if not, the destination is likely as well guarded as our Receiving Area. Still, the simplest would to be to send this to Ari and Kargal who are having some success in Morphosano. "
Mardus The Arranger: "He is a key figure it seems. You say he may occasionally use the Spades Market deep in the Red District? Not much of a lead - unless you perhaps discover something he wants and claim to sell it there. Still, certainly worth investigating, cautiously... and what would he want? Perhaps a better way to mask his shipments? Just a thought."
Darceus the Dancer: "This one's significance is to lead you to other, I think. One way to find him is simply look around. Otherwise, you may have to cultivate a reputation for planar manipulation and desperation in the fashion of Jhoniar"
Looking tired, she ends with, "More than enough leads or directions. I leave it to you and go to get rest myself."
Gift says something about getting a mud bath, and leaves the others when they rest. How ever when she comes back later that day she has a slight smile on her face and a spring in her step.
When they start to transplanar analytics machinery, she studies it hard.
Arlo didn't contribute anything to the Underbelly, because I assumed the new father would be at home, helping his wife with the newborns. But if you wish it, I'll add to the previous post.
Arlo & Lyra:
Lady Lyra Anna Fitzroy wrote:
Lyra is happy to see Arlo back and asks him how it went.
The dwarf sat next to his wife with a perturbed look on his face.
"It's like they didn't even need me. What a waste of time." Arlo goes on about how the mission went.
Lady Lyra Anna Fitzroy wrote:
When he lets her know he will have to go in a few hours.
She nods.
"It's all good baby, I have help, the House Bots, Gift not with you she off with the young man?"
"Not sure. Think she made a friend with one of the noble ladies."
Until he had to leave, Arlo sat with his family, holding and kissing his wife often.
'They are only a few days old, they can't even focus yet, give it a few weeks and soon my love soon. Same as I told Rollo when he came here and sort to teach them magic. They are newborn wait a while. So he blessed them, He did say they both have magic in the blood."
She hugs him back, she is still weak but so happy he is here.
The dwarf mulled over his wife's words.
"Magic-users in the family? Hmm. I've heard some horror stories about raising arcane users. Well, I GUESS, if we did our job, and raised them right, I don't see why expressing themselves through magic would be too bad. Maybe they can help their 'Old Man' make some of those magical weapons?"
Arlo kissed Lyra's hair. "So. Are we stopping at 3?"
Terexaltherin nods soberly. We have to balance not overplaying our hand with the knowledge that every shipment means more death and misery. That said...
He broadcasts the sensation of being deep in thought for several moments. We should send the gold-red focus along. Our part of the job is to stop things from getting this far, so it will be more useful to Ari and Kargal. We might be best off following the gray-white focus--if we can arrive stealthily and gather information, we might well be able to get enough information to identify another shipment in time to sabotage it, assuming they have a staging area or something of the sort there.
It had only been a few days and she was still in need of rest.
His two sons look up at him, both looking at him as if seeing him. Even with eyes that could not yet focus. They seem happy and sleepy now their bellies were full. And soon they too were asleep.
As they did one of the house bots came over and lifted the babies back into their cots
M Pseudodragon Unchained Rogue (Counterfeit Mage) 10 Hedgewitch 3 | HP 108/108 | AC: 30 T: 23 Fl: 22 | CMB: +16 CMD: 30 | F +12 R +23 W +14 | Init +7 | Perc: +19, Blindsense 60' | SR 25 | Spell Points: 18/18 | Inspiration 2/4 | Guile 2/4 | Current Effects:
Rollo Qantas wrote:
Spades Market deep in the Red District. Mardus The Arranger seems to be the linchpin here. Turn him and the cards begin to tumble
.
True, but how would we find him? I'll bet he wouldn't be going by that name, and if it were too obvious we were looking for him he'd get suspicious quick.
So consulting with The Organization's experts, the party begins researching further the various leads. Mindhunter seems like a reasonable try but it turns out they are not on the plane of Sigil when Gift attempts her search - Bethia suggests that he most likely resides on Morphosano, where one powerful wing of The Traders has moved to (with the traders having great success in The Hell Galaxy, there is something of a power struggle happening between their factions but not enough to slow them). Gift could travel to The Hell Galaxy to discover Mardus' lair but it might be better to lure them to Sigil where they'd be less guarded and where they apparently go. His lair on Morphosano could be an entire planet of humanoids reduced to undeath and devoted to guarding his person.
Red District itself is an extremely "exclusive" district, a large portion of the buildings are clubs requiring introductions and it seems that for the Market of Spades, a series of such introductions may be needed. Still, this is matter of money and persuasion, a task the party has accomplished before. Another factor is the Red District is a district very aligned with the undead.
Also, Gift remembers that in object reading, she discovered the previous owner of the silver-gray focus was Otho of Otho And Kimanke, merchants of the Market Of Spades (who bought it from an adventurer). They could be useful to contact and turn to your use.
Finally, noting her interest, Bethia gives Gift and Minna an exclusive tour of some of The Organization's planar machinery. Gift gets a glimpse, a bare understanding of the complex mechanisms involved.
In researching the silver-gray focus, Terex is convinced it leads to "half-chaos" or "near-chaos" lands. These are bizarre and contradictory areas - Towns, cities and kingdoms like normal human worlds but a constant series of seemingly arbitrary changes to life. Some towns may charge vast sums to allow one to sleep. One town may be ruled by mice and another by cats and they may fight endless battles. Think the worlds of Hieronymus Bosch or Peter Breugal only with all levels of tech.
M Pseudodragon Unchained Rogue (Counterfeit Mage) 10 Hedgewitch 3 | HP 108/108 | AC: 30 T: 23 Fl: 22 | CMB: +16 CMD: 30 | F +12 R +23 W +14 | Init +7 | Perc: +19, Blindsense 60' | SR 25 | Spell Points: 18/18 | Inspiration 2/4 | Guile 2/4 | Current Effects:
I still think we should go to the near-chaos lands. We want to figure out where they're getting the material from so we can sabotage it or at least cut if off--if we poke into the Hell Galaxy right now, we're risking revealing we're on their trail before we've nailed down their supplier, they'll just shift their supply lines and we'll lose the trail. We should go for that first, then we can look for Mardus.
Male Sylph unMonk (Monk of the Mantis, Perfect Scholar) 4
Blue frowns, his brow furrowing. "I'm not sure about that. They'll know something happened to the supplier, sure, but that doesn't give them any detail about the who or how or why of the disruption. They'll know something happened, but they won't know it was us, or why we're after them, etc., so it could still be a viable option."
During this discussion, for a moment Bethia looks uncharacteristically annoyed but regains her calm composure and says: "Of course you have to stay hidden, all our operations depend on this. You have succeeded in operating secretly so far and I expect that to continue. Certainly a direct assault on the Traders would be suicide"
Some time later, as the discussions continue, she returns and says, while holding up a beaker of blue liquid, "I mentioned earlier the possibility of not stopping but sabotaging the shipments. We, the various beings working on The Organization's Mechanism, have created a substance that can do just that if applied to Xonox materials. If we can inject ourselves into this supply chain, we can inflict a bit of a defeat on the Traders network and make them leery of trusting any shipment. That elf, Miguel, who you recruited earlier (captured in the hole with the devils), actually provided great help on this."
M Pseudodragon Unchained Rogue (Counterfeit Mage) 10 Hedgewitch 3 | HP 108/108 | AC: 30 T: 23 Fl: 22 | CMB: +16 CMD: 30 | F +12 R +23 W +14 | Init +7 | Perc: +19, Blindsense 60' | SR 25 | Spell Points: 18/18 | Inspiration 2/4 | Guile 2/4 | Current Effects:
Yeah, that would be good! But it would only work if he's not only the one to transport it but also somehow implicated in how it got contaminated... we'll have to see if we can plant some 'evidence' of some sort, Terexaltherin 'says' thoughtfully, ideas whizzing just beneath his words. I guess it depends on how they're staging things through the near-chaos plane. Since it sounds like we're leaning towards going there first, are there any preparations we want to do before heading there? Maybe some protections against chaos, and maybe some disguises since we might be recognized if we show up as we truly are? I was thinking raven for myself...
He turns his thoughts specifically to Bethia. Speaking of Miguel, I was thinking of having him and his team examine <Shimmer>. How... trustworthy have they been since starting work for the Organization? <Shimmer> is... well, a possible temptation for those who might not like their current circumstances.
Because you're just too cool, he adds, speaking to the sapient stone alone.
Gift waits for the others to play catch up. Rollo seem the only one who matched her mind, but he was also deep and complex. It did not help that she had a rule not to scan or look into the minds of the team. Her Dad, no no no, she shuddered at the very thought. Terex was smart and fast and like Rollo would know soon as she tried. Blue was too sweet to mess with, Minia was an open book so there was no point, and big Dragon, well she did not think she could even if she tried. Best all-around not to bother.
So she sat and waited for them to get there the long way.
As she did she worked on a little 11-dimensional puzzle.
So, the party sits in a lounge in the Spire, outside the Central Mechanism of the organization, looking out over Sigil, through huge glass window in the 50th floor of this mostly deserted office building in the industrial zone of the Ghetto. The cityscape is stunning and ever-changing, airships and flying carpets passing over crag-like buildings. The couches are marvels of luxury and comfort, combining fur, wool and embroidery. Pizza, curry and dishes from a thousand worlds can be quickly obtained. Coffee, herbal elixirs and other beverages are on offer. Bethia and Cordelia come in and out, ready to answer questions as the party's plans come together but also working on their projects. Still, knowing more shipments will go out, the pressure is on.
As the night goes on, Armaund first asks Bethia if she could estimate about how often shipment seem to go out based on how often armadas seem to be leaving Morphosano. After some gymnastics with interplanar time conversion, she guesses roughly once a week but very roughly. And he comments that this means The Traders may be finding dupes such as Jhonir on a weekly basis (which may mean more visits to the Market Of Spades).
He then says telepathically:: "Aside from the strategic part, jumping directly to Morphosano might tread on some toes in the organization since that seems to be Ari and Kargal's post currently. Let's go if we must but investigating things closer might reasonable." and then says out loud, "Well, these foci should give us some immediate information if we plane-shift with any of them and everything else will take some time. And I'm hearing the near-chaos as most plausible. Let's go but be prepared for immediate trouble - maximum magic aids, maximum stealthiness, and so-forth." and the conversation goes on...
By means of Hexqils network she sends to the group
::"Well seems we have a plan, time for some protection. While you are in Hexqil mind-net he can buff us a little. I can also help, shifting powers to you as you need them."::
So, with the plan approximately set, the party prepares itself for whatever half-chaos world awaits and moves to the "launchpad" of The Spire. Here, Gift can use the Gray-White focus to plane shift to ... where ever exactly it leads (you're assuming this is where the Xonox material is coming from).
So the effect is attempted ... and fails. You feel the way is blocked but Gift's careful attention to the effect makes the blockage feel temporary. And so, after a few hours of probing the gateway, Gift feels the way can open and invites the party to assemble ... and the effects hurdles you through wild dimensions. And as you arrives, <Shimmer> provides a slight delay and view of the area outside of the exact spot will arrive at. The area you're targeting appears to be the inside of a large barn, where packing materials are scattered about, with large desk on one side and a block-and-tackle at the center. But the view of the general area gives a distinctly different impression - from the outside, barn appear to be doll-house size and set inside a play with a number of other small buildings. Inside the "play room", there are variety of toys as well as a black cat several times larger than the buildings and an animated doll even large than the size (the cat is 30 feet tall and the moving doll about 70 feet). There are larger doors leading out of the play room at the scale of the large doll ( 90 feet tall). The black cat is looking intently at another small building, like a fort where it seems some group of primitive tribespeople have taken refuge - you can see one of the tribespeople is lying wounded or dead outside the fort.
Spell Craft 30:
A powerful dimensional spell is affecting everything from outside this area but it can be dispelled Cast level check 27, retries allowed
You're safe inside the barn and can investigate it (roll perception). All the barn's windows and doors are closed but you know what lies outside. You hear desparate shouts and deep, deep growl. One thing you notice inside the barn is a ledger and dimensional-magic runes on wooden panels that are on hooks around the room. One of the tiles has fallen down and this is apparently what lets you plane shift into the location.
M Pseudodragon Unchained Rogue (Counterfeit Mage) 10 Hedgewitch 3 | HP 108/108 | AC: 30 T: 23 Fl: 22 | CMB: +16 CMD: 30 | F +12 R +23 W +14 | Init +7 | Perc: +19, Blindsense 60' | SR 25 | Spell Points: 18/18 | Inspiration 2/4 | Guile 2/4 | Current Effects:
Spellcraft:1d20 + 21 + 1d6 ⇒ (10) + 21 + (6) = 37
Well, this is pretty strange... Terexaltherin comments, But nothing less than we should expect from a chaotic plane like this. Say, <Shimmer>, do you feel that weird dimensional spell? Can you help us do something about it?
Given what we saw as we were coming into here, though, we might need to focus on what's going on outside before we spend too much time on this. Unless this dimensional magic is what's making this area help all of you feel how I feel most days. I might be able to paralyze the cat temporarily, assuming it has a mind, which could give us time to see if that person can be saved.
You can use <Shimmer> to attempt to dispel the effect on particular targets. You wouldn't want to dispel it on everything because ... everything would expand and not fit in the current space - and a "destructive dispels" usually doesn't work by the general principles of magic (and pathfinder rules generally). Still, roll a caster level check.
Gift did not suffer Physical exhaustion but this did not mean she did not get tired, there was a lot of strain and stress getting here.
As they finally arrived she rested a moment to regain her force then went and studied what was around them.
::"There that tile has slipped within this dimensional-magic runes locking this place to size and space. That is how we got in. powerful stuff what do you think Rollo?."::
She then looks out.
::"Well that is something you don't see everyday"::
Armaund also peaks out a shuttered window and shakes his head. ::This seems a death trap. Mostly likely why they did their deeds here. Sniffs. :: I smell humans and a kind of creature I'm not familiar with - insect or something. They were here about 24-48 hour ago. But why are those warriors there? Perhaps they sought our villains and got caught. Perhaps our villains hit bad luck? Looks through another window. It appears this effect, unlike normal magical reduction, reduces one's vitality. I'd not want to face that doll this way. On the other hand, enlarging would give things away...
Minna is looking around and playing with some of her gears and puzzle pieces. ::Perhaps we shouldn't enlarge, perhaps enlarge a thing for them to play with...
Of course, you've only just begun to investigate the room itself... Rolls, descriptions, etc.
Male Dhampir Arcanist (White Mage) 14 Init: +3; Hp. 112/112 AC 19 Fort +12, Ref +12, Will +14 Senses: LLV, Darkvision 60' Perception +13
Rollo smiles as they begin to understand the rules here. The Sage wonders about the dollhouse a bit looking to see if they have been its only occupants recently.
Perception (Wis):1d20 + 13 ⇒ (15) + 13 = 28
The sorcerer also begins to delve into the magical energies here to figure out the rules for that as well.
Spellcraft(Int):1d20 + 32 ⇒ (7) + 32 = 39
The cat is about 250' from the barn the party is in, the wounded warrior is about 200' away, the fort-thing with the other warriors is 250' in a slightly different direction. The doll is about 1/2 mile. (All this "your scale" - which would be inches if you expanded - though there'd be drawbacks to that also, obviousy)
M Pseudodragon Unchained Rogue (Counterfeit Mage) 10 Hedgewitch 3 | HP 108/108 | AC: 30 T: 23 Fl: 22 | CMB: +16 CMD: 30 | F +12 R +23 W +14 | Init +7 | Perc: +19, Blindsense 60' | SR 25 | Spell Points: 18/18 | Inspiration 2/4 | Guile 2/4 | Current Effects:
You know, this would be my chance to be the *big* dragon around... Terexaltherin informs the party, mischief sparkling in his thoughts, but he quickly sobers. [b]Hey, Rollo, Shimmer, think we could do more than undo the size-warp? I'm thinking, if we could transfer it from one of those balls to the moving doll. If we're lucky--and if Gift's powers don't disable the cat--the cat will get surprised by the ball changing size and investigate it, while shrinking the doll will make it less dangerous.[/c]
He applies his knowledge of magic with his psychic powers to the problem, channeling the effort through <Shimmer> to try to swap the shrink effect around.
As Arlo proceeds out of the barn, the enormous black and white house cat freezes in fear, closing it's eyes and putting paws over them. It will be a couple round before Arlo closes the distance with the cat, if he chooses to. . As the cat panics, the giant doll says something like "What's the matter kitty?" in a vastly deep, booming voice and begin slowly moving toward it.
Terex analyzes the dimensional effect ... he quite possibly could reverse the effect ... once the doll get reaches long spell effect range, which will take another couple rounds (then you'll have to still overcome the things "natural resistance" IE, it will get a saving throw). Alternatively, Terex could remove the effect on something right now.
Rollo looks around - this seems like an impromptu "staging area", similar to what The Organization maintains but with the most crucial parts removed (naturally). One thing he notices is a place where a log book would likely be located.
Analyzing the dimensional effect ... ("there are no rules here, only guidelines"), Rollo's guess is that this effect extends to large doll house of similar composition as the doll houses scattered around the large room here). The break the effect, if that was the wish, all the small doll houses would have to be removed from this large house. But you don't much reason to break the effect entirely now.
Extrapolating, this plane likely has a pattern self-referential dimensional distortions scattered around it.
Male Dhampir Arcanist (White Mage) 14 Init: +3; Hp. 112/112 AC 19 Fort +12, Ref +12, Will +14 Senses: LLV, Darkvision 60' Perception +13
Rollo watches the overeager dwarf charging out to play with the kitty.
Don't hurt the poor kitty, Arlo. It is just a cat. I could have just Dimensional door over and brought the injury soldier back.
TL;DR; Seeking one character for a narrative heavy, long running, high level, "interplanar" campaign. Please NO “I’m only here for the melee” characters. Maybe a bard or a party-face with other extras + skill-monkey (everyone's a skill monkey to an extent in the campaign). Make-up interesting back-story in a plane of your choice. Read more than this.
Sample/Recent Post: Harclus furrows his brow and strokes his chin. "'temporal anomaly'? This is not a term I know... However, I could hazard a guess at the meaning ... unusual phenomena related to time itself? The idea seems preposterous yet it could explain a number of the weird occurrences I have been tracking in the area for the several years... So perhaps you're answer is yes?" The Rationality Researcher pauses... "As to our escapees, I can take to you to the location and show you the recent tapes. My automaton is a special unit that can accommodate us all and make good time.
At this point, Terex, disguised as the group's "tiny dog" comes bounding up, gets news of the situation and raises his concerns. Jocinth sends back "Yes, I believe this location was chosen because there were lurking temporal anomalies. But if this group is indeed 'later us', we should investigate but ... not follow closely... if anything, it's good argument for eventually entering this complex and emerging at the time of these characters, if we have the option."
After further discussion, Harclus takes the party to the Republic Guard's ultra-high security headquarters in the Giant's Garden where the audio-visual expert plays the crystal visual recording device that captured the group exiting the tunnel. It's pretty rough but it does seem like you, though for Terex, there is only a shadow that might or might be him and there might be others in the image too.
Jocinth sends by message "Well, seeking the opening Terex is predicting seems appropriate at this point...
Description: In a multiverse based on the Planescape setting, using PF1 rules plus custom “caper”/world-building rules and narative, you will be an agent of an ad-hoc group of wizards, priests and occultist, known on as "The Organization", aiming to stop plane-destroying effects, unleashed by various mysterious forces. Your employers are sophisticated interdimensional operators who understand many kinds types of magics and technologies operating on a variety of planes (with their own personal agendas too? Of course!). The operation still resembles a group of gentlemen adventurers than a true bureaucracy and you will operate as part of a cell of adventurer, the cell making its own choices on the ground, though guided by your mentors/handlers/comrades.
Style: This campaign began as an effort to use some ideas from the Blades In The Dark system. I am creating/evolving an approach of investigators who make their choices and add their own narrative. This is still a work in progress (after about three years). At this point, it mostly involves me outlining a situation and anyone can make a choice for the group (within reason but still). A lot of the initial thread following action involves; narrate what you do, maybe add a little improvised detail about the situation or world, and roll a skill (standard Pathfinder skills). It gets more defined as each character’s threads get more developed. The campaign has gone on for nearly two and half years with 5,000+ posts. Look at current posts for what’s happening.
Group: We currently have a pseudodragon rogue, a psionic android, dwarven Paladin and human shaman. Given the campaign, every character should sort of expect to be something like a "skill monkey", a researcher in some field and a social character (or be prepared to role play slightly awkward).
Inspirations: The Black Company series (especially Shadow Linger) by Glen Cooke, Nightwatch/Daywatch Sergie Lukyanenko, The Elder Isle series and other works by Jack Vance, The Dark Tower by Stephen King, Dilvish The Damned and The Amber series by Roger Zelazney, The Cornelius Chronicles and The War Hound and The World’s Pain by Michael Moorecook, The Earthsea Series by Ursula LeGuin and a number of others.
Campaign Parameters: Start at 14th Level, standard character wealth for magic item buying. 25 point buy. No dumping wisdom, intelligence or charisma below 9. Don’t maximize for initiative (I’m doing ad-hoc initiative for speed – party-goes, monsters go, repeat). Alignments between lawful-good and neutral. Standard wealth by Core Rule Book. All Paizo books allowed, third party books might be OK but only psionics or hi-tech or other classes/races not duplicating things in Paizo books. Magic users probably shouldn’t lean on teleport/dimension door since it’s hard to handle in play-by-post. Monstrous characters permited. 3rd party stuff OK but be prepared for some modification if it gives some weird power imbalance.
Campaign Traits (choose at least one of these and one standard trait):
Interplanar Travelers(s); knowledge planes is a class skill.
Minor magic awareness; Can cast detect magic once per day as a spell-like ability and spellcraft is class skill.
Minor technological knowledge; Can use knowledge engineering to determine the principles powering a given technological device. If you are trained in knowledge history, you can use it determine the sort of society which would produce such a device. You may make a Wisdom check to determine how to activate a given device (this does not imbue the character with any skills in the use of the device. It doesn’t teach to use firearms or welding machines, etc).
What's the post rate? One post per 1-2 days with periodic exceptions. I post nearly everyday and you should read my posts at least to keep up. If your character is absent during combat for a bit, I may act for you (keep in mind combat is rare). If you vanish, your character might become a regular NPC. I try to keep everyone's situation in mind - I expect certain currently absent players may return but I think I can handle the six we'll have if Rollo returns.
Posting approach: Most of the time, anyone can start posting after I’ve posted (In melee, anyone can take act first once I give the go-head, just don’t act twice – fair warning, this may initiative-feats less valuable). To a reasonable extent, you can post actions that the entire party takes part in (we enter the room). Don’t be shy. Always be thinking about how you can post to move forward the action – and feel free to send me suggestions on that as well (I’ll required saving throw levels, AC the monster hits + potential damage etc. You will too).
Learn the standard narrative style – write in the third person present tense, etc. Don’t just name a game mechanic, don’t just narrate what you are doing, combine the two. Don't ask whether you can roll a skill, just roll it. I encourage everyone to improvise little pieces of plot as we go along (but exactly how much you do that is up to you, since it’s fairly personal, each continuing player has their own style here). Still, we are creating a story together. I hope to find people excited to help shape this multiverse. I like to move actions quickly and give the group suggestions - though I've slowed down a bit over these years of player. Feel free to push back if things seem to fast for you, you don’t like a suggestion or for any other reasons. I try to be very open to constructive criticism (obviously there are limits). Did I mention “work in progress”? It is a continuing work, with stuff happening, however.
Applying: Describe your character concept and give an example of something you’d improvise in the process of acting in the world. (see above for allowed classes etc). I’ll answer questions and ask questions and then show me a character sheet. I will decide after three days, longer if there aren’t enough applications. This is a demanding campaign so if you are busy or already are in many campaigns, think if you can make the added commitment. Expect to read a fair amount, read each day even you can't post. I put some effort into my narrative, plot development and world-concept. I'm looking for one more players who that appeals to.
Big fan of Blades in the Dark, though I'm admittedly unfamiliar with Planescape. It sounds like quite the story you're telling here!
I have a few characters involved in campaigns that match this sort of vibe (just to offer a sense of where I'm coming from):
Samples:
Gaius Ignatius V - investigating the secrets of the Tower of Ages while searching for his long-lost father
Hadda Sogard - a librarian chasing the secrets of other worlds following a mishap with eldritch knowledge when she was younger
Ronan Del'Arte - who remembers (or so he says) past lives before a cataclysm destroyed everything
Olenna Tucca - a guardswoman who got in over her head investigating the criminal underbelly of her city and had a vision calling her to bring light to the darkness
Albert Glazier - an professor with over a dozen research projects of interest at any given time, working on a theory to unite all elemental races
A few others in my profile also match bits and pieces, but that should provide at least a base sense (with a few samples) of what I would try to bring to the table.
Note: two of those are in Paizo APs, while the other three are in homebrew worlds/campaigns.
I want to take a closer look at the current party to see what sorts of abilities they're currently bringing to the table before I pitch a well-developed concept, but at first glance a bard does seem appropriate. A time oracle or occultist could fit as well. Maybe even an arcanist. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
Initial Question:
How are you handling monstrous PCs like the pseudodragon? Are there limitations on what creatures can be chosen (e.g., no greater than base CR 1), trade-offs based on HD to class, etc.? Are the base creature's stats over-written by the 25-point buy, or are they handled on the {+4, +4, +2, +2, 0, -2} array in the PFRPG CRB for adding class levels to monsters?
More questions to come after I've had a chance to read.
How are you handling monstrous PCs like the pseudodragon? Are there limitations on what creatures can be chosen (e.g., no greater than base CR 1), trade-offs based on HD to class, etc.? Are the base creature's stats over-written by...
Basically by-the-book without specific limit but you have to ask and have a good story.
I didn't have a concrete monstrous PC in mind, but figured I would ask anyway!
After reading up on a bit of lore, some recent posts, the characters, etc., I have a tentative concept:
I don't know how long the Dimension Wars have been going on, but either way--this character is quite an old elf. If the Dimension Wars are recent, then that doesn't matter so much. If they have been going on since long before the average lifespan of an elf, that wouldn't matter much either. But if the entirety of the Dimension Wars so far could fit into the lifespan of an elf, then this character would (ideally) remember a time before the war.
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Character Concept
The Curator had accumulated quite the collection of curios for curious commonfolk to canter through at a colossal gallery. He had seen fit to catalog history and culture from not just his home plane but many others as well. Some acquisitions had been won, some had been taken, and others had been requisitioned through...less savory means. And yet the Curator knows that these treasures were in better hands in his museum than they would be if they were ravaged by this interdimensional conflict. After all, he retained certain objects in his collection from pockets of existence that have been utterly wiped out in the war! Who would remember their civilizations if not for the Curator?
It was because of the books that he had published and the conferences that he had spoken at that the Curator came to the attention of The Organization. In the process of amassing his collection, The Curator had become an expert on a score of useful topics. He could make remarkable leaps of logic and connect disparate data points. At times, it made him seem almost prescient, able to anticipate enemy battle plans with uncanny fidelity by referencing three separate events separated by centuries and entire tangles of planar substrate.
Still, the Curator never expected to be called to the front lines. He had been content to remain in the comforts of his Collection in relative safety, summoned by The Organization only when they needed his Counsel (or an item from his collection). But when [big event TBD] shattered his relatively peaceable existence, the Curator was forced to respond. And in taking up some of the items of his collection, he has found skills he could have never anticipated. The memories of the items' previous owners had left impressions on the items. Some of them were not at all pleased with the Curator. But despite their differences, the Collective recognized the threat posed to the multiverse and sought to lend their strength to the Curator.
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Improved Example 1: General (responding to the sample/recent post)
The Curator sits with Jocinth in his office, rolling his eyes. "Well that should have been sufficiently obvious so as not to even warrant mentioning. Didn't you read in my latest book about the gentleman who erased himself from existence by going back into his past and killing his grandfather by trying to help him earn lots of money? He tried to create a paradox by becoming his own grandfather, but time paradoxes don't play well. I'm sure it's happened more than once, too."
The Curator huffs and clinks some whiskey in his glass and takes a sip, trying to keep his eyes from rolling backwards as he deigns to explain this to Jocinth. "Obviously they should avoid their future selves as much as their past selves. We don't yet have enough historical data about the successful resolution temporal anomalies to manage a current one for obvious reasons. If the anomaly was resolved, it either did so by eliminating the loop by closing it or reverting to a previous stable state. Frankly, I was lucky to find the scrap of evidence that I did. And you are too, Jocinth."
Ah, and the whiskey was out. He clinks the ice back and forth, waggling for Jocinth to refill as he gestures to move the glass telekinetically across the desk. "I still think you should send me out, you know. It sounds like they're struggling. You know I know what I'm talking about, yes? And I don't have to disguise myself as a dog like Terex. Can you imagine? A dog. Ah, but I don't have to tell you. There are more dignified ways of going about The Organization's business. Have I convinced you? I've convinced myself. My things are already packed. Naturally. Anything further, Jo...oh, of course, the whiskey. Well, I suppose I'll finish this."
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Improvised Example 2: Combat
"I don't think you understand your situation," the Curator says, drawing his bow out as he stares at the eldritch abomination before him. "I might not have killed one of your kind before, but plenty of you have died. You think you will outlive the heat death of the multiverse. That you're special."
The Curator draws two arrows from his quiver, setting them into a pair of grooves barely apart on the wood of the bow. "Don't get me wrong--you're strong. I'm sure you've killed many of my kind, too. But you're just you. Alone."
The Curator takes a deep breath, reminding himself that the Bow responded more to calmness than any other emotion. He taps into that calm, like a meditation, and envisions his arrows piercing through the floating void before him. He sees himself do it, sees others do it as well--with this bow, with blades, with cleansing fire, with teeth--all united in a purpose. And in his hands, the Bow remembers.
Move action: Combat Trick, expending 3 mental focus to gain [single appropriate combat feat]; Standard action: Legacy Weapon, expend 1 mental focus to grant +1, Bane, & Planar to the +4 adaptive composite longbow.
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I'm leaning significantly into the gentleman adventurer lane while still trying to access the elven flair. A near-immortal with somewhat fewer moral qualms about his actions could be an interesting archetype to play. Haughty, rich, deeply privileged, highly knowledgeable, and often almost insufferable about it. One of those "I'm glad he's on our side because otherwise I could strangle him" types. The Collection would be like having an almost infinite supply of angels and devils on his shoulder trying to sway him, chastise him, praise him, and so forth. I'd hope that they could be an interesting way to delve into the story's history, and a playground for the GM to screw with the Curator (and therefore me as a player).
Having a Collection of disagreeable implements also provides an interesting reason for when things don't work in terms of bad rolls. Maybe it's not necessarily lack of skill represented when the Curator's PC rolls a 1, but rather the particular Implement of the Collection rebelling against the Curator's choices. "Really? Now? You want to make a statement now?!"
Mechanically, I'm envisioning an elven occultist. In combat situations, they are a formidable ranged combatant who can become a fierce melee fighter in necessary situations. They have spells of many sorts from the schools of abjuration, conjuration, divination, illusion, and transmutation, as much focused on augmenting their ability to function as a soldier as a spy and a diplomat. They would take the Minor Technological Knowledge campaign trait (along with Clever Wordplay [Diplomacy]). I have a sketch of a character sheet that I just need to polish up whenever you would like to see it.
This is partially inspired by another character I made previously for a Wrath of the Righteous campaign: Pakk Holstad. Pakk was curious about the structural resonance of different extraplanar substrates. So while the backstory, lore, and race will all be very different, the intellectual drive of Pakk will be quite present in the Curator.
A few more questions:
Is there any specific lore on elves for Planescape that would be useful to know about? The closest thing that I was able to find quickly was a bit about Arvandor, which helped me to track down a copy of The Complete Book of Elves published in 1992 as the 2nd Edition Player's Handbook Rules Supplement for AD&D. But it's 128 pages and I haven't had a chance to read too much of it yet. So anything that could inform this concept would be very useful! [ooc](It seems reasonably like Cuiviénen from Tolkien's The Silmarillion, but I could be fairly off.)
To clarify: when you say [NO I'm only here for the melee" characters], do you mean more A) this character should be able to operate in multiple spheres including but absolutely not limited to combat, B) this character should be functional but not optimized for combat, or C) do not focus on combat very much? I assume it's somewhere between A and B. But I'm looking for the shade of nuance. If most of the WBL and feats are dedicated to items and abilities to contribute to combat, is that seen as a problem?
I briefly considered the planar harmonizer archetype, but it's so limiting, becoming a locked-in conjurer with no good way to do much else. It's flavorful, but I assume it would not fit in as well.
Quite an impressive concept, I have to say. Obviously, I try to balance the weirdness each character gets in the story but keeping this balance of attention in mind, lots of fun (and other characters have sources of entertaining weirdness as well).
There is very little in my world that's in D&D cannon. I really haven't read that much myself. I draw from the Cynosure concept from the old Grimjack comic for my Sigil as much as a draw from the Planescape books (though do have Planescape).
when you say [NO I'm only here for the melee" characters], do you mean ...
Quote:
I mean characters/players that only intend to post in a melee situation. I'd also want skills in other situations but also, be willing to post for stuff beyond what you considered your area of expertise.
Gear: +4 adaptive composite longbow, +4 amulet of natural armor, +4 belt of incredible dexterity, +4 buckler, +4 headband of vast intelligence, masterwork thieves’ tools, +4 mithral shirt, +4 ring of protection, automatic writing planchette, boots of striding and springing, bracers of falcon’s aim, efficient quiver, eyes of the eagle, handy haversack, prismatic crystal, ring of feather falling, lesser rod of metamagic (logical), spring-loaded wrist sheaths (2), talking board, 1165 gp
Special Abilities:
Panoply Specialization (Trappings of the Warrior): At 1st level, the panoply savant must choose (but doesn’t learn how to use) a single panoply. When learning new implement schools, he must choose either schools associated with his chosen panoply or the chosen panoply itself. Once he has learned to use the chosen panoply, he can learn any further implement schools freely.
Focus/Resonant Powers (Su): At 1st level, an occultist learns the base focus power from both of his two implement schools (see Implements below) and can select one more focus power from the list of those available to him through those schools. Whenever the occultist learns a new implement school, he gains the base power of that school. In addition, at 3rd level and every 2 levels thereafter, he learns a new focus power selected from the options granted by all of the implement schools he knows. The occultist can use focus powers only by expending mental focus (see Mental Focus on page 48). Unless otherwise noted, the DC for any saving throw against a focus power equals 10 + 1/2 the occultist’s level + the occultist’s Intelligence modifier. The occultist can’t select a focus power more than once. Some focus powers require him to reach a specific occultist level before he can choose them.
Casting Focus (Su): The implement empowers the bearer’s ties to the worlds beyond, allowing his spells to maintain their power for a longer period of time. The bearer can add the implement as an additional focus component to any conjuration spell he casts that has a duration measured in rounds per level. If he does so, he adds 1 to his caster level for every 2 points of mental focus stored in the implement (to a maximum bonus equal to your occultist level). This increase applies only when determining the duration of the spell. Apply this increase after other effects that adjust a spell’s duration, such as Extend Spell.
Combat Trick (Ex): As a move action, you can expend 3 points of mental focus to gain a single combat feat for which you qualify. This benefit lasts for 1 minute.
Danger Sight (Sp) : As an immediate action, you can protect yourself from harm by expending 1 point of mental focus. You can use this ability whenever you are the target of an attack or are required to attempt a saving throw against a special ability, spell, or trap. Doing so grants you an insight bonus to your AC or on your saving throw equal to 1/2 your occultist level. This bonus applies only to the next attack against you or saving throw you attempt, and if not applied by the end of the round, the protection fades and you gain no benefit. You must be at least 3rd level to select this focus power.
Distortion (Sp): The implement allows its bearer to distort his form and location, protecting him from harm. As a standard action, the bearer can gain a concealment miss chance equal to 5% for every point of mental focus invested in the implement (to a maximum of 5% + 5% for every 2 occultist levels you possess) until the next time the bearer makes an attack. If this miss chance reaches 50%, it doesn’t increase further, but the bearer gains all the benefits of invisibility. Creatures with see invisibility, true seeing, or similar abilities ignore the miss chance from this ability.
Energy Shield (Sp): As a swift action, you can expend 1 point of mental focus to surround yourself with a shield that protects you from energy damage. Whenever you take acid, cold, electricity, or fire damage, the shield absorbs the damage (as protection from energy). The energy shield can absorb up to 5 points of energy damage per occultist level you possess. This shield lasts for 1 minute or until its power is exhausted. Its effect doesn’t stack with itself, with protection from energy, or with resist energy. You can activate the energy shield as an immediate action by expending 2 points of mental focus instead of 1. You must be at least 3rd level to select this focus power.
Globe of Negation (Sp): As a standard action, you can expend 3 points of mental focus to create a stationary globe of negation. This globe is 10 feet in diameter and cancels any spell effect that is cast into or through its area. This functions as globe of invulnerability, but it affects spells of any level. The globe can negate a total number of spell levels equal to your occultist level, after which the globe collapses. Spells that exceed the number of remaining levels remove all remaining levels, but are weakened; any creatures targeted by such spells receive a +4 circumstance bonus on any saving throws against the spells’ effects. The globe lasts for a number of rounds equal to your occultist level. It has no effect on spells originating within the globe—only on those that enter its area as or after they are cast. You must be at least 11th level to select this focus power.
Legacy Weapon (Su): As a standard action, you can expend 1 point of mental focus and touch a weapon to grant it an enhancement bonus. The bonus is equal to 1 + 1 for every 6 occultist levels you possess (to a maximum of +4 at 18th level). Enhancement bonuses gained by this ability stack with those of the weapon, to a maximum of +5. You can also imbue the weapon with any one weapon special ability with an equivalent enhancement bonus less than or equal to your maximum bonus by reducing the granted enhancement bonus by the appropriate amount. The item must have an enhancement bonus of at least +1 (from the item itself or from legacy weapon) to gain a weapon special ability. In either case, these bonuses last for 1 minute.
Martial Skill (Ex): When wielding the weapon used as the panoply’s associated implement, you treat your base attack bonus as though it were 1 point higher for every 4 points of total mental focus invested in all of the associated implements, to a maximum base attack bonus equal to your occultist level. This increase can grant you additional attacks when using the full attack action (for example, a 12th-level occultist with 12 points of mental focus invested among the associated implements would be treated as having a base attack bonus of +11, with iterative attacks at a base attack bonus of +6 and +1).
Mind Barrier (Sp): As a swift action, you can expend 1 point of mental focus to create a shield of mental energy around you that protects you from harm. The shield prevents a total of 2 points of damage per occultist level you possess. It lasts until the start of your next turn or until exhausted. For example, if you are 5th level, the mind barrier protects you from 10 points of damage; if you are hit by an attack that would deal 12 points of damage, the mind barrier is exhausted and you take 2 points of damage. You can activate this ability as an immediate action, but doing so costs 2 points of mental focus instead of 1.
Mind Eye: As a standard action, you can expend 1 point of mental focus to create a mind eye—a magical sensor through which you can see and hear. The mind eye is invisible and its size is Fine, giving it an AC of 18. Any amount of damage to the eye destroys it, but it can be harmed by only spells or magic weapons. The eye moves with a fly speed of 60 feet with perfect maneuverability and can travel up to 1 mile away from you. You must concentrate as a standard action to direct the eye and receive sensory images through it. The mind eye sees as your eyes see, including any additional senses you possess (such as darkvision or see invisibility). The mind eye lasts for 1 minute per occultist level you possess. You must be at least 5th level to select this focus power.
Minor Figment (Sp): As a standard action, you can expend 1 point of mental focus to create a minor figment. This can function as either ghost sound or minor image. In either case, the effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to your occultist level. If you are 7th level or higher, the figment lasts for a number of minutes equal to your occultist level, and you can cause the figment to change once during its duration when a specified condition occurs.
Physical Enhancement (Su): The implement enhances its bearer’s body. When you invest mental focus in the implement, select a physical ability score. The implement grants a +2 temporary enhancement bonus to that physical ability score for every 3 points of mental focus invested in the implement (to a maximum of +2 at 1st level, plus an additional 2 for every 6 occultist levels you possess). Ability: Strength.
Planar Ward (Sp): As a standard action, you can expend 2 points of mental focus to surround yourself with a planar ward. Creatures not native to the plane that you are currently on take a –4 penalty on attacks against you, and you receive a +4 circumstance bonus on saving throws against the spells, spell-like abilities, and supernatural abilities of such creatures. This ward lasts for 1 minute.
Quickness (Sp): As a standard action, you can expend 1 point of mental focus to grant supernatural quickness and reflexes to yourself or a willing living creature you touch. This functions as haste, but the bonus to AC and on Reflex saving throws increases to +2. This effect lasts for 1 round per occultist level you possess. You must be at least 5th level to select this focus power.
Servitor (Sp): As a standard action, you can expend 1 point of mental focus to summon a servitor. This ability functions as summon monster I, but you can use it only to summon a single creature, and the effect lasts for 1 minute. At 4th level and every 3 levels thereafter, the level of the summon monster spell increases by 1, to a maximum of summon monster VII at 19th level. You can’t have more than one servitor in effect at a time. At any time, you can expend 1 point of mental focus as a free action to extend the duration of an active servitor by 1 minute.
Shadow Beast (Sp): As a standard action, you can call forth one or more beasts made of shadow by expending 1 point of mental focus. This functions as shadow conjuration, but it can be used to duplicate only the effects of summon monster spells. Creatures created with this spell deal 50% of the normal damage to those that disbelieve the illusion, and their nondamaging effects have only a 50% chance of affecting disbelieving targets. This can be used to duplicate any summon monster spell up to summon monster V. For every 2 additional levels you possess beyond 9th, the maximum spell level you can duplicate with this ability increases by 1 (to a maximum of summon monster IX at 17th level). Regardless of the spell duplicated, the creatures remain for 1 round per occultist level you possess. You must be at least 9th level to select this focus power.
Sudden Insight (Sp): As a swift action, you can expend 1 point of mental focus to gain an insight into your immediate future. You can use this foreknowledge as a free action before you roll any ability check, attack roll, or skill check to gain an insight bonus on that roll equal to 1/2 your occultist level (minimum +1). You can use your foreknowledge only once per turn, and if it’s not used by the end of your turn, the insight fades and you gain no benefit.
Sudden Speed (Sp): As a swift action, you can expend 1 point of mental focus to grant yourself a burst of speed. This increases your land speed by 30 feet for 1 minute. This ability does not stack with itself.
Third Eye (Su): The implement allows its bearer to notice that which can’t easily be seen. The implement grants a +1 insight bonus on Perception checks per 2 points of mental focus stored in it, to a maximum bonus equal to the occultist’s level. If the occultist is 3rd level or higher and stores at least 3 points of mental focus in it, the implement also grants lowlight vision. If the occultist is 5th level or higher and stores at least 6 points of mental focus in it, the implement also grants darkvision 60 feet. (If the bearer already has darkvision, the implement increases the range of the darkvision by 30 feet.) If the occultist is 7th level or higher and stores at least 9 points of mental focus in it, the implement also grants the effects of see invisibility. If the occultist is 13th level or higher and stores at least 12 points of mental focus in it, the implement also grants blindsense 60 feet. If the occultist is 19th level or higher and stores at least 15 points of mental focus in it, the implement also grants blindsight 30 feet.
Warding Talisman (Su): The implement wards against adverse effects. Whoever wears (or holds, for bells) the implement gains a +1 resistance bonus on saving throws for every 2 points of mental focus invested in the implement, to a maximum bonus of 1 + 1 for every 4 occultist levels you possess.
Mental Focus (Su): An occultist can invest a portion of his mental focus into his chosen implements for the day, allowing him to utilize a variety of abilities depending on the implements and the amount of mental focus invested in them. An occultist has a number of points of mental focus equal to his occultist level + his Intelligence modifier; these points refresh each day. He can divide this mental focus between his implements in any way he desires. If an implement is lost or destroyed, the focus invested in it is lost as well, though the occultist still refreshes those points of focus normally.
Magic Item Skill (Ex): At 2nd level, an occultist’s knowledge of magic items grants him a bonus when attempting to use them. He gains a bonus on all Use Magic Device checks equal to 1/2 his occultist level.
Object Reading (Su): At 2nd level, an occultist learns how to read information from items he examines. Examining an item in this way requires him to spend 1 minute handling the item. If the item is a magic item, the occultist learns its properties and command word as if he had successfully examined the item using detect magic and succeeded at a Spellcraft check. This ability does not reveal whether the item is cursed unless the occultist’s class level is equal to or greater than the caster level of the item. If the item has any historical significance, the occultist learns one piece of information about its past (as determined by the GM). Finally, if the item was last used no longer than 1 day ago per the occultist’s class level, the occultist learns one piece of information about the last creature to use the item. This information might be a glimpse of the creature’s appearance, a brief vision of what it saw while using the item, or perhaps its emotional state when it last used the item. The GM determines what information is gained in this way. This functions like the psychometry occult skill unlock (see page 196), but doesn’t require a skill check and can be used at will.
Panoply Focus (Su): At 4th level, a panoply savant gains 1 additional point of mental focus each day, which can be invested only in implements associated with his chosen panoply. At 8th level, and every 4 occultist levels thereafter, the number of additional points of mental focus he gains increases by 1 (to a maximum of 5 points at 20th level). This ability replaces shift focus.
Aura Sight (Su): At 5th level, the occultist can read the auras of creatures around him as a standard action. This functions as the aura sight spell with a duration of 1 round.
Implement Specialist (Su): At 8th level, a panoply savant learns to use his mastery over the implements in his chosen panoply to unlock greater power from magic items associated with that panoply. For a number of times per day equal to 3 + his Intelligence modifier, when he uses a magic item that matches one of his chosen panoply’s associated implements (crystal balls, robes, and wands for the mage’s paraphernalia, for instance) and produces a spell effect, he can have the item use his caster level instead of its own. If the magic item doesn’t produce a spell effect, the panoply savant can use his caster level against attempts to dispel that item. Additionally, if the item has any abilities that can be used at least three times per day or has three or more daily charges, the panoply savant can spend 1 minute quietly meditating on the item and expend 2 points of mental focus to restore one daily use or one charge to the item. This ability replaces outside contact.
Panoptic Harmony (Su): At 8th level, a panoply savant can empower his abilities by harnessing the harmonic resonance between his chosen panoply’s associated implements. Whenever he casts a spell or uses a focus power with one of his chosen panoply’s associated implements, he treats it as though his caster level were 2 higher than it actually is, but only if on his previous turn, he cast a spell with or used a focus power from a different one of his chosen panoply’s associated implements. This ability replaces magic circles.
Panoptic Call (Su): At 12th level, a panoply savant’s mastery over his chosen panoply’s associated implements is so strong that he can call similar items to him. By taking a standard action and expending 1 point of mental focus from any of his chosen panoply’s associated implements, he can cause a single item he can currently see that matches one of his chosen panoply’s associated implements (such as a weapon or shield for the tools of the warrior) to fly through the air toward him at a rate of 30 feet per round, landing in his outstretched hand. If the item is unattended, the panoply savant automatically succeeds, but if it is held or worn, he must attempt a special disarm or steal combat maneuver check, using his occultist level as his base attack bonus and his Intelligence modifier in place of his Strength modifier. If the item in question is an implement he currently has 1 or more points of focus invested in, he gains a bonus on this combat maneuver check equal to twice the amount of focus currently invested in it. This ability replaces binding circles.
Traits Clever Wordplay [Diplomacy](social): Your cunning and logic are more than a match for another’s confidence and poise. Choose one Charisma-based skill. You attempt checks with that skill using your Intelligence modifier instead of your Charisma modifier.
Minor Technological Knowledge(campaign): You can use Knowledge (engineering) to determine the principles powering a given technological device. If you are trained in knowledge (history), you can use it determine the sort of society which would produce such a device. You may make a Wisdom check to determine how to activate a given device. (This does not imbue the character with any skills in the use of the device. It doesn’t teach to use firearms or welding machines, etc.)
Elf Racial Traits
+2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, –2 Constitution: Elves are nimble, both in body and mind, but their forms are frail.
Medium: Elves are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Normal Speed: Elves have a base speed of 30 feet.
Low-Light Vision: Elves can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.
Elven Immunities: Elves are immune to magic sleep effects and get a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against enchantment spells and effects.
Elven Magic: Elves receive a +2 racial bonus on caster level checks made to overcome spell resistance. In addition, elves receive a +2 racial bonus on Spellcraft checks made to identify the properties of magic items.
Keen Senses: Elves receive a +2 racial bonus on Perception checks.
Fey Thoughts: The character sees the world more like a native of the First World. Select two of the following skills: Acrobatics, Bluff, Climb, Diplomacy, Disguise, Escape Artist, Fly, Knowledge (nature), Perception, Perform, Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand, Stealth, Swim, or Use Magic Device. The selected skills are always class skills for the character. An elf can take this trait in place of racial weapon familiarity.
Languages: Elves begin play speaking Common and Elven. Elves with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following languages: Celestial, Draconic, Gnoll, Gnome, Goblin, Orc, and Sylvan.
Occult Skill Unlocks:
Automatic Writing: You can produce mysterious writing that pertains to the immediate future, either under the influence of enigmatic guiding spirits or by unleashing your subconscious intuition.
Check: Once per week, you can spend 1 hour posing questions while your hand unconsciously scribbles messages of varying legibility and accuracy. At the end of this hour, you attempt a Linguistics check to decipher the meanings of these messages. If successful, you gain information as though you had used augury. If you have 10 or more ranks in Linguistics, you can attempt a higher DC check to instead gain information as though you had used divination. The chance of successfully producing coherent or meaningful writing from any of these effects equals 60% plus 5% for every 1 by which your check result exceeds the DC (to a maximum of 90%). You must choose which DC you’ll try to meet before attempting the check. The GM rolls the check and d% roll secretly, so that you can’t tell whether the messages are accurate.
Writing Results Ranks Required DC
As augury spell 1 20
As divination spell 10 30
Action: Automatic writing takes 1 hour.
Try Again: Yes. You can attempt to learn more about a subject, but can still attempt only one check per week.
---
Hypnotism: You use the power of suggestion and subtle psychic influence to alter a subject’s mind and dredge up repressed memories.
Check: You can use hypnotism once per day. The DC of a Diplomacy check to hypnotize is 20 + the subject’s Will save modifier against mind-affecting enchantment (compulsion) effects. All uses of hypnotism are mind-affecting enchantment (compulsion) effects.
Implant Suggestion: You can implant a suggested course of reasonable action in the mind of a willing creature, along with a defined trigger. To implant a suggestion, you spend 1 minute inducing a trance-like state in the subject, after which you attempt a Diplomacy check. If the check is successful, you implant the course of action, as a suggestion spell with a duration of 10 minutes plus 10 additional minutes for every 1 by which your check result exceeds the DC. If the subject ceases to be willing, it can attempt a Will save once each round to shake off the effects. The save DC is equal to 10 + 1/2 your character level + your Charisma modifier. You can attempt to subtly implant a suggestion in the mind of an unwilling creature with an attitude of indifferent or better after 1 minute of continuous, calm interaction with that creature, but the DC is 10 higher.
Recall Memory: You can draw out forgotten memories from a willing subject. You spend 1 minute inducing a calming, trance-like state in the subject, after which you attempt a Diplomacy check. If you succeed at the check, the hypnotized creature can reroll any previously failed Intelligence or Knowledge check to recall the forgotten information with a +4 bonus. The information must be something the subject once knew or was exposed to.
Action: Hypnotism takes 1 minute of calm interaction.
Try Again: Yes. You can try to hypnotize the same creature more than once, but only once per day.
---
Phrenology: You examine the skulls of intelligent creatures to analyze the subjects’ psychological attributes, since the shape of the brain influences the shape of the skull.
Check: Once per day, you can use your fingertips to examine the shape of a creature’s skull. Reading a creature’s skull requires 1 minute of concentration and scrutiny while you physically manipulate the skull. This technique can be used on a willing, helpless, or paralyzed creature, or on decomposed remains (as long as the skull is intact or can be pieced together). This skill can’t be used on creatures without discernible skulls, such as constructs, elementals, oozes, or plants. After the minute is up, the GM attempts a secret Knowledge (arcana) check. The DC is typically modified by the subject’s Hit Dice. With a single check, you determine all the information whose DC you meet. For instance, if you had a result of 22 when examining a creature with 2 HD, you would learn that creature’s race and age, gender, alignment, and class, but not its level or HD.
Task DC
Determine race and age 10
Determine gender 15
Determine alignment 15 + creature’s HD†
Determine class 20 + creature’s HD†
Determine level or HD 25 + creature’s HD†
† A dead creature’s skull uses the HD the creature had when alive.
Action: Reading a creature’s cranium requires 1 minute of uninterrupted study.
Try Again: Yes. Reexamining a skull may provide new insights. You can attempt only one such check per day.
---
Prognostication: You are skilled in means of folk divination. The most common methods are cartomancy (reading cards), cheiromancy (reading a creature’s palms), crystallomancy (crystal-gazing), extispicy (reading animal entrails), horoscopy (reading a creature’s birth stars), oneiromancy (interpreting dreams), osteomancy (reading cast bones), and pyromancy (reading flames).
Check: Once per day, you can predict a creature’s fortune for the near future. You spend 10 minutes interpreting the divination means at your disposal. The GM then attempts a secret Sense Motive check with a DC modified by the subject’s Hit Dice (see the table below). The result of the check can give you basic insight into the subject’s nature, including its alignment, class, and levels or Hit Dice, and might reveal clues to the creature’s immediate future. Determining the immediate future as an augury spell has a chance of successfully interpreting meaningful readings equal to 60% plus 5% for every point by which the check result exceeds the DC (to a maximum of 90%). With a single check, you determine all the information whose DC you meet. For instance, if you had a result of 22 when telling the fortune of a creature with 2 HD, you would learn that creature’s alignment and class, but not its level, HD, or fortune.
Task DC
Determine alignment 15 + creature’s HD
Determine class 20 + creature’s HD
Determine level or HD 25 + creature’s HD
Determine fortune as augury spell 25 + creature’s HD
Action: Reading a creature’s fortune requires 10 minutes of uninterrupted contemplation, and the subject creature must be present.
Try Again: Yes. You can attempt to read a particular creature’s fortune repeatedly, but only once per 24 hours.
Special: Specially crafted items purchased for the exclusive use of this skill grant a +2 circumstance bonus on Sense Motive checks to prognosticate.
---
Read Aura: Your psychic sensitivity allows you to read the psychic and magical auras of creatures and objects.
Check: Once per day, you can examine the natural aura of a creature or object to discern the subject’s alignment, emotions, health, or magic. This requires 10 minutes of concentration, after which you attempt a Perception check. Each time, you must pick one of four auras to read: alignment, emotion, health, or magic. The result of the check applies only to the selected aura. You must be within 30 feet of the subject at all times during the reading. Objects typically have only magic auras, though some also have alignment auras (and intelligent items have emotion auras). You can still attempt to detect a type of aura an object doesn’t have, but you get no results. The DC varies depending on the aura, as shown on the table.
Read Alignment Aura: You attempt to read the alignment aura, learning the alignment and its strength. An alignment aura’s strength depends on the creature’s Hit Dice or item’s caster level, as noted in the description of the detect evil spell.
Read Emotion Aura: The colors within the target’s aura reveal its emotional state. If successful, you learn the target’s disposition and its attitude toward any creatures within 30 feet of it. For a number of rounds equal to the amount by which you exceeded the skill check’s DC, you gain a +2 circumstance bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, and Sense Motive checks against the target.
Read Health Aura: Viewing the flow of vital force, you assess a creature’s physical condition. You learn if the creature is unharmed or wounded, if it is poisoned or diseased, and whether it is affected by any of the following conditions: confused, disabled, dying, nauseated, panicked, staggered, stunned, and unconscious. You also learn the total number of points available in its ki pool, grit pool, or similar resource.
Read Magic Aura: You attempt to determine the number and power of all magical auras on a target creature or object (see detect magic to determine a magic aura’s power). If the check is successful, you can attempt Knowledge (arcana) or Spellcraft checks to determine the school or identify properties of a magic item, as normal. If the item is affected by magic aura or a similar spell, you can realize this and determine the actual properties of the item if your check result exceeds the DC by 5 or more. If the spell is of a higher level (such as aura alteration), increase this threshold DC by 2 for every spell level beyond 1st.
Task DC
Read alignment aura 15 + creature’s HD or item’s caster level
Read emotion aura 20 + creature’s HD or item’s caster level†
Read health aura 15 + creature’s HD
Read magic aura 20 + creature’s HD or item’s caster level
† Intelligent items only.
Action: Reading an aura requires 10 minutes of study.
Try Again: Yes. You can read a creature or object’s aura more than once, whether you read the same aura or a different one. You can still attempt only one skill check to read an aura per day.
Concept:
The Curator had accumulated quite the collection of curios for curious commonfolk to canter through at a colossal gallery. He had seen fit to catalog history and culture from not just his home plane but many others as well. Some acquisitions had been won, some had been taken, and others had been requisitioned through...less savory means. And yet the Curator knows that these treasures were in better hands in his museum than they would be if they were ravaged by this interdimensional conflict. After all, he retained certain objects in his collection from pockets of existence that have been utterly wiped out in the war! Who would remember their civilizations if not for the Curator?
It was because of the books that he had published and the conferences that he had spoken at that the Curator came to the attention of The Organization. In the process of amassing his collection, The Curator had become an expert on a score of useful topics. He could make remarkable leaps of logic and connect disparate data points. At times, it made him seem almost prescient, able to anticipate enemy battle plans with uncanny fidelity by referencing three separate events separated by centuries and entire tangles of planar substrate.
Still, the Curator never expected to be called to the front lines. He had been content to remain in the comforts of his Collection in relative safety, summoned by The Organization only when they needed his Counsel (or an item from his collection). But when [big event TBD] shattered his relatively peaceable existence, the Curator was forced to respond. And in taking up some of the items of his collection, he has found skills he could have never anticipated. The memories of the items' previous owners had left impressions on the items. Some of them were not at all pleased with the Curator. But despite their differences, the Collective recognized the threat posed to the multiverse and sought to lend their strength to the Curator.
Introduction
It is late, a small magical light glows on the dark mahogany desk illuminating the neatly arranged items. A set of four quills, each exactly in line with each other, an ink pot, carefully sealed, a small stack of reports, each annotated in a tight, narrow hand. The office itself is thickly carpeted to muffle sound. Book cases line the walls with strange titles, The Mating Habits of Thoqqua, A Treatise on the Third Dimensional War and How to care for your Familiar, a Guide for Apprentices.
A short, dumpy man sits in a comfortable leather armchair pulled up near to the fire. He is reading a lengthy report penned by one of his underlings. Occasionally he feeds a few seeds to a small bird that hops around the room. Behind him there is a thwump noise. He turns and reaches over to a panel on the wall. Twisting several sections it opens to reveal a complicated looking machine. Opening it he removes the scroll tube from inside, A bit late for messages from Head Office he murmurs. Extracting the scroll he slowly opens it and reads its. His hands shake. He reads it again to be sure and shakes his head. Nonsense. He reads it a third time and shudders. Well, things must be pretty bad. Levering himself out of his chair he calls out, Stubbins, pack my bags, Head Office are sending me on a field mission. ME! Can you imagine it!
Background
Archibald Horatio Winstanley has been a member of the Organisation for most of his life although in the early days he didn't know it. Born with a gift for magic he was apprenticed to an apparently minor diviner in a second rate School of Magic on an out of the way planet is a distant arm of the multiverse. What he did not know was that his Master was a member of the Organisation, a local agent, diviner and provider of information to agents being sent on missions across the multiverse. His Master saw in him the potential for great divinatory power and, when he graduated, he guided his career into various fronts which operated for the Organisation.
Archibald established himself early on as a first rate expert in divination and prediction based magic. He was also politically savvy and quickly advanced through the ranks, coming in time to learn about the existence of the Organisation and how it works. By the time he was thirty he had left his own little planet and was heading his own research department. By the time he was forty he was the Head of the Bureau of Divination, Scrying and Occlumency.
Archibald has always been a researcher, a back room man and provider of support services for field agents. He is not, and has never wanted to be, a field agent. It was therefore a great shock to him to receive orders from Head Office to join with a unit in the field and provide actual front line support.
Sure, Archibald is an Arcanist with the Harrowed Society Student archetype. He is primarily a researcher and diviner and therefore has a wide range of excellent Knowledge skills. As an accomplished bureaucrat he is excellent reading people and looking out for opportunities to advance. He doesn't really get field work and, if truth be told, is mildly horrified by the idea of having to go and directly confront monsters rather than just briefing agents on what is happening. However, he is committed to the ideals of the Organisation and if that is what Head Office needs then he is going to give it his all.
Stat Block:
Archibald Horatio Winstanley
Male human arcanist (harrowed society student) 14 (Pathfinder Player Companion: Occult Origins 22, Pathfinder RPG Advanced Class Guide 8)
LN Medium humanoid (human)
Init +4; Senses Perception +34
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Defense
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AC 18, touch 14, flat-footed 14 (+4 Dex, +4 Mage Armour)
hp 114 (14d6+56)
Fort +14, Ref +14, Will +17
Defensive Abilities freedom of movement (constant)
This spell list is what he carries currently as he is being sent "on mission". His regular spell list is very different although he can swop spells in and out with Quick Study.
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Statistics
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Str 7, Dex 18, Con 18, Int 28, Wis 14, Cha 11
Base Atk +7; CMB +5; CMD 19
Traits student of philosophy, minor technological knowledge
Skills Appraise +13, Bluff +23 (+14 to feint (as a result of using Int instead of Cha)), Diplomacy +29 (+20 to gather information (as a result of using Int instead of Cha)), Fly +8, Knowledge (arcana) +26, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +26, Knowledge (engineering) +26, Knowledge (geography) +13, Knowledge (history) +13, Knowledge (local) +26, Knowledge (nature) +26, Knowledge (nobility) +13, Knowledge (planes) +26, Knowledge (religion) +26, Linguistics +21, Perception +34, Sense Motive +29, Spellcraft +26
Magic Items extend metamagic rod, lesser extend metamagic rod (2), belt of physical might +4 (Dex, Con), boots of the cat[UE], cloak of resistance +5, cracked pale green prism ioun stone (saves), eyes of the eagle, handy haversack, headband of vast intelligence +6, ring of freedom of movement, blessed book, arcanist starting spellbook 4.750gp
I haven't bought any mundane gear, scrolls or wands as yet.
One quick question, is the Technologist feat of any application in this game as I was thinking of picking it up.
We once again need a new player. I may put up a new page if I don't get responses but the current page is still a fine summary. I will be more demanding limiting a player's other campaigns to some minimum.
Hmm... Color me interested, the story sounds incredibly interesting, and what I've read is very engaging. I don't know if this is the game for it, so I'll toss out a concepts before attempting to apply in full:
> **Bella, The Musicbox**
Bella was never meant to exist. A warforged not made for war out of the dying breath of a lover in love with a shadow. Something never intended to live, and yet the mark of draconic prophecy is etched into every mark in her being, showing an intention that was never intended.
And an intention that was never resolved, as she fled and was immediately adopted by planehoppers who had no idea how terrifying the existence of a dragonmarked warforged truely was due to how isolated Eberron is from the rest of the multiverse, and was immediately stolen from there into the greater planescape, leaving a woman who was just another oddity in a universe of oddities.
Or, at least in theory a woman. Truth be told, she still has trouble conceptualizing herself as a woman rather than a thing to be used- Her previous situation before discovering her dragonmark was quite unfortunate (Having been sold off after her creators death to provide poison to assasins and be entertainment).
Backstory format stolen from Johnny's character:
History]
Themes/Trops:
Bella was made to create. Bella chose to run. From her heritage, from her past, from her very world, when she faced the idea of being anything more than what she was, she ran. And eventually, she's going to have to stop running from everything. As she joins the group, she'll strafe around it.
CLEAR MOTIVATIONS/GOALS:
- Aid her contacts to any goal they so desire
- Avoid being seen as unique and hide the nature of her dragonmark making her unique
- Figure out what it means to be a person
- Maintain a sense of stability in her life
- Keep those she cares about *safe* and *Happy*
Questions
IF you have your character outlined:
1. What was your world of origin like
Eberron, a world of nations and magictech, where magic did not reach the same limits or reaches, where nationality matters less than race, and nationalism is just as fervent. But a nation where blood still matters, as marked by the dragonmarks.
__A. Technology-level?
Eberron tech,
__B. "Values"? (honorable? Corrupt? Trading oriented?)
Incredibly compassionate and incredibly simple- She has her friends that she will fight for, and enemies that will need to be resolved.
__C. What was the geography of the world?
Space born, lived, and worked in space habitats/cities/ships
__D. What races existed and how did they relate?
Only one of note is the Warforged, which were manufactured creatues designed for ware, save for her.
2. How does your character manage to keep a low profile in a mostly human plane? What would your *cover* occupation be?
Either a magical disguise, a physical disguise,
3B. If you have NOT been in the organization long, how do you find your way to Sigil or where you were recruited?
Two idiots didn't realize they couldn't get to eberron, found their way to eberron, got drunk in Eberron, and she just kind of... Followed them home. To Sigil. And now needs a job, because they kind of kicked her out of the house she made.
Hmm... Color me interested, the story sounds incredibly interesting, and what I've read is very engaging. I don't know if this is the game for it, so I'll toss out a concepts before attempting to apply in full:
> **Bella, The Musicbox**
The concept sounds fabulous and well suited to the campaign.
I've got a few questions on the nature of your setting and houserules to help guide character concepts.
- Are characters from alternate Prime Materials which are industrial or space-opera workable? Are they common?
- Is it Planescape-like in that philosophy is a significant part of organizations, factions and play, and a character who's a bit philosophically out-there would be right at home?
- If I had a character who was physiologically aberrant and strange and obviously the product of mad science/mad wizardry, is there a particular individual or organization in your setting who might be expected to be blamed for it?
- Can you give a capsule summary of the current apocalypse the Organization seeks to avert, as well as a few notable instances of their past successes? Someone grateful to have had their orphanage/kingdom/universe saved is a possibility.
- When you say that monstrous characters are permitted, would you be open to something like the Dreamscarred Press monster classes, the 3.5 LA/RHD rules, extensive use of the Spheres of Origin system's rule that monster PCs can trade combat or casting talents for extra Origin talents, or Olescamo's Improved Monster Classes? I have a certain fondness for true dragons, which don't fit nicely into the 'your race is a sideshow compared to the capabilities from your class levels' paradigm of most Pathfinder races.
- When you say that 3rd party material would be permitted to the extent that it doesn't duplicate other Paizo stuff, would that be extended to stuff Paizo material doesn't do well? Trapper-archetype ranger sort of does 'PC combat trapsmith', but not nearly as well as the Trap sphere. Eldritch Poisoner or Toxicant alchemist sort of does 'PC poisoner', but not nearly as well as the Steel Serpent Path of War discipline or the Alchemy sphere. And even though things like specialist wizards and very few Pathfinder casters can do "I'm not a general-purpose, well-rounded spellcaster, I have a magic superpower with a bunch of abilities tightly fitting around a particular theme" nearly as well as well as a Spheres of Power caster tightly focused on one or two Spheres.
- You describe the game as a 'spy' game a few times. Is being genuinely, groundedly sneaky a job requirement, in the la Carre/Bourne spy tradition albiet with fantasy elements, or are we decidedly in the tradition of the more out-there Bond films, Wild Wild West, etc. with glamor, magic gadgets, death traps and explosions, etc.?
I've got a few questions on the nature of your setting and houserules to help guide character concepts.
...
The Dark Traders are more like ongoing antagonists than a group headed towards a single apocalypse.
Players aren't usually engaged in philosophical debates but there's a lot of inquiry into the nature of the planes and the nature of civilizations in the planes - as well as some dabbling in things like time travel and worlds with strange natural orders, local (single-plane-wide) disasters and etc.
As far as secret agent-ness, Characters do periodically assume cover identities and gather information using those cover identities.
I'm learning to just not answer hypothetical "will you allow this sort of power" questions unless someone describes a character concept they want to play first. I will allow a lot if you present me a compelling concept (and I'll give lots of latitude here if you make it compelling).
And I think the best way to fully answer your questions is to have a look at the game play thread and the existing characters. I may some time produce a synopsis of the last three years of daily play (6+ distinct plot arcs, etc) but it's not immediately on my agenda.
This is a game requires reading on daily or every-other-day basis so if you're interested, probably start now.
Hmm... Color me interested, the story sounds incredibly interesting, and what I've read is very engaging. I don't know if this is the game for it, so I'll toss out a concepts before attempting to apply in full:
> **Bella, The Musicbox**
The concept sounds fabulous and well suited to the campaign.
Wonderful! I've started on the character sheet, so my apologies for taking so long to respond- Character sheet creation is complex for a 14th level character, and I do work full time.
I hope you don't mind, but it will require access to Spheres of Power- Particularly the Creation sphere and Enhancement sphere, as I plan on emulating a siberyus mark using spheres of power, fluffing it as an innate part of her design meshing with her dragonmark to let her gain more from it.
Notably, she is going to be very charisma based, and probably going to be an Incanter. I don't suppose I could request that incanters be bumped to a 4+int class, or to be allowed to take some Skill Spheres to hopefully offset my low skill ranks. The only other stuff might be a war sphere talent to emulate a music box, some warleader sphere talent to emulate vocals, and maybe some perform or artifice talents if Guile is on the table.
Hmm... Color me interested, the story sounds incredibly interesting, and what I've read is very engaging. I don't know if this is the game for it, so I'll toss out a concepts before attempting to apply in full:
> **Bella, The Musicbox**
The concept sounds fabulous and well suited to the campaign.
Wonderful! I've started on the character sheet, so my apologies for taking so long to respond- Character sheet creation is complex for a 14th level character, and I do work full time.
I hope you don't mind, but it will require access to Spheres of Power- Particularly the Creation sphere and Enhancement sphere, as I plan on emulating a siberyus mark using spheres of power, fluffing it as an innate part of her design meshing with her dragonmark to let her gain more from it.
Notably, she is going to be very charisma based, and probably going to be an Incanter. I don't suppose I could request that incanters be bumped to a 4+int class, or to be allowed to take some Skill Spheres to hopefully offset my low skill ranks. The only other stuff might be a war sphere talent to emulate a music box, some warleader sphere talent to emulate vocals, and maybe some perform or artifice talents if Guile is on the table.
I think Terex is using Spheres of Power and I'm looking into them for my IRL campaign so they're OK but give a couple days myself to read up on them to understand what you're talking about.
Ill look into making the tragic Lady who is inflicted with Lycanthrope turning into a Werebat. I will have to build her up from 2nd level but I will do that.
Hmm... Color me interested, the story sounds incredibly interesting, and what I've read is very engaging. I don't know if this is the game for it, so I'll toss out a concepts before attempting to apply in full:
> **Bella, The Musicbox**
The concept sounds fabulous and well suited to the campaign.
Wonderful! I've started on the character sheet, so my apologies for taking so long to respond- Character sheet creation is complex for a 14th level character, and I do work full time.
I hope you don't mind, but it will require access to Spheres of Power- Particularly the Creation sphere and Enhancement sphere, as I plan on emulating a siberyus mark using spheres of power, fluffing it as an innate part of her design meshing with her dragonmark to let her gain more from it.
Notably, she is going to be very charisma based, and probably going to be an Incanter. I don't suppose I could request that incanters be bumped to a 4+int class, or to be allowed to take some Skill Spheres to hopefully offset my low skill ranks. The only other stuff might be a war sphere talent to emulate a music box, some warleader sphere talent to emulate vocals, and maybe some perform or artifice talents if Guile is on the table.
I think Terex is using Spheres of Power and I'm looking into them for my IRL campaign so they're OK but give a couple days myself to read up on them to understand what you're talking about.
Just to save you some time, TL;DR-
Creation- Make things, very free-form. Think if a wizard was focused only on true creation, minor creation, fabricate and true creation. A powerful sphere as a resault.
Enhancement- Mimics magic items that give +X Stats to things, also has Animate object and "Awaken," including something that mimics living spells.
War- Relatively simple but large area of effect spells that give small bonuses to any number of people
Warleader- same as War, but not magic
Artifice- improve your ability to create things and give material effects to the items you make
Perform- gives some non-combat performances directly and material effects in combat.
So my initial Idea is Lady Vosk was born under an aspicious sign. A sickly child raised by mid ranking nobles who thought there child lost. The strife between the pair was heated as Emilia wasnt the first born, but the forst to come out alive.
The pair tried a variety of divine and alchemical options in their kingdom. Sadly she did not get better. Eventually a witch came at behest of the Families butler and the young toddler was gicen several strange tonics and tinctures, combined with rituals and runic sigils. Emilia was cured. Though her mother was once more pregnant.
This year long treatment altered her to the core. Her eyes turned a golden amber.This was the latent Bat Blood which the wotch used to stabloze Emilia. At age 8 her parents, servents and sibilings had acted eerie about her, this lead to the parents contacting the witch and taking Emilia to aid her
Emilia learned the truth that her totem the Bat was trying to eat her soul and thus the Witch used her magics and rituals to bond the spirit inher flesh. Now it was up to Emilia to choose what to do with such a spirit. The 8 year old young Lady began right then and there to train.
From age 8 to 12 she trained. Emilia learning wood craft and tapping into the beast within. Her master the Witch drilled her on the various techniques and skills of the Shifter. Soon she could control it to some extent.
At 12 Emilias parents sent thier steward out to collect Emilia she was to debut to the rest of high society. Emilia agreed to leave when she knew she wasnt done teaining, for her duties as the Vosk lead daugther would need to learn to also be a lady.
It was a tumultous time lesrning the ways of the court, the intrigue and politics. All the while she kept the beast at bay, using it to intimidate some and intrigue others. Eventually at 15 she was granted leave once more ans threw herself into the studies of the occult.
Sadly her ventures into magic where for not as its complexities and enegies escaped her reach. Even seeking power in the Divine was lacking. So she instead became an Adventurer. Seeking the life of exploration and allowing her ro research and expand her thrist for knowledge
Combined with the unlockinf of the beast within Lady Emilia Vosk tasked herself to fight and research the most darkest of places. It was these abilities that lead her to be recruited by the Organization. A proper lady with a bit of Beast inside. Through Intimidation and Guile she has accomplished much.
I think Terex is using Spheres of Power and I'm looking into them for my IRL campaign so they're OK but give a couple days myself to read up on them to understand what you're talking about.
Terexaltherin is indeed using Spheres of Power to represent expanding his psionic powers beyond his native telepathy. :)
Sorry for the delay! It's been a rough week, and Bella is... Not done yet, because a 14th level character is hard, and it's also just as hard to transpose it to the standard bestiary character stat format. But for the most part, mechanically she is pretty much done, save for magic item shopping (A nightmare at the best of time!) on the mythweavers sheet (https://og.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2862578) if not on her profile
I have done some stuff: Warforged was used a base, but I made a custom ACF to swap out her natural armor for constant detect magic (Redundant with her trait but an interesting and thematic option for a support-focused warforge gift) and Sociable (Which allows her a second diplomacy attempt if she fails >5) from the race builder for the same price (3 rp and 1 rp respectively)
Alright, she's pretty much done mechanically, just need to write some more synopsis and character backstory stuff for her and actually format the damn thing.
in the meantime, battle sampler! This shows her flashiest action (AKA, summon big rock on head on fire and poisoned), and while I usually wouldn't do a party-debuffing effect like this (Or break with the plan there), I feel like this serves as a better introduction to Bellas personality.
Battle Sample wrote:
Struck sorely by Terex, the Hermit transforms ... into a 20' tall amphibian corpse-figure and confronts Arlo - slamming him with a mighty slap that sends him 20' in the air to land in a heap and doing 15 points of damage while attempting to suck out his life force Fort save 20 or 3 pts constitution damage it then mutters curses in Aklo (but loudly) and stalks to Terex's general location, peering about to find the tiny dragon.
The "hermit" has huge rents in its body from Terex but you realize its sound may be loud enough to reach the town and the "stable hand"... about a quarter mile away...
Bella was not practiced in combat. Combat, in fact, was something that was mostly alien to her. Combat, in fact, was a horribly unfamiliar experience to her, so much so that she began to feel the panic boil in her. thaumaturge surge:1d100 ⇒ 57
So she did what she always did. She desperately tried to weave something together on the backfoot, her brain flickering back to the small room she used to live in, Creation sphere Create a gargantuant object quietly weaving that memory into something solid and steel, not quite noticing her screams as the person transformed. Craft:1d20 + 19 ⇒ (17) + 19 = 36 Her mind remembered making poisons, flickering to her hands coated in thornapple divided creation for an Alchemical Creation 300 gp between memories of smoke as it burnt in the air Enhance with energetic enhancement for +1d6 + 7 fire damage, screaming as she felt herself fall from it, linking that cry to her own in the present as she felt the item congeal... And fall
Building fall attack roll vs touch:1d20 + 19 ⇒ (16) + 19 = 35All creatures hit by it must make a DC 28 fort save or be blinded
If she was smarter, she would have been more careful. She would have realized, there might have been collateral damage from this. She, in this moment, was not smart, as she dropped a building on him. Them, actually, as she hits both Arlo and herself.
Damage from stone object falling over 150 feet:16d6 + 1d6 + 7 ⇒ (4, 2, 2, 4, 2, 6, 3, 4, 5, 5, 1, 4, 2, 5, 3, 3) + (6) + 7 = 68Everyone in a 10 foot radius from the target takes half damage Fort save:1d20 + 13 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 13 + 2 = 23
She opened her eyes, looking at the building in shock- Largely because she is, in fact, blind. Her mind flashes back to the small rooom the boulder is designed to resemble, a cutout in design to the place she was stored until needed. Terathin can see, in the middle on a tiny plinth, is a stone statue of Bella, and another of a different woman pressing Bella's forehead as she kneeled. An effect quite marred when the beast rises up from the debris, shattering the statue of Bella as it rises.
OK, I am bumping this. We could use another player. Role is pretty currently. Long running, "deep" campaign. Hope for someone who can make time for such a thing.
I am not familiar with Blades in the Dark. However I built an occultist based on a Shadowrun Adept (if that is what they were called). Shadowrun setting seems to have a lot of similarities to the Blades.
She is fun to play, and with some modifications (& level up) might make a good fit.
I have lots of short story experience. I hope I can find a good sample of a 'descriptive' PbP-post from her, but there are plenty in the GM & other characters if you look at my profile.
That is, if you have room for another.
I'm mostly asking for a narrative/flavorful description of the potential character to give me an idea of your approach. The Blades In The Dark reference is most around "you can add backstory with you narrative whenever appropriate, within reason".
The game has been going a while and you can look at the game play thread to see how we operate.
The character I'm developing is sort of a nature bard with the preliminary name of Chella Heartfire. She's a tiefling skald, and grew up under the domineering thumb of her archdevil father who first introduced her to the interdimensional panoply. For a long time her role was punishing sinners at her master's direction, taking her to a variety of different planes, and she hated it. His favorite punishment was transforming her into a wild bull and having her trample them to death. They lived in a dark demiplane somewhere deep in the outer realms, but he often traveled to Sigil to research his targets, and he always brought Chella with him (in chains).
She has an aasimar half-sister (Peri) who tracked her down and helped her finally defeat her father, but she was forced to sacrifice her own life in the process. She now exists as a formless spirit, bonded to Chella and helping her from beyond the veil. For several years now they have lived on Sigil, taking odd jobs and struggling to get by. Chella has specialized in physical skills like Survival and social skills like Diplomacy, Intimidate, and Sense Motive. She is also immensely strong and tough, and wields a powerful greatclub for when talks break down. Peri is a literal ghost in the machine with a high understanding of technological magic and creature lore.
Hi GM! Considering monstrous races are allowed, would you consider templates?
My idea would be for a middle-aged human werebear (polar bear) aiming for the Champion of Irori prestige class, which needs both levels in monk and paladin.
Bear (sorry!) in mind that while the lycanthopic template could be very powerful, giving me a lot of Str/Con, I'm balancing it my picking a combination of classes that are absolutely MAD. To be good in melee I need both Str and Con. With no armor, I need Dex and Wis. As a servant of Irori, I can't dump Int in good faith (sorry!) and finally, since the paladin's abilities are tied to Cha, I also need it. All in all, every single attribute is essential.
He should be pretty tough and effective in melee, both as a damage dealer and as a damage sponge. In terms of skills, should be great in knowledge and also contribute to social encounters.
With a powerful template, I'd also devote most of my feats in more fluff choices to make me more versatile instead of pumping extra power into it.
If allowed, I'd soon develop some scenes so you can see how my character would RP and decide if it fits your game.
I must say, however, that I'm not versed in the Planescape lore. Would this disqualify me?
With have 1 front line fighter, and three magic/psion spell/power slingers.
I know Terex here can casts spells and use psionic powers, but he's really more of a rogue than anything else... :D
That said, he's *definitely* not suited to front-line combat. But the truth is this campaign hasn't really been about combat. Sure it happens, but we tend to spend much more time on figuring out how to deal with strange magical phenomena or trying to figure out what our enemies' goals are or other things like that.
I'll also add that we're not really using Planescape lore as-written, so not knowing it is not a problem.
I looked over the existing characters, keeping in mind the original instructions that everyone on the team should have a specific area of expertise that might be useful to a gang of interdimensional private investigators based in Sigil. It seems to me you've got everything covered extremely well, and the only areas I could find that aren't as highly-ranked as the others are wilderness skills like Swim and Survival. So that's where I started.
Mechanically, Chella as I've developed her would be a force multiplier for Arlo in combat, inspiring rage to boost his Strength and also granting him damage reduction. She has the celestial totem line of rage powers, which are kind of a neat suite of useful abilities: healing, revealing hidden enemies, and spell resistance. And she's generally focused on absorbing and mitigating damage herself, which should take some of the heat off the others.
Outside of combat, she is focused on Strength and Charisma, and has good scores in Diplomacy, Intimidate, Sense Motive, and Bluff so that she can support Azzim in social situations. She has no Intelligence-based skills, or any sort of subterfuge except through her cohort's aid, because that seems to be Gift's and Terexaltherin's wheelhouses. Skald/bard spells are generally good at helping others' skills though, and I'm hoping Peri could also assist them somewhat without overshadowing them.
All the character concepts so far seem workable. What I would like to see is something like a sample post for a given character. How would the character relate to the broad task/quest of working with The Organization to stop the Dark Traders? I say more in the very first post on this thread.
Also, questions on the plot, setting and style are welcome (though you can see more or less what it is in the game thread).
(As Terex says, while "rounding out" the party could be nice, it's not main thing. Unless a character really duplicate another party member's functions, just about any class/etc else could be OK (the longer-term character we lost a while back was a sorcerer for example). We have the occasional tough combat but we also go along with mostly narration for longish periods. )
Chella frowns, her beady eyes staring intently past her long muzzle as she attempts to puzzle out the words on the page in front of her. "What am I looking at, Peri?" she grumbles, addressing her steel-banded greatclub and the faint image of a woman in the metal's reflection. "It just seems like a lot of numbers and letters. Is this another one of your 'cross-sword puzzles'? You know I'm no good at any of that." She tries to keep the frustration out of her voice, since she knows her half-sister means well, but she hated these kind of mind games.
Peri's image in the metal winks. "IT'S DELVONIAN SCRIPT," her ghostly voice proclaims, drawing out the words like she is giving a clue, the sound echoing slightly in the small corner of the eatery where Chella waits for her meal. "GO ON, TRY AND DECODE IT-- THERE'S A POTENTIAL JOB OFFER BEHIND IT IF YOU CAN MANAGE IT!" She laughs, a bright and giddy sound that is both right next to Chella and also very far away at the same time.
Chella sighs and begins examining the magical nature of the text, adjusting the letters in her mind and cross-referencing them with her own sorcerous understanding based on musical theory. Despite herself, she does become interested as she works, so much so that she doesn't notice when the server brings her a bowl of watery soup and bread, leaving it on the table. "Oh, it's a poem!" she says suddenly. "The text can be adjusted into four lines, and the first and third both resonate in the same way, as do the second and fourth. That's neat." She looks over at the greatclub with narrowed eyes. "Is that close enough, or do I have to do more to learn about the job details?"
Peri laughs again. "WELL DONE! ACTUALLY, I DO NOT KNOW MUCH ABOUT THE DETAILS, ONLY THAT A GROUP OF HUMANS AND GNOMES FROM ORGUANION ARE LOOKING TO HIRE OFFWORLDERS TO HELP THEM WITH A TASK. ORGUANION IS AN OLD-WORLD SOCIETY BASED ON GUILDS WHO ARE NORMALLY VERY HOSTILE TO OUTSIDERS. HOWEVER, THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE BOOKBINDER'S GUILD DO OCCASIONALLY HIRE EXPERTS FROM AS FAR AWAY AS SIGIL FOR EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES THAT REQUIRE SPECIAL HANDLING." She smiles, a glorious image inexplicably bathed in light. "A GROUP OF THEM ARE SHOWING AROUND THAT PAGE IN THE GUILDHALL WARD, DESCRIBING IT AS A SORT OF TEST TO SEE IF THEY WANT TO HIRE PEOPLE. MOST OF THE MERCENARIES THEY HAVE MET WITH SO FAR DON'T LOOK AS BRAWNY AS YOU, SO YOU WOULD BE A DISTINCTIVE CANDIDATE. YOU SHOULD GO OVER THERE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, CHELLA DEAR."
Chella sighs again. She starts to protest that she hasn't even gotten her dinner yet, when she notices it sitting on the table. She pauses. Peri's advice was usually sound, though sometimes a bit delayed because of her unorthodox methods of obtaining information. And despite her initial misgivings, she was a little intrigued. "Veewell," she says after a moment's thought, "But let me finish the food first." Her purse was lean enough that she couldn't afford to waste a meal, and she had been scaling back to only two a day since work had dried up. Really shouldn't have upset the Harmonium, she thinks to herself for the umpteenth time, scowling at the memory. She slurps the bowl down in three gulps and grabs the roll to eat on the way, taking her club and leaving coins on the table. "I hope this isn't a waste of time," she mutters, eternally optimistic despite her gruff exterior.
I'll have to bow out of the recruitment. I've read through a bit of the gameplay and while I did love it, I believe I don't have enough energy to match the effort of the other players. Perhaps in the future!
When Peri and Chella follow up the lead, they meet not Orguanions but a tall human woman calling herself Livonia of The Organization. She outlines the principles of the group and asks if Chella would be interested in a more ambitious job that would only begin with translation... Appropriate training is quickly provided...
Congratulations, consider yourself hired and going with the party... Introduce yourself on either the discussion or the game play thread as is appropriate...
