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World History
This is what everyone knows about the world:
The High Kingdom of the Elves dominates the massively sprawling, primal forest to the west.
The Orcish Dominions dominate the sweeping, mountain fastness to the east, rich in both ore and beasts.
The Dwarven Kingdoms dominate the depths, tunnelling ever deeper into the world in search of wealth and knowledge.
These are the great nations of the world, the kings of the realm...!
You, however, live in the Middle Nations. The nicest thing anyone can say about the Middle Nations is that they are fertile. A landscape of rolling hills and verdant plains, the Middle Nations are pretty much the breadbox of the continent. Dominated by the mighty Wazoo, the great river that runs from the ice caps in the north to the ocean in the south, the Middle Nations are home to cities, towns, villages ... and lots and lots of farms.
Oh, the Middle Nations aren't exactly as bucolic as they might sound. There's plenty of culture ... most of it built on the bones of failed empires.
In ages gone by, the Dread Empire covered most of the Middle Nations in darkness and tyranny, sponsored by fiends and dark gods ... until there was a huge slave rebellion. Now the 'Empire' is best known for being a rigidly traditional area that grows some of the best grapes and brews some of the finest wines on the continent. (Though the Elves disagree.)
After the Dread Empire, there was the Star Empire, as creatures from beyond the sky arrived in gleaming ships of metal and conquered the Middle Nations in the Night of Screaming Fire! Yes, the aliens ran roughshod over the Middle Nations, forcing the natives to labour towards their ends and laying siege on the Dwarves... until an Elf/Orc coalition ploughed into their flanks and crushed their hold.
Next, there was the human empire, better known as the Nameless Empire! Using the knowledge of their predecessors and having learned from their mistakes, the humans raised their productivity to new heights and improved the defenses of the Middle Nations bit by bit so as not to agitate their mighty neighbours. They advanced their knowledge of magic and science, they bred an army of servant-creatures to stand guard at the borders of their nation, and slowly they built up the Middle Nations to a force to be reckoned with... and their servant-creatures promptly turned on them, egged on and supported by the Elves and Orcs. Nowadays, humans are practically an endangered species, and...
Well. Here we are.
So What About You?
You were born in the Middle Nations. At the very least, you can say you haven't starved or been killed in a mugging.
However, that is the very least you can say, because you are in one of the worst professions in the world. You, sir or madam, are a member of the Adventurers' Guild!
Supposedly, the Adventurers' Guild is an international organization with branches in all four realms. There are even supposed to be branch offices across the sea, on the other continents, but who knows whether that's true? Who even knows whether there's actually anyone alive out there? You've never left the continent. Heck, you may never have left La Grande, the biggest and oldest city in the Middle Nations.
La Grande! Once capital city of the Dread Empire! Once the main port of call of the Star Empire! Once the main city of the Nameless Empire!
Now the main nexus of trade routes, the seat of whichever king has managed to rise to the top of the squabbling pile of nobles this year, main office of the ever-shifting 'government' (Ha!), rumoured to be the location of the main hall of the Thieves' Guild, setting of the Grand Colliseum...
Well. La Grande is La Grande. The biggest city in the Middle Nations, the place where you can get anything and everything you can pay for. Supposedly, it's the finest city in the region, full of opportunities.
Buuuut not so much for you.
You wound up working for the Adventurers' Guild.
If you listen to the Bards talk, being an Adventurer is an occupation full of glory and loot.
And sure, people always need adventurers. After all, when monsters come rampaging out of the east, where else are you going to find cheap fodder to hold them off until the militia or the army is ready to move in? If high-level magical experiments are conducted at the Crown Academy or St. Finnegan's University, why waste a perfectly good student when an adventurer can be made to conduct the test for pocket change? Who else are old folks going to slip a few coppers to kill the rats in their basement?
Yessir, adventurers are very useful. If you've got a problem and you can't afford to pay an expert, just come on down to the Guild and you can put up a poster on the quest board. Someone's bound to be down at heel enough to take it.
Lost dogs or chickens? No problem. Roaches in the attic? No problem. Ghosts rattling their chains in the back yard? No problem. Need someone to read out that scroll you found in the basement and shed blood on the ugly idol that came with it? No problem.
And this is your job.
Maybe you just needed to save up some pocket money. Maybe you were just doing this to help pay for your education. Heck, maybe you figured it was a step up from panhandling and getting beat up in a back alley for coppers.
Whatever the reason, this is your job. Things could be worse! La Grande is a hopping, bustling city, full of opportunity. If you just keep your head down and work hard, you'll have enough money to bribe your way into better employment, save up for your education or pay off your bookie in no time! ... Except you've managed to mess it up but good.
Whatever you did (You know what you did!) the Guildmaster of the La Grande main branch of the Adventurers' Guild called you into his office a week ago.
"Congratulations," he said. "There's an important job on the roster," he said.
He didn't say he knows what you did. He didn't have to. He didn't even say you either do the 'important job' or you're out on your ear. You can read between the lines. (The red-faced, scowling, vein popping on his temple, cigar-chomping, hands clenching and unclenching as they yearn for your throat lines... Oof!)
About a week's sailing downriver from La Grande, there's a flyspeck village called Rameii. In Rameii, there's a branch office of the Adventurers' Guild. A branch office that had, for one reason or another, fallen silent about half a year ago and isn't handling quests.
Nobody would give a damn (Rameii is that insignificant) if the letter hadn't come in. A letter of complaint from Rameii's landlord, an extremely minor noble - but still a noble. The chance that he could make big waves is negligible, but even little waves cut into the Guild's profit margin.
And so the Council of Guild Chiefs has decided to send out personnel to re-open the Rameii branch office, re-open the quest board and start doing quests.
Out in the sticks.
For farmers who pay in barter instead of gold.
And an extremely minor noble who sends in complaint letters like a little old lady whinging about the garbage man banging her bins together.
Still. You know what you did. Being ordered to head down the Wazoo and re-open the branch office has to be better than being sewn into a sack and thrown into the Wazoo ... right?
Right?!
Character Creation
The game system is Pathfinder 1E.
Your sourcebooks are:
Core rulebook
Advanced class guide
Advanced player guide
Occult adventures
Technology guide (LIMITED! You must have the "Timelorn"-trait to gain access to the skills, feats and equipment of the Technology Guide)
Ultime combat
Ultimate intrigue
Ultimate magic
Your ability scores are determined by:
20-pt. buy
Your HP:
You get maximum HP at level 1.
At all following levels, take half maximum +1.
Apply Con.-modifier at all levels.
Skills:
In addition to your standard class-related skills, you get two ranks for background skills at every level. (No, no other unchained rules, don't bother.)
Traits:
You get two and take a drawback to pay for a third.
Please try to choose a drawback that explains why you were chosen to get sent to Rameii and re-open the branch office.
Races:
This game features a set of homebrewed races for you to choose from, as well as some more familiar ones. These also come with some new traits for your consideration. Please read the posts below for more information...
The Classic Races
In the Middle Nations, you might still run into Dwarves, Elves and Humans ... with a twist.
Presented are three racial archetypes for your consideration, which are - while not common - known to the Middle Nations. If you prefer to play a more standard version of these species, please confer with the GM.
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Dwarves have their kingdoms underground, and they are at this time the uncontested masters of those lightless realms. The only reason a Dwarf could see to go up to the surface is to trade for things the underworld does not provide, and so they are rarely seen.
Still, they do need a regular supple of certain items. You know, things like lumber from the Elf forests. Things like beast meat from the Orc mountains. Things like cereals and slaves grown in the Middle Nations. Wait, what? Yes, really.
Clan Copperbeard has the monopoly on trade with the surface world. Theirs is a clan held in low regard by the other Dwarven clans, but they make considerable amounts of money and have contacts in the Elf, Orc and middle realms, especially with the Slavers' Guild. Some rare Dwarves of Clan Copperbeard strike out on their own, peddling what is considered to be low-grade merchandise by the Clans to villages.
A Copperbeard Dwarf loses the Hatred racial trait, and instead gains Emissary; once per day, a Copperbeard Dwarf can roll twice when making a Bluff or Diplomacy roll and take the better roll.
Racial trait (Dwarf): Above local law
A Dwarf doing business in the surface lands is not likely to have a high opinion of local customs regarding honour. Or crime. Or anything at all, really. His business is his own, and no local law should dare to meddle in his affairs! A Dwarf with this trait gains a +1 trait bonus to Bluff when communicating secret messages, and Bluff is always a class skill for them.
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Elves typically live in grandeur in their Kingdom in the West, swaddled in the verdant fastness of their forest home. There, in their hidden, shining cities, they take endless delight in their refined culture and tradition and history and doesn't just the thought make you want to scream?
It certainly makes Night Elves want to scream. Primal, in touch with the wilderness and the shared heritage between Elf and Orc (don't ask), Night Elves are looked down upon by their Elven kindred as feral animals, hungry for meat and bloodshed, hardly better than Wildmen or any of the other 'lesser' species. Night Elves are frequently driven out of the West and into the Middle Nations, and they rarely bother to try going back.
A Night Elf loses the Elven magic racial trait; feral and impatient, they rarely have an interest in the long hours of study that initiate their cousins in ancestral secrets of magic.
In return, Night Elves gain a Bite attack, and two types of Terrain stride; a Night Elf deals 1d6+Str. modifier damage with their bite, and can move through two types of natural difficult terrain (chosen from the Ranger favoured terrain class list at character creation) at their normal speed. Magically altered difficult terrain affects them normally.
Racial trait (Elf): Living history
Although they are fierce, violent and more concerned with enjoying the pulse of life in their veins than with percolating in the broth of ancient history, Night Elves are hardly ignorant of the past. A Night Elf who wishes to commemorate the past, tattoos it on his or her body for all other Night Elves to see - and occasionally on the skin of a captured Elf of another tribe, as a show of dominance and cruel humour.
An Elf with this trait gains a +1 trait bonus to Knowledge (history) checks, and this is always a class skill for them.
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Humans have suffered the price of ambition - or so say the Elves and the Orcs upon their proud thrones. For daring to try and found a fourth power block in the world, rather than keeping their heads down and kowtowing to the Dwarves, Elves and Orcs, their servant-creatures were turned on them and they were driven to the edge of extinction. Even today, humans are presented as a byword for arrogance, hated by their creations, looked down upon by their 'betters'. The most stable population of pure-blooded humans today would be in the royal zoos of some of the larger cities - and some of the nastier brothels and science labs.
The most stable population of humans - or rather, descendants of humans - outside captivity would have to be the Wildmen and Wildwomen. Humans have always prided themselves on their adaptability. Sadly, the Wildmen had to adapt to a world where they were hunted like animals and all their achievements and culture were systematically destroyed, and those fortunate enough to evade capture were driven into the wilderness. Today, the Wildmen live on a razor edge between caveman and great ape - except for the ones who manage to hide what they are and make a nervous living among the other species.
A Wildman's character creation looks as follows:
Wildman
Type: Humanoid (human)
Size: Medium
Base speed: 30 ft.
Abilities: +2 Wisdom, -4 Int., -2 Cha
Language traits: Xenophobic. A Wildman starts gameplay speaking only the Howl; the language of beasts and Baecken. Bonus languages include Babbel, Mercantillia, Mythou and Sylvan.
Defense traits: A Wildman has the Ancient foe (fey) and Ancient foe (monstrous humanoid) traits; in the wild lands they most often reside in, they often fall prey to such.
Feat and skill traits: Prey animal; Perception and Stealth are always class skills for a Wildman.
Movement traits: Cowardly vermin; Wildmen gain a +10 racial bonus to speed when using the charge, run or withdraw action. Naked ape; a Wildman has a Climb speed of 20 ft. and gains a racial +8 bonus to Climb checks. Water rat; a Wildman has a 20-ft. Swim speed and gains a racial +8 racial bonus to Swim checks.
Racial trait (Human): Hide in plain sight
It is not impossible for humans and Wildmen to pass for something they are not. Some of them desperately struggle to do just that, spending a lifetime on disguising themselves, passing down the tricks that work to their offspring if they are lucky enough to generate any. A human or Wildman with this trait gains a racial +1 bonus to Disguise, and Disguise is always a class skill for them.
Campaign traits
With the exception of Timelorn, the following traits are exclusively available to the homebrewed races to follow below. If you want an exception, you'll need a heck of a good backstory to convince your tyrannical GM. ;)
Belief in unity: The Unification Church, the religious institute that once claimed all fiends, spirits and deities are but reflections of the Two, who are themselves but a reflection of the One, has been declared heretical and razed to the ground! But ideas survive long after buildings have been destroyed, and your own family keeps the faith quietly alive. You believe you see the spiritual world more clearly than the priests shouting condemnations and rhetoric from the pulpit, and certainly you do seem to have found a loophole in their rules...
This trait allows you to be a single step further from your patron deity's alignment than is the norm, without suffering any negative effects or losing access to spells and powers granted to divine classes. If you ever violate the core rules of your faith, however, you suffer the same as any other Cleric, Paladin or Antipaladin.
Hidden blood: Nobles are known for dallying with 'the help'. They are also known for tearing each other to shreds in games of politics. Whatever you are today, your ancestors may have once enjoyed exalted positions of wealth and influence ... and they did not allow their offspring to forget. Secret family lore and signets have been passed down to you, and who knows what the future might hold?
You start gameplay in possession of a signet ring (no additional cost). In addition, you receive a +1 trait bonus to Knowledge (nobility), and this is always a class skill for you.
Magical traditions: You are a member of one of the Select Families, a very exclusive group of bloodlines whose children are welcomed at the Hidden Academy. What is the Hidden Academy, you ask? Why, only the most legendary school of magic (arcane, divine and occult) to have ever been shrouded in mystery in the whole world! It is said that the Hidden Academy looks only at magical potential, not at species. You don't know whether that's true - you haven't been invited to attend classes there yet - but your family has passed you some of the secret tricks of the trade.
You gain a +1 trait bonus to Knowledge (arcana) and Knowledge (religion), and one of these is always a class skill for you.
St. Finnegan's Brat: St. Finnegan's University is the youngest educational institution in the capitol city of La Grande. Much-mocked by more venerable institutes, ignored by the nobility and even denounced from several pulpits, St.FU perseveres thanks to extensive contacts with the business world. St.FU welcomes members of all species (who can pay tuition and follow University rules) and tends to turn out splendid scholars with an uncommonly cosmopolitan worldview.
This trait grants you a +1 bonus to Diplomacy and one Knowledge skill of your choosing. One of these is always a class skill for you.
Timelorn: Although few people know this, the world has not just been invaded by beings from beyond the stars. It has also been invaded by beings from its own future - and either you or one (or both) of your ancestors was such an invader!
Regardless whether you (or your family) came to research the past, prevent a dire calamity, found a tyranny, ensure the coming of utopia, or just to make big money by betting on the ponies, you came back... and discovered that A) you had not arrived at your chosen time-coordinates and B) someone had sabotaged your time machine.
You are essentially stuck somewhere in the past - but you do have access to a secret community and black market of similarly stranded time-travellers. You can recognize the secret signs identifying members of your community and, if you have the money, get your hands on futuristic equipment made by your fellow Timelorn. Additionally, you can choose feats and take ranks in skills documented in the Technology guide.
New races
Aead of you, a pulsing mass of greenish slime lies sunken into the rocky floor. As you watch, the mass heaves and starts overflowing! The questing tendril of slime rises, molding itself into a rough mockery of the humanoid form. Spreading its arms, it utters what sounds like a string of gibberish...
Uzzul (10 RP)
Type: Aberration
Size: Medium
Base speed: 20 ft. (This base speed can not be altered due to armor or encumbrance.)
Ability scores: +2 Dex., +2 Con., -2 Cha.
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft.
Languages: Uzzul begin play speaking Aklo and Mercantillia.
Bonus languages thanks to high Int. scores include: Aquan, Babbel, the Howl, Darktongue, Dwarven, Terran and Undercommon.
Gooey anatomy: Uzzul gain a +2 racial bonus to saves vs. attempts to stun or grapple them
Healthy: Uzzul gain a +4 racial bonus to saves vs. disease and poison, including magical disease
Camouflage: Choose a Ranger favoured terrain type. Uzzul gain a +4 racial bonus on Stealth checks while within that terrain type.
Skill training: Escape artist and Stealth are always class skills for Uzzul.
Squirt gun: Once a day, an Uzzul can project a 20-foot line of acid from its innards. This line deals 1d6 points of damage to all creatures in the affected area. A Reflex save DC 10 + half the Uzzul's CL + the Uzzul's Con. modifier negates all damage.
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Although many now believe the Uzzul came from beyond the stars, they were actually driven out of the underworld by the expanding Dwarves.
In their natural form, they are, to be blunt ... slimes. Large slimes, to be sure, but still: globs of mobile plasma with a core. They are capable of molding their plasma to at least appear humanoid, but they always return to the basic 'glob of ooze' when they fall asleep or suffer physical or emotional strain.
Unlike other slimes, Uzzul are at least moderately intelligent, capable of communicating with other species and adapting to their oddities. Like needing to work for money, which is then exchanged for goods and services. Although Uzzul typically consider this a needlessly complicated way to go about things, perseverence is their greatest virtue.
Uzzul do not especially enjoy dealing with other species - the hateful Dwarves destroyed their ancestral lands, the surface is either too hot, too cold or somehow both at the same time, and they keep getting insulted for qualities they consider to be natural and beautiful - but they do enjoy the comforts of home and food. Now if only these things didn't require money, they would be able to keep well away from the noisy 'hard-forms' that infest the world around them.
If somehow left to their own devices, Uzzul tend to lump together into great pools of ooze and take their decisions communally. They are not overly aggressive, content to consume any kind of bio-matter that becomes available (they have no sense of taste and no great interest in presentation), and some Uzzul 'pools' now lead very content lives in the sewers of La Grande, for example.
New races
The suspicious stranger tries to dodge your grasp, but you seize their hood and give it a sharp yank! As the cloth drops, you gaze upon the beautiful, but both embarrassed and fearful face of a young woman. Small horns curve forward along her forehead and her ears are furry and pointed. Before you can shout out loud what you've discovered, her tail whips around and smacks you - hard! - in the face...
Herder (10 RP)
Type: Monstrous humanoid
Size: Medium
Base speed: 30 ft.
Ability scores: +2 Str., +2 Wis., -2 Dex.
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft.
Languages: Herders begin play speaking Mythou and Mercantillia.
Bonus languages due to Int. bonus include: Aetheryll, Ancient Mercantillia, Ancient Mythou, Arcolt, Babbel, Darktongue and Signs.
Cowhide: Herders gain a +1 natural armor bonus.
Nourishing milk: Once a day, female Herders can produce a liquid that has all the effects of a potion of Cure moderate wounds, with their character level counting as caster level. This liquid can not be preserved for more than one day before it spoils and loses its power. It can be kept in a normal container during this time. This is a spell-like ability.
Raging bull: Once a day, male Herders can call up the power of their spirit animal and boost their own strength as per Bull's strength, with their character level counting as caster level. This is a spell-like ability.
Slapping tail: Herders have a tail they can use to make attacks of opportunity with a range of 5 feet. The tail delivers a natural attack, dealing 1d8 + Str. modifier of damage.
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Legend has it that once, during the Nameless Empire, there were great gladitorial games which included grudge matches between various branch offices of the Adventurers' Guild. One unlucky woman adventurer was soundly humiliated in each event she entered, costing her branch victory - and her own freedom and humanity.
Regardless whether Amarra Amarramee, the Herders' racial goddess, truly was the first woman to be transformed into a Herder to symbolize her being sub-human and sold into slavery, the punishment has been inflicted numerous times on people who are considered to be beneath contempt. The transformation overwrites a humanoid's birth traits, leaving them as a creature half-cow, half-human. The Herders have proven to be true-breeding, giving rise to a species held in almost as much contempt as humans and Wildmen.
Over time, Herder slaves have managed to scrape up just enough money to buy the freedom of this or that youngster, but even today Herders are considered to be natural slaves. Any free Herder is well-advised to keep their papers about them at all times, lest they be 'mistaken' for property and handed over to the nearest branch office of the Slavers' Guild for a quick pay-off.
Understandably, Herders are not overly fond of the other species. They tend to wear wide, concealing clothes, hoods and/or hats, to hide their animal traits. Zlapav are a marked exception to the rule; these diminutive creatures tend to be friendly to everyone, and even those Zlapav who buy and employ slaves are known to be more lenient about freeing their charges than some of the other species.
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New traits
Fence Jumper (Herder): Not all Herders are content to spend a lifetime in heavy labour, hoping to earn enough to buy their child's freedom. Some of them want freedom NOW - and you are one of them. Moreover, you are one of them who has TAKEN freedom by escaping captivity. Somewhere out there, your old master is likely fuming about the fact that you escaped, and you may have a price on your head. But you got out, and if the gods smile on you, you'll STAY free.
You gain a +1 trait bonus on Disable device and Escape artist, and one of these is always a class skill for you.
Freedom earned, freedom stolen (Herder): The traditional, more or less acceptable way for a slave to gain freedom is to buy it from their master, using their own meagre wage. Your family saved up its money, and you were lucky enough to be chosen to be released. Now, you are out in the world, carrying your freedom papers - and you have decided others should also be free. You have official papers, so why not take a closer look at them...?
You gain a +1 bonus to Linguistics checks to forge documents, and Linguistics is always a class skill for you.
Okay, I've got a couple questions about race.
If we pick one of the "Core" races, does that mean we also choose their "with a twist" form? Or is it possible to play a "regular" dwarf/elf/human?
And I notice the human "Wildman" has some pretty good penalties to his starting abilities. I'm guessing there's more to it than that and I've possibly just missed something somewhere?(Highly highly possible with me. :P) Because I'm having a difficult time wondering why someone would play one with such penalties. And I'm totally asking out of a fantastic level of curiosity of wanting to understand the pros of playing such a race. With his only bonus going to wisdom, I just flat out can't see this guy being a cleric. :P
And I also notice there's no ability adjustments added to the dwarf or elf. I'm guessing you use their typical bonuses?
And is there no "Common" language in this world?
I feel kind of bad as I'm leaning towards a 'classic' race and you worked so hard on the others ;)
I feel kind of bad as I'm leaning towards a 'classic' race and you worked so hard on the others ;)
Weeeell, wait just a little longer.
There are more incoming. ;)
Okay, I've got a couple questions about race.
If we pick one of the "Core" races, does that mean we also choose their "with a twist" form? Or is it possible to play a "regular" dwarf/elf/human?
It is possible. ;) I even mentioned it is; you just need to give me a humdinger of a backstory to explain how you come to be out in the Middle Nations as a 'standard'.
And I notice the human "Wildman" has some pretty good penalties to his starting abilities. I'm guessing there's more to it than that and I've possibly just missed something somewhere?(Highly highly possible with me. :P) Because I'm having a difficult time wondering why someone would play one with such penalties. And I'm totally asking out of a fantastic level of curiosity of wanting to understand the pros of playing such a race. With his only bonus going to wisdom, I just flat out can't see this guy being a cleric. :P
What, you think cavemen don't have Clerics? :D But hey, a Wildman - with his ancestray foes and movement benefits - could make a pretty decent Ranger, don't you think? ^_^
And I also notice there's no ability adjustments added to the dwarf or elf. I'm guessing you use their typical bonuses?
That is precisely correct!
And is there no "Common" language in this world?
There is no one common language in this world. There are several.
In the modern age, 'Mercantillia' is the default 'common' language; a deliberate construct, it's the language of merchants. As a result, it has a lot of legal jargon - and is as twisty as a snake samba.
You can use Mercantillia to talk to people, to negotiate with them, to make all sorts of arrangements, to explain mathematical formulae and economical matters. You can also, if you don't mind your grammar or speak too loosely, sign over your life's savings to someone who speaks the language more cleverly than you do, even if you're convinced you're just giving them the time of day. Most people speak Mercantillia, but it's hard to have a casual conversation in it.
A hybrid language that combines linguistic elements from the Dread and Nameless Empires, 'Mythou' is a rather more archaic language, but still widely spoken. As Mercantillia reflects a mercantile culture, Mythou reflects an age of grand ambitions, of military pursuits and calls upon the divine for great favours.
You can hold elaborate discussions in Mythou without having to fear you're saying something you don't mean to; the language's grammar is rigid, the vocabulary expansive. It's just difficult to hold casual conversations in it; people speaking Mythou are seen as being pretentious, the language itself as pompous and high-handed. (It is also the language of choice at legal trials, court gatherings and all manner of political affairs.)
In contrast, 'Babbel' is an organic and easy-going language spoken widely. It is the native language of the Zlapav people (see further New races), who have a tendency to try and befriend other peoples and are not shy about teaching them their own language.
Babbel is easy enough to learn, and readily absorbs terms from other languages. Spellcasters have noted that Babbel makes a decent 'shorthand' for describing the structure effect of spells without actually invoking magic. Timelorn scientists have noted the language easily incorporates scientific principle as well. Unking people call the language 'the ultimate mutt', and disdain it.
The Zlapav don't really care what anyone thinks, and ordinary people frequently use Babbel when not engaged in anything all too important.
New races
The way the waiters at the Zlapav restaurant keep looking and winking at you is starting to turn you off the admittedly delicious food. They're nice enough, but the small, white, squishy-looking creatures really don't tickle your fancy. Suddenly, a vision of beauty comes swaying out of the kitchen. You wonder where this one's been hiding all this time! Wearing a waiter's apron and a rather tight-fitting version of the uniform, the girl brushes back her blonde hair, gives you a wink and smile, and leans on what she thinks is the counter. The tray upends, the beauty crashes to the floor, and you realize she's been here the whole time...
Zlapav (10 RP)
Type: Humanoid (Zlapav)
Size: Small (+1 AC, +1 attack rolls, -1 CMB, -1 CMD, +4 racial to Stealth checks)
Base speed: 20 ft. (This speed is never modified due to armour or encumbrance.)
Ability scores: +2 Con., +2 Cha., -4 Dex.
Languages: Zlapav begin play speaking Babbel and Mercantillia.
A Zlapav can choose any language (except Druid and other secret languages) as bonus languages due to high Int.
Skilled: Zlapav gain an additional skill rank at every level.
Facedancer: Once a day, a Zlapav can use an Alter self-effect on itself, using its character level as the caster level. This is a spell-like ability.
Clumsy: Zlapav gain a +2 racial bonus to Strength checks to break objects, and a +2 racial bonus to combat maneuver checks to Sunder.
Low-light vision
Multitalented: Zlapav choose two favoured classes at character creation, and gain +1 hit points or +1 skill ranks whenever they take a level in either of these classes.
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Some people believe Zlapav are some kind of debased Dwarven subspecies. Dwarves themselves thunderously deny this. The Zlapav deny this in a rather more amused fashion; they have nothing against Dwarves as a species, but know their origins do not lie under the surface. In truth, Zlapav are creatures of the surface, of forest and hill and field -- or they were until they were driven out of the forests by the Elves, and the Nameless Empire (grudgingly) welcomed them into the cities. Nowadays, Zlapav have thoroughly embraced urban life and all the comforts it offers, but still have a marked appreciation for nature's beauty as a species.
Zlapav are small, with pure white, hairless skin and large, black eyes they tend to squint against the glare of the sun. Their other facial features are small, even inconspicuous; their noses are barely noticeable bumps, their ear holes are not framed by flaps of cartilege. As a result, they appear childlike well into old age. Some Zlapav wear wigs and paint eyebrows to better fit in and mimic the body language of other species. Many Zlapav acquire tattoos over the course of their life, having ink set on their skin to commemorate special events. Natural hermaphrodites, each Zlapav has a womb, but nothing in the way of external gender-related features when in their natural form; they use their shapechanging ability in order to conceive children.
As a species, Zlapav have a reputation. Actually, they have several.
They have a sadly deserved reputation for being clumsy; a distracted Zlapav is an uncoordinated Zlapav, and their natural faculty for breaking things sometimes works against them.
They also have a reputation for being greedy; this is rather unjustified, as Zlapav work for their money and do not hoard money just to have money. Rather, they save money so they can spend it on things that delight them. Some Zlapav save up so they can buy stately villas for themselves and their families, for instance, caring little for mutters about them living above their station.
They also have a reputation for being depraved sensualists; this is true only up to a certain level. Zlapav delight in the taste of fine food and wine (and many Zlapav dabble in cookery even if it isn't their profession), the touch of a lover's warm skin, the fiery sensation of dance and the excitement of gambling and battle. Their ability to facedance grants them access to a far wider range of lovers than their natural shape does, and they do not discriminate against any of the other races.
While Zlapav have some qualities that work against them, they are flexible, adaptable and energetic, more robust than they look and unexpectedly charming. Many of them dabble in multiple occupations, gaining a wide experience. It is not uncommon for Zlapav to dabble in arcane magic, which they consider to be interesting and exciting. Also, many of them end up marrying outside of their species, and even gathering harems over their lifetime.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
New feat
Master dancer
Prerequisite: Zlapav; Facedander quality
You gain the ability to use your Facedancer ability three times a day, rather than the standard one time. Your caster level remains equal to your character level.
New traits
Magical stamina
Prerequisite: Zlapav; Facedancer
You may extend the duration of your Facedancer-ability as though it were a spell under the effect of the feat Extend Spell.
New races
The inside of the store is swelteringly hot. You start to sweat the instant you walk in the door and you can barely breathe, but you heard this is the finest blacksmith's shop in town, so you try to tough it out. "Excuse me!" you call out. "Customer!"
The leather sheet separating the counter area from the forge moves aside, and the blacksmith comes plodding towards you. He ... she? ... gleams from head to toe, but is definitely not sweating. The blacksmith's face is impassive, one of their hands gripping what looks like a red-hot iron blank. "You have a job for me, customer?" the creature asks, its voice impassive.
Silicart (9 RP)
Type: Native outsider (Earth)
Size: Medium
Base speed: 20 ft. (This speed is never modified due to armour or encumbrance.)
Ability scores: +2 Str., +2 Con., -2 Cha.
Languages: Silicart begin play speaking Sky-Tongue.
Bonus languages due to high Int. include Babbel, Mercantillia, Mythou and Signs.
Crystalline form: Silicart have a reflective, crystalline skin that grants them a +2 racial bonus to AC vs. rays. Once a day, a Silicart can deflect a single ray attack aimed at them as though they had the Deflect Arrows feat.
Rocky skin: Silicart gain a +1 natural bonus to AC.
Stony resilience: Silicart gain cold resistance 5, electricity resistance 5 and fire resistance 5.
Purposefully crafted: Silicart gain a +2 racial bonus to one Craft, Perform or Profession skill.
Ferrous growth: Once a day, a Silicart can cause a touched piece of iron or steel to grow into an object weighing up to 10 pounds, such as a sword, crowbar or light steel shield. This object remains in this form for 10 minutes or until it is destroyed, at which point it shrinks back to its original size and shape.
Darkvision 60 ft.
Alien mentality: Silicart struggle to understand non-Silicart, and take a racial -4 penalty to Sense motive checks.
Light blindness: Abrupt exposure to bright light blinds Silicart for 1 round; on subsequent rounds, they are dazzled as long as they remain in the affected area.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Survivors of the armies that once came swarming down from beyond the stars, Silicart once marched in tune to the commands of their creators, the Royal Silicart ... who now seem to be extinct upon the world in which they find themselves stranded after the destruction of their old ships. Forced to adapt, Silicart struggly continuously to be useful without causing resentment among the aliens in whose cities they live. Silicart are humanoid in form, but while their internal anatomy appears organic, it is largely made of uniquely folded and branching silicone, rather than flesh. Their bodies are hard, their skin reflective, their faces unexpressive and their eyes lidless and unblinking - a quality useful in the darkness of space, but frequently uncomfortable under the sun.
Silicart reproduce by combining elements of two or more Silicart bodies into a nucleus, which they imprint with a specific purpose and then bury in the earth. Neophytes (the Silicart word for offspring) dig themselves out of the ground after having grown to maturity, containing all the knowledge and skills they need to start the job for which they were grown. Ideally, a Royal Silicart would at some time acknowledge the Neophyte's dedication to their work and ceremonially acknowledge them as a Venerant; nowadays, a Silicart master of their appointed trade will have to do.
Ideally, a Silicart is 'born' into a job, performs it and focuses on improving it all their life, and eventually 'returns to the elements' (dies) after having done it all their life. Surrounded as they are by aliens with their illogical, chaotic lifestyles, some Neophytes actually go off-script and try to 'make a life for themselves'. Such 'Aberrants' are ceremonially cast out of traditional Silicart society and refused re-entry.
Silicarts eat, breathe and sleep, just like organic creatures. Their nutrition is heavily focused on minerals, however, with minimal need for protein and vitamins.
New races
The parade is in full swing, the music is blaring, confetti is raining down from balconies, and hawkers are offering beer and skewers of roast meat left and right. Beautiful creatures, the women elegant and curvaceous, the men robust and handsome, are marching down the street in the most outrageous clothes. Gemstones shine at their foreheads as they strut, smile and wave.
"What a party!" you say, nudging your neighbour. "What are we celebrating?"
"We're not celebrating anything," your neighbour says, shrugging. "This is just another weekday. I wish they'd get a move on, I need to get back to work..."
Gelnet (11 RP)
Type: Humanoid (Gelnet)
Size: Medium
Base speed: 30 ft.
Abilities: +4 Cha., -2 Str., -2 Wis.
Languages: A Gelnet begins play speaking Mercantillia and either Dulan or Ishi, depending on its social status (both racial languages, both Dulan is for the upper crust and Ishi for lower strata.)
Bonus languages due to high Int. include Arcolt, Babbel, Celestial, Darktongue, Demonic, Infernal, Mythou and Terran.
Blessed: Gelnet gain a +1 racial bonus to all saving throws.
Materialistic: Gelnet gain a +2 racial bonus to Appraise checks to determine the value of nonmagical goods that contain precious metals or stones.
Obsessive: Gelnet often pursue a single career or interest with manic zeal. They gain a +2 racial bonus to any one Craft, Knowledge, Perform or Profession skill.
Crown of earthly merit: Gelnet naturally produce a unique type of pink gemstone, which grows upon their brow. At every level-up, starting with level 1, the gem 'ripens' and falls off, making room for a new gem to grow. The gem's value equals the Gelnet's character current level x 100 gp, and they are freely bought and sold in the city. There are procedures to induce accelerated gem growth, many of which are highly hazardous to the Gelnet's health.
Dress for the occasion: A Gelnet can use Fabricate disguise as a spell-like ability once per day; their character level counts as their caster level.
Mantle of vanity: A Gelnet can use Endure elements as a spell-like ability once a day; their character level counts as their caster level.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Naturally elegant, with personalities bigger than their bodies, the Gelnet take pride in the fact that their species was crafted by the hands of many gods and goddesses, and consider themselves to be the pinnacle of creation. Gelnet hair colour covers a wide range, including all those once found in humanity, but also primal colours such as blue, green, purple and red. Their skin colours are rather more mundane, varying from dark brown to pale caucasian, but their eyes are as vibrant and varied as is their hair.
Gelnet take enormous pride in their appearance, experimenting with the latest hairstyles, dressing in the latest fashions, wearing the finest jewellery, applying personal paints, tattoos, piercings or dusting themselves with chips or dust of gemstones... as long as their wallets hold out.
A Gelnet who does not have the money to make him- or herself look good is surprisingly dedicated to work, making long hours in the job they have decided is their ideal fit and hoarding money for their next bold act of personal display.
While it is easy to dismiss Gelnet as vain and flighty, they have deep and powerful emotions, and frequently a profound spiritual life. Family is, or should be, sacred; friends and lovers should be cherished; Gelnet suffer deeply when encountering betrayal from any of these and are known to carry lifelong grudges.
The knowledge that the gods and goddesses sculpted their ancestors to be the most beautiful creatures they could be moves the average Gelnet to deep gratitude. While they are not natural Clerics, they make for powerful Oracles, carrying their feeling of a personal connection to the gods to its (to them) logical conclusion.
Less worshipful Gelnet frequently plunge into the field of arcane magic, with a marked preference for the Sorcerer class, but some of history's most powerful (and frightening) Witches have also been Gelnet.
Gelnet culture barely considers other lifeforms to be people, and the most traditional Gelnet still consider creatures like Dwarves, Elves, Silicart, Zlapav and all the others to be nothing but advanced animals. According to its own historical records, the Slavers' Guild was founded by Gelnet, and many Gelnet aristocrats today can trace their wealth back to involvement with that foul institution.
Among themselves, Gelnet tend to be terrible snobs; the royal family looks down on the aristocrats, the aristocrats look down on businessmen, and they all look down on commoners and craftsfolk.
New traits:
Arcane crown
Prerequisites: Gelnet, Crown of earthly merit, arcane spellcaster
You can use your own 'crown of earthly merit' (forehead gem) as a focus for arcane spells that require such. Your gem must be of the appropriate value required by the casting, or else you must provide additional spells to achieve the value required. After the casting, rather than be consumed, your gem turns dead black and its value becomes 0. It can no longer be used as a material component at this point, and you must level up before your 'crown' is once again capable of serving in this capacity.
Celestial crown
Prerequisites: Gelnet, Crown of earthly merit, divine spellcaster
You can use your own 'crown of earthly merit' (forehead gem) as a replacement (un)holy symbol if your own, if such is required. Channeling the power of the gods (or fiends) through your crown in this matter is punishing to the body, however, and devalues the crown by 20% on each casting. If a 'crown' reaches a value of 0, it turns dead black. It can no longer be used as a replacement holy symbol at this point, and you must level up before your 'crown' is once again capable of serving in this capacity.
Rarity value
Prerequisite: Gelnet, Crown of earthly merit
Be it due to a rare mutation or an expensive magical or scientific process, your 'crown of earthly merit' (forehead gem) is not the standard pink colour, but rather an entirely different colour. Owing to the rarity of such gems, yours is worth 150 gp x your character level, instead of the standard 100 gp.
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There's one more species coming, but before that: a small note on
In this campaign world, magic is a familiar phenomen. Arcane, divine and occult magic are all known. Divine magic is widely practised - every town needs its healing-priest, after all - but arcane and occult less so.
In local parlance, divine magic as practised by Antipaladins, Clerics, Oracles and Paladins is 'white magic', whereas arcane and occult magic and the magics of Druids and Rangers are 'black magic'. There is no real stigma attached to the concept of black magic, other than it is considered to be somehow 'less' than magic bestowed directly by the gods.
White magic is actively taught in schools and at temples.
Those who achieve a school degree in the art and register with the government and the mother temple of their faith are entitled to wear a golden stole with a white diamond pattern.
Those who continue their education at a temple and formally enter the order of their patron are entitled to wear a golden stole with a diamond pattern that bears the favoured colour of their patron or patrons.
'White magic stoles' are issued by temples, and are both status symbols and advertisement of one's ability to heal, break curses and do other goodly works for the community. Wearing a stole when not possessing divine magic, not possessing any magic at all, or misrepresenting either one's degree of mastery or alliance to a specif patron is a criminal act and punishable by temple law.
Black magic is also taught at schools, and further on university level - or at least arcane and occult magic is. Druids and Rangers tend to learn master to apprentice, or through nature's own inspiration. Some arcane and occult casters take apprentices and never send them to a school, whatever their reason may be.
The government claims that 'black magicians' who register and follow an official education are more likely to succeed in life, and does sometimes offer scholarships and job opportunities. The real reason why government offices as far back as the Dread Empire have been struggling to have every arcane and occult caster on record, is that they want to keep track of these potentially dangerous people.
Registered black magicians are required to wear cloaks of a specific cut and material, the latter issued by the government. These cloaks can serve as a bond item, and can be enchanted and upgraded in the same manner; the government will issue more material for such processes as long as it is paid.
Spellcasters who have undergone master-to-apprentice training but no formal education, as well as black magicians who have failed to complete their training but are considered to be trustworthy enough to cast without supervision, are issued cloaks.
Graduates black magicians who have completed a formal education are issued cloaks.
Graduate black magicians who have completed a formal education and are members of a rich dynasty or aristocratic bloodline are issued cloaks.
The distinction in colours was, of course, meant to drive wedges between the various types of black magician. Unfortunately for the government offices monitoring the use and teaching of magic, the most profound types of education are given not in the cities, but in hidden colleges run by black magicians themselves, with the Hidden Academy being the oldest and most respected of them all.
In such institutions, the colour of a black magician's cloak (or indeed, lack thereof) is less interesting than their degree of mastery over the Art, and magic trumps all politics.
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Man o man you have put a TON of work into this. I'd have to wager this is something you've been working on for quite a few years.
And thanks for the responses! Now I'll try and attempt to see if I can slap something together. A little more difficult for me with homebrew type stuff - heck, Pathfinder stuff is tough enough - but will give it a shot.
Per the "Wildman": What does 'Ancient foe' mean? I mean what does that entail exactly?
Edit: And I gotta say those movements are pretty cool. Initially I was thinking you had to choose 1 of those. I didn't realize you got all three.
Per the "Wildman": What does 'Ancient foe' mean? I mean what does that entail exactly?
Ancient foe: You gain a +2 racial bonus to AC vs. enemies of this type, and a +2 racial bonus to combat maneuver checks to grapple enemies of this type.
Edit: And I gotta say those movements are pretty cool. Initially I was thinking you had to choose 1 of those. I didn't realize you got all three.
Fun, isn't it? ^_^ That hit to Intelligence does pay for some handy tricks.
What is the Prey Animal feat?
I'm intrigued by the Silicart and somehow working Timeworn into that. How do the other races treat them, given the past of attempted invasion?
Silicarts do seem interesting. I've always wanted to try an Oread but never have. Huge fan of earth type. Not sure why to be honest. I just like 'em. *shrugs* :)
They kind of remind me of "Shale" in the game Dragon Age.
What is the Prey Animal feat?
It's not a feat. 'Prey animal' denotes the racial access to Perception and Stealth as class skills, just as 'Cowardly vermin' denotes the +10 boost to speed when taking the run, charge or withdraw action.
I'm intrigued by the Silicart and somehow working Timeworn into that. How do the other races treat them, given the past of attempted invasion?
There's plenty of racism, but by and large Silicart are allowed to get on with things so long as they A: make themselves useful and B: don't make waves. With their traditional leaders dead, they've been coasting along, doing the work they were designed for .... apart from the Aberrants.
Is there ever violent racism?
Is there ever violent racism?
Sometimes there is, yes. But most of the more unusual species suffer from it; Herders, Uzzul, Silicart, Zlapav and others.
Gotcha, trying to gauge how my character would react to this world.
It is worth noting that racism is more likely to get violent in bigger settlements, rather than the small ones struggling to survive year by year.
Mmm, thanks for the invite. Lots to process here. Let me dig through it.
A few more species are coming, one the current majority species in the Middle Nations, another a survivor of the Dread Empires; respectively a humanoid species known as 'Vitors' and native outsiders linked to the Underworld known as 'Surgos'.
It's a bit late in the day for me to do the writeup now, but please keep them in mind.
What is the Prey Animal feat?It's not a feat. 'Prey animal' denotes the racial access to Perception and Stealth as class skills, just as 'Cowardly vermin' denotes the +10 boost to speed when taking the run, charge or withdraw action.
Oooooh okay. Gotcha. Thanks!
New races
The little village looked a lot more welcoming from a distance. Ever since you walked through under the arch indicating the town limits, the peasants have been eyeing you up and down in a downright hostile manner. It's unnerving, seeing ordinary townsfolk and grannies looking at you as though checking for weaknesses. And the undisguised hatred in the eyes of the little children is putting you off but bad. You're starting to wonder whether you'll have to fight your way out when the first stone is chucked at your head...
Vitor (10 RP)
Type: Humanoid (Vitor)
Size: Medium
Base speed: 30 ft.
Ability scores: +2 Str., +2 Wis., -2 Int.
Languages: Vitor begin play speaking Mercantillia and Mithou.
Their bonus languages due to high Int. include Babbel, Dulan, Dwarven, Elven, Ishi and Orcish.
Defense training: Vitor are trained in combat from a young age, and learn several defensive techniques. They gain a +2 dodge bonus to Armor Class.
Ferocity: A Vitor whose hit points fall below 0 but which is not yet dead can continue to fight; it is staggered if it chooses to do so, and loses 1 hit point per round. It still dies if its hit points reach a negative amount equal to its Constitution score.
Zenophobia: Vitor are trained from early childhood to hate enemies of their people. Traditionally, they were taught to hate Elves and Orcs, but the needs of the times change. Select two subtypes of humanoids or outsiders, or else one creature type other than humanoid or outsider. Vitor gain a +1 racial bonus to attack rolls versus the selected creature(s).
Weapon familiarity: Vitor are trained in the use of the longspear and shortsword, and are always proficient with these weapons regardless of their class.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
The Vitor were the first of the two servitor races created by humanity during the Nameless Empire to protect their borders against the Elves and Orcs. Strong in body and will, but regrettably a bit less well-represented in the area of intellect, the Vitor initially took orders well enough. It was only when the creatures against which the Vitor were meant to guard the Empire started whispering poison in their ears that they started looking at their creators as oppressors and enemies. Having marched back into the Empire that gave them life, the Vitor gave humanity death and horrible subjugation. Today, the Vitor are easily the most numerous species in the Middle Nations -- and yet they are not its masters. Even though they were made to be strong and stubborn, the Vitor have always proven to be lacking when it comes to making plans and controlling their own fate.
Vitor are physically indistinguishable from humans, but woe upon any poor soul who points this out; even now, generations after they overthrew their creators, the Vitor still consider humans to be the source of everything that has gone wrong for them as a species. Somehow, they have even convinced themselves that their failure to consolidate control of the Middle Nations is somehow the fault of humanity.
Vitor hair ranged from blond to brown, their skins from caucasian to dark, and their eyes from pale hazel to almost black. Some Vitor are aesthetically pleasing, others are ugly. Their tastes in clothing vary widely, and partially depend on their income.
Vitor often make for unpleasant neighbours. Unkind people have pointed out that Vitor embody the worst traits of humanity; communities drill all the young in combat techniques, and parents teach their children to hate outsiders (non-Vitor). The kind of outsider the young are taught to despise depends entirely on which kind of outsider is in abundant supply and perceived to be in the greatest competition with the Vitor for resources such as land, food, and in the bigger cities job opportunities. It is even possible for Vitor to teach their young to hate other Vitor, especially when two communities are competing for the same resources.
That said, it is not unknown for some Vitor communities (mostly the smaller ones) to be more temperate in temperament. While Vitor as a species will never be entirely comfortable with living cheek by yowl with outsiders, some accept that diversity is a good thing for a community to have, and actually increases chances of survival.
Vitor are rather infamous for their marital customs. A married couple which is well-established is free to attract additional, younger spouses; a young man for the wife, a young woman for the husband. Supposedly, this is so the established couple can educate the younger couple (which is also required to marry). Once the established couple either retires or passes on, the younger couple inherits their wealth and is free to attract new, younger spouses, and so on and so forth. One consequence of this custom is that Vitor inheritance law is rather complex, even convoluted.
Gah, now I have a new favorite race. So the Vitor are just artificially created humans?
New races
You've never actually seen an Orc, but you wonder whether the ugly bastard at the end of the bar might be one. With his sallow skin, sloping forehead and horse-like teeth, he is the ugliest creature you have ever seen. The way he stares gloomily into his beer only makes it worse. You're just considering pelting him with peanuts to see whether he'll complain or bray like a donkey when an utter beauty comes walking into the bar. Elfin, slender and elegant, she walks fearlessly up to the ugly beast -- and kisses it on the cheek!
"Ah, old Bludz's wife is off from work early today," the barman remarks.
Your mouth drops. How could that be married to THAT?!
Malinger (10 RP)
Type: Humanoid
Size: Medium
Base speed: 30 ft.
Ability scores: +2 Str., +2 Int.
Languages: Malinger begin play speaking Mercantillia and Mithou.
Malinger with high Int. scores can choose any language (other than secret languages such as Druidic) as bonus languages.
Heart of steel: Malinger are exposed to ego-crushing rejection and/or abuse from a young age, and gradually grow desensitized. They gain a +2 racial bonus to saves versus fear and despair effects. In addition, once a day, after a natural 1 on a d20 roll, Malinger may reroll and use the second result.
Gifted linguist: Malinger gain a racial +4 bonus to Linguistics checks, and learn one additional language every time they put a rank in the Linguistics skill.
Malinger magic: Malinger gain a +2 racial bonus to checks made to overcome spell resistance, and a +2 racial bonus to Spellcraft checks to identify the properties of magic items.
Weapon familiarity: Malinger are trained from a young age in the use of words, and are proficient with bastard swords and shortswords regardless of their class.
Limited understanding: Malinger often feel hideously uncomfortable among the other species, the males because their looks cause them to be ostracized, the females because their looks cause them to suffer unwanted attention. As a result, they tend to keep other creatures at a distance, and find themselves inconvenienced when it comes to understanding strangers. Malinger suffer a racial -4 penalty to Sense motive checks.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
If the Vitor were the rank-and-file of the armies that once guarded the borders of the Nameless Empire, the Malingers were its captains. Or at least, they were meant to be. Bred by humanity to be strong, intelligent and with a potential for both arcane and physical power, Malinger turned out to have surprising appearances. The males are tall, gangly, dark of hair and eye and, to be blunt, fairly hideous. The females, however, were slender, elfin beauties male with pale hair ranging from white to pale blond, and pale blue or grey eyes.
The male Malingers were put in charge of the Vitor, while the females were kept behind as personal servants to their human masters. Predictably, the Vitor loathed being ordered about and occasionally outdone by Malinger, with some of them developing Hatred towards them instead of the Elves and Orcs they were meant to be guarding against. Meanwhile, the females suffered the attentions of their masters, being used as maids and concubines. While the Malinger did not quite break under the strain of their fates, they felt threatened regardless what their assignment was.
By the time the Vitor turned inward and marched to destroy humanity, the Malinger could see the writing on the wall and had had enough. The males dashes ahead of the Vitor armies to free the females, hoping to escape the Nameless Empire before it went down in flames. Unfortunately for them, the battle erupted while they were still in the then human capitol. Only a remnant of a remnant managed to escape being caught between the panicking humans and the vengeful Vitor, and their numbers have yet to fully recover.
Malinger tend to suffer from the company of other species. The males are frequently accused of being Orcs or some sort of Orcish hybrid, and have reason to fear being lynched. The females are far more welcome among other species than they would like, with many unethical creatures looking to ensnare them in one fashion or another.
As a consequence, Malinger mostly prefer the wilderness over cities and towns. If they do have reason to stay in such centres of 'civilization', they mostly keep to themselves and interact with other species as little as is absolutely necessary. As few in number as they are, they usually feel great relief if they manage to meet up with others of their kind. While they have no actual marriage rites of their own, if a male and female manage to overcome their species' awkwardness and hook up, they tend to partner up for life and raise their children with great tenderness.
Malinger prefer worshipping the spirits over the gods or fiends. Alien as the spirits are, at least they are not xenophobic Vitor or haughty Gelnet, and unlike the Vitor, the Malinger are concerned about the fact that they are not the direct creations of the gods.
As troubled as they are by other creatures' reaction to them, Malinger are fairly powerful beings, with a strong potential to become Fighters, Wizards or Magi.
Gah, now I have a new favorite race. So the Vitor are just artificially created humans?
They are true-breeding creatures, bred out of human stock by the humans of the Nameless Empire by humans. Fully biological, with blood, bones, guts, souls and everything.
They (mostly) hate humans so much that they take GREAT exception to being called humans, but apart from all that ... yes.
Ok so not created, just some good old Eugenics?
Ok so not created, just some good old Eugenics?
Well, let's say a little of column A and a little of column B.
New races
You crept into the cemetery on a dare, and now your heart is pounding in your throat. The night is dark, a cold fog is rising, and you could have sworn some of the statues were moving...
"Yes," a voice behind you says, its tone sibilant. "It is a beautiful night, isn't it?"
You spin around, looking around in a panic. Who's there?! There's only a tomb, with a bunch of odd-looking gargoyles on the roof ... who all turn to look at you.
"No need to be offensive," one of them hisses, smirking and lashing its tail.
"Gargoyles indeed," another says, as it spreads its wings. Its eyes gleam in the moonlight and it bares a fanged smile at you.
You still hear them laugh at you when you're a block away from the cemetery...
Sû-rog (12 RP)
Type: Native outsider (Underworld)
Size: Medium
Base speed: 30 ft.
Ability scores: +2 Dex., +2 Cha., -2 Con.
Languages: Sû-rog begin play speaking Abyssal and Babbel.
Bonus languages due to high Int. scores include Archolt, Celestial, Darktongue, Infernal, Mercantillia and Terran.
Climb: Sû-rog have a racial Climb speed of 20 ft., and gain a racial +8 bonus to Climb checks.
Gliding wings: Owing to their being born with wings, Sû-rog take no damage from falling as though under a constant non-magical Feather fall-effect. In midair, they can move up to 5 ft. in a horizontal direction for every 1 foot they fall, at a speed of 60 ft. per round. Sû-rog can not gain height with their wings alone, they can only glide. If subjected to a sufficiently strong wind or other effect that causes them to rise, they can avail themselves of the updraft to increase the distance they can glide.
Dark magic: Once a day, a Sû-rog can use the Detect thoughts and Mindlink spells as spell-like abilities. Their caster level for both is equal to their caster level; the save DC is based on their Cha. modifier.
Bite: Sû-rog are born with sharp, lengthened canines that allow them to make bite attacks equal to 1d6 + Str. modifier. The Bite is a primary attack, or a secondary attack if the Sû-rog is wielding manufactured weapons.
Darkvision 60 ft.
Prehensile tail: Sû-rog are born with long, flexible tails that can be used to carry objects. They cannot wield weapons with their tails, but they can retrieve small, stowed objects carried upon their person as a swift action.
Light blindness: Abrupt exposure to bright light blinds Sû-rog for 1 round. On subsequent rounds, they are dazzled so long as they remain in the affected area.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
When the Dread Empire ruled, many dark experiments were performed in the area of cross-breeding fiends with humanoids. Among the creatures that survived, the Sû-rog were considered to be the most successful, and they were put to work as overseers for other slaves. Capable of climbing to great heights, from which they could keep watch, then gliding to earth with the aid of their wings, Sû-rog were further equipped with a limited ability to read the minds of 'lesser' slaves.
In time, the Sû-rog were considered to be the true calling card of the Dread Empire. When the great slave rebellion tore the Empire apart, the Sû-rog faced just as much persecution as did the Empire's Dread Masters -- which was unfair, because they had worked hard to help the rebellion happen, having supplied its leaders with information they had gleaned from their creators. Nowadays, many Sû-rog lead a gypsie-like existence, travelling the lands in horse-drawn wagons, touching only lightly upon the lives of other creatures in the role of entertainers, tinkers and the like. Those Sû-rog who dare to share the living environment of other creatures tend to lurk around graveyards, garbage dumps and similar, unpopular areas.
Appearance-wise, Sû-rog have either straight, black or curly, red hair. Dark-haired Sû-rog have dark eyes; redheads have bright green eyes. Their wings and tails are fairly easily hidden, and a Sû-rog who knows their way around a disguise kit can pass for a Vitor in bad light.
Left to their own devices, Sû-rog favour wearing dark colours, but frequently decorate these with little bells and embroidery in thread of silver and/or thread of gold. Due to their hands and feet being especially suited to climbing, Sû-rog find the kinds of shoes other species wear to be constraining, and prefer sandals when not obliged to hide what they are.
In their dealings with other creatures, Sû-rog behaviour varies depending on how secure they feel. If they feel they are threatened, Sû-rog walk small; they act in an obliging manner, hide what they are if possible, and try to make themselves useful -- even indispensible. When in a position of relative strength, Sû-rog tend to display a sarcastic sense of humour and enjoy playing pranks on people. They tend to use their innate magical gifts on strangers as a matter of course to determine their intentions, and among each other to share important information in secret.
With this, we have reached the end of the custom races for this game -- for now.
Next up will be patrons. If you've found a player race you like, please let me know. ^_^
With this, we have reached the end of the custom races for this game -- for now.
Next up will be patrons. If you've found a player race you like, please let me know. ^_^
Yes please stop posting races that I wanna play. I'm at 3 right now and I have to pick only one. :)
Yes please stop posting races that I wanna play. I'm at 3 right now and I have to pick only one. :)
With this, we have reached the end of the custom races for this game -- for now.
Next up will be patrons. If you've found a player race you like, please let me know. ^_^
You could always roll . ;)
Which ones have taken your fancy?
Silicart, Vitor, and now Su-Rog.
When it comes to languages, is there a plan with those? Let's take this for example: The Sû-rog begin play speaking Abyssal and Babbel.
Now, is there a real life language you have for pbp purposes as a substitute? Or do we just roll with one ourselves? Because I gather we're probably going to be speaking in one language and spoilering the translation.
Because it's going to be very interesting if we all speak a different language and none of us can understand each other. :P
If I can put something together - I'm considering the Wildman - then all they speak is Howl. I can't imagine anyone else speaking such a language. Which would make it all the more difficult for him to be, I don't know, "recruited" I guess for said mission. Not exactly sure how he is going to fit for this one.
Because for the drawback, I've chosen Xenophobic. I mean, it's kind of a no-brainer. It just fits too well to pick anything else. :)
You know, thinking about it, I'm SERIOUSLY thinking Linguistics is going to be an ABSOLUTE necessary skill to invest in. If I do that, that might very well BE the reason he gets put on said mission. Because he can at least speak another language unlike most wildman(Totally spitballing here. Also probably a stretch but I've got to take what I can get, else, I got nothing.) :P
There is a very simple plan. ^_^
You all get 2 ranks for background skills.
Linguistics is a background skill.
Worst case scenario: I ask you all to re-jigger your background skill selection by one rank. ;)
Part of me is chortling about possibly not being able to understand the party at all. But the more responsible part of me says we should all share a language. :)
Also I've narrowed it down to Su'rog or Vitor.
Howdy all! I've taken a look through and I'm currently leaning towards a Malinger Occultist, played as a disgraced black mage and archaeologist. That could also help the language problem since I'd start with 6 or 7.
There are many options for those seeking spiritual patronage.
Presented in this post are what we might call the big boys of the pantheon; entities whose worshippers number in the millions -- or which are demonstrably so mighty that the other patrons pale in comparison.
Aku-Dev
The goddess; She who is greatest; The supreme goddess
Alignment: CN
Cleric alignments: CE, CG, CN
Domains: Chaos, Charm, Healing, Luck, Strength, Water
Subdomains: Curse, Defense, Fate, Fist, Ice, Lust, Medicine, Oceans, Restoration, Resolve, Resurrection, Revelry, Rivers, Whimsy
Favoured weapon: Quarterstaff
Symbol: Two dice, floating in a glass of blue wine
Sacred colour: Blue
Aku-Dev is currently the most popular goddess in the Middle Nations. A patron of the carpe diem-mentality, she teaches her faithful to embrace worldly delights now, because no one knows what tomorrow may bring. Her faith actually discourages the faithful from seeking peace in the afterlife, dismissing it as boring, and to embrace an endless cycle of reincarnation.
Aku-Dev does not provide her faithful with much in the way of ethical and moral guidance, apart from a hard order that fiends and the undead must be destroyed wherever they appear. So long as the goddess herself is praised extravagantly and spoiled rotten by her worshippers, the rest of the world can go hang as far as she's concerned.
Both the goddess and her priesthood are unpopular with other faiths, as Aku-Dev teaches her clergy to slander the other faiths and poach their believers wherever possible. In spite of this, the church of Aku-Dev is grudgingly acknowledged as one of the finest centers of learning on the healing arts in the whole world. Many of her temples double as healer colleges, and the faithful - not to mention new converts - pay 25% less for healing services. This even rises to 50% less on high holy days. Unfortunately, many other temples double as brothels, bars that serve both hard liquor and drugs, and gambling dens.
In times gone by, the temples of Aku-Dev also served as art schools, where youths were taught the many different ways of creating beauty. As the younger god Ohiro seduced Aku-Dev and then tricked her into a stupor with a combination of her favourite drugs and drink, then proceeded to steal the Artifice domain from her, this service has been discontinued.
Avatars: Aku-Dev prefers to manifest as a young humanoid girl with shining blue hair and eyes, her clothes cut daringly (but always blue), sapphires sparkling at her ears, fingers and toes. Wherever she passes, wild festivities and debauch inevitably break out.
Relationships: Virtually none among the other patrons. Aku-Dev considers herself to be exalted above all others, and barely acknowledges their existence. She is still angry about the theft of the Artifice domain, so she holds a grudge against the lesser god Ohiro. Rak-Ulas is one of her lovers (according to church doctrine she is his only lover), but their relationship is due more to symbolism and mythology than any personal affection. Like most, she detests Kebal, and she grudgingly upholds her part of the alliance to restrain his influence.
At some point in the future, Aku-Dev fully expects to be the only goddess of the world. She is not actively plotting towards that event, but will avail herself of any opportunities that might come her way.
Worshipers: Gelnet, Vitors and many Zlapav tend to adore Aku-Dev, but hedonists of all species happily toast her name at the beginning of a good binge, and gamblers often call on her when about to bet big. Rogues are especially likely to worship her.
Orders: are temple-trained prostitutes. Having access to a library of tricks and techniques that stretches back as far as the faith of Aku-Dev, they are frequently highly successful at what they do and stand to earn fortunes. While each brothel is technically independent and Blue Sisters frequently go off into the world on their own, the order tends to pool information that could be useful to the faith as a whole. In essence, the Blue Sisters are the unofficial eyes and ears of the church, a spy-guild in all but name.
is an order of Brawlers that pretends to be a monastic order, and was founded due to Aku-Dev being jealous of lawful deities having such orders. While the Hand of the Supreme feigns a disciplined life of meditation towards outsiders, converts soon discover that while the order has much to teach in the ways of armed and unarmed combat, it is a boisterous group that delights in sampling the spirits it brews and the company of Blue Sisters.
*
Kebal
The Doom; the Dustbringer; the Endlord; the Intruder; the Render; the Worm
Alignment: LE
Cleric alignments: LE, LN, NE
Domains: Death, Destruction, Evil, Law, Trickery, Void
Subdomains: Ambush, Cannibalism, Catastrophe, Corruption, Dark Tapestry, Deception, Fear, Hatred, Isolation, Judgment, Murder, Plague
Favoured weapon: Greatsword
Symbol: A greatsword made of stone
Sacred colour: Bone white
Kebal is not - has never been - popular. He is a being of terror that burst into the universe from somewhere outside one day, with the intent to destroy everything; he had to be restrained by a coalition of all the gods, fiends and spirits, who realized to their horror that they could only restrain him, not destroy or banish him.
Kebal is powerful. He is the patron of entropy come fast, the worm in the apple, the dark oracle of decay and devolution. In a sense, Kebal is the counter to all other gods, spirits and fiends all by himself; while they represent eternity, he represents and hastens the end of all things. He is the herald of oblivion - something already discovered by the Daemons when they tried to "ally" with him. ; for their foolish attempt to somehow guide the Endlord's efforts, they have all been destroyed by him.
Kebal's faithful proclaim that the world has been flawed since its inception, that life is a cruel joke, that oblivion is a mercy everyone should strive for wholeheartedly, and Kebal is here to deliver it. Already, he has struck mighty blows, ending the filthy Daemons and several lesser gods. If only the resistance put up by the remaining gods, spirits and fiends could be undone, Kebal would reach out his mighty hand and deliver the suffering multitudes from the horror of existence. Whether this is actually the decree of Kebal is dubious; although he empowers his faithful, he has never once spoken to any of them. Only madness and destruction awaits those who attempt to commune with him.
The faith of Kebal is a cult of doom-prophets, tolerated in communities only as an attempt to pacify the dread deity -- and because the faith appears to obey local law to the letter. The Doom of Kebal is the law of the universe, or so proclaim the faithful, the natural order, and not a cause for mad capering or the sowing of chaos. Such things are the province of the lesser gods, who are attempting to hold off the beauty of oblivion.
In truth, the faith's leaders are working to advance the Doom in more subtle ways; the church of Kebal gathers money and influence with its 'good works' (healing the sick and injured, assisting suicides, overseeing burials... and also outfitting assassins' guilds, inciting plagues in weak communities and then looting the dead...), and puts these to use in influencing local authority. Every time a local magistrate judges not with mercy but with cold self-interest, every time a local hospice is shut down to install a prison, every time when the milk of human kindness is tainted and the structure of society twists a little closer to collapse, the church of Kebal has taken another step towards preparing the way for their dread lord to slip his shackles and destroy creation.
Avatars: Kebal's avatars take the form of horned giants with slate-grey skin, armoured and armed with stone. The monstrous creature's face is forever covered by a helmet, but his beard juts out like a porcupine's tail. Where Kebal treads, creation trembles and all matter falls apart.
Relationships: Kebal has no friends, and acknowledges no one as his ally. Only the asuras and his faithful are accepted as tools, and that only until they are no longer useful; all others are targets for immediate destruction. That being said, he holds a special hatred for the lesser goddess known as Akt-Kta; it was her trickery and manipulations of luck and fate that allowed him to be sealed, his once unstoppable momentum reduced to a shadow of a ghost of a crawl. If ever Kebal breaks free from his shackles, he may well take time out to hunt down the seemingly carefree goddess first ... and charge headlong into the other traps she has been spinning for him in the shadows that are her domain.
Worshipers: Nihilists, madmen and the desperate of all races flock to Kebal's banner. They seek release from the pain and horror that fill their lives, believing that Kebal will grant it to them upon their deaths in his service.
Orders: are a (LN / NE) Druidic order operating from the borders between the Middle Nations and the Elven Kingdoms. United in a belief that the world is irreparably tainted and needs to be put down, they labour to generate plagues, blight crops to cause famine, and occasionally set wild beasts on small, weak communities.
is an order of Assassins that operates throughout the four realms. Ostensibly a highly expensive and proportionally skillful guild of contract killers, the White Hand is actually trained and outfitted by the church of Kebal. Its income flows into the coffers of the church, and it takes on missions for the church elders that have nothing to do with money, and everything with poisoning civilization by snuffing out its brightest lights and making way for villanous wretches to move up.
*
Ma-Oth-La
The Great Weaver; the Grey Magician; the Silver Flame; the Ultimate Magician; the Web and the Weaver
Alignment: N
Cleric alignments: CN, LN, N, NE, NG
Domains: Fire, Knowledge, Madness, Magic, Rune, Trickery
Subdomains: Alchemy, Arcane, Arson, Ash, Deception, Divine, Education, Espionage, Greed, Language, Memory, Rites, Smoke, Thievery, Wards
Favoured weapon: Club
Symbol: A spiderweb of silver fire
Sacred colour: Silver
Goddess of all magics, yet master of none; Ma-Oth-La only acknowledges Thla-Avak as her elder, for life and death needed to exist before magic became. Easily the most prideful and arrogant of all gods, Ma-Oth-La believes her portfolio, magic itself, is supreme above all other powers and achievements. She exhorts her faithful to study magic first, at the expense of all other things, and promises to accept them as her servants after a life of study, experimentation and growth in power. She also promises that they and they alone will be by her side when she has achieved her greatest ambition; to become the master of all forms of magic, both black and white, then to destroy all creation and remake it in her own image.
Although she is widely worshipped, especially in places where magic is in common use and educations are offered, Ma-Oth-La is nowhere near the goal she has set for herself. If anything, she is weaker today than when she first started on her hubristic path; in days gone by, she would seduce other gods, spirits, even fiends, then rob them of their magical secrets while their guard was lowered. In the end, she gained so many enemies that when they combined their efforts, they were able to lower her guard, subvert her wards and rob her - of substantial parts of her portfolio. Nowadays, Ma-Oth-La is the goddess of magic as a whole, but whole branches of spellcasters and schools of magic have patrons that are a lot closer to them and have more to offer than an endless demand to keep studying, to keep training, and to keep tithing every new spell created to be burned on her altars.
Avatars: Avatars of the Web and the Weaver tend to look rather grotesque; humanoids with overlarge heads decorated with white and clear diamonds (actually a crown of disguised ioun stones of all types), withered bodies and hands like great crabs or spiders with too many fingers, swaddled in wide robes of rune-covered silver. Whenever her avatars appear, they always walk with the aid of a cane carved with runes, and which serves as both a +5 fiery burst club and a Staff of the magi.
Where Ma-Oth-La's avatars appear, the world grows hot and dry, and magical documents have a tendency to burn - only to reappear in the goddess's private study.
When she feels a need to seduce, Ma-Oth-La's avatars appear as young, slender women in the flush of good health, with easy smiles and silver-white hair. Like Gelnet, these avatars are crowned with a single gemstone, albeit one that is clear like a diamond. Like her standard avatars, they wear cloth-of-silver embroidered with runes, albeit cut to display their figure to best effect. They typically wear sandals with laces woven around their legs, and carry long, slender staves that double as +5 fiery burst quarterstaff and Staff of the magi. They have the clever, nimble hands of professional pickpockets.
The heat these more seductive avatars generate is more personal, causing those who see them to feel feverish and flushed.
Relationships: Ma-Oth-La openly detests Kebal, as do all the other gods, but not out of any objection to his nature or ethos. She despises him for being competition, an enemy she must race against as to who will destroy creation first to remake it in their image. (In her self-absorption, Ma-Oth-La refuses to believe that the Endlord genuinely wishes an end to all existence.) In consequence, she works very diligently to keep him sealed.
Ma-Oth-La little concerns herself with the other gods, the fiends and the spirits, but she does hold a grudge against such entities as Amarra Amarramee, Ash-Kta, Ohiro and the others who robbed her of parts of her portfolio and now contest her authority over the various types of spellcasters and schools of magic. The rise of the Oni is largely due to Ma-Oth-La's spite; she has always felt that nature is subject to the whims of magic, and some of the kami had involved themselves in the theft that still slows her advance to ultimate magical power.
Worshipers: All manner of magicians bow their heads to the Silver Flame as the wellspring of all magic (which is untrue) and the founder of its study and mastery (which is correct). She is one of the few gods who can count on a reasonably strong following among the Malinger; some of them hope that if they help her recreate the universe, she will also reshape them into creatures that can find happiness and acceptance among others. Many Sû-rog and Zlapav also bend the knee to her, in honour of her magical might. Gelnet tend to worship her in her seductive guises, seeing her as a goddess who honours their own form. Surprisingly, many Silicart also worship Ma-Oth-La, due to some trickery on her part; to the Aberrants, she promises a future where they will be remade to be and do as they please; to the traditionalists, she has whispered that she is a Royal Silicart who has transcended the limits of the purely material and can give them the orders they crave.
Orders: are a thieves' guild that operates out of La Grande, but has somehow managed to remain independent from the greater Thieves' Guild. The reason is simple; this guild of Rogues (who greatly favour the tricks and feats that allow them some arcane power and flexibility) is wholly in the pocket of the church of Ma-Oht-La, and solely concerned with stealing from both white and black magicians. Whenever the Burning Hands learn that anyone not connected to the faith of Ma-Oth-La has created a wholly new item or spell, they move out to claim it in the name of the faith. They also move out when a supposed faithful follower of the goddess is rumoured to be hoarding secrets for themselves, rather than sharing with the Silver Flame. In these latter cases, they sometimes also function as judge, jury and executioner, giving unto the traitor a traitor's ignoble death and stealing their magical treasures for the church.
is an order of Clerics that makes a great circuit past all the state-recognized and some (but not all; the Hidden Academy for instance has barred them from its premises) of the hidden schools of magic. Each year, they review both teachers' and students' proposals for the creation of new spells, offering help to those whose ideas have merit, administering harsh corporeal punishment to those whose work is inherently flawed. In addition, they offer encouragement and/or scold those who have failed to make anything new in the past year. While their mission seems to be the furthering of magical knowledge and power, the Silver Scale's true purpose is to gather knowledge on new spells so these may be tithed to Ma-Oth-La.
*
Thla-Avak
The Cauldron; Midan the Reaper; the Mother; She who has many names; Thrak the Farmwife; the Wheel
Alignment: LN
Cleric alignments: LE, LG, LN, N
Domains: Animal, Community, Earth, Law, Plant, Repose
Subdomains: Ancestors, Caves, Decay, Family, Feather, Fur, Growth, Insect, Judgment, Metal, Psychopomp, Repose
Favoured weapon: Scythe
Symbol: An hourglass over a bubbling cauldron
Sacred colour: Black
Thla-Avak, She Who Has Many Names, is an ancient and dispassionate goddess of life - and death. She monitors every life that comes into the world, and also its passage out of the world, but interferes with neither. She guides the flow of life in accordance with the seasons; she guides souls to their new vessels; she guides those souls which have earned eternity in the afterlife; she suppresses the memories of those who must continue the cycle of reincarnation; she brings peace to the stalled dead in the Underworld. She judges none, save those who would destroy the cycle.
To the Dwarves, she is Midan the Reaper; both the source of all gems and ore and the shifting earth that rends and crushes the greedy and unwise miner. To the Orcs, she is the Cauldron; the great vessel from which all life springs and to which it must return to be washed clean in death. The Vitor have taken to calling her Thrak the Farmwife, goddess of the land and farming, and worship her in this name as though she were a separate goddess... which she is not. The Sû-rog call her the Wheel, and they affix amulets with prayers to her to the wheels of their wagons, symbolizing the cycle of life, death and rebirth. It is the Elves who simply call her She Who Has Many Names - then spit and curse her, as though that could ward off the inevitablity of death even for their long-lived race.
The priests of Thla-Avak often run funeral homes and administer burials, cremations, and hold guardianship over burial grounds of all kinds. While Thla-Avak gives little in the way of commandments, her church is a font of knowledge on both biology and the afterlife, allowing those who wish to know the best way to deal with their mortal existence and their fate in the afterlife a great deal of help.
Avatars: On the rare occasion that Thla-Avak makes an appearance, she tends to conform to the species of those who call upon her. Her face is always impassive; her hair, eyes and skin are always dark; to some, she appears as a dark warrior; to others as a simple farmer.
Relationships: Thla-Avak is mostly concerned with her own affairs. She acknowledges Rak-Ulas as part of the great cycle she administers, and shows him grave courtesy when they meet. She disapproves of the purely chaotic and evil entities, and fiends know to avoid her. She normally gets on well with the spirits, so long as they do not stray from their proper purpose. Among the evil gods, she is especially annoyed by Zebr-Oht, who the Vitor believe is her husband, and who sometimes tries to assert an authority over her that simply does not exist. Among the chaotic gods, she has a faint interest in Ash-Kta and Ohiro, whose antics amuse her... a little. Among her fellow neutral deities, she gets along best with her supposedly adulterous lover Rak-Ulas and the highly focused Ulla the Grey.
Kebal is the one creature Thla-Avak truly hates; he is a source of unbridled corruption and destruction that runs counter to her own purpose.
Worshipers: A large number of Druids and Shamans pays homage to Thla-Avak in addition to the spirits they venerate; to them, she sets the stage upon which the spirits move in accordance with the great patterns of nature. Sû-rog often worship her, due to her ability to repel fiends and for the peace she can bring to the dead. Almost all Vitor worship her in her guise as Thrak the Farmwife, albeit as the subordinate of Zebr-Oht. Such Malinger as dare raise their eyes to the gods, rather than the spirits, often worship her with a mixture of knee-knocking dread and timorous hope.
Orders: are a (LN) Druidic order that wanders from place to place. Devoted nomads, they often mimic Sû-rog gypsy caravans, adopting their wagons and ways of lightly touching on the lives of other creatures, but welcome members of all races into their number. In addition to travelling with the seasons, the Black Wolves are also constantly on the prowl for offenses against the cycle of life, death and rebirth, and can make for powerful allies -- or for implacable foes.
is an order of white and black magicians who work together to monitor the seals that keep Kebal the Worm captive, and his dread influence on the world to a minimum. To a lesser extent, they monitor planar travel around the world in an effort to prevent malicious beings from causing harm to the great cycle. While the individual alignments of the Vaultwardens may differ, they are all dedicated to preserving the great cycle.
are a clerical order that manages birth and death records. Sponsored mainly by the church, they travel widely throughout the Middle Nations. They also receive a surprising amount of support from secular governments, who appreciate the fact that these records are open to the public and government alike.
**
The Way of the Spirits
The Ancestors; the Kami; the Spirits
Alignment: N
Cleric alignments: All
Domains: All except Evil and Good
Subdomains: All except those linked to Evil and Good, and to outsiders
Favoured weapon: Heavy mace
Symbol: Twin spirals, one turning inward, one turning outward
Sacred colour: Gold
Administered more by Druids and Shamans than by Clerics, and less organized than the faith of even the most chaotic god or fiend, the Way of the Spirits is the faith of 'small' people; people who believe the gods are too vast, too distant, too important, and it is better for them to bring their concerns to the spirits of their ancestors and the spirits of the world in which they dwell.
Typically found in small villages, shrines to the Way of the Spirits offer a place to offer prayers and sacrifices to any of the entities that embody the living world, its elements, and mortal beings' connection to those who have preceded them. It is not unheard of for such shrines to have a constant minister - typically a Druid or Shaman too old to travel much - but it is far more common for ministers to wander the land for most of the year. They typically visit a shrine if it should be on their way, perform such rites as the local community finds needful, collect a bit of travelling money and some supplies, then to leave again. In the absence of a minister blessed with magic by the spirits, any community leader can lead the rustic ceremonies if so required.
While the Way of the Spirits has no real ethos other than to honour and/or placate the spirits as needed, to tithe to them of one's harvest and hunt what can be spared, there is little in the ways of dogma. Mortals should acknowledge the spirits and make them part of their lives. A happy spirit may give favours; an angry spirit may cause misfortune.
Although the faith has no political powerbase, no central authority and no wealth to speak of, it has an immense following in the Middle Nations. If ever the Way of the Spirits did gain a leader charismatic enough to unite it into a coherent force, the temples of the gods and fiends would probably quake in terror.
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Hey there! Thanks for the invite, DM, and my apologies for dragging my feet. I've glanced over everything and there's a lot of cool stuff going on here. I'm leaning towards a psychic, since I haven't done much with that class, but even that is up for revision. I'll probably make some more concrete decisions in the next day or so.
Cool, and good to see you. ^_^
So it sounds like so far a psychic, and an occultist? What were you thinking of Javelle?
A Ranger(Wild stalker) is kinda where I'm at right now.
But I'm also thinking about making him a ranged character which wouldn't really fit with the Wild stalker. Well, unless I find myself an Adaptive bow. Which would be kinda interesting. Always wanted to try a ranged barbarian simply because it's different.
Anyhow, that's kind of where I'm at right now. I do tend to tinker a lot - to my own detriment - so who knows. :P