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Intro:
Feel free to listen to this while you read. just sharing some tunes.
You hear, as if from a far away realm and yet, close enough to be right beside you, a soft, reverberating woman's voice Peirce the darkness of your dreams.
You all had your own reasons for joining. Perhaps you believe in the goal of the Order and you seek the champion good and righteousness. Maybe you merely wanted to make a living and so some good simultaneously. Perhaps you saw the Order as the only way out of a bad situation? Maybe you grew up in the Slums, and have family their still you would see a better life for? Perhaps you were a mercenary, and signed up for a more stable income, where you would not need to worry about supplies or contracts. Or, maybe you saw profit and potential from being in the Order? After all, many veterans retire as rich merchants or landowners. Perhaps still, you sought to use power and status from the order to garner... other things. Whatever brought you here no longer matters. The invisible strands of fate have woven the tapestries of your lives together. The die is cast, and Destiny calls my knights, who among you would answer?
A note on me and this campaign:
This campaign is a great love and remorse of mine. It was the first ever homebrew campaign a younger I attempted to create still fresh faced in regards to D&D and pathfinder. It is something I poured hours into back then, and something I consider to have failed in. Recently, after years of experience both as a GM and a hobby writer, I returned to this fantastic mess my younger self created. I have attempted to polish, and refine, the campaign and the setting therein, while keeping as much of the original work as possible. If perhaps some points feel a tad childish, I apologize to those of you who may dislike that, but the original was... well, lets just say after all these years, it was like reading something from a completely different person. In some regards at least. As such, I cannot promise you the perfect setting, nor the greatest story. I cannot promise a story without a plothole or two. (though recently, I've attempted to fix said plotholes with some instant cement I found when I come across them). I am not among the greatest of GMs our wonderful hobby has. However, I can promise you to do my utmost in giving the campaign and its players the justice and dedication they deserve. Also, Sometimes when I type, My thoughts race ahead of my hands and I can forget to add a word here, or use the wrong word there. Usually this only happens when I get excited in part due to ADHD. If and when this happens, please forgive me.
Aurulia is a large continent nation cut off by open sea on either side, and inhospitable mountain ranges to the north and south. The great metropolis city of Sparo is the capital and home to the Order's HQ. The kingdom is led by a council, consisting of one councilman or leader from each prominent city forming a council of 9, and the head chairman, a person appointed directly by the Headmaster of the Order, or the Headmaster himself whose votes count double. As you see, The order has a lot of political sway. Or at least, has had. Lately the Orders goals seem to be given less and less time. This is due both in part to infighting, as cities try to gain advantages over others through laws, and due to a general growth of greed among many council members. This is a world where Authrian legend meets steampunk style, where might and magic mix with science and technology. A world of great wonder, and a world of great horror.
Their are two main continents in this world, Azora, and Aurulia. However, they are more or less worlds onto themselves Due to the great rift in the eastern Ocean, Terrible monsoons and storms rack the western ocean for years at a time. Even during the quiet seasons the waters are vast and rough. Only the bravest or most foolish seek to sail between the two continents via the western route. Effectively, this almost cuts ties between the continents.
background on the Order" The order was formed in defense against the Dread lich Morzoth, who over ten centuries ago had attempted to conquer the entire continent in his mad lust for ever more power(at least, as history would claim it). As the small kingdoms of that time bickered and fought among each other over petty wrongs and trifles the Dread Lich swept down from the northern mountains as a hurricane breaking upon the shore in the dead of night. It seemed the last remnants of resistance were about to break under the relentless undead assault until, by either luck or the strands of fate several heroes joined together to form a joint defense against the unending tide. At the fortress of Arrak along the southern mountains where their first major victory was won The Order of Dawn’s Light was officially founded for the people to rally to. As the remnants of the armies of Aurulia did battle with the countless undead legions, this group of heros struck at the head of the snake. After many deaths, Morzoth was defeated, his undead hordes crumbled to dust or turned feral and the break of dawn finally ending the long night. So history says. After their hard-won victory they, with more than popular support, instituted a new, single, government. For centuries, the order has protected the people, and served as a beacon of hope with many victories against evils. However, lately corruption and rot has begun to spread throughout the government and land less and less people come to join the ranks of the Order, while more and more knights never return from their missions. Something brews in the dark places of the kingdom, and the Order must find out what before it is too late...
The Order's founding is something that is very little is known about. Even by those leading it today. It is an organization whose goal and mission statement far outlived any person or dream. After the threat of the lich was dealt with, a new Theocratic militaristic style kingdom was founded. The leaders of the Order feared giving too much power to one group, even the Order itself. So instead set the foundation for a council lead government. Originally, There would be 6 members, one being the Headmaster of the Order, where his vote would count double. The others would be the leaders of the most prominent cities. This way, the order felt it had enough power to keep the normal corruption and greed from gaining a foothold should it need to. But also kept in check the potential overzealousness of the Order or, if the worst should happen kept the Order from too much power should corruption and rot ever set in. Over the centuries since, through some reason or another 3 more seats have been added to the council. The two newest being the Fortress city of Arrak, and the research center of Nasar.
The port city of Umber on the west coast: Main port where external trade used to occur, however due to a great arcane energy surge a terrible and huge Rift has appeared deep out at sea, cutting out all access to the other nations from this side. Many blame the powerful Dread Lich, though most hope that is not the case as the rift has occurred several centuries after his defeat. It is led by a council of extremely wealthy merchants who report only to the Order. The city's influence has slowly been waning over time. The rift which cut out large amounts of trade from flowing through its docks playing a large role in that.
The port city of Bradensbrook on the east coast: More of a place where goods are gathered, to be shipped upriver towards the trade hub Balzir has since taken on the sole role of external trade, and is home to a large base of the order. The council keeps a tight grip on both visitors and immigration. It has become the 2nd largest city to date. Surpassing Umber less than a century ago.
The Fortress-city of Arrak (pronounced Arr-rak): This was the Fortress where the band of heroes led by the champion Arrak first withstood, and defeated the undead armies of The Dread Lich. It is one of the least populated of the major cities, and is led by a direct appointee of the Order. It is nestled along the only path that leads into the southern mountains, and acts as a bastion against raids from the south lands outside the kingdom. Lately, it has taken on tourist-like attraction, as raids have not happened for decades.
The Trade city of Balizir: where most goods of the nation pass through. It is home to the only real "black market" in the kingdom. Despite the Orders best efforts to put an end to such things. Officially it is led by a council of three merchant factions. However, in recent years rumors abound of a group or faction pulling strings behind the shadows.
Nasar (pronounced Naa-sar)The town of science and invention:Best known for their work on something they call, an airship. Has found a use for blackpowder and has several prime researchers looking into steam and clockwork machinations. - shares similar culture to the workers district in Sparo but more heavily influenced by steam-punk style (industrial British, cockney accents for the poor, canes, top hats, monocles and posh accents for the wealthier people.) It's led by a well to do elven gentleman known as Malum who likes to get his fingers in all the pies and is known as a schemer. However, these schemes, and his inventions, have aided the Order greatly in recent times. They have recently started production on steam and magic powered clockwork golems to provide security to the city.
Frontier town Aldune (borders the great forest in the north): Town closest in proximity to the Great Forest in the north that stretches all the way to the northern mountains. All kinds of Fey, beast, and monsters roam the dark woods, and more than one ghost tale has been spun about it. However, the great oaks and other trees provide high grade wood, and Aldune is the largest town in the region that supplies high quality, highly sought after wood. It is led generally by a senate of sorts, voted for by the people, who themselves vote in two others to act as conventional "leaders" and decisive decision makers in times of threat.
Valen, home of the most renowned Arcane school in the kingdom(pronounced Vay-lin): Valen is home to the most renowned school of the arcane arts in the nation, The Grand Academe, Where only the brightest and best arcane users can enter. Due to the close proximity to powerful magic, many feel safe, however several accidents have caused many to move to other areas. Especially since the last caused quite the fire. Many who live here worship gods of magic or none at all, though the academy is partly funded by the Order, so many of its best and brightest are recruited to the Order at some point. It is led by the current headmaster of the arcane school, who himself is "elected" by the Academe council.
The Remnants:The last council member comes not from a “city”, but rather a tribe of various groups and clans living in a reserved area of land near the northern mountains. These are people that roam the vast stretches of tundra and evergreen forests or have settled into small frontier villages that prefer the “old way” of living or who just prefer to live differently to “humans”. Small personal farms, hunting, foraging etc. From these interconnected villages a council member is chosen every 10 years to represent them. While often merely a hollow position, diplomatic and shrewd members in this position have been able to levy their deciding vote by getting certain laws approved which favor these collections of towns autonomy and benefits in return. Here reside the largest gathering of the stranger races of Aurulia, and while it's not unheard of to find them in the greater kingdom at large, it is a rare occurrence. Races are: Goblins, Kitsune, Catfolk, Tengu, Ratfolk, Centaur and other “uncivilized” (barbarian types) folk. They are called the Remnants, as it is said that they are all that is left of the great tribes who roamed the large plains of Aurulia as they were the first to answer the call to defend against the Dread Lich, and so were the ones most devastated by the war. It was these peoples' ancestors that slowed Morzorth’s advance and played a key role in the first heroic victory at the Fortress Arrak. Or so the records say. Today, many commoners look upon most of these people with suspicion or fear, others awe and interest. Some merchants hazard the foothill mountains of the north to do trade with him, bringing back “exotic” items to sell to extravagant collectors.
The Capital, Sparo:
Sparo is a huge city, a metropolis rivaling that of Absolm in scale, and far surpassing it in population, with over 1 million residents. divided into several quarters, you have the Inner quarter, built on a large hill with stone foundations, it rises above the rest of the city. At the city's center sits the Order's HQ, designed by the best dwarven masons and built with a variety of precious stones and ores. surrounding this, and after taking one of many makeshift elevators (or the 3 story stair way) you enter the housing quarter. Here, most knights, government officials, merchants, or others that are well off reside. This district also holds the guard hall and armory. (Guardsmen are those that either failed the trials to join the Order, or wished for a less mobile, simpler and safer career)
outside this ring stands the merchant quarter, where the second largest amount of trade goods often reside in the Nation. If it is in the kingdom, you can almost be sure at least one of the items in question is here.
The final district is formally known as the Worker's district, though as of late it is often referred to as the slums. While buildings and housing in the other districts are made from stone, or the finest wood and kept in good condition, lately the buildings in the Worker's district have started to fall into disrepair. While the guards at least pretend to attempt to enforce the laws, it is apparent that most of the time they are only enforced when a knight of the Order patrols the area. Gangs have started to spring up, and with food growing scarce and causing the farmers to raise prices, city cleaners, and many other more menial and less glamorous workers find food hard to come by save for old or out-dated foods thrown out by vendors in the Merchant quarter. Several campaigns have been launched by the cleric's wing of the Order to help alleviate this, with varying degrees of success, but their funds are limited, and reforms have been "stuck" in discussion for decades in the council of 9.
society and culture:Many in the Capitol have a distinct industrial British feel. Particularly those in the Merchant and Worker Districts. With those in the worker district (slums) having something of the cockney accent and often taking their profession as a surname. (IE, someone working in an inn may have the last name of "Brew" or "Inn") Those in the inner districts are more haughty and Arthurian in nature.
The rest of the Nation is almost as varied as Golarion, with the port cities tending towards culture more similar to Venice in the west and London/English type in the east and the inner cities such as Aldune resembling German. One can often tell from which city one comes, but an outsider may have trouble telling the difference.
Races: Dwarves, elves, halfings, gnomes are all widely accepted, with most larger towns having a fair amount of all these races.
The Dwarves have two main clans, each situated in opposite mountains, the Northern Clan, Clan Ironmug, are your more traditional D&D dwarves. While the Southern Clan, Clan Bronzebeard, have a much larger inclination to experimenting and creating technology. Each clan has several smaller clans that split from the main over time. The southern clan obviously has strong relations to Nasar and often will exchange students in their engineering schools.
Gnomes: Most live in Nasar, aiding the engineers there in their research into clockwork, steamwork, and magitech. The latest fruition of their work is a large "air ship" which so far they have tested its flight 4 times, with only one crash landing! Gnomes are much more of the tinkerer variety here, often using personally crafted firearms or similar weaponry to "even the odds" vs larger folks.
Elves: are pretty much the same as D&D elves, save they perhaps are a bit more prideful and shorter lived(few elves live over 500). They don't have a city of their own, living among humans in a similar fashion to that of halflings. Stories abound of "wild elves" living in the Great expanse of woods in the north however.
Halflings: Same as D&D/PF
Half-orcs are seen both with pity, and resentment. Some feel sorry for the fates that brought them to their fortune, others, only see them as orc filth.
If you would like to write a closer relationship with any of these people for your backstory, please PM or spoiler@ me for more details on them.
Sir Alaryn Cedric Rose, current Headmaster of the Order and a mighty Paladin of Iomedae. He is a hard, stoic and disciplined man. He is capable and adept at politics and while a refined man, at heart he enjoys the simple things in life. However, he abides by the saying “The only thing necessary for evil to triumph, is for good men to do nothing.”
Daniel Proudmore Rose- Only son of Alaryn Rose and a member of your class at the Order. While his constant scowl when he is at rest gives him the appearance of a serious and realistic man, he is actually an extremely sincere, kind idealist. He always speaks of hope and a brighter tomorrow. One of the first to reach out to someone he feels in trouble. He also has a bit of a clumsy streak, and his armor always appears too large for him to use.
Mia Silvia - Leader of the Silver Winged Knights, a unit within the order focused around the care and use of pegasi and griffons in combat. (Pegasus Knights). She is normally reserved, but is friendly and is known for singing as she walks throughout the HQ. She is rather blunt, Only highly esteemed or knights or those handpicked get the honor of joining this organization within the Order. Mia is the sister of Aria Silvia, high priestess of the order.
Kyras Lorach- High Inquisitor of the Order. A silent, intimidating man. He believes ends justify means, and has butted heads with Alaryn on many occasions due to this despite the difference in rank. Terse, brooding and always seeming angry Kyras is not great for parties. His eyes betray atrocities his tongue and body language do not.
Aria Silvia- High priestess of the Order and Grand Cleric of Sarenrea. She has led the most charity missions into the worker district of any High Priestess to date. Whether that is indicative of her good will or of the quickly growing plight of the slums is up for debate. She is a pacifist and the only member of the Order to date that never trained in weaponry of any sort. She is empathetic and kind, acting as a counselor to new trainees and experienced knights alike. Kind as she is beautiful, she is friendly to everyone she meets. She has stolen the heart of many a young knight or trainee unintentionally, however despite this she seems to have had no lover nor companion to this point.
Alexander Valen- Head of supply logistics. He is an extremely kempt man, always in uniform and condescending to those he believes are not qualified to be in the Order, which seems to be most members. Despite this, he is exceptionally Intelligent and has proven to be one of the best Supply Master the Order has had in Centuries. Though there are rumours his recent success in the merchant market is tied to his recent promotion.
Daniel Valiros- Leader of the Watchmen. Those scouts, messengers and frontiersmen who keep constant vigil on the fringes of Aurulia and make sure reports and official requests are delivered on time. He is cocky, has no tolerance for “small talk” or protocol. He spends most of his time on the outskirts of the city, checking outposts and smoking.
Nathan Rellin- Elven Archmage of the order and overseer of arcane study and magically inclined recruits.. While he rarely teaches himself, he delegates it to those he tutored directly and drops in from time to time looking for any truly promising students. He is quiet, reserved, and intelligent. He rarely speaks, and when he does all listen.
Ivan “Dangit” Rockboulder- Drillmaster of all final trials and graduation ceremonies. A dwarf from Clan Ironmug, Ivan is stubborn, boisterous, traditional and loud. While he is harsh, and so blunt it is painful, he has a good heart when it comes to recruits. Many hate him at first, because he always pushes them to their limits and then forces them even further.
Xera Rose - Wife to Alaryn and mother of Daniel. She is the Spy Master for the order, though mostly she does intelligence gathering and keeping up to date on the goings on within the kingdom. Not much goes on in Sparo or the kingdom at large without her knowing, or soon knowing. She is aggressive, fierce, independent and determined.
Professor Vattz . High archivist and curator of the Orders historic records, artifacts, and relics. A quiet man, he prefers to keep to himself and his books and spread sheets.
Lord Inventor Reldic Emirson, - Leader and founder of not only the city of Nasar but the Clockwork University as well. He has embraced the Moniker “Malum” other than that, not much is widely known about him.
Vinnick -Arch Magos of the Academe of Arcane Arts in Valen, and current holder of the council member seat. An introverted man, he prefers spending time in his study researching further on the application of aether magic than actively debating in council.
Dartaniel Lemonte- Childhood friend of Daniel, a charming troublemaker and infamous lady chaser. He is extremely flamboyant and His parents are wealthy merchants within Sparo with his Father providing a large portion of the refined Ore and raw materials to the Order within the city. Uses humour and a happy go lucky attitude to cover for his fear of failing and as an excuse to not try. Also in your trainee class.
Amelia Yuki - Kitsune trainee from The Remnants, She pretends to be unobservant and slightly airheaded to keep people off guard around her. She is incredibly intelligent and quite cunning. However, she does easily get enraptured by the technology of the Capitol. In a constant state of contest with Dartaniel. Also in your trainee class.
Yukiko Youichi- A representative of Azora, She was sent both as a diplomatic envoy and recruit to the order where she trains those knights wishing to learn the primary fighting styles of Azora. She is extremely perceptive and fierce with her training.
Juno Avarathi- Council Member from “The Remnants” A champion of justice, integrity, valor, she is a fierce warrior and shrewd diplomat and embodies the values of her people. She has secured autonomy for The Remnants completely while keeping them under protection of the Order. (though, they hardly need it) And has secured more trade caravans to help keep food supplies filled for those villages willing to trade.
Mr. Biggs- The only goblin to both be accepted and pass the tests to become a Knight of the Order. He works on inventing explosive devices and other alchemical items that can either boost magical items or the Knights themselves. He has his own laboratory made of cheap materials off to the side of the main building due to his tendency to cause high yield explosions on a common basis. He was sent here as part of a test and study by Reldic Emerson of Nasar.
Note: At the start of the game, you will have been a trainee for two years, and will be taking the final trial to determine whether or not you make the cut. Feel free to talk to me about potential families being worked in or the like. I Specifically didn’t flesh out all of that for this purpose. If you have any ideas just speak with me.
I want-
General crunch, such as race, class, and ability scores.
Personality and quirks- How does your character act? What motivates them? Do they have peculiar mannerisms or quirks? How do they view the world?
Connections- Does your character have family? Where? Who? If they don’t, what happened? I want to have your character be a part of the setting. Feel free to make up a friend that came with you to the Order, or perhaps you made a good friend during the two year training period?
Background- Where do you come from? How did you manage to get where you are now? Do you know someone in the Order or are you completely on your own? Maybe you are here because of your family? Either because they pressured you, or because this is their last hope at a life outside poverty? If you have questions or ideas about creating smaller groups, feel free to talk with me. A large part of the finer details are open for player creation.
Also, to help you with forming your character, and for me to better understand them, I would like you to do one of the follow-
1. Take the Myer-briggs personality test and link its result to your submission/alias.
2. Answer the following questions as your character would. In character, preferably.
(do both for brownie points)
Questionnaire.
-What is your relationship to the gods and religion?
-What is your physical appearance, bearing, mannerisms, and quirks?
-Do you have an easy way with strangers?
-Do you play well with others?
-What draws you to the life of an adventurer?
-Do you identify with a particular animal or element? if so, why?
-What do you find creepy?
-What specific goals do you have, if any?
-What secrets do you have?
-What does someone else know about you that you do not?
-Do the ends justify the means?
answer the following as your character would-
-Loyalty, or Honesty?
-Compassion, or Justice?
-Love, or Fear ?
-Obedience, or free thinking?
-Pride, or Greed?
-Group, or Individual?
-What is Right?, What is wrong?
Classes: All paizo, excluding summoner and shifter. As well as the 3PP Machinesmith. No other third party, please do not ask.
Races: Core + Aasimar, Teifling, Catfolk, Kitsune, Tengu, Grippli, Dhamphir. In addition, there is a homebrewed Centaur race. Look at house rules to find it.
HP: Max every odd level(including first) and roll every even level. You can roll no lower than a 3. (1-2 HD rolls count as a 3)
Traits: two traits, may take a drawback (approved by me) for a third trait.
Wealth: Take max wealth for your class
Background skills are in use
Hero points are in use. You start with 1.
Combat stamina is in use, Fighters and Rogues gain it for free.
Ability scores: Take either of the following
Focus Foible- take an 18 and an 8, roll 1d10+8 for remaining stats.
Take a 20 point buy on a 1-1 ratio. (10 to 11 is 1 point, 17 to 18 is 1 point) May take up to 2 points from one stat and place them in another.
With either option, you may have no stat above 18 post racial modifiers, and no stat below 8 post racial modifiers.
Lawful evil is the only “evil” option I would consider.
Emerging firearms
Starting at level 1.
If I forgot something, or you have a question I didn't answer here, please ask.
Feat Changes:
All players gain 1 free bonus feat at level 1.
Power attack- now gives a flat bonus of -1/+2 whether one or two handed. Power attack is free for everyone. You may elect to take Deadly Aim in place of power attack.
Double slice, point blank shot, and intimidating prowess are removed. Add either your charisma, or your strength to intimidate and add full strength mod on off-hand weapons.
Combat maneuvers are consolidated as per elephant in the room feat tax rules
Dex to damage feats are removed. If a class gains Dex to damage via a class skill, they retain this feature.
All PCs get one class skill of their choice free in addition to a free skill focus feat.
The Weapon focus feat applies to fighter weapon training groups instead of one specific weapon.
Combat Expertise has no prerequisites.
New feat: Finesse Targeting
Prerequisite: weapon finesse, weapon focus with used weapon(s), Dex 16,
Benefiet: When you make a melee attack using dexterity to hit, and strength for damage. Add half your dexterity modifier (round down) in addition to your strength modifier on damage rolls.
New feat: Ambidexterity
Prerequisites: Two weapon fighting, power attack
Benefiet: While using two weapon fighting, or any variant thereof, gain full damage bonus from power attack with off hand weapons.
Game changes/clarifications:
Ninja gains all unchanged rogues new abilities, however only gains half the amount of skills for rogue's edge.
Nat 20s auto crit for PCs and BBEGs. All other critical threats must be confirmed normally. A base threat range of 19-20 gains +2 to confirmation rolls, 18-20 gains a +1.
Fighter Gains Reflex as a good save and perception as a class skill.
Rogues(and ninja’s) gain Will as a good save
Barbarians gain Reflex as a good save
Cavaliers and Samurai gain Will as a good save
Bloodrager gains Will as a good save
Swashbuckler gains Fortitude as a good save
For AC and saves, Enemy NPCs save major threats (Big bads/”boss enemies”) must exceed a PCs AC to hit, and must Exceed a PCs spell DC to resist. PCs and BBs follow normal rules.
All classes gain the following- For every 5 BaB they have, gain a stacking untyped +1 AC bonus to a total of +4 at level 20. (this affects touch, FF, and CMD)
Vital strike may be used as part of a charge action, Spring attack action, or cleave action. But never with more than one of the above.
Centaur PC race: Count as a mounted charge when charging, but keep in mind the draw back of hooves. Climbing will be nigh impossible and dungeons will still pose challenges should climbing need to be done. All armor will be priced at x2 the regular cost for you, due to the special modifcations needed to accomodate your physique. This is the total cost magic enhancements withstanding, so a mithril "fullplate" for you would be- 1500(armor)+100(masterwork) +9000 for heavy mithril armor, multiplied by two, so a total of: 21,200 gold peices. Adding +1 to that is not doubled, and costs the normal enchantment cost.
Ability Score Modifiers: Flexible +2 Str, +2 Wis,-2 Int
Type: Monstrous humanoid (3 RP)
Size: Medium
Base Speed: Normal (0 RP) (plus Fast (+10 feet)
Languages: Standard (0 RP)
DEFENSE RACIAL TRAITS
Natural Armor: Centaurs have tough skin, granting them a +2 natural armor bonus.
Movement Racial Traits
Fast (+10 feet) (1 RP)
Senses Racial Traits
Darkvision: Centaurs have darkvision and so can see perfectly in the dark up to 60 feet.
OTHER RACIAL TRAITS
Quadruped Centaurs have four legs (2 RP.)
Sturdy: This creature is not slowed by medium or light armor.
If you are interested, do note I have not yet made a cavalier order purely for the Order of Dawn's Light. I am working on two orders at this time, however it has been a slow process, for now, here are a few orders that would likely work well for cavaliers in the order.
Order of the Lion
Order of the Dragon
Order of the Cockatrice
Order of the Blue Rose
Order of the Sword
Order of the Hero
Order of the Land
Order of the Shield
If you made it all the way here, I thank you for your interest, and hope to see your fantastic submission. Recruitment will tentatively last for 1-2 weeks.
One centaur PC coming up!
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Very interesting house rules you have. Will get crunch up shortly!
I have a Cavalier i've built in the past, who i think might work well.
I'll get some character concept/info up tomorrow am.
Thanks for running the game, and the opportunity to apply!
Grumbaki here. I decided to go with an Enlightened Paladin. Why? I watched a video on what weapons a centaur would “really” use and it convinced me that they would snap their spines using a lance. Physics...so I made a switch hitter. Someone who can use a bow and fight in close combat. At range he has a bow, and up close he has improved unarmed strike (hooves!) I also like the idea of him having parade armor and a buckler, so he will at least look knightly. Plus, a high charisma feels like a must for a group of knights! I assume that we’ll have plenty of heroic knights charging around, so this makes more room for knights with lances and heavy armor. Some ranged support and healing should help the party. Just need to think through skill point priority.
Questionnaire.
-What is your relationship to the gods and religion?
* Ardan worships Erastril, but holds all good aligned gods in high esteem. He sees them as a guiding light.
-What is your physical appearance, bearing, mannerisms, and quirks?
* He is a centaur, which alone is quite a quirk! But he tends to swish his tail when nervous or upset. His human half is that of a broad shouldered and broad featured man, with a prominent forehead, chin and with thick eyebrows/hair. The kind of person one would expect to see working with his hands on the land.
-Do you have an easy way with strangers?
* Very. Where his people are reclusive, Ardan is the opposite. He is slow to anger, quick to smile, and always curious about those he meets.
-Do you play well with others?
* Too much for his people. He is cursed with empathy. Which leads to...
-What draws you to the life of an adventurer?
* Ardan grew up on stories of the order, of how it saved his people from annihilated at the bony hands of the liche. He sees them as being paragons of all that he aspires to be.
-Do you identify with a particular animal or element? if so, why?
* The horse...uhm...yeah. But also the wind, for it has carried him away from his place of birth, and yet he still feels at home.
-What do you find creepy?
* Spiders. They have too many legs. And yes, he sees the irony. But no, it is you who have too few.
-What specific goals do you have, if any?
* To be recognized as a full knight of the order. But more importantly to show the world that his people are more than reclusive victims, and to repay the order for what they did for the people of the land.
-What secrets do you have?
* That he secretly fears that his altruism is merely masked-selfishness, and that all he really wants is to be praised. He will never admit it, but it makes him feel guilty.
-What does someone else know about you that you do not?
* Getting properly dressed as a centaur by human standards is not always an easy affair. Many a time polite company has excused clothing faux-pas.
-Do the ends justify the means?
* No. For the wrong means will eventually make a poor end.
answer the following as your character would-
-Loyalty, or Honesty?
* “The two must be the same. One cannot be loyal without being honest, and being honest is a mark of loyalty. They are an unbroken circle, tempered by kindness.”
-Compassion, or Justice?
* “Justice without compassion is impossible. For without compassion, how can one know what is just? The real danger lies when the two are separated. For that is when the guilty go unpunished, or when innocent are harmed.”
-Love, or Fear ?
* “Love. You can choose who fears you, but love can only be given. It is therefore more valuable, rare and powerful.”
-Obedience, or free thinking?
* “Free thinking! One must listen to their hearts, for that is what separates us from animals. If you do not think for yourself, then you have discarded the gods most valuable gifts. Always think before you act, and after for that matter too. Otherwise you will march into the abyss and when you get there nobody will care who ordered you to walk there.”
-Pride, or Greed?
* “I know most humans call them sins, but I like all things only when not in moderation. Greed is but desire taken too far. Without desire, who would ever work to better themselves. And without pride, how can one maintain what they have earned and surpass what they thought was possible? As in all things, the trick is to know when you are crossing the line from virtue to sin.”
-Group, or Individual?
* “If I must choose I will say individual. When we give up our thoughts and actions to the group, horrible things happen. Each man and woman must independently learn what is right and what is wrong. For while we will all surely stumble, at least we will not all fall at the same time. And therefore we can help each other up!”
-What is Right?, What is wrong?
* “If you need to hide what you have done, it is wrong. If it brings you shame then it is wrong. And that which brings joy to others and betters both yourself but the world around you, that is right. Easy? Ha! If only my drivel were so easily made into action.”
Ardan, or “Sir Ardan of the Order” as he might well be called now, is a man of two worlds. A centaur if the plains, he has inherited the martial traditions of his people. With arrow and hoof he defends himself and his herd. Lightly armored, he moves as the wind takes him, calling wherever he sleeps home. His code? To perfect himself, as his heart finds it and as the wind takes him.
But at the same time he is a knight, for he has grown up on stories of how The Order saved his people from extinction at the hands of the dread liche. To him, The Order is the epitome of all that is right in the world, and it is what he longs to be a part of. This has made him leave his home, abandon his people, and make oaths of loyalty never taken by his kind before. He wears not the hide and leather of the people, but rather the quilted cloth and colors of a knight. His bow is now made from animal gut, but rather from a skilled human Boyer. And his shield? It is not hand carved wood, but rather tempered steel. For he is a knight, sworn to the colors he wears.
To many he would seek a contradiction. But to Sir Ardan, that only comes from a narrow mind. For he is who he is. He follows the ways of his forefathers by walking his own path. And the fact that it has brought him into the world of men but means that this is where he is fated to be. He but hopes that he can earn acceptance, and through his actions pay The Order back for all the good that is has done.
More background, and the personality test likely to come later.
Oooo! I'm super excited for this, really hope I get in! I will get to creating right away! Also thank you for the musical selection, it's really helping me get into the character creation process
18
8
Cripes, those are some stats! Excited to see what I come up with. As a note, do you have a preference for full martials, or will any preference be given to "party roles?"
18/18/17/16/10/8
Assuming the +2 goes to the 16...
18/18/18/17/10/8
I feel horrible for you rolling such awful stats! You sure you don’t want the 20 point buy? ;)
Honestly? Might go with it in order to narrow down the options available to me... But when will I get another chance to play such a powerful character? Maybe I should play a core rogue or something, keep it fair :)
Also, incredibly important question: are Centaur's rideable, and if so, is that an acceptable strategy to carry someone into combat?
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Well...life isn’t fair. <shrugs> I’ve known people faster/stronger/smarter than me. Still did the same job. Still kept up. Doesn’t bother me. Plus the person with the amazing stats still needs to get chosen. Kinda on them to do something cool with the stats. Like...an 18 intelligence lore warden fighter with kirin strike.
And high stats don’t always mean OP. For example. A animal domain crusader cleric with a lance and horse companion (18 Str 8 Dex 18 Con 10 Int 18 Wis 17 Cha). Strong...tough...can cast spells and can channel for days. But slow as hell and average intelligence. Won’t hit as hard as a cavalier with a 20 point buy. And as a crusader cleric loses a domain and a spell per level, which is like having -2 Wis right there. But he gets heavy armor and combat feats. Would be underpowered but-for the super high stats. And the high stats serve to add character because they accentuate his weaknesses.
Or...a mind sword Paladin with VMC Universalist Wizard. A psychic Paladin who doubles down on using his mind to make weapons fight for him. Needs Str for damage and both Int/Cha to hit. A unique fighting style only made possible by crazy stats.
Or, while I’m at it...a spiritualist knight. Someone who summons his own mount and makes the horse into the main show. The 18 Strength and 18 Constitution becomes necessary to keep up.
Or hell. A badass Skald who doesn’t just inspire, but leads by example. 2/3 BaB but rides into battle swinging a Greatsword like a champ. That’d be useful and cool, not overshadowing.
It’s only a “problem” when the perfect stats go into a purely optimized character (which I’d still happily play alongside). So my point is, wait to see what people do with their roles before despairing. :)
——
Also centaurs here are medium. So it would need to be someone small. And as Ardan sees himself as a knight, and not a horse, the answer would likely be a no from him.
Dotting. I think this might be the campaign to explore the journey to eldrich knight.
So 18, 16, 14, 14, 10, 8 if I did that right.
I was thinking Inquisitor of some sort.
Currently a three-way toss-up between a phantom thief rogue, a nature fang herbalist bond druid, or generic cavalier man, I'm interested to hear what other people think would be cool. I'd love to get this done now, but I really gotta get some rest, hope to chat with you all tomorrow!
Edit: I forgot the "am-statstick" bloodrager rageshaper into dragon disciple build, but that one's on the backburner because having a bunch of natural attacks with this STR, and houseruled power attack feels kind of like an unfun blender.
A better question that what we would find interesting is this: which of those knights would you find the most fun to play?
Dotting to read in details later.
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Also, incredibly important question: are Centaur's rideable, and if so, is that an acceptable strategy to carry someone into combat?
PC centaurs are not rideable, as they, along with a large part of other centaurs will count as "medium" creatures. Albeit at the upper maxim of what can constitute a medium creature.
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This is exactly why I avoid any games that allow random stats; Even when they also have point buy. It arbitrarily puts the players on uneven footing. That's just not fun for me.
Perhaps, however with the limitations set, no one is going to be largely more powerful than another. A little more versatile? Perhaps. No one starts with a stat higher than 18 or lower than 8. The point buy method is also fairly generous, and I believe should be relatively competitive with even above average rolling. If my hunch was off, I'll up the point buy a little bit. But that would be something for later on.
Dotting.
@GM rorek: any limits on how high in the nobility we can be?
Dotting. Not at home, will post something later today. Very interested.
Well, I'll make it work.
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This is exactly why I avoid any games that allow random stats; Even when they also have point buy. It arbitrarily puts the players on uneven footing. That's just not fun for me.Perhaps, however with the limitations set, no one is going to be largely more powerful than another. A little more versatile? Perhaps. No one starts with a stat higher than 18 or lower than 8. The point buy method is also fairly generous, and I believe should be relatively competitive with even above average rolling. If my hunch was off, I'll up the point buy a little bit. But that would be something for later on.I've heard this "the randomness is only a bit unfair" argument several times before. It never makes any sense to me. It's like saying "Don't worry about that spanner I just threw into the mechanism. It was small, and made of soft rubber. The odds of it messing anything up are pretty low".
Anyway, I've said my piece. Sorry for derailing the thread. I was just disappointed to see this rule in a campaign whose pitch had hooked me.
This entire game is based on random chance friend. I've seen and had several characters get crit by a greataxe and die from full hp. I've seen a level 1 throwaway NPC take out a level 3 character simply because of how the dice rolled that night. If the end characters selected are too largely varied, then my job is to find a way to level it out a little.
I gave the option for rolling because a lot of people enjoy that random chance of dice. And the point buy was a fall back for if chance kicked them in the teeth. You are still welcome to submit something. If not, I hope you have a good day and wish you luck in your games.
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Dotting.
@GM rorek: any limits on how high in the nobility we can be?
There is actually very little "nobility" or, at least hereditary titles in aristocratic sense.
Nobility was deemed one of the main issues when the order was first founded, so tried to do away with it. Most officials are either elected, appointed by the bureaucracy of the order/council of 9, or prominent figures that are assumed by all to be the leader.
What did you have in mind?
Any chance, given that classes are being modified anyways, that 2 skill point classes could be upgraded to 4? It always seemed artificial that fighters/warpriest/ Paladins and the like should be neutered out of combat by not having enough skill points to go around.
Sounds interesting. Dot for later.
Worth a shot :)
Hmm, maybe a 1/2-orc warpriest who uses a butcher axe?
nudge nudge.... XD
We'll see how things go.
I'm going to spoiler this because there's a lot to unpack and holy mackerel, this is gonna be a wall of text.
Evil step-mother tries to take my character's title for her own, my character and her sisters were smuggled out, but stuff goes sideways and now she's in the Order in disguise hoping to find her sisters. Longer, more detailed version to come, but I was thinking that she could be duchess, and then you have a plot hook for knights rescuing princesses. :D
Okay, let me preface this by saying:
A) I am not an expert on nobility, knights, and how things worked historically, so this probably has some big, gaping holes.
=AND=
B) This isn't meant to be a "YOU WORLD MUST WORK LIKE THIS!" in any way. This is your setting and you're the GM. This is your show. Think of this more as my thoughts on the matter.
That said…
Historically, knights have been minor nobles that received patronage from more powerful nobles. Swords and steel armor were expensive to make and maintain, as were horses. This means that knights aren't likely to overthrow their employers since those employers also controlled the wealth that helped them pay for their arms and mounts. There were also men-at-arms, but these were more akin to mercenaries, and they definitely wouldn't be willing to rock the boat since they were even more reliant on the nobles than the knights.
It's not very likely that an order of knights would overthrow the nobility since, at least in England, to be knighted was to be made part of the peerage. Even so, it's likely that a hereditary elite would form anyway. Even in the US, we have something like that with families that are very involved in politics and the entertainment industry being the more visible members of that elite. They may not call themselves nobles, but it's entirely possible that a new aristocracy formed from the vacuum left over by removing the nobility from power, even if they don't style themselves as such.
Another issue is that even if a noble is stripped of political power, they still have lands and treasure that can be used to fund a rebellion against the Order. Unless the Order is willing to strip nobles of all property and/or kill them in job lots to prevent them from trying to reestablish themselves, both of which seem out of character for the order, then there's likely to be a simmering resentment that boils up into open rebellion, at least in the first generation or two of rule.
A more likely scenario, at least to me, is that the Order and the nobility have worked together. The council is effectively an oligarchy and they'll need people to help administer the lands they now rule. Nobles aren't as powerful, but they still have clout and wealth. Their advisors, accountants, and soldiers could be assigned to them by the council as a way to keep them in check.
Another scenario would be something like how the Roman Republic functioned. Nobles are landed individuals and are able to appoint people to a senate that then appoints people to the council. Nobility has to be confirmed by doing noble things, otherwise you lose status and potentially your citizenship.
Anyway, that's just my thoughts. Take them as you will. I can make changes as I need to.
That would work! Just be warned. You can't have Strength over 18, and a butchering axe causes a -2 to hit penalty. Not that big of a deal, as with fate's favored and swift action divine favor, the penalty is a wipe.
But it would be excellent RP to have a character who has to learn how to use his ancestral weapon. Would you be playing a Divine Commander? Arsenal Champion? Cult Leader?
Also, I've mapped out (up until lvl15) Ardan's character build. It goes like this:
Lvls 1-4: Enlightened Paladin (Represents him as a knight. Staying in the class just long enough to get Improved Unarmed Strike, Divine Grace, and Ki. The unarmed strike is likely not that big of a deal, but it felt important for RP purposes)
Lvl 5: Savage Technologist Barbarian (+10ft movement speed, +2 ref, rage that gives +4 Str/Dex and +2 will saves is perfect for an archer. It would be sad for a centaur to be thought of as slow!)
Lvls 6-15: Sentinel (This is what he builds up into. I'm a huge fan of this PrC, but haven't had the chance to make a character with it)
Lvls 16-20: Lantern Bearer (Who knows? It's possible! And why go back to a base class when PrC is such a big part of it?)
Thought that it would be important to highlight the career progression.
starting stats
That was kind of a joke. Thrandir was pretty badass. ;)
Now let's see.
Err....i don't suppose 1 of those two ones can be rerolled? XD
Do they have to be in this order? Can the 18 and 8 be assigned, or are they set as 18 str 8 cha?
Also glad to see that Thrandir was remembered. That warms my cold, dead heart. Had a blast with you in that campaign! If you'd like to do a connection in character backgrounds, I'd happily work with you.
Stat Rolls:
18
8
(Whoops. Editing not to change any scores but because I messed up the formula, forgot to close it off, and didn't GET any score rolls. LOL)
Well, I'll make it work.
Please note the the focus foible method is 1d10+8.
Sh|t! Just completed all the crunch. C'MON 10s!
[tosses monitor at wall in frustration]
[tosses monitor at wall in frustration]
* Bro Hug *
Human, Cavalier (Hoping, eventually of the Pegasus Calvary)
S 18, D 13, C 18, I 13, W 10, Ch 17
Alignment: Neutral Good with Lawful intentions
Third son of a wealthy merchant, Percivat was born roughly ten years after his siblings, and so grows up mostly alone. His father, Laurent Grimbeorn is a cold and unfeeling man, and all but "sells" him off as a Page when Percivat turns seven years old. It is only during a visit home years later, when Percivat demands to know his father's reason to hate him so that he discovers the truth: that his mother had been unfaithful with a low-ranked knight, and that the merchant was not truly his father at all.
However, to save the Grimbeorn name from disgrace and embarrassment, Percivat was raised as one of their own.
When he was halfway through his 13th year, Percivat revealed his desire to one day become a paladin in the service of Imoedae, and after some contemplation, Laurent deigned to send him away to study and train in a temple dedicated to the righteous goddess.
But while Percivat proved to be an apt and able pupil, and a good young man with a truly wholesome heart, he lacked the discipline and dedication to put the strictures of law over the concepts of good, freedom and choice. (In short, he was NG instead of LG, but still held himself to the high standards of trying to be a paladin...even if that means that in his own eyes he’s a failed one.)
Percvat was assigned to train as a Squire with a somewhat befuddled and aging Cavalier, Hugh La Mort, a brave and dedicated man who had all but refused to retire from service.
Too old to be traipsing off to some Holy Land for any sort of crusade, Sir Hugh's "duties" primarily concerned small matters around the region. A stickler for propriety and rules, he decided that Percivat needed a good deal of seasoning before he would be ready to be truly his own man. However, when an opening for apprenticeship came up in the Order, Sir Hugh submitted his squire’s name for consideration.
Family:
Laurent Grimbeorn - Father
Falexandre Grimbeorn - Brother
Gilles Grimbeorn - Brother
Well, I'll make it work.Please note the the focus foible method is 1d10+8.Sh|t! Just completed all the crunch. C'MON 10s!
[dice=1d10 + 8]1d10 + 8
[dice=1d10 + 8]1d10 + 8
[dice=1d10 + 8]1d10 + 8
[dice=1d10 + 8]1d10 + 8
[tosses monitor at wall in frustration]
On the plus side, the GM said that with two 1s you can turn one of the 9s into a 10. 18/13/12/10/9/8 could be worse.
And there is always this: "Take a 20 point buy on a 1-1 ratio. 10 to 11 is 1 point, 17 to 18 is 1 point)." Plenty of very powerful combinations with that. An aasimar paladin, for example, could be: Str (16+2=18) Dex (12) Con (16) Int (10) Wis (10) Cha (16+2=18). That's a 32 point buy in standard pathfinder!
One thing I like about these build rules, is that even with a low roll on focus/foibles, there's no reason that a person will be "underpowered". :)
My pleasure. :)
Rules question! So, Centaurs are Monstrous Humanoids. I looked up the rules and found this:
A monstrous humanoid has the following features.
d10 Hit Die.
Base attack bonus equal to total Hit Dice (fast progression).
Good Reflex and Will Saves.
Skill points equal to 4 + Int modifier (minimum 1) per Hit Die. The following are class skills for monstrous humanoids: Climb, Craft, Fly, Intimidate, Perception, Ride, Stealth, Survival, and Swim.
Does this mean that I have the above as class skills in addition to paladin skills? Or is this only for a GM leveling up a monstrous humanoid without class levels?
I can see two readings of this.
(1) As a monstrous humanoid he gets 4 skill points + int per hit die. He also gets, as a paladin, 2 skill points + int per class level. I think that this is RAW, as one says hit die and the other says class level.
(2) The monstrous humanoid entry is superfluous as it was not designed to go with class levels. It's either or, and the class levels take precedent.
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Good catch, I had forgotten that. You will only have class HD, and will only gain things from the class. You only gain those skills if you gain a monstrous humanoid hit die. Basically think of it as a separate class. (At least. That is how I have understood it)
Short answer: no, you do not gain any if that. However, you do count as a monstrous humanoid for other effects.
Please note the the focus foible method is 1d10+8.
Whoops! Re-roll incoming!
Good to know! Thanks for the clarification
@adamwarnock I'll reply more in depth once I'm off my phone and on on desktop.
Looking forward to it. :)
That said, I do want to make clear that I'm perfectly fine with changing things. I've got other ideas and I'm cool with changing things to fit within the setting.
Thank you Sir Ardan.
And, @plastic dragon, you rolled 10+1d8, please correct this.
Doh. I'm an idiot.
Apparently, no matter what I roll I should probably play court jester. lol I'm not even dyslexic. I have no idea what happened there.Apologies.
Um. Ok.
* blink *
Ok, to be fair, should I stick with the first set of stats which, while rolled incorrectly, were more varied than these?
(18, 13, 13, 17)
Your call, obviously.
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You are right, but think of this order more along the lines of the Knights Templar or Hospitaller. I can't say too much, as I want there to be stuff you learn in game as your characters do. Suffice to say, very little nobility went into funding the Order when it was first created when defending against the Lich. After the war, the Order became the foundation of the government, stripped most noble titles away due to petty squabbles of nobility greatly weakening the defense against the Dread Lich. However, the founding members decided against a totalitarian rule by the Order itself for some reason or another. This was largely possible due to the devastation that Morzoth caused. Many nobles and petty kings had lost their entire lands already. The Order had the support of nearly the entire populace, with soldiers and knights from nobles joining the Order. There were Nobles that backed the Order, but what exactly happened during the tumultuous period and the fates of those nobles is lost to time. The main problem was not how to deal with the nobility, but how to go about rebuilding a government, if it should centralized under one "banner" etc. The answer that was decided on, more or less, was to form a federation of sorts. Every City in Aurulia is autonomous in some way. Each has their own laws and way of ruling, but all answer to the council of 9. The Order, as it exists today, receives stipends from every city, as well as payment for services rendered. So, a mining town would send a fair portion of the minerals they extract to the Order(or a monetary tithe), a large trade city likely sends gold/monetary tithes in place of goods in general, and if some witcheresque creature starts terrorizing the town, they send a request to the Order's HQ (it travels along outposts set up for logistics and communications, but that is not particularly important). After which, the request is processed, and a detail of knights, ranging from a group of 10 to 2 knights, is sent to resolve the problem. Once resolved, the knights collect an agreed upon payment, one using a highly complex, intricate, and almost esoteric formula based on several spreadsheets and variables, which a percentage of goes directly to the Order's coffers itself, and the remaining is a "bonus" to the knights. The Order does operate its own surveys, operations and the like outside of requests as well. Which are usually paid for and supplied by the monthly tithes they receive. Due to this system, their are likely many "baron" level individuals, who pass down large farmsteads to their children. However, most land "belongs" to the Order in theory. Meanwhile, the most influential individuals are usually highly successful merchants, who, like nobles would, pass down family businesses, warehouses, rackets, etc. To a designated child. I wouldn't think about it too terribly hard, as I said, the setting isn't foolproof. But, with a bit of suspension of belief I think it works well enough. Hope this makes sense. Perhaps you are the child of a prominent noble family? Few are fleshed out at this time.