I would be down for a different system! My usual Pathfinder group has fun with different systems all of the time. Off the top of my head, we've played Star Wars (Saga Edition), Blades in the Dark, Traveller, Scum and Villainy, Avatar Legends, Monsters of the Week, Space Train Space Heist, and probably a few others over the last three years alone that I'm forgetting. So I'm always down to try something new with a trusted group.
EDIT: A more radical idea. What about a completely different game? Has anyone ever played any Call of Cthulhu? There are quite a few short, standalone scenarios for it. I think the Pulp Cthulhu version of the rules might be my favorite game of them all. The pulp rules cut back on all the characters dying all the time, though there's still plenty of dying. It's not a game for people who don't like dead characters all over the place.
Nooooo, not Blackleaf!
Although I've always wondered what a game of Paranoia would actually be like. XD
I think I'd probably need some hand-holding or a rules-light thing if we branch out to a different system, which is a pity, because my preference is for fussy crunchy things, I think.
Apart from various flavours of D&D, I think the most of anything else I've had any experience with at all was an abortive World of Darkness (Vampire, specifically) thing very long ago that didn't go beyond the introductory scenario.
For what it's worth, I think I've almost convinced myself that I would be willing to try a stint in the hot seat if we decide to do something based around PFS scenarios, with a bit of time to get comfortable with the material and brainstorm some ideas to fill in the gaps.
And if I ended up being terrible at it, we could swap someone else in.
Hey, I trust y'all.
Let's take our time and not rush so that whatever we end up doing is still enjoyable ^_^
I've never gotten into PFS, so I can't comment on that, but I'm quite willing to explore other options. I am most familiar with Chronicles of Darkness (Vampire the Requiem and Mage the Awakening in particular), Exalted 3rd edition, and the Pathfinder systems, but I'm open to exploring some others.
Well boo. I thought I could make Cthulhu sound tempting. Maybe I should have ran with the insanity angle instead of death. Insanity gets characters at least as often as death...
Hi! How’s everyone doing? I miss our game together. :/
Well boo. I thought I could make Cthulhu sound tempting. Maybe I should have ran with the insanity angle instead of death. Insanity gets characters at least as often as death...
Joking aside, I could be tempted, if character creation and the system is easy enough that I wouldn’t get attached. I do love occultists going crazy with Things Wot Are Beyond Mortal Ken™. I don’t know the system, though.
In my idle moments, I keep returning to some of the other ideas we tossed around here a couple of weeks ago.
Taking it slowly, I think I would be willing to try to weave some side-stories peripheral to our Kingmaker characters together out of some PFS scenarios, if that would be something all y’all would be interested in. Less like the town watch, and maybe more like Round Table shenanigans? Exploring the River Kingdoms (mostly), and do-gooding, or at least not making things worse, though not necessarily in particularly knightly fashion. Maybe more a chaotic "Ministry of All the Talents" and/or "Her Majesty's (Not-so-)Secret Service." ;)
Our “main” characters here could have background roles as patrons and leads to particular quests, I figure, which might be fun, especially if folks are moved to roll up characters inspired by someone else’s high muckamuck in Helikia, or we end up with a fanclub of one of the ruling council in particular.
If folks are ok with a GMPC to pad out party numbers a bit, I’ve got a bit of a meathead in the works that I think would be relatively easy to avoid metagaming with, and hopefully keep out of the spotlight.
If that sounds like something you’d be interested in, very tentatively the idea was to start with a mashup of The Silverhex Chronicles and Oathbreakers Die scenarios, and take it from there.
Hmm... It sounds interesting, definitely. I've a few characters knocking about that might have some level of role to play there, at least.
I don't have anything specific to contribute suggestion-wise, I'm afraid, but I do like the idea more generally.
Sure! I'm in for whatever.
The only idea I have that's significantly different from what you're already outlining Lina is to flip the coin and have the characters be a group from some potential rival who wants to keep an eye on developments in Helikia, either because of predatory intentions, or just because they don't want to be caught by surprise should weird things happen down the road.
Sevenarches or Hymbria could work, but would place some limits on the types of characters we have. Mivon and Pitax are both obvious options.
This wouldn't have to mean the party would be dastardly. They're just hanging around watching things and getting a feel for the new kingdom. They also stumble across a few adventures in the process.
It's a way to have a fresh start away from our main characters if we'd want that instead of a connection to them.
If we go with some version of a theme that connects us to our regular PCs, I might build a Fermenter Alchemist (what up and coming town doesn't need a microbrewery?). There's also a couple of really interesting outdoors themed archetypes for Investigator, Cartographer and Natural Philosopher, that are compatible and look like fun.
That does sound delightful. I don't mind GMPCs, especially with people I trust (like y'all).
At first blush, almost all of my currently active PCs are spellcasters with 3/4 BaB, so this seems like a good opportunity to either go really squishy or buff out. So I'm leaning towards either bringing someone from my inactive stable who is a full-BaB type with little to no magic. That's different from the usual swiss-army-knife skill-monkey types that I usually build.
Once we settle on build parameters, I might tool around with a bloodrager. (It's hard for me to stay away from magic completely.)
Bloodragers are A LOT of fun right out of the gate at 1st level.
I built a Level 5 Steelblood Bloodrager for a Carrion Hill game, but I was unfortunately the only person who submitted a completed application by the deadline.
Poor, dear, tortured Tabitha is probably a bit too grim-dark for a jaunt through the River Kingdoms, but I loved putting her together.
I once built a gestalt Aasimar Chosen One Paladin / Steelblood Primalist (Celestial Totem) Bloodrager as a character to submit to a WotR campaign.
I realized the character would be nearly god tier and quietly put it away and built something else instead.
I swear almost every WotR campaign I've seen here has been geared up from the start to be overpowered with, like, 25-point buy gestalt before mythic. It's no wonder most of them fizzle out before you ever get back above ground. Mythic is a hard enough system to adjudicate as players and GM without adding endless options. You almost have to try to make things a challenge.
Don't get me wrong, I love my high-powered 25-point-buy gestalt shenanigans, but it's usually best in response to smaller parties or to let the GM go wild with encounters.
That particular campaign was gestalt instead of mythic. But yeah, if I recall correctly it was 25 point buy.
Sure! I'm in for whatever.
The only idea I have that's significantly different from what you're already outlining Lina is to flip the coin and have the characters be a group from some potential rival who wants to keep an eye on developments in Helikia, either because of predatory intentions, or just because they don't want to be caught by surprise should weird things happen down the road.
Sevenarches or Hymbria could work, but would place some limits on the types of characters we have. Mivon and Pitax are both obvious options.
This wouldn't have to mean the party would be dastardly. They're just hanging around watching things and getting a feel for the new kingdom. They also stumble across a few adventures in the process.
It's a way to have a fresh start away from our main characters if we'd want that instead of a connection to them.
If we go with some version of a theme that connects us to our regular PCs, I might build a Fermenter Alchemist (what up and coming town doesn't need a microbrewery?). There's also a couple of really interesting outdoors themed archetypes for Investigator, Cartographer and Natural Philosopher, that are compatible and look like fun.
We’ll see how it goes as we put more thought into it, but for now I’m just brainstorming a possible frame narrative. Like in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The lady in her hall, before everyone sits down to the feast, wants to hear about an adventure, that sort of thing.
(“Hey!” Lina objects, “I’m the only (poison-witch-) bard-luxe in the world, and not a mere device!” “Hush, you.” :p )
It could be more of an incipient adventurers’ guild or just a party of ickle firsties that just happens to be (at least at first) headquartered in Helikia, and there certainly doesn’t have to be much of a connection to the Pathfinder Society as such or at all, though they would certainly be an example of folks that Lina wouldn’t be too worried about seeing around. “Oh, like those guys! It’s fine.”
That does sound delightful. I don't mind GMPCs, especially with people I trust (like y'all).
At first blush, almost all of my currently active PCs are spellcasters with 3/4 BaB, so this seems like a good opportunity to either go really squishy or buff out. So I'm leaning towards either bringing someone from my inactive stable who is a full-BaB type with little to no magic. That's different from the usual swiss-army-knife skill-monkey types that I usually build.
Once we settle on build parameters, I might tool around with a bloodrager. (It's hard for me to stay away from magic completely.)
Aw, shucks. I’ll be providing some NPC support with a very shy sacred servant paladin of Yuelral with an eye on mystic theurge in the distant future, then, probably, to provide a meat shield and some healing, mostly. Per Signy’s comment, she’d be a Lina fangirl, but capital-C Concerned about the chaos and the whole poison and curse thing the witch of Helikia’s got going on.
OK. Like we’ve been saying, taking it slow to get to actually throwing dice around, but if people want an excuse to roll up a new character, I was thinking of parameters like the following (cribbing from some of the campaigns you’re running Brental!):
Starting Level: 1
Ability Scores: 20 point buy.
Races: Have fun! Stuff that wouldn’t be too out of place in high fantasy and/or fairy tale would be easiest to work in, but if you don’t mind your character attracting a lot of attention, we can probably find a way to work with whatever if you want to go nuts.
Alignment: “Plays well with others, for reasons.” :)
Class: Any Paizo, though I’ll be honest, my eyes kind of glazed over with the kineticist. 3rd-party is fine, if it’s on an online SRD somewhere, though I’ll be learning it as we go along, and if it starts being less fun for everyone, we might have to tweak things as we go.
Archetypes: If there's a problem with things you like stacking, I'd love to see what we can work out! Especially if you're dipping into something or prestige-ing out and the alternate feature clash will be moot.
Skills: Standard + 2 background skill points per level, and see FCBs below.
Feats: If folks want, the “Elephant in the Room” feat consolidation, and 1 free Story or Achievement (tweaked for the River Kingdoms) feat; Combat Stamina free for fighters; Signature Skill to access skill unlocks; Psychic Sensitivity to access occult skill unlocks.
Traits: Three traits from different categories, can include refluffed campaign traits; can take drawback for a fourth, and the Extra Traits feat is available.
Wealth: Maximum for your class at lvl 1.
Hit Points: Max at lvl 1, thereafter ½ HD +1 or roll, whichever is higher.
Favoured Class Bonuses: Hit point, Skill point, and racial favored class option each level.
Background: As much or as little as you like! It might let us sling hooks your character’s way, or give us ideas for working with a story feat, if any.
Oh, I've got Haungalon, who was my alternate idea for a character and backup for if Meneas kicked it. I'd have to adjust his stats, but there you go.
Sometimes I get stuck in a rut and stop thinking about all the options that are really out there. I got frustrated trying to figure out Alchemist archetypes and went back to take a look at all the available classes.
In all this time I've never played a Sorcerer. So, Sorcerer it is. Half Elf, Psychic bloodline.
Excellent.
I did a tentative build last night and came up with a Waker May (Dreamthief-born) Changeling Bloodrager (tentatively) of the fey bloodline. Probably still a steelblood, because gimme that heavy armor .
Is she fey? Is she hag? What aspect of nature does she represent: grace and beauty or savage destruction?
Yes.
---
There is no racial FCB for changeling bloodragers, but there are some recommendations (here and here) to let those without a racial FCB choose to "Add 1 to the Bloodrager’s total number of bloodrage rounds per day." I rather like that option.
Because more rage means more beautiful destruction.
---
I'm also down with Elephant in the Room. That lets me pick something other than Power Attack as my first feat, which means things can get interesting.
Story Feat: Either Accursed or Embrace of the Dark Fey both seem fun and appropriate. Leaning latter.
---
I'll probably keep some of the bones of Tabitha's story as linked above, but tweak it so that she's tied to the River Kingdoms instead of Ustalav and to hags and fey rather than the unfathomable creatures of the depths. Head canon: she's the woman that Brental found Kesten indisposed with some time back.
Sounds good, Brental, on both counts: the changeling FCB, and making feat choices and access easier for everyone by addressing the chambered pachyderm! :)
Sometimes I get stuck in a rut and stop thinking about all the options that are really out there. I got frustrated trying to figure out Alchemist archetypes and went back to take a look at all the available classes.
In all this time I've never played a Sorcerer. So, Sorcerer it is. Half Elf, Psychic bloodline.
Good-o! There are some psychic spells that look really fun, but I've never really had a chance to play around much with the occult stuff.
Oh, I've got Haungalon, who was my alternate idea for a character and backup for if Meneas kicked it. I'd have to adjust his stats, but there you go.
Oh, gosh, Haungalon looks delightful! One of my uncles got me and my brother into tabletop gaming especially by way of GW miniatures and Warhammer 40K, so the ripsaw glaive and experimental gunnery is bringing back fond memories of chainswords and unstable plasma weapons and all that! I wonder if Huangalon would be interested in an excursion to Numeria, and how he'd encourage the others to tag along. :)
Excursions to Numeria are almost always well-advised.
Give me some time to work out his newfound stats again. It might take me awhile, since mechanics often do.
Absolutely! No rush, I was just trying to acknowledge all y'all's ideas with a bit more engagement.
Tentatively, does my posting something around the start of the month - just to lay the groundwork for the first scene and eventual character introductions - sound good for everyone? No pressure, of course. The idea would be, if it pans out, to give folks time to think about it over the Labour Day weekend.
I'll probably post before then to dangle some hooks and/or invite suggestions for things folks might want to see.
I like it! Let's aim for that.
Hi, everyone! Hope your weekends are going well.
Two quick questions that I would appreciate you thinking about when you put your new characters together:
A) of all, how much of the River Kingdoms has your character seen? Do they have a favourite?
Any answer is fine, obviously, but details like that can help flesh out hooks or, I imagine, set things up for the scratching of itches like “I’ve always wanted to build a character that could out-wrestle a giant. Bite me, Beowulf!”
Second of b), how does your character feel about the Pathfinders? Are they a member in good standing? Curious? Indifferent? About to get dragged in kicking and screaming by their new friends?
More seriously, if you’d rather we either play down (or up) the Pathfinder Society angle as we try to have some fun without much of the framework of an adventure path to lean on, we can see what we can do.
(Hat-tip to Daniel Lavery for listing arrangements.)
[Maybe] flip the coin and have the characters be a group from some potential rival who wants to keep an eye on developments in Helikia, either because of predatory intentions, or just because they don't want to be caught by surprise should weird things happen down the road.
...
This wouldn't have to mean the party would be dastardly. They're just hanging around watching things and getting a feel for the new kingdom. They also stumble across a few adventures in the process.
It occurs to me that leaning in to the in-world Pathfinder stuff could work, because as I understand it, the stuffier sort of elf tends to be really suspicious of the Pathfinders, as amateur “archeologists” or whatever. One of the fun things, for differentiating the newbies from our Kingmaker characters, is that Lina’s too much of a bumpkin to be aware of those tensions, but a Pathfinder would definitely know about them, what with rumours that even the current “modernizing” queen of Kyonin recently had a group of Pathfinders, er, liquidated. Someone like Lina, with aspirations to being something like an elf royal and a very traditional Kyoni girlfriend, probably should make Pathfinders a bit nervous.
"Yes, of course. There is absolutely a multi-layered elven conspiracy to take over most of the Sellen basin between the Lake of Mists and Veils and the south Hymbrian Forest."
"..."
"See, the worst part is, I'm not entirely sure that she's not actually making a confession right now." XD
Oh I do so want my dear Tabitha to have a much more interesting backstory than is typical for Level 1. I want her to have participated in gladiatorial combat in Tymon, had a run-in with the poisoners in Daggermark, been the changeling given unbidden to a couple who fled from Galt to Gralton, and explored the town of Uringen at least.
I'm quite partial to the last two. I think she was raised as the daughter of some ex-Galtan nobility in Gralton but was drawn to Uringen as a wee thing, feeling some sort of inexplicable draw to the unstuck portions. Perhaps after learning about her heritage, she ran off to Tymon to start learning how to fight, leaning into her dark urges.
And considering that both Uringen and Tymon have Pathfinder Society lodges (as does Daggermark, for that matter), I think it's a fair bet that Tabitha is at least aware of the Society. I think she has so far been more interested in learning how to channel the impulses within her, so I doubt she has gone to a meeting yet. If someone is able to convince her that she'll have an easier time doing that working for the Pathfinder Society than carving people in the Arena, then she'll have to think about it.
---
"Your Ladyship, we've talked about this, remember?"
*Takes notes.*
I mean, being the sort of people who survive complicated entanglements probably is what makes for PCs. I don't like the argument, but I get the appeal of the idea that Miltons, qua Miltons, are neither mute nor inglorious.
Anywho, maybe, if you're feeling worried about how much Tabitha has gotten up to, she's still looking for an in? I imagine finding a sponsor and/or getting onto one of the teams in Tymon is highly competitive, but I'm sure there are all sorts of prizefights and such where aspirants hope to catch the eye of the movers and shakers and a prestigious slot at the arena?
Maybe there was some alchemical and professional (read: "facilitators of fatalities") chicanery in the pit/ring/circle she's been fighting at, and to teach the perp a lesson and with sweet, sweet poetic justice...
Except, as you suggest, maybe something happened when Tabitha was first drawn to Uringen. Fortunately, there's a new settlement a bit upriver where the powers that be are also trying to encourage the study of magic and alchemy, so it's worth a shot...
:)
I could see my character (who's family origins lie in Galt as well BTW) going all in for the Pathfinder Society. Sort of a "the club that will have her" kind of thing.
Hello, fellow Galtan!
Indeed, I think that she hasn't quite gotten the notice of a gladiatorial sponsor yet and is trying to find one. I'm trying to leave a few hooks open: unknown parentage, dark fey, anger issues, goals of gaining recognition for fighting prowess, that sort of stuff.
I could see my character (who's family origins lie in Galt as well BTW) going all in for the Pathfinder Society. Sort of a "the club that will have her" kind of thing.
Oh, excellent, a most clubbable gentlewoman! (Or the sort of revolutionary that would smack someone for saying so.) :)
Let’s see what sort of gesture we can make to someplace that’s often even more alarming than the River Kingdoms!
Who is Jean Galt? Putting the marrant back into the Marat mourant?
OK, I’ll stop now. (And yes, I know that’s not the name of the painting, and a terrible way to extort a pun out of it.) ;)
j/k, I love it.
I was wondering if I could take one of the fun Changeling drawbacks, and thought I'd roll to see what I might get.
Your ears have stretched to an abnormal size, making you overly sensitive to loud noises. Whenever you are dealt sonic damage, you take 1 additional point of damage, and you are deafened for 1 minute whenever you take damage from any sonic effect.
I love it.
So… Dobby as a bloodrager? Awesome! Go for it! XD
I guess standard operating procedure will be to gank any bards first, poor things?
Oh, also:
Meneas, Signy, no pressure, but if you have ideas for connections between the characters you’re working on and our existing or NPCs, feel free to lob them out there and we can start thinking about where that might go in setting the scene. Or we can play it by ear. I'm definitely keen to try to improve rolling with the improv "Yes, and..." :)
Like I said a while back, I’m hoping to dangle a teaser late next week for all y’all to play with a bit over the Labour Day weekend if you’d like, so we can ease into getting things started after that.
Looking forward to trying to entangle everyone in more River Kingdoms shenanigans!
So a week on and I've done nothing at all. Work has crept up on me like a sneaker wave with the beginning of the new school year almost here. I switched to working on a team that is based in local schools instead of at a branch office, which means I'm straddling a lot more things than before.
Things will calm down as the new routine gets established, but it might be something like the end of September before that's happened. Until it does my posting is going to be slower and more sporadic, but I'll still be around as best I can.
Oh, well, I'm happy to delay things if that's more convenient for any and everyone.
There's no sense in rushing it if it's going to make things less fun!
Which is to say, I hear you about the start of term. I'm in deep denial about it myself, and it's really the arrival of new students in town that is making it sink in, because I'm (mercifully) no longer a froshie, and already settled. I hope things start smoothing out for you quickly. :)
Okay, after much looking and thinking I've altered my character plans some.
Looking at the party's other characters, there is a Paladin, Bloodrager, and Gunslinger. Not terrible for skills and knowledge but not great either. A Sorcerer wouldn't really help that much. In fact a Sorcerer would probably be the worst of the lot.
So, now I think I've settled on a Blood Arcanist instead. I still get a Bloodline, but skill points and class skills will be much better. It also solved some blockages on background I was having.
The character will be a Half-Elf and from Gralton. However her training in Magic had too come from elsewhere since she's not allowed to enter Hymbria, and Gralton is such a dump. She actually trained under Venture-Captain Sayrin Firewyne while living at the Gray Falls Lodge.
So she's all in as a Pathfinder agent (does this get me a wayfinder?) and is actively looking to recruit for the lodge.
As for Bloodline, sadly Psychic will not work since it doesn't actually provide for gaining any spells from the Psychic list aside from the bloodline spells, which a Blood Arcanist doesn't get.
(Of course, you could decide something crazy like allowing that, making what would probably be the first ever Psychic Arcanist, which would be much better than the Psychic class.
I did think about Psychic, which would be coool to try out, but the spell list is so skewed toward Will save or suck spells that they have all the problems an enchantments centered caster does. The first half of the levels is just a race to patch all the weaknesses before they kill you.
Anyway, aside from something crazy like that, I'll probably go with the arcane bloodline.
EDIT: There is actually a bloodline that allows taking spells from the Psychic list, Esoteric Dragon. I could go that route, but if so, what would you think of allowing the bloodline mutation options to replace the 1st level claws and 9th level breath weapon bloodline powers? Those won't really do much for an arcanist.
I'm sorry for being so distracted of late, but I hope to get Haungalon up to date soon.
As someone who has real-life misophonia, the idea of being overly sensitive to sound is intimately familiar. Tabs will have probably gauged her ears so that they look more normal.
I still need to choose traits and feats and such, and make the profile, and...
Well, delaying doesn't sound half bad.
I'm sorry for being so distracted of late, but I hope to get Haungalon up to date soon.
Oh, not at all, real life comes first!
Why don’t we plan to check in around the 8th or so, and see if things look like they’ll be settling down enough for us to start spinning things up, or if we need to boot it further down the road. And if opportunity and inspiration miraculously come together before then, feel free to give me a heads-up and we’ll see what we can do!
As someone who has real-life misophonia, the idea of being overly sensitive to sound is intimately familiar. Tabs will have probably gauged her ears so that they look more normal.
I still need to choose traits and feats and such, and make the profile, and...
Well, delaying doesn't sound half bad.
My sympathies! I don’t think I’d put that label on it for me, but yeah, it’s probably a good thing I moved away from home when I did, because my dad loves ambient noise (radios, teevees, whatever) and I … really, really don’t. And don’t get me started about the whippersnappers in my library these days! >:(
I did think about Psychic, which would be coool to try out, but the spell list is so skewed toward Will save or suck spells that they have all the problems an enchantments centered caster does. The first half of the levels is just a race to patch all the weaknesses before they kill you.
Anyway, aside from something crazy like that, I'll probably go with the arcane bloodline.
EDIT: There is actually a bloodline that allows taking spells from the Psychic list, Esoteric Dragon. I could go that route, but if so, what would you think of allowing the bloodline mutation options to replace the 1st level claws and 9th level breath weapon bloodline powers? Those won't really do much for an arcanist.
Yep, sounds about right. Anyway, if a Blood Arcanist works for you, I’m absolutely fine with homebrewing some sort of occult bloodline that will do the trick. So, definitely Esoteric Dragon + mutation options to swap out the 1st and 9th level powers, if you’d like. I think it would also be peachy if you stuck with the psychic or arcane bloodline and swapped out for the esoteric dragon bloodline arcana to get the spells, or started with that and then mixed and matched and mutated from there. And of course, it could represent whatever occult/psychic influence and not necessarily actually be draconic. Would that work?
As for a wayfinder, would you mind spending a trait on it? (Now with a +1 to initiative checks too!)
There are a few that boil down to “start with a wayfinder.” Honestly, I wouldn’t normally sweat it, but I’m thinking of pulling GM shenanigans to set up for what I hope will be reasonably thematic transport from jump, so I’m inclined to err a bit on the side of nickel and dimeing until we get you to 2nd level to avoid stumbling too close to Monty Haul. Or Oprah? (Everyone gets a fancy new car!) ;)
As for a wayfinder, would you mind spending a trait on it? (Now with a +1 to initiative checks too!)
Sure! I'll take that deal! In fact you talked me into just going ahead and taking the Additional Traits feat. Now my character will be rocking 5 traits.
In between my post and your reply, I decided to go ahead and bite the bullet. I went with the Psychic class. It's by no means a bad class, just needs some patching here and there like I said. I'd already committed my 3 traits to patching things or shoring up soft spots, so rather than drop one of them, why not just take two more, Especially if it gets me a wayfinder and UMD in class?
Also this way is cleaner, no need for customization. The only thing that falls outside the standard rules is the second of the two new traits, the one for UMD, is actually for ratfolk. If you're okay with letting that slide, that's all I need.
So here is Eris. No longer a Half-Elf, but an Aasimar, and no longer from Gralton, but from Uringen. It'll get explained in the backstory. I still need to write it, but I have it all worked out. Still keeping the 'grew up living at the Grist Mill with the gnome venture captain' part, and still a pathfinder agent.
Aside from gear, backstory, and editing for errors, Eris is complete.
Well now I feel inspired to go finish Tabitha!
(After I do a few other things that need doing.)
Eris looks fun!
And by all means, refluffing the ratfolk trait is fine. As much as I like the way pinning things down can lead to some inspiration with the whole "What does it mean for my character to have this trait?" angle, I really should houserule a "+1 trait bonus to 1 skill, and now it's a class skill, you come up with why it's interesting and important to your PC" generic trait, for when I'm GMing. And maybe keep an eye out for other patterns in existing traits that I can't think of right now.
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Well, the pieces do fit together. Part of it is that Eris, who's parents are decidedly static in their opinions about Uringen, did business with the unstuck crowd, which led to her accidentally being born in the unstuck part of town overnight.
Eris doesn't ping as aasimar, so nothing seemed particularly amiss despite that unfortunate event (except the darksight thing was a little weird). However, when a pissed off tween can punctuate her unhappiness by popping off pyrotechnics something is probably amiss, and beyond what a couple of steadfastly normie parents can handle.
Given a choice of seeking help from somewhere in Unstuck Uringen, or a gnome living in a mill down south, of course one chooses the gnome. Several formative years later and the gnome has rubbed off on Eris. Magical baubles? Yes! The Pathfinder Society? Yes! An observatory built into the place? Of course Eris is a starseeker!
Sayrin Firewyne has several competing theories on why Eris is the way she is, but no one of them can be proven conclusively correct.
I'm still narrowing down trait and feat choices on my end, carefully trying to balance mechanical effectiveness with how I envision the character working.
And while trawling through the archives (of Nethys), I stumbled on a faint mention of the Norn, whom I had tragically forgotten about.
They are powerful fey dealing with fate who, to maintain their powers while on the Material Plane, form covens. Triumvirates, technically, but that's nitpicking.
I can envision a dreamthief-born changeling feyblooded bloodrager born of a tryst between a corrupted norn going on...quite the adventure. Too many ideas to wrap my head around right now, but I put this out there for prospective plotting.
I'm still working on some details, but I have added the background and Eris is basically ready to go.
@Brental: Just in case you haven't seen it, there is a Norn focused Monk archetype.
I did see that archetype! If I wasn't so intent on Tabitha being a bloodrager, I'd look into it, especially because it looks pretty solid.
But we'll see! 11th hour changes have happened before.
I don't really know how to measure the Nornkith as an archetype for a Monk character, never played the class and can't recall anyone else playing one in any of my games.
But a one level dip looks sweet, always acting in the surprise round, +1 initiative, and unarmed strikes that count as silver is a nice package.
It's definitely something to consider after a few levels! Especially if I can port the first level abilities to unchained and not lose out on my full BaB progression!
I'm afraid I can't manage to get things together for this, guys. Sorry - just a lot of stuff on my plate these days.
Then let's table it for now and try to pick it back up later on when the plate is a little less full.