Build Rules:
Dreamscarred Press has a helpful From the Deep: Player's Guide that presents setting information and most of the race/class options. However, note that I modify a couple of these elements below.
Ability Scores: 25pt. or buy use the Dice Pool method where 1's are rerolled. You can attempt 4 sets if you want. You can try each method and decide what you want to keep.
Race:
*Anything from the Player's Guide. You can also pick Blues even though they aren't listed in the Player's Guide, as well as Arkhoon and Maedu.
*I am also open to other options that make sense within the setting, though I don't necessarily have a list. Reptilian, avian, and insectoid races, or other unusual options would be appropriate.
Class:
*1st level, with VMC allowed, with a 'half-gestalt', which means you take an archetype and stack the features instead of switching them out.
*You can pick anything from the Player's Guide or anything from the d20pfsrd.
*This is a psionics primary setting instead of a psionics only setting, so you can play a cleric, wizard, oracle, etc. However, if you pick a Vancian caster like a wizard, you have to take a psionic archetype for your half-gestalt. Additionally, there are no gods as commonly understood. There are 'god minds', which are like psionic deities, or clerics and other divine casters would have to be proponents of a philosophy or elemental or transitive power (i.e., a cleric of shadow/astral/ethereal energies).
*I would prefer Dreamscarred Press' akashic mysteries or Interjection games' ether magic builds to regular Vancian casters. Fluffwise, both veilweaving (akashic mysteries casting) and ethermancers are understood to be channeling the 'flow', a concept of psionic energy in the setting.
*There isn't much planar contact in Third Dawn, so characters with infernal etc. blood lines don't make much sense. Any planar connection should be to transitive or inner plane alignments.
*Gunslingers are available w/ the 'guns everywhere' setting for the campaign's technology level.
*Dreamscarred and Paizo sources are assumed to be allowed. I'd like to stay away from spheres of power except for akashic spheres and maybe a symbiat. Spheres of might are okay. I'd prefer to use akashic mysteries, path of war, and interjection games' ethermagic out of the available 3rd party stuff. I'm okay with things like Talented Rouge instead of Unchained Rouge, or Legendary Rouge etc.
Skills:
*We will be using the background skills system and skill unlocks from Pathfinder Unchained. For skill unlocks, all characters automatically get access to the expanded skill features when they achieve the requisite ranks in their skill. In other words, this is now a base part of the skill system.
*If anyone wants to play a rogue, I'll work out some additional feature with you to compensate for everyone getting the skill unlocks.
Feats:
*1 per level, with the Elephant in the Playground feat tax rules also in effect.
*Additionally, all martial characters get the Combat Stamina (Combat) and Push the Limits (Combat) feats for free as long as they fulfill the prerequisites. They also receive Extra Stamina (Combat) when they fulfill the prerequisites.
Equipment/Wealth: Roll or take average. This is a swashbuckling setting with ancient industrial level technology, so we will be using the 'guns everywhere' setting for technology.
Hit Points We will use the Wounds and Vigor system from the Gamemastering Guide instead of hit points. Take maximum values per level. For first level, take double vitality, and add constitution bonus at each level. The creatures will also receive maximum values.
Xp: I am not using xp, I'm just going to level you up at the appropriate level.
Traits: Up to six, but they have to be from each of the individual six categories OR you can take two, with two additional additional from potential drawbacks, and not be limited as regards categories. You can refluff stuff from a Paizo AP if you want.
Additional Notes:
*We will be using the Hero Points system from the Gamemaster Guide to convey the cinematic character of the setting's swashbuckling themes.
*All characters receive a Defense Bonus by class.
*I also forgot (!) that there are no, or very few, magical items. So we need some kind of ABP to keep up w/ the expected bonuses per level. Consequently we'll use the ABP from Pathfinder Unchained at the 'no magic' setting.
*Characters can swear Oaths if they wish.
Other Rules:
*I use a hex grid for combat, which changes the diagonal facing opportunities.
*Combat will have the enemies roll, and act, as a group for initiative.
*Called shots from the Gamemastering Guide are an option for combat.
*Artestia is also an option for combat.
*I will also employ some of the subsystems from Ultimate Intrigue and Horror Adventures to mechanically model the Lovecraftian and swashbuckling concepts in the campaign setting. I will apprise the group when I introduce one of these subsystems.
Setting Notes:
*The ophiduans have a quasi mayan culture as regards their naming conventions and architecture. Like the maya, the society of the Protectorate is organized into competing city-states, different members of which are preeminent at different time periods.
*Crystals of various sorts, including crystal skulls, are important psionic artifacts and tools in the Protectorate.
*Some of their leaders are psionic vampires/mind drainers, though this is a decadent faction of their society.
*Their cult of the God Minds also sometimes involves the sacrifice of psionic essence of non-citizens in secretive ceremonies.
There are a number of criminal organizations in Arbil, but the two most prominent are the Diamond Knives and the Smoking Skulls/Malachite Ring.
The Diamond Knives are the psionic thieves guild. They are primarily composed of ophiduans who have, for whatever reason, fallen out of favor within the Protectorate, such that they have to devise alternative means of earning a living. These are, for example, supporters of failed psionic duel challengers, and similar parties. There are also a number of other psionic races. The Diamond Knives direct their particular ire against undermining those who had caused their banishment from the upper echelons of power, and so their concerns tend to be high level smuggling and money laundering schemes, as well as blackmail and other political concerns directed at the upper echelons of Protectorate society.
The Smoking Skulls are a sinister collective of non-psionic criminals that recently absorbed another criminal outfit known as the Malachite Ring. Because of this recent absorption, the Smoking Skull membership from the previous organization still sometimes adopts this previous moniker. The Smoking Skulls are based in the ruins under Arbil, where they deal with contraband from the ruins, including pre-Impact technology. Their organization exists in several Protectorate cities, including Lirasse and Ming. They arrived from Lirasse to destroy and absorb the Malachite Ring several months ago. The previous organization of non-psionic criminals mainly dealt with contraband and had a strong archaeological/antiquarian bent. The Smoking Skulls are more hardened criminals who specialize in assassinations and violent crime.
*The Maquoran Fleet has a quasi Samoan/Hawaiian society. It is composed of many clans.
