Discussion here. Let's work here to meld backstories and get a sense of the members and beliefs of the clan.
Hey folks, looking forward to getting started!
Alias should be mostly set up. The alias picture is more or less how I imagine Gnarok looking with the face paint, green eyes, and stern bearing. Despite his sternness (if that's a word), he's deeply, deeply committed to the wellbeing of the clan and it's people. He's travelled with them for many years (think two centuries in forbidden numbers) and as such has a vast knowledge of their history and customs. Many of the other characters, I'd think, have early memories of him telling stories around the fire, his severity dissolving as he tells the tales of the heroic deeds of the clan's ancestors.
That said, he also deeply wants to explore the world and find the truth behind his elven ancestry. Though he loves the clan, he's seen people he loves grow old and die several times, and that pain wears on him and some sort of respite from that would be welcomed.
You folks are welcome to use numbers out of character. But, as Gnarok points out, to your characters any number larger than 9 is "many."
Someone like Gnarok would seem to the clan to have been around essentially forever, though Gnarok would, of course, know that wasn't the case.
Dotting in, I'll have more to talk about later. Working a bit later than I probably should to finish up a project.
Thanks for choosing me! I'm excited to be part of this game. :)
GM, you had mentioned possibly including the discovery of Fanki's eidolon during the course of gameplay. Did you still want to have this happen in-game or should she start with the eidolon?
Glad to be here!! Had to switch my profile pic...I had chosen the same as Fanki...and unless we were twins...lol
Anyway, I pictured Fade as part of what many cultures call the "woman's circle" I further decided to make that circle with 3 main "leaders" known ritually as the Maiden, the Mother, and the Crone. (and yes I cribbed this off of Terry Prachet lol)
Not too sure if this fits our clan or not, but thought I would throw it out there...
Hello all. Dinosaur companion! I can't wait!
The first adventure I have written is called "In the Valley of the _______ god" with the blank being something that we will need to define. It could be Bear God, or Mammoth God, or God in the Cave, or anything, really. What you guys choose will affect the nature of the god.
The theme of the scenario is a rite of passage. The valley is a test of some sort. Your group (which is maybe 20-30 people) has been wandering together for a time and will now be heading to a meeting with all of the members of the Clan (maybe 150 people). On the way, they leave the party at the entrance to this canyon and you have to make your way through and out and then join the Clan-meet. You might have been through other rites of passage, but you have never made the passage through the valley.
Fanki, if you wanted to play out the origin of the eidolon and gaining your curse that could certainly work as a plot element.
As for the culture of your clan, I have left that open so that we can define it together. Since it is such a small group and you are and will be such an important part of it, it needs to reflect your characters.
Each clan has a clan fire that serves as the center of clan life. Outsiders are accepted within the circle of the fire light for the night so long as they leave their weapons outside the light of the fire. This fills the role that towns and inns serve in a typical campaign. If you are out wandering, you can expect to find a welcome among strange tribes you encounter. Of course, so some clans might not follow these rules and might try to eat you.
WHEREVER YOU GO IN PLANEGEA, YOU FIND adventure, and not always at the snarling teeth of a saber-toothed cat. Sometimes it’s the false smile of a lying advisor, their eyes glittering with subtle malice. Sometimes it’s in a tense negotiation between clans on the brink of all-out war.
And then sometimes—rarely, but every now and then—life in Planegea is good, peaceful, and worth fighting to protect. As you take your seat around the clanfire, you’ll discover these keys of life in Planegea:
Protect the clan. Mortals in Planegea—humans, elves, dwarves, orcs, and other folk—live in nomadic hunter- gatherer groups called clans. These clans roam the land in search of food, water, fuel for their fires, and a safe place to lay their heads at night. A clan is the closest family a
mortal can have, and survival depends on knowing that the others in your clan would die for you, and you for them.
Honor the clanfire. The clanfire is the heart of clan life—a symbol of vitality and survival. This large fire is usually found at the center of a mortal camp. It burns low and hot during the day, used for crafting and cooking, but as night falls, it is raised to a roaring bonfire around which the clan gathers to eat, talk, perform rituals and magic, and tell stories. To extinguish a clanfire is an act of war, a death
threat against every member of the clan. The fire is kept burning above all, and honored by those who keep it.
Appease the gods. Gods in Planegea are not distant abstractions—they are the great bear in the cave, the lion on the hill, the whisper in the dark in the dead tree you dare not approach. Gods are powerful, but local, bound to their divine lair, called their hallow. As clans travel, they move between divine domains, and seek to curry favor with the local gods, relying on their shamans (and those the shamans recruit) to do all it takes to earn the favor of the nearest, most powerful god.
Craft what you need. In this primal world, mortals make what they need from a hunt’s harvest or what they can gather from the wild. The land and its monsters bristle with parts that can be used in all manner of surprising combinations, from the simplest knife to elaborate flying constructs built from driftstone, leathery wings, scavenged ribcages, and arcane gems. It’s a make-do land, where cunning and ingenuity are as valuable as brawn and stamina, and every hunt is an opportunity for invention.
Make friends & enemies. Only a fool dwells trustingly with the enemy. As powerful clans, dangerous raiders,unstable gods, ravaging monsters, and the ever-present Giant Empires loom on all sides, it’s essential to make allies you can trust—and to know who your enemies are. Many forces move through the world, some unmissable, some unseen. The secrets in a stranger’s eyes in the firelight may mean the difference between life and death—or worse.
Alright, not sure yet if I'd rather play things out in game or just start with the eidolon, but I'll let you know before we begin in earnest. :)
@Tumbler: Did you have any thoughts on that last PM I sent you so I can button up the last of Akash's stuff?
As for tribe culture, I can really only speak for what my own character has provided which is the "olutoju" tradition. I took the word from the Yoruba language, but that's about it.
I'm good with the idea off adapting the Fiend Keeper to fit the Legendary Medium. I haven't had time to get deep into what that looks like, but I'll try to look into it tomorrow.
Glad to be here!! Had to switch my profile pic...I had chosen the same as Fanki...and unless we were twins...lol
Anyway, I pictured Fade as part of what many cultures call the "woman's circle" I further decided to make that circle with 3 main "leaders" known ritually as the Maiden, the Mother, and the Crone. (and yes I cribbed this off of Terry Prachet lol)
Not too sure if this fits our clan or not, but thought I would throw it out there...
I'm good with that. It makes the most sense to me that the clan is matrilineal (so your most important male relative would be your mother's brother rather than your father).
The power structures will be a meritocracy, so the hunt leader or chieftain can be male or female or non-binary.
I'm thinking the Maiden, Mother, Crone leaders are spread out among the entire Clan, not just in your small family group.
I'm going to try to get things together and get us playing Sunday into Monday. We can build the world as we go along.
I'm good with the idea off adapting the Fiend Keeper to fit the Legendary Medium. I haven't had time to get deep into what that looks like, but I'll try to look into it tomorrow.
Rad. Not a ton changes on my end, except I actually get a smidge weaker in a purely personal sense at 1st level. I gain 2 extra skill points, but lose the free Exotic proficiency from Champion.
But I'm also a better team player early since Shared Seance is moved up a couple levels, so it evens out.
Gameplay thread is going in case you missed it.
Bit too fried to do RPG stuff tonight, but I'll get to it tomorrow.
I renew my hatred for the edit limit whenever I happen to see a dumb mistake in a post that is now preserved forever.
One of the reasons I love Pathfinder is evident in working on this campaign. There aren't very many resources specifically for prehistoric adventures, either crunch or fluff. So I've been reading what prehistoric fiction is out there (currently reading Shaman by Kim Stanley Robinson), watching movies (10,000 B.C, Land that Time Forgot) and noodling around making NPCs.
I statted up Old Tharren thinking it wouldn't really be a viable build, just having some fun. He is a Beastmaster Ranger with dog companions. Not optimized, but still a playable character who makes up in action economy what he might lack in being a big hitter. If you are a character building nerd like me, thought you might find this interesting.
XP 1,200
Human ranger (beast master) 5 (Pathfinder RPG Advanced Player's Guide 124)
LN Medium humanoid (human)
Init +0; Senses Perception +9
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Defense
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AC 14, touch 10, flat-footed 14 (+4 armor)
hp 45 (5d10+15)
Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +2
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Offense
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Speed 30 ft. (20 ft. in armor)
Melee 2 claws +9 (1d6+4)
Special Attacks combat style (natural weapon[APG]), favored enemies (animals +4, humans +2)
Ranger (Beast Master) Spells Prepared (CL 2nd; concentration +3)
1st—cheetah's sprint, hide from animals
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Statistics
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Str 18, Dex 10, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 13, Cha 12
Base Atk +5; CMB +9; CMD 19
Feats Aspect of the Beast[APG], Boon Companion[UW], Boon Companion[UW], Combat Expertise, Deadly Aim, Endurance, Huntmaster[ARG], Improved Natural Attack (claw), Power Attack
Skills Acrobatics -3 (-7 to jump), Climb +9, Handle Animal +9 (+11 with selected animal type), Intimidate +9, Knowledge (nature) +3 (+5 with selected animal type), Perception +9, Sense Motive +2, Survival +9, Swim +7
Languages Common
SQ favored terrain (plains +2), finesse weapon attack attribute, improved empathic link, track +2, wild empathy +6
Other Gear hide armor
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Special Abilities
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Animal Companion Link (Ex) Handle or push Animal Companion faster, +4 to checks vs. them.
Boon Companion (Animal Companion) Companion or familiar abilities are treated as if you were a higher level.
Boon Companion (Animal Companion) Companion or familiar abilities are treated as if you were a higher level.
Combat Expertise +/-2 Bonus to AC in exchange for an equal penalty to attack.
Deadly Aim -2/+4 Trade a penalty to ranged attacks for a bonus to ranged damage.
Endurance +4 to a variety of fort saves, skill and ability checks. Sleep in L/M armor with no fatigue.
Favored Enemy (Animals +4) (Ex) +4 to rolls vs. animals foes.
Favored Enemy (Humans +2) (Ex) +2 to rolls vs. humans foes.
Favored Terrain (Plains +2) (Ex) +2 to rolls when in plains terrain.
Finesse Weapon Attack Attribute Finesse weapons use on attack rolls.
Huntmaster (Dogs) +2 bonus to Handle Animal/Knowledge Nature with selected animal type.
Improved Empathic Link (Su) You have an empathic link with all your companions and can see through their eyes.
Power Attack -2/+4 You can subtract from your attack roll to add to your damage.
Share Spells with Companion (Ex) Can cast spells with a target of "you" on animal companion, as touch spells.
Track +2 Add the listed bonus to Survival checks made to track.
Wild Empathy +6 (Ex) Improve the attitude of an animal, as if using Diplomacy.
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Dog 1 CR –
Dog
N Medium animal
Init +3; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +1
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Defense
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AC 19, touch 13, flat-footed 16 (+3 Dex, +6 natural)
hp 49 (6d8+18)
Fort +8, Ref +8, Will +3 (+4 morale bonus vs. enchantment effects)
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Offense
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Speed 40 ft.
Melee bite +9 (1d6+8)
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Statistics
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Str 20, Dex 17, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6
Base Atk +4; CMB +10; CMD 23 (27 vs. trip)
Feats Combat Expertise, Deadly Aim, Feral Grace[UW], Hefty Brute, Power Attack, Run
Tricks Attack, Down, Fetch, Heel, Hunting, Menace, Seek, Track
Skills Acrobatics +3 (+7 to jump with a running start, +11 to jump), Intimidate -1, Stealth +8, Survival +3 (+7 when tracking by scent), Swim +9; Racial Modifiers +4 Survival when tracking by scent
SQ devotion, finesse weapon attack attribute, hunting, menace
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Special Abilities
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Combat Expertise +/-2 Bonus to AC in exchange for an equal penalty to attack.
Deadly Aim -2/+4 Trade a penalty to ranged attacks for a bonus to ranged damage.
Devotion +4 (Ex) +4 morale bonus on Will saves vs. enchantment effects.
Feral Grace (Bite [Dog]) Gain bonus to damage from fighting with finesse.
Finesse Weapon Attack Attribute Finesse weapons use on attack rolls.
Hefty Brute Count as one size larger for CMB, CMD, carrying capacity, and size-based special attacks.
Hunting [Trick] The animal has been trained for hunting.
Low-Light Vision See twice as far as a human in dim light, distinguishing color and detail.
Menace [Trick] Attempts to keep creature from moving.
Power Attack -2/+4 You can subtract from your attack roll to add to your damage.
Run Run 5x your speed in light/medium armor or 4x speed in heavy armor and keep Dex when running.
Scent (Ex) Detect opponents within 15+ ft. by sense of smell.
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Dog 2 CR –
Dog
N Medium animal
Init +3; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +1
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Defense
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AC 19, touch 13, flat-footed 16 (+3 Dex, +6 natural)
hp 48 (6d8+18)
Fort +8, Ref +8, Will +3 (+4 morale bonus vs. enchantment effects)
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Offense
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Speed 40 ft.
Melee bite +9 (1d6+8)
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Statistics
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Str 20, Dex 17, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6
Base Atk +4; CMB +10; CMD 23 (27 vs. trip)
Feats Combat Expertise, Deadly Aim, Feral Grace[UW], Hefty Brute, Power Attack, Run
Skills Acrobatics +3 (+7 to jump with a running start, +11 to jump), Stealth +11, Survival +2 (+6 when tracking by scent); Racial Modifiers +4 Survival when tracking by scent
SQ devotion, finesse weapon attack attribute
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Special Abilities
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Combat Expertise +/-2 Bonus to AC in exchange for an equal penalty to attack.
Deadly Aim -2/+4 Trade a penalty to ranged attacks for a bonus to ranged damage.
Devotion +4 (Ex) +4 morale bonus on Will saves vs. enchantment effects.
Feral Grace (Bite [Dog]) Gain bonus to damage from fighting with finesse.
Finesse Weapon Attack Attribute Finesse weapons use on attack rolls.
Hefty Brute Count as one size larger for CMB, CMD, carrying capacity, and size-based special attacks.
Low-Light Vision See twice as far as a human in dim light, distinguishing color and detail.
Power Attack -2/+4 You can subtract from your attack roll to add to your damage.
Run Run 5x your speed in light/medium armor or 4x speed in heavy armor and keep Dex when running.
Scent (Ex) Detect opponents within 15+ ft. by sense of smell.
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Dog 3 CR –
Dog
N Medium animal
Init +3; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +1
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Defense
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AC 17, touch 13, flat-footed 14 (+3 Dex, +4 natural)
hp 41 (4d8+20)
Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +2
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Offense
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Speed 40 ft.
Melee bite +7 (1d6+6)
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Statistics
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Str 18, Dex 16, Con 18, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6
Base Atk +3; CMB +8; CMD 21 (25 vs. trip)
Feats Combat Expertise, Deadly Aim, Hefty Brute, Power Attack, Toughness
Skills Acrobatics +3 (+11 to jump), Survival +5 (+9 when tracking by scent); Racial Modifiers +4 Survival when tracking by scent
SQ finesse weapon attack attribute
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Special Abilities
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Combat Expertise +/-1 Bonus to AC in exchange for an equal penalty to attack.
Deadly Aim -1/+2 Trade a penalty to ranged attacks for a bonus to ranged damage.
Finesse Weapon Attack Attribute Finesse weapons use on attack rolls.
Hefty Brute Count as one size larger for CMB, CMD, carrying capacity, and size-based special attacks.
Low-Light Vision See twice as far as a human in dim light, distinguishing color and detail.
Power Attack -1/+2 You can subtract from your attack roll to add to your damage.
Scent (Ex) Detect opponents within 15+ ft. by sense of smell.
I will be out of town from 12/18 through 12/26, with limited or no internet access for much of that time. Normal posting will resume when I return on Monday, 12/27. Please bot me as necessary.
Some follow up questions:
Akash, are either of his parents half-orcs? Or is that just a reflection of what has happened to him? You want to name them? If not I will gladly do it. Any thoughts on what they are good at?
Gnarok: How old is Gnarok? Getting a feel of how old he is compared to Iyemba.
I had already statted out the Crone. She is a lot of fun mechanically. Reflects the idea that the Crone is sort of the guide to the end of life. Also she knows a lot of things. And can do some pretty scary stuff to you if you cross her.
Some follow up questions:
Akash, are either of his parents half-orcs? Or is that just a reflection of what has happened to him? You want to name them? If not I will gladly do it. Any thoughts on what they are good at?
His half-orc traits are a result of the spirit's influence and his training; I've actually traded out every single half-orc racial feature, just about. No more Darkvision or Ferocity, I have stuff like Shaman's Apprentice, Sacred Tattoo, and Skilled.
I'm pretty bad with names, so if you want to name them, go ahead. Akash's father is part of the scouting/hunting party, and his mother is a craftswoman, primarily a weaver.
For this campaign, I'm leaning on the names of mythological gods and heroes. I figure maybe the stories are based on these characters.
I think Gnarok is about 200 or so.
I came up with Akash's father's name as I was writing.
Do we know how long this journey is expect to be? I wanted to pack some provisions but not sure how much. if the uncertainty is intentional, I'll act accordingly and take about a week.
Howdy folks, starting tomorrow I'll be in a little beach town in Oaxaca for some serious chillin' out time, returning on the 9th of January. I may be able to squeeze a post in here and there, but signal/wifi is likely to be spotty at best.
Please bot me as necessary.
I'll be taking another short staycation from 1/1 through 1/5. Posting will be sporadic until I return to work on 1/6.
I've been trying to keep things slow going until the holidays are over and people get back to life. Don't want to fire up a combat and have people having to duck in and out.
Happy New Year!
It seems like this isn't meeting your expectations, folks. What do we need to get things moving.
I realize it is a strange intro, I'm not sure how to get things moving.
Maybe you are waiting for the plot to happen? I can throw something at you if that helps, but you are the story, so if there is something you want to do that works too.
I think we all agreed we'd move on down the hill, so we were waiting to see what happens down the hill.
Yes, let's proceed down the hill.
Hey folks, I’m in the middle of moving and haven’t got internet at the new place yet. I’ll post from mobile as best I can, but expect me to be spotty for the next few days. Sorry.
Sorry for the unexpected break. Had a disaster early in the week and just now recovering.
Sorry to hear that man. You doing okay now?
Also, I'll have a Gameplay post up tomorrow.
You guys can see and manipulate the map, right? I saw that Storm Dragon marked his action, but just wanted to check with everyone else.
Hey, folks. I feel like we aren't achieving a high level of interest. Is there something else you are looking for? Are you confused? What's up?
Double whammy of being busy and post-combat whiplash. Non-combat posts require more mental juice I really didn't have for a lot of days last week.
My availability and motivation to post has been low across the board lately, but I'm here.
Same here.
Fanki's eidolon has a maximum load of 460 lbs. Assuming the cat weighs less than that, it could carry the beast if we want to take it with us.
I'm sad that isn't working out for people. Started things too sandboxy, and that tends not to work well in pbp.
You folks see a path here or should we shut it down?
I’m still game to keep going if others are.
Sorry...I am here and still looking to play if the majority are still willing
It seems like this isn't working out. I'll keep you guys in mind if I reboot at some point. It's a shame. I've always wanted to run a setting like this. Just got the initial delivery of the Planegea Kickstarter this week. A little more "punk" and less "stone" than I was shooting for, but still lots of cool things.
Best wishes for your future gaming, everyone.
I think I'll shut this down for now. Might try to get a similar thing off the ground in the near future. If I do, I'll keep you guys in mind.