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The battle for Celwynvian has just ended. A long and bloody battle in a war that does not exist for the rest of the world. The ancient city of our ancestors, built long before the Exodus, has now seen another tragedy. Once upon a time, the beauty of our majestic houses, libraries, observatories was destroyed by a terrible cataclysm. Now, once again, the elves suffered here, shedding their blood on the ground and stones to drive enemies and their demonic allies back into the depths of Darklands. We are Shin’Rakorath. We bring light into darkness. Each of us has lost friends fighting these scum. Drow, a mockery of the Elven race. Our shame, our secret and our battle for the future…
We are standing in the main square, among the thousand-year-old ruins. Wounded, and seemingly joyful… But still not too much. And it's not just about the horror of the war with pure evil, not just about our wounds and the death of friends. It's about the expression on our commander's face. Kaerishiel stands frowning, peering at each of us, as if trying to see what is in our hearts. Our commander should be happy about the victory, but it seems he is not happy.
There is a mission. Dangerous and difficult. We will select five guys for it. I'll be honest with you… This is pure suicide. But we absolutely need intelligence about what our enemies are up to. It seems that something big is being prepared, and this attack on the surface was only the first test of the pen. Think well whether you are ready for this. You'll find yourself deep behind enemy lines, cut off from any support and from the sun, face to face with them. Kaerishiel's face contorts for a moment, as if he wants to spit. Everyone here understands him because the very thought of these insane sadists and demon worshippers disgusts each of us. I can't ask you to do that. But those who are ready to give their lives for Kyonin and the Elven race, take a step forward.
There was a long pause. And then dozens of us took that step.
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Hello there!
I plan to GM the 4th book of my favorite AP "Second Darkness". This is the best part of this journey and my favorite book as a GM at all. There probably won't be any subsequent books, I want to GM this as an independent adventure, but I will try to make a slightly more self-sufficient ending so that the players have a sense of a completed narrative.
Pros and cons of playing with me:
Pros: I've GMed this adventure (all 6 books of the path) twice already, and both times the 4th book was just a blast! Each time it was 10+ sessions, and players didn't want to leave this part of the adventure and move on with the plot - so fun it was. Plus in general, I am an experienced enough PF1e GM.
Cons: I will be GMing PbP for the first time, and English is also not my native language. It's double the workload, and no one guarantees that I will cope. But I will do my best. In any case, I will not disappear from these forums if it becomes difficult for me, and instead of that I will honestly discuss it with my players.
Game format: standard, at least 1 post every weekday and 1 post on the weekend. But sometimes we will have to switch to a slow mode (3-4 posts per week), I will warn you about this.
Who to create: first of all, someone very native to Kyonin. You are all members of the private military company Shin’Rakorath. It mainly consists of elves, but in recent years they have begun to recruit representatives of complementary races. Half-elves, gnomes from Omesta, and so on. Maybe even a human or a dwarf, or someone touched by the planes etc. In any case, this is someone who proved himself to be a loyal subject of the elven state, race or culture until his/her death. You are quite experienced warriors, you have been serving in Shin’Rakorath for some years, but only recently you have been used for the main task - deterring drow. This is a certain level of initiation, because even in your structure, the rank-and-file of the lower order do not know about the existence of dark elves (not to mention civilian elves, and even more so non-elves). You took part in a bloody battle in a ruined city, destroyed thousands of years ago by the fall of what would later become the Starstone. You were transferred here from other locations using aiudaras and told on the move who you will fight. None of you have ever seen such pure evil before. The drow in this adventure are old-school drow. A real chaotic evil without the slightest urge for redemption. Your battles with them and with demons have made you understand that this is a deadly enemy, and their hatred of all elves deprives any doubts about their intentions and the danger of their plans.
Summing up: your character is someone who could be taken to serve in Shin’Rakorath.
I will select the players on July 9th and start the game on the same day.
Suggest your characters please! .) I can't wait to see what you bring and I have a feeling that it will be a difficult choice.
I hope this will be the third BLAST and a wonderful farewell to the drow in the world of the Pathfinder.
ps. Oh, yeah. It's going to be a pretty dark adventure. Your characters will slowly go crazy, corrupt, and so on. Scenes of cruelty, violence, abuse and other things will be moderately present. I'll try to leave it half-hinted, but still… You are really descending into darkness. Keep this in mind when deciding to go there.
pps. By genre, it will be more of a sandbox adventure with a lot of social interactions. Keep this in mind when creating a character. And if you've played or read this adventure before, write about it too.
Thank you for reading this and good luck to all of us!
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I am strongly interested.
I will begin building a LG Elf Wizard with an Abjuration specialization.
(I could see going Half-Elf with the 'Half' being, Fluff-wise, some kind of Outsider such as an Erinyes Devil, or Leonal Agathion, or Vanth Psychopomp. Crunch-wise, of course just Half-Elf, but for the Flavor...) The character of the PC will have to percolate in my mind a day or so before it really comes out -- then I'll know who and what he is.
My roleplaying style is very Knowledge-Skills based. I love rolling Knowledge Skills and learning the what's what of the setting and the who's who of the adventure. .... I also love to be in situations where I can Bluff!
I am very familiar with The Second Darkness Adventure Path. I know the broad strokes of "Endless Night" though it's been quite a while since I've browsed it (or the other volumes). In the past I have used chunks of SD in my own campaigns, but never the AP as a whole. Everything will be familiar; I don't think I'll know much anything specific. Ask for a PM for the few specifics I *think* I know, unless my knowledge auto-disqualifies me. (Hopefully being a major Knowledge-Skills-Built PC will help alleviate any issues between Player and PC knowledge.)
Suicide mission? The perfect adventure for a Troll Slayerish dwarf with an orange mohawk!
Hmmm. I never play PFS so I might need help as to what is and is not PFS legal. But I've never gotten through more than Book 1 of this AP, wouldn't mind giving it a try.
Edit: also, do we need to take a campaign trait? Seems kind pointless this far into the AP.
Are background skills available?
You had me at suicide mission.....
I have an Elven UnRogue that would fit the bill!
Looking at a Ranger turned Lantern Bearer using the actual prestige class. Unsure what archtypes or race, but likely elf. We'll see.
For hit points and wealth, are we using average and per level, respectively?
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Great questions!
I knew that I would not write everything at once in the rules, so I had no doubt that I would have to supplement this section .)
UPD. Another important addition that came to my mind spontaneously now, but I had already thought about it before.
Main goal of this rule: you should be able to create elven clerics, oracles, bards etc without any problems. Please, when introducing your character, indicate how you applied this rule.
W E Ray, and everyone else who played or read the 4th book of the Second Darkness earlier - this is absolutely not an auto-disqualification. It's a good idea that I just write a couple of questions in a personal message, if I have them, to those players who have previously played or read this book.
Ouachitonian, thank you for the question, I'll also explain it for everyone, it's very simple. You open the official (nowadays) website Archives of Nethys and check whether the option you have selected has a glyph of open roads. For example, according to this link, all archetypes except two (Dragon Drinker & Sorcerer of Sleep) are allowed for the sorcerer. In fact, this is not the strictest part - I will allow something that is illegal in PFS quite easily, but I want to read it first. Otherwise, strange things may happen, such as my acquaintance with the Ears of the City spell, which completely breaks any city detective and which I had to ban during the game.
By the way, about bans. Of course, there may be minor home rules on my part, but there are quite a few of them. Of the main ones (and as an example) - Freedom of Movement works a round per level (!), and there are also no items that give the effect of this spell (except wands etc). Imho, it's bad to have a spell available already at level 7, with a duration of 10 minutes per level, which cancels the entire grapple maneuver and all grapple feats, a whole skill (who need escape artist with this?) and a bunch of monsters whose strength consists only in grab. I won't be able to provide you with a complete list of all home rules right away, but it's unlikely that there will be something fundamental for your build. I think these rules will pop up as the game progresses.
Another point that should be explained separately. For the inhabitants of the surface "drow" is a myth and not a very common myth. And even for Shin’Rakorath members, knowledge of drow will be minimal. Basically Lantern Bearers just know that drow exist, they worship demons and they are mortal enemies. Practically nothing about their internal organization (except for a couple of facts that I will present in the beginning of the game), lifestyle, history, and so on. Surface elves also experience an unnatural revulsion at the sight of drow. It seems to be mutual, with the correction that for the dark elves it's a rather violent all-consuming hatred.
ps. No firearms, please! .)
Hey! You have adopted my 'famous' +2/+2/-2 for all Races Ability Score; I'm so happy. (Even if you did it on your own without having seen that's how I do it.) Awesome
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I thought about the character and personality of my upcoming Wizard (Knowledge & Bluff Skills monster) and I've developed him enough to introduce him a little better.
I think he's becoming either an Enchantment or Illusion Specialist Wizard rather than Abjuration, based on his background and personality. And I think he'll be a pure Elf for Crunch and just have the Fluff of an Outsider ancestor. I've dropped Leonal Agathion and am still wrestling between Erinyes Devil and Psychopomp ancestor. His first 7 Levels will have been focused on The Worldwound and Witchbole, both for his Elven nationalism. He's from, well, still massaging his character, but small Elven towns: Avennara, Lethaquel, Siavenian.
Once I really figure out who this character is, I can do the build and get you the Crunch.
I'll send a PM with my (I think) Spoilers from what I (think that I) remember. Um, soon, hopefully later today (Wednesday).
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I'm thinking of a cleric that throws a lot of daylight and other bright spells to send our foes scuttling back into the depths. Would that be a problem for your rogue Dorian? I think the paladin would like it too.
Also, I would love to get to play with my old friend pad300. I feel like he might even be pad303 by now. :-)
Cirok happens to enjoy walking along the beach during a bright sunny day!
I created him to fill in an existing party so that they could start and complete Book 3 of Ruins of Azlant.
Unfortunately, we barely begun and it has been 2+ months since we heard from our DM.
I created him at 7th, but will gladly level him to 8th.
He may have a bit of Jaraxle in his mannerisms...lol.
Philip here. Just got the first level of Colgrim Barrelhouse done
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Best thing about Colgrim Barrelhouse according to this Grognard is that his deity is Moradin!
I'm starting to get the feel of the Wizard I'll be building for submission- personality, history, characterization, etc., and I keep wanting to find a place where he learns of Corellon Larethian and reveres that Elven god over Calistria or others popular in Kyonin. But it's tricky getting a handle on this character so far, like I'm being pulled in two directions.
I'm leaning toward a half-elven Paladin of Sarenrae (Warrior of the Holy Light). Feels thematic for the particular setting. Still gotta work out the details.
Colgrim looks a lot like the guy who stole Tariq's sandwich! Hmmm .)
Took me a momment but now I remember, lol.
I am thinking dwarvenlonghammer and spiked gauntlet. Longhammer for basic smashing and spiked gauntlet for when they get up close.
I plan to stick with Golarion setting. There is no direct ban on references to other settings, of course, but I will not support it at the roleplay level. For example, the rest of the dwarves you may meet will not know who Moradin is.
Oh! I forgot about that. I will change to Torag.
This will be Dorian Grey's submission for this particular mission. He is inspired by the magic of Homeland, Exile and Soujorn. My favorite set!
I have been craving this type of adventure for him for quite awhile....
Any questions, concerns are welcome.
He is a Wand user by build. I am purchasing Wands at 1/2 charges? I do hope that is alright. I figure that only a Book, so a full wand would be wasteful.
I plan to purchase a few more.
Thank you!
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I'll take a minute to go through Cirok Brokencrown's Wands and try to build my Wizard accordingly. But I'm usually big on blasting & crowd control.
Of course, I haven't quite gotten where I can build him yet, but I know who he is, his character and history and personality -- I have him. I just have to write it down. That kinda finalizes it in my head, then doing the Crunch is easy. .... Saturday
This is the profile of Dreads character. I haven't filled out much on here yet, have a lot of notes on scratch paper as I get to know the character. I will formalize he's a worshipper of Erastil. Just trying to decide to go Dusk Knight or take silent hunter trait. Going for a stealth build on a Paladin...
Still leveling. Troll Slayer I may be, but I won't go running off and leaving everyone
I'll take a minute to go through Cirok Brokencrown's Wands and try to build my Wizard accordingly. But I'm usually big on blasting & crowd control.
Of course, I haven't quite gotten where I can build him yet, but I know who he is, his character and history and personality -- I have him. I just have to write it down. That kinda finalizes it in my head, then doing the Crunch is easy. .... Saturday
Mostly just maintenance wands. It is really difficult for me not to play Casters, so the wands lessens that a bit...lol.
@GM Thanks!
I was thinking of bringing the light to the darkness and hoping that doesn't hamper the stealthy paladin. (Velath?) The rogue didn't seem to mind.
Shouldn't, and that might make two Paladins Viable.
I see Velath as a Guerilla Fighter Paladin.
Submitting Arctic Elf, Fighter/Dragonheir Scion specializing with composite longbow.
Attached CS still needs some work, but the basics are there. Let me know if I've made any glaring errors.
Two Paladins and a Cleric walk into a bar. Somewhere in a back corner, someone yells, "Oy! Who turned on the lights?"
I made some adjustments to bring him more aligned to this mode of mission, quest, thingy.
I plan to reveal his actual background as we play, but I can tell you that he ain't from Missouri.
Thank you, again!
Need to ask. I chose Arctic elf not even thinking about the PFS legal symbol not being there in front of it. Do I need to change that? I'll have to check the whole CS to see what else I might have missed....
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I have much of my applicant, Soryan Dirge, completed: LG Elf Wizard (Enchantment). (I just have to get it from paper to Paizo.)
His great-grandfather was one of a cadre of Elven Warpriests of Calistria who, on a failed strike into the Infernal Pit of Belial in the Fourth Circle of Hell, was captured and enslaved.
Queen Telandia sent a party to Hell in an ill-fated rescue attempt, and among them included Soryan Dirge's great-aunt who, though she could not save her own father from The Inferno, did capture the Erinyes Devil who tortured the captive Elves.
Hoping that, back on The Prime Material Plane in Iadara, Queen Telandia could negotiate some kind if prisoner exchange (the Erinyes Mistress of Torture for the remaining Elven prisoners) Telandia's court was not surprised that Belial had no intention of a deal. What horrified the Elven Queen was the discovery that the Erinyes had impregnated herself with her Elven captives' seed.
The Erinyes was allowed to carry the pregnancy, then was executed immediately after delivery of the Infernal offspring -- Soryan Dirge's grandmother the infant.
His great-aunt raised the babe, and her Tiefling offspring decades later. But not in Iadara. Lethaquel was remote and small, and both Kitsune and Catfolk colonies nearby meant Tiefling Elves could live among fewer prejudices than in more traditional Kyonin communities.
Soryan Dirge did not show any of his mother or grandmother's Tiefling traits, appearing Elf or Half-Elf, and was raised in Lethaquel by his great-aunt. He showed an immediate curiosity to scholarly magic and was quickly deemed a prodigy.
Soryan Dirge spent much of his youth in Avennara and in Siavenian, studying magic and the Elf Gates there. Lord Villastir of Siavenian was not accepting of Soryan Dirge as a student, nor either as an Elf. Nonetheless, the powerful Diviner was something of an idol to the young wizard.
At 18 Soryan Dirge took an opportunity to study Wizardry in Ustalov for 18 months. It was both an eye opening, and eyes-squeezing-shut experience. But it broadened his knowledge and prepared him for an adventuring career in the service of his Queen, as a cloistered life did not appeal to him.
Soryan Dirge took his early quests in Witchbole, of course, as well as in Ustalov, and even the dreaded WorldWound.
Now a far more accomplished, 26 year-old veteran of Arcane missions, Soryan Dirge is thrilled to visit Varisia, ancestor to the Ustalov people and home of the lost Thassilonian Empire. But he knows that this is a mission in the Underdark, Drow-infested Darklands beneath the ancient Elven home of Celwynvian.
Soryan Dirge doesn't believe in suicide missions, though he acknowledges his two Elven ancestors both went to Hell on what could have been defined as suicide missions. He has fought monsters in Witchbole, terrors in Ustalov, and Demons in the WorldWound. He is ready for the Drow of Zirnakaynin!
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I don't remember what's allowed in PFS outside Core, so I'm just going to the DM:
In Pathfinder Society I cannot have Scribe Scroll as per the Wizard 1st Level ability. Please confirm the bad news that I sadly can not scribe my own scrolls (or brew a potion or craft a wand later on) in this campaign. It seems that may suck since we're theoretically going to be so far from places to buy magic items, and that it would help to be able to make some. But you know better than we what could break the game. Just let me know one way or the other. Thanks!
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Can you confirm or deny the availability of Arcane Discoveries (effectively Wizard Feats) such as Opposition Research and Split Slot? I assume they're okay for PFS; it's just some basic stuff in the 'Ultimate Magic' -- but you have to be comfortable with it to allow it in your game, of course.
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From the 'Advanced Class Guide,' is the Wizard Arcehtype Exploiter Wizard available, giving me an Arcanist's "Reservoir Points" and a few "Exploits"?
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I assume the Loremaster Prestige Class in the Core Rulebook is okay.
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Now for the one that breaks (or 'bends') the rules and goes into 'Houserule' territory:
Soryan Dirge is an Elf with an Infernal ancestor but I'm just using the Crunch of Elf. (Half-Elf Crunch just doesn't sit right with me for this PC.) Except here-- Half Elves have an 'Alternate Racial Trait' that trades the Elven "Keen Senses" (+2 Perception) with "Wary" -- a +1 Bluff & +1 Sense Motive. This feels a like-for-like trade; trading the Elven +2 on Perception for the Half-Elven +1 Bluff & Sense Motive. So I wanted to ask if it's okay.
And as for that, here are the Racial Traits for my Elf -- just wanted to run them by you to make sure they're all okay -- they're ALL from the 'Advanced Race Guide' Chapter 1: Core Races.
Ability Scores:
+2 INT / +2 DEX / -2 STR
Medium
Normal 30' Move
Darkvision 60
Elemental Resistance: 5/ Fire
Elven Magic: +2 to overcome Spell Resistance and +2 to Spellcraft to Identify magic items
Wary
Arcane Focus
Soryan Dirge .... LG Elf Wizard
-W E Ray
@GM are you using PFS rules about animal companion equipment slots (Neck, armor + extra slot feats ) or the standard PF ones (Armor, belt (saddle), chest, eyes, head, headband, neck, shoulders, wrist + extra slot feats)?
I thought I told you..."I'll never be your beast of burden. My back is broad, but it's a hurting."
Statting finished, now on to equipment.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoAfb3f04mo
I thought I told you..."I'll never be your beast of burden. My back is broad, but it's a hurting."
OMG that was hilarious. Did you know there's a ten-hour video on youtube of that just repeating over and over?