GM Itzi's Jade Regent

Game Master Itzi

Attributes: 20-point Buy

Race: I won't disallow any official Paizo race, but I have a preference for those in the Jade Regent Players Guide.

Alignment: Characters should be decidedly on the side of good. I'll consider neutrals, but selfish loners won't get more than a first glance.

Class: Unchained versions of the classes that offer them. Otherwise, again, the Jade Regent Players Guide is a good reference.

Starting Funds: Maximum for 1st level.

Traits: A campaign trait from the Jade Regent Players Guide is a must. You can take a drawback for a third trait if so desired.

Backstory: There's no minimum word count required, but give me a couple of short paragraphs at least.

Special: We will be using Background Skills. No pre-game crafting allowed.

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I'm an IT professional with a number of years of experience with RPGs under my belt. I cut my teeth on the original Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Players Handbook before the Dungeon Master's Guide was published. Yeah, that was a long time ago. I'm old. I've played in quite a few PBF games and GM'd a few as well.

Be warned, I love the structure and detail that the Pathfinder rules provide, but I favor RAI rather than RAW. And I heavily favor story over rules. If I get a rule wrong, feel free to point out my mistake (it won't be the first or last) - I'll most likely correct it. But there may be times when the story plays better without correction and I'll leave it as is.

I'm in California (GMT-0800) and I can typically make small posts throughout the day. I'll most likely be putting up a single larger post later in the afternoon. Weekends get much more chaotic but I'm usually near a keyboard and responded to posts both days.

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I will probably reserve one slot to give a first timer a chance to get their foot in the door. Otherwise, I will be checking post histories.

Also note, that I will hope, expect?, wish?, that you will have read Painlord's Building a Better Doomed Hero. In fact, if you're wanting to get in on the 'first-timer' slot, I'll expect you to let me know that you have read it. There is invaluable information there.

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Specifically, as the campaign traits are tied to the four central NPCs in the AP, explain your trait choice and what relationship you expect to develop/enhance with your chosen NPC.

Optionally, if there's a particular post (or posts) you've made in another game that you're proud of, put a link to it in your application.

I will be taking party balance into considering when choosing characters, but it won't be my primary focus. In that regard the two pre-filled slots are probably going to be a shifter and an arcane caster.
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We'll be using milestone leveling, so no experience tracking will be required. And, as such, there may be some 'filler' encounters that get hand-waved with a couple of descriptive paragraphs.

I also may be adding some encounters/story elements in some of the areas of the AP that require ... a bit more.

I'll be rolling for everyone's initiative in combat and I'll be using block initiatives. Feel free to post your actions as soon as your block comes up. Within a given initiative block I'll be resolving the actions in posted order. I make it pretty clear who's actions are pending and I'll do my best to keep combat moving along. I won't hesitate to bot someone if the game is dragging down waiting for someone to post their action. You've been warned. :)
Speaking of botting, it'll be a big help if you put some general botting instructions in your character's profile.

To keep the game moving along, I'll also be following the 'Majority of Two' rule. If the course of action for the group is unclear and it seems like the group is getting bogged down in indecision, once a suggestion is made and agreed with by a second player, then I'm taking that as a decision made and moving forward with it.

If you think a knowledge roll, Perception roll, or face-skill roll might be needed for the actions in your post, feel free to roll it. If you don't, I might ask you to roll it or I might roll it for you depending on how the pacing's going. Be aware that if you make a roll in advance, please don't get annoyed because you rolled a 20 and then I post that the roll wasn't needed.

Maps will be through Google Docs.

There will be a Discord channel set up for OOC discussions and I would prefer that that's where OOC discussions take place, rather than the Gameplay thread.

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Implements: Bowl, brazier, compass, figurine, lantern, mirror.
Crossbow Training Reload proficient crossbows 1 step faster.
Elf Blood Half-elves count as both elves and humans for any effect related to race.
Implements (Su) Gain a series of items which grant access to schools and powers.
Insatiable Goods & services cost you 10% more & you need 2x as much food & liquid as normal.
Legacy Weapon +1 (Su) 1 focus: weapon touched gains enhancement bonus plus a special ability.
Low-Light Vision See twice as far as a human in dim light, distinguishing color and detail.
Mental Focus (5/day) (Su) You have a pool of points that activate your focus powers.
Physical Enhancement +2 (Dexterity) (Su) Implement grants bearer enhancement to one physical attribute.
Point-Blank Shot +1 to attack and damage rolls with ranged weapons at up to 30 feet.
Servitor (Summon Monster I) (Sp) Standard action and 1 focus to summon a single creature, as summon monster
Size Alteration (Sp) 1 focus: increase or decrease a creature's size by one step.
Sophisticate +2 racial bonus on Knowledge (history, local) and can use untrained
Transmutation (The If Only Stone) Transmutation implements can alter the properties of both objects and creatures.

Implements: Belt, boots, sandals, vest, weapon.

Hawker’s Grief: Graddy Turtlepeg was a gnarled old hawker that taught the nobleman’s sport to many of the Magnimar elite, the Vanderale’s were often hiring him for the same. Cailyn never learned, being a bastard and all, but she did attend and spend time with the curmudgeon. The old man taught the sport but did not own a single hawk of his own, just a tired old owl. He complained about the bird all the time, but Cailyn liked to think he loved it dearly. The man passed from simple old age, but in his meager will he asked for the glove and the owl to be given to little girl that listened to him often. That was a while ago, so the now adult no longer has the owl, since it was already very old when she received it, but she uses the glove to bring the owl back to life (not really, it is just a summoning spell that looks like an owl, but she likes to pretend it is the same old bird)

Vigny was born in Southmoor, the most southern part of the Lands of the Linnorm Kings. When she was barely 4, her parents decided with some friends and relatives to establish a small hamlet in the wild lands close to the Varisian border. It was a perilous place to try to live, but her parents had no use for overlords or taxes, and wanted to be well outside the reach of the regional capital at Jol. When Vigny was 13, the danger caught up to her family. Less than a day into a journey north to buy winter supplies, a group from the hamlet, Vigny among them, was set upon by a band of Nolanders who had crossed over into Southmoor to raid. In a short and brutal fight, Vigney's parents, along with an uncle and her teenaged cousin were killed.

The raiders took Vigny, the only surviver, south as a captive into the Nolands. After a couple of days of travel, the band spied a caravan. They decided to probe its strength by approaching with an offer to barter. The caravan's owner Sandru Vhisky saw through the ruse and surprised them by agreeing. The raiders actually had nothing to offer in trade except Vigny, for which Sandru traded away much of his food supplies and other materials as well. Sandru was careful that the raiders found no exploitable weaknesses, and since they had done far better in the exchange than they expected, the raiders left the caravan in peace.

Sandru reassured the frightened girl, and took her with the caravan to Riddleport. There, he placed her in the care of Caylenite priests who ran an orphanage. Vigny spent the rest of her childhood there, going from ward and student to temple tavern worker. Eventually Vigny joined the church formally as a _________. During those years she only saw Sandru a couple of times when he stopped by to check in on her (she's pretty sure that's why he stopped by. Surely that's why he stopped by...). After becoming a ________ of the church, Vigny decided that it was time for her to travel. She wanted to find Sandru and travel with him if possible. Knowing he was from Sandpoint and stops there regularly, she went to the town hoping to catch him there when he next passes through.

Appearance
Vigny is on the tall side and has the sturdy build and light coloration typical among Ulfen people. Living outside The Lands of the Linnorm Kings for many years and from an early age, she lacks many of the mannerisms common there. She is far more open and approachable than the gruff, guarded Ulfen of her homeland. Vigny is attractive, but in an athletic and outdoorsy way rather than being strikingly beautiful. Her clothing is Varisian rather than Ulfen.

Personality
Vigny's capture, rescue by Sandru, and subsequent life with the Caydenite priests affected her strongly in several ways. Her family had been insular and suspicious. Their lesson to Vigny was to never trust strangers or stick your neck out for them. But then Sandru, a stranger, saved her. She has rejected her family's views because she knows firsthand the value of a stranger's kindness. Over time Vigny has probably mythologized Sandru's altruism beyond what it actually was. Sandru acted both in kindness and as a canny way out of a dangerous situation. Vigny tends to forget about that second part.

She has come to love him based on her view of events. He saved her from several possible fates worse than death, and probably death too. He gifted her with her entire life since her capture, and even if he never loves her back, she believes she could never repay him for what he did. She also sees Sandru as a prototype of the roguish do-gooder type she is modeling herself on.

Life with the Brothers and Sisters of Cayden Cailean in Varisia has been an altogether sunnier experience for Vigny than Southmoor was, and she has embraced their values. She is optimistic and usually cheerful. She's quite brave really, and a fierce enemy of slavery and oppression. One tendency from her early life in Southmoor has persisted. Growing up so near the Grungir Forest, Vigny heard many stories about the forest's fey inhabitants, all of them to some degree grim and cautionary. She still views fey anything with suspicion and some degree of fear.

She is good at getting to know other people, and skilled at talking up strangers due to her time serving in the Caydenite tavern. Vigny is confident and assertive, but somewhat naive in her idealistic, open views and opinions. She sees the world as mostly white, with some irritating black spots that can certainly be dealt with given enough determination. Grays are something she's not yet accustomed to seeing all that well. Vigny isn't a genius, and isn't particularly subtle in her thinking. She can also be a bit day-dreamy and absent-minded, and therefore clumsy from not paying attention to her surroundings.

Vigny is NOT a loner. She is much happier when around other people. Games, stories, drinking, telling stories about drinking games, whatever will keep her interacting with people is her go to means of steadying herself.

While she's not a perfectionist, she appreciates the value of having the right equipment, and keeping it in excellent condition. Weapon, armor, and equipment maintenance can be a relief for nervous hands or boredom. While she is not much of an art and craft hobbyist in the usual sense, Vigny may find wagon repair to be something interesting. Certainly it would keep her in proximity to Sandru.

Exercise is a good way for her to get her mind off troubles. Weapon practice, swimming, whatever gets her moving and sweating is a good balm. She's not given to sitting around and perseverating about doubts or problems.

Vigny is very much a woman of the common people. Class and hierarchies bother her. She finds them distasteful at best, and usually harmful. Such things run against her communitarian instincts. This could present her with a dilemma later, how does she justify working to enthrone an empress, even one who is a friend, given her social and political leanings?

On the other hand, Vigny is less concerned with tinkering with the "good enough" aspects of the world than with eliminating the bad. She isn't radically anti-establishment in an anarchic sense. She is happy to leave the questions of exactly how a society, polity, or community should work to the philosophers as long as it meets a minimum criteria of not promoting greater suffering.

I'd start with the Skulking Slayer rogue archetype, then transition into the shadow dancer prestige class
and maybe a dip into the Dirty Fighter archetype later, maybe, for some more combat maneuver hijinks.

I'd understand if you wanted to nix the shadowdancer part....can be a bit tricky managing the shadow hopping, light levels etc.

He/She ( haven't decided on gender yet) would of course hail from the common half-orc loveless assault based conception.
But their mother would be no stranger to hardship, having travelled with family across the top of the world as a child herself, raising him/her despite their parentage.
Perhaps they're retainers to Kaijitsu family, but either way they'll have carried a secret with them. A tradition frowned upon
in their homeland, even among those who traditionally work in the shadows. An esoteric 'worship' of the shadow, culminating in
the discipline of shadowdancing.

I see him/her going forth with the caravan as a guard for Sandru, probably to escape some situation with the Szarni, for whom he/she's been working, hence the initial class.
Though having pursued a bit of a underworld career in Sandpoint, he/she still felt a calling to his/her Tian heritage, instilled of course by their mother.

I see her subtly exposing him/her to his/her heritage over the years, especially the dancing part, despite his/her embarrassed complaints!
When ready to set off with the caravan to Tian, the mother would hand over a number of scrolls for him/her to read on the journey, with exercises and concepts to meditate on etc.

As the journey would progress, eventually he/she would reach the end of the scrolls, revealing the final ritual to undertake to become a true shadowdancer,
coincidentally occurring when he/she turns 6th level!! :)

Might make them a Crusader Cleric, or a Hospitalar Paladin.

They fight with a Glaive and wear heavy armor, despite the penchant for song and dance. I see them as buffer/Healer, secondary fighter(Or primary fighter) and face.

This lead her to take up the glaive, to learn the dances and songs of the Eternal Rose as well as buy a cheap copy of Melodies and Inner Beauty and began to teach, preach and pontificate in the name of Shelyn, seeking to spread her message of love, music and art to Sandpoint and all who would listen. She loved Koya as a defacto mother and Shelalu as a friend and possibly more.

I don't plan on my character getting into any romances.

Fortunately, her cries were heard by Shalelu Andosana. Unable to leave the poor girl to fend for herself, she took the young human to Sandpoint. While contemplating what to do with her at the Rusty Dragon, Shalelu and Ameiko asked for her name. She was too young to remember, or perhaps she was never given a name at all. At that moment, she was given the name "Ginko" by Ameiko, "Silver Child" in Tian, after her oddly silver hair.

With no one in town willing to take her in, Shalelu begrudgingly decided to raise Ginko herself, at least until she was able to survive on her own. But as the years passed and Ginko's sorcerer powers grew, the elf began to see the young human less as someone she was taking care of, and more as a student, a seeming connection to fate itself bringing the both of them good luck.

On her tenth "birthday" (the day she was found by Shalelu), Ameiko and Shalelu gifted her a harrow deck. Though the deck was nonmagical, the first card Ginko drew from the deck surged with arcane power, filling her with its magic. Temporarily at least, but it solidified her mentor's belief in her connection to fate.

Sandu has very much grown up in the shadow of his older sister and wants to change their relationship to one of friends and peers. While he deeply loves his sister he doesn't always like her and knows that the same holds for her.

In character he has no particular interest in long lasting romance at this point (he is fine with more casual relationships). As a player, I'm quite open to the possibility of romance if it arrives more or less organically from events

He tried to become a fighter and caravan guard but he isn't burly enough and failed at that. He tried to become a rogue but he isn't dextrous nor sneaky enough for that and failed. Although he greatly respects and reveres Desna he just felt no calling to become a cleric ministering to peoples spiritual needs. He is personable but not sufficiently so to be a bard and, besides, he doesn't want to just follow in his sisters footsteps.

He had almost despaired of becoming an adventurer when fate intervened. One day he came across an old lady being bullied by some local toughs. He intervened, trying to talk them down and convince them to leave the poor woman alone. He failed and the bullies set upon him.

It turns out that Celestina (the old lady) wasn't nearly as helpless as she appeared and she rapidly drove the thugs off with some magics, But the bravery of Sandu had impressed her and she decided to take him under her wing and teach him the way of the Shaman.

Sandu has only recently graduated from his apprenticeship with Celestina and is once more looking for adventure, for the opportunity to travel

Retired computer programmer if that matters. So we can talk techie talk if the game lags :-).

I've played a fair amount of PBP in the past (here on Paizo and elsewhere) but haven't played any for about a decade or so and am trying to get back into it.

I enjoy most facets of RPGs. Definitely like roleplaying, I also like puzzles and intellectual challenges and sometimes its just fun to kick axx and take names. I love more or less balanced parties where everybody contributes but admit that it irks me more if I'm way on the weak side than if I'm way on the strong side.

Hiro’s mother walks out of the room, shaking her head. He watches her go, and breathes a sigh a relief. That was close… he thinks, and starts sorting the papers. He wasn’t lying, mostly they are scriptures of faith and his own notes of Tsukiyo’s teachings. But there was one particular piece he left there unguarded. Finding that, Hiro lifts it up.

To Ameiko,
You are my Shizuru. My light, beautiful as the sun.
Let me be you Tsukiyo. Your moon, your lover in the sky…

”Oh man… This is never going to work...” Hiro whimpers, crushes the paper into a ball and throws it into the fireplace. That certainly wasn’t the first attempt for a love letter, but no better than the previous ones. A bit hard, when his notions of romance come from hundreds years old religious texts. And he isn’t blessed with the gift of words, either.

Unlike Ameiko, who is talented and popular - and older than him.

Hiro sighs, and goes back to the scriptures. There is still much to study about Tsukiyo and Fumeiyoshi for tomorrow…

A long time ago, the Nagata family traveled from Tian Xia to Avistan, and settled Sandpoint. With them, they brought their old gods, and each generation was taught to revere them. And so also is Hiro Nagata studying the mysteries of Tian gods. And since the young man shows a lot of talent, he is initiated into the clergy of Tsukiyo, the moon prince.
Since the tien people keep together, the family has always been good friends with the Kaijitsu family. And knowing her since he was a little boy, Hiro has had quite a crush on Ameiko.

I’ll be drawing on both common conceptions of samurai along with historical facts to (hopefully) make a really interesting character with a lot of depth who is also an effective melee combatant.

In terms of the campaign traits… many of them could work and I’m flexible on which I would use to avoid overlap with other players. My initial pick is Friend of the Family with the idea that their families are next door neighbors and Old Niska died around the same time as Hanzo’s father, creating a bond of sympathy between him and Koya. The promise he made to Niska to watch over Koya would be strong as steel since he is an Order of the Warrior samurai. So, when Koya wants to take this trip, Hanzo will be obligated to go along… and it will give him a chance to visit his familial homeland which would also be a huge draw for him. Their relationship would be complicated from Hanzo’s point of view. There would be aspects of parent/child but it would be presumptuous for him to act as if they were family (given the importance of bloodlines to the Tian). So, I think he would feel as if she was an elder aunt and would treat her with utmost respect as his senior… but he’d have a hard time expressing affections that would be too ‘familiar’ by Tian standards.

If that trait doesn’t work or conflicts with another player… I can just as easily go with Childhood Crush on Ameiko as they are both Minkaian, share some cultural ties but are also the ‘odd men out’ among all the Avistani folks. I have no problems with RP romances. Foster Child could also work. I’d just need to have Hanzo’s father die earlier than I planned. Even Caravan Guard could be used without a great deal of effort.

As Hanzo is technically a masterless samurai, it’s possible that he could ‘adopt’ Ameiko as his liege lord (whether he tells her or not), which could make for some fun RP especially if she is very Avistani in her thinking while he is a bit more Tian in his views on these matters.

Haru raised his son on stories of refined samurai, the glories of Minkai, lofty Tian Gods, the nobility of their culture, the impressive Hayashi family history, and the importance of honor. Truths, half-truths, and fiction were well mixed and impossible to sort out. Perhaps Haru convinced himself it was all true. The most fanciful tale was that there was dragon’s blood in all Hayashi veins which made them fierce warriors. Hanzo couldn’t speak to the ‘ferocity’ part of the tale but he did have remarkable vision atypical for humans (Trait: Blood of Dragons – low light vision).

Hanzo was raised to believe they were of noble samurai stock (they weren’t) and he should act accordingly. As a dutiful son, he did so… somehow taking his father’s practical warfare experiences, religious studies, and tales of samurai high arts and fusing them into his own brand of warrior (Samurai – Warrior-Poet, multiclass into Monk).

As he matured Hanzo longed for adventure and to prove himself a samurai. He would have accompanied Ameiko when she went adventuring (Rise of the Runelords) but his father forbade it. Hanzo chafed at the restriction but he was duty-bound to obey. And maybe that would have been his life, forever waiting for a chance to prove himself… but the dual tragedy of Haru’s and Niska’s deaths and the pledge he’d made to the older woman changed the course of his life irrevocably.

The background has some minor spoilers for the first book in Rise of the Runelords. I expect this won't be a major problem considering this adventure is supposed to take place after the latter has already happened.

The character was also built to represent a culture enthusiast that actually follows through in his passion of the culture. That is, he is meant to start as a bit immature, but evolve into a great person. This would of course depend on how the story goes, but this is how I envision him.

He took the news about Tsuto's demise with some relief. He was causing trouble. Over time, an idea started to grow in his mind. He would do his best to replace Tsuto in Ameiko's life. Of course, he was too young to understand the absurdity of this idea, but more and more he frequented the Rusty Dragon inn, talking to Ameiko and practicing his martial arts. He learned Minkaian and studied history to be able to talk to Ameiko about her heritage. It was with sadness that he heard her say she didn't have much interest in taking care of her family's business. He remembers saying "But Ameiko, it is an honor to take care of your family's legacy." Her angry outburst is one of the things he'll never forget.

This drove the young monk into study about Minkaian culture. He bought any and all literature that came from the far continent, and dreamed of going there. In his fantasy, he would travel with Ameiko, to finally prove to her how reliable he was. Deep down, he understood how absurd that was, but he did not stop himself from daydreaming. He liked to think how he'd fight alongside his hero during his practicing routines. And he never dismissed his thoughts.

As Scera grew up she was surrounded by the miracles her mother could perform via her connection to the divine and studied healing from a young age. Scera’s mind proved quick to learn, being able to speak early and then read, she eventually became quite the studious child and eventually finished every book she could get her hands on. Despite all her studies, or maybe because of them, she found that the path Koya followed in her life, that of a priestess, was not what she wanted for herself. She always felt guilty about this as Koya was her inspiration in life but religions was just not what she was interested in.

It was during a rare trip to Magnimar, not long after the attack on Sandpoint by the goblins and the disasters that followed, that she accompanied Koya on a rare trip to Magnimar. While her mother spent some time at the local temple there Scera ended up finding a strange library tucked away nearby the temple and she was drawn to it like a moth to a flame. She perused the books until one particularly strange one fell into her hands seemingly by chance. It was an old book, one with letters in a language she did not understand, but she knew that she needed to learn what was in it.

When Screa turned around to go see what the book would cost her she suddenly found herself on the street she had just been on with no sign of the strange library in sight. Although she asked around no one around knew anything about the library and eventually Scera decided that maybe this was proof that the divine had some reason for what she had found. She was hesitant to tell Koya what had really happened, how she had found the book, so she managed to pass it off as something she found on sale for a good bargain because no one could read it.

Scera began to study the book but had little success at it, the tome was in such an obscure language she just could not figure it out. It wasn’t until she happened to be at the establishment run by Ameiko and was trying to decipher it that she found an unexpected aid in her efforts. Ameiko was able to identify the language as a dialect of Tien, the language of her ancestors on the other side of the world. With some help learning the language from Ameiko, Scera quickly began to translate the book and, within a year Scera had managed to understand the first page of the book and she was shocked to realize that it was a spell book, a wizards spell book!

The same night that Scera understood the first spell, one to read magic, a terrible storm occurred and in the middle of the night she heard a rapping at her shudder. Everyone knows not to open a window during a storm, especially given how late it was, but she did so anyway. She was startled by the raven that flew through the open shutter and, as soon as it was in, the shutter closed itself. The bird was weak and bedraggled so she followed an impulse to nurse it back to health.

The following day the Raven seemed back to normal and, while Koya was not happy having the bird inside, she allowed it for the time being. As Scera was studying later that day and had troubles with a particular word that she could swear she had correct she suddenly heard a voice correct her. Shocked Scera looked around and realized her feathered companion was the only one there. It corrected her again and Scera about jumped out of her skin until she understood that the raven was to be her familiar! From then on Scera and the raven, Kurogane, became close companions and Scera’s progress was rapid in learning the spells after that.

It has been a few years now and Scera has learned all of the beginner spells in the book as well as several others that were in it as well. The book taught a different system of magical schools, rather than the school of magic being based on the standard line of abjuration, conjurations, etc. this school looked at it elementally. The spellbook she had found that day was connected to a view of aether, air, earth, fire, metal, void, water, and wood schools. The potential was impressive and she eagerly wanted to learn more. Little did she know what her fate would hold in store for her, a long journey, the chance to improve her wizardry, and perhaps most importantly, the divine was not done with her just yet.

If I had more time, I'd draft up a gunpowder bombardier flavored as a rogue with gunpowder bombs, maybe with a level of gunslinger, but I'm out of time so have this guy instead.