Diamondust's page

The last few weeks has been the most eventful of your life. So far. You were captured and branded. Imprisoned in chains. Freed by a mystery woman. Burnt down a prison in your wake. Now hiding in exile. Cardinal Thorn has been the benefactor of your escape, giving you the tools necessary to succeed. Now he has offered you the choice (fool if you believe it) to join him and get revenge on the lands of Talinguarde. Luckily for you this is exactly what you wish and have promptly agreed and signed the Pact of Thorns.

His smile grew long and wicked as you each signed in your own blood. A binding contract, almost impossible to break without suffering great punishment. He lets you keep one copy of the contract. The other, he takes. “Well done. Now, we shall continue your training. It is not yet time to act against Talinguarde.”

For the next three months Cardinal Thorn and Tiadora train you, turning you into perfect weapons and forcing you to better work together as a team. Tiadora is revealed again and again as cruel sadist who revels in your failure and suffering, eager to punish and slow to reward. The slaves are present, soothing your wounds, taking care of menial tasks.

Cardinal Thorn may be a paranoid monster obsessed with revenge but he is also a genius and a teacher par excellence. His lessons are focused and never wasteful. He drills you not only individually but also as a team, forging you into a knot. You each gain a training trait and a teamwork feat which you can coordinate in choosing.

Thorn is not always with you and it soon becomes apparent that you are not the only ones being trained. The former “White Ravens” under Elise Zadaria are also receiving the Cardinal’s attentions.

Ok, dot in please. Remind me your classes and template in case I haven't scaled it for you yet.

You were level 2 when you were captured. Level 3 after escaping the prison. Level 4 after completing Cardinal Thorn's test. This is where we start. After I make the first gameplay post characters can introduce themselves and we'll get started.

Hello fiends and ne'er-do-wells. I am looking for a couple more players to join this posse.

We have currently finished Thorn's dungeon of the 9 lessons and are about to have a celebration feast. This means your character hasn't come from Branderscar so please come up with another reason that the Cardinal would have recruited you. Keep in mind you have no personal connection or knowledge of the cardinal before he sent his second in command Tiadora, a very beautiful lady, to recruit you.

The character build rules are in the campaign tab. You will be level 4. Since there is ABP in effect you should only have 3,000gp worth of equipment (max half in 1 item).

For the templates, HERE is a sample of the already scaled ones that players have chosen before. You may, but do not have to, choose one of these. We can easily work on another you prefer to play.

Currently this party consists of:
Araton the Tiefling Oracle/Antipaladin(Tyrant) with the Haunted One template.
Sarela the Aasimar Mesmerist(Vexing Daredevil)/Vigilante(Cabalist) with the Psychic Lich template.
Ophelia the Human Ranger(Skirmisher)/Rogue(Scout/Bruiser) with the Half-Dragon template.

Guilty. You are a lawbreaker – the worst of the worst. Too dangerous to live amongst the good people of Talingarde, they dragged you in chains before a magistrate and condemned you. They sent you to the worst prison in the land and there they forever marked you. They held you down and branded you with a runic F. You are forsaken. You won’t be at Branderscar Prison for long. Branderscar is only a holding pen. In three days – justice comes. In three days – everything ends. What a pity. If only there was a way out of this stinking rat-hole. If only there was a way to escape. If only… No. No one has ever escaped from Branderscar Prison. This is where your story ends.

Welcome Bladud, Hjálmarr Magnusson, Razmir, Aelwulf, Ivy Solikha and Lady Sophia Blair.

Sit, Eat, Drink. Discuss and Plan your revenge and the downfall of the righteous.

Guilty. You are a lawbreaker – the worst of the worst. Too dangerous to live amongst the good people of Talingarde, they dragged you in chains before a magistrate and condemned you. They sent you to the worst prison in the land and there they forever marked you. They held you down and branded you with a runic F. You are forsaken. You won’t be at Branderscar Prison for long. Branderscar is only a holding pen. In three days – justice comes. In three days – everything ends. What a pity. If only there was a way out of this stinking rat-hole. If only there was a way to escape. If only… No. No one has ever escaped from Branderscar Prison. This is where your story ends.

Welcome, Araton Fal, Grengar don Dangnor, Tawg, Ceres Sejna, Gildevar Broach and Hilda Gustaviir.

Sit, Eat, Drink. Discuss and Plan your revenge and the downfall of the righteous.

Guilty. You are a lawbreaker – the worst of the worst. Too dangerous to live amongst the good people of Talingarde, they dragged you in chains before a magistrate and condemned you. They sent you to the worst prison in the land and there they forever marked you. They held you down and branded you with a runic F. You are forsaken. You won’t be at Branderscar Prison for long. Branderscar is only a holding pen. In three days – justice comes. In three days – everything ends. What a pity. If only there was a way out of this stinking rat-hole. If only there was a way to escape. If only… No. No one has ever escaped from Branderscar Prison. This is where your story ends.

Sit, Eat, Drink. Discuss and Plan your revenge and the downfall of the righteous.

Caught!
In the kingdom of Talingarde, many crimes may send you to Branderscar Prison, but the sentence has but one meaning. You are wicked and irredeemable. Each of you received the same greeting when you arrived. You were held down by rough hands and branded upon the arm with a runic F. The mark signifies ‘forsaken’ and the painful scar is indelible proof that each of you has betrayed the great and eternal love of Mitra and his chosen mortal vassals.

For each of you, your old life is over. For each of you, hope is a fading memory. For each of you, justice will be fairly meted. And who can blame fair Talingarde after what each of you has done?

Cardinal Thorn will be giving 4 characters a chance to escape the prison and live to seek revenge. A minimum 2 or 3 paragraphs for a backstory is necessary, more is definitely encouraged. Part of your backstory must describe your capture and should be related to the campaign trait you take which details the main crime which you are guilty of. This game is perfect for letting out your inner murderhobo as you cause chaos throughout Talinguarde. Also, make sure that your character will be able to follow Thorn's orders as he is the mastermind of the whole plot.

Build-A-Villain
Level - Gestalt 2, levels gained through story milestones.
Template - Choose 1. Benefits begin weak but scale in strength as you level. Example: Vampire - Natural Armour starts at +1 but increases each level until +6.
Class/Alignment - Paizo classes and archetypes allowed, 3rd party to be considered. No Paladin or good alignments or worshiping good deities. Asmodeus will be the main deity you will be allied with here though worship of Asmodeus is not required.
Race - Paizo races 20RP and under allowed, 3rd party to be considered. Alternate racial traits allowed.
Attributes - Focus 18 and Foible 8, roll 1d10+7 for the rest.
Traits - 2 standard traits, 1 campaign trait. 1 drawback allowed to gain 1 more trait.
Hit points - Max at every level.
Skills - Normal class skills plus 2 background skills each level.
Feats - 1 feat gained per level instead of 1 per 2 levels. Also using 'Elephant in the room' feat tax.
Additional - Automatic Bonus Progression will begin at level 3. Treasure will be reduced in accordance.

You remember going to the Formidably Maid to eat and drink and rest while you planned your next move and dreamed of the fortunes you wished for yourselves. There were plenty of new faces that you had never seen before. The Shackles are quite large after all and Port Peril one of the biggest port cities in the Shackles. What happened to you next is a bit foggy, perhaps you were looking for destiny in the bottom of a bottle and drinking till you passed out, or dancing with a flirtatious corsair and looking for a dark corner to 'cuddle' in when a couple of shadowy figures emerged and gave you a beating, or taking a walk to the docks and watching the sea when a sudden force knocked you over and the waves rushed up to meet you and you knocked your head in the shallows. At least you're still alive. You're still sore and have the bruises to prove it but it could be worse. It's dark, you must have made it back to your room with some help. The bed is very hard and uncomfortable though. Did they leave you lying on the floor of your room? You realise your arms are restrained behind your back and the floor seems to move slightly and the smell is far worse than the tavern.

"Still abed with the sun over the yardarm? On your feet, ye filthy swabs! Get up on deck and report for duty before Cap’n Harrigan flays your flesh into sausage skins and has Fishguts fry ye up for breakfast!" Before you can react to the loud and angry sounding voice, sea water drenches you, startling you awake. Your senses have cleared enough from the bucket of water to realise you were on a ship. You must be below decks from what you see around you. You lie near one of the masts, likely the main mast, and 2 rows of pillars behind you support the level above. This hold of the ship is mostly empty save for a number of small chests or lockers around the room, crew lockers likely. And a number of hammocks tied up (but not stretched out for use) around the support pillars denote this is the crews quarters.

Seven of the crew stand around you, mostly wearing common sailors garb(leather or cloth vest and loose pants), some with empty buckets in their hands, cutlass at their waist, all looking at you with disdain. One of the men has a whip and when he speaks you recognise his voice as the one that yelled but a moment ago. He wears a red bandana, a long dark beard and several earrings and other jewelry around his neck and on his fingers. A long and slightly tattered black cloak covers his trousers and leather covered chest. A nasty looking hand-axe rests in his belt and a dagger sheath is strapped to his right thigh. As you look up at him from the floor his dark eyes glare at you of an arrow shaped nose.

The whip cracks in the air above you. "Cut their ropes!" The voice at the end of the whip says. The sailors around you unsheathe knives and cut the ropes that bind you, hauling you up to your feet roughly. Three others next to you are also forced to stand. It seems you're not the only one that has been press-ganged today. You realise you are also missing all of your possessions, armour, weapons, spell-books, hats... they have taken everything that you spent your hard-earned gold to acquire, except for the clothes you wear.

Map screenshot
Include a description of yourself in your first post.

Yarr me hearties.

If you have done your character sheet already, post it here and let me know what your plan is if you have one and so I can check the sheets. If you haven't made one then lets get started.

Introduction
Ahoy Landlubbers and Salty dogs. This be a fresh recruitment to give you a chance to raid the high seas and make a name for yeself, whether that be a feared, respected or a cursed one. If you do be thinking yeself deserving of gold and glory and drawn to adventuring and freedom then stop in and tell me what makes ye think ye have what it takes. Besmara take me, but you're a sorry looking lot.

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About this game
In the Skulls and Shackles you will begin as press-ganged crewmates for a pirate captain that kidnapped you in the night and go on to perhaps become feared pirates in your own right. This game will feature ship travel and combat, weather hazards, island exploring and dungeon delving, trading stolen goods and selling plunder, searching for treasure and more. We will play on the forum here and I will add some maps on roll20 (it's free). Gameplay will be updated as often as possible, hopefully daily. Recruitment will go until there are a suitable amount of submissions. New or inexperienced players are definitely welcome to apply.

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Submission Requirements
Backstory - can be in whatever format you prefer but at least 100 words. End by telling me why you are in Port Peril.
Class/Race - what are you starting as, including archetypes. No need to make a forum avatar or full character sheet yet.

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Character and leveling rules
Level - start at 2. Gain levels at story milestones. Gain mythic tiers after completing adventure path books (total of 5 tiers).
Class - Paizo classes and archetypes allowed, 3rd party to be considered. Best of average or roll for class starting gold.
Race - Only Golarion player races allowed. Alternate racial traits allowed.
Attributes - 15 point buy. Max 17 at start after racial bonuses, no Min.
Traits - 2 standard traits, 1 campaign trait. No drawbacks.
Hit points - Max at level 1. Best of average or roll each level after.
Skills - Normal class skills plus 2 background skills each level.
Feats - 1 feat gained per level instead of 1 per 2 levels. Also using 'Elephant in the room' feat tax.
Additional - Automatic Bonus Progression will begin at level 3. Treasure will be reduced in accordance.

Ok everyone. Here we are again. Please let me know what loot, if any, you got from Branderscar.

You are level 2 now after your escape and I am putting the build rules in the campaign tab for easy reference.

You quickly rush across the gatehouse and push open the large double doors showing the way out.The doors lay open and the way unblocked for the moment. Blackerly's hesitation had left an opening for your escape, down the narrow and rocky path towards the bridge leading from Branderscar Island to the freedom of the mainland. Luckily the path zigzagged down the incline going behind rocky outcroppings, making attack from archers on the roof rather difficult. View of Branderscar from shore.

A few arrows chase you but are inaccurate and you are in no danger. You notice a few other monsters that had not been in the main fight with you join you in the escape. Not all of the 22 original inmates have survived to escape however.

Once you get to the bridge you see another guard house at the other end. The gate has already been lifted and the bloody corpses of four guards lay on the ground. Leaning against the gate is a drow whom you recognise as being a prisoner. He hadn't formed a group with any of the others and had found his own way out. You can see he is quite wet from a swim in the sea. "More made it out than I thought. So they are all dead then?" He turns away and walks past the open gate without waiting for the answer. No one else seems very talkative and a few start for the moor to get as far away from here and any search parties as possible.

Before he can give chase, Blackerly will need to gather his men and prepare to follow. With the bodies you left everywhere, he will have only those half dozen left with him until reinforcements arrive. Disappearing into the Moor is your best chance to hide and evade the coming patrols. You also remember the woman who broke your bonds and started this whole thing. Her message was to follow the Old Moor road if you wished to join her Master and take revenge on Talingarde.

Travelling through the Moor is slow and difficult even while sticking to the road and it takes the entire afternoon into the evening to find the Manor house with a lantern burning in the second story window. Safety at last. The feeling and effects of the collars they used on you are gone and you feel mostly yourself again. The path to the house leads you into the courtyard and waiting for you is none other than the woman who has broken your chains in the prison. A number of servants in livery stand almost lifelessly beside her. "My my, you took long enough," she says pitilessly. "We were beginning to wonder if you’d ever make it. The master commands all of you to appear before him but before that, you must be made presentable. Slaves!" She claps her hands. A dozen young attractive men and women all wearing very traditional servant’s livery appear quickly, their heads bowed. "These people are our guests," she commands imperiously. "See them to their
rooms. I want them cleaned, dressed and refreshed. Quickly." There is something in that last word that sounds like a threat. Certainly the slaves take it that way, hustling to perform their duties. "Rooms have been prepared, fitting for each of you." She disappears in a column of smoke again, clearly some sort of innate magical transportation. There seems to be exactly 1 servant that is ready and attends to each of you, showing you to a room outfitted to suit each of you. Clearly some effort has been expended to accommodate you.

Lets check in, roleplay with each other if you like. The servants will show you to the room where you will meet the Cardinal once we are all here and ready to go again.

You are standing alone, not another soul in sight (you do not see any of the other PC's), in the middle of an area of empty grasslands for miles on each side. Surrounding you is nothing but nature, a small bush here and there, a couple of large trees to provide shade. You can hear the sound of birds and smell the ocean afar off to the south if you can trust the sun's movement. Far to the northwest then, you can see shadowy, rocky bluffs, trees decorate their tops. North and east is open plainland as far as the eye can see with a thick marshy forest to the southeast. Everything you see is plain and ordinary except for the natural rocky spire only a hundred feet away. It extends vertically into the sky over 300ft., an almost impossible natural phenomenon.

You have no idea how you got here, no memory of walking up to the spire and a quick look around shows no footprints or tracks in the soft ground. The sun's position directly overhead causes the spire to cast no shadow yet.

Not one regular dungeon. Not one large dungeon. Not one superdungeon. But multiple superdungeons put together to make one gestalt supersuperdungeon to challenge you. In the recruitment post I mentioned The Emerald Spire and Rappan Athuk. I also have DND 3.5 PDF's of The World's largest Dungeon and The World's Largest City by AEG that I will be making use of as well for locations and monsters. The city will be your only source of trade if you find it.

As everything will exist in a separate plane, your character should not expect to be able to go home any time soon. Last minute gear or character adjustments can be made now as we begin, let me know if you decide to make any changes. Please put important stats for quick reference in the 'gender', 'race' and 'classes/levels' lines of your character alias profiles. A full character sheet in your profile or a link to a mythweavers sheet is also needed and include your backstory in your profile too.

Any questions before you go willingly or unwillingly into the unknown?

Hello Pathfinders.

This is an interest check/recruitment for a game based on the superdungeons Rappan Athuk and The Emerald Spire that has been going quite well at my RL game. I am going to combine them together into 1 supersuperdungeon. This game will be on the high powered side starting with gestalting 2 classes and may include some mythic challenges.

The backstory of the game will be a dream/premonition/vision/sensing/feeling/foretelling/other of a giant spire with black veins/tendrils/cracks/shadows on its surface coming from underground that your character gets. You can be as creative as you like with your backstory but include this in it somehow in a creative way. I'm hoping for it being explained in as many different ways as there are characters. Your character doesn't have to go looking for it or try to find the meaning of it, you can be living your regular life or something and the next moment you're gone. Be as creative as you like in how your character finds themself at the spire.

There won't be a village to retreat to but a sort of 'safe zone(s)' that you can use to rest, craft, cower and hide, etc. that the monsters won't go into. The power level of the dangers will live up to the deadliness expected and you likely will die, probably more than once, but there is something that will bring you back(spoilers).

Character options for races and classes are wide open and the setting is not limited to Golarion or any specific timeline/year/age. You can be from any pathfinder or dnd world, third party settings included if you wish. This is because the superdungeon is not on any one world or plane but touches many, which is how such a diverse party will be chosen. You won't know where exactly it is and will uncover knowledge about it as you explore. I will use elements from your backstories to include in its legend and slowly explain why you are there.

If that has you interested you lets get down to the build rules. I will be looking for 4 or 5 PCs with interesting and creative backgrounds, not just munchkin/min-max character sheets.

Will give this recruitment till the end of the month. If I have missed something of if you have any questions or thoughts fire away.

You have all been chained up, each in their own cell, stripped of any possessions and not even a scrap of cloth afforded you to clothe yourself. Manhandled and mistreated, beaten and weak, any finery you once possessed is either ruined or long lost. No special treatment has been given any prisoner – male or female, humanoid or otherwise. Your neck is secured by a chain to the floor in the centre of your cell, allowing barely a metre of room for you to move in. A guard is posted right outside the cell block day and night, checking on you every hour like clockwork, clubbing any who make noise, taking joy in their task.

Despised, alone and shackled – all that you can do now is await your doom. For each of you, your old life is over. For each of you, hope is a fading memory. For each of you, justice will be meted in an arena surely to be stacked against you. The guards have made sure you know what awaits, boasting often. Knight and Paladins, the best Talinguarde has to offer are sure to make quick work of your damaged bodies and weakened efforts. And who can blame fair Talingarde after what each of you has done? The fact that you exist is enough for them.

Roleplay or just dot while you wait

The waves lapped against the hull as The Generous Djinni finished docking. She had carried you safely across the ocean just as Captain Farrod Wakewell had promised. The two-month long trip had almost ended in disaster several times, due to storms and one almost successful mutiny to turn the ship back. Much to many of those aboard's surprise and delight the coastline of Dusst had been sighted yesterday and the coast navigated to find the first port fit to dock in. The captain was hoping to be the first to reach it after the location of this ancient and power-filled land was uncovered. More ships will surely come from your land and others, looking to profit, plunder, a new home or even to conquer. Captain Farrod didn't pay much attention to the rumours and warnings contained in the scrolls that revealed Dusst's location. "Just stories to keep people away," he said.

Is there an ancient power that could change the world hidden someone here? Do you seek it? Or have you come for some other reason?

Welcome to Dusst. While The Generous Djinni is docking and before you can disembark, post a bit about what you may hope to find or accomplish, maybe a bit of roleplay as you wait. Or do you dislike invisible walls and wish to leave the ship before it is safely docked? Your are free to act how you see fit.

Where are you?: 1d4 ⇒ 2

For monsters and evil things big and small.

Hello participants. Please enjoy all the amenities we have to offer here in the lounge. We hope you are taking regular breaks from the VR equipment as prolonged use can cause random disorientation in some uses."

The lounge is actually a whole floor of the DiamondTech building set out just for the members of the playtest group to discuss the game and relax while taking a break. There is food of all, dozens of different types of games, a mini theater, a small gym and a bar.

No need to actually roleplay here if you don't feel like it.

”Welcome participant. Congratulations again on your successful application to test our latest product. Just a friendly reminder that per the NDA you signed, nothing you experience is to be recorded, spoken, written, texted or mentioned to anyone outside the test group. If you are ready to begin, please lower your helmet and step into the module.” The assistant that helped you put on the full body haptic feedback suit aids you in securing the helmet and opens the side of the 2.5m diameter sphere for you to step in, closing it after you. ”The calibration tutorial will now begin.” A simple forest scene replaces the room you are in as the helmet activates. You can smell the flowers and the grass, feel the bark on the trees and the dirt beneath your toes. If it wasn't for the HUD overlay you might mistake this for the real world. You hear a voice seemingly all around you, it is the instructor. She takes you through a series of simple tasks meant to configure the suit, sphere and helmet as precisely as possible. As you start things feel a little clunky when you move but within 15 minutes you are moving, even running as naturally as real life with no noticeable lag. Everything is incredibly more responsive than you thought possible. Once the basic tutorial is done you are given a break and shown in detail the much more complex character creation and customisation process. ”Once you are complete, you will be placed in game in one of several designated coastal starting zones where you may do as you like. Are you ready?”

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Greetings applicants. The base setting is near future earth where you have applied to test a new virtual reality technology created by DiamondTech. DiamondTech believes they have perfected the latest in immersive virtual entertainment technology and are looking for playtesters to explore a magical fantasy world in search of wealth, power and glory(based on the popular Pathfinder tabletop game). The world of Dusst is in danger but from where? No one knows. Only as you play and discover will you uncover the doom that might be unleashed. Will you be a hero and stop it? Become a villain and aid it? Or somewhere in between?

This game will be open to as many players as i can handle(maybe 6-12 if tons of interest). You can apply solo or in groups. Groups will begin/respawn in the same area. There are several different starting areas and i will roll randomly to select where you will start. If I decide to stop adding players to the game those that still wish to have a chance to play can go on a waiting list. If someone drops out the next one waiting can jump in. The idea is a videogame-like experience where dying matters less.

A certain amount of metagaming is also allowed, justified by being part of the DiamondTech playtest group(this will be done in the discussion thread). You could let other players know of the type of monsters or information you've found regarding a dungeon, boss or a quest, maybe recruit help to take down a tough boss. That said players could be separated by large distances with no knowledge of how to get to another player quickly(no fast travel but teleportation magic will exist). If you read other players gameplay posts do not use that information unless they reveal it in the discussion thread. A little inceptiony(game inside a game) but I hope it all makes sense.

There is no requirement to be in a party all the time or stay with one if you feel like pursuing a different lead in game than the others you were adventuring with or just like going solo. Teamwork will still be necessary for some encounters, think ‘bosses’ of certain areas and dungeons. Most random encounters though will scale somewhat to the size of the group so no one should feel like they will die unfairly because they “didn't stay with the group”(and you could hire a companion/bodyguard if you so wished). If you do die you will respawn at the nearest safe/starting zone. You will keep your skills and levels but lose all but starting gear(outside of special items and permanent bonuses that you can acquire).

There is a difficulty level that you may change anytime by returning to a safe zone(such as the areas you respawn in). Difficulty level will determine encounter CR, treasure and EXP gained. You can choose from Easy, Average, Challenging, Hard and Epic. This will work similar to the encounter design table. Harder difficulty means better rewards and more exp. In case a group has different individual difficulties chosen between players the difficulties will be averaged out for the encounter. The highest level bosses can be Mythic creatures and have Legendary loot.

You won’t need to fight over loot. Any gold will be automatically split between those that defeated the encounter(being present but hiding so to avoid dying doesn't count, you MUST participate and help) and other items will be fairly shared around and sometimes rolled for to see who happened to ‘find it first’. Of course if you wish to sell or give something to someone else you may.

There can be as little or as much role-playing as you like. There will be plenty of NPCs to interact with, cities, villages, kings and courts and more. Dusst is a region of city-states with quarreling Nobles, Tyrant Kings, Cunning Warlords and untamed wilds, forests, deserts, mountains and seas full of challenges. I hope to make it fun for wherever you fall on the rollplay-roleplay scale. This could also be the perfect game for a character you've had sitting around that can't get into any other game but you've been dying to try out.

I aim to update once a day and will let you know if there will be delays. I hope you will be able to make a post within 24 hours of me updating. If you give warning of delay that is ok but without warning you may die if in combat or be removed from the game(if no posts for 2 weeks) to give someone else a chance.

There is only one rule when creating a character backstory. You are new to this region of the world and therefore know nothing about it except rumours of evil, promises of treasure, power and legendary magic and weapons. You have full flexibility otherwise. If you provide me some backstory hooks i can work with that and implement it in some way. 2 or more paragraphs is fine and the 5 steps method will be accepted too. [Add link]

The setting will be low magic and to reflect that a gestalt variation of the E6 rules will be used. You will start at level 1 in 1 class and may spend your exp to add levels to your existing class OR gain a level of a second class. The gestalt class will cost 50% more exp to level up than your main class, a third class would cost 100% more exp, etc. Yes you could run around as a 5 class gestalt, but you will still be level 1 while someone else with the same exp could be almost level 6. With this system PrCs will also be allowed as a gestalt class if prerequisites can be met but casting cannot be improved past level 6. E6 also has post level 6 feats that unlock class abilities above level 6 and other epic bonuses. These cannot be gained through simply leveling or through class abilities(eg. fighter bonus feats) but 1 can be selected for every 5,000 exp you gain after reaching level 6 in at least 1 class. I will list the feats available in the campaign tab.

One last thing is alignment. I want to allow all alignments and shades of characters to influence the main story. Different actions can affect the world in different ways both good and bad but to make sure everyone has fun, actions against other PCs will be limited. If you're good hunting any evil you can't smite/murder/whatever an evil PC. If you're a thieving rogue you can't try to steal from other PCs. If you're a necromancer you can't try to kill other PCs to raise then as your own undead army. Those are just a few examples, but you get the idea.

If I update the rules in any way I will put the full rules in the campaign tab so you don't have to search every post to make sure you have everything.

”Perfect. These beasts’ll do just fine for the celebration. Beat ‘em a bit more, if they're strong enough to fight properly the king’ll ‘ave our ‘eads.” The jailers laugh at your weakened state and add more bruises to your bodies. In three days you and many others will fight the knights of Talinguarde and be mercilessly cut down in a display of the King's might. You are doomed.

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Welcome everyone, to my way of the wicked game. You have all been captured and await the day of the anniversary of the King's reign to be put on display and face unfair combat against Talinguard's finest knights. The usual punishments of hanging, beheading, hard labour, don't apply to you. Your kind can't be treated the same as a human or elf. Usually you would be destroyed on sight, but this time they were ordered to capture you instead.

If you have ever wanted to play as one of the creatures that go bump in the night, now is your chance. All the standard races are banned and all sorts of monsters and automatically assumed as evil races are up. The only requirement is that you hate Mitra and the Talinguarde that seeks to eradicate you.

All the creativity of what you want to play is yours. Look through the bestiary and races and play what will be interesting to you. We will work to make sure your choice is not overpowered. You should be similar power to a level 1 character(you were somehow captured after all) but you may grow in power as you level up.

Previous experience with way of the wicked is ok if you can separate prior knowledge from your character. We will start from the very beginning so if you haven't tried way of the wicked before you are most welcome to apply. The hardest part might be weakening monsters to manageable levels for a level 1 starting point but I'm excited to work with you to make it happen. I'm sure there will be many questions so let's get cooking. If it happens that we have an all monster party that is fine or if it is too hard to balance and going for just the already created monstrous races that is going to work just fine a well.

If i make rules updates or changes I will put everything in the campaign tab so people don't have to search the whole thread for every post I make.

Kenabres, 16 Arodus

The large city's population has swollen in recent weeks in preperation for Armasse. The festival was once dedicated to the now dead Aroden but is still a very important event, particularly to the faithful of Iomedae, who use it to train commoners in combat, ordain apprentice clergy, pick squires for knights, and teach military history, hoping to prevent the mistakes of the past from being repeated. Many others not so religious instead tend toward wild partying during this time. Many live here and many come from many directions for many reasons. This morning things are in full swing as the festival begins with the official opening due to happen at noon at Clydwell Plaza in front of the cathedral.

Wrath
(noun)
1. strong vengeful anger or indignation
2. retributory punishment for an offense or a crime

Righteous
(adjective)
1. acting in accord with divine or moral law
2. morally right or justifiable

For several weeks, excitement has been building in Kenabres—Armasse is coming! Traditionally an opportunity for scholars and priests to come together to study the lessons of history from wars past, since Aroden’s death, this holy day has become more about training commoners in weaponry, choosing squires, and ordaining new priests. Over time, Armasse has grown to encompass jousting competitions, mock duels, battle reenactments, and other festival events. In Kenabres, the festival (which takes place on 16 Arodus) is eagerly anticipated, for it provides distractions from the horrors of being on the front line of the war. Smiles on faces normally marred by downcast eyes and furrowed brows do wonders for city morale in the weeks leading up to the event. Armasse is a citywide celebration, but the majority of the event, including its jousting matches and other entertainments, takes place at Clydwell Plaza, just west of the cathedral. It is here that the campaign begins, with you in attendance near the cathedral’s facade—you've been (un)lucky enough to get good close spots to observe the opening ceremonies at noon.

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16 Arodus - 12:00
Armasse officially began at noon, with the blessing of the festival by Lord Hulrun himself, ruler of Kenabres. The crowd gathered in Clydwell Plaza quieted as the aged inquisitor took the stage, clad in shining, resplendent armor. He cleared his throat, but just as he was about to speak, a bright light shone from the west, as if the sun were rising from the wrong direction. Hulrun’s shadow fell huge and distorted across the cathedral’s facade. A moment later, the sound of a thunderous explosion ripped through the air and earth, along with a violent tremor.

To the west, the fortress known as the Kite—the location of Kenabres’s wardstone—had vanished. In its place, a brilliant plume of red fire, lightning, and smoke erupted into the heavens. A moment later, a powerful roar accompanied a welcome sight rising from the crowd—Kenabres’s greatest guardian, the ancient silver dragon Terendelev, who had until that moment been attending the opening ceremony disguised as a human. Above, another form appeared, as nightmarish as the dragon was breathtaking. A humanoid shape three times the size of any man, with skin coated in fire and lightning, gripped a flaming sword and whip. The creature’s identity was immediately obvious: Khorramzadeh, the Storm King of the Worldwound, had returned to Kenabres!

As the ground continued to shake and disgorge demons into the streets, the dragon and the balor lord clashed above. The fight was over in a few harrowing moments, as the balor cut deep into Terendelev’s body, swooping down to strike the dragon and arresting her charge. A few more blows, and the titanic duo spiraled downward toward the crowd. The sight of the dragon smashing into the facade of the Cathedral of St. Clydwell is one no witness would ever forget. At that moment, a titanic demon erupted at the far end of the plaza, reducing several buildings to ruins as it smashed into this world. The rift it created shot across the plaza, and this time there was no escape—it opened below your feet, angling away into darkness.

Even as you fell, the wounded dragon noticed your plight. Though she saw death standing over her, she seized this final chance to save a few more souls. After she uttered a few arcane words and stretched out a bleeding talon, you felt her magic take hold of you and those around you as you fell in the chasm, slowing your plummet into the darkness as if you were feathers falling into a pit. Yet the fall remained as inexorable, and as you drifted downward into the depths, the last thing you saw was the Storm King standing before the ancient silver dragon, his sword lashing out and cleaving full through her neck. As her severed head fell, you felt a rush of unknown energy hit you and a strange voice whisper, "Keep hope alive." The rift above you slammed shut, and the light of the world above was gone.

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Hello everyone. Welcome to the recruitment for Wrath of the Righteous (now with extra wrath). I am recruiting 3 PC's with a 4th already locked in and taking the role of the arcane specialist archmage. We will be doing things a little different to start, though the main story will remain mostly the same. Instead of fresh level 1 characters, you are level 2 characters with a little experience under your belts. You have come to or are in Kenabres for whatever personal reasons you decide as the Armasse festival starts. You will see in the creation rules that you start with 1 mythic rank. When you write your backstory you are not mythic and have not done anything really major or special yet. From the teaser above you can see that your mythic power is transferred to you from Terendelev as she dies. What I want to see included in your backstory though, is the reason that you were given this power. This can be based on the campaign traits in the players guide or be something totally different. Because of this there are no campaign traits(instead you get to be MYTHIC!).

If you want to lay out your character and backstory to especially help me integrate them into the story, here are a few steps to follow and fill out.
Step 1 Write 5 background and concept elements that you feel are important to your image of the character. These can be a concept overview, a list of important life events, a physical description, a personality profile...whatever you need to get an image in your mind. 5 is just a minimum...more elements are encouraged!
Step 2 List at least two goals for the character. At least one of these goals should be one that the character has, while another should be one that you, as a player, want to see developed over the course of the game.
Step 3 List at least two secrets about your character. One is a secret the character knows, one is a secret that involves him but that he is not actually aware of yet. This will help me in creating plots that center around your character. I will also be creating a third secret which you as a player will not be aware of, so expect some surprises!
Step 4 Describe at least three people that are tied to the character. Two of them are friendly to the character, one is hostile. If you like, you can include an enemy of yours here as well, so I have an instant NPC nemesis to throw at you.
Step 5 Describe three memories, mannerisms, or quirks that your character has. They don't have to be elaborate, but they should provide some context and flavor.

I'm planning to have recruitment open for 2 weeks only and I'm sure I'll still have plenty vying for the 3 spots that are open. To give yourself the best chance to be chosen, make those backstories compelling. I enjoy reading a backstory and getting to know a character far more than looking at a statblock. Good luck all. Now let's make an epic story together!

Gameplay thread is now open

It would help if I created a discussion thread I suppose...

Welcome to Disjunction. Any questions?

Hello Pathfinders and welcome to another recruitment thread. It is I, the most precious form of carbon known to mankind, reduced to microscopic particles. And I have been working on a little homebrew. Part random dungeon crawling, part world history changing events.

The Setting
Slightly-post-modern-day Earth. Greater efforts than ever before have gone into saving the planet, and ourselves, from man-made catastrophe. And it worked. Science! Deserts are shrinking everywhere, resources are increasing and the third world is smaller than ever. Australia, Arabia, China, everywhere. The biggest effect was had in Africa. Extreme poverty is almost gone and regular poverty is at the levels of every other first-world country. There are still problems, wars and dictators, but the future is looking more hopeful than ever.

The Location
An ancient city has been found buried beneath the Saharan sands. Experts from around the world are studying it. Conspiracy theorists are churning out dozens of new stories for every official information release. Aliens, El Dorado, Atlantis, the Garden of Eden, you name it.

The Players
You are one of the few experts cleared through every security level. You are the ones that are helping to discover the secrets of this place. Archaeologists, Language Experts, Scientists and so on.

Top Secret
Mr. Diamond, foremost expert in world lore, legends and history, thinks he has figured it out and those in charge are heeding him. The world was once a very different place, filled with everything from almost any legend you think you have read or heard of. But something happened and that's what he thinks this city holds the key to uncovering. Where did it all go? Was it aliens? A world-wide flood? Did humans win the war and wipe everything else out? That's what you're here to help figure out whether you're a believer, skeptic, government plant or free thinker.

The Game
There will be many social interactions, be it on earth inside or outside the city, or in the 'dungeon'(for current lack of a better word). In the dungeon there will also be plenty of hostile encounters to deal with, as well as puzzles and traps to be figured out. There will also be incentive to figure out what the dungeon is, why it is, and steer humanity's decisions concerning the dungeon.

Character builds and Submissions
Class Let me know the PC class you intend to level into (3rd party allowed as long as I can look at it on my computer). You will start as 7th level Experts(NPC class) and may go into another class as the game progresses in a semi-gestalt sort of fashion where your Expert class levels won't ever increase. You could gain a few levels and become a Fighter 3/Expert 7 and eventually a Fighter 15/Expert 7 for example. You will start leveling up as fast as a normal 1st level character but with 7 extra levels of HP and feats to help you survive.
Race Only Human for now. Choose 1 free alternate racial(heart of the..., Awareness, Eye for Talent) as long as it makes sense to your character.
Background Skills Yes but only for your Expert levels. No background skills will be given when leveling up other classes.
Feats 5 feats for being 7th level human experts. Feats should make sense for your character to know now, not to be 'placeholders' that come online for your main class later (power attack? spell focus? You're a scientist, explain yourself! Weapon Finesse because your hobby is fencing? Great! etc...).
Stats 20 Point Buy(max 18 after racials). You don't have to have a high intelligence score to be a scientist. You might not be a genius but an average intelligence can still work hard and gain just about any profession. Professions are based on will scores anyhow. So plan your stats for the class you eventually want to become but please no stat dumps at least.
ABP You will gain Automatic Bonus Progression which will be based on your PC class levels.
Money Though you are some of the foremost professionals, these aren't the most glamorous or well paying jobs in the world. Consider yourself as having an above average government or private salary in your chosen profession based on your background. This currency will have little effect in the dungeon where you will only start with clothes, Hazmat suits and a basic scientific and medical kit that one of you happened to be holding onto before stepping on the circles.
Backstory Probably the most important thing right now. Tell me how you got your job and where you come from in as many or as few words as you want. Your character can be from basically anywhere on earth, did it tough, had it easy, whatever you like. As well as your backstory, consider and answer these questions.

• Why do you want to be working in the lost city?
• Who hired you and why do they want you working there?
• What do you think of Mr. Diamond's theory? (before anything weird happened at the wall)
• What do you think of Mr. Diamond as a person? (personal, professional, may have met him before)

You don't need a character sheet or character alias here on the boards for me to consider or pick you. A 7th level Expert character sheet can be done in a jiffy even after I make selections so please focus on the backstory and creating an interesting character motivated by real world stuff and things rather than fantasy issues. As always, if there's anything you think I've missed or if you're unsure about anything just ask. There are only some stupid questions.

For the next three days you are fed, rested, bathed and clothed in finery befitting nobility gifted to you by the Cardinal. You live a life of luxury and ease in the manor house making the trials of the prison seem a distant memory. Tiadora offers each of you a slave companion during your stay here to serve you and see to all your needs. Tiadora then takes the wealth you looted from Branderscar and any purchase requests you have and returns with your purchases at the end of the three days. There is an alchemy lab in one of the rooms in your wing allowing the Doctor to regain his extracts and others to refresh their spell components.

During the respite and your wanderings of the manor's living quarters you learn you are not alone here. There are four other individuals who were here before you and have already signed the contract. They call themselves The White Ravens, hailing from the mainland outside Talinguarde when the Cardinal recruited them. Their leader, Elise Zadaria, a beautiful human witch with a rare albino raven familiar, Dostan Alfson, a barbaric looking half-elf who likes to drink, Tallus "Trak" Rackburn, a middle-aged human bounty hunter and tracker, twin brother to Titus "Trik" Rackburn, an Asmodean cultist, the friendliest and most talkative of the bunch. The four didn't escape from a prison like most of you but were smuggled in on a merchant vessel that arrived in Varyston just a few days ago.

Discuss, say hi. I will check over everyone's character sheet again. Gameplay is open for roleplay while everyone gets settled in.

Way of the Wicked Custom-Gestalt Recruitment

So a recent recruitment for this AP got me really excited and I did a bunch of research after I was unfortunately not accepted for that game. With the posting rate of my other games here on this forum I know I can handle 1 more game and have decided to do this one with a slight alteration...

And so we will be skipping over the first section of the campaign. This would be the ideal campaign for those who have joined a game before and not gotten very far before your game failed for whatever reason. You can apply with any of those previously played characters bringing their memories of escaping the prison and continue on. Or you may create a new level 2 character following the below rules but I would caution that if you have never played the first part of this AP before (and it is rather fun trust me) that this might not be the game for you. But if you want to throw caution to the wind who am I to stop you. You're evil and you'll apply where you please. I will choose between 3 and 6 players and this recruitment will go until Sunday the 8th of January(monday for me in Oz), just over 1 week from now. I am into reading more 3rd party resources and may accept some of them into this game. I'm most familiar with Psionics and some Path of War so those will be the easiest for me to consider. I am also trying out some feat tree/tax removing house rules to help you villains be truly, epically evil.

If I have forgotten anything or you have questions I will put all the rules here into the campaign tab and update that as we go as necessary. So if you aren't sure about something, don't double post a question, check the campaign tab for the updated rules in case you missed one of my posts somewhere.

The Legend
Many hundreds of years ago, the forces of good allied to destroy the main Temple of Orcus in the ancient city of Tsar. With their temple in ruins, the surviving high priests of this accursed demongod fled the city with an army of enemies on their trail—an army of heroic fighters, clerics and paladins—led by Zelkor, a powerful wizard. The exact fate of these evil priests was then unknown, for not only did the remnants of the followers of Orcus disappear from all human reckoning, but so did the army of light that followed after them disappear as well. Some said that in the eternal scales the loss of so many good men was a fair price to pay to rid the world of so much evil.

The evil cult, however, had not been destroyed. The surviving priests and their followers instead settled on a hill near the Forest of Hope, a sylvan woodland near the Coast Road. There they found a vast underground complex of caverns and mazes, carving out a
volcanic intrusion beneath the hill. There, the priests of Orcus found the perfect lair to continue their vile rituals. For many years, they carried on in secret, hidden from the light and from the knowledge of men.

Many years later, their underground delving completed, the evil priests erected a hideous mausoleum and a sunken graveyard atop the hill. It is believed that these graves are in fact the final resting place of the pursuing army of heroes that had been destroyed to a man. Soon after the mausoleum was erected the peaceful creatures of the wood began to disappear. Though many rangers and druids investigated these happenings, the cause of the creatures’ disappearance was not immediately determined. Some years later a powerful group of adventurers, led by Bofred, a high priest of Thyr, investigated the evil happenings and found the sunken graveyard leading to a labyrinthine complex. Bofred and his companions found great hordes of evil creatures in the complex. Though some of his companions returned from their expedition, telling tales of fantastic treasure and ferocious monsters, Bofred was never seen again—lost in the catacombs beneath the cursed mausoleum. For the last one hundred years, ranks of adventurers have ventured to the newfound dungeon. Many fell prey to bandits and monsters in the surrounding wilderness. Rumors suggest that of those who survived to reach the mausoleum and sunken graveyard, most were slain by guardians of green stone or perished on the very first level. Those rare few who return from deeper treks speak of horrible undead and creatures that cannot be slain. All who have explored Rappan Athuk offer this one universal piece of advice: “Don’t go down the Well.”

Current Day Mistthorne
The town bustled with more day to day business and activity than usual. The market, situated off the centre square of town was open and trading in full swing. Merchants cry out their goods for sale and haggle with prospective buyers. Down at the docks workers unload cargo into warehouses. One man drops a crate, spilling its goods into the dirty alley and is cursed at by the overseer. A ship sets sail headed north to Oppara or Almas, hundreds of miles away. The rumours spread throughout the Inner Sea and even further over Golarion. All but forgotten, Rappan Athuk comes again to ear in whispers and rumours, true, imagined, stories told to children to make them behave, drawing hordes of adventurers of all sorts to investigate. Zelkor's Brew is a busy tavern just off the main thoroughfare where most out-of-towners stay. You arrived some time yesterday and were guided here to rest from your travels.

Inside Zelkor's Brew a couple of the Town Guard have come for a drink after their shifts. Breakfasts and strong drinks accompanying are served by the aging owner's wife and her attractive daughter. Merchants and other locals are here after a hard early morning's work to quench a thirst and regain energy for the afternoon. Several Qadiran travelers arrive, dusty from the road, yelling at a servant to see to their horses. Other obvious foreigners sit alone, some together, discussing plans, swords already by their sides. They are speaking to the Innkeeper and you hear them mention the cult of Orcus and Rappan Athuk. "I cannot recommend it. My brother was just like you lot. And he never returned. Nothing good comes of poking around down there. You shouldn't believe every rumour you hear."

How you approach each other or interact with the patrons is now up to you.

Welcome all.

First I want to just make sure everyone has their stats done. You check for mistakes, I'll check for mistakes.

I plan for some part of each of your backstories to be a part of this game too. But no spoilers of course.

The evils once thought buried are stirring and increasing in number once more. For now the threat is contained but if not removed a new worldwound event could be upon you. Soldiers gather and brave souls probe the earth for intelligence of the enemy's designs. Few return from the tunnels below and rumours abound of the potential treasure and the inhabitants therein. You are champions or villains, scollars or explorers, arcane magicians or devoted worshipers. Renowned in your little corner of the world, you have received the news of this impending doom and decided, for reasons personal, to become involved. Do you seek glory? To save the world? Dark secrets? Power? Wealth? Those that return are rewarded greatly for aiding in the defeat of this evil. You have decided that the great risk equals the reward and travel north on the coast road. One alone can normally do little and, though you are more competent than most, you seek others to watch your back. The small town of Mistthorne is the last civilised stop on the Coast road and its numbers have doubled in recent years. There you are certain to find others to join paths and fates with.

I'll keep this open for at least a week maybe 2 when I'll choose a party of 4. I want your backstories to show how you got to level 5. To me this is about the point where book 1 of an AP finishes. You defeat the first major plot point sort of deal. So you've done a few heroic things but it's still on a pretty small scale.

This is my first time trying gestalt but I've got some friends advising me and they helped me get the pdf too. Expect some gestalt enemies, templated monsters and several mythic bosses if you get that far. This is usually meant to be a deadly dungeon so even with gestalt it should still remain quite a challenge.

Ship's entertainers play background music for the captain(I) and his officers(ye)

Welcome to a new recruitment for the Skulls and Shackles Adventure Path, where piracy is the rule, and plunder and infamy fill the seas of Golarion! To apply for this game all you need to do is submit a fitting backstory as to why your character finds themselves in Port Peril and a roleplay example of their actions in and around the inn 'Formidably Maid' the previous night before you were unceremoniously pressganged. Use your chosen campaign trait to shape this if it helps.

Characters may be of any paizo released PC races, classes, archetypes and options(including BG skills) starting at level 1 with max HP, 2 normal and 1 campaign trait, 1 bonus feat/level and automatic bonus progression +2(magic loot be special and rare). 25 point buy with max 18 and min 8 after racial bonuses.

I, Diamondust am a player and GM of pathfinder of 6 or 7 years mostly with a small group of friends. I've done this adventure before so I am confident in running it and adapting it to make it new and interesting for any of you who may also have played or run it before. The first thing to be changed is the string of days on the ship performing menial tasks which for me and my group was exceedingly boring so I intend to hurry that along and maybe spice it up a little. The second major thing is getting a taste of mythic at the end of each book of the AP, options of which I reserve the right to 'balance' if need be. I will be checking several times a day and making at least 1 post each day and I hope you are all prepared to do the same. I won't be using many maps though I may upload some images online to help get an idea of things.

Hopefully some of you are interested in a piratey game. We'll keep it fun and M rated. I don't much hold to alignment restrictions though if a paladin and an anti-paladin apply I probably won't choose both characters because like it or not some things are just bound to kill each other.