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KnightErrantJR wrote:


(When going after Whitechin, they went to purchase silver arrows, and the smith said, "silver? Isn't that used to kill devils?" and it run them off of wanting to pick up anything that wasn't day to day equipment)

A proper sense of paranoia...nice :D And you're right, there has to be a place were you can dispose of HellKnight armor anyways ;)


KnightErrantJR wrote:


Someone actively blackmailing those that visit the place would be a threat to its continued existence, and I even got the impression that the Rundottari are pretty much "in on" the whole thing and even direct people there for the right price.

That's what I meant by a dottari informant. He's just the guy from the rundotarri that is around to keep an eye that things aren't getting to out of hand, and that collects the tithe for the Durotas. The way I see it, the rundottari need the money to operate, and as a black markety will always exist, better to be able to keep an eye on it. So no trouble with criminals, noblefolk an even monster types, though high profile traitors would be a no no. Is that clearer?

I like the complication you bring up, of this rundottari turning coat and informing on the market.


Big bad always keep journals..

"Dear Diary,

Today I tested how far a sprite can fly on one wing. Interstingly enough..."


So, great minds of the forums, I've prepared like never before for a campaign. CoT will give me the chance to try a more sandbox type of game, with myriad side plots and NPCs. That said, I asked my players to come up with more elaborate motivations for their PCs. One of them threw me a curve ball, in the form that I see only complications, but maybe with your help I can turn it into an asset.

Basically, he's developed a minor nobleman, a swashbuckler type, who is obsessed with gathering lore about how the infernal taint appeared in Cheliax. Basically, trace where the tiefling's are coming from. My mixed feelings come with the fact that I don't want to make it obvious at first that the Drovenge's are the bad guys. Therefore, I need red herring's, which is one of my greatest failings as a GM. hence, me asking for your help with coming up with ideas about more noble family's with fiendish skeleton's in their closets.

As a side note, I'm playing up the noble houses IMC, making a lot of the public figures a member of one family or another. Thesing will be a nobel, as well as Shanwen, some of the Dottari officers, judges etc... any ideas here are welcome as well.


KnightErrantJR wrote:

Thanks guys. I was hoping to strike the right balance between strange plot hooks without turning off too many players from wanting to interact with the characters.

I'm still thinking if the market needs more regulars.

It should have a Dottari informant, that's on the Market's payroll. He'll inform of normal wheeling and dealings, but you'd have to pay him special if you want to keep some purchases quiet. A privacy tax, if you will.

A rumor monger as well. Somebody you can buy and sell info from.


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Yes, this is awesome! I'll be using some of these ideas as well.


Ian Watt wrote:
That would be awesome! I've been so busy statting up baddies in my True20 conversion of Pathfinder that I haven't been able to keep up with this.

So, Paizo guys....what's the score with this?


That would be awesome! I've been so busy statting up baddies in my True20 conversion of Pathfinder that I haven't been able to keep up with this.


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Nice!

4) Saria Roccin (Durotas of the Dottari)
4.1) Is under Investigation by the Hellknights.
4.2) Knows which CLeric of Asmodeus to approach when somebody needs to negotiate a penalty fee.
4.3) Has lost family to the Hellknights in the past.

5) Scasi Bolvona (Durotas of the Condottari)
5.1) Is keeping the news of the Canal Ripper quiet.
5.2) His wife, Adelna Dioso, doesn't know he is a philanderer.
5.3) A newly arrived lovely half-eleven actress has been seen visiting him often these last few weeks (It's actually his bastard daughter).

6) Durotas Arik Tuornos (Durotas of the Rundottari)
6.1) Has survived more than one assassination attempt.
6.2) Won't investigate events unless they affect a native Wiscrani.

7) Durotas Lhiana Strikis
7.1) Had an affair with the Duxotar to gain her position.
7.2) Is rumored to have gathered a vast wealth through extorting bribes.


So, no help for the wicked?


Any good urban adventure needs to have a healthy dose of rumors: This si the place for Wiscrani background flavor, red herrings and actual gold nuggets of info. Let's start adding to it. I've always found that different versions of a rumour work to give enough info, without actually handing out the info outright.

1.) Aberrian's Folly
1.a) Aberrian's Folly is possessed.
1.b) Aberrian's Folly is powered by the souls of those taken prisoner by the Mayor.
1.c) Aberrian's Folly is connected to Hell itself, and is powered by the eternal flames of the pit.

2.) Drovenge Family
2.a) Chammady's father Sidonai, escaped off to Taldor, because he murdered his wife.
2.b) Vassindio has another grandson, a sickly boy who can't leave the house, cared for mainly by Chamamdy.
2.c) The boy is not really Vassindio's grandson, but the bastard offspring of the unfaithful wife of Sidonai.

So, keep them coming. I'll be building rumours of the other mayor families, so as not to make it obvious that Drovenge is special.

Everybody, please feel free to add your own!


I think I'll bait some of my players into becoming aspiring Pathfinders. This will make it more likely for them to "obey" her plot advancing.


Jodah wrote:
Turin the Mad wrote:

I've been listening to Carl Orff's Carmina Burana and it strikes me as rather appropriate to ** spoiler omitted **

Thanks for the music suggestion.

Anyone else have some good music ideas for the AP? Character themes battle music, general ambiance?

The Thief games Sound Track.


A party of five so far. I use True20, but converting from PF to it is a breeze.

Massimo Rufano: A younger member of the Rufano noble family, this young man gave up his social position and has become a cleric of Gozreh. He takes care of the small shrine that is visited mostly by foreign sailors.

Vincenzo Rufano: Cousin to Massimo, this dilettante spends most of his time either honing his skills with his blade, or studying the genealogy of the noble families, looking for fiendish blood. He is obsessed with finding from whence the fiendish blood has come to the nobility of westcrown. He is a well known poet, reknown for his cutting tongue, even sharper than the edge of his blade.

Arcturius Uk'Bektar: Half-orc bodyguard of Vincenzo, he was born in Westcrown, the son of the famous pugilist Bektar. He aims to be as famous in the pugilist cirquite as his father, the ten year Campionni. Very calm and controlled, he enjoys the reputation he has earned as an up and coming fighter.

Maliria: Orphaned tiefling, raised by the spymaster of House Phandros. Bred to be a spy and assassin. She acts out the orders given to her by her master, and spends most of her days tailing and observing the other noble factions.

Jamjey: A second generation Vudrani immigrant, he lost his parents. A slave to house Phandros, he is a self defense tutor to the young heirs. He lost his master one night to whatever creatures stalk the nights, and he has spent his time since in training and meditation, working towards the day he will strike at whatever was responsible

I'm going to work out ways that they meet with Janiven beforehand.

I'm thinking that Massimo runs afoul of Shanwen, who simply cuffed Morosino, who had accidentally bumped into him. Hopefully Massimo will step up and stop him from brutalizing the lad. It'll help add some animosity to the future encounter.

I think I'll have Massimo run into Thesing Umbero, and play up the social affront there. Probably have him hitting on a barmaid that was flirting with Vincenzo. I'll make Thesing a noble as well, who'll probably back down when Vincenzo threatens him (I know my player ;)).

I'll have Arcturius deliver a missive to the country estate of some friend of Vincenzo, and be acosted by some brigands. Mistake!

Jamyey and Maliria I haven't decided yet. I'm thinking I'll have her be following Arcturius, and aid him during the battle. Him, he will probably have spoken out about his interest in fighting that which stalks the dark.


Spoiler:

Personally, I'd have the Bastard's bug out. Palaveen was already concerned about attracting attention. Sure, they have a cool lair, but most of it's values is gone once it stops been a secret location. The intelligent choice is to bug out, and have some of his men stay behind in hiding to figure out if somebody comes back.

So if the PCs return, give them a chance to spot the once left behind to follow them. Then they can get some info themselves about the new Bastard's location.


Have a scene were a single Hellknight trashes a bunch of rowdy sailors in the docks. Have one of your PCs witness it, and then bring it up when the HKs show up.

Have you Knowledge (Local) PC or your high Sense Motive PC know this is a bad idea.

If they then decide to fight anyways....broken bones are a good teacher ;)


A cleric of Caiden Cailean (sp?), ready to set up an underground railroad for slaves would be a great PC for this game, IMO.

Duelling is going to be an important part of giving it that Venetian feeling, so a Duellist is very apropriate. Anybody have any Dueling Codes they've used before? What are the rules for poring arms in

Urban Ranger is excellent as well. Makes for a good spy/agent for a noble house.


Have you considered simply putting the runeforging well under Sandpoint. Just run the Scribbler encounter, and then they find this awesome plot device. Cue a montage of them gathering items around Varisia to use in the forge after they discover the conveniently labeled instruction manual left by the scribbler. Advance to Level 14 right before they do to the runeforging.


pretty much the same points I used...


The 8th Dwarf wrote:


Thanks Ian I couldn’t remember the game. It was a good character creation session. Lots of hooks for the GM to run off….

Yeah. The serial numbers could be field off, and instead of books say they are bard tales. It's a good way to tie in higher level heroes, not sure it would work for Level 1 PCs


Drakli wrote:


This is true and a point well taken. Heck, there've been supposed sightings even in places like Maine, I hear.

I'd read the first recorded sightings were in Puerto Rico and Mexico... but, you know, mostly I was trying to say I think releasing them in this book was just fine on an environmental level.

My money is on Mejico!

Personally, since I'm a Spanish speaker, the name throws me off. Because it's not exotic enough for my arabian game ;) So I'll have to make up a name, and when describing it to my players, will have to use "And the stories you hear, are similar to those Chupacabra stories we keep hearing.."


The 8th Dwarf wrote:
For our current D20 modern game our GM borrowed a character creation concept from another rpg.

Spirit of the Century (FATE system) is the system you're talking about, and it's packed full of Pulpy goodness!


Karui Kage wrote:
Quicktime will open it. As will VLC Media Player. The latter I highly recommend, it is free and plays everything I've tried with it. Just google VLC. :)

beat me to it. VLC plays everything :D


Drakli wrote:


While I'm usually a foolishly Quixotic niggler for cultural origins of monsters and classes (which is sometimes hard on myself considering I like playing monks,) the chupacabra are Mexican/Puerto Rican in origin and there really isn't a Central American analogue. That being the case, I would say the next best choice is a similar climate, if you want to include the monster in the first place (and who wouldn't want the chupacabra in their gameworld? Fools, that's who!) So I have no problem with Paizo on that front! ^-^

I've lived in Ecuador, Chile and Argentina, and all of them mention the Chupacabra. I would not be surprised for the term to be in use in the rest of South America, as well as Central America.

Now who coined the term first... that depends on who you believe.

FOr another Latin American legend that crosses borders, look up "La Llorona" (The weeping Lady).


My players were getting there but kicked in Thistletop, so I had the Riddleport bard recognize Orik as an old acquaintance. They had him turn coat in exchange for letting him take Lyrie away.

They'd already captured Tsutso, and after they killed Nualia and returned to town, they found a heartbroken Orik, because Lyrie had sprung Tsutso and run away.

The bard finally pawned off the Vinder girl on Orik, through a convoluted con. He was glad of getting rid of her (cramping his style) and Orik was glad to have someone. She was a victim of some terrible dice rolling and the fact that she isn't painted as a bastion of morality in any case.

The bard set things up so that Orik believed he was doing him a favor, while he went all sappy and moralistic on her. She did seem the type to enjoy the thrill of cheating on her boyfriend, more than the type to enjoy poetry reading under the watchful eye of a chaperone.

They have a couple of rugrats now.


If your players aren't feeling the urgency of rescuing the POWs, there's a simple way to get your players to charge in. Have the elven leader tell them they're not good enough for this job. He'll send his troops in instead. Have him play up they've mostly been lucky so far, and that they probably couldn't handle it. Throw in some mention that it's bad enough that priceless elven artifacts fell into the hands of drow, that he would rather not have them be owned by these uncouth heroes.

If your players are anything like mine, this affront to their honor, after dealing with arrogant elves for the whole module, will have them rushing in in no time. Mention of "priceless" will draw in those mercenary heroes.

It's a sad comment that the only emotional reactions my players have towards NPCs is hate, resentment or contempt. :D


My players carved up Ironbriar with the Sihedron rune and made it look like he was the latest victim. It got them out of trouble with the guards, as it seemed they'd tried to save him but were just too late.

You got to love their pragmatism.


So, were did people level up the PCs in this adventure? I'm running this without using XP, and would appreciate any info that allows me to level them uip in the most apropriate places.


KaeYoss wrote:


Finally I'd like the (nameless, as far as I know) Operative from Serenety - someone who is convinced that the End Justifies The Means, but has no illusion what that makes him.

"The Operative: I'm sorry. If your quarry goes to ground, leave no ground to go to. You should have taken my offer. Or did you think none of this was your fault?
Capt. Malcolm Reynolds: I don't murder children.
The Operative: I do. If I have to.
Capt. Malcolm Reynolds: Why? Do you even know why they sent you?
The Operative: It's not my place to ask. I believe in something greater than myself. A better world. A world without sin.
Capt. Malcolm Reynolds: So me and mine gotta lay down and die... so you can live in your better world?
The Operative: I'm not going to live there. There's no place for me there... any more than there is for you. Malcolm... I'm a monster.What I do is evil. I have no illusions about it, but it must be done."

Give Cheliax such an operative or three and chaos is in for a hard aeon.

Aren't these guys called Hellknight's? Except they aren't stupid to stand and talk to the protagonist, they'll simply hunt you down.


vagrant-poet wrote:


I would have said elves=lust, for calistria and general non-sexual love of fine things aswell.

Lust, for life!

Yeah, elf's definitely fall in the lust category. Given the traditional flexibility of humans, they would be an ption for all sins as well. Additionally, I don't have a problem with some crossover in sins. Dwarf's are greedy and proud, Elves are lustful and Proud.

Let me see what I can come up with:

wrath: half-orc, orc,
greed: dwarf, gnome
pride: dwarf, elf
envy: half-elf, half-orc
lust: elf, half-elf
sloth: halfling, gnome
gluttony: halfling

I'm not sure about gnomes. I gave them greed cause I needed to put them somewhere, and sloth because if they don't focus on a single thing they start wasting away. They "have" to be industrious, just to survive.

Checking out Monsters Revisited:

Quote:

Feral, savage, and bloodthirsty, gnolls represent the

brutal, unforgiving aspects of nature. Discordantly,
they also represent the laziest aspects of nature.

Clearly, they fall under sloth and wrath.

Looking at the other entries in the book, and trying to keep things in chek by avoiding most HD issues

goblins: says they're cowards, which makes it hard for me to peg. Probably envious?

bugbears: No idea under what to place them under

hobgoblin: pride (they seem very much full of themselves) and envy (leading to all that backstabbing between leaders)

kobolds: No idea what to place them under. Pride? or Envy?

ogrekin: Lust and Sloth

orc: wrath and wrath?

So the list is filling up nicely, but I'm open to further input and changes from those i defined


Michael F wrote:


As others have pointed out, gnolls aren't very common in Varisia, so there will be little motivation for the residents of most towns and cities to be instantly hostile.

But werewolves are. And a man-hyena will probably be mistaken for a man-wolf. Most peasants will see slobbering jaws, and run away screaming.


Xaaon of Korvosa wrote:
I'd like to see a Golarion specific reincarnation list, in addition, I think it should be alignment based...just my thoughts

I'm running a very heavily sin-influenced campaign, and I was thinking of making Ressurection be sin-based. I already had a lustful PC return as a half-elf, which given the elf's worship of Claistria would be somewhat consistent.

some ideas so far:

Wrath: half-orc, orc, ??
Lust: half-elf, elf, satyr
Greed: dwarf, ??, ??
Envy: ??
Pride: Humans?
Sloth: Ogres?
Gluttony: halfling, ??

Any help would be appreciated :D


Pelor: Sarenrae
Wee Jas: Nethys
St. Cuthbert: Iomedae?
Kord: this is a tough one, because none of the mayor deities fit well. Checking Gods an Magic, I found Kurgess (The Strong Man). Not much except that he's allegedly the son of Desna and Cayden Cailean. I'd probably just use the Kord trappings full hog.


Charles Scholz wrote:


10,000 years ago, there was a disaster that caused part of the west coast of Varisia to fall into the sea. Sandpoint (ROTRL) has a cliff face of about 50'. The part that fell into the sea was probably just as flat, so most of it is now under water. Any islands that may be there are most likely the tops of hills that survived the disaster and have resisted erosion over the years.

Yes there is some of this. 10,000 years is next to nothing geologically speaking. Wasn't the Inner Sea formed by a damn meteor falling into it as well. The rest of the maps don't have enough of closeup to say whetehr there are inlets and islands.


Joey Virtue wrote:
See im the kind of Dick DM who would send them both into the fight to punish my PCs for letting him get away

I considered that, but I feel the giant raid on town is hard enough. I expect the Giants to escape with a bunch of citizens. I might have them catch up to Barl and Teraktinus though...

FOr now, this is what I have planned:

Romer and bodyguard are involved on a Rooftop Chase in Korvosa when an Assassin tries to kill the wizard. The wizard has been trying to learn more about the Sihedron ritual, and I have a feeling that would have drawn some attention. Also, it let's me use the Shingles Chase..

Kram, Kraken and Astur are Ambushed on their way to Skull's Crossing on a patrol. I'll have Kraken come visiting when the troops are been rotated back to Magnimar (not enough rangers yet).

A female assasin tries to kill Milo during the night. This is the simplest cause it plays up to his Vice: Lust.


Joey Virtue wrote:
A Barl led strike force could be fun but that could take away from the Raid later on

Good Point. I'm not sure what Mokmurian would do to Barl after his abysmal failure. He is one of his powerful students after all, but the runt doesn't seem the forgiving kind. I might add Barl to the Sandpoint raid instead of Teraktinus. A suitably scarred and one-eyed arl, wearing the brand of Mokmurian's displeasure mayhap?


So my players let Barl get away. I come to plumb your collective wisdom in search of complications I can throw at them.

Some background:

I have increased the time between chapters by years instead of weeks, so the players can explore and evolve their characters some more. Specially because we're old school, and Level 10 used to be called Name Level. What each of the players has decided to do:

Kram: the Varisian hunter has become the next Lord of the Keep (Fort Rannick), and will spend the years hunting down ogres and giants. I expect him to have made quite a reputation amongst his prey. So any help at coming up with a cool sounding nickname the Giant's might have given him would be appreciated.

Romer: the Varisian Illusionist has become one of the master's of his specialty. He wants to spend the next years investigation what exactly Lucretia and Xanesha were attempting with the rituals and the soul energy. He'll be traveling around Varisia.

Milo: The half-elf will be setting up a new casino and brothel in Turtleback ferry, now that he has eliminated the competition. He'll be traveling back and forth from Sandpoint constantly, to watch over his other brothel back in town.

Kraken: The paladin of Sarenrae will be setting up in the brand new temple in Magnimar, training.

Astur: The cleric of Sarenrae will settle down in Turtleback Ferry, where he plans to cleanse the citizens of the Sihedron mark.

I plan to summon the Pcs to Sandpoint for Madame Mvashti's birthday, but given Barl's escape, maybe Mokmurian will be sending some retribution against them? nasty ideas are welcome.


James Martin wrote:


What about Black Magga? Would she live quietly in Claybottom, or try to move downriver toward Magnimar?

I sense a strong decline in giant turtle population.


James Martin wrote:

Okay, so my players retook Rannick and began rebuilding. A month later an exhausted Turtleback Ferry resident rides in, tells them that the river is rising and people are drowning and they rush... to the Dam, to stop it at its source.

So, after taking the Dam, figuring out its mechanisms, they opened the floodgates and saved the town.

But. Black Magga was not stopped. I told them that when they arrived, most of the town was destroyed, including the cathedral, as well as several townspeople killed or missing.

What sort of implications can I derive from this? How would the town react? Would they rebuild? Would they hate the players for not stopping the beast? Who will teach the children now that the yummy pie baking school marm has been eaten by a giant snake?

Any thoughts?

Why hate the players? They did stop the flood, but expecting nothing else to go wrong is a bit much. If anything, the town might ask them to go punish the guilty parties (i.e ogre cave hook).

A frontier town like Turtleback exists mainly as support for all those frontier people and the fort personnel. Some people might leave, but other will stay and rebuild as long as it's profitable. And selling booze and food to dour rangers seems like a steady market to me.


roguerouge wrote:


Well, they've read spoilers then. There's nothing that suggests an inherent connection between the rune and Lamia. It's not obvious, like seeing a stone giant on the cover or a ghoul on the cover.

I'm not sure. After Xanesha, my players were paranoid about hot women sporting 10,000 year old bling.

To the OP, I also had the Paradise around, and had my players kicked off when their sniffing around for clues became too obvious. Well, the cheating at cards didn't help either.


Make suer to bring them up to Level 7 before they fight Xanesha. That is one tough fight.


Well, I started HMM last night, and I think I handled the transition pretty well.

At the end of Skinsaw, Xanesha got away and one of the PCs died ignominiously. After extricating him from under the collapsed tower, they now had to reincarnate him (they had had the discussion before). I decided that Shalelu's student (another of the PCs), had heard of Myriana. As a personal quest she had decided to travel there to learn under the nymph (wanted to take druid levels), so they went to see if they could score a Reincarnate. After a quest to eliminate the Hydra (which in True20 is anyhting but a pushover), they scored the reincarnate. The ranger PC stayed to learn from the Druid, giving her a connection to Turtleback Ferry. The others ersturned to Sandpoint.

Two years later, the PC who co-owns sandpoint's Brothel discovered that one of the merchant's from Turtleback that had come to buy glass from Sandpoint had the Sihedron Mark. The next night he learned that her maid also. Suffice to say that this guy is scoring Lust points heavily. He learned about Paradise, and that it had been installed about a year in a half ago.

At the same time, they received a messenger bird from the ranger training with Myriana, speaking of spotting the Sihedron Mark in Turtleback herself, as well as some mysterious happenings in the area.

The Pcs, heroes that they are, decided to travel urgently to Claybottom Lake. During the trip they were accompanied by different gnomes singing their particular brand of music (I had a Muddy Waters CD playing all the time). I decided that the Bleaching meant a special affinity for Blues. ;)

After surviving a nasty attack by some giant snapping turtles, they arrived. The ranger PC was no were to be found (Player didn't show up), so they decided to do some sleuthing themselves. Finally, deciding that all signs pointed to Paradise, they went into the Casino.

We proceeded to have alot of fun playing Bounder, and the rogue had a blast cheating his way through the game. (True20's second Chance feat is awesome). Finally, they were asked to leave, allegedly because they had won too much money. Actually, it was because Lady Lucrecia had spotted them.

They awoke in the middle of the night to see Paradise sink under the lake after the fire. Already deeply suspicious, they learned that Lucrecia had left before the fire, towards the North.

Of course, the players have already guessed that Lucercia is none other than Xanesha, and they are itching for payback. On their way north, they got distracted by the bear and are now perfectly directed towards the Graul homestead. I think I'll have the ranger have been captured by the Graul's just when the PC's arrive, because she had gone ahead to investigate Fort Rannick.

Of course, the Deliverance soundtrack was playing loudly all during the battle with Ruckus, who finally abandoned his dogs and ran away.


Repairman Jack wrote:
Tarlane wrote:
Reckless wrote:

No she doesn't. She has Space 10' Reach 5' as written.

5' reach with her touch, she's wielding a spear. She's quite a dangerous lady.

Yes, she has a spear, not a longspear. A spear doesn't have 10' reach. A longspear does.

-Jack

But she is Large, which give her Reach of 10' with weapon's sized for her


tricky bob wrote:


Have any of you that have had her escape found problems fitting her in somewhere in Hook Mountains? Have you used her as a single creature encounter or added her to an existing one? And where?

I had her escape, and am going to replace Lucrecia with her. That means they get their payback from their "tie" against her in the Tower.

My campaign has a slower timeline than the default pathfinder though. I will have a couple of years pass between SM and the Massacre.


Dualwolf wrote:

I think this is quiet a bit trickier than you think!

Renember what happens in the next pathfinder (and why the Giants were at Sandpont in the first place!!) I think that unless you can think of a way to encourage the group to get back to Sandpoint then the knock on effects could seriously be detrimental.

Maybe the giants attack he fort on thier way to or (better yet) from Sandpoint. A captured ogre or giant could lead the players back to sandpoint and then on from there maybe?

Or you could move the scribblers lair to Skull Dam. The ogre's messing with it uncovered some formely flooded tunnels.


Kirth Gersen wrote:


Something about the idea of races of creatures bred to be exceptionally physically weak just irks me. Maybe if there's a reason for it: like, a tribe of bugbears is diseased and has Con scores of 3 instead of the normal ones; that I could maybe see. But in that case, just call them "diseased," not "minions."

But who says they're bred to be weak. Hitpoints are just a way of saying "you've got enough mojo to survive this long." All minion rules do is say that for your PCs, some creatures are "mojo-less". Your PC has grown savvy enough to know their weakspots and exploit them.


Coridan wrote:

[

The races are meant for players, and the players are humans. I don't know how much you've had to exercise your roleplaying capabilities (my favorite character is my Wayward Hunter from HtR) but breaking the 'normal' bounds of human psyche can be a trying experience. They're there to add flavor to the world and keep the fantasy feel.

Just like Star Trek aliens, they're not there to be alien, but to be exaggerated aspects of humanity.

That's my point. I tend to save the inhuman for NPC races myself, but playing all the time as an "inhuman elf" would get very tiring for me.


thelesuit wrote:
I think my biggest problem with fantasy settings in general is that the races tend to end up being "humans in elf/orc/monster suits". Non-humans should be non-human. Pathfinder and Golarion has done some work with making non-humans less human, but not enough. It really does require breaking the mold and in most cases that necessitates moving outside everyones' this is another typical pseudo-Northwestern European quasi-medieval mind-set. Breaking these sorts of barriers is paramount in presenting any sort of internally coherent and believable setting.

Though I agree with you that it's hard to break from the mold, I don't see why it's more believable for completely alien demi-humans than the typical "monster-suits".


GeraintElberion wrote:

When my PCs headed to the glassworks they were shadowed by a gang of kids who copied them (toy bows, sticks tucked into belts like swords, waving arms about going "Kazam!", one even had a trinket from his parents shelf thst looked like a holy symbol and kept on doing his "serious face" to be like the party cleric).

They had a hard time shoo-ing the kids away, but were very glad to have kept them from the factory.

I'm so sealing this idea! Thanks


Krome wrote:


Personally, if the rules get in the way of teh story you toss the rules and go with it.

That would be my cup of tea as well, but I've been in enough "sense of disbelief" and "consistency" arguments not to realize there is a group with opposed views. :D

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