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An Untamed Land
The land of Neralus was a lush, untamed continent where humans formed scattered city-states and the other races maintained remote, isolated kingdoms. Beyond the borders of their fractured nations were the wilds – inhabited by barbaric hordes, ruled over by beasts of myth and legend, and haunted by the horrors that lie in the shadows. The people of the land were at times drawn into conflict – with each other, against the monsters of the wilds – but always they remained independent. Legends told of an ancient empire that once existed in the time before history – the time when the Gods were men and the primal forces wreaked havoc on the lands. But that was millennia ago…

The Coming Tide
Perhaps it was the wealth of natural resources, perhaps it was the lack of any unified power base, perhaps it was for some other, unknown reason… whatever it was, Neralus was a prize ripe for the taking. On High Summer’s Eve in 3189 OR (old reckoning), portals opened up across Neralus and vicious human armies, clad in superior armor and wielding a destructive form of magic that had never been seen before, stepped forth and quickly dominated the many human city-states of Neralus. Revealing themselves as the vanguard of the Kesadrian Empire, they declared martial law.

Once initial control was solidified, a second wave came through – bureaucrats. Or more precisely, arcanocrats. Welding their unique magic, which they called the Art, they moved quickly to solidify control over all of Neralus. The pastoral Halflings and artisan Gnomes both fell quickly and the races were drawn into roles of servitude, though rumors persist of hidden realms of the Small Folk. The elves and dwarves, with their isolated kingdoms, held out far better and eventually were each offered a truce, allowed to exist as semi-autonomous yet ultimately owing fealty to the Kesadrian Empire.

That was 23 years ago.

Today
In the two decades since, the Empire’s wealth of knowledge – technological, architectural, arcane – has reshaped the face of Neralus. Where once there existed only small, scattered cities with limited communication and trade, now the realm crossed by well defined trade routes by land and sea, connecting mighty cities ruled over by the arcanus ruling class, overseen by the royal line of the Kesalos family. Though a few of those native to Neralus have reached the middle class as skilled merchants and artisans, a majority of the Neralians exist only a step above slavery, as a subjugated people.

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Concept
I am looking for four to six players interested in engaging in a fun, friendly game that will blend role play, puzzles, combat, and mystery into a grand storyline. The game will be a heroic adventure with a dash of politics and a fistful of intrigue. I am looking for players whose goal is to create a dynamic and engaging character that will play well in an evolving storyline, not simply the most min/maxed set of statistics for monster killing. Additionally, I request that you be able to post at least once a day during the week (obviously life gets in the way at times, please just let me know). As for my part, I will work to give each and every player a chance to shine and enjoy their character. I consider gaming a cooperative experience where the GM and the players work together to tell an epic tale.

If you are still interested, read on…

The game is set in a realm of my own creation. For a setting overview, imagine if 7th century Europe were invaded by the Roman Empire at its height, equipped with the technology of the Renaissance and a mastery of arcane magic. The game will begin in the small lake town of Whispering Falls, a loose community of fishermen and loggers that supports the city of Durmstadt.

Character Creation: Hide

Ability Scores: 2d6+6, or 20 point buy (you can select the point buy after rolling if you so desire)
Race: Core races preferred; alternate traits from ARG for Core races are allowed. I will consider other races given exceptional applications.
Class: all Core, Base, and Hybrid classes; Unchained versions of Rogue and Summoner are in effect (barbarian & monk – player’s choice)… No Alternate, Occult, or Intrigue classes.
Level: 1st
Hit Points: Max at 1st, rolled after (1/2D as minimum)
Favored Class Bonus you may select any favored class bonus assigned to any Core race, not just your own race.
Alignment: I will likely not accept evil applicants. If you want to run an evil character, you will need a strong proposal.
Traits: 3 (one campaign trait, listed in the campaign notes)
Skills: background skills are in effect
Feats: to encourage players to take feats with more flavor and reduce feat taxes, the following feats are automatically gained by all characters - Combat Expertise, Deadly Aim, Power Attack, Weapon Finesse. (Unchained Rogues gained the 3rd level Finesse Training ability at 1st, with a second selection gained at 3rd.)
Starting Wealth: rolled by class (average if rolled below)
Fluff: please include a completed backstory, along with a physical description and an outline of your character's personality. In addition, I encourage you to include a few tasty tidbits that can be used as storyline hooks.
MAGIC & RELIGION
Magic can be found in three forms: the Gift, the Way, and the Art.
Religion - The Gift: is divine magic, granted as a boon by the gods to their faithful. There are a multitude of deities, each with their own goals, passions, and desires - and their emotions can as fickle as any mortal's. Each deity claims one, or more, aspects of life as their dominion.
Nature - The Way: is the dormant energy coursing through both the world and all living things. Those who learn to shape and direct the Way can accomplish great things, though none would be foolish enough to claim to "control" it. All 'nature' classes (druids, hunters, rangers) are practitioners of the Way, and will adopt philosophies or Pacts with regards to how they connect with the Way. Please note that witches, shamans, and bards also draw on the Way in similar fashion.
Arcane - The Art: is arcane magic, an amazing power that is either learned through careful, extensive study, or is born naturally into the blood of a rare few unique beings. The Art was unknown in Neralus until the Kesadrian Empire brought it with them during their invasion. It is their source of power and they guard it jealously.

Religions & Pacts: I have extensive notes on the gods, but they are not digital yet. If proposing a divine character, simply include a concept for a deity your character would worship and I will send you the appropriate deity.

Age: demihumans reach maturity far earlier in Neralus than in Golarion. No character should be over 35 (regardless of race). Half-elves hit physical maturity only a year or two behind humans, halflings in their early twenties, both dwarves and gnomes in their mid twenties, and elves in their late twenties to thirty.