Rioghan there is a class from Thunderscape that could suit your needs... The Entomancer is an insect style druid but with a few alterations could easily become a "Queen" complete with pheromones.
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SR is basically a reflection of the radiation which permeates the Deeps, this radiation is basically anti magic and mutates all who remain in the deeps for more then a generation. Elven Immunities is the Drow "link" to the other species of elvenkind. The subraces are the campaign traits, I think the bonuses can be worked in to replace the starting gear each "subrace" receives since we are starting at level four.
Drow Template, Revised:
type Humanoid (0 RP)
Movement Racial Traits
Offense Racial Traits
Senses Racial Traits
Weakness Racial Traits
This the Drow racial template as it stands, considering changing the racial weapons to all World of Aden firearms save the sniper rifle though.
I would note that the Drow wouldn't really want to "invade" the surface, they've got plenty of space in the Deeps to colonize (although some of the "tenants" need to be evicted). The Drow attitude towards the surface would be bregan d'aerthe style (profitable, fun but not worth conquering). Edit: thank you Ocean!
*checks flamethrower, cocks safety off on bolter pistol, breathes noisily through gas mask* Went steamwright... I am a sucker for flamethrowers and grenade pistols, plus I get to where this outfit http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2011/039/e/d/death_korps_of_krieg_by_ghos tchem-d392jo6.png. Also contact has been changed... Do not anger the patriarch of Cabal Sootfingers... Thoughts everyone?
I was thinking that everyone could get a companion NPC, in lieu of gestalt. As our GM does have a liking of GMPCs.
GM I think before we go into the game proper you should allow any ailments to clear themselves... As it stand perhaps we should scrap gestalt/careers in favor of companions switching over to PC classes at level 7 (effectively leadership as a free feat, minus the followers). Thoughts?
@GM on contacts I will retain sootfingers cabal as a whole, reason for Pharnox already being the equal of any other mechanic in the cabal (at least, this is to explain the amazing stat rolls). Although you could have an elder sootfingers (say a Grandfather or grandmother) as the general cabal head. On NPCs I think we should all have one squad mate (mass effect style) that starts out as an NPC class but that at level 10 trade their levels for a suitable (and thematic) PC class. Let me think on mine... Slavery: about 800-100 years. Mural: I think so (it's pretty intriguing to the Drow mind and in some engages curiosity). I would note however that any encounters you had planned previously GM can still be included, we do after all have to get to the mural first...
Wouldn't call driders second class citizens, more like special class citizens. Driders after all control the textile (or is it "webtile") industry, basically they are akin to a "caste" of Drow society although by no means a disadvantaged one. Alright here is Pharnox's career... Rogue Trader:
"You are or aspire to be a Rogue trader, one who forgoes the normal route to advancement in Drow society in favor of a different path. Your true goal is of course to found your own trading house. 1st -Renegade's ambition-
You gain diplomacy, bluff and sense motive as class skills. In addition you gain a +2 bonus on these checks when haggling over goods, services, bribes and so forth. 5th -Friends in every town-
In every settlement you've visited you gain a "friend", your friend can do such things as let you onto local rumors, assist you in inquiries within the settlement and the like. Your "friend" however will not accompany you into dangerous situations like combat. In settlements you have not been in you can gain a "friend" by beating a diplomacy dc set by the GM (assuming you can communicate with the locals). 10 -House Minor-
You are now head of a minor trading house, in the city you are based in you can call in favors, bribe officials and gain access to the highest layers of society. You also gain a monthly stipend of income from your trading house, this sum is left up to GM digression but should reflect the value of the house, supply and demand of services provided by the house etc... 15 -House-
Your house's power is sufficient enough for you to claim the benefits of a house minor in any city state that is at least indifferent or better to your own city state. In addition to this you now have the permission of your own city state to raise an official army to safeguard your house's interests. This army differs from normal mercenaries by virtue of being "permanent" (in other words akin to a nation's army) and by being regulated by the city state your house is based in. Depending on the city-state, your relation with it's leaders and how much the populace trusts you your army can vary from 100 to 500 individuals. In addition to this your monthly stipend triples thanks to your house's influence and power. 20 -House major-
To Drow you symbolize success, your methods may be unorthodox but you have proved their veracity. You serve as a shining example that other aspiring rogue traders will surely follow for millenia to come. Within your city state you gain the ability to enact legislation, laws and so forth as if you were a Vorn yourself. In addition by the council's will your trading house has been deemed vital to the city-state's continued prosperity and well being. As a result your army can now field upwards of a thousand men and with special dispensation from the council of Vorns you may expand your army as they deem necessary for the security of the state. Finally your monthly stipend in tripled once again. Smokehome:
City-state Population: 250,000 Inhabitants: Driders, industrialists, merchants, factory workers, mechanics and engineers. Imports: Raw materials, immigrants. Exports: Vehicles, weapons, armor, cannons. Industry: Smokehome thanks to it's unique source of power is capable of powering dozens of factories given it at least in the upper layer an unrivaled capacity for industry. Smokehome is responsible for manufacturing 50% of all finished goods in the upper layer and 15% of all finished goods in the entire Deeps. Army: 400 thunderscouts (level 6), 100 thunderscouts (level 11), 25 thunderscouts (level 17), 1200 thousand riflemen (level 5 warriors), 800 grenadiers (level 6 warriors), 200 cannons (and 400 cannoners), 150 gunners (level 5 warriors), 150 miscellaneousness vehicle crew (level 7 experts), 100 golemoids (level 7), 250 steamwrights (level 6), 100 alchemist medics (level 4) and 100 commandos (level 7 slayers). Gazetteer: Smokehome was established in a cavern with a series of tubes which lead from the molten core of the planet. While these tubes do not spew lava they do emit massive amounts of heat, thanks to special generators the Drow have been able to harness this power and turn it into a massive source of electricity. With this cheap energy source available Smokehome became an industrial center in short order, it has been merely a century since the city-state was founded but it already throngs with over 250,000 citizens... And it needs more! However the city state is filled with the ranks of the working poor, although it is expected as the city-state becomes more established that the impoverished shall decrease from 50% of the population to 25%. Smokehome also fields the most powerful army in the upper layer, her entire army is mechanized and she even boasts a small detachment of golemoids and Lightbringer battle tanks. Smokehome's military is deployed the across the upper layer, mostly in combat against the last remaining duergar and the derro hordes. Thoughts on the career and city-state guys? (@Ocean think of a career as filler, like making your mage sneaky or your fighter a good commander)
Character in progress, keeping to thunderscout. Adjusting stats later, backstory and contacts is up. Will get Shokehold up later on as well. How is Pharnox's backstory everyone?
The reason is simple, the Drow don't enslave the Duergar... Five hundred years of slavery led to this trope (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BestServedCold)...on steroids.
Note on slaves... Another option for a workforce exists, and it's flavorful as well. Why bother with slaves when you can grow your own loyal servants in test tubes? http://screenshots.filesnetwork.com/106/files2/86522_2.jpg Servitors, the multi tool fleshwarp:
The Drow to meet the demands of there industrial needs required an ideal laborer, employing slaves was out of the question... Derro were too insane and Duergar committed suicide, as such the fleshwarpers were turned to. Servitor's were what they came up with, grown in test tubes and based off of Duergar these servitors were grown with limited intelligence and little capacity for free will. Then the servitor's were outfitted with scores of mechanical implants based upon their designated role... Servitor's come in many varieties but the following are the most commonplace. Lexicon: Lexicon servitor's are living libraries, while not anymore intelligent then other servitors they have vast reams of data installed within their brains. Lexicon's can provide detailed, accurate information about any topic "installed" within their cortex. However they cannot make independent analysis of this knowledge nor can they expand upon it without the aid of a fleshwarper. Constructor: The constructor servitor specializes in performing the tedious, brutal work that is often entailed in construction. Armed with an array of tools ranging from shovels, drills and even a blowtorch the constructor is the best worker an engineer could ask for. Medical: Medical servitors are exceptionally capable if limited medics, while no replacement for a doctor they do perform the role of emergency medic exceptionally well. Loaded with alchemical tanks on it's back and dozens of injectors, needles and so forth this servitor is found throughout the deeps. Combat: Combat servitor is not so much a type as a category, combat servitors are optimized for a specific combat role based upon the "model"... Servitor stats, basic:
N Small construct Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +0 DEFENSE AC 13, touch 13, flat-footed 11 (+2 Dex, +1 size) hp 11 (2d10) Fort +0, Ref +2, Will +0 Defensive Abilities construct traits OFFENSE Speed 20 ft. Melee ranged STATISTICS Str 14, Dex 14, Con —, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 7 Base Atk +2; CMB +2; CMD 11 Skills four chosen at the time of creation. Languages Elven Servitor, Lexicon:
N Small construct Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +0 DEFENSE AC 13, touch 13, flat-footed 11 (+2 Dex, +1 size) hp 11 (2d10) Fort +0, Ref +2, Will +0 Defensive Abilities construct traits OFFENSE Speed 20 ft. Melee ranged STATISTICS Str 14, Dex 14, Con —, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 7 Base Atk +2; CMB +2; CMD 11 Skills four knowledge skills chosen at the time of creation, the servitor is always considered to have 1 skill point per level per skill in each of these knowledge skills. The servitor gains a +3 bonus on all (trained) knowledge checks and cannot make untrained knowledge checks. Languages Elven Note that servitor's are intended to be a familiar/companion like asset to PC's and NPCs.
1: outcasts exist in the form of those without "cabal" (clan), bondsmen and serfs don't exist. Now penal legions do exist, armies made up from the criminals and convicts of Drow society. They serve half their sentence in the army rather then the full sentence in jail. 2: Drow aren't fond of slaves for reasons mentioned previously but also because what they have to enslave isn't exactly worth it... The derro are criminally insane, the duergar would rather commit suicide then be enslaved and ettercaps are one of the few "allies" that the Drow have... 3: Indeed, note that the Drow are your normal, run of the mill elves before they escaped a magical cataclysm above. Then they ran into the deeps and promptly got enslaved even as they mutated from the radiation that permeates the deeps... Then they rebelled violently (the blackpowder helped), so yes they are like the Gith and Yanks in a way. I would note that while some politicing and the like goes on it's only about 10% of what you would find in say ol' Menzo from faerun. The Drow are in an athas like environment (in terms of lethality) and survival is a major concern... Hence the reason for the big "N" in alignment, their are few options too extreme for survival but their are many options that are simply impractical.
I mean for players characters (and city-states)... Individual NE and CE is possible but an entire city state run by them is not... This is the one instance where Drow would feel that "Klingon promotion" is acceptable.
I don't mind LE but wouldn't play it personally but I would note that LE is the only variant of evil the Drow would go for, NE and CE are just not the way to go. As one theme is "us against the world" (that we know of) Drow butchering Drow needlessly (including in the name of science) isn't allowed...
Well I am trying to avoid having this game go into a bloody LE messup (not opposed to evil campaigns but they need to be well thought out, think Way of the Wicked). Admittedly the Alignment system is..."simplistic". I would note though that Drow would never descend into "Nazi LE", organizing immobile, resource consuming (you have to guard those things) camps for the sole purpose of genocide isn't Drow style... If the Drow want to perform genocide they do it by the old fashioned bullet (and perhaps flamethrowers)...
I get where your coming from but note that N is the tally of the civilization as a whole, evil Drow and evil city-states do exist. LE is the only evil alignment though... Note that LE Drow are LE only to the enemy, they don't scheme and back-stab their way to power. Think of the military kind of LE, e.g "we are loyal to our brothers, we will heal them, we will risk our lives for them and we will kill everyone of those bloody sons of !@#$%^!" If you need further inspiration think Thrawn from the Star Wars expanded universe and to a lesser extent the Chiss.
Week ends...a good day to sleep in;) I think we need the following... City-state of origin: What is says on the tin. Contact(s): These are the guys who you've worked for, fought besides and so forth. And they are genuinely impressed by you, impressed enough to give you the support necessary to fund a trading house... If you can deliver the "goods" via exploration that is. Contacts should have a big impact, private individuals could have valuable skills and decent amounts of money to invest but the big cheese is also available. These guys are vorns, generals and so forth. They can give you staggering amounts of capitol and power but at a cost, your trading house rather then being independent may be a "government enterprise". Think the East India company from Pirates of the Caribbean.
Not a LE race, N. Drow are willing to consider some things that "heinous" by surface standards, for example employing nuclear weapons, scorched earth tactics, chemical weapons, poison and so forth. At the same time however this is not out of active malevolence, if you ask a Drow commander how he approaches warfare the answer is simple: Survival and victory in that order. Good and evil don't color his vision. He's not going to send his men into the the city where they will be sniped at, land mines will be placed and so forth. He is going to order his artillery to level the entire city, why waste good men when you can destroy the enemy from afar? This also informs Drow warfare, the fact of the matter is everyone in war (at least to the Drow) is a target. There are no civilians, merely ill trained and ill equipped soldiers. This not because the Drow actively enjoy slaughter or war but because it just is. This is also the reason Drow don't take prisoners, they drain valuable resources better spent on the army. The Drow opposition to slavery is practical, they themselves with no help from anyone successfully rebelled and decimated the Duergar. The Drow aren't willing to take that risk, especially considering the fact that they don't have labor issues to begin with. (numerous children and big families are the norm, good healthcare combined with the "more hands, more guns" mentality=rapidly expanding population) On the subject of test subjects it isn't that the Drow don't experiment on their own but rather that these people are volunteers. They weren't coerced into this, they wanted it. And there are no shortage of volunteers, a good fleshwarp can allow one to achieve prosperity in short order. I would also note that it isn't just fleshwarping available either, cyborgization is also available. Forgot that those transmutations did so much (I play the conjurer type magic user a lot). Note that career archetypes are called that for a reason, they are designed to be broad in choices even if the players want to specialize. Let's say you took the "criminal" career, you could choose to specialize in say intimidation, extortion and so forth. You could also choose to specialize in the black market and you could mix the two, say you want more then a generic thug. You want a thug with elements of a mob boss, not only strong enough to take what he wants but savvy enough to sell it on the black market and perhaps one day become his own "boss" complete with minions. Sorry if this isn't making sense, trying here.
Fleshwarper: the first ability should simply change heal to an int based skill and grant a +5 bonus on all fleshwarping procedures. The rest is good but more options at each level should be provided, look at my soldier career above, careers are designed to allow "tailoring", for example if a player wants to make a slayer who is a badass sniper he takes the soldier career and selects the "marksman" line of abilities. On Jumira I would note that the Drow don't experiment on their own as a matter of course (driders came about because the Drow were really desperate and all drider candidates volunteered for the transformation). They also don't take slaves (a lingering effect of being enslaved themselves to the Duergar for 500 years) but nothing prevents them from growing fleshwarped beasts of war via test tubes... If you want to design a list of fleshwarping procedures and costs Rynjin I will review... It seems Pathfinder may have opened the way towards fleshwarping already... http://www.archivesofnethys.com/FungalGrafts.aspx
Drider male remains untouched save for the option to take +2 str and con, -2 int instead of +4 str, -2 mental stats. http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/templates/mana-wasted-mut ant-cr-1 The above is a good example of what career templates are designed to be, they have a theme and some in built choices for advancement for the player. Careers are designed to "fill in" a character's niche, for example a wizard could take the "thief" career in order to represent him as an arcane rogue without having to take the class.
Career archtypes are like a template that increases in power as you level with abilities gained at level 1, 5, 10, 15, 20. Fleshwarping itself can bestow several things but mostly it specializes in giving you such things as claws, "pockets" (hide the dagger in your body), poison glands, potion glands (you inject the potion gland with a potion before inserting it into your body and then can activate it anytime in the future) and some monster abilities like stench, compression and fast healing. As for racial feats I would need to examine those in the light of the new drow race template I plan on making (designed to be less confusing) but I can envision all Drow receiving a bonus feat associated with their city state...
@Rynjin to handle fleshwarping I think a career archetype is warranted, note on the archetypes I think (correct me if I am wrong GM) that they are supposed to replace the gestalt. As such try designing a fleshwarper career archetype yourself Rynjin and present it before us for inspection. I'll see to redesigning driders and Drow eventually, anyone want to play a sentient mushroom? Also anyone want to take a crack at making a city state? (this is a hint, flesh out the setting)
They do exist and indeed are pretty common, I think the stats for them were drawn up earlier in the thread...
Likely same style of stat determination although I may do some simplification of Drow/Drider racial templates (bring Drow to a 13 RP value and Driders to a 15 RP value) I may also draft up stats for the dreaded mushroom men, the ettercaps! Mushrooms (some even sentient!), dire moles, dire rats, dire bats... However it can really vary depending on the area, some places such as the Stalactite caverns have very unique wildlife... Speaking of which... "drumroll" another city-state... Tentorium, the suspended state: City-state Population: 12000 Inhabitants: The brave, the bold and the crazy. Imports: Food Exports: Airborne thunderscouts, jetpacks (and jetpack troopers) and airborne vehicles. Industry: Tentorian industry is small scale and specialized in making the things that are required for this unique state's survival... Tentorium makes nearly Precursor grade jetpacks in addition to powered gliders and even airships. However it can't manufacture anything on a factory scale level of production, instead it employs small but skilled workshops of artisans. Army: 1000 riflemen (level 5 Drow warriors), 200 jetpack commandos (level 6 slayers), 40 scuttlers, 100 cannons (and 300 cannoneers) 120 gliders and 5 airships. Gazetteer: Tentorium (literally hanging city) was founded within the massive Floating vault, so named because it is a massive cavern twenty miles wide and three miles deep. The ceiling is dotted end to end with a series of giant stalactites where the Drow of Tentorium make their home. In the empty space between the ceiling and the floor lies a technological marvel, a relic of the ancients: a series of a 100 small floating platforms that still function. Contained upon these platforms are strange reactors which allow the manufacture of immensely powerful technology of near Precursor quality... However Tentorium cannot just waltz in and claim this prize, for on the vault's floor lie colonies of abominations, the stealthy ropers climb from below to feast upon the flesh of the Drow and Lurkers hide themselves amongst the platforms, waiting patiently to claim the prize of Drow meat. Worse however are the dreaded Whirlmaw flights, these unnatural predators will convalesce into great flocks of a hundred or more Whirlmaws and launch brutal feeding frenzies against both the platforms and even the city state itself. Yet the Drow of Tentorium are stubbornly resilient, they refuse to backdown from the prize of Precursor technology and are engaged in a never ending war against the abominations...
Here is one city-state. Will rework Pharnox as a Steamwright, also details on the PC's own trading house. PC's trading house:
The PC's trading house at this point in time exists in name only, the PCs are fairly experienced (thinking about level 5) people who have over the course of their careers acquired several contacts. Contacts who can turn them into a real trading house... However these contacts need a reason more then just favors owed to the PCs to invest the staggering amounts of capitol needed to create a trading house. One reason to invest would be for the PCs to discover and map a new trade route, one that say leads to a mithral vein and so forth. Of course that is not the only discovery that could propel the PCs to the height of wealth and power... Phelthos: City-state Population: 5000 (2300 in the outlying farms, plantations and mines) Inhabitants: Convicts, exiles, cabaless Drow and the occasional Drider Imports: Storm cannons and advanced weapons and armor Exports: Raw materials and Phelthonese Riflemen Industry: Phelthos makes it own rifles, armor, grenades and alchemical items. It is fully capable of producing these in masterwork quality. However Phelthos is not advanced enough to make storm cannons and more advanced weapons such as combi and las guns and must import them at great expense. Army: 300 Grenadiers (level 6 Drow warriors with Scatterguns and grenades), 600 Phelthonese riflemen (level 8 warriors), 50 cannons (and 150 cannoneers) and 10 stormcannons (and 40 cannoneers). Gazetteer: Phelthos is established on the ass end of the upper layer right next to a dense Fungi forest, it's people are outcasts, convicts and others disreputables. Despite this however the city-state is close knit, a reaction to living right next to the Fungi forest which has never been fully charted (the closest anyone has ever penetrated is fifty miles into the interior). The vile Derro make a sizable nest within the forest and launch countless attacks in great hordes ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand. As a result Phelthonese riflemen are perhaps the most skilled and disciplined in the Deeps and Phelthos makes heavy use of artillery as well. While masters of defensive warfare Phelthos has virtually no vehicles and cannot at least at this time muster an expedition to cleanse the forest of a Derro infestation which likely consists of tens of thousands.
Also on board with trading house... Here is the idea expanded, note that rather then all players having to be from the same city state they can come from virtually any state, any background. I encourage my fellow players to devise city states themselves, one city state for example could be a scientific one with a Tesla bent (e.g lightning guns) and so forth. Drow Trading Houses: Trading Houses are the one universal "funnel" of Drow society, effectively serving as a talent drain trading houses take all who have the skills, experience and sheer bravery required to blaze new trade routes, guard old ones and search for fantastic riches. Trading houses can very from meritocracies to practically a form of inherited nobility depending greatly on the house in question. However in most cases a cabaless Drow with enough skill, nerve and intelligence can rise to the heights of power. The most powerful Trading houses rival minor city states in sheer scope and terms of power.
Alchemists are pretty damn common in Drow society, they are also the oldest "tradition" of Drow superscience. An alchemist is seen as a universal Drow career choice across all city states. I would note however the classes from Thunderscape, such as the Mechamage and Thunderscout aren't "magical" per se in this game. Rather they are masters of Preserver technology and can generate all sorts of "superscience" effects with it. Think the Engineer from Mass Effect with the omni tool. Also I present the following for GM inspection, note GM that one of the weapon qualities (Energy) is technically psionic but can easily be reflavored and does not require psionics to function... Combi and Las weapons: The Drow while no where near Precursor levels of technological power are not primitive and indeed have designed numerous technologically advanced weapons and armor. Some such as las weapons are essentially a more primitive form of Precursor weapons while Combi weapons are a truly Drow invention. -Combi- Combi weapons are essentially combination energy-projectile weapons. The most common example is the Plasma rifle which wraps bullets in a fiery envelope as they fire, effectively turning them into miniature fireballs. -Las- Las weapons are essentially slower firing versions of Precursor weapons, while no where near as powerful as the weapons of the ancients Las guns are still a force to be reckoned with. Capable of penetrating an abomination's hide or an ironman's torso with ease these weapons are popular amongst the elite. They also have an incredible shelf life, thanks to their slow fire their manite powerpacks are virtually inexhaustible. Combi weapons are basically guns from Thunderscape with weapon qualities like this, http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/magic-weapons/magic-weapon-special-abil ities/flaming and this http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/magic-weapons/magic-weapon-special-abil ities/flaming-burst. Las weapons use the following enhancement http://www.d20pfsrd.com/psionics-unleashed/equipment/psionic-items/psionic- weapons#TOC-Energy.
Ok broaching an idea, this is designed to allow more powerful characters but also make them less of a headache to create...it's flavorful as well. Career Archetypes:
Career Archtypes are essentially templates applied to characters that grant various benefits related to the career at levels 1, 5, 10, 15 and 20. Careers tend to be such things as merchant, soldier, engineer and so forth. Presenting a sample career below. Career, soldier:
Level 1: Recruit. Benefit: You have gone through basic training and can select one of the following abilities. Once selected is cannot be changed. Trench fighter: you know how to use cover to your advantage and a gain a +2 bonus to AC against ranged attacks so long as you are in cover. Marksman: your training emphasized ranged combat greatly, you take only 1/2 of the penalty for each additional range increment with a ranged weapon. Front liner: the front lines are often the most brutal part of the battlefield, you gain DR 1/magic to represent your innate toughness. Scout: recon is a vital part of warfare, thus scouts such as yourself must be watchful. You gain perception as a class skill, if you already have it as a class skill you may once per day roll a perception check twice and take the better result. Thoughts? Note that the above is an uncompleted career.
For autorealm a few online tutorials exist, just search and you will find. I'll take the first campaign, anything to say on the subject of gestalt (I may have a funner, easier alternative to gestalt available)?
Was thinking you might want that map editor for various things, while basic it can "scale". If your wanting to say create the campaign world (both above and below) you can, you can even adjust the mileage on it so that 1 inch equals X miles. Was thinking the second campaign simply to simplify thinks on your end...
*shambling corpse awakens from an ancient tomb of characters long dead...* I am, calling the other wolf soon... However before we can proceed we need to reign it in, this has become just a tad too big. *Proceeds to narrow campaign concept down for the sake of GM and player sanity* Simplification:
Alright we have a little too much homebrew here, so here is the recommended simplification. What's needed: First the GM needs a copy of Thunderscape, the options contained within are the steampunk answer to this game's demands. Secondly the GM due to the homebrew nature of this campaign needs map making software, fortunately it is free. http://sourceforge.net/projects/autorealm/ Advanced Drow Weapons: Thunderscape firearms will be the base template, the Master Craftsman feat will be given as a free bonus feat at level five to all characters who either have five ranks in both craft (armor and weapons) or who are Steamwrights. Will round up weapon qualities appropriate to the setting... Gestalt avoidance: Let's avoid gestalt this time around, this reduces both GM and player calculations. Gestalt can be too much of a headache. Preparation: Let's avoid launching this campaign immediately, you as the GM need time to calculate and devise encounters along with maps. And that time will be needed to round up players. In the background: Rather then tracking such things as refugee supplies and so forth the GM simply doles out missions and so forth. PC success in these missions determines campaign success. Stat rerolls: Allow PCs to reroll two dice which ended up below ten, the goal is to create variance not cripple the PCs. Another campaign idea:
A year ago Drow scouts found something strange, in the upper layer of the Deeps they found a strange mural. It depicted a strange orange disk set against a blue surface, below it were strange things reminiscent of mushrooms but clearly not... The remnants of Drow script were found in the mural but were almost beyond recognition beyond the fact that they were clearly written by Drow hands... Now a Drow Trading House has decided to investigate... In doing so they will uncover more then they could have dreamed possible... Thoughts GM?
On the subject of the Widow the major hurdle is the templates for the "bio zombies" as they are, when I was thinking out the widow I was thinking Kerrigan with all the zerg at her disposal...
Squadmate Argos Sootfingers:
Argos Sootfingers was not born into his cabal nor did he marry into it, it was by Pharnox's kindness (and shrewdness) that the runaway slave was added to the ranks of the Sootfingers Cabal. Pharnox did more then just get Argos into the Cabal, he instructed him in the use of all manner of weapons. Argos also learned the smithing arts from Pharnox and was of great assistance when Pharnox began construction of his transport. Thanks to all of this Argos is completely loyal to Pharnox and was the first to leap into the vehicle when Pharnox rode out to confront the mutants. Now as Phelthos prepares to evacuate and begin what inevitably must be a long, arduous journey the stalwart Argos serves as Pharnox's gunner. Personality:
Argos is not noted for being a social creature, he is however reasonably intelligent. Argos is incredibly loyal especially to Pharnox and Cabal Sootfingers, Argos regards Pharnox as the elder brother he never had. Yet Argos is scarred bot literally and mentally by the chains of slavery, even more so then most Drow he hates Duergar with immense fervor. Argos does not back down from fighting Duergar and can always be counted on to fight this hated adversary. Family:
Father, Drovic was part of the exploration team that unearthed the Precursor ruins... He is presumed dead or worse. Mother, Ulumbralya. Pharnox's mother is caring creature who loved her mate and adored her children, especially her two daughters. At the moment she is carrying on as a medic but the family knows that she is barely holding it together... But this is no time for grief. Sisters, Briza and Imrae. Aged twenty and twelve respectively Pharnox's two sisters are too young to be conscripted and have instead been put in the medical corps. Briza is the more serious of the pair, grim and determined to succeed. Imrae isn't quite so serious but then again she is quite young and immature. Grandmother, Umrae. Umrae is an old, wise Drow who with three centuries of experience under her belt. She took a lively interest alongside her mate in Pharnox's development and guided him onto the path he walks, one of fortitude and success. Grandfather, Quave. Quave is perhaps even more ancient (in the views of Imrae at least) then Umrae. Quave is intelligent and certainly "old school" (he was around when muskets were the norm). He is also a center of sadness in the family, Quave is nearly 350 years old, everyone knows that grandfather Sootfingers is not destined to live much longer and while he hides it well the (presumed) death or worse of his son Drovic has made his far more morbid... GM thoughts?
Flu is nasty... Personally I advise allowing both Specialists and Gestalt, although I need to hear your concerns on the subject (power balance for instance) so that I can try to help you "fine tune it as it were".
Waiting for GM to confirm squaddies in the first place.
Ready for review GM and an idea for some GMNPCS that won't break and indeed fit quite nicely into this campaign... Who's your squaddie?:
Ciaphas Cain had Jurgen, Batman had Robin and you have your Squaddie! Your Squaddie is a loyal companion and true ally controlled by the GM (although you create him), he is a single class (NPC classes only) sidekick who serves as your loyal friend and minion if you treat him right... Your relationship with your squaddie will define who he is and what he becomes, if you truly earn his undying loyalty he may even become an actual "PC" (he trades in his warrior levels for Slayer levels for instance) and becomes a powerful and useful ally(http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/HypercompetentSidekick). GM note that the reason everything in my profile is at half price is because if Pharnox could craft it himself he did so.
Working on Pharnox, likely won't truly be done till tomorrow (we had a party tonight).
GM I recommend we wait four days before launching the game, in all the chaos of the holiday season we need some time to reorganize... As for the Tide it wasn't expected per se but Drow are paranoid and even in the city of Outcasts evacuation drills were instilled, as such only 300 out of the 2500 residents were lost to the Tide itself...
I'm assuming this because he hasn't posted in a while...
It must be concluded unfortunately that this thread is no longer alive (unless a GM is found to revive it, if you can find a GM who will more power to you).
Note only full time murder hobo against Derro, Duergar and Abominations. Once we reach the surface (if we do) and encounter new races Pharnox will be for the capture and interrogate (via alchemy) approach...
Two notes, first I was thinking that the Black Widow uses con as her "main stat and dc stat" reason is she is not a very social creature and it's the strength of her pheromones (which are tied to Con). Didn't intend to say fleshwarped minions could only be created while still alive, it's perfectly possible to just stick your stinger into a "fresh" corpse (not more then 24 hours old) and create a minion. And I definitely would prefer to avoid dead levels, we still have some room to tinker round with however. Now we need to come up with Advisor stats and of course strains... Also some new guns only weapon qualities... And one from rite publishing that would be appropriate. The Rite quality:
Blastback Aura moderate transmutation; CL 9th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor; telekinesis; Price +1 bonus. DESCRIPTION This ranged weapon quality allows its wielder to perform a bull rush against opponents stuck by the weapon as an attack action. Unless the wielder is within reach of the target it does not provoke an attack of opportunity. Guns I love thee!:
Pump Action Aura minor alchemical; CL 7th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor; gunsmithing; Price +1 bonus. DESCRIPTION This ranged weapon quality makes the gun count as a 1 handed firearm instead of a two handed firearm for the purposes of reloading it. Silent
DESCRIPTION This Firearm fires silently, as a result targets you are flanking or striking flatfooted have a -4 to AC, in addition whenever you gain the benefit of a surprise round you can make a full attack with your silenced firearm. Semi-Automatic
DESCRIPTION Semi-Automatic: A semi-automatic weapon normally fires one shot as an attack. However, the user can take a full-attack action to fire twice, as if using the Rapid Shot feat (including taking a -2 penalty on all attacks). If the wielder has the Rapid Shot feat, she can use the additional shot from that as well, but the penalty for all shots fired in that round increases to -6. And strains for the slave! Strains:
Fleshwarped slave Strains. Battering Slam: Fleshwarped slaves in addition to their slam attack can make a bull rush maneuver is a free action. Grappler: Fleshwarped Slaves gain the benefits of the improved grapple feat. Acidic blood: Fleshwarped Slaves whenever they are struck by a melee, non reach weapon inflict 1d4 acid damage to their attacker. Thoughts?
Also some handy statistics about population and some homebrewed additions to mass combat... Will add more later. Also if free story feats are being awarded I will take Cabal Founder, the Sootfingers may be nearly extinguished but by Pharnox's smithy hammer the Sootfinger forges shall once again bellow and burn... Statistics:
The Drow population of Phelthos was about 3500 pre-tide, it is now 3000. Phelthos also has a large population outside it's walls, many cabals and families call the tunnels and caverns surrounding Phelthos home. They number nearly a 1000 but are scattered into ranches, farms and plantations. Much of the PC's time initially will likely be spent as both messengers and defenders of these outlanders as ancient enemies such as the Duergar seek to take advantage of Drow weakness... Military would be roughly 400 trained individuals and the working population as conscripts (those excluded would be children, the very old, the severely sick and those who are pregnant or recent mothers) who are being trained into a coherent if unskilled (by Drow standards) force. The Drow have forty cannons available under the direction of the Quartermaster General. Virtually every Drow owns a gun and guns are rapidly turned out alongside vast crates of ammunition. The citizens knowing of the encroaching tide are recycled everything from the un-flooded parts of the city that can be recycled. Useful notes on troops:
Your "average" Drow soldier is a level 5 fighter or gunslinger, the Drow knowing that numbers can more often then not be as much of a hindrance as a help in the cramped tunnels have taken the "protoss" style of war to heart (e.g we may not have swarms but what we do have is damn powerful and can beat quite a few enemies on a one on one encounter with ease). Your average (male) Drider in the military is a level 5 fighter trained in the use of lances, polearms and big shotguns. Tactics, resources and so forth: New army resource: Firearms, this counts as the ranged weapon resource and in addition grants a 2+ bonus to OV in the ranged phase. In addition to this they ignore any DV bonuses derived from natural armor or the Improved Armor resource. Increase army consumption by 2. New tactics
Hit and Run
Shotgun specialists
Experienced Artillery Crews
Exactly (that is the type of craftsmanship that Pharnox aspires to). The Alchemical process is basically taking a barrel and putting the steel/iron/bronze into the barrel to "absorb" the properties of the alchemical fluid. For obvious reasons the Drow don't have weapon qualities like "ghost touch" (but this doesn't mean they can't make those sort of weapons, they just haven't had the reason to do so). And obviously Lawful/Chaotic/Evil/Good weapons are something they can't make (and would consider mostly useless).
The wonders of the CRB...
Also while I'm thinking about it some new weapon qualities and more fluff... Ranged Weapons qualities, firearms exclusive:
Screeching: This weapon deals an extra 1d6 sonic damage to those it strikes (this only applies if they are within 30 feet). +1 bonus Dazzling: Targets who are struck by this weapon are dazzled for 1 round, if they have light blindness they are blinded instead (fort dc 15). +2 bonus Those weapon bonuses might seem strange but they are actually rooted in two things, the sound of a firearm and the muzzle flash. Noise Makers:
Noise Makers are special Drow squads armed with Screech guns as Drow call them, their primary purpose is to cause complete, abject chaos in the ranks of an enemy... They are very effective at this task. They also have another purpose though, they make excellent abomination hunters... And let's make the deafen condition useful... Deafen, improved: Abominations often don't have eyes but rely on echolocation instead and Drow have become very well aware of this fact... To put it bluntly the deafen condition ruins echolocation and effectively blinds many abominations. As a result Drow Noise Maker Squads are often the best weapon available against them...
http://mcarchetype.wikispaces.com/Physiomorph+Marauder Now this is the true monster! Black Widow:
1st Advisor, Pheromone Pool, Widow's Focus, Stinger (1d8), Stalker, Fleshwarping Poison 2nd Adviser's Assistance, Scent 3rd Direct the Swarm, Strain the warped 4th Stinger (2d8) 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th 13th 14th 15th 16th 17th 18th 19th 20th Alright have the Queen's stats done partially here are the abilities. Pheromone pool:
You gain a Pheromone pool equal to your constitution modifier+level and can spend points from this pool on the following. Flesh Warped slave (1 point)
Widow's Focus:
At level one you gain the ability to focus your fleshwarped form to a specific task. When the Widow selects this ability it applies all day and cannot be changed until the next day. Poisoner: The Widow's Fleshwarped Poison increases in toxicity and effectiveness, gaining a +1 bonus to dc (8th +2, 15th +3) and is under the effects of Accelerate Poison. Widowmaker: The Widow's stinger enlarges and sharpens and is now consider a large weapon (this does not affect the Widow's ability to use it) with a critical modifier of 18-20x3. Stealthy: The Widow becomes even more stealthy gaining a stealth bonus equal to 1/2 her level (minimum 1) and a +4 bonus to attack and damage against targets that she is either flanking or has caught unprepared (flat footed). Stalker:
The Black Widow can move at full speed while using the stealth skill without penalty. Fleshwarping Poison:
Type poison (injury); Save Fortitude DC 10+1/2 class level+con modifier Frequency 1/round for 6 rounds Effect 1 Con damage*; Cure 2 consecutive saves *This improves to 2 con damage at level six, 3 con damage at level 11 and 4 con damage at level 16 Special: Any target slain by this poison can immediately mutated by the Black Widow into a Fleshwarped minion. Advisor's Assistance:
You Advisor gains the ability to augment your form with special "strains" only available to your kind. Scent:
You gain scent 30 feet (60 upwind, 15 downwind). Against foe's suffering from your fleshwarping poison double these numbers. Direct the Swarm:
You can spend a full round action to improve your swarm's power, they gain a +2 bonus to attack and damage. At level 8 this becomes a standard action and your swarm gains a +3 bonus to attack and damage, at level 15 this becomes a move action and your swarm gains a +4 bonus to attack and damage. Strain the Warped:
You gain the ability to suddenly force your minions to mutate a specific strain in addition to any they are currently under the effect of. This costs X amount of Pheromone points based on the strain. Thoughts?
On her Poison I am thinking that it will become not so much a side gig as a more "specialized" variant. The Black Widow will get only one poison but it's going to be a brutal one with all the poison acceleration enhancements and so forth. Basically before it turns you into a minion it really wracks your insides... Right now though I am producing the personalities, going to need a few hours of time to get the Drider Queen written up... General Szordrin:
General Szordrin is the 260 years old General of the entire Drow army, he has had years of brutal experience in warfare especially against the Duergar. Alignment: LN Cabal: The Bloodhands (a Cabal noted for both it's exceptional melee weapons and the sheer number of it's members who are in or were in the military). Personality: Szordrin is in many ways a father to his army, while he may be harsh he will never blame his mistakes upon another nor will he ever criticize a subordinate who failed because of circumstances outside their control (if the circumstances were in their control however...). Doctrine: Szordrin is perhaps a paragon of Drow military virtue, he never fails to scout out areas beforehand or to utilize the terrain to his advantage. He also understands when and where to deploy men for the best effect and will not hesitate to exploit an advantage his enemies give him. Quartermaster General Talabrina:
The head of the military's supplies is Quartermaster General Talabrina, she is responsible for the provisioning of the army. In addition to this though she is also the head artillerist and is reputed to be an expert gunner. Alignment: LN Personality: Talabrina is caustic and noted for her pathological need to organize, she is not kind to the incompetent. Despite this however she does act to her subordinates like a watchful Drider mother, quick to shield her "children" and even quicker to lash out against those who would harm them. Cabal: The Shellriders (a Cabal of traveling miners and harvesters who are experts in the harvesting of resources). Doctrine: Talabrina is a true believer in the merciless use of artillery, if she is commanding an army or detachment she won't hesitate to pound enemy fortifications and troops into dust with big, big guns. As she puts it "powerful and plentiful firearms win wars, the age of swords and crossbows has past us." Major Durdyn:
Major Durdyn is the leader of Phelthos's special forces units, which consist of Lightbringers, Noise Makers and Driders. Alignment: LN Personality: Major Durdyn is noted for being unconventional and relentless in his aims. He is also arguably one of the most brilliant men in the Drow military yet he is not a father to his men, as one put it "perhaps the crazy uncle everyone loves but General Szordrin he ain't."" Cabal: The Ironmongers (masters of smelting and processing all kinds of metal, capable of manufacturing alchemical mithral and adamantine in addition to most of Phelthos's alchemical bronze). Doctrine: As the leader of Phelthos's special forces units (about 120 total Drow, 30 Driders) Major Durdyn favors unconventional tactics and stealth operations. He is also well acquainted with his unit's capabilities and knows where and when to use them for maximum, brutal effect. Captain Chadzina:
The resident and brutal Captain of the Lightbringers (50 Drow) Captain Chadzina is known for both her stalwart loyalty to the Drow and for having directed several cleansings. Alignment: LE Cabal: None (escaped slave) Personality: Chadzina is a true believer in the extermination of all enemies of the Drow, especially the Duergar. While absolutely loyal to her men she is a ruthless leader who drives her men forward in the eternal war against the enemies of the Drow. While she may not be the beloved General Szordrin she is respected, none can question that her hands are stained with the proof of rightful duty. Doctrine: Where others might believe in stealth Chadzina believes in overwhelming power, aggressively using her Lightbringers to blind the enemy before proceeding to unleash volley after volley of brutal gunfire. Captain Duagloth:
The leader of the Drider shocktroopers. Alignment: LN Cabal: none (does have a family though with 1 child). Personality: Captain Duagloth is a Drider of decent intelligence and great charisma, yet he is not the wisest of his kind. Duagloth's attitude towards life and war can be best expressed as the following. "We were born for war, our fathers were born for war and so were there fathers born for war. This is our cause, our purpose. Our progenitors knew that sacrifices had to be made for victory against the Duergar to be achieved. To war we march, for our civilization, for our children we must fight. Brethren to arms! We shall not falter, we shall not fail in our charge!" Doctrine: Duagloth and his drider warriors charge into battle with massive lances, devastating entire lines of the enemies in one fell charge. Then he and his men use giant, double barreled shotguns to tear apart the alright battered enemy. Then they switch to pole arms and get to their bloody, merciless work... Surgeon General Phaere:
The Surgeon General and master fleshwarper of the army. Alignment: NG Personality: Phaere is seen as the mother of the army, her medical expertise have saved countless lives and her fleshwarping skills have allowed her to ensure that none remain crippled for long (she can even replace spines). While not as "dutiful" in the extermination of the enemies of the Drow as most she is content to allow the army to finish them... Phaere's duty is to ensure that all in her care alive alive and well, she will not fail in this charge. Cabal: The Fleshmakers (a cabal of doctors and surgeons with extensive expertise in Fleshwarping. Doctrine: Save as many Drow lives as possible. Will have more up later, thoughts?
And now I have some mechanic ideas for the advisor and a suggestion. While paths are a good way to diversify the class perhaps their should be three "queen" classes who are different in the same way that the cavalier/samurai classes are. They are built on the same chassis because while mechanically similar the difference couldn't be pulled off with just an archetype... Black Widow Advisor abilities:
Genetic Pool: Your advisor gains a "genetics" pool equal to it's level plus int modifier. The Genetics Pool is what the advisor uses to add "strains" to your fleshwarps. Strain keeper: You advisor is capable of keeping vast amounts of information related to "strains", strains are unique genetic improvements culled from a variety of sources and stored within the mind and indeed body of the Advisor. Example strain.
Thoughts?
Rather then be able to alter her abominable horde I think the Queen instead gets to create new ones and types as she levels up. This is far more of a "horde" leader then an eidolon summoner... Also as for how many she can have the Black Widow basically puts a number of "points" in hawk depending on the fleshwarped under her control (e.g to control one fleshwarped slave I have 1 point in hawk until I either release the slave or it's destroyed). Proposed types:
Fleshwarped slave: This is the basic "I can create from the get go" creature, it isn't much but it's easy to create and isn't costly to control. Fleshwarped Bomb: Yep this is a living bomb that keeps up the theme of "expendable" which is how the Black Widow regards her "hive". Fleshwarped Rager: This guy takes the theme of "expendable minions" to the next level, when he enters combat he goes into a suicidal rage that causes him to expire after five rounds. During that time however he is like a mini barbarian... Fleshwarped Thrower: This horrific fleshwarp throws devastating (like 1d12/18-20x2 that cause bleed damage) shards of bone at it's target... From it's own skeleton of course, once again another expendable minion. Fleshwarped Gasbag: This fleshwarped specimen bulges with poison that it constantly leaks form it's own body in combat, this poison is of course generated from it's own body fluids... Fleshwarped Hive: Arguably the most disgusting fleshwarp available to the Black Widow this abomination is a living hive of insects and when it goes into battle these insect hordes pour out to engulf all nearby... As for the Advisor I was thinking of something like these two (http://starcraft.wikia.com/wiki/Abathur or http://starcraft.wikia.com/wiki/Izsha). Your minion is basically a geneticist/alchemist hybrid who assists you in "perfecting" your minions. Thoughts?
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