The spring equinox Swallowtail Festival in the seaside town of Sandpoint has been going well all day.
Unbeknownst to the residents of Sandpoint, dozens of goblins are stealthily approaching the town to burn it to the ground.
Luckily for the residents of Sandpoint, the six deities that the newly completed Sandpoint Cathedral is dedicated to have noticed and decided to indirectly come to the aid of the town against the goblin ambush that is coming....
A monkey that is climbing the mainmast of a ship that is docked, its mind awakens to greater sapience and knows he (or she) is a servant of Abadar and that Abadar wants him (or her) to protect the town from the attacking goblins.
A butterfly that is fluttering around the cathedral, its mind awakened to greater sapience and knows she (or he) is a servant of Desna and that Desna wants her (or him) to protect the town from the attacking goblins.
A stag drinking water at the Turandarok River, its mind awakened to greater sapience and knows he is a servant of Erastil and that Erastil wants him to protect the town from the attacking goblins.
A dove flying over Sandpoint, its mind awakens to greater sapience and knows she (or he) is a servant of Sarenrae and that Sarenrae wants her (or him) to protect the town from the attacking goblins.
A songbird perched on the eaves of one of the buildings of Sandpoint, its mind awakens to greater sapience and knows he (or she) is a servant of Shelyn and that Shelyn wants him (or her) to protect the town from the attacking goblins.
An animal in (the town of Sandpoint/in the sea by the town of Sandpoint/flying over the town of Sandpoint/just outside the town of Sandpoint), its mind awakens to greater sapience, and knows she (or he) is a servant of Gozreh and that Gozeh wants her (or him) to protect the town from the attacking goblins.
Variant Rules in Effect:
Automatic Bonus Progression
Gradual Ability Boosts
Ancestral Paragon
Special (twist): Dual-Classed PCs - one of the classes is Champion (of the deity that awakened the animal) and the other class is one of the following classes based off the deity that awakened the animal's mind.
Abadar: Barbarian (Animal [ape] or Fury instinct), Cleric of Abadar, Fighter, Kineticist (metallokineticist, phytokineticist or metal/wood), Monk, Oracle (Lore mystery), Psychic, Ranger, Rogue, Sorcerer (Draconic [Empyreal] or Imperial Bloodline), Summoner (Devotion or Swarm [monkeys] eidolon), Swashbuckler
Desna: Bard (Polymath muse), Cleric of Desna, Fighter, Kineticist (aerokineticist, hydrokineticist or air/water), Monk, Oracle (Cosmos mystery), Psychic, Ranger, Rogue, Sorcerer (Draconic [Empyreal] or Fey bloodline), Summoner (Construct, Devotion, Fey or Swarm (butterflies) eidolon), Swashbuckler
Erastil: Barbarian (Animal [Deer] or Fury instinct), Cleric of Erastil, Druid (Cultivated order), Fighter, Kineticist (geokineticist, phytokineticist or earth/wood), Monk, Psychic, Ranger, Rogue, Sorcerer (Draconic [Empyreal] or Elemental [Earth] bloodline), Summoner (Beast [stag] or Devotion eidolon), Swashbuckler
Gozreh: Barbarian (Anima, Elemental [air or water] or Fury instinct), Bard (Zoophonia muse), Cleric of Gozreh, Druid (Animal, Leaf, Storm, Untamed or Wave order), Fighter, Kineticist (aerokineticist, hydrokineticist or air/water), Monk, Oracle (Tempest mystery), Psychic, Ranger, Rogue, Sorcerer (Draconic [Empyreal] or Elemental [Air or Water] bloodline), Summoner (Beast, Devotion, Elemental [air or water core] or Plant eidolon, plus, if Tiny, Swarm [same animal type as awakened animal] eidolon), Swashbuckler
Sarenrae: Barbarian (Elemental [fire] or Fury instinct), Cleric of Sarenrae, Druid (Flame order), Fighter, Kineticist (pyrokineticist, hydokineticist or fire/water), Monk, Oracle (Cosmos, Flames or Life mystery), Psychic, Ranger, Rogue, Sorcerer (Angelic, Draconic [Empyreal] or Elemental [Fire] bloodline, Summoner (Angel, Devotion, Elemental [fire core] or Swarm [doves] eidolon), Swashbuckler
Shelyn: Bard (Maestro muse), Cleric of Shelyn, Fighter, Kineticist (aerokineticist, phytokineticist or air/wood), Monk, Psychic, Ranger, Rogue, Sorcerer (Draconic [Empyreal] or Fey bloodline), Summoner (Devotion, Fey or Swarm [songbirds] eidolon), Swashbuckler
Special (twist): Free Archetype - this is not player choice. All PCs gain exemplar as a free archetype and the feats are determined by me (representing the additional abilities the deities have blessed the characters with). Unlike a typical exemplar, the immanence your character has is a tiny fragment of the divine power of the deity that awakened you.
The free archetype does not interfere with your ability to take archetype feats (beginning with the dedication feat) instead of one of your class feats.
You must gain my approval to take a specific archetype. Most archetypes should not be an issue, but ones that do not fit well with my vision of the campaign are not allowed (such as the gunslinger and any archetype that has any type of focus on firearms.
Multiclass archetypes that are allowed: ones that are in the lists above for the non-champion side of the dual class, plus: Alchemist (no black powder or firearm ammunition), Commander, Guardian, Inventor (light mortar innovation is not allowed), Investigator, Magus, Thaumaturge, Witch, Wizard
Additional multiclass Dedication option for Abadar awakened animal: Animist [Crafter in the Vault apparition]
Additional multiclass Dedication option for Desna awakened animal: Animist [Echoes of Lost Moments apparition]
Additional multiclass Dedication option for Erastil awakened animal: Animist [Custodian of Groves and Gardens apparition]
Additional multiclass Dedication option for Gozreh awakened animal: Animist [Custodian of Groves and Gardens, Lurker in Devouring Dark, Stalker in Darkened Boughs or Vanguard of Roaring Water apparition]
Additional multiclass Dedication option for Sarenrae awakened animal: Animist [Witness to Ancient Battles apparition]
Additional multiclass Dedication option for Shelyn awakened animal: Animist [Monarch of the Fey Courts apparition]
Home-brewed Flourish Rule. You can combine two different one-action basic actions as a single action with the flourish trait. If one of the basic actions is a Stride, you can take the other action at any point during your stride.
Gozreh awakened animal: Size: Tiny, Small, Medium or Large; Heritage: Climbing Animal, Flying Animal, Running Animal or Swimming Animal; Unarmed Attack: one that is appropriate to the awakened animal
I started to look at the PBP listings last fall. I got inspiration to run a Rise of the Runelords PBP for some of the other characters that were not picked for the RotRL PBP campaign we were applying for. This is not a recruitment for my RotRL PBP.
Upon reading some helpful advice on the boards, I decided to get some experience running a more limited PBP before starting what will be a years-long RotRL PBP campaign. What I decided for the first PBP I run will be PFS Core Iconics through In Search of Sanity (book 1 of the Strange Aeons AP), which is a PFS evergreen AP book.
This will be a private game, not a public one. This is not a 'first to sign up' recruitment.
This game will be following PFS Core rules.
Because of how the adventure starts, there will not be an opportunity to purchase additional items before play starts (or to adjust the gear on the iconic sheet). There will also not be an opportunity to change prepared spells that are stated on the iconic sheets before gameplay begins.
The game would not be starting until late September/mid-October. I have my reasons for the seven core Iconics I want in my private game. Part of those reasons is each of the 4 core iconics I am not including in this PBP are ones that have things that would lessen the 'horror factor' if they were one of the PCs.
After my initial run of In Search of Sanity is done, and I have a decent flow going with my RotRL PBP campaign, I might decide to run In Search of Sanity again with a new group of players.
I have read useful advice regarding running a PBP, which I will be using, particularly the advice that helps speed up game play, such as rolling initiative for the PCs. I looked up to see if such things are PFS legal when running PBP, which they are.
This PBP will only be for the first book of the Strange Aeons adventure path, not the entire adventure path.
The game will be played on a private discord server. I will be making use of Owlbear Rodeo to track movement on the maps and taking screenshots of the maps to post in the player maps section of the discord server.
Who I am looking for: 4 players who enjoy playing one of the following five iconics: Amiri (human barbarian), Lem (halfling bard), Valeros (human fighter), Sajan (human monk), Ezren (old human wizard).
The player slots for playing Kyra and Seoni have already been filled. A third player who has been selected for this PBP will play whichever of the above 5 iconics are left after everyone else has the iconic they will be playing as.
For this private game, I do not want more than one player playing as the same Iconic.
Include the following with your post:
A) Have you ever been selected for a PBP adventure/campaign?
B) How many PBP adventures/campaigns are you currently in?
C) Have you ever been the GM for In Search of Sanity?
D) Have you ever played a PC for In Search of Sanity?
E) Are you okay with creating a new PFS 1E Core PC to assign playing credit to for playing a core Iconic?
F) Are you at least 18 years of age? (The Strange Aeons AP is more like a R-rated Cthulhu genre horror movie than it is a less-restricted sword and sorcery movie). I do not want to be responsible for non-adults having nightmares. I do not have a goal to cause adults to have nightmares either, but they knew what they were signing up for with In Search of Sanity.
G) If you are comfortable sharing, list your country/province/state. Which time zone you are in?
H) Which days/nights of the week do you usually have more available time to post in the PBP.
I) List which of the following five core iconics you would enjoy playing, in descending order, starting with the core iconic you would most prefer to play as. Amiri, Lem, Valeros, Sajan, Ezren.
This is my first time both playing and running a PBP campaign, so please keep that in mind as I adapt and learn how to turn my many years of F2F of being a gamemaster and player into the PBP medium.
I am looking for seven players to run a first edition Pathfinder Society Core online campaign that will include the sanctioned content from the Skull & Shackles adventure path, the Plunder & Peril adventure module, the three PFS Seeker arcs and some PFS scenarios that fit the theme of the campaign. The first adventure played will be the sanctioned content from the first book of the Strange Aeons adventure path (which is an evergreen adventure for 1st level characters).
This will be a private (not public) campaign.
Players who are interested should be okay with me deciding on which XP track (normal or slow) is used for each chronicle sheet. This will make the PCs remain the same level and will not be too low or too high of a level to continue playing in the campaign. Players should also not have an issue playing one of the core iconic PFS pregenerated characters for the first adventure, and using the credit from that adventure's chronicle sheet to make a brand new PFS Core PC - which will be the PC they play for the rest of the campaign (and only plays their character in this campaign so their character remains the same level and receives the same chronicle sheets as the rest of the players' characters), and that any specific iconic pre-gen is played by no more than 1 character.
I have the order of adventures planned, that will make it so the PCs are at the highest valid character level for the subtier of each adventure with only 2 adventures before level 12 not being at the highest valid subtier (one of which is the evergreen adventure using core iconics to gain credit to create the campaign PCs) and four adventures after level 12 not being at the highest valid subtier. Most adventures will be played at normal experience progress with some using slow experience progress so that the characters remain within the valid level ranges for each adventure.
After the initial Strange Aeons adventure, there will be seven PFS scenarios before the characters will play the first book of the Skulls and Shackles adventure path.
The campaign will be on Mondays (either weekly or bi-weekly) with a session duration between 3 to 5 hours, with session start time being as early as 6 p.m. UTC or as late as 9 p.m. UTC.
If you are interested, send me a private message and include the following:
Your time zone
Your preferred session start time (6:00 p.m., 6:30 p.m., 7:00 p.m., 8:00 p.m., 8:30 p.m. or 9:00 p.m. UTC)
Your preferred session time (3 hours, 3 1/2 hours, 4 hours, 4 1/2 hours or 5 hours)
A list of 7 core iconic pre-gens you would enjoy playing, in descending order.
The race and class of the PFS character you would make to play through the campaign.
Whether or not you have played first edition Pathfinder Society organized play characters before, including whether you played core, standard or both.
Which PF1E scenarios, adventure modules and adventure paths you have received PFS chronicle sheets for.
I will check my messages at least once a week, so should reply back to you within two weeks.
A gathering area for home-brewed pantheons and their origins.
The Family (pantheon)
Durridan Vladimir was known to be an adventuring champion of Cayden Cailean. He was not just a champion of Cayden but of a pantheon consisting of three deities: Cayden Cailean, Desna and Kurgess; which Durridan affectionately refers to as 'The Family' based on the fact that Cayden and Desna elevated Kurgess to godhood and some theologists and priests of Kurgess believe that at least one of them is Kurgess' parent.
Durridan Vladimir was the only son of Dmitri Vladimir, one of the six Varisians killed by the attack led by Alamon Scanetti. The other five Varisians killed were Octavian Lixandri, Palin Magravi, Valin Magravi, Casamir Pangrati and Felix Rosetti
Part of the deal peaceful resolution with the Varisians was to grant ancestral rights to large-sized portions of the Hinterlands farmlands to the families of the six Varisians killed by Alamon Scarnetti and his brothers and cousins.
Durridan and his three sisters were granted the lands east of the Lost Coast Road, south of the Soggy River and north of Whisperwood.
Palin Magravi was Risa Magravi's husband. Valin Magravi was Palin's identical twin brother. Valin's family was granted ancestral farmlands in the hinterlands (north of the Soggy River, east of the Lost Coast Road, south of Ashen Rise, and west of Egan's Wood. Risa negotiated to be granted a lot of land south of the Sandpoint Boneyard instead of farmland in the hinterlands.
Durridan was an adventurer throughout Varisia for two decades before his father was killed, and had fathered many daughters (but no sons) over those two decades. He used the majority of the wealth he acquired from adventuring to support his daughters and their mothers. He set down roots after his father was killed to help his mother run the family farm and extended invitations to his daughters and grandchildren to come live on the expanded family lands, which several accepted. Many of his bloodline follow the personal pantheon he reveres. Some of the other farming families and residents of Sandpoint came to revere The Family as their pantheon as well. Word of The Family spread out from Sandpoint since its founding and the worship of the pantheon can be found wherever Cayden, Desna and Kurgess are revered.
Traditionally the first day of a extended-stay (2 month) family reunion of Durridan Vladimir' s descendants, begins on Cayden Cailean's Ascencion Day (11th of Kuthona) and lasts until Merrymead (2nd of Calistril). It is not unusual for at least one local family member to join a Varisian caravan one of their cousins is in at the end of this time or for a visiting cousin to decide to stay around longer. Sometimes this choice is an involuntary one, depending on where and who they were with while celebrating Merrymead - some visiting family decide to catch up to the caravan that already left earlier and some locals who were passed out in one of the caravan carriages decide to make their way back home.
The Family [pantheon]
Deities: Cayden Cailean, Desna, Kurgess
Areas of Concern: bravery, healthy competition, travelers
Edicts: seek glory and adventure, compete to your full potential, explore new places
Anathema: be mean or standoffish when drunk, engage in bigoted behavior, cheat at honorable contests
Mishanter is tall and massive, standing a head over 6 feet tall, broad shouldered and deep of chest, with a massive corded neck and heavily muscled limbs. He has long and ropey limbs, of corded muscle, that appear too long for his body. His skin is a light olive and is covered in coarse hair that cannot conceal the hard, dangerous lines of his body.
The large tiefling has a face that always looks as if it is full of mischief with a cunning smile that conceals a sharp toothy maw. There is a set of curling ram horns extending from his temples and dark eyes that are as black as the pits of hell with the predatory gaze of a wolf. His face is framed by bristly, slicked-back, dark, moss colored, hair and a beard the same color with a clean shaven, smirking, upper lip.
The well-muscled, hirsute, long-limbed tiefling has goat like feet and legs and a barbed tail that seems to have a mind of its own. He has a loud grating voice and smells of sulfur as well as other pungent alchemical odors. Mishanter is usually dressed in black armor with bandoliers crossing his chest and various pouches, containers, and other paraphernalia hanging from his belt and pack.
Background:
The weak morning sun peaked through through the east facing windows of the suite Mishanter perpetually rented at The Ebony Pixie, one of the best inns in Kaer Maga’s Bis District. The hazy light illuminated two shelved walls, which were lined with books, charts, memorabilia, and nefarious looking alchemical equipment. While the north wall was taken up by a tapestry depicting a map of Varisia with strange markings in an ancient script denoting important locations. All of that was overshadowed by an oversized mahogany desk, that used to belong to Merriman Ardoc, the powerful head of the Ardoc Family, and now dominated a third of the room. The opulent desk is covered with neat little stacks of parchment, an ink well, and a stack of leather bound books.
Looking out of place, behind the desk, sat Mishanter, the tiefling, who, if anything, made the desk look smaller. The hulking tiefling drank from a snifter full of Taldan Fire-Brandy while he fingered through the papers in front of him. First things first, he thought while he reached for his appointment book. His broad shoulders slumped in resignation as he looked at his schedule realizing his day was going to take him all over Kaer Maga. He quickly decided to cancel his haircut at Pinking Shears, Hopefully Ol’ Hooktooth can forgive me, and he decided to send a runner to Quarrimac's Curatives to pick up his order.
His morning would begin, close to home, in the Bis District, with a meeting at the Duskwarden Guildhouse . Mishanter smiled, pleased with himself, as he looked over the remaining appointments, realizing they would all be in the Tarheel Promenade District. Beginning with lunch at The Crested Falcon, in the company of Suthevan Gyves the unofficial head of the Arcanist’s Circle. Followed by a discrete meeting at he Bank of Abadar. Concluding with a stop at Gadka’s Magical Oddities in hopes of convincing its proprietor, Gadka Burtannaon, to supply him with some much needed reagents.
Satisfied that his schedule was now manageable he moved on to his correspondence reading through the various letters. He frowned and reread the paper in his hand. He placed the parchment down and rifled through another stack of papers on his desk. He found what he was looking for and compared it with the original document. He placed both papers on top of a pile and removed a clean sheet of paper and began writing. After a while he completed his letter and sealed it with wax.
Letter
Spoiler:
Greetings, my Lady, the most esteemed Venture-Captain Sheila Heidmarch,
I hope this missive finds you and your husband well. My latest chronicle on Thassilonian ruins should arrive shortly. My research continues despite constant interference from both the Darklight Sisterhood and, surprisingly, agents from the Aspis Consortium’s Bronze House. Although, I must admit, that I am no closer to finding the location of Xin-Haruka the information I am compiling is promising.
On another note I heard rumors that Kormiggon Sussworth was recently seen in the city. Although, I do not believe these tall tales, if he were to show his face it would be my great pleasure to eliminate the traitor. Currently, I am re-examining the information on Sussworth and will forward you any updates.
Finally, I must admit, I was happily surprised by your most recent letter. After consulting with my notes and reviewing Joadric Heimurl’s research I am fairly certain that the proposed location of the relic, mentioned in my previous correspondence, is exact. I urge you to quickly form at team of Pathfinders, especially, in-light of the aforementioned interference by our less scrupulous competitors. It should go without saying that I should be put in charge of any expedition looking into these matters (Heimurl is to bombastic and Almya Gorangal is hard to,work with) but I defer to your experience in these matters.
Please let me know when I can get started on this venture.
Your loyal servant,
Mishanter
Mishanter placed the sealed letter aside and finished his snifter of brandy. He sat back, as his thoughts turned to the past…
His earliest memories are of growing up on the streets of Korvosa. He was merely a child of the streets who succumbed to Gaedren Lamm’s promises of regular meals and a roof in return for what he said would be “a little light work.” Thus the tiefling spent several years of as one of “Lamm’s Lambs” mostly chum chucking under the supervision of the evil Hookshanks Gruller. Eventually, he apprenticed to Yargin Balko Lamm’s right-hand man and his longestlived accomplice. Balko, was a bitter man who served variously as Gaedren’s accountant, advisor, assassin, and fence. Under his harsh tutelage Mishanter learned the art of alchemy and the power of using his mind. All that came to an end when Lamm and his cronies met an untimely demise.
Left to his own devices Mishanter had many a misadventure after the death of Lamm and struggled to keep himself fed. His life change when he tried to pick pocket the Pathfinder Sir Canayven Heidmarch. Heidmarch saw to it that the tiefling was sent to the Grand Lounge in Absolom and eventually given the opportunity to become a pathfinder. He quickly completed his studies and preformed his confirmation gaining admittance into the society. Choosing to return to his native Varisia becoming an expert in Thassilonian lore, the Darklands, as well as the outer planes.
Mishanter quickly made a name for himself within the society, working All over Varisia. First, with the the Dusk Wardens, helping to clear some of the vaults beneath the city of Kaer Maga. Later, he infiltrated one of the Aspis Consortium's artifact-smuggling operations in Magnimar, assassinated gold agent Maiveer Sloan, and sabotaging their criminal operations.
Next, Mishanter infiltrated an active cell of the cult of Lissala, the ancient goddess of runes and obedience, in the Varisian town of Palin's Cove. Gaining valuable knowledge about the cult’s motives. Recently, the tiefling was Sent by the Demcemvirate on a mission into the desolate Mindspin Mountains to retrieve a much-needed alchemical reagent from a hermitic ex-Pathfinder deep within the Chasm of Screams….
The Pathfinder is startled from his reminiscing by a knock at his suits door.
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SPECIAL ABILITIES/CLASS FEATURES
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Ability Modifiers: +2 Strength, +2 Intelligence, –2 Charisma
Ability Adjustments +1 Str (4th), +1 Int (8th).
Alchemy gain a bonus to craft alchemy and can use craft alchemy to identify potions. Prepare extracts daily.
Ceaseless Observation (Ex): use Intelligence instead of the skill’s typical ability for all Disable Device, Perception, Sense Motive, and Use Magic Device checks as well as on any Diplomacy checks made to gather information.
Darkvision see in the dark up to 60 feet.
Extra Inspiration +3
Favored Class Bonus +8 skill points.
Fast Talker gain a +1 trait bonus on Bluff checks.
Fiendish Sprinter gain a 10-foot racial bonus to their speed when using the charge, run, or withdraw actions.
Inspiration Pool 12 (9+3)points. Add 1d6 to skill checks for 1 point or attacks and saving throws for 2 points.
Investigator Talents
✿ Alchemist Discovery (Ex) [Mutagen] As a standard action grants +2 natural armor bonus and a +4 alchemical bonus to the selected physical ability score and a –2 penalty to one of his mental ability scores.
✿ Alchemist Discovery [Enhance potion]: 5/day cause any potion consumed to function at a caster level equal to his class level.
✿ Quick Study(EX) use studied combat ability as swift action.
✿ Expanded Inspiration (EX) use his inspiration on Diplomacy, Heal, Perception, Profession, and Sense Motive checks without expending uses of inspiration.[from extra investigator talent].
✿ Sickening Offensive (EX) When you damage a studied target, that creature is also sickened for 1 round.
Keen Recollection: can attempt all Knowledge skill checks untrained.
Maw and Claw gain a primary bite attack that deals 1d6 points of damage.
Power Attack take a -2 penalty to hit to gain a bonus on damage +4/6.
Prehensile Tail: gain a tail that can hold and retrieve small, stowed objects carried on their persons as a swift action.
Reactionary +2 initiative bonus.
Studied Combat (Ex): study a single enemy that he can see to gain a +4 insight bonus on melee attack and damage rolls for 5 rounds.
Studied Strike (Ex): choose to make a studied strike against the target of his studied combat as a free action, upon successfully hitting his studied target with a melee attack, to deal 3d6 additional damage.
Trap Sense (Ex):+2 bonus on Reflex saving throws to avoid traps and a +1 dodge bonus to AC against attacks by traps..
Trapfinding: +4 to Perception skill checks made to locate traps and to Disable Device checks and can use Disable Device to disarm magical traps.
Unfailing Logic (Ex): gain a +4 insight bonus on all Will saving throws against illusion spells or spell-like abilities that allow a save to disbelieve their effects. Spend one point of inspiration to use his Intelligence bonus instead of her Wisdom bonus.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency simple weapons, plus the hand crossbow, rapier, sap, shortbow, short sword, and sword cane as well as light armors.
