You have received a handwritten letter from one Kendra Lorrimar, daughter of your old friend, mentor, employer or companion Professor Petros Lorrimar. In it is the sad news that the quirky professor has passed and has for some reason bequeathed you a bit of his property. What exactly is contained in said will has been left unanswered as you have been invited to put the good Professor to rest.
The adventure will begin as each player character arrives in the town of Ravengro, several thousand miles away from the Capital. They will be met at the Professors house by his trim and attractive daughter Kendra. Dressed in conservative clothing, the red eyed human woman would welcome you into her home with a smile.
"Thank you so much for coming, so few of the professors friends even bothered to respond."
This is a kingmaker game for 1st edition. There is already the following in the group.
Half Orc Goliath Druid vmc Barbarian
Half Orc Barbarian vmc Wizard (just go with it, I know)
Aasimar Arcane Duelist Bard vmc Magus (uses glaive)
As you can see we are melee heavy. We are in need of some kind of Arcane, some kind of divine and some kind of skill monkey.
Character instructions are on Campaign tab. 2 weeks for recruitment.
You have been selected to be among the second wave of colonists into the unclaimed islands of Azlant, Congratulations! Report to the Bountiful Venture Company offices along the docks as soon as you can to sign liability wavers before the Peregrine sets sail on the first Wealday of Desnus!
Casting off into the unknown, leaving behind family and friends to stake your claim on the island chain that used to be the island continent of Azlant before the cataclysm that was Earthfall 10,000 years ago. This is the very ideal of the spirit that infects all adventurers, to step away from the comfortable and safe of the familiar for glory and excitement. What could more exciting then carving out your own home among the bones of the greatest empire to ever have existed!?
House Rules:
Alterations to Heal and Knowledge Religion: All heal spells/channel energy/lay on hands are modified by the casters total heal skill ranks (min. of 0). Example: Joe Bob has put 10 skill points into Heal. He casts cure light wounds for 1d8+3. Say that gives him an 8. Add his heal skill to that and poof, 18! This represents the casters knowledge of the healing and how to properly channel the healing energy to maximum effect. If used offensively, for example channel energy to damage undead, you instead use your ranks from Knowledge Religion. If you have feats that allow your channel to effect outsiders it would be K. Planar.
The bonuses to healing do NOT apply to effects such as fast healing or regeneration.
Nat 20's and 1's: In my games there is a chance for even a 1st level character to impale a dragon through the heart against impossible odds as well as a 20th level rogue tripping and landing flat on his face. Roll a nat 20 and the accomplishment will go above and beyond whatever you are trying to attempt. Roll a nat 1 and it's an automatic failure, regardless of your base attack or skill ranks. Even gods can screw up.
Summoning Spells: Summoned creatures can have any of the following templates applied; celestial, entropic, fiendish, or resolute. With sufficient K. Planar rolls of DC 15+ the following templates will become available on a 1 by 1 basis; aerial, aqueous, chthonic, dark, fiery, or primordial. A good character summoning a creature that is ALWAYS evil (such as a devil or demon) risks alignment shift and vice/versa for evil characters. All creatures that can be called from the Summon Monster spells and the Expanded Summon Monster, Summon Neutral Monster feats are combined into 1 list. All creatures that can be added to Summon Nature's Ally from feats or Archetypes are also combined into 1 list. This also applies to the fiendish and celestial templates.
Traits: 4 to start, 1 must be from Ruins of Azlant. Additional traits are earn via playing the campaign. These are rewards or affects your characters will gain depending on their actions in the campaign.
Skills: Each character will receive 2 extra skill points per level. They will also receive 1 bonus skill of their choice that will be considered a class skill.
Craft:Will also be using the alternate crafting system detailed in the description of the Craft Skill, Making Craft Work [Alternative Crafting Rules].
PC vs PC Diplomacy Checks: This will not be allowed to force players to think or behave a specific way. You must convince them with traditional means of roleplay.
Feats: Feats are gained as normal, but additional feats may be awarded by group/character play. Bonus feat awarded at 1st, 5th, 10th, 15th and 20th level.
Gaining Feats:For the most part gaining feats will remain the same however there must be an in-game reason why your character suddenly has a feat. For example a spellcaster gaining a metamagic feat will have done so through training by a higher level caster or through practice during downtime, similar to crafing except without skill checks. I do this not to punish the players but to gain a more thematic sense of your character progression.
Feat Tax: I will be using the system suggested here.
Combat: Players will be given one day to post their turn in combat. By the end of day if a player has not taken their turn, they will be put on delay and combat will proceed normally. GM will roll all initiative rolls to keep from breaking the flow of the PbP.
Magic Armor: Each +1 added to armor enchantment also increases Max Dex by 1, reduces armor check penalty by 1 and spell failure chance by 5%.
Start of Game: What is considered normal equipment like a tent and bedroll and whatnot will be given to you by the Bountiful Venture Company. You will have to pay for weapons, armor, class specific equipment (ex. spell components) and any magic items you might be able to afford.
Character Creation:
-->Attributes: I like high powered games so start off thus; start off with 1 auto 18. Roll 3d6, reroll 1's, drop the lowest dice and add 6. Do that 5 times and you have a set. Do that as many times as you want until you arrive at a set that you like (max of 5 times). You must accept stats as a set, no mixing and matching from individual rolls.
Also there is a 7th stat in my game that represents your characters 'looks', rolled only once after you've settled your base stats. 9-12 is average, <8 is ugly, 13-16 is very pretty. 17< is luminous beauty. Roll 3d6 and that represents your comeliness, no rerolls. You cannot increase/decrease the beauty stat through normal means. The following table illustrates the bonuses from this system.
If you have a beauty stat of 16 or higher a number of times per day equal to 1/4 HD you can attempt to charm someone who might be sexually attracted to your character as a move action. The willsave DC for this is equal to 10+1/2 HD+Beauty modifier. The charm is equal to Charm Person spell that lasts for 1 rd/HD.
Conversely if you have a beauty stat of 5 or lower you can attempt to frighten someone. A number of times per day equal to 1/4 HD you can attempt to scare someone as a move action. The willsave DC for this equal to 10+1/2 HD+Intimidate modifier from beauty. This ability is equal to the Fear Spell and lasts for 1 rd/HD.
-->Starting Level: 1st
-->HP: Max.
-->Alignment: No evil.
-->Choose a background from the Occupation and Backgrounds system. The gold you get from that system is your starting gold, maxed.
-->All archetypes allowed.
-->Books allowed: All Pathfinder, no 3PP.
-->Background Skills: Yes.
-->Variant Multiclassing: Yes.
-->Firearms: Guns Everywhere: Guns are commonplace. Early firearms are seen as antiques, and advanced firearms are widespread. Firearms are simple weapons, and early firearms, advanced guns, and their ammunition are bought or crafted for 10% of the cost listed in this chapter. The gunslinger loses the gunsmith class feature and instead gains the gun training class feature at 1st level.
-->Forbidden Classes: Antipaladin, Samurai.
-->Races allowed: All from core and advanced race guide. Can modify races up to 13 RP as long as the abilities fall within the theme of the race you are modifying. Races who have RP above 13 cannot be modified.
Combat:
During small(few to one monsters) combat:
Standard book combat rules apply.
During large(many monsters) combat:
Players Initiatives will be averaged, so players may take their turn at any time during the players group turn.
Enemy initiatives will be grouped together as well in the initiative order. They will be placed in respect to the averaged players initiative.
During Combat. Due to its lengthy nature, I will speed up posts to once a day. At the end of each day, the monsters will always take their turn. This is to prevent a month long combat sequence.
Ex.
Combat 1:
Players have an average initiative roll of 8. Monsters average initiative rolls is a 4. In this event, the Players take their turn first, then the monsters will after.
Posting: I expect a certain level of skill with the english language from my players. One sentence responses will usually not be sufficient. Repeated 1 sentence responses will result in the player being removed from my game. There is a built in spell check on the site but I would suggest writing your lengthy responses in a writing program. Blatant poor grammar (with the exception of idiotic character speech) will not be accepted and repeated grammatically incorrect posts can lead to removal. All this means is read over what you write BEFORE posting and spell check. It only takes a minute or two and saves everyone a headache.
At the beginning I will not be militant about grammar or post length as all of the players (myself included) will be getting used to the other players' writing styles. As time progresses however posts should become more fluid and well written as we get more experience as a group. If a character is saying something posting just the speech in bold font is unacceptable. Write your posts as if you are taking part in writing a book.
Major Events:
Spoiler:
I've created these rules based off of several games as both a GM and player so please don't bother trying to suggest an alternative to what is already stated. Any situations not covered by these rules will be decided on a case by case basis.
And above all that please remember when creating your character that you are part of a colonization effort settling on the islands of what used to be the most advanced empire in the world. You were chosen by the Bountiful Venture Company, the financiers of this expedition and they wouldn't choose rabble rousers or people who would end up becoming a problem. Think of how your character would be a benefit to a large group trying to set up civilization in the wild with very little or intermittent support in an area that is overflowing with natural resources and ruins from the most advanced civilization on the planet.
Looking for 4 more players.
Torik Bolstad (Wizard, School undecided) (K. History, K. Arcane, K. Engineering, K. Religion, K. Nature) - DMPC
This is not a recruitment, merely an interest check. Campaign rules follow.
You have been selected to be among the second wave of colonists into the unclaimed islands of Azlant, Congratulations! Report to the Bountiful Venture Company offices along the docks as soon as you can to sign liability wavers before the Peregrine sets sail on the first Wealday of Desnus!
Casting off into the unknown, leaving behind family and freinds to stake your claim on the island chain that used to be the island continent of Azlant before the cataclysm that was Earthfall 10,000 years ago. This is the very ideal of the spirit that infects all adventurers, to step away from the comfortable and safe of the familiar for glory and excitement. What could more exciting then carving out your own home among the bones of the greatest empire to ever have existed!?
House Rules:
Alterations to Heal and Knowledge Religion: All heal spells/channel energy/lay on hands are modified by the casters total heal skill ranks (min. of 0). Example: Joe Bob has put 10 skill points into Heal. He casts cure light wounds for 1d8+3. Say that gives him an 8. Add his heal skill to that and poof, 18! This represents the casters knowledge of the healing and how to properly channel the healing energy to maximum effect. If used offensively, for example channel energy to damage undead, you instead use your ranks from Knowledge Religion. If you have feats that allow your channel to effect outsiders it would be K. Planar.
The bonuses to healing do NOT apply to effects such as fast healing or regeneration.
Nat 20's and 1's: In my games there is a chance for even a 1st level character to impale a dragon through the heart against impossible odds as well as a 20th level rogue tripping and landing flat on his face. Roll a nat 20 and the accomplishment will go above and beyond whatever you are trying to attempt. Roll a nat 1 and it's an automatic failure, regardless of your base attack or skill ranks. Even gods can screw up.
Summoning Spells: Summoned creatures can have any of the following templates applied; celestial, entropic, fiendish, or resolute. With sufficient K. Planar rolls of DC 15+ the following templates will become available on a 1 by 1 basis; aerial, aqueous, chthonic, dark, fiery, or primordial. A good character summoning a creature that is ALWAYS evil (such as a devil or demon) risks alignment shift and vice/versa for evil characters. All creatures that can be called from the Summon Monster spells and the Expanded Summon Monster, Summon Neutral Monster feats are combined into 1 list. All creatures that can be added to Summon Nature's Ally from feats or Archetypes are also combined into 1 list. This also applies to the fiendish and celestial templates.
Traits: 4 to start, 1 must be from Ruins of Azlant. Additional traits are earn via playing the campaign. These are rewards or affects your characters will gain depending on their actions in the campaign.
Skills: Each character will recieve 2 extra skill points per level. They will also recieve 1 bonus skill of their choice that will be considered a class skill.
Craft:Will also be using the alternate crafting system detailed in the description of the Craft Skill, Making Craft Work [Alternative Crafting Rules].
PC vs PC Diplomacy Checks: This will not be allowed to force players to think or behave a specific way. You must convince them with traditional means of roleplay.
Feats: Feats are gained as normal, but additional feats may be awarded by group/character play. Bonus feat awarded at 1st, 5th, 10th, 15th and 20th level.
Gaining Feats:For the most part gaining feats will remain the same however there must be an in-game reason why your character suddenly has a feat. For example a spellcaster gaining a metamagic feat will have done so through training by a higher level caster or through practice during downtime, similar to crafting except without skill checks. I do this not to punish the players but to gain a more thematic sense of your character progression.
Feat Tax: I will be using the system suggested here.
Combat: Players will be given one day to post their turn in combat. By the end of day if a player has not taken their turn, they will be put on delay and combat will proceed normally. GM will roll all initiative rolls to keep from breaking the flow of the PbP.
Magic Armor: Each +1 added to armor enchantment also increases Max Dex by 1, reduces armor check penalty by 1 and spell failure chance by 5%.
Start of Game: What is considered normal equipment like a tent and bedroll and whatnot will be given to you by the Bountiful Venture Company. You will have to pay for weapons, armor, class specific equipment (ex. spell components) and any magic items you might be able to afford.
Character Creation:
-->Attributes: I like high powered games so start off thus; start off with 1 auto 18. Roll 3d6, reroll 1's, drop the lowest dice and add 6. Do that 5 times and you have a set. Do that as many times as you want until you arrive at a set that you like (max of 5 times). You must accept stats as a set, no mixing and matching from individual rolls.
Also there is a 7th stat in my game that represents your characters 'looks', rolled only once after you've settled your base stats. 9-12 is average, <8 is ugly, 13-16 is very pretty. 17< is luminous beauty. Roll 3d6 and that represents your comeliness, no rerolls. You cannot increase/decrease the beauty stat through normal means. The following table illustrates the bonuses from this system.
If you have a beauty stat of 16 or higher a number of times per day equal to 1/4 HD you can attempt to charm someone who might be sexually attracted to your character as a move action. The willsave DC for this is equal to 10+1/2 HD+Beauty modifier. The charm is equal to Charm Person spell that lasts for 1 rd/HD.
Conversely if you have a beauty stat of 5 or lower you can attempt to frighten someone. A number of times per day equal to 1/4 HD you can attempt to scare someone as a move action. The willsave DC for this equal to 10+1/2 HD+Intimidate modifier from beauty. This ability is equal to the Fear Spell and lasts for 1 rd/HD.
-->Starting Level: 1st
-->HP: Max.
-->Alignment: No evil.
-->Choose a background from the Occupation and Backgrounds system. The gold you get from that system is your starting gold, maxed.
-->All archetypes allowed.
-->Books allowed: All Pathfinder, no 3PP.
-->Background Skills: Yes.
-->Variant Multiclassing: Yes.
-->Firearms: Guns Everywhere: Guns are commonplace. Early firearms are seen as antiques, and advanced firearms are widespread. Firearms are simple weapons, and early firearms, advanced guns, and their ammunition are bought or crafted for 10% of the cost listed in this chapter. The gunslinger loses the gunsmith class feature and instead gains the gun training class feature at 1st level.
-->Forbidden Classes: Antipaladin, Samurai.
-->Races allowed: All from core and advanced race guide. Can modify races up to 13 RP as long as the abilities fall within the theme of the race you are modifying. Races who have RP above 13 cannot be modified.
Combat:
During small(few to one monsters) combat:
Standard book combat rules apply.
During large(many monsters) combat:
Players Initiatives will be averaged, so players may take their turn at any time during the players group turn.
Enemy initiatives will be grouped together as well in the initiative order. They will be placed in respect to the averaged players initiative.
During Combat. Due to its lengthy nature, I will speed up posts to once a day. At the end of each day, the monsters will always take their turn. This is to prevent a month long combat sequence.
Ex.
Combat 1:
Players have an average initiative roll of 8. Monsters average initiative rolls is a 4. In this event, the Players take their turn first, then the monsters will after.
Posting: I expect a certain level of skill with the english language from my players. One sentence responses will usually not be sufficient. Repeated 1 sentence responses will result in the player being removed from my game. There is a built in spell check on the site but I would suggest writing your lengthy responses in a writing program. Blatant poor grammar (with the exception of idiotic character speech) will not be accepted and repeated grammatically incorrect posts can lead to removal. All this means is read over what you write BEFORE posting and spell check. It only takes a minute or two and saves everyone a headache.
At the beginning I will not be militant about grammar or post length as all of the players (myself included) will be getting used to the other players' writing styles. As time progresses however posts should become more fluid and well written as we get more experience as a group. If a character is saying something posting just the speech in bold font is unacceptable. Write your posts as if you are taking part in writing a book.
Major Events:
Spoiler:
I've created these rules based off of several games as both a GM and player so please don't bother trying to suggest an alternative to what is already stated. Any situations not covered by these rules will be decided on a case by case basis.
And above all that please remember when creating your character that you are part of a colonization effort settling on the islands of what used to be the most advanced empire in the world. You were chosen by the Bountiful Venture Company, the financiers of this expedition and they wouldn't choose rabble rousers or people who would end up becoming a problem. Think of how your character would be a benefit to a large group trying to set up civilization in the wild with very little or intermittent support in an area that is overflowing with natural resources and ruins from the most advanced civilization on the planet.
The dawn came early as was usual this time of year though the village still sat in shadow as the great mountains to the east cast this area in shadow until late morning. For now those who rose early would have to make do with a brighter sky, the farmers and fisherman bundled up against the morning cold as they rolled out of their stone houses and set off into the fields or towards the great Black, the immense deep lake that hugged the base of the mountains and provided both food and a transportation system for all of the villages that were built on it's shores.
None of the activities of the great city-states filtered this far into the hinterlands, the technology and culture often well over 100 years behind though the vast majority of the food they enjoyed came from such villages as Huthran, where we find our intrepid young adventurers facing their first days of adulthood as they began to stir. It would not be too long before they all bolted to their feet as today was their naming day, they in which they were all identified as adults and graduated in their respective fields from student to apprentice. Today was the day that all stepping from child to adult could choose their full name, though most in rural areas they simply tended to keep the family name.
By the first bell of the afternoon the whole village had arrived into the village center which had transformed from a simple circle in front of town hall to a bedecked festival area replete with food and fresh mead. There we find our young adventurers, freshly scrubbed and in their best clothing, brimming with excitement at the possibilities of the future.
At the end of the Age of Enthronement the death of the god Aroden shook the very foundations of reality. Deskari, one of Aroden's ancient foes, had long plotted an attack of massive scale upon the mortal world of Golarian, Aroden's birthplace. As the God of Humanity passed into Pharasma's judgment the old kingdom of Sakoris was rent asunder as an abyssal horde exploded from a fresh planar tear orchestrated by one of Deksari's mightiest servants. The defenders of Sakoris could not resist the armies of demons that marched against them and the kingdom fell.
A hastily assembled Crusade arrived soon after and managed to throw the demons back, penning them within the borders of Sakoris and erecting a line of Ward Stones that trapped the army within. The battle line has surged back forth in the following years with the Fourth Crusade secure behind the walls of Kenabres, a fortress city built on the edge of a cliff that used to be a much shallower river.
Rumors and dark thoughts have been circulating among the despondent crusaders as they suffer setback after setback, the demons seeming to hedge them in from every direction. Whispers speak of the end of the fourth crusade as the remaining faithful continue to hold back the tides of darkness from overwhelming the rest of the world. Have the gods of Light abandoned the Crusade?
A hopeful note has risen to temporarily boost the morale of everyone within the city, Armass is coming! A city-wide festival filled with music, jousting competitions, mock duels, battle reenactments and other festival events. Originally an opportunity for scholars and priests to come together to study the lessons of history from past wares it has evolved into something far grander.
All of the PCs know each other by this point and you will spot each other in the crowd in Clydwell Plaza, just west of the massive Cathedral as noon and the opening ceremonies approach. Describe your characters and your first actions for Wrath of the Righteous!
You don't remember much of what happened last night. The crowd was rowdy, the ringing laughter of a wild night, the heady joy of excess, the scents of rich stewed meat and perfume lingering in your nostrils. What you feel right now is anything but what you remember, the gently rocking of your surroundings compounding the already intense headache, the sickly taste of cheap wine in your mouths, the hard floor and a rhythmic creaking noise. Before you get a chance to unscramble your head the harsh light of a lantern pierces your barely opened eyes as heavy footsteps approach.
"Still abed with the sun over the yardarm? On your feet, ye flithy swabs! Get up on deck and report for duty before Cap'n Harrigan flays your flesh into sausage skins and has Fishguts fry ye up for breakfast!" barked a harsh and malicious voice. Anyone who looked up at the speaker would find a black bearded human standing over them and backed by 6 rough look pirates. The speaker was smiling with yellow teeth at the discomfort of the PCs and played with a coiled whip that hung from his belt.
What is so special about you? Well there is really nothing special about anyone. Being told you were special is a fallacy that every parent tells their children that leaves them unprepared for the world of adulthood. But then when everyone around growing up goes through the same thing, it really means nothing. You survived your childhood and did the best you could, succeeding, failing, whatever. Smartphones, sensationalist news, megacorporations trodding over laws and freedom for the almighty dollar, racism, bigotry and the general degradation of society all seemed to the talk of the day.
But who has time for all of that when you are just trying to make a life for yourself? You have friends and family to rely on, to hate, to laugh and cry with, to forget, to cherish. So when you heard that one of your best friends has vanished in the forests that border Vermont and New York, you reached out to the other people of your social circle to organize a search, throwing whatever time and resources you could to take the five hour drive from New York City. What you find in those forsaken trees will shatter your belief and shake the foundations of reality.
The friend in question is Alex Grayson, 28. He grew up in Boston MA and went to NYU, a thrill seeker and overall good person with a large group of friends. He is an aeronautical engineer, an airplane mechanic who works at JFK airport and spends his weekends hiking, camping and doing many outdoor activities. His most extreme activity to date is spending three weeks hiking the Grand Canyon several years ago and barely dodging a flash flood during a heavy rainstorm. He has a younger brother Elias (my character), a 25 year old pediatrician who works in Boston.
House Rules:
Nat 20's and 1's: In my games there is a chance for even a 1st level character to impale a dragon through the heart against impossible odds as well as a 20th level rogue tripping and landing flat on his face. Roll a nat 20 and the accomplishment will go above and beyond whatever you are trying to attempt. Roll a nat 1 and it's an automatic failure, regardless of your base attack or skill ranks. Even gods can screw up.
Magic: With the exception of the adept, magic does not exist. And any player of an adept that gets chosen will have special restrictions on using said magic until a specific point in the story. That means feats, items and anything else magical DOES. NOT. EXIST.
Adepts: For you, magic exists. However when you told your parents, they didn't believe you. When you actually showed them, you accidentally set the couch on fire. The punishment that followed was harsh as they thought you just did some malicious trick. The harder you argued, the more they didn't believe you until finally they sent you to a therapist. What followed was years of heavy therapy including drugs and shock therapy all to persuade you that magic didn't exist. As an adult you've adjusted and learned never to show or tell anyone but the scars are still there. And so is your magic.
Armor: As this is a more modern setting most people in the world do not walk around with armor of any kind. Bullet Proof Vests are considered Light Armor and provide an AC of +2, Max Dex of 5 and AC penalty of -1. Only those with Profession (Soldier, Bouncer, Fighter, Law Enforcement) will receive Armor Proficiency (Combat Armor). Combat Armor is considered Medium armor and provides a +5 AC, Max dex of +2 and an AC Penalty of -4. No one has access to heavy armor of any kind.
Traits: 2 traits, 1 flaw. Additional traits are earn via playing the campaign. These are rewards or affects your characters will gain depending on their actions in the campaign.
PC vs PC Diplomacy Checks: This will not be allowed to force players to think or behave a specific way. You must convince them with traditional means of roleplay.
Feats: Feats are gained as normal, but additional feats may be awarded by group/character play. Bonus feat awarded at 1st, 5th, 10th, 15th and 20th level.
Feat Tax: I will be using the system suggested here.
Unarmed Attacks: All unarmed damage do 1d3 points of lethal. Warriors, who in this story will be athletes or soldiers and the like, will do 1d4 lethal unarmed damage. You have the option to do lethal or non-lethal with unarmed attacks.
Combat: Players will be given one day to post their turn in combat. By the end of day if a player has not taken their turn, they will be put on delay and combat will proceed normally. GM will roll all initiative rolls to keep from breaking the flow of the PbP.
Player Death: In the event of a players death, that is the end of their journey (If there is no chance to get a revival/reincarnation). This also means your participation in the campaign is done. No re-rolling of characters will be permitted. This is to allow other outside players a chance to participate in the campaign.
Party Wipe: In the event of the death of the entire party, a new recruitment will be held. You will be allowed to submit a new character then, but only then.
Character Creation:
-->Attributes: I like high powered games so start off thus; start off with 1 auto 18. Roll 3d6, reroll 1's, drop the lowest dice and add 6. Do that 5 times and you have a set. Do that as many times as you want until you arrive at a set that you like (max of 25 times). You must accept stats as a set, no mixing and matching.
-->Starting Level: Aristocrat, expert, Warrior and adept(special rules), 2nd level. Eventually you will be able to 'prestige' into character classes.
-->HP: Max.
-->Starting Cash: This will be based entirely on your character background, class and current profession. This means I will tell those who are accepted into the game how much money they have access to.
-->All archetypes allowed (When classes become unlocked).
-->Books allowed: All Pathfinder with the following exceptions; No Occult Adventures or 3PP. Starfinder (very limited, case-by-case basis.)
-->Skills: We will be using the Starfinder skills with the craft skill added. Mysticism is now based on INT, not WIS.
-->Variant Multiclassing: No.
-->Firearms: Guns everywhere.
-->Races allowed: Human.
Combat:
During small(few to one monsters) combat:
Standard book combat rules apply.
During large(many monsters) combat:
Players Initiatives will be averaged, so players may take their turn at any time during the players group turn.
Enemy initiatives will be grouped together as well in the initiative order. They will be placed in respect to the averaged players initiative.
During Combat. Due to its lengthy nature, I will speed up posts to once a day. At the end of each day, the monsters will always take their turn. This is to prevent a month long combat sequence.
Ex.
Combat 1:
Players have an average initiative roll of 8. Monsters average initiative rolls is a 4. In this event, the Players take their turn first, then the monsters will after.
Crafting System:
Due to many but not all of the Pathfinder Craft categories being rolled in Starfinder, we will also be using the Craft skill for all those items which do not fall under Life Science, Physical Science etc. Below are a few examples.
Crafting Categories:
-->Ancient Armor (includes leather armor, fullplate, those sorts of things)
-->Blacksmithing (the normal application plus things like swords and knives)
-->Woodworking (normal furniture plus Bows)
-->Art (paintings, pottery, sculpting, etc.)
-->Clothing (anything that goes on the body not considered armor)
While this far from an exhaustive list, Craft will only be used to make something that does not fall under the normal Crafting rules for Starfinder.
What you need to craft?
To craft items in the campaign you must have the raw material to do so. Most raw materials can either be found, salvaged, or bought. There will be unique materials and components you can find to add special affects or bonuses.
When you have the required materials, you can do one of two things. You can either find/purchase a schematic in order to know the quantity of resources you need. Or you can make a Craft [Category] skill check to see if your character knows how to craft that item that you want. If you fail to pass this knowledge check you have to buy a schematic or take a penalty to your Craft [Category] check to when you craft your weapon.
How long does it take?
Crafting takes time in the game world, there will be moments when you enter towns where you will have access to what you need to craft your items. The length of time is calculated from a Craft [Category] check and the complexity/quality of the weapon. You can rush your crafts but you will take a penalty on your Craft [Category] check for quality.
How are the stats determined?
I will determine final base stats of your item. Your will make your final Craft [Category] check to determine your characters success at making the item. This check will help determine the quality of your item, or if your character blunders and wastes the materials.
Can I get an example?
Of course you can! (Note: All data here is an example and does not represent what the materials actually do.)
Bliggledorf the Dwarf decides he wants to make a one handed waraxe. First he makes a check to see if he is knowledgeable enough in crafting it.
He has a Craft: Weapons skill of 15. His final roll tallies results in a 25. Crafting a standard waraxe is pretty common knowledge so he doesn't need a schematic. He finds out he needs 2 ingots to craft it and it will take approximately 2 full days to make it.
Bliggledorf the Dwarf has enough Darksteel and Obsidian to craft it. He decides to use Darksteel because it gives a inherent +2 to attack rolls against Goblins. He knows this because of a finding a tattered book on Darksteel. Though a Craft Weapons check could reveal if he worked with that material before and possibly gleamed what it might do.
Bliggledorf then makes a Craft Weapons Skill check to Craft the weapon. He doesn't have enough time craft it so he wants to attempt to craft it in one day which raises the difficulty of the check. His skill check results in 20. Luckily since it is a simple weapon with no other enhancements he makes it without too much difficulty. His weapon now has the base stats of a common waraxe, but with a +2 to attack rolls against Goblins.
If he had extra time, he could lower the difficulty of the check or opted to use extra materials to try and get a boost to its effect or find a new affect by combining materials.
Posting: I expect a certain level of skill with the english language from my players. One sentence responses will usually not be sufficient. Repeated 1 sentence responses will result in the player being removed from my game. There is a built in spell check on the site but I would suggest writing your lengthy responses in a writing program. Blatant poor grammar (with the exception of idiotic character speech) will not be accepted and repeated grammatically incorrect posts can lead to removal. All this means is read over what you write BEFORE posting and spell check. It only takes a minute or two and saves everyone a headache.
At the beginning I will not be militant about grammar or post length as all of the players (myself included) will be getting used to the other players' writing styles. As time progresses however posts should become more fluid and well written as we get more experience as a group. If a character is saying something posting just the speech in bold font is unacceptable. Write your posts as if you are taking part in writing a book.
Major Events:
This is where any major/noteworthy events will be tracked, accompanied by a link to a document with any extra details on the event.
Spoiler:
I've created these rules based off of several games as both a GM and player so please don't bother trying to suggest an alternative to what is already stated. Any situations not covered by these rules will be decided on a case by case basis.
Recruitment ends in 3 weeks or sooner, depending on how many applications I get.
What is so special about you? Well there is really nothing special about anyone. Being told you were special is a fallacy that every parent tells their children that leaves them unprepared for the world of adulthood. But then when everyone around growing up goes through the same thing, it really means nothing. You survived your childhood and did the best you could, succeeding, failing, whatever. Smartphones, sensationalist news, megacorporations trodding over laws and freedom for the almighty dollar, racism, bigotry and the general degradation of society all seemed to the talk of the day.
But who has time for all of that when you are just trying to make a life for yourself? You have friends and family to rely on, to hate, to laugh and cry with, to forget, to cherish. So when you heard that one of your best friends has vanished in the forests that border Vermont and New York, you reached out to the other people of your social circle to organize a search, throwing whatever time and resources you could to take the five hour drive from New York City. What you find in those forsaken trees will shatter your belief and shake the foundations of reality.
Alrighty! So if that wasn't vague enough let me shine some illumination on your quandary. This is an interest check for a unique campaign where everyone will start with 2 NPC class levels, everyone will be human and the story will start right here, on Earth, in the USA and more specifically New York/Vermont. Everyone will be early 20's and nothing is unique about the start. You are just a person starting your life in a world where the laws of Physics exist and there is no such thing as the supernatural, except for maybe that awesome TV show that you binge watch once a year when the season ends up on Netflix. However when one of your closest friends David, an avid lover of the outdoors and expert hiker, vanishes into to the northern forests you go looking for him. However you and your friends have no idea just how deep that rabbit hole goes. Monsters, Magic and everything unholy that only exists in stories is a hell of a lot closer then you ever knew.
Attributes: I like high powered games so start off thus; start off with 1 auto 18. Roll 3d6, reroll 1's, drop the lowest dice and add 6. Do that 5 times and you have a set. Do that as many times as you want until you arrive at a set that you like (max of 25 times). You must accept stats as a set, no mixing and matching.
Books: All Paizo (with restrictions, see below). I will also be using the Traveler system.
Starting Level: 2
Starter Classes: Aristocrat, expert, Warrior and adept(special rules).
Classes: Eventually you will be able to 'prestige' into a normal character class and as such build your NPC classes/skills to aim towards the class you want when that time comes.
Feats: I will be creating/adopting feats for modern armor, combat armor, firearms and such. I will also be incorporating many feats from the Traveler system.
Magic: With the exception of the adept, magic does not exist. And any player of an adept that gets chosen will have special restrictions on using said magic until a specific point in the story. That means feats, items and anything else magical DOES. NOT. EXIST.
Races: You will all start out as human. Eventually that may change.
Unarmed Attacks: All unarmed damage do 1d2 points of lethal. Warriors, who in this story will be athletes or soldiers and the like, will do 1d4 lethal unarmed damage. You have the option to do lethal or non-lethal with unarmed attacks.
Skills: Since magic does not exist (except for the adept, special restrictions) skills like K. Arcane, Spellcraft and UMD do not exist. K. Planar does exist but there are so many versions of Hell, Heaven, Nirvana and every other religion/culture it's considered mythology. There will also be skills from T20 incorporated into this game.
Firearms: Murica! However there are those pesky firearm laws to deal with. Or to ignore, your choice.
Adepts: For you, magic exists. However when you told your parents, they didn't believe you. When you actually showed them, you accidentally set the couch on fire. The punishment that followed was harsh as they thought you just did some malicious trick. The harder you argued, the more they didn't believe you until finally they sent you to a therapist. What followed was years of heavy therapy including drugs and shock therapy all to persuade you that magic didn't exist. As an adult you've adjusted and learned never to show or tell anyone but the scars are still there. And so is your magic.
There will be some more homerules that I will detail if there appears to be enough interest.
Two thousand years ago a great cataclysm shook the world. No one is sure where it came from as records from that time have been obliterated and the long lived races who might have remembered have either forgotten or vanished. The gods have become nothing more then myth as knowledge and science were set back generations. Continents have shifted and biomes have changed, deserts becoming jungles while mountain ranges rose and fell. The names and beliefs of old have all been buried as faith vanished from all but the most isolated communities as only druidic tradition is rewarded with power.
Great city-states rose from the ashes of civilization as only those isolated from the wild magic that ravaged the planet were able to start rebuilding with science that was protected from the fallout. Now electricity flows to each home within the cities secured behind their great walls, while steam engines powered by magic have enabled the world to master sea, land and air as once again progress marches.
Out in the wild however life is both more idyllic and raw, a place where the fringes of civilization still cling to old beliefs and draw everything they need from nature, unconcerned with the faster and more convenient life offered to those who give up their freedom to live behind the walls of the distant city-states. Merchants moving by animal-drawn wagons or the more rare and expensive steam-wagons connect most of the rural villages with the nearest great city, bringing technology and news in exchange for the raw products that only the distant villages could produce in great quantity.
The great Cities are often in competition with each other, lands and people being exchanged through warfare and natural disasters. The closest city to the town where the PCs will start is called Serafin and is considered a beacon of culture and science as glass domes supported by thin ribs of wrought iron and adamantine can be seen stretching over the immense basalt wall that wraps around the 250,000 citizens that call the city home. They live around and on top of each other, the wealthy elite living at the tops of the numerous towers that rise into the sky while the common folk make due around the strict laws and well equipped guards. Bridges and cable cars bridge the higher levels of the city and a ground level tram provides quick transportation for both civilians and the army that mans the walls while also sending large patrols a days journey into the countryside, the extent of Serafin's power.
It is in the rural town of Huthran where the adventure will first begin as the PCs, all child-hood friends, begin to take their first steps into adulthood with apprenticeships or vagabond exploration that soon explode into exciting adventure as they will be asked to solve the growing threat to their isolated region as village after village experiences strange disappearances.
Huthran is set hard against the base of the Stormpeaks, a mountain range 200 miles west of Serafin in an area known for it's rich mineral deposits and forestry. Numerous rivers comes down off the tall, snow capped peaks and pool in the Black, the local name for the large lake that has never been successfully plumbed and seems to suck in light. If not for the healthy fish population the locals wouldn't brave the temperamental lake with it's rogue waves and savage storms that could sweep off the mountains with little warning.
Many other villages like Huthran can be found around the edges of the Black, all using the body of water as both a source of food and communication line, the Lord Mayors of each town talking for both trade and security. Deeper into the huge forest that covers the lower parts of the mountains civilization breaks down and tribalism begins. These tribes, composed primarily of humans, eschewed the towns and softer life to remain 'pure' and in balance with the power of the wild. Each tribe is ruled by either a druid or a barbarian chief with a druidic adviser.
The towns and tribes have a complex relationship, the tribes having complete control of the fur and tree harvest and the towns offering items such as metal weapons that the tribes couldn't otherwise get a hold of. The tribes tolerate the mining operations of the towns closest to the mountains while the towns do not encroach on the forest. Druids often act as the spiritual advisers for both tribes and towns, sharing forecasts of weather and healing while at the same time teaching the young about the wild. Without the druids the tribes and town would have long ago destroyed each other.
Hello! Now that the basic description of the adventure has been dealt with let me give you some of the nitty gritty. As you can tell from the previous paragraphs some kind of world shaking cataclysm reset civilization over a thousand years ago as entire races vanished and no government surviving the changes.
The general theme for the world is Steamboy meets Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman meets Princess Mononoke meets Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind meets Van Helsing.
House Rules:
Magic: Max spell-levels to start will be capped at roughly 1/2 as knowledge of anything higher has been lost. This means half casters (except rangers) cap at 2nd level, 2/3 casters stop at 4th level and full casters (except druids) cap at 6th level.
This does not mean higher levels don't exist merely that the spells are very rare and impossible to simply buy. Anyone wanting to play a wizard will no longer receive the 2 free spells/level beyond level 12. The same applies to anyone wanting to play a caster, once you reach the level where you would receive the next highest level of spell beyond the cap you no longer gain the free spells known per level. Every spell beyond that will have to be conceptualized and researched and will be unique to the caster.
Accordingly prices for scrolls, potions, wands, rods and anything else that replicates a spell are 2.5x more expensive.
Summoning/Planar Travel etc: Any magic that summons, enables travel to/from or contacts beings from other planes doesn't work.
Healing Magic: All heal spells are modified by the casters total heal skill (min. of 0). Example: Joe Bob has a heal skill of 10. He casts cure light wounds for 1d8+3. Say that gives him an 8. Add his heal skill to that and poof, 18! This represents the casters knowledge of the healing and how to properly channel the healing energy to maximum effect.
Nat 20's and 1's: In my games there is a chance for even a 1st level character to impale a dragon through the heart against impossible odds as well as a 20th level rogue tripping and landing flat on his face. Roll a nat 20 and the accomplishment will go above and beyond whatever you are trying to attempt. Roll a nat 1 and it's an automatic failure, regardless of your base attack or skill ranks. Even gods can screw up.
Traits: 3 to start, 1 drawback. Additional traits are earn via playing the campaign. These are rewards or affects your characters will gain depending on their actions in the campaign.
PC vs PC Diplomacy Checks: This will not be allowed to force players to think or behave a specific way. You must convince them with traditional means of roleplay.
Feats: Feats are gained as normal, but additional feats may be awarded by group/character play. Bonus feat awarded at 1st, 5th, 10th, 15th and 20th level.
Feat Tax: I will be using the system suggested here.
Crafting: A slightly altered system will be replacing Pathfinders crafting rule set to accommodate the campaign.
Combat: Players will be given one day to post their turn in combat. By the end of day if a player has not taken their turn, they will be put on delay and combat will proceed normally. GM will roll all initiative rolls to keep from breaking the flow of the PbP.
Player Death: In the event of a players death, that is the end of their journey (If there is no chance to get a revival/reincarnation). This also means your participation in the campaign is done. No re-rolling of characters will be permitted. This is to allow other outside players a chance to participate in the campaign.
Party Wipe: In the event of the death of the entire party, a new recruitment will be held. You will be allowed to submit a new character then, but only then.
Technology: Steampunk!! Airships!! Railroads (very limited right now)!! Lots of Clockwork stuff.
Mythic: Possible but not guaranteed.
Character Creation:
-->Attributes: I like high powered games so start off thus; start off with 1 auto 18. Roll 3d6, reroll 1's, drop the lowest dice and add 6. Do that 5 times and you have a set. Do that as many times as you want until you arrive at a set that you like (max of 50 times). You must accept stats as a set, no mixing and matching.
-->Starting Level: 1st
-->HP: Max.
-->Max gold 1st level.
-->All archetypes allowed.
-->Books allowed: All Pathfinder with the following exceptions; No Occult Adventures or 3PP. Also any books/PDFs dealing with the Machinesmith class from Louis Porter Jr Design are allowed.
-->Classes: Everyone will be starting out as level 1 npc class as you will begin as apprentices or something equivalent. Regular character classes will open up later. Machinesmith from Louis Porter Jr. Designs is the only 3PP class allowed once regular classes become available.
-->Restricted Classes: Over two thousand years ago the gods went silent and those who drew their power from faith or were blessed by the divine in their very blood lost all of their power. No clerics, paladins, oracles, celestial blooded sorcerer or any other class whose class features are divine related can be played. Druids and rangers are the exception to this rule as they Idolize nature itself.
Also Summoners will not be allowed due to the restriction on summoning magic.
-->Races allowed: Human, half-elf, dwarf, halfling and half-orc. If you want to play a half-orc you will suffer a -5 penalty on diplomacy rolls as you are considered to be in-bred and both of your parents will be humans. Additionally half-orcs receive +2 Str in addition to the +2 to a stat of their choice. Half-elves can be born from any combination of human/human, human/half-elf or half-elf/half-elf and are called Eldkin.
-->Background Skills: Yes.
-->Variant Multiclassing: Special. All characters will receive 1 variant class for free. Restrictions on divine characters still apply.
-->Firearms: Commonplace Guns: While still expensive and tricky to wield, early firearms are readily available. Instead of requiring the Exotic Weapon Proficiency feat, all firearms are martial weapons. Early firearms and their ammunition cost 25% of the amounts listed, but advanced firearms and their ammunition are still rare and cost the full price to purchase or craft.
-->Alignment: Not as strict a system since clerics and their ilk are no longer around but generally a good meter for the type of person you are . Cause too much conflict in the group and we will have a problem.
Combat:
During small(few to one monsters) combat:
Standard book combat rules apply.
During large(many monsters) combat:
Players Initiatives will be averaged, so players may take their turn at any time during the players group turn.
Enemy initiatives will be grouped together as well in the initiative order. They will be placed in respect to the averaged players initiative.
During Combat. Due to its lengthy nature, I will speed up posts to once a day. At the end of each day, the monsters will always take their turn. This is to prevent a month long combat sequence.
Ex.
Combat 1:
Players have an average initiative roll of 8. Monsters average initiative rolls is a 4. In this event, the Players take their turn first, then the monsters will after.
Crafting System:
You can craft many items in the campaign, from armor and weapons, but you must have skill points allocated to Craft: [Category] in order to do so. You must obtain raw materials and/or schematics to do. The system is explained in more detail below:
Crafting Categories:
-->Armor + Weapons
-->Spellcraft (This is the existing Spellcraft in skills)
-->Alchemy (includes everything of an alchemical nature, magical or otherwise.)
-->Siege
-->Traps
-->Art (paintings, pottery, sculpting, etc.)
-->Clothing (anything that goes on the body not considered armor)
What you need to craft?
To craft items in the campaign you must have the raw material to do so. Most raw materials can either be found, salvaged, or bought. There will be unique materials and components you can find to add special affects or bonuses.
When you have the required materials, you can do one of two things. You can either find/purchase a schematic in order to know the quantity of resources you need. Or you can make a Craft [Category] skill check to see if your character knows how to craft that item that you want. If you fail to pass this knowledge check you have to buy a schematic or take a penalty to your Craft [Category] check to when you craft your weapon.
How long does it take?
Crafting takes time in the game world, there will be moments when you enter towns where you will have access to what you need to craft your items. The length of time is calculated from a Craft [Category] check and the complexity/quality of the weapon. You can rush your crafts but you will take a penalty on your Craft [Category] check for quality.
How are the stats determined?
I will determine final base stats of your item. Your will make your final Craft [Category] check to determine your characters success at making the item. This check will help determine the quality of your item, or if your character blunders and wastes the materials.
Can I get an example?
Of course you can! (Note: All data here is an example and does not represent what the materials actually do.)
Bliggledorf the Dwarf decides he wants to make a one handed waraxe. First he makes a check to see if he is knowledgeable enough in crafting it.
He has a Craft: Weapons skill of 15. His final roll tallies results in a 25. Crafting a standard waraxe is pretty common knowledge so he doesn't need a schematic. He finds out he needs 2 ingots to craft it and it will take approximately 2 full days to make it.
Bliggledorf the Dwarf has enough Darksteel and Obsidian to craft it. He decides to use Darksteel because it gives a inherent +2 to attack rolls against Goblins. He knows this because of a finding a tattered book on Darksteel. Though a Craft Weapons check could reveal if he worked with that material before and possibly gleamed what it might do.
Bliggledorf then makes a Craft Weapons Skill check to Craft the weapon. He doesn't have enough time craft it so he wants to attempt to craft it in one day which raises the difficulty of the check. His skill check results in 20. Luckily since it is a simple weapon with no other enhancements he makes it without too much difficulty. His weapon now has the base stats of a common waraxe, but with a +2 to attack rolls against Goblins.
If he had extra time, he could lower the difficulty of the check or opted to use extra materials to try and get a boost to its effect or find a new affect by combining materials.
Posting: I expect a certain level of skill with the English language from my players. One sentence responses will usually not be sufficient. Repeated 1 sentence responses will result in the player being removed from my game. There is a built in spell check on the site but I would suggest writing your lengthy responses in a writing program. Blatant poor grammar (with the exception of idiotic character speech) will not be accepted and repeated grammatically incorrect posts can lead to removal. All this means is read over what you write BEFORE posting and spell check. It only takes a minute or two and saves everyone a headache.
At the beginning I will not be militant about grammar or post length as all of the players (myself included) will be getting used to the other players' writing styles. As time progresses however posts should become more fluid and well written as we get more experience as a group. If a character is saying something posting just the speech in bold font is unacceptable. Write your posts as if you are taking part in writing a book.
Major Events:
This is where any major/noteworthy events will be tracked, accompanied by a link to a document with any extra details on the event.
Spoiler:
I've created these rules based off of several games as both a GM and player so please don't bother trying to suggest an alternative to what is already stated. Any situations not covered by these rules will be decided on a case by case basis.
To start off submit just basic character concepts of a couple of lines. Also give a brief description of your character. Once I approve the concept you may post your finished sheet. Keep in mind that all characters are young (not the template) and relatively idealistic having grown up in a town free of big problems. Don't worry about the connections between the characters right away, we will work on that once I start narrowing down the selections. Looking for 4-5 characters, recruitment will close down 2359 01/13/2019.
There will be a discord server for OOC chat, loot records and dice rolling.
You find yourself wandering into a Brevoy tavern one night to see a cluster of people standing around a piece of paper nailed to the notice board. Once you are able to (elbow your way through, wait patiently, use your small size to scamper underneath the big people or use your commanding height to simply look over everyone's head) read the paper, it says thus;
All ye brave of heart and strong in desire, harken! To the south lies those lands long bereft of order and Lordship. The Swordlords call out for those of stout character to journey to the south and tame the wildlands for the glory of first themselves and then The Ruby Throne! All interested parties please see your nearest clerk's office.
Chartered by the nobility of Brevoy to explore and conquer the Stolen Lands, will you establish yourself as a new world power or fade into obscurity?
Be it so known that the bearer of this charter has been charged by the Swordlords of Restov, acting upon the greater good and authority vested within them by the office of His Majesty King Noleski Surtova, has granted the right of exploration and travel within the wilderness region known as the Greenbelt. Exploration should be limited to an area no further than thirty-six miles east and west and sixty miles south of Oleg’s Trading Post. The carrier of this charter should also strive against banditry and other unlawful behavior to be encountered. The punishment for unrepentant banditry remains, as always, execution by sword or rope. So witnessed on this 24th day of Calistril, under watchful eye of the Lordship of Restov and authority granted by King Noleski Surtova, Ruler of Brevoy.
Requirements
Hello! We are looking for 2-3 players to add to our current cast of 3 for Kingmaker! We will be starting at the beginning.
Current PCs are:
Half-Elf Witch/Alchemist
Aasimar Wizard/Druid
Kobold Fighter/Magus
As you can see we have tons of magical support. What we don't have are skill monkeys or stealth characters and are somewhat short on physical power.
House Rules:
Healing Magic: All heal spells are modified by the casters total heal skill (min. of 0). Example: Joe Bob has a heal skill of 10. He casts cure light wounds for 1d8+3. Say that gives him an 8. Add his heal skill to that and poof, 18! This represents the casters knowledge of the healing and how to properly channel the healing energy to maximum effect.
Nat 20's and 1's: In my games there is a chance for even a 1st level character to impale a dragon through the heart against impossible odds as well as a 20th level rogue tripping and landing flat on his face. Roll a nat 20 and the accomplishment will go above and beyond whatever you are trying to attempt. Roll a nat 1 and it's an automatic failure, regardless of your base attack or skill ranks. Even gods can screw up.
Spells: Spells do not require a spell-book to replenish your daily use, thats accomplished with an hour of meditation. Spell-books are only required to change your daily spells or learn new spells.
Summoning Spells: Summoned creatures can have any of the following templates applied; celestial, entropic, fiendish, or resolute. With sufficient K. Planar rolls of DC 15+ the following templates will become available on a 1 by 1 basis; aerial, aqueous, chthonic, dark, fiery, or primordial. A good character summoning a creature that is ALWAYS evil (such as a devil or demon) risks alignment shift and vice/versa for evil characters. This also applies to the fiendish and celestial templates.
Traits: 2 to start, 1 must be Kingmaker trait. Additional traits are earn via playing the campaign. These are rewards or affects your characters will gain depending on their actions in the campaign.
PC vs PC Diplomacy Checks: This will not be allowed to force players to think or behave a specific way. You must convince them with traditional means of roleplay.
Feats: Feats are gained as normal, but additional feats may be awarded by group/character play. Bonus feat awarded at 1st, 5th, 10th, 15th and 20th level.
Feat Tax: I will be using the system suggested here.
Crafting: A slightly altered system will be replacing Pathfinders crafting rule set to accommodate the campaign.
Combat: Players will be given one day to post their turn in combat. By the end of day if a player has not taken their turn, they will be put on delay and combat will proceed normally. GM will roll all initiative rolls to keep from breaking the flow of the PbP.
Player Death: In the event of a players death, that is the end of their journey (If there is no chance to get a revival/reincarnation). This also means your participation in the campaign is done. No re-rolling of characters will be permitted. This is to allow other outside players a chance to participate in the campaign.
Party Wipe: In the event of the death of the entire party, a new recruitment will be held. You will be allowed to submit a new character then, but only then.
Character Creation:
GESTALT!
-->Warning: Before you read any further, keep in mind my limitations on gestalt. Abilities on one side of the gestalt do NOT stack with similar or the same abilities on the other side of the gestalt. This quote is direct from Unearthed Arcana, where these rules originated. "Class features that two classes share (such as uncanny dodge) accrue at the rate of the faster class."- Unearthed Arcana p. 72. Similair or same abilities from both sides of the gestalt DO NOT stack.
-->Attributes: I like high powered games so start off thus; start off with 1 auto 18. Roll 3d6, reroll 1's, drop the lowest dice and add 6. Do that 5 times and you have a set. Do that as many times as you want until you arrive at a set that you like (max of 50 times). You must accept stats as a set, no mixing and matching.
-->Starting Level: 1st
-->HP: Max.
-->Max gold 1st level.
-->All archetypes allowed.
-->Books allowed: All Pathfinder with the following exceptions; No Occult Adventures, Starfinder or 3PP.
-->Background Skills: Yes.
-->Variant Multiclassing: No.
-->Firearms: Early firearms. Exotic weapons for all but Gunslingers, full price.
-->Forbidden Classes: Ninja, Samurai, any from Occult Adventures, all prestige.
-->Races allowed: Core, no problem. Advanced Race Guide by approval only. You can modify current races up to 15 RP. If the race you have chosen has total RP beyond 15, you cannot modify them.
For those choosing a race found in the Advanced Race Guide if you are choosing an exotic race (tengu for example) I want a Very good reason why your character is so very far from home. Pay attention to where races are normally found and showcase your awesome knowledge of lore!
Combat:
During small(few to one monsters) combat:
Standard book combat rules apply.
During large(many monsters) combat:
Players Initiatives will be averaged, so players may take their turn at any time during the players group turn.
Enemy initiatives will be grouped together as well in the initiative order. They will be placed in respect to the averaged players initiative.
During Combat. Due to its lengthy nature, I will speed up posts to once a day. At the end of each day, the monsters will always take their turn. This is to prevent a month long combat sequence.
Ex.
Combat 1:
Players have an average initiative roll of 8. Monsters average initiative rolls is a 4. In this event, the Players take their turn first, then the monsters will after.
Crafting System:
You can craft many items in the campaign, from armor and weapons, but you must have skill points allocated to Craft: [Category] in order to do so. You must obtain raw materials and/or schematics to do. The system is explained in more detail below:
Crafting Categories:
-->Armor + Weapons
-->Spellcraft (This is the existing Spellcraft in skills)
-->Alchemy (includes everything of an alchemical nature, magical or otherwise.)
-->Siege
-->Traps
-->Art (paintings, pottery, sculpting, etc.)
-->Clothing (anything that goes on the body not considered armor)
What you need to craft?
To craft items in the campaign you must have the raw material to do so. Most raw materials can either be found, salvaged, or bought. There will be unique materials and components you can find to add special affects or bonuses.
When you have the required materials, you can do one of two things. You can either find/purchase a schematic in order to know the quantity of resources you need. Or you can make a Craft [Category] skill check to see if your character knows how to craft that item that you want. If you fail to pass this knowledge check you have to buy a schematic or take a penalty to your Craft [Category] check to when you craft your weapon.
How long does it take?
Crafting takes time in the game world, there will be moments when you enter towns where you will have access to what you need to craft your items. The length of time is calculated from a Craft [Category] check and the complexity/quality of the weapon. You can rush your crafts but you will take a penalty on your Craft [Category] check for quality.
How are the stats determined?
I will determine final base stats of your item. Your will make your final Craft [Category] check to determine your characters success at making the item. This check will help determine the quality of your item, or if your character blunders and wastes the materials.
Can I get an example?
Of course you can! (Note: All data here is an example and does not represent what the materials actually do.)
Bliggledorf the Dwarf decides he wants to make a one handed waraxe. First he makes a check to see if he is knowledgeable enough in crafting it.
He has a Craft: Weapons skill of 15. His final roll tallies results in a 25. Crafting a standard waraxe is pretty common knowledge so he doesn't need a schematic. He finds out he needs 2 ingots to craft it and it will take approximately 2 full days to make it.
Bliggledorf the Dwarf has enough Darksteel and Obsidian to craft it. He decides to use Darksteel because it gives a inherent +2 to attack rolls against Goblins. He knows this because of a finding a tattered book on Darksteel. Though a Craft Weapons check could reveal if he worked with that material before and possibly gleamed what it might do.
Bliggledorf then makes a Craft Weapons Skill check to Craft the weapon. He doesn't have enough time craft it so he wants to attempt to craft it in one day which raises the difficulty of the check. His skill check results in 20. Luckily since it is a simple weapon with no other enhancements he makes it without too much difficulty. His weapon now has the base stats of a common waraxe, but with a +2 to attack rolls against Goblins.
If he had extra time, he could lower the difficulty of the check or opted to use extra materials to try and get a boost to its effect or find a new affect by combining materials.
Posting: I expect a certain level of skill with the english language from my players. One sentence responses will usually not be sufficient. Repeated 1 sentence responses will result in the player being removed from my game. There is a built in spell check on the site but I would suggest writing your lengthy responses in a writing program. Blatant poor grammar (with the exception of idiotic character speech) will not be accepted and repeated grammatically incorrect posts can lead to removal. All this means is read over what you write BEFORE posting and spell check. It only takes a minute or two and saves everyone a headache.
At the beginning I will not be militant about grammar or post length as all of the players (myself included) will be getting used to the other players' writing styles. As time progresses however posts should become more fluid and well written as we get more experience as a group. If a character is saying something posting the speech in only bold font is unacceptable. Write your posts as if you are taking part in writing a book.
Major Events:
This is where any major/noteworthy events will be tracked, accompanied by a link to a document with any extra details on the event.
Spoiler:
I've created these rules based off of several games as both a GM and player so please don't bother trying to suggest an alternative to what is already stated. Any situations not covered by these rules will be decided on a case by case basis.
The war of the World Wound has been lost as some of the mightiest heroes fell. The Ward Stones were shattered and the full might of the demon armies was unleashed on Golarian as the Worldwound grew exponentially. In response the gods moved as never before to quell the sudden onslaught and the deaths of hundreds of thousands of their followers. An unusual alliance between Asmodeus, Iomadae, Sarenrae and Cayden Cailean saved the world but destroyed it at the same time.
The four gods broke Divine Law and appeared on Golarian in the flesh. Iomadae and Cayden moved to fight off the demons with the support of Sarenrae's healing light as Asmodeus used his deep and forbidden knowledge of dark magic to cast a powerful spell that would forcibly seal the World Wound by collapsing the Wound and all the land within twenty miles into a great chasm. That this would kill the millions of soldiers fighting a retreating war against the demons meant nothing to the Father of Lies. To his eternal surprise however the World Wound resisted the Archdevil's magic, pulsing in response and vomiting out even more hordes of demons. Nothing he did seemed to work.
As a last resort Sarenrae tapped into the full depths of her power and summoned forth a lance of pure sunfire and cast it at the wound. The resulting explosion was so immense that people over a thousand miles away could feel the earth shake and hear the boom as a mushroom cloud hundreds of miles tall reached beyond the atmosphere and ejected thousands of tons of debris that would become a ring around the planet. Tidal waves washed over Magnimar and leveled the city as the island of Hermea vanished under the waves. Belkzen disappeared into fire and ash when several dormant volcanoes exploded all at the same time and shattered the orc empire. The great Cypher Gate of Riddleport fell into the bay as Mendev, Ustulav, Numeria and the western part of the Realm of the Mammoth Lords vanished into light and fury.
The Wound was sealed.
At what cost however? Millions were dead as the ground continued to shudder for several days following the explosion as the very land around the survivors warped. Brevoy woke up the day after the explosion to find a great escarpment had risen up to the west, sealing off western travel unless they were willing to travel several hundred miles south through the volatile River Kingdoms. Caliphas residents were thrown from their beds as the city rose up on the edge of a great cliff that overlooked the desolation of Ustalav to their north, now only smoke and shadows covered with thick clouds of volcanic ash and gases from Belkzen.
It was only a week after the initial shock of the explosion did the true horror of the event set in. As the various nations began to pick up the pieces did they realize that magic had stopped working. Wizards in every nation suddenly were little more then custodians of esoteric knowledge. Clerics, paladins, druids and all others who channeled the Divine's power were gone. Not dead, they simply vanished over night. With them went every manner of creature who flew, ran or swam in the oceans with significant magical power. Chaos erupted as mobs descended on the now empty temples to loot and pillage and only in cities with strong governments did law prevail. In Almas the army descended on the mobs headed towards the temples and dispersed them, taking the holy scripts and libraries and storing them under government protection. The Cathedral of the Starstone was sealed and not even a direct hit from a trebuche could open those doors. The Starstone was sealed away, seemingly forever.
The gods had become silent.
Varisia suddenly had to deal with an influx of panicked and demoralized Orcs, the shattered remnants of a once powerful people. To add insult to injury the orcs found no respite from the vengeful Varisians, long subject to the brutality of their neighbors to the east. In a stunning display of bloodlust the Varisians began to slaughter the orcs by the thousands, reducing an already broken people to a shadow of their previous glory. Never again would the orcs rise to prominence as a people.
In Cheliax the opposite happened. With their diabolic allies all cast back into the nine hells and those capapable of summoning infernal servants gone the thrice-damned house of Thrune faced the unimaginable; nothing protected them but the questionable loyalty of normal palace guards. It was at this time that the Army of Light struck for freedom. Despite lacking any magical support the people, with sudden support from Andoran, rose up in revolt and for 3 long years civil war ravaged the the country before Queen Abrogail II herself was marched out and publicly executed in front of her palace.
The army of Andoran moved in with the collapse of the Chalaxian government as the people vented decades of suppressed rage on the noble houses who had publicly supported the devil god Asmodeus. Before the country dissolved into the chaos that was Galt the Andorans stepped in and created an interim government while they taught the now free Chelaxians the ideas of democracy and free market. Those few noble houses still alive were allowed freedom only it was proven they had never openly supported the diabolists and their noble titles gave them no power over the free people. When the armies of Molthune threw off the yoke of Cheliax and invaded Isger and Nidal on either side of it, the armies of Andoran were forced to mobilize to counter the aggressive expansionists. This war was known as the War of Roses and it was the stalwart and unflinching heroism of the Andorans, with unexpected financial support from Druma merchants, that finally severed the country from it's infernal contracts.
After battling against hellknight rebels, Morthal expansionists and what was left of the shadow houses of Nidal for close to 20 years the Andoran's were left with hundreds of miles of new country they didn't want but had defended out of necessity. Many of the free people of Cheliax had joined the Andoran's in battling Morthal and Nidal and now they were a single united force believing in freedom and the choice to choose. But democracy cannot protect such a huge expanse of land and resources and despite the Andoran's best effort to teach the people of Cheliax, they wanted something that the Andoran's weren't willing to give; a new ruler. The Andoran's had developed their country on the idea of democracy and free market and the idea of installing a ruler of any kind over their kin to the west was repugnant. It took close to fifty years for public support to shift enough that the border between Andoran and Cheliax dissolved and they became one country. A new city was founded at the midpoint of the new large country and named Rodan after the name of the Andoran general who led the forces that defeated the forces of Molthune. Rodan became the new capital of Andoran as the borders of the country now spread all the way to the Arcadian Ocean and they became one of the most powerful countries in the world.
Over the next 200 years the strange technology from the Mana Wastes blossomed. With no clerics to channel healing magic wounds festered and killed until more mundane healers could once against become true masters of their craft. Knowledge in the medical fields become more advanced then ever, mainly due to thousands dying to the plague that followed the first years after the war. Now is the era of the steam engine, a mighty device of steel and fire that turned water into vapor and pulled vehicles hundreds of feet long over parallel tracks that wound across the countryside for hundreds of miles. The temples, if they even stand, are edifices of the old world.
And in a world devoid of magic steam technology and it's ilk were allowed to flourish. With Numeria's destruction in the Cataclysm, or Second Starfall as it's called, all of the fantastic technology from the alien ship that had crashed was destroyed. The few pieces that had been smuggled out of the country haven't been replicated and most are out of power now. Geb and Nex have been silent since Second Starfall and tales of an unusually cold winter start filtering from Brevoy. Will you stay safe behind the walls of Westcrown or will you brave the long and perilous journey to glory?
Character Creation:PATHFINDER ONLY MATERIAL.
So the world the PCs would be in is a world scarce of magic, with a few notable exceptions. Sorcerers, wizards, arcanist, magus, etc., they don't exist anymore. The following classes would be allowed with the exception of any supernatural abilities, either from core class or archetypes:
** The bard will also be allowed, with special exception. The bardic spells do not work anymore but for some reason, bardic performances do. They are harder to perform (requiring a DC 20 to even get them to work) but their effect is magnified. Any bonuses to your allies are doubled. Any abilities that negatively affect an enemy have their DCs increased by 5. An example is the fascinate ability. Normal DC the enemy has to overcome is Will Save 10+ 1/2 Bard Level+ Cha mod. Now that is 15 + 1/2 Bard Level + Cha. I know that makes the Bard a bit janky but those are the rules. This also means the most powerful healers are Bard's above 12th level who don't fail the DC 20 check to perform Soothing Performance.
Stats: I run these a little different since I like high powered games. You get 1 auto 18 and then roll your other stats normally, re-rolling any 1's. You are allowed to roll as many sets of 5 that you want but you have to accept all numbers from a single set, not pick and choose from individual rolls.
Races: Any from CRB and ARG with the exception of Aasimar, Tiefling, Drow and any of the elemental races like Oread. There are story reasons why they are not present. No race creation allowed. Furthermore any races allowed that have (Su) or (Sp) abilities, those abilities don't function.
Starting Level: 3. Since Second Starfall and with the disappearance of all healers with the exception of high level bards life has become much more dangerous. Those who venture into the wilds at level 1 are usually exceptionally foolish and 9 in 10 don't return.
Traits: 1 to start with from any lists with special exceptions to traits listed under Magic or Religion. Any traits from under those 2 is allowed as long as it does not reward any kind of magical ability. More traits will be awarded as the game progresses depending on your RP and character's playstyle.
Skills: I am using the background skill system. Heal is also a class skill for all classes.
Character Appearance and History: I would like more then 1 sentence for appearance and more then 1 paragraph for history. Since this is a world still picking itself up after the ravages of Second Starfall life is dangerous and rich. Think steampunk Tombstone with ruins that are made that much more dangerous for the random and sometimes wild magic that may have resisted the destruction and world reshaping of the war. I like three dimensional characters so don't present me with Beatstick Mcguffin.
Items: Don't worry about this until your character has been approved.
Houserules:
Spoiler:
Skill Checks: Even if your skill check is high enough to pass the DC of the required check without a roll, you must roll regardless. Even with your high skill in that check, you still have a chance of critically failing with a natural 1, but also having a critical success on a natural 20 which will grant additional boons.
Traits: Traits are earn via playing the campaign. These are rewards or affects your characters will gain depending on their actions in the campaign.
PC vs PC Diplomacy Checks: This will not be allowed to force players to think or behave a specific way. You must convince them with traditional means of roleplay.
Feats: Feats are gained as normal, but additional feats may be awarded by group/character play.
Crafting: A whole new system will be replacing Pathfinders crafting rule set to accommodate the campaign.
Combat: Players will be giving one day to post their turn in combat. By the end of day if a player has not taken their turn, they will be put on delay and combat will proceed normally. GM will roll all initiative rolls to keep from breaking the flow of the PbP.
Player Death: In the event of a players death, that is the end of their journey (If there is no chance to get a revival/reincarnation). This also means your participation into he campaign is done. No re-rolling of characters will be permitted. This is to allow other outside players a chance to participate in the campaign.
Party Wipe: In the event of the death of the entire party, a new recruitment will be held. You will be allowed to submit a new character then, but only then.
Combat:
Spoiler:
During small(few to one monsters) combat: Standard book combat rules apply.
During large(many monsters) combat: Players Initiatives will be averaged, so players may take their turn at any time during the players group turn.
Enemy initiatives will be grouped together as well in the initiative order. They will be placed in respect to the averaged players initiative.
During Combat. Due to its lengthy nature, I will speed up posts to once a day. At the end of each day, the monsters will always take their turn. This is to prevent a month long combat sequence.
Ex.
Combat 1:
Players have an average initiative roll of 8. Monsters average initiative rolls is a 4. In this event, the Players take their turn first, then the monsters will after.
Crafting System:
Spoiler:
You can craft many items in the campaign, from armor and weapons, but you must have skill points allocated to Craft: [Category] in order to do so. You must obtain raw materials and/or schematics to do. The system is explained in more detail below:
Crafting Categories:
Armor
Weapons (guns fall under this category now)
Alchemy (Knowledge of gunsmithing ammo has progressed to the point that it now falls under this)
Siege
Traps
What you need to craft?
To craft items in the campaign you must have the raw material to do so. Most raw materials can either be found, salvaged, or bought. There will be unique materials and components you can find to add special affects or bonuses. When you have the required materials, you can do one of two things. You can either find/purchase a schematic in order to know the quantity of resources you need. Or you can make a Craft [Category] skill check to see if your character knows how to craft that item that you want. If you fail to pass this knowledge check you have to buy a schematic or take a -5 penalty to your Craft [Category] check to when you craft your weapon.
How long does it take?
Crafting takes time in the game world, there will be moments when you enter towns where you will have access to what you need to craft your items. The length of time is calculated from a Craft [Category] check and the complexity/quality of the weapon. You can rush your crafts but you will take a penalty on your Craft [Category] check for quality.
How are the stats determined?
I will determine final base stats of your item. Your will make your final Craft [Category] check to determine your characters success at making the item. This check will help determine the quality of your item, or if your character blunders and wastes the materials.
Can I get an example?
Of course you can! (Note: All data here is an example and does not represent what the materials actually do.)
Targen the Dwarf decides he wants to make a one handed waraxe. First he makes a check to see if he is knowledgeable enough in crafting it. He has a Craft: Weapons skill of 15. His final roll tallies results in a 25. Crafting a standard waraxe is pretty common knowledge so he doesn't need a schematic. He finds out he needs 2 ingots to craft it and it will take approximately 2 full days to make it.
Targen the Dwarf has enough Darksteel and Obsidian to craft it. He decides to use Darksteel because it gives a inherent +2 to attack rolls against Goblins. He knows this because of a finding a tattered book on Darksteel. Though a Craft Weapons check could reveal if he worked with that material before and possibly gleamed what it might do.
Targen then makes a Craft Weapons Skill check to Craft the weapon. He doesn't have enough time craft it so he wants to attempt to craft it in one day which raises the difficulty of the check. His skill check results in 20. Luckily since it is a simple weapon with no other enhancements he makes it without too much difficulty. His weapon now has the base stats of a common waraxe, but with a +2 to attack rolls against Goblins.
If he had extra time, he could lower the difficulty of the check or opted to use extra materials to try and get a boost to its effect or find a new affect by combining materials.
Now in a world devoid of powerful magical creatures to hunt down and vanquish and their lairs to loot, what's the draw for adventuring parties? Magic items and finding out what has happened in the north! When magic stopped working so too did magical items. Nothing from a 0 level potion to a Staff of Power was immune from this effect. However not all magic items are equal and not all magic items had their powers turned off. Now the big draw is to find and survive the pitfalls of looting countries like Geb and Nex that had a sudden power vacuum as all of their undead masters vanished 200 years ago and the magical defenses were turned off. Sometimes.
Greetings everyone, this is an interest check in an idea i've got since my current live face to face group just had a complete party wipe in Wrath of the Righteous. They all died in book 5 and with their deaths, the war was lost. The Ward Stones were shattered and the full might of the demon armies was unleashed on Golarian as the Worldwound grew exponentially. In response the gods moved as never before to quell the sudden onslaught and the deaths of hundreds of thousands of their followers. An unusual alliance between Asmodeus, Iomadae, Sarenrae and Cayden Cailean saved the world but destroyed it at the same time.
The four gods broke Divine Law and appeared on Golarian in the flesh. Iomadae and Cayden moved to fight off the demons with the support of Sarenrae's healing light as Asmodeus used his deep and forbidden knowledge of dark magic to cast a powerful spell that would forcibly seal the World Wound by collapsing the Wound and all the land within twenty miles into a great chasm. That this would kill the millions of soldiers fighting a retreating war against the demons meant nothing to the Father of Lies. To his eternal surprise however the World Wound resisted the Archdevil's magic, pulsing in response and vomiting out even more hordes of demons. Nothing he did seemed to work.
As a last resort Sarenrae tapped into the full depths of her power and summoned forth a lance of pure sunfire and cast it at the wound. The resulting explosion was so immense that people over a thousand miles away could feel the earth shake and hear the boom as a mushroom cloud hundresds of miles tall reached beyond the atmosphere and ejected thousands of tons of debris that would become a ring around the planet. Tidal waves washed over Magnimar and leveled the city as the island of Hermea vanished under the waves. Belkzen disappeared into fire and ash when several dormant volcanoes exploded all at the same time and shattered the orc empire. The great Cypher Gate of Riddleport fell into the bay as Mendev, Ustulav, Numeria and the western part of the Realm of the Mammoth Lords vanished into light and fury.
The Wound was sealed.
At what cost however? Millions were dead as the ground continued to shudder for several days following the explosion as the very land around the survivors warped. Brevoy woke up the day after the explosion to find a great escarpment had risen up to the west, sealing off western travel unless they were willing to travel several hundred miles south through the volatile River Kingdoms. Caliphas residents were thrown from their beds as the city rose up on the edge of a great cliff that overlooked the desolation of Ustalav to their north, now only smoke and shadows covered with thick clouds of volcanic ash and gases from Belkzen.
It was only a week after the initial shock of the explosion did the true horror of the event set in. As the various nations began to pick up the pieces did they realize that magic had stopped working. Wizards in every nation suddenly were little more then custodians of esoteric knowledge. Clerics, paladins, druids and all others who channeled the Divine's power were gone. Not dead, they simply vanished over night. With them went every manner of creature who flew, ran or swam in the oceans with significant magical power. Chaos erupted as mobs descended on the now empty temples to loot and pillage and only in cities with strong governments did law prevail. In Almas the army descended on the mobs headed towards the temples and dispersed them, taking the holy scripts and libraries and storing them under government protection. The Cathedral of the Starstone was sealed and not even a direct hit from a trebuche could open those doors. The Starstone was sealed away, seemingly forever.
The gods had become silent.
Varisia suddenly had to deal with an influx of panicked and demoralized Orcs, the shattered remnants of a once powerful people. To add insult to injury the orcs found no respite from the vengeful Varisians, long subject to the brutality of their neighbors to the east. In a stunning display of bloodlust the Varisians began to slaughter the orcs by the thousands, reducing an already broken people to a shadow of their previous glory. Never again would the orcs rise to prominence as a people.
In Cheliax the opposite happened. With their diabolic allies all cast back into the nine hells and those capapable of summoning infernal servants gone the thrice-damned house of Thrune faced the unimaginable; nothing protected them but the questionable loyalty of normal palace guards. It was at this time that the Army of Light struck for freedom. Despite lacking any magical support the people, with sudden support from Andoran, rose up in revolt and for 3 long years civil war ravaged the the country before Queen Abrogail II herself was marched out and publically executed in front of her palace.
The army of Andoran moved in with the collapse of the Chalaxian government as the people vented decades of suppressed rage on the noble houses who had publicly supported the devil god Asmodeus. Before the country dissolved into the chaos that was Galt the Andorans stepped in and created an interim government while they taught the now free Chelaxians the ideas of democracy and free market. Those few noble houses still alive were allowed freedom only it was proven they had never openly supported the diabolists and their noble titles gave them no power over the free people. When the armies of Molthune threw off the yoke of Cheliax and invaded Isger and Nidal on either side of it, the armies of Andoran were forced to mobilize to counter the aggressive expansionists. This war was known as the War of Roses and it was the stalwart and unflinching heroism of the Andorans, with unexpected financial support from Druma merchants, that finally severed the country from it's infernal contracts.
After battling against hellknight rebels, Morthal expansionists and what was left of the shadow houses of Nidal for close to 20 years the Andoran's were left with hundreds of miles of new country they didn't want but had defended out of necessity. Many of the free people of Cheliax had joined the Andoran's in battling Morthal and Nidal and now they were a single united force believing in freedom and the choice to choose. But democracy cannot protect such a huge expanse of land and resources and despite the Andoran's best effort to teach the people of Cheliax, they wanted something that the Andoran's weren't willing to give; a new ruler. The Andoran's had developed their country on the idea of democracy and free market and the idea of installing a ruler of any kind over their kin to the west was repugnant. It took close to fifty years for public support to shift enough that the border between Andoran and Cheliax dissolved and they became one country. A new city was founded at the midpoint of the new large country and named Rodan after the name of the Andoran general who led the forces that defeated the forces of Molthune. Rodan became the new capital of Andoran as the borders of the country now spread all the way to the Arcadian Ocean and they became one of the most powerful countries in the world.
Over the next 200 years the strange technology from the Mana Wastes blossomed. With no clerics to channel healing magic wounds festered and killed until more mundane healers could once against become true masters of their craft. Knowledge in the medical fields become more advanced then ever, mainly due to thousands dying to the plague that followed the first years after the war. Now is the era of the steam engine, a mighty device of steel and fire that turned water into vapor and pulled vehicles hundreds of feet long over parallel tracks that wound across the countyside for hundreds of miles. The temples, if they even stand, are edifices of the old world.
So the world the PCs would be in is a world devoid of magic, with a few notable exceptions. Sorcerers, wizards, arcanist, magus, etc., they don't exist anymore. The following classes would be allowed with the exception of any supernatural abilities, either from core class or archetypes:
The bard will also be allowed, with special exception. The bardic spells do not work anymore but for some reason, bardic performances do. They are harder to perform (requiring a DC 20 to even get them to work) but their effect is magnified. Any bonuses to your allies are doubled. Any abilities that negatively affect an enemy have their DCs increased by 5. An example is the fascinate ability. Normal DC the enemy has to overcome is Will Save 10+ 1/2 Bard Level+ Cha mod. Now that is 15 + 1/2 Bard Level + Cha. I know that makes the Bard a bit janky but those are the rules. This also means the most powerful healers are Bard's above 12th level who don't fail the DC 20 check to perform Soothing Performance.
Any races with supernatural abilities can no longer use those abilities. Darkvision and such is not supernatural. The gnome's spell-like ability is gone, along with all other races with spell-like or supernatural abilities.
As to how normal people heal in a world devoid of magic? The Heal skill is now your best friend. It is a class skill for all classes now. High level adventuring parties are usually those with the most scars.
Now in a world devoid of powerful magical creatures to hunt down and vanquish and their lairs to loot, what's the draw for adventuring parties? Magic items and finding out what has happened in the north! When magic stopped working so too did magical items. Nothing from a 0 level potion to a Staff of Power was immune from this effect. However not all magic items are equal and not all magic items had their powers turned off. Now the big draw is to find and survive the pitfalls of looting countries like Geb and Nex that had a sudden power vacuum as all of their undead masters vanished 200 years ago and the magical defenses were turned off. Sometimes.
And in a world devoid of magic steam technology and it's ilk were allowed to flourish. With Numeria's destruction in the Cataclysm, or Second Starfall as it's called, all of the fantastic technology from the alien ship that had crashed was destroyed. The few pieces that had been smuggled out of the country haven't been replicated and most are out of power now. Geb and Nex have been silent since Second Starfall and tales of an unusually cold winter start filtering from Brevoy. Will you stay safe behind the walls of Westcrown or will you brave the long and perilous journey to glory?
Ok that's rather long winded for a simple interest check but as it's a drastic change from the normal Golarian world (and both I and my group didn't expect them to wipe, too many 20's on the bad guys attack rolls), I want to see if there is interest before I explain some of the game mechanics and character creation.
I have a question about an issue that is plaguing my epic level group. We are running with the Epic level Handbook in pathfinder rule set (heavily modified of course) and we've hit a snag with Improved Metamagic. Our wizard (36th level, specifically designed to be a battle caster and put out ungodly amounts of damage in one round) took Improved Metamagic 4 times. The wording of the feat states the following:
Spoiler:
Improved Metamagic [Epic]: You can cast spells using metamagic feats more easily than normal.
Prerequisites: Four metamagic feats, Spellcraft 30 ranks.
Benefit: The spell slot modifier of all your metamagic feats is reduced by one level, to a minimum of +1. For instance, you could cast a quickened spell as a spell of three levels higher rather than four levels higher. This feat has no effect on metamagic feats whose spell
slot modifier is +1 or less.
Special: You can gain this feat multiple times. The effects stack, though you can't reduce any metamagic feat's spell slot modifier to less than +1.
The snag we've hit is difference in interpretation of the rule. The wizard took Improved Metamagic 4 times with the understanding that it reduces the spell increase of each metamagic BEFORE you add them to a spell.
Example: Quickened, Maximized, Empowered applied to a spell which would normally increase a 1st level spell to 10th level. The wizard player's understanding of the feat would reduce each metamagic feat to alter spell levels to +1 each for a total of +3. So Quickened, Maximized, Empowered magic missile would only be a 4th level spell.
The DM understand the feat as reducing the spell levels from the TOTAL spell levels. So Quickened, Maximized, Empowered magic missile would be a 6th level spell.
The day was unseasonably warm in Restov as the sun crept past it's zenith. The streets of the city were busy as people returned from lunch. Children raced through the legs of the adults, some simply for fun in a game of chase and some for more sinister reasons as tiny knives flashed and purses fell into waiting hands. As it was the middle of the summer this far north the day was very long and while the southern lands would be coming to the end of their work day the people of Rostland are born of sterner stock and continue working and playing late into the bright night.
At the intersection of two streets a group gathers to watch two gaudily dressed young nobles dance around each other, blades flashing and clanging to the accompaniment of cheers and insults from the crowd. Both young men were sweating mightily but grinning as they participated in the time honored sport of their forefathers. On either side of the circle the crowd had made stood two older men, each dressed similar to one of the boys. They eyed each other as their students contested, their silent battle of wills unnoticed by all.
The city was a large affair with sprawling streets and buildings of a dozen diffferent styles, the most common being taldan. A large number of manors overlooked the Shrike River to the south, each a statement to the pride and arrogance of an ancient nobility stretching back hundreds of years. Commericial traffic on the river crowded this side as boats unloaded seal skins and furs from further north and picked up food stocks to take back with them to the rugged Issia just south of the Lake of Mists and Veils.
At the opposite corner of the duel stood a tall inn with a steady flow of workers and merchants in an out. A sign hanging over the door was a gold painted harp and merry music could be heard floating out from within. A sign tacked to the board next to the door proclaimed this as a meeting spot for groups looking to travel south and test their mettle against the wild Stolen lands.
Inside the inn the bright sunlight is cut off, temporarily leaving you blinded as your eyes adjust to the darkness. Once your disorientation passes you see clean counter tops of gleaming mahogany lined up with worn but well cared for wooden stools. Scattered throughout the surprisingly large room are several large tables able to seat up to six people. Against the walls were booths designed for smaller groups and each had a bright red curtain drawn to one side but able to untied and pulled across for a semblance of privacy.
The owner of the inn, a heavyset human in the later years of his life, steps up with a warm smile. Standing just a shade under six feet he moves with the strength and grace of a lifetime soldier and you can see the rippling muscles in his forearms as he wipes his hands off. His brown eyes look at you knowingly and he smiles. "Welcome to the Golden Harp! I be Master Damwaith but ye can call me Ervy!" he says with a wink. "What'll it be?"
Alright got enough reaction from interest thread that I will make official recruitment thread. Please, before making the crunch and rolling ANYTHING, read the instructions. Please please. I like my players to think and see the hidden message.
Alright here's the nitty gritty of what I would like to do. I'm a big fan of the Kingmaker campaign as it allows for the most freedom among the various campaigns. There is literally no limit on the kind of country you create and the allies/enemies you make along the way. The Stolen Lands is the frontier that is too wild for the nearby Brevoy to conquer and it is you who have been chosen, along with three other groups, to colonize the area and become part of a greater Brevoy. Glory to the Dragonthrone!
This campaign will have many elements drawn from the various fantasy books and older systems (Eberon for example) mixed in to make this a High Fantasy game. I'm looking for 5-6 characters.
Character Creation:
Roll 4d6 six times, reroll 1's and then subtract lowest number. Do that 3 times to create 3 sets of attributes. Choose which set you like the most. Assign numbers as you see fit.
Starting Level: 1st
Max HP 1st level, roll or average every following level.
Max gold 1st level.
All archetypes allowed.
Traits: 2, 1 must be from Kingmaker.
Books allowed: All Pathfinder, no third party.
Forbidden Classes: Ninja, Samurai.
Races allowed: Core, no problem. Advanced Race Guide by approval only.
Selection process ends 27 September (hopefully).
For those choosing a race found in the Advanced Race Guide if you are choosing an exotic race (tengu for example) I want a very good reason why your character is so very far from home. Pay attention to where races are normally found and showcase your awesome knowledge of lore!
Let the games begin!
Spoiler:
Alright this is a test to see those of you read who read the ENTIRE post before going crazy. I don't want you to create the mechanics of the character first. Don't roll anything. No no, put them down! Before we get in to any numbers I would like character concepts in the form of description that will show history, class selection, personality, race and any other thing you can think of that make a complete person. Your class is not WHO you are, it was a choice. Valeros is not just a fighter he is a human who chose to stake his claim in the world with strength and skill at arms. To the common person there is no difference between a wizard or sorcerer, they just see a spell slinger. What is unique about your character that exemplifies your choices and sets you apart from the common riffraff? I would like a short story showcasing your character. It can be a memory a 20th level wizard is having about when he was just a green horn apprentice fresh out of school, a fantasy whipped up by a bored farm boy or the desires of a teenaged noble scion written in her diary every night before she goes to sleep. Be imaginative!
Spoiler:
Use the phrase 'purple squirrels' somewhere in the body of your application. Amuse me.
Alright here's the nitty gritty of what I would like to do. I'm a big fan of the Kingmaker campaign as it allows for the most freedom among the various campaigns. There is literally no limit on the kind of country you create and the allies/enemies you make along the way. The Stolen Lands is the frontier that is too wild for the nearby Brevoy to conquer and it is you who have been chosen, along with three other groups, to colonize the area and become part of a greater Brevoy. Glory to the Dragonthrone!
This campaign will have many elements drawn from the various fantasy books and older systems (Eberon for example) mixed in to make this a High Fantasy game. I'm looking for 5-6 characters.
Character Creation:
Roll 4d6 six times, reroll 1's and then subtract lowest number. Do that 3 times to create 3 sets of attributes. Choose which set you like the most. Assign numbers as you see fit.
Books allowed: All Pathfinder, no third party.
Forbidden Classes: Ninja, Samurai.
Races allowed: Core, no problem. Advanced Race Guide by approval only.
Selection process ends 27 September (hopefully).
For those choosing a race found in the Advanced Race Guide if you are choosing an exotic race (tengu for example) I want a very good reason why your character is so very far from home. Pay attention to where races are normally found and showcase your awesome knowledge of lore!
Let the games begin!
Spoiler:
Alright this is a test to see those of you read who read the ENTIRE post before going crazy. I don't want you to create the mechanics of the character first. Before we get in to any numbers I would like character concepts in the form of description that will show history, class selection, personality, race and any other thing you can think of that make a complete person. Your class is not WHO you are, it was a choice. Valeros is not just a fighter he is a human who chose to stake his claim in the world with strength and skill at arms. To the common person there is no difference between a wizard or sorcerer, they just see a spell slinger. What is unique about your character that exemplifies your choices and sets you apart from the common riffraff? I would like a short story showcasing your character. It can be a memory a 20th level wizard is having about when he was just a green horn apprentice fresh out of school, a fantasy whipped up by a bored farm boy or the desires of a teenaged noble scion written in her diary every night before she goes to sleep. Be imaginative!
Spoiler:
Use the phrase 'purple squirrels' somewhere your application. Amuse me.
So I know that in 3.5 a headband of intellect did not give an increase in spells per day or retroactive skill points. However it's already been stated that the Headband of Vast Intelligence DOES give you retroactive skill points. So does the increase to a Wizard's intellect from a magic item mean an increase in his spells per day due to a high intelligence?
OOC Thread. Please make an avatar for your character to make it easier for everyone to keep track of who is who. You should have 2 character traits, one from the Kingmaker campaign and one of your own choice. Max gold and hp at first level.
Your adventure begins in the most southern tip of Rostland, a rough and tumble trading post called Oleg's. The trading post is run by Oleg Leveton and his wife Svetlana. When you first arrived at the post there are very obvious signs of reconstruction and you are greeted at the 30 foot wide gate into the post by a middle aged human female with blonde hair, green eyes and wide smile.
"Praise the gods, you're finally here! Please, come in, come in I'll get you settled in. My name is Svetlana Leveton." the woman says, motioning for the group to follow her into the walled post.
This is my official character submission thread for my Kingmaker campaign. I'm looking for 4-5 characters but I will most likely start with around 6 due to attrition. Come up with a concept only please, we will do crunch later. Put the word faith somewhere in your concept. I constantly get screwed with Paizo's dice roller so I will be doing my own rolling with my own physical d6 for your main attributes. I roll 6 numbers, you put them wherever. While it may seem a bit controlling, if you trust me I'm very generous with scores.
-Level 1
-Core Races, Aasimar and Tiefling
-Core Classes, APG and UM
-I'm leery of archetypes but I would be willing to look at your suggestions. If I allow it, only 1 archetype.
-Max gold and HP at 1st level.
-2 traits, 1 campaign and 1 whatever of your choice.
Note: Download and read the Kingmaker Player's Guide. It's free. When you make a character, keep it as real it can be in a fantasy setting. Half-orcs are often misunderstood and distrusted so it's unlikely you would have a half-orc wizard without an awesome backstory to explain it. Not saying you couldn't have a halfling barbarian or dwarf paladin, but make a believable back story WHY and HOW they became that.
Note 2: No Mwangi or anything from thousands of miles away. You're level 1. Put the word power somewhere in your concept.
I will close submissions in 2 weeks or sooner if I get enough responses before then.
This would be my first foray into the area of DMing. My groups never stick to the 'entire' story of the campaign but use it as a very basic framework. I like FANTASTIC adventures.
I like groups with a little more oomph so I would be rolling your stats. I would roll six numbers and you assign them however you want. Don't worry, I'm generous.;)
-Core Races, Aasimar and Tiefling
-Core Classes, APG and UM
-I'm leery of archetypes but I would be willing to look at your suggestions. If I allow it, only 1 archetype.
That being said, this is an interest check only. Please don't flood this thread with character submissions.
