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[Rex Invictus]

Through the Maelstrom

OOC Thread

Introduction
Inspired by the world building efforts of these great few I've decided to take the ideas of everyone in that thread, play with them a small amount and create a (relatively) unique and adapted world. Using this world and the results of this RP, I'll be running a permanent forum where we'll be doing multiple roleplaying sessions. More will be explained on that once this is over.

Keep in mind that, if you apply to this, this itself will be a very short roleplay. Maybe two weeks to a month of roleplaying, if that. After that, the roleplay will be heading over to a separate dedicated forum where I'll be doing Roll20 roleplay sessions. It's up to you guys if you want to join me on that or not.

The Setting
Long have the races dwelled within the Maelstrom, the great raging aetherstorm that surrounded the planet-islands of the Aetherium. Their wars, their loves, their conquests and their tragedies carried out within sight of it's great swirling dark clouds of aether. Their gods gave them the knowledge of the Terrestrial Gems so they may travel between the islands themselves on great gemships. The mortal races devised the workings of the Gems and used them to power their great arcane mechanisms to till land, wage war and drive the world into an industrial revolution.

Within the past hundred years, the majority of people inside the Aetherium have realised the futility and unsustainability of war. The islands are too small and too precious to allow for a single arcannon to destroy vital farmland and possibly cause famine for all the Godsworn. The Nox Accord was signed on the central trading island of Nox (so called because of the lack of light that reaches it) and a peacekeeping force was set up to ensure that war would not cause damage across the entirety of the Aetherium.

A few days ago, however, the Maelstrom stopped. It ended entirely without notice. The factions of the Aetherium exploded into action and rapidly drafted fleets to explore this new landscape.

The Nox Peacekeepers themselves drafted a fleet of their best and brightest to explore.

You are not amongst the best and brightest. You are capable, of course. You are better than the average man in most respects. But you are not the best. You are the labourers. The woodsmen. The hangers on. The assistant researchers. The people who are trying to get away from something back home. You are the necessary ones, not the ones who will be sung about in the storybooks.

You've signed on to a crew on the Nox Peacekeeper fleet. You are one of the last ships leaving the island itself. Your fate, and perhaps that of the entire Aetherium, is soon to be decided.

Spoiler: The Setting (OOC) (click to show/hide)

To summarise the setting:-

• You have lived your lives on a set of floating islands in the middle of a raging storm.
• The gods are real and incarnate. They live on some of the larger islands.
• Most islands are the size of a sizeable farmplot, although they scale from the size of a room to the size of Wales or Scotland (New York or California?).
• A number of gods have a chosen race who they are (depending on who you ask) believed to have created or guided to sentience.
• The gods granted the Godsworn races (ie. all of you) the knowledge of amazing arcane gems that are possible to be used for the creation of brilliant arcane mechanisms. Most of these gems are associated with at least one god.
• Said gems are used for everything, including currency, healing etc.
• War had ended within the Aetherium, since land was so very precious.
• The raging storm stopped a few days ago.
• There has been several fleets drafted to be sent out to explore.
• You are the crew on one of the last ships of the Nox Peacekeeper fleet.

[Rex Invictus]

Character Creation
Starting Level: 1st
Point Buy: 20
Stats: No stats below 8 before racial adjustment.
Gold: Average for class. Note that this is not in gold form, but that will be covered later.
Races Allowed: See below.
Classes Allowed: See below.

Player List

Spoiler: Players & Their Characters (0/?) (click to show/hide)

Delioth - Dweller Warpriest (WIP)
Neonivek - Alexandre MaFleur Reichbannar The 14th, Human Aegis
Kassire - Merzukas, Noctari Marksman (Marksbat)
Squeegy - Sevillus Sanctor, Noctari Rogue

[Rex Invictus]

Allowed Races
I'm allowing up to eight races, including those already listed. Players can pick any of the races listed from here or offer a race of their own devising (which I will give stats and abilities to) and I may choose to include it. You have to create a god that is known as the patron deity of the race. Most individuals have moved away from the worship and ways of their patron deities, but it still colours how they are seen and their racial abilities.

Spoiler: Humanity (click to show/hide)

Humans are the chosen of Imoril, God of Knowledge and Invention. Thought of as creative, intelligent and devious across all the Aetherium, humans were the first to devise the workings of the Gems for uses other than spellships. Whilst they may not be the most prolific or powerful of the races within the Aetherium, they hold a place as inventors and craftsmen.

Race uses standard Pathfinder ability scores, except the subtype changes to Humanoid (Godsworn, Human).

Spoiler: Dwellers (click to show/hide)

Dwellers are chosen of Krakor, God of Earth and Crystal. Humanoid in shape, the dwellers are all formed from some sort of rock or stone substance, with crystals studded into the rock seemingly at random. Whilst the crystals themselves are not Terrestrial Gems, the colour and size of them determines an individual's standing within the very rigid dweller society.

Dwellers are known for being the first to reach another island. Not through flight, but through building a towering earth spire and launching themselves off the top. They are also known for being the first to discover the terrible nature of aether corruption.

All rules are otherwise the same as the oread from the D20PFSRD.

Spoiler: Noctari (click to show/hide)

Example Images
Noctari are the chosen of Nocturas, God of Darkness and Blood. Bipedal bat-like creatures, the noctari are renowned as diplomats, traders and religious fanatics. Whilst most of them cannot fly on islands themselves (only within the aethersea, which everyone can technically "fly" in), they are quite capable of gliding and controlling their flights (useful for dropping down from their giant darkwoods on Nox itself). Often seen wearing thick heavy hoods or blindfolds due to their sensitivity and blindness in light, they use their blindsense to both move and discover what other's facial expressions are.

Noctan Racial Traits
Ability Score: +2 Dex, -2 Con, +2 Cha. Dextrous and charismatic, noctari are unfortunately much frailer due to their hollow bones.
Size: Medium
Type: Humanoid (Godsworn, Noctari)
Speed: 30ft

Climbing Claws: Noctari are quite capable of easily climbing up almost any surface, due to their strong climbing claws. They have a climb speed of 10ft with all the benefits that entails.
Darkvision: Noctari have darkvision 60ft.
Limited Echolocation: Noctari have a blindsense out to 10ft. If they gain a blindsense in any other way, that blindsense is enhanced by 10ft by this ability.
Skilled: Noctari gain a +2 on Diplomacy and Appraise checks.
Vestigial Wings: Noctari have small wings which, whilst not capable of flight on their own, do help them out in a good deal of situations. Whilst conscious and capable of reaction, they never take fall damage and can move 5ft for every 5ft they fall, with a move speed of 30ft a round. They also gain a +4 bonus on Fly checks.

Light Blindness: As dwellers upon the dark forest-planet of Noctis, noctari suffer from light blindness. Abrupt exposure to any bright light blinds noctari for 1 round. On subsequent rounds, they are dazzled as long as they remain in the affected area.

Alternative Racial Traits
Greater Echolocation: These noctari have a blind sense out to 20ft. If they gain a blindsense in any other way, that blindsense is enhanced by 20ft by this ability. They may also send out a click three times a day and gain a snapshot of up to 100ft away (assuming that there are no complete objects, such as houses) around the target. This replaces Limited Echolocation and Skilled.
Greater Wings: These noctari have much larger wings which integrate the majority of the hands themselves. They have a flight speed of 40ft with average maneuverability, but suffer a -2 penalty to all melee attacks, ranged attacks and melee touch attacks (ranged touch attacks are excluded).
Zealot of Nocturas: These noctari are known as devout and firm worshippers of Nocturas. Their ability score adjustment changes from +2 Dex, -2 Con and +2 Cha to +2 Dex, -2 Con and +2 Wis. They are required to worship Nocturas as a god.

Spoiler: Godborn (click to show/hide)

Godborn are the individuals who have either of their parents touched by a divine humour or (in certain cases) been born by the mixing of both a god and a normal Godsworn parent. All Godborn have an appearance similar to their normal Godsworn parent's race but altered in some way by the mark of divinity.

All godborn have the following racial traits:
Size: Small or Medium
Type: Outsider (Native, Godborn)
Speed: 20ft (if Small) or 30ft (if Medium)
Lack of Experience: Godborn do not gain the 1st level feat.
Darkvision: All godborn gain darkvision 30ft.
Godling: All godborn are required to go from 1 to 20 in godling classes.

Shadowborn
Godborn of Nocturas, the Shadowborn are well known for their ability to disappear almost immediately in the slightest shadow and their dexterity.

Ability Score: -2 Str, +4 Dex, -2 Con. The shadowborn are extremely dextrous but weak in strength and constitution.
Hide in Plain Sight: Shadowborn gain Hide in Plain Sight as the Shadowdancer class ability.
Lurker: Shadowborn gain a +2 racial bonus on Perception and Stealth checks.
Shadow Resistance: Shadowborn get a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against spells of the shadow subschool.

Stoneborn
Godborn of Krakor, the Stoneborn are known for their physical and mental prowess (rather, in the latter case, the lack thereof).

Ability Score: +2 Str, +2 Con, -2 Int, -2 Cha
Earth Glide: Stoneborn gain Earth Glide as per the spell permanently on themselves.
Stony Skin: Stoneborn gain DR equal to 1/2 godling class level (rounded down, minimum 1). This does not stack with other forms of damage reduction.

Knowledgeborn
Godborn of Imoril, the Knowledgeborn are well known for their extensive book learning and arcano-engineering ability.

Ability Score: -2 Str, -2 Con, +4 Int
Doubly Skilled: Gain 2 bonus skill points per level.
Book Learned: Can make any Knowledge check untrained.

Allowed Classes & Changes
I do want to note this is not a comprehensive class list. I am willing to take additional suggestions and requests for classes.

Spoiler: Core Classes (click to show/hide)

All core classes except sorcerer and wizard are allowed with changes noted below.

The reason for the lack of arcane casters is because they have been replaced by the psions and arcano-engineers in the categories listed below.

Spoiler: Base Classes (click to show/hide)

Alchemist, Cavalier, Inquisitor and Oracle are allowed with changes noted below.

Spoiler: Hybrid Classes (click to show/hide)

Brawler, Hunter, Investigator, Slayer, Swashbuckler and Warpriest are allowed with changes noted below.

Spoiler: Psionics (click to show/hide)

Psionics in the Aetherium is caused by Celestial Crystals (as opposed to the Terrestrial Crystals found on planets) which came from outside the Aetherium (almost always seen coming through the Maelstrom). They whisper secrets and expand the minds of those who keep contact with them. Psionic characters are usually heavily mistrusted, although there are always rumours that they only come to twist and corrupt the minds of the Godsworn. Due to this, most psionic characters keep their psionic powers a secret and excuse their abilities as luck or skill.

All psionic classes are allowed, but changes should be checked for more information.

Spoiler: Godlings (click to show/hide)

Godlings (Adept Godling, Clever Godling, Eldritch Godling, Mighty Godling) are allowed only as a class for Godborn individuals.

Spoiler: Other 3rd Party (click to show/hide)

Artificer, Gearhead, Machinesmith and Tinker are all allowed, except they must be reflavoured as arcano-engineers, creators of fantastic inventions using the Spellgems. They each represent a different field or set of fields of study.

Priests (Flaming Crab Games) are also explicitly allowed with changes noted below.

Spoiler: Changes (click to show/hide)

There are, for the time being, only some very minor changes:

• All channeling classes must take variant channeling relevant to their god. The only healers are those sworn to a dedicated god of healing (if there is one).
• All psionic classes lose their 1st level feat and instead gain Psicrystal Affinity.
• Druids and those who cast off the druid's spell list, must be sworn to a god relevant to their domain or one related to nature.
• Paladins may be of any alignment from Lawful to Chaotic and Good to Neutral.
• Antipaladins may be of any alignment from Lawful to Chaotic and Neutral to Evil.

[Rex Invictus]

The Gods
The gods of the Aetherium do not have alignments to which they stick. They are more akin to elemental forces than anything else. They have a physical form which they take on their own home island-planets.

Spoiler: Krakor, God of Earth and Crystal (click to show/hide)

Krakor usually takes the form of a giant stone badger with gems for eyes.

Domains: Artifice, Earth, Protection, Rune, Strength
Variant Channeling: Earth, Protection, Strength

Spoiler: Imoril, God of Knowledge and Invention (click to show/hide)

Imoril usually takes the form of a human man with three metal spheres where his head should be.

Domains: Artifice, Glory, Knowledge, Law (non-Chaotic followers only), Rune
Variant Channeling: Knowledge

Spoiler: Nocturas, God of Darkness and Blood (click to show/hide)

Nocturas usually takes the form of a shadow in the vague form of a bat.

Domains: Animal, Darkness, Travel, Trickery, War (Blood)
Variant Channeling: Darkness, Trickery

[Rex Invictus]

Reserved. (You may post.)

[Kassire]

Never played pathfinder before, though I'll see what I could do as to the creation of a sheet

[Rex Invictus]

I suggest you either use Myth Weavers or this one for sheet creation. Once you fill in one bit, the rest will be automatically updated.

Just ask if you need help and what class etc you're going for and I can set you up a framework for you to put everything else in.

[Kassire]

I suggest you either use Myth Weavers or this one for sheet creation. Once you fill in one bit, the rest will be automatically updated.

Just ask if you need help and what class etc you're going for and I can set you up a framework for you to put everything else in.

I'm over-viewing the rules right now, I'll get in a sheet as soon as I can though

[Orange Wizard]

PTW.

Also, why a new forum?

[Rex Invictus]

PTW.

Also, why a new forum?

I'll (hopefully) be including people from outside the B12G community and will need it for organisational sake.

The plan is to have multiple DMs and a larger group of players. So one set of players will be off in a dungeon with one DM whilst the others will be doing something else with another DM.

[Orange Wizard]

Alright. You could ask Toady to make a dedicated board here, in the vein of the Masterwork mod or Einsteinian Roulette.
Or whatever. It sounds cool, in any case.

[Kassire]

Alright. You could ask Toady to make a dedicated board here, in the vein of the Masterwork mod or Einsteinian Roulette.
Or whatever. It sounds cool, in any case.

One would see in time, if the entire idea works out in the end. But the board could be tricky, especially with the case of Masterwork and Einsteinian Roulette being very popular topics as opposed to something like Pathfinder. Though you never know.

[Rex Invictus]

Alright. You could ask Toady to make a dedicated board here, in the vein of the Masterwork mod or Einsteinian Roulette.
Or whatever. It sounds cool, in any case.

I mean, it's not a bad idea. But I've already got a year's worth of free web hosting and a domain name, so doing it myself isn't that rough.

[Squeegy]

I'm interested. Can I make a Gnoll?

[Rex Invictus]

I'm interested. Can I make a Gnoll?

Sure, as long as you can give me some idea of how they fit into the setting.

"I'm allowing up to eight races, including those already listed. Players can pick any of the races listed from here or offer a race of their own devising (which I will give stats and abilities to) and I may choose to include it. You have to create a god that is known as the patron deity of the race. Most individuals have moved away from the worship and ways of their patron deities, but it still colours how they are seen and their racial abilities."

I'd probably be willing to allow a good chunk of the normal races, too.