Only way to world build in the dark.

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Tomo try this on for size.
Should straddle warlock and effigy master while feeling a tad roguish.

http://spheresofpower.wikidot.com/technician
Check these 4 abilities: Detonator, Grand Craftsmen, Chemical Insight, Electrical insight.

2 good saves, medium BaB, d8

Upgradeable bombs usable like-ish to eldtrich blast.

Golems, Acid coated constructs, robots, steampunk constructs.

Rewards you for taking and can give craft wonderous items.
Roguish trap sensing.
Intuition for a mind over matter effects.
Various Utility effects.

Decent skill coverage (6/2= 3 skill points), and spheres can help pad that.

Let your inner Dr. Doom guide your character but express themselves as a weaponized Leonardo Davinci Or Michealangelo.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:59, Fri 08 Feb 2019.

In reply to Irfan (msg # 24):

Ok... but this is super dee duper important.

Does it also give me access to a "Magic Jar" type spell?

Dr. Doom must have his "Ovoid Mind Transfer" :p

craft wonderous item that mimics a 5th level wizard spell, one per day/week.

Takes the form of some kind of large gem in a radio transmiter able to contain and project your conciousness over another's.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:33, Fri 08 Feb 2019.

I'm sure there's some feat somewhere that lets you have spells from other classes, and even if there isn't I'd allow you to gain that spell via normal research spell rules.

Also, could you tune it down a little with the tech? This is suppose to be a high magic world. There's not a whole lot of insentive for tech, I'm just sayin.

Tomo, have you looked at the pathfinder warlock classes? I want to make sure the established material is exhausted before importing outside stuff
https://www.d20pfsrd.com/class...tertainment/warlock/
https://www.d20pfsrd.com/class...s-paizo-inc/warlock/

Also, The Artisan class is an excellent crafting class. Might like that better than effigy master https://www.d20pfsrd.com/class...studios/the-artisan/
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:58, Sat 09 Feb 2019.

It's a Renaissance Revolution! Down with the holy roman empire, rise of the Medici. Magic Users verse the people, The magic is dying out!  /joke

We are plotting to bring down the exalted by plunging the world into a wild magic planet /joke.

No word yet on churches or deities, core pathfinder or otherwise, no word on well know groups or even common information/propaganda about other states or where we start each start.

I feel like i'm setting blind. The Kingpriest could hunted anyone with magical talent so they couldn't become threats to their reign. Magic users could be forced to enlist.

You suggested spheres and Scholar to me, and Technician just happens to explicitly match what Tomo has been wanting to do for 6 months. Build a kingdom and defend it with a legion of constructs, The science bit isn't as important for him, but that is fluff.

Spheres by nature pushes away from magic users into skilled users and inherently magical substances. Irfan's Lighting rod Knack is most certainly powered magically to some extent, more so when it starts casting control weather, all his alchemy crafts are inherently magical ingredient/substances extracted and applied to their max scientifically.

No Mundane salve is going to cure several wounds in under a hour, mandrake root eaten or put in a explosive delivery system to deal sonic damage.

Ifran walks the line between being a Spell-less mage manipulating magic ingredients and brillant scientist.

I can Easily crank the magic element up in how I apply it to break encounter, BAM ICE-Bang = Instant bridge across the Moat, Crap that helps them too, BAM Sonic-Bang Watch them all take frostbite damage in their armor.

Pathfinder 1st, 2nd, and a lot of 3rd level spells just aren't as fun as 3.5 even the none kill them all ones.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:14, Sat 09 Feb 2019.

Those things would be much more in line with the previous game where magic was sparse. Like I said, necessity drives inovation and magic and technology are oppositely alligned. The more magic there is in the world the less tech there is and vice versa because the one that is more prevalent (thus easier to access) is used to satisfy that need.

You are much more likely to encounter hybrid magic/tech classes (like Machinesmity and Artificer) than you are to encounter a straight up tech one (like clockwork adept and Gearhead).

The setting is still in progress. I don't want to post it piece by piece in case I change my mind later (like the East West thing being north south). I want to finish the product first and your backgrounds help the worldbuilding. I nean take Irfan for example. You were going in blind yet that didn't stop you from making a complete fully functional background. And what did I do? I build around that rather than tell you to change it because it didn't match some nebulous yet unseen setting/world.
(Please keep in mind I have 84+ hour work weeks and internet is spotty at best so it's not like I can do research whenever I please. Names have been the biggest problem for me since I prefer using names that have a hidden meaning)

I'm not saying DON'T make tech (like the Scholar, although lets be honest, he dabbles into everything including magic and alchemy), maybe your character is simply innept at magic or cursed to not be able to use it or wasn't in a position to learn it due to social reasons (poverty, social stigma, ect...) but still has an unsatiated thirst for the mysterious and science is his only recourse, all I'm saying is lets not have everyone jump on that bandwagon and make sure you justify it from a roleplaying standpoint while keeping in mind that magic is abundant so there would be no pressing societal need for science. It would have to be a personal goal for whatever personal drive or personally percieved societal need (like "everything would be so much better if we used science instead of magic. Why can't people see that? Guess I'll have to show them...")
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:11, Sat 09 Feb 2019.

The setting section is for finalized ideas, bouncing stray thoughts and concepts through here can add to or develope them further.

You may or may not be the kind of person that speaking aloud help you think things through. Speaking to us though helps me feel engaged and lets me field ideas you may have missed.

A watermill is something that could be of great benifit even in high magic, and disease outbreaks rarely have enough spells to go around.

The prevelance of magic could ecen have a americanization efffect as peopke become reliant.

Unless you wdnt to give Irfan a unified tradition (champion of spheres) instead of a martial he indeed has cantrips/day levels of magic, hence his reliance on the inherent magic of things and science leverage.

I feel that this would represent 25% of the population atleast, with 75% never having the potential to cast 5th level spells even if trained and devoted.

I could be wrong and we may be closer black bull animation where everyone* has 3.5 edition cantrips and maybe a 1st level spell.

https://www.realmshelps.net/ch...eat/Magical_Training


Some regions may experience high magical aptitude densities, it could be a form of prejudice. There could be a valley of the kings where offspring of the warrior priest are taken long before birth to bask in it's magically rich environment.

Other regions may be dimorphic with some people being highly talented and others magically inept driving both sides to creage hybrid creations anyobe could use.

Grasslands brings to mind horselords of Rohan of LotR.  Tethered Blimps, mirror code, and some form of calvary being their main stay. No one said the grasslands have to be flat, Irregular rock out cropings or even rings could provide abundant reasource centers or shelter for towns and cities.

Perhaps the grasslands suffer from a hot climate year round that forces enemies to waste reasources countering the heat.

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Tomo's modeling his character off his interpretation of a marvel Character who combines sorcery and magic to protect his kingdom by assuming all the burdens on himself and implementing a robotic army to expand his ability to one man goverment.

He simple wants his people to live simple lives without fear or needless hunger.

Technician has all the abilities and class features he is looking for, except the ability to create magic itenms due to a lack of spells.

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Being low magic by birth could work for or against us as players.

It could mean we aren't generally considered draft-able, but also face prejudice. Prejudice can lead to character motivation and actions.

Tomo would take a Magneto approach, Irfan would take an Xavier.

The whole isolationist kill all the arrogant magic users VS make a balanced with equality society angle would be a heavy plot element.


We cast the exalted as "celestial dragons"ish one piece, then we cast magicless humans as third class citizens. With a Caste system.

Give the invaders the benifit of using magic and science hybrid tactics and not being magically dependant as part of their war kit so they use anti-magic elements in war.

Tomo's robotics could be the key to staving off the invaders longterm, if the exalted can get past their egos and accept a lowly magic-less peasent as powerful.

The greatest threat to a high magic ebvironment is what happens when magic fails or is ineffective. Weaponized Anti magic fields would rightfully devastate the allied forces.

Side with the outsiders who treat the magic impoverished as equals, or our homelands.

A simple thing lime this can run this deep, drive our backstory and motivations.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:40, Sat 09 Feb 2019.

Doom and Magneto do have a mutual respect for each other, that's for sure.

Although I think you meant "sorcery and technology" not "sorcery and magic."

Essentially yes, though. Like an armor-wearing artificer, but with the same access to spells as a wizard. The big compelling elements of that character are going to be whatever the obstacles to his goals are - and his goals would be pretty simple.

1. The weak need to be protected, even from themselves.
2. Most people are short-sighted, and need the compassionate guidance of an iron hand so that they might be disciplined enough to survive a very harsh reality.
3. Only those with the vision to see this clearly can be decisive enough to shepherd the world toward's peace.
4. Only those with the power to protect the world from itself can be trusted to do so.
5. Clearly, I am that person - for I am still here, and my plans still move inexorably forward.

The clearest path to world altering power here seems to be the exalted and tgeir blessings, more so with what i remeber from the last game.

Extra power and prestige come from being chosen, and by extension scrutiny and respincibilty.

It will be a option from the looks of things, but one a character can pursue but any chance of suceeding beyond stealing or tricky would be up to destiny not dice.

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1. Irfan believes the weak should be able to protect themselves and learn from history, sonething that seems like will be in short supply and contradictory in the world of books.

2. Ifran believes people by nature will make the better choice if they could only see themselves making those choices.

3. It's the job of those shepards to make the hard decisions for their flocks futures, and not lightly.

4. Those who have the power to change the world are those that require the most watching and reminding of what the world is.

5. Tomo character is a divine prick, but he means well and sometimes needs to be restrained when he loses sight.


I imagine our two groups will be nearby and share npcs as part of a bigger group for a while, eventually going with Tomo taking full leadership. Butting heads will lead to professional tension between us.
5.

That is a lot of information on the grasslands, more then enough to satisfy most dc 10 knowledge checks for a outsider with no experience and even some dc 15's.

"A nation of nomadic hunter-warriors who live in a sea of grass on a flat plain. Their Exalted is considered responsible for the sea of green."

Is what I'm taking away in character, maybe romanticize stories about the hunts I've read making them out to be a nation of amazing hunters at one with their environment about to hunt even dire beasts without fear.

I probably know sailors stories about their navigation skills, and it's played off as they always know where their home is and how far.

 Astrology sounds like a national science used mostly by high ranking navy outside of the green sea, and poorly understood aswell at best by outsiders, most people assume it's a form of magic innate to their people i guess. 'Developed peoples' probably have so much magical light they don't consider the stars as much.

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This is a lot to work with too.

They are also known for their love of revelry, storytelling, boisterous singing and competitive sports. Excellent reasons for Irfan to want to visit.

Reminds me a lot of how i picture Goliath race in 3.5, but as human tribesmen.

Captures a image of what a Native American nation could have been like on the great plains.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:31, Tue 12 Feb 2019.

It is based on the native americans (and primitive hunter-gatherer cultures in general) except they're patriarical instead of matriarical.

Should we give tribemen humans a racial 6 inches to hieght from their magically enriched diet and environment?

Is a hit dice level bonus to profession star gazer a alternate racial that can replaces skilled for them?

Goliaths had some interesting prestige classes in 3.5, Dawncaller bard and goliath liberater. Might be interesting to work out a named npc using those as inspiration.

I see dire beasts as not being uncommonly rare on the plains with sone types of dire herbivores being partially domesticated, close neighbors or the equivilant of the water buffalo and the oxpecker bird.

Dog sleds were valuable even to the plains indians in summer.


This concept falls under tribal variance and teachings rather then a generic descript i'd guess.

As we are going with high Fantasy, I think this might be good with my character's intended style and capabilities.

https://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats...t-ray-spell-touched/

somewhere around 7th level or so if rays come up often.

Throw Anything is looking pretty cool to me as a style that is functional to my character, He is bad at melee but throw anything gives him a way to fight while trying to stay out of it that works with his attributes.

Throw Anything -> Concentrated Slash Feat
               -> Grenade Expert Feat

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https://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats...-ashe-item-creation/
Might be a fun feat to work into a npc

Is there anything you want from my character story wise? Or are you waiting on Tomo for most of that?

I suspect I will wind up somewhere between a chancellor, a conscience, and a advisor to Tomo's character as our paths cross and we gain influence.

Berserk's band of the hawk might deserve some aspects for levels 3-6, but that might be me trying to push the game towards warfare.

Griffith's drive to rising to kingship and the powerful allies he attracts in pursuit of his dream.

Background sent. ;)

Would the Mediterranean Region be a semi accurate description of the theocracy?


Greece, Egypt, Isreal, Spain, Morocco, Turkey, All being put together like the european union without a internal sea seperating them? All Uncomfortable neighbors with their own traditions and relatively stable boundaries?
This message was last edited by the player at 01:52, Thu 21 Feb 2019.

Will post tomorrow to answer questions. I have been working on general information on the Ironian Theocracy, finishing up on the Wingheld kingdom, and was planning on expanding on the general information on the world (mostly on how one gets a blessing and the significance of a kingpriest. And of course the Klift Incident. I've been mentionig that since the previous campaign so I think it deserves elaborating).

BTW, I like the background Tomo.

Kleft. A name, a Noun?

A person or a place.

A place, a geographical location or a city/group/tribe?
-------'
Why hasn't a new heir stepped forward?

No worthy heir? No, the previous kingpriest is not dead, but is in prison, exiled, incapacitated or self exile.

I like the Odin's sleep personally. A tribe stepped so far out of line at Kleft, bringing shame and danger to the grasslands (Necromancy?). That the kingpriest blew life force/knocked himself out erasing the offending tribe. So much so, that in sealing away or destroying them, he fell into a hibernal state recovering. A shame they are loathed to speak of among themselves even behind closed doors, with only tribal leaders knowing most of what happened.

Kleft today is still scarred where even the exalted shames and excludes the ground from her blessing.

Not only bringing shame by breaking the circle of life, rousing the ancestors from their rest, they sought to bring war to the outsiders under some perverted vision of spreading the Dandelion Mother's blessings.

The only thing most of the grasslands folk know is that there was a larger tribe that was erased for being shameful to all the tribes and that their shame is borne even today by the tribes.

A tribe being punished for failing a promise to another group is overused. I think whatever kleft is it's a internal failing the reflects on the pride of the grasslands as a whole, perhaps in it's entirety.

Having someone unleash the undead remains of creatures as big and deadly as those found in the grasslands across the border into the theocracy, then diplomaticalky turning around, claiming it's been handled and their king not even giving your diplomats the tine of day would sour relations for decades atleast if not centuries.

To make matters worse,give this tribe a legitamite complaint about the theocracy that drove them to warn, and fell on deaf ears with the other tribes.
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Shandians and Noland from jaya has some concepts that might be useful.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:59, Thu 21 Feb 2019.

Groovy on all accounts.

I gotta build 'em out, but was reading spheres of power.

Which is awesome and I love it forever.

The clan that got erased was like the hyena's in Lion king, poor reasource edge lands, first tribe invaded and last tribe free of invaders, Constant threat of slavers from the theocracy, First to commit to war with outsiders, two weak to take more fertile inner grasslands from other tribes.

 Poor to begin with and suffering at the hands of outsiders has time went by, and told to accept it in the name of peace.

Driven to madness and hate as the other tribes turned a blind eye to the growing desperation through the doctrine of the mentallity of strong take what they need, the weak die.

The only bloodline survivors are ironically in the theocracy navy, slaves or freedmen. The priest king of the grasslands sleeps till the grudge/death curse is absolved by a decendant of that lineage in full knowledge. Perhaps the curse is of the dandelion Mother's design.

Lots of elements and sides to that.


Some say they deserved it because they were weak, others feel responcible for not acting. All agree it was shameful, but who has the shame and why varies between tribemen.

The theocracy has it's own opinions, Those undead dire creatures were nightmare material to small towns and villages, spreading past just one nation, scarring many people's memory despite their short existance.

Kleft was a boil point that remains festering to this day as the shame persists onto tribesmen too young to know why, and horror stories are told along the border nations in the theocracy. Neither side having closure and resentments growing.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:08, Fri 22 Feb 2019.

To reinterate, I'm throwing out ideas that may or may not reflect what the dm decides to put into the world. This is more theory crafting from nothing then world building.

Good role playing will probably net more exp the just killing things? and killing things isn't always the optimal experience gain lr outcome.

Potential future allies will probably net you atleast as much xp and be more useful then corpses and a bad reputation. Not to say befriend everything, but killing for killing sake out of character will probably hurt you more then help.

Circumstance modifers are real, especially with social interactions. Who you are and what others think is important.

Besides... you can always kill them later.

No read later explosive runes letters, that is double dipping.

Also last game featured a recruitable named npc cast, and had a unused premise for grow/develope your own npc. Pick a villager and train them and make them a named npc, yhen hope they weren't a spy or assassin or one of the 3 stooges.

If you played fire emblem it was a bit like that, only the convoy found a home, and you could only swap if the recruited npcs were present. A bit like final fantasy too.


Not sure about party dynamics this game, party sizes of 4, with 2 joined parties of 3 when doing the same thing sounds right to me. but 5 people to a party sounds more rounded and 8 people in the same none warzone is overkill.

Probably best to just hard cap at 5 or 6 and let main character control all npcsin a joined group.

General info complete.

Remaining topics left:
-Wingheld
-Ironia
-Arcania
(No I will not be doing a topic on Kwon-Yuu because they are suppose to be mysterious and there is little info on them anyway. And a player can't be from there, unless you say you were born there but was raised here on Hestia for some reason)

Btw, this game will be a bit more on the traditional rpg side so don't rely on the previous campaign as a template on what this one might be like. I won't stop the natural evolution of the game, I'm just saying manage your expectations.
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:52, Sat 23 Feb 2019.