[PF-1e] A Town Called Sweetwater

[CatCanCook]

Rebels of the City-State of the Invincible Overlord

(This is a sub-game of an existing game, no new folder is needed.)

Wanted, 4 Player-Characters, Level 6.

Character	Player	Classes	Role	Status
--	Exhibit A	--	--	WIP
--	Inverse Null	--	--	WIP
Daar Stoneback	triedtherest	Alchemist	Ranged Single/AoE Damage, Backup healer	WIP
Urthog Goran	Fyre2387	Slayer	Melee DPS	WIP

The Scenario Nesterak is a city-state of orcs (majority), gelatinous fiends and apekin, ruled by the Invincible Overlord, Hygelak XI, the Dread Klipmaran Noble. The city-state rules over a patchwork of nearby towns, but conducts trade with farther off realms both by zeppelin and by spatial rifts in the Hell-Bridge temple. Nesterak is a lawful-evil realm, with laws enforced for the benefit of His Most Terrible Majesty. Slavery is common. The Black Lotus secret police are everywhere, ferreting out threats to the Overlord. You are non-evil conspirators, citizens of the City-State, who aspire to be revolutionaries -- who look for the the eventual overthrow of the Overlord. Your patron is Rhymes -- a mysterious shape-shifter who arrived in town several month ago, who has begun to aid your cause. Nesterak presently faces two threats -- causing it to be precariously weaker than in centuries. That means a time of change may be near! First, there is a zombie-plague raging outside the city -- and portions of the infestation have broken out in the south-east quarter of the city. It is spreading as a horrid disease: but worse still, some zombies are showing signs of intelligence, cunning and deception. (Gelatinous Fiends have proven immune to the disease, fortunately for them.) Some distance to the south is the nation of Azerka. This democratic republic is ruled by "detestable" humans -- a powerful technology and magic wielding civilization who have overthrown gods and toppled empires. Their ways are anathema to Hygelak XI and the coterie of aristocrats who support him. But rebels who yearn for more just laws, or slaves whose hearts thrill to hear of a distant land where slavery is illegal and every citizen can vote. So one possible desired rebel end-game would be to overthrow the tyrant and join a larger democracy; but other goals are certainly possible. Applicants must answer: What is your personal motivation? Why join a rag-tag rebel alliance against an overwhelming power? Why should aforementioned rag-tag rebel alliance trust their fate to you to lead them? I added an opening scene for this party to show up at, when eventually approved: https://www.rpgcrossing.com/showthre...86#post9112386 This is occurring as a second Player-Character party in the world of Sweetwater -- but not in the steampunk nation of Azerka, rather in a more barbaric and dark city-state, where orcs are the dominant race and humans few in number. The two PC parties will eventually meet, but each has its own agenda. Last -- while I am borrowing the map and a few details of the City State of the Invincible Overlord, this is a very different world and I promise no fidelity to that module! It is only raw material to be substantively transformed.

Character Creation Party group: 4 players Starting Level: Now 6th level. GP: Average for your class Stats: 20 point buy Alignment: Non-Evil Deities: See a section below. Races: See a section below. Classes: Any Core, Base or Hybrid class found here. Characters could eventually take Core or Advanced Prestige classes. Martial types may use Spheres of Might, however as Spheres classes are more powerful than base classes it costs you 1 Feat each time you take a new Spheres class. (The Tech Sphere of Might produces overpowered characters relative to the settings current technology expectations, so that may be restricted.). We are not using Spheres of Power. Archetypes: Allowed, if worked into origin. What's banned?: If Pathfinder Society has banned something I lean toward banning it, but we can discuss it. HP: Max HP on your largest HD, (max/2)+1 on all other HD. Skills: In addition to the regular adventuring skills we will use background skills and unchained skill unlocks. Feats: I am not fully using the Feat Tax Fix -- however, all feats that page identifies as problematical will be "buy one get one free"; except any of the intro Improved maneuvers which are "buy one get two free." All prerequisites must be met.   If any of the Regional feats give you a feat discounted by the Feat Tax, then you get associated Feat Tax benefit. If you get any Feat via any means other than purchasing the feat permanently (e.g. a Brawler's martial flexibility, or an item that grants it while worn, etc.) then you do not get the Feat Tax advantage. Two for the price of one list: Agile Maneuvers Combat Expertise Deadly Aim Dodge Finesse Training Greater Two Weapon Fighting Improved Two Weapon Fighting Martial Mastery Martial Versatility Mobility Point-blank Shot Power Attack Precise Shot Weapon Finesse Three for the price of one list: Improved Bull Rush Improved Dirty Trick Improved Disarm Improved Drag Improved Feint Improved Overrun Improved Reposition Improved Steal Improved Sunder Improved Trip Q: How does this combine with feats granted by a class? A: If a class grants you a feat in the above list, you may apply the 2-for-1 or 3-for-1 rule to gain additional feats from the above list. (All prerequisites must be met.) Q: How does this combine with Spheres of Might and Martial talents? A: If a Sphere or Talent grants you a feat in the above list, then you do not get another via the 2-for-1 rule. Q: What if I gain a feat again, later so that I would have it from more than one source? Or if I retrain away a feat? A: You may trade away the feat for something in its same category: if it is a 2-for-1 feat, you swap it for another 2-for-1 feat. But if you want to get a regular “full cost” feat via retraining you’d have to give up 2 of the 2-for-1 feats to make an even exchanged. Drawbacks If you chose a drawback, then gain an extra trait and bonus feat. Traits: Choose 2 traits. As usual, they must belong to different categories. Note that we are not using campaign traits from other campaigns. You may consider Spheres of Might practitioner traits. If none of your traits afford combat or magic boosts, then choose one more bonus trait that also doesn't. What is a combat boost? Anything listed as a Combat Trait. Anything that possibly affects to hit, damage [directly or indirectly], AC, CMB, CMD, weapon or armor proficiency, combat maneuvers or other actions in combat (feint, intimidate, etc.), anything that produces an effect on an opponent in combat. Anything that grant spell resistance, energy resistance or damage reduction. What is a magic boost? Anything that grants extra spells known or castable, anything that changes any dimension of spell use or effect, such as CL or DC, any boost to spellcraft. Hero Points: Gained 1 per level, and at some achievements. Max allowed is 5, which is what new PCs would start with. Other: When building a character, don’t refer to concepts that don’t exist in this game world. These are: the moon and stars, sunrise/sunset, lycanthropy, planes, particular specific countries or locations from other games -- this is a different world! Ask questions and we will sort out character details. Optimization: Don’t overdo it. I care about play balance.

The Environment Firearms: Firearms are rare in the City State -- except for Molekin, who use them as preferred weapons. The World: Is a Dyson sphere, an incredibly vast surface that surrounds the sun -- about half a billion times larger than our earth. The sun cycles on and off in a 24 period, creating days. Sages say that time passes at a different rate for the sun than the lands beneath it. Day lengths gradually vary, creating seasons, but the sun always appears directly overhead. There is no moon or stars, but at night the skylands come out and dimly twinkle. The game occurs in the Realm which is of unknown size but one could fly or sail a lifetime in any direction and never reach the end of it, yet the Realm is just a tiny part of the Sphere. Magic: There are zones of magic that range from very high (wild or primal), to normal, to very low. Regions of null magic and anti-magic exist. Technology is usually limited to steam and clockwork devices, with more advanced technology supernaturally suppressed -- except in relatively few regions where technology is ascendent over magic. Religions: The gods -- called Powers -- are just mortal. They live at most 20-30 centuries, and the Powers' lives depend critically upon the faith of their worshippers. They draw their power for mana upwellings which gather forming pools of radiance. Ley lines originate at the upwellings, then travel approximately downhill, and terminate at the sea or in subsidence zones. A geographical watershed depending on its size can contain a dozen or more interconnected ley lines -- and the Powers which inhabit their upwellings together form a pantheon. The strength of magic is proportional to the distance from the nearest ley line. High level persons (level 15+) can enter a pool of radiance, challenge the resident Power, and if successful, achieve apotheosis. Levels, even of the Powers, are capped at 20. Planes: there are no planes, no other dimensions. There are far-away Powers elsewhere in the Sphere who oversee afterlives, preside over heavens and hells & etc.. Much the same variety of creatures can be encountered in the Sphere as in vanilla Pathfinder. But planar travel is more like hyperspace travel. It is point-to-point in a region the size of a single solar system. (Low level characters don’t need to worry about this yet -- of course!)

Allowed PC Races Alternate racial traits are allowed, if worked into origin. Only the core Paizo races are allowed, plus the following -- which are actually more common than humans, in Nesterak: Orc   Orcs https://www.d20pfsrd.com/races/other...races/arg-orc/ . Orcs are the dominant race in the City State. Orcs of Nestorak do not have light sensitivity, and are fairly civilized relative to those one might encounter in the wilds. There are three subraces in Nestorak, organized by caste and having alternate stat choices: [greenbloods / brutes] +4 Strength, –2 Intelligence, –2 Wisdom, and –2 Charisma. [redbloods / stalwarts] +2 Strength, +2 Constitution, and –2 Charisma. [bluebloods / elites] +2 Strength, +2 Intelligence, and –2 Charisma. Imagine Orcs in the Sphere as somewhat more like Klingons or Warcraft orcs -- and not at all like Tolkien Orcs. They are a violent, warlike people who value strength, honor and courage. They have a cherished tribal history -- but these particular orcs have been dwelling in cities long enough to have progressed into a late-medieval era culture. They have advanced craft skills, arts, politics and magic. Caste is a serious matter with the lower owing deference to the higher, by both custom and ruthlessly enforced law. Molekin of the Great Spine   Molekin Information: https://www.rpgcrossing.com/showthre...19#post8904619. A race of underground-dwelling merchants and artisans, who largely shun magic. They are semi-common as traders, but only few would feel comfortable living in Nestorak Coming from the Great Spine, many molekin live in a region devoid of all magic, and in its lieu they rely on quiet, humble submission, wits, teamwork, lead, poison and explosives. The Molekin are a Consensus-aligned race for the most part: lawful good, monotheistic, religiously opposed toward magic, oriented toward their communities and families. They have a lot of dwarf-like traits, but but if you read the link to my bestiary the overall thrust of their racial traits and alternative traits points in a different direction than dwarves. They have been a persecuted minority race, misunderstood and oppressed, but hearty survivors who get through hard times by pulling together. Socially, they have dense, crowded warren-like underground fortresses where they live lives of peace and quiet: pursuing such arts, sciences and culture as they like. These scattered communities participate in trade networks which have an important function of achieving arranged marriages and exchanges of population between otherwise separated clans. What matters? It's family, ancestry, tradition, faith, the old ways. The comfortable huddle in the darkness against the blur and glare of an evil outside world. The holy few, caring for clan and kin, in the face of a world fallen into immorality. Molekin who adventure would be against the average trend for the culture. Those who live in the City State would are in a Lawful Evil tilted environment, which is much against their Lawful Good ways. Molekin traders, running their extensive trade route, are probably the most common reasons for this race to venture into and live in the City State. Or there could be religious missionaries who are trying to convert magic-using pagans to the true and pure path. Or break-away individuals who have just distanced themselves from their native culture and traditions -- "lost children" from the tribe's perspective. Individuals vary! Greed happens: some molekin can certainly spend their lives in acquisition, contrary to the primary thrust of the race's tradition. Apekin   Apekin Refugees of a fallen empire, the once proud apekin were brought low a century ago when a human-dwarf alliance overthrew their empire to the south. They seethe with injured pride and resentment for their loss, and many participate in a Fey Alliance that seeks vengeance against humankind. Apekin vary in fur color through black, brown, tan, gray and silver. Some are singled toned while others are two tone. Ability score modifiers: +2 to any one ability score (same as human.) Type: Apekin are humanoids with the apekin subtype. Leaping: +8 racial bonus on Acrobatics when leaping or falling. Acute Senses: +4 racial bonus on Perception Natural Climber: +4 racial bonus on Climb checks. Bounding. Once per round, can include a 10' leap as a free action as part of a Move action used for movement. Powerful Build (Apekin variant): The physical stature of apekin lets them function in several ways as if they were one size category larger. Whenever an apekin is subject to a size modifier or special size modifier for a Combat Maneuver Bonus or Combat Maneuver Defense (such as during grapple checks, bull rush attempts, and trip attempts), the apekin is treated as one size larger if doing so is advantageous to him. An apekin is also considered to be one size larger when determining whether a creature’s special attacks based on size (such as grab or swallow whole) can affect him. The benefits of this racial trait stack with the effects of powers, abilities, and spells that change the subject’s size category. Apekin have the same ages and lifespans as Halflings. Apekin have the same height and weight as Nagaji. Apekin have the favored class bonuses of Half Orcs. Variant Racial Traits Tree Dweller. Add a 20' climb speed, but 30' through a forest canopy. +2 Racial Bonus to Stealth and Survival in a forest. Replaces Powerful Build. Desert Dweller. Add Scent. Gain +4 racial bonus to checks dealing with environmental heat, fortitude checks when running, and Survival in a deser. Replaces Powerful Build. Urban Dweller. Gain Skill Focus. Replaces Bounding. Gelatinous Fiend   Gelatinous Fiend Gelatinous fields are aliens. They have rubbery flesh, fringed with tentacles. They come in varied sizes and strengths, and can superficially resemble a diverse scale range of goblinoid - ogre to giant and even titan sized creatures. These may be referred to as gelatinous goblins, gelatinous ogres, gelatinous trolls, etc. Each individually are creatures made up of a community of smaller organisms -- each roughly coresponding to 1 sub-creature per hitpoint of racial hit-dice. If "killed" they can devolve into a swarm of constituent parts -- the swarm itself being a potentially very dangerous opponent if it formed from a large number of disassembled individuals. While genderless, they often assume an apparent gender as a matter of personal style. While they have no romance nor family life per, they may assume a lifestyle or role and then act it out with extreme intensity and sincerity for an indefinitely long period of time (decades?) until ... they abruptly change. Gelatinous fiends lean chaotic and reckless ... making them distrusted and constantly destabilizing factors in the City State. They are routine subject to suspicion and oppression. But they comprise a caste on par with the lower tier of orcs -- so they retain protections under law and rights as citizens. Gelatinous Fiends have all kinds of personalities, but for a Fiend, a personality is something it chooses are wears like a favored suit of clothing, perhaps for a season, or a decade. The inner life of a Fiend is complex, as each is a constantly seething mass of sub-personalities that sometimes surface and cause the whole creature to careen in a different direction. So, impulses for food and sensory pleasure are strong drivers. Novelty allures them, as does thrill-seeking, risk and gambling. Being communal creatures, they think readily in terms of we. "I" is something they hear of and understand about from other races, but no Fiend is truly an I. For the most part, they do not fear personal death from violence. It is just a change. But a threat to a mating pool? That's serious! A Gelatinous Field could live 5-500 years before mating, though 20-30 years is most typical. When Gelatinous Fiends mate, 2-12 of them first gorge on food and them climb into warm, pheromone-laced breeding pools. They dissolve into to their constituent parts, and then roughly 150% new individuals climb out -- replacing their predecessors (who are forever gone and impossible to retrieve). The new individual collection will total about 25% HD more than entered the breeding pool. The new individuals will be "full grown" adults, some with advanced skills and talents drawn from the race's collective ancestral memory. They will generally be well-adapted to face whatever crisis or opportunity the Fiend community is facing. Any form of Life-1 flesh is delicious to gelatinous fiends -- but being Life-2, all forms of Life-1 find them unpalatable and indigestible. A small number of rogue Fiends do hunt and prey upon their fellow citizens. PC Gelatinous Fiends start at the race's lowest strata: 1 level is used for 1 monstrous humanoid racial HD. Gelatinous Fiends are monstrous humanoids and Life-2 with the gelatinous fiend subtype. Proficient only with light armor and simple weapons (but can gain proficiencies normally with class levels.) Player-Character Gelatinous Fiends can start as Small or Medium. Medium-Sized. -2 Dexterity. Use hobgoblin heights and weights. Small-Sized. -2 Strength. Use goblin heights and weights. Being small they gain a +1 size bonus to their AC, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, a –1 penalty to their CMB and CMD, and a +4 size bonus on Stealth checks. Small gelatinous fiends are fast for their size, and have a base speed of 30 feet Use goblin or hobgoblin Favored Class Bonuses. Gelatinous Fiends do not age, and ignore age modifications to ability score. Permanent non-magical Bouncy Body effect. Fast Healing 1 (acid, fire) Susceptible to either acid or fire (and incapable of gaining resistance/immunity to one its weakness.) DR 5 vs bludgeoning only Can take Unchained Eidolon evolutions using feats. Life-2 consists of non-intelligent jellies, rubbery or tendril-covered creatures that are neither animal nor plant but resemble both, and a variety of intelligent beings. But there are also intelligent forms. The most significant form of Life-2 are what humans call the Gelatinous Fiends. They vary from civilized and sophisticated to savage and near animal levels of barbarism. Common traits of Life-2 is that it regenerates, breeds by fusion and fission, and eats both Life-1 and Life-2. When dealing with Life-2, fire and acid help if diplomacy fails. Class: Evolved Gelatinous Fiend +1 BAB +1d10 HD +2 Skill Points. Good Fort and Reflex saves; Poor Will Saves +1 Evolution Pool per level (of a Biped Base + 2 bonus evolution points.) Gain +0.4 Str and Dex per level Max attacks: 3.2 + 0.2 per level +0.2 Fast Healing per level Evolved Gelatinous Fiends can be perhaps confused for ogres, trolls, giants or titans. But they can can be more morphically diverse than those races.

Religion The gods of the City State of the Invincible Overlord are replaced by native powers, as follows: Oden ==> Kaysndrinath The Gargoyle ==> Tho-Tarr The Spider God ==> Skorsym Thoth ==> Sothseila Harmakhis ==> Ularien Ellismere The Toad ==> Ellgan Elloktar (The Geckokin) Pagana ==> Jeyshimra. These are briefly described here: https://www.rpgcrossing.com/showthread.php?t=200814 - and more details will be provided as needed. Those labeled in red are evil, and not recommended for player characters. The other members of the Northern Pantheon may be suitable patron Powers. Note that if you worship a local Power, you just might run into them someday. The Powers are just NPCs of level 15-20, occupying strategic places in the world. You can also take Golarion deities. (They live on continents too far away for practical travel.) You could also just make up a Power. The Sphere is vast and the Powers that mortals worship are beyond numbering.

 

Details on Castes in the City State The caste levels are orc-centric: 1 Blue -- these may be nobles, gentlefolk, but also high-born orcs who overlap in careers with Reds. 2 Red -- military officer, merchant; also clerics of city gods and guild spellcasters. 3 Green -- military enlisted, indentured / free citizen. Guild members. Free citizens of treatied races. 4 Green slaves. Treatied-race slaves. Citizens of non-treatied races. 5 Non-citizens of non-treated races. Within each caste itself are many fine distinctions of social standing. Orcs, Gelatinous Fiends, Molekin, Apekin, races of the Fey Alliance (Sylph, Lizardman, Elves, Geckokin, etc.) and some others are "treatied races" -- the Overlord has signed trade and exchange agreements with them. The list of treated races is long, and includes some races from distant realms (e.g. "outsiders".) All others are non-treatied races, which reduces their rights. These include humans, dwarves, halflings. While race is an advantage in caste, one can be reassigned to a new caste by certain social achievements: * If a member of a non-treatied race buys property and pays taxes, they move up in caste by 1. * If a low caste individual becomes a registered member of a certified guild, the become at least 3rd caste. * If a low caste individual becomes a registered cleric of a city church or a member of the mages guild, they become at least 2nd caste. All the city churches and guilds owe fealty to the Overlord. All have their own strict admission rules. Laws are enforced by different courts depending on caste, with the high courts very lenient, the low courts very strict. For example, a common sort of story might be: one was late on payments, but as a wizard's guild member, only a fine is due. But, one offended one of the Overlord's cronies; one is ejected from the guild and consequently drops to low-caste. The same crime now is punishable by scourging followed by a loss of a limb.

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Game Status CLOSED Sweetwater is an 80% traditional pathfinder game. Presently we have 5 characters and I am looking for a 6th. Starting level is 5th. A technology-user, perhaps a gunslinging type, within 1-2 steps of lawful good, would fit. Technology is somewhat limited at this time in this world, so I'd guide you through what works. Alternative concepts would be considered. A ranged combat expert is recommended, as one ranger-archer recently retired, and the party actually failed an earlier mission due to being melee-heavy when facing highly mobile and some flying foes. The current party will be: Quincy Kettle , by SelfAwareNPC, a 5th level wizard Bart Cobbe, by mightymconeshot, a 5th level inquisitor rogue. Pieter Osmaplite, by Kshnik, a 5th level brawler - sentinel Brand the Barbarian, by 17fromgreatness, a 6th level bloodrager Prudence Goodfellow, by rhaiber, a 5th level investigator and spheres-alchemist Short Synopsis The game has been in play for 1 and 1/4 years, real world time. It began with a 1st level dungeon crawl through the Lost Temple, a place inhabited by undead and vermin. The initial party had to resolve a necromantic curse. In the process, they released the spectral spirit of a necromancer, Idious, who is now the main antagonist threatening the frontier town of Sweetwater. A conflict has developed between the Fey Alliance of native races (primarily apekin, sylphs, and a half-dozen others) and the expanding democratic republic of Azerka -- of which Sweetwater is a far-north outpost. As Sweetwater reacted to an impending, magically foretold zombie apocalypse, they ordered a large volume of anti-undead weaponry. That shipment was waylaid and 80% of its cargo stolen by the tribals. The player characters failed to retrieve the cargo. An investigation revealed a spy (now executed) who had leaked the secret information of the shipment. Now the party is rushing off to battle the necromantic enemy -- a conflict which may take some time to resolve! Outside of Life vs Undead, the pending future conflicts are Manifest Destiny vs Natives (hint: you're on the Manifest Destiny side mostly), and Magic vs. Technology. The game folder is here: https://www.rpgcrossing.com/forumdisplay.php?f=18382

Game Name A Town Called Sweetwater

Game System Pathfinder

Theme Steampulk/wild-west; with magic & gods limited and a science-vs-magic conflict brewing

Flavour Heroic fantasy with an emphasis on storytelling and collaborative world-building

Basic Setting and Character Construction

Looking for how to build a PC, and the basic rules of this game?

See here: https://www.rpgcrossing.com/showthread.php?t=193607[/SIZE]

Applicants Applicants Character Player Class Status Mad Dog Zlog Highwater Avner Gunslinger - Pistolero Complete Pvt. Daezora 'Daisy' Bollinger PopCultureBard Barrage/Traps Technician Complete

[Sirviantis]

The setting seems interesting, and I should be able to maintain the posting rate, though it is a bit high. That said I'm inclined to make an application (yet to decide on what that'll be). For now I wonder if you've ever heard of/read through/considered spheres of power and if you'd allow it?
Also, I'm curious after the Consensus, a manufactured god seems really interesting, is it capable of giving out divine power? What domains does it grant?

Currently I'm thinking about either a tribal elf, who's left home and the struggles of the frontier to hope to find riches in Azerka, a really progressive and perhaps a bit too militaristic member of the church of the Consensus. I've also got "Gunslinger/Spellslinger" and "Maffiamage" as reminders of character concepts I once thought cool. There's strictly speaking nothing keeping me from playing a combination of them all.

[Touketsu]

Oooh, posting this as a placeholder.

[CatCanCook]

(edited to fix typos from mobile phone post)

Hi Sirviantis, thanks for your interest.

Re: posting rate, the daily rate is what I've used in years past and it kept things humming. I'm willing to be flexible about it especially if the party has a consensus for a slower pace. I just don't want combats to drag on forever and to give you all enough tempo of accomplishments to level up at a reasonable pace.

I'd like to stick to the core materials listed, plus Pure Steam. I'll use some Legendary Games for more advanced tech, but that will unlock later. The decision to stay narrow is intentional, to keep focus on the environment's distinctives.

A bit later I'll post a list of regional feats which are about a feat-and-half.

When the Azerkans cap a pool of radiance, the construct is strictly mindless as it is their intention to not be ruled over by Powers. The multi-million GP construct starts as a pyramid of intricate machinery. As it floats in the Mana pool it encrusts with crystals until the pool is completely overgrown and covered. The magic is diverted to levitate and spin a giant stone and metal wheel. That provides kinetic power, distributed by a vast system of gears, axles and belts to provide for the needs of of industry and hundred of thousands of inhabitants. The second Wheel constructed many decades ago was improperly regulated. It overspun and detonated, laying waste to an entire city. Since then, a high ranked arcane expert in the MageCorp is appointed as an Arbiter. That person acts as a kind of living fuse, and would at cost of his life prevent an overspin. The Arbiters also have oversight over a School of magic within the Azerkan primary watershed. In that region they have a certain surveillance and influence over their particular form of magic: so there is an Arbiter of Illusion, an Arbiter of Abjuration, etc. (not a full list as the Azerkan conquest stalled as soon as their borders expanded toward the Gundulun Oligarchy and the Bright Empire.) The Arbiters are not worshipped and do not distribute spells/benefits/gifts as the Powers do.

The Consensus is a Lawful Good (or one step) non-magical faith. They label all magic (arcane, divine, supernatural abilities, items, creatures -- all of it) as belonging to the Alternative which they oppose -- though by nonviolent and non-coercive means unless combatting evil or violence. Ki force and abilities are kosher, however, so long as it is not used as a backdoor to channel magic. Suitable Consensus classes are Fighter, Mink, Gearhead, Gunslinger -- or other non spellcasters. At higher levels, Consensus characters take various Oaths that grant forms of personal antimagic and allow use of advanced technologies which are otherwise suppressed by the Alternative's emanations.

The Church of Azerka collaborated with the MageCorp to fabricate the Caps -- but they did it to eliminate several tribal gods, both facilitating religious conversions and greatly reducing divine magic in the Azerkan basin, as well as wiping out an entire ecosystem of magical beasts (which immensely aided conquest and domestication of a large territory).

The MageCorp handles the actual day-to-day operations of the Caps, and have all their top academies and workshops clustered in the peak magic zones around them.

That's all background, but re: your specific character ideas:

The game -- at least for now is in the frontier -- so a character motivated to leave the frontier would not fit, at least not at this time.

A spellcaster who could belong to the Church but as a sectarian or schismatic in actual rebellion against the core and leadership. The source of magic would either be arcane (drawing from key lines) or divine (worshipping a non-Azerkan Power.)

Re: Mafiamage -- we are running non-evil characters.

So -- many if your ideas work, with some adaptation. Focus down and don't try to have too many elements from day one

[CatCanCook]

I updated the original post to include a list of regional feats.

[Kshnik]

Placeholder

[CatCanCook]

Hi Kshnik --

Thanks for expressing interest. I am going for core races only, at this time. Do you think you'd like to craft a character with a tone and style you might like within the core race parameters?

[AllyDJ]

Hm...well, the setting's interesting, but it's not really my cup of tea, so I'll pass. Not really into the whole idea of science versus magic, myself. Thanks for the invite to apply, though.

[CatCanCook]

I updated the original post with a spoiler box giving a short personal bio -- so if you are interested in joining i'm not a total stranger.

Also, merry Christmas, happy Hanukkah.

[DeepFriedWyzard]

I absolutely love the themes going on here! Not a huge fan of PF, but I am interested for now :O

[Sirviantis]

I find myself stuck with a question @CatCanCook: What type of theme are you going for with the game?
I ask because I'm really intrigued with the setting, and I'm excited to see some strife between the consensus and adherents to the Powers, as well as some corruption in the system.
But from the adventure pitch I feel like the game will consist mostly episodic, local, adventures based in the town of Sweetwater (hence the name) and helping everyone survive in the frontier. Which is a valid and popular theme, it's just not something I typically look for in games.

[CatCanCook]

Oriana -- welcome! Much thanks for the enthusiasm. Please construct a character and I'll be happy to answer questions.

Sirvantis -- The game is starting with Sweetwater, and I did not want to immediately plunge into themes of grand conflict, but rather let them spiral up gradually (and using the downtime between chapters to advance the state of both characters and the world around them). The first couple adventures will have an episodic local flavor -- but the connections to national-scale institutions will steadily escalate. The frontier will not remain the frontier: think of how rapidly towns grew in a gold-rush era California, for example. The connection to the core nation is by monthly dirigible; that will change eventually to rail lines, and when/if the area proves strategic, to permanent teleportation circles, etc.

There are seeds of particular tensions (among them colonialists vs tribals, church vs state, science vs magic, mortals vs. powers and seeking to overthrow/become powers). If players respond strongly to them they may mine those particular seams to a greater extent.

The game name can become an anachronism given substantial level advancement, but my thought is it can always remain a "home base" however the party roves, if characters have built allies there and not burnt bridges. I don't aim to start near the finish line of a campaign. :-)

Last -- the "retraining" option will be viable if a character wants to start a more humble frontiers-person and then mature and retune as someone perhaps who has taken sides in one of the larger conflicts.

[CatCanCook]

For tracking purposes this is the current status of prospective players.

Player	Character	Race,Class	Status
Sirviantis	none	none	Interested
OrianaOleander	none	none	Interested
Touketsu	none	none	Placeholder
Kshnik	none	Dwarf, fighter/brawler	Interested
None	none	none	none
None	none	none	none

I'm not sure of the local jargon, whether "placeholder" means substantial interest or just lurker.

Also -- status: It's the holidays, I'll be traveling off and on and visiting with people. So I'm expecting slow/intermittent interactions of both myself and others for now.

[Sirviantis]

Okay, thanks for elaborating on your intentions. I'll continue working on the ideas I had for a character.
As for your question, placeholder means they like the concept, are interested in playing and will have a character up soon-ish.

[Kshnik]

Dwarf brawler/fighter using a pair of dwarven war shields is the concept I am going to run with.

A feat called healing hands appears to be a decent way to heal without “magic”. However it requires knowledge plane. In your write up planes don’t really exist. So first is healing hands feat allowed? And is there a substitute I can use in place of Knowledge Planes.