[PF-1e] An Exercise In Hubris

[taleteller50]

Ok so it looks like we have a long standing city state, likely in a geopolitical arena similar to Italy during the Renaissance, who is just starting to transfer power from a singular royal family to a ruling council republic (like Florence eventually became and Venice was during the Renaissance). Like Florence/Venice/Genoa it has survived and thrived not because of military might but from acting as a trading and, possibly, naval power; using alliances and, possibly, mercenaries to protect itself during major conflicts.

If I might suggest Parsantium sounds more like a Duchy rather then a Kingdom, our so called King more similar to a Duke then a King. Despite what many might think there were actually several times within history when Duchys had independence from kingdoms who were categorized by being a collection of lands all owing loyalty to a King.

Does this sound about right? (Note these similarities to Italy are only meant to be as far as the political and economic structures of the time, not as a cultural basis for the city as you have specified Byzantine and India for that inspiration)

P.S. - Will magical crafters (those with the appropriate feats & spells) be paying full price for magical items they could have created during their careers at character creation?

Even if we are not using Ultimate Campaign for it's rules can we use it for price basis if we are looking to purchase properties like workshops or guild buildings?

[taleteller50]

- Name: Dalin Marsik Balima Pontis Race: Samsaran Class: Cleric 3/Wizard (Arcane Crafter)3/Mytic Theurge 5 Age: 128 Description:   Dalin shares the usual blue skin and clouded irises of one who has awaken to the ancient origins of a Samsaran soul, even having a white mane of hair, shoulder length, which has appeared in each of his previous incarnations. As a devoted follower of Aurum he wears the vestments of a Bishop anointed with the symbol of Aurum; two hands coming together at the intersection of three lines held within a circle. However, unlike the typical symbol worn by the followers of Aurum the icon worn by Dalin and his followers is upon a multicolor field rather then just a golden one. There are also two hands holding the other two aloft. As before the handshake represents the agreements between groups which are the cornerstone of trade with the lines representing the paths which wealth would flow and the circle the protection Aurum's followers would provide. The additions of the two hands holding the initial pair aloft is to represent the guidance which the New Church and the Goddess will provide to trade while the multi color field represent a belief which Dalin has begun to preach. That money (specifically gold, silver, or copper coins) is the medium by which we trade, not for which we trade. Gold and Silver are but pretty metals which are convenient to place value upon to facilitate trade between people. Wealth, true wealth which feeds the growth of communities, can be found within the plants we grow, the stone with which we build, and yes; even the gold which we use for coins. Even the placement of the guiding hands are representative of how the Church of Aurum must grow to best help the people, much like a plant grows to feed them, while still staying strong as stone concerning the ethics of wealth within the church. They are to protect and guide the hands of trade to bring communities together, not give in to Greed themselves.   Background:   Dalin has lived many lives, most dedicated to Aurum, Goddess of Roads, Caravans, and Merchants. In the past he has taken the roles of merchant, priest, guard, diplomate, and many others but he has never been able to obtain the godly favor needed to allow him to finally pass on to his final reward. This has perplexed many of his lives but he knew deep down that these experiences were building to something. Dalin's latest life started as the second son of a long line of gold smiths who had fallen on hard times. By now the Church of Aurum had long learned to expect Dalin's reincarnations, finding him and offering to rekindle his education during each rebirth, but before they found him this time Dalin provided a piece of advice to his father. Given what Dalin could remember about merchants he suggested to rent out a small portion of their family vault to those looking to secure their wealth. The merchants would have a secure place to keep their money out of the reach of greedy nobility with influence over the local Mint and his family would gain a much needed influx of income to their coffers. Bidding farewell to his family, and hoping that his advice might help them, Dalin returned to his place among the followers of Aurum to begin his cycle of life once again. This time he dedicated himself to scholarly pursuits in addition to his study of Aurum, finding particular talents in the creation of magical items and business. At the time the Church of Aurum frowned upon it's members becoming involved with business and trade directly; a lesson learned from one of the earliest stories in their holy texts where one of the first priests of Aurum attempted to follow his own path to Aurum by facilitating trade between communities rather then just protecting the paths one would take. This man was quite successful but soon grew obsessed with the accumulation of wealth, specifically gold and other precious metals. His obsession grew to such an excess that soon the priest orchestrate a war between communities just to increase his personal wealth. As punishment for his transgressions Aurum turned the priest into a statue of the same gold the ex-priest so coveted. Since then the followers of Aurum dedicated themselves only to the protection of travelers and the trade routes between communities; forbidding any involvement of it's people in occupation which would have them directly involved with the accumulation of wealth. That said it was not like the Church completely washed their hands of the world of trade. As an extension of their protection of trade routes the Church of Aurum had begun to keep a watchful eye out for those who had succumb to the same Greed which had taken the previous priest. Using inquisitors call Auditors, trained to cut through the plots and lies of such corrupted individuals the Church of Aurum would then gather evidence of their transgressions until local authorities could pull such men from their seats of power. Given Dalin's apparent interest in such matters it was decided that rather then let him be corrupted by Greed Dalin would instead use his talents to act as an Auditor so that he might see first hand what happened to those obsessed with wealth. When he wasn't involved with such investigations he would create relics for his fellow Auditors to utilize or teach younger generations the dangers of Greed and the importance of Community. This path did in fact have an effect on Dalin but not necessarily the one they had expected. Regularly Dalin would see the effects that Greed's corruption could have on people and it did disturb him but Dalin looked past just the men who had resorted to such evils and asked why such men could obtain such power. Rather then just deal with the symptom Dalin wished to discover the source of such corruption. Searching both libraries, life, and his own soul for an answer Dalin eventually achieved an epiphany when he was directed to investigate his original birth family. It appeared his younger brother, a person Dalin barely knew, had inherited their father's business and transformed Dalin's original suggestion into something both greater and far worse. Dalin's father had begun offering his customers receipts to funds stored in the vaults which could be collected later by anyone. Now most would say that such receipts were less secure then normal ones which required the original depositor to collect but what they lost in security they made up for in utility. See, a merchant could just give one of these receipts to someone to make a purchase who then could collect the physical coin from Dalin's family later. It was far easier then moving large collections of coins around, soon encouraging many of the family's customers to just trade the receipts between one another rather then reimbursing them each time for coin. The system was very successful but became corrupted when Dalin's brother took control of the vaults. He had realized that since most never returned the receipts provided by his family that writing out more might allow him to spend such 'money' even though there was no true gold to act as collateral for such 'I.O.U.s'. At first it was only small amounts to pay off gambling debts but soon this practise exploded, all so that Dalin's brother could live the lifestyle he felt he 'deserved' for such a brilliant idea. The problem was that locals soon grew suspicious that so many receipts were floating about and many began to demand the coins which they were owed. Unfortunately since nearly half the value of the receipts in circulation had no such deposits Dalin's brother was soon forced to close up shop, take what gold was left, and run for it. Dalin's team soon found his corrupted brother and returned what they could to the victims, leaving the criminal to the fate of the court, but the experience had a noticeable effect on Dalin. Most believed it was guilt over how his brother, even if Dalin had never met the man, had become so corrupt but in truth a spark had ignited within Dalin's mind. The process his father had implemented was actually brilliant and Dalin could see ways it could be improved even further; allowing for not only an easier way to trade large sums of money but to also expand a community. It had only become an issue when Dalin's brother had given into greed and broke the system. The System was not inherently corrupt, only the man behind it. Dalin realized that even though many men were weak enough to give into the corruption of Greed there were many more who were strong enough to resist. Such men regularly supported the Church and, despite dealing with large amounts of wealth, were never corrupted. The problem wasn't in the act of trading or the systems which dealt with wealth but those few individuals who decided that their own selfish desires were more important then the communities which they served. But what if those who guided such systems refused to be corrupted? Many a time Dalin had seen what those who followed the Church's lessons could accomplish; prosperous communities full of fair trade and happy people. He had also seen the aftermath of those who had been corrupted, suffering which sometimes wouldn't even be corrected once the original transgressor had been dealt with; sometimes even replaced by someone just as bad.   Title: Protector of Paths and Crossroads, The Arbitrator Portfolio: Trade and Cooperation between Communities Holy Symbol: A Disk divided into three equal parts with a pair of hands shaking in the middle. Typical Worshipers: Caravan Guards, Traders, Craftsmen, Diplomats Typical Worshiper Alignment: Neutral Good Domains: Good, Travel, Community, Protection Subdomains: Friendship, Trade, Cooperation, Defense Favored Weapon: Chakram (The Flying Coin) Favored Animal: Hawk Legends The Life of Aurum Aurum began her existence as a mortal who, after the destruction of her community due to the betrayal of her father, was cursed by the surviving shaman to wander the world for eternity; never able to settle for long before bring ruin to her surroundings. Despite this Aurum conducted her life in a fashion where she would help those she could due to a wish to redeem herself for the betrayal of her father. Aurum's fondest wish was to be eventually freed of her curse so she might join a community and begin her family anew. At one point during her travels Aurum came across two groups of people, lost in the desert, fighting over an oasis. Stepping forward Aurum was able to calm the two sides and discover that they were the surviving members of two rival families from a city which had fallen to raiders. They had made their escape into the desert, nearly dying before finding the oasis. Unfortunately, they both arrived at the same time and began arguing over who had claim over the oasis, neither side wishing to help the other. Once Aourum had calmed the two sides she sat them down and negotiated a temporary peace between them where both sides would be allowed to use the oasis equally. Although now refreshed and ready to travel once more neither family knew where to go now. Both had lost their homes and neither side had any idea of what to do next. Some claimed that they should just settle at the oasis but it was not even large enough to sustain one of their families for the long term, let alone both. That is when Aurum made a suggestion. During her travels Aurum had seen many lands which included one across the desert which, although unsettled, could suit the needs of the families. As Aurum spoke of the land's plains and hills the families agreed that it sounded perfect even if there was one thing they continued to disagree on. While one family wished to settle upon the plains to grow crops the other wished to settle in the hills to mine the metals there. Once again the families began to argue but Aurum assured them that she would see them both to where they wished to go. The trip across the sands was long and treacherous but time and again Aurum proved invaluable to the groups; finding food, water, and fighting off attacks from perusing raiders until finally arriving at the promised land. At this point the two families had grown closer over the ordeals which they had endured but they still wished to live separately; specializing in the ways that each family excelled in. With the group having to split Aurum negotiated an agreement where the two communities would support each other before guiding the family of the hills to their new home while the family of the Plains were guided for last leg of their journey by Aurum's pet Hawk, Bisaq. The new communities soon flourished and began trading with one another, the trade route itself protected by Aurum as she moved between the two settlements, but before too long the strength of her curse grew once more and Aurum was forced to travel to new lands to protect the people of the Plains and the Hills. For her part in their salvation the two communities would always honor Aurum and even though she could never stay with them she would always have a home among them. The Disciples of Aurum Churchs The followers of Auram do not typically construct churches, preferring to instead build small shrines along roadways and crossroads. When larger structures are built they are typically Waystations, Pubs, or Inns where travelers can rest in simple but affordable conditions. Such buildings are always anointed with Auram's mark to designate it as a safe haven for any one finding themselves on the road. Interesting Facts -The practise to make coins round in many areas is done so due to honoring Aurum, representing her favored weapon, the Chakram. The Church of Aurum has long been the protectors of roadways, traders, and craftsmen; securing trade routes and shipping lanes to ensure the cooperation between settlements and kingdoms. Despite their connection to trade the church has always believed that it must not be directly involve in such activities due to long standing beliefs that, although necessary for the empowerment of communities, 'wealth' can have a corrupting influence upon those who try to control it. This is due to a story from the church's early days where a priest decided that the accumulation and control of wealth was more important rather then the protection of roads and people. This man's actions led to a war between kingdoms and the deaths of many; all so the priest could control trade routes near to these kingdom's. Eventually Aurum punished the priest for his transgressions, turning him into a statue of the same gold the ex-priest so coveted. The lesson taught to acolytes through this story is that 'wealth' can corrupt those who covet it so to avoid a similar fate the church must keep itself disconnected from wealth itself while still protecting the paths which wealth passes. It is only when wealth is allowed to pass between communities that it can be purified to it's rightful position as a catalyst of cooperation and growth.   Although Dalin is still a believer of Aurum he has begun to doubt the true effectiveness of the Church itself. They wish to protect the trade which allows communities to thrive but do not wish to involve themselves directly in the management of wealth from fear of the chaos that un-controlled Greed can inspire. However, Dalin does not believe that a separation between church and business is necessary. Yes, greed can inspire chaos and discord but with proper moderation and direction the collection and application of wealth can help a community to grow. It is only when a person loses sight of why we collect wealth and only focuses on the collection of wealth itself that problems occur. Within Dalin's collective memory he can remember a time when he was involved with the priest Aurum punished; it was possibly one of his earliest memories. At the time he had acted as a soldier, protecting the priest as a personal bodyguard. Although memories from such a distant life are the hardest to recall Dalin does remember two things. First, the priest from the old story was a truly devote man; a true believer of Aurum. Second, when the priest was finally punished he was almost unrecognizable when compared to his younger self. For most of his lives Dalin believed that this was all due to the corrupting influence of wealth as the church taught but slowly this began to change. There have been lives where Dalin has become involved in 'wealth' directly; once as a merchant and another as a treasurer. Even his most recent life, as the son of a gold smith, had him dealing directly with gold and it's accumulation. Although during all of these experiences Dalin can remember examples which support the church's doctrine he can also remember event that contradict it. It is because of this that Dalin has come to believe that 'Wealth', specifically gold and silver, is not in itself corrupting. It is instead the greed which already exists within men which can create the suffering and discord which Aurum stands against. People lose sight that wealth is like a living, growing thing. When allowed to circulate and given the chance to work wealth slowly spreads, making the lives of those it touches to become better. It is only when individuals try to control wealth, hoarding it only for themselves, that Greed truly emerges and threatens the balance of communities. That said the opposite can also hold true. When there is no control, no sense of direction and purpose, other problems can emerge within a community such a shortages, inflation, and weakening it against those who would exploit them. To this end Dalin has come to a realization that the Church of Aurum must undergo a reform to better adapt to the new complexities of communities and markets while still holding to it's original ideals of protecting communities and helping them to grow. Unfortunately to do that the church must change; to realize that it is not wealth on to itself which breeds corruption but the loss of vision to distinguish between actions helping the greater good and actions which only serve the self. Your Role: Financial Advisor, Banker, and Security Expert Player Wants: There are a few things I'm hoping to get out of this game, the primary being an interesting story with deep characters and plot lines. Now that is true for any game so for this one specifically, with this character, I'd like to explore some of the financial concepts common to the cultural timeframe the game will be taking place in. Of course such practices will not show their true potential within such a setting but it will still be interesting to see if they can be used to generate a 'profit'. Also, I'm looking to see how far I can take the idea of magical security within such a game. How safe is a Bank really when there are people capable of teleporting into areas, loading up everything in a bag of holding, and disappearing like a puff of smoke. Let us test these limits. Your Assistant:   Name: Cortha Race: Human Class: Wizard Background: Originally Cortha Lindus, the daughter of a wealth noble family, Cortha was educated at a young age to not only manage the wealth so common to her family's business but to also protect it with arcane wards and defenses. Although the eldest daughter of the Lindus family it would be her younger brother, Joffree, who would ultimately raise to become the head of her family given the limits of Cortha's gender (At least as far as her home land was concerned). Despite this Cortha plunged into her studies, hoping to show her true worth through her accomplishments despite being of the 'weaker sex'. Unfortunately the House of Lindus had grown complacent in their abundant wealth and too set in tradition to ever consider Cortha more then a useful tool to expand their family's influence. Worse, Joffree proved to be a belligerent and foolish youth more focused on spending the wealth of his family on personal indulgences rather then properly managing their properties to ensure their continued success. Cortha attempted to convince her brother to correct his foolish ways but all that accomplished was to drive a further wedge between the two siblings. Furious at Cortha's arrogant belief that she knew better then he concerning the well being of the family's business, Jofree arranged for his sister to be sent to a convent; claiming that the 'rigors of the family business' was too much for her 'delicate nature'. Forced away from all that she had worked on and forbade from further arcane practices Cortha had little choice then to make the best of an unfortunate situation. Luckily the convent had an extensive library which Cortha was permitted to read from during her free time. Surprisingly after only two years Joffree appeared at the doorstep of the convent demanding that his sister return with him to the family. Initially Cortha believed her brother had finally realized his mistake, now wishing for her assistance, but soon it was revealed that the only reason he wanted his sister back was so that he could marry her off to a disreputable merchant who had promised to pay Jofree for his sister's hand. Jofree had already driven the Lindus family to ruin but continued to see no fault within his own actions, believing that a life of comfort and excess was owed to him as the Lindus head. Selling off his own sister was merely the latest of a long line of decisions that only proved Jofree's selfish and short sighted nature. Finally realizing that there was no hope for her brother or family Cortha gave up all hope and became little more then an empty shell of the competent woman she had once been. Cortha's 'Husband' was a sadistic lout more interested in using Cortha to breed heirs with the Lindus blood rather then treat his wife as a partner. Despite what she had endured at the convent Cortha's new life was far worse; reduced to little more then a prisoner within her husband's home and abused nightly for his perverse pleasures. Already broken, the days past like distant visions for Cortha until one day the house was raided by the local sheriff who had come to arrest Cortha's husband. The man had been conducting business with pirates, regularly buying stolen goods to keep his own company profitable and having the pirates target his rivals. This might have continued if one particular cleric of Aurum, Dalin, had not become involved and discovered the plot against local trade. With her husband now being dragged away in irons and Cortha taken in for questioning it was likely the woman was destined for the streets if Dalin had not recognized her from a time when she had first been studying magic. Dalin had in fact been one of Cortha's tutors in the past and remembered how bright the young girl had been prior to the fall of her household. Realizing the hardships that she must have endured Dalin took Cortha under his protection along with the two children she had recently given birth too; taking responsibility for their care while the investigation concluded. Before long Cortha was left a widow, her husband executed due to his transgressions, and Dalin did what he could to make his new wards comfortable. Slowly Cortha opened up to her old teacher and began to show a small spark of her previous brilliance; encouraged to apply her skills to act as an assistant to Dalin while he conducted his duties to the Church. More then the day to day work, it was the conversations with Dalin each night that truly brought life back to Cortha's eyes. They discussed everything from business to magical theory to religious doctrine which Cortha had gained a passing interest with during her time at the convent. Soon Cortha came to agree with Dalin's conclusions about the current state of economics and the need for a group could help guide the growth of the world which wouldn't succumb to the corruption of Greed. To that end Cortha has continued to support Dalin because of her belief in his vision and, unlike many of the men she has known, his wish to actually help the world. RP Sample   Garbed within his priestly robes Dalin stood in silence before the King of Parsantium, flanked on either side by the Court of Parsantium and other onlookers. Cortha was somewhere among the crowd but Dalin could not see her; having come to show her support in this latest test of his convictions. Unfortunately now, in front of this man who might very well decide the ultimate fate of his reformation, Dalin only had his own faith to support him. So many of the others had called him a heretic, corrupted by Greed much like the Fallen Apostle from the earliest stories of Aurum, but Dalin knew this was not the case. Yes, he now marched towards that edge which had claimed so many others but it was necessary. For too long the Church had been content to merely protect the people and their communities but Dalin had recognized the failings in such a practice. Too often the limitations of trade and those involved with it brought conflict and chaos to the people all due to the Greed which attracted such men to such tasks but that did not make the practice itself corrupt. Trade was necessary for communities to grow, the very reason the Church of Aurum did what they did but they could do more. Finally ready Dalin lifted his head and addressed the King. "Your Highness, I would like to ask a question. What is Wealth?.. There are some who might say that wealth is gold and other precious metals. Gemstones and jewelry. Others might say it is land; the ability to produce food from farms or to extract resources from the ground. Still others might say wealth is found in property, the very buildings which we live. There are even those within this world who believe wealth can be found within simple shells". A soft laughter murmured across the room but Dalin soon continued. "[b]The truth is that wealth can be all these and more. It is the food which we eat, the cloths we wear, the tools we use, and even the people which stand with us marching towards the future. Wealth is everything which allows a community to survive and grow but too often we are blinded by what we 'perceive' and have been taught, limiting what is the true potential of a community and the wealth within it[b]". "Unfortunately it is not only our limited understanding of wealth which suppresses our potential. The Goddess Aurum once compared the trade between communities akin to a flowing river. When allowed to freely circulate, the water which flows allows communities to grow like crops within a field; strong and tall. But there are also those who, either through lack of insight, education, or simple malicious greed; hinder the flow of trade necessary to grow civilization. Some are only as disruptive as a large stone which forces the water to part but others will dam the flow for themselves. They believe that by doing so they can keep wealth for themselves but all they truly do is create stagnant pools; weakening or killing the communities which once depended upon the river's flow". "Since the time the Goddess Aurum walked this existence she and her church have protected this flow which has taken the form of roadways and sea routes; hunting those who would try to disrupt the flow of wealth for their own gain. We do so because we believe, as has been taught by our Goddess, that the flow of items, people, and ideas are what ultimately helps communities to grow and seek peace rather then conflict. To grow and prosper". "But is it enough"? "There was a time when protecting the flow of the river, the flow of trade, was enough but as the world grows so must our understanding of the world and our roles within it. Much like the farmer who discovers that irrigation can improve his field to provide a more bountiful harvest so must we discover new ways that the flow of wealth can help a community to reach it's full potential. For that I purpose the creation of a church which will not only represent the will of Aurum but to also protect and direct the wealth of your kingdom; helping your city, your kingdom, perhaps even the world to grow". "Now I realize that compared to many of the proposals which you have heard that this idea of a 'Bank' housed within the house of Aurum might appear small. Perhaps some might even see it as a ploy for the Church of Aurum to gain control of the wealth of your kingdom but that is not my intention. This House of Aurum will but the first step to a greater endeavour to change they very way which we see and handle wealth; a place where trust can be built and expanded to reach every corner of the world; perhaps beyond. I have lived many a life your highness and although I may not remember them all they have provided me a vision of the future where the followers of Aurum do not simply protect the ties between communities but also help to guide the very wealth which allows these communities to grow". Murmurs began to ripple through the crowd. Nothing loud enough to tell what was being said but enough for Dalin to know he had caught the attention of at least some of those gathered. "Allow me to provide an example of what I mean; one of the idea which I have come to envision and plan on implement once the time is right. It's called Fractional Reserve Investments. It starts with individuals who wish to have the Church of Aurum protect their money. Now as I mentioned wealth needs to flow like a river otherwise the economy, the river, will stagnate. Holding coins in some well protected vault may be a good way to ensure a individual's financial security in the future but it does nothing to feed the economy around it. So what if a person could be assured that their gathered wealth would still be safe but that it could also work for them at the same time? Rather then charging a few to store these coins the Church, with the permission of the wealth's owner, will invest the money held by them back into the community; providing loans to craftsmen, merchants, or others who can create wealth within the community but who do not have the necessary funds to begin such endeavors". "These loans will generate income which the Church and the original depositor shall share while the enterprises which have been created grow the community. Eventually those who were loaned money will pay back what they owe, perhaps even investing their own profits within the Church, allowing further wealth to be available to grow further business. Some of the money a person places within the Church will still be kept in case said customers have a need for money themselves but a large portion will still be in circulation to help prevent stagnation". "Now there are issues with this idea and I will admit that I am not the first to have introduced it but these issues can be addressed and mitigated with the proper practises and a strict practise of morality. One of the first issues is the same issue that faces any investment; the failure of the investment and thus the lose of the money initially invested. Many a merchant have lost all that they had by investing in something which was ultimately lost or failed to turn a profit. So how can the Church protect against such things? Well, first is properly investigating such investments to maximize their likely hood to be successful, perhaps even providing assistance or guidance if possible, but the main protection will be the numerous enterprises which the church will invest in. Investing into a single trade mission could ultimately end in travesty because of any number of reasons but what if you could invest in a dozen, perhaps even a hundred. Now, even if one or two ships are lost there are still the others which will be successful, thus balancing the loss of the few with the gain of the many". "Now most people do not have the money to invest in one trade mission, let alone a dozen, but what about a hundred people; maybe a thousand. Each small part helps to gather into a greater whole where all will share equally in what is gained. This not only allows for such people to afford more, not only generates taxes for the crown, but also grows the economy which grows the community". "Another issue is one which is not based upon the flow of trade but the limitation or corruption of those who have, in the past, also attempted similar practises. Too often such collections of wealth have been managed by those seeking personal gain over the growth of the community as a whole. They treat the wealth they have been trusted with like it is their own, spending as they see fit no matter the consequences. Some do so because of foolish ideas while others fall to the corruption of Greed and spend what is not theirs on momentary pleasures rather then proper business. Many a time this has led to people rushing to take back their money, what is left that is, thus destroying the very idea which was originally envisioned. But here too there is a solution.. Trust". "The ideals of Aurum are not unknown to these lands, even if the Goddess and her followers have never held great influence like some. It is well known that we who follow Aurum do as we do, protecting the connections between communities, not because of some wish to control them or to gain personal wealth but because we believe in the message of our Goddess. That the protection of these paths help to grow communities. That there is no greater calling then to assist in the betterment of all. People trust in that ideal because it has endured in the hearts of the faithful for generations. I have no intention to break that trust and so will show that despite this new Church engaging in activities that the Followers of Aurum have typically avoided, it is but an extension of the same ideal which beats at the very heart of Aurum. I, and those who follow me, will help to guide the flow of the river, the flow of wealth, here within the cities just as others of our kin have outside your walls. We will offer protection to the flow, guidance to those who live within it, not because of a wish for personal gain but because of our belief in the Goddess Aurum and the ideals which she represents". "Please your Highness, let me show you how truly great your kingdom, the very world, can be when the flow is guided and protected".

[Preacherwolf]

Originally Posted by taleteller50

Ok so it looks like we have a long standing city state, likely in a geopolitical arena similar to Italy during the Renaissance, who is just starting to transfer power from a singular royal family to a ruling council republic (like Florence eventually became and Venice was during the Renaissance). Like Florence/Venice/Genoa it has survived and thrived not because of military might but from acting as a trading and, possibly, naval power; using alliances and, possibly, mercenaries to protect itself during major conflicts. If I might suggest Parsantium sounds more like a Duchy rather then a Kingdom, our so called King more similar to a Duke then a King. Despite what many might think there were actually several times within history when Duchys had independence from kingdoms who were categorized by being a collection of lands all owing loyalty to a King. Does this sound about right? (Note these similarities to Italy are only meant to be as far as the political and economic structures of the time, not as a cultural basis for the city as you have specified Byzantine and India for that inspiration)

That sounds like what Parsantium actually is, however they still call themselves a kingdom to lend legitimacy and weight to their name. Venice is basically the vibe I'm going for here, the original splat book had Byzantine and India for inspiration but I really don't know enough about the culture and history there to run with that. I'll be taking chuncks of the book, stuff like the criminal underworld and the history of the city are really interesting, but the actual inspiration and gods and such I'll be changing.

Originally Posted by taleteller50

P.S. - Will magical crafters (those with the appropriate feats & spells) be paying full price for magical items they could have created during their careers at character creation?

Yeah, full price. Although anything you'd like to craft shouldn't be a problem in game with the resources you'll have at your disposal

Originally Posted by taleteller50

Even if we are not using Ultimate Campaign for it's rules can we use it for price basis if we are looking to purchase properties like workshops or guild buildings?

That's prefectly acceptable

[Icereach]

Currently tinkering with an idea but not sure how to implement it. Just posting interest for now as I reread other people's ideas.

How do the local druids feel about Parsantium's growth? Additionally, as a GM, how often do you require Handle Animal checks when a druid is interacting with their animal companion?

[Preacherwolf]

Originally Posted by Icereach

Currently tinkering with an idea but not sure how to implement it. Just posting interest for now as I reread other people's ideas.

How do the local druids feel about Parsantium's growth? Additionally, as a GM, how often do you require Handle Animal checks when a druid is interacting with their animal companion?

There's tension, but no more so than anywhere else. Parsantium uses druids to help maintain solid crop output that the city relies on, so the royal family tries hard not to go out of their way to offend them. The druids in turn recriprocate the respect by helping generate resources for the city in an eco-friendly way. The tension comes from the fact that this is often times not quite as much or as fast as the city needs

As for handle animal, I'd only call for it if your asking something that is completely contrary to the animals nature or your own alignment, something that's likely to seriously hurt or kill you or your companion, or something that would generally be beyond an animals understanding. Other than that, I'd treat them almost like a familiar

[Icereach]

Good deal.

[Preacherwolf]

[Icereach]

[Icereach]

The stone wolf. Name: Argady, born of Blood and Stone Race: Skinwalker (Witchwolf) Age: 36 Class: Druid (Menhir Savant)

A man between worlds. Physical Description: It is taboo among werekin to mate with each other for one simple reason. Often when two people with the genetic curse running strongly in their veins couple, they produce offspring known as a metis. The child comes into the world trapped between their civilized ancestry and their primal one. Their natural state is one similar in appearance to their parents when transformed by the moon, and they only achieve a human form through much effort and guidance. This is the case with Argady, born of blood and stone, last surviving descendant of Victrus. Tall, nimble, and not lacking for muscle, the man named "stone wolf" in the secret language of the druids can be a frightening encounter on a dark night. With sand colored hair thinning with age and soft grey eyes, Argady's human form is indistinguishable in a crowd. When he returns to his natural state, however, people tend to take notice - and grow fearful. From head to toe his robust frame is covered in a thick pelt of dark grey -nearly black, even- fur that fades to a lighter tone around his chest, check, and down the length of his lupine muzzle. From the tips of the sharply peaked ears resting atop his head to the wicked canines peeking from his dog-like lips, Argady resembles nothing less than a wolf standing upright on two legs, though his face has a mobility to it no natural animal could hope to reproduce. In either form, however, he is most distinguished by his hooded robes stitched with an image of the stone plinth he gives his life in service of protecting. Personality: Argady is a curious mixture of passionate belief and careful wisdom. Once set on a course of action he can be stubborn and hard to turn from his path. In fact, Shale of Evergarden once spent several seasons trying to convince Argady that returning to Parsantium would be a mistake. After the death of their companions Jackdaw and Piksel, it became hard to argue against her point. He cares for the little people, having been one himself, but he does so in a distant fashion and with an ulterior motive in mind. He is firmly convinced that the end of the world is neigh and that only his vision for the future can see Parsantium through rough water to emerge on safer shores. He's the type of man that meets conflict head on and thus sometimes suffers when playing the deeper games of politics and social misdirection. While he wisely avoids initiating conflict, he finds it nearly impossible to back down when directly challenged. Animal Companion: Were it not for her unusual size and obvious wildness, the wolf often plodding at Argady's heels offers little worth commenting on. She answers to no name in any civilized tongue and rarely shows interest in people outside of the stone wolf's limited personal circle. Unlike her bipedal companion, the wolf's fur is a soft tan criss-crossed with the scars she's taken following Argady's chosen path. Few people aside from Shale and the deceased members of the werekin's former party have had the opportunity to gauge her personality - those in the know, however, bribe her incessantly with a variety of sweets that can't be good for her teeth.

Born for destiny.   All but forgotten except by a chosen few, a stone menhir rests undisturbed in a small cave directly beneath Parsantium's bustling streets. This worn stone pillar marks a powerful lay node - that is, a place where the mystical energies of the world flow together and pool into a well of phenomenal power. The first settlers in the area, drawn no doubt by the primal energy suffusing the land, were a pack of werewolves escaping the instinctive persecution of the "civilized" races. The pack was led by a strong female alpha named Victrus, and she and her people erected the Cairn of Convergence to defend the site. As with all things, civilization eventually overtook nature and the city of Parsantium was founded. The wolves of Victrus' pack, still so named despite the death of their founder many generations previous, knew they couldn't compete with modern magic and technology and so withdrew to hide among the colonizers as best they could. In time the city overgrew the menhir, the true born werewolves faded from memory, and the Cairn of Convergence was all but forgotten. Without the intervention of a circle of druids new to the region the menhir would have slept buried for all of eternity. With its rediscovery, however, came the awakening of its ancestral guardians. For many years a secret war for control of the Cairn was waged between the hidden wolves and the well-meaning but ignorant followers of Erastil. Though powerful, the wolves were few in number and didn't reproduce easily - never would a member of Victrus' legacy pass their curse on to the unwilling. The druids realized this and decided on a new course of action. They bided their time and let nature take its course. In the modern era, the druids took up their shadowy crusade once more. The nature mystics were successful in slaying the last two defenders of the Cairn and claiming it for their own - for the good of Erastil and not the people of Parsantium. Showing unprecedented mercy, the druids of the circle took in the last defenders' only child, a boy born of two worlds, and raised him in the name of the Stag God's fickle mercy. They named him Argady, a word in the secret tongue that meant "wolf stone", and he grew tall and strong and ignorant of his heritage. Argady was forced to prove himself many times in his early life, both in the strength of his connection with the natural world and in overcoming the prejudice of his unsettling appearance. His discovery of the hidden Cairn came by accident, on assignment from the King to increase the city's food supplies. The connection was instant and unsettling and led to an immediate schism within the circle. Grown powerful on their manipulation of the abundant lay energies, the heads of the druid enclave feared the rising of the menhir's traditional guardians and cast Argady out with the hope of driving him off. Their plans only succeeded in pushing the young metis out into the world, where he gathered allies and formed a circle of his own. He would return to Parsantium no longer a boy but instead a man in the prime of his power, intent on challenging the followers of Erastil for control of the Cairn of Convergence. With him he brought the fierce desert nomad Piksel, the irreverent bard Jackdaw, and his closest friend, primary advisor, and former lover - the sorceress Shale of Evergarden. By the time Argady and his band returned to the city at the crossroads, the native enclave's hold on the menhir was iron bound. Both Jackdaw and Piksel lost their lives in an attempt to wrest away control while the inhabitants of Parsantium slept blissfully unaware above their heads. It was Shale who decided their best course of action was to seek aid from the King. Together with Argady, she convinced the aging ruler that the Cairn of Convergence should be used to better the lives of the people of the growing city instead of being hoarded by Erastil's faithful. Despite the tension it caused with the city's leading agriculturists, Argady reclaimed his birthright and set about delving its secrets. As a condition for his aid, the King forced Argady to swear and oath of loyalty and service to Parsantium and its people for the rest of his days. Eventually the metis' exploration of the Cairn turned up a secret. The wolves of Victrus' pack had once given rise to a powerful seer named by her writing as Katerine. During her life Katerine was believed to be touched by the enemy of all goodly werecreatures, none other than the Mother of Monsters herself, the deity Lamshtu. Katerine's mad ramblings foretold the destruction of the lay node by otherworldly conquerors, the razing of Parsantium itself, and the destruction of all things. Fearing the woman's prophecy -but fearing even more to consign the writings to the flame-, the wolves of Victrus' pack sealed poor Katerine and her prophecies within a false wall and forgot she ever existed. Gifted with great wisdom but no talent for reading augers, Argady never the less instinctively realized the dangerous truth of the dead woman's words. The node, he knew, drew its power from a convergence of the planets' deepest lay lines. Eventually someone would come to claim it as the priests of Erastil had once done. Faced with an unknowable enemy on an uncertain timetable Argady and Shale turned their attentions to developing Parsantium into a bastion that would protect the world in its hour of darkest need.

A developing nation. Your Idea: The end of the world is coming and Parsantium is ground zero. I envision a city state transformed into a stronghold against extraplanar invaders. To accomplish this, the people of Parasantium must become the strongest, smartest, and wealthiest across all the known planes. When the apocalypse happens, be it during Argady's lifetime or long after his death, Parsantium and the Cairn of Convergence will be ready. The Mechanics: Argady and Shale plan to transform the city at the crossroads through social welfare, trade, and military prowess. By harnessing the menhir and the disgruntled druids, they plan to create endless, renewable sources of food. Next they plan on overhauling the city's healthcare so that no citizen ever suffers the ravages of illness. A well fed, healthy population can then turn its sights on the two supporting arms of a strong military: education and martial prowess. They plan to recruit scholars and generals from all the planes and give them places of honor within Parsantium's walls. Finally, they'll rely on their agricultural prowess to dominate trade, always with the goal of establishing powerful alliances and creating new means of exploring the worlds just beyond their reach. Your Assistant: Shale of Evergarden grew up a slave in her namesake city's flesh markets. Prized from a young age for her innate magical ability and natural charm, she passed through many owners' hands before she was instrumental in helping Argady, along with Jackdaw, overcome a band of mercenary highwaymen. The two were instantly infatuated with each other and Argady secured her release with the funds from their successful mission. Even after the passion of their brief romance faded, Shale remained with Argady and quickly proved her worth as a mediator and arcanist of no small skill. What Argady lacks in social settings and traditional learning Shale makes up for in spades. Undoubtedly smarter than her companion, Shale has used her charm and wit to worm her way into centers of learning in every city Argady's party passed through during their long exile. She's a natural born mediator with a friendly, even-keeled personality, and serves as the genius behind implementing Argady's long seeing plans for the future. She's also the only point of contact between Argady and the quarrelsome druids of Erastil. Your Role: Argady is one of only a handful of living beings that can manipulate the energies of the menhir directly and he guards this access zealously. While Shale is the "how" of Parsantium's future, Argady is the "why". He'll serve as the voice in council reminding the others that the end is coming and survival is paramount, for the sake of the world. What do you, the player, want?: I'd really like to see a massive, large scale battle between an aging Argady and some sort of extraplanar conquerors, be they something as mundane as the gith or something as wild as the forces of a Cthulu-esque being bent on total destruction. By that point I'd love to see Parsantium as so advanced magically and technologically that they control the skies through airships, gunpowder, and arcane might. RP Sample:   (a vignette about the King's proclamation)

[Behelit]

I have two questions!

1.) Is slavery legal in Parsantium?

2.) My character's grand plan relies on being able to use occult rituals (specifically, the Apotheosis rituals) to eventually become a devil.

https://aonprd.com/OccultRituals.asp...t%20Apotheosis

Because of the long in-game time frame involved in using these rituals (there are gaps up to a year or more between uses) versus the planned one update a week format for this particular game, I don't see there being a way to get anywhere near the end goal of completing the Fourth Apotheosis without this game lasting a real-life decade. Is there some way I could start with some of the rituals already complete, or perhaps we could reduce the time it takes to move from one ritual to the next? I'm not looking to immediately start play as a half-fiend or full devil since you've nixed starting off with templates and it would rob me of any sense of achievement, but I'm hoping we can find some kind of compromise so my character's goals can actually be attainable. If not, I have other character ideas I could pursue!

[Kweheri]

Interesting... Sounds like this city needs the greatest carnival in the many planes!

[Seekr34]

I see some conflicts between pcs coming.....

[Behelit]

Originally Posted by Seekr34

I see some conflicts between pcs coming.....

I should hope not! What kind of cruel PC would have a problem with another PC feeding and sheltering the poor and downtrodden and providing them with aid and moral guidance in times of need? The People's Temple of the Nine is here to help. We just want to see the people of Parsantium fulfill their ambitions both great and small. All we ask in return is that they sign on the dotted line.

[Preacherwolf]

Originally Posted by Behelit

I have two questions!

1.) Is slavery legal in Parsantium?

In Parsantium? No. But there are cities out there that run on slave economy

Originally Posted by Behelit

2.) My character's grand plan relies on being able to use occult rituals (specifically, the Apotheosis rituals) to eventually become a devil.

https://aonprd.com/OccultRituals.asp...t%20Apotheosis

Because of the long in-game time frame involved in using these rituals (there are gaps up to a year or more between uses) versus the planned one update a week format for this particular game, I don't see there being a way to get anywhere near the end goal of completing the Fourth Apotheosis without this game lasting a real-life decade. Is there some way I could start with some of the rituals already complete, or perhaps we could reduce the time it takes to move from one ritual to the next? I'm not looking to immediately start play as a half-fiend or full devil since you've nixed starting off with templates and it would rob me of any sense of achievement, but I'm hoping we can find some kind of compromise so my character's goals can actually be attainable. If not, I have other character ideas I could pursue!

Whoooooo boy. That's...thats one hell of a path you've chosen my friend, pun intended. So, first off I'd consider the fact that more than likely everyone else in the party will be opposed to you if you do this. Like, I don't think anyone's goal is going to line up with this and I think some party memeber might actively be gunning to oppose this depending on who I choose. But if you're committed to this path, I see no reason why you couldn't have already done the first ritual and be on your way to the second. As for reducing the time, I wouldn't say you could right out the gate but it could be quested for. There has to be some artefact or means out there to help ascension...if you're willing to pay the price

[Imveros]

Originally Posted by Seekr34

I see some conflicts between pcs coming.....

Time for Preacherwolf to run a good game and an evil game