[PF-1e] The Lawless City

[Lentil Sponge]

Game Name The Lawless City

Game System Pathfinder

Theme A huge city filled with crime and opportunities to attain glory or die in the attempt.

Flavour Urban crime fantasy in a tropical Greco-Roman inspired setting with some player-generated content. Jungle, desert, cave and naval exploration mixes with an urban adventure, with the party possibly going beyond the city borders at higher levels.

Plot Summary You should have known. It is, after all, Julianople. The Lawless City. But you have just travelled here and badly needed the money. And it seemed pretty simple - arrive at the Dead Mermaid's Casino and escort a large, ornate chest across the river to The Eight Dragon Inn. And instead? You're beaten up by the city guard. The ornate chest is gone. The owner of the casino, an orc by the name of Tilly One-Eye Gansog, now insists that you have a huge debt to pay, and are in her servitude until you do. Such is life in The Lawless City. Where law and crime are one and the same. Where every street corner has a mystery. Where fortunes can be made and lost in an instant. Where the sun bakes, the rain falls, the days have unbearable heats and the nights are cold and dangerous. And somewhere in this city is an ornate chest that you have to find, or you may be working for Tilly One-Eye Gansog for the rest of your days... This is The Lawless City! A homebrew setting that will go from Level 1 and onwards. The party has just been robbed blind, and they either have to pay off their debt or solve the mystery of where the box they were meant to escort has gone. Later on, you may find yourselves attempting to clean up the mean streets and restore law and order, or you may become full-blown mobsters in your own right, running businesses and becoming de-facto rulers of the city. When I run my games, there's usually a lot more roleplay than roll-play. Expect anywhere from 60-80% of the game to not involve dice whatsoever. In addition, as the game begins in the casino, there are also minigames that you can play to make extra money and establish yourselves. While I've made this setting as thorough as I can, I will also be periodically asking the players for player-generated content, so that you can also have an influence in the world. This will range from NPCs and lore to combat encounters and even plot lines. Game Description Game size: Two parties, each with four members. These two parties will probably not interact, though some events may impact the others' game Stats: BiNG Stat Array. See below for further explanation. DO NOT ROLL YOUR STATS IN THIS THREAD! There is a specific thread I will link to below to roll your stats in. You can roll your stats before applying if you so choose. Starting Level: 1 HP: Max HP at 1st, roll for every level afterward. Gold: Average Starting Wealth for your class Expected Posting Rate: Once a week, though obviously real life happens and I am not especially pushy. I'm currently travelling and living out of hostels at the moment, so I'm not allowed to judge slowness. House Rules We'll be using the Elephant in the Room Feat Alterations, as can be read here -> http://michaeliantorno.com/feat-taxes-in-pathfinder/ A note on the Lawful alignment - this is a game about a city that is very similar to Mos Eisley, Lankhmar or Ankh Morpork. Basically, everyone is corrupt and you're more than likely going to end up committing some crimes to survive. So in this particular game, Lawful does not mean law-abiding. That's true in most games, yes, but doubly so here. Instead, think of Lawful as being bound by a strict code. Mobsters, for example, are more likely to be Lawful than Chaotic because even though they break the law, they tend to strictly adhere to a particular code of what they can and can't do, and hold family in high regard, whereas the thugs who work for them just want to get paid. Also as Diplomacy can be completely broken or useless in Pathfinder, depending on the DM, and depends more on RP than the actual skill, I'm actually stealing the Social Interaction rules (that no one actually uses) from DnD 5e. Basically, every time you're using Diplomacy to make a request, the roll does not determine the character's Attitude towards you, but their mood - how willing they are to help you. Because let's face it, we've all been asked to do something by our best friend and decided "yeah, but... nah" The player's roleplayed conversation, though, temporarily impacts their Attitude. By appealing to an NPC's needs, desires and worldview (which can be determined through Appraise or Sense Motive if you're clever), or just roleplaying really well, the NPC may temporarily have a better opinion of the PC, which then increases the likelihood of them helping you, and likewise misunderstanding what's important to the NPC will result in their Attitude temporarily decreasing and also increase the DC of the roll. But the Diplomacy roll has NOTHING to do with Attitude - that's what the roleplay's for. The roll is just for how compelling the NPC finds the request itself. The specific DC will depend on the nature of the request itself - even if you hate someone, if they ask you to move a feather for $50,000, you'd probably do it. As a house-rule, you can use the Appraise skill (DC15 + the known Attitude of the NPC) to determine the DC of said roll, or know in advance if a particular request is impossible. DIPLOMACY CHART Hostile Unfriendly Indifferent Friendly Helpful Well below DC Will see to it that you fail, no matter the cost May decide to sabotage you without your knowledge Will flatly refuse any request Will politely refuse or ask for payment Will do something that benefits them or appeals to their worldview Near but not meeting DC May decide to sabotage you without your knowledge Will flatly refuse any request Will politely refuse or ask for payment Will do something that benefits them or appeals to their worldview Will do something at their own cost just to help you Above DC Will flatly refuse any request Will politely refuse or ask for payment Will do something that benefits them or appeals to their worldview Will do something at their own cost just to help you Would die for you if you asked Ok, so how does applying for a character work? First, see below for rolling your stats. The next post on this thread will be the character creation template. Fill this in as per the guide. Once done, go to this thread to have some open roleplaying before the game starts. This will allow all the players who apply for this game to RP, mingle and work out how their character writes. This will be a VERY big factor into whether or not I accept you so don't miss out. The roleplay thread takes place before the robbery that will put you into Wait, what's BiNG Stat Array? BiNG Stat Array (Bad, Normal, Good) is a new way to roll your stats that maintains the player-choice that comes with point buy, but also prevents every rogue being the same as every other rogue, every fighter being like every other fighter, etc etc. Here's how it works - you roll 2d4 for each stat, IN ORDER. Strength first, then Dexterity, then Constituion, Intelligence, Wisdom and finally Charisma. Once you have your results, you choose two of them to be GOOD stats. Raise those stats by 12. Next, choose two more stats to be NORMAL stats. Raise those by 7. Your remaining two are your BAD stats. Raise these by 2. Here is an example character - btw, I've already decided that I want to be a Wizard. so I roll 2d4 for each stat in turn. I get... Str: 4,1 = 5 Dex: 2,1 = 3 Con: 2,2 = 4 Int: 3,2 = 5 Wis: 4,1 = 5 Cha: 4,2 = 6 Hmmm... even though Charisma is my best result which suggests Sorcerer, my heart was set on Wizard, so I'll make my Good stats Intelligence and... you know what? I need all the HP I can get, so let's make a super tanky wizard. Str: 4,1 = 5 Dex: 2,1 = 3 Con: 2,2 = 4 GOOD = 16 Int: 3,2 = 5 GOOD = 17 Wis: 4,1 = 5 Cha: 4,2 = 6 As for my Normal stats, Wisdom is probably the most important after Intelligence, and then I have to decide between Dexterity and Charisma... I'm already going to be tanky as, so I can afford a low-ish DC. Let's go with Charisma as my Normal stats. Str: 4,1 = 5 Dex: 2,1 = 3 Con: 2,2 = 4 GOOD = 16 Int: 3,2 = 5 GOOD = 17 Wis: 4,1 = 5 NORMAL = 12 Cha: 4,2 = 6 NORMAL = 13 Which only leaves Strength and Dexterity as my Bad stats. And this is a Wizard build that is totally unique. A super tanky, pretty suave wizard who can barely move. Maybe they're pretty chunky but cool. Like a magical Stephen Fry... ok, maybe I want to play this character now. Str: 4,1 = 5 BAD = 7 Dex: 2,1 = 3 BAD = 5 Con: 2,2 = 4 GOOD = 16 Int: 3,2 = 5 GOOD = 17 Wis: 4,1 = 5 NORMAL = 12 Cha: 4,2 = 6 NORMAL = 13

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HOW TO APPLY

You can begin creating a character sheet now if you wish, though it is not required.

First, roll your BiNG Stats in this thread, and then go to this thread to begin some roleplay. Interact with other characters and any NPCs you happen to make up, because I want to see how well you play your role and jive with other players. This will be a big factor in you being accepted.

Application Name: Exactly what it says on the tin. Stats: Please roll in the BiNG Stat Thread, which can be found here Alignment: Any non-Evil alignment is allowed Class: All Core, Base, Alternate and Hybrid Classes are allowed, including Unchained. I'm also willing to consider Path of War, Spheres of Power, and Psionics. Race: Core or Featured. I'm willing to consider other races. I've had both a tiger and a dragon in my games, so if you pitch a cool enough idea to me I'll go for it Traits: 1, or 2 and a drawback. I'm willing to consider Campaign Traits, but they have to be sensible and fit in with the setting. So if you wanted to take the "Finding Haleen" trait from Legacy of Fire, that would make no sense. Reason for Arrival: This is why you are in Julianople, and more specifically what drew you to The Dead Mermaid Casino. Pick one of the Reasons from the spoiler button below. Each has an additional benefit and you can only have one, so choose wisely.   Local: You were born in Julianople. You left Julianople. You returned to Julianople. So it goes - though you may have tried to deny it once, you and the city are one. You always, ALWAYS, fit right in thanks to your keen knowledge of the city. When you came back, you needed some cash, fast. And there was a lot of gold to be made near the Dead Mermaid's Casino... Benefit: +2 to Knowledge (Local), which is always a class skill for you. When making a Stealth check, you can choose to use your Int, Wis or Cha modifier instead of your Dex modifier. Scholar: You came from a land far away to study at the University of Julianople. While the city may have fallen into disarray and ruin, the University is one of the last vestiges of the city's former glory. Unfortunately that comes with a steep entry fee, which you underestimated, so you need money fast... Benefit: You can use any Knowledge skill regardless of training (expect Knowledge Local). You also gain two additional Languages and gain +1 additional Skill Point at every second level (Lvls 2, 4, 6, 8 etc...) Gladiator: You were an enslaved gladiator, travelling all over the world with your trainers fighting many opponents. This has given you both a wealth of experience and a flair for the dramatic. It was only in Julianople when you had enough earnings to buy your freedom. But now you need more money, and the Dead Mermaid's Casino is the perfect place to make it. Benefit: +2 to Perform (Oratory), which is always a class skill. +2 to Combat Maneuver Bonus Prisoner: You were convicted for a crime that you may or may not have committed. It was a heinous crime, and you were taken to the Talonta Offshore Prison, where you learned to keep your wits about you to survive. While there, a riot broke out, and you had the choice to escape or save the cruel warden's life. Despite yourself, you chose to save the warden. Days later, you were let loose, and the warden has promised you some amount of safety. Though not money. But as for a certain casino owner... Benefit:+2 to Initiative. City Guards who have not already met you start with a Friendly attitude towards you. Sea-dog: You have sailed the seas your whole life. Sometimes as a merchant. Sometimes as a corsair. Of course, with the number of coasts you have been on, you have caught many a disease, and are now very hardy. You actually came to Julianople to meet a physician who wanted to study you, but then they never showed up at the meeting spot. In a new land with no currency, you sniffed out a job with plenty of gold to be made. Benefit: Choose two out of Climb, Swim, Heal or Appraise. You gain +1 to these, and these are class skills. In addition, all DCs for saving throws vs Diseases are halved Explorer: You hail from a distant land. You have been travelling the world for an incredibly long time, earning what you can with odd jobs and weird work. It has made you physically hardy and you have garnered an incredibly eclectic wealth of knowledge and experience... except Languages. You always struggled with those. You financed yourself with odd jobs, so what's one more? Benefit: Choose any class skill. You can replace this with any other two class skills of your choice and gain +1 to each of those skills. +2 to Survival. You only know one language at the beginning of the game and it CANNOT be Common (you can learn new languages by putting points into Linguistics or if your Intelligence modifier rises through level-up, as per the usual methods) Theologian: You came to Julianople for religious reasons. Not as a preacher, though, but as a scholar. You have always been fascinated with your own religion's history and how it parallels other religions as well as local histories. While you were only passing through Julianople originally, you heard of a girl who can read the future with astonishing accuracy, which excited you either as a curiosity or for your own reasons. Apparently her father frequents the Dead Mermaid's Casino. So you made a detour... Benefit: You must be a follower of The Heavenly Masters. +1 to both Diplomacy and Knowledge (Religion), which are both class skills. You start the game with a Blue Book at no cost. Reformed Mercenary: You were once a mercenary who fought not just against but for the city of Julianople. You had your own reasons to fight - nation was not one of them. Gold wasn't, either, but you made yourself very wealthy. However, one day you took a terrible blow, and you saw the ground writhing. Grass like fur. Stones like fangs. Traumatised at first, but then you were overwhelmingly comforted as a woman splashed water on your face. She said she came from Julianople and would heal you. When you spoke to your company, none of them recall such a woman being in the surgery that you came around in. Hearing of the Church of the Three Sisters, you set out to Julianople, and something or someone drew you to the Dead Mermaid Casino... Benefit: You must be a follower of The Church of the Three Sisters. You begin with +250gp. Blood Sacrifice: You were shipped from your home to Julianople to be a blood sacrifice of Sophi. You came to the temple, where your blood was extracted. However, it was decided that you would not die, but instead you would be torn at by both beasts and men alike. This lasted for 40 days, and you left the temple knowing you had done your duty. But now you need money, either to live here or charter a ship home. Benefit: You must be a follower of Sophi. +1 on all Concentration checks. If you are Bleeding, you can stop the bleeding with sheer willpower on a Will Save of DC 20. Description: Either a picture or, if one is not available, a text description of your character's appearance. Personality: This is a large factor into whether or not your character will be accepted. Try to make this at least three paragraphs long, just so I can get a decent grasp on who your character is. The more intriguing the character, the better. History: This is your character's history. The world has been left very open for you to run rampant, and you can improvise what you like. Try to make this at least two paragraphs long. Unique Goal: PUT THIS IS IN SECRET TEXT! This is something that your character wants to achieve separate from finding the chest that was lost from Tilly One-Eye Gansog and the reason they're an adventurer. It can be as elaborate or simple and cliche as possible. It can be searching for your parent's murderer, or looking for a cure to some disease, or anything else. An item connected to your goal is very handy, like a hairpin you found on your dead wife's body or a tome of an ancient wizard who must be laid to rest. Avoid just "my character is looking to make their fortune." If your character wants money or power, have a specific thing your character wants the money or power for, like the ransom for your family or you're looking to buy back your rightful place as leader of a city state. Three Trivia Tidbits (optional): This is completely optional, but to get you thinking about your character, I'd ideally want a list of three (or more) quirky, weird bits of trivia about your character. Just odd details to make them more fleshed out. "My bard is secretly afraid of snakes" or "My barbarian's first memory is of a lullaby sung by their dad" are good examples. APPLICATION DEADLINE: 18/06/2022

APPLICATIONS

Player	Character	Alignment	Race	Class	Reason for Hire	Status	Reviewed?
Vaerdis	Kara Kurdst	Chaotic Good	Human	Prodigy	Prisoner	Complete	Yes
triedtherest	Dougal Fastblade III	True Neutral	Human	Unchained Rogue	Prisoner	Complete	Yes
Dylan Scott	Kitwix "Grim" Hillivi Grimzinta	Chaotic Good	Traveller Gnome	Sorcerer (Mongrel Mage)	Sea-Dog	Complete	Yes
Touketsu	Damien "Snake-Eyes" Buranta	True Neutral	Vishkanya	Bard (Archivist)	Local	Complete	Yes
CatCanCook	Liana Xirkul	True Neutral	Halfling	Zealot	Theologian	Complete	Yes
Noquarter19	Vyeggar Vugmuk	Chaotic Neutral	Half Orc	Brawler	Blood Sacrifice	Complete	Yes
MundayKnight	Olek Lightbringer	Chaotic Neutral	Ifrit	Unchained Rogue	Local	Incomplete	No
Optional Reality	Signe Fairhair	Chaotic Good	Human	Skald (Totemic & Urban)	Gladiator	Incomplete	No
DebiRedHair	Finrod Dawnbringer	Lawful Neutral	Half-Elf	Ninja	Reformed Mercenary	Complete	Yes
Exhibit A	Kotram Deepiron	True Neutral	Dwarf	Bard (Dwarven Scholar)	Reformed Mercenary	Complete	Yes
Cristal08Darkmoon	Aurora	Neutral Good	Aasimar	Hunter	Reformed Mercenary	Incomplete	No
Alatere	Tarbin Haldar	Neutral Good	Human	Cleric of Otama	Gladiator	Complete	Yes
Player	Character	Alignment	Race	Class	Reason	Incomplete	No

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Map Key Plot Relevant Buildings (Highlighted in Gold) J9 The Dead Mermaid Casino Major Buildings (Highlighted in Red) A1 Entrance to the Mt. Julian Mines D4 The Imperial Treasury D5 The Imperial Palace F9 The Great Lighthouse G5 The Meditation Gardens of Heaven H8 The Merchant's Guild and City Treasury M5 The Grand Temple of Sophi M8 The Great Barracks P6 The University of Julianople P10 Talonta Island Prison Q5 The Tower of The Three Sisters R6 The Hippodrome Notable Small Buildings (Highlighted in Blue) A8 The Imperial Observatory and Soothsayers B1 The Black Dog Brothel B3 Elmen & Co. Jewellers C2 Dwarfholme Ironworks E7 The Western Docks Constabulary F1 The First Post Public House F4 The Imperial Winery F8 The Last Drop Tavern G3 Westside All Girl's Academy G7 The Best Tavern H6 The High Road Papermakers I4 The Drunken Mermaid Distillery I8 The Hidden Inn J2 The Dragon River Herbalist's J8 The City House of Records L7 The Riverside Brewery M3 The Eight Dragon Inn M6 Obane, Miller & Grox Legal N4 High Gallows Tavern O2 The Old Smith O5 The Goblintown Bank O8 3rd & 18th School for Boys P2 Julianople Common Tannery P7 Madame Tabor's Elven Massage Parlour Q6 Eastside Constabulary and Jailhouse R5 The Gladiatorial Weaponsmith S2 The Tired Nag Inn

The City of Julianople Julianople is a huge city. Built on the coast and the mouth of a river, in its prime it was one of the wealthiest cities in the world. However, over time, all that wealth and power has frittered away into the hands of especially powerful and especially corrupt individuals, leaving the city itself very poor. Much of its old wealth came from Mt. Julian to the north-west, which is where the city gets its name. Despite the incredibly hot climate, with how tall Mt Julian is one can expect to see snow and frost at its peak. Deep within there are many metals, including copper, iron, tin and gold. However, disrepair has meant that said mines are crawling with monsters. The north-western part of town is the historic centre, and the oldest buildings in the city are here. The western side of the city had the mountain, so it also had the wealth. The Citadel, in its centre, is possibly the only place left where one can truly say there is law and order, though it is tightly controlled by the Imperial forces and few go in or go out. On the southern coast is the historic Merchant's District, full of ports, inns, brothels and casinos. Organised crime tore through these streets and turned the once properous Merchant's District into a dangerous place indeed. Across the river are the poorer quarters of the east side. While the west side traditionally was mining and trade, the east primarily existed to feed the west. This goes someway to explain why there is such resentment between east and west. More than once, someone has rallied the people into a revolt to form their own city. None have been successful for long. To try and keep the people content, there were colleges and entertainment districts, but all this did was attract yet more gangsters. The divide between west and east is not just economic, but religious too, though more information about that can be found below. Outside the city to its north, running the farms and the mills, are a group of small shanty towns. The northern riverbank is the last thing one will see before the endless desert surrounding Julianople begins. It is a lush fertile combination of jungle and marshland. Citrus foods, fine spices, rice and wheat are all common foods in Julianople as a result of the hard-working farmers of the north. The north is, however, also prone to frequent flooding and incursions of bandits from the deserts or wild animal attacks. The city itself feels safe, behind its large walls, and it sometimes forgets that if the farms fail, the city fails. Outside the city borders, the jungle and swamps give way to deserts. And beyond is another story entirely. There are three major seasons in Julianople - when the winds turn, they bring the Rainy Season. Floods and constant downpours are abound. But then afterwards, there is a long Summer Season, when the rains fade and the humidity becomes a baking dry heat. In this time, the fruits and crops grow, and afterwards is the Harvest Season, when it is cool enough and the food is ripe enough for picking.

Tilly One-Eye Gansog and the Dead Mermaid's Casino Tilly One-Eye Gansog is many things, but a woman to be trifled with she is not. Formidable, dangerous and mixed in with multiple illegal activities, she rose through the ranks of the criminal underworld to become one of its more feared figures... unfortunately, not the most, which she often forgets. She has found herself in possession of an ornate chest. No one knows what is in it, aside from Tilly herself. She has asked a party of newcomers to the city to escort it to the buyers of the chest, the owners of the Eight Dragon Inn. Clearly, that did not go so well... The Dead Mermaid's Casino is the largest casino in the city, thanks to its placement right by the docks. Across both the west and the east, many people flock to the Dead Mermaid. If nothing else, people often go because the city guard so rarely do. Here, patrons play many games, though there is also a plethora of activities that they partake in, legal or otherwise. In one corner there is burlesque, where risque jokes are told and risque dances are done. In another, a wrestling ring allows anyone to test their strength and for friends to settle squabbles. And, for the right price, there are bedrooms for people to spend the night with Tilly's more pretty staff or cellars to watch animals and men fight for sport... There are many mini-games available for the players to play during downtime to help them gain extra earnings beyond simply their own Profession or Perform rolls. Further details will come about once the game begins proper.

Demographics, Technology and Magic Julianople was once a great city that has fallen into ruin. But this is not the first time this has happened. Due to its strategic location and wealth of natural resources, many empires have come to claim it, only for the city itself to somehow draw said invaders in and suck their wealth away from them. It can feel as if the criminality of Julianople itself is at once alive and a political entity, destroying many an empire in its wake to the benefit of its most corrupt individuals. The current rulers are an Elven family who continue to call themselves "Emperor" and "Empress". Crown Prince Undiara sits in the Imperial Palace, commanding the Citadel, but he knews that he has no power outside the Citadel walls and keeps himself locked away. As such, elves might receive some more preferential treatment in the less corrupt courthouses and exactly nowhere else. Almost every race in the world can be found somewhere in Julianople, though the further away one goes from the docks the more the individual races tend to stay in their own districts. Many give their own names to their streets, such as Goblintown in the east, Dwarfholme near the mountain, or Dragon Road where the kobolds live outside the city. The closer one gets to the docks, the more these races mingle. Humans thrive in Julianople as a result, as they are able to (and do) have offspring with most humanoid species. Generally, the technological level of Julianople is in the classical age, though with medieval melee weaponry. Gunpowder is just beginning to make its way into Julianople, though only the especially rich and especially well-travelled possess or even know it exists. The houses of the wealthy are made of marble, while the poorest live in homes of lumber and dried cement. The clothes worn vary from person to person, but generally the extreme heat and humidity makes wearing loose clothing a must when its not winter. Magic, on the other hand, is rare but well known. The University of Julianople is where most of the spellcasters in the city learnt their craft, though there are only a few. A wizard walking down a street will prompt gossip and will only happen every few weeks, but it's not a once-in-a-lifetime event.

Religion There are three primary religious sects within the city of Julianople. These have caused a lot of division between the people, all of whom are aggressive to what they perceive as non-believers. Their religious culture is diametrically opposed, though there is some overlap between the three. Few are sure of which the true pantheon is - no matter who the cleric is, there does seem to be someone responding. Most zealots of any particular religion will insist that anyone praying to another god is really praying to their own god and just keeps getting the name wrong.   There are two worlds. The world of mortals, where charismatic men and women rule and squabble for rulership. Then there is the world of the Heaven, where the gods themselves rule and squabble for rulership. Heaven, to the believer of The Heavenly Masters, is a bureaucratic chaotic morass of minor and major gods, each of whom fall in and out of favour. This is the religion of traders and travellers, and it incorporated a lot of gods and goddesses from other religions as it evolved, which can make it seem inconsistent at times. A believer in The Edict of The Heavenly Masters will worship a particular deity that controls an important aspect of their life, such as a blacksmith worshipping a fire god, but the only moral component to the religion is of self-mastery. Of encouraging contemplation and civility. As such, they tend not to clash with other religions, even if other religions clash with their customs. There are literally thousands of gods and goddesses in the Pantheon, including gods of beetles, specific rivers and the making of cheese, but this is a small list of the most important gods and goddesses, who impact everyone's every day life. The rulers of the gods. The Master of Heaven - This is not actually a God, but they also are. This is the most powerful deity, and they are at once a title bestowed onto an already existing god who has become the most popular, and also a god in of themselves. Specifically of the cycle of death and rebirth, and they are basically a dull bureaucrat with scales. However, they are also tasked with holding back the Swirling Light. Alignment: Lawful Neutral Favoured Weapon: Quarterstaff Domains: Life, Death, Repose, Nobility Sapphron - Usually depicted as a woman who meditates amongst tigers, Sapphron is the current Master of Heaven. She was once a mortal orc who had studied so much that she transcended the mortal realm. She is, surprisingly enough, something of a trickster, having fooled Archibarta into losing her status as Master of Heaven in a bet over grains of sand in the desert. Alignment: Lawful Good Favoured Weapon: Shortsword Domains: Knowledge, Trickery, Fur Alchibarta - The most recent former Master of Heaven, depicted as a twin-headed dragon. She had gotten the position through brute force, and is generally seen as a dangerous goddess to invoke. She is violent, bad-tempered and controls not just warring nations, but warring natures, such as storms and hurricances, and rules over every other god of battle or weather. Alignment: Chaotic Neutral Favoured Weapon: Axe Domains: Lightning, Storms, War, Destruction The Druid King - Fauna and flora are all under the purview of the Druid King. He is explicitly a ruler of gods, chosen by all the plants and animals of the world to be their neutral, unbiased ruler, for he is neither man nor god. He is depicted as a wizened old man made of leaves, and may be the first ever Master of Heaven if certain texts are anything to go by. Alignment: True Neutral Favoured Weapon: Spear Domains: Plant, Animal, Earth, Scalykind, Vermin Jeje - Depicted as either a girl covered in seaweed or an elephant, Jeje is specifically the Goddess of Madness... but of a particular kind of madness. Specifically, of the undiagnosed and undiagnosable mental states that allow those possessing it to see the world differently to others, or at least those who are able to master it. Alignment: Chaotic Good Favoured Weapon: Halberd Domains: Madness, Community, Self-Realization, Strength Erotes - Erotes is a fertility god depicted as a jolly dwarf with... tastefully, we shall call them "a large gift." He uses his large gift to help the Heavenly Master facilitate the giving of life, and also he controls many gods and goddesses of lust, love, family, fertility, diplomacy, crossroads, merchants and travellers. Alignment: Neutral Good Favoured Weapon: Longsword Domains: Charm, Lust, Luck, Co-Operation, Travel, Life The Swirling Light - Oddly enough, The Edict of The Heavenly Masters does not think of dark as inherently good. In fact, they believe that the Desert is evil. The Swirling Light is the desert's will, a swirling consuming void that eats everything. The Master of Heaven must hold it at bay, or it will swallow everything. Alignment: Neutral Evil Favoured Weapon: Flintlock Pistol Domains: Light, Evil, Sun   In the beginning, there was The One. A raging beast that devoured all of creation, the five worlds that existed before this one. But then, it fell asleep, and the Three Sisters came forth to extend its sleep. This religion is primarily worshipped in the east side of the city, and concerns itself with the passage of the seasons. Each Sister is in command of an individual season, and they are worshipped primarily during that season. Worship of the Three Sisters places a lot of emphasis on the moral character of the follower, with daily rituals and private prayer to maintain the order of the world. Dustaw - The Sister of the Summer. She warms the Slumbering One to keep him comfortable and sleepy. She appears as a dancer clad in pink and gold, and is energetic, warm and loving. She is the Goddess of the Sun, Light, Fire and Festivals. Alignment: Chaotic Good Favoured Weapon: Scimitar Domains: Community, Light, Fire, Sun, Revelry Otoma - The Sister of the Harvest. She plucks the Slumbering One's hide to keep him weak and not a threat. She appears as a warrior bearing mistletoe and a lance, and is both diligent yet highly aggressive. She is the Goddess of Fertility, War and the Harvest. Alignment: Neutral Good Favoured Weapon: Spear Domains: Law, Plant, Protection, Strength, War Monsuna - The Sister of the Rain. She washes the Slumbering One to keep him content and benign. She appears as a wise-woman with an amphora of water, and has a kindly, nurturing personality. She is the Goddess of the Weather, Water, the Night and Cleanliness. Alignment: Lawful Good Favoured Weapon: Hammer Domains: Water, Monsoons, Healing, Wind, Moon The Slumbering One - The great leviathan that is the world. We all live on his back, with his hair being the trees and the rivers being his veins. He is less worshipped, and more dedicated priests sing to him so that he may continue his rest. Of course, some more insane zealots want to see what the primordial universe is and think waking him up is a good idea. Alignment: Chaotic Evil Favoured Weapon: Domains: Earth, Storms, Death, Destruction, Evil   Deep in the bowels of the earth are dark, wicked spirits. They once tormented mortals and danced about them. However, a great woman emerged, half-dragon half-human, whose name was Sophi. She did not no one else could - she fell upon the wicked spirits and bound them into the earth. She became their prison, and her body became the world. Her hair are the plants. Her blood is the sea. Her broken bones are mountains. Thus, she left her mortal body and became the Goddess of Battle, Fertility, the Earth, Sex, Love and Water. However, she is not dead, and nor are the wicked spirits. To keep her alive, Sophi needs sacrifice, or the world will end. Most believe this sacrifice comes in the form of spiritual servitute - of quiet reflection and sacrifice to give away what they do not need to those who are in need. On holy days, one may engage in animal sacrifice, sacrificing food, or indulgant orgies to satiate Sophi' sexual aspect. Some particularly vicious zealots believe that she needs the blood and soul of mortals, and are willing to kill or die to save the world. Sophiites are a highly organised group, seeing their growing flock as a political as well as a religious movement. Worshippers of the Heavenly Masters do not particularly care about Sophiites, or at least the ones who don't engage in blood sacrifices - they believe in many gods, so what's one more? However, preachers of The Church of The Three Sisters insist that she is merely an aspect of the goddess Otama, and declare any worship of Sophi as heretical. Alignment: Chaotic Good Favoured Weapon: Unarmed Strike Domains: Earth, Water, Scalykind, Protection, War, Lust, Love, Water The world is a large place, and there are plenty of other religions in the world. If none of the above religions appeal to you or if there's a domain you're desperate to use, you can be a follower of a deity from another sourcebook; just let me know that that's the case and what the sourcebook is. Generally, there is one common underlying theme to every religion popular in Julianople - there's always at least one goddess holding back something that is pure evil. Though, of course, that could just be a coincidence...

[Fatgunn]

Posting extreme interest!

[Vaerdis]

Application Name: Kara Kurdst Alignment: Chaotic Good Class: Prodigy Race: Human Kara Attributes Strength 14 Dexterity 18 (20) Constitution 9 Intelligence 10 Wisdom 15 Charisma 9 Traits: Scout's Eyes, Birthmark and Loner Reason for Arrival: Prisoner Description: Kara stands at, for her gender and humanity, a daunting six foot, with a slim athlete's build. Her hair is long, red and wild. Her skin is sun-kissed with a healthy tan. Her eyes are imposingly narrow with steel-grey colored irises. Much like a title given to her in jest implies, Kara looks the part of a brigand. Her clothes are shabby and poor, as she wears and ensemble of sandals, ankle wrappings, a loose crimson sarong, well-frayed at the edges and torn to provide more mobility for her other leg, a wrap of red cloth about her chest, secured by leather straps, and a series of bracelets about her cloth wrapping bracers. On her left arm is a black tattoo bearing the symbol of Dustaw, surrounded by the artist's symbols of revelry. Her equipment is a cedar longbow, a hide quiver containing sharpened wood arrows, and a handaxe with a hole in the axe head.   Kara, the Summer Bandit Justice, a single, solitary word reserved to define those that seek a salvation against mankind's nature. The knowledge of such things, or the ability to properly express this is not within the power of the girl named Kirits, but she has a growing understanding of it. To be just, to be a savior is something one must strive for, but to succeed, one needs power. This, she too, also understands. The discipline and diligence of training daily had been pressed into her mind and body that she is a creature of habit to fit the brilliant image of a single word's interpretation within her head. She became the type of person to start the morning with a prayer to deliverance and end every night with her hands occupied, practicing a single strike a hundred times, or reciting mantras so that her language is clear. In the day, between the rituals, she has become the type of person that when left alone in a room with an abandoned purse, an open bar and a broom, will take the broom to clean the room unbidden. Kara is a girl who has had most every bad situation thrust upon her, every calamitous tempest tossing the vessel of her life astray and had continued on. Her spirit is indominable for it must be so to survive with her sanity. She doesn't take her mood out on others, for her fury doesn't turn to fist, nor does cheer turn to revelry. Every conversation struck is a query for knowledge and understanding, even if she doesn't have the vocabulary to convey such. Kara's inability to express herself doesn't come from a cold distance to people. She, after all, has much of the same proclivities of any human, like an appreciation for music, enjoying the presence and company of others, or indulging in games and hearing stories. But such things have been, to her, deemed wasteful expenditures beyond her ability to deserve. All that she is allowed to indulge is a healthy supply of greed to attain money for equipment that will help her fulfil her dreams. Brigand's Tale Kara is without memory of much of her early life or parents. The first imagery that she can recall is a great fire in west Julianople, before her memory faded. She was then an orphan destined to labor under the whims of whoever manages her "charitable" establishment. As soon as she was properly able to walk, she was pushing up a broom, or out begging for coin to bring back to the proprietor. Fate that was arguably leading to her either selling her body or picking pockets for coin was averted by the surprise appearance of a guardian interested in taking in children. Her momentary savior was Bartali Gortz, a merchant and investor in the east's arena. Gortz, had aspirations to making a team of his own for the arena and had resources to spare on tutors to personally educate nine children in the hopes that any of them had talents. What followed were many years of sparring. Every week, a different weapon was put before them and they were instructed to learn how to use it. Lack of success meant a lack of food, so none would even imagine doing anything but their utmost to please Gortz. A handful of the children were seen as nothing more than mediocre practitioners of the mundane arts of war, and for this, Gortz had to spare greater expense diversifying his teachings. The favored students who showed promise to be great warriors at this time were favored, given good attire, decent food and the family name of the guardian. While others were known as Kurdst. It was years later, before the teenage years that an instructor in the divines came to test the remaining children for a talent less used in the arena, magic. While she wasn't the greatest of the five, Kara displayed some talent, explicitly in the nature of projecting and enhancing. By the age of twelve, she was creating hollow shells of weapons with magical power, and making them more effective than weapons created by a master artisan. Though compared to her siblings, her skill with weaponry was experimental and improvised in comparison, and she was mostly seen as a failure that had to strike out on her own by her teenage years. Being someone that had only been educated in the arts of fighting, and little more education than a reading comprehension, it was natural that she ended up in a gang. By her senses, Kara had joined a good gang, the Crimson Shroud, following a leader that outwardly sought to protect the people of the east and help the downtrodden. The leader, Shugengan, had arranged, one day, to ambush a caravan run by a rumored corrupt merchant. Kara had provided aid with her most practiced weapon, a bow, and supported the endeavor. But the skills of her gang compatriots, and herself did not match up to the mercenary guards. In the prolonged fighting, the guards of the city investigated the noise and had surrounded and captured Kara and all the gang members for their banditry. Incarcerated for a crime of her doing with good will, Kara was restrained in a cell of stone and iron, a place from which she could escape for with her magic, given time to wear down walls, but on its own, escape was meaningless, and she was uncertain if the Crimson Shroud was capable of causing change enough to save people. On a night of what training she could do, prisoners had broken free of their cells and had taken the weapons of some guards. it was a riotous night filled with panic. A prisoner that claimed the keys of the guard in charge of the watch had opened the cell block that Kara was in, and she found herself free. Her thoughts were in disarray and she was reluctant to outright free despite the hurried rush of people fleeing the confines of her cell. But she had decided, eventually, to go to where she can claim her things. The belongings of all prisoners, however, seemed under tight defense as one had to pass through the armory to reach it, and the guard were well prepared to hold the armory at all costs. From there, Kara met up with some members of her gang, where Shugengan planned to take advantage of the attempt to prion break to commit justice to the warden of the prison. A member of the elven aristocracy past their prime, Crominus Mar Provinus had awoken to his chambers to find the prison in chaos and a group of ruffians having overwhelmed his tower's defenses to his chamber room. Kara and Shugengan were alone with the warden at the time. Shugengan, always the charismatic leader had provided a speech that was audible enough to be heard to those gang members fighting in the halls outside. In his hand he was given weapons provided by Kara's own magic to perhaps guide the warden to a peaceful surrender. But the following moments revealed no such intentions. The warden, being so disarmed had little other choice but to personally surrender to capture. But despite the pretty words of Shugengan's speech, he fell upon the warden like a rabid beast, ready for murder. Kara had dismissed her weapons from his hands before any lasting damage could be done, and in a struggle to save the warden, she had stuck Shugengan with a shiv provided to her. The conflict shown her that there is more often than not, the cost of a life to save another. In this encounter that lead to an accidental murder, Kara retreated to a corner, and, when the guard finally had control of the situation, she surrendered herself to confinement. Only to her surprise that she was let out that very next morning. Without a gang anymore, without a home, and little more but the scraps that can be called clothes on her back, Kara had signed up to do work for anyone that would or could pay her. In her naivety she figured that since raiding a caravan was work of much difficulty and deserving of punishment, it would be far easier on her to join in the defense of moving goods across the city, and how wrong she was.

[Touketsu]

Oooooh, 100% on board Lentil! Will get an application in when I can.

[ProjectLazarus]

I've never played Pathfinder before... But this seems an interesting one to dip a toe into. Posting interest.

[DebiRedHair]

Registering interest.

[Dylan Scott]

Not familiar with Pathfinder but expressing interest as well

[triedtherest]

Application Name: Dougal Fastblade the Third Stats:   Str: 6 (Bad +2) 8 Dex: 6 (Good +12) 18 Con: 7 (Normal +7) 14 Int: 5 (Good +12) 17 Wis: 5 (Normal +7) 12 Cha: 4 (Bad +2) 6 Race: Human Age: 25 Class: Unchained Rogue (Possibly with the Phantom Thief Archetype, depending on the needs/make-up of the Party) Alignment: True Neutral Character Sheet Link: WIP Traits: -Pragmatic Activator (Magic): Add Intelligence to UMD Checks instead of Charisma. -Clever Wordplay (Social): Add Intelligence to Disguise Checks instead of Charisma Flaws: -Meticulous: -2 To Skill Checks that you are untrained in Reason for Arrival: Prisoner Physical Description:   This long-haired albino gives every impression of being a pampered fop, he usually likes to dress well, though obviously not at the beginning of our story, and has the frame of someone not used to physical labour. This appearance is not by accident, as Dougal realised early on that spoiled brats are easy to underestimate, so made every effort to look like one, to give himself the upper hand. His hands are quite course, with various faded burns and stains from the various chemicals he has handled over the years, which is why he prefers to wear gloves when amongst high society. Disposition/Personality:   Money-focused, being raised by people who steal things for a living, he was ingrained with a "Take what you can, give nothing back" kind of attitude! While he grew up with the ill-gained wealth of his family, he knows that nobody in that family (or his Guild) will respect him unless he makes a fortune through his own schemes. In his previous life he called himself a "Merchant" or an "Entrepreneur", but he is prepared to do just about anything that will bring him wealth. He is unfailingly Charming to just about everyone he meets, though this is ultimately a self-serving tactic, after all he never knows if he might want a favour from somebody (or to sell them something!) He is not naturally charming, but he smart, and has taught himself to know the correct social cues to say in most situations. On the surface, he is polite and courteous, but below the surface (and usually not Very far bellow) he is a neurotic bag of nerves! One particular nervous habit of his, is that he has a tendency to talk to himself, or say things without thinking! Background:   Dougal Fastblade III is a third generational member of the Helping Hands Thieves Guild, based out of The Provinces, grandson of it's Founder, and son of the current Guildmaster. He spent his youth being surrounded and protected by some of the toughest criminals in the Provinces, and while his involvement in underworld activities was both expected and encouraged, he was kept away from anything too dangerous. Knowing that the older Fastblade's would never allow him to get involved in any of the more extreme (profitable) activities of the Guild, so he threw himself into Poison and illegal Spice production. After a few years of making a tidy sum of coin through the Guilds own Black Market Connection, Dougal wanted to try opening up new markets in different cities, and he thought that Julianople would be a good place to start. Dougal is usually a smart man, but this decision turned out to be stupid.....! The Unfortunate Case of Dougal Fastblade the Third Dougal paced nervously, first Meets were always a nerve-wracking affair, especially in a new city. This Gang Leader, Jerek...Something, had a particularly nasty reputation and he was far away from his home-turf. "We did say an hour after Twilight?" He questioned, not for the first time. "Relax!" Said his guide, Safira, also not for the first time. "He'll be here!" He looked at the people he'd brought/bought along, all at Safira's urging, then glanced at "The Crate". "That's easy for YOU to say!" Returned Dougal, testily. "You are not the one who is trying to flog a bunch of Black Market Toxins in a disused Warehouse, in a Strange City to a known Killer. If this goes South then you can just leg it. If this Jerek takes exception to me, I'm dead. If he decides to take it without paying for it, then I have to explain this to the Guild back home...!" He shuddered. Pops will be furious! He continues. "And I don't care if you say the Guard turn a blind eye or not, they could easily take exception to an out of towner, and arrest me. Then I would likely spend years in jail!" Safira shakes her head. "No jail...? EXECUTION!" He gasps. Nods. "Oh perfect! The things I do for coin!" "You whine alot, Mister Fastblade..!" Jerek had arrived. "...And you would not believe some of the things that I have done for coin!" ""Jerek" I presume?" Says Dougal with a raised eyebrow. His eyes flick over the men with Jerek. Good! Roughly equal numbers on both sides, so he's less likely to start something here. Jerek nods, then indicates the crate. ""My Goods" I presume!" "That depends..." Says Dougal. "...you brought the coin?" At a motion from Jerek, a man brings out a small chest and opens it up. Dougal makes a quick estimate in his head, smiles, then opens up the crate. He holds his hand out in a dramatic fashion, over the crate. Jerek looks at the contents from where he's standing. "Hmm! Yes, I will be able to make a profit on this. Who made all of this?" "He did!" Said Safira, pointing at Dougal. Dougal frowned, he hadn't wanted this information to be known, at least not to this fellow! "Excellent!" Said Jerek. "Well done, Sister." ""Sister...?"" Said Dougal in surprise. CHNK! Around a dozen weapons of various descriptions were drawn at once, and all were being pointed at Dougal. "Like I said: "MY Goods" Mister Fastblade!" Sneered Jerek. "Perhaps..." Said Dougal, he knew he was sunk, but there was one thing left... "Do you know much about my family, the Fastblade's? No? We have a phrase, sort of a Family Motto, it goes: Non Proficies Infortunio Meo." It means..." ""You Shall Not Profit From My Misfortune"." Translated Jerek automatically. "Wait! What..!" A flick of Dougals wrist, and a flask appears in his hand, the one he held above the crate, and that Flask contained... "Alchemists Fire! NO...!" Too late, Dougal dropped it into the open crate. There was a Wmph! and a blast of heat and, the goods were ash in seconds! The goods were gone, and Dougal had used the flash to disappear. There was an angry cry: "FASTBLAAAADE!" ---‐-‐-------‐------------------------------------- His Hideout was raided that night. Somebody had tipped off the authorities that Dougal had been producing illegal Alchemical Items within the City Limits. Without the means or Contacts to Bribe the right/wrong people, he was carted off to Talonta Prison! The "anonymous" tip had led to trumped-up charges of Illegal Chem Production (true), Intent to Supply (also true), and Conspiracy to Commit Mass Murder through Supply of Deadly Toxins (completely false!) He thought that his luck had finally turned around when a Prison Riot broke out, giving a chance for Dougal and his cellmate, Tom, a chance to escape. They were almost free, when he encountered the Cruel and Corrupt Prison Warden being cornered by some of the more Feral Prisoners, with the clear intent of killing him, causing Dougal to do three things. First he cursed himself for being an idiot. Second, he made sure that Tom got away. And third, he started an argument amongst the Prisoners, by remarking that the Warden was more valuable as a hostage! This caused enough of a distraction for the Warden to get away and rejoin with the Guards, who managed to put the Riot down, hard! The next day, Dougal was released and sent on his way. Tom's family asked him to stay with them, until he got back on his feet, or even longer! Tom had clearly embelished Dougal's role in his escape, so his family, the Coopers, looked at Dougal with something akin to Hero-worship, especially his seven foot tall, Half-orc cousin, Bebe Cooper, who kept staring at him and licking her lips in what she believed to be a lascivious way! When Dougal mentioned that he was looking to sign on with a crew to earn some coin, Bebe gleefully told him that she could set him up with one of her contacts in the underground fighting scene, but that he would "owe" her! Unique Goal: Three Trivia Tidbits (optional):   -He likes to wear gloves (the fancier the better) to hide the Alchemical burn-marks on his hands and fingers, from his years of experiments. He is extremely self-conscious about them, as they prove that he has not lead as soft a life as he makes out! -On the Night of the Riot and Failed Escape, Dougal made sure that his Cell-mate, Tom the Cooper's son, got away. Tom was, rather fortunately declared a casualty of the riots, to avoid having to explain how they let anyone escape, so nobody is looking for him. Tom's family are grateful to Dougal, and have an "open-door" policy with him coming to see them. Dougal often stops by for breakfast. -Bebe Cooper, Tom's Half-orc Cousin (don't ask) has developed a crush on Dougal, and hasn't exactly been subtle about it, a fact which Tom tease's BOTH of them about mercilessly! Dougal is convinced that Bebe, who competes in Julianople's Underground Wrestling Pits, would snap him like a twig!

[Dylan Scott]

Application Name: Kitwix Hillivi Grimzinta / Grim Stats: Str 7, Dex 10, Con 8, Int 15, Wis 14, Cha 22 Bing Link Race: Traveller Gnome (Gift of Tongues, Magical Linguist) Age: 49 Class: Sorcerer - Mongrel Mage Alignment: Chaotic Good Traits: Naturally Gifted, Etymologist, Entomophobe* Reason for Arrival: Sea-Dog Character Sheet Link: Grim Trivia: Always Hums an old gnomish lullaby when studying manuscripts and languages, doesn't even realise he does it Randomly collects small items which catch his eye, almost like a magpie but the items are seemingly mundane to anyone but him. A pebble, a nail, feather, pieces of cloth of random colours, a spoon, shoelaces. there seems to be no pattern or significance to the items he adds to his collection which are kept in a small pouch at his belt Has a habit of peppering his words with obscure foreign languages and phrases he has heard on his travels or read in manuscripts, even when he doesn't know what they mean a lot of the time. could be appropriate, could be highly insulting in the wrong situation if someone else understands him Physical Description: Physically Grim is average for a Gnome of his age and gender, standing at 3' 5" and weighing roughly 40lbs, Grim maintains a meticulous appearance of a refined gentleman and sailor, got to make a good impression for business after all. Unlike most young gnomes of his age, he cultivates a full beard of golden brown to match his hair, seemingly favouring the dwarven style, he thinks it makes him look more distinguished and respectable despite his young age. Disposition/Personality: Despite his nick name, Grim is anything but and like all gnomes is very outgoing and gregarious, not as talented with illusions and glamors as the rest of his kin but still the life of the party when he isn't cabinned up translating maps and charts for the family business. Despite being born and raised at sea, Grim isn't truly a fan of the open water and much prefers his time in port, with a knack for languages and a friendly outgoing nature he is happiest in the port side taverns listening to tales from distant lands and sharing his own tall tales, with only minor embellishments, most of the time. At heart Grim is a businessman like his family, and is hard working and diligent in his chosen profession. Priding himself on his professionalism and honesty. Offering his translation and decyphering services to all who can pay his reasonable prices, and not altering the contents of translations (despite sometimes finding himself reading some very risque and sometimes treasonous material). His word is his bond and the price you pay ensures his silence, he had a family name to uphold after all. Grim has an intense fear of insects and vermin. raised onboard ship Insects were not a common occurrence for the young gnome but his Sister Nalia was obsessed with them. Exceptionally gifted with Illusionary magic and possessed of a cruel streak growing up, an extremely well crafted swarm of phantasmal insects the size of small dogs swarming the bedroom of a very young Kitwix left a lasting impression on the young man Background: Born and raised on the Radiant Moon, his families trading vessel. Kitwix Hillivi Grimzinta, Grim to his friends and family, has sailed the many seas for nearly 5 decades with his family. Like his entire clan of Gnomes, travellers with no permanent home that isn't the oceans, Grim was raised to take part in the family business, merchants and traders. Unlike the majority of the Clan, Grim's innate magical talents were not Illusionary based but Linguistic, being blessed with a gift for languages he soon found his calling as a translator and navigator for the family fleet, allowing them to expand their trade to even more previously inaccesible nations and races. These travels have taken him all over the world, encountering many new and wonderful things, many exotic cultures and far too many strange new diseases over the years, the Gnomish passion for carousing and merriment resulting in several indiscretions with consequences. all of which Grim overcame, despite his lack of physical process he seemed strangely resistant to a great many maladies. a condition which somehow the University of Julianople heard of and approached his family about, negotiating a lucrative deal with the fleet for Grim to come to Julianople for a time to be studied by their scholars, normally this kind of thing would be frown upon by the family as they were traders not slavers but Grim saw it as a fascinating opportunity to experience the lawless city and spend time on dry land for a change as well as have access to so many fascinating manuscripts and other languages while at the university so he pushed for the deal to go through Arriving early in the city, with expectations of being boarded by the scholars at the university itself during the course of the study Grim did what all sailors do when they make Land, he spent time carousing and spending what little money he had, eating a great many unusual foods and gambling at the Dead Mermaid Casino, as well as making us of their more selective services when he managed to win on occasion. over the course of the week Grim had a thoroughly enjoyable time in the city but like most of come to a casino, he eventually left with nothing but coppers in his pocket. Luckily he was due to meet his contact from the university the next day to take part in the study and so the next day he waited at the gates of the University for his contact to arrive and get him settled in. A meeting which never happened, and after a while of waiting Grim approached the University himself. A disappointed meeting taking place as no one there seemed to know anything about the proposed study program or Professor Molas Shan, the elderly elven man who had approached Grim's family claiming to be from the University With no money to his name, and his family over a week out at sea and not due to return for several months, Grim needed to find money fast. Luckily in his time at the Dead Mermaid he had made the acquaintance of Tilly One-Eye Gansog and knew she was always looking for people willing to work

[Touketsu]

Application DAMIEN "SNAKE EYES" BURANTA Alignment: True Neutral (Leaning LN) Class: Archivist Bard Race: Vishkanya Age: 27 Stats:   Ability Scores Strength 8 Intelligence 14 Dexterity 12 Wisdom 10 Constitution 15 Charisma 21 Traits: Traits: Maestro of the Society, Extremely Fashionable Drawback: Meticulous Reason for Arrival: Local - Though not technically born of the city, Damien has grown up in Julianople; more than enough time to learn how the city ticks and who the big players are. Description: True to his name, the first thing you notice about "Snake Eyes" are his trademark reptillian pupils, set into eyes of burnished gold. When he looks at you, it feels like he's staring right through your soul. The second thing you might notice is his imposing presence; though rather skinny, what Damien lacks in body mass he makes up for in height, standing at 6' 6" and well above the average person. His skin is pale green, set with a pattern of tiny, smooth scales that Damien keeps as impeccably groomed as his jet black hair. It's clear that the vishkanya puts effort into his personal appearance; whether out of personal taste or simply a sense of professionalism, he makes it a point to always dress well. In keeping with his aesthetic, Damien refuses to wear bulky body armor or anything that wouldn't fit beneath his tailored black suits. Damien's natural features and commitment to his appearance have led some to describe the man as androgenous, something he has never made a point to discourage. Personality: Damien's identity is rather complex, and his personality can be somewhat changeable depending on who he's speaking to. Generally though, Damien's demeanor is subtle and controlled, giving little away. He is sly, meticulous, and careful, preferring calculated risks to big and showy displays. That isn't to say Damien isn't a bit showy; his outward appearance is as carefully maintained as his conduct. While this could partially just come down to a sense of vanity, it's also strongly motivated by Damien's sense of professionalism. For the same reason, Damien is generally polite, well-spoken, and slow to anger, until the situation calls for him to be otherwise. Damien is excellent at gathering intel, and reading situations and people, something he hopes to use to elevate his position in the city. With that though comes certain rules; Damien's reputation matters greatly to him after all. While he unapologetically operates outside of the law, he values trust, and makes it a point to keep his word when it's given. He also can't be compelled to snitch on other criminals. An information broker who can't be trusted not to spill what they know is only a liability after all, worse than garbage. If Damien has dirt on an enemy, he might use it to destroy them... but he'll never rat them out. That's just plain professional courtesy. Damien isn't picky about company, and will work with anyone in the pursuit of his goals... though he abhors bullies and braggarts; basically, anyone who compensates for insecurity by trying to push down others rather than elevate themselves. For all of his projected control, Damien loves challenges. Maybe he simply enjoys being able to prove his cleverness, but the man is never one to shy away from the difficult path... though even his ambition and drive has limits. Beneath his shell of moral grayness lies a sense of right and wrong as well. Deep down, Damien worries that the path he's on might eventually put him at odds with the person he wants to be; a man who can stands against a system designed to deny everyone an equal chance. History: Damien is not a native to Julianople. He was born in Karshtan, a vishkanya kingdom across the sea. Born Disshmakel, he was the eldest of two sons to an herbalist and a dignitary. Disshmakel’s father was inflexible and steadfast in every aspect of his life; traits valued in a leader, but ones that tend to make enemies. So it was then that the man found himself at the business end of an assassin’s dagger one day, and when Disshmakel was only 5, his mother took he and his younger brother away from their home in search of a new life, far away from the threat of her husband’s killers and the general danger that surrounded their family position. After crossing the sea, the family caravan hopped for a while, eventually finding their way to the great trading port of Julianople, where the three finally set down new roots. Though Disshmakel’s mother spoke only her native tongue fluently, she was a strong person and a hard worker, and after enduring no small amount of prejudice in her search for employment, finally secured a job doing groundskeeping for some minor noble. It wasn’t pertinent to her medical knowledge, but the woman’s background in herbalism made it easy for her to learn and apply the necessary methods of care to the many exotic plants on the property. She didn’t make much, their lodging on the east side of the city was cramped, and there wasn’t food on the table some nights… but they had a roof over their heads, and some security and safety at last. Disshmakel never forgot the struggles they had endured to get to where they were though... and the ones they still had ahead of them. He remembered what they had once had, and how easily it had been snatched away. Even now, they lived in a city with almost none of his kind, with rumors and misinformation about vishkanya more populous than actual vishkanya. The average citizen would more likely whisper about him than talk to him, and though he had ambitions for a greater life than this, Disshmakel understood that it would never happen without change. There was honor in a hard day's work, but in a city consumed by organized crime, if one really wanted to rise up in the world, they needed to be willing to take what was theirs… and defend it mercilessly. The boy began to pursue jobs as early as he could. While his younger brother Chikassh began helping their mother in her groundskeeping duties, Disshmakel sought out more lucrative opportunities under a new name; Damien. He found a lot of such opportunity within the communities of poisoners and apothecaries, using the reputation of his people to get a foot in the door selling “fresh ingredients”. Often, these were just clippings of the exotic flora his mother worked with, ground down and mixed with his blood or saliva, but the fact that vishkanya blood and saliva were genuinely poisonous meant that his concoctions produced real results upon testing, and he was able to form a fledgling network of contacts. Naturally observant and a fast learner, he picked up common quickly enough, and soon he was working on mastery of other languages as well; whatever would ease his entry into the criminal underworld. Before long, Damien had a functional understanding of who the movers and the shakers were in town. He just needed an in. A successful job for the right person to earn himself a place amongst the crime families that ran Julianople. And that was where Tilly One-Eye Gansog came in... Unique Goal: Three Trivia Tidbits : Damien wears a small lizard pin on his lapel, a keepsake of his late father. While Damien keeps tabs on his family, he rarely contacts them. His mother and brother are the only two people he genuinely cares about, but they live straight and honest lives, something he refused to do a long time ago. While specific aspects of his work are unknown to her, Damien's hard-working, intelligent mother doesn't approve of him working in the criminal underworld, rubbing shoulders with thugs and maybe even the kind of people who killed her husband all those years ago. She makes it clear she wants no involvement or benefit from his work, and she probably hopes he'll come to his senses one day and find a more honest line of work because she loves him and wants what is best for her son. Damien's younger brother, Chikassh, is slightly more pragmatic; he keeps his nose mostly clean, but he also looks up to his brother and understands why "Damien" does what he does. While he typically avoids getting too intoxicated, Damien is surprisingly friendly and even flirtatious when drunk.

[CatCanCook]

Application Name: Liana Xirkul Stats: Str 7, Dex 18, Con 10, Int 13, Wis 7, Cha 19   Source: https://www.rpgcrossing.com/showthre...48#post9469948 Str: Total = 7 BAD +2 = 9 - 2(race) = 7 Dex: Total = 4 BEST+12 = 16 +2(race) = 18 Con: Total = 3 NORMAL+7 = 10 Int: Total = 6 NORMAL+7 = 13 Wis: Total = 5 BAD+2 = 7 Cha: Total = 5 BEST+12 = 17 +2(race) = 19 Alignment: Neutral HP: 10 Power points: 1(level) + 2(Sleeping Goddess bonus) + 2(charisma bonus * level / 2) = 5 Class: Zealot (Path of War)   Exchange Zealot proficiencies for a martial tradition: Bonus Talents: Whenever you reload a ranged weapon with which you are proficient, you may decrease the required time; hand and light crossbows become free actions, heavy crossbows and one-handed firearms become move actions, and two-handed firearms become standard actions. If you possess the Crossbow Mastery feat, you do not provoke attacks of opportunity when reloading any crossbow. Associated Feat: Rapid Reload.Expert Reloading You are considered proficient with using a bow, crossbow, or firearm as an improvised melee weapon, and any enhancement bonus to these weapons applies to your attack and damage rolls while using them as an improvised weapon. You suffer no penalty to attacks with these weapons due to using them as an improvised weapon, provoke no attacks of opportunity when using them as a melee weapon, and threaten the area around you as you normally would when wielding a melee weaponArchery Bash (discipline) You gain a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls with ranged weapons at ranges of up to 30 ft. Associated Feat: Point-Blank Shot. As a special attack action, you may make two ranged attacks at your full base attack bonus -2. You may apply one blitz talent. Associated Feat: Rapid ShotBarrage sphere Spinning Shot When performing a barrage, you may make an additional extra attack. However, all of your attacks made as part of this barrage must target different creatures. At 10 base attack bonus, you may make a second additional attack as part of this barrageSpinning Shot Level 1 feat: Benefit: You gain two character traits of your choice. These traits must be chosen from different lists, and cannot be chosen from lists from which you have already selected a character trait. You must meet any additional qualifications for the character traits you choose — this feat cannot enable you to select a dwarf character trait if you are an elf, for example.Additional Traits Martial Disciplines available: * Eternal Guardian, Golden Lion, Piercing Thunder, Sleeping Goddess, and Solar Wind. Tempest Gale (from a Path of War martial tradition, but not used yet.) 5 Maneuver's known: Golden Lion: Encouraging Roar (boost, swift) Golden Lion: Pride Movement (boost, swift) Sleeping Goddess: Flash of Insight (swift) Disarming Shot (strike) Eternal Guardian: Terrifying Blow (strike) Solar Wind: Stance of Piercing Rays Class abilities: Collective, compartmentalized aid, zeal +1 Class Skills The zealot’s class skills are Autohypnosis (Wis), Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (history) (Int), Knowledge (martial) (Int), Knowledge (nobility) (Int), Knowledge (psionics) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), and Sense Motive (Wis). From Tempest Gale: Sleight of Hand (Dex) Racial Traits Alternate racial trait: Fleet of Foot: Some halflings are quicker than their kin but less cautious. Halflings with this racial trait move at normal speed and have a base speed of 30 feet. This racial trait replaces slow speed and sure-footed. Ability Score Modifiers: Halflings are nimble and strong-willed, but their small stature makes them weaker than other races. They gain +2 Dexterity, +2 Charisma, and –2 Strength. Size: Halflings are Small creatures and 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. Type: Halflings are humanoids with the Halfling subtype. Base Speed (Slow Speed): Halflings have a base speed of 20 feet. Languages: Halflings begin play speaking Common and Halfling. Halflings with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Dwarven, Elven, Gnome, and Goblin. See the Linguistics skill page for more information about these languages. Fearless: Halflings receive a +2 racial bonus on all saving throws against fear. This bonus stacks with the bonus granted by halfling luck. Halfling Luck: Halflings receive a +1 racial bonus on all saving throws. Sure-Footed: Halflings receive a +2 racial bonus on Acrobatics and Climb checks. Weapon Familiarity: Halflings are proficient with slings and treat any weapon with the word “halfling” in its name as a martial weapon. Dimdweller (2 RP): Whenever characters with this trait benefit from concealment or full concealment due to darkness or dim light, they gain a +2 racial bonus on Intimidate, Perception, and Stealth checks. Halflings can take this trait in place of weapon familiarity. Keen Senses: Halflings receive a +2 racial bonus on Perception checks. Skills: The zealot’s class skills are Acrobatics (Dex) from Piercing Thunder, Autohypnosis (Wis), Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (history) (Int), Knowledge (martial) (Int), Knowledge (nobility) (Int), Knowledge (psionics) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), and Sense Motive (Wis). Sleight of Hand (Dex) from Tempest Gale. Skills per level 4+1(int) Acrobatics Bluff Diplomacy Knowledge(religion) Performance(dance) If Background skills allowed: Profession(courtesan) Sleight of hand Race: Halfling Traits: You see nothing wrong with letting others achieve greatness so long as the job gets done. Whenever you successfully perform an aid another action, you grant your ally a +4 bonus instead of the normal +2.Helpful (Race) Benefit(s): Any morale bonuses you confer upon your allies through your own abilities or spells last 2 additional rounds.Community Minded (Regional) Benefit Whenever you take the aid another action to help an ally, or whenever an ally aids you in this manner, a successful check grants an additional +1 trait bonus to the check for which aid was being rendered. Additionally, as long as one of your friends is within 30 feet, you gain a +1 trait bonus on all saving throws against charm and compulsion effects.Fools for Friends (Campaign, Additional Traits Feat) You gain a +2 trait bonus on Heal checks made to stabilize a dying creature. In addition, when you successfully use the aid another action in combat to grant an ally a bonus on her next attack roll, the bonus you grant increases by 1.Battlefield Disciple (Combat, Additional Traits Feat) Drawback: Fits a Zealot, right? When you attack a creature that you know worships a different religion than you do, you take a –5 penalty on the attack roll and a +2 trait bonus on the damage roll with your first attack..Zealous Reason for Arrival: Theologian. Follower of The Heavenly Masters. +1 to both Diplomacy and Knowledge (Religion), which are both class skills. You start the game with a Blue Book at no cost. Description: A halfling born to a human mother, Liana Xirkul stands head and shoulders above most halflings, with much of that extra height coming from long legs. But she is still small enough to not be mistaken for a human adult, and too ample in her features to be mistaken for a human child. She stands height 3' 8", weighing 40 lbs. She prefers to wear silky or light clothing suitable for the tropical climate. alternate racial traitHer stride is long for her height, and quick. History: Liana Xirkul comes from a town not far from Julianople, upon a major trade route and frequented by travelers. Her mother was human, Leonidora Xirkul, a courtesan of some means and local reputation. It is not supposed to happen, but Leonidora fell in love with a client, a halfling traveling troubadour named Arae Lin. Liana was the result. Liana was raised to be a follower of Erotes and related deities, but her gifts turned out to be stronger on the martial side than the direct practice of that particular profession. She became radicalized and a zealot in defense of her community when she witnessed violence against intimate-trade workers. Her mother's business eventually led to interactions with the Cirque de la Fumée (the Smoke Circus) -- a traveling band of entertainers. She was inspired by this group, not only were they exceptionally talented performers (who sometimes overlapped her mother's profession), they also really took care of their own. Like family. Liana appreciated that. The Circus fit a gap in her life: the opportunity to travel from her town, but more that that, to rally entertainers to make the most of their potential, that has sparked her ambition. Most recently, Liana Xirkul came to Julianople for religious reasons. Not as a preacher, though, but as a scholar. She has always been fascinated with the history of the Heavenly Masters, especial of the traditions of Erotes and the many deities he reigns over. She is fascinated about how it parallels other religions (foolish and offensive as they are toward her zealous heart) as well as local histories. While she was only passing through Julianople originally, she heard of a girl who can read the future with astonishing accuracy, which excited her for her own special reasons. Apparently the oracle-girl's father frequents the Dead Mermaid's Casino. So Liana Xirkul made a detour... Personality: Liana is, like certain stereotypes of halflings: jovial, agreeable, and helpful. She has a warm and winning personality. She is passionate about what she does, and will go out a limb for friends and family. She can be fiercely loyal, but expects the same in return. As a devotee of a god of love and lust, raised by a community of courtesans, comics and acrobats, she regards the burlesque and circus worlds as the water she swims in, wholly normal. Those outside the family: well the are marks, tricks, clients to be served, or dangers to the family. She can, unfortunately, be both gullible and weak willed - prone to pleasure or leisure when a wiser person would find jobs to be done. Her zealot's intensity can be misdirected and lack some common-sense insight. For example, her animosity toward the other two major branches of faith is probably quite unwise, yet it's become an ungrained habit. She has pre-existing strong family-like connections, and while she is fixedly dedicated with warmth and kindness toward those communities, she is not good for good's sake, not as a broad or abstract principle. Hence she is neutral on the good-evil axis. Likewise, her thirst for justice and order is largely that family rule and customs are adhered to, that the family businesses run well. But in wider society, laws are either a tool or an impediment to getting jobs done. Nothing that she feels any heartfelt adherence to. (Fellow PCs will be coworkers, not family -- at least not any time soon, if ever.) Three Trivia Tidbits (optional): Liana often swears "by the hundred-and-eleven". By this she is referring to the many gods and goddesses of love and lust including Erotes and his major subordinates. Liana sometimes sneezes, and when she does it is shockingly loud and high pitched. It can embarrass her, and those around her. The most common cause is when she emerges out of darkness into sustained bright light (not just a flash.) Liana commonly whistles or sings when she walks. (Except when she knows stealth is needed.)

[Maghnuis]

Hmmmmn...

[Optional Reality]

If you're taking applications from players new to the site, I'll absolutely write one. Looks likely to be Monday until I can put in the time to make this one good though.