Recruiting: high scale Pathfinder, Taldor, aka Byzantium focused

Started by Kolbrandr, June 02, 2013, 03:46:12 AM

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kckolbe

I have decided on a Fighter (Tactician)/Wizard, going into Noble Scion at level 6.  So he will not have been a fighter for long.  He will be wealthy as shit and silver-tongued.
Ons/Offs  A/A  Oath of the Drake
(From the Penis Game) Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Penis
I love a wet nymph.  "Letting some guy have [her] just to have another woman is a losing trade"

Buffy: The Vampire Slayer(IC#2)
Intro Thread

RubySlippers

Are we doing Gestalt Characters? I'm confused I assume we were.

Kolbrandr

We are doing gestalt, yeah, and there's no rush, no.

I'm reminded to ask though, so, okay, forum rating/placement. I am inclined here to go with overall player preference. Taldor can in its own way get pretty damned degenerate and all, and if I'm being all "options!", I don't want to close off such as occurs in player interaction besides as people might prefer.

kckolbe

I almost never participate in non con, but don't mind that as a rating. 
Ons/Offs  A/A  Oath of the Drake
(From the Penis Game) Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Penis
I love a wet nymph.  "Letting some guy have [her] just to have another woman is a losing trade"

Buffy: The Vampire Slayer(IC#2)
Intro Thread

ShadowFox89

 Hmm... Would an assassin/spy/thief from the Dragon Empire be permitted? Coming to Oppara to form a thieves guild and rule the underworld of the city.
Call me Shadow
My A/A

Muse

yikes.  We think way too much alike, KC, does it bother you if we overlap some?

Edit: I go lore warden on my fighter side instead.  Less overlap. 
A link for all of us who ever had a shouting match with our muse: http://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius.html

How to set this Muse ablaze (O/Os)

When the little angel won't appear no matter how many plum blossoms you swirl:  https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=135346.msg16474321#msg16474321 (Major update 5/10/2023)

Xerial

Ok, if my brain works right for gestalting, I think I have my class mix. I'm cooking it up to be straight up rogue on one side of the house, and on the other Alchemist to Arcane Savant. Underhanded, brutal to his opponents, but deep down in his core he is a scholar and loves to explore new things.

...of course I may be touched in the head a bit in this desired mix. Cast spells and make infusions... bah, not the same thing are they?

Erich Norden

Tentatively interested in this.  I think my character would either be a merchant prince or a foreign diplomat on long-term assignment who has been climbing the social ladder in court, naturally with his own network of allies and informants.  Perhaps he could be the Littlefinger to Muse's Varys. ;)

Ebb

Quote from: Meliai on June 02, 2013, 09:04:00 PM
Unfortunately the theives guild didn't really get much development on my end since I finished reading the thread and found your post :P

My information broker was meant to be more of a good-intentioned puppet master type: she was going to be a Cleric of Desna/rogue or bard or sorceress with a network of spies made up mostly of street urchins, pickpockets, slaves, serving girls and the like. Folks who rarely even register on nobles' radar. She pulls strings behind the scenes, passing secret messages for groups she supports, selectively uncovering the information her girls bring her, manipulating Harrow readings to push people towards actions she thinks will benefit the 'little people' basically. She might make a good foil for Ebb's spymaster ooooooor he might immediately crush her under his heal by dint of vastly more powerful backers :P

In any case I'm going to keep looking, not like there's a rush or anything.

Taldor strikes me as the kind of place that's just riddled with spies, including the requisite number of double and triple agents. If you're game, I think that we could come up with characters that play off each other well, whether as enemies, allies or somewhere in between. At least it will foster interaction. If everyone picks characters who have no areas of overlap then coming up with excuses to roleplay off each other will be more difficult.

If we do end up as rival spymasters, I'll make the suggestion that we each come up with one cohort in the other guy's organization, as a mole.

kckolbe

Wow, lots of good stuff.  I see a lot of overlap, personally, and that doesn't bother me.  It's kind of impossible to avoid in a gestalt game, especially given that paladin is so limiting due to the oath, magus and summoner aren't allowed, and ranger, barbarian and druid are all hard to fit into the setting.  There just aren't that many classes.

There are a lot of spy types, which makes sense, as different houses will have different spymasters.  There will be different merchants, as there is too much money to not get involved.  I would like to be a little different, though, so I think I will go urban barbarian/transmuter.  Rather than go for the wolverine-ish rage, I think I will go for a modified Jekyll/Hyde that didn't backfire.  Through dabbling in alchemy, transmutation, or just mind-affecting spells, my character can temporarily become stronger when needed.

He won't be as versatile as many others, but he will be different and not have glaring weaknesses, which counts for something.

EDIT:  What system do you want to use for rolling stats?
Ons/Offs  A/A  Oath of the Drake
(From the Penis Game) Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Penis
I love a wet nymph.  "Letting some guy have [her] just to have another woman is a losing trade"

Buffy: The Vampire Slayer(IC#2)
Intro Thread

RubySlippers

I'm going with my cleric and monk, sorry Gestalt Evangelist/Martial Artist its a fun combo at 14th level.

Muse

Name:   Narcius Vaughn
Race:      Human (Taldane)
Class:   Rondolero Duelist 7, Noble Scion ?/Wizard ?
Alignment:   Lawful Neutral, Good tendencies. 

Feats:
L 1: 
--Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Falcata
--Noble Scion
--Scribe Scroll
--Taldane Duelist


House Vaughn:  Grand Prince Voris IV of Taldane was advised by a wise, powerful and trusted wizard, Vaugh.  He elevated the man to the senatorial class, and had a prosperous and beneficent reighn under Vaughns advise. 

Prince Voris V was not so fond of his father's advisor.  Though it was explicitly in Voris's will that Vaughn be ennobled, his son gave the wizard a land grant in the foothills of the very dangerous Fog Peaks.  With the aid of some earth elementals, clever spells, and a lot of luck, Vaughn not only secured his valley for farmland, but found mines for guano, iron, and gems.  Three years later, wealthier and stronger than ever, Vaughn returned to the capitol with a wife and son, riding in an animate carriage, and proceeded to harass the High Prince towards a wiser rule to the end of his days. 

   Most of Vaughn’s heirs have not been so idealistic, and those who have often get themselves assassinated these days.  Today Narcius Vaughn is the second son of Magistros Origen Vaughn.  Narcius spent some years traveling with his trusted manservant, studying, exploring, and wenching.  Their journeys recently came to a halt when Narcius’s brother Noran was killed in a campaign against the frost giants and he was suddenly elevated to heir. 
A link for all of us who ever had a shouting match with our muse: http://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius.html

How to set this Muse ablaze (O/Os)

When the little angel won't appear no matter how many plum blossoms you swirl:  https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=135346.msg16474321#msg16474321 (Major update 5/10/2023)

Kolbrandr

Some quick completely irresponsible replies during a workday:

Erich: A merchant prince type is perfectly fine, though that makes you slightly more likely to be from a senatorial family than a royal one, as the royal ones are generally more so stinking stupid rich that if you're a wealthy merchant there, it is on a /wide/ scale (though a royal caste merchant is still quite possible and all, it just means a difference in probable scale of business). A foreign envoy, likewise cool, though you are probably not from Qadira (the ancestral hated enemy of Taldor), Galt (the bloodthirsty Reign of Terrorland), Andoran (which has as open stated desire the overthrow of all monarchies), or Cheliax (the hell tainted nation that in breaking from Taldor helped end her era of empire).Which leaves a crap ton of countries in Avistan and Garund alike, and being fair, you could kinda sorta make a case for Andoran if you squint. Give the Inner Sea World Guide an eyeball, or the Golarion wiki if you want to go that way.

ShadowFox89: While they're all pretty distinct, we at this point have a pretty huge chunk of underworld/skullduggery based concepts with Meliai firming hers up. I'd kind of like to at least see some more nobles or something else (or members of the Ulfen Guard, military officers, merchants, priests, courtiers, courtesans, something) before having more of those come in. That and a Tian coming all the way to Oppara just to become a crimelord is a bit funky. Not impossibly funky, but would certainly need some selling.

Ruby: Sounds fine.

Kckolbe: pft, Paladins can be awesome in gestalt, and could have awesome pathos/restoration arcs in a game like this. In fact *changes an npc to include paladin just for that* ;p

Will firm up how I want to do stat generation tonight.

Xerial: Sounds all fine potentially.


kckolbe

Paladins have *amazing* abilities.  It's the oath that makes them unplayable for me in what seems to be a game of gray.

EDIT:  As a heads-up, my char will have major ties among the Oppara Guard and Mage's Guild, though will run neither.
Ons/Offs  A/A  Oath of the Drake
(From the Penis Game) Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Penis
I love a wet nymph.  "Letting some guy have [her] just to have another woman is a losing trade"

Buffy: The Vampire Slayer(IC#2)
Intro Thread

Kolbrandr

Paladins have to work to stay effective and keep their head above water in a difficult world is for me a bunch of fun though. Man, were I not running, I'd totally make one of those for something like this *snaps fingers*

Kolbrandr

Oh, quick irresponsible workday note on the Royal/Senatorial thing.

So both castes/social strata make up Taldor's upper crust, aka the Bearded (called such because if you are a Taldan, only men of the bearded get to have beards, and are expected to have some well taken care of growth there, be they some full out dwarf thing or a carefully groomed chin strap. Foreigners and demihumans are exempt. Basically it's a sign that you have the time and luxury to, well, take care of a beard of some shape).

The main difference is that the royals are, well, royal. The Grand Prince, (the head of Taldor's title) comes from the royal nobles, and particularly when the current one has no male heirs, one gets picked out from the other royal families some way or another. While a decent chunk of them can trace descent to the founding of Taldor or close enough, an even bigger chunk of royals got their status from being given it by some past Grand Prince or another for some accomplishment or another, though this is done only /just/ frequently enough to leave it a semi plausible dream in the eyes of the underclass. The royal families are at this point many, often rich as fuck, and in many cases indolent/decadent/corrupt. On the other hand, they also provide a lot of the Taldan military as far as house forces that can be rallied in a pinch, and a good chunk of the officer corps besides (not always the quality officer corps, but hey).

The Senatorial class are called such because, well, they sit in the Taldan Senate, in the magnificent old Senate building they often go in the back of rather than take the many tiring steps that are supposed to be a reminder of duty. The Senate has more or less the power the Senate did in the Roman and Byzantine Empires, aka as far as determining national policy, sweet fuck all usually. /But/, the Senate does control and manage the (corrupt, bloated and inefficient) imperial bureaucracy, which is where the caste gets most of its power from. So the Senate meets and debates about that kind of thing, and on whatever other issue they feel like (one of the big acrimonious debates in the Senate is which national enemy of Taldor should be focused on, Galt or Qadira). There are certainly ancient senatorial families that go back to the founding, buut, the Grand Prince will more frequently elevate a commoner to senatorial rank for whatever reason, making it even more of a "work hard, keep your head down, be a good little Taldan, and someday even you!" and so forth. They're rich, though not quite so rich as the royals, and powerful, but they more wield their power in blocs. They're the lesser nobility, more or less.

Exceptions exist certainly. There are certainly senators richer than royals, and royals who manage to get hooks into the bureaucracy, but on the whole, that's the shape of it. There can and are fierce rivalries between members of the groupings, but considering the more sweeping societal prestige of the royals, they can sometimes be one sided (but then again, sometimes not).

Both groups will totally defend their priveleges like whoa, regardless.

RubySlippers

Okay what status does a senior member of a faith get in the city?

kckolbe

I am curious as well, as I was planning on playing a lower class char that has risen up from being a lowly guard.
Ons/Offs  A/A  Oath of the Drake
(From the Penis Game) Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Penis
I love a wet nymph.  "Letting some guy have [her] just to have another woman is a losing trade"

Buffy: The Vampire Slayer(IC#2)
Intro Thread

Kolbrandr

It's a bit of personal interpretation, but I would say it depends on the religion. If you're from one of the main publically approved ones (which in Taldor amounts to Cayden Calien, Abadar and Calistria- I don't imagine Norgober's faith is actually open and legal what with being the god of murder), you're likely held on the same scale as the nobility, social wise. If you're the actual head of the church, like a prominent royal family head. Taldor hasn't had anything like a state faith since Aroden snuffed it to otherwise say "you're like the Pope".

Otherwise it would probably vary wildly depending on strength of church and particular god.

I am being really terrible with doing actual work today  :P


Callie Del Noire

Makes me want to do my PFS cleric as a Cleric/Bard of Pharasma.. the Baroness Del Noire, of Lower Zimdar.. :D

Erich Norden

Quote from: Kolbrandr on June 03, 2013, 12:06:43 PM
Some quick completely irresponsible replies during a workday:

Erich: A merchant prince type is perfectly fine, though that makes you slightly more likely to be from a senatorial family than a royal one, as the royal ones are generally more so stinking stupid rich that if you're a wealthy merchant there, it is on a /wide/ scale (though a royal caste merchant is still quite possible and all, it just means a difference in probable scale of business). A foreign envoy, likewise cool, though you are probably not from Qadira (the ancestral hated enemy of Taldor), Galt (the bloodthirsty Reign of Terrorland), Andoran (which has as open stated desire the overthrow of all monarchies), or Cheliax (the hell tainted nation that in breaking from Taldor helped end her era of empire).Which leaves a crap ton of countries in Avistan and Garund alike, and being fair, you could kinda sorta make a case for Andoran if you squint. Give the Inner Sea World Guide an eyeball, or the Golarion wiki if you want to go that way.

Right, he would likely be of the lesser nobility, who may or may not be heir to any titles, possibly invited to the royal court to act as a diplomat or steward.  As such he would leave the day-to-day tending of his business and/or estate to a trusted associate.  One thing I think would also be interesting is taking Leadership and having a female courtier as an ally or cohort -- or, alternatively, I could play that role to another PC.

RubySlippers

Okay to keep this simple how much temple can my character buy for say 100,000 gold by available districts except the Narrows?

Muse

Erich, unless some of the ladies volunteer, maybe we could play each other's female cohorts?

That's basically a general offer to exchange the playing of supporting cast, so we don't have to roll play with ourselves too much. 
A link for all of us who ever had a shouting match with our muse: http://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius.html

How to set this Muse ablaze (O/Os)

When the little angel won't appear no matter how many plum blossoms you swirl:  https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=135346.msg16474321#msg16474321 (Major update 5/10/2023)

Ebb

Quote from: Muse on June 03, 2013, 07:34:13 PM
Erich, unless some of the ladies volunteer, maybe we could play each other's female cohorts?

That's basically a general offer to exchange the playing of supporting cast, so we don't have to roll play with ourselves too much.

I think that the idea of playing cohorts for other players is a fantastic one. Automatic roleplaying opportunities.

ShadowFox89

Quote from: Kolbrandr on June 03, 2013, 12:06:43 PMShadowFox89: While they're all pretty distinct, we at this point have a pretty huge chunk of underworld/skullduggery based concepts with Meliai firming hers up. I'd kind of like to at least see some more nobles or something else (or members of the Ulfen Guard, military officers, merchants, priests, courtiers, courtesans, something) before having more of those come in. That and a Tian coming all the way to Oppara just to become a crimelord is a bit funky. Not impossibly funky, but would certainly need some selling.

Well, I was thinking mixing a bit of Count of Monte Cristo in there, coming to Oppara to humiliate and destroy someone who had destroyed their life back home. A quest for revenge and murder, simple as that.

But I could think of something else, maybe. Maybe a mercenary captain; Magus//Bard or somesuch. Do you have AIM or Steam? It'd help in talking things over quickly.
Call me Shadow
My A/A