Dark Exile (Pathfinder Sys)

[Argent Adonis]

Hello all, Argent Adonis (Argent is fine) here and new to the forums.  I'm looking to start up a Pathfinder system game for a small group of about 4-5 individuals, based on grit and survival, focused on lower-tiers of play.

As a basic story idea:

• A group of prisoners (they can be minor criminals, political prisoners, wrongly imprisoned, etc...) are being transported to a penal colony across the ocean in newly discovered lands, where they can be used as cheap labour.  A series of bad coincidences sees that the boat runs short of food and water long before they get to their destination, and whilst they can turn back, there's still not going to be enough to feed everyone.  The captain decides, out of conscience, rather than just throw all the prisoners into the ocean, to drop them off at the only land near enough to reach that they can afford to detour to without compromising supplies.
  
  The land, however, is an infamous and sinister archipelago of islands known as the Devil's Haunt, reputed to have been formed in antiquity when the corpse of a dark god hurtled down from the skies to crash in that area, raising up the lands from the ocean's darkest trenches.  True or not, it is a place where at least three expeditions have disappeared without a trace, except for blood-soaked encampments.
  
  And it is here that the marooned group must struggle for survival.

The scarcity or resources and items will necessitate in characters needing to make their own, or scavenge what they can find.  Maybe even build a small home/fort, supply depots, and probably find ways to move between the islands.

Players will arrive on the island with little more than some food and a loincloth.  And maybe a dagger and/or some tool between them.  The idea that I'd like to reinforce is improvisation and creativity to get around their challenges.

With regards to sexual content; I don't want it to be the focus of the game, but I'm certainly open to including a healthy dose - in addition to what players want to get up to with each others characters, I'll also offer some fellow NPC prisoners, as well certain aspects of the ecology of the setting.

• Ability Scores: Points-buy with 15 pts.
• Races: Core races; aasimar, catfolk, changeling, dhamphir, ratfolk, tiefling
• Starting Level: 3rd.
• Background Skills applicable.
• Automatic Bonus Progression applicable.
• Traits: 2 starting traits, or 3 if flaw is taken.  You may not choose traits that grant money or items.
• Wealth & Equipment: Loincloth for men.  Loose tunic for women.
• House Rules

  Defence & AC

  Armour functions as DR, rather AC.
  

  • Strength: Provides a shield bonus to AC equal to character's ability modifier.  Stacks with other shield bonuses, but if caught flat-footed, the strength bonus is lost.  The character must be wielding something they are proficient with parry attacks with (weapon or shield).
  • Dexterity: Functions as normal.
  • Constitution: Provides a natural armour bonus to AC that stacks with other forms of natural armour.
  • Intelligence: A character can gain an insight bonus to AC, equal to the modifier, provided they spend a move action (representing analysis of the situation) on the round they wish to gain the bonus, which then lasts until the beginning of their next turn.  A character with the Alertness and Combat Reflexes feat can activate it with a swift action.
  • Wisdom: None (reserved for Monks who specially train to use this ability score.)
  • Charisma: A character who possess the Endurance feat, and 3 ranks in Knowledge [arcana] & Spellcraft can spend a swift action to obtain a deflection bonus to AC equal to their modifier for 1 round.  A character who possesses the Warrior Priest feat, and 3 ranks in Knowledge [religion] can spend a swift action to obtain a sacred/profane/luck (depending on choice of god; good [sacred], evil [profane], neutral [luck]) to their AC for 1 round.

  
  
  

  Level Cap & Mythic Tiers

  Characters can advance in level until 6th level.
  
  After 6th level, PCs continue to advance by gaining ranks in Mythic tiers.  Mythic tiers count as character levels for the purpose of determining what benefits they gain from the ABP (e.g. Fighter 6 with 3 mythic tiers gains the benefits of a 9th level character on the ABP.)
  
  PCs gain a bonus feat on every mythic tier, but only acquire mythic feats on 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th tiers (though they may elect to take normal feats instead).

  
  
  

  Arcane Spellcasters & Cantrips

  Arcane casters can increase the damage power of their cantrips at 3rd and 5th level, by spending a swift and move action at the respective levels.
  
  

  • At 3rd level, their cantrips can inflict twice as much damage (e.g. acid orb 1d3 normal, 2d3 enhanced) if they spend a swift action before casting the spell.
  • At 5th level, their cantrips can inflict three times as much damage (e.g. acid orb, 1d3 normal 3d3 enhanced) if they spend a move action before casting the spell (they can always spend a swift action instead for x2 damage).

[PhantomPistoleer]

Suuuuper interested.

[Argent Adonis]

Hello PhantomPistoleer thanks for your interest.  If there's any ideas you'd like to bring to the table, please do so.  Otherwise feel free to start pitching a character concept in rough.

[PhantomPistoleer]

Hello PhantomPistoleer thanks for your interest.  If there's any ideas you'd like to bring to the table, please do so.  Otherwise feel free to start pitching a character concept in rough.

I really like survival D&D.  The old 3.5 quintessential ranger guide was my favorite book, and I really recommend incorporating some of its unique crafting rules into the game.

For my part, I'd like to play either a thief or a ranger.

[Kathyan]

Showing interest here as well, probably would make a fighter, barbarian or monk

[Argent Adonis]

Welcome Kathyan!  Sounds great and will look forward to it seeing the draft.

[PhantomPistoleer]

Kathyan, would you consider making a brother-sister criminal duo with me?

[HopeFox]

This looks like fun! Survival can be a great challenge.

As much is it would be sensible to make some kind of druid wilderness ninja, I'm actually really tempted by a bard. Will there be much interaction with NPCs, whereby social skills and powers will be useful?

What are your thoughts on races?

[Argent Adonis]

A very underused challenge at that!  Welcome and thanks for showing interest HopeFox.


It always helps to have someone that can help influence people.  The total number of prisoner-exiles will number at around 30 odd to begin with, then allowing for other survivors found will bolster group numbers to around 80 - 150.  At such numbers people will eventually split down into factions.  The PCs, however, are meant to be among the most capable of a motley lot.


I'll be allowing for the core races, but mainly the requirement is that they be humanish and not overly exotic or monstrous.



As a general rule, I'm looking to bring into play the various other mechanics Pathfinder has into play, and while there will be the occasional battle, it is not going be focus - PCs are more likely to rack up experience points from challenges than they are from fighting.

[HopeFox]

A bard it is, then!

I've just recently developed a concept for a kobold bard with the Street Performer archetype, who makes a living dancing and telling jokes on the street. He or she could easily have been arrested for Busking While Kobold, and could be helpful in keeping the prisoners' spirits up if nothing else!

[Chulanowa]

You have my interest.

Though, I would advise not using all those AC bonuses. maybe allowing players ot use an standard action to trigger those bonuses a few times per game would work, but it can quickly spiral into everyone being untouchable.  ;D

[Sally Aces]

I'd love to bring in a heretical Cleric, someone with a connection to a forbidden God (maybe a cultist of the old God whose bones made the archipelago?)

Could this work?

[Kathyan]

Kathyan, would you consider making a brother-sister criminal duo with me?

If you want to have a pre existing relationship I would prefer not going siblings but something else instead ^^

You have my interest.

Though, I would advise not using all those AC bonuses. maybe allowing players ot use an standard action to trigger those bonuses a few times per game would work, but it can quickly spiral into everyone being untouchable.  ;D

+1
I had not seen those before, I might reconsider what class to play
The automatic bonus idea sounds good and me be enough to go around the shortage of resources but don't how will those go with E6?

Also about magic I guess we should really consider Eschew Materials right? yet the alchemy based classes will still have a hard time.

[Vonandi]

Interested if there is still some room.

[EndofDivine]

Tentatively interested. Mind if I ask a few questions first? Well...maybe more than a few. :P

Why Pathfinder? Just curious. Seems like a strange choice for something that falls so far outside of what Pathfinder games usually aim for.

Do you have an overarching plot in mind that you plan to introduce or is this meant to be more of a sandbox game? What gets the characters motivated to get out and adventure instead of just hanging out at camp and focusing on surviving?

With regards to sexual content; I don't want it to be the focus of the game, but I'm certainly open to including a healthy dose - in addition to what players want to get up to with each others characters, I'll also offer some fellow NPC prisoners, as well certain aspects of the ecology of the setting.

Could elaborate on what you had in mind for the bolded part?

...aaand I think that's all I've got for now. I'll probably send you a PM to talk about some ideas.

[Nameless One]

I'd like to be in the party, if there's still place for one! Sounds like an interesting scenario. If I get it right, we have a tough character (fighter, monk or barbarian), a cleric, a bard and a thief or ranger. I guess I'll pick a wizard, a sorcerer or an arcanist. Or if needed another first line.

Let me know if there's still place for me!  ;D

[Argent Adonis]

You have my interest.

Though, I would advise not using all those AC bonuses. maybe allowing players ot use an standard action to trigger those bonuses a few times per game would work, but it can quickly spiral into everyone being untouchable.  ;D

Thanks for the interest Chulanowa, and you just brought to my attention something that I had forgotten to include in the opening - armour as DR rather than AC.  I've done this house system on at least three previous occasions and has seemed to work fairly well.

I'd love to bring in a heretical Cleric, someone with a connection to a forbidden God (maybe a cultist of the old God whose bones made the archipelago?)

Could this work?

Welcome Sally!  I hadn't actually thought of that before, but yes - I can definitely get behind that idea.  I haven't solidly developed the actualities of the deity beyond being one that is CN or NE in alignment.  If you have some ideas, feel free to pitch :-)

The automatic bonus idea sounds good and me be enough to go around the shortage of resources but don't know how well those go with E6?

Also about magic I guess we should really consider Eschew Materials right? yet the alchemy based classes will still have a hard time.

I figure it's a useful thing to have, but there will be opportunities for scavenging such things to find the materials needed to make such items if needed.  With regards to the Automatic Progression; for the purpose of this campaign, the Mythic levels attained will count as character levels for ABP.

Interested if there is still some room.

I'd like to be in the party, if there's still place for one! Sounds like an interesting scenario. If I get it right, we have a tough character (fighter, monk or barbarian), a cleric, a bard and a thief or ranger. I guess I'll pick a wizard, a sorcerer or an arcanist. Or if needed another first line.

Let me know if there's still place for me!  ;D

Welcome Ithnuul and Nameless One!  At present, no selections have been made, so you may feel free to throw in a character concept (as can everyone).  I will come up with the character build soonish, but the general idea of a PC is good enough for now.

Tentatively interested. Mind if I ask a few questions first? Well...maybe more than a few. :P

Why Pathfinder? Just curious. Seems like a strange choice for something that falls so far outside of what Pathfinder games usually aim for.

Do you have an overarching plot in mind that you plan to introduce or is this meant to be more of a sandbox game? What gets the characters motivated to get out and adventure instead of just hanging out at camp and focusing on surviving?

Could elaborate on what you had in mind for the bolded part?

...aaand I think that's all I've got for now. I'll probably send you a PM to talk about some ideas.

Thanks for your questions EndofDivine!  To be honest, I was originally thinking of using the Star Wars SAGA system to do the game with, but my distinct preference for fantasy eventually won out, and Pathfinder is what I'm most acquainted with after that.  I've done quite a few games using PF, but non-combat side of things tends to get underused a bit, which made me want to give them some exercise - there will be battles certainly, but I'd like to give the non-combat side of things a try and hopefully get a fairly good game out of that as well.

With regards to direction, I do have a general idea in mind for a plot I want to get going.  What I would like to do, is to give players a reasonable free sandbox game to start with (with some prodding and direction if/when needed) and then slowly bring the plot into focus as the game progresses.  I'm a fan of intelligent playing, so if players make plans and contingencies, it contributes to their success (or at least bettering their odds) in the future.

Figured at least one person would ask about that piece eventually, lol.  Obviously, this can be taken to mean that flaura and fauna can factor in (I'd rather not use the cliche of tentacles), but this can also include hallucinations, herbal/alchemical aphrodisiacs, strange cults, monster males/females.  That said, all of it fairly optional and if there's a demand for it, generally applicable to the players who want it.

[yesiroleplay]

Love this idea.  In fact I'm now playing a bard in a solo game that has very much this sort of flavor.

I don't know what concept to go with - maybe poor maiden that got in trouble for theft, though she stole something minor and her punishment way out of proportion to the crime 
Rogue probably, or one of the many bard archetypes. 

Also would suggest scrapping the extra AC bonuses - there is a reason the spell DC abilities don't provide many direct combat benefits.  The shield bonus for power-fighters cuts deeply into any reason to go with a finesse fighter.

[HopeFox]

 This all sounds very cool! I like the idea that survival and dealing with other survivors will be the primary thrust of the adventure at the start, and then moving into specific plot later.

I'll get working on my kobold bard idea, then? I think I'll make him male, to make any potential sexual situations less physically difficult. :)

[Vonandi]

I was thinking a finesse based fighter, one if given the option would likely only ever use light to medium armour and a short sword(if they ever get a chance to use as much at least), but is focused on combat not speciality skills unlike a thief. Just to put my concept out there.

[Sally Aces]

Yay! I like the idea of playing a Cleric whose agenda was ending up where they just happened to be marooned. Perhaps there's a prophesy she's trying to make come true and bring the dead god back to life. Or she could be following visions or an ancient scripture she found in the bowels of the temple she was trained it. Either way, CE and me, so cool. Can you tell me more about the dirty, either here or in PM?

[Idej]

Is there an opening still?

[Argent Adonis]

Is there an opening still?

Nothing as of present Idej, players having been chosen.  I'll presently be putting up the character building guidelines so that people can get started.

Yay! I like the idea of playing a Cleric whose agenda was ending up where they just happened to be marooned. Perhaps there's a prophesy she's trying to make come true and bring the dead god back to life. Or she could be following visions or an ancient scripture she found in the bowels of the temple she was trained it. Either way, CE and me, so cool. Can you tell me more about the dirty, either here or in PM?

Generally speaking, I don't have a set fixture on what type of smutty content is going to feature - I generally wait to see which players I select; then, based on their O/Os, I can start to build an idea of what to feature, especially if it's something that intersects with my own O/Os.  My own tastes run from vanilla to extreme, so there will at the very least be some diversity.

[Sally Aces]

Generally speaking, I don't have a set fixture on what type of smutty content is going to feature - I generally wait to see which players I select; then, based on their O/Os, I can start to build an idea of what to feature, especially if it's something that intersects with my own O/Os.  My own tastes run from vanilla to extreme, so there will at the very least be some diversity.

Sorry... can I say this once... I HATE autocorrect. That sentence was SUPPOSED to be:

Can you tell me more about the DEITY, either here or in PMs....

But, I do appreciate the quick rehash on smut in the game, though *giggles*

[EndofDivine]

Oh yeah. Talk deity to me. :P