Roman Campaign: Pathfinder (Interest)

Started by swordwind, March 31, 2015, 11:36:08 PM

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swordwind

I keep getting e-mails asking if I'm ok so I figured I'd stop on by and try to run a game. Here is what I've been messing around with.

Roman Campaign: The Shadows within the Empire

Welcome to my Roman campaign. Here you’ll get to experience the glory of the Roman Empire in a unique setting.  From coming to face the might savage warriors of the barbarian tribes, maneuver the dangerous political pathways, and come face to face with your own possible demise, anything can happen.   

All of you will be united in the common goal of making your house rise to power. The name of that house is TBA. (Still need to get its name.)   But each of you can have your own personal goal, a dream or desire that you would like to accomplish.  This goal can even go against the rise of your house. But let’s avoid any inter-party conflict, unless it’s cool. I will need this goal before I can move forwards with my campaign. So think someone up and submit it to me. So I'm looking for one person to be an aspiring noble or political player. 

The World:
Due to my limited research of the time period, and my lack of resource books……I can give you the following. Rome, Gauls, Greeks, misc barbarian tribes, and some eastern nations will exist within my world and could cause you to go to great lengths to meet with them.  But you will all start within the Roman Empire. Romans are a religious nation with a very strong military. In my world this is amplified by the outlawing of all magic items.

This includes wondrous times, magic armor and shields, alchemical goods, and ioun stones.   

Mages are exiled or killed as soon as they are discovered and magic not granted by the gods is considered heresy.  All romans take this very seriously as they don’t wish to displeasure their gods.  The barbarians are more shamanistic and understand magic is a wild thing and sometimes can be controlled. They believe in primal magic. So their warriors show this on the field and in their tribes. Greeks understand magic, use it to improve their social standings, and use it in war when needed. The eastern nations also enjoy magic but they believe it is dangerous and avoid its usage if they can. They believe in practical sciences over magic. 

Restrictions: 
Due to the time period some things will not exist in my world. Here is a list, based on where you’re from and the nation it is in. 
In game terms:

The world: No ninja’s, samurai, summoner, or gunslingers.  No wondrous items in any market (unless I say otherwise), or magic items. Wands, Scrolls, potions, do exist though. 

Romans: Paladin, Clerics, Inquisitors, Oracles are power people in this part of the world. Wizards, sorcerers, alchemists, witches, magus’s are exiled or killed if found within city walls. 
Barbarians: Very shamanic so Druids, rangers, barbarians, oracles, witches, are powerful in the world. Wizards, alchemist, and magus’s are killed or viewed with high dislike.   
Greeks:  Wizards, alchemists, maguses, monks are strong people in this land. Druids, witches, sorcerers, barbarians are frowned upon
Eastern Nations: Wizards, alchemists, maguses are strong people in this land. Druids, witches, sorcerers, barbarians are frowned upon
Armor and weapon rules:
We are playing in the Bronze Age so I need all of you to learn the bronze rules for weapons and armor. Located here:  http://www.d20pfsrd.com/equipment---final/special-materials#TOC-Bronze
Rapiers, Asian/eastern weapons, heavy armor just doesn’t exist. All versions of lamellar armor exist, along with splint and banded mail. Bronze age weapons exist on the table for bronze age weapons.

Gaining Magic: Magical items are extremely rare and only can be gained by accomplished people of merit. So for you people you get to pray for your magic. 
Temple System: 
As romans are a religious group of people the gods favor them for their praise with limited magical assistance from time to time. So to gain an enhancement to your gear you spend time praying and donating goods to a local temple.  This will allow you to gain a magical enhancement with a catch for you to remain loyal to Rome and its gods.
In game terms: 65% of total pricing for a magic bonus for weapons and armor and rings.
Sidenote:  Other nations and other gods will also follow this ruling. 
Wondrous items:  Toss them out the window.         

Character Creation: 
Name: 
Nation: (Where you from?)
Deity: (Everyone follows some god)
Weapons and Armor:  You can start with magic armor, weapons, rings, alchemical items, and basic gear. If you decide to have magic I need to know the god your following and how you upkeep your tithe to the temple. 
Background: 
Overall Goal in life: (What drives you to do what you do?)
Minor goals in life:  (What would you like to do before you meet the gods?)
3000gp starting wealth
2 traits
25 pts buy. 

Race rules:  During this timeframe everyone really doesn’t get along with other races. So NPCs act a particular way when around you. And your social standing can be impacted because of this.
Human: No issues with any other humans. Your nation and speech will come into effect when you travel to other lands and nations. 
Dwarves: You’re a midget and people view you as such.  Follow the same rules as humans. 
Elf:  Everyone hates you save barbarians. Barbarian’s tribes respect you.
Gnomes:  Midget that is good at repairing things. Viewed more like a slave race to everyone save the eastern nations. 
Half-elves: Viewed as humans as long as they appear to look like one, otherwise viewed as elves. 
Halflings: Viewed as human children unless found out, then viewed as slaves. 
Half-orcs: Romans & Greek’s hate them. Barbarians love them. Eastern Nations concerned about them. 

Aasimars, Dhampir, Fetchling, sylph, Tiefling, Undine, Oread, ifrit, Changeling, suli, kitsune, vishkanya: Strike fear or awe into other races and nations based on how they interact with people.  Eastern nations are more open to not care about you. Barbarians will want to kill you or follow you based on your skills. Romans and Greek’s will want to outright murder you unless your protected by a house, or are an ambassador.

Catfolk, Drow, Goblin, Hobgoblin, kobold, orc, ratfolk, tengu, grippli, merfolk, nagaji, samasran, strix, vanara: Go crawl under a rock and hide. 

Game Starting: TBA

Character knowledge: Mainly is based on where you come from. The world is in a setting of general peace with skirmishes happening at the borders and weaker towns are normal taken over or burned to the ground. Your starting city is Acci, a decently sized port city ontop of a hill overlooking the Rems Sea. Acci has trade dealings with Greek’s on the other side. You ship out stone from the quarry and import lumber. They worship Neptune primarily, and a host of other roman gods.   

Your house is located just outside of the city and is in disrepair. Your lord has sent multiple requests to improve his standings but nothing has been received.  With the local magistrate not answering your calls your patrician has decided to seek aid in a nearby coastal city of Burrium for a chance to collect the needed funds to improve his home. 

MrBubbles

This is amazing, but I've just got to ask; what level are we starting at? The wealth suggests 3rd, but given the lack (or rarity) of magic items it could possibly be more or less.

Also how do you feel about the Hybrid Classes? Things like the Hunter, Shaman, Brawler (especially Brawler, I'm feeling that for this campaign) or Warpriest?

swordwind

Thank you MrBubbles.

To answer your question the advanced book didn't exist when I had the idea in my head. But I wouldn't have any issues with those classes.(Played a few of them. Brawler was always something I thought could be cool.) Also when it comes to magical items I said you couldn't buy them locally. But you can start with them. So 3k is still the starting amount. Money can be spent on things other then combative items. Just give a reason why that fits into the setting.

Morganatic

How far east do the Eastern nations go? Considering some sort of character who's come across on the fantasy equivalent of the Silk Road, probably from Persia/Bactria somewhere. Depending on what era of Rome you're looking at, there's a whole lot of trade going on between the Empire and Central Asia during that time, and lots of interesting possibilities for weird syncretic religions and philosophies being brought in to the Tellus Mater, ideally with some Zoroastrianism and similar motifs thrown in. It's an interesting period of cultural contact, and I can definitely see the historicity of a representative - trade, political, cultural, or religious - getting posted (or stuck) with a Roman house (there's a whole bunch of Persians hanging around in the later Roman empire, like Surena, the Parthian ambassador), but it seems like the Shadows within the Empire Romans are a bit different? Rules-wise, Herodotus wrote a bunch about the asceticism, aversion to lying, and archery skills of the Bactrian and Zoroastrian people he met, so Zen Archer monk might fit the bill for being something that the Western nations are aware of, but is just a little bit different ... maybe aasimar as well, to just underline that 'like us, but not quite like us' feel. Would that be OK?

Echoing MrBubbles in saying this sounds interesting!

MrBubbles

Quote from: swordwind on April 01, 2015, 05:46:42 PM
Thank you MrBubbles.

To answer your question the advanced book didn't exist when I had the idea in my head. But I wouldn't have any issues with those classes.(Played a few of them. Brawler was always something I thought could be cool.) Also when it comes to magical items I said you couldn't buy them locally. But you can start with them. So 3k is still the starting amount. Money can be spent on things other then combative items. Just give a reason why that fits into the setting.

Awesome! The Hybrid classes really do feel like they'd be right at home in a Roman campaign, what with Brawlers pretty much being wrestlers and Warpriests fitting right in as Aquilifers.

However I'm still curious as to what level the campaign starts at, since there can be big differences in character design if the campaign starts at level 5 rather than level 1.

Chulanowa

I'm kind of interested, but... some things seem kind of rough.

We're starting in Rome... So.. are arcane classes and nonhuman races allowed, or not? Do they have to be "undercover" or something? How does that work?

swordwind

Morganatic: I could see that working.  I know that Romans had quite the interest in other cultures. So maybe. Just remember the race plays a part in the world. So come up with a reason people will respect you.

Chulanowa: You can be a non-human race. Just make sure you cover the reason why you are in the country. You could even be a slave.

MrBubbles: I didn't notice that I didn't have the level in their. You're all level 3

kckolbe

Wow!  This seems really cool.  I love to see a real setting. 

My only question is that since the Romans kind of wanted the Greeks to adopt their life as opposed to force their compliance, might they have been kinder to Greek casters?

Thinking of playing a Roman bard masquerading as a cleric.
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)
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Chulanowa

yeah, the romans were really big on assimilation, in an extortionist sorta way - "Real nice culture yewz gots here. yup. be a real shame if sommat wuz ta happen to it, yuknowuddimean?"... and really pathfinder assumes the presence of arcane magic for its balancing. i guess it depends on what sort of encounters you're looking at, though

Foxfyr

If you're looking to play an arcane caster in disguise, the false priest archetype for the sorcerer seems like a perfect fit for this situation. Ante  up on it by giving them a celestial bloodline and they would likely do very well at disguising their arcane power as divine.

I am personally looking into submitting a Warpriest character. We will see what sort of inspiration I can come up with. :)

MrBubbles

#10
Quote from: kckolbe on April 01, 2015, 07:45:46 PM
Wow!  This seems really cool.  I love to see a real setting. 

My only question is that since the Romans kind of wanted the Greeks to adopt their life as opposed to force their compliance, might they have been kinder to Greek casters?

Thinking of playing a Roman bard masquerading as a cleric.

Actually it was the other way around; Romans were enamored with Hellenistic culture and considered it the proper way for a civilized people to live. By the 1st century BC it was considered a must for every rich young man to both study in Greece (specifically Athens or Rhodes) and learn to speak Greek as well as Latin. In fact, I distinctly remember a note written back in the 1st century AD (from a book of primary sources dealing with the Empire) that specified the ideal wet nurse is of Greek origin, as she would speak to the babe in Greek and thus teach it (and I'm trying to quote it exactly here) the "true, great language."

Sure there were Greeks and Romans who despised each other and wanted nothing to do with the other's culture (Cato the Elder comes to mind,) but the Romans were absolutely fans of Greek culture (and Etruscan, which is where they acquired a taste for gladiatorial games.)

kckolbe

Very true, worded it poorly.  If you look at how Roman Mythology is just Greek renamed, especially.  But my point stands.  If mages were popular in Greece, then the Romans wouldn't be *too* antagonistic toward them.
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

MrBubbles

Oh, another question; how are you calculating health?

swordwind

Health will be average or you can roll it.

kckolbe

Leaning more toward Arcanist.  If I go with the White Mage archtype, I can occasionally cast a cure spell, which will help with the masquerade.  Now all he has to do is make up a minor, obscure god that he "prays to" for his powers, and he'll be set.
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

D12

Eeeheheehe. So much interest!  ;D

I've been looking for a roman / greek / bronze age game for a while; and the mute oracle I have in mind bares a lot of sideboob so setting on E is a bonus!

Gonna be a mute oracle...

What's the gods, just the roman pantheon? Plan is to go with Selene.
Quote from: Angiejuusan
D12 has earned the power of the GM's Laughter! This does nothing but tell the world you made the GM laugh out loud!

Chulanowa

I'll brainstorm something at work!

just... anything other than another goddamned Paladin.

swordwind

I do require a person to be the head of the house for ease of play and direction. But if you prefer to have a NPC be the head of the house that is fine. Just had to ask that question.

kckolbe

*Willing* to be head of house, but since my char already has a goal and a secret, I feel like he works best as a family member to the head of house.
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

Foxfyr

My character might be a good candidate to head the noble house. I am making him well-rounded rather than a specialized social savant, but I should still be able to fill the role well enough.

I am going with a Warpriest using the Forgepriest archetype who worships Vulcan since that just fits together so well. I am a suing Vulcan's weapon is the Warhammer and that Strength is one of his domains. Seeing as my character both worships Vulcan and his class gives him Craft Magic Weapons and Armor, what would it take for him to enchant his hammer and/or shield as +1?

D12

My character is set to be a support healer / enchanter; and also a deaf mute (deaf oracle curse) So probably a bad candidate for house lead all together.

I'm kind of digging the fact that Deaf oracles get Silent Spell added to all their spells free, and that Command, Forbid Action & Murderous Command all only have Verbal Components.

My Oracle can compel someone to murder their friend just by looking at them.  >:)
Quote from: Angiejuusan
D12 has earned the power of the GM's Laughter! This does nothing but tell the world you made the GM laugh out loud!

MrBubbles

#21
My character's shaping up to be a melee combatant, so nothing in the way of social skills besides the basics, so he'd probably be a poor candidate for patriarch. He's going to be a retired wrestler once known as "The Bronze Colossus" due to his size and strength, but he's definitely softened with years of leisure. Currently he's a brawler, but he*could* be made into a Phalanx Fighter for extra AC and immediate bonuses to damage, but making a standard land-owning Hoplite feels a bit on the safe side.


Pockets

Possibly interested, would you be opposed to a permutation of the Arcane Archer? One that requires Divine Casting instead of Arcane casting?
08/02 - New A/A Update

kckolbe

#23
That sounds like a really good idea Pockets.  also from a selfish perspective it makes my character a little less suspicious since there will already be another member of the House who practices his or her face in a slightly uncommon way.

in fact it seems that there will be a lot of divine casting in this group so my characters shouldn't really stand out at all as long as he doesn't cost anything to uncleric-y. 

it looks like I'm going to go back to playing a bard since the skills will come in handy Plus that seems an easier character to pull off the illusion with with his higher charisma and more spells in common with clerics.

if Loki decides he doesn't want to be the head of house then my character should be able to fit that role.
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

Wow, okay thinking about a few ideas I take it Rogues are widely a common class being so flexible. And noble house is not the only path to power I'm thinking merchant house rising in some land who can buy power. Who cares about titles when you can fund three armies on your own if needed. (someday)