Heist of the Century: A Pathfinder cloak & dagger intrigue game.

[Wintercat]

LtFox, I am willing, although reluctant to take up the Fixer/logistics guy's role. It appears to be a bit big role, as is, and the art of moving things along might take a bit of work to pull off in game. Though it does present some interesting options. I will take that up I suppose, if nobody else will.

I am presently thinking of making the character a male human alchemist, and possible traits that gave permanent class-skills in Bluff & Sense Motive. Those would make the fellow able to lie enough to make his backroom deals more successful, and the Sense Motive could come in handy to avoid the long arm of the law.

I am contemplating though, that the character might be a male ELF but in that case I figure he would be, at least in name, under someone else's care if I understood right. Elves aren't even commoners, more like Slaves? Anyhow, the long life would have let an elf with a bit of magical ability tinker with it without risking showing his true nature on the open for everyone.

The character might, given enough time, actually seek to be someone to create some magical items too, if I end up inclined to go that road. The problem with that is that the Alchemists spell list (or 'Recipe Book' actually) is fairly limited, though it contains some Divine as well as Arcane things upon it.

Well, there's still a little time to think I believe.

Presently thinking...

Str 10, Dex 12, Con 12, Int 20, Wis 12, Cha 12.

That contains a +2 Human Racial ability bonus to Intelligence. If I took up the ELF race, the Dex would hop to 14, and Con would be dropped to 10. Still a fairly capable all around fellow, with a sharp head on his shoulders.

Alchemists are pretty lacking in social skills (amusing, since I think they're among the few people that have easy access to SOAP too) and hence I'd focus on the social side on the Traits to play a rounded figure. Either to help in the Fixer position, or to avoid being caught and lying convincingly if caught in trouble.

Given that Sleight of Hand is also a class-skill, as is disable device, who is to say the good alchemist isn't a bit of an 'opportunist' himself as well though.

Ho hum, ho hoo, we'll have to see as we go.

I'm actually tempted to pull out some chart of various alchemical goodies and play the character as trying to offer those wares to people now and then to maintain his 'cover'.

An elven alchemist stepping out to try and sell a bit of soap to a lady, or a some remedy guaranteed to solve a hangover to a guy, he might make a bit of 'minor trading' all along the way at the side, actually looking perfectly 'legit' while planning to help out with the heist.

His actual motivations for the crime would have to be resolved still, but as long as I am torn in this whole Human / Elf dilemma, I cant make up my mind fully. Half-Elf is not an option to me either, just not feeling like going that road.

Amusingly, I actually tossed up a thought of making the character a Gnome, but figure that would not be very appropriate, and second, I imagine the small race shares elves state as slaves, and probably more common sight in a kitchen or such than on the streets. Might raise too many questions. So yeah.

Ehmm uhmm, thinking too much again, but its an exciting prospect and can't wait to see what it becomes.

[LtFox]

Whoa whoa, that's a lot of stuff!  And even more people!  Welcome, all of you!

Now to answer all the questions:

Phantom: Lebanon is now the first official character!  You can repost him into the Character thread. (Link below.)

Healergirl:  Yeah, the 25-point point buy method found in pathfinder.  It gives very decent starting stats.

Mysterica: Welcome!  We're getting slightly crowded, but I designed the game to be flexible, so it's still fine.  Your idea is mostly fine as well, in a game like this you can never have too many rogue/spy types.  As an escaped slave though, she will need to be extremely careful.  Punishments for escaped slaves are extremely harsh, and especially for elves there is generally always a reward posted for information on escapees at most major inns and taverns.

Winter:  I haven't gotten any further applications for the Fixer, so consider yourself appointed for the time being.  As well, we seem to be getting several possible elf characters, so you can decide whichever way you wish.  The above point and my earlier comments still apply if you're going elf, a free elf is sure to raise suspicion, so it will need to be handled carefully and possibly need to masquerade as a slave.  Beyond that, I'm looking forward to seeing how the game kicks off!

Character Archive thread: https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=108034.0
OOC thread: https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=108033.0

I put it in NC-Exotic due to all the slavery content plus mechanical reasons.

_LF_

[Mysterica]

Ok cool, and just btw, this would be along the lines of breaking and entering role.  After all, she would have to be fairly decent with a lockpick to find her way out of the brothel from whence she came.  And don't worry about me getting caught.  I'm already eyeing a set of manacles and a lock to slap onto myself should it seem likely she is getting caught, and besides, cloaks with hoods help a lot.

[LtFox]

Mysterica,

that would probably work quite well.  With more people on the B/E jobs, you could take on bigger challenges and carry away more loot, after all.  Not to mention you'd have someone standing guard while the other works on some particularly devilish lock or trap. 

With you and possibly one more, I'm thinking this game is now mostly full, so I'll be waiting on those character sheets from you people!

_LF_

[Mysterica]

^^  sounds good.

[Black Howling]

Howl:  The idea is workable.  Nobility is allowed, even encouraged to practice magic, and indeed try to preserve magical bloodlines.  Thus, sorcerer is a valid class for a nobleborn.  You may want to consider how your character got involved with the underworld, though, as even for nobility the penalty for magical felonies is death.  Commoners get death penalty simply for knowing magic, and without any trial involved.  There is some hurdle in that Asleod has a rather deep hatred for all nobility, he will have to be careful in dealing with him.

I have a good idea for the character in question that I think might work well. I'm not at a point I can fully describe it right now, as I am pretty busy; but I'll make sure to have it out to you by tonight. You can tell then if it'll work, but I think with what Phantom said last night, and an idea that just popped into my head when I seen wintercat post, I might have something very workable. We'll see though.

Oh, and I'm planning it now to be a bard.

[LtFox]

Howl:

That sounds promising!  Bard is fine too.  It may actually be a more useful class for this kind of game than a full-blown sorcerer.  Take your time, we aren't in a horrible hurry at the moment.

_LF_

[Wintercat]

I am glad if my writing has helped you in any way at all, Black Howling.

I'm tempted by an elf character since the whole long-life aspect appeals to me in general, but it seems that there's already a fair content of elves in the game.

So I think I'll make the character a human man. Possibly quiet intrigued about elves still, but figure that he's so low-level fellow he can hardly see elves other than spotting one out along with their owner somewhere. Anyhow, going to try and get the character in shape soon.

Also, the character will take up the role of the Fixer if necessary, though that does change my concept a little. Anyhow, going to be working on it.

[Zaer Darkwail]

Well, I have interest also but not sure where fit in my concepts.

If bard taken then sorcerer, but I have most interest with summoner (not yet decided on race but half-elf probably). Or human figther (corrupt militia watchman working for underground).

Perhaps elves have own ghetto community which is more like prison than normal community ward.

[LtFox]

Howdy Zaer!

The game is getting slightly full as it is, but if you have a well-developed and interesting character concept, I'll take you on regardless.  As it stands and if things continue as predicted, this will in all likelihood become one of the biggest games I've run the recent history.

A few pointers, though.  Nobility is allowed and encouraged to practice magic, but half-breed aren't recognized as nobles regardless of who their non-slave parent was, they are classified pretty much slaves along their non-human parents.  So, no halfbreed can officially practice magic anymore than a commonborn can.

Also, elves aren't THAT common, so they are highly prized personal slaves for the most part, and as such they certainly aren't let out of their owner's sights long enough to establish any kind of ghetto.  They typically reside with their owners or in small city-approved slave training facilities.

All the best,
_LF_

[Zaer Darkwail]

Ok, I will conjure charsheet soonish. But what summoners would be among nobles or in world overall? Consider gods are kinda abaddoned then how planar relations are atm?

[Mysterica]

Other than searching for a picture, I have just one minor question before finishing my character...  how much would you charge for just a hooded cloak?

[Zaer Darkwail]

Other than searching for a picture, I have just one minor question before finishing my character...  how much would you charge for just a hooded cloak?

Is it magical hooded cloak? Otherwise I think it comes off free.

[Mysterica]

No.  Not magical.  I'll just post her up then, and if there are any slight monetary problems I'll just go in and fix them.

[LtFox]

Yeah, a basic cloak which has a covering hood is pretty much free, unless it's some kind of super high quality or made of silk or something like that.

Zaer, were you thinking of the Summoner class, which unless I'm mistaken doesn't really have anything to do with the gods, or some kind of conjuration-specialist wizard or sorcerer?

No one knows if the gods are still around, people have forgotten just about anything dealing with them.  The planes still function mostly as before, though, with a few minor differences which will likely have no direct impact on the game.

_LF_

[Zaer Darkwail]

Playing summoner as a class :). I thinked a nobleborn human summoner who dislikes present social structure because his mother is/was commoner (noble father tough).

[Wintercat]

I was considering one option, about playing the male human alchemist. I was thinking of actually making the character an 'outcast' from nobility.

Someone born to a noble family, with both father and mother nobles of some reputation. Then he was born, a black sheep, not being able to use magic unlike his family expected.

Those without talent had no place among nobles, he was cast out. Only then did he find out he had actually magic in him, but he remembered how he was cast aside like dirt. He was a commodity to his parents, a tool. He didnt' think it would be any better if he approached them.

He could have. He might even have been accepted as a noble with his gift. Instead, he took what little he had left, and began trading, and making vials for himself, brewing minor magic potions illegally. He was taking care of himself, and trying to establish a living that way.

---

That's just one thought of what might be, but if the character is a human man who has chosen to not go back to nobility despite having a talent afterall, disliking how he saw he was treated without it.

So in effect, his motivation is partly his pride. He wants to be important as himself, not because he has a natural talent for magic, which only appeared after he was kicked out and studied something less usual. He could go back to an easy life, but anything he did would be just to serve the purposes of his family, making him a tool.

So he's been trying to establish himself, making trades, and ran into the person that turned him around. The person with a heist in mind.

Somehow, that person convinced the Alchemist to step out and offer his talents to service.

As an 'outcast noble' or 'rejected nobility', he would be a commoner, but people might assume he left with some wealth under his name. So he would perhaps be someone able to -afford- and -own- a few slaves.

Such as the other player characters. I am not saying others should be his slaves however! I am saying that he could offer that as a cover, that anyone needing to claim to belong to someone already could say they belong to the alchemist.

Thoughts anyone?

[LtFox]

Hello again!

Okay, a few pointers to Zaer and Winter.  Discussed this with Winter for some extent already.

Asleod, the boss of the thieving crew running the operation and looking for recruits, has an extreme dislike of nobility.  He makes killing them as occasion presents something of a hobby.  So, any nobles or nobleborn characters will have to overcome that prejudice somehow, either via distancing themselves from noble society and working against it, or in some other way that would make them valuable to a thief with an anti-noble mindset.

Nothing's set in stone, of course, that's just something to keep in mind during character creation.  I've gotten more noble-type character idea submissions than I originally anticipated, so I may have to jostle a few things to make everything fit, but thus far no problems.

_LF_

[Zaer Darkwail]

Well, I thinked perhaps my char who was walkign down the 'commoners' area to meeting his mother sided relatives (secretly note, his father sided relatives frown on this habbit). He then met one thief's associates in trouble with other noble's guards and he then took of his disguise to save thief from serious trouble (not knowing person was thief but he thinked guards bullied as usual a commoner). But as result he was then grounded by his father for a month for walking in commoner's districts but that time Asleod made background work regarding the noble kid to know he is basically half-noble and half-commoner.

Basically mother worked as barmaid in ranchy restaurant where girls worked as prositutes, father regulared the place discreet fashion, grew fancy with mother and made romantic move reveal to be noble and offered her life among nobles (and also give generous amount of money to rest of her family as her family cannot come but gain benefit from marrying the daugther). Reason why father did not just take her as slave girl in first place is genuine love beyond his caste. Or that he in background heard family sorcerer recommend the union because of sleeping sorcerer blood in mother's family and through divination was found out son will become favored by magical gifts. In char's case they manifested as gifts as summoner.

[Wintercat]

Point taken.

I am more than willing to play the alchemist without any nobility background, but I might suggest the same original idea to the person playing a lesser noble then, as a possibility.

Anyhow, if playing a former nobility character seems bad concept as such, how about a man who's mother was accused of being a witch, and killed, for knowing some folk remedies that were more powerful than they should have been, naturally.

The son also has this talent (alchemy) but has kept things that are more powerful hidden away, or only doing them on need, and not saving them. Trading, making a living with trade, a good chance he's become a fence as such. He might bear a grudge towards the nobility already for that, the fact they killed his mother for just knowing something they -suspected- might be magic.

I imagine he has no idea about who his father is either in that case, on a brief side note.

Anyway, the whole idea of taking the elven characters under care of someone else so they have a name to say as a cover if accused somewhere and in danger of being arrested as runaway or such.

[LtFox]

Well, I've said it before, but it bears repeating.

Develop your characters as you wish, the scenario will adapt when necessary, and deal with things when not.  As long as they are thematically correct.

Winter, either this one or your previous concept will work without much problem. go with whichever you want.

Zaer, If you wish to go with that concept, bear in mind that if your character is spotted or caught using magic in any felony, it's an automatic death sentence if taken into custody.  Noble blood notwithstanding.  Also, Asleod may be willing to work with him, but will probably eventually ask him to work against his father.

_LF_

[Zaer Darkwail]

Yeah, understood. Also my char can work against his father so long him nor his mother is not harmed. He may spy father's friend, ruin operation or two, but in end if he haves to choose with his own life or father's, he is ready sacrifice his own life.

Henceforth a Chaotic Good noble rebel is born :). Altough note appearance of his eidolon matches a succubus, but what else expect from demonic/fiendish bloodlined sorcerers summoners eidolon to be :P.

[Black Howling]

Yes, winter, it inspired me quite a bit. The idea is simple, and might require an OK from Phantom to fully work. I don't plan on taking any liberties here, so stomp on me if I am.

I was thinking of nobles daughter, so a rising member of somewhat low standing. She has potential though, and her father thinks she is working toward restoring her families standing which has possibly fallen of late. She has different plans though, as she finds the way things are to be twisted and vile. She's an idealist first and foremost, and was trained before the family fell from grace to be an inner noble spy to keep tabs on her fathers rivals. (Explaining the bard training.)

I was thinking that after it fell she started trying to work her own things in. Perhaps she tries to get some of the other races taken as slaves out of cruel hands, or tries to find ways to take them under her wing as a form to try to keep them from harm until she can set them free. She thinks all the nobles are corrupted right now, and I was thinking that perhaps she was enamored with Phantoms character and helped get him from that trial. Break him out in secret, perhaps at the execution so that thought he was dead.

It could also, maybe work for why Aesold got interested in her. Feel free to make suggestions, I love working with the GM on characters.

[Crovonovin]

It would seem that I may very well be too late to join in on this fascinating game, but I figured I'd make the attempt regardless of any possible disappointment coming my way!

The idea I have for my character is one that I've been pondering for awhile now, but never quite got the chance to put into action.  It really requires more of an urban setting to feel right, which is why this game immediately caught my eye!  I want to know if it would be possible to play a druid that summons and trains creatures of the vermin type, rather than beasts.  That could include anything from giant maggots to sewer centipedes to leeches, which would probably be far more common in a city so large and decadent.  I was inspired in part by one of the D&D 3.5 articles on the Wizard's site.  The only main difference between a vermin-using druid and a normal druid is the use of an empathic link, rather than tricks and handle animal.

Insects understand need, and that is about it: need for food, need for safety, need for shelter from the elements, need to escape predators, need to protect offspring (in some cases). Animals understand these too, but animals can move beyond basic needs in their intellectual capability. Vermin cannot be handled, or trained, or even spoken to. Because of this, the relationship between a druid and her vermin companion is different than it would be with an animal.

I wondered what would drive a man to seek companionship amongst such creatures, rather than the common dog or cat or bird.  In the context of Sacrafel, I could see it as an attempt to forge a deeper connection with the city around him, a city that has long since consumed and saturated the natural world around it.  Domesticated animals and people have become the alien element, while scurrying things most would find disgusting are now the native inhabitants.  In a place where people are so often cruel, who wouldn't find some measure of peace associating with things incapable of hatred or jealousy or pettiness? 

Befitting his nature, this man would clearly be one of the common rabble.  Perhaps he was born with this unusual gift, a natural evolutionary balancing act as humanity adjusted to living and dying in the same city all their lives.  Call it mutation, if you like, for I'm certain the nobility would do the same.

Assuming there's room and assuming I haven't turned you off the idea already, this might take a little finagling.  Knowledge (Nature) doesn't make much sense as a class skill in this environment, so perhaps Knowledge (Local) would be a better alternative.  Perhaps Handle Animal could be altered to something more fitting as well?  I was thinking of taking the Packlord Archetype from Ultimate Magic (also on the SRD), which would allow for multiple vermin companions.

Pack Bond (Ex): A pack lord druid may not select a domain and must choose an animal companion. The druid gains a +2 bonus on wild empathy and Handle Animal checks made regarding her animal companion. The pack lord may have more than one animal companion, but she must divide up her effective druid level between her companions to determine the abilities of each companion. For example, a 4th-level pack lord can have one 4th-level companion, two 2nd-level companions, or one 1st-level and one 3rd-level companion.

Each time a pack lord’s druid level increases, she must decide how to allocate the increase among her animal companions (including the option of adding a new 1st-level companion). Once a druid level is allocated to a particular companion, it cannot be redistributed while that companion is in the pack lord’s service (she must release the companion or wait until the companion dies to allocate its levels to another companion, which she can do the next time she prepares spells). The share spells animal companion ability only applies to one animal companion at a time—the pack lord cannot use it to cast a one-target spell and have it affect all of her animal companions. This ability replaces nature bond.

On that note, I wonder if it would be possible to include swarms in this package?

Now I won't drone on and on about possible motivations for working with the rest of these dashing scoundrels in the event that I'm talking to a wall and you're all full up!  If you are, I'd be happy to wait in the wings in the event that spaces open up later on down the line.

[Wintercat]

Quite amazed how popular  Fox's game has gotten but then again loving the sight of it drawing people in. This should be a tale to remember. I've had a prior chance to roleplay with Fox and he's one of the guys I know can throw a very good game when in the right mood and all.

I've found some more people like him on this site but I've had the pleasure of exploring his games before and know to look forward to this game too, eager to see it once it has truly got going.