[Pathfinder] Mummy's Mask: The Half-Dead City (interest / recruitment)

[Chulanowa]

   Seven years ago, Pharaoh Khemet III, the Ruby Prince, formally opened Osirion’s ancient tombs and burial sites to foreign explorers. Khemet III understood that adventurers who’ve traveled great distances in search of treasure typically do not return from whence they came to sell their discoveries. Instead, they typically sell or trade what they do not keep as quickly as possible at the closest civilized community with an economy strong enough to absorb an influx of valuable antiquities. The Ruby Prince’s policy has attracted not only explorers to the desert nation of Osirion, but also countless scholars, private collectors, special interest groups such as the Pathfinder Society, and financial interests from all across the Inner Sea. A minor industry has sprung up just to support visiting explorers, and an even larger infrastructure has come into being to serve foreign investors and traders. Every opening of a major site has heralded an economic boom for the local area and for Osirion as a whole.

   This has not set well with the Church of Pharasma, the goddess of death, fate, and judgement in the afterlife; at every turn they have resisted the Pharoh's edict, and every time the ruler's pressure has won out. The latest such instance is the town of Wati, where a necropolis has stood sealed off by the church for seventeen hundred years. It was finally decided that if the necropolis was to be opened with or without the church's oversight, the Priests of the Grand mausoleum decided "with" to be the better option.

   Perhaps you've come to Wati to seek fortune in the untouched tombs. Maybe you're eager to learn the knowledge that others were invariably uncover; maybe you're a native of Wati, claiming greater rights to the artifacts of your home than the throngs of foreigners! Whatever the case, you are among the throngs of adventurers and scholars seeking entry to the necropolis through the lottery held by the Pharasmin church. Competition is fierce - even cutthroat, by the look of some - but that won't stop you from venturing into the Half-Dead City!



Hi there! As it says on the tin this is an interest-slash-recruitment thread for the Pathfinder Adventure Path; Mummy's Mask. Set in the Fantasy Egypt nation of Osirion, it features no shortage of tomb-crawls, a veritable rogue's gallery of NPC's, and possibly even a massive world-endangering threat (as pathfinder AP's are wont to do, after all!) If the idea of plundering ancient tombs in an ancient desert land appeals to you, well, just sign on the dotted line!

The Rules
• Ability Scores: 20-point Buy
• Race: The seven "Standard' races, plus all Featured or Uncommon races from the Advanced Race Guide.

Additionally...

- Androids
- Ganzi
- Gathlian
- Gnolls
- Ghoran
- Reborn Samsaran
- Skinwalker (all variants)
- Vine Leshy

• Class: Any Paizo-published except for Antipaladin; If there's an "Unchained" variant for your class (Barbarian, Monk, Rogue, Summoner), then use that instead of the "Default" version.
• Level: Being an Adventure path, everyone starts at level 1; Take average wealth for your class.
• Traits: Two, plus a campaign trait from the Mummy's Mask Player's Guide. No Drawbacks.
• Alignment: Any except Neutral Evil and Chaotic Evil.

Character Advice
I'm looking for Five characters to partake in this adventure. It will not be first-come-first-served; rather I'm going to go through and pick which ones work. What am I looking for? Well...
• Sheets: Just use Mythweavers. it's easiest for me to read and deal with. Failing that, I do have a

Stat Block template

template

Code Select Expand

[b]name[/b]
(Sex) (Race) (Class / level)
(Alignment) (size) (Types [subtypes])
[b]Init[/b] ; [b]Senses[/b] ; Perception
[hr]
[b]Defense[/b]
[hr]
[b]AC[/b] , touch , flat-footed  ( dex,  Natural)
[b]hp[/b]  (HD)
[b]Fort[/b] , [b]Ref[/b] , [b]Will[/b]
[b]Defensive Abilities[/b]
[hr]
[b]Offense[/b]
[hr]
[b]Speed[/b] t.
[b]Melee[/b]
[b]Ranged[/b]
[b]Special attacks[/b]
[b]Spells[/b] (CL ; concentration )
[hr]
[b]Statistics[/b]
[hr]
[b]Str[/b] , [b]Dex[/b] , [b]Con[/b] , [b]Int[/b] , [b]Wis[/b] , [b]Cha[/b]
[b]Base Atk[/b] ; [b]CMB[/b] ; [b]CMD[/b]
[b]Feats[/b]
[b]Skills[/b]
[b]Languages[/b]
[b]SQ[/b]
[b]Traits[/b]
[b]Drawback[/b]
[b]Combat gear[/b]
[b]Other gear[/b]
name
(Sex) (Race) (Class / level)
(Alignment) (size) (Types [subtypes])
Init ; Senses ; Perception

Defense

AC , touch , flat-footed  ( dex,  Natural)
hp  (HD)
Fort , Ref , Will
Defensive Abilities

Offense

Speed t.
Melee
Ranged
Special attacks
Spells (CL ; concentration )

Statistics

Str , Dex , Con , Int , Wis , Cha
Base Atk ; CMB ; CMD
Feats
Skills
Languages
SQ
Traits
Drawback
Combat gear
Other gear

that you could fill. Just use Mythweavers :P
• Backgrounds: Be imaginative! Literally anyone can be deciding legalized tomb robbing is a good career step for them; Maybe you're a Wati Native trying to reclaim and protect your heritage; or you're a disgraced samurai from Minkai trying to buy a new life. Are you a Technomancer from the Silver Mount hoping to find Long-Lost ancient Osiriani technology and magic? or maybe you're really, truly, genuinely just here to get rich selling junk from tombs, who knows? Point is, don't feel constrained; Also note that I will be running a small prelude to bring the party together, so don't worry about pre-existing connections (you can if you want, of course..) So long as you can think of a motive for coming to Wati, anything works.
• Hooks: I find the AP to be too linear as-written for a straight 1:1 walkthough to be engaging. That means side quests! And the best side quests are the ones that come from the characters themselves. Are you a fugitive? are you looking for something in particular? What secrets lie in your past? Give me a few things to hang my DM hat on; characters who sprout out of thin air, with entirely dead families, no mentors or contacts or anything are dull.
• Builds: I'm looking to put together a well-rounded party; there's need for skill checks, there's need for heavy melee (fair warning; there's a good bit of damage resistance in this module...), there's definitely need for support and buffing types, so on and so forth. Don't try to pack it all on one character because I will favor specialists over one-person party characters. While I'm here? it's okay to not cram a ton of points into Charisma, you can be sexy without 22 CHA  ;D
• Speaking of Sexy....: I actually want to get a balance of genders in the group; it's not a deal-breaker, just something I'd like to do. Any gender welcome, as is any orientation. Be forewarned; this is not a "Sex game," and I'll likely pass over any character that seems super-focused on getting their bits buffed. This will be going into the Light-Exotic group, so keep that in mind and plan accordingly.
• Character Images: I will not select a character that uses anime / manga art. I am the judge of what this constitutes. Sorry, Magical Neko Girls with 400 pound swords dressed in power-maid armor... sounds fucking rad, I admit, but just not for this game.  ;D



Oof. So if that wall of text doesn't scare everyone off, I'd love to hear from you all and see what ideas and questions you might have!

[Bibliophilia]

-rubs my hands together and plots a rogue.-

[Muse]

  Oh, hey! I'd like to try, Chulla.  Let me see what I can put together for you.  :) 

[Muse]

  In that case, I will bring us a cleric.  :)  Just need to look around in the player's guide for ideas on a religious type who would participate in this! 

[Bibliophilia]

If I can find a picture that works for me, I think I'm going Gathlian Rogue.

[Callie Del Noire]

I have a pic, but can’t find a way to post it via tablet.

[Muse]

  I do enjoy clerics of Sarenrae, and haven't really taken them that far, but perhaps to be different I could try an ifrit oracle? 

  Do we have a gender spread yet? 

[Bibliophilia]

As I'm playing a Gathlian, I plan to go non-binary.  Likely hermaphroditic, since it makes more sense for them.

[Vergil Tanner]

I keep humming and haaing over this, damnit. I want to try a somewhat odd Fighter Build, but I'm unconvinced it will work all that well...

Ah, fuck it.

1) Is the Suli Race ok? It's in the Advanced Players Guide, I just want to make sure.

2)

Is this picture ok?

[Chulanowa]

  I do enjoy clerics of Sarenrae, and haven't really taken them that far, but perhaps to be different I could try an ifrit oracle? 

  Do we have a gender spread yet?

Sarenrae and Pharasma are super-common in Osirion; Abadar's probably in the mix too. Among the milling hordes of adventurers, I expect there's probably a lot of Desnans and Caydenites. Some major NPC's are worshippers of Nethys. And personally I think it'd be neat to see someone worshipping less-common deities like Torag, Gorum, or Kurgess.

Ifrits (and the other half-genie races) are also pretty common in Osirion.

Including the Suli, Vergil.  -_- That picture is super-silly, but? It's not anime. So there you go  ;D

[Vergil Tanner]

Just checking!

And silly? Silly how? :O

[Chulanowa]

Just checking!

And silly? Silly how? :O

Well, she's wearing a risqué nightgown and thigh-high stockings into battle?  :D  Though hey, could definitely work if you're going to be worshipping Shelyn or something. Even have the little birds on the pauldrons

[Vergil Tanner]

You can get reinforced fabric :P

Besides, it's the only female fighter I can find with a spear that I like :P

[Muse]

I'm not familiar with Gathliana's, Biblia, what are they like? *peeks* 

Inn Folk in Wati found a toddler abandoned in one of their inn rooms one morning, sleeping by the fire.  She was a lovely child, fair skinned with hair that shimmered in the fire.  There was a large pair of earrings and a consecrated holy symbol tucked into her blankets.  The medallion was engraved with the name "Runi". 

They decided it must be the girl's name.  The inn folk took turns caring for the girl as she grew older.  She was a spritely and happy babe despite her missing mother, and where never she cried Cook would put the teakettle over the fire and sing to her while she watched the fire dance.  Runi would sometimes hiss and pop and crackle like she was talking to the fire.    Her first chore--when she was old enough--was to tend the kettle.  She became known as the Kettle Girl for a time, and somehow--rather than leave her nameless like a bastard--that became her patronym.
(Which almst made sense, she had such a close kinship to the hearth they sometimes said her father was the fire.


Runi Kettle later became a dish girl, earning her keep in the kitchen.  Bit by bit her powers were discovered, too.  The hearth fire really didn't burn her.  She could light candles by blowing kisses.  She was known for healing injured kittens. 

  As she began to bloom into womanhood, Runi became a barmaid.  Now she found that flirting was both fun and profitable.  She would dance through the common room the way she danced before the hearth-fire as a little girl, copying the undulating of the flames.  The beautiful teen danced with grace and sensuality.  Soon she was found to bring in more money for the innkeeper by dancing than as a barmaid.  In her sixteenth and seventeenth year, she became one of the most popular dancing girls in the Viens.  She began making careful purchases with the money she save, planing to take her gifts of healing and fire to become a wealthy adventurer. 

  Rich men and ship's captains paid gold and even platinum for her to dance in their laps.  Runi never yielded more to their desires than a dance and a kiss, though. 

  One day a young Taldan lord--dissatisfied with the teasing--cornered her after hours, fondled her breasts and tore off her top. 

  The lordling's screams brought the inn folk running.  They found the lording's shirt and hair on fire, and the straw on the inn floor ablaze.  The panicked maiden couldn't speak, only hiss and pop and crackle, but they way she covered her breasts with one arm while throwing water on the fire with the other made it clear what had happened. 

  It was several days before Runi remembered how to speak.  Many frightened rumors flew--mostly spread by the vindictive Taldan lordling, and Runi found her dances were nowhere near as popular anymore... 

  It was a good time to become a treasure hunter! 

[Chulanowa]

You can get reinforced fabric :P

Besides, it's the only female fighter I can find with a spear that I like :P

well, if you're just wanting a fighter with a spear...

Oh! And since that's what you're after, good time to mention; I consider spears to be a one-handed weapon in Pathfinder (you can wield them two-handed, of course) This is because, well, goddamn everyone in history used spears with a shield, right?

[Bibliophilia]

Gathlain, who I've totally been misspelling this whole time, are kinda like wood sprites.  They're fey born from seedpods, that typically have plant features and wings.  They're Small and usually start with flight, but I'm going with sticky tendrils instead, and giving mine a lower movement speed in favor of discarding the Constitution modifier.

That's what mine looks like.  They don't understand the other being's fixation on gender, since their race doesn't really have them, and they tend toward more chaotic natures, since they're...you know...fundamentally alien in thought and deed.

Mine's a classic rogue tomb raider who likes to explore ruins and once a place has been discovered and explored, she sees no issue selling off whatever is inside.  What she doesn't keep for herself, of course.  Gathlain tend to be pretty morally neutral and religiously agnostic.  The idea of 'desecrating a tomb' or 'pilfering sacred artifacts' is just silly to them.

[Petrus02]

i'm interested! I've never actually tried a necromancer for more thant 3 posts, so i'd be happy to do that. Wizard necromancer, human, possibly half elf or elf. nothing tooo special i think^^

[Vergil Tanner]

Oh! And since that's what you're after, good time to mention; I consider spears to be a one-handed weapon in Pathfinder (you can wield them two-handed, of course) This is because, well, goddamn everyone in history used spears with a shield, right?

Oh, I'm not doing Spear. ;)

Speaking of! I shall make a Mythweavers if I am selected for the game. :P I have several pictures I'm eyeing up, but I haven't settled on one yet...

Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide

Name: Velvetius “Velvet” Inglefell
Female Suli Fighter (Two Handed) Level 1
Neutral Good Medium Outside [Native]
Init +2; Senses ; Perception +5


Defense


AC 19, Touch 12, flat-footed 17 (5 Armour, 2 Shield, 2 Dex)
HP 12 (1d10 +2)
Fort +4, Ref +2, Will +0
Defensive Abilities Fire Resistance 7, Cold Resistance 7, Acid Resistance 7, Electricity Resistance 7


Offense


Speed 30ft.
Melee Lucerne Hammer +4 (1d12 +6 / +7 Vs Undead, Reach), Horsechopper +4 (1d10 +6 / +7 Reach), Longsword +5 (1d8 +4 / +5)
Ranged Shortbow +3 (1d6 / +1)
Special attacks Elemental Assault (Once Per Day, 1 Round / Level, +1d6 Elemental Damage on Melee attacks)


Statistics


Str 18 (+4), Dex 14 (+2), Con 14 (+2), Int 10 (+0), Wis 10 (+0), Cha 10 (+0)
Base Atk +1; CMB +5; CMD 17

Feats Shield Focus, Shield Brace
Skills Knowledge Religion +5, Perception +5
Languages Common, Terran
SQ Bonus Feat (Level 1)
Traits Unscathed, Seeker, Undead Crusader

Combat gear Lucerne Hammer (15gp), Horsechopper (10gp), Longsword (15gp), Scale Mail (50gp), Light Wooden Shield (3gp), Shortbow (30gp), Arrows x20 (1gp)
Other gear Bedroll and Blanket (6sp), Torch x10 (1sp), Trail Rations x6 (3gp), Silk Rope 50ft (10gp), Grappling Hook (1gp), Flint And Steel (1gp) 28gp 3sp


Biography


Background
The Inglefells were a proud, powerful family once, ruling over a small collection of City-States on what to most would be considered “The Edge Of The World.” The fact that most outsiders treated their small territory as an afterthought rankled many of the powerful members of the family – they were important, damnit, and should be treated as such – but certainly not enough to tempt fate by attempting to war on their more powerful neighbours. The Inglefells were a long line of Warrior Lords, rumoured to be descended from amongst the first of the Mercenary Guilds that aided in the foundation of Fellhaven, who had risen to greater and greater prominence within their city until eventually they controlled the city if not in name – that “honour” belonged to the Vismarck line, the hereditary Viscounts of the city – then in practice. Their wealth kept the military paid, their corruption kept the underworld thriving and loyal to the Inglefell name, and their influence kept their political opponents in the shadows...they controlled everything and everyone within Fellhaven, a vast empire of wealth, illegal and legal ventures and bickering relatives all kept in line by the powerful Patriarch, Rosgoth Inglefell.

Unfortunately, Rosgoth was growing older and the attempts on his life were consistently getting closer and closer to success. He wasn't as young and spry as he once was, and though he was still a strong enough warlord to thwart any attacker who dared challenge him in the open, his wits were beginning to fade...and though he would bloodily execute anybody who dared say that to his face, he knew that they were right. He needed a legacy, or the Inglefells would fall to ruin through infighting and bickering upon his death. she needed an heir. So, he took his fifth wife, Sylvana, the heir to a rich and powerful Merchant Lord Line – one that boasted of Elemental blood in their veins - and within the year...Velvetius was born. Her father was...less than overjoyed, given that he had been hoping for a son, but it was better than nothing. As soon as she could walk, Rosgoth began to teach her the skills and knowledge that she would need to be a proper and true Inglefell Matriarch, effectively attempting to treat her like the son he'd really wanted. Battle tactics, swordplay, horseback riding, archery, the proper implementation of assassins and how best to guard herself against them...he tried to pass on all his knowledge to his son, hoping that one day he would be shaped into a worthy successor to his name. Unfortunately, fate had a different plan for the young Velvetius.

Whilst she did her best to excel for her father, practicing sword and horse in equal measure to try and make her father proud, she knew in her heart that she could never be the son that he not-so-secretly wanted. She always saw disappointment in her fathers eyes whenever she did anything even vaguely feminine, if he was in a good mood. On a bad day, he would launch tirades and fists upon her and her mother, demanding to know why the Gods had given him only a single daughter and not granted him a son, even after so many years. A female could not truly inherit the name, in his mind, and his struggle to see her as his son to pass lineage onto only stoked his fury further. He never truly showed her the affection she wanted from him, and it was only her mother who kept her somewhat grounded during all of it. She recognised that her daughter was being starved of affection, and so insisted on spending as much time with her to pursue her passions. She loved to sit with her mother and her handmaids, sewing and knitting and talking about the days gossip and news. Though she did enjoy sparring and training and spending time with the soldiers – whom she had managed to win the respect of – she found the times she spent in dresses, sitting in the sun with a needle and thread...relaxing. Cathartic, even. And of course...she just loved spending time with her mother. She loved helping the maids with their housework, finding the repetitive task of cleaning and scouring the house for dirt oddly cathartic and relaxing after the stressful, often-tear-inducing failures in her “Manly” lessons, followed by the furious tirades of her father.

Alas, it was not to last. One night, while sitting and sewing with her mother and the maids, the door burst open and her father, Rosgoth, stood there, drunken fury in his face and murder in his eyes. Apparently he had been at the cups again, and had decided to take out his rage at his lack of a son and the fact that his daughter dared to enjoy feminine passtimes upon those he deemed responsible once more. That night, she received the worst beating of her life, beaten to a pulp that couldn't even moan in protest when her mother – who attempted to stop Rosgoth – was thrown from the room with a force that splintered her skull on impact with the opposite wall.

She was dead before she came to a stop, but Rosgoth didn't care. He turned back to Velvetius, a cold fury in her eyes, and if the castle hadn't shaken like the world itself was trying to swallow it up, he might have done the same to Velvetius. As it was...the City was under attack. Their neighbours had decided that enough was enough, and had turned their attention to invading and carving up the territory of the arrogant, sabre-rattling Lord of Fellhaven. Should it fall, the Inglefell line would, for all intents and purposes, be ended. And fall it did. Her father did his best, but it was a losing battle and everybody knew it. He stalled and delayed and obstructed...but all it took was one knife through the ribs from one of Sylvana's handmaidens, and it was all over. Without the fearsome Rosgoth to drive them, the soldiers of Fellhaven threw down their weapons and surrendered. The citizens attempted to flee, and the nobles fell to bickering and infighting, even with the enemy at their gates. Fellhaven didn't last a single night.

And through it all, Velvetius lay in a bloody pulp cradling her mothers dead body. She would have stayed like that, had her mothers handmaidens not pulled her away and smuggled her from the city, using secret tunnels that her mother had discovered years previously to come out behind the siege lines, before hurrying into the darkness, seeking refuge from their old home, eventually arriving in a far foreign land, far from anything even vaguely familiar, far fewer in number – thanks to various bandits and Monsters on the road - their lives newly difficult and hardy as they struggled to make ends meet...until “Velvet” decided that enough was enough, and took up adventuring to help them pay for their necessities. They had always sheltered and supported her. It was time she did something in return. It took her a long time, but she has come to terms with her mothers death, and has found a certain degree of...peace, you could say, in her new life. She is an adventurer, travelling the land and helping people in their daily struggles, and she has never felt so free. She misses her mother dearly, yes, but all things have their time, and she will never disgrace her memory by allowing himself to fall into such depression that she does not enjoy the second chance that she has been given.


Personality:
On the surface, Velvet seems distant and wary, slow to trust and seemingly always suspicious of peoples motives. When she gets to know you, however, she is a warm, friendly, loyal individual who will go to any lengths to protect her friends and those she deems worthy of her devotion. Her loyalty is hard won, but when you have earned it, it is practically unshakeable in its foundations and resilience. When around people she doesn't know, she retains a stoic and impassive view of events and people, regarding everybody with apparent suspicion. When with people she has decided to trust, however, her smiles come easily and often, with a wry, teasing sense of humour and no hesitation in returning and taking jibes with the easiness of a soldier, but the good grace of a lady. She seems to have eclectic tastes at times – you can easily find her enjoying sparring or sewing – but she is quick to show passion and fiery determination in the face of danger. She has a stubborn streak, of course, but that applies both in arguments and in stubbornly refusing to abandon a friend in danger. At her core, she has a good heart and will genuinely wish to help people she finds in danger along the way, even if she doesn't always trust that they're 100% genuine; she only found a way out of her old life when people were willing to stick their necks out for her, after all, so the least she can do is offer aid to strangers in need in return. But this kindhearted nature has a reverse side; stubborn and passionate, there are a few things that push her to anger far faster than you may believe possible; the betrayal of friends, the abuse of loved ones and the refusal to allow people to choose their own paths and follow their own desires are just a few of the things that seem to set her off...and, for some reason, she seems to harbour a particular hatred of the undead, too, though she will not tell anybody why.

[Vergil Tanner]

In terms of pictures, I think I've narrowed it down to one of these two:

Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide

 

Alas, if only the first ones face was on the second ones body...I prefer the first ones general facial structure and hair, but the second ones armour. I might need to do some cropping, perhaps.
I'll sleep on it. xD

[Chulanowa]

Well... You could just go shield / spear and save yourself some feat usage...  ;D Also, this IS taking place in a defined game world, that being Golarion, the common setting for Pathfinder. If you could maybe tie her in that? Reading the backstory regarding her family, it seems to me like that, with some tweaking, it could fit neatly into Brevoy or perhaps gralton or even Taldor.

As for images? I prefer the second.

[Vergil Tanner]

Well... You could just go shield / spear and save yourself some feat usage...  ;D

Yeah, but this is a specific Reach Polearm build. :P And when I get to level 5 and take "Difficult Swings..."

Also, this IS taking place in a defined game world, that being Golarion, the common setting for Pathfinder. If you could maybe tie her in that? Reading hte backstory regardign her family, it seems to me like that, with soem tweaking, it could fit neatly into Brevoy or perhaps gralton or even Taldor.

I shall do that!
...after I've slept.

As for images? I prefer the second.

I prefer the second ones armour. I might just say "The first one, but not wearing that outfit." xD

[Snake]

I'm interested too. I have an idea for a sword X board fighter thats more of a  mercenary hired for security

[Vergil Tanner]

Quick question: how often will we as a party be able to "return to town" to buy stuff?

Also: Got small damage details wrong in my sheet. Edited. Now bed, with a backstory edit coming in the morning!

[Callie Del Noire]

So many fighters maybe I should consider something else..

[Chulanowa]

Quick question: how often will we as a party be able to "return to town" to buy stuff?

Also: Got small damage details wrong in my sheet. Edited. Now bed, with a backstory edit coming in the morning!

Literally as often as they like. Here's an overhead map thaty hopefully doesn't spoil anything:


The necropolis is literally part of the town of Wati - walled-off and separate, but it's all one unit, y'know? under ideal circumstances, there shouldn't be much issue with "taking a break."

i'm interested! I've never actually tried a necromancer for more thant 3 posts, so i'd be happy to do that. Wizard necromancer, human, possibly half elf or elf. nothing tooo special i think^^

Hmmm. Might I suggest the "White Necromancer' archetype for Wizard? Going the "raise the dead" route will put you on the Church of Pharasma's shit list VERY quickly (She's the goddess of the dead in the "peaceful rest and fitting afterlife" sense, not the "loves death and zombies' sense.) I mean that's an option I guess, but could make things quite difficult. Which is fun for ME, but I dunno about the rest of the party  >:)