Recruiting: high scale Pathfinder, Taldor, aka Byzantium focused

[Ebb]

Also, for people doing character builds who'd are trying to build a purely mundane (non-magical character), here are some notes I gathered while building my cohort. They might be useful to someone else. No guarantee of completeness here.

https://elliquiy.com/wiki/Pathfinder-mundane_classes

I'm going crazy doing spells and stuff for my main Bard/Oracle. I can't imagine doing a high level wizard coupled with something else magical. Would probably be very powerful, but the bookkeeping -- ugh.

[EroticFantasyAuthor]

PM reminder for DM.

[Kolbrandr]

Quick relevant nation blurbs:

Azlant: Azlant no longer exists, its destruction by a summoned meteor from on high over six millennia ago was a cataclysmic event that basically ended civilization for a while, plunged the world into darkness for an extended period, and a variety of other miseries. It was an impossible civilization of godlike magic and power and sophistication, a (now ruined) continent unto itself, and a modern source of scholarly curiosity to obsession. I mention it largely for that the Taldan ethnicity is the result of Azlanti refugees blending with whatever the local nomads in Taldor were (some Keleshite-ish people or something close enough). Taldor likes to view itself as an inheritor of Azlant (but so do several other nations), and being able to show or claim to Azlanti heritage gets some regard, the main cue for such being purple eyes that show up with varying frequency.

Cheliax: Cheliax is actually nowhere near Taldor, geographically speaking, it's the nation on the far west coast of Avistan, the continent they are both on, with several nations inbetween. They are, besides Taldor, Andoran, Absalom and Qadira, one of the big naval powers of the Inner Sea, and a rival to them in that sense, but it's not like they might invade some day. Country named for its main ethnicity, the Chelish (who by contrast to the skew closer to bronze skin and brown hair of the Taldans, are more pale and sharper featured), who are another descended from Azlanti refugees marrying into the local ethnicity of that particular area. Mentioned largely for that it used to be a vassal state of the great Taldan empire for a good long while before declaring independence some 600 some odd years ago when Taldor was too busy with a devastating war with Qadira to do anything about it. They would go on to gobble up most of the states Taldor founded via either diplomacy or conquest, and even grab the patronage of the church of Aroden, god of humanity, for themselves, becoming the newest great empire of Avistan. They're kind of.. the Holy Roman Empire to Taldor's Byzantium if you want to do rough real world mapping that is not quite accurate. Their entire society was gearing up for the prophesied return of Aroden to the world, who would lead humanity to a new Azlanti style golden age (doing so from Cheliax, of course). Then 100 years ago or so, instead of returning, Aroden died (means unknown), breaking prophecy in general across the world, calamities both metaphysical, physical and political ensuing. In Cheliax, it lead to the empire falling into brutal mutli sided civil war that was ultimately won by the Hell tainted, pacting and worshipping house of Thrune, and the spreading influence of Hell across their lands was the price of the end of chaos and massacre. A variety of vassal nations were not particularly thrilled at the idea of Asmodeus as a state religion, or devils walking the land, and rebellions ensued, vastly reducing the Chelish kingdom in size from a former glory it schemes to reclaim to this day. The two particularly relevant nations that broke off are on Taldor's borders, which leads us to...

Galt: Galt is essentially one neverending Reign of Terror, French Revolution styles, with successive revolutionary governments consuming themselves, backed by a fanatic, frenzied mob of a population. It was Galt where democratic philosophies to rebel against Cheliax with were created, got wildly out of control, and lead to the deaths of some of those very philosophers. The country lurches from one riot to the next, ready to turn on some new scapegoat at any moment, eager to put to use guillotines that trap the souls of those they behead within them. They're to the north of Taldor, and the nation debates whether to try and invade Galt to pacify it or not. A more successful version of Galt is instead...

Andoran: Okay, let me get this out of the way. The more I think about it, the more I dislike Andoran. I put it this way to someone. There's a valid school of thought that complains that fantasy idealizes monarchies, and sure, that is a thing. But Andoran is like some kind of ludicrous overreaction to that. Andoran is basically a whoa idealized version of post Revolutionary War America (even from the colour and pattern of their uniforms), without any of the bad parts. They are the all triumphant designated good guys (whereas by contrast, the lawful good nation of Lastwall is being slowly ground down to extinction without anything to do about it but make the enemy pay in blood for every inch of land they lose, as far as having actual problems and pathos) Hell, the president equivalent (Supreme Elect or whatever) is a Paladin who seems to just breeze through most problems. And why not, Andoran even has direct patronage from the celestials. The only handwave to this society not being so perfectly perfect in every way that Mary Poppins herself would be all "daaaaammn!" is that they treat the fey and their forests like garbage, and even that is somehow only because the government's hands are tied as far as this one eeeeviiil lumber consortium, somehow.

*breath*

Okay, with all that out of the way. Andoran. Inspired by the philosophers of Galt but of course much more successful (because of course they would be, when does Andoran ever fai- I'm going to stop now, I promise), the People's Rebellion of Andoran threw of the shackles of their infernal masters, forming a free and egalitarian society, so long as you aren't a fey living in Andoran's half of the great Verduran Forest. Defended by a powerful navy, and the heroic order of the Eagle Knights, Andoran seeks to spread their ideals throughout Avistan both overtly and covertly, while trying to end slavery as an institution and making the GM puke in his mouth a little bit (okay, I'll stop now, for realises). They are on Taldor's western border, and other than a duke getting it into his head to try and "pacify" Andoran some years back and his expeditionary force getting wiped out, don't interact /too/ much with Taldor beyond low level intrigues for influence in places like the huge independent trading city state of Absalom, the usual efforts for Andoran to spread their ideology, and both sides keeping a heavy watch on the shared border. That Taldor has a successful centuries old agreement with the Druids and fey of their half of the Verduran that has allowed them to husband it for resources, whereas Andoran is in an expansionist, resource use intensive mode may someday be a flashpoint of conflict.

Don't mind my hating, if you want some kind of positive ties to Andoran, that is actually okay. It will not make me go out of my way to murder circus you.

Qadira: A sort of fusion of the Ottoman Empire, the Caliphate of Baghdad and.. let's just break down and say it is basically fantasy Arabia as my quickest way of summing it up, the autonomous Satrapy of Qadira (technically a vassal of the greater and far off Padishah Empire of Kelesh, but able to basically /mostly/ decide its own policy, and sometimes conquer and rule whole other nations) has been Taldor's most determined enemy for thousands of years, each nation periodically trying to conquer the hell out of the other on land and sea in wars that sometimes last centuries. Current the conflict is just low grade raiding and a cold war otherwise, but no one expects that to last without some resolution, whether a new war or some binding treaty. They worship a more militant and mildly heretical take on Sarenae down there mostly, and that's part of why the worship of Sarenae is banned in Taldor. One of the really big slave owning nations of the Inner Sea (the others being Cheliax and Katapesh. Slavery is certainly legal in other places, Taldor included, but isn't some crucial part of the economy, with vast slave labour forces. Taldor after all has something of a vast semi indoctrinated underclass. Who needs slave labour that badly by comparison?)

They're the southern border of Taldor.

The Padishah Empire of Kelesh: Origin point of the Keleshite ethnicity, there's actually not too much detail on these fellows, other than that they rule a vast empire of many satrapies across the continent of Casmaron, and while including the remnants of fantasy Sumeria, they are basically fantasy Arabia /even more hardcore/. While Taldor's eastern border is not really inhabited to any vast degree, it is technically under the loose control of the Padishah Empire directly (as opposed to being held by a largely autonomous satrapy), and would be an access point for them to invade directly, if they ever wanted to. Part of why there were relatively recent efforts to heavily fortify it.

[kckolbe]

Great stuff!  I will likely not get too involved with other nations for a while, since I am playing a "ground up" type character.  Is there a map that shows the locations of all of the nations?

Also, loving the updates Ebb.  Part of me wants to work an alliance somehow, but I think I want you more as an adversary, show I am sure we will work together through NPCs at times.  Speaking of which, I am writing up some other stuff that I would love to see organized on the wiki. 

[Kolbrandr]

Shazam! http://www.mapsofgolarion.com/

[Callie Del Noire]

Heads up.. one of the Con Coordinators flaked out on us.. so for the next two weeks at least PART of my life is finishing up the prep for two cons.. two weeks runing

So for the month I'll have to bow out.. sorry about wasting your time Mr. DM.

[Kolbrandr]

Heads up.. one of the Con Coordinators flaked out on us.. so for the next two weeks at least PART of my life is finishing up the prep for two cons.. two weeks runing

So for the month I'll have to bow out.. sorry about wasting your time Mr. DM.

You can always join in later really.

[Muse]

  Is there an official point at which you wish to start handing out level awards? 

[Kolbrandr]

A bunch of people are still working on just their concepts, so not just yet. I don't want anyone to feel rushed, y'know?

[Muse]

*Smiles*  Thanks.  :)  Glad to know I'm not missing anything. 

[kckolbe]

Another House for submission

House Tarton

Overall House Alignment: Neutral Good

Common Classes: Expert, Aristocrat, Noble Scion

Rarer, but not unheard of: Warrior, Bard, Rogue, Adept

Extremely Uncommon: All others

Favored Deity: Given the family's focus on crafting and trade, they most highly revere Brigh.  However, like most of Brigh's followers, they are not overly zealous in their worship of her.

House Blazon: A gold coin being pulled from a fire

House Motto: Make Your Fortune

Overview: House Tarton began in Taldor approximately six hundred years ago as a family of ambitious crafters and merchants.  They quickly spread to nearby nations, and somehow ended up with a strong presence in Galt, where most of their wealth and status accumulated.  When Galt was taken over by Cheliax, the bulk of the family remained, as they had too much to give up.  Unfortunately, a large part of what they built up is now lost, as they were forced to flee back to Taldor about forty years ago.  Now, despite their proud name, House Tarton is little more than an upjumped merchant family.  They have remarkable wealth, especially compared to their minor status.  The current lord, Rodrik, was the one to make the move, bringing his wife, son, and grandson with him.  The three of them are among the unbearded, though none of their retainers are. 

Notable Historical Tarton

None.  While House Tarton has had many clever and talented members, none were historically significant.  House Tarton has always existed and strengthened through good business.  At one point, a Tarton even sat the throne in Galt, though his reign was not significant.

Notable Members of House Tarton

Lord Rodrik Tarton Aristocrat 5/Noble Scion 7/Expert 12  "The Caravan Lord"

His unimaginitive epithet is, of course, partly due to being new to Oppara, partly due to being old (his grandson could very well be a father), but largely due to being unextraordinary.  Rodrik was among the cleverest merchants that House Tarton ever saw, and thanks to him, House Tarton is wealthier than ever, largely due to his personal overseeing of trades between his Houses in Oppara and Absalom.  Still, the amazingly large caravan of goods that accompanied him to Oppara will remain what he is best known for.

Cedrik Tarton Aristocrat 5/Noble Scion 3/Fighter 8

The only son of Lord Tarton, he has, as such a son should, been very devoted to his House.  He did not have quite the business aptitude as his father, though few in history have.  He is able to handle most agreements, and has increased trade with Andoran, though his major contribution has been as commander of House Tarton's army.  He learned fighting from caravan guards, and took to it well enough.  While he is no great warrior, he is a capable enough fighter, enough for the men to genuinely respect him.  Given that he understands both war and business well-enough, it is expected that he will make a competent, if uninteresting Lord Tarton one day.

His wife died in an attempted assault on the family caravan on the way to Oppara, and in recent times he has spent his time with a performer named Talietha, financing her larger performances and paying her for sex.  Rumors abound as to the extent of their relationship, especially given that Tali is a known prostitute and a half-elf.

Nivek Tarton Aristocrat 2/Wizard 2 (follower of Larsen's)  "The Little Apprentice"

Nivek, from childhood on, was an odd boy.  While the constant political upheaval in Galt and the loss of his mother were likely factors, it is difficult to say why he turned out as differently (and disappointingly) as he did.  He wandered from trade to trade, until a chance attempt as a guard-for-hire led him to Larsen.  Witnessing his strength in person has transformed Nivek into a devout follower of both Larsen and Nethys, and he has begun studying the arcane, and demonstrating a rather fast mastery of the arcane arts.

Strengths of House Tarton

About as Much Money as God: Like House Varian, the Tartons are loaded, and while their vaults are nowhere near as large as that of Varian's, their House is so much smaller, requiring far less resources to continue.  Plus, being of such lower status, they are free of certain financial obligations, which means that their money is continuing to build.

An Eye for Talent: Despite the rather unimpressive life of Cedrik, his sponsorship and minor claim to Talietha (Ginger's character) will only increase his own reputation, and bring in money from her performances.  Likewise, Nivek has become a follower of Larsen Pike, and is backing his order, The Light of Nethys. 

No One Out to Hurt Them: Being new and under the radar means that House Tarton has no standing enemies, giving them one less reason to spend gold needlessly.

Weaknesses of House Tarton:

House Who?: They are, compared to the real major Houses, nothing more than bearded peasants.  They face no challengers solely because no one sees them as a threat, and they are, for the moment, completely correct.  They also have no real strings to pull, nor old alliances to call on. 

Weakling: House Tarton is the second weakest House in Oppara in terms of pure might, with House Varian being the only one weaker.  Unlike House Varian, though, House Tarton does not own contracts on huge merc companies to support them in the case of violence. 

Foreign Relations Worth Knowing

Nothing significant, though they trade heavily with Absalom and to some extent in Andoran.

[RubySlippers]

DRAFT TEMPLE

Sanctuary of the Enflamed Bed
Order of the Yellow
Temple of Calistria
Eastdock, Docks, Stone Warehouse by Dock

Alignment: Neutral [dominant]

Description:  (under construction based on GM imput)

Dogma: Although the core faith teachings are practiced the underlying philosophy follows the Book of the Yellow the teachings of the founder Shivkah focusing on promoting the faith among the none elite poor, commoners and common artisan and merchants. The message is enjoy life now and an eternity of pleasures in the afterlife what deity offers that and accept all that come to her and savors her bed. Among the basic precepts is to meet the "needs" of common people, doing alms to the needy, healing and defending the people. To help this there are three factions the Apostles who preach and promote the message to the people the smallest faction. The Wasps is the combat arm are mainly martial artists with some other types of combatant and work with the locals to set up security and works with the local city guard. The Keepers tend to the temple and keep it suitable for worship and is the largest group and oversee business and pleasures there. They oppose opulence and use of sexuality to gain power.

Clerical Garb: Common clothing is a large yellow veil and sandals plus a holy symbol inside the inner sanctum. Outside a simple tunic, holy symbol, cloak if cold out and nothing underneath getting nude fast is kind of expected. But those with duties requiring more clothing and armor is of course included but yellow and black is expected in part of the clothing.

Temple Membership: The members proper, not laity, include the following ... (under construction)
High Priestess Shivkah - 8th Level Gestalt Evangelist-Martial Artist (PC)

Veil should be yellow and black accent.

Strengths:
Popular with Commoners: The cult has a strong position with many poor, commoners and typical merchants not highly placed as laity especially in Eastport they make up for lack of high end supporters with numbers.
Popular with the City Constables: They support the constables and work with them to protect the city especially Eastport members this includes food, drink and healing.

Weaknesses:
Not Favored by the Wealthy: The temple openly supports good treatment of the poor, opposes the other temples especially ones rich and opulent that don't use it to help commoners and that includes those of her faith. They don't break the laws but can be annoying.

Neutral:
Not Overtly a Threat: They can defend themselves decently but are not a martial temple on the other side the faith is not considered a threat and being neutral tends to not take sides, making them approachable by various parties.
 

[Kolbrandr]

Another House for submission

House Tarton

Overall looks okay, but, just some quick notes for edits.. any noble family having a branch actually in Galt would have to get them out of Galt (or they would have fled it or what have you) or they would be an ex branch of the family. Similarly, just for ease of them smoothing into the local nobility, probably best to throw in that they were one of those noble families originally of Taldan descent (who still exist even down to now in various formerly Taldor ruled nations that haven't had sweeping anti nobility revolutions, like Lastwall, or even Cheliax), but stayed in Galt even when it changed hands to Cheliax. That such did not stop them from arranging marriages with noble families from the original motherland, and they basically hoofed it to join their relations when Galt collapsed on itself.

They would be accepted for that genealogically, they can demonstrate being a royal family line that has simply been living in Galt for a while, and prevailing on such blood ties as they have to agree.

Beyond that, the Red Revolution in Galt was roughly 41 years before current, but Rodrik already having a grandson means he's appropriately old anywho, one imagines. It does mean they've been in Taldor for four decades, buuut, given the attitudes of society, that is just fine to still regard them as new.

All that noted, basically a family rich off trade who fled Galt and brought all their money with them is fine, but Galt is too much of a chaotic, noble loathing blood soaked anarchy for them likely to have mercantile ties into it. Do me a favour and switch that to them being invested into Absalom, and managing caravans that otherwise wind through Golarion.

[kckolbe]

Nice character, Ruby.  For what it's worth, Larsen's mother (one of his chief followers) will worship multiple gods, Calistria among them.

Kolbrandr, not sure what your first paragraph is suggesting.  I put the Galt bit in because I saw that one of the Houses spanned multiple nations, and felt I should do the same.  Basically, I wanted a small, wealthy House that had a lot more room to rise than fall. 

Perhaps House Tarton had existed in Taldor for a long time, but it was a splinter of the main family, and of little status.  Forty years ago, the main family came over, making them new to the noble scene.  I can edit their ancestry as well.  Was having a Tarton once be King of Galt at one point fine?

[Ebb]

Just a note that I'll be out of town for the weekend and mostly disconnected. So I'll be continuing to noodle on my character and organization, but won't be posting anything until Sunday evening at the earliest.

[EroticFantasyAuthor]

Still going over information and forming concepts myself.

Edit: Funny how ing finds it's way onto the end of random words.

[RubySlippers]

No rush.  ;D

[Kolbrandr]

Nice character, Ruby.  For what it's worth, Larsen's mother (one of his chief followers) will worship multiple gods, Calistria among them.

Kolbrandr, not sure what your first paragraph is suggesting.  I put the Galt bit in because I saw that one of the Houses spanned multiple nations, and felt I should do the same.  Basically, I wanted a small, wealthy House that had a lot more room to rise than fall. 

Perhaps House Tarton had existed in Taldor for a long time, but it was a splinter of the main family, and of little status.  Forty years ago, the main family came over, making them new to the noble scene.  I can edit their ancestry as well.  Was having a Tarton once be King of Galt at one point fine?

Basically to adjust for that Galt spent most of its existence as a vassal nation of one empire or another, first Taldor, then, about five-six hundred years ago, they were grabbed up by Cheliax to be their vassal nation. 41 years ago, the Red Revolution occurred, with Galt breaking from Cheliax, becoming entirely independent, and descending into decades of murderous chaos that persist to this day. If a noble family didn't flee the country during the Revolution, they were likely put en masse to death.

To say it a different way, so, Taldor, once it spanned many vassal nations, and as a result, there are various noble families in most of them that can do this day trace themselves back to Taldor (whether they actually do so is something else). It just makes things a little more plausible if the Tarton are one of those families, who when Galt changed hands from Taldor to Cheliax several centuries ago still stayed there, but still had ties back to the motherland, did the occasional marriage into families there. That way, when they had to flee Galt, they are more nobles that had a very delayed homecoming than nobles from Galt that are now nobles of Taldor. Or at least, they can spin it that way to anyone who might otherwise question their pedigree and imply them to be foreigners.


If you want them to be a trading house with mercantile ties abroad, it can always have been that they managed to escape Galt when the revolution came with a vast caravan of goods and riches, as noted. That they then invested that soundly into building trade lanes and ties that went across Andoran, and across the sea to places like Katapesh and Absalom, both major mercantile hubs.

It's also fine that a member of the family once ruled Galt at one point, though as a vassal nation their title was probably something more like Margrave of Galt, or some such.

Basically Galt is too much of a brutal mess for anyone to have regular trade relations with it, especially a former noble family.

[RubySlippers]

Not true I'm sure arms dealers, vendors in mercenaries and hired agents would have ample trade in that nation. Peace for some areas of commerce is bad for business.  ;D

And if a former royal was just an investor in a trade house and didn't have a significant position they could trade with their homeland who would know?

[Kolbrandr]

Oh, certain types of trade probably do fine in Galt, sure, though you still sometimes risk that the next time your caravan rolls into town, the government changed again and they try to seize all your goods "for the good of the state" and you have to hope that whoever your caravan master is can talk them out of that. And if the Tarton do trade in Galt by concealing it through intermediaries, that's also fine.

You know what though, let me do a little bit of a "rough timeline of relevant events"

[kckolbe]

Valid points, Ruby, but since Rodrik is such a cautious man, I don't see him risking it.  I edited the entry, by the way.

While neither my character nor Ginger's is part of House Tarton, I plan on their fortunes being tied to it.

[Trilogy]

I really want to draft up more background stuff about my character and her family, but I keep getting tied up with things... just dropping in to post my draft character sheet. Not quite finished yet, but its most of the way there. I made it at level nine because when I started Kolbrandr had said around nine; I can change it if necessary. If possible I'd like to be on the higher end of the level range (though not the cap) since I'm not going to be taking Leadership or anything.

I like what I'm seeing so far! You all are dreaming up some really cool organizations; I can't wait to try and infiltrate them  ;)

[Kolbrandr]

Valid points, Ruby, but since Rodrik is such a cautious man, I don't see him risking it.  I edited the entry, by the way.

While neither my character nor Ginger's is part of House Tarton, I plan on their fortunes being tied to it.

All cool with the edits.

[RubySlippers]

Doing the cohort a Gestalt Cleric/Rogue 6th Level and my characters sister and wife. Yes full sister and they are married. The goddess doesn't care I'm sure.  >:)

[Xerial]

I've decided I enjoy the Inquisitor/Rogue enough to focus on him elusively. That said, I am working on a sheet, matrix of followers, minor house, and military unit as well as his personal history. Spoilers: it involves blasphemy, torture, rape and pirates!