Topic: Interest Check: City of the Drow 3.5 DnD (rebootx2!!)

[Kimera]

A slave that impressed its owner (arena fighter, whatever) and was promoted to be more useful assignments.

[Snake]

It's very hard to keep someone who psionically change into  a serpent or teleport anywher ehe wants in the underdark as a slave. *laugh* but it is possible.

[Kimera]

Magical collar to keep the slaves in check....just one of many ways you can keep your slaves complient and unable to escape :)

[Snake]

True but one who is good with his hands can simply keep icking the lock or again: shapeshift to slip it.

[ulthakptah]

As far as being aligned goes. I would prefer to be part of the drow house. I've said this before, but my character's bio is on his sheet

[Marie Reynolds]

Zaer would the waters around the city be able to have a galley and a Dromond fit in them?

[Kimera]

Can't deside on a demon that's within the level ranges without going for the obvious succubus.

[Kunoichi]

Actually, Kimera, I don't think you'll be disappointed with a Succubus.  Even with the +6 LA, their natural abilities actually do a pretty good job of making up for the downsides of a high level adjustment.

As for Zekolyn...
Faeremhara would have immediately noticed the presence of such a dragon in the nearby area, and realised that he is very powerful. As such, her first course of action would be to send a messenger bearing the mark of Lolth to see if he was there to take over/destroy the place or for less violent reasons. She also would have sent a slave with the messenger, for the sole purpose of being a gift (ie "Feel free to keep/eat this one").

There's one problem I can find with this, unfortunately. ^^; Since he wouldn't be able to make as much headway in Drow society if it came to light that he was the one in charge in the relationship, being both male and non-drow, Zekolyn generally uses Janafae as a figurehead and mouthpiece.  She has a high enough Bluff score to pass on his arguments and attempts at diplomacy while pretending that they're her own, and maxed out her ranks in Intimidate for when she needs to be scary, so they've been able to do an excellent job at keeping up the deception thus far.  Zekolyn having telepathy also helps, of course.

Overall, rather than hearing about the dragon as a powerful independent creature and being surprised at Janafae's presence, she'd be more likely to hear about Janafae as an Anti-Paladin of Lolth who managed to achieve dominion over an exotic and dangerous breed of dragon, and then figure out on her own during a face-to-face meeting that the dragon is actually the one in charge.

It's up to you how she'd proceed from there, but Zekolyn would probably 'encourage' Janafae to reciprocate any attempts at a relationship that Faeremhara made, as a way of potentially learning useful secrets for the future.  He might even use his Alternate Form ability to get in on the action in a female drow form, if you'd be into that sort of thing.  Given the matriarchal nature of drow society, he's actually come to prefer being in a female form over a male one anyway, so...

[Kimera]

You may be right, since I can't seem to find a better demon to fit the role.

Not sure on the class though (only 2 levels). Possible that benefits from the huge charisma bonus. One of the fiend classes (possession, ...)

[Saric]

@Zaer: Updated skills and businesses below as well as Believer breakdown.

Skills (110)
Concentration               +15| +15 +0
Psicraft               +20| +10 +8 +2
Autohypnosis               +16| +13 +1 +2
Bluff                  +12| +10 +2
Knowledge (psionics)            +25| +15 +8 +2
Knowledge (arcana)            +13| +5 +8
Knowledge (architecture and engineering)    +  9| +1 +8
Knowledge (Dungeoneering)         +  9| +1 +8
Knowledge (Geography)         +  9| +1 +8
Knowledge (History)            +  9| +1 +8
Knowledge (Local)            +  9| +1 +8
Knowledge (Nature)            +  9| +1 +8
Knowledge (Nobility and royalty)      +13| +5 +8
Knowledge (Religion)            +  9| +1 +8
Knowledge (The planes)         +  9| +1 +8
Gather Information            +  3| +1 +2
Diplomacy               +23| +15 +2 +2 +2 +2
Sense Motive               +11| +10 +1
Craft (sculpting)            +  9| +1 +8

Spellcraft               +11| +1 +8 +2

Search                  +10| +0 +8 +2
Spot                  +  3| +0 +1 +2
Listen                  +  3| +0 +1 +2

Jump                  +  5| +0 +0 +5
Swim                  +  0| +0 +0
Climb                  +  0| +0 +0
Escape Artist               +  2| +0 +2
Intimidate               +  2| +0 +2
 
Business Operations:
Tathtom Mercenaries (lit: Ready Solder Mercenaries) “For when your coins won’t guard your walls.”
Based inside the fortress (near City, +2 Modifier)
Risky Trade: its Mercenary work. Of course it’s risky. (High Risk, -4 to Profit Margin but 50,000*margin)
Primary Business: Marketing solders (Diplomacy +23)
Secondary Skills: Sense Motive and Bluff (+2 bonus for having 10 ranks in each)
Resources: Low (New believers show up to replace the dead ones and bring their own gear. More gear can be collected from the dead to equip non-believer troops. Believers don’t require pay and are fed for free by magic items.)
Bonuses (all): +11 Buisness Partner, several Specialists, low resources, near city, secondary skills.
Total Bonus: +30(23+11-4) (take ten gives 40)
Standard Monthly Profit: (50*15) 750 GP (enough to pay for what I can’t support out of my own resources + expected profit of 500gp)

Stone Sky Tavern
Based inside the City. (near City, +2 Modifier)
Risky Trade: Tavern’s are Risky apparently. (High Risk, -4 to Profit Margin but 50,000*margin)
Primary Business: Profession: Innkeeper +8
Secondary Skills: Profession: (Cook or Brewer), Sense Motive (+1 bonus for having 5 ranks in each)
Resources: Low (Building was inherited. Using 1st level Believers for labor and employees.)
Bonuses (all): +12 Business Partner, several Specialists, low resources, near city, secondary skills, full time(40+hours a week), Business savvy feat.
Total Bonus: +16(8+12-4) (take ten gives 26)
Standard Monthly Profit: (50*1) 50 GP (all Profit)

Believers:
•   6th 1 = Human Aristocrat 6 (Mercenary Captain/Business Partner)
•   5th 1 = Drow Expert 3 (Innkeeper)
•   4th 2 = Drow Warrior 2 (Mercenary Lieutenant) / Drow Commoner 2 (Innkeeper’s business partner)
•   3rd 3 = Goblin Adept(druid class or druid spells would be preferred) 3 (Has Vermin Trainer Feat, on loan to Faeremhara in return for some of the spider venom he lets them collect and one out of every 5 riding spiders he trains.) (If idea is approved by Kongming) / 2 Drow Warriors 1 (Mercenary shift leaders)
•   2th 6 = 3 Hobgoblin Warriors 1 (Mounted troops) / Bugbear Warrior 1 (Infantry leader) / Orc Warrior 2 (Infantry leader) /Even Warrior 2 (Kept out of site guarding private rooms. To be used to satisfy Lolth if needed)
•   1st 60 = 8 Human Commoners 1 / Halfling Commoner 1 (5 humans work at the inn, the other 3 humans and the Halfling are servants) / 4 Orc Commoners 1 / 13 Goblin Commoners / 5 Dwarf Commoners (Orc, Goblin, and dwarf commoners all work as assorted servants. Much of their work consists of collecting all waste from the fortress-town, both waste from inhabitants and leftovers from the spider’s meals, to fertilize a mushroom farm in a near-by cave. Some of the mushrooms are collected for food but most serve to feed a herd of Rothe, also kept in the same cave, that they also take care of. Some of the Rothe are killed for food but most are used to feed the spiders raised and kept in another cave by the Drow House. Finally some of the Goblins help care for and train the spiders since if one of them gets eaten it's a small loss.) / 4 Goblin Warriors 1 / 5 Human Warriors 1 / 12 Orc Warriors 1 / 7 Dwarf Warriors 1 / Gnome Warrior 1


@Kongming: Had an idea (see Believers) for a 3rd level Goblin with the Vermin Trainer feat being on loan to train the spiders to provide venom (Tricks: Bestow Venom, Down, Stay), provide webbing (Tricks: Give Webbing, Down, Stay), defend the Fortress (Tricks: Ambush, Down, Heel or Web, Defend, Down), or to train them as Riding mounts. Wanted to know what you thought of it since their your spiders. Also had an idea (see Believers) to have some of the extra 1st level Commoner believers run a mushroom farm and herd Rothe (which would be fed the mushrooms) to provide a source of food for the Fort and the spiders. Since Tarennar (My character) would not be doing this out of the goodness of his heart we'd ether need to work out some form of payment, trade or some other reason he would consent to do this. Do you like these plans? Any comments or ideas?

[kongming]

Kimera: Succubus is probably the best choice, yeah. As for classes, I'd suggest either one of the Fiends of ___ from Fiend Folio, or the BoVD Soul Eater (or Soul Drinker? The one that gets a level draining touch attack), or maybe see if you can take additional Outsider HD (given each one is +1 BAB, 1d8 HP, 8+Int Skill Points, +1 Caster Level for all SLAs, +1 Spell Resistance, +1/2 to all saves and, IIRC, +1 natural armour as well) and let you "evolve" into a Lilitu (advanced Succubus from Fiendish Codex) or Greater Succubus (from BoEF) when you reach enough hit dice.

Overall, rather than hearing about the dragon as a powerful independent creature and being surprised at Janafae's presence, she'd be more likely to hear about Janafae as an Anti-Paladin of Lolth who managed to achieve dominion over an exotic and dangerous breed of dragon, and then figure out on her own during a face-to-face meeting that the dragon is actually the one in charge.

Ah, okay. In that case, yes, she'd be more eager to directly deal with a Drow Anti-Paladin (and then figure out how it works and so deal with both).

It's up to you how she'd proceed from there, but Zekolyn would probably 'encourage' Janafae to reciprocate any attempts at a relationship that Faeremhara made, as a way of potentially learning useful secrets for the future.  He might even use his Alternate Form ability to get in on the action in a female drow form, if you'd be into that sort of thing.

Most certainly

[Zaer Darkwail]

Zaer would the waters around the city be able to have a galley and a Dromond fit in them?

Asking is sea trade or such possible? Well yes, altough vessels are not going to be large and must move without sails on. But considering current is strong they can move by current alone to one way direction but they must have locomotation some other kind to move in rivers of underdark.

[MingMing]

Well, here is my character sheet and brief bio...

http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=360317



As a slave, she'd be beneath most people's notice, I think... so her past isn't really anything anyone might know of, unless the DM wants others to know.  From first glance it's obvious she's a surfacer -a human, and has been hobbled by having her ankle tendons cut and the bones broken and reset incorrectly, so it's not hard to assume that she's tried to escape at least once and was caught.  She seems to be a recent prize brought to the city, or at least one who has never seen at auction publicly.  Not really sure what else I should reveal outside of RP...  :-D

[Zaer Darkwail]

Just note with above char she has flaws which reduce her landspeed and also trait too what I remember. So that explains broken tendons or ankle bones or knees which would reduce any rapid movement of legs to stiff hurried walk. But still has a 14 dex and so she could be called slow but graceful in movements .

[Marie Reynolds]

Alright thanks I am thinking of using ships as a base of operations.

[Zaer Darkwail]

Ships?! Why ships .

[MingMing]

You know, one of the most beautiful images I remember from the BG series of RPG's was the drow-captured spelljammer hovering over the spires of the drow city of Ust Natha, elegant and deadly, with the Captain reminiscing of the beauty of ships on fire in the phlogiston, and the easy booty of raiding other vessels.  It always seemed to me that a drow captain should have one of those ships, magically soaring and skimming through the spheres and planes, like a flying dutchman through caverns and stone.  Maybe instead of concentrating on an Underdark aquatic vessel, you could select one of those jamming vessels instead?

[Marie Reynolds]

That would be a GM call and me finding the spell jammer setting info

[Zaer Darkwail]

As said this is open setting but to get a spelljammer ship costs ten times more what your house can pull off now through business . Either way you would not be much respected if you live on a ship/boat compared building a staglamite spire or grand stone house in Erelhei-Cinlu. It would make more sense in some other drow culture or setting where sailing is primary focus in drow city, but the river trade is small side tray of drow business trading in Erelhei-Cinlu and not depended on it. Altough river brought goods bring often exotic stuff to the market.

[Kimera]

Kimera: Succubus is probably the best choice, yeah. As for classes, I'd suggest either one of the Fiends of ___ from Fiend Folio, or the BoVD Soul Eater (or Soul Drinker? The one that gets a level draining touch attack), or maybe see if you can take additional Outsider HD (given each one is +1 BAB, 1d8 HP, 8+Int Skill Points, +1 Caster Level for all SLAs, +1 Spell Resistance, +1/2 to all saves and, IIRC, +1 natural armour as well) and let you "evolve" into a Lilitu (advanced Succubus from Fiendish Codex) or Greater Succubus (from BoEF) when you reach enough hit dice.

Ah, okay. In that case, yes, she'd be more eager to directly deal with a Drow Anti-Paladin (and then figure out how it works and so deal with both).

Most certainly

Alright, sounds like a plan. I'll start with the succubus; Forgot about the soul eater...hmmm tempting. Would the energy drain from the succubus stack with the souleater

An advanced succubus also sounds like fun, especially if it could evolve, but i'll wait if Zaer would allow this or not.

[kongming]

Saric: sorry, missed the bit at the end of your post. That could certainly work. I could arrange a payment or trade agreement of some kind, depending on what you're most interested in - money is the easiest, but it all depends.

Kimera: the level drain from Soul Eater is from a touch attack, such as the touch attack made to start a grapple. The level drain from Succubus is from kissing (or other activities), which often requires a grapple. So out of combat it doesn't matter - if you can get them in your embrace they're done for. In combat, it's "Touch attack (negative level) -> initiate grapple -> grapple and kiss (negative level + Suggestion to accept more, now at -2 to the Save from level loss)". And if they fail the save for the Suggestion, that's 2 more levels on the next turn...

Granted, you'd want to find ways to improve your Grappling so you can deliver that kiss (Strength boosts, Improved Grapple, items that let you cast Fearsome Grapple and Bladeweave), or just increase your Save DC of Charm Monster/Suggestion (high Charisma, Ability Focus) so they just willingly accept such things from you without the Grapple.

[Kimera]

Alright, thanks for the help

An advanced succubus also sounds like fun, especially if it could evolve, but i'll wait if Zaer would allow this or not.

[Zaer Darkwail]

I allow advanced succubus to evolve higher form :). Just need enough HD to qualify for evolution.

[Kimera]

Ok then

I think i'll make an advanced succubus then with a one level dip in soul eater.

[Kunoichi]

Ah, okay. In that case, yes, she'd be more eager to directly deal with a Drow Anti-Paladin (and then figure out how it works and so deal with both).

Most certainly

Excellent. Looks like we'll be getting up to some rather interesting roleplaying...