Eschaton OOC

Nephtys

First Post
Voidrazor said:
That's definitely a workable concept. In terms of making money, just taking Diplomacy is enough and we can RP out the major deals. Others skills that might be useful would be Computer, Craft, Profession, and Repair. You may want to consider the Negotiator PrC (it as well as the computer and repair skills are in the d20 Modern SRD.)

There is also an Eschaton race that, while exotic, has some advantages in trade. The Borogashi look somewhat like deep sea angler fish, with extended flexible pectoral fins that have fingers. They can 'swim' through the air (move 20' man poor) although their native atmosphere is a dense oxygen-methane mix (in which they move at 30' man good). Stat mods are Str -2 Cha +2 and get a +4 to diplomacy checks involving trade. The Borogashi also have a trade network that allows them to smuggle illegal goods with a low chance of interception. I'll post more details if you're interested.

(And thanks to Avalon and Vertexx69 for the info.)

Sounds great. If I wasn't already using the Succubus Marshal concept in another prospective game I would probably go with that to get an obscene charisma and diplomacy check, but that fades in sheer coolness compared to your monstrous merchant atmosheric fish race :).

DM only:
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About trade, I have some ideas on how to build an interplanar/interplanetary trading network disgustingly inexpensively, but I need to know how such commerse is already handled in the setting. How common are permanent magical gates? Is most trade in physical commodities handled by large expensive spacecraft? And are there significant differences in price for goods between different locations? I'm thinking both of bulk goods and luxuries as well as illegal goods.
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Vertexx69 said:
The mercane is in the manual of the planes and the Epic lvl handbook.

Thanks.

Avalon® said:
Well there are the business rules in the DMG2

How do they work? Do they require the character to specialise in business to the detriment of his combat abilities or does he just have to sacrifice some skillpoints and feats (but retain his ability to toss around meteor swarms or make 4 attacks a round)?
 
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Voidrazor

First Post
[sblock=Nephthys Only]By and large every planet has a permanent gate. Core worlds have multiple gates. Despite that, a fair amount of trade is conducted via jump enabled starships or dimension travelling shiftships.

For bulk goods the margins are generally too slim to make money as such. But the Eschaton government would compensate you with various resources for providing the service. Trade in hard to find and illegal items can be very lucrative. Finding those rare items would require building up specialized contacts. You could take Profession: Tradecraft or something similar to know who to talk to and then RP the deals. There aren't many things that are illegal in Eschaton proper, but the things are are really illegal. Its mostly stuff along the lines of "grey goo" nano and soul destroying weapons. However, there are quite a few Autarchs that want things their Citizens don't want them to have, and about as many Citizens that don't want others to know about their purchases.

Also, Borogashi typically begin trade relationships by giving away items of value. In their culture this places the customer in their debt. And woe to those that betray a Borogashi they are indebted too. The whole race sees to it that such 'bad customers' receive shoddy merchandise.
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Nephtys

First Post
[sblock=DM Only]

Hmm, a single gate per world is not really that much... Imagine the kind of money you could make if you had a few gates connecting the sweatshops of China with London, New York and The Oil fields of Saudi Arabia in the real world. Imagine if you had sixty points connected to each others in a single network. All the major sources of raw materials, production and consumption linked together just a few feet apart, all of humanity linked together into a single city. You would soon own the world.
And that's just one planet, a single network. Imagine if you had several planetary networks, all of them connected to eash others. Even if domestic planetary trade is cheaper and faster in Eschaton I still see great potential here... I'm starting to enjoy this game before it's even begun.
--

Yeah, I'm definately going with the Borogashi. What more do I need to know about them?
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Nephtys

First Post
Avalon® said:
You're planning to be a merchant right? The rules about running a business are on pages 180-189 of the DMG 2. Just check it out.

Problem is, I'm not a wealthy merchant irl. Actually, I'm a dirt poor student, and my gaming materials are restricted to what I can get for free. But thanks anyway :).
 

Voidrazor

First Post
Avalon® said:
You're planning to be a merchant right? The rules about running a business are on pages 180-189 of the DMG 2. Just check it out.

Thanks again. At first I was just looking at the overview of types of midieval businesses and hireling rules. Meh. But the actual rules for running a business are pretty usable.

Nephtys - The rub from the business rules is that you'll probably want to max out Profession: Tradecraft as well as Diplomacy and take at least 15 ranks in Sense Motive. Helpful feats include Skill Focus, Negotiator, Business Savvy (from DMG2, prereq Negotiator), and Mecantile Background.Minimum startup costs for what you have in mind will be 102,000gp. But I would suggest spending at least 132,000gp and each increment of 100,000gp beyond that will essentially double the income potential.
 

Nephtys

First Post
Thanks, :) My character is coming right up.

Borogashi ecl 21
Smart Hero 3, Technomage 10, Arcane Arranger 8. (SRD DnD Modern)

gp 980'000

I'll be using some custom made skill-boost items, and a couple of continuous spell-items, if that's ok.

edit:

The crunchy bits are done, but the background and personality remain. What is the culture of the Borogashi like? What's their temperament and inclinations? Can I make it up myself or do you want to set some guidelines?

edit2:

Do you want me to include the specifics of my class abilities on a section of my character sheet so you have easier access to them in case you need to look them up?

Also, I assume that Borogashi have the same number of body slots as humanoid characters do but knowing little of their anatomy I don't know where those slots would be. I guess they could have all kinds of piercings, tooth-rings, fin-clamps and scalegrafts. Am I right?

l006.jpg

Melanoce
Female Borogashi

Smart Hero 3, Technomage 10, Arcane Arranger 8.

[sblock=DM
]HD:21
HP: (6+20d6)

Initiative: 3 (-1+4)

Action Points: 217
(5+6+6+8+8+9+9+10+10+11+11+12+12+13+13+14+14+15+15+16)

AC: 9 (10-1)
t: 9
ff: 9

Bab: 9 (1+5+3)/grapple 8

Attack: N/A
Damage: N/A

Saves: (classx3+ability+enhancement)
fort: +11 (1+3+2 +0 +5)
dex:. +12 (1+5+2 -1 +5)
will: +16 (2+3+4 +2 +5)


40 pt buy:
Str: 8 (0pt)
Dex: 8 (0pt)
Con: 10 (2pt)
Int: 18 (16pt)
Wis: 14 (6pt)
Cha: 18 (16pt)

Adjusted stats:
Str: 8/-1 (8)
Dex: 8/-1 (8)
Con: 10/0 (10)
Int: 29/+9 (18+6+5)
Wis: 14/+2 (14)
Cha: 24/+7 (18+6)

Skillpoints: 264 (9x4+9x2 + 7x10 + 7x8 + 4x21)
Skills:...Ranks+Ability+Synergy+Feats+Enhancement+Class abilities))
Bluff (Cha):.........................51 (24+7+0+0+20+0)
Computer Use (Int):..............56 (24+9+0+2+20+0+3savant)
Craft (electronic) (Int)..........15 (6+9+0+0+0+0)
Diplomacy (Cha):..................80 (24+7+2+2+2+2+3+30+8reputation bonus)
Gather Information (Cha):......17 (0+7+0+2+0+8reputation bonus)
Knowledge (Int):
Kn: (arcane lore):.................17 (6+9+0+2+0+0)
Kn: (civics):........................35 (24+9+0+2+0+0)
Kn: (current events):............21 (10+9+0+2+0+0)
Kn: (streetwise):.................35 (24+9+0+2+0+0)
Kn: (technology):.................31 (20+9+0+2+0+0)
Kn: (business):....................35 (24+9+0+2+0+0)
Profession (Tradecraft) (wis):.72 (24+2+0+3+10+30+0+3savant)
Research (Int):....................33 (24+9+0+0+0+0)
Repair (Int):........................17 (6+9+0+2+0+0)
Sense Motive (Wis):.............48 (24+2+0+2+20+0)

Languages: 1+9

Feats:
1,3,6,9,12,15,18
Mercantile Background
Negotiator (+2Diplomacy and Sense Motive)
Business savy
Eschew Materials
Improved Initiative
Skill Focus (Diplomacy+3)
Skill Focus (Tradecraft+3)

Epic feats:
21
Epic Skill Focus (Profession Tradecraft +10)

Bonus Feats:
2,6,9,12,16,19
Trustworthy (+2 Diplomacy, +2 Gather Information)
Educated (+2 Arcane Lore, +2 Civics)
Educated (+2 Current Events, +2 Streetwise)
Educated (+2 Technology, +2 Business)
Combat Expertise
Gearhead (+2 Computer Use, +2 Repair)


Spells:

0: 4+0
1: 4+3
2: 4+2
3: 3+2
4: 3+2
5: 2+2

Known spells:



Class Abilities:


Smart Hero:
*Defense Bonus: +1
*Reputation Bonus: +1

2 Talents:
Savant:
*Computer Use,
*Profession (Tradecraft)
The Smart hero gets to add a bonus equal to his or her Smart level when making checks with that skill.


Technomage:

Arcane Spellcasting, lvl 10
*Defense Bonus +5
*Reputation Bonus +3

*Arcane skills
*Machine empathy
*Program spell
*Create homunculus
*Arcane spontaneous casting (9 spells of levels 0-3)
*Spell focus (divination)
*Online casting
*Bonus feat
*Quicken spells


Arcane Arranger:
*Defense Bonus +3
*Reputation Bonus +4

*Word on the street
*False allegiance
*Shadow resources
*Pack rat
*Expert in your field (Rep bonus to G Information and Dip)
*Up my sleeve


Equipment effects:
*Mindblank


Equipment:

Gate Key
When properly operated, the gate key can be used to attune any bounded space, such as a doorway or a cave opening, to another bounded space on another plane of existence previously visited by the wielder. When two bounded spaces are attuned, an interdimensional portal springs up at each location, and the two portals are connected. When the wielder creates a pair of portals, he or she also establishes the necessary key that travelers must have to access the portal. Possible keys include nothing, a pearl, a particular hair color, or even the gate key itself. Up to sixty different pairs of portals can be attuned in this manner. Once all sixty pairs of portals are created, the key cannot create additional gates, though it may still be the necessary key to access some or all of the portals. To any creature without the proper key, the interdimensional portals are not visible (through true seeing or similar magic reveals their presence).

Caster Level: 21st; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, Craft Epic Wondrous Item, gate; Market Price: 378,000 gp



Item of Continuous Mindblank:
8x15x2000/2= 120000gp

Item of Diplomacy +30:
30x30x100= 90000gp

Item of Tradecraft +30:
30x30x100= 90000gp

Item of Bluff +20:
20x20x1000= 40000gp

Item of Computer Use +20:
20x20x1000= 40000gp

Item of Sense Motive +20:
20x20x100= 40000gp

Item of Intelligence +6: 36000gp

Item of Charisma +6: 36000gp

Item of Resistance +5:25000gp

85000gp remaining.


Background:

Personality:

Organisation:

Agenda:


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Nephtys

First Post
Voidrazor said:
Also you can go over your starting wealth, essentially 'borrowing against' the commons. But the more you borrow the less lucky you are and the less friendly NPCs tend to be. Anything beyond 150% of starting wealth would be so unlucky as to be unplayable.

Interesting... How unlucky would I get if I borrowed half a million to get my business venture going? What about a million? Is it possible to handle that with a diplomacy check without it causing random mishaps? It is for a profitable venture, after all, and I have collateral. What kind of interest rates are we talking about?
 

Voidrazor

First Post
Nephtys said:
I'll be using some custom made skill-boost items, and a couple of continuous spell-items, if that's ok.

edit:

The crunchy bits are done, but the background and personality remain. What is the culture of the Borogashi like? What's their temperament and inclinations? Can I make it up myself or do you want to set some guidelines?

edit2:

Do you want me to include the specifics of my class abilities on a section of my character sheet so you have easier access to them in case you need to look them up?

Also, I assume that Borogashi have the same number of body slots as humanoid characters do but knowing little of their anatomy I don't know where those slots would be. I guess they could have all kinds of piercings, tooth-rings, fin-clamps and scalegrafts. Am I right?

Interesting... How unlucky would I get if I borrowed half a million to get my business venture going? What about a million? Is it possible to handle that with a diplomacy check without it causing random mishaps? It is for a profitable venture, after all, and I have collateral. What kind of interest rates are we talking about?

The custom items are fine.

Sorry I haven't put more together on the Borogashi already. Feel free to make it up yourself.

If you have time feel free to do write ups of her class features. It would be helpful but by no means required. Just page numbers would be fine.

Yes same number of slots, same affinities too. Borogashi may sport dorsal and caudal (tail fin) rings rather than a cloak and boots. A dorsal ring can accept the enchantments any item in the shoulder slot could.

490k would still be the absolute maximum you could borrow at game start. Going above the standard wealth allotment involves karmic debt rather than financial. So even if you made enough money to pay back the balance very quickly, poor luck and hidden enemies would continue to plague you at least until the end of the first storyline. Considering the usual pace of PbP play and that there isn't a set end for the story, that could be a while. Going over the allotment by 10% would result in only minor complications, more than and it 15% starts to get nasty. At 30% over the betrayals and bad breaks would be constant, and by 50% your character's whole focus would be about staying that one step ahead of a fate worse than death.
 


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