The City Arcana [3.5][Mature][Dark]

[moritheil]

Originally Posted by OnlytheStrong

I would love to play the Mystic Knight. He will probably be a human. I will have one stat'd up and everything on wednesday (works been crazy). I like the "coldly neutral" viewpoint, although I'm sure it will rub some people the wrong way. I doubt I take him into a PrC, since I would like to see how the Mystic Knight class plays out.

I look forward to reviewing it then.

Originally Posted by frostrune

Hmmm.. this looks very interesting. If it is not too late I'd like to toss a concept out there.

I'll be answering questions and accepting submissions all week, so it's certainly not too late.

Your backstory is not bad. Go ahead and write up a character for me to review.

Originally Posted by Drowned Hero

16 = 10 + 2 + 2

Your sheet has a few errors. You might want to fix them before I formally review it in depth.

Another concept i find worthy is a converted to undead soldier, that with some divine intervention retains his soul and personality, and in some sort of way makes him understand that the magic has its place in the world, making him a fervent adept to the cause of magic.

Let's not have a character whose origin makes little sense within the framework of accepted facts and has to be handwaved every time he's introduced to someone new. It makes for awkward campaigns.

Mechanically, there's no canonical way to play a level 1 undead. This is because undeath gives too many benefits (immunity to mind-affecting, stun, poison, critical hits, disease, negative energy) to be allowed at level 1. I see no reason to change that.

Alignment would be a problem though.

I won't veto evil characters just because they are evil. If, say, a ninja were evil but very clever and discreet about it, then that might simply serve as another interesting plot point. If someone submitted a chaotic evil barbarian whose modus operandi was to fly into a rage and start fights for no reason, I would reject it and question whether or not he was trying to get the whole party killed.

Originally Posted by blackrat

Wow! You certainly got people interested it seems . Well, I am already in a quite a few games so I'll withdraw from this in order to let others take preference.

I have some mixed feelings about a player of your high caliber withdrawing, but I am sure that others will appreciate the gesture. Thanks for letting us know.

[Blackrat]

Originally Posted by moritheil

I have some mixed feelings about a player of your high caliber withdrawing, but I am sure that others will appreciate the gesture. Thanks for letting us know.

Well, if it happens that you suddenly find yourself with too few players (doubtfull, but it could happen ), let me know .

[frostrune]

moritheil,

I'd be happy to work up a charcater submission. Do you have an RG thread started or how should I get it to you?

Frostrune

[moritheil]

Originally Posted by frostrune

Do you have an RG thread started or how should I get it to you?

Sorry I wasn't clear about this earlier. I'm having everyone submit applications in this thread, then reviewing them and approving players. Approved players will then put up their characters in the RG. This avoids the clutter of interested parties leaving extra sheets in the RG that ultimately have no bearing on the campaign.

[Drowned Hero]

Originally Posted by moritheil

Your sheet has a few errors. You might want to fix them before I formally review it in depth.

Let's not have a character whose origin makes little sense within the framework of accepted facts and has to be handwaved every time he's introduced to someone new. It makes for awkward campaigns.

Mechanically, there's no canonical way to play a level 1 undead. This is because undeath gives too many benefits (immunity to mind-affecting, stun, poison, critical hits, disease, negative energy) to be allowed at level 1. I see no reason to change that.

I won't veto evil characters just because they are evil. If, say, a ninja were evil but very clever and discreet about it, then that might simply serve as another interesting plot point. If someone submitted a chaotic evil barbarian whose modus operandi was to fly into a rage and start fights for no reason, I would reject it and question whether or not he was trying to get the whole party killed.

10+2+2 aint 16? Seems like i used my math classes to sleep or read sci-fi. Im pretty sure i used my religion class for that at least... and biology.

I see the enormous posting that would be necessary to explain everyone in a city that. No hes not evil and will not eat you, yes you can trust him with this important mission, no he will not eat you, stop screaming please hes fine just a bit underfeed, and ugly and smells funny... no he wont eat you..

[frostrune]

Sorry moritheil. In the process of making up a character I am realizing I am so far into 4E that I can't seem to go back.

This game sounds like it will be a a lot of fun but I must humbly withdraw my submission.

Good luck to you.

Frostrune

[Gli'jar]

Thank you for the opportunity but due to time constraints in real life I won't be able to submit a well written or thought out character concept any time soon. Good gaming.

[moritheil]

So far we have the following applications:

Reveille - Human Wizard
crazy_monkey1956 - Dwarven Wizard
Drowned Hero - Human Ninja
OnlytheStrong - Human? Mystic Knight (pending)
pathfinderq1 - Elan Psion? (pending)

Strictly from a metagame point of view, I feel obligated to point out that if we have a Mystic Knight, then the more arcanists, the more synergy. The class has a unique debuff against arcane saves and is designed to work with arcanists.

Originally Posted by frostrune

This game sounds like it will be a a lot of fun but I must humbly withdraw my submission.

I see. Thanks for notifying me.

Originally Posted by Gli'jar

Thank you for the opportunity but due to time constraints in real life I won't be able to submit a well written or thought out character concept any time soon.

Thanks for notifying me. I understand.

[moritheil]

Originally Posted by Drowned Hero

Hmmm. I like the Ninja concept a lot, but i want to multiclass him with a sorcerer i think at some point. I want my character to have the magic spark within. Any recommended prestige class I can work towards?

Arcane Trickster, Suel Archanamach, Magical Trickster, Daggerspell Mage, and that diviner/rogue PrC whose name escapes me right now.

Also, you may want to consider the feat Ascetic Mage especially if you're going to take a lot of Sorcerer levels. A Ninja/Battle Sorcerer with Ascetic Mage is quite viable (the feat re-keys the AC bonus to Cha, not Wis, and it makes Sorcerer levels count for the purposes of the AC bonus.)

[pathfinderq1]

I'm still holding in between two concepts- the elan psion might be an interesting foil to traditional arcanists, but I might want to "play along" with the more normal possibilities. So, two capsule concepts:

1. Elan psion (possibly pure psion, possibly aiming for Metamind or Psion Uncarnate). For thousands of years, the elan have dwelled in the remote corners of the world, their small outposts deliberately isolated from the mundane concerns as they pondered the truths of the mind, and of the world around them. From time to time, each outpost might sent forth a lone wanderer or two- perhaps to seek a particular item, or a certain piece of information; but for the most part they were content to dwell apart. But with the Purge gaining strength, even their power and isolation were not enough to shield them. When they could be found, the forces of the enemies sought out these citadels and threw them down- killing the 'mind-mages', destroying their crystals of power, and obliterating every scrap of knowledge they found. But in their anger and ignorance, they failed from time to time... New elan were not born, after all- they were made, grown within crystalline cocoons. To the eyes of the uninitiated, some of these 'unborn' elans looked like prisoners, held within glassy cells, thier minds damaged or destroyed by the mind mage jailers. Suvaria was one such- nearing her 'birth', she was released by the same folk who had just wiped out the rest of her colony. She was at a loss as to what to do, but the conversations of her 'rescuers' spoke of one city left unburnt, where the dark wizards yet lived- and that was where she knew she had to go, to find the secrets of her own past, and to strike at those who had slain her people.

2. Human Beguiler/Warlock (aiming for Eldritch Theurge and using the Fey Heritage feat chain from Complete Mage). Even before the time of the Purge, the fey folk had sensed a change coming, and many of them had begun to retreat from the mortal world. Those few that remained often lived in isolated, inhospitable places- deep dark forests, windswept mountaintops, oases deep in the desert... Wherever they lived, though, they still had some interest in human contact, and some humans still sought out theiir wisdom and magics. The Oasis of Silver Leaves was one such place- the sages and wisewoman of the desert tribes made a yearly pilgrimage to the fey lords and ladies who held court there. Some children were born with such a heritage, and they were often marked for greatness. Sayida was one such child- from an early age, she had a talent for magic, and a keen mind. She was raised to be a wisewoman and a lorekeeper, to serve her tribe. But as the Purge gained strength and support, some of the tribes joined the movement, slaying all of the mages they could find. the few tribes that resisted the call,and resisted the violence of the converts, knew that something had to be done, and they sent some of their few remaining wisefolk to the fabled city of Arcana...

[moritheil]

Those both look to have a great deal of potential. Decide on one and stat it

[OnlytheStrong]

I was making the Mystic Knight....... and couldn't seem to find a way to make it work. It seems like a good class, I just don't know how to make it. The way I figured it, the melee character would have an AC of 12-13, with either no strength mod or no int mod.

The feats were giving me fits also. I wanted to make him melee, but with only simple weapons and no armor prof, that seemed to be where my feats would have to go...... until I read the later level descriptions. His bonus relies on no armor.

I'm gonna have to pull outta this game, just because I'm stumped on this character. He's not martial, but he's not arcane.


Good Luck to everyone.

[InVinoVeritas]

Growing up on a farm on an isolated island, Finvir never thought much about the scope of the world. He lived with his parents and his older sister in, well, not quite comfort, but peace. The family would regularly travel to the local monastery for their spiritual needs, row to shore to sell their wares, and otherwise lived in harmony with their little world.

That all changed when his sister Glanya started to manifest sorcery.

The family knew that arcane magic was evil. Her parents tried to make her stop, toss aside the Gift, and devote herself to a life of piety. Eventually, they took her to the monastery, and asked the devoted to cure her of her affliction. The priests looked down with disapproval on the witch-child, and spirited her away.

One of the monks stayed long enough to explain to the family: if their son starts to show signs of the Dark Pact, he will have to be removed and cleansed as well. The family understood.

Finvir was worried about this. How could he keep the horrors of the arcane at bay? As a boy of twelve, he told his parents that he could not risk letting the Gift claim him, too, and vowed to become a monk. Although the parents wanted to keep their only remaining child around, they did not stop him.

He joined the monastery and learned about the signs of the Arcane, and how to identify them, and that such people must be destroyed. He did indeed realized that the signs were present within himself, but that he vowed not to join with the Dark Pact. So, he threw himself into solitude and contemplation, fasting and starving himself, so that the Gift would not manifest. Somehow, the gods saw fit to grant this deeply devout follower the chance to break free, and rewarded him with Dragon's Divinity.

Once he emerged from his seclusion, he showed his fellow brothers his newfound power. At first, they feared him, but then they discovered that indeed, he is Divine, not Arcane.

Yet, that spark of the Arcane never quite left him. He still feels it in his soul, a stain he tried to keep hidden. Over time, he also learned of his sister's fate--she was taken to the religion's holy city to be cleansed by fire. Surely, her blackened bones would have been ground to dust so as never to rise again.

So, he stood conflicted. His familial bonds chafed with his divine bonds... but in the end, he chose family. He knows that one day, he too may manifest, and all of his sacrifice would be for nought. So, he hid and made his way to Arcana to help. He carries a lock of his sister's red hair to remind him of the sacrifices he has made.

Finvir Malinsson, Human Favored Soul

[moritheil]

Originally Posted by OnlytheStrong

I was making the Mystic Knight....... and couldn't seem to find a way to make it work. It seems like a good class, I just don't know how to make it. The way I figured it, the melee character would have an AC of 12-13, with either no strength mod or no int mod.

The feats were giving me fits also. I wanted to make him melee, but with only simple weapons and no armor prof, that seemed to be where my feats would have to go...... until I read the later level descriptions. His bonus relies on no armor.

I'm gonna have to pull outta this game, just because I'm stumped on this character. He's not martial, but he's not arcane.


Good Luck to everyone.

Hmm. I'm a little chagrined to hear you say that. It certainly isn't a primary tank the way that a paladin is, but I'm not really sure why you say you can't come up with an AC better than 12-13.

If you take human, Luck of Heroes, 14 dex, and Dodge, you'd have 10+1+1+2 = 14 AC to start with. Get a mage armor from an arcanist in your party and you'll have 18 AC. Even if you don't want to be human or don't want the Dodge feat chain you'll have 17 AC. That's enough for first level, isn't it? You do drop behind at third level or so when people can start affording plate mail, but at fouth level you start getting deflection bonuses.

Alternatively, you could simply give up on the weapon bonus at lower levels and use armor. The weapon style is the only class feature that relies on not wearing armor or using a shield.

EDIT: And you don't really absolutely have to play that class. You're welcome to pick some other class instead of locking yourself in.

[moritheil]

Originally Posted by InVinoVeritas

Yet, that spark of the Arcane never quite left him. He still feels it in his soul, a stain he tried to keep hidden. Over time, he also learned of his sister's fate--she was taken to the religion's holy city to be cleansed by fire. Surely, her blackened bones would have been ground to dust so as never to rise again.

So, he stood conflicted. His familial bonds chafed with his divine bonds... but in the end, he chose family. He knows that one day, he too may manifest, and all of his sacrifice would be for nought. So, he hid and made his way to Arcana to help. He carries a lock of his sister's red hair to remind him of the sacrifices he has made.

Finvir Malinsson, Human Favored Soul

Very interesting - a human with sorcerous potential who has been taught that it is something to be deeply ashamed of. Please stat him

[pathfinderq1]

So, with the loss of our potential mystic knight, is anyone else a bit concerned that (in a possible meatgrinder) our melee seems to consist of a ninja and a favored soul? The idea of trotting out a warforged fighter or orcish mercenary barbarian is a temptation, I'd say.

I'm working on my elan psion for now- I ought to have some stats up later.

[ethandrew]

How would a druid be received in this society? I could attempt to fill the melee void with that.

[crazy_monkey1956]

If we survive to level 2, Grimm will be multiclassing as a fighter.

[InVinoVeritas]

Still working...

Spoiler:

Finvir Malinsson
Human
Favored Soul 1

Str 10
Dex 16
Con 12
Int 10
Wis 12
Cha 16

12 skill points
2 feats
4 0-level spells
3 1-level spells

[moritheil]

Originally Posted by ethandrew

How would a druid be received in this society? I could attempt to fill the melee void with that.

I've actually been wondering if I should mention this, so very good of you to ask.

While many druids historically have no love for arcanists, the fact of the matter was that the purge was ultimately about power and control. Many of the magic-wielding fey were decimated and many forests were put to the torch. This did not endear the dogmatic clerics of Fa the Sun-Tyrant to druids. However, isolated and cut off from each other, they were not in a position to do much about it. The average druid probably keeps his head down and avoids contact with society now more than ever, embracing isolation as a way to survive the viciousness of demihuman politics.

The druids that were in the immediate vicinity of Arcana have no great love for any city - they are, after all, places of refinement and civilization. However, Arcana has never put its neighbors to the torch, and has made many friendly overtures to the fey, both now and in the past. Furthermore, the lords of the city (including the current one) have historically been Wu Jen, not Wizards, and thus more respectful of nature than one might assume. As such, druids tend to look upon Arcana as merely misguided, or at least by far the lesser of evils.