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Airwalkrr's Shatterscape OOC (D&D 3.5)
- Thread starter airwalkrr
- Start date
GlassEye
Adventurer
I’ve been watching this thread for a while now. A lot of big, well-done ideas! I’ve kinda been scared off by the excellent submissions so far but it would be sad if this were shelved for lack of participation. So, I guess I’ll jump in with both feet.
I like Narovan/West Fork, the Law/Chaos take on religion, the church of the Lawgiver, the Dreamer and the Arm of Luthes; all of it, wonderful ideas. Love the potential of sects/factions within the church. Obviously the predominant sect within a city would be strongly influenced by the flavor of the city itself. Sparks ideas of a high priest in Narovan who is a machiavellian manipulator and also secretly sits on the council of the Midnight guild or alternately, a beleaguered Acolyte striving for justice. [Hmm…an intrigue game in Narovan may be interesting. Which brings up the question: any alignment restrictions for characters?]
I have a pretty large scale idea. The feel of the law/chaos divide and the dream aspects of this world are pretty interesting. I think that a traditional Great Wheel type organization of planes would really detract from these ideas. This is likely a bit broader in scope (yet more restrictive, perhaps) than you were looking for but I’ll throw it out there and see if anyone finds it interesting.
[sblock=Cosmology]The world in encircled by the sea. Like the land it surrounds, it has laws that it must follow. But sailors say that beyond the sight of land the law breaks down: odd things happen, strange sights are seen, and ships vanish never to be seen near land or port again. Some old salts have even claimed to have seen lost ships sailing through their dreams…
I would suggest three planes: the lands of law (material), the sea of chaos (primordial; much like limbo in the standard cosmology), and dream (transitive). Why have Hell when chaos is hell to those who live by the law? And since everyone holds the seed to chaos within their own mind you have the potential for a lot of scared people. I understand that these ideas are somewhat restrictive and as such may not be acceptable.[/sblock]
[sblock=Aberdiv]Wide, shallow, and frequently so choked with water grasses as to nearly disappear beneath the sedge, the Dyvvan river and its numerous tributary streams wind their convoluted paths through the Moorlands until finally seeping into the Dyne. The people of the Moorlands are fiercely independent and proud of their ability to eke out a living in a harsh land. Their settlements are widely scattered, crude, and poor by the standards of Dardessis or even West Fork but they are tightly knit and filled with an uncommon spirit. Miles upstream from where the Dyvvan joins the Dyne, the Dyvvan widens into a shallow lake and the most populous of these settlements is found. Aberdiv is built upon an ancient crannog in the center of the lake and though it has expanded on thick wooden piles it is still extremely small compared to settlements outside the Moorlands. Coracles and other small watercraft dot the oaken shore of Aberdiv but an ancient stone causeway sits a few inches beneath the surface of the lake and provides a secret pathway to the shores of the lake.[/sblock]
[sblock=character ideas]
1) Arden of Narovan had mis-timed things horribly and the sun was nearly below the horizon when she began the trip across the city towards her home. Hurrying through the darkening streets, heart pounding a staccato beat, she heard the faint slip of steps behind her. Blinded by fear she stumbled haphazardly, found herself in a closed court, and, as fear turned to panic and something hidden within her mind opened, she vanished. Three years later Arden has returned to the lands of law. [melodrama]And she’s heading home.[/melodrama] Ok, maybe not that last bit. I’m thinking a (slightly revised, perhaps) sorcerer with a dreamwraith-like familiar. Hmm, psion with astral construct might model this better.
2) Karyl loves the Moorlands despite how dangerous they can be. Nothing better than slinking through the tall grass with Haela at his side, hunting, or just plain running. But lately something seems to be missing and Karyl’s mind has turned to traveling outside the Moorlands. Just to see what is out there, to see some of the places that are in Elkin the Old’s stories. Halfling or human bestial champion with a moor cat companion (stats of badger or wolf, maybe).
[/sblock]
I’ve got more ideas but I don’t want this to get too long so I’ll leave it at this for now.
I like Narovan/West Fork, the Law/Chaos take on religion, the church of the Lawgiver, the Dreamer and the Arm of Luthes; all of it, wonderful ideas. Love the potential of sects/factions within the church. Obviously the predominant sect within a city would be strongly influenced by the flavor of the city itself. Sparks ideas of a high priest in Narovan who is a machiavellian manipulator and also secretly sits on the council of the Midnight guild or alternately, a beleaguered Acolyte striving for justice. [Hmm…an intrigue game in Narovan may be interesting. Which brings up the question: any alignment restrictions for characters?]
I have a pretty large scale idea. The feel of the law/chaos divide and the dream aspects of this world are pretty interesting. I think that a traditional Great Wheel type organization of planes would really detract from these ideas. This is likely a bit broader in scope (yet more restrictive, perhaps) than you were looking for but I’ll throw it out there and see if anyone finds it interesting.
[sblock=Cosmology]The world in encircled by the sea. Like the land it surrounds, it has laws that it must follow. But sailors say that beyond the sight of land the law breaks down: odd things happen, strange sights are seen, and ships vanish never to be seen near land or port again. Some old salts have even claimed to have seen lost ships sailing through their dreams…
I would suggest three planes: the lands of law (material), the sea of chaos (primordial; much like limbo in the standard cosmology), and dream (transitive). Why have Hell when chaos is hell to those who live by the law? And since everyone holds the seed to chaos within their own mind you have the potential for a lot of scared people. I understand that these ideas are somewhat restrictive and as such may not be acceptable.[/sblock]
[sblock=Aberdiv]Wide, shallow, and frequently so choked with water grasses as to nearly disappear beneath the sedge, the Dyvvan river and its numerous tributary streams wind their convoluted paths through the Moorlands until finally seeping into the Dyne. The people of the Moorlands are fiercely independent and proud of their ability to eke out a living in a harsh land. Their settlements are widely scattered, crude, and poor by the standards of Dardessis or even West Fork but they are tightly knit and filled with an uncommon spirit. Miles upstream from where the Dyvvan joins the Dyne, the Dyvvan widens into a shallow lake and the most populous of these settlements is found. Aberdiv is built upon an ancient crannog in the center of the lake and though it has expanded on thick wooden piles it is still extremely small compared to settlements outside the Moorlands. Coracles and other small watercraft dot the oaken shore of Aberdiv but an ancient stone causeway sits a few inches beneath the surface of the lake and provides a secret pathway to the shores of the lake.[/sblock]
[sblock=character ideas]
1) Arden of Narovan had mis-timed things horribly and the sun was nearly below the horizon when she began the trip across the city towards her home. Hurrying through the darkening streets, heart pounding a staccato beat, she heard the faint slip of steps behind her. Blinded by fear she stumbled haphazardly, found herself in a closed court, and, as fear turned to panic and something hidden within her mind opened, she vanished. Three years later Arden has returned to the lands of law. [melodrama]And she’s heading home.[/melodrama] Ok, maybe not that last bit. I’m thinking a (slightly revised, perhaps) sorcerer with a dreamwraith-like familiar. Hmm, psion with astral construct might model this better.
2) Karyl loves the Moorlands despite how dangerous they can be. Nothing better than slinking through the tall grass with Haela at his side, hunting, or just plain running. But lately something seems to be missing and Karyl’s mind has turned to traveling outside the Moorlands. Just to see what is out there, to see some of the places that are in Elkin the Old’s stories. Halfling or human bestial champion with a moor cat companion (stats of badger or wolf, maybe).
[/sblock]
I’ve got more ideas but I don’t want this to get too long so I’ll leave it at this for now.
Last edited:
arcanaman
First Post
Character Ideas
Elendra de Narovan: As a little girl Elendra was orphaned with the death of both her parents Gladitors whom were defeated in the bloodfeast in Dardessis Found by conversionist serving Narovans Dawn house she left for Narovan she eventual became Acolyte of the Lawgiver but she still serves at the dawn house from time to time and fancier herself more of a healer then a fighter.
Beldan of the Bear: Beldan is from a wandering tribe of warriorsin the Moorlands he likes to kill and he doesn't care who or what it is as long as he can kill something most of his body is covered in woad and his hair is cut short depending on where we being he could be a mercenary or a Gladiator his animal Campanion is a small bear
Navara de Minuit: Navara is a memeber of the midnight guild a strange entity speaks archaic tongues in her head or so she believes because of this she has become quite insane.she is quite devoted to the midnight guild and is scornful of anyone who cannot do their jobs right within the guild she would kill any opponents to the guild and recently has had a dream about killing everyone inside the dawn house with her blade of cold steel. The superior within the guild are afraid of her devotion but would rather us her aganist their enemies then have her turn aganist them she has recently finished a contract and is hoping to get a new client soon.
Elendra de Narovan: As a little girl Elendra was orphaned with the death of both her parents Gladitors whom were defeated in the bloodfeast in Dardessis Found by conversionist serving Narovans Dawn house she left for Narovan she eventual became Acolyte of the Lawgiver but she still serves at the dawn house from time to time and fancier herself more of a healer then a fighter.
Beldan of the Bear: Beldan is from a wandering tribe of warriorsin the Moorlands he likes to kill and he doesn't care who or what it is as long as he can kill something most of his body is covered in woad and his hair is cut short depending on where we being he could be a mercenary or a Gladiator his animal Campanion is a small bear
Navara de Minuit: Navara is a memeber of the midnight guild a strange entity speaks archaic tongues in her head or so she believes because of this she has become quite insane.she is quite devoted to the midnight guild and is scornful of anyone who cannot do their jobs right within the guild she would kill any opponents to the guild and recently has had a dream about killing everyone inside the dawn house with her blade of cold steel. The superior within the guild are afraid of her devotion but would rather us her aganist their enemies then have her turn aganist them she has recently finished a contract and is hoping to get a new client soon.
hafrogman
Adventurer
My revision of the akolite class, incorporating a number of Airwalkrr's suggestions. I've changed the name, trimmed the skill list a bit, weakened axiomatic strike and added a chanting ability with flavors of the bard class. I considered the fast healing angle, but found it not quite the flavor I wanted, not to mention hard to balance.
I figured the goal is to extend HP, and there are three ways to do that. The first is the most obvious, healing. Temporary HP also has the effect, but I find it a hard to use mechanism. The third way is to prevent the damage in the first place. So I gave the akolite some shielding type abilities. Directly reducing damage taken through DR and energy resistance rather than upping avoidance or the like.
Let me know what you think, and I'll get back to writing up my thoughts on the class fluff.[sblock=Akolite]AKOLITE
Alignment:
Any lawful.
Hit Die:
d6.
Class Skills:
The akolite’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are:
Appraise (Int), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Heal (wis), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language (None), Spellcraft (Int) and Spot (wis)
Skill Points at 1st Level:
(6 + Int modifier) ×4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level:
6 + Int modifier.
* Provided the akolite has a high enough Charisma score to have a bonus spell of this level.
Class Features:
All of the following are class features of the akolite.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
An akolite is proficient with all simple weapons, plus the longsword, rapier, and short sword. Akolites are proficient with light armor and shields (except tower shields).
Spells:
An akolite casts divine spells, which are drawn from the cleric spell list. He can cast any spell he knows without preparing it ahead of time. To learn or cast a spell, an akolite must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against an akolite’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the akolite’s Charisma modifier. An akolite can’t cast spells of an alignment opposed to his own. Spells associated with particular alignments are indicated by the chaos, evil, good, and law descriptors in their spell descriptions.
Like other spellcasters, an akolite can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is given on the table. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Charisma score. When the table indicates that the akolite gets 0 spells per day of a given spell level, he gains only the bonus spells he would be entitled to based on his Charisma score for that spell level.
The akolite’s selection of spells is extremely limited. An akolite begins play knowing four 0-level spells of your choice. At most new akolite levels, he gains one or more new spells, as indicated on the table. (Unlike spells per day, the number of spells an akolite knows is not affected by his Charisma score; the numbers on the table are fixed.)
Upon reaching 5th level, and at every third akolite level after that (8th, 11th, and so on), an akolite can choose to learn a new spell in place of one he already knows. In effect, the akolite "loses" the old spell in exchange for the new one. The new spell’s level must be the same as that of the spell being exchanged, and it must be at least two levels lower than the highest-level akolite spell the akolite can cast. An akolite may swap only a single spell at any given level, and must choose whether or not to swap the spell at the same time that he gains new spells known for the level.
As noted above, an akolite need not prepare his spells in advance. He can cast any spell he knows at any time, assuming he has not yet used up his allotment of spells per day for the spell’s level.
Aura (Ex):
An akolite has a particularly powerful lawful aura (see the detect evil spell for details).
Domain:
An akolite gains access to the spells and domain power of the Law domain. The akolite automatically knows the spells of the Law domain for those levels for which he can cast akolite spells. These spells do not count against his number of spells known as shown on the table.
Akolite’s Chant:
Once per day per akolite level, an akolite can utter mystic chants to produce magical effects on those around him (usually including himself, if desired). Each ability requires both a minimum akolite level and a minimum number of ranks in the Knowledge (Religion) skill to qualify; if an akolite does not have the required number of ranks in the skill, he does not gain the akolite’s chant ability until he acquires the needed ranks.
Starting an akolite’s chant effect is a standard action. Some akolite’s chant abilities require concentration, which means the akolite must take a standard action each round to maintain the ability. Even while using an akolite’s chant that doesn’t require concentration, an akolite cannot cast spells, activate magic items by spell completion (such as scrolls), spell trigger (such as wands), or command word. Just as for casting a spell with a verbal component, a deaf akolite has a 20% chance to fail when attempting to use akolite’s chant. If he fails, the attempt still counts against his daily limit.
Shield of Law (Su):
An akolite with 3 or more ranks in Knowledge (Religion) can use his chant to provide a mystic shield to his allies (including himself), protecting them from physical harm. To be affected, an ally must be able to hear the akolite chant. The effect lasts for as long as the ally hears the akolite chant and for 5 rounds thereafter. An affected ally receives damage reduction (1/-). At 10th level, and 19th level, this bonus increases by 1 (2/- at 10th, 3/0 at 19th).
Bonus Feat:
At 2nd level, an akolite may select either Investigator or Negotiator as a bonus feat.
Warding (Su):
An akolite of 3rd level or higher, with 6 or more ranks in Knowledge (Religion) can use his chant to counteract harmful magics used against his allies (including himself), reducing the effects slightly. To be affected, an ally must be able to hear the akolite chant. The effect lasts for as long as the ally hears the akolite chant and for 5 rounds thereafter. An affected ally receives Resist All 1. At 12th level, and 20th level, this bonus increases by 1 (Resist All 2 at 10th, Resist All 3 at 19th).
Axiomatic Strike (Su):
At 7th level, an akolite is able to channel the power of Law into his attacks. The akolite’s unarmed attacks, as well as any weapons he wields, are treated as lawful-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. At 14th level, the akolite's attacks deal an additional 1d6 points of damage against all of chaotic alignment, similar to an axiomatic weapon. This damage bonus does not stack with the damage bonus from weilding an axiomatic weapon.
Restore Order (Su):
An akolite of 9th level or higher, with 12 or more ranks in Knowledge (Religion) can use his chant to end the lingering effects of spells used against his allies (including himself, if he is able), providing a second chance to shrug off the effect. To be affected, an ally must be touched by the akolite. An affected ally receives a new saving throw against a single ongoing spell effect, of the akolite’s choice. If the save succeeds, the effect is ended. If the save fails, the effect continues without change. Each ally may only be targeted by one Restore Order per day.
Voice of the Lawgiver: (Sp)
At 17th level, an acoylte is able to speak a single word, calling down the power of Law on his foes. Once per day, as a spell like power, he can cast Dictum (at his akolite caster level) using his charisma as the casting stat.
Ex-Akolites:
An akolite who becomes non-lawful in alignment loses all spells and class features, except for armor and shield proficiencies and proficiency with simple weapons. He cannot thereafter gain levels as an akolite until he atones (see the atonement spell description).[/sblock]
I figured the goal is to extend HP, and there are three ways to do that. The first is the most obvious, healing. Temporary HP also has the effect, but I find it a hard to use mechanism. The third way is to prevent the damage in the first place. So I gave the akolite some shielding type abilities. Directly reducing damage taken through DR and energy resistance rather than upping avoidance or the like.
Let me know what you think, and I'll get back to writing up my thoughts on the class fluff.[sblock=Akolite]AKOLITE
Alignment:
Any lawful.
Hit Die:
d6.
Class Skills:
The akolite’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are:
Appraise (Int), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Heal (wis), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language (None), Spellcraft (Int) and Spot (wis)
Skill Points at 1st Level:
(6 + Int modifier) ×4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level:
6 + Int modifier.
Code:
Saves Spells Per Day Spells Known
Lvl BAB For Ref Wil Special 0 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 0 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th
1 +0 +0 +2 +2 Domain, Aura, Akolite’s Chant, 2 - - - - - - 4 - - - - - -
Shield of Law (1/-)
2 +1 +0 +3 +3 Bonus Feat 3 0 - - - - - 5 2* - - - - -
3 +2 +1 +3 +3 Warding (1) 3 1 - - - - - 6 3 - - - - -
4 +3 +1 +4 +4 3 2 0 - - - - 6 3 2* - - - -
5 +3 +1 +4 +4 3 3 1 - - - - 6 4 3 - - - -
6 +4 +2 +5 +5 3 3 2 - - - - 6 4 3 - - - -
7 +5 +2 +5 +5 Axiomatic Strike (Lawful) 3 3 2 0 - - - 6 4 4 2* - - -
8 +6 +2 +6 +6 3 3 3 1 - - - 6 4 4 3 - - -
9 +6 +3 +6 +6 Restore Order 3 3 3 2 - - - 6 4 4 3 - - -
10 +7 +3 +7 +7 Shield of Law (2/-) 3 3 3 2 0 - - 6 4 4 4 2* - -
11 +8 +3 +7 +5 3 3 3 3 1 - - 6 4 4 4 3 - -
12 +9 +4 +8 +5 Warding (2) 3 3 3 3 2 - - 6 4 4 4 3 - -
13 +9 +4 +8 +5 3 3 3 3 2 0 - 6 4 4 4 4 2* -
14 +10 +4 +9 +5 Axiomatic Strike (+1d6) 4 3 3 3 3 1 - 6 4 4 4 4 3 -
15 +11 +5 +9 +5 4 4 3 3 3 2 - 6 4 4 4 4 3 -
16 +12 +5 +10 +10 4 4 4 3 3 2 0 6 5 4 4 4 4 2*
17 +12 +5 +10 +10 Voice of the Lawgiver 4 4 4 4 3 3 1 6 5 5 4 4 4 3
18 +13 +6 +11 +11 4 4 4 4 4 3 2 6 5 5 5 4 4 3
19 +14 +6 +11 +11 Shield of Law (3/-) 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 6 5 5 5 5 4 4
20 +15 +6 +12 +12 Warding (3) 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 6 5 5 5 5 5 4* Provided the akolite has a high enough Charisma score to have a bonus spell of this level.
Class Features:
All of the following are class features of the akolite.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
An akolite is proficient with all simple weapons, plus the longsword, rapier, and short sword. Akolites are proficient with light armor and shields (except tower shields).
Spells:
An akolite casts divine spells, which are drawn from the cleric spell list. He can cast any spell he knows without preparing it ahead of time. To learn or cast a spell, an akolite must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against an akolite’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the akolite’s Charisma modifier. An akolite can’t cast spells of an alignment opposed to his own. Spells associated with particular alignments are indicated by the chaos, evil, good, and law descriptors in their spell descriptions.
Like other spellcasters, an akolite can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is given on the table. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Charisma score. When the table indicates that the akolite gets 0 spells per day of a given spell level, he gains only the bonus spells he would be entitled to based on his Charisma score for that spell level.
The akolite’s selection of spells is extremely limited. An akolite begins play knowing four 0-level spells of your choice. At most new akolite levels, he gains one or more new spells, as indicated on the table. (Unlike spells per day, the number of spells an akolite knows is not affected by his Charisma score; the numbers on the table are fixed.)
Upon reaching 5th level, and at every third akolite level after that (8th, 11th, and so on), an akolite can choose to learn a new spell in place of one he already knows. In effect, the akolite "loses" the old spell in exchange for the new one. The new spell’s level must be the same as that of the spell being exchanged, and it must be at least two levels lower than the highest-level akolite spell the akolite can cast. An akolite may swap only a single spell at any given level, and must choose whether or not to swap the spell at the same time that he gains new spells known for the level.
As noted above, an akolite need not prepare his spells in advance. He can cast any spell he knows at any time, assuming he has not yet used up his allotment of spells per day for the spell’s level.
Aura (Ex):
An akolite has a particularly powerful lawful aura (see the detect evil spell for details).
Domain:
An akolite gains access to the spells and domain power of the Law domain. The akolite automatically knows the spells of the Law domain for those levels for which he can cast akolite spells. These spells do not count against his number of spells known as shown on the table.
Akolite’s Chant:
Once per day per akolite level, an akolite can utter mystic chants to produce magical effects on those around him (usually including himself, if desired). Each ability requires both a minimum akolite level and a minimum number of ranks in the Knowledge (Religion) skill to qualify; if an akolite does not have the required number of ranks in the skill, he does not gain the akolite’s chant ability until he acquires the needed ranks.
Starting an akolite’s chant effect is a standard action. Some akolite’s chant abilities require concentration, which means the akolite must take a standard action each round to maintain the ability. Even while using an akolite’s chant that doesn’t require concentration, an akolite cannot cast spells, activate magic items by spell completion (such as scrolls), spell trigger (such as wands), or command word. Just as for casting a spell with a verbal component, a deaf akolite has a 20% chance to fail when attempting to use akolite’s chant. If he fails, the attempt still counts against his daily limit.
Shield of Law (Su):
An akolite with 3 or more ranks in Knowledge (Religion) can use his chant to provide a mystic shield to his allies (including himself), protecting them from physical harm. To be affected, an ally must be able to hear the akolite chant. The effect lasts for as long as the ally hears the akolite chant and for 5 rounds thereafter. An affected ally receives damage reduction (1/-). At 10th level, and 19th level, this bonus increases by 1 (2/- at 10th, 3/0 at 19th).
Bonus Feat:
At 2nd level, an akolite may select either Investigator or Negotiator as a bonus feat.
Warding (Su):
An akolite of 3rd level or higher, with 6 or more ranks in Knowledge (Religion) can use his chant to counteract harmful magics used against his allies (including himself), reducing the effects slightly. To be affected, an ally must be able to hear the akolite chant. The effect lasts for as long as the ally hears the akolite chant and for 5 rounds thereafter. An affected ally receives Resist All 1. At 12th level, and 20th level, this bonus increases by 1 (Resist All 2 at 10th, Resist All 3 at 19th).
Axiomatic Strike (Su):
At 7th level, an akolite is able to channel the power of Law into his attacks. The akolite’s unarmed attacks, as well as any weapons he wields, are treated as lawful-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. At 14th level, the akolite's attacks deal an additional 1d6 points of damage against all of chaotic alignment, similar to an axiomatic weapon. This damage bonus does not stack with the damage bonus from weilding an axiomatic weapon.
Restore Order (Su):
An akolite of 9th level or higher, with 12 or more ranks in Knowledge (Religion) can use his chant to end the lingering effects of spells used against his allies (including himself, if he is able), providing a second chance to shrug off the effect. To be affected, an ally must be touched by the akolite. An affected ally receives a new saving throw against a single ongoing spell effect, of the akolite’s choice. If the save succeeds, the effect is ended. If the save fails, the effect continues without change. Each ally may only be targeted by one Restore Order per day.
Voice of the Lawgiver: (Sp)
At 17th level, an acoylte is able to speak a single word, calling down the power of Law on his foes. Once per day, as a spell like power, he can cast Dictum (at his akolite caster level) using his charisma as the casting stat.
Ex-Akolites:
An akolite who becomes non-lawful in alignment loses all spells and class features, except for armor and shield proficiencies and proficiency with simple weapons. He cannot thereafter gain levels as an akolite until he atones (see the atonement spell description).[/sblock]
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hafrogman
Adventurer
Some thoughts on the church as a whole, with a brief blurb about the akolites themselves at the end.[Sblock=Church Heirarchy]
Worshippers:
Worship of the Lawgiver is nearly universal in this day and age. During the time of the dreamer, and in the troubled years that followed, missionaries from the church traveled far and wide, spreading the word of law as the antithesis of dream. With the danger so obvious and close at hand, the religion spread easily. Now it is odd to find any civilized village without at least a small shrine to the Lawgiver, with larger towns featuring increasingly ornate temples in his honor.
Worshiping habits vary among individuals, but regardless of how often one attends services, most will pay at least lip service to the worship of the Lawgiver. Even if one doesn’t truly believe, it would not to do to be seen as in league with Chaos.
Lay Priests:
Most priests among the villages are simple folk, without a true divine connection. They simply possess great faith, and a desire to serve. Most are commoners. Adepts are rare, as those with such magical potential are often invited to serve the church in higher positions. Rarely one may find a retired cleric, paladin or akolite serving as a community’s priest, settled down to the quiet after a life of serving the Lawgiver in a more direct sense.
Paladins:
There are some orders among the church dedicated to using the Law as a tool to do good in the world, to serve the people. The martially minded among these orders may become paladins, riding forth into the world to do battle with Chaos and any who would do evil.
Some among the church see them as heroes, dedicated and pure above all. Other orders view them with some trepidation as to their ultimate loyalty may be divided. Sometimes to maintain order, severe measures may need to be taken. On which side of the Law will the paladins find themselves? Still others are concerned with more worldly matters. The paladins’ orders often speak of purification of the church, and removal of corrupt influences. How will that affect those at the top who have often made it there by making sure that the Law works for their best interests?
Clerics:
Much like paladins, the clerics’ primary duties consist of traveling out into the world. At the edges of civilization there still lurk hidden bastions of Chaos, other dreamers waiting in shadows to spring their nightmares upon the world once more. The clerics are the sword arm of the church, sent forth to forge order where there is none.
Some say that the clerics are sent furthest from the center of civilization because their powerful magics are a threat to those in power, but few voice such concerns in public.
Akolites:
By far the most common of the Lawgiver’s divinely inspired priests; akolites have made their way into leadership positions throughout the Church. A curious blend of diplomat, priest and police, the akolites have made their home among the cities of the civilized world, where a quick word is better than a sharp blade, and a sharp eye is better than all the armor in the world.
Akolites dedicate their lives in roughly equal parts to the Lawgiver, and to raising their own position in the church. In the upper echelons of power there is a continuous struggle to achieve and maintain leadership over the various orders, branches and organizations.
Due to the powers granted to the akolites, direct confrontation is very rare. Instead, the struggle manifests itself as a game of words. Alliances are rapidly formed and shattered among the quibbling factions of the church, as each vies for supremacy. For all its semblance of order and Law, the church of the Lawgiver is deeply divided.[/sblock]
Worshippers:
Worship of the Lawgiver is nearly universal in this day and age. During the time of the dreamer, and in the troubled years that followed, missionaries from the church traveled far and wide, spreading the word of law as the antithesis of dream. With the danger so obvious and close at hand, the religion spread easily. Now it is odd to find any civilized village without at least a small shrine to the Lawgiver, with larger towns featuring increasingly ornate temples in his honor.
Worshiping habits vary among individuals, but regardless of how often one attends services, most will pay at least lip service to the worship of the Lawgiver. Even if one doesn’t truly believe, it would not to do to be seen as in league with Chaos.
Lay Priests:
Most priests among the villages are simple folk, without a true divine connection. They simply possess great faith, and a desire to serve. Most are commoners. Adepts are rare, as those with such magical potential are often invited to serve the church in higher positions. Rarely one may find a retired cleric, paladin or akolite serving as a community’s priest, settled down to the quiet after a life of serving the Lawgiver in a more direct sense.
Paladins:
There are some orders among the church dedicated to using the Law as a tool to do good in the world, to serve the people. The martially minded among these orders may become paladins, riding forth into the world to do battle with Chaos and any who would do evil.
Some among the church see them as heroes, dedicated and pure above all. Other orders view them with some trepidation as to their ultimate loyalty may be divided. Sometimes to maintain order, severe measures may need to be taken. On which side of the Law will the paladins find themselves? Still others are concerned with more worldly matters. The paladins’ orders often speak of purification of the church, and removal of corrupt influences. How will that affect those at the top who have often made it there by making sure that the Law works for their best interests?
Clerics:
Much like paladins, the clerics’ primary duties consist of traveling out into the world. At the edges of civilization there still lurk hidden bastions of Chaos, other dreamers waiting in shadows to spring their nightmares upon the world once more. The clerics are the sword arm of the church, sent forth to forge order where there is none.
Some say that the clerics are sent furthest from the center of civilization because their powerful magics are a threat to those in power, but few voice such concerns in public.
Akolites:
By far the most common of the Lawgiver’s divinely inspired priests; akolites have made their way into leadership positions throughout the Church. A curious blend of diplomat, priest and police, the akolites have made their home among the cities of the civilized world, where a quick word is better than a sharp blade, and a sharp eye is better than all the armor in the world.
Akolites dedicate their lives in roughly equal parts to the Lawgiver, and to raising their own position in the church. In the upper echelons of power there is a continuous struggle to achieve and maintain leadership over the various orders, branches and organizations.
Due to the powers granted to the akolites, direct confrontation is very rare. Instead, the struggle manifests itself as a game of words. Alliances are rapidly formed and shattered among the quibbling factions of the church, as each vies for supremacy. For all its semblance of order and Law, the church of the Lawgiver is deeply divided.[/sblock]
airwalkrr
Adventurer
Excellent submissions, GlassEye! This is the kind of stuff that really helps the world begin to take on a life of its own. Here are my thoughts on it.
Character Alignment: Any, as long as it doesn't prohibit you from working as a group.
Cosmology: Good ideas. Keep them in mind in case the campaign ever gets to that point. For right now, focus on developing at the regional level. The idea is to expand outward only as needed. We don't want to get overambitious and bite off more than we can chew.
Aberdiv and Environs: Love it! I was wondering when someone was going to add something else to the Moorlands. It fits in perfectly in my opinion.
I like the character ideas as well. Either could fit in. If you want to create a variant to an existing class like you suggest, such as the sorcerer, feel free. I'll treat it as I would a new class.
Character Alignment: Any, as long as it doesn't prohibit you from working as a group.
Cosmology: Good ideas. Keep them in mind in case the campaign ever gets to that point. For right now, focus on developing at the regional level. The idea is to expand outward only as needed. We don't want to get overambitious and bite off more than we can chew.
Aberdiv and Environs: Love it! I was wondering when someone was going to add something else to the Moorlands. It fits in perfectly in my opinion.
I like the character ideas as well. Either could fit in. If you want to create a variant to an existing class like you suggest, such as the sorcerer, feel free. I'll treat it as I would a new class.
airwalkrr
Adventurer
I still think the akolite is a little on the weak side overall, but this is a huge improvement. I think shield of law's bonus could mirror inspire courage point for point. It would also be good to spell out whether or not it stacks with other damage reduction (I would think not). Your fix for axiomatic strike is perfect. Love it. The warding ability is really weak. Why not let them choose one energy type and protect 5, 10, then 15 rather than all? I just can't see spending a standard action on the ability at higher levels.
It still might need a bit of a boost, but playtesting could help determine that. One strength that the bard doesn't have is that he casts divine spells, meaning he doesn't have an arcane spell failure chance. If you give him medium armor proficiency, he can at least be a little better protected. You don't force him to be the heavy-armor wearing tank though.
The write-up on the church is excellent, hafrogman. You outdid yourself on that one.
It still might need a bit of a boost, but playtesting could help determine that. One strength that the bard doesn't have is that he casts divine spells, meaning he doesn't have an arcane spell failure chance. If you give him medium armor proficiency, he can at least be a little better protected. You don't force him to be the heavy-armor wearing tank though.
The write-up on the church is excellent, hafrogman. You outdid yourself on that one.
GlassEye
Adventurer
Hafrogman, I also agree that your second iteration of the Akolite is much better than the first. You dropped the four skills I would have questioned. Anyway, here's a couple of rough ideas for other chants for your consideration:
--Chant of the Ordered Mind: provides bonus to saves vs. fear and other mind-affecting spells and effects.
--Chant of the Ordered Body: provides bonus to healing spells cast during the chant effect.
[sblock=A pair of minor sects of the church of the Lawgiver]
The Caernite Scholars believe the law is writ upon the very bones of the earth. Evidence would seem to support their claims as several stone artifacts (of the mundane sort) have been found covered with runes and symbols nearly worn away by the passage of time. None of these symbols have been deciphered with any certainty but the Scholars point to a resemblance between the runes and certain symbols found within ancient texts held sacred by the church of the Lawgiver as proof of their theories. Caernite chapterhouses are few and usually found in cities where they can more easily pursue their academic/religious studies. Some more adventurous members travel the countryside in search of undiscovered 'caerns of law'. Recently a stone has been found in the Moorlands rumored to hold the key to translation...
Without darkness one cannot know the light. Without chaos one cannot know the Law. Or so say the Illene Mystics. Banned from the church for their heterodox beliefs concerning the use of chaos as a means to enlightenment in law, Illene Mystics are outcasts shunned by common folk and those wishing to stay within the good graces of the church. The Mystics tattoo scriptures across their face and hands to serve as a warding against the ill effects of their use of chaos. [/sblock]
Airwalkrr, what's your opinion regarding players creating npc's and possible adventure hooks? (If you've already mentioned it, then I missed it and I apologize.)
Re: campaign and world name. I'm typically horrible at that sort of thing (it always comes out sounding corny) but I'll toss out 'Body of Law, Seeds of Chaos' for a campaign name. It's a bit unwieldy, though.
--Chant of the Ordered Mind: provides bonus to saves vs. fear and other mind-affecting spells and effects.
--Chant of the Ordered Body: provides bonus to healing spells cast during the chant effect.
[sblock=A pair of minor sects of the church of the Lawgiver]
The Caernite Scholars believe the law is writ upon the very bones of the earth. Evidence would seem to support their claims as several stone artifacts (of the mundane sort) have been found covered with runes and symbols nearly worn away by the passage of time. None of these symbols have been deciphered with any certainty but the Scholars point to a resemblance between the runes and certain symbols found within ancient texts held sacred by the church of the Lawgiver as proof of their theories. Caernite chapterhouses are few and usually found in cities where they can more easily pursue their academic/religious studies. Some more adventurous members travel the countryside in search of undiscovered 'caerns of law'. Recently a stone has been found in the Moorlands rumored to hold the key to translation...
Without darkness one cannot know the light. Without chaos one cannot know the Law. Or so say the Illene Mystics. Banned from the church for their heterodox beliefs concerning the use of chaos as a means to enlightenment in law, Illene Mystics are outcasts shunned by common folk and those wishing to stay within the good graces of the church. The Mystics tattoo scriptures across their face and hands to serve as a warding against the ill effects of their use of chaos. [/sblock]
Airwalkrr, what's your opinion regarding players creating npc's and possible adventure hooks? (If you've already mentioned it, then I missed it and I apologize.)
Re: campaign and world name. I'm typically horrible at that sort of thing (it always comes out sounding corny) but I'll toss out 'Body of Law, Seeds of Chaos' for a campaign name. It's a bit unwieldy, though.
Deuce Traveler
Adventurer
Hmmm... if Fenris, GlassEye, and hafrogman are in I think I would like to throw my hat into the ring also. Ideas pending...
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