Bo9S-themed homebrew gestalt game -- now recruiting!

[Brian Compton]

The Astresian favored weapon is the Bastard Sword (katana). The original human settlers on Valis came from a culture that was Oriental in feel (Astresians tend to roughly Chinese or Japanese physical characteristics - yellow-brown skin, dark hair). Their culture has become Westernised since the rise of Astres, taking on many elements inspired by real world Judaism and medieval Catholicism; their architecture is something like an amalgamation of Imperial Chinese and Gothic styles. In their weaponry and armor, however, the old traditions have endured with little change.

HA HA! You fool! Now you've played into my hands. I get bastard sword proficiency without spending a base feet, as well as weapon focus!

Here's a little more backstory.

Bariel was from Embria, the home of Master Carthis' school. However, the school never held any appeal for him. In fact, there was nothing that he felt at all passionate about. He was going to stay in Embria all his days and live as a goat-herder in the mountains. But that was before the coming of Osram, Prelate of Astres.

The faith of Astres was not very strong in the hinterlands; the imperial presence was minimal, and other than knowing Astres existed the people didn't think of him much. And so Osram, a travelling priest and administrator, found very little foundation for his work. He attempted to put life into the faith in Embria, but just didn't have much luck.

Except for Bariel.

Something about Osram's stories of Astres and the ousting of the elemental lords kindled a fire inside the young man. He had found a passion he'd never known before, and he could not contain it. Osram knew that he had accomplished something- if even one zealot of the faith could come from this backwater, he was successful. But he also knew that Bariel could not stay here and continue to grow in knowledge of the holy Astres. Osram inducted Bariel into the mysteries of the faith, and then encouraged him to induct himself in Carthis' school to learn the way of the sword- Astres' way.

And so Bariel began his training. However, he found it difficult. Master Carthis did not discriminate in his choice of students, and so there were many violators of the Sanction amongst the classes. But, Bariel could not find anything to hate about them. If anything, he wondered why a loving god like Astres would exclude others as His own people had once be excluded. This did not cause him to waver in his faith, but merely to pray and study more.

In time, he grew in faith and strength, becoming both an acolyte of Astres and a swordsman of skill. Now he is ready to set out and bring the faith to others- and see what this faith really means.

 

[Zurai]

HA HA! You fool! Now you've played into my hands. I get bastard sword proficiency without spending a base feet, as well as weapon focus!

Note that the War Domain only grants Martial Weapon proficiency, and Warblade can't change a MWP to an EWP, so you'll have to use that bastard sword/katana two handed or spend a feat still. Or take the -4 to hit penalty for a non-proficient weapon, I guess.

 

[Zurai]

As for information on a specific air court - I can detail one for you if you like, but my preferred approach would be to leave that up to you. Think scheming, plotting Djinnis locked in elaborate byzantine feuds with each other and you can't go far wrong. Half-elemental and Genasi lords are also not unknown, and anything with an [Air] subtype is a definite possibility as a player in the House of Air and could potentially be the lord of a court.

Not a problem. I'll whip something up today or tomorrow and have it up before the end of the weekend.

 

[James Heard]

My submission

Shin
Elan Warblade/Psion (Egoist)

Shin walked into Master Carthis' school one day as a small boy. No one could rightly say where he was from, and every attempt to keep the child away from the school was ultimately unsuccessful.One of the servants would put him out on the front step, and days later he'd still be quietly sitting there exactly where he was left. When he first came to the school he was quite mute, owing his name only to the single episode of violence in those years - when one of the Astresian cooks was finished lecturing him on the the refinements of Astresian religion the boy walked up to her and kicked her quite soundly, not stopping until the poor woman was in tears and proclaiming all manner of insanity about the child.

When Shin was about ten he entered the training area, picked up a blade and began training. When questioned directly about what he was doing he shrugged and simply said his first word ever uttered at the school: "In the distance, leaves fell without complaint."

Not knowing exactly what to do with that, he was allowed to join the training.

Eventually, Shin began talking more and less cryptically, though occasionally a shadow still crosses his face and he'll make a bizarre utterance of some sort. He's still set far apart from the other students, often working without sleep or complaint for weeks at a time on setting stones in colorful patterns in the courtyard or scrubbing the floors of the entire school on his hands and knees with an obscene grin on his face.

Physically Shin is a rather good-looking boy, if a little dull sometimes in his expressions. His straight black hair would fall to his knees if it weren't meticulous braided and attended to without complaint by some of the other servants in Master Carthis' school who more or less treat him as if he were some relation who had been born a little bit off. His steel-blue eyes peek out from underneath a strong brow contrasting with his smooth, nut-brown skin that he comes naturally by. Most people are a little distracted by Shin conversationally, as he rarely makes eye-contact and often seems to not be paying attention to them.

Str 13 Dex 13 Con 12 Int 16 Wis 10 Cha 10

I assume that most people at the school would probably recognize Shin as some sort of half-breed, but barring anything more forthcoming and considering his young age at the time the people at the school came to know him more they more or less shrug it off. Basically I'm looking for a "weird kid at the kung fu school" vibe in the interest of completing cliches I'm not dead set on the flavor of psionics yet, and if this is all too weird or too much I've got another set of ideas that I've been wanting to play for some time that I could pitch too.

 

[Shayuri]

Looks great! A good old-fashioned swashbuckly background.

-- Hee, thanks. I figured I didn't necessarily want to -obligate- her origin to be a story element, but I'd leave it there in case you wanted to make it one.

Minor nitpick - it's Astres, not Astre.

-- Doh, sorry.

Only thing that needs a little expansion is how exactly she came to enter Master Carthis's tutelage. Hmmm. If you didn't have anything in mind, it's possible that maybe she was caught in some minor misdemeanour by a local guard, who saw potential in her and considered it a shame to just throw the book at her and put her in a cell - so instead sent her packing to Carthis, hoping some simple living and physical labour would put her on the straight and narrow at the same time as her martial skill improved.

-- Oops...I somehow missed this starting condition. Depending on who exactly Master Carthis is, it's possible that when Thorn decided to end her seafaring adventures, Captain Squireson recommended Master Carthis as a good place to go next to continue her training. This would imply a connection of some sort between the two NPC's of course. It would be, from my perspective, a lot easier to use than the punishment one...since she'd constantly be looking for ways to subvert or escape a punishment, but would willingly endure great hardship if Carthis' tutelage was something she was intentionally seeking.

Just an idea of course - if you have other thoughts then go ahead.

Would it work then, if her former master had 'referred' her to Carthis?

 

[Autumn]

My submission

Shin
Elan Warblade/Psion (Egoist)

<snip>

Looks very interesting, and I have no problem with the psionics or general flavor of it. Works just fine for me.

Would it work then, if her former master had 'referred' her to Carthis?

Yes, that works fine too. Fits in quite neatly in fact. Lovely!


* * *

I'll have a think about exactly how many players I want to take, and which ones, over this evening. Expect a decision some time tomorrow. Lots of fine submissions, so thanks for your interest everybody and good luck.

 

[Brian Compton]

Note that the War Domain only grants Martial Weapon proficiency, and Warblade can't change a MWP to an EWP, so you'll have to use that bastard sword/katana two handed or spend a feat still. Or take the -4 to hit penalty for a non-proficient weapon, I guess.

Curses! Foiled again . Oh well, I guess I'll take EWP and something else. I still get the Weapon Focus feat for free, so I'll take what I can get.

As for stats, Str 15 Dex 14 Con 10 Int 12 Wis 16 Cha 10

 

[Zurai]

I'll have a think about exactly how many players I want to take, and which ones, over this evening. Expect a decision some time tomorrow. Lots of fine submissions, so thanks for your interest everybody and good luck.

I guess I'll have to get that background banged out then! Expect something from me soon, now that my football game's over and my team won

 

[Zurai]

Alright, I got Maas completed. Here's his character sheet again for reference so it's all in the same post...
[sblock=character sheet]Maas Illian
Male Air Genasi Swordsage 1//Evoker 1
Alignment: NG
Deity: None
Region: Ustiyad's Court
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 160 lbs
Hair: Silver, tied into a topknot
Eyes: Brown
Skin: Pale
Age: 20
XP: 0

Str: 10 (+0) [2 points]
Dex: 16 (+3) [6 points, +2 race]
Con: 14 (+2) [6 points]
Int: 18 (+4) [10 points, +2 race]
Wis: 12 (+1) [6 points, -2 race]
Cha: 8 (-1) [2 points, -2 race]

Class and Racial abilities:
Native Outsider
Darkvision 60'
Levitate (CL 5) 1/day
+1 racial bonus on saves vs air spells and effects, +1 more per 5 character levels
Breathless (immune to drowning, suffocation, and attacks that require inhalation)
Quick to Act (+1 initiative)
Discipline Focus (+1 to hit with rapier, shortspear, bastard sword, katana, and trident)
Familiar

Hit Dice: 1d8+2
Hit Points: 10
AC: 13 (+0 Armor, +3 Dex) [Touch 13, Flat-footed 10]
Init: +4 (+3 Dex, +1 Quick to Act)
Speed: 30ft

Saves:
Fortitude +2 [+0 base, +2 Con]
Reflex +7 [+2 base, +3 Dex, +2 familiar]
Will +3 [+2 base, +1 Wis]

BAB/Grapple: +0/+0
Melee Atk: +1 (1d6/18-20/x2, rapier)
Ranged Atk: +4 (1d6/20/x3, thrown shortspear)

Skills:

Balance			+7 (4 ranks, +3 Dex)
Concentration		+6 (4 ranks, +2 Con)
Jump			+4 (4 ranks, +0 Str)
Knowledge: Arcana	+8 (4 ranks, +4 Int)
Knowledge: History	+8 (4 ranks, +4 Int)
Knowledge: Religion	+8 (4 ranks, +4 Int)
Martial Lore		+8 (4 ranks, +4 Int)
Sense Motive		+4 (4 ranks, +0 Wis)
Spellcraft		+8 (4 ranks, +4 Int)
Tumble			+7 (4 ranks, +3 Int)

Flaws:

Feats:
Scribe Scroll (Wizard bonus)
Adaptive Style (1st level)

Languages:
Common, regional, +4 others

Spells Known: Necromancy and Enchantment prohibited
0th - (Abj) resistance, (Conj) acid splash, caltrops, (Div) detect magic, (Evoc) electric jolt, flare, light, ray of frost, sonic snap, (Trans) mage hand, mending, message, open/close, (Univ) arcane mark, prestidigitation
1st - (Abj) shield, (Conj) mage armor, (Div) true strike, (Evoc) persistent blade, (Illus) color spray, (Trans) feather fall, nerveskitter

Maneuvers Known:
Strikes - Sapphire Nightmare Blade (DM), Shadow Blade Technique (SH)
Counters - Moment of Perfect Mind (DM), Counter Charge (SS)
Boosts - Burning Blade (DW), Distracting Ember (DW)

Stances Known:
Step of the Wind (SS)

Equipment:
rapier, 20g, 2 lbs
2 shortspears, 2g, 6 lbs
backpack, 2g, 2 lbs
~bedroll, 1s, 5 lbs
~winter blanket, 5s, 3 lbs
~spellbook, free, 3 lbs
~small steel mirror, 10g, 0.5 lbs
~dagger, 2g, 1 lb
belt pouch, 1g, 0.5 lbs
~4 fishhooks, 4s, - lbs
~10' fishing line, 1g, - lbs
~flint and steel, 1g, - lbs
~whetstone, 2c, 2 lbs
money pouch, 1g, 0.5 lbs
waterskin, 1g, 4 lbs
spell component pouch, 5g, 2 lbs

Money: 12.8

Encumbrance: 31.5 lbs (light load)
0-33 light
34-66 medium
67-100 heavy


Familiar:
Podo, ferret (using weasel stats)
Hit Points: 5
AC: 15 (+1 Natural Armor, +2 Dex, +2 size) [Touch 14, Flat-footed 13]
Fortitude +2 [+2 base, +0 Con]
Reflex +4 [+2 base, +2 Dex], Improved Evasion
Will +3 [+2 base, +1 Wis]
Str 3 Dex 15 Con 10 Int 6 Wis 12 Cha 5[/sblock]

And here's his background and characterization...

[sblock=Appearance]Maas, while a Genasi, doesn't betray his heritage as much as others do; the only true hints are his prematurely silver hair and the slight cool breeze that frequently circles around him. Otherwise, he appears as a thin human of above-average height. He wears his hair in a swordfighter's topknot and rarely does a smile grace his too-serious visage.

[/sblock]
[sblock=Personality]Maas devotes all of his energy towards what he believes is the ultimate in fighting techniques: a fusion of the Sublime Way and the arcanist's Art. In his mind, each is half of the perfect discipline. Since the age of 16, he has pursued this dual mastery to the exclusion of all else. He maintains only the barest social presence needed to ensure his place with a master of the Way, and he spends nearly two-thirds of every single day practicing the two paths. If forced into conversation, Maas is direct, blunt, and to the point - often rudely so. Given his choice, the only sounds he utters would be kiai shouts or spell incantations.[/sblock]
[sblock=Background]Maas was born in the court of Sayed Sheikh Ustiyad al-Rashid ibn Mustad ibn Alamam al-Valis (roughly, Holy Ruler Ustiyad of the righteous path, son of Mustad, son of Alamam of Valis), a Cloud Giant swordmaster of great power, cunning, and cruelty, descended from a short but long-lived line of Cloud Giants that at one point held a significant portion of Valis in their dominion. Maas' birth was well-received in the court, for his parents (an Air Genasi mother and a Half-Air-Elemental father) were both powerful in their own rights and the match was favored by Ustiyad himself, who hoped to breed a new line of powerful - and loyal - Air Genasi. From his birth, Maas was treated well by the Court; given the best tutors and training, all his needs provided for, all his desires granted.
That changed when Ustiyad started to demand results from his decade-long investment. Maas was assigned a series of missions for the giant. Nothing dangerous or important to the success of Ustiyad's schemes, but still intricate and complex, requiring a high degree of effort from Maas - a degree of effort the young Genasi failed to show. For all his life, Maas had been pampered as if he was Ustiyad's own offspring, and he was soft and complacent in his role as Favored Child of the Court. Throughout the next several years, Ustiyad withdrew priviledge after priviledge from the youth as he failed to complete - or, in some cases, even begin - task after task. Enraged by what he saw as a betrayal, Ustiyad finally exiled Maas on his 15th birthday, having him branded with Ustiyad's personal sigil and dumped unceremoniously at the edge of his territory with nothing to his name but a plain set of clothes and a single, unremarkable blade.
The sudden and unexpected (to him) punishment sparked a change in Maas, and from that day he searched for a purpose, a goal to his life. He wandered Valis as a sellsword, participating as a mercenary in several border disputes between rival Elemental Courts, and even stealing food when he had no other choice. That all ended when he met Master Oah. Master Oah was an aged man who lived in a cabin by himself some mile and a half from the nearest village. At the time, Maas hadn't eaten in nearly a week and was half-delirious when he came across the lone cabin. Master Oah took in the teenager and nursed him back to health.
Oah's price for saving Maas was that Maas stay with Oah and learn discipline - either in the Art or in the Sublime Way, for Master Oah was, while neither a swordmaster nor an archmage, learned in both. He tested Maas for both paths and, to his surprise, Maas excelled equally in all the tests he could think of. Maas saw this as his chance, and begged Master Oah to initiate him in both paths. For the next three years, Maas followed Master Oah's every command, suggestion, and whim, growing rapidly in skill and passion for his chosen path.
This idyllic time was limited, however, as even before Maas' apprenticeship, Oah was in ill health. He was ancient for a human and knew his time in the realm of mortals was limited. On his deathbed, he bade Maas to take up his spellbook and his blade and seek out an acquaintance of his named Master Carthis, who would help guide him further along the Sublime Way. Determined to succeed at his Master's legacy, Maas tracked down Carthis and, after relating the events of the last few years and dueling the Master, won a spot at Carthis' remote school.[/sblock]

The general sequence of the events for the background is how I'd like to keep things, but the flavor is pretty mutable if it doesn't match up with what you had in mind.

 

[Ryfte]

Alright, I think I'm going to try to 'noble savage' build, playing a Totemist Warblade. I can see him either being a Skarn (from Magic of Incarnum) or human. If you've got any nifty ideas about where Skarns could fit in your set-up, I'll go for that, if not I'll go with human.

Either way, he'll be a specialist in Tiger Claw primarily, with a bit of Iron and Stone on the side.

LOL, I was about to post a concept for a goblin totemist warblade when I saw your post Nac, lol!