[Recruiting] Students of the Mithos Academy [3.5E]

[Alessandro]

Note: Canceled for now due to lack of interest. Maybe I'll give it a try again in a month or so.


The Basics:

I’m opening up for recruitment a series of 3.5E adventures that will be ready in the next few days. Players would be young students in a secret fantasy world hidden within a modern and otherwise-mundane continent. Enough information to get things started should be below. If you have any questions please feel free to post them and I should be able to get back to you with an answer pretty quickly.

Character building information is at the very end of these introductory posts. I have personally been frequently frustrated by first-come-first-serve character concept approval (it takes me a while to make characters, I like to be thorough…) so any submissions entered before Sunday at noon (Eastern Standard Time) will be considered. I’m looking for a party of four – maybe five – characters. If more than four or five people are interested, I will pick from those submitted.

I would like each player to post at least once per day. If an action is required of your character and you forget to post, I will take your characters action for you just to move things along and keep it interesting.

As with any PbP character concept, there might very well be information you want to include in your character background that is not discussed below such as a city or suburb name, etc. If you would like, feel free to take a stab in the dark and make things up that seem to fit well with the setting. If there are problems, I’ll let you know and we can rework things.

On to the information:

 

[Alessandro]

Setting and Story:

In the modern world of Perinia, the distant descendants of the Immortals still walk the land, forming a hidden world of magic and the supernatural within an otherwise mundane existence. Three institutions of learning have existed for over one thousand years, tasked with finding, training, and governing these ‘heroes.’

Players begin as students of the Mithos Academy located in the nation of Alsandria. They have just completed their third year of academic training in their respective gifts and will soon be placed in a four (or five) student “TC,” or Training Company. TCs are each paired with a highly-respected mentor and tasked with various assignments on behalf of both the Mithos Academy and Heroes in general. Assignments might include collecting information on or acquiring a specific artifact (through legal or illegal means), assassination, arcane research, subtly influencing the affairs of mortals, various other tasks, or special assignment.

The Mithos Academy, amongst the three schools, has a certain reputation. Although there are a few that might claim the Academy is “evil” or “wicked,” such claims are for the most part unfounded. It is, however, true that of the three institutions of supernatural learning, the Mithos Academy and its members are generally self-serving and frequently cutthroat. This is not to say that your character must necessarily be so, but the Academy excels in espionage, assassination, retrieval of magical artifacts, and magical influence and your character will have been trained in one or more of these skills for part or all of the past three years.

TCs tend to include a variety of races and classes, if possible, to expose students to the widest breadth of experience possible.

It is customary for a student to spend three years in a TC before being graduated by their mentor. It is the responsibility of the Mentor to continue the training of his or her TC or to schedule lessons with another qualified instructor.

 

[Alessandro]

Geography and Politics of Perinia:

“Perinia” consists of two large islands which are referred to as the Greater and Lesser Perinia. Greater Perinia is approximately 700 miles long and ranges from about two hundred miles wide at its greatest to one hundred miles wide at its narrowest. The southern half of the island is the Kingdom of Alsandria while the northern half is the Kingdom of Plymond. Lesser Perinia is separated from Greater Perinia by approximately seventy to one hundred miles of sea. With the exception of a small portion which has been held by Plymond, the entire island of Lesser Perinia constitutes the Kingdom of Aloen.

All three nations carry the title “Kingdom” in a more-or-less vestigial sense. Alsandria has been a democratic republic for nearly two hundred years and have a President as Executive, a system of appointed Magistrates, and a bicameral legislature consisting of a Senate and a House of Representatives. The Citizens of Alsandria are guaranteed liberal democratic rights and privileges similar to those of the current EU countries or the USA. Plymond and Aloen are Constitutional Monarchies with legislative power placed in a House of Lords and a House of Commons for each. Magistrates are appointed or elected by various rules and regulations.

Though there are occasional outbreaks of hostility between the three nations, no full ‘war’ has erupted within the last forty years. There is no immediate reason to believe one will occur in the near future.

Like all aspects of the three nations, transportation within each country and between countries is highly developed including highways, trains, airplanes, and boats. Leaving one nation and entering another requires proper documentation such as a passport.

 

[Alessandro]

Magic and the Supernatural:

Ten thousand years before the modern day, the Immortals walked Perinia and involved themselves in its affairs. At times, their ‘involvement’ resulted in offspring. Although ten thousand years have passed and the Immortals no longer pass so freely amongst their creations, the bloodlines of the Immortals still live on. Those with the blood of Immortals in their veins posses Gifts – immense strength, exquisite perception, the ability to cast arcane spells, or communion with the Immortals.

Eight thousand years ago, in a period of great turmoil, the common masses began to fear and despise Heroes for their abilities, political power, and personal wealth. Fueled by fear and greed, the non-heroic nobility raised armies and hired assassins to eliminate heroes when they were found. It is unknown how many heroes lost their lives in the time of the Purging, nor how many bloodlines were lost, but those that survived gathered together and called upon the Immortals to protect them.

The Immortals granted divine blessing to two amongst the heroes. The first, Archmage Goering, the most powerful mage of the era, cast an enchantment to prevent the common people from recognizing magic and the supernatural when they saw it. The second, Lady Evelyn, the most gifted cleric of the era, dulled the commoners memory of heroes, causing what were histories and biographies to be considered myths and legends. Both Goering and Evelyn lost their lives in the casting.

Today, heroes still live under the blessing of Goering’s Gift. Any act of divine blood witnessed by one of the commons will be misinterpreted, attributed to mundane causes, and forgotten or waved off as a trick of vision. Historical writings from shortly after the casting of Goering’s Gift suggest that if enough of the supernatural is witnessed by one or more of the commons, Goering’s Gift may fail – allowing them to see the true state of things. Even if a given act is not enough to totally break Goering’s Gift, impressive or flamboyant acts of supernatural abilities will cause panic or aggression, so one must still be careful to limit use of their Gift in the presence of the commons.

In return for granting protection and secrecy to the Heroes, the Immortals have placed certain restrictions upon them. Primarily, heroes have an immense amount of trouble with modern technology. Though a given hero might be able to do simple things such as operate a microwave or a DVD player or drive a car, they generally have a enough trouble with high level computers, stunt driving, and firearms that they don’t bother.

The Institutions of the Supernatural:

Three schools exist with the purpose of locating, training, and governing Heroes. The Mithos Academy recruits from and governs Alsandria, the Goering School holds sway in Plymond, and Bastion is in Aloen. Although all three are free to govern their lands as they see fit, all three contain or eliminate those that threaten to expose heroes and their abilities to the commons.

Each school tends to employ many of students who graduate from their halls, either as instructors, researchers, spies, assassins, or collectors or rare artifacts. Students who are not employed by the school can choose to live more mundane lives or can attempt to form or join one of various gifted organizations.

A select few of the commons are aware of the existence of the supernatural, such as the heads of government and some of the ultra-wealthy. Some heroes who are not employed by the Schools act as heads of security for government officials, business tycoons, or others that might need protection from magical influence. They are highly paid because of their ability to recognize and defend against the supernatural.

National Agencies for the Control of Magic:

The Executive Branch of each government is aware of the existence of magic. Because of their inability to control it (or even to recognize it) each government has secret agencies tasked with seeking out and eliminating heroes where they can be found. Each Agency locates and trains its own students (students trained at the various Schools have not to date betrayed their friends and instructors by joining an Agency or revealing the Schools’ locations). The Academy is not nearly powerful enough to combat or attack the schools themselves, but – given the opportunity – they will attempt to detain or kill heroes conducting their business

 

[Alessandro]

Immortals:

For reasons long lost, the Immortals of Perinia are categorized into two separate groups – Gods and Demons. Though rivalry and wars were once common between the two pantheons, this is no longer the case and the two groups are treated more or less than same. Amongst immortals, the Gods tend to have dominion over elements and Demons hold dominion over aspects of the human condition.

The immortals were once heavily involved in the affairs of their mortal children, but as time progresses, they leave the maturing mortal races to their own ends. Immortals communicate with or even appear before their most loyal followers, but the majority of heroes (and all mortals) will live their lives without directly experiencing a divine presence.

Researchers have postulated that modern heroes have increased abilities and access to magic as a result of divine heritage, but few heroes have any inkling as to which of the immortals might be in their ancestry. Through from time to time an immortal might try to ‘claim’ a certain hero as their own, heroes usually can choose to worship any or no immortal as they will.

Gods, Domains, and Common Names:
·[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]Sirius, Sun and Light, the Burning Star, Male
·[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]Nila, Night, the Midnight Lady, Female
·[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]Enlion, Storms, Lord of Storms, Male
·[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]Nephthys, Death, the Silent Lady, Female
·[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]Rosalind,Love and Beauty, the Most Fair, Female
·[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]Alessandro, War, Lord of War, Male
·[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]Taika, Magic, the Sorcerer Queen, Female
·[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]Gyatson, the Sea, Lord of the Deep, Male
·[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]Deanna, Healing, Lady of the Soothing Hand, Female

Demons, Domains, and Common Names:
·[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]Laila, Pride, the Demon Queen, the First Fallen, Female
·[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]Yusra, Greed, the Lady of Gifts, Female
·[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]Lividia, Envy, Keeper of the Tilted Scale, Female
·[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]Systil, Despair, the Forsaken, Male
·[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]Furis, Wrath, Lord of Hate, Male
·[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]Dulcinea, Lust, the Honeyed Maiden, Female
·[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]Merinia, Pain, Queen of Tears, Female
·[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]Verga, Vengeance, Lord of Judgement, Male
·[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]Deminian, Fear, the Nightmare Prince, Male

 

[Alessandro]

Character Building:

PCs should start as third level characters, representing the knowledge and skills they have gained during three years at the Academy. Stats should be determined with a 28 point buy system. All material should be 3.5E. Players start with no wealth and equipment is issued by the Academy (hence, basic armor, weapons, spell materials, etc. will be provided but no character will start with any magical equipment until they acquire those items on their own).

For the most part, I ask that you stick to the PHB and DMG. It’s my personal belief that the races and classes in there will let you do nearly anything you want (and are not overly focused on one skill or overly powerful). If you want to use the occasional spell or feat from elsewhere, feel free to propose it (you will have to send me the information on it – I only have the Core Books) but the general rule is that you should expect me to respectfully decline allowing it. But there’s no reason you shouldn’t ask if you like something.

Races: Yes, races other than humans are allowed, although humans comprise nearly 100% of the total population of Perinia and the vast majority of heroes. Elves and dwarves, etc, existed as full civilizations ten thousand years prior, but during the Purging the vast numbers of humans have more or less eradicated them. I would prefer to have two or fewer non-humans in the party.

Age: The Academy recruits its students once they reach the age of sixteen or seventeen, depending on where in the year your birthday falls. You should be three years older than the age at which you started (19 or 20). Non-humans should adjust their age to be three years after the age of maturity.

Classes: Use PHB. Feel free to ask if you can use another, send me the information, but expect me to respectfully decline allowing it.

Feats: Same as above.

Spells and Powers: Same as above.

Skills: As per PHB, but we will be adding the skill Driving (Dex) and Computers (Int). Driving will be used in feats of exceptional driving and computers in the case of programming or hacking. They are not class skills for any class. Honestly, I have no idea how frequently they will pop up in the course of the game. It will depend on your party’s play style.

 

[Alessandro]

So far, only one character concept has been submitted (half-elf wizard/sorc). If anyone else is interested, just post something to that affect by tomorrow (Sunday) midday.

Unless we get a total party of four or five PCs, I will put the campaign on hold and will likely try a new recruitment post for an updated version in a month or so. Those who express an interest and submit a character concept now can have first dibs on that campaign if and when it opens.

 

[ghostcat]

I think this is a very interesting idea.

Character concept is a Human rogue with very low (6) wisdom, who has been trained as a spy. Not sure if the character will work in practise but its worth a try.