(Recruiting) The Fall of Zathas

[GlassEye]

Thanks for the extra information, CS. It helps a lot in wrapping my brain around the setting and in developing background for my character. I'm still working on concept atm. Right now I am heavily leaning towards wizard but druid keeps poking its nasty claws into my (admittedly sketchy) concept.

Behold!* Atapesh, Servant of Anu, Scion of Mattigal the Navigator, Initiate of the Star of Law, Spear-bearer of the Seventh Cohort. Atapesh is not a physically imposing man but he has a certain presence that draws the eye. He pays homage to the god Anu and has power at his disposal that he claims is granted him by the Sky Father. Atapesh is descended from Mattigal the Navigator, a lesser member of the original expedition. I'm not really sure about his military standing just yet; that status would greatly influence his personal motivations, I think. Wizard, with the following disciplines: Arcanist and Eldritch Bolt or Telepathy.

Also, what is the standing/role of the nobility in Zathas? Especially in relation to the military. A little background on what I'm thinking: I'm considering Atapesh's family descended from a member of the original expedition. Through the years they worked themselves into the noble caste (Would this even be a good thing or possible? Considering the military seems to have all the power I'm not sure.)

*Everything in this paragraph subject to change.

 

[Shayuri]

I'd love to play an outsider then, if no one else has that concept. It'd be fun to have a character who can react to all this as someone who hasn't been born and raised to it.

Perhaps an indigenous elf druid...or something along those lines...

 

[Creamsteak]

Also, what is the standing/role of the nobility in Zathas? Especially in relation to the military. A little background on what I'm thinking: I'm considering Atapesh's family descended from a member of the original expedition. Through the years they worked themselves into the noble caste (Would this even be a good thing or possible? Considering the military seems to have all the power I'm not sure.)

Well first, law is slightly different between the Militocracy and the Empire.

In the Empire:
The civilian caste is prevalent and they can own their property and trade their goods.
The merchant caste can own property and trade with foreign nations and are permitted to handle trades for others (exchange property that is not their own).
The military caste lose all special rights.
The noble caste is privileged, a ruling class, what is important is that their rights supersede others, not that they are different.

In the Militocracy:
The civilian castes rights are on hold due to martial law.
The merchant castes right to property is also on hold, but they retain their special merchant rights.
The military caste remains the same, but is rather dominant in the culture.
The noble caste has a special right to property that exceeds the dictation of martial law, and as such they are the only group that retains this right.

The governor-general can move anyone into the military caste while martial law remains. He can also then take them out of the military caste making them civilians. Under normal law, he could not move a noble or merchant into the military caste (or the civilian for that matter).

The emperor is the only one that can move someone into the noble caste, and he can move anyone around at his will.

The emperor is the only one who can over-rule the governor-general.

One is typically born to a legitimate marriage into a caste based on the higher caste of their parents. Military < Civilian < Merchant < Noble. That said, however, under martial law few would want their child to be born a civilian.

Marriages within a caste are more common than those between castes (by a fair margin). Nobles are especially restrictive about this.

Children born out of legitimate marriage are wards of the state, and often end up being put into the military (but there are exceptions).

So if your character's family married into a noble house, they could very well become a noble. It could very well be a good thing, but it also might have consequences. It does mean you can actually claim property, which means the state can't just take it from you (like they can from all the other castes).

Most of the first nobles to move to the Militocracy did so in the hopes of carving a foothold for their families in a new world. They came here in the hopes of getting rich and powerful quickly. The initial mindset of the expedition was that it would only take a few years to conquer the wild lands, and that a huge swath of land and resources would be there for the taking. Young sons and daughters that were sent forth to follow the generals expedition and create a society on the other side of the continent. While some migrants still seem to have similar goals, most nobles here now are the descendants of those first generations. These nobles are far removed from their cousins and other relatives, and they rule over small estates and manage affairs often closely tied to trade. They are essentially independant somewhat untouchable entities that provide a haven for those that want to do trade here. Since both a merchant caste member and a noble caste member are required to own and trade goods within the militocracy, they often work together to import and export wealth from the city. Really, they have become more and more like the merchant caste here. They have the wealth, and freedom from most military authority (save the governor-general), and they don't have to follow the same rules.

 

[GlassEye]

Still churning things over... but I've decided against the noble idea. I think it may be more interesting to have a low rank, military caste wizard whose life is largely his unit. More to come whenever I get things solidified.

 

[Tiali]

OK I've narrowed it down, Human Warblade (nine swords) will have spent his feats to get rank 3 military caste. I will post my character sheet tomorrow night (sorry would post tonight, but gotta post the start of my game, and a RL family matter to attend to.)

 

[Theroc]

Terribly sorry about the delay. Have started on my sheet, but having a bit of difficulty determing how to build him without screwing up too badly. (For example: Choosing a plating isn't something I can technically change... unless I... don't get hit for an entire level?)

I have started working on it, just thinking on the numbers to ensure I don't end up being useless.

Hopefully I'm not holding things up too much. If I am, I might change the concept around a bit so I won't have as much to worry about.

Just remembered a question:
What is our starting wealth? And how rare are magical items?

Also: Does Zathas have any particular languages outside the 'norm'? As in, in a few other games starting up soon, they tend to rename Common into other things in the flavor of the realm.

Does Zathas have anything unique about it's language systems?

Sorry to bury you in questions, been working a bit more on my Warforged.

Questions: Warforged don't heal naturally over time. Does this mean the distinction between Grace and Health won't affect him, or will his grace points still recover anyway?

Do you have any particular identities worked out for the Regiments and how the military functions? Would there be a regiment dedicated to training/research?(Figuring my Warforged would be a new magical experiment)

 

[Creamsteak]

What is our starting wealth? And how rare are magical items?

900 gp, very rare.

Does Zathas have any particular languages outside the 'norm'? As in, in a few other games starting up soon, they tend to rename Common into other things in the flavor of the realm.

For the time being no, just using the core language system.

Does Zathas have anything unique about it's language systems?

Nothing at the moment to note.

Questions: Warforged don't heal naturally over time. Does this mean the distinction between Grace and Health won't affect him, or will his grace points still recover anyway?

They would still recover grace.

Do you have any particular identities worked out for the Regiments and how the military functions? Would there be a regiment dedicated to training/research?(Figuring my Warforged would be a new magical experiment)

Yes, I have some idea of a few of the different military groups. I don't have enough of that information detailed out to translate it over to the players yet as I have a few things. There would probably be at least one group run by a magic user of some kind, or potentially even by someone that was more of an engineer, so that's possible.

 

[hellrazor111]

I would love to play a political game like this.

I would like to play a Human Paladin (of freedom and nonspellcasting variants if its okay). Who has come to change if not end the Militocracy of Zathas, seeing only the oppression of the lower Castes. He is attempting to get initiated into the Military Caste, seeing as it hold the power, and to find those that think as he does. While being a warrior, he is also charismatic and will use that fact when he can.

Or a Human Paladin (nonspellcasting) that is more of an inspirational soldier, that aspires to be a general (or the equivalent) that uses his charisma to further his standing in the Military Caste. My starting feats would be in Improved Rank, to show the progress he has already made.

 

[Shayuri]

I'm liking the elf druid idea more and more as I think on it.

Is there anything I need to know about elves or druidry in this gameworld before getting farther into chargen?

...or maybe a druid or ranger/swordsage multiclass...HMM...

 

[Creamsteak]

I've got nothing on elves yet.