The Astronecrotic Heresy - OOC Thread

[Tear44]

I am mulling over my character choices, but had a few questions.

How does magic fit into the setting? Is the church okay with it? Does the empire's army sanction it? Is it seen as powers or gifts from the dark one?

Are there Barbarians? Or would they be more like street thugs that were never educated?

What does Craft:Clockwork alow you to make? Which classes can take demolitions?

 

[apocalypstick]

Magic

The practice of magic is a dying art. Magicians (the general populace does not differentiate between Wizards and Sorcerers) are seen as archaic relics of a time long past. In an age of clockworks and steamworks, most find it simpler to use mechanical devices than dedicate themselves to the arduous study and research necessary to wield magic.

Wizards are "encouraged" to register with the Empire, though Hedge Wizards and the like who keep their heads down and stay away from the large cities can easily slip through the cracks. The Empire does have Magicians in its employ.

The Church's position on magic is much the same; it, too, claims a few Magicians among their ranks. However, the Church does frown upon Summoning/Binding type magics - it smacks of "deals with the devil."

Barbarians

Treat Barbarians as "berzerking warriors." The cultural connotations of the Barbarian class do not exist in this setting - they could be anything from a warrior with an attitude problem to an uneducated street thug who flies into violent rages at the slightest provocation. And they do not suffer from illiteracy.

Craft: Clockwork, Craft: Steamwork, and Demolitions

The Craft: Clockwork allows the character to create mechanical devices powered by an external source - typically, by "winding up." Examples of these items would include pocketwatches, childrens' toys, etc.

Craft: Steamworks is used in the manufacturing of steam engines, which are most often used to power massive clockworks, ranging from trains and hydraulic elevators to - hypothetically - war machines.

Any class can take Demolitions, though a character with this skill should explain how they received the initial training - most often this would be from serving in the Imperial Army, though there are certainly other ways the character could come by the knowledge. This skill does not cover the creation of Black Powder itself, but rather the best ways to use it - how to blow up bridges, create complex bombs, and the like.

Edit: Demolitions would also cover the use of artillery and cannonades.

 

[Zerth]

I have a character idea, that would require a little more house-ruling. I'm thinking about a barbarian/monk mix, a street fighter belonging to some gang. He'd be using bare fists and a spiked chain as weapons. But by the rules monks must be lawful and cannot multiclass freely and you cannot rage if lawful. I'd like to start with one level in each class, if you'll allow this Apocalypstick.

If this is not ok, I'll think of something else. Sorry it's been taking this long, but somebody already "stole" my idea of making a ftr1/rog1 with improved feint

 

[apocalypstick]

I'm going to have to say no to the berzerk martial-artist; sorry.

I will allow an alignment-shift between your first and second levels, so you can take Bbn 1 and then class over into Mnk 2 (the angry kid who's trying to find direction in his life, so he joins a monastary or what have you) if you like. However, from that point you would be a full Monk - must be Lawful, can't go back into the class if you leave it, etc.

I don't think being Lawful, according to the book, prevents you from Raging if you already have the ability. And if it does... well, I say it doesn't for this game.

 

[Zerth]

I really don't want this character to be monkish, but there just isn't any other way to make a decent unarmed fighter in this game.

But I have another idea, which by the way works even with the rules. I'm going to begin with two monk levels, multiclass to a barbarian, when we level up and continue on that path. He's a kid, whose monastery was burned down and looted by a street gang. His best friends, who were all monks, also died in the attack. The furious kid joins in the rivaling street gang to exact justice. Ex-monks retain all class abilities and I can begin with chaotic alignment, ready to go berzerking on the next level

 

[apocalypstick]

I like it. Post your stats when you have them worked up and then it'll be three down, two to go. I'd like to get all the characters finished before the end of the work-week then I can close down this thread and start tying backgrounds, motivations, etc. all together.

I'm going to try and drop lots of plot hooks and leads to follow once the game begins, but I'm the anthesis of the "railroad-DM;" everyone, when fleshing out your characters, consider that this is your world, and it's going straight down the toilet - so what are you going to do about it?

We'll work on answering those questions in the next thread. And then, from there - we'll start the game.


And, BTW... I've got a couple of backups waiting in the wings with characters made, so if anyone doesn't have a character posted by, oh, lets say Friday at midnight (EST), I'm going to replace them with one of the alternates. Barring extenuating RL circumstances, I would like everyone to be able to keep up with a minimum of one post a day once the game begins.

If this is going to present a problem for anyone, please let me know. I know I should have said this earlier, sorry... but i've made this decision in the interests of the group as a whole.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to seeing the rest of your characters!

 

[Tear44]

Right now I am on the horns of a delicious dilemma.

I am torn between;
1) a Druid done in a Cowboy motif. Horse as animal companion, wanders from farm to farm looking for work, close to the "earth" that has a connection to animals. Bothered by the dying suns effect on the land.

2) a Sorcerer as secret DarkOne Worshiper. Summoner that has accidently been causing strange things to appear, trying to keep his profile low from the justicari and recently lost all from a Neighbors betrayal to the local church. Not bad, but buys the church line that Summoning= Evil.

3) a Rogue Sapper/Military Engineer. Heavy on the new crafts and gunpowder. Maybe worked on war machinery but has a dangerous obsesion with watching things explode. Was drummed out of the military for his fetish. Likes to tinker, but has no access to the big toys anymore.

Like I said, brilliant setting. Haveing way to many character concepts rolling through my mind.

 

[apocalypstick]

Those are totally pimp ideas; I dig them all.

(I dig one of them slightly more than the others, but I won't tell you which one - I wouldn't want it to influence your decision. Oh yeah; Druidism is - surprise, surprise - a heresy!)

And thanks for the compliment!

 

[Tear44]

Share what you think, would love to have some ideas from the GM.

Cause I would hate to be on my horse while the party is chasing down trouble in the tight underground sewers. Or be an erstwhile heretic, when we have a bunch of Church interaction going on. That and I am wondering if a sapper wouldn't be a bit much of a duplication, looking at the 2 other characters.

 

[Kamard]

Sorry it's been taking this long, but somebody already "stole" my idea of making a ftr1/rog1 with improved feint

*smiles and waves*

Quick on the draw, Zerth-y my boy, quick on the draw. And that was a toss-up between the fighter/rogue, a normal rog2 who is an expert on everything, and a necromancer.

That Improved Feint thing is the best thing since bread bowls.

Edit: My two cents.

Go with the Sorceror. As far as I am concerned, the Church is a bunch of evil men masquerading in sheep's vestments. You can't be any worse!