Seeking Players: Pathfinder RPG, Birthright

Game: Pathfinder with a homemade setting

Birthright: The Reclaimed Lands - of dwarves, giants, and massive mushroom forests Schedule: Wednesday 4-7pm Location: Cab Comics, 1471 South Milton Rd in the Sherwood Forest Shopping Center Game Master Jacob is seeking players for a custom Pathfinder setting! Jacob has recently moved to Flagstaff and is looking to run a dwarf-focused (though by no means exclusive) Pathfinder campaign. On Wednesday, Nov 29 we're testing the waters for new players at Cab Comics. This is a free session for all and we hope it will become the Guild's first Pathfinder campaign! For Jacob's detailed primer of the setting, keep reading! Character creation options are at the bottom. - Birthright The Reclaimed Lands Setting Overview The dwarves of Birthright were enslaved when an army of giants arrived by sea almost fifteen hundred years ago. After suppressing the small population of dwarves on the island, the kings of the giants, known as Titans, planted a massive spore in the supervolcano on the northern tip of the continent. That spore soon germinated, and spread spores that gave rise to the great mushroom forests that cover the majority of the continent. The dwarves toiled for generations for their new masters, building great cities and monuments for the giants on the surface while they lived underground. As the giants greed and ambition grew, their need for more servants did as well. Too late, the giants realized their population of slaves had become dangerously large. Large enough to threaten them if they rebelled. In an attempt to cull their slaves, the giants released a deadly strain of deathspore fungus into one of the dwarven mountainhomes. The fungus proved to be much more effective than they anticipated, spreading through the underground tunnels that connect each dwarf settlement and forcing their populations to retreat to the surface. Enraged by the death toll and the loss of their homes, the dwarves retaliated. The Titans armies broke quickly under the tide of numbers, weakened from a thousand years of mostly ceremonial service. The dwarves forced any giants who refused to surrender deep into the refuge of the mushroom jungles, where they hid as the rampaging dwarves set huge swathes of the towering toadstools ablaze. They persisted in their pursuit, attempting to hunt down the remaining Titan kings. The vengeance of the dwarves was only quelled when their armies at last began to starve. Begrudgingly, they gathered in the charred ruins of one of the giants and met to discuss their plans for the future. In the process, they gave their home a new name: Birthright, vowing to forget the name the giants had given it. It has been a mere one hundred years since that gathering, not even a lifetime, and to the dwarves it still seems as if they have only begun to reclaim what was once theirs. Races Dwarves The Dwarves are by far the most numerous race on Birthright, even before their enslavement and subsequent population explosion. They are short, hardy, and industrious creatures with a strong sense of what they consider to be right and wrong. They have an inborn desire to make some sort of lasting mark on the world. This trait feeds their ambition, and as a result this and their long lifespans, dwarves were known for creating some of the greatest constructed wonders of the world before their fall. Subtypes: Common - Common variety of dwarves found all over the world. They are tough, hardworking, and wise. At the same time, their fixation with their own race and general distrust of others makes them a bit standoffish. Volcanic - With skin ranging from pale grey to pitch black, volcanic dwarves are a subterranean species of dwarf that is used to living in the very hot areas near lava flows. As such, they are quite resistant to flame. They were the most common species of dwarf on Birthright before the giants came. Wielders of powerful personalities, dwarves of this bloodline are often sorcerers, though the magic that runs through their veins also makes them more susceptible to spells than their kin. They are even more concerned with their bloodlines than other dwarf subspecies, and can become so fixated on the past that they forget to focus on the present. Fey - An odd and particularly rare kind of dwarf with long lopsided ears and predilection for obsession. Said to be the result of giants selectively breeding common dwarves with gnomes, though there is no solid evidence to support these claims. Like gnomes though, the fey dwarves are intelligent and often eccentric, prone to fixating on singular ideas, concepts, or goals. They are more stubborn than any of their kin when it comes to following their obsessions, and this leads to both great successes and tragic failures. Many of them are often spellcasters, and because of this affinity they lose their natural resistance to magic much like their volcanic kin. Half-Giant - The inevitable result of a thousand years of living together. Rather than hated, the half-giant dwarves are pitied by their shorter friends and neighbors. This greatly annoys them, and many brawls have started over the subject of their heritage. Being much larger and stronger than the typical dwarf, one could argue that they are in fact superior to their brethren. Though with the wounds of war and oppression still fresh, most of the population of Birthright doesn't see things that way. And so, all but the most determined of giant-kin find themselves segregated to the marsh town of Sanctuary. Humans Humans can be found in many settlements across Birthright, but they are a small minority. In fact, most humans on Birthright are quite recent arrivals. Ten years ago, the Artificers Commune from the human empire of Yant struck a deal with the dwarves of Birthright, leasing a large area of barren land on the southeastern corner of the continent. There they established a thriving port colony, sustaining themselves with frequent and plentiful imports from their benefactors from the comune. Most dwarves begrudgingly accept the presence of the humans on their island, citing the very welcome imports of iron and steel, but others see the burgeoning colony as a quickly encroaching plague. Giants Most of the giants on Birthright were massacred or driven deep into the mushroom jungles. The few who surrendered are forced to live in the least desirable land the dwarves could find, far from the towering mushroom forests where the treacherous giants could potentially hide and rebuild away from the watchful eyes of the dwarves. Not many pure blooded giants remain, and the streets of Sanctuary are filled with stunted, inbred, and generally malnourished giants. The few healthy specimens that remain try to act as examples to their downtrodden brothers, or else attempt to live on their own in the forests and hills where they must put up with veterans and rowdy bands of young dwarves or hate who wish to harass them. There are larger and wilder giants still about, but they take care to stay well away from the beaten path. Somewhere on Birthright, some of the Titan kings remain, reforming their armies in preparation for the next war. Elves The desert elves of the northeastern crags are as likely to invite to dinner any outsider that comes near as they are to rob them. They are a jolly and whimsical lot, equally as generous during a prosperous season as they are vicious in times of need. Rumor has it they have many strange unspoken customs with harsh penalties when broken, but not many have taken the time to cross the desert to visit them. During the scarce seasons they regularly send out raiders to steal supplies and riches from the reclaimed mountainhome of Anvilhall, and some claim to have seen their gliders as far south as Newhome. Other tribes of elves live a nomadic life in the mushroom forests, but not many have seen them and lived to tell of the encounter. Orcish caravans often share stories of an ancient rivalry with a faction of elves that borders their land. These tales remain unconfirmed, as natural barriers and orcish laws prevent outsiders from visiting their territory. Elves from distant countries are known to visit Birthright or even to immigrate, but they are one of the smallest minorities on the island, and mainly consist of dedicated alchemists on the hunt for rare and powerful ingredients. Elves from other continents tend to look down on their savage cousins from Birthright, but few feel the same way after witnessing their skill in battle firsthand. Orcs Anywhere there is air to breath and things to eat, there are orcs. Birthright is no exception to this rule. The cliff orcs who live across the mountain range north of Horizon claim to have been there since before the dwarves. This causes no shortage of consternation between the two races, as both feel they are the rightful inheritors of the land. Only the dividing mountains have have prevented an all out war between the orcs and the dwarves as both attempt to reclaim territory they claim belonged to them before the giants came. The recent efforts of the Guild of Reclamations to restore the mountainhome called Darkarch recently found on the north side of the mountains has tensions rising higher than they've been in the past hundred years. Trade caravans from the orcs are becoming fewer and fewer, and advocates for peace on both sides begin to wonder if conflict is simply inevitable. Major Factions The Guild of Reclamations - Base of Operations: Anvilhall A fervent guild of dwarves that eagerly delve into the infested caves and tunnels beneath Birthright, in search of the old mountainhomes and deep roads. Their stated goal is to reclaim the lost homes, heirlooms, and history of the ancestors that came before. They've made a fortune selling reclaimed dwellings and guiding caravans through old passageways they've excavated. They also spend these fortunes almost as quickly as they undertake the massive effort of clearing deathspore infestations and digging out collapsed tunnels. They are the biggest employer on the island, and thousands of dwarves would be without work if it weren't for the seemingly endless supply of stable jobs and pay they provide. The chairman of the guild claims to be a philanthropist, and even claims to deeply regret the need to sell the ancestral homes they restore. Whatever their intentions, The Guild of Reclamations remains the most powerful, wealthy, and influential organization on the continent. The Heirs - Base of Operations: Anvilhall A clan of primarily volcanic dwarves that claim to be able to trace their family lines back to the old High Kings that ruled the continent before the conquering giants arrived. Their founder was one of the major instigators of the rebellion that led to the Titan war, and before succumbing to his wounds, proposed the continent's new name of Birthright. The name, though fitting, was partially only accepted in honor of his memory. His son Vokram took control of the organization at the age of twenty-six, barely even a fledgeling by dwarven terms. Now, being over a hundred years old, he has come into his own and rallied many noble families beneath him. As the debate for who will become high king comes to a climax, Vokram's leadership abilities have proven him a viable candidate. As the rest of The Heirs strive for glory and wealth both above and below ground, Vokram prepares himself to lay the foundations of the next great dwarven empire. The Nameless - Base of Operations: Newhome A massive clan composed of miners, builders, and laborers formed out of collective need for community after the great rebellion. During the occupation, thousands upon thousands of dwarven slaves were born and never given names. Deprived of a core pillar of their identity, they turned to each other. These slaves, now freed, gave each other their names. Having shared the experience of such a terrible hardship, The Nameless consider all dwarves on Birthright to be their family. Having won freedom, their only remaining wish is to live long and fulfilling lives. Though many still struggle with the rage of what was done to them. While they lack ambition, they have strong opinions when it comes to who, if anyone, should lead the new nation of Birthright, and often butt heads with The Heirs on the subject. The Initiative - Base of Operations: Horizon Not everyone on Birthright is obsessed with the past. The Initiative, previously known as The Horizon Initiative, remembers the mistakes of the past and seeks to not repeat them. Seeing the plight of the captured giants in Sanctuary, they consider it the next step in a repeating cycle of oppression and rebellion. In the city of Horizon, they work closely with their human neighbors, maintaining a deeproad that stretches under the sea and leads to the tip of the cape where the human colony Polaris is situated. The Initiative is one of the few dwarven organizations that maintains an active trading relationship with the orcs far north of them, They strive to support the non-dwarf residents of Birthright as much as they can, and take great pains to learn from them as well. The Initiative sees the Guild of Reclamations efforts to retake the underground as wasted effort better spent elsewhere. They use human farming techniques, orcish hunting tools and strategies, and mushroom secrets acquired from grateful giants. As a result, their settlement suffers from none of the starvation and housing issues faced by the dwarves of Newhome, though their lower population is no doubt a contributing factor. The success of The Initiative is a source of irritation for the more traditionalist dwarves of Birthright, and they are often bitterly accused of being traitors to their own kind. The Grudge - Base of Operations: Staging Town The Grudge is not an organization, but a movement spurred on by the tortured god Aros. Not all the Titan kings were killed during the rebellion, and a great deal of the dwarves feel a duty to their fallen ancestors to finish the job they started. To some, The Grudge is more than a duty. Some dwarves on Birthright feel their hatred for their former masters as keenly as a cloak about their shoulders. Their grim expressions of determination are a common sight in Staging Town as they prepare to pierce further towards their goal of vengeance in the heart of the mushroom jungles. The adherents of Aros known as Grudgebearers collect tithes to fund expeditions and pay mercenary groups. Nearly every major clan and guild contribute a hefty sum towards the effort of exterminating the ones responsible for their generations of hardship. The Artificers Commune - Base of Operations: Polaris A strange commune of magical architects from the city of Yant. They've funded a sizable colony of humans called Polaris on the southeastern corner of the continent. Little is known about their motives, and even the citizens of Polaris don't trust them, though they're happy to to accept their gold anyway. The dwarves are a little nervous about another race setting up a colony on Birthright, as the wounds of the Titan War are still fresh, but the rich imports of metal help convince anyone who matters that its worth it. The Outcasts - Base of Operations: None Those who collaborated with the giants and their Titan kings were branded as traitors and sentenced to death during the first gathering after the rebellion. Grudgebearers were nominated to collect the names of the guilty and record their transgressions. After the first few traitors were rounded up and executed, the rest took their chances and fled into the wilderness, calling themselves The Outcasts. Since then, The Outcasts have become a successful community of bandits, thieves, and general troublemakers. Many of their number have strange a strange obsession the fungi forests, and even worship the great mushroom as some kind of deity. They're mostly interested in feeding themselves, but they've been known to jump at the chance to take revenge for their treatment when they can. Major Settlements Newhome In the earliest days after the rebellion the charred remains of the giant city of Gelduran was claimed by the dwarves and redubbed Newhome. Originally, it was intended to be a new capitol for the rising nation of dwarves, but they were unprepared for the chaos of managing a newly freed nation of former slaves. Towering longhouses and feasting halls were converted into makeshift housing, with smaller rooms being cordoned out of massive homes made for much larger residents. The lack of city planning or leadership resulted in tacked on additions to buildings and sprawling shanty towns of directionless workers unsure of what to do with their lives. As more and more wayward dwarves arrived at the city, the slums spread further and further into the surrounding plains, where unregulated farming and irrigation only further spoiled their plans for the area. Soon enough, all attempts at control were abandoned, and the planning of the city was left to its residents. The city center and the surrounding farms have improved significantly since the cities founding, but Newhome is still plagued with issues of housing, poverty, and starvation, and the slums that encircle the outskirts serve as a stark reminder of that fact. Mountainhome Anvilhall The greatest achievement of The Guild of Reclaimations, Anvilhall is a reclaimed and totally restored ancient mountainhome free of deathspore fungus. Despite its size, even the most modest dwelling in Anvilhall is a highly coveted commodity available only to the wealthy or influential. Due to the substantial cost of restoration The Guild of Reclaimations always finds itself in need of more funds, and so despite their claims of being a philanthropist organization, they begrudgingly offer the homes out to only the highest bidder. The result of these practices is that Anvilhall is filled with the most powerful, willful, and wealthy dwarves on Birthright. Unfortunately, these sorts of people often don't like each other very much, and some are willing to do just about anything short of attention grabbing to sabotage their rivals. Tensions run high in this city, especially as the debate on who will become high king rages on into its second century. Sanctuary The town of Sanctuary has a very literal name. Giants found on Birthright outside of Sanctuary are treated with distrust and suspicion, if not outright hostility, making the town a very literal sanctuary against the persistent dwarven grudge. It is home to the giants who surrendered during the rebellion, and to the many dwarves who didn't quite qualify to be branded as a traitor, but were mistrusted enough to be demoted to a second class citizen. Most well-to-do dwarves stay away from Sanctuary, and the others who don't are usually looking for cheap labor or trying to pick a fight. Soldiers regularly patrol the town and the surrounding area to ensure the surrendered giants aren't up to anything nefarious, and shakedowns of the towns residents are not uncommon. The area around Sanctuary is dismal marsh full of sucking mud pools and infertile bogs, made worse by a botched irrigation project new Newhome. The population of Sanctuary gets most of its food by hunting the strange animals that inhabit the bogs, and by learning hard lessons about local vegetation and mushrooms. As such, they've learned a great deal about what exactly is edible, if not exactly palatable. The slums of Newhome have benefited greatly from some of this knowledge, though nobody is about to thank the giants for it. Sanctuary receives relief shipments of food and supplies from Horizon, and they make do with whatever is left after the gangs and soldiers pick the best bits from them. Horizon Horizon is fit snugly between Sanctuary to the West, Polaris to the Southeast, and the home of the orcs to the north. This suits The Initiative just fine, as they actively trade supplies and secrets with all three. The city itself is an interesting mishmash of buildings from various cultures as the dwarves seek to find out what works best. Being so welcoming, Horizon is the undisputed hub of trade on Birthright, bringing wealth in the form of both currency and technology from all corners of the continent. Their variety of foods, news, and sights makes them a popular place to visit, and their low population means much of their surplus is exported to settlements all across Birthright. Of particular note are the significant numbers of alchemists who have chosen to ply their trade in Horizon, and many of them are foreign immigrants attracted to Birthright by the wealth of unique alchemical ingredients found in the myriad of mushrooms on the continent. A pleasant side effect of the surplus of potions is the effect their number has had on the cost, and many mercenary and expedition groups as well as the Guild of Reclamations travel to Horizon to stock up on supplies before heading into the unknown. Unique among free dwarven settlements, Horizon allows a certain few giants to live in their city with them, though the majority are still barred from settling there. Polaris Polaris is pretty typical for a budding human colony, aside from the fact that most of the towns major decisions are decided by a shadowy benefactor known as The Artificers Commune. The colony has its own mayor and council, but most of the residents would probably consider it generous to call them "puppets". Nobody doubts that The Artificers are up to something. Strangely though, the people don't really mind. Indeed, they seem to prefer The Commune's leadership over their own, allowing them to focus on getting things done rather than bickering with each other. The Artificers Commune are widely renown architects and planners, and their handiwork is all over the settlements meticulously designed layout. Hints of their possible ulterior motives are revealed in the nearby fort and island prison just off the cost of the cape. Being a port town, Polaris regularly receives shipments of supplies and raw ores to trade with the dwarves, which serves as a significant factor in the dwarves allowing the colony to remain on their land. Mountainhome Darkarch Recently discovered on the Northern side of the dividing mountains, Darkarch is a hotbed of activity for the dwarves as they eagerly rush to reclaim another mountainhome. There are rumors that the Guild of Reclamations is facing many more difficulties this time than they faced in Anvilhall, and these reports are supported by the Guilds seemingly desperate need for more funds. There's been an exodus of dwarves from Newhome as they all flood to the newly discovered mountainhome, all desperate to be the first to claim a spot on the new "frontier". Most of the pilgrims find themselves hungry, desperate, and in need of work by the time they reach the camps outside of Darkarch, where the conditions are even worse than the Newhome slums. Unfortunately, the only work available to them is the skilled and highly dangerous task of clearing deathspore fungus. On top of that, the workers are slowly discovering how this mountainhome earned its ominous sounding name. Religion Etos, The Broken God Domains: Law, Nobility, Community, Glory, Earth Etos was once the sole patron god of the dwarves, exemplifying all their virtues and strengths during a simpler time where their will was united. Etos was shattered when dwarven society fell to the giants, and was remade into three lesser parts of himself. Much of his original tenants have been lost or deluded after a thousand years of slavery. Though Etos himself is still worshiped and evoked all across the world, and his power granted to mortals is not diminished, it is an accepted fact that he no longer exists as he once did. Speculation among priests is that his new incarnations still respond to his old name. Many worship and call upon Etos in hope that he, and by proxy the dwarves, may one day reunite into a greater whole. His few remaining depictions show him as a dwarf in full battle regalia wielding an battleaxe, usually wearing a gilded helmet, but sometimes androgynous and beardless. Oius, The Past Domains: Repose, Knowledge, Darkness, Light, Ruins, Void Guardian of the dead, the lost, and the forgotten. Oius is depicted as a cloaked mournful figure, or occasionally as a grimly stoic gravetender or shepard. Oius's prime commandment is for the dead to be respected, and for proper burial rites to be performed. His priesthood, the Remembrancers, perform these duties with conviction, and their chief concern is locating and laying to rest the victims of deathspore fungus and war. They organize search parties to find anyone who becomes lost in the mushroom forests or jungles. They also offer grief counseling and private funerary services. Their final duty is to assist in dealing with the unfortunate souls who become undead, either by calming their disquiet, or more often by force. Aros, The Present Domains: Destruction, War, Madness, Death, Runes, Fire Aros is the shard of Etos that represents the torment of the dwarven race, and is the bearer of The Grudge. He is depicted as a tortured and chained figure bearing innumerable wounds, his face twisted in a mask of hatred and pain. His first and only commandment is vengeance. Some say the palpable sense of rage that can sometimes be felt in Staging Town is in fact the touch of Aros himself, spurring on his followers towards their inevitable goal. He has no official priesthood aside from the Grudgebearers, powerful inquisitors charged with recording the names and sins of the wicked and hunting down the despised Outcasts. The Grudgebearers take their work very seriously, and take it upon themselves to spread his word and collect tithes that go towards furthering the expedition of vengeance chasing after the surviving giant kings. Atia, The Future Domains: Liberation, Strength, Protection, Healing, Good, Artifice Atia, the forgemaster. Goddess of hope, perseverance, and rebirth. Atia has many depictions, but the most common is a dwarven woman with golden hair poised above a cracked anvil, in the process of forging something. She is undoubtedly the most venerated of the three now that the titan kings have been overthrown. Atia asks only that the dwarves remake themselves, look to the future, and recover their dignity. Her followers are in the process of finalizing a formal sect in Newhome, though there is some debate about leadership that is delaying the proces. Prayers to Atia are still uttered by the general populace every night, as they were during a thousand years of slavery. Most of her adherent followers spend their time doing charity work for the downtrodden in Newhome and Sanctuary, though others are warrior smiths who take a more active approach to ensuring the future of the generations to come. Mushrooms, Mushrooms, Mushrooms Mushrooms are everywhere on Birthright. In all shapes, sizes, and colors. Literally. The land is absolutely inundated with them. Tree sized mushrooms create great forests that cover the majority of the continent. Massive, towering mushrooms with caps that blot out the sun. Tiny, florescent mushrooms that blanket the earth. Living mushrooms, glowing mushrooms, magic mushrooms. Anything you can think of and lots more you cant. All of them descend from the massive mushroom planted in the core of the supervolcano on the northern tip of the island. The residents of Birthright and the giants before them have come up with many, many uses for the various types of fungus. The trunks of standard mushroom trees make excellent building material, and their caps make perfect rooftops when dried and preserved. The gills of bladeshrooms and the heads of needlecaps make excellent weapons and have been cultivated in many shapes and sizes. The skins of certain mushrooms are very durable and are made into armor, even resisting fire and lightning. Lung mushrooms allow the user to breath underwater. Boomspore shrooms, predictably, have combustible spore and come in many other sadistic varieties. Weapons, clothes, bags, medicines, buildings, food, recreation, music. Though mushrooms are still seen as a painful reminder of oppression, they are used for everything on Birthright. Character Creation D20PFSRD http://www.d20pfsrd.com/ This website contains any information you need to create and play a Pathfinder Character. You may create a character using any class created by Pazio (except Summoner), any feats created by Pazio, and any Pazio created race in the Core Races section. If you wish to play as a race in any other section or want to use any 3rd party content, please consult with me first. You are highly encouraged to play as a dwarf in this campaign. The majority of the population are dwarves, and many of the problems you deal with in this campaign will heavily involve them and their politics. Other races are of course permitted, but dwarf player characters will probably feel more involved and invested in current events. Players are also encouraged to contact the DM if they would like help with their characters backstory or any questions answered. HP Calculation Max HP roll on first level, alternating average result for subsequent levels. Below are examples of HP gained by hit dice at first level then subsequent levels thereafter. D6: 6, 3, 4, 3, 4, 3, 4, etc. D8: 8, 4, 5, 4, 5, 4, 5, etc. D10: 10, 5, 6, 5, 6, 5, 6, etc. D12: 12, 6, 7, 6, 7, 6, 7, etc. Point Buy You have 20 points to spend. Here's a point buy calculator: http://webpages.charter.net/tedsarah/Pathfinder/utilities/pointBuyCalc.htm Use the "Other" race selection for custom racial modifiers. Custom Alternate Racial Traits These are optional racial traits. Feel free to take any that apply. They work the same way as the alternate racial traits found on the race pages on d20pfsrd. Dwarf Giant Grudge - Dwarves with this racial trait gain a +1 bonus on attack rolls against humanoids with the giant subtype. Furthermore, they gain a +2 bonus on Survival checks to find and follow tracks made by humanoids with the giant subtype. This replaces the Hatred racial trait. Volcanic Dwarf - Replace the usual dwarven stat modifiers with +2 Constitution, -2 Wisdom, +2 Charisma. Volcanic dwarves are used to living near active lava flows, and possess Fire Resistance 5. This increases to Fire Resistance 10 at level 8, and Fire Resistance 15 at level 16. Volcanic dwarves also receive +2 to their saves vs any effect with the Fire descriptor. This replaces the Hardy trait. Fey Dwarf - Replace the usual dwarven stat modifiers with +2 Reflex, +2 Intelligence, -2 Wisdom. Fey dwarves often fixate on a profession or goal, gaining the Skill Focus feat in a knowledge, profession, or crafting skill. However, when they roll a natural 1 while performing this skill, their attempts backfire. Usually spectacularly. This replaces the Hardy trait. Recommended alternate racial trait: Fey Thoughts Half-Giant - Replace the usual dwarven stat modifiers with +2 Strength, -2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution. The seers blood of giants give these half-breeds a modicum of their power. Half-giants may reroll one natural 1 roll once per day. This replaces the Defensive Training trait. Elf Sand Elf - Replace the usual elven stat modifiers with +2 Dexterity, -2 Constitution, +2 Charisma. Recommended alternate racial trait: Desert Runner Half Giant - Replace the usual elven stat modifiers with +2 in any desired stat. The seers blood of giants give these half-breeds a modicum of their power. Half-giants may reroll one natural 1 roll once per day. This replaces the Elven Magic and Elven Immunities traits. Human Half-Giant - Replace the usual human stat modifier with +2 Strength, -2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution. The seers blood of giants give these half-breeds a modicum of their power. Half-giants may reroll one natural 1 roll once per day. This replaces the Bonus Feat trait. Starting Equipment You begin the game with 3000 gold and may spend it on whatever you wish. Keep in mind however that magic items are much rarer in this campaign than usual. After character creation, don't expect to be able to comissions magical items from any local smith or general store. You are encouraged to use needleshrooms or bladeshrooms as weapon equivalents for any weapon types you like. Shroomskin or padcap armor can act as leather or plate armor. Be creative! It's perfectly acceptable to have normal weapons and armor as well. Background Traits You may choose two background traits from this list: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Ak-IxjmMq9NMdHFZTl9mZUhOWUVzT3JxRGJTWU9lMkE#gid=0 Your background traits must fall into the Combat, Faith, Magic, Social categories. Traits that fall into other categories require DM permission. Your second trait must belong to a category other than your first. House Rules Notable Wounds Here's a hypothetical scenario. You're a fighter sleeping a shady inn, and suddenly you wake up with a dagger to your neck. A shadowy figure wielding the knife tells you not to move or make a sound or he'll cut your throat. You think to yourself "Well, I've got 54 HP and I'm not helpless so this dagger should only deal 1d4 damage to me!" This is obviously metagaming, but sometimes it's hard for players to act like they're in danger when they know that they really aren't, especially as they gain levels and their HP increases. This rule will help you remember that anyone with a weapon is a threat. Whenever a character suffers damage, at DM discretion that character might suffer from a notable wound. A notable wound is a injury that hampers the character in a way other than simply reducing their HP. A particularly nasty bite to the leg might hample the characters ability to run. A sliced arm or hand might make it harder to perform actions with that limb. A slit throat might cause extreme bleeding and disorientation. Being stabbed in the kidney might make you sickened for a few turns. Notable wounds will not occur every time you are damaged, and with very few exceptions will never be permanent. This rule is not meant to punish the players, it's just a way to remind players as they grow in power that they are not invincible simply because of the numbers on their character sheet, and that sharp objects are dangerous no matter who is wielding them. It also has the pleasant side effect of making the Heal skill not totally worthless. Bonus Feats Every character receives a bonus feat at level one. In addition, every character also receives the Weapon Finesse feat. Reserving Feats If you wish, you may elect to delay receiving a feat until a later level. Skill Changes The Climb skill is replaced with a skill called Athletics, which includes Climb as well as other athletic actions such as jumping, lifting, throwing, etc. The Sense Motive skill is replaced with a skill called Insight, which includes Sense Motive as well as other actions that involve leaps of logic and deduction. The Intimidation skill may use Strength instead of Charisma as its modifier in situations where it is appropriate. Please note that this rule is only applied at DM discretion, do not apply Strength to your Intimidation skill on your character sheet. Background Skills Background skills are detailed here: http://www.d20pfsrd.com/skills/background-skills/ Please note that the Slight of Hand and Linguistics skills will NOT be considered Background Skills in this campaign. DM Contact Info: Email: Ranokin@gmail.com Phone: 623-202-4291 Steam: Jacobwo