The Campaign Builder's Guild

[ic=Interesting Times]
Minister Phuan walked quickly through the streets of Sraloka, flanked by two servant girls in long, flowing dresses. He might normally stop to take in the splendor of the city-- its stately temples, soaring pagodas, and elegantly decorated shrines, not to mention its lush coconut palms-- but he had no time on this day. There were too many events afoot, and unfortunately, he was at the center of all of them.

He was so preoccupied in thought, he did not see the saffron-robed monk begging on behalf of his temple, and collided with the other man, sending both of them falling to the ground. The servant girls did their best not to giggle as they helped Phuan up. They would help the monk, but they knew it was against his religion to allow himself to be touched by a member of the opposite sex.

"Apologies, Brother Kyukona," Phuan said, instead helping the monk up himself, and dropping a few coins into his bowl for good measure.

"Suffering is unavoidable in this life," the monk replied, trying to sound detached, but unable to resist cracking a smile. "It has been a long time since we have spoken, Minister Phuan. I fear it may be even longer before we speak again, as you are clearly quite busy."

Phuan nodded. "There is a great deal of trouble afoot in the land. The king of Vayathra was nearly killed, saved only by his bumbling servant Mr. Luo. The old fool knocked over his wine goblet before the king had managed but a sip. He was furious, of course, but then he began to convulse and retch. They got him to bed, and determined the wine was poison; had he drunk any more, he would have been done for. Of course, after that, Luo was a hero. I hear they gave him more gold than he could carry..."

"Sometimes one fool accomplishes what a thousand wise men cannot. Did they figure out who's responsible?" Kyukona inquired.

"No, but they think it was us, of course. They killed our princess, so we kill their king. That's their thinking, anyway. Thank the gods that Luo was there or odds are there would be a full-scale war on already."

"What are their intentions?"

Phuan shook his head. "I have no idea, but the king has commissioned me to round up an expedition to find out."

The monk nodded. "Ah, I see. We certainly live in interesting times, do we not?"

Phuan just chuckled and kept walking.
[/ic]


[note=Asura is fine]No, I haven't abandoned Asura. I just wanted to do something a little different. I haven't ever run a Pathfinder game so I wanted to give it a try.[/note]
This will be a Pathfinder game, albeit using a few houserules and a rather unconventional setting. It is primarily based on a Southeast Asian motif, with the main inspirations being the Khmer Empire, as well as later civilizations like Ayutthaya in what is now Thailand. Indian mythology is always interesting to me, and it figures in as well. I have liked the "pseudo-Celtic" vibe of Cad Goleor and the "pseudo-Scandinavian" one of Fimbulvinter as departures from the stereotypical Gygaxian setting, so I thought I would make my own attempt to diverge a little further yet, into "pseudo-Indochina." The era I'm using as inspiration is a bit later than the proper Khmer Empire, about the 16th century, so cannon and primitive guns are also a part of the setting, but they are, as yet, far from an outright replacement for a strong blade.

One plan is to run this as one of the weekly games, but, of course, if there are people interested in doing it at a different time, we can work something out. This will not be a regular thing, but more of a one-shot/episodic/"whenever we feel like it" sort of thing. If you're interested, please fill in your availability here:
http://www.doodle.com/5frtwxm64mdiayuw

Starting Out
This game will start at level 3, because characters are presumed to be relatively important (or at least capable) individuals within Sraloka. It will have a 20 point buy and all characters should be Human.
[ooc=HP House rules]
Hit points beyond level 1 will take the average of your hit die, which means that your base hit points are equal to double your hit die + 1, e.g., for a d6, you have 13 hp, for a d8, you have 17 hp, and so on. Add constitution and such bonuses on after this.
[/ooc]

Concepts
Mandala
Each city is more or less independent, but the rulers of smaller cities are loyal to larger regional powers, who are in turn loyal to still greater powers, in a sort of loose feudal system. Of course, the vassal states were obligated to pay tribute to the more powerful states, although this was often regarded as a gesture of goodwill rather than an overt payment of tribute. Mutual protection was also part of the arrangement, with the vassal agreeing to provide men and materiel during a time of war, and the lord agreeing to protect his weaker vassal states from foreign threats. There was, of course, often a certain "protection racket" feel to it, as the biggest threat to the vassal was very often the lord himself.

Diminished but ubiquitous supernatural
This game will focus primarily on pragmatic things: intrigue, politics, and war. The land is not teeming with monsters. Magic is subtle, and a modern observer may even deem most of its workings as explainable by science or coincidence. However, this is mixed with a world view that is definitely not modern: ancient lore is the ultimate truth, holy men and prophets have powers beyond those of normal men, and gods and spirits are everywhere.

Locations
Sraloka
Sraloka is the city-state in which the adventure begins. It is blessed with a pleasant (albeit still quite hot, it is tropical after all) climate and abundant rainfall, making its rice fields some of the most plentiful in the region. As such, life in Sraloka could be almost described as idyllic, save for the presence of its covetous and powerful neighbors. They are as aware of Sraloka's plenty as anyone else, and they intend to take it for themselves. While the Sralokan military is well-trained, it simply does not have the fearsome alchemy of Vayathra or the sheer numbers of troops of Hanuwai, and, as such, its position is most precarious.

Vayathra
Vayathra is a city-state to the south of Sraloka. At various times, each one has been a vassal of the other, but their alliance has always been tenuous at best. During better times, the relationship between Sraloka and Vayathra was to be cemented with a royal wedding, but the Princess of Sraloka was killed in an accident that was blamed on the Vayathran royal house. As such, relations at the present time are not good; the only thing preventing an all-out war is that both sides know that fighting each other would only leave themselves open to Hanuwai sweeping in from the north and conquering all in its path.

Hanuwai
A mysterious foreign power reviled as strange barbarians but feared for their prowess, the city of Hanuwai controls the arid plains of the north, as well as the coast and many of the prosperous trading villages between Hanuwai and Sraloka. The sheer amount of territory and vassals owned by the King of Hanuwai means that the amount of armed men he can call upon at any given time is absolutely staggering. No city-state could stand against the concentrated might of Hanuwai, and it is only continual petty bickering among the various vassals that keeps Hanuwai from being an even greater empire than it is now.

Languages
Phiesa Sraloka - The language of Sraloka, and "Common" for this game.
Phasa Vayathra - The language of Vayathra. It is somewhat related to Phiesa Sraloka, and speakers of the two languages can understand one another with a great deal of hand signals and difficulty.
Hanuzaga - The language of Hanuwai. It belongs to a different language family and has a harsher, more tonal sound.
Pasai - An ancient literary language. It is spoken by the educated elite of all three major city-states.
Tieng Yang - A language from the east used by merchants and traders.

Classes
Here are some classes that I think would be good for this sort of game. Pure spellcasters will be more tricky, given the more subtle nature of magic, but if you want to play one, let me know what kind of thing you had in mind and we'll probably be able to make it work.

Barbarian - You come from the deep jungles of the south or the arid plains of the north, far outside of the mandala and what is generally known as "civilization." You are quite fit, having come from a place that lacks agriculture, metallurgy, or any semblance of all but the most primitive magic. In a place like that, you must survive by only your brawn and your wits, and you have done so better than most.
[ooc=Barbarian House rules]
- Barbarians start out speaking Phiesa Sraloka as well as a tribal language that can be defined by the player.
- Barbarians, just like the old days, are illiterate. This can be remedied by taking a rank in Linguistics or in any Knowledge skill or Profession that would require literacy.
[/ooc]

Fighter - You are not a member of the Nayar caste, and, as such, are not entitled to its rank and privileges. However, perhaps through being a conscript that has earned a field commission, a talented mercenary that has served Sraloka many times, or the leader of a small vassal to Sraloka, you have nonetheless acquired much prestige and become a renowned warrior and leader.
[ooc=Fighter House rules]
- Fighters get one Exotic Weapon Proficiency for free. This is usually firearms, but can be something else depending on the Fighter's training.
[/ooc]

Gunslinger - Sword and spear were the traditional fighting implements of the Sralokan warrior. Some, like the proud Nayar caste or the Order of the Lotus, are reluctant to embrace new ways. On the other hand, you have seen the power that firearms bring to the battlefield, and you have embraced the new technology eagerly. With these new developments, war will never be the same, and you intend to be on the winning side of history.
[ooc=Gunslinger House rules]
- Gunslingers start with an ordinary firearm, instead of a broken one. However, it was issued to you by the Sralokan Royal Armory, and you'll get in a lot of trouble if you sell it.
[/ooc]

Monk - You are a holy man (or woman; called a nun, though your class features are identical) of the Order of the Lotus. You have pledged yourself to a pure, ascetic life, and your strong discipline grants you a few abilities that almost seem magical to outsiders, but you know they are due to the supreme strength of your will. Of course, these being the trying times that they are, you have also been trained by the Order to fight, both unarmed and with a variety of weapons.
[ooc=Monk House rules]
- Monks in this game will have full BAB, equal to their level. Monk powers that temporarily grant BAB equal to level are thus superseded.
- Level 3 Monks can deny enemies one attack of opportunity per turn. That is, the monk may take one action that would normally provoke an AoO but the enemy will not get one. The AoO does not count as "used up" in this case. The Monk gets to deny one more attack for every +10 feet of fast movement gained.
[/ooc]

Ninja - Not all who serve the King do so openly and proudly. Some work in the shadows, doing the work that the proud Nayar warriors cannot and should not. For others, their motivation may be more financial than one based on loyalty. Still, as much as some of the King's Ministers may pontificate about honor, everyone knows that the role of the black-clad spy and assassin skulking about in the night is every bit as vital to the functioning of Sraloka as its more prestigious occupations.
[ooc=Ninja House rules]
- Forgotten Trick is not available.
[/ooc]

Ranger - Not all who dwell in the southern jungles are wild men, at least in the sense of being primitives. Some, instead, are talented explorers, who seek to fill in the many gaps in knowledge of this verdant region. Others are hired by the King of Sraloka to hunt down fugitives or suppress insurrections among the typically unruly tribal people.
[ooc=Ranger House rules]
- As it stands, Favored Enemy would be overpowered or useless given the prevalence of humans. Instead, the Favored Enemy is based on the Ranger's role-- a Ranger hired to hunt down a certain fugitive would take that fugitive and his allies as Favored Enemies, and a Ranger suppressing insurrections would take the group that he is hired to suppress. Explorers should take the Guide, Warden or Wild Stalker archetypes instead.
[/ooc]

Samurai - As a member of the ancient Nayar warrior caste, you serve the King of Sraloka as one of his trusted and brave field commanders. In addition to being a mighty warrior in your own right, you have led troops into battle on a number of occasions on his behalf, and have been well-decorated and well-rewarded for your efforts.
[ooc=Samurai House rules]
- Samurai may take an Elephant as a mount, but you get to figure out where to put the thing when you're not using it.
- Samurai may choose to belong to the Order of the Warrior, or the Order of the Lotus, which is affiliated with the religion of the same name and shares its mechanical traits with the Order of the Blue Rose.
[/ooc]

The setting inspiration is a good take-off! For whatever reason on the Paizo boards at least, India (not Malaysia/Khmer) is getting very popular these days.

Before I choose a class (and I likely sadly won't be able to play due to busy-ness) but this information may be useful to others- what is the struggle, the unifying theme and goal of the adventurers?

I too have a deep interest into this region of the world, Central Asia and South Asia as well. This appeals to me very much.

I definitely want to take part in this one.

Though I'll be cooking ideas in my head as to the character I want to play, I'll wait until you answered LD's questions first.

I've added a short vignette with an adventure hook. The basic idea, of course, is that the PCs would be the expedition. :)

I'd definitely be interested depending on when it was being run.

I like the adventure hook. It sounds exciting. I think I will go with a Samurai... because why not?

Could our mounts be more fantastical animals? Like a Komodo Dragon?

Why do I have to have commitments outside of gaming?  WHYYYYYYYYYY?!?

Seriously, this looks really cool, and if I had more time I would definitely participate.

We'll need someone very subtle and agile, I call a ninja.

Shotgun monk. Mixing classic wuxia action with zen Buddhist koans is my favourite hobby :P

I read the last post first and thought this setting had monks with shotguns.
Incidentally, a gunslinger/monk could be fuuun.
Also, this setting begs for a gurkha warrior.

Sadly, I don't think I can handle a third IRC game. I'm barely sure how I handle the two I'm already playing in, considering that I am in a few real-life games as  well! :D
I will be keeping tabs on this though. Indochina is an interesting setting for sure. I say we cover the whole earth with settings and IRC games.
Is Hanuwai supposed to be a parallel to a martial Mongolia?

Quote from: HippopotamusDundeeI'd definitely be interested depending on when it was being run.

Quote from: Steerpikeif I had more time I would definitely participate.

I'm flexible on the time. Running it as the "Friday Night Game" was my first choice but it's far from the only one if other times work better for everyone.

I've put up a Doodle: http://www.doodle.com/5frtwxm64mdiayuw
I filled it in with times that would work for me, so hopefully we can sort something out from that.
The times are EST and approximate, in a broader sense, I used "2:00" to mean "in the afternoon" and "7:00" to mean "in the evening," although I am quite good with those exact times as well.

Quote from: Superfluous CrowSadly, I don't think I can handle a third IRC game.

Well, it's emphatically not supposed to be a big campaign-oriented thing, if that helps. :)

Quote from: Superfluous CrowIs Hanuwai supposed to be a parallel to a martial Mongolia?

There was definitely some inspiration there, but my closest parallel was the Taungoo Empire, based out of what is now Burma.

I may be joining this.  If I do, I intend to musketeer it up.

If I did join I would want to be an arrogant Westerner who pompously goes around judging everyone to his own thoroughly disgraceful standards, like Fontlebottom in Jade Empire.

Haha, Jade Empire was good!

Well I'm glad that sparkbot can make it. :P