The Circle of Punishment (IRC Gladiator Game Reborn)

[Xathan]

Right now, I'm looking at first game being next Wednesday, assuming Sparkle and Kindling can make it - is that possible? And for everyone, what times would you be free?

[Steerpike]

Any time between 11 AM EST and 8pm EST.

[Xathan]

So that's...10-7 CST? Awesome, I can work with that no problem.

BTW, if everyone could post their availability in either CST or EST I'd appreciate it (I live in CST, and EST is just CST+1, so it makes math easier - anything else and I get confused)

[Kindling]

My availability will change week by week, I'm afraid.

[Xathan]

Oh, I'm not looking for a regularly scheduled time - just wondering what time would work for you this upcoming Wednesday. :)

[sparkletwist]

Lexirtsul

[ic=Origins]At first glance, Lexirtsul would seem to be an exotic beauty with flowing platinum hair, a fair countenance, and a shapely physique. Yet, it is clear she is something other than fully human. She has the blood of night hags in her, and with it, their abyssal curse. As such, her light skin has a curious blue tinge when viewed in the right light. One of her eyes is brown, the other an odd sickly yellow-green. Her lips are abnormally dark, and hide a mouth full of wickedly sharp teeth. Every step she takes is filled with feminine grace, but also the careful motions of a stalking predator. In combat, she wears form fitting light armor, specifically designed not to interfere with her dextrous motion or her spellcasting. She had it custom-made, just like her master-crafted weapons, two fearsome hand axes she wields like extensions of her own hands.

Abandoned by her hideous mother and left alone on the steps of a temple, she quickly learned that the world was not kind to one like her. She trained to fight out of necessity, but soon learned she had quite a talent for combat. Fortunately for someone with such skills, she lived in rough lands and trying times. There was always work for a mercenary. She was paid well for her work, acquiring her signature equipment as well as a fearsome reputation. With the natural predisposition towards the dark arts that her bloodline gave her, she soon added a few cantrips to her repertoire, as well. However, she did not gain a true mastery of magic until she broke into the local mages' guild, stealing as many scrolls and spellbooks as she could carry, and then sneaking away to the shadows to study their mysteries.

She travelled throughout the wild southern lands, selling her sword, her spells.. and when the price (and the client) was right, herself as well. Preferring the lush lifestyle of a courtesan to the deadly dance of combat, she tried to settle down, but here her past caught up with her, when her client was none other than the guildmaster himself. A duel of sorcery and steel ensued, but Lexirtsul was eventually overwhelmed and captured. Put on trial, the guildmaster advocated immediate execution of one so dangerous. However, the judge was a fat, throughly corrupt old man, who was not on good terms with the guildmaster at all. He saw only an attractive young woman of a freakish abyssal bloodline. This chance to create a sadistic and salacious display would surely assure his reappointment to the bench for the rest of his life; he opted to sentence her to the fighting pits.

They were expecting a slaughter, and they got one. Not the way they intended, certainly. At first, it only added to the crowd's enthusiasm for the spectacle when she had more fight in her than expected-- the crowd cheered when she cleaved the head cleanly off of the first orc warrior they set upon her. However, when the second one abruptly convulsed, spasmed, and exploded in a shower of blue sparks, the crowd grew nervous and began calmly trying to find the exits. When the third one met his end as well-- an armored orc warlord who was supposed to deliver the killing blow-- panic ensued.

As she took advantage of the pandemonium to dash out of the arena into the night, she bumped into a well-dressed and mysterious figure. "I know where a girl like you who knew tricks like that could make some -real- money," he said.
[/ic]

Tiefling Magus (Hexcrafter) 5

STR 10 +0
DEX 18 +4
CON 14 +2
INT 18 +4
WIS 10 +0
CHA 11 +0

Max HP: 48
Current HP: 48

BAB +3
AC 17 (+4 dexterity, +3 armor)

Melee Attack: Za Sali +8 (1d6+4, 18-20/x2)

Init +4
CMB +3
CMD 17

FORT +6
REF +6
WILL +4

Speed: 30ft.
Carrying capacity: 33/34-66/67-100

Skills (30 points):
Acrobatics 9 (5 + dex 4)
Bluff 2 (+2 racial + cha 0)
Fly 12 (5 + dex 4 + class)
Intimidate 5 (2 + cha 0 + class)
Knowledge (Arcana) 8 (1 + int 4 + class)
Perception 5 (5 + wis 0)
Perform (Dance) 5 (5 + cha 0)
Spellcraft 12 (5 + int 4 + class)
Stealth 6 (+2 racial + dex 4)
Swim 8 (1 + str 0 + 4 from Flight hex + class)
Use Magic Device 4 (1 + cha 0 + class)

Racial Abilities:
Darkvision 60 ft
+2 to Bluff and Stealth
Alter Self once a day
Cold Resistance 5, Fire Resistance 5, Electric Resistance 5

Class Features:
Arcane Pool: 6 points available (actually 6.5)
Spell Combat: Cast a spell and make an attack at the same time for a -2 to each
Spellstrike: Deliver touch spells through a weapon
Magus Arcana: Animate Weapon (A weapon can fly off and attack on its own)
Hexcrafter Hex: Flight (Fly around like the spell for 5 minutes a day)

Feats:
Arcane Strike: Use a swift action to get +2 to damage for the rest of the round (+1, plus an additional +1 for every 5 caster levels)
Dervish Dance: Use dex for damage when using scimitars
Eschew Materials: Spells with cheap material components don't need them
Piranha Strike: -1 to hit, +2 damage (Power attack for one-handed dex-based fighting)
Weapon Finesse: Use dex to make melee attacks

Spells Per Day: Cantrips, 5x level 1, 3x level 2
Spells Known:
(1) Color Spray, Frostbite, Grease, Hydraulic Push, Magic Missile, Shocking Grasp, Shield, Silent Image, True Strike, Unseen Servant, Vanish
(2) Flaming Sphere, Frigid Touch, Glitterdust, Mirror Image, Vomit Swarm

Equipment:
2 Masterwork Za Sali knives (reskinned scimitar, see below)
Masterwork Chakram
2 Level 1 Pearls of Power, inlaid into bracelets
Leather Armor +1, in the form of a stylish corset, opera gloves, and high boots

Languages: Common, Abyssal, Elven, Infernal, Orc

[spoiler=Flavorful Modifications]
Here's the part where I demonstrate I'm too used to lightweight systems that make/let you write your own fluff to play Pathfinder like a normal person.
I believe Xathan has cleared all of this. If anything's amiss, let me know.

Scimitar Reskin
Lexirtsul uses a nifty dex-based fighting feat, Dervish Dance, that requires you to use a scimitar-- no doubt so people could easily implement their Drizzt knockoffs. I am using light hand blades inspired by weapons called Za Sali, a type of African knife: http://www.mambele.be/images/mambele/img/web/0596.jpg
Mechanically, though, they will have the same stats as a scimitar, so I believe the feat is unaffected. I just like the look and feel more.

Cosmetic Second Weapon
I rather like the idea of her bounding about the battlefield, slicing and dicing enemies with her two fancy little knives. Normally, though, this doesn't really mesh with some of the mechanics, which require an empty other hand for most spells' somatic components as well as to use her Dervish Dance feat. However, I am not going to use a shield or make actual two-weapon attacks. The second weapon is purely for flavor and has no real game mechanics relevance, so her off-hand is, for game mechanics purposes, empty.

Animate Weapon
I believe the intention of Animate Weapon was to have a sword or the like that floats through the air as if wielded by an invisible fencer. However, I rather like the idea of her chakram spinning and flying through the air as if thrown, but possessing the same malicious intelligence, mercilessly chasing down anyone who tries to run. Sometimes this would make the weapon too fast, but it could always zip over the target's head, take a scenic arc around the venue, and then end up where it's "supposed" to be.

Spell Modifications
Some of her spells are modified, like Flight being less about Peter Pan soaring and more about wuxia leaping, and Color Spray being less sparkly and more horrific. I'll come up with other stuff as I think of it, but it's all cosmetic-- none of it will change what the spell fundamentally does. Hopefully the crowd will appreciate the variety nonetheless!
[/spoiler]

[ooc=Minor Change]After seeing what didn't work in the first session Xathan permitted me a small retroactive change to my character. I've swapped out Weapon Focus for Pirahana strike.[/ooc]

[Xathan]

Looks good, Sparkle!

(BTW, for those who were wondering, after much discussion I allowed the substitution of Alter Self for the Tiefling racial Darkness, since it fits Night Hag lineage better and, while more powerful in any other game, is actually less so in a gladiator fighting game. :) )



Right now I have exact times for Steerpike and...Steerpike. I know not everyone has their schedule yet for work, but I was wondering if I could either have times or if you could let me know when you'll know your availability. :)

[Kindling]

I should know the day after tomorrow.

[Xathan]

Awesome - that's when Sabr should have his as well. :)

[SabrWolf]

[ic=A Short Accounting of Events]My name is Luxim Wimwick, and I'm the only one who knows about the threat to life as we know it. Yes that does sound overly dramatic. No I'm not kidding. What could I gain from joking about something like that?

How do I know? An angel told me. A Cassisian. Yes one of those little winged helms. What exactly did it tell me? Well, it was a long time ago, so I couldn't tell you the exact words, but I can paraphrase it for you.

"There is an unseen threat to the entire world. The Solasch are invading the minds of everyone they can get alone to infect. They will stop at nothing to secure the body of every living being on this planet. The only way to kill the creatures is with fire and, given my profession, my high level of intelligence, and my unshakable demeanor, I was in a unique position to be able to cure the 'infection'."

Being skeptical of this story at first, I asked the lesser angel many questions for more information. Needless to say I was convinced of the threat by the end of the discussion. So I left my home of 50 years, after purifying my village of the threat there. The infection was quite extensive and, unfortunately, no one could be saved.

Why not? Well, of course because the Solasch cannot be removed from a body they inhabit without killing the body. In fact, due to the nature of the inhabitation, the Solasch effectively kill the consciousness of the person. In order to kill the Solasch, you must kill the body. And since the body isn't holding any remnant of the old person (save their soul), it is really a blessing to burn them to ash. With beautiful, red, flickering fire.

Sorry, I missed that. How did I end up here in the Pit? Well, going around fighting an invisible war against an invading force so insidious that almost no one is even entrusted to fight in it, is sometimes looked upon as a lone man committing criminal acts. So, during a raid on a stronghold of the Solasch I was conducting, I was apprehended by the fiends as I was watching the building burn down to make sure that none of the vile creatures escaped. They had taken the bodies of the town guards and I had to allow them to take me lest I seem like someone who knew what they were doing and not some crazed arsonist.

So, the powers that be have locked me away in this place. However, I'm sure that while I devise a way to escape, I can root out some of the invasion force that has infiltrated this place.

What am I doing with this fire? Well. I've told you my secret. You might talk to the enemy. Or worse, you could

be the enemy trying to discover my true purpose. I can't let you live. You're a security risk. Rustala, the Cassisian, agrees with me in fact. Now hold still and I'll make this as painless as possible...[/ic]

Luxim Wimwick
Level 5 Gnome Alchemist
67 y/o, 3'9" tall, 35 lbs

STR 10 +0
DEX 14 +2
CON 15 +2
INT 18 +4
WIS 12 +1
CHA 12 +1

Max HP: 42  ::  Current HP: 42
BAB +4 ( +3(base) + 1(small); +1 vs reptilian/goblinoids, +1 with thrown splash weapons, +2 ranged weapons, +0 melee weapons)
AC 17 ( 10 + 2(Dex) + 4(Mithril) + 1(Small); +4 vs giants)
CMB +2
CMD 14

Saves:
Fort +6 (+10 (6 base + 4 class skill) vs Poisons)
Ref +6
Will +2

Speed: 25ft.
Carrying Capacity: 33, 34-66, 67-100.

Skills:
Acrobatics 7 (5sp + 2 Dex)
Climb 5 (5sp)
Craft (Alchemy) 18 (5sp + 3 class skill + 4 Int + 2 obsessive racial trait + 2 Master Alchemist + 2 Alchemical Rigging)
Disable Device 10 (5sp + 3 class skill + 2 Dex)
Knowledge (Arcana) 12 (5sp + 3 class skill + 4 Int)
Knowledge (Nature) 12 (5sp + 3 class skill + 4 Int)
Perception 3 (2 racial trait + 1 Wis)
Sleight of Hand 10 (5sp + 3 class skill + 2 Dex)
Spellcraft 12 (5sp + 3 class skill + 4 Int)
Stealth 6 (4 small size + 2 Dex)

Gear: 4248gp spent
Dagger, Flaming – 2302gp; 1d3 damage + 1d6 fire damage, +1 Attack Bonus.
Dagger, Silver (2) – 644gp; 1d3 damage +1 Attack Bonus, Silver.
Chain Shirt, Mithril – 1100gp; +4 AC, Max Dex 6, Armor Check Penalty -0, 10% arcane failure chance.
Alchemical Rigging – 202gp; +2 Craft (alchemy), holds items as a backpack. This is a set of bandoliers that strategically set up the location of all of Luxim's chemicals for his bombs, his premade extracts and mutagens, his mundane alchemical creations, and his daggers. This piece of equipment doubles as storage (as a backpack) and as an alchemists lab.

Racial Traits:

Small – +1 AC and attack rolls, -1 CMB and CMD, +4 Stealth
Slow Speed – 20' base speed
Low-Light Vision – can see 2x as far in the dark as humans
Defensive Training – +4 dodge to AC against Giants
Pyromaniac – the character is treated as 1 level higher when casting spells or throwing bombs that deal fire damage.
Hatred – +1 attacks against humanoid creatures with the reptilian and goblinoid subtypes.
Keen Senses – Gnomes receive +2 to Perception
Obsessive – Gnomes receive a +2 bonus to Craft or Profession skill of their choice.
Weapon Familiarity – Weapons with "gnome" in the name are treated as martial for gnomes.
Languages – Common, Gnome, Sylvan, Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, False Celestial[/list]

Class features:

Alchemist Favored Class Option - +1/2 to the number of bombs/day (+2.5 bombs at lvl 5).
Alchemy – Create normal potions, extracts, bombs, and mutagens.
Bomb – 11.5 bombs per day at 3d6+4 fire damage, plus splash damage always equal to 7.
Brew Potion – Can brew potions of any formulae he knows, so long as the formula can be a potion, and his Alchemist level is equal to his caster level. (only up to lvl 3)
Mutagen – Brew 1 mutagen, grants +2 natural armor and +4 to one of the physical ability scores. -2 is applied to corresponding mental ability score.
Throw Anything – You don't suffer any penalties for using an improvised ranged weapon. In addition you gain a +1 bonus to thrown splash weapons and all splash weapons (including splash damage) gain a bonus in damage equal to the Alchemists Int bonus.
Discoveries – Explosive Bomb (All bombs now have a splash radius of 10'), Delayed Bomb (Can place a bomb anywhere and set to detonate in a number of rounds up to the Alchemist's level. If anyone other than the Alchemist attempts to touch or move the bomb, it explodes. If anyone breaks the bomb, it explodes. Anyone standing in the same square as the bomb when it detonates is effected as though the bomb had scored a direct hit. Splash damage as usual.)
Poison Resistance +4 Fort against poisons
Poison Use – Alchemists cannot accidentally poison themselves when applying them to weapons.
Swift Alchemy – Crafting alchemical items takes half the normal time, and poisons can be applied to weapons as a move action.[/list]

Feats:

• Extra Bombs – You can throw 2 additional bombs a day.
• Master Alchemist – You gain a +2 to Craft (Alchemy) checks. When making poisons, you can create a number of doses equal to your Int modifier at a time. These additional doses do not increase the time required, but they do increase the raw material cost. In addition, whenever you make alchemical items or poisons using Craft (alchemy), use the item's gp value as it's sp value when determining your progress.
• Fleet – You base speed is increased by 5' in light or no armor.

Formulae:

• Level 1 – 5/day
  
  • Bomber's Eye – Duration 1 round/lvl; While in effect, increase the range of thrown weapons by 10' and you receive a +1 attack bonus to thrown weapons.
  • Expeditious Retreat – Duration 1 minute/lvl; This spell increases your land speed by 30'.
• Level 2 – 3/day
  
  • Cat's Grace – Duration 1 minute/lvl; Spell grants a +4 bonus to Dex adding the usual benefits to AC, Reflex saves, and other uses of Dex.
  • Fire Breath – Range 15'; Area cone-shaped burst; Duration 1 round/lvl; Saving Throw Reflex, half (DC = 19); You can spew 3 cones of flame during the spell's duration. The first cone deals 4d6 to all creatures in the area, the second deals 2d6, the third deals 1d6. Reflex save halves damage. After the third cone, the spell ends.
  • Resist Energy – Duration 10 minutes/lvl; The subject gains resist energy 10 for the duration of the spell.
• Level 3 – 1/day
  
  • Draconic Reservoir – Duration 10 minutes/lvl; Functions as Protection from Energy, absorbing 6 points of one type of damage (your choice and based on the material components). Each round, as a swift action, the subject can release 1d6 points of absorbed energy and apply it to any melee attack, as if using an acidic, flaming, frost, or shock weapon. The first creature the subject strikes with this attack takes the energy damage in addition to the other consequences of the attack. The subject cannot release more energy than he has absorbed. Once all the energy has been released, the spell ends. Draconic Reservoir does not stack with Resist Energy.
• Level 4 – 1/day
  
  • Detonate – Range 30 ft; Area 30 ft radius, centered on you; Duration 1 round, then instantaneous; Saving Throw Reflex half (DC = 19); One round after you cast the spell, the energy explodes from your body. When this spell creates an explostion of energy, choose one of the energy types (fire). The explosion deals 1d8 points of damage of that energy type per caster level to all creatures and unattended objects within 15 feet and half that amount past 15 feet but within 30. You automatically take half the damage from the explosion with no saving throw but other damage reducing effects can still lessen the damage further.
  • Dragon's Breath – Saving Throw Reflex half (DC = 19); You breath a blast of energy. Creatures in the affected area take 1d6 points of energy damage per caster level. A successful Reflex save results in half damage. The spell's effect and energy type depend on the type of dragon scale used as material component. (Intending to requisition only Gold or Red dragon scales (30 ft cone of fire) and Brass dragon scales (60 ft line of fire)).

Spells: 1 per Day

• Dancing Lights – Range 150 feet (100ft + 10ft/lvl); Duration 1 minute; You create 4 lights that must stay within 10' of each other. They can move 100' per round, but they cannot go more than their range from the caster. They can be distributed in any way (within their range of each other) and can be grouped to create a glowing vaguely humanoid shape.
• Flare – Range 35 feet (25ft + 5ft/2 lvl); Duration instantaneous; Saving Throw Fortitude negates (DC = 19); You create a burst of light. You can cause the light to discharge in front of a single creature and that creature is dazed for 1 minute (unless they save)
• Prestidigitation – see text*
• Produce Flame – Duration 1 minute/lvl; Flames as bright as a torch appear in your open hand. The flames don't harm you or your equipment. The flames provide illumination and can be hurled or used to touch enemies. You can strike an opponent with a melee touch attack dealing fire damage equial to 1d6+5 (+1/lvl, max +5). You can also hurl the flames up to 120 feet as a thrown weapon. This is a ranged touch attack and it deals the same damage as the melee attack. As soon as you throw the flames, a new ball appears in your hand, but the duration decreases by 1 minute. When the duration reaches 0 minutes, the spell ends.

*I don't intend to use Prestidigitation all that often since it's effects are so limited and useless. I will not need the text in combat.[/list]

[SabrWolf]

Also, confirming it now: I WILL be available for the first session of this game on Wednesday! I'm super excited.

[Steerpike]

If my Fimbulvinter bonus session runs the risk of encroaching on Circle, Circle should take precedence!

[sparkletwist]

I have nothing pressing Wednesday afternoon, so, as long as you pick a time and give me a bit of notice, I can put off doing work and be there. :D

[Xathan]

Alright, right now I'm looking at Wednesday evening, around 8CST as a possibility - with Fimbulvinter during the day and some other availability issues, that's probably the most likely time. Who all does that work for again?

Steerpike: Sparkle would be busy while Fimbulvinter is going on anyway, so we'd have to do it afternoon/evening.

[Steerpike]

I'll actually be at a meeting during that time, unfortunately (unique to this week, not a regular thing).  Feel free to either count me out for that session, or take the Fimbulvinter time-slot, though!  If I can't make this one I can always make another, and a small number of players per session might actually be better for a very combat-heavy game, so people don't have to wait around for their turn.