Aquatic Elf:Generic Background: As a proud person of the Rivenwood stronghold you have spent your life growing up and training in your specialist field. Life has not been difficult, the colony has supported you well in wait of your turn to support it, and it would seem that time is now. Regardless of age and race, a message has been sent on the waves to all who would answer it to rally at Rivenwood to aid in a time of crisis which lays beneath your knowledge. The Rivenwood people are expected to answer this call!
Racial Knowledge: These creatures are slender and are slightly shorter than a human, bearing a silvery-green or blue skin which tends to be pale of colour. Hair ranges from emerald green to pale sapphire blue, offering the creature almost perfect camoflauge. Fingers and toes are partially webbed to aid with swimming. The race is an exceptionally deft one, gaining additional grace whilst within the water, but suffer intellectually where their ilk do not. The sides of their necks are addorned with gills, allowing them to breathe indefinately whilst under water. They can see up to four times further in the dark than many other races, as long as there is a little light, such as the light of the stars to guide them. The aquatic elves make superior fighters when beenath the waves, and excelent archers.
Classes: Fighter, Sorcerer, Wizard. May prestige to Arcane Archer.
Ability Modifiers: Dex +2, int -2, Low Light vision, MUST BE ELF
Merfolk:Generic BackgroundIllusive and almost nonexistant; a myth to some, merfolk are said to lure sailors onto the rocks so that they can pilfer and swindle their gold by the surface dwelling folk. Far be this from true to those beneath the waves. Whilst there are rogues amongst the merfolk community there are also gallant knights seen riding aback massive rays, defenders of the seas through and through. As a Merfolk youngster you would have been kept in the open seas, moving as the food did. With no true home to call yourself, you know the seas well. The best amongst your tribe could track the deepest of ocean blues without a hint of doubt and lead you to food no matter what may come. Word eventually reached your ears of the woes striking rivenwood, and you, along with the rest of your friends who happen to join you, set off in search of the rallying cry.
Racial Knowledge: You are an illusive and shy creature; there is a good reason you are considered a creature of myth to the upper world, and will have a difficult time when it comes to being integrated into communities such as Rivenwood. That said a sense of privilation has been enough to bring you here, and it is a learning experience for you. As with the cat, you are intensely curious, and it is often this which brings you to overcome your shy demeanor. You are quiet and observant, and prefer to watch from afar before treading in. If something can be solved without you then so shall it be solved without you, however you are always one to consider the larger picture. You are an upbeat race generally speaking, though unsophisticated and often confused by the social complexities of landbound creatures. You delight in natural beauty but are also drawn to the creations of other races, particularly treasuring items that are both practical and aesthetically pleasing; hence why those of human folk that have seen you, see you for thieves or traders. You are not interested in the acquisition of upperland gold or riches for the concept of wealth, but instead yearn to possess them because they are beautiful.
To the casual observer a merfolk person looks like a regular human. On closer inspection however, the differences become more than apparent. The skin of merfolk is slippery and shiny; it exudes a protective layer of oil that keeps them warm as well as helping them to move through water. The hands and feet are longer and have thick, tough webbing between the fingers and toes. Merfolk eyes are pitch black and have a secondary transparent eyelid that allows them to see unhindered underwater. Their hair is either black or a metallic hue -- shining silver, glimmering gold or a tawny copper. The most disturbing factor of the merfolk creature is perhaps their mouths, which can open wider than a humans with teeth more suited to a carnivorous fish, helping them catch and hunt their prey in the dark oceanic depths. Their clothes are made of natural elements, particularly seaweed, although they love clothes made by humans and other land dwellers.
Classes: Rogue, Ranger, Druid, Sorcerer, Bard. May prestige into Assassin.
Ability Modifiers: Dark Vision, additional feat as per human. MUST BE HUMAN
Just so that you don't over-think things and build to a degree you think will be 'cool' or 'strong', I'll list a number of things below which should guide you towards a more successful build.Starting Level: 5
Common Items: Daggers, Spears, Clothing, Light Armour, Large Shields, Bows, Bone Weapons (one handed)
Uncommon Items: Metallic Armours, Swords, Exotic Weapons.
Rare Items: Spell Scrolls, Tower Shields, Potions, Crossbows, hammers, axes.
Never to be included: Greatswords, Scythes, Greataxes, Halberds, Two Bladed Swords, etc, Heal Kits
Starting Gear and Class Ideas/guidesRogue: Dagger *2 (Bone), Clothes, Thieves Tools (bones).
Merfolk tribes are never without traders and barterers; those few who have a keen eye for a bargain and those who can't be caght for a fool. These cunning traders are often amongst the more 'canny' and 'social' of the merfolk people, though saying that is like saying silver is almost as shiny as gold. This is one option for the player; points in appraise, persuade and bluff would be paramount over the other rogueish skills, and intelligence would be your preferred skill, with dexterity coming a close second. While merchants are lacking in combat ability they can often attain artifacts where others cannot, are known in major trading zones, and can often talk their way out of trouble. Due to the high intellect, they are naturally skilled with picking at locks and disabling hostile devices as well.
Merfolk tribes will also often contain skilled trappers and foragers who will lay traps at the bottom of the sea and provide for their tribe as such. These merfolk are also often the more adept at ambushing prey whilst spear hunting, gluing to the shadows of rock faces and crevises in wait for many hours before striking at the ideal prey. May merfolk idolise the trappers, even some of the hunters, and many, similarly, pity them. Their lives are full of danger; every dive down to the dark, black depths brings them into contact with the largest of predatory fish, octopus and aberrations that choose to call the darkness their home. This is where their natural hiding ability plays to their advantage. Player who take this approach will favour set trap, disable trap, hide and move silently, with dex and intellect being their higher scores.
Ranger: Scimitar *2(Bone), Light Armour, Bow, 40 Arrows
While all merfolk are masters of the open blue there are a few of their kin that can tell between one part and the next instinctually. These few lead their tribes to where the food is likely to be based on current flow, past events and whispers on the waves. These are often dubbed hunters. Their job, not only to find the food, is also to kill it. They will often swim among the coral fish with bow-like projectiles and spears and for the larger fish, bladed weapons made of coral or bone. One or two sharks can often feed a tribe of merfolk, however it can also sway the survival of the race of fish. Even novice hunters know when not to slay a fish within a certain eco system. Hunters are so in tune with the seas that most are able to bring certain magical talents to their tribes; a gift from the waves. Hunters may roll add their over all ranger level to their search role when it comes to tracking within seas. Their favoured skills are lore, hide, move silently and Search, with Discpline and concentration following. abilities should relate to the weapon of choice, but wisdom should be at least thirteen.
Druid: Clothes (bonus level 1 and 2 spells), Spear.
Merfolk are not without those who are blessed by Thanbalur. These merfolk are reverre for guidance in times of crisis amongst the waves. They are highly respected for their talents, whether they be minor or major. It is not often that the shamanistic types leave the sanctuary of their tribes protection; only in times of necessary faith or great crisis do they step forward to sway balance in the favour of the seas. These shaman always act in favour of their tribe and are often dubbed as sparers; a name they earn by sparing the fate of millions of fish and other creatures by sparing dying coral and mending over fished sectors of the sea. The merfolk shaman favour healing abilities over combat abilitie, however that is not to say that they are inept in combat. Far from it. More than capable of manipulting the waves, they can force vast amounts of water to shift, knocking hostiles back, or encasing them in great vortexes of water.
NOTE: Spells will be edited to be more 'water friendly'. They will be listed when they are!
Merfolk Druids lack the ability to change shape into anything but aquatic creatures. Their favored skills are heal, lore, spell craft and concentration and their favoured ability is Wisdom.
Sorcerer: Clothes(Bonus level 1 and 2 spells), Spear
Whether Elf or Merfolk, somewhere down the family line, Sorcerers families will have been influenced in some way by benevolent planar blood, be that throuh accident, through trade, or through procreation. The result is a merfolk or an elf that can manupilate the tides, freeze the sea solid and sling it forth as a dart, the ability to vanish; anything that those on the surface can do, so too can those beneath, if in a different manner. These manipulated powers will often lead to the merfolk or elf to be shunned or watched closely until it is evident that they can be trusted. Often through childhood to maturity, 'accidents' will happen which will result in minor or major crisis for the tribe or commuity, however as the sorcerer learns control their emotions, these instances become further and further between. Master Sorcerers appear completely neutral of face and emotion and are slow to temper, slow to open up to love, and often live half-lives as a result of the constant need to suppress emotions beneath an iron mind.
NOTE: Merfolk refer to sorcerers as Dream Weavers because a lot of the 'accidents' occur whilst the merfolk sorcerers sleep.
NOTE: Dream Weavers will recieve a different spell list to Sorcerers.
NOTE: You must take sorcerer as your FIRST LEVEL if you are to be one
NOTE: Sorcerers are not allowed to crossclass.
Dream Weavers and Sorcerers often form the role of outcast. Their powers are rarely understood by others and are seen as a burden rather than a boon. There are occasions in which sorcerer will step up and fight for their tribe or their peple, but it won't be long before suspicion and avoidance returns. This however, plays to the sorcerers advantage. It helps them come to terms with emotion faster and when subject to adverse treatemet, they are less and less likely to encounter outbursts. Dream Weavers and Sorcerers favour concentration and spell craft skills. They may never have a discipline score above their caster level. When in time of emotional trauma or stress, they must make a concentration check against a DC determined by the DM. Failing that will result in bad thing happening. For this reason, their favoured abilities are constitution and charisma.
Fighter: Medium Armour (Light +2), Large Shield, Longsword (elven), Bow, Dagger.
The Elven civilisations are never without their defenders; be they of spear or bow. These fighters are well trained with a number of weapons and are generally tacticaly savvy regardless of the situation. They oft patrol within and without the city and see off the larger of fish, sahuagin and other foes.
Fighters, as a result of their heavy training and military background are always loyal to their city, but before that, their cause. Should their cau be to defend their city, they will do that befo dealing with a thug, for example. They are always well armoured an well armed with either a bow and a knife, or a sword and a shield, depending what their figure suits best.
As an archer, fighters will favour dexterity and wisdom over other skills, and, though they must cross class to take them, spot, listen and tumble over the more discipline based skills. Archers my crossclass to Arcane Archer, at which stage they may take spot and listen based skills without needingto crossclass.
As a footman, fighters will favour strength and constitution over other abilits, and discipline and concentration over other skills. A footman may never take wizard or sorcerer levels, wher an archer can.
Wizard: Clothes (Bonus level 1 and 2 spells), dagger (Elven)
Schooled under the watchful eye of the favoured elven tutors, wizard are taught to manipulate the seas through knowledge and discipline. They are a well forged group often called upon in times of war for magical support. They are knowledgable and skilled at a great many things and can offer advice on a whim shuld the need be so.
NOTE: Wizards may crossclass with fighter as long as the intent is to become an Arcane Archer.
Wizards favour intellect over other abilities and may choose a number of things equal to their intellect modifier to be knowledgable in. these must be declared on their examine bio or on the forums. From that point, their lore score will relate to those things, as well as general lore. They will receive an additional caster level bonus to a check on anything they are knowledgable in. They favour discipline, concentration and spellcraft, and can never have a strength score greater than 10.
Bard: Clothes (Bonus level 1 and 2 spells), Instrument
Some merfolk are gifted with the skill of tale telling, music playing and dance; often playing the role of an entertainer in times of woe or boredom. They are delightful to look at and watch and are always upbeat, persuasive and encouraging of their fellow people. The entertainers are dubbed uplifters among their people; the best of them have the ability to inspire great rallys of merfolk into dance or song, while the worst can yet bring a family of some to smile. Enough, one might say.
Upliters songs are said to carry on the waves and inspire or haunt those that hear it. Their words bring the blessing of Thanbalur and with it such songs or dances often have interesting effects, encouraging wounds to close or feet to fleet.
NOTE: Merfolk Bards should only be built as casters. Ranged weapons are fine 'last resorts'.
Uplifters favour charisma and consitution over other abilities, and perform, spellcraft, lore and concentration over other skills.
Assassin: Of the trappers and hunters merfolk tribes harbour there are a few who are cunning enough to put their hunting abilities to good use in combat. These are known amongst the merfolk people as Phantoms. Phantoms, though evil to the upper world, are not considered so to the Merfolk. What they practice, though cheap, is a necssary part of suvival. As long as it spins the fate of the tribe in a positive way, any tactic is concievabe. As phantoms grow they attain an ability to vanish from plain sight, which is where they get the name. A single Phantom has been known to sink marauding ships and single handedly slaughter the malevolent sailors within with time to spare before the sharks arive to take the blame.
Arcane Archer: Without specialist arrow, firing beneath the sea would be impossible. Impossible without magic of course. The wizards of the sea elves teach in the ways of arcane archery; in how to get arrows to move through the waters as if it were air. These archers are the only ones deemed worthy of defending the external city. It is only within the globe of air that those who are not arcane archers may practice. It is this rank which every archer hopes to one day reach.
Each class will recieve 3 healing potions and one 'medical supplies', which will function outside of combat. There may be additional equipment necessary to fit personal RP reasons. A book, for example. Weapons may be changed to another weapon which does the same/similar damage. A rapier, for a scimitar, for example, or short sword. There will be no axes or hammers under water, and no large weapons beyond spears and tridents. You will recieve 1000 gold per level (5000). Additionally, Elves may opt to be nobles if they are able to and do take the courteous magocricy as their first feat, recieving an extra 2000 gold. Merfolk Rogues may recieve an additional 100*1d20 gold if they take Skill Focus: Pick Pocket as their first skill.