Hoo boy, here we go again: Exalted characters in Midnight Part 2: Divine Boogaloo

[ArqArturo]

Ok, so after (apparently) our PF game is dead because the GM got a promotion out of town, my 3.5 game is done (TPK on kobolds, man... Half-Dragon Kobolds! On a 7th level party!), they want my to DM a game of Midnight (this is the second suggestion I should do that, the first one was sort of botched).

'Cool' I said, as I had no idea what my players wanted.

And this is what's going on: On the party of five, two want to be from outside Eredane and want to 'Bring their gods', so they can weaken Izrador, and thus liberate it.

Obviously, this can't be done (easily, or actually) because of the Veil, but they want to do something different.

1.- They want to establish cults of good deities (in this case, good Norse deities, since they all like a good fight, plus an egyptian/forgotten realms deity) so that the gods take notice of the plane, and thus enter the Veil via brute force. Part two of that plan is that, eventually, they want to see if they can contact someone from Sigil to give them items/magic for contraband.

2.- They want exalted abilities.

I like route 1 since it sort of looks like my plan of kicking out the Lady of Pain out of Sigil (to be worshiped as a goddess in different worlds), but obviously it feels like it can't be done, not on the standard rules of Midnight, because a) Knowledge (Planes) is non-existant, as are the spells necessary for such. However, I do know there's a reference of an outsider bloodline somewhere on the internet (I think it's in the Midnight fan page, but I can't find it), so I'll try that. But, as a question... Would you allow this to happen as a long-term campaign goal?.

Route 2 seems much more understandable, since some outsiders are trapped in Eredane, so it's not outside the realm of posibilities that a Raziel or Erathaol are in Eredane, albeit with less power each day. Actually, I think it's more viable to see exalted character IMHO, as they are conduits of holy power, and as their numbers grow, the celestial creatures would grow weaker as they are giving their life force -which they will not get back- to mortals so they get stronger (I'm not afraid my players see this thread :smallcool:). Would it be a good idea to see a Fist of Raziel in Eredane?.

The party is level three, and it's as follows:

Human Channeler (Hermetic, Shadow Walker path) - He's one of the outsiders

Human Dragonfire Adept (He's insistent on being a DFA ¬¬)... For now. If not, he will be a Charismatic Channeler with the Dragonblooded path - Another of the outsiders

Dwarf Fighter with the Guardian path, and will grab a level in channeler to see if, later on, can be a Fist of Raziel.

Elf Wildlander with the Dragonblooded path.

Human (Dorn) Barbarian with the Ironblooded path.

[CyberThread]

Human (Dorn) Barbarian with the Ironblooded path.


I hope he beats the mountain :)

[ArqArturo]

I hope he beats the mountain :)

Heheh, nice ;D

[Adanedhel]

First of all:

Aryth specifically is NOT part of the standard multiverse, and
whilst the Humans seem rather similar to other humans, they also cannot interbreed with elves or orcs.
At the other hand, all fey species (ie all descendents of the Elthedar) can. So any offspring of elves, dwarves, orcs, halflings or gnomes is a viable species. (Only Dwarrow, Dworgs and Elflings are 'common' though.)

Now, onto your questions.
1-
Do they want to be from outside Eredane (the continent, consisting broadly of the Kaladruns, Erenland, Erethor and the frozen North) or from outside Aryth (the settings equivalent of the Prime Material)?
If the answer would be from outside Aryth, why hasn't Shadaar, Lord of Order, or Cendera, Dorn 'Godess' or one of the Heavenly Host used the same flaw in the veil to pierce it?

If the answer would be from outside Eredane options would arise though.
The old continent from which the Dorn and Sarcosans first emigrated are never really described, so it could be that Izradors dominion is less sever to non-existent there. (The Orcs inability to get good a good naval force going might be enough deterrent there.) Maybe the veil there is slightly weaker, allowing some divine trickle to come through from the Lords of Order.
After all, both Izradors corpse and his essence are on Eredane specifically. (We know the first one for sure, since Ardherin has been confronted with it and survived, as only Elf for now, with disastrous consequences. See the magnificent chapter on Ardherin in Legends of Shadow for this)

Now, going from the first, the Outsider Heroic Path named Sunderborn actually refers to descent of bloodlines in which the Trapped have intermingled.
(In case you aren't aware of that term: it are the Outsiders that were on Aryth at the time of the sundering, who due to the block on planar travel could no longer return home.)
Also remember that the Summon Monster series in this setting doesn't actually summon things, rather, it lets Aryth manifest itself, in order to take back her fate in a similar way to the Heroic Paths.

However, eventually piercing the veil as a campaign goal? There might be options for it.
Do notice that piercing the veil is game over regardless. If Izrador can do it, he'll destroy Aryth in His dark ascension.
If the resistance can do it, the Lords Of Order will be able to save Aryth from its doom.

Several ways of going.
First of all, Ardherin is doing significant research on this. So a way to get it done is getting into the Quicksilver Tower and steal his research, giving it to Aradil. It isn't easy, but is easier than stealing it from Theros Obsidi at the very least.
Secondly, the veil keeps all souls of the deceased. It might collapse under this weight.
If the party were to ever fight it out, the last stand of the elves would turn into a situation where all they have to do is run out the clock of The Shadow.
Thirdly: ther emight already be small breaches, not enough for but the tiniest trickling.
The CUltists of Cendara seem to think so at the very least. This seems closet to your stated goals to work out.
This would put them i Dorn territory, which happens to include Steel Hills and Highwall.
Fun to be had at all sides.

2-
Exalted: easy enough:
There are quite some Good Outsiders still left on Aryth, however, they are the Trapped, and to really manifest themselves coherently in the world they need to posses people. The exaltation could be represented by the characters willingly allow themselves to be possesed by those outsiders, with your players playing the symbiont character.

3-
Dragonfire adepts really really are problematic.
Because they use sla's rather than true spells, they would fall either under Innate or Divine magic.
If it's divine, it's granted by Izrador. (Even the Cultist of Cendara use Spell Energy)
If it's Innate, they once of a sudden became overpowered in the setting, because Innate spells are not affected by any of the settings trappings. Black Mirrors? Astiraxes? CON damage for casting? All no probem.
I don't think the setting can handle DFA without significant modifications. Magic being valuable is a thing, and with the effort done to cut the number of spells cast each day.
Any at-will caster is out of place in Midnight. An at-will caster not even affected by any of the settings inherent limitations is just powerplaying.

Dragonblooded Charismatic however is a very good combination, one he shouldn't find to regret.

For the Dwarf Fighter btw, it won't work. First of all, Divine Favor is NOT on the channeler list. Since it can only be cast by Paladins and Clerics (ignoring Archivists here for obvious reasons). Secondly, if it were, he'd be better to just pick op Divine Favor with 2 feats. Lvl 3 Magecraft, lvl 6 Spellcasting (Evocation, Lesser) would have been sufficient. Caster Level always equels Character Level in this setting anyways for channeled magic.
Off course, the Elf probably knows this, since that player is going to pick up these feats. Otherwise Dragonblooded is completely wasted on him :p

//Midnight Rant Out

[ArqArturo]

Yeah, the Elf player wants to make some sort of druid, and with that, he could get a bit more magic.

On the case of planar travel... I have been telling them that Aryth (thought the name was Eredane) is outside of the common Multiverse from D&D, but they usually point out to both Ravenloft and Krynn as they are reachable via Sigil. While I guess it could prove plausible that there might be a gate somewhere, but it very well could be very small (as the Cult of Cendara believe), if that is the case, it might be the results of Adherin's collection of artifacts, or the slow progress of the Forces of Izador, that I'll leave to the players to find out.

Or, it could be rumors.

Either way, I didn't thought of the outside world of Eredane. That might work out for the campaign.

Also, if possible, to make it more creepy/bleak/challenging, I've been thinking of maybe adding either the taint mechanic from Heroes of Horror (It fits), or the Madness rating from Call of Cthulhu, not both because it might just be too much. Is it a good idea, or not? So far, I don't see any harm of it, and it could make things more interesting.

On the subject of Exalted characters, they know of the possession, and they're cool about it... Is there a risk getting possessed by the wrong kind of outsider, or a spirit?.

[Adanedhel]

Ravenloft en Krynn however are still part of the same cosmology, Aryth isn't.
I'd like to point attention to the fact that the Sundering didn't affect Arcane Magic so to speak, since the only creatures actually capable of Arcane Magic are Gods.
Channeled Magic is actually only devised after the sundering, because by then they lost Divine Magic and needed a stopgap measure.

At this moment there is a non-deity capable of casting actual Arcane Magic, but only because Izrador gave him his ability to cast Arcane Magic. That was the last point in breaking Ardherin, and according to Him, well worth the (temporary) loss.

Also a big difference, the Prime Material Aryth is a living being, consciously affecting her residents.
See for example the Summon Monster series which represent Aryth incarnate, or how she marks out her chosen defenders with Heroic Paths.

On the subject of possession: Considering the entities asked for permission, they should be reliable.
If they're still unsure, let them be from the Order Of Truth. You're not getting more reliable than that, bat the Witch Queen herself, and it is quite probable that even she is led by the more base principle of revenge first.

Also note that they could have come from the West as well, if you so desire. The Miransil (sea elves) had send a massive fleet westwards seeking somewhere to hide if worst came to worst and Caradul fell.

As a final point on possession, if your players are dead set on playing Exalted characters, and you are sure they can hold on to that, I'd actually advice starting in Erethor, just after the possesion, and letting them start of as the gestalt entity.
That way they don't need to change their character halfway the prelude :)


On the topic of taint/madness rating.

Whilst it might seem appropriate at first sight, it in reality subtly undermines the keypoint of playing Midnight.
Midnight tagline shouldn't be: 'When all hope is lost, how long before you fall as well.'
the tagline should be: 'When all hope is lost, who will stand and fight.'
Midnight is a setting of heroes, of those who know they will fall, but do what they have to do regardless.
People who strive to be the candlelight in the darkness.
People who make sure that, this day, that child has her mother.
A Madness/Taint rating, representing the corruption of the heroes is a viable way to play Midnight.
It however, to me, misses out the most important part of playing Midnight.
The fact that you can be good, you can be a hero, and even though all the world conspires to take you down, at the very least they can never take away all hope. That no matter how grim, some people still choose to ignite the souls of the people who could care.
That no matter how lost you are, you can still choose to stand Against The Shadow.

((Oh, and btw, for the Elf, he'll not play some kind of Druid, he'll play the actual Druid prestige class :p
http://darknessfalls.leaderdesslok.com/prestige_druid.htm
He can take Magecraft, 2 Spellcasting feats, and the Wild Empathy Wildlander Class Feature, and Wildlanders have both Know. Nature and Survival.
However, at level 2 he's going to have a problem. Since he'll gain a Bonus spell, but he cannot have the Spellcasting feat yet.
If he wants to take some advice on his build, I'd say that to pull Wildlander=>Druid of you'd need either Sarcosan, or preferably Erenlander as race.
The second allows you to start with 3 feats: you of course take Magecraft, you can than take Energy focus (additional spell energy in a way very similar to the Font Of Inspiration feat.) As third feat you can take either Spellcasting, choosing a cantrip, or Slow Learner, allowing you to take Spellcasting at second level, just in time for the bonus spell, and to take a first levle spell with spellcasting. Caransil are too featstarved to reliably pull of these stunts, unfortunatly. A Halfling might be able to do i as well though, since they can gain Magecraft as a racial bonus feat.))