The Codex Alera campaign setting help.

[DirePorkChop]

I have always been a fan of this book series, waiting on each new book how the GoT people are waiting on their next book. Jim Butcher did an amazing job with this series. Enough accolades for the genius behind The Codex Alera.

I have started developing a system for the use of furies similar to Psionics. All PC's will be non casting classes that have access to Furies. That way, they all have abilities separate from each other, and no one steps in toes. There is a system of FP (Fury Points) and certain effects (Power levels) cost a baseline amount and do more dependent on how many points you pour into it. The questions that I have for the playground revolves around a few things.

1. New Feats and ideas for skills? I was thinking of changing the spellcraft/ knowledge arcana to something more fury related. Maybe Sense Fury/ Knowledge
2. Prestige Class Ideas.
3. Ideas for fury powers/ mimicking spell effects based on the six elements (Particularly Metal and Wood) with furycraft. (Wood crafters get access to Entangle, Jungle Razor, etc.)
4. An idea for how the players get access to additional FP. I was thinking of keying casting off of the six stats. Six stats, six "elements". Just thought that it sort of fit.

I have come pretty far with this project of mine, I have just hit a roadblock for the past three weeks and now petition the playground: Halp!

[AnachroNinja]

What are you using to stat out the furies themselves? I could see something like the astral construct rules so people could modify and customize their individual fury, with elemental traits for the element replacing the construct traits.

[Waker]

Some abilities that you could include for characters through class features or feats:
1. Manifesting a Fury- While not all could be, some Furies could be used for direct combat.
2. Enhanced Senses- Each of the elements granted enhanced abilities to perceive the world around them. Earth Furies could grant a form of tremorsense, Metal Furies could detect the presence of metals and so on. Characters could have much higher detection abilities compared to stock D&D characters.

Were you planning on using the actual Codex Alera setting for the game? And if so, when on the timeline? The reason I ask is because while D&D is generally egalitarian, in the setting of the books, women did not have full access to rights unless they were a noble. Did you have any plans to include options for players to use other race options like the Marat or Canum?

[DirePorkChop]

Honestly, I was gonna bend/ Break rules and give them elemental and construct traits. Manifesting them would be something like a FRA, and fury on fury combat will be dangerous. Figured I would Start them off as Medum Elementals, then as the player graduates, so does their power that they can control with their furies.

I wanted to set this immediately after the books end. Alera has been ravaged, people are rebuilding, and a tense peace pervades the land. Furycraft is awoken in people based on merit rather than blood now. The Vord are still a problem, the Canim have settled to the south, and though there is a tense peace with them, there are still politics and border disputes. The Players may either be playing the children of the dead nobility from the books, or they will be playing coursers to the crown. Just to provide some background.

[DirePorkChop]

Some abilities that you could include for characters through class features or feats:
1. Manifesting a Fury- While not all could be, some Furies could be used for direct combat.
2. Enhanced Senses- Each of the elements granted enhanced abilities to perceive the world around them. Earth Furies could grant a form of tremorsense, Metal Furies could detect the presence of metals and so on. Characters could have much higher detection abilities compared to stock D&D characters.

Were you planning on using the actual Codex Alera setting for the game? And if so, when on the timeline? The reason I ask is because while D&D is generally egalitarian, in the setting of the books, women did not have full access to rights unless they were a noble. Did you have any plans to include options for players to use other race options like the Marat or Canum?


I will be using the actual setting, and though the Marat and Canim will be featured heavily, they will not be playable races.

I will be including extraordinary senses in the game. Water crafters get a limited form of detect thoughts where they can detect emotions on a very base level. Wood crafters get track as a bonus feat and are without a doubt the best trackers in the game. Maybe a significant bonus to track in a woodland setting. Wind crafters get the ability to bend air and magnify distant objects. I don't know what I would do about fire crafters, because sensing fire seems a little...boring.

Gaius Octavian has since taken over, and people are judged based on their merit, rather than race, gender, or social standing.

I really want to incorporate different spell effects. Just something that pops into my head: Ice Axe- by crafting water into a bladed shape, and using fire craft to suck all the heat out of the water, you can create said ice axe.

Maybe I need to create spell prerequisites? Like a minimum of 2 "ranks" in water craft, and 2 in fire craft to be able to craft 2nd level spells with the Cold descriptor? If that is the case, then I need to develop a crafting rank system. Any ideas?

[AnachroNinja]

Don't forget fire crafters can influence the emotions of people around them

[Blackhawk748]

I dont have any particulars, but my suggestion is to give each of the Fury types their own "spell list". Obviously there will be some overlap, as all of them will get say, Protection from Energy, Earth and Air could both get Shield, Wood and Air could both get Protection from Arrows etc etc.

Thankfully Furycraft is pretty much limited to straight blasting, some fairly minor mind affecting abilities, and defensive buffs, with a few self offensive buffs (see most Earth crafters)

[tomandtish]

Are you making changes in the basic premise? Remember, furycrafting is not awoken in people. Every human (with one notable exception for a while) has furycrafting in some form.

What Tavi talked about and hoped to set up at the end was a system where people’s roles and education would be based on merit, not furycasting. And that people could get MORE furycrafting based on merit (see below). So people could attend the Academy on their own merits without a noble patron, or serve in the Senate without being a noble.

People had the ability to pass furies down to their descendants. This is part of what kept the nobles powerful. Noble A tamed two furies, and on his death passed them to his son, Noble B, who already had two furies. On his death Noble B passed them to his son, Noble C, and so forth. What Tavi works out with Alera at the end is that anyone who is willing to work hard would be able to increase their furycrafting, not just nobles. (Exactly how this will take effect is unknown).

Which sets up a lot of room for conflict since some surviving nobles probably aren’t going to want others to have this ability (even though it would probably be set up by default). You also have the opportunity for people who do increase their power to go mad with power for a while. Cursors are going to be kept busy tracking these things down.

I would treat all furycrafters as elementalists in some form (I agree spell lists for wood/metal will be hard), but there will be overlap. Assume some spell-like abilities as well, some of which might even be always active as long as the fury is in range (enhanced str for earth, enhanced dex for air, etc.). Cursor could be a PrC with some enhanced combat ability. At each level you could increase your level in one element, or take one in a new one. Spell levels do NOT combine.

As for Furies, treat them as elementals/construct with so many HD per level. Remember that you don’t want them to overshadow the PCs (and want to avoid one-shot kills), so the HD factor probably needs to be low unless you are starting at a higher level OR are giving a LOT of abilities to counter. Maybe start at 3HD, with an additional 3 each level.

For example, a first level Earth furycrafter reaches second level. They can:

Take another level of earth, and turn their earth elemental into a 6 HD creature.
Take another level of earth and have a second 3HD earth elemental.
Take a level of another element and have a 3HD elemental in that element.

[Nibbens]

Don't forget fire crafters can influence the emotions of people around them

Took the words right out my mouth. lol.

I'd suggest numerical stat bonuses for tracking as well. If they're the best at tracking, then a non-wood fury'd ranger could out-track a person with a bonus feat any day. How far do you want this phrase, "best tracker in the world," to go?

Also, there could be some merit to the PF sorcerer bloodlines for this idea.

[Fayd]

Honestly, I say borrow the rules from Pathfinder's Summoner class; either going with one VERY powerful fury as your eidolon (see Lady Placida), or as a broodmother archetype for people with more diverse cast and crew. Make elementals or elemental templated creatures for every tier of Summon Monster and you're done.

[Manyasone]

I believe the spheres of power system would lend itself rather well for codex alera Furycrafting

[DirePorkChop]

Dang. I almost forgot about influencing emotions. This is some amazing things. I am writing as fast as my little hands can fly.

I will probably allow the spell-less version of the ranger/ paladin so that there are some additional classes. I will post everything that I have created tomorrow. Work PC filter will not let me access dropbox.

[Waker]

Probably wouldn't hurt to list out exactly what each of the Fury types are capable of. Feel free to add or correct me, since it has been a couple years since I read the books last.

Metal- Of all the Furies, these are the most subtle. While all other Furies are capable of physical manifestation, Metal is the odd man out. The powers that are granted from Metal Furycrafting include: detection of metals, heightened strength, reflexes and stamina, ability to ignore pain and shielding of emotions, reshaping and aligning of metals. In game terms, you could probably grant a Metalcrafter a bonus to Dodge AC, DR/-, Will sv bonuses against Mind-Affecting abilities, limited Blindsense/sight and a scaling enhancement bonus when fighting with a mostly metal weapon.

Earth- Earth Furycrafters are most recognized for their tremendous physical strength. So long as an Earthcrafter is in contact with a mostly stone/dirt ground, they are able to manifest their Fury, perform feats of strength, detect the presence of others through their Fury and rearrange and shape stone/dirt. In game terms an Earthcrafter can Shape Stone, Transmute Stone/Mud, gains a scaling bonus to Strength and possess a limited form of tremorsense. I say limited tremorsense, because if memory serves me, the information is relayed secondhand rather than the Earthcrafter themselves sensing.

Wood- Woodcrafters are unparalleled trackers and archers. They are capable of obscuring the presence and that of others so long as they are in proximity to vegetation, reshaping and aligning of various plants and a form of limited blindsense. In game terms a Woodcrafter can use Hide in Plain Sight and grant the ability to others, Warp Wood, Entangle and grant a scaling enhancement bonus when fighting with a mostly wooden weapon.

Air- Aircrafters are primarily utilized as scouts and messengers. They can fly, see across great distances and become invisible through their bending of light, and accelerate their movement. In game terms, they have access to Flight, ignore penalties to Spot checks that involve distance, Invisibility and a limited form of Haste. They also have a vulnerability to Salt.

Fire- Firecrafters are one of the few types of crafters who can attack with their elements directly. Unlike Earth, Wood and Metal which all rely on fighting with weapons, a Firecrafter is capable of immolating their enemies directly. They are also capable of inflaming (rimshot) the emotions of friend and foe alike, driving them to great acts of courage or sending them running in fear. In game terms, a Firecrafter can use a number of fire-based attacks as well as mind-affecting abilities like Cause Fear or Rage.

Water- Watercrafters are mostly relegated to roles of healers. They possess a powerful empathic ability to sense the emotions of anyone around them, though this makes dealing with large crowds to be a nuisance. In addition they can communicate across great distances using water as a medium and heal wounds. In game terms they can Detect Emotions (like Detect Thoughts), capable of curative effects like Cure X Wound and Neutralize Poison, Control Water and long distance communication magic.

In the case of all of the crafters mentioned, contact and/or proximity to their element is needed to in order to utilize their abilities.