Welcome everyone, this will be your OOC thread. Firstly, a recaps of what the players know of the game so far:<br/><br/><div align="center">  <strong>The Morasti Desert</strong></div><br/>A hundred years ago, the Verkilen legions marched against the elven tribes of the Morasti Desert. It was a long war, the hopelessly outmatched elves needing to employ hit and run tactics, whilst the legion tried to surround them, and force them to fight. Finally after a grueling 16 month, near the centre of the desert they achieved this goal, and the slaughter began. As the angry sun rose to its highest point in the sky, the holy seeress of the elves called out to the powers of the desert. Realizing her people could not be saved, she instead implored them to avenge them. A sand storm rose, its size and intensity unmatched, stretching almost the full length of Morasti Desert, with winds so strong that they stripped flesh from bone.<br/><br/>The storm persisted for a hundred years, but now without warning it has finally died down, opening up the desert for all. Merchants are eager to have it mapped, as it could greatly shorten several trade routes. Archaeologists are mounting expeditions to the various ancient ruins that dot the sands, while the remnants of the elven tribes and Verkilen Kingdom are planning to visit the site of the final battle. Where there is this much interest, there is always opportunity.<br/><br/>Factions and how the end of the storm effects them:<br/><br/><strong>The Elven Tribes</strong>- The Elven Tribes are excited by the possibility of returning to their ancestral homes. Readjusting to life in the rocky valleys below the mountains was difficult after they were driven from their home, and some went to live among the humans in the towns and cities instead. Their numbers have also been a bit stagnant, they never really replaced those lost in the massacre. There is also the holy sight of the final battle, and if possible the bones of the seeress to recover. After 100 years of sandstorm is it unknown what the desert will look like, but if they can return to their old way of life their numbers can grow and life will be easier, and with traders venturing into the desert, they will need guides and supplies from the elves.<br/><br/><strong>The Drow</strong>- From their caves in the Aswad Mountains, leading down to the twisting expanse of the Underdark,t he Drow are not too concerned either way. If the humans move they will help their desert-kin, any excuse to make humans bleed really, but the desert is bright, they are unfamiliar with the terrain and will be a long way from the safety of the Underdark, as its tunnels do not surface in the desert, so any major involvement is out of the question.<br/><br/><strong>The Dwarves </strong>- The Dwarves have always been digging in their home the Sanvida Mountains, looking for ore and stone, but a few times a miscalculation was made, and the dwarves ended up opening a tunnel to a scene of raging ochre. Such tunnels were sealed and forgotten about, but now the dwarves realize that there may be several points of access to their network of caverns that are not guarded. Such a raid would be daring, and unless a good cache could be found likely not as lucrative as banditry, but if the scorching desert isn’t to your taste yet you still want your slice of the pie, perhaps the dwarven tunnels will prove attractive.<br/><br/><strong>The Kingdoms:</strong>Inhabited by humans, orcs, and a few elves-kin, these kingdoms and city states are the major powers of the region. United they would be a formidable force, but they never are. A scene of turmoil is unfolding within, as people scramble to respond to the new situation. Merchants jostle to hire mercenaries, commissioning them to scout the desert and return with maps. whilst some feel they themselves should be making these maps as they drive their caravans across the sand, let the cautious reap the leftover profits. No one however wants to travel without proper guard, and so a sword and some battered leathers is a good investment for the brave and the hardy. On the other side of the Morasti Desert no doubt a similar scene if unfolding, and perhaps the bold merchants of each nation will all meet in the middle. For archaeologists it is a rush to mount expeditions. There are 3 major cities known about in the desert from a forgotten race: Vashifa, Maldavedi and Govind, the former small settlements, the latter a sprawling metropolis bigger than anything inhabited this day. Artifacts already recovered from these sights where valuable and magical items could be quite powerful, and their value increased 10 fold after the storm. These expeditions themselves will be potential targets for bandits, but perhaps it is wise to let them reach the sites and find something valuable to steal first. Finally the nobles and councils of the land have also been stirred by the winds of change. Alliances may shift, borders previously protected are now exposed, and in particular there are three nations have a particular interest in the immediate future.<br/><br/>Verkilen - The Verkilen apatite for controlling the desert was heavily blunted by the seeress’s invocation, but 100 years can dull most injuries, and the kingdom is marshalling a legion. The fame of their metal clad soldiers is no less impressive now than it was 100 years ago, though perhaps funds are a little shorter now.<br/><br/>Messal – As an ally to Verkilen, Messal will follow cautiously, providing some support, but they would not appreciate being obliged by their treaty to get bogged down in an extended and expensive desert campaign.<br/><br/>Kupiga – As the current enemy as Verkilen, they will no doubt be watching the mobilization. Chief and foremost, they will want to know if the desert campaign is genuine, or if the whole thing is just a cover to invade them. Even if it isn't, Verkilen may be vulnerable in the following months.<br/><br/><strong>Kysolis</strong>Nestled in the Kee Barasat Mountains is a small nation of humans and orcs, ruled by a church tieflings. By no means a rich nation, it does well for itself, protected by the mountains it doesn't need a big army. This limits its ability to influence the world beyond it borders, though it has bred a skilled caste of diplomats, ambitions and willing to use any tools they can to leverage influence and wealth.<br/><br/><strong>Order of the Desert Winds</strong>- Located on the border of the desert, the Stronghold monastery will no doubt prove to be a popular resting spot for merchants, and perhaps some of their bow wielding members may even be hired as mercenaries. The Order as a whole has little interest in the opportunities of the desert, but perhaps some members will be guided by vision or inspiration to walk the lonely sands.<br/><br/><strong>The Old People of the Savannah</strong>- Another race who wishes to return home, the zealot mercenaries. This will no doubt cause an interest in the human kingdoms, but also the elven tribes who remember their old, and brutally effective allies. The horse riding Parush people will no doubt be glad to see them go, as they not enjoy sharing their plains and cattle with the the half-giants.<br/><br/><hr/><br/><div align="center"><strong>Rules Stuff</strong></div><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">House Rules</div><div class="spoiler_body"><strong>  Coins:</strong> the common currencies of the land are silver, bronze and copper. This is because I feel gold should be special, and not a metal used in every day transactions. Hopefully this will not prove too complicated.<br/><br/><strong>  Languages: </strong>Common does not exist, in its place is Trade. As the name implies it is used by traders, and can cover general conversation. What it does not do well is elaborate word play or convey precise, non-trade related information. Diplomacy and elaborate bluff attempts (such as “We represent the royal guard of the crown, “ as oppose to “It wasn't us, we're innocent,”) take a -4 penalty when done in Trade. Furthermore, attempting to convey non-trade related information quickly can be tricky. During combat and other rushed scenarios, a DC: 10 Linguistics check must be made to relay information in Trade (“It has high spell resistance,” “Ignore the archers, I'll deal with them,” “Aim between the 4th and 5th rib, its a weak spot”). If the check is a failure, you can choose to either give up, or instead convey the information as a move action (making success  automatic).<br/>  Eshna replaces Common as the human language. Everyone can swap Common for Trade, Eshna, or any other language a high intelligence modifier would give them access to.<br/><br/><strong>  Weapons: </strong>Usual stuff: bows, clubs, spears, blades. Rapiers and over fancy weapons are rarer, but by no means unheard of. However, due to the limited metal working skill of the land, metal weapons cannot be crafted as master work and need to be imported. As such, a masterwork metal weapon costs an extra 500 silver pieces. Non-metal masterwork weapons cost the standard +300 silver. However, a weapon need not be masterwork to be enchanted into a magical weapon.<br/><br/><strong>  Obsidian weapons:</strong> Light melee and thrown weapons that deal piercing or slashing weapons can be made of obsidian. Obsidian weapons roll an extra dice for damage and discard the lowest, their critical damage multiplier is increased by 1 step, and any critical threats receive a +4 bonus confirm. On a successful hit, an obsidian weapon is destroyed. Obsidian weapons cost an additional 20 silver. With the DMs permission, one or even two handed melee or thrown weapons can be made out of obsidian if only a small part is normally metal, such as a spear.<br/><br/>  Ammunition which deals piercing damage can also be made out of obsidian. As above, such ammunition deals rolls an extra dice for damage and discard the lowest, their critical damage multiplier is increased by 1 step, and any critical threats receive a +4 bonus confirm. However, obsidian is bad against armour, and unlike a melee weapon arrows cannot be adjusted mid attack. Against an opponent with a manufactured armour bonus of +7 or more (a breastplate and shield or splitmail for example) or a natural armour bonus of +11 or more, the attacker must take a -4 penalty to the attack roll or the arrow will shatter and even a successful hit will deal no damage. Do not count an armour or shields enchanted bonus for determining whether or not the tricky shot is needed. Obsidian ammunition costs an extra 2 silver per piece (so an extra 40 silver for the standard 20 arrows, a total of 21 silver).<br/><br/><strong>  Armour:</strong> It is hot in the desert, few people bother wearing heavier armours. Light and medium armour costs the same, but heavy armour is often imported and in short supply, costs an extra 50%. As with weapons, masterwork metal armour costs more. Add 200 silver to the price of light metal armour, 300 for medium and 400 to heavy (after the 1.5 price multiplication).<br/>  Worth noting is the effect armour has on you in a hot climate. Simply wearing armour gives you a penalty to saves to avoid negative effects from the hot environment as follows:<br/>  Light, not metal: -1<br/>  Light, metal: -2<br/>  Medium, not metal: -3<br/>  Medium, metal: -4<br/>  Heavy, not metal: -6<br/>  Heavy, metal: -8<br/><br/>Of course, if you have Endure Element or are otherwise immune to these effects, then the price is the only drawback specific to this game for such armour.<br/><br/><strong>  Background skills: </strong>This game will use the background skills variant rules. Basically you receive an extra 2 skill points per level, that can only be spent on the following:<br/><br/>     Background Skills<br/>Appraise<br/>Artistry<br/>Craft<br/>Handle Animal<br/>Knowledge (engineering)<br/>Knowledge (geography)<br/>Knowledge (history)<br/>Knowledge (nobility)<br/>Linguistics<br/>Lore<br/>Perform<br/>Profession<br/>Sleight of Hand<br/><br/>  Further details: http://www.d20pfsrd.com/skills/background-skills/</div></div><br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">A Hot Environment Info</div><div class="spoiler_body">  Savannah, hot, arid lands and the desert itself, this setting is no stranger to heat. The area around the desert is generally 85-115 (30-45) degrees by day, but with enough cover and water that this isn't too dangerous for the natives. Maybe a farmer will risk heat stroke after a particularly long day's work, but its is a daily consideration rather than a daily threat. In the desert however temperatures range from 105-130 (40-55) degrees, dropping to as low as 40 (5) by night, and such weather is almost always a threat, no matter how prepared someone is. Terrain wise, the Morasti Desert it about 70% sand, 30% rock, whilst the surrounding areas are mostly hard pack earth, rock, the savanna and 3 separate mountain ranges.<br/><br/>  A general note on hazards in the desert: the two biggest ones being the heat (heat stroke and sunburn) and the lack of water, which is general solved by Endure Elements, or fire resistance, and Create Water respectively. Do note that water from Create Water cannot be stored.<br/><br/>  Potential desert hazards of the desert that Endure Elements will not protect you from:<br/><strong>Sandstorms</strong> - Reduces visibility and deals non-lethal damage. Weak ones inflict 1d3 per non-lethal damage per hour, intense one can inflict up to 1d6 per minute and bury exposed travelers.<br/><strong>Ground gas</strong> - Visible by a shimmering in the air, the ground sometimes releases dangerous gasses volcanic gases through vents and cracks, or they can bubble up through the waters of an oasis.<br/><strong>Sun glare </strong>- A rare phenomena as the sand and rock generally do not reflex the sun too well, but in places where they take on a tinge of white, the sun can become blinding. In such area you must wear a veil or other protective eye gear or make a fortitude save. On a failure you are blinded for 1 round then dazzled for 1 hour. Whilst wearing a veil or other mundane protective eye-gear, you take a -2 penalty to perception checks relying on sight.<br/><strong>Extreme Temperatures</strong> - When the heat level rises above 140 degrees Fahrenheit or 60 Celsius, Endure Elements is suppressed and you will be exposed to the full force of the extreme heat (1d6 lethal damage per 10 minutes and a fort save to avoid being fatigued) along with sunburn if they had any exposed skin. Fortunately such conditions are rare even in the desert, almost unheard of in fact, without the aid of magic. Fire resistance will still protect you from sunburn, and reduces the damage from the heat (so statistically you will take 1 point of damage per hour).<br/><strong>Sand</strong> - Okay not exactly a hazard, but can often count as difficult terrain and particularly lose sand may required an acrobatics check to cross when running or charging.<br/><br/><strong>Magical threats</strong> - Mirages, corrupted sands, the distant memory of sorrow and suffering carried on the winds. The desert is old, and a thirst for water can let in other things too, it clings to magic better perhaps than other lands do, and whilst rare they are not unheard of, each tale recounting a different phenomena.</div></div><br/><br/><hr/><br/><div align="center"><strong>Desert Bandits</strong></div><br/>There are 4 major bandit groups operating this side of the Morasti Desert:<br/><br/><strong>The Red Blades</strong>– Led by orc who is rumoured to have been an assassin before she rose to bandits among the desert raiders, the Red Blades dwell in the caves of the Sanvida's foothills. They are fierce and merciless, those who resist and force them to spill blood are brutally punished, making the Red Blades the most infamous bandit group in the region.<br/><br/><strong>Kenra</strong>– A former caption in the Kupiga military, this half-elf runs a relatively tight ship by bandit standards. His base of operations is in a valley beneath the Aswad Mountains, though relatively few full blooded elves count themselves amoung the men and women he commands. Kenra likes to alternate between small quite raids, with the occasional large scale operation, and has a stock pile of potions for such events.<br/><br/><strong>Lady Tiltayo</strong>- An ageing sorceress who lives in the sparsely wooded area between the land between the human kingdoms' and the Aswad mountains, said to be the site of a temple to a forgotten god. Lady Tiltayo likely has the largest group, with extended families of bandits and raiders, but she lacks the ferocity and infamy of the Red Blades, the discipline of Kenra or the funds Blue Mask. Perhaps the opportunities of the desert will change this.<br/><br/><strong>Blue Mask</strong>– Named for his elaborate blue silk clothes, this outrider commands a wide reaching network, though he will likely has limited interest in the Morasti desert, as the bulk of his gains comes from selling Sannish in the human kingdoms. The crop to make this drug is farmed in the corner of the savannah, and the bulk of the organization is tied down in protection and distribution. But perhaps Blue Mask could task an elite few with branching out into the desert.<br/><br/>In addition there are of course numerous lesser groups, with a either an indirect relationship to one or more of the bandit lords, or completely independent.<br/><br/><hr/><br/>Finally, some questions to start us off. As agreed, no PvP, and no raping other player characters (I'm sure this is known but I'll say it anyway as it did cause bad blood in a previous game, but even a quick groping of another PC is best checked first, not just full on rape).<br/><br/>So, question:<br/><br/>1. Are there any O/O you are looking for particularly in this game? This can include specific kinks, situations or any fantasy races you are particularly interested in meeting. Also as above, are you okay with your character being sexually harassed, assaulted and/or raped by another player? Likely one of three possible answers is probably best here: No, yes but ask first, or yes go ahead and surprise me.<br/><br/>2. You are bandits, so this could happen. You hit the jackpot and after expenses and capitol gains tax, you each have 50,000<del>gp</del>sp at level 4. What do you spend it on? Are there any other major purchases you will be looking at for later levels (i.e. not things you would get with standard wealth in any game)?<br/><br/>3. Is the party going to be working for a local bandit lord, or are they freelancers? How did everyone meet?