Alright, while my first Realms of Twilight game is still going, I thought I would try another one, taking place in a different part of the Realms of Twilight Campaign Setting that I will be publishing in a month or so.

Introduction: The world of Relistan has not seen the light of the True Sun for millenia. An ancient ritual pulled a great orb from the heavens to block the sun's light for eternity. Not, the only light that shines on the surface of the world is that of the three moons and the stars. Time is still referred to as day and night, and is determined by the cycle of Selene, the white moon (it has a 24 hour cycle).

The continent of Shirán is a great desert, created in the times long before the Eternal Eclipse. Yet even with the lack of the sun's power the sands are no less dangerous and the heat no less sweltering. Many scholars have theorized at the heat's source and why it's cycle seems to be related to Selene, but none have found true answers.

The Shifting Sands (as the desert is less than affectionately called) has everything a desert should. There are several oasis, sand storms, and nomadic tribes trying to survive.

The majority of the desert is ruled by the Lords of the Shifting Sands, a group of powerful individuals who have carved up the desert to create their own domains. All but the northeastern region of the continent falls under the command of one of the 4 regional Lords, with the Crimson Prince (the last of the five) wandering the sands.

The group will begin in the free city of Calatain in the northeastern region of the desert. It is a city of gems, silks and riches. But where there are riches, there are thieves. Though here, the thieves guilds must battle any number of other guild for power and wealth. These battles inevitably happen in the shadows, away from visible society, and offer ample possibilities for willing adventurers.

The characters will be a small group of mercenaries, a part of the recently created mercenary guild known as the Blue Hand. The guild is small and not very wealthy at the moment. Yet its leader, a mysterious man known only as Lord Azure, has found ways to make a profit for the guild by forcing his way into contracts with various other guilds and sides of this complex political situation. You are not recent recruits, nor are you as experienced as some of the guild's members. You are most definitely not very familiar with the complexities of the current political situation, which is why you all joined the guild in the first place. You get paid well, and only pay a portion of any loot you find to the guild in exchange for contracts and a relatively steady source of income.

The characters all know each other, as the guild is still small. But the may not have worked together before.

Now for the rules:
We will be using the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game rule set (not too different from 3.5E Dungeons & Dragons) for this game. For ability scores I will use an 80 point buy system with no scores higher than 18 before racial modifiers. I would recommend not having more than 2 scores of 18, I tend to dislike such characters .

Character Level: 2 (with starting funds of 1,000 gp.) When you send me character sheets please only include skills you actually have ranks in. I would rather not have to sort through a skills list that includes a bunch of stuff that you only have your ability modifier. I can figure that out on my own.

Available Classes: Anything from the Pathfinder Core Rulebook, my soon to be published Campaign Setting book or the Expanded Psionics Handbook by Wizards of the Coast (Though I will limit it to 2 psionic characters so if you want one, pick it quickly). The only core class from my cook is the Combat Alchemist (uses short-lasting mixtures in combat). I will allow only one of these. Those wanting more information... just ask.

Number of Characters:Ideally 4-6

Feats: Feats can be chosen from the Pathfinder book or any Wizards of the Coast product (though I reserve the right to veto anything I don't like... GM's privilege).

Posting: I will do an official game update every Sunday. If conversations are occurring with NPCs I will likely post more often to facilitate that. I expect quality posts with correct spelling and relatively good grammar. If you do not post you leave your character at the mercy of the Game Master... (insert maniacal laughter here).

Other Notes: I will have a thread that has character sheets on it. I will keep everything updated there. (Yes I got the concept from Trilogy Wars, but I like it and it works).

Name: Gender: Alignment: (can not be evil.)
Ability Scores: Str:
Con:
Dex:
Wis:
Int:
Cha:
Hit Points: (Max 1st level, you roll for 2nd)
Fort Save: Ref Save: Will Save: Base Attack Bonus: Attacks: (include weapons, total attack bonus and damage for each weapon.)
Skills: (remember, only skills you actually have ranks in, the number of ranks, and the total modifier please.)
Feats: Combat Maneuver Bonus: (Base Attack Bonus + Str Mod)
Combat Maneuver Defense: (Base Attack Bonus + Str Mod + Dex Mod)
Equipment: Money: (include any gems you have here too.)
Mixtures/Spells/Powers Known: (for combat alchemists, bards, wizards, sorcerers and psionicists.)
Spells Prepared: (for clerics, wizards and bards)
Physical Description: Personality: Background: (I may alter this in order to make it fit in wth the world and the campaign.)

I would like to join but i'm unfamiliar with pathfinder. how would I go about making a character?

You know I'm in as long as you'll let me.

Pathfinder is in essence, a variation of the 3.5E rule set published by paizo. There are some modifications to the skill list, as well as the core races and classes. However, the rules are essentially the same. If you want to choose a race and class and let me know I can PM you the info from pathfinder.

Other rules variations:

1) Combat Maneuver Bonus: Instead of having a bunch of opposed checks for special maneuvers (i.e. disarm, grapple, etc.) Pathfinder uses a Combat Maneuver Bonus which = Base Attack Bonus + Str Mod + size modifier. You use the Combat Maneuver Bonus instead of your attack bonus when attempting a special maneuver. This bonus is modified by feats like Improved Disarm and such when those maneuvers are used.

You also have a Combat Maneuver Defense which = 10 + Base Attack Bonus + Str Mod + Dex Mod + Size modifier. This is effectively the AC that a character or creature needs to beat to succeed at a special maneuver.

2) Skill Changes: a) The Search, Listen and Spot skills have become Perception (Wisdom based)
b) Open Locks is now a part of the Disable Device skill (Dex based).
c) Concentration is no longer a skill. The modifier for Concentration checks is your caster class level.
d) Jump, Tumble and Balance have become Acrobatics (Dex based).
e) Forging and Speak Language have become Linguistics (Int based). For each point you put in you still learn a language.
f) Hide and Move Silently have become Stealth (Dex based)
g) You do not gain 4x your initial skill points at 1st level. However, when you put your first point into any class skill you gain an automatic +3 bonus to that skill.

3) Feat Progression: Characters receive feats every other level instead of every third (1st, 3rd, 5th, etc.) This, along with the race/class modifications makes characters a bit more powerful than 3.5E, but the monsters are stronger as well.

4) 0-level spells: Both cantrips (Wizards/Sorcerers) and orisons (Clerics) can be cast infinitely. I reserve the right to nix this rule if it is abused.

5)Chosen Class: You get to choose your single chosen class (instead of it being determined by race). Every time you advance in level in that class you gain either a bonus hit point or a bonus skill point.

6) Low-Light Vision: Because my world has only twiight, every race effectively has low light vision. Races who normally have this ability have double normal range.

Other than listing all of the class and race differences these are the primary differences. Does that help a bit? And yes Dakarta, you can play. I assume you will be playing your usual rogue?

this helps a whole lot, thanks!

I was thinking about playing maybe... a human fighter just to keep it simple. Unless you allow other races other than the basics. If you want i can just make a character as much as i can to pathfinder using 3.5 rules and if anything is wrong you can edit it, is that fine?

Actually yeah, human fighter. but the catch is he's a bow specialist. I'm bored so i'm going to write up the character sheet now if you don't mind and i'll send it to you.

what do you want us to do with HP? roll our own on second level or just do max or what?

Hit points are max for 1st level and you can roll for second. But I expect honesty. I will be performing all rolls after character creation.

I'll PM you the modifications for the fighter and human real quick to help you. Other than that, the stuff I've already posted should help you in the right direction. And, of course, you can always ask if you get confused. I'm more than willing to help.

awesome, thank you for the help.

just incase this game isn't getting as many players as it should be because people think pathfinder is to different from 3.5.... it isn't. It's almost exactly like it only simpler, so come on people join up! i have never even seen a pathfinder book before and made my character my self in like an hour, its so easy.

Just recently investigated Pathfinder, myself, and, like Jozan says, it's basically 3.5e the way it should have been all along... simplified, less convoluted, however-you-wanna-describe it...

I'd be interested in joining up on this one myself (to test 'pathfinder play' and to experience a Steelight game firsthand) if only I had more free-time. I'll be lurking, at any rate.

My loss is your gain, though, Innmates... Steelight's a helluva storyteller and a helluva GM... all of you folks who've been looking for a game would be remiss not to try this one on for size.

I appreciate the compliments Eol, though I'm sorry you won't be able to join the game.

I still need between 2 and 4 players. Thus far we have a fighter (archer) and a rogue. Anyone else interested?

I think I would like to give this a try. I'm curious to both your world, and the pathfinder rules. What you describe so far sounds good.

Questions:

What races would you allow? Not every world has the same types.

How long is this game going to last? I'm not talking in terms of months or weeks, but more in levels and storyline. A short adventure table top seems to become something that can last for a year on the inn. A game where people rise multiple levels seems to go on for more than 2 or 3. If you want to make this a campaign, it could be for eternity or until the game drops dead.

Posting length: I'm a busy guy, most of the time. I run an adventure on the inn with two groups, which will always have my priority. If I post a shorter post once in a while, would it be a problem? As a counterfact I'd like to tell you that when I dedicate myself to a game, I don't slack.

That said, I will start thinking about what I would like to play.

And finally I'm going to damn whatever character I come up with by saying that it's kinda funny when you tell us to use proper grammar when you misspell it yourself.

Nobody's perfect. Myself included. (mark that on the calendar... I usually don't admit that. )

As far as shorter posts, I realize that not every post is going to be a novel. In fact, I don't expect anything near that. I'm more interested in reliable posting (and perhaps a few extra posts if a conversation is going on) than the length. Quality over quantity after all.

Races: Any standard core races. I am debating allowing thri-kreen from the psionics handbook, but you would have to go through the monster level progression first (starting as a 2nd level thri-kreen of course) before you could choose a standard PC class. Of course even the standard races may have a slight twist on them due to the desert environment. Appearance bay be a bit different for instance, but likely nothing as far as the game mechanics.

Any other questions?

I'm actually running my own game currently in a sort of Pathfinder/3.5 mix. There are apparently some who grandly dislike pathfinder, but I find that it takes a step or two towards fixing some of the things that my group had been houseruling into 3.5 and is otherwise generally very usable to those who know 3.5

Of course, there are a couple things that work rather differently that you may want to look into, but all that information is easily found on the SRD here: www.d20pfsrd.com EDIT: Alright, I fixed the link (though I'm not exactly sure what I did that fixed it) and it is now working
Though, this being Steelight's game, you may wish to get from him any specific information in case anything differs.

The link will likely be very helpful, and much cheaper than everyone going to buy the books.

However, I still find our game lacking at least 1 more player (though I will accept up to 3 more).

And I just realized that I didn't answer one of your questions Almerin. The game will go on for as long as it can. As long as people keep playing, I'll keep coming up with new scenarios and adventures to entertain them. I have no partiuclar end point in mind at the moment. Only a path and a journey.

Also, I have officially decided to allow a single thri-kreen (should someone decide to play one) using the monster class rules. I believe it is a 5 level monster class though I'll have to look it up to verify.

Alright, who else?