Mage in Black: The Revisioning

[virgil]

An update on the project...
Setting Conceits
The superficial glance of the world is one of faux medieval fantasy. There are orcs, halflings, etc. Importantly, however, is the lack of magic. Low magic to the point of atheists' historical fanfiction, were it not for the owlbears and girallons.

They're all adults, and one has pointy ears

That is only superficial, as our PCs are wizards, aligned with an extremely secretive order whose purpose is to suppress all knowledge of the mere existence of magic from muggles. The reason for secrecy is safety, as simply knowing about magic weakens the border of reality, permitting hostile forces to influence or even invade.

The more a person knows about magic, be it names or abilities possessed by natives or even the motions with its casting, the greater the stress on reality. As an analogy, think of reality surrounded by a net

Once you learn of magic, your will presses against this net much like an open palm pressing against it. As your education increases, that hand closes into a fist pressing against it, pressing with the same force but now with a smaller cross-section. Cult gatherings are really dangerous, as you have a collection of fists concentrated in an area, risking an outright tear in reality. Wizards pose no threat, as their knowledge reaches critical mass and the 'hand' fits through the holes in the net.

The hostile force of the Other Side? Elementals. From the standard elementals, to golems (after inhabiting local statuary), to elemental outsider elite forces, to the genie overlords commanding the destruction of the Material plane. Magic as a whole is based on elementalism, making every available class some flavour of the elemental wheel.

Factions
These are wizards, so politics is a natural state and it's not a completely unified Masquerade. There are three primary wizard councils, divided by their preferred method of societal control of muggles.

• Quorum of Intuition supports rationalism and naturalist tendencies, encouraging a cultural cognitive bias to dismiss the supernatural. While the advancement of math & science is largely ignored, influencing the intellectual elite and their works is high priority so as to foster a culture that will outright dismiss signs of magic.
  Pursuit of Syncretic Injunction creates religions and superstitions that are completely counter to the actual function of magic, fostering a misinterpretation of any potential exposure to magic.
  State Solidarity engenders unquestioning loyalty to the state, and will direct the culture and organization itself to better control its constituents. The goal is to keep any information learned contained and allow for the inclusion of open suppression of the secret of magic.

Each faction will have a council that the PCs will use for mission debriefings, requisitions, and complaints over mess hall food quality. The council holders are all archmages w/additional duties with the Other Side as well as hedonistic indulges that make the whole wizard-thing worth it.

Rules
Every player begins with a ‘muggle’ class, something that can pose as insignificant and nomadic in the normal world. Level progression works as follows

• Itinerant You have just graduated from the dimensionally isolated Unknown Thaumaturgy, and are deemed safe to reality, and are given the task of protecting the net of reality. The years of isolation from a young age have left you ignorant of much in the normal world, so your life begins as an itinerant low on the social totem pole, giving you time to acclimate to the culture. This standard lasts for three levels.
  • Beggar
    Base Attack Bonus As per Fighter.
    Saving Throws Good Fort, Poor Ref, Good Will
    Skill Points 6+Int
    Class Skills Bluff (Cha), Knowledge: Local (Int), Perception (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Stealth (Dex), Survival (Wis)

    Level	Benefits
    1	Scrounger, Social Invisibility, Stoic
    2	Barge, Panhandling, Sidetrack
    3	Alms for the Poor, Cling, Headlong Rush, Mithridatic

    
    Scrounger: Has maximum ranks in Survival, which can be used in an urban environment.
    Social Invisibility: Able to use the Stealth skill even without cover or concealment, so long as they are in an appropriate area and make no threatening action (drawing a weapon, aiming a ranged weapon, etc). Social Invisibility is an enchantment (compulsion), mind affecting ability.
    Stoic: Gain Diehard & Endurance as bonus feats.
    Barge: Gain Improved Bullrush & Improved Overrun as bonus feats.
    Panhandling: Able to use Survival in place of Perform when earning money by begging in the streets.
    Sidetrack: When performing the Creating a Diversion to Hide or Feint action with Bluff, you can grant the benefits to an ally rather than yourself.
    Alms for the Poor: The character can target a creature within 30’ that is able to see and hear them. The distraction of a nearby combat and other dangers prevent this ability from working. If the targetted creature fails two consecutive Will saves with a DC equal to the character’s Survival check result, they will give the character their least valuable item. A creature cannot be the target of this ability more than once every 24 hours. This is a mind-affecting, language-dependent, compulsion effect.
    Cling: You do not provoke an attack of opportunity and gain a +4 bonus when performing the Grab On action.
    Headlong Rush: When you successfully bullrush or overrun an opponent, you automatically Trample them, inflicting damage equal to a natural slam attack for a creature one size category larger than you.
    Mithridatic: You are immune to ingested poison and have a +4 bonus to saves against all other forms of poison.
  • Thug
    Base Attack Bonus As per Fighter
    Saving Throws Good Fort, Poor Reflex, Poor Will
    Skill Points 4+Int
    Class Skills Climb (Str), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Ride (Dex), Swim (Str), Use Rope (Dex)

    Level	Benefits
    1	Street Fighting, Rage, Trustworthy, Wrecker
    2	Curb Stomp, Grit, Stout
    3	Sucker Punch, Brutal, Iron Stomach

    
    Streetfighting: You are considered proficient with any improvised weapon and gain a bonus to attack and damage with such weapons equal to your level.
    Rage: As a barbarian of equal level, all Thug abilities can be used during rage
    Trustworthy: Sense Motive checks are at a -10 penalty to use Hunch regarding you.
    Wrecker: Gain Improved Sunder as a bonus feat.
    Grit: As a swift action, gain DR 5/nonlethal until the beginning of your next turn.
    Curb Stomp: Any opponent you flank provokes an AoO when they are successfully attacked by an ally.
    Stout: Gain a +4 bonus to saves against poison and disease
    Sucker Punch: When you successfully attack a flat-footed opponent, you may spend a swift action to automatically make the attack a confirmed critical for nonlethal damage.
    Brutal: If you deal 10 or more damage with a single attack, you may spend a swift action to make the target sickened until they spend a full-round action to recover.
    Iron Stomach: Whenever forced to make a saving throw against poison, gain 2d6 temporary hit points.
  • Tinker
    Base Attack Bonus As per Rogue
    Saving Throws Poor Fort, Good Reflex, Poor Will
    Skill Points 4+Int
    Class Skills Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Disable Device (Dex), Profession (Wis), Search (Int)

    Level	Benefits
    1	Jury Rig, Scavenging, Journeyman, Trapfinding
    2	Trap Sense, Know Your Product, Prankster
    3	Sales Pitch, Hoodwinker, Sabotage, What’s Mine is Yours

    
    Jury Rig: With one minute of work, you can repair a broken item as if using the make whole spell, but will show obvious signs of its temporary repairs. This is a temporary fix, and the item will return to its original state whenever the user rolls a natural 1 while using it.
    Scavenging: So long as debris and trash is available, reduce the cost & time to craft an item by 75%. The crafted object will show its quality and its base hit points and hardness will be half the regular value.
    Journeyman: Have maximum ranks in Disable Device and Craft.
    Trapfinding: Gain a bonus to skill checks to detect and disable traps equal to level.
    Trap Sense: Gain a bonus to Reflex saves and AC against traps equal to your level.
    Know Your Product: When crafting a weapon or armor, you can add the personal touch to it and make yourself proficient with it, regardless of other circumstances. Any other person who uses the object treats it as jury rigged, and it will gain the broken condition if they roll a natural 1 while using it.
    Prankster: Setting a trap is a full-round action that provokes an AoO. Artisan’s tools for the occasion are required to produce a proper trap. Such traps fill a 5’ square, cannot share a space with another such trap, and is chosen from the following list.

    • Tripwire mechanical; location trigger; no reset; Atk +10 melee touch (trip); Search DC 15; Disable Device DC 15
      Bucket mechanical; location trigger; no reset; Reflex DC 15 avoids; Search DC 22; Disable Device 18; dumps alchemical flask, dye, or foul-smelling material on subject
      Alarm Bell mechanical; location trigger; no reset; noise Listen DC -5; Search DC 20; Disable Device 15

    Sales Pitch: While in conversation, and attempting to make a trade, you can force an adjacent creature that can hear and see you to be fascinated if they fail a Will save (DC 5+½ level+Cha mod). Once fascinated, the subject will be willing to sell their most valuable physical possession on their person for any proffered item that is worth 1gp or more. Unfair deals will not be recognized as such until pointed out by another person.
    Hoodwinker: As per Prankster, with the following additional traps to select from.

    • Crossbow mechanical; location trigger; no reset; Atk +10 (1d6/x3, bolt); Search DC 20; Disable Device DC 20
      Snare Trap mechanical; location trigger; no reset; Atk +5 melee touch (net); Search DC 20; Disable Device 20

    Sabotage: The sabotage feature of the Disable Device skill can be applied to any item, including weapons and armor, to gain the broken condition after 1d4 rounds of use.
    What’s Mine is Yours: You can perform the Disarm maneuver against any object that isn’t closely worn (armor, boots, rings, etc). Loose items, tucked in a belt or loosely attached (brooch or necklace) have a -5 to their AC. Fastened items, such as sheathed weapons, cloaks, or pouches, have a regular AC.

    Items that have taken damage in excess of half their total hit points gain the broken condition, meaning they are less effective at their designated task. The broken condition has the following effects, depending upon the item.

    • If the item is a weapon, any attacks made with the item suffer a –2 penalty on attack and damage rolls. Such weapons only score a critical hit on a natural 20 and only deal ×2 damage on a confirmed critical hit.
    • If the item is a suit of armor or a shield, the bonus it grants to AC is halved, rounding down. Broken armor doubles its armor check penalty on skills.
    • If the item is a tool needed for a skill, any skill check made with the item takes a –2 penalty.
    • If the item is a wand or staff, it uses up twice as many charges when used.
    • If the item does not fit into any of these categories, the broken condition has no effect on its use. Items with the broken condition, regardless of type, are worth 75% of their normal value. If the item is magical, it can only be repaired with a mending or make whole spell cast by a character with a caster level equal to or higher than the item's. Items lose the broken condition if the spell restores the object to half its original hit points or higher. Non-magical items can be repaired in a similar fashion, or through the Craft skill used to create it. Generally speaking, this requires a DC 20 Craft check and 1 hour of work per point of damage to be repaired. Most craftsmen charge one-tenth the item's total cost to repair such damage (more if the item is badly damaged or ruined).

  • Troubadour
    Base Attack Bonus As per Rogue
    Saving Throws Poor Fortitude, Good Reflex, Good Will
    Skill Points 6+Int
    Class Skills Bluff (Cha), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Knowledge (Int), Language, Perform (Cha), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Stealth (Dex), Tumble (Dex)

    Level	Benefits
    1	Classically Trained, Fascinate, Foreigner, Quick Change
    2	Mock, Tale of Overcoming Hardship, Quick Draw
    3	Prank, Shanty, Tale of Revenge

    
    Classically Trained The character has maximum ranks in Perform.
    Fascinate The character can target up to their level in creatures within 90’ able to hear and see each other, and able to pay attention to them. The distraction of a nearby combat and other dangers prevent this ability from working. If the targeted creatures fail a Will save with a DC equal to the character’s Perform check result, they are fascinated for as long as the character concentrates. A creature cannot be the target of this ability more than once every 24 hours. This is a mind-affecting compulsion effect.
    Foreigner With a Gather Information (DC 10) check interacting with a community, the character becomes sufficiently familiar with the language of the area (-5 to Charisma-based skill checks if the language is otherwise unknown) and is considered local for Knowledge (Local) skill checks. In addition, the character is proficient with the racial weapon of the primary demographic. The benefits of both last until the ability is used in a different community.
    Quick Change Able to make a Disguise check as a standard action without penalty.
    Mock As a full-round action, the character can target a number of creatures equal to their level who can see and hear them up to 90’ away and fail a Will save with a DC equal to the character’s Perform check. Failure sends the creature into a barbarian rage without the bonuses. The rage lasts until they spend a standard action and make a successful Will save (DC 10+½ level+Cha mod). This is a mind-affecting compulsion effect.
    Tale of Overcoming Hardship Grant a single re-roll to any failed saving throw made within the next 24 hours to any who listen to your tale for an hour and have an Intelligence of 8 or higher. A character cannot benefit from more than one Tale of Overcoming Hardship at a time.
    Quick Draw Gain Quick Draw as a bonus feat.
    Prank Using a standard action and a blanket or similar item, force an adjacent enemy to make a Reflex save (DC 10+½ level+Dex mod) or be blinded until they or an ally spends a full-round action to remove the material.
    Shanty While singing, all allies within 60’ of the character who can hear the song and join in can use the minstrel’s Perform check instead of the following: Constitution checks made to continue running, Constitution checks made to avoid nonlethal damage from a forced march, Constitution checks made to avoid nonlethal damage from starvation or thirst, Fortitude saves made to avoid nonlethal damage from hot or cold environments.
    Tale of Revenge Grant Favored Enemy as a 1st level ranger for 24 hours to any who listen to your tale for one hour and have an Intelligence of 8 or higher. A character can only benefit from one Tale of Revenge at a time.
  • Rat Catcher
    Base Attack Bonus As per Rogue
    Saving Throws Good Fort, Good Reflex, Poor Will
    Skill Points 6+Int
    Class Skills Handle Animal (Cha), Notice (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Stealth (Dex), Survival (Wis)

    Level	Benefits
    1	Feral Empathy, Hunting Companion, Sneak Attack +1d6
    2	Camouflage, Swift Tracker, Stab & Grab
    3	Pestilent Health, Ten in One Blow, Sneak Attack +2d6

    
    Hunting Companion: Begin play with a companion selected from the following list: rat, cat, owl, viper (tiny), terrier (as per weasel, remove attach, add diehard & track as bonus feats). The companion gains the abilities of an an animal companion by a druid of equal level and a familiar for a wizard of equal level. In addition, the companion threatens as a medium creature in combat.
    Feral Empathy: Has maximum ranks in Handle Animal
    Camouflage: With a full-round action, using available materials and survival equipment, the target creature will blend in with their environment and gain a +4 bonus to Stealth checks until they move more than 10’ from their location.
    Swift Tracker: Suffer no penalty for tracking with the Survival skill when moving at normal speed, and only a -5 penalty when moving twice normal speed.
    Stab & Grab: After a successful sneak attack, you may perform a sleight of hand maneuver as a swift action with a +4 bonus.
    Ten in One Blow: Melee weapons are treated as area attacks against swarms.
    Pestilent Health: Immune to all diseases, but the body retains it when exposed until cured.
  Status You have been deemed proficient in the ways of the world, granting you greater responsibilities in suppressing the Truth, equally rewarding you with a new identity with prestige and influence. As before, this tour of duty lasts for three levels.
  • Captain
    Base Attack Bonus As per Fighter
    Saving Throws Good Fort, Good Reflex, Poor Will
    Skill Points 4+Int
    Class Skills Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Notice (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis)

    Level	Benefits
    1	Martial Training, Drill Sergeant, Teamwork
    2	Rally, Frightful Presence, Survivor
    3	Recruit, Inspiring Command, Counterattack

    
    Martial Training: You are considered proficient with all weapons, armor, and shields. In addition, you automatically gain maximum ranks in Sense Motive. If you already have ranks in Sense Motive, you gain a number of bonus skill points equal to what’s already been spent to place on any other skill.
    Teamwork: You and allies who flank with you gain a +4 bonus when flanking instead of the normal +2.
    Drill Sergeant: With a day of training, you can grant proficiency with any single weapon or armor to a maximum number of people equal to your ranks in Sense Motive. Those granted proficiency in this manner retain it for a week.
    Rally: With a swift action, all allies within Medium-rank and Line of Sight reroll their saves vs Fear and gain a +2 morale bonus to attack and damage rolls for 1 minute. This is a language-dependent ability that may be used an unlimited number of times.
    Frightful Presence: Whenever you perform a dramatic action (attacking, roaring, etc), opponents with fewer HD and within 30’ must make a Will save (DC 10 + half level + Cha modifier) or be shaken for 1 minute. An opponent that succeeds on the saving throw is immune to the same Captain’s frightful presence for 24 hours, and is considered a mind-affecting fear effect.
    Survivor: Gain the Endurance and Die Hard feats as bonus feats.
    Recruit: You can muster a group of followers. Your leadership score is your ranks in Sense Motive plus your Charisma modifier.
    Inspiring Command: All characters working for the Captain gain a +4 morale bonus to skills checks made in relation to their duties.
    Counterattack: Any creature that attacks the Captain provokes an attack of opportunity against him. If the Captain doesn’t already have Combat Reflexes, he now gains it.
  • Coroner
    Base Attack Bonus As per Rogue
    Saving Throws Good Fort, Poor Reflex, Good Will
    Skill Points 4+Int
    Class Skills Appraise (Int), Heal (Wis), Notice (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis)

    Level	Benefits
    1	Formal Training, Certification, Lie Detector, Sneak Attack +1d6
    2	Field Surgery, Battle Surgeon, Autopsy
    3	Sneak Attack +1d6, Guilt, Subdue

    
    Formal Training: Automatic maximum ranks in Heal. If you already have ranks in Heal, you gain a number of bonus skill points equal to what’s already been spent to place on any other skill.
    Lie Detector: You can cast discern lies at will. Anyone who succeeds at a Will save will be immune to its effects for 24 hours.
    Certification: With a DC 15 Heal check and a swift action, determine the current HP of the target. The same modifiers from Spot apply to this Heal check.
    Battle Surgeon: First Aid, Treat Poison, and Treat Wound are move actions. Long Term Care requires only 10 minutes.
    Field Surgery: With 15 minutes of treatment & a successful Heal check (DC 20), convert all damage on a subject to nonlethal damage and make them fatigued. Performing field surgery on an exhausted character requires one of two Fortitude saves (DC 15) to succeed or die.
    Autopsy: With a successful Heal check (DC 20), you learn cause & time of death, size and approximate strength of assailant, and similar key information.
    Guilt: As a move action, declare a subject to be guilty and incite righteous violence against them, granting all who hear a +4 bonus to weapon damage, Bluff, Notice, Sense Motive, & Survival skill checks against them for 10 minutes. A person can only gain the bonus against one target at a time.
    Subdue: You are considered one size category larger for purposes of grappling and suffer no penalty to checks from dealing nonlethal damage in a grapple.
    Merchant
    Base Attack Bonus As per Rogue
    Saving Throws Poor Fort, Poor Reflex, Good Will
    Skill Points 6+Int
    Class Skills Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Knowledge: All (Int), Perception (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis)

    Level	Benefits
    1	Avarice, Business Acumen, Carpe Diem, Sneak Attack +1d6
    2	Logistics, Showpiece Equipment
    3	Protection Money, Sneak Attack +1d6

    
    Avarice: Increase Strength by +5 for purposes of encumbrance, and suffer no armor check penalty or penalty to speed due to medium or heavy loads and armor.
    Business Acumen: Automatic maximum ranks in Appraise. If you already have ranks in Appraise, you gain a number of bonus skill points equal to what’s already been spent to place on any other skill.
    Carpe Diem: Gain Improved Feint & Quick Draw as bonus feats.
    Logistics: Overland travel speed is always calculated as if on a highway rather than trackless, road, or trail. This applies to up to a score of people traveling with the character.
    Showpiece Commission: The character can, over the span of three days, purchase a personalized weapon or armour. A showpiece weapon’s masterwork bonus applies to attacks, damage, and one additional check chosen from the following list: disarm, sunder, trip, or confirmation rolls. A showpiece armor’s armor check penalty is reduced by two and maximum Dexterity is raised by two.
    Protection Money: The character has a contract with a guild that trains and sells the services of elite bodyguards. The body guards available to the character are 5th level human Warriors who have been subject to the Council’s extensive psychological examination and magical enchantments to not only not react negatively to exposure to the supernatural, but be physically incapable of retaining knowledge or even awareness of the supernatural for longer than ten minutes at a time.
    Monk
    Base Attack Bonus As per Rogue
    Saving Throws Good Fort, Good Reflex, Good Will
    Skill Points 2 + Int
    Class Skills Concentration (Con), Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (Int), Perception (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Survival (Wis)

    Level	Benefits
    1	Diplomatic Immunity, Meditation
    2	Endurance of the Mind, Heedless Strike, Oracle
    3	Deflect, Induce Trance, Injured Gambit

    
    Diplomatic Immunity: Character is under the effects of a sanctuary spell. A creature that makes the save or is attacked by the character is immune to the effects of this ability for 24 hours. This ability is always active while the character is visible as a monk, and is treated as a language-dependent compulsion effect.
    Meditation: Automatic maximum ranks in Autohypnosis. If you already have ranks in Autohypnosis, you gain a number of bonus skill points equal to what’s already been spent to place on any other skill.
    Endurance of the Mind: Character is constantly under the effects of the endure elements spell. They also use their Concentration skill in place of Constitution when resisting starvation, dehydration, suffocation, and forced march.
    Heedless Strike: When making a power attack, the attack roll penalty can apply to Armor Class instead.
    Oracle: The character can cast hypnotism at will, with no hit die limit, by going through the motions of giving an oracular vision. A creature is immune to further attempts to use this power for 24 hours, and gains a +4 bonus on its saving throw if they are not a humanoid due to difference in culture. This is a language-dependent compulsion effect.
    Deflect: Gain Deflect Arrows as a bonus feat. This feat can also be used against melee attacks.
    Induce Trance: Character can apply the effects of autohypnosis onto another character within reach. This is a language-dependent compulsion effect.
    Injured Gambit: The character, when making a melee attack, can provoke an AoO with their target in exchange for their attack dealing double damage.
  Archmage Practical experience and acclimation to the art of magic have proven the character's worth, and they are awarded the title of Archmage. You pretty much abandon your old character and build a new one appropriate to your magic powers, retaining your old life as a background trait.
  

Universal PC Traits

• Mage Sight Can use read magic & detect magic at will as a spell-like ability. Spellcraft is a class skill which they have maximum ranks in.
  Seal of Silence An arcane mark that grants a +10 bonus to Disguise checks for a specific cover identity (as dispensed by the wizard council) and a +10 bonus to both deliver and discern secret messages. Also magically compels the bearer to be unable to directly speak/write on the subject of magic.
  Secret Paradigm Eschew Materials is a bonus feat. No arcane spell failure from armor. Conceal Spellcasting inherently known, with sentient observers untrained in Spellcraft at a -10 Notice.
  True Magick Spell slots as a 1st level wizard, otherwise following the standard rules for spellcasting. At level 3, they become 2nd level spell slots. They become 3rd level spell slots at level 5.
  Archives of the Quorum Illuminati Repository and requisition storehouse of all spellbooks, all spells converted into arcane spells by a geometer. Access and distribution on a per-mission basis.

Skills & NPCs

• Cross-class skills are not more expensive than class skills, but their maximum rank remains at half that of a class skill
• Spot & Listen merged into one skill, Perception
• Stealth as per rules found in How Not to be Seen
• Tome combat mechanics for BAB, maneuvers, etc
• NPCs use Apprentice levels predominantly, important characters (ex. guard captains) have levels predominantly in NPC

Gather Information

• Subtlety The fact questions are being asked is itself a fact, generally that of DC 15, which can be raised to DC 25 if the asker accepts a -5 penalty to their Gather Information check
  Trailing As per urban tracking. Each check is 1 hour of questioning.
  • Thorp - DC 5 - 1d3 checks
    Town - DC 10 - 1d4+1 checks
    City - DC 15 - 2d4 checks
    Metropolis - DC 20 - 2d4+2 checks
    DC Modifiers Per 3 in group (-1), Per 24hrs since search (+1), Quarry hiding (+5), is primary racial demographic (+2), is not primary or secondary racial demographic (-2), ½ hr per check (+5), influence with relevant community (-2*Rep)
  Suppression Sometimes you don't mind if someone knows, but do mind if more find out. Spend 1d4+1 hours (or instant if suppressing yourself), make an Intimidate check vs DC 15 to raise the DC to get information by +5; every 10 points this is exceeded raises the DC by 5. Failing to suppress will actually reduce the DC by 5. Matching the base DC but not the suppressed DC will reveal that the information is being suppressed; at which point, the character can specifically target the person who knows to get them to spill the beans.

Interviewing

• Base DC 10+level+Wis modifier; -5 if loyal, -5 for public information, +5 for dangerous information.
  Interrogation Intimidate for quick and direct question.
  Subterfuge Bluff to get the information through a verbal minefield, with an opposed Sense Motive check to notice the attempt before it's too late.
  Banter Diplomacy is direct route, but a lot more friendly and requires social atmosphere.
  Fishing Sense Motive to know if they know; making a DC 15 means they don't know what you were asking, and DC 25 will make it so they don't know you asked anything at all.

[virgil]

World of Nidyor

Muggle Nations
The known world of Nidyor was commanded by the only known full-blooded elf, the All-Father. His origins are unknown, but his rule was absolute for two millennium. As part of his reign, the most important marriages were legitimized by his fathering the first child of the union. During the rule, a titanic road had been constructed throughout Nidyor, permitting ease of travel and enforcing a unification of language over the first few centuries of his conquest.
Five centuries ago, civil war erupted for independence from the All-Father, who died in chaos. This became known as the Birth of the Nine Ways, and the independent regions went on to form nations. Time passed, and nations revised themselves while others fell to conquest and one fell to diaspora. The nations as they are known today, have been largely stable for the last two centuries (except for Zuvendis, which had changed six decades ago).
Aside from isolated and dying folk religions, Celm is the only religion in town. Similar in most ways to monastic Buddhism, it includes a robust mythology of goetia-style demons that can only exist in the mind

• Gallina: All roads lead to Gallina, this trade metropolis is essentially a corporate nation
  Rotak: Plateau of essentially Elf Sparta with technical school dojo masters
  Western Alahbmah: Rural salt flats with giant Celm temples
  Tii: Big farms and joint control between old monarchy and Celm knight templar
  Axphain: Bayou plantations and London-style slums supporting amazing advances in medicine and academic elite in their awesome universities
  Zuvendis: Deserts and strip mines, the hub for what will soon become a technological revolution

The Other Side

[virgil]

Bestiary

Fauna of Tii Chocobo, Owlbears, Tri-Horn,
Fauna of Gallina Krenshar, Griffon,
Fauna of Rotak Spider Eater, Giant Spiders, Death Vine, Snakes,
Fauna of Western Alahbmah Iccu, Green Slime, Yellow Mold
Fauna of Axphain Stirge, Crocodiles, Snakes,
Fauna of Zuvendis Girallon, Ankheg, Giant Scorpions & Centipedes,

Iccu

Large Animal
Hit Dice: 6d8+30 (57 hp)
Init: +2
Spd: 20'
AC: 21 (-1 size, -2 Dex, +14 natural), flat-footed 18
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+12
Full Attack: Claws +7 (1d8+6)
Space/Reach: 10'/5'
Special Attacks: Paralytic Tentacles (DC 18)
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60', Low-light vision, Immunity to Poison
Saves: Fort +10, Ref -1, Will +6
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 7, Con 20, Int 2, Wis 13, Cha 9
Skills: Climb +13
Feats: Endurance, Improved Natural Armor, Pack Mule
Organization: Solitary, Herd (6-12)
Challenge Rating: 3
Paralytic Tentacles (Ex) An iccu can transfer grabbed victims from its claws to its tentacles as a move action. The tentacles grapple with the same strength as the claw but deal no damage, but instead exude a paralytic secretion. Anyone eld in the tentacles must succeed on a DC 18 Fortitude save each round on the iccu's turn or be paralyzed for 6 rounds. The save DC is Constitution-based. While held in the tentacles, paralyzed or not, a victim automatically takes 2d6+2 points of damage each round from the creature’s mandibles.
Shell (Ex) As a move action, an iccu can curl itself up into a ball for protection. It cannot move or attack as long as it remains in this state, but its armor bonus from natural armor increases by 4 as long as it does. It may end this state with a move action.
Carrying Capacity A light load for an iccu is up to 600 pounds; a medium load, 606-1200 pounds; and a heavy load, 1201-1800 pounds. An iccue can drag 9000 pounds. Because of the Pack Mule feat, the iccu's speed is not changed by a medium or heavy load.

Zombie
Cultists who internalize magic frequently find a comparative great strength at the cost of their autonomy.

• Type Changes to Undead and the character’s former type becomes a subtype with the “augmented” modifier. The character also gains the Dark Minded and Unliving subtypes.
  Hit Dice The character’s BAB, hit points, Saves, & skills are all unaffected.
  Special Qualities The creature acts as if under a dominate effect to the first person to give it a command. In addition, the creature gains DR 10/critical hits & Energy Resistance 5.

Doppelganger Cultists that delve and discover the name Rennbuu find themselves subject to terrible predation simply knowing its name, and find themselves replaced in a mirror. A doppelganger seeks to understand social networks much like a child seeks to understand clocks.

Lycanthrope Magic attempted near animals can result in a tear that combines the two into a single entity not unlike that seen in The Fly.

Invisible Stalker The entire category of air magic is dangerous for the untrained, but copies find their way into the hands of cultists without sufficient will to enact them, resulting in the air from their lungs gaining energy from the spell and taking a life of their own.

Elementals One step below open gateways to Limbo, these tears permit elementals to cross through and inhabit inanimate masses of matter. Air is the most common, followed by Earth (statues are common when available), and then Water. Fire is rarely manifested due to the requisite bonfire, but unusually organized cultists have been known to prepare such.

[virgil]

Thoughts?

[Foxwarrior]

The zombie is funny. Not sensible, but funny.

[virgil]

Sensible?

[Foxwarrior]

Yes, sensible, the opposite of playing Free Action Tug-Of-War with zombies.

[virgil]

Changed the zombie

[Foxwarrior]

So you did. Success, it is no longer amusing.

[virgil]

Two new Status classes added.

[...You Lost Me]

So everyone has limited wizard spells, and some extra class features? It seems like a lot of characters would feel very similar. It seems like almost every Thug will play exactly the same. Everyone will probably be spamming sleep and color spray, etc.

[virgil]

By limited, you mean access to the entire D&D list? It's small enough and the PCs are competent enough that it's going to be mainly for mission utility or strange happenings; especially since the players need to play Masquerade amongst the muggles.

I would argue that, aside from gear and extraneous skills, Rogues & Paladins play essentially the same in the first three levels. As there is going to be 4 Status classes at minimum, once you hit 4-6, there are 16 notably different characters; which is enough variation for two campaigns.