Interruptions

There will be a developmental pause while I work through the current things in my life. As time allows, I shall continue to post my ideas and intentions.

Politics

Given the dangerous nature of travel longer than the daylight hours, I've realized that there are two or three categories of society that would develop in such a land. The most powerful is a conglomeration of nearby cities, towns and villages that can create and maintain lighted roadways resulting in a true nation-state of small scale. Given enough time and resources such a confederation would become a very powerful force or a decadent ruin, both on the Roman model. The next most powerful would be independent city-states that control all area within a day or two of travel. These could have warlords leading the continual battles to keep the realm safe from darkness (and rebels) or they could have a different government; however, people tend to focus on a single strong leader so autocracy and tyranny are the most likely governments for these. Finally, small tribal communities would be reasonable. Some might be nomadic but most would be stationary, like miniature city-states.

Okay, I've got a basic outline for my 'nations'. Time to apply.
We'll need one (or more) conglomeration(s). They'd be the source of the best weapons and armors available and could be a stabilizing and unifying factor over the very long term. So, would that be because of the Sisterhood of the Burning Blade or would they be responsible for a different conglomeration? Or an attempted conglomeration? Two conglomerations, one 'traditional' forged by uniting a region under one 'king' and the second will be thanks to the Burning Blade, a much more recent and energetic conglomeration.
Next is a handful or two of the city states. I'm not sure how many I want but at least a dozen ones. Most have delusions of grandeur.
Finally, every village, tribe and town not already a part of the world is set up. Remember, establishing a new community is very dangerous so towns will usually be clumped together. So, if it takes more than one day to reach the next town in a given direction then it is equally likely to be a sun of travel as it is to be two days of travel.

More details to follow as I figure out the personalities involved.

Stress

Stress is a mechanic used to balance the combat power of unlimited casting. The current form was inspired by Mike "Mac" and his brilliant application of the token mechanic to this issue. All major disasters have other results described in the specific spell entries.

Every time a spell is cast a caster adds the appropriate number of stress tokens to his Stress Token Pool. The number of tokens in the pool increases the Shadow Strength DC of all spells, making spells difficult to cast when heavily stressed. A caster gains stress tokens as indicated below.
Action : Stress Tokens Gained
Succes 12+ : +0
Succes 6-11 : +1
Succes 0-5 : +2
Fail 1-10 : +1
Major Disaster : +2
Action Spent to Remove Tokens : Stress Tokens Lost
Move : -1
Standard : -2
Full-round : -4
No casting : -1
Success by Twelve or more: The spell was trivially easy generating no stress at all.
Success by Six to Eleven: Though not trivial, the casting was simple enought to provide little hindrance to casting generating one stress token.
Success by Five or less: This spell pushed the limits of your skill and luck generating two stress tokens.
Fail by Ten or less: Though distressing, this minor failure hinders your confidence more than your casting and generates only one stress token.
Major Disaster: Major disasters are the bane of all casters as the spell is cast but the targeting directions are mangled, usually by light, and the power rips through the caster. In addition, the energies channeled through the brain generate two stress tokens.
Move: By using a move action, remove one stress token from the Stress Token pool.
Standard: By concentrating as a standard action, remove two tokens from the Stress Token pool.
Full-round: If a full-round action is spent removing tokens then remove four tokens from the Stress Token pool. This still allows free actions such as casting quickened spells.
No Casting: As long as no spells are cast in a given round, remove one token from the Stress Token pool.

Darkness Points

Darkness points represent the accumulated embodiment of embracing darkness. Too much darkness and a person becomes a creature of darkness forever removed from the light. Furthermore, such creatures usually hate and despise the things they left behind, destroying family, ruining villages, and perverting all that was once sacred and meaningful to them. Each Darkness Point is an effective -1 to Charisma as the internalized darkness subsumes his identity and sense of self. If a character's effective Charisma score ever equals Zero and that character has any darkness points then the character becomes a NPC lich immediately. The NPC has a hatred for all that he once loved. Further darkness points have no impact upon such creatures as they are now creatures of darkness, living (or unliving) embodiments of the power of magic.
Darkness Option: There is one form of magic that is powerful and reliable but mortals are not meant to draw upon it. For the price of one Darkness Point a caster may take 15 on the Shadow Strength check to cast a spell. Only one spell can benefit from this option per darkness point gained; multiple spells can be cast in a single round and multiple spells can be cast as darkness spells in a single round, each generating another point of darkness. This allows reliable access to more powerful spells and effects but the corrupting power of Darkness can quickly control the mightiest of mages, making this an option of desperation or of madness.

One darkness point can be removed by exposure to eight consecutive arcs of direct sunlight. Darkness points are removed one at a time in this fashion. This is the only known way to remove darkness points. Rain, overcast, blizzards, being underground and other effects that prevent direct sunlight from bathing the character prevent the removal of darkness points. Note: if you don't use arcs then use eight hours of sunlight.

People Swarms

For formations of enemy troops, panicked mobs and other large bodies of mooks I have decided that a swarm variant would be the best way to easily model large formations and allow a large number of raw recruits to still be a threat to powerful PCs. So, here comes the template.

Swarms are made up of unusually dense formations of creatures, usually hundreds in a space normally occupied by a few. Swarms can be size Huge (15x15), Gargantuan (20x20) or Colossal (30x30). Huge people swarms are usually composed of 20-40 individuals of small to medium size, packed into a space usually appropriate for only 9 such creatures. Gargantuan swarms are normally composed of 50-80 individuals in either a large and chaotic mob or a closely packed military formation. Colossal swarms would be composed of about 100-120 creatures in a tightly packed formation or a cramped crowd. For larger bodies simply use multiple swarms, so a crowd of thousands of rioters may be composed of dozens of colossal swarms.
Type: The swarm has the same type and subtype as the base creatures and gains the swarm subtype.
Hit Dice: For every 10 people in the swarm it has two HD. So Huge swarms have 4-8 HD, Gargantuan swarms have 10-16 HD, and Colossal swarms have 20-24 HD.
Hit Points: The swarm has average hit points for its hit dice and constitution.
Speed: As the base creatures, including adjustments for armor and encumbrance.
Defense: As the base creature. Do not adjust for swarm size. No matter how big the crowd you still have to hit the individual people in it.
Base Attack/Grapple: Base Attack as the base creatures adjusted for the new HD. Swarms can't grapple; these benefits are subsumed by the swarm attack and distraction special attack.
Attacks: People swarms may attack surrounding squares as the base creature and gain the swarm attack appropriate for their hit dice (see below).
Space/Reach: Space as a creature of the swarm's size, reach as the base creature. If weapons give extra reach with a "dead zone" inside it (such as a longspear) then the swarm is treated as having that reach without the "dead zone", representing the ability of people in the heart of the swarm to stab at targets inside the reach of those at the edges.
Traits: A people swarms gains the following traits.
Distraction (Ex): Any living creature that begins its turn within a people swarm in its space must succeed on a Fortitude save or be nauseated for one round. Save DC = 10 + 1/2 Swarm hit dice + Con modifier.
Swarm Attacks: A swarm automatically damages any creature(s) in its area at the end of its turn. No attack roll is needed and there is no miss chance for concealment or cover. The amount of damage is based upon the number of hit dice: 1d6 for every five hit dice, rounded up, to a maximum of 5d6.
Traits: A swarm has no clear front or back and no discernable anatomy so it is not subject to critical hits or flanking. (Comander variant: a people swarm can be given a leader that commands and directs it, thus giving it a 'discernable anatomy' either automatically or with an appropriate skill check [usually Spot, DC around 20], allowing Sneak Attacks and critical hits as the character specifically harms the commander or command group of the swarm.) Reducing a swarm to 0 hit points causes it to disperse. Likewise, a swarm rendered unconcious by non-lethal damage also disperses as the creatures are too tired to stay unified, when they have rested (and their non-lethal damage is again less than the swarm's hit points) they may reform into the swarm. Swarms are never staggered or reduced to a dying state, also they cannot be tripped, grappled, or bull rushed and they cannot grapple an opponent.
A swarm is immune to any spell or effect that targets a specific number of creatures (indcluding single-target spells), unless the swarm has an Intelligence score and a hive mind and it is a mind-affecting effect (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects). A swarms takes half again as much damage (+50%) from spells or other effects that affect an area, such as splash weapons, evocation spells, and some class abilities.

Shadow Delver

(This is my attempt at a balanced caster class.)
Hit Die: 1d4+2
Skills Points: 8 + Int
Skill Groups: Academia, Mysticism, Social, and Theatrics
BAB: Poor (0-15)
BDB: Poor (0-15)
Feat Masteries: Lore Excellent (2-10), Tactics Good (1-9), Social Good (1-9), Other Poor (0-7)
Magical BAB: Average (1-20)
Special
1) Spellcasting
3) Shadow Secret
5) Bonus Feat
7) Shadow Secret
9) Bonus Feat
11) Shadow Secret
13) Bonus Feat
15) Shadow Secret
17) Bonus Feat
19) Shadow Secret
20)Master of Shadows

Magical BAB: When making attack rolls with a spell a Shadow Delver uses her magical base attack progression. Magic is a delver's primary weapon, as such she is very skilled at wielding it. This only applies when making attack rolls as part of a spell or spell completion item (wand, scroll, staff, etc.) not with magic weapons or other use activated magics.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Shadow Delver is proficient with all simple weapons but not with armor or shields. A delver relies upon her mastery of magic to see her through conflicts.
Spellcasting: A Shadow Delver is taught to tap the power of darkness to cast spells. She can cast either Shadow or Darkness spells (for details, see Magic). She gains in Shadow Strength as shown on the chart below.

• Level: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 07, 08, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20
• First : 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23
  
• Secnd: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 , 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22
  
• Third: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 , 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21
  
• Other: 1, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 05, 5 , 06, 6 , 07, 07, 08, 8, 9 , 09, 10, 10, 11, 11
  

First: This is the delver's Shadow Strength for her primary school of magic. This school must be selected at first level and may not be changed thereafter.
Secnd: This is the delver's Shadow Strength for her secondary school of magic. This school must be selected at first level and may not be changed thereafter.
Third: This is the delver's Shadow Strength for her tertiary school of magic. This school must be selected at first level and may not be changed thereafter.
Other: This is the delver's Shadow Strength in all other schools of magic.
To cast a spell a Shadow Delver must make a Shadow Strength check (1d20 + Intelligence Bonus + Shadow Strength for the appropriate school). The DC is determined by the desired spell and the amount of spells recently cast (DC = Spell DC + Stress Tokens). See Magic and Stress for further details.
Shadow Secret: At third level and every four levels thereafter a Shadow Delver learns a shadow secret. Choose one of the following abilities every time this feature is gained.

• DM Note: These abilities only work in the presence of strong shadows. These abilities are intended to function in areas of darkness, as bright as strong shadows. So not well in sunlit fields or well-lighted reception halls but well in dungeons, at night, or in poorly-lit reception halls. While the presence or absence of strong shadows is ultimately up to DM discretion these abilities are balanced and intended for frequent use.

Clamorous Shade:You have bound some of the energies of darkness to your protection. These energies whisper words of warning as dangers approach you. While in the presence of strong shadows you are treated as having the Blindsense ability with a range of up to 60 feet (not to exceed the range of the strong shadows). The details of blindsense can be found in the Monster Manual.
Cloak of Shadows: Your mastery of the shadows lets you draw them about you, concealing you from searching eyes. You gain a bonus on hide checks equal to half your Shadow Delver level as long as you are within the presence of strong shadows. You may also attempt to hide, even while being observed, as long as you are within five feet of a strong shadow.
Dark Blade: Drawing forth the surrounding shadows you form a literal weapon of darkness. Upon taking this ability select one melee weapon with which you are proficient, every time you summon your dark blade it appears in the form of that weapon and has all the same game statistics; alternatively you can choose to manifest two claws with the following statistics: 1d4, slashing, 20, x2 (power and finesse); note that as primary natural weapons these attacks follow the rules for natural attacks. Summoning a dark blade requires the presence of strong shadows, a Concentration check (DC 12) and a move action; this may be shortened into a free action by adding five to the DC (DC 17). Unlike the other shadow secrets, dark blade may be taken multiple times, each time selecting a different melee weapon the delver is proficient with.
Embrace of Darkness: You have learned to embrace the power of darkness at your direst need. Sometimes, when endangered, you are able to blend with nearby shadows to protect yourself from all harm. When making a reflex saving throw for half damage you take no damage on a successful save.
Shadow Bind: You possess the ability to make the shadows rise forth and bind your opponents. You may grapple foes up to 30 feet away. Treat this as a normal grapple check in all other ways except that it uses the delver's magical attack progression and Intelligence bonus rather than Strength bonus and there is no penalty for maintaining the grapple at range. This ability cannot be used to resist an attacker's grapple attempts. Note that this ability still provokes attacks of opportunity from those able to make them.
Shadow Bolt: With your mastery of shadows you can summon forth ambient shadows to blind your enemies eyes. As a move action you may make a Concentration check (DC 12) to summon a ball of shadows that you may fling towards your enemies as a ranged attack with a range increment of 60 feet. If the attack hits then the target must make a Fort save (DC 10+ level+ Int bonus) or be blinded for 1d4 rounds. You may make the concentration check as a Free action but this adds five to the DC (DC 17), this version creates enough bolts for a full attack (though you don't have to make one). Either way, shadow bolt uses your magical base attack progression to make attack rolls and determine iterative shadow bolt attacks. The shadows neccessary for such prolonged blindness must be strong, therefore the delver (though not the target) must be in the presence of strong shadows to summon the bolt.
Shadow Mask: Having mastered the confusing nature of shadows, you know how to draw them about you to confuse the eyes of others. You gain a bonus on Disguise checks equal to half your Shadow Delver levels as long as you are not directly lit, such as having a torch shoved next to your face by a city guard.
Swarm of Shadows: The myriad shadows around you come alive to form an almost-living carpet capable of consuming your foes. Make a Concentration check as a standard action to summon a shadow swarm (DC 5), for every three points by which you beat this DC your swarm gains +1 HD (and the associated base save increases). The swarm attack deals a number of d6 of damage equal to 1/5 HD rounded up (2d6 at 6HD, 3d6 at 11HD, etc). This swarm remains for up to 20 rounds; the swarm may remain further if the delver takes 1 Darkness Point per subsequent 20 rounds.
Visage of Night: By summoning the power of darkness about you like a cloak you project a terrifying presence upon those around you. You gain a bonus on Intimidate checks equal to half your Shadow Delver level as long as you are within the presence of strong shadows.
Bonus Feat: At fifth level and every four levels thereafter a delver gains a bonus feat of her choice. The delver must still meet all prerequisites for these feats. These feats are in addition to the feats gained for character level.
Master of Shadows: At twentieth level a Shadow Delver becomes a true master of manipulating the shadows. A master delver can summon a sphere of twilight, even under a noon sun, to create the shadows necessary for her art. As a full round action a 20th level shadow delver can summon a globe of twilight light centered on herself with a radius of 120 feet. This area counts as an area of strong shadows, and is sufficient to allow the use of all shadow secrets and the casting of all spells. This sphere lasts for one round per shadow delver level.

Shadow Swarm

So, it turns out that I need to make a new monster. Here it shall be.

Shadow Swarm
Tiny Outsider (native, incoporeal, swarm)
Hit Dice: 2d8+2 (11 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 20 ft.
Defense: 15 (+2 passive, +3 active)
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/-
Attack: swarm (1d6)
Full Attack: Swarm (1d6)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: distraction
Special Qualities: Half damage from slashing and piercing, incorporeal, darkvision 60, swarm traits
Saves: Fort (+3), Ref (+3), Will (+3)
Abilities: Str -, Dex 16, Con 12, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 10
Skills: Liten +0, Spot +0
Advancement: (3-40 hit dice)
CR: 1

A seething carpet of tiny shadows undulates across the ground. Insects and small animals disappear under its writhing mass and nothing living remains where it has passed.

Distraction: Any living creature that begins its turn with a shadow swarm in its space must succeed on a DC 12 Fortitude save or be nauseated for 1 round. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Damage: A shadow swarm takes half damage from piercing and slashing weapons. It takes half again (+50%) the damage from area effects. A torch, used as an improvised weapon, deals 1d3 fire damage to a shadow swarm without the usual miss chance for being incorporeal.
Incorporeal: See Iron Hereos page 212 for details on this ability. These rules are different from the SRD versions.