Ptolus Adventures

This is an ongoing game that currently has 3 players. I would like to find one or two more people to join. We're a pretty laid back group, we play short sessions, usually 2 or 3 hours, once a week. I'm rather permissive as a DM, but I do put my foot down sometimes; in the past some people have taken my flexibility as a license to try and walk all over me, and that never turns out well. All I ask is that you be cool, take the game seriously, but not so seriously you get all butt-hurt when things don't go your way.

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Rules and such...
PCs begin at first level with Max starting wealth. (PCs are currently 9th level)

Roll 4d6, keep 3, reroll 1s, roll 7, keep 6.

No evil or chaotic stupid characters please. Chaotic alignment is fine as long as it's not just an excuse to be a jackass and/or derail the game.

This is a steam punk setting; guns, steam engines, and clockwork technology is common.

In the city of Ptolus all civilized creatures are welcome. You can play any race at all, as long as they are capable of getting along in a civilized society (and meet the alignment prerequisite).

PCs can receive a bonus feat in exchange for a backstory. It should be at least 3 paragraphs, up to a page or two at most. The backstory should include how and why they got the bonus feat. Backstories may (but there is no requirement to) include links to Chaos Cults, or a secretive cabal of evil monsters, or a prophesy of a legendary night of chaos in order to be tied in with existing story lines.

No Psionics, & no Tome of Battle.
Material Allowed: All of D&D 3.5 and anything from 3.0 that was never updated to 3.5 (may be subject to nerfing).

Let's use the spell point system with some variation. Zero level spells are at will. Spell points recharge at a rate of one point per caster level per hour, divided by the hour. So a 6th level caster gets one point every 10 minutes for example.

Summoning spells have a duration measured in hours when not in combat. As soon as battle is met the hours become rounds. So if a second level caster summons something it could stay for two hours, if after one hour it got into a fight it would only stick around for one round and then vanish; if it got into a fight after an hour and a half it would just vanish the instant it was attacked.

Cut the item creation feats, just make it Craft Magic Items. The level requirements still apply though, so you can't craft magic weapons until 6th level for example. Wizards get it as a bonus feat at first level.

Sorcerers take Eschew Materials as a bonus feat at first level. They can eschew up to 100 gold plus 10 gold per caster level. Beyond that they may pay for gold with XP at a rate of 5 Gold per 1 XP.

Combine Hide and Move Silently into a single skill called Sneak. Combine Listen and Spot into a single skill called Perception. Tumble may be used untrained in combat but still must be trained for non-combat uses.

A DC10 Heal check as a standard action, with the use of a healers kit, can restore 1d4+Wis hit points. For every 10 over you do more dice, so a DC20 heals 2d4+Wis, DC30 heals 3d4+Wis, etc. Without a healers kit you must use something else, you take a -4 for improvised materials and you only heal hit points equal to your wisdom bonus, no dice without a healer's kit.

Alternate turn undead
As a standard action the priest can present a holy symbol and invoke their deity's name. All undead within 30ft who can see the holy symbol (have a direct line of effect to be specific) take a Will save for half damage (DC10 + Cleric Level + Charisma Modifier). The turning deals 1d6 points of holy damage to undead per Cleric level.

Half Feats: Some feats are not worthy of being taken alone, but if you have the ability to combine them they are worth taking. So these feats can now be combined and considered as half a feat. The following feats count as half a feat: Acrobatic, Agile, Alertness, Animal Affinity, Armor Proficiency (any), Athletic, Augment Summoning, Combat Casting, Deceitful, Deft Hands, Diligent, Great Fortitude, Investigator, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Magical Aptitude, Martial or Simple Weapon Proficiency, Negotiator, Nimble Fingers, Persuasive, Self Sufficient, Shield Proficiency, Skill Proficiency (choose any one skill to become a class skill), Skill Focus, Spell Mastery, Stealthy and Toughness.
As a general rule, something that only gives you no more than a +3 bonus to no more than two skills or gives you an equally useful ability is treated as half a feat. For further information consult your friendly neighborhood dungeon master.

Up to 2 flaws may be taken, as well as up to 2 traits.

Dramatic Flaws (these can only be taken at first level)
Geezer: Start off in the Venerable age category (PHB p.109, -3 Str, Dex & Con, +1 Int, Wis & Cha)
Infamy: Character is known to have done something despicable and, if recognized, is hated for it.
Night terrors: Fail a will save while asleep (DC: 10+1/2HD+Con) and the character is Shaken for all of the next day.
Hobbled: Missing an arm or leg, or otherwise physically handicapped in some way.
Blind: Character can't see
Deaf: Character can't hear
Obese: Increase your base weight by 2d4x10 percent. This additional weight counts against your carrying capacity.

Dramatic Feats (these can only be taken at first level)
Authority: Character hold a rank in the military, law enforcement or other authoritative agency.
Favor: Character has a friend in high places (requires discussion and DM approval).
Faithful steed / hound: Above average horse or hound whose Animal HD keeps up with your level, you may roll its ability scores as you would roll for a PC and control it without handle animal checks.
Renown: Character is known to have accomplished something and if recognized is esteemed for it.
Sidekick: NPC of half your level rounded up.
Vehicle: Start off with a steam cart, a dirigible, a clockwork velocipede, or some other form of steampunk locamotivation.