DM Lament Configuration's Carrion Hill (Inactive)

Game Master electricjokecascade

Welcome everyone, to the benighted adventure that shall take you deep into the heart of Carrion Hill's mysteries.

There's a setting piece up in the Gameplay tab to set the tone, and I'll be updating the Campaign Info tab frequently to catalog key NPC's. If at any point you forget who's who, just pop on over there for a reminder.

This is a busy week for all of us (well, us US folks, at any rate,) so I'm hoping we can use this time to introduce ourselves, finalize crunch, explore the possibility of there being connections between a few of the PC's, and enjoy some pre-game rp to get everyone in the right mind set.

Toward that end I'll be posting something to get the ball rolling in the Gameplay thread soon. I hope you guys will have the time to engage, but if this week proves too hectic, no worries. Come Monday, Dec 2nd, things will kick off in earnest.

I'll be around till midday (EST) to answer any questions, and then sporadically from then on. My travels end Friday, so I'll be able to line up everything over the weekend to ensure a solid start next week.

Again, welcome! I'm excited to play with you all. Your submissions were top caliber, and I think the group dynamics are going to be great. A pity, alas, that your minds are all destined to be shattered...

Awesome! Thanks for the selection. I'm looking forward to playing with everyone.

I didn't want to worry too much about equipment unless selected, but I do have a couple equipment-related questions. First, I intend to buy a Headband of Vast Intelligence +2. Said Headband comes with a skill and a language, chosen when the item was created. Do you want to determine what those are, or should I choose?

Second, may I purchase a Fortune-Teller's Wagon for 500gp? It's from the caravan rules, (which obviously we aren't using), but for fluff I'd prefer Yelena and Tereza to have their own wagon that they use for travling.

Welcome, Yelena! I think you can go ahead and pick the skill/language for your headband, and the Fortune-Teller's Wagon sounds wonderfully thematic. Go for it.

Re: Tereza - stat-wise, what were you envisioning her as? An Expert NPC? Does she have any powers of her own?

Re: Tereza - stat-wise, what were you envisioning her as? An Expert NPC? Does she have any powers of her own?

Honestly I was mostly envisioning her as a commoner with a focus on Profession Fortune-Telling. She definitely doesn't have any powers beyond spooky Harrow Readings. I don't plan to bring her along on anything actually dangerous, (Yelena's not going to drag her aging grandmother into a fight), so once the excrement hits the oscillating device Yelena will try to make sure she goes somewhere safe(ish).

That all being said, it'll be good to have stats for when she inevitably gets dragged in anyway. I can stat her as either Commoner or Expert, whichever you'd prefer, and probably also 5th level just to keep things simple.

You know, after browsing through the NPC Codex I've turned up the CR6 Village Elder. I'll base Tereza off that.

Dotting for reference

First post as Walter the Vagabond, aka Walter Teyero, which is Sargavan pidgin for Walter the Teamaker. Walter used to have another name, but he doesn't use it any more...

Crunch and all coming shortly. Thanks for the invite, DM!

I am quite excited to be a part of this and play with you all! Looks like a real fun party. I'll spend some time getting crunch and all finalized this week. I'm more than open for some existing PC connections - Kolthis has, after all, done a fair bit of traveling in both his days as a mercenary and devotee of Lady Luck.

Team, I see we have one other full caster and two partials. Can we discuss spell selection a little?

Walter is a Spell Sage, which means he's a wizard who has given up having a familiar, a bound object, or a specialization school. In return, he gets two special abilties: (1) Once / day he can burn two spell slots to spontaneously cast any Bard, Cleric, or Druid Spell; and (2) Once/day, he can "overclock", casting a single spell at +4 ECL.

This makes Walter a pretty good blaster (and I've built him as a blaster) and a backup emergency utility caster (because in a pinch, he can cast pretty much anything). But he's *not* a jack of all trades, because he's starved for spell slots -- even with a headband, he's only getting 5/3/2.
And of course, as a wizard, he has to memorize.

So, what are your thoughts on spell selection?

To help the discussion along, here's a tentative list of my spells.

First level

Burning hands will be my go-to blast. With my Varisian Tattoo, Spell Specialization, Intensify Spell and an alchemical reagent I can get 8d4+1 of damage, DC 18 Reflex save. That's not bad for a first level slot! The big drawback is that it has a 10' range and I'm super squish.

Because I'm super squish, I pretty much have to take Mage Armor. Somebody mentioned having a wand of Mage Armor? If you'd be willing to hit me with that regularly, it would open up another spell slot for me.

So I have either two or three slots left. I'm thinking Charm Person, Grease, and Summon Monster I.

Second level

Lots to work with here. I'm thinking maybe Glitterdust (great battlefield control spell), Invisibility (do we have a sneaky person here?) and perhaps Levitate (still useful at this level). Aggressive Thundercloud is great for taking out enemy casters. Ice Slick is basically Grease with some cold damage and a higher DC. Further suggestions are welcome.

Third Level

Only two spells known here unless I want to spent 400 gp on scribing something from a scroll. I'm thinking Fireball and Haste. Note that I do 7d6+1 with Fireball, or 10d6+1 if I want to use my daily overclock. So Haste would have to be worth at least that much. (Yeah, it probably is.) Anyway, further suggestions are, again, welcome.

I'm pretty flexible with Yelena. Psychic spells tend to be of the save-or-suck variety, but I've got a handful of area control and buff/debuff spells too.

I know 6 first-level and 2 second-level spells. Here's what I'm thinking right now.

First Level
Enlarge Person: Humanoid creature doubles in size.
Heightened Awareness: Your recall and ability to process information improve.
Ill Omen: Target rolls twice for checks and attacks and uses worst roll.
Mind Thrust 1 (DC18): Mentally deal 1d6 points of damage per level.
Remove Fear: Suppresses fear or gives +4 on saves against fear for one subject + one per four levels.
Unprepared Combatant: Target takes -4 on initiative and Reflex saves.

Level 2 (DC18)(6/day):
Mental Block (DC19): Prevent the target from using its skill ranks, spells, feats, and abilities.
Aversion: Cause the target to avoid an object or location.

Any suggestions? I'm fine swapping out Mind Thrust, but I'm not sure what for. Maybe Charm Person, Glue Seal or Levitate?

I also get two 'free' spells per day because of my archetype. The standard pairing is likely going to be Liberating Command/Glitterdust, but I have lots of other options.

To help me out with setup for the module, please take a look at the map of Ustalav that I've linked to in the campaign tab, and tell me from which direction you're approaching Carrion Hill.

Yelena would be coming from the west. She took a caravan to Caliphas then made her way through the mountains to Carrion Hill.

To help me out with setup for the module, please take a look at the map of Ustalav that I've linked to in the campaign tab, and tell me from which direction you're approaching Carrion Hill.

Walter's starting point was in Sargava, a couple of thousand miles to the south. But there's no road into Carrion Hill from the south, so he would probably be coming in from the west too.

Any suggestions? I'm fine swapping out Mind Thrust, but I'm not sure what for. Maybe Charm Person, Glue Seal or Levitate?

I also get two 'free' spells per day because of my archetype. The standard pairing is likely going to be Liberating Command/Glitterdust, but I have lots of other options.

If you can take Levitate in a first level slot, I'd suggest swapping that for Mind Thrust. I've got blasting / direct damage spells pretty well covered... as long as we don't run into something that is resistant to fire, cough cough.

If you can take Levitate in a first level slot, I'd suggest swapping that for Mind Thrust.

Whoops. No, Levitate would be a 2nd-level spell for me too. I was looking at a bunch of spells and got confused. I'll take Glue Seal instead; area control is always helpful.

Whoop, late to the party but here!

@DMLC Maritine is coming straight from Lepidstadt and taking the most direct route she can.

@Everyone Maritine gets the benefit of the alchemist class so her spells are more 'potions' but I have the ability to let non-alchemists use/'drink' them, so a little bit of extra flexibility there for everybody. I have limited slots but we can work around that.

I'll have an updated list of infusions up soon.

Hello, hello, everyone!

Looking forward to playing in the party, it looks like we're a ragtag bunch of rejects and people too nosy for their own good. Of which Lys is definitely guilty.

@GM - I feel she's definitely approaching Carrion Hill from the south (since I did put that in my backstory), through barely familiar and half-abandoned village and forest roads.

About background connections - I'd feel she'd have met Kolthis during her travels, sharing a drink or twelve, chatting about being a dwarf on the road. Perhaps the Hammer Hands and Lys' former monster-hunting duo cooperated on something in the past?

Regarding spells, OPINION WARNING!, Haste is great, and would happily be a recepient of it. Bright side here is, we might even need it to escape at some point. Though, as I'm sure the GM can attest to, *clears throat*, Haste might even be too good of a spell, simply because it's almost always the ideal combat spell.

About the Mind Thrust - I'd suggest keeping it, as a caster I think you always want to have a personal defensive or an offensive slot for a spell, but Glue Seal is amazing.

@DMLC Being based around the area of Caliphas, Kolthis would be taking the mountain cut and also be coming in from the west, like Yelena.

As of right now, my limited spell slots are as follows:

1st Level:
True Strike(Domain)
Divine Favor, Divine Favor
Shield of Faith

2nd Level:
Aid(Domain)
Bull's Strength
Lesser Restoration

These are all basically focused on buffs since it seems I'll be more on the frontlines, with any of them being able to be spontaneously converted to heal spells. There is a lot of pretty useful things on the cleric spell list, so any further thoughts on selections are welcome!

@Yelena/Walter I rather agree with Elize on the mind thrust bit. Having some combat capability available is never a bad thing, imo.

@Walter I think glitterdust is a solid choice for 2nd level. As far as I can tell, I don't know that we have anyone really sneaky, as far as thinking of invisibility goes. Haste and Fireball also seem really solid choices. They're never not good.

@Maritine: I'm not sure you can share your potions around. From the investigator write-up:

An extract immediately become inert if it leaves the investigator’s possession, reactivating as soon as it returns to his keeping—an investigator cannot normally pass out his extracts for allies to use.

Maybe I'm missing something? Let me know if there's a rule overriding this restriction.

I'm on record as thinking Haste is OP, and if the DM wants to nerf or ban it, I'm fine with that. But if we're playing RAW, yup -- Walter is a team player. He'll want to take at least one group buff, and they don't come any better.

Also, yes -- we may need to run sometime. Walter is a short pudgy guy with 10 Str and 8 Con. He would absolutely want a spell that helps him run faster.

Looks like Maritime, Kolthis, and Yelena will be coming in from the West.

Lys and Walter will be coming in from the south.

I'll get some rp-starting posts up this evening, but I'm loving the strategy talks I'm seeing so far. You guys are going to need to play it safe and smart if you're to get through this ordeal sane of mind and healthy of body.

Re:haste, it's such a classic that I'm not going to ban it.

That said, I'll always reward creative play and risk taking over tried and true combat tactics. Don't be afraid to try more interesting/less optimized approaches!

@DMLC Yeah I re-read that section and that parts correct, but I took a talent (Infusion) that should let me share them around, unless I've misread something.

Infusion (Advanced Player's Guide pg. 31): When the alchemist creates an extract, he can infuse it with an extra bit of his own magical power. The extract created now persists even after the alchemist sets it down. As long as the extract exists, it continues to occupy one of the alchemist's daily extract slots. An infused extract can be imbibed by a non-alchemist to gain its effects.

I get access to that as an investigator talent, so that should let me pass them around.

Ah, perfect! Thanks for clarifying.

So Lys and I are coming through the rather swampy forest to the south, slogging along muddy, badly maintained roads -- now cold? I guess it's winter now? -- from one grubby, unwelcoming village to another.

@Lys, Perhaps we know each other? It can be anything from "known each other for years, best friends" to "met on the road this morning, find each other mildly irritating but need the company". I'd slightly prefer knowing each other -- more RP possibilities -- but it's up to you.

Lys, Walter's background is just a sketch so far. He's originally from Sargava down in Garund, but is of colonial (Chelish) descent. He spent time at the Academae in Korvosa. He wandered around Varisia for a while and and I think he's visited Cheliax at least once. Also, he's had at least one horrific Mythos-related incident in his past, maybe more, details very much TBD. In terms of personality he's a scholarly nerd who used to be kind of a callous jackass. He's had a life-changing experience and is now sincerely trying to be a better person, but is not quite sure how to proceed.

@Lys - I was thinking something similar about connections! I think it works pretty well. Perhaps a joint assignment during the mercenary days. I'm down to talk and flesh it out!

I also think it could be plausible that Kolthis and Yelena met up somewhere on the road via their shared connection to Desna. Maybe a little fortune telling after Kolthis' incident and before he became a Cleric, or something.

Well, as long as we're talking strategy: I've taken something like 700 gp worth of alchemical reagents and herbal stuff. Most of these have pretty minor effects -- +1 damage here, +2 on a particular sort of save there. But one or two have combat effects. There's at least one that might be worthwhile for one of you to throw as a ranged weapon in certain cases. Let's discuss in-game when we get together.

Walter has Craft (alchemy) +10 and Profession (Herbalist) +6, btw. He always has an eye out for odd plants or fungi, and will try to make tea out of pretty much anything.

Maybe I'll keep Mind Thrust and swap out Remove Fear, buying a wand of it instead. 1st level wands are relatively cheap. Decisions, decisions...

Yelena's traveled all over Avistan with various caravans, so it's plausible for her to have met just about anyone. Kolthis, I do like the idea of us having connected over Desna. We could have met briefly in the past, (maybe Yelena's caravan happened to be in the town Kolthis originally woke in after his ordeal), and run into each other again on the way to Carrion Hill. Since we're both going to the same place for roughly the same reasons, it makes sense for us to be traveling together.

Also, speaking of fortune-telling, I do fully plan to do some in-game Harrow readings for funsies. Feel free to ask for one!

@Walter, Kolthis - Sounds great! Perhaps we can all combine it together?

Walter, Kolthis and Lys were all a part of an expedition out of Caliphas several months ago (not sure what timeline sits best with Kolthis), which was, for once, fairly successful. The classic 'there be undead in that there swamp', or something of the sort, with the Hammer Hands and Lys' duo providing the muscle, and Walter providing the arcane and knowledge support. After the fact, perhaps all went jovially on their separate way, unaware of the horrors in their immediate future. Would allow us to think on how much things have changed, and how hope is slowly draining away.

@Walter - maybe the two had another incidental meeting in the small village of Redleaf, then meeting along the way towards Carrion Hill immediately after Lys' failed mission in the woods, the usually snarky and jovial sharpshooter a lot more sullen.

On buying wands:

@DMLC, iirc you want us to roll a d50 to see how many charges are left? Does the price go down with the number of charges?

[edit] Additional question -- is it cold enough to warrant purchasing cold weather gear?

Things are coming together, I like it.

@Kolthis, Yelena Since we're all travelling from roughly the same direction, do you want to have met on the road at some point? Maritine would definitely pay to cut down on her journey, and a travelling harrow caravan wouldn't be that out of place in Ustalav.

@Walter I think between the two of us we should be able to craft a whole assortment of useful things. Alchemical fun for everyone

@Walter: You can roll 1d50 for each of three wands, which is the entirely arbitrary amount I think you could reasonably have. Divide the normal wand cost by the # of charges. Also, it's not cold enough to warrant more than a warm woolen cloak.

In regards to the connections, this all sounds good. I'll be posting some rp prompts this evening. Let's go with the following: Lys and Walter haven't seen each other since their last successful foray, and Kolthis and Yelena have been traveling together, with Maritine only a short distance behind them by the time the prompts begin.

Okay, let's talk connections. So most or all of us adventured together at least once before? Okay then: here are some relationship tags, just for fun. Team -- feel free to grab one of these, or just roll at random. (Or ignore the whole thing, of course.)

Wands:

Protection from Evil (quelle surprise): 1d50 ⇒ 37
Mage Armor: 1d50 ⇒ 44

Huh. Okay, so that's... 81 x 15 = 1215 gp. As it happens, that's not far from what I have left! So I can swing this and then I'm just about done except for a couple of hundred gp of pocket money.

Wand of Remove Fear: 1d50 ⇒ 9

Eh, on the bright side it'll be cheap. I should finish up the rest of Yelena's equipment tonight.

Wand of Cure Light Wounds: 1d50 ⇒ 39

So, 585. Not too bad at all, actually! Pretty happy with that.

Yelena should be finished. Anything in her equipment that's listed under Clothing or Other Gear was purchased mostly for fluff and can be assumed to normally stay in the wagon. Combat Gear, Magic Items, and Adventuring Gear she will have on her person and/or in her backpack.

Walter's done. Man, 10,500 gp goes pretty quickly... If he finds a little cash, Walter will definitely grab any opportunity to scribe some more scrolls.

Alright, sheet's finished and shopping's done. Bought a lot more alchemical stuff than I thought I would, but here we are. Still have a little left over if there ends up being a party fund.

@Walter I may roll a d6 later and see what I get, then see what I can make with it as a surly inspector.

Alright, apologies - been busy with the short work week and upcoming holidays, but Kolthis is finished now! Feel free to offer any suggestions or comments on feats, skills, spells, items, etc.

@DM, do you have a preferred format for game status bar? This is what I typically use, but if you have a preference of course I'll do that instead.

@Lys, Walter I do like Lys' suggestion about a joint team-up for a job. As far as timeline goes, I imagined the Hammer Hands incident happened about 2 years ago, considering recovery time for Kolthis afterwards. If you wanted to do something recent, he could have been easily conscripted as a divine ally against the undead. As a traveling Cleric based in Caliphas, he's had plenty of involvement in various things requiring hired aid, though less the mercenary type and more the bodyguard/faith ally type.

@Yelena The idea of meeting up after Kolthis' incident works really well, I think. The town of Redleaf is where I imagine he woke up, out by the lake. Maybe you were somehow drawn to him by the latent mental issues that come from encountering cosmic horrors, although probably unaware of such. Instead we bonded over talks of fortune, luck, travels, and all things Desna before parting ways. It's possible this conversation directly after the horrors he faced nudged Kolthis down the road to where he is now as a Cleric.

@Yelena, Maritine Perhaps we met each other on the road near Kavapesta? And have been traveling since then together in the caravan towards Carrion Hill, somehow all going the same place. I imagine there wouldn't be too many places in the city asking after travel to such a place. And yet, Desna guides our feet to find each other in the unlikeliest of scenarios.

I'll post something to get started in gameplay soon as well!

Just glad to have a post up, holiday season has kicked in full force.

@Kolthis That could work, especially if Maritine didn't think of proper transport. She's smart, not wise.

Happy Holidays!

A

@Lys, Walter I do like Lys' suggestion about a joint team-up for a job. As far as timeline goes, I imagined the Hammer Hands incident happened about 2 years ago, considering recovery time for Kolthis afterwards. If you wanted to do something recent, he could have been easily conscripted as a divine ally against the undead. As a traveling Cleric based in Caliphas, he's had plenty of involvement in various things requiring hired aid, though less the mercenary type and more the bodyguard/faith ally type.

I like the idea of a previous team-up. Note, though, that if we're going that far back, then you were friends with Original Recipe Walter -- the guy who hadn't yet seen the light. Walter used to be kind of a jerk; I think his alignment was either NE or LE back then. It wasn't so much capital-E Evil as being very self centered and absolutely certain that KNOWLEDGE is the MOST IMPORTANT THING.

He's NG now and still figuring out how that works. But I'm pretty sure that happened after you two worked together. So, you may remember a Walter that was more of an arrogant jerk (but also perhaps a bit more decisive). That could be a thing if you want to roll with it.

One thing that has not changed: Walter is a blaster wizard. And like most blaster wizards he is absolutely certain, right down to the bottom of his soul, that if you have somehow wandered into his blast radius then it's nobody's fault but your own. That's hardwired at a level much deeper than mere alignment. Intellectually Walter might acknowledge a certain tension between "you must stay in front of the blaster wizard to protect him" and "you must get out of the blaster wizard's way so that he can blast". But... really, objectively now... isn't that a /you/ problem?

I like the idea of a previous team-up. Note, though, that if we're going that far back, then you were friends with Original Recipe Walter -- the guy who hadn't yet seen the light.

Well I'm saying it doesn't have to be that far back. It can be more along the last few months, it would just be Cleric Kolthis rather than mercenary Kolthis, which I don't have a problem with. If there's a particular time that works best in terms of Lys' background, that's fine for me also!

Oh man. It's going to be tough making those reflex saves if I'm caught up in the blasts too much. I'll be sure to protect you from a safe, 10ft distance.

Happy Thanksgiving if you're thus inclined!

Quick note about these prelude rp scenes - we'll see where we are with them come Dec 2nd, and then either wrap them up and move into the module proper or give them a couple more days if things are proving interesting.

In my mind they've already served their purpose, which is to set the stage and explain how you all came to Carrion Hill. Anything else that we derive from them is just gravy.

Come tomorrow the holidays will be over, and we'll start seguing into the Carrion Hill module proper.

Toward that end, I'll give our mini-prelude scenes another day or so to wrap up organically, and then move us into the starting scene of Carrion Hill to begin things in earnest.

I could have fleshed this encounter out quite a bit - I was toying with the idea of a leech swarm! But fun as that would have been, I think we'd best finish this appetizer and get ready for the main course.

Ugh, swarms. AoE blasts will usually deal with them pretty well, but there's often a certain amount of collateral damage...

Oh, and: this link here has some lovely Lovecraft illustrations. My favorites are the hard-working Mi-Go medtechs and the Whately family portrait...