Winds of Winter, a RoW AP!

Game Master NarcoticSqurl

PbP of the Reign of Winter adventure path from Paizo!


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Hello everybody! Take a bit to get settled in, get any questions for your characters set up and answered, be social and we'll get started within a couple days!


Male Dwarf Fighter/Shaman | HP-5/14 | AC 17 FF1 16 T 11 | F 5 R 1 W4

Hey guys, I Suppose I'll start this off with saying how happy I am to have gotten in. I've been looking for a group to go through this AP wit for real long time.


Male Human Kintecist (Pyro)//Ranger 1

I'm pleasantly surprised to have been selected. This will be my first pbp on the Paizo forums, and my first pbp period in nearly two years.


Male Human Trench Fighter/Unchained Rogue (Sniper/Underground Chemist) 1 | HP 10/13 STA: 1/3 | AC 18, Touch 13, FF 15 | CMB +1 | CMD 15 | Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +3 | Init +3 | Senses: Perception +4

Yes, I am looking forward to hunting witches with this crew.


Hunter 7 | HP 39/63 | AC 20, Touch 15, FF 16 | CMB +6 | CMD 20 | Fort +7, Ref +10, Will +6 | Init +4 | Senses: Darkvision, Perception +13 Defenses: 5/fire/cold/elec | Hunter Spells: 1st 5/5, 2nd 4/4, 3rd 1/2 | Cohort: Deneb Flynvias

Found it. Had to go to the DM's campaign tab. I didn't expect to have as much fun as I did creating this character. Should be fun.

One question, who is Mikhail? What's his story? I don't see a backstory.


He had submitted his background to me earlier. He just forgot to put the background with his crunch post.


Dot so I remember to make an alias when I get home. Who wants to already know each other?


Male Dwarf Fighter/Shaman | HP-5/14 | AC 17 FF1 16 T 11 | F 5 R 1 W4

Merge has bummed around this area taking oddjobs and serving as a guide for something like 50-60 years. So anyone from around there would probably know him at least a little.


HP 11/12
AC:18 T:13 FF:15:
+5 armor +3 Dex
Saves F:+4, R:+3, W:-1 (+2 vs. death, +1 vs. evil casters)| Uncanny Dodge |
Init +3|Senses Scent, LLV|Perception -1|Speed 20/30, Climb 20

Alias for Cassandra (Ash).


Male Human Trench Fighter/Unchained Rogue (Sniper/Underground Chemist) 1 | HP 10/13 STA: 1/3 | AC 18, Touch 13, FF 15 | CMB +1 | CMD 15 | Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +3 | Init +3 | Senses: Perception +4

I'll get something up when I get home from work tonight


Male Human Kintecist (Pyro)//Ranger 1

Aiden has probably just rolled into town within the last few days, so the odds of him knowing anybody is low, I think. Are we actually in Heldren? The players guide said that was the default, but that the GM might start us elsewhere. Also, where exactly is Heldren? I can't seem to find it on any Taldor maps.


Male Dwarf Fighter/Shaman | HP-5/14 | AC 17 FF1 16 T 11 | F 5 R 1 W4

Its on the southern edge, near the border wood. Its REALLY small so it might not be marked.


We'll be starting at the beginning of the AP. I'm fine with people knowing each other obviously. Are there any changes to feats or skills you would like to make before starting? I'm leaving for Chicago Friday and will be back home Wednesday, but I'll have the AP book with me during the trip (since pbp can go slow). But I do want to start before taking off.


Hunter 7 | HP 39/63 | AC 20, Touch 15, FF 16 | CMB +6 | CMD 20 | Fort +7, Ref +10, Will +6 | Init +4 | Senses: Darkvision, Perception +13 Defenses: 5/fire/cold/elec | Hunter Spells: 1st 5/5, 2nd 4/4, 3rd 1/2 | Cohort: Deneb Flynvias

Well Lyda's been almost exclusively in the Border Wood of Southern Taldor. Over the years she has disappeared and wandered south into Qadira and north into Taldor but she is not well traveled. Heldren is supposed to be on the northern side of the wood, right across from Demgazi and west of Zimar. She is well liked byt most of the city for making sure no one goes through the woods into Taldor without them knowing. She only visits once a week to resupply and usually brings furs and plants as trade. She has three close acquaintances, the mayor, a town guard, and the general goods owner who I have named Helen. Don't know if that is even touched on in the campaign. I'll switch background as appropriate. She has a close tie to nature and to the town. Her father was indeed the druid that protected the forest but from both sides, not just Qadira. When they killed him, she sought help from Heldren and by extension, Taldor. They fended off the attack and left Lyda, who obviously has demonic heritage, to her own devices. She has no idea why she is different. Might be some witch curse. Or her family in the past might have had dealings with such creatures. Her father died too early to know. The people of Heldren seem not to care and so she does not either.

I don't know Cassandra or Mikhail's stories so I can't comment but she might know Merge, the strange pale dwarf, seeing as he likes the solitude of the forest as well. Aiden seems like he just arrived so doubtful there is a connection there. Unless its a panicked cry "Demon!" and then everyone laughs at him.

Also I have been pronouncing it Lee-da.


Male Human Trench Fighter/Unchained Rogue (Sniper/Underground Chemist) 1 | HP 10/13 STA: 1/3 | AC 18, Touch 13, FF 15 | CMB +1 | CMD 15 | Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +3 | Init +3 | Senses: Perception +4

The board just ate my backstory but here is a quick character summary.

Mikhail is a stranger to the area. He was clearly a soldier at some point and carries a pair of broken firearms but relies more heavily on the gently curved sword at his side. He seems to be a good sort but is clearly more used to intimidation and lying to see him through conflict than outright honesty.

He carries many of the same sorts of tokens and charms a backwoods witch-hunter might and his somewhat clumsy questioning has revealed that he is actually hunting witches but has little actual knowledge of the arcane or even the divine. Despite this and his clear ignorance of and discomfort around magic, he seems to be very gut driven on just what being a 'witch' entails and rarely snaps to judgements without due consideration. His definition of witch has more to do with intent than anything. Harmful magic is witch magic.

It is very clear he is very driven to find these 'witches' with the kind of intensity few come close to. He was hurt by them, that much is obvious, and bears the scars of their magic about his person.


HP 11/12
AC:18 T:13 FF:15:
+5 armor +3 Dex
Saves F:+4, R:+3, W:-1 (+2 vs. death, +1 vs. evil casters)| Uncanny Dodge |
Init +3|Senses Scent, LLV|Perception -1|Speed 20/30, Climb 20

Your backstory is great btw. <3 Helen. Ok, tying into your father instead of you directly.

Here's an updated backstory to try and fit Sandy into things in a useful way.

story:
Sandy has grown up in and out of the first world, playing in the lands of Magdh although it's unlikely that Magdh has any more concern for her than any other cat. She's traveled back and forth a few times, following her curse's insight to old gates, and gained some understanding of the nature of planes as a result, although she hasn't (yet) realized that time flows differently.

Her visits to Golarian have mostly been studying with the priests of Sarenrae in Osiron or Qadira where it was pleasantly warm and a cat could always count on a sunny spot to nap, but she's turned up elsewhere on occasion as her gift demanded of her. Usually offering a warning that is unheeded, then disappearing back 'home' before the unfortunate events occured. This has led to apocryphal warnings of black and white cats and ensuing disasters in the annals of Sarenrae.

The last time she was in this area, some 80 years ago, she offered Lyda's father a warning of his death, which he laughed at. She promised to look after Lyda, and he didn't heed her any more than he heeded other forest spirits talking of non-existent children.

She has no understanding that 'her' priests perished ages ago, nor any idea that her oracular talent has been manipulated by her nearness to Magdh. She's only loosely aware of the concept of time, the first world having thoroughly unhinged that natural sense. She's also blithely unaware of the troubles her faith, race, and connections to the fey may cause her in Taldor although she doesn't flaunt any of these things, and is openly trusting of strangers. She is almost completely fey in her wording of promises and reaction to cold iron, which she carries as a deterrent to the nastier denizens of the first world.

At the moment she's fighting with her gift to come to Heldren at all, a first for her. It would very much like her to be somewhere else, as Winter is no place for a Summer cat, but she promised the old bear. Promises are important too.

Merge would probably recognize her as a spirit guide, and he would certainly have heard of her from any local spirits she talked with. She's fair in her dealings, exact in her language, but naive.

Aiden would almost certainly recognize her as a Sarenrite, although of an almost forgotten order.

Lyda would be able to question her on her father, and find her answers accurate and kind. She wouldn't divulge her role in his death or her promise unless pressed.

Mikhail I don't know enough about to guess what his reaction would be.


Hunter 7 | HP 39/63 | AC 20, Touch 15, FF 16 | CMB +6 | CMD 20 | Fort +7, Ref +10, Will +6 | Init +4 | Senses: Darkvision, Perception +13 Defenses: 5/fire/cold/elec | Hunter Spells: 1st 5/5, 2nd 4/4, 3rd 1/2 | Cohort: Deneb Flynvias

Mikhail: If Mikhail judges based on intent then I doubt there would be issue or even conversation. Lyda has a good reputation in the area. Though I am imagining a dramatic scenario. Mikhail might be tipped off by one of the more biased villagers in the area about a demon that visits Heldren once a week and terrorizes them. Might be a good reason to be in Heldren.

Cassandra: Is the promise something she has recently started to act on or has she always been looking in? Is she coming back because of some oracular vision of trouble in the future? It looks that way.


Hunter 7 | HP 39/63 | AC 20, Touch 15, FF 16 | CMB +6 | CMD 20 | Fort +7, Ref +10, Will +6 | Init +4 | Senses: Darkvision, Perception +13 Defenses: 5/fire/cold/elec | Hunter Spells: 1st 5/5, 2nd 4/4, 3rd 1/2 | Cohort: Deneb Flynvias

I see someone is going for Sword and pistol style.


Halfling Cavalier1 | HP 12/12 | AC 19 T 12 FF 15 | Fort 4 Ref 3 Will 1 |

Merge pretty much just comes into town to sell stuff and send letter's to his family. He will occasionally help out in the tracking and killing of dangerous beasts. He's also been known to help out in times of food shortage, really other than his general niceness and unusual stature for a dwarf, there's really not much extraordinary about him... Yet.


Male Dwarf Fighter/Shaman | HP-5/14 | AC 17 FF1 16 T 11 | F 5 R 1 W4

Uuugh. Wrong alias... Sory


OK guys, so the boards were down for almost 4 hours for me, so I'll make this quick. I'm gonna try to get the first post up either tomorrow or Thursday depending on my work schedule. We've done two 12's so far this week so it really depends on the rest of the week. I'll let you switch out feats until level 2 if you feel you made a mistake or something else works better. Same with skills. Keep an eye out for the first post soon though.


Hunter 7 | HP 39/63 | AC 20, Touch 15, FF 16 | CMB +6 | CMD 20 | Fort +7, Ref +10, Will +6 | Init +4 | Senses: Darkvision, Perception +13 Defenses: 5/fire/cold/elec | Hunter Spells: 1st 5/5, 2nd 4/4, 3rd 1/2 | Cohort: Deneb Flynvias

Can you open gameplay so I can dot and have this show up in my campaign tab. Easier to keep track of.


Male Human Trench Fighter/Unchained Rogue (Sniper/Underground Chemist) 1 | HP 10/13 STA: 1/3 | AC 18, Touch 13, FF 15 | CMB +1 | CMD 15 | Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +3 | Init +3 | Senses: Perception +4

Build-wise, I'm going to be doing a bit of everything. My build is aiming to be something of a switch-hitter, adapting to situations as needed.

Fluff-wise, Mikhail is often out of his depth when it comes to magic, the supernatural, and the inhuman. Considering the party make up, he may have a hard time and end up giving each of you blank looks at some point or another.

Also, expect nicknames.

Merge:
Assuming Merge enjoys the typical dwarven pastime of consuming vast quantities of alcohol, he is likely to find a good drinking buddy in the form of Mikhail. As such, he may very well end up on the receiving end of inebriated ramblings from Mikhail.

Lyda:
I think I am going to take your dramatic scenario and turn it on its head. I think it would be more fun if Mikhail rolls into town ready to hunt what he has heard is a demon only to find out that no body in town is all that concerned by said 'demon' and keep ruining his attempts to hunt her. Slapstick ensues. In the end, Lyda's abnormalities will likely be overlooked to some degree.

Cassandra:
A cat-person from fairy-land. This is entirely outside of Mikhail's realm of experience. It may be easiest for him to dismiss Cassandra's experiences as the ramblings of a mad-woman. Out of everyone, he'd end up being the wariest around her regardless.


Male Dwarf Fighter/Shaman | HP-5/14 | AC 17 FF1 16 T 11 | F 5 R 1 W4

I'm planning for Merge to be foucused on cleaving, most (if not all) of his magic will be going twords survival stuff or twords beefing himself up. Not a lot of flashy magicky stuff.

Does the GM think cleaving is going to be a valid tactic in this AP?


HP 11/12
AC:18 T:13 FF:15:
+5 armor +3 Dex
Saves F:+4, R:+3, W:-1 (+2 vs. death, +1 vs. evil casters)| Uncanny Dodge |
Init +3|Senses Scent, LLV|Perception -1|Speed 20/30, Climb 20

Lyda: I think go with always looking in but this is the first time her oracular talent has indicated any danger so she takes it more seriously. From her point of view a thousand soldiers/bandits/ruffians over the years isn't much threat to Lyda but winter is another matter entirely.

Mikhail: works for me, sandy is too naive to even pick up on "she's crazy" vibes so I'll feed you straight lines.


Hunter 7 | HP 39/63 | AC 20, Touch 15, FF 16 | CMB +6 | CMD 20 | Fort +7, Ref +10, Will +6 | Init +4 | Senses: Darkvision, Perception +13 Defenses: 5/fire/cold/elec | Hunter Spells: 1st 5/5, 2nd 4/4, 3rd 1/2 | Cohort: Deneb Flynvias

That works. I was going to say there was little need to look in anyway. Her wolf animal companion is actually a descendant of her father's and they have been looking after each other for generations. If it weren't for her visits to Heldren she would be a lot more feral.


OK definitely tomorrow everybody. Doing the third 12 hour shift today. I'll be home around 730am EST, SO LOOK FOR THE FIRST POST BETWEEN 830-9AM. We'll all go from there then.


First gameplay post is up, setting the scene for everybody! For the most part I'll be transferring text from the book for scenes or talking, with some of my own embellishments when the need arises. Cant wait to start and I hope everybody has fun!


Hunter 7 | HP 39/63 | AC 20, Touch 15, FF 16 | CMB +6 | CMD 20 | Fort +7, Ref +10, Will +6 | Init +4 | Senses: Darkvision, Perception +13 Defenses: 5/fire/cold/elec | Hunter Spells: 1st 5/5, 2nd 4/4, 3rd 1/2 | Cohort: Deneb Flynvias

Clarification on "looking in". Does Lyda take the familiarity as confusing because she has never physically seen Cassandra or just another moment of her randomly appearing?


HP 11/12
AC:18 T:13 FF:15:
+5 armor +3 Dex
Saves F:+4, R:+3, W:-1 (+2 vs. death, +1 vs. evil casters)| Uncanny Dodge |
Init +3|Senses Scent, LLV|Perception -1|Speed 20/30, Climb 20

Just another moment of randomly showing up was my assumption but you can go the other way if you like. I think Sandy is going to generate a lot of straight lines for the group given her history and wisdom score. I would assume that shadow and ghost know who she is though, as she wouldn't know to be sneaky and they're observant.


Hunter 7 | HP 39/63 | AC 20, Touch 15, FF 16 | CMB +6 | CMD 20 | Fort +7, Ref +10, Will +6 | Init +4 | Senses: Darkvision, Perception +13 Defenses: 5/fire/cold/elec | Hunter Spells: 1st 5/5, 2nd 4/4, 3rd 1/2 | Cohort: Deneb Flynvias

Perception +7 and Darkvision. No slouch here either.

1: don't know
2: know
1d2 ⇒ 1

THE DICE HAVE SPOKEN!


Hunter 7 | HP 39/63 | AC 20, Touch 15, FF 16 | CMB +6 | CMD 20 | Fort +7, Ref +10, Will +6 | Init +4 | Senses: Darkvision, Perception +13 Defenses: 5/fire/cold/elec | Hunter Spells: 1st 5/5, 2nd 4/4, 3rd 1/2 | Cohort: Deneb Flynvias

Nevermind, that's silly to not know.

Also, are you multiclassing out of Paladin? Neither of those archetypes change spells and with a 5 you will never cast a paladin spell.


HP 11/12
AC:18 T:13 FF:15:
+5 armor +3 Dex
Saves F:+4, R:+3, W:-1 (+2 vs. death, +1 vs. evil casters)| Uncanny Dodge |
Init +3|Senses Scent, LLV|Perception -1|Speed 20/30, Climb 20

Paladins cast via charisma! I am allowed to be naive!

GM: I changed my animal feed over to carnivore feed since shadow likes meat and Sandy doesn't have a horse it costs the same but weighs less.


That's all fine! I'll have another post up later tonight, once Aiden and Mikhail find their way to the Inn. Also:
@Aiden: Where you going to post with your alias into the gameplay thread? I noticed you posted as spade, figured it was probably a mistake though, unless something happened with your alias and you needed to remake it?

But it also helps that you're all fairly well known around the town, aside from Mikhail.


Male Human Kintecist (Pyro)//Ranger 1
NarcoticSqurl wrote:

That's all fine! I'll have another post up later tonight, once Aiden and Mikhail find their way to the Inn. Also:

@Aiden: Where you going to post with your alias into the gameplay thread? I noticed you posted as spade, figured it was probably a mistake though, unless something happened with your alias and you needed to remake it?

But it also helps that you're all fairly well known around the town, aside from Mikhail.

Crap. I hadn't even noticed that. I'll be more careful about using the alias in the future. Also, my post left me at the bottom of the stairs inside the inn.


No worries! Thanks for the heads up :). I must have misread. I've had 10 hours of sleep all week. I promise I'm not this ditsy all the time.


Male Dwarf Fighter/Shaman | HP-5/14 | AC 17 FF1 16 T 11 | F 5 R 1 W4

10 hour's... Well... That's rather terrifying. At the very least you should get something like 18 maybe. Take care of yourself man, don't want another GM having to quit due to exhaustion.


It's generally not this bad. I work four 10 hour shifts a week, unless there's call for overtime. If so then those 10 hours become 12. We have 4 people off this week though, and im on vacation next week though, so they've just brought us in for all 12's just to try and get ahead. I'll post in like 1-3 hours with the next post. I'll let Mikhail bring himself up to speed with his posts. There's no rush though, PbP can really go at whatever speed is best for everybody involved.


Hunter 7 | HP 39/63 | AC 20, Touch 15, FF 16 | CMB +6 | CMD 20 | Fort +7, Ref +10, Will +6 | Init +4 | Senses: Darkvision, Perception +13 Defenses: 5/fire/cold/elec | Hunter Spells: 1st 5/5, 2nd 4/4, 3rd 1/2 | Cohort: Deneb Flynvias
Cassandra Lillium wrote:

Paladins cast via charisma! I am allowed to be naive!

GM: I changed my animal feed over to carnivore feed since shadow likes meat and Sandy doesn't have a horse it costs the same but weighs less.

...

...
All these years with pathfinder and I never assumed paladin changed from 3.5. Had no idea they used charisma. Not as MAD as I thought.


Male Human Trench Fighter/Unchained Rogue (Sniper/Underground Chemist) 1 | HP 10/13 STA: 1/3 | AC 18, Touch 13, FF 15 | CMB +1 | CMD 15 | Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +3 | Init +3 | Senses: Perception +4

Hmm, I wonder just how much mileage I can get out of being a cryptic arse in this campaign.


Ok everybody. Last post for a few hours. I'll try to update when we get to a hotel for the night. We'll be leaving shortly, so I'll check in when we're there.


Hunter 7 | HP 39/63 | AC 20, Touch 15, FF 16 | CMB +6 | CMD 20 | Fort +7, Ref +10, Will +6 | Init +4 | Senses: Darkvision, Perception +13 Defenses: 5/fire/cold/elec | Hunter Spells: 1st 5/5, 2nd 4/4, 3rd 1/2 | Cohort: Deneb Flynvias

Hold up. Merge is 6'2"? You realize the high end of dwarves is 4'5" right? 6'2" is a giant human and a humongous dwarf. He wouldn't be a mountain man he'd be an ogre.


Male Human Kintecist (Pyro)//Ranger 1

I think he's doing it because of the Blood of Giants trait. I don't remember there being a height adjustment on it, but I didn't really read it, either.


Male Human Trench Fighter/Unchained Rogue (Sniper/Underground Chemist) 1 | HP 10/13 STA: 1/3 | AC 18, Touch 13, FF 15 | CMB +1 | CMD 15 | Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +3 | Init +3 | Senses: Perception +4

Anyone who has read Discworld books would know, it's not a dwarf's height that makes him a dwarf.


Never read any Pratchett.


Male Human Trench Fighter/Unchained Rogue (Sniper/Underground Chemist) 1 | HP 10/13 STA: 1/3 | AC 18, Touch 13, FF 15 | CMB +1 | CMD 15 | Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +3 | Init +3 | Senses: Perception +4

We can't be friends anymore.


Male Dwarf Fighter/Shaman | HP-5/14 | AC 17 FF1 16 T 11 | F 5 R 1 W4

Merge has two ability's that reference him being bigger for his race. The giant blooded trait and the mammoth spirit. 6'2 seemed reasonable to me with those two.


This escalated quickly. OK all, I'm here a day later but alive. My god driving through the Midwest is boring.


Male Human Kintecist (Pyro)//Ranger 1
NarcoticSqurl wrote:
This escalated quickly. OK all, I'm here a day later but alive. My god driving through the Midwest is boring.

You're telling me, I live here!

Edit: Also apparently the boards here don't use image tags, so here: Link


I actually live in Ohio lol. But I'm used to that scenery. Indiana is bland as hell though. However, there was a really neat stretch of farmland that was covered in wind turbines. It went on for a few miles. Kinda nice, seeing as how Ohio slapped down 2 clean energy bills that would give subsidies for wind turbines.

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