Thank you very much, therealthom and FW. I'm looking forward to playing with you all; whilst I'm a Yorkshire lad myself.
I'll do a bit of work with Treppa and see if we can link our PC's together and so forth. As far as a class, I'll just have a little think on it - to try and make something compatible.
We were 6th level going into the fight with Andasin and gained the 'bonus' level during that fight. Things were a bit confusing then.
As for the traits I may have failed to move them in to the character when I took her over..and checking i see the original character has been radically altered by her player. so I'll take these which fit in nicely with her back story
Focused Mind: Your childhood was either dominated by lessons of some sort (whether musical, academic, or other) or by a horrible home life that encouraged your ability to block out distractions and focus on the immediate task at hand. You gain a +2 trait bonus on concentration checks.
Suspicious: You discovered at an early age that someone you trusted, perhaps an older sibling or a parent, had lied to you, and lied often, about something you had taken for granted, leaving you quick to question the claims of others. You gain a +1 trait bonus on Sense Motive checks,and Sense Motive is always a class skill for you.
Note to the new folk..Heather is the only original remaining character from the raid on Lamm's Hideout albeit with a slight retread when I took her over.
Oh, no evil characters please. If you must have good resons to be a team player and to behve yourself in polite society.
Sounds like Wellard has it right. I vaguely remember something like that. My compensation for throwing the unscripted leukodaemon at you just prior to two scripted BBEG encounters.
When FW joined I probably just looked at Emerion and Istas and said "6th level". Let's all go to 7th.
Wellard those traits are acceptable.
Indeed Heather is now the longest continuously playing PC. I'm so glad Wellard didn't walk away when I wanted him to start a level behind the rest of the party.
Oh, and welcome aboard DSX! IF you and Treppa want to link your characters, that's fine. It's also fine if you do not.
Cool, Treppa & I talk regularly in chat. So we were thinking brother & sister from Cheliax, although certainly not evil.
I was thinking a regular human male Wizard, (unless it steps on Heather's toes), with enchantment being a barred school. A signet ring will be his bonded item, a symbol of his family - bitter-sweet at having to leave them behind. Probably won't take any item creation feats, other than scribe scroll. Probably won't Summon often.
Philippe and his sister fled to Korvosa, fled from the Chelaxian authorities and their family when it was discovered that they worshipped Desna . Philippe was always the more bookish, spending many an evening with his head buried in a novel describing far-away places and amazing tales. He quickly started to fantasise about find lost civilisations, exploring ancient areas. Of course most of his family thought him foolish especially with his slight infirmity.
Apprenticed to a scribe and book-shop owner, he learnt to art of crafting books. How to bind them, replace pages, craft the intricate covers.
Once the plague struck Korvosa, they volunteered to work at an infirmary. However with limited resources and little help from the authorities, the going was tough. Any success was met with an influx of patients, desperately seeking hope in any forms. All hope was lost when the head physician started to cough, the plague had caught upto her.
TO all, work and home life are going to keep me busy for a couple days. It may be Sunday night before I can really post.
DSX,
10, 17, 14, 13, 11, 12 is equivalent to 21 point buy? (Double check my math)
Add 7 points of point buy to the stats. (Total equivalent point buy of 28) Then apply racial and level modifiers.
DSX and Treppa --
How familiar are you with the back story and Korvosa in general? ( I know Treppa has played the first two chapters.)
I like the proposed back story because it is easy to position you to join the party. The clinic would be on Endrin Isle (Old Korvosa) and you would have been stuck there when the Grey Maidens isolated it from the rest of the city at Queen Ileosa's command.
On the downside, it does leave open the question of why you would want to join them..... (I can help provide an 'in' for you with them.)
A newcomer's view of Korvosa:
The PCs publice reputation as I see it:
Three of them are fairly famous and well regarded. The charismatic and very noticeable Heather and Istas are the best known publicly. Emerion is one of several men who have worked with them throughout the AP, but he's far less flashy than the two ladies.
They revealed the plot of the nefarious Doctor Davaulus and Urgathoan cleric Andaisin to inflict the Bloodveil Plague on the city and defeated them in their lair under one of the Queen's own Hospices. They have been publicly honored by the Queen for their service.
The cleric Istas and the late Kenan O'Flarna, were instrumental in producing a treatment for the Plague. Said treatment has not made it past the blockade to the needy denizens of Old Korvosa.
They shut down a store selling a fake cure for Bloodveil.
They captured a killer who murdered several wealthy merchants and nobles at a party in the PC's honor.
And yesterday, they crossed the last bridge to Endrin Isle and in the company of a mysterious archer and Blackjack, ended the reign of Pilts Swastel, the self-titled "Emperor of Old Korvosa".
Blackjack is the Zorro-like hero of the oppressed and down-trodden in Korvosa. Blackjack has been part of Korvosan folklore for decades. Too long for him to be a single man.
Blackjack had not been seen or heard from for several years, before he rescued Trinia Sabor, alleged assasin of the king, from Queen Ileosa's headsman just prior to the plague. He appeared again yesterday to put down the self-proclaimed Emperor of Old Korvosa, Pilts Swastel.
....
My character is a Cayden worshiper, which is why they had to leave Cheliax. The old one was Desna, but she's not illegal in Cheliax... I think.
If she were stuck on the island, she'd be doing her best to keep people alive through Bloodveil. IIRC, restoration helped. If there are wealthy folks on the island, they might have been willing to pay for restorations to stay alive and have a chance to fight it off. She might very well contact people who made a cure to see if she can help make or distribute it.
Can't wait to see them Cheliaxans.
Here is Varlis' roll for hit points - .
Wellard, how's wealth and level for Heather? Was the 7th level a typo? I suspect Dabbler might have missed leveling up -- there was a period where he was posting infrequently and hurriedly, but for FW to miss it too boggles my mind.
Varlis is 7th level as well as Heather, so me missing it makes most sense. I've been kind of busy, yes: writing, self-promoting, looking after a depressed friend, being dad to three kids, GMing two campaigns IRL, and money worries...life has been kind of uphill a lot! Looks like I may have severe hypertension to top it all off as well, so I am making a determined effort to eat right and relax...
Carrion Crown and Kingmaker; CC is being run alternate saturdays for my kids & some friends, Kingmaker every Thursday where I'm testing my monk-modifications on my son's character.
HP: 1st level: 8, 2-7: rolls
40 hp + 7 CON = 47 hp (plus anything from feats or traits, not set yet).
I took too long creating this character and lost everything. Thank Cayden for Lazarus.
Still need to complete equipment and spell selection, but stats are done.
Looks interesting!
I ran this type of cleric build very successfully in the first two CotCT books. She seems appropriate for a Cayden follower.
Flanks + heals = rogue's best friend.
I took a quick peek at Nicola. She looks good so far.
I'm looking forward to DSX's character.
Thanksgiving is going to slow down posting quite a bit. Depending on family and our exact schedule posting will be erratic or maybe non-existant until Monday. This is going to set back introducing Nicola and DSX's characters somewhat, but will also allow the nation builders to catch up.
Since the plague started no royal aid has reached the island. Anarchy, gangs, violence of many stripes. Pilts Swastel controlled the eastern end of the island comprising the majority of the docks, the industrial sites, the Red Light district, and the poorest neighborhoods.
The isle's sole resident nobleman, Lord Glorio Arkona controls the high ground around his estate. His sphere of influence is largely bounded by the walls of Old Castle Korvosa. Arkona has delved into his House treasury and provides some food and care to the people within his sphere, but it is all smuggled in and even there people are hungry.
The neighborhoods along the Strait of Alika, also quite poor to begin with, are run by a mishmash of neighborhood militias, gangs. To some extent it is a battle ground between Pilts and the Arkonas.
If you're going with the clinic idea, you could place it in any of these areas. As 7th level PCs you'd probably be able to command some autonomy from Pilts, measured support from Arkona, or a small safe neighborhood around your clinic.
Or you may have an entirely different idea....
Varlis is 7th level as well as Heather, so me missing it makes most sense. I've been kind of busy, yes: writing, self-promoting, looking after a depressed friend, being dad to three kids, GMing two campaigns IRL, and money worries...life has been kind of uphill a lot! Looks like I may have severe hypertension to top it all off as well, so I am making a determined effort to eat right and relax...
Dabbler, that's a lot going on. Sorry to hear about the friend , money, and blood pressure. The writing and self-promoting -- is that mostly related to Dreamscarred Press or are you working on other projects?
Still working on him, there are quite a few options with Wizards. However I'm trying to keep him simple (for example taking Arcane Bond rather than the familiar option).
Although there are a few things that might need approval/discussion.
No, I'm actually a published author, although it's only e-publishing so far and I'm writing erotica (don't knock it, there's good money to be had and it's fun to write). I've been looking after my friend on and off for the last two years since she took a load of pills. Earlier this year I put writing full-time on hold and started looking after her properly and she's making good progress. Thankfully the welfare system here stretches to such circumstances (it's easier to pay me a pittance to look after her than pay for hospital treatment in the event of another suicide attempt) so I'm surviving and the writing is starting to take off slowly.
I'm on meds for my blood pressure now, hopefully with some lifestyle changes I can get it down and keep it down with minimal intervention.
Anyway, shall I level up Emerion to 7th?
If the de Talavera's are a fixture in Old Korvosa Emerion may know them, at least in passing as he frequents it a lot on either family business in the foundries or his own at the Academy, after all they have a lot in common.
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I would Dabbler. No one deserves that hand of cards and well done for sticking by her.
How does solo kingmaker go or does the monk have an npc or two to help him?
As for the erotica, my wife has all the "shades of grey" books by her bed but they rarely get read. Tesco must have sold millions of those books in the space of six months when they went public. That writer must have made a mint.
Cheers
Thanks FW - and the Kingmaker isn't solo, I have eight players including my son to cater for (although one is dropping out soon due to working abroad), so I have plenty of characters to compare my monk changes against: rogue, barbarian, sorcerer, magus, cleric, fighter/paladin, and ranger in addition to the drunken monk.
I'll second FW. Well done sticking by your friend. Those are hard circumstances and I'm not at all sure I could stick it out in a similar situation, although I hope I would.
Were the Shades of Grey written by one person or was it a team effort? The books poured out of the publisher so fast. It would be like GRR Martin dumping 6 whole Game of Thrones books on the market in one year. And I doubt a publisher would say --"Oooh this is good. How about we keep in in the file until you've got them all written in a few years?"
Goota go!
It's not unusual for books to pile up in an author's keeping until s/he finds a publisher. I think Jim Butcher had 3 Dresden Files books done before he managed to get one published, so the next two came out very quickly. Now we have to wait. :(
I have a friend who writes erotica and will defend to the death the combination of love and sex as the major motivating force in life, making erotica a perfectly legitimate form of fiction. I can't entirely disagree, but I don't always want the details, moi.
I think if our PCs had heard of a group that deposed Pilts and created a cure for the illness, they would likely seek them out. Seventh level characters shouldn't be timid and the group seems to have its heart in the right place. Even Blackjack is aiding them! Nicola would worry about what happens with the power vacuum in Pilts' absence, as well as getting the cure and spreading it.
I think Nicola would advocate finding the group and meeting them, even out of the blue (go, Team Chaos!).
Your thoughts, DSX?
Dabbler, well done; your actions show what a good friend and person you are. At least in the media carers seem to be getting more prominence, now if only the financial recompense could catch up.
And if the Pilts have been deposed then some of the strife in the neighbourhood would be alleviated whilst ensuring more safety for the the people nearby.
therealtom, are you OK with partial wands? I'd like to get a wand of lesser restoration with 10 charges if you approve.
I am ready, pending GM OK of partial wand.
A partial wand will be fine. I will vet Philippe and Nicola tomorrow or Sunday.
Thom, I'm going to level up Emerion to 7th, as everyone seems to be there. I think I just missed the queue earlier.
So I believe Philippe might be done. He still has a few gold to spend, potentially.
There's also Minor Spell Expertise, that gives him 2 extra castings of a single 1st level spell - Magic Missile.
And his Specialisation is the Conjuration (Teleportation) so he can move using mini dimension doors with a swift action.
That's it for the non-core aspects.
One other thing virtually all his equipment (12,000gp) he could have made himself for half the cost. However this would be unfair in a party that's slightly below wbl.
Level 7 HP:
Sorry, RL and I don't always see eye to eye on my schedule. Also, apologies for some rather ham-handed keyboard manipulation. This is the fourth time writing this post. I am going to break it into bite size bits.
Treppa, Nicola looks good to go.
DSX, tons of questions and comments. (Next post)
Both of you, I almost certainly will have missed something or other. Adjustments down the road are always a possiblity.
DSX, I kind of like the "Learnt Spells" as both spellbook and spells prepped list. It saves room. Phil is due a lot more cantrips.
I don't see a spell component pouch or spellbook on his listed equipment. As a book, a spellbook is a relatively fragile piece of adventurer's equipment. I'd advise that you spend a little to protect it from the ravages of an adventurer's lifestyle.
I don't see a financial accounting for the additional spells (above the 1st level and 2/ subsequent level) that Phil has learned.
I suppose the saddlebag location is really your backpack.
More to come as I sort out the non-core features.
Yeah, whoops. I took the basic list from another non-wizard PC, I'll edit and add the spell costs (which were figured in, but seems escaped being placed).
However I'm happy to compromise or change & generally I didn't expect to really do any crafting.
Some spells meta-magic well. They enable a feat intensive form of "spellbook insurance", spell mastery in conjunction with metamagic.
Gotta go to bed. I'll pick up the non-core stuff tomorrow.
Yow! Sometimes I really wonder about the Paizo staff.
Focused Study: (Alternate Human Trait) All humans are skilful, but some, rather than being generalists, tend to specialize in a handful of skills. At 1st, 8th, and 16th level, such humans gain Skill Focus in a skill of their choice as a bonus feat. This racial trait replaces the bonus feat trait.
This is a human trait from the Advanced Race Guide. You give up your first level human bonus feat and in return you get a first level feat (skill focus) and two skill focus feats to be named later.
It doesn't even match the fluff which sets the human bonus skill point up as the logical trade off.
Maybe they were worried that not enough humans were taking skill focus?
I am inclined to scotch this one, just because it's a ludicrous trade-off. Terrible rules writing.
*****
Eldritch Heritage. OK, go with it.
*****
Infernal Influence: Seems harmless enough. Sure, go with it.
*****
Teleportation subschool -- Oh my, as if Conjuration wasn't good enough they swap out acid dart for something which is useful at all levels, a get out of melee free card, which can also turn into a free ticket past any number of obstacles. At least the flavor compliments the 8th level ability.
And it's got enough flavor that I actually kind of like it. Go with it.
Yeah, generally I try for Focussed Study (& therefore Human) when I go for Eldrich Heritage, because Skill Focus is so strange a feat. And for Eldrich Heritage it's a no-brainer alternative trait.
The teleportation, I thought would work in a nice synergy with Nicola, so that they share similar tricks.
What types of protection were you thinking for the spell-book? I don't believe there's quite enough money left over for a copy, for Philippe to hide (in case of emergency). I'm not sure about any permanent methods of fire resisting or water-proofing the book.
When I play wizards spare spellbooks are a staple, but I won't inflict that kind of expense on you. A waterproof bag will prevent water and most fire damage. Protective spells to prevent theft are good, but not necessary. There was a thread on spellbook protection on these boards with a lot of great ideas.
I'm not talking a lot of extravagance -- just the kind of precautions you would take if you were bringing a book worth your life savings on a wilderness journey where people would be chopping and shooting at you with guns and flamethrowers.
Sorry, work has really been eating time this week. But the current players have been quiet too.
Cool, Treppa & I talk regularly in chat. So we were thinking brother & sister from Cheliax, although certainly not evil.
I was thinking a regular human male Wizard, (unless it steps on Heather's toes), with enchantment being a barred school. A signet ring will be his bonded item, a symbol of his family - bitter-sweet at having to leave them behind. Probably won't take any item creation feats, other than scribe scroll. Probably won't Summon often.
Philippe and his sister fled to Korvosa, fled from the Chelaxian authorities and their family when it was discovered that they worshipped Desna . Philippe was always the more bookish, spending many an evening with his head buried in a novel describing far-away places and amazing tales. He quickly started to fantasise about find lost civilisations, exploring ancient areas. Of course most of his family thought him foolish especially with his slight infirmity.
Apprenticed to a scribe and book-shop owner, he learnt to art of crafting books. How to bind them, replace pages, craft the intricate covers.
Once the plague struck Korvosa, they volunteered to work at an infirmary. However with limited resources and little help from the authorities, the going was tough. Any success was met with an influx of patients, desperately seeking hope in any forms. All hope was lost when the head physician started to cough, the plague had caught upto her.
...
Treppa, DSX, can I have a little more about your family's home town and socio-economic status in CHeliax? How long have you been in Korvosa? What were you doing in Korvosa before the plague? Any contacts or friends in Korvosa? What did Nicola do in Cheliax?
In recent events, you took over the clinic during the plague. It's been a slog but you've been able to maintain independence from both Pilts and the Arkonas. The Arkonas have to some extent protected your western flank from Pilts and the many small gangs that roam the island. Also they have contributed small amounts of food and blankets.
Now you've heard a story that someone has overthrown Pilts and set up court in his place. Rumors are that it is the fabulous sorceress Heather and her entourage who cracked open Dr. Davalaus' scheme to spread Bloodveil through the city. The Pharasmin Istas was instrumental in developing a treatment on the mainland and she is among Heather's party.
Are we agreed?
...But the current players have been quiet too.
I confess Emerion is out of his element, he's not someone who ever wanted to get involved in running anything. He's got a hard enough problem living up to being Blackjack!
That sounds good for recent history, and DSX and I are working on the background until then. Hope to be done this weekend.
Dabbler, then play it! WWRD?
Treppa, you and DSX don't need to go too nuts. I'm just trying to place you in the world.
It's ok Dabbler..in case anyone missed the heavy hints I've been dropping almost since I began playing her Heather decided quite some time ago that there was only one way to fix Korvosa and that was to seize the throne herself. Now she sees this as an opportunity to build a power base and yes she will use the Blackjack Mystique if she has to.She might be the nice sister but there's some of the same iron will as Sabina in there.
I did know she surely wants Ileosa removed; didn't know she had designs on the throne herself. I might have missed the second part amongst the first.
Nicola and Philippé de Talavera hail from the (relatively) free-thinking Chelaxian port city of Kintargo. Children of a well-off trading family who claimed a minor title - just like everyone elsein Cheliax - they found themselves almost extraneous as inheritance would go to the eldest.
Philippé was the studious sort and showed interest in magic. When an lonely, elderly relative from Korvosa, Dame Nicola de Tabares, wrote requesting a companion, the family saw an opportunity to educate a son and get a mouthy, restless teenaged daughter out of the house. They shipped Phillipé and the good Dame's namesake off to Korvosa to live with her in her rambling old house in North Point.
Phillipé found that the Acadamae required residency, so left his sister - good-hearted despite her sass - to care for the Dame while he studied. Nicola did her best to help the old lady, but found the work boring and tedious. Her errand-running time became longer and longer as she explored Korvosa, finding Midland more to her taste. As Phillipé mastered his craft, she began sneaking out at night to the taverns. An evening spent drinking with a cleric of Cayden led to a morning of waking without a hangover, and she felt the call to serve the Accidental God.
None too pleased, since worship of Cayden Cailean is punishable by death in Cheliax, Phillipé decided the safest thing for everyone would be if he and his sister remained in Korvosa after he graduated. Nicola dabbled at the University to no great success and drifted off mid-semester. Phillipé found some work at the Bookmaker's, writing and binding, and knows Costa Serimus. Nicola tended to hang out at the Bailer's Retreat while her brother worked, healing injured guards or others who didn't want their brawling known to family or employers. Phillipé chanced upon a group making ready for a trip to Varisian ruins who required a cleric and mage, and signed the two of them up, hoping the experience would help settle his wayward sibling. To everyone's surprise, the pair worked out well as adventurers and have gone on several expeditions, sometimes accompanying a Pathfinder, sometimes looking for relics to sell to the Jeggare museum. Between jaunts, they made sure their 'aunt' was well cared-for, hiring help as needed.
When Bloodveil struck, their aunt became ill. The siblings ventured to Old Korvosa because Nicola became convinced that the Sticky Mermaid's fishjack was a soverign remedy for Bloodveil (in the hands of a cleric of Cayden, at least) and they needed to pick up some for their aunt. The guards threw down the bridges while they were there, and they remain on the island, stuck, worried about their aunt. As decent folk, they've been helping in the local clinic/hospice, trying to bolster the health of the ill, if not cure them.
The news of a cure draws them to the former courts of Pilts Swastil to meet the rumored heroes who may be able to save Korvosa.
Heather believes strongly that the only way to heal Korvosa is for people to stop thinking of themselves as Chelaxians or Varisians and start regarding themselves as Korvosan.
But she also knows that they will need guidance in this..and as a noble of mixed blood unconnected to the previous power structure she sees herself as the best person she knows for the job.
Besides if we beat Ileosa in the end right of Conquest has a lot going for it.
Treppa, that's very well done. More than I needed.
Dabbler, that's not how I was going to move Istas off the stage, but works at least as well, if not better.
Glad to be of service! Just wanted to move the story along.