Excellent campaign journal, as always. Thought I would chime in on a few comments that I've not seen replies to:

EK requires proficiency with all martial weapons - he had to take that Fighter level (or Ranger, or Barbarian, or some equivalent class level) to qualify for the prestige class.

The GM seems very willing to work with the group to bring some parity to the gear.

Not mentioned spells: Heroes Feast - especially if prepared as an Extended Spell - gives some very nice bonuses for 12 or 24 hours respectively. If your group is bushwhacked and an area dispel is part of that bushwhacking, that feast has an excellent chance of "soaking" that dispel for every one.

The Extend Spell metamagic feat is almost invaluable. For a cloistered cleric type focusing on buffs and the like, it is moreso. Extended magic vestment spells can last past the next day's spell replenishment "cycle" by a few hours at the highest levels.

The one item I highly recommend that you acquire several of is incense of meditation if your GM is willing - and willing to work a bit with staging things so that the "day of reckoning" (or days, with special incense lasting longer ...) that tasks your spells to the limit. Keep in mind that more than one caster can benefit from it ... and Use Magic Device (DC 30 I believe) can permit the arcane casters to benefit from its use as well ... just a thought. :)

A regular strand of prayer beads or two is a Good Thing as previously suggested - use one of the beads of karma when firing up your hours/level and maybe even your 10 minutes/level spells to add 4 to the CL - so CL 23rd = dispel DC 34 - to extend those durations even further, especially if extended.

Elven chain is a pseudonym for Mithral Chain Shirt, Light armor, wt 12.5 lbs. It's off the rack.

If not that, then you should have Bracers AC +8...also off the rack, standard item.

The reason you can buy gear is so that you can avoid time constraints on making stuff. Monsters are balanced for characters with appropriate gear. Just because you are in a low magic item world doesn't mean that the glabrezu and the balor suddenly have a stat decrease. 250k low in gear is huge. That's +5 inherent bonus to 4 stats (4 books +5 at 62.5k each).

Your estimation of your somewhat lacking combat ability was spot on. You're basically running around with the equivalent of -6 or so to your main stats, and -4 to your secondaries, compared to where you should be at. You've got less staying power and less punching power because of it (and fewer bonus spells!)

I'm not faulting your DM, it's the play style, and if she's gimping encounters to take into account the fact you are basically playing 2 levels lower in capability, that's fine. Maybe with more then 4 characters, it's workable. But you are still considerably behind the curve of where characters of your power should be at.

ANd I have to say, you have to be less possessive of funds! If you spend 10k for a Planar Ally and it helps you win an encounter worth 50k in cash, the party is waaaay ahead.

==+Aelryinth

Aelryinth wrote:

I'd also like to point out that a FOrce Bow adjusts automatically to the user's str, so not being able to draw it is never a problem.

Where is this force bow you speak of? I really like archers, even before pathfinder made them worth playing.

I am assuming it is a pathfinder item because 3.5 already had a similar weapon in the MiC that automatically adjust to your strength.

When I hear 'force bow' I think of the bow off the WoTC website, that's based on the bow from Hank of the D@D cartoon. If it's from A&E, different frame of reference.

I can see forcing an archer to spend money to upgrade a bow to where it can handle a high Strength, but I'm also of the opinion that if the bow is magic, it can accomodate a lower Strength as need be. YMMV...certainly you can build a bow that can't be drawn by anyone under a 20 Str, but that's a feature of mundane bows, not neccessarily magical ones.

==Aelryinth

We do use heroes' feast regularly. It became routine once the shadowdancer started having problems with saves against fear. Even with the conversion to Pathfinder, it's still a spell I cast every day.

I'm sitting on one incense of meditation, which I'm saving for a rainy day.

Aelryinth, I think I've created a misconception along the way. The world in certain ways is like Eberron in that there are very few high level people around. Deathquaker noted that I'm probably one of 3 people capable of using 9th level divine spells. So there aren't lots of people around who can do the crafting for something like bracers of armor +8. I'd commission them if I had the chance and knew I'd be coming back their way, let me assure you! We're also working with less treasure than normal, and we knew that going into this campaign. I'm just feeling it a bit right now, and I may be oversensitive to it. I'm aware we're behind the standard WBL guidelines for PCs of our level however.

Oh, and when you said elven chain, I thought you meant to take the armor listed as elven chain in the specific armor section of the book and enchant it, not the wider mithril chain shirt. I misunderstood.

Finally, we're possessive of funds because we normally don't have a lot. Few fights have given out 50K in treasure (the boss fight in the cathedral with the glabrezu and Narra, the Captain of the Guard, a few others). Sometimes there just isn't treasure to be had, 'cause the bad guys don't have any. So we sit tight on wealth and save for when we really need it. *shrug* Maybe we're too cautious.

The GM seems very willing to work with the group to bring some parity to the gear.

Thank you. :) It's hard to express that without sounding defensive. I do my best to bear in mind the equipment the party has when I design encounters. And while the party apparently seems to sit in terror from certain encounters, from my perspective, even with their "below WBL" gear I find they are usually capable of tearing to pieces anything I throw at them, of which this journal is a good record. :)

The challenge I honestly find is balancing between suggested treasure guidelines in the rules--and that's are they all, suggested guidelines--and verisimilitude/quality of the narrative. I use suggested amounts based on level, with random variation, but also try to be sure that the treasure makes sense. Monsters carry treasure they will USE; treasure left in a specific place will fit the theme of the place they find it (for example, the incense of meditation Lathiira mentioned that Morag is holding onto was found in one of the priest's chambers). If it doesn't make sense for there to be 100,000 gp sitting in a pile in the middle of a room, I'm not going to put it there.

I think the suggested treasure guidelines also break down at high levels. If you attack an 18th level party with, say, five 12th level NPCs, the 12th level NPCs' suggested equipment will largely be stuff that the 18th level party will not need or have better than (generally speaking of course; you can always find story reasons to give someone something better but I'm talking about strictly trying to go by the guidelines presented). Even though the 12th level NPCs' suggested equipment is likely more valuable than the "standard" treasure found in a monster's hoard. And yet the 18th level party is "supposed" to have certain items of a certain value. If you're trying to operate within these restrictions and yet also within a realm of reasonable verisimilitude, there's not going to be a "Magic Mart" that the party is going to be able to buy better stuff from. They will have to seek it out, find it bit by bit, or make it themselves.

"Make it themselves" is always an option, but the problem is the story comes to a screeching halt if the party decides to take a month or two to make better armor. And most stories don't go, "The Prince realized he couldn't bypass the Dragon's DR, so he spent a month finding the materials and crafting a better sword. In the meantime, the Princess realized she found the Dragon quite beguiling after all, and by the time the Prince arrived to rescue her, she and the Dragon were on their honeymoon."

I have tried, where it makes sense, to make sure the party has some time to craft stuff. They just had an in-game week where I said, "Ignore the crafting time, you can make xyz, go for it." But it's been a real challenge, trying to decide where and when to provide the party downtime and making the story move along at a reasonable pace with living breathing risks, rewards, and expectations.

When Lathiira notes that they haven't had a lot of time to craft, I want to note, at the risk of sounding overly defensive, that some of this has been THEIR choice. When they emerged from the Hrifgard (my world's Underdark) the players originally said, "Okay, let's go to the city we're headed to, get some allies, and get our equipment together." I informed them they probably had two weeks or so to do so before certain political things hit the fan--in MY brain, I was saying, "You have two weeks to buy, barter, craft, and find friends." Unfortunately they took it as, "We only have two weeks! Damn, we better just move on."

To this day there's a whole adventure written for the city of Dorshec that never got played out (and it's why poor Rizwal do Verras is dead). :) I did tell them I was trying to give them time to gear up and get friends. They still chose to move on. I take it as a compliment--if the plot is that exciting that they want to keep following it, hopefully it means I'm doing something right. But the road was laid wide open for the players to do what they chose. They forewent the downtime of their own free wills, not by my manipulation or railroading (indeed, I had to prep a whole new section of story well before I thought I would have to, and adjust the plot for their showing up 2 weeks "early").

The one item I highly recommend that you acquire several of is incense of meditation if your GM is willing - and willing to work a bit with staging things so that the "day of reckoning" (or days, with special incense lasting longer ...) that tasks your spells to the limit. Keep in mind that more than one caster can benefit from it ... and Use Magic Device (DC 30 I believe) can permit the arcane casters to benefit from its use as well ... just a thought. :)

As Lath mentioned they do have 1 stick. I'm not sure if the EK has UMD. They've got about 230,000 gp worth of goods to trade which they could use to buy more, or get a rod of metamagic, or something.

I'm sitting on one incense of meditation, which I'm saving for a rainy day.

One day soon, you will understand why I am laughing my ass off at this. :)

Aelryinth, I think I've created a misconception along the way. The world in certain ways is like Eberron in that there are very few high level people around. Deathquaker noted that I'm probably one of 3 people capable of using 9th level divine spells. So there aren't lots of people around who can do the crafting for something like bracers of armor +8. I'd commission them if I had the chance and knew I'd be coming back their way, let me assure you! We're also working with less treasure than normal, and we knew that going into this campaign. I'm just feeling it a bit right now, and I may be oversensitive to it. I'm aware we're behind the standard WBL guidelines for PCs of our level however.

I will add some world notes just for any interested person's (if there are any) edification:

Low level magic is common, high level magic is rare. Cantrips and low level spells are used to make every day life easier. Very few have the gumption, insight, experience, or talent to be able to get past the basics. It is important to me to establish this because I want to make it clear that high level PCs are rare and special. You don't just run around bumping into an 18th level character every day.

There is one 20th level person in the whole world that I know of. I know who he is. The party met his secretary once (he was at the bar getting drunk). If this campaign ends well, there will be four more. They will be regarded as the legends they are.

There are a handful of 17th-19th level characters, beside the party. One is one of their archnemeses. One runs the secret spies/rogues' guild. One is that spy's best friend. A few high priests, high wizards, and generals might hit that level. A very, very few. They tend to devise ways to strengthen their nation's power, or try to prevent, say, a massive invasion of the world by the legions of Hell, or are having tea with one of the gods. Normally, not a lot of time is going to be spent manufacturing magic items, and of those that they do, they will likely keep for their own use rather then set up MagicMart.

There is no "Magic Mart" in my world. You can go to any largish settlement and buy a potion of cure light wounds; several in fact. You can't find a staff of the archmagi lying around, however. Because if and when an adventuring party finds such a thing, it should be something--I believe--is a an amazing find from a past era of heroicism and villainy, not something that is hanging in a shop window in every street in the nation's capital.

Is this wrong or right could be debate to be had for ages to come (especially amongst gamers on message boards ;) ). My concern isn't, "Am I strictly adhering to WBL guidelines?" It's, "Am I telling a good story?" and "Are the players having fun?"

Most of the feedback I have received is positive (and I appreciate the input of board members here as well). I noted something was up this last session because there was a moment where I distinctly got the message from my players: "We are NOT having fun." Not directly, but in so many words. So I want to make sure that doesn't happen again. I don't think giving everyone +6 everything will fix that (though I'm sure they wouldn't object ;) ). Most of the time the players hit a wall it's due to tactical misjudgment (the key error one of the party members made in hell was opening fire while they were all still clustered around the portal rather than spreading out to avoid getting caught by, say, a cone shaped spell--something they usually know not to do), not because they have a low enhancement bonus to their armor--again, from where I'm sitting, anyway. Maybe I'm wrong and I will pay even more attention to that. We're coming up to the final battle and I want to be sure everyone is excited, not apprehensive.

Finally, we're possessive of funds because we normally don't have a lot. Few fights have given out 50K in treasure (the boss fight in the cathedral with the glabrezu and Narra, the Captain of the Guard, a few others). Sometimes there just isn't treasure to be had, 'cause the bad guys don't have any. So we sit tight on wealth and save for when we really need it. *shrug* Maybe we're too cautious.

In your haste, you have also missed a few treasure caches (but you got most of them).

I encourage y'all to spend anything you've got now. This is only going to last one or two sessions more. :)

PS: You COULD sell the Mirror of Lifetrapping you found, it's worth 200,000 gp... ;)

No need at all to be defensive, Deathquaker. Your players are enjoying the campaign, you are enjoying running it and they have some big cash cows worth liquidating to stomp some bad guy mudhole before taking their places amongst the mightiest of the mighty.

Sounds to me like a win-win campaign!

^_^

It has been a definite win-win campaign and the best I've ever been in. I'm a closet perfectionist (a long way from recovery), and I want to contribute more to our party's success. I also have a strong aversion to risk, which I know is at odds with any game with dice in it :)

Deathquaker's also quite right about the way we've often made a beeline for each plot point. Now our characters don't want to be late getting to wherever Fred the Fighter is, 'cause if we are, Snoozle the Wizard will have continued on with his evil plans, so we keep moving forward. We don't take lots of time to make items as a result. We all want to see the story unfold, and item crafting can be a bit dull as it's bookkeeping. Also, we often concluded that in order to make the big stuff we'd need to let the bad guys have free reign for too long. Saying "we'll take time off to make a +5 sword" means "OK, the bad guys have several weeks to take over the world. Will that sword make that big a difference?" And the inevitable answer is "No."

Our item crafting has been in chunks. The first was to get ready to head to the frozen north, which consisted of 3 pairs of boots of the winterlands. The second was a month to do some work before heading after the King Immortal and consisted of a belt of giant strength +4, a couple pairs of goggles of night, a little work on some robes of chameleon power, and me retailoring my robes of shadows. Third round I bumped my belt to include a +2 Dex bonus, don't recall what else. Last round, added a +2 Strength bonus, boosted a headband from +2 Wisdom to +4 for the shadowdancer, consecrated the Crown of the Everliving, recharged my staff of souls, and boosted a falchion to +4. Stuff's gotten done, not always by us mind you.

Additional notes:

1) To my knowledge, no one has UMD. I recall that Axel doesn't; I told him I have a wand of cure moderate wounds at one point and this came up. Don't know about Dheza.

2) Four-person party. I mentioned our former paladin a while back, but unfortunately the player moved to New York. Wish Eli were here; best paladin I've ever seen, aka incapable of Lawful Stupid behavior.

3) I'd love it if Axel sold that mirror of life trapping, but he seems to me intent on keeping it. If he weren't the party rogue, I'd suggest we steal it from him and sell it :)

With but one or two sessions remaining, there are many anticipating the journal entries that are to come.

Kill zem ... kill zem all ... :)

With but one or two sessions remaining, there are many anticipating the journal entries that are to come.

Kill zem ... kill zem all ... :)

Y'all do my pathetic ego proud :)

And yes, killing them all IS at the top of the to-do list, mysteriously....

Remember that PF rules allow Spellcraft to sub for caster level. One 5th level smith with a +10 Competence Ring can make 15th level gear, upping his Spellcraft check by +5. And he should...there's a market for it. (Sub Skill Focus, +4 stat, +2 Masterwork and +2 Aid Another if you like)

Now, unique, priceless, strange, whimsical stuff...yeah, I can see it being rare. But straight bonus stuff? That's boiler plate. A +6 stat item has no caster level requirement. +5 armor, weapons, deflection and nat armor requires a CL 15...or a DC 25 Craft check with the Magical Crafter feat (DC 5+CL, +5 for not having the CL). That's a Take 10 for a 5th level character!

Making boilerplate items is VERY easy for a reason. Making odd stuff is not, because each extra weird ability raises the Spellcraft check by +5 if you don't qualify.

Stat enhancing items have NO CL check associated with them (well, bull's strength,etc, CL 3...auto qualifies?). Ergo, the only thing preventing them from being made is time and money.

So, low level guys can be pumping out the boilerplate stuff. You don't have to get it custom made or have downtime. Now, not a lot of people can AFFORD IT...but it should be there for purchase.

You should be able to get all the base +stat mod items you want, basically off the rack. Sure, it'll be an exclusive shop...but it'll be there. The game is designed to give you the basic items for your level easily.

A +4 stat helm with Darkvision? Not so much.

As for the realism of trading up instead of improving? Well, it's what you'd do if you were in the character's shoes, at least for the boilerplate. It's what people do in video games. Ya make do with what ya gotta do.

And sell the Mirror. The stuff you are fighting at level 20 isn't going to fail a save against it in combat. Unless you plan on trapping an enemy in it after you capture them...

===Aelryinth

No need at all to be defensive, Deathquaker. Your players are enjoying the campaign, you are enjoying running it and they have some big cash cows worth liquidating to stomp some bad guy mudhole before taking their places amongst the mightiest of the mighty.

Sounds to me like a win-win campaign!

^_^

Your words of confidence are taken to heart. :)

It has been a definite win-win campaign and the best I've ever been in. I'm a closet perfectionist (a long way from recovery), and I want to contribute more to our party's success. I also have a strong aversion to risk, which I know is at odds with any game with dice in it :)

Awww.

Good god, I must have driven you crazy in the Eberron campaign, with Misha diving into melee the way she did. By herself. In burning buildings. (The Ranger 1/Rogue 1 believed she was a Fighter 5.) When I am a player I have the opposite habit of going, "YAY I'M A HERO!" and diving into things I probably ought not.

1) To my knowledge, no one has UMD. I recall that Axel doesn't; I told him I have a wand of cure moderate wounds at one point and this came up. Don't know about Dheza.

I believe Axel does, just not much. I think it's more an issue that the player dislikes chances of failure (you are not the only perfectionist in the group). Dheza might but sorcerers have limited skill points (though as a human he's not as bad off), and I think he prioritized social skills, spellcraft, and knowledge skills first (which makes a lot of sense). I do wonder if giving Sorcerers 4+ skill points would be okay as a house rule in future. I don't think it would break anything. (Wizards don't need it because they got so many skill points from requisite Int).

UMD is scary stuff - at 10th level, you can with 2 feats and steady rank investment hit some eye opening bonus without any special gear - although a circlet of persuasion and a +2 Cha bonus certainly does not hurt! ^_^

Granted, 2 general feats is a tall order to ask for ... so it is definitely situational to campaign and character.

(Level 10: 14 Cha (+2), trait +1 = class skill, +3 class skill, 10 ranks, +4 magical aptitude, +6 skill focus, +3 circlet of persuasion [10+2+1+3+4+6+3] results in a +29 UMD bonus. If you're 19th level, that's a +38 bonus... with a 14 Charisma score...)

Now check out those DCs under UMD and see what that +29 will do for you.

:) If nothing else, it can make for some interesting situations.

Back on topic: kill zem all ... one way, or the other. ^_^

EDIT: RE - skill points - I have to disagree with dissing Wizards base SP just because their primary ability score is Int. Bards are the knowledge gurus, yet they get 6 SP/level plus bonus ranks from where ever. I think a minimum pool of 4 SP regardless of class is an acceptable house rule - unless you permit something like the advanced simple template or the like to be available for PCs.

Lathiira wrote:

It has been a definite win-win campaign and the best I've ever been in. I'm a closet perfectionist (a long way from recovery), and I want to contribute more to our party's success. I also have a strong aversion to risk, which I know is at odds with any game with dice in it :)

Awww.

Good god, I must have driven you crazy in the Eberron campaign, with Misha diving into melee the way she did. By herself. In burning buildings. (The Ranger 1/Rogue 1 believed she was a Fighter 5.) When I am a player I have the opposite habit of going, "YAY I'M A HERO!" and diving into things I probably ought not.

Nope, didn't drive me crazy at all. I was the archer, I could stay way back and do just fine. I only worried about healing up for the rest of you afterward, and that was Father Clank's problem, not mine :)

My aversion to risk in games dates back to a couple of 2E thieves who couldn't ever make saving throws regardless of what gear they had. I've sworn off thieves and rogues since then. I have a built-in turtling reflex after having a fighter/mage/thief burned to a crisp in a dragon's breath weapon (a crisp meaning just enough ash to cover a silver dollar), who couldn't find traps with a 95% chance (my dice thought 96-99 were acceptable numbers on a routine basis), and the firebolt that got me but missed the taller paladin in front of me. Then there was a thief who couldn't even make saves, no matter what we faced. That guy was probably hit with every status ailment in the books once during that campaign, from death to energy drain to a friendly fireball to poison to petrification to undeath. And no, John didn't run both campaigns, just the first :)

Also note in this campaign that despite having one of the party's better Fortitude saves I've failed that save on several occasions (with a 1 to resist altitude sickness, and with a 3 vs. the DC 29 of that thulgaunt qlippoth last time), and I've blown a Will save or possibly two (torture chamber in the Tower of the Immortal, natural 1). I honestly wonder about the chicken-or-the-egg when it comes to saves for me: I want high saves to avoid blowing saves, knowing I can always roll a 1.

1) To my knowledge, no one has UMD. I recall that Axel doesn't; I told him I have a wand of cure moderate wounds at one point and this came up. Don't know about Dheza.

I believe Axel does, just not much. I think it's more an issue that the player dislikes chances of failure (you are not the only perfectionist in the group). Dheza might but sorcerers have limited skill points (though as a human he's not as bad off), and I think he prioritized social skills, spellcraft, and knowledge skills first (which makes a lot of sense). I do wonder if giving Sorcerers 4+ skill points would be okay as a house rule in future. I don't think it would break anything. (Wizards don't need it because they got so many skill points from requisite Int).

It must be truly minimal, as he's never even tried to UMD that I can recall.

EDIT: RE - skill points - I have to disagree with dissing Wizards base SP just because their primary ability score is Int. Bards are the knowledge gurus, yet they get 6 SP/level plus bonus ranks from where ever. I think a minimum pool of 4 SP regardless of class is an acceptable house rule - unless you permit something like the advanced simple template or the like to be available for PCs.

Me, I've always disputed the idea that wizards have so many SP. Yes, if we were built the way Aelryinth suggests, the single-classed wizard would have 13 or 14 points w/o racial or favored class bonuses each level. I've had one single wizard built that way in 3.0 or 3.5. Most of the time, the wizards I've seen need other stats and don't build their intelligence so terribly high, because we have an unwritten and unspoken social contract that no character dominates the game. A god-wizard would likely make for an unhappy group, and that 32+ Intelligence would make for a god-wizard in our circles. An intelligence of 22 or 24 is our norm at high levels if there is such a norm, giving 8-9 skill points. Compared to the bards and rogues and rangers (my archer in Eberron with FC had 9 pts./lvl), that's just getting to par. So wizards just never feel to me like the knowledge experts others claim, other than in a few knowledge skills, usually arcane and planes. My current character for 10 levels was a cloistered cleric and she was pulling in 11 pts./level once human and FC were added; she has a few ranks in all but architecture/engineering and nobility/royalty, plus the bardic knowledge ability, and generally does fine on those things as a comparison.

I use a bag of holding for the sheer carrying capacity of it. We've been far away from civilization for various stretches of the campaign and picked up a LOT of stuff at several points, enough that we'd overload handy haversacks if that's what each of us had. We've had a dragon's hoard, for example, as well as the accumulated loot of an entire tower, not to mention the trip through the Hrifgard. And some of the stuff we like to carry is bulky. Our AA likes heads for some reason, and there is literally a dragon's head in one of the bags, as well as a lot of stuff for an alchemical lab IIRC. I don't need to pull stuff out of the bag in combat usually, so the benefits of easy retrieval are outweighed by the benefits of greater capacity for me.

The portable hole has no weight limit at all. You can use that to store dragon heads, and other stuff you don't really need. It would drop the encumbrance and let you get that armor. That way you don't have to give up the RP aspects of dragon heads or lose any mechanical benefits from all the bags. :)

wraithstrike wrote:

Aelryinth wrote:

I'd also like to point out that a FOrce Bow adjusts automatically to the user's str, so not being able to draw it is never a problem.

Where is this force bow you speak of? I really like archers, even before pathfinder made them worth playing.

I am assuming it is a pathfinder item because 3.5 already had a similar weapon in the MiC that automatically adjust to your strength.

I am not sure what Aelryinth is referring to either. Ours is the bow of force from the 3.0 Arms and Equipment Guide. This is explicitly described as a mighty +2 bow and says nothing about adjusting to strength.

THAT SAID, when the player pointed out to me early on that his strength was an issue with the weapon (everyone got a special weapon at the start of the game), I recall telling him we could waive the strength requirement. He chose not to, feeling his asking for something that automatically bypassed all DR was already powerful enough and that there should be a drawback for it. I found it hard to argue with that.

There is a bow in the 3.5 MiC that automatically adjust to your strength. It would also save the cleric a few spells if the archer's strength got dropped. An efficient quiver would allow for both bows to be held so he can switch out as needed.

wraithstrike wrote:

Aelryinth wrote:

I'd also like to point out that a FOrce Bow adjusts automatically to the user's str, so not being able to draw it is never a problem.

Where is this force bow you speak of? I really like archers, even before pathfinder made them worth playing.

I am assuming it is a pathfinder item because 3.5 already had a similar weapon in the MiC that automatically adjust to your strength.

When I hear 'force bow' I think of the bow off the WoTC website, that's based on the bow from Hank of the D@D cartoon. If it's from A&E, different frame of reference.

I can see forcing an archer to spend money to upgrade a bow to where it can handle a high Strength, but I'm also of the opinion that if the bow is magic, it can accomodate a lower Strength as need be. YMMV...certainly you can build a bow that can't be drawn by anyone under a 20 Str, but that's a feature of mundane bows, not neccessarily magical ones.

==Aelryinth

I remember about that. I did not know it adjusted to strength though.

Turin, I agree with you about UMD. I think it's well worth it. Actually, Axel the Shadowdancer was in the first (3.5) campaign I ran in this world (he started off as a lowly Fighter 1/Rogue 1) and I remember strongly encouraging him to put points into UMD. Especially because early-ish on the party lost its arcane caster (the final party after some personnel swapping was a Hammer-and-Board Ranger, Axe-and-Board Paladin, Bow using Cleric, and Axel). I think he prioritized Stealth and Perception (which was then actually Hide/Move Silently/Listen/Spot/Search) over that, regardless. Conversion ultimately to Pathfinder should have given him more skill points to play with, as 5 skills got reduced to 2, but he had his vision of his character. To be fair, I think he has a Stealth score only a god could counter with a Perception check.

Part of the issue was that everyone converted from 3.x halfway through the campaign to Pathfinder. I think everyone--fairly--prioritized making their character resemble the 3.x version of their character as much as possible. So some folks didn't think to boost up a skill they didn't have access to before, or didn't reflect the character they'd already built.

Skill Points: I'd not be averse to base 4 skill points, either, Turin. I don't think it would break much.

wraithstrike, what is the 3.5 MiC? I am not a big splat collector.

Turin, I agree with you about UMD. I think it's well worth it. Actually, Axel the Shadowdancer was in the first (3.5) campaign I ran in this world (he started off as a lowly Fighter 1/Rogue 1) and I remember strongly encouraging him to put points into UMD. Especially because early-ish on the party lost its arcane caster (the final party after some personnel swapping was a Hammer-and-Board Ranger, Axe-and-Board Paladin, Bow using Cleric, and Axel). I think he prioritized Stealth and Perception (which was then actually Hide/Move Silently/Listen/Spot/Search) over that, regardless. Conversion ultimately to Pathfinder should have given him more skill points to play with, as 5 skills got reduced to 2, but he had his vision of his character. To be fair, I think he has a Stealth score only a god could counter with a Perception check.

Part of the issue was that everyone converted from 3.x halfway through the campaign to Pathfinder. I think everyone--fairly--prioritized making their character resemble the 3.x version of their character as much as possible. So some folks didn't think to boost up a skill they didn't have access to before, or didn't reflect the character they'd already built.

Skill Points: I'd not be averse to base 4 skill points, either, Turin. I don't think it would break much.

wraithstrike, what is the 3.5 MiC? I am not a big splat collector.

Magic Item Compendium.

The MagiC Item COmpendium was one of the very last things put out by WoTC for 3.5. Really updated the rules regarding basic stat block items, and introduced a bunch of lower priced, broadly usable items, and really took the price down on a bunch of other things that were only situationally useful (helsm of water breathing).

The biggest thing was that the 'big 6' items NEVER force a +50% cost modifier. So, your stat buffers, deflection, resistance, nat armor, weapons and armor NEVER force +50% cost mods if you added something to them. So, you could have a multifunction Ring of Protection/Sustenance, and it would only be price added, not price +50%.

That and Augment Gems, adding some modularity to weapons. Finally, Ghost touch was worth getting...get a True Death Augment Gem!

==Aelryinth

Part of the issue was that everyone converted from 3.x halfway through the campaign to Pathfinder. I think everyone--fairly--prioritized making their character resemble the 3.x version of their character as much as possible. So some folks didn't think to boost up a skill they didn't have access to before, or didn't reflect the character they'd already built.

I know I certainly did. And when I applied racial modifiers, I reflected my vision of the character, not what would be optimal. Boy was I tempted though :)

And as far as the Magic Item Compendium, I'll happily loan you mine. I agree with wraithstrike's assessment of the book. It's especially good for low-middle level campaigns, as much of what's in it is lower in power and price (I'd say under 20K in price for the majority). Some of its contents was printed elsewhere and either cleaned up, toned down, or tweaked from the original material (such as the divine relics from Complete Divine).

That would be worth taking a look at. Too late for this campaign, but I like item compilations.

Speaking of which, I am just finishing up a huge compilation of non-magic items. It's all the stuff from core and the APG plus some stuff I've made up or adapted from A&EG for Wanderer's World. Will share it around when I'm done.

That would be worth taking a look at. Too late for this campaign, but I like item compilations.

Speaking of which, I am just finishing up a huge compilation of non-magic items. It's all the stuff from core and the APG plus some stuff I've made up or adapted from A&EG for Wanderer's World. Will share it around when I'm done.

I'll bring it along to the next game for you to borrow. Only fair since I borrowed your Mutants & Masterminds book and still have your d20 Modern book :)

I'll look over whatever you send me. More good non-magical stuff can't hurt.

Session Journal Twenty-Four: May 21, 2011
Scrithengard Date: Second Journsday of Skadesloom

That evening, I gained access to spellcasting chambers courtesy of our guests. To Aleeto's surprise, I also asked to have access to her kitchens. When the others looked at me strangely, I explained that I had a plan that I needed help to complete. With their help, I wanted to conjure an outsider to scout House Khan's manor while we rested and planned our next move. Axel and Kieren were soon in the kitchen, cooking boar and fowl for the couatl I hoped to call to assist us. When the winged serpent appeared, I presented it with various gifts, including a large quantity of foodstuffs. We conversed as it ate and I convinced it to scout our enemies from the Ethereal Plane and report back at sunrise. It—I never learned the gender of my ally—departed, and we rested.

The couatl returned and informed us that the House was guarded by humans, tieflings, a number of rakshasa, and various devils, with a gate somewhere on the premises. Satisfied, I let the creature depart with its rewards. Kieren then informed us that Kilmaral was coming with her army and would soon arrive in support of House Besal in a bid to muddy the waters of the succession. We considered our plans for attacking House Khan and thus to conclude this civil war. Aleeto volunteered the use of an ancient relic to our cause, presenting what looked almost like an iridescent iron bowl. My compatriots looked at each other and together we placed our Wanderer's Shard—enhanced items into the bowl and retrieved them as the item's magic faded. The men found their weapons had increased in power and now possessed a spark of holy power, while my gloves now added an additional measure of protection to my defenses. This was fortuitous, as a commotion came to our attention outside.

Kieren and Axel climbed to the roof while Dheza went out on a balcony. I went to the stables, saddled Rhiannon quickly, and then rode outside to see what was happening. The citizens were gathering in the main square. Joining them was a wizened old man who strode to a central dais. He called for all who would claim the throne to come forth.

House Anda answered that call as the High Priest of Skaden led her troops to the square. Succubi flew overhead by the dozen, but her own escort included various undead, a half-dozen nalfeshnee, and a marilith. She came to the dais and announced her candidacy.

House Khan answered with their own legions. Barbazu, erinyes, and a horned devil were the creatures I spotted in the honor guard of Merana Do Khan. She too announced her candidacy, staring down Namak, her misshapen arm seeming to writhe of its own accord.

Dheza, Kieren, and Axel conferred as the old man arbitrating this meeting called for any other contenders. We agreed that Dheza should go make his claim known. In the distance Axel had spotted a cloud of dust nearing the gates, a cloud that meant another army was coming. Dheza quickly enhanced Rhiannon and I with his haste incantation and I sped off on the Epona's back to gather up Kilmaral's army while they stalled the proceedings.

Kilmaral flew in her draconic form over an army of mercenaries from House Besal and drow from beneath the city, her grandmother astride her back. A towering golem of adamantite strode at the forefront of the ground forces, its every stride shaking the ground. I informed her quickly of the situation and our needs. She renewed the haste spell and we flew off together toward the city, my only pause to make sure the gates were open.

We arrived in time to hear Dheza's last words fade to nothing. I rode down to hover over the dais that had been quickly built of stone beneath his feet while Kilmaral swooped low. The crowd took a few steps back in awe while the drow sorceress announced her support. This certainly drew the attention of the crowd, a spectacle that I privately enjoyed.

Session Journal Twenty-Four, cont.

Into this powderkeg a verbal match was thrown. Axel and Kieren exchanged words with Namak, suggesting that she surrender now that much of her power base had been destroyed. She ordered an attack on us immediately but disappeared in moments, leaving us to battle her forces. Merana withdrew as the crowds fled the area.

This battle was both long and arduous, so I will keep my account brief here. Kilmaral flew in stormy skies, tearing the succubi to pieces in a rain of gore. While she engaged the seductresses, we battled against the nalfeshnee and the marilith. The six-armed demoness hung back for a while as we battled the gigantic demons in our midst. All of them glowed with unholy power as they charged into the fray, knocking us about as a child scatters seeds onto the wind. My first effort to thin their ranks failed to drive any of them back to their own plane, but my second and third attempts forced several away. Unholy energy blasted us repeatedly, stunning Rhiannon as she rode the skies as well as Axel, Dheza, and Axel's shadow. A blast of healing renewed everyone as a gigantic claw knocked me to the ground. Arrows and blades whittled down the nalfeshnee in succession. A wall of blades nearly ended Dheza's life before he'd even attained the throne, while a firestorm erupted so quickly that Axel failed to dodge away in time. A burst of shadow and magic revealed that the marilith we fought was an illusion projected by the real demoness from a distance. The storm erupted and lightning blasted me as I rose from the mud-slicked ground, wind howling in our ears. Namak returned and the howl rose to a roar as she summoned an air elemental to the fray, the elemental forming into a vortex. When we finally beat the nalfeshnee and the elemental down we turned our attention to Namak and the demoness. Namak formed a wall of rock to guard her back as she dueled back and forth with Dheza. A pair of telling blows drew a scream of rage and pain from the High Priest, but she healed herself and fought on. Axel and the marilith exchanged blows, Kieren's arrows supporting the shadowdancer. I knelt down and grabbed a loose stone, whispered a quick word to Kieren, and then cast a brief spell and tossed the stone into the alcove Namak had created. Her world grew silent as the stone landed, soon to be followed by darkness as Dheza's falchion and Kieren's arrows dropped her.

The world itself seemed to stop as a whirlwind of dead holly leaves sprang up around Skaden's High Priest. Despite the silence, we all heard the words that followed. Even the marilith paused to hear the Defier's words, for it was Skaden himself who spoke:

“How disappointing,” he murmured disapprovingly. “But endings always bring the opportunity for new beginnings. Except for you, Namak, for you lost your focus, you fool.” There was a pause and a palpable feeling of power in the air, moreso yet than before. “I look forward to our future interactions.”

The silence I had created shattered in the dissipation of the whirlwind, leaving Namak dead, all necromantic energy around her gone, and the marilith on the battlefield against us. All of us were battered, but Dheza called for the creature to surrender or depart if she would not join us in battle against House Khan. The marilith's reply was never heard, as she raised her blades to continue the confrontation. Kieren bore the brunt of her renewed assault, the six blades slashing through his chain shirt repeatedly. But our battle ended abruptly when a sword erupted from her chest and she collapsed to the ground in a frothing mass of blood, coils, and scales.

Session Journal Twenty-Four, conclusion

Three succubi of unusual prowess floated before us, one of whom we had met on the battlefield outside the city before. “Fool,” she said scornfully to the dying marilith. “Fighting here when we need to be fighting Hell.” Dheza seemed to recognize the succubus who even then yanked her blade from the dying marilith, for his smile was one of both attraction and recognition. I suspect this one was the one who had bonded to him outside the city gates when we first came to Skadas Shee. He did greet her by the name of “Charity”, a twisted joke if I ever heard one.

Kilmaral rejoined us as her forces, led by the golem, crushed demons and devils alike in a three-way maelstrom of carnage. In the direction of House Khan we could see a pillar of fire blasting through the roof of the manor and we knew that the battle would mean nothing if they managed to bring Dis to Skadas Shee. The succubi—Charity, Faith, and Hope—reported that the gate within the mansion was soon to open. We breathed a sigh of relief knowing that a planar merge was not in the offing, but we discussed our plan of attack. In a show of courage and character, Kieren volunteered to use his Ruby Gate as a weapon, hurling it into the gate to Hell. I was moved by his valor but suggested he hold his plan in reserve, for I still had enough magic left to me to call for Death's intervention: I could ask for a true miracle.

The others soon agreed and we planned out our assault. We warded ourselves with as much magic as we dared and were escorted to the roof of House Khan by Kilmaral and the succubi. I scried each floor beneath us, ignoring the hellfire pillar nearby, finally finding the gate in the basement. With a few words to Dheza, we paused to pray to those we honored and then vanished as Kieren slid us away with a dimension door.

The gate chamber was guarded by a horned devil. His escort included more than a dozen rakshasa of various shapes. Rhash Do Khan gestured and spoke to the gate, the orifice shaped in part by the various rakshasa and humans bound to it in chains of cold iron. The life force of the bound monsters funneled into the gateway, which slowly opened to reveal a hellish landscape and infernal legions.

Axel sprang forward and slammed his rapier home in the horned devil's ankle, eliciting howls of pain and rage. Arrows flashed out to slam home in the creature's chest as the rakshasa around us cut loose with enough lightning to light the night sky. We stood tall against that onslaught, singed but alive, as Dheza's form swelled to that of a dragon of the same size as Kilmaral, blocking the advance of the monsters. I slid past him and Kieren to approach the gate, taking up a position across from Rhash. Standing there, the forces of Hell behind me, I raised my hands to the unseen sky and spoke aloud a prayer to the eldest of deities:

“Death, my Mistress, please grant this servant your grace and destroy this gate, so that these souls will not be drawn to Hell regardless of their actions. Protect these souls so that they may all in time go to the fates that await them, as you and your Daughter would have them.”

Raw divine power blasted through my frame and drove me to my knees. The gate continued to expand for a moment and then stopped. All progress began to reverse and the assembled monsters bound to it screamed. Rhash babbled something, his words lost to the roar of the imploding gate and he dove through it. The rakshasa vanished as a blast of raw power flattened us with the gate's implosion. Dheza's head slammed into the floor, knocking him senseless and ending his magic as the entire building began to shake. I shook off the lingering awe that filled my veins and quickly rejoined the others. I grabbed Dheza by the hand as I began another incantation, extending my free hand to Axel. Kieren joined the circle and I whisked us away to the Astral once more.

The return journey was brief and uneventful, so I will not speak of it here. We now stand amidst the rubble and ruin of Skadas Shee. Of the contenders, only Dheza lives, so it seems our next order of business will be to plan for the coronation of King Dheza of Sheenosek.

Despite all the forces arrayed against us, the civil war was over. We had won.

We just need to wrap things up with a denoument, so we're done with this campaign once that happens. The original campaign featured Axel and Jour, and I believe it went 2 years (Deathquaker can correct this if I'm wrong). This went 2 1/2 years, so it's been a very long run. Lots of fun though, best campaign I've ever been in. Everyone had their time in the sun (or shadow, as they like), character goals have been met, so it's a fine time to end things. Besides, something can always draw these guys out of retirement down the road if anyone's crazy enough to run a nigh-epic adventure. And speaking for myself, my character has enough to keep her busy for a few mortal lifetimes at least :) We'll do the denoument eventually, but for most purposes we've hit the end of this run. Thanks to everyone who played and let me write their stories, and to everyone who's been keeping up with this beast (it's longer than my thesis by a goodly margin!)!

Awesome. Look forward to the denoume.. conclusion .. thing. :)

Vesi is full and shines more brightly than the other Fallen this eve...

I had a tremendously good time and learned a LOT about GMing... and how Pathfinder works (and sometimes doesn't) at high levels. Thoughts to be posted on that later if I can assemble them coherently. I may also post how I originally envisioned the campaign to move, it might prove very entertaining. ;)

I too am looking forward to the denouement, as it will wrap up stuff---but also because it will largely be freeform, no dice, no prep, just good fun roleplaying tiemz (maybe I can remember to give my three major female NPCs different voices for once. ;) ).

Thanks, Turin, for your commentary and advice earlier and for following this! :)

Thanks to wraithstrike for Namak and the Marilith combo, Narra do Sheen, Ramun do Mar the Mummy General (all of the baddies were great but he was especially NASTY), many evil sorcerers, the Reaper (whom I misused horribly due to being sleepy, a big regret), and other nasty foes. Sadly I didn't get to use Merana but maybe she'll live to be a bad guy for another story. :)

I mustneeds remember to smite wraithstrike verily for some of those villains :) Ramun comes to mind, maybe Namak and the marilith. That is offset by Narra, who was all sorts of insane fun. Just not enough to offset the mummy the guys could barely hit, his 10 or so dread wraiths, and the Greater Vital Strike that nearly flattened the shadowdancer in one hit. Oh wait, it wasn't me. Never mind then :)

<Blushing>You are welcome. I am glad I could be of assistance. I did not name the characters so could you let me know which names were attached to which classes? :)

I was not accustomed to making characters without 3.5 splatbooks, but I was told to use them sparingly. I had to get creative to make them interesting. I thought the Maralith + the caster(Namak?) would be the hardest fight. I also thought the mummy would be easy for it's CR.
I hoped the burrowing arrows were of assistance. :)

<Blushing>You are welcome. I am glad I could be of assistance. I did not name the characters so could you let me know which names were attached to which classes? :)

I was not accustomed to making characters without 3.5 splatbooks, but I was told to use them sparingly. I had to get creative to make them interesting. I thought the Maralith + the caster(Namak?) would be the hardest fight. I also thought the mummy would be easy for it's CR.
I hoped the burrowing arrows were of assistance. :)

The mummy had a problem, it was called mass heal cast by a cleric with no objection to blasting hordes of undead with positive energy. And we never found burrowing arrows, I don't think I even recall what book they're in.

wraithstrike wrote:

<Blushing>You are welcome. I am glad I could be of assistance. I did not name the characters so could you let me know which names were attached to which classes? :)

I was not accustomed to making characters without 3.5 splatbooks, but I was told to use them sparingly. I had to get creative to make them interesting. I thought the Maralith + the caster(Namak?) would be the hardest fight. I also thought the mummy would be easy for it's CR.
I hoped the burrowing arrows were of assistance. :)

The mummy had a problem, it was called mass heal cast by a cleric with no objection to blasting hordes of undead with positive energy. And we never found burrowing arrows, I don't think I even recall what book they're in.

The cleric did not have a mass heal ability. He specifically had a Phylactery of Negative Channeling though.

The burrowing arrows are in the complete warrior book. I did not give them to the mummy though. IIRC, It was given to an archery based character I made from what I remember.

The way they work is that if the arrow strike you they stay embedded. As long as the arrow is in you no natural healing can occur. If you receive any magical healing they are pushed out, but they do 1d8 per arrow on the way out.
They cost about 160gp a piece so giving them to NPC's is not something to be done lightly considering how fast an archer can burn through arrows.

The cleric did not have a mass heal ability. He specifically had a Phylactery of Negative Channeling though.
You should have been receiving negative channels. :)

The burrowing arrows are in the complete warrior book. I did not give them to the mummy though. IIRC, It was given to an archery based character I made from what I remember.

The way they work is that if the arrow strike you they stay embedded. As long as the arrow is in you no natural healing can occur. If you receive any magical healing they are pushed out, but they do 1d8 per arrow on the way out.
They cost about 160gp a piece so giving them to NPC's is not something to be done lightly considering how fast an archer can burn through arrows.

The cleric with mass heal was ME; I tended to use it liberally throughout the catacombs, and with a mound of undead in that room I was curing them left and right :) I think he went down to force arrows, a few swings from our shadowdancer and eldritch knight, and some serious positive energy burns.

The burrowing arrows I think vanished into GM land, as the one archer we fought didn't have them IIRC, though he may have just used them up. Maybe our shadowdancer got them? And I recognize them now that you mention them.

All jokes aside, your help in getting our GM ready was appreciated.

<Blushing>You are welcome. I am glad I could be of assistance. I did not name the characters so could you let me know which names were attached to which classes? :)

I was not accustomed to making characters without 3.5 splatbooks, but I was told to use them sparingly. I had to get creative to make them interesting. I thought the Maralith + the caster(Namak?) would be the hardest fight. I also thought the mummy would be easy for it's CR.
I hoped the burrowing arrows were of assistance. :)

Namak and the Marilith combo: 18th level cleric and Marilith. They were tough especially since the party had to deal with a wave of 6 Nalfeshnee first. It went quickly once it was down to those two since I rolled for crap and everyone made every save in existence (except for the Rogue failing his save during Firestorm :) ). These things happen.

Narra do Sheen: 13th level cleric with glabrezu support.

Ramun do Mar the Mummy General (all of the baddies were great but he was especially NASTY): The Mummy/Fighter/Cleric. He had some wraith support and nearly one-shot killed a couple characters.

The Reaper: The fighter with the scythe. I forgot to set up the fight quite like I had planned and the party got too close to him too fast, but he was a well designed character.

Merana: Tiefling sorcerer 14. She wisely stayed out of the way.

I don't remember a character with burrowing arrows actually, but maybe that was one of the martial types I didn't manage to pull out due to some things not quite going the way I expected.

wraithstrike wrote:

The cleric did not have a mass heal ability. He specifically had a Phylactery of Negative Channeling though.
You should have been receiving negative channels. :)

The burrowing arrows are in the complete warrior book. I did not give them to the mummy though. IIRC, It was given to an archery based character I made from what I remember.

The way they work is that if the arrow strike you they stay embedded. As long as the arrow is in you no natural healing can occur. If you receive any magical healing they are pushed out, but they do 1d8 per arrow on the way out.
They cost about 160gp a piece so giving them to NPC's is not something to be done lightly considering how fast an archer can burn through arrows.

The cleric with mass heal was ME; I tended to use it liberally throughout the catacombs, and with a mound of undead in that room I was curing them left and right :) I think he went down to force arrows, a few swings from our shadowdancer and eldritch knight, and some serious positive energy burns.

The burrowing arrows I think vanished into GM land, as the one archer we fought didn't have them IIRC, though he may have just used them up. Maybe our shadowdancer got them? And I recognize them now that you mention them.

All jokes aside, your help in getting our GM ready was appreciated.

Thanks for the explanation. I was confused, and once again I am glad I could help.

PS:After a second reading of your post I notice the part about curing undead. <smile>
I am sure they were not happy about that.

wraithstrike wrote:

<Blushing>You are welcome. I am glad I could be of assistance. I did not name the characters so could you let me know which names were attached to which classes? :)

I was not accustomed to making characters without 3.5 splatbooks, but I was told to use them sparingly. I had to get creative to make them interesting. I thought the Maralith + the caster(Namak?) would be the hardest fight. I also thought the mummy would be easy for it's CR.
I hoped the burrowing arrows were of assistance. :)

Namak and the Marilith combo: 18th level cleric and Marilith. They were tough especially since the party had to deal with a wave of 6 Nalfeshnee first. It went quickly once it was down to those two since I rolled for crap and everyone made every save in existence (except for the Rogue failing his save during Firestorm :) ). These things happen.

Narra do Sheen: 13th level cleric with glabrezu support.

Ramun do Mar the Mummy General (all of the baddies were great but he was especially NASTY): The Mummy/Fighter/Cleric. He had some wraith support and nearly one-shot killed a couple characters.

The Reaper: The fighter with the scythe. I forgot to set up the fight quite like I had planned and the party got too close to him too fast, but he was a well designed character.

Merana: Tiefling sorcerer 14. She wisely stayed out of the way.

I don't remember a character with burrowing arrows actually, but maybe that was one of the martial types I didn't manage to pull out due to some things not quite going the way I expected.

After checking: The Orc Ranger was the one with the arrows.

He has DR 5/good; Immune fire, poison; Resist acid 10, cold 10; SR 21 that he is not supposed to have though. I forgot to erase them.

Session Journal Twenty-Five: July 30, 2011
Scrithengard Date: Second Journsday of Skadesloom and the following weeks

The days after the destruction of the Hellgate were busy. I organized all the people I could gather to help deal with the dead, including stragglers coming into the city and those Chosen of Atanna I could find. When I was not working with the dead, I spent much of my time healing the living. The various Houses all announced their support for Dheza's reign, which gave us additional resources for use in in restoring the city. I took a cadre of Chosen and mages to the Ossuary to deal with the undead there before interring the fallen, as the extreme levels of negative energy there had spontaneously animated several bone weirds. Axel, Kieren, and Dheza searched the ruins for survivors and loot, though I do not know what they found in its entirety. Dheza gave all of us noble titles for our efforts, as well as granting my request to alter the border spells to permit my ready entrance and egress. I tracked down Kilmaral's grandmother and she granted my wish to conduct a ritual to look into the past. While much of what she said as she interpreted her visions was known to me, her final words told me that it was now the time of the People of the Plains to unite, as they had been scattered in the long days before the Cataclysm in a conflict between Ilmea and Vesi. I admit I need to take time to understand all of what she said.

Kieren was married a bit more than a week after the battles concluded. One evening he approached both women of Kilmaral's clan for permission to marry the half-dragon sorceress. I spent the next two days tailoring a suit for him, while Axel organized artisans to paint the wedding portrait, including Krieg. The ceremony itself was fairly simple, the oaths far less involved than I anticipated. I stood with Kilmaral, while Axel stood with Kieren. There were no unexpected fights or events during the party afterwards, so all in all things went well.

Dheza's coronation was an extravaganza. One assassin tried to kill him as we stood in the cleared plaza in the heart of the city, but Kieren quickly killed him. I dealt with the body soon after, though I could learn nothing of the man's origins unfortunately. Dheza's reign will be one of prosperity, he claimed, and I think he is on track for that. Axel was named to the Merchant's Council, and Kieren agreed to train Dheza's elite guards in archery in the future. I would say more, but I spent much of my time watching out for more assassins in the crowd. As there was only one attempt, I am told I can relax, as Dheza has apparently earned the respect of the people.

Session Journal Twenty-Five, conclusion

When everyone was ready to return to Merrywell, I gated us home with a few simple words. Reconstruction was well underway, as was the construction of Kieren's tower. The local warden stopped by to talk with Kieren, I'm told, though I quickly left to bring several of Tria's followers south as well as a few of Pala's Chosen to Dheza. The worship of Tria had been outlawed in Skadas Shee, but the King of Sheenosek agreed with me that having someone tend the Ossuary to keep undead from rising was a good idea. I organized the existing church of Atanna and Tria's faithful to work in hallowing the Ossuary before returning north to help raise the new tower in Merrywell. I did remember to leave one of the bracelets with Dheza that I had enchanted, so that he could call upon any of us at need.

For my part, I am leaving in several days for my own business. Krieg and Axel are talking about the mercantile efforts Axel is undertaking. I've left a sum of coin and goods for Axel to sell and invest into the town as he sees fit. Krieg will keep the books for me, while several new Touched and faithful will keep an eye on Tria's shrine for me. I hope to leave it permanently in their hands in the near future, as I have work to do that will keep me running for a while. Profits will be used to pay the retainer of Krieg, as well as my valet and the attendants at the shrine. Many people came north with us because of my own actions in Skadas Shee, and I hope to get them settled in before I leave.

In the days to come I will return to the Diamond Kingdoms. Jour has returned to Merrywell and left Skruumorden to the giants, but I still must speak with the Speaker of Tria. I hope to track down several Rover clans and check in as to their status. Finally, I must return to the Free Coast to tell Ezreth's family of his fate...and to tell my family of my own. I pray nothing else happens in the days to come as Haven, Sheenosek, and the Empire settle into peace. When I return, I must get back to work on my own tasks, for I still owe Death much and have work yet to do. I seek to learn the fate of gods that die, and I must find a way to extend my life. Neither of these will be easy, but then, I never asked for an easy task. I hope my friends are well as I depart, for I have grown weary these past months of leaving the dead in my wake.

This wraps up the Scrithengard campaign. Nearly three years of silliness, plotting, scheming, mayhem, and drama have now been concluded :)

Some random GM notes:
During the second half of the game--the game I call "The Uncivil War" which is when they went to deal with Sheenosek and mechanically we converted to Pathfinder...

The party discussed extensively, in great detail, while traveling to Sheenosek the need to build an army and gather supplies once they reached Dorshec. So hearing the players' plans, I made sure that they would have ample opportunity to do what they planned.

I statted Dorshec up extensively, and filled it with loads of volunteer warriors for them to take with them, as well as treasure caches (some of which required some enemies to be slain first) which would have served their needs tremendously well (and probably not caused that "we're below WBL" issue Lathiira and aerendi were fond of complaining about ;) ). I figured with what they wanted and needed to do (including some item crafting), this would take 2-3 weeks, and also determined what the factions were up to by that time--and what would be going on in Skadas Shee by the time they got there. There was also a huge plotline about assassination attempts in Dorshec, including the House Elector of Verras being "ill", which I tried to drop large clues about on the party's head.

Upon arriving in Dorshec, the party said, "You know what, let's just leave tomorrow." With no army, no further equipment, and three weeks ahead of the time table I outlined. Clues about the assassinations were ignored as uninteresting (my fault as a GM for not making them better). I admit I was stymied at first, but I had no real reason to keep them there.

So because I HAD outlined what all the factions were up to during the three weeks, I just determined where everyone would be ahead of time, and went from there.

Some remarks on what could have happened and what did----
* If the party had stayed in Dorshec, Narra would have had time to resurrect Durran. There was a grand chase planned involving the cathedral catacombs and the lich king's castle (and of course a satisfying combat that slew Durran once and for all, but the fruit bat reincarnation has its own poetry).

* Durran would have used his power and influence to crush House Anda (he was going to be the Big Bad, and Namak was originally written as an afterthought in case I needed a high level cleric), and they would have become the non-contenders, rather than House Sheen. Without Durran, it became the other way around. Which probably would have meant more undead and golem fights and less demon fights.

* I built an army in Dorshec, so since the Party didn't want it, I gave it to Kilmaral. Kilmaral was supposed to be more of a wild card/leave her intentions unknown, but I realized there was far too much of a chance for the party to be distracted/misinterpret what was going on with her so I made her more obviously an ally (since she lubs her Keewen anyway). I wish I had been a little more dramatic with that but I think it turned out for the best.

* House Verras's plot in Dorshec went unchecked, so Lady Rizwal died and they became non-contenders--and while they were assassinated by House Anda, this also boosted House Khan's resources because they also had a lot going on in Dorshec. I should have left out the golem, as they shouldn't have been able to finish it, but the golem was COOL. One thing I forgot to more clearly point out is Kilmaral and Grandmother Verrakal took OVER the broken House Verras, so they are actually now officially House Maelthrashal (Verrakal's Drow House name), and this house will now include surfacers from House Verras as well as a handful of drow exiles or half-breeds. Kilmaral has decided to largely stay out of Sheenosek, but she will keep an eye on that House from time to time.

* House Deshaanolara would have had its reinforcements by the time the party got there, and probably been able to weaken one of the houses (Khan or Sheen/Anda) so the party could more easily focus on one enemy at a time. On the other hand, I think it was good the party had choices and the spotlight could more easily shine on them, without NPCs doing work in the background.

* I WOULDN'T have written up Charity the Succubus, who I wrote as a stopgap foe for the party to face between Dorshec and Skadas Shee. And of course who became so very much more--she's in fact possibly now my favorite NPC from the campaign. :)

All in all---the challenges would have been different, but not better or worse. But it's interesting to think how the plans changed to reality.

There's other stuff that I've of course already forgotten as I write this.

GM lessons learned:
1. Just put your fingers in your ears when the players start planning, because they'll change their mind anyway ;)
2. Don't be afraid to wing it. Sometimes the better story comes out that way.

And seriously--#2. A lot of my frustrations came from when I wasn't sure what to do next because the party took a sharp left turn, and then I realized that just making it up as it goes along can work. The HARD part about winging it with Pathfinder is needing ready made stats on hand for possible encounters (I CANNOT make them up in my head and make them make sense; some GMs can, but I can't). Tools like Combat Manager make that a lot easier because I can quickly pull something up that looks about right and go from there (at least for actual combat :) ).

Maybe we should try re-doing that part of the campaign, and this time we'll have the party stay in Dorshec. I'll happily face off against Durran in the streets of Skadas Shee :) I might not win, but it'll be epic! Oo, I know, we'll do a 'what-if' scenario!

Maybe we should try re-doing that part of the campaign, and this time we'll have the party stay in Dorshec. I'll happily face off against Durran in the streets of Skadas Shee :) I might not win, but it'll be epic! Oo, I know, we'll do a 'what-if' scenario!

I think ultimately you guys were smart to jump in and be able to stop Durran from being resurrected. :)

But we could do a what if, but Morag has to crave bacon and everyone has to wear pink. :)

Lathiira wrote:

Maybe we should try re-doing that part of the campaign, and this time we'll have the party stay in Dorshec. I'll happily face off against Durran in the streets of Skadas Shee :) I might not win, but it'll be epic! Oo, I know, we'll do a 'what-if' scenario!

I think ultimately you guys were smart to jump in and be able to stop Durran from being resurrected. :)

But we could do a what if, but Morag has to crave bacon and everyone has to wear pink. :)

I'll crave bacon, sure. I mean, I haven't really even eaten food except when I cast heroes' feast for the past 8 years of game time or so, that's easy enough to explain. Hearing why the guys are all in pink? That'd be worth it. Morag would do it just to torment Kieren :)

One last thing. I forgot that I wanted to put up Morag's statblock. So here's the final version of the Gatherer of Souls. To date, anyway:

Also, since I'm here, stats for Rhiannon, the Epona, my cohort: