Aureus's page

First of all let me thank you for this set! I used them in our Carrion Crown game for a "random" encounter. Okay I really wanted to have some orcs appear in this campaign. Then was your set released and I was so grateful! I let a player role the two dice from the random encounter table from Trial of the Beast then we built the 13 minis together. I had a long list of my favorite minis from the set, so finding 13 was not that hard!

The orcs attacked in the blood red light of the dying sun from the west, they came from the Hold of Belkzen.

BTW The banners are great! Of course I had to use them!!

Used the minis last session to great success! See a picture of the encounter on Tintenteufel!

We are using Thematic Channeling from Set (Wayfinder #2). I even translated it into German and posted it to my blog: Tintenteufel! Two thumbs up, Set!

OMG!

Very interesting questions here!

Oh, yeah! And there should be some other minis in this set that fit the theme, aren't there?

Aureus, that's only one person's review. I'm sure many others feel differently!

I know, I know. It just seemed so odd, I had to ask.

You might also notice that this particular reviewer always gives low ranks to Paizo products.

Such things are just plain ugly. (But good to know for this piece of the puzzle, Justin!)

I added my review because I really like this adventure.

Thank you for that, Dave!

For Aureus and others, I suggest checking out the discussion started by Erik Freund in his Gallowspire Discussion Thread.

Nice link, Brandon. Thank you for that. Actually it was threads like these (the one about introducing AA way earlier, that caught my interest!)

And with all that information I couldn't resist any longer and bought the PDF. So a one star-review made me buy a product! Nice review, Christa! :D

Okay, I just checked it again. This is the worst rated Pathfinder of them all! We have started CC a while ago in the German translation and as only part three is out yet, I wonder how the whole AP ends. I cannot believe the adventure or the whole issue is that bad!

mail sent! : )

I really like your road maps of Ustalav and would love to translate them into German for the community over there. You do not happen to have PSD files or such you would share with me? I would like to share the translated maps via my blog, of course giving full credit to you as I have done so with similar projects before.

Anyway thank you for your work, Windspirit!

Super! Vielen Dank!

Sehr schön! Mir geht es nur leider wie KaeYoss und unsere Runde ist schon lang ausgelaufen. Mittlerweile spielen wir Kadaverkrone, wobei ich hier die Nähe zu Belkzens Boden etwas thematisieren möchte. Die ganze Atmosphäre von Skeletons of Scarwall passt natürlich perfekt zu dem Abenteuerpfad! Vielleicht könnte ich deine Übersetzung gut in der einen oder anderen Begegnung gebrauchen bzw. auf unserem Blog verwenden. Wäre dir das, selbstverständlich unter Nennung deines Namens recht, Exeter?

In jedem Fall echt super geworden! Vielen Dank!

This issue sounds amazingly neat! As soon as I have some money to spend (if ever!!) I pick it up!!

Ah, thank you Tamago. Not bad them ogres! Are you fine with the set or disturbs you anything severely?

The updated paper minis for Stolen Land have some nice zombies in it. What else do we find scattered among "non Carrion Crownish"-paper mini sets?

I'll bump this for Liz to see.

*thumbs up*

The subject line says it all. Or perhaps any suggestions for Paper Mini sets in the CC direction?

AWESOME!! Reminds me so much of the good "old" Pathfinder days!

:D

:D

Oh, and I am really thrilled by the ad from Zombie Sky Press! Tengu monks: an idea I was tinkering with in my own campaign(s)! When do we learn more?

I am so hyped about this AP I couldn't even express my excitement in words till now! So looking forward to it and now all the goodness of JR is crowned with Wayne Reynolds covers AND a WAR-Ameiko!!!!!! ... Wait I still cannot express my excitement properly ...

:D

Looks REALLY good!! Just from skipping through: layout and illustration are top notch! Thank you Wayfinder team, thank you for another great issue!!!

I LOVE the cover of this one.

Seconded!!!

Can...not...wait.

... it's close.

GAAARREAT!! :D

We just finished part one of our Raging Swan's Dark Oak in Kingmaker. The module could be set into the AP just perfectly. Everything fits: environment, foes etc. The only thing I couldn't use without exception was the art. Lu the treant was great pictured, but the lizardfolks don't fit the Golarion-ones from RRR.

When we finish DO I'll write some more lines on it.

game mechanics-wise: Kingmaker

flavour-wise: Legacy of Fire

story-wise: Curse of the Crimson Throne

most excited-wise: Rise of the Runelords

It was uploaded late Saturday night, but unfortunately the paizo set up requires activation by paizoian, so it will be activated on monday when they get back to the offices.

Cool. Thank you Steve! Looking forward to it!

When will this one be available on the Paizo store?

I'm pretty excited to see Crystal's interpretation of Varnhold Vanishing's BBEG. :D

Oh, yeah! Cannot wait!

Good one, Set! Thank you!

Dragonbelch:
burning hands + Widen Spell
SL 4 (1+3) * CL 7 * 50 = 1.400 gp

Mr. Mona gets quite culinary in his Two Pieces of Tarnished Silver, too. Especially in part two it gets snaily slimy!

To stick to the snails for the moment, they look like this (for the moment):

Creeping Ox:
> bear’s endurance + Extend Spell
spell level 3 (2+1) * caster level 7 * 50 = 1.050 gp

Shadowslider:
> blur + Extend Spell
SL 3 (2+1) * CL 3 * 50 = 450 gp

Dewmoth:
> entropic shield + Heighten Spell
SL 2 (1+1) * CL 3 * 50 = 300 gp

Dragonbreath:
> a fiery belch > fireball + Maximize Spell
SL 6 (3+3) * CL 11 * 50 = 3.300 gp (ridiculous expensive!)

Nightspark:
> mage armor + Extend Spell
SL 2 (1+1) * CL 3 * 50 = 300 gp

Mooneye:
> protection from chaos + ? + Quicken Spell
SL 5 * CL 9 * 50 + SL * CL * 50 = 2.250 gp +? (ridiculous expensive, even now!)
Perhaps I should really pick two spells with the same duration. Any suggestions?

(Most of the metamagical effects associated with the spells in the first version were pointless. Now it is a bit dull (Extend Spell)!

Neat idea, and one that's easily portable to non-snail consumables, like magic fruit or magical nuts or magical eggs, that when consumed release the magic upon the imbiber. Nuts, fruit and eggs work for me thematically, since each represents the potential and promise of new life, being consumed to power the magic.

An acorn powering a first level spell is destroying the potential existence of an oak tree, for a temporary effect (which, based on the focus chosen, might be an enlarge + barkskin effect).

I really like the way this evolves. Especially as I plan to play up the role of druids and the cultures bringing them forth in our campaign. So magic eggs could be created by the lizardfolk for example.

An idea for your snails:

How about adding a fortitude check when eating them with the risk of being nauseated? DCs could vary for the different snails, and it might be lessened if you only chew it, instead of swallowing.
Additionally you might make a feat or trait, that makes you accustomed to the snails, thus ignoring the fort check.

I really like this idea. I always had a will save in mind to even try to consume it. But I didn't want to take this decision out of the consumers hands. A Fortitude check is much more logical and fair.

The problem would be to define the group who would eat a snail without any constraints with so many monstrous creatures in the game.

One could rule every non-garmunchi has to make a check, but I guess there are MANY races who would eat snails!

One could rule every member of the core races has to make a check, but there may be cultures among these races who actually eat snails!

One could rule every humanoid has to make a check, but there are certainly some who would eat snails!

Or one could simply rule everyone who is not familiar with the eating of snails has to make a check until she has successfully consumed a snail.

The price of potions are spell level*caster level*50 (store prices, not creating costs). One thing I am a bit uncertain of is what the caster levels should be. As such metamagic does not raise the spell levels, so the normal caster level should apply (apart from heightened spells). I base the prices on this.

Wouldn't one need to have the right CL to prepare a snail with a spell modified by a metamagical effect? For example CL 7 for the Creeping Ox?

So your snails would cost:

Creeping Ox:
> bear’s endurance + Empower Spell
Spell level 4(2+2)*caster level 3* 50 = 600 gp

The Shadowslider:
> blur + Extend Spell
SL 3 (2+1) * CL 3 *50 = 450 gp

The Dewmoth:
> entropic shield + Heighten Spell
Depends on the level heightened to. Follows the normals prices for potions.

The Dragonbreath:
> a fiery belch > fireball + Bouncing Spell

SL 4* CL 5 * 50 = 1000 gp.
I can be made stronger at the price of 200 gp per d6 damage.
It is against the rules for potions, but it exists as a wondrous item (beads of fireball), so there is no problem in changing the feat for this purpose.

The Nightspark:
> mage armor + Ectoplasmic Spell

It doesn't make sense to add ectoplasmic to mage armor, as it already protects against incorporeal creatures.

Mooneye:
> protection from chaos + endure elements + Quicken Spell
SL 5* CL 1 * 50 + SL 5 * CL 1 *50 = 500 gp.
Protection from chaos only works 1 min like this, while endure elements lasts 24 hours.

Thank you a ton for your maths, man! Well appreciated! :D

The Nightspark:

> mage armor + Ectoplasmic Spell

It doesn't make sense to add ectoplasmic to mage armor, as it already protects against incorporeal creatures.

This was a decision on the fly. I wondered about this very issue typing it. Thanks for clearing it up.

Well the most similar item I know on top of my head is Eyes of Charming. They cast a heightened Charm Person. They are just priced as that higher spell level, so I think that should be the approach you should take.

Thank you for the hint! The only problem I have is that the Eyes are not one time use items and I don't know how to translate the costs...

Naturally this might clash with the max spell level for potions, but if the individual snails are made by or with the GM, then it shouldn't be a problem.

Yes, all or most snails break the max spell level for potions, but I am fine with this. At least as long as the spell is in line and the clash resulting from adding the metamagical effect.

By the way, I think the idea is awesome. I would love to play a character eating snail for various effects.

Thank you very much! GM wise I am thinking of a somewhat dumb garmunchi chewing on a snail could make for a fun encounter!

I really like the garmunchis and your approach to their design! Therefore I designed some new magic items with this race in mind: magic snails!

I am not quite sure wether this is the right place to post this:

For some time now I am tinkering with a reskinned magic item group: magic snails.

Following the idea of magic foods from Elves of Golarion, magic snails are one time use items eaten in the use process. Who would use or eat such slimy stuff? Steven T. Helt gave me the answer in Jon Brazer Enterprises Book of Beasts: the Garmunchis!

Any Garmunchi with at least 5 ranks in Profession (cook) and the Brew Potion feat soon discovers the secret of infusing snails with magical energy.

To discover the right snail for the item to be created you have to make a Knowledge (nature)-check or Survival-check DC 15 + 1/50 gp of the potions value first. A natural 20 is always a success.

A garmunchi attempting to prepare a magical snail must succeed at a Profession (cook) check. The DC of this check is equal to 20 + the highest-level spell being incorporated into the snail. Magical snails are consumed in one piece. But, one doesn't have to swallow it. You can just chew it, but if you spit it out the effect ends immediately.

To not just reskin potions, I wanted to add a metamagical effect to a spell of level one to four.
And this is the tricky part. How do I calculate the market price for such an item?

Some examples (with some Kingmaker flavour - our current campaign):

In the Hooktongue Slough the Creeping Ox is found:
> bear’s endurance + Empower Spell

On the shores of the Lake of Mists and Veils lives the Shadowslider:
> blur + Extend Spell

In the farns of the Narlmarches the Dewmoth is found:
> entropic shield + Heighten Spell

At the geysers of the Tors of Levenies the Dragonbreath is found:
> a fiery belch > fireball + Bouncing Spell
(I am not quite sure wether I sould violate the "targets one or more creatures"-rule of the potion)

Being the favorite dish of the herons of the Rushlight River is the Nightspark:
> mage armor + Ectoplasmic Spell

In the shadows of the oldest trees in Thousand Voices the Mooneye is found:
> protection from chaos + endure elements + Quicken Spell

Any advice, feedback and/or comments WELL appreciated!

Continued Kingmaker support in paper minis? GAAAREAT! We loved them for the first two volumes and hope to use them for VV as well!

Really interesting thread as I have a back up character for my ranger just in this direction!

Though I see my dwarf much more on the side of Trapsmith. (In the worse case) He has to replace the current cartographer, but he is more the Knowledge (architecture) type then the Knowledge (nature). He is there to build homes, temples and fortifications (the kingdom) and to explore the ruins of the Stolen Lands (the dungeons).

That's awesome! I hope it works out well for you. I'd definitely be keen to find out how it goes. I had planned to do the same in my campaign, but sadly my group had a rather nasty and fatal encounter in a certain lost elven citadel with a certain saucy fey dancer...

After reading it my expectations are HIGH! I will tell you gladly how everything worked out.

The leader has been an iconic moralist in said citadel. :(

I plan to use Dark Oak from Raging Swan. Seems pretty perfect to continue on lizardfolk-problems from Rivers Run Red.

Oh, and I imagine Willas Gundarson heavily inspired by Leiber's Fafhrd and somehow by Mintiper Moonsilver. Can anybody point me to some 3.0, 3.5 or 3.75 (Pathfinder) stats for one or both of these guys?

We played the tournament on Archer's Day just yesterday night. It was real fun interrupted by
The jury consisted of Jhod Kavken, Latricia Evanore (foreshadowing BfB) and Kaspar Morgarion. Furthermore the anual festival is a big event in the region and people from Medvedonia, Tatzelford and southern Brevoy come together. So I used the occasion to seed some rumors and hooks for KM modules to come, sidetrek adventures like [i|Dark Oak[/i] and homebrew stuff.

I introduced the party to (my take on) the Varnling Host:

Maegar Varn (LN m human [Taldane] cavalier 8)

Caspar Morgarion (LG m human [Taldane/Ulfen] cleric 9)

Cephral Lorentus (N m human [Taldane] wizard 7)

Gurney Howitt (NG m human [Taldane] fighter 8)

Willas Gundarson (CG m human [Ulfen] bard 4/ranger 4)

... and a homebrew member of the host from a time VV wasn't released:
Maruan (CG m human [Taldane/Ulfen] ranger 3)

The festival was interrupted by the attack of an assassin who managed to kill the party's cleric. Caspar Morgarion stepped in and resurrected him instantly with BoL (love this spell!) bonding the two parties closer together!

BTW Medvedonia is the name of the PC's kingdom!

Very interesting! Thank you all for sharing!! I really like Varn as a cavalier and am now convinced to introduce more members of the host during the tournament on Archer's Day.

(Sorry for the short reply, but time short. Hopefully in more detail soon...)

Aureus: I am grateful you've enjoyed the book. You have really captured what I envisioned for the riverswell spirits, and your use of the hydrus really brings out that post-flood fauna feel, snakes in the cistern and alligators in the streets and all that.

Most of the critters in BoB make it very easy to use them this way. I can't approach every monster or creature in this way, but I guess this is totally right as so many different people play this game!

The garmunchi are loosely based on the myth of the armouchiquois in Native American mythology. They were tal and thin, with elongated arms and legs and mighty despite their skeletal appearance. In the Indian legends, they had very small heads. I wanted them to be sort of feral humans with a mysterious origin - maybe the rotten Worldwound if you paly Kingmaker in the Pathfinder setting, maybe a different background if you are using the River Nations material or fro somewhere else.

Very cool! We are playing KM on Golarion, but I would have taken Koloran as an possible origin, not the Worldwound. (Although I REALLY like this region!!)

All in all I liked the way they turned out. As for their final name, I believe I submitted them as the 'garmouchi' originally. The idea was that the River Nations setting is not very Native MAerican in appeal, so I wanted to add harder consonants to the name and give them a French-Germanic feel.

So the word garmunchi isn't based on "real" words, but created to sound like historical Earth inspiration?

So glad you folks are enjoying the book! Write to your favorite publishers and tell them to hire me! : }

So glad I use material from guys I can talk or write to! Thank you for the reply, Steven!!

I also brought in both the Varnling Host as well as The Sword Envoys (my name for the swamp group) for social interaction as early as book 2.

I've done Varn as a Cavalier/Bard, going for the Battle Herald PrC.

I've added the missing professor (I forget his name, but you find him dead in the tavern in book 3) as a proper member of the Varnling Host. He's a Wizard.

Like you, I made Caspar a Cleric.

Haven't done much with Willas... I didn't consider him out of the originals.

A homemade member of the Host showed up during SL: Maruan (CG male human ranger 3). When we played the first part number three wasn't out yet. And the fate of the other groups with the letter is also very interesting!

Varn a cavalier? Very interesting! I might nick this.

I did too miss the wizard!

I thought I have seen Willas being called a member of the Host...

Thank you!