The Skinsaw Man

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Sounds like a good idea, Edmond. Can somebody run Yolanda? I don't want to DM her.


I am sorry to hear that as well, Daniel.

So we lost Yolanda. Ideas from the rest of the players?


Ekaym smiles, "Enigmas? I like it. We'll go with that." He take out a notepad and jots down the name. "Okay, so you asked about the rules of the competition. As I told you, it takes 4 battles to win the championship. The first battle is a battle royale style 4-team slugfest; the second is the one on one (team vs. team); the third is against a monster held in captivity; and then the finals. The rules of combat are the following:
1. All battles are potentially lethal, but a gladiator always has the option of surrender. To surrender, a gladiator must drop his weapons, kneel, and hold both hands in the air. A gladiator who attacks a surrendering foe is immediately disqualified (and likely arrested for assault or murder). A gladiator who surrenders and then attacks another gladiator is also immediately disqualified.
2. Gladiators that can fly or levitate may do so up to a height of 40 feet. A gladiator that flies any higher is disqualified. Burrowing into the arena’s floor is forbidden and grounds for disqualification.
3. A match persists until one team is victorious, either through the death or the surrender of all opposing teams.
4. Winning gladiators have no right to the spoils of the fallen. A defeated gladiator keeps his gear, or in the case of death, ownership of gear reverts to his team or manager.
5. Any tactic that endangers spectators is grounds for immediate disqualification and possible legal action. So no throwing fireballs into the crowd.
6. A disqualified gladiator must cease fighting at once and must move to the edge of the field of battle immediately. Failure to comply results in the disqualification of the entire team. Once a gladiator is disqualified, he may no longer take part in any remaining battles.
7. Awards are given after each battle, as I detailed previously.
8. You're allowed to buff before battles with spells, wands, potions, etc. Usually, most teams do so while their name is being announced."

Ekaym checks his list, "Yes, that's all for combat. Okay, one more thing. There's a dinner in a few hours held for the selected competitors in the arena. It's very fancy. This is where I will start taking wagers for you and downplaying your skills, which shouldn't be too hard, as I don't know if any of you can fight worth a lick. Anyway, that's a good thing, give you better odds. The best I can do for you is get you 5 to 1 odds on the first bet. So, if you've got gold, come see me and place your wages. There is no banking system in place. I, as your manager, will place your bets and collect your winnings. You can bet on your odds to win it all or the 1st match. Last thing, after the Dinner, you're bound to stay on the Arena's grounds in an underground villa reserved for the gladiators. So if you've got people to see or errands to do in town, get them out of the way before tonight. I'll meet you here at 7pm to escort you to the dinner. Any other questions?"


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Let’s see how we do with 4 and will reconsider at later time, if necessary.


I think it is best to wait for Xeno, since she posted that she would be away this weekend.


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Ivar, with Diplomacy/K Local skills, I stress more the rping than the roll. If it's clever or ingenious, I will give the player a bonus to the roll. The die rolls are not important - the rping is more important.


Paric, it would be nice if you posted. :)


Ivar, I meant that I expect players to post once per day at a minimum M-F. I understand that weekends can be busy. Obviously, if players can post more, especially, during combat, it will be encouraged and appreciated. I will try to post regularly to keep the game moving, but will let rping play itself out between the players. If you're going to be out, just give me a heads up is all I ask.


To set the stage for the campaign, in case it was not clear from the opening post, you have all been selected in the lottery and are gathered in the staging area while you await further instructions from the Champion's Games officials. Deduct 100 gp from your gold. So you can rp meeting each, as Sylvana has done.


I appreciate the heads up from both!


Gameplay Thread is up!


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Will do tonight when I get off work.


Thanks to the three of you for making the necessary edits. Now, waiting to see if Gomlock is going to participate. If not, will replace him.


Sylvana Alustriel wrote:
Hello all! Thanks for the selection. I changed her stats a little, upped her Charisma. Also added a pic to her profile - I picture her like that except she has a white streak of hair (a la X-Men Rogue), as a reminder of when she first saw her sister in banshee form.

Sylvana, I know HL auto-calculates feats and skills, but could you break down skill ranks and feats selected (by level). Thanks.


Gomlock Firehide wrote:
Death-Lok wrote:
Gomlock, traits are not allowed in this game, so you will need to amend your sheet.
Hmm, I had missed that, any particular reason? Is that also the case with Additional Traits?

Waiting for you to to modify the traits/feat selections.


Ivar "Goldilocks" Theodinson wrote:
Looks like everyone's here :)

Comments on Character Sheet:

Will save should be +8/10.
Your +2 shield gives you -1 ACP and your armor -3 ACP for total of -4.
Your Climb check should be +12 (+6 Str +3 skill +3 rank).
Stealth skill is not a class skill.
You should put at least 1 rank in sailor for background and Heart of Fields racial trait to make sense.


Paric Root-Walker wrote:

Hello y'all,

Looking forward to kicking this adventure off. I think my character sheet is ready to go but extra eyes are always appreciated.

Comments:

Craft Staff has a prerequisite of Caster level 11. Also indicate which two items were crafted with the Craft Wondrous Item feat.


Gomlock Firehide wrote:
Death-Lok wrote:
Gomlock, traits are not allowed in this game, so you will need to amend your sheet.
Hmm, I had missed that, any particular reason? Is that also the case with Additional Traits?

Yes, the ban also applies to the feat. Since this was a 3.5 AP, I want to harken back to that edition where traits did not exist.


Grymm's attack strikes an image harmlessly! 6 images remain of the dragon. Tesherat smiles, "I am not alone, fleshlings. I have friends."

Two creatures streak out of the lava and attack Eclipse. Glowing-hot plates of iron cover the head of this immense, primordial lungfish, and lava spills from between its jagged teeth.

Round 1: Pyropiscis
Both large creatures slither on the ground and move up to Eclipse and attack it from 15' away. The second creature tears a piece of flesh from Eclipse. The bite would have inflicted fire damage also, but the wolf is protected.

Attack: 1d20 ⇒ 2 --- miss
Attack: 1d20 ⇒ 19 --- hits (threat)!
Attack: 1d20 ⇒ 4 --- no confirmation
Grapple: 1d20 + 24 ⇒ (15) + 24 = 39...What is Eclipse's CMD?
Damage: 2d8 + 12 ⇒ (2, 4) + 12 = 18

Xenovia and Eclipse are up! Eclipse previously took 37 damage from an AoO from a fire giant, but if you were unaware X, you can retcon and heal him. If you do so, spend the spells or charges. Eclipse now takes 18 damage and he may be grappled.


Ok, going to go ahead and close recruitment as I did not receive a response to my PM. Anyway, thanks for the applications all. The players selected are:

Paric Root-Walker - Human Druid 9
Ivar - Human Unchained Invulnerable Barbarian 9
Sylvana - Elf fighter 6/unchained rogue 3
Gomlock Firehide - Half-Orc sorcerer 9

I know it's brave to run this AP without a true healer, but we will see how it goes. If I miscalculated and need someone extra, I will keep those not selected in mind.

To those selected, kindly report to the Discussion thread: Link

Thanks all!


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Welcome to those selected! I hipe we will have a fun game. Please finalize your characters for my review.

Gomlock, traits are not allowed in this game, so you will need to amend your sheet.


Mei, all domains are available. The only limitation is Core feats.


Okay, I think all interested persons have posted to date and here is a summary:

Michael Hopkins - 2WF ranger?
Geometer - Plains druid - waiting for crunch
Erianna - Human fighter (unbreakable) 1/monk (sohei) 1/paladin (iroran paladin) 4/sentinel 3
Ivar - Human Unchained Invulnerable Barbarian 9
Elvanion - Elf Wizard (9) Air(Smoke) specialist
Sylvana - Elf fighter 6/unchained rogue 3
Harrigan - Dwarf diviner 9

I have PMed Michael and Geometer, so will give them time to post their characters, but selections will be done in next couple of days at the latest.


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No worries, Today. Be well.


Does the party follow or watch?


Erianna: For loftier expectations, that's up to you.
pad300: There's a cash prize for the winner, but I don't think the details are relevant now, until selected for the game.
Shadow_Fox: welcome!


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Today: Please explain what Admittedly, I tend to post in increments between a few days means exactly. I am looking for players to post at least once per day on the weekdays.

Erianna, the players' participation in the Champion's games is only a plot hook for the rest of the AP, which is to prevent the Age of Worms from coming to fruition. If we had played the AP from 1st level, the party would already be an established group and you would join the games with other motivations involved. However, since we're starting at 9th level, the idea of the party as an established group already seems artificial to me. What seemed interesting to me is that you each join the Games, which are nonlethal by the way (not like the Roman contests), say it for gold or glory or fame and then you will get grouped together in a team randomly, since the Games do not allow individual competitors. Then the story becomes how 4 strangers came together to save the world kind of thing. So the motivation for joining the Games should not be a big deal - I was just curious as to why you would join. It could be as simple as I just spent all my gold on magic items and need more gold.


Ok, Spazmodeus, be well. So we are waiting for Geometer and Michael to submit their proposals.


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We currently have a barbarian, fighter/rogue, wizard, and monk/paladin/sentinel applying. I would like to see Geometer's druid. Here are some links:

GH Deities
World Map
Great map! The city of Greyhawk is the star in western Nyr Dyv, west of the Cairn Hills.
Blog about western Nyr Dyv


Robert Henry wrote:
Hey Death-Lok I got the impression from the 'interest check' thread that four player was a minimum, what's the maximum players you'll take?

Thanks for the answers on the questions. 5 would be my limit, but I think we might not get there. At least we have 4 applicants currently so we are good.


No problem, Hustonj. I cannot change the plot of the AP. :) Be well.


Ivar "Goldilocks" Theodinson wrote:
Death-Lok wrote:
RH, Altérnate racial traits are fine. Recruitment will stay open for a week. If more time is needed, will extend.

Cool!

This is RH's Unchained Invulnerable Barbarian, Ivar. I've got the crunch done and will alter the fluff to match the Greyhawk world. I intend to make him a Frost Barbarian, when he leaves home he will sail out Karkenheim the capital of the Kingdom of the Fruztii.

Death-Lok, please let me know if I can answer any questions about Ivar's crunch.

Ivar:
Why would your character enter the Champion’s Games gladiatorial fights? Gold, test of skills, bored, fame, something else? Another question- His background is very nautical - there’s not really any ship travel in this game - will that be ok?

pad300 wrote:
Death-Lok wrote:
pad300 wrote:

Questions

...
2) What impact, if any, do Item Creation feats have on starting wealth?

...

2) if you invest in item creation feats, prior to commencing the game, you can use them to create 2 items at the 50% rate provided you meet the other caster requirements.

Is that 2 items per feat or total (currently I have Scribe Scroll, Craft Wand and Craft Wonderous Item, and a bonded ring)?

And some further questions

3) How fast do you plan to pace this between "books"? (ie. Will I have time for spell research and/or item creation?)
4)Does spending money on downtime stuff (ultimate campaign) make sense?

1. 2 ítems per feat.

2. There will be downtime to do that stuff except maybe the last 2 books which occur one right after the other.
3. Yes, downtime makes sense. However, note that the AP has you local for about 2 mods then you travel to jungle and giant city and undead lair and another city so don’t invest too much on local stuff like home or business since you will be absent.


Spazmodeus wrote:

Another question. In the case of an archetype replacing a class ability with a non-core feat, should we just keep the ability that was to be replaced?

Thanks

Correct.


RH, Altérnate racial traits are fine. Recruitment will stay open for a week. If more time is needed, will extend.


Spazmodeus wrote:

Are prestige classes allowed?

Multiclassing allowed?
Archetypes allowed?

Thanks

Yes to all 3.


pad300 wrote:

Questions

1) What do we know about what has gone before WRT to the Cult of Kyuss? (Or are we coming into this "fresh")
2) What impact, if any, do Item Creation feats have on starting wealth?

1) Nothing but you will get a refresher course from some npcs early on.

2) if you invest in item creation feats, prior to commencing the game, you can use them to create 2 items at the 50% rate provided you meet the other caster requirements.


Since the beginning of history, humanity has measured time in ages. Ages of glory, of Dreams, and even of Great Sorrows mark the human tally of the years, giving a sense of order to the events of past centuries. But one age has yet to occur, an age of darkness, of decay, and of writhing doom. Witty bards and wrathful preachers know it as the Age of Worms, weaving it into the peripheries of their passion plays as a mythic era of destruction that could begin at any time. Astrologers, diviners, and servants of the fates know more. The canniest among them fear that the Age of Worms has already begun.

Those words set off my favorite AP so I would like to GM an AoW campaign starting at 9th level as the party enters the Champion’s Games, a gladiatorial set of matches set over a one week period in the Free City of Greyhawk.

Character creation rules:
Feats: only Core Rule Book
25 point buy but no stat higher than 19 or lower than 8 at character creation (only 1 stat lower than 10 allowed).
Races: Core preferred but open to another race with convincing backstory.
Classes: Core, Base, and Unchained versions.
Alignment: no evil
Gold: 46k which is standard for 9th level
Traits: No
Background skills: No
VMC: no
Elephant in room: No
HPs: max at 1st, half + 1 per level
Concept: tell me your characters motivations in life - what does he value above all else - gold, independence, knowledge, power, etc. If asked to save the world, why say yes, other than the obvious no place else to live answer.

Any questions, let me know.


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Ok, that’s 4 so enough for a party. I will post the recruitment thread.


pad300 wrote:
Death-Lok wrote:
So far, only 1 person has expressed interest in an actual character concept. If there's not more interest, may just scrap the idea. Oh well.

If you make this a recruitment, I can guarantee that I will put a character in.

I do tend to tailor my concepts to fit in a party with the other proposals though. A lot depends on exactly what you are doing with feats and such? For example are Wizard Arcane Discoveries available? How about non-core specializations (like air(smoke) elementalist)? Asssuming yes to both - Air Elementalist Wizard, working towards arcane discovery Staff Like Wand (also likely Opposition Research discovery). If not, I will come up with something else...

Yes to both and good to know.


So far, only 1 person has expressed interest in an actual character concept. If there's not more interest, may just scrap the idea. Oh well.


Geometer, tbh, I'm not a fan of kineticists and the burn damage and the nonlethal damage mechanics.


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Robert Henry, don't worry, you do not have be that familiar with the setting to apply. For deities, just pick one from Golarion and there will be a Greyhawk equivalent. For barbarian settings, there's plenty of Greyhawk settings, per hustonj's link.


Albion, The Eye wrote:

I think this is a great idea Death-Lok, and I would definitely be very interested in playing such a game. However for me personally, level 9 is too high as a starting level.

If it was up to me, I would also take the traits away, since I think people are coming up with more and more obscure ones in their attempt to break the game’s math :P

Thanks for the input. I like the Champion's Games module though and 9th is the minimum level. Dropping the traits is an interesting idea (since you and infomatic have brought it up), but I think at this level, it would be abused more my magic users using Magical lineage and similar traits to metamagic a spell. I'm open to the idea.


hustonj wrote:

Which version of Oerth? No, I don't mean timeline, though I guess that could matter. I mean Gygax's version with all the racial prejudices in place and actually part of how organizations are defined? Or WotC's version, where racial prejudices were wiped from the description of almost everything, left in place only as part of the most vile of social structures (like the Scarlet Brotherhood)?

I'm a big fan of the Gnarley Rangers. A might harder to justify one in Greyhawk than Dyvers, just further away from their domain. At least Greyhawk isn't consistently claiming authority over parts of the Gnarley like everybody closer does.

The timeline is 589 CY. While I acknowledge that the Greyhawk setting is very human-centric, the Free City is very cosmopolitan so most CRB races are welcomed (maybe half-orcs less so).


hustonj wrote:
Where (physically) on Oerth? I assume NOT in the Free City of Greyhawk, for instance.

Actually the game does start in the Free City - there is an annual Champion’s gladiatorial-type games held at the arena and the party would be a team of competitors.


Pad300, I thought about that but thought limiting it solely to Core classes would be too restrictive and too vanilla. I think if you're aware of the feat restriction, then the player knows what he or she is in for.


Age of Worms is my favorite AP ever and the gold standard in my book. Running it in PF1, however, has the issue with all the splatbooks that characters are much more powerful and I have to modify the enemies to give the players a little of a challenge and that's too much work for me. So my thought was to run the game starting at the Champion's Belt module (9th level) set in the Greyhawk setting, but with characters restricted to taking only Core Rulebook feats. Most of the PF1 classes would be available, but I think toning down the feat selection would tone down the players' power level. Would there be any interest in a game like this?


Ioun stones...who would have thought it?! Nicely played.


Xenovia, I cannot reach this stat line with 15 point buy.

Str 8 (-2)
Dex 8 (-2)
Con 16 (10 points)
Int 16 (10 points)
Wis 12 (2 points)
Cha 17 (7 points = 15) (+2 human) (+3 level ups) (+4 headband) = 24
25 point buy
You could have 14 in both Con and Int (10 points total and it would add up)

Please advise. Thanks.

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