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390 posts. Alias of Cat Whisperer.


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I've considered something like this myself.
It would be fun to see the weapon "awaken" over time. It would allow me to tailor it to the weilder, and add to the plot.


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captain yesterday wrote:
Firstbourne wrote:
captain yesterday wrote:
Loxley of Robin, human ranger.
Hooded Champion archetype?
I don't know what that is, if it involves Ultimate Intrigue, not interested. :-)

Its a ranger archetype from the advanced class guide.

Its should be called "Im playing Robin Hood"


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captain yesterday wrote:
Loxley of Robin, human ranger.

Hooded Champion archetype?


Same here. Just skimmed the pdf - and it is awesome.
I thought there would be more specific info regarding the PCs past.
Instead, it is left vague, for the GM to fill in the details.


Oliver Veyrac wrote:
Mine is still pending. Can't wait til it gets shipped. I loved the first two books. I am about halfway through DMing "the Thrushmoor Terror."

Same here. I haven't started it yet because I want the info from book 3 before we finalize character creation.


RuyanVe wrote:
Marco Massoudi wrote:

To anyone who has this:

1. The Great Old One is Atlach-Nacha, isn´t it?

2. What are the maps about?

4. How long is the Sellen article?

3. What are the creatures in the Bestiary section?

Thanks guys (and gals)!

Logging it the description tells me
Product description wrote:
PDF available Nov 16
Ruyan.

Isn't that the date it is available for purchase?

The subscribers should have access as soon as we receive our shipping notice.


captain yesterday wrote:

My guess would be editing and formatting aren't as easy as Alice thought. :-)

I wouldn't lose faith yet. :-)

Either that, or the Aboleths that silenced Gary got to her as well.

Some secrets were not meant to be known by us mortals...


kevin_video wrote:
Lord_Hyperion wrote:
Sooooo.......Alice is pulling a "McBride" on us, eh?! LOL. This s&@+ of an AP must be cursed somehow.....^^

Looks like. I just hope that nothing bad happened to her. Those who had reservations about her, as she only had a few posts on the entire forum, probably have something to gloat about.

It was brought up on the KS that this Saturday will be the 1 year anniversary of the last time Gary gave us an update.

I'm at a point where I essentially just want to admit defeat. You could say I've lost the ability to care one way or another.

Same here.

I was hoping to see the stuff Alice ran for her table, so I could use it for my group. We just finished book 1, and my players are aware that after the next book, the campaign goes on indefinate hold.
The only saving grace is that Paizo finally released an AP I want to run (Strange Aeons). I haven't run a Paizo AP since Shattered Star, but my players and I are really excited about this new one.


The Dark Horse


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Maligannt wrote:
Firstborn wrote:
As for the other issue - I agree. Maybe Winter gives them a pass phrase to speak so they know they are "real".
Dopplegangers can detect thoughts at will, which would potentially render such tactics useless. I've been assuming the survivors know that they can "read minds", thus the requirement of the corpses for entry to the chapel.

Detect Thoughts:

You detect surface thoughts. The amount of information revealed depends on how long you study a particular area or subject.

1st Round: Presence or absence of thoughts.

2nd Round: Number of thinking minds and the Intelligence score of each.

3rd Round: Surface thoughts of any mind in the area.

Not the same as "mind reading", imo.


I would stay firm with the position of the guards on the barricade.

As for the other issue - I agree. Maybe Winter gives them a pass phrase to speak so they know they are "real".


Has anyone heard anything from "Alice"?
My group just finished book 1, and I was really looking forward to seeing what she did in book 2 and beyond.


Lord_Hyperion wrote:
SpiralMagus wrote:
Honestly, I don't feel it's my business how he chooses to spend his personal money, and I think there is a separation between personal and professional activities to keep in mind here. I can see how it can be viewed badly though, in light of Throne of Night's delays.
Yeah well, forgive me if concerns about being fair against Gary McBride doesn't exactly make my TOP100 of priorities right now. Even IF this would be 100% true (and there stands to rason that the money we all payed him for working on ToN payed for at least some of those pledges AND that reading/playing 137 books/games (most not for pathfinder) does NOT speed things up reagarding ToN) backing 137 kickstarters DOES mean that he was online on kickstarter 137 times and could have given an update. He got time enough to scour kickstater for new stuff to buy but not to give us a 5 sentence update? Sorry, but wih all due respect, saying that this is all personal and and not anyones business is too easy Michael.

Agreed.

At first, I tried to be understanding, considering the delay may have been caused by something medical related, or a family emergency of some kind.
But, if he is of sound enough mind and emotion to go shopping on the same site he can use to communicate with us, but chooses not to communicate, that is unacceptable.


Received my email update from Paizo yesterday.
This book is delayed until November.


That Old Guy wrote:

What confuses me...

The PCs are referred to as "thugs" in Count Lowls' employ. Given what we know about Lowls' descent into eccentricity over the past few years from Rule of Fear, how would any honorable sorts come to hold such positions? One of my players has expressed an interest in playing a Sacred Shield paladin, but I can't quite factor a means of working such a character into employment by this massively ignoble noble.

One of my players will be playing a paladin as well.

This is the way I'm handling it:
We always talk about a paladin "falling" and becoming an anti-paladin.
This time, she WAS an anti-paladin, and after the incident and the lack of memories, she has been saved by one of the gods, to be remolded and used as a tool against evil.


What I am really wanting is more info on what the PCs were doing before the incident. That information will help me finish the character creation process.


We learn that mornings are for Coffee and Contemplation.

Also, we agree that the carriage should be a place of quiet reflection.

Lastly, we find that time is a flat circle. Or so I have been told...


RuyanVe wrote:

OK. Two questions:

In E1 where is the tented area where Dr. Elbourne has his hospital set up?
The room with the beds inside?
Second: how do the stairs leading upwards connect to the stairs shown on the map on p.12 as the first set of stairs on the map on p.51 are longer then the ones shown on p.12?
I guess this can be handwaved...

Ruyan.

I believe the stairs / chute issue was discussed on a different thread.

Also - thanks for the timeline work. Looks solid.


Has anyone worked up a timeline of events?
How much time has passed between the PCs getting dumped, Winter arriving, the quakes, and the place falling apart? How long have the people in the chapel been holed up?


theLegend76 wrote:
Question, I was thinking about playing a Guildbreaker(ranger archetype). Would the Cult of Hastur or the Yellow King fall under the favored organization? Thanks.

I suppose. Although why he/she would be against a cult they don't know about might be weird. If it works for you and yours, go for it.


Andre Roy wrote:
Firstbourne wrote:
Im working on something like this right now. I am creating all the PCs myself. My players won't know anything until they start the AP.
I would love to try that both as a GM (if the playersite are willing) and as a player.

Just depends on your group. My players have been gaming with me for 15+ years. They trust me to give them solid, functional, characters that will fit their perosnality and playstyle.

I have designed their characters for the last several APs we have done, and they have been happy with it. I plot out their advancements, so that step doesn't bog down a session when they level.

This time though, they won't see it coming...


Im working on something like this right now. I am creating all the PCs myself. My players won't know anything until they start the AP.


Wow. Nice work - and thank you, very much, for sharing.


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Order of the Amber Die wrote:

Part 1: The map of Briarstone Asylum is just awesome. What better way to master its halls and know it better than your frightened PCs, than to spend some serious time drawing it? Imagine yourself completely immersed in the map for hours, learning every turn, each collapsed wall, and walking the paths of its courtyards. While drawing it you'll have time to plan where doppelgangers might hide after escaping, or just where the unicorn will first appear. Better yet: Think of the looks on your players' faces when they see what you've done for them. Unlike the maps I presented for Giantslayer, this one is a lot more feasible for the GM who is new to drawing their own maps, as it can be done on a single Chessex Mondomat...

Do you feel this takes away from the experience (because the players have the entire map laid out in front of them? I've never run anything like that before - unless it was a place the players were familiar with.


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Lady Ladile wrote:
If two players would like to make paired characters for this, what would be the best way to go about it in light of the fugue state being a thing? Early memories ala childhood or adolescence with the last few years a mystery? Nothing at all but a vague feeling of, 'I know this person, somehow'?

I don't think it should be an issue. The PCs are missing the last several years of memory. I would think they would remember a sibling, parent, childhood friend, etc.


Anaki J. wrote:
Does anyone else find it odd that the PCs can acquire a +2 short sword in the admin area of the asylum when they are 2nd level? This seems like a pretty strong find for a regular AP let alone a horror themed one.

I noticed that as well. I wondered if it was like a video game where you find a random rocket launcher and realize you're gonna need it, because "it's about to get real". I think the sword is like that.


Mark Carlson 255 wrote:

I agree but what I said was since they are running the path they might provide info on what they thought was not appropriate to that AP module.

So based on their inside info you can decide as a player or the GM if it works for you.
MDC

Gotcha. Now I understand.

I looked at their thread - the problem is, they are just running the Paizo Iconics from the AP. They don't seem to be doing any original character building. Maybe once they are done running it, they will have some insight.


Mark Carlson 255 wrote:

The thread topic is the Strange Aeon Experiment in this section.

MDC

Weird. I thought the thread topic was "Concepts to Avoid".


I will be running this for my group, and I have gone with the following train of thought: "what were they doing before the incident and what will they become?"
For example - a Hunter or Ranger that was formerly a bounty hunter and will now use those skills in the adventure. Or, an alchemist that was a grave robber, or a constable (cavalier archetype) that was a dirty cop.

My current favorite is anti paladin that has "fallen" and is now a Tormented Crusader paladin.

I would avoid random nonsense - but thats just me and my table.
I would also avoid weird races, because they take away from the strangeness of the AP. Again, just my preference.


Any way I can get my hands on this goodness is fine. Thank you for doing this.


The Jester King wrote:
yeah, the first thing i did after reading the PG was ban all but the core races. I want everything to feel strange and alien, and thats a little hard to do when one of the party members is a Vishkanya Samurai wizard. wasn't sure if there were any other recommended bans or limits to enhance the atmosphere of the campaign.

Agreed. I'm keeping the PCs limited to core races and classes that don't have direct ties to the Mythos. I don't want to have someone who's been studying planar monsters all their life.

But, this is what works for my group. As long as your group is having fun, you're doing it right.


Everything you need is in the PG.

On a side note, when my players first heard about this AP, they all talked about classes from Occult Adventures. After reading the PG and the first book, I believe (and they agreed), that playing more mundane classes will be more fun. Like a wilderness survival adventure without a ranger and/or druid. Sometimes it is more fun and challenging to not be the best suited for the job.


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My players trust me enough to make their characters for them. That makes the opening really fun.


In terms of games:
For PC or PS4 - Darkest Dungeon

Movies: Hellboy and The Last Witch Hunter


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Based on the information that you have all shared (Thank you very much), I have a question for GMs regarding character creation:

Spoiler:
If the PCs were bad people who did bad things (before the memory loss), but are now going to become redeemed "good guys", how limiting does that make their character choices?
For example, a Paladin wouldn't work, because he/she would have been bad in the past AND a Cleric to a Mythos deity wouldn't work, because when they turn over a new leaf and go good, they would be cut off from their power.
I'd really like to get your opinions on this.


Fourshadow wrote:
Rysky wrote:
Fourshadow wrote:
Kevin Mack wrote:
Anyone want to give an overview of what happens in it?
I don't think people want the adventure spoiled in a Product Discussion thread...

Luckily we have these handy dandy ** spoiler omitted **

Also, coming from you, that's hilarious.

Ooooookaay...I guess I have spoiled adventures in a Product Discussion thread?! Not that I am aware of...but I have never claimed to be perfect.

Username checks out.


Balgin wrote:
Firstbourne wrote:
Zaister wrote:
Firstbourne wrote:

I believe my group might have a Cohle.

I also expect a Harry Dresden, a John Taylor, maybe an Eddie Drood, and a Molly Metcalf.
And who are those?

Characters from fiction.

Harry Dresden from Jim Butcher's Dresden Files.
John Taylor from Simon R. Green's Tales from the Nightside.
Eddie Drood and Molly Metcalf from Simon R. Green's Secret History series.

Are you sure it's not Edwin Drood from The Mystery of Edwin Drood by Charles Dickens? it was his last novel (he died before he finished it and another author had to step in to finish it off, I believe it was Leon Garfield).

This Secret History series may have borrowed the character of Edwin Drood for their stories.

Never read Dickens, so I can't say for sure. Maybe the name is a tip of the hat? Otherwise, unless Dickens wrote about a family that wears symbiotic power armor and protects all the world from horrible things, then no.


Captain Battletoad wrote:
Firstbourne wrote:
Zaister wrote:
Firstbourne wrote:

I believe my group might have a Cohle.

I also expect a Harry Dresden, a John Taylor, maybe an Eddie Drood, and a Molly Metcalf.
And who are those?

Characters from fiction.

Harry Dresden from Jim Butcher's Dresden Files.
John Taylor from Simon R. Green's Tales from the Nightside.
Eddie Drood and Molly Metcalf from Simon R. Green's Secret History series.
How are the Dresden Files? I am a very, very big fan of Butcher's Codex Alera series (literally the entire basis for, and reason I'm currently playing a roman-themed kineticist) so I'd definitely be interested in reading his other works.

The Dresden files are amazing.

But, his new book The Aeronauts Windlass (takes place in a whole new world), is one of the best books I have ever read. It's that good.
The characters are great, as is the world and the story.


Zaister wrote:
Firstbourne wrote:

I believe my group might have a Cohle.

I also expect a Harry Dresden, a John Taylor, maybe an Eddie Drood, and a Molly Metcalf.
And who are those?

Characters from fiction.

Harry Dresden from Jim Butcher's Dresden Files.
John Taylor from Simon R. Green's Tales from the Nightside.
Eddie Drood and Molly Metcalf from Simon R. Green's Secret History series.


Also - if you're looking for more inspiration for this AP, check out the game Darkest Dungeon for PC and PS4.

Amazing.

It is full-on fantasy characters battling the sanity rending forces of evil.


Cohle Slaad wrote:
I wonder how many Rust Cohles and Marty Harts will be run through this? :)

I believe my group might have a Cohle.

I also expect a Harry Dresden, a John Taylor, maybe an Eddie Drood, and a Molly Metcalf.


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Randarak wrote:
This almost makes me want to end my Kingmaker AP early so we can start this! I've been looking forward to this since it was announced. I am such a happy little gug!

Hell no. Kingmaker was amazing. Take your time and enjoy it, then by the time you are done, Strange Aeons will be done 100% and you can tackle it with all the info you need to make it epic.


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Scott Romanowski wrote:
I cancelled my adventure path subscription because of this AP. If I'd wanted to play Call of Cthulhu, I'd be playing that RPG, not Pathfinder.

I agree - if I wanted to play CoC, I would grab my Chaosium CoC books and run that system.

But - this AP isn't Call of Cuthulhu, it's Pathfinder with a Mythos theme. Believe me, I know how you feel - I haven't run a Paizo AP since Reign of Winter. Everything since that one had zero appeal to myself and my players. This one finally has us excited again.
Paizo will never make everyone happy, all of the time.


I use the following:

Teleportation

You can only teleport a number of miles equal to your caster level. (When teleporting through the use of a racial ability, the distance is limited to a number of miles equal to your total HD.)

Teleporting characters or objects disappear instantly, but teleportation takes a number of rounds equal to the number of miles traveled (minimum of 1 round). During this time, characters at the destination of the teleport can make a Spot check (DC 20). If the check succeeds, they are aware of the incoming teleport. If the distance of the teleport is a mile or less, characters at the receiving end of the teleport will only have a surprise round in which to take actions before the teleport is completed. 

Teleport Trace: Outgoing teleport spells leave a teleport trace during the duration of the teleport. Characters at the source of a teleport can make a Spot check (DC 20) to spot the teleport trace. Teleport spells and similar effects can be used to automatically follow the original teleport, although the caster will not know where the teleport spell goes until they arrive.

Dispelling Teleports: Spellcasters who are aware of the incoming teleport can attempt to counterspell the teleport (even though they are unable to see the caster).

Blocked Teleports: If a teleport is counterspelled, blocked, or otherwise disrupted the character or object being teleported returns to its original location.

Gate: The gate spell can be used to circumvent the distance limitation on teleportation. The casting time for the spell is equal to 1 round per mile traveled or 1d10 minutes for interplanar travel. During the casting time, the gate is clearly visible from both ends and events at the other end of the gate can be seen murkily through it (Spot checks suffer a -10 penalty). Once the gate is established, travel through the gate is instantaneous.

Spells (and abilities duplicating the effects of spells) with the [teleportation] descriptor cannot penetrate to an area that is entirely enclosed by more than 1 ft. of solid stone, 3 ft. of earth, an inch of metal, and/or a thin coating of lead (an exception is teleportation circle, which works normally).

The same restriction applies to scrying effects.

Kings therefore live in stone castles, not for defensibility from armies, but for secrecy; if a need to teleport or use scrying magic comes up, they can go to an outside room and open a leaded-glass window, but while inside an inner room with stone walls and a lead-lined door, their councils are protected from eavesdropping and teleporting assassins. Many wizards likewise live in stone towers with designated divining and transportation rooms open to the outside. Tombs and cultist headquarters are typically found in dungeons underground for similar reasons.

Divination and dimension door effects within a dungeon or building itself are normally not affected, as the doorways, rooms, and corridors provide “open” pathways of effect within the complex itself. However, rooms with stone walls and thick stone or metal doors would fall under these guidelines.


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kevin_video wrote:
Just shared this on the KS too, but for those interested, Louis Porter Jr. just discussed his thoughts and feelings on Throne of Night and Transparency on KS. I made sure to have the link set to the exact time he does so. (Before this it was about the Razor Coast KS.)

That was painful to watch / listen to. For those of you that have lost enough money to this project and don't wanna lose time as well, let me sum it up. Louis Porter Jr. takes 40 minutes to say that Kick Starters that implode are bad. He reads to you from the internet, and then says how bad everything is.


I'm confused regarding the "fan fiction" stuff. What you are preparing to do is share with us the story of how your game played out. How is that copyright infringement?
I tell people about my games all the time, but Paizo doesn't come after me when I do. What about all the mod threads on this site about Kingmaker and how to alter / improve it? No lawsuits there. How does what you are doing differ from this?
Don't get me wrong - I want you to take every necessary step to protect yourself from nonsense. I just don't understand how copyright is an issue here.


Alice in Blunderland wrote:

Been a tad bit busy with stuff lately, but here's the promised spoilers in a bundle.

I decided to reveal things that could be drastically different depending on whether you or Explorer or Tyrant, or even whether your Explorers are evil/morally gray.

It may be seen that Drow have a little bit harder time of it in this adventure but that is by design. For one, they are a much more powerful race than Dwarves. For another, Dammerhall was the Dwarven capital and so it makes sense that Dwarves would be more able to handle the stuff than Drow. Stay calm, Drow have an easier go of things when it is time for their capital to pop up in a later book.

** spoiler omitted **

I am still loving every spoiler you share about your campaign. I wish I would have been a player in it.

Can't wait to drop this goodness on my players.


This thread reminds me of the terrible "Xmen Days of Future Past" movie.
Because Wolverine has to be the main character, we have to shoehorn a way for him to handle the mental trauma of projecting himself into the past. So the writers decided that by "rip your mind apart", they meant physically, and that his amazing healing factor could overcome it (rather than treat it like insanity).


I never liked the idea of operating at 100% capacity and then suddenly dropping dead. It never made sense.

I grew up playing Rolemaster (criticals, damage and conditions, etc.)
but to keep things simplified I use the following:

Once a being has lost 50% of its available HP it receives a -1 to hit, AC, saves, and skills.

Once a being has lost 75% of its available HP it receives a -3 to hit, AC, saves, and skills.

The penalties are similar to Fatigued or Exhausted conditions, but can be removed with healing.


At this point, I'd be more concerned about Gary seeing your work and stealing bits from it to plug into his material.

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