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Matteos, you haven't posted in the PbP for a month. Are you still able to contribute?

Gevtodt:
The guard patrols are fairly light in the early hours of the morning. It should be fairly simple to avoid any patrols if the four of you decided to approach the fishery from land.

The foggiest time of day in Korvosa is early morning, from about 3am to sunrise (approximately 8am).

A Knowledge (nature) or Knowledge (local) check will give you more information about the local fog conditions. Without actually going to location, you're not going to get any further useful information. Gevtodt can make a Knowledge (local) check regarding guard routes and patrol sizes, if he so desires.

(without Jericho I guess none of us actually have a relative being held by Lamm, right?)

Not directly, no. But those that are being held are a relative of somebody, right? ;)

Please, discuss your plans to get to the fishery and find out what's what.

The elder smiles up at Dunzeltoff, stretching out as he sets down his quill. "Oh, they've been performing for a good hour or so - probably will dance for the rest of the night too. As for what I'm working on, I'm examining some research papers from my students. I teach at the Academae, you see."

As the waitress brings in a candelabra for him at Dunzeltoff's request, he grins. "Aye, I've given these eyes enough of a workout in the dark. Some light could be useful." The elder jumps when Gevtodt sneaks up on him. "What the devil! Oh! Young whip...wait, haven't I seen you somewhere before? Oh yes...I recall...'A Day at the Fair' yes?"

The waitress comes back with a pitcher of ale, refilling your mug and a heavy plate of finger foods - sausages, rolls, filled pastries, steamed mussels and slices of frost melon. She fills Matteos' drink to the brim, smiling warmly as she saunters away.

Go in sequence for now.

Don't worry, I haven't forgotten you guys. Slammed at work, will try to post this evening.

A younger age is fine by me - I think I was using 18 as a filler. I'll get my copy of the character sheet updated.

The four of you make your way from Lancet Street to Eodred's Walk. The night is cool but not quite cold yet. People are coming home from a night spent at the tavern, but you all make your way to Aram's Crown. As Dunzeltoff mentioned, the Walk is filled with brightly dressed dancers who spin their glaives around, tossing them up into the air and catching them by the gauze streamers tied to them.

Aram's Crown is unassuming and simple - the interior is cramped and is standing room only. Narrow stairs leading to an upper level opens up to a balcony overlooking Eodred's Walk. The upper deck is empty save for a tired looked waitress and an elderly human with a pile of papers and a book splayed out in from of him. Bits of differently colored paper stick out of the tome at odd angles. The table at the edge of the balcony is unoccupied, and Dunzeltoff makes a beeline for it.

Matteos walks over to the waitress, guessing successfully that the bar has something better than watered ale to serve (Knowledge {local} 18). Turning his charm on, the waitress smiles shyly back, and heads downstairs, and you all sit down at the table.

Knowledge (local) for Gevtodt: 25
Knowledge (local) for Matteos: 26

Looks like the Aid Another worked. :D
Knowledge (local) with Aid Another x3: Westpier is a rundown section of West Dock, busy but not successful. It earns just enough as a whole to keep dock rentals low and is a common place for fishermen to haul in their catches to be cleaned and sold. Ironically enough, West Dock lies in close proximity to Citadel Volshyenek which serves as the city's jail, and many of the gaolers and their families live in the surrounding High Bridge and Pillar Hill areas. Lamm's choice of residency in this area goes to prove that he's thumbing his nose at the guards, all while committing his criminal acts in view of the Citadel itself.

As Matteos:
Zellara is a mysterious figure, and the group gathered here isn't what you'd expect. Her piercing gaze at you as she read the cards unnerved you, particularly when she came to your card. You have no personal connection to Lamm, as far as you know, what could she mean? The guard's disguise, however good it was, wasn't quite enough to hide the crispness of his stance that you've come to associate with the guard. You know that the docks are always full of rough and tumble types, but Westpier is tame compared to the Narrows in Old Korvosa. You turn to the dwarf, "Where did you have in mind to have discussions, sir? A place full of hearty ales and pretty dancing girls? Or somewhere more serious, like the view of the Hanging Judge's place of work?"

As Gevtodt:
You stand up to leave, opening the door for the others. "Let's go, we've taken up enough of Zellara's evening, and if we want a quiet seat somewhere, we'd best get started."

Matteos stands up, eager to find out why he's such a figure in Zellara's reading and perhaps in your shared futures.

Dunzeltoff:
You're fairly sure that the glaive dancers will be performing at Eodred's Walk, a nice open area for their dances. Eodred's Walk is also home to a small plethora of shops and taverns, and you recall that Aram's Crown is fairly quiet and unassuming for a meeting.

I will wait to reveal the results of the Knowledge (local) check about Westpier 17 when you get to your meeting location.

----

Zellara turns to all of you. "Thank you for your patience...I will await you here tomorrow, at the same time, for any further news. May Desna grace you all with peaceful dreams."

With that, she gracefully gathers up the cards and rises in the same smooth motion. Turning, she walks upstairs in silence, leaving the four of you to discuss your plans.

If we can 'talk it over' later, can we 'aid each other' to combine our collective knowledge...?

Yes, you may.

Zellara shakes her head. "Sadly, I have no further information - I could not get any closer without being discovered. Come back here if you need to get in touch with me."

You can make another Knowledge (local) check to find where the glaive-dancers might be performing.

Matteos, I missed your earlier question...D'oh!
"The guards are somewhat...constrained, and he hasn't caused enough real trouble to be of much concern. You four, however, have a bit more of a vested interest in him. I hope it is enough," Zellara replies.

Everybody:
Make Knowledge (local) checks to learn more about Westpier 17 and the surrounding area.

Dunzeltoff:

Gevtodt would be the best person to answer your questions about the Harrow Deck (in-game at any rate). Out of game, of course, is a different matter.

The initial four cards you received represented the four of you in your state before the Harrowing. The four new cards you received represent your role as it regards the question asked. Each question corresponds to a particular suit of cards - these role cards are drawn from that suit. A Harrowing relies upon a 3x3 grid, which represents Past, Present and Future and the cards also correspond to the Nine Alignments. Here's an example:

Positive Past | Positive Present | Positive Future
Unclear Past | Unclear Present | Unclear Future
Negative Past | Negative Present | Negative Future

LG | NG | CG
LN | TN | CN
LE | NE | CE

Now, each of the Harrow cards has a symbol (Hammer, Key, Shield, Book, Star, Crown) which represents the six ability score BUT the position of the symbol on the cards represents its alignment. (Example: The Demon's Lantern is Key card, but the Key symbol is in the "Chaotic Evil" position.)

To perform a Harrowing, the position of the cards is taken into account when explaining the spread. A True Match is when the position of the card in the spread matches the position of the symbol on the card. A Partial Match is when the spread and symbol match on either axis. An Opposite Match is when the card is completely reverse of the symbol's position (Example: If the Demon's Lantern card appeared in the Lawful Good position). Opposite Matches are considered misaligned, which means that they are interpreted reverse of their normal meanings. True and Opposite matches are always interpreted, while Partial Matches are interpreted when there is no True/Opposite match. Cards that do not match are not intrepreted, and I usually flip the cards over so I don't read them.

There you go, Harrowing 101. :D

Harrow Points
For the first adventure, each of you receive three Harrow points from Zellara's reading, which you can use for the following.

• Dexterity rerolls: Spend a point to reroll any one Initiative check, Reflex save, attack roll modified by Dexterity, or Dexterity-based skill check. You must abide by the new result (although you can continue to reroll with additional Harrow Points.
  
• Dodge Bonus: Spend a point to gain a +1 Dodge bonus to AC for one encounter. You can spend up to 3 Harrow Points in this manner.
  
• Speed increase: Spend a point to increase your base speed by 10-ft for one encounter - you cannot spend multiple Harrow Points to increase your speed multiple times in one encounter.
  

As you draw from the nine cards Zellara placed in front of you, each of you turns your card over to reveal the face.

Dunzeltoff: A rabbit dressed in rakish garb and holding a broken rapier. Zellara nods at you. "The Rabbit Prince. He represents battle, and that any opponent can fall, no matter how brave or skilled."

Gevtodt: A landslide with a gaping maw and what could be eyes barrels down a mountainside, overtaking a wagon and destroying what is in its path. "The Avalanche," Zellara says. "Unreasoning disaster, whether caused by you or prevented by you."

Matteos: A bog-like scenery is depicted, with a man's hand outstretched towards brightly glowing lights dancing just out of reach. "The Demon's Lantern - trickery and deceit, they represent something just beyond your grasp."

Zarak: A towering figure juggles an elephant, a clock tower, a boat and boulders in his hands. He smiles broadly, without a care in the world. "The Juggler - fate and the gods. He represents someone who dabbles in the destinies of others, but losing his rhythm can prove disaster, maintaining it, good fortunes."

She repeats Dunzeltoff's question. "What should we beware of to make sure that we cleanse this poison at its root so it may spread no further?"

Zellara reshuffles the cards back into the deck, spinning the cards expertly between her fingers. The candle flames flare as she set out cards in a 3 by 3 square. Flipping over the first column of cards, she reveals The Avalanche, The Forge (a dwarf surrounded by flames and fiery creatures working with hammer and anvil, blue sparks flying), and The Midwife (a halfing with a bloody apron, holding a red-skinned child with horns and a tail). She turns over the Midwife, dismissing its placement in the reading. Tapping the Avalanche, she looks at Gevtodt. "This poison has affected you personally, driving you to where you are now. The Avalanche has consumed one you knew, but in that, you have your own passions now, separate from the one you lost."

She smiles as she looks at the Forge card. "A True match! Its placement in the spread denotes its importance! While the past it refers to is unclear, but something or someone worked hard to pursue the same goal as you - to stop Lamm. Perhaps they were not successful, but maybe the information will still prove valid."

With great reverence, Zellara turns over the middle column, revealing the Big Sky (a man with broken shackles, holding his hands up in praise towards a blue sky and bright sun), the Tyrant (a curled dragon with a sinister look and holding a bleeding egg in his claws) and the Carnival (a child running frightened from masqueraded creatures and puppets). She turns over the Tyrant and the Carnival, saying "No match for those two...but the Big Sky is the positive present! Someone is breaking free, perhaps from Lamm's influence? Maybe they can help you."

Zellara caresses the final column of cards, using her fingertips to turn them over. From top to bottom, the Paladin (figured dressed in golden armor, holding a sword at the ready), the Liar (a snake-bodied woman holding a dead flower bouquet and a smirking expression on her face), and the Demon's Lantern. A small frown crosses her face. "Lamm is not a foe to be trifled with. You must stand strong despite adversity," she says, tapping the Paladin, "and beware of treacherous loves and obsessions," tapping the Liar. "Most of all," she says slowly, looking at Matteos when she speaks, "beware of getting into an impossible situation. Lamm is not above deceit, lies, and blackmail to get away, and he may use you to that end."

Please see the Discussion thread for more game-related information.

Zarak:

Gevtodt, Matteos, Dunzeltoff:
I'm swapping out Jericho for Zarak...Proceed as normal.

Zarak, your choice of Exotic Weapons as a Weapon Group is unavailable to you at first level, as it requires a BAB of +1 or better. Please select a different one!

Also, send me an email at dm.lilith@gmail.com so I can send you a Pathfinder Alpha character sheet. :D

Everybody say "Hi" to Zarak Ceol, Lazaro's character for this shindig. For the sake of where we're at in the story, I'll be doing a direct swap-out (with some loose ties - we'll get to that eventually).

I was thinking about going with the Framed trait. Since the +2 Spellcraft check doesn't fit, and Psicraft isn't a skill would it be possible to get the +2 to another class skill?

Psicraft isn't a skill in the Alpha 3 rules, no...but it is still a valid skill for psychic classes. I would let you apply the the trait's bonus to Psicraft instead of Spellcraft.

...Though tying in your existing backstory to Lamm could be interesting. I look forward to it. :D

Zarak at your service

Excellent. I'll be looking over your character sheet here shortly. I'll probably just swap you out immediately in Jericho's place, just as soon as you pick a Gaedren-focused trait from the CotCT Player's Guide. :D

Lazaro! I need you to polish off Zarak Ceol! Stunty is bowing out at this point.

I think I'm going to need to bow out. I'm just not "feeling it" like I hoped I would, and I think that's going to take away from the enjoyment of everyone.

Awww...bummer dude! :( I really enjoy Jericho's character and background - I'll have to keep him handy. :D

Okay, said important info I mentioned: In order to keep things flowing smoothly, I'd like to see a post at least every day, if not more. GentleGiant, I know you're in Denmark, so I'll keep that in mind. If you have not posted within a certain time frame, I will NPC your character. That time frame is 36 hours from the last post to account for time zone differences. I know holidays are coming up in the US this weekend, so I will not expect any posts during that time period.

Alright, off to get a replacement for Jericho...

Jericho:
Zellara nods at you as you make your introduction. "Jericho, a fine name...you look familiar though..."

Dunzeltoff:
"A single question, a single reading, that is how it works...As for Lamm's operations, I only know he makes his way through fear, intimidation and blackmail, but I don't know any of the thugs he has working for him. Those that serve him willingly are just as bad as he is, if not worse, but those that serve him out of fear are to be pitied."

Matteos:
Zellara smiles warmly back at you. "A charmer, aren't you Matt? Lamm is more slippery than a river eel - simply bringing him into the Guards isn't enough. You must have damning proof of his crimes for the authorities."

Gevtodt:

Zellara finishes shuffling the deck, then withdraws nine of the cards, fanning them out in front of her. "Each of you, choose a card...that card will represent your role in the Harrowing, as well as a future event..."

Please see the Discussion thread for some important info.

"I am aware of your anguish, young dwarf, and that was reason enough to contact you," she says in a soft and clear voice, taking your card and shuffling it neatly into the rest of the deck. With a gentle flick of her wrist, the remaining three cards sail through the air, spinning across the table top and shuffling themselves into the deck.

"My thanks for putting up with my unconventional method of contacting all of you. I have reason to remain hidden, you see - a terrible man would see great harm done to me if he knew I was reaching out for help. This is a man you know, for he has done something terrible to each of you as well. I speak, of course, of Gaedren Lamm, a man whose cruelty and capacity to destroy the lives of those he touches are matched only by his gift for avoiding reprisal. You see, a year ago, his thieves stole this, my Harrow deck, from me. It is important to me, an heirloom passed down through a dozen generations, and also my sole means of support. When pickpockets stole it, my son, Eran, tracked them down. The thieves were in the employ of Gaedren Lamm, and in reward for finding them, Gaedren murdered my son." Zellara's impassive face breaks, her voice choking as she mentions her son. Blinking away tears, she continues.

"I sought help from the Guard, but they turned me away. And so I asked around. I paid bribes. I consulted my Harrow deck for advice. And recently, I was rewarded - I found out where Gaedren dwells. He can be found in an old fishery north of here at Westpier 17, where he trains his abducted children to be pickpockets and counts his stolen treasures," she says, giving a meaningful glance at Jericho.

"And now, I need your help. I cannot hope to face this man on my own, and the Guard moves so slowly that if I were to go to them, Gaedren would certainly know of their coming well in advance," she says. A hint of desperation creeps into her voice. "Even if they did arrest him - what guarantee would I have he would be punished? This criminal has evaded the law for decades. But you know of these frustrations as well, for word on the street has it that Gaedren has wronged each of you, too. So there we are. It is time for him to pay," she finishes, setting down the shuffled deck with a firm hand on the table.

"You all, no doubt, have questions a-plenty. I have answers to a few, but the cards might reveal more...I offer a reading, free, to aid you in this task," she says, tapping the stack of cards.

Dunzeltoff:

Everyone:
The front door opens with a slight creak, and an attractive middle-aged Varisian woman with long dark hair walks into the room. She smiles at you all, saying "Thank you for coming. I hope that the wine and bread were enough to sate you?"

She sits down at the table, producing a deck of cards from a pocket, their gilt edges flickering in the candle light as she expertly shuffles and cuts the deck. "My methods of contacting you were...imprecise and unusual, so I don't quite know your names...please, introduce yourselves. I am, as you might have gathered, Zellara." She waves a free hand towards the chairs, indicating you to take a seat if you have not already.

A Pre-Consult with "The Lilith" may become routine. Perhaps there should be a gp cost.

Eeeexcellent...*rubs hands together, shuffles cards*

"Will any playtesters survive the Pact Stone Pyramid"?

Oooh! A good one! The cards speak thusly...

A Shield! A Shield to protect you from the ills that may befall you within the Pyramid...

Role Cards: The Tangled Briar (Player 1), The Desert (Player 2), The Sickness (Player 3), and The Waxworks (Player 4). Assuming a standard four player group. :P

Spread:
The Vision - The Dance (Partial) - The Marriage
The Waxworks (ROLE) - The Cricket (Partial) - The Betrayal
The Queen Mother (Partial) - The Snakebite (Partial) - The Forge

The fourth player's past will come to the fore within the Pyramid - their inaction in the past opens up knowledge that they had previously hidden. The fourth player might need coercion to reveal the knowledge key to surviving.

A path well chosen leads to a treasure, but the treasure might be poisoned - beware a trap.

No clear presentation of the future exists - a diplomatic agreement between two parties is the best choice to survive, though deceit might prove a path with unforseen consequences. Greater ills could befall if the party chooses to survive through a rigorous trial by fire.

Dunzeltoff, Shoanti would be a perfect language to have handy. The Janderhoff dwarves serve as a trade intermediary between Korvosa and the Shoanti tribes that live in the area.

Dunzeltoff

Gevtodt

Matteos

As Jericho:
I grunt at the dwarf's pretty words, waiting for this person to show up.

Everybody: Feel free to introduce yourselves to each other. Ham it up! :D

For Jericho:

Gevtodt:

For Matteos:

Matteos & Gevtodt:

As Matteos:
I nod at the gentleman standing next to me on the doorstep, then introduce myself to the dwarf. "Greetings Toff, I'm Matt," I say, walking into the house.

Matteos & Gevtodt:
The interior of Zellara's is filled with a fragrant haze of flowers and strong spice. The haze comes from several sticks of incense smoldering in wall-mounted burners that look like butterfly-winged elves. The smoke itself seems to soften edges and gives the room a dream-like feel. The walls are draped with brocaded tapestries, one showing a black-skulled beast juggling men's hearts, another showing a pair of angels dancing on atop a snow-blasted mountain. A third tapestry on the far wall depicts a tall hooded figure shrouded in mist, a flaming sword held in a skeletal hand, and you see a shadowy stairway that must lead upstairs. Several brightly-colored rugs cover the floor, but the room's only furnishing are a wooden table covered by a bright red throwcloth and several elegant tall-backed chairs. A basket near the chair reveals a bottle of wine and a loaf of bread, and a piece of paper lies near a stone paperweight.

For Matteos...

Gevtodt:

Jericho & Dunzeltoff:

Question: My performance at the Kendall Amphitheater debuts this eve. How shall it do?

Okay, since this relates to entertainment, we'll draw the Keys suit out of the deck, and have the questioner draw a card from those nine.

The aspiring artist draws the Demon's Lantern out of the deck. The card shows a hand reaching out of the swampy water towards dancing will-o-wisps, taunting with their hope.

This initial draw is the Role Card, which has particular meaning if it shows up in the Harrowing. The trick to Harrow reading is to generalize. Don't get too specific, or you'll paint yourself into a trap. Leave yourself some wiggle room.

"Ahh...the Demon's Lantern. Trickery and deceit, smoke and mirrors. A goal desired - but is it perhaps too far out of your grasp?" the fortune teller replies, taking the suit of Keys and reshuffling them back into the rest of the deck. Shuffling the deck thoroughly, she places nine cards, face down, in a 3 by 3 square. She turns over the cards in the first column on the left. From top to bottom, The Betrayal, The Carnival, and the Idiot; she turns The Betrayal upside down, the Carnival to the left, and the Idiot to the right.

The left column is the past column. I turned the Betrayal card upside down because it's misaligned: it's a neutral evil card, but showed up in the Good row. Misaligned cards are interpreted the opposite way of what they normally are. The Carnival, a chaotic neutral card, is in the lawful neutral position - its Opposite position, so I turn it to the left. The Idiot is a Partial match, meaning either its column or row position is right, so I turn it to the right.

For what cards to interpret, Role cards, True matches, and Opposites are your primary goals, so emphasize them. Next down is Partial matches, then "whatever." However, I have a Misaligned card (the Betrayal), so I'm going to combine The Carnival and The Betrayal to interpret the questioner's past.

"Whimsy and childish desires have ruled your past, and they have grated against society's laws because of it. Capriciousness may rule your actions, but it does not rule your heart - you have been a generous one."

The Carnival represents whimsy, illusions and false dreams. Since it's in the Lawful Neutral position (Opposite), I had those conflict with Society - Lawful Neutral. The Betrayal normally represents selfishness, but since it is misaligned, we'll have it represent generosity.

The artist bites her lower lip, stopping it from trembling. The fortune teller turns over the central column, that which represents the Present. The Courtesan, the Forge, and the Brass Dwarf are all displayed, but the fortune teller turns over the Courtesan and the Brass Dwarf.

I turn over cards that don't match in any way, so I don't interpret them.

"Ah, the Forge. Hard working, strength - see how the fire creatures taunt him so? You will need strength to make it through these unclear times." Slowly, the fortune teller flips over the final column, the column that represents the Future. The Eclipse, The Publican and the Mountain Man - the Publican and the Mountain Man are turned to the right, while the Eclipse is turned to the left. The fortune teller taps the Eclipse.

"Misaligned and Opposite...a good blessing indeed. Unknown abilities will come to the fore, leading you to new opportunities. I believe your Amphitheater performance will go quite well this evening, Ms. Sabor."

Wow, the Eclipse is normally a boner of a card, but because it's in the completely opposite position, it's actually darn good, particularly for the Positive Future position.

"Thank you Zellara," the artist says, sliding a handful of silver and copper to the fortune teller.

Hey guys, sorry for going MIA for a while. My RAM kicked it the other day and I'm waiting for a new block to arrive so I can actually boot up my computer again. Don't you just LOVE unforeseen (and expensive) expenses?

It should arrive tomorrow or Tuesday. Currently posting this from a friend's place.

Okay, GG. I will run Matteos in the interim, to get him caught up to the rest of the gang.

Do PCs spontaneously level-up mid-adventure?

I try to give XP out in convenient pauses in the game, so that levelling up makes sense.

Cool, thanks for the insight Quandary.

Also, it was not mentioned in my initial "here's how I play my games" statement, but I consider a natural 1 a failure, and a natural 20 an automatic success as far as skill checks are concerned. Hence Matteos' miraculous "Catching Yourself When Falling" Climb check. I will occasionally make skill checks for you to move along the story, particularly if it's just one roll, but will save the important rolls for you.

Jericho:

Of course maps are great, but I'd prefer to just have them up on Photobucket or something,

and just refer to grid squares in my combat posts...

This is what I would prefer to do myself.

How do you guys feel about GlitterComm or similar mapping tools? I was thinking that it would make the combat rounds a lot easier...or we can go traditional and do all combat by post. My schedule slowly keeps filling up...*shakes fist*

Dunzeltoff:

Gevtodt:

Jericho:

Matteos:

Symbol of House Arkona

Jericho:

Dunzeltoff:

Gevtodt:

Dunzeltoff:

Gevtodt:

Matteos:

Matteos:

Matteo:

Dunzeltoff:

Jericho:

Dunzeltoff:

Dunzeltoff:

Gevtodt: