Githyanki

GeraintElberion's page

* Pathfinder Society GM. 6,599 posts (20,350 including aliases). 4 reviews. 1 list. 1 wishlist. 10 Organized Play characters. 43 aliases.


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Sovereign Court

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Wow! That became intense.


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From Shore to Sea GM All-powerful dictator of reality 4
Nemesis Melek wrote:
Nemesis joins Valeros in inspecting the ominous rabbit. "I happen to know that a sacred cavern, far to the north of here, is in need of a new guardian..."

Best back story for that critter I have ever heard.


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Male Elf Arcanist 1 | HP7 | AC 15/11/14 (mage armour) | F+1 R+1 W+4(+6) | Init+1 | Perc+4; low-light vision

I'm in Warwickshire.

I do have a little sympathy for the exam boards. They had a good plan last year but then the politicians lost their nerve.

This year, it feels like they have decided to protect themselves by offloading all responsibility onto teachers and calling it 'flexibility'.

All they want is assessed work that they can look at to verify teachers' grades (like they do with coursework). Apart from that, they're keeping well clear.

The problem is that they suggested that they would give us more guidance and support, including assessment options, and then left us, last minute, saying 'What? Is that it? We have to do it all off our own backs?' If we had known that much earlier then we could have been much better organised.


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From Shore to Sea GM All-powerful dictator of reality 4

Sorry for going AWOL lately.

Work/Life got crazy for a little while.
We had my wife's 40th birthday.
We had a load of other delayed birthday things (here in the UK, lockdown has just been eased).
I was the busiest I have ever been at work: I'm a teacher whose students are all doing end-of-year exams. Due to COVID, the exams were all cancelled and replaced by teacher-assessed-grades. The exam boards did not explain how to gather, evidence and share these grades until very late in the metaphorical day. I have done so much marking and assessment, I've started dreaming about assessment criteria.

I should get back on track with all of my games over the next few days.

Sovereign Court

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latest episode stuff:
Gutted to lose Dalgreath. I hope Sir Will back rather than a new character.

My favourites are the Skid-run games.

As long as they stay PFS1 APs, I'll be happy.

I love how mad A&A is: i will miss it.

Silver Crusade

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Human Shifter | HP 13 | AC 16/12/14 | Fort+4 Ref+5 Will+3 | Init+4 | Perc+6; low-light vision

Both of our misses only miss by one square. The location is randomised but it doesn't matter as it can't hit any other characters. The spiders still take one point of splash damage from each vial of alchemist's fire.

Sovereign Court

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I didn't realise that we had to pay a fee.

Not really sure about paying to do something that I do for free all the time.

Sovereign Court

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They are three, linked adventures from 0one Games that try to be usable with either the Beginner Box or the core rules.

They're a bit more serious/adult than the other BB stuff but they're well written: not surprising when those involved include Tito Leati, Tim Hitchcock and David Schwartz.

Sovereign Court

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LightSide wrote:
GeraintElberion wrote:
If anyone can add to that some kid-friendly one-on-one adventures (one kid PC; one adult GM) then that would be great.

A few options:

1. Have you tried using the Adventure Finder? I think it has a section for one-on-one adventures. I haven't looked at any of them, so I can’t make any recommendations, but it might be a good starting place. Go to Paizo > Store > Pathfinder > Adventures > First Edition Adventures. You should see a link for it there. (I’ve been looking around there, myself, but it’s sometimes hard to tell how kid-friendly an adventure is just by reading the synopsis.)

2. You could use some of the pre-generated iconic characters to fill out a party of 4 so you could then play the adventures that are designed for 4-6 characters. Of course, you’d then be in the same boat as me. I GM for my son, who plays a fighter, with me playing Merisiel, Kyra, and Ezren as GM “PC’s”. (I’m sure the pre-gen character sheets are on the Paizo website somewhere, but I can’t think of where at the moment. We started with the Beginner Box, which has them in it.)

3. Legendary Games has a few kid-friendly adventures for lower-level characters (1-3). These aren’t meant for one-on-one play, though. They are: Into the Feyweald, A Feast of Flavor, and Crisis at Falling Spring Station. We played all of them and really enjoyed them. There is also an adventure path called Trail of the Apprentice, but we haven’t played it yet. I believe it covers levels 1-5.

Yes, we are using the BB.

1. The adventure-finder has not been that useful, and all of the one-on-one adventures published under that name have not been kid friendly.

2. I tried that. She did not like having her character escorted around by an army of dad-bots.

3. I have Into the Feyweald and the Basic Paths, plus the BB adventures in various Wayfinders. I am trying to save some for when my daughter manages to rope in a few friends (post-pandemic). Trail of the Apprentice looks interesting.

Sovereign Court

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If anyone can add to that some kid-friendly one-on-one adventures (one kid PC; one adult GM) then that would be great.


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From Shore to Sea GM All-powerful dictator of reality 4

Oh, I know it. I have a Varisian Pilgrim cleric who can do it six times a day at a range of thirty feet, which is just incredible.

She can also grant free re-rolls (for ongoing effects that normally allow no save after the first fail) on a save every round until you pass.

Some domain powers are awesome!

Sovereign Court

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So, you can make AoOs at a big range.

This sounds like it’s best use would be shutting down casters.

I suppose if you had a decent dex bonus and won initiative then you could tear into an approaching enemy. Making a bunch of attacks (at your highest bonus).

It would probably work best if you used AoOs to make combat manoeuvres or had that feat to Vital Strike with AoOs.


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From Shore to Sea GM All-powerful dictator of reality 4

I’ve done some poking around at Sucy’s player has dropped off all of their active games.

I will throw together a herolab copy of Sucy tonight and bot her through.

Sovereign Court

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I don't get it.

On the main streets, there is an intersection.

That intersection has a hard-to-spot trap.

So, the first time they hit an intersection, they fight an elemental.

The channels (not canals) would look like drainage until you got close enough to examine them (and triggered the trap, according to the module).

The module gives a DC30 check to spot the trap. Boosting the DC by 3 to reflect that the PCs are 4 levels higher than the module expects seems underwhelming.

I would go for DC40 and a Greater Fire Elemental.


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Male Elf Arcanist 1 | HP7 | AC 15/11/14 (mage armour) | F+1 R+1 W+4(+6) | Init+1 | Perc+4; low-light vision

I think it's computer only :(


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From Shore to Sea GM All-powerful dictator of reality 4

Still getting the new laptop working properly, and typing one-handed is a pain, but we are back!


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From Shore to Sea GM All-powerful dictator of reality 4

Thanks everyone. The new laptop arrives on Tuesday so we can start again on Tuesday/Wednesday.

Silver Crusade

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Human Shifter | HP 13 | AC 16/12/14 | Fort+4 Ref+5 Will+3 | Init+4 | Perc+6; low-light vision

One of the frustrations of playing a shifter is that they should be pure athletes but only have 4 skill points so it's hard to make it work. At level 2, I am going to take a bloodrager level for the extra speed and mage armor wand activation, plus rage, and put skill point in athletics, swim and climb. Then she'll be able to do animal-girl, creature of the wild, super-tarzan stuff properly.


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From Shore to Sea GM All-powerful dictator of reality 4

Okay, technically, Lukaas goes in initiative before Urzaia so...

With Sleeping Sword's polite words and Lukaas' charming smile, the crowd slopes off in search of another pub.

Just hit the Diplomacy DC to avoid a fight. Urzaia, you may save your spell.


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From Shore to Sea GM All-powerful dictator of reality 4

The ioun stones interact in a complex field of magical energy and are effectively a single item.

Sucy's strike smashes into the array and appears to damage the magical field somewhat.

An arc of strange energy rebounds onto Sucy and she fields incredibly strange and out-of-place, head spinning for a few moments and never really settling correctly.
Sucy ages this many years in a few seconds: 1d20 ⇒ 4


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From Shore to Sea GM All-powerful dictator of reality 4

Lukaas begins talking with a barmaid and they go into a backroom where it is quiet and they can talk properly.

As Dana is completing her investigation, Lukaas appears from the back room, adjusting his breeches and tucking in his shirt as Dana explains what she has heard at the bar.

Dana got everything so I took a wild guess at what Lukaas would want to 'learn' with his 35 roll...


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female Elf Magus (Eldritch Archer) 1 | HP9 | AC 17/14/13 | Fort+2 Ref+4 Will+3 (+2vs.enchant) | Init+4 | Perc+6; low-light vision

Melenthe was not in the bar.

She was in the yard out the back, beating all comers in an archery contest.

Kilain saw her shooting and liked what he saw.

A bit of a Magnificent Seven vibe.

When one of the contestants accused her of cheating (she wasn't, but she was sober) she stood her ground and things got tense. That's when Kilain stepped in - I'll let you decide how he intervened.

Sovereign Court

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Super/Rogue Genius games have a book called ‘anachronistic adventures’ which lets turn-of-the-century-Earth characters play in PF.
That should be worth a look.

Sovereign Court

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If you like the theme, Serpent’s Skull and Mummy’s Mask are both incredibly tight, well-written adventures.

Silver Crusade

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Human Shifter | HP 13 | AC 16/12/14 | Fort+4 Ref+5 Will+3 | Init+4 | Perc+6; low-light vision

But of course!

Silver Crusade

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Cleric (Varisian Pilgrim) 1 | HP8 | AC 14/11/13 | F+2 R+1 W+5(+6/+8) | Init+2 | Perc+4

Seren reaches into her bag for some rope. As she looks up, she sees the half-orc's huge sword smash into the pinned kobold.

"Oh."


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From Shore to Sea GM All-powerful dictator of reality 4

Sorry for the hiatus.

It's been a crazy week: kids are off school, we are still working full-time (both key-workers) and grandparents not allowed to do childcare because of the plague.


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From Shore to Sea GM All-powerful dictator of reality 4

Oh, hang on, I just checked the initiative tracker. It was Valeros.


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Bran Elberion | Tiefling Shifter 4 Bloodrager 1 | HP 53 | AC 21/17/18 | F10 R7 W5 |Init+2 | Perc+11; darkvision

In case anyone is just following the discussion until it's their moment...

GM Penfold just posted in the gameplay that new characters should head on down to the coffee house and introduce themselves.

:D

Silver Crusade

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Cleric (Varisian Pilgrim) 1 | HP8 | AC 14/11/13 | F+2 R+1 W+5(+6/+8) | Init+2 | Perc+4

Seren looks at Koeuss, wide-eyed in astonishment, "You can do that? Really? Quick, try it on me. What am I thinking?"

what is Seren thinking:
Sausage sandwich: when we get back to Absalom, I'm going to have a sausage sandwich...

Silver Crusade

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Cleric (Varisian Pilgrim) 1 | HP8 | AC 14/11/13 | F+2 R+1 W+5(+6/+8) | Init+2 | Perc+4

In Pathfinder, the specific always overrides the general.

The PRD is showing the general rule; the PFS guide is showing a specific rule for PFS.

Mage armor is on the psychic spell list: Koeuss can cast it.

PFS Guide wrote:


Potions, Scrolls, and Wands All potions, scrolls, wands, and other consumables are made by clerics, druids, or wizards in Pathfinder Society Roleplaying Guild play. The only exceptions to this are spells that are not on the cleric, druid, or sorcerer/wizard spell lists. For example, a scroll of lesser restoration must be purchased as a 2nd-level scroll created by a cleric and can’t be purchased as a 1st-level scroll created by a paladin. If a spell is not on the cleric, druid, or sorcerer/wizard spell list, move down the following hierarchy to determine which class creates the consumable. Use the spell’s text from the book in which it appears, instead of researching classes that might have gained that spell on their list in a later publication.
1) Bard
2) Paladin or Ranger
3) Psychic, Shaman, or Witch
4) Alchemist, Inquisitor, Magus, Mesmerist, Occultist,
Spiritualist, or Summoner
5) Bloodrager or Medium
If there are still multiple options for the spell’s level, use the lowest level (for example, all scrolls of plane shift are 5th-level scrolls made by clerics rather than 7th-level scrolls made by wizards).
All potions, scrolls, and wands are available only at the minimum caster level unless found at a higher caster level on a Chronicle sheet. For the sake of simplicity, there is no difference between an arcane, divine, or psychic scroll or wand; thus, a bard and cleric can both use the same scroll of cure moderate wounds.

Koeuss also has access to first-level spells, so has no need to make a caster level check.

CRB wrote:
If the user meets all the requirements noted above, and her caster level is at least equal to the spell's caster level, she can automatically activate the spell without a check.

Sovereign Court

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I would avoid heavy stereotypes. They could easily come across as clumsy, failed disguise checks.
They might also annoy people.

The most sweet-toothed person I’ve met was my grandfather: a big man who worked at a car plant, met his mates to play snooker and darts and had a shed full of tools that he used to make/repair things for the house.


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From Shore to Sea GM All-powerful dictator of reality 4

The next time you are in Varisia...:
Sheila Heidmarch introduces you to a young Desnan cleric, recently returned from Ravenmoor.

He smiles and shakes your hand, "They remember you, you know. They're grateful, for the most part." gesturing to a seat, the cleric takes a stool for himself, "The temple has been rebuilt, pretty much, and they tore down the Chenowitz Place: buried the bodies, cleared the ground. That whole maze, yard, house, all of it, it's being planted up as an orchard."

There is a mischievous glint in the priest's eye, "Oh, but I'm holding back on the big news. They still have a feast every month - too much fun - but now it's called the Heroes' Feast. Someone's carved rough, wooden statues of you all, put them under a tree to take the place of Vina's companion. At the festival, they throw these big hoops, like the ones round the belly of a barrel, and try to land them over one of the heroes."

Clearly concerned that he might have been a bit too giddy, he becomes more earnest, "It's a wonder, really. A few of the cultists left - the ferryman, for one - but other stayed. The Lupescus still run the store; a good smith is a valuable asset. They keep their heads down though. Most importantly, the air has cleared. Without all of this worship of decay, and with clerics to heal and remove diseases, the town has done well. Crops are proving hardier, more reliable, and there are less stirges, midges and mosquitoes about the place. You should visit some time, if you can."

He rises to leave, "Oh, nearly forgot..." He takes a small parcel from his pack and hands it to Ekanta.
Ekanta and nosy people

Spoiler:

The bag contains a finely tooled leather belt, carefully decorated with a scene of heroic figure protecting a maiden from a monster. Looking carefully, it seems as though the hero might have hooves. And are the hero and maiden lashed together at the ankle?

FIN


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From Shore to Sea GM All-powerful dictator of reality 4

After your group take some time to recover, you leave behind a traumatised town getting to grips with the traitors in their midst and the lies that underpinned so much of their daily routines.

Upon your return to Magnimar, the cloak of secrecy is thrown back so that both you and the society can bask in the glow of your celebration as heroes.

Jeminda is left to mourn her brother-in-law and the church of Desna sends a mission to Ravenmoor to make right what was so spoiled by the corruption of one of their own.

The society finds a place for several of the artefacts you discovered amongst their Varisian folk-art collections and you are roundly praised for your handling of the crisis.

Ekanta's breakfast with Lucille is, of course, a private matter.


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From Shore to Sea GM All-powerful dictator of reality 4

I have reported the game.

Chronicles coming soon.


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From Shore to Sea GM All-powerful dictator of reality 4

:D


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From Shore to Sea GM All-powerful dictator of reality 4
Ekanta Hanoi wrote:
GM Elberion wrote:
Or at least, it will be until Lackadee pulverises the beastie!
What am I, chopped liver?

You're the lead in the quirky, romantic subplot. You can't have all the limelight!


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From Shore to Sea GM All-powerful dictator of reality 4

Tanya shot the downed mayor, so now we are on to the real encounter!

Imagine a supernatural stirge as big as a man, with a proboscis like a leathery firehose.

Which has just sunk that proboscis into your friend's gut!

Sovereign Court

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Mazra wrote:
Isn't the fact that there is a PF 2E already splitting the fan base?

Not really. They've revived a shrinking fanbase. Lots of RPGs have followed the same approach.

Mazra wrote:
TSR was bought out by Wizards, which in turn was bought by Hasbro.

So, you think that Paizo should mess up Paizo until it is basically closed down and another company can buy it for a pittance? I don't think that's a great business model.

Mazra wrote:
The OGL is what gave Paizo life and the ability to create Pathfinder from the 3.5 system. Wizards did not benefit from the OGL, at least not by much.

Well, that's not what the people who revived DnD thought. They didn't create the OGL out of the goodness of their hearts. They did it to revive DnD, and it worked. You are directly contradicting Ryan Dancey here.

Mazra wrote:

Now Fifth Edition revived the D&D brand for Wizards. Before that Pathfinder 1E was king. Fourth Edition was all but a dead RPG system. But then Fourth Edition was a terrible system.

Don't get me wrong, Fifth Edition and PF 2E may have their place in the world. Fifth Edition is very popular. But at present, I have no interest in moving to PF2E or D&D5E.

Me neither. I'm sticking with PF1e, I just don't see any reason to suggest that Pazio should still make PF1e content just for me.

Mazra wrote:
There is a reason 3.5 did not go away. There were way too many of us that did not like 4E and stuck with 3.5. Pathfinder was the lifeline. And there is many of us still with Pathfinder 1E. If Paizo doesn't throw us a lifeline, then someone else will. Just like Paizo did with PF1e. It is amazing how some things come back around full circle.

I'm not convinced. I think Paizo had an oppportunity (with their experience, talents and subscriber base) that most companies do not have.

Mazra wrote:

Give us a better gaming system than 3.5/PF 1E and I may go to it and never look back.

I am not convinced that either 5E or PF 2E are better gaming systems.

YMMV

Even if a better system came out, I still might not bother to learn it.

But I am okay with Paizo moving on to 2e.

Sovereign Court

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Grafz wrote:

The Tale of Jang was super fun and I enjoyed reading it!

That said.... there's a lack of precision here that's a bit sad. I've clipped to try to make it clearer.

...

Harles wrote:
Approximately half the content of each AP is stuff I don't use, .... could we get adventures without all the setting "filler?"

'Setting filler'?

You mean 'world-building'?

One man's meat is another man's poison: for a lot of people, Golarion is also part of the appeal of Paizo's products. When an AP connects the adventure to the wider world, that adds verisimilitude and helps to root the adventure.

Some people got really excited about adding a Vancaskerin to the population of Trunau. I know that if I get to play Giantslayer, I will definitely stat him up as my PC.

You cut short the OP's line: "Does anyone else agree? Like could we get adventures without all the setting "filler?" Just some good, "meat and potatoes" adventuring?"

I mean, 'key information' to running the adventure should definitely be included but I think many people are making a case that the APs serve a broad audience and please a diverse array of readers enough to keep them interested.

I don't know if everyone would be as excited by a 'setting neutral' AP.

I don't know if meat and potatoes adventuring is everyone's bag.

My perception is that Paizo do excellent steak frites with a bearnaise and asparagus, maybe a cote do rhone villages to accompany it. The meat and potatoes are still there, they just elevate it with all of the extras.
You don't have to pour the bearnaise out of the little jug. You don't have to touch the asparagus. You don't have to drink the wine. The high-quality meat and potatoes is still there.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some more metaphors in the basement that I need to torture...


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From Shore to Sea GM All-powerful dictator of reality 4

Yep, I was just being lazy and quoting myself from earlier. I love the image of Tanya plugging Kriegler to save loverboy but she was beaten to the punch.


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From Shore to Sea GM All-powerful dictator of reality 4

Um, Tanya. I'm loving the Ripley vieb but...

GM Elberion wrote:

Ekanta and Tanya are up!

Just to be clear, Kriegler is convulsing on the floor. The spear lies next to him and is no longer raised for a coup de grace. Fendren is still unconscious.

Silver Crusade

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Male Human Gunslinger (Bolt Ace) 2 | HP20 | AC18/14/14 | Initiative+3 | Perception+7 | F+4/R+6/W+3

Note to melee characters: spring attack avoid AoO but does not avoid readied attacks.


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From Shore to Sea GM All-powerful dictator of reality 4
Robyyn wrote:
[dice=Fortitude DC 20, CON damage, antitoxin]1d20+3-2+5

Robyyn overcomes the poison in his system. Huzzar!

Sovereign Court

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Grafz wrote:
GeraintElberion wrote:
Raging Swan have converted a bunch of their adventures to 2e, if you’re looking for 3pp adventures.
Do you recommend them?

I think their PF1 adventures are excellent. I don't know about the 2e conversions though.


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From Shore to Sea GM All-powerful dictator of reality 4

To be fair to Sheila, she just sent you to find a missing pathfinder. The taxes are the sister-in-laws request. You're only following through on that to preserve the society's cover.


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Male Elf Arcanist 1 | HP7 | AC 15/11/14 (mage armour) | F+1 R+1 W+4(+6) | Init+1 | Perc+4; low-light vision

Just in case anyone missed this and still can't get on.

GM Tyranius wrote:

Here is the information concerning the outage today and not being able to sign into Paizo. They appear to be back up now, but you have to go into your settings and manually delete you cookies associated with Paizo first to be able to sign in. (May take several attempts. Mine took deleting the cookies three times before it stuck.

Error with Signing-in Post

If anyone needs assistance or questions I am on Discord (Tyranius#2300)

Sovereign Court

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Raging Swan have converted a bunch of their adventures to 2e, if you’re looking for 3pp adventures.


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From Shore to Sea GM All-powerful dictator of reality 4

No, blinding it did not work. But, as your corn soared through Linka's flames, you did make a few charred kernels of popcorn. So, definitely not a wasted action.

Sovereign Court

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Alzrius wrote:
Just to be absolutely clear, The Puzzle Box adventure is a PDF-only product (i.e. no print version has been made) that can only be acquired as an extra if you buy a copy of the Kingmaker video game?

To be more specific, you have to buy the PC version of the game. It doesn't come with the console versions.