Jevon_Ulis's page

My PCs did the Chopper's Island sidequest, finding the remains of Das Korvut's son and the dismembered bits of the victims of the Chopper.

(Chopper's Island sidequest is here, for reference: http://www.dorkistan.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Choppers-Isle.pdf)

This looks really interesting and I have a couple of questions about this side quest.

1) When is it appropriate to run this sidequest? Between part 1 and part 2 of RotRL, or elsewhere?

2) The bird demon that Chopper was into...what/who was it? Was it Groth-Golka from Cthulhu mythos or maybe Abraxus from Abyssal lore? Something else?

For example, why can't a PC get a Level 20 gun right away (aside from costs)? The weapon levels, in part, represent the required licensing you have to acquire to get the weapon. Page 167 under Item Level.

I like the setting of Starfinder but I am actually running it in a different system. Level systems where hit points go up with level never made sense to me. two people tied up and being threatened with a shot from a pistol should both equally be worried for their lives even if one of them is a 10th level mercenary. With a hit point system the pistol that does 2d6 is very deadly to the 1st level character and barely a scratch to the 10 level mercenary.

Real world veteran soldiers and mercenaries do not look at a pistol with little concern.

As for weapon levels, how does someone who walks into Absalom station for the first time from the Vast advertise his level exactly so he can get licensing?

i'm not a fan of the weapon levels.

I figure there's only so much that security could keep up with, and that if no one is actively fighting, they don't clamp down too hard. It's why they aren't there right away when the shooting starts between the gangs, any why the gazeteer brings up private security forces so often as possible employers/providers. Also, no one wants to find themselves in hard vacuum without a way to get into the station, even with sealable spacesuits, so there's little reason to open fire on a shuttle. Maybe?

There is no end to Bueracracy and the maddening attempt at security. Long lines of many species all complaining about a false sense of security seems to be the only thing that makes sense for public transportation.

Also, ships are expensive and parts are too. A public transport without security is begging to be stolen by space pirates that board the ship, kill the crew, and steal the ship for parts.

I'm thinking security in a futuristic setting is something that has been overlooked in Starfinder writing. Especially with magical means of detection...

I'm starting on the shuttle but I'm not sure where it would be coming from. Is the idea that the Okimoro stops at various planets and picks Starfinder Society initiates up like a school bus?

I had a question about the Okimoro also. It feels like it is a public transport. Has anyone asked why people on a public transport would be allowed to just carry their firearms freely?

Perhaps this could be use to really complicate the firefight between the gangs on Docking Bay 94. The PCs would likely be more likely to try and find cover as opposed to getting into a fire fight on a public docking bay and have to answer questions about why they are carrying grenades, laser guns, swords and all other manner of items that the Starfinder TSA would have a field day with.

I am looking forward to finally running this awesome AP. I was wondering if anyone ran any other published modules or scenarios in the travel sections of this AP.

For example, the treks to Hook Mt, Jorgenfist, Runeforge and Xin-Shalast are all, long, overland journeys. Did anyone insert another published adventure in these journeys?

Even if you haven't, are there any modules you have played that you think would fit in these parts?

I may be using the wrong semantics. When I said raised, I did not mean to come back from the dead and be well again, but raised as an undead servitor. It was mentioned by Tonyz, that he would consider having Nualia raise Tobyn as an undead servitor with help from Lamashtu. My response was to that particular set of circumstances.

Sorry for the misunderstanding.

I might also have Nualia animate Tobyn's remains as an undead of some sort, if you need additional oomph for the Thistletop encounters.

If Father Tobyn's remains were available to be buried or stored in a vault then I just don't see how his body would not be treated in a way so that it could not be raised. Any decent "good-aligned" priest performing funeral rights would make sure to perform the necessary rights to keep the dead from being raised.

As a side note, I am not very familiar with Pathfinder rules at all. I am running my game in the GURPS system and a simple spell like "Final Rest" in that system would prevent a body from being raised. It is assumed (in the GURPS system) that in a setting where raising of the dead is a possibility, clergy who follow deities that grant powers that allow the turning and destroying of undead would also grant the ability to prevent raising in the first place.

If Father Tobyn's remains were available to be buried or stored in a vault then I just don't see how his body would not be treated in a way so that it could not be raised. Any decent "good-aligned" priest performing funeral rights would make sure to perform the necessary rights to keep the dead from being raised.

As a side note, I am not very familiar with Pathfinder rules at all. I am running my game in the GURPS system and a simple spell like "Final Rest" in that system would prevent a body from being raised. It is assumed (in the GURPS system) that in a setting where raising of the dead is a possibility, clergy who follow deities that grant powers that allow the turning and destroying of undead would also grant the ability to prevent raising in the first place.

To me, it's more a matter of intent.

When she kills Tobyn, the fire is really there to cover up the crime to make it look like an accident.

When she burns his remains, it's an offering to Lamashtu.

Both times she uses fire, but the meaning changes drastically.

-Skeld

I really agree with this, and it lends more credence to the idea that she may have stabbed him first, and burned the church to cover up that crime.

Tobyn could have dragged himself out, but suffered from too much smoke inhalation and died.

His remains were placed in a vault (as clarified in the anniversary edition and not buried as I originally thought) and then the goblin attack 5 years later serve as a distraction to exhume the body. By being in a vault it lends itself to be removed faster than digging it up, unless there is some kind of earth moving spell involved.

Has anyone inserted other modules or scenarios into their Rise of the Runelords Campaign. I was thinking of doing this in the times when PCs are travelling longer distances (to Hook Mt., to Jorgenfist, to Runeforge, and the really long trek to Xin-Shalast)

I could always use random encounters of course but I was wondering if any published material was used in these circumstances by anyone who has run the AP before.

Even if you haven't done this, perhaps you have run modules or scenarios and think that one of these would fit particularly well.

Looking for any suggestions here.

I have never played in or run the RotRL but I have read through all 6 parts and am now reviewing the anniversary edition so I can run this amazing adventure path.

My question is about Tobyn who was killed in a fire 5 years before the Swallowtail festival. In the events of the goblin raid, his remains are stolen to be burned (again?) in offering to Lamashtu.

Did anyone else see this as strange? Did anyone handle this differently?

I had a thought that maybe Nualia stabbed Tobyn and thinking he was dead she burned down the church, then escaped. Tobyn (being only mostly dead) dragged himself out of the burning church but died on the lawn outside. Since Nualia wasn't present the citizens assumed she was consumed in the fire.

Anyway, I would love to hear if anyone else dealt with this idea at all.

Key Starship Modules:

Just how detailed and sensitive will sensors be? If I am in a star system can my sensors pick up all the planets in my solar system? Will sensors only be able to reach out about 100,000 km? Can I detect things in other star systems from my ship?

Some other ideas (though I know you can't just take them but maybe you can come up with ideas that "feel" similar)

Star Wars (tons of races but many feel very iconic to SW) Here are a few that aren't:

The Meris and Teltior
Trianni
Sluissi
Verpine
Defel

https://www.pinterest.com/explore/alien-concept-art/

TV shows
Lexx
Stargate
Star Trek (all of them)
Guardians of the Galaxy
Babylon 5

Movies:
Jupiter Ascending and that really cool reptilian species
Guardians of the Galaxy
The 5th Element

Ken Liu wrote a collection of short stories called the Paper Menagerie and Other Short Stories. In the first story he wrote about a few REALLY interesting species. I think they would be worth looking at for some very creative ideas.

Also I think there should be some large species that are not aggressive, maybe like this;

http://conceptaliens.blogspot.com/

I was specifically looking at the 7th and 9th pictures as you scroll down but there are a lot of really cool ideas.

How large of a setting do you see for "real space" in Starfinder? Is it galactic, muti-galactic, or like Stargate where it is spread across the universe?

Also how much dimensional travel do you see for the setting?

The Business End
Pun Intended
Drifting Drifter
Golarion Gone

Here's your basics if you want to get started:

Humans are Core, Ratfolk are Core, Androids are Core, all of the races of Pathfinder will show up but some might be hard to find, Aliens are what you're working with.

Absalom Station is where you're probably from or one of the planets of the Golarion Solar System.

I have this concept of a powerful psionic floating octopus like race.

What kind of time does it take (to an outside observer) to travel through "the drift"?

How much time does it feel like for someone who "drifts"?

how far can someone "drift"

What is required to "drift" is it magical, pseudo-physics, psionic?

is a special device required to drift, or can someone that is very powerful with some sort of supernatural ability do it.

Can one communicate through the drift to other parts of space?

What is your one most fervent hope for Starfinder?

That is it will be a truly open system where a character can dabble in magic, psionics, be a sharp shooting gun slinger and a hot shot pilot all at once.

What is your greatest fear for the same?
That it will have alignment and class limitations that are there only to keep things "balanced"