paizo.com Favorited Posts by Lukepaizo.com Favorited Posts by Luke2022-08-11T23:25:22Z2022-08-11T23:25:22ZRe: Forums: Play-by-Post Discussion: Luke's Crimson Throne Campaign DiscussionDM Luke (alias of Luke)https://paizo.com/campaigns/LukesCrimsonThroneCampaign/discussion&page=34#16572021-10-10T14:38:40Z2021-10-09T10:17:00Z<p>Yeah, after making that post I had to go get a drink. I haven't really followed the cannon since 2.0 and have never played a game. I figure this one might actually be my last hurrah for awhile in gaming. And what a hurrah! You guys' willingness to take this at such a slow pace and really write out the characters is what makes the thing so hard to walk away from. But the work world is sooo messed up right now. I've lost my boss, two peers and eight employees. Even though things have to slow down, the remainders are still getting killed right now.</p>
<p>I'm thrilled that Smith may pick this thing up and run with it, and you can bet I'll keep reading along.</p>
<p>I'll give the lightest answer possible to Nebbin's question (in the interest of not spoiling!), but I really treated the AP like the bones of my own homebrew. I wanted most to make Korvosa seem like a real city with overlapping and complicated problems, lots of self-interested factions, etc. So what you've seen up to now has mostly been by-the-book enemies cast in slightly different situations so all you guys who know and have even run this game still got some surprises. There's only a handful of minor encounters that I've skipped. And small augmentations to the enemy side to make the encounters still be challenging for 5.</p>
<p>There has been some genuinely original filler. Most of the maps you've seen are original. Much of the arc that you have essentially finished here is my attempt at creating a prequel for the House on Hook Street, which is supposed to happen 7 years after the arc.</p>
<p>My happiest moments in the thread were the places where I could feel the folks who know the arc suddenly recognizing an encounter that they knew was coming, packaged, presented or sequenced slightly different to preserve some element of surprise.</p>
<p>I'll start sharing thoughts on where this was all headed with Smith via PM. And then, I shall lurk. :)</p>Yeah, after making that post I had to go get a drink. I haven't really followed the cannon since 2.0 and have never played a game. I figure this one might actually be my last hurrah for awhile in gaming. And what a hurrah! You guys' willingness to take this at such a slow pace and really write out the characters is what makes the thing so hard to walk away from. But the work world is sooo messed up right now. I've lost my boss, two peers and eight employees. Even though things have to slow...DM Luke (alias of Luke)2021-10-09T10:17:00ZRe: Forums: Play-by-Post: Luke's Crimson Throne Gameplay ThreadDM Luke (alias of Luke)https://paizo.com/campaigns/LukesCrimsonThroneCampaign/gameplay&page=111#55262021-09-02T03:05:24Z2021-09-01T11:19:28Z<p>At Kayleigh's touch Emi pulls in a sharp breath and stirs back to consciousness. There's a profound aching in the places where her mortal wounds have re-stitched and the spiders still swarm and bite, but she is alive! </p>
<p>Firinne casts a spell that charges first her hand and then her entire weapon with crackling electricity. The cultist in her face tries to take advantage of her moment of concentration and succeeds in planting a perfect blow right in the face of one of her mirror images, shattering it. The tiefling steps lightly through the disgusting swarm and delivers a mortal strike. The electric fluid flows into the monster, destroying it in an blue and white explosion that sends tiny electric spiders flying everywhere.</p>
<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>I took a chance on Firinne's behalf and let the opponent mook take his swing rather that try to pass the DC 19 defensive casting check. The mook confirmed a critical, but hit one of the remaining mirror copies. I then confirmed a critical on Firinne's behalf, dealing 75 hp of damage to the spider monster and killing it outright.</span></p>
<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>Tassira is up.</span></p>At Kayleigh's touch Emi pulls in a sharp breath and stirs back to consciousness. There's a profound aching in the places where her mortal wounds have re-stitched and the spiders still swarm and bite, but she is alive!
Firinne casts a spell that charges first her hand and then her entire weapon with crackling electricity. The cultist in her face tries to take advantage of her moment of concentration and succeeds in planting a perfect blow right in the face of one of her mirror images,...DM Luke (alias of Luke)2021-09-01T11:19:28ZRe: Forums: Play-by-Post Discussion: Luke's Crimson Throne Campaign DiscussionDM Luke (alias of Luke)https://paizo.com/campaigns/LukesCrimsonThroneCampaign/discussion&page=32#15952021-07-17T12:38:38Z2021-07-17T11:18:19Z<p>Yep sorry x2. I should have been more clear that was where I was posting it. </p>
<p>Also sorry for all the terrible rolling. At least I can promise you it went both ways (except their initiative). You can tell from all the missing I've done so far. I think my red d20 hasn't adjusted to the subtle changes in the magnetic field out here. If it doesn't straighten up and fly right, I'm gonna put it in a mesh bag, tie it to a cypress knee and let it dangle in the river for a while. Die punishments leveled up at the new hacienda.</p>Yep sorry x2. I should have been more clear that was where I was posting it.
Also sorry for all the terrible rolling. At least I can promise you it went both ways (except their initiative). You can tell from all the missing I've done so far. I think my red d20 hasn't adjusted to the subtle changes in the magnetic field out here. If it doesn't straighten up and fly right, I'm gonna put it in a mesh bag, tie it to a cypress knee and let it dangle in the river for a while. Die punishments...DM Luke (alias of Luke)2021-07-17T11:18:19ZRe: Forums: Play-by-Post Discussion: Luke's Crimson Throne Campaign DiscussionDM Luke (alias of Luke)https://paizo.com/campaigns/LukesCrimsonThroneCampaign/discussion&page=32#15742021-07-05T04:11:04Z2021-07-05T00:57:20Z<p>My first quality of life enhancement I've taken on is updating the <a href="https://simiangames.site/?page_id=155" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Tale of Days</a> feature on the campaign website. I reformatted it and am getting it current. It was waaay behind (2019) so I'm hoping by updating it and keeping it updated, it will help you guys make sense of my mess. If I adopt the discipline of updating it after each new page creation on the game thread it might help.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://simiangames.site/?page_id=45" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">OK map</a> is my next project, but I've also been muddling either a graphic clue wall per plotline, or at least a CRPG-style journal page on the website that summarizes clues.</p>
<p>I'll make an assumption and a DMPC roll for connecting the Nhybur name to a location. Tassira still has the best combination of skills (know(local) and diplomacy) to get a good result.</p>My first quality of life enhancement I've taken on is updating the Tale of Days feature on the campaign website. I reformatted it and am getting it current. It was waaay behind (2019) so I'm hoping by updating it and keeping it updated, it will help you guys make sense of my mess. If I adopt the discipline of updating it after each new page creation on the game thread it might help.
The OK map is my next project, but I've also been muddling either a graphic clue wall per plotline, or at...DM Luke (alias of Luke)2021-07-05T00:57:20ZRe: Forums: Play-by-Post Discussion: Luke's Crimson Throne Campaign DiscussionDM Luke (alias of Luke)https://paizo.com/campaigns/LukesCrimsonThroneCampaign/discussion&page=32#15712021-06-30T13:57:00Z2021-06-29T09:16:18Z<p>Enjoy! </p>
<p>My wife, kids and dogs all just left for two weeks without me, so I'll be focused on a huge list of tasks, some of which are the hottest backlog items from this game (many of which have to do with the new house). I expect the Old Korvosa map project should finally get done. As well, the big customization for the end of this chapter.</p>Enjoy!
My wife, kids and dogs all just left for two weeks without me, so I'll be focused on a huge list of tasks, some of which are the hottest backlog items from this game (many of which have to do with the new house). I expect the Old Korvosa map project should finally get done. As well, the big customization for the end of this chapter.DM Luke (alias of Luke)2021-06-29T09:16:18ZRe: Forums: Play-by-Post: Luke's Crimson Throne Gameplay ThreadDM Luke (alias of Luke)https://paizo.com/campaigns/LukesCrimsonThroneCampaign/gameplay&page=107#53022021-05-25T10:16:58Z2021-05-25T02:18:00Z<p><b>——————————————————————</b>
<br />
<b>Vencarlo's Home - Emileva</b>
<br />
<b>——————————————————————</b></p>
<p>Once Erold has done the deed and disappeared once again down the dark hallway towards his room, Vencarlo turns his full attention back to Emi. The day has been a terrible mess, smuggling herself with the city's dead, hanging out in a tomb, walking around all night in a scratchy, damp robe. Vencarlo senses it and restokes a dying fire so bath water can be warmed. He refills her glass and fills the time with questions about the Jeggare river-bottom until the water is boiling.</p>
<p>He pours the steaming water into the bottom of the bath and points over to the other pails in the bathroom.</p>
<p><b>"Cool as you like,"</b> he says, offering her a soft towel.</p>
<p><b>"So Tassira dried out the text,"</b> he continues, turning his back to allow her to undress, <b>"and the only legible addition was just the one word? <i>Andaisin</i>. What does it mean? I wonder if she could tell from the context if it was a place or a person, or maybe a substance?"</b></p>
<p><b>——————————————————————</b>
<br />
<b>The Streets of Bridgefront</b>
<br />
<b>——————————————————————</b></p>
<p>Any good cheer you may have found at Vencarlo's home is rather dashed as you make your way back down into the city. Trinia pulls up a scarf that covers her lower face, pulls the cowl of her robe down and follows your lead. </p>
<p>A chilly river fog has settled in the streets of the lower districts. It's hard to mind the cover, but it also limits your visibility as you pick an efficient route back to the clinic. You don't linger long on the Boulevard. A few of the lamps along the street are lit, including the one that marks the doctors' checkpoint. Instead you bear right, to take one of the roads that crosses the face of the hill. </p>
<p>Well before Old Dock turns to Bridgefront the assault on your sense of smell begins. The reek of the dead and the sick seems to hang on the fog, taking it dangerously close to that place where a smell becomes a taste. You're getting closer to the clinic, but it's not just the clinic. The buildings along these streets have dead in them. The wain service cannot get here fast enough.</p>
<p>You approach the clinic from the south side. The alley behind the clinic is cold and quiet. Turning the corner to come to the front door of the place, your heart falls at the site of more bodies lines up under the eaves. Kayleigh is two strides away from the nearest body when she notices the breath, and realizes with a start that these are people sleeping in the street, waiting for a chance to see her in the morning.</p>--------------------------------------------
Vencarlo's Home - Emileva
--------------------------------------------
Once Erold has done the deed and disappeared once again down the dark hallway towards his room, Vencarlo turns his full attention back to Emi. The day has been a terrible mess, smuggling herself with the city's dead, hanging out in a tomb, walking around all night in a scratchy, damp robe. Vencarlo senses it and restokes a dying fire so bath water can be warmed. He refills her...DM Luke (alias of Luke)2021-05-25T02:18:00ZRe: Forums: Play-by-Post Discussion: Luke's Crimson Throne Campaign DiscussionDM Luke (alias of Luke)https://paizo.com/campaigns/LukesCrimsonThroneCampaign/discussion&page=30#14972021-04-20T15:56:26Z2021-04-20T01:25:09Z<p>I get my second shot on Wednesday. My wife and daughter are on Saturday and my son is May 1st and then we are done. Everyone I know who's gotten the second shot had side effects, so I expect to be a little down on Thursday.</p>
<p>And I think we may be done house-hunting! There are no signatures yet or popping corks, but I think we've worked out an agreement on a place in Floral City, Florida (that's a real place, you can look it up) that we've fallen for. If it's true, and we can stop driving all over the countryside and running ourselves stupid.</p>I get my second shot on Wednesday. My wife and daughter are on Saturday and my son is May 1st and then we are done. Everyone I know who's gotten the second shot had side effects, so I expect to be a little down on Thursday.
And I think we may be done house-hunting! There are no signatures yet or popping corks, but I think we've worked out an agreement on a place in Floral City, Florida (that's a real place, you can look it up) that we've fallen for. If it's true, and we can stop driving all...DM Luke (alias of Luke)2021-04-20T01:25:09ZRe: Forums: Play-by-Post: Luke's Crimson Throne Gameplay ThreadDM Luke (alias of Luke)https://paizo.com/campaigns/LukesCrimsonThroneCampaign/gameplay&page=104#51942021-03-29T10:04:21Z2021-03-29T00:53:08Z<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>Ok, that was a unexpectedly heavy amount of work to get you <a href="https://simiangames.site/?page_id=146" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">this</a> image update. I have just a couple nuggets of text left to mine off the google site before I scuttle her. She was a good ship. The best (a lack of) money could buy...</span></p>
<p><b>Back at the clinic...</b></p>
<p>Majenko turns to face Emi, flaring out his wings as he does so. He folds them back again very slowly.</p>
<p><b>"Sweet. Like nectar, yes. Like sugar and flowers. Oh! Like not here!"</b></p>
<p>Sitting there watching the little dragon that eats spiders exhibit disgust at the smell of your safe house gives you pause. It's possible that working in here has made you all a little nose-blind.</p>
<p><b>... and later on...</b></p>
<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>@Nebbin, yes. Samuel said the warehouse in front of the first pier in Old Dock. Coming down off the rise like you did, you can see that the pier in front of you is the westernmost pier on this side of the island. There's an alley between the warehouse and the pier (behind the warehouse). The guardsmen stand at the entrance to the alley. It squares with Sam's story. The guards secure the pier and Pharasma's people man the craft.</span></p>
<p>As you get closer to the warehouse you see figures moving around on the pier behind the building.</p>
<p>The guards pick you out of the darkness as you get near, calling out a soft challenge. Of course you're expected. Their hands motion you past, under the shelter of the warehouse eaves. There you're handed 5 heavy cloaks to put on over your things that mark you as priests of the Gray.</p>
<p>After just a few moments there's a last call and you hurry through the darkness and sprinkling rain to board the barge.</p>
<p>The craft has a small half-shelter amidships for the living and dead alike, and the five of you cluster there, holding onto lines and bulkheads as you may as the boat gets underway. The shrouded dead are lined up head to foot under the canopy, a sobering sight, and you cast apologetic glances at them and try your best to stay out of the way of the mates as they run around doing their business. </p>
<p>The drab-assed boat barely heels at all as her modest sail takes the breeze and pushes the craft out into the flow. Before too long the rain stops and leaves behind it a subtle rising mist where the fresh cold rain and the broad warmth of the Jeggare negotiate their equilibrium. As the barge turns its bow back towards the lights of shore, moonlight peeks out through the night's cloudy shroud and spills out across the landscape beyond the southern city wall.</p>
<p>Soon enough any reverie is broken by a flurry of crew activity. The boat tacks awkwardly and pilot uses the current to bring her gently kissing against the Citadel's pier. While the barge crew ties the vessel off and brings along planks, a crew of stevedores pulls up the nearest wagon and begins unloading the dead for the final leg of their passage to the Gray. One of the Queen's physician's walks about in his long black robes, beaked mask and hat. The torchlight reflects madly off his lenses as he moves among the corpses, stopping here and there to examine something meaningful only to himself.</p>
<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>Pausing again here.</span></p>Ok, that was a unexpectedly heavy amount of work to get you this image update. I have just a couple nuggets of text left to mine off the google site before I scuttle her. She was a good ship. The best (a lack of) money could buy...
Back at the clinic...
Majenko turns to face Emi, flaring out his wings as he does so. He folds them back again very slowly.
"Sweet. Like nectar, yes. Like sugar and flowers. Oh! Like not here!"
Sitting there watching the little dragon that eats spiders exhibit...DM Luke (alias of Luke)2021-03-29T00:53:08ZRe: Forums: Play-by-Post Discussion: Luke's Crimson Throne Campaign DiscussionDM Luke (alias of Luke)https://paizo.com/campaigns/LukesCrimsonThroneCampaign/discussion&page=28#13572020-12-28T17:56:12Z2020-12-28T12:33:27Z<p>Of course, Regeris. You can see we've been pretty slow posting through the holiday so far. </p>
<p>Merry Christmas to everyone. Personally, I should only have to work a little this week and should otherwise be able to post. As an aside, if you want the most peaceful possible work holiday as a people-manager, what you do is you tell everyone that the only work-thing you have to do over the coming vacation is work on their performance appraisals. ;)</p>
<p>I'll post us along this morning.</p>Of course, Regeris. You can see we've been pretty slow posting through the holiday so far.
Merry Christmas to everyone. Personally, I should only have to work a little this week and should otherwise be able to post. As an aside, if you want the most peaceful possible work holiday as a people-manager, what you do is you tell everyone that the only work-thing you have to do over the coming vacation is work on their performance appraisals. ;)
I'll post us along this morning.DM Luke (alias of Luke)2020-12-28T12:33:27ZRe: Forums: Play-by-Post: Luke's Crimson Throne Gameplay ThreadDM Luke (alias of Luke)https://paizo.com/campaigns/LukesCrimsonThroneCampaign/gameplay&page=100#49922020-12-26T17:15:26Z2020-12-19T02:07:49Z<p>So much has happened, and so fast. One thing upon another upon another and its prevented Tassira from really examining some of the written evidence that the group has acquired. And everything Tassira subconsciously dreaded about the scriptum turns out to be true in spades.</p>
<p>It's dense. It's written in a cramped hand, in tiny letters that discomfort the eyes. It's chaotic and nonsensical. Dark menacing poetry drifting through a haze of paranoid delusions. Her mind strays to that instant where cultist started confounding everyone in the room with passages from this tome. This is how she died. Or how she thought she had at the time. One the end of Nebbin's terrible sword.</p>
<p>Flipping ahead to the page that's marked by the black ribbon, the page the tome was open to when it was found, transports Tassira back to the scene where the book was recovered. Oily candle burning low beside it. Magic circle on the floor before it containing a formless nightmare thing. The disturbance of the ring, the death of the cultist and the spawning of the spider demon by the clock two floors below.</p>
<p>The page illustrates the same magic circle and explains its purpose in containing a living nightmare, conjured into the real world from the Dreamscape via a ritual that she finds two pages back. The nightmare must consume an offered soul to transcend from spectral to physical, or else rapidly fade back into the realm of dreams. </p>
<p>The writing descends from there into a mad allegory that Tassira skips through to come to its conclusion, where the protagonist of the story kills himself in order to offer his own flesh over to the apotheosis of the Hunter of Dreams, Mog Lathur.</p>
<p>Here it launches into a maze of unconnected narrative descriptions of places Tassira's never heard of. Thumbing through it, she comes to find that what she thought was page damage further into the tome is actually another bookmark. It's a piece of thin paper and when she flips to it, it's marking another ritual. This one speaks directly of the apotheosis that the first ritual only hinted at with its story. Of the joining of sacrificed bodies and souls into the recrudescence of the <i>Slumbering Hunter</i>. </p>
<p>The paper itself that was crushed in the bindings of the mad poet's tome is an illustration of a tall grandfather clockwork device called a Clockwork Soul Trap. It looks very much like the clock that was destroyed. It struck a chime when it trapped a soul, and ran a hand backwards for an hour before releasing that soul upon its fated path. It could hold 11 souls at once and told the current number by the hour. Upon the twelfth soul trapped, all were released.</p>
<p>Below the description of the item is a scrawled note.</p>
<p><b>"Could it work to feed a conjured nightmare upon souls snagged by the clockwork?"</b></p>
<p>Tassira sits back, comforted by the knowledge that the bastard that almost got her killed died without knowing the answer to his question. </p>
<p>Yes, it could work.</p>So much has happened, and so fast. One thing upon another upon another and its prevented Tassira from really examining some of the written evidence that the group has acquired. And everything Tassira subconsciously dreaded about the scriptum turns out to be true in spades.
It's dense. It's written in a cramped hand, in tiny letters that discomfort the eyes. It's chaotic and nonsensical. Dark menacing poetry drifting through a haze of paranoid delusions. Her mind strays to that instant where...DM Luke (alias of Luke)2020-12-19T02:07:49ZRe: Forums: Play-by-Post: Luke's Crimson Throne Gameplay ThreadDM Luke (alias of Luke)https://paizo.com/campaigns/LukesCrimsonThroneCampaign/gameplay&page=100#49902020-12-26T17:15:28Z2020-12-18T12:09:48Z<p>Sitting at a cluttered table in the priest's office, Tassira considers the two texts, <i>Serving Your Hunger</i> and <i>Scriptum Extereri</i>. Flies or spiders...</p>
<p>Flies first.</p>
<p>The tome from the river-bottom is thoroughly dry now. It is ornate. The spine must have been beautiful before the briny estuary waters got to it. It's withered pages are stuck together in chunks along the edges. Peeling them apart destroys more than half of each page, including the entirety of the page margins. It just crumbles away to dust. </p>
<p>The fragments of text left behind are revolting. The tome is a cookbook for eating humanoids of all types. It's a treatise on cannibalism, and Tassira finds herself relieved that most of the illustrations are ruined as well. The text would surely have been worth a fortune undamaged. To someone.</p>
<p>She's just about saturated her interest in the subject when she luckily separates a page with something legible scrawled on the surviving part of the leaf. The recipe makes Tassira blush. The poor woman in the illustrated ritual is being tortured and eaten, and judging by the amount of ink on the page, Tassira has the sinking notion that to whoever owned this text, this might have been a favorite part.</p>
<p>Curiously, the name of Urgathoa is lined through on the page and scrawled above it in bold letters is the name Andaisin.</p>
<p>Emboldened by the discovery, Tassira begins leafing through the rest of the text with more energy. She finds other places where the same replacement has been made, but in the end this is the best clue she finds.</p>Sitting at a cluttered table in the priest's office, Tassira considers the two texts, Serving Your Hunger and Scriptum Extereri. Flies or spiders...
Flies first.
The tome from the river-bottom is thoroughly dry now. It is ornate. The spine must have been beautiful before the briny estuary waters got to it. It's withered pages are stuck together in chunks along the edges. Peeling them apart destroys more than half of each page, including the entirety of the page margins. It just crumbles...DM Luke (alias of Luke)2020-12-18T12:09:48ZRe: Forums: Play-by-Post: Luke's Crimson Throne Gameplay ThreadDM Luke (alias of Luke)https://paizo.com/campaigns/LukesCrimsonThroneCampaign/gameplay&page=98#48572020-10-08T04:35:11Z2020-10-08T03:20:06Z<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>Yeah guys! Happy Birthday to our thread. Almost 5k posts too!</span></p>
<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>@Nebbin. Yes, stabotron. You're killing monsters faster than I can place them. :D</span></p>
<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>@Kayleigh. All three of your assumptions are correct, so your action is accepted.</span></p>
<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>The undead creature is an aquatic ghoul. The little tentacled monster is a grindylow. And the crone is a Sea Hag.</span></p>
<p>Emi spears the little monster through its vitals and tears it in half extracting her weapon.</p>
<p>The crone casts a baleful gaze at Tassira, capturing the mage's eyes in her own and flexing out with a curse, like flicking a lash of occult energy. <span class=messageboard-ooc>DC 14 Will Save for Tassira or become staggered.</span></p>
<p>Kayleigh's spell boosts everyone in the party (but does not aide Tassira's save above).</p>
<p>Nebbin drives his weapon through this new enemy as it comes down upon him. He pins the monster to the cabin wall and watches the unholy light of undeath drain from its eyes.</p>
<p>The second grindylow comes up the steps and stabs out at Kayleigh. Its attacks go wide as it stealthily attempts to entangle her feet with its tentacles as they fight. The priestess steps clear of this first monster, but then a second comes up behind her and thrusts his spear into her back.</p>
<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>5 hp damage to Kayleigh.</span></p>
<p>Another of the little beasts comes after Tassira, but fails to connect with its clumsy attacks.</p>
<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>Initiative repeated from last page:</span></p>
<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>Emileva 23</span>
<br />
<span class=messageboard-ooc>Crone 22</span>
<br />
<span class=messageboard-ooc>Kayleigh 20</span>
<br />
<span class=messageboard-ooc>Nebbin 20</span>
<br />
<span class=messageboard-ooc>Octopus guys 20</span>
<br />
<span class=messageboard-ooc>Regeris 13</span>
<br />
<span class=messageboard-ooc>Tassira 10</span>
<br />
<span class=messageboard-ooc>Undead guy 6</span></p>
<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>Regeris and Tassira are up.</span></p>Yeah guys! Happy Birthday to our thread. Almost 5k posts too!
@Nebbin. Yes, stabotron. You're killing monsters faster than I can place them. :D
@Kayleigh. All three of your assumptions are correct, so your action is accepted.
The undead creature is an aquatic ghoul. The little tentacled monster is a grindylow. And the crone is a Sea Hag.
Emi spears the little monster through its vitals and tears it in half extracting her weapon.
The crone casts a baleful gaze at Tassira, capturing the...DM Luke (alias of Luke)2020-10-08T03:20:06ZRe: Forums: Play-by-Post: Luke's Crimson Throne Gameplay ThreadDM Luke (alias of Luke)https://paizo.com/campaigns/LukesCrimsonThroneCampaign/gameplay&page=96#47822020-09-15T21:36:03Z2020-09-14T22:34:48Z<p>[Spoiler omitted]</p>
<p>The party pulls back from the dilapidated wreck and starts making its way across the current to the north east. </p>
<p>Tassira continues to try to drown even though Ishan's spell will not let her. She drifts across Emi's course, hair covering her eyes and limbs tangled up in gradually unraveling bandages. Emi's able to corral the wayward wizard, but at the sacrifice of speed. She trudges along a few steps behind Nebbin, pulling Tassira like a kite through the water.</p>
<p>Regeris finds that swimming is not so bad. He alternates between launching himself with kicks and propelling himself along the bottom with his spear, and closes much of the gap with the rest of the group.</p>
<p>The weed wall looms up in front of Kayleigh and Nebbin, obscuring view and progress to the east. To the north, the river-bottom climbs up a little, forming a shadowy shelf that stretches out to the left and right. </p>
<p>A quick hop and hover offers Nebbin little glimpses over the weed-line. Another hull lies over there. He's sure he's seen one of its masts sticking up awkwardly out of the shadows.</p>
<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>EDIT: In the interest of map cleanliness, I turned off the 5' graph layer so the grid you're seeing is made of 10' squares.</span></p>[Spoiler omitted]
The party pulls back from the dilapidated wreck and starts making its way across the current to the north east.
Tassira continues to try to drown even though Ishan's spell will not let her. She drifts across Emi's course, hair covering her eyes and limbs tangled up in gradually unraveling bandages. Emi's able to corral the wayward wizard, but at the sacrifice of speed. She trudges along a few steps behind Nebbin, pulling Tassira like a kite through the water.
Regeris...DM Luke (alias of Luke)2020-09-14T22:34:48ZRe: Forums: Play-by-Post: Luke's Crimson Throne Gameplay ThreadDM Luke (alias of Luke)https://paizo.com/campaigns/LukesCrimsonThroneCampaign/gameplay&page=96#47652020-09-24T03:04:08Z2020-09-09T03:51:55Z<p>[Spoiler omitted]</p>
<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>I DMPC'd some Swim rolls for Tassira and Regeris to set this up. Also, I can't tell if Emi's Swim bonus is accounting for ACP. Should it be 6?</span></p>
<p>Emi pulls away from Tassira and kicks out over the tops of the weeds. She watches as Regeris awkwardly approaches the old wreck. Kayleigh trudges around a huge boulder sending up huge billows of silt, thankfully down-stream of everyone and bringing her fierce light to banish the shadows around the remaining structure. Nebbin stands with his second, smaller light and acts as a beacon to draw in the others.</p>
<p>As Regeris reaches the wreck, he's startled by an explosion of blue-green sea life springing up all around him. There's an eel nest dug out in the cavities of the wreckage here, and either his movement or Kayleigh's light has startled it into action. Their thick, snake bodies come come shooting out of holes, frills raised and dead-black eyes focused on the intruder.</p>
<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>Combat Begun. Everyone is surprised except the Eels and Regeris, who had a nice Perception check. Regeris and the Eels get a surprise round action.</span></p>
<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>Kayleigh - 19 (+4). sinking quickly</span>
<br />
<span class=messageboard-ooc>Regeris - 18 (+6). sinking</span>
<br />
<span class=messageboard-ooc>Emi - 18 (+5). sinking quickly</span>
<br />
<span class=messageboard-ooc>Eels - 15 (+3). neutral</span>
<br />
<span class=messageboard-ooc>Nebbin - 9 (+2). sinking quickly</span>
<br />
<span class=messageboard-ooc>Tassira - 5 (+1). sinking</span></p>[Spoiler omitted]
I DMPC'd some Swim rolls for Tassira and Regeris to set this up. Also, I can't tell if Emi's Swim bonus is accounting for ACP. Should it be 6?
Emi pulls away from Tassira and kicks out over the tops of the weeds. She watches as Regeris awkwardly approaches the old wreck. Kayleigh trudges around a huge boulder sending up huge billows of silt, thankfully down-stream of everyone and bringing her fierce light to banish the shadows around the remaining structure. Nebbin stands...DM Luke (alias of Luke)2020-09-09T03:51:55ZRe: Forums: Play-by-Post Discussion: Luke's Crimson Throne Campaign DiscussionDM Luke (alias of Luke)https://paizo.com/campaigns/LukesCrimsonThroneCampaign/discussion&page=26#12992020-09-01T15:50:16Z2020-09-01T01:43:16Z<p>Hey guys. I just wanted to lay down some of my assumptions and rules for this next sequence, since underwater stuff is a little different and sometimes difficult.</p>
<p>I'm going with the Aquatic Adventures rules for anything that happens combat-wise, including rules for buoyancy, underwater combat, spell effects, etc. I'm assuming that paper goods such as spellbooks and scrolls that you might normally carry are not in your possession underwater. I think there's an argument to be made for potions still being ok to drink underwater, so no difficulties there. I've spent the last couple of days putting the finishing touches on some maps and graphics that we'll use for the upcoming sequence and I'm honestly pretty excited about this part. Some of the elements of these maps have been in the works for years, so hopefully this part will be fun and challenging. </p>
<p>I created an exploration level map as well as a depth chart to help visualize your exploration as it evolves. At the start you're all at the surface, just behind the Lorna's Labor. The Labor stands well off the eastern shore (far shore) of the river. Both may be found <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/lukescrimsonthrone/current-battlemap" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">here</a>. The grid on the exploration map is 1 square = 10 feet.</p>
<p>I'm assuming you're starting with a Water breathing spell from Ishan, cast on the surface, and that you'll supplement that with Tassira's magic as necessary as that magic may wear off over time.</p>Hey guys. I just wanted to lay down some of my assumptions and rules for this next sequence, since underwater stuff is a little different and sometimes difficult.
I'm going with the Aquatic Adventures rules for anything that happens combat-wise, including rules for buoyancy, underwater combat, spell effects, etc. I'm assuming that paper goods such as spellbooks and scrolls that you might normally carry are not in your possession underwater. I think there's an argument to be made for potions...DM Luke (alias of Luke)2020-09-01T01:43:16ZRe: Forums: Play-by-Post: Luke's Crimson Throne Gameplay ThreadDM Luke (alias of Luke)https://paizo.com/campaigns/LukesCrimsonThroneCampaign/gameplay&page=95#47402020-08-30T01:16:41Z2020-08-29T13:35:26Z<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>No change in the date, this is just later in the afternoon, same day. I know Emi's had work issues recently and Nebbin was away for the week. Shout out to Tassira. We often lose the Dragoncat around the beginning of the semester and I'm not sure if same is happening here? Either way, I'm gonna push us forward and hope for the best...</span></p>
<p>Afternoon finds the party down on the piers of western Old Dock. The light onshore breeze is perfect for blowing the craft across the river and a total lack of clouds forecasts no incoming weather and the best possible visibility - perfect conditions for a swim. One of Londra's boys collects the fare and steers each of the group to a place to sit that's out of the way of the crew. Before long the boat is pushed off and steering its way out into the flow, one of a dozen or so others undoubtedly headed out for the late catch.</p>
<p>Londra cross-references the notes on the location of the sinking with her own considerable knowledge of the river as she pilots the craft out. From this spot on the water, carts and wagons crossing by the High Bridge are visible. Korvosa's hills rise above the long North Point wall, festooned with towers and trebuchets. It's easy to imagine them tossing huge boulders at Londra's Labor and sending the boat to the riverbottom.</p>
<p><b>"Eighty feet of water here,"</b> Londra calls out, as one of her boys works a kedge line at the bow. <b>"They say wrecks make good fishing. Fish are curious creatures, after all. This is about the spot rumor says the ship went down. I fished it twice myself, though I can't say we caught much. Maybe the fish can smell the plague?"</b></p>
<p>Her other boy hooks a ladder over the stern of the boat and looks at the party expectantly. It's pretty clear they're all eager to see some honest-to-gods magic. The dark waters of the Jeggare swirl around the stern as the group contemplates the swim.</p>No change in the date, this is just later in the afternoon, same day. I know Emi's had work issues recently and Nebbin was away for the week. Shout out to Tassira. We often lose the Dragoncat around the beginning of the semester and I'm not sure if same is happening here? Either way, I'm gonna push us forward and hope for the best...
Afternoon finds the party down on the piers of western Old Dock. The light onshore breeze is perfect for blowing the craft across the river and a total lack of...DM Luke (alias of Luke)2020-08-29T13:35:26ZRe: Forums: Play-by-Post Discussion: Luke's Crimson Throne Campaign DiscussionDM Luke (alias of Luke)https://paizo.com/campaigns/LukesCrimsonThroneCampaign/discussion&page=26#12912020-08-24T11:43:53Z2020-08-24T10:55:27Z<p>Hey guys. I had a hard-as-nails week, followed by a weekend on the road. I'll get a proper post up after work today. Sorry for the delay.</p>Hey guys. I had a hard-as-nails week, followed by a weekend on the road. I'll get a proper post up after work today. Sorry for the delay.DM Luke (alias of Luke)2020-08-24T10:55:27ZRe: Forums: Play-by-Post: Luke's Crimson Throne Gameplay ThreadDM Luke (alias of Luke)https://paizo.com/campaigns/LukesCrimsonThroneCampaign/gameplay&page=91#45422020-06-19T01:22:32Z2020-06-18T23:11:09Z<p>With Kayleigh's help, Tassira identifies all the potions: Bear's Endurance, Cat's Grace, Cure Serious Wounds (2), Shield of Faith.</p>
<p>EDIT: After some further moving around in the shop, someone has the inspiration to try the remaining key on the front door and finds a match.</p>With Kayleigh's help, Tassira identifies all the potions: Bear's Endurance, Cat's Grace, Cure Serious Wounds (2), Shield of Faith.
EDIT: After some further moving around in the shop, someone has the inspiration to try the remaining key on the front door and finds a match.DM Luke (alias of Luke)2020-06-18T23:11:09ZRe: Forums: Play-by-Post: Luke's Crimson Throne Gameplay ThreadDM Luke (alias of Luke)https://paizo.com/campaigns/LukesCrimsonThroneCampaign/gameplay&page=91#45212020-06-15T22:16:12Z2020-06-15T21:00:44Z<p><b>"Um. Nothing really,"</b> Ishan replies, but he's a bad liar. Regeris follows his guilty glance back to a section in the corner labeled 'Minor cults and Heresies'. When he steps over to the stack, he easily locates the volume Ishan hastily replaced. The spine reads, 'The Light of Hope'. There are three copies.</p>
<p>The Abadaran coughs self-consciously and tries hard to pretend there's nothing there.</p>
<p><b>"I-I'll just keep on looking through the books down here,"</b> he stammers.</p>
<p>—-</p>
<p>Nothing moves at the door and no one pursues the ladies back down the stairs to the ground floor.</p>
<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>Who's headed up to provide security, and where is the search focused? The unopened door, or the room down the hall where the animated dream came from?</span></p>"Um. Nothing really," Ishan replies, but he's a bad liar. Regeris follows his guilty glance back to a section in the corner labeled 'Minor cults and Heresies'. When he steps over to the stack, he easily locates the volume Ishan hastily replaced. The spine reads, 'The Light of Hope'. There are three copies.
The Abadaran coughs self-consciously and tries hard to pretend there's nothing there.
"I-I'll just keep on looking through the books down here," he stammers.
---
Nothing moves at the...DM Luke (alias of Luke)2020-06-15T21:00:44ZRe: Forums: Play-by-Post: Luke's Crimson Throne Gameplay ThreadDM Luke (alias of Luke)https://paizo.com/campaigns/LukesCrimsonThroneCampaign/gameplay&page=89#44362020-05-24T21:36:31Z2020-05-24T14:35:38Z<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>Nebbin, the positions on the new maps indicate where the cultist and you would end your first movement actions of your respective turns. She acted first, so she'd be another 30' from the marked spot, off-map when Nebbin gets to his marked spot with 40' movement left in his second move action. Assuming Nebbin uses his next action to chase...</span></p>
<p>When Nebbin gets to the shop door he spots the cultist crossing the empty street and running for the back of a group of market shoppers. Even with his longer stride, she's going to make the crowd before he can grab her.</p>
<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>She'll be eligible for a charge attack next turn where she could be grappled, as long as Nebbin doesn't mind doing it in front of people in the Night Market.</span></p>
<p>Inside the shop, Tassira steps around the bookcase and fries the remaining cultist before he can stand. Ishan steps close and lays a hand on the back of hers as she stands staring at the smoking corpse. He opens his mouth to say something, but stops when the clock behind him chimes a third mournful note.</p>
<p>He turns back to Tassira with a question written on his face, but before he can ask it, the room behind them explodes.</p>
<p>—-</p>
<p>Regeris regains his feet as Emi comes charging up the steps. Together they take the second flight and find themselves in a dim third floor corridor. There's a hall immediately to the left and a closed door straight ahead. From down the hall the sound of an opening door draws their attention.</p>
<p>The cultist stands there, two steps into the room at the end of the hall, the knob to the door still in his hand. Beyond the cultist is a candle-lit room with all the furniture pushed to the walls. In the center of the room is a wild pyrotechnic display of blue and purple, with strobes of white like lightning going off in distant clouds.</p>
<p>The light show is spell-binding, and cultist and hero alike are transfixed by it for a moment. There's a moon, cold and huge, hanging over a windless sea. Sharp, dark mountains with sides sheer and lightning-blasted. </p>
<p>In the foreground of the scene something huge moves, raises itself up, dark and menacing, and comes crashing down into, through the cultist. There's no blood. Like the tendril that's transfixed the man is only an apparition, but the man starts to scream nonetheless. The sounds of his screams get sucked away into the swirling storm, along with all the rest of his vitality. He shakes involuntarily as his body shrivels into a desiccated husk on the floor.</p>
<p>As the cultist is consumed, the swirling flashes move faster. There's a slow-building whine that increases with the velocity of the storm to a howling scream. But while it strengthens, its center also shifts <i>down</i>, through the floor, until the room in front of Emi and Regeris is left calm and candle-lit. Through the floorboards, they can hear the storm rage through the shop.</p>
<p>—- </p>
<p>The screeching, keening sound of the released phenomenon starts by the ceiling, just above Tassira's head. As it moves down into the room it shifts to the back corner, by the old clock. The whole room is filled with pulsing purple light. Beams from a foreign moon.</p>
<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>Turn boundary is here. Everyone has a chance to react.</span></p>Nebbin, the positions on the new maps indicate where the cultist and you would end your first movement actions of your respective turns. She acted first, so she'd be another 30' from the marked spot, off-map when Nebbin gets to his marked spot with 40' movement left in his second move action. Assuming Nebbin uses his next action to chase...
When Nebbin gets to the shop door he spots the cultist crossing the empty street and running for the back of a group of market shoppers. Even with his...DM Luke (alias of Luke)2020-05-24T14:35:38ZRe: Forums: Play-by-Post: Luke's Crimson Throne Gameplay ThreadDM Luke (alias of Luke)https://paizo.com/campaigns/LukesCrimsonThroneCampaign/gameplay&page=88#43992020-05-16T00:40:43Z2020-05-15T23:19:26Z<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>Oh yes! And as an editorial, I don't think anyone has to (gets to?) save v the dirge. It's just a -2 to most d20 rolls. I've been deducting it from rolls where it was omitted to keep us straight.</span></p>Oh yes! And as an editorial, I don't think anyone has to (gets to?) save v the dirge. It's just a -2 to most d20 rolls. I've been deducting it from rolls where it was omitted to keep us straight.DM Luke (alias of Luke)2020-05-15T23:19:26ZRe: Forums: Play-by-Post: Luke's Crimson Throne Gameplay ThreadDM Luke (alias of Luke)https://paizo.com/campaigns/LukesCrimsonThroneCampaign/gameplay&page=87#43062020-04-20T01:30:08Z2020-04-20T01:23:52Z<p>For once, the party's worst fears are not confirmed as Kayleigh, Nebbin and Ishan expand their search of the abandoned shop. Piles of dry sticks and bug-ridden powder, broken crockery, the balance of the items all point to this abandoned building having been an herbalist's shop. There's nothing in the front room to recommend the place. The furniture that was abandoned here is all broken and worthless. A staircase winds along two walls and leads up to a second floor.</p>
<p>—-</p>
<p>A shadow crosses the half-orc's face when he realizes his suggestion hasn't hit home with the warrior-girl. It passes in a moment and is replaced by a frown of concentration. His low voice picks up the verse and the words of the mad poet flow again.</p>
<p><b>"... That checked, mid-vein, the circling race</b>
<br />
<b>Of life-blood in the sharpened face,</b>
<br />
<b>The coming of the snow-storm told.</b>
<br />
<b>The wind blew east; we heard the roar..."</b></p>
<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>... Emi must roll once more.</span></p>
<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>By my reading, this pattern can hold for the duration of his performance, with a roll being necessary once every 6 seconds until he succeeds or something changes. Based on the actions of the rest of the party, Emi and I are probably already behind the count. Any objections?</span></p>
<p>He casts a glance over Tassira's way as she thumbs through the volume she's picked up. For her own part, Tassira's quick glance back to the counter confirms that Emi has the Half-orc well occupied.</p>
<p>Upstairs, Regeris easily defeats the locked door. He eases it open without a sound to reveal a small room that's somehow both darker and more cluttered than the first. The shelves here are packed so close one has to turn sideways to fit between the rows. There's easily twice the number of books in this second room as there are in the outer.</p>
<p>[Spoiler omitted]</p>For once, the party's worst fears are not confirmed as Kayleigh, Nebbin and Ishan expand their search of the abandoned shop. Piles of dry sticks and bug-ridden powder, broken crockery, the balance of the items all point to this abandoned building having been an herbalist's shop. There's nothing in the front room to recommend the place. The furniture that was abandoned here is all broken and worthless. A staircase winds along two walls and leads up to a second floor.
---
A shadow crosses the...DM Luke (alias of Luke)2020-04-20T01:23:52ZRe: Forums: Play-by-Post: Luke's Crimson Throne Gameplay ThreadDM Luke (alias of Luke)https://paizo.com/campaigns/LukesCrimsonThroneCampaign/gameplay&page=84#41702020-03-09T23:14:52Z2020-03-09T23:04:36Z<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>Ok, I monkeyed with the initiative to represent everyone waiting for Kayleigh's action to resolve. The map is changed to represent Emi's step backward and I assume Tassira has used a move action to swap items with Kayleigh. Bear in mind the torch's effectiveness is limited to within 60' radius of Tassira and the dagger. If the torchlight reaches beyond the power of Daylight, it's dealing with any lingering Darkness effects by itself and gets overpowered.</span></p>
<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>Dark Stalkers 10</span>
<br />
<span class=messageboard-ooc>Dark Creepers 9</span>
<br />
<span class=messageboard-ooc>Kayleigh 6</span>
<br />
<span class=messageboard-ooc>Nebbin 6</span>
<br />
<span class=messageboard-ooc>Regeris 6</span>
<br />
<span class=messageboard-ooc>Tassira 6</span>
<br />
<span class=messageboard-ooc>Emileva 5</span></p>
<p>The magical whip dissolves as the full light of the torch advances to swallow it up. Kayleigh and Nebbin's march take them to the very apex of the bridge and in the dim reach of the torchlight they can make out an assortment of things among the rubble on the ground on the other side of the chasm. Bedrolls, sacks and coils of rope.</p>
<p>As they start to take another step forward the chasm below them is suddenly lit far, far below their feet by a yellow flash. A split-second later the boom comes up, accompanied by a gust of warm, dusty air.</p>
<p>Most of the enemy on the other side of the chasm is in flight. Kayleigh imagines their heels just beyond the reach of her little flame. One stirs among the bedrolls and things, its own enchantment broken. It looks about to flee as well.</p>
<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>Regeris has a full action and Tassira and Emi each have standard actions remaining in this round.</span></p>Ok, I monkeyed with the initiative to represent everyone waiting for Kayleigh's action to resolve. The map is changed to represent Emi's step backward and I assume Tassira has used a move action to swap items with Kayleigh. Bear in mind the torch's effectiveness is limited to within 60' radius of Tassira and the dagger. If the torchlight reaches beyond the power of Daylight, it's dealing with any lingering Darkness effects by itself and gets overpowered.
Dark Stalkers 10
Dark Creepers 9...DM Luke (alias of Luke)2020-03-09T23:04:36ZRe: Forums: Play-by-Post Discussion: Luke's Crimson Throne Campaign DiscussionDM Luke (alias of Luke)https://paizo.com/campaigns/LukesCrimsonThroneCampaign/discussion&page=23#11482020-01-05T00:15:16Z2020-01-04T20:57:03Z<p>Thanks guys. And Happy Holidays! My travels are complete, safe and sound. I hope everyone else had some down-time to recharge the batteries - I know I needed it badly. My fuse at work was getting super short.</p>
<p>I appreciate both your efforts in-thread, and also the helpful ideas and criticisms here. I've definitely tried my best to obscure and change the details of the plot to keep it interesting to write and read. And the hurtful truth is that some part of the plot frustration is intentional on my part, like an attempt to fill the experience gaps between encounters in the AP plot with many intersecting storylines. Stretched out over time like a pbp is, it's probably alot harder to track than I think. Mix in villains who I want you to think of as active threats, and who should be smart enough to cover their tracks when they have time to act cautiously... and here we are. For my part, I'm enjoying the hell out of this thread and have sideplots planned that stretch through to the end of the AP and beyond. At this rate that might be twenty years from now, but they're still fun to think through sometimes.</p>
<p>In the nearer term, you guys are right on the cusp of encounters on several plotlines, so scratching almost any itch is going to draw blood. And I have a fistful of time-triggered and sequenced events that are coming as well, so I think/hope we're about to have a long string of actions. Now if you guys go diplo-speaking your way out of perfectly good fights though, you can't blame me :)</p>
<p>There's another element to this time-framing thing that I guess I'm struggling with though. I think the sickness theme of this adventure, its stages of progression, etc have imposed in my mind a weird time cadence to the whole thing. </p>
<p>To whit: [Spoiler omitted] </p>
<p>Also, I think to some degree I'm probably role-playing a little bit <i>as</i> the plague, and the pain of the consequences of the plague - the frustrations of never starting at full strength and being scared for the fate of NPCs you've become invested in - are the only ways for the plague to hurt characters of your level. None of you will die from the plague unless Kayleigh <i>and</i> the victim have spectacularly long sequences of crappy rolls. But also, none of your stats or combat tricks help much to defeat it mano-a-mano. Its horror lies in its long-term effects on the nerves, mixed with an (un)healthy portion of body horror when you catch it and have to fight it off. It's kind-of like the BBG of the adventure (but not really), and like any other good villain, it has to be annoying and frustrating and frightening if you're going to feel good about defeating it.</p>
<p>So all that's to say that I probably won't turn down the heat on the plague too much, but I definitely feel your pain where plot confusion is concerned. I'll try to narrow the sandbox a little bit to give the story more momentum toward some conclusions.</p>
<p>I have all the most recent posts up-thread still to go through, and I've been thinking during my sabbatical (lol) about how to surface the plot threads in a way similar to how a 'Journal' features work in a CRPG. Nebbin's first posts over the break suggested someplace editable by you guys and I think that makes the most sense. I <i>think</i> I can add editable pages to the google site if that helps, but I'm also still brainstorming that part. I also compiled a list in my notes of possible next-step clues I remembered dropping. I'll cross-reference that with Keyleigh's new list up-thread and see if I can add anything.</p>
<p>Thanks again guys, for sticking with me this far. I'm positive that many of the best parts of our story are still in front of us!</p>Thanks guys. And Happy Holidays! My travels are complete, safe and sound. I hope everyone else had some down-time to recharge the batteries - I know I needed it badly. My fuse at work was getting super short.
I appreciate both your efforts in-thread, and also the helpful ideas and criticisms here. I've definitely tried my best to obscure and change the details of the plot to keep it interesting to write and read. And the hurtful truth is that some part of the plot frustration is intentional...DM Luke (alias of Luke)2020-01-04T20:57:03ZRe: Forums: Play-by-Post: Luke's Crimson Throne Gameplay ThreadDM Luke (alias of Luke)https://paizo.com/campaigns/LukesCrimsonThroneCampaign/gameplay&page=76#37912019-10-14T23:59:23Z2019-10-14T19:12:35Z<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>Your first visit to this building started <a href="https://paizo.com/campaigns/LukesCrimsonThroneCampaign/gameplay&page=28#1376" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">here</a>.</span></p>
<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>Your original encounter with the Shrine of Calistria itself starts <a href="https://paizo.com/campaigns/LukesCrimsonThroneCampaign/gameplay&page=30#1496" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">here</a></span></p>
<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>A new Profile sketch of the House of Silks is <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/lukescrimsonthrone/korvosa/old-korvosa/bridgefront/helvara-s" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">here</a>. You can click on the floors of the building to get floorplans where you've explored. Don't trust furniture placement on these maps yet, but the doors, rooms and stairs are in the right places. I'll throw some labels on the maps like "Darien's Room" shortly. And probably rotate(flip) the St Camina's & Shrine of Calistria maps to left-right align them with the sketch.</span></p>
<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>By the way, the <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/lukescrimsonthrone/contacts" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">contacts page</a> with the illustrations have links behind them that run NPC-keyed name searches against our game thread.Just click a face.</span></p>
<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>I'll get a post in asap. Just doing some re-reading myself... :)</span></p>Your first visit to this building started here.
Your original encounter with the Shrine of Calistria itself starts here
A new Profile sketch of the House of Silks is here. You can click on the floors of the building to get floorplans where you've explored. Don't trust furniture placement on these maps yet, but the doors, rooms and stairs are in the right places. I'll throw some labels on the maps like "Darien's Room" shortly. And probably rotate(flip) the St Camina's & Shrine of Calistria...DM Luke (alias of Luke)2019-10-14T19:12:35ZRe: Forums: Play-by-Post: Luke's Crimson Throne Gameplay ThreadDM Luke (alias of Luke)https://paizo.com/campaigns/LukesCrimsonThroneCampaign/gameplay&page=75#37232019-09-19T19:01:21Z2019-09-19T01:53:44Z<p>Carington's focus turns back to Kayleigh. Her piercing blue eyes lock onto the cleric's, probing for connections to the cards on the table. </p>
<p><b>"Yes, of the Blooded Rose, correct? A healer of physical and social ills. Our city is rife with both. I can think of no more appropriate place for the Everbloom to appear than on the streets of our poor, stricken home. The connection <i>is</i> there. I think this reading foretells a blessing on your struggle."</b></p>
<p>She nods to Felix and he reveals the last of the three columns.</p>
<p><b>"The Snakebite. The Unicorn. The Betrayal."</b> Her face again contorts into a twisted smile and she shakes her head.</p>
<p><b>"This deck is over-proud of its power. It plays games with us."</b></p>
<p><b>"The Snakebite is misaligned. This can be a powerful card for evil, but good to an equal degree when appearing thus. It foretells a gift, a discovery, or a revelation. It foretells complimentary solutions, where solving one puzzle may offer a revelation necessary to solve another. Such an epiphany is predicted by this reading."</b></p>
<p><b>"Let me skip to the other pole, the Betrayal. Again a profoundly evil card, and this time aligned to reinforce its obvious meaning. That reading is of evil that hides behind beauty. Equally it may foretell self-betrayal, where your own best intentions are subverted by jealousy or pride. In this spread, I believe it warns against both."</b></p>
<p><b>"Lastly, the Unicorn. And this is what I mean when I accuse this deck of its own pride. The Unicorn sits in a neutral place in the spread, offering either an aligned or misaligned reading. Aligned, it carries the same reading as the misaligned Snakebite. Misaligned, it carries the same reading as the aligned Betrayal. It sits in the center of the column like a glass mirrored on both sides. Its ambiguity offers nothing to the reading except to reinforce its neighbors, whether you read it as an aligned or misaligned card."</b></p>
<p>She looks up from the cards spread before you, eyes darting from one face to another. </p>
<p><b>"If you have questions, you should ask them. The Harrow often holds hidden meanings that reveal themselves as events unfold."</b></p>
<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>Your Harrow points are reset to 4 each. Any unused points from the first reading are lost. They may be used to re-roll Fortitude, stabilization or any other Constitution-based checks. Alternately, you may spend one point per encounter to gain DR 3/- for that encounter. Lastly, after any encounter you may spend a point and a minute of concentration to regain a number of HP equal to your level AND 1 point of ability damage.</span></p>
<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>The cards you drew in the choosing also bind blessings to each of you for specific encounters in this chapter. I'll let you know what those are and when they kick-in when those encounters start.</span></p>Carington's focus turns back to Kayleigh. Her piercing blue eyes lock onto the cleric's, probing for connections to the cards on the table.
"Yes, of the Blooded Rose, correct? A healer of physical and social ills. Our city is rife with both. I can think of no more appropriate place for the Everbloom to appear than on the streets of our poor, stricken home. The connection is there. I think this reading foretells a blessing on your struggle."
She nods to Felix and he reveals the last of the...DM Luke (alias of Luke)2019-09-19T01:53:44ZRe: Forums: Play-by-Post: Luke's Crimson Throne Gameplay ThreadDM Luke (alias of Luke)https://paizo.com/campaigns/LukesCrimsonThroneCampaign/gameplay&page=75#37152019-09-15T17:23:40Z2019-09-15T17:09:53Z<p><b>"Yes, that's exactly right,"</b> she says, turning to Kayleigh. <b>"I'm a kind of medium. I'm very attuned to the spirit world when I dream and my dreams over the last week have been more troubled than usual."</b></p>
<p><b>"Not just because of this spirit... Zellara is her name... but by other powers as well. There's a stirring in the spirit realms, where they flow through the streets and the people of our city. Zellara's spirit is powerful, but the power of her family's Harrow is the greater power and she wields it in the spirit realm like a lamp against the dark, demanding attention."</b></p>
<p><b>"She told me of you and the harrow you carry. And something of your first reading, and the reason she sought you out. And I've agreed to channel her for this reading. Her spirit is here, in the room now. Her power guides the reading."</b></p>
<p>She turns her gaze down to the spread on the table before you. Felix has laid out a field of nine cards, face down on the table. The smoke of incense hangs low in the room and its intensity threatens to overwhelm your breathing and make your eyes swim.</p>
<p>With trembling fingers, the halfling flips over the left-most column of cards.</p>
<p>Carington names them as they are revealed.</p>
<p><b>"The Twin. The Peacock. The Dance."</b></p>
<p>She stares at them for a long moment before she speaks. When she does, her eyes roam from face to face, including all of you in the collective reading.</p>
<p><b>"The Twin is a duplicitous card. In a more aligned position I would worry that some malevolent power trifles with the reading, that the entire meaning will be flipped. But here I don't feel that threat. Placed here, the card's meaning is more literal and less profound. The divided loyalties of your allies are increasingly in your past. Read literally, the card is benevolent and speaks well of your friends, or possibly of your friendship with one another."</b></p>
<p><b>"The Peacock represents a time of revelation. Sometimes of personal transformation. Here it is aligned and speaks very strongly of the organization of the reading - like a rebuke of the Twin who preceded it. The Peacock sat at the center of your first reading by this deck. Its anchor in the center as time slides by very strongly connects this reading to the last."</b> She smiles and nods at you.</p>
<p><b>"That's good. It's a sign of the power of these cards that the readings retain such coherence across time. You must guard this deck, for I think its power and connection to your fates will not be exhausted by this reading."</b></p>
<p>She turns back to the revealed cards.</p>
<p><b>"Literally, the Peacock's presence in the past may act as a warning to you that the time of revealing your powers may be passing. You may be entering a time when acting from the shadows is more advisable."</b></p>
<p><b>"The Dance is a very powerful card that has been evilly placed. It implies coordination among your enemies. While its placement in the past may be seen in a positive light, it may also be said that past plans come to present fruit. I fear this card in that it speaks to the sophistication of the forces who oppose you. Let us hope that the other cards of the spread give more specific warnings."</b></p>
<p><b>"Shall we proceed?"</b></p>"Yes, that's exactly right," she says, turning to Kayleigh. "I'm a kind of medium. I'm very attuned to the spirit world when I dream and my dreams over the last week have been more troubled than usual."
"Not just because of this spirit... Zellara is her name... but by other powers as well. There's a stirring in the spirit realms, where they flow through the streets and the people of our city. Zellara's spirit is powerful, but the power of her family's Harrow is the greater power and she...DM Luke (alias of Luke)2019-09-15T17:09:53ZRe: Forums: Play-by-Post: Luke's Crimson Throne Gameplay ThreadDM Luke (alias of Luke)https://paizo.com/campaigns/LukesCrimsonThroneCampaign/gameplay&page=74#36732020-05-06T04:16:36Z2019-09-01T19:52:42Z<p><b>—————————————————————————————-</b>
<br />
<b> Temple of Aroden - Tassira</b>
<br />
<b>—————————————————————————————-</b></p>
<p>That feeling of helplessness follows Tassira into the dream world. As exhausting as the days have been, the mind cannot settle even in sleep. The mage's dreaming brain cascades from one confusing scene to another without any of it sticking to memory. </p>
<p>Finally the chaos ends in a warm place, between silken sheets, next to Helvara in her low-ceilinged cabin in the belly of the <i>House of Clouds</i>. The air is heavy with incense and subtly pulsing to other rythms in the ship. Helvara crawls over to her, letting the cover slip and covering Tassira with herself for a time. The dream wallows in seductive warmth.</p>
<p>A cry from somewhere else in the floating brothel brings her twice-dreaming mind back to alternate reality, and she's shocked to now find herself surrounded by other couples in every variety, filling Helvara's little cabin and spilling into the dark walkway beyond her open door. The woman next to her is bound, as is the man. Their bonds are white ropes. Entwined strands of sticky string stretching up into the shadows beyond her sight. </p>
<p>To her other side a man cries out in ecstasy, but when she tries to turn her head to see him her eyes are caught by Helvara's huge, beautiful, hungry eyes. They kiss feverishly, but before Tassira knows what has happened, Helvara's insistence takes on an aggression that frightens the young mage. She pushes back and is pierced by a wave of pure frightened shock. </p>
<p>The lines of the madame's jaw and forehead darken under her skin. Her face bulges with sickening motion and her fair, perfect complexion begins to stretch and tear. With a screech, her face stretches into a deformity as mandibles erupt from her jaw and spiked bony protrusions come bursting out of her shoulders and back. Tassira tries to scream, but no sound will come. She tries to fight back but her own limbs are bound in the same stickiness. Other people in the room are screaming too but the sound is muted and distorted in the mage's ear. She looks around desperately, and finds that they are all struggling in a vast web of strands that fill the whole cabin.</p>
<p>With another shock her dream mind is suddenly refocused on her lover and the monster she's become. Alternate legs protruding from her sides support the weight of her twisted body. Her naked human legs crouch piteously beneath. There's a terrible stinger that protrudes wickedly, poison trailing thick to a brown stain on the bed. It poises to strike.</p>
<p>Tassira tries again to scream, and again there's no sound. In a blink she's watching the scene from a third perspective, her mind's eye is backing away from the scene. Framed with a white border. The terror on her own face is etched there, frozen in the moment. The bodies of the other lovers hang around her in the web like marionettes dangling from strings. The monster's lethal rage is captured in the art. A warm female voice floods her awareness, drowning out the faint whisper of her own screaming. The thick varisian accent is one the mage recognizes.</p>
<p>Zellara, the dead fortune teller. The scene of her prior dream is captured on a card that she holds in her hand.</p>
<p><b>"Your enemies act off-stage to defeat you. They act behind veils that your sight cannot yet pierce."</b></p>
<p>Her face comes floating toward the mage, faster and faster. The mouth stretches in a scream.</p>
<p><b>"Bring the Deck!!"</b> it screeches. </p>
<p>Tassira turns her face and feels the impact on her cheekbone and jaw, a solid, painful blow.</p>
<p>She wakes up on the cold stone floor of her priest's cell in the Temple of Aroden. She tangled in her sheet and she's fallen out of bed. Somewhere in the dark temple, a girl or woman is screaming.</p>
<p><b>—————————————————————————————-</b>
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<b> Temple of Aroden - Emileva</b>
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<b>—————————————————————————————-</b></p>
<p>Like her friend in the next cell, Emi is plagued by chaotic, foul dreams. The sickness that invaded her body twists itself through the folds of her psyche and stains the scenes made by her sleeping brain. In every encounter she's troubled and self-conscious of her appearance. The cream Tassira bought at Lavender's is not working. Her skin is getting worse and each scene in her dream is nagged by worry that Vencarlo will swoop in and see her in her hideous state. No one will treat her seriously. People cut her a wide berth in the street. As her rage builds she turns to threats, but the people she meets just laugh at her diseased impotence. Her withered arm can barely grip her heavy blade well enough to draw it.</p>
<p>She finds herself hiding in her room, gazing at her own reflection in the polished embossment of her sheild. Her wandering gaze settles again on her atrophied limb and she sudders in disgust at herself. A terrible boil on her forearm is black from infection and she lances it angrily. Kayleigh and Tassira would be horrified to see it, but she finds herself unable to bear the sight of it for another moment.</p>
<p>The wound burns and her blackened blood drips hissing onto the floor. Probing with the lance she finds the burning shifts into an intense itching. She digs to get at the mad itch, stripping away skin and flesh to reach it. At her feet, the pieces of rotted flesh melt into the form of tiny spiders that go skittering off into the corners of the room as they form.</p>
<p>Emi wakes with a start, brushing reflexively at her skin to shake off things that aren't really there. Her joints ache where her dream self dug at her own flesh. Afterwards she finds it very hard to get back into her bed, much less back to sleep.</p>
<p>She's dosing in a half dream state when the real screaming starts.</p>
<p><b>—————————————————————————————-</b>
<br />
<b> Temple of Aroden - Kayleigh</b>
<br />
<b>—————————————————————————————-</b></p>
<p>Kayleigh sits up and checks frequently on the old priest, sitting with him occasionally when he's awake. Kayleigh's never seen him look this old, and though she's confdent he'll recover, she has no doubt this disease will kill him if he catches it and he's left untreated for more than a couple nights. When she thinks of how many people in the city are in this state of health, and how contagious this disease seems to be, a cold thread of fear shoots down her back and settles like a stone in her stomach.</p>
<p>She's sitting there next to his bed in the small hours of the morning when her quick ear picks up the sound of a door opening. Kayleigh gets up to check on it. She wanders into the hallway and looks around. The only light is a meager candle she left burning at the dining table, around the corner. Nothing moves in the dark hall, but as she rounds the corner to reclaim the candle she's frightened out of her nightclothes by a piercing scream coming from the room where the younger orphans sleep. Before a second passes the one scream is joined by two or more others. She glances at the door to that room and sees that it's ajar.</p>
<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>Regeris and Nebbin have manly, non-spidery dreams and sleep soundly until they're woken by the kid's screams.</span></p>
<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>@Nebbin, Recovering some stuff from a prior post and adding to, these are some avenues that were suggested at some point. There are probably others :)</span></p>
<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>Check out Madame Carington Oneiromancy. </span>
<br />
<span class=messageboard-ooc>Help Helvara cleanse her haunted basement.</span>
<br />
<span class=messageboard-ooc>Question/examine Tiora. </span>
<br />
<span class=messageboard-ooc>Think about relocating.</span>
<br />
<span class=messageboard-ooc>Investigate Lavender's claim</span>
<br />
<span class=messageboard-ooc>Try to muster support for a raid on the Artist's Overground</span></p>-----------------------------------------------------------
Temple of Aroden - Tassira
-----------------------------------------------------------
That feeling of helplessness follows Tassira into the dream world. As exhausting as the days have been, the mind cannot settle even in sleep. The mage's dreaming brain cascades from one confusing scene to another without any of it sticking to memory.
Finally the chaos ends in a warm place, between silken sheets, next to Helvara in her...DM Luke (alias of Luke)2019-09-01T19:52:42ZRe: Forums: Play-by-Post: Luke's Crimson Throne Gameplay ThreadDM Luke (alias of Luke)https://paizo.com/campaigns/LukesCrimsonThroneCampaign/gameplay&page=72#35642019-07-23T19:50:11Z2019-07-22T20:50:43Z<p><b>———————————————————————————-</b>
<br />
<b>Theumanexus</b>
<br />
<b>———————————————————————————-</b></p>
<p><b>"You know,"</b> Tandi replies to Tassira's question. <b>"Library stuff. There's always work to do here, keeping the stacks organized and supporting the professors and their research."</b></p>
<p><b>"Boring stuff, I suppose,"</b> she says as she looks all the way up at Nebbin, then runs her eyes across Emi and her weapons. <b>"East shore is as quiet as always. The city's troubles seem to have a hard time making their way over the river to us."</b></p>
<p><b>"Anyway, I didn't understand that there was so much danger or urgency surrounding the ledger. Sure I'll sit down and start transposing it here and now. There's no place for concentration like a library, right?"</b></p>
<p><b>"You guys get comfortable. This is going to take a little while."</b></p>
<p>With that, Tandi pulls together some blank parchment, ink and a quill and starts building a cipher for the book. After a little more than an hour she looks up from her work, sucking her teeth.</p>
<p><b>"Not really so clever as I thought. A little disappointing to tell the truth. It's not so much that the work is double encoded or anything, but that the notes the author's taken here are in broken Varisian. I'm not entirely sure the author had a great command of the written word - half of translating this journal is working around misspellings. And there are several entries where I guess maybe they made ciphering mistakes, because whole entries come out as nonsense."</b></p>
<p>She gets a drink of water, offers each of you the same, then sits down and dives back into the work. She hands over pages as she finishes them, so you see the ledger take shape in slow motion.</p>
<p>The front of the book is the transactional register of a petty gang lord. The dates go back years and the crimes are mostly small potatoes. The value of items are carefully tracked next to the names of the (presumed) orphans who nicked them. There are some notable exceptions - records of beatings and even killings along with the names of the perpetrators. And then suddenly there's an appallingly long list of names attributed alternately to 'Rolth' or 'my boy'.</p>
<p><b>"These names... are the names of some of the Keylock Killer's victims!"</b> She looks up at you all, her large eyes widened further in shock. <b>"Is this for real? You caught the Keylock Killer?"</b></p>
<p>She dives back into the latter parts of the ledger, which is written more like a journal. As she hands the pages over you start to get a sense of where Old Gaedran plugged into the wider tapestry of Korvosa's criminal underground. He sold shiver and flayleaf. He ran protection rackets. He moved illegal poisons and provided a safe house for criminals in hiding. Much of it he did at the behest of the Cerulean Society - a much rumored city guild for all things shady. He also tithed alot of his ill gotten funds back to the society, and wrote some very colorful passages about the Arkona family and their dirty hands.</p>
<p>By the time Tandi has finished with her work the sun has set over the city and the darkened library is deserted of everyone but yourselves.</p>
<p><b>"I'd guess the guard would like to see this,"</b> she says. <b>"There's enough here to lead the author to the gallows for sure. And the Keylock Killer's name is right here - Rolth."</b></p>
<p>She looks over at Tassira with a smile.</p>
<p><b>"I bet Master Leroung would be proud to know one of his students solved such a trove of crimes."</b></p>-------------------------------------------------------
Theumanexus
-------------------------------------------------------
"You know," Tandi replies to Tassira's question. "Library stuff. There's always work to do here, keeping the stacks organized and supporting the professors and their research."
"Boring stuff, I suppose," she says as she looks all the way up at Nebbin, then runs her eyes across Emi and her weapons. "East shore is as quiet as always. The city's troubles seem to have a...DM Luke (alias of Luke)2019-07-22T20:50:43ZRe: Forums: Play-by-Post Discussion: Luke's Crimson Throne Campaign DiscussionDM Luke (alias of Luke)https://paizo.com/campaigns/LukesCrimsonThroneCampaign/discussion&page=22#10522019-07-12T02:30:50Z2019-07-12T00:50:42Z<p>Cool. It's that vacation time of year - I just got back from the mountains myself. And I'll also be traveling for business (Wisconsin) next week, but I should be able to take the game with me.</p>
<p>On the subject of your last visit - yes it was the Trinia chase. You staked out the north entrance of the northernmost building (Perrin's Perch). In retrospect you now realize that it was Barvasi who came out and made the snide comment about rain coming. Emi and Regeris pretended to be involved with one another. Ordered a drink in the bar on the first floor, went upstairs and bumped into Barvasi leaving on the second floor, then went up to the third floor. Pilts and company came through the third floor bar (The World's Stage) while they staked things out there. When everyone got spooked, Regeris and Emi realized one of the fleeing patrons was likely Trinia and Regeris tailed her across the flat roof (the stage) of the middle building, over the eaves of neighboring buildings, and eventually to the end of a path through the Shingles where he witnessed her capture by the Grey Maidens.</p>
<p>That long sequence begins <a href="https://paizo.com/campaigns/LukesCrimsonThroneCampaign/gameplay&page=39#1914" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">here</a>.</p>Cool. It's that vacation time of year - I just got back from the mountains myself. And I'll also be traveling for business (Wisconsin) next week, but I should be able to take the game with me.
On the subject of your last visit - yes it was the Trinia chase. You staked out the north entrance of the northernmost building (Perrin's Perch). In retrospect you now realize that it was Barvasi who came out and made the snide comment about rain coming. Emi and Regeris pretended to be involved with...DM Luke (alias of Luke)2019-07-12T00:50:42ZRe: Forums: Play-by-Post: Luke's Crimson Throne Gameplay ThreadDM Luke (alias of Luke)https://paizo.com/campaigns/LukesCrimsonThroneCampaign/gameplay&page=61#30212019-02-02T03:27:02Z2019-02-02T01:12:48Z<p>The shadows thrown by moving webs and crawling bodies play nightmarish strange, cast on the bulkhead of the old Eel. A memory swims up from the recesses of Nebbin's mind. The motherly voice - ghostly voice of Zelara, the Harrower who told his fortune on the day he met his new friends.</p>
<p>The card he chose was the dancer, and the whole thing does suddenly seem like some kind of dance of the macabre. Spiders crawl over everything down here, small and large. The dancer lives down here too, somewhere. And Nebbin's certainty crystalyizes on the belief that he's here to end the dance.</p>
<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>+2 to all Dex-based checks and +1 extra dodge bonus to AC for Nebbin for this encounter.</span></p>The shadows thrown by moving webs and crawling bodies play nightmarish strange, cast on the bulkhead of the old Eel. A memory swims up from the recesses of Nebbin's mind. The motherly voice - ghostly voice of Zelara, the Harrower who told his fortune on the day he met his new friends.
The card he chose was the dancer, and the whole thing does suddenly seem like some kind of dance of the macabre. Spiders crawl over everything down here, small and large. The dancer lives down here too,...DM Luke (alias of Luke)2019-02-02T01:12:48ZRe: Forums: Play-by-Post: Luke's Crimson Throne Gameplay ThreadDM Luke (alias of Luke)https://paizo.com/campaigns/LukesCrimsonThroneCampaign/gameplay&page=59#29112019-01-06T14:28:29Z2019-01-06T13:45:59Z<p><b>"Oh! Are you dealing with him for the Amprei letters? He came to me today about them and I handed them over to him. He said my monthly dock fee would be covered for the next three months. But if you're coming to blows with him and Eel's End is destroyed in the process..."</b></p>
<p>She sits back with a sigh and look of concentration.</p>
<p><b>"You should have brought your inquiry to me first. I would have given you the letters for a kiss. Now you <i>have</i> to deal with Devargo to get them."</b></p>
<p><b>"So, you're right not to trust him at all. He's disappeared so many of his enemies - they go into the Eel, but they do not come out. And he produces real shiver. He doesn't import it - that implies he's got a clutch of dream spiders somewhere, right? The way he controls spiders, I guess that makes sense. But I've never been below decks on the Eel and I never intend to be. I expect he'll have allies aboard, especially if he means to double-cross you."</b></p>
<p><b>"I've heard he likes to fight with his hands. He's not known as a wielder of the arcane - beyond the uncanny control of bugs. He's strong, but not like your big friend. He's tricky, and confronting him on his own grounds is going to give him alot of advantages."</b></p>
<p><b>"His dark friend is never far from his side these days, though it wasn't always true. His name is Jax, and I think he may run a gang of his own somewhere in Bridgefront. That medallion he wears around his neck has a carving on it of a dead spider, curled up on its back. I couldn't work that one out, and he called me out for staring at it and hid it away at the time."</b></p>
<p><b>"If they worship spiders, why is the spider dead?"</b></p>
<p>She pauses again, scouring her mind for other things that might help.</p>
<p><b>"Oh, and there's one more guy - Jeffron's his name. He stays below decks and really only seems to come out when he wants to see Alessa, one of my girls. He doesn't seem overly cruel or evil - if he did he wouldn't be seeing Alessa - but she says he always smells strange. I think maybe he cooks the drug."</b></p>
<p>She holds her hands upturned, a look of worry on her face. <b>"I don't know what else to tell you, but I'm worried about tonight. Ships burn way easier than playhouses, and all of our ships are lashed to the same pier. I don't love the House of Clouds - I just bought it to lash to Eel's End and replace the last floating brothel that Devargo saw fit to cut loose. But I don't want to see it go up in flames, and I don't want my people hurt. Or my clients for that matter."</b></p>"Oh! Are you dealing with him for the Amprei letters? He came to me today about them and I handed them over to him. He said my monthly dock fee would be covered for the next three months. But if you're coming to blows with him and Eel's End is destroyed in the process..."
She sits back with a sigh and look of concentration.
"You should have brought your inquiry to me first. I would have given you the letters for a kiss. Now you have to deal with Devargo to get them."
"So, you're right not...DM Luke (alias of Luke)2019-01-06T13:45:59ZRe: Forums: Play-by-Post: Luke's Crimson Throne Gameplay ThreadDM Luke (alias of Luke)https://paizo.com/campaigns/LukesCrimsonThroneCampaign/gameplay&page=57#28372018-12-22T00:02:42Z2018-12-21T23:38:39Z<p><b>"Hmmph! The dirt I have on Amprei will have him eating out of your hand. 1,000 gold crowns is a bargain to own a man of such influence in Egorian. I don't even mind telling you <i>what</i> I have. It's the proof that's the pricetag, and I do not have that on me."</b></p>
<p><b>"The truth is, Amprei is married to one of the older second cousins of the queen herself. She's said to be the worst combination of shrewish and jealous. And Amprei has a thing for one of the girls in the House of Clouds. He's written some letters... unfortunate soul."</b></p>
<p><b>"If you have those letters, and you know your business, you should own him."</b></p>
<p><b>"Return here tonight with the money and I'll have the letters. That's fair business, take it or leave it."</b></p>"Hmmph! The dirt I have on Amprei will have him eating out of your hand. 1,000 gold crowns is a bargain to own a man of such influence in Egorian. I don't even mind telling you what I have. It's the proof that's the pricetag, and I do not have that on me."
"The truth is, Amprei is married to one of the older second cousins of the queen herself. She's said to be the worst combination of shrewish and jealous. And Amprei has a thing for one of the girls in the House of Clouds. He's written some...DM Luke (alias of Luke)2018-12-21T23:38:39ZRe: Forums: Play-by-Post: Luke's Crimson Throne Gameplay ThreadDM Luke (alias of Luke)https://paizo.com/campaigns/LukesCrimsonThroneCampaign/gameplay&page=56#27532018-12-07T14:50:52Z2018-12-07T01:50:43Z<p>The group descends the hill, traverses the Guard Tower gate, picks a Narrows bridge into Bridgefront, turns right on Wave Street and passes right by the crime scene of the other day and the Temple of Aroden on their way to Eels' End. </p>
<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>A pit-stop at the temple lets you be arrayed however you wish for this scene. Plus Emi needed to collect her funds.</span></p>
<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>A map of Eel's End can be found <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/lukescrimsonthrone/korvosa/old-korvosa/eels-end" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">here</a>. Here's a <a href="https://paizo.com/campaigns/LukesCrimsonThroneCampaign/gameplay&page=23#1123" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">link</a> to your prior engagement with Eel's End, in case you want to refamiliarize yourself with your first foray to the place.</span></p>
<p>Though it's only the early afternoon when you get there, Eel's End is quite busy. The main pier is half-crowded with people mingling and dancing to Varisian strains, paying no heed at all to the dull rumble of thunder in the south. Gangways lead to the Golden Hawk (which you have not visited), and the <a href="https://paizo.com/campaigns/LukesCrimsonThroneCampaign/gameplay&page=25#1236" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Tiger's Tail</a> gambling hall.</p>
<p>A further gangway from the Golden Hawk leads to the <a href="https://paizo.com/campaigns/LukesCrimsonThroneCampaign/gameplay&page=27#1310" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">House of Clouds</a> - Helvara's Brothel. From there, another gangway leads over to the waist of the Eel's End.</p>
<p>Similarly, a further gangway from the Tiger's Tail leads to the <a href="https://paizo.com/campaigns/LukesCrimsonThroneCampaign/gameplay&page=26#1278" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Dragon's Breath</a>. From the pothouse another gangway leads to the Eel's End on her opposite side.</p>
<p>A quick glance along the lines shows several guards milling about the crowd, suppressing the merriment from boiling over into anything that might provoke a passing guard. There's a least five in evidence as the party approaches the end of the pier and starts to make its way through the press.</p>The group descends the hill, traverses the Guard Tower gate, picks a Narrows bridge into Bridgefront, turns right on Wave Street and passes right by the crime scene of the other day and the Temple of Aroden on their way to Eels' End.
A pit-stop at the temple lets you be arrayed however you wish for this scene. Plus Emi needed to collect her funds.
A map of Eel's End can be found here. Here's a link to your prior engagement with Eel's End, in case you want to refamiliarize yourself with your...DM Luke (alias of Luke)2018-12-07T01:50:43ZRe: Forums: Play-by-Post: Luke's Crimson Throne Gameplay ThreadDM Luke (alias of Luke)https://paizo.com/campaigns/LukesCrimsonThroneCampaign/gameplay&page=55#27402018-12-03T00:50:39Z2018-12-02T18:05:36Z<p><span class=messageboard-bigger><b>Gozran 27</b></span></p>
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<b>Vantyev Estate </b>
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<p>Kayleigh rises with the sun, though she wouldn't know it to look out her window. Rain falls unevenly, pattering the dark pane as she makes her prayers and gathers her powers for the day. Concentration is a chore in her current state, with a pounding headache, a maddening itch, and a needling sense of self-loathing at her own worsening blisters. Her disease has advanced over night and it's really only her prayers that allow her to function. </p>
<p>Kneeling at Lady Vantyev's fever-wracked bedside, Kayleigh pushes herself through the prayer to its rightful end and feels the release of the goddess's power channeling through her. Without examining the lady of the house she knows she's purged the disease. Kayleigh whispers thanks and refocuses her next prayer upon herself. Again, the healing power of Milani channels into her, burning the disease from her limbs in a flash of heat and pressure, and leaving the priestess exhausted. She throws open the chamber windows while the rain outside has paused, letting the cool, sea-scented wind into the room. As it blows through her hair and stirs the curtains of Lady Vantyev's bed she can feel the malevolent presence of the disease dissolve from the room.</p>
<p>She moves on to Nebbin's treatment, and is joined by Tassira who's very relieved to see Kayleigh upright and the correct color. Nebbin's rash has spread to cover his entire frame and his fever is sky high. Kayleigh reaches out again with a prayer of Remove Disease, but this time she fails to burn it away. She musters her strength and tries again, but comes to the same result.</p>
<p>Kayleigh spends the rest of her prayers restoring vitality to all three of the stricken. With her strength mostly restored she redoubles her efforts managing her remaining patients. Lady Vantyev sleeps fitfully despite no longer being infected by the disease. She seems tormented by dreams, and while Kayleigh wants to wake and reassure her, she's afraid that a waking Lady Vantyev will crave.</p>
<p>A knock at the door interrupts her treatment.</p>
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<b>Temple of Aroden </b>
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<p>Once the priests of Aroden come to understand the threat of the infectious pestilence, they lead a check of all the children for symptoms of rash or cough. Regeris helps evaluate the boys, Emileva the girls, before they wrap themselves in cloaks and dive out into the elements to touch base with the folks in quarantine and to pick up provisions for the temple. Their journey across the city is eave-to-eave, jumping over flowing street gutter torrents and dashing through spots where the rainfall comes through the overlapping coverage of the clustered buildings. The rain has mostly stopped as they emerge from the Guard tower and start their way up the hill toward the Vantyev estate and across more open streets.</p>
<p>Rejoined again at the estate, everyone's encouraged by Kayleigh's successes of the morning. The party cross references their findings - the one divulging the notes from the journals, the other the state of the city. After they've had a chance to make counsel, Regeris and Emileva take advantage of another gap in the rain to make their way back across town to the temple.</p>
<p>A quick detour leads the two of them to the Reefclaw Run Market, where rain and sickness have dampened but not extinguished business. Goods are clustered under cover wherever possible and the crowd picks their way among the muddy paths as best they might. Regeris is able to secure some produce for dinner without too much peril to his boots. Of course the sickness is a common subject to all the small talk in the square. Every cleared throat and half-cough draws staring eyes from faces covered by veils and bandanas. At a fishmonger's stall there's an active argument about the rumored plague ship that the city guard sank in the river. </p>
<p>Two other people picking through potatoes pass the time railing against the bankers of Abadar for continuing to sell their services at such a time, profiting from the grief of the city, and excluding the poor from the benefit of their care. It's their own just deserts if the rumors are half-true and the bankers themselves have been hit particularly hard by the disease. Regeris's ears prick up to that rumor but there doesn't seem to be anything more to it.</p>
<p>The two finish their shopping and hurry back to the shelter of the temple. When they get there, they find Tiora drying herself out in front of a fire in the kitchen. She moves over to make space for two more, and spends her time before bed asking Regeris teasing questions about his past and his conversion to Milani's worship.</p>
<p><span class=messageboard-bigger><b>Gozran 28</b></span></p>
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<b>Vantyev Estate </b>
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<p>The following day dawns overcast again but the rain holds off. Refreshed by a deep sleep without fever or itch, Kayleigh pours renewed strength into her prayers and feels ready to burst with healing energy as she walks into Nebbin's room. The big warrior has degraded in condition to the point that she was the morning before. He's completely unconscious as Kayleigh completes the prayer that purges the menace from his blood.</p>
<p>When Lorne hears that the house is finally free of the infestation he calls in other members of the house staff to carefully remove the bedclothes where they can be burnt and sets the staff to cleansing the rooms. When Kayleigh and Tassira find Lady Vantyev she is sitting at her small table in front of the window, looking out at the gloomy morning. She wears a bathrobe, and in her shaking fingers she holds an empty shiver vial. She looks up at the two younger women as they walk into her room and smiles thinly at them. She offers them the vial with shaking fingers.</p>
<p><b>"Don't worry,"</b> she says quietly, <b>"it was empty."</b></p>
<p>She draws a shuddering breath and stares back out the window. When Kayleigh comes up behind her and places her hands on the woman's shoulders, she tenses. As the prayer completes, Milani's power is unleashed in a flare that burns away the disease of addiction. Lady Vantyev lets out a long, measured exhale.</p>
<p>Downstairs there's a knock on the door.</p>
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<b>Temple of Aroden </b>
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<p>The morning is just as overcast and gloomy across town at the Temple of Aroden. It begins, surprisingly enough well before dawn with a tapping at the door. Only Garlan is up early enough to have seen the visitor, so by the time Regeris and Emi are up there's simply a letter waiting for them. The letter is not addressed. Within you find a single sheet of paper containing a short and cryptic invitation to a council, at your convenience, at the Cathedral of Pharasma. The letter is signed by Keppira D'Bear.</p>
<p><b>"I had it from a Pharasmin's hand, who came up here under cover of dark to deliver it,"</b> Garlan says, as you look over the letter.</p>
<p>Outside the persistant cloud cover has prevented any of yesterday's rain from evaporating, and the falling dews of the morning have the gutters running again. There are people in the street whose cries infuse a new current of fear through the crowd. Beggars, asking not for alms, but for succor from the fever running through the streets. The desperation of Bridgefront maginifies all sorrows, and a subsequent stroll through the avenues of the Heights does much to settle the nerves of the pair, but the some of the scenes in the alleys of Bridgefront this morning underscore for them the gravity of the crisis in the slum. The trip across the city is grim and silent.</p>
<p>Sometime in the mid morning of Gozran the 28th, the party is finally reunited and healthy again. Tassira has sent a messenger to inform her father that the disease has been driven out of his wife and his home. Fearing any further entanglement with her family at this moment, she urges her friends through the process of restowing their things and making to leave.</p>
<p>As the party puts their backs to the Vantyev family home, Tassira looks down at the small object in her hand. She's not seen that spider logo before it showed up all over these little vials in her mother's possession, but there's a spider that haunts her dreams, and her intuition tells her a connection exists there somewhere. She closes her hand back over the little clue, and breathes a little inward sigh of relief that it's empty.</p>
<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>That brings us up to the point I wanted to get to. The floor belongs to the group.</span></p>Gozran 27
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Vantyev Estate
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Kayleigh rises with the sun, though she wouldn't know it to look out her window. Rain falls unevenly, pattering the dark pane as she makes her prayers and gathers her powers for the day. Concentration is a chore in her current state, with a pounding headache, a maddening itch, and a needling sense of self-loathing at her own worsening blisters. Her disease has...DM Luke (alias of Luke)2018-12-02T18:05:36ZRe: Forums: Play-by-Post: Luke's Crimson Throne Gameplay ThreadDM Luke (alias of Luke)https://paizo.com/campaigns/LukesCrimsonThroneCampaign/gameplay&page=55#27392018-12-03T00:40:33Z2018-12-02T05:30:20Z<p><span class=messageboard-bigger><b>Gozran 25</b></span></p>
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<b>Temple of Aroden / Streets of Old Korvosa</b>
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<p>Emileva, Regeris and Tiora discuss the priorities and lack of contact with the rest of the group and resolve to kill two birds with one stone by going first to the tavern that Regeris discovered the previous day, then continuing on to the Vantyev family home to restore contact with their friends. Tiora straps on the blades and armor Emi gave her, along with a hooded cloak from the temple stores that effectively obscures her identity as much as possible.</p>
<p>The streets of Bridgefront are filled with people as the group makes its way down Wave street. A couple of blocks along their way they come upon an all too familiar scene. </p>
<p>The Pharasmin's Wain stands on the right shoulder of the street. A pair of guards in their red chequer cloaks mill about outside of a multi-story tenement building, keeping an eye on the crowd as they pass by the scene of a guard's investigation. One of them catches Emi's eye as she walks past and hails her. </p>
<p>The guards are from the Old Dock garrison and they remember Emi from the take down of the cannibalistic butcher shop, and the subsequent help the party gave in re-establishing their own garrison. They tell the party of commander's Grau's mission to extend the umbrella of the law's protection into the Bridgefront district, to seek out guard members from the old garrison, and to reorganize the guard's presence in Bridgefront, the largest district in Old Korvosa.</p>
<p>As Emi and Regeris stand there talking, bodies start to come out of the building borne by guardsmen and Pharasmin priests. There's twelve of them in all. Young men - street toughs - all of them taken apart by violence and magic. Many of the corpses bear the blows of a heavy blade. Some are burned. Three are so covered in spider webs that it's difficult to tell what violence laid them low.</p>
<p>As the group bids the guardsmen farewell, Tiora rejoins you from her perch under the eaves of a nearby building.</p>
<p><b>"Gang war I'd wager,"</b> she says simply as you continue down Wave Street together. <b>"Those boys who were killed - those were members of a gang I used to know - one that we were on good terms with. They're shiver dealers, or at least they were shiver dealers. The gangs used to respect each other's turf - each one was given a jurisdiction by the Society and they used to play nice with one another. With chaos in the streets and no guard to stabilize things, I guess those days are in the past?"</b> She shakes her head and follows Regeris and Emi away from the scene.</p>
<p>You find the alehouse very much as Regeris left it. The waitress shows no signs at all of recognizing Regeris when he tactfully asks about the revelry and revelers of the previous afternoon. After a tip of several silvers she gets friendlier.</p>
<p><b>"Yeah, tough lot weren't they? Hadn't seen them before yesterday. They made a deal of noise that might have scared off some other patrons, but the quiet one was very free with his silver so we let them have their fun."</b> The inflexion of her voice is enough of a clue for him, and Regeris slips her the sum again in silver. Her voice lowers conspiratorially and she continues. </p>
<p><b>"The quiet one was wearing an Asmodean's cloak, but I'd not seen him before. And the house of the devil is just up the road. But the others - my man tending bar over there said they were roughnecks he knew of from somewhere in Slope. Told me to be on my guard when waiting that table."</b></p>
<p>She pockets the coin with a smile and moves on to other tables, leaving the three to move on to Tassira's Family home.</p>
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<b>Vantyev Estate </b>
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<p>Tassira passes her time helping her mother and her friends. She switches around her spells to help her positively identify all the items the party had recovered from the necromancer's hideout and also to translate dark scrawlings in the margins of the recovered texts.</p>
<p>The volume is an illustrated catalog of comparative human anatomy. The after market editorials are mostly little notes and dates of variances found and described. The notes become more regular in the last chapter of the volume, where the subject turns to the art of anthropomancy - divining signs and secrets from the conditions of corpses. The text stretches into the realm of ritual and impressment and interrogation of spirits. The illustrations remind you all of the condition you found the shoanti corpse in. The last page is signed in another, larger hand. It's the author of the book, Randolphus Penderghast.</p>
<p>The thin journal from the alchemy lab room is filled with charts of numbers with small sections of notes. A study of them leads Tassira to conclude that these are dosage quantities for some regiment of drug treatment used to control memories and access to them. There's a some kind of formula here that a trained alchemist might be able to reason out.</p>
<p>Nebbin, Kayleigh and Lady Vantyev spend their days secluded from the others in the house, and while Kayleigh and Nebbin's symptoms remain the same, Lady Vantyev's fever deepens so that it does not break at any part of the day. Her rash spreads all over her body and some of her worst patches of rash begin weeping.</p>
<p>When the temple crew arrives at the estate, Tassira explains to them the state of their quarantine and the need to continue it. The party comes to agreement that the others cannot pass the evening at the manor, but rather would return to the Temple of Aroden and seek out magical scrolls from allied churches to aid Kayleigh in her treatments the next day.</p>
<p><span class=messageboard-bigger><b>Gozran 26</b></span></p>
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<b>Temple of Aroden </b>
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<p>Emileva wakes in her cell after another night of very vivid dreams. The vague dread of some unremembered part of the dream haunts the young woman as she dresses and joins the other temple residents busy with meal preparations. Talking to Carawyn, she's surprised to find that the young orphan's nights have been haunted by dreams very similar to her own. As the meal preparations are almost complete, Tiora appears armed and ready for the street.</p>
<p><b>"I'm going out,"</b> she announces to Emi with a slight smile. <b>"Time to get the lay of the land - see if I can look after some things. That scene yesterday reminded me of how much I don't know about the streets right now."</b></p>
<p>Emileva and Regeris follow her out into the morning just a little later, intent on visiting churches until a scroll of Remove Disease may be found. As they step out into the square, however, they can tell that something doesn't feel right. It's more than the cool blanket of grey that covers the city or the banks of low, torn clouds that scud by quickly over the rooftops. The streets are quieter as the the pair wind their way to check first at the Temple of Abadar. They're surprised to find a large crowd milling about the steps of the Bank. A long line winds out of one of the side doors, and it's here that the priest tries to direct you when he hears what you seek.</p>
<p><b>"Friend, you can forget getting a scroll for any price here this morning. There's some pestilence that's infected the streets and all this lot from across the narrows are here to buy prayers. The best they'll do is put your name on a list and you'll be eligible for a prayer when the priests can get to you. Such services are not cheap, so you will want to make sure you possess coin or credit to cover the service when your name is called."</b></p>
<p>Turning away in disappointment, Regeris and Emi steer instead for the Shrine of Shelyn, but they find much the same situation there. The priests exhausted their last prepared scroll on a victim from their congregation who came to them in the middle of the night. None of the healers there will venture on the identity of the disease yet. They say that it must play out in its first victims before distinguishing symptoms may emerge. But its apparent ease of transmission marks it as pandemic. They advise going back to your home and locking yourselves up together for a few days while the bug plays itself out.</p>
<p>They take time while out among the markets to price and purchase any supplies or equipment they may need, then make their way around the Citadel Hill to the Vanytev home.</p>
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<b>Vantyev Estate </b>
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<p>As the dawn breaks on the new day, Tassira feels stretched to her limits. Anything any of her three patients needed fell to her to get, and she's been up for much of the night. Kayeigh comes out of her own room only long enough to pray over Lady Vantyev and see her efforts go to nothing. Her patient would be stronger, as much of the symptomatic damage of the addiction disease is healed by Kayleigh's prayers. But the racking cough and worsening skin rash sap away some of the strength that was returned to her.</p>
<p>She returns to her room determined to pray harder and do better tomorrow, but by the evening hours her own fever intrudes on every thought. She does what she can with superficial healings to limit the places where the rash is opening, but cannot help being disgusted with her own diseased body as she treats herself. The one grace is that Nebbin's symptoms remain in their most minor forms.</p>
<p>The party again briefly unites in the foyer of the estate. Tassira cannot help but be disappointed that no help from other churches is forthcoming. She vows to redouble her efforts the next day to help her friends and family defeat the disease. Emi and Regeris return to the temple later that evening and are happy to find the place disease free.</p>Gozran 25
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Temple of Aroden / Streets of Old Korvosa
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Emileva, Regeris and Tiora discuss the priorities and lack of contact with the rest of the group and resolve to kill two birds with one stone by going first to the tavern that Regeris discovered the previous day, then continuing on to the Vantyev family home to restore contact with their friends. Tiora straps on the blades and armor Emi...DM Luke (alias of Luke)2018-12-02T05:30:20ZRe: Forums: Play-by-Post Discussion: Luke's Crimson Throne Campaign DiscussionDM Luke (alias of Luke)https://paizo.com/campaigns/LukesCrimsonThroneCampaign/discussion&page=17#8352018-11-28T01:14:30Z2018-11-27T12:14:39Z<p>Hi guys, thanks for the patience. I'm back (figuratively speaking, since I'm 'back' on business travel). I'm all for moving us forward with a big post from my end. </p>
<p>Things change radically in the city over the next couple of days and the party really can't do anything about it until it's whole again. So let's say I'm going to post us forward a couple of days and take some narrative liberties with your characters. I'll work into my description of these days time for the group to have done any inventory liquidation/maintenance, so take a critical eye to your characters and figure out if there's something you want to do with the cash you'd end up with. Assume you get the quoted prices for all the items you've identified so far. </p>
<p>Also, take these results into your figuring:</p>
<p>UNIDENTIFIED
<br />
metal funnel - this is a <a href="https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/wondrous-items/wondrous-items/h-l/hybridization-funnel/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">hybridization funnel</a>
<br />
metal rod - this is a <a href="https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/wondrous-items/wondrous-items/r-z/traveler-s-any-tool/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">traveler's anytool</a></p>
<p>I'm also assuming:</p>
<p>• Kayleigh is investigating notes that contain language she doesn't understand - Tassira would help out by swapping <i>comprehend languages</i> for her. Probably when she's done bathing.</p>
<p>• Emi and Tiora accompany Regeris to a bar in the Heights.</p>
<p>• The party will re-establish contact between the two halves and much of what passed in the discussion thread above is overtly discussed between you. You conclude that Eel's End is dangerous enough to warrant the whole party going. Especially since Emi's not going to blow a wad of money on sex, drugs or rock & roll, but is conducting business with the big man.</p>
<p>That's liable to be a big post, but it should set us back into more interesting waters for everyone.</p>Hi guys, thanks for the patience. I'm back (figuratively speaking, since I'm 'back' on business travel). I'm all for moving us forward with a big post from my end.
Things change radically in the city over the next couple of days and the party really can't do anything about it until it's whole again. So let's say I'm going to post us forward a couple of days and take some narrative liberties with your characters. I'll work into my description of these days time for the group to have done any...DM Luke (alias of Luke)2018-11-27T12:14:39ZRe: Forums: Play-by-Post: Luke's Crimson Throne Gameplay ThreadDM Luke (alias of Luke)https://paizo.com/campaigns/LukesCrimsonThroneCampaign/gameplay&page=55#27162018-11-21T03:37:13Z2018-11-20T11:28:29Z<p>Tassira's night is also one of restless turning. Being back in her childhood bed, she tries to surround herself with the good memories of growing up here and ride those into a sleepful oblivion. But in every case her memories of the past slide down the chute of recent experiences and degrade into thoughts of the present day. Still, sleep does eventually overtake her in the small hours and her mind drifts...</p>
<p>She finds herself walking the nightmare streets of Korvosa. The sky is an unsettling shade of burnt pink and all the familiar street and building angles seem wrong. The moon hangs low in the night sky, off-color and distorted. Other citizens walk the street, dazed by their surroundings and unresponsive to Tassira's attempts to get their attention. </p>
<p>She picks out a harmless looking woman who walks along the curb in a state of vague horror. She calls to the woman - steps in her way and waves her hands to get her attention, but the woman sees through her, steps around her and proceeds to shuffle aimlessly down the street.</p>
<p>Tassira turns her back in frustration and scans the street for someone familiar, or even just a stranger who seems more wakeful. Behind her she hears a terrific crack and she spins around to see the street house <i>right itself</i>, having bent over and slammed its facade into the street, crushing the old woman behind her to a disgusting broken pulp.</p>
<p>She flees in horror down streets suddenly unfamiliar. Above the buildings that face her street she can see the rooftops of the other houses of Korvosa moving around, rearranging themselves. She stops in confusion trying to regain her bearings. A pack of dogs runs by on the opposite side of the street. They trail wisps of black smoke or ether behind them and they struggle each to overtake the lead animal. This front beast holds a red chunk of something in its mouth. As they pass, Tassira moves out into their wake and sees a patter of blood behind them. The drops sizzle and smoke on the street and soon disappear.</p>
<p>She turns back in the direction of her flight, trying to remember where it was she was supposed to be going. West she decides, towards he family home, but at the next intersection when she goes to turn west, she finds a roadway filled with spider webs. From the street to the rooftop they seal away the street. Another block south she finds the same. All the streets that would take her home are cluttered with the web.</p>
<p>Tassira turns around in the nightmare street, trying to reason her way through the puzzle that her sleeping mind has presented her with, but she's hopelessly lost and frightened. She retreats to the shadows of an alley and watches the other pedestrians move their way down the perilous road. Another pedestrian walks by, right across the mouth of her alleyway, and as she's watching he steps right into the web and begins to struggle. Her eyes follow the vibrating strands of webbing, up and up, impossibly high.</p>
<p>Suddenly Tassira perceives that moon in its true form. It is the abdomen of some great spiderous monstrosity. Its huge legs tower over the city, supporting the hideous moon body above. Starlight reflects off the chitinous scales on the huge thing's back. It stirs in its slumber, a huge tarsus at the end of one of those ponderous legs shifts just a bit, and suddenly the air is filled with the wailing voices of all the other folks around her. She herself is suddenly paralyzed by a terrible, unreasoning fear that the beast is waking up.</p>
<p>Tassira wakes with a start to the sound of her own screaming.</p>Tassira's night is also one of restless turning. Being back in her childhood bed, she tries to surround herself with the good memories of growing up here and ride those into a sleepful oblivion. But in every case her memories of the past slide down the chute of recent experiences and degrade into thoughts of the present day. Still, sleep does eventually overtake her in the small hours and her mind drifts...
She finds herself walking the nightmare streets of Korvosa. The sky is an unsettling...DM Luke (alias of Luke)2018-11-20T11:28:29ZRe: Forums: Play-by-Post: Luke's Crimson Throne Gameplay ThreadDM Luke (alias of Luke)https://paizo.com/campaigns/LukesCrimsonThroneCampaign/gameplay&page=55#27132018-11-22T00:16:43Z2018-11-19T14:00:19Z<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>A dream for Emileva...</span></p>
<p>Sleep is slow to come. There are too many competing thoughts and emotions surging through Emileva's mind for sleep rhythms to take root. She catches herself dwelling on scenes from the mausoleum, the dread of being blind in a fight, the thrill of Vencarlo's touch. Each time a thought is banished another rushes in to fill the void. The buzz of the wine she shared with Tiora flushes her skin and confuses her memory. She's already stood in this closed, fetid room before. She doesn't need to look in the box again. The one with the flies that buzz around it. There's a head in that box... and a deck of cards.</p>
<p>She wakes up from a sleep she never knew she found, her legs twisted up in the blanket. She kicks off the cover and revels in the cool of the night air as it leaches through her sweaty nightclothes. Her renewed breath now comes freezing to her lungs and she shivers under a ceiling of cold starlight. She finds herself sitting on a rooftop with the Kuthona moon hanging pregnant over the bay. She still wears the livery of the place she left. The cold sliver of the drug slides through her thoughts, melding whim to the wind and will to the deep blue sea. The boys face swims in front of her, familiar and warm. Her hands grasp his ears and hair as she pulls him towards her hungrily.</p>
<p>When she wakens she feels like she's been floating for years in that kiss. Her lover moves above her in the darkness, but she's suddenly unsure who he is. Vencarlo would never forgive her if she fell back into the arms of Ansel. In her groping she catches his hand in her left. A frigid spear of panic shoots through her stomach as she counts five intact digits interlaced with her own. She pushes away with all the strength she can muster, kicking out against the bed, her lover, the room. Twisting and clawing for balance, she flees into a hall, down some steps, through a door and out into a street. </p>
<p>The pregnant moon hangs heavy over Old Korvosa and the streets thrum to its terrible pulse. Emileva runs until her breath comes in ragged gasps and her bare feet leave bloody prints behind her. She stumbles and comes down hard, twisting her knee painfully and biting her lip so her mouth fills with the taste of blood. When she tries to rise her lover is upon her again - a maddened, ravening beast that tears at her flesh as she fights him off. She opens her mouth to scream but her breath will not come. Her eyes fix upon the lurid moon as it hangs there, the body of a great slumbering spider. Its massive legs hold it fixed to a terrible web of darkness fashioned from the stuff between the stars. The multitudes of its eyes sleep, and Emileva is suddenly consumed by the importance of keeping that beast asleep. She struggles silently under the weight of her attacker, unable to move, unable to scream, unable to even breathe.</p>
<p>Emileva wakes up as she kicks herself out of her bed and onto the hard stone floor of her temple cell. In the corner of the room, Tiora sleeps soundly on a pallet of blankets. She sits there, twisted in her sheets and tries to shake off the effects of the dream. Of course Ansel is gone, she tells herself as she climbs back into her bed. She slips back under the cover of sleep and rests solidly for the last few hours before dawn.</p>
<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>One for Tassira is forthcoming as well...</span></p>A dream for Emileva...
Sleep is slow to come. There are too many competing thoughts and emotions surging through Emileva's mind for sleep rhythms to take root. She catches herself dwelling on scenes from the mausoleum, the dread of being blind in a fight, the thrill of Vencarlo's touch. Each time a thought is banished another rushes in to fill the void. The buzz of the wine she shared with Tiora flushes her skin and confuses her memory. She's already stood in this closed, fetid room before....DM Luke (alias of Luke)2018-11-19T14:00:19ZRe: Forums: Play-by-Post Discussion: Luke's Crimson Throne Campaign DiscussionDM Luke (alias of Luke)https://paizo.com/campaigns/LukesCrimsonThroneCampaign/discussion&page=15#7212018-08-25T13:36:15Z2018-08-25T12:00:33Z<p>Ya, that was the longest one I can remember. Good to have our game back.</p>Ya, that was the longest one I can remember. Good to have our game back.DM Luke (alias of Luke)2018-08-25T12:00:33ZRe: Forums: Play-by-Post: Luke's Crimson Throne Gameplay ThreadDM Luke (alias of Luke)https://paizo.com/campaigns/LukesCrimsonThroneCampaign/gameplay&page=49#24122018-08-10T19:50:59Z2018-08-10T01:58:13Z<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>Sorry gang. This season Wednesdays are going to be tough posting for me because of my son's practices. It's a good problem to have, but still a problem.</span></p>
<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>The appropriate skill is Knowledge(arcana). Nebbin, sorry for missing that step. You can take another this turn if you like.</span></p>
<p>When Kayleigh gets to the tunnel and looks down it, she sees a bizarre and disturbing sight. The derro is being throttled by a misshapen lump of humanity. The attacker wears robes that were once white, but are now badly stained with dirt and gore. Below the monster's chin, a string of stitches stretches as far around the throat as you can see, and the flesh below the stitches is a different hue than its head.</p>
<p>It looks up for a moment from its task of squeezing the last life out of the little derro to take in Kayleigh with its hungry, dead eyes. Even in its advanced stage of decomposition, Kayleigh recognizes the face of her friend Amistan. These are his burial robes, the sign of Aroden stands out among the offal, a mockery of the dead god.</p>
<p>Nebbin chops down the enemy in front of him.</p>
<p>The sorcerer backs himself into the side tunnel, tossing at Emileva's feet another bone from his sleeve as he does so. The bone smokes and hisses on the ground and then resolves into a very real zombie. The conjured undead immediately moves to attack Emileva.</p>
<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>Tassira, Emi and Regeris are up.</span></p>Sorry gang. This season Wednesdays are going to be tough posting for me because of my son's practices. It's a good problem to have, but still a problem.
The appropriate skill is Knowledge(arcana). Nebbin, sorry for missing that step. You can take another this turn if you like.
When Kayleigh gets to the tunnel and looks down it, she sees a bizarre and disturbing sight. The derro is being throttled by a misshapen lump of humanity. The attacker wears robes that were once white, but are now...DM Luke (alias of Luke)2018-08-10T01:58:13ZRe: Forums: Play-by-Post: Luke's Crimson Throne Gameplay ThreadDM Luke (alias of Luke)https://paizo.com/campaigns/LukesCrimsonThroneCampaign/gameplay&page=44#21992018-06-08T20:06:58Z2018-06-08T02:13:55Z<p>As Nebbin walks over to the pit, Samuel tries to answer.</p>
<p><b>"I... I've never been here before. Is it an ossuary Shayla?"</b></p>
<p>The elder priestess trailing the last of the party runs her hand idly over the bones in the nearest wall.</p>
<p><b>"This is a Shoanti bone pit, yes. I've read that the first settlers of the city would inter their own dead inside the Shoanti mounds. In the days before the Grand Cathedral, before we built the great ossuary rooms that lie below that hallowed building. The bones of both cultures, blood enemies at times, likely lie mixed together here."</b></p>
<p>As she speaks, Nebbin leans over the railing to take in the western pit. He spies a huge bone in the center, bigger than any human bone. As he opens his mouth to say something about it, the pile of bones in front of him suddenly explodes with action, sending bits of bone flying in all directions. The outsized bone is not alone, but rather stitches together with others of its size to form a huge dead thing. Its cold eye sockets radiate with negative energy as it lurches up out of its bed of bones to attack the warrior.</p>
<p>To the rear, Shayla cries out a warning to the others. Skeletons are rising up out of the eastern pit as well, human remains in this case but equally repulsive.</p>
<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>Combat!</span></p>
<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>Initiative order:</span>
<br />
<span class=messageboard-ooc>Regeris 22</span>
<br />
<span class=messageboard-ooc>Owlbear Skeleton 21</span>
<br />
<span class=messageboard-ooc>Nebbin 17</span>
<br />
<span class=messageboard-ooc>Kayleigh 15</span>
<br />
<span class=messageboard-ooc>Samuel 14</span>
<br />
<span class=messageboard-ooc>Skeletons 12 (+6)</span>
<br />
<span class=messageboard-ooc>Emileva 12 (+4)</span>
<br />
<span class=messageboard-ooc>Tassira 11</span>
<br />
<span class=messageboard-ooc>Shayla 2</span></p>
<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>In addition to the current <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/lukescrimsonthrone/current-battlemap" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">fight map</a>, I've started a <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/lukescrimsonthrone/korvosa/gray-district/shoanti-mausoleum" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">site map</a> that will expand as you explore the site, as well as an <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/lukescrimsonthrone/korvosa/gray-district/shoanti-mausoleum/ossuary-fight" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">illustration of your enemies</a>.</span></p>
<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>The first round is a surprise round with everyone participating. So this round is one action only per normal surprise round rules. Regeris is up in the order.</span></p>As Nebbin walks over to the pit, Samuel tries to answer.
"I... I've never been here before. Is it an ossuary Shayla?"
The elder priestess trailing the last of the party runs her hand idly over the bones in the nearest wall.
"This is a Shoanti bone pit, yes. I've read that the first settlers of the city would inter their own dead inside the Shoanti mounds. In the days before the Grand Cathedral, before we built the great ossuary rooms that lie below that hallowed building. The bones of both...DM Luke (alias of Luke)2018-06-08T02:13:55ZRe: Forums: Play-by-Post: Luke's Crimson Throne Gameplay ThreadDM Luke (alias of Luke)https://paizo.com/campaigns/LukesCrimsonThroneCampaign/gameplay&page=43#21282018-05-17T21:37:26Z2018-05-17T00:09:36Z<p><b>"There was definitely a wound on his back. Whether it was an entry or exit wound, I have no idea. I didn't examine him more than seeing if he was alive - and it was obvious he wasn't."</b></p>
<p>He stares at Nebbin for a minute before answering the big man's question, <b>"Nope."</b></p>
<p>When asked about his boss, he points back at his crewmates passing a cigarette between them in the shade. <b>"He's there. Anders is his name if you want to talk to him."</b></p>
<p><b>"Security? Well, they don't like us runnin' when we're carrying our shears. Otherwise, no."</b></p>
<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>Emileva reads no deception in the young man. She gets the impression he's trying to impress the girls by being funny.</span></p>
<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>And yes, you can easily cover that distance and back unless you run into trouble ;)</span></p>"There was definitely a wound on his back. Whether it was an entry or exit wound, I have no idea. I didn't examine him more than seeing if he was alive - and it was obvious he wasn't."
He stares at Nebbin for a minute before answering the big man's question, "Nope."
When asked about his boss, he points back at his crewmates passing a cigarette between them in the shade. "He's there. Anders is his name if you want to talk to him."
"Security? Well, they don't like us runnin' when we're...DM Luke (alias of Luke)2018-05-17T00:09:36ZRe: Forums: Play-by-Post: Luke's Crimson Throne Gameplay ThreadDM Luke (alias of Luke)https://paizo.com/campaigns/LukesCrimsonThroneCampaign/gameplay&page=37#18152020-05-05T00:22:15Z2018-01-31T02:32:32Z<p><b>"Hmph, you b$%•!es can both go to the Hells with us,"</b> the killer replies. <b>"You're in over your heads - guard cloaks or no. You cut us and you'll have marked yourselves. No city badge or constabulary walls will save you!"</b></p>
<p>He looks pleased with himself to have made his threat, but also repeatedly cuts his eyes at the other perps as he speaks, perhaps belying a lack of self-confidence. The blind one doesn't react at all. It's hard to interpret the look of the one Nebbin brained, what with the steady bleeding from the ears and nose.</p>
<p>—-</p>
<p>In the flat one floor down the old man happily palms the proffered "reward".</p>
<p><b>"I don't really know her <i>that</i> well, not where she lives or anything. Somewhere close, I assume. But there is a place I heard tell of named the "Artist Overground". Them artists are flaky folk sometime and like to hang out in their own company. Way I heard it anyway. She always took me as one of <i>those</i>. Just a nice one. Kind to her momma, even if she weren't really her momma."</b></p>
<p>He raises his eyebrows meaningfully, but what exactly he means by "one of those" isn't very clear. Loose folk? Shingle walkers? What constitutes social deviancy to a septuagenarian peasant in Bridgeport is anybody's guess. He wipes his nose on his sleeve and shrugs.</p>"Hmph, you b%%&~es can both go to the Hells with us," the killer replies. "You're in over your heads - guard cloaks or no. You cut us and you'll have marked yourselves. No city badge or constabulary walls will save you!"
He looks pleased with himself to have made his threat, but also repeatedly cuts his eyes at the other perps as he speaks, perhaps belying a lack of self-confidence. The blind one doesn't react at all. It's hard to interpret the look of the one Nebbin brained, what with the...DM Luke (alias of Luke)2018-01-31T02:32:32ZRe: Forums: Play-by-Post Discussion: Luke's Crimson Throne Campaign DiscussionDM Luke (alias of Luke)https://paizo.com/campaigns/LukesCrimsonThroneCampaign/discussion&page=12#5702017-10-16T03:21:45Z2017-10-14T12:59:28Z<p>I just noticed that tomorrow is our gameplay thread's first birthday! I'm traveling this weekend to see the parents (and the outlaws!) so I might not be able to post until tomorrow evening, so happy birthday to us. Please have a free re-roll in celebration, to be taken sometime between now and our next birthday. :D</p>I just noticed that tomorrow is our gameplay thread's first birthday! I'm traveling this weekend to see the parents (and the outlaws!) so I might not be able to post until tomorrow evening, so happy birthday to us. Please have a free re-roll in celebration, to be taken sometime between now and our next birthday. :DDM Luke (alias of Luke)2017-10-14T12:59:28ZRe: Forums: Play-by-Post: Luke's Crimson Throne Gameplay ThreadDM Luke (alias of Luke)https://paizo.com/campaigns/LukesCrimsonThroneCampaign/gameplay&page=28#13672017-08-24T17:05:33Z2017-08-24T02:53:11Z<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>I didn't post last night, but I did do some homework. :)</p>
<p>Getting an extra day of Bed Rest should clear all your ability damage and give Kayleigh a night to finally sleep.No need that I see for any <i>lesser restoration castings</i>.</span></p>
<p>[Spoiler omitted]</p>
<p>[Spoiler omitted]</p>I didn't post last night, but I did do some homework. :)
Getting an extra day of Bed Rest should clear all your ability damage and give Kayleigh a night to finally sleep.No need that I see for any lesser restoration castings.
[Spoiler omitted]
[Spoiler omitted]DM Luke (alias of Luke)2017-08-24T02:53:11ZRe: Forums: Play-by-Post: Luke's Crimson Throne Gameplay ThreadGame Thread Trivia Genie (alias of Luke)https://paizo.com/campaigns/LukesCrimsonThroneCampaign/gameplay&page=27#13102017-08-27T05:40:25Z2017-08-09T02:06:32Z<p>Here's what I could find on Money...</p>
<p>Loot you had as of turning the orphan over to the Hillbrakes = 3161g 3s</p>
<p>Loot you found buried in the butcher shop stable = 450 g 720 s</p>
<p>Money taken from Verik = 28 g</p>
<p>Reward from Cressida for bringing Verik to justice = 500 g</p>
<p>This comes to 4211 g 3 s.</p>
<p>Regeris's weapon haul:
<br />
40 g arrow silvering
<br />
1 g 20 arrows
<br />
90 g longsword silvering
<br />
15 g longsword
<br />
180 g mace silverings
<br />
24 g 2 heavy maces
<br />
—————————
<br />
350 g</p>
<p>So the total I came up with for party loot (not including whatever you have in your pocketses) is <b>3861 g 3 s</b>. </p>
<p>I imagine the majority of this is kept in a strongbox somewhere in the temple. And Emi is carrying 200 of Vencarlo's 1000 g on her, with the balance also tucked away somewhere. I'll defer to you guys to figure out how much of the party cash you would be carrying on hand.</p>
<p>Incidentally, some other loot that you found but I'm not sure you shared out:</p>
<p>3 clw potions from the butcher shop
<br />
20 arrows +1
<br />
mwk composite longbow
<br />
mwk spear
<br />
some jewelry and gemstones from butcher shop buried stash</p>Here's what I could find on Money...
Loot you had as of turning the orphan over to the Hillbrakes = 3161g 3s
Loot you found buried in the butcher shop stable = 450 g 720 s
Money taken from Verik = 28 g
Reward from Cressida for bringing Verik to justice = 500 g
This comes to 4211 g 3 s.
Regeris's weapon haul:
40 g arrow silvering
1 g 20 arrows
90 g longsword silvering
15 g longsword
180 g mace silverings
24 g 2 heavy maces
------------------
350 g
So the total I came up with for party...Game Thread Trivia Genie (alias of Luke)2017-08-09T02:06:32ZRe: Forums: Play-by-Post: Luke's Crimson Throne Gameplay ThreadDM Luke (alias of Luke)https://paizo.com/campaigns/LukesCrimsonThroneCampaign/gameplay&page=24#11512018-12-07T06:15:26Z2017-07-05T23:40:56Z<p>————————————————————————-
<br />
<b><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/lukescrimsonthrone/korvosa/midland" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Volshyenek Plaza outside the citadel, Midland District</a></b>
<br />
————————————————————————-</p>
<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>So Kayleigh is aiding Nebbin in convincing the crowd that cannibalism is bad? :D </span></p>
<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>This isn't one of those auto-fail situations because the result isn't binary (at least the way I see this), so we'll do the math based on Tassira's result, which came with the highest bonus and was heard by the most people. Though truth be told, they almost feel like three <i>separate</i> Diplomacy rolls.</span>
<br />
<span class=messageboard-ooc>15 fails to sway an Indifferent crowd, but it doesn't lose you any standing.</span> </p>
<p>Kayleigh's failure to pick up the cheer hurts the team in crowd approval. A couple of the nearest people heard the doubt in her voice.</p>
<p>[Spoiler omitted]</p>
<p>[Spoiler omitted]</p>
<p><b>"Heeey, I don't like the sound of that 'looking into the matter' b#•&&•++!"</b> One angry fellow yells. He steps forward with an accusing finger pointed at Kayleigh. <b>"These things are true... newly announced this morning at places across the city, including University. Ileosa's martial law includes all these ugly things and more."</b></p>-------------------------------------------------
Volshyenek Plaza outside the citadel, Midland District
-------------------------------------------------
So Kayleigh is aiding Nebbin in convincing the crowd that cannibalism is bad? :D
This isn't one of those auto-fail situations because the result isn't binary (at least the way I see this), so we'll do the math based on Tassira's result, which came with the highest bonus and was heard by the most people. Though truth be told, they almost...DM Luke (alias of Luke)2017-07-05T23:40:56ZRe: Forums: Play-by-Post: Luke's Crimson Throne Gameplay ThreadDM Luke (alias of Luke)https://paizo.com/campaigns/LukesCrimsonThroneCampaign/gameplay&page=23#11012018-01-19T04:13:46Z2017-06-29T02:50:23Z<p><b>Gozran 18, 4708</b></p>
<p>Emi's early morning perusal of the temple grounds doesn't yield any new information. The rain has swept the city streets clean along with any useful clues. Though the morning air is cleaner for the storm, it does little to improve the young woman's mood as she pokes around the grounds.</p>
<p>Shiver is an expensive drug. Emi knows from personal experience that a good price for the stuff is hard to come by. When a cheap source is found, the drug is often cut and barely scratches the user's itch. Carawyn left the temple with next to nothing. There's really only one way such a girl has to raise the funds needed to score the drug. Eel's End is a one-stop shop for vice: gambling, drug abuse, graft and prostitution all wrapped up in one ugly little package. Emi's common sense tells her that Eel's End is as good a place as any to start the search. But it is a <i>dangerous</i> place.</p>
<p>As Emi searches the back door area of the temple for tracks she's brought out of her brown study by a surprise. Among the weed-choked vegetable garden once tended by younger priests there grows a wiry rose bush, apparently wild. A single red bud has formed from last night's drenching, its petals shut tight in their youth.</p>
<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>So we're at -1 Dex for Regeris, -3 for Tassira and -4 for Nebbin. Hit points are all topped up.</span></p>Gozran 18, 4708
Emi's early morning perusal of the temple grounds doesn't yield any new information. The rain has swept the city streets clean along with any useful clues. Though the morning air is cleaner for the storm, it does little to improve the young woman's mood as she pokes around the grounds.
Shiver is an expensive drug. Emi knows from personal experience that a good price for the stuff is hard to come by. When a cheap source is found, the drug is often cut and barely scratches the...DM Luke (alias of Luke)2017-06-29T02:50:23ZRe: Forums/Lost Omens Campaign Setting: General Discussion: What is general opinion on Aroden mystery?DM Luke (alias of Luke)https://paizo.com/threads/rzs2u380&page=9?What-is-general-opinion-on-Aroden-mystery#4242017-06-27T14:59:04Z2017-05-06T11:14:29Z<p>I can't sit and read this whole thread to see if someone's made this point yet, but what could be more 'human' than dying? Mankind dies best, quickest and most consistently. What better way to be the god of Man than to die?</p>
<p>It's a feature, not a bug. And it creates the potential for interesting NPCs for sure. What is the motivation for continuing to worship a god who's apparently died, particularly in a world where the power of other gods is so demonstrable?</p>
<p>And thanks to Eric for his post that he himself doesn't know the answer to this. Not knowing the answer to this is one of <i>the</i> salient features of Golarion. In a universe where adventurers can literally go to heaven or hell to seek their answers and return to spread the word, and might even become 'gods' themselves, you have to have some over-arching unsolvable mysteries. Without them there's no room for philosophy in the world and the whole subject matter dries up and becomes less fun.</p>
<p>It's like knowing the meaning of life - I think that would likely take all the fun out of it.</p>I can't sit and read this whole thread to see if someone's made this point yet, but what could be more 'human' than dying? Mankind dies best, quickest and most consistently. What better way to be the god of Man than to die?
It's a feature, not a bug. And it creates the potential for interesting NPCs for sure. What is the motivation for continuing to worship a god who's apparently died, particularly in a world where the power of other gods is so demonstrable?
And thanks to Eric for his post...DM Luke (alias of Luke)2017-05-06T11:14:29Z