Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber. Pathfinder Society GM. Starfinder Society GM. 2,225 posts (8,821 including aliases). No reviews. No lists. No wishlists. 25 Organized Play characters. 45 aliases.
I recently ran a four player group through a quick adventure using both the magus and summoner. Since I figured many people would be doing L1 builds I went a bit higher and had people make L5 characters. The magus player made a human Sustaining Steel magus, and used her spell slots for Longstrider, Mirror Image, Haste, and Shockwave. The summoner made an angel summoner, supplementing his limited magical healing with the Medic archetype. To fill out the table, one player made an L5 rogue, and the other just used the L5 Valeros pregen.
I used what I believe to be a pretty robust test of the party - four encounters, one rated Low, two rated Moderate, and one rated Severe. For an excuse plot, I had them tracking down the Son Of Freezemaw, and all of the encounters were wintry.
Combat 1 was against two frost trolls (Low 5). Though they're rated at L4 monsters, they punch above their weight class, as I got off a Rend on Valeros. By the end of this first fight, the summoner had already used half of his spells just keeping people up. Valeros did 65 damage over three rounds (DPR 21.6), the eidolon did 110 due to two crits on the final round but missed entirely during round 3 (DPR 27.5), and the magus did 0, as her first round was buffing and she missed with her Striking Spell and ranged attacks in rounds 2 and 3 respectively. I don't have data on the rogue's numbers, but considering the rogue is not being tested this seems less of an issue. I can say that his rogue also had the alchemist dedication and brought alchemist fire to the party, which did off the trolls once they were down.
Combat 2 was against two winter wolves (Moderate 5), which proved less of a problem for the party. The wolves were trying to flank the party, but only one succeeded. Valeros did 49 damage during this fight (DPR 16.3), the magus did 26 damage (DPR 8.6), and the eidolon did 55 (DPR 18.3). It should be mentioned that the magus also tripped one of the wolves during round 1 rather than attack, so they were more effective in the combat than their numbers should suggest. By this point, the summoner was down to a single spell.
Combat 3 was against two ice golems (Moderate 5). This was somewhere between the prior two encounters in difficulty, but this was the magus' moment to shine. Valeros did 48 damage (DPR 16), the magus did 85 (DPR 21.25), and the eidolon only did 27 (DPR 9). The magus did miss with her first Striking Spell, but critically hit on the next two rounds, creating the damage spike that 1e magi are known for. By this time, the summoner was out of spells, and they still hadn't faced the dragon.
Combat 4 was against the Son of Freezemaw - or, as the players would find out, the SONS of Freezemaw! They fought two young white dragons, one straight out of the book, and the other a spellcaster. Tactics were simple - brawly dragon would let them come to him and fight, while casty dragon waited for them to go into the cave from above and invisible, dropping down at the start of round 2. By a stroke of luck, the dice were with the party this fight - I couldn't really cause much damage to them, as they were rolling quite well and I was missing something fierce. I believe I missed Valeros with a full Draconic Frenzy suite twice on two consecutive rounds! Valeros did 125 damage (DPR 25), the magus did 57 (DPR 14.25), and the eidolon did 90 (DPR 22.5).
I'll be tagging the magus and summoner players to chime in here with their experiences, but they reported that they enjoyed playing the classes. The Sustaining Steel magus does look weak on paper, but being able to get temp HP does help with the longevity of the class in a fight. Eidolons are strong, but the summoner themself doesn't have many ways to participate built into the class, so you might need to look outside for ways to shore up needs in the party. The side effect of the exceptionally limited spell slots for both meant that the summoner makes for a poor main healer in game, and the magus is likely to choose spells that buff them rather than lose spells due to the way Striking Spell currently works.
We do hope to have one more playtest before the window closes, this time at a much higher level, somewhere in the 12-13 range. I'll report back if we sneak that in.
So, I'm pretty much at the point in this campaign that I don't need to worry about the statblock any longer, but my experiences could be useful for someone down the road, so I figured I'd ask this.
When, exactly, does the city statblock change? I've found several instances of the indication in the text in chapters 1 and 2, but weirdly, it seems that the city goes from Unrest to Plagued around the beginning of book 2, and doesn't ever change back.
I don't have my book handy, but here's my recollection - please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.
Beginning: Normal
Right After Dealing With Gaedren Lamm: Anarchy
Nebulous Time Between That And Visiting The Queen: Unrest
Wanted - Trinia Sabor: Anarchy
Captured - Trinia Sabor: Unrest
The Plague Hits Korvosa: Plagued
The Plague Is Cured: Unrest?
After that, I couldn't find anything to suggest the statblock state in book 3 onwards.
Spun off from a conversation in the GM Discussion subforum.
Starfinder CRB wrote:
TAKE 10
Most of the time, you attempt skill checks while under pressure or during times of great stress. Other times, the situation is more favorable, making success more certain.
When you are not in immediate danger or distracted, the GM might allow you to take 10 on a skill check. When you take 10, you don’t roll a d20, but rather assume that you rolled a 10 on that die, then add the relevant skill modifiers. For many routine tasks, or for tasks you are particularly skilled at, taking 10 ensures success. If you still fail when taking 10, you might require more time and energy to succeed at that task (see Take 20).
Unless you have an ability that states otherwise, you cannot take 10 during a combat encounter. Also, you can’t take 10 when the GM rules that a situation is too hectic or that you are distracted, and taking 10 is almost never an option for a check that requires some sort of crucial effect as a key part of the adventure's story.
Emphasis mine. I really don't understand the rationale behind the restrictions on taking 10 here - if a PC is really good at what they do, only fails on a 1, and is in a situation where taking 10 would otherwise be allowed, why would a player be disallowed from taking 10? And why is that a good thing?
I'm running a Hell's Rebels game here on the boards, and our little band of heroes has just hit level 2 - however, we're also down a player. I'm looking for a replacement for the swashbuckler. If you're interested here's what I need from you!
I've alluded to my preferences on builds, but I'll go ahead and codify everything here.
• Races: All standard races from the Pathfinder Core Rulebook will be allowed. Any other PC race, including custom races, will be considered on a case by case basis. For the most part, races recommended by the Player's Guide will be approved.
• Classes: Any class created by Paizo with the correct errata.
• Alignment: Any non-evil, though bastions of law may have conflicts in rebelling against a legal (though tyrannical) authority.
• Abilities: Characters will be based on the High Fantasy (20 point) buy, found in the PFRPG Core Rulebook on page 16.
• Feats: Any feat created by Paizo with correct errata, within reason. While I'm not opposed to powerful feats (like Leadership), I do have concerns about some of them (like Sacred Geometry). Most are fine, but I do reserve the right to nix one if and when something doesn't pass the sniff test.
• Skills: We will be using the Background Skill system, because it's awesome. This is an urban campaign, and most of you probably either have lived in Kintargo most of your lives, or recently moved here, so you may consider taking a Craft or Profession that suggests what you do when you're not rebelling against a lawful authority.
• Traits: Characters will start with two traits. One must be a campaign trait listed in the Hell's Rebels Player's Guide. I like the Drawback system, so if you'd like to have a third, feel free to utilize that.
• Hit Points: Characters will start out with Maximum hit points for their class at 1st level. After 1st level characters will take the average each level.
• Starting Gold: 1,000 gp.
• Background/Personality: I'd like to know a bit about each of your characters - I'm not looking for a novel, but a bit about your life before the protest and what-not would be excellent.
I'll be keeping the recruitment open for 2 weeks - submissions will close on 12/11, and I'll make a final decision on who makes the cut by the end of that week.
So, I'm very stoked to hear that the AP after War of the Crown is going to be Return of the Runelords, especially how I just finished running Rise only a few months ago. Since I'm now putting a critical eye in to running Shattered Star, I'd also like to give my players the chance to kill their second Runelord, which means combining Season 4 PFS mods with Shattered Star.
My question, therefore, is which PFS S4 mods should I look at including? Obviously, The Waking Rune is the capstone, but what's the lead up? Which mods should be included in order to provide the necessary narrative to realizing that a second Runelord is stirring, and they're going to have to fight him six levels lower than the heroes that fought and defeated The Claimer?
Welcome to the Faerie Mound of Dragonkind, the first of the Catacombs series of solo adventure books published by TSR back in the late '80s. There were several different solo adventure series back then, from Fighting Fantasy to Lone Wolf and so on. These books were much larger and featured much better art, however, none of which is important in a digital format.
So, let's talk about how the game mechanics work. Combat is remarkably simple - all die rolls involve a d12, and are successful if we roll below a certain number, either 7 or 8 (more on that later). Nonmagical weapons that aren't daggers and darts do 5 points of damage, while daggers and darts do 3. There's no initiative - we strike first against any baddies unless the game text says otherwise, and then it's back and forth until one side or the other runs out of life points.
Now, if you're familiar with these types of books, then you also know they're often incredibly unfair - it's fairly easy to find yourself choosing a section on limited information and finding out that your decision ends up getting you killed. That's not fun, so we will have three "life gems," which will allow us to ignore three insta-deaths or defeats due to combat. After that, though, we're on our own.
Finally, exploration decisions will be based upon popular vote. This game is completely public - people can join in and vote at any time to influence what actions they'd like to take, and the majority rules after voting has closed will determine the next action.
So, let's talk about our first decision point! You'll notice I haven't said anything about our character - that's because there are two!
Option 1: Brennies, the fighter. A charioteer in service to a lord who has been afflicted with a strange wasting disease, the only cure to which lies within the mound. Brennies will be leaving behind his horse and chariot to enter the mound, but is not going in empty handed. He wears his bronze platemail and wields Heartseeker, a magical sword. Brennies strikes foes on a roll of 8 or lower, but Heartseeker's +2 enhancement increases that to 10 or lower, and deals 7 damage on a successful strike. Additionally, he carries a potion of healing, which can heal 3 life points of damage, a ring of protection, which negates the first life point of damage he receives in each new battle, and a sphere of time, which when smashed allows him to completely redo an unsuccessful encounter from the encounter's beginning. He can also use any weapon he finds within the mound, and has 50 life points.
Option 2: Riderch, the bard. Already a skilled musician, performer, and songsmith, Riderch is questing to find a mystic harp that lies within that will allow him to create masterpieces that will live on for centuries. Riderch's music is he primary weapon - and he has relied on Cwythia, his enchanted pan-pipes, to avoid fights whenever he can. Before fighting starts, Cwythia can charm a creature into harmlessness on a 6 or less. If that fails, though, he must draw his sword and attack, hitting on a 7 or less and dealing 5 damage. He also brings a potion of extra healing, which can heal 6 damage, a ring of the faeries, which prevents him from being blinded by any sort of magic, and a sphere of defense, which when smashed allows him to always defeat one type of creature in the faerie mound. Riderch's weapon skills are more limited - he can only use axes, daggers, spears, and bows and arrows, and has 40 life points.
I'll leave the voting up for this initial round until Sunday evening - after that, we'll embark into the Faerie Mound itself!
I'm looking at running a communal read-through of the Faerie Mound of Dragonkind, a solo adventure published by TSR in the early 80s. For those of you unfamiliar with the book, it's very similar to a Fighting Fantasy or Lone Wolf gamebook - it's a solo experience, where you're exploring the fey realm in search of...well, I'm getting ahead of myself.
"But Misroi!", you're asking yourself, in boldface type. "How can the forums play this game meant for a single player?" Simple, rhetorical person who didn't actually ask anything - through the recent invention of democracy! I'll describe the situation up until there's a decision point, present the options, and then anyone can vote for what action they'd like to see happen. Highest vote total wins!
After about four years of roughly biweekly play, the Saviors of Sandpoint have faced Karzoug the Claimer in the Eye of Avarice, and slain the terror that survived Earthfall and the passing of ten thousand years!
I won't bore people with a round-by-round discussion, but I'll bring up several salient points.
1. I didn't want Karzoug to get punked on initiative, and spend the rest of the combat catching up to where he should be, so I made sure that he actually prepared and used moment of prescience, adding the +20 bonus to his initiative check. Is that legal? Strictly by the book, it could go either way, but since this is the final battle, I'm inclined to give that to Special K. He ended up going on 40 something...3 counts higher than the inquisitor! So it ended up being useful.
2. I wanted to soften up the party, make their dominant weapon cushions softer than the 3/day. So I ended up using mass reduce person with the two remaining images that were in the Pinnacle. Only one player realized what I was doing, and he didn't spoil the surprise, so I absolutely recommend future GMs doing something like this.
3. My party brought Chellan into the final battle, so I had to try to have the Sword of Greed dominate the person holding it. Unfortunately, they holy aura'd up, so the elven fighter was never at a risk of turning on the party.
4. The party wizard had dropped a metric ton of gold to purchase a bunch of scrolls going into the final leg of this, including multiple 9th level spells, like mage's disjunction. I let him use a few of these in the Pinnacle, and even let him get a disjunction off on Karzoug before the Runelord of Avarice had had enough. He used a wish to destroy all of the wizard's scrolls, using a version of parchment swarm.
5. Maze is a terrible spell. Well, I mean, tactically, it's amazing. No save, and it lasts for one combat, or until the target makes a DC 20 Intelligence check. Cast it on the right target, and they're basically out of the fight. I did that on the party's archer warpriest, and yeah, she was out until Karzoug was dead. That's not fun. Then again, she ended up doing ~300 damage to the archmage, so it's not like she was taken out of the fight immediately.
6. One of the players had been playing a high level druid, but got dropped into the game about halfway through. As a result, he was never really sure how his character should work, and most of the time was just along to help where he could. He cast a spell, blood mist in the first round, in the hopes that it might cause the baddies to fight each other. It didn't, but it did force Karzoug to cast a greater dispel magic to get rid of it, delaying his horrid wilting. That might have actually gotten multiple people if he had cast it in round 2, but only hit two PCs when I did end up casting it later on.
But now, this is over. This hardback gets to retire to my shelf with the rest of the softbacks, and share stories of its glorious reputation with the other campaigns I've done over the years. For now, though, I'm prepping to start up Curse of the Crimson Throne for the same group in a few weeks, so I'm beginning to tear through that forum for ideas. I'd like to thank everyone who helped brainstorm with me on stuff, and if anyone has questions, I'll be happy to answer them!
I've alluded to my preferences on builds, but I'll go ahead and codify everything here.
• Races: All standard races from the Pathfinder Core Rulebook will be allowed. Any other PC race, including custom races, will be considered on a case by case basis. For the most part, races recommended by the Player's Guide will be approved.
• Classes: Any class created by Paizo with the correct errata.
• Alignment: Any non-evil, though bastions of law may have conflicts in rebelling against a legal (though tyrannical) authority.
• Abilities: Characters will be based on the High Fantasy (20 point) buy, found in the PFRPG Core Rulebook on page 16.
• Feats: Any feat created by Paizo with correct errata, within reason. While I'm not opposed to powerful feats (like Leadership), I do have concerns about some of them (like Sacred Geometry). Most are fine, but I do reserve the right to nix one if and when something doesn't pass the sniff test.
• Skills: We will be using the Background Skill system, because it's awesome. This is an urban campaign, and most of you probably either have lived in Kintargo most of your lives, or recently moved here, so you may consider taking a Craft or Profession that suggests what you do when you're not rebelling against a lawful authority.
• Traits: Characters will start with two traits. One must be a campaign trait listed in the Hell's Rebels Player's Guide. I like the Drawback system, so if you'd like to have a third, feel free to utilize that. Additionally, while this isn't a Trait, you also need to pick one of the reasons you're at the Aria Park protest, which will give you some bonuses in the opening scene.
• Hit Points: Characters will start out with Maximum hit points for their class at 1st level. After 1st level characters will take the average each level.
• Starting Gold: 150 gp.
• Background/Personality: I'd like to know a bit about each of your characters - I'm not looking for a novel, but a bit about your life before the protest and what-not would be excellent.
So I was just glancing through my copy pf The Kintargo Contract,, and I found a section that intrigued me. A quick summary: after the Silver Ravens find The Kintargo Contract, they head into Hell to speak with the contract devil that worked in the loopholes they need to exploit to save Kintargo from Chelaxian reprisal. When they get to his room, they find him putting the finishing touches on, and I quote:
The Kintargo Contract, p. 16 wrote:
a convoluted contract involving an architect who seeks to build a palace to attract the attention of the Lords of Hell to a world where magic does not function.
Now, that could mean nothing in particular, but we know Earth exists in the Golarion universe, and we know from Rasputin Must Die! that it magic left that planet a long time ago. So, the question is, "if the architect is an Earthling in the 1920s, who is he and what is this palace?"
This is quickly becoming my favorite article on the paizo page. I am really looking forward to seeing the comics and finalized Pathfinder stats to go with them. Im hoping the series does well enough to justify a second six issue series with more cross over content. I must admit im very curious to see how we get to john carpender of mars in a pathfinder comic. (Maybe a preview of the inevitable starfinder comic series?). Any chance of some sample art from the series?
Short version: John Wick has regained the rights to the swashbuckling romance game 7th Sea. Mostly. It looks like Alderac will retain certain rights (most likely card/board game rights), but we may see a second edition for this game.
I think Unity is desperately trying to make sure that my players' characters can't defeat him! I haven't received my copy of "Valley of the Brain Collectors" yet, despite the order page stating that it shipped. Likewise, "Palace of Fallen Stars" states that it's shipped. I don't have tracking information for either of these, so I can't see where they're at. Would someone be able to sleuth these two down for me?
So my group had a question on Mountaineer and one of its powers. The first one reads: "Add 2d8 to a Survival check." Can Mountaineer be used to add this bonus to another player's Survival check?
In general, if the text says "a", does that mean "any player's"?
I have not received this order as of yet. According to the USPS tracking website, the last notation is that it was transfered to the PO on 9/27. That was over a week ago. Is there any way to find out whether this has gone missing on USPS' end?
As I mentioned in the obits thread, Het's a beast. I'm not opposed to his inclusion, only that he came so early in the path. As a result, a party of five 1st level PCs, weakened from his undead minions, fell to him. Since this is so early in the path, and I had a bunch of kickass character backgrounds, I didn't want to force them to make new PCs.
So, here's my plan. Since Hetuath's undead status was forced upon him by Zyphus, I think he's wanting to do whatever he can to end it. He's hoping that sacrificing these souls to the Grim Harvestman will free him from his monotonous existence. This got me to thinking - what exactly does a sacrifice to the god of accidental death look like? I figure it's something along the lines of the ways the characters in movies like Saw or Final Destination die - convoluted death traps.
There's another dimension to this, of course, and that Hetuath is likely insane by now. Setting aside the whole "sentient mind trapped in a rotting corpse" fun, he's been stuck inside the habitat module for several thousand years, and only recently has anything unusual happened. He's got to be nuts. I think he would have an unnatural fear of leaving the habitat module. Moreover, as much as he loathes his condition, it's the only thing he knows any longer, and he's afraid of what the next step after he's released from undeath will be. So while he wants to be free, he's also horribly afraid of what the fulfillment of that wish will bring. So, the death traps are escapable, a fact I'm sure my players will appreciate.
So, the real thing I'm planning here is what to do with the players. I think my current plan is to stick them in one of the disused caves in the habitat module and build some quick traps for them to escape from, sans their equipment for a trap or two. I want them to feel like they've bought their freedom, not that I'm "letting them live." As I come up with death traps, I'll post them here - I'd encourage anyone with thoughts to do so as well. My limitations:
1. The trap must be something that Hetuath could reasonably build in a day's time.
2. The trap must be something that Hetuath could reasonably build given the equipment he has and the equipment that the PCs bring with them.
3. It should be more interesting that "surprise - arrow trap!", and hopefully give some insight into the alien mind that built it.
I hinted at this adventure in a few other threads - presented for your amusement is the result. This is designed for a group of 5 PCs between Books 2 and 3 of Rise of the Runelords, and includes Shalelu involved in the process. Enjoy!
The Adventure:
Jasper Korvaski has a problem. His partner, Cyrdak Drokkus, has sequestered himself in the Sandpoint Theater, and has not been seen in almost a week. He's to the point that he's considering doing something drastic – breaking down the door and finding out if his partner is well. But first, a bit of backstory.
When last we left these two, they were returning from Magnimar, and Cyrdak won a trunkful of plays in an estate sale. One of the Pathfinders they escorted back to Sandpoint was a Chelaxian faction member whose faction mission was to sneak a book into his find. The party was unsuccessful in stopping him, so he succeeded.
Outbidding Zarta proved to be a bad plan. She slipped him a copy of The King in Yellow.
When Cyrdak got back to Sandpoint, he inventoried everything, and found this additional book with a curious symbol on the front. He found the first act quite boring, but was instantly shocked and absorbed by the second act. The play has inspired him, and he's spent the last two weeks redecorating the Theater's interior to match the setting of the proscribed play. In the heavens above Golarion, Aldebaran begins to brighten in the sky, and the stars are right. Hastur stirs in dim Carcosa, and Carcosa begins to take form in Sandpoint.
When the PCs arrive in Sandpoint, they'll find that things are relatively quiet – but Ameiko is worried about Cyrdak for Jasper's sake. “The old poof and I have had a rivalry ever since I came back to town,” she'll explain. “But just because we've never gotten along doesn't mean I don't want something bad to happen to him. I'm sure Jasper's beside himself – never has the Theater been closed this long. Something's up, but his stoicism is going to get the better of him.”
Once they meet with him, they'll find that Jasper is indeed deeply concerned – the paladin's outer display of impassiveness drops after they inquire. “He's locked people out before – me, even. He says it gets in the way of his ability to create. I've never bothered him during these bouts, but...he was acting strange, even before this. He's been like a man possessed ever since we got back from Magnimar. When I asked him about it, he just said that he's had an astounding inspiration from our journey, and that we would see his masterwork soon enough. Well, it's been over a week now since he locked those doors, and I...I don't know what to do.”
Part of his problem lies in that he's unable to investigate. “He's done nothing wrong, and I can't unlawfully break into the Theater to check on him. It goes against Abadar's code. But I have to do something. Anything.”
Presumably, the PCs come up with a way for Jasper to accompany them into the Theater. However, it's wholly owned by Cyrdak, and while Sandpoint has nothing against same-sex marriages, Jasper and Cyrdak haven't entered into one, so there's nothing saying he has any claim on the property. Belor would be a sympathetic ear, and even suggests that someone in the party jimmy the lock, but Jasper refuses – there's no legal reason for him to be going in there, so he can't. The Mercantile League is in charge of leasing and subletting land, so in theory, Jasper could be persuaded to do a “spot inspection” on the Theater. Alternatively, as the Mercantile League bought the land from the native Varisians, they might speak with Madame Mvashti to get her permission to enter. Either of these options (or another) would be enough to assuage Jasper and get him to accompany them on the trek into the Theater. (If they convince him to follow, use the 3rd level paladin stats from the NPC Codex.)
Inside, the lobby has been decorated with dark colors. The playbills that once decorated its walls have begun to fray and tatter at the edges. The place is silent and forboding, and the doors leading into the theater itself have been barred on the inside. The doors to the box seats have not been barred, but Cyrdak has cast an arcane lock on all of these using several scrolls he's purchased. If Jasper is with the group, he leads them towards the manager's office, which doubles as Drokkus' private quarters. They're a mess – papers are scattered across the desk, many of them spilling onto the floor. A fine table holds the molding remains of a meal of smoked fish and soup, with scant evidence that they were ever consumed. The bedcovers are a tangled mess – while it doesn't seem to have been slept in recently, Cyrdak's dreams were clearly vibrant when it was. Jasper finds Cyrdak's journal, and in it his detailed descriptions into the clarity shown to him by the play.Once they hear the salient points, a Knowledge (local) or Knowledge (planes) will give the players the name, and the basic plot.
Once they return to the doors, they will have to break them down – Jasper is fully prepared to aid Cyrdak once he's been made aware of the peril. Beyond, the theater's rafters have been decorated with bolts of a pallid yellow satin that gently sways, even though the air in the theater is still. The proscenium has rough stage props to suggest the entrance to a city, while the backdrop is meticulously painted of that city – beautiful and decrepit and alien all at once. Beyond the city is a monstrously large lake, and beyond it a crumbling palace, its cyclopean spires reaching towards the starry skies above. A Knowledge (planes) confirms this to be a represenation of Carcosa, the doomed city by the Lake of Hali before the coming of Hastur. Perception checks – the highest will barely hear what sounds to be the distant lapping of waves upon a shore.
As the PCs approach the stage, the scrim will appear to be more and more lifelike, until they can no longer see the theater any longer – they are not quite in Carcosa, but neither are they wholly on Golarion any longer. The Theater now exists somewhere between the two, and if Cyrdak is not saved, then Sandpoint will disappear from the map as did Lost Carcosa.
The diary will give the PCs the clues they need – Cyrdak seemed enamored with the story, and desired an audience before The King in Yellow himself. This likely means his eventual destination is the palace. They will need to traverse through Carcosa's shifting streets, ford the misted Lake of Hali, and stop Cyrdak before he breaches the doors to the palace. This isn't as easy as it may seem – Carcosa is chaos made manifest, and its streets defy mapping. A highly rational mind cannot make sense of it. Fortunately – or perhaps, unfortunately – a highly irrational mind can. Reaching the first encounter requires a Survival check DC 25, while reaching the second requires a Survival DC 30. While this is high, every point of ability damage done to a mental stat (Int, Wis, or Cha) grant a +1 bonus to this check. Additionally, if Jasper is with the group, his desire to be reunited with Cyrdak grants an additional +2. Should one of the stats drop to 0, then upon awakening, a PC will have gained an insanity. Failure to meet a DC 25 requires a DC 20+(current number of failures) Will save from the party, as the twisting streets and alien architecture take their toll on the party. A failed Will save here means that character takes 1 point of ability damage from a random mental stat.
Encounter 1 – The Marketplace of Trivialities
Eventually, the party will come to a crumbling edifice with the words “Marketplace of Trivialities” enscribed on its massive face in Aklo. Cyrdak's trail leads this way, through its halls. Within are row after row of unattended booths, each offering tempting and intriguing delights. Bottles of some forgotten brew, pouches full of pesh and other insidious drugs, leaflets suggesting temptations of the flesh in secluded corners of the Marketplace, and other such ways to pass the time exist here. Cyrdak's route through the Marketplace is not immediately visible, so searching will need to occur.
Leaving the Marketplace turns out to be difficult, as its stalls form a massive and ever-changing labyrinth of paths, all looping back upon each other. Finding their way out will require a DC 35 Survival check with the usual penalties for failure. However, there is another option.
Anyone foolish enough to try any of the delights here will find that they experience a euphoria unknown to them before – as though the weight of the world were lifted from their shoulders. If they have ability damage in any of their mental stats, they heal 1 point from each. However, this feeling is fleeting, and they experience an ennui of catastrophic proportions. It's then that the Marketplace reveals a previously hidden section of its wares – the final road, towards all manner of ways to kill oneself. A selection of stout ropes, pre-tied into nooses; a guillotine, its blade high and sharp; a selection of poisons, each deadlier than the last; and, perhaps most disturbing, a large stone structure with a strong bronze door with the words “Lethal Chamber” written in the language of whoever gazes upon it. This PC will need to make a DC 20 Will save or choose the manner of his destruction. Naturally, the other PCs may try to snap him out of this – well-roleplayed scenes will allow another Will save, with an appropriate bonus. Regardless of whether the PC is saved or they knock him unconscious, they will find Cyrdak's exit shortly thereafter. (He was tempted, but his desire to see the King in his horrid flesh pulled him from the depths of despair.)
Encounter 2 – The Lake of Hali
As they close, they finally see the Lake of Hali. It's not made of water, but instead a roiling cloud of fog and mist which seems to whisper unintelligible secrets as its clammy tendrils whisp upon the shores. At the far end lies the palace, and a retreating speck on that distant horizon is Cyrdak upon his boat. Shouting will not raise his attention. Fortunately, there are boats on the shore.
Unfortunately, that means subjecting the party to the horrors of the Lake itself. Halfway across, they will need to make Perception checks to note that there is a wave in the mist coming towards them. If they succeed (DC 20), they will not be surprised when a pair of massive tentacles lash out – a giant squid is beneath them. The squid has total concealment from the party (and they have partial concealment for it), and will not breach the surface of the mist until it has killed the trespassers on the surface. Swimming works like normal, except they have no danger of drowning, and will not sink wearing heavy armor. (Use the Giant Squid stats from Bestiary 1, with the Terror Creature template.)
Encounter 3 – On the Steps of the Palace
At last, they have caught up with Cyrdak, and he is upon the steps of the palace. He is beginning the slow and torturous climb to the top, and he is a disheveled mess. His face is a mask of exhaustion, but his eyes bear a frightful clarity of madness. “You don't understand! Everything became so clear after I saw the Yellow Sign! I would show it to you – to everyone!” They will need to make a Diplomacy check in order to get him to come back with them. If Jasper is here, then he'll grant them a +4. However, this is a hard DC – he is hostile towards coming back, and the DC to convince him is 29. If they succeed, they will be able to head out and try to return to Sandpoint. If they fail, then they need to defeat Cyrdak. Jasper will be too emotionally torn to fight, and while he'll implore the PCs to attack to subdue, Cyrdak will have no such restriction. (Use the 6th level bard stats in the NPC Codex for Cyrdak.)
If Cyrdak lives, then proceed. If not, then Jasper remains behind in Lost Carcosa with his dead lover. What this means is for another day.
Encounter 4 – The Return Home
The return trip on the Lake is again interrupted by the mist rolling away and becoming oily and black water. If Cyrdak is conscious, he will gibber in the bottom of the boat (which has changed form when the PCs were dealing with Cyrdak). “The King stirs in his sleep!”, he whimpers. “His mask begins to slip from his face, and soon we shall all see what lies beneath. He is coming. He is coming. He is coming.”
Undoubtedly, the PCs will row harder.
As they race through the now unfamiliar streets, they find that they have no markers to find their way home. Another Survival test is required, this time DC 30. Normal benefits will apply. If they fail, then they find what appears to be the proscenium arch of the Theater, but blocking the way is a strange radiance that illuminates the area ahead without any apparent source of light. Wherever the light falls, shadowy wisps writhe with malignant intent. It slowly floats towards the group, its loathsome light growing ever closer. Knowledge (dungeoneering) will reveal it to be a colour out of space, no doubt drawn here by the spatial paradox as Sandpoint and Carcosa are coterminous. They will need to defeat it before they can escape. They don't need to kill it – reducing it to half hit points will cause the colour to move on and seek easier prey.
Once back on Golarion, the link between Cyrdak and Carcosa is broken – the magic wrought by the magnificent pigments wanes, and the painting on the skrim becomes a normal work of art. Both Cyrdak and Jasper are overwhelmed by their experiences, and they lie on the floor of the stage, weeping openly.
If everyone survives, then one thing that will occur when the party returns to Sandpoint is that Cyrdak and Jasper will have married. “If my time in that other realm taught me anything,” he says, “it's this: we all wear masks. Some of them need to be removed.”
The Journal:
Lamashan 14 – I've glanced through the list of plays I've bought in this lot, and nothing has moved me. I'm beginning to think I overpayed for this auction. Still, maybe I can find something in this that can earn a few gold – not to mention outdo the theater scene in Magnimar again.
Lamashan 17 – Interesting. One of the books doesn't seem to be on the list. Then again, it doesn't have a title, so maybe they just left it off. I'm not sure how you'd write the squiggle that's on the front, after all. I'll add it to the stack.
Lamashan 18 – I can scarcely contain my excitement! My mystery tome is a rare work, one that I had heard whispers of, but never dreamed I would encounter! The haunting words from Cassilda's Song in the second scene of the first act still echo in my mind. Honestly, though, I can hardly see why this play has its reputation. The first few pages I've read have been above average at best, and hardly worth the fuss.
Lamashan 19 – By the gods! Act II! If I had not caught a glimpse of those opening words, I should never have finished it! The rise of Carcosa! The tragedy of Cassilda and Camilla, and the inexorable truths of the Stranger! The doom that came to Yhtill! All of it, perfect in its own terrible way! My words upon this page hardly do it justice. Never have I read anything so enthralling, so impossible to turn away from, the same way that the eye is drawn to a scene of carnage, that same heady mixture of repulsion and attraction. The question: can I capture this upon the stage? How can I not attempt this?
Lamashan 21 – I've told Jasper I'm to be working on my project, and I don't wish to be disturbed. He understood. This time, though, this time, I think I have something truly grand. I want the play to come to life upon my stage. When Cassilda gives her cry to end Act I, it should feel like it echoes through the streets of Yhtill. My illusions won't be good enough, but I've got a second plan. I'd purchased several pots of a magic paint during my trips to Magnimar with Jasper, and I always said I'd use them when the muse struck. When if not now?
Lamashan 23- Little time to write, there is much work to be done and little time to do it. Everything is so clear, the visions I see of the Lake of Hali need to be incorporated from my dreams. The Palace, the winding city streets, the twin suns, the night sky dominated by Aldebaran – if I cannot make this exactly as I see it, then I have failed to birth this beautiful creation.
(new page)The work continues. A distant pounding upon the doors comes occasionally. I ignore it. Nothing matters but creating the backdrop, bringing forth the path I see laid before me. There is no time to eat, little time to sleep, not when The Pallid Mask calls to me. The whispers I hear quiet only when I paint, and give me frightful insight into what to paint when I do not.
(new page)I know not how long I have toiled at the painting. Days? Weeks? Months? Is there still a world besides Lost Carcosa? If there is, I know it no longer. All that remains is to perfect the path – through the Marketplace of Trivialities, across the Lake of Hali, and up the steps to the Palace. I shall come before The Pallid Mask, lift it from his brow, and gaze upon the truths he revealed to Cassilda, Camilla, and all of Yhtill. The mask shall be shed.
Notes Scrawled in the Margins of the Journal:
Along the shore the cloud waves break,
The twin suns sink behind the lake,
The shadows lengthen
In Carcosa.
Strange is the night where black stars rise,
And strange moons circle through the skies,
But stranger still is
Lost Carcosa.
Songs that the Hyades shall sing,
Where flap the tatters of the King,
Must die unheard in
Dim Carcosa.
Song of my soul, my voice is dead,
Die thou, unsung, as tears unshed
Shall dry and die in
Lost Carcosa.
-Cassilda's Song, Act I, Scene 2.
Camilla: You, sir, should unmask.
Stranger: Indeed?
Cassilda: Indeed it's time. We have all laid aside disguise but you.
Stranger: I wear no mask.
Camilla: (Terrified, aside to Cassilda.) No mask? No mask!
This came up while we were fighting Nualia tonight. Both Lem and Kyra had a Strength spell,and we weren't certain if they both could cast it on Valeros to give him an additional +6 to his rolls for the turn. I know that they couldn't do so if either of them had two Strengths, but is there anything that prevents them from both casting one?
So, random question of the day: the second level of Thistletop used to be the lair to be the lair of a hellcat, which was released into the world after the cultists of Lamashtu uncovered the way down from the first level.
Has there been any canonical explanations for where this creature went? Or is this just a story seed that was put into Burnt Offerings for GMs to follow up on at their leisure?
So, while I haven't run this one yet, I'm curious how many Devotion points people are getting in the Grey Garrison. Some of them are more or less unavoidable (killing load-bearing bosses and what-not), but some of them are more unlikely. If your group has finished Book 1, please post to say how many points they've received, and which ones they missed out on. I'm kind of curious to see what an average amount of DPs any given group is likely to get.
After many long days and nights of travel, you near the end of your journey. From across the land, you each had heard tales of the treasures won and fortunes made from plumbing the depths of the world's most infamous dungeon, and while you may have initially set out for adventure by yourselves, you quickly fell in with a group of five others. Sensing a contrived excuse to get the party together quickly, you fell in with no real reason not to betray each other after gaining the smallest amount of loot other than you wouldn't want hard feelings to carry over after the deed was done.
The sun shines warmly down upon you as you climb the last hill before you reach your destination. The townsfolk you passed were quick to give you directions to your goal, and honestly, you couldn't have arrived on a more pleasant day. A few white clouds drift lazily in the sky, and the air is atwitter with birdsong. As you crest the final hill, you see the majestic twin spires rising above a high brickwork barbican. A nearby river has been diverted to create a moat around the fortress, and a lone drawbridge is the only way in or out. A low building made of wood and thatching sits outside the city walls, but other than that, the remainder of the approach is choked with tall grass and weeds. Patches of dead grass and dry earth mar this sight, but the brush does not extend to a wide dirt path leading directly to the drawbridge.
You press onwards down the path...for Castle Greyhawk awaits!
Castle Greyhawk! The multilevel dungeon designed by Gary Gygax in the halcyon days of D&D way, way back when it was still Chainmail. The place where Iuz the Old and Fraz-Urb'Llu were imprisoned before being released by Robilar. The stomping grounds of the movers and shakers of Oerth - Mordenkainen, Tenser, Tasha.
This isn't that one.
Yeah, back in 1988 TSR teased that they'd be releasing Castle Greyhawk, and people were incredibly excited. After all, people were wanting to delve into the same dungeon as the creators of the game, so it's only understandable. They were expecting a massive dungeon crawl. What they got was...well, not what they were expecting.
It's a parody mod. The adventure doesn't take itself, the monsters, the traps, and certainly not any semblance of plot seriously. The people that wanted Gary's mod would need to wait several more years before Ruins of Greyhawk was released, but for the longest time, this is what you had.
So, yeah, I want to run it in Pathfinder. I'm looking for four to six people that would enjoy a game that's less about optimization and more about creating unusual characters and interacting with creatures ridiculous, insane and stupid. Min-maxers should look elsewhere for entertainment.
The Crunch:
Create a level 1 character, based upon the following restrictions.
Point Buy: 15
Races: Core, or anything that's got a RP cost of 10 or less.
Classes: Anything Paizo first-party.
Traits: 2
Gold: Average
Writing Sample: Give me a short backstory for your character. I'm looking for the ability to give your character an interesting voice, as well as someone who can be funny.
Posting: Hopefully daily, but this is a low-key game, so once every other day wouldn't be objectionable.
I'll close recruitment in two weeks (7/27). Feel free to ask any questions on what I'll accept or won't.
So I had a great idea for a side trek for my Rise of the Runelords game. They've only just begun delving into the Catacombs of Wrath, so it'll be awhile before I get there, but I wanted to start making plans early. I know this isn't the RotRL board, but give it a moment - I think this is generic enough that Homebrew is the right place for it.
At the moment, I've got a bard in the party. That pretty much guarantees that the Theater will become much more important than if there wasn't one in the game. So I started thinking about what would be an interesting story to tell there, and suddenly a truly evil thought comes to my head.
"The King in Yellow is a play, isn't it?"
So, yeah. The Sandpoint Theater will be looking to put on a production of The King in Yellow, and it will be up to the party to stop it from getting to the second act and causing it from summoning Hastur or something.
My problem? I'm not especially familiar with the stories. That's why I've come here. What sorts of creatures will have seen the Yellow Sign? What sorts of alien horrors would be waiting in the thin spaces between worlds that the completed play calls?
Fortunately, I don't think my players are especially well-versed in Lovecraft either, so while most will recognize the reference, if I tell them that shantaks are a traditional servitor race, they'd pretty much accept it. Still, I like internal consistency. Can anyone enlighten me as to what beasties would be attracted to the performance?
Every ten years in the tiny fishing village on Xielan Island, warriors and martial artists from across Tian Xia and the Inner Sea congregate for one express purpose: to compete against one another in the Ruby Phoenix Tournament. For those that step into the ring, there is no greater prestige than to be the victor of this glorious event, and those that win an invitation are often the greatest fighters of their art.
The tournament itself traces its roots to the sorceress Hao Jin, a devout Abadarite who had set her mind to collecting her own First Vault. Over her centuries-long lifetime, she had collected a vast treasure hold of items she deemed either perfect or wondrous, suitable for display in her Vault. In true Abadarite fashion, she made arrangements for the divestment of her estate, and left very explicit instructions: if more than ten years and a day were to pass without her entering the Grand Bank of Abadar in Goka, then a grand tournament would be held on the ten year anniversary of that day. The tournament would be overseen by the Abadarites, and the winner (be they an individual or a team) would be allowed to take one item from the Vault as a prize for their victory.
Over her lifetime, many aware of the will tried to end her life prematurely - and several were even successful. A sorceress of her power, however, is not easily set back, even by death. Each time an enemy killed her, she would emerge unscathed days later, her red hair a shade more vibrant than before her death. Her ability to shrug of death and her hair's resemblance to an animated flickering flame earned Hao Jin the nickname "The Ruby Phoenix," and some said that she was truly immortal. However, all men must die, and in 6891 IC, the recordkeepers at the Grand Bank noted that a decade and a day had passed since the Ruby Phoenix had entered the temple. She was assumed to have met her final end, and the first tournament was held ten years later.
In the years between the tournaments, the Abadarites in charge of the tournament organize smaller qualifying tournaments in many of the great population centers in both the Inner Sea and Tian Xia. The winners of these qualifying bouts are given vellum scrolls with impressive calligraphy upon them, inviting them to officially take part in the upcoming Ruby Phoenix Tournament in Goka. Ferries depart from Goka on a daily basis for Xielan Island, a small crescent shaped island in Goka's bay, and they are packed with eager contestants, excited spectators, and the fishermen who call the island home.
And this year, it contains four souls that had come to Goka with a purpose in addition to victory.
And that, of course, would be you. Introduction time! Since we're starting on a ferry on your way to a martial arts tournament, I can think of no better way to do this than through Enter the Dragon-style flashbacks. Go ahead and post your character's memories of their ulterior motive, and feel free to post your backstory afterwards - no need to keep them secret any longer.
Welcome, travelers, to the 31st decennial Ruby Phoenix Tournament! 128 individuals and teams have signed up, but only one will walk away as the Ruby Phoenix Champion!
Before we get started, let's get the ground rules set. Create your profiles and link them to the discussion forum. Your group isn't an adventuring group just yet, but we'll fix that in fairly short order. Also, please refrain from posting your backstory and such to the profile - again, reasons will become clear as play progresses.
A quick word on combat - I'll be rolling initiative for everyone, PCs and NPCs alike. NPCs are hard stops - everyone before them can take their turn whenever they like, but nobody after them can. There will be quite a bit of combat in this, so I'll do my best to keep things moving.
So, I'm looking at running this path for some folks in the near future, and wanted to offer them a set of campaign traits. The ones in the back of the book, however, are 3.5 traits - not quite as powerful, and have drawbacks to offset the bennies. So, my goal has been to adjust these traits to be more in line with the campaign traits given for published Pathfinder APs. Here's what I've got so far - feedback is appreciated!
General: all drawbacks removed.
Child of Jzadirune: as benefit.
Demonscarred: as benefit, +1 trait bonus to Fort saves vs. poison.
Dream Haunted: whenever you would become exhausted, you may treat it as fatigued.
Long Shadowed: autostabilize if reduced to negative HP.
Mark of the Beast: +1 trait bonus to Handle Animal checks, Handle Animal is always a class skill. +1 to Wild Empathy checks, if applicable.
Nobility: as benefit.
Scarred Soul: as benefit.
Scion of Surabar: as benefit.
Touched in the Head: as benefit.
Wyrm-blooded: resist acid 1, +1 bonus to either Swim or Perception, this skill is always a class skill for you.
Pathfinder Society GM. Starfinder Society GM. 2,225 posts (8,821 including aliases). No reviews. No lists. No wishlists. 25 Organized Play characters. 45 aliases. 
