Beyond the Tentacled Eye - A Pathfinder Greyhawk Tharizdun Campaign

Game Master GM Darkblade

And the treasure list:
ornate costume dagger in a bejeweled gold sheath set with green gemstones, a mix of emeralds and agates in light and dark contrasts. (Fil has this, likely to be sold to the jeweler)

A small scrimshaw carved length of bone, cracked, but possibly valuable if repaired and cleaned up (Jocasta has this, likely gone)

Toruk (few loose coppers)

From the Gnolls:
two battered light crossbows
two short swords
two wooden light shields
two suits of leather armor.
3 gold
12 silver
19 coppers

From one zombie:
Tabard showing that they were from one of the merchant costers.

Known Treasure, unclaimed:
In the lizard's chamber you discovered three piles of offal, a large nest made of castle furnishings and swamp reeds, and an iron bound and locked chest which was hidden in the corner by a pair of collapsed ceiling runners. It seems otherwise intact, but may take some work to recover it without the ceiling coming down upon you. (we need to engineer this)

Sorry to see you go Jocasta. I recommend we recruit a rogue type player.

A cleric of Pelor will be joining the game during your meeting with Calmert at the church. He should be dropping into the discussion here at some point to make player intros, and in the gameplay thread once that meeting occurs.

I have posted a recruitment thread for a rogue or investigator type character to replace Jocasta, located HERE .

I have set a deadline of Monday for submissions and will seek PM input from those players willing to toss in their two cents about preferences before making my final selection. Any feedback you guys offer would be appreciated. I just do the bookkeeping stuff, you guys will be working with the player to lead the narrative and make the magic happen.

Hi folks, this is Oceanshieldwolf's cleric of Pelor, Navith Kanhai. Looking forward to this game - I saw the recruitment initially and followed along afterwards. I was sad to see Cedryk and Jocasta go, but hopefully I'll be able to bring some equally interesting gameplay...

Good to meet you Navith.

Well Met, Navith.

Welcome Navith!

Okay folks we have a few applicants who have submitted for the rogue position. I've heard from some of you so far but not everyone. If any of you have a preference please feel free to PM me with your observations. I'd like to make the decision tomorrow so that we can work them into the game and bring you up to full strength.

The LINK is here if you'd like to take a look at our volunteers.

I did so earlier. I have my opinions. I really think we have a few strong candidates.

I have decided to bring Zokama into the game. After some feedback from those of you offering I feel her character will be the best fit for the areas and obstacles this campaign may trod over in the proceeding days.

Everyone, please welcome Zokama to the game and let the fun resume.

Hi everyone. Glad to be here. :)

Hi, welcome.

Welcome Zokama.

Welcome Zokama!

Welcome to the game Zokama!

Sorry for the brief absence last night, I'm under pneumonia again and retired early. Just a bit of forewarning I'll be away from the PC on the 30th, I'm going in for a bronchoscopy to clean out some of the blockages. Just giving everyone a heads up.

Get well soon. :)

Take care Darkblade. This campaign is a long one (or so it feels to me) so there is no need to push yourself too hard and do damage. Do your thing, get well and we'll be here.

Take care GM. Take care of yourself and get well! We'll be here.

Just piling on the get wells!!!

@Zokama - what was your encounter with the undead - did I miss it being detailed somewhere? Sorry if I skirted over the details of my own during the audience in the canon's chamber, though I did relate it to the other party members just before you arrived...

I came to the area on a pilgrimage of sorts. To visit the memorial at Emridy Meadows - an old veneration of those who fell in their struggle against evil that issued from a great temple, my maternal aunt among them."

...

"Sadly, it seems a new, though hopefully less great evil has been at work. The graves were despoiled, including that of my aunt, and the memorial disturbed...the disturbance appears to have wrested the protective wards once emanating from the memorial. Worse, some of the dead have risen. I fought some, and saw perhaps a dozen or more."

I can copy it here, but it was PMed to me, and currently only have my phone to get online... so it will have to be later, sorry.

Thank you. :) Okay for everyone to read. :)

Ok, thanks GM and Zokama...

A bit of a recap, for players new and old alike...

The party arrived in town following the discovery of a caravan had been attacked by bandits leading a group of bugbears and gnolls. Many had been killed but a survivor mentioned that some had been taken prisoner, including the daughter and/or wards of a nearby baron. The group brought the survivor to Hommlet and began gearing up to track the bandits but were derailed almost immediately by a player triggering multiple dynamic events which had been working behind the curtain in Hommlet and setting up something dire.

As to the immediate question, no one has mentioned in story when Graf Kenter Nevets was injured, or how, nor did he appear so in previous encounters. However, the last time the party saw the mayor he was looking fair; elderly, tired, worried even but in fair health. He and the town had attempted but failed to hire the party to investigate suspicions someone in town was working against the well-being of Hommlet, Jaroo's death being the second of the leadership in town over the past few weeks. No one asked about the first, the town was quiet on it, though there was a second black draped chair at the tower meeting.

It was three days ago, when the town leadership informed the party someone had been hiding out at the miller's home, had brutally murdered and defiled the bodies of the man and his entire family, and then disappeared from town. That was also a day after a shapeshifter had been discovered by Cedryk masquerading around town as the local druid Jaroo while secretly torturing the local smithy Hiram, who had been deliberately turned into a werewolf and nearly released upon the unsuspecting town.

It seems saboteurs unknown have been sowing chaos in Hommlet for over a tenday, maybe longer, as well as raiding and kidnapping caravan travelers at the head of a band of humanoid monsters.

The party fairly decided to investigate the moat house and rescuing the prisoners which triggered their arrival in town instead of hiring out as investigators. They believed it was both more urgent and of higher importance, trying but failing to locate a Baron's kidnapped daughter, though saving four very grateful people in the process.

Meanwhile the town hired a group now calling themselves Regulators to investigate, a sort of B Team akin to Deadpool II's X-Force. Rumors are this group has done little to stop the assault on Black Jay as well as the Kindlehopper family, or uncover the culprits behind the attacks.

I know it seems like a lot but many of the plots were initiated early by the former druid Cedryk running his own storyline apart from the group and accidentally triggering multiple events out of sequence. The shapeshifter for all intents and purposes has fled town, while the original werewolf has moved on to greener pastures. That leaves the saboteurs, the moat house, the undead at Emridy, and the missing daughter to be followed up on, in whichever order the party deems best.

Damn, those are a whole lotta things.

I honestly missed the stuff with the town leadership. I just didn't make the connections.

I kind of want to smack these regulators down, but as long as they aren't actively creating drama then that is a problem we can deal with later. We have started the moat house so I kinda think we finish that one out, unless something more pressing comes up. Just my thoughts. The undead at Emridy do seem to be a concern for the church and Zokama so I can see a case for heading to there first also.

I think Emridy Meadows might be the best bet to start.

Thinking in a metagame sense, we should be level 3 before going to the Moathouse again. That was a very dangerous place.

I also think the Undead would be a concern for Navith, as well as cutting off a supply for the Moathouse, since we know the Moathouse is likely a source for raising the undead, but stopping the supply means less potential danger at the Moathouse. We know that they know we are around at the Moathouse. Especially after our encounter, losing both Cedryk (to death) and Jocasta retiring from adventuring.

These "Regulators" just seem too convenient, and, while possibly harmless, being inept might also be a danger to themselves and the town should they stumble on the wrong plot.

There's so much here, along with the Mayor's condition, we probably should pool resources. I have the natural knowledge, and Zokama did the Detect Magic, so potentially the other note on that before leaving.

Also, to ensure that I've done the treasure for the remaining party members prior to Navith and Zokama joining:

Just a reminder I am updating the townsfolk folder as we go for anyone important enough to garner an image. I don't know if it helps to put an image to a name but I don't guess it can hurt.

Incidentally, I do agree that we should pool resources and help the mayor, but with everyone going different directions I don't think it is currently possible. At least we let them know what they needed to take the next step.

Just to chime in a moment, I'd like to make sure we're all on the same page. Hommlet, Greyhawk, and the machinations of the Temple of Elemental Evil are dynamic. This isn't in any way meant to railroad or pigeon hole player actions.

I have a calendar setup here laid out with the plans of the BBEGs and what they're doing on a rough day by day, week by week basis. When player actions affect those plans I update the calendar accordingly, moving some things up, pushing others out, scrapping some plans altogether. As an example Meridosen had a role to play beyond what she did, but player interactions with her and more specifically Zert which forced a change, hence her leaving the Inn of the Welcome Wench. Will you see her again? Who knows, maybe. That depends on the group. I know where she moved, and what she's doing today. If you find her fine, if not, she'll be doing what she does.

Please don't feel any special particular need to interact with any plots you don't care to undertake, aside from the adventure itself. We do need to find, fight, and defeat the plan to free Tharizdun. That is the reason for the campaign after all. Anything else is okay, I won't take offense. I just have a Stackpole kind of mind, and tend to have multiple plot balls in the air, more to keep my own mind occupied than any need to see them played out by players.

Since the players didn't want to hire on to investigate the town the Regulators got the job. Does that mean any onus to change that situation? No, but the Regulators are in town and they'll do what they do.

The mayor is infected with a variant disease similar to the corrupted green slime affecting Filnefillan. He didn't notice this, no harm no foul. It will progress to point A if this, point B if that. Same with other statements or comments made but unnoticed, A B C follows as things progress. Again no onus, things will progress as you move the story, and I will create the background to be seen.

If you ever have questions or comments, please feel free to post them. If you want me to change or drop something send me a PM, and we can discuss it, or drop it here for the group as a whole.

Yay confirmation. Wish I'd rolled to assist.

Disease is such a harsh thing at low levels. And being on a timer makes it much more harsh for the exploration part of this.

Strong suggestion we get Emridy meadows done and get back to the Moathouse ASAP.

As a player, I'd love to have 2nd level spells re-entering the Moathouse (as well as not having whatever disease affecting me and the mayor), but that's a thing that I'll have to deal with for me, as well as the plot of the story too.

Agree that we shouldn't spread too thin.

Is Toruk still here?

Good question. He hasn't posted in a few days. I have been sick all week, on top of that, Fil hadn't had anything to post towards until Xaod.

Still here.

Yay!

I will be AFK for tomorrow, my procedure is in the early morning. Catch everyone later.

Good Luck GM. Hope it goes well for you.

I hope the heal check is a nat 20.

Take care GM!

Doc Took Ten on his Heal Check, cleared one blockage, pulled samples for testing, will do the other blockage down the road. Breathing well enough, just a bit loopy still. Thanks for the well wishes.

A brief explanation for our newer players, I try to run initiative in groups so the game is a little faster during combat. During a group initiative the players for that group may act, followed by any enemies listed for that group. I try to allow 24 hours to pass for an initiative group before ruling that any player not acting takes a defensive stance for that round and proceeding to enemy actions and rolling into the next group.

As an example, "Group Three" is up, and shows players Fred, Daphne, and Velma are in the group, along with thug, the Boss, and a ghost. During the next 24 hours Fred, Daphne, and Velma may act, posting in whichever order they choose, with their actions taking place at that time. So Velma posts she attacks the thug, Daphne posts an hour later she smacks the Boss, and Fred fails to post at all. After 24 hours I would rule Fred was momentarily shocked by the appearance of the ghost and took a Total Defense action for the round, boosting his AC and giving him no other actions. I would then allow the thug to try and tackle Velma, the Boss to shove a bag over Daphne's head in order to kidnap her while the guy in the ghost costume laughs at Fred for "letting us get away with it." It would then rollover back to Group One, which might contain Scooby and another thug...

Sorry about missing my turn :( I'm usually busier on Saturdays than on Sundays.

Understandable, life happens.

Apologies for bailing in the midst of battle, but my posting will be spotty between now and the 15th while I am moving. Packing up the truck today, and should be in Utah and able to post again consistently (hopefully) around then.

Please bot me as needed. I might be able to post in the interim, but just not sure when, and can't guarantee it. Very sorry.

No worries. Good luck with moving, a chore I hate more than most anything. Did it far too much as a kid, up and down the eastern seaboard, Ohio to Florida and almost every state in-between.

Storms through Central Illinois did a number on my family today. My mother-in-law's home had a tree smash into it. I do mean smash. Huge amounts of damage plus the storm pouring rain in through the roof of a 100+ year old Victorian. I will be posting later than normal as I help sort the mess, both physical and emotional for her.