Crypt of the Everflame PbP (Inactive)

Game Master Wilmannator

Dude, Silbeg, that is a f*cking small list of stuff you haven't played! Crazy, man, crazy.

Does that mean you have played all the other season 6 scenarios? Notably the level 3-7 ones? What am I to do with you?

**EDIT:** Read, Damien, read... yeah, 1-5 scenarios you haven't played. Have you played any 3-7 from 6? Because that's where I'm planning to go once we've all leveled enough.

That's only the 1-5 stuff... I have been playing for about 2 years... which is why most of the season 4 stuff is gone.

I have not played any 3-7s from Season 6. Yet.

Hold off if you can on season 6 3-7s. I'm planning on running them all for this group!

Well, that sucks. Trask is now +1 to hit for 1d10-2 or +0 for 1d10+1 if he power attacks, with The Executioner... and that's his best weapon. Guess it is up to 'Sven', now.

Damned STR damaging undead. Damn critting undead! SIGH.

FYI - Damien, this is way worse than a little rust. Vengeance was yours ;)

FYI - Damien, this is way worse than a little rust. Vengeance was yours ;)

Agreed! Mwa ha ha ha. If the rust had destroyed the armor on the other hand...

Love the last post, Hamilton! Amazingly written, and epic to boot. I like the image of the hurt and stubborn soldier striding to the front line.

Sorry about taking so long to post - Halloween grill turned into a party!

So... I don't know what legend filled out the remainder of the Scenario Planner, but I am officially willing to marry off my eldest daughter to you (provided she turns 18 first).

Now we just need "Gunari" to fill it out. ;-) "Amaranti" has played an absolute heap, too!

I've added in Season 6 for completeness' sake.

Oh, and the new scenarios have been announced. There's a 1-5 (November 26) and a 1-2 coming out, along with two level 3-7s (November then December)... should be loads of material to keep us occupied. This pretty much means we only need to finish Hall of the Flesh Eaters, choose a single 1-5 from another season, play the one that comes out in November and then we can move on to 3-7s.

Awesome.

Oh, and we have to play this one: The Slave Master's Mirror. Looks like it's very much related to Slave Ships of Absalom.

Sorry about the huge post guys - but hopefully you'll enjoy reaping the benefits of stealthy exploration.

That's great, GM Damo!

We'll probably end up clearing the critters after we sleep, but at least now the characters have a chance to survive (oh my aching strength!)

Glad you've got some strength back. Man, I was worried when I rolled that! I didn't want to say earlier, but a day's rest in that room is exactly what the doctor ordered.

Enjoy the respite.

So... I don't know what legend filled out the remainder of the Scenario Planner, but I am officially willing to marry off my eldest daughter to you (provided she turns 18 first).

Now we just need "Gunari" to fill it out. ;-) "Amaranti" has played an absolute heap, too!

I've added in Season 6 for completeness' sake.

Oh, and the new scenarios have been announced. There's a 1-5 (November 26) and a 1-2 coming out, along with two level 3-7s (November then December)... should be loads of material to keep us occupied. This pretty much means we only need to finish Hall of the Flesh Eaters, choose a single 1-5 from another season, play the one that comes out in November and then we can move on to 3-7s.

Awesome.

Oh, and we have to play this one: The Slave Master's Mirror. Looks like it's very much related to Slave Ships of Absalom.

I've filled out all of my scenarios (I believe it is correct), and added a little extra (to see what I have left!). I actually only have 65 scenarios left that I can play... mostly from before season 3.

Yeah, it does look like this is a follow up to Slave Ships! Wonder if we're going after the Pasha?

Pacing

Mostly as an FYI, I've been deliberately waiting longer before posting and pushing the action less than I used to (mostly in response to feedback received a while back... just getting around to it). Is the pacing better (or at least in lines with the way you like it) the way it has been this past week? If so, great. If not, do you want it slower or faster?

As for scenario planning...

Wow. What a crazy number of games you've played! Lucky they're bringing out new ones all the time...

I'd rather play later seasons than earlier ones (just to keep more current), so how about Severing Ties after Hall of the Flesh Eaters?

I am good with the pacing, I like being able to see more of our amazing party get a chance to respond to other things. I still can't help myself from refreshing every 5 minutes, but thats my own personal issue to deal with :)

regarding scenario planning, I haven't done a whole lot of scenarios, so I am pretty good on that respect. Now, just to make sure I understand this, once you play a scenario with any character, you can't play it again with any character (and receive xp/gold/credit)?

I just realized I am going to have a harder time leveling up all the different characters I want to play if I can't play as many scenarios for actual experience credit....

I have a super awesome idea for a class combo that would be....phenomenal... Its a [top secret redacted] that would be able to [redacted] during the [redacted].

Honestly now sure when to pull these out. Usually we are done so quickly and I never know when we need them.

I decided to start doing it mostly because I haven't been doing a good job (despite not needing it) and I want to get in the habit. Now with Mage armor in particular, I have enough extra abilities that I don't need to use my level 1 spells all that often just yet... and Resistance is a level 0 spell I can cast at will.

That actually leads me to an interesting thought I could use some GM input on. Would it be possible to set up a "buff train" type set of actions for buffing BEFORE a fight starts? most of the time I don't use things like resistance, or in my Oracle's case, bless, etc, because I have a tough time with the action economy. This group is so effective that casting resistance during the fight is a wasted action more often than not. Now when they can be cast BEFORE the fight, it is a different story.

Theoretically, if I took the time to cast resistance on everyone before we barged into a room for a fight, the first person to get it would only have 4 rounds left. Generally not a big deal for as quick as our fights usually last.

In Trask's scenario for maximizing the bull's strength potion, I wouldn't want to do it before the second fight with the frogs, but it makes sense to do it before the fight with the zombies...

Any thoughts from others? Particularly our two GMs in the group?

As for scenarios, that works for me. I'd just say, don't discount the older ones, some are very good (such as Throaty Mermaid). I've been playing for almost two years now (started in season 4, which is why I've hit seasons 4 & 5 the hardest), and I'll exceed 80 GM table credits this weekend. My wife thinks I play too much.

As for pacing, I have to agree with Jaender... where you are is fine. Don't push too hard, but when it appears we're ready, just move forward.

Buff trains: Fine by me! You so rarely know when a fight will be a fight that you should take full advantage when you do. Just make sure it's clear who gets what spell and in what order.

Gunari, 80 is amazing. Good work and your wife is right. I didn't say stop, though! ;-)

My experience with these spells has been that people usually cast them on very few targets. I rarely remember to cast them myself.

If we have two that can cast Resistence, then we could take 3 rounds to buff everyone, Trask drinking his potion on the last round (perhaps when he is cast upon), and then rushing in.

We just need to keep moving due to only have 30 rounds on a limited resource. I don't expect to get more than two combats in on the potion, which is why I never bother with the spell (unless I know I am in a combat rich environment, and have a spare use of Extend from a rod or something).

Yea, I think for this fight, I will hit Poochie, Vox, Strong Brute and Trask, in that order. Trask, you hit your potion when I cast on you, and then we will rush the zombies, making it a point to zip over to the frogs as soon we obliterate the zombies...

Looks like Poochie has it as well, so he should get himself, Vox, and Rudi, while you get yourself, Sven and me (in whichever order).

That way, we only take 3 rounds (just in case) and have at least 7 rounds on site.

I updated the map.

I started playing on season 5, so that shows on my "scenario's played". I agree with Gunari, some older season scenarios might be excellent as well. One option to consider are the serial-scenarios, since we anyway have the same group. There's a few no one of us has played, but I don't know about their quality.

And yes, the pace is good!

FYI - as I've said before, if there are serial scenarios that I have only played one part of, I will use a GM replay to play the series. That's one thing I was planning on using them for.

Should have checked back in discussion before posting, resistance all around. :-) Let me know what potions you drink, and it can have happened before Round 1, no troubles at all.

Serial scenarios sound great. Let me know if there are any you have a preference for and I can line one up!

+1 to serials or possible modules. With this group it only makes sense to have a longer story.

Buff train - I did in character give Hamilton Guidance, and Brute light, but I will get in the resistance train. So in order, Light, Resistance me, Rudi, Vox, Guidance Trask. So I have 7/10, Rudi 8/10, Vox 9/10 Resistance, Trask 10/10 Guidance.

Well, this specific team is doing Thornkeep... which is 5 linked modules. We may want to do a couple of scenarios, or another module, between The Dark Menagerie and the Sanctum of a Lost age. (4-6 and then 6-8).

Hey all, a friend of mine from New York is getting married in Dallas on the weekend - literally at a koment's notice (he called me an hour ago to ask if I could come). Given that Silbeg is also out, I'm thinking we just call a break. Is that okay?

Sure thing. You guys have fun...we'll have plenty of time to get this taken care of. :)

Did someone delete Vox? Can't see him on the map...

Okay, found him. Vox... use "Arrange > Bring to Front" next time. ;-)

Sorry, I was in a rush trying to get ready for bed and just plunked Vox down. I didn't even realize I had placed him beneath the frog. On a side note, if strong brutes' attacked missed, someone please help me save my puppy! Please!

I'm not sure if Hamiton will be posting again until the 10th, so I will bot him as required. He'll be a "low action" figure if possible (ie. you'll have to push the action without him), to minimize the possibility of killing a PC when the player isn't around. If you would like for Hamilton to do something other than what I'm doing with him, just ask in character. He's still there after all.

Hopefully, Silbeg will find it within himself to post from a smart phone while at the con. ;-)

We'll break on the weekend, as mentioned earlier. Don't think Crypt will be done by then, but you guys have surprised me before!

Just re-read my post. Wow. What a huge, action-packed post! No wonder it took me so long to write. Apologies for the length (I know most of you are "playing" at work), and also apologies if it takes too much control away from you. I looked at the situation and there really wasn't any way it could have played out differently unless you went home or sent Jaender in on his own to scout ahead (which was possible, but takes time and the aim was mostly to conserve your potion durations). Also, apologies for getting Vox's Will save modifier wrong. +2 wouldn't help you, though.

Anyway, this is a bit of a pain to get through - but I have very good reasons for not just rolling it out until you all eventually pass. You'll just have to trust me - and make those Combat Maneuver checks if you feel so inclined. ;-)

Okay, that was my last update before Dallas. After this, no laptop! I can probably run the combat, but no promises. Someone will have to update the swarm locations for me.

Sorry about the "roll good"!

Everyone is taking advantage of the break, which is nice (that, or you're all shivering in fright at the thought of a swarm - man I hate those things). Roundantaimi and Hamilton are packing alchemists fire, though, and Jaender has some tricks up his sleeve. Just keep the wayang conscious and alive!

Anyway, I totally forgot to enlarge the icons for Bruce and Wayne. Please someone make them 10ft squares instead. I can do it in Mondau if no one else wants to.

Done...

What a crappy time to fail the initiative roll, Burning hands will do wonders here if I am still alive!!!

Back from Dallas! Time for you to face off against the second most dreaded pathfinder monster (behind the rust monster): the swarm!

By the way, had a high level necromancer who had the medicine for swarms: waves of fatigue. No help to you now, but the no save combined with the strength reduction from the fatigued effect reduces most swarms to a stationary mass of tiny creatures in an instant. Awesome. He was also unphased by rust monsters. ;-)

Just to reiterate, we won't be starting Hall of the Flesh Eaters until Crypt is over. There's not much more to go now, so depending upon how this and the last remaining other combat/s go, we should be wrapping up early to mid this week.

To help you get your characters ready for Thornkeep, you get the following:

3 XP
4 PP / 4 Fame
1,398 GP + your day job (Roundantaimi is the only one who made one, from memory, and it was 50gp - nice!)

These items also appear on the chronicle sheet:

+1 bashing heavy steel shield (4,170 gp)
Bag of holding, type I (2,500 gp)
Bracers of armor +1 (1,000 gp)
Elemental gem, water (2,250 gp)
Horn of fog (2,000 gp)
Potion of bear’s endurance (300 gp)
Potion of bull’s strength (300 gp)
Potion of cat’s grace (300 gp)
Potion of cure moderate wounds (300 gp)
Potion of eagle’s splendor (300 gp)
Potion of invisibility (300 gp)
Potion of owl’s wisdom (300 gp)
Ring of swimming (2,500 gp)
Wand of cure light wounds (10 charges; 150 gp, limit 1)
Wand of lesser confusion (10 charges; 150 gp, limit 1)
Wand of mage armor (10 charges; 150 gp, limit 1)
Wand of magic missile (10 charges; 150 gp, limit 1)
Wand of magic missile (CL 3, 22 charges; 990 gp, limit 1)
Wand of produce flame (10 charges; 150 gp, limit 1)

I'm not sure where all of these items are / were, but there are no spoilers for having them there. I think it's just all the non-standard item possibilities that may or may not have appeared for you in the "gift" treasure room depending on what your class was.

You start off Thornkeep in Daggermark, I believe (Silbeg said "Daggerdale" which exists in Toril, not Golarion) and Daggermark is large enough for you to buy anything your puny 4 (or 6, Jaender) fame will allow.

So, feel free to level up in your software - just don't update your profiles yet please. ;-)

Chronicle sheets will follow as soon as the BBEG (or equivalent) is downed.

@Hamilton, your profile still shows you on 6 hp, but I'm pretty sure that was from ages ago (before your night's rest, even). When you get back on and have some time, can you please update your profile with current ability damage and HP?

Welcome back, Silbeg! How was the Con?

It was good, but exhausting... as all good cons are!

The special was a blast (I got to run it at 7-8, which is TOUGH!)

My last table was 5 new players, with pregens, and one with his own character. All level 7... so they were playing the 8-9 subtier of The Green Market. Was rough... teaching and running all at once!

I earned my table credit on that one.

I now will say I wouldn't recommend driving 5 hours after finishing a Con. In future, I'll stay the extra night!

Heh. Yeah, I had a similar drive from Dallas after a mad night of drinking for the wedding. Not recommended (especially not with 2 kids), but thank the good lord for iPads and Red Bull. I'll let you guess which I gave to the kids. ;-)

Looks like we missed bedtime in Finland. :-)

Feel free to head over to Hall of the Flesh Eaters if you're itching to post. We'll get that bar scene finished off in preparation for the real thing. It's getting some mixed reviews, but mostly in tier 4-5 where the tactics as written involve a coup de grâce! Nasty.

Sorry, been sick this week, so I have gone pretty early to bed... Then again, quite a many posts on my AM hours, and if I'm ever awake then, I'm most likely really, really drunk :)

CDG in tactics, ick! I think scenario writers usually avoid that... Well, I hope that's not the case in tier 1-2...

Hey no problems about not posting in the PM - you easily get your 1/day in. ;-)

Hope you're feeling better (if not now, then soon). Good work as always. The cock-headed Asar will be mad about that shot for the rest of his unlife.

3.5 weeks for a module... not bad, not bad... but this group must be slowing down!

very funny!

Thanks for another good run!

74294-11 if you don't already have it. 6PP, 2 fame, 468gp

Oh, and I'll give you all a couple of days to get these fine gentlemen leveled up and all. Maybe start Friday evening?

Friday evening sounds good to me! Probably less good for Roundantaimi, I know he expressed a need to be less active over the weekends.

Chronicles have been scanned and sent. Let me know if you didn't get yours in a PM or if there are any issues. Happy to redo them if needed!

...aaaaaaand we're done! Sorry to just gloss over the ending, but it really is very linear. Please, please, please do feel free to interject your own color into it at any point. Also feel free to ask me any questions you have about the scenario on the gameplay thread or the discussion thread. I'd be happy to answer any that you have.

Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. I have to say, though, I'm looking forward to a PFS scenario. Much fewer map updates than a dungeon module! Enjoy, GM Silbeg. ;-)

I've just reported the game online (almost forgot to do that!). As with the chronicle sheets, please let me know if there are any issues.