Female Human Unchained Rogue/11 HP 93/93; AC 21 T 15 FF16; Fort+5 Ref+12/14 Will+5; Init+5; Perception+16/19, Sense Motive +16
Trinia's touch exposes Li to a new type of magic and the rogue likes it. Her body becomes even more responsive and between the added grace and the increased speed, Li's body appears to move like water in the desert.
Hearing Yazi's gasp for help, Li does whatever she can to cover the shaman with fire from her crossbow and make herself more of a target.
Barbarian 10/Fighter 1 | HP 66/104 | DR 5/- | AC 27, T 15 FF 21 | Fort +14, Ref +7, Will +6 (+7 Superstition) | CMD 29 | Init +2 | Perception +15
"Yeah, Lordship? You want to come take a closer look?", Garvid roars as he tosses his longbow to the ground, his arm held tightly into the worm's jaw, as he turns around to see Yazi swarmed. "Don't leave Yazi alone, if the flying dogs can't eat you, they'll stop swarming." The stinger from the worm pushing past his armour, Garvid's furious facade twists to glare at the humongous creature's maw, as his armoured fist begins raining furious blows onto the creature's jaw. "Your face needs rearranging."
Female Half-elf HP 41/76 (5nl)| AC 21/FF 16/ T 15 | Per +13 | F: 9 | R: 10 | W: 9 | Init +5 Brawler 11
Mouse tumbles in midair and rockets back toward Yazi, hovering protectively near her and kicking furiously to try and drive the beasts away.
Pummeling Charge to blue, repeat of last round. (Hopefully with better results.) I'll actually include my bless, haste, and Inspire Courage this time, too. :/
The shockwave is tremendous, blasting sand away to leave a crater below Talfryn, whose clothing shreds, his very flesh splitting and sending sprays of blood in every direction.. The concussive force wave coats the Purple Worm in rime, as a piercing blast of cold blows forth.
worm Will DC 20:1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6 worm Reflex DC 20:1d20 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9Great choice targeting its weakest saves. Full damage!
Kynes breathes heavily, blood slicked along his back and face. Flystepping alongside Yaz, Kynes studies and unleashes fury on green. Full damage from magical scarf, but I assume your wing attacks are non-magical and subject to DR. Let me know if that’s wrong.
Stumbling, almost falling, Yaziyah grasps for one of the healing sticks in her belt as her preternaturally lengthened hair lashes out again. "A little... help here," the Shoanti gasps. hit, subject to DR.
Trinia's touch exposes Li to a new type of magic and the rogue likes it. Her body becomes even more responsive and between the added grace and the increased speed, Li's body appears to move like water in the desert. Hearing Yazi's gasp for help, Li does whatever she can to cover the shaman with fire from her crossbow and make herself more of a target. All hit, joining Kynes against green.
"Yeah, Lordship? You want to come take a closer look?", Garvid roars as he tosses his longbow to the ground, his arm held tightly into the worm's jaw, as he turns around to see Yazi swarmed. "Don't leave Yazi alone, if the flying dogs can't eat you, they'll stop swarming." The stinger from the worm pushing past his armour, Garvid's furious facade twists to glare at the humongous creature's maw, as his armoured fist begins raining furious blows onto the creature's jaw. "Your face needs rearranging."Passed save v poison. 2 hits!
Mouse tumbles in midair and rockets back toward Yazi, hovering protectively near her and kicking furiously to try and drive the beasts away. Repositioned you slightly. 3 hits! 2 take down green, and 1 hits blue.
Trinia’s magical song continues. She casts a spell toward the worm, attempting to subdue it into submission. Unfortunately, its bloodthirst has driven it into a frenzy and the enchantment has no effect.
charm monster Will DC 17:1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23
The gargoyles continue to swarm Yazi! Their flyby attacks provoke AoO’s.
The worm writhes against the blast of ice and Garvid’s attacks, emitting an otherworldly hiss that reeks of aldehyde. Its massive jaws enclose around Garvid, squeezing him nearly to the point of suffocation as it forces him down its gullet!
The worm then coils up further from the ground, circling around Li and Trinia as it anticipates its next morsel...
__________________________
Initiative (bold may act):
Ashwing
worm
PCs
Status and Debuffs:
Group Buffs: bless, haste, IC +2
Garvid: swallowed whole!
Kynes:
Li: cat’s grace
Mouse:
Talfryn:
Trinia: mirror image x3
Yazi:
Barbarian 10/Fighter 1 | HP 66/104 | DR 5/- | AC 27, T 15 FF 21 | Fort +14, Ref +7, Will +6 (+7 Superstition) | CMD 29 | Init +2 | Perception +15
"Woah, woah, wo-", is all Garvid has a chance to shout out as he quickly descends down into the worm's mouth. The man coughs out at the stench, as the grinding teeth of the creature smash into his already brutalised armour. His left hand grabs onto an unmentionable and foreign piece of purple flesh dangling from the mouth as the mandibules gnash wildly around his legs and torso. "You really shouldn't eat the first thing you see on the ground.", he spits out, as his gauntlet flies viciously into a row of teeth, sending them scattering down the beast's gullet, followed up by a vicious kick at the lashing tongue.
Male Human HP 87/92 | AC 18/ FF 12/ T 16 | Per +7 | F: 8/ R: 7/ W: 10 | Init +5 | Active Conditions: Mage Armor, Overland Flight
Gasping for breath, rising ever higher into the air, Lord Talfyrn forces his exhausted mind to cast his most powerful spell yet, a spell of such terrible force that his mind quails to even summon the symbols of power.
One hand gestures as he draws forth a slender golden chain which evaporates in a blaze of light; a moment later vast links of glowing bands appear around the Purple Worm, seeking to constrain it in place.
Kynes slides his body through the air at the nearest gargoyle, furiously studying its grotesque form, while whipping a balded scarf and rending it with two and claw! red
Female Human Unchained Rogue/11 HP 93/93; AC 21 T 15 FF16; Fort+5 Ref+12/14 Will+5; Init+5; Perception+16/19, Sense Motive +16
Time seems to slow down even though her body is sped up. "Garvid!" she screams as she watches the purple worm swallow the strongest person she knows whole before encircling Trinia and herself. She doesn't have time to wonder if they will suffer the same fate. She has to decide if she continues to shoot the gargoyles or try to defend the two of them with her crossbow.
The rogue decides to trust Mouse and Kynes to protect Yazi and directs her shots at the worm. She reaches for the bolts marked with green and hopes that these special bolts will eat a few holes in the worm's hide and brain to make it easier to get Garvid out.
She'll use Corrosive bolts for her shots for extra 1d6 acid damage - hopefully it's not resistant but Li wouldn't know anyways. She'll also use Rapid Shot for another attack.
Female Shoanti Shaman 11 (Lore) HP: 2/89 | 28/28 | AC 25/13/23 | F+9 R+9 W+15 | Per +13 Init +7 | Hex DC 20
The bloody flying rats were determined to end her! Almost falling to one knee, the shaman draws upon hidden reserves - they already had Garvid to worry about. "I'll manage here, go help Garvid!"
Gasping for breath, rising ever higher into the air, Lord Talfyrn forces his exhausted mind to cast his most powerful spell yet, a spell of such terrible force that his mind quails to even summon the symbols of power. One hand gestures as he draws forth a slender golden chain which evaporates in a blaze of light; a moment later vast links of glowing bands appear around the Purple Worm, seeking to constrain it in place. The worm crashes through the light barrier as though it weren’t real.
Ref DC 21:1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21
"Woah, woah, wo-", is all Garvid has a chance to shout out as he quickly descends down into the worm's mouth. The man coughs out at the stench, as the grinding teeth of the creature smash into his already brutalised armour. His left hand grabs onto an unmentionable and foreign piece of purple flesh dangling from the mouth as the mandibules gnash wildly around his legs and torso. "You really shouldn't eat the first thing you see on the ground.", he spits out, as his gauntlet flies viciously into a row of teeth, sending them scattering down the beast's gullet, followed up by a vicious kick at the lashing tongue. Garvid’s gauntlet plows a hole out the side of the worm’s neck. He tumbles out onto the ground in a mess of blood, pulpy gore, and digestive juices. You’re free!
Kynes slides his body through the air at the nearest gargoyle, furiously studying its grotesque form, while whipping a balded scarf and rending it with two and claw! The gargoyle hurtles down toward the sand, crashing in a heap of rock-like flesh 4 hits, red down!
Time seems to slow down even though her body is sped up. "Garvid!" she screams as she watches the purple worm swallow the strongest person she knows whole before encircling Trinia and herself. She doesn't have time to wonder if they will suffer the same fate. She has to decide if she continues to shoot the gargoyles or try to defend the two of them with her crossbow. The rogue decides to trust Mouse and Kynes to protect Yazi and directs her shots at the worm. She reaches for the bolts marked with green and hopes that these special bolts will eat a few holes in the worm's hide and brain to make it easier to get Garvid out. 4 hits!
The bloody flying rats were determined to end her! Almost falling to one knee, Yazi draws upon hidden reserves - they already had Garvid to worry about. "I'll manage here, go help Garvid!"Hit
Mouse flies through the air, leading with her fist, which slams into the orange gargoyle!
Trinia’s images tumble backward and cast displacement on Yazi.
The gargoyles race down toward the sand, one enduring a solid strike from Mouse, and come to rest beside Yazi. They struggle to locate her through Trinia’s glamer. One hits.
The worm gurgles, recoils as Garvid tears himself loose from its neck. Still a formidable opponent, it snaps viciously at Garvid and impales him with its stinger!
bite, PA:1d20 + 23 - 5 ⇒ (4) + 23 - 5 = 22 sting, PA:1d20 + 23 - 5 ⇒ (6) + 23 - 5 = 241d10 + 10 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 10 + 5 = 21Please make a fort save against poison!
__________________________
Initiative (bold may act):
Ashwing
worm
PCs
Status and Debuffs:
Group Buffs: bless, haste, IC +2
Garvid:
Kynes:
Li:
Mouse:
Talfryn:
Trinia: mirror image x3
Yazi:
Male Human HP 87/92 | AC 18/ FF 12/ T 16 | Per +7 | F: 8/ R: 7/ W: 10 | Init +5 | Active Conditions: Mage Armor, Overland Flight
Talfryn scowls as his spell floats away in the form of motes of glimmering light and dissipates to nothing.
"Should have known not to trust that tome, cheap copy of a copy, I'll never patronize that vendor again..."
Rolling up his sleeves, he hesitates for a moment before his face lightens up with an idea.
He casts his spell, and the ground beside the Purple Worm appears to shake then split apart as a huge golem of sand and rock tears itself free. It rise up to tower beside the worm, easily a good eight yards tall, craggy and vaguely humanoid as it smashes its rock fists together in anticipation of its battle with the Worm.
Casting Complex Hallucination to create a Huge Earth Elemental behind the Worm, in the hopes of distracting it from Garvid and giving him a flanking bonus.
Female Human Unchained Rogue/11 HP 93/93; AC 21 T 15 FF16; Fort+5 Ref+12/14 Will+5; Init+5; Perception+16/19, Sense Motive +16
Li resists the urge to cheer as Garvid tears his way out of the purple worm and gasps instead as it stabs him. The worm was obviously hurt but not quite dead yet so the rogue sends another barrage of corrosive bolts flying towards the worm.
Barbarian 10/Fighter 1 | HP 66/104 | DR 5/- | AC 27, T 15 FF 21 | Fort +14, Ref +7, Will +6 (+7 Superstition) | CMD 29 | Init +2 | Perception +15
Sorry, GM - forgot to update my AC, the bite definitely hit me with my Reckless Abandon. I'll start updating my block every post. I've changed my Stalwart to standard Combat Expertise, AC in block now correct.
Feeling the worm thrash and bite with a frenzy, Garvid steels himself as the stinger bites into his shoulder. "Come on, a~*%*$~! There's bound to be easier prey in this desert than us!", he roars at the creature once again latching onto his hand, darting left and right to dodge the purple worm's vicious blows.
Talfryn scowls as his spell floats away in the form of motes of glimmering light and dissipates to nothing. "Should have known not to trust that tome, cheap copy of a copy, I'll never patronize that vendor again..." Rolling up his sleeves, he hesitates for a moment before his face lightens up with an idea. He casts his spell, and the ground beside the Purple Worm appears to shake then split apart as a huge golem of sand and rock tears itself free. It rise up to tower beside the worm, easily a good eight yards tall, craggy and vaguely humanoid as it smashes its rock fists together in anticipation of its battle with the Worm.
worm Will DC 19:1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16
The worm drops Garvid as it reflexively wheels away from this new, sizeable opponent.
Kynes slides through the air to flank another rock gargoyle, eager to watch it fall back to the rocky earth from a single giant orb. orange down!
Li resists the urge to cheer as Garvid tears his way out of the purple worm and gasps instead as it stabs him. The worm was obviously hurt but not quite dead yet so the rogue sends another barrage of corrosive bolts flying towards the worm. Every bolt slams into the worm. With a heaving shudder, the massive creature crashes into the dirt. It heaves once, twice, and then is still. 3 bolts were sufficient, so hang onto one.
Despite Yazi's protests, Mouse continues to hover protectively over her, lashing out at the gargoyle nearest her with reckless abandon. With a forceful kick driven by the momentum behind her flight, she sends the last gargoyle’s head rolling like a tumbleweed.
Combat Over!
___________________________________________
You set up camp that night, then pick up with the journey’s final leg at first light. As you travel this deeply into the Cinderlands, you come across large rock cairns topped with animal skulls. They appear more frequently as you draw closer.
Yazi, others Knowledge (local) DC 15:
Although the Skoan-Quah are not as warlike as the Sklar- Quah, they remain distrustful of strangers, particularly tshamek who encroach upon the ancestral burial grounds at the Kallow Mounds. The Skoan-Quah mark their territories with large cairns--markers that serve as both signposts and warnings to deter strangers.
Approximately one-half mile from the Kallow Mounds, you are intercepted by a group of Shoanti. They seem to appear from the sand itself, for no sounds or disturbances indicated their presence. One holds up a hand in warning, or in greeting. ”Be received, strangers. Why do you approach the sacred place?”
Yazi, others Knowledge (local) DC 18:
These are Skoan-Quah boneslayers—women and men who patrol Shoanti burial mounds and are trained from an early age to be particularly effective against the undead.
Male Human HP 87/92 | AC 18/ FF 12/ T 16 | Per +7 | F: 8/ R: 7/ W: 10 | Init +5 | Active Conditions: Mage Armor, Overland Flight
Lord Talfryn raises both hands in the universal gesture of peace, and seeks to project a winsome, charming smile.
Diplomacy:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8
Instead, the tension of the moment is reflected in the grimace that appears beneath his bristling mustache, and he squints up at the shoanti, waiting for Yazi to speak her piece.
Female Shoanti Shaman 11 (Lore) HP: 2/89 | 28/28 | AC 25/13/23 | F+9 R+9 W+15 | Per +13 Init +7 | Hex DC 20
Yaziyah opens her arms in greeting, then crosses them over her chest as she bows her head to the Skoan-Quah warriors. "Greetings, boneslayers. We have traveled from far away to see Thousand Bones and seek his council, and the wisdom of the clan." She straightens her back, gazing calmly at the other Shoanti.
The mention of Thousand Bones appears to set the Skoan-Quah at ease. ”You are the tshamek who Thousand Bones speaks of. You pulled the body of the young warrior from the darkness.”
___________________
The Kallow Mounds are a collection of hundreds of cairns. On their western edge is a small dale. Here approximately seventy-five Skoan-Quah dwell, who peer apprehensively from the darkened entries of their yurts, from atop natural rock formations, and from around carefully stacked cairns. Whispers fill the air--questions and speculations as to these strange outlanders, these tshamek, who are led by a woman marked as a Skoan-Quah, yet whose manner and presence betray her upbringing in Korvosa.
Yet, these tensions fall away once Thousand Bones appears from within a yurt. ”Ah, Speaks for the Dead! Be welcomed to our land.” His ready smile and welcoming calls do much to set the other Shoanti at ease, and their initial hostility gives way to curiosity, as many of the Skoan- Quah have never actually seen an honest-to-goodness tshamek before.
”The Kallow Mounds,” Thousand Bones explains as you walk, ”Is and has been the burial site for all three Cinderlands Shoanti tribes for the past 300 years. We the Skoan-Quah are the cairns’ caretakers.”
”Since we withdrew from Korvosa in the face of increasing hostility, I have grown more and more concerned with the future. I know that the trouble in Korvosa has poisoned the city, and fear what plans Queen Ileosa might develop for the Shoanti if she continues building power.” He frowns, looking at the dirt. ”Of course, my fellow Shoanti see the deteriorating situation in Korvosa as… what is the expression? Just desserts for a decadent people. As is so often the case, I am at odds with my brothers and sisters. My warnings that Queen Ileosa might well be as bad, if not worse, for the Shoanti as she is for the city of Korvosa have thus far fallen on deaf ears.”
You stop before the largest yurt in the dale, around which a group of several dozen Skoan-Quah have gathered. On a cairn nearby perches a creature with the features of a lion but the scales of a brass dragon, and a matching wild mane. On its back are the crippled vestiges of a pair of wings, lost perhaps to a violent encounter. ”Wicked-Claws,” Thousand Bones says with a smile. ”Friend of our chief, who saved the creature from certain death against a bulette. Crippled but proud, he honors us as protector of our clan.”
From the yurt emerges a wisened Shoanti with intricate face tattoos. The others quietly maneuver around him, giving him not only space, but a presence among the crowd that exudes authority.
Thousand Bones nods. ”May the winds sing praise, One-Life. We are gifted visitors from Korvosa.” He introduces each of you by name. ”This is One-Life, chieftain of the KallowMounds and of all the Skoan- Quah.” One-Life, a quiet and gaunt man, raises a hand in recognition. ”Be received. Thousand Bones says much in your honor.”
”Thousand Bones says much about many things.” An elderly woman hobbles forward from the crowd to stand near One-Life. ”Ash Dancer,” Thousand Bones says with a smile. ”She is the tribe’s eldest, most experienced shaman and the leader of the boneslayers, whom you have already met.”
After these brief but pleasant introductions, Thousand Bones arranges for a guest yurt for your comfort. He has plenty of food and water delivered to the tent and even visits with you for some time, as he is eager to hear about your adventures since you recovered Gaekhen’s body.
Female Human Unchained Rogue/11 HP 93/93; AC 21 T 15 FF16; Fort+5 Ref+12/14 Will+5; Init+5; Perception+16/19, Sense Motive +16
Li's eyes are as wide as saucers from the moment they are confronted by the boneslayers to the time they're shown to their guest yurt. This whole environment is so different from Korvosa which is all she's really known. Sure she had traveled to Sandpoint but that had been similar enough. This place is completely foreign to the rogue and she keeps her eyes open and her mouth shut to make sure she doesn't accidentally insult their hosts.
The magnificence of Wicked-Claws mesmerizes Li. She had been intrigued by the pseudodragons back in Korvosa but this creature was so much more regal, even with its damaged wings. Still afraid to say anything, she bows her head somewhat towards Wicked-Claws as he is introduced to them. Even when One-Life and Ash Dancer are introduced, the rogue's eyes are continually drawn back towards Wicked-Claws.
Once inside their yurt, Li doesn't even attempt to politely wait when the food and water are presented. She dives right into eating as soon as the enticing aroma causes her to realize how hungry she is. Then her lack of manners registers in her mind and she looks sheepishly towards Thousand Bones and mumbles, "Thank ya."
She then settles herself cross-legged on her sleeping mat and watches as the adults talk. It's not like she has the proper influence to just blurt out any questions about Midnight's Teeth.
Female Shoanti Shaman 11 (Lore) HP: 2/89 | 28/28 | AC 25/13/23 | F+9 R+9 W+15 | Per +13 Init +7 | Hex DC 20
It stings a little to be lumped in with the rest of the tshamek, but Yaziyah understands - she wasn't born and raised here, and to their eyes she was an outsider. The sight of Thousand Bones fills her with joy, however, and she is quick to greet her mentor. "We are glad to be here. And you are right to be concerned about Ileosa."
She looks around warily, nodding in respect to One-Life and Ash Dancer. "There is much we must discuss. We bring dire news from the city."
Female Half-elf HP 41/76 (5nl)| AC 21/FF 16/ T 15 | Per +13 | F: 9 | R: 10 | W: 9 | Init +5 Brawler 11
Mouse watches as the group is led into the Shoanti camp, her wonder and curiosity as poorly disguised as that of the people peering from their tents and yurts. I always 'eard th' Shoanti was savages...but this ain't so different from th' Gray, really. An' di'n't take so much 'eavy labor t' build as th' Gran' Cathedral, I'll wager. They could take all o' this with 'em if need be, an' not 'ave t' rely on findin' a place once they got t' where they were goin'... Appreciatively, she runs her fingers over the heavy wool of the nearest yurt. An' I bet it isn't so drafty as 'alf the stone buildin's I slept in for all o' that moveable-ness.
The tattoos...would take more getting used to. Mouse knew from Yazi's past stories that the intricate markings were related to each person's achievements and history - but that didn't make the death's head taking over One-Life's face any more imposing. But mebbe tha's half the point, too, them lookin' all fearsome like that. I wonder if gettin' 'em done on 'is face like that hurt? Ain't tattoos, like, a bunch o' needle sticks? An' 'e's got so many...I wanna hear 'is stories. All o' their stories.
As the food is brought, Mouse gratefully tucks into it alongside Li, nodding agreement with her friend's thanks to Thousand Bones. She lets the wiser of the group lead the conversation, however - so many legends and monsters were rising from storybooks, she was still herself trying to sort out the truth and the danger of their circumstances.
Barbarian 10/Fighter 1 | HP 66/104 | DR 5/- | AC 27, T 15 FF 21 | Fort +14, Ref +7, Will +6 (+7 Superstition) | CMD 29 | Init +2 | Perception +15
The suspicious and guarded face of Garvid relaxes little as he lays his eyes on the familiar face of Thousand Bones. "Nice to see a fr- familiar face.", the man blurts out, extending a hand towards the Shoanti, the other one still firmly grasping his halberd. Upon the mention of the just desserts, he scoffs, a grim grin appearing on his face. They're dead right there. Been shouting up that tree since the King's death. Giving a respectful nod as the elders of the tribe are introduced to them, Garvid blurts out, "You know, the only nobles and high-ups in Korvosa I've talked to were either demanding something, or asking for a foot in their asses.", he comments as the party descends towards their yurt.
Sitting down and scanning over the table, with eyes peeled out for the familiar small bundles of mouse fat and sugar, Garvid settles on a large jug of water and a flatbread. "Our 'adventures'. Hah! Let's see... Turns out the plague was caused by an Urgathoan priestess working with the Gray Maidens, under the palace. We... cured that particular sickness.", he gives a vicious grin, before continuing. "We went to Old Korvosa, and was that place completely f~!!ed. Gangs ruining everything, some foreign killers for hire hired by Her Majesty", he spits out the words, "tried to kill us. Turns out the Arkonas weren't the normal sort of f$+~ed up nobility, they were some damn shapeshifting cat people from Woodra. One of them should still be dangling from his golden chandelier, and the second one knows that she'll be joining him if we see her again."
Taking a swig from his water, he shrugs. "Did I miss anything? Oh, yeah, there was some mind-bending tapeworms from underground messing with our heads when we came to Kaer Maga, but they didn't realise I rarely use mine, and that you can't outthink a ball of fire. Then I got eaten by a worm in your desert. Didn't take." He sighs, dipping the bread in the water, then leaning back. "How have you been, Thousand Bones? When did you leave Korvosa? Can't imagine the Queen appreciated you hanging around much?"
Male Human HP 87/92 | AC 18/ FF 12/ T 16 | Per +7 | F: 8/ R: 7/ W: 10 | Init +5 | Active Conditions: Mage Armor, Overland Flight
Talfryn remains silent through all of these proceedings, feeling distinctly uncomfortable and out of place. It was one thing to read about savage lands and strange peoples from the comfort of his library, another altogether to stand amongst their number and attempt to refrain from gawking at their strange tattoos and bizarre customs.
Hands firmly linked behind his back, he chooses to adopt a steadfast frown of solemn concentration, and follows the others, nodding when introduced, but otherwise staying silent. The yurt, at least, is a place where he can relax; he sips of the water tentatively, allows himself some fruit, and otherwise just listens as the others speak their piece.
”Ladies and gentlemen, please, take your seats, the play is about to begin.” The incessant chatter of the crowd echoes from the main auditorium into the recesses behind the stage. The bard enters, drawing the curtain back and entering the player’s parlor. He is a gristled, harried man. A black eye patch covers his left eye--the result of a pesh-den ruckus, or a mere prop?
His good eye falls upon you and he approaches, languishing into the last remaining chair. ”Ah, the life of the playhouse. Tending to the stilted demands of the masses--their petulant and capricious moods ever changing. ‘Give us a love story,’ they cry. ‘No, no enough of that. Let's have something heroic, or vengeful! And give it a bit of teeth this time, eh?’” He sighs heavily. ”And so it goes, day and day out, we petty players, singing our songs, rhyming our rhymes, and acting out this facade we call ‘drama.’”
”But it is a farce,” he hisses, leaning forward. ”All of it. An absurd parody--mere affectation of true tragedy, despair, love.” He spits the word. ”Our audience sees in our performance that which they wish to feel for themselves, but despair in the notion that they are incapable of feeling. For the world has sucked them dry. It is a merciless place, you know, treacherous. And each of them” he points toward the audience, ”stands alone up on a high wire, as rest of the world watches, waiting for them to fall. And to make things worse, they pit themselves against each other in desperate attempts at power and control. One wrong step, and all would be lost. So jaded are they by the awful realities of their existence that they have become numb--barren shells adopting human guise, donning smiles and laughter, but all the while resigned to the notion that they cannot feel.
“And so they turn to us, here in our modest theater. To remember again what it means to be good. Or wicked. And as we take the stage in our costumes and our finery, do we not see them as well? Their hopeful faces upturned expectantly, only their eyes betraying the lifeless desperation that lurks below the surface, the need to feel something.” His eyes drift, lost in thought. ”Do they not perform for us?”
He glances up as a stagehand enters from the rear, silently motioning that the performance is due to start. ”Ah, but yes, it is time to begin!” he says, rising to his feet. He bows, then jumps upright, flourishing his hands in dramatic presentation.
”The stage is set. A hush falls upon the crowd as the already meager light fades and the crimson curtain rises, revealing the decadent but aged bastion of Korvosa, “Jewel of Varisia.” Steeped in its traditions, stifled by its degradation, and choking on its own excess, the city wallows in exploitation and social stratification. Cast into the midst of such decadence and dark dealings, you, only you can hope to save the city from its own sinful tendencies. Will you prevail as the shining heroes of this tale? Will the audience grow to love and to adore you? Or, will you fall, as the fickle crowd gleefully jeers for your defeat, mere players on a stage?”
Hello and welcome to Recruitment for Curse of the Crimson Throne by The Wicked GM! I, being truly wicked, endeavor to run six brave souls through this amazing adventure path. It’s two heaping scoops of political back-stabbing and urban decay, topped with an impossibly rich and creamy layer of moral degradation. The classic, high-fantasy adventuring and dungeoneering are merely the cherry on top. Think you can stomach it?
House Rules for the Players:
No Guns. Sorry, but I don’t like the flavor of guns in my fantasy settings. The Bolt Ace Gunslinger archetype is allowed, however.
No Third Party Materials.
Races: Core only. Again, I am a purist :).
Classes: Summoners must select the Unchained version. No Occult classes.
Build Rules: 25 point buy. Your lowest stat, after racial modifiers, cannot be below 8. You will be powerful, as will your enemies.
HP: Max at first level, ½ + 1 thereafter.
Starting Wealth: Maximum gold for your class.
Alignments: Any non-evil.
Feats: No Leadership
Traits: First, choose a trait from the Player’s Guide that is appropriate for your backstory. You do not gain the benefit from this trait. Instead, choose two additional traits.
Hero Points: in use
Unchained Rules: Background Skills
Posting Requirements: I expect at least one post each day, for a minimum of seven posts per week. Of course, the flow of the campaign will ebb and flow according to the real-life needs of you and I, let us establish this rate as the “norm.”
Sample Post:
In addition to your PC, please submit a sample post containing a preview of your character in a roleplay situation. You may insert this post as a spoiler in your alias.
Now, having hoped to capture your attention, here is the hook: I am a novice PbP GM. While I have been playing Pathfinder (and GMing a fair amount) for about 2.5 years, I only began playing in PbP last December. However, in that brief time I have been fortunate to play under some talented and truly amazing GMs, and I hope they don’t mind that I’ve been taking notes. Yes, I have been doing my homework, and I realize that far too many novice GMs, starting with the best of intentions, fail to realize the grandeur of their visions as their campaigns wither into dust. Without even a scenario or module under my belt, how do I deign to think I can accomplish an entire adventure path? This is a very good question, and one I have asked myself many times since I decided to run a campaign over two months ago. And here is my solution: Taking Painlord’s advice to Finish What You Start to heart, I am committing only to run Book 1, Edge of Anarchy. Now, I see your face falling as you read this, but cheer up! I fully intend to pick up with Book 2 and on, but in order to help prevent “new GM burnout” syndrome, the decision to carry on will only occur toward the end of this adventure. I understand that this may turn some people off from this campaign but I see this as a fair way to measure the expected livelihood of the adventure. There is nothing worse than a GM organizing a recruitment only to abandon his players who have put their heart and souls into their characters. So, I do hope you’ll give me a chance.
Maps will be handled using Roll20 (I just love that live chat feature). I have a Plus membership, meaning you’ll have mobile access.
In addition to the above information, see my profile page for additional information (including some hints on how to get selected). Recruitment will close Sat. March 5, 10:30 p.m. EST . I will make my selections that evening.
Ahh, hooray! :D I'll go ahead and apply with this character, a half-elf brawler built for a past campaign that died. She's a half-elf brawler specializing mostly in unarmed/shield combat. (I will need to rework her crunch, as she's currently built at level 2.)
Having ended up in Korvosa after an accident she has little to no recollection of, she was found and taken in by Gaedren, and worked for years as an enforcer for him, giving her some familiarity with hand-to-hand combat. After getting the task that finally pushed her too far, however, she made a run for it, barely escaping her former lover sent to kill her in the process. Now she's a bit aimless, bouncing from tenement to tenement and working odd jobs to make ends meet, though she finds it much preferable to beating people up for a living. But the question is, where does she go from here?
If we're severely lacking in a role, I may throw together a second character to fill it, but we'll go with physical damage for the first shot. Good luck to everyone - Wicked will do great. :)
This is by far one of the most amusing recruitment threads I've read to date. I have a character that I made for curse of the crimson throne but I will need to work on him for a little bit so he'll fit the requirements you gave us.
Not done with the adjustments to the character or the roleplay preview just yet, but thought I'd let you know I'll be going for a Swashbuckler with the Inspired Blade archetype. I'll also be taking the Framed(Family Honor) campaign trait for his background story.
Looks awesome! Mouse is exactly the type of character I'm looking for.
Aada:
Your character's connection to Korvosa is a little vague. Can you articulate her relationship with the city a little more? Also, her connection to Calistria. Murder of a loved one is a strong way to start a character bent on revenge, but does she seek revenge because her goddess commands it, or does her devotion to Calistria deepen as a result of her desire for it?
@Shari (and everyone else) - Nice, dark and brooding works really well in this campaign. Unchained Rogue (or Barbarian) is A-Okay! They are optional, while Summoners must choose the unchained version.
I absolutely love the hook for this campaign. However I'm not sure what kind of character I want to make.
One thing I'm considering is a character somewhat focused on the summon monster line of spells (though certainly not exclusively). It's quite fitting given the location of the Acadamae in the city and it's conjuration focus. While tabletop could potentially be bogged down by a character summoning monsters, having to look up their stats and rolling for them all, pbp does not suffer the same problems. No one else have to wait while the summoner figures out what to do. I could see building this character in a couple different directions. Either as a wizard with the Acadamae Graduate feat or as a master summoner (I believe that archtype is compatible with unchained). Is this a character you would want in your game and if so which of the directions do you prefer?
Can we take a drawback for an extra trait? I would love to take the lovesick drawback. It would fit so nicely with your intro too ;).
Given the dark and broody theme, what do you think of taking Pact Wizard? A wizard making a pact with darker powers to get back at the man who wronged him. I'm considering making a pact with a devil, though this line worries me somewhat:
Quote:
A pact wizard ... who grossly abuses ... any outsider of the chosen subtype
If we end up opposed to devils that could pose a problem. I'm thinking the character itself would probably be true neutral. Of course I could just make a pact with a good outsider, but then it wouldn't be as dark and broody, you know? Would this work?
Dotting for interest. I'm currently working on a (three-quarters) Elven Investigator searching for his missing (half) sister.
How much downtime can we expect to see in this campaign? As I'm writing him right now, 'Jude' (not his real name, but I'll save the explanations for later) is deisgned to be good at crafting, and has personal buisiness that demands some of his attention, both things that require some amount of free time.
I had a character concept made for this, but alas, no guns. So I made this one.
Yazi is a Shoanti shaman with a... somewhat lively past who is now working to reconcile traditionalist tribal elements with the cosmopolitan city life. Her campaign tie-in is her niece, who went missing recently, just as a few other Shoanti children have. It's still a work in progress, so I appreciate any feedback.
Also, this is my first time with this class, so the crunch isn't finished either. Her possible roles are debuffer and buffer/healer (anvil/arm), but I can also take her into a more combat-heavy direction if desired.
Dotting for interest. Always wanted to see what this AP is about, even if it does only end up being the first book. Would help me decide if I want to run it myself.
Calcedon has been three failed CoCT games, one of them failed twice. He never made it past level 2. He's a Chelish Deva Bard with a terribly high perform score and a fairly extensive backstory. I really enjoy him and one of these days I'd like to get somewhere with a story he's in. I can easily rebuild him to your specifications, if you're willing to start with sort of a cursed character like mine.
I'm going to go with this character, Nicolai Fortescu, Human (Varisian) Wizard (Foresight subschool) eventually working his way toward the Harrower PrC.
Nicolai sits down at a nearby table and pulls a well worn deck of cards from his satchel. After shuffling the deck he begins to lay them out on the table in three rows of three. "Care to know your future? For the low cost of three coppers, I will tell you...for a silver I'll even tell you the truth."
Okay I just got home. I need to cook and eat, then I'll sit down and look over question and submissions from this afternoon. It's only day one and this is turning out to be a very exciting game!
I have an idea for a character concept that I have always wanted to play in an urban campaign: A courier/messenger who delivers messages throughout the city, while he does it as a legit business he may have had some underground dealings. He knows a lot of the nooks and crannies of Korvosa and likely has spent most of his life there unless delivering a message to the outside world. Gameplay wise I'd like him to be quick and nimble, able to run fast and across the rooftops or through the alleyways to get himself places he needs to be. I was thinking he would take the lost love trait and will forever feel guilt for not making it to his wife in time, he knows the city like no one else and he should have been there.
So what I am thinking:
-Movement speed boosts would be nice
-Knowledge (local), Climb, Profession(Courier) and Acrobatics are musts, and generally should be a pretty skilled character
-Good Dex, Int and Cha or Wis seem like good scores for a messenger.
With all of this mind I am thinking I should probably be looking at classes like Rogue, Ranger, Slayer, and Investigator, though perhaps other classes have suitable archetypes or options I haven't considered. If anyone has any suggestions I'd be happy to hear them!
@The Pale King - I think you hit on a lot of the big points - I'd probably lean toward Investigator on my part, as they really are the kings of skills and function well off a Dex/Int base. The lamplighter investigator has some neat urban flavor that could work fairly well, though I don't know that it specifically dovetails with the messenger angle. Another interesting angle could be the Slums spirit for the shaman; the Doors to Everywhere ability especially seems suitable. Oracles have a similar flavor with the Streets mystery.
I don't mind the summons as long as you recognize the increased amount of "homework" it's going to place on you as the master of these minions.
As to choice of classes, i'll leave that to you. I agree that master summoner is consistent with the unchained version. Depending on the group makeup, summoned minions might be very useful or not very. Wizard is generally a good fit for any group. I'm really more concerned with the character, as it sounds like you have a grasp on the basic mechanics.
See below re the additional trait.
Re pact wizard, without giving much away, let's just say that line might pose a serious problem for you.
Looking forward to see what you come up with!
Ameriel Amproude:
Good start on the crunch. Looking forward to your story!
Yaziyah Tanja:
Excellent! I love the inherent conflict in this character. She is drawn quite clearly. I have no critique at this time.
Calcedon:
Bravo! You're familiarity with Korvosa is evident in your alias. I really enjoy the little details you've included. Great submission!
Norelia Li:
Wow, you've brought Gaedren Lamm to life, and he's more sinister than I could have hoped! Your character is very sympathetic and I'm rooting for her already :).
Nicolai Fortescu:
Very flavorful character concept for this AP.
The Pale King:
This idea seems like a lot of fun! Also consider the Roof Runner feat ("Shingles Runner" in the player's guide)
@Everyone - Currently I will not allow drawbacks and additional traits (to keep everyone on the same page and consistent with posted requirements). After recruitment is closed, I will offer that option to the selected team. I suggest merely keeping that option in mind for now.
Hi Wicked, I had a question about the character submission.
With the sample post, is it okay for it to include dialogue or NPC actions? Normally I wouldn't control anyone other than my player character, but it might be helpful for establishing context for the post.
I'm new to using Paizo's forum for PbP if that matters, but I do have experience doing PbP's on other sites. So if I am selected, you may need to be patient with me figuring out the dice roller :)
This is Wolfgang Rolf's character. Fair warning the backstory is long, here is a brief summary:
Lazlo is a former noble who was motivated by a childhood tragedy to try and make Korvosa a better and safer place, however he found no support among the nobility and could not make these ideals a reality. Due to another tragedy and terrible relations with some of his family he thought it best to disappear from his past life. Lazlo is currently living in the Shingles District, he does what he could to drive away criminals, and small gangs but is under no illusion that the actions of a single individual could achieve his original goal, still doing what little he can achieve with his strength is better to him than sitting idly by. The framing of his sister(the only living member of his family he still cares about) for murder is what connects him to the plot and what allows him to first hear of Gaedren Lamm. Lazlo is currently after the crimelord to find evidence that his sister was not in anyway involved in the crime and remove any doubt about her honor and standing among the nobility.
Sorry I missed you last night. Book 1 is written to be rather fast-paced, but the timeline is intentionally vague. There may be time to craft, though the circumstances of the story may not provide much opportunity.
Lazlo:
The premise sounds good. I will read your story in full later today.
@All, another late day for me. I'll sit down tonight and review questions and applicants that are posted in the meantime.
I would like to tweak her background a bit, but I would need some information on the legal system in Korvosa. Namely, how they would deal with homicide and if the punishment for multiple homicides/manslaughter would be death (or not).
I can answer that, Yazi: According to the Guide to Korvosa, the general punishment for murder is torture & death with no chance of appeal. I'm assuming the 'torture' part of things is for first-time offenders.
Manslaughter, on the other hand, would result in either having to pay restitution or being tortured for the first offence, and a prison sentence of 5-8 years for a repeat offence.
...geez, Korvosa seems to have a thing for torture.
Order of the Nail Hellknights are some of the main enforcers in town, and paid allies of the Korvosan government - of course torture's high up on the list of punishments. :)
I'm kinda surprised a flayed man wasn't on Korvosa's flag at some point...
On a happier note, would you allow us to start with purchased properties, GM? I'm thinking of my character starting with an apartment somewhere in the city.
Sure. It's expected the PCs are connected to the city, and living there makes perfect sense. Are you referring to the real estate price listings in the Guide to Korvosa?
I believe Yazi is complete now.
Change log:
- finished the crunch (although I feel my feat/trait selection could be better)
- altered her background to include more death and more guilt; expanded the prison section
- fleshed out her description a bit more
- added her personality and a brief note on her religious beliefs
I'm writing up my character's backstory, and I just realized none of the campaign traits really match the background I had in mind. I still think it would work though: the basic idea is that the character's sister got involved in one of Lamm's schemes, and it resulted in her dying. Would that be all right?
Here is what I have so far. Definitely going arcane trickster. Norelia "Li" produced too fine a rogue for me to challenge. Hopefully picking up a little wizard will give us both a shot.
Emilio:
A boy stood on the edge of a pier, watching a ship disappear over the horizon, his multicolored scarf flapping in the breeze. It was so large that the several layers wrapped around him covered much of his upper torso, neck and face. The scent on it was already fading away just like the mental image of his father on the far off ship. The word “Emilio” was stitched into the fabric. His father had made it as a parting gift. He didn’t lament the loss of the man too much though. He wasn’t around that much anyway. He worked most of the time just trying to make ends meet.
”He’s not coming back lad,” came a voice from behind. The voice was trying to sound comforting but came across as mildly amused. The boy hated it already. He shivered as a cool breeze stung the water in his eyes. He crouched down to let the scarf cover more of his body. It was strangely warm still. ”He’s gone. I’m your new family now,” the voice continued. The planks of wood next to the boy creaked as the figure walked up and stood next to him. A gnarled and callused hand came down and ruffled his hair none too gently. The hand stayed for a moment before moving to the scarf. ”He did his best to provide for you but in the end, he couldn’t cut here in Korvosa. Tough city it is.” The figure’s hand gently lifted the edge of the scarf a little, rubbing the soft fabric between his fingers. ”Emilio eh? You know, I was generous to take you but you’re going to have to work for your food and bed. No slackers. This scarf would be a nice down payment. Might get you a few weeks.”
Like a crocodile, the boy leaped up and clamped his teeth down on the man’s hand. He cried out in pain and withdrew the wounded appendage quickly. ”Ah. Heeheehee.” The cry of pain turned to a strange, mirthless laugh as he shook his hand. ”Spunk. Good. I love seeing how long that lasts.” Not long it appeared. The man, who he now knew as Gaedren Lamm, paid the boy in full for the bite. But no matter how badly he was beaten, he never let go of the scarf. He eventually hid it to prevent theft. It shouldn’t have mattered to him. It belonged to his father, the man that sold him to this awful place to buy a ticket anywhere else. But for some reason the boy could not find the courage to throw it away. Instead, it stayed hidden until Gaedren’s fit of greed wore off.
Turns out, that didn’t take long either. After one particularly brutal beating over the stupid rag, Gaedren turned to grab something off the wall, something likely sharp and painful. When he turned, Emilio caught sight of a knife in a sheath along the old man’s belt. Panic and adrenaline seemed to make time slow down as he tried to think of a way out of this. He was chained to the floor so he couldn’t sneak over. He had no rope or hook or anything with reach. His mind worked furiously to find a way to get the knife. With a sudden clarity and burst of will, a method came to him, another gift from his father. The man dabbled in the arcane, enough to entertain, and enough to steal. The spell sprang to the boy’s lips as if waiting for his tongue to get out of the way. A hand of pure force reached up and grabbed the knife. Then, with a flick of his head, the hand flicked the blade over to him. It landed with a clatter next to the boy, who was too stunned to even pick it up.
At the noise, Gaedren turned around. His face quickly mirroring Emilio’s as he patted the spot his knife used to be. ”How did you do that? You can’t move. I’m sure.” Gaedren thought about for a moment. But when he couldn’t come up with an answer, he just got angry. He turned on Emilio, ”How did you do that?” he roared. Panic fueled his will again. The boy thrust his hand forward, and the knife responded, though not much. It hopped and skittered a short way closer to the old kidnapper before stopping. Gaedren looked at the blade for a long time. ”Magic,” he said with awe and excitement. He smiled…a wicked and terrifying smile. One that showed his many missing teeth and yellowed teeth. One that promised much pain if Emilio couldn’t live up to whatever burden was about to be placed on him. ”Kid. Welcome to the Little Lamm’s.”
Character is done, background complete, if short and example post follows:
Sample:
Lanliss lets out a snarl at the man's impunity, I ought to take these daggers strapped to my chest and drive one through each of your limbs! He strokes the pommels of each dagger in turn before looking at the man once again. So, he whispers softly, am I going to pin you to a wall like a particularly bothersome fly to a board, or are you willing to talk now?
Rodrigo De Montego y Ortiz
Male human (Taldan) swashbuckler (rondelero swashbuckler) 1 (Pathfinder RPG Advanced Class Guide 56, Weapon Master's Handbook 6)
NG Medium humanoid (human)
Hero Points 1
Init +7; Senses Perception +4
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Defense
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AC 17, touch 13, flat-footed 14 (+3 armor, +3 Dex, +1 shield)
hp 10 (1d10)
Fort +0, Ref +5, Will +0
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Offense
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Speed 30 ft.
Melee mwk living steel falcata +6 (1d8+1/19-20/×3)
Special Attacks deeds (dodging panache, opportune parry and riposte), panache (3)
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Statistics
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Str 13, Dex 17, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 16
Base Atk +1; CMB +2; CMD 15
Feats Exotic Weapon Proficiency (falcata), Improved Initiative, Weapon Focus (falcata)
Traits dockside avenger, signature moves, soaring sprinter
Skills Acrobatics +5 (+7 to keep balance or jump), Bluff +7 (+8 while wielding Falcata), Climb +3, Escape Artist +5, Intimidate +7 (+8 while wielding Falcata), Knowledge (local) +6, Perception +4, Perform (dance) +7, Sense Motive +4, Sleight of Hand +5
Languages Common, Halfling, Varisian
SQ falcata emphasis, hero points, living steel, swashbuckler finesse
Other Gear studded leather, buckler, mwk living steel falcata[APG], bedroll, belt pouch, blanket[APG], flint and steel, jewelry[UE], masterwork backpack[APG], monster mask[UE], reversible cloak[UE], soap, trail rations (5), waterskin, 59 gp, 3 sp, 10 cp
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Special Abilities
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Deeds Falcata Emphasis (Ex) Gain proficiency with falcatas and may deal piercing damage using falcatas.
Hero Points Hero Points can be spent at any time to grant a variety of bonuses.
Living Steel Some trees suck up potent minerals through their roots the same way others draw water from the ground. Though these trees blunt saws and axes used to hew them and shrug off fire, they eventually succumb to time or the elements. When properly harveste
Panache (Ex) Gain a pool of points that are spent to fuel deeds, regained on light/piercing crit/killing blow.
Swashbuckler Finesse At 1st level, a swashbuckler gains the benefits of the Weapon Finesse feat with light or one-handed piercing melee weapons, and she can use her Charisma score in place of Intelligence as a prerequisite for combat feats. This ability counts as having
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The son of a disgraced Taldan noble (minor) and widower. Who fled to Korvosa to raise his son in peace. Far from the memories of his disgrace and his beloved wife. He was able to get a job with a minor merchant consortium as a guard captain. He was an honest man and well respected by his coworkers and neighbors. He would often stand up to local bullies and thugs. One night the house was barricaded and set a fire. As a lesson to anyone else who tried to stand up to the local crime boss. I was able to escape through a small hole in the roof. My father died in the street cut down by Lamm's thugs. As he tried to recover from smoke inhalation. The next night i snuck back into the wreckage of the house. Looking for my father or his body, I found only his sword which was badly warped by the fire. My father's body still propped up on display with a warning sign to any other vigilantes. A kindly neighbor found me and took me in. Giving me a home. After several days I noticed my father's sword had returned to normal. Taking this as a sign I soon took a job at the Orisini school cleaning and repairing equipment. Watching Orisini teach his students. Practicing every chance i got. Using what my father taught me and combining it with what i saw at the school. Hoping one day to avenge my father.
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I see him as a little bit "Princess bride" and a little bit "Batman"
The Dark Alley:
The masked man holds the pimp on the ground. His sword point at the pimp's throat. You tell Lamm, I've come back from the dead. To finish him once and for all. His tyranny over these streets is over. And if I ever catch you out here again. I will finish you! The masked man flicks his sword. Cutting the man's face from chin to temple. Now go and never return
The pimp hastily scrambles out of the ally in his soiled pants and ripped shirt. Looking back only once.
The masked man turns to the battered prostitute he tosses her the pimps purse. With a flourish of his hat. I bid you adieu. Take your money back use it to get far away from here. Away from Lamm and his Goons. With that he dashes down the ally into the darkness. Before a goon squad or guards show up.
That should put some fear into Lamm. Let him know his day's are numbered. My father will be avenged!
