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Well I guess dealing with the current orcs and then heading back to the city is fine for me.
Actually, the whole side-trip to harse is a bit hand-waved in the AP, so from the point you picked up Trinia until now has all been a bit of sand box business.
Play it the way you want, I don't mind if it goes off the rails a bit.
I've just realised I'm supposed to receive an Animal companion! As I didn't pick one up, is it possible to put it into the story? or should I just retroactively add one? It should be a bird of some sort as I have the feather domain.
True, but it's a bit cheesy for one to suddenly appear when we are in need of a flying scout and it may well be something the GM has not catered for; therefore it has to be his call whether I get one this adventure and how.
How about a toad hops out of the river?
I can't find the reference, but I'm sure that the feather domain only allows birds. At the very least, the name is suggestive of birds. Since one of Erastils Emissaries is an eagle (Blackfeather), some kind of Raptor would be a flavorsome choice.
What exactly nets Marnos an animal companion? I didn't think Inquisitors got one unless they take the Animal Domain.
And as far as limiting animal companions to a specific type, I don't know of anything that does that outside the Ranger archetype falconer and the druid domains in Ultimate Magic. Maybe you were thinking of the Eagle Domain rather than your Feather Sub-domain?
His domain, feather, allows an animal companion at 4th level. It doesn't specify that it MUST be a bird, but it makes sense and is the right flavor for me.
I do think one coming and alighting on your shoulder now, is a bit far-fetched, but you might find one wounded in the orc camp that becomes fast friends after you rescue it, for example.
Derp! I was, for some reason, thinking Feather was a sub-domain of Air rather than Animal. =P
You know, I've *always* thought Marnos would look sick riding an axebeak. Jus' sayin'.
His domain, feather, allows an animal companion at 4th level. It doesn't specify that it MUST be a bird, but it makes sense and is the right flavor for me.
I do think one coming and alighting on your shoulder now, is a bit far-fetched, but you might find one wounded in the orc camp that becomes fast friends after you rescue it, for example.
That sounds cool, and it's much better than just saying one turns up. I like it.
Maybe Marnos' animal companion will turn out to be a roc and it will appear with a terrible cry and dive bomb these jerk orcs into oblivion within the next 6-12 seconds? =P
Sorry for running ahead too far and not buffing properly.
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So I asked myself if this was too serious an encounter for you. It didn't seem like it at the time, but I usually don't build following the CR rules, but rather by "feel". As I said before, this isn't part of the script per se, but rather my own sandbox off the main line.
It felt to me like an effective orc warband would have a powerful boss, a caster support and a group of 5-6 warriors, but by the time I built it all it is a pretty high CR for the level.
Likely my bad... You needed very good to perfect tactics to win this to begin with most likely. Fortunately, you have a deux ex machina on your side...
As way more GM than player, isn't it fun to see a really challenging encounter? I see so many that are cake-walks the other direction (especially in PFS) that I would have to think the one that actually scares you is pretty fun. Am I wrong?
Not wrong. LIke I said, If I hung back with the others and buffed more with say an Enlarge Person for Travigan and an Invisibility extract for Crux, we could have done much better. My butt was hanging in the wind when I charged up.
A number of things saw this whole thing go sideways for us. The group getting split up (equal parts from Tina rushing ahead, equal parts Travigan not knowing how to ride a freaking horse and being forced to lag behind as a result) combined with the orcs' dice just being on FIRE by the time Travigan finally did close in was rough.
Crux had a great idea to thin their numbers with sleep, and I think that could have turned things around for us if the dicebot had let us capitalize on it. Instead, it just slowed one orc down for a few rounds as he walked around kicking them each awake.
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One sided fights like this happen from time to time. With different dice rolls and a different initiative order, this whole thing could have played out VERY differently. That's just the wonder of the dice. I think you stitched together a perfectly reasonable encounter for a party with all their resources at their disposal.
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I prefer tough encounters that are defeated by tactics, but we all made too many mistakes and the dice were not in our favour. With only one frontliner, we're not really a combat squad. The disadvantage of using a bow is that I am not close enough to heal in a pinch, and we should have concentrated on taking out the caster ASAP before he buffed the leader too much.
I couldn't help wishing that Marnos was a Warpriest. Divine Favor would have helped, but I wasn't willing to spend a round casting it; Warpriest would have had it out on turn 1 and still been able to keep firing. Sadly, Warpriests weren't available when I made him.
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You can always add a level dip in it now...
I do think the CR was higher than it should've been so I absolve you of any tactical errors you might have made. Just learn from it for the next encounter I make up which may have a Tarrasque in it...
Calling it now, Marnos' animal companion is a tarrasque! SWEET!
Perched right on his shoulder...
Go get 'em, boy!
Sorry to be a bit slow in posting. My mother-in-law passed away after a long illness and the funeral etc were this weekend. Took more time than I anticipated. Should be back to usual frequency for a while.
Condolances.
Yes, our condolences and take as much time as you need.
Awww, it sounds like you and your family weren't surprised by your mother-in-law's passing, but still, so sorry to hear about your loss. You and your wife have my sympathies and condolences =(
Thanks guys. Trying to get back in gear now. The wife is still away, so that both frees me up and ties me down in a different way. Still the show must go on!
Folks
After a change in circumstance, I find myself without the requisite time to dedicate to GMing on the boards. I therefore must respectfully withdraw myself from the game, which will most likely fold the thread. I apologize for starting something I can't finish, but I didn't expect this situation to change as it has. The change is good thing for my family and career, but unfortunately it means I have to end doing something I love.
I enjoyed our time together. Thanks for your work to make it fun and for the hours of enjoyment I derived from our time together. I wish you all the best in your gaming lives.
Nice gaming with everyone
Dawwww. Well, thanks for the ride, folks! I had fun fleshing out ol' Travigan here with y'all. =)
It's been a good run, but life must go on! Have fun everybody, and I'm sure I'll see you all around sometime.