Isabella IC and I OOC have answered some of your questions and you don't find those answers sufficient so you seem to be circling back to those questions. E.g., she acknowledged it was a gamble to try to recapture you but thought she would be quick enough to do so. In-character, this is not a world where she knows your readied action will always be fast enough to dimension door out.
Similar with one stranger being a lot easier to quietly capture first and ask questions later than three plus a tough-looking dog.
Regardless, Isabella is a shady character. I personally would not be willing to do everything that she has been doing in this arc. If you don't agree with her, that's totally fine. If you mistrust her, that's also fine. She doesn't like Turion and Turion doesn't like her, to put it mildly. I don't see a world in which either of you apologizes for anything to the other or has any sort of reconciliation. All the more reason for us to shuffle this along, in my opinion. Hopefully the gesture I just posted in gameplay helps with that.
I kept circling back to e.g. the gamble of the recapture because to Túrion, it's relevant she must have been fine with both outcomes at that point. That she decided to abort talking and accepted antagonizing someone cooperative. In his eyes, out of the blue.
So that she now seems to want to cooperate all of a sudden seems - unhinged in a threatening way. Feels like the cop that gave you a hard time during the traffic stop, confiscating your stuff under civil forfeiture and having your car impounded while talking about smelling drugs, then suddenly turning mister nice guy and offering you a ride home to the other end of town with a malicious grin and an inoperable passenger airbag.
The easier capture - oh, I acknowledge that - one reason I dwelt on it, to drive the point home to the others that she is not being civil to them because she's that type of person - if she had the means, they would all be in a similar situation as Túrion, so he does not want them to let their guard down or allow her to separate them or anything.
I also fully acknowledge Isabellas ambivalence. I don't quite get why she has such distain for him, but Túrion actually liked her and was willing to look past the first assault(thinking it was a misunderstanding). Her sudden but inevitable betrayal was what he had a problem with. Kind of reversed his outlook because he realized what image he had of her was completely wrong.
I had no time to check gameplay as I have to move to the office shortly, but I'll do my best to look on it favorably. I mean, obviously no 180° turn on his side, but I'll try and do my part on moving on.
That said, his treatment is NOT something he will easily forget, or forgive. Barring extraordinary circumstances or her showing willingness to self-sacrifice for values he holds dear(as he will no longer trust words from her, only actions), I concur there will be no reconciliation.
what IS the correct english term for what I meant with "buying"?
That is, if my company wants to hire someone from the competition who received some expensive training and has a no-leave clause in his contract, we have to pay an additional fee to his former company.
Or with sports clubs, where the contract is for another season or two, you have to add extra expenses beyond the actual cost of the new contract to be paid to the original club.
Or when a contractor was pre-paid for a project and you work out a swap, where you have to pay extra to whoever contracted them so they can afford a replacement at a heightened rate.
In my native language, it would be right to "buy" the sports player, "buy" the contract, "buy" the worker from the other company.
The term is literally shopping for them.
(Much as a head-hunter in english is in most cases not technically only after the head or actually hunting in the classical sense.)
The fact that me wanting to buy her out from the madame seemed to be a big deal suggests to me that it does not parse.
So assuming there was some kind of work contract or bond, some agreement in place, and it was not the american "at will"-employment, what would be the correct term to use for paying that off to free her for new employment?
(Also for expedited access - around here it's 3 months notice, because the previous employer needs to fill the position, possible have a knowledge transfer or train a replacement, transfer all responsibilities and roles etc...if you want the person to transition on short notice, after 2 weeks or so, you'd have to pay a significant additional fee for the former company to waive their access(unless they already have someone lined up - in which case they will be happy to not pay the guy for 3 months during which he is considered a liability.))
(Incidentally, part of the trouble, as I expected she'd need a few days or a week to get ready, by which time I hoped we would have dealt with the Baron. It was unexpected that she seemed ready to depart instantly. Or I would have brought it up to the others beforehand.)
Figured if that was one root of trouble in this exchange, I might as well get something out of this so I don't put my foot in my mouth if I'm ever discussing this topic in the future with people in english.
(which is a very real possibility as I am working in an international team, and would not want to imply any forms of slavery or human trafficking...even if work at times feels that way).
(technically, the term would most often be "freikaufen", or "buy-to-be-free" but is often colloquially used as "einkaufen"/"shopping/purchasing" or only "kaufen"/"buy")
I would also like to bring to attention that I very much did set aside and mentioned/offered a significant payment as "wage" for the first half year, so even if my wording was off, it should have been clear that Túrion wanted to employ her, not "own" her as purchasing a slave would imply. Just mentioning that post-factum. (Not changing anything here, but the way I expressed things clearly did not match what I meant if it was perceived as an actual purchase-a-person to own attempt.)
Linguistically, I do think "buy-to-be-free" is what an English speaker would be more comfortable with than buy. "Pay-to-be-free" might be even more cautious.
And then context layered on top matters a lot. If you were talking about a while male employee in America and said "buy", people might be a little uncomfortable. If you were talking about an African American employee and said "buy", many people would be triggered by what would seem like insensitivity at best. Similarly, the context with Isabella where, for appearances sake, it is a grown man waving money around to "buy" a thirteen-year old girl he has taken a special interest in at a brothel, even if it's a reputable one. Isabella disliked this and dislikes/mistrusts Turion. She has a different attitude toward the others. This is probably colored by my personal perspective, too. In America, there is a LOT of very exploitative prostitution even when it can seem like it's between two consenting adults. I don't know how things are in Europe. So that informs my whole view of prostitution and probably comes into how I imagined Isabella would react.
So the sooner Isabella and Turion part ways, the safer everyone will be, methinks.
P.S. I think Turion's conclusion that Avinoax is different and he wants to go home is a nice way to take this. Especially in the end stages of the campaign. One of the heroes has preserved the continent but just wants to go home. That's classic.
Aye, but IS it an idiom in use? "Buy-to-be-free"? It's like, I'm looking for the correct "native" term to use, not what translation would be more acceptable.
The money you pay during that is often referred to as "Ablöse" or "Ablösungszahlung/-summe", which is translated as "transfer fee" or "key money". But whats the process during which you pay that called in english? (A "transfer" seems right for the sports guy, but not for regular workers, or applicable to this situation. I did not want to "transfer" her to my own business - and besides thats the process itself, not the action on my part. Or is that exchangeable in this case?)
(Also, as for prostitution in europe, there is quite some variety, but most of the german-speaking areas including my country fall within "Legalization - Prostitution legal and regulated" - they have to be registered, pay taxes, get sick leave, all the works.
Thats not to say there's no unregistered ones coming in from other countries or even pimping, and it's not as respectable a job that you'd proudly tell your parents you started work at a brothel. But it's also not something that would turn heads or cause problems in your CV. So yeah, it's where I assumed there would be some way of work contract or so, especially in a public, seemingly legal, and high-end establishment. Exploitation was not on my radar. Well, not that kind.)
As to the attitude, yeah, no reason to revisit that. As mentioned, she could have put a stop at any time. The way she presented things made Túrion worried about her. And she seemed eager to get away, not even having any additional questions or doubts.
Appearances and all that be damned, assuming she was what she seemed and WAS pressured into that line of work by her mother or other family, I'd have no idea what would have been the socially acceptable way of freeing her from that situation.
It's easy to say in hindsight that she needed no rescuing and so Túrions interest could seem creepy (despite me trying to always keep things distanced and respectful). But if the girl had been in peril with no way to get out on her own? That is, if what she seemed to be had been true - it's not like there's some Child Services he could notify, nor did he want trouble for the Madame. I readily admit it was a grey area, but even in retrospect, I'd have no idea how I could have handled that in a better way.
That problem may lie entirely within my perception of the situation as a player, admittedly. But my SO was working with abused and mistreated kids and she seemed like one of the archetypes of that, so I wanted to get her out of there into a safe environment. The fact she so readily went along with the suggestion implied that she urgently wanted to get away and risked the unknown over the known. (she was ready to go that same evening, completely ignoring his suggestion to say farewell to any family she might have in town - so avoiding her own mother in favor of going with a stranger? that carried some heavy implications in my interpretation.)
*shrug*
PS: Yeah, with Isabella he felt that she was wrong, because he KNOWS he had no ulterior motives. Mel then cutting into him as well really took him down a notch, because he had to realize that for all the good intent he believed was driving his actions, the perception of even people he cared about(heck, he attempted to court her shortly before) was that he was deeply flawed and what he did was wrong, intent be damned.
And not to forget that in preserving the rest of the continent, that means more trouble for Avinoax, because the Concordat would no doubt focus their attention there if the other plans don't come to fruition. (Of course, in the long run, any other development would also not have been better, so it's not that he regrets helping)
Oh, and he will want his revenge. He will be bitter. But unless he dies a violent death, time is on his side. It may be in 20, 30, 40 years, but he will remember vividly.
HP 42/42| AC low/FF14/T13(12) | Saves 4:7:9 | CMD 18 | Init 2 |Perception +11 | FS 2/2 SS 2/2 | Pearl1 3/3 Fund 140/500 Grtr Magic Aura
For the record Hal is going to want the group to take some precautions - head to somewhere safe, and heaps of dispel magics and waiting out spell durations mostly. Might cost some time, but Turion could have a buried suggestion, passenger, skin tag or curse.
He can be overruled, but his paranoia is (understandably I think) up at the moment.
Also, I can see this might be pretty boring, so I'm okay with skipping a lot of it.
Oh, Túrion will wholeheartedly support that, Hal. Just to make sure no tampering was done with him while he was out.
Same with the equipment. Make sure it's as clean as can reasonably be deduced, and then still assume she has some trick up her sleeve - but at least rule out all the "obvious" stuff.
I concur that it probably does not have to be played out, but there's two paranoid spellcasters around, so definitely no overruling from my side.
Just give me a linguistics roll for establishing the cypher and communicating it to Isabella. You don't have to fully explain it IC but can just say IC that you explain it.
HP 42/42| AC low/FF14/T13(12) | Saves 4:7:9 | CMD 18 | Init 2 |Perception +11 | FS 2/2 SS 2/2 | Pearl1 3/3 Fund 140/500 Grtr Magic Aura
I had a thought. If we're closing in on the conclusion we could maybe hide out in Brookside for a day or so? Only really worth it if it works with the narrative, and as a reflection of how far the group - well, a part of the group - has come.
It would require a lot of description to Hal, of course.
Otherwise it'll probably end up being a border inn he stayed in on the way here... unless people want to cram 5 bodies into a small prison cell.
I figure we can then skip over the actual precautions and about a day, and stroll back into town tomorrow morning in new personas.
If there is anything people are very worried about they might want to pick it up beforehand - thinking about Mel's stuff here. The boat needs to wait as it almost certainly has Reap trackers on it by now.
Female UC Rogue (Phantom Thief) 10, Warpriest of Ostara 1, HP: 99/99, AC: 24:17:19, CMD: 27 Saves: 10:13:9 (+2 vs enchantment), Init +5 (+3 when bluff/SM involved); Status:
Skills:
Acro +14, Bluff +4, Climb +6, Diplo +13, Disg +30, Escape A +11, Heal +22, Kn(arc, nobles) +13, Kn(loc, planes) +22, Kn(nat) +16, Kn(rel) +17, Kn(others) +12, Ling +7, Perc +22, Sense M +10, Stealth +29, Surv +5, Swim +6
I imagine Hal could get us to Helm easily enough, but Brookside might be a harder sell. I don't think he's ever been there, has he?
Narratively, I'm inclined to think it makes more sense to stay in Bannerhold. We can wrap up any outstanding plot threads after we've dealt with Beaumont.
Speaking of which, I'm not sure how to approach that. We need to obtain that Book of Whispers as proof of his treason. But he's guarded by fighters and wizards, he's apparently has great Perception and Sense Motive, and he keeps it on his person at all times. Plus there's a whole laundry list of things we don't know:
Where he lives;
His manor's layout;
What his routine is like;
Whether he keeps it on him while he sleeps;
How many guards he's got;
An assessment of their capabilities;
An assessment of Beaumont's personal abilities;
Who his friends and associates are;
Probably a bunch more I'm not thinking of right now.
I'm just going to throw out a whole bunch of ideas here.
I've been wondering if there's any way to eavesdrop on messages sent via the book of secrets. It would be cool if we could intercept his communications with the Magister of Divination and use them to uncover him. But I don't think that's how it works -- it's not like a radio transmission where we could listen in. The words just appear in the book. If anyone can think of a way to make this work, that would be cool.
We could go to Turick, tell him about it and see if the King might be willing to issue a search warrant. But that's a pretty big ask based strictly on hearsay from a group who has been acting in direct opposition to the government.
We could go to Turick and ask his advice on how to secure further evidence that might lead to such a warrant. Maybe he'll have useful insight.
We could report it to Count Aral and ask his advice. I think Mel's probably going to do that one regardless.
We could use divinatory magic to gain more information. Commune would be nice, assuming we know what questions to ask. But we don't have anyone who can cast it. Mel could theoretically use a scroll if she passed some checks, it's on the warpriest spell list. Hal or Túrion likely has arcane divinations of various sorts we might use, though I suspect he's probably got countermeasures against that sort of thing.
We could just go scout out his estate -- a casual walk-by keeping an eye out -- but that's likely to yield limited information.
We could get friendly with some of his servants and pump them for information. I don't think another infiltration mission is called for here, though.
We could try to arrange to get the Magister of Divination to pass him false information that would result in him unmasking himself. But that would be quite difficult, not least because she would not be anxious to unveil her own treason, and she's in the Concordat while we are in Bannerhold.
We could declare the continent a lost cause, hop on the Siren and sail into the sunset in search of an entirely new continent, thereby ensuring another six or seven years of campaign for our long-suffering GM. ^_^
Dwarf 10HD Sentinel (4) Buffs (n/a) Wounds (24) HP (103) AC (33/13/30) Saves (14/9/7, +4 Hardy, +2 vs divine) Initiative (+6) MF (1/4) HP (1/1) CMD (28+4 trip and bull rush, +2 vs grapple, +1 disarm and sunder) Battlefield Protector (Sp) sanctuary (3/3) shield of faith (1/2) prayer (1/1)
Given that he is hiring fighters and wizards to protect him, could we perhaps get hired on? Make it an inside job. That way we could get inside without raising suspicion. If we can find where he hires from, maybe we have a connection we can use to get us in.
Female UC Rogue (Phantom Thief) 10, Warpriest of Ostara 1, HP: 99/99, AC: 24:17:19, CMD: 27 Saves: 10:13:9 (+2 vs enchantment), Init +5 (+3 when bluff/SM involved); Status:
Skills:
Acro +14, Bluff +4, Climb +6, Diplo +13, Disg +30, Escape A +11, Heal +22, Kn(arc, nobles) +13, Kn(loc, planes) +22, Kn(nat) +16, Kn(rel) +17, Kn(others) +12, Ling +7, Perc +22, Sense M +10, Stealth +29, Surv +5, Swim +6
We could certainly try, but it sounds chancy to me. He has well-known prejudices against non-humans. Hal's human, Mel and Túrion can be disguised without too much difficulty since the major difference between humans and elves is pointy ears and a slighter build. But Kazador is pretty solidly dwarven.
Also, we're not as under-the-radar as we used to be. We participated in the raid on Cust's place. Turick's people definitely saw us, as did Cust's staff. It wouldn't surprise me at all if Beaumont has spies in the households of other great nobles, just to keep an eye on them. For that matter, Cust's house guards are out of work and might well have gone looking for work from Beaumont, bringing news of us with them.
HP 42/42| AC low/FF14/T13(12) | Saves 4:7:9 | CMD 18 | Init 2 |Perception +11 | FS 2/2 SS 2/2 | Pearl1 3/3 Fund 140/500 Grtr Magic Aura
Whatever keeps us moving. If it is not an opportunity I was hoping to fade to black and pick up the next day. Can do it faster if needed. Could just be an inn a few hours away from us I guess? If there is a chance they're tracking us, going back to the house seems like a bad plan.
Female UC Rogue (Phantom Thief) 10, Warpriest of Ostara 1, HP: 99/99, AC: 24:17:19, CMD: 27 Saves: 10:13:9 (+2 vs enchantment), Init +5 (+3 when bluff/SM involved); Status:
Skills:
Acro +14, Bluff +4, Climb +6, Diplo +13, Disg +30, Escape A +11, Heal +22, Kn(arc, nobles) +13, Kn(loc, planes) +22, Kn(nat) +16, Kn(rel) +17, Kn(others) +12, Ling +7, Perc +22, Sense M +10, Stealth +29, Surv +5, Swim +6
Well, if we wanted to be sure of breaking any tails, we could just duck into an alley, check ourselves for any magic tell-tales, and if we don't find any (or get rid of any there are) then teleporting away would shake any physical tails as well. Unless they happen to have Trace Teleport, which is a pretty high level spell. And even if they do, they would need Greater Teleport to follow us since Trace Teleport doesn't provide enough info for the regular Teleport to work.
If I recall correctly, we just woke up maybe an hour ago, and Hal still hasn't prepped spells for the day. So effectively I think we're at the beginning of a day. We could lay low for a little while, and that's not a terrible idea. Among other things, Mel could write to Count Aral and get input back from him.
On the other hand, I have this nagging feeling that things are in motion, and the longer we sit on our thumbs the more time things will have to happen.
It is still early in the morning, yes. You guys can do whatever you like. There are advantages and disadvantages, statistically, to different approaches. But neither approach is going to result in a definite loss or anything razor's edge like that.
I am reasonably certain that I have not recovered any spells and did not have a restful night.
So I would very much prefer to take a day off, make sure we are REALLY clean, and come back the next day.
With 3 Level 5 spells, we could teleport, then move in some direction for 5 minutes, and teleport again, which should also throw off trace teleport.
Honestly, I am more worried about scrying of any sort.
As for how we approach Beaumont, Túrion is reluctant to weigh in on that, and I will reflect that.
He still wants him taken down, for his own reasons, and the fact that also furthers Isabellas agenda won't change that even if he would prefer things to be different.
But some things said when you retrieved him will stick with him for a while.
No need to play that out and he is not turning into the broody edgelord sitting in halfshadow in the tavern, but work is currently not kind to me, draining a lot of energy, so it just seems right for him to take some time to digest things, rather than jump back an as if nothing had happened.
Female UC Rogue (Phantom Thief) 10, Warpriest of Ostara 1, HP: 99/99, AC: 24:17:19, CMD: 27 Saves: 10:13:9 (+2 vs enchantment), Init +5 (+3 when bluff/SM involved); Status:
Skills:
Acro +14, Bluff +4, Climb +6, Diplo +13, Disg +30, Escape A +11, Heal +22, Kn(arc, nobles) +13, Kn(loc, planes) +22, Kn(nat) +16, Kn(rel) +17, Kn(others) +12, Ling +7, Perc +22, Sense M +10, Stealth +29, Surv +5, Swim +6
Actually, now that you mention it, Count Aral's estate might be the perfect spot for a brief respite. We could confer with him in person about Beaumont.
Plus I don't think any of us were anticipating a jaunt out of the city when we left to go find Túrion. Mel definitely did not bring spare clothes, food or her bedroll. I imagine Count Aral could put us up for a night, particularly since we've been working diligently to advance his interests in Bannerhold. Mel's got her combat gear and the book Count Aral gave us, but a lot of her mundane gear is in the townhome.
So if Túrion can get us there, great. I think maybe we should aim for someplace just outside his estate and approach in a more mundane manner. Turick's guards got awfully twitchy about us appearing out of thin air in his garden, and I have to imagine that Count Aral's guards would react in a very similar manner.
DM, here are a couple of knowledge checks:
Knowledge (local):1d20 + 21 ⇒ (12) + 21 = 33
Knowledge (arcana):1d20 + 13 ⇒ (1) + 13 = 14
Aaaand I roll terribly on the one with the lower modifier. Naturally.
With those rolls, what does Mel know about the Concordat's Magister of Divination?
HP 42/42| AC low/FF14/T13(12) | Saves 4:7:9 | CMD 18 | Init 2 |Perception +11 | FS 2/2 SS 2/2 | Pearl1 3/3 Fund 140/500 Grtr Magic Aura
Hal has skin tag - if they managed to force something down Turion's throat while he was asleep that'll make divinations much easier. I grant you some of his combos are pretty unlikely to show up outside an intrigue focussed build.
he also has Mage's Private Sanctum, so if we are careful we can definitely have a scry-proof place to stay.
Hal made his way here along a similar route, so while he did not stop at the estate, he might have stopped somewhere close enough? Otherwise a double jump t-port from Turion should work fine.
Mel doesn't know a lot about the Master Diviner's magical acumen, not practicing much magic last time she visited the Concordat. But she does know the woman, Amrynn Faedi, has a reputation as very knowledgeable about magic and the mundane, politically savy, and personally ambitious. She also knows that there are some rumors that Faedi is corrupt but nothing that her political opponents, including the conservative, anti-war party within the Concordat, could prove.
Also, Nelly's magical size reduction will run out in a few hours. I will excuse myself and head to the woods, not join for the formal dinner. (I can officially simply travel on due to some urgent appointment only involving me).
You can pick me up tomorrow at some agreed-upon spot, but I'm not hiding a large wolf in my room and hope no servant comes by, nor leaving Nelly alone out there.
Túrion will be glad for a change of scenery and some green (plus it saves you guys from more broody posts) - but if there's more scanning or scrutinizing to be done, we'd best find some time before.
Female UC Rogue (Phantom Thief) 10, Warpriest of Ostara 1, HP: 99/99, AC: 24:17:19, CMD: 27 Saves: 10:13:9 (+2 vs enchantment), Init +5 (+3 when bluff/SM involved); Status:
Skills:
Acro +14, Bluff +4, Climb +6, Diplo +13, Disg +30, Escape A +11, Heal +22, Kn(arc, nobles) +13, Kn(loc, planes) +22, Kn(nat) +16, Kn(rel) +17, Kn(others) +12, Ling +7, Perc +22, Sense M +10, Stealth +29, Surv +5, Swim +6
Regarding filing a bug report on teleportation trap security vulnerabilities with the Crown, I'm not sure what we were supposed to do in that scene with that. We're not in the royal household right now, and none of us have had any contact with them. Count Aral is sitting in his country estate because he's not in favor with the Crown right now, so I don't know if he's in a position to put us in touch. We could ask Turick, I guess? But he's not here right now.
Is it just that none of us really said anything on the topic that makes you think we're not interested in doing it?
Yeah and that's fine. It's much more convenient and natural to report it to Count Aral. He's just a little nervous that this could be considered a state secret and doesn't want any of King Stephen's advisors to be able to claim that Aral withheld such information from the Crown, even for a minute. So he's going to be passing the info along as fast as money and magic can make it happen.
No need to get hung up on it either way. It's more of a vignette of the world reacting to a creative thing the PCs did. It's not intended as a major plot point.
I like the fact Aral picked up what an issue this could be - I hadn't realised the full implications of what we did until now.
Not sure if Hal needs to make a bluff check for his post. Technically everything is the truth or supposition, but he's definitely slanting what he's saying to look more sympathetic.
Apologies for my slower than normal follow-up. My computer screen is busted and my replacement computer has been taking far longer to get here than it should. Tomorrow it should be here!
Dwarf 10HD Sentinel (4) Buffs (n/a) Wounds (24) HP (103) AC (33/13/30) Saves (14/9/7, +4 Hardy, +2 vs divine) Initiative (+6) MF (1/4) HP (1/1) CMD (28+4 trip and bull rush, +2 vs grapple, +1 disarm and sunder) Battlefield Protector (Sp) sanctuary (3/3) shield of faith (1/2) prayer (1/1)
Sorry to hear about your computer screen. I feel you. My 2 year old threw a remote control at our TV, breaking it...it is nowhere near as bad as having a broken computer, but still, I feel your pain.
Female UC Rogue (Phantom Thief) 10, Warpriest of Ostara 1, HP: 99/99, AC: 24:17:19, CMD: 27 Saves: 10:13:9 (+2 vs enchantment), Init +5 (+3 when bluff/SM involved); Status:
Skills:
Acro +14, Bluff +4, Climb +6, Diplo +13, Disg +30, Escape A +11, Heal +22, Kn(arc, nobles) +13, Kn(loc, planes) +22, Kn(nat) +16, Kn(rel) +17, Kn(others) +12, Ling +7, Perc +22, Sense M +10, Stealth +29, Surv +5, Swim +6
And for my part, apologies for long silence. Ever since getting back from the holidays I've been juggling a half dozen major projects at work (inventory, surplus, annual evaluations, setting up and deploying new computers for a third of the staff, three separate non-trivial server replacements) plus reading and scoring 84 separate grant proposals for a statewide library funding committee I got appointed to sit on. Plus my parents announced last week that after fifty years of marriage they're getting divorced.
So I have been busy. But now that all that is done and dusted (except the divorce stuff which I am only peripherally involved in), hopefully I can slow down enough to pick up again.
Female UC Rogue (Phantom Thief) 10, Warpriest of Ostara 1, HP: 99/99, AC: 24:17:19, CMD: 27 Saves: 10:13:9 (+2 vs enchantment), Init +5 (+3 when bluff/SM involved); Status:
Skills:
Acro +14, Bluff +4, Climb +6, Diplo +13, Disg +30, Escape A +11, Heal +22, Kn(arc, nobles) +13, Kn(loc, planes) +22, Kn(nat) +16, Kn(rel) +17, Kn(others) +12, Ling +7, Perc +22, Sense M +10, Stealth +29, Surv +5, Swim +6
I must confess I'm pretty stumped as to how to go about this Beaumont case. If it were up to me I'd probably infiltrate the place as a servant. But A) we've done that already, and B) that sort of thing works better as a solo mission. I'd rather have something where everyone can participate.
Thanks Kazador, I was stumped for something to say.
I feel like the answer is to get him to host a massive party, and use the opportunity to snoop... but I can't see how to make the pieces come together.
@Brookside GM: out of curiosity, if we got access to one of the book of whispers, would it be possible to link a 'third' book into the system? Showing the king the words appearing as the Duke commits treachery would be very satisfying.
Cool idea. Yes I'll say that can be done with a third book of whispers, some ambitious spellcrafting, and components equal to half the cost of the third book (3000 gp). Let's say it would take one hour. It's hard to imagine it being faster than that.
Listing some options that have been discussed so far to try to help the party think about a way forward:
1. Have Viscount Turick get you a secret, private audience with the King and convince the King to pass false information to Beaumont. This would require some good convincing as well as cleverly devised false information.
2. Infiltrate through the sewer entrance. It is probably guarded magically and maybe elsewise.
3. Infiltrate via some social means, like posing as servants or during a large party.
4. Risk divinations on Beaumont's book, person, and/or manor.
sorry to read about your troubles.
I had my own share, with a prolonged (and unexpected) stay in the hospital during january.
Then an unrelated death in the past month, and a ton of anxiety about having been missing from the boards.(and knowing I was on thin ice e.g. on this game, regarding unannounced absences).
So either way, I finally found the energy to go back to the boards. If still welcome, I'd try and get caught up in the next couple days.
Yes you're definitely still welcome, Turion. Sorry to hear about your troubles as well. PBP games lose momentum slowly over time and this game is at it's very end. So let's all keep going as we are able and be forgiving to each other so you guys can finish saving the continent. From itself. Well, really saving it from certain very powerful and selfish individuals who would put bad things into motion.
Female UC Rogue (Phantom Thief) 10, Warpriest of Ostara 1, HP: 99/99, AC: 24:17:19, CMD: 27 Saves: 10:13:9 (+2 vs enchantment), Init +5 (+3 when bluff/SM involved); Status:
Skills:
Acro +14, Bluff +4, Climb +6, Diplo +13, Disg +30, Escape A +11, Heal +22, Kn(arc, nobles) +13, Kn(loc, planes) +22, Kn(nat) +16, Kn(rel) +17, Kn(others) +12, Ling +7, Perc +22, Sense M +10, Stealth +29, Surv +5, Swim +6
I really like Hal's idea of "putting a tap" on the book of whispers, so that anything written into it gets copied into a book in our possession. It neatly solves the problem of Beaumont noticing that the book is gone, because it won't be. I can't think of any spells that do explicitly that, but perhaps we could research one or modify an existing spell.
I've been toying with a plan revolving around Steal Book. It copies the contents of a book into another book of similar size. The chief stumbling block is that it erases whatever was in the book originally.
But! It's not an "instantaneous" spell. Its duration is "permanent", which means the effect can be ended. Presumably, once the magic is no longer active the effect would be reversed: the original book would once again contain the text, and the copied book would not.
So we could:
We get two blank books.
Either Hal or Túrion learns Steal Book.
We cast Steal Book on the Book of Whispers, dumping its contents into one of our two blank books.
Somebody casts Scrivener's Chant and uses it to copy the info into our second blank book
The original caster casts Dispel Magic, targeting their own Steal Book spell.
Boom! We know exactly what our dear Duke Beaumont and Amrynn Faedi
Buuuut there are problems with that. First, Steal Book specifies that it does not work on magical writings. The explicit examples are wizard spellbooks and magic scrolls, which this is not. But considering that the Book of Whispers is a magic item that transmits written messages across any distance, I suspect that it would probably count.
Second, if I understand correctly the contents are protected by a Secret Page effect. We would still need the password to get the real contents. Otherwise we might wind up with totally unincriminating nonsense like, I don't know, 87 different recipes for pudding or something.
Maybe we could research a modification of Steal Book that would just show whatever it's currently got in it without erasing it? Then we wouldn't need the password, because Beaumont would unlock it for us the next time he consults it. All we would need is to watch our copy like a hawk and make fast notes about anything we see while the book is decrypted. Still not ideal though.
Female UC Rogue (Phantom Thief) 10, Warpriest of Ostara 1, HP: 99/99, AC: 24:17:19, CMD: 27 Saves: 10:13:9 (+2 vs enchantment), Init +5 (+3 when bluff/SM involved); Status:
Skills:
Acro +14, Bluff +4, Climb +6, Diplo +13, Disg +30, Escape A +11, Heal +22, Kn(arc, nobles) +13, Kn(loc, planes) +22, Kn(nat) +16, Kn(rel) +17, Kn(others) +12, Ling +7, Perc +22, Sense M +10, Stealth +29, Surv +5, Swim +6
Did I really write "We know exactly what our dear Duke Beaumont and Amrynn Faedi" without finishing the sentence? Grargh. I hate it when I accidentally omit words. It should have been "We know exactly what our dear Duke Beaumont and Amrynn Faedi have been writing to each other" or something like that.
HP 42/42| AC low/FF14/T13(12) | Saves 4:7:9 | CMD 18 | Init 2 |Perception +11 | FS 2/2 SS 2/2 | Pearl1 3/3 Fund 140/500 Grtr Magic Aura
My speciality is noticing a grammatical error, editing at the last minute, and leaving a far worse error.
It's hard to proof read your own stuff because you know what it is supposed to say... though I have to admit I've forgotten to close a tag at times.
Female UC Rogue (Phantom Thief) 10, Warpriest of Ostara 1, HP: 99/99, AC: 24:17:19, CMD: 27 Saves: 10:13:9 (+2 vs enchantment), Init +5 (+3 when bluff/SM involved); Status:
Skills:
Acro +14, Bluff +4, Climb +6, Diplo +13, Disg +30, Escape A +11, Heal +22, Kn(arc, nobles) +13, Kn(loc, planes) +22, Kn(nat) +16, Kn(rel) +17, Kn(others) +12, Ling +7, Perc +22, Sense M +10, Stealth +29, Surv +5, Swim +6
Okay, mechanical question. Is Beaumont's book more like the one Count Aral gave us, or are we using the full mechanics for the Book of Written Whispers? Because there's a whole lot of detail in that item description which might affect things.
Like, Count Aral's book just lets you write back and forth. There aren't any word limits or destruction clauses or anything. But the Book of Written Whispers is highly specific: each book is good for exactly 25 messages of exactly 25 words each, and writing a message in a book transmits it from the "source page" to the matching "secret letter", which is just a loose piece of paper, not bound. And the recipient doesn't appear to be able to respond unless they have their own Book of Written Whispers whose secret letters have been deposited with the other end.
If that's the case, then what Beaumont has are piles of loose paper containing concealed messages from Amrynn Faedi, and a book (or actually probably multiple books) containing messages he sent to her. And since each book can only send 25 messages, if they've been at this for some time then they probably have to have worked out some way to swap components. Every time a book gets filled, that person needs to acquire a new one and arrange some way to send all those secret letter pages to the other without getting caught.
Honestly, the item is way more complicated than it needs to be. I wonder if it was created to support a very specific scenario where the author needed there to be letters on one end rather than a matched book?
HP 42/42| AC low/FF14/T13(12) | Saves 4:7:9 | CMD 18 | Init 2 |Perception +11 | FS 2/2 SS 2/2 | Pearl1 3/3 Fund 140/500 Grtr Magic Aura
The idea of a book where what is written in one appears in the other seems much more thematic given the principle of contagion. Please don't feel the need to use something as written if it does not make sense, Brookside GM!
I'm pretty excited about the idea of hacking the sympathetic link :)
Your quiet little farming hamlet of Brookside has gotten used to its peaceful ways of farming, trade, and general community happiness. Your home seems to have gotten cozier and cozier every year as the moss grows over it and traditions run deeper and deeper.
But things have taken a dire turn for the worse. Farmers working alone in their fields have disappeared with nothing but scraps of bloodied cloth and strange footprints left behind. Woodcutters have entered the nearby forest and never returned. Folk are panicking and as long-time pillars of the community, it's up to you to make things right.
Looking for:
NPC classes only (Adept, aristocrat, commoner, expert, warrior)
3-5 players
Level 5
10-point buy
Clever players who can be effective with limited resources while also creating an interesting character. I'm excited to see what you guys come up with.
Most source material allowed. If I can find it on d20pfsrd and it's not ridiculous, it's allowed.
You have 500 gp worth of non-adventuring possessions but only 200 gp in ready cash. You can sell things off if you think that's worth it.
Start as a one-shot and see if it develops past that.
Schedule
I plan to select players on Dec 16th if there have been enough submissions by then. Post at least once every weekday and once on weekends.
Logistics note:
I'm new to this forum and pbp in general so if any vets are willing to help out if I have questions about efficient ways to put up maps, etc, that'd be greatly appreciated.
I'm interested in playing a librarian expert who is a knowledge based character and is a expert at mediating(persuasion). How would I turn this into a lv.5 character sheet? I fairly new,like I've never played a whole game
Love it - adventure can happen anywhere and to anyone! Here's my submission: Vors Falchen, middle aged militia guard with a family. Full background below, details in the alias.
Character Background:
Peasant-born in Brookside, Vors has looked forward to few options in life beyond working hard and living honorably among his fellow Rostlanders. When he came of age, Vors entered into service with the town militia. After completing his "training," he found that he actually took well to the job, focusing his martial training in the use of the halberd that was passed down to him from his grandfather.
Over twenty years later, Vors hasn't moved up much in the world, but he does have one of the more important posts in town - right at the main entrance. Colder mornings are tougher now than during his first days, and his halberd has barely any more sign of wear than when he first started. Though he still knows how to swing it to wound, he'd much rather put on a show of using it for anyone who gets to agitated, and that usually settles them down without needing to draw blood.
He's helped train most of the younger guards, and counts on them to do most of the heavy lifting, especially his eldest son, Kelian, who just joined full time service in the militia this year. There aren't many in town that know the militia's work better than he does. He's ready to simply sit down and direct the militia's members, rather than don his armor every morning and get bored at the town gate.
His wife, Reinala, mostly directs work on her parent's farms,
making sure the hired help actually grows crops and doesn't just assume that it happens on its own. Their two daughters, Kharia and Jael, and their younger son, Vargos, are in their teens, and Reinala has her hands full with keeping them busy before they run away from sheer boredom.
Hmm... I'm thinking of picking up Scribe Scroll. Would we be able to use our 500 gp possession budget for non-combat scrolls like comprehend languages or cure light wounds?
I'm interested in playing a librarian expert who is a knowledge based character and is a expert at mediating(persuasion). How would I turn this into a lv.5 character sheet? I fairly new,like I've never played a whole game
Here's a really good outline of how to do that. The only things different from what's mentioned here is that you should pick also pick 2 traits, can only pick from the NPC classes, and have a lower starting gold.
Hmm... I'm thinking of picking up Scribe Scroll. Would we be able to use our 500 gp possession budget for non-combat scrolls like comprehend languages or cure light wounds?
That wouldn't quite fall under the spirit of those possessions. The idea is for that 300 gp to be things like pigs, a house, etc that you can't easily take on an adventure with you. But you can have spent 200 gp scribing scrolls to have a good number of scrolls for the cost of making them.
Hmm... I'm thinking of picking up Scribe Scroll. Would we be able to use our 500 gp possession budget for non-combat scrolls like comprehend languages or cure light wounds?
That wouldn't quite fall under the spirit of those possessions. The idea is for that 300 gp to be things like pigs, a house, etc that you can't easily take on an adventure with you. But you can have spent 200 gp scribing scrolls to have a good number of scrolls for the cost of making them.
Hmm... I'm thinking of picking up Scribe Scroll. Would we be able to use our 500 gp possession budget for non-combat scrolls like comprehend languages or cure light wounds?
That wouldn't quite fall under the spirit of those possessions. The idea is for that 300 gp to be things like pigs, a house, etc that you can't easily take on an adventure with you. But you can have spent 200 gp scribing scrolls to have a good number of scrolls for the cost of making them.
I was planning on this PCs submission include a family house, but 300 is a little low for the Ultimate Campaign Room costs. I’m assuming that it is easier to just say that it’s 300 gp worth of house? Thanks!
Here we go: Meet Perrin Alders, a friendly and idealistic doctor... who just so happens to be channeling the power of a demon lord.
Perrin's statblock:
Male human adept of Haagenti 5
NG medium humanoid (human)
Init -4; Senses Perception +11
--------------------
Defense
--------------------
AC 17, touch 11, flat-footed 16 (+4 armor, +1 Dex, +2 shield)
hp 30 (5d6+10)
Fort +2, Ref +2, Will +7
--------------------
Offense
--------------------
Speed 20 ft.
Melee shield bash -9 (1d4-2)
Special Attacks channel positive energy 3/day (1d6/2 plus self-perfection variant channeling)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 5th; concentration +6)
1/day - cure light wounds, detect poison, mending, stabilize Adept Spells Prepared (CL 5th; concentration +8)
2nd (2/day) - bull's strength, web (DC 15)
1st (3/day) - burning hands (DC 14) x2, command (DC 14)
0 (at-will) - detect magic, guidance, light
--------------------
Statistics
--------------------
Str 7, Dex 12, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 16, Cha 13
Base Atk +2, CMB -5, CMD 11
Feats Adept Channel, Evolved Familiar (bleed), Evolved Familiar (reach), Improved Familiar
Traits Exalted of the Society, Volatile Conduit
Skills Craft (alchemy) +9, Heal +11, Perception +11
Languages Common, Abyssal
SQ fey magic (urban), summon familiar
Combat Gear alchemist's fire, scroll of comprehend languages, scroll of obscuring mist, scroll of protection from evil, wand of cure light wounds (10 charges)
Other Gear hide armor, heavy wooden shield, lead unholy symbol of Haagenti, spell component pouch
Non-Adventuring Possessions 300 gp medical office, including small living quarters and alchemical lab
Personality and Background:
For as long as he could remember, Perrin had wanted to be a doctor. He had grown up right here in the small village of Brookside, with a humble but comfortable childhood. He was friendly and cheerful at heart, trusting of others to the point of naiveté. There were some dangers, though, that struck in even the most peaceful of towns - people Perrin knew and loved had fallen to injury and disease. A grandfather with a weak heart, a family friend with a strange illness... a little sister, crashing to the ground from the branches of a tree. As clever as he was idealistic, Perrin was determined to do what he could to help the people of his village, and at the age of fourteen he began working as an apprentice to the local healer. He learned quickly, studying the ways of alchemy and medicine, and gaining a remarkable talent for treating sickness and injury alike.
It wasn't enough. When his master succumbed to the very disease they had been working to cure, Perrin knew he was out of his depth. He was nineteen years old. How could he possible protect the people around him when the two of them hadn't even been able to protect themselves? So Perrin did something very unusual for him indeed. He prayed. He prayed to whatever gods would listen, he prayed for the strength and ingenuity and power to make things better, to help and heal and preserve the people of his town.
And someone answered. But it wasn't quite who Perrin was expecting. Haagenti responded to his prayers. Lord of Transformation. The Whispers Within. Haagenti - inventor of the philosopher's stone, and demon lord of alchemy.
Perrin wasn't evil, not the tiniest bit. He didn't want to hurt people, he wanted to help them. But if this being of unspeakable malice was offering him the power to do that, there was no possible way he would turn it down. If this was a temptation designed to corrupt him, fine. He would take the bait, and just refuse to be corrupted. He would put his soul in jeopardy because saving people's lives was simply more important.
So Perrin took his share of Haagenti's divine power, and used it to cure the sick and heal the injured in this little, unimportant town. He didn't exactly keep the source of his magic a secret, but he didn't publicize it either, discussing the issue only with a few close friends. He increased in magical prowess over the next several years, learning to bend reality to his will, but he never lost his friendly, idealistic demeanor. When local villagers began to vanish into the wild, Perrin knew that these people once more needed his help, and so he prepared to give it. There was just one more step he had to take, if he was to defend their town against an unknown foe. Through alchemy and divine magic combined, Perrin drew forth an elemental guardian from the earth itself, skilled in combat and blessed with Haagenti's unholy might. Perrin calls him Pebbles.
Pebbles the earth elemental:
Small earth elemental improved familiar (emissary) 5
N small outsider (earth, elemental, extraplanar)
Init -1; Senses darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft.; Perception +8
--------------------
Defense
--------------------
AC 22, touch 10, flat-footed 22 (+2 armor, -1 Dex, +10 natural, +1 size)
hp 15 (30/2)
Fort +4, Ref +0, Will +4
Defensive Abilities improved evasion, share will; Immune elemental traits
--------------------
Offense
--------------------
Speed 20 ft., burrow 20 ft., earth glide
Melee longspear +6 (1d6+4 plus 1d6 bleed)
slam +6 (1d6+4)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. (15 ft. with longspear)
Special Attacks bleed evolution, earth mastery, fury of the abyss (1/day), reach evolution
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 5th; concentration +5)
At-will - guidance
--------------------
Statistics
--------------------
Str 16, Dex 8, Con 13, Int 8, Wis 11, Cha 11
Base Atk +2, CMB 4, CMD 13
Feats Improved Bull Rush, Power Attack
Skills Craft (alchemy) +7, Heal +8, Perception +8
Languages Terran
SQ domain influence (demon), empathic link, speak with master
Other Gear leather armor, longspear
Hmm... I'm thinking of picking up Scribe Scroll. Would we be able to use our 500 gp possession budget for non-combat scrolls like comprehend languages or cure light wounds?
That wouldn't quite fall under the spirit of those possessions. The idea is for that 300 gp to be things like pigs, a house, etc that you can't easily take on an adventure with you. But you can have spent 200 gp scribing scrolls to have a good number of scrolls for the cost of making them.
I was planning on this PCs submission include a family house, but 300 is a little low for the Ultimate Campaign Room costs. I’m assuming that it is easier to just say that it’s 300 gp worth of house? Thanks!
Yes 300 gp worth of house is fine. We could say a lot of things about how the actual house is worth more because you inherited it then upgraded it some but if you were to sell it some family members may be upset and demand part of the sale price. The point is that any character who wants to sell off background possessions can get 150 gp if their character would be willing to part with those things.
I submit Cyrus Lem, a fairly young man who has been gaining wisdom the hard way: by making mistakes.
Physical Description:
Cyrus Lem is a healthy young man, aged 23 years. He stands 5'11" tall, and weighs 185 pounds. He has sandy brown hair, grey eyes, and fair skin with freckles scattered across his blunt nose and broad cheeks. He wears sturdy boots, leather breeches, a long-sleeved shirt, and a jazerant (armored coat). He wears a hat that somehow fails to keep the freckles down.
Background:
As a teen, Cyrus Lem chafed at the limited opportunities of life in Brookside. He longed for the excitement of a big city, where he would be able to see so many more people doing so many more things. And so, on reaching the age of majority, he packed his bags, kissed his parents goodbye, and struck out for the closest city.
On arrival, he found that he had no idea how to make a place for himself in this (comparatively) vast place where no one knew him at all. He had underestimated how expensive the city would be; and he overestimated how much to trust the people he met. In short order, he was out of money after being cheated out of his savings by opportunistic merchants who saw he didn't know how much to expect to pay.
Rather than give up, he gritted his teeth and looked for work. Lacking any particularly saleable skills, he opted to sign up with the local guards. They gave him some basic training with weapons and armor, issued him a uniform, and set him to inspecting carts traveling in and out of the city to check for smuggled goods or out-of-date papers.
It was boring work, but it paid decently and kept a roof over his head. Still, Cyrus had come to the city looking for excitement, and checking carts to see if they had more chickens than the owners had declared did not fit the bill. As soon as possible he applied for a transfer to a street patrol unit. He envisioned himself busting thieves after exciting chases.
He got his transfer, but the work proved pretty grim. Every day he was exposed to the banal, quotidian evils that have plagued humanity since time immemorial. He saw people murdered for a few coins. He arrested thieves, sure, but the worst of them somehow always got off easy, while the desperate ones who had turned to crime for lack of any better option got harsh sentences. He intervened in cases of domestic violence, only to have the women he rescued refuse to press charges -- and go straight back to their abusers afterwards.
Day by day, the work ground away at his optimistic soul until he felt decades older than his actual years. Finally, after three years of it, he'd had enough. One day, he and his partner Nils responded to a domestic violence incident. Entering the house, they found a terrified, weeping woman cringing away from an enraged, drunk man. The two guards tried to talk him down, but he only grew more belligerent. When he reached for something behind his back, Cyrus took a swing with the club he had been issued -- and landed a blow squarely on the man's head, crushing his skull in and killing him instantly.
The man turned out to have been reaching for a flask of booze. Worse, he was closely related to a high-ranking alderman. In short order, Cyrus was brought up on charges of murder. He was acquitted of those charges -- but was convicted of behavior unbecoming a guardsman. He was formally stripped of his rank and dishonorably discharged.
And that marked the end of Cyrus' life in the big city. Bitter, he packed up his few belongings and the meager savings he'd scraped together, and walked back to Brookside.
It was a relief coming home. Here, everyone knew him. He woke to the sound of birdsong in the trees, not carts clattering over cobblestone. The morning breeze carried the scents of baking bread and wildflowers, rather than the stench of open sewers.
People wanted to hear about his adventures in the city, but shame at the manner of his departure burned in his heart. He gave short, abbreviated answers. To escape their curiousity, he decided to invest in some traps, and work a run in the forest trapping foxes, ermines, and other small furred animals for their pelts. It would keep him out in the woods, and away from questions about his past.
In the silence of the forest, Cyrus took to praying. At first, this was purely utilitarian -- he prayed for full traps, for good weather. But then, with time and silence as his companions, he began to pray in greater earnest. He poured out his heart to the listening forest: recounted his failure to do any good as a guard; confessed that his strike on that drunk man had been driven less by fear for his safety and more by frustration at his own inability to do any lasting good; and poured out his bitterness over his dismissal.
After two years of this, his heart felt easier. Not wholly healed, but lighter.
One day he found a fox in one of his traps. This was nothing unusual -- it was the point, in fact. But something about this one struck him. He had seen creatures gnaw away at their own legs in an effort to free themselves -- but this one didn't do that. Its front leg was stuck in the trap. But when he found it, it was sitting calmly on its haunches, tail tucked around its feet, and looking square at him with fearless eyes.
He stopped dead and looked back at it.
The gaze lengthened -- and it was Cyrus who looked away first.
"Well, crap," he said aloud. "I guess I can't be a trapper any more."
He freed the fox from the trap, carefully holding it to prevent it from struggling. When the trap was released, an impulse came over him, and he said a few words of apology. When he was done, the fox was whole and well -- its leg fully healed. Somehow it felt perfectly natural when it followed him.
He collected his traps, brought them home, and named the fox Rally. Since then he has been doing odd jobs for farmers, haltingly learning how to cast a few spells, and wondering what to do with himself. He is 23 years old, lives alone in a hut at the edge of the woods, and lies awake at night wondering how he came to be such a fool.
Stat Block: Cyrus Lem:
Cyrus Lem CR 3
XP 800
Male human adept 2/warrior 3
NG Medium humanoid (human)
Init +2; Senses Perception +7
--------------------
Defense
--------------------
AC 17, touch 13, flat-footed 14 (+4 armor, +2 Dex, +1 dodge)
hp 34 (5 HD; 2d6+3d10+6)
Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +5
--------------------
Offense
--------------------
Speed 30 ft. (20 ft. in armor)
Melee cold iron dagger +7 (1d4+3/19-20) or
. . heavy mace +7 (1d8+3)
Ranged longbow +6 (1d8/×3)
Adept Spells Prepared (CL 2nd; concentration +3)
. . 1st—cure light wounds, protection from evil
. . 0 (at will)—create water, ghost sound (DC 11), light
--------------------
Statistics
--------------------
Str 16, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8
Base Atk +4; CMB +7; CMD 20
Feats Alertness(B), Boon Companion[UW], Dodge, Power Attack, Shamed
Skills Acrobatics +0 (-4 to jump), Climb +5, Heal +5, Knowledge (nature) +5, Perception +7, Profession (soldier) +5, Profession (trapper) +5, Ride +4, Sense Motive +4, Spellcraft +4, Survival +7, Swim +5
Languages Common
Other Gear armored coat[APG], cold iron dagger, heavy mace, longbow, backpack, bear trap x10 [APG], bedroll, belt pouch, flint and steel, hemp rope (50 ft.), mess kit[UE], pot, torch (10), trail rations (5), waterskin, 30 gp
--------------------
Special Abilities
--------------------
Boon Companion (Rally) Cyrus is treated as 4 levels higher for calculating Rally's abilities as a familiar.
Empathic Link with Familiar (Su) Cyrus has an empathic link with Rally.
Familiar Bonus: +2 to Reflex saves
Familiar Bonus: Cyrus gains the Alertness feat when Rally is within arm's reach.
Power Attack -2/+4 You can subtract from your attack roll to add to your damage.
Shamed [Story, Incomplete] +1 to attack & skills when non-combatants observe you in conflict.
Share Spells with Familiar Can cast spells with a target of "You" on the familiar with a range of touch.
Stat Block: Rally:
Rally CR –
Female fox (Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Magic 112)
N Tiny magical beast (animal)
Init +2; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +11
--------------------
Defense
--------------------
AC 17, touch 14, flat-footed 15 (+2 Dex, +3 natural, +2 size)
hp 17 (1d8+1)
Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +5
Defensive Abilities improved evasion
--------------------
Offense
--------------------
Speed 40 ft.
Melee bite +5 (1d3-1)
Space 2½ ft.; Reach 0 ft.
Special Attacks deliver touch spells
--------------------
Statistics
--------------------
Str 9, Dex 15, Con 13, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 6
Base Atk +4; CMB +4; CMD 13 (17 vs. trip)
Feats Skill Focus (Perception)
Skills Acrobatics +2 (+14 to jump), Climb +6, Heal +2, Perception +11, Ride +3, Sense Motive +2, Spellcraft +0, Survival +4 (+8 to track by scent), Swim +6; Racial Modifiers +4 Survival to track by scent
Languages speak with master
SQ empathic link
--------------------
Special Abilities
--------------------
Deliver Touch Spells (Su) Deliver master's touch spells.
Empathic Link (Su) You have an empathic link with your master.
Improved Evasion (Ex) No damage on successful reflex save; half on failed save.
Low-Light Vision See twice as far as a human in dim light, distinguishing color and detail.
Scent (Ex) Detect opponents within 15+ ft. by sense of smell.
Share Spells Spells with a target of "You" can be delivered by a familiar with a range of touch.
Speak with Master (Ex) You can communicate verbally with your master.
Mechanics Notes:
Abilities:
STR 16 = 14 base + 2 racial (5 points)
DEX 14 = 13 base + 1 level bump (3 points)
CON 12 (2 points)
INT 10 (0 points)
WIS 12 (2 points)
CHA 8 (-2 points)
Total: 10 points.
His favored class is Warrior, and he spent his favored class bonuses as follows:
Level 1: skill point
Level 2: skill point
Level 3: hit point
Alertness is a bonus feat he gets when Rally is in arm's length (pretty much of the time).
He owns 10 traps. Mechanically, these are bear traps that deal 2d6+3 damage. But for RP purposes, they should be smaller and only deal 1d4+1.
When he's going into the forest he carries his full complement of weapons -- mace, longbow, dagger -- but generally carries only the dagger around town, because it's useful as a general purpose knife as well. He has never been bothered by the fey, but is slightly spooked by them, and so he paid extra to get a cold iron dagger. Just in case.
Lastly, I would like to note that this is my first attempt at joining a play-by-post game.
Sorry for double-post -- GM, could we please get a little more detail about Brookside?
I was envisioning a very small hamlet with mostly farmers, a few hunters and trappers, and maybe a blacksmith. Too small to have walls. Too small to have much in the way of formal government. Something like this:
Small:
Brookside
NG hamlet
Corruption -2; Crime -3; Economy -2; Law -3; Lore -3; Society +3
Qualities insular
Danger -5
------------------------
Populace
------------------------
Government council
Population 50
Notable NPCs
Base Value 200 gp; Purchase Limit 1,000 gp; Spellcasting 2nd
Minor Items 1d6; Medium Items —; Major Items —
Hence my PC Cyrus Lem had to go away to join the guard in a larger city.
But now that I read Vors' backstory, it sounds like he's assuming a rather larger settlement: something with walls, a gate, and a town militia. Something like this:
Medium:
Brookside
NG hamlet
Corruption +0; Crime +0; Economy +2; Law +0; Lore +1; Society +1
Qualities prosperous, strategic location
Danger +0
------------------------
Populace
------------------------
Government autocracy
Population 1500
Notable NPCs
I actually like this idea quite a bit! A very creative way of handling adventures!
Looking at the classes, I like the idea of playing an aristocrat type. So, how appropriate would it be to play the son of a neighboring or regional lord?
My idea is that Brookside sent for aid from the nearby magistrate, like a Marques or Duke, but he has political matters to attend to and can't really spare anybody. So his youngest son, an aspiring monster hunter who is looking to get out from his father's shadow, volunteers to go solve the issue. How acceptable would that be?
Sorry for double-post -- GM, could we please get a little more detail about Brookside?
I was envisioning a very small hamlet with mostly farmers, a few hunters and trappers, and maybe a blacksmith. Too small to have walls. Too small to have much in the way of formal government. Something like this:
** spoiler omitted **
Hence my PC Cyrus Lem had to go away to join the guard in a larger city.
But now that I read Vors' backstory, it sounds like he's assuming a rather larger settlement: something with walls, a gate, and a town militia. Something like this:
** spoiler omitted **
I think we're envisioning two very different settlements. Could you please clarify? I'm perfectly happy to adjust my backstory if necessary.
Brookside is a small farming community of about 50 people situated on a small tributary of the River Rush between a modest forest and farming plains. A rough palisade was constructed during an orc scare a few generations ago but has only been haphazardly maintained and has largely fallen apart. The nearest large town, Astin, is approximately 2 days walk away.
Brookside is fairly diverse for such a small town. The plurality of the population are humans but there are smatterings of other races such as Dwarves, halflings, ratfolk, and some grippli who work the river.
Brookside is part of the small state of the Bishopric of Helm. Stuck between the Barbaric lands, the Kingdom of Iustia, and Elven Lands, the Bishopric of Helm has done its best to maintain its neutrality. Due to a history of skilled diplomats, the Bishopric has managed to maintain its independence.
CaptainFord wrote:
I actually like this idea quite a bit! A very creative way of handling adventures!
Looking at the classes, I like the idea of playing an aristocrat type. So, how appropriate would it be to play the son of a neighboring or regional lord?
My idea is that Brookside sent for aid from the nearby magistrate, like a Marques or Duke, but he has political matters to attend to and can't really spare anybody. So his youngest son, an aspiring monster hunter who is looking to get out from his father's shadow, volunteers to go solve the issue. How acceptable would that be?
That's along the right lines but your character sounds too close to being an adventurer instead of an every day person. Characters should be current inhabitants of the small community of Brookside. A former aristocrat fallen from grace or seeking the simple life would be more appropriate. Brookside would send for help but it's rather unlikely anoyone would care to answer.
Hrm... Okay, I see what you're getting at! I think I can work that around to suit the overall theme of the game.
That brings me to another question: animals. Do they count as adventuring gear or not? Like, for example, hunting dogs, pet falcons and riding horses (non war trained)?
Hrm... Okay, I see what you're getting at! I think I can work that around to suit the overall theme of the game.
That brings me to another question: animals. Do they count as adventuring gear or not? Like, for example, hunting dogs, pet falcons and riding horses (non war trained)?
If you bring it with you, then count it as adventuring gear. If it stays at home and just fleshes out your background, then it doesn't count toward adventuring gear.
I'm imagining a dwarven adept. An old grumpy hermit from the edge of town who occasionally provides some healing and other magical assistance to the townsfolk.
Just fyi, once we've selected players, we'll figure out the ideal time to start. I know some people are going to have busy holidays etc, myself included.
Yes. Forgot to mention this earlier. Will add it to the campaign info.
Ooh, nice! I'll grab Craft (alchemy) and Profession (doctor) as background skills for Perrin then, opening up room for him to put ranks in Spellcraft. I'll also take the Naive drawback and the Witness to Nature's Cruelty trait, those both seem pretty appropriate.
Ugh, double posting again. I don't usually do this, honest!
I've updated Cyrus Lem to account for background skills. I don't think any other changes are necessary, except to specify that the city he worked in was Astin.
Switching to background skills freed up 2 regular skill points, which I put in +1 Spellcraft and +1 Stealth.
The 10 background skill ranks (2*5 levels) got put into 3 ranks of Profession (Soldier), 3 ranks of Profession (Trapper), and 4 ranks of Handle Animal.
Stat Block: Cyrus Lem:
Cyrus Lem
Male human adept 2/warrior 3
NG Medium humanoid (human)
Init +2; Senses Perception +7
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Defense
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AC 17, touch 13, flat-footed 14 (+4 armor, +2 Dex, +1 dodge)
hp 34 (5 HD; 2d6+3d10+6)
Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +5
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Offense
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Speed 30 ft. (20 ft. in armor)
Melee cold iron dagger +7 (1d4+3/19-20) or
. . heavy mace +7 (1d8+3)
Ranged longbow +6 (1d8/×3)
Adept Spells Prepared (CL 2nd; concentration +3)
. . 1st—cure light wounds, protection from evil
. . 0 (at will)—create water, ghost sound (DC 11), light
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Statistics
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Str 16, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8
Base Atk +4; CMB +7; CMD 20
Feats Alertness, Boon Companion[UW], Dodge, Power Attack, Shamed
Skills Acrobatics +0 (-4 to jump), Climb +5, Handle Animal +6, Heal +5, Knowledge (nature) +5, Perception +7, Profession (soldier) +7, Profession (trapper) +7, Ride +4, Sense Motive +4, Spellcraft +5, Stealth +1, Survival +7, Swim +5
Languages Common
Other Gear armored coat[APG], cold iron dagger, heavy mace, longbow, backpack, bear trap x10 [APG], bedroll, belt pouch, flint and steel, hemp rope (50 ft.), mess kit[UE], pot, torch (10), trail rations (5), waterskin, 30 gp
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Special Abilities
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Boon Companion (Rally) Cyrus is treated as 4 levels higher for calculating Rally's abilities as a familiar.
Empathic Link with Familiar (Su) Cyrus has an empathic link with Rally.
Familiar Bonus: +2 to Reflex saves
Familiar Bonus: Cyrus gains the Alertness feat when Rally is within arm's reach.
Power Attack -2/+4 You can subtract from your attack roll to add to your damage.
Shamed [Story, Incomplete] +1 to attack & skills when non-combatants observe you in conflict.
Share Spells with Familiar Can cast spells with a target of "You" on the familiar with a range of touch.
Regarding aristocrats, there are plenty of ways that "mobile nobles" are still relevant without being labeled as adventurers. There are many things such scions would be sent to areas of their parents' domains which would make it likely they are present for adventure seeds like the one you're proposing.
Examples:
Tasked with overseeing tax collection, or doing an inspection of the family's interests (a local vineyard, refinery, slaughterhouse).
Sent to adjudicate some legal matter whether civil or criminal as not every land has a complex legal system which extends beyond the larger cities.
In town as the base camp for a hunting party.
To give legality or permanency to an award or change of power (installment of a new mayor, sheriff, priest, or some other authority figure)
Sent as a representative of the ruling family to any sort of town festival or regional fair (someone has to judge the best hog), rite of passage ceremony or other celebration of recognition, or any other special event that requires acknowledgement from the aristocracy
Any other kind of special requirement this particular country may have that's peculiar to it: only a noble can oversee a legal duel, all males of the age of 15 must be evaluated for conscription into the squire training program, brides-to-be must petition for consent to marry, etc.
Just wanted to throw this out in case it changes your mind on aristocrats needing to be less "adventurey" in appearance. Personally, I see them as the most likely to have traveling gear and weapons not as adventures, just as because their purview requires physical relocation to adjudicate. I'm actually interested in playing an aristocrat's comrade as far as the backstory goes. Being the friend and traveling companion of the aristocrat who happens to be in town for the game's story would be cool.
Regarding aristocrats, there are plenty of ways that "mobile nobles" are still relevant without being labeled as adventurers. There are many things such scions would be sent to areas of their parents' domains which would make it likely they are present for adventure seeds like the one you're proposing.
Examples:
Tasked with overseeing tax collection, or doing an inspection of the family's interests (a local vineyard, refinery, slaughterhouse).
Sent to adjudicate some legal matter whether civil or criminal as not every land has a complex legal system which extends beyond the larger cities.
In town as the base camp for a hunting party.
To give legality or permanency to an award or change of power (installment of a new mayor, sheriff, priest, or some other authority figure)
Sent as a representative of the ruling family to any sort of town festival or regional fair (someone has to judge the best hog), rite of passage ceremony or other celebration of recognition, or any other special event that requires acknowledgement from the aristocracy
Any other kind of special requirement this particular country may have that's peculiar to it: only a noble can oversee a legal duel, all males of the age of 15 must be evaluated for conscription into the squire training program, brides-to-be must petition for consent to marry, etc.
Just wanted to throw this out in case it changes your mind on aristocrats needing to be less "adventurey" in appearance. Personally, I see them as the most likely to have traveling gear and weapons not as adventures, just as because their purview requires physical relocation to adjudicate. I'm actually interested in playing an aristocrat's comrade as far as the backstory goes. Being the friend and traveling companion of the aristocrat who happens to be in town for the game's story would be cool.
These examples of aristocrats are more in line with the desired style than an aristocrat who is traveling specifically for adventure. The key stylistic points of character description I'm looking for are the following:
1. Relatable as an everyday person.
2. Fleshes out the fact that humble folk have worthwhile stories too.
3. Has a close tie to Brookside (e.g. grew up in Brookside).
4. Has a lot to lose, financially, emotionally, etc, if something bad happens to Brookside.
I think it will be a little more difficult for an aristocrat's character description to meet these goals well. But still doable so feel free to write up whatever character interests you. Placing yourself in a realistic mindset of how such people and places function, as you are doing, is a good start. I appreciate what people are coming up with so far.
(With GM's concurrence), Hirda's husband Noln entered the forest four days ago to gather mushrooms, and hasn't been seen since. She stands on a stout table to address the gathered townsfolk at the tavern:
Me son Lemuel would strike out on 'is own to find me poor Nolly. I sez to 'im, "Siddown" I sez. We cain't be 'aving all our able folk traipsin' off to their doom. Who'll look t' th' wee'uns, and defend 'em when wha'er tis 'at lurks aboot comes closer t' town? I'll go, and don'a stop me. After all, who amon' ya 'as faced e'en so much as a goblin babe, or slain more'n yer pork? I'll go, I say.
See full background in character profile. Note that Hirda is 185 years old with middle-age stat adjustments. Future PC levels (if any) would probably go into Ranger.
Thanks for the submissions, guys! I'm closing recruitment, as discussed. We have enough party slots to accept everyone who submitted a complete character. So the party is as follows (in order of submission):
Vors Falchen: Human Warrior 5
Perrin Alders: Human Adept 5
Cyrus Lem: Human Adept 2/Warrior 3
Hirda of Kirin: Dwarf Commoner 2/Warrior 3
Titania Evangeline Snow-Fell: Half-giant Warrior 5
Let's move things to the discussion thread, now. I'm going to double-check all the submissions and make sure hit points, skill points, etc look right. It's not too late to make relatively minor revisions to your character at this point but it would be helpful if you let me know what changes you are making.
