GM Aram Zey's Reign of Winter for PFS part 1 (Inactive)

Game Master SwampTing

It is not every day that you see a flying ball of light flitting about the Grand Lodge in Absalom, much less a talking ball of light claiming to be sent by the Master of Spells himself to round up a group for an expedition. Which is why none of you really put up much of a protest (if you do at all) when the flying ball of light directs you to his office with instructions to wait outside.

There are a few plain but comfortable couches in the hallway outside his office, and you help yourself to a seat as you tentatively eye the other hapless novice-Pathfinders who like you have been herded into gods-only-know what (new) suicide-mission Aram Zey wants you to go on. You figure now is as good a time as any to get to know them.

By the way, do have a read of the rules. There's a row of tabs above, the leftmost being 'campaign info'. The rules are there.

Exiel takes a quick look around.

Looks like I'm the first one here.

"...Grleetings?", the native inflection of the Tian Xia people precedes a venerable human stepping into the hallway from the lobby. The man has seen better days, his skin is gaunt, taunt and dark, much like the skewered grilled lizard he's snacking on. Grey robes of monastic traditions states his general neutrality on philosophical matters.

He flicks the remains of the garlic treat away; rests his cane and straw hat against the wall introduces himself to the others. "I am Mu Ping. New rlecruit, rleporting foh duty." (Either someone needed a quota filled at the recruiting station or his application was misdirected from the Napfinders.)

PORTRAIT

Perhaps it would be better if we conversed in our native tongue, Exiel replies in Tian. I am...known as Exiel in these lands. He pauses briefly, then, as if to hide a blunder on his part, hastily says with finality My name is Exiel.

We will begin once everyone posts at least once in the discussion.

"Well met, fellow Pathfinders! Guilford Baldwin at your service, but please call me Gil."

"Old Mu!" A short figure with what at first appears to be a white-furred monkey face crouches nearby. Then the monkey's tail is brushed aside by a stubby hand and another pair of eyes, gleaming with mirth, peer from below. The monkey hops off the strange little man's head, dances over to Mu, and starts going through his pockets like a thief mugging a merchant. "Thought you dead long time now. Hee!"

Looking at the others assembled in the hall, he grins. "Hello. I am Old Shu."

Mu Ping greets Exiel and Guilford, noting Exiel's faction, "Yes, helrlo, helrlo."

"Shu!", Mu Ping's face brightens seeing the gnome, "You still arlive too?!". He give the traditional Tien clasped hand-over-fist and head nod, absently repeating the gesture as he reminisces, "I haven't seen you since when? -4703? -the Thom Kagai campaign? That can't be the same monkey, is it? Oh, yes, I rlejoin to get out of the kitchen, put some yin back in my yan! -and then Zey sent me to freeze in Ragdya! HahhhaaaHa! I back just last week. We show these young pups old-temple style, eh?!" Mu waves his cane around like some sort of weapon.

Mu and Shu barely have time to begin their banter when the lantern archon appears down the hallway with two more figures in tow.

Wait here. I'll announce your arrival It quips hastily as it flies right through the thick wooden door.

A few seconds later, the door swings open, and a commanding voice calls tersely from within.

Enter

Game thread now open

Just as the door opens and you hear the voice commanding you to enter a halfling slips into the room, a dog by his side, on his back a musket and a sword that seems big on him.
He nods at you and follows into the room.

Game has begun, have to go out for awhile, but will check back in about 4 hours tops.

A gaunt desert man enters the room, dressed in loose desert robes and with a long barreled musket hanging from one shoulder.

He bows and then touches his breast, lips and then forehead in a flowing motion with his hand.

I am Badr al Din Ibn Badriyah. An honour to meet you all. I take it we are all here for a new mission?

Who can use wands of CLW apart from Exiel? Does any one have UMD? Or Wands of Infernal Healing? I have a potion of CLW for a rainy day plus the standard PFS bought CLW... For that matter, who has wands of CLW? I am hoping all the level 2 characters have them.

Has Roland Checked in yet?

I am ok with providing the wand for use for the level 1's who are fresh and who haven't the 2 PP yet to buy one (we all had to start fresh at some point) but I'll be disappointed if the burden of healing the new players isn't shared around some and if the level 2's haven't made some sort of provision for their own resources.

Roland has bowed out. He couldn't commit to it. We have Eldanar in his stead.

You then, are our and only main healer, and a bit fragile to boot. I'd not recommend that you get into it with a cold iron longsword - think seriously about a cold iron longspear otherwise I can see you dropping very quickly and leaving us sans healer for whatever wands of CLWs we have. Also with a two handed weapon you'll be landing good damage with your strength.

We have 2 gunslingers - good distance boom boom.
2 Wizards (low level) - I respect the flexibility of the wizard class too much to say anything other than good things.
You - Healer and Melee :(

Have I missed anyone?

You have a monk in your group too.

I did - my bad... he's gonna be fun but not sure how he'll do as a front liner if he stands with our healer. Monks are a bit crunchy at level 1 but they can do some great things and maneuvers.

Don't worry too much about gearing up to the nines. Remember that whilst combat-heavy, this adventure path/ module was written for a group of characters starting out fresh at first level.

I would also point out that whilst one part of your mission is somewhat time-sensitive, the other isn't. After you rescue Lady Malassene, you will have time to return to the town with your loot and restock on supplies before continuing your investigation of the winter pocket.

For the purposes of this module, I will allow you to sell items found in-game and use them to purchase additional gear (subject to the town's limitations) using that gold. This is to balance the fact that if you were in fact playing the adventure path, you would have the opportunity to do exactly that. However, items bought using this gold will be regarded as items found in the game, and will not be added to your chronicle sheet unless you also buy it using gold earned on a chronicle sheet.

Wrote a long rambling post and then deleted it before I posted it. The long and the short of it is, we have who we have and we have what we have and we can't change it - lets just game-on and cross our fingers we live.

This is Derek/Guilford. I had this barbarian already, and he might fit better for our group here.

Your call mate - what do you WANT to play? Play the character you want.

First, we succeed or fail as a team. I want our group to complete the mission and all make it back alive.

That said, we all want our chance to shine. I want my character to have a chance to do what he's built for.

If I play the wizard, I want my enlarge person spell to be the difference in helping a tank take down the baddie, and suchlike. He was really designed for play with another group that has two good tanks where we have no utility casting.

If I play the barbarian, he's got to be able to get to the front and beat the crap out of things. I have a good fighter in a group with four other strong martials, and I've only had the chance to hit an enemy twice in three combats.

If you gunslingers shoot some things dead before I get there, that's fine, but when I play a martial I want mine too. As a caster, I like to go support and let the martials have more fun, because that's what I'd like a caster to do for me.

Honestly, Guilford will be fine. Wizards are adaptable, and that adaptability may help you more than a sword arm once you get a better idea of what enemies and obstacles you will be facing.

Also...I will hint that ranged capacity is of more importance than melee capacity in this module, and ability to think creatively/strategically will be most important of all.

Furthermore, I'd prefer that for the sake of the narrative, Guilford continue to be here. The story has started. Aram Zey has teleported this group here, and Guilford was in that group. Not a barbarian.

All that said, make a final decision. Will check back in the morning (for me).

That's all fair, and I was really excited to play as Guilford at any rate, I understand that due to the narrative it really would be clunky to introduce a new Pathfinder at this point.

Also, as I said, it's my first time playing a wizard. Ever. In any game. I am excited, but nervous.

I am going to stick with him, and trust that my adaptability will help us succeed!

Low level gunslingers rarely shoot everything dead in the first couple rounds.

soooooo true.

We have an unusual mix of characters, but I think we'll be fine. Especially now that we have a wand of infernal healing.

Did GM allow purchase of cold iron spear? (4gp)

Mu should look for cold iron knuckles or cold iron-toed boots. Hehe.

Was thinking that too.

Cold iron spear is fine, iron-toed boots are not - unless you can point me to a source stating them as a valid item/weapon.

Sorry. Iron toed boots don't exist. I was joking. :)

It seems i´m the only one who read the players guide...would recommend that to you heavily, they are free for every AP.

Allright, will be sleeping for some time. Don´t go crazy there :)

If you need some reinforcement, Eldanár will try to hack at the zombie (i guess?) with his sword, letting the dog catch and carry the gun untill after the combat.

Allright, will be sleeping for some time. Don´t go crazy there :)

If you need some reinforcement, Eldanár will try to hack at the zombie (i guess?) with his sword, letting the dog catch and carry the gun untill after the combat.

If need be to keep things rolling, I will register those as your declared actions. Have a good night! =)

Hey Zey, I double-checked my archetype. I only lost heavy armor prof, so I can still use that breastplate! =)

Also, love the picture of the dog! XD

Hey Zey, I double-checked my archetype. I only lost heavy armor prof, so I can still use that breastplate! =)

Also, love the picture of the dog! XD

Fair enough. Just remember that there is a movement penalty and a max Dex bonus.

Breastplate

Dex is the last of his issues :)

If I'm not mistaken, since he uses his CHA in place of his DEX, the max DEX bonus now applies to his CHA?

Does he? Wow. I confess I am not up to date on the oracle as a class.

In that case it would apply.

Whoa. Was running a live game tonight and came back to 30 posts.

Same here, but it´s good!

Normally I'm a big fan of Neil Spicer, but I'm starting to get a little wary of this adventure. Although it would probably be a lot easier if we didn't have to suffer the gods-damned Paizo forum dice roller.

Its a bit like first steps when potentially the entire party can be wiped. In that case we just get robbed. In this case, we may get killed :D

We'll do the best we can in there interim mate.

I think we'll still win. I'm just annoyed that I'll sleep out the rest of combat.

I didn't think Shu would be awesome, but he's pretty much been useless in this adventure so far. Bad spells prepared, environmental conditions that make it really hard to hit at range, and a monkey that's making him look bad! :)

I'm still having fun with the character, just wish I was a little more useful.

I actually think that the splinter-spears are very nice. There will be plenty of chances to shine yet.

... a monkey that's making him look bad! :)

LMAO.

As for spell selection I always go with 1 offensive (damage dealing), 1 defensive, 1 debuff, protection from evil and then whatever else catches my fancy - typically utility spells. That way if there is an overnight rest and my spells can be re-jiggled. That said your Colour Spray was a good move on that dragon.

You have 'recharge innate magic'? Thats a great one that may come in use.

Shu had a decent mix of spells (with the exception of ray of frost). He was about to enlarge someone in the dragon fight, but it died suddenly.

I'm planning on getting a wand of recharge innate magic at some point and take more advantage of his produce flame ability.

Also, part of my intention was to take a couple levels of ninja with this character, but I'll see how that feels if he gets to level 2.

Clearing this module will cause everyone to level up. =)