Wow, you don't check in for 24 hours and the gameplay thread explodes with activity. Cool.
I forgot to mention timezone earlier when you were asking about it - I'm PST, but most of my posting gets done from midnight to 8 my time. I can chime in earlier sometimes (see now, for instance), but that's my usual.
As for Rannveig's equipment, I think she's actually just gonna have a bunch of random wealth. At this point in her development, I just don't think she's done much acquisition of stuff. Let's upgrade the bone dagger to a MW scimitar she found somewhere and call it good.
And Nathaniel - You're too short for her anyway. =P
just received the invite, thanks, I'll adjust Nicu to fill the arcane void and have a post up shortly :)
assuming he would have spent the last few years near Nirmathas, so maybe he could have met Luc and traveled north with him and Artegal to Varisia?
Sounds good to me.
I'm feeling a bit under the weather, I'm going to call it a night. I'll post in the morning. If need be DMPC me, otherwise assume I follow the crowd and Boote.
I present to you, Nicu Constine, ranger 1 / wizard 1, arcane bond with with the bow he inherited from his elven father, and a magical knack that allows his wizard spells to have a caster level at +2 up to his overall HD.
A full character background will be up by tomorrow afternoon.
Posting schedule: daily, on PST, I try to get a post in during the morning and evening if possible.
GM bluedove, arcane bond allows the masterwork weapon for free, but I only took for free the base cost of a masterwork composite +0 longbow, I paid the difference for the composite +2 and the paueliel wood, gear total is 599 gp, assuming that Nicu has his unspent 401 gp in either silver or platinum (or someone else in the party is carrying the scary gold).
Nicu looks good, thanks so much for getting him ready so promptly. Sorry I was MIA last night, fellas. We had a nasty thunderstorm and lost internet. I'll be sure we move the game forward today.
Greetings
I apologize for not getting this message until today. I have been sick and am just getting my wits about me today. If you still have space for me, I will catch up ASAP.
I will be playing Esmerelda Proust, better known as "Black Esme". Her mother, the hag Black Aliss, terrorized the countryside for the last century or more before being burned at the stake a few years ago. The local citizenry assume Esme to be walking in her mother's footsteps and her running war with the Church lends credence to this belief.
Thank you for the invitation and I hope I have checked in on time.
Esme
PS: IRL, I am a 2nd year medical student at St. George's University SOM. Unfortunately for me, I am far more creative than smart but I do my best to muddle through. I have been a Ravenloft fan since the original module came out my senior year in high school. I am 46, married and as I am male, I don't roleplay romance in games. Sure, I'm not a female IRL, but then, I don't think my mother would like being referred to as a "Hag" either. 8)
Esme's character sheet can be found here. I will be updating it today.
Well, I did bring in an alternate to take your place. But we are not so far along that we couldn't work Esmerelda in if everyone is agreeable. Sorry to hear you've been sick!
I'm fine with it.
I appreciate the understanding. It might be best that the group get an arcane caster as Esme is a witch/magus - i.e. a melee character. I have updated her level, etc and am working on her gear now. I will upload everything in an hour or so and post a little bit about her personality and all. I hope that you all like her.
Works for me. Big groups can lend themselves toward holdups though.
To try to counteract that, I think that it would be a good idea to elect one or two people who can make choices for the group when it comes to things like where to go next. I find that letting whoever the "scouting party" is make the route choices tends to work well.
As for combat, I recommend Block Initiative for large groups. It tends to save a lot of time.
Basically, Block Initiative means that the enemies all act as one entity (all going on the same initiative), and the PCs are divided into a Fast group (the characters who act before the bad guys) and a Slow group (the characters who act after the bad guys).
Within your group, you may act in any order (so people don't have to wait for other people to post, unless they want to).
So combat would go like this:
Group A (in any order)
Enemies
Group B (in any order
The GM would do a mid-round assessment post when they enemies act, and then another one at the end of the round, giving a report of the results of all the character's actions, and then announcing a new round.
After round 1, the two PC groups can even be combined, since at that point it's just round-robin.
I have found that for larger parties, this format speeds up combat a lot.
I have updated Esme and reposted her character sheets here. I welcome everyone to use them and have tried to include everything you might need to know. My alias information is not updated right now as I've been working on Esme for four hours and I need to get some other things done.
Page 1: Esme's main sheet with all the basics
Page 2: Esme's spellbook and Ariadne's stats
Page 3: Esme's gear and Samantha's stats
Page 4: Esme's history growing up in Ulastav
Please feel free to link your character history to any aspect of hers.
Here is a ten minute character history to get to know Esme
Esme's appearance.
While a very striking young woman, few observers remember more than an emerald green face surrounded by a bilious cloud of black hair. Esme matches the classic image of the "wicked witch" perfectly - green skin, black dress and tall pointed hat. While her features are beautiful, her alien appearance, exacting manner and incredibly obsolete fashion sense make her seem rather plain. She is tall and wiry thin, to the point of it actually being her sole unattractive physical feature. Perhaps compensating for her frame, Esme's hair seems to have a life of its own, normally falling to her calves but billowing out to darken half a room when riled.
Five background and concept elements important to Esme.
1. Esme is a changeling. Her mother was a green hag named "Black Aliss." She does not know the identity of her father, but as a hag, this does not bother her. Her mother was as evil as the stories made her out to be, although whether that was her choice, her nature as a hag or a result of how she was usually treated is up to debate. If someone is treated as a monster long enough, they tend to become one.
2. Esme follows the faith of Pharasmin Penitence and is extremely religious. This causes her a great deal of anguish as she hunts their inquisitors at every opportunity. More information on the religion can be found here. In a nutshell, they are Pathfinders version of the church during the Salem witch trials.
3. Esme thinks of herself as irrevocably damned by birth. She has very archaic views of good/evil and considers herself as the latter. She works diligently to erase her mother's sins while committing them herself.
4. Esme is currently on the run from the Penitence and is in Varissia until things quiet down. She killed one of their highest inquisitors, Witchhunter General Coim a year ago and then another 3 witchhunters and their men escaping Ulastav. For all her prim and proper manners, Esme is ruthlessly bloody when fighting and prefers to fight rather than run.
5. Esme is not very good at keeping a low profile and is failing to do so while in Varissia. She met a group of adventurers while hunting a werewolf, only to find that it was a young woman and not a beast. She has been spending time with them lately but fears that they will turn on her once they learn of her heritage.
Two goals that are important to Esme.
1. Esme fights to avenge her mother. She finds it very difficult to separate inquisitors of the Penitence from other clergy and so tends to treat all of them badly. Once the time is right, she plans to return to Ulastav and continue her battle.
2. Esme tries to save young women who find themselves in distress because of who they are rather than what they've done. She always takes the side of the underdog, particularly against religious authorities.
Two secrets about Esme, one that she knows, and one that he not yet aware of.
1. Esme is a patricide, and therefore truly damned within her religion, as Witchhunter General Coim was her father. He met and fell in love with Aliss in his youth and when he later found out exactly who she was, joined the church in shame. He would later use his relationship with her to track and capture her, burning her at the stake and cementing his place within the church hierarchy. She does not know any of this.
2. Esme is a changeling, a witch and a murderess. She desperately tries to hide that last fact by pretending that she only fights in self defense. This is not technically correct, for while the men she has killed would have begun the fight if given the chance, she did not give them that chance.
Four people that are tied to Esme, three are friends and one is an enemy.
1. Esme's familiar is Ariadne, a young black monkey that wears a black and red shawl. Aside from it's striking intelligence, it has the barest stubs of wings hidden under its shawl, foreshadowing it's future. It will mature once Esme reaches fifth level and is able to acquire the Improved Familiar feat. Ariadne has a bit of a mischievous/malicious streak and tends to cause trouble which Esme has to pay for.
2. Samantha is Esme's riding dog although she does not ride it. It is the only animal that seems willing to suffer her presence and so the two have a very close relationship. Esme does not allow it to enter combat despite it's being trained to do so and has taught it to flee whenever violence begins.
3. Esme met Rannveig when a group of adventurers hunter her as a werewolf. She is fiercely protective of the young woman and has set out to protect her from the local villagers. Having never had a friend, Esme has difficulty relating to Rannveig despite their being close to the same age.
4. Witchhunter Captain Samuels is currently pursuing Esme with a band of men and is at most a day or two behind her. He is a good hearted man and deeply believes in the justness of his quest. While willing to capture Esme, he is leery of her and will kill her if capture is not safe, knowing that she is destined for the stake, dead or alive.
Three memories, mannerisms or quirks Esme possess.
1. Esme sometimes forgets herself, especially when startled, and uses her animated hair as extra hands. She does not like to do this as she fears it reveals her nature and tries to make excuses when it happens.
2. Esme speaks very formally and is quite the prude. She walks a sometimes weaving line between being a proto-feminist and Victorian-era attitudes about men and women. She expects men to open doors, provide sustenance and behave as gentlemen while simultaneously demanding the right to do everything herself. Needless to say, her demands on the road can be difficult regarding privacy and her tongue can be sharp if a man goes shirtless or intrudes upon her ablutions.
3. Lastly, Esme is a good person at heart but has trouble showing it. With a Chaotic Good outlook, she usually comes down on the right side of an issue, although rarely the prudent one. She has never had companions and so doesn't realize that she actually makes a good friend when the chips are down. She might be a more pleasant person if she saw herself as a young woman and not the daughter of a monster and a damned sinner herself.
Ah, so Black Aliss is the Hag that birthed her? From what I read on Changelings, I had assumed she was a witch that found Esme as a babe. I don't think Hags typically don disguises and move into polite society to raise their children, do they?
I can tell you now, I won't attempt to narrate Esme's pursuers into our tale. I'm trying to keep my scope here small so I won't get overwhelmed. But the background and outlook are all good info. If you have a chance to give a little more on the nature of Esme and Aliss' relationship, that would be helpful. It's a little difficult to resolve the evil monster/loving mother duality going on there.
Thanks for the tip on the Block Initiative, Sir Donovan. I'll probably need to do something like that when we get there. How do you all feel about the GM making rolls for you to keep things moving?
Also how is the pacing so far? I'm trying to find my stride but I think you can probably expect to hear from me in the early afternoon and then again in the late evening on most days. (And am I doing ok so far? Anything you'd like to see improve?)
Right now the party is being introduced to the town and getting a feel for the place, I hope. Now we can begin to address individual activities. The PCs can shop, bathe, play games, fraternize, explore the town, etc. Or we can gloss over that and move on. What would you like to do next? There is a little flex time here in the beginning that won't be available later. ^_~
I prefer GM rolling initiatives. That helps move things along especially given the players time zones and posting times differences. I run a couple large party games, and from experience it's up to you to keep the gaming moving orderly to avoid bogging down, don't be afraid to DMPC or skip a player (letting them roll when they log on) if they haven't posted. Everyone should advise if posting is going to be an issue, that's common courtesy. Communication is key for everyone.
Your doing fine GM...story's solid, the conversation is spot on. Exploring the town is a good role playing opportunity, I'm fine with that and it lets us bond.
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I prefer the GM rolling everything! :)
Seriously, I am PBEM GM where usually the GM rolls everything based on the descriptions and actions of the players so feel free to roll whatever you want to move the game along.
I also think you're doing fine with regards to pace. And I can't stress more what 'Luc' said that it's up to the GM to move the game along and I would even go as far as telling that's it's up to the GM if the game succeeds at all. It may not be with the original players that he started out with but there are lots of players.
Just make sure you state clearly your timeline for responses (24 hours, 48 hours, whatever since it's your game). When the time comes, you play with what you got and DM any PC that requires it. If this becomes constant then you tell the player and if it doesn't improve you get a new player.
As in life having common sense, common courtesy, and clear expectations will make or break this thing.
But you're doing great so keep it up. :)
No worries about the pursuers. I figured they might try to follow if we tripped into the mist which would give you a group from this world to stir up trouble for Esme and the group in Ravenloft. I also thought it would give you a vehicle for exposing her secrets to the villagers or other PCs. I wrote them in to give you a resource - not as something I expect to be fulfilled.
Black Aliss was a Hag and hags, especially green hags, can change their shape, which is how they mate. When the changeling is older, she usually finds an urge to wander into the wilderness where she will meet her mother and take her place in the coven. Changelings definitely become hags at some point in their future although I do not know exactly when that transition takes place. This is where hags come from, except Black Anisses, which are extraplanar.
That's how it usually happens, but doesn't have to be how it always happens, especially in Ravenloft.
I made Black Aliss a more complicated figure, rather than simply a monster. Black Aliss had to have started as a changeling herself and when she changed shape to mate, she fell in love with the man she met, Coim. When he joined the church in shame, she tried to turn over a new leaf and rejoin society, wanting to raise her daughter the way she may have been raised, before receiving her call. However, in the tradition of gothic horror stories the world over, Aliss' past came back to haunt her in the form of Coim and a wooden stake, showing that even if monsters try to reform, fate is against them.
So yes, Aliss was a monster, a woman with a broken heart and a loving mother all at the same time. In much the same vein, Esme is a collection of contradictions. She is a young woman who wants a bright future, as all young people do. She can not reach this future however as she is mired in the past, and worse, it's her mother's and not even her own.
Esme is young right now and in her "changeling" phase. She will have all kinds of adventures and these will color how she sees the world. In fine Ravenloft tradition however, I've no doubt that she is eventually fated to become the same kind of monster her mother was, probably for the same reasons and will probably make similar mistakes. That's how gothic horror works.
I recommend you roll initiative for all of us and while I do like to roll for myself, I don't mind if you do it. I usually roll for myself when I state what my actions are, and if my actions get pre-empted for some reason, the roll does not take place or they are modified to the nearest substitute.
I am mostly a roleplayer and so am fairly loose on combat, etc.
Esme is a grappler and so moves in to grapple with her hair. If it is a really dangerous foe, she will cast shocking grasp through her hair while grappling. Once she has her foe held, she will rake with her claws and again, if the foe is particularly dangerous, she continues to shocking grasp. Esme doesn't like to fight and so goes all out when she does, going through all of her spells as quickly as possible. She does not think of combat as something that you plan to do again later that day. This is also why she doesn't really pick her spells each morning and simply takes shocking grasp in all of her slots unless realizing she might need something else.
GM rolling initiative is a great idea. It helps speed things up well.
Also definitely for the GM making as many rolls as they want. Speeding things up = brilliant in my book.
Oh, and Rannveig's pretty much headed wherever Donovan goes, for the moment. She's too flustered by being in town to make much in the way of decisions unless she has to.
Edit: And on a sidenote, I am so looking forward to Rannveig and Esme interacting. That should be interesting.
GM status update:
Sorry Madam Azura was delayed last night. Apparently it is not wise to rely on Autosave alone... *facepalm*
Had a freeze last night and surprisingly lost all the way back to Jovanni's entrance. Thankfully the posts work as back up, but I lost a significant portion not long before I was about to post it. I was a bit disheartened and threw in the towel for the evening. Lesson learned, save and exit the word file every now and again. >_<
Thanks for the clarification on changelings/hags, I don't have much experience with that type of monster.
Input duly noted. ^_^
I should get one post up today. Weekends tend to be busier for me.
DM here is the map that you wanted posted. Take look at it and advised if you want any changes, then I will post it in the game thread. If this is a frequently viewed map, you should post it or a link to the post under the campaign information tab for easy reference.
Map Key
1 – Alchemist
2 – Candlemaker
3 – Azura's Tavern
4 – Piazza Inn
5 – Sertino Home
6 – Sertino’s Knives
7 – Apothecary
8 – Leather Worker
9 – Flophouse
10 – Limner
11 – Cobbler
12 – Woodworker
13 – Wizard’s Charms
14 – Silversmith
15 – Toymaker
16 – Warehouse
17 – Vegetable Market
18 – Tailor
19 – Fishmonger
20 – Healer
21 – Secolo Theatre
22 – Brewer
23 – Potter
24 – Butcher
25 – Blacksmith
26 – Abandoned
27 – Baker
28 – Garden Courtyard
29 – Boarding House
30 – Fortune Teller
31 - ???
32 – Basketweaver
33- Fresh Game Market
34 – Jeweler
35 – Constabulary
36 – Merchant Markets
37 – Spice Merchant
38 – Bowyer/Fletcher
39 – Moneylender
40 – Stable & Coach House
41 – Temple
42 – Undertaker
43 – Town Square
H – Homes
Esme, your profile still says you're 6th level.
I will change it when I can. I have a midterm on Friday and have been putting all of my time into it.
I did it just now. I had to do it twice, which is a bit of a pain since I type it all out of order so it shows up correctly.
Let me know if there is anything else you need in the signature.
Let's discuss your shopping lists here since it will be easier for you all to tell me what you're looking for than for me to try and guess at it. Ninefingers has inquired about a weaponsmith and we do have 1 flex shop. Is a weapon merchant or a weaponsmith what everyone would prefer?
Sertino's knives will deal in daggers, but not much more and there is a Bowyer/Fletcher. The Jeweler is probably also a point of interest since you have gems and jewelry to trade. The Temple is kind of open ended too since the mod is designed to fit anywhere.
Also, there is some nasty weather raining down on me in the tail end of tornado alley. Hopefully we won't lose power or internet, but it's a definite possibility. I don't have a phone with access so I won't be able to post if we do.
Looking for silver mace 5GP + 20GP for Silver+ 25GP
I'll be looking for scrolls: 1st level spells: hide from undead (1), comprehend languages(1), detect undead (1), remove fear (2), endure elements (fire) (1), bless water (1). First level cleric spells usually cost 25 GP = 350GP
We may need some wolfsbane for Dimitri.
Temple wise...obviously iomedae will be his first choice but a good aligned will work nicely.
Other than some holy water, I think I'm good for now. I'm saving up for a Clear Spindle Ioun Stone.
I'd like a couple of cure light wounds potions, a couple of alchemical fires, and maybe a MW dagger.
2 potions of protection from evil would be great
Apologies for no update today. We didn't lose power but I have a nasty headache this evening. I'm off to see if sleep will help.
Also, the mead will be of mediocre quality. Azura spices it to enhance the flavor as the spice merchant is another relation and cuts her a deal. The tobacco however is another story, Azura's blend is kind of special and costs 1gp per pound. She will only sell you 2 pounds of it as she won't allow herself to run out.
A pound of tobacco is an awful lot though. It'll last a long time.
A pound of tobacco is an awful lot though. It'll last a long time.
"Nonsense...Speak fer yerself!"
I don't really have anything I want to shop for. I will try to update my alias to reflect the Dog and some accessories associated with having a riding mount. I would not have kept any "incidental" treasure from previous adventuring, and would most likely have given my share to the rest of the party, only keeping what I need to stay equipped and clean.
Luc is more than happy to take Boote's tithing to help secure buffing scrolls for the party.
FYI DM: I will be out of touch most of the day tomorrow until the late evening.
Thanks Baldwin, noted.
I need some input from the group on whether or not the party or others are supposed to know that Esme is a changeling? She's rather obvious with the green skin, isn't she? Azura made an assumption she'd gotten a hold of a bad potion, but I'm having trouble wrapping my brain around how people should react to her. This is leading to me just sort of glossing over the issue and as a result, I'm kind of ignoring her character, and I really don't want to do that. =/ (Bad GM!)
Ravencourt is something of a Monster Hunter... will he know she is a changeling and if so, what does that mean to him? Does Esme offer any sort of explanation to people?
Sorry, I would have brought this up when we were building backstory but since we were already established when Esme came in, I sort of forgot about these concerns until now.
Donovan has a lot of "freaks" in his family. There's Tieflings, Dhampirs, Pharasman Oracles with all manor of deformities, and even people with full-blown Curses. His own brother looks more like a gargoyle than a human, but is the kindest and most giving person Donovan knows.
Donovan probably knows exactly what she is, he just doesn't really care. He decides a person's worth based on their actions. So far, she hasn't given him any reason to judge her harshly.
I've already established that Dimitrio (highly superstitious) knows that she is 'strange' and is actually scared of her (evil eye and all that witch stuff).
I don't think he suspects she is anything other than a witch and that maybe some of her spells or patron or witch arts made her look the way she does.
If she were to tell him the truth, it would probably make him even more nervous around her.
Rannveig reacted dangerously to Esme's original introduction, I'd imagine. The girl has been severely abused by a witch, and Esme looks like every child's story imagines witches to be. It's a weird kind of prejudice, but there it is. As a consequence, she's dang jumpy about pretty much every move Esme makes.
And as for shopping lists, I think Rannveig just finds some trail rations On the same list, while she wouldn't go looking for it, if she runs across a pretty dress or somesuch on display...she might well go try to barter for it and fairly immediately feel ashamed and try to hide it away. She was considered quite the beauty before her travails with the witch, and she still wants to be thought so somewhere in her brain, even if the idea expressed aloud would probably make her cringe.
I have not figured out what to make of Esme. Her resourcefulness in the past tends to make me feel confident that she is an ally, but why she looks the way she does, hasn't been something I am curious about.
Naturally, PCs decide what PCs believe. If I were setting numbers for NPCs, I'd have them roll Knowledge:Arcane rolls. Something like:
DC 10: Someone with green skin is probably a half-orc of some kind
DC 15: Spell/potions/curses can change your appearance, perhaps she is one of those
DC 20: She does not appear to be under any magical affects, so it must be something permanent
DC 25: She's probably a Green Hag/some other kind of monster
DC 30: Hags mate with humans producing changelings, maybe she's one of those
DC 35: She is a changeling, specifically a Green Widow, the daughter of a green hag. She is good at lying to men and has claws.
Naturally, this is modified in places where people don't have half orcs or magic is frowned on, etc.
If she is chased out of town or they try to lynch her, I will deal with it.
I am very sorry to do this but I have a Medical Microbiology Final in the morning. I have to pass it to stay in medical school.
I've not read the in-game thread yet. I will read it tomorrow after the exam an post something.
Esme will take any gold she gets and buy alchemy ingredients. She will make alchemical items at cost for anyone that wants them.
Luc is suspicious by nature. Esme looks too much like a dwarfed troll by-product for his liking. He basically keeps an eye on her and he is not overly friendly towards her until they had more bonding.
Actually, Identifying a Humanoid is governed by Knowledge: Local. Identifying Monstrous Humanoids is Knowledge Nature.
The DC to identify a creature type is based on the creature's base CR, which in a Changeling's case is CR 1/2.
So, the DC to identify a Changeling that is not somehow disguised is 10, which is the top-end DC for making an Untrained knowledge check.
That means that knowledge of Changelings is so common that half of an untrained population will be able to identify them on sight, and anyone educated will probably be able to give significant details about a Changeling's physiology and common cultural practices.
That's the RAW, anyway. If the GM wants to change things up to make Changelings rarer and harder to identify, that would certainly fit the real-world lore.
That's the RAW, anyway. If the GM wants to change things up to make Changelings rarer and harder to identify, that would certainly fit the real-world lore.
In this context RAW minimizes the roleplaying aspects.
I had us targeted in more northern Varisia, so since Green Hags are local to Marshy areas, I'm going to rule that it's not local knowledge and certainly not common/untrained/inexperienced knowledge. The common people here will assume that she is a performer. Theatre troupes are common to the area and costumes are not uncommon on Festival days.
Considering her hat, someone will need to be standing within five feet of Esme in good lighting and looking into her face to really notice her eyes, that is the point at which people will be prompted to wonder about her. And of course if Campbell chooses, Esme could have used prestidigitation to make them appear more normal.
No one has requested anything too unusual, so I'm just going to go ahead and say Granted! But I do need a final list of detailed gear from everyone soon. If you could each PM me your gear list, it would help me keep them organized. We will assume you can find most of what you need at the Outfitters and that they will guide you to any other shops you need, finishing up just in time for the street dance and final theatre performance to begin. They will also find a secluded spot to have the conversation about their father's disappearance, which will come next. If you like, you can give me a briefing of what you know you will want to ask them here and I will work it into the initial narrative.
The list I provided is all that I'm requesting.
I'm a bit confused on gold/shopping. Maybe I've fallen behind. I spent 600 gold on her equipment when I made her and the list is very detailed, perhaps overly so.
Do we have additional funds? If so, I'm making more alchemy as I said before. Poor Samantha is having to carry 5 lbs of cauldron, so I have to use it or she gets upset.
As to being suspicious/afraid/hostile towards Esme, I'm okay with any of it. I went with the provision stated in the Recruitment thread that the character needs to be able to bond with the group. You will be able to count on Esme but she is a wicked witch and I don't expect every character to be okay with that. I hope that no one kills her but I would not be upset if other party members try to thwart her.
Right now she's Chaotic Good. We'll see what alignment she is in a few months. I'm looking forward to it. 8)
Since level 2 characters get 1000g to start, but I wanted your group fresh after the event where you leveled up, so I indicated that 400g is assorted booty from the quest to destroy the werewolf. In Piazza you can re-supply since supplies should be fairly depleted after weeks on the road.
Ah, I had not realized. I will get you a list after I get some sleep. Esme is not interested in magical items or anything, just simple herbs.
Nicu will use the DC table for Esme:
...so Nicu would know something seemed 'off', but doesn't know what exactly and isn't aware that it's permanent.
Intentions!
Aside from what was said in the game thread, Rannveig will probably trot along quietly at Donovan's heels to any shop he goes to, and probably pick up any gear he or anyone else indicates she should have that seems even halfway reasonable. Otherwise, she'll just acquire some extra trail rations and call it good with what she has (which is: scimitar, furs, armor, food, new pretty scarf, pouch, money and gems).
[Things I think he might indicate would be a good idea: scabbard, real clothes, backpack, bedroll, tent, rope]
She'll spend the whole time shooting glances towards where they're setting up for the dance, though.
I'll shoot you that PM about equipment as soon as I hear if Donovan tells her to grab some more stuff or not, Bluedove. In the meantime, it's just what I said above, itemized more reasonably in the equipment section of her profile.
EDIT: I forgot something! Rannveig's focus for her divine spells, if you're okay with it, is the wolf-fur amulet she wears in her hair. It's representative of her time as a wolf, and I thought it was cool. If you'd rather, than it's probably just the usual sprig of holly or whatnot. I just liked the idea.