GM Crunch's Bid for Alabastrine (CORE)! (Inactive)

Game Master Saving Cap'n Crunch

Because someone screwed up Vayde's Analyze section (looking at you, Thurston Hillman) I had to improvise a little here. As I have just added to the sheet, the skills you can use to influence Vayde are, in ascending order of difficulty: Knowledge (religion), Knowledge (nobility)/Sense Motive/Diplomacy, and Bluff.

Oh don't worry, he's staring back! O_O

Seriously though, looks like an honest mistake when it went through the writing/dev/editing. Your method of handling it looks fine.

*SMOKE BOMB*

Does everyone understand the rules of the bid?

Sssort of. Are the Analyze/Influence checks based on the modifiers of the listed skills?

So, if I wanted to analyze or influence the old boy, Vayde, would I use a skill modifier from Know (Re), Know (No)/SM/Diplomacy, or Bluff?

KnowLocal: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 9 + 2 = 20
Approaching the other elf, Electra deeply bows to the master and starts to speak to him about the connection of this city and the parity of other planes. Stroking absentmindly now and then her familiar who now and then gives a witty remark or bit of commen knowledge to aid his mistress.
KnowPlanes: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 9 + 2 = 31 She will comment about the parity of wharfs for planar travel.

GAH! He's here, he knows! Don't worry, it's all good :)

Beronûsh, posting on the fly here, will respond in a few hours.

Okay, thanks. And I'm sure Thurston is a great guy. It sounds, like, he might be from the Great White North, eh? Beauty! :D

Beronûsh, those skills are the skills you use to Influence Vayde, which were discovered via an Analyze check. Analyze checks use Knowledge (local or nobility) or Sense Motive, but since only Passad is present right now he is the only one you can Sense Motive right now. You, as an Exchange member, can also make an Analyze check to find a bidder's trade interests using different skills, as I detailed in the last post of the previous page.

Yeah, I'm sure he's a great guy. I mean, he wrote a PFS scenario, he can be afforded some mistakes. I aspire to do that one day, to be honest.

Electra, you cannot currently make any Influence checks. The only bidder present is Temel Passad, so your free checkust be an Analyze check.

Can you explain the rules again

OH ok. Well I did the analyze

Electra, please specify a bidder and what category you would like to know about them (strengths, weaknesses, Influence skills, the latter being the most useful right now). Categories that have already been discovered are the Influence skills of Cyran, Temel, and Vayde.

Riceak, there are 5 rounds to the bid. Each round, each PC can make a single check to Analyze or Influence. Analyze checks help you learn how to better influence a bidder, telling you their strengths, weaknesses, or Influence skills, you choose which you want before rolling). Influence checks are used to convince people to further their bid on their preferred district (or the Luminous Wharf, which no one but Myrosype initially wants). Each round is a social event hosted by a particular bidder, with its own particular adjustments based on the preparations made by the host. You also have the opportunity to impress a bidder at the event they host, further described in that particular round, which gives you a permanent +2 on Influence checks against them. Please alert me to anything that seems unclear and I will try to clarify it.

Okay, I think I got it

What types of skill check would be needed for both?

Analyze checks require Knowledge (local or nobility) or Sense Motive checks. Influence checks vary by NPC, and require successful Analyze checks to figure out what they are. The ones you know are in the spreadsheet.

She would like to know about the best ways to influence Irith.

Electra's careful prodding of the servants' knowledge as well as her own reveal that Irith is a merchant by trade, and those who can speak the language, as it were, in their conversations with her appeal to her life’s work. One can also use their experiences with the higher class or simply with negotiations to appeal to Irith’s political interests, or lie to cheat his way through negotiations with her.

Irith's Influence skills are Profession (Merchant), Knowledge (nobility) or Diplomacy, and Bluff. They have been added to the spreadsheet. Also, I am going to go right into the first event, and Beronûsh can make his free check whenever able.

Temel Passad hosts the first round of the bidding in his mansion on the waterfront of Lake Encarthan. His event prominently displays the beauty of the lake and the bustle of Kerse’s navy, as well as his prize gardens featuring rare plants from around the Inner Sea region and beyond. He has treated some portions of the garden with a variety of expensive alchemical mixtures to cause the plants to grow in unusual colors and patterns. As the PCs arrive, servants escort them onto the veranda that overlooks the lake, along with the other guests for the event. The final guest is a quiet dwarf named Hegio, who represents the Resplendent Bureaucracy by keeping track of the bids submitted and announcing the current lead bidders at the end of the event. Hegio attends all five of the gatherings during the auction. Passad puts on a somewhat humble affair of hors d’oeuvres and fine wines. He prefers to keep things simple, as he’s not eager to spend money that will be necessary to stay competitive during the bidding.

The first event is slightly longer than the others will be, stretching into the early afternoon. This is done on purpose to give bidders more time to size their competitors up (special adjustment: Everyone gets another free Analyze check, but can also use Sense Motive, as all bidders are present, and the DC is lowered down to normal). Additionally, Passad himself, when is not busy chatting up or being chatted up, walks about inquiring about what the attendees think of his impressive gardens. (Impressing the host: A successful DC 14 Craft (alchemy), Knowledge (nature), or Profession (gardener) will allow you to pay Temel a sufficiently informed compliment, giving those of you who succeed a +2 on Influence checks against him.)

He discusses some of the more famous combats fought during the Peoples Revolution, all urban, encouraging the groups host to stick with his plans for the courts

history: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (12) + 18 = 30 <- influence Temel to his favored location.

Khellek admires the garden, thinking about the exotic flowers.
nature: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (1) + 11 = 12

"Such colour and vibrancy!" he notes. "It that a transplanted Mwangi orchid I see over there? How splendid"

But the speach maybe goes a little flat. Not that you auto fail on a one, but really, a 12? I'd have to be very lucky to make that.

We need to spread ourselves out a bit presumably. I'm torn between getting some runs on the board, and making it easier later with more information.

Question: do we get a free analyze check as well as our normal event influence check, or was the comment above just that it was time to roll them? If we get another free analyse, Khellek will spend some time with Vayde, talking about the scrolls and Scriptorium while he tries to learn the man's strengths. Mechanically what does it mean to learn their strengths?

know(nobility): 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (6) + 11 = 17

Does impressing passad count as the action or is this free!

Thanks for the analyze roll above and sorry for being quiet!

Hakotep is used to being a statesman of sorts, but not as good at reading the room. i.e. he's not as good at Analyze He suggests, "Allow me to speak with Cyran. I think that, as a fellow practitioner of the magical arts, I can convince him of the importance of bidding."

---

No Analyze check for Hakotep, going straight for an Influence on Cyran.

At the party, the halfling, who is now dressed in quite regal robes borrowed from Temel, approaches the scholarly elf Cyran. "Well met, my good Elf!" He takes a short bow and introduces himself, "I am Hakotep Flaxseed, Pharaoh of the Halflings. I travel to many places in Golarion spreading my influence, although I must admit your interest in extra-planar travel quite intrigues me as a traveler and an arcane practitioner."

The Pharaoh continues, "I have heard that you are interested in bidding on a district; I must encourage this! In fact, I am here not just as a representative of the Halflings but also of the Pathfinder Society. And if you were to, say, set up some sort of research institution or library in your district, well, I think our Society of scholars would have much to offer you and we would be very interested in an exchange that would prove quite profitable to both parties."

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24

I thought we are supposed to use the skills we found out Cyran is Know (Pl), Know (No)/Prof (Mer), Bluff, not diplo? Would it not be better you use it with someone who can be swayed by diplo?

Beronûsh will try to mingle, and analyse Myrosype at the gathering:
sense motive: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 1 = 12
(or try to analyse her, as best he can)

Yeap, we need to use the skill. If you look at the skills tab I have put them down so we can see the best ones to use (+), possible ones, and slightly dodgy ones (-). Khellek used a dodgy one because he is very, very good at it. And that is his area of interest anyway. I think mechanically they did theis as diplomacy is a "go to" skill that many characters have and they wanted to encourage use of other skills. Season seven. Year of the skill-monkey.

Electra will approach Vayde Petronax and try to use her expertise in Knowledge Religion: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 9 + 2 = 18 to cement her opinion that only a true devotee is entitled to the wisdom and treasure of treatises to be found in the Scriptum

Beronûsh starts doing what he can to flatter (read "butter up") Passad:

"This really is a splendid place and lavish party, please tell me
about … blah, blah, blah, blather, blarney, etc, etc …

diplomacy: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12

I'll take one success and a weakness against Temel

@GM: Let's go for weaknesses then.

@Khellek: All of the other information is just a means to success. In the end, all we care about is the number of successes. You know, the old "one bird in the hand is worth two in the bush" :-)

Magga walks up to Temel, periodically trying to adjust her ridiculous outfit, "Mr. Passad, Sir? That orange stemmed plant with the yellow leaves almost looks like poison ivy, but the colors are all different. I know, because I once rubbed the leaves all over my brother's bedroll. That was fun! But did you do something to the plant to make it so colorful?"

Where do you need him to go?

Beronûsh tries his best to simply talk Temel Passad into increasing his already rather-high bid, but the Kalistocrat hastily excuses himself. The young half-elf believes that Passad will no longer want to hear reasoned argument, but perhaps will remain receptive to bullying or lies from him. The blow, however, is slightly cushioned by a revelation the Pathfinders are supplied by Khellek: Temel is naturally resistant to the suggestions of Exchange agents. Despite the fact that it was his blunder and conflict of emotions that kept him from joining, he now despises the faction of the Society and those who work under it.
Beronûsh, you have failed the Influence check by more than 5, which means you cannot use Diplomacy against Temel Passad, although you still may Bluff and Intimidate in future rounds. Khellek, I found another typo in the scenario, which just puts Temel's Influence skills again under his weaknesses, so I gave you his strength, which is a -4 penalty against Exchange members. Given that, the lack of being able to Diplomacize shouldn't be a big problem for Beronûsh, as he can focus his checks elsewhere.

Magga notes that Cyran is no fool. He quickly realizes, through magic or intuition she cannot tell, that the Pathfinders are working as a group. However, he is particularly interested in those with connections to the Outer Sphere, and will react favorably if any of the team show him an item or ally from beyond the Material Plane.
Cyran's weakness, as I have added to the sheet, is that if a PC brings up an item harnessing extraplanar power, or a creature from elsewhere (which can include a summoned creature), the PC gains a single +4 bonus on an Influence check. It would be preferable if the PC with the item or creature gains the bonus, but another could if you roleplayed it right.
Having further delved into the mind of a very intelligent individual, and feeling all the better for it, Magga then sidles up to Passad, who laughs dutifully at her anecdote. He mentions that he is impressed by her carefree attitude, when, as he puts it (trying to be as kind as possible), when she is around people much richer and more powerful than her and the team. Her next action, which ends up as a kind of glare that implies, 'Buy the Courts of Abstinence...or else I'll fill your bed with lethal plants,' rather unnerves the man, and he quickly rushes out. He is not so scared as he is confused, especially after others of her team were so tactful, even when one knew of his rivalry with the Exchange. Should Magga attempt to talk to him again, he laughs in recollection of what he thinks was more of a joke story, and leaves as fast as he can.

So, you've made the check to impress Passad. However, you've also failed the Influence check by 10 or more, so you cannot Influence him for the rest of the scenario. Unless you use your reroll, and I'm still unclear as to how that works in PbP. I feel like when you preview a post and see your roll, that is the "when the roll is known but before the results are revealed" phase where you can add to the post, "I'm using my reroll," and make another roll. So, I'm not sure. Any more experienced PbPers know how that would work?

So if any of us fail by more than ten, then nobody can try and influence them again, or just that one person?

Just the one. Do you know how a reroll could work in this situation, if at all?

I'm generally generous about re-rolls. You only get one, so making them worth something is a nice way to give something back to folk who spend a lot of time GMing. But then I'm biased :-)

In this case he rolled a one, so it is not like getting a twelve, failing by one and retrying, it would be pretty obvious that Magga had fluffed it. Magga might be wanting to save the roll for later on when we have a better idea about where the bidding is going.

Indeed, I think we can go on with the bidding without using a reroll yet. Also, I saw that Riceak put up his skills he can use to Influence on the spreadsheet (or someone else did it for him, I don't know), it would be helpful if other people could do that as well. I started with Khellek, putting up his Knowledges, but I couldn't find his other skills, the link to his sheet sent me to a blank sheet.

Yeah, my sheet got nuked at Myth Weavers. It's on my to-fix list.

The second tab "character skills" on the bidders sheet has the relevant skills on it though.

I need my beauty sleep ;-)
Taking her time and walking through the Garden of Maison Passad she notices and smells enjoys and chronicles, always accompanied by her familiar who darts here and there and enjoys the display himself.
KnowNature: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 9 + 2 = 28 Finally she moves toward Lord Passad and bows deeply. "I have to thank you deeply for the joy of seeing the beautiful moonflower in full bloom. I have never seen anything like that outside the elfen nations. Did I see a fully developped Sweetthorn with pink blossom? And Nolwe, my familiar says he saw a rare Snowbloom? You must be a druid!"

She then will try to analyze more about Irith, maybe find her weekness.
Sense motive: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10

Sense Motive analyze: 1d20 ⇒ 2

Hakotep doesn't have any of the required skills for impressing Temel this time.

Hakotep continues his discussions with Cyran, trying to get a good read on the elf and convince him to make a sufficiently high bid for the Working End district.

Sense motive check 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27

Passad, who at first is about to shy away from Electra, given his brief pseudo-conversation with Magga, but her commentary on his garden is quite detailed. He laughs it up. "Not a druid, no, just an avid collector of such things. You seem to have quite the interest in these matters yourself, or at least a wealth of knowledge on the subject. I look forward to talking with you in the future." As a retinue of some other bidder approaches to speak to Temel, he excuses himself, albeit much more amiably.
The elven woman then takes to watching Irith Nomazmo talk to other people, trying to see where she slips up or falls prey to flattery, but sees no such instances.

Hakotep: I checked the lists again, and it turns out Diplomacy is on all of them, sorry about that. The DC is generally higher, but it can still be done. It makes sense given what Khellek said, about how this season takes some power out of Diplomacy. I will go back to your post about Influencing Cyran with it.
Also, you can still make the check to impress Passad. I said this somewhere, I believe in the Gameplay thread, about how you can make the Craft or Profession check untrained.
Hakotep talks to Cyran about the value of the Working End, as well as the prestige of owning a district of the great city. The scholarly elf is duly impressed by the Pharaoh, although he bristles slightly at the implication that he needs others to prosper. Still, given that it is not openly said, he remains his relaxed, nigh-unshakeable self. He scribbles a moderate sum onto a bidding sheet and calls a light gust of wind to carry it to Hegio.
That is one success against Cyran Androtus, and you have also uncovered his strength. If a PC talking to him suggests he needs the support of others to prosper, they take a -4 penalty on their check. It would thusly be better to say a deal would be mutually beneficial.

Riceak: Who are you trying to Analyze with your Sense Motive check, and what do you want to know?

So I could attempt to influence the host with my diplomacy correct? Do I need to aid another at this point?

I think we were told we are not allowed to aid-another in these events.

Beronûsh will, first chance he gets, try to impress Passad about the time
joined a party to the shadow plane … which is true …
and how it was his quick thinking and his spells that saved the day
(which is bullocks/rubbish/fibbing)

bluff: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20

phew!

Can I analyze the host to see if we are making an impact?

Beronûsh: As I said in the discussion thread, impressing the host requires a certain check that varies by event. In this round's case it can be done with Craft (alchemy), Knowledge (nature), or Profession (gardener). I know you have the former, and that one and the latter can be done untrained anyway. Hakotep and Riceak have yet to make this check either, I may just make it for them in a few hours when I next have time, to speed things up a little.

Riceak: I'm not sure what you mean by that. You already know the number of successes you have. Analyze checks are used for finding Influence skills (all of which you have discovered), strengths, and weaknesses of bidders.

I pass this turn then

Why not try to influence someone for us? You can't do worse than doing nothing? Some with analysing. Even if the chance is low, you won't be actually hurting us.

Indeed, the worst that can happen is you fail by enough to leave you unable to influence a certain NPC. And in that roll, there's enough potential to successfully influence them. So there's no reason to pass, really.

ok. so I can make a diplomacy check to improve the guys attitude toward us now, correct?

1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14

Riceak, I assume you are referring to Temel. Also, Magga has detailed what else you can do this round in the latest post in Discussion. I'm going to roll the remaining Impress the Host checks now.

Untrained Profession (gardener), Riceak: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 2 = 17

Untrained Craft (alchemy), Hakotep: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8

Craft (alchemy), Beronûsh: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25

The Pathfinders who have not done so already attempt to curry favor from Passad by making informed compliments about his garden. Riceak is able to identify enough rare plants from his time in the Segang jungle to impress the Kalistocrat, and Beronûsh points out some alchemy-fueled transformations to a clump of ordinary lilies. Try as he might, however, Hakotep is unable to find anything out of the ordinary. As a practitioner of mystic arts, he looks for alchemical alterations, but the lack of many plants in the Pharaoh's arid homeland leads to downfall in this endeavor.

After successfully piquing Temel's interest, Riceak attempts to make his move on the man, urging him to invest in the Courts. He does not seem entirely convinced, but says he will take it into account. "As this is only the first of five events, I believe my bid is high enough for the morning."

So, I just need an Analyze check from Riceak, and we can move on to the next round and the results of this one.

Actually, since the Analyze check will not change anything during the first event, I'm going to wrap it up and start the second. Riceak, feel free to make the check whenever, although sooner would be preferred.

Around two hours after noon, the brunch is winding down. Some guests have already left, would-be bidders not aware of just how rich the real players in the auction were. Nevertheless, Hegio signals a nondescript mage in Kalistocrat's robes, who calls for quiet with a few loud noises. He then produces five trees in a row, right on Temel Passad's lawn, and carves a bidder's first initial and crest, if applicable, on each tree as Hegio reads out the results of the first round.

"Leading the bid on the Courts of Abstinence...Temel Passad!"

"Leading the bid on the Prophet's Burg...Myrosype!"

"Leading the bid on the Scriptum...Vayde Petronax!"

"Leading the bid on the Working End...Cyran Androtus!"

"Leading the bid on the Luminous Wharf...Myrosype!"

Passad looks pleasantly surprised, and several of his friends and business partners clap him on the back. Myrosype leaves the premises quickly, with a grin on her face, lacking a majority of the districts but confident in the knowledge that the bid has just begun. Vayde graces those around him with his skeletal grin, which is rather terrifying up close. Cyran lets off a small grin and fades from existence, likely to his own estate to prepare for the next event, and Irith Nomazmo beats a hasty, yet dignified, retreat. Temel Passad gathers the Pathfinders shortly after the guests disperse. "Thank you for convincing me to heighten my bid, but do not let these results fool you. Until you have us set on winning a district, Myrosype could likely outbid any of us when there is little to no time to spare. My manor is always open to you, I suggest you retire to convene and prepare for the Petronax gala."

ROUND TWO:

Nighttime heralds the welcoming of all bidders and shills to Vayde Petronax’s temporary estate in Kerse. The event is held in a vivacious ballroom. Servants offer all attendees a variety of costumes and allow them to select whichever ones appeal to them most. Provided costumes represent dozens of deific servants, from demons to devils to psychopomps and angels. Vayde greets many at the entrance, in a seemingly random manner, asking for an explanation behind their costume choice. Those who can provide a sufficiently entertaining or informed response earn his favor. Additionally, the costumed nature of the gala makes lies easier to tell, or at least lessen one's fear of reproach, as well as make getting a read on someone more difficult.

Khellek adopts a colourful and feathery costume of a Garuda.

"I have always wondered about viewing the world from above. Being able to see history unfold in real time before my eyes. And the Garuda have such vibrant colours to them as well." confesses the scholar who has taken the costume party to heart.

impress, planes: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (12) + 14 = 26

Hopefully that is enough to get a bonus on the influence roll, not sure what that is, but please add it in as required.
Khellek concentrates once again on the host of the event, trying to convince him to continue to upbid on the Scriptum.

"It is a vast source of knowledge. And knowledge is power, and power... brings wealth."

know(religion): 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (6) + 13 = 19 - plus any bonus from the "impress" phase.

If I get a double success (seems unlikely, but religion is his favored area, I'll take the second success as a bid for the luminous docks

"The docks control everything that comes in and out of the city. Control of them would allow you to know what choice items of trade... or items for the scriptorium.. were arriving giving you the chance to acquire them before others were even aware they were coming to market."