I'm going to post some background information in this thread, after that we can use it to organise the group and communicate out-of-character.
First, a little history
In 4606 ar, Aroden, god of humanity, innovation, and history, died. No city in all of Golarion was wracked more fundamentally by this catastrophic event than Westcrown. The capital of Cheliax—an entire country sworn to the god of humanity’s worship at the time—Westcrown was the expected site of Aroden’s return and had spent decades preparing for the event. A massive plaza known as the Arodennama, complete with a towering statue of the god, stood ready to receive the deity, yet after his death, it took only a few short years for the church of Aroden to fall. The Arodennama was abandoned, and the entire country found itself in the grips of a civil war with fierce diabolists.
The rise of the Thrice-Damned House of Thrune saw Westcrown’s further descent. After a brutal 30-year civil war, the diabolical House of Thrune seized control of Cheliax. One of their first acts as the nation’s new government was to move the capital and royal court north to the city of Egorian, emptying Westcrown of much of its affluence and prestige. Those nobles who remained behind were largely old families rooted in their traditions and their pride, content to rot in their declining home. While still a vibrant and important port, the splendor that had typified Westcrown for centuries swiftly waned, and without the noble court many commoners and merchants who had previously made a living pandering to the country’s elite were forced to move on, leaving whole blocks abandoned. Westcrown faded to a pale shadow of its former glory and became a playground for vultures eager to pick the royal carcass.
Then, a little politics
The first forces of law and order encountered in Westcrown are often the dottari, the city’s guards or wardens.
Regardless of where their posts lie, dottari all wear the city’s mark—Aroden’s Eye—stenciled in black over a red field on a shield or tabard. Dottari officers wear a reversed mark (red on black field) on their left arms.
On paper, the dottari are one singular order under the control of the mayor’s appointed “high warden”— his young, oft-drunken nephew, Duxotar Iltus Mhartis. As Iltus “prefers to apportion his command to focus on the broader defenses of the city,” his subordinates more often handle his abandoned responsibilities. Thus, personal vendettas and politics divide the dottari into four nearly
independent forces.
Dottari: Durotas Saria Roccin controls the common dottari who man the gates and patrol the streets of the Spera, and she commands the most troops of any civic leader in the city.
Condottari: With at least two adels and a sail barge at official docks on each floating marina, Durotas Scasi Bolvona commands the condottari, or “canal wardens,” who patrol the Westchannel, the Dhaenflow, and the canals of the Regicona.
Knowledge (Local) CR 20
Scasi has a half-elf love child who he endeavours to keep secret.
Rundottari: Based out of Keep Dotar in the northeastern Rego Cader, the rundottari, or “ruin wardens,” operate under the authority of Durotas Arik Tuornos.
Knowledge (local) CR 20
Arik knows his command is a posting of low prestige and social punishment, but he and his men take pride in their responsibility to man the walls of Rego Cader and keep the threats and dangers of the ruins contained and out of the city.
Regidottari: The regidottari (“palace wardens”) operate under the authority of Durotas Lhiana Strikis (CE human female fighter 3/wizard 2). Lhiana treats her troops like her personal slaves, often berating them publicly for minor offenses.
Knowledge (local) CR 15
Knowledge (local or Nobility) CR 25
Under Chelish law and tradition, the Mayor of Westcrown (or lord mayor, as its current officeholder insists upon) controls the Dottari and the tax coffers that maintain city stability.
In 4689 ar, Aberian Arvanxi was made lord mayor of Westcrown by Her Infernal Magestrix, Queen Abrogail II.
Knowledge (local) CR15
In the years since, Lord Mayor Arvanxi’s affectations for Chelish opera have seen him pump a large
amount of public money into maintaining and rebuilding various opera houses and entertainment halls. He sees this as “the betterment of public diversions to raise the hearts and minds of all Wiscrani”; most citizens (especially those who lack the money to travel to the island opera houses
or enter the few in the Spera) see this as the mayor using public funds for his own enjoyment rather than the improvement of Westcrown. Such likely proves the case, but as these pastimes keep the spiteful and largely incompetent mayor from meddling in the affairs of most common Wiscrani,
the public quietly puts up with such decadences.
Westcrown was shorn of many of its noble families when the capital was moved to Egorian by House Thrune. Now, only small offshoots and determined traditionalists remain. However, the nobility still dominate Westcrown and are vital to its governance and wealth.
Westcrown has its share of organised crime, just like any major city, but at one time it was dominated by the ruthless Council of Thieves: a guild of criminals said to have links with many of the great noble houses.
Officially the Council of Thieves has been destroyed and to many it is simply a source of fireside stories, however rumours persist that the organisation lingers on, it's influence pervading every backroom deal and back-alley drubbing.
The Hellknights are a semi-official, largely autonomous set of orders dedicated to the principle that the orderly law of hell is the best example of governance anyone could have. Hellknights seek to dominate devils and learn from them how best to run a nation, a region or a city.
In Westcrown two hellknight orders are most common: The Order of the Rack and The Order of the Scourge.
The Order of the Rack are one of the oldest and largest Hellknight orders, they often 'assist' in maintaining law and order in the city and have a long-standing, though sometimes fractious, relationship with the Dottari and the Lord Mayor.
There is also some geography...
One’s location in Westcrown determines the size, height, and opulence of the surrounding buildings. Every building, however, begins with a stone foundation, most often the light stone quarried from the surrounding hills or along the Adivian River. The richer areas of town contain all-stone construction, if not rarer or more specialized materials. Most places add three or more levels made from wood, either light varieties of local trees or the dark barroak felled in the Barrowood and brought downriver. Buildings lean upon each other at the higher levels where necessary, with the sight of free-standing buildings usually denoting the money and influence of nobility.
Streets and walkways in Westcrown almost undulate in places, evidence of the random nature of the building spaces. Stone paves every surface within the city walls, and while main avenues in richer areas have stone slabs, mirror-slick in the rain, cobblestones fill other areas. All runoff gets channelled to sewer grates or back toward the river, and keeping grates clear of blockages becomes an informal task for dottari during the rainy seasons. While there are hire-sweeps to tend to the streets and keep them clear of offal, few folks beyond the rich can afford them, and garbage piles up in the alleys of poorer sections of town until cleared by locals or benevolent priests. The city’s pride and arrogance has dimmed over the decades along with its lost influence as the failed “Home of Aroden.” As a result, many Wiscrani no longer take as much pride in keeping their neighbourhoods clean or in the best repair. Structures exposed to the elements remain unmended, garbage chokes some alleys, and things change only by the influence of dottari spears or coins. While the faith of many people crumbled with Aroden, his priests and worshippers of his founders continue to watch out for Westcrown and its people, shoring up and repairing temples and common buildings alike.
Much more detail below:
The Upper Adivian/The Dhaenflow: Less than a mile north of Westcrown’s northernmost wall, the Upper Adivian branches off the main flow and wends its way west among the hills. This waterway remains a strong, defensible river beneath the Adivian Bridge but slowly shrinks and splinters among the shallow creeks, pools, and marshes of the Dhaenfens. The Dhaenflow is the waterway’s local name, dubbed for a noble who deprived his enemies of their spoils by fleeing into the swamps with the last treasures of his failing house.
The Westchannel: Within 200 yards of where the Dhaenflow branches off the main course, the river splits sharply again into the Westchannel. This is the main waterway of Westcrown, where the current slows by the natural shelter of the island and coastlands. Many once believed Aroden blessed Westcrown, as garbage only rarely flowed into the Westchannel or the island’s canals. The dumps littering the eastern shores often formed naturally with each spring flood, and Wiscrani used those lands for the same purpose. Now, a century after Aroden’s passing, more and more wood, ship wrack, and other flotsam drifts into the Westchannel or the canals, sometimes enough to damage or deter trade traffic until it can be cleared by the harbormaster’s crews.
The Southrun: The Southrun is the name for the South Adivian as it continues past Westcrown, often depositing flotsam and other waste against the eastern shores. Unlike the placid currents of the Westchannel, the South Adivian alongside Westcrown Island bears a stronger current that drags any unmoored or uncontrolled boats against the eastern shores or south to the bay.
Wiscrani call Westcrown Island Regicona. Encircling the 8 canal-riddled islands are the Regiconan Walls, the Chained Arches spanning each of the canals piercing them. Most of the city’s population never sees inside the walls built by their efforts and coins, so rumours run rampant of what happens within the Regicona. All they and most city visitors see are the grandeur of the tallest buildings rising above the walls, like the former royal palaces and a grand opera house.
Rego Corna
“Crown Sector” encompasses the former stronghold of power in Cheliax—the Imperial Court of Cheliax and its attendant holdings and homes. Once the most desired land in the country, the islands of Impriax, Dlaratha, and Siraon recovered only some prestige in the past three decades.
Rego Laina
Triam and Islatra comprise the large central pair of islands in “Blade Sector.” These are the last of the original islands, and none today remember the origins of their names. The name of the sector stems from the many famous battles, smithies, and armouries situated therein.
Rego Aerum
“Treasure Sector” is the home of true rarities for sale in Westcrown. The youngest territory in the city, the southern half of Westcrown Island only grew beyond mud flats in the past millennium. The three islands of Rego Aerum include Siar, Ghiam, and Karhal. The park at the south end of Karhal formed due to the mysterious inability of any building built there to be completed, due to a long history of strange accidents. The lands became a city park for the rich and idle in 4040 ar.
The Parego Dospera (“Despair’s Altar”) refers to the abandoned ruins and downtrodden slums of the northern shores of Westcrown. The roads are often in disrepair, and running in the Dospera invites a twisted ankle or a broken leg, leaving one fair game to the many threats in its shadows. While the northern sector is entirely a ruin, only kept in vague control by the sureshots of the rundottari on the walls around it, the southern rego acts as the buffer zone between it and “civilized” Westcrown.
Rego Cader
“Dead Sector” refers to the northern ruins, though older Wiscrani can tell you this used to be Rego Plea (formerly home to house slaves, servants, and lesser trades) before Aroden’s Fall. Inside this sector are the “low trades” the nobles wished not to see, including many forges or smithies still useful, if not in good repair. The bulk of the abandoned or ruined buildings were once taverns, inns, rooming houses, and stables. Now, most are either squats and partial homes for barbaric humans, dens of thieves, or even the lairs of monsters from leucrotta to goblins and tieflings strong enough to survive. There may even be gargoyles still bound to guard areas that have long since fallen to ruin around their perches.
Rego Crua
“Blood Sector” once held all slave trade and a wide array of low-end or less-desirable businesses, from tanneries to slaughterhouses. As a result of the stench and filth, this sector also contained the northern slums of Westcrown, nestled up against the walls of Rego Cader (which sometimes makes them safer due to the near-constant presence of rundottari above them). The farther south one travels, the more buildings rise in height and cleanliness until you cross the eastern Pegasi Bridge into Parego Spera.
The Spera (“Hope’s Altar”) contains the still-thriving sections of the city, once looked down upon by the city’s elite and now recognized as its money-making lifeblood. The western city still holds many nobles, but unlike the Regicona, trade and coin rule here more than politics. The three sectors of the Spera are Rego Scripa (“Scribe Sector”), the commercial hub and mercantile class sector that was the site of the empire’s scribes and printers; Rego Pena (“Coin Sector”), the fine trades, high-quality goods, and “new money” class sector; and Rego Sacero (“Priest Sector”), the temple and “old money” sector.
Rego Scripa
“Scribe Sector” was once the center for the bureaucratic work of the Chelish empire, the area dominated by ink- and paper-makers, printers, binders, scribes, and messengers. Now, precious few such businesses remain beyond cartographers; trade warehouses and ship-related businesses (rope- and sail-makers, navigators, and shipwrights) now populate this sector.
Rego Pena
“Coin Sector” houses the more lucrative trades and many houses of dubious standing, politically or monetarily. This also acts as home to a rising class of rich merchants who, by choice or fate, lack the political clout or connections to gain noble status or the notice of the Imperial Court.
Rego Sacero
“Priest Sector” contains more shrines and ecclesiastical real estate (extant or ruined) than five other Chelish cities combined. For centuries, priests and nobles alike kept all land east of the Arodennama (on and beneath the Rise) vacant for Aroden’s personal gardens. That land became a flashpoint of land grabs and assassination among many nobles, officials, and priesthoods after the Last Azlanti’s death. By 4614, various faiths and houses had bought up much of the land.
Hello, team awesome!
Would everyone please post a striking example of injustice in the city which they have either experienced or witnessed but been unable to stop.
Oh, and *high-five* to everyone for having really ace character ideas which drew on the setting and inspired me to make tweaks to the AP.
Pontia checking in. Profile to come; I'm at GMT -6 or so, and it's time for me to go to work. Thanks for choosing me, and I'm looking forward to this!
And I have a few other ideas, but now I really need to get to work. Let me know if you have any comments so far.
Daxius is mostly done. Profile posted. I, too, must run off to work, but I'll check in tonight, finish my profile, and post my "injustice example".
I've got to work until 5:30 CST, so I'll have to wait until tonight to get anything up. I'll have the names for the Priest and the agent up as well. Do you have any suggestions for equipment?
Here's the alias, going to fine tune the description, but the important aspect are already there.
Hyngrot went up to the Dottari when he was sure no one was watching. He told them he knew where he was, but instead of saying where, held out his hand. The Dottari told him not until they found the silversmith.
Hyngrot, knowing he was in a bind now, led them to where the silversmith moved. They told Hyngrot to wait nearby while they handled this, and if his information proved to be true, he would be rewarded.
The men went inside the building, and while Hyngrot knew he should wait, he head to find out why. He snuck into the building behind the Dottari. He approached the room, and heard sounds of what he thought was a scuffle. But it didn't sound right. Peering in, he saw one of the Dottari holding the silversmith, while the other beat him mercilessly.
During this beating, they spoke to him. It took Hyngrot a moment to understand the meaning of their words, then realization dawned on him. The silversmith's crime had been some beautfil silverwork that outshown another's. The noble who employed this man's competitor was upset and attempted to recruit this man into his employee, but he had refused. And now these men came to deal with the issue.
The beating done, the man barely able to move,one of the Dottari held his arm down while the other pulled out his sword. This was too much for Hyngrot, who began to head back down. The thunk of the sword was still loud enough for him to hear.
The men came back down, Hyngrot standing back where he was told. The Dottari thanked him for locating this criminal, and he was pased a few coins, enough to feed him for a month.
The Dottari gone, Hyngrot knew what he would find upstairs. The man was a silversmith no more, not without the precious tools he would need. And it was Hyngrot's fault, at least in part, for showing them where he was.
Hyngrot took the money and gave half of it away to those he knew would help some of the downtrodden in the city. He felt he should have given it all away, but Hyngrot still needed to survive himself. He just hoped next time he would have better judgement.
I've got to work until 5:30 CST, so I'll have to wait until tonight to get anything up. Do you have any suggestions for equipment?
Thieves tools to avoid the -2, proably a torch or some other light source in case you get caught out in the dark (beware the shadow beasts, my son! The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!)
rapiers suit a dashing individual in a venice+magic milieu.
FOR EVERYONE:
When everyone has noticed that they're in and given a basic workout of character I will post some questions. I've already put what I can through herolab and got questions for everyone (quick note: have you chosen all of your languages? Do you know what your deity is?)
Here's the alias, going to fine tune the description, but the important aspect are already there.
** spoiler omitted **
** spoiler omitted **...
Hyngrot: that's exactly the kind of thing I meant. Lovely stuff.
Thanks for choosing me; I'll try to keep to par with what I've done so far.
Nicolai, like most of Ustlav, reveres Pharasma. Language-wise, he knows Common (Taldane) and Varisia (as he's Varisian); Bonus languages are Elvish, Sylvan, and Vudrani.
I'll work up an injustice, hopefully by 11:30 EST.
Orcish and Common for free, and I selected Goblin for my 3rd. Anyone have any better recommendations on that one?
As far as deities go, Gorum as about the best fit, though it'd be lip service at best.
Backstory and appearance added to the character profile so I don't lose it. I also gave the mentor and the agent names. The Priest of Desna is named Calius Vesper, and the Andoran agent is named Samuel Talus. I'll be getting equipment and stuff ready. should have it later tonight.
Wow - that is a lot of information to take in. Westcrown seems like an excellent city to explore - lots of flavor.
I'm just about to update the profile for Daxius, and I wanted to post his "incident". He's ready to go. I gave him max HP for first level and average starting gold. Was this correct?
I have Pontia's profile largely done. I went with Scholar for her bonus feat; there are probably more useful things to take, but I was trying to think in terms of a character who doesn't really think of herself as an adventurer. Yet. Deity choice is also on the profile.
Ready to go whenever you guys are.
On one bright and early morning, on the 20th of Rova, Nicolai was walking from his residence to his apprenticeship. Along the way, he was accosted by a vagrant, looking for some handouts. His upbringing coming to the forefront, he waved the man off and continued on his way. But still the man persisted, and after pleading how he lost his job and needed to provide for his family, Nicolai's reserve was weakened.
Handing the man two silver coins, Nicolai walked away. A sudden sound made him stop, again, and he turned to see a member of the Dottari kicking the man, who was on the ground, for "disturbing the peace". Nico, who heard his uncle talk about how he would subdue the rabble of his county, was stunned - it was one thing to hear someone go on about a beating, but another entirely to witness it.
The guard noticed Nico, and told him to "get lost." As Nicolai turned to leave, he could have sworn he saw the dottari scoop up the silver for himself.
Wow - that is a lot of information to take in. Westcrown seems like an excellent city to explore - lots of flavor.
I'm just about to update the profile for Daxius, and I wanted to post his "incident". He's ready to go. I gave him max HP for first level and average starting gold. Was this correct?
** spoiler omitted **
Daxius, great stuff.
I think you have another feat to spend. Inquisitors gets proficiency with all shields except tower shields, so either you're asking for tower shield proficiency or you can have something else.
Orcish and Common for free, and I selected Goblin for my 3rd. Anyone have any better recommendations on that one?
As far as deities go, Gorum as about the best fit, though it'd be lip service at best.
Spot on, thanks.
Ready to go whenever you guys are.
Thanks, I'm just wondering how Astra came to know Infernal?
And could we have your striking example of injustice?
I have Pontia's profile largely done. I went with Scholar for her bonus feat; there are probably more useful things to take, but I was trying to think in terms of a character who doesn't really think of herself as an adventurer. Yet. Deity choice is also on the profile.
Good stuff.
The Chelaxian tongue is just a Taldane dialect so you don't need that, and the Varisian part of your heritage gets you Varisian for free: so you still have one language to choose.
And your striking example of injustice.
** spoiler omitted **
It's neat because it suits your character and his 'awakening'.
Stats all look good to go as well.
I'm guessing you've got all those odd numbered stats because you plan to boost int. and dex. as you level up?
It's just little tweaks now, so I think we can get started.
The city is large enough, and your backgrounds so diverse, that I think we can assume you begin as strangers.
I will post in the gameplay thread now and we can really get cracking.
See you over there!
@ Daxius
I don't really understand where you're going with this...
You don't have the dex for TWF, as far as I know only rangers get to ignore the skill requirements for any combat feats.
So, are you intending to use the shield as your main weapon?
Is this a fix for if you get disarmed or are attacked while casting? If so I am not sure it works because you are still attacking with a weak weapon in your off-hand.
Wouldn't quick draw and a back-up weapon be better? Or just punching with your gaunleted hand for +2/1d3+2 instead of +2/1d4+1?
That's higher average damage, higher minimum damage, same top damage and you don't lose your AC bonus from the shield. If you take quick draw then you can pull up a morningstar instead (+2/2d8+2).
Perhaps I am missing something? That happens to me a lot :D
First, a bunch of Knowledge (local) checks:
Condottari DC 20:
Rundottari DC 20:
Arik knows his command is a posting of low prestige and social punishment, but he and his men take pride in their responsibility to man the walls of Rego Cader and keep the threats and dangers of the ruins contained and out of the city.
Regidottari DC 15:
Interstitial DC 25:
Mayor DC 15:
As fate would have it, he never had the chance to find out. The day that Master Canario formally declared her apprenticeship ended, Anca/Pontia had arranged to meet Calathes. He wasn't there. Fearing the worst, she made her way to the Parego Dospera only to find the rundottari out in force, covering a paralictor of the Order of the Scourge and his Hellknights as they finished flaying Calathes alive before spiking him to the walls of the Parego along with all of his gang members they'd been able to catch. Perhaps it was Eccobar Drumanis who brought in the Hellknights, to embarrass Arik Tuornos; perhaps they came on their own and decided that Calathes' gang constituted a criminal organization. Whatever the reason, Calathes and many of her friends and pupils were dead, along with the hopes and ambitions of all the rest.
In that moment, Anca/Pontia swore to herself that she would see a change. She wanted...not revenge, for there was little of malice in the Hellknights' actions, but justice. In a just world, a petty feud between the Drumanis and the Tuornos would not cost the lives of others who weren't involved. In a just world, the Hellknights would not execute for petty offenses. In a just world, all would rise or fall on their talent and ambition, unconfined by the walls of the Parego Dospera or any other slum. Killing Eccobar Drumanis and all the Hellknights involved would not bring about that just world...it would take a far more complex and difficult change, but that was what the newly fledged wizard swore to attempt. (She still marked the paralictor, though, in case the struggle ever brought her against him....)
Ready to go whenever you guys are.Thanks, I'm just wondering how Astra came to know Infernal?
And could we have your striking example of injustice?
To be honest I picked it because it seemed the most useful, I can pick something else, any suggestions?
Slavery naturally runs against Astra's beliefs. Those beliefs are why she continued to at least try to ease their suffering and pain. This often lead to her getting beat and having to run away into the night, but even then she did a little good. The day before her latest attempt, she had seen a slaver beating one of his "goods" for not bowing fast enough. She wanted to step in right then, but was stopped by the Dottari watching the spectacle barred her way, laughing as they told her that she couldn't help the man correct his discipline problem. This is what lead her to visit the slave pen of that particular slaver that night.
To be honest I picked it because it seemed the most useful, I can pick something else, any suggestions?Ready to go whenever you guys are.Thanks, I'm just wondering how Astra came to know Infernal?
And could we have your striking example of injustice?
It suits Cheliax, if you had some formal schooling or somesuch. Otherwise it seems likely you might have got it from mixing with tieflings in the poor neighbourhoods?
If you can't see how it fits then maybe another language from your peers might suit (dwarven, elven, gnome, orc, etc.)?
It suits Cheliax, if you had some formal schooling or somesuch. Otherwise it seems likely you might have got it from mixing with tieflings in the poor neighbourhoods?
If you can't see how it fits then maybe another language from your peers might suit (dwarven, elven, gnome, orc, etc.)?
Actually, picking it from Teiflings would probably be where she got it from. Also, I've got my example of injustice up, check my post before this one (the one right above yours.)
Adam, cheers.
Look forward to seeing you in the gameplay thread.
Regidottari:
Knowledge(Nobility) CR 25
Just wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas, everyone.
For Christmas this year, you each receive... one action point!
Huzzar!
Thanks, GM!
Do we get another one for New Year's?
Seriously though, what can we do with an action point? Any references we can read?
It's from the GMG: Pathfinder actually uses the wording 'Hero Points', that was my mistake.
Hero Points can be spent at any time and do not require an action to use (although the actions they modify consume part of your character’s turn as normal). You cannot spend more than 1 hero point during a single round of combat. Whenever a hero point is spent, it can have any one of the following effects.
Act Out of Turn: You can spend a hero point to take your turn immediately. Treat this as a readied action, moving your initiative to just before the currently acting creature. You may only take a move or a standard action on this turn.
Bonus: If used before a roll is made, a hero point grants you a +8 luck bonus to any one d20 roll. If used after a roll is made, this bonus is reduced to +4. You can use a hero point to grant this bonus to another character, as long as you are in the same location and your character can reasonably affect the outcome of the roll (such as distracting a monster, shouting words of encouragement, or otherwise aiding another with the check). Hero Points spent to aid another character grant only half the listed bonus (+4 before the roll, +2 after the roll).
Extra Action: You can spend a hero point on your turn to gain an additional standard or move action this turn.
Inspiration: If you feel stuck at one point in the adventure, you can spend a hero point and petition the GM for a hint about what to do next. If the GM feels that there is no information to be gained, the hero point is not spent.
Recall: You can spend a hero point to recall a spell you have already cast or to gain another use of a special ability that is otherwise limited. This should only be used on spells and abilities possessed by your character that recharge on a daily basis.
Reroll: You may spend a hero point to reroll any one d20 roll you just made. You must take the results of the second roll, even if it is worse.
Special: You can petition the GM to allow a hero point to be used to attempt nearly anything that would normally be almost impossible. Such uses are not guaranteed and should be considered carefully by the GM. Possibilities include casting a single spell that is one level higher than you could normally cast (or a 1st-level spell if you are not a spellcaster), making an attack that blinds a foe or bypasses its damage reduction entirely, or attempting to use Diplomacy to convince a raging dragon to give up its attack. Regardless of the desired action, the attempt should be accompanied by a difficult check or penalty on the attack roll. No additional hero points may be spent on such an attempt, either by the character or her allies.
Cheat Death: A character can spend 2 hero points to cheat death. How this plays out is up to the GM, but generally the character is left alive, with negative hit points but stable. For example, a character is about to be slain by a critical hit from an arrow. If the character spends 2 hero points, the GM decides that the arrow pierced the character’s holy symbol, reducing the damage enough to prevent him from being killed, and that he made his stabilization roll at the end of his turn. Cheating death is the only way for a character to spend more than 1 hero point in a turn. The character can spend hero points in this way to prevent the death of a familiar, animal companion, eidolon, or special mount, but not another character or NPC.
Oops, my last post didn't take!
Okay...
When we went into the adventure it felt like a massive railroad, I hope it is okay with everyone.
You have a lot more choices as it enfolds, I hope that's okay.
personally, I loved it. It was a railroad, but railroads aren't bad if used in moderation.
I kind of expect that from at least the beginnings of APs--even in Kingmaker, there has to be a reason the group is a group in the first place--and try to roll with it as best I can.
All aboard!
Honestly, it makes sense. Something's gotta kick this off.
Don't worry, it'll happen a lot in pbp: as long as I line things up in intiitiative then post order doesn't have to be perfect.
Just curious, Anyone seen our illustrious GM?
Sorry for the delay, I think I've been playing too much in pbp games lately. Need to get my GM hat on and be more invovled in nudging the game along.
Hello? Anybody out there?
Still here, just waiting for responses on the Perception checks.