GM Endless Forms' PFS 07-11 Ancients' Anguish (Inactive)

Game Master Mike Tuholski

Hallo und willkommen!

First, a bit of housekeeping to make things easier for me. Please post the following below:

• PFS number
  
• Day Job roll
  
• Initiative modifier
  
• Perception modifier

Thanks! We will get started soon once everyone has checked in.

PFS # 79644-1
Faction : The Exchange
Day Job : Profession (Gambler) Day Job: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27

I'll upgrade my Ring of Protection from +1 to +2 while I'm thinking about it. I'll try to update the header later since I might buy something else.

21019-1
Survival (Hunting Lodge Vanity and Expanding Trade Network Boon): 1d20 + 18 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 18 + 2 = 26
Initiative +5
Perception +21 (+2 versus undead/constructs, +6 versus humans)

Professor Cosmo Berrythwaite checking in.

I will need to update his character sheet because he just leveled up. I also need to create a header for him. I will complete that tonight.

Meanwhile...

PFS# 75958-8
Faction Scarab Sages
Day Job Perform (oratory), take 10: 10 + 21 = 31
Init +3
Perception +5; clouded vision 60 ft., darkvision 60 ft.

Cosmo also has a combat-trained riding gecko named Sticky.
@ GM: Would you like me to create a separate alias for Sticky? I don't use him in combat; he just carries my stuff.

@Prof Cosmo: whatever works best for you. Some players like to use an alias for their animals/familiars and others just describe their actions in the same post with the PC. It mostly depends on how independent the critter is, usually.

Jumping in to fill a vacated spot.

Ryster
Scarab Sages

PFS# 65114-7
Crafting alchemicals: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (7) + 13 = 20
Init: +6
Percpt: +15 (+17 stonework)

*Perception may be one higher. I think I need to update his stats.

Smuggler of Stones, huh? I approve. :-)

:D

Evil, cursed stones, to be specific. (I thought it was a decent title to assume after that adventure.)

I'm done with my purchases. I blew 16000gp to upgrade my cloak to +5 (hellooo +17 Reflex saves!).

Good to go.

@ GM Endless Forms: I'm sorry, I wrote the wrong Perception for Cosmo. It should be +9. Thanks.

PFS #: 2847-29
Faction: Scarab Sages
Day Job - Craft(Alchemy): 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (18) + 13 = 31.
Initiative: +8
Perception: +21

Ah, an Agatha Christie fan amongst us!

Make that two. I read nearly all of the Poirot-based books when I was younger and I've seen all of the episodes starring the scorpion... er, David Suchet, via my Acorn TV account. I made a Call of Cthulu character based on him once (who doesn't) and I thought of doing a PFS one myself at one time.

I was also very into Agatha Christie when I was younger (about middle-school aged or so) but I haven't read her in a long time so I honestly can't remember much about them other than I really enjoyed Poirot as a character.

If you have Netflix check out Poirot. If you like Brit TV then Acorn TV is a great deal at $4.95 a month and they have every episode of the series, which took 25 years to complete.

My wife and I have seen Poirot, Marple, and also Partners In Crime. Other stuff on there is Midsomer Murders, Foyle's War and Murdoch Mysteries (which is Canadian I believe). Good stuff.

I will admit to having a fondness for a certain Belgian detective, as portrayed by Mr Suchet ;-)

I'm not an idiot, but evidently I play one on the Paizo boards. >.<
Sorry, EF!

PFS# 3601-7
Faction: Shadow Lodge Sczarni The Exchange (mostly by default, I suppose)
Day Job: no Day Job

Bizzle (level 9)
Halbarad (level 11)
Cosmo (level 8)
Ryster (level 9)
Hercule (level 10)
Bruxo (level 10)

9 + 11 + 8 + 9 + 10 + 10 = 57/6 = 9.5

If you are exactly at 0.5, let the group decide which subtier they wish to play.

If you round up to 10 we are in the high tier, of course .If you round down to 9 though:

... a party of six or seven characters must play the higher subtier.

So I think we are playing the high subtier no matter what.

Starting with Season 4, scenarios are designed for six characters and contain instructions on how to adjust the scenario for four-character parties. When the APL of a table is between two subtiers (like APL 3 for a Tier 1–5 scenario), a party of four characters must play the lower tier without any adjustments for party size. A party of five to seven characters whose APL is between two subtiers must play the higher tier with the four-character adjustment.

Emphasis added.

I think the question is whether we want the 4-player adjustment. I'm okay without it, but I'm also the highest-level character here. (We also have a couple of combat-lite characters.)

On an unrelated note, it appears that we do not have a melee character. Hal is a ranged striker, but I can take the hits if we need a tank thanks to my ridiculous AC.

Good point, I missed that. So it's up to you guys if you want the adjustments or not.

I'm ok with either. Cosmo is indeed combat-lite, but he will contribute. He does a decent job of aiding people in combat. He has the Helpful trait, which means that his Aid Another action grants a +4 bonus. On top of that, he has bardic performance and wields Gamin the misforged, both of which can add to that.

If things get dire, he will use his pistol.

Cosmo is the lowest level, though. The 10-11 subtier often has CR 15+ fights. I'm not sure how long he'd last in one of those.

Like I said, I'm ok either way.

Bizzle will use Haste every chance he gets, he likes to see people moving around like a video game, so that should help. I'll agree to whatever you'd like to do. I just want to see level 10. :)

Let's play with the 4-player adjustment. We have several socially-inclined characters and some great role-playing going on. We can focus on that! :)

Since I have scenario knowledge from running it, I'll recuse from the adjustment decision. But experience suggests that, if someone can summon things, a party can often overcome a front-line deficiency much more readily than they can compensate for lacking arcane or divine power.

(For the record, while they're on Bruxo's spell list, his familiar doesn't know them.)

I'll be summoning things on a fairly regular basis - Hercule's build is focused pretty much entirely around doing that ;-)

@GM: I just realized Ryster's Init is +7 and his Perception is +16

Guys, I can do the Perform (oratory) check if you'd like. Not too good with melee weapons nor javelins.

I'll post a boastful story later tonight. I'm headed to dinner at a friend's house right now.

If anyone has any deeds you want me to boast for you, just list them here and I will include them. :)

"Pasha Halbarad of the Arbor," he bows, "Trade Prince, Slayer of Aralantryx, Captor of the Spider, Savior of Azlant Ridge, Defender of Nesting Swallow, Bane of Tyruwat, Shield of Sothis, Smuggler of Stones. At your service."

Unsurprisingly, each of these self-styled titles goes with a deed. Hal has (among other things) slain a dragon in the frozen north of Irrisen, undone a web of treachery and politicking in Andoran, rescued a dig site from a relentless siege by a gorilla king, devastated a marauding tengu army, cut short the verse of the fabled Song of Extinction in the Mwangi, protected Sothis from an ancient threat, and, um, smuggled some stones past his party-mates... evil, cursed stones... for, um, study.

Take your pick. :)

I cannot express enough how magnificently perfect this scenario is for my little know-it-all, Cosmo Berrythwaite! :)

This is pretty much the kind of archaeological find he has been looking for his entire life.

@ GM: May we take 10 on the checks in the library?

@ Everyone: Planning for exploring the library...

Cosmo has 5 more uses of his Focused Trance. That will allow him to make any Int-based skill check with a +20 bonus.

I suggest we put Cosmo on the duty of Studying the material using Linguistics.

Regarding Cataloguing, Cosmo can help with these bookshelves:

1: Craft (alchemy) +5
3: Knowledge (religion) +7 or Linguistics +7
4: Knowledge (arcana) +7 or Spellcraft +8
5: Perform (oratory) +19 <-- I will probably start with this one.
7: Knowledge (geography) +7

He cannot help with Moving at all.

If everyone can similarly outline how they can contribute, that would be useful for figuring out how we should deploy ourselves.

I have a decent Spellcraft and Perception. I do have Linguistics but its not very high (+3).

Taking 10 is fine.

Hal has this to offer:

Moving Strength +2 (+6 if I don't roll a 1 on the Fort save)

Cataloging Perception +21

Studying Liguistics +12, or Survival +18 for #6 and Perception +21 for #7

I suspect I will be needed for the gruntwork of moving books.

Moving: Summoned Monsters ;-)
Cataloging: Perception +21 (23 with Heroism) - so with a 'Take 10', more than enough to complete a shelf.
Studying: Linguistics +24 (26 with Heroism) - so with a 'Take 10', more than enough to complete a shelf.

It was my understanding that metamagic rods cannot be used with spell-like abilities. Was that incorrect?

Edit: link

Hmmm...

A bit of digging through the FAQs confirms that you are correct. Mea culpa!

Never mind - I'll just summon another one, as required; I have the spell slots to spare ;-)

Sorry, I was out last night. Catching up now.

Sorry, I was out last night. Catching up now.

Ditto.

Halbarad of Arbor wrote:

I don't think I get an AoO. The bird only has a five-foot reach.

Sorry. I was going by what's in Bestiary 3. Maybe the source which provides the Axe Beak as an animal companion says differently? My apologies. Carry on. :)

"Get 'em, Hal! That's some nice bowmanship."

Lol, I done goofed. You are, of course, absolutely right. And I forgot my own damn stats for my animal companion. I will take the loss of an AoO as penance.

(I play a lot with rangers who have wolf animal companions, and they do have 5 ft reach.)

I think by default most (maybe all) animal companions have 5' reach even when they are large.

The difference is if they are considered Large (long) or Large (tall), with the former having 5 ft reach and the latter 10 ft. I usually go off the Bestiary to determine which is which for weird creatures.

Unrelated: is the statue destroyed, or still up?

EndlessForms wrote:

I think by default most (maybe all) animal companions have 5' reach even when they are large.

The difference is if they are considered Large (long) or Large (tall), with the former having 5 ft reach and the latter 10 ft. I usually go off the Bestiary to determine which is which for weird creatures.

Unrelated: is the statue destroyed, or still up?

Statue is still up.

And, huh! I didn't know there was a difference. I guess most of the large-sized animal companions are considered Large (long), which is why they only have 5' reach. Learn something new every day!

With the decision made: JMSO, parties are MUCH better off fighting the div than Sinohotep.

Bruxo Machi wrote:

Professor Cosmo Berrythwaite wrote:

Cosmo nods in satisfaction at what seems to him an ironclad argument.

That...that doesn't even... Bruxo gapes at the Professor's logic, wondering how he'll ever get them off the island whether he'll ever truly understand academia.

To Cosmo, it is perfectly reasonable to bring a lich back to the university as a colaborator, so long as he can get an academic paper out of it. That's all that matters! :)

Since GM EF and I both deal with academia daily, I'm confident this amused him as much as it amused me. :-D

Professor Cosmo Berrythwaite wrote:

Bruxo Machi wrote:

Professor Cosmo Berrythwaite wrote:

Cosmo nods in satisfaction at what seems to him an ironclad argument.

That...that doesn't even... Bruxo gapes at the Professor's logic, wondering how he'll ever get them off the island whether he'll ever truly understand academia.

To Cosmo, it is perfectly reasonable to bring a lich back to the university as a colaborator, so long as he can get an academic paper out of it. That's all that matters! :)

Since GM EF and I both deal with academia daily, I'm confident this amused him as much as it amused me. :-D

Very much so. I can't wait to graduate and get back to the farm though....

I moved my pog around but I'm a little confused about the terrain: did we have to hop across three landings to get here (the two pillars and then the landing)? Can anyone in the room, or even on the platform inside, see the enemies (ie, is there a wall in the way?)?

I moved my pog around but I'm a little confused about the terrain: did we have to hop across three landings to get here (the two pillars and then the landing)? Can anyone in the room, or even on the platform inside, see the enemies (ie, is there a wall in the way?)?

As I understand it, yes, you had to hop across the platforms to the landing. So presumably if you are in the room you wouldn't be able to see the enemies outside.

Of course I'll be busy over the next few days with holiday stuff but I'll update as soon as I can.

Hey guys, I noticed you're playing Ancients' Anguish so I thought I'd say hi! I wrote the scenario, and I've enjoyed reading the gameplay thread, there's a lot of good roleplaying in your group, and there have been interesting situations and creative solutions to problems.

I hope you've enjoyed playing the scenario so far! And happy new year!

Thanks Mikko! It is a very fun scenario! Keep up the great work! :)

Great fun in this one, honestly.

You're an evil man, Mikko! :-)

Hal can't reply in stone format, but I can! Great scenario, Mikko! Hope to see another before long.