GM_Foxy's 2nd Carrion Crown

Game Master Foxy Quickpaw

Yes Please

"Just a moment please." Dr. Crowl leaves and comes a moment later back with the janitor. The janitor searches through the many keys on his keyring and unlocks the door. He holds it open and waits.

Stam will slip though the open door, closing his eyes as he does mumbling and then reopening them.

He will gaze around using his magical sight.

perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21

Darius looks up from the drawing with wide eyes. "Oh dear! This can't be good. This is a statue of..." and then sees that everyone has already moved on.

A minute later Darius comes running up to the rest of the group panting "Hey hey... Whew... Everyone. This is a statue of Dagon! What would anyone want with a symbol of Dagon?! Oh sorry. You're in the process of finding clues. Did you find anything more?"

"Which one is dagon? Gods were never my thing, I know of Nethys but that is because I follow him."

Wisdom check: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Religion to identify Dagon: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8
Survival Untrained: 1d20 ⇒ 3

No help here, this investigation stuff is hard :)

Speaking to the janitor
Am I correct that door was destroyed in the break in and this lock was added after that time?
Did you clean any of this area up after the incident? If so do you remember anything odd?

Perception but no survival: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (5) + 11 = 16

"Yes the lock is new. Everything here is odd. What do you mean?" The janitor replies.

"Anything that was around that shouldn't have been?"

Stam continues to look around the window and area, with his magical sight on.

1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19

"The beast?" the janitor asks. There is a reason he is the janitor and not the professor.

"Dagon?" Professor Crowl asks. "I found the effigy fascinating, as it appeared to be an anomaly, an idol of some sort that did not seem to correlate to the worship of any known divine being. I suspected that the statuette depicts something only whispered of in the ancient legends of Golarion — some sort of creature from the mysterious Dark Tapestry." Dr. Crowl shares. "But who is that Dagon?"

"Dagon is not so much a deity as he is a demon lord, from my understanding. Still a terrible one indeed."

Wasnt one of those books we just gave back about creatures from beyond the stars? In the dark Tapestry?

I guess we will have to go check if that is possible. Anyone else having trouble getting to the main message board?

Grergof also goes and checks for any clues left outside the broken door to the outside.
Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21

There is nothing really important you're missing. Just Interesting stuff. But I feel generous and you may use your Perception to look into the survival spoiler. The info about Dagon is from the 4th book of the AP.

Can I look based on my first perception? Or my Second? I did look already but I can separate my brain so Stam doesn't find out

Your choice.

I couldn't help it, I am sorry. :'(

Stam gets down and looks in the grass a bit more, "Looks like a boot print, not quite big enough to be that of our beastly friend."

We need to get someone to record that print plus the fact the dust is disturbed on the window. Someone must have gone out this way, which means the beast may not have done most of this.

I don't know that we have much more time here, we need to interview the townsfolk and get back before the trial. Further research here can wait a couple nights.

Just as a reminder: The beast is accused of three specific crimes. This one is nice to play CSI but has no relevance to the trial.

Spugnoir mixes up a plaster cast to record the print. We could follow this and see where it leads.

The lawn is actually used for recreation by the students and staff of the university and besides this place in front of the window most of the lawn is highly frequented which makes it impossible to follow any tracks.

"I think we need to head to Morast. That's where the first crime happened if I'm not mistaken." Darius chimes in while Spugnoir is mixing up the plaster.

Stam will turn to the Janitor and the Dr.

"How far to Morast? Where can we get some horses?"

"It's about an hour's trip by horse. There is a stable close to the eastern city door." the janitor replies.

Well let us get going. Spugnoir heads to the stables

Darius too heads to the stables.

Stam will follow the others, "This a bad time to say I have never been much of a horse rider?"

Along the way Stam will stop at the inn quickly and rent a spot in the stables for Ned

Just keep the horse out of a fight, and don't try anything tricky. Then you will probably be fine. Not that I am much of a rider myself.

Then we go into the stable to inquire about some horses Renting if possible, buying if need be.

Before we leave, how about we deliver that book to the Judge? There is money in it for us.

"Spugnoir is on point today. Lets do that."

Looking through his pack for the book that we have to give to the judge Grergof finds Kendra's letter.

Wait, we forgot to deliver Kendra's letter to Dr. Crowl when we saw him. We should go back and do that first.

"You gentlemen have a lot of tasks here in Lepidstadt, I will accompany you on them, I will ask the Doctor maybe about how I can access the college Library who out being a student here."

And you should take the time to say goodbye to Dr. Crowl. Just making a crime scene with numbers and police lines and everything out of his room and then leaving without telling him that you're done, and what you'll do next about the statue is not your best manners.

Yes, that. Thinking too much like a pirate :)
Gregof leads the group back to Dr. Crowl.

Once he finds him he will make his apologies.

Thank you Doctor for letting us see the room where the beast was caught. It looks like from what we can see that someone else was involved here, as there seems to be someone smaller that went out the window. The discovery shocked us so much that we completely got distracted by the implications, and lost all sense of propriety. For that I offer all of our apologies.

If the professor is interested he points out the disturbed dust and footprints outside the window.

We will of course be on the lookout for your statue, and If we recover it, will return it to you. I suspect whoever accompanied the beast has the statue, and that the beasts rampage was just a cover for the theft... In any case your university is the rightful owner so we will of course return this if we find it.

Speaking of items that belong to you, we have a letter from Miss Kendra Lorrimor she asked to deliver to you. I'm sorry for not bringing it up before, like I said, the discovery at the crime scene were just so distracting....

He hands the letter over to the Doctor.

"Oh, thank you very much." he replies accepting the letter. "But you aren't going back to Ravengro are you?"

"As for the effigy. That lessens the chance of us finding it here drastically" Dr. Crowl comments. "But thank you for taking the time to investigate that."

Oh, thank ye you very much... is like I write my non pirate posts at the moment ;)

Spugnoir cleans up the area.

You tell your farewell and move on to the house of Judge Embreth Daramid. She lives in a representative house - two stories high. As you knock - using the brass lion head door knocker - a maid opens the door. She asks you business and checking it with the judge she leads you into the tea room.

"Good afternoon. I expected you to come. Would you like some tea?" Judge Daramid offers.

Darius gives a slight bow and replies "Afternoon ma'am, tea would be lovely thank you. Darius, Darius Redgave and these are my travelling companions Spugnoir, Stam and Brother Grergof Varsk."

Stam will bow towards the lady as well, smiling politely as he enters the house.

"Two sugars please"

Judge Daramid nods to the maid who leaves the room. With a gesture she offers to take a seat at the table and takes a seat herself.

"Did you already deliver the books to Dr. Crowl?" Judge Daramid asks.

Darius looks to Grergof to answer but thinks to himself of Judge Embreth Daramid "What a fox!"

Spugnoir sips his tea. Indeed we did.

Grergof draws forth the book and holds it in his hand.
Then he looks up at the Judge:
As my companion said, this is our last delivery per the good professors will.

He pauses for a moment before holding up the book.
Those other books were on very dark subjects, but this one... Well If I may ask, what is it about?

This was the only one that was locked, as well as the only one that we were asked to be discrete delivering. While I trust the professor, I honestly am a little bit concerned. So I ask you: even if you can't tell me what is in this book will you swear to me no harm will come to good people if I give this to you?

He watches her very closely for the answer:
Sense Motive: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17

The Judge chuckles "What do you think it is? The Necronomicon? It's a book about a secret order the Professor was part of. And it is to be placed with me that no one in this order comes to harm."

Grergof holds the book out to her but does not let go.

And?

Judge Daramid accepts the book and replies with a smile "And the rest is a secret. It's no public order you know."

"I'll get your reward. If you'd excuse me for a moment." she gets up and leaves with the book and comes back with three pouches and places them on the table for you to take.
(containing 200pp each, weighing in sum 12 pounds - this is ridiculous)

I suppose I can accept that. But tell me was the professor looking into something for the orde about the time he died? Maybe something concerning the Harrowstone?

Discussions go here.

Dot to remember for later.

Good Eveeennnning.

Ah, Fenster the Blight. Wonderful.
Hello Spugnoir.

I am nothing like the cretin! I make sure my work space is clean!

And I guess that picture was made in bad lighting conditions as your race suggests you have a rather green skin complexion ;)

It will take only a few posts to form an image in my mind according to Spugnoir's character.

Yes, yes, my bloodline does tend to have a greenish tint to the skin. That along with my unfortunate back condition does not help first impressions.

Good morning sirs, It is very nice to meet you.

Will have my character up later today. Exciting :D

So GM Foxy, what would you say it costs me to start with a scholarly book on the undead? Not looking for it to have any mechanical effect, it's going to be a role playing prop that brother Varsk will use over and over again.

Same cost as a spell book?

What was the wealth to start?

Prize of empty or full one? ;)

Depends on how you came to own it. I you bought yourself a journal and filled that 50 pages yourself from what you found in tomes at your places of study it costs you 10gp for the book + a vial of ink.

If you found something similar written by someone else and bought it on a flea market -> same price.

If you want 100 pages take the spellbook price at 15gp +ink

If you want to have a real tome about undead written by an renown author with professional depictions of the undead, then we are talking serious money that you most likely don't have.

Mechanically I'd say for the self made things you get a +2 on a knowledge check to identify undead afterwards once you have time to search through your book. And it gives you the chance to roll even if you failed your instant knowledge roll.
If they are above CR5 you have to roll d100 above 50 to see if they're included in the book.
Just for the fun of it :)

Standard wealth (average). If you feel lucky I can roll the standard wealth for you.

Also Hitpoints at level up. You can either take half+1 (d6 -> 4, d8 -> 5, d10 ->6) or if you like rolled hit dice better I'll roll them for you on the messageboard.

Obviously I was thinking the cost of a red dragon leather bound spell book full of 9th level spells ;)

I was thinking of something relatively basic by a minor author that he borrowed from his monastery, but you are right a self made journal of notes would make even more sense.

And just like that a new long term goal for the character was just unlocked:
Use his journal to eventually publish whatever the Golarion equivelalent of his doctoral thesis on undead is.

So for a partially filled 50 page journal of his own notes that he has gathered from his past research we are talking 18 GP + 2 sp for pens. Got it. I'll figure out what to adjust tonight to cover the cost of that.

Now well see if he ever figures out the mechanical benifits that the book might provide.

Grergof can read and probably knows the concept of a reference book.

We meet some thing that looks like a dead human but it shambles around and swings it's arm at anyone coming into reach shouting "Graaaa!"

You roll knowledge religion to identify them and roll a 1 and even with your skill of 5 you have no clue what that might be. But you smite the creature and it is easily dispatched.

Later that day when you sit down you think That creature has to be in my undead book and start flipping through the pages.
Knowledge (Religion): 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 5 + 2 = 24
And there it is: A page describing a shambling human corpse named zombie that is best destroyed using slashing weapons. And you can run away from them as they are slow.

One reroll, bonus +2 - no need to identify the properties. It's not magic.

Sorry GM Foxy, I should have been more clear.

I got the mechanical use of that. And I consider the ability to Re-Roll a botched religion check a nice benifit. Thank you very much.

But I plan on playing Brother Varsk to be a smart but not always the most practical. So unless someone else prompts him in RP he may well only think to add more to his journal, not use it as a reference for future encounters.

Myjournal? But it's just my observations. Surely they would only want information from the peer reviewed sources.

So I missed the invisible irony tags around that :o)

So I missed the invisible irony tags around that :o)

Yep, I'm bad about that sometimes.

That's not it. I just don't know you well enough yet. If I know you for doing that I'm pretty good at finding irony. But until then you can tag it for me.

Place holder for my character. Crunch is done on paper and background near done.

Here we are.

I posted the starting entry in Gameplay. Anyone who is ready can make his or her entrance there offering condolences to Kendra Lorrimor.

It would be nice if you gave me the info what timezone you're in and what times you're are usually able to check on posts that I get a rough idea until when to wait if someone hasn't posted in an encounter.

I'm in CET and in my timezone it's time to go to bed now.
Good night.

I'm EST here in Maryland.

Cet as well. I should've gotten to bed a few hours ago.

Friday might and all thst.

/rolls in.

I too am EDT, in Virginia.

EST, Maine.

"Ah Kendra my dear. My sincere condolences on such a terrible loss. The world is truly a lesser place without Petros in it.

Why, I think we have him to thank for discovering most of the known world!" Darius chuckles, thinking back to the many expeditions he joined the late Professor on.

Despite the chuckle and his attempt to comfort Kendra, the sadness in his eye was unmistakable.

"Iomedae watches over him." he said softly and hugged Kendra close before moving inside to let the other guests give their condolences.

Hey everyone. This is my first time in a PBP, so any help and patience is appreciated. I'm looking forward to diving in and having fun and meeting new folks. Thanks for having me. Oh and my time zone is UTC+2. I'm in Johannesburg, South Africa

Just pop that over to Gameplay.

And Lucy's in. Last minute adjustment when building, I decided I preferred her as human rather than dhampir.

Yep Darius pop that over In gameplay. This is the off topic section.

I'm over in Chicago so that's CDT.
I normally don't have time to post at work, so expect me to be posting over night or during the European work day.

Also is there a stat block you want us to post in our characters header or should we just go with what we think best?

I think a stat block is very helpful.

Adding mine tonight

Oops. Sorry guys. Still figuring this all out. My bad. But done!

Need to upload my character stats and whatnot later today.

We're complete! That's great.

As for the stat block: Do what fits yourself best. The only stats I need on a regular basis is your AC and if there is a longer fight where it really counts I need to take notes about Damage dealt anyway so I'll write that down from the character profile.

Another thing I'd like to know is what you think about me controlling your character in case of unimportant things when you don't show up to post in a timely manner.

No big things just like: Five people chose their position at the coffin, the last one is missing. Would it be alright for you if I just tell that XY takes the last open position and the procession starts?

And I mean solely such things where the party packs up and moves together to the next location. Nothing with an influence on how the game plays out. It might not be necessary but the time zones suggest it might be helpful sometimes.

That's totally fine by me.

That is ok with me. You might also want to roll all Initiatives and maybe perception as well.

Totally cool with you controlling my character if I'm not around. I usually work late into the evenings anyway even though I think I'm like around 6-8 hours ahead of everyone.

I'm fine with it as well.

I'll take that as a majority rule for now. As four of you said yes and Darius already took the position.

Darius and Aada, you may object once you read this.

I'm fine. A lot of peeps post when I'm asleep, so that would work best to continue the flow of things.

@Grergof
I really like that speech.

That's the fun thing about PBP, you can think a little before you respond.
It makes being a Face character or role playing much easier then when you have to think on the fly at the table.

Oh and I'm fine if you want to bot my character for simple things.

Combat can be slow in PBP so tricks to speed up the story are sometimes needed.

Combat we'll solve differently. If it's the party vs. skeletons everyone gives a general tactic and a hand full of rolls and I'll create a fight out of it. No need to stage such a fight over two days.

For important fights or such where the tactics are unclear we have to do it the slow way.

I don't know how to handle intimidate checks. Demoralize someone in fight to get some bonus on how to attack I can imagine.

But this: 'You do what I want or else' is a different thing. Think of a halfling bard. 1st level one rank intimidate. Would net him +8. Cost him -4 against medium characters. That would mean he could command most people around on a rolled 8. If you do that with an medium character you can do that on a 4.

Even if the one opposing you is 1st level Amiri who could beat you to pulp with a single hit. And she knows that.

But according to the rules you would have to be mean for a minute. As for now I just take that as a general attempt to threaten the farmers to go away and decide after the last pallbearers posted how Gibs reacts to that.

Edit: I wrote that two posts before the fight started. I just posted it in the wrong thread.

Hey guys. Just to check how do we do dice rolls? Do we use a program or something or do I roll my dice on my table and write the result on the campaign thread? Sorry. Just not sure how it works as well as attacks, spells and special abilities etc. sorry for the questions.

Take a look below the field you enter the text.
Under 'how to format your text' is the tag <dice=Attack>1d20+5</dice> is described.