Actually, this Orik would probably stick with Lyrie, assuming she sticks with him. If that falls through...well, I'm sure that he'd gravitate towards the Kitten before too long.
It's been more than a year in real-world time (and about three days in-game), but Kyrian has been seen with Shayliss Vindler.
Anyway, based on the player's explanation of what was going on in his character's mind, I decided that I wasn't going to push his alignment toward evil, but that karma was going to catch up with him. That character had been sleeping with Shayliss, so I decided that she would be the first victim of the Skinsaw Man at the start of Skinsaw Murders... and that the barbarian was going to be the obvious suspect. So, I had Shayliss break up with the barbarian in a public dramatic manner while they were having dinner at the Hagfish... in front of a bunch of witnesses. She stormed out, the barbarian followed. They exchanged a few words in an alley, then they went their separate ways.
Three days later, she and her new lover Banny Harker were found brutally murdered in the Sandpoint lumber mill. Since everyone in town had seen the barbarian go into a berserk rage during the events of Goblin Day (including sending a goblin head flying so far it ended up on a roof), and that his girlfriend had dumped him in public for another man, all signs pointed to the barbarian as the murderer. Well, until the PCs and Shalelu managed to find evidence pointing to someone... or something else...
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I always hated the setup for the investigation that sets up Book 2. I mean, it's not designed to be an Agatha Christie novel or anything, but it's not a very satisfying beginning. Also, if you just plop down the notes with Your Lordship on it without anything to act as camouflage, then I figured genre savvy players would remember the culprit way too quickly.
So I spent a good portion of the time between Books 1 & 2 building up possible suspects in the murder besides Shayliss's PC fling, notably Titus Scarnetti. I still have no idea why the books didn't introduce him as a foil for the party, but he and the rest of the Scarnetti clan are great for that role - someone who wants Sandpoint to prosper, but under their control. Since the PCs were allying themselves with House Deverin, it only made sense for House Scarnetti to try to turn the town against them. When that didn't work, he tried to get closer to one of the other party members by suggesting that his lumber interests could make her parents' trading empire a great deal of money. In general, I gave him quite a bit of screen time to muddy the waters.
Also, Jubrayl was on the scene early on as well. One of the party members - Shayliss's paramour, as it happens - had Sczarni ties, and there was some bad blood between the two prior to the murders. Again, another player in the game who might have wanted to frame the PCs for murder.
In the end, though, they made the appropriate checks to know that they were looking for someone undead, and quickly ruled out both, but the reveal of who the culprit was still took them by surprise, so I count it as a win!
Just a heads up, I'm spinning up a sandbox game with some heavy Skyrim flavor. If you want to check it out, just mosey on over here and see if it's up your alley.
On an totally unrelated note: I just bought my Paizocon 2017 4-day pass and preview banquet ticket.
This will be my fist Paizocon... and the first gaming convention I will have atteneded in over 25 years!
Is anyone in this group planning to go to Paizocon this year?
Nah, it's GenCon for me.
Just to let you know: You'll all advance to level 4 after the next time you get a chance to rest.
Sweet! I've never been level 4 before! Most people kill me off and sell my equipment long before that happens. Things are looking up for Vancaskerkin!
Woo!
Although next time we see Lyrie or Tsuto, Gwyn's gonna get a little revenge for this trick.
I am really intersted in seeing how you get off the rock... I actually have nothing in mind: I'm just curious about your creativity!
Hi, folks.
It'll probably be Boxing Day before I'll get a chance to make a Gameplay post.
I want to wish everyone a merry Christmas and happy Channukah.
Merry Christmas! Hpe you and yours have had a happy one.
Okay, so it's been quite sometime, and it's been a frustrating few months for me. I suffer from insomnia and that's been all over the place for me the last few months. While I'm on ambien and it does help me, my energy is kinda all over the place. So a lot of things I'm doing, it's kinda just lazily done. I do have moments of getting things done, but it's a short lived deal. My mood is still very good, I've had some surprisingly good things happen to me during a season that's usually hell for me (I'd love to share, but these events tend to bring up nasty ethical discussions. Don't worry, it's nothing illegal).
Anyways, my rp cycle though has been all over the place though, mostly in frustration. My actual table group for 2E has been going from 5 to 11 people any given week and it's starting to wear on some of us constantly having party members come in and out, having to catch each other up, so on so forth. Then to add on to that, the Roll20 group I tried running this for just got all over the place and I have no clue what led to it but we ended up not playing for almost two months, which has pretty much led me to the conclusion that it's just not going to happen. So there's all that.
And then when I try to keep up here, it just feels like I hit the worst times to try and get back in. It feels like every time I come in, I'll check 3, 5 times a day and see 3 or 4 posts in a week. I end up having to put focus else where for a few weeks, come back to check in and there's a whole page, sometimes two that I have to catch up on. Once I do, it seems to be the same thing. I check multiple times a day to to only see a few posts in a week, only to pull somewhere else for a few weeks to come back to another page or two I have to catch up on.
So I do want to keep going, but I'm starting to wonder if it's going to be worth the energy and effort to do so, but at the same time I don't want to feel like I'm wasting your guy's time because Haladir has been running my character for so long at this point that it almost feels as this isn't my character anymore lol. But yeah, that's what's going on with me...
Real life gets the best of us all at times. I'm not sure how to handle Kyrian beyond making a new character if he really doesn't feel like yours anymore. I would be sad to see you go, but if you don't feel like you can be in this game anymore, then do what's best for you, we'll live.
No matter what path you choose, I wish you luck and hope you enjoy yourself. :)
Well if we kept going, I'm sure I wouldn't have much issue trying to get back into his character. I've missed a lot of development, but it happens. My main concern is just coming back every time to a slow crawling campaign only to see it explode into pace when I have to focus my energy else where, you know?
I hear ya. Haladir's been busy and he seems to be getting free time in fits and spurts lately. It probably wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't for you two seeming to be on opposite schedules.
That about sums it up!
I'm traveling in New England right now, and my posting is going to be spotty through New Year's Day.
Of course, there's a Nor'Easter winter storm coming through this afternoon, and we may get stuck at the hotel for a while... which might make it more likely to post. We'll see...
Just when I think I'm back to daily posting, life gets weird. It might be Friday before I have a chance to get back into the Gameplay thread.
Trust me, I get it. December has been the worst month of my life, which will be making the rest of this winter eventful.
Take your time, friend.
Sorry to hear that, Misroi! I hope things are looking up for you now.
The past week was just a bunch of unrelated annoyances that all happened to occur at once: My cat ate Christmas ribbon and got an intestinal blockage that required a vet visit (she's OK now—the only damage was to my wallet); my car's battery died at an inconvenient location; my wife had to fly into Syracuse and I had to pick her up; I lost a dental filling and had to have it re-done in an emergency appointment.
Any one of these wouldn't have been that big a deal, but they all happened the same week I also had a major project deadline at work that required me to put in 40 hours in a four-day week!
Anyway, last week is behind me now. Let's see how long I can keep at daily posting before something else happens!
Yeesh, talk about it pouring. Glad and happy to move on. I'm voting we get back to Sandpoint, and I need to go back and find that conversation I wanted to have with Shalelu and see if I can remember where I was going with it.
I got a PM from Kyrian: He says he'll be able to start posting again soon! I gave him a brief summary of where we are, and told him that he can hop right in for this fight without having to read ten pages of the Gameplay thread.
As a complete aside: Paizo and Dynamite Entertainment are running another Humble Bundle.
A $15 donation will get you PDFs of...
Pathfinder RPG products:
- Beginner Box
- Core Rulebook
- Strategy Guide
- Bestiary
- Ultimate Campaign
- Iron Gods AP (all 6 volumes)
- Campaign Setting: Distant Worlds
- Player Companion: People of the Stars
- All 27 PFS Season 6 scenarios (including the Special)
- Map: Infernal Sanctuary
- Map: Feast Halls
- Map: Comic Store Invasion
Dynamite Comics:
- Pathfinder #1-12
- Pathfinder: Goblins #1-5
- Pathfinder: Hollow Mountain #1-6
- Pathfinder: Worldscape #1-2
- Red Sonja Vol. 2 #1-6
- Lords of the Jungle #1-15
- Warlord of Mars #1-9
- Thun'Da #1-5
- Pack of 26 Dynamite promotional posters of PF characters
At 100% size, the maps are 8"x10" with one-inch squares.
Note that each PDF of the Pathfinder, Pathfinder:Hollow Mountain, and Pathfinder: Worldscape comics comes with a Pathfinder encounter write-up and a custom encounter map.
This is an amazing deal. I mean, all of the Season 6 PFS scenarios normally go for $108; the six volumes of an AP normally go for $96!
Ooh, I get paid tomorrow too... Gotta take care of the motherboard first... Lol
Yeah, I'm leaning towards picking up the $15 tier for the PFS mods alone.
That's pretty much what I did.
I can take or leave comics, and I had all of the PFRPG material already other than the PFS scenarios and People of the Stars.
Still worth it!
(As an aside... depending on what you want to do immediately following this encounter, I may be using some material from this bundle very soon...)
As a heads-up, the keyboard cover of my Surface has carked it. I'm relying on handwriting recognition, which is useless and cramps my hand, so I have to post from my (cracked) phone. As a result, I'll be spotty for a few days while I wait on a replacement.
Hey, better than a cracked surface screen lol. That's what I have right now
I still don't own a tablet, but my wife loves her Surface Pro 4! Thankfully, it's still in working order... although she keeps losing the pen. (I think we're on the fourth one now.)
I know that feeling. I need to hunt down the styluses I have for my iPad.
Did I mention I'm on my sixth stylus because they continually stop working? Even after replacing and reseating batteries, going through Bluetooth re-pairing, and generally going through every step on the troubleshooting page, followed by a phone call to Microsoft... At least they don't charge me for replacements, so yay, I guess?
Speaking of replacements, my keyboard arrived, so I'm working back into my posting schedule. Thanks for being patient, folks.
Also, would it make sense to just tap out the rest of Helena's magic? I've been keeping it up-to-date; she hasn't actually used much today. Just not sure how to suggest it in-character without being rude to NPCs >.>
We can retcon that Helena used up her remaining healing once you made it to Sandpoint. Go ahead and note that and roll for it in the Gameplay thread. Just make a note that you were doing this earlier, if that's what you want to do.
All good here, though I'll happily put my share in the pot for potions or a wand.
Everyone think about leveling up... You'll all be Level 4 in the morning!
5 hours remaining on that Humble Bundle!
I've now read the Pathfinder and Pathfinder: Hollow Mountain comics, and they're great! I just might actually start buying them on a regular basis!
Are you including Orik in that share, Cerin?
The current game-day has taken just about about a year of real-world play time!
Here's a recap, with the real-world date of when we ran it.
- Returned to Thistletop (Jan '16)
- Fought through a bunch of zombie goblins in the thistle maze (Jan '16)
- Met Orik (Jan '16)
- Fought the defenders of the Thistletop walls (Jan-Feb '16)
- Broke into Thistletop (Feb '16)
- Attacked Ripnugget's entourage in the throne room (Feb-Mar '16)
- Killed Ripnugget (Mar '16)
- Accepted Gogmurt's surrender, pumped him for info, and let him go. (Apr'16)
- Explored the Thistletop stockade (Apr-Jul '16)
- Fought goblin rogues and goblin dogs in the courtyard (May '16)
- Discovered a captured heavy warhorse (Jun '16)
- Entered the dungeons of Thistletop (Jun '16)
- Encountered Lyrie and Tsuto; chased off Tsuto in combat (Jun-Jul '16)
- Parleyed with Lyrie, accepted her surrender, and let her go (Jul '16)
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- Explored a creepy temple to Lamashtu (Sep '16)
- Fought yeth hounds, killing two and driving one off (Sep '16)
- Fought Bruthazmus and a bunch of female goblins, driving off Bruthazmus and taking one goblin captive (Sep-Nov '16)
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- You liberated Marla, a goblin prisoner (Dec '16)
- You looted Nualia's party's personal quarters, including recovering her personal journals (Dec '16)
- Decided to head back to town to rest and resupply. (Dec '16)
- Found that someone had stolen the warhorse and cut the rope bridge (Dec '16)
- Repaired the bridge and headed back to Sandpoint (Dec'16 - Jan '17)
- Were attacked by ghouls on the road near Pauper's Graves (Jan '17)
- Returned to Sandpoint (Jan '17)
Man, dungeon crawls take forever in PbP!
I have updated the Loot List, figuring that you're going to sell the gems, jewelry, and goblin weapons.
The items listed as "TBD" means that I don't know who's claimed them or if you plan to sell them. It's possible that you have already done so; if that's the case, please update the list.
You have recovered some evil (or at least very creepy) magic items: the demon mother's mask and the anatomy doll; let me know what you plan to do with those. I will say that some temples dedicated to good deities will pay/trade for evil items to keep them out of the wrong hands or just destroy them.
So, assuming a party size of six (including both Orik and Shalelu), right now the share each is 661 gp cash (and change), plus a bunch of magic/masterwork items to distribute.
Yeah, there's a reason I've never made it out of Book 1 of Shattered Star on these boards. PbP is great for character interaction, and straight up murder for dungeoneering/combat.
Okay, I say sell the demon mother's mask and the anatomy doll.
If no one minds, Gwyn will take the following:
-wand of produce flame
-everburning lantern
-the magnifying glass that's cracked
-either the +1 mithril shortsword or the cloak of resistance. Although I wouldn't mind both if all of you were okay with it. I know Kyrian may have laid tentative claim to the sword, so he gets first dibs.
As for the potions, I'd keep those and have someone carry them. Gwyn's not the best candidate for that since she's a little on the weak and frail side.
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Cerin is the only one who can use the Wands of Produce Flame and Tree Shape without a UMD check, so he would be the best to keep those, unless everyone thinks we should sell the Tree Shape wand.
I agree with selling the mask and doll, and I think we should sell the Wand of Unnatural Lust as well. From my list, I think we only have one of the CLW potions left.
Ack, I didn't think about that.
Okay, no flamey wand for Gwyn then.
Yeah, I'm gonna have to step away for some time. Hopefully I can get back into it, but after trying to get myself back into trying to post with you guys, life just came back around and dealt an even tougher blow that I'm just not handling well. And with combined with all the massive amount of bull going on here in the states... I need to focus on the few things that I can use to try and get my head in a better place because it's far from a good place right now. I don't know when I'll be able to come back, if I'm even able to do so, but if possible, I will try to come back...
Kyrian: I was hoping you'd be able to join us more regularly, but I totally understand that real life comes first. Kyrian and Cerin are the only original PCs still in the game, after all! I sincerely hope everything works out for you. I will write Kyrian out of the story in such a way that, and if you do decide to return to the game in the future, we should be able to bring him back in.
Everyone else: So... do we want to continue with 4 PCs? Should we try to recruit a new player?
I'd also like your opinion on continuing to have Shalelu as a party NPC. I can easily write her out of the return to Thistletop if you find her presence to be annoying. I've been trying hard not to let her outshine the PCs...