
Tara Eliade |

Hello and welcome! I hope we can have a fun adventure!
Did you get your questions about the setting answered Gregor?

Dorotian 'Doro' Andalar |

My thinking is. Gregor and Doro came in with the last supply train. The lodge has to get supplies from somewhere. Gregor and Doro would know each other then perhaps connected because they are both after the Whispering Way. Maybe The Palatinate Order got them together.

Dorotian 'Doro' Andalar |

so after looking through the game play thread...
Tara and Vivian would have seen Doro at the funeral of Prof Lorimar. he was personal friend of Doro's mother.
(This character did play though book 1 and 2 in a rl game) Ive basically copied him straight over. They would have seen him in and around Ravengro the same time they were checking the prison out.
Then in Leipstadt they would have seen him talking to people in the circles they were talking to folks in. And he would have been at the beasts trial. He probably would have never met Pontius or Niculae (or seen them) from when they joined.

Pontia Canario |

The only issue I can see with Doro having been at the funeral is why he wouldn't have intervened when the mob challenged Lorrimor's burial plans.
ETA: OTOH, if he got there right after the mob dispersed, paid his respects, and immediately had to leave to run down another lead on the Whispering Way, that would work.

Dorotian 'Doro' Andalar |

Yes. My thoughts too. He came from Lastwall so its not hard to imagine he might be a little late. ;)

GM Fuzzfoot |

Sounds like you all are coming up with a perfectly decent way to introduce the new characters - excellent!
Welcome Doro and Gregor. Reading back is probably the best way to catchup, but the short story is that you have just arrived at the Lodge, and haven't even been shown to rooms yet. In fact, you weren't really greeted at all.

Gregor Giles |

I have a couple of questions. 1) How did we get invited to the lodge and 2) (possibly connected to the answer to 1) who are the Palatinate Order?
Other than that, Gregor and Doro knowing one another, having a shared interest in the Whispering Way, and both coming to the lodge on a supply train together makes sense to me. How long do you want to say that Gregor and Doro have known one another? They could have met anytime after Gregor met his half brother by blood Gillac, which could have been as much as multiple years or as little as a few months ago. Do you have a preference?
Edit: also, are you interested in doing a little RP together? We could do it before or at the same time as joining in on the gameplay thread.

Pontia Canario |
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The Esoteric Order of the Palatine Eye, a secret society in opposition to the Whispering Way.

Dorotian 'Doro' Andalar |

Id say the Order introduced us and we got to know each other on the way to The Lodge, that way they are allies, but still relatively new to truly being friends. Probably respecting the capabilities in each other.

Gregor Giles |

Thanks Pontia.
Ok, we were introduced to one another by the Order less than a month ago, and left for the lodge soon after. The Order has some contacts to get an invitation to the lodge. Did they tell us to contact the other PCs who are in the area or are we going to meet them on our own?

Pontia Canario |

Judge Embreth Daramid, in Lepidstadt, is a member of the Order and also knows where the party is going. How about if she directs Doro and Gregor to follow the party? If that's how it goes, she provides a letter of introduction for them.

GM Fuzzfoot |

Good call, Pontia - Of course, the Judge is a good connecting point. Not only would Judge Daramid provide a letter to the lodge, but also another to the group introducing some "reinforcements".

Tara Eliade |

@GM Fuzzfoot, would you allow Tara to prepare Enchantment Sight? It is from an AP, and don't remember your stance on sources like this.
@Gregor, the description you gave for Tara is completely wrong; she doesn't look like my icon for her at all (Paizo only has like 2 changeling pictures and neither fit.) Tara

GM Fuzzfoot |

Yes, Tara- I am ok with that.
Pretty much as long as it is Paizo and you can send me access to it (like you did here), and I generally pretty open to it.

GM Fuzzfoot |

Looks like we are getting back on track, and so I was reviewing some of the recommended status at this point. We are a little ahead of the curve on level (should be 8th level by end of this adventure). However, I think someone mentioned that your equipment might be a bit light. If you all want to do an audit of your equipment, let me know what your "net worth" is, and I will see if we need some adjustments.

Niculaie Pavlencas |

According to Hero Lab, Niculaie's gear value is 20,442, compared to projected wealth-by-level of 33,000gp for level 8. This sounds right to me, because Pontia and Niculaie both started at level 6 with WBL of 16,000 in the final act of book 2, and the only loot they've been able to sell was in between books 2 and 3, which yielded about 4,500gp each. I don't recall finding much loot since, but I may just be forgetting.
On the other hand, we're a little ahead of what level we're supposed to be at this point, aren't we? Maybe that's why the AP hasn't provided more wealth than what we've gotten?

Pontia Canario |

I'm pretty sure that Pontia hasn't taken much in the way of items from the loot, and hasn't bought anything, either. WBL for 7th level is 23,500 gp, which I suspect we come closer to averaged across the party.

Tara Eliade |

Tara's WBL is 14,783 gp, she started the campaign, and that doesn't surprise me that much with how paizo gave out wealth in earlier APs.

GM Fuzzfoot |

Corvin will be giving you 30 gold and a clear spindle ioun stone for helping clear his name.
You also found a coffer of 3000 gp hidden in a compartment in the floor of Estavion's office.

GM Fuzzfoot |

Thanks everyone. I have set up a Party Inventory Google sheet (I do this for many of my campaigns), link at the top. This let's me track resources and keep an eye on fairness.
So, if you look, all of your inventory should be listed here. If something is wrong, you can fix the price or name, but let me know if you want to add or remove, because I don't want to break the sheets.
Sheet 1 is a list, Sheet 2 is a summary and comparison, Sheet 3 is Party cash.
If you scroll to the bottom, you will see how we add things. I have added 3000 coins, and "sold" them to add the 3000 to Party Cash.
The Ioun stone is not yet claimed by anyone, so it is still "party treasure", but won't add to cash until sold (which is 1/2 value for most items, full value for gems and coins).
If you want to claim something and add it to your inventory, Just add to your to the Carried By column.
Make sense? If in doubt, you can just tell me changes and I am happy to do the bookkeeping.

Vivian Deberth |

I've been here since book 1, and (leaving mundane weapons and gear apart), I calculated 19479 GP worth of equipment
In fact Tara and me are the only "survivors" of the original team

GM Fuzzfoot |

I may still have a few prices off, but it is pretty clear to me that the originals are far behind the curve here. Sometime's I think these AP's are written as if expecting random encounters to make up the difference, but I don't tend to add much in that regard.
So, we can try to remedy that by balancing as we go, or I would also allow some basic readjustment now. You could just increase some pluses on your current equipment if you like, or make some of the masterwork items +1 or even +2. Before you leave the lodge, let's see if we can get everyone up to about 33,000. If you really want something brand new, let me know and we'll see if we can make it not too abrupt.

GM Fuzzfoot |

Also, don't worry about trail rations or food for mounts. Unless we hit a point in the story that food management becomes relevant, I will assume you all were capably enough to pack food for your journey. Also, at your current wealth level, it becomes a nuisance to track. Generally the same for daily lodging and meals.

Niculaie Pavlencas |

Thanks, GM FF - Niculaie's numbers look fine at first glance and I'll take a more detailed look in the morning.
Pontia, you and I started at the same time with the same 16,000gp starting wealth, and that's about what it looks like you have now, while Niculaie has gear worth about 4,900gp more. Is it possible you never added the 4,593gp from loot sales after we saved Count Caromac and the Beast at the end of book 2?

Niculaie Pavlencas |

I’ve increased Niculaie’s gear to ~33,000 in value by taking each of his composite shortbow, mithral chain shirt, and cloak of resistance from +1 to +2, a net increase of 12,000gp. I’ll update my statblock and tagline later tonight or first thing tomorrow.

GM Fuzzfoot |

I did not. I really just transferred your current inventory.

Pontia Canario |

Pontia will upgrade her ring of protection +1 to +2 (+6000 gp), and buy some more spells (cost is the sum of the price for a scroll of the spell and the price to transcribe; note that Pontia can take 10 on Spellcraft checks for L4 spells):
arcane eye: 860 gp
minor globe of invulnerability: 860 gp
solid fog: 860 gp
crushing despair: 860 gp
keen edge: 465 gp
protection from arrows: 190 gp
That puts her up to a little over 32k.

Gregor Giles |

My +1 Furious Fauchard gives me +3/+4 compared to an alchemical silver Bardiche, as well as an 18-20 crit range instead of 19-20. So it doesn't make sense for me to buy a silver primary weapon. Instead, I will take, assuming I can find them all:
Alchemical Silver dagger, 22 GP
Alchemical Silver throwing axe, 28 GP,
Weapon Blanch, silver, x20, 100 GP.

Gregor Giles |

The party learned that the stairs of the moon are also haunted by vengeful spirits. Ghost salt blanches are too expensive to use on anything but ammunition, and I'm not sure we're even allowed to buy them. I found an item called a spiritbane spike which allows you to make a ghost touch short sword for 10 minutes, but giving up extra damage on power attack, .5 str mod, enchantment bonuses, reach, and crit range doesn't seem worth it to deal full damage. We can at least stock up on holy water and make sure everyone has a holy symbol. There are also some spells like daylight that might be a good idea, but not for me.
Purchasing holy water x4, 100 gp, if available.

Tara Eliade |

Tara also has an ability to allow weapons to damage incorporeal creatures for 4 rounds, 7 times a day.

Niculaie Pavlencas |

Hey Niculaie, how are you so good at keeping track of information? Do you have a document with lists of important posts or something? Just a really organized person? Any tips or tricks?
There’s no great secret, I’m sorry to say. I just searched the Gameplay thread for “Stairs of the Moon” and “Silverhides,”; I knew what I was looking for because it was all after I joined the game. It does miss things, but it works more often than not.
I keep thinking I *should* start Evernote notebooks for the PbP Adventure Paths I play in, but I have enough trouble updating my notes for the APs that I GM.

Niculaie Pavlencas |

Gregor didn't normally reference or even acknowledge his bizarreness, and you couldn't quite be sure he was now. But it was impossible to deny that he looked aberrant, almost buglike at times. And the way he held himself as he spoke seemed to draw attention to his arms, which dangled long below his hips.
Gregor. "Buglike." Jeez, I can't believe it took me this long. Well played.