GM Lithrac's Mythic Reign of Winter - A Trail of Breadcrumbs (Inactive)

Game Master Cyril Corbaz

Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn, and caldron bubble

It has been a century since the immortal witch Baba Yaga last visited the world, and the hour draws nigh for her return. But when she fails to appear in the frozen realm of Irrisen to usher in its newest ruler, pockets of winter begin to grow throughout the Inner Sea region. After 1,400 years of perpetual winter, the icy curse of Irrisen is spreading! What links do these strange blizzards and swaths of wintry landscapes have with Irrisen, and is there any truth to the growing rumors that the Witch Queen Elvanna has taken full control of the realm? Can her plans for the Inner Sea be thwarted, or will the Reign of Winter engulf the world?

Greetings adventurers, and welcome to "A Trail of Breadcrumbs", my version of the Reign of Winter Adventure Path using the Mythic rules, among other things. I plan to play the whole adventure path in campaign mode (thus with personal touches and a few houserules) for PFS credit. To clarify, this means that you'll be creating a character with my set of rules, but at the end of each of the six parts of the adventure path, you'll gain a chronicle sheet to apply to whichever of your PFS characters you like.

Adventure Paths have all been written for four characters, and that's exactly what we are going to play with. The AP is also written for 15-pt buy builds, but I'm going to disregard this since I'll be toying with encounters to match the mythic tiers you'll gain anyway. My philosophy is the same as for my home games: fewer encounters, but more meaningful ones. This doesn't mean that they are all going to be more difficult than in the vanilla AP, but that I'll take care to retain only the encounters that make sense and that bring something in the story. On the same level, experience won't be tracked and you will gain levels/mythic tiers when appropriate.

How this campaign will be run

I would also like to remind you that I like my games to keep a steady pace (meaning an average of one post per day), barring any special "real life circumstances" of course. If you know that your posting rate is going to slow down or that you won't be able to post for a few days, that's no big deal at all. I'll just ask as a courtesy that you keep us apprised of what's going on so that we can continue playing accordingly, with your character either taking a back seat or being played by me or someone else from the group.

Some rolls will be made by me, but that will be the exception rather than the rule. The only checks I'll always roll for you are Initiative, Perception (only for surprise rolls, aka "passive perception checks") and Sense Motive.

Maps will be hosted on googledocs, so make sure you have access to these when you post your actions. You will move your own token, of course.

Character creation rules

Alright, let's skip to the part that you're probably interested in the most: character creation. The first step is to download and read the official Reign of Winter Player's Guide. It's a free download, it's a short read, and it contains most of the background information you'll need to know about this adventure path. Just one particular piece of advice: the AP deals a lot with wintry/ice/cold themes, so you might be tempted to create an ice-based caster or something like that. Please don't, trust me. Lots of creatures in the AP have immunity to cold, so you'll most likely be frustrated. Moreover your characters start in Taldor, not in the north.

Secondly, your character's background is as important to me as your crunch, so I'll ask you to care about this part. I'm not asking for a twenty-page short story telling everything that happened to your character since the day of his birth, but something sensible that explains his motivations and his ties goes a long way, I think.

Finally, the creation rules themselves:

• 1st level character
  
• 20-point buy, no stat below 9 prior to racial modifiers. Keep in mind that mythic tiers will grant you ability bonuses, so I advise you to create a more well-rounded character than a specialist with only one stat above 12.
  
• All Paizo books are fair game, but no 3rd party publisher books.
  
• All core races are preferred, but I'm open to some other ARG races that would make sense and fit the campaign well, provided that the character's background is an interesting one.
  
• All classes are permitted except gunslinger, samurai, ninja and summoner. The first three don't fit the adventure path well thematically, while I'm having power issues with the last one (especially some of its archetypes). All archetypes and prestige classes are allowed, provided they don't infringe with the next rule. I'd like to avoid the psychic playtest rules, if possible.
  
• No evil character. Your character may be confrontational at times as part of roleplay, but you must be a team player.
  
• Average starting wealth for your class.
  
• PFS-style HP (max HP at first level, then average +1).
  
• Two traits, one of those must be a campaign one from the Reign of Winter Player's Guide. You may pick a third one if you pick a drawback (see Ultimate Campaign).
  
• All feats are allowed except Leadership and its Torchbearer variants.
  
• You can choose a Story feat for free at first level provided it's linked to your background and makes sense. Alternatively if you aren't interested in a Story feat, you can pick a free Skill Focus feat instead.
  
• Planning ahead what Mythic Path you'll pick is a good idea, since you'll get your first mythic tier halfway through the first book.

House Rules

There's not much there, mostly things I allow that aren't quite RAW.

• Fighters, Clerics and all classes that have 2+Int modifier skill points per level now have 4+Int modifier skill points per level except Wizard and Arcanist.
  
• Vital Strike can be used with Spring Attack. Other similar situations that would arise will be considered with the same favorable opinion.
  
• Getting up from prone works mechanically like tumbling through a threatened area: you can make a CMB or Acrobatics check against the threatening opponent's CMD. If you succeed, he doesn't get his AoO.

I'm looking forward to seeing what characters you'll come up with!

My philosophy is the same as for my home games: fewer encounters, but more meaningful ones. This doesn't mean that they are all going to be more difficult than in the vanilla AP, but that I'll take care to retain only the encounters that make sense and that bring something in the story. On the same level, experience won't be tracked and you will gain levels/mythic tiers when appropriate.

These are both core elements of my GMing philosophies too! I like the sound of it!

ice-based characters

Unless you're a winter witch, I guess. I believe they get an ability to bypass cold resistance/immunity at a certain point. But having GM'd this AP, I have to agree that cold-based casters will in general have a hard time....

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Also, I've already noted to the GM that I will be on my honeymoon to NZ from Dec 24 until Jan 13. I will have internet access most of the time but will understandably not have time to post every day. So during that time if I'm holding things up, the GM is free to bot me but I will try to keep up and check in every few days if possible.

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As for a character, I have no idea what I want to play yet. I'm leaning towards a full caster-mostly likely some type of oracle-but that's not set in stone yet. I'll think about it over the holiday and come up with something soon.

Heya! Glad to see EF is coming along! Everything sounds awesome.

I have some familiarity with mythic, playing in a WotR campaign and from what little I know of this one, mythic will be a cool addition.

Pondering what to play. Maybe a Hunter or Ranger (Horizon Walker) with the Guardian or Trickster path.

I have no experience with mythic besides 3 rounds of Mythic Trotter (!) during Eyes of the Ten. Totally saved a TPK in the first encounter.

Glad to have the opportunity to play!

I don't have that much experience on pbp but I'm learning.

For the mythic rules, my only experience was "Destiny on the sands".

Thinking to play a wizard conjurer. It might be cool with the mythic rules.

Ok, I'm working on an elf oracle of the Dark Tapestry ("priest of the Great Old Ones"). He'll mostly be an offensive caster and the Hierophant path is the obvious choice for a full divine caster. I'll pick out gear and get his stats up soon.

Hey folks. I'm psyched about this. I've wanted to sink my teeth into the content of this adventure path and the mythic adventures. So far we look to have an oracle, wizard and ranger/hunter. So I'll maybe look at something melee based.

Endless here!

Ok, I had some time last night and this morning so I threw this guy together. His stats should be completely finished. I'll work on writing some description and backstory this morning too. As an oracle of the Dark Tapestry, Zadok worships the Great Old Ones and I took Apotheosis as his story feat. Essentially his ultimate goal is to become a Great Old One (or at least be acknowledged as one of their peers), which I think-given that we're using mythic-is actually an achievable goal....

Aren't the Great Old Ones a bit... evil?

Not all of them. There are some CN ones.

Fair play, I only really know the big name ones.

I'm currently looking into a swashbuckler. I've got a background drafted up, traits and story feats selected and a rough idea of the build. I'll get it posted up when I have something alittle more concrete.

Yeah, the common thread between the Great Old Ones and the Outer Gods is chaos. Some of them are evil and some of them are just unconcerned with everything (neutral). Zadok is more of an apocalyptic "the world is ending! Yog-Sothoth is coming!" type of person. So Zadok is more interested in the chaos and madness of the Great Old Ones and the Outer Gods, not at all any evil that they might do.

Ia! Ia!

I like Zadok, he's a very promising character.

I've started putting together the aforementioned Swashbuckler, I've drafted up a history and picked appropriate traits, drawbacks, feats and a storyline feat.

I'm still sorting the final touches and equipment. But this gives you an idea of what the character is going to look like when he's done.

The basic concept is a light hearted duellist, with a dark past, looking to redeem his family name and earn the respect he feels he deserves.

@GM: I changed Zadok's backstory/description to be a little lot less selfish, since I decided that a crazy apocalyptic preacher would be more fun to play and less abrasive towards the other characters than my original conception of a secretly egomaniacal power-hungry PC. I think he'll be a lot more fun now, even if the stats didn't actually change.

Tektite here,

Working on backstory when I have a few free moments. Probably won't have crunch up until Mon.

Zinou here.

I'm currently writing the backstory and choosing the story feat.

This looks very promising! I'm looking forward to seeing these characters take shape. By the way I'm opening the Gameplay thread so that you can dot it.

Approx when do you want to start this? Just so I can plan getting the rest of the character up to date.

As soon as people have their character ready, ideally as soon as possible.

Stian is essentially ready. I have his chracter sheet up, just hammering out his background. (Now that I have a better idea of who he is.)

EF and Tektite are ready, what about Zinou and Stemboy?

Also, Stian looks like a great character!

I am finishing the preparations :)

Will there be a fifth player?

Nope, just four!

I'll quickly sort my equipment tonight and should then be ready.

At last, Thorgull is ready!

Good to go. Need to copy my abilities in, but all the essentials are there.

It looks like we're good to go! Expect campaign's start this afternoon.

Awesome

-Posted with Wayfinder

Excellent! Looking forward to it!

Apologies, it seems I've caught a cold and wasn't fit through most of the afternoon and evening, my son took up all my time. A little patience will soon be rewarded!

No problem GM. Get better, first!

Feel better! We'll still be here whenever you're ready! Unless, that is, Yog-Sothoth appears and the end truly comes!

Thanks! I'm feeling much better today, so here we go.

For those with the Northern Ancestry trait, could you please write down your cold resistance 2 right after your saving throws, please? I noticed Stian did it, but not the others.

I'd also like your Perception, Initiative and Sense Motive scores, please.

Finally, could you decide on a marching order please?

As a PC with 12 of AC, I will be glad to be third in the marching order.

Know Nyarlathotep, Know Chaos!

Know Nyarlathotep, Know Chaos!

Know Nyarlathotep, Know Chaos!

I seem to notice that posting is a bit slow. Don't hestitate to post to keep the interactions alive! My goal was precisely to avoid turning this AP into a succession of encounters, and enjoy the first part in the village. However if you wish to move on to the exploration part, no worries, please let me know.

I'm enjoying the village interactions. I've just been trying not to post too much and dominate the thread though; I wanted to give others the chance to talk too.

Ditto. But I'm happy to keep rping.

-Posted with Wayfinder

A quick heads-up, I'll be on holiday in my chalet (thus with very limited connectivity) from Saturday 20th December to Tuesday 23rd December. Feel free to roleplay as much as you want, but I won't be able to post for the games I'm GMing.

This is just a reminder that I'll be leaving for my honeymoon in New Zealand tomorrow and will be gone until January 13. Hopefully I will have time to check in a few times while I'm gone but if I'm holding things up go ahead and bot me. I'll be back in full force in mid January! Thanks everyone!

I'm back home from my holidays.

Enjoy your trip, EF! New Zealand is such a unique country, I trust you'll like it. Oh, and it's summer there now! Lucky you!

Thanks! I've actually been there once before so I know I'll love it again. Didn't take much convincing to get the wife to agree.

Gonna make a post in the next day or two. Sorry about the delay, holiday season.

-Posted with Wayfinder

Have a good trip, EF!
@GM: well it's not like we're freezing, either. xD

I meant to ask earlier but forgot: what will be your marching order?

Likely Stian, Virgil, Thorgull, and Zadok?

Or Stian, Zadok, Thorgull, Virgil?

Concerning the sold loot, is anyone willing to take care of the accounting?

How do you wish to proceed for loot shares? There are three common possibilities that are usually chosen:

1) Divide the money from sold unwanted loot in four, everyone gets an equal share.
2) Divide the money in five shares, the fifth being "group stash", used for group consumables such as wands of CLW, diamond dust, etc.
3) Common stash for everyone.

I'm in favor of the common stash for everyone. Some characters need more gear than others. I'm also in favor of buying consumables that will benefit the whole party.

Either or work for me.