GM Parrot's The Ferry and the Depths: Rappan Athuk (Inactive)

Game Master parrot familiar

Have fun spelunking in da forest amongst the foliage.

Also heads up, I'll be in the rainforest of the Olympic Peninsula this weekend. The new player will likely join us when I get back.

Have a safe trip! It should be an absolutely beautiful weekend for it!

Enjoy!

Haven't left yet! Plans seem to have hit a snag, nothing serious, but I'll keep y'all posted.

Posted; see what you did there!

Welcome to our new player!

My trip's on! I'll be gone from tonight-->Monday!

Enjoy your trip!

Just a note. My rate of posting has gotten more erratic lately. It may remain that way for some weeks yet.

Thanks for the heads up, Tal! I'll cover for you if necessary. Everything ok out there?

Trip was good, ended up coming back a little early because my hiking companion had work on Labor Day. Got to see some epic trees. It was also the best mushroom forest I've ever seen: porcini, chicken of the woods, lobster mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, chanterelles! But it was probably so glorious because one's not allowed to pick mushrooms in a national park, so it was also mild torture--even though I get it, this way everyone gets to see them.

BYOM parks are the worst!

Ah, I'm doing okay. A temporarily tiring state of affairs.

That mushroom forest sounds glorious!

Your summoner ally is nearly ready--and I'll be having us level up when/just after he joins!

The anticipation is fierce here! I look forward to meeting them.

Question: should our game be the sort of game where a child (say, a hobbaby or a harpy hatchling that you've actually gotten to know as a person) can be seriously hurt or killed? Or should we agree that the gods watch after the young, even in Rappan Athuk?

I think that the way familiars are often treated as absent from combat (until they interact with it, at least) gives us a precedent for going easy on the younguns. The world is bad enough these days that I'll also support using fiat to make our fake would just a bit gentler than likely.

I'm also fine letting things get really gritty. One of the most persistently inaccurate tropes in fantasy is the way that able-bodied combatants make up the majority of the people you meet (think Skyrim, where there's probably one child per 100 adults). And kids do get hurt IRL. It'd be honest.

I could go either way on this, but it seems like something we should decide together, even if not strictly democratically. I'd tend to give those who prefer a gentler world more weight, since they'd be the ones losing something by playing a harder world.

Bedlam would--secretly of course--be quite murderous (yup; more than normal) if any harm found the mascots...errr...children.

If you ask him when he's trying to get some sleep, you might get a different answer...

I don't really feel like I have a horse in this race. I would be glad to go either way, and leave our approach to the younguns to the players whose PCs are more engaged with them. I am totally fine either way.

Edit: Does anyone else feel like he's asking this because we might be getting ready to see some fireballs pitched into our little "secret" room?

As an invested PC, i'm totally ok with the risk of something awful happening to hobbaby. That risk makes me more invested. There's a reason Anzath is currently standing guard over Dimitri.

fireballs pitched into our little "secret" room?

The forecast includes AOE...

Ultimately, children are not immune to harm—especially when we're taking them into the Dungeon of Graves and keeping them with us during combats.

Moreover, I trust you as a GM to not be excessively gratuitous with the harm or death inflicted upon children to the point of exceeding what is expected in the setting (of which Rappan Athuk is fairly gritty.)

So let's let the dice fall where they may and whatever happens, happens.

Y'all are some tough mothers.

And that's not an abbreviation of a profanity. Take it literally.

Lolz? Tal?

Are any of the goblin weapons sized for Dmitri? We could strap him to Anzath's back and let them wade into the enemies.

Maybe if we make it back to Zelkor's Ferry at some point, we can see if the Hornblowers might be willing to foster the wee ones for a while. But that would be up to the parent figures.

I dont even know if Dimitri is old enough to stat.

I'm sure the Hornblowers would be willing. And Nico, at least, is statted up as a homebrew Improved Familiar and is thus a little tougher than Mitya.

Edit: my post appeared!

I'm kind of waiting to see what Bedlam does. I'd have to burn a scroll to get eyes on the priest.

Just curious... How's our summoner coming along?

He's ready! I've never spent time with a summoner but the build looks really strong. I'm traveling so my post frequency might be down. Optimistic that I can keep up with you folks, will keep botting Tal for now.

Hey folks. I've been wiped with a cold... then felt rough today. Now I'm awaiting a covid-19 test.

A pre-emptive wave to our future summoner and I hope to catch up at some point soon!

Oof.

Here's to hoping it's just a bad cold and the test comes back negative. Stay safe and keep hydrated in the interim, and be careful about hot baths (and probably showers?) if breathing difficulties come on — one of my friends with a presumptive case had a serious respiratory episode after taking a bath thinking it'd help her breathing to loosen up some muscles, though I haven't heard of that happening to many other people.

Get you to some zinc.

Let's RP meeting the new guy while you...

...LEVEL UP. Welcome to seven, sleepy companions.

After meeting Tarapen, you'll be allowed to sleep (at last) and will wake with full spells and hit points. Let's have a little reset here and keep 'splorin!

7th Level for Tragershen.

+1 level of wizard
+ 7 hit points (+4 HD, +1 Con, +1 FC, +1 Enhancement)
+9 skill points: Perception (headband), Linguistics, Knowledge (history), Knowledge (arcana), Spellcraft, Diplomacy (x4).
+0 BAB, +0 Fort, +0 Ref, +0 Will
+1 language (linguistics): Ignan.
Spells per day, +2 4th
Add spells to spellbook: Black Tentacles, Arcane Eye.
Feat: Additional Traits (Ease of Faith, Clever Wordplay).
Bonded Object (can now enchant ring).

Hooray for Level 7!!!

+1 Slayer (Slayer 6, TWF 1)
+7 HP (+6 HD, +1 Con)
+1/2 FCB to Bluff to Feint and Diplomacy to Gather Information (+1.5)
+1/+1/+1 F/R/W (8/7/3)
+1 BAB (+7/+2)
+1SA (+2d6)
Slayer Talent 3: Ranger Combat Style 2: Improved Two Weapon Fighting
Feat: Two-Weapon Defense
+10 SP: (Appraise, Bluff, DD, Kn. Dungeoneering, Kn. Engineering, Perception, Sense Motive, Stealth, Survival, Swim)

Bedlam is Alchemist 7

no surprises...this level...lol.

7th level: Cleric
HP: 1d8 ⇒ 5 + 2 Con = 7 HP!
+1 BAB
Feat Channel Smite
Saves No improvements
Spells +1 1st level spell slot; 1+1 4th level spell slots
Class abilities 4d6 Channel energy, up from 3d6
Skills (2 class, 1 racial bonus, 1 FCB, 2 Background (marked with asterisk)) +1 rank Appraise*, +1 rank Knowledge (History)*, +1 rank Knowledge (Religion), +1 rank Sense Motive, +1 rank Spellcraft, +1 rank Use Magic Device

Psst, Parrot....sent you a PM

I believe the cyclops room is where we fought the two-eyed cyclops.

Back here.

The safest and most defensible sleeping spot!

1 Level of Barbarian

+10 Hp (7 avg + 2 Con + 1 FCB)
+1 Fort, +1 Will
+1 att/round
+1 rage power : auspicious mark
trap sense +2
+4 skills points , +2 background skill points
+1 Feat ( extra rage power: scent )

While we roleplay Tarapen into the group, does anyone have any thoughts as to which way we should go?

According to the Marthek map, the room we came into when we came to this level had four doors: one south, two west and one north. We went north and found the cyclops room, and hallway with several rooms. The rat room had stairs going down. We also came to two doors. The one we went through led to the room with walls and ceiling made of packed dirt, then onto the natural caves where we fought the fungi. So if I am correct, we have the following choices:
a) first room on the level, south door.
b) first room on the level, west/south door.
c) first room on the level, west/north door.
d) stairs down from rat room.
e) the closed door that didn't lead to the natural caves.
f) further down the natural caves.

I now have the spell arcane eye. I could use it to check down the natural caves for a little ways.

"Slimes, I think... definitely at least one dead slime. Or possibly that was an ooze? It's hard to tell when they're dead. There was a ghoul, I think? Might have been a ghoul. Could have been a ghast. May have just been a very thin cannibal with some sort of a skin condition, but that would be sort of strange, you know?"

Okay, this cracked me up! I think I am really going to enjoy having you in our group!

I have a boon I want to grant! Nico's growing quickly, and I think level 7 is an appropriate juncture to pass her on to a new home.

If someone out there is willing to take on the RPing of that delightful little ball of feathers and malice, I'd be happy to give someone a free Improved Familiar feat and Nico's stat sheet. I could randomize it between applicants if we have multiple interested parties...

Anzath would have my vote; if we were doing such things...Bedlam would be a distant second....lol.

I feel Aurora and Bedlam have connected the most with Nico, actually. Anzath has D'mitri (im adopting that spelling) to worry about.

I agree that Aurora and Bedlam have earned the Nico familiar with their roleplaying around her. If neither of them want the extra logistics that go along with it, I am open to it.

To be honest; Bedlam has enough toys to deal with; if Trag or Aurora want Nico. I still plan on rping his protectiveness though...lol.

Aurora loves her feathery baby she was present for the orphaning of.

Aurora: I'll post base stats for Nico tomorrow, along with a leveled-to-seven version of her oh-so-familiar self. After that, she's your problem! ;)

Here's my first stab at building Nico as an improved familiar off of Aurora's stats:

Nicothoe

Harpy Chick

CE Tiny monstrous humanoid
Init +4; Senses: darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +7

DEFENSE

AC 18, touch 14, flat-footed 14 (+3 Dex, +1 dodge, +4 natural via familiar)
HP 31 (half Aurora’s)
Saves (Aurora’s): Fort +9, Ref +5, Will +10

OFFENSE

Speed: 20 ft., fly 40 ft. (poor [she’s still learning])
Melee: 2 talons +3 (1d4)
Special Attacks: captivating song

STATISTICS

Str 8, Dex 16, Con 10, Int 7 (9 as level 7 familiar), Wis 12, Cha 17
Base Atk (Aurora’s) +5; CMB +2; CMD 115
Feats: Dodge, Great Fortitude
Skills: (seven ranks to assign beyond what I’ve got here, Aurora! And/or she can use your own skills). Bluff +7, Fly +7, Intimidate +7, Perception +7, Perform (song) +5,
Languages: Common

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Familiar Business:

Alertness, improved evasion, share spells, empathic link, deliver touch spells

Captivating Song (Su):

A harpy’s song has the power to infect the minds of those that hear it, calling them to the harpy’s side. When a harpy sings, all creatures aside from other harpies within a 300-foot spread must succeed on a DC 16 Will saving throw or become captivated. A creature that successfully saves is not subject to the same harpy’s song for 24 hours. A victim under the effects of the captivating song moves toward the harpy using the most direct means available. If the path leads them into a dangerous area such as through fire or off a cliff, that creature receives a second saving throw to end the effect before moving into peril. Captivated creatures can take no actions other than to defend themselves. A victim within 5 feet of the harpy simply stands and offers no resistance to the harpy’s attacks. This effect continues for as long as the harpy sings and for 1 round thereafter. This is a sonic mind-affecting charm effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.

[Note from the GM: This is a pretty powerful ability to have on tap—I am going to start off by reversing an earlier decision to make you all immune to this power and instead say that only Aurora is immune as the bonded one. That way, Nico can use it to nuke an encounter, but its use will be restricted to situations that have already gone pretty sideways. That said, pranking is highly encouraged out of combat.]

[GM: The DC happens to be 16 for Nico as a familiar right now, I think, because she’d get DC 10+3 for Aurora’s 7 HD + 3 for CHA. It’ll go up as you level up.]

[GM: In general, I will not target Nico unless you bring her into combat, as per normal Pathfinder familiar courtesy.]