GM Rat Sass's Age of Worms

Game Master Governayle

Hey, all. Had every intention of updating my games yesterday, but was discouraged by receiving a concussion in a rear end collision. Should be able to do so today, sans headache...

Take care of yourself, and don't play any football - or whatever they do for concussions. :)

Glad the injury was minor.

Get some rest! You appear to be repeating yourself --

https://paizo.com/campaigns/GMRatSasssAgeOfWorms/discussion&page=11#550
https://paizo.com/campaigns/GMRatSasssAgeOfWorms/discussion&page=12#551

Ei! I hope you are getting better! :/

As I get older, it feels like I require more and more time to bounce back from things :/

Question:

Deliquescent Gloves

"These heavy leather gloves ripple and flows at the wearer’s command" -- does that mean you could make them feel more natural under fancy foppish silk gloves?

Also, you're not old. You may be over working too much though.

Very tardy answer to you, Mort- the Gloves simply ripple and flow to fit the hand/claw/tentacle/alien limb, then lay dormant once they've assumed the proper form. Being heavy leather, you'd likely catch some obvious glances were you to wear oversized silk gloves over the Delicatessens.

As for work, yeah... once I think I've got the energies, I find my fuses shortened, and my eyes roaming for lazier corners...

O.K., thanks. He's O.K. with not spreading the acid around.

Having said that, I doubt he's wearing silk gloves under his golden bracers. Wouldn't feel right to him.

Sorry for the delay, folks. Didn't realize the work that would arise on the map. That structure is multi-layered, and Roll20 is quite touchy sometimes... For the work I threw into it, it should be a quicker experience to jump to different sections now...

The work seems a large piece of craft, thanks! :)

Should be updating today- typically, we're really, really slow in July, but our corporation just negotiated acceptance into a big insurance panel, and we're seeing its impact immediately. I've been spoiled to sneak in updates during my days, but woof...

Dr. Toffitt does not approve of toffee.

"Oh, hey -- look everyone! A party crasher!"

"This is a party? Why, it looks like a menagerie of hooligans to me. But at least you’ve enough sense not to admit any dull witted nor embittered Cuthbertites. Ah, Atol, how I miss ye. Ah, Dyrant, how I... Well, uh, Dyrant."

"Alright. Does anyone know this guy? Why does he look partially melted, like he was someplace really hot?"

"And what in the Goddess' names is he blathering about ?!"

"Never mind. Just get him some air and water, Canary."

Another long post in the making- should hit later tonight...

Am not ded

Sudden appearance of a college kid this weekend- will update tomorrow

Riot Fest 2019 has arrived- I will ghost until Monday, though I will try and get all games updated today, before I depart for the mayhem.

Sorry, on travel again. Will post soonish.

Sorry, folks. Another big wall of words is about to drop tonight... Dinner party, and all... woof

We will eat it with delusion :)

Keep them coming!

Air Walking to the City of Lost Wages for the weekend, starting tomorrows. Will bring a Chromebook, and will mull over posts, should the muse speak to me during less addled states. Will update tonight, then as can-can...

City of Lost Wages, of all places -- why there?!

Evil Dead, the Musical, The Vegas Tough Mudder, Red Rocks and optional hiking trails, mad variety of restaurants... several couples attending :)

Is that place real? I thought it was just film fantasy :)

Enjoy your time GM!

Last day in Vegas!! I’ve had a couple of gin and tonics, as well as something called a white gummy bear, so I’m currently swimming like a lightweight should swim. I’ll likely post tomorrow after travel, but I wanted to tell you that I feel very fortunate to share this game with you fine folk. Thank you for your patience, and more importantly, the craft you bring to the excellent storytelling.

Sorry, sorry, sorry! There has been a Technological Metamorphosis taking place, and I thought I had it wrapped on Sunday... new laptop and new phone, all sparkly, but transitioning all the little things over has been a little more of a chore than I thought... posting today.

Happy Holidays, Outcasts! Getting back into the home neck of the woods, will be posting later today...

...

It's apparent that Eri has become absent from our game. We'll be wrapping up Book 8 shortly, leaving the remaining four books of the AP to be gamed with the remaining four of you, or possibly looking for someone to bring a fifth voice to the table. I welcome your perspectives.

I'll reach out to Eri to make sure that this is our new reality. As spotty as I've been in the last months, rest assured that I have every intention of seeing this through to the very end. As my wife is beginning her last chapter of higher education, I'll have more time to invest here. We've been enjoying the calm before her storm, which has bent me tired often as we scurry about together.

I am not able to keep up with you all even at this leisurely pace. I've enjoyed the ride and hope that you continue to write a great story. Thanks for the opportunity to game.

--Scott

Eri - it's been a pleasure! Take it easy. :)

I'm not sure about adding a fifth. High level play can be tricky, especially when you are dropped into it. Also, they'd be pretty lost as far as the story goes unless they'd been through it before or did a lot of homework - each of which carries its own baggage.

I suspect we can manage it with the four of us, though it might take some adjustment. Or, GM Rat Sass, did you already have someone in the wings? I'm by no means opposed to adding another, I just see pitfalls.

No one in the wings, Ascaria. I agree with you, regarding the complications of bringing someone in to finish the last books in our higher levels. For the tracking of stat bumps and buffs, four is certainly easier than five...

That too! :)

I was cleaning up the treasure sheet and ran into the Ring of the Wind Dukes (link). As we may need that for the AP, I'd like to take that from Eri before he leaves.

Or rather someone should. Ascaria doesn't particularly want it, but we should have it in the party. Eidi, how about you?

I do understand Eri, these people can be terrible writers :)
It has been a pleasure though to share the game with you. I wish you a Happy 2020 and beyond!

Number 5 usually feels like the magic number for playing, but given my recent difficulties to find a player for Shackled City I do also think it will not be an easy task unless we can hook someone from a recently deceased AoW game.

The dead AoW games to look at on these forums:
- [2012-01 - 2016-11] GM Blood's Age of Worms in Golarion - level 12
- [2012-03 - 2016-07] GM Blood's Age of Worms in Golarion #2 - level 10
- [2012-09 - 2017-05] Heralding the Coming of the Age of Worms - level 8
- [2016-01 - 2019-05] Death-Lok's Age of Worms Campaign - level 14 (it seems they started playing from 12th)
- The other 10 are probably too low level to be worth having a look.

But I am ok to try endure it with 4 of us!

I was cleaning up the treasure sheet and ran into the Ring of the Wind Dukes (link). As we may need that for the AP, I'd like to take that from Eri before he leaves.

Or rather someone should. Ascaria doesn't particularly want it, but we should have it in the party. Eidi, how about you?

As about the ring, you can keep it Ascaria, probably Eidi already has enough offensive capability.

Sorry for the delay, folks. I very much enjoyed the roleplaying while I was away, chuckling when the post count climbed without my pushing.

I think I'm good with the four of you continuing this worm slog. I'll make some adjustments to the creature counts, and lean into the character interactions with a little more depth, where I can.

My wife is starting Orientation next week, so I've been trying to give her as much attention as we can squirrel away, as I sense a great disturbance in the force is coming. I'm going to accelerate my post rate, as it should heighten our collective enjoyment of the game. These lulls are palpably less tasty.

Apologies. Been on a retreat the past four days.

First Report
Second Report
Third Report
Fourth Report
Fifth Report
Sixth Report
Seventh Report

Eighth Report

Desnus 11, 4749 (Wealday)
-Departing Kuluth Mar, the Outcasts return to Magepoint, consulting with Manzorian following the Collapse of the Spire. With a little more of the History of Kyuss the Man, the gathered focus on seeking out Balakarde, heavy researcher of all things worms. The compass needle points to Alhaster, for the scrawls found out in the Temple Library.
-Ascaria meets a strange little fellow by the name of Cedric, who promises to serve the gnome in any way he can, upon returning to Diamond Lake. (This actually occurs the day before)
-Several of the Outcasts bump into several soldiers of Ustalav residing in the All-Seeing Eye.
-An agreement regarding the Rod Fragment is made, and Manzorian provides several magical items in exchange for its custodianship.

Desnus 12-18, 4749 (Wealday next)
-A week passes as Manzorian crafts, and the Outcasts enjoy some downtime in Magepoint.

Desnus 19-25, 4749 (Wealday next)
-A second week passes, as everyone continues to undertake various craftings and studies. Ascaria eventually reveals what he learns of a book in the Temple Library, regarding the History of Alhaster, your next destination.

Desnus 26, 4749 (Oathday)
-The Outcasts depart Magepoint, using Wind Walk to see themselves around Conqueror’s Bay, arriving in the vicinity of Alhaster as night falls.
-Your first evening in Redhand is plagued by the stuff of nightmare, tucked away in Eidi’s Ropetrick.

Desnus 27, 4749 (Fireday)
-With dreams slowly fading from memory, the Outcasts approach the City of Alhaster, late morning. Entering the Gate proves easy enough, as the Watch meets you in a small force of hobgoblins.
-First stop, the Laughing Dawn Tavern, where you meet your first Alhaster resident, Damsk. He directs you to visit Telgrith, of the Angry Rifter Tavern, where you find temporary residence.
-Rooms secured, you depart for the Mistwall Manor, along the Street of a Dozen Smiles, hoping to secure an audience with Lashonna herself!
-Passing through the Alhaster Market, you assess the Watchers as they patrol the square, as well as the content of the Market itself. Gallows to one side, various shops to the other, you continue your way down the Dozen Smiles, arriving at Mistwall Manor.
-You spend a little time with the guard of the gatehouse, Larson, who kindly informs you that appoints personally with the matron of the manor are being taken for two months out. Sooner than that, and you’ll have to finagle a way into Zeech’s Anniversary Banquet in the hopes of rubbing elbows with her.
-Departing Mistwall Manor, you make your way onto Zeech Street, then the Toilway itself, acquainting your eyes with the Aerie, and the Palace, then the Cathedral. Further still, and you locate the Deluxury, and the Ogre’s Hideout, before you arrive back at the Square, where sits Miomay’s Playhouse. The ticket taker helps you purchase a good share of tickets to the performance of The Seduction of Fondo Barondo, and also informs you that you have a week before the Banquet is to take place.
-Returning to the Angry Rifter, Ascaria continues to acquire intelligence regarding the Banquet, for garments, baubles, and tributes worth at least 2000gp for each lucky individual invited to the soiree.
-Several Outcasts take to the rooftops, interested in seeing Alhaster from a completely different angle. There appears to be a second Spire of Long Shadows off at a distance… Eventually, you are joined by several Blessed Angels, who command you to return to the streets below. No blows are traded, but the stand off is a bit tense. Eidi’s ruse is seen through, for the Angels’ eyes are quite wise.

Desnus 28, 4749 (Starday)
-The second day in Alhaster brings its itinerary to action- the Curious Owlbear, where you meet the city’s premier butcher, Chosk, who dances verbally with the maiden, before you purchase your tastes of meat, and depart for the Crafters’ Guildhall, where you procure the names of the tailors who will fit and sew your wardrobe for the Banquet, optimists that you are. Your garments are promised in two day’s time. Moonday, to be exact.
-Following your fittings, you take your lunch at the Tipsy Tankard, where you are treated to a local pour for which the establishment is famous, a deep purple beer. The Outcasts discuss local rumor of the brothers Tipplepot, who went missing while investigating the Traitors’ Graves, the possible haunt of a local black dragon.
-Departing the city, you wend your way towards the banks of the Eel River, where you first find an abandoned mansion in very poor condition. It appears to be a decent meeting place for anyone seeking an audience with a water-based creature like a black dragon.
-An abandoned skiff is found on the opposite shore of the Eel, and tracking the path towards the Traitors’ Graves, where you encounter no less than five young black dragons. They demand that you head below, into a dragon’s lair, where a nasty acidic beast awaits. A quick skirmish ensues, and two of the five blacks are slain outright, causing the others to flee, though how far is difficult to ascertain.
-Entering the dragon’s lair, you are immediately attacked by an acid wraith, a strange combination of elemental and undead. Its ability to heal from your initial wave of damage fails to save it from its fate, and the acid wraith is slain outright, while the opening above is sealed off by what can only be lurking young dragons.
-After debating the means of sealing off the acid pool, Eidi pops everyone up to the Traitors’ Graves, where Solrisa suddenly slays a lurking black foolish enough to remain nearby.
-Reassessing the situation, the Outcasts return below, this time with air, and search through the rubble left behind by the wraith. You find several quite valuable adamantine vials, two of which are distributed, and the last left to sell at Market, securing your Gifts for Zeech, when the time comes. Such the optimists you continue to be.
-This very evening, you clean yourselves up, make yourselves presentable, and make your way to the Deluxury, where you gain audience with Armhin Loratio, who quickly measures your worth, and finds you worthy of the Invitations in his possession. He advises you to be ready two hours before the Banquet, so that you may be carriaged from the Tavern, to the Palace.
-Eidi finds his way to the Cathedral, the Church of Asmodeus, where he visits with its priest, Vierias, who helps him with a purchase, and informs him of the local Temple of Abadar, now abandoned.
-For the uncomfortable separation of the Outcasts from their weapons, Eidi proposes the crafting of a Secret Chest, so that they may trust their goods on the ethereal plane, rather than under the beds of the Angry Rifter Tavern.
-To conclude the Second Day in Alhaster, the Outcasts decide to take advantage of their pre-purchased tickets to enjoy the play. And what a play it is! There are others attending the play, like Shag Solomon of Diamond Lake notoriety, and plans are made to visit with the quaggoth at a later time.

Desnus 29, 4749 (Sunday)
-A return to the Deluxury, for its Sunday Brunch, and the Outcasts reunite with Shag Solomon, fellow Diamond Lake citizen! It turns out that he, too, shall be in attendance at the Banquet. After a brief conversation with the shaggy man, the Outcasts minus Eidi return to the Angry Rifter, but not before being confronted by a pair of hobgoblins proclaiming their leadership of the Knights of Redhand. B’kruss and V’russ. Their challenge to a race about the city is not accepted, and the hobgoblins have their fun mocking you as they depart.
-To fill in the days until the Anniversary Banquet, the Outcasts pay a visit to the Great Project, where they are unpleasantly surprised by the sight of another Spire of Long Shadows, reminding them of their time in Kuluth Mar.
-Eidi brings the Outcasts to visit with the priest Vierias, who points to the Church of Blessed Deliverance as a possible lead, though it is delayed by the paranoid gnome. A brief pass by the Arena, and this Sunday comes to a quiet close.

Desnus 30- Sarenith 2, 4749 (Moonday to Oathday)
-The beginning of the work week, and the Outcasts secure their formalwear for the Anniversary Banquet with their respective tailors. To lessen the risk of incurring the unwanted attentions of the Blessed Angels or the Watchers, the Outcasts pass the time uneventfully. Ascaria does take the time to investigate the names of fellow Attendees.

Sarenith 3, 4749 (Fireday)
-The Day of the Anniversary Banquet, Twenty Years of Joy, has arrived!! As promised, the Outcasts are borne to the Palace by Troll Carriage, where you disembark on the Vertiginous Terrace, to meet the panoply of guests: Toris the gnome, Lady Miszen the halfling, Mahuudril the elder patron, captain Vulras of the Lammergeier, Lord Kilraven, Hoff the dwarf, your bosom buddies B’kruss and V’russ the hobgoblins, Shag Solomon and Professor Montague Marat, and the half-orc barbarian Mariss Quemp.
-You are greeted by the Sinister Fool, the Ominous Fabler, an ugly spriggan, who directs a majority of the activities for the Banquet. The first activity is the gift-giving! So many creative items come to light, the Prince is properly honored by all in attendance.
-The next Act- the Harlequin Mortificatio, an undead performance executed by the Fabler.
-Hemriss joins the festivities, taking her place at the Prince’s side.
-The Banquet moves from the Terrace, to the Palace Balcony of Expectorance for the Handsome Slaughter of Curious Avians! Eri takes the gentleman’s tact, and allows the Prince to win the competition.
-Next, into the Palace more deeply, for Lively Sports and Baiting! Here, Eidi steps up, and competes with the Prince through mind links and cockatrices. First cats, then each other, and Eidi proves himself a worthy adversary! He wins a solid gold egg for his participation.
-The Bowling of Devious Heads sees master Mortimer the victor, and the mauler gains a sweet piece of jewelry for his accuracy.
-The Banquet is announced, and all find their way to the Great Hall, where they spend the rest of the Anniversary Banquet for the evening. A choir of voices echoes the Prince’s words, while various dishes are brought out for your enjoyment. It is now when the Lady Lashonna joins the party. Stories are traded, quite creatively, Redhand Resinwint is imbibed, tojbasarrirge is tossed out, arms are wrestled, purple worm is consumed, as is C’rosch! More stories of exploits come to tongue, and the evening begins to wind down. A slick move on the part of Mortimer, and Eidi is in like Flynn with the Lady Lashonna, despite the marzipan administered to his lap.
-Dancing, then dismissal, and a promise to meet with the Lady Lashonna in Mistwall Manor in two days time.

Sarenith 4, 4749 (Starday)
-The morning after, and Mortimer finds himself in distress, albeit briefly, from a touch of poison.
-The Outcasts wait a spell for the better part of the day to slink away, before they slink over to the Church of Blessed Deliverance, where they encounter the gravetouched ghoul, Rhorsk. They are able to ascertain yet another point of interest within the city of Alhaster- the Sinner’s Sanctum, a possible spot of intelligence regarding a mysterious individual known only as Mother Maggot.
-Eri departs for Magepoint, seeking respite and recharge. With the Ascaria’s blessing, the sorcerer takes flight.
-The Outcasts pay their first visit to the Sinner’s Sanctum, where they meet the old caregiver, Furpotia. After a difficult parlay, the gnome heals Terrill, and promises a return for more healing on the morrow.

Sarenith 5, 4749 (Sunday)
-Deja Vu!! Furpotia receives you, seemingly unaware that she met you the night before. Mortimer tries the same ruse, and this time succeeds in securing a bed. His reward? A chest smear of rancid ointment…
-Ascaria Heals Furpotia, who begins to act with much greater awareness. So begins the tour of the Sinner’s Sanctum. The healing begins, some wards less needy than others, while you discover a Trapdoor in the Meditation Room. The Outcasts split.
-Mortimer and Eidi encounter a Hangman Golem, which gives them a warm introduction to the Basement of the Sinner’s Sanctum. Eventually, the others join, and the entire gang takes to the Well. A deeper investigation by Eidi reveals the recent presence of Loris Raknian.
-Through the Well, the group encounters the Ebon Triad’s Overgod, an Advanced Ebon Aspect. Despite the possum play of the Hangman Golem, which joins the fight at the bottom of the Well, the Outcasts overcome the hibernating evil of the Ebon Triad. A thorough look around, and a treasure trove is discovered behind a wall. The evening comes soon enough, for a meeting with the Lady Lashonna…
-Level up to 16!!

So ends Book 8 of the Age of Worms Adventure Path :)

Last level: Aug 7, 2018.

Level 16
Theurge

HP +9
Ability increase +1 INT
New language Undercommon
Spells finger of death, prismatic spray
Skills
Escape artist
Perception
Spellcraft
K. arcana x2
K. planes x2
K. religion x2

Actually Solrisa's point is good, I shall have offered to you guys to come with Eidi!

Maybe anyone wishing to come along can touch him so we all can participate if there is any conversation with Manzorian or Celeste.

Actually Solrisa's point is good, I shall have offered to you guys to come with Eidi!

Maybe anyone wishing to come along can touch him so we all can participate if there is any conversation with Manzorian or Celeste.

Oh, it's fine. I like both Sol's RP and Eidi's impulsive move. No change from me.

Eidi - I'm cool with it as well. Sometimes a mage just has to be a mage. :)

And I’ll enjoy the looks on the Outcasts’ faces when a completely new character returns to join them, after Eidi mysteriously disappears.. ;)

Huh, whaat? Nah, play on!