I'm updated as I'm going to be for now - +2 breastplate, +1 shield, +1 holy-added warhammer. I'll take the wands, thanks Raven.
I'll post a finalized list of equipment and cash for each of us on Friday, giving us the weekend to think about how to spend that money.
A couple of questions:
- Is there any point in our hanging on to arcane magic items (e.g., wand of magic missile, scroll of teleport, etc) if we can't use them? Donnell is working his way up to a decent UMD, but I'm not sure it's worth having them around (but, then, I'm not familiar with how that aspect works in practical terms).
- @Raven Six: You still have a +1 mithral rapier, right? We also found a +1 human bane rapier. I'm not sure which you'd prefer, but Donnell will take the other, since he doesn't have a magical melee weapon and it might be useful to have one, just in case.
- Also, @Raven Six: There's a +1 mithral chain shirt available, unless there's something from the armoury you would prefer.
- Does everyone have a cloak of resistance? Ring of protection? We still have one of each. Donnell doesn't have a ring, but I think we're better off making sure anyone in melee has one first.
- Similarly with the belt of constitution.
- @GM: What are the limitations on alchemical and poison purchases/crafting?
@ Donnell: I'll keep the +1 mithril rapier. It's served me well. ^_^ You help yourself to the +1 human bane weapon.
The +1 mithril chain shirt sounds good to me!
I have neither a cloak nor a ring...
The belt sounds pretty good, but I actually think it should go to Thod if he doesn't have one yet; our frontliner needs more hp!
Already got one.
I picked up a Ring of Protection. No Cloak though.
SS and Raven have equivalent saves, so I'll let you two duke it out. Or, one could take the cloak and the other the CON belt.
(Does a belt of constitution increase your hp? I thought it only increased saves)
Hey guys still here - life is a bit busy so won't update the main gameplay thread quite yet. Keep sorting yur stuff out.
I'll defer to Raven here. Anything is good with me.
Alright, time to claim your loot, if you haven't already done so. Here's how it all shakes out per the Loot Tracker. As ever, please let me know if there are any errors.
Donnell
+1 Human bane rapier
MW Mortician's tools
Surgery tools
Healers kit
5 Potions CLW
Cash: 8358 gp, 5 sp, 3 cp
Raven Six
+1 Mithral chain shirt
Cloak of resistance +1
Headband of intelligence +2
Ring of protection +1
4 Potions CLW
Cash: 8358 gp, 5 sp, 3 cp
Sevenspawn
Breastplate +2
Belt of mighty constitution +2
Headband of inspired wisdom +2
Wand of cure serious wounds (37 charges)
Wand of remove disease (8 charges)
Scroll of teleport
Unguent of timelessness
4 Potions CLW
3 Incense of meditation
Cash: 8358 gp, 5 sp, 3 cp
Thod
Amulet of Natural Armour +1
Cloak of resistance +2
+1 Dagger
Belt of mighty constitution +2
4 Potions CLW
Cash: 8358 gp, 5 sp, 3 cp
Party (see Party Equipment tab)
Flask labeled 'elixir of true healing' (magic)
Potion of Remove Disease
2 Keys
1 button (fits into something mechanical)
Notes detailing the creation of blood veil
Scroll of Restoration
Scroll of Raise dead
Items sold
Plaguebringer's masks (x4); Wand of magic missiles (level 3, 43 charges); MW thieves' tools; Necromancer spellbooks (x2); +1 breastplates (x8); Vicious scythe +2; Potion of barkskin +4; Healer's kits (x3)
Btw guys as a note one thing on the cool antiplague manufacturing warehouse - the rewards of this chapter give you 'tiers' according to how long it took you to resolve all of the problems. This initiative allowed you to get into a higher reward category. So that effort was not wasted even though the plot kind of moved ahead of where you were.
Thanks for doing the admin Donnell!
We'll get Chapter 3 started next week after Easter.
Now on the subject of the factory, the 12k the Bank of Abadar loaned to you was used to gather materials for manufacture, pay a lot of one-time contracts to renovate the area, set up the warehouse, and gather materials. You also have a staff set up here.
I'll say with a hand-wave that this has a staff of twelve with four apprentice alchemists and eight labourers under their care. This is enough to have major alchemy lab good enough for whatever and a storefront.
Labour costs 22 gold a month. Your ability to turn a profit is going to depend on your ability to source supplies and then resell them, and that is a trick because you are on an island under quarantine. Right now your only audience are the desperate and impoverished of Korvosa and as a rule they don't spend much money on alchemical supplies.
You have enough supplies to make 1,000 gold of product and so your staff can be busy at work. You just need to get them off of the island. The Bank of Abadar will not assist in smuggling.
A party assets page is up. With the work you're now doing on the Dead Warrens there are a few things that may be of interest. A 'stitchery' or a place used to create flesh golems, two necrophidiuses set into a magical trap (skeletal constructs), and the weird tunnel.
TREASURE DISTRIBUTION:
Nobody wants the +4 Barkskin potion? Apologies for doing this after loot claiming, but can I have it? Donnell, did you divide the total haul by 4? If so, it'll be easy to figure out.
As for military items, I think I can get away with +1 mithral chain shirt (1100 + 1000), but I don't know if they'd have anything sized for a halfling, and I doubt they'd have anything else he'd be interested in (Donnell already has a +1 crossbow and isn't really interested in other weapons).
I don't think there's a limit beyond the cost. If it's something that seems unusual, just assume it was something they acquired as forfeiture and haven't found a use for.
- Is there any point in our hanging on to arcane magic items (e.g., wand of magic missile, scroll of teleport, etc) if we can't use them? Donnell is working his way up to a decent UMD, but I'm not sure it's worth having them around (but, then, I'm not familiar with how that aspect works in practical terms).
Your call, but probably best to sell them. UMD is notoriously difficult and prone to particularly unpleasant failures.
(Does a belt of constitution increase your hp? I thought it only increased saves)
Heck yeah, it increases your Hit Points. Every +2 gives you your level worth in Hit Points. Though taking it off removes them.
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Well, here's my thoughts with the assorted rooms of the Dead Warrens:
Ossuary (D1, I assume) - Consult with the Pharasmans on the most respectful course of action. I'm (forcefully) assuming we have no interest in dabbling in necromacy, so having the bones restocked respectfully and getting the area Consecrated is best. (That is, a general blessing, not Consecrate the spell.) Keep this area clean, but don't disturb them. Probably have our front door in the front of the area, to protect it.
Passages outward (D3 and D9) - This was our main reason for stonemasons. Block these tunnels, but with a door installed. Should explore at some point. Perhaps if explorations are fruitful, make these into secret doors for quick escape routes.
Midden heap (D4) - Well, we'll want a garbage dump and lavatory. I don't think any sewer system that runs in Korvosa goes through the cemetery.
Exsanguination chamber (D5? D7?) - I'm assuming we'll convert this into a more general (And less creepy) alchemical lab, especially with all the alchemical stuff we've been finding as loot.
Necrophidius Trap (D6) - If they can be repaired and reprogrammed relatively cheaply, I suppose having some constructs for a guard wouldn't hurt.
Stitchery (D?) - Well, at first I was thinking convert it to more lab space, but I forget that Raven Six is getting into construct building now. While we probably won't be getting into Frankensteinian corpse building, if the materials can be used for general golem creation, could keep it around and refit it.
Storage? (D8) This has Secret Door written all over it. Even in a secret hideout, we'll want a hidden storage room.
Bedrooms (D12 and D13) Have a few more beds put in here. Thod's getting a bit paranoid of the security of Zellara's house, so he'd probably move a good deal of his possessions, especially the various art objects we've been getting as rewards, in here.
I'm going to say that Thod insists that Raven gets D13, as the 'women's bedroom' and the rest of the guys can move beds in D12 for the Men's bedroom. How Raven and everyone else reacts to this I leave up to you.
Aside from labs, other rooms could be made into general living and entertainment quarters, an armoury/training room, private chapel, and a library.
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Now, investment. Thod will put 1,000 GP into remodeling the Dead Warrens. I'm also willing to contribute 500 GP to the continued operation of the Factorium as a reserve fund.
Spiderbeard: For exploring those tunnels leading out of the Dead Warrens, is that worth actual Roleplaying in the main topic? Or can I say Thod and anybody else he can ask to help him out (I'm thinking Sevenspawn, since Raven and Donnell seem quite busy with their own projects) explore them?
Question 2: Do the Harrow points stick around? I recall a vague mention they were a temporary thing.
@Thod: The Barkskin potion is yours.
(btw, I think we will redraw Harrow cards each chapter - so, different points and different effects).
@All: Please readjust your cash totals to: 8246gp, 0sp, 8cp
(or, subtract 112.45). I think we should also follow Thod's lead an invest in some or all of our assets, but I'll leave that up to you.
@Raven: I don't know how long it takes or how many homunculi/constructs you can have at a time, but extra help guarding our various bases would be nice (and they can double as lab assistants!).
I think Donnell's going to be pretty exhausted by the end of this 'down' time. His 'chaotic everything' alignment means he's going to want his fingers in as many pies as possible. As a consequence, I think I'll say that he hasn't had time to craft his own alchemy and poisons.
Dead Warrens
Thod, your assessment of the place seems fine, except for the midden heap - unless there's some pretty good ventilation, that's going to be a problem (and not just because of the smell).
Donnell will invest 500gp toward the remodel, and will contribute time toward lock/trap/secret door construction.
If those side-passages turn out to be important, perhaps we should explore them as a group?
Factorium
I'm guessing that we have two problems here - raw materials in and finished product out. Donnell and Sevenspawn have contacts in the underworld and with smugglers (Cerulean Society, Dead Kings, and Profession (Smuggler)) that they can use to establish a supply chain. Donnell will contribute 500gp to setting up these routes.
Since the Factorium is in Old Korvosa, can we funnel our production through the docks at Eel's End? Once the market in antiplague has dies down, we should see about the manufacture of other high-profit alchemical concoctions. ... We might have to hire someone to run this business for us...
Also, we have a lot of cash right now - we could pay off the Bank for 3k each and be done with it. The Factorium could continue to run without being beholden to them. Actually, Donnell is going to recommend that quite strongly - being in debt really bothers him. Or, is it easier to let the Factorium/Bank situation take care of itself in the background?
Zellara's
While Thod spends most of his time in the Dead Warrens, Donnell has come to view Zellara's as 'home' - in part, because it is close to the docks where he spent most of his life; and partly because there's a library and a lab.
Consequently, he will invest energy and gold into fortifying the house. He will design and build (or commission, depending on time) new locks and traps for the windows and doors; secret trapdoor to basement, with a trapped treasure chest; etc.
Donnell will put 500 gp toward these projects.
Elixir
We found an 'elixir of true healing.' Donnell will attempt to identify it:
(Made some rolls here, just in case. Will Take 20 instead, if that's possible...)
Zellara's
While Thod spends most of his time in the Dead Warrens, Donnell has come to view Zellara's as 'home' - in part, because it is close to the docks where he spent most of his life; and partly because there's a library and a lab.
Consequently, he will invest energy and gold into fortifying the house. He will design and build (or commission, depending on time) new locks and traps for the windows and doors; secret trapdoor to basement, with a trapped treasure chest; etc.
Sevenspawn spends most of his time here as well, though not to an extent as to be away from the group when we should be together. He has set up in the smallest room, where he builds a small shrine to Milani and meditates for guidance each night. Though he is absolutely present to assist everyone in anything required, including Thod in clearing out any tunnels in the Warrens, he's in over his head with alchemy and continues to place his trust in his deity. His focus at night, when he's not sleeping or praying, is to continue to heal the sick to the exhaustion of his magic (though he'll do this quietly, even going so far as to change his appearance through new clothing like the cloak and armour and calling himself Phaedran when required to get to a sick or dying person). He'll do that primarily in The Shingles.
And here I thought I responded. Let's go through this.
Also what you're setting up kind of nicely dovetails with the downtime rules I've never used. I don't think I will explicitly reference them but Ultimate Campaign will be the back end sourcebook for maintenance of your holdings.
Dead Warrens
I've updated the map on the slide to indicate the use for each room. I've taken the liberty of saying the exsanguination chamber can become a medical space since it's setup for that sort of thing.
The 500gp can cover a lot actually and get you the fortified doors and to brick up a secret door to the storage room.
The Shrine to Milani probably makes the most sense in the library space so I'll say it's there.
The tunnels themselves seem to link up to an underground network which has been built beneath the Gray, particularly in the ward you're in. There are entrances to other burial sites, a few ways to get to the surface, and one very ominous tunnel leading down at a sharp angle which Thod is fairly sure connects with the Darklands. You also find an entrnace to the city sewer system through these tunnels.
Zellara's Home
Traps are ludicrously expensive to make and so I'll hand-wave that the 500gp is enoguh to fortify the home and rig up some simple traps like a crossbow that auto-fires a bolt if you yank the door open. you can tell me what they do provided they don't require serious construction.
Harrow Points
Your harrow points reset at the start of every chapter.
here are your Harrow uses this chapter:
Arcane Wrath: A PC with levels in a class that grants
bonus spells based on his Intelligence score can spend a
Harrow Point to increase the power of a spell from that
class’s spell list as he casts it. He increases the DC of that
spell by 2 and gains both a +4 bonus on caster level checks
to overcome spell resistance and a +2 bonus on any attack
rolls for that spell.
Flash of Insight: A PC can spend a Harrow Point to
attempt a check for a skill that requires training and in
which he has no ranks. He gains a one-time +5 insight
bonus on this check.
Intelligence Rerolls: A PC can spend a Harrow Point to
reroll an Intelligence-based check. He must abide by the
new result (although if he has additional Harrow Points
remaining, he can use them to attempt additional rerolls).
Dead Warrens:
I think I can explain Thod's fondness for the hideout as not just paranoia, but also that he's more comfortable underground, and a wooden house out in the open doesn't feel as secure to him. He's still a Dwarf, after all.
Anyways, so that's 1,500 contributed to construction/cleanup efforts. Our main costs are:
== Building walls and doors. Most important is blocking the two tunnels leading out. Next is building a new front door (I looked back to when we first came through here. There's no door.)
== Building a secret door in D7 blocking the tunnel to D8.
== Hiring gong farmers to clean out the midden and the prisoner pits. Pay extra for secrecy. Probably any general cleanup as well.
== Ventilating/upgrading the midden to serve as a proper disposal.
== Furnishing the new rooms. Mostly the library/shrine, and the bedrooms. I will leave the costs of the new clinic to our more medically-minded members.
Other upgrades possible:
== Rebuilding the Necrophidii. I looked it up, and we'd have to rebuild them completely. Spiderbeard may be kind and allow us to use the old bodies to save on material costs, but at the very least it'll cost 1,000 GP for new oils and dusts to re-enchant them, and even then there's probably costs involved in repairing them into an enchantable state.
== Filling in the prisoner pits and making this room into something useful. Actually, that would be an awesome idea. Have new tunnels dug, and use these pits to dispose of the rubble. That'll take a while, though.
== More doors. Notably bedroom doors.
== Expanded furnishings.
I also foresee bribes offerings to the Pharasmian church as thanks for what they've done, and to encourage them to keep quiet about our operation.
Thod would definitely explore some of the other ways out of the complex to have alternate routes in, especially through the sewers.
Factorium:
Thod and Donnell have, combined, contributed 1,000 GP to operations, which can also be used to help set up a smuggling network, or to pay any possible bribes to bypass the quarantine.
Also, we have a lot of cash right now - we could pay off the Bank for 3k each and be done with it.
Thod isn't that interested beyond what he's already contributed.
Elixir of True Healing:
Spiderbeard, Donnell tried to identify this in his previous post. I can't find a 'true' healing elixir in the magic item page.
Harrow Points:
So these new uses replace our previous uses for Harrow? Dang, I don't see Thod getting much use out of these.
Wow, that sounds awesome, Thod. (and, yeah, I figured the dwarf wanted to be underground :) - Donnell's never had a proper home before, so it all feels a bit luxurious to him).
I'm going to wait to hear whether the others are going to contribute to the renos before I do too much (no pressure - Donnell has money that he doesn't otherwise know what to do with). I think any money that's left over from the house and the Factorium can go to fixing up the Dead Warrens, since that's going to be the biggest expense.
Donnell held onto a healing kit, surgery tools, and mortician's tools, all of which he will use to restock the clinic. I'm not sure if Raven would use the space for creating constructs as well, or if she'd prefer a different room (we have many of them). Next level, Donnell will add some skill points to relevant areas as part of his medical studies.
So these new uses replace our previous uses for Harrow? Dang, I don't see Thod getting much use out of these.
Unfortunately, I don't think the Intelligence cards are going to be very useful for any of us - hopefully we draw better in the next chapter.
Yeah the harrow for each chapter is matched to a statistic (harrow decks all match to alignments and stats) and the one for this chapter is intelligence.
And get creative with the harrow stuff. Being able to roll on a skill you are not trained in with a +5 is pretty cool IMHO.
I'm going to hand-wave the costs and basically let you guys set up what you need for the 1,500 which includes some offerings to keep Pharasmans happy. Going through the ultimate campaign costs for buildings are much lower than I assumed they would be. (quiet) labourers to clean up, doors, and furnishing can all be done for that budget.
I forgot you smashed the necrophidii but you have a golem creation workshop and Raven Six. Since you have all the stuff from their original creation, repairing them will be th reanimation costs, 1k for each necrophidius.
I'll get back to you on the smuggling network as it'll be plot relevant.
On the elixir, you opened it in downtime so here's what happens.
Donnell opens it identify it and he is immediately struck by a terrible curse because it's a flask of curses. Sevenspawn fixes the curse the next day with a spell and all is fine. It'd be more fun if you opened it in a panic mid-fight.
Being able to roll on a skill you are not trained in with a +5 is pretty cool IMHO.
Oh absolutely - this skills monkey is trained in everything though :P
Intelligence rerolls might come in handy, however.
Okay! There's a lot of stuff to do. ^^;
I start with 8,246gp.
I've already offered to create one homunculus for Marshall Kroft; in return, she's allowing me to set up a golem lab at the Citadel as a backup. As a bonus, I'm giving hers a voice.
Time: two days. Down 1,550 gp, remaining: 6,696 gp.
Any further homunculi she wants created for the Guard, they'll need to shill out the cash for.
= = = = = = = = = = = =
I want a homunculus for myself, which I'm augmenting to have a voice.
Time: two days. Down 1,550 gp, remaining: 5,146 gp.
I'm happy to pay to assist in the reinforcement of our secret headquarters in the Dead Warrens, and to hep buy off our debt with the Bank of Abadar.
= = = = = = = = = = = =
Rebuilding the necrophidiae, I can do! They'll take a day each to create / repair at 1K a piece, and they'll be flesh and blood, rather than pure bone. (That's alchemical constructs for you!)
I'm happy to make some more homunculi to serve as guards; they'll take two days each, even as bog-standard samples, and will need to stay within a mile of me. Maybe if GM Spiderbeard allows it, I could create variant homunculi capable of maintaining a larger distance to their creator?
Pitch the variant to me. I'm happy to let you play around with the constructs since I know your intentions aren't powergamey.
Also Sevenspawn checking the gear we talked about you've basically spent all available money with some rounding (since you were donating the rest). aka you're broke but nicely geared up.
Your AC should now be 21 (8 from the armour, 3 from the shield).
Also Sevenspawn ... you're broke but nicely geared up.
o_O Dude, what did you buy that cost 8k?!
Speaking of purchases, I'm grabbing some minor alchemical magic items for Donnell (if available):
Key of Lock Jamming
Hybridization Funnel
Formula Alembic
And maybe something along the lines of an endless bandolier.
@Raven: Let me figure out how much money D has left to contribute to defenses, and we can consult with Thod about the best way to spend it (Necrophidii or constructs or renos).
Lol... Sevenspawn gives half of his "winnings" to the Dead Kings to keep them bankrolled.
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Heads-up I have a conference from Wednesday to Sunday. I will post as I can but may be spotty.
Zellara's house
Front door
- Good lock, DC30 (80gp)
- 4 keys (4gp)
- Arrow Trap, Perception/DisDev DC 20, Atk +15 ranged (arrow; 1d8+1/×3) (333.33gp)
- Drow Poison (75gp)
Back door
- Good lock, DC30 (80gp)
- 4 keys (4gp)
- Arrow Trap, Perception/DisDev DC 20, Atk +15 ranged (arrow; 1d8+1/×3) (333.33gp)
- Drow Poison (75gp)
Donnell's bedroom door
- Average lock, DC 25 (13.33gp)
Crafted by D, see roll above; No key
Treasure chest
- Concealed in Donnell's room (60gp)
(Note: I used the 'concealed door' price here)
- Average lock, DC 25 (40 gp)
- 2 keys (one with D, one in Dead Warrens chest) (2gp)
Total cost = 1100gp
I want to do a redraw of the Dead Warrens hideout with our new additions at some point, too.
Raven, what does R-6a sound like? I'm wondering if you had a voice in mind before I commit to hearing her as a squeaky-voiced hamster. Or Raven Six on helium.
I'm thinking... childish and a bit dumb. A bit higher than a medium-sized creature, but not squeaky.
Conference time! Back Saturday - may post when I have a bit but no promises. There's mountains and alcohol to be had.
I've cleared out the Loot Tracker and added the new items. Let me know if you forgot to note anything from before.
To explain the plan more fully and stop posting ooc chat in the main topic:
The official plan (Explained to Ysania) is that three of us will go to get a direct audience with Pilts, and probably play Blood Pig, whatever that is. One of the Dead Kings gang will come with us disguised as Raven Six. While we are not super famous, we do have some notoriety, and one of our members missing may make the more nervous among Pilts' gang suspicious. Donnel is better at stealth, but Raven can make a much bigger bang from outside to make a distraction and cover our escape. At least, that's the cover story.
In reality, while we still head to talk with Pilts, Raven will disguise as Blackjack, though for much the same reason. If negotiations break down or a dramatic interruption is needed, she'll swoop in and showboat so the rest of us can either make an escape or bring the fight to Pilts, depending on how things play out.
At least, that's my thoughts. Any suggestions or other ideas?
I think that sounds fine. Raven should outfit herself in all of Blackjack's gear, including the Amulet of Nondetection, Gloves of Swim/Climb, and the Cloak of Elvenkind. She should also take those extracts that Donnell offered (unless she has her own). There's one Potion of Invisibility left in the party loot that one of us can use if we need to once we are inside.
I want to use Zellara to identify those pigments, in case they are useful.
I'm expecting there not to really be any negotiations, so my biggest worry is being disarmed.
I love this plan. It'll take abit to get it together and push so I can start the week off proper so post tonight.
Back into arbitration. Free on Thursday, I'll pick up then.
Will post my action tonight. Bit complicated by the gnome being on his last legs, it sounds like.
Hey gang, I'm off on a last-minute trip for the next two weeks. I'll have access to the internet, but probably just on my iPad, so posting might be a bit slow.
"Of course Blackjack is here!
I'm pretty sure Pilts completely ignored your questions, being that we were attacking him and his cronies at the time. That answer I figured was in reaction to RavenJack arriving at the scene with pomp and circumstance. It was more of a "Of course! How else is this day going to get worse?"
Unless I'm the one mistaken. Spiderbeard can clarify.
I won't lie, it was a trip to fly in like a combination of Batman and Superman. ^__^ Really glad I stuck with the chakras and got a good roll on the saves…!
Yeah, I see that now - I guess it comes down to his tone, but I think you’re right
While we have an evening of down time, check out the Party Loot to see if there's anything you'd like to grab for the day ahead. We can do a formal divvying when we have more downtime and can sell the loot.
I'm guessing Raven Six will hold on to the BlackJack gear for now? (I assume we'll be giving that back to Vencarlo if we ever find him?)
Donnell wouldn't mind that Cloak of Resistance +2 (he has a +1 cloak, though, so it might be better used by someone else?).
Already got a Cloak of Resistance +2, so no problem there.
Nothing else is really calling to me. At most, I suppose I can take a Potion of Fire Resistance, just in case. I'll also note that anyone could use the Potion of Barkskin. I already have an Amulet of Natural armour, so it won't be quite as effective on me.
I'm also wondering if some of the goods would make a good donation to the Dead Kings. Notably some of the Mantis gear, though there could be a risk carrying Red Mantis possessions. They may get a bit testy over that, and it's probably not a good idea to make an assassin's league testy.
Agreed - though you’re right that it’s a good idea to offer. Perhaps we should take a beat to claim what we want and then Spiderbeard can see if there are any remaining items/cash that the Kings could use.
The kings will basically take whatever you give them in terms of extremely valuable magic items or cash lol