Gamemaster Kobolum's - Reign of Winter (Inactive)

Game Master Kobolum

As it turns out, there's a lot of key arcane spells that Magi get that Witches do not; Haste, for example, is not on the Witch spell list; neither is Floating Disc, Invisibility, Feather Fall, Silent Image, Bull's Strength and the other enhancement spells. So once I have some more spell slots to spare, I'll be preparing or at least keeping some open for those utility and buff spells.

So I have a question, lorewise--we as players know that Baba Yaga is an actual entity, and the Jadwiga are her descendants. Do the characters necessarily know this? If Faethara said, "Baba Yaga is just a myth, a story they tell to scare small children," would she come across as cynical or just stupid? Similarly if she discounted the idea of the Winter Witches, if we consider them in-lore as being the daughters of Baba Yaga rather than the archetype or the prestige class?

I think that Baba Yaga is just an outright fact on Golarion. Since she personally led an army of fey and trolls to conquer a large chunk of the Land of the Linnorm Kings and all. I don't think that many people know much about her because she leaves for a century at a time and only comes back to handle a few things in Irrisen before heading back to whatever she was doing, but she's definitely real.

I would say that it would partially depend on where you came from, origins wise. The closer to Irrisen, the more likely you know more about her. Someone from Geb, for example, might only know that she was the original leader of the winter witches that caused Irrisen to become the way it is now (if that) but might assume she has long since died. Also I would wager it would take some knowledge of history or lore to know much about her involvement in her century to century appearances (and even if they have heard about them, they might think it to be bards being poetical or some such).

So in answer to your question, I would think anyone from the Inner Sea region would know that she existed at one point, but they might think her more modern appearances to be poetic myth told to scare children etc.

Hendra is rather spot on with that. Everyone in Irrisen is well aware that Baba Yaga is real. Since she comes around every 100 years to take her daughter and first ring of grandchildren away from Golarion. So those in Irrisen and the immediate places around it do know that Baba Yaga is real. I know the Realm of the Mammoth Lords knows she's real as they have had an... off again on again alliance. Right now people are worried if that alliance will break down because of Queen Elvanna. But if the line and person you're making am alliance with last for 100 years then is suddenly changed for the next 100 years, well it is kinda hard to miss.

But the further you get from that all they may know is that all of the ruling class of Irrisen is descends of the Witch Queen. Oh and to those who would make a knowledge history check, there have been 14 Queens of Irrisen counting Elvanna but only 13 royal and noble family names. Because each family takes a surname of the name of the Queen they came from.

The closer you are to the bottom the more power you have. Oh and there are no more with the name Jadwige. Morgannan saw to that when they murder her daughter.

I see you've done your research. I'll drop that idea, then, and maybe do some of my own reading into the campaign setting...

I see you've done your research. I'll drop that idea, then, and maybe do some of my own reading into the campaign setting...

I... may or may not own everything that tells you anything about Irrisen...

I would say that it would partially depend on where you came from, origins wise. The closer to Irrisen, the more likely you know more about her. Someone from Geb, for example, might only know that she was the original leader of the winter witches that caused Irrisen to become the way it is now (if that) but might assume she has long since died. Also I would wager it would take some knowledge of history or lore to know much about her involvement in her century to century appearances (and even if they have heard about them, they might think it to be bards being poetical or some such).

So in answer to your question, I would think anyone from the Inner Sea region would know that she existed at one point, but they might think her more modern appearances to be poetic myth told to scare children etc.

THIS.

Of course your own character can choose to disbelieve her as a reality if you so choose. No matter what you know of Lore as a player, characters should display no more knowledge IC than Fryja discusses in the post after Hendra.

Updates now!

So, I'm going to assume that, being a Witch Hunter and all that, her Mistress has at least told her about the existence of 'very powerful witches in the north'.

Just because I'm going to miss a Winter Witch of the West :P

So, I'm going to assume that, being a Witch Hunter and all that, her Mistress has at least told her about the existence of 'very powerful witches in the north'.

Just because I'm going to miss a Winter Witch of the West :P

I set up a challenge for you IC if you want to get specific as to what you know :-)

Excellent RP folks!

Yup, superbly nice. Sorry about missing the red hot part of it, you folks do everything while I'm sleeping... :P

Heh, I am enjoying it as well. I do like the fact that a dying man comes in and my character and Grievious' reactions are almost the same: Meh to the wounded man, take note of spellcasting from Grey.

Heh, I am enjoying it as well. I do like the fact that a dying man comes in and my character and Grievious' reactions are almost the same: Meh to the wounded man, take note of spellcasting from Grey.

Same reaction but for vastly different reasons..

This is true, though that just makes it more funny if you ask me... especially given the tavern locals probably assume that isn't the case... (unfeeling monsters all being alike and all...)

FYI, I will NOT be updating this thread again until Tuesday or Wednesday as I need to kick off a new campaign tomorrow night.

Yeah, vampires! Vampires and witches... are you sure you don't want to run a werewolves one and leave it all till Halloween? :P

On the reactions, I wanted to give more importance to Lanyssa's excess of incoming information, which is clearly bursting her brains, than the fact of someone casting a spell. Plus, (though I didn't think about it before), I think that's okay, since it's the very first time she acts on her own. A rooky mistake.

Yeah, vampires! Vampires and witches... are you sure you don't want to run a werewolves one and leave it all till Halloween? :P

On the reactions, I wanted to give more importance to Lanyssa's excess of incoming information, which is clearly bursting her brains, than the fact of someone casting a spell. Plus, (though I didn't think about it before), I think that's okay, since it's the very first time she acts on her own. A rooky mistake.

I already run two werewolf games ;-)

Lol

Heh, all we need now is a Zombie.

Yeah, the whole point For grievous was that she is out more for herself... LE of you will, although not as evil as she'll let on.

Good thing ZV took eight characters, who knows if we will all survive until the initial "warm up" fight. ;)

A zombie game eh? Never really thought about running one before. Perhaps one day!

Oh, Hendra isn't likely to start swinging at anyone... well, with her scythe anyway. She has ruled the twins out as being the source, and her mandate prevents her from waging war on the rest of the folks barring self defense. Lawful Neutral and all... hard to break her contract. Which is not to say that she cares about what happens to anyone specifically yet.

If ever.... ;)

Isn't it still early in the day? Last I knew I was making breakfast next t long ago.

Isn't it still early in the day? Last I knew I was making breakfast next t long ago.

It's a bit before lunch now. So while not too late, after a walk to the forest (which will take a bit of time) it will be the afternoon and that's if the group leaves right now.

All of you are so trusting of the (perceived) psychotic drow with the scythe... leaving town while she meets with the entire town council, armed... he... hehehehe..... hehehehehaHAHAHAHAHA!!!! ;)

Happy Easter all.

Updates tomorrow night, I need to be up early in the morning.

Updates tomorrow too tired to put together a quality DM post ATM...

Getting too late tonight to update and I have Table Top tomorrow night, updates Saturday.

Shit, you run like 8 or 10 PbPs here and still have time for social life! You're my hero! :P

S!~&, you run like 8 or 10 PbPs here and still have time for social life! You're my hero! :P

Heh, I counted today, I run 22 here... I am starting up two more next week and I will be running the Ruins of Azlant in August when that comes out.

Well, you're the other person that considers me a hero so I'll take it, thanks! :-)

Edit: I am not sure how I function come to think about it, I have about 35 active Tax Controversy cases at work (not including all the other crap I do over there), handle 75% of the chores at home, have a kid and two dogs, run table top, get to the gym three to five days a week, and do dinner once a week with my friends or the wife. Shit maybe there's two of me and I don't know it...

Lanyssa wrote:

S!~&, you run like 8 or 10 PbPs here and still have time for social life! You're my hero! :P

Heh, I counted today, I run 22 here... I am starting up two more next week and I will be running the Ruins of Azlant in August when that comes out.

Well, you're the other person that considers me a hero so I'll take it, thanks! :-)

Edit: I am not sure how I function come to think about it, I have about 35 active Tax Controversy cases at work (not including all the other crap I do over there), handle 75% of the chores at home, have a kid and two dogs, run table top, get to the gym three to five days a week, and do dinner once a week with my friends or the wife. S*@& maybe there's two of me and I don't know it...

My bet is you get an hour or two of sleep a month on that kind of schedule... ;)

In all seriousness, this has been fun so far... no worries about needing things like sleep or whatnot.

Question:

Would waving torches in it's face give me a situational bonus to try to intimidate the thing into leaving?

Question:

Would waving torches in it's face give me a situational bonus to try to intimidate the thing into leaving?

Yes, I'd give you a +3 to that roll for such a tactic.

I just noticed I forgot to write down Frjya's hex! XD

Appreciate the healing... not sure if the troll gets an AoO on you for rushing to me though (or if that would negate your ability to cast it). If it doesn't or it misses I should go from -5 to 3 HP, no stability check required (unless I am mistaken, again oversight from Shadow would be appreciated). That said, I don't think that I would get an action beyond getting back up on my feet in round two. Will post an updated round two action after resolution.

Appreciate the healing... not sure if the troll gets an AoO on you for rushing to me though (or if that would negate your ability to cast it). If it doesn't or it misses I should go from -5 to 3 HP, no stability check required (unless I am mistaken, again oversight from Shadow would be appreciated). That said, I don't think that I would get an action beyond getting back up on my feet in round two. Will post an updated round two action after resolution.

The Troll is focused on Fteyr so that heal can take place. Move action to stand and standard to attack, not sure if standing provokes I'd have to look at that after the gym..

If I remember correctly, standing does provoke, though it can be avoided with an Acrobatics check, just like moving through threatened area. Though the troll is also now shaken due to the torch, so that should make it a little easier to deal with this if my plan doesn't do much.

Melee attacks can be made from the ground if I remember correctly.

Standing up from prone does provoke attacks of opportunity, but you can't avoid doing so with an Acrobatics check. Avoiding an AoO from standing from prone requires either the Acrobatics Skill Unlock at 15 ranks, the Unchained Rogue Talent "Stand Up," or the Swashbuckler Deed "Kip-Up." And checking it, you *can* make a melee attack from the ground, but it's at a -4 penalty.

Thanks guys! :-)

All of that ^^^ as far as Prone to up or attacking from the ground!

Update tomorrow.

Well well... Fire is fun!

Let's go set some more stuff on fire!!!

I would have helped much more with the troll

Heh, between your fire and my scythe, yes. Though to be fair, I think we have been making a good accounting of ourselves.

As long as we can disable it before it kills anyone, we can just smack it with the torch and it will die permanently. So far Hendra has been doing an excellent job of that, so I'm hopeful that this will work.

Now that I think about it, my conduit surge definitely helps with the type of Character I'm going for. All dice based spells. Lots of damage. Save for the occasional Charm or Curse.

Heh, what can I say... that scythe isn't just for show. ;)

Two things, one, I feel totally justified in picking up those acid flasks now, that's kinda nice for a real quick finishing off baddies on death's door. Two, holy conduit surge, batman, that's a pretty cool ability. 4d4 damage at level one is nothing to sneeze at.

Unfortunately as time goes on it's usefulness turns to extended spells and Staggering. I was lucky I wasn't staggered for 3 whole minutes.

Putting aside the fact that apparently Moss Trolls aren't vulnerable to acid, as I've just learned, but Faethara doesn't necessarily know that. Good thing Acid Splash is just a cantrip.

So I will be on the road this weekend starting today. My sister-in-law is graduating from college and my wife and I are attending. The motel has wifi, but I probably won't be in it much... so expect lower than average posting from me until Monday.