Hell's Rebels Adventure Path (Inactive)

Game Master TreasureFox

I used to play in a game years ago where one of the players was the landlord of the GM. He was a very... unstable fellow who had no qualms about making a fuss so that the GM would rule in his favour. It didn't help that he was playing a rogue who would continually steal from the party. The GM knew what was going on, but he felt powerless to do anything about it. It was a bad time.

That's actually when I began GMing. I got tired of how things were going and decided to try it myself.

That is horrible! Though in the end had a happy ending if it turned you to gamemastering.

I've only played a rpg with my employees once. Someone was about to have their first children (twins) and had never played, so several of us stayed after work with one off characters. It was a blast. But one off characters is much different than a campaign. I understand the potential pot holes though.

One of the highlights was one of the players, who truly is insanely smart, having to try and play average intelligence. His concept of what average intelligence was, scared me, but was funny.

How do you do, fellow dissidents?

I'm really happy you guys chose me to be a part of this adventure - I've had a couple of them, but third time's the charm, right!

I'll give the rest of the game a quick-ish read, just to get a grasp of what's been going on until now.

And thanks again!

I think the hardest to roleplay is super high wisdom. I was playing an old man with 18 wisdom and it was really difficult. I probably made the worst decisions of the whole group.

Welcome Tasha! If you want to give the campaign a read, go right ahead. No worries if it's too long or complicated, I can definitely catch you up to speed. Your character wouldn't know much anyways, so there's that. You'll see that we've been at this for a long time. We move slow, but I'm not going anywhere.

I'll start working on a gameplay post to get you situated.

WELCOME Tasha!

I'm John, who is playing Aster. The pear shaped and rather slow oracle has actually only been a member of the revolution for a few days now. But it has been filled with giant spiders, dwarf eating priests, and a succubus that is better not to be mentioned. In other words it has been Great!

If there is anything that I can do that will help in getting joined in, let me know.

Beware the were-capybara, biter of Thrune ankles!

Welcome aboard Tasha! Good to have you ;)

Hey again, and thanks for the welcome!

Judging by the introductory post, I may've taken a wrong detour somewhere, so I imagine getting started would be involved with some brave rescue attempt!

Other than that, I'll do my best to read through the campaign, but there's a couple of questions:

What's the current state of the city? I know the story basically until Barzillai (or Bazza), issues the punishment for captains. Afterwards, I imagine the Ravens have ravened around, but I don't imagine they're that much into public attention at the moment.

What main events would be known to the general public by now? Anything important that has happened that Tasha would know as a moderately nosy individual?

Indeed, I plan to have the rest of the group rescue you.

You're right, they aren't really in the public eye these days. Word of the Silver Ravens has gotten out, but that was a couple weeks ago. They slaughtered a thieves guild of Tieflings, leaving the bodies spread out near Temple Hill. Those who have heard of the Silver Ravens think that they are a gang fighting for territory now that Barzillai doesn't do much to stop them.

What's more important is the amount of armed troops that Barzillai is using to patrol the city. Not only does he have the Dottari under his command, but the Hellknights of the Rack, the Chelish Citizens Group, and the Cathedral of Asmodeus regularly patrol the streets and stop anyone who looks suspicious. There are even rumours of a murder of imps that patrol the skies at night.

Barzillai hasn't done much himself recently. He seems to be content holing up in his opera house and doesn't mind letting his minions do his bidding.

Due to your writing background I want you to know that you have an ally/rival in Kintargo: The Poison Pen of Kintargo. You don't know who the Poison Pen is, but like you they write papers to educate the citizens about all that is wrong about Thrune. Though you go the satire route, the Poison Pen writes more like a news article, though with a rather elegant vocabulary. They aren't just focused on Kintargo though, they're more than happy to write about the failures of the entire Thrune house. You haven't heard of any new works from them since Barzillai came into power, which makes you wonder if they're still alive.

Hmm what else might you know...
Roughly a week ago there was a fight at the Salix Salt Works. You're not sure what really went down, but the Dottari were quick to cover it up.
Vespam Artisans, which used to be a workshop for freelance alchemists and smiths, has been pressed into making firearms for the Dottari.
The Hellknight Order of the Torrent went missing when Barzillai came into power. A few days ago, Barzillai declared them criminals and gave all their stuff to the Order of the Rack.

And let's answer how you got into this mess in the first place. When you were sitting on the coast you were set upon by a team of humans with weird and varied aquatic features. They were very well organized and worked efficiently in taking you down. You were beaten unconscious and when you woke up, you were in the underwater cell. The thing you remember most is that one of the humans had a giant eye in the center of its head, which glowed red and stared at you like a bullseye lantern.

Thanks, GM! I also read the The Story So Far document, and now it makes a bit more sense. I'll probably tack on another issue of the Crier about the Dottari's latest misadventures, then.

The Poison Pen sounds like someone Tasha would definitely like to investigate, but mostly out of curiosity rather than getting jealous someone's stepping on her terf. After all, they have similar goals.

And lesson learned about drinking on the coast! I'll post an 'in captivity' spoilered post, if that's alright.

Sounds great Tasha. Let me know if you have any questions. I'm happy to help.

Hey Tasha, how goes the campaign reading? Anything I can help clarify?

We'll be finishing this fight up soon and then we'll make a beeline to get to you. If you get bored in the meantime, I could give you control of Tarnagius.

No worries! I decided to hold off on a reaction to a ruckus in front of the door, in order not to disrupt the flow of combat too much. I'll post that when I do my first RP in front of the party.

I'm almost current on the story, the party's just clearing the haunts. I think I love how you break down what happens to the players and think out loud for everyone to see, GM! Keep it up!

I might have a couple of questions in a couple of hours, just posting on my way back home now.

Right! Took me a bit longer than I thought!

So, being current, I've got a couple of points.

- A new Kintargo Crier is definitely coming. Topic: That mysterious group of altruistic vigilantes, the ones that are getting rid of dangerous gangs, helping keep the slums peaceful and not even having the dignity to set up a protection racket going on. Those bastards are taking the jobs from our loyal and competent Chelish Citizen's Group! They don't even take bribes! Bazzle mentioned he's trying to spread word around, and Tasha's an amateur professional word-spreader!

- I imagine, when Pylos left, he took Blosodriette with him? Bit of a shame, since I laughed out loud several time at her appearances, and she looked like an interesting character. Though, it makes a lot of sense storywise.

- I think I'll pass on playing Tarnagius - I've played others' characters in the past, but it still feels a little 'odd' to me, a bit like wearing someone else's shoes. I'm still watching over the gameplay, though, just waiting for the time the script requires my presence!

Thanks Tasha. Congrats on reading the whole story!!

I look forward to reading the next Kintargo Crier you come up with.

My imp-ression was that Pylos was the only one who REALLY wanted Blosodriette, so after the player left I decided to have Blosodriette quietly disappear. No big explanations or ramifications for simplicity's sake. It was a very big blow when those 3 players left. Vendalfek eventually took on the role of "cute party pet", who aligns better with the player's goals. Hasn't seen much use lately, but that's okay, he's pretty much useless in a fight. Great scout however, if you can get him to shut up.

Not a problem, just let me know if you get bored. I'll try my best to get to you ASAP without messing with the story.

You may notice that we're skipping some of the side quests in the adventure. There are some really good ones, but I just don't have the time to run them all. I'm going to try to get 1 or 2 in per book, but that's about it.

And as always, feel free to ask me questions whenever they come up.

No worries! I'll be cracking on with the Crier probably on Saturday, and I think I quite enjoy the slower pace in general - gives me more time to think.

I think I noticed the side quests, but that's okay. For PbP, you really don't want to be spending all that much time chasing down things that won't progress the plot at least a bit - Unless they're an amazing side quest with lots of interesting interactions!

And don't worry, I don't get bored easily! I'm in this for the long haul!

Anyone have an additional ideas other than continuing to whack on it in hopes we finally take it down?

I'd suggest making it easier to hit somehow?

Not being able to flank is a bit of an issue, since Bazzle can't use his sneak attack to inflict some heavy penalties.

I'm not sure how much of a stretch it might be, rules wise, but if Ederion throws his cloak over his head (dirty trick, possibly with Inspiration?), you might be able to get serious bonuses on attacking it (by virtue of it being blinded), and Bazzle would be able to shank it in the... whatever passes for kidneys in a xorn? (That part is kinda homebrew, but I'd say it makes sense?)

Don't forget you can aid another on attacks/CMB. All five wanting to trip something simultaneously can yield a +8, and there's Tarn, too. Natural Armour doesn't apply to CMD.

TL;DR - use the honourable fighting technique of ganging up, throwing sand in its face, then curbstomping it. Taught by only the finest duelists in the Shackles.

Good suggestions! Aster's only chance to hit most times at the moment is with a very high roll, so she'll switch over to dirty tricks or tripping it, if Ed doesn't take it out this round (fingers crossed).

Bazzle had a great idea that didn't pan out. I didn't realize what you were trying to do with it, but it was really cool once I did. Next time if we get stuck I promise to try and think outside the box as well.

Are Xorn's really full of gold liquid or is that a Fox-ism? :)

When you're dealing with beings who are from another dimension, you think a lot about how they came about being the way they are. Well at least I do. I read that Dwarves hate Xorn for tunneling through their territory. I thought it would be funnier if Dwarves hate Xorn for eating all the good minerals before the miners can get to them. Then they go on Xorn hunts for materials and gemstones. Since Xorn now eat minerals and use them to generate energy, I figured they might use them for their biological makeup as well. Gold for its low melting point stood out to me, though it doesn't bond with oxygen well at all. Oh well, it's cool.

Yes dirty fighting is a great tactic. Blinding, Tripping, and keeping it from diving into the wall are all great tricks. I know that it provokes an opportunity attack, but with 1d4+5 damage it isn't a huge risk. Aid another, especially with our homebrew buffs, is exceptionally useful. And finally, running away is perfectly acceptable. You'd miss out on some loot, but you could always come back later if need be. (I suppose you didn't know that it can't leave the room)

Bazzle's idea was great, but glass isn't nearly as yummy as mithral, nor as dangerous as nasty steel maces.

Ederion didn't want to risk anything involving AoOs not so much because of the damage, but since taking a hit to armor or equipment in this case would be too damned expensive.

Running away right after we have just returned... Didn't even consider that one as an option to be honest.

I guess we just weren't adequately equipped to deal with this one.

"Always have a spare weapon" is a very important rule in the book. Even if I absolutely always forget to follow it!

Looking forward to be, uh, fished out.

Dunno if it'll make a difference, but I do have the mending cantrip.

That is great Rexi! Aster's mace would greatly welcome the assist.

I've got the flu, and my wife has the flu, and all the kids have the flu… it sucks. 5 days into it. Might have 5 left.

It will be a pleasure to finally meet you Tasha.

Well, actually Ederion had TWO spare weapons.

He's just not very effective with one of them :P

"Always have a spare weapon" is a very important rule in the book. Even if I absolutely always forget to follow it!

Looking forward to be, uh, fished out.

Literally after our previous fight at another location talked about getting a bludgeoning weapon but forgot.

Mending will work. I'm not a stickler for the lbs/level thing.

Sorry to hear about your flu Aster, hope your family feels better soon.

I will be so happy when we reach Tasha. It will be a major milestone for me.

I've always wanted Paizo to make a pole-axe. Something the length of a halberd that has an axe head, a spear point, and a hammer head. That way you can have a tool vs each damage type. I'm guessing they thought it would be too OP.

Get well soon, Aster! My folks are currently flued up as well, but thankfully that doesn't spread over Skype. Get them tissues ready!

I felt that I wanted to wait until we're introduced, but I thought that being the last released Crier edition might make sense. And it might help with the introduction, there's bound to be some copies left wherever Tasha's gear is stashed.

Without further ado:

That's awesome, Tasha. How long ago do you think this was released to the public?

I also think there's a non-zero number of people who read The Crier and don't notice the satire.

I'd say that might've been released about a week ago? Seems fitting, given the timeline.

I've also seen people complain about The Onion's articles, so it's entirely possible. Some people are born without a sense of humour.

I was about to say that it reminded me of an Onion piece. Good show.

"It has never been easier to pay for your crimes!" that is by far my favorite line! :)

Great piece Tasha! And yes, alas Ederion is indeed fiscally irresponsible... :D

Hey Tasha, any thoughts about the well and/or the room these guys just entered?

Well...

I think that the party may want to check the well first, since, well, there might be someone in there. But no rush!

The combination for moving the statue of the four-eyed man is in the poem, though one wonders whether they need to press the moonstone once or twice, or if that's just the cryptologically-inclined poet needed to get the verse right.

I think the locks are made in that manner to promote some sort of 'honour amongst thieves' - one can't proceed without someone watching their back, I imagine. I also think that maybe help isn't coming for the Gray Spiders.

I hear isolation tanks are great for relaxation Tasha :D

And I'm sure the slimy goo does wonders for your pores!

So this slimy goo does a bunch of things that are more or less OP.
- It transfers oxygen from the water into your lungs, and envelops waste such as carbon dioxide, allowing you to 'breathe' underwater
- It creates a full barrier between your skin and the sea water, which helps you retain your fluids and maintain a reasonable body temperature
- The excess goes into your stomach for digestion, which is little more than fat cells and water, but it should give you some calories and a little hydration
The goo has to be renewed every day or else it will become less and less effective

This technically means that you're going to die of thirst or hypothermia, but it's spread out over a period of weeks rather than days. Yay

Yep, that is probably the only thing better than an isolation tank.

An isolation tank filled with goo!

And I'm sure the slimy goo does wonders for your pores!

So this slimy goo does a bunch of things that are more or less OP.
- It transfers oxygen from the water into your lungs, and envelops waste such as carbon dioxide, allowing you to 'breathe' underwater
- It creates a full barrier between your skin and the sea water, which helps you retain your fluids and maintain a reasonable body temperature
- The excess goes into your stomach for digestion, which is little more than fat cells and water, but it should give you some calories and a little hydration
The goo has to be renewed every day or else it will become less and less effective

This technically means that you're going to die of thirst or hypothermia, but it's spread out over a period of weeks rather than days. Yay

I see, but I have one question:

- Is it good enough for the skin to mention it in my newspaper column? Should we advertise it in an ill-intended money grab?

Don't worry about bee-lining, I'm continuing to stay current!

I mean you could, but I have certain doubts as to how you would harvest this goo for distribution. I think you'd have a better chance with hagfish slime.

I really appreciate your patience and enthusiasm, Tasha. That being said, I do want to get you in the game ASAP.

Oh shoot I promised a map. Right.

Ok map is up!

Hagfish slime, huh. *scribbles notes*.

Also, just noticed my debuff on the map and chortled, hard.

Well played, GM. Looking forward to meeting the party!

The scientific properties of Hagfish slime are incredible. Actually, the scientific properties of Hagfish in general are pretty awesome. I think they're disgustingly cool.

Ederion and Aster, do you remember in RotRL when you had that drinking contest? You know, back like 4 years ago? Yeah Furnok, Azeri, and I think someone else tried to drink from the hagfish tank. So they had a mug with a fair bit of that slime in it. Yumyum no wonder that was like a DC20 fort save at level 1. It's like drinking ogre snot. You're welcome!

I don't think she took part, Cleo is too smart of a halfling. But yeah, ick, super ick, and no thank you. I'd rather eat grits.

Hey guys, I got some travelling over the weekend, post should be up Sunday night!

I'll just be... hanging in there.

Have fun, Tasha. Thanks for the heads up.

Hey Tasha, how was your travelling? Was it a vacation?

It was indeed a vacation, and it was a great one, too. I moved for work a year or so back, and now everyone I know is at least three hours away.

It was a double birthday of me and a friend of mine, so we were up raising the neighbours on Saturday, then nursing hangovers on Sunday. And then trying to drive out of central London, which is how nightmares and serial killers are born.

And don't get yourselves killed over me, yet, I'm enjoying the ninja rat sections.