Hmm's 9-07: Salvation of the Sages: An OutPost Musical (Inactive)

Game Master Hmm

Well now I jus' feel bad.

Aw! What door are you going to pick, Dunia? Doors 1-9 lay before you.

1d9 ⇒ 4
Dunia picks a door at random and tries it.

Araina will move behind Dunia to guard her just in case something horrible jumps out of the door. "This could be fun like a holiday. What gift are you going to get behind the door. Want to make a deal for it?"

Fendel takes up a position at door #3 and prepares to open it.

I will wait until after Dunia opens her door, just in case she needs some support.

"One at a time! Even if there is no real danger, we don't want to be flooded by captured memories. It would be more difficult to unpick anything useful from them. Dunia's door first."

Quenly draws his bow, and follows Dunia. His dragon perches on his shoulder.

DOOR FOUR: THE BOUNTIFUL FEAST

Dressed in neat and well-made robes, you are all part of a large Resan dinner party, along with many other guests. There’s laughter and gossip about who’s going with whom, talk of the taxes, and comments about trade as far away as the Capitol. Ariana discovers that a young woman keeps smiling at her and giving her extra beer. The feast is plain but good, There’s hummus, flat breads, spiced meats of different kinds, olives and even some sliced apricots.

Then fearsome divs emerge from the doors, windows, and thin air and begin tearing apart the feasters, turning the event into a macabre banquet of their own. Ariana witnesses the woman who flirted with her have her head ripped off, and it rolls to Ariana’s feet. You all reach for weapons that aren’t there as chaos ensues, with people stampeding to get out, and divs slashing them down. All around you are screams, horrible munching sounds and the tang of blood. Spying what you think is a clear window, you run for it, but oncoming divs slash at you unless you can escape.

All those behind Door Number Four need to roll me a REFLEX SAVE. Yep, this vision is one of the dangerous ones.

"You're not real. You're not real. You're not real."

Quenly makes for the exit in any case.

Reflex: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (9) + 17 = 26

Quenly's dragon flies for the exit... Does flight make any difference? Quenly and the dragon both fly.

"Eeeep!"

Reflex: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20

It's probably done for. Poor, semi-living, 20% real shadow-thing.

Quenly dives through the window—

...

—and lands with a thud on the sands of town square of Resa, watching the flapping doors open and close. It’s quiet. Not a div in sight.

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

Quenly’s dragon feels div claws slash through his little body, and he’s bleeding, fleeing ahead of the shrieking Divs.

Bamf!

In a puff of incense-laden smoke, a tall Sepid Div appear in the room. He backhands one of the other divs. “Fools! Do you think the Black Moon wants them DEAD?”

Flapping his wings despire the searing pain, the little dragon feels his life start seeping away, his heart thumping as his wounds continue to bleed. Disoriented, he crashes into a wall. As the room spins—

...

—he also lands with a rolling thud on the sands of Resa, wings and tail off-kilter, body whole but weaker, soul feeling like it has rips deep within it.

The dragon receives a negative level.

Reflex: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 8 + 2 = 21

Dunia bulls her way through the crowd, Can't save them, they're not real. We're the only ones in danger!

Reflex: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10

Ariana tries to jump out of the way as yet another head rolls toward her. More heads rolling at me in visions. The Pathfinder Society is rough on your mental health. She isn't very graceful.

Let’s speed this up. If you roll a 24 or better, you save, and you land in the middle of the Resan town square. If you roll less than that, you have visions of being slashed by divs or captured and taken, and then land in the middile of the Resan town square — feeling the hurt of wounds that are not on your physical body, and taking a negative level.

By now it should be obvious that these are recorded visions that you cannot affect. It is to your advantage then to split the doors amongst you, allowing you to gather the information while risking as few party members to each door as you can.

Can each of you post what door you are opening next?

I will stick with #3

Ariana mutters to herself, and heads for door number eight.

DOOR THREE: The Holy Warrior

Fendel finds himself in a woman’s robes. They are dirty and need mending, and your feet and leg muscles ache from having run a long way. Panting, you make it to a road, where you see a traveller coming towards you. Dark-skinned and well-made, he is dressed in gleaming armor, made by the scales of gold dragon, and Fendel immediately recognizes that he’s bearing the crook-and-flail symbol of Osiris, a lawful good Osirian deity of the afterlife and rebirth.

“Please...” you call out. “Please, for the love of all that’s holy, help us.” There is desperation in your voice, and a deep seated shame as well. You hate that you have been reduced to this, begging a stranger by the side of the road. But what can you do?

“Good woman, are you alright?” The stranger asks, gently. He offers you water, and you gulp it greedily. It’s been so long since you’ve drunk anything. “I’m Ermias Dallia. What can I do to help you?’

“I’m Qari, my lord. My village — Resa — has been taken by an evil sorceress! She rounds up the healthy ones, and they return as undead horrors. There’s no stopping her!”

Your hands shake, but he takes them and says, “Have no fear.” To your amazement, your fear drops away as he speaks. “Come into the shade, and we’ll speak of strategy. I will do what I can to help Resa, even if I die trying.”

No dangers here!

The vision ends, and you find yourself back in Resa, more doors before you. Do you take another?

Eadie looks down at her feet, feeling bad that she missed the div ambush that was unleashed on her friends.

She looks up with a determined expression on her face. “I’ll try Door One.”

Taking it all in, the detective's keen mind processes and categorizes the past memories. I wish she took a closer look at the warrior so I could see if the sword we found was his.

Hearing Eadie taking the first door, Fendel steps to the last. "Door Nine then for my next jaunt."

Dunia looks a little unsteady on her feet, but continues on into the second door.

Quenly enters door number 7. The dragon remains behind.

DOOR EIGHT: THE DIV AND THE MEMORY ROOM

Ariana, you realize that your hands are clawed and very large, and that the horns on your head itch. You loom near a very familiar shaitan that’s been bound to a laboratory slab in his own cell — Marouf. The djinn is gaunt, eyes gouged out, and his skin is slick-hot with fever. You’ve been watching his decline for weeks, but the joy you find in watching people in torment is diminished when you’re with Marouf, and you don’t know why. Tell me another story of the Opaline Vault. Or finish one of the ones you told me, you demand.

“I’ve always appreciated your manners, Kabede,” Marouf says, a tone of light amusement present in his now hoarsened voice despite the dire circumstances that he’s in. “But I decline.”

I could keep you alive! you think threateningly, though you what you really wanted to say was that you’d kill him.

But Marouf always understood the compulsive nature of your lies. It’s one of the things you appreciate about him. “I wish you would. Stab me in the heart. End me. Burn me in that cleansing chamber of yours.”

I don’t want you to finish your stories! You frown. I know how they all end, they’re so predictable.

Marouf laughs, and then his laughter turns into a hacking cough that goes on and on. “Ah, my favorite liar. How you flatter me.” His once lovely baritone is as hoarse as a whisper. He coughs again. “I’ve tasted the tang of my own blood. You’ll have to finish them yourself.”

NO! I’ll finish the story for you, you say offering the beginning. In his voice, you sing, ♫ Oh I come from a plane of the great earth domain... ♫ You have the words memorized. You sing the entire song, but the shaitan no longer responds to you. You shake him, but there’s no pulse. You sit there for sometime, knowing that Tahari would want samples cultured while he was still warm. Clenching and unclenching your claws, you unlock the manacles, and carry the body to the Cleansing Room instead.

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

Head hazy with drugs and life sapping magic, you look up to see the Tahari glaring down upon you. “That was the last betrayal, Kabede.” Tahari binds you into the memory device and begins draining your thoughts. As you scream and wither, she begins taking notes in a journal. “Tell me how you feel. Remember, this is for science.”

You feel your own thoughts and vitality draining away before waking up in the Resa mindscape.

Give me a DC 24 Will Save, Ariana, to avoid taking another negative level. I’ll allow your bonus against fear to aid in this roll.

Taking it all in, the detective's keen mind processes and categorizes the past memories. I wish she took a closer look at the warrior so I could see if the sword we found was his.

In Fendel's mind's eye, he remembers clearly that the Paladin was not carrying a khopesh but a flail.

DOOR ONE: THE PIT!

So much water. Eadie thrashes in a dark pit, sputtering, trying to kick up from the bottom so that she can breathe. Her heart is thudding, because the water is getting deeper by the minute. “Let me out! I can’t swim!” you yell in a man’s voice. “Throw me a rope, you bat-fouling louts!’

More water dumps on you, as you witness barrel after barrel splashing down on you. A clinical woman’s voice says, “Record how long he lasts. I need more data on the respiratory system if I’m to perfect my latest project.”

The water closes over your head, and though you thrash with all your might, you can’t hold your breath forever. You panic as water enters your lungs — and find yourself in the middle of the Resan town square, still gasping for air.

DC 24 Fortitude Save to avoid a negative level from this memory.

DOOR NINE: SEPULCHER

Fendel is in a thin linen robe, working the lock to the door to his cell with makeshift tools. There! You wait in the shadows for the woman they call the Black Moon to walk by, then swallow and follow her quietly at a distance. There has to be a way out of here, and the witch has to know it.

You follow Tahari into a room full of sarcophagi, stepping ever so softly. You hide behind one of them as the woman opens a secret passage in the eastern wall to a vast library. Drawn by the light, you creep forward...

Then she turns. “Going somewhere, lab rat?”

The memory ends abruptly, and you find yourself in the town square of Resa.

DOOR TWO: BLISTERING DESERT

Dunia finds herself in the body of a small boy. The heat is searing, and you are following a frail Garundi woman wearing a silver and black pendant. “Thank you for rescuing me, Lady Tahari,” you pipe up, your small feet carrying you over the hot sands. You have memories of the sandstorm that separated you from your caravan. Why, you could have died out here.

“It’s not much farther, child,” she says, beaming as she passes you another canteen of water. “I’m just happy to find you in such good health.” She leads you into a cool, underground structure —

And the memory ends, with you emerging back into Resa.

DOOR SEVEN: PLAGUE LAB

Dressed in thin linen robes, with sores all over his body, Quenly sneaks out of Tahari’s labyrinthine facility. He lingers at the entrance of a plague laboratory, where he sees Tahari whispering to the vials of the diseases she’s culturing as though they were newborn children.

“Ooh, cackle fever, you petulant little imp. You’re progressing so nicely.” She coos to the vial, then picks up the next one. “Ooh, bubonic. Such a wonderful perfomance today. The buboes! The subjects fell like stalks of wheat before a threshing blade. But a third survived. You must do better, you naughty, naughty germ!”

She turns from her work to grab a vial marked “#14” and hold it up admiringly. “Ooh, my prize pupil. How dazzling you are! You and I will —” She breaks off, noticing you, and Quenly turns to flee into darkness —

— and emerges into the middle of the Town Square of Resa.

Doors Five and Six remain. Do you enter them?

Will Save: 1d20 + 9 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 9 + 3 = 18

Ariana's will is crushed by this memory. She comes out of hit sobbing. "This place is horrible just horrible."

She'll stand up and take a deep breath. "This is my heritage. I'll check another door." she walks up to five.

Door #1: Fort DC 24: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (10) + 17 = 27

He/she checks that his/her feet aren’t caught in the bottom somewhere … Laa/No, they are fine.

So why cannot I kick up to the surface? Am I downward swimming instead of up?

The merest shimmer of light reflects off the bronze betrothal band encircling a hairy knuckle on his/her left hand. Just enough to see by!

He/she releases a few precious millilitres of air from his/her nose and watches the bubbles stream upwards at a right angle …

That is the correct direction to adhhab/go! I must have been standing on the side of this Set-damned pit.

Now if I can only get there before my life/air supply is exhausted.

He/she kicks upwards resolutely, but feels him/herself tiring with the surface still many cubits away …

He/she panics as water enters his/her lungs — and she finds herself in the middle of the Resan town square, still gasping for air.

___________________________________________

The detective, further intrigued by secrets held within the chamber goes to the sixth and final door.

DOOR FIVE: GLORIOUS PALACE

Ariana finds herself in light silk robes and dozens of jewels, walking with a number of other courtiers. “I hope she accepts our offer,” the man besides you says.

“How can she not?” you say, leading the delegation forward. “She’s a smart woman, and loves power. Surely she’ll see the advantages of peace with all we have to offer. It’s foolish not to want trade, and comforts. Heads high now. We must present our best.”

You’re ushered into a gilded room of the palace, where you and the other courtiers kneel before a dark-robed Garundi woman. “Gracious Aryana Tahari, the Black Moon who shines darkly over our lands, we come with an entreaty for peace and many, many gifts.” You and the others bring forward jewels, unguents, silks and scents. “Your knowledge of illness could be invaluable as medicine. You could become the most honored advisor of us all, leading us into a golden age. Will you consider it, Lady Tahari?”

“Gold? Jewels? Unguents? How about your first born as slaves and experimental subjects?” She raises and eyebrow and laughs. “No. Come to think of it, I want experimental subjects with more spine. Really, I have no use for any of you at alll.” She waves her hands, summoning a cloud of poisonous gas that causes the courtiers to keel over and cough up blood while the mad woman, protected by a life bubble opens up her notebook to record their deaths.

Throwing your scarf over your mouth, you try to run for safety, out of the cloud...

DC 24 FORTITUDE SAVE TO AVOID THE NEGATIVE LEVEL — Sorry Ariana!

...and find yourself back in Resa, wheezing for air.

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

DOOR SIX: DYING VILLAGE

Fendel finds himself in a woman’s robes, feverish and coughing with the plague. You are dragging dead people our of houses, trying to figure out how you will bury them all.

But then a grand caravan arrives, headed by a well dressed garundi noblewoman in dark robes. “I’m Aryana Tahari, the Black Moon. What appears to be the problem?” She smiles graciously.

“Oh please lady, help us! We are sick! We’re so weak we cannot even bury our own dead.” You point to a pile of plague-stricken corpses awaiting burial.

The Black Moon’s smile widens. “Don’t worry, my dears, I’ll take care of everything.”

“Oh thank you, lady, thank you!”

But your relief turns to horror when Aryana Tahari animates the corpses as zombies and laughs as they march away with her....

...And the vision ends, leaving you in Resa once more.

The Memory Extraction Room is finished! Feel free to leave the Resan Mindscape, recover and decide where you’re going next.

Quenly returns to the extraction room, leaving the Mindscape behind. "Hello? Oh, it's gone again. The gods will not be denied."

Quenly gazes into his Scarab stone.

I wonder...the memory is still with me...

Fort: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17

Ariana lands on the ground coughing and clutching at her throat. She drops to her knees. "Any more doors?" she asks her voice more raspy than usual.

Seeing that all the doors have been opened she's one of the first to leave the memory room. She actually looks happy to see Torch standing there. That place was horrible. That woman did so many terrible things. I can't imagine have her whisper to you."

Dunia emerges from the portal still looking haggard until Quenly restores her with his wand.

Looking sadly at the Memory Retrieval apparatus, Dunia muses, What a waste usin' this only t' keep de horrors of a life like hers.

Fendel follows the others out of the mindscape. He looks back at the machine with an admiring eye, truly impressed at its construction. "Speaking practically, maintaining such records is an excellent way to capture elements that go beyond mere words or notes. A phenomenal tool really." He looks about the room, seeing the condition of some of the others. "Much as we may want to take a rest, the sands on our hourglass are running out. We need to continue our reconnoiter of the facility."

It looks like we have cleared the 'West' part of the map. I vote for heading North (maintaining our turn left approach)

Wow. There is internet in the wilderness now. Does anyone else concur with the northern direction?

North is fine with me.

"Let's head out."

You return once again to the hub, heading north this time to the room marked, Doorway to Oblivion. The dimensions of this room are perfectly square, and every sound and motion feels profoundly distinct yet unreal. A large shrine rests against the wall, draped in a flawless black silk cloth.

Next to the shrine, someone left a large onyx key with a black and silver eclipse adorning the bow.

I also want to see the results of the restoration rolls. So that we know how many charges are left.

History (Heroism, Savior of the Sages, Scholar of the Sages): 1d20 + 13 + 2 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 13 + 2 + 3 + 2 = 40

Dunia's eyes widen in horror and wonder as she lays eyes on the magnificent key.

It's a key to de House of Oblivion, de tower de Lord o' All Divs kept as his home in our world. We make it out o' here alive, we got a hell of an expedition to Thuvia if we want.

Before approaching the key or silk-shrouded-shrine Dunia will scan the area as best she can for untoward energies. Detect Magic/Detect Undead.

I'm not sure what rolls you're referring to for restoration. My understanding is that it just dispels all temporary negative levels on a target.

Restoration doesn't need a die roll. It dispels negative levels automatically. Quenly will use 2 charges from the wand. The dragon will keep the negative level - it's pretty much non-combatant, can only use the breath weapon once per day, and Quenly can make another one if this one dies or is dismissed.

know.history: 1d20 + 25 ⇒ (5) + 25 = 30

Remarkable. We should take this key with us. When we know that it is safe to proceed.

Never mind on the rolls, then. Got confused last night.

The shrine has a moderate necromantic aura and strong auras of conjuration and teleportation. Do you leave it alone, or peek under it the black cloth? The key has no magical auras.

I think this is best left alone. Doorways allow things through. We do not wish to pass to Oblivion. And anything that comes in the other direction is not likely to be friendly.

Quenly's percpeption: is the key safe to pick up?: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (19) + 22 = 41

The key looks safe to you! You pick it up and take it with you, leaving the black cloth on the shrine untouched.

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

Returning to the hub, you travel east this time, and travel cautiously into the room marked, South Archive.

Thousands of bones fill the shelves in the center of this chamber as if they were books. Tiny pictographs cover the surface of each bone. Carved into each bone is a chronicle of that person’s infection and death in ancient osiriani.

After five minutes of searching through the bones, Fendel and Rufeo find a vellum sheet in a bone scroll tube that includes Tahari’s notes on refining crystalline aether. Tahari's notes confirm that sample #14, her beloved plague called Fading Light feeds on magic, but pure magic overwhelms the disease, curing the host.

Fendel believes that with these notes, a sample of the disease, some samples of crystalline aether, and some application of skill (heal, knowledge nature, profession herbalist) he can manufacture doses of the cure in the Plague Laboratory. The only problem: he doesn’t have enough doses of crystalline aether yet to create cures for everyone.

What do you do next?

Craft, Alchemy: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (9) + 21 = 30

"The possibilities of this are staggering. Given enough time, not only can I formulate a cure, I can create a substance that can overwhelm a field of anti-magic. Tahari's skill as an alchemist is truly formidable. We would still need more components to make the cures, specifically the aether."

Assuming the room has been cleared, we should head out the northern exit.

I think this is best left alone. Doorways allow things through. We do not wish to pass to Oblivion.

“Good call. Don’t think I want any of what a Div demigod is selling today, thank-you.”

Events have been moving too quickly for Eadie to keep up. Though she’s not worried –– having complete faith in the abilities of her fellows.

There is another who has been curiously silent since the other Scarab Sages split from the party though.

“You usually have much more to say, GMT.”

Eadie sounds curious, not suspicious. “Have the voices in the Emerald Jewel changed since we split from the others?”

I'm good with Fendel's direction.

Dunia gives an impressed grunt at Fendel's discovery, but can't help but point out, Might help us now, but it won' be much use in makin' more, less you figure out a way to make it wit'out murderin' an plaguin'.

Grand Master Torch shakes his head, trying to clear it, before turning to Eadie. “It’s been worse than ever down here. In every room, I’ve been getting flashes of insight that hit me from time to time. If you ask me questions, I think I could tell you about things that happened here... but I also think I might start losing myself if I do.” He frowns. “I’m a control freak. I like to have plans and counterplans thought out for every possibility, but I’m having trouble concentrating,” he says. “And you fools aren’t helping! Nattering about and bothering your betters! I should have you all—” His eyes widen and he breaks off, abruptly. “I... have a headache, and am irritable. Please. Don’t listen to me.”

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

At Fendel’s suggestion, you keep heading north, reaching a room with the words, Waste Disposal written over the door. The chamber gleams when illuminated, bouncing reflections across the multitude of glass tiles covering the walls and floor. The pool in the center of this chamber is utterly still, and a small, pearlescent object glimmers at the bottom.

Fendel, Quenly and Rufeo smell the strong, almost burning tang of acid in the air as they walk through the room, realizing right away that the pool in the center of all the glass tiles is filled with an acid strong enough to strip flesh from bones. They also notice an alcove hidden behind some of the glass tiles in the Western wall. The alcove holds a canister with enough crystalline aether for four uses in experimentation, a scroll, and two vials of antiplague.

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

What do you do next? The door immediately to the north of you has the words, North Archive over the door.

For all questions, big and small.

Here is a question that I need everyone to answer: do you have a "Bot me" spoiler on your character's profile?

Hello Everyone.

This is GM Hmm. For those of you who have not played with me before, I like to run games at a rapid clip most of the time. That said, sometimes my days get eaten by Venture Officer duties or work (especially on Wednesdays).

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW

1. This is an amazing scenario.

The more we put into it, the more we'll get out of it.

2. This is a long scenario.

It is easily double the length of a normal scenario, so I'll want us to be running at fast pace.

3. This is a hard scenario.

It has dangers. It has rewards for those dangers, but you'll want to be prepared!

THINGS I NEED TO KNOW

If you have played any of these adventures with this character, I would like to see the associated chronicle:

0-14 The Many Fortunes of Grandmaster Torch
2–07: Heresy of Man, Part 2: Where Dark Things Sleep
5–12: Destiny of the Sands, Part 1: A Bitter Bargain
6–04: Beacon Below
9–04: The Unseen Inclusion

In addition, I will have to keep asking additional questions throughout the scenario. Every few days, it will be quiz time. Bear with me!

So, with all that aside, let's get going!

BASIC INFORMATION FORM

Player:
Character:
Pathfinder Society Number:
Faction:
Slow Track or Normal:

This Chronicle #:
Starting XP:
Initial Prestige:
Initial Fame:
Prestige Spent on this Chronicle:
Starting Gold:
Day Job Roll:
Gold Spent on this Chronicle:
Anything else you want me to note on your Chronicle:

Scenarios (from the list above):

I am super-excited to play this scenario! Also a bit scared :o

Quenly has botting instructions - can be a bit complicated because Quenly is a flexible kind of character, but there are instructions.

I like fast running games too. I can normally post a couple of times per day, and I'll let you know if I have anything in the way.

Info:

Player: supervillan (Mike)
Character: Quenly
Pathfinder Society Number: 75577-2
Faction: scarab sages
Slow Track or Normal: normal

This Chronicle #: 30
Starting XP: 30
Initial Prestige: 33
Initial Fame: 57
Prestige Spent on this Chronicle: tbd
Starting Gold: 4332 - but I will be spending a lot of this I expect
Day Job Roll: following a treasure map
Gold Spent on this Chronicle: tbd
Anything else you want me to note on your Chronicle:

Scenarios (from the list above):
Quenly has played the Destiny of the Sands trilogy and Beacon Below. I will see if I can scan the chronicle sheets for you. (I've played Unseen Inclusion with a different character).

Hi GM Hmm! Hi All!

I am looking forward to an EPIC game with all of you!

Hey Rufeo! This is Luisila’s player from GM Michael Cullen’s Soltice Scar A game.

Eadie is a vanilla (non-core) DPR fighter. What you see with her is basically what you get. Her player loves cooperative tactical combat and roleplay.

To business!

THINGS GM Hmm NEEDS TO KNOW

Eadie has played:
0-14 The Many Fortunes of Grandmaster Torch
5–12: Destiny of the Sands, Part 1: A Bitter Bargain

I will have to get the Chronicles scanned, which will take a day or two. May I e-mail them to your Venture-Captain address, please GM Hmm?

• Dot Bot me macros are set up in Eadie's profile.

BASIC INFO

Player: Yours is mined
Character: Eadie Navhelan
Pathfinder Society Number: 69095-3
Faction: Scarab Sages the RISEN (Yay!)
Slow Track or Normal: Normal
This Chronicle #: XXX
Starting XP: 28.5
Initial Prestige: Will update after her current game is finished ;)
Initial Fame: Will update after her current game is finished
Prestige Spent on this Chronicle: 2
Starting Gold: Will update after her current game is finished
Day Job Roll: Take 10 Profession (scrivener): 10 + 6 = 16 (10gp)
Gold Spent on this Chronicle: I need to get back to you on this one too.

I don't have a bot-me in Dunia's profile...

I'd plead complexity, but Quenly's is detailed enough to make that an embarrassing prospect, so I'll see about writing one up :p

BASIC INFORMATION FORM

Player: Cwethan
Character: Dunia Mbani
Pathfinder Society Number: 182453-2
Faction: Scarab Sages
Slow Track or Normal: Normal

This Chronicle #: 20
Starting XP: 24
Initial Prestige: 26
Initial Fame: 41
Prestige Spent on this Chronicle: 0 so far...
Starting Gold: 7198
Day Job Roll: Knowledge (Local) (Information Broker): 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (18) + 11 = 29
Gold Spent on this Chronicle: 0 so far...
Anything else you want me to note on your Chronicle: If we happen to neutralize a threat in an ancient site (for Scarab Sentinel membership)

Scenarios (from the list above): Dunia has played A Bitter Bargain (I'll send you the chronicle)

Regarding party roles etc. Dunia's a bit of a jack of all trades when it comes to skills (as long as those trades aren't social).

In combat she loves to be in the second rank, since she's got 15' of reach (or more), Combat Reflexes, and ignores allies for the purposes of cover. Aside from that she fights like a bad-touch magus (Ghoul Touch, Bestow Curse, that kind of thing), and talks like a constantly annoyed Gambit.

@GM Hmm, when I last checked the Outpost gameplay spreadsheet, we were sitting at 5 players for this game.

Given this scenario’s reputation, is it worthwhile trying to recruit a sixth player from the Runecarved Key group we are currently playing with?

✧✧✧

@Dunia and Quenly, both your PCs look quite powerful, while still being well-suited to team play.

Dunia, I haven’t played with a spiritualist before. Can you cast from PFS arcane scrolls, or do you need a special type of scroll?

The reason I ask is, I am considering buying a scroll of shield to recharge Eadie’s spell-storing ioun stone during the adventure. But Eadie would need to ask someone to do it for her when we have a lull during the game.

If you want to recruit someone from our current game, go ahead.

My email... You can send it to my VC emails if you would like or to hmm@orgplayonline.com.

Hmm

I've got UMD, so I'd be able to make it work with a little time either way, but my recollection is that in PFS the distinction between arcane/divine/psychic scrolls doesn't exist...

Oh, and not to pile on to the prep of a complex scenario, but Dunia radiates a 10' aura that grants her and her allies a +3 sacred bonus to AC and saves against [Earth],[Air],[Fire], &[Water] subtyped creatures. If we ID any monsters that have those types, I'll chime in with the reminder, but that leaves some of the onus on you if we're remiss with our knowledge checks.

BASIC INFORMATION FORM

Player: CariMac
Character: Ariana
Pathfinder Society Number: 110249-3
Faction: Grand Lodge
Slow Track or Normal: Normal

This Chronicle #: 29
Starting XP: 28
Initial Prestige: Update after I finish my current scenario.
Initial Fame: Update after I finish my current scenario.
Prestige Spent on this Chronicle: TBD
Starting Gold: Update after I finish my current scenario.
Day Job Roll: Profession Gladiator: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14
Gold Spent on this Chronicle: TBD
Anything else you want me to note on your Chronicle:

Scenarios (from the list above):
0-14 The Many Fortunes of Grandmaster Torch (I'll have to scan it on Monday)

No I don't have a bot me yet.

I was also wondering if we could get a 6th...

To help the team get familiarised, I've prepared a little summary of Quenly's tricks.

And do we have multiple Sage Candidates in the party? This would give us overlapping 30' auras of "don't die yet" (+ x vs death saves, + x to the negative hp total you die at). I think these may stack with each other too: it's an untyped bonus vs death, and an "effective increase" in CON.

Rufeo does not have any of the scenarios mentioned above, but I will inform you that I have ran this scenario IRL.

BASIC INFORMATION FORM

Player: Zach D.
Character: Rufeo
Pathfinder Society Number: 133462-1
Faction: The Grand Lodge
Slow Track or Normal: Normal

This Chronicle #: 29
Starting XP: 28
Initial Prestige: 40
Initial Fame: 55
Prestige Spent on this Chronicle: n/a
Starting Gold: 9793
Day Job Roll: Hunting Lodge Vanity survival, take 10: 10 + 25 = 35
Gold Spent on this Chronicle: n/a
Anything else you want me to note on your Chronicle: n/a

Scenarios (from the list above): n/a

No bot me scenario's set up, but will work on it. And all my chronicles are scanned if you want to take a look.

Rufeo's companion

Quenly's temporary interpreter ;)

Wow, Ariana’s build is quite similar to Eadie’s!

I’m looking forward to fighting by your side :)

@Quenly, unfortunately Eadie isn’t even a Soul Warden yet – let alone a Sage Candidate.

The advice I’ve received for getting through this scenario is to be prepared. So I think I’ll save my gold from the last game in hope of getting some clues at the briefing, so I can spend it wisely.

No bites on my recruitment post yet. I have messaged another virtual friend, whose gameplay I can vouch for.

Um..I saw an open spot, and was wondering if you actually had room? If so, I am your skills guy.

Player: TriShadow
Character: Fendel, CSI: Absalom
Pathfinder Society Number: 151777-2
Faction: Dark Archive
Slow Track or Normal: Normal

This Chronicle #: 31
Starting XP: 25
Initial Prestige: 40
Initial Fame: 48
Prestige Spent on this Chronicle: TBD
Starting Gold: 9,650
Day Job Roll: Craft, Alchemy (Crafter's Fortune}: 1d20 + 20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 20 + 5 = 45
Gold Spent on this Chronicle: TBD
Anything else you want me to note on your Chronicle:

Scenarios (from the list above):
nil

No I don't have a bot me yet.

Well fancy meeting you outside of the Worldwound, Fendel!

@Quenly, Not a Sage Candidate either I'm afraid.

I am interested, but I'm on my way to work now. I'll fill out the information this afternoon.

Fendel, this group could surely use skills. Welcome as our sixth. I do think that a clever alchemist / investigator will be a great addition to this group.

Kevros, although a paladin would have been a welcome addition, I now have my six players. That said... I know that there are spaces left on both GM Chie’s and GM Irish’s tables of Salvation of the Sages. Irish is a Five Star GM, and Chie is simply amazing. Either would provide you with an excellent experience.

Please, help fill out one of their tables!

Hmm

I actually spent some gold after all:
Lesser talisman of Freedom, Lesser talisman of Life's Breath, and Lesser Triskelion talisman.

Quick questions about purchasing scrolls. If I wanted to buy a spell that is available to rangers as third level spell (CL 5), but it is also a spell belonging to another class (CL 9), do I have to buy it at the more expensive cost? Just wondering as two 3rd level spells on a scroll for 750/2 PP sounds much cheaper more inticing than two 5th level spells for 2,250.

Potions, Scrolls, and Wands

All potions, scrolls, wands, and other consumables are
made by clerics, druids, wizards, or psychics in Pathfinder
Society Roleplaying Guild play. The only exceptions are
spells that are not on the cleric, druid, wizard or psychic
spell lists. For example, a scroll of lesser restoration must be
purchased as a 2nd-level scroll created by a cleric and can’t
be purchased as a 1st-level scroll created by a paladin.
Use the following rules for purchasing potions, scrolls,
and wands.
• If a spell appears at different levels on two different
lists, use the lower level spell to determine cost (for
example, poison would be priced as a 3rd-level druid
spell instead of a 4th-level cleric spell).
• All potions, scrolls, and wands are available only at the
minimum caster level unless found at a higher caster
level on a Chronicle sheet.
• For the sake of simplicity, there is no difference
between an arcane, divine, or psychic scroll or wand.
Thus a bard and cleric may both use the same scroll of
cure moderate wounds.
• Finally, scrolls of spells of 7th level or higher are
not permitted for characters below 12th level unless
you gain access to them on a Chronicle sheet that
specifically lists them.

(Bolding is mine).

Covers Eadie's question about scrolls too.

So you can get the "cheaper" version only if the spell isn't on the wizard, cleric, druid or psychic spell list.

Great! Thanks for tracking that down. Okay then, I am going to pick up two scrolls and a wand with 6 PP:

Wand of Longstrider {CL 1 druid}

Scroll 1
Deja Vu {CL 1 wizard} (x2) No Save! Gotta love it!
Life Bubble {CL 7 cleric}

Scroll 2
Divine Favor {CL 1 cleric} (x2)
Life Bubble {CL 7 cleric}

Played with a wizard who had Life Bubble and it save his bacon twice. I consider myself an "Answer Guy", so I really like being prepared. Going on a boat/Plane of Water, and worried about drowning, no problem. Going to space (ala a certain multi-table event) and there's no air, no problem. Going out into the elements and worried about the sniffles or heatstroke, no problem. I am going to like having this spell in my back pocket!

New line totals:
25 XP / 48 Fame / 34 PP / 2,661 GP

I think all spells on a single scroll have to be the same spell, ie multiple copies, but I can't track down the source for that ruling just now. Maybe our GM can clarify. If I'm right you're only out of pocket an extra 100gp for the level 1 spells.

I agree about life bubble. I think Rufeo has it prepared as a default, but scrolls never hurt.

Edit: found the source, it's the FAQ. linky

Okay, so no Deja Vu or Divine Favor. Still not to shabby.

Wow! Déjà vu is a pretty good spell for level 1.

I agree that life bubble is a good spell. Counters the ever-popular cloudkill.

Thoughts on these items are welcome!

You could still get those level 1 scrolls, at 25gp per casting Fendel.

I'm going to wait for the mission briefing before spending more of my gold. However, I'll say now that based on past experience with the Jeweled Sages I'm anticipating constructs, undead (including incorporeals) and/or outsiders (especially inevitables).

Nice list Eadie.

For Deeper Darkness, Quenly has See in Darkness and his dragon will have blindsense and See in Darkness, as well as telepathy to direct people. In addition I have a scroll of Daylight. I'm happy to cast continual flame if scrolls are provided.

I have Freedom of Movement and will normally cast this on myself. I can cast it on you guys if you get stuck, but it's helpful for you to have your own solutions too of course.

My favourite solution for incorporeals is Incense of Corporeality. Expensive, but neutralises the threat better than anti-incorporeal shell in my opinion.

Elixir of spirit sight is brilliant, but in a source I don't own.

Heart of the Metal is good. So is golembane scarab.

I have Breath of Life, but we can never have too much BoL and I only have 4 level 5 spell slots.

There's only one solution to elemental DR that I know (other than hit harder) and that's the Amulet of Elemental Strife.

I have Blessing of Fervour, which is a divine equivalent to Haste with additional options.

Swarms could be an issue. Scrolls of divine blast spells, swarmbane clasp, Rufeo going elemental wildshape and whirlwind-ing are all possible solutions.

Items on my potential buy list:

• wand of break enchantment, cl10, 5 charges, 3000gp. On a chronicle sheet. This spell doesn't always work but it can be a lifesaver.
• wand of lesser restoration, 10 charges, 900gp. Chronicle sheet. Quenly doesn't know this spell.
• scrolls of communal align weapon.
• scrolls of beacon of luck.
• And the aforementioned incense.
• And a handful of mundane items: puzzle book, antiplague, antitoxin, etc.

Lastly, for now, it's important that we keep a supply of diamond dust to fuel my Restoration spell. 100gp a pop, 1000gp if we need to remove permanent negative levels.

I'm happy to serve as a backup Breath of Life! Aside from that I'm likewise going to do some quick shopping post-briefing.

For incorporeal, I have:

30 arrows with Holy Weapon Balm

30 arrows with Weapon Blanch ~ Ghost Salt (very bottom of the page)

As for casters, I have carried (but never yet tried) these:

Three flasks of Ghast Retch Flasks

Re: Incorporeal, my weapon is Ghost Touch, so that should help some.

Any special request from the druid spell list?

If I have the available slots, I will go ahead plug them in?

That said, I always prep life bubble at least once and can prep it a second if every wants it.

Some druid spells I like that might be useful:

communal delay poison - effectively immunity to poison for the whole party for a couple of hours. Quenly carries a scroll of this.

communal resist energy

stone shape

air walk (and communal version)

echolocation

death ward - useful as a scroll (level 4 cleric spell)

fickle winds - short term immunity to many ranged attacks and gases for whole party, doesn't last as long as life bubble but stops arrows and the like

stoneskin

transmute rock to mud

wall of thorns

Life Bubble is very good, but I would hope that one of your prepared slots and two scrolls from Fendel will suffice :)

(Not saying prepare all of these, just some suggestions. Can't recall if any of these are on your default load-out).

I have weapon Blanch ghost salt arrows, but I don't have anything that makes my melee weapon ghost touch.

I'm pretty flush with gold, so I may look into a new sword. It will go with the 3 others Ariana carries.

I was already planning on snagging a scroll of Death Ward if the briefing sounded Undead friendly, and I'm happy to be an additional scroll caddy if we want.

"have you made all your purchases yet?"

I think we're all hoping that this is a scenario where there is an opportunity to make purchases after the mission briefing, but before arriving at our actual destination. If we're off to Merab initially, is there time to make purchases there after hearing what the venture captain has to say?

Merab is large enough that you may be able to make some magical purchases quickly while there, if you choose to do so.

Based on past experience with the Jeweled Sages I'm anticipating constructs, undead (including incorporeals) and/or outsiders (especially inevitables).

I think those are all pretty good bets. Good point about inevitables – I’ll get an oil of align weapon (300gp)

@Quenly, are you still planning to buy incense of corporeality? If so, I will swap out the scroll of anti-incorporeal shell for something else.

How are you fixed for diamond dust? I could rearrange something to afford a couple hundred gp worth for you.

@Ariana, do you have an adamantine weapon? If not, I will rearrange my purchases to buy an oil of heart of the adamantine weapon (850gp) for you to carry.

@Dunia, thank-you for offering to be scroll caddy! I have a scroll case containing four for you.

I am still a little concerned about swarms. I can’t afford a swarmbane scarab (3000gp). @Rufeo, any good druid AoE spells?

This is Eadie’s potential list of purchases:

• four leaf clover 3750gp
• alchemical grease 5gp
• oil of bless weapon 50gp
• soothe syrup 25gp
• potion of enlarge person (2) 100gp
• potion of CLW 50gp
• scroll of shield (4) 100gp
• lesser talisman of freedom 900gp
• scroll of anti-incorporeal shell 700gp
• oil of align weapon 300gp
• feather token (swan boat) 450gp
• scroll of breath of life (1125gp)
• scroll of freedom of movement 2PP

@GM Hmm, if any of the above items are unavailable in Merab, Eadie will purchase them before we leave Absalom.

My real dilemma is whether or not to get the wand of break enchantment. It's 3000gp. If I take that, then I'm left with 1300gp. Not enough for incense of incorporeality. I'd probably add the 900gp wand of lesser restoration, buy a couple of mundane items (masterwork perception tool and puzzle book) and keep 200gp for restoration diamond dust.

If I don't take the wand of break enchantment, the 3k will cover the incense and a few other bits and pieces, plus a larger supply of diamond dust.

If you guys bring some diamond dust too then I can allocate more of my budget to other items. I think you can spend diamond dust as though it's gold too?

I'll also spend 2PP on scrolls - if everyone is covered for align weapon already I'll go for 2 castings of Beacon of Luck.

Might want to vary plans after mission briefing.

Eadie, what's the thinking behind the swan boat feather token?

Eadie, Merab is the birthplace of the Alchemist — you know, the dude who manufactures six vials of Sun Orchid Elixir (the immortality beverage) a year? They will have all the alchemical stuff. All of the items that you listed can easily be picked up in Merab’s sprawling marketplace.

I'm covered for align weapon, and I'm happy to convert some cash into diamond dust to free up your budget.

Eadie, what's the thinking behind the swan boat feather token?

LOL! How did I know you might ask me that, Quenly? :)

It’s for Sekrit Eadie Reasons™ … but I do want it along.

@Quenly, If you have your heart set on the wand of break enchantment instead of incense of corporeality, the scroll of anti-incorporeal shell + ghost salt arrows from Ariana & Fendel and Eadie swinging her falchion for half damage should be OK.

@Dunia, are you OK to cover the diamond dust? I really don’t want to have to give up the four-leaf clover.

Eadie failing a Will save vs mind controlling effects wouldn’t be pretty.

Yep - please have the fighter be mind control proof!

@Eadie: I don't yet. I do have the gold for an adamantine weapon.

Group suggestions on any special abilities on the weapon such as fire, ghost bane etc? My silver sword has frost on it.

I never know what things I should buy before a mission. This discussion has been very helpful.

Re: mind control, Quenly has Protection from Evil and Unbreakable Heart spells. Of course, these take actions to use so not failing the initial saving throw is still best :)

I'm not exactly set on the wand of break enchantment. It is a very useful spell to have in the armoury, but it's an awful lot of my remaining gold. I'll decide when we complete our shopping in Merab.

Ariana, I'd be tempted to go for a +3 adamantine weapon. That way you have one weapon that would overcome cold iron, silver and adamantine DR. Expensive though. Otherwise, ghost touch can be invaluable and bane is good if we guess right!

By the way, is my using this alias working OK for the telepathic communication? It's not confusing is it?

By the way, is my using this alias working OK for the telepathic communication? It's not confusing is it?

Not for Eadie’s player.

Eadie will be Eadie though ;)

♞♞♞

And hooray for unbreakable heart!

I have a cleric 11 who keeps two of those prepared on all her loadouts. Such a good spell.

I had a PbP GM I greatly respect grumble about that spell being overpowered. I believe James Jacobs designed it, whose favorite classes are clerics and bards.

Paging Fendel!!! Are you still with us, Fendel? There are posts in gameplay!

Hmm

@GM Hmm, I have a question about GM Reporting for Outpost 1.

The reporting link I received in the latest Outpost GM email (III) was https://pbpgameday.com/reporting.php

This took me to the following website:

PFS PbP Gameday 6 - GM Session Reporting
Event ID: 152539
Event Name: PbP Gameday VI

Is this what you want us to use for Outpost?

Yes! Jesse has promised to have it updated in the next week or so.

Hmm

Alright: Ariana is purchasing a +3 Adamantine Bastard Sword 21,035 GP.

I'm going all-out on the Knowledge:History checks in the briefing partly because it's Quenly's one knowledge specialism, and partly because each time I use Knowledge:History it allows another potential subject for Legend Lore using the Scholar's Ring.

I expect to be greatly surpassed by Fendel when it comes to knowledge checks later in the adventure!