I've updated my profile with the new gear, is that okay?
Malaswyn's objectives
Major: Strengthen and develop the worship of Sarenrae in Frieland
Minor: Get to know the place and the people
Minor: Get to know Kalsgrim, Kriger and Servayn as they are out of 'the field'
@Set: Can you rebuild Ember any way you want, every time you call him? I was just checking out the Summoner on herolabs; man you can build those suckers all kinds of ways.
So that's why I was wondering if you can remake him every time, or if you have to stick with what you've chosen, and are unable to change your choices. I think I've asked this question before but I can't remember.
@Geraint: Thanks for the heads up on that! Nice work. Digging for something like that had to be a chore.
@MoB: Hope everything goes well for your wife, bud.
I still have a +1 Greataxe. Can I sell that for a 1000g? And Dovan's bow for 150g?
Half price for selling.
@Set: Can you rebuild Ember any way you want, every time you call him? I was just checking out the Summoner on herolabs; man you can build those suckers all kinds of ways.
Every level I can totally rebuild him, but have to stick to the base choice of quadruped (the base forms include quadruped (the only one that can have pounce), humanoid and serpentine). I've also tried to stick to stuff that seems at least vaguely 'red dragon-ish,' but some of the options are better than others (energy attacks is less red dragon-ish than breath weapon, for instance, but breath weapon kind of sucks).
DPS Summoner guides suggest a humanoid with six or more arms equipped with swords, but I went quadruped for theme (the whole Restov / Red Dragon / Rorgavia angle).
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As for stuff to do in downtime, I guess it's time to look back in on the Sootscales. The best bet would be to find settlers who would be more open-minded than most about working with them, and arrange some sort of mutually beneficial trade arrangements between them, so that both the human settlers involved and the Sootscales themselves benefit from these trade deals (which might be easier for the Sootscales, since they are sitting on a mine or two...).
If Oleg & Svetlana can be among those who benefit from this sort of mutualism, so much the better (but only if they are comfortable with the idea, I'd rather select for people willing to give the kobolds a chance, before cluing them in that the little blighters are sitting on a gold mine and encouraging the more greed-oriented folk to pretend to be open-minded for cash!).
The local church of Erastil, and now Sarenrae, would be almost necessary to get in on this, as the younger generation of kobolds could be encouraged to work at these temples (or on the farms or in the businesses of devout followers of these faiths), to help get those faiths 'a foot in the door' of the kobold community. There's little chance short of magical re-programing that this generation of kobolds are going to be 'converted to good' or anything, but by concentrating on kobold friendly concepts like 'the good of the tribe outweighs the good of the individual' or 'hard work equals success' or a focus on crafts and domesticating stuff, it should be possible to bend them away from evil, to a more lawful neutral stance, and take a longer road towards making later generations more comfortable neighbors for a good community, by working on the 'community' first (which ties in with their own natures) and the 'good' second (which will be the harder sell).
'Agriculture' can start small, with chickens and goats, able to eat almost anything and relatively easy to maintain and more of an 'immediate gratification' sort of animal, in that they produce eggs or milk throughout their lives, encouraging the occasionally short-sighted kobolds to keep them alive for a time and not just kill and eat them immediately. (Rewarding longer-thinking delayed-gratification practices.) Goat hair being usable for wool, leather for sturdier clothing, chicken feathers for softer goods (pillow stuffings or arrow fletching), etc. can also help the kobolds see more value from their farming (and, even if kobolds have no use for pillows or boots or whatever, they can still learn to produce them, or the raw materials to make them, and then sell / barter them to the human families they work with, in exchange for other stuff).
The day Servayn will know he's succeeded is the day some curmudgeonly shopkeeper or moneylender hires a kobold 'security specialist' to design a trap to guard his coin or something.
Skills I could see being useful would be;
Knowledge-religion (to find tenets of Erastili and Sarenraen faith that would most appeal to the little dudes, and to carefully skirt the ones that would most turn them away from giving these faiths a shot)
Profession-farmer or -merchant (to find 'crops' (like mushrooms?) or livestock (like chickens) or hunting options (like fishing) that best suit the kobolds, and trade arrangements that will best benefit both the humans who are most willing to deal with them, and the kobolds themselves)
Sense Motive (to figure out which humans/kobolds would be most open to mutually beneficial arrangements with the kobolds/humans, and weed out opportunists who would just say they are and then try to take advantage)
Diplomacy (to convince them to work together, and resolve / defuse the inevitable disputes and disagreements and accusations of theft and cheating and, hopefully not!, torch-wielding mobs...)
Diplomacy would be Servayn's strongest suit, so it would be best for him to use that Diplomacy to convince *others* who have the other needed skills (such as members of the respective clergies, or actual farmers and merchants) to also participate through force of personality and reasoned arguments (getting them on board *before* noting that, 'Oh, did I mention that they are sitting on a gold mine that they can work much more effectively than we can and that you stand to become rich by working with the little guys and being patient with their quirks?').
Ideally, the arrangements forged should remain mostly self-sustaining, with all parties benefitting from them, but I imagine that Servayn will start out having to smooth-talk over many disputes and 'misunderstandings' (some from humans, more, likely, from opportunistic kobolds who haven't yet 'gotten it') at the beginning, and, with luck, less so over time as it settles into a sustainable rhythm.
Man, you should make him Large. THAT would be cool. 'Course, that's super costly. But it would be cool! :)
@DW: Yep, that's the half price cost. Cool.
Anyone want a Ring of Sustenance?
Would a cloak of resistance and an ability that states: "+3 resistance bonus to saves vs. Poison" stack?
@Set: Can you rebuild Ember any way you want, every time you call him? I was just checking out the Summoner on herolabs; man you can build those suckers all kinds of ways.Every level I can totally rebuild him, but have to stick to the base choice of quadruped (the base forms include quadruped (the only one that can have pounce), humanoid and serpentine). I've also tried to stick to stuff that seems at least vaguely 'red dragon-ish,' but some of the options are better than others (energy attacks is less red dragon-ish than breath weapon, for instance, but breath weapon kind of sucks).
DPS Summoner guides suggest a humanoid with six or more arms equipped with swords, but I went quadruped for theme (the whole Restov / Red Dragon / Rorgavia angle).
.
As for stuff to do in downtime, I guess it's time to look back in on the Sootscales. The best bet would be to find settlers who would be more open-minded than most about working with them, and arrange some sort of mutually beneficial trade arrangements between them, so that both the human settlers involved and the Sootscales themselves benefit from these trade deals (which might be easier for the Sootscales, since they are sitting on a mine or two...).
If Oleg & Svetlana can be among those who benefit from this sort of mutualism, so much the better (but only if they are comfortable with the idea, I'd rather select for people willing to give the kobolds a chance, before cluing them in that the little blighters are sitting on a gold mine and encouraging the more greed-oriented folk to pretend to be open-minded for cash!).
The local church of Erastil, and now Sarenrae, would be almost necessary to get in on this, as the younger generation of kobolds could be encouraged to work at these temples (or on the farms or in the businesses of devout followers of these faiths), to help get those faiths 'a foot in the door' of the kobold community. There's little chance short of magical re-programing that this generation of...
Awesome material to work with Set!
Anyone want a Ring of Sustenance?
Would a cloak of resistance and an ability that states: "+3 resistance bonus to saves vs. Poison" stack?
you would have to look at the type of bonuses they grant. If they're of the same type, then no. If they're not specified, then yes.
They're both resistance bonuses, sadly.
I would prefer for players to stay away from that feat. I'm opened to discussing it, but it sounds as problematic in most games.
Some suggestions of objectives for the first six months (obvious ones):
-Exploring the unknown areas (in winter, so slower progress and some inaccessible).
-Building relations with the Nomen Centaurs.
-Fostering peaceful cohabitation of the main faiths.
-Preparing the visit to Restov (contacts, information, who's who, etc.).
-Dealing with the Will-O'-Wisps.
-Supporting the settlement of Varnhold.
-Getting in touch with your siblings.
-Developing an aspect of Providence and Frieland.
-etc.
Ember upgrades for 9th level;
Eidolon
Eidolon (quadruped, size medium magical beast)
7 HD (7d10+21, 62 hp); Spd 40 ft., fly 40 ft. (good); AC 23 (+12 natural armor, +2 Dex, -1 size); Saves Fort +9, Ref +7, Will +2 (+6 vs. enchantment spells and effects); Attack bite +13 (1d8+7), 2 claws +14 (1d8+7), 2 wing buffets +11 (1d6+7), power attack bite +11 (1d8+11), power attack 2 claws +12 (1d8+11), power attack 2 wing buffets (1d6+9); CMB +11, CMD 24 (28 vs. trip), Ability Scores Str 25, Dex 15, Con 18, Int 7, Wis 10, Cha 11; Free Evolutions bite, limbs x2 (legs); darkvision, link, share spells, evasion, multiattack
Feat (3): Toughness, Weapon Focus (claws), Power Attack, Blind-Fight
Skills (24): Perception (6) +9, Stealth (4) +5, Acrobatics (2) +7, Intimidate (2) +5, Survival (4) +6, Fly (6) +13
Extra Evolutions (13): Claws (1d4), Imp Nat Armor (+2), Pounce, Improved Damage (claws), Flight (Ex, 2), Magic Attacks, Large (4), Wing Buffet, Mount
Sample Full Attack, just to get an idea;
He's obviously big enough to ride now, so Servayn will purchase a custom saddle, and keep muttering the words to feather fall as he grips the saddle horn hard enough to leave indentations...
Still, nothing says 'making an entrance' like riding a flying dragon-like creature slightly larger than a horse and dropping off and floating to the ground. :)
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Some suggestions of objectives for the first six months (obvious ones):
-Exploring the unknown areas (in winter, so slower progress and some inaccessible).
-Building relations with the Nomen Centaurs.
-Fostering peaceful cohabitation of the main faiths.
-Preparing the visit to Restov (contacts, information, who's who, etc.).
-Dealing with the Will-O'-Wisps.
-Supporting the settlement of Varnhold.
-Getting in touch with your siblings.
-Developing an aspect of Providence and Frieland.
-etc.
Servayn would be willing to work with the centaurs and interfaith dialogue issues as well, given his penchant for diplomacy.
Supporting the Varnhold also seems like an option, assuming that the centaurs wouldn't prefer for us to take them in as refugees and leave their ill-fated community to be reclaimed by nature...
Servayn will likely be busy with the kobolds though :)
Selling:
+1 Greataxe (12lbs) 1000
Ring of Sustenance 1250
+2 Chain Shirt 2125
Comp. Longbow(Dovan's) (+2 Str) 150
Add that to 20,237 = 24,762
Upgrade +2 belt to +4 12,000
+2 Mithral Agile Breastplate 8400
Heavyload belt 3000g
Boots of the cat 1000g
Total: 24,400
Leftover: 362g
Edit: And a masterwork backpack. 50g. 312g left.
I would prefer for players to stay away from that feat. I'm opened to discussing it, but it sounds as problematic in most games.
Fair Play.
Not especially wedded to the idea though, just an idle thought, so I'm happy with the veto.
There are many NPCs in the game that could be leverages to do that. They need some managing though! :)
Okay, I'll bite. My curiosity gets the better of me.
How come you don't like Leadership? You mentioned "it sounds as problematic in most games", which I take to mean other games on these boards are having issues with it.
What is this issue?
I've never dealt with Leadership because I just never have. So that's why it is purely out of curiosity.
I've got a +1 Human bane arrow (x1) that Kalsgrim can have. Kriger's got no use for it.
Mostly stuff I read, you're right. I don't want to go into details, but only to say that I much prefer you developing leadership with the town and the NPCs, and leverage them the right way, instead of being entitled through a feat.
Gotcha. Sounds good.
I need Kriger and Kalsgrim's objectives to move on.
I think Kriger would accompany Kalsgrim with his endeavor in dealing with the hunters and such. For one, that's right up his alley dealing with those in the wild lands. Secondly, Kalsgrim needs somebody he can count on to watch his back. :)
Outside of that, making sure we have adequate weaponry would be something else he'd check into. More than likely aiding in making weapons for the kingdom himself.
And then there's those nights that consist of drinking and sleeping the night and probably most of the morning away. :)
Random thoughts as I have them;
The winter months pass through at a slow pace, first turning everything to a dull brown, then grey. Winds turn cold and rain turns to sleet, then finally the land is covered with a thin blanket of snow and the nights grow long, but brighter, thanks to the snow reflecting the moon.
Neat detail.
The month of Rova is spent figuring out how to free the captive citizens of Varnhold. Lukasz and Tuck are summoned to the village where they are made aware of the situation. After a heated debate on the risks, Tuck finally decides to open a vial. A bedazzled peasant appears, looks with wide eyes at you as if you were about to eat him alive, then relaxes as Kriger gives him a thunderous clasp and gets to his knees, crying and thanking the world, the gods and you. Then it is more of the same, as the remaining citizens are freed.
It might be useful to mention that the Nomen centaurs provided us with some information that allowed us to find them, to start planting seeds of necessary cooperation / co-existence with their horse-halved neighbors.
Heh. I said neighbors.
You stay for the moment, reorganizing life in the now very small town, sending for new colonists from Restov and even from your land. A letter comes from Jamandi Aldori, congratulating and thanking you and asking for you to visit when you get a chance. Meanwhile, Malaswyn travels east to the Dunsward plains and the Nomen camp, improving relations and negotiating access to the land. It is clear that the situation requires a lot of attention and things could go sour if the settlers move too much west...
Some sort of permanent ambassador type to keep the Nomen and Varnholders from pissing each off too much might be a good investment. An outsider, rather than an appointee, probably would be best, since appointing a Nomen or a Varnholder to the task could just lead to accusations of favoritism...
During the month of Lamashan, you set out and explore the land, while Servayn heads back to Providence to meet with Norkyl, the Kobold Ambassador. A good thing, for the Kobold had been left alone and had started getting involved in a few scams. Servayn's presence in town, and discussions focussing on the future of the tribe got him back on a good path.
Can't turn your back on them! But yay!
The area north east of Varnhold is explored during that period. Good land is found, mostly plains suitable for farming, but close to Nomen territory and just south of Restov. At the end of the month, you all go back to Providence.
During Neth, Kuthona, Abadius and Calstril, everything turns incredibly cold, and little travel can take place. Focus is on organizing the new leadership and supporting Providence. Malaswyn is introduced in his new position as high priest and starts to meet around with people. The shift from Gorum to Milani to Sarenrae doesn't go so well, and Kalsgrim spends a lot of energy towards maintaining the current fragile structures of cult, while allowing Sarenrae's to take some place. Perhaps building several shrines would help stabilize things a bit...
We sure do burn through gods, don't we? But Servayn's a fan of Calistria, so fickleness is bred into his bones.
Perhaps the next religious structure needs to be some sort of Unitarian pantheist sort of deal, with room for worship of multiple good (and good-ish) gods? Then again, a purely Sarenraen structure would theoretically be amenable to visitors of allied / compatible faiths.
Thankfully Milani, goddess of violent uprisings and streets running red with the blood of revolution, is on her way out. Even more than Gorum, whose violence is more indiscriminate and egalitarian, Servayn was uncomfortable being in a leadership position of a nation whose rising clergy had architectural drawings of guillotines in their holy books...
During that time, Servayn, accompanied by Norkyl and Davor, braves the cold to get to the cavern of the Sootscales. He spends the winter there, getting to know the tribe, organizing the work to give more space to farming, and influencing the culture through religion. It is hard work and he finds himself a few times on the brink of despair. Yet, as he leaves the tribe, a great feast is organized, and he sees through the Sootscales' behaviour, that his work has had a real impact, though it still requires extensive and careful work.
Awesome. Servayn will particularly be searching for potential priests and leaders among the kobolds, whose views are at least somewhat compatible with the stance he wants the tribe to adopt (with kobolds generally being LE, he'll be trying to find ones that are more L and less E, if possible), who can begin picking up the reins as adepts, if that's the best they can do, or actual clerics (or druids, etc.) of Erastil or Sarenrae, in particular.
Ideally, they'll be handling their own religious and leadership needs, but Servayn knows better than to let them get too creative with their interpretations of the faith (no Rokyl, the central tenet of Buddhism is *not* 'every man for himself!'). He'll try to bring texts from both Malaswyn and old-blind-Erastil-Cleric-whose-name-I-forget, and whenever he has a question on doctrine that's totally out of his depth (which, given his limited Knowledge - religion, could be often!), he'll write them down and bring them to wiser heads to resolve.
Naturally, at least a few kobolds will need to learn to read some of those texts, or he can spend part of the winter transcribing the most useful tidbits into Draconic for them.
If any show a gift for sorcery, or, gasp, summoning, he'll encourage that, steering them to the sorts of vocations that will prove useful to their tribesmates, and away from stuff that might cause more trouble than it's worth (like charm / compulsion spells).
Kriger spends the winter months on the outskirts of Providence, providing help and counsel to the farmers and hunters, while getting to know the land even better. When not traveling, he works at increasing the town's arsenal.
And depleting the winter store of ale and mead, no doubt.
Finally, as Pharast approaches, the weather warms slightly and it starts to snow more heavily. With the days growing somewhat longer, mood improves and a festival is held in Providence. Winter feels behind and the citizen of Frieland prepare for the coming of spring and farming work, while the leaders prepare to explore the land even further and eventually pay a visit to the Swordlords.
Servayn steps out of the cramped kobold warrens and calls up Ember, already aware of the changes that have occurred over his long slumber. He savors the looks of surprise on the kobolds faces when Ember emerges from the smoke with a reverberating growl, larger than a horse, more dragon-like and imposing than ever, with wings that stretch twice the height of a man on each side. He carefully climbs onto Ember's back, trying to conceal his uncertainty, and muttering a prayer to the fickle lady of lust to wrap her legs around him and hold him fast, before signaling Ember to rise, the force of his wings striking the ground sending snow in all directions with a crack like thunder as they take to the air. After a single practice circle, during which anyone with eyes to see can tell that Servayn is wide-eyed and holding on for dear life, they soar in the direction of Providence.
Awesome dragon-riding!
Sarenrae is a good fit for religious change due to the focus on redemption. She is also on good terms with all of the good gods and most of the neutral so pantheism seems like a good idea.
It isn't what Malaswyn would favour but with a paladin of Iomedae at the head of the team he knows that compromise will be involved.
Do we have a temple? Maybe we could create a Temple of the Sun, circular with radiating chambers, with the largest 'ray' dedicatd to Sarenrae and a Sarenrae-esque slant to decorations and whatnot in the non-specific areas.
The heart of the sun could be a place for mass celebration which is appropriated at different times (full of Sarenrites at dawn, full of Desnans on starry nights, etc.) by different faiths.
Also, do we have a militia? At least we must have a Watch. There could be an extra shrine to Iomedae and Sarenrae there.
Actually, Kalsgrim is a paladin of Erastil.
Another random thought, of no game significance.
There's a cave that had bat swarms in it (and some undead), and it seems likely that the cave probably is a roosting site for bats normally. Once or twice a year, the kobolds could go down that way and set up some nets and bang some pots and catch hundreds of the little buggers to bring home and roast up for Crunchy Bat Surprise (tm). (More than once or twice a year, they'd probably depopulate the bats to the level where they'd either move on completely, or die out. Wouldn't want that, bats don't breed that fast, AFAIK!)
If the wisps we are going to wreak mighty vengeance upon are the same ones that hang out on the lake near the Stag Lord's fort (IIRC), we might be able to open up some good fishing / eeling (Is that a word? Do people even eat eels? For reals? Yuk!) waters, for development as well...
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Erastil and Sarenrae both have interesting potential for kobold-indoctrination.
Sarenrae is all redemption, which bends her clergy in the direction of giving peeps a chance, and her focus on the sun could be talked up in dealings with the Sootscales, who, from their name at least, might be fans of fire, and her focus on honesty could appeal to the mostly lawful kobolds (even if that's not exactly their bag).
Erastil, as god of community, seems particularly well suited to a clannish and insular sort of race, that thinks more communally and 'good of the tribe,' than a more selfish or independent minded race. As god of the hunt, and yet also of taming nature to the will of the community, he works well for a race that both hunts and also domesticates animals or works the land.
Of the good gods, those two would probably be the easiest 'fits' anyway, apart from Torag, whose tenets of community and protection and hard work / craftsmanship could be darn close to perfect, if he wasn't so dwarf-centric and his faithful unlikely to cotton to a bunch of kobold worshippers... :)
Please note I won't be able to post too often for the coming week. I should resume normal posting August 5.
@Set: Hey, bud, I was wondering: Say you were to take the Improved Damage(claw) as an evolution, alright.
Now, as a feat for Ember, you take Improved Natural attack(claw).
Would that feat and the evolution stack?
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@Set: Hey, bud, I was wondering: Say you were to take the Improved Damage(claw) as an evolution, alright.
Now, as a feat for Ember, you take Improved Natural attack(claw).
Would that feat and the evolution stack?
In theory, yes, but that would be a GM call, and I didn't want to push it. It was one of the things pointed out when the APG classes were still in playtest and I'm pretty sure that it was suggested on the forums that the evolution should simply count as the feat, to prevent stacking, but they apparently didn't think it was a big deal, since, in their own words, you couldn't take Bestiary monster feats anyway without GM permission.
I'm fine with them stackimg.
My posting is more than likely gonna be scarce over the next few days starting tomorrow. Due to a bit of vacation time and all. Should be good around Wednesday or Thursday though. Maybe I get something out there but in case I don't, y'all know why.
Aside: You gotta jump on that, Set. The bite attack/claw attack/tail attack(Do you even have a tail attack?), whichever you choose, could be real freakin' awesome. I'd go with bite myself. But that's just me. :)
Seeing how we're gonna be going in the cold, Kriger will have learned Endure elements.
@markofbane: What did you choose for Kalsgrim at 5th level? Is it a weapon/armor bond? Or did you choose a horse? Or was it something else entirely? I think depending on what archetype you take, choices become varied.
Do you even have an archetype or no?
I'm just curious as to all this good stuff.
Man, you ought to check out this one. This one seems pretty fitting.
'Course, it replaces being immune to fear amongst a few others. But immune to fear is pretty awesome. There again, with your pretty awesome Will save, maybe it's not that big a deal but I really like being immune to fear.
This is all, of course, based if you even care to pick one up and DW doesn't mind.
I just thought I'd throw it out there.
Movement made the BA an obvious choice.
I was hoping for something with true-seeing but sadly nothing is available at that level.
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Yeah, there's a demon or devil choice with always on see invisible, and the old 'dire bat - blindsight' standby, but fiends are out, and dire bats probably wouldn't have a snowball's chance in hell of actually *hitting* a wisp... Their AC was -8, last time I fought one. I'm sure it's still good. :)
Lantern archon spam would probably be equally useless with a +3 ranged touch attack.
AC -8... Good times!
Ah, yes. The good old, old days of negative armor classes.
And juicy THAC0s!
Yeah, sometimes I miss that stuff. And saves vs. Breath Weapons, or Wand/Staff/Rod. If I had the time, I'd love to run something like that. And I would love to play in a G/D/Q campaign.