Hello! I will be running #09-07, "Salvation of the Sages," for Outpost 2018.
-About your GM: While not new to PbP, this will be my first time wrangling the Paizo forums for a PbP game. Patience while I work through the kinks of the website is appreciated :)
Additionally, I take a very cinematic/story-based approach to my PbP games. What does this mean for you? I endeavor to make much of the dice-rolling aspect of PbP "behind-the-scenes" so that posts can be a more immersive experience. As such, I may use the Roll20 virtual tabletop program (Link) to handle dice-rolling. If you wish for me to handle your dice-rolling during RP, merely clearly post your actions (including if you are using any special actions/feats/etc) omitting any dice rolls and I will take it from there. Individuals are welcome to verify dice rolls by checking the "Chat Archive" tab on the Roll20 campaign page linked above. This is optional, of course, if you wish a more traditional experience!
-Moving on to the scenario at hand. This scenario requires a bit of prep/leg work regarding player information, so I would appreciate the following from those interested in playing:
1) The Easy Stuff: All of the paperwork information needed for reporting and chronicle sheets. I would appreciate the following...
Name or Forum Name
Character Name
PFS number-Character Number
Faction
Day job skill bonus (including any weird bonuses/boon adjustments/etc)
2) Digging through the Chronicles: I need to know if you have any chronicle sheets on the character you are playing for the following scenarios, and any boons (or boon-like penalties!) you may have obtained from such sheets. Some of these have no relevance to the scenario at hand, just to keep you all guessing. Listing off the scenario number and the boons in parentheses would be fine (e.g. "#06-04(Honored Acolyte)).
#0-14 The Many Fortunes of Grandmaster Torch
#2–07 Heresy of Man, Part 2: Where Dark Things Sleep
#4-23: Rivalry's End
#5–12 Destiny of the Sands, Part 1: A Bitter Bargain
#6–04 Beacon Below
#6-19: Test of Tar Kuata
#7-04: The Ironbound Schism
#7-11: Ancient's Anguish
#8-17: Refugees of the Weary Sky
#9–04 The Unseen Inclusion
3) All the numbers: I will also need everyone to dig through your chronicle sheets and tally up the number of items you have for each letter below. I would include non-scenario sheets in the totals, like boons or Pathfinder Tales sheets. Some of these are red herrings, as above. Listing them off as "A(X), B(X), C(X), etc" would be fine.
A - Each Osirion or Scarab Sages boon this character has earned.
B - Each Mendevian Commendation this character has earned + each Bonus Combat Feat this character has obtained as part of a Class level (i.e. yes Fighter bonus feats, but not Rogues using the Combat Trick talent).
C - Each language this character knows (not including racial starting languages).
D - Each feat, trait, or class feature that imposes a "Code of Conduct" on this character + 1 if this character has a Lawful alignment.
E - Each mutually exclusive boon this character has (i.e. a boon gained by "choose one of the boons below, crossing the other one off the chronicle sheet").
F - Each strongly "Dragon-themed" feat, trait, or class feature this character has (treat each draconic bloodline power as a separate class feature) + 1 if this character knows the Draconic language.
G - 1 for every 750gp or 2 Prestige Points this character has spent towards healing (or raising from the dead) another Pathfinder character.
H - The number of ranks this character has in a Craft or Profession related to gems, minerals, libraries, or research + 1 if this character is a member of the Dark Archive faction.
Feel free to reach out to me if you have questions!
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Dotting in! I'll update my profile (have leveled and played a bit IRL since last PbP) and get that info to you early next week, but this weekend about to head out to a convention myself.
Also GM, I have run this scenario as a GM, though not played it. I'll make sure not to reveal any spoilers and try to keep a back seat if any major decisions need to be made, or at least act and advocate as Barnaby would.
Hey Irish.I dotted and deleted both your thread and Chie’s so that I could lurk and learn. It’s fun to see how other GMs handle the same scenario.
Hmm
Dotting in! I'll update my profile (have leveled and played a bit IRL since last PbP) and get that info to you early next week, but this weekend about to head out to a convention myself.
Also GM, I have run this scenario as a GM, though not played it. I'll make sure not to reveal any spoilers and try to keep a back seat if any major decisions need to be made, or at least act and advocate as Barnaby would.
Barnaby, welcome and no problem! I find myself in similar situations many times as well.
Do you have a free place to play here?
Psycho, feel free to drop in! Make sure to sign up for a seat on the Outpost site (linked at the top of the page under the Campaign title) as well.
Hey Irish.I dotted and deleted both your thread and Chie’s so that I could lurk and learn. It’s fun to see how other GMs handle the same scenario.
I will strive to provide amusing shenanigans!
I can join in if you still need another. I have basically any role other than trap finder covered by an 8 or a 9, but all of them have only been played irl so I'll need to know what I have to bring in to PbP format.
Let me know if you spot any errors when I do. I've only done 1 PbP and it was with a 0 ep character.
Thralleon, you are certainly welcome! Just be sure to put your name on the Outpost table sign up they have going (linked at the top of this page) to save a seat!
Marked it down, class and level are marked as TBD while I get a feel for what the party might need, as well as if it's low or high tier.
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Name or Forum Name Steve Weston
Character Name Radek Angdur
PFS number-Character Number #260381-001
Faction Grand Lodge
Day job skill bonus Profession (Trapper) +10
Progression Slow
Scenarios Played / Boons Gained:
#6–04 Beacon Below / Charted Pillars & Relic Guardian
#8-17: Refugees of the Weary Sky / Earth Affinity & Deep Sky Explorer
A - 0 (I think... not sure what an Osirion boon is?)
B - 0 Commendations, 2 Class Bonus feats (Ranger)
C - 0
D - 3 (I think... dipped a level in Paladin [Sacred Shield Archetype], so I believe Detect Evil and Bastion of Good qualify, and Radek is Lawful Good)
E - 1 (Rune of Power [Armor])
F - 0
G - 0 (I think, if you refer ONLY to raising another character? This character used Prestige Points to have himself raised - as well as for two Restoration spells)
H - 0
Hope that's all the information you're looking for!
Fellow agents, I have several options for characters and I would like to use whichever will round out the party.
Shiva is a Suli skald (spell warrior) 8. Providing buffs for the group and using the spirit totem rage powers to yield additional offense and defense.
Sukit Von Maur is a fighter 9. Heavily defended from physical attacks he stands at the front and uses his mastery of tower shields to great effect in narrow corridors.
Cassandra is a healer, oracle [life] 7/paladin 2. Though physically weakened by her burnt flesh (blackened curse) she is capable of treating dire wounds and can call upon the flames of her youth in dire circumstances.
Blaise is a sorcerer 9, who revels in the fires on his draconic heritage. When all you have is fire, everything is kindling. He has practiced long and hard to be sure almost anything will burn.
Azrael is an aasimar bard 9. With his ancient banner held high those near him feel inspired to incredible highs in the midst of combat. He has a small gift for healing that he tends to reserve for emergencies.
Aracanadin is a paladin 11, nearing the end of his active duty.
Fellow agents, I have several options for characters and I would like to use whichever will round out the party.
Shiva is a Suli skald (spell warrior) 8. Providing buffs for the group and using the spirit totem rage powers to yield additional offense and defense.
Sukit Von Maur is a fighter 9. Heavily defended from physical attacks he stands at the front and uses his mastery of tower shields to great effect in narrow corridors.
Cassandra is a healer, oracle [life] 7/paladin 2. Though physically weakened by her burnt flesh (blackened curse) she is capable of treating dire wounds and can call upon the flames of her youth in dire circumstances.
Blaise is a sorcerer 9, who revels in the fires on his draconic heritage. When all you have is fire, everything is kindling. He has practiced long and hard to be sure almost anything will burn.
Azrael is an aasimar bard 9. With his ancient banner held high those near him feel inspired to incredible highs in the midst of combat. He has a small gift for healing that he tends to reserve for emergencies.
Aracanadin is a paladin 11, nearing the end of his active duty. While competent in a fight he has spent time learning to channel the magic imbued in his equipment to perform acts of arcane magic.
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Name or Forum Name: philip j cormier
Character Name: Jing Kwan
PFS number-Character Number: 55792-3
Faction: Grand Lodge
Day job skill bonus (including any weird bonuses/boon adjustments/etc): no day job
#6-19: Test of Tar Kuata (enlightened ambassador, jeweled recruiter(not sure why), tar kuata initiate)
#7-11: Ancient's Anguish (sacred scorpion tattoo(crossed off))
A - 1 (not sure why)
B - 0
C - 2 (draconic, celestial)
D - 0
E - 0
F - 1
G - 0
H - 0
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Sheet taking a bit longer to type up from paper than planned (left it at a friends house) but should have the profile updated by tomorrow. As for the Questions:
Zoomba
Barnaby Rockford
127063-11
Dark Archive
No Day Job
A) 0
B) 0
C) 17
D) 0
E) 5
F) 1
G) Does using one of my two First Aid Gloves count? 3 if so, 0 if not
H) 1
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Except for miscellaneous boon descriptions (accidentally deleted when updating, will add tomorrow) profile should be all set.
Also GM Barnaby has the Trap Spotter talent. Whenever he walks within 10 feet of a trap, he gets a free Perception check (at +18) to spot it (and thus he usually will gladly walk in first or second file).
Other than that, Barnaby's mostly a good skill monkey who can hold his own as a secondary melee combatant. With a few spells too along the way.
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Also GM Barnaby has the Trap Spotter talent. Whenever he walks within 10 feet of a trap, he gets a free Perception check (at +18) to spot it (and thus he usually will gladly walk in first or second file).
Nice! Radek has the same exact modifier [+18] and also gets the free Perception check for finding traps and hidden doors located in stone walls and floors [Stonecunning racial ability], with the automatic check when passing within 10' of them. Between us, we should have that covered! And Radek will definitely go in the front rank, from the looks of it.
Also, as a heads-up to everyone, Radek grants Favored Terrain bonuses (Underground and Forest) of +2 to everyone within line of sight and hearing. That applies to Stealth, Perception and Survival checks, as well as Initiative rolls!
I also have the Bastion of Good ability (taken with my dip into Paladin), which is a spin on the Smite Evil ability. Basically, I designate an evil target and so long as you are within 10' of me, if the target attacks anyone but me they take half damage from all attacks.
As far as tactics go, I use two-weapon fighting, mostly using my shield (which technically does a bit less weapon die damage than the axe, but the enhancement bonuses make it a better option) and can use Hunter's Tricks to move around a lot, granting flanking and such when more than a 5' move is needed to do so. I also like to use that trick with Bastion of Good to make a full attack, then 5' step away and then use Hunter's Trick to move another 5', getting beyond the target's full-round attack. It either has to move 10' to get at me, or settle for attacking an ally for half damage.
I also have Shield Slam to move targets around a bit (free Bull Rush attack with shield hit), maybe knocking them prone if their forced movement shoves them into an unyielding object.
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Quite a bit of things have been errata’d since I last played Mr. Madison. I’ll have to get rid of the luthier’s rapier due to the price increase, I can no longer afford it.
I originally built him as a proof of concept build that relied on UMD and rings of revelation. But after those were errata’d I stoped playing him. I’ve made most of the changes, but I’ll make sure he is fully legal by the start date.
The erratas were a good thing, though detrimental for poor Mr. Madison.
Coming up relatively shortly (e.g. probably tomorrow), you all will have the opportunity for one of the Sages to work with your group directly to overcome some obstacles. I will indicate in the gameplay thread when I would like you all to decide on which Sage you would like to pick; feel free to vote/discuss here as necessary. I will link their stat blocks, as well as a handout from the scenario on their mechanics, both here and on the top of the page in case you want to familiarize yourself with it. Feel free to ask me any questions you have about this part.
Barnaby may be interested in the time dragon.
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Hey, Barnaby can attest that in his experience, liches can occasionally be quite reasonable :)
And definitely interested in Tahonikepsu (Time Dragons can help with time problems right?), though Dhiara'd be fine too.
Also we're full high tier, right? Or with this level spread is there the adjustment?
You are at high tier with 4 player adjustment. I am also balancing slightly by giving you all the ability to ask Torch for items as you need them instead of before hand ;)
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A 'swarm' of ghasts!? Holy crud!!!
Can they be attacked 'normally' for a short time before they turn into a swarm, or will they be a swarm in the first round?
I'm thinking that, judging by their size, Radek's weapons will still have some effect, just not very much?
Oh also, Radek won't cast that Bless Weapon spell from his ring. I don't think it'll be of much use in this particular battle.
1)They will be a swarm in the first initiative round.
2)Troops are different in the sense that they take full damage from weapon attacks; mostly because they are medium sized creatures instead the super-hard-to-squish-entirely diminutive swarms.
3)I kind of thought so! ^_^
4)I am seeing 2 votes for Dhiara and 2-sort-of votes for Tahonikepsu for this battle. Thoughts on a tie-breaker?
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Oh, Radek has a Lesser Talisman of Freedom, that I think is discharged when he's paralyzed, granting him Freedom of Movement for 3 rounds. If this is indeed the case, I'll post my actions in the adventure thread as I'm still active.
Are we allowed to make our own rolls? I'll use the spoiler to hide them, if that's OK?
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So, Mr. Madison’s soul is still inside the diamond. It takes a standard action to cast the spell, and another standard action to attack another soul and move it to the jar. On my next turn I’ll be able to target one of the undead. Undead souls look different to someone within a magic jar, and while it is difficult to distinguish between souls of similar strength (HD), it is obvious which ones are powered by negative energy and which ones are not. Speaking of which, how far away is our friend the lich? Outside of medium range (210 feet)?
Oh, Radek has a Lesser Talisman of Freedom, that I think is discharged when he's paralyzed, granting him Freedom of Movement for 3 rounds. If this is indeed the case, I'll post my actions in the adventure thread as I'm still active.Are we allowed to make our own rolls? I'll use the spoiler to hide them, if that's OK?
You can make your rolls if you wish! As I mentioned on my first post, I can roll for you instead if you want. I am merely using the dice-roller from Roll20 to handle it outside of the posts; I will continue to use them for any background rolls (e.g. saving throws, passive skill checks, etc.). To answer your question about the talisman, I believe the paralysis effect is more if it touches you (e.g. akin to ghoul touch), so I would still discharge it to suspend the paralysis. However, I would say that if they don't break skin, they can't inflict you with ghoul fever, if that helps? :)
Speaking of which, how far away is our friend the lich? Outside of medium range (210 feet)?
The scenario unfortunately assumes that all of the other Sages cannot be interacted with during this combat, so I will have to say that he is outside of your range.
Nah, you can use the talisman. You might even find it...useful...shortly ;)
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No worries, I know retconning is a pain, but I had to ask. :) So I've got three rounds total (two more rounds after my posted attack) before Radek becomes as useless as a statue, folks!
Oh also, I was thinking that the swarm couldn't be Bull Rushed so I didn't mention it in my post, but since I noticed Dhiara using her physical attacks to re-position the swarm, maybe Radek can do the same with his Shield Slam feat? His shield slam attack roll that actually hit wasn't a huge number, but if 26 beats the swarms CMD, then he can Bull Rush it with that attack roll. But he will still step back 5' to try and avoid it coming after him - and even if it does maybe it'll have to leave some victims behind if it wants to chew on the ones it has paralyzed.
The shield did protect your body, you did not take any damage from that hazard, FYI
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The shield did protect your body, you did not take any damage from that hazard, FYI
I read this after just making the post about clw’ing my body. It does not matter to me either way wether he got damaged. ;)
If he wasn’t damaged we will just say that he felt the need to be infused with a little positive energy after touching such a dark and potent soul. A little light can go a long way in holding back the darkness.
The opinion I have about outsiders that dont need to eat is that they necessarily dont need to, but they can if they want. You could give him something to allow you to heal as appropriate.
And yes, a lesser restoration, a paladin's mercy, or an 8 hour rest will clear off the fatigue.