PFS PbP Thornkeep level 3 (The Enigma Vaults) - The Dwarves (Inactive)

Game Master Revvy Bitterleaf

Open for stuff

Ready to go when everyone else is! Welcome to our new party members. As an aside, I will let you know that any adverse reaction from Clandelve to wizards and elves is purely role-play. :p

Ready as well, and looking forward to the adventure! :)

Shayla's got nothing against dwarves, but she isn't very good at the whole social thingy. Though she does try! Except with humans, because she hates those nasty creatures.

All role-play, of course ;)

Updating...........

I'm going to assume a marching order of

Heinrich
Clandelve

Kalaron
Cogstadt

Shayla
Archibald

If anyone wants that changed please speak up.

In case of encountering a door/empty hallway or room I'm going to assume Cogstadt will take 20 to look around (with time permitting) and will use some of your dwarves stonecunning to check for stonework traps while moving around.

Any dwarf got an initiative change for which I need to update my cut&paste values?

Anything I should be aware of before we get started?

Works for me :-)

My profile's updated, but I've not actually received a chronicle sheet for the last one as yet... Unless I've missed it somewhere.

My profile's updated, but I've not actually received a chronicle sheet for the last one as yet... Unless I've missed it somewhere.

I thought I had send it out..but I can't see it in my send items. I'll send it now.

Well Kalaron still has a normal dagger. Am Waiting to get one later but I have a swarmbane clasp as of now.

I can also heal more often and better lol with the ACG update.

I've got some credit to apply to Cogstadt once this sessions is finished, so I should be able to catch up to the rest of you.

I've got some credit to apply to Cogstadt once this sessions is finished, so I should be able to catch up to the rest of you.

Nice! :)

Sorry for the delay! I'd thought I'd posted my action on a long train ride home on the coast, but turns out I wasn't on the network at the time and it hadn't gone through. :/

Thinking of the Boons Shayla brought up, those of us who did the previous levels of Thornkeep have the following:

Prediction of Future Peril Your glance into the Pool of Seeing granted you a vision of another level of the dungeons beneath Thornkeep, giving you a unique insight into a future encounter. When adventuring in Thornkeep, you may use this boon to gain the following bonuses, each applied before the associated die is rolled. You may use this boon once per dungeon level in Thornkeep, crossing the associated bonus off the Chronicle sheet once applied.
*You gain a +5 bonus on a Knowledge check to identify a creature.
*You gain a +2 bonus on any single saving throw.
*You gain a +2 bonus to AC against any single opponent.

This might be a great time to use that last one...this guy seems TOUGH!

I don't really like killing PC's ..but this creature is freaking scary and has an intelligence of 23.. ..and I think I'd be doing you guys a disservice if I'd soft ball this fight....

I've been holding back with grappling Heinrich and doing a bit of damage as opposed to full round attacking him when I could cause it seamed reasonable for the thing to want minions - alive and brainwashed, which made sense at the time since you hadn't damaged it..but now that it has damage it sees you as a treat it needs to eliminate.

I hope you guys make it, but it's up to the dice now. My apologies if this goes badly.

This creature's bizarre... +14 and 4 attacks versus a level 3-5 party?

I hope we can still make it...

Yikes! Okay, so from what I can see our options are

A) Fleeing with half of the party and recovering them at a later date. (But IC even Archibald isn't certain if it means to enslave or eat them).

B) Trying to get everybody out, but without succeeding on that blind spell that doesn't seem like a particularly easy prospect. I don't have much left to stall the beastie with.

C) Fight on

I'd naturally favor option B. I don't think we have the resources left to fight on. We blew a lot on the devil and elementals and our sustained-damage dealers are all unconcious. Which leaves A) or B). I think everyones in favor of either of them from what i'm reading in the gameplay thread?

Also apologies for my delay in posting. A South Coast visit and my RL game kept me away from my keys a while.

To not clutter up the gameplay thread - I should have posted my suggestion here to start with I think since it's more of a OOC thing

Anyone opposed to fleeing and having Heinrich, Kalaron and Shayla pay 5 prestige?

I'll admit I'm not 100% sure about reduced gp and loosing access to some items you didn't get from the final fight since this a module and not a scenario. Scenario's say to reduce gold by X ..modules don't have those handy listings for encounters. I would seem logical to reduce the total reward for not having gotten everything from the encounter..but logic does not equal magic world systems ;)
..but as soon as I figure that one out I should be ready to send out chronicles since you cleared every other room in this level

So if everyone is ok with fleeing, please make sure that I can find your PFS nr somewhere and roll for your dayjob if you have one.

Oh..and to be even more mean....the Visitant has blindsight..so glitterdust would have made it all nice and sparkly (and unable to turn invisible anymore) but I think it would still be able to pinpoint and target you.

Cogstadt certainly has nothing to pull out of the bag, A screaming bolt might make it shaken, on the off-chance it fails it's save, but even that doesn't help us much...

Crafter's Fortune (Craft Alchemy): 1d20 + 7 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 7 + 5 = 26

Looks like that's our best option then.

Blindsight would mean that it is unaffected by Glitterdust, unfortunately :-/

Regarding the chronicle sheet & rewards, RAW, we should receive full gold and prestige (since we participated in more than 2/3 of the module, and modules tend to give a *lot* more gold than PFS actually gives us, anyway), but it would be entirely reasonable to deny 'access' to things that we did not actually acquire (i.e. the Boss's equipment).

I am not opposed to paying 5 prestige. This was a battle We could not win. Maybe if i was enlarged and a little buffed? Nah....4 claw attacks...

Can you split the Prestige Cost, or does it have to come from the recoveree's?
PFS-7321-1; dayjob:Craft:Traps: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

Unfortunately, as per the Guide, you can't split prestige costs (although one person can spend prestige on behalf of another).

profession (merchant): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27

To be clear, I know that I'm charmed and consider him an ally as well as the group. It seems like even if I considered him any ally, I would still want to complete my mission here. But if I try to leave with the group, he's going to stop me from doing so?

I'm fine paying the 5 PP to live, and glad to have the option, but I just wanted to make sure it won't just let me leave with everyone.

I am not opposed to paying 5 prestige. This was a battle We could not win. Maybe if i was enlarged and a little buffed? Nah....4 claw attacks...

You don't have to pay, do you? Only Heinrick and Shayla. Possibly also Clandelve, depending on the spell/enemy.

I'm fine with paying 5PP, as long as I can continue to play Shayla. (She's my favorite PFS character.)

No Day Job roll by the way.

To be clear, I know that I'm charmed and consider him an ally as well as the group. It seems like even if I considered him any ally, I would still want to complete my mission here. But if I try to leave with the group, he's going to stop me from doing so?

I'm fine paying the 5 PP to live, and glad to have the option, but I just wanted to make sure it won't just let me leave with everyone.

If you want to leave with your fellow party members it's going to try an opposed cha check to get you to stay

Cha Clandelve: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9
Cha Visitant: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (15) - 2 = 13

If you made the check and started to leave it would have attacked you and hunted you down..we can fight it out if you want, but it has a fly speed of 50ft..so I think it's able to keep up with you and eventually will manage to hit and grab hold of you

Okay...wasn't wanting to try it. Just checking. :)

Glad to be alive!

As far as I can tell it's as Heinrich says; gold isn't adjusted for failing an encounter in a module..it's only adjusted for not completing 1/3rd or more ..I don't think this battle was 1/3rd ..other then maybe difficulty wise....

So I think that just means you loose some access to the items it carried and get everything else.

Wow...that was such a tough battle. I am curious to know what the writer was thinking. I'd also like to see what successful parties did to beat it. We had a little bad luck, but even if Clandelve had made his save, I think I'd have just been destroyed the next round like everyone else.

Glad we were able to make it out! Clandelve now adds big mean bugs to the list of things he's afraid of, along with the incorporeal undead!

Thx for running it, Revvy!

Well so far every lvl in thornkeep has had 1 or 2 really unfair fights..

If I've done everything correctly and made no copy&paste error everyone should have received a link to their chronicle. If you notice anything wrong with it let me know and I'll try to fix it.

I'm trying to get someone to run the next lvl (for lvl 5-7) for me RL hopefully this weekend, so if you guys want to risk the next lvl (at the low end of the tier), and are all lvl 5 or higher let me know and I'll set up a new game thread, we won't do much this week other then check in..but with any luck we can get rollin' again next week.

I'm up for it, though I don't think Shayla will be level 5, right?

Or, I don't know if we could run something else to get us to 6, then try it?

Regardless, thanks so much for running these for us. Despite minor complaints about having my brain chewed on by impossible to defeat bugs, I think you do a fantastic job as DM. You really keep the action moving forward (better than any I've had the pleasure of adventuring with).

I did receive my sheet. Thanks so much!

As far as I can tell, after applying this module, Shayla is 1 xp off 5th level.

@Clandelve: With regard to the 'difficulty' of some of the encounters in Thornkeep, you need to remember that this is, first and foremost, a module, *not* a PFS scenario... so it does not have quite the same expectations :-/

@Revvy: Indeed, thanks for running this, and I look forward to the next one :-)

Actually, I think Cogs is going to be just short, too...interim mission before we finish the last level?

Kalaron will have chronicle sheets to be applied. I don't mind playing the next level... The next level up will give me some feats to play with.

Cogstadt has another 3xp in credit to come from playing cert'd adventure path, so I'll be catching you up.

Thanks for running this, GM! I'll get to updating Shayla! :)

Shayla had a chronicle sheet from a level 4 pregen waiting for her: The Forgotten Laboratory. So she'll be level 5.2 after I've updated her.

I'd be up for an interim mission to get to level 6 before we start. The remaining Thornkeep levels are for subtiers 6-8 and 5-7. If an interim mission also brings Cogstadt to level 6, it'll probably benefit the party when we enter Thornkeep again.

Currently updating, trying to decide between Rog 4/Inv 1 or just Rog 5.

If I had a respec option then I'd probably rebuild him as an investigator entirely.

I'm not opposed to running something to get you guys 1 xp if you want...but it might be a bit difficult to find something everyone can play (which I also have previously played)..and to be honest..in that case I'd like to wait for the 3th gameday and get it in that way..which means waiting another 2 weeks or so before we start

Options I could run would be:

-Perils of the pirate pact (lvl 1-7)
-Our lady of silver (lvl 5-9)
-The pallid plaque (lvl 1-7)
-The city of strangers part 1 or part 2 (lvl 1-7)
-The Jester's Fraud (lvl 5-9)
-Before the Dawn, part I, the bloodcove disguise (lvl 1-7)
-You only die twice (lvl 5-9)
-The Ghenett Manor Gauntlet (lvl 5-9)
-Song of the Sea witch (lvl 3-7)
-Among the Gods (lvl 3-7)
-Storming the diamond gate (lvl 3-7)
-In Wrath's shadow (lvl 3-7)
-The golemworks incident (lvl 5-9)
-The Sanos Abduction (lvl 3-7)
-The Green Market (lvl 5-9)
-The Blackrose Matrimony (lvl 5-9)
-The Fortress of the Nail (lvl 5-9)
-The Halls of Dwarven Lore (lvl 5-9)
-The Price of Friendship (lvl 5-9)
-The Secret's Stones keep (lvl 5-9)
-Port Godless (lvl 5-9)
-The Traitor's Lodge (lvl 3-7)
-The Paths We Choose (lvl 3-7)

(Or Dawn of the Scarlet Sun lvl 4-6)

So if that's what you want..let me know and decide on something before the 20th so I can submit the game for the gameday

It looks like once these guys apply the extra credit, we'll all be level 5. Having Cogs and Shayla shoot up two levels should really help us.

Doing a 1 xp scenario would likely only get Shayla up to 6, right? (I need 2 xp to reach 6). Would anyone else benefit from 1 xp?

Archibald is a nice round level 5 after this scenario. I'm trying to decide on my specialised evocation spell for this level. I'm thinking of playing around with lightning bolt, considering the cramped dungeons that PFS so loves, but perhaps not taking fireball is a bad idea.

Thoughts?

It does seem like there are a lot of cramped hallways in these dungeons. I think there are more monsters with fire resistance, but fireball's shape is probably easier to use.

I think it's a mixed bag either way.

I've copied the list and deleted what I can not play for credit anymore, in case we'll indeed play a scenario next. I wouldn't mind waiting for the Gameday.

-Perils of the pirate pact (lvl 1-7)
-Our lady of silver (lvl 5-9)
-The Jester's Fraud (lvl 5-9)
-You only die twice (lvl 5-9)
-The Ghenett Manor Gauntlet (lvl 5-9)
-Song of the Sea witch (lvl 3-7)
-Among the Gods (lvl 3-7)
-Storming the diamond gate (lvl 3-7)
-In Wrath's shadow (lvl 3-7)
-The golemworks incident (lvl 5-9)
-The Sanos Abduction (lvl 3-7)
-The Green Market (lvl 5-9)
-The Blackrose Matrimony (lvl 5-9)
-The Fortress of the Nail (lvl 5-9)
-The Halls of Dwarven Lore (lvl 5-9)
-The Price of Friendship (lvl 5-9)
-The Secret's Stones keep (lvl 5-9)
-Port Godless (lvl 5-9)
-The Traitor's Lodge (lvl 3-7)
-The Paths We Choose (lvl 3-7)
-Dawn of the Scarlet Sun (lvl 4-6)

I can play all of those...

Oh crap....I've played too many....

-Song of the Sea witch (lvl 3-7)
-The Traitor's Lodge (lvl 3-7)
-The Paths We Choose (lvl 3-7)

I could try to rush a few games....in order to get Kalaron up.
I'm short of 2 xp to get to level 6.

It sounds like everyone *will* be level 5, though, so we don't need to run something else...?

No need, but I think some people feel that being on the lower end of the tier might not be safe.

Like I said..doesn't matter to me. I also have no idea how dangerous the next part is so I can't advice against playing with a bunch of lvl 5's ;)

If we meet a creaure like that it won't be good.

We can do whatever you guys want. Like I said, I need 2 xp to level. Maybe Revvy will have a better idea of whether we need additional help after running through it.

@Cogs: I don't think you can take levels in Investigator where one of the "parent classes" is rogue...

@Clandelve: That was true in the initial playtest, but in the final version (in the ACG), you most certainly *can* take levels in either parent class... So Cogstadt can take both Rogue and Investigator levels :-)

Oh, my bad. Using old info.