"I will be; I think that is one thing we can toast to, eh? But- Harrowstone? I'm lookin' for a more worldly explanation. And I usually tend to believe that the most reasonable explanation is the most likely. I'd be willing to bet my last coin-"if I hadn't just given it you, you stupid oaf-"that it there was some farmboy playing a prank with the blood of a swine, not some supernatural cause with no reason to be riled up. You haven't seen anyone near that statue lately that ought not be there, have you? Outsiders, pehaps? Present company excluded, of course."Maybe I'll get lucky and he'll have seen Lorrimer's cult and I can help kill two birds with one stone..."Or perhaps there is somethin' going on in town that needed a good loud distraction. Tell me...friend-" Kirill forces a smile as he motions for another round to be brought to the table, hoping Gibb's lips will become looser with flagon after flagon poured down his gullet. He steers the conversation away from the old prison, not wanting this man to know he has an interest in it. -what is the crime like here in Ravengro? Any rampant corruption, or just random thuggery?"
Gibs take another long draw on his own mucus before spitting again. "This ain't yer big city, boy!" he growls, "Worst we've got to put up with is the odd drunken brawl or Varisian vagrants. We're decent folk here, not like some, and not a one of us'd stoop to such a vile prank! No bloody vandalism, no schemes and distractions, and no corruption! I told you once, and you'd best hear me the second time, it's Harrowstone what's responsible for this mess!" His voice climbs to an angry roar as he pounds his fists upon the table and leaps to his feat. He leans over the table with eyes like daggers, stopping a scant inch from your nose. He simply stares at you at he grinds his weathered teeth, and several patrons have stopped what they were doing and now sit staring nervously towards you.
Both Delia and Father leap into action, Father getting to the door first having been already standing protectively at Delia's shoulder. His natural inclination to protect the young female kicks in at the sound of a lady's scream. Delia follows close behind him, a summons ready on her lips should she need assistance with most of the men in town.
Before I respond, Kirill would like to see if he can tell if Gibbs is being sincere in his belief that Harrowstone is to blame for the blood on the stature. Sense Motive:1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12
Kirill, it seems that Gibbs really is just that ignorant.
Valachi, everything's peachy!
The Lorrimer Home:
The air is cold as you run into the foyer, and as you enter the room, you find yourself sliding to a stop, shocked by what you see. In the threshold of the doorway stands a lone figure, dressed in the traditional burial attire of modern Ustalav. The clothes are caked in the earth of the grave, and tiny flecks of old blood decorate the shirt. Your stomach jumps to your throat as you observe the wound responsible, for where this man's head should be, there is only a gaping wound, and the suit's high collar does little to hide the bits of crushed bone protruding from what was once a neck.
Kendra is kneeling on the ground before the creature, her face buried in her hand. She is quivering violently, and over and over, you can hear her weakened voice repeat a single word: "Father..."
With a macabre jerking gait, the corpse of Petros Lorrimer lurches forward, stiff and curled hands reaching for his daughter.
Still haven't gotten my hands on a mapping tool that works yet, but this one isn't too tricky. You've just entered the foyer and have ample room to move. Lorrimer and Kendra are adjacent to each other, about 20 feet away from you. There are stairs to your right, and the door you came from to your left. A simple table and a two chairs are also present, along with numerous bookshelves, though they're all pressed up against the wall, and shouldn't interfere with your movement.
By the rules I don't think this will work technically, but I will try it.
Delia, horrified by the site but even more worried about Kendra, rushes up to the shocked woman and tries to hold tight to her, turning Kendra's head from the sight by burying the woman's face into her shoulder. All the while trying to calm her with soothing words. "Don't look, sweetie. That is not what you think it is, ignore it and put it out of your mind." With her free hand, she waves Father forward.
Move to Kendra, Grapple her? CM 1d20 ⇒ 15, Diplomacy to calm her 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15.
Father moves up towards the front, regardless of Delia's urging. He steps up to the two women and shifts them behind him, so that he may stand protectively between them and this walking dead. He speaks only simply enough to make clear his intentions, "You'll not hurt them."
Here's where I don't think it works by the rules. He's using his and Delia's shared teamwork feat of Swap Places, to move them back and him forward. With Delia grappling Kendra, and hopefully Kendra not resisting, he can move the two of them together and take their place.
EDIT: Am I able to fight defensively if I don't attack? If so that will be my standard, as the swap places is as part of a move action.
Diplomacy to calm Gibbs down:1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5 Really!? Well, free reign for Kirill to say what he really thinks...
"Well then, you've been a doll, but you enjoy your drinks, gods know you need 'em. I'm going to go outside and see if I can find a squirrel or a twig or something that might be able to give me a bit more than rumors of spooks for my coin." Kirill raises his mug in a mock toast, not able to bite his tongue any longer in the repulsive man's presence, and downs what's left. Then he slides back up and away from the table, standing and dusting his hands before flipping a copper to the server. He steps quickly, but calmly, for the door knowing he probably should have tread more carefully, lest he wake the sleeping giant. He pauses momentarily by Zhan. "I'm going to get out of here before these inbred hicks decide to make me eat my words." After the quick whisper he continues to make his way out of the Laughing Demon. Still, the conversation didn't go without reward- Gibbs strongly felt that Harrowstone was involved, and while it is likely a rediculous belief, Lorrimer's cultists could be to blame, which would make the man half-right, at best, and that was all that the Varisian wanderer was willing to grant him.
Male Half-Elf/Kellid 3 Barbarian Wild Rager/Totem Warrior/1 Fighter Two-Handed Fighter
Agnar watches as Kirill walks away from Gibbs than hears what he said to Zhan before standing up next to Kirill "Do not worry to much if they try anything I can stop them."
Sagaar dashes forward at the sound, sprinting to the foyer. With little time to think, he darts forward and tries to tackle gnarled corpse of Lorrimar out of the doorway and out of Kendra's sight.
Errr, not sure what I should be rolling for a like football style tackle to get him out of the doorway away from everybody else
Sorry I took so long! Internet has been out in the apartment all day! Also, I'm afraid you can only fight defensively when you actually make an attack, Delia.
The Lorrimer Home:
Kendra grabs Delia tightly, sobbing hysterically into her shoulder as the young lady begins dragging her away from the shambling remains of her father. Lorrimer moves to pursue them, but Father swiftly intercepts the walking corpse. A low gurgle that is vaguely reminiscent of vocalization issues from the hole in the things neck as it lashes out at the mannequin with a clumsy swing and lands a solid blow on his shoulder, prompting a dull crunch.
As Father staggers from the force of the blow, Sagaar rushes to the fore, hitting the creature with a hasty tackle, but the rug curls beneath his feat just before impact, throwing him off balance. He does little more than nudge the zombie.
[ooc]Lorrimer is still in the doorway, engaged in melee with Sagaar and Father. Delia and Kendra are directly behind their allies.
Kirril, at The Laughing Demon:
"Good! Go find some company what actually wants ye, you Varisian son-of-a-whore, and leave yer betters to drink in peace!" Gibbs' words follow you to the door, and you think you hear him mutter something more specific about your parentage, but the slamming door cuts him off, leaving you standing outside the Laughing Demon in Ravengro's dying light.
I can't recall; were there any other taverns in town? If so, Kirill would likely go there for another drink to calm down a bit. If not he'll curiously wander back to the statue to see if there was anything significant that was earlier missed as to the purpose for the event, preferably with a cheap bottle of wine (if he can afford it) from a general goods shop (if one is open).
She keeps a hand on Kendra for support, but is no longer holding her in place. Now with Father at the fore taking the brunt of the assault, Delia infuses him with arcane energies to afford him the strength to withstand the attacks. Lightly, she she touches him on the back while incanting "Omo Lodeet Merye". As she encourages him, he revitalizes due to her aid.
Does not maintain grapple. Standard, cast Lesser Rejuvenate Eidolon on Father (Don't have my books. It's just like a CLW for eidolons right?) 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7.
Not sure on what to do about the thing, and not normally making his own decisions, Father just swings at the creature in a warding manner. Mostly, using his body and swinging limbs as a deterrant to keep it away from arms reach of the women.
Fighting defensively (-2 or -4? I did not apply it, so just take whatever it is from my total). 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6, ugh, I hope I don't have to hit to get the bonus from it, that was a pitiful swing.
Male Human Ranger (Shapeshifter) 3 { AC 13 | 18 of 35 hp }
Valachi sees Kirill exit the Demon, and walks over to join him. "Didn't go well, I guess... I don't trust the locals anymore than they trust us, but I'd hate to see anything bad befall them because we're stuck looking for a clue." Valachi sighs. "Maybe we need a Sczarni fortuneteller."
Zhan waits for a moment within the tavern, watching the gravedigger and his companions. After waiting to see if they make any further move, or other loud boasts, he moves to the door and rejoins his new friends, Kirill and Valachi, outside.
Zhan will make his own Sense Motive throughout the conversation with Kirill, to see if he can spot any lies or contradictions in the Gibs' expressions.1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23
"It seems perhaps that there was nothing to be learned here. If Gibs is our vandal, he is not tipping his hand. Something about that man strikes passing strange. I suggest we find Delia; she was going to attempt to discover whether anyone was actually missing. If not, we may be able to press on with our more important business."
Alright, going to go ahead and move things along. Guess Sagaar will just be proxied for this round.
To answer Kirril's question, there is in fact another tavern. Not far from the Laughing Demon is an elegantly decorated establishment bearing the name of the Outward Inn.
Knowledge (Local) DC 12:
The Laughing Demon, while it does let a room from time to time, is more of a tavern than it is an inn, and generally a favorite local haunt. The Outward Inn, established by a former singing sensation of Caliphas, caters to travelers and usually draws a modest crowd of minstrels and amateur storytellers each evening, both from Ravengro and from beyond.
At the Lorrimer Home...:
Delia, yes, you may keep your first roll.
At Delia's words Father's body begins to knit, stiff joints popping back into place even as the towering mannequin launches a counterattack against Lorrimer. His awkward jab does little more than stagger the later professor, but attack is not his intent - he holds his arms close to his center, creating a barrier of limbs that the zombie must breach...
Unfortunately, the corpse's sheer strength is sufficient to overcome Father's defenses, and Lorrimer lands another wild, heavy-handed swing.
Sagaar speaks a frenzied incantation as wisps of pale light swirl about his hand, and he reaches for the zombie with an outstretched finger...
Sagaar attempts to defensively cast Cure Light Wounds on the zombie Concentration (DC 16)1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20 Touch Attack1d20 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 1 = 11 Damage1d8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6 Lorrimer's Will Save (DC 15)1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10
He barely manages to grab hold of the corpse's arm, and as soon as he does so, the translucent ribbons of energy rush into the professor's body. The creature jerks violently as light flashes from every orifice of its body, and tiny ghost-like images fly from his form, issuing a faint moan before disappearing.
End of this round looks about the same as the last, with the now-wounded zombie standing in melee with Father and Sagaar, and Delia directly behind them.
Delia pauses briefly to see how things will turn out, hoping that Father can finish this quickly. She gives him the go ahead, "Please Father, just remove the grotesque thing from our sight."
Delia delays until after Father goes, and will act if it doesn't get dropped by him.
Father nods in understanding as he hauls his heavy wooden arm back to give leverage to his swing. "My Princess wants you gone." He states matter-of-factly as if it's the only reason he needs to take out the thing before him.
Slam attack normal 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16, damage if it hits 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8
Delia will delay until after it goes, in case she needs to heal Father again.
Father lands a heavy blow on the zombie, leaving it reeling from the blow. You hear a dull snap, but the creature's unliving frame seems to not be bothered by such crushing strikes. Weathering the better portion of the injury, it lurches forward for a counterattack.
It appears that Father's attacks are not fully effective against the creature. Lorrimer Attack:1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10 Lorrimer Damage:1d6 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8
However, it seems that's Father's strike has left its arm damage, and Lorrimer is unable to bring his limb to bear for an effective assault. With a clumsy twist of its waist, all the zombie is able to do is rake at Father ineffectually its grasping hands.
Seeing that the creature is nearly disabled, Sagaar takes a step back, unshouldering his spear before making a thrust for Lorrimer...
Attack Roll:1d20 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7 Damage Roll:1d8 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
But his attack goes wide, the tip of his spear darting past Lorrimer as the creature leans in to beat against his other opponent.
Delia, you can go ahead and take your action, as well as declare your action for round 3. Father is still engaged in melee with Lorrimer, with Sagaar standing 5 feet away, and Delia behind Father.
Realizing that this creature will not bow out gracefully, not that she expected much from a headless undead, Delia decides that her and Sagaar may need some more protection.
*Maybe something defensive, something along the lines of...*
Delia decides to conclude the words that had sprang to mind when she first rushed into the hallway. "Priho Ditieh Minyeh Pohmoach... So baca." With a flash of brilliance, a golden haired dog appears behind the abomination, offering to help Father harry the thing.
As it appears, she addresses it, "Otherworldy protector, you do me a great service. Sick him!" This last she speaks while pointing at the undead.
The hound strikes and bites true, easily grabbing the thing's leg and trying to bring it to the ground, shaking its head furiously to try and worry the wound.
Crunch:
Summon Monster I, Celestial riding dog, Dog attacks 1d20 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 3 + 2 = 25 (flank included), confirm crit 1d20 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 3 + 2 = 25, what the heck just in case it does, 1d20 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 3 + 2 = 25 OMG! That has got to be a glitch. Damage 2d6 + 6 ⇒ (1, 2) + 6 = 9 and free trip with a hit 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 3 = 18 vs. CMD
Delia's dog tears into the Professor's leg and begins shaking its head viciously. The zombie stumbles first, then falls to the floor, unable to fight the ferocious assault. The thing flails clumsily as the dog continues to savage, but after a few moments Lorrimer is still once more, his flesh too torn to contain whatever vile force gave him motion.
For a long moment, there is silence in the room as you stand over the body of your twice-slain friend. A rancid pool of fouled blood stains to the carpet, and Kendra looks on in muted horror. Her lip begins to quiver as she extends and unsure hand towards her father's body. The outstretched arm lingers in the air, and then Kendra recoils violently, diving onto the floor with an anguished scream.
Wow, that's the first time that's ever come up. I guess this bears asking what you guys would like to do in the event of multiple 20s. My own houserule (which has never actually come up, due to the rarity of the event) is that on a crit, if you roll a natural 20 on the confirmation roll (regardless of the threat range of your weapon), you roll to confirm a second time, and if you suceed, the attack is treated as a coup de grace. Creatures normally immune to coup de graces are susceptible to this attack. Would you guys be open to trying that out, or does it seem to risky (this sort of randomness does tend to favor monsters more than PCs). If not, we could simply do exploding criticals, or just leave it RAW.
Hey sorry about not responding, the first time you puppeted me, I had checked in like right after you posted it, and didnt know what to do. My action is already done, so I'm not sure what is supposed to happen o.O But yes those were the actions i was planning on doing anyway.
Kirill's Knowledge (Local) check vs DC 12:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12Huzahs! are in order.
Kirill checks his coin to find his supply has dwindled down to just a handful of silver and copper pieces, not a pleasant sight. He sighs a bit and decides to head over to the Outward Inn for a final drink for the night, and maybe to ask about a bit more about the events of earlier in the day, though with its usual patronage he would likely only get more wild stories, albeit told far mor theatrically, which might be entertaining with some brandy warming him for the night. If nothing else after tensely dealing with with Gibbs he could do with a bit of relaxation.
Kirill will enjoy a modestly priced drink at the Outward Inn and enjoy the atmosphere. He'll spend some time asking about as to what rumors have cropped up regarding the blood on the statue as well. Diplomacy for gathering information:1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23Time taken in hours:1d4 ⇒ 3If Kirill finds out nothing of note after 3 hours, he will head back to the Lorrimor estate to turn in for the evening.
The Outward Inn is tastefully decorated and warmly lit, and, despite its penchant for song and story, it's quieter than the laughing demon. Various performers take their turns on the modest stage in the basement as the patrons engage in quiet conversation. As a whole, the crowd here is less gregarious but also less raucous.
You initially have trouble making inroads into the various conversations being held around the room, though with careful eavesdropping, you're able to ascertain more or less what you'd expected. More rumors, regarding Harrowstone or various local ghosts. Word has spread around town that no murder is expected, and the 'mysterious' origins of the blood have only created more of a stir. One piece of information does stand out, though... Despite numerous attempts, it seems that the blood will not wash off of the monument.
How late in the evening is it for Kirill after he finishes his gather information? And how much would just a drink at such an establishment cost- Kirill's got to keep an eye on his expenses or he'll be pawning arrows soon.
[ooc]
By the time Kirril finishes at the Outward Inn, it's pushing 9pm. We'll call a drink 5cp, for now, but after you guys get your first windfall, I'd rather use the lifestyle expense option, so you just pay a certain sum each month and then can ignore expenditures up to a certain gp amount.
Kirill becomes intrigued with the latest rumor he has heard. Perhaps there was a supernatural or magical element to the mystery afterall. He knew little of alchemy, though, and would be unable to tell if there was any chance that a solution could accomplish such a thing. Perhaps it was the drinks that he had had that evening, but he wanted to check out the statue one more time to ensure that word was correct before bringing the matter to his colleagues and embarrassing himself with wildly inaccurate information. Drawing the hood of his cloak over his head he quietly slips out of the Outward Inn and makes his way toward the graffitti-covered statue. He takes a round about path and stays out of sight for the most part, not wanting his action to be confused with 'returning to the scene of the crime' as it were, and implicate himself in the event. He knew how these tight-knit, small communities could be and didn't want to give them anymore reason to distrust him. Stealth:1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28Die roller loves me today! If there is nobody near the statue when he arrives, Kirill will quickly but quietly sneak up to it, remove his glove and try to chip at the blood with his thumbnail, drawing his waterskin shortly after. He wets a small section and try to scuff and scrub it as hard as he can with the heel of his bood to see if the claims are true.
Scratching the "V," you are able to scrape off a very fine residue of dried blood, but further scratching yields nothing more. Far less is coming off than you would expect, and scratch as you might, you seem unable to make any headway. Attempts to wash the blood off prove equally futile, and re-wetting it doesn't even cause it to run.
Male Human Ranger (Shapeshifter) 3 { AC 13 | 18 of 35 hp }
Valachi appears confused, wondering how he lost track of Kirill. He looks around the entrance to the Demon for Zhan and Agnar, and if he can't find them either, heads back to Lorrimor's house.
Delia murmurs a quick spell, gazing intently in the direction of the corpse, "Yest Li Mag'ia Zdyes" looking for any signs of necromancy or enchantments that could have compelled it to act. As she strides up to the aftermath, she takes a knee and speaks to the dog while scratching his head, "You did well, my most proud defender. Good boy. You are released from my call." She stands as the animal is released back to its own plane of existence.
Detect Magic, then dismiss the dog.
After her quick examination of the body, she turns to Father and quietly adds "Please take it outside where Kendra doesn't need to see it. Wait out there for the others to return, and let them know what happened. Ask them to inspect it as well to see if they can get any more information from it than I did."
Turning back she moves to Kendra's side, and helps her to her feet. "C'mon dear, lets get you a calming tea, then see about trying to get some rest. What you saw will be difficult, and I'm right here with you. Remember, that was not what you think it was. There is something foul going on, and you need to push what you saw right out of your mind." She talks to her soothingly as she provides a shoulder for support, and leads her into another room.
Diplomacy or Bluff, whichever is more appropriate, to try and help calm her down and comfort her. Diplomacy 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10, Bluff 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17.
EDIT: Oh, and a Spellcraft for the Detect Magic in case it's needed. 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15
Sagaar helps Father to move the body outside. He takes time to examine the corpse, and see if he can find any clues as to how it was animated. He helps Delia with the detect magic. 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16. After the body is out of the room, he advises Father to keep watch over it. Sagaar walks back into the house to talk with Delia. After Delia had brewed up a cup of tea for Kendra, Sagaar talks to Delia in the hallway away from where Kendra can hear.
"We need to get a message to the others. Is it possible to make a summoning that can get the others back here, Kendra can no longer be alone, she needs to stay with us til we know more about whats going on."
Ensuring that she stays in sight of Kendra as she steps out to talk with Sagaar, Delia responds to him, but keeps her attention focused on the poor woman. "No, sadly my summons do not have that capacity. Most of them are just animals, both in form and mind, that originate from other planes. Even if they could understand the request to find someone, I do not have enough power to maintain their presence here on this plane for long. They would most likely not get far before they were wrenched back." She looks to Sagaar briefly, concern on her features, "It's getting dark out, so they should be back shortly, hopefully before anything else happens." She turns back to keep a close eye on Kendra, "I don't think she could handle much more tonight, that last cut to her heart too deep to quickly recover, she will need comfort and calm." She wanders back into the kitchen, sits across from Kendra and rests her hands on hers.
Male Half-Elf/Kellid 3 Barbarian Wild Rager/Totem Warrior/1 Fighter Two-Handed Fighter
After seeing Zhan and Kirill leave Agnar follows behind. Looking around he thinks to himself "This is so different than my homeland." He makes his way to Lorrimer's house to get some rest. He walks in looking for the others seeing Sagarr, Delia and Kendra in the kitchen. He says "I think we found out some information. Better ask Zhan and Kirill though I just watched them."
You see no sign of your companions, and head back to the Lorrimer home to find Sagaar, Agnar, Delia, and Father in the kitchen with Kendra. The young lady appears to be very distraught, trembling slightly and staring blankly at the wall.
Detect Magic:
Spellcraft is used to identify items, but Knowledge (Arcana) is needed to identify magical schools. We'll assume those were Arcana rolls. You detect a very faint magical aura on the corpse, and one that is fading quickly. In a matter of moments, the dweomer is gone. This is typical of items or objects that have just had an enchantment dispelled, and you can reasonably infer that you were detecting the unraveling magics that were animating the corpse as they dispersed.
Kendra simply sits in silence for several minutes, avoiding eye contact with anyone who approaches her, and taking deep, controlled breaths. At length, she turns to Delia. "Thank you for your help," she begins meekly. "I... I don't understand how - why this could happen. I..." She looks away once more, trying as hard as she can to maintain her composure, and her voice becomes a flat monotone. "Is it gone?"
Father was out front with the body, to tell the others what happened as they return.
Father, being stationed out front in order to stop and explain to the others as they return, gives a brief explanation to Agnar and Valachi. "Delia and Sagaar are inside with Kendra. This" he points to the body "attacked Kendra at the doorway. Delia said to tell you to look for clues. When everyone is done for clues I will remove it." He speech is simple and direct, with sentences offering little detail beyond the basics of what he was told to say.
Delia, the presence of sadness always right behind her eyes, answers Kendra calmly "Yes Dear, it is gone. Do not worry yourself over it, just know that you are safe here with us. It is just like a bad dream, it's over and all you can do is try to forget about it." She gets up, and begins busying herself about the kitchen. "Let me try and whip something up to eat, the boys are returning and I'm sure we will all feel better with something in our stomachs."
Untrained Craft check 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9, I would use Profession, but untrained I cannot, so no one can cook unless they have Profession Cook.
Delia cobbles together some ingredients, and ends up managing to make some dry biscuits and overcooked sausage. Her mind is most likely not on the task, as much as she is using the task to try and distract herself and failing.
Male Half-Elf/Kellid 3 Barbarian Wild Rager/Totem Warrior/1 Fighter Two-Handed Fighter
Agnar looks over at the body before walking toward it. As he walks he says to Father "It showed up out of nowhere and just attacked her?" Kneeling next to it he begins to look see if he can notice anything odd about it. Seeing the the dirt he picks some off the better to look at it better.
Perception:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15
No idea if this is knowledge nature or survival but going to roll survival to see if he knows if the dirt is fresh or local.
Apart from the missing head and and grievous wounds on the body's legs, this thing seems to have sustained recent injuries to the hands. Several splinters of wood - pine, you think - are lodged deeply between its knuckles, and the tips of its fingers are raw and bloodied. The loose earth covering the creature is damp, which means it's definitely fresh, and as packed and dark as it is, it's definitely not topsoil.
Father answers Agnar simply, going over the story in his own way. "It knocked on the door. Kendra answered. Then she screamed. We ran in and got it away from her. I'm supposed to wait and tell you all what happened."
Delia turns to address Valachi, "There was an incident, but I think we should discuss it later when everyone is here. Until then I think Father would be able to give you a brief explanation outside." She points to the door, her intonation clearly showing she doesn't want to talk further at the moment. She glances repeatedly in Kendra's direction when the woman isn't looking. Her eyes trying to stress that the woman's presence is significant.
Alright, here's the OOC thread, and I'll actually kick things off in about a week. A recap of character creation, and there have been a few changes!
CREATION RULES: All 18 base classes are allowed, as well as the samurai alternate class. Most archetypes are allowed, but those that blatantly clash with the theme of the AP are barred, so check with me just to be safe before doing a full write up of something really bizarre.
Core races only! I know, I know, we talked about it earlier, but I feel that non-standard races are a slippery slope, and I just don't want to deal with it. You do, however, have full use of the alternate racial traits in the APG.
Select 2 traits. You do not have to have a campaign trait (though you may if you wish), but if you don't, make sure to mention how you know Lorrimer and the nature of your relationship with him.
20 point buy
Average Starting Wealth
Max hp at 1st level, afterwards, take 1/2 of the max +1.
POSTING RULES: I want everyone to shoot for one post per day. I'd really prefer us to keep going on weekends, but if you really have to miss, then I guess so be it. Missing a day now and again is no biggie, but give notice if you know you'll be away. If more than 16 hours pass in combat without a post, I will proxy your character for that round.
If you miss 5 consecutive days without prior notice, we shall begin hunting for a replacement. Also, we shall hunt you down and carve the word "unreliable" into your forehead.
For those of you joining from Ringtail's game, please confirm your interest by the end of the weekend. After that, if there's still space, we'll open a recruitment thread to fill us up to 5 or 6 dudes. So let's see what we've got!
I'm in as well. I'll be an Inquisitor with an investigator type focus. Martinaj, do you have an email you could list if I wanted to discuss the particulars of a character concept ?
Alright so I have four different characters going to letting you guys pick. First up is Weapon Master Fighter with a Falchion. Second is Invulnerable Rager/Totem Warrior Barbarian. Third is a Samurai. Last is a Ranger Infiltrator/Skirmisher that uses Elven curve blade along with bow.
I'd like to see either the barbarian or ranger. That way, with an inquisitor and a rogue we can be a quick, lightly armored, skilled party; the SWAT team of D&D.
I'd agree with Ringtail, and I'd probably favour the barbarian for the hitpoints. My Inquisitor will have a range focus; a ranger would likely be stronger, but it would be good to have a dedicated meleeist.
Those all sound like they could be cool, but I'm more interested in the actual character than their class. What are their names? Where are they from? What are their personalities and motivation?
Well the Barbarian since he seems to be the favorite right now. Here is a short run-down and yes I just play half-elves and yes I can explain that better if you want in the more detailed story.
His is named Agnar he is a half-elf / Kellid. He is traveling with his Uncle after his tribe was killed by orcs. This made him a very cold person that has a hatred of orcs. This also made him want to protect the weak from those who want to oppress the weak. Him meeting the Prof. Lorrimer I think I will do with him saving the Prof. Lorrimer from orcs and his Uncle dying to help save the Prof. Lorrimer .
In life Zhan was an unassuming man who worked as a small town holyman and undertaker. He wasn’t a true cleric (expert or adept class?), and so his main duty was caring for the dead, laying them to rest, and officiating at the funerals. His luck ended the day a young Necromancer and his goons came to his graveyard looking for building materials for their vile art. Zhan got in the way, tried to stop them, and died for his trouble. Never wanting to waste a fresh corpse, Zhan was himself reanimated as a servant for his very own murderer. A group of adventurers was following in the wake of the dark mage, and “killed” the Zhan-bie during the conflict. The Necromancer however, escaped. Needing more information than a communing with the dead could provide, and being short on time, they decided to Raise Zhan from the dead in order to get answers to all of their questions and gain a guide in the process. Dead only a short while, Zhan retained many memories of his time as an undead, brief terrifying glimpses of the things he did on behalf of his master. He did everything he could to help the adventurers, and the heroes killed the Necromancer and his followers. One of these men was Professor Lorrimor (I’ve read through the player’s guide, but I still couldn’t tell enough about the Prof to know if he’d ever adventured, but it seems possible, alternatively, he may have been a consultant to the group). As such, Zhan incurred a debt he could never repay; not only cost of the spell, but the being snatched out of the clutches of damnation itself to be given a second chance at life. Traumatized beyond reckoning, but joyful at being alive again, Zhan decided to dedicate himself to irradiating Necromancers like the one who had murdered him. He put aside his old life, and studied the skills he would need to track down the black practitioners, and bring them to justice or kill them.
Both of those sound good. Zhan especially might have a few elements from his past worked into the AP (are you sure you caught that necromancer?).
As far as what Lorrimer was and did before his death, we're going to assume he was a wizard somewhere around level 6 or 7. He was more of a scholar than an adventurer, but lent his aid to worthy causes from time to time. Think of him as "van Helsing light." (from Bram Stoker's novel, not the movie with Hugh Jackman).
Kirill was born the only son of an unwed Varisian wanderer. He never knew his father, but never much cared to find out who he was (not that he could). He'd always been somewhat of an independent, although throughout his youngest years he traveled with his mother and her troupe as they went from town to town earning a living officially as entertainers, but secretly as thieves, prostitutes, and con artists. He learned to lie, cheat, and steal, but never from those who couldn't afford the loss, nor didn't deserve the misfortune.
After visiting rich cities with lavish cemeteries as a young teen he developed his own way of earning coin, a practice frowned upon by most of his kin: grave-robbing. He'd found that his personal skill set allowed him to easily relieve old tombs of their valuables when offered a job by a group of local ruffians and spotting pitfalls which would have been otherwise disastrous to the criminals when he was to be but a lookout. It was long before he left troupe behind to pursue his new vocation in earnest, usually by himself.
Though friendly, Kirill had always had a greedy streak - he simply couldn't resist a fat sack of gold. His ventures were relatively prosperous, but enough was never enough and he was always looking for a quick and easy coin. After uncovering some ancient texts in a particularly macabre tomb the cunning thief had taken up devil worship as a means to guide his life to earn more gold. He delved into the practice with a small group of others (obviously in secret) for nearly a year, but slowly grew to understand that though he lusted for coin he didn't have the heart for the level of vileness that infernal worship commanded. During somewhat reluctantly taking part in a ritual to finalize their unspoken deals with devilish forces Kirill was spooked by the magic and fled the cult, without ever seeing the resolution.
He disposed of his infernal texts in a rubbish heap and went back to his old ways of delving into crypts of the rich and the burial mounds of the well to do, never having seen his old cohorts again.
Still tweaking the background, but above is the gist. Hopefully will be finished with character stats soon.
Male Half-Elf/Kellid 3 Barbarian Wild Rager/Totem Warrior/1 Fighter Two-Handed Fighter
I gave him a Regional trait from being from the Realms of the Mammoth Lords if that is not okay I will change it here is the back story.
Back story:
Agnar was born to an elf who was orphaned because of demons from the WorldWound. The elves were traveling when ambushed by the demons only one adult escaped with the children. She along with the children were found by the Fire Claw tribe from the Realm of the Mammoth Lords. The adult elf pleaded for help because of the demons. Before the chief could answer the demons came and started to attack the group. The warriors of Fire Claw tribe fought the demons . After the battle many warriors were dead and the the adult elf. The chief seeing that he needed new blood and not wanting to leave the child alone he took the children into his tribe to be raised. The elf children were slow to grow but they took in everything they learned quickly. It took 70 more years for the children to go to adulthood but in that time they took in everything that was taught to them. The children helped the tribe greatly.
Around this time was when Agnar was born. Many of the elf children mated with each but his mother fell in love with a warrior of the tribe. This union gave birth to Agnar. He grew up leading the way of the warrior to help protect the tribe from the many threats that can harm the tribe such as demons, orcs and giants. When Agnar was 18 he left the for the south to trade. On their way back from trading Agnar and his Uncle see a man being attacked by Orcs running to his defense they attack the Orcs. After the battle Agnar's Uncle was dead and Agnar was wounded. The stranger heals Agnar's wounds and helps him. The stranger name was Lorrimer. After Agnar was well enough to leave he thanked Lorrimer telling him that he was in his debt and should he ever need him he would come.
Alright, so far everything is looking solid, but Ringtail, how does Kirill know Lorrimer?
I think that this is probably what we've got, so later tonight I'll open a recruitment thread to try and find 2 or 3 more dudes, see if we can't get a couple of spellcasters into the mix.
I'm unable to download the player's guide to CC on my work PC and my temporary home PC is having trouble opening it up, so I still haven't had a chance to get a look at it. Hopefully I will soon. Is there any further information on this Lorrimer in it, or anymore information on him you can give me on him to help me develop him into my background? If he was a wizard and a sage, then as a graverobber Kirill may have used him as a regular contact to ask about potential magical wards placed around tombs and similar circumstances, possibly seeding a friendly relationship with him over time.
He more of a scholar that travels all over. My friend went on a vacation without any internet and his phone is barely working. I just found this out today -.-. His character was cool to he wanted to play a lore oracle.
Alright, [url=http://paizo.com/paizo/messageboards/community/gaming/connection/recrutingForACarrionCrownPBP23SpotsAvailable&page=1#28]here[/url is a link to the IC thread. In a couple of days, I'll be picking 3 of these mooks, and I wanted to know what you think? So far, my absolute favorites are Delia (the summoner) as long as she gives a good link to Lorrimer, and the Varisian shapechanging ranger. The half-orc seems sorcerer is pretty cool too. Darklight, your friend sounds like his concept could be pretty cool, and I'd like to see him in the game, but let him know that he'll need to give a more in-depth backstory for me to justify it, especially with the detail we're getting from some of the other contestants.
I like the dwarf on the bear, Thorgun Jarlhammer I like the idea of a cavalier that is going to be the party face. Next up the Half-Orc Taric is really nicely done seem would be great add on to the party. My friend will have the back story for you later today he has trouble picking what stats and things like that for his characters but really good for back story. The summmoner is well creepy and a bit young I know it up to a player to make their characters and everything but I do not really like young characters and goth horror themes but that is just me.
Well, Carrion Crown is supposed to be a bit creepy. I think that having a vulnerable innocent in such a campaign could be pretty interesting. That summoner just screams "potential character development."
The campaign itself is suppose to be creepy yes not the characters themselves well how I see it. I have a thing and corrupting the innocent or messing with the innocent why I do not like the character. That is just me myself others would not agree with me.
Ringtail I think had some stuff happen why his post were slow in the RotL game. You can pick whoever you want it your PbP just saying that is my opinion which you asked for.
There are some good submissions, with some cool back stories. I would like to point out that Zhan has some strong 'face' potential, as his Inquisition ability basically allows him to sub Wis for Cha.
The one's that have been highlighted so far are good:
Delia - the innocent in the macabre has a lot of potential.
Thorgun - As a dwarf, he's lost a bit of his 'face' potential. As well there are mechanical issues with the bear idea; as companions they only grow to medium, and only at level 4. I leave that to the GM. I do like the strike team idea mentioned earlier as well, without a'heavy armour' guy. Otherwise, he's good, and he was first.
Valachi - I think this guy nailed concept and flavour for the setting. I don't know if we need a ranger, but I like the character.
Tsura - The background is not finished, but I am intrigued. If she could be finished off, I think she would make a strong addiction.
Disclaimer - I hate bards, as a concept. A guy who fights evil by singing about it? Seriously?
My votes:
Valachi, Delia, and Tsura.
I like the idea of including associates of current group members so if Czernebog's Oracle pans out, I'd probably drop someone to include him.
I'm still here (Ringtail). I've just had a lot to deal with lately that is getting me a bit behind in most aspects of my life on top of being in the middle of a 9 day work stretch at my day job. The CWS is crushing my soul and it hasn't even started yet.
I can't decide on feats (still deciding what gets 12,11,10 between Wisdom, Constitution, and Charisma as well). I really want to take some skill buffing feats, but feel that Kirill will become a burden in combat without allocating at least PBS/Precise Shot, Combat Expertise/Dirty Trick, or Weapon Finesse/TWF. But his defenses are low (leather armor for no ACP, 11 CON and 10 WIS, so horrible save, favored class to skills instead of HP), so I want Toughness/Great Fort/Iron Will.
Male Half-Elf/Kellid 3 Barbarian Wild Rager/Totem Warrior/1 Fighter Two-Handed Fighter
Rouges are not suppose to be overly combat effective. As long as you can hit stuff you should be alright. The classes I like are easy to play I usually just play melee classes just the style I like. Also to you guys I am going to at some point take heavy armor proficiency. This will most likely will be around level 7 though so.
Agnar: I'm guessing you'll be aiming for Mithril? To enable you to maintain your swift movement, etc?
You will still be able to move at 30ft/rnd and only have a -2 to stealth in full plate. If you go that route it won't interfere with our strike team idea. Zhan himself will be aiming for a suit of Mithril Breastplate. It'll be light armour with no armour check, and with a +5 max dex, so it should suit him nicely.
Male Half-Elf/Kellid 3 Barbarian Wild Rager/Totem Warrior/1 Fighter Two-Handed Fighter
Oh yeah going to have horns on it to and have the cloak look like a pelt. Yeah I am going deep with the barbarian idea. Yes it will be Mithril so I can have a movement of 30 ft I have no stealth not part of my character.
Alright, going to make the picks tonight. I'm pretty sold on Valachi, Delia, and Czernebog. Tsura was looking interesting up until she actually threw up the backstory, but her link to Lorrimer is pretty tenuous, and her use of tense frightens me a bit. The cavalier is really cool, and I would have liked to use him, but the other concepts simply mesh with the AP too well.
Yeah, he's the ranger. And I agree, I think the idea of a dwarf cavalier mounted on a bear is awesome, but just seems to shatter the spirit of the Carrion Crown AP. I'm definitely going to be looking for this guy if I run another game, though.
Zhan's deity is something I have still been trying to settle on. Pharasma would make the most sense, both with his having been an undertaker, and as an enemy of necromancers. However, I've read a bit of her fluff, and I'm not really sold on her as she seems rather bland. Her description does not capture me; I like a deity to have a bit more passion.
Zhan views undead as mindless creations for the most part; to destroyed whenever encountered, but not really hated. Do you hate a flood, or a rockslide? They are all just things, even though they all kill innocent people. What he hates are those that bring the thing into being. The Necromancers.
Since Pharasma doesn't blow my skirt up, Iomadae might make a good choice, as the pure and honorable patron, though as LN, Zahn might be more liberal than most Iomadains. Of course, he could switch to NG, but a dispassionate LN seems to fit my vision of him in my mind. Legalistic, and a bit stern. Ragathiel might work. He's much like Iomadae (LG) but he's a lesser deity and his patronage includes duty and vengeance. However, it's usually easier on the GM to stick with the major deities.
As an Inquisitor, all deities bestow the inquisition ability I want, so there is no real mechanical difference, I'm looking mostly for flavour. Any suggestions?
I'm reading through the campaign setting material, and hopefully I'll find something that appeals to me.
Well, if you're a preacher with the conversion inquisition, Iomedae could definitely fit. If you read about her in Faiths of Purtiy, it definitely seems like she'd have more LN followers than NG. Her religion mostly seems to be about praising how awesome she is, and acting like old school paladins (her followers are a little uncompromising).
There's a lot of information on Pharasma in the 2nd Carrion Crown adventure, but yeah, she's not too passionate.
Male Half-Elf/Kellid 3 Barbarian Wild Rager/Totem Warrior/1 Fighter Two-Handed Fighter
Plus if you go with Iomedae you can use a longsword. In the online carrion crown I play in we have a Inquisitor of Pharasma and a cleric of Iomedae well warrior cleric. The Inquisitor while doing cool things why I now have a Inquisitor of Gorum does not seem like it does a lot with his god. While the cleric does a lot more. Since you are going the preacher type I would go with which god seems to go with that best. Though I like Ragathiel he sounds cool.
Thank you for the invite, I've been waiting for a Carrion Crown since I made the character. She just didn't seem to fit any other AP.
I just want to clarify, although young, she will not be a Shuriken loli, that's a bit too creepy even for a campaign about creepy.
I was wondering, would it be easier if I created and used a seperate profile for "Father"? Also, what are your posting preferences, bold for in character or just quotes is fine?
Well, creating a profile for "Father" might make differentiating them easier, but you might be doing a lot of back-and-forth with two profiles. If you don't mind managing it, that's fine, but you don't need to feel obligated.
As far as format for posting, I usually use bold for IC speech, italics for character thoughts, and standard font for narrative and descriptions. It's what I prefer to work with, but if you're used to something else, I won't be too much of a stickler for it.
Male Half-Elf/Kellid 3 Barbarian Wild Rager/Totem Warrior/1 Fighter Two-Handed Fighter
Delia Pilachet wrote:
I just want to clarify, although young, she will not be a Shuriken loli, that's a bit too creepy even for a campaign about creepy.
The creepy statement was with the Father summon and how she just connected the summon with her father. That is what I found a bit creepy. Also I have no idea what a Shuriken loli is so okay. I just have issues with corrupting of the innocent and the like. Just a trait I always had since I was younger.
I don't see her developing any corruption, as I see her growing emotionally stronger and learning to accept that her real father is gone. Through this she becomes more self-empowered.
Her connection was an irrational conclusion made during an emotional state of shock. I think deep down she knows the truth, and just isn't ready to accept it yet. She is formally trained in the nature of magic, and there is always the inkling in the back of her mind that it's not him.
I hadn't really thought of it, but looking through real quick I'm gonna try to keep him normal looking. So I will get him a second slam, make his attacks magical, maybe take reach or push, Get abilty increases, DR, and Spell resist.
Generally, he will be Delia's big tough bodyguard.
Male Half-Elf/Kellid 3 Barbarian Wild Rager/Totem Warrior/1 Fighter Two-Handed Fighter
Cool you going with just normal summoner or going to take a different archetype? I like the idea of a summon why I am asking. You are the first summon I have gotten to play with.
Should we take a look at our group as a whole? If there is any redesign that can be done to make us mesh better, best to do it before the game actually starts, yes?
Lets take a look at our team:
Agnar – Half Elf Barbarian
Delia and Father – Human Summoner and Humanoid Eidolon
Kirill Innokenti – Human Rogue
Sagaar – Half Elf Lore Oracle
Valachi – Humanish Ranger
Zhan – Human Inquisitor
First impressions: Human-centric group with a good spread of classes. We have pretty good fighter base, at least 2 skill monkeys, a full-divine caster and a 2/3 divine caster, and a 2/3 arcane caster. A major limitation may be that all of our casters are spontaneous casters, meaning we are likely going to be lacking any decent utility magic. Once Delia gets her UMD ranks up, she may become our main utility caster via scrolls and such.
Specializations – Based on my read of the stats listed thus far; feel free to correct me if I misrepresent your character. Agnar – Melee. Kill, crush, destroy. Good man.
Delia and Father – Our Arcanist. From her stats and background, I am guessing she will be staying out of combat for the most part, rather using her spells to buff and summons for battlefield control. She has a great charisma, but in-game it may not work to rely on a kid as a face.
Kirill Innokenti – Great “thief” skills; good at sneaking, locks, and traps; decent talker.
Sagaar – High Cha, but doesn’t like people. No indication yet if he’ll fight melee or ranged, or be more caster-focused. Looking at his concept thus far, are you sure he might not work better as a non-cha based class? Cleric with the knowledge domain maybe? Conceptually, hideously scarred and high-charisma is an atypical combination.
Valachi – Melee. Stats not yet completed.
Zhan – Ranged fighter, mediocre at melee. He’ll probably go with a repeating crossbow when he can afford one. His skills are set up as an investigator and face; high sense motive, bluff, intimidate, diplomacy. He’s good at interrogation and investigation.
Combat: 2 full BAB types, both medium armour max and 4 ¾ BAB classes, 2 medium armour, 2 light, plus an Eidolon. I’ve only played with a Summoner once before, but what we noticed in that group was how great a front man the eidolon made. If he’s near death, dispel him; if he gets killed, he comes back the next day. The summoner can feed him hitpoints while still near the back (where the healers can easily reach her), making him an awesome meat-shield and giving him permission to act like a man without fear.
Party Roles: The classics:
Fighter: Agnar and Valachi (both melee), and to a degree, everyone else. Father will be very useful I think, especially with the tactics mentioned above. Delia, will Father be able to work as a ‘point’ man, or do you see him acting as more of a body guard, hanging back near Delia in combat?
Skills/Traps: Kirill and Zhan. Kirill has all the rogue skills covered, and Zhan is pretty good on the social front. Lore is kind of spread out, with Sagaar holding many skills, and Zhan will be adding his in at level 2+.
Divine: Sagaar and Zhan (2/3) – again, both spontaneous, so versatility will be an issue. Healing should be covered though. Actually, I just noticed that Sagaar did not take CLW as a 1st level spell. Is that intentional? Zhan has it, but will need a wand pretty quick if we are depending on him as the only healer.
Arcane: Only Delia (2/3) – This is a weak point for our group, and we will have to make an effort to make sure that Delia is appropriately supplied with magic objects to help us make up for the deficiency.
What impressions do the other players have? Any suggestions for party cohesiveness based on the info we have thus far?
Male Half-Elf/Kellid 3 Barbarian Wild Rager/Totem Warrior/1 Fighter Two-Handed Fighter
Since I have helped Sagaar with his character I can answer some of that if you want. I would rather just let him answer though. Seems about right though from what I have seen need to get everyone else though to see what they want to do with their character exactly.
Delia is almost at cap for UMD, and will be sticking with it.
I do see her being able to do face work. She is Ustalav(-ish? -ian? -ic?), so has a connection to the people. Also she is sweet and compassionate, and may appear the most non-threatening amongst the group as well, easing people's tongues. If she will be too much on Zhan's toes with Diplomacy I can turn her attention elsewhere. Diplomacy is the only face skill she has though, so she won't be stepping on the other face skills.
I was kind of thinking Father/Delia as mid-line, anyone going for the back line of the group will have to go through them. She will always be fairly close to him.
No, there is nothing wrong with multiple people covering skill sets, diplomacy and face skills included. It's nice to have someone who can rescue you when the dice are being unforgiving. Overlap is a good idea, and easier to pull off once the group gets to 4+.
As for Sagaar, I'd love to hear more about the character vision, mechanics included. I looked at Oracle and saw that they get CLW free along with their 2 other known spells at level 1, which I didn't know, so that won't necessarily be an issue.
