Ha! I always forget that the elemental overflow feature means there's a visible elemental effect, so I was trying to do something with it beyond just post "I wait."
As an FYI: a few hours ago, I very suddenly developed several symptoms of covid-19, so I'm getting tested in the morning. I will try to keep posting but, y'know, I don't feel super great right now. I am supposed to have results by the end of the weekend.
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Will pray for you Faywen.
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Oh dear. Get your rest and I hope you recover quickly.
Thanks for the kind words, everyone. The test sucks, I do not recommend it, but I am feeling okay at the moment.
Was that the stick up the nose test? Sounds way worse than the one I got, which was a blood draw.
It sure was, though at least it wasn't the one from the early days where they had to practically push it back into your brain.
Sorry to hear that - I hope the results are in your favor. We have a spit test here that is a lot less invasive... hopefully the rest of you will get that soon.
Just a heads up that I'm likely going to be somewhat busy from Thursday through Tuesday. Most likely I'll still be able to post Thursday through Sunday of that, but probably not Monday/Tuesday, so bot me as necessary.
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These APs are huge and in some cases very detailed - it bothers me a little that so many of the details are lost on the players, because to give them away gives too much away.
Anyway, there were a few different ways this could have gone down. First, if the group that came in to begin with had fully explored the caverns first, then you could have ended up fighting Aldern and 3 more ghouls alone, and that would have been a rough battle. It would have also involved more of your classic villain-monologue situation, which you now missed out on. But even that would have been fairly lame, since the whole scenario to this point expected Aldern to pick one character to be fascinated with, stalk, plot around and ultimately try to recruit or kill here. But with the turn over of both characters and players (and GMs), and the length of time it takes, it is practically impossible for that to really have an impact. Luckily, it has (as far as I can tell) no more bearing on the rest of the stofyline.
Alternatively, if you had let Iesha come alone, she would have lost this fight as he could have called for reinforcements (more ghouls from the caverns, most of which you destroyed).
Or the third way was how this played out, which was a bit anti-climatic for you as the players, I think.
There was also a lot more to do with haunts and the mold - a phage disease to make you all into ghouls, perhaps. But I find record keeping on diseases to be highly annoying and not adding much to the fun. I think now, though, you can finally burn the house and let it fall into the ocean if you like.
For those of you who couldn't piece together the whole story line, here is the summary.
Aldern Foxglove, at the beginning, was a spoiler, rich kid from a family with a very disfunctional history. During the hunting excursion back at the beginning of the AP, he was supposed to be on the edge of psychotic, fixating on one of the new heroes of Sandpoint either as the object of his affections or envy, or even perhaps the source of a vendetta. He was otherwise normal, at that point. Otherwise, his story has really nothing to do with Part 1, which involved Nualia and the goblins, at least as far as you can tell.
The Foxglove history started with Vorel Foxglove who was Aldern's grandfather, and a necromancer by trade. He spent 20 years of his life researching methods to become a lich. Yet on what was to be the eve of his triumphant transformation, his wife Kasanda uncovered his vile plan. She confronted him, ruined his phylactery, and triggered a necromantic backlash that destroyed Vorel's body in one horrendous blast of disease and decay. His soul became absorbed by the manor, treating the house as the phylactery his wife had ruined. In a matter of minutes, Kasanda, her child, and all of the manor's servants succumbed to a potent and horrific affliction spread by Vorel's vengeful spirit.
When nothing had been heard from Foxglove Manor for days, visitors found the family and servants dead of a mysterious disease. Disposal of the bodies was handled with utmost secrecy by the surviving Foxgloves of Magnimar, and they shunned Foxglove Manor for decades to follow.
The building stood vacant for nearly 40 years before Traver Foxglove (Aldern's father) decided to move his family into the manor to reclaim his heritage and expunge the sour taint of the house's reputation. His wife Cyralie gave birth to Traver's only son Aldern not long after they moved in. For 6 years, it seemed as if whatever was wrong with the manor had corrected itself. Traver's son and daughters were growing into fine young aristocrats and his fortunes seemed to be booming. In Traver, Vorel's unquiet spirit found unformed clay he could sculpt, and as the years wore on, Vorel's influence over Traver grew. In time, Cyralie became convinced that Traver's mental decline was caused by the manor itself. In a fit of desperation, she lit the servants' outbuilding on fire then returned to the manor intending to do the same to it, but Traver, now fully in Vorel's embrace, murdered her before she could light that fire. The shock of watching his wife die freed Traver from Vorel's influence long enough for him to kill himself in despair.
Smoke from the fire was seen as far away as Sandpoint, and when townsfolk arrived to investigate, they found the servants' outbuilding burnt to the ground and Traver dead by his own hand. His wife's body was found burnt and dashed against the rocks below. Cowering in a second-floor bedroom, though, the townsfolk discovered the Foxglove children. Aldern and his older sisters spent time in a Magnimar orphanage before they were claimed by Traver's second cousin and brought to the city of Korvosa to be raised.
Fifteen years passed before Aldern, now a grown man and a successful merchant himself, returned to the Lost Coast. Rich and popular, he secured a townhouse in Magnimar and set into motion his claim to the family manor. Aldern Foxglove had trouble finding skilled laborers
and servants to aid him in restoring his family estate Foxglove Manor's reputation as a bad place had had decades to take root in local superstition. Worse, the manor's cellars were infested with rats-horribly diseased and aggressive rats that kept to themselves as long as no one ventured too far into the basement. The job was enormous, from the need to patch the leaky roof in dozens of places to dealing with the strange and repugnant fungus that grew so tenaciously in the basement. It was about this time that Aldern, returning from a visit to Sandpoint, happened upon a group of Varisians on the moor not far from Foxglove Manor, trapped by the terrible gale he himself was trying to get home through.
Seized by an uncharacteristic fit of charity, Aldern did one of the few selfless things of his life and brought the dozen Varisians home with him, inviting them to stay in his manor until the storm had ended. And in doing so, he brought Iesha into his life. Iesha was surely the most beautiful woman Aldern had ever met, a goddess with raven-black hair and luscious curves, the voice of an angel and the heart of a lion. Aldern fell wildly and passionately in love with the Varisian woman and proposed marriage to her before dawn broke. Overwhelmed by the man's handsome looks, social standing, apparent generosity, and wealth, Iesha accepted, and they were married within the week. Alas, as Iesha would soon learn, there was more to Aldern than met the eye. For Aldern had a mean streak in him, one planted in his soul during his unpleasant upbringing in Korvosa. Aldern's passions and lust for Iesha gave way to jealousy and paranoia, and he grew overprotective of his wife's honor to the extent of locking her in the manor during his business trips to Magnimar.
Then, one night after arriving home late from Magnimar, Aldern found Iesha and one of the carpenters together in the library. Making a wildly inaccurate guess at what was going on, he brained the man with a statuette from a shelf, causing Iesha to fly into a frenzy. When
Aldern recovered from his rage, he found he'd strangled his wife to death with her own silk scarf (which you have encountered). In a growing panic, Aldern disposed of the carpenter's body by throwing it down the nearby well (also you found), but he couldn't bring himself to do the same with Iesha. Instead, he wrapped her corpse in a sheet and hid it in the attic, locking the door and intending to return later to deal with the evidence.
In the days that followed, Aldern explained to visitors that Iesha was away visiting friends in distant Absalom and that work on restoring his manor had come to a halt while he awaited more funds to pay for the final stages of the restoration. He kept up a brave face in public, but in truth, he was slowly being driven bankrupt, both morally and financially. Then he attended the Swallowtail Festival. When the goblins raided the town, Aldern's life was saved by the PCs. Aldern grew obsessed with one of these strangers, realizing that here might be someone he could use to climb out of his pit of depression. Ever a master of deception, he maintained his facade of being a successful local noble while he nurtured this new obsession. Yet when he finally returned to Foxglove Manor after his stay in Sandpoint (avoiding the upper floors and the sounds of muffled sobbing that he assumed were only in his head), the fungal phage growth seems to have taken over, and helped drive him insane. At the end, he had 3 distinct personalities struggling for control, but that was all now settled by Iesha and yourselves.
Except now, you find there are some threads yet to be unraveled. Who is this Xanesha in Magnimar, and what did they want? Who are these Brothers that Aldern was indebted to? And what did he harvest from the cavern - was it the disease? What is the Sihedron ritual, and its intended victims? What does it mean to be marked, and how are their souls involved?
Now is a very good time to regroup, divy treasure, etc., and plan your next move.
holy crap
One of the best things about these AP's is the rich back story that we as player never get to learn unless a GM does something like this.
Truly amazing character work goes into many of the main baddies but this has to be one of the deepest.
Thank you very much for sharing all of that!!!
Did we complete searching the place? Happy to roll some Perception checks, or whatever. I'm sure there's a +5 Holy Heavy Pick around her somewhere!
Wow. Lots of detail. The only other AP that I've read is the one that I'm GMing (Ironfang Invasion). And you're right, there is a lot of material that seems to be there just for background. I don't know how players would ever discover it. I'm always trying to figure out ways, besides the infamous villain monologue, to provide that richness to the players.
I a PbP situation I appreciate that you wrote out the long summary. It helps.
I agree. As a GM, I have to remember that I know the backstory but the PC's don't so I try to throw in some of the backstory where I can, but I like your approach.
Check the loot sheet - we can sell off a lot of the art, assuming you don't want it. Also, @Skarn, there was +1 heavy pick found in the caverns. It's a start!
Today is a nightmare at work and I'm probably going to spend a lot of time tomorrow sleeping, so don't hold anything up on my account.
Hahaha, thanks, but I've already got one!
Hat of disguise
Ring of Jumping
Stalker's Mask
Adamantine Sword
Heavy Pick +1
Ring +1
Leather Armor +1
War razor +1
Chime of Opening (5)
Dagger +1 Cold Iron, Returning
These seem to be the big items. Several decent scrolls and such on the list too.
Oh, anyone else want the adamantine sword? Good as a second weapon for Trox if we hit something with Hardness. Clearly anyone and everyone should want the ring I would think.
I have a +1 ring already.
I do sometimes wonder why things give such detailed backgrounds that are unlikely to come up. Sure, it informs motivation, but I would have thought the GM could expand on that themself with just an outline to go off of.
Selling loot for money would be good. I think I have the wealth of a 2nd or 3rd level character since I mostly only have a cloak of resistance +1 and an everburning torch. :-/
Since you would flood the Sandpoint market with this loot, I will assume you do equipment sell/swap/buy as you enter Magnimar.
Put your name next to what you want to keep (column B) - you can sell anything by putting 1/2 the valud in column C into column D. Some items you can get full "value" for, so I already sold those for you.
Sandpoint will also be giving you a 1500 gp reward for all of your heroics.
I could probably use the hat of disguise. I get a lot of funny looks for some reason...
I could use the ring if nobody else wants it!
That works for the ring.
I'm assuming it's a +1 ring of protection, though I'm realizing it just says +1 ring on the list there.
Yep
I don't need to take any of the permanent items but I think that we should take the potions and scrolls. I can take them if no one else wants to take them:
- scroll of flaming sphere (CL5)
- scroll of lightening bolt
- scroll of keen edge
I also think we should keep the following items because they might be needed for later:
- Sihedron medallion
- the keys unless we know what the keys are for already
- the chimes of opening
I have been putting ranks in UMD so I can probably also take some scrolls.
I wouldn't mind taking the chimes of opening since I have also put ranks in disable device.
OK, I marked the items as you discussed, and sold off the rest. After doing a fair amount of math, and providing a Sandpoint gratuity to help bring you closed to WBL (within 2500 now), you each have the following cash on hand:
Cordwin 9615
Druamin 5050
Erond 13032
Faywen 10030
Rene 12270
Reynard 11750
Skarn 6062
Trox 8542
I will keep the inventory updates with any purchases you make.
Thank you! I'll add the ring to my inventory and think about some items to buy with all this cash.
Huzzah, monies! I think I'll be boring and just grab some big 6 items:
- Headband of Int +2 (4k)
- Cloak of resistance +1 => +2 (3k)
- Ring of Protection +1 (2k)
- Amulet of natural armor +1 (2k)
This should leave me with 1270 gp. Some of which I'm inclined to put towards a party CLW wand since that's generally a good investment.
Thanks GM. I have a huge job application I have to have ready for Monday so I won't be posting until Tuesday. Thanks for the patience.
Good luck on the job!
OK, Rene - noted your items on the spreadsheet.
Skarn will procure Boots of Striding and Springing (5500gp). His speed is now 40'.
I think I'll follow René's example.
Belt of Con +2 (4000 gp)
Amulet of Natural Armor +1 (2000 gp)
Upgrade my Cloak of Resistance to +2 (3000 gp)
Total 9000 gp, leaving me with 1,050 left over.
Cordwin will save his money as he wants a Headband of Mental Prowess +2 (Cha, Int) and he is a wee bit short....(Money not height! LOL!)
But also height :P
@Faywen: That is true! :D
I'll get a Belt of Physical Might +2 (STR, DEX) and ad a +1 to my Chain Shirt.
If anyone's got potions they'd like crafted, I can do that on the cheap, though if it's not in my spellbook (it probably isn't, I don't have a lot in there) I'll need a scroll to scribe it from.
Cordwin, how close are you? I can throw you some gp.
Here's what I'm buying:
Amulet of Natural Armor +1
+1 battleaxe
sell previous battleaxe (150gp)
wand of liberating command
Assuming that's all available.
Y'all couldn't put the prices with these?? <grin>
Yes, you have some downtime here to make the trip, so if Reynard can craft potions, feel free to take advantage of that.
Otherwise, I think I have everyone up to date.
Cordwin is less than 400 short of his belt, which most of you could cover if you like. Since I keep the spreadsheet to make sure everyone stays somewhat equal, you could all chip in like 60gp to help him out.