Stirrings in the Deep

Game Master Zesdead

Cool, I just wanted to make sure you folks hadn't forgotten as I don't think I reminded you in the 'Level up now' post...

Welcome to Level 8 of the Emerald Spire, the 'Circle of Vissk-Thar' by Jason Bulmahn - yeah, pretty much the 'inventor' of Pathfinder!

I have popped a map for Level 8 into your campaign header and also updated the Spire Cross Section...

FYI i've been pretty sick for a couple of days. I'm trying to get caught back up today so bear with me.

Apologies.

Won't be able to post for much of tomorrow

I'm sorry I haven't posted, I just don't know what more I can do with the information that has been discovered/shared with the group as a whole.

I may just have done a bad thing... I've opened a recruitment thread for another game!!!

All of the games I am GM'ing at the moment (Emerald Spire, Shattered Star and Legendary Planet) are long running campaigns but it's also fun to run the occasional 'one off' adventure... having run Godsmouth Heresy (a few times!!!), Feast of Ravenmoor (admittedly inserted into my Shattered Star campaign) and Wardens of the Reborn Forge - I have decided to see if people have any interest in From Shore to Sea...

If any of you folks are interested then take a mosey over to: Here is the Recruitment Thread.

Here is the new Conan RPG.

I love the hokey Schwarzenneger 80's movies and I got Robert E Howard's full compilation in a hardback for Christmas, so I'm really looking forward to trying out this RPG someday.

I pledged at the 30 UK pound tier ($44) which comes with a full color hardback core rules, PDF, and a few other goodies.

The Kickstarter seems to be going really well!!! There's a lot of value in the 40 pounds bundle - six stretch goal source books unlocked so far with quite a few more interesting looking books announced... I'm not going to back (despite being a bit tempted!) but I'll be intersted to hear how the game turns out...

I'm definitely looking forward to reading through the core book and playing a game or two. I don't think I'll pre-invest any further than what I have already. I'm going to wait to see if my friends and I enjoy the "2d20" game mechanics before buying any sourcebooks.

Sorry for my delay, my wife is in surgery right now.

Ouch...
All my good vibes to ou and your family, Grayface. Nothing too severe, I hope?

Many well wishes to your wife, Grey.

Yeah, best wishes Gray man...

Best wishes to you and your wife!

-Posted with Wayfinder

Thank you for the kind words everyone. She had surgery on her eye today and we've been anxious about it for days. It's been a busy day for me. Hopefully she will recover quickly and cleanly. So far so good.

Map has been updated...

...also, just wanted to say... Grayface, I am really enjoying how you are writing your character (especially in combat) - whoever said Fighters were boring never met Gray...

I'm enjoying Greyface as a character as well. I like hiw deep he can get, and how his appearance still makes him feel vulnerable in social situations.

Okay, as a kinda vain player, how is everybody liking Murassa?

Thanks guys. It is fun trying to come up with a more narrative way to describe my actions.

I know fighters aren't the best class in the game, especially a vanilla fighter with no archetype. I have a lot of Pathfinder books and yet I have very little working knowledge of the vast array of feats and archetypes and how they can mesh. I just wanted to play a functionally viable guy. I'm having fun with hitting things so far!

Murassa is also a fun character to be around. I enjoy his dry wit and boldness in the face of danger, be it underground or at the Fort! I'm glad you joined our group.

I agree - all of you do a great job of bringing life to the game!

With archetypes for you, Grey, I think the only one that would really work would be the Two-Handed Fighter archetype. It focuses on using two-handed weapons, like your greatsword, and gives you a few good tactical options for their use. I think either that one, or perhaps Weapon Master archetype. Can't find a good archetype that's both a mechanical and role play fit for you, unfortunately.

I do like that extra damage from the two-handed archetype but I wanted Grayface to be somewhat tanky while still being able to dish out some damage. Having a shield is a big part of that. So far it has worked out pretty well. I've been able to maintain a really decent AC while being an effective swordsman.

I'm always open to advice, by the way.

Forgot that you use a bastard sword, not a great sword. In that case, and with your desire for shielded combat and raging, I recommend the Viking archetype. Gives you rage, rage powers, a bonus to your shield bonus, and intimidation.

Wow.

After a quick read of that archetype it appears to reflect very closely Grayface's functional goals. Setting aside the "northmen" flavor of the archetype, it sounds really cool!. With GM approval, at next level up I might consider reworking Gray by taking that archetype instead of going the fighter/barbarian route.

Cons I see so far would be the loss of movement and the loss of weapon training, which are nice features of my current build. That shield bonus is very tempting though.

Getting the Spell Penetration feat next level, need that way too much.

Hopefully the boss man is enduring another romantic evening with the gal pal!

Preparations for an eight year old's Birthday!!! Plus, I was giving everyone time to post some readied actions...

I won't be online from the 6th to the 9th included.
Getting on vacations.

I won't be online from the 6th to the 9th included.

Getting on vacations.

Cool, enjoy your holidays...

I don't know whether any of you have seen this?

Kickstarter for Legendary Games' "Trail of the Apprentice"

Something for Pathfinder parents - an age appropriate 'Adventure Path' with some simplified rules as well... I've got my eight year old who is an avid reader and loves playing games, but things like Carrion Hill and From Shore to Sea probably aren't so appropriate... I am hoping this is going to be a great entry point. I've backed and it's already funded so now it's really just a case of what else gets added to it...

Just to let you all know, I have a job interview tomorrow for a second job, and if I do get it, my posting time is going to get cut into.

Good luck with the interview, Murassa!

Just to let you all know, I have a job interview tomorrow for a second job, and if I do get it, my posting time is going to get cut into.

Do you know how it went yet? Crossing fingers for you...

Waiting on actions from Yasmin and Ea... I think Ea is now on vacation so I will GMPC as necessary after Yasmin's action... I assume you folks will be looking for a Channel Energy for healings?

Hope the interview went well!

I agree a channel energy or a healing spell is good. I don't want us to heal the baddies, though.

Yasmin is popping an Obscuring Mist this turn to hopefully stop these arrows from being so effective.

*Edit* - Can I get a ruling on the effects of Obscuring Mist on the edges?

(1) If Rallos is standing inside an Obscuring Mist at its edge, and a snakefolk is standing next to him in melee just outside Obscuring Mist, does Rallos alone benefit from concealment, or do they both benefit?

(2) If Rallos is standing inside an Obscuring Mist at its edge, and a snakefolk is standing at ranged, does Rallos benefit from total concealment against ranged attacks?

Murassa Sonvar wrote:

Just to let you all know, I have a job interview tomorrow for a second job, and if I do get it, my posting time is going to get cut into.

Do you know how it went yet? Crossing fingers for you...

Waiting on actions from Yasmin and Ea... I think Ea is now on vacation so I will GMPC as necessary after Yasmin's action... I assume you folks will be looking for a Channel Energy for healings?

Well, it was a prelim interview, but I think it went well. The two I talked to seemed to like me, so hopefully I'll hear back from them soon for a follow-up interview.

*Edit* - Can I get a ruling on the effects of Obscuring Mist on the edges?

(1) If Rallos is standing inside an Obscuring Mist at its edge, and a snakefolk is standing next to him in melee just outside Obscuring Mist, does Rallos alone benefit from concealment, or do they both benefit?

(2) If Rallos is standing inside an Obscuring Mist at its edge, and a snakefolk is standing at ranged, does Rallos benefit from total concealment against ranged attacks?

So, thinking about how this would work 'in real life'...

(1) Rallos can 'hide' within the mist and gain concealment... but, when he attacks, he leans from the mist and the serpentfolk gains no concealment...

(2) Rallos needs a full five feet of mist between himself and his opponent to gain total concealment from ranged attacks... So, whilst he is at the edge of the mist, he only gains normal concealment (20% miss chance).

I would rule it the same way, with a third bullet point stating that Rallos could maintain the 20% defense and attack in the same round by remaining within the mist and fire out of it with a 20% chance to miss his opponents. ?

Sounds fine. I created the cloud on the map with a blue rectangle . . . it also runs further into the snake pit room but I suspect that won't matter.

In continuation of Obscuring Mist conversation, would the snake statue thing have concealment against my attacks as it's right next to me?

Apologies... It should have moved 5 ft back... If anyone can do that on the map (I'm posting via iPad so can't manipulate maps) it would be muchly appreciated... Also, Murassa make a Fort Save...

I moved the snake statue back.

Got a quick rules question. Is it possible to straddle an ally's body while their unconscious and fight from there? I'm thinking about doing that with Greyface as I've only got 1 spell left before being reduced to knacks.

Got a quick rules question. Is it possible to straddle an ally's body while their unconscious and fight from there? I'm thinking about doing that with Greyface as I've only got 1 spell left before being reduced to knacks.

Ending Your Movement: You can't end your movement in the same square as another creature unless it is helpless.

...so it ain't too respectful - but you can occupy the same space as Grayface...

Murassa,

Just a nitpick here, but you spell my character's name wrong every single time you spell it out.

Sorry, just always spelled grey with an 'e' so I kept doing it. Will work on spelling it correctly.

Also, had a really good post planed before battle ended.

GM is watching with interest from the sidelines... I think this maybe one of the first times where you can't simply retreat to rest up...

Quick, everybody into my handy haversack!

Backtracking a fair amount to figure out our options, does Yasmin know what's going on with the illusion aura the party encountered right before the party was attacked by the animating statue? She rolled pretty well on her spellcraft check. That was a wall carving that's different from the statue, right?

I don't think you had enough time to really scrutinise it before... So, right now, Yasmin is simply aware of the aura - not the cause or purpose of it...

TL:DR - you all can hash out who uses the scimitar. It is not a good choice for Grayface at this time.

RE: the scimitar,
It is certainly a nifty weapon but Grayface has little-to-no interest in using it. My feats lock me into my Bastard Sword for now, for better or for worse, and my current keen sword is pretty effective.

I know Exotic Weapon Prof is a sub-par choice but it is fun at low levels because I got to have a bigger sword and got to keep my shield at the same time. For the "crit" route, the scimitar (more specifically, a keen scimitar) is a superior choice than my 1h bastard sword, which I have considered retraining for that exact purpose so that I can free up one of my feats for something other than weapon proficiency, but that will cost me money because I would need to exchange Gorloth's Edge for a keen scimitar to make it worth my while. I might look into that later, possibly at next level up, but for now my feats have me locked into the use of my bastard sword.

I'm fine with finding a new room per Yasmin's idea, as I am a fighter and can stay fighting as long as I have HP. There is risk involved though -- We don't know what may lie beyond any given door, be it a tough encounter or an even less suitable camp site than the rooms we've previously entered. I'm okay with pressing on or falling back to camp. I personally vote to err on the side of caution and fall back.

Honestly, I think the scimitar should go to Rallos. My mindblade ability allows me to create any weapon other than ranged that I have proficiency with. A back-up weapon would he useful in case I need to dispel my weapon or have it forcibly dispelled, which is why I'm currently carrying a mwk scimitar from earlier. I don't mind taking it, as it is a good weapon, but overall I think it'd go better with Rallos.

As for what we do, I'd prefer to err on the side of caution, but if we do investigate the room I shall do my best to not die.