The Pyramid of Shadows (Inactive)

Game Master PathlessBeth

I sent out PMs to two people from the recruitment thread. I'm waiting for confirmation that they are still interested before announcing who I picked on the recruitment thread (since it's possible one or both have since lost interest in joining this game, as actually happened to one person whom I picked in the original recruitment).

Also, I'll be busier than usual this work-week, so updates may be a bit slower.

Dot.

Hi Guys! Looks like an interesting campaign. Looking forward to it!

Welcome aboard, Jan.
Edeldhur/Krezen is getting their alias/character sheet ready. When you are both ready, I'll have both your characters dropped into the entry chamber....

Welcome aboard, Jan.

Edeldhur/Krezen is getting their alias/character sheet ready. When you are both ready, I'll have both your characters dropped into the entry chamber....

As I mentioned before, I haven't quite finished getting mundane gear for the character (like rope, backpacks, and so on).

I left this note on the recruitment thread, but there wasn't a response.

BTW: How do you feel about Jan starting with a partially-charged wand of Cure Light Wounds? I don't quite have 750 gp left for a full one. So maybe a 20 charge wand for 300 gp?

Also: Now that I have a chance to talk to the guys in the campaign, I wanted to ask: Do you guys need a dedicated trap disabler? My character does not have the trapfinding class feature.

The reason I ask is that (assuming I am allowed to tinker with skill ranks a bit) if I don't have to put 6 ranks into disable device I could get Diplomacy up to 14 as I get a racial bonus (I have it at 10 currently).

On the other hand, leaving the points as-is gives me disable device of 16 when using masterwork tools. If I cut away 5 points from that it is only 11.

So which do we need more?

Hey guys. Thought I'd give you a preview of how Jan works.

What to expect from Jan:

Jan is a former rebel from a country that is an evil dictatorship. The rulers of the country worship Asmodeus. As such he is used to hiding in plain sight. He appears at first glance to be an ordinary carpenter, and many of the things he uses in combat do not look like weapons at all. He does not wear real armor (though his carpentry work outfit is made up of heavy leather gear) nor does he carry any metal weapons. But he usually has a satchel that holds various lengths of wood which he can use to great effect.

In combat he operates mainly as a TWF rogue, using acrobatics to get into flanking position and then striking with a quarterstaff. His feats allow him to fight defensively more effectively and he is optimized for defense. He can also throw clubs passably though clubs don't have much of a range.

As an oracle he uses self buffs to help achieve this. He can conjure armor made out of wood; this armor isn't very good but it costs nothing and has no armor check penalty. His mystery also grants him barkskin as a spell known. If he has a lot of time to lay down buffs before a fight he can really go to town with divine favor, shillelagh, and shield of faith. I don't think that will happen too often though.

He doesn't have much in the way of attack spells; burst of radiance is really the only one (he also has glitterdust as an SLA). As a good oracle he has all the cure spells. He also has dispel magic.

What he doesn't have are ways to get rid of status effects. As a spontaneous caster he has very few spells known. In the end we will likely need to find an NPC who can cast such spells or sell us scrolls.

As a rogue he has a lot of skills; they are mostly the type you would expect for a rogue; acrobatics, stealth, etc. He has a lot of knowledge skills but most of them have only 1 rank. His CHA (and therefore his social skills) are decent.

Dotting! Good to be on board!

I think Krezen is really finished now - feel free to take a look and ask questions.

Welcome, both of you

Welcome aboard to both of you!

I think it's best that we start with Krezen and Jan's arrival in the Pyramid, and not play through what happened before they got there. You are both in the chamber in which the other PCs entered the Pyramid.
Your characters haven't necessarily met before now, and neither of you know anything about Gemheart, Yessai, or De'arv'ki.

As for where the other three PCs are now,

I also want to warn y'all that I'll be out from tomorrow morning until evening, so my next post will be tomorrow night. Which might not be night where you are (I know at least two of you are far removed from me in time zone.)

It's OK, Deus Ex comes out tomorrow so if games aren't moving forward, I am not bothered.

I will still be checking, but games not movin' and shakin' means less time away from my new shiny video game.

[spoiler=DMB]It seems Thoraska wants us to investigatwe the schism between the arborlings, and may also have wanted us to do something else? I'm not really sure we have the werewithal to go poiking about the arborling's business[/psoiler]

@ Gemheart, De'arv'ki Paddfoot, and Vassekh-Arokh Yessai:

I never did get an answer to this. Please let me know what you think:

Also: Now that I have a chance to talk to the guys in the campaign, I wanted to ask: Do you guys need a dedicated trap disabler? My character does not have the trapfinding class feature, but does have disable device in class.

The reason I ask is that (assuming I am allowed to tinker with skill ranks a bit before I really do anything) if I don't have to put 6 ranks into disable device I could get Diplomacy up to 14 as I get a racial bonus (I have it at 10 currently).

On the other hand, leaving the points as-is gives me disable device of 16 when using masterwork tools. If I cut away 5 points from that (putting 4 more into diplomacy and 1 more into bluff) it is only 11.

So which do we need more?

@ DM Ben:

I notice you are doing dungeon maps using Google Sheets. It that works for you, great, but just so you know, there is a free software tool called Dungeonographer for making dungeon maps. It is pretty easy to use. I actually paid for the full version, which is rare for me, but the free version can do what you need and is more than enough for most uses.

Let the games begin! :D

Jan, I am going to check that software out. Always curious about such stuff. Thanks for the tip.

Well, i'd say diplomacy is more valuable. I dont think we have come across TOO many traps. The ones we do are just really annoying (like splitting us up) rather than outright deadly.

That said, there have been some effects not always accounted for, that may have been magical traps.

Hey! Diplomacy... Is my middle name :D

Hey! Diplomacy... Is my middle name :D

Hey Krezen - I think you cheated yourself out of a few points of attack bonus on your weapons.

For your Bardiche you should have +6 BAB +4 STR +1 magic and +1 Weapon training for +12. You have +10 listed.

It looks like your damage includes all possible buffs, including arcane strike (+2), power attack (+6), and inspire courage (+2). If that's the case, the +2 to hit from inspire courage would cancel the -2 penalty for Power Attack and you would still have +12 to hit. Of course, your math is a bit tricky and I might have missed something.

As I mentioned before, I haven't quite finished getting mundane gear for the character (like rope, backpacks, and so on).

I left this note on the recruitment thread, but there wasn't a response.

Jan Carpenter wrote:

BTW: How do you feel about Jan starting with a partially-charged wand of Cure Light Wounds? I don't quite have 750 gp left for a full one. So maybe a 20 charge wand for 300 gp?

Also: Now that I have a chance to talk to the guys in the campaign, I wanted to ask: Do you guys need a dedicated trap disabler? My character does not have the trapfinding class feature.

The reason I ask is that (assuming I am allowed to tinker with skill ranks a bit) if I don't have to put 6 ranks into disable device I could get Diplomacy up to 14 as I get a racial bonus (I have it at 10 currently).

On the other hand, leaving the points as-is gives me disable device of 16 when using masterwork tools. If I cut away 5 points from that it is only 11.

So which do we need more?

Starting with a partially-charged wand is fine.

As for traps, there are a decent number of traps in the Pyramid that the PCs have yet to encounter. However, you can probably get by without a "dedicated" trap person.

like the time we lit the hallway on fire to deal with the arrow trap.

** spoiler omitted **

Yea, the eladrin said her brother was transmuted to stone and is being held by the "Trash Ruler."

@ DM Ben:

I notice you are doing dungeon maps using Google Sheets. It that works for you, great, but just so you know, there is a free software tool called Dungeonographer for making dungeon maps. It is pretty easy to use. I actually paid for the full version, which is rare for me, but the free version can do what you need and is more than enough for most uses.

Interesting, I'll take a look at that.

Oh, I forgot, welcome Krezen and Jan.

@Jan - looks like we are in another game together - Yessai is another Large weapon wyrdwarrior like Shakraal...

Oh, I forgot, welcome Krezen and Jan.

@Jan - looks like we are in another game together - Yessai is another Large weapon wyrdwarrior like Shakraal...

Heh... what do you know. :) Hi again.

Krezen wrote:

Hey! Diplomacy... Is my middle name :D

Hey Krezen - I think you cheated yourself out of a few points of attack bonus on your weapons.

For your Bardiche you should have +6 BAB +4 STR +1 magic and +1 Weapon training for +12. You have +10 listed.

It looks like your damage includes all possible buffs, including arcane strike (+2), power attack (+6), and inspire courage (+2). If that's the case, the +2 to hit from inspire courage would cancel the -2 penalty for Power Attack and you would still have +12 to hit. Of course, your math is a bit tricky and I might have missed something.

Ok, let's do some math :D

To hit:
BAB +6
STR +4
Magic +1
Weapon Training +1
Power Attack -2
Total = +10

Damage:
STR (2h weapon) +6
Power Attack +6
Arcane Strike +2
Weapon Training +1
Magic Weapon +1
Total = +16

Looks good to me (I am not factoring Inspire Courage) - this is just the default combat mode for Krezen ;)

Hey, guys.

FYI I am heading out of town in a few hours and won't be back until Monday night. I doubt there is internet access where I am going, so I probably won't be able to post for the next few days.

We are probably still just doing RP/introductions at that point, so I'll try to catch up then.

Peet (Jan).

Okay, have a nice trip.

Also: since Jan and Krezen both have high or decent Knowledge (Local) modifiers, I'm assuming both ould recognize a Githyanki by taking 10. How much they know about the Gith backstory would depend on an actual check, or just their willingness to ask Yessai.

high or decent Knowledge (Local) modifiers, I'm assuming both ould recognize a Githyanki by taking 10.

Aren't Githyanki outsiders? If so it would be knowledge (planes). Of course, I have that too... at a better level than local, actually.

Githyanki, 1st-Level Warrior

Medium Humanoid (Extraplanar)

At least in my book, they're Humanoids.

Yessai explains to the newcomers the following:

***The Dragonborn are one faction, who provided Hozela to us. We have cool relations with them, and Hozela appears less than loyal to them, and as she said, seems to want to return to Sigil, thus sees us as the best option to gain that.

***The White/Ice Dragon Thoraska and her court is another faction, who gifted us the grig Sorjla for services rendered, primarily intelligence surrounding the Arboreans. Thoraska likely considers us mercenary operatives.

***The Arboreans, another faction of plant people gave us three tasks - bring them the Staff of Medragal, some quest to do with Werewolves I don't rememebr, or bring them the tip of Thoraska's tail. We opted for the Staff after realising (upon meeting her) that Thoraska was beyond our capabilities. We fought Medragal the Mad in a maddening complex and took the staff.
- The Arboreans are a strange lot, and not homogenous - they have inter-faction internecine alliances going on that we don't fullly understand, seemingly related to whether or not to stay in the Pyramid, and if they do stay, in what manner. They have tried to recreate their home plane here, possibly with mixed results.

***Harpies and their sahuagin allies are another faction, though they seem quite small and heavily pressed. They are friendly toward us.

* We also fought a Splinter of Kravakoss in a chamber of menhirs and shifting zones of madness and vortexes that pulled us around the room. We were finally victorious.

* We tried to defeat a demon in a cavern (below this level?!?!) that we could not vanquish - great treasures are supposedly behind its lair. Yessai is still very keen to defeat this creature and win the treasures - she hopes for great wepaons, armors and magicks, but really has no idea what there might be.

* An eladrin named Vyrellis appeared as her dead head that we rescued from the ettin that once resided on the floor level of the charnel pit/entry chamber, this talking head was itself a magical object that provided healing. Vyrellis seemed to know a lot of the Pyramid (told us about the demon and the treasure for example) and for a while she was our guide. She/it was taken by the shadowy splinter after it defeated us in the Library.

So:

Currently we wish to investigate the Trash Ruler.

* Outstanding vendettas:
The demon with the supposed treasure
The shadowy splinter in the Library.

Yessai explains to the newcomers the following:

***The Dragonborn are one faction, who provided Hozela to us. We have cool relations with them, and Hozela appears less than loyal to them, and as she said, seems to want to return to Sigil, thus sees us as the best option to gain that.

***The White/Ice Dragon Thoraska and her court is another faction, who gifted us the grig Sorjla for services rendered, primarily intelligence surrounding the Arboreans. Thoraska likely considers us mercenary operatives.

***The Arboreans, another faction of plant people gave us three tasks - bring them the Staff of Medragal, some quest to do with Werewolves I don't rememebr,

They requested that you bring them a living werewolf who they said lives further north on the first floor. Hozela later revealed that the werewolf in question is another dragonborn, who now transforms randomly due to the Pyramid lacking a lunar cycle.

Also reminder: Vyrellis' life force is also split into three splinters, of which the PCs already recovered one. The Head of Vyrellis claims that if she recovers all three splinters, she will be able to die naturally. The PCs, in past interaction, were highly suspicous of Vyrellis (IIRC both Yessai and Mundarion suggested that Vyrellis might be Karavakos.)

Also also reminder: Yessai, De, and Gemheart have encountered an otyugh already on the first floor, very early in the campaign, which they fought with briefly before running away.

Okay, people here do not age, or need to eat or drink. Do they still sleep? If not, how does regaining spells here work?

BTW, GM: Do you run oracles here like sorcerers or clerics (in terms of how they recover spells)? Most games I am in go with the sorcerer method.

Pretty sure we bravely, bravely ran away from that otyugh...

:D

Okay, people here do not age, or need to eat or drink. Do they still sleep? If not, how does regaining spells here work?

BTW, GM: Do you run oracles here like sorcerers or clerics (in terms of how they recover spells)? Most games I am in go with the sorcerer method.

Sleep is not necessary to survive, but people in the Pyramid can sleep, and must do so to regain spells or other daily abilities. Sleeping also comes with its usual benefits (regaining hit-points and recovering from ability damage, etc.)

As to your oracle question, I'm not entirely sure what you are asking. The Oracle class in the Advanced Players' Guide says

Spells: An oracle casts divine spells drawn from the cleric spell lists. She can cast any spell she knows without preparing it ahead of time. To learn or cast a spell, an oracle must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against an oracle's spell is 10 + the spell's level + the oracle's Charisma modifier.

Like other spellcasters, an oracle can cast only a certain number of spells per day of each spell level. Her base daily spell allotment is given on Table 2–5. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Charisma score (see Table 1–3 of the Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook).

Unlike other divine spellcasters, an oracle's selection of spells is extremely limited. An oracle begins play knowing four 0-level spells and two 1st-level spells of her choice. At each new oracle level, she gains one or more new spells, as indicated on Table 2–6. Unlike spells per day, the number of spells an oracle knows is not affected by her Charisma score; the numbers on Table 2–6 are fixed.

In addition to the spells gained by oracles as they gain levels, each oracle also adds all of either the cure spells or the inflict spells to her list of spells known (cure spells include all spells with “cure” in the name, inflict spells include all spells with “inflict” in the name). These spells are added as soon as the oracle is capable of casting them. This choice is made when the oracle gains her first level and cannot be changed.
<snip>

Unlike a cleric, an oracle need not prepare her spells in advance. She can cast any spell she knows at any time, assuming she has not yet used up her spells per day for that spell level. Oracles do not need to provide a divine focus to cast spells that list divine focus (DF) as part of the components.

Which part of the Oracle spellcasting mechanic are you asking about?

Which part of the Oracle spellcasting mechanic are you asking about?

The process for recovering spells. It's in the Magic Section of the CRB.

Oracles did not exist when the CRB was written. Divine casters were only paladins and clerics, who are both prepared casters.

Sorcerers and Bards were the only spontaneous casters when the CRB was written. They have to get 8 hours of rest, after which they must concentrate for 15 minutes to recover their spells.

Clerics and Paladins have to pray for spells at a specific time of day. This takes 1 hour. If they miss their time of day and don't have a good reason they are out of luck. But they are not required to get 8 hours rest before that.

It never specifies which way oracles should work. The general consensus I have found is that most people run them like sorcerers rather than clerics.

For the benefit of Jan/Krezen. Apologies for verbatim, but while Yessai may be somewhat confused and has a poor sense of direction, she knows what she has been told...

According to Thoraska the Dragon:

According to Camnor, ruler of Arboreans:

And:

(the Splinter in the Sundered Temple is the one we defeated. I think.)

Deranged_Maniac_Ben wrote:

Which part of the Oracle spellcasting mechanic are you asking about?

The process for recovering spells. It's in the Magic Section of the CRB.

Oracles did not exist when the CRB was written. Divine casters were only paladins and clerics, who are both prepared casters.

Sorcerers and Bards were the only spontaneous casters when the CRB was written. They have to get 8 hours of rest, after which they must concentrate for 15 minutes to recover their spells.

Clerics and Paladins have to pray for spells at a specific time of day. This takes 1 hour. If they miss their time of day and don't have a good reason they are out of luck. But they are not required to get 8 hours rest before that.

It never specifies which way oracles should work. The general consensus I have found is that most people run them like sorcerers rather than clerics.

Do it like a sorcerer.

For the benefit of Jan/Krezen. Apologies for verbatim, but while Yessai may be somewhat confused and has a poor sense of direction, she knows what she has been told...

According to Thoraska the Dragon:

** spoiler omitted **

According to Camnor, ruler of Arboreans:

** spoiler omitted **

And:

** spoiler omitted **...

Yes, the splinter you defeated was the one in the Sundered Temple. The one you lost a fight to was the one in the Library of Whispers.

Where is Dee? Has Dee even interacted with the newcomers?

Last I heard De was having computer issues and switching jobs. I hope they are okay...

Sorry for the delay...long work week, and now I'm really tired. I'll be able to post more tomorrow and over the weekend.

It happens. No worries.

I'll definitely be posting slower over the weekend (as usual) ;)

I'm happy to move on to attempt the third level of the Pyramid, though I'm still keen to take on the demon below we failed to defeat once before that has a supposed treasure hoard. ;P

We were lower level then, had less companions and weren't gestalt. Though perhaps he is too, now...

Tomorrow I will be traveling outside the US on vacation and will return on October 6th. During such time, I will likely be very sparing on the boards, and I imagine connectivity may be an issue. Please bot me as necessary. I will still try to get some posts in or at least keep up with games while in my hotel, if wifi-allows.

Sorry for my absence. Father-in-law had a stroke (seems to be much improved now...), plus night shifts over the weekend meant I was discombobulated. Will try to catch up over the next day or so...

Okay, focus on real life first both of you.

Thx DMB. I'm mostly back, but I still haven't Gestalt'd Yessai - given that everyone else has, I might as well. I hope to do that today.

Have we heard from Dee at all?

What will your other class be?

I alerted DMB tha I was planning on Warder (Zweihander Sentinel) using the Veiled Moon. However Veiled Moon is not a Warder-conversant Discipline. If that is not allowed, I was thinking Scarlet Throne, reskinned as Yessai's monastic dire-warrior style.

I'd prefer if you went with one of the already-Warder-friendly disciplines, since PoW already gives a lot of options (especially with archetypes).
I may as well give ya time to finish stating Yessai...
I still haven't heard from De. I think she is probably an NPC now.