[AP] The Shackled City Adventure Path by GM Rutseg (Inactive)

Game Master Balacertar

Busy few days, have a post up IC now.

Looking at the Loot list.

I think that Marigold took Pearl of Power III, if not, Kythel will certainly claim it, Kythel also claimed the Ioun Stone as it boosted his Wisdom, a much needed boost! Also, if no on else wants the Lesser Rod of Empowerment, that would be useful to boost the damage on my Searing Light spells.

There are also a few Cure Potions that we should probably give to Maxim as I believe he is the only party member who has no way to quickly heal himself. I see at least 2 Potions of Cure Serious. :-)

Let me know if anyone objects and instead wants to just sell for cash as the two items above would be about 18,000 GP which is an over allocation of the loot to Kythel by 8K GP.

Marigold can't use the PoP so feel free to take it, Kythel :)

I've been feeling a little out of sorts the last day or two and as a result my ability to write has been all over the place. So while Marigold would absolutely make the rounds to go see Anafa and Lissa and her friends at Bluecrater I'm happy to just assume that it happens off-screen (unless there's a potential plot development that can be slipped in by way of one of those visits) and pick up Marigold's part of the action when Chapter 8 Proper starts.

JJ would visit the orphanage and his uncle. Then half way remember that he shouldn't be visiting the orphanage in case it brings trouble to it.

Then he'd go to the bar, and remember good times with Sarah there, but not visit his old house that he left for her and Tesa for the same reason.

Then he'd mope around for a bit, and go find Maxim to tangentially ask him to fix up Alakast :-)

JJ's feeling sorry for himself. Social lad, unable to socialise.

Kikinnin'll be more focused on upgrades to his equipment, so nothing to claim further on the list.

He'll use the downtime to begin a deprogramming of any of the Watchers' allies who need convincing about the chilling prediction uttered by the Pillars. If Malachite is in as much jeopardy, the black beard will likely travel there during the week, as well.

Will post all this (piecemeal) in the game thread - will be plundering Fetor's spell book for his own, and copying over scrolls into his own book.

Maxim will also be buying and selling items (will try and native the taxations where possible) so you'll all have some coin to invest, spend or count.

Have crafting to undertake so down to the Malachite for that. Maxim can augment items up to +3 bonus (to could be a +2 weapon c/w +1 equivalent special ability if he knows the pre-requisite spells). So if anyone wants weapons or armour upgraded let me know (JJ notwithstanding lol) and I'll factor that in as well. Will likely restock bullets and blackpowder also (have some tricks up the sleeve on that front).

Finally he'll catch up with his Uncle and other persons of interest :)

I've been feeling a little out of sorts the last day or two and as a result my ability to write has been all over the place.

Strength Marigold! I fully understand your feeling. What I came to understand in the last years with all the problems in the streets and parliament about Catalonia bid for independence, as well as problems today, is that when things are unstable around you, it doesn’t matter how good you and your family are doing, your mind will be away and you stop properly focusing at work and hit home drained, with no time for your entertainments.

It is hard to see it now, but we will eventually go through this, and we all will be valuing more highly small things we did not give enough relevance before.

Regards the loot I've taken the liberty of designating part of Commons fund as the 5 off Small Diamonds (each worth 925gp) and 5 off the Large Diamonds (at 1500gp each).

Figure these will likely be handy as spell components down the line (for Raising of Dead and such) as we climb the threat levels.

Regardless with the bartering complete we each have an additional 21, 672gp in our personal coffers - spend it wisely gang (or give it to Maxim to spend unwisely lol)

And remember to give him any weapons or armour that you want to upgrade/enchant before he heads to the Malachite.

Sorry all, I'm both remote teaching, wrangling my three kids stuck at home, and helping out the local ambulance service (I'm a volunteer first responder - normally I just deal with drunk teens and the like, but at the moment I'm called to some other duties). Which is leaving me a little short on posting time. Of course outpost III doesn't help with the time either. I';ll try to get some more posts up, but may be slow for the next couple of weks.

Regards the loot I've taken the liberty of designating part of Commons fund as the 5 off Small Diamonds (each worth 925gp) and 5 off the Large Diamonds (at 1500gp each).

Figure these will likely be handy as spell components down the line (for Raising of Dead and such) as we climb the threat levels.

Regardless with the bartering complete we each have an additional 21, 672gp in our personal coffers - spend it wisely gang (or give it to Maxim to spend unwisely lol)

And remember to give him any weapons or armour that you want to upgrade/enchant before he heads to the Malachite.

Wow! That is what Kythel has AFTER taking the Pearl and the Rod! We really did bring in quite the haul.

A Headband of Alluring Charisma +6 would not be available in Cauldron or would I have to order that from Sassarine? Assuming that is the case would it be there in the week of downtime we have? I would sell the +2 Headband for 800 (1,000 - the 20% hit).

If not, I believe it would be 10,000 for Maxim to add the Bane (Demons) property to that Frost Spear we picked up. The I would like to spend 8,000 to purchase boots of escape if they are available.

Kikinnin's petitions for additions by our munitions technician:

+1 Shield becomes +2 (1500 suns)
+2 Armor becomes +3 (2500 suns)
+2 Weapon becomes +3 (5000 suns) [9000 suns total to Maxim]

Skie's transactions:
Sell Headband of Alluring Charisma +2 (2000 suns)
Purchase Headband of Alluring Charisma +4 (16000 suns)

Presuming Skie's good with us avoiding the 20% transaction fees, this should round out Kikinnin's purchases/enhancements.

While we think about this, JJ should really get his armor enhanced as well.

So..

3k Upgrade Alakast with its ends
1.5k Upgrade his even chain to +2
2.5k Upgrade his even chain to +3
8k+1.6k Ioun stone that boosts wisdom +2 - more help with that will save. -aready have that boost.
6k Upgrade his headband of inspired wisdom to +4

=====
13k

There is also a spare cloak of resistance +2 that JJ put back into the kitty when he took the +3 one.

@JJ: Stay safe hombre. No issues with the upgrades. He needs to be CL12 (a ways off) so activate the runes, so Alakast will still develop as a weapon down the line :) I'll add the Cloak into the Loot sheet (believe it'll net 2,000 to the pool)

@Kythel: Maxim will need to learn the Summon Monster spell to add the Bane quality to the spear. I'll work out the research cost on that one and add it to the bill ;) A Headband of Alluring Charisma +4 is available at Skie's for 16,000 (less 2,000 should you trade in your +2 Headband). She doesn't have the Boots available so we'd need to order from Sassarine - Maxim's Merchant Life trait means that items not found in Cauldron and requested to Sasserine or beyond require half the time to arrive to the city, so would depend on being able to source the boots.

@Bror: No worries. Will get arms & bulwark upgraded :)

@All: With the sale of the Cloak of Resistance +2 updated share is now 22,005 each (+333 Gold each).

Additionally once Maxim has plundered Fetor's spell book it'll also be resold. Bluecrater might be interested? (Can we trust them??) Regardless it'll take me a while to work out its value and also cherry pick spells from the book, but we should net a decent amount when we do.

As a final note - please make sure you've recorded all claimed items on your sheets (and adjusted calculations etc where applicable) - I'll likely blank the Loot sheet later today so you've been reminded lol...

Edit to above: I'll be hanging onto Fetor's spell-book as there's a passel of choice spells inside for higher levels.

Maxim can secure the acquisition of Kythel's boots through the week thanks to his merchant contacts.

As about the spellbook, I think you can inscribe higher level spells as long as you can pass the Spellcraft check to do so. You do not need to be able to cast them already (but I might be wrong).

@GMR: You are indeed right sir. I'll have at the higher level spells also :)

@All: Bear in mind that the "Commons" cache is there to cover any purchases of items that the group may benefit from (Wand of Healing for example). Down the line we may need to raise/resurrect someone (JJ most likely lol) so the coin will also help with that.

Another coverage is if someone really needs an item but end up say 1,000 or so short. Have no issue with an IOU in the Commons as long as the first payout we get its then recovered.

I will do the Boots (just in case I get grappled again) and the Frost Weapon upgrade. That would be it for Kythel. Will consider the upgrade to the Headband next "time" around.

Thank you Maxim!

No bother mate - will add to Maxim's to-do-list :)

@GMR: With the Craft (Firearm) - what's Hackbus' Craft skill bonus (for Aid Another checks) so he can assist with the progress.

With the 8K for the Boots and the 10K for the Weapons Upgrade, Kythel has 4K left.

He will take 2k and contribute it to the Watchers Commons Fund and the next 2K and contribute it to the Church of Pharasma. With that 2K I would like the Clergy (or its contacts) to begin brewing Potions and scribing Scrolls, and if applicable, crafting Wands for the troubles that will be springing up in Cauldron soon!

I will add the Boots and the Upgrade to my character sheet along with the 5 GP I have left from my share of the loot :-)

@GMR: With the Craft (Firearm) - what's Hackbus' Craft skill bonus (for Aid Another checks) so he can assist with the progress.

Hackbus Craft skill is enough to autosuccess on aid another checks ;)

@Kythel: Commons fund already takes a "share" of the split mate - so no need to top up. You are now 2k richer :)

@GMR: Awesome :)

Armour crafting post is up. 10 days in from Maxim's point of view. He'll likely be a good while longer, so not sure if you'll want to throw in some events to keep the others involved or if we're going on a downtime hiatus for as long as necessary?

OK!

Then Kythel will donate the full 4K to the Church for item creation purposes.

Still have to post Maxim's spell studies that ran alongside his crafting work. Will get that up on the morrow.

As we are in the city and Kythel is the head Priest of the Cathedral, this is a more likely spell list that would have been prepared for the day.

My Frost Weapon at this part of the story I believe is still with Maxim having its enchantment applied correct DM?

I Will defer to Maxim on whether it is completed or not.

The spell list looks good. Remember though clerics can leave free slots and fill them with spells on a quarter hour praying. I think that is common on temples where you don't know what will be coming. You might wish to leave a few open slots.

Same for other prepared spell casters.

I Will defer to Maxim on whether it is completed or not.

The spell list looks good. Remember though clerics can leave free slots and fill them with spells on a quarter hour praying. I think that is common on temples where you don't know what will be coming. You might wish to leave a few open slots.

Same for other prepared spell casters.

Did not realize that. I will leave 1 slot free from 1st through 4th level then. Once we decide when to go, in game I will suggest taking an extra 15 minutes, then modify my selections.

Yeah the Demon Bane quality has been applied mate (presuming Maxim had time to do this before we moved into the current scene)?

There was time indeed, Maxim came back with all his bags stuffed with lively presents :)

+1 Marigold, you have made a pretty darn good job of the map memories I sent you :D

I will wait a bit for you to decide who gets Martheen's spells. For now I marked the Brass Trumpet with a circle in Cauldron's map.

Maxim's passed on all the items and spells offered (in keeping with his stance on the Striders).

As an aside I'm having major issues trying to update Maxim's profile with his new learned spells - could be the treacle slow inter webs here in the sticks o' Scotland... might also be the servers.

Prayed for Spells:

1. Shield of Faith.
2. Silence.
3. Invisibility Purge.
4. Divine Power.

Also, DM, over the downtime, I would have cast Hold Person into the Ring of Counterspells.

Folks, on April 27 I am moving, I will likely not be back online until April 29 or 30. Just a heads up.

Noted!

Can you write the counterspell next to your saves on the stats line? It will help me remember.

Indeed, the telepathic bond was between you all and Meerthan, except for Maxim who opted out.

Wee heads up Watchers - our management in their infinite wisdom are pressing ahead with an ISO audit (via Skype) which I'm heavily involved with due to my Ops Super role.

Been prepping all day today and audit is tomorrow - will likely be Friday before I'm back in the saddle again. Bear with and bot the stubborn-as-a-mule Maxim if/where necessary.

Wow, that's about the best skill check I think I have ever had in a game, period.

It would seem if Kikinnin is the axe-man, Maxim the unlock man, Kythel's critical specialization would be shadows-man :)

Is anyone else using the invisibility wand?

Marigold is small size, so +4 to Stealth :)

As you might have noticed with respect your map version, there are these arrow slit walls there, so there is no trace of the trapdoor on this side of the room.

Sorry for the molasses, folks. Thought I'd be all over the boards with updates, but my sleep schedule has gone topsy-turvy. I might very well be waiting to return to work in the middle of May, and it's starting to mess with my mental buoyancy...

Hello, all! I'm back, or will be, soon I think, after a prolonged absence. It has been a long time, and I did miss it but I was caught up in a few real life problems. Not the least of which was my Mum passing away late last December; she was 90, and it was relatively quick.

The fact I somehow misplaced most of my links and RPG files (read: I just plain forgot where I saved them) didn't help either, but I located them this morning.

I'll try to get caught up, a bit, on the last sixteen months of posts. As best I can. I see everyone is now up to 13th level now. Well done, all. Any idea of how I should posit Juraan back into the campaign?

Maybe something to do with his penchant for pranks and/or Shensen. Provided she's still about and that her and Juraan are still an item...

@GM Ruseg: thanks for tracking me down via Facebook!

@Kikkinnin: Has your Paladin missed Juraan's occasional abrassive attempts at diplomacy? Such that they are... As for this real life stuff; I know what you mean about Cabin Fever! Now I know why dogs really their 'walkies'.

@Maxim: HI! Are you (the PC) still packing back the stogies? Had my own fun with online conference today; a strata council meeting on ZOOM that kept timing out on us. Lotsa fun (*sarcasm*)!

@JJ:: HI! I bet JJ's missed Juraan's larks, japes, and frolics!

@Marigold: HI! Still having those those horrid dreams (I'm talking about your PC, of course!)...

@Kythel: We've not been introduced as yet. Juraan is the sorcerer who is mostly a team player but doesn't cause hi-jinx much at all. Well, actually, he does tend to do that rather a lot, to be honest... But in a nice way (usually)... ;)

Juran has just reappeared as an NPC in the last day or so, so having him rejoin shouldn't be a big issue storywise. Whether our numbers would then pose an issue powerwise - only the GM knows. But we did start with six, all those years ago.

Thanks JJ!

Looks like I've got rather a lot of reading ahead of me to get caught up! Only 33 pages of game posts. Oh well, it's not like I have much else to keep busy with the way things are around the world now...

Welcome back Professor! Sorry for your loss mate, but am glad to see you rejoining our merry band.

Yup, still smoking the stogies :)

Welcome back.

My condolences regarding your Mom.

Happy to see you back Juraan :)

As Juraan-NPC was talking with the party just a few posts earlier, I think the best way to introduce you is to just say something like I am coming to help this time. Fario needs be saved

Power-wise I hope it probes no a great issue. Yes things will be easier, but single-enemy combats were being easy already anyway. I think it has to be more with Pathfinder wide-available options.

But if you are feeling particularly brave I can strengthen some encounters or hold you back a level.

Sorry for the molasses, folks. Thought I'd be all over the boards with updates, but my sleep schedule has gone topsy-turvy. I might very well be waiting to return to work in the middle of May, and it's starting to mess with my mental buoyancy...

I feel your pain. Last week my ability to sleep well and concentrate was crap. This week was better, though today seems like it's going to be another one of those days wherein I sleep in 4-5 hour blocks with gaps in between where I get up and do stuff for a few hours.

@Juraan - Welcome back! It's good to see you again, though I'm very sorry about your mom.

Power-wise I hope it probes no a great issue. Yes things will be easier, but single-enemy combats were being easy already anyway. I think it has to be more with Pathfinder wide-available options.

But if you are feeling particularly brave I can strengthen some encounters or hold you back a level.

I'm all for upping the ante. Will be JJ and my bror that'll take the brunt of it anyways ;)

@ GM Rusteg:My brain melted trying to keep up with [u]all[/u] the posts for the last 15-16 months.

But I did read the posts since Juraan had a (sort-of) reunion with the others.

I also put a spoiler in my post for you which should have all the kit I think Juraan should still have with him. I'll stay at level 10, unless you think I should level him up a wee bit. As I see it, he'll be more in a support role for this fight anyway...

Juraan, you old dog, it's good to see you sniffing around again! I miss anyone of robust roleplaying ability who has to depart, so I'm glad you're able to rejoin our storytelling, have no doubt.

I don't think Juraan would have slacked at all in his time separate from the active Watchers. The man was too fascinated by the strange nature of Occipitus, and for the goings on of the Cagewrights, to have let himself go. Now, I could be wrong, and he could have let himself go, especially if Shensen was proving to be a proper distraction... ;)

Shensen a distraction for Juraan?

No, never, no... Yes... A bit... ;)

No need to hold Juraan back on level.

That said, if you think it is going to be a problem for you to level up right now, it is good if you go with level 10. As soon as you can move him to level 11. He can learn a bit faster than the others until you are on par.

I agree that will give you a better sense of what you want for him going forward without the pressure to splash 3 fast levels on a hurry.

And it has sense Shensen has hold him back a bit from his studies :)