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

Game Master Balacertar

Not really been used in games i've played in - always been an individual character check for Perception, which I think works better to be honest.

On a separate note probably a good idea we start divvying up some of our loot. The treasure items can remain "floating" on the list, as can trade items, but we're starting to accumulate a number of items that should/would be carried by party members.

Last thing we (and GM-R) need is the classic "so whose actually carrying the potion of vampire repellent" type conversations mid-encounter... Less hand-waiving we have to incur the better nei?

Marigold - can Maxim claim one of the Thunderstones you picked up? Am conscious that with the boom-stick a precious weapon and his spells being in shortish supply, something like a thunderstone might be a useful option vs foes. Won't adjust the Loot Sheet to reflect until you give me the green light :)

Other items we should divvy up/claim:

3 Potions of Cure Light Wounds
2 Vials of Holy Water
1 Vial of Unidentified Poison
1 Potion of Remove Paralysis
1 Set of Masterwork Thieves Tools
1 Unidentified Potion
1 Unidentified Wand

Also the gnomish armours - loot or leave?

Absolutely, unequivocally yes - we should loot the shiny armor :)

I guess Ruben is probably best for the masterwork thieves tools? Or am I wrong?

Makes sense for LaChance or JJ to pack the Thieves Tools I reckon.

Full Plate's been added to the loot, but I'll belay the banded mail until we've decided on above.

I would suggest to add a link to the post where items appeared, at least to those not yet identified. It tends to become a bit confusing after a month or so otherwise :)

I tend to think treasure is an integral part of the game balance and thus I understand it cannot easily be skipped by the players without altering the adventure stats. That usually means the players end up finding one way or another to gather and sell everything they find and thus I am all open for anything that eases the logistics side.

I will be not picky about the amount and size of treasure you are carrying as long as it is just for selling and not as personal equipment, and do not worry about the solution you find to do it.

That said, it is ok to see a funny post from time to time about the irony or problems that all that treasure brings you to ;)

Should Ryan cast Detect Magic on the Wand and Potion; Maxim will attempt to assist in identifying the items;

Not sure if one person's Spellcraft can be used in conjunction with another's Detect Magic? If it can apply the Spellcraft rolls below:

Spellcraft DC18 + Detect Magic (Potion): 1d20+6
Spellcraft DC16 + Detect Magic (Wand): 1d20+6

If okay'd I'll look at spoilers, but will delay until green lit by you GM-R

In order to be operative, and specially you doing the hard work of the quartermaster, I think you deserve the detect magic and read magic as level 1 spells rule to be overwritten.

As long as you keep doing the fine work I am ok for you to have 1 cantrip per day from the 2 you can learn (detect magic and read magic), assuming it is detect magic right now so you can identify items found.

Go along and open the spoilers, I hope everybody understands this will just simplify our life.

Muchos. Am happy to run with that GM-R, if everyone else is cool with it.

Sounds like a good alternative to Maxim and Ryan having to IC work out what items like that are. The result would be the same just more concise.

As for not carrying around a metric ton of treasure, we have a key for the Jeweler's office, J46, we could always lock up the majority there until we head back to Cauldron's surface again.

Also the gnomish armors - loot or leave

loot unless the GM states they are in a junk state, worth nothing beyond curiosity sake. we can take them on the way out.

Fine with Ruban or JJ having the MWK tools, think we might even be able to spring for a second set now for whomever doesn't get this set. ;)

Excellent call on the Jeweller's Office as a loot vault Ryan.

I'll mark up anything that is definitely being stored there at present as "Securely Stored in J46" on the Loot Sheet.

I've "greyed out" everything that is in a communal pot, and anything sold/traded/claimed has a through score.

As our Loot Cache grows I'll allow early entries to be erased, but for the time being is fun for nostalgic purposes :)

As far as pocket coin goes we've a fair stash at our disposal. If I may propose the following (presumption here is Dandarrion will be returning, so we remain a 7 piece) so we still all carry a decent amount of "adventuring" coin.

Each take 15 Gold Pieces - leaves us 70 Gold Suns in the pot.
Each take 72 Silver Pieces - leaves a mighty 5010 Silver in the stash.
Each take 16 Copper Pieces - leaves us 640 Copper Stars.

Sounds good to me and by all means, feel free to take one of those Thunderstones; I've updated her inventory to reflect that :)

Oh also, sorry about the Perception aid another, I just popped it in there without thinking since I'm used to doing that (aiding another on skills) a lot for other characters. Doing it the way you mentioned will work fine for me :)

Aid-another and spoilers is a bit of a tricky one.

Out of combat depending on the situation and time available I think it should be okay. Two folk thoroughly searching a room should be able to do a better job than one alone in something like searching a room.

Checking a chest for traps, I'm less sure about, if they don't have the right skills then it would be odd for someone to be able to help in a task like that.

If it is a time critical perception check, then I'd feel a little different about missing a DC and asking for an aid-another.

Mired in Continuing Education for the day... I expect to update later tonight. All due apologies.

Nae bother brother. RL comes first... clanker will be ripe for an axing when you have the time lol.

Don't worry, reach us when you can, and good luck ;)

Sorry for the duplicated post. The boards are working horribly today and somehow I edited the book entry and pasted the combat end post there.

Fortunately I had written it in a doc file and could recover it for your enjoy :)

GM - the book obviously contains non-core spells. How does this work with spontaneous casters like myself or Marigold who have very limited spells known that have to be picked upon levelling.

Will we ever have the opportunity to learn non-core spells?

My plan was you could 'learn' to use those spells appearing through the adventure like in this case.

If you feel very limited we can look for ways you can research for spells appearing in the Sources out of the Core.

Depending on the class, maybe some of the NPCs in Cauldron/the game world would be willing to let PCs in on learning a rare spell (which one to be worked out between the DM and relevant PC/PCs) if the party helps them out or really impresses them in some way? I'm playing in an E6/E7 game that's largely Core-only but occasionally the GM allows the opportunity to learn a non-Core spell depending on party actions.

Just a suggestion :)

PFS Core allows scenario refereed spells to be learned by Sorcerers as well as wizards who participate. It really comes down to how much you want to restrict them. But once you open up a spell to a wizard, it would seem harsh to not allow sorcerers or bards/clerics/oracles to also get in on the fun.

Yes but just to clarify, spontaneous casters would have to wait until level up before taking the non-core spells? (which I appreciate is basically just the rules anyway)

In PFS core, yes. They could either learn it as a new spell or substitute it out if it is one of the levels they can sub spells at.

There are also retraining rules in ultimate campaign that may let a sorcerer swap out there spells.

Yeah bards get the same thing at certain even levels. Cool, just wanted to check.

I am cool with this idea about some NPCs allowing to learn new spells from time to time Marigold.

As for spontaneous casters, my idea was to allow them to learn spells from found scrolls in a similar way as PFS-Core as JJ points out, but allowing also learning from spellbooks.

Regarding the Gameplay, I will wait for you to finish current RP, decide what to do about the dark creepers and dark stalker and what direction to go next.

I've never come back to a game with 29 new posts :) Nice work, everyone.

It was 89 when I came back from Dubai. My heart sang and sank in equal measure lol.

@Maxim: Kelly Rohrbach, page 199, Swimsuit 2016, Sports Illustrated. Now I see why you went falconing... You randy man, you...

Haha Kikinnin... rumbled.

Right know we're midst combat, but I'm updating the loot with the recent swag. Can everyone please remember to take their coin cut if they've not already done so;

Each take 15 Gold Pieces - leaves us 70 Gold Suns in the pot.
Each take 72 Silver Pieces - leaves a mighty 5010 Silver in the stash.
Each take 16 Copper Pieces - leaves us 640 Copper Stars.

Cheers

Okay, money added to MG's profile :)

Cool use of a hero point:)

The inspire courage stacked with the crit to good results.

Yeah I'm never precious of the old Hero Points - prefer to use them for effect rather than squirrel them up.

Apologies guys, I'm having a Hell of a time in work at the moment. Will post something worthwhile later on.

I am not suggesting to do it now, but the adventure expects you to rest at least a couple of times before you are able to find where the children are. This is a huge complex, it has not been rare for other groups to need weeks of expeditions. You are brilliant and have already explored almost half of the complex though ;)

Just a message so you do not enter into a hurry up logic that ends with the party smashed. You probably can continue for a bit more, but you will need to rest at one point or another.

As for the time, I think you entered after midday, which means it is late in the evening outside by now.

So we'll be getting tired anyway? At least JJ will after a crappy nights not-sleeping on the floor.

Surely a restful night is assured on a mattress of Deep Creeper :)

Resting makes sense - last thing we want to do is go to the well too many times.

Heading topside would afford us the chance to offload loot, tool up and rest. Will mean the swag is more streamlined and we're better prepared for what's to come.

Suggestions for purchases:

Anti-Venom?
more Manacles?

However am also down with us just resting, securing the loot best we can, securing Dandarrion best we can and then continuing on.

My biggest concern with returning to the surface is we'll likely have a few nasty surprises waiting for us in places we think secure/already explored. The enemy will not be idle whilst we make busy... like Kikinnin said we've got the taste for them now, resting & recharging means we can get into them.

We need to use that Wand of Sleep! Am happy for Maxim to pack it since there's been no takers?

Ditto the Potions of Delay Poison and Remove Paralysis should be carried by front liners or those oft targeted?

MG can't use the Wand of Sleep without a UMD check so it makes more sense for Maxim or Ruben to carry it. Also agree on the potions; the frontliners should probably carry them.

Kikinnin's a bit of a pitbull, but his player is perfectly fine resting from time to time :) Given a wand of healing, that's plenty of push power for a non-spell-chucker, so those who require rest to recapture their goodies are welcome to peep up and sleep up.

A 'mattress of Deep Creeper' would be a Deep Creeper Sleeper, then, wouldn't it?

urghh

Seems the majority spirit is returning to Ghelve and sell the stuff but not rest. But let me know if I am wrong and you go to rest.

Answering about becoming fatigued. I sometimes do enforce Fort saves for each hour past 8 adventure hours to avoid becoming fatigued. But now you can still work on it past midnight if you wish so.

For reference, how much time has past since entering Jzaridune?

I think less than 3 hours, now with the waiting in Ghelve's probably close to 4.

The guard will be calm, at least for now.

Before we push on, I'm going to adjust the loot sheet accordingly. Just a few quick questions to the greater good tho:

Presume we've sold/traded anything mundane that no-one has claimed?

What about the poisons? Does anyone want to fight fire with fire and poison their blades/ammo? Ruben??

Ditto on treasure that is potentially "story items" as such. The locket containing ashes and the bracelet inscribed in Dwarven.

Typically in games I see PCs just selling on any gems and jewellery without a by or leave. In reality its more likely that at least one of them would take a fancy to the odd item, or take it in lieu of coin...

With that in mind I'll trade in the equipment/weapons and armour we've acquired and leave gems/jewellery and treasure oddities for the time being? These will still be stored at Ghelve's place (I'll mark up as such) and when we get decent downtime we can review etc.

From the party kitty he'll try and return with

2 Doses of Antitoxin(@ 50GP each)
2 Sets of Manacles (@ 15GP each)
2 Scroll/Map Cases (@ 1GP each)
6 Pints of Oil (@ 1SP each)

Let me know general consensus on above :)

Can you put a summary of the cash distribution in the loot sheet as well. I think I missed it back a page or ten :-) And would be useful for future cash balance cross checking.

Nae bother - will summarise on the sheet.

Ruben isn't above using poison but I am always wary of poisoning myself with it

Ryan would not use the poison personally, however Ruben/Maxim's use of it, or any of the others, will not bother him. As it is being done to even the balance between them and the cancer below the city.

What's life without a little risk LaChance? ;)

Okay before we get deeper into the depths... will bang the drum again (last time honest :)

We have the following still to be claimed:

3 Potions of Cure Light Wounds (Ruben, Kikinnin & Ryan?)
2 Vials of Holy Water (???)
1 Vial of Unidentified Poison (Ruben?)
3 Vials of Spider Venom (Ruben?)
1 Potion of Remove Paralysis (Ryan or Marigold?)
1 Potion of Delay Poison (Ruben if he's concerned about poisoning himself ;)??)

These really need to be claimed/allocated (at the very least) so we know whose carrying them?

Maxim has already taken the Wand of Sleep. My thoughts are that Holy Water sits more thematically with our divine members, and the Remove Paralysis with either Ryan or Marigold?

And remember this lot brought back for the greater good:

2 Doses of Antitoxin
2 Sets of Manacles
2 Scroll/Map Cases
6 Pints of Oil

JJ is more than happy to hold onto a vial of anti-toxin.

Ryan will carry the vials of holy water, unless Marigold wants one, and a CLW make sense as well.

Ryan has more chance of being poisoned, again, fighting the front lines as well as being possibly paralyzed, I'd say give the remove paralysis to Marigold.

Antitoxin to the 'scouts' - JJ and Kikinnian. So far they have spent the most time venturing into the unknown at the head of the column.

edit**
Ryan also has a scroll case given by Jenya and Aleck w/5 CMW

@GM is it ok for Ryan to purchase/have Maxim bring back a bandolier? found in Ultimate equipment

MG doesn't mind taking the Remove Paralysis potion and she's happy to let other hang on to the CLW potions and the holy water. Will add it to her sheet :)