The Shining Hosts - Way of the Wicked Gameplay (Inactive)

Game Master Dennis Harry

the Shining Host wrote:

I do sooo love the idea of your alter ego searching for your dual identity, I would love to do a campaign around just that, with a group playing the Heroes attempting to assist Sir Jack.

If you're running the adventure path as written, I know that eventually we're going to have to defend the Horn from nosy adventuring groups.

It would be pretty fun to have a group contact Sir Balin to try to enlist his help, or something like that.

Correct, just would be more fun doing it with other PCs versus NPCs.

That may well be a useful scenario to run as part of the build up yes.

Storyteller Shadow wrote:

Grumble Jack wrote:

the Shining Host wrote:

IF you manage to overcome Aurex, any interest in dipping into that Dragon Rider class that Nate had?

I don't think I'm doing anymore class dips until after 9th level. Currently I'm planning on going into Hellknight.

I have a free Trait I haven't picked. I'm thinking I might take the one that lets my Cohort be 1 level behind me, and taking Vile Leadership. Aurex seems like he'd make a great Cohort. What do you think?

That certainly makes sense!

Alright, I shuffled things around. I dropped a couple of Sphere abilities to take the Leadership Sphere (cohort package), and the Advanced Cohorts talent (it's a Legendary talent, so it requires GM approval, but it does exactly what we're talking about so I figured you'd be fine with it).

Here's the gist-

Aurex becomes my Cohort (assuming I beat him). He'd be a 6 Hit Dice dragon that would always act on my initiative, and would gain a couple bonus feats and stat increases. I'm happy to re-stat him, but I'd kinda prefer to have you keep running him as an NPC. I like the way you do his personality, and I'm already juggling Grumble and Raaven.

6 HD Red Dragons are usually Small size, so we'd need to come up with some reason he's larger, but still so weak. Not sure how it was explained by his connection to Nate. Is he cursed? Did losing Nate weaken him?

Grumble now counts as having Leadership, but only has a Cohort. He won't get Followers unless I spend another Sphere talent in it. The upside is that I can switch out my Cohorts by spending 8 hours in a population center (or near Aurex's den) and Recruiting.

I don't know if it will come up often, but having a small stable of rotating Cohorts that I can draw on when Aurex isn't ideal to have around is pretty cool.

I'll check out your version, but I'll probably allow him to retain some of his previous abilities despite losing Nate. I am ok with him retaining his large size.

Changes approved.

I'll check out your version, but I'll probably allow him to retain some of his previous abilities despite losing Nate.

We obviously need to stuff Nate's brain in the golem to keep their bond alive, and make the golem completely nuts.

I compiled all the remaining gear from the dead party. Do you want to pretend it doesn't exist, let the new party dig through it, or liquidate it to renovate the Horn?

AUREX. wrote:

I'll check out your version, but I'll probably allow him to retain some of his previous abilities despite losing Nate.

We obviously need to stuff Nate's brain in the golem to keep their bond alive, and make the golem completely nuts.

Love this idea!

I compiled all the remaining gear from the dead party. Do you want to pretend it doesn't exist, let the new party dig through it, or liquidate it to renovate the Horn?

** spoiler omitted **

I'll let Grumble or perhaps Raaven decide, it’s there, it exists.

Checking in on this. I'm ready to throw dice whenever you are.

Last night was a disaster with my kids, hopefully I can get to it tonight. If not tomorrow for sure.

I'll finalize Aurex tonight and then wear Grumble as a nice necklace tomorrow :-)

I wonder what your new character will look like! :-)

This fight should be a humbling experience for our little Wyrm, but at least you'll have a bad ass Cohort afterwards.

Also, for a secondary cohort, take a look at Morana. I realized as I was re-reading the thread last weekend that she left before the Horn was entered. That's why I have her back at Farholde with Soren. I think she would be a good cohort to move about towns with plus she is already a Knot member who signed a pact and can be trusted.

That's a good call. I'll put her down as an alternative cohort for when Aurex is busy or impractical.

OK, the battle begins tomorrow, that was a 90 minute post to get Gameplay up and running, too damned late for me to focus on that Aurex build.

Kids have been extremely difficult this week, I will try and get to Aurex tomorrow, but might be Saturday... :(

Yeah, no way he's fighting you on the ground!

I'm having way too much fun with this.

I'm having way too much fun with this.

Aurex is sad he's going to lose....

Don't worry buddy, I'll help you out. It's not your fault Nate skimped on your training. We'll make a real dragon out of you yet!

That fight went exactly like I thought it would. :)

During the weeks of downtime I'm going to have Raaven help Aurex train up thevSpheres he gets from being Grumble's cohort. I'll have his updated character sheet ready for you soon.

That fight went exactly like I thought it would. :)

During the weeks of downtime I'm going to have Raaven help Aurex train up thevSpheres he gets from being Grumble's cohort. I'll have his updated character sheet ready for you soon.

That should make Aurex more formidable for sure.

I assume that you will be flying back on Aurex in the dead of night correct? :)

During the day that'd be quite the sight!

I assume that you will be flying back on Aurex in the dead of night correct? :)

During the day that'd be quite the sight!

Er. Uh, yeah. That's smarter. I'm sure someone will explain that to Grumble.

On the other hand, the shadow of a dragon swooping through the air far enough up that nobody can tell what color it is, and air dropping Sir Balin into town would do wonders for his Renown.

Grumble's impatient and wants to go now. I'll let you decide if cooler heads prevail.

Raaven has the Commune spell once a week.

"You contact your deity–or agents thereof–and ask questions that can be answered by a simple yes or no."

Would Cardinal Thorn be a valid target?

Raaven has the Commune spell once a week.

"You contact your deity–or agents thereof–and ask questions that can be answered by a simple yes or no."

Would Cardinal Thorn be a valid target?

Yes but so would Tiadora, probably better to contact her instead!

Raaven will use Commune to ask yes/no questions in a way that gives Tiadora information about what's going on.

So she'll know the Baron will be contacting her with more information.

From now on, if a week passes without Raaven using Commune for something else, assume it's being cast to give Tiadora a progress report.

Writing Sir Balin is fun. He's basically Grumble's impression of Lord Havelyn, but he's still Grumble so everything comes out blunt and only barely polite enough.

Certainly one of my favorite Characters I've run game for and I have interacted with a LOT of characters over the years as a DM!

The caliber of play on Paizo is generally pretty top notch, truth be told, it's better than all but ONE of my table top players and him I found here ON Paizo LOL. Not that I run a bad table it's just my friends and I spend half the time bullshitting and their lives are so busy they simply aren't as into the Roleplay aspect as I'd like them to be. Now that we're older they're more clever at resolving issues and avoiding combat and when the do they fight with better tactics so it's not all hack and slash but the RP isn't really immersive.

The caliber of play on Paizo is generally pretty top notch, truth be told, it's better than all but ONE of my table top players and him I found here ON Paizo LOL. Not that I run a bad table it's just my friends and I spend half the time bullshitting and their lives are so busy they simply aren't as into the Roleplay aspect as I'd like them to be. Now that we're older they're more clever at resolving issues and avoiding combat and when the do they fight with better tactics so it's not all hack and slash but the RP isn't really immersive.

Immersion is where PBP really shines. I've rarely seen in person games that can compete. The tradeoff is speed of play.

I've learned a lot about how to play immersively in person by doing PBP games for so long.

I think that's a good place to end this thread. We know how you got here and what you'll be doing for the next several weeks.

Works for me. Go ahead and make it inactive again.