The Strangler of the Shadow Moor (Inactive)

Game Master Terquem

Finally able to log in. Got that weird DNS error with my Internet where I couldn't connect to Paizo at all.

Sorry for the sudden disappearance. Give me some time to catch up.

Why do I get the strong sense we'll be going into the temple at some point?

That would be the ominous music playing in the background, just turn down the volume, everything will be fine.

Running a little behind in game updates this week. I closed two games (taking the remaining players from one game and adding them to the players from the second, then starting an all new adventure for them)

I hope that by tomorrow night I'll have something up for you guys.

Thanks

Options are available, I'd prefer to not have Parker be in charge at this moment, but if the party isn't sure of what to do next, he will lead the way

Also, this weekend I'll be setting up some new playground equipment for my granddaughters, and otherwise getting pulled into a few Easter day shenanigans, so my posting might be slow this weekend (well, slower than it is for my usual slowness anyway).

Eat some chocolate if you are allowed such things (I'm currently not, sheesh)and have a happy Easter

Thanks! I've been away and will be until Wednesday so Marvin will follow consensus until then.

Did Parker mean to say "This place is NOT completely abandoned?"

yes he did

I guess the NPC will take charge

Who is targeted: 7d6 ⇒ (6, 6, 3, 2, 4, 1, 5) = 27
1=Gwernach
2=Marvin
3=Sasithorn
4=Xor
5=Yildiri
6=Parker

There is limited cover, in the form of the structure of the covered bridge where it rests on the lowered door, but basically retreating to the interior of the bridge is your best bet, until you have a plan for getting into the ship.

This large door opens flat, creating a platform 20 feet long and 20 feet wide. The end of the covered bridge rests on the edge of the open door. This means there is a fifteen foot gap, open to the sun and the surroundings, between the end of the bridge and the interior of the ship (which appears to be a large bay of some kind). You cannot see into the ship, even with Darkvision, not because it is dark in the interior (it is) but because of the glare of the sun all around the opening.

I’ll try to get a map built tonight.

Okay, so I took the AutoCad image of the ship, plotted it to a PNG file, imported it as a map onto a MapTool Map. It has a white background the walls and other objects on the map are all in black, so if I toggle thr grid it gets cluttered.

There is a grid reference which you can use to control where you want to move to, but you are going to have to try to imagine the grid, okay.

The map shows the characters, the bridge, the platform, and the HobGoblins (Uradurluns) inside the ship

From the bridge you cannot see the enemy Hobgoblins or details inside the ship

From a position five feet from the open door of the ship you can see in, but the conditions create a -1 penalty on perception skill checks that rely on sight, and on ranged attacks.

Once inside the ship your eyes will begin to adjust to the darkness, taking from 2-4 rounds

Can everyone see and understand the map?

That's a pretty good job, I totally get it :) Perhaps change the background to contrast the white interior?

The white background might be hard to change, as that is a feature of AutoCad, but I will look into it.

I was able to darken the PNG file a bit so that it isn't as bright. I will try to work on something better this weekend

From a position five feet from the open door of the ship you can see in, but the conditions create a -1 penalty on perception skill checks that rely on sight, and on ranged attacks.

Once inside the ship your eyes will begin to adjust to the darkness, taking from 2-4 rounds

Even me? Darkness is kind of my element (and especially since I already have a penalty much like that in conditions of bright light).

Am I to understand that the platform we're starting out on is of a different elevation than where the bad guys start? Are there any issues with relative elevation or other impediments to movement?

There's two different kinds of enemy tokens - what's the difference (as far as we can thus far tell)?

What's that interesting setup at the bottom that looks like a disc drive?

If you are already under a penalty (such as Light Sensitivity) it does not stack with this situational penalty.

I understand the confusion

The platform is the shuttle bay door in the lowered position. It is hinged on the bottom, lowers to be flat and an extension of the bay floor. This bay in the center of the ship, is where the rescue shuttle would bring sick, or injured individuals for immediate treatment. It is sort of like the emergency room of the Hospital Ship

There are male and female HobGoblin Tokens (the female ones are kind of attractive, and I just picked those off the web, so I didn't do that on purpose).

Around the corner in the bay, out of your sight, there are two circular hatches, one in the floor and one in the ceiling.

I get a plain grey background, with (some) black lines on it. However, it's clear enough for most purposes.

If you are already under a penalty (such as Light Sensitivity) it does not stack with this situational penalty.

I understand the confusion

I was suggesting maybe it would make sense if I didn't take a penalty in dim light, since my race favors the darkness (though I recall you did some strange fine-tuning of as-written Wayang senses). It's not a huge deal, though.

*gulp* First Diarmal, now Xor :( Hope everything is alright.

I received a PM from Xor's player expressing his gratitude for the game but also saying that it has taken a turn toward some elements that he isn't a fan of (sci fi in fantasy settings). He bowed out graciously.

On the other hand I have not received any replies from Diarmal after several pms were sent.

I am adjusting the future encounters to reflect the smaller party size

Nuts. I'm a little surprised that that bothers him (especially since I know he is, as he once told me, "a sucker for Lovecraft") - and this game hasn't "taken a turn" for science-fantasy, it's been that way nearly from the start.

Ah, well. We still have a functional party.

Here I was worried we'd gotten too serious.
...
We're not being too serious, are we?

I certainly didn't think so, but what do I know

Does this mean I get to tack Uradurlun onto my list of languages known?

Yes

Well there was a rather curious, possibly cursed, but maybe powerful belt you turned your nose up at :)

But yes, magic items have not appeared in this adventure with the sort of regularity that most Pathfinder games have.

I'll see if I can remedy that problem soon.

Well there was a rather curious, possibly cursed, but maybe powerful belt you turned your nose up at :)

I forgot about that. I certainly didn't "turn my nose up at" it, I was just afraid of curses.

Yes, I was just kidding

Is the ball presently in my court? I'm getting a little confused about that.

No not at all - I just wanted to break up the negotiation with a bit of interaction from the others in the group, with Parker getting a reaction from Yildiri and then Gwernach throwing in his two cents worth _ Marvin might be a bit busy with life so we will now move on and have the Uraduluns respond to Sasithorns post

Marvin is just standing by right now. They're leaving diplomacy to the others, but they'll respond if interacted with directly or if a situation needs information only the android has.

(But I also am a bit busy with life so thank you for your consideration!)

Just waiting for that PM!

BTW, I'm on holiday/vacation from Friday, back home next Weds. As such, please do DMPC me if I don't respond to anything within 24 hours.

Thanks Yildiri, I'll try to keep you safe, but engaged

By the way, it may seem like I am trying to separate Parker from the party - I am

I didn't mind bringing in an NPC to get the game shifted to where it is now, but I'm not the sort of GM who likes to run an NPC who knows more about certain things than the party does, and I prefer running henchmen and hirelings, particularly when I can depend on having someone in the party ordering the NPC around

I don't see Parker filling that sort of role - I am not trying to tell anyone how to run their character, just pointing out that for me, the game will be more fun if the NPCs do not join you if you decide to explore the entrance to the temple

Well this is embarrassing

I was going over previous posts and comparing them with my notes, when I realized that the Red Mysterion was often described as having silvery skin, then for some reason I started saying she had red colored skin (I think I was having a off day or something)

The Red Mysterion's name has a unique reference, something the party may discover in the future, but it was supposed to be a reference to her garments, not her color

Would anyone mind if we all pretended that the "Red Woman" references so far have been about the color of her garments, and we can go back to saying she has silvery skin?

Or would that seem awkward?

Fine by me.

Been spending all this time thinking she was a redhead...silver skin and a red dress? Easy transition.

Yep, that's perfectly fine.

Ahhg - so many good things happening in so many games, and I have to leave town this afternoon for Boise, won't be back till Sunday night. I think I'll have internet access on Saturday night, but I also think we are having a late night pool party then as well. Please be patient

Have fun!

OH, I actually forgot to take into account the tools we got. I didn't list them down in my inventory so it completely slipped my mind. Thanks for the reminder, ahah.

I didn't forget mine, but evidently, I'm not one of the ones carrying a multi-tool.

still having trouble getting to these boards from a computer, only from phone on 4g, please be paitient

I have a new map posted, but I don't like the way it turned out, so I will try again tomorrow and see if I can do better

Note: I will be traveling as of tomorrow with little access to gadgetry. Bot me as needed. Will be back to normal July 15th :)

Gwernatch is off enjoying the summer, but while we wait, let's decide where, or what we will do next

Shall we

There are basically four options, to leave this area, go to the platform south of the pool, ascend the stairs and examine the doors at the top there

Examine the stairs in one of the two alcoves, east or west

leave back through the door you came in through.

Given the choice, Yildiri would happily leave, but for Adventure Purposes, I say go south.

I think the thing holding us back at the moment is a lack of clear direction - I, at least, am a little unclear on what we think we're after in here (though of course Sasithorn's view of this place is otherwise nearly the polar opposite of Yildiri's), and even more immediately, saying 'you could go east, west, or south' doesn't say much about what we might actually expect to find in those directions (certainly, I don't see much point in turning around and leaving already); are there any other details that might guide us?

Nope

This entrance area is not heavy with clues, and it is clear that someone has been here recently (the robes) but didn't leave much else behind

No one comes here - that's the official line (in addition to the broader Eysturlun story that this place was actually "destroyed" a good story to tell if you want to try to keep people from looking for it, I suppose).

So - how it plays into the situation with the Contagion (you've been told the "artifact" that Parker is looking for was moved from the ship to somewhere in this temple complex)and how far you will go to learn more about it is entirely up to you.

Parker made it pretty clear that he intends to catch up with you, soon, and that he basically just wanted you to see if it was a "dangerous" place to enter.

Now, if Parker does not appear soon, if the "mysterious" red woman returns, if you decide to press deeper out of your own curiosity, well, what might happen then will probably depend upon the decisions you make in the immediate future, and all those decisions are in your hands.