The Viridian Castle

Game Master Kristev

This is going to be a bit of a challenge for me, coming up with how to catch criminals without at least one melee warrior. Let's see what I can come up with.

[hint]As long as we get the drop on them and plenty of distance ... [/hint]

If you need a melee type to help disable people I can have a monk drawn up pretty quickly if you'll take me.

Welcome.

So i'm assuming that this means you'll take me? If so I'll read up on the plot and gameplay and such. If not oh well.

stats
5d6 ⇒ (5, 5, 3, 6, 3) = 22
5d6 ⇒ (5, 6, 2, 3, 1) = 17
5d6 ⇒ (5, 3, 2, 5, 2) = 17
5d6 ⇒ (6, 6, 2, 2, 1) = 17
5d6 ⇒ (4, 2, 2, 6, 3) = 17
5d6 ⇒ (5, 3, 5, 4, 3) = 20

I'm a very liberal DM. Welcome aboard.

Hi guys,

I've been a bit unwell lately and really don't have the mental wherewithal to keep up with my RPG. Sorry. Kristev, could you play for me for a few days - or work things out without me? I hope to pick up start of next week.

Thanks.

Hi guys,

Sorry for the long absence. Got things back on track now.

@Kristev, thanks for playing Cathran. Great fight. Sorry I missed out on it.

Welcome back.

Is there a particular reason that we don't use the discussion thread?

it doesn't work for some reason, at least not any time i've tried

I've never been able to get it to work, either.

Hey DM, once I have the funds how hard would it be to secure a wand of mage armour or a 1st level Pearl of Power?

I was looking into increasing my AC and having either Cathran or Alfred cast the spell on me early in the day would be nice. However I wouldn't want to eat into their resources so either of those would allow me to get the buff for free, after paying the price of course.

On a side note, would either Cathran or Alfred be opposed to this if I acquire the item?

@Kristev, I'm thinking of multi-classing (another first along with magic and playing a female character).

If I were to choose another arcane magic using class, am I right in thinking the number of spells (and bonus ones) would stay the same, but my pool of spells known would expand? How would this work with cantrips/orisons - unlimited use of all? Would you allow this?

Any gotchas I should look out for multi-classing?

Unless Kristev declares it to work differently then multi-classing with casters means that you count all their spells differently. So if you took a level of wizard and became Sorcerer 1/Wizard 1 you would have 4 Sorcerer cantrips and 2 1st level sorcerer spells known. you would have 3 1st level sorcerer spellsper day +1 for having a high charisma. In addition you would have 3 Wizard cantrips to prepare each day and 1 1st level spell prepared per day +1 for a high intelligence score.

Both classes would have a caster level of 1 so the variables would all be dependent on that (I.E Shocking grasp from either class would only do 1d6 and a mage armour would only last 1 hour.)

I don't know what class you plan on multiclassing into but odds are it won't be worth it if they're both fullcasters as casting classes tend to get worse with multiclass not better. Exceptions being wizard dipping sorcerer for a good bloodline arcana.

Just want to point out that Mage armour is not a bard spell. Though I may be able to umd the wand.

A wand of Mage Armor is a good idea and could probably be found at Gifts From the Sea. A pearl of power? At this level? Try going fishing . . .

The problem is that low-level spells don't last that long so casting it early in the day isn't that much help. Mage Armor only lasts one hour per level, so you'd get an hour, maybe two.

And Cathran, feel free to multi-class. Yes, you'll lose access to your fullest sorcerer abilities if you do, but I can certainly understand the desire to bolster your character's low-level weaknesses so you can actually live long enough to reach level twenty.

As a mere example, in my 3.0/3.5 days, I've personally found druid/wizards work wonderfully. Defensive magic from the wizard, healing powers and animals to fight for you from the druid. Then one simply becomes a Mystic Theurge or Arcane Hierophant, and boom. Lose level 9 spells, but but it's worth that sacrifice.

So yes, so long as you select from the Barbarian, Bard, Cleric, Druid, Fighter, Monk, Paladin, Ranger, Rogue, Wizard, Alchemist, Cavalier, Inquisitor, Oracle, Summoner, or Witch, I have no objection. But remember, multi-classing is wisest if you play to your abilities. Becoming a cleric or a druid wouldn't be wise because your wisdom is so poor. Bard or paladin (though you'd have to formally declare an alignment change and role-play the divine revelation with whomever LG/LN/NG god you choose) are wise because they play to your high charisma. While our party lacks a rouge, your dexterity is too weak to be effective it at, in my opinion. Play what you want, it's all up to you. I'm just giving advice.

And yes, you keep track of your spells separately.

Alfred, if you want to learn Mage Armor, there are rules that allow pcs to create their own spells in the core rule book. But I personally suspect that you don't. If you do, tell me and we'll work in letting you have it. But if you don't, then we needn't worry.

You are correct about the wand being better in the here and now, but the pearl would be better in the long run since it uses the casters caster level and has unlimited uses as compared to a wand wit only fifty. And it is only 250 gp more than a wand.

But if it must wait then it must wait. And I'll work towards that wand as soon as possible.

@Kristev, that's my character updated. Full sheets in the 'character resources' link on profile. Let me know if you want anything changed.

Just want to check, concerning the tongues curse: does it prevent casting all spells with a verbal component not in the language of the curse?

Consider there to be an equivalent verbal component for any spell you cast in Aquan. By which I mean, let's say the verbal component as a mere example in a spell is 'dragon'. Let's just say that, as far as I care, Aquan has a word for 'dragon' that will substitute effectively enough for the spell you are casting.

So, all this gold ...

Is there anywhere in town I can buy a Haramaki and an Armoured Kilt?

Also, is there an 'arcane spell failure' figure for a Darkwood Buckler (and can I buy one)?

Try Gifts From the Sea. And I'd say, since it's darkwood, no, there's no spell failure penalty.

Is there an opening for The Viridian Castle?

I have a concept for Darven Cordova, who works part-time at Jack's Casino as a dealer. He sees the adveturers take on Colonel Yellow, and decides there could be something to be gained by approaching the group.

Currently, he is at loose ends, staying in a guest cottage of friends of the family. He knows his time is running out. He feels that he has a couple of weeks before they decide to kick him out. Luckily, the Matron of the House likes him, being the "grandson" she always wanted, while the Master of the House sees through his charade. So he is currently looking for his next set of circumstances.

Darven is a cleric but follows no god but his own Luck. He has Trickery and Luck as domains.

Well, guys, what do you think? Do we open the doors for this guy?

I won't offer an opinion on this, considering I was just recently let in.

Sure a fifth guy won't be too bad. Six seems to be were it starts slowing down

Very well. You may enter the game.

Okay, just so I'll understand, how am I doing as a GM so far? Do I need to change anything?

Its going good. For stuff revealed from a check I would suggest putting it in a spoiler like,

just to move things along better so that it isn't,

DM asks for a roll
player rolls
DM tells player what player knows
players takes action

and it becomes,

DM asks for roll, text is in spoiler
player rolls, makes the roll, reads text and decides on action

doing that will speed things up.

Combatwise I think things are going okay for now, though I will need to see a few multi-enemy combats to really know what advice to give.

I don't have the GM experience to be able to say how I might do things otherwise, but, as a player I find myself engaged, entertained and having fun - and that's the most important thing.

On another matter: is the initiative order right?

I read Zacariah as having rolled init:4. Also, just to clarify: we're still waiting on Krastov - I'm not up?

You're doing fine. One thing is I wouldn't recommend putting all the npc info in the game for the players to see. Some GMs do that, I don't when I run games but It's GM preference.

I'll give Krastov one more day to post before I remove him from the initiative order (which means he goes last and only offers healing).

Yes, that is a play on Carmen Sandiego and Waldo. I'm the DM. I can do things like that.

aww yeah. Level 2.

Everyone's quit posting. Is something wrong?

I was waiting on the others. I'm kind of at a loss for what to do.

You have several possibilities.

1) You could ask Penny what she knows about the chalice, or at least, who set her and the other crooks free and gave her the chalice. since you know now that she has one just like Amy, Colonel Yellow, & Dr. Blumenthal did. She did offer this knowledge in exchange for being let go. Sheriff Brady refused to hear it, but that doesn't mean you have to.

2) You could go to the public beach and see if you can still capture Dr. Blumenthal before he poisons someone else.

3) You could decide to go to the hospital and ask questions of the people there.

4) You could decide that you don't trust someone in town and follow them around. Since you know she's hiding something, Dr. Mengoak might be wise. After all, for all you know, she may be Dr. Blumenthanl's lover, or worse yet, his assistant.

5) You could ignore Penny and continue collecting criminals to complete the five Sheriff Brady asked of the party to capture to win her blessing to investigate the Viridian Castle.

6) You could ignore her and go to the Viridian Castle on your own right now.

7) You could go press the mayor, or anyone else in town, for information. Perhaps ask to search his house to see if the vanished son and his equally vanished half-orc nurse may have left something behind that no one's discovered.

8) You could try to track down what little you know about what's going on with books at the library.

9) You could go have a chat with Marlin Brady. I hadn't meant to quite bring this out yet, but you can have it for free: His psychic powers are actually true. He's an oracle of the waves. He just doesn't know it, so neither does anyone else.

10) You could leave town and decide that this isn't worth following up on and force me to come up with a new plot idea.

These are only ten of the choices you have wide open to you.

Sorry. I thought I'd been doing a bit much talking and was waiting for others. I'm happy doing more sleuthing and slaying about town. I'm in no rush to get to the castle. I think there's more in town yet about 'mystery' of the "mysterious green castle" and don't want to prematurely jump towards a conclusion.

Sorry, all. I'm not a bully. I'd just wondered why it seemed everyone had quit posting. I'll follow whatever lead you guys want to take.

I'd just like to know what everyone wants to do. And yes, you are allowed to split the party if different people want to do different things.

Don't worry about talking too much Cathran. Thats the wonder of PbP. Besides you do good talking.

Yes, the bottle is exactly what it says. You'll level up if you only drink one shot. But drink two, and you're back to level 1. You guys don't have to drink it yet, but you may as well. You don't know what I'm planning in this game. Just that you're not ready for it, even at level 2. So let's see how you do at three.

And no, you won't find the spell in any Pathfinder book. It's a 3.0 D&D spell from Masters of the Wild.

Is there a duration on the shot? do you revert back in level at some point or is it permanent?

It's permanent, as long as you don't drink a second shot - ever.

I regret to inform you guys that I will not be able to post until monday. On the upside I'm going to a 4 day convention and will be playing a bunch of PFS.

How do you know when Doctor Mengoak is lying? Easy - every word she says is a lie one way or another, including her ands and thes.

I am going to formally bow out of the game. Thanks for the attempt Kristev and don't give up on PbP gming.