Tora no Senaka - The Back of the Tiger (Inactive)

Game Master Dreaming Warforged

ITT: A Neutral character convincing a Good character that summary execution isn't the solution.

My plans have changed dramatically (in a good way in fact), so I'll be bearer a computer than I thought this Summer. I'll give the dates where I can't post as usual.

Please note that I'll be far from a computer from Thursday the 28, until probably Sunday the 8. I might have limited access, but nothing is certain at this moment.

Please note I probably won't be able to post from Friday to Monday.

Please note that, starting Thursday, I will have very reduced access to Internet and might not be able to post, or not so often, for a week and a half.

Izumi hasn't been around since July 16th. Not sure what happened to him. He stopped posting on the other campaign as well. He's up and disappeared.

Weird. Its as if real life ate him.

Izumi might resurface, though this would be the perfect time to recruit another player as you are about to meet a prisoner...

I think I would prefer to wait a bit more before recruiting, give Izumi a chance. For now, the castle awaits!

Sorry, I've had medical problems... I'm be back and will be posting soon. Thanks for your patience guys, sorry for any problems I might have caused.

Good to see you back and healthy I hope!

Mostly healthy anyway! Should be 100% within a week. Thanks for your concern!

Harsh. Welcome back, Izumi.

I'll be away until Monday.

Treasure- Raith's got the chicken saber, I think Izumi should take the morningstar or trade that with me for the Whispering Shrike; the front line needs magic melee weapons, I should think. Garand could probably benefit the most from the +1 leather armor and we could split the flaming arrows amongst the archers.

I'm gonna be taking the Master Craftsman feat when we hit level 5, followed by the Craft Magic Arms and Armor at level 7 (long term planning). I think this fits Izumi's blacksmith background, and I will probably work on improving the current katana. I realize it would be better to simply use the morningstar, but Izumi probably doesn't feel the same way (ancestral blade and all).

Raith starts training with Pavel and Izumi with weapons. I plan on taking a melee class at some point. It will be fighter. I figure general weapons training should properly simulate the training.

a pearl of power (1st level)

So, Garand, do you want this? It would give you two heal spells at first level.

There isn't anything in the pile that Sorin really needs. If it had been a second level pearl of power, it would have been great. Sorin pretty much just needs the cash right now so he can scribe scrolls.

Sure, an extra cure light wounds per day would be great, if Sorin doesn't want it.

Izumi could actually use the light steel shield (currently using a regular heavy steel, so it wouldn't be an AC boost, but it would give Light Fort., and a reduction in armor check.), but in the once we get to a place where we can sell loot, it'll probably be a good idea to simply sell it, and use the funds to buy (or create) a better magical heavy shield.

Hm. Also, Kelda gave us a something. Did we ID that?

If no one objects, I'll take that +1 cold iron morningstar.

I've updated the loot sheet.

The wand is a Wand of Cure moderate wounds, with 25 charges remaining. I'll put it in the loot, under Garand.

Might it be possible for us to get a map of all the floors/etc? That way we can decide where we should go next.

You've cleared everything but a set of stairs. You tried to reach them but were repelled by the haunt.

On this map, it would be the northernmost stairs in the tower.

Before we get into the next big fight, we should at least distribute the treasure we can use now- and note that we're all rested and fully healed.

I think Garand could use the +1 leather armor and I think the Ring of the Ram should go to Sorin- a direct damage option that doesn't require scrolls or a spell slot can be helpful for him. Alternately, it may be a good thing for Raith as a powerful distance weapon. If Izumi won't use anything but his katana, he should take the flaming arrows or split them with Garand; does Sorin know magic weapon? May be handy for the time being.

If Garand is going to get both the +1 leather armor and the cure moderate wounds wand, Sorin should take the 1st level Pearl of Power.

Being able to cast mage armor on himself and on Raith, for a single slot per day, would help the both of them. Or he could use it to do another enlarge person per day, since he's fond of that 1st level spell.

I'm going to put the +1 leather armor and the cure moderate wounds wand on Garand's sheet, unless we decide otherwise. Sorin should definitely go for the pearl.

Garand is probably also going to switch to taking cleric (of Erastil) levels for the remainder of his levels. The druid thing is not working. The game (and this adventure specifically) assumes a cleric, and I'll never be able to UMD some of the stuff I've already got. Adding even a level of cleric means I won't have to UMD the scroll of restoration, or the wand of inflict wounds, for instance. Plus I'll finally be able to channel energy, which will provide a source of healing other than spending 7 out of 10 rounds using a healing wand as my sole action, and maybe even help if we run into any more haunts. In three druid levels, I've gotten to cast all of one druid-specific spell (a summon nature's ally), so it's not like I'm gonna miss out on that druid spell list. :)

Pearl of power it is.

I will switch up Sorin's spells shortly. I can add a different 1st level spell, which will be ok.

That would make your druid levels a waste, Garand. That's a hard pill to swallow. Your bear won't advance. We seem to be doing ok. Celestial seems to be giving you plenty of healing power. Healing becomes less of an issue as we get more hit points and levels. We have so few hit points right now that healing is more difficult. Should be ok a few more levels.

I'm the other guy that can use those healing wands; if you want to pass me whichever you aren't using I can start taking care of myself and the other front liners some more.

Garand has undergone a significant spiritual evolution (with the GM's permission), and so I should be a bit more contributive.

That's cool Celestial let you switch completely to cleric. That's the way I would have done it. Sometimes you make a party and then find out the class mix would be better off with a different class.

Yay!!!! A full divine caster!!! Garand, you rock! And even better, we can split the buffing duties now!

(Sorin does a happy dance)

Just a thought, the animal domain grants an animal companion at 4th level. With the Boon Companion feat (along with the suggested errata listed on that page), we could have the bear-spirit stick around, since he seems to be a crowd favourite.

Just to note, I'm only adding the shield and 10 +1 flaming arrows. That's correct, right?

Just a thought, the animal domain grants an animal companion at 4th level. With the Boon Companion feat (along with the suggested errata listed on that page), we could have the bear-spirit stick around, since he seems to be a crowd favourite.

I think the *intent* of the feat was that a ranger or animal domain cleric wouldn't get the animal companion until his class gave him the ability (at 4th level), but then he'd immediately get the full companion and not the 'level -3' version.

But DW seems to be fine with just grandfathering bear-spirit in as having always been there (for the sake of story continuity, if nothing else), which is also a valid interpretation of what the feat says.

Yay!!!! A full divine caster!!! Garand, you rock! And even better, we can split the buffing duties now!

(Sorin does a happy dance)

Yeah, I did feel bad about how Sorin was eating through scrolls (although, if I'd picked the sexy Growth subdomain of the Plant domain, he could have gotten enlarge person as a domain spell *and* the ability to use enlarge person on himself as a swift action, which is crazy good, but not really as thematic for Garand as the Community Domain ended up being.). Still, with bless, shield other and anything else I pick up (like communal protection from evil or one of the stat buffs), I can help out with the buffs.

For Sorin, saving up some of that WBL for a lesser metamagic rod of extend or headband of intellect might be a better long-term investment, IMO.

Garand is also gearing towards picking up Craft Wondrous Item, eventually, as long as our already-generous GM doesn't have a problem with Crafting feats (barring cheap stuff like Scribe Scroll and Brew Potion). The cleric spell list has a lot of good options, although he won't be as good at the Knowledge - arcana / Spellcraft rolls to craft items as a wizard, natch.

Then again, I might pick up Additional Traits, to snag some more class skills... :)

Please note I'll be away until Monday night. I'll have very very limited access from time to time, but don't expect much.

I will be out of pocket for the next 30 hours or so as I travel down under. The hotel is supposed to have internet, so I will check in then.

Back in action.

4th level hit points
1d8 ⇒ 5

Bear-spirit just hit size medium, and is suddenly scary... (+2 Con for the size change, +1 Con I picked for his 4 HD ability increase, +1 HD, he went from 19 hit points to 34 in a single level!)

Gonna have to get his leather armor re-sized though. :)

Would it be alright if I delayed my levelling up until we return to the caravan? Izumi is going to be switching Cavalier orders (from Ronin to the Order of the Lion), and I don't want to wait that whole level to regain my order powers XD.

For hit points, let's do half +1, meaning 5 for d8 :)

For leveling, it can happen somewhere a little later.

As we finish the first book and are about to start the second, it is a good time to ask for feedback. Let me know waht you like and would like to see done differently. Please don't worry, just stay constructive and if possible, offer suggestions.

This might simply be due to the nature of the book we've been on, but personally I'd like to see more of the NPCs. I kinda feel like the thing that distinguishes Jade Regent from other APs is the NPCs that we are with constantly. Best chance in an AP to develop meaningful character relationships with the major NPCs.

Again though, that may have been simply the book we've been on (lots of time away from the NPCs). I understand there are some pacing concerns with long sections of dialogue. Other than that, I think you do an incredible job DMing, and I look forward to the future of this campaign.

Stuttering Stanley's all leveled up.

You've done a great job so far, lots of good choices on how we're running things. Looking for criticism, I would have to second Izumi about building relationships with the other NPCs in the caravan, though.

Going up in monk and continuing to train with weapons as well as hand to hand.

1d8 ⇒ 1

I think you're doing fine. If I'm honest about it, I like leveling probably more than I like roleplaying. So I'm enjoying the fairly fast leveling pace for an online game as well as the pace of combats. I don't care for the low levels. I like to get them out of the way. A few more levels and we'll be in that fun level range where combats start to get interesting, while not being completely about spell combat.

One more level of wizard.

I think that everything has been moving along just fine. I am quite happy with the pace and roleplaying opportunities.

Is the module really that light on the number of scrolls available? I don't remember there being any chances for Sorin to get anything to add to his spellbook.

Izumi's Level Up!
HP: 6 (average) + 1 con = 7
Inceased BAB, Fort save.
Increase Challenge to 2/day
Gained new Order: Order of the Lion
Lost Order: Ronin
Replaced Survival as a Class skill with Knowledge (Nobility)
Replaced Self-Reliant with The Lion's Roar.
Gained Expert Trainer.
Gained 6 skill points (4 + 1 int + 1 favoured class)
Increased Strength to 18.

Sorin:
+Glitterdust (lvl2)
+Web (lvl2)

7 Skill points, picked up Know:Religion...got all the rest
hp+4
+1 Intelligence

Cool. We start the second module.

We have some loot and coin to divide up as well. I don't see much on there I can take. But that ring of the ram might be nice for someone. Make sure to divide up the flaming arrows. We have some magical leather as well.