War for the Crown with DM Vayelan

Game Master vayelan

I can't recall, are we doing HP at half, average (even levels round up) or half plus one?

Barbarian level 4, HP +10 or 11, BAB +1, Fort +1, +2 rounds of rage. 4th level bonus is going to Intelligence, because this was a v educational, defining experience for her and she knows she can't remain quite as ignorant moving forward.

4 Skills this level, 3 retroactively, so all 3 of those in Sense Motive, 1 in Perception, Diplomacy, K. Local, and Ride, Background Skills in P. Soldier, Linguistics. New language, Galtane/Galtan/Galsh/Galtish/Galtesian/Galtese (so she can understand/impress Photinè).

New rage power: Witch Hunter at +2.

I can't recall, are we doing HP at half, average (even levels round up) or half plus one?

For HP at each new level, we're using the average for your Hit Die, rounded up.

Druid (Swarm Monger) 4

+7 HP
+1 Fort, Will
+1 BAB
+1 STR

5 Skill Ranks (4 base, 1 fav class bonus)
Swim, Kn. Nature ,Perception, Kn. Local, Sense Motive

2 Background
Handle Animal, Kn. Nobility

+1 1st level spell slot
+1 2nd level spell slot

Class features ----
WILD SHAPE 1/day
----> I'll have to spend some time assembling animal forms to transform into. Vayelan, I've seen many GMs handle the familiarity requirement for wild shape differently. If we're running with a more strict familiarity requirement, could you let me know what animals and magical beasts were at the courtyard menagerie in the Senate?

Child of Pollution (from Swarm Monger Archetype)
----> Wow, this gives +4 to saves vs. poison and disease, but its more hilarious and gross aspect is that Chana can eat spoiled food to gain temp HP. Do pickles and blue cheese from Photine's estate larders count as 'spoiled', or am I gonna need to get the really gross stuff? :P

----> I'll have to spend some time assembling animal forms to transform into. Vayelan, I've seen many GMs handle the familiarity requirement for wild shape differently. If we're running with a more strict familiarity requirement, could you let me know what animals and magical beasts were at the courtyard menagerie in the Senate?

This presented a fun little challenge for me.

Alright! A pretty limited list of forms to start with, but that makes sense considering Chana is from Oppara. I'll need to take the whole party on a safari expedition midway through book 2 to collect some more dangerous big cat forms :P

Can I add the following to the list? They seem like fair game:

Can I add the following to the list? They seem like fair game:

Pony

Dire rat

Rat

Yes to all three.

I didn't include Pony on the original list because I thought it was redundant since it overlapped with some of the others.

Even though they're the most obvious options given your background, I initially overlooked Rat and Dire Rat because I thought their type was Vermin rather than Animal, so the Wild Shape ability wouldn't include them. Now that I see that I was wrong, they definitely have the green light.

Yeah, beast shape I has size limits, so a lot of the stuff in the first list (full-size horse for example) isn't useful yet while Pony definitely is. Sadly, cute red pandas are also size tiny.

Level 3 Investigator (Psychic Detective)

HP +8
BAB +1
FORT +1
Inspiration +1
Panache +1
+1 INT

Skills +10 +2 (Background) +3 Retro INT Points
+1 to Bluff, Diplomacy, Disable Device, K Arcana, K Local, K Religion, Perception, Sense Motive, Spellcraft, Stealth, Sleight of Hand, Profession: Courtesan, Acrobatics, Escape Artist, Appraise.

New Spells: 0=Detect Magic, 1=Liberating Command

Keen Recollection: At 3rd level, an investigator can attempt all Knowledge skill checks untrained.

Trap Sense (Ex): At 3rd level, an investigator gains an intuitive sense that alerts him to danger from traps, granting him a +1 bonus on Ref lex saving throws to avoid traps and a +1 dodge bonus to AC against attacks by traps. At 6th level and every 3 levels thereafter, these bonuses increase by 1 (to a maximum of +6 at 18th level).

Phrenic Dabbler (Su): At 3rd level, a psychic detective gains a small pool of phrenic points equal to 1/2 her psychic detective level, as well as one phrenic amplification, as the psychic class feature. This does not allow the psychic detective to qualify for the Extra Amplification feat. This ability replaces the investigator talent gained at 3rd level.
(Taking Relentless Casting. Phrenic Pool = 1)
Relentless Casting (Su) The psychic can spend 1 point from her phrenic pool to roll twice on any caster level checks to overcome spell resistance required for the linked spell and take the better result. Because she must decide to spend points from her phrenic pool when she starts casting a spell, the psychic must decide to use this ability before the GM calls for the caster level check.

Are the mithril chain shirts and the magic chain shirt in the loot log size small or medium? For the mithril chain it not only affects whether or not we can wear it but also its sell value.

You can follow the links and check if you want Greenly. I'll be doing to same later on when I calc how much money we'll be getting out of this.

I didn't notice the links, thanks for directing me. They are all size small, sadly.

Once we get all our magic items identified and our money situation sorted out, I'mma spring for an adamantine blade for my elven curve blade. The rest, prolly potions of enlarge person, a wand of CLW, maybe a +1 to the sword, and if we have just BOATLOADS of cash, a mithral breastplate.

Speaking of harrow readings, I'm thinking about taking the Harrower prestige class at level 7, so there's a chance Photinè will spend the next few levels progressing steadily toward either chaotic neutral or neutral good (the class requires a non-true-neutral alignment), depending on the events of the next book.

Right now, she's kinda reeling and wants to consider the gala an isolated incident, but I have a feeling she'll become disillusioned with the state of things and the corruption of the upper classes, and either try to work to change it (progression towards NG) or get a little punchier and lash out at it (CN).

That's the idea, at least. We'll see how it works out in reality.

Busy busy day sorry, I'll post in the morning

Sorry for the long delay in posts. The holiday and weekend turned out to be very busy. I've posted a catch up, and will get another couple up tomorrow to bring me to current.

As we get ready to move into the next part of the AP, I wanted to consult you all regarding some optional rules introduced in the second book.

The second book presents rules for a Persona system, which tracks how famous your character is in certain areas. The six facets of persona are Charm, Genius, Heroism, Sacrifice, Sagacity, and Subterfuge. Similar to rules introduce in other APs, such as those for running a rebellion or militia, these rules also allow you to attract agents that you can send on "operations" that provide you with benefits, such as gathering information or manufacturing items.

Before implementing these rules, I wanted to gauge everyone's interest in using them. Does it seem like they would add an interesting new layer of gameplay, or do you think they would slow things down?

As someone who has played through most of this AP, I'll say this for the Persona subsystem.

I enjoy it and like most of the Pathfinder alternate rulesets, I believe it deserves further use and development. It is very fun at low levels but the usefulness sort of tapers off at higher levels (the most it ever really gives you is a free feat that you can exchange and alter once in a blue moon and a +4 to a narrow selection of skills once a week). It provides a lot of good RP opportunities, and it's fun considering the theme of the AP. Also if we don't use it it will require some major reworking of another subsystem in one of the later books.

I know I want it though, I love it in this AP and I think it's delightful. Also I want Greenly to have a reputation as a Charming, Heroic Genius and I would love for that to be represented mechanically.

Definitely interested in using the Persona rules. I’ve just started using them in another (homebrew) game and am definitely enjoying myself, I agree with Greenly that they can add a lot of fun RP opportunities and a mechanical benefit to boot.

I'm up for subsystems, though I find you have to have multiple people buying-in to the bookkeeping. I was in a Hell's Rebels PbP that started with the rebellion rules and kinda quietly dropped them because not enough people were into keeping the sheets up to date.

Not sure how bookkeeping-intense these Persona rules are, but they sound like they're worth giving a try.

Okay, it seems like we'll be giving these rules a shot, then.

I've started drafting a spreadsheet to both keep track of "Facet Ranks" for everyone and to summarize the possible actions to take during "Persona Phases." When it's done, I'll post a link at the top of the page.

It looks like it's already decided, but I'll add that I'm all for using the Persona system. My posting rate has been a bit weal lately due to general busyness but I'm loving this AP.

If everyone wants to go through the current loot and claim what they want, I'll try to get the value of what's left to sell tallied over the weekend.

I went ahead and claimed a couple of small things so far, and took over the stuff listed for Tanglefoot, although I don't think I'm actually keeping that stuff.

Of the major loot items Amandine would be interested in the +1 Rapier. I don't think there's anyone else who would want to use it?

She's also interested in the Dex Belt, but there may be other people who would want it as well? If not she'll certainly take it. If someone else does want it and she has enough cash, Amandine might go ahead and purchase one. With the INT boost at 4th level, a magical rapier, and a DEX belt, she'll be almost perfectly situated since she's almost entirely INT/DEX for everything.

I’ll look over the loot log tomorrow. I will say tho that I was hoping to keep the +1 rapier for flavor/sentimental reasons because it was Photinè’s gift from Malphene (unless we grabbed another +1 rapier somewhere?) and I need a weapon anyway (not proficient but was planning to spare a feat for it next level). Also after selling everything from the last two dungeons I think we’ll have more than enough gold to get some more magic weapons for the party if we choose.

Hello all, I'm sorry to have disappeared so suddenly. I've been struggling with my mental health for about a month and things got so overwhelming for me to handle everything. Thank you very much for your patience, I'm still a little tender, but I want to come back and keep playing.

Hey welcome back Olivia!

Glad to hear from you Olivia! :) Take your time getting back into PbP, your health is the most important thing.

I'm glad you're still with us Olivia!

I'm starting on tallying up our loot today. There are a couple of things that would make it easier for me to get it done.

If everyone could go through the sheet and do the following. Add you name to anything you are keeping. If there are multiples of an item, show how many you're taking (Ex. Amandine x2). Remove your name from anything you've picked up but want sold.

Please and Thank You :)

I also have a couple of questions about pricing items.

Do small items (We have quite a lot of small sized armor) have a reduced value? There's no difference in purchase price, but I want to make sure.

Does loot sell for full values or a percentage of full? (I've never done a loot tally before. I'm not really a details person :) ).

V happy to see Olivia back!

Anything with a set price (treasure, e.g., our 2000g of garnets) sells for full, any mundane or magic items sell for half or for full with DM fiat. Also small size mithral items sell for less since mithral is priced by weight (interestingly, since all mithral items are masterwork, it's cheaper to buy a small sized mithral dagger than a masterwork dagger)

Besides Malphene's rapier, the only thing I'm interested is 2 of the CLW potions, the Wizardess' journal from the gala, and the spell scrolls — hoping to scribe those to my spellbook. I'll cast Read Magic on the 6 unidentified scrolls when we return from the meeting with the princess.

V happy to see Olivia back!

Anything with a set price (treasure, e.g., our 2000g of garnets) sells for full, any mundane or magic items sell for half or for full with DM fiat. Also small size mithral items sell for less since mithral is priced by weight (interestingly, since all mithral items are masterwork, it's cheaper to buy a small sized mithral dagger than a masterwork dagger)

Greenly is correct, although unlike other items made from mithral, armor has a flat price adjustment based on weight class (i.e. light armor, medium armor, heavy armor, or shield).

The small mithral chain shirts can each be resold for 550gp each. Also, since I see only two documented on the loot log, I want to point out that you have collected three total (two from the halfling killers in the senate basement, and one from the halfling killer with Wyssilka in the safe house).

Hello all, I'm sorry to have disappeared so suddenly. I've been struggling with my mental health for about a month and things got so overwhelming for me to handle everything. Thank you very much for your patience, I'm still a little tender, but I want to come back and keep playing.

As you can see, we're all very glad to have you back.

Alright thanks Vayelan. I've added the extra mithril shirt.

I have most everything priced now except for a few items that might appeal to Chana and Olivia, mostly potions I believe. I'll give it a couple more days to give everyone a chance to go over the sheet, then I'll tally the totals.

I'm assuming the darkwood crossbow and envoy ring are special items and that we won't want to sell them? They're still unpriced.

There's also the jewelry from the wax figures, which I don't have a value on.

One more thing Vayelan, how much will a year's tuition at a good boarding school for Calix cost Amandine?

What do we wanna do with Dignity's Barb (the darkwood crossbow)? I don't think Photinè has even used it.

Vayelan, what's the date in game?

Also, Amandine, without spoiling anything, if it is summertime, maybe consider bring Calix along for the next chapter, ;).

Yeah, the darkwood crossbow is Dignity's Barb and the Envoy Ring is the Envoy Ring. Considering that both of the items "leveled up" at the end of Book 1, I'm guessing they have some significance. I forgot who is currently holding onto the crossbow, but we should keep it on someone who can make good use of it if we can.

We still need to ID rows 35 and 36, I think?

Chana will be holding onto the Silver Raven figurine, but I'd like to think of it as a group resource - something we can make use of to send messages and communicate with whoever the group needs.
----

I went in and filled in the values for some stuff. It looks like the convention you were using was to show the price for multiple items in a stack as the price for the whole stack (ie. if there's two leather armors, you put in 20gp because its 10gp x2). I made a few corrections where you forgot to multiply things Amandine.

There's a LOT of valuable potions. The neutralize poison ones in particular are 750 gp, and I figure we're better off selling than holding onto them.

I've claimed a few more things for Chana. Unfortunately, all these nice armors are made of metal, so I'll have to work out a different solution to Chana's wimpy AC.

Yeah, crossbows are kind of awkward. Nobody really uses them well compared to other options. It's in this "too good to ditch, not good enough to use" zone.

Investigators don't tend to do well with ranged weapons since it's hard to apply Inspiration at range. Even taking the ranged feat only allows 30' distance. I suppose Amandine could use it if it turned out to be a really fantastic. But if it's that fantastic it's still probably better used by a martial character. Maybe Olivia?

Hm, could be fun to have Calix along, we'll see.... Is Greenly offering to do some child sitting? :)

Chana, yeah I just listed a lump sum for multiples. That way once I'm ready to tally I can just take all the stuff that will go at the 50% rate, add them up and divide by 2.

We also did well since poisons are so expensive and we have a bunch. I tend to agree on the expensive potions. They're better sold than kept for use. At least I don't recall offhand any that seemed special enough to hang on to.

Off the top of my head I'm going to guess we'll each end up with something between 3,000 - 4,000 GP in the end. I believe we'll start with a base of about 1,000 in the payments and rewards we've each been given, and the divided loot will add 2,000 - 3,000 on top. Maybe a little conservative of an estimate?

Chana, you should be able to purchase basic enchanted wooden or leather easily, or get a ring of protection +1 with that much I'd think.

Oh, and is Amandine clear to claim the Belt of Dex everyone?

Boarding School: If Amandine decides to enroll Calix in a boarding school right away, we'll set the year's tuition as 60gp. I'll come up with a name and lore details a little later.

For the Date: The AP does not give any dates. Drawing inspiration from the release date for the AP book, we'll say the initial meeting with Martella was on 28 Calistril, the Exaltation Gala was on 1 Pharast, you rescued Martella on 2 Pharast, and the current meeting with Princess Eutropia is happening on 5 Pharast. This places us in early spring.

Item Identification: Between the labels posted in the archive and the time available for additional examination, we can assume you identify the items in rows 35 and 36. One is a +1 handaxe, the other is a +1 large steel shield. I will add some lore details in-game if you decide to keep either or both of these items.

The jewelry collected from the wax figures is worth 200gp. Since a successful Appraise check was not made, jewelry worth an additional 250gp was left behind because it was mistaken for costume jewelry.

Reading through all the updates now!

Photine, I've been meaning to ask: What (in game) language do you use to emphasize your conversations? I speak a little french from grade school, and I'd be interested in using it if Olivia happens to have that skill.

Level 4
Shining Knight

+8hp
+1 Con (no mod increase)

+1BAB
+1Fort
+1Will

+1 to following skills: Diplomacy, Intimidate, Kplanes, Kreligion, Sense Motive, Khistory, and Profession Soldier

Lay on Hands increases to 4/day with 2d6hp
Smite increases to 2/day

Gains channel energy using 2 LoH (2d6)
Gains spellcasting feature with a CL of 1. DC starts at 13 with 1st level spells. I have 1 spell slot per day.

Loot Tally!

The calculation is based on the following:

800gp per character in payments for services rendered + Coin and Gems at full value + all other items at 50% listed value.

Each character's share equals 5042.14 GP

Without going through to calculate the exact values of the items we're keeping, and given the value of the Envoy Ring and Dignity's Barb is unknown, that is just about on the nose to match the wealth per level chart. Maybe just a little over.

Olivia: I'm not sure if you went over the loot sheet to select items you wanted yet. If you haven't and there are things you want to keep that were sold (which is everything without a character name attached) let me know and we'll buy those items back. I transferred the +1 Dagger and Journal that are the family heirlooms to your name. I don't think you expressed interest in keeping the spyglass. Amandine is hanging on to it unless you want it because she thinks it's neat.

I also kept all of the unclaimed CLW potions. They never go out of style so there's not much reason to get rid of them. A little extra healing is alway good to have on hand. They're on Amandine's list now. She's keeping two, and that leaves 4 more. If you want some let me know, or she can hand them out as needed in play.

Yes, and thank you Amandine. I'd like that +1 heavy metal shield, along with the journal and the +1 silver dagger.

I happen to be under the impression that I was using Dignity's Barb, but if not that's okay. I don't plan to use ranged unless as a last resort.

imo, a mounted paladin like Olivia is a great choice for a crossbow user.

Greenly's gonna spend basically the entirety of her cash reserves to upgrade her sword to a +1 adamantine elven curved blade. If someone lends her $8, she'll also buy a masterwork backpack.

I thought you might have your eye on that shield Olivia :)

Taking it off the sold list reduces shares by 117 GP

The new share amount is 4925.17

Greenly, thrifty, rainy day Amandine can loan you the difference you need for the masterwork backpack. It should be 125 GP now. Let's make it 135 and treat yourself to a nice night on the town. :)

Did you mention the SHINING CRUSADE!? THE KNIGHTS OF OZEM!? IOMEDAE HERSELF!?

DEUS VULT DEUS VULT DEUS VULT DEUS VULT

Furthermore, she instructs you to pack for an extended trip through the country, advising that you bring at least one fine outfit, a suitable hunting outfit, and at least one respectable mask or costume.

Should we be keeping track of purchases of outfits of this kind, or can it be assumed that most of us already own something appropriate or at the least can borrow something from another party member?

Fine outfit is a bit vague. Nobles or Courtier? Are we wearing them specifically for the tea house? Do we have time to go shopping, or does she want us to arrive ASAP?

Nobles can be so frustrating...
...
oh, right.

The "fine outfit" and other clothes are for the trip, not the teahouse visit.

The messages arrive in the morning and invite you to a teatime appointment around noon. Lady Lotheed would like you to set out immediately and will have a carriage waiting for after lunch. However, if you need to stop for a shopping trip, she would not oppose the idea.

A noble's or courtier's outfit, preferably with a bit of jewelry, will serve well for the "fine outfit." Your adventuring gear can serve as a "hunting outfit." Photinè may have some masquerade masks in the attic or a closet. Also, you do have the "wig of disguise" from the senate basement.

Since you will be traveling to the countryside, your clothes don't have to be high fashion, so you don't necessarily need to keep track of particular sets of clothes. Of course, you may meet some NPCs who are swayed by shows of luxury, so it may come in handy to keep track of the value or description of what you wear.

Chana has the wig of diguise, in case she needs to hide her monstrous appearance without the benefit of being decked out in a veil and lots of other clothes. I'm sure that'll come up sooner or later.

Do we want to invest in any group items like a wand of CLW? I was figuring Amandine would just pick one up, but when I checked I realized she doesn't have the spell on her list. I haven't gotten around to investing in UMD either so she can't use it.

That's a really good idea. Olivia has it on her list now. I'm happy to dedicate my 150gp to this worthy cause :>