Way of the Wicked by GM SnowHeart (Inactive)

Game Master SnowHeart

Ayup... how to penetrate a devil's disguise to get a shot at even IDing the beastie. That's a bear.

I do have one suicidal suggestion, dovetailing on SnowHeart's advice.

1. Put together a list of likely Devils.
2. Trick Talidoria into admitting which one she is. It goes like this:
Daidalos: "gelugonsayswhat?"
Talidoria: "Huh?"
Daidalos: "pitfiendsayswhat?"
Talidoria: "What?"
Daidalos: "Gotcha!"
3. Then shout "Disco is Dead!" and slug her in the nose.
4. Start building your replacement character.

No need to thank me - I'm here to help. :D

She's young, naive, and, right now, utterly impressed with the display of might that a living, powerful devil has been presented to her. She's probably way too eager to jump in with both feet, but she has very little actual knowledge about devils and their workings (presented by no ranks in Knowledge: planes yet).

I was thinking about your character and it seems you have a RP opportunity here - if you want it. From what Price and Daidalos said in the meeting, it is probably obvious they know a bit about Dessiter' race. If Affyria wants to, she could ask either one of them about him at a later point and you guys could chat about it. It could also form a basis for you snapping up ranks in K:Planes later. Just something to think about, if it would amuse you.

*snip*

3. Then shout "Disco is Dead!" and slug her in the nose.
4. Start building your replacement character.

No need to thank me - I'm here to help. :D
*snip*

That would be so epic. I heartily endorse this.

I think I'm too young to understand that reference. :)
By I doubt she's a Pit Fiend, anyway. My current list of potential devils are:

Accomplice Devil (unlikely, though, as their charms are a 1/day Charm Person and Suggestion)
Apostate Devil
Belier Devil (not a shapeshifter, but possesses people)
Handmaiden Devil (although, with only a 3/day Charm Monster, also seems unlikely)

So for now I'm thinking Apostate Devil. Which is kind of terrifying.

In any case, I'm not that reckless. I have 9 WIS, thank you very much!

Do keep in mind, I've run this AP once in a F2F game, so to the extent I might modify a game from the "as written" path, I'm even more likely to have done it on the second go just to change things up a bit for myself.

Which is to say, yeah, an archdevil is hiiiiiighly unlikely, but just because a book wasn't release when the AP came out, that does not mean it's off the table. GMs change things up all the time.

I'm guessing you searched for devils with Shapechange, Alter Self, or the like in addition to some spells that 'charm/control people', yes?

Now you need to expand your search. She could be wearing an item (like a Diabolic Hat of Disguise) or have access to a spellcaster who could cast any of those spells or make them permanent on her. So you'd want to look for 'charming' devils without Shapechange ability. There are likely a lot of them. :)

FWIW, the Handmaiden Devil is a really good choice as she has a good Disguise roll in addition to all the rest... but if you read the ecology bit, she's doesn't hang out much with mortals.

And don't rule out the possibility that she is a new creature, created for this adventure. A lot of Paizo Adventure Paths feature 'new creatures'. WotW wasn't created by Paizo but I can imagine it has a new devil or two.

Good point. But I don't think it's even possible to Bind a demigod. And if Thorn can.... well, he has no need for really anything else. A CR 25-30 individual could topple the entire nation overnight.

EDIT: Price- even if that is the case, Daidalos isn't thinking along those lines at the moment. He's just thinking of natural shapechangers with enchantments. And if it is a rare (i.e. new) devil, he wouldn't know about it anyway.

True. I was talking about your OOC search not your IC search which is definitely more limited.

Timo- Well, hopefully your next character has better rolls. Hopefully this will be the sacrifice the dice demanded of you? ;)
Maybe a save-or-suck type character? Then the GM is making all the rolls.
(This was suggested to me in another campaign with a dwarf geokineticist that can't hit the broad side of a mountain)

Nah... I'm just getting all the bad rolls out of the way now so that when we fight the boss, all I'll have left are natural 20s so I can one shot him ;)

Nope. I'm not killing anyone, at least not in such an unfair and unbalanced scenario. Timo's good. Thorn's just making a point about respect due one's elders. :-)

Also, since most of you haven't played with me before and you don't know what kind of a GM I am, I just want to be clear...

That's the kind of cudgel I generally really try to avoid because it has the look of the GM abusing the players. Timo and I exchanged some PMs and I want to be really super clear I'm not "punishing" Timo for anything. On the contrary, I think the RP has been fantastic and I think he's playing a young, cocky tiefling anti-paladin just great.

But it also dawned on me that a prince of the Asmodean church couldn't put up with that kind of disrespect, particularly in front of a devil.

Also, this isn't quite the typical junior high scenario of the GM dropping a super-powerful guy in front of you who suddenly pleads, "You're the only ones who can do this," leaving the players to scratch their heads as to why such a powerful person can't do it himself. Thorn will explain over time.

(Maybe over a breakfast of seared tiefling heart.)

What does Tiefling taste like? No, wait, Price may still find out on her own.
;P

Also, pretty sure Thorn's Christmas Card list looks like this:
Affyria*
Asturu
Daidalos
Luke <-- pissed off Tiadora and Thorn got tired of hearing it
Price
Tiadora
Timo

For the record, I'm pretty sure originally The Whispering Tyrant used a wish spell to call General Arnisant's heart to his hand, rather than that death clutch spell, which is obviously based on that piece of lore though.

Affryria- yeah, I know. But I figure that IC, Daidalos doesn't know the exact precision of what happened like we do. Instead, he knows that Tar-Baphon tried to rip out [I forget the bame]'s heart, and knows a spell to rip out people's heart. He just put two and two together to get five.

As for our gear, can I get spells added to my spellbook? It could be fluffed as pages of arcane writing and the supplies needed to copy them.

Whatever the cost would be, yes. Maybe some arcane scrolls that you can then copy?

Whatever the cost would be, yes. Maybe some arcane scrolls that you can then copy?

Okay, cool. I would go the scroll route, but that's far more expensive than simply copying them from an existing 'spellbook'

Ah, I see what you're asking. No, I think a spellbook for you to copy from probably isn't in the works. Sorry!

Ah, I see what you're asking. No, I think a spellbook for you to copy from probably isn't in the works. Sorry!

Hmm. Pity. It's what I most need. Ah well, I'll find something.

For the record, I'm pretty sure originally The Whispering Tyrant used a wish spell to call General Arnisant's heart to his hand, rather than that death clutch spell, which is obviously based on that piece of lore though.

Did you recall that off the top of your head, or did you have to look it up? I'm impressed, either way. :) My Golarion-fu is ridiculously weak.

Daidalos, if you can find rules to calculate the value of a spellbook, you could use that as something Thorn leaves you. But asking for someone to loan you a spellbook from which you only have to pay the cost of copying is a bit too much in this context.

Affyria Strex wrote:

For the record, I'm pretty sure originally The Whispering Tyrant used a wish spell to call General Arnisant's heart to his hand, rather than that death clutch spell, which is obviously based on that piece of lore though.

Did you recall that off the top of your head, or did you have to look it up? I'm impressed, either way. :) My Golarion-fu is ridiculously weak.

Thought of it as soon as Daidalos posted it, just didn't think to mention it immediately.

:bows:

Your Golari-Fu is strong!

Sorry I've been silent. Weekends are just hard. I plan to try and have a post up this evening.

No worries, Timo. I know posting rates slow down on weekends. Sorry if I'm pushing things too quickly.

Noticed the interrogation tools are not on the PFSRD (they're from a player companion), so I added a description somewhere in my statblock.

Totally legit. I think in my version of the players guide I worked up some rules for interrogation/torture, but I think Unchained also came up with a set. Let me know which set you'd like to use. I'm easy.

Daidalos, if you can find rules to calculate the value of a spellbook, you could use that as something Thorn leaves you. But asking for someone to loan you a spellbook from which you only have to pay the cost of copying is a bit too much in this context.

Okay. I can do that tonight. Basically, the sell price for a captured spellbook is 1/2 the cost to scribe the spells within. Should I go by that?

@ Timo -- Eastern weapons are completely fine.

So I'm horrible at grabbing mundane gear. Right now I figured out the following:
Nodachi (60gp)
Backpack (2gp)
Rope (1gp)
Bedroll (.1gp)

I have 136.9 gold left to spend. I don't really need armor as I am good with the chainmail from brandescar and can't afford anything better at this point. I'm awful with ranged weapons but have the bow and some arrows just in case.

So I am open to suggestions. Maybe a couple Potions of CLW? Thoughts

Snowheart, I have a question for you. One of the items I got was an ioun torch... it circles the head, not actually in contact with the body. If I change form, does it still circle my little bat head, or does it become part of me like my other equipment until I change back to human form?

I... uh...

Huh.

Dunno. I'll think on it. If you find anything that suggests one outcome or the other, definitely let me know.

ok.

When you cast a polymorph spell that changes you into a creature of the animal, dragon, elemental, magical beast, plant, or vermin type, all of your gear melds into your body. Items that provide constant bonuses and do not need to be activated continue to function while melded in this way (with the exception of armor and shield bonuses, which cease to function). Items that require activation cannot be used while you maintain that form.

This seems to suggest that, ironically, the Ioun stone would meld with Inelukii. However, since the Ioun Torch is also a continuous (non-activated) item that's neither armor nor a shield, it would continue to shed light.

Now I have an image of a glowing bat swooping through the air.

I asked in the rules forum and got some conflicting answers... sigh... here's the link if you want to read the answers... but I guess ultimately it comes down to what you want to rule... I'm good with anything you choose... bats have little graspy claws, so maybe could hold and release if that's your choice...

Sorry, had a super busy day. Will post my little list tomorrow and catch up on all the RP.

198 GP worth of items:

Investigator's Kit (40gp)
Healer's Kit (50gp)
Thieves' Tools (100gp)
Morningstar (8gp)

Also, @everyone, once we get some money pooled up we should consider investing part of our funds into specialized weaponry. A couple of cold iron and silver weapons, some emergency AoE blast scrolls (swarms come to mind) and other rare-but-when-you-need-em-you-need-em utility scrolls and potions would be worth dumping some gold on.

Depending on how long we'll be here at the manor, Daidalos can make a few scrolls of Burning Hands, but anything more than that and I'm out of luck.

In any case, for a lot of utility spells, remember I can switch out any spell I prepared for any other in my spellbook with a full-round action and an Arcane Point. So, maybe some gold spent on expanding my spellbook? In the interest of helping the party, of course.
*whistles innocently*

I'm not against such investments, but I know I'm a rare kind of utilitarian player ;)

Just a head's up for everyone. I will be out of town from Saturday 8/19 through Tuesday 8/22. Feel free to take any actions for my character during this time.

Did Daidalos have any luck IDing the globe?

Did Daidalos have any luck IDing the globe?

Sorry, missed that. It isn't a named item of any sort. Just a source of a darkness spell.

Sorry I've been... a bit spotty recently. On top of packing/traveling and getting sick, A good friend of mine died recently (hiking accident), so I'm still a bit in shock. Hopefully I'll be back to frequent posting soon. In the meantime, feel free to bot me if necessary.

Daidalos, I'm sorry to hear about your friend. That's awful.

No worries at all, mate. I've been a little slow myself with just a lot of RL stuff, some of it good though, so I can't complain

I'm repeating Snowheart's words, but the best of luck in the weeks to come. I know this isn't the place to discuss it, but I felt like saying at least that much.

Thanks. The biggest hit was that it was just so unexpected, really.

Anyway, since I'm the kind of person who needs to be busy doing something, so while I'm still traveling (so I might still be a bit spotty), I'm going to try and get back into the swing of things before I get too far behind.

I will be traveling from Saturday morning until Weds. night (driving up north to see the eclipse). I will try to check in at least once a day, but if I miss a post time, please feel free to bot me to keep the flow going. I don't want to hold up the game.

I'm doing the same Luke. I'm currently at the airport waiting on my plane to Nashville. Hopefully we have good weather

GM- Did you mean Giant? So far as I can tell, there's no "Ogre" language, they just use Giant.

Not that it make a difference, because Daidalos can't speak either, but just wondering for future reference.

I will be attending Strategicon from Friday through Monday... Will be able to make limited posts, but not reliably nor frequently... I will try to keep up with at least one post a day, but no guarantees. Please bot me as needed to keep up the pace of the game, thanks.

Sorry I went silent. Work got super busy and wasn't able to get back to this. Will catch up now