Zombie Apocalypse in Golarion!

Game Master Kor - Orc Scrollkeeper

Inspired by others running similar campaigns and in the spirit of October (Halloween), I have decided to mercilessly pit a few would-be heroes against the forces of shambling undeath.

This will be a low roleplay, high combat, short adventure. If I do my job right, there will be a few deaths along the way, so I'm going to start this with 8 players and run the adventure until everyone is dead, or until the final plot point is reached (which means some heroes actually survived).

The campaign setting is Golarion, in 1000 years from the current setting date.

Adventure Background
It’s been well over 1000 years since the last Starstone was brought down by necromancer cultists worshipping the Whispering Tyrant. In its wake an undead menace spread across the lands which threatened to destroy all life on Golarion. It was only through the rare act of banding together, man and beast, evil and good, that the undead scourge were defeated. In those times the Protectorate formed and led the fight to eradicate all undead and necromancy in Golarion.

With all necromancers killed, necromancy spells destroyed, negative planar artifacts obliterated and all undead hunted to extinction, Golarion has prospered for the better. Many of the common populace doubt that the undead in the tales which bards tell, ever existed at all.

Life in Haldors Spring is quite peaceful. Founded over 100 years ago, the township of 70 persons simply serves as a waypoint for travellers in Taldor. Its most notable feature is the spring-fed well in the middle of town, which provides crystal clear, pure water. Sages over the years have studied the purported curing properties of the water, however no trace of magical augmentation has ever been found.

General Adventure Info:

• Normally I can only post in the evenings after 4:00 pm. I am in GMT -7 timezone (Mountain Standard Time for North Americans).
  
• I plan to use a Google Docs Spreadsheet for a battle map. I find this to be a good way to provide a live battlemap to everyone.
  
• I like to keep combat moving along fairly briskly, so I will roll all initiatives for everyone and will allot these scores into "initiative groups". I will npc players if the combat is moving slow and they are delayed in their posting time.
  
• Players should be able to post at least once a day. (I will npc as needed to keep things moving along).
  
• Players will level up on the fly (video game style -- as soon as you gain your level, you immediately gain all the benefits, such as spells, hp's, extra ability uses, and such).
  
• Don't expect garden variety creatures straight from the Monster Manual -- they may look like a duck and sound like a duck, but they might bite your head off like a tarrasque. All creatures will be modified by my own custom templates.
  
• A map of the surrounding area and of the township will be provided.
  
• Recruitment will close once 10 people have applied. The 8 players will be chosen randomly from the 10. (Names will be numbered and 2d10 will be rolled to see who is not chosen. Should any of the 8 opt out prior to starting the adventure, then the 2 that did not make it will be offered the opportunity.)
  
• Those selected will be asked not to complete the Class / Race info on their character profile screen, and to replace one of these fields with status text similar to:
  HP 10/10; AC 20 T 13 FF 17; F +7, R +2, W +3; Init +2; Per +1; Channels 3/3; Human Cleric 1
  
• Players will be expected to always keep their above noted status text up to date.

Character Creation Info

• Point Buy: 20 points (only 1 skill may be reduced to 7, prior to racial adjustments).
  
• Alignment: No evil.
  
• Classes: Any from the below sources (including archetypes).
  
• Races: Core Rulebook races only.
  
• Sources: Core Rulebook, Advanced Player's Guide, Advanced Race Guide,
• Ultimate Magic and Ultimate Combat.
  
• Hit Points: Maximum at level 1. After, take the better of either a hit die roll, or half +1 of your hit die (or half +2 if your hit die is a d10 or d12).
  
• Experience Points: Medium advancement.
  
• Traits: None
  
• Bonus Class Skill: All characters start with a bonus class skill of their choice.
  
• Bonus Skill Point: Characters gain 1 bonus skill point at each level.
  
• Bonus Feat: Characters gain a bonus feat at level 1 which they must select from the following list: Dodge, Toughness, Lightning Reflexes,
• Iron Will, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Skill Focus, of (a combined skill Feat -- any feat that provides a +2 bonus to 2 skills)
  
• Starting Money: Max for your class.
  
• Background: Only a few sentences are required to explain who your character is, and why they are currently in Haldors Spring.

(Sorry, but I will not consider any exceptions to any of the above).

Rules Changes

• Ability Checks: You may “take 20” on an ability check when you may normally only take 10.
  
• Attack Fumbles: Any time a 1 is rolled on an attack die, the character must make a Reflex save of DC 5. Failure usually means something fairly bad happens to the character or their weapon as determined by the GM.
  
• Charge: A charge action also confers a +2 damage bonus on your attack in addition to the normal modifiers.
  
• Critical Hits: Any time you roll a natural 20 on your critical hit confirmation roll, your critical hit damage multiplier is increased by 1.
  
• Death Threshold: A character’s death threshold is equal to their Constitution score plus their character level (i.e. a 2nd level character with a Constitution score of 12 would die when their hit point score reaches -14 or less.)
  
• Healing Non-Lethal Damage: A successful first aid check can reduce the healing time for non-lethal damage from 1 per hour to 1 per minute. The healer must stay with the injured creature for every minute of healing received.
  
• Healing Lethal Damage: A successful heal skill first aid check can restore 1 hit point from damage incurred in the last minute. A character can only benefit from this once per all previous damage sustained.
  
• Aid Another: Normally, only a maximum of 2 characters may assist with a check and in some cases only 1 or none. The assist checks must be rolled prior to the character who is receiving this aid, makes their skill check.
  
• Skill Checks: Rolling 1 on a skill check might result in a significant failure, similar to an attack fumble. Rolling 20 on a skill check might result in a significant success.
  
• Crossbows: All crossbows have a built-in Strength damage bonus of +2 (+3 for masterwork).

Good Luck all!

Dotting

Dot and applying. I will adjust Clyde today.

Applying with Eric.. I've made the changes required, I think .. Might wanns look him over.. I took dual talent giving +2 in wis/cha btw, just so you dont think its a 25 point buy..

Interested.

dotted, looking like loads of fun

Applying with Eric.. I've made the changes required, I think .. Might wanns look him over.. I took dual talent giving +2 in wis/cha btw, just so you dont think its a 25 point buy..

All looks good. The only adjustment needed would be the prepared spell, "Hide from Undead". Undead haven't been around for nearly 1000 years, so it would be unlikely that you would have prepared that spell :)

Noted.. I hadn't changed his spelllist from the other camp yet.. Will pick another..

Just a quick note for you magic types: essentially you have no access to necromancy spells. The few people that do cast these spells are quickly located by the Protectorate. You never know when the Protectorate is watching :)

So even the spells that may have been required to win against the undead are not available?

Like disrupt undead, halt undead, or undeath to dead.

Or those spells not affeting undead but still mighty beneficial offensive spells (blindness/deafness)

So even the spells that may have been required to win against the undead are not available?

Like disrupt undead, halt undead, or undeath to dead.

Or those spells not affeting undead but still mighty beneficial offensive spells (blindness/deafness)

At 1st level, no one will have access to any spell that is specifically designed for interacting with undead creatures.

At 2nd level, I will allow access to these spells. Whether by divine intervention, a latent magical ability, or recalling some obscure writings, characters will then have access to these spells. (Although it was my original intent to not allow access to these types of spells at all, I don't want to tie up time adjudicating whether a spell fits the criteria or not -- plus I've already chopped out all necromancy spells, so I think that's enough of nerf to available spells).

General Adventure Info Revision

With regards to recruitment, I have decided to accept the first 8 that apply. If 2 more apply after that, they will be offered the opportunity to join at 1st level characters when one of the 8 spots "opens up".

Since this is a just a short adventure, I hate to see people put the time into creating a character... only to be told by a dice roll "sorry you didn't make it".

Right now we have 5 people who have advised they are interested. Simply advising that you are interested is enough for now. Once we have 8 completed characters ready to go, we will start.

What level you see this going too?

@Eric we keep going until we drop or we finish whatever story is planned.

Clyde is ready to go.

Yea i was more or less wondering "if" we won what level we'd be around.. Might rotate my stats around if its gonna be low is why i asked..

I'll have something up by tomorrow.

Probably a barbarian, because ... raging and smashing undead seems like a fun mix.

Yea i was more or less wondering "if" we won what level we'd be around.. Might rotate my stats around if its gonna be low is why i asked..

I haven't finalized all the "waves" that you will have to deal with... and I might alter plans mid-adventure as well. I'm guessing it might be 5th level, but who knows... it might only be 3rd, or could go up to 7th.

OK, I lied, by today (Qorin)

Olfwei has come to Haldors Spring on instructions from the elders of his tribe, who suggest that the waters might help to cure his violent outbursts. It has not occurred to Olfwei that they probably just wanted him to go away, and he has cheerfully hiked across half of Golarion thinking that he will be cured here.

I've always thought the Wild Rager would be a fun archetype to play, but in a normal campaign, it would just be too risky. In a game like this, it seems like it would just add another element of danger.

Ok i changed him up a bit.. Now semi capable in melee as well.. Didnt figure id need double 18 wis/cha if were only going to 7th.. Considering the Crusader Archetype as well.. Thoughts?

Also ill give the GM a big thumbs up if he would allow access to 1 trait.. Maybe a flaw to go along with it?

Also ill give the GM a big thumbs up if he would allow access to 1 trait.. Maybe a flaw to go along with it?

I've never really been a big fan of traits, as I don't feel they are all well balanced. To compensate though, that is why I gave everyone a free class skill, extra skill point per level, and a limited feat selection.

Whoops! Forgot my background.

Clyde is a simple fellow, just give him a little respect and a forest to chop and he is happy. He has been a lumberjack like his father CLyde Jr. and his grandfather Clyde the Death of Trees, he lives in Haldor's Spring supplying wood for people and hope to be able to learn some woodcrafting at the mill.

Definitely interested, can have a character up later this evening.

Made a cleric so Eric doesn't have to do all the healing/divine work.

Okay, that leaves 1 spot open, and 2 "back-up" spots.

Do you mind if a random bard happens to want to join the party?

Character Summary

1. Azure Zero - ? - ?
2. Andrea1 - Clyde McClod - N Male Human Fighter
3. WerePox47 - Eric Duponte - NG Male Human Cleric
4. Zotsune - Bradford Fredrickson - NG Male Human Cleric
5. fnord72 - ? - ?
6. Sai Ling - Olfwei - N Male Human Barbarian
7. ElRojoGrande - ? - ?
8. Void Dragon - ? - Bard?

R1. ?
R2. ?

Fnord will be popping in with an elven wizard, melee and healing seem to be well in hand.

I just need to retool this toon.

Here's Baern Shieldcutter (I'll get the alias set up shortly):

Background: As a child, Baern never fit in very well with the rest of his clan, who tended to grow up to be hired mercenaries. He was given the opportunity to leave his home and join a monastic order during his youth, and snatched it without looking back. He has since spent his formative years adapting himself to the order's teachings. Upon reaching adulthood and starting on his final path to be granted full membership to the order, Baern's first trial has been to investigate Haldors Spring's famed well to determine if it could provide a healing benefit to any of his brothers.

I'll throw my hat in the ring. Last slot I think?

Varnus Weran a bard ready to tell tall tales. (Void Dragon's submission). Backstory is in the profile, but here it is again.

Varnus is a traveling bard who heard about the stories of the heroes who stopped the undead, and fell in love with them. He found out that after listening to a song he could come up with stories to fit those songs. He trained at the bardic college for a year until he was ready. He finally went out, and began to sing for a living. He didn't make much, but it was enough to live, and he did what he loved. His travels took him from town to town, and he finally decided to travel to Haldor Spring ready to spin another tale for his bread, and butter.

I'll throw my hat in the ring. Last slot I think?

Well, 8 have already applied... but I don't think there is going to be a rush of people signing up to be fill-ins. So, I'll take you as a 9th and close recruitment. No reinforcements now should the adventurers fall :)

Since I suspect most of my critters will be going last in initiative, and like to group people into 3's, this should work well now as in theory there will be 3 groups of 3 pc's in the initiative rounds.

*** RECRUITMENT CLOSED ***

Accepted players, please prepare your characters. Once they are ready, please post in the Gameplay thread as per the info I have posted there.

Thank you for the quick response to join the adventure and I wish everyone luck.

Players, don't forget to dot the Discussion thread.