[PFS 00-03] Murder on the Silken Caravan - GM Red (Inactive)

Game Master GM Red

DOTZ!

Dot!

Kembe is here but not finalized yet.

Hey ho, just checking in~

And you can't forget about me!

Is Cake an owlbear companion?

I wish! Just an owl...for now :)

Hi there. Ladile invited me to check out this table. I’ve got a few options, if that’s cool with everyone that I join. :)

Hoot hoot!

Welcome! :)

Welcome

Welcome to the table!

Welcome!

Though I put up the intro post, I won't actually move us ahead until everyone is good to go. No rush.

I would say I'd make some purchases for the trip and environment, but with 4 silver to his name I don't think there's much to help...

Aki will spend her 2PP for a Wand of Cure Light Wounds for starters; I'll get a few gold purchases for consumables posted shortly as well.

Baby's acting up, so while I go deal with that and dinner...

Druid or Hunter? Gritty or light-hearted?

If there's no opinion by the time I return to the computer, I'll make up my own mind. :)

I either of those options would work out well. Kembe is not a particularly silly character, I don't know about the rest.

Aki & Cake are a little more on the light-hearted side but not super goofy, if that helps :)

I'll always say light-hearted, but it's your call :)

Gery is a halfling. 'Nuff said!

I went with a more grounded character since we're going to a funeral.

Player: Tim M (Blake's Tiger)
Character: Raul the Hunter
PFS #: 230524-9
Faction: Scarab Sages
Day Job: None
Experience: 3
Fame: 5
Prestige: 5
Gold: 638.37

The thing to know is that as a courtly hunter, my animal companion has familiar level, self-directing intelligence.

The other thing to know is that my animal companion is made available through a 2018 GenCon charity auction boon. I'll dig it out and scan it sometime reasonably soon... like Monday.

Player: Lady Ladile
Character: Aki Minami
PFS#: 192133-3
Faction: Sovereign Court
Day Job: Perform: Sing: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14
Experience: 1
Fame: 2
Prestige: 2
Starting Wealth: 450 gp, 9 sp

In addition to the 2PP for the wand, Aki will purchase the following:

Antidote x1
Antiplague x1
Alchemist's Fire x5
Alkali Flask x2
Holy Water x2
Sunrod x5
Vomit Capsule x1

This leaves her with 148 gp, 9 sp.

Player: Eric Swanson
Character: Gery Thylley
PFS: 13977-3
Experience: 4
Fame: 6
Prestige/Spent: 6/6
Faction: Silver Crusade
Day Job: N/A

Gery started with 1,910 gp and will purchase a Small Cold Iron Rapier and will sell his existing rapier. He will also purchase 2 flasks of holy water, a vial of antitoxin and a vial of antiplague.

1,910 GP total
- 620 gp cold iron rapier
+ 10 gp rapier sold
-1,200 gp purchase +1 Cloak of Resist, holy water, antitoxin, antiplague
========
100 GP total left

Maudi acts after blue/red here, so I adjusted as such, but it actually ended up working out better for the party anyway given the lepers' tactics.

Oh! Apologies. I didn't notice that Maudi has his own initiative. Makes more sense since he's independent, anyhow. I'm sorry!

No worries at all :)

Extrapolating on my confusion: So are these the only guides and they just happen to be sitting next to our camels, or are there other guides and these just happened to be the closest to our camels? (Or they’re there to attack us, is always possible)

Given the picture painted, I think it’s reasonable to sort out IC, other than whether there are more guides to choose from.

Ok reading back through the briefing and then the part with Janira: Sounds like at the start the only part that was prearranged was to get to where the body was. After that WE had to join up with the caravan to get to the next stop, which I'm assuming is up to us to either sweet talk them or buy passage, or something else.

Once Janira joined in and said we had our own camels and supplies bought and paid for, but didn't say anything about guides being paid for. I assume its like a marketplace type of setting where there are guides and traders loitering around looking for work or workers, and its up to us to secure such by however we choose. I'm sure there is a much less safe option of just finding our own way. I do have survival but trekking across the desert sounds.. iffy at level 1-2 without being part of a caravan.

My read is the same as Kembe's; our own supplies and such are basically covered but how we actually get to our destination (guides, striking out on our own) is up to us to handle.

That’s where I am too: we’ve got camels and food but no guide.

My confusion stems from their physical proximity to our camels.

Are they the only choice, were they just the closest, are they ambushing us?

As a personal pet peeve: requiring a single skill check to even begin the adventure. But nothing to do about that.

My guess is the better guide is bought with the better roll. Or at least different skill sets maybe? We'll get it done one way or another!

Plausible, In-Game Answer: They just happened to be closest.

Likely Answer: The scenario is written that way so we don't have to go on a big side-trek around the tent city looking for someone to guide us.

Well this IS an early scenario, and I have heard they do some weird things in them. Wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if this was indeed part of the scenario.

I apologize. Let me try to clarify.

1. Janira's not actually in this, but as Gery said, this is one of the first PFS scenarios and is super light on direction and content. It merely says 'your Pathfinder contacts in Lopul will guide you to the caravan' directly after you defeat the cultists in the dwelling. I had to put someone in there to make this make more sense. Everyone (ooc) knows Janira, so I thought it'd work.

2. The scenario does provide you with camels, but doesn't specifically say where they were. I should've placed them elsewhere.

3. I agree with Raul in that requiring a skill check to start is pretty nonsensical. While it does require a diplomacy check to get Jamali to agree to transport you, it doesn't specify the DC and says to rely on creative roleplaying. I attempted to include the other NPCs in the dialogue just to add some familiarity with them beyond the description of Qadiri, Taldan, and Osirian travelers, since they'll be going with you. The caravan travels all together and there isn't really a choice of guide.

I wasn't actually going to let you pay coin for this, and I wanted to give the more socially skilled PCs a chance to shine beyond asking "Who are you? What do you need?", asking for a Diplomacy check, and then responding with "Okay, sounds good. I'll take you," because that strikes me as both boring and unlikely.

Ah. Jamila came off as 'Bah, go away,' so I interpreted it as either: these aren't your real guides, you failed your diplomacy check start making Survival checks, or I'm confused. :)

Haha, I totally get it. That said, I'll move us on shortly!

I believe Aki's handler is away for a few days (until Wednesday), and I'd hate to move too far without her. Let's hit the pause button for a day or two.

Nod

I'm back! You guys didn't have to pause the game on my account but I do appreciate it just the same. Catching up now :)

Has it been 1 or 2 nights since the attack at Targos' body? I ask for reconciling Maudi's HP.

It's two nights.

I forgot the inspire courage on round 2 of the goblin ambush. Should add 1 to all attack rolls and 1 to each damage roll for Raul and Maudi. Sorry.

Ack! The wand! I forgot to buy the wand after I leveled up. :(

You can use mine any time.

Found it Aki:

Well-Versed (Ex): At 2nd level, the bard becomes resistant to the bardic performance of others, and to sonic effects in general. The bard gains a +4 bonus on saving throws made against bardic performance, sonic, and language-dependent effects.

I would assume that would cover what we're being assaulted with. But you are only level 1.

Okay yeah, I didn't look at anything past 1st level but one of Aki's archetypes trades it out so she doesn't get it either way.

If what I think is about to happen is about to happen, don't feel bad, Red. :)

I'm out of town for a few days so my posting is going to be inconsistent. I'll be back Tuesday and will be back to normal posting speed then!

No worries GM, thanks for the update! Safe travels :)