The River Kingdom's Shadow (Inactive)

Game Master Mythicman19

"Yeah, let's continue for a bit. I feel ready for another near-death experience, folks."

Stealth: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9
Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23

You both sneak forward Atar noticeably less so. You see down the hall way a dark room. It looks L shaped and large, filled with knee deep, pale purple mist. Beneath the mist is a floor of small, glossy black blocks, noticeably different from the flagstone elsewhere in the dungeon. A stone archway is barely visible by the light of magical fire to the west.

"Oh, hells. I hope it isn't another shadow room.

The floor looks different than the other room, so it probably summons fire elementals or something. I've a bad feeling about this."

Crreping closer, Bob peers around carefully, then prods the floor in front of him, looking for pressure plates.

Stealth: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19
Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13

"Why does everything in here have to be so strange?" Immana complains as she approaches the doorway and looks around.

perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19

Great more black...just what we needed. Still weak from the shrubs and now this. What the f~+& is this place?

Trakas moves forward scanning the area...
Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18

You notice no traps as you looks around though the three of you do notice a purple gem in the middle of the room lying on the floor. Nothing happens as you poke at the floor looking into this dark room.

"Yeah, right... There hasn't been any loot in this dungeon so far. We're supposed to believe that gem is just sitting there? Let's pass it by and see if we can get it on the way out."

Bob will take a quick step into the room, then jump back. If nothing happens, he will again dash across the room to the exit on the other side.

"What if we try shooting something at the gem before we move in? Perhaps that can trigger it, if it's trapped?"

Atar looks up, half-expecting the beasts from before to be readying a surprise attack.

Bob shrugs. "Can't hurt, right?"

He takes out a blunt arrow and shoots at the gem.
Bow: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17

You fart in then back out, wisps of mist moving and shifting as you do, nothing happens. You then shoot the arrow at the gem, which hits it causing it to skitter across the floor and hit the wall, nothing really changes though you do notice the mists become a little more violet that side and your side a little more white.

Trakas lifts one hand and speaks a few arcane words. His fingers leave wakes of magical energy as he traces unseen symbol in the air.

The Magus points at the gem and directs it to the side. He watches the mist trying to judge if the violet mist is following or if it is being stirred up by the movement of the gem.
Casting Mage hand

At some point he lifts it up into the air to again watch the mist.
Who want the gem?

As you lift it up, the mist shifts slightly as the violet color dulls in the room. Nothing happens as it comes off the ground via the magic hand.

Eyeing the room warily, Bob comments. "You got it out, Trakas, you may as well hold onto it for now. Maybe we actually will get some loot from here, though I suppose we'll have to check with the mayor and Cornelius before selling it."

In the absence of anything bad happening, Bob will continue his plan to dart across to the other entrance of the room.

Watching the rock fall into Trakas' hands, he wonders, Is it magical?

Brightberry casts detect magic and focuses on the gem. If nothing, he will then sweep it around the room.

The two shrubberies will wait to see a couple of the mammals make it safely across the room, and then move to join them.

As you run across the mist swirls and after a few seconds of running through bob you almost make it through before you see rise up from the mist a fry like creature with black eyes made of mist, and cloud. Make a will save.

Brightberry you detect no magic on the stone, though in the room you do detect magic and it is a faint aura.

Will: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6 (+2 vs. Charm)

Dice apparently hate all of my characters today

Bob start shivering uncontrollably as a sudden blast of cold washes over him.

Trakas sees the creature pop and tries to yell a warning as he advances.Bob...
He rushes in and swings his blade at the creature.
Attack w/PA: 1d20 + 5 - 1 ⇒ (16) + 5 - 1 = 20
Damage w/PA and Elec damage: 1d10 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 3 + 2 = 151d6 ⇒ 2
The shocking grasp spell will discharge...if I hit it that is.

The rest of you see a Bob shiver as he almost gets across. His normal complexion turning white. But nothing else seems different.

you can keep the spell Trakas.

Is the mist creature still visible?

Bob backs away, still shivering. Through teeth clenched to get them to stop chattering, he warns, "Something appeared... mist... maybe time... leave? come back... tomorrow"

Atar jumps to Bob's side, confused. "Hey, buddy, you alright? What did you see? Was it one of those shadow things? Brightberry, do you see anything special? Like, magic special?"

Brightberry will concentrate, outside of the room, on the faint aura. "Ummm. Some kinds of magic special. Not sure what. Give me a minute."

The mist creatures disappears as quickly as it came, vanishing into wisps.
Atar as you come in and begin to talk to bob you see a creature begin to form from the mist, with fiendish horns and claws. It stares at you with dark sockets. Though just like before only you see this everyone else seeing Atar look at what appears to be plain mist.

And just as quick as it appears it vanishes to you Atar.

Will save, charmed life: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16

Atar raises his head before Bob can reply and blinks. "Dad? Wait…no, uncle? Nana?" Once the image disappears, he shakes his head and says to no one in particular. "If you're going to try and scare me with someone from the family, you could at least get the horns right. Totally not believable."

The tiefling looks around the room, trying to see if the image he saw came from any specific point.

perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13

You look around to find the source of the trap but it eludes you for the moment the mist obscuring the room.

Something appeared? Dad? What the f+*@ are you two about?

Still chattering, and darting his bow in every direction inside of the mist, Bob tries to explain.

"I saw a fey creature... I'm sure of it... Blasted me with cold and disappeared...."

He looks paranoid and fearful, "It's still out there in the mist, I know it, ready to drag me back...."

unsure of map situation.

Brightberry looks to Redleaf and neither of them seem to have anything to offer. It seems that the thing to do is move across this room. Brightberry and Redleaf will follow.

Did I not learn anything else about this magical aura? I would have like to have continued to study it for a couple of rounds before my above action takes place.

unsure of map situation.

I am honestly unsure as well. Based on the actions being taken, we should all be gathered near the entrance of the black room. Perhaps Bob and Atar are a few steps inside. I am not moving my token as I don't want to move too far.

map was update with your positions when you would have encountered the trap. Your studies it and received the presence, then the number and power of the magic. You may make a knowledge arcana check to identify it, but you unfortunately aren’t trained in arcana. You did learn that there was the presence of 1 faint magic source but that’s it.

You start to run across the room and make it about the same place as Atar and Bob before what appears to you to be an angry human wielding a torch materializes waving it at you.

[ooc] That's right, lol. Forgot that I don't have arcana yet. [/B]

will: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22

"I ain't afraid of no torch. Especially an imaginary one! Let's keep moving."

Trakas shakes his head in confusion at what is going on but advances into the mist holding the gem in one hand and his large black blade in the other. The later still crackles with electricity.

When Trakas get to the middle of the room, he keeps his grip on the gem and relaxes his grip on his blade. He waits for the "image" to appear.
Will Save: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 3 = 18

The image of a river figure begins to form but you steel you’re self, keeping your emotions in control. You slash at it and it dissipates into mist.

did Bob get through or not?

She heads into the mist...

will: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 1 = 21

...and exits the other side unscathed and with even stronger resolve than before.

Still fearfully watching the mists, Bob starts moving toward the other entrance again. "Well, it doesn't seem to be attacking anymore, and I'd like to get out of this mist, so maybe we should all keep moving."

Due to your training you the mist starts to form a shape but a calming breathing steels you’re nerves and it never seems to take shape your will far to strong for the magic to take hold. You all make it to the other side, more or less ok.

Atar keeps close to Bob and helps the ranger cross the rest of the room. "Easy there, buddy. It's some sort of trap that messes up with your mind. There's nothing here that will hurt you. Well, in that room, specifically, I'm guessing that there's still plenty of stuff ready to murder us here."

Once they're clear of the room, the tiefling examines the corridor for anything out of the ordinary, like pressure plates, runes and whatnot.

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19

You look and find no signs of a trap ahead in the corridor.

"Bob. You look hurt. Let me heal you before we go more."

clw: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

[/B]Now I just have berries in case of emergency. Be more careful."[/b]

brightberry is ready to follow.

"Thanks, Brightberry. I feel a little warmer now." The shivering stops, but Bob still looks paranoid.

Uncharacteristically hanging back, he watches Atar. "I'll cover you"

Atar winks at Bob. "No problem! Let's see what we have here…" He moves as quietly as he can, rapier in hand.

Stealth: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14

Trakas follows along.

You sneak forward and see thick, square columns support the low ceiling of this natural cavern, but the walls remain uneven hewn stone and the floor is only partially paved. Rough tunnels and unfinished walls extend for some distance. Tattered first, foul-looking bedrolls, Sachs of food, and battered old crates and casks are scattered around in an improvised campsite. You see what appears to be 4 goblins standing and chattering.

“We leave soon?” “No.” “But others dead now.” “No, Zog will guide us. Show us ancient treasure, to statue. Past trap past bugs.”

That’s all you can hear for the moment.

"Ancient treasure. At the statue? Did we miss something? They eyes maybe? We should go back and look again maybe." Brightberry whispers to the group.

After gauging the other's reactions, a thought pops in Brightberry's head, How long do goblins live? 20 years? How old is "ancient" to them?

"Maybe we missed something around the devil statue? There could be other sections of the complex that we missed, as well."

"I wonder who Zog is? Maybe we should try to talk to them?"

"Yeah, me too. Perhaps it's this oracle the little guy told us about the other day?"

He nods in agreement to Bob. "Always better to try and talk, right? I picked up some goblin lately, can try and pass as an envoy or something. But perhaps you guys can prepare something in case things go south? In case they get arrow-y like last time?"

oh boy, brightberry was really built with the intention of adventuring in the wilderness. I'm much less useful surrounded by stone, especially at this low of a level.

Brightberry and Redleaf confer and advanced until they are at the corner. They both then become twisted vines grow ing out of cracks.

Bob creeps up close enough to provide some cover for Atar, making sure that Brightberry transfers the Light spell to something that Atar is holding.

Stealth,Shaken: 1d20 + 7 - 2 ⇒ (5) + 7 - 2 = 10

Trakas keep himself ready to move if battle is to be joined.

Brightberry does as Bob asks

"Maybe it was the compartment in the statue that we couldn't open? They did mention the bugs we fought there as well." Immana moves up as well, keeping an eye out for anything else of interest.

perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7
stealth: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8
wow those rolls...

Those that are selected please dot in.

Awesome! Thank you.

Can we dot and delete in the gameplay thread so the game shows up in our Campaigns page?

Brilliant, happy to be aboard!

Thank you for the invite. I am on vacation at Pennsic War 48 until this Sunday. I can post with no problems but will be limited in content for now.

If anyone is interested in developing a shared backstory and has an interest in having traveled to the Stolen Lands with an older (45) taciturn and guarded human guide with an odd Galtan accent, hit me up.

Brightberry dotting for duty!

@Bob: could be interesting. Atar has recently botched up (according to his previous employer) a rescue mission. It would make sense he teamed up with a ranger for that, though I'm not sure what are Bob's feelings towards tieflings, especially after his brush with the fey.

Hallo, thanks! I'll have an alias up for Immana as soon as I can.

@Atar I will admit, the horns and ears are very satyr-like, but the fact that you don't have goat legs and are taller would have been enough for Bob to learn more about a prospective employer/companion.

Learning that your heritage was fiendish instead would not be an issue, and the romanticism of the mission would appeal to him.

I think their personalities would mesh quite well. Especially if Atar is a talker. Bob could be the Teller to Atar's Penn.

I will have the first post for gameplay tomorrow night, you can then dot and delete then. Take some time if you want to iron out backstories and figure out shared experiences.

For the start you have traveled to a large tavern in what was once a barrow outside of the capitals of Atropos, the new kingdom/empire in the stolen lands. It’s the main place to find people to do jobs or other tasks, and the main place to find jobs. A rumor is going around that a well paying nobleman is looking for some people to do a dangerous job in exchange for a large sum.

And here we are! I probably wouldn't be the best choice for Bob's travelling companion :)

@Bob: Atar is definitely talkative (though not the type of guy to yap incessantly) and certainly appreciates the company of people who can get past the whole horns, ears and dark-red-skin-of-the-devil thing going on when it's warm, so I guess we have a match? How much, if anything, do you think Atar will know about Bob's background when gameplay starts? How common is it for Bob to share his one-night-200-year-stand with others?

@Trakas: I've noticed you have taken swashbuckler as your favoured class, so I'm guessing you plan on multiclassing soon. Perhaps it's good to talk about our progression so as to prevent overlap? Or are we fine with overlapping?

@Atar Bob is very guarded with his history before coming to the River Kingdoms. As with most of the inhabitants, he is on the run and would talk mostly about the present.

Over time, you probably would have drawn him out a bit and gotten enough to know about a wife betrayed and family lost. He doesn't know what happened to them, so you probably take "lost" as meaning estranged, rather than dead.

A Galtan nervous about Grey Gardeners is nothing unusual, so you probably know that he feels he is being sought after. A hint of noble bearing would pass through the rough exterior from time to time. If you are perceptive, you may have picked up on that.

How open is Atar about his past?

@Trakas: I've noticed you have taken swashbuckler as your favoured class, so I'm guessing you plan on multiclassing soon. Perhaps it's good to talk about our progression so as to prevent overlap? Or are we fine with overlapping?

I have plans to take this character to at least 3rd level in magus, then at least 3 levels in swashbuckler...how things move along will determine how the character will progress. Most likely more swashbuckler maybe a level of some sort of divine...maybe.

@Bob: got it, thanks. And Atar is an open, completely unfiltered book. He'll spontaneously share his top ten childhood traumas five minutes after meeting someone for the first time (in an endearing way, though). The only thing he won't have told Bob by now is the whole thing about his mother, which is sort of off-limits to pretty much anyone.

So I'd say you probably know everything about how he went into exile from his tribe, how he really likes fire (and occasionally heals from touching it), and how he cannot seem to do good things in an honourable, good way. Bob might also have experienced one or two angry people chasing Atar because of some contract that went south.

@Trakas: it seems that at least for the time being it will be more than fine. For what it's worth, I have no plans to multiclass at the moment and will mostly go the classic improved crit, precise strike and fencing grace route. Plus diplomacy, bluff and other charisma stuff when out of combat.

The gameplay thread is up, dot and delete if you want or just jump right in. Let’s have some fun with this!

@ Ancient GM

I think that I would like to switch out my photosynthesis feat for spell focus (conjuration) for augment summoning latter on. Photosynthesis would not be that valuable to me until after those other two feats. I picked it more for flavor and story synthesis. Thoughts? Also, I just want to confirm my thoughts about my racial ability (change shape). It states that I can do this as a free action, but it does not limit how many times per day I can change shape, so I am assuming it is not limited.

You may change synthesis out for spell focus, and just a heads up you can summon as much as you want but do try to keep things moving when you have summons out, if that is going to be a thing you do often.

Based on what I looked at it is a swift action, which is fine by me, and is unlimited time per day.

I am home from Pennsic War 48.
Lots of excellent fighting and good times even with some very sore ribs.
I will have a post up sometime soon. Still have a tone of things to clean, unpack and put away.

Guys, does anyone have disable device? Or any way to deal with traps, locked doors, etc?

Unless someone does, I think I could swap one of my current traits for Trap Finder and change his favoured class bonus to get a rank on Disable Device, if the GM is ok with that.

I have no skill at trap finding

Trap Finder is a really nice trait, if the GM will allow a campaign trait from Mummy's Mask.

Vagabond Child is nearly equivalent (and matches your background).

But, to answer the question, I have no ranks in Disable Device.

I would allow a trait switch to help with the trap finding. As I am a firm believer in playing the class you want not the class that “fills the gap”. So having a little more skill in trap finding might help.

No trapfinding here, nope.

None as well.

@Bob: ah, damn, you're right, I hadn't realised it was from mummy's mask (it was the first hit for "trap finder trait" and I got a bit excited). Vagabond Child would indeed work better from a background perspective, but would leave us blind-sided against magic traps…unless I multiclass into rogue, which I am not that keen about. So if it's ok with the GM, I will use their lenience on this one.

@GM: brilliant, thanks. If that's alright with you, then, I will switch Indomitable Faith for Trap Finder and update Atar's sheet later today. He will be a bit more frail, but hopefully prevent an untimely death or two.

Feel free to make the change.

Sorry if post quality and grammar is poorer than at start. Been in the hospital the last couple days for the birth of my daughter. Hoping things will settle down when we get back home.

Haha...You think things are going to settle down when your daughter comes home...You got 20+ years before that happens...
Just kidding.
Congrats on the birth of your daughter. Take the time you need to get the family life taken care of. This is your family and we are just a game.

No worries. We would all rather that posting speed be a little slow than you getting burnt out.

We can be replaced, you can't. ;)

Congratulations. Is this your first?

Oh, wow! Congratulations! As the others have said, don't worry about us (or grammar!). I'm impressed you managed to have the time and energy to post at all with such an important event going on irl.

Focus on your daughter and your partner; we'll be here =)

Yeah she’s our first, and we have some time to ourselves when she’s sleeping, which is quite often. The hardest part is just remembering things I wanted to do when I got free time.

I should be able to do a little more posting as we return to a schedule when we get home, thank you everyone for the support and congratulations!

That's awesome! I'm fine with this going as slow as you need it to. Keep your priorities straight, we're near the bottom. Lol. We'll just keep in mind that you might not post as regularly for a bit.

Congratulations! Don't worry about your grammar, that should be the least of your concerns right now. Hope everything settles into some semblance of a routine soon. :)

Will have a post up later tonight.

Update will come Sunday, taking some time to relax this weekend.

I will be out of town till the 22nd or 23rd. I can still post but it will be from my phone. I may not be able to see the maps.

I will be very tired at the end of each of these days. I am in the process of finishing my roof on the viking house. Thousands and thousands of little cedar shakes sidings to be stapled into my roof. This part is being done by myself...I may not post often, if need be...Bot me.

That sounds rather interesting. Is this going to be your main domicile, or a project house for fun?

Thanks for the heads up, will do! Hope it goes well!

Should we set out expectations to one post per week at this point? I can't imagine how busy things must be with a new baby in the house Ancient GM. I think that we should set a reasonable, obtainable post goal so that I can stop checking two or three times a day.

Oh my bad. I completely missed the updates it seems, my apologies to everyone. Update will be coming today, sorry again for holding things up everyone.

@Trakas: this whole exchange made perfect sense, but I just want to make sure any hostility/catfighting is strictly IC. I can say for sure that it is on my part, but, in the off chance you think differently, I'm happy to discuss it and avoid conflicts down the line. Was GMing one game in which IC conflict bled into OOC and it was definitely not fun for anyone.

Just some input, I do enjoy the duality of you two both seemingly opposites. I do think conflict between characters or atleast head butting is an interesting dynamic. But as said please do try not to take anything personal, and keep any conflict in character. I think you both are doing fantastic with the roleplay.

@Trakas: this whole exchange made perfect sense, but I just want to make sure any hostility/catfighting is strictly IC. I can say for sure that it is on my part, but, in the off chance you think differently, I'm happy to discuss it and avoid conflicts down the line. Was GMing one game in which IC conflict bled into OOC and it was definitely not fun for anyone.

This is all in character and in case you missed it like some of the others did, he has yet to show anger towards you. Concern for your actions yes but no anger. Even during this last exchange he was smiling. He (and I) finds your antics comical. He is a gambler and is not so open about his tactics. He also does not like to bring unwanted harm to others by his actions. There is no hostility or cat fighting, sorry if you found this to be the case. I felt the smiling part was a give away that he is not angry.

@Trakas: ah, ok, happy to hear that. I totally got what you were going for on the first post, but on the last one I was unsure whether to interpret the smile as "just goofing around" or "I am seriously considering murder" (which in all honesty could be somewhat justified), so it just seemed best to confirm. And, despite the teasing, Atar has heard Trakas and will try to give him a (bit) less reason for concern. Thanks for clarifying =)

GM, would you like us to make icons for the map?

Sure I assumed I would end up using you’re avatars, but of you would like make an icon you can.

I plan to use my avatar as well, just figured I'd take it off of your plate. :)

However, I can't create icons (or move tokens when the time comes) without edit access to the slides. Sent a request.

I think it should allow you to move you’re icon now. I can’t seem to find how to allow access.