GM Deneve's The Fall of Plaguestone (PFS 2e) (Inactive)

Game Master redeux

You're all free to RP your roll results taking into account a 10 as a mediocre performance of your task. You'll be working for about 3 hours.

Sinan and Simon: As it's been quite a few pages ago, a quick reminder please roll each a Decipher Writing DC 18 using either Society or an appropriate Lore modifier. Whether a success or fail, you'll spend about 4 hours combing through Bort's books.

Mechanically speaking, and to avoid leaving one of you out without anything to do, Targen is at least 80 feet away from the left edge of the map. RPwise, he'll probably insist you go and help the others. You could have someone stay with him and have your character appear after Round 1. It's your choice.

@Deerslice Ha ha! I just imagined a Pepper pincushion. I'd say that the creature has soft cover or +1 to AC. On a Crit. Fail, you hit your companion. So don't miss. :P

Is it wrong that I was hoping Pepper would be right?

Nope, I mean, she can still try to communicate with them. I'm totally open to alternate ways other than bashing things. ;)

To be fair, Sinan kindof wants to burn them with fire. Gozreh's not his favorite, but this is a bit like desecration to him. Pepper wouldn't really like that.

When Pepper is being sucked dry of all her sap in 1 round, she will not dislike anything else!

FYI, if Pepper tries to move away from the three bloodseekers that latched on.

When a bloodseeker hits a target larger than itself, its barbed legs attach it to that creature. This is similar to grabbing the creature, but the bloodseeker moves with that creature rather than holding it in place. The bloodseeker is flat-footed while attached.

Oh geez. Today I've been scatterbrained all day. I forgot to mention @everyone, Pepper is Drained 1

Pepper would have preferred GM Deneve to remain scatterbrained.
xD

FYI, if Pepper tries to move away from the three bloodseekers that latched on.

Bestiary, Bloodseeker wrote:

When a bloodseeker hits a target larger than itself, its barbed legs attach it to that creature. This is similar to grabbing the creature, but the bloodseeker moves with that creature rather than holding it in place. The bloodseeker is flat-footed while attached.

I mean I know moving is a bad idea, and won't leave the bloodsuckers behind so Sinan can use Burning Hands. But Sinan has no idea. lol

Well, Pepper would probably think moving is a good idea, since it keeps them Flat Footed!
But no recall knowledge made...

I feel that many players, and I'm not necessarily referring to this group, don't take advantage of the Recall Knowledge action. Thankfully, Simon is an expert on Bloodseekers. Probably raised one or two in his free time before setting them free and offering towns to clear up the bloodseeker problem, hmm...

Yes, i nearly never see Recall Knowledge.
My feeling is that since it has been made a lot less strong than in PF1 people who played that just give up on it in PF2.

Honestly, it's usually more efficient for me to have my characters learn by doing/failing. I suppose if something really weird looking appeared and I thought my character had an appropriate skill, I'd use it.

I have no problem with rules changes, so I am only saying this re. the rules as in the CRB (and thus PFS) but fine, of course, w. whatever is the rule here.

So, per the CRB, if I get this correctly, there is no "down to zero" vs. under zero.
In PF2 you are dying when you’re reduced to 0 Hit Points (and anything under 0 HP, a negative, just counts as 0 unless you get negative = to your total HP then you die in one blow.
So, @0 HP you change initiative order (to before the thing that brought you down)and you gain the dying 1 condition (or more from crit', or wounded).

As for Bleeding (and other persistent damage) you keep it even when Dying.
Which is the main killer effect for PCs (since you can drop 2 Dying levels per round, or more on crit' fails).
You get your persistent damage at the end of your round, and after that roll a flat DC15 to stop it (stopping it or not on the next round),

The Medicine check is if someone who is not knocked out (and has Healer's Tools in hands or in bandolier) takes 2 actions-- but as written, it seems you cannot do it on yourself (unlike Treat Wounds).

As for Battle Medicine, once you attempt, the target is then immune for one day (except if w. Feats like Godless Healing). Immune whether you succeed or not w. actually healing them (just like Treat Wounds).

As for Battle Medicine, once you attempt, the target is then immune for one day (except if w. Feats like Godless Healing). Immune whether you succeed or not w. actually healing them (just like Treat Wounds).

I've always played with it being immune only if you gained HP, but admittedly, it's because the first GM I played with told me that (and nobody knew the rules very well back then). I've never looked up the actual rule - until just now - and while it's a little ambiguous, it admittedly skews towards the "once per hour" interpretation.

If this is the case, then Simon would like to revise his actions.

He'd like to hand his torch to Sinan - but I'm not sure how the mechanics of all of this would work. Does he spend an action to give? Does Sinan use an action to take? How does Simon light a second torch? Interact (torch), Interact (flint and steel), Interact (light)?

Battle medicine is 1/day (1/hour is w. Godless Healing).
For the target that is.
One can do Battle medicine to as many people you wish who are not immune.

Posting here as I don'tt want to clutter the Gameplay thread with more OOC posts in order to keep it clean and as immersive as possible.

So, per the CRB, if I get this correctly, there is no "down to zero" vs. under zero.

In PF2 you are dying when you’re reduced to 0 Hit Points (and anything under 0 HP, a negative, just counts as 0 unless you get negative = to your total HP then you die in one blow.
So, @0 HP you change initiative order (to before the thing that brought you down)and you gain the dying 1 condition (or more from crit', or wounded).

This isn't a house rule, it's actually a misreading of the CRB rule as this is the first time I've actually had someone go to exactly zero.

What am I rolling for bleeding damage? I don't remember seeing it specified.

Yup, that happened in-game on page 10 of the gameplay thread after Gracie and Deerslicer kill one that's attached to you:

(...) Kunsheng, I imagine, would feel a sharp pain as the proboscis snaps uncleanly and blood gushes out from his wound. (Kunsheng takes 1 persistent bleeding damage at the end of each of his turns)

It's one of the comes from their bestiary entry (link).

If the bloodseeker is killed or pushed away while attached to a creature it has drained blood from, that creature takes 1 persistent bleed damage. Escaping the attach or removing the bloodseeker in other ways doesn’t cause bleed damage.

So, Kunsheng:

(...) If this is the case, then Simon would like to revise his actions.

He'd like to hand his torch to Sinan - but I'm not sure how the mechanics of all of this would work. Does he spend an action to give? Does Sinan use an action to take? How does Simon light a second torch? Interact (torch), Interact (flint and steel), Interact (light)?

Mecanics-wise, it's an Interact. I'd allow Valor to give the torch to Sinan, he takes it as a free action (or maybe as a special reaction?) as long as he has a hand free.

The lighting the second torch would be Interact - to extract it from his backpack? - Interact to remove the flint and steel and Interact to light it. You do have an easier option.

Interact to remove from backpack - Interact to press it against Sinan's lit torch. It would ignite for free.

Kunsheng "Qīngwā" Xue wrote:

What am I rolling for bleeding damage? I don't remember seeing it specified.

Yup, that happened in-game on page 10 of the gameplay thread after Gracie and Deerslicer kill one that's attached to you:

It sounded like there was some variability to the bleed damage, and that you were expecting me to roll it. Or was this not directed at me?

(Yeah, it's my fault; sorry about that. I should have asked for that roll. Go ahead and do the medicine check on your turn, which you're up, and roll the bleeding damage, please.)

ETA: Am also unsure why Kunsheng's bleed damage went to 4 when he acted, but again I am not yet that familiar with the rules.

It sounded like there was some variability to the bleed damage, and that you were expecting me to roll it. Or was this not directed at me?

Yes, I was, but then your turn came and you didn't roll it, so I rolled it for you to keep things moving.

ETA: Am also unsure why Kunsheng's bleed damage went to 4 when he acted, but again I am not yet that familiar with the rules.

It's because of this (link) (emphasis is mine):

Persistent damage comes from effects like acid, being on fire, or many other situations. It appears as “X persistent [type] damage,” where “X” is the amount of damage dealt and “[type]” is the damage type. Instead of taking persistent damage immediately, you take it at the end of each of your turns as long as you have the condition, rolling any damage dice anew each time. After you take persistent damage, roll a DC 15 flat check to see if you recover from the persistent damage. If you succeed, the condition ends.

...And I see what you mean. The persistent bleed damage is static according to the creature stat block. I went ahead with the CRB definition where it said "...rolling any damage dice anew each time." Which is simply not possible. You never had to roll a die to begin with.

Long story short then, you never should have gone unconscious. As this is my mistake and it's too far back as it affects others' actions, please go ahead and add an additional +4 HP to what Sinan rolled to help you recover and for your next turn, choose an action and roll twice, keep the highest roll or the one that is more advantageous for you. My apologies to everyone.

I've run bloodseekers before. They've got fiddly bits on top of the already scattered rules they use. It's understandable. :)

What Gamble said. I haven't run 2e before, and I think we're all still on the learning curve.

What I took away from my first PFS2 game:

1. Everything is one of three actions in combat.
2. The GM rolls a lot.
3. OH MY GOD PERSISTENT DAMAGE WILL KILL US ALL.

In this case, the GM types a lot! Thank you for your understanding.

I sure wish markdown here was as easy as in Discord. Typing OOC tags here is 11 characters long. Discord is only 4.

My apologies to everyone.

I believe no one wants or needs any apologies!

I sure wish markdown here was as easy as in Discord. Typing OOC tags here is 11 characters long. Discord is only 4.

You can type codes in your Character Sheet and then will not "apply".

{ooc]x[/ooc}

{dice=X]Y[/dice}

or the full attack of a monster that you know will be used several times of several rounds:
{dice=Bloodseeker sting]1d20+999[/dice}
{dice=Piercing]1d2-98[/dice} {ooc]If hit you get 1 Persistent Bleed[/ooc}
etc.

That way you "only" have to copy this from your Character Sheet and paste it and it can save time.

Example: on Pepper's character sheet, in the Combat spoiler, I put the full line of what I need for my attack and damage.
And I will add things if I use them a lot (typing out full lines for Saves or Skills etc.).

That's actually quite useful. I have most of your stats on a text file from which I copy paste, but this also works out quite well. Thank you and thank you all for your encouraging words.

If Simon did Battle Medicine already on Sinan this hour, can he still do Administer First Aid?

Of course. They are separate from each other.

If Simon did Battle Medicine already on Sinan this hour

Again: Battle Medicine is once per day.

Nice work, everyone! As you all gelled together and helped deal with the bloodseeker nest troubling the little cattle the locals had, you all gain one hero point and your reputation within the town is increasing.

Gamble used a HP during the encounter, so his total should be 2 not 3. :)

AFAICT, we have 730 xp so far. Does that match everyone else's number?

I had 440 before this combat, so am at 600 XP now. But I may have missed one of the rewards. Or I may be using goblin math. ;)

I had 540 before so now 700. I may have missed the prior 30 xp award.

I haven't been opening the spoilers and trusting the GM to do my math. :P

1000 XP per level, right?

2+4 is 7 right? :p

I actually have this nifty excel encounter calculator and I'm keeping tabs on the spreadsheet of the gained XP so far. At the moment, you all have 760 xp.

These are the numbers:

And yes, once you hit 1000 xp, you go up a level!

Also, don't forget you all gain XP regardless of what you're doing or where you are now. So for example, Amora's group got the XP from the boar as well and vice-versa.

I missed one 30 xp award when I added them up. Thanks for the breakdown, GM D!

Home Sweet Home

Congratulations! You are all the owners of some fine real estate. Shame it's a dump right now, so let's see how you can spruce it up.

Cleaning up
Right now the estate is uninhabitable. You need to clean it up if you want to sleep there. You can spend two days cleaning up, which is basically removing detritus, sweeping, moping and dusting. This will take you 8 hours of work each day. if only two of you are working this might take three days. If the whole gang pitches in, you should have it done in a day, but will be fatigued and need to sleep.

Cleaning the well
This provides you with fresh water, but only one person can clean the well as it's slimy and with trash. This will take you about half a day's time or around 4 hours.

Repairing the walls
The house is full of broken down walls. You won't be getting a good night's sleep until you fix them. Nor will you be able to use other parts of the house such as the kitchen and stables until you have those walls repaired.

Two people can work in each red area. Repairing each area will require a DC 15 Crafting check and 8 hours. You should finish repairing an area after two successes (two days). You will need to spend 8 hours doing this and it will take you two days to fix each area and you'll need to roll a DC 15 Crafting check each day. You will need to spend at least 1 GP a day for each area you work on. This represents materials bought and used.

Sorry I was quiet yesterday. I was stuck in training all day and then had to do my normal call monitors (I manage a call center in my day job) in the hours after... so I never got to even look at where we were.

No worries. We all have work and family so it's understandable. Yesterday was extremely hectic for me, too.

Metmon is so upset by being called "sirrah", that he unleashes his bull on Sinan. Roll for initiative. :p

It seems I’m going to have to rethink my life now. Or at least rethink DA2. Probably both.

Chasing Phinick
Once spotted, Phinick assumes he’s being blamed for Bort’s death and runs off to avoid being tried and found guilty. To keep things simple, you will each take turns attempting to pass each location mentioned, in order. On your turn, you must attempt one of the listed checks for each location or give up the chase. Each success earns each of you 1 point toward catching Phinick, while a critical success awards 2. If you fail a check, you suffer a drawback (if any). Either way, you all move on to the next location.

Anyone who accumulates 4 points catches Phinick at that location, and if no one gains 4 points after attempting checks at all five locations, Phinick escapes. Turns don’t correspond to time; a PC with more points reaches new locations before a PC with fewer points, but once the chase is over, the rest of you catch up.

Yeah, it's not the greatest murder mystery, but what can I say? I was tempted to change the killer, but since this is my first time playing through it, I though I'd just play it as is.

Simon, I presume, will be useless to us unless we can get him some rest ... so I'm guessing we're looking at a late night investigation, then?

Well, it didn't need to be a great mystery. :)