GM Doug's The Perennial Crown Parts 1 & 2 (Inactive)

Game Master Doug Hahn

The Burning Mother is the name that Sarenrae-worshipping orcs apply to her. It's in one of the splat books about orcs.

Burning Mother?

Alright, at some point guess my character will need to be corrected on the term.

I can't resist using bardic lore... On the other hand, is anyone else an expert in Perception? Maybe the rest of the party can follow the leader.

Oh, and I added a cooking poem in case the GM missed it!

Both Keats and Packet are Expert in Perception.

Like Zarindlara just did, I think we should all state each time whether we are passing or not, so that our GM knows if we are attempting a check.

Just realized, Follow the Expert is what you do when untrained in something. We are all at least trained in Perception, so I don’t think it applies here.

Like Zarindlara just did, I think we should all state each time whether we are passing or not, so that our GM knows if we are attempting a check.

Yes, please!

So although it didn’t apply before, this time if people want they can Follow the Expert. Gurmire is an Expert at crafting.

I'm not convinced this skill check is an Exploration Mode activity; it's a discrete, single skill check. An Exploration Mode activity should take more than a turn to do.

Hilary and I made up this cheat sheet of character best skills for each obstancal.

Obstacles

It does bring up the question of if we will be able to do untrained Arcana and Nature. We have people that are not trained in either.

If you are an expert in Arcana, Nature, Deception or Diplomacy and we are allowed to Follow the Expert for this, please mark the skill as expert. That may help one of the other players to succeed.

Alas, I am an expert in none of the skills called for. On the other hand... Most of these are things I have a good shot at. Keats will want Daring Leaps. Relentless Beat and Moving Platforms would be best for Zarindlara and Varret, so I am going to go elsewhere.

@GM: We need to clear all of the obstacles, correct?

(If this isn't correct, then we might want to steer clear of Perplexing Magic.)

Whoah — this is awesome work! Have a hero point each. Pip is now maxed out ar 3 and will not be able to earn points until they are spent. I also screenshotted the sheet on a new slide and will also link it in my profile for easy access. Great work!

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Nothing in the scenario designates a level of training so you can roll them untrained. I think no on following the leader again here, as these are discrete obstacles/opportunities and do not seem to be written as Exploration Activities. (Sorry about that).

I added your hero point on the slide! Keats also used one so I removed that as well.

@GM: We need to clear all of the obstacles, correct?

You do NOT need to clear all obstacles. Just a few of them. (each Obstacle takes 3+ checks to overcome, so it would be quite difficult to overcome all of them as a group).

Whoah — this is awesome work!

"Wow! Lit! You like said it, Mr GM!"

"BTW, how do you fave a post multiple times?"

So, looking at it again this morning I think we should concentrate on the following obstacles:

Daring Leaps (Keats, Pip, at least one other)
Moving Platforms (Varret, Zarindlara, Packet)
Relentless Beat (Packet, Varret, Zarindlara)

Given we have six players, we should probably go for a fourth obstacle. Assuming we only need three successes each, that should only take two checks from each of us. The wording makes me think it is possible for an obstacle to take more than three checks, but we would have time to figure that out after everyone has done their first two checks.

What do people want to do as the fourth obstacle?

So Packet should stay with the Relentless Beat this round? Looks like Daring Leaps has been completed. How about Conversation as a fourth? we're pretty good at the skills listed.

I leave it up to you to do what's best.

I may also auto-move your PC to another check if you post after something is completed and there's another obstacle that uses the same skill.

If you see two successes on an Obstacle, it might help if you note an alternate. In such a case, I would prefer you keep the original roll and just use the modifier.

GM Doug tries to talk to the guests:

Diplomacy to Make an Impression: 1d20 + 10 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 10 + 4 = 22

If that's already complete:

GM Doug will move to the Dance, adding his untrained perform bonus of +4 for a net 22.

With the amount of Edge Points and skills you have here, there isn't too much at stake right now (I think the designers were too worried about a group of poorly-rounded barbarians and fighters hurting the party). I honestly doubt your group can fail. (Famous words the GM says moments before the party proves them wrong with colossal failure…)

With that in mind, please try to enjoy the scene and not worry too much about optimizing where your PC would go! It's OK if you make a less-than-optimized choice. Really, You'll be fine.

Conversation it is as the fourth.

I was assuming with the planning that a character wasn’t supposed to repeat an obstacle.

Yeah, there's nothing in there about not repeating an obstacle either. Thanks!

If Packet closed Relentless Beat, can Keat's Edge be spent on Conversation?

Time for bed; no updates till tomorrow. (Hopefully we move on to Phase 2 in the morning).

I just want to say that I'm thoroughly enjoying the responses to this poetry prompt so far; thank you!

Um, spontaneous poetry might be my thing.

I am updating the Obstacles Spreadsheet now so that we can know where to devote energy. Let's reserve the last spot in Injured Dancers for Keats. Relentless Beat is still great for a number of party members. Spinning Flourish is also Excellent -- we have three people good at it.

Perplexing Magic is really one we should avoid.

My campaign coin is available if we run out of Edge Points.

Obstacles Cheatsheet has been updated!

Thanks for updating it Pip!

Well, I had sort of expected something here would cause the fey transformations. This is a curious situation for my character, I’m going to charge ahead but if he happens to take on fey characteristics I’m not sure that would be a bad thing.

This is a curious situation for my character, I’m going to charge ahead but if he happens to take on fey characteristics I’m not sure that would be a bad thing.

If you wanted to not spend hero points or edge on crit fails (for science!?), then just let me know :)

I am officially letting you know that Gurmire will accept a crit failure on this.

For SCIENCE!

I’m fine failing too, we’ll see what happens!

I'm hoping for something cute for you two, like bunny ears or moth wings.

Maybe some whiskers?

If you want to reserve the last Edge I in case someone crit fails, I can retroactively remove the success on Zarindlara's check. For now, we're at 0.

I also edited my post so Pip and Varret could see some of the mechanical effects of these mishaps, which will impose a mechanical penalty on certain Activities both in and out of combat if you end up with one.

I would prefer it get saved for a crit fail!

Can we post checks for the next round now? Also please use my campaign coin if you need it to prevent critical fails.

Go ahead and post for the next round. Keats Closed out the medicine one and i will update when I get home. Z failed at her check on the rhythm one so it only has one success but now you have an edge point.

Sadly I don't think Dubious knowledge applies to an Identify magic check. I should actually be making those checks for you… hold on.

Edit: Nevermind, Pip got it. I'm fine moving on.

I am hesitant to give out hero points as no one has really spent them but I think you still have to as long as not everyone is capped at 3.

Hero Points:

1. Packet for Ascend Ascend
2. Keats for being Keats and writing a limerick

Hero Points you actually deserve but won't get:

1. Everyone for making that masquerade so much fun!

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I'll be on mobile for most of the afternoon, but let me know here if you have questions about the mechanics or set up of this room.

Okay, here's my plan so far. It is really barebones.

I am going to walk up to Winter (because I am dressed like Summer, and the Bhopanese are nuts) and then I am going to use Perception first to hopefully detect a trap (actually, should the GM roll that?) and then Medicine to see if the body slumped at the keyhole is still alive.

Does that sound like a plan?

Pip keep your hero point. They would have let you get your gear back anyway and there was no risk of failure. I should have made that clear in the King's briefing! He wants you to succeed and understands gear and weapons might be useful in apprehending a criminal!

One hero point taken back on my profile. And I am slightly less mad at the King now.

Okay. Question about the MAP.

Are the hatch-marked areas solid wall, or carpeting? I am betting solid wall because then they wouldn't be described as Alcoves. On the other hand... how can we see the bodies as we enter if the walls are solid?

Thanks for covering that; I had written your costumes could accommodate all your gear but wrongly assumed you had it on. This is a good solution too and the scenario isn't designed for you to go to the last section without adventuring gear.

(I'm glad the King's mercurial personality is coming though!)

The hatch-marks are solid walls. You can move to the center of the room and see the bodies, that's fine — in fact, I'll move the rest of you there now.

I don't mind doing a dungeon crawl in a ball gown, but I really want my bow, which would have been weird for me to wear while dancing.

So one round of actions is alas 3 strides. I am going to be very boring this turn!

EDIT: Oh, we're starting in the center of the room. I may be able to do something then!

EDIT 2: I am JEALOUS of your digital map-making skills. This is beautiful work, Doug.

EDIT 3: I just realized that because of the fog, I am still going to have to just full round move this turn.

EDIT 2: I am JEALOUS of your digital map-making skills. This is beautiful work, Doug.

Paizo used the map tiles in this one, but stitched them together in a way that the grids don't line up. It drives me crazy. I just re-drew the map when I GM'd this on roll20 so the grid would actually work. (I'm also known around the Bay Area for my Dyson-style maps skills; thanks!)

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I'm not interested in spending days and days on this puzzle. I am not sure if you are as players, but I want to let you know that I am personally inclined to have us complete a round of initiative here so you can see what happens; if any of you can solve the puzzle at that point then I will likely handwave the rest and we'll have a little montage scene instead.

I like puzzles, except when they chew up days of valuable playtime.

Pip Hip Hooray wrote:

EDIT 2: I am JEALOUS of your digital map-making skills. This is beautiful work, Doug.

Paizo used the map tiles in this one, but stitched them together in a way that the grids don't line up. It drives me crazy. I just re-drew the map when I GM'd this on roll20 so the grid would actually work. (I'm also known around the Bay Area for my Dyson-style maps skills; thanks!)

When we were actually able to do things like play in person, Doug's maps were always amazing (especially during baseball season).

GM Doug,

When you do your next update, could you please indicate who can hear what? Gurmire did shout at full volume, trying to make himself heard. He figures anything dangerous probably already knows about him.

I added a OOC addendum about who can hear who in an edit for you.

Okay, Pip has a theory. Now I hope that she has found a key to test it.

The bodies are not with you if you're inside a motif. You were transported to separate areas altogether! Think about them as small demiplanes. You are not able to contact the outside world while in them, which is where the bodies are.

Trying to disbelieve this an an illusion in-character seems like a logical course of action, but there are no bodies in here with you.

But now that you have spent a turn in these demiplanes, you're outside again. Packet and Varret will be too, but only after they spend a turn in the plane (and they don't know that).