Oxnard's Jade Regent

Game Master Nathanael Love

Also, how is the party on healing? A partial wand of CLW or a scroll of Lesser Restoration might be good items for Jiro to have on hand.

Talios has been using a wand and spell slots to keep us going after/during fights. Our current wand is down to 1 charge. We have a few potions.

Another wand is definitely something on the shopping list.

I'll try harder not to get stabbed! I've got a great plan for it but it's gonna take a while to pay off.

GM, is okay if I assume Lvl2 WBL?

Yes, that's fine- I think there was enough treasure out there that should have everyone close to that.

Jiro's equipment is completed!

I'm reading through all the posts so far, how will Jiro be introduced to the party?

@DM Everything okay?

I think he had to go do some national guard training, so I imagine he's catching up on rest.

Yeah, sorry- I thought I was going to have time this weekend and instead it was non-stop and I've fallen behind- will get everything rolling again here shortly.

No problem, just checking in.

So there are some decisions to make here--

Primary Statistics: There are four- Offense, Defense, Mobility, and Morale. You have 3 points to assign between these four.

Wagons: You start with 3-- 1 covered wagon, 1 fortune-teller’s wagon, and 1 supply wagon

Pas that you need to buy more if/when you need them.

Traveler's: You caravan starts with six travelers—Sandru, Koya, Ameiko, Shalelu, and two Varisian brothers named Bevelek and Vankor.

(Plus the 6 players characters obviously)

Each traveler performs a job (described in the Jade Regent Player's Guide), so you can assign the PCs and those six to the various jobs, and if there are any jobs you feel no one (or not enough) of those can perform you can hire NPC experts to fill them.

Equipment: You don't start with any specialized equipment, but depending what you want can spend some of your gold on any caravan equipment you feel is needed.

Feats: Your caravan gets feats! It's level 2 (it stays the same level as the PCs) so it has 2 caravan feats- again, these are in the player's guide so you can select which you want.

I'm sure there will need to be some discussion here, since its all group decisions.

We currently have 12 travelers, but only a capacity of 10, so I think we need another wagon. A supply wagon would increase our cargo capacity by 10 and consumption by 1, but only increase our traveler capacity by 2. A covered wagon has 6 traveler capacity, but only 4 cargo space and a consumption of 2.

Another wagon means we need another driver, which has to be somebody with a rank in Handle Animal or Profession (Driver). Emili, I think you're the only one who qualifies, unfortunately. We could also hire somebody and free you up for another job.

For feats, I recommend Lucky Caravan and Enhanced Caravan. We might as well use the Fortune Teller's wagon, and then we'll have 5 points to distribute instead of 3.

Sounds good on the feats, and I'm glad to see the caravan sheet is intuitive enough for folks to use without directions. XD

As far as primary caravan stats, the one derived stat we can't boost with roles is AC, which depends on Defense. Perhaps we put 2 points in Defense and 1 point in everything else?

Emili's fine to drive a fourth wagon. Given that we'd be full on passengers already with a Supply Wagon and we haven't used even one Covered wagon's worth of cargo space, perhaps a third Covered wagon would be best to start with now so we can accommodate both additional travelers or additional cargo.

Biggest thing I'm noticing right now is that we've got lots of people and lots of wagons - which means high consumption. We could reduce that with a Food Scout, but you have to be trained in Survival to fill that role. Would Rin be willing to shift from Guard duty to Food Scout? Pity we don't have anyone who could be a Cook. Or do any of our magic folks know goodberry or create food and water?

Also, Kage and Jin both need roles. Thankfully, both are spellcasters and as such can use that role to act as other roles (entertainer, guard, guide, healer, scout) without meeting those roles' requirements. What do you two think?

We'll also want to snag some provision stores (5 gp each) and maybe some trade goods (10 gp each) with our spare funds. What do folks think?

I have precisely one (1) rank in Survival, so I can act as a food scout! i've got skillz

I think the stats distribution makes sense, I was thinking about that as well. I can see the AC becoming a problem, because there seem to be very few ways to increase it.

I've marked a bunch of loot for sale, which comes out to 2,607 GP, or 521.4 split 5 ways (since Jiro is coming in at full level 2 wealth).

Gonna buy myself a masterwork weapon!

I think the 2,000 GP we got for the caravan should probably all be invested into it, or at least whatever's left from wagons and supplies should be put into reserve in case we need it.

Yes, Kage can fill in where necessary since he’s a caster. I’ll pick up whatever’s needed after you more limited types take the roles you can. ;)

Kage is welcome to drive... oh wait, magic can’t solve that one! XD

It could if I had charm Animal on my spell list. :P

I also have a Survival of +7 and can switch roles as needed. These systems take a bit for me to fully wrap my head around so feel free to suggest where I would be best.

I think being a food scout is good mechanically, but it also fits the flavor of your character as a servant of Erastil.

Cavern feat selection looks good to me. Cook, Guard, Scout, and Trader are the jobs that Rin and do. Cook makes since with her experience in the tavern. I'd also like to not be full up on space right away. Both a covered and a supply wagon would be good if we have the drivers.

Also if we split the gold and silver as well it comes out to 829.98 each.

Rin will spend 600 to repair the Whispering Shrike, 50 on a masterwork backpack, 10 on 50 shuriken, 10 on 2 spiked gauntlets, 5 on spring loaded wrist sheath, 22 on silver dagger for wrist sheath, 75 on an Ioun torch, 1 on caltrops, 35 on Dusk Lantern

@Talios I'd recommend you take the ring of climbing. Might come in handy for getting up to a sniper's nest.

Talios will find the food and let Rin cook it! You are right, he wouldn't mind being out looking for food in nature plus getting a lay of the land.

The Ring is a good idea, will do that.

Definitely going to be buying me a Masterwork Composite Bow for my strength rating, likely some specialized arrows as well. A Healer's Kit and Surgeon's Tools too.

I am buying a masterwork rapier, concealable thieves' tools, and a game of Imperial Conquest, leaving me with 113.98 gold. If anyone wants to pitch in for the board game, that is certainly appreciated but not required. :)

Seems like discussion on the make up has come to a conclusion; if you can update the caravan sheet with your choices we will kick off the journey this afternoon.

2000gp

-500, Covered Wagon
-300, Supply Wagon
-30(-10/month, 3 hired drivers)
-10(-10/month, hired wainwright)
-120, 24 Stores
-100, 4 repair materials
-400, Balista

Leaves 540 to buy more supplies and stuff. I mostly updated the sheet but I couldn't figure out how to update the cargo units. Added notes to those. If someone would like to double check I would appreciate it.

24 units of supplies gives us 17 days of traveling. Seems like enough, assuming we can also stock up along the way with the leftover money. How do y'all feel?

Also the spellcaster job doesn't seem to change any stats so I put Kage as guard. Seemed to match his spellcasting ninja background.

So a lot of the potential encounters in this caravan system will call for caravan checks- rather than resolve those by me rolling, a player should roll to resolve-- you can either split checks based on caravan jobs, or take turns, or we can go with a "whoever sees the request first" method however you'd prefer.

Happy thanksgiving everyone! Sorry, we were hosting here this year so I was buried and am just getting caught up on all my games now.

Do we get any loot from the bandits?

Previous XP: 2513
XP Gained: 1750
New XP Total: 4,238 (about 800 short of level 3) as you arrive at Brinewall.

I'll kick off part three later tonight.

Catching up now, so sorry. This whole moving thing is awful, it is worse this time being in Japan and downsizing. My PC is still being delivered so I have been unable to really post.

Hey all, I'm sure many of you are in a similar situation, but my posting rate is going to be very low from Thursday through Sunday. Should be back to normal starting on Monday though!

Sorry guys- I'm buried after work today and our wonderful rural internet doesn't work in bad weather so I was delayed last night; was able to update some games and I'll still try to keep things rolling- but I'm on the road from tomorrow till the 28th, so apologies in advance and worst case we will pick everything back up the 29th.

I understand most people are traveling during this time as well.

And, I'm back- hopefully we can get back into the swing for an about 1/day posting rate, I'll do my best to keep up my part.

Just a heads-up but I'm having some trouble with my laptop's battery so I'm taking it to get a new one on Monday. The guy at the shop guestimated it could take anywhere from a couple of hours to a day or two.

I should still be able to update the games but it'll be slower. I'll keep you all posted!

Previous XP: 4,248
XP Gained: 850
New XP Total: 5,098

That will bring us to 3rd level!

You may want to rest for the night/level before diving into the castle.

Woo! Should we go and update the sheets in our profiles now?

Yes! You have officially leveled to 3.

HP: 1d10 ⇒ 10
BAB +1
Fort +1
Hidden Strike 2d8(2d4)
Acrobatic +1, Bluff +1, Climb +1, Diplomacy +1, Escape Artist +1, Perception +1, Sense Motive +1, Slight of Hand +2, Stealth +1, Knowledge Dungeoneering +1,

Social Talent: Gossip Collector
The vigilante sits at the center of a web of gossip, granting him access to the latest scuttlebutt with baffling speed. Whenever the vigilante is presented with a topic about which he would normally need to spend 1d4 hours to gather information, he must spend only 1d2 hours instead. If he has the renown social talent and gathers the information in his area of renown, he must instead spend only 1d4 × 10 minutes, and if he beats the DC to gather a piece of information by 20 or more, he knows that piece of information without spending any time at all; he has simply already heard that gossip. This ability doesn’t allow him to gather information that isn’t available in the locale he is canvassing, even if that locale is his area of renown.

Unshakable (Ex): Starting at 3rd level, a vigilante adds his class level to the DC of any attempts to Intimidate him.

Feat: Extra Ninja Trick: Vanishing Trick
As a swift action, the ninja can disappear for 1 round per level. This ability functions as invisibility. Using this ability uses up 1 ki point.

Awesome. I will have mine updated a bit later today.

HP: 1d8 ⇒ 8
I get my first finesse weapon, meaning that I can finally start using adding Dex to damage with my rapier instead of Str. No more damage penalty! I also add another d6 to my sneak attacks.

My feat for this level is Bookish Rogue, which lets me switch out my cantrip with another one by studying a spellbook for ten minutes. Once I take major magic it works with that SLA too. So, time to start loading up my spellbook, either with extra scrolls we find or the next time we find ourselves in civilization.

Skills: +1 to Acrobatics, Bluff, Disable Device, Knowledge (Local), Perception, Perform (Act), Sleight of Hand, Spellcraft, Stealth, and Use Magic Device. +3 to Intimidate.

Edit: Profile and tagline updated!

Don't forget that you can copy spells from Kage, and vice versa!

Emili picks up Slashing Grace at this level, meaning he too can add his Dex to damage with his whip and dagger as long as he doesn't hold anything else in his other hand. He also gets...

A bonus feat: Improved Disarm - no more worrying about triggering AoO's from doing so right in someone's face! This pairs well with...

Deceptive Strike, an archetype ability that replaces Bravery and gives him bonuses to Disarm and Feint. While not as provocative as Tripping an opponent and making them get back up, Disarming's got a bit longer shelf life as people tend to still have weapons even when they're flying around. And Emili can still Trip folks - he's just not as skilled at it.

Other than that, it's +1 BAB, +1 to all saves, and +1 rank in Diplomacy, Handle Animal, Intimidate, Knowledge (religion), and Sleight of Hand.

Kage doesn't have a spellbook, and neither of us have scribe scroll, so that won't work, unfortunately.

I'm going to pick up another level of Ninja, which may be the last one I take. (Next it'll be just enough sorcerer to qualify for Arcane Trickster, and away we go.)

So that's a boatload of skill points, the Accomplished Sneak Attacker feat (which gets me to the 2d6 sneak attack I need for AT without taking a third level of ninja), a Ki Pool, the Vanishing Trick ninja trick. Also, +1 to BAB and Reflex saves.

1d8 ⇒ 2 Uh, are we doing minimum half?

Everyone else rolled max on theirs Kage!

yes- you can take average instead- I don't want anyone getting 2 HP at a level.

Woohoo! Excellent.

HP: 1d8 ⇒ 1 ah, right there with you Kage

Ref saves and BAB went up by 1

Skill points in Perform (Oratory), Perception, and Sense Motive for FCB point

Augment Summoning feat--eventually Jiro will be able to summon swarms of buffed archons as a Standard Action :D He'll take Sacred Summons at 5th, Superior Summoning at 7th, and Evolved Summoned Monster at 9th. That will be a while though!

Jiro can also now Channel a d6 for when we need a little pick-me-up 4/day

Do still need Kage to resolve the fort save vs. the poison to see if there's STR damage--

it's DC 13 to ignore it altogether

If that fails, it's DC 13 each round until you make it for four rounds against 1d2 STR damage.

HP: 1d8 ⇒ 1 Oof, Average it is!

All updated though! All my heavy feat taxes for archery are out of the way! So I can start going Inquisitor again till Evangelist PrC.

On the bright side, Kage, now we have a party member who can cast Lesser Restoration.

Also- even if you fail all four saves it's 1d2 each time, so 8 max STR damage and you get one back over night.

Sorry guys I was locked out due to site issues all day- I will kick off the next section tomorrow ASAP.

If anyone else is having problems-- clearing my cache and cookies let me then log in again.

No worries, I think we were all in the same boat on that one. :)