Gameday IX Star-Crossed Court 1-23 by Curaigh (Inactive)

Game Master Curaigh

Welcome and thank you for letting me run a scenario for you!

Please dot in. :)

I will be setting up the game threads and maps in the next couple of days.
We officially begin on Tuesday. :) (though at least one player is not free until later in the week--we will have plenty of time for intros though :)

This information will make gameplay easier. When I need to bot someone they will have already made their action. For simplicity you can hit 'Reply.' Please, make sure to add the appropriate modifier and the final closed bracket (])to the die rolls.

Re-Roll:Y/N
Most likely use:
Day Job:
Initiative: +X [dice=Initiative]1d20+ [/dice
Typical combat action:
[dice=default combat action]1d20+ [/dice
[dice=damage]+ [/dice
[dice=attack of opportunity]1d20+ [/dice
[dice=damage]+ [/dice

Any purchases before-session?
Has this character played #1-09 Star-Crossed Voyages? If so which slotless boon did you collect?

Looking forward to it. :)

I'm the player that won't be available on the 1st.

I've been told we're in the final combat, and the 56 hp crit Quinoline just took seems to indicate that as well. I'll keep you updated. Let me know if timing becomes a problem, and I'll drop (I'm a late addition because I thought the current adventure would run through mid-September).

I mean, I’ll take a stab:

Re-Roll:Y/N
Most likely use: Not sure what these first two mean here
Day Job: Calistria Lore, 8 days; DC 18: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11 So 0.64 gp.
Initiative: +10 Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 22
Typical combat action:
Falchion Strike: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (6) + 14 = 20
damage: 2d10 + 4 ⇒ (9, 2) + 4 = 15 +2 if Raging

Pre-session purchases: +1 armor potency rune on chainmail, +1 weapon potency rune on whip, fear gem (affixed to falchion), emerald grasshopper (affixed to chain mail). All these have already been recorded on the chronicle sheet of this character’s last scenario.

Played Star-Crossed Voyages with this character; got the Ally of the Iruxi slotless boon.

Swingy! Three consecutive crits (none by Quinoline, sadly) and the Severe encounter is ended after just 2.5 rounds.

Quinoline's ready to start on September 1. :)

Re-Roll:Y/N not sure what this means
Most likely use:

Day Job: Quinoline is in the middle of crafting two moderate antidotes. She starts the adventure 50/70 gp completed, and she rolled a crit success (2.5 gp/day), so she will finish in 8 days. She's Field Commissioned, so she'll Earn Income for the remaining 4 days.

Crafting (Expert), TL 4 / DC 19: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (14) + 14 = 28
Success => 0.8 gp/day x 4 days = 3.2 gp

Initiative: +9 Initiative: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 19
Typical combat action:
Moderate Bottled Lightning: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (3) + 13 = 16
Electricity: 2d6 + 4 ⇒ (1, 1) + 4 = 6 plus flat-footed
4 splash electricity on a miss

Any purchases before-session? NO

Has this character played #1-09 Star-Crossed Voyages? YES

If so which slotless boon did you collect? Ally of the Iruxi

Is there a Gameplay thread yet for this campaign?

Looks like we're going high tier and I'm level 3 so I can't fill out the requested template until I know if any mentor boons will be slotted.

Speaking of which, is anyone willing to slot mentor boons? I'm a shadow sorcerer. GA and EA might be my first choices if they were made available, otherwise of the slotted factions any of them would be appreciated. Thanks in advance :)

Hey there. I'll get my default actions up today.

I'm happy to slot the GA mentor boon.

Day Job: Crafting (T) Crafting: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (12) + 11 = 23

Initiative: +11 [dice=Initiative]1d20+11[/dice
Typical combat action:
[dice=Electric Arc (3rd)]3d4+4[/dice (DC 21; 2 targets)

Any purchases before-session? Probably. Working on it.
Has this character played #1-09 Star-Crossed Voyages? No.

Also, Umbra, you can have my extra hero point from my GM glyph.

Quinoline is happy to slot the Radiant Oath mentor boon if you'd like. I think you can take two mentor boons?

While working with less experienced Pathfinder allies, you shield your more fragile wards from the threat of death. For any PCs benefiting from a Level Bump and whose levels are lower than yours, you increase their current and maximum Hit Points by an additional amount equal to 3 times your Radiant Oath reputation tier.

She is currently Tier 3 = 9 HP.

I've also got the Horizon Hunters mentor boon if you want it (gives an extra bonus to saves).

Umbra, my apologies--I forgot that this character is Horizon Hunters, so I don't have that GA boon.

This information will make gameplay easier. When I need to bot someone they will have already made their action. For simplicity you can hit 'Reply.' Please, make sure to add the appropriate modifier and the final closed bracket (])to the die rolls.

Re-Roll:Y
Most likely use:Critical fail on a saving throw only
Day Job:Legal Legal Lore: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (1) + 10 = 11
Initiative: +X Initiative: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (17) + 10 = 27
Typical combat action:Double Slice
default combat action-shield boss: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (15) + 15 = 30
damage-shield boss-bludgeoning: 2d6 + 4 ⇒ (3, 5) + 4 = 12
default combat action-shortsword: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (16) + 17 = 33
damage-shortsword-slashing: 2d6 + 4 ⇒ (4, 4) + 4 = 12
attack of opportunity-shortsword: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (13) + 17 = 30
damage-shortsword-slashing: 2d6 + 4 ⇒ (3, 3) + 4 = 10

Any purchases before-session?
Has this character played #1-09 Star-Crossed Voyages? If so which slotless boon did you collect?Yes, Ally of the Iruxi

Looking forward to it. :)

Re-Roll:Y/N not sure what this means

Most likely use:

Hah! Sorry about that, it is a holdover from PFS1, where specific Paizo T-Shirts and accessories gave the player a reroll for the scenario. In PFS2 everyone gets at least one reroll with the hero-point system.

Gameplay thread is up, please join us over there, which should put this onto your campaign threads. There is still one person signed up that has not checked in, but we can begin... in a few hours.

As a GM I like to let the players tell the story they want to, please ask questions when you have them. And feel free to retro things if something become clear a day or two later. I am still making rules mistakes on PFS2 (still learning). I will not be offended if you tell me that is not how X rule works, so please correct me and make me a better GM!

Not late, but sorry I'm late! The spreadsheet didn't have a link last time I checked it. Glad to be here! I haven't played Star-Crossed Voyages with this character.

Umbra, I have the Envoy's Alliance boon, Skillful Mentor, and will slot it.

I'll give Namza my 1-glyph hero point.

Day Job: Performance (task level 3, DC 18): 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (19) + 13 = 32
Crit! 8 SP x 8 days = 64 SP.

Initiative: +9 (+2)
Initiative: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 9 + 2 = 17

Typical combat action:
default combat action-Illusory Creature: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (18) + 11 = 29
damage: 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

Many thanks all! I've GM'ed some games where no one was willing to slot a mentor boon so I really appreciate it!

I'll take advantage of Pyotr's Skillfull Mentor and Celister's Rugged Mentor for the bonus to skills and saves. Thanks again!

Thanks Namza for the extra hero point!

Re-Roll:Y, 3. Extra from Namza's glyph and then I will slot my promotional service award boon for a campaign coin for a bonus hero point that can be used on someone elses check.
Most likely use: tend to be conservative with them and use them towards the end of a scenario. If someone crit fails a check and they feel it's important they can use the campaign coin.

Day Job: Kobold Lore Task level 1, DC 15: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20 success, 0.2gp * 8 days = 1.60gp
Initiative: +8 Initiative: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 18

Typical combat action:
actions 1-2 electric arc. action 3: sustain bless, step, stride, shield, or guidance.
electric arc dc 20 reflex: 2d4 + 5 ⇒ (4, 4) + 5 = 13

Any purchases before-session? No
Has this character played #1-09 Star-Crossed Voyages? If so which slotless boon did you collect? No

Glyphs: one glyph - give hero point to Pyotr for slotting the mentor boon, and I regret i won't earn my 2nd glyph until end of this month so can't give out one to each of you
Note: I have played and ran the scenario

Slotting Boons: Promotional Service Award (campaign coin)

Thanks for the point! I'll be slotting the Heroic Inspiration boon as well, then.

Your most momentous actions can inspire your allies to follow suit. When you use a Hero Point to reroll a check and succeed at the check, your allies gain a +1 circumstance bonus to checks of the same type for 1 round (such as attack rolls, Will saves, or Perception checks).

Rerolls: no rerolls to hand out; currently a 0.975-glyph GM :( Quinoline will start with 2 Hero Points from a boon.

Most likely use: Crit-failing a check that will affect others. If I have multiple (or we get towards the end of the game), sometimes normal-failing a check that will affect others, or crit-failing a save that will affect myself.

---

Quinoline will not be slotting the Protective Mentor boon, then (unless there's someone else Level 3?), and she'll be slotting the Convention Hero boon as her Advanced boon.

Faction: Improved Radiant Oath Champion
Bonus Faction: Heroic Intervention
Advanced: Convention Hero
General: Sand Slide
General: Valais's Assurance
General: Waters of Warlock's Barrow

Yeah, I don’t really have many super-important boons to slot, so I’m happy to slot a mentor boon.

Quick question for the GM: how are you handling keeping track of Hero Points?

Good question. I had not thought of it as this is my first PbP in PF2.

I've personally put a running total up in the Campaign Info. Downside is that the GM has to pay a bit more attention to when they're used.

I've seen the following ways:

1. Honor system (typically asking people to track it in their taglines). That's usually the system I use when I GM, but to be honest, it's because I so often forget about Hero Points as a GM that I need to decentralize the tracking.

2. As a line in the Short Description in Campaign Info. This is what I would do if I had to change my system.

Example

3. As icons in the Slides. Usually, there's one slide dedicated to marching order and people, and someone just slaps a Hero Point picture next to someone's icon or name.

Example:

I tend to put mine up in my header, but am up for whatever. I haven't ran many games for people with glyphs, although as those proliferate I'll have to pay more attention to that.

As a PC i put them in a header or whatever the GM wants.

As a GM i also put them in my campaign slides. Example here:

That lets PC's remove them, as a GM i can check the history to make sure they were removed if I felt i needed to check that, and I can remove them if they forgot to remove it. But obviously that's just what works for me, everyone can have their own system

Boons
Faction: Horizon Hunters
Generic: Touched by the Storm
Generic: Expert Hireling (survival, sailing lore)
Generic: Team Player
Advanced: Convention Hero

School items (swords):Lesser healing potion, potency crystal (javelin)

Boons

Faction: Horizon Hunters
Generic: Touched by the Storm
Generic: Expert Hireling (survival, sailing lore)
Generic: Team Player
Advanced: Convention Hero

School items (swords):Lesser healing potion, potency crystal (javelin)

Thanks for that :) If the others do not want to list boons, no worries, but I think listing your school items will help eveyone decide what they might need. (that said if you want to choose after the briefing that is fine.)

Star Crossed slides have begun you can find them maps and handouts here. They are mostly blank, but they have been started.

The link has been added to the description page (meaning it will show up at the top of each page) as well in VT's stat block.

If for some reason Paizo sites go down, I will use the slides for communication.

Please add an icon to the first slide. We do not need it for a while, but eventually it will be relevant.

Faction: Improved Radiant Oath Champion
Bonus Faction: Heroic Inspiration
Advanced: Convention Hero
General: Sand Slide
General: Valais's Assurance
General: Waters of Warlock's Barrow

Quinoline is field commissioned and gains no items from schools. However, her inventory does include:

- Alchemical bombs up the wazoo: bottled lightning, alchemists's fire, acid flask, frost bomb (she also has formulae for dread ampoule and ghost charge, so if we know we need those she can prepare them). Quinoline generally opts for bottled lightning, which makes opponents flat-footed.
- 2 mistform elixirs made from daily preparations (i.e., not a big deal if you want one; if there's demand she'll make 4 rather than 2)
- 3 holy waters (not renewable but dirt cheap at this level)
- 1 lesser darkvision elixir (10 min duration, not renewable)
- 2 lesser elixir of life (3d6+5 HP plus +1 vs poison/disease, not renewable)

Quinoline, I believe field-commissioned agents start getting access to all-schools items of no more than half your level after level 1. Unless they changed that and the guide stayed the same.

Faction: Improved Envoy's Alliance Champion
Bonus Faction: Heroic Inspiration
Generic: Skillful Mentor
Generic: Arctic Survivor
Generic: Narsen's Web

Pyotr will take a scroll of haste and a scroll of soothe (1st-level) as his Spells items.

Interesting!

If your character is a field-commissioned agent, they do not get any points to assign to a school. At the beginning of each adventure, the agent receives a consumable item of half their level or lower from Table XX: All Schools

Quinoline will take a lesser healing potion.

faction: grand archive
general: promotional service award

School items: Take level 1 and level 2 scrolls of soothe.

Actually, Quinoline will take a potion of water breathing.

Boons
Faction: Horizon Hunters
Generic: Touched by the Storm
Generic: Doom Averted
Generic: Team Player

School items (spells): Scroll of heal (3rd), scroll of comprehend languages

"Hallit huh? That's fortunate."

"Ik bin tafallich flot yn Hallit."

** spoiler omitted **

Not to be that guy (who am I kidding, I'm always that guy), but how does Astrid know four uncommon languages when she only has a +2 Int.? I know humans post-errata get a bonus language, but I'm more curious about how you're accessing the other ones. Just reread the Guild Guide; everyone in PFS has access to the ethnic languages, so that checks out. I'm still curious how you have one extra language, though (Common, 1 from human, 2 from Int.; Astrid shows as having 5).

everyone in PFS has access to the ethnic languages, so that checks out

To be clear, Astrid still needs to have the Home Region (or World Traveler) boon that actually gives access.

For example, Quinoline (whose home region is Thuvia and does not have World Traveler) does not have access to Hallit. Instead, Quinoline has access to Osiriani.

Celister wrote:

everyone in PFS has access to the ethnic languages, so that checks out

To be clear, Astrid still needs to have the Home Region (or World Traveler) boon that actually gives access.

For example, Quinoline (whose home region is Thuvia and does not have World Traveler) does not have access to Hallit. Instead, Quinoline has access to Osiriani.

For one, everyone gets Home Region for free, so that's one thing.

For second, that statement I made was referring to this:

"A character with a high Intelligence score can select bonus languages from the list of modern human languages above or the bonus languages listed in the source for the character’s ancestry."

Emphasis: mine. The link's a bit wonky; you have to scroll up ever-so-slightly to see the section I'm referring to.

According to the guide:

Cultural Languages
Human: Humans can speak Common, as well as any other modern human language associated with their ethnicity. Humans gain one additional common language or regional language of their choice. The cultural languages listed below (along with their associated ethnicities) are good choices.

Which reads as common+cultural+one more.

There was even a discussion of it on the boards

Language discussion

Personally I think the guide is in error and it should just be common+cultural with an exception for areas without a distinct cultural language allowing them to chose one additional so that they don't get short-changed (characters from Taldor for example).

Jotun is the language that I picked up last. If it ever comes up in play it is my intention to ask the GM about it.

Celister wrote:

everyone in PFS has access to the ethnic languages, so that checks out

To be clear, Astrid still needs to have the Home Region (or World Traveler) boon that actually gives access.

For example, Quinoline (whose home region is Thuvia and does not have World Traveler) does not have access to Hallit. Instead, Quinoline has access to Osiriani.

Quin does indeed have access to Hallit. Here are the full details according to the guide:

Cultural Languages
Human: Humans can speak Common, as well as any other modern human language associated with their ethnicity. Humans gain one additional common language or regional language of their choice. The cultural languages listed below (along with their associated ethnicities) are good choices.

Common (Taldan)
Erutaki (Erutaki)
Hallit (Kellid)
Kelish (Kelishite)
Osiriani (Garundi)
Polyglot (Mwangi)
Shoanti (Shoanti)
Skald (Ulfen)
Tien (Tian)
Varisian (Varisian)
Varki (Varki)
Vudrani (Vudrani)
Bonus Languages
A character with a high Intelligence score can select bonus languages from the list of modern human languages above or the bonus languages listed in the source for the character’s ancestry.

Link to languages section of the guide

According to the guide:

Cultural Languages
Human: Humans can speak Common, as well as any other modern human language associated with their ethnicity. Humans gain one additional common language or regional language of their choice. The cultural languages listed below (along with their associated ethnicities) are good choices.

Which reads as common+cultural+one more.

There was even a discussion of it on the boards

Language discussion

Personally I think the guide is in error and it should just be common+cultural with an exception for areas without a distinct cultural language allowing them to chose one additional so that they don't get short-changed (characters from Taldor for example).

Jotun is the language that I picked up last. If it ever comes up in play it is my intention to ask the GM about it.

Ah. Read it as an implementation of the errata prior to its release, but I could be wrong. I personally agree, I think humans are supposed to start with two and not three. I've also seen one of those posters around the forums and...I take their opinion with a grain of salt.

I interpret that as:

1. Humans, as a race, can speak Common, common languages, and the regional languages.

2. An individual human speaks Common, plus one of:
2a. A common language
2b. Their regional language

3. Anyone with a high Intelligence (including non-humans) can pick their bonus languages from:
3a. The human languages.
3b. The ancestry languages listed.

To be clear, I (the player) mean no ill will toward you, Astrid; Celister (the character) is just really snarky.

Can you get permission (ooc in Discussion) before you do it to anyone else?

Not everyone is going to like "really snarky." To tell the truth, I slightly dislike it.

I had to look up an old thread where someone introduced themselves with the phrase "sup b%%%*es" to make sure you weren't the same player that I've had this disagreement with before. This isn't the same phrase but the "my character is a jerk, not me" was too familiar.

My RL friends and I are quite snarky with each other, but we've known each other for 20+ years and we have enough "water under the bridge" that when we cross the line (and we do), we can call each other out. We (you and I) don't have that, so it's difficult to know the sentiment behind certain jokes.

I interpret that as:

1. Humans, as a race, can speak Common, common languages, and the regional languages.

2. An individual human speaks Common, plus one of:
2a. A common language
2b. Their regional language

3. Anyone with a high Intelligence (including non-humans) can pick their bonus languages from:
3a. The human languages.
3b. The ancestry languages listed.

Again, the first part is heavily up to interpretation. We'll hash it out if, for some reason, Jotun actually comes up in this scenario or whatever. Otherwise, let's just ignore it and move on with our lives.

Celister wrote:

To be clear, I (the player) mean no ill will toward you, Astrid; Celister (the character) is just really snarky.

Can you get permission (ooc in Discussion) before you do it to anyone else?

Not everyone is going to like "really snarky." To tell the truth, I slightly dislike it.

I had to look up an old thread where someone introduced themselves with the phrase "sup b$@$*es" to make sure you weren't the same player that I've had this disagreement with before. This isn't the same phrase but the "my character is a jerk, not me" was too familiar.

My RL friends and I are quite snarky with each other, but we've known each other for 20+ years and we have enough "water under the bridge" that when we cross the line (and we do), we can call each other out. We (you and I) don't have that, so it's difficult to know the sentiment behind certain jokes.

And that is very fair. Thank you for mentioning that, and I'll be sure to do so. That said, Celister doesn't really go too far into the "jerk" territory, he's just really sarcastic and likes to call people out. Again, though, you bring up a valid concern, and I will be more mindful of that moving forward. Admittedly, I actually feel really bad about not even asking the other players if they were okay with it before just diving right in, but I'm glad that it's at least been brought up now.

Honestly, I was more worried about how folks would respond to Celister's sexual innuendos than I was about the response to his sassiness.

Boons:

Faction Improved Horizon Hunters Champion
Bonus from Improved Champion Rugged Wayfinder
Advanced Convention Hero Quinoline and I start this scenario with an additional Hero Point
Generic 1 Mind Quake Scars
Generic 2 Rugged Mentor
Generic 3 Exotic Edge (Technically haven’t purchased this, but I would like to prior to the official start of the scenario, if the GM will allow; If not I’ll slot something else)

Scenario Consumable Fan Feather Token

Celister doesn't really go too far into the "jerk" territory, he's just really sarcastic and likes to call people out. Again, though, you bring up a valid concern, and I will be more mindful of that moving forward.

If you're mindful of it and what you posted is representative of things that are said, I'm okay with Celister being Celister around Quinoline.

It's not a big deal but I did want to say something before it became a big deal. Like we're facing down the BBE while mad at each other or something.

Thank you for mentioning Quinoline, I support and agree with your stance. :)
Thank you for being responsive Celister, it helps to differentiate the player from the character. :)

To everyone, it is especially difficult to tell if someone is uncomfortable in a PbP. At a real table there might be downcast eyes, fidgeting, nervous whispers or a hundred other subtle clues. If anyone does feel uncomfortable about ANYTHING I support you saying so to the table. If saying something to the group makes you uncomfortable, please PM me. :)

I tend to a PG-13 level of descriptive violence/gore. I am OK with more, I just lean that way in public settings. Please PM me if you that is too much. I have run games for much younger audiences, so if I go too far please call ME out.

It can help to take the potential offense 'off-stage' so to speak. Rather than "Cursing out loud!", try using the narrative... "he says things blue enough a sailor would blush."

I normally put this in my initial post when GMing, but I do not think I have GM a PbP since last Gameday-I am out of practice!

END OF PSA. Back to gaming! :)

To clarify: you are already in a city with towers of stone and glass. Had you flown in, this is what I imagine your arrival might have looked like.

Celister has Assurance in one of the checks. While the total is not enough for a Success, it is enough to avoid a Critical Failure, which is what it would take to effect the outcome gained of everyone else's checks....

Apologies, I usually make it a point not to post or even look at my PbPs on Sundays. But that’s a fair bot nonetheless.

Venture Teller Play b'Post wrote:

Celister has Assurance in one of the checks. While the total is not enough for a Success, it is enough to avoid a Critical Failure, which is what it would take to effect the outcome gained of everyone else's checks....

Apologies, I usually make it a point not to post or even look at my PbPs on Sundays. But that’s a fair bot nonetheless.

Thanks for letting me know, I will keep it in mind for the future. Sundays are kind of the same for me (the only day me & my love both have off), but I am on vacation this week. :) I

I added Pyotr and Quinolin's avatar to the slides page. Please let me know if you have trouble getting to it. Star Crossed Slides

To be honest, my player knows what these are. Unless something obvious happens (like someone failing a save), Quinoline has to assume these are just weird spiders. If someone thinks there's an in-character reason for Quinoline to hang back, I'm more than happy to stay far away and revise Stride to Recall Knowledge or Avert Gaze.

Quinoline moves in to get a closer shot. She reaches into her bandolier and flings it backhanded at Blue.

[dice=Moderate Bottled Lightning]1d20+13
[dice=Electricity]2d6+4 plus flat-footed
4 splash electricity on a miss

While everyone is watching the first vial fly through the air, she has already reached into another pocket and produced a second vial. If the first vial hits, the second vial will be an acid flask; if the first vial misses, it will be another bottled lightning (stats above).

[dice=Moderate Acid Flask, MAP]1d20+13-5 vs FF?
[dice=Acid]4 plus 2d6 persistent acid
4 splash acid on a miss

Just checking, Quin, but you’re using your weird bomber thing to not deal splash damage to ME, right?

Quinoline doesn't think it's all that weird.

All of her bottles are handcrafted with a base of standard glass and a top made of brittle quartz glass, so the splash is anisotropic.

Throwing the bottle with initial velocity (Vo) at an angle (θ) means the bottle is flying for

-g*t = -2*Vo*sin θ
=> t = 2*Vo/g*sin θ

Where g is the gravitational constant at Golarion's surface.

Throwing with an angular rotation (ω) allows the bottle to land at an angle of ω(0)+Δω = ω(0)+2*ω*Vo/g*sin θ. Just make sure

ω(0)+2*ω*Vo/g*sin θ = π/2

and the splash will shoot straight up!

... (yes, she is limiting her damage to just the target's square.)