Curse of the Crimson Throne (complete) (Inactive)

Game Master Whack-a-Rogue

Awesome! I’ll get it up soon (work has become HAIR PULLINGLY) difficult. But in a day or two it’ll be squared away. Leveling up with be a welcome diversion.

Could I get a PM on the sword so I can have some details to work with when it comes to handing it over to Usawoti?

@Usawoti: When it comes to choosing feats, assume Serithtial isn't a factor. Don't worry; it'll make sense once the sword is in your hands. ;-)

that works, I just wanted to double check. Will start working on level 16.

Planning out some posts, but I think that I need the level up first. So...

LEVEL 16 (THE FINAL LEVEL) Brawler Monk / Sorcerer
ABP: Ability Boost: +2 Str (30) +2 Con (24) +2 Wis (20)

HP: +6 (class) + 7 (Con) + 15 (Con increase) +1 (FC) = 200 total!
Deflection: +1 (+5)
Saves: +1 (all)
BaB: +1

Background Feats (forgot lvl 14...)
Lvl 14: Lifebound
Benefit: Whenever a spell, spell-like ability, or supernatural ability heals you up to your maximum number of hit points, any excess hit points persist for 1 round per level as temporary hit points (up to a maximum number of hit points equal to 1/2 your character level). If the healing from the spell or spell-like ability would normally persist as temporary hit points, you instead add 1/2 your character level to the spell’s caster’s level to determine the total number of temporary hit points that you gain.
Lvl 16: Robustness
Benefit: Whenever you are the target of a spell, sphere ability, or supernatural ability that allows you to regain hit points that does not grant fast healing, you heal additional hit points equal to your Hit Dice. The increase in healing can not be greater than the original amount of healing granted. When you are granted fast healing, the fast healing heals 1 additional hit point per round.

Brawler Monk: 1 combat talent
* Barroom Shere with Teetotaler (for Barroom Expert)
- No penalty when throwing improvised weapons, they count as 1 size category larger, and they have 18-20 crit range.

He keeps throwing random stuff. So might as well make that his capstone!

Sorcerer:
* Chaotic Flexibility* At 16th level, a sorcerer can gain the use of 1d3 magic talents of her choice for 1 minute. She may only have one use of chaotic flexibility active at any one time; using this ability again replaces the previous one. These talents can only be used with tap chaos.
* Sphere Talent: Outsider Body
- With permanent, Torsten will now have Agile (+2 dodge to AC), Axiomatic Form (lawful subtype, DR5/chaos) and Inevitable Body (Construct subtype and dwarf subtype, +5 Fort, except on things that work vs objects)

How much spending money do we have? Torsten has a few tattoos planned and now would be a good time to make them. Would selling our loot cover 2500 gold worth of tattoo materials?

Well that's just a little disconcerting...

How much spending money do we have? Torsten has a few tattoos planned and now would be a good time to make them. Would selling our loot cover 2500 gold worth of tattoo materials?

Let me do a little math, I'll get back to you :)

How much spending money do we have? Torsten has a few tattoos planned and now would be a good time to make them. Would selling our loot cover 2500 gold worth of tattoo materials?

Before we headed to the castle we had 8,881.5‬ gp. in gems and coins.

By the way, the ghost image was fine, feel free to use it. I just had to do a double take.

Do you want me to calculate the sale value of the other items> YBD would we even have time to sell them?

@Usawoti: Time is of the essence, as you don't know how much longer until Ileosa's ritual completes. For reference, as you weren't here for the relevant part of the campaign, Korvosa's population is approximately 18,000 people, and the vast majority of them were 'inoculated' during the plague.

That's what I figured, Torsten can use the coins and gems we have to do his thing. The scrolls, potions, and bow Usawoti will keep with him. The rest of the stuff he'll dump at the hideout, or Torsten's place.

He'll info dump for the rebels, rest and meet Torsten at his shop in the morning. Then head to pick up the sword. Or Torsten can pick up the sword then meet him at Torstens shop, I'm good either way.

While I feel bad using up the loot, as it doesn't seem like we will have a chance to go shopping before the final fight(s), I'll use it to get Torsten's tattoos completely finished.

* Booming Voice Tattoo (neck; 125gp crafting cost) - can raise voice up to 3x its normal volume
* Torag's Grace Tattoo (leg; 2200 crafting cost) - feather fall
* Cassisian Tattoo (face; 2000gp crafting cost) - familiar melds into tattoo

Gold Left: 8881 - 125 - 2200 - 2000 = 4556

That is just about Torsten's share. So the rest goes to Usawoti, to use as he will.

Also, for the profile picture, I actually changed it because it didn't match how Torsten would look in my head. I couldn't find anything that does. However the dwarven axe? It fits, in that he has finally turned himself into a weapon.

So the axe it is...

In character the loot is irrelevant to Usawoti, Out of character we don't have the time to go on a shopping spree. He will borrow a few arrows from their friends so he can use the flaming bow and keep all the scrolls available.

Here are the new items on the 'loot list' I don't know if we'll have a chance to sell them or not before this is over. I'll keep working on the value after I get Usawoti leveled up.

shock sawtooth saber x2
555gp
MW Full Plate x3
MW Heavy Steel Shield x3
MW Composite Longbow (STR +2) x3
Arrow x60
MW Longsword x3
942gp
flaming composite longbow (STR +5)
Large unholy spiked chain
Scroll - break enchantment
Scroll - greater teleport used that one
Scroll - wall of force
handy haversack
necklace of adaptation
Ring of Keys
Spell Component Pouch
20gp
Scroll - banishment
Scroll - binding x2
Scroll - etherealness
Scroll - plane shift
Fool's Leprosy x3

I wish I'd paid better attention to Usawoti's sheet, apparently we need to find the queen, we could have been using gravetongue to interview everyone we killed...

I still need to move everything to Usawoti's page, but here are the updates added @ 16 th lvl
ABP:
Ability boost x3: Str, Con, Cha
background feat: Ghostslayer
Deflection +5
Ranger
+ 10 HP
+ 1 BAB, Fort, Refl.
Improved evasion,
ranger talent: Improved Sneak Attack:
Combat Talents: Balanced Blows
Skills @ 9: + 1 to Acrobatics, Athletics, Disable Device, Influence, Knowledge (divine), (martial) Sense motive, Stealth and Survival.
Soul Weaver
+ 1 will, base caster level,
Channel Blessing/Blight:
magic talent: Enervation:

(I believe that's a scimitar, but you also have the option of replacing the blade of your klar).

Sadly it is, I wasn't thinking about 'sphere' martial traditions and thought it could at least be a long sword.

I would have rather taken the 'exotic weapon' feat back at 15 or a sphere at 16, than have the sword alter that much. But it is what it is. He'll use it as a scimitar, making it the Klar even feels worse.

Ah, I forgot to mention: if you will it to be a longsword, it'll automatically grant proficiency as that's Iomedae's favored weapon.

Well, now I'm a little embarrassed that I whined. Cool, at least that way bad guys will go, "Oh no, it's Serithtial."

Tis a good sword!

* Bane Zon-Kuthon servants
* Transformative to favored weapon
* Constant: Death Ward and Freedom of Movement
* SLAs: 3x cure moderate wounds, 3x zone of truth

@Usawoti: Since it's intelligent, the sword uses its own actions to cast the SLAs. That means you can still take a full round of actions whenever one is used. :-) The transformative (blades) property allows you to use your relevant feats and talents with it. Thunder and Fang, for instance, requires a klar, so you can shift out of longsword form whenever you want to use that style.

Also, as a major artifact, it's completely invulnerable outside of extremely specific circumstances that take a lot of work to bring about. :-)

It's funny. I had some ideas on how Torsten's parents would react to his new condition and was mulling over how such an event would go. But somehow, it just felt more realistic, and sadder, for stubbornness to win over, which in turn would become unspoken regret. Torsten will move on, becoming less and less of a person as he takes his magic too far, driven by a need to prove himself, and his parents will be left haunted by Usawoti's words, but never having the ability to put said feelings into action, or even words.

It's not a happy ending, by any means...but my rule of thumb is to do what feels right. I'd like to thank you both for sticking with me, and being part of this story. :)

My assumption is that we are going to go speak to the queens ex lover, picking up a scabbard is really just secondary. Are we waiting on anything particular?

Sounds good. I hadn't been sure if the conversation was over and what was decided. I'll update in a bit.

*sigh* so I have this theory that APs (even some old school mods) will give players the items they need to solve problems, just in case.

I feel like the solution to getting to the Fortress of Solitude ancient Thassalonian ruin in the Mushfens was the Scroll of greater teleport, which we used to get back to the previous tower.

Torsten any thoughts on how to get there?

Your theory is correct. Part of effective game design is understanding that players don't always build their characters in the expected directions, so alternate solutions should be provided for otherwise-insurmountable problems. It's the same reason S&S had a bunch of water breathing potions as loot shortly before Elek traveled to Mancatcher Cove to explore an underwater dungeon. ;-)

Sort of a late question this far in the game, can Usawoti use the soul weavers class ability 'bless' on himself?

Of course!

To prevent the waste of an expensive scroll, I'll tell you that the walls have the ghost touch property, so ethereal travel won't work. Based on what I see in terms of your resources, there are three viable entrance options - and yes, one is Torsten punching a hole in the wall. That one will take a good bit longer than anticipated, though.

Sorry, left for a funeral late this morning and family who came over afterwards to visit just left.

Part of me thinks there might be an entrance up top that we can't see, which we may be able to see if we get to the top, through climbing or flying. Part of me thinks there are submerged entrance under the surface. Part of me thinks the entrances are covered by illusions and we need to magically find them. I have no idea if any of the three are right.

A couple questions about the situation. Is the base entirely submerged? Is there any 'dry' access to the pyramid itself or will we be walking/swimming through the water.

The pyramid is tilted, as you can see in the image, but the portion that's submerged deepest is approximately 40ft underwater.

On a potentially related note, because Spheres encourages specialization when it comes to magic, it tends to leave gaps that Paizo doesn't necessarily account for. Detect magic is a cantrip in regular PF, for example, but it's rare for a spherecaster to have that capability because it's only accessible through the Divination sphere. Combine spherecasting with a smaller-than-average party size (making it less likely that all of your bases are covered), and certain things naturally become more difficult. ;-)

In regards to your three ideas, at least one is correct.

ok, so now back to the puzzle, I'll keep looking at what Usawoti can find and what scrolls we have, Torsten any ideas looking for a magical door or an illusion covering one?

edit: Sorry, I know it's a rooky question, but I can't find the answer based on he spells. Is ghost touch and ethereal or going to the Ethereal Plane the same thing?

so depending on whether being ethereal may help or not, would sprinkling dust of disappearance on the pyramid make the physical part of the pyramid disappear but leave the illusion/magic? ... just spitballing here. I'm sure out 2 pouches of 'Dust of Disappearance will make the whole pyramid disappear :)

@Usawoti: Here are the relevant rules bits for you. :-)

An ethereal creature is invisible, insubstantial, and capable of moving in any direction, even up or down, albeit at half normal speed. As an insubstantial creature, you can move through solid objects, including living creatures. An ethereal creature can see and hear on the Material Plane, but everything looks gray and ephemeral. Sight and hearing onto the Material Plane are limited to 60 feet.

A ghost touch weapon deals damage normally against incorporeal creatures, regardless of its bonus. An incorporeal creature’s 50% reduction in damage from corporeal sources does not apply to attacks made against it with ghost touch weapons. The weapon can be picked up and moved by an incorporeal creature at any time. A manifesting ghost can wield the weapon against corporeal foes. Essentially, a ghost touch weapon counts as both corporeal or incorporeal.

In other words, becoming ethereal won't help you enter the pyramid.

Sprinkling dust of disappearance on the pyramid will make that specific portion become invisible for up to 2d6 rounds. It won't even come close to vanishing the entire structure, and if there's an illusion present in the affected area, it'll turn invisible as well.

I think I mentioned it in Discussion a few days ago, but the pyramid's base is completely underwater - 40ft at its deepest point. To reach the pyramid, you'll have to either fly or swim.

that is what I thought, will take a look and see how to get usawoti flying and bring Torsten along

... The fly spell from your armor lasts for 5min total....

We flew to the tower turned to gaseous form and 'rematerialized' here. It feels like we're about to go into rounds, and afterwards hopefully we can fly up the chute. How much time would you guestimate we took getting here?

Around a minute, counting the quick scan you took of the room you arrived in.

EDIT: I just saw your question in Gameplay. This would be considered "Swamp" for favored terrain purposes. "Urban" refers to cities, towns, and other well-populated areas.

Thanks, I will try and keep track of the time.

The EDIT: so sad :)

Since we're in a huge building I didn't know for sure. Urban does list buildings, as well as streets and sewers, as part of its purview.

While true, the Sunken Queen is a ruined monument in the middle of a swamp. It's less urban than Sumitha (from S&S) was when you initially discovered it. ;-)

The mist covers almost the entire floor. Do either of you want to take any actions before I advance to the next round?

Wow, good question...

give us just a second to chat in game.

Due to the circumstances of this encounter, I haven't rolled initiative. We're clearly in combat, though, and the enemy has just finished its turn.

I hate to admit this, but I've no idea how to translate 'destructive blast' in to spell level.

Sphere effects have a spell level equal to half your caster level rounded down. You can also voluntarily lower your caster level (and thus the effective spell level) whenever you use a sphere ability. For your destructive blast, as a 16th-level Soul Weaver, it's equivalent to an 8th-level spell.

cook, I figured it was around half, so 15 + 16 = 31 so he cast defensively, now we just hope the ranged touch hit... I will make a note so I don't forget.

Looks like the spider moved back 10 ft. I'm assuming Usawoti doesn't need to cast defensively, and Torsten gets an aoo...

I'm an idiot! I put those down as two options...either slap or move action, and I copied them both when making the attacks. My apologies for that. Quite embarassed.

No worries! I applied them as if you spent your Swift action and martial focus, so all of them were used. :-)

Since our ability to fly is going to end here in a few minutes in game, what would be t he mechanics for Torsten to punch 'hand holds' in the shafts going up and down?

It's pretty straightforward - if not time-consuming. He'll need to punch into the stone (hardness 24, 16320hp, Break DC 50) eight times to make enough handholds. You both automatically pass the Athletics (climb) checks, so that's basically it.

Other options include resting until tomorrow so your armor resets or using two more Potions of gaseous form.

If we hurry, we may be able to fly to the highest level and then work our way down. That's assuming it's not a three dimensional maze, needing to go down to go up.

Note: I made a typo for the stone stats. The hp should be 1,620.

In the many years that I've been GMing, I don't think I've ever had a devil successfully summon reinforcements. :-(

Between channeling and spell pool, that encounter used about a fourth of Usawoti's resources. I was hoping to use the hammer more, but I felt using the ray and channeling was a better option than flying at the thing and hitting it.

Also, would have taken the time to used the wand for healing if the timing on the 'flying' wasn't limited. Hopefully I can do a better job of managing Usawoti's resources when dealing with more minions.