PFS1e 6-18 - From Under Ice (KS) (Inactive)

Game Master phaeton_nz

Discussion Thread

Where are the characters at the start of the adventure? Are they at some Lodge or somewhere else?

Store page for From Under the Ice

Looks like we are on our way to Irrisen.

The Pathfinders set out to the Land of the Linnorm Kings…

Guess it is time to buy cold weather gear…

Store page for From Under the Ice

Looks like we are on our way to Irrisen.

Quote:

The Pathfinders set out to the Land of the Linnorm Kings…

Guess it is time to buy cold weather gear…

Tough to say. Sometimes we start in Absalom and then travel to wherever. If we're already on the way there I'll add all the cold weather gear to Kaseem's pre-scenario purchase. So I've got Cold Weather Outfit, Furs, Snowshoes, Cleats, Climber's Kit, Snow goggles, Sunblock kohl, and Heated gloves. Am I missing anything? Oh and he'll be casting Endure Elements on himself everyday.

I'll ensure Nilah has a cold-weather outfit pre-scenario too.

You can purchase those on the Pixie

Dumped level 2 BB Code in and adjusted headers.

I still need to clean up the profile, update botting and get rid of old level 1 stuff.

Sorry, everyone, for being late to the party - got flooded at work. :-(
I will post in gameplay later today.

Purchases:

Wayfinder (1PP), from the chronicle of "The Confirmation"
Wand of endure elements (2PP)
2x Holy Symbol, wooden (1g, 0lb)

Total: 3PP, 2g

Baldrum casts guidance and uses his domain ability Recall immediately afterwards. He does this for each of Syco's (and Kaseem's, if applicable) Knowledge checks, please reroll them with an additional total bonus of +4 (+3 insight, +1 competence).

That was a really good play! This is the cooperational spirit I'm looking for in PFS games!

Thank you! I love to cooperate! :-)

I tried to make an unchained monk that is also useful out of combat, but I did not want to diminish his fighting abilities - as multiclassing usually hurts the monk.
The idea was that taking a level of cleric - with the Knowledge(Memory) and Plant(Growth) subdomains, choosing the Ecclesitheurge archetype - will create a lot of synergy and benefits for a lot of situations with just a few drawbacks (slower progression of the monk, -1 BAB).

Let's see how it works in the field - Baldrum multiclassed into this build right before this mission. But it looks like a good start... ;-)

I have been in groups that have trouble with the Cooperate concept, that is why I made it clear that I would share charges from the wand.

It can be very difficult to know when someone is joking or serious in PbP.

When he was accepting this mission, Baldrum went and bought a wand of Endure Elements. For the journey on the ship he will not use it, because he will memorize the spell twice so he can cast the spell on one more person if needed.

On the Grinning Pixie Baldrum realizes that his outfit will make him stand out in Irrisen, he chooses to buy some winter gear to blend in.

Additional Purchases:

- Cold Weather Outfit (8g, 7lb)
- Cleats (5g, 2lb)

New total: 3PP, 15g

Before leaving Kaseem was also purchasing a Wand of Endure Elements for 2 PP in addition to the other gear.

So I have a quick question.

We have a Barbarian with the Superstition rage power.

Superstition (Ex) (PRPG Core Rulebook pg. 33): The barbarian gains a +2 morale bonus on saving throws made to resist spells, supernatural abilities, and spell-like abilities. This bonus increases by +1 for every 4 levels the barbarian has attained. While raging, the barbarian cannot be a willing target of any spell and must make saving throws to resist all spells, even those cast by allies.

It says they get a bonus against spells, supernatural abilities, and spell-like abilities. They must resist spells.

It doesn’t specify they must resist SLA or Supernatural Abilities. I personally would find strange if they didn’t have to resist SLAs.

Can Kalak accept a mesmerist trick, which is a Su ability?

This seems like something where there would be table variation.

Note that the tricks can only be implanted on a willing creature, so if Kalak doesn’t want it then this doesn’t matter.

Post being asked about

That's an automatic success and passing the secret message, right?

Yes, it is a DC 15 to use Bluff to pass a simple secret message, or DC 20 for more complicated one. The intended recipient understands it without a roll.

For someone else to understand it would require them to succeed at an opposed Sense Motive check.

——

@GM Has there been any more opportunities since this one to befriend Haltani? I have only made a single roll, but did ask that you let me know when there was another chance to do so. I don’t like to spam dice rolls as it can cause problems and in some scenarios cause failures.

——

As for visiting Whitehall, it isn’t clear to me if we can avoid it or not.

We have two people that want to avoid it (Cith and Nilah) and one that wants to go there (Kaseem).

If there is a possibility of avoid it (I don’t know if there is), we as a group should decide which way we want it to go. Having different players give opposite responses is going to cause problems.

There are other opportunities, and it is still possible to avoid going to Whitehall although, the guards would be insisting you go.

Alright, sounds like we need a group decision.

Do we just meekly go along with these Ulfen to Whitehall or do we try to avoid it? My character doesn’t have much for other skills, but he has the people skills and there are others in the group that also do.

Syco's not much of a face. In fact I think that if he was to try and convince the guards to let the group go he would probably make everything worse. He's going to play along with whatever happens, better not to cause issues with the local authorities.

It seems like a distraction from our main mission, but Nilah's rolls and charms haven't really deterred the guards from their drive to bring us elsewhere.

Alright, sounds like we need a group decision.

Do we just meekly go along with these Ulfen to Whitehall or do we try to avoid it? My character doesn’t have much for other skills, but he has the people skills and there are others in the group that also do.

Kaseem doesn't want to go but he senses these guards aren't taking 'no' for an answer. Looking at the map made available in the Slides, it appears Whiterook is *right* across the river from Dalun. Since we're supposed to be traders, it would look suspicious if we passed up on an opportunity to trade with the locals and Whiterook looks like/might be? a sizeable place to trade and perhaps gather more information. Basically it seems like the module is nudging the PCs in this direction and we haven't been able to change course. Given that we were told not to make trouble it seems going the violent route would be a bad idea.

Thought I had made it clear that I wasn’t interested in violence.

Still, sounds like most of the group wants to go. I will not attempt to change course in that case.

Thought I had made it clear that I wasn’t interested in violence.

Still, sounds like most of the group wants to go. I will not attempt to change course in that case.

You did. I was just giving my opinion on what I thought the module was providing with regards to resolving the encounter. I wasn't suggesting Cith is a bloodthirsty monster; he's City the Kitty!

Hello all. I'm going to be in nature and away from computers starting Friday evening (4/29, 5pm, US/Pacific time) until late Sunday 5/1. I should be able to catch up in all games that same evening. As my absence is over the weekend I hope/expect for minimal disruption to my games.

@Nilah: Have fun!

@GM phaeton_nz:
I have a question regarding Baldrum's class feature Blessing of the Faithful: How obvious is it when I use it? In other words, does it have visual and audio effects? Can it be used (undetected) in social situations e.g. for intimidate, bluff or diplomacy?
I could not find anything about that on the internet...

I know that casting guidance in social situations usually does not help as casting a spell is normally quite obvious and suspicious.
However, the blessing is not a spell or even a spell-like ability, but a supernatural one. And it has unlimited uses (which means I can use it once every round), so duration isn't a problem.

As a standard action, the ecclesitheurge can bless one ally within close range (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels). A blessed ally gains a +2 sacred or profane bonus (depending on whether the ecclesitheurge channels positive or negative energy) on attack rolls, skill checks, ability checks, or saving throws or to AC until the ecclesitheurge’s next turn. The ecclesitheurge can expend 1 use of channel energy when activating this ability to increase the duration to a number of rounds equal to the number of dice of his channel energy.

Darn. I guess we failed to convince them to stay put entirely :/

Blessing of the Faithful (Su): As a standard action, the ecclesitheurge can bless one ally within close range (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels). A blessed ally gains a +2 sacred or profane bonus (depending on whether the ecclesitheurge channels positive or negative energy) on attack rolls, skill checks, ability checks, or saving throws or to AC until the ecclesitheurge’s next turn. The ecclesitheurge can expend 1 use of channel energy when activating this ability to increase the duration to a number of rounds equal to the number of dice of his channel energy.

I presume the bless aspect works the same way as the spell which is a V, S, SF spell so I presume it would be obvious that you're doing it unless you have additional feats to make the Bless more subtle.

Thanks!

There's a FAQ which address Spell-like abilities (SLAs) but not Supernatural abilities (Su).

Baldrum is itching for a fight! :-)

@all: If the wolf gets too cocky, would you be ok with me acting on it?

I’m not sure we can avoid this fight. Thought I would give it a shot, hopefully at least throw them off balance.

I don’t object if you decide to take advantage of the distraction that Cith is hopefully giving people.

So are we all supposed to be in one area? I put my avatar down where most of the others were, but thought it would have made more sense if we were near the ice we just melted through.

Right now the group is sort of split.

So are we all supposed to be in one area? I put my avatar down where most of the others were, but thought it would have made more sense if we were near the ice we just melted through.

Right now the group is sort of split.

I wasn't sure where we were and where we needed to be to use the blackfire clay to melt the ice. Maybe where Baldrum's token is at is where the blackfire was used?

As far as I see it .. you can be where you want to be. Uliyara will be with the group keeping you between it and her.

I moved Kaseem and Haltani so they weren't off in space by themselves and everyone would've been in range of his Bless spell. I made sure to keep Haltani behind Kaseem and Cith and the rock/thing to her side for more protection.

I had lost track of how many days we traveled. How many charges should I mark off the wand of Endure Elements?

I don't know why, but this is the most fast paced PbP game I've ever had. Every time I check the forum for new posts there are 3-4 new posts here, and I check pretty frequently. That's a very good thing, and I want to thank you all for this!

The module doesn't actually say how many days travel. I'd guess two days in Irrisen so far. Not sure you'd need the Wand before that.

I don't know why, but this is the most fast paced PbP game I've ever had. Every time I check the forum for new posts there are 3-4 new posts here, and I check pretty frequently. That's a very good thing, and I want to thank you all for this!

I think there are two reasons for that:

1) We have some very active players (including the GM) who check for posts regularly, often more than once per day.
I also want to say: Thanks for that! :-)

2) The players of this group are spread around the globe.
The GM is located in New Zealand, you and I are in Europe (I am in Austria), and - I believe - a few others are in the US.
This seems to make a nice environment for PbP as in the 24 hours of a whole day there's always someone (of our group) awake.

I am in the US, although I have been known to be on at strange times given my timezone.

I also tend to spend a lot of time on the PbP section of these forums. Used to be on the other sections more, got overloaded on them and haven’t been there as much of late.

I'm in US/Pacific and I tend to be the last to post :) I get home from a full day of work and catchup on a lot of PbP. Sometimes there are more posts and night and I'm happy to oblige, but for many games I'm closing out threads of discussion or unblocking a round of combat.

If you want me to slow down, I could.

I don't mean to say it's an issue (unless my lateness is for others).

If you want me to slow down, I could.

Not at all! I really like the pace of this table!

If Nilah - and everybody else - is fine with it, I'd also like to keep the fast pace.

OK. I've been told I go too fast sometimes so I try to wait until most of the party have posted before posting again.

Hi guys, I want to tell you that I will have a bit of things going on IRL from Friday 5/6 to Sunday 5/8. I should be able to post, but if you don't see any update from me it's just because I will be very busy those days.

@GM: If you want to post more, you could tell Baldrum in the meantime if any of the items he scanned with detect magic is magical - and if he should make spellcraft checks. ;-)

I think we are waiting on a Strength check to get through a door.

I think we are waiting on a Strength check to get through a door.

Yep and readying or preparing actions.

Just checking, does Vargrim count for this FJC goal? I don’t know the CR.

Defeat an outsider that has the evil subtype or an undead creature whose CR is at least equal to your character level.