GM Harrow’s Curse of the Crimson Throne - AE

Game Master GM Harrow

Excellent work, Shrike, that's truly a monster effort! I'll post a montage with Elric's reactions and shopping once work and family commitments are handled.

Thank you Shrike for taking care of all of the bookkeeping. I greatly appreciate not having to worry about that.

I'll get a post up today, or at least try to.

One last question for the GM, would it be alright if I did get a suit of mithril plate with the cash from selling all of the loot?

Also, Shrike, I'm okay with taking the funds needed to repair the warehouse out of the total before the split.

Mithril plate is fine.

Mithril plate is fine.

WOO! Thanks! I'll work on having Audria's updated sheet posted before the weekend.

Another mithral armor related question/GM ruling:

Elric is getting a +1 mithral breastplate, and I'm considering adding an enhancement to it. Looking at Bolstering for a nice boost to saves, but it can only be applied to medium and heavy armor.

Now, the rules for Mithral state that: "Most mithral armors are one category lighter than normal for purposes of movement and other limitations. Heavy armors are treated as medium, and medium armors are treated as light, but light armors are still treated as light."

Because of this, HeroLab won't let me add Bolstering to the breastplate, but the wording specifies "limitations" and you could argue that adding an enhancement is not a limitation.

Yes, I don't see why you cannot make a Bolstering mithral breastplate.

All right, Elric and Galewing are leveled and have completed their shopping.

Level 9 notes
Elric: +1 Ranger level, New feat: Iron Will
Galewing: New feat: Death from Above

New or upgraded gear:
+1 composite longbow upgraded (or traded in) to +1 darkwood adaptive cruel composite longbow (+3 str) - Cost: 7.030 gp (Queen's writ + 2.030 own funds)

New +1 mithral bolstering breastplate - Cost: 8.200 gp (Armory credit + 5.700 own funds)

New +1 mithral chain shirt barding for Galewing - Cost: 5.400 gp (Own funds)

Cloak of resistance upgraded from +1 to +2 - Cost: 3.000 gp (Own funds)

Aegis of recovery - Cost: 1.500 gp (Own funds)

Dire collar for Galewing - Cost: 1.000 gp (Citizen's reward)

Varisian's gifts:
- Grabbling arrow + 100 ft silk rope
- Reinforced scarf
- Dandy brush for Galewing
- Ghost salt weapon blanch

Between Iron Will, the cloak upgrade and the bolstering armor, Elric is now rocking some very respectable saves. He really took that greater command seriously.

Pending approval on some gear things (nothing I'm expecting to have to rethink, but always better to avoid assumptions if there's time, and some of it's tied to a particular vignette) - I think I'll be able to get Pava's downtime/rumors up tomorrow, but it's a busy time of year, so it might stretch into the weekend.

Hey team, now that you are gaining some fame I wanted to give everyone the option to make one of their weapons a relic that upgrades at the end of each book.

For casters, we can figure out another item that would be helpful, like a ring, amulet, circlet etc., just try to make it distinctive/unique and part of your character's description. So perhaps the ring is an antique with some history, or an heirloom or something similar.

The relic mechanic is from the War for the Crown AP, there are some example relics here.

Hey team, now that you are gaining some fame I wanted to give everyone the option to make one of their weapons a relic that upgrades at the end of each book.

For casters, we can figure out another item that would be helpful, like a ring, amulet, circlet etc., just try to make it distinctive/unique and part of your character's description. So perhaps the ring is an antique with some history, or an heirloom or something similar.

The relic mechanic is from the War for the Crown AP, there are some example relics here.

Awesome! I'm already planning to describe Elric's new bow as a captured pirate weapon named Coward's Scourge (because of the Cruel enhancement). So that's the obvious choice for me.

Then you get the Cruel trait for free. Same for everyone else, at the end of each book you get one equivalent +1 trait, enhancement etc. for free for your relic weapon/item. This includes the end of Book 2 (where we are now).

Hey team, now that you are gaining some fame I wanted to give everyone the option to make one of their weapons a relic that upgrades at the end of each book.

For casters, we can figure out another item that would be helpful, like a ring, amulet, circlet etc., just try to make it distinctive/unique and part of your character's description. So perhaps the ring is an antique with some history, or an heirloom or something similar.

The relic mechanic is from the War for the Crown AP, there are some example relics here.

This sounds like a perfect opportunity to upgrade Shane's Arcane Bond Ring if allowed. It was his mother's ring which may have an older or deeper history than Shane himself realizes as it was probably gifted to her by his father. Or maybe he does know the history but is surprised it has been awakened. He was thinking of enchanting it anyway but this adds more punch.

IF that's okay as a caster substitute?

That's what I had in mind as well, perfect!

Shrike changes, level 9:
HP +7 (now 68: 5 from half 1d8 round up, 1 Con, 1 favored class bonus)
BAB +0
Will Save +0
Fort Save +1 (now base +3)
Ref Save +0
CMB +0

+1 Vigilante Social Talent (choosing Great Renown: The vigilante is known on a broader scale. She can gain renown in a single community of up to 5,000 individuals (a large town) or up to two communities of no more than 2,000 individuals each (two small towns). The bonus while she is in her social identity remains unchanged, but the circumstance bonus on Intimidate checks from her renown social talent while she is in her vigilante identity increases to +6. A vigilante must be at least 7th level and have the renown social talent to select this talent.)

Previous Vigilante Social Talent Social Grace upgrades to one more Int/Wis/Cha skill; choosing Bluff.

Hidden Strike damage increases by 1d8 (now 5d8/5d4)

+1 Feat (choosing Shatter Defenses: Any shaken, frightened, or panicked opponent hit by you this round is flat-footed to your attacks until the end of your next turn. This includes any additional attacks you make this round.)

Skill Upgrades: 8 (6 class, 0 Int, 2 background)
+2 Acrobatics (now +16: 9 rank, 3 class skill, 4 ability score)
+1 Bluff (now +13: 8 rank, 3 CS, 2 AS; conditionally +4 Social Grace)
+1 Intimidate (now +13: 8 rank, 3 CS, 2 AS; conditionally +6 Renown)
+1 Linguistics (now +1: 1 rank, 0 CS, 0 AS) (background; choosing Varisian language*)
+1 Perception (now +11: 8 rank, 3 CS, 0 AS)
+1 Perform (Dance) (now +14: 9 rank, 3 CS, 2 AS; conditionally +4 SG) (background)
+1 Use Magic Device (now +6: 1 rank, 3 CS, 2 AS)*

*I plan to ask Audria to teach Shrike during downtime. This is one of those things she should probably have started with due to eavesdropping on the criminal underworld so much, but skill points are so limited.
**I plan to ask Shane to teach Shrike in my next IC post. Thank you in advance, Shane! :)

Then you get the Cruel trait for free.

Sweet. Elric spends some of the extra funds on an efficient quiver and a knight-inheritor’s ring.

AH, I forgot Old Korvosa was closed off. Well, ,that means the donation of some of our rewards to restore the Temple of Aroden and suggest it also become a bit of a museum with lessons of history that Shane was considering are probably not happening.

mm how open would Zellara be to having her house expanded?

GM Harrow, do you want us to provide input for our relics or design them yourself?

Please provide input on which item you would like to become a relic, if you already have a design for it all the better, since you know your build best and what you plan for it. If not, just tell me what you want to focus on and I'll come up with something.

I also wanted to mention that Pava used Thousand Bones with my permission in their last post. I just joined a Kingmaker game that will be in writer's room style where everyone shares a measure of control over NPCs and even other PCs, and I'm very excited about this format; so I'm happy to let any of you use any of the canon NPCs in your scenes if you like, and I will provide information about their background and personality to help you write those scenes.

Again, this is entirely optional, but I'm really loving how we're all shaping this game together and I want to continue in that vein.

Okay, Pava's purchases and donatives will be a Holy Amulet of Mighty Fists (+0), upgrading their Cloak and shield part of their klar to a +2. They'll also be playing into the rumors surrounding their klar to use it as masterwork tools for intimidation, getting Shane access and materials to learn Greater Magic Weapon, and snagging a couple Potions of Heroism for when they know Will saves be at even more of a premium.

For a relic... would doing something with their tattoos work? The tattoos from their Quah are usually meant to bestow speed and freedom if that's enough direction?

Please provide input on which item you would like to become a relic, if you already have a design for it all the better, since you know your build best and what you plan for it. If not, just tell me what you want to focus on and I'll come up with something.

Excellent! I have some ideas that I'll polish off and post in the correct format. I'll use the crossbow in the example relics as a guide for power levels.

I also wanted to mention that Pava used Thousand Bones with my permission in their last post. I just joined a Kingmaker game that will be in writer's room style where everyone shares a measure of control over NPCs and even other PCs, and I'm very excited about this format; so I'm happy to let any of you use any of the canon NPCs in your scenes if you like, and I will provide information about their background and personality to help you write those scenes.

Again, this is entirely optional, but I'm really loving how we're all shaping this game together and I want to continue in that vein.

Glad to hear it - especially since I just improvised a whole speech from Marcus Endrin and promised myself a promotion :-D

I'll limit my creativity to NPCs. I don't like assuming actions on behalf of other players, and generally find the times when another PC reacts in a way that I had not anticipated to be the most interesting.

That's just my personal preference, though and if any of you (GM included) want to use Elric as a puppet to craft more dynamic scenes, you have my blessing.

Please provide input on which item you would like to become a relic, if you already have a design for it all the better, since you know your build best and what you plan for it. If not, just tell me what you want to focus on and I'll come up with something.

I also wanted to mention that Pava used Thousand Bones with my permission in their last post. I just joined a Kingmaker game that will be in writer's room style where everyone shares a measure of control over NPCs and even other PCs, and I'm very excited about this format; so I'm happy to let any of you use any of the canon NPCs in your scenes if you like, and I will provide information about their background and personality to help you write those scenes.

Again, this is entirely optional, but I'm really loving how we're all shaping this game together and I want to continue in that vein.

Well, I won't be using other PCs without permission but I appreciate the trust with Cannon NPCs ;)

I've obviously no shame in running little optional scenes with NPCs I've brought in as my part of the contribution.. (And I am grateful for the gift of using Jessica in the past) though those are all subject to your veto or development etc as you like.

Currently the options there I've got with the NPCs in use include at least one of Shane's half sibs. Possibly two kids he met in Harse and sent to a plague torn city (He still feels bad about that). Actually I think I've got a lot more ideas than this but I want to sort them out before I commit ;)

All right. I have sent a PM with possible ideas for a Ring Relic which to be fair might be overly melodramatic.

I've updated the list of spells in Shane's spell book, in fact It's a good thing he had an existing spell book from that Derro to use as he ran out of space.

If allowed and if they have one, I'd like Shane's " equipment (arms and armour, including magical) worth up to 2500 gp per PC (from the Korvosan Guard armory) " to be a Amulet of Natural Armor +1" . If there is no chance they've got that, then I'll probably go for a magical dagger :)

I still need to sort out what he'll do with the other parts of the rewards and am sorry I'm taking so long.

So, I know that I still need to post, figure out the relic thing, and finish updating Audria's character sheet and get up in her profile. I caught the flu and have been recovering from that, which is why I haven't gotten it up, yet. Unfortunately, It's not going to happen for at least two more weeks because of work and then going off somewhere with my mom and sister for Christmas, and honestly I need to unplug for a bit.

Needless to say, I don't want to delay things, so please bot me as needed.

As for the rumors and stuff, here's some ideas I had.

- Audria's killed undead monsters that were rising up to devour the city (referencing the vampire spawn we killed)
- Audria can stop even the most violent mobs with naught but her voice (referencing the two times she's done that so far in game)
- Audria turned into an angel and made the Gray Maidens stand down when the Korvosan Guard came to investigate the Hospice (Exaggeration of what actually happened)
- Audria is actually an angel/azata/agathion (She's not, Tally is)
- Audria can change into a songbird (She can't)
- Audria's Blackjack's sidekick (Nope)
- Audria's Shrike's sidekick (Close enough, I guess?)
- Audria's a succubus in disguise (Nope)
- Audria's King Eodred's bastard daughter (Nope)
- Audria's actually Shrike, and is a demon in disguise (Nope, spread by Halvara)
- Audria's a cold-blooded murderer that killed her own mother and has been killing people ever since (Nope, spread by Halvara)
- Audria's the one who helped Trinia poison King Eodred (Nope, spread by Halvara)
- Audria is the Key Lock Killer (Nope)
- Audria is the one that killed Brother Theolan (Never in a million years)

I was thinking about making her glaive or the mithral plate she's getting the relic.

Also, would Brother Theolan remember what happened? Audria would definitely ask about that when he got rezzed.

Shrike's relic is her elven branched spear, Thorn. Since her new ultimate quarry is Queen Ileosa, and the queen and almost all of her agents as well as most of the baddies we have fought so far seem to be human, the enchantment it gains is human bane. The other thing we've seen a lot of is undead, so I'll also be looking into ways to make her weapons silver, good, and slashing or bludgeoning as needed.

When she fights with Spear Dancing Style, the blunt end has the weapon properties of a light mace, so I would like to sell Shrike's current silver light mace and pay a master weaponsmith to sheath just that end of Thorn in a short cap of alchemical silver. Or, I suppose, steel that has been silvered, since you can't apply alchemical silver directly to wooden weapons. Buying a silvered version of a light weapon usually costs the weapon's ordinary cost +20 gp, while for a one-handed weapon or one end of a double weapon, the silver adds +90 to its usual cost. I think it's more fair to treat it as one end of a weapon, although Thorn isn't a double weapon.

Shrike would go straight to the elven artisans in South Shore for this process, just as she would for trading in and altering the mithral chain shirt into something more protective.

Speaking of Thorn, it occurs to me that so far, when using Spear Dancing Style, I have simply been taking the weapon's overall +1 magic weapon properties and applying them to the blunt end as well. Its differences are a different damage die (1d6 vs. 1d8), damage type (bludgeoning vs. piercing), and base Strength bonus damage (off-hand weapons only get your half Strength bonus.) That might not be right, or might not be all the changes I should be making. If it was, e.g., a quarterstaff - a weapon with the double property - by RAW I would have to pay twice the normal masterwork cost and also pay to enchant each end individually. However, it isn't a double weapon; Shrike can just treat it as one on occasion due to the Spear Dancing Style feat. The closest equivalent ability I can find, the Dragoon fighter's Spinning Lance, specifically calls out that the overall masterwork or enchantment properties of the lance apply to both ends, except those which would only apply to edged weapons.

What say you, GM? 1) Can I pay 90 gp to put silvering on the blunt end of Thorn, and 2) should I be calculating its to-hit bonus or overall properties differently than the main end?

Her big purchases with this payout are celestial armor and a belt of incredible dexterity +2. Flavorfully, for the armor she'd be taking the base item of Davaulus's +1 mithral chain shirt to be traded in, made into true long chainmail with mithral from the Guard's armory, strengthened with magic, fitted exactly to her, and blackened so as not to catch light. Mechanically, we have still sold the mithral shirt for half price, split the proceeds, and she is paying full purchase price for the new armor. This is to keep things as simple and fair as possible.

@Other PCs: For the Safehouse, we had agreement by at least 3/6 to split the costs of renovations, so that will be a -83.33 gp cost for everyone. Anyone interested in going in together on a wand of bless weapon? It's 50 uses of 1-minute bless weapon (i.e. weapon counts as good and auto-confirms critical threats against evil targets) for 15 gp per use. I have very little money left currently, so if no one is interested I'll probably just go for a backup scroll instead, now that Shrike can use UMD.

Whew, okay. I think that's basically it for Shrike's changes before being ready to move into the next events of the story!

Notes to self: Still need to change pre-made Bot Me common rolls. Still have to calculate when performing ended and she would have stopped getting paid from the Folly. Have not yet recorded paying for the silver end cap. Have not yet bought a method of bless weapon. Need to update Merula's sheet.

Work is still being ridiculous, so I won't have the bandwidth for gameplay posts yet (and I still need to study for my exam :sob:). Hopefully next week once holiday starts.

@Shrike: Yes and yes, let's keep things simple.

Great, thank you GM.

Hang in there, you guys. It's almost the holidays. Busy time for everyone. I hope you feel better soon, Audria. Have a good vacation with your mom and sister.

Oh, I'm feeling much better this past week, save working over 55 hours and counting. Good news is I've got fifteen pages and some errors to fix and then I am done with this damned file.

And don't worry, I'm taking some art stuff and something to read, so I should have plenty of fun even when there's not much going on.

I'm back! Apologies for the absence.

Is everyone good to start Book 3? I know Audria's player in away for a couple of weeks and the holidays may be a busy period for some, so I wanted to check in and see how everyone is doing on that front. I don't mind taking a short break until we're all back and recharged, let me know what you prefer. I am definitely committed to continuing the game, so no worries on that front.

It's a hectic time for sure, but I can be tersely present at the very least :-)

Welcome back GM! Same as Pava here. I should be able to post as usual, every day but December 24th and 25th.

Ready to move on. I still have some ideas on our new hideout and combat tactics I need to get typed up.

Things are are going to get busy a LOT this week as holidays take over my life. I'll be traveling my internet will be spotty. Hopefully I'll be reliable again after the 26th.

I'm not sure anyone has TOLD Shane about the new hide out? I may have missed that.

I feel like I'm behind on some of Shane's reward expenditures but that's on me. I'll try to submit something soon and I suppose it can be done retroactively.

Hm, I think Shane and everyone who participated in taking down the QPs and Gray Maidens to get the disguises the night before we infiltrated the Hospice has actually been to the hideout. That was where we took those guys when they were unconscious.

What is the location of the warehouse? Is it established exactly where it is or do we have some creative license?

I specified when I came up with it that it was right next door to Bailer's Retreat, the tavern where we later happened to find Grau Soldado, because we were somewhere in Midland at that time and needed a nearby location to take the failed Red Mantis candidate. The reason Shrike knew about it was to be that she had used it to spy on the comings and goings of the rough characters who frequent that spot. Bailer's Retreat is marked as R8 on this map, ironically just a few blocks from both Zellara's house and the Hospice of the Blessed Maiden. It's so close, in fact, that we might think about establishing some kind of route through the sewers or other tunnels from Zellara's to the warehouse, in order for Shane or others to move between them unseen, if the GM is okay with that.

This is assuming these markers are fairly accurate for our game, although the much nicer and higher-res map GM Harrow has been using mostly doesn't have locations marked, just street names (which are extremely useful, don't get me wrong!) I have been thinking about transferring the important markers we know about or should know about as city natives from the more-labeled but blurrier map to ours, but it would be kind of a project, so I've been putting it off.

That's perfect. Works well with some of the ideas I have.

I was also thinking a couple of different routes in and out. Sewer/underground, street level and a rooftop hatch or landing pad for Galewing.

Whew! That last post took a lot of work. :D

I do have a physical Harrow deck, if everyone is ok with me using it for the Harrowing rather than rolling dice.

Re: hideout - both an underground route and one through the Shingles are available to you so you can move in and out more unobtrusively.

That was delightful, GM. I love the Harrowing segments, and you actually drawing the cards from a physical deck would be awesome. If any of the other players wants to follow along and picture things better as the cards appear, I have found this free Harrow tool super useful for that. Thanks for letting us update the safehouse routes too.

I'll probably be able to do a proper post in Gameplay on the 26th. Merry Christmas to those who celebrate!

Is Pava/Nips at Heels meant to not be at this meeting?

Oh no! I'm so sorry, I was just too tired when I posted. Pava is meant to be there, I'll add their Choosing.

Whew. I have reliable internet again!

I will try to catch up tomorrow!

Sorry for the delay and thanks for your patience! I know Christmastime tends to be slow. All the work that goes into big family events is still worth it though. Hope everyone has been having a peaceful and happy holiday season.

Harrow Points in Book 3

Everyone gets 6 Harrow points to use throughout Book 3.

Arcane Wrath: A PC with levels in a class that grants bonus spells based on their Intelligence score can spend a Harrow Point to increase the power of a spell from that class's spell list as they cast it. They increase the DC of that spell by 2 and gain both a +4 bonus on caster level checks to overcome spell resistance and a +2 bonus on any attack rolls for that spell.

Flash of Insight: A PC can spend a Harrow Point to attempt a check for a skill that requires training and in which they have no ranks. They gain a one-time +5 insight bonus on this check.

Intelligence Rerolls: A PC can spend a Harrow Point to reroll an Intelligence-based check. They must abide by the new result (although if they have additional Harrow Points remaining, they can use them to attempt additional rerolls).

Hello! Apologies for the long absence. I need to get some stuff for my game going (Which Shane and Elric are in), but as soon as I do that I'll be catching up here.

I hope your holiday was great, Audria. Ready to jump back in here.

It was. May take a bit. I don't think I finalized my gear. I'm going to try getting that done and catching up tomorrow, though.

Shrike, can you remind me of what project you're visiting Audria to work on? I've been looking through past posts and I'm drawing a blank.

I was thinking of Audria's project of taking down Halvara. Of course, she may have decided that has to be back-burnered for now.

Thanks! It's not Audria that forgot. It's just me. :)

Still working on finalizing gear and getting a post up. I'm hoping that I can have that done today.

Okay, almost done with the gear, I hope. Not even close to getting the big post up. I was planning on working on it today while basically twiddling my thumbs at work, then a ticket came in and sunk that plan.