GM TOP #7-12: The Twisted Circle (Core, Outpost VI) (Inactive)

Game Master Pete H.

Oblivious to the discussion or decision, the incredibly magical sprout waves goodbye when the pathfinders take their leave and says (to Corba in plantspeak), ”Blessings be with you!”

And as that seems to be the worst of it, the pathfinders make their way back out of the cave, grabbing the body on the way.

Except as one could expect, that isn’t the worst of it. Climbing out of the moist warm cavern, the first breath of wasteland air sends everyone into a coughing fit!

Everyone please roll a Fort Save against a Disease effect. Good luck!

Fortitude: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21

"That's... *cough* ... some... *cough cough*...'Blessing'... *cough cough cough*..."

Fort: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16

Fort save vs disease: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18
"What the heck was that? You plant sneezed on me."

Three of the pathfinders seem* to recover from the coughing fit. They turn to their allies to see if anyone needs aid.

*:P

Need rolls from Dwalin, Markus and Barcher!

Dwalin tries to ward off illness.

Fort: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16

Fortitude: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26

Markus coughs twice, and then looks at the others with concern, Everyone okay? I hope we made the right call. I don't know about this.

The dwarves, half-orc and halfling all seem to stop coughing pretty quickly. They turn to look at the elf.

You need a Fort Save Barcher. I'll bot if no response in 24 hours.

Once all that unpleasantness is done, the group drags the body back to town. The sheriff unsurprisingly greets them at the gate.

He gasps at the sight of the body as it is pulled towards the gate, "OH NO! Did one of you die?"

"We're mostly fine. This is sadly Amenira. The cloaker killed her long before we could get there."

He looks genuinely sad, ”Damn. That really sucks. I had my concerns when she left and didn’t return on her usual schedule but… one hopes these things turn out better, you know. Let’s take her to the priestess. Did you get that shadowy bastard?”

Markus nods in agreement, Yes, we did. So there's no threat to your community from that thing ever again! Okay to the priestess we go.

"Yeah, we did obliterate that mean thing! But the doll was destroyed, unfortunately", Corba answers in a sad tone. Then she remembers something else. The bard quickly looks around for ears other than the sheriff's (and pathfinders' :P), then gets closer to him and tells him in a hushed voice:

"Right before we enter the temple, I'd like to show you something. The tree there is sick, affected by a blight and needs help. I am not sure the priestess will listen to us foreigners, so please have a look yourself."

The sheriff is quite happy to hear that!

”Oh that is wonderful! A menace like that, especially one that could kill Amenira, needed to be dealt with. Thank you.”

He leans down to reply, ”I will bring it up, but know nothing of tree health. Did you mention it to her earlier?”

Arriving at the church and knocking gets a response pretty quickly. The priestess from earlier pulls the door open, ”Good morning sheriff. And… guests. And, oh no! Amenira!!! What happened?!?”

She ushers you inside.

"Yea, let's go. With Amenira dead and her killer destroyed, I think we need to tell you and your priest about the rest of the cave and probably be on our way. But I will leave the telling to my companions."
Kimlo states this with a sad far away look. "I think I have had enough of the mana waste."

She nods, ”Let me get some tea going. It sounds like quite a story.”

I looked over the success conditions again and you all need to play this out and make a decent report to the Venture Captain when you get back. Both prestige and gold will be determined based upon your findings on this mission. This will be your last chance to gain any further information in town for said report.

Barcher Fort: 1d20 ⇒ 9

Barcher does not feel well, but it seems any effects from the plant are slow acting.

"I don't know if you know about this. We found a stange plant in the cave after we defeated the cloaker. It was some kind of seedling that said it was a verdent spark. It claimed to protect the town. Did you know about it?" "Corba maybe could explain better. She talked to the plant."

The priest seems quite intrigued, ”Oh? That’s… quite interesting. It would make some sense. See, we don’t even know who or what ‘Robori’ is. My grandfather was the first priest of Robori by accident. The children were afflicted with the blessing of Robori, though at the time everyone thought it was a curse. Anyway, he invented an explanation, based around the large tree at the center of town. He declared that the transformation was a blessing from Robori, God of Trees, and the children would flourish despite the strange changes they were undergoing. He had only hoped to buy time to protect the children, but when the transformation proved to be a boon, the villagers flocked to his fake religion and he, dumbfounded, became the high priest of Robori. ”

She stops, a bit concerned, ”Can I trust your discretion to not tell the townsfolk this news? The sheriff and I need to take any information to the council before letting everyone know. It seems that our fake religion is actually sorta real.”

Corba is excited.

"Wow, that's a great story! And don't worry, I won't tell the townsfolk. Although afterwards, you might want to check on the big tree here. It's affected by a blight and needs treatment or it'll die in a few years."

She takes a deep breath, then continues.

"The seedling said it was a verdant spark, but did not elaborate further what that means or who called it that. Its magical aura - if you try to detect magic - is overpowering! I have never seen (or even heard of) anything like that!
It claimed to protect the town, making everyone stronger with its blessing. We also saw the trees underground that were used to shield the town from the manastorm.
If the seedling was moved, 'all the green would die. The city would be barren.' So I wouldn’t do that, if I were you.
Also, if you want to talk to it, you will need the same magic one uses to speak with plants."

The halfling turns to her comrades.

"Did I miss something?"

"You mentioned something about the tree being diseased? But it's not related to the seedling. I think."

She and the sheriff listen intently. At the end the priestess replies, "We most definitely won't move the seedling. It seems it may be responsible for protecting our entire town, even if it is a little odd. I will look immediately into the health of our tree. Thank you."

And with that, the group heads back to Alkenstar to make their report.

Barcher, I'll need to resolve your disease before I can issue you a chronicle. We can do a set of rolls and see if you cure it on your own. Allies can help those rolls with Heal checks on each daily try (any can roll these untrained, but only one success grants a bonus). Or you can purchase a Remove Disease spell with gold OR prestige.

My recommendation is to try to beat it with fort saves and if that goes poorly, use a remove disease spell. The DC is not horribly high, but you need two successful saves in a row to be cured. A successful Heal check administered by yourself or an ally would grant a +4 on your daily save. If you wish to roll or anyone wishes to help with heal checks, I'd say start with three days of rolls.

Two days later, the pathfinders arrive back at the lodge to make their report. The venture captain is quite intrigued as to what they found!

Kuikka will try to "help" Heal. Probably aiding someone who is actually good, rather than doing it herself.

Heal: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (12) - 1 = 11
Heal: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (12) - 1 = 11
Heal: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (8) - 1 = 7
Heal: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (13) - 1 = 12
Heal: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (2) - 1 = 1
Heal: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (8) - 1 = 7
Heal: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (7) - 1 = 6
Heal: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (18) - 1 = 17

"Here let me help" Dwalin tries some herbs on the disease.

Heal: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21

Heal: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14

Heal: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22

Heal: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

Heal: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25

Heal: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21

Heal: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24

Heal: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11

22 and 16 with help from the paladin?

Nice rolls Dwalin! Barcher will gain a +4 to at least his first three fort saves. Hopefully that will be enough to get this disease kicked.

Corba will also try to "help" Heal.

Heal: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (17) - 2 = 15
Heal: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (5) - 2 = 3
Heal: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (17) - 2 = 15
Heal: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (3) - 2 = 1
Heal: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (7) - 2 = 5
Heal: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (1) - 2 = -1
Heal: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (14) - 2 = 12
Heal: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (7) - 2 = 5

Kuikka high fives Corba in Wisdom penalties

Kuikka high fives Corba in Wisdom penalties

lol, nice.

I pm’d Barcher about making some rolls. Their player hasn’t posted anywhere since the end of May. Which isn’t that long, but they may not be coming back too. I’ll give them 48 hrs, bot some rolls if no post, and wrap up the game. Thanks all for playing.

Kimlo stands around looking worried. "You can pull through this Barcher. You can do it."

Barcher Fort + Heal Bonus: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10
Barcher Fort + Heal Bonus: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10
Barcher Fort + Heal Bonus - Con Damage: 1d20 + 4 - 2 ⇒ (9) + 4 - 2 = 11

Well, that was very unfortunate.

Barcher does not do well, even with all the help. The venture Captain quickly calls in a favor and gets a cleric there within the hour.

I’ll mark 2 Prestige Points used for the Remove Disease and call it good!

This be where discussion happens. Generally if it is just a quick rules question or short topic, use OOC in gameplay. If it becomes off-topic or a longer discussion, we can bring it here. Off topic game or unrelated conversations are welcome here too.

I'll be using a previous chronicle sheet to buy a wand of burning hands with 16 charges left for 240 gp, as well as upgrading my chain shirt to Masterwork, and buying a potion of CLW and 2 scrolls of CLW.

Shopping list:

- Wand of Endure Elements (2 PP)
- MW Tool for Performance: Oratory (Bullhorn) (50g, 1lb)
- Dog, riding (150g, 50lb)
- Saddle, military (20g, 30lb)
- Saddlebags (4g, 8lb)

Total: 224g, 2 PP

Purchases:

5 shuriken - 1 GP
Alchemist's Fire - 20 GP
Potion of Invisibility -300 GP

Alright, so this convention (and probably all future conventions) uses RPG chronicles for reporting ease. So here is what you all will do to enter your character deets.

Go here to this linky.

Fill in your info.
- It requests an name, email and player details. Only some of the info is required (*) and a lot of it is hidden from other players, only visible to yourself and the gm. The email is used to send you your chronicles and any random drawn rewards if won (I believe the rolling for prizes is done on the backend, btw).

Complete the scenario.

Your chronicle will be sent to you.

Seems pretty simple? I REALLY HOPE SO BECAUSE THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'M DOING IT AAAAHHHHHH!!!!!

But seriously, if it (or your amazing GM) screws up, I can always do it the old fashioned way. You aren't required to create an account, btw. You can submit info as a guest. It just means you can't edit or track your submissions.

_______________

I'm pm'ing the last player to see if they are still joining.

Done thanks!

Done.

Seems pretty simple? I REALLY HOPE SO BECAUSE THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'M DOING IT AAAAHHHHHH!!!!!

It's actually pretty simple - from a player's point of view... ;-)

Additional shopping:
- 5x Feed (5c, 10lb)

forgot to buy food for my new riding dog... *facepalm*

Player qstor
PFS # 786-62

Faction: Grand Lodge

Day job: Profession (brewer) 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12

Alright, so this convention (and probably all future conventions) uses RPG chronicles for reporting ease. So here is what you all will do to enter your character deets.

Go here to this linky.

Fill in your info.
- It requests an name, email and player details. Only some of the info is required (*) and a lot of it is hidden from other players, only visible to yourself and the gm. The email is used to send you your chronicles and any random drawn rewards if won (I believe the rolling for prizes is done on the backend, btw).

Complete the scenario.

Your chronicle will be sent to you.

Seems pretty simple? I REALLY HOPE SO BECAUSE THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'M DOING IT AAAAHHHHHH!!!!!

But seriously, if it (or your amazing GM) screws up, I can always do it the old fashioned way. You aren't required to create an account, btw. You can submit info as a guest. It just means you can't edit or track your submissions.

_______________

I'm pm'ing the last player to see if they are still joining.

Go ahead and sign up on RPG chronicles, Dwalin. Thanks!

Looks like I also still need Kimlo to do it too.

Normally, I wouldn’t allow alternate check rolls for things. One picks their best skill for something and makes one check. BUT, I like the cut o’ your jib, Corba. And the RP from y’all. So…

I'm sorry, I did not intend to circumvent the rules... :-/

Anyway, thank you for allowing it this time. :-)

You all have discovered about all there is to be discovered from an investigation at this point and done some great roleplay so I’ll move us along tonight or tomorrow. Hopefully as the next few things develop you can figure out the mystery!

Thanks this is a pretty awesome group and even folks just checking in character adds to the action!

Looking forward to unraveling the mystery! :-)

I hope Corba didn't hog the spotlight too much...

Bard means All the Talking. :)

I am at a con for the weekend, starting tomorrow. Please feel free to bot Kuikka. She is not the most subtle of characters.

GM TOP wrote:

Alright, so this convention (and probably all future conventions) uses RPG chronicles for reporting ease. So here is what you all will do to enter your character deets.

Go here to this linky.

Fill in your info.
- It requests an name, email and player details. Only some of the info is required (*) and a lot of it is hidden from other players, only visible to yourself and the gm. The email is used to send you your chronicles and any random drawn rewards if won (I believe the rolling for prizes is done on the backend, btw).

Complete the scenario.

Your chronicle will be sent to you.

Seems pretty simple? I REALLY HOPE SO BECAUSE THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'M DOING IT AAAAHHHHHH!!!!!

But seriously, if it (or your amazing GM) screws up, I can always do it the old fashioned way. You aren't required to create an account, btw. You can submit info as a guest. It just means you can't edit or track your submissions.

_______________

I'm pm'ing the last player to see if they are still joining.

Go ahead and sign up on RPG chronicles, Dwalin. Thanks!

Looks like I also still need Kimlo to do it too.

Still need Dwalin and Kimlo to do this.

sorry done!

FYI People have been having issues if they're not a paid subscriber. I know I did with my Outpost CORE game. There's another link in the main Outpost thread. Not sure if you knew this.

I did not. I don’t keep current with those threads, just the emails they send out. I’ll take a look and see if anything needs to be done.

*Shakes his fist in the air* and yells for the kids to get off his lawn, ”Damn Technology!”

sorry done!

FYI People have been having issues if they're not a paid subscriber. I know I did with my Outpost CORE game. There's another link in the main Outpost thread. Not sure if you knew this.

As far as I can tell after looking over that thread, that is only if you use the 'guest reporter' option, instead of doing it the way I did with a signup deal. Hopefully it'll go right. We shall see if there are issues when I go to report it.

Also, there is an opportunity for a boon IF you all manage to roll a '20'. There is also an opportunity for a voucher, but that will all be handled on the backend by the crew running the convention.

And since we are less than two weeks from reporting, please go ahead and roll for that boon.

boon: 1d20 ⇒ 15

Boon?: 1d20 ⇒ 11

boon : 1d20 ⇒ 19

Boon?: 1d20 ⇒ 4 Of course not...

I'm running Starfinder at a local con this weekend please bot me if needed.

boooooooon: 1d20 ⇒ 4

*high fives Corba in our misery*

[Dice=boon ] 1d20

A 19 is actually a win, I discovered. Nice. Roll a d3 to see which boon you get.

1d3 ⇒ 2

Kuikka, are you practicing the Cleric's Feather Fall? ;-)

Kuikka, are you practicing the Cleric's Feather Fall? ;-)

nice

I think I've practiced enough now...

The Order of the Stick is a great (and also really funny) long-running webcomic in a D&D 3.5e world.

It's definitely worth the hours it takes to binge-read it. ;-)

I stopped reading when he nearly cut off his thumb and never got back to it. I need to go back and read everything again.

Dwalin rolled a dayjob already (12 for 5g).

I need one from Kuikka, Corba & Barcher.

I need to report this game today, but we will continue with the mission. I will assume max rewards and prestige when reporting, as that is likely at this point. If things happen or change between now and the end of the scenario, I can send an email to have chronicles and reporting adjusted.

Kimlo still hasn't put their info into RPG Chronicles.

Perform (sing): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20

Craft alchemy: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23

Ok, I ran out of time before work so I had to report the game. It was reported to the outpost HQ, and I believe they will email chronicles out. It should take a few hours or a day for that, if they are sending them. If not, I'll take care of everything when we wrap the actual scenario up.

Corba will have to add in her own dayjob once she gets the chronicle. And I'll probably have to do a pdf for Kimlo at the end of it all as well. Anyway, keep plugging away in game and we can wrap this up for good pretty soon. I promise SOME of the mysteries will get unraveled.

Sorry, wasn't able to post earlier...

Day Job roll Perform: Oratory: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (5) + 15 = 20

I'm helping run PaizoCon through Monday, so I will likely not be online here much.

Feel free to bot me.

What else are we expecting to do here? Kuikka isn't in much of a story mood with the doll sacrificing itself.

Not much, really. I’m just wrapping up tidbits. I’ll be checking all the success conditions to see if more things need done, but should be really close. After that, chronicles will go out.

Sorry this one took so long. My time required on games has ballooned, having major trouble finishing in the convention timeframe had never been an issue before.

I could blame this one for being RP heavy, but I also know I just went days at a time afk due to work and being super busy.

Alright, I finally just powered through this all and collected/finished your chronicles.

They are here!

I can't give out Barcher's until I know how the disease has been resolved. If the rest of you can do a wrap up post and keep an eye on the game until that is resolved, that would be appreciated. I'm sure Barcher would be happy with some heal checks too, if he goes that route.

thanks for running!

Thank you!!

Alright, I finally just powered through this all and collected/finished your chronicles.

They are here!

I can't give out Barcher's until I know how the disease has been resolved. If the rest of you can do a wrap up post and keep an eye on the game until that is resolved, that would be appreciated. I'm sure Barcher would be happy with some heal checks too, if he goes that route.

Barcher's is now done. I'll PM a link their way as well.

This game will be marked inactive in the next day or so. Good playing with you all!

Thank you for running this, GM TOP! :-)