Zero's #1-02: The Mosquito Witch (Inactive)

Game Master Super Zero

Welcome new player(s)!

First of all, you all requested a "low-level scenario" and I have proposed a specific one. If you don't like that choice (particularly Amperex, the person who requested it in the first place), speak up and I may have an alternative.

There is a link to RPG Chronicles at the top left of this page. It should be pretty self-explanatory to fill out, but I am aware that you're seeing an awful lot of new information at the same time so please feel free to ask if you're unsure.
There will be a link to a tabletop on Google Slides joining it, but... probably not until tomorrow at the earliest.

Amperex, do you have a character ready or do you need help? Not-new players, what kind of characters are you bringing?
Since this game was requested by a new player, I would like to request that we try to keep it low-tier.

I haven't even looked at the scenarios before, so all's the same to me really.

I do have a character ready to go; a kobold inventor. And thanks for having me!

I'm temporarily logging in Aztryx my wizard. I will change if there's not enough healers in the party (for which I will build another cleric)

this is one I've never played. I'll have to figure out what I have available...

I've got a Lvl 2 monk that's a back-alley doctor (healer). Or a lvl 2 Ranger w/ a cat companion that's also a healer...

Dotting in with my ranger. Haven't played her in awhile so I think I should...

I've played this before I'm afraid and don't have replays to spare. I can sit this one out.

I will change if there's not enough healers in the party

I'm bringing an Oracle. Unless we have a bunch of Dhampir, we should be fine. At least as fine as is normal for level 1 characters.

Tiger has 3 glyphs and I have 3 glyphs, so we all start with 2 Hero Points. I will be consuming a replay, but my first play of this was terrible. Let's see what another GM can do with this.

GM, will we be using Doug H's Macros?

I finally finished formatting my gnome fighter. Barak fights with a one-handed gnome flickmace and uses snagging strike, which means that if he hits he automatically makes opponents flat-footed. It does not appear like there are any rogues in the party, but flat-footed does help everyone else in the party hit.

Weird stuff:
I'm a sylph and so have darkvision, and I got access to shuriken from my background, ruby phoenix enthusiast (one of the legacy backgrounds that Pathfinder Society offers for those who played a sufficient number of scenarios in Season 3 of the 1e PFS campaign.)

Strange things for my character to be aware of: I can fairly easily end up with a -4 penalty to initiative. Which is really hard to account for in Doug's Macros because it only applies to initiative rolls, not any other uses of the skill that initiative is based on.

We could probably make an adjustment to Doug's Macros that is specific to you. My boyfriend Bret is good with google sheets.

EDIT: Also, Barak needs a tagline. This is his first outing that is NOT GM credit, so I am still feeling my way to this character. I know he's easy-going and sociable, and that he's a little self-conscious of how bad he is at skills in general, considering how much his twin sister learned to do. But that is all that I know so far. I'm hoping to discover who he is in roleplay, so roleplay with me please!

I am amused that Barak introduces Macondi as the smart one, but Macondi is a bit smarter and a lot more learned than Barak, and Barak knows it.

As a heads up to anyone who I'd played Aztryx with before, I've modified my wizard as per PFS rules and have changed ancestry to venerable elf, and added the Alchemist dedication. He's still 1st level and changes were made before the game.

I'm taking elixirs of life from.the school, and preparing an extra Elixir of life via reagents.

GM, will we be using Doug H's Macros?

Nah, I'll just have a page on the Slides with spots for your Perception and Initiative bonuses.

Alrighty then.

yikes... I'll post my intro in a bit. I wasn't entirely sure who was bringing what when I posted last night (my time).

Minor Healing potion for Heather's school item.

To those who haven't played with me before (on either side of the table), I'm in SE Asia (UTC +8) so my posting times might seem weird to some people... :)

Barak's school item is a scroll of Magic Weapon, which he promptly hands to Macondi. "Use it well."

Barak's school item is a scroll of Magic Weapon, which he promptly hands to Macondi. "Use it well."

"Of course. Probably on you. It wouldn't help me much."

I am only vaguely aware of school items. My school is spells, so I think I also get a scroll. I'd do a scroll of Heal.

And does anyone else find it really strange that the school of scrolls gives items and the school of spells gives scrolls?

Yes. Obviously they were going for alliteration, and it's certainly true that not all scrolls are spell scrolls (most are just bits of paper or parchment with stuff written or drawn on them), but it is counter-intuitive.

I also go back and forth on whether giving the Organized Play organization and the in-universe adventuring organization the same name was delightfully clever or unnecessarily confusing.

Anyway!
Yes, go ahead and declare your school consumables and point out anything about your characters you'd like me to be aware of.
The Slides tabletop is up. There's a chart there where you can add your basic character information and a token. If you don't have a token or art you'd like to use I can always just use your character's forum avatar, but if you do have something past it in. And also on the next page suggesting your general traveling formation.

I've also added pictures of Venture-Captain Smine and his Mosquito Witch doll.

And on the urging of a more experienced GM I've put up a Macros page. I do see this one has a place to add Initiative modifier that's separate from Perception, and places to add notes like relevant skill feats.
(I've also experienced GMs overlooking Initiative modifiers that I had definitely pointed out but weren't in the Macros.)

Access Denied on both files. :)

Of course it is... try now.

I'll fill them up when I get home. :)

For consumables Amperex is taking the healing potion.

Minor Healing potion as well.

Aztryx, don't forget to sign in on RPG Chronicles and add your character to the Slides.

Although I see you're first level, so we're definitely in low tier.

Hi GM Super Zero,
Both just uploaded. Thanks!

Beautiful poetry, very apt for our scenario.

GM Supes, I forgot to ask: where are we on the map right now?

Galia's house is A1 and Mordha Lyons's house is A4. So between there.

Okay, thanks!

Are we all in the room now? Macondi & Barak requested to be ahead of everyone else.

Yeah, that was just for knocking on the door. To not frighten anyone with a big crowd of people showing up.

And mostly just plans. Because who knows what is going to actually happen.

Where to next?

You've heard mentions of the inn, smithy, and the site of the first sighting in the woods. Alternatively, if you'd like to explore the town there are two buildings near your current location (A4 on the map) that don't look abandoned.

Hey Team!

Let's discuss the next step? Can we agree that we'll go to the first sighting at the woods last? I'd like to get as many clues as is possible before we head out to the last site where it was found.

We can check out the following:
1. inn, interview monster-hunters and the innkeeper
2. smithy
3. two other buildings
4. first sighting at the woods (last)

I'm for inn next.

But if you go to the inn next, those won't be the two closest buildings any more!

I believe I listed everything that's been specifically mentioned so far. That was more just a reminder that there are other potential points of interest if you wanted to sweep the whole village.

And it occurs to me that I don't think I ever said, "Hey, by the way this adventure has a few horror elements. If there's anything you want me to tone down or avoid please say so. There are options for aiming for a more lighthearted/humorous tone if that is preferred."
So, uh, that.

Personally I am fine with horror and other dark themes.

It would be nice if we had a listing of what all of these buildings are - which ones that we know about match up to which of the building numbers. PBP needs a lot more explicit metagaming than in-person does because we don't have the option of the non-verbal communication (body language, facial expressions) that keep everyone on the same page when telling the story.

As for plans, as a player I am interested in seeing as much of the city and story as possible. Any additional clues that we can get would be fantastic too.

I'm not sure how to get those clues though, or even if any clues or information is available. No one in town seems to know anything.

A1. Galia’s House (Visited)
A2. Brewery
A3. House (Nearby)
A4. Mordha Lyons’ House (Current Location)
A5. The Tanner (Nearby)
A6. The Whitefish and Stag (Inn, Mentioned)
A7. House
A8. Braybon’s Smithy (Mentioned)
A9. House
A10. Shrine
A11. Abandoned Farm

Since we're closer to A3 (House) and A5 (Tanner), let's go there?

Sure. Sounds good to me.

No problems with horror or dark themes... :)

Heather follows along. She's not very comfortable in cities or settlements. The RP part is also my weakest point.

Scary and horror stuff's welcome.

I'm currently studying the CTHULHU MYTHOS book by Sandy Peterson. Its a Pathfinder compatible product that I was able to buy at a local store (Greenhills).

Will run it eventually. Still transitioning from DnD to PF2E. There's just so many rules in PF2E that didn't exist even in the older editions of DnD. Not even the most complicated version (w/c was 3.5) had so many rules to cover.

which store in Greenhills? (not that I'm familiar with the GH area at all)...

Fortress Games. They've a website also, Shopee & Lazada shops. But not everything that they have stocked is visible on their online stores. Its usually best to go yourself. Last time I was there, they had a 20% off sale on physical purchases.

I'm not so much a horror person, but I'll deal if that is what the majority wants.

Well, five yesses and a no means no.

I'm not so much a horror person...

Me neither, honestly. Though I'm better with written horror than visual. Don't like blood.

So I can certainly refrain from any graphic description of bug monsters or blood loss.

What about things like the conversation with Mordha and Regis, though? That was the thing that made me go, "Wait, there was something I was supposed to do before this." Which is absolutely my failure--got focused on wrapping up my PaizoCon games.

(And feel free to respond by PM.)

Hey Aztryx, you ok where you are? Fun fact -- our messenger has the same name as the typhoon... we're giving him a hard time at the moment :)

Yes we're okay here. Am vacationing in Boracay at the moment. My sisters arrived from Salt Lake and LA. Very rare gathering of siblings. Good thing Internet is good.

I hear its very wet in your area?

Quite wet in Bulacan... It's worse because the mayor's Stupefied 15 or something... decided to do all the road work during the rainy season... so places that never used to flood are now under water...

Sorry to hear about the flooding, Froggy. Even if you were as amphibious as your namesake, flooded water tends to be unsafe and property damage is no joke.