☠ Season of Ghosts w/ DM rainzax ☠

Game Master rainzax

Next Auntie Wu wants to:

1) Give an update to Old Matzuki.
2) Deal with Mo Douqiu at the Cerluean Teahouse (W25).
3) Check in with Granny Hu (patooie!). (That grasping old bag is a better ally than enemy.)

I agree with checking in with Old Matzuki first.

I also wonder if our continued checking in with him will cause Granny Hu to grow distrust for our party. It's not an argument to change our decision, just pondering out loud whether we'll hear from her soon.

With all of the urgency it looks to be a while before we get some downtime (maybe between seasons?)

I'll get Vekka leveled up with a couple of hours, and I presume we're still doing the re-basing of wealth at each level.

Matsuki is easier to reach, and we can't send a page to deliver messages to Granny Hu: we'd have to go there ourselves. I do wish to maintain even relations across all of Willowshore.

I'll have to figure out later what to do about Sheela. She was the Kolphan in 1e as a Sorcerer with Fey and Angelic blood who liked to summon. I'll have to see how that translates to 2e.

Also, if the first book is about to be over it's time to figure out how to use up our seasonal boons before they reset :)

1 vote for Old Matsuki.

No votes for Granny Hu.

Lan will vote for Granny Hu. 90s Laugh track: ooOOOooo!

As for questions, I don't think we should ask about destroying the Wall. From Zoudou's outbursts during combat, it sounds like we're in a dreamscape, perhaps even dreaming.

Beyond The Wall, the Worthy may finally Wake into the Real World! Alas, the Great Spirit shall only permit such Worthy to Pass.

The only way through The Wall is to appease the Great Spirit. Mark my words! You are all Trapped here unless you Step Through!

It sounds like we need to find a way through the Wall, just, y'know, without the human sacrifice part. And from Black's behavior, it looks like without the sacrifice, people who go through the Wall without the ritual just get turned around and spit back out into our world.

I think the question about the nature of the wall is most pertinent, perhaps also whether there are other prisoners. But if the GM is hinting that we should defeat Mo Douqiu, we should do that and maybe some of these questions would get answered anyway.

Side note: The school year is ending, so the kids will be turning in their laptops this week. There'll be five of us sharing two laptops

My deepest condolences.

Auntie Wu is leveled up. I purchased a Staff of Healing for her.

I would like to check in with Old Matsuki as well & get Mother Sato to safety.

I will level Kazuki up tonight.

Can I take the Unexpected Sharpshooter archetype? It's uncommon.
Also, is it a bad idea to take an archetype starting at 4th instead of 2nd?

With how bad/unlucky Kazuki has been with his shots, this archetype is pretty funny and seems perfect for him.

Can I take the Unexpected Sharpshooter archetype? It's uncommon.

Also, is it a bad idea to take an archetype starting at 4th instead of 2nd?

With how bad/unlucky Kazuki has been with his shots, this archetype is pretty funny and seems perfect for him.

Rarity Boons

Using the Rarity system, I do want to restrict some of the Options characters can use to the following:

-Common character options only.
-Each character gains two (2) Rarity Boons they can use to Access options that are Uncommon or Rare.
-Uncommon options use 1 Rarity Boon - Rare options use 2 Rarity Boons.
-Options (Items) discovered in the AP itself do not require Rarity Boons to use.
-As we progress through the AP, I will likely assign additional Rarity Boons, useable during Character Advancement, while upgrading Wealth, or utilizing the Retraining subsystem.

I see 3 votes for Old Matsuki (Sigurd, Vekka, Kazuki) vs only 1 vote for Granny Hu (Lan).

It is thus decided.

As for Black Acolyte, you earned 4 questions total. Maybe everyone prioritize three? We'll see where that takes us!

1) Who is Kugaptee? Your deity?

2) Did [Kugaptee] tell you to sacrifice innocents in exchange for leaving?
3) Why did you all congregate here?
4) Where are the other prisoners?
5) Do you know what the ritual is?
6) What is at least one super effective thing we can do to undermine [Kugaptee's] goal?
7) About Ugly Cute themselves - do they have a mission?
8) What is The Real?
9) What is the nature of the Wall?
~9a) How does it work?
~9b) What does it do?
~9c) Is it mobile?
~9d) Can we go around it in any way?
~9e) Where does it begin and end?
~9f) How thick is it?
10) How do we destroy the Wall?

Did I miss any questions? These were Re-organized from the following posts:

It appears that I don't have any uncommon or rare options. The kusarigama weapon is considered common for the campaign as well as the backgrounds.

4, 8, 9a for questions.

As much as I want an answer to 6, I doubt this peon has the intel to properly answer it.

My choices are: 9a, 8, 1, and 10 as a bonus if it matters.

Seconding 4, 8, and 9a

4
8
9a
9b

I think that's already quorum for {4, 8, 9a}, but Lan will add his vote to 4 and 9a, and throw in a rogue vote for 9e.

Hey gang,
For the next update, I’m going to answer your questions, then fast forward us to rooting out Mo Douqiu in his taken-over teahouse. You will not have an opportunity to “case” the joint, instead simply proceed (you will see why: trigger warning soon). If you survive, we will close out Book One with an Influence round for your chosen Leader, then segue into Book Two with that delayed-promise Downtime.

At such a time, I will allow you to trade in some Downtime to do a “soft rebuild” if you are interested in making some slightly larger changes than is typically afforded the regular Retraining rules.

Lastly, for Spells gained for being Level Four, go ahead and “prepare” any new spells you received (ex. Spellcasters typically get one more daily slot at rank two), but any resources you have expended this fight are treated as still expended - yes, you are being “rushed” (again, await the story to see why: trigger warning soon). Any new equipment you “purchased” we’ll say you found as loot at this ritual site.

Let me know if you have any questions?

Update later tonight or tomorrow!

Looking for a 60-90 minute block of time in my day, maybe this evening.

=)

Note on Themes:

You all acknowledged the Horror and Consent side bar in the PhB - I want you to know that although some of the more insidious themes will be mentioned, they will not be dwelled upon at any significant length.

If you have any feedback, feel free to share it openly, spoiler it below, and/or to shoot me a PM.

=)

The advantage of PbP is that A: each interaction is taken in such small doses that I am not overwhelmed by the horror aspects, and B: in the written word, I can choose how much of the descriptions to imagine or gloss over. I should be fine.

Nothing changed for me since that consent. I'm fine with it.

I'm good to proceed, as well.

I'm all good. Getting ready to post.

Not stalling - just looking for a good block of time to make GM post!

I know the feeling. Last week of school has been pretty busy, pushing me pretty late multiple evenings.

Unsure if these have been updated since Level Three:

[ dice=Sigurd Kolphan's Athletics (T)]1d20+8[/dice]
[ dice=Kazuki Sato's Athletics (T)]1d20+6[/dice]
[ dice=Vekka Tchakon's Athletics (T)]1d20+9[/dice]

[ dice=Kazuki Sato's Thievery (T)]1d20+9[/dice]

Completely forgot about that! Updated.

Lan's macros have been updated as well.

Sorry everyone! I just started a new job a couple days ago. I'll post tonight!

Go ahead and hero point that last theory check, please.

Auntie Wu, the sickened duration obviates the opportunity to retch, over-writing the clause. You are just sickened for an hour. You may use a hero point if you like.

Ah, nevermind. I'll save my last Hero Point in case she goes down during the next fight. Thanks for clarifying.

Will move us on after Lan posts, or this evening or next morning otherwise

I'm at work for the next 8 hours. Bot me if you need to. However, I can post after work.

Actually, which action has manipulate? I don't see it on strike, cast a spell, or spellstrike.

You channel a spell into a punch or sword thrust to deliver a combined attack. You Cast a Spell that takes 1 or 2 actions to cast and requires a spell attack roll. The effects of the spell don't occur immediately but are imbued into your attack instead.

Yeah, I see it includes that but Cast a Spell isn't manipulate.

But... I see what I missed now. It's in the spell components (material/somatic/focus), and the specific spell (ignition) lists manipulate.

As a side note, I purposefully provoked a Reaction from the scorpion during my turn so you don't have to worry about Reactions (unless the scorpion has multiple reactions, which is very rare.)

Sigurd, I still think you must roll a Fortitude save at the end of your turn - looking that up now…

Edit: Yes, you do. You failed your initial contraction. Then, you passed your second exposure save, meaning no increase in stage, but, you are still exposed at your initial severity. So, please make an end of turn save!

Multiple Exposures

I may have adjudicated Lan’s exposures incorrectly - will check and fix when I get a chance!

Nice description Vekka.

Super gross and unnecessary.

Um. Hero Point.

what can I say? A giant scorpion provides horrific inspiration :D

Being Treated for Wounds is 10 minutes of "sitting still" for the patient and 10 minutes of concentrative activity for the medic.

The reason Kazuki (only, so far) is free to move about is because he doesn't have to sit still!

Over the course of 10-minute periods, casting a ◆, ◆◆, or ◆◆◆ spell is effectively taking 0 time.

(Because 1 round = 6 seconds, meaning there are 10 round per minute, and so 100 rounds in 10 minutes)

So, if Lan has freed himself from needing to "sit still", I will allow him to Aid one or both of Kazuki's actions.

Go ahead and roll Deception to Aid openly Lan!

Auntie Wu, I have already rolled for you what you are requesting of me.

So. One question!

I will likely move us along this evening to keep pace.

D'oh! My apologies. Just the first line from this spoiler then.

If someone can help me find the post from months ago where you had gotten intel on Mo Douqiu - I have forgotten what you know!

=)

I think it starts around this post?

You do not have a separate token for Mogu, so, I’m going to rule that Mogu is “worn” by Auntie Wu, which means inside the belly with the rest of Auntie Wu’s “worn” effects.

And taking the same damage as Auntie Wu from the Swallow Whole ability.

I listed the Athletics DC for you, Auntie Wu - check the combat tracker!

Got it. So Mogu's at 16/20 HP right now.

Thanks!

We may need a bot for Kazuki

I'm here. Getting ready to post. Busy holiday & work schedule!

There's a little time before this occurs, but it's a longer time away so I didn't want to spring it at the last moment.

I've got a trip from 7/31 to 8/12, and for much of it I won't have internet access.