GM Ladile Presents: Season of Ghosts (Inactive)

Game Master Lady Ladile

Out-of-character chatter and other nonsense goes here!

First and foremost, this is a horror-themed Adventure Path. If horror themes are not to your liking, this campaign may not be for you. For trigger warnings, I have the following sourced from James Jacobs and they are as follows:

If any of the above things are a concern for you, please don't hesitate to let me know here or via PM if you'd prefer to discuss things privately. I am absolutely happy to adjust things as necessary, including excising certain elements, to make the game an enjoyable and comfortable experience for everyone.
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Now, we can't have a story without some characters. We'll be starting with fresh 1st level characters and a standard starting wealth of 15 gold each. Everyone must read the Season of Ghosts Player's Guide as that will give you a very good primer on Willowshore as well as recommendations on what sorts of characters will fit the campaign best. The table at the bottom of page 14 of the Player's Guide does a good job of listing those recommendations in an easy-to-read format so I won't repeat all of those things here. Otherwise, it's easier to list what isn't allowed and those things are as follows: no evil alignments, no gunslingers, no aquatic ancestries, no androids.

As far as backgrounds go, you can choose one of the campaign-specific backgrounds given in the player's guide but I'm also fine with folks choosing one of the standard backgrounds listed on page 10. The most important thing is that your character has ties to Willowshore and a reason to be invested in the fate of the town and its citizens.

Since I'm not looking to begin this until after US Thanksgiving at the earliest, everyone has plenty of time to discuss their characters and figure out what they'd like to play. Once characters start taking shape, you may also want to discuss how well your characters know each other and what their relationships, if any, with each other are like.

Also, right now I believe I have four folks who are definitely interested in playing. Once I see if Frozen Frost is interested or not, I'll start checking with some other folks to see about filling the remaining 5th and/or 6th seats.

I am interested in joining the AP!

^Awesome! Feel free to dot-and-delete over in Gameplay when you get a chance :)

I also expressed interest in joining via PM, but I’m not super familiar with this site’s PM system, so I’m not sure how noticeable that was.

I'm here and pondering a character!

Present! Planning on a human or tengu monk, borrowing on Bruce Lee heavily he he.

I also expressed interest in joining via PM, but I’m not super familiar with this site’s PM system, so I’m not sure how noticeable that was.

Hey there! You actually caught me at work last night so while I *did* see and read your PM, I ended up pulled away before I could properly respond to it and then it had admittedly slipped my mind by the time I was able to sit back down at my computer again.

That said, while I appreciate your interest in the game, I'm afraid that this is a private game with players pulled from a pool of friends rather than one that's open to the public.

I have an idea about a Sprite Plant Kineticist. If that's too out there I also have a human bard.

As a fair warning, I am playing this AP at another table.

Silver2195 wrote:

I also expressed interest in joining via PM, but I’m not super familiar with this site’s PM system, so I’m not sure how noticeable that was.

Hey there! You actually caught me at work last night so while I *did* see and read your PM, I ended up pulled away before I could properly respond to it and then it had admittedly slipped my mind by the time I was able to sit back down at my computer again.

That said, while I appreciate your interest in the game, I'm afraid that this is a private game with players pulled from a pool of friends rather than one that's open to the public.

Fair enough!

Pathfinder Remaster

With Player Core and GM Core now being available - I believe subscribers are getting their physical copies now, PDF purchases are available November 15th - you may use Remastered options for relevant character classes and ancestries if you wish!

I'm a dang dirty PDF-only person these days so it'll be a bit before I can get my grubby hands on the new material but if you've got any questions about Remastered options, go ahead and ask and I'll do my best to give you an answer :)

Sanctioning

While not yet sanctioned for Organized Play, Season of Ghosts is on the docket according to November's Organized Play Monthly Update so yes, I'll eventually be able to issue you chronicles for your adventures :)

Just as an update for everyone, I'm looking like I'll be a skeletal crusader. Redemption.

Skeleton Warrior? Gotta put up the theme song: >da da da da<

- Plant Sprite Kineticist (Wood)
- Leshy Monk (Stumbling Style)
- Human Aasimar/Nephilim Bard

That should be enough ideas to get me started.

Isn't that a flashback!

Just in case anyone else is curious or seeking clarification, yes, I'll allow skeleton and sprite ancestries.

Nomadical will be joining us as our 6th, so that makes a full group :)

Hey oh! Good to see some of you again! Thank you, Lady L for the invite. As she mentioned in her PM to me, she knows I'm big on Tian Xia stuff especially where the lore intersects with IRL Asia.

Looks like we've got front line covered with monk and champion, plus a kineticist can usually switch-hit.

I'm leaning full caster, and if so probably psychic.

Or if someone else is going full caster, I would happily play an investigator.

I might go for a summoner with devotion phantom eidolon.

Revision 1.

How about a ratfolk investigator w/ Forensic specialty, probably Medic archetype at 2nd level. An apprentice to the town healer, Doctor Damihansig Mababangloob (location W19 "The Hand of Spring", page 20), though he specializes as the coroner. Loves a good murder mystery, but in such a small town, there never seems to be one that's interesting (though that's admittedly a good thing in general.) Probably the Northridge Scholar background looking to establish a small medical school someday. On friendly terms with the town vet (location W2) since they let him practice autopsies on the animals that pass naturally.

Again, though, if someone else really wants to do Investigator or something similar like alchemist, I'll switch back to full caster.

Oops. Forgot to add, Duskwalker heritage with Willing Death ancestry feat.

Okay Tchokuqo Pucle "Puc-Lee"(rhymes with Bruce Lee) is coming along nicely here. Tengu monk specializing in the Dragon Stance. He will start with the Outskirt Dwelling Background. Heritage feat is MountainKeeper Tengu which should come in handy methinks. It allows the casting of the Disrupt Undead cantrip he he.

GM Ladile: Since Puc-Lee is starting with the Outskirt Dwelling background I was thinking of having him dwell near the Fisheries (W22) on the west bank of the Duyue River (north of Area 24). Let me know if that works for you!

By the way, any equipment suggestions are more than welcome here.

Now to work on his profile page...

@Nomadical - Sounding like a solid character concept!

@Eric - Living near the Fisheries won't be a problem!

Everyone should feel free to incorporate town NPCs in with their character in some manner if you feel that it would make sense for them to be a friend/enemy/frenemy/whatever with a particular NPC. Nomadical's tie-ins with Doctor Dami and the father-son veterinarian duo are good examples.

The above being said, pre-established connections with town NPCs is not something I'm going to require and if you'd rather start off at 'neutral acquaintance' level with folks and see how things progress, that's absolutely fine as well.

Ancestry: Sprite
Heritage: Ardande (descended from Wood Genies)
Ancestry Feat: Corgi Mount
Class: Kineticist (Wood)

Taking the Celebrity Dedication ASAP.

Probably friends with Mother Otis, due to the many opportunities to entertain and gather new fans. Has had a few run ins with the law, and has had to deal with Luo Xi Yang too many times to count. Hate is a strong word, but she doesn't like her.

So a skeleton, a sprite, a ratfolk, and a tengu so far...this is shaping up to be quite the eclectic group :3

I'd say our sprite probably gets along with Mountain Summit Grass and the other leshys over at the salon fairly well, too!

@GM Have you considered allowing any of the non-Society options, particularly Free-archetype?

The AP Player's Guide seems to imply that having someone with the Ritualist Dedication is pretty important, though that dedication isn't even available until level 4. As I mentioned, my backup plan in case no one else goes full-caster would be a psychic, and if so I'd want to go Ritualist to make sure we have one. Using free archetype would make that choice less of a tax, and opens up build options for everyone that we don't get to see in PFS.

Psychic build: Human or half-elf. Gathered Lore subconscious mind (INT based), Infinite Eye conscious mind. Background TBD. Willowshore Lore

^Yes actually, thank you for the reminder!

Free Archetype rules are now an option for your characters and we will also be making use of Automatic Bonus Progression for this campaign. I've been playing in an Extinction Curse game with both of these things in play and it's made things a lot easier and more streamlined as well as opened up more options for everyone.

Welcome Nomadical, long time no see! (Little Frankie)

GM: Thanks for the updates. I've heard of those two variants but haven't played with them yet. I am curious as to how the ABP changes wealth doled out in the game. Does it get reduced since you no long need to spend the bulk of your $$ on those required bonuses? Or are we expecting everyone to be running around with bling and consumables galore to spend it all?

I'll need to do some serious searching to find an archetype to fit with my crusader's thoughts, but it could be as simple as medic. Not sure yet.

If I choose a kineticist, I suggest my +1 potency rune is delayed until level 3. This would line up with the >Gate Attenuator< I would use at level 3.

Free Archetype would free up some room in my build. I'm ambivalent about this rule in general.

Okay Profile for Puc-Lee is finished.

GM: Please review for any mistakes, thanks. I also put in some contacts under the Willowshore spoiler too.

All: Still trying to figure out which Free Archetype to select, but I suppose I will figure it out as the game progresses. Nomadical's Ritualist suggestion is a good one though.

Pretty sure we're looking at skeletal champion redeemer with a future eye at level 4 for adding in the exorcist archetype.

I'm also kind of diggin' the fun weirdness of the nickname 'Sneakerz'.

My top issues to resolve/ponder over are:

Being sure to address how I can get healed..

How to deal with so many reaction choices..

Deity/Favored Weapon/Shield or no Shield.

Okay Profile for Puc-Lee is finished.

GM: Please review for any mistakes, thanks. I also put in some contacts under the Willowshore spoiler too.

All: Still trying to figure out which Free Archetype to select, but I suppose I will figure it out as the game progresses. Nomadical's Ritualist suggestion is a good one though.

Looks snazzy, especially the formatting! I haven't played monk so I really can't give any solid feedback on that part.

I still need to figure out gear. Tiny characters can't carry much.

Still haven't heard about characters from 2 of the 6, so I'm not fully committing to my build yet.

Being sure to address how I can get healed..

Medicine check related healing works fine. If I stick with the investigator, he's taking Medic as his free archetype, Battle Medicine at 1st, and Continual Recovery at 3rd. By 3rd level, he'll have +11.

But if I go with the psychic, we'll need someone to be able to heal, including healing the skeleton.

I've prodded UncleFroggy to jump in on the discussion here and I think Frozen Frost mentioned a summoner with a devotion phantom.

Still haven't heard about characters from 2 of the 6, so I'm not fully committing to my build yet.

Sneakerz wrote:

Being sure to address how I can get healed..

Medicine check related healing works fine. If I stick with the investigator, he's taking Medic as his free archetype, Battle Medicine at 1st, and Continual Recovery at 3rd. By 3rd level, he'll have +11.

But if I go with the psychic, we'll need someone to be able to heal, including healing the skeleton.

For medicine checks to work on undead you need this skill feat. I'll be taking it as soon as I can, at level 2. I will have lay on hands to help with in and out of combat healing somewhat. And of course medicine checks, which I probably will only use on myself out of combat since the lay on hands will be better.

Stitch Flesh
Feat 1
General Skill
Source Book of the Dead pg. 45
Prerequisites trained in Medicine
You can use Treat Wounds to restore Hit Points to undead creatures, not just living ones. The techniques you use to do so vary, but all require sutures, bandages, and other tools included in healer's tools. Some conditions that might raise the DC of treating undead's wounds differ from that of living creatures. For instance, the GM might increase the DC if the undead being treated is in a church of Pharasma or the wounds were caused by powerful positive energy.

Okay, I think I'm all kitted out. I'll need to make a portrait for Sakura, but that can wait a bit. Pathbuilder says she's at 1 Bulk out of 3, and I was planning to take Hefty Hauler at level 2 anyway.

Apologies, Sneakerz. Petal has no idea how to heal you. Her go to option is to give you a plum, but that's a Healing Vitality plum!

Oops. I was thinking that Medicine checks weren't Positive healing, so they'd be okay. Forgot that Treat Wounds specifies a "living" creature. That said, the only mention of "living" in the Medicine check actions is under Treat Wounds. Administering First Aid, or treating diseases or poisons only say "creature" or "patient."

Likewise, since Battle Medicine just uses the DC and is not actually Treat Wounds, it's also not subject to the restriction of a living creature either, I think. No mention of that restriction in the text of Battle Medicine.

I've adjusted the investigator to also take stitch flesh at level 2, and Continual Recovery at 3, if I go with that character.

I, Frozen Frost, will be playing with this character, Castor, a summoner, with his devotion phantom eidolon Pollux.

Castor takes the Close Ties (w Elizeth Candora) as his background. He will train to become Soul Warden of Pharasma when he hits level 2. His home will be close to W10 Lady of Souls and his heirloom will be one cold-iron chunk worth 10 gp.

Castor and Pollux are identical twins.

*waillllssss*

I might just go with a healer/medic... can't quite decide yet...

Sorry for the delay.

I have a half-elven rogue ready.

I also have Treat Wounds/Battle Med. I got Risky Surgery to help. I can take Stitch Flesh as well at lvl 2...

I have a half-elven rogue ready.

I also have Treat Wounds/Battle Med. I got Risky Surgery to help. I can take Stitch Flesh as well at lvl 2...

I'm actually glad you did this. I've been crafting a psychic as a backup, and with your rogue covering all those Medicine things, I think I'll switch to that one so we have a full caster. She'll go into the Ritualist archetype at 4th level.

@GM: I'd like to take  Wildborn Magic as an ancestry feat on an Elf/Dhampir Psychic, leading to  Wildborn Adept at 5th. Wildborn magic has an ethnicity requirement of "Mualijae ethnicity," which are one of the Mwangi elven communities.

If you're okay with that feat, I could spin the backstory that she was ostracized by her Mualijae elven community for being a dhampir two or three hundred years ago. She wandered the world (like some guy we know), and finally found peace in the sleepy little village of Willowshore where no one cares how she looks. So she's not originally from here, but everyone accepts her since she's been here so long.

Alternatively, you could simply waive the ethnicity requirement, and I'll build her as a life-long Tian elf resident of Willowshore.

Or just tell me to pound sand cause ethnicity requirements are there for balance reasons. You're the GM, and I respect your call.

Also, requesting access to the Uncommon skill feat  Read Psychometric Resonance at 2nd level. It seems like it might fit a horror campaign, being from Dark Archive. AFAIK there's no Society access to it available.

@Nomadical - I'll allow Wildborn Magic & Wildborn Ancestry. Depending on the specifics you had in mind for her backstory, she could have come to the area with the eight (unnamed) elven adventurers that eventually formed the Silvermist Lodges, whether she was an adventurer or not at the time.

Read Psychometric Resonance is also allowed, because it can be a good way to slip extra backstory stuff into the game that characters might never learn otherwise. I do ask that, y'know, she doesn't do object reading for every single thing she picks up, though ;)

@Nomadical - I'll allow Wildborn Magic & Wildborn Ancestry. Depending on the specifics you had in mind for her backstory, she could have come to the area with the eight (unnamed) elven adventurers that eventually formed the Silvermist Lodges, whether she was an adventurer or not at the time.

Thank you.

I think perhaps she's not among the original eight, but having heard of Willowshore's welcoming attitude toward elves from one of them who'd since departed the town, she headed that way to give it a shot and arrived about the time that the last of the Eight were leaving. Maybe some townsfolk don't realize or no longer remember that she's not one of the Eight and mistakenly refer to her that way, while others that she's corrected about it or who are close to her are aware, though in the end it really doesn't matter. She'll live in the eastern W5 zone, and she's friends (Close Ties) with You So-Jin from W4 who did the Reenactment last year, and now it's her turn.

Read Psychometric Resonance is also allowed, because it can be a good way to slip extra backstory stuff into the game that characters might never learn otherwise. I do ask that, y'know, she doesn't do object reading for every single thing she picks up, though ;)

Noted. I wouldn't have used it that way, anyway. It's an Exploration activity requiring half-speed movement, so I think doing it in normal day-to-day life might be psychically overwhelming.

I'll get her page up this week.

Dhampir and a Skeleton... time to brush up on Negative Healing rules (er, Void Healing?)

btw, I'm going to be traveling for the next 2 days so please expect delays.

@chadius, would you mind sharing your prompts and settings for the AI portrait you made of Petal? I've been messing around with Stable Diffusion under Automatic 1111 doing character portraits for a couple of mine also, but her's is AMAZING!

Thanks for the tips, chadius. I haven't used that model, so I'll give that one a shot.

I've dotted in with Amila Mwambua. I went with the the Folklore Enthusiast background instead as I couldn't really get Close Ties to synergize to my satisfaction. Plus it's better mechanically for this character.

More backstory detail to come, though how she got to Willowshore is as I outlined above.

Lastly, since she's got the occult list, she took Soothe and will make that a signature spell. It's not positive healing, and as a dhampir it makes sense she'd have a way to patch herself up.

A later investment would be the >Oil of Unlife< that seems to be the void healing option for undead and undead-adjacent.

Sakura's going to be so confused when she can't hand you or Sneakerz healing yuzu or sugar plums.

Glad to see characters coming together, folks!

In terms of start time, I don't plan to get us rolling until after the US Thanksgiving holiday at the earliest. That said, I know that now through the New Year can be pretty busy for folks with family obligations, work/holiday travel, etc. Does anyone need to wait until a certain point in time before we start the game?