GM ShadowLord's Rusthenge

Game Master The Rising Phoenix

It is unfortunately not uncommon for elders in a family to be dealt neglect when in the twilight of their lives.

Hero Point on you for stepping up!

=)

I'm sorry to hear things are tough right now, I hope things improve soon. Don't worry about the game at all.

Best of luck!

GM,
In order for our characters to gauge our choices in-game, some questions:

0) I presume what follows are skill challenges of some sort.
1) What skills are involved for the Well entrance from Iron Harbor?
2) What skills are involved for the Infiltration Route from the Cliffside?
3) If characters aren't trained in the skill challenges primary skill, are there secondary skills that may be reasonably be put to bear?
4) Can we split the party?

=)

Good afternoon!

Good questions!

1) The difficulty here is primarily finding the location. It's not obvious and requires scouting lore or a higher perception check to nail. I'll probably allow survival at an even higher DC.

2) Since you have Derrol's help, the route can be made without any Athletics checks to climb until that last 20 feet, when a Climb check is required to scale the cliff down to a point where you can safely step off onto the rooftop. Note that if you make this approach without being stealthy, the guards are likely to notice them.

3) Yes. We can come up with some alternates at higher DCs.

4) ALWAYS!

Kragga reached out to me and told me they are going through some tough times, need to drop some games, and will withdraw from this game.

As we lost two and are down to three, I will try to pick up one or two people and get things going again.

We have that Climbing Kit, meaning even those without Athletics as a trained skill have a failsafe against falling.

You all want to try and roll with that, or risk "door #2"?

I think I found two more players to join. It should be a tough lift from where you are now, just two fellow Osprey Cove towns members coming to join in and relieve the departing allies.

I hope to get them onboard this week.

Update:

I asked four people to join, two initially accepted but withdrew. I have two more replacements who are working on their characters. I'll ask them to dot in here shortly.

Harro! Based on the team comp, I think a good front liner might help out, so I will likely be rolling a Champ to join you all soon.

Morning. Working on a Rogue to join. Any particular skill gaps that need to be filled?

I think this is our current party skill breakdown:

Krachxton
Athletics +6, Medicine +5, Nature +5, Ocean Lore +3; Religion +5, Survival +5

Quatar
Acrobatics (*) +6, Arcana (*) +3 , Deception (*) +5 , Diplomacy (*) +5 , Lore: Esoteric (*) +5 , Lore: Scouting (*) +3, Occultism (*) +3, Nature (*) +5, Religion (*) +5, Stealth (*) +6, Survival (*) +5 w/ Experienced Tracker, Thievery (*) +6

Zarzuket
Acrobatics +5, Arcana +3, Athletics -1, Diplomacy +5, Nature +7, Religion +7

Plus whatever Saotome007 and Ozone77 bring to the table.

=)

I think the biggest gap here is Society. We’re also missing Crafting, Intimidation, and Performance, but those seem less necessary to me.

I think the biggest gap here is Society. We’re also missing Crafting, Intimidation, and Performance, but those seem less necessary to me.

Though a good intimidate build would be appreciated.

Krachton is a little tanky.

I (Ozone) went with a goblin rogue. I'll flush out the profile shortly. Highlights: +6 Diplo/Intimidate, Unbreakable for more HP, and Goblin Scuttle to allow me to Step if an ally ends their turn next to me.

Dredd here, checking in! (Saotome007). Didn't realize we had a tanky kin on the team, but I'm already committed. I think we will be fine :D

Ok does Quatar know either Madaxa or Dredd?

Dredd here, checking in! (Saotome007). Didn't realize we had a tanky kin on the team, but I'm already committed. I think we will be fine :D

Multiple tanks are always a good thing. And champions are very good to have around.

By the way, what’s the plan for working Kragga’s and Pickle Tooth’s exits into the narrative? Maybe there’s some separate crisis in Osprey Cove that they have to go back to deal with?

I've asked our new players to interact with you and relay information requesting their presence back in town to close that part out.

Options seem decent for getting in and I'll go along with whatever makes the most sense.

My vote is to take the well. something about having to climb down with the risk of everyone seeing us just does not sit well. Worst case, if we can't find the well, then the cliff is still an option.

Also for rainzax - if Shadowlord responds to a question about 'is it acceptable to split the party' with "ALWAYS!", I recommend to never split the party. At least in non social cases. :D

Who do we need to talk to the first mate?

The Swordfish arrived in town before the group and the Captain hasn't returned. Zarzuket tried to talk to the first name Janish, but things didn't go well. Meanwhile, the group snuck aboard and snatched a log which can be found here.

I can try. Fresh face may do the trick.

No offense Zarzuket - just riffing :)

I have Crafting +3 - anyone else have it? I forgot to buy Artisan's Tools but have the coin.

I have no crafting :( Probably the first campaign I have ever been in where we needed crafting.

Edit - Or is there someone in the town we have met already whose goals match ours, that would be willing to help with this craft?

Negative - I say go for it!

There are other ways in if you fail...

Who is Elsie? I'm fine attempting the Craft check or having an NPC(?) do it.

An alchemist (and thus probably good at crafting) and sort-of innkeeper. She's worried about a sick ram stuck in Stonehome.

Gunna post later - all my new games firing at once, haven't gotten a chance to read.

Perhaps this evening!

Zarzuket, the party is untrained in Crafting from what I can tell

Madaxa is trained in Crafting (though he doesn't have an Int bonus). But I wasn't even proposing that he do it; I was saying we should get Elsie to do it.

GM did not respond to your query - that probably means we are on our own - so unless she can be convinced with a Diplomacy check (or somesuch workaround), you are our best shot at the "key" plan.

Failing that, we must choose between the other two points of entry.

Or meet an NPC with a fourth?!

=)

Well I think I conclusively crossed that hurdle :)

Is the map right? We need to go over the bench to get in the room? Search will be default for Madaxa or whatever lets me use Stealth/Deception for Surprise Attack.

Generally you get to choose one or the other.

Takes some investment to do both: Trap Finder

How do I handle Retributive Strike in Play by Post, if it is applicable during a round. I know the first round I don't get it because I did not act yet, but for future rounds.

Thanks!

Also, glad to see my rolls are still top notch [/sarcasm]

Madaxa wrote:

Is the map right? We need to go over the bench to get in the room? Search will be default for Madaxa or whatever lets me use Stealth/Deception for Surprise Attack.

Generally you get to choose one or the other.

Takes some investment to do both: Trap Finder

Yeah I know it's either/or. I messed up - thought Trap Finder wasn't available until I leveled.

I meant that Search will be my default unless we suspect combat is imminent in which case Stealth is more useful.

Looks like the guards just went down. Would anyone object to Zarzuket casting stabilize on them? I feel like it would be the in-character thing to do and unlikely to cause any problems, but I guess it's theoretically possible someone else will come along and heal them and we'll have to fight them again.

I say let Zarz do Zarz!

no objection from Dredd to stabilize and bind

I'm good with not being murderhobos against people doing their jobs.

Agreed

I mean.

It depends on the flexibility of the word "job" in my view, for where I realize there ought be respect payed for labor provided generally, too, it can also be understood as a mere exchange: payment for services rendered.

And in a game where Objective Evil exists...

=)

Test 2

GM,
Should I simply refrain from interacting with NPCs, and accept the rails of the dungeoncrawl?

=)

I guess I mean Gorum is not exactly a good god either. His followers are typically what CN or CE? How would a Paladin of Iomedae actually react so I can play it right?

can that rusted broken gear be repaired? is that something we would know?

Do we need to track who's picking up every individual potion, art object, etc.? I guess for potions we kind of do have to track who's carrying them, given the way they're used. But I've just come to the awkward realization that I'm not actually sure who's carrying Elsie's Excellent Bottled Vim. I guess it's me? And what about the potion of water breathing?

Anyway, my inclination is to give a lesser antiplague each to everyone else, keeping the Bottled Vim for myself. The expanded healer's tools would be most useful to Krachton, I think. Not sure what to do with the minor elixirs of life (or the potion of water breathing). In general I would prefer to carry as little as possible; I have a Strength penalty!

Also, has Quatar/rainzax forgotten about this game? He posted in other threads just a few minutes ago, but I think he hasn't posted here for a couple weeks.

Did you all have a tracking spreadsheet or anything? Otherwise I think we can track consumables we are carrying somewhere in our character profile.

I reckon the elixirs of life typically are handy in the hands of folks who can't quickly heal in a pinch. I can LoH in a pinch, so maybe better to hand out the elixirs of life to Madaxa and Krach?

Dredd can carry anything for you that you would like him to. Just let me know.

Krachton is the best healer in the group; giving the elixirs of life to Quatar and Madaxa would make more sense, I think.

I guess that just leaves the question of the potion of water breathing. If no one objects I’ll keep it for myself, since I think I’m the worst swimmer.