Mummy's Mask

Game Master Whack-a-Rogue

Draft of gestalt Aerith

She is scarier with the gestalt…

Influence +14 (should have been earlier but I had forgotten her trait…)

AC24 is pretty good at lvl5.

4x attacks. Free grapple if bite hits. Had a great grapple combo lined up…but didn’t want to mess with complexity. So instead extra 1d8+6 damage and DC18 fort save vs prone.

Also, she will be healed by both positive and negative energy. Which should be very useful in an undead themed campaign.

Finally, still have all of the same spells. Only now her healing is 3d8+5.

——

All in all, quite good. I had thought that fighter or ranger was the way to go (better damage, more combat talents). But famine spirits grab + wrestling sphere is a great combo.

I will mention that the Greater Changes talent doesn't interact with the Transformation feat. Alteration shapeshifting and the Transformation feat chain are essentially two different ways to do the same thing - like Mahmoud's martial spontaneity class feature and the Barroom Brawler feat. They don't actually interact with each other. ;-)

Something I just thought of: the Famine Spirit archetype is entirely focused on biting enemies, swallowing them, and turning them into undead under your command. My in-person game has one, and it's terrifyingly effective. Aerith, however, isn't interested in necromancy, and dragons have multiple natural attacks. Could it potentially be better to gestalt into Magus (path of the pugilist) - especially since you already have the Unarmed Training talent?

Issue with magus is that it’s doesn’t give better BaB, ref save, and is more about fighting with one weapon (unarmed, or in this case a bite).

If the theme of famine spirit is an issue, though, I can change to regular shifter. The shifting abilities go to waste, but outside of spell points with telekinesis it’s the only way I’ve seen in getting flight, as the bestial traits work.

The main thing the archetype gives in combat is grab on the bite attack. That’s awesome, but I can live without it.

The main thing the archetype gives in combat is grab on the bite attack. That’s awesome, but I can live without it.

I've never played a Shifter (let alone the Johnsonfinder version) but can't you just take Grab as a Bestial Trait on a base shifter?

True…I think you can. Huh.

Well, I’ll be. I’ll just switch back to base shifter then. Let the famine spirit go and for the most part ignore the enhanced alteration abilities as I’ll be focused on the (improved) transformation feat.

Since your dragon form is handled by the Transformation feats, I wonder if you can use the enhanced Alteration talents to improve your humanoid form? Like, boost all your skills and vision and stuff that would be excellent when you are out of combat (and might hold over when you change into your dragon form?) You can theme it like Aerith perfecting her elven form while she's perfecting her draconic form, too...

I'm not super-familiar with Alteration, but there are a few talents that might serve you well no matter which shape you're in. Adaptive Physicality boosts your Influence, and Agile has lots of cool benefits. You can also get things like fast healing or pounce pretty easily, which are never bad!

That's a really good idea, actually. Since you're shapeshifting exclusively through the Transformation feat chain, improving the Alteration Sphere's functionality doesn't actually do anything for you, so using your gestalt to grab passive buffs like BAB and bestial traits sounds like the way to go. :-)

For the record, I have no problem with the Famine Spirit theme, I just know from experience that taking it means you'd be disincentivized from using your dragon claws and gore as it's entirely focused on Vital Striking with your bite.

Great ideas all around! At the moment, as an elf she can currently make claws and bite attacks if she wishes. Improved shifter abilities give her Darkvision, and if she wishes it, a gore attack. But at lvl 6 I think I’ll take Appealing Visage: The target gains a +2 circumstance bonus to Diplomacy and Perform checks, in addition to checks made as an impressive display of skill. This bonus increases by 1 for every 4 caster levels you possess. Additionally, any creature that the target impresses has the numerical effects of the impressed condition increased by +2.

Then at lvl 9, will take Fast Healing: You may spend an additional spell point to grant the target fast healing 1, increasing by +1 per 10 caster levels.

And at lvl 10 will take Signature Trait [Alienist HB] Prerequisites: Alteration sphere, caster level 10th.

Choose a single Alteration sphere trait that you may select as part of a shapeshift. That trait reduces its spell point cost by 1 (to a minimum of 0) and if this reduces it to 0 it does not count as having 1 additional spell point cost for the purposes of your other abilities.

Thus giving endless out of combat healing at lvl10. Good for conserving spell points.

I'm planning on having Mahmoud invest in the War sphere (appropriate for a Warpriest, no?), specifically Momentum talents. Aerith will be able to benefit from them too, and I thought I should call out some of the tricks that this will enable for her.

Aggressive Momentum: Save your swift actions, because this basically lets you use them for another bite attack every round, as long as we've got points to spend!

Damaging Momentum: Adds a small bit of damage (+3) to one attack. Aggressive Momentum is probably more cost-effective, but you can do both as long as we've got the momentum points.

Focusing Momentum: Lets you use momentum to regain martial focus, as either a move action or a swift action. Nice that Aerith doesn't have to take a focus-regaining talent.

Marauding Momentum: You can move up to 20' without it costing an action, and I believe this is in addition to a five-foot step. It provokes, but oh well, that's still pretty good. :)

Resilient Momentum: It's kind of like damage reduction 3 that isn't damage reduction. A small amount, but every bit helps, right?

I also want to take the Performance [dance] sphere, which lets Mahmoud begin a dance as a move action, and lets Aerith join the dance simply by moving somehow, even just by taking a five-foot step. Being part of the dance gives a lot of benefits depending on the dance, including an entangling effect on adjacent enemies; or using Mahmoud's Acrobatics total to avoid opportunity attacks, a dodge bonus to AC, standing up from prone, picking up an item, or retrieving a stowed item-- all without provoking or costing any movement.

Mahmoud is a dancer first and foremost, and that should be evident in his fighting style as I picture it. But it's pretty cool that this helps both of us, isn't it?

Fun stuff. Just remember that Appealing Visage has reduced functionality because I don't use Spheres of Guile. No 'impressed' condition or mechanical benefits for performing an 'impressive display of skill.'

EDIT since eriktd posted at the same time as me: Just a note that I don't use Spheres of Guile in my games. Since it's just the two of you, though, I'll look over the Perform Sphere to see how crazy it can get and how much it relies on 'outwitting,' 'motivations,' and the various new conditions.

Oops, my bad! :) Well, as far as I can tell, the [dance] package of the Performance sphere doesn't use any of the new mechanics in Spheres of Guile. It unlocks skill leverage, but none of the talents I'm interested in actually use it. It's more about movement than social interaction.

After glancing through the Sphere, I think I'm fine with Mahmoud taking Combat Juggling, Collaborative Performance, Flowing Theatrics, Performance Mastery, all [dance] talents, and all associated Advanced talents except Thaumic Sync and Virtuoso's Challenge. The two Advanced talents I'm barring are due to potential edge cases, but I don't think those were talents Mahmoud was necessarily interested in anyway. :-)

Oh, and to answer a much earlier question, Pharasmin clerics don't have access to the required spell to craft a hypnotic tattoo. I have no issue with the item; you'll just have to get it from somewhere other than the temple.

Please don’t go out of the way if it’s an issue. A small bonus isn’t worth it, and I’ve got so many other sphere talents I can take.

Speaking of which, eriktd, I’ve never seen war sphere in use. But it fits the character well and I look forward to seeing him put the war in Warpriest. Should I drop arcane strike? +2 damage is pretty nice for each hit, but if you have plenty of swift action effects to give I can take something else.

And Aerith is easy going. She will shuffle awkwardly along, which should make Mahmoud look all the better as he actually dances well. Just tell me when I need to take an action. And feel free to move her on the map as needed, you’ll get no complaints from me. :)

Grumbaki, it turns out that you don't actually have to move to benefit from Mahmoud's dances. As long as Aerith spends the action cost, she can shuffle awkwardly around in her current square. ;-)

A suggestion for eriktd: When they're active, add a blurb to the bottom of your posts listing your [dance] and [momentum] abilities with associated costs. Both Spheres potentially have reactive effects, and that sort of thing can be tricky to handle via PbP.

I've used the War Sphere before, by the way, and can confirm that [momentum] talents are very nice. The 'shared resource pool' bit makes careful tracking very important though.

Speaking of which, eriktd, I’ve never seen war sphere in use. But it fits the character well and I look forward to seeing him put the war in Warpriest. Should I drop arcane strike? +2 damage is pretty nice for each hit, but if you have plenty of swift action effects to give I can take something else.

I'd probably take something else instead of Arcane Strike, but that's just me. When we have the momentum points, another bite attack totally overshadows (ha!) it, but when we don't, adding 2 or 3 damage to every attack in your sequence is golden. And it's nice to be able to choose!

Mahmoud has a lot of immediate action reaction stuff, so I was thinking it's a good use of the action economy to use a swift when I have it to take another attack, and when I don't have it because I've used an immediate on or after my turn, oh well.

A suggestion for eriktd: When they're active, add a blurb to the bottom of your posts listing your [dance] and [momentum] abilities with associated costs. Both Spheres potentially have reactive effects, and that sort of thing can be tricky to handle via PbP.

Absolutely, will do! I'll make up a little spoiler with all of the details and stick it on the bottom of my posts when it's applicable.

This is all exciting. :)

I’ll keep arcane strike. And at lvl7 will take this:

Champion’s Strike
Prerequisite: Arcane Strike.
Benefit: Your Arcane Strike feat is in effect at all times without you needing to take an action to activate it. In addition, when you use this ability with an attack action that only affects one target and has only one attack roll, the bonus on damage rolls for your strike is increased 100% for every +5 Base Attack Bonus you possess.

It’s just too useful to have that scaling damage with these many attacks.

Champion’s Strike

Ooo, I hadn't seen that before! An excellent choice!

How's this for my little informational spoilers?

The spoilers look good to me. Quite clear.

Aerith is planned out to about lvl 17 (subject to minor changes here and there). Should be good to go.

Some new things to note:
* detect magic as a constant spell-like ability (felt fitting for the character and saves divination dip)
* Grapple on hit with claws as free action (if passed auto ends for 1d8+6 dmg and fort save vs fatigued and prone)
* Lvl 6 fly, lvl 8 pounce, lvl 10 targeted Dispel Magic as option instead of initiating a grapple

Awesome! Let’s go put down some mummies! :)

Hey Grumbaki, I was thinking about your build, and I have a couple of questions/suggestions for you.

I'm not sure I know what your blended training talents from Shifter are. It looks like you get two. I'm guessing they are Wrestling sphere at level 2, and Power Slam at level 4? But how are you getting the Gladiator sphere? I'm probably missing something.

Have you considered taking the Constrictor drawback with the Wrestling sphere? I don't think you need Improved Unarmed Strike for anything, and you can't use it with your natural attacks. Plus, getting Hammerlock for free is nice because it increases the grappled penalty when Aerith grabs something.

I wonder if you're going to be getting very much from Power Bomb. It's a nice little bit of damage early on, but later it's kind of piddly, and the fatigued effect on a Fortitude save is okay as long as we're not fighting undead. :) You're probably thinking that you'll be dropping the grapple each time you attack with your claws, so you might as well add some damage to that, but the immediate action cost seems too steep to me, since you can save it for a swift on your next turn for another attack or Arcane Strike. Also, you have to drop the grapple on your turn to do it, which means the enemy isn't grappled on its turn. Maybe you'd do better to take Inescapable Grasp? Aerith is already good at Warp stuff, so it seems pretty appropriate to her character that she could keep enemies from teleporting away. Plus it beats freedom of movement at BAB +10, which otherwise can prevent all your grapples completely.

I also worry you're going to run out of actions when you try to use Boast, at least before level 7 when you get Champion Strike. Until then, you'll probably want to use Arcane Strike on every turn, and if you use a boast you won't be able to. I'm not sure rolling one attack twice is better than +2 damage on every attack in your chain. Maybe if you can get Bloodthirst earlier, since another attack is always awesome-- and if you time it right, I think you can add your Arcane Strike damage to the extra attack from the Boast! But if you don't have enough talents, it might be better to forgo the sphere completely and take another Wrestling talent like Iron Grip instead. You'll need all the help you can get to beat high-level CMDs!

Just some thoughts, hope they help! No worries if you don't agree with anything. I look forward to seeing Aerith in action regardless! :)

Hey Grumbaki, I was thinking about your build, and I have a couple of questions/suggestions for you.

I'm not sure I know what your blended training talents from Shifter are. It looks like you get two. I'm guessing they are Wrestling sphere at level 2, and Power Slam at level 4? But how are you getting the Gladiator sphere? I'm probably missing something.

Great catch! It was from when I originally took extra combat talent feat. I switched to arcane strike but forgot about taking it out. Also I really appreciate you taking the time to look this over.

Have you considered taking the Constrictor drawback with the Wrestling sphere? I don't think you need Improved Unarmed Strike for anything, and you can't use it with your natural attacks. Plus, getting Hammerlock for free is nice because it increases the grappled penalty when Aerith grabs something.

I’ll add that. Nice.

I wonder if you're going to be getting very much from Power Bomb. It's a nice little bit of damage early on, but later it's kind of piddly, and the fatigued effect on a Fortitude save is okay as long as we're not fighting undead. :) You're probably thinking that you'll be dropping the grapple each time you attack with your claws, so you might as well add some damage to that, but the immediate action cost seems too steep to me, since you can save it for a swift on your next turn for another attack or Arcane Strike. Also, you have to drop the grapple on your turn to do it, which means the enemy isn't grappled on its turn. Maybe you'd do better to take Inescapable Grasp? Aerith is already good at Warp stuff, so it seems pretty appropriate to her character that she could keep enemies from teleporting away. Plus it beats freedom of movement at BAB +10, which otherwise can prevent all your grapples completely.

I also worry you're going to run out of actions when you try to use Boast, at least before level 7 when you get Champion Strike. Until then, you'll probably want to use Arcane Strike on every turn, and if you use a boast you won't be able to. I'm not sure rolling one attack twice is better than +2 damage on every attack in your chain. Maybe if you can get Bloodthirst earlier, since another attack is always awesome-- and if you time it right, I...

The idea was to make enemies fall prone. -4 AC (hopefully on the rest of the attacks in the turn) and they’d lose time trying to get up. But you make a good point on action economy.

What do you think about this…

“Talented Tie-Up: As long as you have martial focus, you do not take a -4 penalty to Dexterity or a -2 penalty on all attack rolls and combat maneuver checks and are treated as though both of your hands were free while grappling a creature. In addition, as long as you are the one who initiated the grapple, the creature grants you soft cover against all attacks while you are grappling them except attacks made by the grappled foe.”

1: Gore/Bite/Claw/Claw. Two chances to grapple the enemy thanks to talented tie up.
2: Enemy turn. Hammerlock makes getting out harder. Enemy provides cover.
3: Drop grapple as a free action. Gore/Bite/Claw/Claw

Then add “chink in the armor” which just adds an extra attack as a touch attack. Which effectively makes it a 5th attack.

Also inescapable grasp does sound like it’s very IC. I think you are right on dropping gladiator altogether and focusing on wrestling.

Lvl 2: Constrictor Wrestling Sphere
Lvl 4: Talented tie up (2x chance at grappling)
lvl 6: Chink in the armor (extra attack)
Lvl 8: Inescapable Grasp (lock down enemies so they can’t flee)
Lvl 10: Magic Killing Grip (Dispel Magic)
Lvl 12: Iron Grip (Bonuses to grapple)
Lvl 14: Critical Focus Claw (18-20 Crit range and +lvl damage on Crit)
Lvl 16: Critical Focus Bite

What do you think about this…

“Talented Tie-Up: As long as you have martial focus, you do not take a -4 penalty to Dexterity or a -2 penalty on all attack rolls and combat maneuver checks and are treated as though both of your hands were free while grappling a creature. In addition, as long as you are the one who initiated the grapple, the creature grants you soft cover against all attacks while you are grappling them except attacks made by the grappled foe.”

Once grappled I’d lose out on bite and gore (ouch). But it could be overcome by this.

Oh, wow, especially since all your attacks are Dex-based, Talented Tie-Up seems absolutely essential! That -4 penalty to all your rolls would sink you otherwise. The character I played a while back with lots of grappling was a White-Haired Witch, which doesn't get the grappled condition when she grabs someone, so I forgot about this. Smart thinking!

Then add “chink in the armor” which just adds an extra attack as a touch attack. Which effectively pushes through more damage.

Chink in the Armor is fantastic, and it should work well with your action economy once you've got Champion Strike.

Also inescapable grasp does sound like it’s very IC. I think you are right on dropping gladiator altogether and focusing on wrestling.

That looks great! :)

It’s set then!

Oh benevolent dictator, shall I update the main profile?

Also I looked over Mahmoud. I don’t know enough about the war sphere to offer any advice, only that it seems like a good choice with Warpriest fervor to get things up and running without losing your…uhm…momentum. Anyways.

“ Casting Tradition (Pharasmin Warpriest):
Type divine CAM Wis
The priests of Pharasma do not typically wear armor, and their spells cease to function when they sleep, in ceremonial sympathy with the goddess's power over death. Rather than verbal components, they make use of their holy symbol to draw upon the mystical energy needed for casting.
Drawbacks Consciousness Linked, Emotional Casting, Focus Casting (holy symbol), Somatic Casting x2
Boons +1 sp/level”

Wonderfully flavorful casting tradition. Exactly the type that the system encourages. The entire build works well together with both the casting and martial classes given how they both center around movement (and knife work)

For your build plan, I’m curious: are you going to be sticking to war? Enchantment might prove useful, or even protection, to dip into as well.

I think we're good! I'm glad you two are checking over each other, by the way. Gestalt characters are complicated. ;-)

Also I looked over Mahmoud. I don’t know enough about the war sphere to offer any advice, only that it seems like a good choice with Warpriest fervor to get things up and running without losing your…uhm…momentum. Anyways.

It's got a pretty powerful punch with a pretty minimal investment. Lots of variety in the five talents I took-- there's defense, movement, and even boring old bonus damage. :) I think I can replenish his momentum pool with fervor if necessary, since it's a sphere effect that only affects him (while others can use the pool, they don't actually get one, so it seems like fervor should apply). Fervor's also lay on hands for quick healing or fighting undead, and he can even channel energy with it. (Though with only two of us, it's more efficient to use fervor for single-target healing, since channels are double the cost.)

Wonderfully flavorful casting tradition. Exactly the type that the system encourages. The entire build works well together with both the casting and martial classes given how they both center around movement (and knife work)

Thanks! I love the synergy between the Performance sphere and the Shadowboxer talent from Boxing. Also how starting a dance lets him replenish his momentum pool as a free action (with the Vicious Performer feat) and maintaining a dance allows him to regain martial focus with Mobile Focus.

For your build plan, I’m curious: are you going to be sticking to war? Enchantment might prove useful, or even protection, to dip into as well.

My plan is to take a couple more Momentum talents: Demoralizing Momentum (since we are both pretty good at intimidation), and more instances of Resourcefulness (to give his momentum pool more points). But I don't think I'll take any other Spheres of Power. It's true that Enhancement or Protection have useful stuff in them, but Mahmoud already has pretty good boosts from Warpriest (sacred armor and sacred weapon) and Fighter (the Warrior Spirit advanced weapon training ability basically gives him any magic weapon quality when he needs it). I'll take more combat talents with the rest, so he can do more debuffy things with his attacks like demoralize. ;)

Maybe that's inefficient. He will have a good amount of spell points, and I don't know how quickly we'll blow through momentum points in the pool. I figure we'll probably get by with only one spell point per fight, and that will leave him with a lot of spell points unused each day. But we might find that we go through momentum like candy, and he might have to replenish it multiple times in one encounter. If I need to fine-tune it, I'm very open to suggestions for what to take instead!

That said, he is still insanely versatile-- with martial spontaneity, Barroom Brawler, and later Warrior Spirit (Training) he can flex into three combat feats at the same time that last for one minute. Since he has blended training, and Extra Blended Training Talent is a combat talent, that means that he can get up to three temporary talents to deal with emergencies. For example, say Aerith gets petrified? Mahmoud can pray to Pharasma for the Life sphere and Break Enchantment. Or say Aerith dies? He might be able to get Life sphere (move with martial spontaneity) and Resuscitate (swift Barroom Brawler combat stamina trick) and use Cure on her in one turn to bring her back. He should be able to deal with a lot of things that would otherwise grind us to a halt.

Thanks for your feedback and compliments and suggestions! I really appreciate it.

Oh by the way, I'm going on another vacation tomorrow morning, where I'll be gone for a week. I will have my computer with me, so I'll be able to check my games periodically through the day, but I might be a little less alacritous about it. ;)

Enjoy the vacation!

Also I’m impressed. I don’t think that I’ve ever seen such a versatile character. I tend to try and keep things “simple” as I inevitably forget options if there are too many. But played right, he’ll be able to adapt to just about anything.

On the whole I think that these two will be just fine.

Looking over Mahmoud he has a trade tradition. I figure it would be fun to try and make one too.

“A base trade tradition will typically contain 3 skill talents: two (trade) talents and a base sphere. Certain skill-oriented feats may substitute for this base sphere.”

“When using the Gestalt rules from the High Magic Handbook, a character selects a trade tradition for only one of their classes, but gains an additional (trade) talent.”

Just a quick note that I'm really not wanting to delve into Spheres of Guile for this campaign. I'm okay with Performance [dance] and [trade] talents (I suppose), but I have no desire to go farther with the system at this time. I feel obligated to let Grumbaki select something because fair is fair, but after this, I'd really appreciate if the both of you stick with Spheres of Might/Power from here on out.

Grumbaki, maybe another Vocation talent for your bonus skill sphere? There’s one that’s basically Skill Focus. That way we don’t presume too much on YBD’s tolerance. (Unless YBD is okay with Faction of course.)

The Faction Sphere is complicated in that it would essentially force me to incorporate House Lithanel into the campaign on a mechanical level. Otherwise the Sphere provides zero benefit other than the free skill rank each level. In addition, because there will extensive travel in later Books, the Sphere's functionality is severely reduced.

That’s possible for another vocation talent? Faction is now officially gone. :)

“ Archaeologist (trade) [utility] You gain Appraise, Knowledge (history), Spellcraft, and Use Magic Device as class skills. When attempting a Spellcraft check to identify the properties of a magic item, you may attempt as many checks as you wish per day rather than just one (which allows you to take 20 on such checks).”

And replacing dilettante with “ Philosopher (trade) [utility] You gain Knowledge (history), Knowledge (nature), Knowledge (religion), and Sense Motive as class skills. You can use the better of your Intelligence or Wisdom modifier when attempting Sense Motive checks.”

That sounds much better. :-)

For the record, my main issue with Spheres of Guile is that it adds a great deal of additional complexity to the game. The new conditions don't matter too much, but the 'outwit' mechanic is a bit vague, and since I run prewritten campaigns, needing to incorporate 'motivations' and all of the other bits of "roleplay that has mechanical consequences" isn't something that I have the brainpower for.

Tribim, by the way, has chosen to return to the temple to inform Nahkt and Sebti that at least one of the elegaic compasses has been damaged.

I realize now that Aerith has the cantrips feat. Instead of a torch could she cast light on her sword using that feat? And if so, am I correct in that it will just shine light without any further actions required from her? It seems better to have her sword out than a torch. :p

And for this fight, can she still parry with the torch? If so, she will do so against any slam attack that hits either of them.

Yes to all questions. :-)

Is darkvision sufficient to see?

Yes. It's darkness, not deeper darkness. :-)

Whew, Mahmoud would have been in trouble if it was deeper darkness (or the Spheres-equivalent).

Aerith: I changed your target to the final zombie as it was blocking your path to the necromancer.

Thank you. I’ll assume the momentum points weren’t needed then with the full attack.

Correct, but you're welcome to use them to move if you want to reposition after slaying the zombie. :-)

Have to say, moments like these help make campaigns great. Very much enjoying it

As you see, there are quite a few "red herrings" baked into this investigation. ;-) You still have three potential elegaic compasses and the lamias.

Just for my own clarification, are you leaving the necropolis or searching the area for an ancient library in hopes of finding some intact records? If it's the former, are you going to an actual library or the Grand Mausoleum?

Oh, I assumed Aerith had in mind a library here in the Necropolis, one of the Xs on the map. If Grumbaki is proposing we go back to the city proper, can I suggest that Mahmoud would lead them past one of the other X locations on the way out? He'd support Aerith, but he might try to kill two undead birds with one stone (or dagger).

For some reason I had thought one of the markers was a library or the like. But there is a very good chance that I’m just confused/remembering things wrong. But let’s assume Aerith is smarter than I.

And Mahmoud’s suggestion is a great one.

The Xs represent the elegiac compass locations, the lamia hideout, and the calagni tribes. No libraries - at least useful ones. :-)

I'll update after dinner.

Any suggestions as towards what we could trade? IC Aerith wouldn’t want to straight up murder this dragon, who thus far has treated fairly with us.

We have several treasures on the loot sheet (bracelet, earrings, golden cone) but we also have a handful of marbles which might be more similar to the other things in the crystalline dragon's hoard. They are almost worthless to us, but may seem more valuable to the dragon because there are more of them?

Right…I’m thinking this. Dragons are intelligent creatures and this one likely has a high appraise skill. We offer the gems (about 400 gold) and about 1k gold. Aerith has her extradimensional space. So the gems and the like get pulled out, and the offer is the gems on a bed of gold.

That sounds like a fairly safe offer, no? And if the dragon is friendly enough, then it might be something we can negotiate with in the future if we would like its help.

Perhaps you could do a perception check? See if the hoard contains items similar to the marbles and the like? If so we could say “bed of treasure” and reduce the amount of gold if it seems as if though the dragon would value the items