Aubrey the Malformed's page

I left a message here a few weeks ago cancelling my Starfinder subscription once the previous AP finished, which you acknowledged. I then got an email this week stating that I would get the last adventure of the previous AP (Assault on the Crucible) AND the first adventure of the next AP (Fate of the Fifth). So I left a message here on the Customer Services board saying I didn't want this latter adventure (and certainly didn't want to pay for it) as my subscription was finishing with Assault on the Crucible. This subsequent message was NOT acknowledged and I then got an email saying both adventures had been despatched.

I am very disappointed with the service here, as I thought it was clear my Starfinder subscription terminated with Assault on the Crucible. I do not expect to have to pay for items I have expressly said I do not want. Please refund me the cost of th Fate of the Fifth (including any extra postage incurred) as we clearly agreed earlier that I don't want it. Paizo customer service is normally excellent but this is an clear and significant lapse which is costing me money.

Please acknowledge this email.

The order currently contains the last adventure in the previous Starfinder AP and the first adventure for the next AP. Please note that I requsted the my Starfinder AP subscription should be cancelled at the end of the last AP so please remove the first adventure from the current AP from the order. Thanks!

No, I will like to receive the last of the Tyrant's Grasp AP and cancel thereafter. Thanks.

Just to reconfirm, I posted on May 22 that I wished to cancel my Pathfinder Adventure Path and Starfinder Adventure Path subcriptions once the APs running at that time were complete.

Can you please confirm that the above order will not be actioned as I previously wrote to cancel my subscription at the end of the ladt AP, and that any amounts debited to my credit card will ne refunded. Thanks

Sure. I don't really like Starfinder that much - I wanted a hard SF / space opera system and instead got a magic-in-space setting, so it doesn't really work for me mechanically and in terms of setting.

I'm also not very interested in PF2, to be honest. I've invested a fortune over the years in PF1 and most of that will now be rendered obsolete. I get the commercial imperative but it doesn't really make me feel better that the system I have played primarily will no loger be supported.

And finally, I'm losing a lot of interest in Paizo generally. My PbP games here fizzled and died after about a decade and I'm finding I lack the interest to keep them going (especially since the system I used will change). Since the PbPs were my primary reason for being here, there isn't much more for me here at Paizo. Put all these factors together, and I see little point in continuing the subscriptions.

Could you please cancel:
- my Pathfinder Adventure Path subscription at the end of the current adventure path
- my Starfinder Adventure Path subscription at the end of the current adventure path
- my Pathfinder Modules subscription with immediate effect

Thanks

That's very kind, many thanks.

Hi, I received a faulty copy of Eulogy for Roslar's Coffer, as it is missing a large number of pages (and has others repeated). I'd be grateful if you could send me a new copy, please.

Yeah, if AG is wondering why I was encouraging him not to buy lots of equipment.... This is why.

Also, it's a bit unfortunate that we have casters who are reliant on books. This will be sorted in the end, but it will possibly be a little frustrating for a while. Sorry about that.

Well, it's a bit like one of those choose-your-own-adventure books. There is a way to avoid a hideous fate worse than death. Unfortunately, it looks like you didn't choose it.

More seriously, you can expect to suffer a bit in the opening section of this. Tenro and BG weren't up for that and so they left. Just take it as read that you will be made good regarding lost equipment. Just not yet...

Meh... Whatever. It's going to be Tolkien's outline (maybe) but not really his work. And it's a bit disingenuous to call it Lord of the Rings since that is a specific novel and this, well, isn't that. I dunno. I don't want to be the miserablist Tolkien bore and if this excites people then great, but I've a feeling this will be low on my watching priorities. Then again, I didn't like the LotR movies all that much as they went a bit Hollywood for me, and got bored with Game of Thrones because it different from the books (I just hope George doesn't die before he finishes the book series). So perhaps these adaptations aren't really for me, and that just my problem rather than anyone else's.

I think it depends how they do it. LotR and The Hobbit are novels. The other stuff is mostly imaginary history, covering a borad span of time quickly, and to some extent as dry as that in the execution. The novels are almost footnotes in that broader undertaking. So they have the scope to build things out in much more detail. My main caveat to that would be that it probably wouldn't be much to do with Tolkien except in general outline. <shrug> I never really liked the Silmarilion much so I can't get very excited. I dunno, one hopes in all that massive budget they spent some money on decent scripts.

No, go with what you have, it's fine.

An idea which occurred (after I went to bed last night) is that Rish could some sort of Old Gods trouble-shooter (what with his druid-y background and all). As you may all have possibly worked out, there is some weird stuff going on here in the Isles. Perhaps Rish was sent off to investigate (maybe there was a disturbance in the Force, or something like that, and some elven Yoda sent him on a mission) and has since arrived (separately. I would imagine he came on an earlier ship to Port Elveden, hiked across the Sausimayok and got a lift across the Saupa Strait from a friendly native. Also means he knows where the PCs are, which might be a help.) He is turning up at the village (probably in the opposite direction from the PCs, i.e. down the stream) just as things are kicking off. Also might be fun, as he gets to be all inscrutable and secretive in that irritating elvish way (while not really knowing what's going on anyway). Does that work?

OK, Cyriphrain is back, so now we have a really big party. Maybe no bad thing.

So I suggest the following:

- Ujarak was a crewman on the ship. He has the skills and it seems a reasonable excuse for him to be here. So he's washed up and sitting in the hut with Cedric right now, and while he knows who Cedric is he's not actually part of the original group. (However, get Cedric through this and his dad will be grateful. Kerching!)
- Next, Cyriphrain. He's a passenger, shipping out to be a padre to the garrison at Port Elveden. Like Ujarak, he's in the hut with Cedric, and like Ujarak he isn't part of the original group but has the same opportunities to get with them and their mission if he so desires.
- Next, Rish. I've got no idea at this juncture why he might want to go to the Isles of Allam, so I leave it to your collective wisdom to think of a reason. Passenger? Crew? Stowaway? Also, on the other thread he's had, shall we say, an unfortunate encounter on the beach (a different beach). I'm inclined to pretend that never happened. Perhaps he can have climbed the cliff and walked along until he found the village and the punch up which is going on as we speak?

Thoughts?

OK, no worries, please go to the discussion thread for table 1.

Their situation is very similar to yours, they are in the middle of combat, although the party is back together and the venue is the fishers' village rather than the beach.

I would suggest that integration should be quite simple. Ujarak can be a sailor - there's plenty of those on the ship. Rish can either be another sailor, or a passenger, maybe a stowaway. I see no reason to create new characters. Please come across to the original discussion thread and you can work something out, and we can integrate you in the action swiftly.

The guys are suggesting on the other table that we integrate tables 1 and 2. I'd need to think about how to do it (or maybe just ignore that fact there were two tables) if you would be open to that.

Two Cedrics might be tricky... More like a Dr Who adventure. Let me think, and I'll consult.

Ok, so Daenan and Walker are out. Also, Cyriphrain hasn't posted for a while and I am assuming he is gone too. I propose we continue with Rish and Ujarak. It would be better with more players but it will be doable.

I think the criticisms aren't baseless but the intention was to try something a little different. And we are still setting up the situation. Slightly disappointed with the attitudes on display, like I've nevet DM'ed anything before, and the narrow views. But I guess they are entitled to play the game they want. As am I.

OK, Table 2 seems to be busy imploding. A bit of a downer and a distraction, so sorry for concentrating on them and not being quick to update here.

Yes, I've found that a bit of a problem but the posts show up eventually if you refresh a couple of times, like AG say.

Yeah, actually there have been a few transportation mishaps along the way over the last decade. There was the skycoach crash as well as the airship crash.

Suddenly your shoes EXPLODE!

I forgot about that - I'm getting predictable. I'll have to choose some other mode of transport next time. Though I have done an airship crash before as well...

Been a bit busy. Hope to post tonight.

Been a bit busy. Hope to post tonight.

I'm sure I've seen that guy's stuff somewhere before.

On the last point, no - this isn't Lonely Planet.

Ujarak will remember something - to that extent he can read all of the Knowledge (Local) spoilers in the initial post on the Gameplay thread. The Allams are not north of the Arctic circle - they don't have permafrost, for example - though they are chilly. Think Faroes but with more trees and higher mountains.

Please make up your minds what you want to bring.

1) You seem to have that covered.

2) Well, it's a bit left field. Remember you are going to be on a ship for a couple of weeks. Not the best place for a large dog, nevermind more than one, but if you really want to you can have a go.

3) Ditto really with horses, only more so. Horse transports were a specific type of ship back in the day, you can assume that the Ocean Tern isn't one.

4) If you wish to fork out 50gp, a map of the Isles is available under the DC 20 Knowledge (Geography) spoiler in the first Gameplay post (note that you do not get access to the other spoilers by buying the map).

No really, if you haven't taken the feat.

Yes, an alchemist needs to make the Spellcraft check.

OK, just remember that you don't have infinite time (or resources). To recap, you can spend eight hours a day creating items. Each item takes one hour per 1,000gp of the item's base price, with a minimum of eight hours per item, or two hours if it is a scroll or potion (actual cost to create is half the base price). So that's a maximum of four scrolls or potions a day, assuming you have the relevant materials (gp) and spells at your disposal, and you aren't doing anything else.

Copying spells from spellbooks takes one hour to first study and understand the spell, and then requires a DC 15 + the spell level Spellcraft check to understand. Assuming the check is successful (if it's not, you can't learn that spell until you gain another rank of Spellcraft) it takes an additional one hour/level of the spell to copy it into your spellbook/formula book. The cost is 5gp for a 0-level spell, 10gp for a 1st level spell, and 40gp for a 2nd level spell. The rulebook doesn't say, but I would assume you have eight hours a day for doing this, which is the same eight hours you have for crafting items (i.e. you have a maximum of eight hours a day for crafting AND spell copying combined, so you have to choose if you are crafting or copying with that time).

You have a week, so you have a maximum of 56 hours of crafting or copying. Please make your decisions and we will do this in the background here in the discussion thread.

Yes, it was down for a while, it was quite frustrating. I managed to get my post in early UK time before leaving to work and then it was down for maintenance for a decent chunk of time later in the day.

The door opens and two well-dressed men enter. The first is in his fifties, strongly-built running to fat. He has a large florid face, his thinning hair combed back across his head. He strides confidently into the room and booms in a cultured voice, “Greetings! I am Ivor Elveden, this is my son Cedric. Thank you so much for accepting my invitation. Please take a seat and we can get to business.”

Cedric Elveden bears little resemblance to his father besides sharing his dark hair. He is slender and pale, aged about twenty. His manner is diffident and he says little, nodding silently in greeting, although his dark eyes carefully take in the details of the adventurers in the room one-by-one.

Two footmen enter, one with a tray bearing crystal glasses, the other carrying a salver with two bottles. They place the glasses in front of every person seated and then pour honey-coloured wine from the bottles into each. Both aristocrats sit politely until all the guests have been served before Lord Elveden dismisses the servants. He then picks up a glass and sips. “Fournarl ’63. Very pleasant, although the best vintage is supposed to be the ’57. My palette is too unsophisticated to tell the difference and I simply can’t justify spending that much money on a bottle of wine.

“But I expect you are wondering why I requested your presence here rather than wishing to listen to me blather ignorantly about viticulture. You were recommended to me by Lord Stevven, who said that you handled that business of his in the east with both aplomb and discretion. Hopefully this task of mine will be less arduous than that! I need you to… Well, tell you what, Cedric, why don’t you explain to them what this is about?” he says.

Cedric looks slightly surprised and stumbles over his words at first. “Ah, y-yes, um… You will have noticed the painting?” He looks to see if he elicits a few nods before continuing. “While this is a f-fine painting in its own right, colleagues and I are seeking to step away from the formality of Church-sponsored art.” He begins to warm to his subject and speaks with increasing fluency. “In particular, Church art has a moral and didactic purpose, rather than an intention to reflect perception. Church artists, for example, rarely paint from life. Bezant painted the original of this work here in Dornos based upon written reports of the b-battle and never set foot on Skull Beach. Our aim, m-myself and my c-colleagues, is to p-produce a more realistic depiction of the world, sh-sh-shorn of m-moral j-judgem-m-ment and ins-s-s-s…” Cedric’s stammer interrupts his flow and leaves him unable to get the words out.

Lord Elveden smiles encouragingly at his blushing son and continues, “So the purpose of your visit is to offer you employment. Given our family’s connection with the Isles of Allam, Cedric intends to visit them as a field trip to inform his painting. Your role would be to provide him with protection during his journey. While I do not expect there to be any danger, a family of our status will always have enemies, and Cedric is my heir. The Isles are also largely untamed territory and present dangers of their own. As such, you would ensure that he comes to no harm. In order to provide this service, you would be paid 8,000 gold talents each upon Cedric's safe return.

“I expect you will have some questions before making your decision?”

Walker Tair wrote:

Alrighty here is Tenro's submission.

I am still working on equipment and backstory. As far as backstory goes, I figure him to be a relatively normal human adventurer, Lawful Neutral, does jobs for the nation/authority that sends us on missions and is known to be pragmatic and generally trustworthy/dependable and non-evil. His alchemical exploits are largely known to be for healing purposes and explosive purposes. His experiments do not venture into mutations or anything crazy like that. He is an decent archer, a better bomb-lobber. Knowledge-focused and uses that to assist the party. His main flaw is that he loves to drink; however, this has not lost him his medical license yet.

OK, I've got no idea about this character and am slightly wondering what's wrong with the basic alchemist from Paizo, since you seem to be reinventing the wheel. However, since you insisted, we'll go with it. If you are Lawful Neutral you are unlikely to be a follower of the Tinker, who is Chaotic Neutral and therefore diametrically opposed. I suggest you stick to the Diktats, since they fit with your alignment and it is actually the dominant religion on the continent (i.e. it is unusual not to follow the Diktats). On the languages front, I'd consider Elvish as you are a scholar, and after that Dwarvish, Orcish, and/or Halfling.

A thought occurs that, as a scholar, you might want to swap Halfling for Draconic.

The gameplay thread for table 2 is HERE.

The gameplay thread for table 1 is HERE.

Aubrey the Malformed wrote:

Ujarak Berrycloth wrote:

Sorry, guys, I had imagined the week between Christmas and New Years as an idle, pleasurable time during which I could indulge this hobby. My wife's imagination was quite different.

Anyway, I'm pleased that Aubrey had no adverse comments on my build. I'll confess that a friend turned me on to PCgen. The interface is a little clunky, but who knows how many stupid errors it's saved me from.

** spoiler omitted **

ANd are we really using traits? I'd better pick some....

Happy with that. How does he do his bardic music? Does he sing or use and instrument?

Aubrey, his performance skill is oratory. Seemed to fit well with native American chant and freed massive skill points to spread around like candy. Speaking of skill points, I dumped a point in survival and picked one up in profession(sailor). Maybe he'll pick up a drum.

Also, picked up 2 traits acrobat (+1 on acrobatics checks and situational climbing bonus) and sea-souled. (+1 on swim checks and can always take 10 on swimming.

Also went shopping for his combat gear. I have 761 of 6000 gp left. I'll spend it when we know a little more about the mission.

You might want to consider a second performance mode as you will probably reach 6th level and need something else for your second Versatile Performance.

Aadvark is currently lagging behind in the character-creation stakes. I'll be starting tomorrow (the opening post is drafted and sitting on a Google Doc) and if he doesn't have a character by then we will start with what we've got. That will mean we will need to rejig the tables, so don't make any final decisions yet until you know the make-up of your table.

I have 761 of 6000 gp left. I'll spend it when we know a little more about the mission.

I'd recommend wearables for general bonuses.

@Aubrey: I like the free form character creation and less overtly magical feel compared to paizo's alchemist. Are we doing traits?

Hmm, but I can't really tell if you've done it right, and there may be balance issues. That said, he has areas where he's stronger than a normal alchemist and others where he seems weaker, so I think it balances out. You've had some good experiences with the ruleset so we'll go with it.

And yes, we are doing traits.

I think that's fine.

It's not massively important how you met, just that you did. If you want to come up with a story that's fine, but it doesn't have much bearing on the game as such.

Discussion thread for table 2.