In 10 years, longer if you count Shackled City, despite multiple attempts I have never played an AP from beginning to end. I was in a group that managed to get to the end of book 3 of Hell's Vengeance. Another group needed a player to fill in after some losses, so I experienced the last book of Rise of the Runelords. I'm not really going anywhere with this, just getting that familiar feeling after the third week of the latest attempt to play Rise not meeting up. Just had to vent.
My party is in need of a slick ride, and I thought of the Golden Carriage. Our travels aren't taking us near Galt though, so I reckon we'd make a knock-off. However I was double checking the price and I don't understand how they came up with the market value of 114,000 GP.
The construction requirements are listed as Craft Wondrous Item, phantom steed, and secure shelter. This is listed as coming in at 57000 GP. From the description of item's abilities it seems to have both phantom steed (at caster level 12) and secure shelter on a continuous basis.
Continuous spell effects are priced in Core at Spell Level x Caster Level x 2000. For a CL 12 Phantom Steed that's 96000 GP and for the CL 7 Secure Shelter 56000. That'd be 152000 GP right there, but there's more!
When an item has multiple effects, you're supposed to multiply the lower effect's cost by 1.5. That'd make the Secure Shelter 84000. Now we're at 180000 GP. But maybe there's even more than that?
Table 15-29 says if the item has no space limitation, you're to double the whole cost. Now I would imagine that's meant for items carried by a character that don't take up a slot, such as an Ioun Stone or Stone of Good Luck. But maybe it just applies to any wondrous item that doesn't take up a slot. In that case, we're now looking at 360000 GP!
Then there's the part where you're getting 4 horses even though the spell used is Phantom Steed and not the communal version. That's really generous for a non-artifact! Am I reading the item's description incorrectly? Are these seemingly continuous effects actually some other category of effect? Please help me figure this out!
I'm currently in a weekly game of Hell's Vengeance. Our same DM has another group which is currently on Book 5 of Rise of the Runelords, but when they finish that, they're going to start Hell's Rebels. The goal is to have the two groups have a full on brawl at the end. The DM said he'd run some additional content to get both groups of PC's to 20 if the paths don't end there.
Cain, thank you this was a good read. Things are going well. I wish i was there.
No problem. We finished the module though and now Jagyr Ebonwood is running a game set in the Firefly/Serenity setting using the Cortex rules. We had our first session last night and my character, being a gonzo journalist, has taken to writing the group's exploits.
At Jagyr's suggestion I'm writing at a Cortex oriented forum: http://cortexsystemrpg.org/index.php?topic=3776.0
Upon finding our fellows we purchased some supplies and returned to the Arkona manor. Our roster includes all that came before and the following Lions:
Talè - My colleague in magic, the Gnome sorcerer emulates a storm cloud: flying about, throwing thunder and lightning. The diminutive dragon-like Majenko is his constant companion.
Kanthos - A grim, stoic figure who wields an enchanted scythe that seems to hurt him almost as much as the foes he wields it against.
Ford Prefect - Loud, brash, and vulgar: Ford makes up for the relative silence of Gallatin, Kanthos, and Talè and then some. He is quick to participate in acts of deviancy and lechery with Kuldak and quicker to interject at any opportunity with a plan to corrupt Glorianna. I am still not quite certain what it is he does for the Lions.
Though there are a number of hangers-on and outliers counted among the Lions, we could not assemble them in a timely fashion. Gallatin's mentor and the old Seneschal weren't getting any freer. I am not proud of our romp in the labyrinth, not at all. It was a frustrating exercise in endurance as we encountered trap after trap: none of which we were able to detect or circumvent beforehand. The Arkona’s have a fondness for magic symbols and we encountered a number of them. Mother and Father would be pleased to know my education was not wasted; I ably identified them in turn as they ravaged the Lions: Pain, Stunning, Fear, and worst of all Insanity. Only Talè, Odgryn, and myself kept their sanity even if I failed to keep my wits about me. Desna knows what Talè was doing, but Odgryn got things under control and kept the rioting madmen (and madwoman) from killing each other: disarming and restraining them. I will have to remember to intervene on Odgryn’s behalf next time Kuldak gives him a hard time.
The three of us led our pack of mad comrades about like prisoners until we found an enchanted pool that restored them (well hidden among the rotating chambers and undoubtedly intended for use by the Arkonas and their servants). There are a number of other traps as well including an empty chest slathered in contact poison, a chest filled with naught but insanity mist, and a chest filled with magical elixirs guarded by a viper. Then there were the damned theme chambers that were themselves giant traps, the creations of sadists with more money than class: a room with a mural of stinging insects, bees or hornets where cascading waves of needles threatened anyone who made contact with the floor or walls and a long hallway punctuated with alcoves occupied by iron maidens that turned into a downward ramp towards the wide-open, spike filled maidens. No fatalities, a few trinkets, and much frustration so far. We’ve taken this time to tend to our wounds and rest. I sense a conclusion oncoming like a charging boar, a tingling sensation th
Actually it was just Talè reading over my shoulder, the chap collects stray bits of electricity like Varisian crones collect cats.
And so it came to pass that goodsir Gabriel had to part ways with the Lions for a time. I am certain he intended that I hand this log to another member of our august company, in fact he said something to that effect "Andor, please make sure so-and-so gets this."
However, as my comrades are not exactly men of letters, I shant be humoring his request. I am certain he shall understand when and if the time comes that I am able to return this journal to him. It was his custom to list the roster of Lions who participated in the recorded events:
Gallatin: The swordsman, student of Vin Carlo, is a voice of modertation when he elects to speak at all.
Glorianna: This casually racist woman-child is a priestess of the Goddess of Beauty. Her virtuous nature asserts itself sometimes, typically to our detriment or inconvenience.
Kuldak: This half-Orc hedonist is a warrior with numerous tricks at his disposal. I am not certain if his disdain is genuine or in jest when it comes to...
Odgryn: The newest member of the Lions, this Dwarf's brutality in battle is exceeded by the brutality of his thick Linnorn accent.
and finally myself, Andor Arceneaux: I am a Transmuter by trade, though the schools of Necromancy and Illusion also interest me greatly. I always seem to be one comment away from a sword in the gut. La, what can one do?
Having discovered that the vagabond noble family House Arkona has the old Seneschal and possibly our friend Vin Carlo in their clutches, we set out to divine the best method of winning them back. We decide to case their palace, a gaudy Vudran affair, before bluffing our way into a meeting with an Arkona scion, Glorio or somesuch.
Left to our own devices in the Arkona's salon for a few minutes, Odgryn and I tried to look around a bit. The manor is a tacky thing, full of gigantic statuary and glamors. The only redeeming thing about it were the flourishes dedicated to the Vudran goddess Chamidu: a multi-limbed terror riding atop a tiger with human hands (a Raksasha perhaps?). Those colorful Vudran gods are far more exciting than our dark, morose deities. More than illusions, I detected divination effects which made me a bit wary. No such luck with Odgryn who was ready to scale a fourteen foot tall statue to pry out an enchanted gemstone when Glorio finally arrived.
Glorio decided to hear our concerns as he bathed, freely admitting to having both Vin Carlo and the Seneschal. As we had only mentioned Vin Carlo, and only in such a way as to not suggest that he might be a prisoner, I concluded that this Glorio expected us or is quite mad. He was pleased to be rid of the so-called Emperor Pilt though, and gave us a Ring of Evasion which we let Gallatin have. He bid us find the two men we sought in his "Vivified Labyrinth," a dungeon said to have rotating chambers in which the Arkona's test their agents and dispose of their enemies.
We agreed to do so, naturally. So we were led to the concealed entrance to the labyrinth and set upon to the descending path to the dungeon proper when we were surprised by four skeletal-fungoid abominations, each taller than a man. Once the battle was joined, Gallatin and Kuldak fell into a familiar combat formations: the Half-Orc tumbled behind one of the giants and Gallatin flanked it. As both warriors had both weapons and limbs empowered by my magic, they were well positioned to destroy it. Odgryn and Glorianna held the line against the other three.
Oh how smug I was, to see the Lions set before our enemies. Other than that embarassing conflict with Pilt (which I confess was my fault), the Lions have generally hewn into their enemies with such skill and precision as has likely ever been seen. How quickly the universe addresses hubris!
The abominations laid down a withering assault, felling Odgryn and soundly thrashing the rest of us. Glorianna's healing powers were taxed sorely, and I was forced to withdraw and magically displace myself. Additionally a noxious yellow spore cloud errupted from the fungoid miscreations and sapped the vigor from my companions. The Lions were destroying them however, and I reentered the fray to further enchant Kuldak with the cat's grace and to enfeeble one of the remaining creatures.
Glorianna kept us all from death's grasp but we realized that even though we had won through, we were tested to our limits before we had even reached the dungeon proper. It became clear that we would need some reinforcements from the rest of the Lions if we were to conqour the Vivified Labyrinth. So smile while you can Glorio, you varlot, we'll have your damned chamber of horrors and then we'll see what we do about you.
I just had a thought regarding how I'm higher level than most of the group. I have neither my character sheet or a pathfinder book on hand to check this out, but perhaps when I created my character at third level I wrote down the base XP from the hard column instead of the medium column. Maybe we can check that theory out next week. I hope that's not the case though, I like being seventh level :P
I didn't see your response in a timely fashion, but as you know I managed to make it anyways. Thanks for the offer, but I'm currently staying in Dublin so it would have been well out of your way to pick me up.
Myles, I hope you're comfortable and wish you a speedy recovery.
I had surgery earlier today and was told that I shouldn't do to much for a week, so I won't be joining you guys on Saturday :(
Had my follow up visit, they said I could resume most normal activity, so I may come after all. It depends on whether or not I'm in sufficient pain to have to take my painkillers, if I do take them, I can't drive. Hope to see you guys tomorrow.
Apparently Andor got in on the action in the perfume shop as well, though that was more to cover for my bathroom break than any choice on my part. The combat in that session went down like clockwork, we totally ruined the heck out those guys. Between Gabriel and Andor laying down the buff spells, Kuldak's brilliant axe-work, and everyone's efforts the day was won far more easily than I would have expected.
Cackle
Effect: A witch can cackle madly as a move action. Any creature that is within 30 feet that is under the effects of an agony hex, charm hex, evil eye hex, fortune hex, or misfortune hex caused by the witch has the duration of that hex extended by 1 round.
Evil Eye
The witch can cause doubt to creep into the mind of a foe within 30 feet that she can see.
Effect: The target takes a –2 penalty on one of the following (witch’s choice): AC, ability checks, attack rolls, saving throws, or skill checks. This hex lasts for a number of rounds equal to 3 + the witch’s Intelligence modifier. A Will save reduces this to just 1 round.
This is a mind-affecting effect. At 8th level the penalty increases to –4.
Errata
Can I use the evil eye hex more than once on a target?
Yes. As long as you apply a different penalty with each use of the hex (AC, ability checks, attack rolls, saving throws, or skill checks), you can have multiple penalties on the same target. Applying the same hex penalty to a target just resets the duration to the most recent use of the hex.
Example: On round 1, you hex the target’s AC. On round 2, you hex the target’s attack rolls, so the target now has two evil eye hexes on it. On round 3, you hex the target’s saving throws, so it now has three evil eye hexes on it. On round 4, you hex its AC again, resetting the duration of the AC-hex (which does not add an additional –2 penalty to its AC). The same thing would happen if two witches were using evil eye on the same target–as long as each evil eye hex applied a penalty to a different thing, they’d all apply.
This doesn’t violate the general rule for stacking penalties–each evil eye effect is basically a different source, even though they stem from the evil eye hex (the evil eye hex is much like 5 separate weak hexes under a common umbrella). In the same way that multiple castings of bestow curse on the same target should stack as long as they do different things (penalize Strength, penalize Dex, penalize attack rolls, take no action, and so on), multiple uses of the evil eye hex stack as long as they’re targeting different game statistics.
The witch grows lighter as she gains power, eventually gaining the ability to fly.
Effect: At 1st level, the witch can use feather fall at will and gains a +4 racial bonus on Swim checks. At 3rd level, she can cast levitate once per day. At 5th level, she can fly, as per the spell, for a number of minutes per day equal to her level. These minutes do not need to be consecutive, but they must be spent in 1-minute increments. This hex only affects the witch.
Errata
Can a witch with the flight hex use her feather fall and levitate abilities on other creatures?
No. All aspects of the flight hex affect only the witch (though she can carry objects or creatures as part of her weight allowance as described in those spell effects). (The 2nd printing of the APG includes this updated information.)
Fortune
Effect: The witch can grant a creature within 30 feet a bit of good luck for 1 round. The target can call upon this good luck once per round, allowing him to reroll any ability check, attack roll, saving throw, or skill check, taking the better result. He must decide to use this ability before the first roll is made. At 8th level and 16th level, the duration of this hex is extended by 1 round. Once a creature has benefited from the fortune hex, it cannot benefit from it again for 24 hours.
Healing* (Su)
A witch can soothe the wounds of those she touches.
Effect: This acts as a cure light wounds spell, using the witch’s caster level. Once a creature has benefited from the healing hex, it cannot benefit from it again for 24 hours. At 5th level, this hex acts like cure moderate wounds.
Misfortune
Effect: The witch can cause a creature within 30 feet to suffer grave misfortune for 1 round. Anytime the creature makes an ability check, attack roll, saving throw, or skill check, it must roll twice and take the worse result. A Will save negates this hex. At 8th level and 16th level, the duration of this hex is extended by 1 round. This hex affects all rolls the target must make while it lasts. Whether or not the save is successful, a creature cannot be the target of this hex again for 1 day.
Protective Luck (Su)
The witch can cause fate to twist so that it benefits a creature within 30 feet for 1 round. Whenever that creature is targeted by an effect that requires an attack roll, including weapon attacks, the attacker must roll twice and take the worse result.
At 8th level and 16th level, the duration of this hex is extended by 1 round. A witch cannot use this ability on herself. Hexes that affect the fortune hex, such as cackle, also affect protective luck.
Slumber (Su)
Effect: A witch can cause a creature within 30 feet to fall into a deep, magical sleep, as per the spell sleep. The creature receives a Will save to negate the effect. If the save fails, the creature falls asleep for a number of rounds equal to the witch’s level.
This hex can affect a creature of any HD. The creature will not wake due to noise or light, but others can rouse it with a standard action. This hex ends immediately if the creature takes damage. Whether or not the save is successful, a creature cannot be the target of this hex again for 1 day.
Attributes and other Personal Data:
Str 9
Dex 14 +2 +2 = 18
Con 14 -2 = 12
Int 17 +2 +2 +2 = 23
Wis 12
Cha 14
BAB +4
HP 50
4+1+1 = 6 per level
+5 Fort = +2 Base +1 Con +2 resistance
+8 Reflex = +2 Base +4 Dex +2 resistance
+9 Will = +6 Base +1 Will +2 resistance
Concentration Check = 13 (Caster Level +6 Int -1 trait)
6' height
108lb weight
134 age
Racial Traits:
+2 Dex, +2 Int, -2 Con
Blended View (2 RP): Prerequisite(s): low-light vision. Half-drow whose non-drow parent had low-light vision might be blessed with a legacy of versatile senses. Characters with this trait keep their low-light vision but also gain darkvision to a distance of 60 feet. Elves can take this trait in place of keen senses. Source PPC:BoS
Dreamspeaker: A few elves have the ability to tap into the power of sleep, dreams, and prescient reverie. Elves with this racial trait add +1 to the saving throw DCs of spells of the divination school and sleep effects they cast. In addition, elves with Charisma scores of 15 or higher may use dream once per day as a spell-like ability (caster level is equal to the elf's character level). This racial trait replaces elven immunities.
Elven Magic: Elves receive a +2 racial bonus on caster level checks made to overcome spell resistance. In addition, elves receive a +2 racial bonus on Spellcraft skill checks made to identify the properties of magic items.
Fey Thoughts (1 RP): Select two of the following skills: Acrobatics, Bluff, Climb, Diplomacy, Disguise, Escape Artist, Fly, Knowledge (nature), Perception, Perform, Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand, Stealth, Swim, or Use Magic Device. The selected skills are always class skills for the character. This trait replaces racial weapon familiarity. Source HotW - Additional class skills: Perception, Stealth
Low-Light Vision: Elves can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.
Level 4
Black Tentacles
Confusion (patron)
Crushing Despair
Debilitating Portent
Dimension Door
Currently Memorised Spells:
0th 4
Detect Magic
Guidance
Read Magic
Stabilise
1th 6
Ear-Piercing Scream
Fumbletongue
Mage Armor
Ill Omen
Ventriloquism
Web Bolt
2nd 5
Glitterdust x 2
Invisibility
Vomit Swarm
Web
3rd 4
Blink
Dispel Magic
Gloomblind Bolts
Screech
4th 3
Black Tentacles
Crushing Despair
Dimension Door
Traits:
Extremely Fashionable (equipment trait)
You really know how to make a good impression when you’re dressed well.
Benefit: Whenever you are wearing clothing and/or jewelry worth at least 150 gp (and not otherwise covered in gore, sewage, or other things that mar your overall look), you gain a +1 trait bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, and Intimidate checks. One of these skills (your choice) is a class skill for you.
See http://www.pathfindercommunity.net/traits/campaign-traits/legacy-of-fire-tr aits/finding-haleen for lengthy description.
Benefit: This class is always a favored class to you, and your dedication to it is such that every time you take a level in the class, you gain +1 hit point and 1 additional skill point over and above what you would normally gain. If multiple PCs take this trait, they should be siblings who were both protected and raised by Haleen.
Warrior of Old (Elf) (race traits)
As a child, you put in long hours on combat drills, and though time has made this training a dim memory, you still have a knack for quickly responding to trouble.
Benefit: You gain a +2 trait bonus on initiative checks.
Extremely Fashionable - Diplomacy (equipment trait), Finding Haleen (campaign trait), Warrior of Old (Elf) (race trait)
Drawback:
Occult Bargain
You draw magical power from a source who insists that its identity remains secret.
Effect(s): You take a –1 penalty on concentration checks, and you must invoke the entity’s name by word or text each day or be unable to regain spell slots that day. You must be able to cast 0-level and 1st-level spells as a class feature to select this drawback.
Wand of Cure Light Wounds 18 Charges (in spring load)
Explorer's Outfit
Stormlure
A stormlure is usually fashioned from pieces of creatures known for their affinity to air—the feathers of birds, the shells of flying insects, and the scales of a dragon. When activated, stormlures call to the wind, causing a tempestuous gale. Once per day on command, the wearer of a stormlure is surrounding by swirling winds for 1 minute, granting a 50% miss chance against all ranged attacks, including rays and other ranged spells that require a roll to hit. This wind does not hinder the wearer of the stormlure in any way. At any one time during this duration, as a swift action, the wearer can cause the air around her to fill with crackling lightning, dealing 4d6 points of electricity damage to all creatures adjacent to her. A DC 14 Reflex save halves this damage.
Ring of Sustenance 2500
Masterwork Silver Dagger 322
Masterwork Cold Iron Dagger 304
Masterwork Light Crossbow 335
Silken ceremonial armor 30
Handy Haversack 2000
Wand of CLW (0 charges)
Between decent stealth and high initiative, and later on illusion spells from her Deception patron, Amadeen has a few ways to act before enemies do and start debuffing them.
Sample:
Before Combat
If the environment isn't totally hostile, take off backpack and stow it as safely as possible. With all the gear and low strength, it'll weigh her down otherwise
Cast Mage Armour
Get within 30ft of first target enemy
Knowledge checks to gather information on any visible enemies
Round 1
Evil Eye Hex as a standard action against a foe.
If successful, start cackling as a move action (Cackle Hex) to extend the duration of Misfortune.
If not, use move action to get into a better position / cover.
Round 2
Misfortune Hex as a standard action against a foe.
If successful, or if there is another hex active, start cackling as a move action (Cackle Hex) to extend the duration of Misfortune.
If not, use move action to get into a better position / cover.
Round 3 onwards
If a hex such as Evil Eye or Misfortune is active on an enemy, use a move action to Cackle and top up its duration. If not, use those move actions for positioning.
Standard action for additional Evil Eyes, or Misfortune on additional enemies, casting spells, or sling/dagger attack.
Background:
Amadeen Irian was orphaned at a very young age, and barely remembers her parents. She has forgotten - or has chosen to forget - that one of her parents had drow blood. The orphan was found by one Haleen, a hermit elf who normally kept apart from other elves for unknown reasons. But Haleen took pity on Amadeen, raised and trained her in the wilds of the River Kingdoms with a view that Amadeen should be ready for danger. This may have been inspired by Amadeen's unusual abilities, at least some a gift of her unusual heritage, and some latent magical ability which Haleen did not have the ability to train. After many years, one day the swashbuckling Haleen suddenly left on some personal matter.
Amadeen has kept hoping to find her again, and has been wandering since. A mysterious patron, Alaric, saw Amadeen's potential and granted her power in exchange for quiet words of thanks. The word "witch" has been used to describe Amadeen and she bears the title with pride. She uncovered a talent for befuddling and striking at the minds of her foes. And an impressive sense of style.
Over the years since, Amadeen wandered widely, met many peoples, and indulged her whims as she saw fit. When she bothers with thinking about the gods, she most often invokes Calistria. But she is only cruel to those she sees as deserving, generally the evil or ignorant. Her abilities mainly focus on crippling enemies in combat, softening them up until they run or surrender. Or they are hacked down should they prove truly insistent.
She has finally heard a solid lead on the fate of Haleen. An elf matching the description of her old mentor was seen heading into the wilds of the Stolen Lands. Amadeen is determined to not let this chance slip between her fingers, and seized upon an opportunity she has heard of to explore the Stolen Lands with allies...
Personality Traits:
1. Primary Traits
Primary Motivator: Hedonism
Emotional Disposition: Joyful
Moodiness: Labile
Outlook: Optimistic
Integrity: Unscrupulous
Impulsiveness: Spontaneous
Boldness: Intrepid
Agreeableness: Agreeable
Interactivity: Reserved
Conformity: Heterodox
2. Secondary Traits
Sense of humour: Gleeful
Favourite topics of conversation: Humourous Observations
Group Affiliations: Randomly Sympathetic to Oppressed
Religion and spirituality: Calistria, mostly
Adherence: Casual adherent
Tolerance: Tolerant
Religious Demeanor:
Expression of beliefs: Occasional
Converting others: Casual
Attitude: Irreverent
Religious association: Solitary
Quirks, Habits, and Oddities: Expressive Lips
Hobbies and Enjoyments: Singing
Description:
Amadeen stands a slender six feet tall. She favours outfits lighter in material and darker in shade. An observant onlooker will notice that her stormy sea blue irises surround white pupils. Her hair is black with obvious hints of red and less obvious hints of purple. Her mouth is usually curled into a smile, which degenerates into a smirk if her mood worsens. Hers is a face used to laughter, more gleeful than malicious.
