Captain Kortos's page

Captain Kortos inspects each of the new Pathfinder vessels with pleasure, imagining herself sailing out with them. As she tours the Lucky Duck, she hears a squeaking sound and calls out to Irina, "I found more creatures for you to convince to leave, Irina!"

In return, Kortos helps Irina's Moose and Bear go climbing all over the Breachhill Battlecry. "Isn't this a beautiful ship? Simply lovely!"

Captain Kortos provides flanking for Schek and attacks White.

◈◈ Stride
◈ Non-Lethal Bastard Sword (Two Hands) vs White: 1d20 + 7 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (9) + 7 + 2 - 2 = 16
NL Slashing damage: 1d12 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15

Ebren, if you wanted to, you could have used your reaction to stride because of my command, Gather to Me, giving you another action!

Captain Conziva yells, "Climb!" She vaults on to the ship, taking some of her party with her.

◈ Nautical Training
(Everyone gets a climb speed who wants it! But if you take the climb speed, you can't ust the 'Gather to me' reaction.)

◈ Stride

◈ "Gather to me!"
Anyone who wants to use a reaction to stride may do so to get within 30 feet of my banner, but you cannot use it this turn if you use the climb speed I offered, as characters can only benefit from one command a turn.

Captain Kortos's Sailing Lore (T): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15

Captain Kortos continues to inspect ships for Nairaba and Kitsch, helping to build the new Pathfinder Navy.

Level 0 job success!

Captain Kortos will take the muskmelon as well as Chipped Tooth's potion. She also takes a minor potion for herself.

She spends ten minutes reconfiguring her tactics, and drills everyone in them, using pieces of fruit and the cutlery in Olad's house.

Kortos's new tactics:

Mountaineering training
Nautical training
Gather to me

Captain Kortos's Warfare Lore (T): 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 8 + 1 = 19

"Citizens of Andoran, the Chelaxian Scum have sent pirates to harry our town. Will we let this stand?"

She shouts, "TO THE FIGHT!"

Captain Kortos's Sailing Lore (T): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20

Captain Kortos speaks like the Sailor she is. "Ahoy lads and lassies! Here be Augustana's own prime local vintage, here for the taking!"

Captain Kortos's Athletics (T): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12 (Underwater Marauder)

Captain Kortos attempts to clamber up the roofs, and regrets her decision not to include mountaineering training in her portfolio for this adventure.

Captain Kortos's Society (T): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28

Captain Kortos offers up to the pirates a cunningly drawn map of where those Pathfinders had gone -- pointing right to Augustana's well-guarded Port Authority.

Captain Kortos's Athletics (T): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11 (Underwater Marauder)

Captain Kortos has trouble balancing the crates properly.

"Wait, wait, wait!" Captain Kortos is so agitated that she paces back and forth over the dock area, trying to settle her thoughts. "You said 'they paid us'. Alright, who is 'they?' Who paid you?"

Not having an aeon stone, Captain Kortos also eats a nut to fix her injuries. She turns to the pirates. "So, would you like to tell us what's going on? Why are you attacking the shipyard?"

Captain Kortos's Diplomacy (T): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6
Captain Kortos's Hero Point + Vestments: 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 4 + 1 = 20

◈ Stride
◈◈ Strike Hard

Captain Kortos pulls herself on to the dock, then calls to Schek, "Strike Hard!"

◈ Captain Kortos's Athletics (T): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17 (Underwater Marauder)

Seeing that no one else is swimming other than Schek (and he's using the dragon scale), Captain Kortos decides not to bother with naval training and just removes the fan bolt.

She drops underwater and calls out to the Green Athamaru. "C'mon, friend. You put up a good fight, but you're surrounded and wounded. You'll come to no harm if you give yourself up."

◈◈ Captain Kortos's Diplomacy (T): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16

Hero Point, Vestments: 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 4 + 1 = 17

Captain Kortos is proud of this moment, recalling when she demonstrated it to her team with a fried shrimp diving into a bowl of tartar sauce, because now they will all know what to do.

"Dive, team, dive!"

SPLOOOOSH!

Although she has a fan bolt sticking out of her rear flank, her training kicks in, giving her an additional swim speed. She leaps off the dock, and dog paddles with her legs towards the green athamaru.

◈ Stride with a reduced swim speed of 10 feet

◈ Bastard Sword (Two Hands) + Level Bump+Non Lethal: 1d20 + 7 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (19) + 7 + 2 - 2 = 26
Slashing damage: 1d12 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13

Because she has Underwater Marauder there are no penalties on her swing.

Bah. Coral! Captain Coral Kortos.

Don't worry, Tiger. When Clover finally gets to act, she'll take Olad swimming with her.

Tiger has internet trouble going on, and will update us when he can.

Hmm

Captain Kortos's Warfare Lore (T): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13

Captain Kortos tries to organize a bucket brigade, but everyone's too busy watching Ebren to pay attention to her.

If Irina's appeal doesn't work, Coral tries her own on the Red Goblin.

◈◈ Appeal to Surrender (Captain Kortos's Diplomacy (T)): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21

"Stop setting these fires! Can't you see there are people you are hurting? Is this what you would do to your own team?"

◈ Captain Kortos's Warfare Lore (T): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13

"Alright, let's put out these fires!"

If Irina was already successful, please make my first roll a Warfare Lore and a Save the Shipyard Instead.

Coral makes two attempts to Save the Shipyard.

Captain Kortos's Warfare Lore (T): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10
Captain Kortos's Warfare Lore (T): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24

"Put out fires while we keep the pirates occupied!" Then she yells to the others, "Pincer Attack! And use the advantage you gain to take them alive!"

I'm hoping that the Flat-footed condition will help off set the -2 of a merciful attack.

Captain Kortos's Will Save (E): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17

"Eek! That's a HUGE gorilla!" Captain Kortos is frightened, but that does not stop her from helping her crew.

"Strike Hard, Schek!"

She also attempts to Save the Shipyard, by ordering dockworkers to make a strategic retreat. "Get out of here while we distract them!"

Captain Kortos's Frightened Warfare Lore (T): 1d20 + 8 - 1 ⇒ (4) + 8 - 1 = 11

Unfortunately, the gorilla's "Oooks!" are too loud, and the dockworkers don't hear the Captain's useful advice.

Coral looks with bewilderment at Thandar. "You're a big brain. Can you tell me what those two's argument just now was about? I think I'm clueless, here."

Captain Kortos's Sailing Lore (T): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26

Clip-clop-clop.

Having found a dodgy rudder on the last ship, Coral inspects the entire ship from the masts to the bilges, stepping carefully to avoid the rats. "Okay, hear me out, Nairaba and Kitsch." Coral says, as she offers up her assessment. "This ship's problems - the rats and the filth - are all in plain sight, but they're the kind of thing that can be corrected by untrained labor while the ship is at sail. The Lucky Duck is a lucky find. She's fast, has a solid structure, and the capacity for a lot of Pathfinders and cannon."

She lifts a hoof as another rat goes by. "Though see if you can get a discount from Olad because of the rats anyway."

You may decide amongst yourselves who gets what. I'm assuming there is a Dragon Turtle scale for each of you... (if not, Captain Kortos can correct me :) )

Only one for the party! What was that writer thinking?!

Lore (Sailing) T: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23

Coral travels the entire ship from Stem to Stern, doing her assessment. [b]"It is seaworthy and fast, but that rudder is trouble. I'd consider purchasing it if the price is reduced accordingly.

"Ooh, I would be delighted to help you evaluate your boats!" Coral says. "I love looking at ships."

"Do you know what sort of trouble you are expecting from Cheliax?" Coral asks. "Is there any sort of enemy we're supposed to be preparing for?"

Captain Kortos's Society (T): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27

"The wine is grown in the Sauerton region of Andoran, but then it's bottled here in Augustana. It was sometimes served to us in the navy because the quartermasters could get it so cheap." Coral shudders. "Some of the sailors got a taste for it because you could get drunk quickly, but... Ugh. I never could."

"Such formality!" Nairaba says. "At ease, Captain, we are not the navy. In fact, we don't really have one... yet!"

Coral raises an eyebrow. "Yet?" Then she grins. "If you're ameliorating that, I will be overjoyed to serve on this mission!"

Coral clip-clops into the room and salutes. "Venture-Captain Brackett and Directors Kitsch and Nairaba! I'm Captain Coral Kortos, late of the Absalom Navy, reporting for duty. This is my first mission as a Pathfinder. It's an honor to meet you!"

GM, I updated my header and the macros sheet to reflect the level bump.

If there's no skillful, I'll take the Rugged and Combat Mentors.

"Greetings, all." Towering above everyone else, Coral inclines her head. "I am Captain Coral Kortos, recently of the Absalom Navy. I had some tactical training that I find can be helpful to share with a team before a mission starts."

She grabs various containers for spices - salt, pepper, chili flakes - and jars of various aioli and tartar sauce dips and shows them engaging in battle using the tactics of the Pincer Move, Strike Hard and Naval Training.

Why am I doing this? Because the Commander class mentions "Each day during your daily preparations, you prepare three tactics from your folio and drill in them alongside your allies, enabling you to use these tactics until your next daily preparations." So here we are, drilling for a few minutes.

"So when the Ketchup over here attacks the hapless french fries, I can call on one of you to Strike Hard!" She lifts up the pepper and whacks at the ketchup jar, then hands the spices over to the others. "Now, you try it!"

I'm hoping that Thandar being Envoy's Alliance has the Skillful Mentor boon. And then I can take one other. Perhaps saving throws (Horizon Hunters) or more hit points (Radiant Oath).

What mentor boons are all of you bringing?

And let's talk Mentor Boons. They're free. You can download them to help the lower level people.

Combat Mentor (Vigilant Seal)

Prerequisites: Liked by Vigilant Seal
Cost: 0 AcP
While working with less experienced Pathfinder allies, you provide pointers and lead drills that ensure your newer colleagues’ attacks strike true. For any PCs benefiting from a Level Bump and whose levels are lower than yours, you increase the Level Bump’s modifier to attack rolls to 2.

Normal: A Level Bump increases a PC’s attack roll modifiers by 1.

Special: A PC can only benefit from two mentor boons.

===
Magical Mentor (Grand Archive)

Prerequisites: Liked by Grand Archive
Cost: 0 AcP
While working with less experienced Pathfinder allies, you provide key spellcasting insights that augment your colleagues’ magic. Any PCs benefiting from a Level Bump and whose levels are lower than yours can prepare one additional spell of their highest-level spell slot or cast one additional spell of their highest-level spell slot. When casting spells of a magical tradition that is the same as the tradition you use for spellcasting, the affected PC also increases the Level Bump’s modifier to spell DCs to 2.

Normal: A Level Bump increases a PC’s spell DCs by 1, and it does not grant any additional spells prepared or spell slots.

Special: A PC can only benefit from two mentor boons.

===
Protective Mentor (Radiant Oath)

Prerequisites: Liked by Radiant Oath
Cost: 0 AcP
While working with less experienced Pathfinder allies, you shield your more fragile wards from the threat of death. For any PCs benefiting from a Level Bump and whose levels are lower than yours, you increase their current and maximum Hit Points by an additional amount equal to 3 times your Radiant Oath reputation tier (Liked = 1, Admired = 2, Revered = 3).

Normal: A Level Bump increases a PC’s Hit Points by 10% or 10, whichever is higher.

Special: A PC can only benefit from two mentor boons.

===
Rugged Mentor (Horizon Hunters)

Prerequisites: Liked by Horizon Hunters
Cost: 0 AcP
While working with less experienced Pathfinder allies, you provide important insights that keep your less experienced colleagues safe from harm. For any PCs benefiting from a Level Bump and whose levels are lower than yours, you increase the Level Bump’s modifier to saving throws to 2.

Normal: A Level Bump increases a PC’s saving throw modifiers by 1.

Special: A PC can only benefit from two mentor boons.

===
Skillful Mentor (Envoy's Alliance)

Prerequisites: Liked by Envoy's Alliance
Cost: 0 AcP
While working with less experienced Pathfinder allies, you provide vital advice to sharpen your newer colleagues’ skills. For any PCs benefiting from a Level Bump and whose levels are lower than yours, you increase the Level Bump’s modifier to skill checks to 2.

Normal: A Level Bump increases a PC’s skill check modifiers by 1.

Special: A PC can only benefit from two mentor boons.

===
Worldly Mentor (Verdant Wheel)

Prerequisites: Liked by Verdant Wheel
Cost: 0 AcP
While working with less experienced Pathfinder allies, you help your less experienced colleagues recognize danger and withstand danger. For any PCs benefiting from a Level Bump and whose levels are lower than yours, you increase the Level Bump’s modifier to Perception checks and Initiative rolls to 2.

Normal: A Level Bump increases a PC’s Perception modifier by 1.

Special: A PC can only benefit from two mentor boons.

The Gather to Me tactic works best if the Commander wins initiative, runs towards the enemy and then brings the whole party with them, but it can also work to reposition during a battle since you can move anywhere in the aura of the banner.

But... I am the lowest level party member, and thus the least likely to win initiative. So let's toss Gather to Me to the side, and do:

Strike Hard
Pincer Attack
Naval Training

Is there anyone who would need the extra reaction to preserve an important reaction?

But you can still benefit from the off-guard that others set off. Let me know if you would want me to move your characters, or if you plan to include spoilers for the reactions I give you!

The PBP Gameday starts in approximately 24 hours, so I would like to nail down the tactics that Captain Kortos will be using.

Is there anyone here who would benefit from the Strike Hard tactic?

The only ones that I really could see using it are Schek Nek and Ebren. Schek and Ebren, would Strike Hard be helpful? Otherwise I am going to leave that tactic in the Portfolio this time.

I am currently looking at Gather to Me, Pincer Attack and Naval Training.

Let's face it: we're not exactly a group who blends in the normal city crowd.

★ ---- ★ ---- ★ ---- ★

Okay, so now that we know the levels of most of the group, it is clear that we're playing up. I'm going to be a support commander. What Mentor boons are you bringing? I'm especially interested in an Envoy's Alliance Mentor Boon so that I can make full use of my skills, but I would love to hear what you all have so that I can alter my Macros for Tiger before the game.

So here is how I explained Commander stuff on GM Tiger's table.

Now, we're in a Shipyard, and Captain Kortos can see the tall ships from here. So she's going to bring her Naval Training, and possibly her Mountaineering training if she thinks we're going to be doing any climbing.

Which tactics would you like to see prepared? If we're going to be doing Gather to Me, I usually run that in the first round of combat in order to help everyone get positioned.

So... How do we handle that in PBP without slowing things way down?

I think that the best way (if you beat me in initiative) is to have a spoilered movement on your character saying where you would go if I say "Gather to Me". And if you go after me, just add the extra movement with a reaction tag ↺.

Do I have to follow your tactics?

Nope. You can choose to follow them or not as you please.

But... I have an awesome reaction. I don't wanna use your tactics if I have to lose my reaction!

Fear not, Fighters and Champions. If you have a worthy reaction, let me know. I have drilled reactions.

Drilled Reactions
Your time spent training your allies allows them to respond quickly and instinctively to your commands. Once per round when you use a tactic, you can grant one ally of your choice benefiting from that tactic an extra reaction. This reaction has to be used for that tactic and is lost if not used.

I've not played with a Commander before. Is there anything else I should know?

I have a cool banner. As long as your banner is visible and in my possession, it provides an aura that gives me and all allies in a 30-foot emanation a +1 status bonus to Will saves and DCs against fear effects.

Now that the game is full, let's talk Commander Stuff. I come pre-equipped with five tactics, but only three that I can prepare on any given day. Here's my normal load out:

____________________

TACTICS:
____________________

Prepared:

Gather to Me! ◈ [one-action]
Mobility
Commander Tactic
Source Battlecry! pg. 25
You signal your team to move into position together. Signal all squadmates; each can immediately Stride as a reaction, though each must end their movement inside your banner’s aura, or as close to your banner’s aura as their movement Speed allows.

Squadmates can use Gather to Me! while Burrowing, Climbing, Flying, or Swimming instead of Striding if they have the corresponding movement type.

Pincer Attack ◈ [one-action]
Offensive
Commander Tactic
Source Battlecry! pg. 26
You call for an aggressive formation designed for exploiting enemies’ vulnerabilities. Signal all squadmates; each can Step as a reaction. If any of your allies ends this movement adjacent to an opponent, that opponent is off-guard to melee attacks from you and all other squadmates who responded to Pincer Attack until the start of your next turn.

Strike Hard! ◈◈ [two-actions]
Offensive
Brandish Commander Tactic
Source Battlecry! pg. 26
You command an ally to attack. Signal a squadmate within the aura of your commander’s banner. That ally immediately attempts a Strike as a reaction.

In Portfolio

Mountaineering Training ◈[one-action]
Mobility
Commander Tactic
Source Battlecry! pg. 25
Your instructions make it easier for you and your allies to scale dangerous surfaces. Signal all squadmates; until the end of your next turn, you and each ally gain a climb Speed of 20 feet.

Special If you have this tactic prepared, you can use Warfare Lore in place of Athletics for checks you make to Climb.

Naval Training ◈ [one-action]
Mobility
Commander Tactic
Source Battlecry! pg. 25
Your instructions make it easier for you and your allies to swim through dangerous waters. Signal all squadmates; until the end of your next turn, you and each ally gain a swim Speed of 20 feet.

Special If you have this tactic prepared, you can use Warfare Lore in place of Athletics for checks you make to Swim.

Cora straightens her naval jacket, and looks at both Thandar and Chip. "I understand tien fine. Learned it while working for the Absalom Navy, now didn't I? But I didn't understand the word you two just used. What's a risuchō?"

And then she turns to Third. "So... I had heard rumors that the Society did some sort of trip through some rosebushes or something and wound up on Akiton. I thought that it was just them hazing the newcomer, and telling a tall tale about the Society's former exploits. Are you telling me that was true? Did the Society actually travel to Akiton, and we're now recruiting Pathfinders from there?"

Cora orders the cheapest food on the menu, the clam chowder with lots of bread, because she has no idea if Venture-Captain Brackett is going to be paying for their meal yet, and just getting equipped as a Pathfinder has taken most of her savings. But she does offer some of the bread to Chip, who doesn't look like he'd need much food.

She glances around. "Speaking of Pathfinders, do you have any idea what Venture-Captain Brackett looks like? I attended a shindig in Absalom that Janira Gavix invited me to, and most of the Grand Lodge staff was there, but not Brackett. He's from Almas or something, right?"

Cora's stomach rumbles at the mention of the nut. "Yes, a nut would be lovely. Thank you." Just as she grabs it, she turns at the new voice that comes behind her. "Yes, we're Pathfinder's and I'm..."

"Gah!"

Someone is shrieking, and to Cora's infinite embarrassment, it is her. On the other hand... There is a large, floating brain in front of her, with an atrophied body dangling beneath.

Who is talking.

In a reasonable voice.

With a wayfinder dangling from their waist.

It takes less than half a minute for Cora to realize that she's been staring like a half-witted foal who's never left the Kortos mountains.

Captain Kortos's Deception (U): 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (19) + 0 = 19

* Cough. Cough. Coughity-Cough. *

Cora coughs, surprisingly convincingly, and makes herself smile at Third. "Sorry, got something caught in my throat. I meant to say that I was, er... gah-lad to meet you, Third. I'm Captain Kortos. Have you been a Pathfinder long?"

Cora wipes sweat from her brow. Maybe I'll be lucky and the earth will just swallow me up right now.

Also, I just wanted you all to know that I put together my first Commander. Battlecry is an amazing book, and the authors should be proud!

As the tiny thing bounds and hops across the street, Captain Kortos has to resist the urge that all horses have of scurrying back to avoid stepping on it. Nothing will happen to the teeny creature if you just stay still, she thinks.

When the creature pauses to speak, she blinks, suddenly noticing the odd mix of squirrel and rabbit body parts, the padded armor, and the tiniest wayfinder Cora's ever seen. Bending her forelegs, she kneels down to both get a closer look at the tiny creature and to set it at ease by being closer to its level.

It's easily one of the most adorable little things she's ever seen.

"Um, you must be a little too low to see the sign. Would you like to sit on my back for a higher view? The Brine Shark Bistro is just kitty corner from where we are right now, see? It must have a commanding view of the entire Great Salt Harbor from inside. You're one of my fellow Pathfinders, right? I've only been on one mission, so they haven't given me my wayfinder yet. I did get a really pretty engraved lid for one, though."

Then Coral remembers her best naval manners. "It'll be a pleasure serving alongside you, Chip. I'm Captain Kortos, late of Absalom's navy and now a Pathfinder myself."

Coral takes a deep breath as she ascends the tallest hill in the Shipyard District, her hooves clopping rhythmically against the hot paving stones. Augustana swelters in the summer heat, and it's not even noon yet. She swishes her tail, trying to fan herself.

All around her are the sounds of the largest shipyard in the Inner Sea: hammers, saws, work chants, rolling carts of lumber and the excited shouts of builders. She sniffs, taking in the scents of oil, sawdust, sweat and, in the distance, the spray of the sea air.

As she reaches the top of the hill, she smiles. What a view! Tall ships fill the wharves, their masts rising from sea level like a forest of trees. She would love to inspect those vessels from stem to stern. It would be wonderful to have a ship's deck under her hooves again.

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

Across the way is the restaurant where she's supposed to meet for her briefing. The sign features a shark rising triumphantly out of the sea foam with a crab in its mouth. Smells of frying crab waft towards her as she gets closer. Her stomach rumbles.

"If they're going to make us meet in a restaurant that smells that good, Venture-Captain Brackett better be paying."

Coral holds her head a moment, waiting until the yellow sounds pass. "Oy! It's going to be one of those missions, isn't it?"

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

I have completed Slides, Macros and RPG Chronicles. If it turns out that I need mentor boons once everyone else joins the group, I'll edit the macros accordingly.

Thandar and Chip, you two prove that I am not the weirdest ancestry here!

Captain Kortos hopes that the rest of you are bringing Mentor boons!

GM, would you allow me to post some pre-game roleplay as we're walking through the shipyard towards our mission briefing?