Corsario's page

I would be very interested.

I also want to say it is hard to use a non-core class without the stuff in its non-core book. To play "full core" is easier. I would do that, using only the core book.

Yes, sorry... I'll post tomorrow.

"I don't want to be here anymore! Send me to the Queen!" - the Halfling says.

The paladin, confused, salutes and departs, confusion in his face.
Nurah puts her back against the tent wall.
"Confirm I am telling the truth... I teleported to where Sir Aron equipment is. I have been serving Queen Galfrey for years. Years! Longer than any of you have!"
Yes, she is telling the truth.

Nurah gets white as a sheet and stops before Agatsu.
"Mad! You are all mad!"
A paladin from your army peeks in.
"Do you need any assistance?"
Nurah looks at him.
"Please help! They want to murder me!"
The paladin looks at all of your, unsure of what to say.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11
Nurah's eyes widen, and she untangles from Duana and dashes out of the tent, screaming.
"HELP! HHHEEELLLPPP! THEY WANT TO MURDER ME!"

Nurah hides behind Duana.
"Help me Lady Duana! Please! They are crazy! They will kill me!"

Nurah glares at Karthak.
"Good idea! I will go to the queen, and tell her all about you lot! And please, don't trust me, ship me back, and remain surrounded with the wrong people. You are too smart for me!"

Good luck Cyber!

Got it Old Guy!

Got control of the campaign! Will clear it up shortly, so we can continue.

Got control of the campaign!

That sounds wise... ;)

On other news, I got control of the campaign.

Got control of the campaign! I'll change the information shortly.

A couple of them, including Gashnakh, the cook, go for the kitchen... will they arrive in time?

That is a good question... maybe they like fish entrails? It will take time to go fetch something from the kitchen.
You can also try and throw some more ropes, or make noise to try an chase the crocodiles off...

It is a good idea, but... will you trust the bandits with weapons for a hunt? Take them outside and lose them from sight? Maybe is better to leave them under Akiros watch, doing "indentured servant" work, that normally doesn't involve weapons or running around in the wild.
So... do you take them for a hunt?

A hulking half-orc and a catfolk appear in the tent, looking for the leaders of the expeditions.
Cue Agatsu and Edelsmirge's catfolk! You bring a letter of introduction from the Queen and ordered by her to join the others.

Edelsmirge, quickly do an Alias, and post in the gameplay thread, while you finish your character. The more the merrier! Your character arrives with Agatsu, having been comrades for a long time.

@Corsario: Just let me know when you want to integrate Agatsu to the story! :)

Ready? Excellent! No better time than now!

The rope lands on top of Oorug, and he tries to grab it.
Grab Rope: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4
But when he is about to do it, he sees the crocodiles and loses his concentration!
Next Turn!

Sounds like fun!
I envy you going...

There are several ropes around.
It is a touch attack against AC 15, as the river current is carrying Oorug.

Nurah peeks from behind Danua.
"Or what? Torture? Execution? I can tell you what I know, but you will go around stomping around again! But ok, there you have it, and it is on your heads what you do. I had access to sensitive information while aiding Queen Galfrey. And I know Sir Aron has a weakness. A weakness that can be, and will be exploited by the demons of the WorldWound. He had an addiction. There you have it! Now go and confront him, and see for yourself, and I hope you banish him or kill him!"

Will Save: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10
Too bad the crocodile is not humanoid, and his basic reptilian brain is immune to the well-placed spell.

Second day

I was afraid you were going to ask about the inside of the fort... it is even more information... Let's say that when you are ready, you will have the information handy, so I have time to prepare it.
Akiros sketches a map of the interior of the fort and gives you details about it.

From the doorway, without entering the rooms, Praxim see no evil. And yes, for greed, this seems very underachieving.

Well, you need to choose one. I will say that none are "Greedy". Then there is no more information about the rooms.
What to do something there?
Do you advance to the end of the south hallway?

She cowers behind Danua.

Akiros thanks Sir Andreas.
"And I have fallen down indeed. I thank you all for the opportunity to stand again, even if I don't deserve it. And yes, maybe one day I'll tell you my sad story if I make myself worthy to be considered as your friend."

I feel your pain. Too bad I have just taken over a couple of other abandoned adventures.
If one of them falls down, and you still need a DM, I can help.

Grod discovers the "combat" horse is probably one, and that it is very friendly. The other horses are well taken care of by him.

G5: Each of the four rooms in the south corridor is empty, save for a scattering of raw materials like sheets of cloth, stacks of lumber, blocks of stone, metal bars, and bones.
These rooms radiate strong transmutation magic.
Any of you is "greedy"?

I forgot... As far as you can say, she is scared, angry, surprised... but she didn't lie.

Nurah approaches Danua, as if trying to cover herself.
"What is wrong with you? Why are you screaming at me, and checking my stuff? I have been with the crusade for a very long time, serving queen Galfrey for years, and you think I am a spy? Will you put me on trial? Torture me? Or just kill me because you are suspicious? We are in the Worldwound, and more than one expedition has been destroyed not by the demons but from the inside. Because of the distrust of allies. Because of fear. Because of our weaknesses."
She looks away, as if ashamed.
"And weaknesses we have in our midst. You don't trust me. And I..."
She looks at you.
"I don't want to accuse anyone without evidence. And I do not have it, yet. I can tell you my suspicions. But you have to swear you won't act brashly, as you did with me."
She looks at all of you, defiantly.

Yverstrix, perched up on the top of the crow's nest is waved as a flag with the movements of the ship. The climb was easy, but keeping from falling for all those hours is really hard.
Maybe it will be easier the next day?

Roll your 3 climbs and 1 perception rolls then.

It is not. The slimy creatures are hard to clean up. And the SMELL. Malthu thinks it is never going to wash out from him. At least that night is still strong enough that he is pushed out to sleep on the deck.
Even if he is not told never to return to the kitchen Malthu knows it is not for him.

Akiros tells you, but they are far away to the south or has been so long ago they are not relevant anymore. About other bandit camps, they are not fixed, except for the Stag Lord's fort.
The hung bandit (if you buried him, if not he is still hanging up from the tree) name was Dick Turpin.
He takes the holy symbol, with a shaking hand. He smiles at your joke, and you think you see a tear forming in his eye.
"Thank you, my lady. I will try them."

So you are back at Oleg's.
You got more questions for Akiros?
What do you want to do with Akiros and his bandits?
What are your plans now?

Akiros tells you about the Stag Lord and his fort.
Although the bandits involved in the attack on Oleg’s, the bandits stationed at the Thorn River Camp, and the bandits you might encounter on the Stolen Lands all serve the Stag Lord, only a select few are allowed to live in the fort with him. In all, seven bandits and three "officers" live in the fort.
Ayles Megesen: Ayles is a soft-spoken man whose calm demeanor should not be taken for passivity — Ayles enjoys the act of torture the most among the bandits, and often spends hours after a fight “exploring” surviving victims.
Cragger Kench: A former cutpurse, Cragger was beaten senseless by the Stag Lord for drinking a bottle of his liquor, and his injuries have left him a little dim-witted— although not so dim-witted as Auchs.
Dirty Jeb Megesen: Ayles’s younger brother, Dirty Jeb likes to think he got his nickname for his penchant for fighting dirty, when in fact the moniker stems from his aversion to hygiene.
Falgrim Sneeg: Falgrim Sneeg is an older Varisian with graying hair and an unruly beard. A former mercenary, he possesses an unnerving calm in the face of violence.
Fat Norry: Behind only Auchs in size, Fat Norry somehow never seems to lose weight despite the hard lives the bandits live. This rotund bandit is rarely seen without some sort of food clutched in a greasy hand.
Jex the Snitch: The least popular with the men but perhaps the Stag Lord’s favorite minion is this aptly nicknamed man. His penchant for reporting the other bandits’ mistakes to the Stag Lord is likely to earn him a shallow grave before much longer.
Topper Red: Topper Red was a struggling street poet from the city of Pitax. He fled that city when an affair turned sour, and eventually joined the Stag Lord's ranks while romanticizing the thrilling life of a lawless brigand.
In addition to the seven rank-and-file bandits, the Stag Lord keeps three more powerful lieutenants on hand, each for a different reason. Among the lower - ranking bandits, orders from any of these three men are generally followed without hesitation - only when an order directly contradicts the Stag Lord’s commands (implied or otherwise) will they question the lieutenant.
Akiros Ismort, himself, was one of the three.
Auchs: Auchs is simple. A lumbering lummox of a man, Auchs is simpleminded in everything but cruelty. He loves the sound of sobbing and screaming when the sounds aren’t coming from him, and gleefully crushes and pummels bandits and prisoners alike according to the commands of his fellow lieutenants or the Stag Lord. Illiterate, the only word Auchs can spell is his name - and not even then, since Dovan took perverse glee in telling him that “ox” was spelled “Auchs.” He’s traveled with Dovan for the past 6 months, after the smaller man saved him from being killed for starting a deadly brawl in a marketplace in Daggermark, and is rarely found far from Dovan’s side.
Dovan from Nisroch: Until Akiros usurped the role, Dovan was comfortably the second-in-command of the fort. Secretly pleased with the Stag Lord’s alcoholism, Dovan has been actively encouraging the man to drink, for as long as the Stag Lord is in his cups, more power over the bandits rests in Dovan’s hands. Dovan himself is a mystery to the bandits - a dark, tattooed figure with an obvious taste for pain and cruelty. All they know of him is that he claims to hail from Nisroch.
The Stag Lord’s bandits often speak in slang and catchphrases to prevent outsiders from understanding their plans. Two key phrases are noted.
Master Phrase: The bandits use this phrase to identify themselves to whomever is working the main gate. When spoken, the gate opens. The Stag Lord changes the phrase weekly as a safety precaution, or in the event he believes the phrase has been compromised. The current master phrase is: “By the Bloody Bones of St. Gilmorg, who wants to know?”, as the bandits at the fort don’t know all of the bandits who work for the Stag Lord in the Stolen Lands.
Infiltrated Phrase: Bandits speak this phrase if they believe an outsider has infiltrated their ranks or they suspect a traitor. The current infiltrated phrase is: “And so the stink marks the jackal in a den of wolves.”
The Fort
A narrow path of hard-packed earth winds up the hillside approaching the Stag Lord’s fort - this path is 30 feet wide, 300 feet long, and provides no cover. The remaining hillside surrounding the fort is a swath of hill devoid of shrubbery save for isolated thorny vines, but periodic large boulders provide better cover for a stealthy approach. The guards who stand at watch don’t seem to keep much of an attentive eye on the hillsides.
There’s a reason for this, and one that helped the Stag Lord settle on this location as his fort, for the ruins he has chosen to live in were once a small monastery dedicated to Gyronna, a lesser known goddess whose faith has always been strongest in the River Kingdoms. Yet when the monks lapsed from proper worship and began to leave their cruel ways behind in favor of a more minimalist monastic lifestyle, Gyronna grew insulted. One night, she caused the dead of the monastery’s extensive graveyard (which surrounded the monastery on the south, east, and west hillsides) to rise up and attack the monks, dragging their still-living bodies back into the graves and leaving the building abandoned.
The unquiet dead still lurk in the soil of the surrounding hillside, even though their unmarked graves are forgotten. The bandits learned the hard way that the dead do not take kindly to intrusions upon their soil - the approach via the main path is safe, but anyone who attempts to approach the fort from any other landward route angers the undead guardians.
The palisade of the fort is 15 feet high, consisting of logs which are set no further apart than 6 inches. A 30-foot-wide safe zone around the outer perimeter of the palisade is beyond the reach of the haunted hillside, although already active zombies will pursue into this area. It’s possible but not easy to scale the palisade.
To the southeast of the fort, a slightly sunken section of ground covers a forgotten trap door, which can be cleared of earth with 5 minutes of work. Opening the stone trap door is difficult to do quietly, as the ancient stone hinge grinds. Once the door is opened, a 10 foot deep shaft is revealed, leading down to a 5 foot wide tunnel supported by ancient timbers. This tunnel leads to a second door that opens inside the palisade, directly under some wooden steps.
The Stag Lord: Unless the fort is under attack or on alert for intruders, the Stag Lord can be found in his room, dissolute in his drink and plotting dark and terrible cruelties. A predator and terrorist of ruthless reputation, lately he’s isolated himself, partaking in fewer raids and letting his men do the work for him. In the interim, he’s been languishing in his spoils, particularly the drink, and increasingly relies upon his reputation to maintain his authority. A bitter and violent drunk, he despises everything, including himself, whom he perceives as a hideous monster. The flesh of his entire body and face ripples with thick scars left by acid burns he suffered as a child as the result of his father’s torture.
His "mask" or "helm" is magical, and he almost never takes it out, as he doesn't like others to see his disfigured face.

Updated the exploration map.
You advance towards Oleg's trading post but are unable to reach it before nightfall. The morning surprise you with one of the bandits hanging from a nearby tree, and Akiros standing guard below him, with the other bandits, sit around him.
"He tried to escape. I enacted the punishment. The others won't try to escape now."

I love Arcana Evolved...
So I am somewhat sad is not a "core" Arcana Evolved game.
Good luck, and have fun.
And let me know if you start a "normal" Arcana Evolved game.

Maybe he can help clean up the fish... as you say, it is somewhat related...
You can try. The worst thing that can happen is that he gets boot up from the kitchen.
And the mocking... yes, the mocking could be worst.

So... the first day of travel, pick your poison.

Maria's information
Bloodtusk’s riverboat is a large, modified keelboat with a sturdy wooden hull. Assembled from the scavenged wrecks of several other vessels, the riverboat looks ungainly, with a wide forecastle and towerlike structure at the bow, and a high aftcastle at the stern. The boat is 120 feet long and 30 feet wide, with a draft of 10 feet. It has a single mast with a large sail as well as rowing banks. To assist in traveling upstream, the riverboat also carries eight horses that can be put ashore to pull the boat upstream.
Unless otherwise noted, doors on Bloodtusk’s keelboat are of good wooden construction (hardness 5, hp 15, break DC 16) and unlocked. The boat is cramped, with ceilings only 5 feet high. Cabins and interior cabins are usually unlit during the day, with a single hooded lantern providing illumination at night in inhabited areas.
The boat’s various cabins and compartments are described below, along with specific NPCs who are likely to be encountered in those areas, though the riverboat’s crew constantly moves about the boat.
A1. Main Deck: The open deck of Bloodtusk’s keelboat sports a single mast, a stowed jolly boat, and an open stable (area A2). Netting along the rails provides additional storage space. A hatch in the deck aft of the mast opens onto the coxswain’s gangway (area A10) below. A short flight of stairs leads up to the forecastle (area A3). Two flights of stairs descend under the forecastle to the cargo hold (area A9). Double doors aft lead to the chart room (area A6) and Bloodtusk’s cabin (area A7), flanked by two sets of stairs that climb up to the aftcastle and pilot deck (area A8). A small crow’s nest sits atop the 30-foot-tall mast.
A2. Stable: This open stable takes up a large section of the main deck fore of the mast. Its eight stalls are lined with matted hay. The stable holds eight heavy horses, which are deployed on shore to pull the riverboat upstream when necessary.
A3. Forecastle: This wide platform extends over the gunwales. A tower rises above the bow from the center of this deck, containing the galley (area A4) and the crew cabin (area A5). Two barrels lashed to the bow tower hold 20 javelins and four longspears for the crew to use in defending the boat from river threats or repelling boarders.
A4. Galley: The crew prepares meals in this simple but well-stocked kitchen in the base of the bow tower. A small table in the room can seat six people. Stairs lead up to the crew cabin (area A5) above. Two hammocks can be hung under the stairs to provide additional sleeping areas.
A5. Crew Cabin: The boat’s eight crew members sleep here in hammocks hung between several posts and the walls. Eight wooden footlockers with simple locks containing the crew’s personal effects skirt the perimeter of the room. Ten people can sleep comfortably in these quarters or up to 12 in more cramped conditions. The PCs share this cabin with the riverboat’s crew, with any overflow housed in the galley (area A4) below.
A6. Chart Room: A large oval table fills the center of this room. A detailed map of the border region between Belkzen and Lastwall, focusing around the Esk and Kestrel waterways, is spread on the table next to a leather-bound ledger. The ledger is seemingly filled with gibberish. Coxswain Halrex bunks in the chart room at night. Her rolled-up hammock and the locked wooden footlocker where she keeps her personal possessions sit in one corner of the room.
A7. Bloodtusk’s Cabin: Two large panes of lead-framed stained-glass windows on the far wall, depicting a regal Chelish naval officer atop a crow’s nest surrounded by devils, shine a cascade of scintillating light and colors is what can be seen from outside the boat, and no, you are not allowed inside, at least for now.
When not on deck, Captain Raag Bloodtusk can usually be found here, and he sleeps here at night.
A8. Pilot Deck: The riverboat is steered via a sturdy tiller atop this raised deck. Behind the tiller, a heavy ballista is mounted on a swiveling base that gives the siege engine a 360-degree arc of fire.
Three crew members are required to operate the ballista. All three must take full-round actions to load the ballista in 1 round; on the following round, two of the crew aim the ballista with full-round actions, while the third fires the weapon. Two nearby crates each hold 10 ballista bolts, and a barrel containing eight javelins and two longspears is lashed to the rail.
Captain Bloodtusk can usually be found here during the day with his hand on the tiller. If the boat comes under attack, three of the crew not manning the oars take battle stations here, though this leaves the ship normally undercrewed for sailing and maneuvering, which won't be the case with you here.
A9. Cargo Hold: Two sets of stairs lead down into this hold from the main deck (area A1), while a set of double doors allows bulkier goods to be transported through the hatch in the deck and along the gangway (area A10). All manner of mundane trade goods stuff this chamber, including cloth, flour, dried fruit, horse feed, pickled beef, salt, and exotic spices. There are over 500 pounds of goods within this hold, with a total market value of 550 gold pieces. The ship’s larder is found here as well and contains enough foodstuffs to feed 16 people for 2 weeks.
A10. Coxswain’s Gangway: This long gangway overlooks the rowing banks on either side of the vessel and connects the cargo hold (area A9) to the armory (area A12). Coxswain Halrex can be found here 10 hours a day, pacing back and forth and pounding her drum to set the pace for the rowers in the banks below.
A11. Rowing Banks: Four short flights of stairs descend from area A10 into these recessed compartments, where wooden benches provide seating for rowers working the massive oars that propel the riverboat forward. In all, there are 20 benches, 10 to a side, that when fully occupied can seat 40 rowers, two to a bench. The riverboat’s current crew rows in shifts of four for 5 hours, providing propulsion for 10 hours each day.
A12. Armory: A pair of locked iron doors separates this hold from the rest of the ship; Captain Bloodtusk holds the only key. No, he won't let it to you.
I will upload some images later

The River Journey
Bloodtusk’s keelboat weighs anchor and sets off on the river journey first thing in the morning after you arrive. Captain Bloodtusk makes it abundantly clear on the first day that you are not "passengers"; Halgra negotiated working passage for you, and you must make themselves useful while aboard. Bloodtusk expects everyone to help row the riverboat as well as perform other duties.
Tuva quickly joins your group, asking to be put to work equally, and refusing to be granted privileges, even as her calling of "uncle Raag" seems something no other person can do without risking a beating or even a limb.
In addition to rowing, each of you can choose one of the jobs listed below. You don’t have to keep the same job for the entire journey, but you must do something daily. Each day, you must succeed at a skill check (or checks) for your chosen job to accomplish that day’s tasks. If you do well, they are met with camaraderie; if you do not, the rest of Bloodtusk’s crew (especially Coxswain Halrex) targets you with contempt and may reassign you to a different job on the following day. Any jobs not taken by you are filled by the other crew members.
Cooking: You can assist the boat’s cook, Gashnakh, in preparing meals and cleaning, stocking, and maintaining the galley (area A4). A successful DC 10 Profession (cook) check or Intelligence check is enough to cook a palatable meal. If anyone skilled in cuisine wants to, the crew is happy to let you take over cooking duties. Anyone who fails this check by 5 or more is banned from the galley.
Fishing: You can help haul in the day’s catch to feed the crew. A successful DC 10 Profession (fisherman) check DC 18 Survival check, or a successful DC 10 Strength check is required to haul in the boat’s fishing nets. Four nets are cast into the river each day, and up to two individuals can haul in each net (one attempts the check, while the other can use aid another) every morning. At least one success indicates there is enough food to feed everyone on board for 1 day.
Lookout: You can watch for hazards from the crow’s nest atop the mast. Three successful DC 10 Climb checks are required to get to the crow’s nest. Anyone stationed in the crow’s nest gains a +2 circumstance bonus on Perception checks to notice approaching threats.
Rowing: You can spend 5 hours rowing the keelboat in the rowing banks (area A11). This requires a successful DC 5 Profession (sailor) or DC 10 Strength check. The crew views anyone who fails this check as weak, and risks becoming a constant target of Coxswain Halrex’s insults. You must also succeed at a DC 10 Constitution check or be fatigued at the end of the shift.
Sounding: Helping the keelboat’s pilot avoid the shallows along the riverbeds requires a successful DC 10 Profession (sailor) check or DC 15 Perception check from the forecastle (area A3). If you fail this check by 5 or more, the ship runs aground and must be towed free by the horses, adding 1 day of travel to the journey.
Stable Mucking: Maintaining the horses and stable (area A2) requires a successful DC 10 Handle Animal check, DC 10 Profession (stable master) check, or DC 15 Ride check. If you fail this check by 5 or more on 2 consecutive days, one of the horses becomes sick and is not available for towing. This adds 1 day of travel to the journey unless the animal is cured, requiring either a successful DC 15 Heal check or magic such as remove sickness.

I should have, but it was easier to ask... ;)