Creo Ignem's page

Hi SheepishEidolon,

only five years late, but here's my answer! Life got in the way, but the project is very much alive.

To your questions: Yes, there is a Part 1, and yes, it continues well past Part 5. Parts 1, 4 and 5 are now online, and many more will follow. The campaign ran from 2011 to 2014, so Xnauth has a lot left to grumble about.

We also gave the blog a complete redesign, so the campaign journals are much easier to navigate. Everything is collected here:
Curse of the Crimson Throne – campaign overview

The new entries (still German only):
• Part 1 – What Xnauth Missed: Xnauth wasn't there when the others hunted down Gaedren Lamm, and he doesn't believe a word of their story, least of all the shark that grows with every retelling.
• Part 4: A raid on Devargo's ship at Eel's End, a rescue in the Old Fishery, and Xnauth brooding over his orcish past.
• Part 5: Korvosa thinks the painter Trinia Sabor poisoned the king, and the hunt for her turns into a rooftop chase through the Shingles that goes about as smoothly as you'd expect.

You mentioned that most people here don't read German, and you were right. English translations are in the works, and I'll post here once they're up.

Thanks again for reading and for your kind words back then.

Best,
Creo Ignem

Dear fighters for Taldor,
our roleplaying group has created and set to music a march for the Taldan Horse using ChatGPT and Suno AI.
We played it when we faced the first attack of the Staubels beyond Vigil's Rest:
https://suno.com/s/ujOW5hUn6ZQqS1NL

It's in German, but maybe you'll like it anyway.

Here an impression of the battle:
https://owncloud.nowrap.net/s/pwKiimBqAFPpmsP

Good luck in the battle for the crown
Ralf aka Valorant, expendable negotiator of the Taldan Horse, currently in the service of the Princess

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

Many thanks again,

so far we have no voice that would deny this ability in battle. Regardless of whether it is started with it or the Slayer joins later, as long as all conditions are met.

Multiple use in combat is controversial due to its recognizability as an enemy. I personally support the assumption that it can only be used once.

Thx a alot for all your answers and explanations.

Maybe the question "be used in combat?" must be more precise, like "can be used anytime in combat, if the requirements are fullfilled?"

For example the slayer is hidden, approaches his target, studies it and executes the sneak attack for an assassination attempt.

Technically the slayer has an initiative and act with actions in the running combart, like moving, using stealth e.g.

We read some posts and questions before this posting here which said "can only be used outside combat" because nobody is flatfooded anymore e.g.

Dear Mysterious Stranger,
thx alot for your reply.

Assassinate has 3 conditions. 1 the slayer has to study their target for 1 round. 2 They make a sneak attack on the next round. 3 The target does not recognize the slayer as an enemy. The first two are fairly straight forward and should not cause any questions. The third one is more complicated, but not nearly as much as you are making it out to be.

I think the "target is denied its Dexterity bonus to AC" is a fourth condition. So flanking as an option for sneak attacks cannot fullfil the conditions.

As long as the target of the assassination does not consider the slayer an enemy before the attack he can use assassinate on the target. There is no requirement for the slayer not to be in or have been in combat. If the target cannot perceive the slayer obviously, he does not consider him an enemy, so things like invisibility will cover this requirement. If the target perceives the slayer but considers him an ally or at least a neutral party that also covers the requirement. Using disguise or magic to make the target think the slayer is an ally will work.

Magical ways, like the Charm person, are an interesting prospect. Perhaps not directly at hand for a slayer, but a possibility.

Determining if a target considers the assassin a neutral party is probably where most of the ambiguity lies. The way I would handle it is if the character would attack the slayer given the opportunity. For example, if the slayer were to move out of a threatened square would the target make an AoO on the slayer? If the target would take the AoO on the slayer they would be considered an enemy.

The AoO view as inversion is a very good idea and a pratical, too. Total concealment prevents AoOs.

A slayer can use assassinate in combat fairly often. If the slayer is pretending to be part of the party this is quite easy to accomplish. You are right about one thing and that once they attempt to assassinate the target it usually means further attempts are difficult to achieve. Greater Invisibility would work but anything else is likely to fail.

Shouldn't an invisible attacker always be considered an enemy when he or she attacks a target? Opponents may not be able to locate or recognize the person, but they know it is an unfriendly attitude, or?

Regards
Ralf

Well met,
we are trying to figure out if the slayers advanced talent Assassinate (Ex) can be used in combat?

https://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/hybrid-classes/slayer/slayer-talents/paizo -slayer-talents-advanced/assassinate

"the slayer makes a sneak attack against the target and that target is denied its Dexterity bonus to AC, the sneak attack has the additional effect of possibly killing the target"

So possible common situations can be:
- win the initiative (target has condition Flat-Footed)
- being invisible (slayer has condition Invisible)
- something else maybe

But there is an other requirement for the slayer:
"This attempt automatically fails if the target recognizes the slayer as an enemy."

So our thoughts are (all must apply):
- slayer must not be expected (maybe a knowledge local check for the target, if they know the party)
- slayer must not have taken part in the combar so far
- slayer must be previously undetected or unrecognized (opposed perception check for the target against stealth - possibly under rare circumstances against disguise)

So beeing hidden with stealth or better with invisiblity could make this happen?

Stealth says: "Creatures that fail to beat your Stealth check are not aware of you and treat you as if you had total concealment"
Invisible says: "Invisible creatures are visually undetectable. An invisible creature gains a +2 bonus on attack rolls against sighted opponents, and ignores its opponents’ Dexterity bonuses to AC (if any)."

And stealth says also: "Your Stealth immediately ends after you make an attack roll, whether or not the attack is successful (except when sniping as noted below)."

After the first attack of a slayer every opponent should be aware to slayer as an enemy. So the Assassinate advanced talent might be work once in a combat?

Another indicator of usability in combat is that the talent is a 2 turn action (study + sneak attack).

Encounters must be setup proberly to make this happen, like:
- slayer hides behind a door and opponents are lured into this ambush
- slayer goes invisible into a battle and sneaks to a target undetected
- ...

There is still the chances of being detected and some one calls out a warning to make the assasination fail.

What do you think?
Or is there any standard rule which makes this impossible?

Regards
Ralf

In the year 2021 we begun to play War for the crown. All events are written to our chronology.

Part 1:

Es begann am 31. Desnus des Jahres 4718 in Oppara. Es lief gerade die Festwoche des Grand Day of Exaltation. Im Red Stag versammeln Arawyn Lotheed und Eritryce die weiteren Akteure Dulgir, Merek und Valorant. Ebenfalls anwesend ist der Kandidat der Loyalisten Cinnard.

https://blog.creo-ignem.net/pathfinder/war-for-the-crown/das-neue-taldor-au sgabe-1/

Part 2:

Nach der Rettung des Kandidaten der Imperialisten Kalbio geht es an die Vorbereitungen für den Besuch im Senat. Das Finale des Grand Day of Exaltation steht bevor. Dort angekommen gibt es auch die ersten Aufgaben von Martella Lotheed.

https://blog.creo-ignem.net/pathfinder/war-for-the-crown/das-neue-taldor-au sgabe-2/

Taldor endures!

We started playing Hell's Rebels in the year 2020 - due to the pandemic mostly remote via jitsi. 15 sessions of the rebellion we finished so far.

Part 1:

Willkommen im Kintargo des Jahres 4715 – kurz nach der Night of Ashes am 01. Rova. Die Rebellion gegen House Thrune beginnt. Vergylius Aulorian als vermeintlicher Doppelagent nimmt zusammen mit Lorax, Grizzly, Quell und Chessalia den ungleichen Kampf für die Freiheit auf.

https://blog.creo-ignem.net/pathfinder/hells-rebels/geheimdienstbericht-tei l-1/

Part 2:

Die Fair Fortune Livery offenbart Dokumente. Es geht um die Silver Ravens und Cheliax. Schon damals entzündete sich eine Rebellion. Die Rettung der Fushi Sisters steht an. Im Keller von Laria Longroad kommt es zum Kampf. Der Dire Corby Cough versteckte sich unter den Tengu Schwestern.

https://blog.creo-ignem.net/pathfinder/hells-rebels/geheimdienstbericht-tei l-2/

Can you see the raven fly?

We played the Skull & Shackles from 2014 to 2018 and our best swab Krynt wrote a logbook in order to honor Besmara:

Part 1 of 52:
Das unfreiwillige Wormwood Onboarding in Port Peril am 4. Gozran 4712.

https://blog.creo-ignem.net/pathfinder/skull-shackles/krynts-logbuch-teil-1 /

Part 2 of 52:
Während der ersten qualvollen Tage auf der Wormwood unter Captain Harrigan tritt die Hexe Sennabar auf.

https://blog.creo-ignem.net/pathfinder/skull-shackles/krynts-logbuch-teil-2 /

Our prayer to besmara:

Besmara!
Du bist launisch, lasterhaft und habgierig! So sind wir!
Du bist die Pirate Queen! Wir folgen dir!
Du suchst Kampf und Streit zur See! So such‘n wir!
Du bist die Pirate Queen! Wir folgen dir!
Du säst Chaos auf den Wellen! So säen wir!
Du bist die Pirate Queen! Wir folgen dir.
Du erntest Gold aus den Bäuchen der Schiffe! So ernt`n wir!
Du bist die Pirate Queen! Wir folgen dir.
Du suchst Reichtum, Ruhm und Macht! So such’n wir!
Du bist die Pirate Queen! Wir folgen dir.
Du stehst uns bei! So steh‘n wir!
Du bist die Pirate Queen! Wir folgen dir.

We played the Kingmaker from 2018 to 2020. But we didn't completed it yet. Our lady Adriana wrote a diary:

Part 1 of 22:
Der Aufbruch in den Greenbelt aus Restov am 24. Calistril 4710.

https://blog.creo-ignem.net/pathfinder/kingmaker/adrianas-tagebuch-teil-1/

Part 2 of 22:
Von Oleg’s Tradingpost Dank Johann die Verfolgung von Kressle und ihren Banditen aufnehmend.

https://blog.creo-ignem.net/pathfinder/kingmaker/adrianas-tagebuch-teil-2/

We played the Curse of the Crimson Throne from 2011 to 2014 and our shoanti barbar cut out journal into cow skin:

Part 2 of 49
Die Suche nach Gaedren Lamm im Korvosa des Jahres 4708 beginnt mit Teil 2 am 12. Pharast.

https://blog.creo-ignem.net/pathfinder/curse-of-the-crimson-throne/xnauths- kuhhaut-teil-2/

Part 3 of 49
Auf ein Spezialschnitzel der Cowhammer Boys und eine Audienz bem Spinnenkönig im Pharast 4708.

https://blog.creo-ignem.net/pathfinder/curse-of-the-crimson-throne/xnauths- kuhhaut-teil-3/