Stone Giant

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Goblin Squad Member. Organized Play Member. 1,757 posts (2,496 including aliases). 57 reviews. 1 list. No wishlists. 20 Organized Play characters. 1 alias.


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The Exchange 5/5

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These are great questions! I’m surprised that, for as long as this module has been available, no one has raised the topic before.

I’ve run the module a few times, but this encounter is always a challenge to referee. The meeting with the sphynx is not scripted, so as the GM you will need to improvise. Let me begin by setting up how I view the sphinx’s tent.

There’s an enclosed wagon that’s ostensibly used to transport the “sphinx”. I stress that it is enclosed, so there’s no way to casually look inside between the acts. There’s a heavy door in the back of the wagon with a strong lock. It opens into a cage that is assembled from 10x10 panels of bars that are secured together by chains and locks. If that sounds strange, remember the whole operation needs to be portable. The cage is secured tightly to the wagon and held in place by large stakes driven into the earth. The dirt floor inside the cage is covered with exotic looking rugs and large cushions. This whole affair is inside of a large tent that is itself inside the menagerie bigtop. Around the inside perimeter of the sphinx’s tent is hung a curtain, close to the outer panel of the tent, with just enough space for Ika to skulk around using her illusion magic unobserved. Also, there is a rope creating a partition between the cage and where the audience stands, to keep them at a distance in case the sphinx tries to lash out at a cheeky spectator. The light level is dim inside the tent.

When it is time for the sphinx’s performance, the guards within the tent first go over the rules—kind of like what Dr. Chilton said when Clarice Starling went to meet Hannibal Lecter for the first time. They are trying to ratchet up the suspense—it’s all part of the showmanship. It’s also an effort to prevent anyone from interacting with the illusion. After the “safety lecture”, one of the guards uses a hooked pole to reach into the cage, lift the bar from the door and swing door open. Ika has her spells up and out comes Jherizhana. Now we finally get to the questions…

What does the Sphinx actually do to be considered an attraction? I don’t mean to be immature, but turn to page 7 in the module and tell me if you see anything the 13 – 99 year old male demographic would pay to see. That won’t get you very far at a PFS table, but honestly I think that’s the motive for most of the townies. OK, for real now, at first she paces around the cage without speaking, meeting the gaze of each spectator, looking for weakness. She’ll select the boldest one and begin to interview him/her. “So. Do you like what you see? Am I everything you paid for?” You could play her off as either mocking or self-pitying. She will ask the PCs questions about where they are from and why they have visited the carnival. If they performed very well (or very badly) against the “baby dragon” she will also compliment (or belittle) the pertinent PCs. If asked how she knows what happened, she’ll just say that word spreads quick in the carnival.

If asked about herself, she will describe her homeland in the desert of northern Garund. Often players have asked her if she is being held by the carnival against her will. This is a touchy subject. If the PCs think of her as a slave, they may act to free her. To counter this, she’ll describe how she’d love to rip her captors to pieces if she escapes. Their families too. She may be sentient, but never doubt she’s a maneater. To impress this upon the players, after they’re going back-and-forth for a bit she might ask if they want her to read their palm. She’ll ask them to step closer, at which point the guards will intervene to “protect” the PC from losing a limb. She will try to act innocent, but everyone can see her stifle a sly smile if the ploy almost worked.

Remember, she’s an attraction. If there’s no menace, people will lose interest. She can’t be docile and innocent. Yes, this can lead the players down the path to immediately believe the carnival is behind the whole plot and the sphinx is guilty. Good! This is why the Guilded Hands targeted her. The longer the PCs have doubts, the more interesting the mystery is. If they metagame from the beginning, it kills much of the role-play opportunity.

Another thing you can have the sphynx do is tell the PCs their fortunes. It helps to think ahead about a reading specific to each PC, they’re hard to come up with on the fly. As a last resort, grab a bunch of horoscopes out of the newspaper. They don’t need to be accurate, just mysterious and foreboding.

If they PCs get too pushy, suspicious, or discover Ika’s presence the guards will immediately end the performance and try to hustle everyone out before the illusion is broken. Otherwise, the sphynx will tire of the conversation after 30 minutes or so.

What happens if the players want to talk to the Sphinx outside of the normal schedule? It depends if they have the carnival’s permission. If they don’t get Almara’s blessing, they’ve have to sneak in or cause a diversion. Remember, the wagon is enclosed so it’s not as simple as peering through a window. The PCs would have to get into the cage (chained and locked) and then pick the lock on the door. However, they would be suspicious from the get-go because something that big would make noise when moving/breathing in a confined wagon. If they have Almara’s permission then Ika would be in place and the PCs could talk to a much more cooperative Jherizhana. The sphynx would explain that what she says is mostly an act, and that she’s actually treated quite well by the carnival folk. She’d do her best to assure the PCs that she was innocent of the murders.

What do the carnival people tell when asked what the Sphinx is doing when she's not on display? Pre-murders, she’s sleeping or plotting a way to escape her wagon and have revenge on the carnival. Post-murders, she’s outraged that she’s been falsely accused and has been demanding the chance to represent herself and face her accusers.

The Exchange 5/5

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Congratulations Jim! You have been a credit to our state. You have done a great job fostering your region, as well as driving all over to help out wherever the gaps are. If they gave out stars for organizers, you'd have 5 of them without a doubt. Thank you for your support and community spirit. Welcome to The Island!

The Exchange 5/5

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Any chance we'll get the goblin pre-gens as a separate PDF like previous Free RPG Day products?

The Exchange 5/5

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On May 27th in the early morning a fire began in the building occupied by RIW Hobbies in Livonia, Michigan. Although the fire department quickly responded and saved the building, the store inventory was heavily damaged by fire, smoke and water. Desna smiled upon RIW, because for months the owner had been in the process of remodeling a new, larger location for the store and was a week away from transitioning locations.

Even so, the event has been trying for the owner and her dedicated staff. RIW Hobbies was the first location in Michigan where public PFS games were regularly offered, reaching as far back as Event #578 in June 2009. Pathfinder Society is going to show the store some appreciation this Saturday by organizing a fundraising event.

In order to secure a seat at the table you must show proof of purchase (a receipt) from the store in the current week. Furthermore, there is a NO FIRE rule in effect while you're in the store. That's right, your character may not use any type of fire-damage action for this event. This includes spells, spell-like abilities, alchemical items, you name it. Violation of this rule is punishable by a $5 fine per action, benefiting RIW. If you have deep pockets or a big heart, by all means bring your alchemist or pyromaniac gnome :)

Sign up via Warhorn. You must pre-register for this event.

12:00 PFS#6-18 From Under Ice
5:30 PFS#6-21 Tapestry's Toil

The Exchange 5/5

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Steven_Evil wrote:
Also looking forward to collecting player's tears.

I recognize that you may not be serious when you say this. Out of an abundance of caution I want you to know that the creation of player grief by GMs has lead to a lot of problems for this campaign. This is a game, and when a game stops being fun and becomes contentious players often walk away and don't come back. So put a little wink after statements like the one above so we know you're only kidding :)

The Exchange 5/5

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Well it's about time! :) Congratulations Auke, your long record of service and sacrifice is rivaled by few. Welcome to The Island!

The Exchange 5/5

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Congratulations on a lengthy and distinguished campaign service record, Robyn. You have earned a break, enjoy it!

The Exchange 5/5

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tchrman35 wrote:

Running this again tomorrow night with another party (core this time). The Druid has an animal companion with scent ability.

The whole illusory encounter just got shot, didn't it?

I'm not sure what situation you are referring to. The animal is not intelligent enough to communicate that something is an illusion, or that it smells someone hiding behind a wall. Cats can have a keen sense of smell, but they still jump at a red dot on the wall :)

The Exchange 5/5

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Here's the Blog entry

The Exchange 5/5

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Don't worry about it. I've run it over 20 times.

Mists of Mwangi:
One time the players never entered the museum, destroying the idols from the windows. One other time the players did it the way you anticipated.
I didn't penalize either group for their atypical solution. The author can't cover every angle. If your players head right for the final encounter and you want to use your locked door idea, I think that's an appropriate solution if you feel that the game experience will suffer as a result of an early ending. The players in the sessions I mentioned above were proud they did something outside of the norm and remember the session fondly.

I think most players will stay on the rails. I should say, rather, I know most players stay on the rails in this one. I've put over a hundred of them through Mists. The more experienced ones will meta-game and fool themselves into believing they need to explore the closer rooms first because there's probably a handy tool or helpful bit of info that's vital to the mission's success in there.

The Exchange 5/5

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Congratulations on the 5th Star and welcome to The Island! Alex is one of those GMs who is so smooth when he improvises he fools the players into believing it's all part of the author's script. Only when you read the scenario afterward do you realize that side track your party went on was never covered, but Alex was able to get you back on the tracks without anyone being the wiser. He truly belongs in the ranks of the 5-Stars.

Alex is also a great organizer, managing one of our showcase PFS locations for over 30 months now. Twice this year he has organized the multi-table Specials on a Wednesday night no less. In 2014 he has organized exactly 150 tables at Mainstreet Billiards (they average 3 tables a week) and he's GMed 41 out of 50 weeks (the last two Wednesdays of the year were waived due to the holidays). That's the amount of dedication he has as a GM and as an organizer. What a guy!

The Exchange 5/5

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I think you have the right idea; explain that curing the Pallid Plague requires a specific treatment and anti-plague won't alone suffice. Without the threat of the disease, this scenario becomes pointless. You have raised a good question. I bet that some GMs have come up with more inventive solutions that simply saying anti-plague won't work. I hope they share their ideas. Antiplague is relatively expensive at low levels, but giving that the title of the scenario is The Pallid Plague you are wise to expect it to show up.

The Exchange 5/5

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Bienvenue à l'île! Thank you for your service to our campaign.

The Exchange 5/5

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Paul Maplesden via the Asheville Lodge provides these character background sheets on their website. Pass these out to your group and tell them to complete them for the next game. I think many players have an idea about what their character looks and acts like, but they go with the flow at the table. I agree with blackbloodtroll; in most cases when I sit down with players his statement is the status quo. I find it very frustrating, but I also believe that Pathfinder Society scenarios foster this behavior. There is no reward for role-playing, so why are we put out when it doesn't happen? There is a ray of hope. When one player at the table begins to role-play well, it can inspire and elevate the rest of the players to follow suit. Kind of like when a player is talking with a French accent it begins to infect the speech of other people at the table.

The Exchange 5/5

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Eldest is probably Wes Nicholson. I'm not saying he's old, but if he were an AD&D red dragon he'd have 88 hit points. Youngest probably one of the online 5-Stars, Arthur Perkins or Steven Fresques, but that's an assumption not based on knowledge.

The Exchange 5/5

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No disrespect to Horseman, but it doesn't matter if the death was reported or if he received a Chronicle. We play under the honor system. Just because there may have been a bureaucratic mistake doesn't mean he gets a do-over. Carlos knows he played the scenario. Splitting hairs about how much he actually absorbed from 2.5 rounds of participation is a distraction. Fortunately he's earned a GM Star (thanks for your service, Carlos!) and can burn it to play it again for credit.

The Exchange 5/5

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Scenarios are typically released at the end of the work day on the West Coast. Don't even bother checking until 9PM EDT. It is risky to plan to run new releases on the weekend following their date of availability. We usually don't know if there is going to be a delay until the day of release. Products have to pass through an editing pipeline at Paizo, so often delays are out of the hands of our campaign staff.

The Exchange 5/5

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You can refuse all except for XP.

Edit: Damanta, he could waste the PP the same way he wasted the Gold. The Fame he would be stuck with, I'm thinking.

The reason you can't defer XP is because it could skew the wealth-by-level curve intended for PFS. Let's say you accept the Gold but not the XP when you play. You could end up as a 1st level character playing in Tier 1-5 scenarios wearing the gear of a 10th level PC. Taken to the extreme, it would be unbalanced.

The Exchange 5/5

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Congratulations guy-who-has-to-put-up-with-Dragnmoon! ;)

The Exchange 5/5

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You are correct, and those other people are wrong.

The Guide to Pathfinder Society Organized Play, page 32 wrote:
Tiers are a level restriction for play. If a PC’s level does not fall within the level range of a scenario’s tier, that character can not legally play in that scenario. For example, a 5th-level PC is legal for play in scenarios of Tiers 1–5, 3–7, and 5–9; a 1st-level PC can only legally play in a Tier 1 or Tier 1–5 scenario.

They may be confused because some Season 0 - 2 scenarios covered Tier 1-7, so level 1s could play in sub-tier 3-4 with level 7s. It does make sense when you read the Guide, but I can see where the misunderstandings arise.

Read 'Tiers and Sub-Tiers' on page 32 of the Guide, then come back here if you still think it's not enough to convince those 'other people' :)

The Exchange 5/5

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The suggestion was to play a somber dirge on the organ. If the PC fails the save, he or she attempts to play a 'dirge'. The diva gets upset and attacks if the PC performs poorly. The suggestion has been fulfilled. The diva doesn't designate how long the dirge must be. After the suggested action is complete, the target may act freely. Roll initiative :)

The Exchange 5/5

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I suggest that you don't use the organized play system. Run it how you feel comfortable, just don't present it as Pathfinder Society sanctioned. If these kids don't plan on playing with other organized players at PFS sanctioned gamedays or conventions, then there's no need to make them adhere to the PFS rules. Put on the kid gloves and let 'em have fun. When they are ready for the next level of difficulty, introduce them to PFS.

The Exchange 5/5

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No. That's taking it too far. There's an unspoken contract between you and the players when you all sit down to play. Part of that is they have to trust that you are being fair and not just making stuff up. If they don't trust you, they need to find a different kind of game to play. If you don't trust them, give them more credit.

It's your job as the Game Master to use your imagination to describe the environment, the grotesque monster, the chaotic thrill of battle. Instead of saying to the player "I'm sorry, an attack roll of 12 misses the goblin warrior. You needed a 15 to hit his armor class.", you could say "The nimble goblin ducks under your whistling greatsword, not even needing to raise his shield to avoid your attack."

The Exchange 5/5

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Here's my answer (expect table variation):
1.) Guards and Wards says "A dispel magic cast on a specific effect, if successful, removes only that effect." I take that to mean that an effect removed by a Dispel Magic is only supressed and will resume after 24 hours. I would set the DC at 26 to recognize a Guards and Wards using Knowledge (Arcana) because it is a spell effect that is already in place. Of course, the PC wouldn't need to know what spell it is in order to fire off a Dispel.

2. & 3.) I'm going to disregard the scenario instructions because they don't make sense. I'll present it organically, meaning I'll try and present the situation as it might have developed rather than putting minis down in illogical positions:


  • B obviously came up from the level below (B1) with the mummies and initiated the attack on S's turf. I'll add a 'first wave' of attackers that S already defeated.
  • Let's just say that S was initially in the chapel (A3) and fought through the first wave to get to A9 and summon a counterattack.
  • B sent in the next wave of mummies, hanging around the corner of A5 to watch how things progress.
  • S sends her elementals out from A9 and observes from there as the forces collide in A2. She doesn't speak any elemental languages so she must be giving the fire elementals instructions via the mephits, who speak Common. She has used the pools once earlier so I think it is safe to assume there have been waves of attackers on both sides.
  • Don't forget to describe the "Alcoves along the walls hold racks filled with scrolls filled with ancient poetry, but the cracked scroll cases are unable to resist the heat created by the elementals. If the PCs do not destroy the elementals or draw them out of the hallway within 4 rounds, the scrolls are reduced to ash, and the PCs lose 1 Preservation Point."
  • The important thing about setting up this fight is you want the players to see the opposing sides at the same time. If they look down the corridor from A1 (after figuring out the illusion) and see one side bottle-necked at the intersection, they'll just initiate their attack algorithms without further thought.
  • I haven't run this yet, but I anticipate that the players will just neutralize BOTH side--the elementals for the threat to the library, and the mummies for being undead.
  • If S's side wins, she'll approach to parley from A9. If she loses, she'll stay there unless she has a safe route back to the chapel.

The author probably had either a different map or different creatures when the scenario was turned over. I don't much like how cramped the fight is in A2.

The Exchange 5/5

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Gregory, on these messageboards you will find that if there's a way that something can be blown out of proportion, we will find it :) The campaign leadership understands this, so don't worry about anyone getting in trouble.

Your feelings are valid. The best way to make sure that this GM doesn't make the same mistakes over again is to first talk to them after the slot is over. That's not a time that we are always at our best. At that point we are frustrated and want to be anywhere else. The next best way is to contact the organizer of the event. If you still are not satisfied, then contact the local Venture-Officers.

Bringing a negative experience to these messageboards has unintended consequences, as you have seen. You can't turn back time though. I hope you play again. If you keep at it you will meet some pretty awesome people that you'd never run into in a home group.

The Exchange 5/5

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GM Lamplighter wrote:
The Fox wrote:
I run the scenarios cold.

Maps and minis are just add-ons, and not essential to play - some of my best games have been on blank battlemaps with pens and M&M minis. Running scenarios cold, though, is something to be avoided in my experience. It's often fine (or at least good enough) for hack and slash, but there is a lot of lore, NPC details, and plot that is hard to pick up on the first read-through.

I humbly suggest that some prep time reading the scenario is well worth the effort, not just for your own enjoyment but for those of your players.

I assumed he was being sarcastic :)

The Exchange 5/5

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Being sick of bad GMs in organized play inspired me to volunteer for the first time. I started LG in January 2006 and by March I was GMing at conventions. Gregory Connolly, you have the experience and you know what it feels like to be let down. Would you rather this happen to another table, or will you pick up the gauntlet that has been laid before you?

The Exchange 5/5

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Welcome to The Island, Art!

The Exchange 5/5

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I ran this last night for the first time. Knowing how confusing all the NPCs are with foreign names & motives, I made handouts with some portraits from the scenario and other images from Google. There are 8 key NPCs to keep track of. I wish we were allowed to share work like this, but it is not covered by the Community Use Policy.

I fortunately had a table of 4 players. Having more face-time to share with the GM helped to keep them engaged. It was 3.5 hours of role-play before we ever rolled init. They enjoyed themselves but it is tiresome to think on your feet that long.

When I played this scenario, we straight-up murdered Shirin outside of the tomb. We were convinced that she was behind it all and would have ended it sooner had the GM not stopped us and explained how the plot was supposed to go. We were so frustrated by the time we got to the graveyard, we didn't give her a chance to talk. We ran up and started hacking her to pieces. We laughed about it afterward--what if she turned out to be innocent?

It made me think about how to avoid a replay of this when I ran it last night. First, don't put down a flipmat and place minis on it. That is like ringing the bell for Pavlov's dog. Players are going to go right into tactical mode. Just keep the atmosphere casual like the graveyard is a red herring and you're going to read them boxed text to lead them to the next clue. Describe "Umut" dragging herself away from the opened tomb looking like death warmed over. Let the players accuse her or make threats, but don't tip your hand. Have a good story rehearsed so it sounds smooth and natural. Every good lie contains a kernel of truth.

Umut: [moans] "Don't come closer! .... You have to get away, warn the others .... she's in there!"
PCs: "Shaa, right. We know you're behind this, evil necromancer lady. Just admit it so we can commence stabbing you with pointy objects."
Umut: [groans in pain, rolls over so PCs can see mummy rot on her neck] "It wasn't me. Her name is Shirin. She's a follower of Urgathoa, the Pallid Princess, an enemy of my goddess. [weeping]Oh Pharasma, deliver me from this place! Shirn's harrassed me in the past .... followed me here from Osirion."
PCs: "Sense motive! Heal check! Crap, her story is checking out. Where is she now?"
Umut: "She was laying in wait for me within the tomb with her mummy companion. The servants have been slaughtered, she's probably animating their bodies right now. She'll do the same to you, if you don't leave right away!"
PCs: "GM says we should leave. He's probably trying to screw us again. We're going in after we buff up. Squishy guys, stay in the back!"
GM: [evil smile on the inside] "OK, roll init and give me a marching order into the tomb."

In my game there were two inquisitors and a cleric of Sarenrae. Thanks to some favorable rolls, the encounter worked like the author intended. They did consider she was setting them up, but there was enough doubt in their minds they ended up getting hit from behind after they went down to fight "the necromancer in the tomb".

The Exchange 5/5

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First encounter: "In the higher subtier, a pair of skeletal hodags also emerges from the woods as the zombie owlbears turn to attack the PCs." A suggestion: since the hodags have a burrow speed I start them underground and out of sight. After the melee types have engaged, I have the hodags approach the back ranks of the party like the gopher in "Caddyshack", leaving a channel of disturbed earth in their wake. It makes for a suspenseful encounter when the PCs don't know what's coming until it bursts from the ground.

Scarab Sages 5/5

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Profession (Mortician) was a natural choice when I joined the Pathfinder Society.

The Exchange 5/5

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I heard if you drink a pint of extra virgin olive oil a day, glitter won't stick to you. Congrats Thea.

We got TOZ. We got PFCBG. Who's next? Venture-Lieutenant Kyle Baird?

The Exchange 5/5

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Kyle never asked for a goblin boon, but he couldn't let something so precious go to waste. He loved Garble like only a father could (despite Kolossal Ego's inexhaustible jealousy), and in his heart he knew that this was going to be Garble's fate. He just had to come across the right GM armed with the right opponent. An epic death should be celebrated. [cue slow-motion montage of Garble Facechomper chewing on various foes scored to Carly Simon's "Nobody Does It Better".]

What were Garble's last words, Harold?

The Exchange 5/5

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This doesn't prove anything. June was 5-Star material a long time ago.

The Exchange 5/5

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Doug Miles wrote:

I'm working on the 3rd letter, but wanted to post this for critique:

Jorsal of Lauterbury at the Starrise Spire:
Greetings! While on an urgent errand I passed through a backwater thorp called Dawnton. By chance I met a farmer who was showing off a strange stone idol he claimed to have found on his property. Like many in your organization I have an interest in history and forgotten lore. Several features of this relic led me to believe it represented Pulura, an empyreal lord venerated ages ago in these parts. When I asked the man where he found it, he said that he had uncovered it while digging a root cellar into a hillside on his property. He mentioned there were larger pieces of worked stone there, too heavy to move in their current state but covered in strange writing. It distresses me to think about this simple farmer breaking up pieces of Sarkorian history to build a fieldstone wall. Due to circumstances beyond my control, I must not linger here in Mendev. I thought you might be able to investigate this matter—hopefully before the site is despoiled. I prefer to remain anonymous at this time. Again, the situation is complicated. Perhaps my loss will be your gain?
My regards, -A Traveler

Pathfinders of Nerosyan,
I pray to The Dawnflower that this missive finds you before all hope is lost. Today is the 14th day of Erastus. A party of Pathfinders arrived in Dawnton two days ago. Last night they were placed under arrest. They have been charged and convicted of committing two heinous murders, and sentenced to hang at dawn twelve days hence. Tensions are high since the fall of Kenabres. Although my conscience moves my hand to scribe this note, but I fear too much to share my identity. Come fast if you would save your friends!

Inquisitor, I know who killed Dancel and Johan. Two nights ago I was on the north road when I heard such a frightful noise that I dove in the ditch to hide myself. Soon after I heard strangely accented voices speaking of ‘completing a ritual’, needing ‘more flesh of innocents’ and that ‘the stars will not wait’. From my concealment I witnessed two dwarves and a halfling pass going north, away from Dawnton. They were covered in blood and the dwarves carried a large bundle between them wrapped in canvas. I thought them hunters until I heard what happened to Dancel yesterday. Like other decent folk here I try to keep my nose out of other peoples’ business. I needed to be certain before I leveled an accusation. When I found out those three were Pathfinders, I became even more fearful. That nefarious organization has a far reach and those who cross them always weep bitter tears. By happenstance I again came across the three of them in the village last night, just after word of the second murder. They were at the Heath & Harvest. The halfling appeared angry and the dwarves anxious. Considering the mood in the common room, this behavior did not seem amiss. However, I knew they were the ones behind the killing. I listened in as the dwarves asked around if anyone had seen who committed the murder. People said that Oleg didn't get a good look at the guy. They all seemed to relax. I heard the halfling say that they'll 'try again tomorrow'! As I write this I know my life may be forfeit if I make my knowledge public. By The Inheritor, these Pathfinders must not be allowed to get away with another murder! I know you have the courage to stand up for Dawnton. Please protect our village!

-A Concerned Citizen

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I'm working on the 3rd letter, but wanted to post this for critique:

Jorsal of Lauterbury at the Starrise Spire:
Greetings! While on an urgent errand I passed through a backwater thorp called Dawnton. By chance I met a farmer who was showing off a strange stone idol he claimed to have found on his property. Like many in your organization I have an interest in history and forgotten lore. Several features of this relic led me to believe it represented Pulura, an empyreal lord venerated ages ago in these parts. When I asked the man where he found it, he said that he had uncovered it while digging a root cellar into a hillside on his property. He mentioned there were larger pieces of worked stone there, too heavy to move in their current state but covered in strange writing. It distresses me to think about this simple farmer breaking up pieces of Sarkorian history to build a fieldstone wall. Due to circumstances beyond my control, I must not linger here in Mendev. I thought you might be able to investigate this matter—hopefully before the site is despoiled. I prefer to remain anonymous at this time. Again, the situation is complicated. Perhaps my loss will be your gain?
My regards, -A Traveler

Pathfinders of Nerosyan,
I pray to The Dawnflower that this missive finds you before all hope is lost. Today is the 14th day of Erastus. A party of Pathfinders arrived in Dawnton two days ago. Last night they were placed under arrest. They have been charged and convicted of committing two heinous murders, and sentenced to hang at dawn twelve days hence. Tensions are high since the fall of Kenabres. Although my conscience moves my hand to scribe this note, but I fear too much to share my identity. Come fast if you would save your friends!

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You need to check out the GM Shared Prep site. Carlos did a great job with the scenario mechanics. If you're not using this site, you are making a lot of unnecessary work for yourself. There's some garbage on there, but there's a half dozen people who really know their stuff and post some gems.

The Exchange 5/5

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I had some trouble wrapping my head around the omissions in this scenario. Likely the author had included the details but they were removed by the editor for the sake of word count. A lot is left up to the GM to pull out of thin air when the players start asking questions. There's nothing about who the victims were. The evidence against the accused Pathfinders is laughable. Why wait so long to hang a trio of murderers if the case was so open-and-shut? It should help to play up the village residents as prejudiced and unconcerned about that 'cityfolk' concept of a fair trial. Here are some ideas I jotted down:

Timeline:

Day 1 Ekira arrives in Dawnton
Day 7 Krunne arrives in Dawnton
Day 14 Krunne sends letter to VC Jorsal
Day 17 VC Jorsal receives letter, summons first PF team
Day 19 PF team departs Nerosyan
Day 21 Krunne commits first murder
Day 22 PF team arrives in Dawnton and begin to survey the environs, Krunne places victim's body on Otto's farm,
Day 23 Tovril steals dagger from Dakota Spire, Krunne commits second murder, drops Spire's dagger on the scene, Krunne sends anonymous letter to Ekira, PF team arrested
Day 24 PF team tried & sentenced to be hanged, Krunne sends next letter to VC Jorsal
Day 27 VC Jorsal receives next letter, summons PCs
Day 29 VC Jorsal briefs PCs, PCs depart Nerosyan
Day 32 PCs arrive in Dawnton at dusk, begin to investigate
Day 36 First PF team executed at dawn if not cleared of the murders

The Victims:
First victim
Dancel Parsipp, farmer, 20 years old. Was returning home from Dawnton in the early evening when killed by Krunne. Skinned in a hidden location, then carried to Otto's farm where he was hung up within sight of the farmhouse. His body was identified (dental records?) by his family and buried on their land a mile away from Otto's Farm.

Second victim
Johan Scramford, aspiring bard, 25 years old. Was returning to the tent city after dark, having visited a friend in the village. Lured into the alley behind the General Store, Krunne murders him with Dakota Spire's dagger. He flees after Orug happens upon the scene. His body was buried in the local graveyard.

EDIT: I'll add this also; it won't be hard for the PCs to undermine the evidence against the arrested agents. The key will be proving it. Likely no one in the village will accept the PC's 'expertise' until they can prove who DID in fact commit the murders. Throw the Pathfinders' reputation as murderhobos in the players' faces. Refer to the massacre in Ravenmoor as an example. The point is that Dawnton is not under the same laws as a modern country. They had a village meeting, an Inquisitor of Iomedae spoke passionately to the Pathfinders' guilt, the villagers had a vote and the majority believed the accused were guilty. To these people, that's justice. Now they wait twelve days to hang 'em ;)

The Exchange

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Give it another 10 days. PaizoCon is next week and is the main focus for Paizo right now. I'm down over 100 sessions and I'm not worried. Granted, my stars are still intact so my deficit is invisible to most. Be patient, my friend. Think about the many ways you have been blessed, rather than dwelling on matters that are outside of your control. Spend a few minutes imagining what life is like in Syria or Iraq right now, then consider how silly our First World problems are.

The Exchange 5/5

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roysier wrote:

If Paizo wants their company to look amateurish because they can't fix a simple internet bug in 2 weeks have at it.

It makes me wonder if they are in over their heads.

Have you ever written an angry-but-unconstructive message, felt better, then deleted it without posting? I think you forgot that last step.

The Exchange 5/5

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It's a dayjob. It's off-screen. You don't need to describe it, you just need to roll it. Sometimes I don't even ask what a PC is doing, they just roll and give me the number for their Chronicle at the end. Considering the things the campaign allows PCs to do, I personally couldn't care less about an "evil" day job. It's just another tired-out "Let's define what is evil" argument waiting to happen. People, let this one go.

The Exchange

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Be patient. Your sessions aren't lost, they just aren't weighted quite right yet. You know how many sessions you have earned. Grousing at Customer Service isn't going to get the problem fixed quicker. It'll get done when the higher priority tasks are completed, and the Paizo IT dynamo puts his crosshairs over the glitch and obliterates it. Let's not make Customer Service's job any more difficult than it already is.

The Exchange 5/5

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Aelryinth wrote:

Ah, so the paladin acting on his Detect Evil to guide his actions is okay, but the barbarian trusting the paladin and his own instincts to back them up is not.

Mmm, yes. Double logic standards, here.

==Aelryinth

Would it surprise you that the Pathfinder Society has lots of agents that detect as evil, with the same intensity (or even greater) as the mayor? There are probably over a hundred clerics of evil deities working alongside the barbarians and paladins of the Society. Should they receive a greatsword to the face if they tell a lie? I'm just saying; if the barbarian is serious about cleansing the world of evil, he should start at the Grand Lodge :)

The Exchange 5/5

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Wow, your group takes their murderhoboing serious! ;)

You may not have known this, but only part of the villagers were cultists. Looking at it from the villager's viewpoint: A group of Pathfinders came to their festival, played some games, shared their food, then suddenly one of them pulled out a big sword and for no good reason killed their mayor. Naturally, every able-bodied man acted to protect the women & children from these blood-thirsty maniacs. Even Desna reached out to protect them, drawing an aspect of herself from their mayor's dying body. It was a confusing battle, there may have been a big spider and strange monkey-looking thing trying to drive off the murderous Pathfinders. In the end, it was a massacre. The Pathfinders slaughtered all who opposed them. After the villagers fled into the forest, the mayor's home was ransacked and the treasury was stolen. Ravenmoor has been devastated. May Desna protect us from psychotic Pathfinders!

The effigy is put away in the daytime. It is only out at night. Unless you went into the Chenowicz home you probably shouldn't have fought it. I think that Yottsu hoshi above is being harsh, but I agree that you missed some fun roleplay & plot by a single player deciding that suspicion of evil is a death sentence.

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