Glutton is tall and thin, with rheumy eyes and skin the color of death. Weeping sores spot her skin, dribbling bright red blood. Despite her otherwise menacing exterior she smiles at you brightly as you approach to trade. "Well come on over you lookie loos. I don't bite! Well I've been known to bite a rat or two in my day but you cutters aren't that. Unless you're a bunch of rats in a trench coat or a single large rat in a trench coat, but you're not wearing trench coats in any case. Hi! I'm Glutton-for-Punishment."
Glutton happily buys your vendor trash at a cut rate while selling anything she has available. Those things, alchemical gear of any type. You can buy any potion or alchemical items without having to roll.
Assuming you're resting. Going to give everyone another day or two to finalize level up and equipment purchases.
Glutton marvels at the apothecary's ingredients, "Oh! Is that Myconid spores? Where did you get that!?" After having gathered what she needs she starts a-brewing. Crafting a cure light wounds potion using Alchemy and taking 10
Glutton looks them straight in the eye and says, "You are not excused! And how do wigwag like that without breathing? Is is some kind of circular breathing technique? Or perhaps you have a larger air bladder than most people!" She grips toothpick looking to the rest of the party if they should fight or flee.
Glutton slides a silver piece to the gnome and takes a bowl of stew. Between bites she says, "This is top-shelf stew! The best mystery meat I've had in a while. Say! Do you know where a body can find some blisterwort, rock warbler eggs, maybe some imp stool? The fungus not the excrement of an imp, although... no no that would probably be useful for alchemist fire but not much else."Looking to buy ingredients for healing potions to replace the ones we used.
Glutton looks at Cheyanne confused for a moment and then it dawns on her. She stamps her feat, "We're already on the ground!" She makes air quotes when she says ground. "If I had to guess gravity follows the flat of the gear so if you jumped to the other side you wouldn't fall off, maybe not, best to test it first. As far as how its all powered that's something for greybeards to debate. That's like asking how does the wind blow or why is the sky purple? Bet it has to do with whatever Padlock does with their gear."
If practical and near the edge Glutton will test her hypothesis with an empty potion bottle.
Afterwards she suggests, "Lets get the chant from some of the locals, we don't want to be out-of-touch for too long."
Throrgar has Padlock last I knew. He doesn't want to go back to Mechanus so we could just leave him. I'd rather go now than try to have to figure out the key. If we were a little faster we might have been able to see the modrons open the portal. I would have rather not gone through with them but we'd probably have to muck around Acheron for a couple more days before we can figure it out. The less time we spend on a lower plane the better.
Cheyanne watches Glutton-For-Punishment with confusion. "But I said to avoid the modrons..." she mutters before noticing them opening a portal. "Oh! Will that portal take us closer to Sigil? Where are they headed?"
"Hey don't worry about it! I'm really sorry but you're a clueless leatherhead and you have really bad ideas sometimes but that just means if I do the opposite thing, in a circuitous way, you're a really canny cutter."
Glutton flashes a barmy grin, "It will take us somewhere!" She jumps into the unknown.
Right now the quests we know about: Return Toothpick, get Jysson and the Book to Automata. Show Padlock the Planes?
What I mean is, if we jump through the portal right now are they going to see it and be able to follow. If they are I see no reason not to leave right now.
Glutton says to Cheyanne, "Good idea!" She then walks up to the large group and asks brightly, "What's the chant?" Glutton does not bring Padlock with.
Glutton asks Padlock, "Are you broken? Are you just some part to be swapped in and out of the multiverse's machinery?" She then says conspiratorially, "Say do you want to get back at those modrons?"
Do I have the cannon ability for planar characters, but oft forgotten, to see portals? If so I can just search the area in a spiraling pattern outwards until I find it. While I'm doing that someone who's sneaky could follow the modrons around to see if they go to the portal eventually.
Once we locate it someone who can cast spells can try to use warp sense, but we might hit a snag since that would require knowledge of Mechanus.
Glutton chuckles as Rankev tries to negotiate with beings of ultimate order with logic and well reasoned arguments of all things. She quietly gets toothpick ready for the inevitable scuffle but still suggests, "If you want to help Padlock lets give 'em the laugh." She casually takes toothpick into her hands, just in case.
Glutton does a complete 180 on her attitude and says cheerfully to Padlock, "Welcome to the party!" She says to Cheyanne, "Sure! I can whip something up for you! It might take a couple of days though."
I'm not seeing anything from a quick search in alchemical stuff that would do the trick. I know that hydrogen peroxide can be used to get out blood, maybe I can make that?
She continues to jabber on about the modrons, "Probably! Most beings are capable of violence when properly provoked. Its just a matter of figuring out how to provoke them. And yes! Always be worried that somethings out to get you!"
Glutton smiles menacingly Padlock, "Hey! Do you know where the portal to Automata is? If you tell us where it is and what the key is we won't give you to the Modrons."
Intimidate:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18DC is 10+HD+wis mod If successful, its friendly forMinutesx10:1d6 ⇒ 2
"*cough* *cough* *huuuaack*" Glutton springs upright as she's healed. She then starts handing out her two potions and begins to work on something for herself.
Preparing my unprepared slot.
The first person/s to grab my two potions can have them. Don't be shy, please.
I disagree on that point, the party has damage output problems, so I need to be putting in some DPR work. Besides if I draw the AoO now Avesska can can run into the building and ruin that spellslingers day.
Glutton knows an 'I'm dead' ruse is not going to work, she lost that part of her after her surgery. She pulls her dagger (with the help of her tail) and tries to stab a guy in the ankle!
Glutton's body goes stiff as the lightning runs through her body, she slumps over her hair standing on end more than usual and with smoke lines drifting upwards. She falls over with a satisfied smile.
Stabilize:1d20 + 2 - 8 ⇒ (1) + 2 - 8 = -5I'm probably fine enough that you don't need to waste actions on me to stabilize me.
Glutton was perfectly healthy and these brutes were having trouble coming close to her, she yearned for them to cut her but she also didn't want to make it easy. Glutton retorted, "We want punishment too! Don't horde it to yourself. Now Gith, move there!"
Delay, hoping that Avesska will flank with Glutton.
With Toothpick held wobbily in her hands Glutton charges into the midst of the bladelings. She has a passing though, maybe they're so piked off because they can't every hug.
Acro to avoid AoO from blue:1d20 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5Worth a shot
It Anarchic right? The negative level should only affect lawful creatures.
Anarchic wrote:
An anarchic weapon is infused with the power of chaos. It makes the weapon chaotically aligned and thus bypasses the corresponding damage reduction. It deals an extra 2d6 points of damage against all creatures of lawful alignment. It bestows one permanent negative level (Core Rulebook 562) on any lawful creature attempting to wield it. The negative level remains as long as the weapon is in hand and disappears when the weapon is no longer wielded. This negative level cannot be overcome in any way (including restoration spells) while the weapon is wielded.
In the upper levels of Downlow, a transitionally disreputable neighborhood of Absalom Station, there is a warehouse. It was secured by a team of Starfinders on behalf of the Exo-guardians shortly after the first, failed, Scoured Stars expedition.
You've been summoned there by Zivigix, the shirren leader of the Exo-guardian faction.
A smell of ozone wafts through the conditioned air of the warehouse. Makeshift offices full of equipment and furniture are in the process of having more permanent walls erected around them.
A heavily augmented host shirren is conversing with a vesk when they glance over and notice the new arrivals. The shirren wears a pair of shoulder speakers playing upbeat music that fades in volume as the shirren telepathically greets the new group.
“Welcome! I am Zigvigix. Thank you for answering my request and coming to our headquarters, such as they are. This old warehouse is turning quite nicely into a functional place. I dislike being so brief but an important figure to the Starfinder Society is missing. Hurondo, a shobhad who left us after his rescue from the Scoured Stars, started a center in the Lorespire Complex called the Respite and has disappeared since. The Respite provides treatment and services to other survivors of
the Scoured Stars and any who have suffered trauma.”
The volume of the music pumping from the shirren’s shoulder speakers further lowers to a barely audible level and the shirren’s telepathic voice takes on a wistful tone, “I have also been to the center, and joining such a close-knit community can be essential to the healing process. Please go to the Respite and talk to Hurondo’s partner in operations, Jiwalla Zarvim.
She’s a ysoki who has many connections and a keen mind. She may have clues as to Hurondo’s latest wherabouts.”
Zigvigix produces a datapad with the picture of a tall ysoki female in one corner and a map marked with the route from the warehouse to the Respite’s location in the Lorespire Complex.
“I thank you for this!” Zigvigix projects telepathically, just as the shoulder speakers begin to blast sugar-pop music again.
Your return trip only takes five days in the Drift. Within two hours of emerging from Triune's plane, you receive a message from Starfinder HQ instructing you to make your best speed back to Absalom Station.
Final approach to the station is easy. You've been given landing priority and other traffic turns out of your way to provide a clear path. A small humanoid figure in tight fitting green armor with a helmet is waiting for you in the landing bay, and begins approaching the ship before it's even secured to the deck. When atmosphere is established in the bay and you open the door, the figure removes its helmet revealing the pale skin, and snow white hair of a bleachling gnome. The badge on her shoulder identifies her as a venture captain.
"I was sent down here to personally impress on you the importance of this task.
Grab just your essential gear and get to the First Seeker's Meeting Room ASAP. I'll have everything else sent to the quartermaster for you to pick up later. " She looks at her watch. " I have to go. I will see you again after the briefing."
She spins on her heel and strides purposefully toward the nearest hatch into the station proper.
Intelligence DC 12, or Culture DC 8:
That must have been VC Naiaj. The gnome was one of the few who didn't go to the Scoured Stars, and so is one of the most senior venture captains left in the Starfinders. She reports directly to the First Seeker and has a reputation for strict discipline.
Looking forward to playing with all of you again. As stated in the other thread, I won't be able to post until Wednesday, but you can all chat in the briefing room for this mission.
You've been summoned to the Lorespire Complex for a mission briefing with Venture Captain Arvin. The summons is exceptional in that it actually tells you something about the mission -- to pack for a long trip off-station.
When you arrive at the conference room, the door is open. The room itself is dominated by a large conference table and chairs. The table itself glows with images
depicting an unfamiliar planet and its tiny moon, all surrounded by data readouts.
Characteristically, the VC is late.
You have an opportunity to chat together until the VC arrives.
Hi, guys! I guess we can continue here in the discussion thread. Regarding builds and gear -- I might ask you for references if I don't have the sourcebooks for a particular class feature or feat or piece of equipment. Sometimes I am just too lazy to go look things up myself. No slights intended.
As stated earlier we're starting at second level. 2000 credits of wealth. Bog-standard SFS starting stats. All Paizo SFS sourcebooks accepted.
Hello, and welcome to the Scoured Stars Story Arc recruitment thread.
I hope that we'll all be friends. As Therenger pointed out at Flaxseed Station, this is a long term project, 2-3 years. I hope it addresses two of what I consider weaknesses in my largely PbP SFS experience. First is extremely random shuffling of the Starfinder teams. You run into situations like a planetary exploration expedition with no life science experts. The second problem for me is a lack of social bonding among the players. I do love a comradely discussion thread, and it often reduces to "Hi!" "Pick your boons, and roll your day job." "Thanks for playing." Quite disappointing.
We have up to six slots. For now I am reserving one for a friend who has expressed interest.
There is plenty to discuss. The way levels are distributed throughout the story arc means we'll have to change characters sometimes. I believe the chronological order of story arc modules is:
The First Mandate (Levels 1-4),
On the Trail of History (Levels 3-6)
The Time Lost Tear (Levels 5-8) {Pregens or preexisting characters}
Honorbound Emissaries (Levels 7-10) {Pregens or preexisting characters}
The Scoured Stars Invasion (Levels 1-8) This one was a special -- we might run it for no credit, or maybe we'll work something out with an on-line con.
Treading History's Folly (Levels 3-6)
Heart of the Foe (Levels 3-6)
The Herald's War (Levels 7-10) {Pregens or preexisting characters}
If we're starting at level 1 we need 5 'extra' modules to hit level 3 on schedule for Trail of Tears. After that we're level-appropriate for Scoured Stars, History's Folly and Heart of the Foe. That would allow the same team of low level characters to run through 5 of the story arcs.
That's why Time Lost Tear, Honorbound Emissaries, and the Herald's War get run with pregens or other level-appropriate characters that you already have.
I am open to suggestions for other ways to approach the campaign.
The conference room in the Lorespire Complex to which you've been summoned is on a higher floor than usual. Behind the door is a room richly appointed. A collection of chairs and sofas, some designed for humanoids, some not, surround a large circular crystal table. Real leather patterned in narrow swirling black and white bands covers the furniture. The species is unfamiliar, but it is definitely real leather, and not the synthetic substitute used in the lower floor conference rooms. Primitive sculptures from many cultures line shelves on the dark, wood-paneled walls. Again the wood has a texture and aura that synthetics seldom manage to imitate.
On a long table along a side wall is the remains of a conference feast, baked goods, simple proteins, dips, and coffee and various infusions. Judging from the size of the platters and the relative virginity of the remains, the feasters politely restrained themselves from eating half the food.
The view from the window looks out on the great crystal dome in the center of Absalom station. Above, the stars shine; below, parkland rolls to the next set of high rise towers.
I have purchased and started reviewing 1-32. There's a lot of prep here. Fortunately, Farol stressed the importance of role playing in his original post. Since you all jumped in on that basis, I'm sure that you won't mind if I leave you an empty conference room to chat in in-game, and this OOC space to help us get organized.
There are a large number of possible combinations of story elements, and I'd like to make the game as fresh as possible for you all. To that end please spoiler me what you remember about your previous runs through this scenario. Who was your dignitary, where did you go, what challenges did you face? If you haven't played this one yet, let me know that too.
For this game, with the emphasis on role play, I will not be pushing the pace. I encourage you to interact among yourselves liberally. Also, I urge you not to select a character that you wish to play in the next few months.
I just got slammed with work and will be very busy IRL for the next few weeks. I will try to maintain a two post per day rate for myself, but may not be successful. Hopefully all players can post 5-6 times per week on a roughly daily basis. If you foresee being unable to post for more than two days, please let us know. I will likewise notify you if I foresee an interruption in posting.
I'll be pulling together materials over the next week. Still planning to start soon after Christmas. I will try to get the skittermander's descriptions posted here tonight. Meanwhile you can discuss the upcoming game and which roles you'd like to play. You can also dot in to the game play thread.
The Dire GM, who ran the game for me, created links to some good resoources.
I'll need the following information if you want SFS credit:
Player Name/Alias: Organized Play # / Character # (that you want to apply this chronicle [b]sheet to - any level 1-2 SFS character is allowed) What faction are you slotting for this adventure: Do you have a promotional boon to slot for this adventure / what is it:
It's been a long sweep through a stellar quadrant relatively bare of salvage. That's meant a lot of down time and light duty, but Nako's noticed some bad signs. The boss, Captain Nakonechkin, owner of the salvage tug Clutch has been missing crew dinners. The vesk has been holed up in his cabin going over ledgers and anyone accidentally lingering by his door can hear the captain complaining about the price of fuel and the interest on the loan for the last overhaul.
Tonight, though, Nakonechkin has joined you for dinner in Clutch's tidy, compact kitchen and mess hall. The big vesk is quiet, picks at his food, and eschews his usual beer.
It seems that all links Starfinder (Beginner Box, Rulebooks, ... FAQ) on the Paizo home page require login. Although I doubt it matters, I'm running latest Firefox on Windows 7.
I tentatively have four players already, Bigrin, phillipjcormier, Farol, and Nick Wasko. Happy to have a couple more. If you're interested, please post here.
Paizo's quick description for Cries from the Drift is:
A Starfinder Society Scenario designed for levels 1-4.
A missing Starfinder ship's distress signal would have gone unnoticed were it not for a passerby detecting it and selling the information to the Society. The PCs are to travel to the crippled starship, and once aboard, reach the bridge in order to piece together the tragic story of the vessel's lost crew. Only by unraveling the mysteries of the drifting starship can the PCs hope to uncover information critical to the Exo-Guardians future operations.
Scenario is tagged for spaceship combat and the Exo-Guardian faction.
I look forward to gaming with whoever I'll be gaming with.
Each of you has been summoned to a mission briefing by Zigvigix, the leader of the Exo-Guardian faction.
Please phantom dot this thread. This post is just a placeholder to help create the campaign on the boards. I'll provide a better kick-off post once we're all squared away.
Recently I've been required to log in every time I visit the Paizo page for PbP. Previously I was able to stay logged in for PbP purposes and only had to log if making a purchase or altering the account somehow.
Has there been a policy change? Or maybe a Windows update that changed my settings?
So, while trying to fit out my first SFS character I ran into the equipment chart. I am having a hard time rationalizing the item prices, especially armor and weapons.
Let's look at the first thing you see -- Basic melee weapons.
Club is arguably the best of the level 1 weapons, and it's free. The next basic melee weapon to do as much damage is the level 2 tactical dueling sword, and that would cost nearly half your starting wealth. Beyond that is the level 7 tactical knife. For 5905 more than you spent on a survival knife, you can do 1d4 more damage.
The level 1 advanced melee weapons are no better if you want to get to 1d6 damage or better. How mechanically is the longsword different from the tactical dueling sword? Aside from the extra cash required?
Small arms? Is there really no one in the star system making a laser pistol that would fall between level 1 and 6? I suppose we should be grateful that they charged less than 4000 units to add 1d4 to damage.
Many of the weapon names are just lame. Really they would have been better off with shotgun, level X in most cases. And tactical, yeah, that will make it all sound cool.
Sniper weapons! Oh, sorry your operative can't have one at first level. And why are they all Shirren-eye ? Are the Shirren's the only race to have snipers, or the first to conceive them, or do all the other races use Shirren eyes for target practice?
And what is with the chainsaws? It's like the game designers saw an old Doctor Who where Matt Smith said, "Chainsaws are cool."
Armor presents a bewildering array of inferior concepts at inflated prices. It's like the designers said, "We need to teach players about careful comparison shopping."
Comparing Estex (410) to Second skin (250), we see that it's worth 160 units to lower your EAC and KAC by 1 and increase your bulk for one additional upgrade slot. But ceremonial plate is only 110?! Admittedly the designers needed to throw the melee guys a bone, but they could have done that with extra starting cash and kept prices more rational.
And damage. PCs start with around 15 combined stamina and hit points. Yet most first level weapons do 1d4. Somebody better have high strength mods or low level combat is going to take hours.
A colleague of mine posted a query about rounding numbers and I am not at all sure about my reply which I've spoilered below. Am I even correct? And can anyone provide a concise easily understandable explanation? I am dissatisfied with my argument being based on an example rather than a principle.
Thanks in advance for your help.
"Questioning Colleague" wrote:
I’m no mathematician, but I don’t understand why there needs to be this augmentation to the basic rounding rules that we all learned in first or second grade. If I’m given the instruction to round a given number to two significant figures, how does rounding a “5” up or down 50 % of the time making the rounding process more even?
Example:
Using the “original” method, I would round the value 0.220 to 0.22, 0.221 to 0.22, 0.222 to 0.22, 0.223 to 0.22, 0.224 to 0.22, 0.225 to 0.23, 0.226 to 0.23, 0.227 to 0.23, 0.228 to 0.23, and 0.229 to 0.23. That gives my five values that are round to 0.22 and five values rounded to 0.23. If I look at all of the possible values of 0.22 out to the forth decimal place, I would have 50 values that would be rounded to 0.22 and 50 values that would be rounded to 0.22, and this goes on and on in powers of ten for infinity. Are we forgetting that “0” is a number too? In the field of measurement science, the value 0.220 is not the same as 0.22.
So my question is, why is this method created in the first place and why should anyone feel it is necessary to use it?
My reply:
Hmm. I've never thought to question this, perhaps because I'm not a mathematician either. While I agree that .220 is not the same as .22 for metrology purposes, I am not sure that your conclusion necessarily follows in purely mathematical terms.
If we look at this question in terms of the 'distance moved' in rounding the number then we might get a very different result : Assume a flat distribution of results.
The sun is barely a quarter of the way to its apex and the day is already hot. The air is heavy with moisture and the sweat that any motion raises struggles to evaporate from your skin, leaving wet stains anywhere clothing touches skin. Clouds over the great lake to the north hint at relief if the wind will veer and bring them south, but for now the town of Haltwhistle swelters.
Despite the heat the town is unusually busy. Lord Bradford Winehorn is on his procession through the countryside and is expected in Haltwhistle tomorrow or the day after. Winehorn's visits always produce an atmosphere of holiday. When he arrives, the day will be spent hearing petitions, but the evening will bring a potluck feast, games, and music. Local cooks, athletes and musicians will vie for popular and his lordship's acclaim.
As many locals as can escape their farms are in town to see the lord and enjoy the festivities. Because the first fruits of the fall harvest are already being gathered and stored, the town is not as crowded as it will be in two months with the harvest fair.
At the southeastern end of the main street a knot of citizens is struggling to erect a large open-walled tent. Along the main street merchants sweep the cobbles in front of their stores. Others string garlands of wildflowers or ivory and burgundy streamers, the colors of Winehorn's house, over the street and along their eaves.
Galifar's Rest, the local watering hole is already open; the darkness behind its windows promises a cooler welcome than the street. Sally Turner stops her cart, this late the cisterns must be empty and she needn't worry about any milk spoiling, and slips through the gaping maw of it's open double doors.
Toward the northwestern end of the street, Jerrick Butterfield welcomes a farm family who's brought part of their early harvest in.
Karl Roujon:
Perhaps you've a duet with Peter, who sings fairly well, planned for the evening?
Lydia Wolfheart:
Amanda has been hinting that she'd like to visit town this day. Lately she's been wandering off without a word for hours at a time. Maybe the hints are a sign that she's coming out of a troublesome phase.
I've heard some tough stories about Houston traffic.
Thursday afternoon I will be visiting a prospective customer at the Woodlands north of Houston. My flight home leaves Houston Hobby Airport at 5:30.
Assuming the usual (get at the airport between 4:00 and 4:30 for the 5:30 flight), how late can I stay at the customers before I must leave to make my flight?
Sunset over Riddleport, home to pirates and theives, intersection of sea and mountains, crossroads of Shoanti, elf, and Varisian cultures, long shadows stretch from the Calphiak Mountians over the city to expire on the ridge east of town. Above the sky is still a rich blue and the clouds gleam white. To the south the harbor is a metallic grey, lightening as it sweeps through the arch of the Cyphergate to the horizon until it rivals the azure sky. Even the Blot, the dark cloud that has hung over the city for months is gone today.
At zenith a star blossoms, barely visible, small, only as bright as the moon, but growing rapidly in brightness and intensity. In a heartbeat it's as big as the sun and as bright and it seems inevitable that it must impact Riddleport. Another heartbeat and it's angling south of Riddleport. It disappears for an instant behind the Cyphergate then strikes the ocean on the horizon between the legs of the great arching artifact. A plume of dust rockets skyward.
The wind slowly tugs at the top and middle of the plume, spinning it out into a gauzy brown lace across the face of the clouds.
A crowd soon gathers on the waterfront. People are staring out at the sea and starting to talk about the great falling star and what it might portend when they are treated to new wonders. With a sudden rising motion the ground shakes. A massive thunder-like boom cuts through the dull rumble of the earthquake. The water level in the harbor drops rapidly. Many ship's keel ground. Below the oldest docks a massive hoary bunyip is left exposed on the mud and rock bottom as are many fish. Water stands in the main channel but the shallows are left bare.
Bunyip - like a leopard seal on steroids.
Know(nature) DC 20:
Spoiler:
The sudden retreat of water out of the harbor is the prelude to a massive wave.
A meteorite lands on an island south of Riddleport and the race for the valuable sky-metal is on.
We're looking for one, two, or three players for Children of the Void , the second chapter of the Second Darkness AP. I'll be running the game as a oneshot.
The adventure is basically a treasure hunt. The current party consists of druid, wizard, and barbarian. Meet them here.
Please post submissions in this thread. Rough concept, motivation, and background are all that are required. Player's Guide or PRD content only, although special requests may be entertained if you leap through enough hoops.
Character generation - 3rd level, 1 trait, Wealth appropriate to level. (Could someone look up the number?) 20 point buy or roll 4d6 six times keeping best three and arrange them in order desired. (Floor for rolling is an equivalent 16 point buy.) Max HP at first level. Roll thereafter, there is a floor for hit points of about 25% of max for levels above first.
Given this is a one shot starting at level three let's give item creation feats a miss, but we'll work out something for any wizards. Also I have it in for Rapid shot and Multishot. They have higher prereqs than RAW. There won't be much opportunity to exercise Leadership.
Feel free to ask for clarification of any of my rather foggy, ill-worded house rules.
If you want to bring in other rules material, you may present it, we'll discuss it and I will consider it. I may allow it without reservation or provisionally with intent to playtest and possibly nerf it later. I may just say "NO!"
Keliwyn strides the broad avenue of Marshal's Way. He is late for the dinner with Darthen and his other new companions in arms, detained by Silas Masani, a low-grade contact who always has "the best tip" to sell, but whose information is seldom accurate, but spectacularly good occasionally. Perhaps he makes it up when he needs money and doesn't have real news to sell. This evening's offering was the presence of a new gang of assassins in town, as if the Cerulean Society, Korvosa's sole crime syndicate would allow competition. Keliwyn made the customary assurance that he would check it out and get back to him if the information was worth anything.
The elf turns down Griffon's Lane and his shadow stretches down the hill in front of him. Six or seven more blocks and he'll be able to relax among friends.
The sending is characteristically terse. Keliwyn, come to Bower House immediately. The ambassador calls.
Modifying your background just a hair, Neil. The rebel group you're in contact with isn't interested in weapons yet, but you have done some work with them. Mostly pretty tame stuff, lookout, bagman, that sort of thing. Your rebel handler is Janiven. She's attractive, and dresses like a warrior, but she talks more like a civic booster than a real rebel. It seems the goals of the rebels are to help the people take care of themselves and return the city to a cleaner more ethical government. Armed rebellion is not on the table yet, but that would be a very dangerous thing to talk about directly. Your assignment this evening is to come to a recruitment meeting, pretend to be a new recruit and watch Janiven's back in case one of the recruits is an Imperial or Hellknight plant. Be at Vizio's Tavern at about 4 pm.
Raevanis:
Spoiler:
You've been in touch with a rebel group for several weeks now. You have done some work with them. Mostly pretty tame stuff, lookout, bagman, that sort of thing. Your rebel handler is Janiven. She's attractive, and dresses like a warrior, but she talks more like a civic booster than a real rebel. It seems the goals of the rebels are to help the people take care of themselves and return the city to a cleaner more ethical government. Armed rebellion is not on the table yet, but that would be a very dangerous thing to talk about directly. Your assignment this evening is to act as lookout during a recruitment meeting. You are stationed a block from Vizio's Tavern (an often used rebel meeting place) watching the two main streets that approach the tavern.
Marrius and Waifrin:
Spoiler:
For the last week or so a woman named Janiven has been popping up in your life. She's attractive, and dresses like a warrior, but she talks more like a civic booster, people in the city should have more freedom, government should be less corrupt. After a few innocent conversations, she's given the impression that she and some friends would like to see a change. A cleaner government, untainted by greed and diabolicism. Basic rights and freedom guaranteed the common people. After carefully guaging your reactions she invites you to a 4 pm dinner at Vizio's Tavern to meet some friends in two days. Please spoiler any actions you might take in the intervening days. Post your entry into the tavern in the clear.
Mother Vangelis:
Spoiler:
hogarth, making a slight addition to your background. Mother Vangelis has already had one showdown with the shadow beasts that stalk the city at night. She saved a young boy who got caught out too late and was attacked by one of the creatures, pulling him into her daughter's house. Hope you don't mind. Shortly after that you met a young woman named Janiven in the market. She's attractive, and dresses like a warrior. She asked you about the experience and told you that if you were interested in trying to prevent such a thing from ever happening again and convincing the government to take more of an interest in the common folk, to come to a 4 pm dinner at Vizio's Tavern in two days. Please spoiler any actions you might take in the intervening days. Post your entry into the tavern in the clear.
Zarabeta:
Spoiler:
For the last week or so a woman named Janiven has been popping up in your life. She's attractive, and dresses like a warrior, but she talks more like a civic booster, people in the city should have more freedom, government should be less corrupt. After a few innocent conversations, she's given the impression that she and some friends would like to see a change. A cleaner government, untainted by greed and diabolicism. Basic rights and freedom guaranteed the common people. After carefully guaging your reaction she invites you to a 4 pm dinner at Vizio's Tavern to meet some friendsin two days. Please spoiler any actions you might take in the intervening days. Post your entry into the tavern in the clear.
Ran an encounter at low levels against undead. The cleric channelled, and rolled well. So far everything is great.
But when looking up effects I ran into a few questions. First, in the channeling description, does "30' burst" mean diameter or radius? Second, undead failing their save flee for x rounds. Great but details? Did they get the frightened condition? What if the rooms walls or a hazard block their flight? Would they flee into a fiery chasm? Do they cower as in 3.5? If they can't flee and the cleric closes to melee range do they snap out of it as in 3.5?
Morning comes to the Grey district of Korvosa, and with it time to rest. The clergy of Pharasma gathers in the Dawn Hall after a sleepless vigilant night. Such nights are not uncommon for those entrusted with insuring the dead are not disturbed from their eternal peaceful sleep, but three such nights in a row is uncommon.
Stannus assumes the chair at the head of the table in Bishop d'Bear's stead. There are mutters of annoyance, resentment, even loathing, among the clergy. For him to do so three mornings in a row is also uncommon. What can be keeping d'Bears so long at the King Eodred's sickbed?
As usual when Stannus presides, the ritual reading is brief The day's inspirational sermon, even more so. Assignments and business for the day quickly become the primary topic. The Pharasmen break up to sleep or attend their duties as directed. As usual when Stannus presides, the Temple feels more like a barracks.
Stannus is a conundrum to most of the community. He does not approach the faith with the equinamity usual in Pharasma's devotees, but instead has an overriding mission to seek out and destroy the undead. He is nearly fanatical in this. During d'Bears infrequent absences, the temple does indeed become something of a military camp organized against the dead that walk to the diminuation of the other aspects of Pharasma, comfort in grief, healing, and new life.
Having been given no instructions, Istas assumes she is free to seek out her pallet and rest. She rises from her meal and is turning to leave when Stannus speaks, "Shote girl." (Shoanti girl, Stannus is an uncommonly arrogant Chelaxian.) "Round up two noobs and make a sweep of the Potters Ward. There was movement down there last night, but Lily couldn't pin it down."
In creating charcters with the pathfinder rules, I do like the streamlined skill system. Class skills get a +3 modifier; cross class skills don't. It's simple and gets you about where the old system probably did anyway.
But I feel constrained by the limited number of skills available at first level. I like a wide range of skills reflecting the character's history to date at first level. Therefore I propose the following change:
You get twice as many skills at first level as on the others.
Class skills get a +2 modifier.
You can put a number of ranks equal to your level+1 into a skill.
I think it widens the choices at first level, is still simple, and keeps the same limits as Jason's system. One downside is abuse by players seeking to get as many +2 modifiers as possible.
I've never been a big fan of AoOs. As other people have written, I feel they tend to slow combat.
While I don't go as far as many of the fighter advocates, I do think they need a little extra.
Therefore, why not require a feat for players to make AoOs and give fighters (and the other martial classes, if you like) the ability as a class feature?
Hi, my group is just finishing up a long intro and preparing to start CoCT proper. We've had a couple players drop out and the group could use a little more spell power. Its my first PbP and I'm learning a lot about running a game this way, I hope. The players are a great group of guys. Posting frequency is running a little less than 1/day with slow weekends.
Korvosa wakes under a leaden sky. A muggy heat drives night's coolness away by noon. To the north a light rain is falling, cooling the wretches of Thief Camp. By noon some Korvosan's are even a bit jealous, but they can not command the weather.
