Molech's page

I know there can be no official answer and that any answer would necessarily have to be vague and generalized anyway, but....

How strong is Paizo among other gaming publishers? I mean, is this (likely to be) just one of those 'Well the natural disaster really hit us, but once the insurance money kicks in we'll be able to get back on our feet' things? Like, once everything is resolved through the litigation and contract courts Paizo will get back its, what, $10 million -- and keep going forward. They just have to weather the storm. Or,....? Is this a financial hit that may be improbable to recover from, not unlike rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic? Is Paizo doing super awesome (compared to its competitors) and just needs to get past this? Or is it already on a downward spiral, and now 'This'?

ARSENAL ARE CHAMPIONS OF ENGLAND!!!!

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I really didn't think Manchester City would fail to win Tuesday but, after the big Sale I mentioned I had to accomplish Tuesday I kept a half-eye on the game -- knowing if City actually failed to win my Arsenal would be champions. And I've been a drunken party-monger since.

It's our first League Title in 22 years and since I only started following (international) football 17 years, this is Arsenal's first Premier League Title since I've been a fan.

Alas, I do not DM adventures "As Written" -- I take material and inspiration from a few adventures, modules, and setting material, not to mention novels and other Muses, and produce 'Heavily inspired by' adventures and campaigns. It's nigh impossible for me to answer how long it could take to play out (on average) a specific module such as "Feast of Ravenmoor."

I would posit that the best choice is Feast of Ravenmoor. It is one of the earlier First Edition modules but immediately felt to me to be the spiritual successor to "Against the Cult of the Reptile God."

My Saturday is jammed packed full of stuff -- INTRODUCING BRAND NEW GAMERS TO PATHFINDER AT THE LGS!!! -- so I won't be adding Gameplay posts today.

But tomorrow my regular HomeGame has been canceled for Mothers' Dayand I have no plans Whatsoever. So as long as I decide to get out of bed and do something other than read a couple books -- I have Zero excuse to not get to Gameplay. ....(Oh yeah, I do want to go to T-Mobile and Office Depot, so I have to at least take a shower tomorrow.) But mostly I have NOTHING Sunday except staying in bed and reading. So I really should get here to focus on Gameplay.

Harrow Card:
Eight Vise' Dream Candles

Personal Image:
A neither feminine nor masculine Human that is clearly the person you have nicknamed "Scalpel"

Name:
Ryzel Cain

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The 8 of Dream-Candles: Subject can easily pass for a Human but is Tiefling. After their Crucible as a Gatelwalker Subject still had dreams almost certainly from childhood, pre-Gatewalker of course: In these dreams subject was a child being forced to file down Tiefling horns against their will; in another recurring dream (post Gatewalker Crucible), Subject spent necessary food-money on books instead but doesn't remember the nature of the books. Both Dr. Etward Ritalison and Dr. Petros Larrimor believe Subject is originally from near Manderlay Mansion under the County Palatinate, Maximillion De Winter. Subject is believed to have no further relationship with family considering the nature of their post-Gatewalker dreams. Subject isa trained alchemist and investigator, well educated in Lore and has studied the history of Aroden, lost god of civilization, society, and destiny from southern lands far from Ustalov. Subject is extraordinarily Intelligent and is a polygolt, additionally, subject has Tiefling racial traits indicative of Sugroz, Inkariax or perhaps even Aroggus. Dr. Etward Ritalison is not convinced, though.

The paperwork continues....

Loading a Light Crossbow is absolutely a Move Action; a Feat or Class Ability or such may exist in the univers to shorten it.

I am unconcerned (at this time) with something like that. Y'all don't even have character sheets in this attempt to horror-Fu the opening few encounters of the campaign.

Please let me know if the Google Slides Doc is not as user-friendly as I am hoping for: I wonder what it looks like on your phone, for example, if you're not using a computer like I am -- or if you have a different operating system or even if an iPhone looks okay but not an Android. Whatever. My gut tells me that a little of the confusion -- the parts not a result of 'horror-themed-ambiguity' -- is from trouble with the Google Slides Doc.

Regardless, more important than any counting of Move and Standard Actions, 5-foot-steps and dice modifiers, is that we each understand where our characters are in relation to the story / encounter -- and that we're enjoying the combats with just a little fear and concern rather than feeling Railroaded or Turtled or confused.

For me personally -- I am anxious to get you to C17 & C18 so you can get your names and such. I am having a hard time remembering which nickname goes to what PC. I also would like to see what each of you has on your blank character sheet -- who has x amount of Holy Water, who has the Dagger, a Morningstar, etc., and who has the chess piece and who has the needle and who has the Varisian playing card, etc.

HUZZAH!

I finally finished my Quarter-1 Financials today and paid off the IRS and State of Florida tax-man!!!!

Oh god, Thank You to my lord Rovagug! (actually, I'm a Tharizdun guy)

I have very little operating cash for this weekend and early next week but I'll be able to manage. And I'm working on a deal that will close Wednesday next week that will bring me back all the way.

Ahhh.

It's like the clouds have parted and I can breathe.

1) Greyhawk
2) Golaria
3) Planescape
4) Ravenloft

That's pretty much it for me -- the only settings for my actual games -- but I do still occasionally get back to my 'honorable mentions' in Gameplay:
5) Dark Sun
6) Ptolus *
7) Faerun
8) Krynn
9) Birthright +

It's critically important to note that regarding
10) Mystara
I confiscated the highlighted portions and whisked them away from the Known World and placed them inside Greyhawk. Karameikos is canonically *not* native to the world on which it dwells, so putting it in the area of the Flanaess where the County of Urnst and edge of the Shield lands are (used to be for me) worked perfectly. The Grand Duchy is not native; Blackmoor is *already* in The Flanaess; the Isle of Dread is often placed on GH maps, and also very importantly -- The Flanaess has a long history with many several examples of non-natives arriving from other worlds: Blackmoor, St Cuthbert, the Rhenee people, Mayaheine, Baba Yaga, "Expedition to the Barrier Peaks" -- all non-native to the world. So! If I ever want to play in my 10th favorite setting ever, it would *never* happen unless I place a few of the locations within Greyhawk. .... And it works perfectly.

* Regarding Ptolus, that 1,000 page campaign setting hardback of Monte Cook's -- and several adventures & the Boxed Set -- are awesome but it’s just Too Much material. Therefore, instead of playing 'IN' Ptolus, I regularly mine the setting for NPCs, setting-sites, & adventure hooks. Characters in my various games are often 'from' Ptolus rather than 'we play' *in* Ptolus. In fact, one of the major campaign setting locations in My Korvosa is actually a brothel / fortune-teller (Python House) where during sex with the fortune teller the prostitute/palm-reader divines your fortune.

+ Regarding Birthright, I find myself never really playing there, but rather take the two major setting creations and place them in other campaign settings.

I am really struggling with my business. A couple weeks ago I really thought I had fixed everything and gotten back on track, but a new wave from the financial tsunami is crashing against my little store. (I even had to cancel my home-game campaign over the weekend.) And the financial quarter ends 31 March and the accounting for Q1 has to be done for the Tax-Man; I haven't even started on it.

If you guys want to run the fight with the Zombies in the room you can. Or if you can wait, I dunno, hopefully no more than a week or so.

Plus!!!!
Y'all are very close to getting to Room C17-C18 where you will find records of yourselves (just not gear). And you're pretty close to 2nd Level. If you want to just spend time building your characters, we are very close to resting, Leveling-Up, and entering 'Chapter 2' (or whatever). You can look over the first few Recruitment Posts for character building and look at what you've already built. And go forward.

I am still 100% invested in this Play-by-Post. But my business is struggling in real life and I have to keep my days on that. The stress and fatigue and anxiety are really hampering my energy and creativity.

Please continue to be a little bit patient.

I think I went through everyone's ideas and tricks with The Cube well enough for group satisfaction. Obviously there will be more to come but for now, it's about as much as you can know: A really, REALLY good roll on a Spellcraft-like Skill attempt (Untrained) ; An attempt to destroy it even with Magic and Silver, and that it heals itslef ; Connecting the Cube with the Needle or Pin from the Nightmare ;... All done. If any new ideas come along, go for it. But at least for now it's still mysterious.

I did rearrange the order chronologically from posting but that seems fair. The order of events I posted made for a reasonably good step-by-step series of attempts and ideas. And of course, just because Player A happens to post one idea/gambit before Player B, well, that's just a symptom of us having different schedules and getting to The Boards to post at different times. .... I think if we were all around a table the order of attempts would have voted for in about the same order: Most innocuous to most pernicious.

Metagame: When we are in a situation where, uh, 'Pushing The Flashing Red Button' would have dire consequences I'll make sure the group votes on an action rather than just let it happen just because the first Player on The Boards goes first. Um, like the following:

Please make the Ulver Zandalus gambits and The Manifesting Eye gambits a little more like votes: "I suggest that we do X instead of Y" rather than "I go and immediately do X." I mean, no Pit Fiend or Balrog is going to jump out of The Manifesting Eye if Ulver Zandalus says "Hi" to it or something. But still, pretty please try to roleplay some suggestions. And remember that ain't no one in the group knows what's what in this situation. (I remember reading the canon for the, er, 'solution' to "The Manifesting Eye" and I really didn't like it. It felt like one of those 'The-PCs-will-never-think-of-that' solutions that sometimes surprise the DM but, if the DM is right and no one thinks of it, the game could stall. .... I went to a few Campaign Journals and AP-Threads for Advice about it and, well, the AP-Threads did mention a few groups that were stumped, even frustrated, with the solution to The Manifesting Eye. Of course, in the Campaign Journals for PbP games the solution was suspiciously solved immediately each time. I wondered if the Players just read the page in the AP to figure it out and then went to their Gameplay. .... For our game, I have made some adjustments. Hopefully all will go well.

Slide Two is updated.

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The puzzle-box cube is effectively a Rubik's Cube that is 4-by-4 rather than 3-by-3. Just in case my attempt at describing it failed.

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You can remove the rubble from the bottom of C9 but -- it will be exhausting (obviously worse than Fatigued) and you will release the Zombies in B1.

You can choose to enter B1, fight the Zombies, and then break into a window into the Chapel of Pharasma-- C6.

Or you can try 'something' with the "Thing" behind the tapestry, the Manifesting Eye, that Monkeygod (among others) have pointed out speaks similar nonsense-words to Ulver Zandalus (still imprisoned in B9).

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So, there's:

Getting to C6

The Manifesting Eye

The Puzzle Cube (no one has yet touched) and its connection to the Needle Khardon Dourstone brought back from his Nightmare of The Tatterman

Ulver Zandalus

The smell of Sulfer from (Lemming's character??) when he was near Ulver Zandalus and the NPC was staring at the PC.

And all the NPC survivors in B5

@ Dien,
Yes, I knew I changed your first round action a little bit; please accept my reason: When I first designed this encounter I knew it could be too much of a fight, especially if dice rolls went poorly -- and that without character sheets yet it could be a little harmful to the game as a whole. (I feel we are past that, maybe, but it's still in the back of my mind.) Anyway, I wanted to maximize each PC's Action and try to get one Attack Roll per PC each round, just in case I really need it. Six rolls vs one roll each round was the hope (What if I roll a crit; what if it starts looking like a tpk). So I just made it so everyone got off an attack roll. Also, I swapped your location with Lemming's 'Torch' PC even though you had wanted to be the supply chain of handing rocks to the PCs like a bucket-brigade -- from a safe distance. I did that only because I knew you had something with which to attack the Faceless Stalker. And 'Torch' does not; he can only throw rocks. It is all my fault. I understand and appreciate your concern and moving forward will 100% respect your prerogative to move your PC the way you lay out his actions. This was my acting out of fear rather than impatience. Please continue to roleplay the way you see fit. It is good.

Ray, important question,

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*excellent question.

I spent weeks thinking through this off-and-on while I was designing everything. Considering this or that. And ultimately coming to a conclusion: In general I felt I'd like to keep it somewhat open-ended. I knew the first scene was a nightmare anyway and can have different physics and 'mentality.' And for the first few encounters in Briarstone, I knew that it should be pretty quick when PCs get to the chapel for rest and get their basic info from the office of Doctor Eliege Losandro. Of course, PbP makes it last forever, but we're actually still in the opening game session if this were over-the-table. Open-ended means I can keep it a little fluid, keep a little uncertainty or ambiguity. Which I felt would be good.

*But*! I also decided I wanted to convey some info to the PCs for effect. So my rule-of-thumb is one of "Common Knowledge": I think everyone in Ustalov would recognize Pharasma and Desna. As for other stuff, here's something I typically consider-- If I went to a person who never played D&D and asked them to describe a Vampire I think they could -- even if specific powers would be different depending who I asked. I think if I used the word 'strigoi' in Romania the average person would say "Vampire." But still 'common knowledge.' I think in the US after 'The Strain' lots of folks would know Strigoi. But Ah Ha! I am purposely keeping it uncertain if the in-game Strigoi are like that in the show (with Worms like Kyuss Spawn), or actually more like Romanian Folklore (just Vampires), or more like the D&D "Mohrg." That kind of detail will require an actual character sheet and Skill check. (remember in Gameplay when Wyatt was saying 'faceless monster' while an actual Inquisitor with Lore said "Facelss Stalker" -- common knowledge vs trained lore)

Right now your characters all know what you think a person who never played D&D might know -- as well as things so ubiquitous in Ustalov that, for that part of the Campaign Setting, everyone would be aware.

It's not a perfect answer. I knew designing this that the beginning would be very unusual. My initial design was for my home-game group where we take turns DMing -- me in the Pathfinder setting, my friend for the Greyhawk setting. And this would have been the introduction of Ustalov to the group. I always DM in Varisia, Cheliax, or Absalom. So this to them would have been a completely blank slate. Never heard of Ustalov. And I wanted a session where they didn't have to have a character ready made. Let them feel the setting and the game first, and try to get a horror atmosphere.

For us it's a little harder. You gotta make 'something' in Recruitment. And the opening encounters take much longer than in a homegame over the table.

So, specifically:

1) What would be the first 'one-or-two-sentence' answer most PF fans would give to describe Pharasma to someone who's never played? .... Those two sentences are what you know!

2) What would the average person who has never played D&D, and is only vaguely aware of the tv show and Romanian folklore *think* they know about Vampires or Strigoi? .... That's what you know!

Yeah, that's certainly a great way to roleplay it -- if you know (and presumably you do) what even the most basic of your character build is -- that you'll feel as though you're proficient with this or that once you get a hand on it. .... The opening scenes (both in the Nightmare *and* in Biarstone before you can rest-for-8-hours and get your paperwork from Dr. Eliege Losandro's chamber, are specifically designed with an attempt at just keeping dice rolls just a naked d20. So, like, most stuff you find is an improvised weapon. But, you know, when you throw a Vial of Holy Water at a Zombie, I'm not interested in BAB, DEX, Range Increment, blah blah blah. Not now. Of course that will be a thing later. But now I'm just trying something more amateur, more simple, in order to focus on atmosphere and roleplay. Again, yeah the Morningstar is Masterwork, but that cool-beans +1 to attack rolls is not something I'm interested in for the moment.

Thanks for the questions and Keep Them Coming!
(I think Discussion is SO important in a Play-by-Post. I can't see the look on youur face, hear the tone of your voice, feel the temperature of the room. It all relies on Discussion.)

That's a really good idea.

I'll give a day to see if anyone else remarks -- but maybe late Wednesday if no one really objects I'll 'reverse-order the Google Slides so that #1 is current and they go backward in chronological order or relevance.

I was waiting for you, Ryzel Cain -- I knew I couldn't start without you!

DISCUSSION is open.

I'm originally from north-central Minnesota and lived a big chunk of life in Panhandle Florida -- Central Time Zone.

But ever since I first moved to Philly in '99 and every place after that -- I'm an East Coast Lover.

This was not an easy choice.

I wanted four PCs (I just don't trust PbP campaigns with lots of PCs.) Four. Not six!

For example: The PC design from Solomon Dirge, the Aasimar Paladin -- in real life he's my best friend. We've been playing at my house or his house or a friend's house for fifteen years. I said my buddy was sick so we had to cancel tonight's homegame session -- Solomon Dirge is the player who's sick. That story he gave earlier about the Skin-Changer (Bowrick) who changed to a snake to hide a dead body -- I was DM for that. His PC Wizard, "Solomon Dirge," was a character in my most recent campaign, Levels 1-20. In fifteen years there has been, I dunno, maybe five weeks total out of what, 15-years-times-52-weeks-per-year, that we didn't play at least one game session per week.

And I couldn't choose his PC Paladin for this campaign. Even though I asked him to design a Paladin for this game.

This was a hard choice to put together a group.
(You think he's gonna kill my 9th Level Vigilante/Wizard next Sunday in our homegame in retaliation? Meh. It's my house and my game room -- if he does I'll make him sit on the floor for future sessions.)

The following is not in any order. (I had intended to order them by post chronology but in my handwritten paper, things got mixed up. They won't be in perfect chronological order.)

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Sorcerer (Seeker) -- Lemming -- named Charles Otharan
A NG Human who will learn that, before his amnesia he worshipped some deity named "Chadali" (whoever that is). He'll find that his parents (Ronald & Mariamni) owned an oddities and curios shop that was destroyed by "The Gray Devil" when he was young. Apparently, Charles Otharan grew up with nightmares of The Gray Devil. Who knows? And that after his mother was killed in that attack his father, a morose widower, raised him in the village of Hallowfeld. Wherever that is.

Oracle (Ancester Mystery) -- Monkeygod -- perhaps a member of Chelaxian Nobility from House Arvanxi
This Oracle is a case tied to a Harrow Deck, or the Varisian 'Harrowed' gypsies who determine Destiny through Harrow Card readings of auguries and divinations. There is a connection here, too, of Desna -- luck and vagabondery.

Bard (Dirge Bard) -- Veniir
A Gnome Dirge Bard interested in battling Undead and de-buffing enemies of goodly people.

Magus (Bladebound / Hex Crafter) -- Grumabaki -- named Khardon Dourstone
A Dwarf with a mysteriously shriveled, gray, pall of a cursed arm, the taught skin over twisted bone, with seemingly no musculature, bloodflow, or fatty tissue. Scarring on the paper-thin, pallid skin suggests chiuggery or hexcraft. The Dwarf will discover that he wields dark magic -- but an answer for his withered arm will remain more mysterious.

Shadow Dragon
&
Mo Fiddy
have both showed some interest and will hopefully have a PC proposal soon. THough there is plenty of time.

Oracle (Fire and Healing) -- Kool Kobold -- A Tengu
As a Tengu this Oracle of Sarenrae perhaps feels even more alien or isolated from all others not just because of the anxiety that comes with complete amnesia, but also because of Race and Religion. Sarenrae is known and revered, but the Dawnfower is not Desna, is not Pharasma. The Tengu feels more 'Phoenix'-like than 'Crow'-like, as befits an Oracle of Sarenrae of Fire and Healing.

Bloodrager -- Dreadful -- named Thresh
The Half-Orc Bloodrager Thresh looks like a brute but has a heart of gold. He will come to revere Desna, and is terribly afraid that his amnesia covers up a dark deed from his past. Thresh dreads to discover whether he has an Evil heart. Certainly an 'Abyssal'-like corruption taints him to his very core. From where did it come?

Investigator (Empiricist) -- Dien -- named Ryzel Cain
A LN Tiefling whose forehead horns and other Fiendish features have been 'erased' as much as possible. Apparently Ryzel Cain has had the Tiefling horns regularly filed down since shortly after birth. The Investigator could pass for Human, though reveals neither feminine nor masculine traits (or perhaps sometimes both, or either).

Shifter-WereBat -- Critzible -- named Lady Emilia Vosk
A Werebat character-concept in the form of a lady of (fictional) Victorian Age sensibility

Inquisitor (Sin-Eater) -- Shadowy Fox --
Who prays over the dead in a Ritual intended to sheer off or split the Evil sin from a pure Soul -- and provide a measure of healing to the goodly people while being a purge of the Undead (sounds like he may worship Pharasma!)

Skin-Chager -- Almonihah -- named Brimlik
Will be completely traumatized upon the horrific revelation that he is not human but rather an animal-changer. Viewing his hands and looking into his eyes in a mirror, Brimlik was certain he had just been a hunter/trapper, perhaps a woodsman or worker, before amnesia. (I really appreciate how open-ended this is, giving the player time to let the intro of the campaign unfold before really creating the PC build.)

Paladin -- Solomon Dirge -- Aasimar

Okay, I've done a reasonable job of compiling y'all's PC ideas so far -- there's absolutely plenty more time, WAAAAAY more time to make decisions, add or subtract or edit -- but it was really helpful for me just put it all down on a sheet of paper as I had started blending some of them in a melting-pot in my head.

I'll post it here in a bit so everyone can see some of the bare-bones of what other folks are doing.

Thursday (1st January) sometime I'll compile a list of PC concepts so far .... (Of course I'll (*COUNT*) all the PMs too.)

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This is what I intended to type. Please excuse the typo of my inadvertantly missing the letter "O" -- and the spellcheck obviously didn't show me a little red squiggly.

And Paizo Smurfed my Post!

So I would have gotten away with it if it weren't for you kids.

RIP Tim Kask

He created the D&D concept for Demogorgon.
He created the D&D concept for Orcus.
ANd lots of other nascent D&D stuff with Gygax in the early-mid 70s

RIP Tim Kask

He created the D&D concept for Demogorgon.
He created the D&D concept for Orcus.
ANd lots of other nascent D&D stuff with Gygax in the early-mid 70s

Welcome to Recruitment, Dien!
Tiefling Investigator that loves to push the flashing red button sounds awesome!

I'll send you a PM when I get a chance. Or better, you can send me a PM when you get a chance just letting me know the little bits of 'Strange Aeons' and 'Carrion Crown' -- and I'm confident it won't be even a trifle.

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Expanded Arcana for Khardon Dourstone is A-Okay!

LOL Grumbaki -- just saw the edited version of the earlier post. Hey -- I read, and then I start researching/thinking -- then type my reply. If you Edit while I'm doing that, Ah Ha. (At least you know I'm taking the PC proposals seriously.)

Edit:
Grumbaki,
Am I remembering correctly from several years ago that you are also an Arsenal fan?
COYG!

Ya know I gotta ask if I can play an Arvanxi...

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Yes you can absolutely submit an Arvanxi who is, uh, somehow 1st Level in Ustalov, if you can think of it. But it is a little tricky: You have Amnesia! You're not going to know that you are an Arvanxi for a while at least. Or even then, what it means to be Arvanxi. And the rest of your House, and Cheliax, aren't involved. .... That said, if your PC survives to the second half (or so) of the campaign, once we're too high Level and too high Magicked to really squeeze out Horror elements -- being an Arvanxi will be cool. I like the idea. But early on?.... Really only an Arvanxi in name.

.... Regarding a miracle: Maybe one can say my "Resolve" for the new year is to get back to Play By Post. The whole of 2025 I successfully got to The Boards most days, convincing me I can, indeed, do it. My business is thriving in such a way that I don't have many "Fires to put out" so to speak. (Being two years from retiring -- being able to retire in my early-50s -- puts things in perspective in business.)

The Advanced Race Guide and a plethora of alternate racial traits are available. A Sorcerer, especially a Seeker, with amnesia is certainly the kind of character that could thrive in this campaign. I will send you a pm regarding Carrion Crown.

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There is plenty of time. I had not even intended to start Recruitment until after New Year's since I figured so many folks may not be on The Boards right now. I just couldn't help myself. I've been designing this campaign for a long time. (I had originally set this up for early October -- but then I joined a PbP as a PC and knew I couldn't do both. That PbP suffered from a vanishing DM a couple months in, and I am past ready to get back into PbP.)

“The Search for Aroden” is a horror-themed, linear campaign that takes place mostly in Ustalov, followed by Varisia and beyond. A Homebrew campaign, it draws significant inspiration from 'Strange Aeons,' 'Gatewalkers,' 'Stolen Fate,' 'Carrion Crown,' and three adventures from the Paizo era of 'Dungeon Magazine' (volumes One of 'Strange Aeons' and 'Carrion Crown' in particular!). If you have played or DMed any of this, just let me know via Private Message to what extent so I can make sure to make this experience is as, um, ‘fresh’ and unspoilery as possible, by tweaking this or that.

As a horror themed Campaign, I’m striving for a more ’Call of Cthulhu' style or atmosphere in the early ‘sessions’ – as much of the first 2/3 of the PbP I can get before we’re so high level and high magicked that our collaborative game becomes more high fantasy Pathfinder. But in gaming-horror attempts, it is that early uncertainty, it’s some campaign ambiguity, and even PC death that are more normal. (In the case of very early PC death, I have built in a way that, if your PC dies in the opening ‘sessions’ or ‘chapter’ there is a ready-to-go, blank-slate NPC in the background that you can design and build that, as it turns out, was your real PC all along and is just now stepping into the spotlight.) But these elements can be tricky in Play-by-Post. This campaign’s gimmick: You all have full AMNESIA! (‘Gatewalkers’ AP inspired) You don’t know your name, your level, your class. You are unaware of your alignment. Frankly, even your gender or race – without looking in a mirror or under your clothes. (So,… if your first PC dies an hour into the game, the PC you intended (and half-design in Recruitment) can step forward in a daze, and join the group. Maybe by the next encounter.)

Note that this campaign takes place in “Ustalov” on the Prime Material world of “Golaria” – neither “Ustalav” nor “Golarion” exist here. I am making an effort to keep “much” of my Homebrew setting-alterations deep in the background so as not to have much an impact on our campaign. In the Campaign Setting Tabs under Spoilers, and in Gameplay or Discussion under Spoilers, there will be *Optional* reading material that illustrates both the tiny changes to canon – as well the large changes. Thus if you’re a big fan of PF canon, it shouldn’t really get in the way too much. Um. Well. Read the campaign title and first sentence of the Intro below and see if you want to read further. But except for that, I am making the effort. The unavoidable changes are more for the final 1/3 of the campaign and deal with a campaign setting change in the ‘area’ of--

It looks (superficially) like a second helping of Hell's Rebels taking place in Isger instead of NW Cheliax. Um. With a little extra Urgathoa.

[ Not that this has much to do with the OP, but... ]

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Back in 2016ish an audience member asked James Jacobs on A Panel Forum what little aspect of gaming bugged him, got on his nerves, made him wish he could change something -- a little pet peeve rather than a large, wholesale issue.

He said he would eradicate the Happy Stick (and that he does not allow them in his Homegames) because they have no analogue -- even close -- to fantasy fiction or Swords-and-Sorcery tradition and, on top of that, are pretty stupid in-game: "Just tap me with the Happy Stick five times and I'm ready to go!" kinda bull $h*I+!

As an audience member, listening to the panelists in the Forum and anticipation my turn to ask the Designers a question, I paused to think about his answer.

And I agreed wholeheartedly!

Starting in my Homegame The.Very.Next.Session I eliminated ALL happy Sticks (I had *Never* allowed Stupid-Crap-Bag-Infernal-Healing!!!!) and made a 'Staff of Healing' a little easier for my group to get. So now at early and mid Levels Potions and such are coveted by the PCs and starting around 9th or 10th or so the PCs get a Staff.

.... I would create an exception of course, in my game, if the group only had maybe three PCs and there's no Healer. You know, if the group is a Fighter a Sorcerer and a Monk -- I ought to make sure they have a Happy Stick, silly as those are.

Are you getting ideas first and then going to post in Recruitment to start a Play-by-Post campaign? Or is this just a feedback request on design theory?

A Spelljammer of alien design from deep in The Dark Tapestry has just crashed in The Land of Black Ice. A few groups have gone to investigate/pillage -- notably Iuz as his empire is so close to the Antarctic-like wastes. None have been heard from in the past few days. Goodly Divinations to Istus, Rao, Pelor, Mayaheine and Trithereon indicate the Spelljammer is terribly dangerous to all of The Flanaess and Oerik.

Each of the players had some reason to be both in Veluna and be included in the group Veluna sends to The Land of Black Ice. A scholar/wizard from Keoland, a Wolf Nomad barbarian who has traveled south to get civilization's response regarding the Spelljammer, a goodly hero of Veluna/Furyondy with his trusted bow, an eccentric occultist and healer whose laughing and lightheartedness at the most terryfyingly ineffable moments provides relief against the most Lovecraftian encounters, even a dancing courtesan in Veluna has volunteered to help investigate -- unbeknownst to the others she investigates because she is really a Secret Agent/martial-art-combatant of The Scarlet Brotherhood and must be able to give a full report to her Suel superiors.

They are Teleported to the northern coast of the Thillonrian Peninsula where a ship of Vikings have agreed to help Veluna by sailing the freezing sea north to The Land of Black Ice. The Vatun-worshipping Vikings are goodly Frost Giants and as agreed, sail the PCs through treacherous waves bobbing with iceburgs and hurricane winds.

Upon landing on the ice-shelf of The Land of Black Ice the Viking Giants immediately bring the ship a hundred feet up on the ice lest the turbulent sea shmash her to bits. For their parts, the PCs of Veluna see in the distance a tower of jet-black smoke piercing the sky only miles away in the mountains of pure black ice.

They make a bee-line to that column of unnatural smoke, taking the Frost Giant captain with them (the first mate and crew remain behind). .... (I allowed the PCs to choose how many, if any, and who, joined them from the Viking ship. They chose just the captain.)

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Encounter 1: A giant, white Spider with red-back markings, an alien-altered Frost Worm, and a pale-white Mushroom Creature, along with a few twisted Plant Creatures, somehow exist in the altogether lifeless wasteland, too cold and too empty for anything to grow -- no soil, no minerals, no fuel, no water, no food, no respite from freezing winds and temperatures far colder than freezing.

*To the PCs' chagrin and surprise, they learn Fire actually HEALs these creatures, especially the Plants, and allows them more speed and manuverability. It is COLD damage that really hurts them. .... Also, a few PCs are polluted with Mushroom spores and Plant -sap or -thorns (my Spider failed to envenomate, damn it!)
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Encounter 2: A cadre of dead monster corpses of Iuz (Trolls, a Green Hag, Minotaur, Vrock, Hezrou) are being treated by their killers for 'something' as the PCs approach. More Plant Creatures -- but considerably alien in nature, seemingly as much Aberration as Plant.

*The PCs see evidence that the Alien-Plant Creatures are putting eggs or seed pods or pollen inside the corpses of the monsters of Iuz. The carrion seem more fit as fertilizer as the Land of Black Ice is not very suitable. .... Also, the Cleric leader of the Iuz Cultists is found, fungi and molds growing 'Out' of his body from some kind of taint or corruption from the Plants the PCs have fought.
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Getting closer to the spire of smoke reaching into the sky.

Encounter 3: An image the Ghostly figure of Istus Herself, goddess of Fate and Destiny appears before the PCs and pleads that they must succeed in stopping the threat this Spelljammer represents. She also sadly warns them that they may be on a path that has no turns.

*The PCs learn, starting with the Wolf Nomad barbarian who is more connected to mother nature and wilderness survival, notices eggs, or perhaps seed pods, in the stool from her bowel movement. On personal breaks, all the othr various PCs notice that both their urine and bowels have plant matter in them. Everyone is a carrier. Everyone is tainted.
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Encounter 4: A Treeant of Lovecraftian proportions, as well as a Wolf Nomad Giant that has been completely corrupted -- thorns, spines and vines sprouting from her body -- are in a fight against several other Wolf Nomad Giants. With the PCs, the Treeant is destroyed with Ice. The Wolf Nomads are saved, but sick.

*Studying the area the PCs see that the roots of the Treeant and the plant matter itself is such that in can go deep, deep into The Prime Material Plane. Even the Huge Plants they've faced so far are just neophytes, very immature, and would grow to Plane-Penetrating proportions in the right conditions these roots could go so deep as to reach The Prison of Tharizdun itself at the center of the world.
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Encounter 5: The PCs encounter a Gargantuan Silver Dragon, obviously here from the civilized south for the same reason as they. Tragically, the goodly Dragon is completely tainted, completely corrupted -- more Fungus and Vine than Dragon, more Alien than Draconic. Brilliantly, the PCs came up with some clever tactics that made this a much easier fight than what might have been.

*The PCs find a Book on the Dragon showing the history and nature of The Malgoth: A horror from The Far Realm nearly the dimensions of Azathoth or Yog Sothoth, more destructive than any Cthulhu, Hastur or Nyarlathotep. It details the story of how The Malgoth, ages ago, almost conquered the entire Abyss, Layer by Layer, destroying Abyssal Lords and Obyrith & Qlippoth Entities the way a Treeant could crush a Halfling child. Eventually a host of Abyssal Lords joined together to fight The Malgoth, and with Pyrrhic results, eventually defeated it.
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Climax: Approaching the torch burning into the sky the PCs see the remains of the effectively destroyed Spelljammer. It's Eldritch Reactor fueling a nuclear flame high in the atmosphere. All around the remains, feeding on the heat and light of the nuclear sustenance, dozens of Huge and Gargantuan Plants, Molds, Fungi and Vines grow big and hungry. Their roots penetrate deep into The Land of Black Ice.

Using powerful Dispelling and Abjuration magics, Conjuring Rust Monsters to eat the Spelljammer's Reactor, and other brutal means, the PCs began destroying the Fire-Breathing apparatus.

At some point I remember them trying for Divine Intervention from Istus and the PC actually rolled a nat 20 -- one of those fun moments -- also, the Wizard conjured a Wall of Fire to distract the Plants; they all followed the new source of Heat to give the PCs a way closer to the nuclear reactor. And of course they cast Fly and just flew above the area, just out of reach from the Plants.
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Conclusion: Knowing they were all completely tainted and knowing how dangerous The Malgoth seedlings/seedpods are, the PCs quite easily accepted that they were just going to have to die out in The Land of Black Ice and never go home. They actually were joking and frivoulous about who was going to eat whom first and such like that. The player I was concerned the most that would call shenanigans and not accept suicide (she played the Wolf Nomad Barbarian) was actually the first player to say out loud, 'Well I guess we have to just kill ourselves.' Though someone also suggested they cast Transmutations to turn into Ice Elementals for a Duration effectively killing all taint within their bodies. Of course, RAW, if one is Poisoned and one turns into a creature for a moment who is immune to the poison, once the duration ends one still has to deal with the Poison.

All in all, the group had fun but it was never a really 'scary' or 'disturbing' game. Mostly just jokes. I think the players all just assumed ahead of time it was going to be a TPK and were emotionally prepared (which BTW, I have never done a TPK on them in all of our years!). I even almost didn't include the Istus encounter because they seemed so comfortable with the unspoken thought that they were all going to die. Still, I'm glad I did because at the end, when they got Divine intervention from Istus by rolling that nat 20, it made it fun that she had appeared ealier.

The Boards will be down for a couple days but when they're back up I will post here a recap of the session. It went very well! (maybe not as terrifying as I'd have liked -- but we are all looooong-time gamers so you know, it can be hard to terrify over-the-table). Still, good game. Some of the players in the group said they'd pop in to post, too. Again, after Paizo is back up-and-running.

Awesome. That's a little like what my one-shot is.

While based loosely on the 'Call of Cthulhu' full campaign "Beyond the Mountains of Madness", I changed the BBEG-like encounter to a more 'Lovecraftian-Malgoth'. The canon location is Antarctica which I'm placing in Greyhawk's Land of Black Ice (significantly apropos), and the 'Call of Cthulhu' climax/conclusion is that after the PCs have traveled to (Antarctica) and become tainted with The Malgoth, become carriers or 'incubators' of 'It', they realize that the only way to prevent The Malgoth from spreading to the entire Plane is to make sure The Malgoth stays where it has crash-landed in Antarctica, The Land of Black Ice, effectively hibernating-- too cold, too frozen to spread. If The Malgoth roots or pollen or seeds spread beyond The Land of Black Ice (warmer climate) it will grow and eventually destroy the entire Plane. (Canonically The Malgoth is an Abyssal Tree whose roots, pollen and vines/branches spread out almost taking over the entire Abyss -- let alone a single Prime Material Plane. Dozens of ancient Lords of The Abyss died trying to stop it, ages ago.) Thus, the PCs are sent to The Land of Black Ice to find out what crashed there from The Dark Tapestry, realize it's The Malgoth, observe that they are now carriers/incubators of the cordyceps-like, Lovecraftian, Abyssal horror -- and must choose to stay in The Land of Black ice, burn their ship, and eventually freeze to death in order to keep it hibernating. PCs choosing suicide over fighting to the death. Ayup. Very much more 'Call of Cthulhu' than 'Pathfinder'!

"That is a neat trick, if you can do it to order."

Apemantus Vernisant pulls his hand away from the candle ashamedly. "Sorry." He releases a sigh. "If I were here by natural causes, well, the flesh should burn. But I'm from Hell." He quickly corrects himself; sometimes it's hard to articulate. "Well, *escaped* Hell. That's where my Soul belongs. But maybe I can fix that."

He looks to Lady Martella Lotheed who knows his story already, raising his eyebrow in a tacit 'Asking-For-Permission" question. Assuming if Lady Martella Lotheed is bringing them together he can trust them as he does her.

"I was some kind of villain, some evil Wizard descended of General Arnisant's bloodline -- joined the corruption so many in Taldor Fell through. .... Honestly, though, I don't remember anything of my first life. I have dreams. Nightmares. Ephemeral visions that are more emotional than visible. But nothing specific. .... I know I repented as I lay dying. I have a fleeting memory of praying to Sarenrae."

"Truthfully, it should Not have been enough. I deserve my damnation. I rightfully belong in Hell." He doesn't pause. "The Soul of one of my Vernisant ancestors interceded, I guess; in Sarenrae's own Court. And Sarenrae plucked my Soul from Hell. Reincarnated me. A new Vernisant in Merciful Bay. Now I have to prove I'm worthy of Redemption. Or, worthy of ascending after this life."

Apemantus Vernisant sits back for a moment again as he stops and apologizes again, "Oh, sorry; I tend to ramble on. The truth is, I've only been alive in this body a few months. I'm not even a year old. Talking like an actual old man is what makes some folks back in Merciful Bay call me "Oldcastle." Fact is," and he looks at his scimitar, "I've never even used that thing in battle."

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"Well met, Darrel Stavalos. A soldier?..." He asks.

Apemantus Vernisant specifically orders the fig jam and eats an appropriately sized serving without showing gluttony or greed when food is free. He introduces himself, as well as his nickname "Oldcastle," though he has no preference as to how he is addressed.

Clearly some kind of Tiefling, Cambion, Half-Fiend or Hellbred, Apemantus Vernisant is a little self conscious of his Infernal appearance, yet is ready and willing to answer for his Devilish looks as a relief. ('Once it's out in the open it's easier for all to decide how they treat me.') But one must be careful before just discussing such disturbing bloodlines at a first meeting over a nice meal.

As introductory conversation wears on, though, Apemantus Oldcastle appears to be mentally wandering off -- despite participating in conversation and showing interest in the two Lady Martella Lotheed is introducing to him.

You see him concentrating on moving his fingers over the candleflame illuminating the table, and can almost see him working out some internal, mental struggle or emotion as to his finger's reaction to the flame. He apologizes in embarrassment if called out, and is readily open to answer this as well.

Apemantus wears a Holy Symbol of Sarenrae, prominently noticeable. A scimitar of average quality hangs awkwardly at his waist -- moving about it is clear he is not experienced wearing it (or using it in battle).

The montage joke you posted there is great. It's actually the same YouTube clip that I show people to explain how tournament chess players play chess. I try to explain, 'Imagine you have a table with a 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle laid out (all face up) and you have to find ALL the pieces and where they connect BEFORE touching any of the pieces.' So it looks like you're just staring and staring at nothingness, but really your eyes and brain are like, well, like that 'Big Bang Theory' joke.
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In other news: I have posted interest in the new Recruitment "Interest" Thread. And,.... Even got a background for a character, though no Crunch.

Wait, yeah, I think I was IN that Play-by-Post you took over!

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Looks up old stuff....

Holy Moly, Cassynder the Crownless! Wow. Yeah, I should have never tried to take over DMing for Dragon Cat; it was totally his game.

Thieves' Guild Chronicles

Kinky is investigating (his) guild to determine who is willing to .... operate out of the Jail's secret cellblocks

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I would only say -- and to Erlick too -- that each of us is really ambitious and hungry on what we can use #L for. I would propose that, until such a time as we can spend a chunk of a Sunday negotiating, we try to keep our 'I got dibs on #L' propositions very open-minded.

Regarding Holy Warrior, I was intending that more for Demons, Devils & Fiends -- more like Smite Evil. Using it for other fights feels wrong. But, you know, a Vampire Sorcerer BBEG, or a Rakshasa, or a Demon Priest of Graz'zt -- that's my intention for Holy Warrior. Using it against a mindless zombie, drunken bar-fly, or even the average Goblin or Orc feels wrong. .... What do you think?

In this case, my rolls have been so poor that a +1 or +2 would not have mattered. I need more practice tossing 2d6. I'll get better -- if I survive, LOL!

Or The Darklight Order.

....And, hopefully 'not' clownish or buffoonish and incompetent.

What do y'all think of changing the name to 'The Darklight Order' like how they changed 'Scarlet Brotherhood' to Scarlet Order?

Kinda odd.

But I think I like it.

Hmm

I've always had the Darklight Sisterhood an organization in the same fashion as The Scarlet Brotherhood: Both male and female agents, members, operatives, etc. .... Maybe Abrogail Thrune I named it The Darklight Sisterhood and whenever you join you change your name to 'Darklight' -- male or female. I mean, there are plenty of "Sisters" (and "Aunts") among the Monks of The Scarlet Brotherhood.

And I've also always seen the Darklight Sisterhood as a powerful and respectable agency in Cheliax. I mean, it's State sponsored so it can be to archaeology'isms what the HellKnights are to Law and Order.

The Darklight Sisterhood are the agency of Cheliax dedicated to tracking down lost artifacts, relics and archaeological finds.

The Cheliax version of PFS. (It was introduced in Korvosa at the dawn of Pathfinder.)

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I haven't paid 'as much' attention to Pathfinder since PF2, sticking to original Pathfinder -- but I'm working on designing an urban campaign that takes place in Cheliax (Egorian, Westcrown, Corentyn) and the Darklight Sisterhood could be a major agency in the campaign -- maybe even the PCs *are* Darklight Sisterhood like some campaigns begin with: 'Your PC is a member of PFS.'

So I wanted to see if there was any new stuff.

But, whew, since there seems to not be, this gives me free reign as a DM to design what I need.

Has anything come out in the past 10-12 years mentioning the Darklight Sisterhood? Any 2nd Ed Society Scenarios? AP or stand-alone mentions? Write-Ups in backmatter material?

Thanks in advance!

Thanks DM -- and we all know personal life *will* keep us from PbP every once in a while.

Favor Request: Can you put, in the Campaign Tab under a new Spoiler, the contents of The Log Book and other clues (names of NPCs or such) we found onboard The Blue Nixie. I'm struggling to remember -- and scrolling through Gameplay is time consuming. Thanks! In mystery roleplaying, it's really helpful for us PCs to be able to look at a quick reference sheet while we're trying to figure stuff out. Over-the-Table we take notes or quickly ask the DM; here I think it may be easier just to have a section in the Campaign Info Tab of 'stuff we learned' readily available.

With the circumstantial clues found, Svetozar Lanezra heads off to the Azure District with everyone willing to come -- like last night, he'll need all the help he can get (Kora feels it's more than a one-hero job.) and thinks out loud of a gambit along the way.

He converses with the group:
'We don't want it to seem as though we're hunting for Brissa Santos, and I don't think I would vote for it being known we're searching for Vanthus and Lavinnia. .... Maybe we should treat it as though we're interested in incredible Beasts. She likely has an interest and maybe if we ask the right questions, either someone will point her to us, or us to her. If there's no contradiction among you all, I'll go with something like this':

In the Azure District, Svetozar Lanezra begins inquiries, wielding a thumb in the direction of Trail in the Woods, "My friend here and I managed to capture an incredible beast, a cross between, how to describe it, an Owl and a Bear. I've heard that around this District is a Brissa Santos who would like to buy such a creature. Can you point us in the right direction?"

When the DM knows we can segue, we segue; when the DM knows we can't, we don't. And the less we have to ask, the less our metagame assumptions creep in. If the Blue Nixie is a room-by-room with X and Y and Z then maybe we have to go little by little. If it's not then the DM can tell us we find a Vanderboren tied up in a cell. Or whatever.