Ah, yes. (Have I mentioned I’m not a fan of how imo unclearly those boxes are labeled :p
To me what struck me as a bit strange or out of place was that it is the player characters who are called on to be the ones called to treat with her. I mean from a gameplay perspective, of course: the PCs are the movers and shakers. But at this point the PCs are also random adventurers who might not even be from Sandpoint at all. They are not official representatives of Sandpoint and could easily have less claim to 'speak for the town' than the dozens of Sandpoint locals who approach to argue against the ritual. Aurahani - a cleric of a faith dedicated to helping lost souls - and Abstalar - a figure who both represents the institution that failed her and regrets it and a man who clearly knows her story deeply - narratively seem to make much more sense as the people delivering said apology and forgiveness.
The leshy crafter looks around, still confused as he takes in all of the bizarre sights. Everything different a minute ago. Well, the same. But it looked like that same was 'good'. He turns to the monolith. It still stands with swirling curving script, but the magical glow is no more. I saw this fancy standing stone, clearly left by ancient druids and spirits. Then think I tripped or something. Woke up, the whole forest around looked wrong. I thought I was fixing things. But the pollution...was me? While the leaf leshy processes what may have happened, Bláinn and Hallow looking around see that the remaining macabre leshys are still moving around. Some seem to slowly be sloughing off some of the rocks and animal parts the crafter had used for their bodies. They look like the bodies these nature spirits are animating are slowly returning towards 'normal', but some odd an ominous signs still remain on them.
You continue through the fog. It stubbornly refuses to lift. Every so often there is a flash of light up above you - like a lightning flash, but unaccompanied but any peal of thunder. But you have faith and push through the mist. Until after hours it thins just in time for you to halt before stepping right into an old mudflow. The wreckage of a carriage is mired in the shallow mud basin of a meander of the Path River, seemingly driven off the road by a mudslide. The carriage train once bordered on opulent with its colorful paint, decorative filigree, and plush cabins, but it shows little of its former elegance. Of the occupants and team of horses that had once pulled the caravan, no trace remains. ...actually that may not be true. Milling about near the wrecked carriage stands a horse whose skin is ripped and torn and covered in fatal wounds that it is ignoring. And several shambling figures roam on the south bank of the basin. GM:
Tux 27
Initative Tux
Stocked, supplied, and forewarned about your mission, Envi and Claudiette both wish you luck as the six of you depart. The trek out from Caliphas is uneventful and smooth as you can mostly stick to well-paved roads. With each day however you see less and less fellow travellers as you go. The last stretch is particularly odd: beautiful fields stretch out to either side of an otherwise deserted thoroughfare being walked down only by yourselves. Early on the third day you can see up ahead the stone bridge Caludiette wrote about in her report. The old bridge crosses over one of the narrowest points of the Path River, marking a demarcation between the dubious safety of Ustalav for the wilds of the Gravelands. The stretch of path leading to the bridge has clearly not been kept up for many years but the bareness of the river banks and sparse foliage keeps it easy to follow. A light mist draws itself up from the river below, setting the far shore in a slight haze. GM:
Cordelia and Ahzeem up ahead can make out what look like four figures sitting near the river's edge on the Ustalav side. They can make out fragments of a conversation. *…hope they managed to stumble back into a town all right.
That's the one! (or close enough: eventually they'd need to winnow each other down; for that mission they're still training and used to test you) Chronicles are up HERE. Please let me know if there are any issues or corrections needed!
We are very near the end of the scenario, so if you all could double-check you posted info and roll any Day Jobs you may or may not have/care to that'll help me make sure I can get chronicles out swiftly!
That lunging jump is exactly the sort of thing I'd've granted a Hero Point for...were this yet a system that had those.
As frustrating as I understand a maze like this can be, you've stumbled across something you can now vent your frustrations out on in combat! (and so far while the dead ends and backtracking are annoying and time-wasting {you're still doing okay on it: as this fight begins you've expended ~40 minutes as this fight begins} you have been relatively stealthy by getting into the base quickly and avoiding setting off several loud hazards or traps. Hence you're still catching this set of ysoki by surprise.
The sylph jumps to the moment and lines up an incredibly tightly-aimed arc. The electricity dances through the two smaller debris chunks, fully obliterating the smallest while leaving the 'middle' piece of shrapnel badly scorched. Meanwhile Sefel aims at the easiest target, and while one of his blasts still misses the first opens some holes in the piece.
Gunnz continues to help you all line up your shots!
Thanks to Gunnz's evasive maneuvers, all of the shots against you miss!
Average level is 10.0 not counting your PC cmlobue so we'll definitely be low tier regardless of our 6th PC. And yes: Magic Officer is pretty nice. Many of its options overlap with other Ship Roles but I'm a big fan of having alternate options to let more builds engage with Starship Combat
Manny focuses on the dreamscpae around you all . Shylye's prescence solidifes once more as the bard channels pure will into reshaping the dreamscape. The celestial moves about the space gathering each last escaped fragment of Zarta's being. Slowly the disparate pieces of memory and soul are brought together and as they clump there is a *flash* and the mass races back into Zarta's head. Zarta herself finally twitches, followed shortly by a moan as her body starts to stir. In the corner of the room Aslynn frowns for the first time. Meanwhile the edges of the lodge begin to shift at the edges of your vision and each of you feels a faint but growing *tugging* sensations. Your astral forms are getting pulled back to your physical bodies as
Discussion Thread! Feel free to post in here and discuss your characters. If you could let me know you: Character name:
Also if you have any GM glyphs to apply here, or any weird character element (especially important passive abilities like Trap Spotter) I should know about please let me know that as well!
Knocked to the ground, Vella shoves herself up and stares out at the frothing Bremix. It's the fault of Aslynn! And at this point yourself; we have risked our lives to rescue all of you, but if you refuse to accept the hands given out with generosity then I pity you. But I cannot let you hurt any more!
for
And chrocniles are up HERE! Please let me know if anything needs to be corrected! The boon on the chronicle: It seems that Aslynn's schemes made her an irritant to another powerful witch of note - a witch who is so pleased with your defeat of the hag that she's willing to offer a favor in return - a character of your choice can get access to the rare Baba Yaga witch patron option.
I mean most parties can take advantage of Frightened enemies - it reduces their saves and ACs while also protecting you by their attacks and DCs. But like most spells it’s a matter of how and when you use it. Since Frightened naturally goes away, casting Fear right away only for the rest of the party to spend the following turn bugging or moving, or when the ememy’s turn is directly after you (and so it’s condition will be better by the time any of you can act) isn’t making good use of the debuff. But you could hold off the spell until your Allie’s are in the thick of it, or even Delay to cast it right after a group of enemies go to get a full ‘rounds-worth’ of the higher Frightened condition. It’s a good spell, but like most control spells in 2e knowing when to use which tool is key. Slow (regular or heightened) is usually best as an opener, Synethesia (which is already one of the more overturned spells) is most effective when the whole party’s set up for one big turn on the boss. More awareness of the current tactical situation is required compared to the plethora of 1e control spells that were ‘save or lose’ It’s also normal that higher rank spells are better and more desireable to use in more situations than lower rank ones. But there are cases where you might either be out of those or not want to use them on a more moderate encounter when you know there’s more to come: then lower-rank control spells like Fear can still maintain their usefulness (often much more than lower-rank blasting magic)
Tocti’s eyes widen. A ball of string…that’s dangerous! Not fun! All of the pahtra’s instincts fail her for a moment at this unfathomable situation. But just a moment - she’s a Starfinder after all. Quickly starting to sprint down the bridge she yells as she does so - Move! Move!!You can take yourr picturres frrom the other side!
Unfortunately even with some pointers it comes across as more of a ‘charging snarling cat hissing at you’
Evasive Manuevers Lifft! Atu explains as they focus. We will see if e can provide some distractions. Slosing all of thier eyes in prayer, Atu reaches out to Hylax. Inspired by the Union they are leaving, the mutter from many, one and pray for a miracle - a miracle of the Thunderbolt disassembling itself inot dozens of smaller component ships all scattering away as they outnumber the pirate and overwhelm their sensors.
In 'live' game tonight, so next post after/tomorrow AM. And for Astrid's very fair question about 'why not just use the Draught again ASAP to get into Zarta's head: the Draught cannot be used to link to an individual's dreamscape multiple times within the same rest. Until Zarta awakens from her current slumber, it will not open a doorway into a dream it has already breached.
The 'free rebuild for every existing/reported character' has a deadline of 12/31/2024, which is the end of next year. So your alchemist can wait until Core 2 is released next summer and still have 6 months to decide if they want to rebuild to incorporate those changes. It's a very far out deadline, with the caveat each character can only take advantage of it once.
a) Sorry - slightly longer pause post-Turkey Day than expected! b) Whoever decided 9 years into her presence that Aslynn suddenly rhymes all the time like Gruntilda now...well it makes it a bit slower to type those posts :p
Tocti gracefully dives from the plane upon arrival and lands on her feet just like a…person who is good at landing. As the ryphorian host explains the meal of the day, her fur begins to dampen a bit with sweat. Shellfish. Why couldn’t it be free-range fish. Much better at catching those. Looking to Lapodie, she whispers Yourr worrld is highly aquatic. Perrrhaps you could drraw on that to give some perrrsonal flairr to the rrolls?
Astrid’s second attempt at a story again starts off on a bad note as Narcela doesn’t seem to get the connection between Amma’s exploits and the current situation as much as Astrid does. But when Astrid takes in her audience’s reactions and tweaks the tale accordingly Narcela gets more into it and is nodding along by the end. Well, your family certainly has a colorful history. But I suppose I see your meaning. Hags, and my mother, are devious cruel and dangerous. But they are not invincible.
The Ardis Scholar smiles as Fortiva joins her once more - and even further as the chirper is silenced. Thanks. So much easier to focus! She is a bit surprised at the hug, but accepts it. And yes, we Acholars may have taken a bad hit from Aslynn's focus on us the last couple of years, but in the process I have been able to make some breakthroughs. See, hold that there for just...a...bit... She directs both Drak and Fortiva to hold some crystals close together while she carefully wraps some filament around them. You see, these crystals will work as capacitors to channel the Satasian energy through the coils and electric relays. It'll give a solid charge on its own, but the real kicker is how they react to certain other energies. Like ethereal ones. she smirks. That should cause a minor feedback loop, which shunts...well the math is complicated. But the summary is it'll serve as an extraplanar inhibitor. She stands up and takes a look at the recent work. Well, it will be soon. Assuming we can get all of these set quick enough. Revecka then sheepishly kneels back down and slightly adjusts the few crystals Drak had been holding.
"I was trapped beneath the sands once myself, but not for as long as you." she reminisces. "I have heard the stars are other worlds, similar to ours. Is that why you call yourself Star? You wish to visit them one day?" Star responds in a slow and calm voice to the question. Teja tries to keep up with Star on the topic, talking about what she knows of Astronomy and their movement through the sky and space, but the automaton doesn't seem to fully warm to how she presents the topic. "We tonight seek to put an end to a Dream-Stealing Witch's schemes - I am wondering if, having divined them for so long, you are able to foresee any contingencies we haven't already considered?" Star sighs. They turn their head down towards the two of you.
Narcela listens to Astrid's tale while she works, but the saga puts the changeling even more on edge. Gingerbread hags - nasty sorts. But Aslynn's a night hag and they're even more powerful. Plus in that story so many children were killed before she was finally stopped! Patrick's contributions seem to put her a bit more at ease however, especially as he mentions Revecka. Oh that was you! Yes, they made her day! I'll be honest I can't fully understand what she's talking about when working half the time, but what she can come up with. And create! It's genius! And she just keeps on no matter what problems crop up. Ah, see! Looking over Patrick's notes and sorted documents prompts Narcela to pull out a complex-looking schematic of a small projector. Recognize this? When we captured the Gale's Claw Revecka was able to study the ship and reverse engineer it. Aslynn stole enough components from the Arids Scholars that I wouldn't be surprised if she were able to build another airship, but Ree's containment field can jam it too. Even if she arrives in a ship, their own Stasian engines won't be able to draw on the needed power to transit back out to another plane!
So, trying to divvy up the tables for levels, classes, characters, etc So, could the following PCs please check in HERE Atae (witch 7)
-- And could these lovely six please check in HERE, for Table 2 Drak (Bard 8)
And for any others, unfortunately I'm capped and a bit at my limit atm to be unable to run a 3rd table right now. But never fear! There will be more games coming in the future!
Rescuing the scholars is what we came here to do. Vella argues. If we can ride away with one of Aslynn's vessels all the better, but the seneschal's notes imply there's something in the vault we'd need to recover to make it usable, did they not? If so, and in case we do not have time to make it to all three spaces, I feel Cetezar must be the priority. . As the group debates, Vella looks over Dinetrie. Are you badly injured?
This is the same day. And yes - these undead seem to have interrupted your preperations a bit early. Very ride of them I know :)
Vella peers over the offered items. Glancing at that strange coil, she unhooks her shield from her back and says to it: This could be an interesting addition. What do you think? Unexpectedly a quiet voice emmanates from the shield in response: if it could help guard you and our fellows i would be adorned with it. The dwrf begins affixing the talsiman to her shield while explaining to those with confused expressions on their faces. Apologies, didn't mean to be rude. This is Myrsa. We found each other a few months back - may be different faiths but in the major things we agree. And rescuing these trapped scholars is something important to both of us.
Yes: congrats (once again for the wedding part, new for the MBA element) to you Zenith/redeux! And a pre-emptive congrats to you and yours rainzax/Moonlight! As for the rest of you Chronicles are once again HERE. Anything I did wrong while tired and that needs fixing let me know! I'll report the session in a day or two to give time to point out any major corrections.
"Hmm? The venture-captain says at Manny's comment. He notices the bard's injuries, and Franzine's Ah Balentiir grimaces and looks frustrated, but says: After all you've done for us, our lodge will give you as much assitacne as we can. I can call in a few favors to get those wounds cleansed and cured. It may draw the Ruby Prince's attnetion a bit towards us, but it is the right thing to do given all your help.
Toruk quickly and eagerly moves to borrow one of the recovered Umbral Vises from you as Manny continues their tale. Hmm. Fascinating object. Detecting some energy leakage here. Esocteric design. Who crafted these?* While the Venture Captain and Kinlynn listen with rapt attention as Manny describes the pyramid itself. The Horizon Hunter rep furiously scribbles notes and Balentiir notes aloud: We'll make sure to secure that amulet until it can be cleansed then. But you say the pyramid this path led to seemed to be mobile? Some form of interplanar vessel? The venture-captain scratches his chin. I've heard of planar vehciles of course, but something of that scope created so long ago - this could be a remarkable discovery on a purely mechincal level alone! And if it is also the resting place of a pahroah's consort and her forces...We'll need to arrange some further expeditions as soon as we can get the resources. Especially now that it sounds like you have secured it from threats. The venture-captain nods satisfied. Again, you have my thanks for once again helping defend our lodge and rescuing our agents. As you've well faced yourselves we've had plenty of trouble with undead lately - he pauses, then looks at 'Wormcaller' -though I have heard some unusal reports from other lodges of certain types of those adjusting smoothly into our organization. Perhaps we could talk further over the coming days. Turnign back to rest of you, he continues But a demon was unexpected. As it this other group you mentionned . These 'Ardis Scholars'? Do you think they are the reasons our lodge seems to have been targetted? And why, what have we done to draw the ire of that fiend of this research group?
Moonlight: I'll admit to being just as confused as anyone there for a bit until I realized what you were doing. So this is going to be the origin story for your future skeleton character? If so...well done! And it was my pleasure to run for all of you! This was a fun group, and it can be great to keep a party together across several scenarios to build a greater group-vibe and narrative.
Spoilers: It was that damned fr-fr-fr-frightened penalty (Ref DC 30, their best save) Does Manny's heroism give a +1 or +2 to rolls? +1 status bonus
While the 'lillend's arrow delivers a perfect shot on the organ-spider, the strange thing seeems unfazed and unharmed by the strike! And as Manny and Itka both feel a bit off from the whispered words echoing in their head, Itka's feel more personally targetted. you seek to play with shadows? you think they are your allies?
Initiative
GM:
Moonlight:
The structure of his organs is messed up. Even for an outsider the organs seem to have been manipulated and moves about in bizarre ways and there are signs of extensive damage (and repairs, then more damage over a long time) to his musculature and veins. You are able to notice a potentially exposed weak spot however. Itka:
Glurorchaes is a Velstrac - a fiend who lives in the Netherworld seeking enlightenment and sensation through self-mutilation and pain In particular he appears to be an Ostiarius: a breed that tend to serve as emissaries between velstracs and other creatures. portals, yes the figure replies to Manny several little needles stabbed between your world and this one lately. those other folk, so curious. I am certain they learned so much. He grins. Janahar here got lost over here thanks to one. and i imagine you followed a similar path
GM:
MANNY? Is...is that you? the woman says. She seems confused by your nonchalant attitude next to the mummy. I'm all right but your friend...has he turned? Meanwhile the other figure also responds to the bard's question. ah. so you must be the heroes my friend was so sure would come to rescue her. or perhaps just more lost lambs in need of help? i am Glurorchaes. and you seem very far from home. he says as he eyes your party. well, perhaps most of you dears at least as his gaze lands on Zenith. Glurorchaes helped me stay alive here! Janahar empathically explains. I got separated from Yawellis and then Tetabu. And then the undead kept coming but he helped drive them off! She moves towards you in relief, and you can see her own exposed skin is covered in scratches and cuts. Meanwhile Glurorchaes merely nods and gestures towards a corner of the room where several strange and distorted bones lie smashed. it was my pleasure to help a lost mortal embrace their freedom. Manny:
That man is definitely odd - and is bearing some gnarly injuries - but while he does not seem to be human you're also not quite sure what he is Moonlight: This man - cloaked in shadows and with every sculpted muscle of his body covered in deep and presumably painful wounds - is a velstrac: fiends who live in the Netherworld seeking enlightenment and sensation through self-mutilation and pain . From this one's still relatively 'normal' appearance you estimate this is perhaps an Ostiarius: a breed that tend to serve as emissaries between velstracs and other creatures and that frequently tend to portals between the Netherworld and other realms.
Just hadn't been updated - you're fine (for now...)
MAnny lashes out at the non-mummy target before him but firghtened as he is he just cant put enough force behind the swing to wrap around it. Luckily his previous step back gave him some breathing room and his soothing spell knits together a lot of his injuries Zenith, now mobile again, is hit hard by the undead's cry. Luckily they manage to hit back at the creature and quaff a potion themselves. Then they vanish in the blink of an eye before reappearing...exactly where they were. Zenith:
You feel a tugging sensation that you're not quite able to fight off. In the blink of an eye the room before you changes: its general shape and size is the same but everything is dark and dim. The ceiling is still adorned with a painted map but the planes depicted seem in a different alignment. The sarcophagus on the raised dais is not positioned shoved hard against the stairwell behind you. What's more, while the Umbral Vise is still sitting and glowing in its same position all of the undead - and your allies - are no longer there!
Instead the room's only occupant seems to be a dwarven man with a shaved head. His features are hard to make out as he too is shrouded in the gloom lingering around the whole room but his eyes catch yours for a moment and he says - in Common - What's going on? Is it safe to flip ba- Just as abruptly you seem back in the same room you were just in, encroaching mummy and bony figures and your allies and all. Initiative
Moonlight 6/56 HP, Quickened 1, invisible
Either way it would've just been one more but yeah - tricky to play an immobile character so glad to have you back in the fight!
Currently mid-ish way through this AP as a player To echo but elaborate a bit on the above: the AP can be quite fun but the player's guide for it I found to be a bit rougher than most. The 'Recommended Skills' section I know was called out at the time and the Devs' response was Medicine was on the 'Not Recommended' list because there was nothing/little in the three adventures where it came up. While that may be true that there may be almost no 'Medicine Check' bits in the AP, the skill itself is just as useful for an adventuring party to heal as ever. Regarding the classes, as Bag of Marbles says they are listed much more in a 'theme/setting commonality' way than 'use in an adventuring party. Take the Wizard - it's lumped into 'Appropriate' because narratively magic is super unreliable in Alkenstar and so there's little reason for wizard schools to be set up there. . But Mechanically the AP sort of handwaves all that and says magic's assumed to function reliably for the players. While it doesn't make any sense for a party full of druids and wizards to join up in alkenstar, the AP itself would work just fine with them. I will say the alchmeist isn't quite as bad as its reputation after a progressive series of buffs and new releases since the edition launched . Inventors too are fine - they're not a 'top tier' but in general APs aren't meant to require higher-end optimization to work. That said, both classes are on the more complicated side to build/play enjoyably, so they might not be the best for brand new players to the system.
Zenith: you are now no longer paralyzed. There was an update/revision to the scenario after it was originally released that made a few changes, including to this encounter. The most relevant - the despair aura's paralysis effect was reduced to just a single round on a failure (rather than 1d4).
I have and am continuing to go through to confirm no one lese has been penalized by me using the old encounter verison Very much apologize for any inconvenience/encounter error - as you can tell this is a difficult enough situation as it is!
1. To disable in a way it could still function later would be two actions adjacent to it (no check needed since you’ve learned a lot about how they work). You could also just smack it hard with something and it’d break for good - these things are very delicate.
Dumb barely relevant quote but this is is ooc thread so who cares:
-‘The Remonster can only be killed by stabbing him in the heart with the ancient bone saber of Zumacalis!’
~’Or maybe his head and lungs too. Just stab him wherever.’ -‘And the saber probably doesn't have to be bone.’ ~’Yeah, just anything sharp lying around the house.’ -‘You could poke him with a pillow and kill him’ 2.Retroactively no. If you speak ‘modern’ Osiriani there are enough similar words that you may recognize a bit or snippets but imprecisely. 3. I’ll rule here that the flourish could be visual and audible (but not needing to understand the exact wording). So a lack of shared language would not make her immune to that spell.
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