Pathfinder Adventure Path #114: Black Stars Beckon (Strange Aeons 6 of 6) (PFRPG)

Where is the point in statting up a creature who´s view turns your skin to immobile stone?

I guess you get a (ridiculously high) fortitude save to avoid that, but for me that pretty much kills the appeal of Ghatanothoa.
Having to blindfold or even blind yourself and working with blindfight or blindsense, blindsight etc. would be much more horrifying.

greater invisibility

Rest assured, a high level party can handle such monster abilities.

If it is Ghatanothoa... how perfect will the art be? ^_^

Not nearly perfect enough to make all who view it petrify into a living mummy, fortunately.

Where is the point in statting up a creature who´s view turns your skin to immobile stone?

I guess you get a (ridiculously high) fortitude save to avoid that, but for me that pretty much kills the appeal of Ghatanothoa.
Having to blindfold or even blind yourself and working with blindfight or blindsense, blindsight etc. would be much more horrifying.

Because it's not automatic; you get a saving throw. But if you're not quite high level, it's gonna be a hard save to make. Especially at a rate of once per round.

The scary thing of a great old one isn't what it does to a high level party. It's what it can do to a settlement that it enters. Kind of like how people view meteor swarm and invision massive boulders from the sky. This is the reverse, these are engines that can destroy civilizations. For example, PC's are unique, they are the protagonists of the story. They are supposed to be exceptional so they can take down a big great antagonist. If everyone was the same level it wouldn't be nearly as fun to enjoy :) I look forward to the next great old one because I like to use them in my kingmaker game. If 100% encounter happens, a great old one awakens and walks through town. They make their stability check to properly evacuate the settlement.

The scary thing of a great old one isn't what it does to a high level party. It's what it can do to a settlement that it enters. Kind of like how people view meteor swarm and invision massive boulders from the sky. This is the reverse, these are engines that can destroy civilizations. For example, PC's are unique, they are the protagonists of the story. They are supposed to be exceptional so they can take down a big great antagonist. If everyone was the same level it wouldn't be nearly as fun to enjoy :) I look forward to the next great old one because I like to use them in my kingmaker game. If 100% encounter happens, a great old one awakens and walks through town. They make their stability check to properly evacuate the settlement.

Wait, so how doesn't the world end each time that happens?

Where is the point in statting up a creature who´s view turns your skin to immobile stone?

I guess you get a (ridiculously high) fortitude save to avoid that, but for me that pretty much kills the appeal of Ghatanothoa.
Having to blindfold or even blind yourself and working with blindfight or blindsense, blindsight etc. would be much more horrifying.

Might even be amusing for the GOO to get it's butt kicked by PCs wearing all sorts of concealing headgear. Each strike shatters the headgear so they must scramble around looking for lampshades.

Oliver Veyrac wrote:

The scary thing of a great old one isn't what it does to a high level party. It's what it can do to a settlement that it enters. Kind of like how people view meteor swarm and invision massive boulders from the sky. This is the reverse, these are engines that can destroy civilizations. For example, PC's are unique, they are the protagonists of the story. They are supposed to be exceptional so they can take down a big great antagonist. If everyone was the same level it wouldn't be nearly as fun to enjoy :) I look forward to the next great old one because I like to use them in my kingmaker game. If 100% encounter happens, a great old one awakens and walks through town. They make their stability check to properly evacuate the settlement.

Wait, so how doesn't the world end each time that happens?

That's actually how it is supposed to be each time that happens :)

Oliver Veyrac wrote:

The scary thing of a great old one isn't what it does to a high level party. It's what it can do to a settlement that it enters. Kind of like how people view meteor swarm and invision massive boulders from the sky. This is the reverse, these are engines that can destroy civilizations. For example, PC's are unique, they are the protagonists of the story. They are supposed to be exceptional so they can take down a big great antagonist. If everyone was the same level it wouldn't be nearly as fun to enjoy :) I look forward to the next great old one because I like to use them in my kingmaker game. If 100% encounter happens, a great old one awakens and walks through town. They make their stability check to properly evacuate the settlement.

Wait, so how doesn't the world end each time that happens?

IIRC, it comes down to the fact that a Great Old One's rise is extremely rare and requires specific circumstances. That's sort of the point. This is something that happens once every few millennia, if not longer. So either the last time was long enough ago that no current civilizations remember it, or the world was lucky enough for a band of adventurers to banish it or put it back to sleep or stop the summoning ritual. (After all, in the old stories, the entities of the Mythos aren't traditionally stopped by sword-wielding adventurers, they're stopped by luck and sacrifice and knowing how to prevent their appearance at all.)

CorvusMask wrote:

Oliver Veyrac wrote:

The scary thing of a great old one isn't what it does to a high level party. It's what it can do to a settlement that it enters. Kind of like how people view meteor swarm and invision massive boulders from the sky. This is the reverse, these are engines that can destroy civilizations. For example, PC's are unique, they are the protagonists of the story. They are supposed to be exceptional so they can take down a big great antagonist. If everyone was the same level it wouldn't be nearly as fun to enjoy :) I look forward to the next great old one because I like to use them in my kingmaker game. If 100% encounter happens, a great old one awakens and walks through town. They make their stability check to properly evacuate the settlement.

Wait, so how doesn't the world end each time that happens?

IIRC, it comes down to the fact that a Great Old One's rise is extremely rare and requires specific circumstances. That's sort of the point. This is something that happens once every few millennia, if not longer. So either the last time was long enough ago that no current civilizations remember it, or the world was lucky enough for a band of adventurers to banish it or put it back to sleep or stop the summoning ritual. (After all, in the old stories, the entities of the Mythos aren't traditionally stopped by sword-wielding adventurers, they're stopped by luck and sacrifice and knowing how to prevent their appearance at all.)

I meant that if he uses a system in kingmaker where rolling 1 in 100 wakens up the great old one, wouldn't campaign end instantly when that happens?

Apologies, I misunderstood the larger question. Yeah, unless the adventurers have an opportunity to prevent the awakening or a deus ex machina ready to go, an awakened and present Great Old One should effectively end the campaign.

Who is the lady on the cover again.

Looks like a garbage tier waifu to me.

Kinda lost me there. :-)

Kinda lost me there. :-)

Dank memes can be googled ya know :D

(though thats just me saying that trying to explain that joke would give me headache)

Anime kids and their memes and goggles...

Looks like a garbage tier waifu to me.

YOU CALLED?

So, all good times and all.

But, I'm still curious who the lady with the (I suspect) Sphere Of Annihilation is. :-)

Plausible Pseudonym wrote:

Looks like a garbage tier waifu to me.

YOU CALLED?

I only call up that which I can put down. So yes.

I only call up that which I can put down. So yes.

Nice reference. ^_^

(And quite apt, given the product. I don't think we have stats for those creatures yet, unfortunately.)

So, all good times and all.

But, I'm still curious who the lady with the (I suspect) Sphere Of Annihilation is. :-)

Any guesses?

I already made mine, way back at the start of the thread. ^_^

Yay for incremental progress!

Now, if you would explain it for someone that hasn't read a bit of Lovecraft but is genuinely interested. :-)

Use spoilers if you want to, I'm GMing it so no big deal. :-)

This is even older and more obscure than Lovecraft's work, and the specific reference is obscure within the source.

any chance on getting some beautiful beasties from Frank Belknap Long in this one? my Hounds of Tindalos are getting kinda lonely... (makes a half-attempt at hoping we'll see Cahugnar and her Brothers, as well as her servants, the Miri Nigri)

This is even older and more obscure than Lovecraft's work, and the specific reference is obscure within the source.

** spoiler omitted **

Neato! Thanks! I've learned so much from this adventure path. :-)

wishing i could time travel, but don't want to anger the hounds of Tindalos

MythicFox wrote:

CorvusMask wrote:

Oliver Veyrac wrote:

The scary thing of a great old one isn't what it does to a high level party. It's what it can do to a settlement that it enters. Kind of like how people view meteor swarm and invision massive boulders from the sky. This is the reverse, these are engines that can destroy civilizations. For example, PC's are unique, they are the protagonists of the story. They are supposed to be exceptional so they can take down a big great antagonist. If everyone was the same level it wouldn't be nearly as fun to enjoy :) I look forward to the next great old one because I like to use them in my kingmaker game. If 100% encounter happens, a great old one awakens and walks through town. They make their stability check to properly evacuate the settlement.

Wait, so how doesn't the world end each time that happens?

IIRC, it comes down to the fact that a Great Old One's rise is extremely rare and requires specific circumstances. That's sort of the point. This is something that happens once every few millennia, if not longer. So either the last time was long enough ago that no current civilizations remember it, or the world was lucky enough for a band of adventurers to banish it or put it back to sleep or stop the summoning ritual. (After all, in the old stories, the entities of the Mythos aren't traditionally stopped by sword-wielding adventurers, they're stopped by luck and sacrifice and knowing how to prevent their appearance at all.)

I meant that if he uses a system in kingmaker where rolling 1 in 100 wakens up the great old one, wouldn't campaign end instantly when that happens?

That actually happens in the Kingmaker game I am DMing. The game takes place in Obsidian Apocalypse which is where I am DMing Strange Aeons as well. We apply different campaign worlds for each DM, as just different campaign worlds add different challenges that players must play in. .

Who is the lady on the cover again.

Cassilda if I recall is her name. She be cool as can be! Hopefully she is akin to a soulbound doll. There is also a moth named after her in the real world. Another reason I love Desna worship in Strange Aeons :) I will also be afraid if there is a Vampire Named Carmilla who is Cassilda's sister ;)

no, Carmilla is different from Camilla. Cassilda and Camilla is Robert W. Chambers, Carmilla is Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu. Also, If Camilla and Cassilda will be present, I hope Uoht and Thale are as well ;)

I´m curious about the stats for "Erich Zann" in this.
He´ll most probably be a bard.

Ah well, the first subscribers will be getting this on monday 6th of february.

Woot! Can't wait!

So question, this AP is not showing up under my subscriptions nor my purchases, is that normal?

Yup, it's the transition between no pending order and order pending. :-)

Ah, ok, good, I was worried :)

I meant that if he uses a system in kingmaker where rolling 1 in 100 wakens up the great old one, wouldn't campaign end instantly when that happens?

Not necessarily, chances are instead people will seek out an elder sign. Which is a campaign in of itself. It's pretty easy to do in kingmaker as well.

I´m just curious... would it matter if the PCs just happen to have brought one particular musical instrument all the way from part 1 when they meet this mute musician?

I'm assuming they jam out to Call of Ktulu...

Flute type? Flutes are very important :) So are Basso's and Clarinets

I prefer electric Les Paul myself..

I'm a big fan of Telecasters myself.

Or a nice deep red Gibson SG. :-)

Captain,

Those are nice. But I was thinking Les Paul because that's what Kirk plays a good bit. (Kirk Hammett btw.)

Yeah but Tony Iommi, of Black Sabbath plays a red Gibson SG. :-)

I understand that, Captain. However while I love Black Sabbath, I have Metallica tattooed on the inner walls of my heart and on my brain stem.

Perhaps, but when the game just happens to give you a masterwork violoncello (without a bow) in the second or third room, I would expect someone to keep it.

Anyone have there copy yet?

Doubt it, the snow storm in Seattle Sunday night into Monday prevented most from making it to the office.

Hopefully, they're all safe and sound and the snow has melted by now. :-)

"The snow melted by now", that is lot faster then it melts for me and I live in Virginia Beach.

It's amazing how quickly it can melt out there. As a Wisconsin native I was always shocked at how fast it would go away. :-)

"You mean, it's not going to be here in May?... are you sure..."

Edit: though they did get a bit of it, so I guess it could stick around for an extra day or so. :-)

While this is all incredibly off topic, the snow melted into slush by the evening, and then promptly froze into sheets of ice overnight. I slid right into work today. :)

Glad to hear you are safe though ^w^