Palace of Fallen Stars (GM Reference)

[MasterZelgadis]

Nice idea, but actually I like the idea of putting them into prison a bit more. Reason is, they will continue to keep a very low profile. So the resistance will never contact them, and they would soon run out of options. Another reason is, one of them stayed behind in a tavern with casandalee (which Khonnir transfered into an android body, liked the idea more to have her as an npc rather a device in a backpack). The barkeeper of that tavern actually has contacts to the resistance (he quite insisted that the PCs would spend the night in his tavern, so that he could make contact with the resistance. The PC could then make a plan with the resistance to free the others.
Well, that actually kind of makes reason 1 obsolete.. But I still would like that to have some harsh consequences, because just giving them the advice to replace it wold be just another "Yeah, of course we will do that.. scratch that, we will kill that guy anyway.." quest..
But I have more than a week to think about that. ^^

[Falcar]

My players are getting into this book, they found the Red Reaver and encountered the Doc but let him run away with most of his gear.
The Mockery Meeting I changed up a bit so that Mockery was not just one person, but the head of each cell of the Resistance was "Mockery" so the first one they met was Dral-Mok, but the second was a gnome, I mentioned that there were Mockery's of multiple races and style. Due to work schedules, one of the players, an Archeologist Bard, was going to be away for a few sessions, so I had him join as one of the many Mockery's. This way his character has a reason to be away but also can have him assist behind the scenes a bit more.

The rest of the party currently has the plan to cure Kevoth-Kul with a few doses of Cureall that will be laced into his food, drinks, and prize. They are planning to have a feast held as they honor him with a Dragon kill in his name, specifically the Dragon Maukui was inhabiting. Collecting ten doses of Cureall is the plan to have the King be dosed with the pharamsuetical to save him in a more descreet method, though the Life Oracle is planning to be nearby with a heal spell at the ready.

I am unsure of how this will go, because if this works, then the entire first two floors of the palace will by skipped.

[RedRobe]

Does anyone have any idea of Kevoth Kull's or Kul-Inkit's barbarian archetypes? I assume they're just baseline barbarians, but I might have overlooked something in their stat blocks. I'm converting them to 5e, so I want to choose a subclass that fits for the both of them.

[RedRobe]

Is there a thieves' guild in Starfall? Certain NPCs in the Technic League compound have teleport scrolls in their gear list. As I have converted to 5e, I want to change them to teleportation circle scrolls tied to the guild in Starfall if there is one. I found no reference to one in the Starfall gazetteer section in the adventure.

[Talsar Geldon]

I'm about to start running this book, and while looking through the various NPC'S, I have a couple of questions. Mockery and Saoria are missing their stat blocks. Am I supposed to make up their stats from scratch?
And Krimox the Thrice-Flensed only has have half a stat block. Where is the rest of his information?

[Mathmuse]

I made up Mockery's stats myself. My party never battled Saoria nor met Krimox the Thrice-Flensed, so I don't have stats for them.

For Mockery I started with a Blackraven Scout, ranger 6, and added one more level of ranger and five levels of vigilante. As a vigilante he had dual identities, Dral-Mok, former ranger in Kevoth-Kul's army and current businessman in the Killbox slums, and Mockery, vigilante trouble-maker against the Technic League and corrupt members of the palace guard.

Dral-Mok/Mockery:

Dral-Mok/Mockery
CR 11 12,800 XP
Human ranger 7/vigilante 5
CN Medium humanoid
Init +4; Senses Perception +10

Defense and Offense below are as Mockery.

DEFENSE
AC 18, touch 15, flat-footed 13 (+3 armor, +4 Dex, +1 dodge)
hp 96 (7d10+5d8+31)
Fort +9, Ref +14, Will +8

OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee +1 battleaxe +11/+6 (1d8+2/×3)
Ranged +1 composite (str 1) merciful longbow +12/+7 (1d8+1d6+2 nonlethal/19-20/×3)
Special Attacks favored enemy (giants +4, constructs +2), hidden strike 3d8

Ranger Spells Prepared (CL 4th; concentration +6)
1st - animal messenger, resist energy
2nd - chameleon stride (sometimes cure light wounds)

STATISTICS
Str 12, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 10
Base Atk +10/+5; CMB +11; CMD 25
Feats Deadly Aim, Dodge, Endurance, Improved Precise Shot*, Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot*, Weapon Focus (composite longbow), Improved Critical (composite longbow), Enforcer
*from Ranger combat style Archery
Skills
Acrobatics +13
Climb +12
Diplomacy +4
Intimidate +15
Heal +11
Knowledge (local) +10
Knowledge (geography) +4
Knowledge (nature) +9
Linguistics +1
Perception +11
Sense Motive +9
Stealth +19
Survival +10
Languages Common, Hallit, Halfling
SQ favored terrain (cold +2), hunter's bond (companions), track +3, wild empathy +5, woodland stride, dual identity(Dral-Mok/Mockery), seamless guise, vigilante specialization stalker, unshakable, startling appearance, social talents (renown, great renown, mockingbird), vigilante talent (shadow's sight, sure-footed)
Gear +1 leather armor; +2 composite (str 1) longbow with 20 arrows; +1 battleaxe; potions of cure moderate wounds [2]; acid [4]; tanglefoot bag [4]; smokestick [2]; cloak of resistance +1; cold weather survival gear; grappling hook;
Source http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/npc-s/npc-5/blackraven-scout

EDIT: I feel repetitive. I glanced back in this thread and see that I had already posted Mockery's stats on March 10, 2017.

[Talsar Geldon]

I'll take a look at you have for Mockery.
But this is getting frustrating. This isn't the first time I've had to deal with cut content in this AP. During Choking Tower, Ilarris Zesheshi had an item called Rift Boots that she was supposed to use to escape. The only problem was, they were cut from the book. The only place I could find information on these boots was on the authors blog.

[RedRobe]

Talsar Geldon wrote:

I'll take a look at you have for Mockery.

But this is getting frustrating. This isn't the first time I've had to deal with cut content in this AP. During Choking Tower, Ilarris Zesheshi had an item called Rift Boots that she was supposed to use to escape. The only problem was, they were cut from the book. The only place I could find information on these boots was on the authors blog.

I believe it was James Jacobs who said they were cut because they were too powerful for the adventure level.

[ryanhilt]

The party is getting to the sub-basement of the Technic League, and I'm looking ahead. The plasma ooze... that thing looks like a party killer... except maybe it's not? It doesn't fit anywhere on that floor. It's squeezing everywhere it goes if it gets out. But I don't think it can get out?
Here's a fun thing I'm trying to come to grips with: oozes do not have automatically have compression. *Technically* the plasma ooze can't leave it's cave-hole-thing without a DC 30 escape artist check, even though the text says it slithers out into the halls.
Does it stay put in it's cave, and use Magnetic Pulse, 20' reach, and plasma rays to attack from it's corner?

[Grumpus]

ryanhilt wrote:

The party is getting to the sub-basement of the Technic League, and I'm looking ahead. The plasma ooze... that thing looks like a party killer... except maybe it's not? It doesn't fit anywhere on that floor. It's squeezing everywhere it goes if it gets out. But I don't think it can get out?

Here's a fun thing I'm trying to come to grips with: oozes do not have automatically have compression. *Technically* the plasma ooze can't leave it's cave-hole-thing without a DC 30 escape artist check, even though the text says it slithers out into the halls.
Does it stay put in it's cave, and use Magnetic Pulse, 20' reach, and plasma rays to attack from it's corner?

It says it is a VARIANT of a plasma ooze, which to me means it wouldn't have the restrictions on movement as a normal plasma ooze, depending on the GMs whims.

I have found that in a lot of Paizo APs the authors/developers don't always understand the intricacies of the monsters they populate their adventures with. But while it may not by the letter of the rules, I usually go with the idea that monsters are supposed to able to do their schtick. In this case it should be able to ooze out of the area no matter the rules say.

[BrenTenkage]

So decided to make a new encounter in the prison.
As one of the players was a mutant experiment of ghartone, decided to take a page out of Fear n Hunger Termina

Meet Chaunger

https://fearandhunger.wiki.gg/wiki/Chaugnar#Battle-0

Chaunger CR 16
XP 76800
N Large Monstrous Humanoid (Giant)
Init +7; Senses Low-Light Vision, Scent, Darkvision 120ft; Perception +23
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DEFENSE
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AC 29, touch 12, flat-footed 26 (-1 size, +3 Dex, +17 natural)
hp 238 (19d10+133); Fast Healing 5
Fort +15, Ref +14, Will +11; +2 vs. enchantment
Defensive Abilities Bravery +5
DR 5/- Immunities Stun, Sickened, Nauseated Resist Acid 30, Fire 30 SR 24
Weaknesses Electricity Vulnerability
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OFFENSE
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Speed 30 ft.
Melee 2 slams +31 (2d6+13/x3)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks Constrict (2d6+13), Grab (slam)
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STATISTICS
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Str 36, Dex 16, Con 24, Int 6, Wis 6, Cha 6
Base Atk +19; CMB +33 (+37 grapple); CMD 46
Feats Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Great Cleave, Great Fortitude, Improved Grapple, Improved Initiative, Improved Sunder, Iron Will, Power Attack, Skill Focus (Perception)
Skills Climb +35, Perception +23
Languages Common
SQ Monstrous Humanoid Traits
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SPECIAL ABILITIES
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Constrict (Ex)
Chaunger can crush an opponent, dealing 2d6+13 bludgeoning damage, when it makes a successful grapple check (in addition to any other effects caused by a successful check, including additional damage).

Grab (Ex)
If a Chaunger hits with its slam attack(s), it deals normal damage and attempts to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. Grab can only be used against targets of a size Large or smaller.
The Chaunger has the option to conduct the grapple normally, or simply to use the part of its body it used in the grab to hold the opponent. If it chooses to do the latter, it takes a ?20 penalty on its CMB check to make and maintain the grapple, but does not gain the grappled condition itself.
A successful hold does not deal any extra damage unless the creature also has the constrict special attack. If the creature does not constrict, each successful grapple check it makes during successive rounds automatically deals the damage indicated for the attack that established the hold. Otherwise, it deals constriction damage as well (the amount is given in the creature?s descriptive text).
Creatures with grab receive a +4 bonus on combat maneuver checks made to start and maintain a grapple.

Bravery (Ex)
A Chaunger gains a + 5 on will saves against fear.

Monstrous Humanoid Traits
Monstrous humanoids are similar to humanoids, but with monstrous or animalistic features. They often have magical abilities as well.
-Darkvision 60 feet.
-Monstrous humanoids breathe, eat, and sleep.

Scent (Ex)
A Chaunger can detect approaching enemies, sniff out hidden foes, and track by sense of smell. They can detect opponents by sense of smell within 30 feet. If the opponent is upwind, the range is 60 feet. If it is downwind, the range is 15 feet. Strong scents, such as smoke or rotting garbage, can be detected at twice the ranges noted above. Overpowering scents, such as skunk musk or troglodyte stench, can be detected at three times these ranges.
The creature detects another creature's presence but not its specific location. Noting the direction of the scent is a move action. If the creature moves within 5 feet (1 square) of the scent's source, the creature can pinpoint the area that the source occupies, even if it cannot be seen.
A creature with the Survival skill and the scent ability can follow tracks by smell, making a Survival check to find or follow a track. A creature with the scent ability can attempt to follow tracks using Survival untrained. The typical DC for a fresh trail is 10. The DC increases or decreases depending on how strong the quarry's odor is, the number of creatures, and the age of the trail. For each hour that the trail is cold, the DC increases by 2. The ability otherwise follows the rules for the Survival skill in regards to tracking. Creatures tracking by scent ignore the effects of surface conditions and poor visibility. Creatures with the scent ability can identify familiar odors just as humans do familiar sights.
Water, particularly running water, ruins a trail for air-breathing creatures. Water-breathing creatures that have the scent ability, however, can use it in the water easily. False, powerful odors can easily mask other scents. The presence of such an odor completely spoils the ability to properly detect or identify creatures, and the base Survival DC to track becomes 20 rather than 10.

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ECOLOGY
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Environment:
Organization:
Treasure:

In combat if any one uses electric attacks it will go everything in its power to focus it, not caring of any AOO

Yeah for this I replaced the robots and the plasma ooze fight, and the kytons were slightly more friendly explaining, "yeah go ahead and fight it, if you die you help science, if you kill it, we learn more"

And let them pass forward into the cell area

Feel free to alter or use, thought I'd share my own GM work