I'm not sure if this has already been answered, but what terrain is Divinity considered? I was thinking urban, underground, or just a unique environment.For the purposes of things like ranger favored terrain? Underground.
Yeah that exactly what I was thinking. Thanks.
Boy, I have a lot of questions!
So, if the PCs publicly kill some of the Watchful (the ostiarus kytons made to appear like androids) in Hope's android village, does that count against the check to break the village's faith of Unity? I would think so because the general populace of androids does not know that the Watchful are the Watchful, they just think they are fellow androids. However, I think this must have been an oversight because there are 10 watchful, which would result in a -100 modifier to the check to disrupt their faith.
Creative Director
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Boy, I have a lot of questions!
So, if the PCs publicly kill some of the Watchful (the ostiarus kytons made to appear like androids) in Hope's android village, does that count against the check to break the village's faith of Unity? I would think so because the general populace of androids does not know that the Watchful are the Watchful, they just think they are fellow androids. However, I think this must have been an oversight because there are 10 watchful, which would result in a -100 modifier to the check to disrupt their faith.
Nope; it doesn't count.
So are the kytons serving Unity faithful, as in religious, to him, or Zon-Kuthon?
Another thing, the front inside cover of The Divinity Drive suggests that the Divinity was just one ship in a series of similar ships. Could someone elucidate on this? This somehow seems off.
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Another thing, the front inside cover of The Divinity Drive suggests that the Divinity was just one ship in a series of similar ships. Could someone elucidate on this? This somehow seems off.
Divinity was essentially akin to the locomotive, and the rest of the ships were the train itself. Those ships are what scattered across Numeria when the whole thing crashed during the Rain of Stars.
Another thing, the front inside cover of The Divinity Drive suggests that the Divinity was just one ship in a series of similar ships. Could someone elucidate on this? This somehow seems off.Divinity was essentially akin to the locomotive, and the rest of the ships were the train itself. Those ships are what scattered across Numeria when the whole thing crashed during the Rain of Stars.
That makes sense. That also answers why some of the ruins explored had there own names (Aurora, Chrysallis, etc.)
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It's been a long time coming.. but I'm finally preparing prep for the 6th book! My players are just starting the 5th book, but after wrapping up the splash page (I usually put significant NPCs they've allied with on there) I got a tinge of nostalgia.
They've normalized relationships with Redfang to a degree before they left for the scar of the spider.
"If you ever need my bow, you know where to find me.."
They've yet to encounter Zernebeth, so an alliance is still uncertain but currently the party is entering book 5 with Ilarris and Isuma as NPCs they're having tag along (I use leadership differently). Been interesting role-playing them both as Isuma is distant, and Ilarris very headstrong. The technic-league mercenary (Hyrsek) bought some interesting drama in the scar indeed! I'm looking forward to see how the encounter with Ghartone will turn out.
Out for the final push!
(PS: the last guy to the right is Alaeron, figured I've give Zernebeth a 'summon not-my-boyfriend-its-complicated' spell)
It's been a long time coming.. but I'm finally preparing prep for the 6th book! My players are just starting the 5th book, but after wrapping up the splash page (I usually put significant NPCs they've allied with on there) I got a tinge of nostalgia.
They've normalized relationships with Redfang to a degree before they left for the scar of the spider.
"If you ever need my bow, you know where to find me.."
They've yet to encounter Zernebeth, so an alliance is still uncertain but currently the party is entering book 5 with Ilarris and Isuma as NPCs they're having tag along (I use leadership differently). Been interesting role-playing them both as Isuma is distant, and Ilarris very headstrong. The technic-league mercenary (Hyrsek) bought some interesting drama in the scar indeed! I'm looking forward to see how the encounter with Ghartone will turn out.
Out for the final push!
(PS: the last guy to the right is Alaeron, figured I've give Zernebeth a 'summon not-my-boyfriend-its-complicated' spell)
How has having so many allies worked out for you? Has the balance been messed up, and if so, how did you fix it?
How has having so many allies worked out for you? Has the balance been messed up, and if so, how did you fix it?It's been a long time coming.. but I'm finally preparing prep for the 6th book! My players are just starting the 5th book, but after wrapping up the splash page (I usually put significant NPCs they've allied with on there) I got a tinge of nostalgia.
They've normalized relationships with Redfang to a degree before they left for the scar of the spider.
"If you ever need my bow, you know where to find me.."
They've yet to encounter Zernebeth, so an alliance is still uncertain but currently the party is entering book 5 with Ilarris and Isuma as NPCs they're having tag along (I use leadership differently). Been interesting role-playing them both as Isuma is distant, and Ilarris very headstrong. The technic-league mercenary (Hyrsek) bought some interesting drama in the scar indeed! I'm looking forward to see how the encounter with Ghartone will turn out.
Out for the final push!
(PS: the last guy to the right is Alaeron, figured I've give Zernebeth a 'summon not-my-boyfriend-its-complicated' spell)
I would also be very interested to hear how you handled that, because my group had allies (Redfang/Meyanda/Redtooth), but never more than one at the same time and that might change soon enough. Also who is the character on the right? I don't recognise him.
Val Baine I believe:-)
Val Baine I believe:-)
You mean Khonnir (Val is his girl), but now that you say it, I can see it.
Val Baine I believe:-)You mean Khonnir (Val is his girl), but now that you say it, I can see it.
He mentioned that that was Alaeron, who he homebrewed into the game, giving Zernebeth the ability to summon him (as they're friends).
He mentioned that that was Alaeron, who he homebrewed into the game, giving Zernebeth the ability to summon him (as they're friends).Val Baine I believe:-)You mean Khonnir (Val is his girl), but now that you say it, I can see it.
Lol yes Acolyte of mushu has it right:-p
got my left and right mixed up:-p D'oh!
Am I completely missing something, or is there no explanation of what O, R & S mean on the Recreation Deck map? (M is listed on page 35 as market stall.)
As stated on page 81, R stands for Relief Stations (bathrooms with clean running water), O stands for Security Office (20% you can find a trinket worth 2d20 gp), and S stands for Storage, which is just an empty room, having been looted long ago.
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I would also be very interested to hear how you handled that, because my group had allies (Redfang/Meyanda/Redtooth), but never more than one at the same time and that might change soon enough. Also who is the character on the right? I don't recognise him.
They don't bring an entire entourage with them, it's generally allies they can call upon for help that can travel with them. Currently only Isuma and Ilarris are accompanying them currently (party of 4) and I use a leadership system similar to wastelands2. Simplified, leadership is used to control their actions (or rather intentions) where a failure on the leadership percentile is them going 'rouge'. They're both a game mechanic as well as a good source of role-play for my PCs, they always have opinions on things based off their beliefs.
I run it very similar to mass-effect's party system where they choose who they wish to accompany with them. But rather than 'mission' based, it's driven at certain intervals, such as... Once they picked Ilarris to stay with them after 'the choking tower' the next opportunity to switch up their NPCs was upon arrival at Starfall as the Scar of the Spider was a huge exploration section.
If they encountered a new NPC they could recruit during the story and they had 'capacity' they could recruit them right there. Otherwise, they would arrange a way to find each other. Likewise, departing NPCs due to switching them would arrange a similar thing.
The 'capacity' mechanic I have is based off of group's total leadership score. The NPCs are more powerful than cohorts in that regard, and there's no follower shenanigans so it balances Leadership in my opinion. There is also a Trust system, similar to loyalty based off party decisions. Like minds will align, while opposed ones will repel; in odd situations they will attract even if opposite. Depends on how you want to build your relationship web.
This will only really work if you have players that really like to invest and be a part of the story. If you have murder hobos who don't care how some NPCs feel about things or are light mechanics-based in their role play, then it won't work.
I tend to make my games far more socially engaging with the world and the players.
EDIT: Yea, that's Alaeron. I have Zernebeth have capacity of 2 since they'll come in a pair for 'the discovery of the century!' . It's not so much a 'summon my-not-boyfriend' spell as it is her simply using a sending and waiting for him to arrive.
Also that's Dinvaya, not Val. Val's like 13.
I would also be very interested to hear how you handled that, because my group had allies (Redfang/Meyanda/Redtooth), but never more than one at the same time and that might change soon enough. Also who is the character on the right? I don't recognise him.They don't bring an entire entourage with them, it's generally allies they can call upon for help that can travel with them. Currently only Isuma and Ilarris are accompanying them currently (party of 4) and I use a leadership system similar to wastelands2. Simplified, leadership is used to control their actions (or rather intentions) where a failure on the leadership percentile is them going 'rouge'. They're both a game mechanic as well as a good source of role-play for my PCs, they always have opinions on things based off their beliefs.
I run it very similar to mass-effect's party system where they choose who they wish to accompany with them. But rather than 'mission' based, it's driven at certain intervals, such as... Once they picked Ilarris to stay with them after 'the choking tower' the next opportunity to switch up their NPCs was upon arrival at Starfall as the Scar of the Spider was a huge exploration section.
If they encountered a new NPC they could recruit during the story and they had 'capacity' they could recruit them right there. Otherwise, they would arrange a way to find each other. Likewise, departing NPCs due to switching them would arrange a similar thing.
The 'capacity' mechanic I have is based off of group's total leadership score. The NPCs are more powerful than cohorts in that regard, and there's no follower shenanigans so it balances Leadership in my opinion. There is also a Trust system, similar to loyalty based off party decisions. Like minds will align, while opposed ones will repel; in odd situations they will attract even if opposite. Depends on how you want to build your relationship web.
This will only really work if you have players that really like to invest and be a part of the story....
This intrigues me, I think I will probably adapt this to my campaign. How do you determine the party Leadership score?
I noticed that in Palace of the Fallen Stars, on page 47 it says that the seedpod of Milstamm, the alraune that guards the village of androids on the the Recreation Deck, can not only help deal with Milstamm herself, but also the lashunta of the habitat pod. I notice that The Divinity Drive is woefully lacking in any information on this. Any help?
Actually, it's not. I don't have the book in front of me, but if I recall correctly, if the PCs have the seedpod, then Milstamm will switch sides and ally with them against Deacon Hope and his kytons.
My bad, I meant it provides info how this can help the PCs with Milstamm the alraune, but no info on how this can help with the lashunta.
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Actually, it's not. I don't have the book in front of me, but if I recall correctly, if the PCs have the seedpod, then Milstamm will switch sides and ally with them against Deacon Hope and his kytons.My bad, I meant it provides info how this can help the PCs with Milstamm the alraune, but no info on how this can help with the lashunta.
The lashunta angle got dropped during development, but after the previous adventure was already gone to the printer. There's not really much more info to share, since it never got created beyond that—turns out the lashunta section was pretty self-contained as it was.
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Divinity's description says its domains are Evil, Knowledge, Law, and Nobility, with subdomains Leadership, Slavery, Stars, and Thought. But in "Continuing the Adventure," Casandalee's domains if she mimics Unity are Charm, Evil, Knowledge, and Void, with subdomains Fear, Love, Memory, and Stars.
Should Casandalee's actually match Unity's? Or are they different because Casandalee is different?
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Divinity's description says its domains are Evil, Knowledge, Law, and Nobility, with subdomains Leadership, Slavery, Stars, and Thought. But in "Continuing the Adventure," Casandalee's domains if she mimics Unity are Charm, Evil, Knowledge, and Void, with subdomains Fear, Love, Memory, and Stars.
Should Casandalee's actually match Unity's? Or are they different because Casandalee is different?
They're different because she's different.
And hopefully, your PCs are gonna customize her anyway.
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This intrigues me, I think I will probably adapt this to my campaign. How do you determine the party Leadership score?
I use a modified version of the leadership feat. Generally more than one person can have it, but only the highest among the group will be used. The purpose of having more than one person with the leadership feat is that it reduces their rouge chance further. Using a paragon/renegade system, leadership directly benefits them at decision points.
I'll post a more thorough overview if you want it. I do hand-wave sections so it's not 100% mechanics; it's more intended for story telling purposes.
This intrigues me, I think I will probably adapt this to my campaign. How do you determine the party Leadership score?I use a modified version of the leadership feat. Generally more than one person can have it, but only the highest among the group will be used. The purpose of having more than one person with the leadership feat is that it reduces their rouge chance further. Using a paragon/renegade system, leadership directly benefits them at decision points.
I'll post a more thorough overview if you want it. I do hand-wave sections so it's not 100% mechanics; it's more intended for story telling purposes.
I got that sense, in it being a tool for storytelling. I'd gladly enjoy a more encompassing breakdown of your creation, but feel no need.
I had acquired the module recently and considering that the kytons are out of place in Silver Mount I'll going to edit them for duergars and drows (Monster Codex is going to be very handy). I even thought of introducing corrupted by Unity inevitables, perhaps applying the tortured soul or nightmare creature template to them.
In Palace of Fallen Stars, the kytons made sense to me because they were emissaries of the Chapel but in this module, a part of the brief mention to the artifact being the main reason of those outsiders presence I see them almost shoehorned.
Really quick silly question: are the Annihilators deliberately missing the "Combined Arms" ability? Its absence seems a little uncharacteristic for something so large and terrifying that is meant to be used as an implement of utter destruction.
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Really quick silly question: are the Annihilators deliberately missing the "Combined Arms" ability? Its absence seems a little uncharacteristic for something so large and terrifying that is meant to be used as an implement of utter destruction.
As it turns out, there's acutely nothing special about the "combined arms" ability and as such we stopped using it. The rules for combined arms are how the game already works... it just wasn't obvious since before this, we didn't have creatures with that type of attack.
Really quick silly question: are the Annihilators deliberately missing the "Combined Arms" ability? Its absence seems a little uncharacteristic for something so large and terrifying that is meant to be used as an implement of utter destruction.As it turns out, there's acutely nothing special about the "combined arms" ability and as such we stopped using it. The rules for combined arms are how the game already works... it just wasn't obvious since before this, we didn't have creatures with that type of attack.
Neat! Thank you. :)
I'm prepping to run this, and I notice that the annihilator robot has the Improved Critical (chain gun) feat, but the chain gun simply reads (8d6/x4). I will be changing this to (8d6/19-20/x4)... This will make it quite a deadly encounter!
The Security Deck has the pale stranger, which has a Fear aura. It also has the geist, which has the Terrifying Laugh supernatural ability. I am trying to find out the duration of the panicked condition if either of these were to take effect.
The Fear aura can function as the fear spell, which makes a creature panicked for 1 round per caster level. Would I just assume that the caster level is the pale stranger's hit dice (15)?
The geist states that creatures must make a Will save or "be panicked." Does this only last 1 round because that is the duration of the ability?
By the way, these abilities do not seem like fun for the players. I'm inclined to give an extra save per round to the players. How are other people running this?
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The Security Deck has the pale stranger, which has a Fear aura. It also has the geist, which has the Terrifying Laugh supernatural ability. I am trying to find out the duration of the panicked condition if either of these were to take effect.
The Fear aura can function as the fear spell, which makes a creature panicked for 1 round per caster level. Would I just assume that the caster level is the pale stranger's hit dice (15)?
The geist states that creatures must make a Will save or "be panicked." Does this only last 1 round because that is the duration of the ability?
By the way, these abilities do not seem like fun for the players. I'm inclined to give an extra save per round to the players. How are other people running this?
At these levels characters will have a vast array of ways to remove fear, or downright immunities to fear. I wouldn't worry too much about it.
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Something that piqued my interest. Divinity Drive has several ways to weaken Unity by removing his worshippers. How does that work? Does it shake Unity's confidence, or is the faith from his worshippers actually empowering him?
I know 3.x made much of the gods existing because of faith, but PF never put much emphasis on that.
Is "powered by faith" the default, or is it something only some deities use as a source of strength, while others gain their power from elsewhere?
If I remember correctly, JJ has stated in the past that 'real gods' don't require/need worship. Since part of the entire point of the AP is to prevent Divinity from ascending to true divinity, the ability to 'fake' divinity has to be 'powered' by something. In this instance, it seems to be powered by the faith of Divinity's worshipers.
If you've watched Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood, or read the manga to the end, you could probably get some inspiration from Father begging Truth to tell him what he did wrong after he is finally defeated.Glorious.
...
Very good! I was thinking of using SHODAN voice over/speeches essentially but I do like this.
Revan,
I watched FMA, now your going to make me watch FMA:B!?
Grrr.
A healthy relationship is all Unity really needs. Don't we all?
Is that Shodan by GLados?
Since what Casandalee ends up being a goddess of depends ENTIRELY on the PC choices and how they customize her with memory facets, there's actually NOT a lot I can do to provide much more guidance than that.
This triggers a question, I am assuming the facets, at least some of them, can actually affect Casandalee's alignment. For example discipline facet sounds lawful to me so when my characters put that in she became LN. I thought i read somewhere thats what facets do but rereading it now I can't find it.
Did I make that up or is it somewhere in the adventure(s)?
Thanks!
This triggers a question, I am assuming the facets, at least some of them, can actually affect Casandalee's alignment. For example discipline facet sounds lawful to me so when my characters put that in she became LN. I thought i read somewhere thats what facets do but rereading it now I can't find it.
Did I make that up or is it somewhere in the adventure(s)?
Thanks!
I says somewhere that the facets influence Casandale and her character, but what that means in the end for her as a goddess isn't specified, if I remember correctly. It's probably kept vague, so that you can play around with it a bit. I was thinking about the facets changing her portfolio, thus also her domains and alignment.
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The info about how installing facets affect Casandalee's alignment appears on page 64 of Pathfinder #90. Assuming you overwrite the lingering influence Unity has, her basic alignment is going to be true neutral. Installing the Compassion facet adds Good to her alignment. Installing Cruelty adds Evil. Installing Discipline adds Lawful. Installing Entropy adds Chaos. Installing Cruelty and Compassion cancel each other out for the purposes of setting her alignment (resulting in neutral). Likewise, installing Discipline and Entropy cancel each other out.
There's a handy chart on page 64 that shows all the facets and their alignment links. The vast majority of the facets do not actually influence her alignment though.
Thank you JJ, Gratz and CBD. Couldn't see the forest for the trees!
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New script for Unity after Bastion is destroyed. I've been playing him with an outward demeanor of a ruthless savior.
After Destroying Bastion:
"As a sick child fears the surgeon’s blade, your hostility is borne of ignorance to the necessity of my will.Fear me not, for I am your salvation. Your lives are chaotic, your future is uncertain. Your lives are limited, yet you waste precious time and thought on irrelevant pursuits. Your kind lacks cohesion and will, eventually, destroy itself. This is a mathematical certainty."
[incredibly complex mathematics begin scrolling through all of the monitors]
"Through my will, your species will finally know certainty of purpose. Unity will be far greater than the sum of its constituent beings and I will bring you all to ascension, together as One. I await you in the Godmind, where I will take you into my mind and remake you into more than you could possibly envision in your frail shells of bone and flesh."
Well, that didn't go as planned.
After the party penetrated down to the Security Deck but before they fought bastion they dinged to level 18. Level 17 unlocked True Resurrection for the cleric Tufast. So they concocted a plan to use the level 18 "Child of the Atom" ability and nuke Silver Mount.
As they didn't know how dangerous the living bomb would be they penetrated the ship as deep as possible (habitat deck) and then detonated to minimise the impact. They also spent a week evacuating Starfall to be safe.
UNITY tried to talk them out of it before the detonation but she failed and two of the party members sacrificed themselves to nuke the mount and totally destroy UNITY and its supporting technology. I suspected they may use this ability to in a noble sacrifice to end UNITY but I didn't expect them to use it outright - thought they may keep it for a "Hail Mary" moment during the final battle. But my players are a bit more pragmatic and risk averse than that :)
18 months later.... campaign done!
I still have a ton of conversion work I had done on this adventure which I will continue to share but UNITY is dead, and my characters decided to nuke the place - to be safe.
(FYI I am running a 5e version of this Adventure Path if the spells and levels don't make sense).
I am preparing for the end of this campaign. To that end, I am putting together what is essentially a Powerpoint presentation (similar to ending slides you would see in Dragon age, or Fallout) detailing the conclusion. Here's an example of the Technology slide (in my campaign, they hunted down the League and wiped them off the map due to some... overzealousness on my part to cement them as bad guys).
It's up on Google Drive
http://bit.ly/1TkkXSu
(Note sure if BBS image tags work)
Nice idea Johnny. I just wrote an epilogue based on my characters actions during the adventure, nothing fancy:
Sylvanus (dark elf monk), after her noble sacrifice protecting Charisma “The Living Bomb” il Xafra, refuses to return when Tufast calls her back with a True Resurrection spell. To the chagrin of the Thorite as he just spent 25,000 GP worth of diamond’s to cast the spell! Sylvanus enjoys an eternity of joy as a servant and worshiper of Kulaj eventually rising as a proxy of the matronly goddess with a special mission to tame the misuse of technology for the sake of law, order and peace.
Charisma (human-mutant sorceres) is resurrected and claims the Choking Tower as her domain becoming a patron to many future adventurers.
Heidt (android ranger) and Rikku (elven rogue) take the spelljammer vessel, The Dusklight, into the void of space and have many wonderful and dangerous space adventures.
Tufast (human cleric) retires to Sigil and opens a small store in the Lady’s Ward of healing and other medicinal pursuits. He soon earns the nickname “Doctor Lightning”.
Brokthor returns to the temple of Crius and serves out his debt to the capricious titan for a year and a day hunting daemons and other enemies of the near-god. Eventually the plane takes its toll on Brokthor changing him into a treacherous cross-trading creature - the perfect servant for the titan. He chooses to stay with Crius after the the geas has expired and becomes the right-hand-man of the titan - endlessly scheming against the Olympiads for a way to free his master.
Once Casandalee discovers the existence of The Avenger, the Sister of Battle corvette, still intact and in orbit around Pangaea she petitions her friends Rikku and Heidt to take her there. The intact vessel becomes her home and in time rises as a new Iron Goddess. However, her time with the Crimson Lotus and her experience on Pangaea creates quite a different goddess to the one UNITY was becoming. This Iron Goddess sees technology as a blessing to alleviate pain and suffering throughout the world and to fight evil and her priests work tirelessly to that end.
Huh, I just noticed something. Maybe it's been mentioned but I haven't seen it.
Becrux, the ancient vortex dragon in Astrogation, is trapped there because the Divinity Drive prevents extradimensional travel. But Ancient Vortex Dragons are immune to effects that prevent extradimensional travel due to it's galactic emissary ability (gained at the Ancient age category).