Hang out at this tavern and chat to your heart's content!

Now that there's somebody here to chat WITH...

I'm setting the game on Golarion on the island of Absalom, in the CITY of Absalom. I'm not set on this, but I've got an intro already worked out, though it can be changed.

I'm fine with that. I just wonder, will we be part of the Pathfinder Society? I don't mind if we're not, it just seems like a way to replace the 'League' our old game had.

Works for me.  Gray Mouser is from Korvosa but could easily have travelled to Absalom.

That works for me.

Do you want us to reroll our stats?  My original rolls were: 8,11,12,14,14,16

This is equal to a 21 point buy.

If you wish us to reroll and I do worse will you allow an alternate option of a 20 point buy?

I'd drop the 12 to an 11.

I built the character around the stats so will take a considerable reworking if the stats are to far off where they are.

Your existing stats are fine. The rule was for any new players that might join at some point.

Wasn't expecting a Table format. It'll take time to convert.

Are we re-rolling hp, or going max or [HD/2] +1 Per level?

Max HP for best HD by class.

My sheet is done and Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser are ready to go.

(Fafhrd is the Gray Mousers' Warcat Animal Companion)

I've been waiting for people to post but just realized the Mission thread never got changed!

Thought I changed the Group, but it didn't go through for some reason. Got it this time!
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:42, Wed 04 Aug 2021.

Won't post until I get the character translated over. But 10-to-1 odds? I'd declare Skye as either Stupid or Insane, and the 'mutineers' as being uncommonly intelligent.

Especially with such a small crew. Even a small Sloop would take half those numbers to sail, and that would barely leave them enough men to handle their artillery.

Keep in mind that you are hearing third-hand, possibly even fourth- and fifth-hand information.

The only 'solid'/'true' information is the name of the 6 mutineers, but even those could be wrong.

BTW. Thanks again for picking up this game. I was very sad when it died. :)

Slight change in character name :)

Is everyone ready to start?

Just need my name changed (Fafhrd) and the finalizing of my purchases and I'm ready.

I should be ready. I only had to change Carissa's HP and keeping the rest the same.

Still changing things over to table format. It's a lot of work on my phone (no computer).

Hi, Everyone!

Newbie here. Hope no one minds.

I made up a new race, Ahrahkoonem... a raccoon-like Humanoid.

Still cobbling together the gestalts, but getting there.

Do you have an idea for your build?

Unless I am mistaken we are low on divine casting...

The Gray Mouser has no magic but is a fairly good healer regardless.

I was originally thinking Alchemist/Gunslinger, but that was when I considered playing a Giff. When I decided to go with an Ahrahkoonem, I shifted to Swashbuckler/Gunslinger.

Should I change that to Cleric/Something?

Play what you will be happy playing... I was saying where I thought we are light if that direction interested you.

I'm a fan of filling party holes...Fafhrd is a skill monkey...so if that's your shtick, then cleric would certainly fill a pretty big hole.

Otherwise, go with whatever turns your crank :)

Gray Mouser and I could certainly offer suggestions to pair with cleric if you were wanting some.

Just keep our game concept in mind... mercenaries/bountyhunters

With a smattering of investigation.

Of course, but Jak just does it with panache!  And a gun.

There are three players that signed up for the game but haven't done anything yet, including give me a character sheet, so they may have vanished already.

I'll give them till Monday to drop back in.

Meanwhile, I'll start a thread or two for the investigations to start.

 Ogun Jobi is here with a name change ;)

I have to work today but will get caught up after that.

Okay, Jak's going to be a Swashbuckler Shaman. 'Guns' were seeming a bit inappropriate, and the Swashbuckler is a Fighter/Gunslinger blend anyway (without the guns).

Now I just have to find some appropriate magic items.

Might I suggest that Arthur pose as the agent of a wealthy merchant, looking to buy a ship? The mutineers might be thinking of switching vessels in case their ship was identifiable.

I'm not sure it's necessary to lie to the harbormaster, but I can try it. Do you mind joining me, Kass? I got an idea that may work better if you're with me.

Sure. Character isnt moved to table yet, but I mostly have skills figured.

Kass what are referring to "table" is that switching your character sheet over.

My character sheet under Character Details is in 'Table' format. I'm plain AWFUL with this format, and transferring data to that style is a pain for me on my phone.

Copy and paste it to me in a PM and I can do it for you Kass

Now. Almost done with Feats. Then can go on to skills. Not sure you'd spot all the 'Conditional' bonuses I carry.

This is the move-in week for my oldest to college, so between catching up at work and getting him off, there will be some delays in my posting.  Hope to get to a good schedule by next weekend when that albatross is off my neck (for a bit at least).

Carissa

You are the GM for Rappan Athuk... I play Lythrana and Kass plays Alfhild!

Hope the move goes well!

I am!  Good to see some players on another game.

I had also planned a post for the At the Dives thread, but I'm afraid I may not be able to keep up with the posting rate.

The post rate is what it is based on the ability to move forward. So feel free to join the thread, we will adjust to the rate any involved are able to post.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:48, Mon 09 Aug 2021.

Apologies if The Gray Mouser comes off as bossy, giving directions to those around her which could be construed as giving orders but she has commanded an army so she kinda does it without realizing it sometimes.  If it is offensive to your character feel free to call her on it.  Fafhrd I assume is use to it but others might become offended.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:24, Mon 09 Aug 2021.

Yes...Fafhrd, though not a soldier, is used to the Mouse's leadership style.

I'm thinking we really misunderstood time of day lol.

I was going to say the same sort of thing

Reguardless, they will have Aikio go out every hour or so and spread the word again.  Along with those who have already gotten free ale and entertainment will have a chance to spread the word, Fafhrd will have plenty of time to gain the trust of the crowd and bartender and Aikio will be able to slip in every so often to make her presence more unnoticeable.

We could fast forward to the dinner hour if GM is ok with it.  Things should start really picking up by then.

Jak, you're not by chance the GM of Shattered Star AP are you?
This message was last edited by the player at 20:53, Mon 09 Aug 2021.

I don't think so. Let me check...

Nope, it ain't me! Why, is the GM a raccoon?

Yes! LOL!

Kinda unsure how to proceed with the tavern scene. I feel like it’s more or less a bust at this point. If we do want to try for it, wait till after everyone gets off work? Seems like we could accomplish more if we come back around then. Idk. Thoughts?

That or we just agree to commit to specific actions throughout the day and cut to a point in time later in the day when there are significantly more patrons.

Fafhrd will take breaks periodically and use Diplomacy to convince patrons to go out and bring friends around to watch him perform.

With Diplomacy +36 mod he can easily convert them to friendly and likely helpful to go and bring many more people.

When I set the scene, I didn't know what you were going to do, so I didn't give you a chance to delay until it got busy.

I've moved the scene forward, though, until business starts picking up in the later afternoon.

 I am so sorry!  I completely missed that you directed your questions to Carissa and I completely focused just on the other thread! Sorry.

It's okay. It was sort of directed at everyone, but four players haven't actually joined the game yet.

Hello all. I am almost done with my character but before finalising it I need some input from the party and DM

I am going to play an artificer, so you guys can hit me up for any crafting needs. But I digress. Here is the question.

I may or may not have crafted a colossal animated object capable of all terrain movement (fly, swim, walk, burrow) in form of a mihtral sailing ship. I planned a simple heavy wagon at first but reading some posts here pushed me towards making a ship. Would it be suitable for you guys? Or should I tone it down a bit?

Given the current pirate theme...a ship might actually come in quite handy

Not all of us are 'back' yet.

I think it's safe enough to assume we can make our way back safely, and look over the papers on the way back.

If the year in the bottom left of the map is accurate, it's a VERY old map. The first adventure path is set in 4707 AR, over three thousand years after that map!

Gone camping for a couple days.  Will try to post if I can.  Will be home Tuesday afternoon.

Good catch, Arthur! I didn't even notice that.

I think that was because I'd never read anything about Absalom that ever indicated it had been on the mainland, too, or that the city would have been destroyed at some point and needed to be rebuilt into a "New Absalom".

Still can't find any reference to it. I'm guessing that it might have been something from one of the Adventure Paths.

https://oznogon.com/golarion/#4/35.00/-3.71

I don't believe in toned down anything in D&D.  If you can create it and the GM approves then by all means build us a magnificent ship.

Please start posting and have Ochnam inform the team that the ship is ready to set sail.

I am finishing everything today. Sorry about my absence. Second dose of covid vaccine floored me.

Hey Everyone!

I was going to post earlier but finalizing the last character details took way longer than I intended. Hopefully, I can maintain a decent schedule from now on.

sorry for the lack of a post as of late...was waiting to see if any of the other players who have not yet been assigned to one of the two travel groups to weigh in.  Shall we wait a bit longer or would you have us resume posting?

As a rule of thumb, I'd always say to keep posting. If you get ahead of others, it's on them to get their characters caught up with you.

By posting, you let everyone else know that you are still around and still interested in playing. It's kind of human nature to stop posting because 'no one else has posted' so  you think if they aren't interested, then why should you be?

As it is, I've been a bit out of sorts for the past week. Every time I sit down to post, something seems to come up. Also haven't been sleeping well so I wind up mentally tired all day, which makes it hard to post. Add to that an assortment of cats and dogs in my lap so that I can't use my laptop... As the saying goes, Life Happens.

Still waiting for Allen, Banett, Dorlan, Hernak, and Myles to post, but it looks like Zaira has already dropped out of the game.

I am visiting my daughter this weekend (she lives 4 hours away in another province so Covid has made it difficult)...I will post tomorrow as I'll be back home.

Hello everyone. How are you?

I can't post if I don't know what character will I play. I was making a CE character, because I supposed this was a mercenary game, but it is not. We can talk more in the PM.

Mercenaries aren't inherently evil anyway.

Ochnam (who is a friend of mine IRL) is going to be absent for a while due to personal reasons. We can background him while he is away, or if something comes up and he needs to do stuff I can direct him.

No, but as long as they get the job done, the patrons don't care what alignment they are either.

Hey people :)

Any chance Kass could have picked up a map of the coastlines ere they sailed? Possibly with the location of Diobel?

Does anyone have intentions to interact with passersby on the road? If not, I think we can just move forward.

Not unless we overhear a discussion in Qadiran. Speaking of, does anyone in our group speaks that language? I think I have a high enough linguistic to recognize the language, but I can't understand it directly.

Sorry for the delay in posting.  End of quarter has been brutal.

I have lost my laptop.  Will have a replacement in place tomorrow. Will post then.

I certainly can't complain about anyone else's lack of posting since my own has been rather sporadic this month.

Having problems with our dog. He probably needs euthanized. It costs too much and you have to make an appointment a month in advance! Meanwhile, the poor dog suffers.

I feel for you, I have a 16year old cat that has lost the use of one leg and is slowly going.  We may have her euthanized soon, but with meds she doesn't seem to be in any pain and still enjoys cuddles.  It's a hard call of when quality of life is no longer worth the wait.

Also, the computer I had planned as a back up is DOA.  Won't power up.

I thought I could post today on my cell (a real pain is the @$$) but I am on call for work and have been called in twice already with an almost guaranteed chance I will be called in again in the next few hours.

Then I work for 48 hours... So hopefully by tomorrow night.

Feel free to move the scene forward without my input for now as I cannot guarantee I will have an opportunity over the next few days.

Apologies or he lack of posting. It's been a crappy week for it. Our dog died last Wednesday. He'd been reasonably active up to the week before, though at 15 years old, his vision and hearing had diminished. His hind legs had weakened to the point he couldn't get up without help. By that weekend, he couldn't stand up at all. He was still alert and ate and drank, but that stopped about Monday. He was in a bit of discomfort but didn't seem to be in pain. We couldn't afford to take him to a vet to get him euthanized and the Humane Society wouldn't do it for a month!

Fortunately,a local pet hospital took his body for communal cremation and only charged $15.

That's been overlaying everything else as RL stuff kept popping up.

Hope to get caught up in a bit here.

sorry for your loss... We had our cat euthanized a few days ago as she stopped moving or eating.

No rush to post. Take whatever time you need to greave.

agreed...sorry for your loss.  Losing a loved one (regardless of whether they have 2 legs or 4) is never easy.

---

from the very 1st post:



and



Is it 6 crewmen or 10 crewmen?  or is it just that we don't know the names of the other 4?

I'm working on a post and assuming 6; if it is 10, I may edit my post to include their names (if provided by you).

Sorry to hear about your loss.

There were sixteen crewmen. Six were considered the 'ringleaders'. Those are the ones that were named. The names of the other 10 weren't mentioned.

Apologies for the absence. I had an out of town house guest last week--an old gaming buddy from up North that I hadn't seen in nearly 20 years.

Just didn't get a chance to post with all the catching up.

Hey Gang,

I had thought after the holidays I'd be back in full swing but I'm going to opt to leave the game (and RPoL altogether).

Things in RL have changed including my priorities and the time I have to place on them.

I appreciate the chance to be a part of this group and hope you all nothing but the best in life and the most fun out of your gaming.

Take care all!

Best to you and yours!

Minor health issues, mostly lack of sleep, make me too tired to post most days at the moment. The left side of my brain seems to be the half that's affected the most--not much creative juices flowing. I'll sit here are read a post... and read it again... and again... and even after ten times, I still don't know what I read. I was putting up a post in another game just the other day, and dozed off twice while I was writing it.

With January behind me now, hopefully I can get back on track somehow.

Is anybody left? Anybody still want to play this game? Or it time to delete it?

Still here. Thought I was waiting on you.

Yeah, okay. Forgot the second thread.

Still, I'm never quite sure what someone is going to do when all they post is INTENT not an actual action.

Ah. Got me there. I will modify my post.

Did we get a general description of the Avenger? Number of masts (3 or more, I'd guess), broadness at the aft deck and across the beam, length, any special details? Be mighty hard to seek a ship with only the name to go by.

Those kinds of details weren't revealed. It was supposed to be a new 'secret' weapon, which is one of the reasons its disappearance has caused so many problems.

It was a large warship. Whether it was the largest ship 'ever built' is unclear, but three masts is a reasonable guess since otherwise it would have been using magic to augment its movement.

Well, since nobody is posting, it would seem as if it's time to pull the plug on this game.

I need at least three people to post saying they are still interested in continuing or else I'll delete the game next Sunday.

Still interested. Thought I was awaiting a reply. Missed that last post.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:58, Mon 02 May 2022.

Still interested

So apparently it was my turn to get Covid, although a weaker strain. Culminated Monday night when I fell getting out of bed because I got dizzy and my legs were so weak they couldn't support me. After friends helped me get into a chair, called an ambulance to take me to the hospital for evaluation and testing. Everything else was clear but the test came back positive for Covid. Put some fluids in me, gave me a few prescriptions for me cough, and sent me home.

According to the doctor, I have had it for a few days, so Monday was the worst of it. Getting better, but I still feel like crap and a bit unsteady on my feet.

At least this explains why I've been feeling so crappy for awhile now.

Not fun! Hope you feel better soon.

Sorry to hear that. Hope you have a speedy recovery.

How many players do we have left at this point? I really can't tell.

And it seems like both groups got the primary lead (I hope), so maybe we can fast-track to having the party back together?

Not sure about that, but Kass is ready to compare notes.

There's still 7 players left, plus one NPC (Ochnam). I was hoping Fafhrd and Gray Mouser would return, but doesn't seem to be happening, and Carissa hasn't checked the board in 3 months, so I guess she's out.

I just hadn't gotten around to updating everything.

Are both groups now at Diobel?

Yes, both groups are now at Diobel, and aboard Ochnam's ship.

Probably should apologize for not posting an update here, but brain's been too tired to even think of doing that.

Getting better. Just slow.

Take your time. Health should always be first.

Agreed. Be well and take care. Will be here when you’re feeling up to speed.

Yea! Power's back as of Friday afternoon. Internet came back late Friday night. We thought it'd take long because we're at the tail end of a line and the telephone pole and transformer at the other end of the block were both lying on the ground because the pole had snapped in half!

Spent yesterday cleaning up, picking up the pieces, putting things back in place, and making sure nothing got burnt out. We'd unplugged the TVs and shut off the AC at the circuit box, so we seem to be okay.

Our two house cats keep wanting to go out on the back porch like they used to, but it's half gone, so that's not going to be an option for awhile.

Anyway, expect to get caught up on my games today.

Once again, 'today' turned into a week!

I think I'm 95% recovered from COVID. Sometime during the power outage, my head stopped spinning whenever I stood up. Still a bit tired, so I get wiped out by the end of the day after chores and errands are done. I suppose not sleeping well isn't helping.

The storm shut down the VA clinic in the area, so I didn't get to see the doctor. Probably be another 6 months before they get caught up.


Anyway, since Gray Mouser and Fafhrd had to bow out of the game and are essentially NPCs now, I'm going to have them do something else rather than get on the ship with everyone else.

So let's get this show back on the road!

Where is everyone?

Does anyone still want to play? Or is it time to delete this game?

Honestly, aside from the info I gathered and passed to the group, I'm a bit lost, since no one else has shared what they discovered.

I still want to play, but I’m also kind of lost. It’s been so long I don’t remember what we discovered. Was hoping for some action and we never got to that point. The investigation seems to be dragging on, and it would be nice to be thrown a bone so we can get to something more interesting.

One of the 'rules' I use is that if I post something that everyone can read then it's a given that the information is shared with everyone when it becomes convenient. You shouldn't have to expect another player to parrot the information, even if they want to paraphrase it. If they do, that's fine. But there's no need to chew up even more memory be repeating it over and over and over again.

If you still want to play, then POST!

Honestly don’t know how to move things forward from my end. Sorry. Please help.

Hello, I figured that I should introduce myself here. I'm playing Elena, a sorcerous bard focused on enchantment magic. I hope that things go well.

Happy holidays to those who are celebrating today.

Happy thanksgiving you filthy colonist rebels! (Okay I’m one of them lol.)

Aside from doing introductions, is there anything that we're waiting on before setting sail?

Hello and sorry for practically abandoning this game. I think I have enough time for it now. I will try to read what happened in this few days.

I’m glad to hear that you’re back.

And just in time, it seems! I will read what I can today and post tomorrow.

Welcome back!

Everyone rolled initiative then?

I think we’re missing Ochnam currently.

The only one we were waiting on for Initiative was Myles. Not sure if he's still with us. Of course, holidays tend to throw many player's schedules out of whack.

Don't usually affect me other than the blues and blahs. Just been under the weather since the beginning of October, and going to the hospital made it worse!

No worries, another pbp I'm in got taken out by 3/4 players getting sick last week, so it seems like the season for sickness is upon us.

A bit of fun


https://www.google.com/search?...mobile&ie=UTF-8#

So here's what's been happening...

I've been 'ill' for about three months now, starting with getting COVID back in the beginning of October. Wasn't too bad and I got over it in a few days, but it left me with the typical aftermath symptom of being tired ALL THE TIME. I was slowly getting over it, and even had a few hours of energy every day.

I had a doctor's appointment scheduled for mid-October but then Hurricane Ian hit. The VA clinic took some damage and was closed for two weeks. I finally got the appointment rescheduled for Jan. 13.

December 1st, I had a minor chest pain on my right side. It felt like just a minor muscle strain but at my age and with my medical history, I felt it was prudent to check. Called the VA clinic to see about a walk-in visit the next day and the nurse I talked to went into panic mode with the 'chest pain' words, and told me to go to the ER. So, on Friday, December 2nd, that's what I did. More panic mode.

Spent 4 days being poked and prodded, inspected, detected, and injected and stuff, only to be told my heart was fine. More exactly, they couldn't find any cause for the chest pain... the obvious cause seemed to elude them.

Here's where it started going to hell. Getting out of the hospital, I had an extreme loss of appetite, shortness of breath, and NO ENERGY. Didn't have any of that when I went in!

Not only was I not hungry, but nothing tasted appealing any more. Could barely eat my favorite foods, and then only 2-3 bites. On top of that, I ran out of one of my diabetes medicines. Not eating and drinking much, I also wasn't taking my meds as regularly as I had been.

This went on for the next three weeks, so things probably grew gradually worse without me quite realizing it.

December 31st, I managed to pull a back muscle, and while the pain meds I took didn't do squat, I at least knew it'd go away in a few days. It did. And then I got hives!

Jan. 6 I went to the VA clinic to get bloodwork done for my doctor's appointment. No sooner did I get home than the doctor called to tell me my blood sugar level was 903! I needed to go to the ER pronto! That's where I've been for the past week. :-(

I still didn't feel all that bad (weak and no energy), but I definitely had some serious health issues. Turned out I had ketoacidosis and some kidney issues. After a few days treatment, the keto was gone, kidneys were all better, and my blood sugar was back to normal. Now I had to survive the 'recovery'. As long as I was stuck in that hospital bed, though, I knew I wasn't going to get better. So now I'm home.

Have a nurse helping me, and physical therapy should start tomorrow. And now I have to play tag with a doctor's appointment again...

Anyway, the reason I'm telling you all this is in case you, family or a friend should find yourself in a similar situation, you'll have a heads-up/warning about what's might be happening.


Now it's just recovery and rehab.

I’m glad that things are stabilizing for you and that supports are being acquired.

Glad you’re on the mend. Take it easy!

Sending a Mending spell your way ....

Best of luck in your recovery!

Thanks for all the well-wishes. It was kind of a perfect storm of bad circumstances, from COVID, hurricane, ran out of meds, etc.

Anyway, as it turns out, post-hospital recovery apparently is a valid and acceptable medical condition these days. For every day you spend in the hospital, it takes 3 days of home recovery!

Still here. As it turns out, seven days in a hospital bed really did a number on me, no doubt helped along by my age. Still tired most of the time, energy/stamina comes and goes. There are times when I get out of the recliner and only manage to take three steps before I have to sit down again. Other times, I can get up and zip around the house with the walker with no problem. So it seems like it's going to take me twice as long to recover as I was hoping/expecting it to.

Hoping to get back to my games in another day or two.

Just to give you an idea where my head's been, I'd completely forgotten that we were in the middle of a battle on the ship!

Anyway, we may also have a new player joining us.

Looking forward to it!

Greetings to Garidan!

Thank you! I may soon be bringing up to four other players here as well (we'll see how things pan out). Either way, I'm glad to be here. Who knew that Gestalt games would be in such short supply?

I'm currently discussing my character concept with StarMaster (there's quite a bit to go over), but so far, so good.

Hey all, just got my sheet done, now the only thing to do is hope i haven't made too many mistakes.

Also, while i was running the numbers... I may have created a monster. I didn't have a lot of experience with Gestalt and i had this combination in mind for a while. Apologies in advance ^^;
This message was last edited by the player at 00:40, Sat 04 Feb 2023.

Greetings to you.

Nice to have you on board, Vix!

Vix is one of the players I mentioned who I might be bringing over, and there's another on his way. Sadly, the other two won't be joining us.

Just an FYI. Spent all day Thursday at the VA Clinic dealing with a side issue. It wiped me out. Been spending the day recovering. Hopefully I'll be back to normal tomorrow.

Thanks!

Looking forward to jumping into the RP :)
This message was last edited by the player at 01:39, Sat 04 Feb 2023.

In reply to GM StarMaster (msg # 144):

Ouch... Take care and I hope you feel better soon.

Can we have a map or something? Thay way we can take the best tactic response.

Also, I’m not certain whether any of Aikio’s attacks hit or were effective.

Map is up under Group 0.

I've edited my latest post to cover Aikio's attacks (forgot that somehow...)

Thanks! That subsequent miss is including the -4 to the target’s AC versus all her subsequent attacks? Just want to make sure it didn’t get overlooked. :) Also, assuming the tumble was successful since no attempted AOO?

Where is everyone in this map?

Sounds like Im at the stern with 4 enemy spellcasters. Anyone feeling a need to toss a fireball this way, you'd know that Kass is very good at avoiding area-effect spells.

I wrote it down and then promptly ignored it... so, no, I forgot to take into account the -4 to their AC. Post edited again.

And there were no AoO.
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:41, Mon 06 Feb 2023.

In reply to GM StarMaster (msg # 153):

Thanks boss man!

Making the character... But glad to be aboard!

Looks like things are going to get busy the next opportunity for new characters to slide into the RP :P

Are we on the second round of initiative currently?

The Gift that keeps giving... sort of.

Fell down on my back on the concrete floor last Friday and I've had severe back pain ever since. None of the pain pills have done anything. Heating pad worked for a little and the BenGay did, but I've now fallen twice since then (neither was serious as the first), but it's set my rehab back a couple of days. May have to go to a rehab facility for a week or two.

Went to the VA clinic yesterday, and they sent me to the ER at the hospital. Nothing else is wrong with me other than the rehab slacking, but was proscribed Vicodin. Maybe that'll help.

Not sure when I'll get caught up on my posting.

Goodness, I'm really sorry you're going through all this. Take care and don't worry, we can wait until you're back in better shape.

Hope you are getting better, StarMaster.

Echoing that hope.

Likewise! Get well soon!

I hope that your recovery goes well.

Yup. Don't worry about the game, your own health takes priority, always.

Most can well understand life has complications... Take care of yourself. Health isn't playing around. This is just play.

More health issues. Been in hospital for past 11 days. Transitioning to rehab soon. Will update when I can.

Sorry to hear that. Take care of yourself!

I hope that rehab goes well.

Making good progress on the character just gotta iron out whether the character takes care of every day stuff with magic items or if that is strictly adventuring.

In reply to GM StarMaster (msg # 166):

Rehab is good. Slow and steady wins the race, as they say :)

And yeah, magic items are fun

Wishing you the best for a full recovery, StarMaster.

Use wealth to purchase starting magic items. Or else request GM bestow something funky on your character.

Since other people may have been on missions with him in the past, I've included more info in description and below.

Tombs is an admitted worshiper of an evil god-demoness, specifically her Public Relations Specialist. As a researcher it is awkward to be claimed by such a being but he like to pose the argument that perhaps creatures like gods can be modified by their worshipers- so he tries to do good with the powers he has at every opportunity. He spends his time in charity and research which confuses the crap out of a lot of people but he tends to be magical and logistical specialist... Just so this 8th level has some history.

So while I was stuck in the hospital bed for two weeks, I wrote and rewrote this post in my head several times. Don't remember any of it now, so here's the newest version.

THE NEVER-ENDING STORY...

The Missing Chapter: when I was discharged from the hospital back in January, I was sent home with a Foley catheter, which was more of an annoyance and handicap for my home rehab at the time. Managed to get an appointment with the VA  urologist two weeks later. He thought I should never have been sent home with it, but it was time to get it removed. Took a week of scheduling shuffles but finally went home without it on the following Thursday.

That Friday night when getting ready for bed, I lost my balance while setting something on the floor and fell over on my back onto the concrete floor. My housemate helped me get up and everything seemed fine once I was back out in the recliner. Nope. Come Saturday, I was in excruciating pain across all the muscles in my chest and back. Doan's, Aleve, Tylenol didn't help at all. Monday added a heating pad... better. Wednesday, switched to BenGay... better, but still couldn't sleep, so Thursday went back to the VA for some stronger pain meds.

That doctor saw the previous records and thought I might be having a pulmonary embolism and immediately did an ambulance transfer to the ER. 6 hours later the ER doctor decided that wasn't the case and sent me home with vicadin. Didn't do anything but pharmacy was closed so had to wait till the next day to get more.

After that, everything was fine for a few hours. Mid-afternoon, I suddenly couldn't move my legs!

EMT/PD shortly had me back in the ER. MRI of head and neck revealed a tumor in my C2 vertebra. Had spinal surgery next morning! Being the weekend, it took 4 days to get the pathology back which identified it as prostate cancer. Caught it early and getting chemo, and now in rehab to walk again.

Other than that, I'm in great health (for my age)! Probably 4-6 weeks in rehab before I go home.

Geeze! What a roller coaster... I've had some work with military docs(usually I prefer their directness) but sometimes they just can't get to something timely.

Wow! Glad you’re alive. Sorry it’s been so nuts lately.

Well damn. Sounds like an episode out of House, M.D. Glad they caught it early and you're recovering.

Yup, looking at the positives losing your balance is what had them catch it in time to do something about it. On to rehab (again) then!

Just how much of the first teens mission is public knowledge? I'm not sure if my character should have the information from reading through the other mission's threads...

In terms of Bounty Hunters, it's reasonably common knowledge that there's a bounty on the crew and ship of the mutineers. How tapped into that Tombs is is up to you.

Apologies for no update but really didn't think there was one.

Still paraplegic trying to recover mobility at a poor rehab facility with bad nursing and half-horrible food until...

Developed a sore on my butt from laying in bed 24/7 that didn't get treated properly and turned gangrene, so now I'm back in the hospital with surgery scheduled for Tuesday.

Recovery to go home was still about a month away. Don't yet know how this new problem will affect that.

Low energy levels at rehab have left me with a one-track mind--just have trouble shifting gears between game systems right now.

My OCD stubbornness is still keeping me from pulling the plug on my games. I really have fun running games and it really bums me out that I can't keep them going right now for all of you. For those of you who are still sticking around waiting for the game to restart, I sincerely apologize for the delay. For those of you who have moved on, no hard feelings here--I completely understand.

Anyway, Happy Easter to everyone!

I may not have the ability to call the dead into my service quite like my character does... But I have been around for a few games seeming to come back to life.

My wife got diagnosed with (as yet unspecified) lymphoma, and after her first round of chemo she got a blood clot in the arm where they fed the PICC line through to her heart. It has been scary and I have not gotten an abundance of sleep in the past several weeks. I will be around as much as my (wife's) schedule allows.

Be including you in my list of people that I hope recovers well soon.

I'm really sorry you're suffering through all this, SM. No apologies needed for the delay and I look forward to your being able to enjoy the game again once you make it out of this.

Hoping for some good luck coming both SM and Tombs' way, we'll be here.

StarMaster, my best wishes for you fast recovery.

Can't sleep, can't focus to post... turn. More of the same. Turn. Repeat.

STAGE MINUS ONE--SPINAL SURGERY: Hell, I don't even remember half of it. This would have been the spinal surgery to remove the tumor and put me on my back for two weeks. DONE. SUCCESS!

STAGE ZERO--REHAB ERROR: Weeks at rehab facility where inadequate and improper nursing care turned an ordinary bedsore into a far more serious gangrene wound... one that now needed surgery to fix. DONE? WAS THAT A SUCCESS OR FAILURE?

STAGE ONE--BACKSIDE SURGERY: Operation on my tailbone went off without a hitch apparently. Just left with a major wound on my tailbone. Couldn't/can't put pressure on the wound while it heals, thus laying on my side and having to get turned to the other side every two hours, necessitating having to learn to type on my laptop upside down and sideways with one finger. Remember, this is at the BETTER recovery/rehab facility rather than at home, so options are still limited. Did I mention the I-V dangling from my arm that also gets in the way? DONE. SUCCESS.

STAGE TWO--STAPLES/SUTURES REMOVAL: Staples and stitches still need to come out. Don't have a timeline for that yet but presumably soon.
___STAGE 2.1: First half of the staples were taken out Tuesday. On schedule, standard routine. DONE. SUCCESS.
___STAGE 2.2: Second half of staples were removed Friday. Again, right on schedule with no complications. DONE. SUCCESS.
___STAGE 2.3: Sutures are currently supposed to come out on Monday, though that probably depends on how the final healing has progressed, since not everyone will heal the same way. PENDING.

STAGE THREE--WOUND REHAB: sitting protocols start as soon as sutures come out (?). Start getting used to sitting up  again... in 15-minute intervals. No details yet on frequency or duration. Will kind of depend on how well I do, but further complicated by not  having any control of my leg muscles. Requires moving to a normal bed rather than this deluxe air bubbling mattress that's meant to stimulate skin/muscle do I don't get more bedsores.

STAGE FOUR--HOME REHAB: As soon as I can stand up on my own two legs, I should be able to go home for final rehab. Regain mobility. At this point, there's no telling how well the wound rehab and the paralysis rehab will work together. The therapist seemed to think they could make them work together in synergy, but I didn't get a whole lot of enthusiasm from him. I suppose it could be uncharted territory for him.


ON THE BRIGHT SIDE: I now qualify for Frequent Surgery Miles. I've had four surgeries so the fifth one is free! Oddly, I started with the Big One (double bypass heart surgery 15 years ago) and that went easier than these.

Still not sure if there's a light at  the end of the tunnel yet--if there is, hope it's the Battery Low indicator and not the Westbound #9 train!

We need a minotaur cleric because... Holy cow! At least now there are only a few dozen things that could complicate issues!

My wife has cancer on the spine so I'm loosely familiar with the joys of back issues. I wish you didn't have to go through it. I hope you recover well and keep getting good care going forward.

Oh, wow. Hope your wife is beating it and getting better. Makes my problem pale in comparison.

It is a good prognosis. 80% remission by August is the math docs give and we don't have to pay for treatments. She doesn't even have to take pain pills most nights. We have benefited from significant providence. We hope the same for others.

Indeed, that's quite good. Not in the least not having to pay for treatments, there are some horror stories from the States that occasionally float over to our end of the pond.

80% is fairly fast, there aren't any problems with it shrinking too fast for her body to fill up the resulting gaps and have the cancer cells 'pull' on the tissue as it recedes? With how much of the nervous system's located in the spine i reckon they'd want to keep an eye on that.

There are a lot of exams that take hours each. They say that it may take some time in physical therapy and she would do well to step up protein, and take prenatal vitamins to help her body strengthen and recover the affected areas. It oddly doesn't seem particularly attached to important stuff... Just interference with her leg nerves from pressure. We caught it pretty early.

Today is an imaging day so I'll know more later.

___STAGE 2.3: Sutures came out on Monday right on schedule, but the final healing is still in progress for several weeks/months. DONE. SUCCESS.

STAGE THREE--WOUND REHAB: sitting up for continued wound rehab protocols start as soon as sutures came out, about a week ago now. Start getting used to sitting up  again... in 15-minute intervals twice a day. Moved to a standard air mattress bed. Frequency and duration will kind of depend on how well I do, but further complicated by not having any control over my leg muscles and not enough feeling below the waist. Communication/responsibility issue has only produced one session--should have been six by now! PENDING???

___STAGE 3.5--RESUME PREVIOUS REHAB: In a week or two or three depending on how quickly I improve here, I get transferred to yet another Rehab facility for continued wound recovery... takes a long time... as well as mobility rehab.

___Stage 3.7--TRANSFER TO NEW REHAB: So the Wound Recovery has done well enough that I'm getting transferred to a different rehab facility for the Sitting/Mobility rehab. Don't know why there's a difference other than where I'm at is more medical than therapeutic so they need to make room for a new patient.

THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL: Different tunnel, different light. I suppose it's a step in the right direction, but we'll have to see how it goes.

Hello everyone! I am the new guy in town, playing a half-valkyrie named Quellus Valkyr. His classes are Swashbuckler and Vorpal Knight (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/class...shing/vorpal-knight/). I plan to build him as a heavy hitter melee-type character who adapts his abilities after vanquishing foes.


Has anyone requested the "something interesting" option? How does that option work? Do I still buy other magic items normally?

Am I correct in my assumption that we are not using Traits in this game? I do not see them mentioned anywhere.

They weren't mentioned, but i added them and it was fine afaik?

Also, welcome to the game! :)

Thanks!

So, aside from Traits, do you have a solid idea of the kind of character you want to play?

This is what I mentioned in my RtJ:

Basically he is a strength-based swashbuckler and he uses his Vorpal Knight class to gain bonuses from defeated foes. Which boons he gains depends on the type of enemy he defeats. To start with, it will just be a handful of animals' souls from animals I purchase at character creation. I am focusing on dealing lots of HP damage with a high critical chance for starters.

Nice!

I'm a Witch/Kineticist with a dash of Monk, so i'll mostly be focusing on support and utility, though i also have a mean right hook. I can also shut down single opponents at the cost of my move action.

Being a librarian i'm also quite good at crafting any books the party might need, so expect our information to be neatly organized in appropriately themed binders :P

Looking for opinions. Would it be worth it to spend 12000 on Boots of Speed for ten rounds of haste per day? Or should I put that money toward +1 attack, +1 damage, and +2 AC?

I've gone with tools and abilities from my funds. If it is one or the other, I think haste is more practical...

In reply to Quellus Valkyr (msg # 200):

Depends really.

A 3rd level spell on a wand comes in at 13,500 gold (spell level 3 x caster level 6 x 750 gold), but after 50 charges it's gone.

That same wand on charges/day is calculated as 3 x 6 x 2000 (unlimited uses) for 36k, divided by (5 / uses per day) if you want to limit the castings.

So yeah, you could:
- Get Boots of Speed, and activate haste as a free action 10 rounds/day, cost 12k
- Get a wand of 2 charges/day of CL 6 haste as a standard action with a 6 round duration each, cost 14.4k

Of the two, the Boots would be better if you expect to be ambushed a lot, but on the other hand the Wand allows you to optionally target your allies and, since it's a wand, does not take up your boots slot for when you run into something better.

-----

All that aside, the extra attack from haste would only apply to full attacks, so when asking whether the boots of speed would be useful, there are two things to consider:
- How often will i be making a full attack
- What are the odds that what i'm full attacking will be dead by the time the bonus attack gets rolled for

So yeah, if you've got some way to pounce or get Dimensional Dervish in there somewhere so you can full attack at the end of a charge, and then the boots of speed start to shine as with a free action you've got twice the movement range to charge in and ruin an enemy's day with a full attack +1. If not...

That said, while i don't have experience with Vorpal Knights, it looks like the Phylocrux ability can gain you access to the Haste spell by *adjusts glasses* digesting a Humanoid of 6-10 HD, right?

Don't forget eternal wands in the calculation. Jeez I feel like a noob. Went Vanilla Unchained Rogue/Solaric Ranger.

Yeah, Eternal Wands have two charges per day, so they're basically spell level x caster level x 800 to make.

Keep in mind though, the main consideration here is action economy. Activating an item such as a wand (command word etc.) takes up a standard action, meaning you're spending the first round of combat buffing up, so to speak.

You could also make an item that permanently gives haste, but that would be rather costly. Spell level x caster level x 2,000, but there's a catch:



Since Haste is a rounds/level spell, you'd be looking at a x4 price multiplier. Since number of rounds would no longer be a factor you could cut costs by getting a Summoner to cast it (level 2 spell for them) though the cost would still be 2 x 4 x 2,000 x 4 = 64k. There's a reason you don't see such items on everyone and their cousins at high levels.

Thank you everyone for the helpful insights. I think it makes a lot more sense to go with the Boots of Speed. Free-action Haste will likely pay off a lot more than the other bonuses in the long run. I do have Pounce and boosted land speed from two of my absorbed souls, so spending an action to buff myself would slow me down a lot. Plus, I don't have the Use Magic Device ranks to use a wand. I might possibly pick up the Haste Phylocrux ability if we ever take down some humanoids during our bounty hunting duties, but that would still require an action to use and slow me down.

Thank you again for the assistance. I believe that buying gear and recording my weapon stats are all I really have left at this point. So I should be done soon.

Oh yeah, Pounce means you can get your full attack off often :)

If you want a piece of gear advice, one of my favorite items to get is this one:

https://aonprd.com/MagicWondro...me=Snakeskin%20Tunic

+1 AC, +2 Dex (which means another +1 AC, +1 Reflex and possibly +1 to-hit if ranged/finesse) and +2 vs. poison. And it's the chest slot, so it doesn't really have a lot of competition. Great buy at only 8k.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:22, Wed 31 May 2023.

Thanks Vix'Trakath. I don't think that item will be very beneficial for my particular character build, but I will definitely keep it in mind for future consideration!

GM, I believe my character sheet is complete now. Let me know if anything is missing or needs explanation.

I finally got caught up reading Mission One, 1-C, and 1-D. The story is very interesting thus far. I didn't realize the game was mid-battle when the hiatus began. That will be exciting for when things start back up!

Am I also correct in my understanding that I am not the only player who has not entered the plot yet? It seems like it would make sense for us newbies to be in our own mini-group when we meet up with everyone else. (Unless we aren't meeting up with the main group at all?) If that is the case, maybe we could work on a bit of shared history OOC in the meantime?

Not quite.

There's a 1-E thread where a couple of us are in that was supposed to join up with the others at one point (Garidan, Tess, Tombs, Topaz and myself), but yeah, from what i can tell we're all pretty much in the intro stage where the group starts getting together.

Ah, I see. I suppose I should wait to see where I will be placed then before intertwining backstories with people.

It's up to you where you want to jump in.

If jumping into the middle of the battle appeals to you, that's fine.

The other thread is a more nebulous scenario--the PCs are looking for an Undercurrent... a sort of miasma/attitude in Diobel that'll lead them to.... well, they aren't quite sure yet.

I guess I don't have a strong opinion one way or the other. But if it is all the same to you, I suppose the battle group would be my first choice. Since that is the scenario I read all of the lead-up to, and my character is built to handle physical confrontation well.

I imagine he could have been near the docks when the battle caught his attention, then when he realized the ones being attacked are people he knows, he would have flown in to help lay down the hurt!

Battle it is.

Now I just have to work you into the scene.... let's see... wild horses, fuzzy little kitties (vorpal, of course), Kentucky Fried Oreos, jambalaya, and a jar of vanishing cream. That should do it.

---

And another new player requested to join, so maybe this'll jumpstart me into getting the game back on track. Miracles can happen! No, really, they do! Just not usually to me.

In reply to GM StarMaster (msg # 213):

Only if you feel up to it. If you're ready, you're ready, but don't force yourself into making a false start, okay? :)

I agree with Vix. Don't rush yourself! I can be patient, and honestly I have quite a bit left to do building my character and reacquainting myself with RPOL after a decade long hiatus.

Also hello!

I am also not in a rush. Although I would certainly love to begin posting for my character, because the game looks so fun. Just let me know when to start posting once things are ready to progress!

Also, Flynn, welcome to the game! I am new too. I see you are a merfolk, which is awesome. What type of character are you building?

Welcome to the game, Flynn :)

Merfolk eh? Strix here, so between my ability to fly and yours to breathe water, i'd say we are diversifying the terrains we can operate in quite a bit!

I am building a Picaroon Swashbuckler/Scourge Sorcerer, slinging magic, rapier and pistol. Eventually I will be able to cast spells through my pistol, but that ability is slightly delayed by the Scourge's Bard progression of spellcasting.

Flynn will be a brash seaman, keen to Errol Flynn himself into exciting conflicts. I took the "Secret Magic" Racial feature, which gives me a daily use of "Fins to Feet", so I won't be flopping around on deck.

Not sure why that private messaged to Quellus earlier. Maybe posting from my phone is less than ideal while waiting for Jury Duty.

Yeah, if you write a post, and have one of the boxes below the box you write the post in checked, it defaults to sending as a private message instead regardless of the thread you were writing it in.

Fins to Feet will work, though it's a level 3 spell and you'd need two castings to get through the day (1 hour/level spell) and it can be dispelled, so i figured you'd go for the Strongtail racial trait and trade a faster land speed (5 --> 15 ft) for a slower swim speed (50 --> 30 ft).

I think I must have fat-fingered a check box or something, then.

Secret Magic gives F2F as a 1/Day spell-like ability(as well as Speak With (Aquatic) Animals At Will), but I planned on having it on my list as emergency backup/long day thing as well. Though Strong Tail is a good Plan C solution.

Yeah, between Strongtail and the Wanderlust trait you'd flop around with a land speed of 25 ft, so the party would barely notice the difference.

https://www.d20pfsrd.com/trait...l-traits/wanderlust/
This message was last edited by the player at 20:14, Mon 05 June 2023.

Wanderlust only counts for Overland travel, which is not Tactical movement. I feel like if the party is making long travel over land a thing, it would better serve to get a cart or some other means of conveyance. In combat, 15' should be fine to get around if my F2F is dispelled. But it would certainly be funny to see: "Someone chase that guy down so I can stab him for dispelling my feet!" *angry fishflops*

Ah okay, thought it counted for land speed in general. Oh well.

Also, interesting tidbit:

As a full-round action i can create a wall of water 10 ft high and 120 ft wide, or 20 ft high and 60 ft wide, so i could cast that and have you be inside of it to grant you maximum maneuverability. It's water, so you could arguably be using your swim speed in there.

You would take some damage from it though, unless the GM would allow me to use it in a way that doesn't deal damage, or (more logically) reason that since you can breathe water it wouldn't deal damage to you in the first place...

I think that would only work if I was a Ninja. (sorry for the Surf Ninjas reference)

Get a flying mount like I did.

My wagon is modular, with a few hours' heads up it can be changed into a flying vehicle, arguably it goes along the bottom better than across water. Keen investigators may be more disturbed by Tom.

I'm looking forward to using my Always Intensified Shocking Grasp Rapier stab. Scourge means no extra casting time on some metamagic, Magical Lineage means one less level from metamagic for Shocking Grasp, Armed Touch lets me deliver spells through melee weapons, so I can cast it as normal every time for (currently) 8D6 electric delivered on the point of a rapier. And eventually down the barrel of a gun!

ZOT.

Ooh, we can be 8d6 buddies then! Costs me my move action to charge it up, but i'm hoping to fix that problem when i can grab a feat next level.

Yeah, delivering spells through my weapons is going to get ugly real quick. Between Shocking Grasp and Force Punch, it'll make for some hilarious and gruesome encounters.

Force Punch on a bullet will give it that cinematic knockback, which will be fun to use on folks in the rigging, on cliffs, edge of ship decks, etc.

I've also got one of those big whammy Shocking Grasps stored in my Spell Storing Armor. There may have been an Electric Eel somewhere up my family coral.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:55, Wed 07 June 2023.

I'm aiming more for a support/utility role, but the ability to debuff people's AC, attack or saves (my choice) as a swift action when i punch them is a pretty fun trick as well. I'm mainly a single target damage dealer though, whereas your guns allow you to target multiple people in one attack, correct?

My focus is Touch and Range touch spells, with a few rays/cones/lines/balls. When I start throwing spells on bullets, they have to be T or RT, and extra rays/projectiles/etc are wasted. That doesn't mean I can't just blast Scorching Hands or Fireball or whatever multi-target spell directly, of course.

My focus is damage spells and being annoying in people's faces. I'm actually Multi Swash/Gunslinger on the shooty/stabby side of things, which means I get BOTH the Swashy Dodge AND the Slinger Dodge deeds, and the Arch I used for Gunslinger bases my Grit on my Charisma, so I have 10 points of Panache/Grit to say, "Nuh uh, I just increased my AC by 4-5 on top of my Mage Armor Shield and everything else". And Gods of Golarion help you if you actually touch me and get a Monster Shocking Grasp in the face for your troubles.

(Obviously there are OTHER things I can spend my Grit/Panache on, but that's a DEEP pool to draw from that gets replenished from criting and killing with my weapons.)
This message was last edited by the player at 15:06, Wed 07 June 2023.

Just remember that your opponents have to be able to challenge you. I had no plans for an Ancient Blue Dragon in the game but may have to add one now...

Well. That would put a hitch in my giddyup. Fortunately I can change things up a bit. Storing a Force Punch in the armor is simple enough to prep for sparky beasties.

Excellent!

Every gunslinger needs a mount after all ;)

Swarms are valid challenges too not to mention lots of creatures are immune to an element or two.

It is good to have badass moments for each character. It is good to have a person or two in the party that CAN take down massive threats, but anyone who relies on mostly one spell for so many levels needs methods to modify that spell or other spells that they can use to throw off insightful opponents... Unless you don't drink in taverns to celebrate a job well done AND leave no survivors... Otherwise word spreads and anyone who anticipated you being involved starts to pack spells and gear that let them ignore all or part of your usual tactics.

By 8th level we MAY actually have people or creatures actively looking to ruin us.

Yup, at around those levels there's some pretty nasty stuff available if you know where to look.

https://www.realmshelps.net/monsters/block/Nishruu

That is a wicked critter that I have no desire to run afoul of!

In other news, My Character Sheet is sorted and ready to rock!

This is the way.
Mind you, many times monster will escape, but you have to try to kill them all.
Also, celebrating a job well done? In the privacy of your home. You never know where the enemy can have informants.

Peasants or friends' celebration may still lend tales and enemies could investigate or flat out use divination to determine how to prepare to make an important day/operation succeed.

Tom should seem a bit creepy at first, but he is handsome, friendly, polite, smart, and has an emphasis in his career toward combatting necromancers and building walls of earth and stone for poorly defended communities.

It sounds like a couple of people have, or should have, reputations somewhat along the line of big game hunters. Bringing down larger creatures to protect communities more directly with violence.

Quite the opposite of me then, trying to cultivate the image of a librarian :P

Tombs has aspirations of becoming a big damn hero but acknowledges that his own power has... Darker Design. He tries, maybe a little too hard, to prove that his gristly gifts don't dictate the person he is.

He may have spent time with magical researcher characters as he is prone to trying to solve virtually any problem with his magic which is sometimes tricky or indirect to accomplish.

Well i do own a library...

...Payment in advance if you would like to have a copy made.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL MY USA FRIENDS!!!

Gobble 'Til Ya Wobble :D

<-- Not in the USA :(

But hey, Happy Thanksgiving regardless. I'll have some turkey on your behalf :P

Happy Thanksgiving!

..... Echo......

Happy Leftovers Day!